text: Mark Hahn wrote: > > Static routing is the best approach if your pattern is > known. In other > > sure, but how often is the pattern actually known? I mean in general: > aren't most clusters used for multiple, shifting purposes? > There will be many arguments in each side. There are enough cases where the patterns are know, or that the majority of the applications use the same pattern, and there are cases that they are not. As I see it the key is flexibility - choose what works best for you, and if you want to tune it - that is possible as well > > There are some vendors that uses only the 24 port switches to build > > very large scale clusters - 3000 nodes and above, without any > > oversubscription, and they find it more cost effective. Using single > > so the switch fabric would be a 'leaf' layer with 12 up and > 12 down, and a top layer with 24 down, right? so 3000 nodes > means 250 leaves and 125 tops, 9000 total ports so 4500 cables. > The number of switch layers, or tiers, depends on the cluster size and the oversubscription. For full non blocking, 2 layer of 24 switches get you up to 288 ports switch, and with 36 ports up to 648 ports. With 3 layers you can build 3456 ports or more than 11K ports (24 or 36 ports building blocks). Assume that you use 2 layers, you need the same number of cables as number of nodes. > > enclosures is easier, but the cables are not expensive and > you can use > > the smaller components. > > in federated networks, I think cables wind up being 15-20% of > the network price. for instance, if we take the simplest > possible approach, and equip this 3000-node cluster with a > non-blocking federated fabric (assuming just sdr) from > colfax's current price list: > > subtot unit n what > 375000 125 3000 ib nic > 117000 39 3000 1m host ib cables > 148500 99 1500 8m leaf-top ib cables > 900000 2400 375 24pt unman switch > 1540500 total (cable 17%) > > I'm still confused about IB pricing, since the street price > of nics, cables and switches are dramatically more expensive > than colfax. > (to the paranoid, colfax would appear to be a mellanox shell > company...) This is totally wrong. Colfax is one of many distributers and is in business much before Mellanox. Mellanox do not need to have shell companies. If you check with othersm you might see same pricing. > for completeness, here's the same bom with "normal" public prices: > > subtot unit n what > 2100000 700 3000 ib nic > 330000 110 3000 1m host ib cables > 330000 220 1500 8m leaf-top ib cables > 1500000 4000 375 24pt unman switch > 4260000 total (cable 15%) > I can not comment on any pricing from my customers and partners. > interestingly, if nodes were about 3700 apiece (about what > you'd expect for intel dual-socket quad-core 2G/core), the > interconnect winds up being 28% of the cost. > To the smart user, if your application require high speed interconnect, than it worth the money (assuming your math is correct). Buying 300 servers and being able to utilize only half, not to mention the electric bill - suddenly the interconnect seems very cheap. Gilad.


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Both UPS and DHL have ceased shipments of shark fins — a major victory in the protection of these animals, some of which are critically endangered.
Shark finning is a brutal practice — with their fins hacked off and their bodies thrown back into the water, these sharks can no longer swim and are left to die from shock, blood loss, starvation or predation by other fish.
Please join us in calling on FedEx to follow the example set by UPS and DHL and ban the shipment of shark fins!
Dear Mr. Frederick W. Smith, CEO FedEx,
As an advocate for Defenders of Wildlife and someone who cares deeply about the conservation of marine wildlife, particularly sharks, I am writing to urge your company, FedEx, to stop shipping shark fins both internationally and within the United States. Twenty-five percent of shark species are currently listed as endangered, threatened, or near threatened by extinction. With an estimated 73 million sharks killed for their fins each year, it is imperative that the international shipping industry ensure that it is not inadvertently facilitating the shipment of illegal shark fins from CITES-listed species.
Recently, both UPS and DHL announced that they will no longer ship shark fins. I strongly request that FedEx follow the example set by these other shipping companies and join them in taking an enormous stride for shark conservation worldwide.
Please stop shipping shark fins and help conserve shark species around the world! It is long overdue for this brutal practice of shark fining to end.
Thank you for your consideration,


text:
Japan bows out gracefully in first Classic exit
By John Schlegel / MLB.com
SAN FRANCISCO -- They gathered on the third-base line, their opponents still celebrating wildly on the infield at AT&T Park. In unison, each player on Team Japan removed his cap and bowed toward the field where the jubilant players from Puerto Rico were dancing, a sign of respect in the face of defeat.
With that, the team that had run through the first two editions of the World Baseball Classic with skill and teamwork, using some of their most famous players with Major League credentials to lift them to a pair of championships, had bowed out of the 2013 tournament.
This time, the fundamentals and the team concept simply weren't enough for the Japanese. They didn't have the arms to shut down their opponents when they needed to the most, and their vaunted fundamentals broke down a couple of times in their final game of the tournament -- including a crucial mistake to kill an eighth-inning rally.
|Bracket | Full scoreboard
And so it was that, after winning the Classic in 2006 and 2009, Japan found itself eliminated from the 2013 edition Sunday night after a 3-1 loss at the hands of Puerto Rico in the semifinals at AT&T Park. Puerto Rico advances to the Classic final, where it will meet the winner of Monday's semifinal matchup between the undefeated Dominican Republic squad and the upstart club of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
It was a tough way for Japan to go out after so much success in the tournament over the years, but manager Koji Yamamoto had nothing but kind words for his players after the quest for a third consecutive title had fallen short.
"The players, all of them worked really hard, and on such a big stage of international games, this is going to be a benefit for their career as a baseball player, this season and for the future," Yamamoto said.
The proud tradition of Japanese baseball was honored before the game as all-time great and 2006 Team Japan manager Sadaharu Oh and 2009 manager Tatsunori Hara each threw ceremonial first pitches. After the game, the 2013 manager knew this year's team had not reached its ultimate goal.
"Of course I have aimed for three consecutive winning championships, and I had some expectation that we would be able to do that," Yamamoto said.
Part of the reason was that some of the qualities that took them to the top twice before were missing, with one particular fundamental breakdown in the eighth inning Sunday proving costly.
Down by two with runners on first and second and the go-ahead run at the plate in cleanup hitter and team leader Shinnosuke Abe, a double-steal attempt wound up blowing up for Japan. While Seiichi Uchikawa sprinted from first base, Hirokazu Ibata started and then retreated to second, and catcher Yadier Molina came all the way from behind home plate to tag out Uchikawa about three-quarters of the way up the second-base line.
"There was a sign that the double steal can be attempted, and Ibata's start was a little delayed and that was what happened," Yamamoto said.
As for the call of moving the runners and opening up first base with the cleanup hitter at the plate, Yamamoto said J.C. Romero's motion appeared to be ripe for the picking, so he put on the double steal.
"The motion of the pitching was large, as you can see through the video -- I could see it from the video," Yamamoto said. "And if there's an opportunity, we were saying that the players should run. Slugger Shinnosuke Abe was the hitter and moving forward to the next base is the right attempt. It failed, but I don't regret the attempt."
This year's Japanese team did not feature the Major League star power of its predecessors, with Ichiro Suzuki of the Yankees and Yu Darvish of the Rangers among those who didn't participate in the tournament this time around. The team also previously had Daisuke Matsuzaka earning MVP honors in both 2006 and 2009 while providing clutch pitching performances.
Still, Yamamoto clearly had a lot of pride in the team Japan fielded with all Nippon Professional Baseball League players, the only former Major Leaguer being Kaz Matsui -- who flied out to center for the final out of the game.
"As a team, we were all domestic players from Nippon baseball," Yamamoto said. "It's challenging to get adjusted before the season, so as a team, despite the challenges, they really had the unity to fight the game."
Japan displayed its normal sound defense early in the contest, turning a couple of key double plays to get them out of jams. Third baseman Nobuhiro Matsuda caught a low liner and doubled off a runner to end the second inning, starting pitcher Kenta Maeda started a 1-6-3 double play in the third inning and catcher Abe stopped Jesus Feliciano's attempt to steal to end the top of the fifth.
The team rallied in the late innings and managed to shut down a bases-loaded rally in the top of the ninth to keep their hopes alive. But, this time, it just wasn't enough against a Puerto Rico team that is excelling in all facets of the game.
"In this case, our opponent was really superior, both in pitching and hitting, and so we were cornered, in a sense," Yamamoto said.
John Schlegel is a national reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text: This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the basic research techniques used by biological anthropologists through hands-on experience and an introduction to the literature of the field. The course is divided into two main sections. The first focuses on human skeletal anatomy, and the second covers methodologies used in forensic anthropology, paleontology, primatology, human growth and development, and population genetics. This course counts for the NMNS distribution requirement.


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For every great coach there is almost always a former coach to play the role of teacher along the way. What is rare is when teacher and student become league rivals and face each other on opposing sidelines multiple times a year.
That is the scenario for two boys soccer coaches in the Wesco 3A South — Glacier Peak head coach Kyle Veach and Mountlake Terrace head coach George Dremousis. Both coaches are in their first year at their respective schools.
The relationship between the two began over a decade ago when Dremousis recruited Oak Harbor's Veach to play at Shoreline Community College. Veach played one season for Dremousis before transferring to Northwest University where he played three more years of college soccer.
Veach made an impact on Dremousis' Shoreline C.C. team as soon as he arrived. He was an all-league selection at outside midfielder and did so well that he got the attention of other schools as well. One of those schools, Northwest University, offered Veach a scholarship, which he accepted.
But first he had to break the news to Dremousis.
Veach invited Dremousis and his wife out to dinner to inform them of his decision.
"I kind of broke the news to them, which I was really nervous about," Veach said. "They just did nothing but celebrate. We toasted and raised our glasses and it ended up being a really cool and memorable night for me."
Dremousis learned a lot about Veach because of how he handled that situation.
"That kind of just showed the kind of character he has," Dremousis said. "He wanted to take us out to dinner because he felt so bad he wasn't going to play a second year for me."
Veach might have only played one season for Dremousis, but he said it was some of the most fun he'd ever had playing soccer.
Veach immediately tapped into that influence when he began his coaching career.
"You can sum up how I coach, how I view training young people and how I would treat a referee — it all stems from how he taught us and how he trained me," Veach said.
In two seasons as the Stanwood boys soccer coach, Veach transformed the Spartans from a two-win team to the Wesco 3A North champions.
Veach resigned as the boys and girls head coach at Stanwood in the offseason to pursue an opportunity to become a full-time pastor in Snohomish. The Glacier Peak job opened up around the same when Grizzlies' head coach Shannon Murray resigned because of other coaching obligations.
Veach applied for and was offered the position.
After accepting the job, Veach reached out to Dremousis, who had recently resigned as the head coach at Trinity Lutheran College to spend more time with his family. Veach asked if Dremousis would be interested in helping out with the Glacier Peak program not knowing Dremousis would soon have his own coaching obligations once again.
Dremousis, who is also a teacher at Mountlake Terrace, was approached about the job after former head coach Gary Hunter suddenly resigned. Feeling a sense of obligation at the school he began his coaching career as an assistant in 1993, Dremousis accepted the job.
Veach, who saw the news on Facebook, immediately reached out to his old coach.
"I messaged him instantly and congratulated him on being able to coach at the school that he's teaching at," Veach said. "I was talking some trash in that message as well."
Veach said no sooner than pressing the send button Dremousis sent a message of his own, saying he was excited to coach against Veach.
They won't have to wait long, the Hawks travel to Glacier Peak on April 4.
"Tactically we kind of know each other's philosophy," Dremousis said. "I know he knows mine and I think I kind of know his, so that part will be fun."
Veach seemed to agree.
"I think naturally our players and our systems will kind of cancel each other out," Veach said.
Though both coaches have had a friendship over a decade, there is no question their competitiveness will kick in on the night of the game.
"I love him, but I also would love to beat him," Veach said.
While the two teams may have similar philosophies, there is no denying the programs are at different places. The Grizzlies finished second in the Wesco 3A South last season, going on to win the district championship and advance to the state quarterfinals.
The Hawks won just two games all season.
How quickly can Dremousis turn it around?
"Instantly," Veach said. "What I did in Stanwood is only because George taught me how to do that. He's taking on something very similar in the Terrace program.
"George is the ultimate soccer salesman to his systems because they work."
Dremousis set the tone early for the Hawks in the season's first practices.
"We just came in and said, 'Look we're going to start over,'" Dremousis said. "'I don't care if you played JV or varsity last year, we're going to go with the best 16-18 guys.'"
So far the new energy Dremousis has pumped into the programs has seemed to work.
"The guys the past few weeks have just been a joy," Dremousis said. "They're hard-workers. They really want to win and they want to get back to where they were when I started at Mountlake Terrace when we were winning state championships and Wesco titles."
The Hawks strength will be their talented group of center midfielders that include Ivan Melchor, Victor Ruelas and Alec Somers. Dremousis called the group "tactically good players" and said they work well with each other.
"I think we're going to build through those three," Dremousis said. "They are dedicated fundamentally-sound players."
The Grizzlies will be a team loaded with senior leadership, but success might depend how some of the younger players adapt to their role on varsity. With 11 seniors, five juniors and three or four sophomores that Veach expects to contribute, depth shouldn't be a problem for the Grizzlies.
Leading the way will be senior Branson Corwin, a returning All-Area second-team forward.
"Branson Corwin is obviously a phenomenal goal-scoring threat at any time," Veach said. "But we also have seniors that haven't been able really shine yet.
"We really do have an extremely talented side that will fight for each other and will fight for every win."
Aaron Lommers covers prep sports for The Herald. Follow him on twitter @aaronlommers and contact him at email@example.com.


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So this our weekly effort to keep everyone up to date on what is going on in the Christian music world. To be honest, it was a slow week, as I believe many of the artists are winding down for the holidays. There isn't much in the way of releases this week either, hence the lack of a posts in that area. Just wait though, because as soon as the new year hits, it looks like there are going to be a ton of albums and tours to talk about. Anyway, here is what is going on this week.
Revive updated fans on the schedule for the band over the next few months.
Jonathan Jones finishes his solo record.
Since October gave a long overdue update on the near happenings for the group.
Switchfoot talk about a few things such as free music, holiday gift packs, tours on their myspace.
Addison Road's equipment that was stolen a few weeks ago has been recovered!
KJ-52's latest video devotional, Let The Past Go, hit the web this week.
Holland did an interview over at the Metal Resource 'Zone.
Natalie Grant was one of the most played female artists on AC Christian Radio this year; a statement concerning the achievement was made this week on her myspace.
Before Their Eyes talk about a lot of new stuff this week.
Bombwork Records announced the signing of Usynlig Tumult, Bloodline Severed, Dagon, Disaffection, In Grief, A Hill To Die Upon,Deus Invictus, Monotheist, and Penny For An Old Guy this week.
August Burns Red announced that they will be contributing their version of Britney Spears "Hit Me Baby One More Time" for the upcoming Fearless Records compilation Punk Goes Pop 2.
Prog-metal band Hands signed to Facedown Records this week and talked all about it on their myspace.
Newreleasetuesday.com posted their top 10 albums of the year. Kevin Davis's appeared earlier this week, and Kevin McNeese's was posted a few days ago.
Facedown Record's founder Jason posted an end of the year update for the label and himself this week.
blessthefall's new video for the song "To Hell and Back" premiered on Hurley.com today.
Phanatik talks about a new youth study, The Urban Remix Project, that he helped create on his blog this week.
Kyle from the band Stryper sent a message to his fans asking for prayer in relation to his battle with cancer.
Ambassador's new video for the song "Gimme Dat!" made its way online this week.
Impending Doom put a video update up concerning the recording of their new album,…..kinda.


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'The Garage' started by AZcacti, Mar 13, 2007.
Nice. What kind of work are you doing on yours? I've got a build thread in my sig line for mine.
All is revealed here...
not "owned" by me but all mine none the less.and its 30x60..consider it "rented" space ...most of the stuff in its mine anyway or stuff im working on for others......
I saw this on Overstock.com -Diamond-tread-Garage-Floor-Cover $599 for 10'x24'
Comfort Foam. $22 for 16 sqft.
While I'm looking Lifetime Storage Building (11' x 18.5') $3833
Dude, you need to have a fire.
The finishing touch for the wall! (remember "Kellys Heros?)
I have this. It is fine for standing on, and rolling over, but way too soft to park on, and do not even consider using the side or centerstand on it, as it just permanently crushes.
yeah your better off with horse mats imo
Horse mats FTW!
Yup I sure would if I was allowed. I'm on a city lot, no burning allowed
Must have that poster!!!!!
"A Sherman can't go up against no Panzer.."
A Hillman and an Anglia?
A Hillman and an Anglia?
wrong and wrong...LOL
id love to just say..guess......but the odds of anyone ever getting the right answer is slim to none....the company died in 1961..and its FAR FAR FAR FAR from stock at this point...note the other one..yes SAME CAR similar year(57 and 58) to the right behind the d-50 4x4.
it is/was a german lloyd kombi(wagon) allexander TS..tho i have dubbed it "eurosled" since i took alot of american leadsled knowhow and poured it into it..51 chev hood tail lights from a tbird grill 58 ford the list rattles on and on..but keeping it all euro..its on alfa milano platinum underpinnings nose to tail..lets just say the hours and mod list is extensive to say the least...look me up on youtube or look for eurosled
Well, I'm just renting a condo with a garage... so I can't alter the structure the way I'd like. But here are some pics of where I spend the majority of my spare time when I'm not riding:
Wow! You're not f##king around!


text:
MIAMI - Just as the fight was breaking out, just as two naked men were on the causeway, just as one was chewing the face off of another, frantic calls were coming into 911.
LISTEN: Face eating attack 911 calls
"Two bums were going at it with each other," one caller said.
"Can't miss 'em, he's naked," another screamed.
"He is beating another man to a pulp," a third person reported.
Police say 31-year old Rudy Eugene was naked and beating and ripping the clothes off of a homeless man on the MacArthur Causeway last Saturday.
65-year old Ronald Poppo was left bleeding from the face as Eugene tore out his eye, nose, and cheek with his teeth.
"He's going to kill that man, I promise you," one caller screamed.
Officers rushed in and killed Eugene on the spot and rushed Poppo to the hospital.
At least eight hours before the attack, Eugene was also caught on another security camera on Miami Beach. The manager of a private school there said at 6 a.m. Saturday his surveillance camera showed a Blue Chevy Impala blocking his driveway.
Police didn't figure out that it was Eugene's car until three days later.
Witnesses said the video shows Eugene's car smoking from the engine. Apparently, something was wrong with the car and he and a friend got out and abandoned it. They also say it doesn't appear that there was anything wrong with either of the men.
Then, hours later, Eugene was suddenly seen walking on the causeway when he attacked Poppo. Poppo is still in critical condition Friday night.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Taking pictures is an excellent way to capture memories, commemorate special occasions, or get arrested at a spy convention. Display secret identities with pride with today's Groupon from MetalPixs. Choose between the following options:
The photo-transfer techs at MetalPixs have the technology to rebuild fragile paper-based photos into sleek metallic keepsakes, printed on a sturdy, aluminum surface. High-resolution scanners recapture the colors, lines, and imprisoned souls of traditional prints before they're enlarged. For photos in need of enhancing, MetalPixs will remove red eyes, balance color, and correct brightness and contrast gratis if asked nicely at checkout. MetalPixs ships pics for free, and guarantees a 100% refund if customers are unsatisfied.
Lens-persons wishing to transfer a digital file should check out the handy guide to common sizing and resolution issues. Although not included in this Groupon, custom photo-enhancements are available, such as colorization of black-and-white photographs ($45), perfect for proving the existence of elusive rainbow zebras.
CoupFlip is a marketplace for people to buy and sell deals from "daily deal" (also known as "group buying") sites such as Groupon. On CoupFlip you can buy deals you missed, look for interesting deals in your area, or sell any deal you bought and won't use. The purchase is immediate - pick the deal, pay, download the voucher instantly and enjoy. Every voucher is guaranteed to be authentic by CoupFlip. For sellers, we provide the opportunity to sell your unwanted deal immediately without the hassle of listing your voucher and praying someone comes along and decides they feel like buying it.
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What makes our listing different is that you can feel free to browse through our selection of vouchers at your leisure and pick the ones that you need. Thinking of going out for a meal or planning a vacation? Use our search bar to find the best deals you might have missed on Groupon.
If you're thinking of a Groupon return because you've changed your mind about a purchase, why not consider selling the voucher through us instead? We'll handle the work of offering your last minute deals to interested buyers.
Buy or sell coupons without any difficulty. Here at CoupFlip, we promise you a convenient way to buy and sell deals at any time.


text:
Top rating out of reach for Queensland
Ratings agency Moody's has downgraded its outlook for Queensland's AA1 credit rating, from stable to negative.
''The change in the outlook reflects the deterioration in the state's financial performance which has persisted since fiscal 2007-08 and the resultant high levels of indebtedness,'' the agency said.
''Scheduled improvements will only take hold in a few years, and progress could be slowed by the potential emergence of less supportive conditions.''
Queensland lost its AAA rating in 2009, at the height of the global financial crisis, and has had a AA1 rating since.
Moody's senior credit officer Debra Roane said the state would be unlikely to regain its former AAA rating any time soon.
''Returning to AAA at this point is unlikely in the near term given the high levels of debt,'' she said.
But Ms Roane said Moody's supported the Liberal National Party government's tough September budget, which made 14,000 public service positions redundant.
''We find it to be a positive but it's going to take a few years for these policies to be reflected in improvements in these (ratings) numbers,'' she said.
Moody's said a return to a stable outlook under the AA1 rating would require a rapid return to a sustainable surplus.
''As noted, while the fiscal redress plan is a positive development, implementation will be challenging,'' the agency said in a statement.
Treasurer Tim Nicholls has said a return to AAA would not occur until after the budget returned to a projected surplus in 2014-15.
Moody's assigns debt ratings the Queensland Treasury Corporation, which issues debt on behalf of the state government and and state-owned corporations.
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Sign up for our daily wrap of the news you need to start your day.


text:
Easter is Sunday, April 1, 2018!
It's time for the Easter bunny to make his rounds again! Surprise your friends and family members with a special personalized gift that they can use to enjoy the holiday. From our personalized Easter baskets for kids to our spring-themed custom apparel for the grandparents, we offer a variety of festive options that will definitely make the ones you love smile. Each gift can be personalized or customized specifically for the recipient, making each present a unique one that will be cherished and appreciated. Make this Easter one that your loved ones will remember for a long time!
I ordered five of these stockings for the fireplace. They are just beautiful!! And recording timing on the shipping as well. Would I order these again?? YOU BET!!


text:
Personal computing discussed
Moderators: Dposcorp, SpotTheCat
liquidsquid wrote:The problem is my video card has a standard DisplayPort, not a mini to support that monitor.
Biggins wrote:slightly better viewing angles
morphine wrote:*Anything* but dead center when looking at a TN panel introduces color / brightness shift.
Biggins wrote:May I make a few suggestions?
HP ZR30w - $1,200 - 30" IPS with 2560 x 1600 resolution.
HP ZR24w - $510 - 24" IPS with 1920 x 1200 res
Dell U2410 - $630 - 24" IPS with 1920 x 1200 res
Hanns-G HZ281HPB - $270 - 27.5" TN with 1920 x 1200 res
Biggins wrote:If you do, you can adjust your habits to prevent that. Is leaning back in your chair really worth spending an extra $700?
liquidsquid wrote:Only gripe: I had to pay taxes.
liquidsquid wrote:I always feel like I need a shower after we go there.


text:
DALLAS — All-Star point guard Tony Parker became the first Spurs player chastised under the NBA's new anti-flopping policy, receiving an official warning for what the league deemed an acting job in the first half of Friday's 122-116 win over Houston.
On the play in question, which can be viewed here, Parker is elevating for a defensive rebound when Rockets guard Toney Douglas extends his hand toward Parker's back. Parker goes sprawling to the ground on the baseline, and no foul is whistled.
Parker was one of three players warned Sunday, joining Orlando's Gustavo Ayon and Philadelphia's Royal Ivey on the NBA's naughty list. Under the policy instituted before the start of the season, players receive an official warning for the first flopping offense. Subsequent offenses are punishable by fines ranging from $5,000 for the second flop up to $30,000.
If a player violates the policy six time or more, he could be subject to a suspension.
News of Parker's warning broke after the Spurs held shootaround this morning in Dallas. He was not available for comment.


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Berlin police: Truck runs through Christmas market0
Hurricane Matthew live: Horror storm kills 842 after battering Haiti and US with 100mph winds ripping through Florida0
Suspect in shooting of NC college employee says he feels no remorse0
She Went From X-Factor Reject To Internet Millionaire By Doing THIS.0
Ocean Ramsey, the 'shark whisperer,' swims unprotected with great white sharks0
Rarely Known Facts That'll Change The Way You See History0
Store Owner Is Sick Of Rude Customers, So He Puts Up A Sign As Revenge0
This Woman Had Surgery For A Rare Facial Condition, And It Changed Her Life.0
These 7 Pictures Shows How Scary Nature Can Be0
Artist Turns People And Their Pets Into Cartoon Characters0
Anonymouse Are Opening Tiny Shops For Mice In Sweden0
Two puppies fell into a pit with a cobra. Then something incredible happened0
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High Heel Wedge Shoe Cake0
How-to make an Simple Ruffle Cake0
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Touch The End Of Your Toes To Know If You Have A Heart Problem Or Not0
Cut Lemons And Keep Them In Your Bedroom0
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14 Pictures That Prove A Change Of Hairstyle Can Change Everything0
Satirical Illustrations Of Today's Problems Drawn In The Style Of The 50s0
These 5 Women Are The Last Living People Born In 1800s0
Earth, Then and Now: Dramatic Changes in Our Planet Revealed by Incredible NASA Images0
The Most Dangerous Tourist Attraction In The World0
15 places that look even more beautiful in winter0
15 Of The World's Most Magical Streets Shaded By Flowers And Trees0
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The Blind Woman Who Predicted 9/11 And The Rise Of ISIS Has Some Very Bad News About Donald Trump0
He Cuts Open A Giant Wasp Nest To Discover What's Inside… I Had To Look Away0
Farmer Helped A Looter Who Fell In A Cave And Discovered Something Horrifying0
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10 Hilarious Pictures That Will Bring Tears To Your Eyes


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The Daily Bagel is your dose of the interesting reporting, writing and quipping from around the Internet.
• Video: Top 10 Hot Shots from the ATP World Tour Finals. Gotta love Robbie Koenig's commentary after Roger Federer's pick-up winner against Andy Murray. "The last time we saw that shot God was a boy."
• Ed McGrogan, for ESPN.com, writes that Novak Djokovic may be on the verge of Greatness, with a capital "G." McGrogan brings up a good stat: Djokovic has now won seven of his last 10 matches against Federer.
I still feel the most likely slip-ups Djokovic will encounter in 2013 will be against an ascending Murray, a healthy Nadal and a still-motivated Federer. But no one challenger truly stands above the rest, and I have concerns about Djokovic's two top rivals, Roger and Rafa. In a pecking order full of questions, I offer you one sure answer: Novak Djokovic will not have a better opportunity to collect more Grand Slam titles and build his case as one of tennis' all-time great players than he will in the next 24 months.
• Good piece here on why the WTA's new $125K tournaments, which are easy to ignore given their spot in the post-season calendar, might be worth watching.
Is this an awful lot of fanfare for two events that barely count as WTA titles? Perhaps. But if this trend continues, the WTA may have finally found a formula to allow up-and-comers to smoothly transition onto the senior tour without sacrificing the abundant confidence they took with them from the juniors. In other words, the WTA125's potential lies in helping the prodigies, young guns, whatever you want to call them, to begin realizing their potential, and if that succeeds, these podunk post-season tournaments could become the real tournaments of champions.
• Chinese teenager Zhang Yuxuan has been awarded the first Australian Open wild card after winning the inaugural Asia-Pacific Australian Open wild-card playoff.
• The ITF wants to see more blood tests for doping done next year but, as always, funding is an issue.
• Per this Swedish article (translated here), Robin Soderling's career is still up in the air.
• Sad to hear that Mary Laver, wife to Rod, has died at 84.
• Women Who Serve takes a look back at the WTA season.
• Non-tennis: The ultimate takedown: A New York Times critic reviews Guy Fieri's new restaurant in Times Square.See or read something that you enjoyed and want to share? Feel free to email or tweet us links to pieces from around the Internet that may have slipped past our radar.


text: Did you see that? NO... it is not an hoax, she really did it! And she looks also gorgeous,,, btw! http://www.tennistonic.com/view_tennisnews?nid=1434 http://www.deccanchronicle.com/tabloid/hyderabad/sharapova-apartments-409 Candies, apartments, some say she is getting too far.. but I don't know. Also Michael Schumacher did the same! It's just funny. It's an interesting world. I would do the same for a couple of million USD, but I am not as pretty and I struggle with my backhand!


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Discussion in 'Web Sites/Design' started by Partsking, Mar 17, 2006.
I'll join once I've completed a much needed update
woo. first TBBS post in months.
I just got around to adding the code to my website. When can I expect to be added?
^How 'bout now!?
I'll join once my site is finished ... there is so much more I need to do.
Good! Thanks.
The sign-up doesn't work. It keeps asking me to re-submit my information OVER & OVER & OVER & OVER.
Which one?
when i finish my totally awesome star trek website i will join the ring!
no prob!
I've just joined the ring...err at least I sent my application
BTW, Mr. B, that's probably the cleanest looking site I've seen in a long time.
C'mon people join on into the ring.
Thanks Allanon. You've been added. MORE, WE NEED MORE!!
Thanks... after the embarrasing amount of time i've put into it, it ought to look nearly perfect.
I signed up for the webring!
Yep. Gotcha. Thanks!!
Hey Steve, where do we find the TrekBBS webring code, again?
Either the home page or LoNAF.com's portal page will do. Just "join this ring" and it should spout out the code for you to put on your homepage.
This is a fascinating idea. If I ever create a website I'll have to look at joinonng.
Signed up, sign me in, man, activate me!!!
Separate names with a comma.


text:
A proposal of microtomography evaluation for restoration interface gaps
Valutazione microtomografica dei vuoti presenti a livello dell'interfaccia di restauri odontoiatrici in composito
Deborah MeleoI; Licia ManzonII; Raffaella PecciI; Francesca ZuppanteI; Rossella BediniI
IDipartimento di Tecnologie e Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
IIDipartimento di Scienze dell'Invecchiamento, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
Nowadays, several adhesive systems are used in dental restoration and they're evaluated by clinical research. In vitro evaluations are often made by means of traditional observation techniques (for example scanning electron microscope (SEM), while 3D cone-beam microtomography technique (3D micro-CT), that can be able to generate 3D sample images without any sample treatment during acquisition data, is going to be used a lot in the next few years. In dental cavity restored with composite, it is possible to predict the presence of gaps due to polymerization shrinkage; that is the reason this work purpose is to reveal by 3D images and measure by micro-CT analysis the voids generated applying the most used adhesive systems at the moment. By means of microtomographic analysis is proposed an aid to overcome bidimensional SEM investigation limits like random observation of sample surface, sample sectioning (to see inside it with the relative possible structural alterations induced on the same sample) and the gold sputtering treatment. For this experimental work, human crown teeth have been selected, all restored with the same composite material, using five adhesive systems. After about 48 hours each tooth has been acquired by means of Skyscan 1072 micro-CT instrument and then processed by 3D reconstruction and micro-CT analyser software. Three adhesive systems have showed 3D micro-CT images with not as much voids as expected, with a very little extent. This kind of micro-CT in vitro evaluation proposal suggests a method to observe and quantify the voids generated after polymerization shrinkage during tooth restoration.
Key words: adhesive systems, dental restoration, interface gaps, microtomographic analysis.
Allo stato attuale diverse tipologie di adesivi smalto-dentinali vengono correntemente utilizzate per la realizzazione di restauri odontoiatrici in composito, previa verifica della loro efficacia da parte della ricerca clinica. Valutazioni in vitro vengono spesso realizzate grazie all'utilizzo di metodiche di osservazione tradizionali, per esempio la microscopia a scansione elettronica (SEM), ma la tecnica microtomografica 3D a fascio conico, che è in grado di generare immagini 3D di un campione senza alcun tipo di trattamento dello stesso durante l'acquisizione delle informazioni, sta diventando una tecnologia sempre più richiesta per questo tipo di applicazione. L'impiego della microtomografia a raggi X ha consentito il superamento dei limiti relativi alla bidimensionalità del SEM, come l'osservazione random delle superfici di un campione, il taglio del campione (allo scopo di indagare all'interno dello stesso ma con il rischio di determinare alterazioni dell'oggetto in studio) e la ricopertura con polveri d'oro. In questo studio sperimentale sono state utilizzate delle corone dentarie umane, restaurate con lo stesso materiale composito ma utilizzando cinque diversi sistemi adesivi smalto-dentinali. Dopo circa 48 ore dall'esecuzione dell'otturazione, ciascun dente è stato sottoposto ad acquisizione microtomografica tramite strumentazione Skyscan 1072 e processato attraverso i software 3D reconstruction e micro-CT analyser. Le immagini microtomografiche 3D di tre sistemi adesivi hanno dimostrato la presenza di pochi spazi vuoti e di limitata estensione. La microtomografia a raggi X si propone come un valido strumento per visualizzare e misurare i vuoti generati a seguito della contrazione da polimerizzazione conseguente all'esecuzione di restauri dentali in composito.
Parole chiave: sistemi adesivi smalto-dentinali, restauri dentali, gaps dell'interfaccia, analisi microtomografica.
One of the most important discoveries in dentistry was the acid-etching technique introduced in 1955 [1, 2] that allowed to bond hard dental tissue to resin material. Many studies were produced by industry in the past years to promote a strong adhesion capable to counteract polymerization composite shrinkage, to last more and to shorten chair time. The efficacy of bonding to adhesive interface, briefly, guarantees stable adhesion and clinical success of dental reconstruction. Nowadays, adhesive dentistry consists of total etching and self etching techniques.
The total etching technique (three step system) is composed by many phases: etching-rinsing-drying, priming, bonding that allows the formation of the resin tags and an hybrid layer that can be able to create a bond between dentin and filling material, that is proper of micromechanical nature [2, 3]. To simplify and shorten this technique, it is possible to use the single bottle primer and bonding (two step system). In the three step system, the removal of smear layer and smear plug, the deep demineralization of dentin, the possibility that resin may not penetrate so deeply, may cause nanoleakage [4, 5] with consequent decreasing of dentin-resin bonding values [6-8] and long term degradation of bonding caused by hydrolytic alteration of unprotected collagen network and resinous material [4, 9]. Another consequence is the increase of dentin permeability, due to outward dentinal fluid movement from the pulp to the dentin that causes degeneration of collagen fibres not covered by resin and early degeneration of resin (aging) [10].
During chew process, the movement of flowed out fluid (increased by some iper-osmotic resin components) may cause displacement of odontoblasts and stretching of nervous fibres with consequent pain, postoperative sensibility, flexural restoration movements, pulp pathology and caries recidivism [11-14]. The two step system uses one-bottle for primer and bonding. It shorten procedures but create the same problems as total etching, due to strong acid action. Moreover, needs more layer because of its monomer dilution and needs of longer polymerization time [15-17]. The self etching technique is easier and shorter. It consists of two steps: self etching-priming and bonding. This products have lower acidity than phosphoric acid and don't need rinsing. There are also products one-bottle self etching-primer bonding (one step) available on the market to simplify procedure.
These products don't require the removal of smear layer and smear plug that remain in situ.
Basing on their own pH, self etching-priming products may causes a removal or only a partial dissolution of smear layer, going deep into interacting with the under-laying dentin. On the base of their acid behaviour, they are classified into mild, moderate and aggressive [11]. The simultaneous resin infiltration and polymerization in loco, prevents collapse of demineralised collagen [5], create an hybridized complex (consisting of hybridized smear layer and an underlying thin real hybrid layer) and resin tags [12] that, despite the shorter appearance than the one in total etching, seem to assure a satisfactory seal if the smear plugs are left intact [6]. As smear layer thickness on resin monomer diffusion seems to have no influence into (on) the underlying intact dentin creating a true hybrid layer, on the other hand, hybridized layer thickness doesn't appears as it's influencing bond strength [13]. Taking intact smear layer and smear plugs simultaneously infiltrated by resin, self etching primer systems, seems to reduce nano-leakage [6], dentin permeability [14], outward dentinal fluid movement, postoperative sensitivity, flexural restoration movements. Self etching priming products seems also to guarantee a higher bond strength than all the etching products [7, 8]. They are more simple to use and can reduce the chair-side time, which is very important and helpful in pedodontic dentistry with old and handicapped patients.
Basing on literature review [1] the simplified systems (one-bottle primer/bonding in total etching technique and one step in self-etching technique) seems to show the worst results because of insufficient dentinal resin impregnation and the necessity of a longer polymerization time. The presence of hydrophilic monomers determinates an hybrid layer that behave as permeable membrane to pulpar fluids creating micro-channel ("water trees") even after polymerization with fluid movements into adhesive interface [15] and consequent degradation of hybrid layer collagen and resin [16].
All these factors reduce longevity of the bonding interface. On the other hand, separate use of bonding made of hydrophobic monomers, show higher extent of polymerization and less permeability to water of adhesive interface [17] with a longer consequent durability in time.
In conclusion, the most important factor to assure a clinical success is the achievement of a stable and lasting adhesion that is guaranteed by a satisfactory hybridization of demineralised dentin. It is extremely important, then that collagen fibrils result completely encapsulate by adhesive to avoid degradation [9]. Under shrinkage effect, gaps occur when strength is higher than cohesive bond on adhesive interface [18]. Gaps represent the local bonding failure and more gaps are present at the interface, less effective are the products in creating a real bond with dental surface.
Until now, adhesive interfaces were examined mainly using SEM. This technique, even if is a powerful investigation method, needs samples to be subjected to severe stress for sectioning them in more portions with deep/hard sample-portion alteration and possible crack formations.
In this study we proposed to analyze gap formation to adhesive interface using a new technique like three-dimensional X-ray micro-CT that doesn't need any treatment or stress or sectioning of samples.
In this experimental work 25 coronal portions of human third molars extracted from patients (20-35 age) suffering for dysodontiasis and stored in physiological solution have been used.
Only one composite material (Filtek™ Silorane 3M ESPE) has been choose to restore the cavity in all teeth.
The selected adhesive systems used to prepare the samples were:
- TECO (DMG, Germany), total etch bonding system for all light-curing restorative materials, with unique single dose application;
- Adper™ Scotchbond™ SE Self-Etch Adhesive (3M ESPE, USA), two-bottle self-etch adhesive system;
- CONTAX (DMG, Germany), self-etching and self-conditioning adhesive system;
- Adper™ Scotchbond™ 1 XT (3M ESPE, USA), total etching simplified technique with monobottle
- Bond -1 SF PENTRON CLINICAL All-in-one (Pentron Clinical Technologies LLC, USA), light-cure, one-coat, self-etch Solvent-Free adhesive.
The 25 coronal portions of human teeth were randomly collected/divided in 5 groups, i.e. 5 samples for each adhesive systems. Each tooth has been analyzed five times by means of a microtomography instrument mod. SkyScan 1072 (SkyScan, Kartuizersweg 3B, 2550 Kontich, Belgium).
Sample preparation
In all teeth a cavity has been created in the central portion of occlusal surface, then measured and evaluated by means of microtomographic technique. All tooth cavity dimensions were computed on 4 orthogonal sections for each samples and in 3 point along each dimension. The dimensional mean values of the created cavities were 2.8 height and 5.1 diameter. To avoid angle formation, in each tooth the cavity was prepared using a round diamond bur with 2.5 mm diameter for about 3.0 mm mean depth. All cavities were cleaned with air-water spray and softly dried to ensure wet surface. The five selected adhesive systems were applied according to manufacturer's instructions and all cavities were filled using the same Filtek™ Silorane (3M ESPE, USA). The composite was photopolymerised in layer of 2 mm and then all teeth were stored in physiological solution for 48 hours until they were subjected to X-ray micro-CT analysis.
All the procedures have been carried out each time from the same dentist. Increasing layer's polymerization (2 mm maximum thickness) of the same composite has been applied for a period of 45 seconds for each layer, using a LED rechargeable blue lamp (mod.655/00, De Giorgi, Italy) with 420-480 nm wavelength.
Sample micro-CT acquisition
Each tooth has been extracted from physiological solution, placed on a stub and glued on plasticine to avoid any movement during micro-CT acquisition.
The acquisition parameters were the following:
- voltage: 100 kV;
- current: 98 μA;
- filter material: 1 mm di alluminio;
- spatial resolution: 14-15 micron voxel/pixel size;
- rotation step, rotation angle: 0.45°;
- frame averaging: 2 frames;
- amount of axial micro-CT slices: about 800;
- slice thickness: 10 micron.
Sample reconstruction
At the end of micro-CT acquisition, each sample has been subjected to reconstruction process that reproduces a sample by means of about 6 or 8 hundred slices that can be displayed by means a dynamic software, named Tview (SkyScan, Kartuizersweg 3B, 2550 Kontich, Belgium). With these slice set of data, each sample has been 3D reconstructed by means of CT-Rec (SkyScan, Kartuizersweg 3B, 2550 Kontich, Belgium) and displayed by 3D image. By means of another software, named CT-Analyser (SkyScan, Kartuizersweg 3B, 2550 Kontich, Belgium), volumetric and dimensional parameters have been obtained for each sample. This software showed the same parameters also for the restorative material and the gap at dentine-material interface, selecting a specific Region Of Interest or Volume Of Interest (ROI, VOI).
Reconstructed sample images have been processed displaying the tooth crown portion with transparency effect and colouring with blue the composite material volumes and with red the void volumes observed at composite-dentine interface.
The reconstruction parameters were the following:
- number of layers, this value depends to chosen sample section to reconstruct;
- lower and upper vertical position, these values depend on sample dimensions and/or on selected section to reconstruct;
- pixel size, 15 micron for a magnification of 20X;
- lower and upper grey threshold, these values depend on sample radiopacity that shows the two limit levels between for reconstruct processing.
At the end of reconstruction process it is possible to obtain some dimensional parameters for each sample, like bone histomorphometry nomenclature (19): total volume (TV), expressed in mm3, object volume (Obj.V), expressed in mm3, percent object volume (Obj.V/TV), expressed in %, total surface (TS), expressed in mm2, object surface (Obj.S), expressed in mm2, object surface / volume ratio (Obj. S/Obj.V), expressed in 1/mm.
Table 1 shows the mean volumetric dimension values of the acquired tooth-crown sample (Vtot), the restorative composite material (Vm) and the gap at composite-dentine interface (Vg), obtained by micro-CT analysis and processed according to about 15 μm pixel size corresponding to 20X magnification. In Table 1, a parameter (Vs) obtained by material volume (Vm) plus gap volume (Vg) that represents the volume of cavity created in the middle of occlusal surface is shown. Observing this table, it's possible to evaluate that sample 5 showed a Vg lower value while the sample 3 showed a Vg greater value.
To better understand the previous data, in Table 2 are showed other parameters, P1, P2, P3, calculated to evaluate, in percentage, the proportion between the created cavity and the total sample volume (P1 = 100 x Vs/Vtot) between the gap and the restorative material volume (P2 = 100 x Vg/Vm) and between the gap and the cavity volume (P3 = 100 x Vg/Vs). P2 and P3 have been then related to P1 in order to decrease the coronal and cavity volume value influence and to obtain a better understanding of adhesive performance for each tested material. In Table 3 the percentage numerical values when dividing P2 and P3 by P1 are showed.
Table 3 obtained values show better adhesive properties for adhesive system no. 5 and greater gap volume value for adhesive system no. 3, according to Tables 1 and 2 results. These parameters, in a good proportional equilibrium, can be an indication of a long life restoration.
Figure 1 shows the 3D reconstruction images of the tooth samples where, after removing material by software, the dentine material gap has been coloured in red and the dental structure is set in transparency. In this way, observing the images, it is possible to observe the three dimensional structure of the gap obtained at dentine-material interface after restoration with different adhesion systems.
The adhesive evaluation of restorative materials and dentine structure is one of the most difficult goals for any kind of analytic investigation technology. It has been used in the research field from many years in order to display, understand and improve dentine-restoration interface to obtain a long life restoration.
The failure of adhesion interface shows the presence of gaps (gap making) that are generated when the polymerization shrinkage of composite material is stronger than composite-dentine interface. The presence of gaps has been shown by means of SEM observations on a sample section obtained after restored tooth cutting.
Another problem that is yet to be solved and evaluated, is due to the aging alterations of restoration-dentine interface that, with passing of time, shows gaps and detachment making.
From several years the micro-CT analysis is working in different sections of dentistry, providing an aid to well understand and observe innovative dental materials and devices by means of 3D information (data), in spite of bi-dimensional ones obtained with SEM and histological analysis [2023]. This new kind of analysis (3D analysis) shows more positive characteristics than traditional investigations, as the sample subjected to micro-CT analysis does not need any treatment or cutting and it is possible in this way to analyse the same sample many times.
In this work, micro-CT analysis has been carried on with observations of dental crowns restored with composite materials using five different adhesive dental systems to evaluate their performances and to support the wide adhesion study in literature. Micro-CT analysis provided two kinds of results; the first qualitative data/results generate the 2D and 3D images obtained on all 360° sample acquisition, the second quantitative data/results generate numerical values like hystomorphometric parameters. By 2D images it is possible to observe, analyse and measure the different components of an analysed sample, slice by slice for all the sample size.
In this proposal of micro-CT study, the restoration structure and gaps of the adhesive interface after the composite polymerization shrinkage have been analysed with virtual horizontal and vertical cut or slice images. By means of reconstruction and processing software of the used micro-CT system, it has been possible to show dental crown volumetric structure as transparent while restored material with gaps along all sample structure have been highlighted with different colours. Other images have been processed and obtained without restoration material but with the same transparent effect for the dental crown volumetric structure and with gaps highlighted in red. In this way, air bubbles due to reconstruction process glued in composite material and gaps due to polymerization shrinkage, have been well observed then highlighted with different colours. The best adhesive materials and methods generate very small and little gaps. When the gaps are observed by means of micro-CT images, it is possible to measure them and calculate their volumetric values. For any kind of selected horizontal and vertical slice, it is possible to measure dentine-restoration gaps in any wished point or carry out any other dimensional measure. After performing the measures previously mentioned, it has been proposed the computing of some parameters that can contribute to an evaluation of used restoration-structure proportion to obtain a weighted evaluation of measured gap values.
These parameters were calculated basing on volumetric results obtained by means of micro-CT analysis.
In this experimental work proposal of micro-CT analysis for an evaluating study of the adhesive system, now widely used in conservative restoration, have been analysed five dental crown restored with the same material and method to obtain the same polymerization shrinkage, but actually five different kind of adhesive system technologies have been used.
These adhesive system technologies are all that now can be used to do conservative restorations and they consist in single or multiple procedures that use more or few aggressive substances respect to the dental tissue. From performed micro-CT analysis it has been underlined that the "all in one" adhesive material shows less quantity and less large gaps than other adhesive system and there seems to be no correlation between the restoration dimension and gap making. Micro-CT analysis results obtained in this study may be due to the use of a particular polymerization technique defined layer by layer deposition, but will be verified with statistical evaluation on a larger number of samples.
This proposal of microtomography evaluation for restoration interface gaps seem to be an innovative and very useful technique that can substitute the traditional SEM investigations used until now, even if the tooth sample cutting and treatment for SEM observations surely causes alterations like gaps or creeps on the same sample.
With micro-CT analysis it is possible:
- to analyse a sample without any treatment or cutting, as requested for SEM investigations, that can provide alterations on the sample structure;
- to study every point of adhesive interface by means of a lot of horizontal or vertical slices;
- to display very well the presence of adhesive interface gaps due to polymerization shrinkage and calculate the gap volumetric values;
- to analyse the same sample several times with micro-CT instrument, i.e. a no treated tooth sample can be subjected to a first micro-CT analysis then may be subjected to different aging process or other treatments and again analysed by micro-CT. In this way it is possible to observe the dimensional differences, or gaps making, or other kind of alterations induced on the same sample after application of various aging treatments in time and evaluate the possible adhesive interface degradation of aged composite-restoration interface.
Conflict of interest statement
There are no potential conflicts of interest or any financial or personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately bias conduct and findings of this study.
1. Breschi L, Mazzoni A, Ruggeri A, Cadenaro M, Di Lenarda R, De Stefano Dorigo E. Dental adhesion review: aging and stability of the bonded interface. Dent Mater 2008;24(1):90-101.
2. Buonocore M. A simple method of increasing the adhesion of acrylic filling materials to enamel surfaces. J Dent Res 1955; 34(6):849-53.
3. Ferrari M, Davidson CL. In vivo resin-dentin interdiffusion and tag formation with lateral branches of two adhesive systems. J Prosthet Dent 1996;76(3):250-3.
4. Sano H, Takatsu T, Ciucchi B, Horner JA, Matthews WG, Pashley DH. Nanoleakage: leakage within the hybrid layer. Oper Dent 1995;20(1):18-25.
5. Nakabayashi N, Saimi Y Bonding to intact dentin. J Dent Res 1996;75(9):1706-15.
6. Jacques P, Hebling J. Effect of dentin conditioners on the microtensile bond strength of a conventional and a self-etching primer adhesive system. Dent Mater 2005;21(2):103-9.
7. Itthagarun A, Tay FR. Self-contamination of deep dentin by dentin fluid. Am J Dent 2000;13(4):195-200.
8. Pereira PN, Okuda M, Sano H, Yoshikawa T, Burrow MF, Tagami J. Effect of intrinsic wetness and regional difference on dentin bond strength. Dent Mater 1999;15(1):46-53.
9. Hashimoto M, Ohno H, Sano H, Kaga M, Oguchi H. In vitro degradation of resin-dentin bonds analyzed by microtensile bond test, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Biomaterials 2003;24(21):3795-803.
10. Pashley DH, Carvalho RM. Dentine permeability and dentine adhesion. J Dent 1997;25(5):355-72.
11. Tay FR, Pashley DH. Aggressiveness of contemporary self-etching systems. I: Depth of penetration beyond dentin smear layers. Dent Mater 2001;17(4):296-308.
12. Watanabe I, Nakabayashi N, Pashley DH. Bonding to ground dentin by a phenyl-P self-etching primer. J Dent Res 1994;73(6):1212-20.
13. Tay FR, Carvalho R, Sano H, Pashley DH. Effect of smear layers on the bonding of a self-etching primer to dentin. J Adhes Dent 2000;2(2):99-116.
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15. Tay FR, Frankenberger R, Krejci I, Bouillaguet S, Pashley DH, Carvalho RM, Lai CN. Single-bottle adhesives behave as permeable membranes after polymerization. I. In vivo evidence. J Dent 2004;32(8):611-21.
16. Malacarne J, Carvalho RM, de Goes MF, Svizero N, Pashley DH, Tay FR, Yiu CK, Carrilho MR. Water sorption/solubility of dental adhesive resins. Dent Mater 2006;22(10):973-80.
17. Cadenaro M, Antoniolli F, Sauro S, Tay FR, Di Lenarda R, Prati C, Biasotto M, Contardo L, Breschi L. Degree of conversion and permeability of dental adhesives. Eur J Oral Sci 2005;113(6):525-30.
18. Pioch T, Stotz S, Buff E, Duschner H, Staehle HJ. Influence of different etching times on hybrid layer formation and tensile bond strength. Am J Dent 1998;11(5):202-6.
19. Parfitt AM. Bone histomorphometry: proposed system for standardization of nomenclature, symbols, and units. Calcif Tissue Int 1988;42(5):284-6.
20. Chiang YC, Rösch P, Dabano glu A, Lin CP, Hickel R, Kunzelmann KH. Polymerization composite shrinkage evaluation with 3D deformation analysis from micro-CT images. Dent Mater 2010;26(3):223-31.
21. Papadogiannis D, Kakaboura A, Palaghias G, Eliades G. Setting characteristics and cavity adaptation of low-shrinking resin composites. Dent Mater 2009;25(12):1509-16.
22. Zeiger DN, Sun J, Schumacher GE, Lin-Gibson S. Evaluation of dental composite shrinkage and leakage in extracted teeth using X-ray microcomputed tomography. Dent Mater 2009;25(10):1213-20.
23. Sun J, Eidelman N, Lin-Gibson S. 3D mapping of polymerization shrinkage using X-ray micro-computed tomography to predict microleakage. Dent Mater 2009;25(3):314-20.
▲ Address for correspondence:
Raffaella Pecci
Dipartimento di Tecnologie e Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità
Viale Regina Elena 299
00161 Rome, Italy.
E-mail address: firstname.lastname@example.com
Submitted on invitation.
Accepted on 19 December 2011.


text:
While Big Boi has dropped his Viscous Lies And Dangerous Rumors in time for the holidays, he has no plans to release a Christmas album. But the Outkast rapper recalls how the groundbreaking duo put a holiday spin on their first major single.
"We came out on a Christmas album," Big Boi told CBS Local. "[Some people said Christmas albums] were suicide or career sabotage at first."
"Player's Ball" was Outkast's first shot at a major audience. While fans of their 1994 Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik may remember the song from the debut set, the song first appeared on A La Face Family Christmas Album in 1993.
Sandwiched in between TLC's "Sleigh Ride" and McArthur's "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," the song was decidedly devoid of the Christmas spirit. But Big Boi said he and Outkast partner Andre 3000 made it a point to stay true to their sound.
"We did a regular song and put some sleigh bells in there and called it a Christmas song," Big Boi said with a laugh.
Big Boi's solo disc, Viscous Lies And Dangerous Rumors is in stores now. Below check out what Big Boi says rappers can learn from GRAMMY nominees Mumford & Sons.
—E. Parker, CBS Local


text:
Lucas Kiefer has lived through hell. Assaulted and nearly murdered by a man obsessed with him, he now lives with horrible scars inside and out. Abandoned by his boyfriend while trying to recover, Lucas withdraws into himself. Building a new life, he focuses only on running his bookstore. But his nightmare returns when, 10 years later, his attacker is released from jail on a technicality.
Sheriff Nicholas Demetris has known and loved Lucas for five years. He doesn't care about physical scars; he's attracted to the silently strong man inside. He knows Lucas feels more for him than he'll admit. Despite being well aware of Nicholas's feelings, Lucas won't allow anyone close, regardless of the feelings in his heart, especially now when he's once again the focus of unwanted and deadly intentions. Lucas can't stand the idea of anyone being hurt for him, but Nicholas is determined to protect him and earn Lucas's love no matter what.
©2008 Lisa Marie Davis (P)2009 Dreamspinner Press
"Fast paced, slightly cheesy and slightly sexy"
The vocabulary gets a bit same-y (you can tell there's a thing with hair as it gets mentioned quite a lot.) the characters speak in an arrogant and smarmy way. Cheesy perhaps, "I knew I loved him" "I knew he loved me" love love love gets mentioned a lot as well as "Always" and "Forever". The characters quite often throw in cheesy puns and sometimes you get a out-of-the-blue erotic reference. It doesn't feel like what they say is all that realistic; more like a sitcom episode.
There's a lot of build up that happens about their concerns and when the time comes to confront them, they are so easily overcome in a non-climatic way.
I like how it's not all about two perfectly hot characters. That one of them sees imperfection due to his circumstances. I like the plot idea she could have expanded on two of the main concerns such that there's a lot of build up that happens and when the time comes to confront them, they are so easily overcome.
The narration is quite quick. I'm not sure if they had sped it up but conversations and sentences were just too quick to digest fully before the next line is thrown in.
Disappointment at how easy it feels to overcome two major issues
Noticing the audiobook art. It's a picture of a young male with brown hair at a school library. It confused me to who it's meant to be. It's at a school so it's either Lucas or Ripley but Lucas has blonde hair (mentioned a lot) so is it Ripley? Ripley really isn't a main character so why would it be. Nicolas has brown hair but he's a cop and his past isn't mentioned. Maybe I'm overthinking but I would have liked the picture to relate to the story than just choosing any picture of a young attractive guy at a school to lure listeners in.
"A lot of hype"
I liked the characters a great deal. It was easy to feel a lot for them in a short amount of time.
Of course. Her story was well done and well put together. I was hooked from the very start.
I am not sure. He wasn't bad at all, though I felt like he should have gone SLOWER. There was no need to zip right through it. I'm sure if he slowed down, this might have been longer. I'm not sure if some narrators are trying to keep a time limit or what.... he was able to switch between the voices easily though. well done.
Judging from the comments, I was under the impression that this book was the second coming. don't get me wrong, it was good. but I'm not sure if it was worth the amount I paid for it. I was satisfied with my purchase but to be honest, the hype built it up too much. I do recommend this book. it's a fun read and well put together.
"***Tender, Loving, and Tortured**"
See my headline***
Lucas. He is such a loving human being who is trying to put his life back together and regain his self -confidence, that you can emphasize with this character. He is special and in need of a loving, consoling presence.
Lucas was definitely my favourite character and performed very well.
The revelation of events that occurred in Lucas's past made me cry. For him.
This is a remarkable story, really heart wrenching at times. Lovely.
"What's worse? "
Canadian accent and hearing "aboot" a thousand times or the fast paced no inflection voice?......
"A brief love story that left me wanting more"
I honestly didn't realize how short this book was until I downloaded it onto my phone and realized it was an hour and 55 minutes. I was horrified that I downloaded a short story, but decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did. This little love story is full of romance and raw emotion. I was surprised by how quickly I became invested in Nick and Lucas. Due to the brevity of the story, we are introduced to Nick and Lucas right at the beginning of their relationship. The book has suspense, danger, passion, sex, and love. All three characters are plausible and enjoyable and surprisingly well rounded considering the length of the story.
I thought the narrator did a great job. Regarding the other review that mentioned the narrator sometimes streams along the dialogue, yes I would have to agree. At times I wasn't sure if Lucas or Nick made the statement, but this only happened 2-3 times and I figured it out after rewinding. My only little gripe is that Lucas is supposed to be blonde, and the cute boy on the cover of this story is a brunette. The sex scenes were tantalizing and well written!
Ultimately this is a short romance story highlighting a beautifully damaged man and his difficult battle to allow himself to be loved. There's a night in shining armor and an evil villain. I loved this story :)
Someone who has less sophisticated tastes than me, less experience reading romance novels (of any kind).
Probably not, and only if it were free.
Yes if he took more time to change voices, breath so you could know when the character who was talking switched. Otherwise fine.
Not really.
The sex scenes were
"Just eh!"
Story is just eh! I really didn't like one part more that the other... the whole story was just very basic and eh... It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I good quick read because the story isn't that long.
This is m/m romance so if you don't like that, then dont waste your time...
A credit.
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You say Slovakia, I say Slovenia.
Same difference, right? Wrong. Slovakia is a hotbed for hockey. Slovenia is, umm... hey, check out the neon green on those uniforms!
Those glowing green and blue jerseys have been the only memorable feature of Team Slovenia in these Olympics -- until now.
The Slovenians pulled off the biggest win in the country's history (and first Olympic win ever) by downing Team Slovakia on Saturday, 3-1.
"Now that we've beaten Slovakia, maybe they're not going to mix us up with them anymore," Slovenia's only NHL player on its roster, Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings, told the Associated Press.
Being in the Olympics at all is a remarkable feat for Team Slovenia, considering this one simple stat:
According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, the entire country of Slovenia is home to just seven indoor ice rinks. That's right, seven.
The entire state of Minnesota, by comparison, has more than 200, according to rinkfinder.com. Heck, Mexico has 23 indoor rinks, says the IIHF.
For a country with so few available hockey players to choose from (148 according to the IIHF), it's impressive that they have even made the Olympics, let alone win.
But still, those uniforms. What's up with that?
This is a picture of Slovenia's flag:
Note the prominence of red, white and blue. So why are their uniforms white, blue and neon green? The same thing could be asked of the country's soccer team, which uses identical colors.
Some say they use the colors in order to distinguish themselves from Slovakia, which also uses the red, white and blue color scheme. That could be part of it.
Others say the colors are a nod to the beautiful landscape of the country, which is filled with green mountains and blue skies. This is also why you see the pointed lines on the jerseys, which represent said mountains.
And this is an example of said mountains:
One can see why the country is so proud of them.
In any case, the neon green has had Twitter abuzz throughout the Sochi Games. Enjoy.


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In-demand stylist and fashion expert George Kotsiopoulos is as passionate about giving back to the LGBT community as he is about offering sartorial advice to Hollywood's elite on the red carpet. On February 19 the dapper Fashion Police commentator, who holds his own opposite Joan Rivers, Kelly Osbourne, and Giuliana Rancic on E!'s hit series, will serve as cohost (along with Lance Bass) of Hollywood Rush. The event is described as an exciting evening of live theater in which a series of one-act plays are written, rehearsed, and performed all within a single day. Some of Hollywood's most talented actors, directors, and writers will participate in the benefit for the Baby Dragon Fund, which helps raise money for the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center's programs for youth, mental health, and crystal meth recovery and prevention. Kotsiopoulos tells The Advocate why this cause is important to him, what Joan Rivers is really like off camera, and why he doesn't want to be the next Brad Goreski.
The Advocate: This is your second time hosting Hollywood Rush. How would you describe the evening?
George Kotsiopoulos: It's basically a bunch of creative folks getting together and putting on a show and they have 24 hours to do it. [Laughs] The writers are given ideas to work with and just so many hours to actually write the scene. Then the directors come in and have to translate them. Basically, everyone gets the information instantly and it's all created within a 24-hour period. It's insane.
It sounds chaotic in the best way. Are the plays polished, or do actors tend to improvise and get crazy?
I don't think there's a lot of improvising. Well, obviously with anything that happens live you've got to roll with it. It really is a rush of energy and adrenaline and creative spirit. I have ADD, so with everything changing so fast it's perfect for me. [Laughs] I can follow the storylines. Also, it's fun. It's not a somber evening. It was very entertaining and interesting to see what people do with what they're given. There are always really talented people involved. It's fun to see the camaraderie and everyone having fun and it's for a really good cause.
It's a fund-raiser for the Baby Dragon Fund, which helps young people recover from addiction. Why is this important to you?
I actually just learned this statistic. Forty percent of homeless youth is LGBT. That's a huge percentage. That's almost half of all homeless youth. It's fucked up. I'm on board for anything that helps children. I'm also involved with P.S. Arts, which puts arts education in the public school system. Kids who are raised with open minds and open hearts don't grow up to be assholes. [Laughs]{C}
You've convinced me. It sounds like a fun evening.
And tickets aren't that expensive, so if you're single, just go. It's a great place to meet a cute guy. If you want to meet a guy, get out of the clubs and go to charity events. Plus, the lighting is better. But, seriously, the event is a blast. It's like Judy Garland getting the gang together to put on a show in the barn. I'm probably getting that adage wrong because I'm not a show tunes guy.
You don't know Judy Garland movies and you don't like show tunes? You're a terrible gay.
[Laughs] I am! That's just not my cup of tea. I just don't think there's anything sexy about show tunes. There's nothing sexy about Glee. I just find it limp-dick making. Give me some Billie Holiday or Etta James or Donna Summer. I just like music that has more soul. OK, I'll admit that Judy Garland had an incredible voice. I get why the gays are into her. There was just so much drama.
Last year Rose McGowan told The Advocate that you're one of her best friends. What do you two do for fun together?
I love me some Rose McGowan. We've been friends for 12 or 13 years. We karaoke a lot, which she loves. You do crazy things with Rose. You go to gun ranges and shoot pistols. She's a fun girl. She gets this rep that she's a badass because she dated Marilyn Manson ages ago. She is a badass, but she's a super-sweet girl with a good heart.
As a stylist, you probably make friends with celebrities, but then on Fashion Police you sometimes have to talk shit about their clothing. Has this ever come back to bite you on the ass?
Uh-huh. It bit me in the butt with Rose. I want to be genuine and honestly comment on fashion, but being friends with someone absolutely affects my decision. If I'm on the fence about something and they're my friend, I will give them the benefit of a doubt. But if it's really horrible, I'm not going to lie and say it's great. For the most part I don't say anything on the show that I wouldn't say in real life. My role on the show is as a fashion expert so people can have fashion information.{C}
Have you had any run-ins with celebrities you've criticized?
I was seated next to Mindy Kaling at a dinner for Elle magazine. We had talked shit about her so I was a little nervous. But she was like, "I loved that you talked about me on Fashion Police." I love her. She was cool. She gets it. I did a shoot with the Glee girls for The Hollywood Reporter and Amber Riley told me she was excited to meet me. Lea Michele said she watches the show, though now she might not be pleased to see me now, as we're not as pleasant about her. It's just funny. If I'm styling a shoot, it never occurs to me that anyone will know who I am. I never think about it. I'm just there to make people look good.
Do you plan what you're going to say with Joan in advance?
We never have any idea what Joan is going to say and we don't want to know in advance. It's so much more fun that way. I'm not scripted at all. I go over things with the producer the night before, but what I say is coming out of my mouth fresh.
How do you account for the show's popularity?
First and foremost, Joan is hysterical. Even if I'm watching a rerun, I'll laugh at her jokes. I hope that people watching get the sense that I am a fashion person. Sometimes a fashion guy is cast as the flamboyant gay. I mean, I can queen out with the best of them, but for the most part I'm not a stereotypical gay guy. There are all types of gay and I think it's good to represent them all. I know super-butch guys who are into fashion. I just feel that it's portrayed a certain way in the media with the sassy gay sidekick.
Why do so many gay men enjoy watching red carpet fashions?
I just like pretty things and I want my world to be pretty 24/7. I'm using "pretty" loosely. I just like nice things. I think everything should be beautiful. Life is too short. Why should I wake up and look at ugly things? But you know what? Straight guys love it too. Who doesn't want to look at beauty?
Joan's pretty unbridled with her comments. Does she ever say anything that's too racy to make it on air?
First of all, Joan is the nicest, sweetest woman. I'm trying to get that message across because people might think she's mean. My test for people is if they're nice to people around them, like waiters and assistants. She is a dream. She knows when her jokes are too mean, but ultimately it's comedy. If it's Jay Leno cracking these jokes, no one is going to say, "He's a bitch." They'll just think he's funny. There's a double standard in comedy. If it's a woman telling the jokes, she's perceived as being more mean than a man would be.
It's been a tough year for your cohosts. Kelly Osbourne's best friend, Amy, died and Giuliana Rancic has battled breast cancer. Was it ever difficult to keep things light?
Giuliana was so professional that we didn't really know what was going on. She's a worker. Same with Kelly. We just have fun. They're all really great. We all love each other and have fun. We're kind of boring in that way. Maybe we need some on-set drama. I'm not implying that our show isn't great already. I think another reason that Fashion Police works is that it looks like a party that people would want to join.
You're very appealing on camera. Do you hope to eventually star in a spin-off reality series like Brad Goreski?
That's never going to happen. I don't want to do that. I want to do a show where people learn something and I give something back. I'm not interested in displaying my personal life. I'd rather be able to share something with the world besides drama. It makes for good television, but it's just not me. I hope that doesn't make me sound like an asshole. [Laughs]
For more information on Hollywood Rush, click here, and to learn more about the Baby Dragon Fund, click here.


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Too much traffic?
Too much traffic? Really? Innkeepers appealing the new Hampton suddenly concerned about too much traffic? I would think that's precisely what they and all the other businesses owners here in Manchester would want! But, if you watched the recent Planning Commission meeting on GNAT you would know this is all about competition and limiting consumer choice and not traffic.
And, it certainly isn't about saving the trees as the inn keepers appeal would have you believe.
For the record, I'm on the DRB and voted in favor of the new Hampton Inn /Retail development. But today, I write as a resident interested in the welfare of Manchester. I'm also friends with some of the owners of the local inns involved in the appeal and I'm sure they're un-friending me right about now. It interests me that for some reason the same scrutiny and anti-competition tactics being used against food and lodging developments don't apply to the other business sectors. It's OK to have Michael Kors but for some reason a Hampton is taboo? Dunkin Donuts is here but whoa, not Starbucks! Manchester isn't some quintessential little Vermont alcove with a lone country store on Main Street. If you want that, it's just around the bend.
No, in reality, Manchester is a mix of local and national businesses allotted over 700,000 square feet of retail space and living in relative harmony while enjoying an economy that is the envy of most of the state. Based on tax revenue in relation to our size, we're doing pretty well. See the stats on the town's website.
How would the inn keepers that are appealing the Hampton development feel if they were being blocked from building or expanding their inns? Is it true that two of the inns are for sale at present and could that have something to do with the appeals? Should we limit the number of businesses in town? I suppose soliciting the planning board to cap the number of inns, b&b's and hotels might have been a better effort on the inn keepers part. At least that way, prospective investors would know to take their money and developments elsewhere from the get go. Oh, it might interest some of you to know that the former Village Country Inn was part of the Clarion hotel chain. The horrors! And, contrary to what has been written in the paper about the 20/20 meetings (which I attended vs. some of the authors) there was specific conversation about the need for downtown lodging and residences in relation to ease of living, boosting nightlife and retail traffic. Also, it's worth noting that the architecture of the particular property is not a typical Hampton rectangular 4 story building but, a very nice federalist style building in keeping with Vermont vernacular design.
I watched all winter and much of this spring and summer as local trades have been working steadily on projects throughout town thanks to developments in retail, food and lodging. I bet they're pretty happy about the work and looking forward to more.
People said the roundabout was a waste of time and money for Manchester and wow, were they wrong! Now, someone comes along and wants to invest 20 MILLION in our economy that will provide jobs in the near and long term, generate tax revenue and build up downtown businesses in every sector only to be threatened by anti competition appeals based on false premises. Too much traffic indeed.
Greg Cutler
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Evolutionists Scramble 'Fossil-Egg Evidence'
by Brian Thomas, M.S. *
Bird fossils do not generally ruffle paleontologist's feathers, but some amazing specimens from China's Jehol province—preserving eggs inside fossil bird bodies—might do just that. Researchers suggested that the bird egg features lend themselves to an evolutionary progression from crocodile-like reptile to chicken-like bird eggs. But if God made birds and reptiles according to separate kinds as clearly stated in Genesis, then they were and are unrelated. Which history does this recent evidence best match?
A team of mostly Chinese authors described the three extinct birds in the journal Nature.1 One of the birds had a long tail, and the team identified the other two as short-tailed birds called Enantiornithines. All three well-preserved fossils showed flattened remains of eggs situated just in front of the pelvis, like modern birds and reptiles.
Their Nature report placed these three birds onto an evolutionary tree diagram. The crocodile on the diagram represented the birds' supposed modern reptile relations and the chicken represented the birds' supposed modern bird relative.
The crocodile shown on the left of the diagram held dozens of small eggs. The Nature study authors placed their long-tailed bird next to it and described it as "primitive." But if the long-tailed bird was more "primitive" than the short-tailed birds shown, then why were all three fossils found together in the same Chinese rocks? The primitive bird fossil should occur in rocks far below their supposed descendants.
The "primitive" bird had fewer eggs than the crocodile, but more than the Enantiornithines. The evolutionary diagram silhouetted a chicken on the far right as holding the fewest eggs. The viewer is supposed to get the impression that as reptiles evolved into birds, they produced fewer eggs.
But why select egg number as the key trait to define evolutionary relationships? Possibly because the study authors would have a difficult time depicting transitions in beaks or feathers, since reptiles don't even have feathers, and the dinosaurs that had beak-like mouth shapes were not the ones that allegedly evolved into birds. Clearly, the scientists hand-selected eggs to illustrate evolution, ignoring most of the anatomical data.
To support evolution, fossils should show a line-up of each trait evolving from nothing, but the best evolutionists can do is hand-select traits that God placed into creatures and force them onto an illustration. Where is the scientific evidence that eggs evolved from non-eggs?
In the process of trying to fit these new fossils into an evolutionary line-up, the Nature study authors encountered five features that clearly show the specimens to have been complete and created birds, thus outside of evolutionary flights of fancy.
- The "Jehol birds" preserve fossilized seeds in their crops.1 Unlike crocodiles and lizards, a bird's crop and gizzard help digest food.
- The internal eggs, called follicles, "are consistent with two-dimensional preservation of a spherical structure."1 Bird eggs are nearly spherical, while reptile eggs are oblong.
- The fossil bird's follicles were on the left side, consistent with the way in which, as the Nature authors described, "birds are unique [in that] only the left ovary and oviduct are functional in the adult." Crocodiles and dinosaurs used both left and right oviducts.
- Egg sizes in the fossil birds were large in proportion to the body, as in modern birds, but not in reptiles.
- One of the three bird fossils shows preserved feathers, clearly a bird and not a crocodile or reptile trait.2
The supposed evolution the Nature authors described rests squarely on "cherry-picking" the egg trait and ignoring the five more relevant bird traits noted in the very same report, in addition to other unmentioned traits. And their hand-picked differences in ancient bird egg numbers and sizes could merely reflect created variations in the way those specific birds produced eggs, or even differences in sexual maturity or mating seasons. Either explanation would crack this evolutionary story wide open.
- Zheng, X. et al. 2013. Preservation of ovarian follicles reveals early evolution of avian reproductive behaviour. Nature. 495 (7442): 507-511.
- Sherwin, F. and B. Thomas. 2012. Did Some Dinosaurs Really Have Feathers? Acts & Facts. 41 (6): 16-17.
* Mr. Thomas is Science Writer at the Institute for Creation Research.
Article posted on April 19, 2013.
Evidence for Creation › Evidence from Science › Evidence from the Earth Sciences › Fossils Reflect Life's Original Diversity › Fossils Show Stasis and No Transitional Forms
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Why Are Gasoline Prices Soaring? Blame the 'Crack Spread'
The price of gasoline is rising quickly enough to give some drivers a renewed sense of sticker shock every time they fill up their tanks.
The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded in the U.S. is nearly $3.78, which is 4.7 cents higher than last week and about 47 cents higher than a month ago.
Regular gas costs more than $4 per gallon in Hawaii, California, Washington D.C. and New York, which may not surprise many people because prices tend to be significantly above average in these areas. However, premium fuel is above the $4 mark in 23 stated plus the District of Columbia, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.
Why so high, especially considering prices tend to be lower during winter?
Read more on Driver's Seat.