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A blog about the day to day Eve Online life of Forgotten Heathen, an industrialist, explorer, and mostly wormhole denizen.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
So I Had A Funny Feeling
Which was, of course, just an excuse. They had already been considering removing us. But on to what happened, since that's why you're really here.
We all got on that evening and decided we needed to head home and run the sites that had accumulated there, not having known that Tado and Dead Space had lost a Noctis and Drake earlier in the day, which of course, we were blamed for in my mail explaining why we were kicked. Talocan would like your corp to be on 24/7, have no life, no kids, no wives, and no job, apparently. But we didn't know about those losses, and we sure as heck weren't on to defend him. Guess that makes us at fault. It gets better because he had no fucking clue we WERE in that hole at the time. Nice job of assuming making you look like an ass, Nathan.
Anyhow, so the gravs were gone, Tado's crew handled the combats, so we headed home. And found out that our wormholes were TWO jumps from each other. That whole "same Region" thing was finally paying off. Or it was random chance, I don't know. So we packed up the Orcas with as much Arkonor as they could hold, and I made a fateful decision to "just take the warp stabs off this once".
Sometimes I hate it when I'm right.
So we made the two jumps and we popped in, and the faster ships started warping while a couple of us hung around to guard the Orcas at the hole, which was EoL, so most likely no one was coming through.
As a couple of the combat ships landed at the off grid space beneath the POS and were assigned fighters by the carrier above, combat probes appeared. Hmm. Checking DSCAN, no ships other than our own appeared, so I called for everyone to warp to the off grid bookmark.
To those that don't know, we use a bookmark immediately below the POS, immediately off grid from it, because our POS is surrounded by mobile warp disruptors as traps for both ships and cloakers. When scanning for ships, you can quickly see while probing and assume that ships at this bookmark are inside the POS.
Except in this case, here's what I surmise what happened. Prior to us entering the wormhole, our corpmate that was still inside had logged in his character while we were making our way home and ran his PI. These people that eventually jumped us were probably searching for him, and had ignored all the ships at our POS. This enabled them to quickly be able to scan down the ships as they waited for the Orcas to jump to them at the off grid bookmark.
As the two Orcas entered warp to the bookmark, an Arazu uncloaked to the offgrid and started attacking one of the Tengus. The second Tengu arrived and they destroyed it. As both Orcas landed, more ships landed, a very identical fleet in composition to the one that jumped us a few days back. Machariel, Tengu, Hurricane, etc etc. So rather than lose it all, everyone that could get away warped up to the POS. I popped out the ECM drones and actually escaped a point on an Orca, but was quickly jammed and pointed by another ship.
In short, we ended up losing two Tengus that had been flying CAP, and both Orcas, fitted not with Warp Stabs, but with cargo expanders, because it was just two jumps.
Yep, in the end, I'm in charge, so the blame is mine alone. That's fine. I can live with that and I'll hope to change my decisions in the future to reflect my experiences. But it's wormhole space, and crazy shit happens. I can point at what I did wrong and learn from it.
However, the current leadership of Talocan United are hypocrites in the extreme. We've been kicked for our losses, but in reality, we had been on the chopping block for some time as examples of what and who they don't want in their "elite" alliance of wormhole corps. They are on the verge of making PvP ops mandatory. They whine and complain constantly about how not enough people show up for this op or that wormhole invasion.
Funny how their website paints a completely different picture than what Talocan United actually is. There have been major arguements over this on the Director forums. Zariah routinely throws major meltdown fits over it in chat and in Alliance public. He recently "quit the alliance" due to things not going his way, so he was going to take his ball and go home. The guy is a self described "twat" and a "cunt".
And most of the alliance is sick of his bullshit. So in that, our removal is really a relief from his childish rants and raves, and Nathan's inability to control him. I'm incredibly glad we're out. As of last Alliance dues, we were the third largest corp in the alliance. We showed up for numerous alliance ops since our joining, and nothing was ever enough for these people.
To a point, I can sympathize with them when not enough people show up for planned operations. I've run large alliances in other games before. I know how frustrating it is when people just don't care as much as you do. But the arguement of "people have lives, wives, and families" isn't good enough for these guys. You really should be on 24/7, have no life or job to speak of. You should be playing Eve! Well guess what? When you don't have anything meaningful in your life to take you away from Eve, I guess it's okay for you to invest yourself that much into a videogame.
But the majority of us living out here in real life land aren't willing to do that.
Talocan United as a general alliance is great. The people are willing to do extraordinary things to help you out and to socialize with you. I will miss a number of them very much. The "leadership", on the other hand, can DIAF for all I care. They show a complete lack of respect for people and their playstyles. Yes, their website says completely the opposite, but be warned, they want to make you one of them, one of the people who take "Internet Spaceships Seriously!". There's a limit to what most normal, well adjusted people will take in a video game, and they really expect too much.
And, to round that all out, Nathan and Zariah are giant hypocrites when it comes to ship losses. Until last week, my corp hadn't lost more than a single stealth bomber in over a year.
Here's Zariah losing an Orca. Nope, no warp stabs there. Guess you should kick him out for that, huh? Fucking hypocrites.
Here's a Mastadon that Zariah lost. Doing a run for POS fuel and mods alone, were we? For shame! Douchebaggery!
Got caught in your Buzzard and lost your POD did you? In a Cov ops??? That smacks of incompetence, right? Kind of hard to catch those cov ops.
Here's a nice CNR loss since we're busy making up excuses. WTG Nathan!
Another one!? Really? Kick him! OMG! Poor combat choice!
In the end, who cares. Behind each and every loss there's a story. And in Eve, most of the time it isn't the majority of the fault of the victim. I've never been one to shrug off the loss and say "Oh well, we'll replace it." I need to learn from every mistake I make. But it's a damn video game, and life comes first. In Talocan United, the alliance comes first. You get to have your say in your hole, but god help you if you disagree about something with either of the two aforementioned leaders. The alliance is going through a phase right now where it doesn't know what it wants to be. It contains people from all walks of Eve life, and a vocal minority, much akin to extreme politics, are driving the majority to a place they don't want to go. People don't want and can't maintain weekly alliance PvP ops. They can't and don't want to muster out at someone's beck and call while they are trying to maintain their own systems.
Helping fellow alliance members out is one thing, but all the TU leadership want is serious e-peen so they can swing it around with the likes of Narwals and Aquila.
But it doesn't matter to me, my corpmates are standing by me like they always have, and I'll keep the friends I had. We'll be more at risk if they come across us, since the leadership harbors serious grudges and talks alot of shit about people that leave the alliance.
But it's Eve and we'll endure. It's just a game, remember? Pass me the cheetohs.
14 comments:
- AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 4:15 AM
Wow thats a good write up. Kinda sucks really but I am confused by your 'bashing' and counter links.ReplyDelete
Lets disect my information as your posting links.
Nathan has a 76.22% Pilot efficiency.
Over the life time on the Talocan kill boards he has killed 121 and lost 12. Yes some very costly mistakes but still over 2:1 on the isk front.
Link : http://talocanunited.com/killboard/?a=pilot_detail&plt_id=2
Zariah has a 80.84% Pilot efficiency.
Over the life time on the Talocan kill boards has killed 43 and lost 8. Yes a couple of silly losses again but a ratio of over 4:1 on the isk front.
Link : http://talocanunited.com/killboard/?a=pilot_detail&plt_id=3488
Now regarding Zariah I'm also told he is a one man corp meaing his killboard should be refelctive of his corp Talocan Hive.
44kills, 18 losses.
Corp efficency of 90.54% :O
An isk kill to loss ratio of nearly 10:1
Guy maybe a cock but he is pretty effective.
Now I compare that to Heretical Innovations
Kills 24 Losses 11 not bad however a Corp efficiency of 17.89% Thats a pitiful 1:4.5 kill to loss isk ratio.
I think we may have found the root of your removal. Its never nice when your kicked from somewhere but just count your lucky stars they didnt do what alot of alliances do and take your shit before kicking you out.
- AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 7:18 AM
We're with you man. Anything you need, you let us know.ReplyDelete
Knight and Zun
- FernandoOctober 27, 2011 at 8:53 AM
Well typed.ReplyDelete
probably my favourite blog entry to read thus far!
Im glad i found a good group of laid back guys that know life comes first.
- AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 9:40 AM
Does that have any affect on the wormholes that you live in or is it business as usual?ReplyDelete
You don't use a ship with double webbers to get those orcas to insta-warp?
At least one warp core stab is welded in place on my Orca.
Duncan McCloud
I could post our removal eve mail, but it would just lead to more bashing, and I've done enough. Suffice to say it was very unprofessional and really points at the direction the alliance is heading in. We were accused of "douchebaggery", which does not mean what they think it means, to quote a fav movie. Losing internet spaceships doesn't make anyone douchebags, that's best left to how you treat other people.ReplyDelete
Sure, our corp kills aren't great, but when you tell people they don't have to be great at PvP and killboards aren't used as a basis to judge you, you're going back on your ideals.
Posting those links isn't to say "Look these guys are terrible." My point is that everyone makes mistakes, and if you're going to hold everyone to some sort of "You can't do stupid stuff, ever!", then guess what? Those links represent mistakes made by the very people telling us we made too many.
We don't make horrendous stupid mistakes on a routine basis. We don't jump through holes without scouting. We don't assume some guy sitting somewhere is alone. We do our homework. But we do make mistakes.
Talocan United has decided it wants to go in a "PvP oriented alliance" direction, contrary to what their website claims, and contrary to a good amount of corps in it. So they're going to get rid of the ones that don't conform to that vision.
Duncan, yes, we usually have those warp stabs on there. It was the lure of only two jumps home and the ability to take some of the Arkonor along that persuaded me. It certainly won't happen again, and I hope it serves as an object lesson if anyone else finds themselves reaching for the fitting window.
Wormhole life will continue as usual. We'll be pulling out of the wormhole we share with Dead Space, as we do not want them to have a conflict of interests, although I'm sure that Tado will have some new neighbors thrown in with him in short order.
Again, our removal is a breath of fresh air and a sigh of relief. No longer will I be pressured to do things I do not want to do, get into arguements with a moron about his conduct, and be expected to play Eve any other way than how I want to play it.
- AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 12:33 PM
So a wormhole alliance expecting you to check the DOTLAN data for wormholes you are moving billions worth of ISK through is somehow a request for 24/7 occupancy and no life requirements? I do not see the link there.ReplyDelete
This is really really simple basic day 1 wormhole security stuff, failing to do that when dealing with hideous amounts of ISK makes your indignation pretty amusing to be honest.
- AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 12:35 PM
As I have seen you have decided to filter any discussion on your post I will direct this straight to you - you are terrible at wormhole work and I deeply hope you return to it.ReplyDelete
Be a little cautious with recruitment :) you will be seeing me at some point. And no, the character will not have been in Talocan United.
- AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 12:56 PM
They advertise themselves as a very friendly alliance who wants to help in W-Space.
They acts like some stupid military lieutenant who never learn anything about life.
Never listen the advertisement of Talocan United : liars
Actually, Anonymous, you make my point for me. You assume I'm filtering when, in fact, I have a life before I run home to make sure your post isn't spam before I put it up!ReplyDelete
Again, I enjoy your accusations based on a couple bad encounters. And again, it's too bad you don't judge yourselves on your own actions. You are far above reproach, apparently, and also are vindictive hypocrites on top of it.
Pot to kettle, incoming transmission, you're black! I seem to remember, if we'll lay it all out on the table, a Talocan wormhole invasion where they "forgot" to watch the incoming wormhole.....and many many ships were lost. What did you do then? Stomp your feet and cry and kick people out? Or did you learn from that encounter?
I welcome your attempt at infiltrating my corp. Are you going to get a voice filter?
And I see you've linked this post on your forums! Thanks for saving me the trouble, and thanks for the traffic.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 4:17 PM
Wow, really? Your threatening to try to destroy his corp cause you talocan guys are a bunch of twats? I bet new corps coming in would love to know about that "option" they can look forward toReplyDelete
get over it its a game
- AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 6:53 PM
I was to understand that internet spaceships was serious business. Next you'll be telling me that pro wrestling is fake and the Abominable Snowman doesn't exist.ReplyDelete
(Let's see... how do I sign this properly instead of hiding behind some chickenshit Anom tag? Ahh, there we go.)ReplyDelete
Heretic, you will be missed by me, if by no one else; I thought you were one of the few voices of reason (and basic grammar and spelling).
I may smack my forehead a few times at the events you've gone through in the last few weeks (noting the mistakes you've already caught), but at the same time you're learning, and (aside from that) hitting quite a few nails Dead. On.
Good luck to you and yours -- you've nothing to worry about from me and mine -- hope to see you again in better times.
- FernandoOctober 27, 2011 at 7:57 PM
Baha. This is entertaining. At least have the cajones to leave a comment under your in game name.ReplyDelete


text:
Multan Sultans were chasing a mammoth total of 185 runs put together by Islamabad United. But, the batting line utterly failed to come in handy at the critical juncture.
Ahmad Shahzad, who is fondly known as selfie king, also bowed down at meager three runs.
With a shockingly low strike rate, Ahmad Shahzad could score 173 runs in ten matches of in third edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Watch a report on the cricketer, who needs to worry more about the game than other affairs.

subset: commoncrawl


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Medium: Painting
Subject Tags: abstract art, dramatic bold colors, bold graphics, arrow, greens, abstract
Size: 24"W x 36"H x 1.5"D
Year Created: 2017
Ready to Hang
I explore neighborhoods and my works are interpretations of what i see. from architecture, signage, wild postings, advertisements and graffiti, they are represented in my work. the layers that are not visible are just as important as the ones that are.
Peter Scherrer is an abstract painter who lives and works in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles. Peter Scherrer arrived in Los Angeles with a tiny duffle bag and directions to the Rainbow on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood. He'd heard it was the place to be. A native of Switzerland, Scherrer grew up in a small village outside of Zürich. Although he'd traveled throughout Europe, Los Angeles was new territory. It was a place to test his mettle and experience rock n' roll, sex and beach culture – American style. Scherrer had been in art schools since the age of 16, and had earned a degree in graphic design. L.A. was creative, fertile ground and home to one of the best design schools in the world. Always hungry to learn but mainly looking for an excuse to extend his stay, he enrolled at Art Center College of Design, and in 1993, he completed a BFA and a few years later an MFA at the same school. For years Scherrer worked as a graphic designer. When he started out, graphic design was pretty much hands on. Designers had to know how to draw, paint, photograph, process and produce. They got dirty. They sliced their fingers on their straight edge. Scherrer liked designing with the tools of his trade but he was also adaptable, and eventually – like everyone else – he transitioned from drawing boards and paper to computer screens and design applications. He also made the leap from hired gun to running his own design studio. Years later, with a successful studio and a substantial portfolio of creative, professional work, Scherrer returned to his first medium – painting. Now, his hands get dirty. He smells his medium. His tools are real. Sometimes he returns to the computer to set typography to use in his paintings, but mostly he works with acrylic on canvas. Although there is a sense of chaos or freeform, in fact, Scherrer often maintains a grid – sometimes hidden, sometimes more obvious.


text: Pro Farmer | By Pro Farmer Editors under News & Analysis Pro Farmer's Chip Flory and Brian Grete talk about trade issues for this week's Profit Briefing segment on AgDay TV. " Want to read more? Register with a few details to continue reading this article. Get access now Trial < Already a subscriber? Login


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Friday, July 24, 2009
Money Mantra #6: You Are Enough Without More Stuff
1 comment:
- AnonymousJuly 25, 2009 at 1:29 PM
We do a couple of pretty simple things...I am a stay at home mom, so the last year I worked, before the baby arrived, we lived as if we only had one income. As soon as the baby arrived, I pretty much stopped shopping. Other than the grocery store once a week, I stay out of the stores. I have convinced myself to live as if we don't have extra money and I think before I buy - avoiding impulse shopping.ReplyDelete
I routinely go through our over abundance of children's clothes (thanks to generous family mostly) and either hand them down to friends or give them to charity.
I keep in mind that I stay at home mostly, so I don't need the latest and greatest outfit/purse/shoes.
As long as my children and husband are happy I have enough. ...of course I have lots of wants, but they are kept in perspective.


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When you have completed this lesson you will understand:
1. What impact printing is and how it works
2. Advantages and disadvantages of impact printing
3. Thermal Printing
4. Thermal head fabrication
5. Serial print head operation
6. Line print head operation
7. Thermal printing media
8. Ink jet printing
The dot matrix printer was by far one of the most popular printing systems ever designed. The printer would be able to produce quality output, at a relatively low cost. Dot matrix printers also are available in a variety of different sizes, from small receipt size printers to large line printers. The disadvantage of dot matrix printers is that the printer does produce a high amount of noise during the printing operation, and the print quality can never approach the quality of either an ink jet printer or a laser printer.
The print heads for a dot matrix printer depend upon a small piece of wire to strike a ribbon, thereby creating an impression on the paper's surface. The size of the wire determines the size of the dot printed on the page. A dot matrix printer typically has 9 or 24 pins that make up the print head. This severely limits the quality of output that this printer can produce. The laser or ink jet printer typically can produce anywhere from 300 to 1200 dots per inch, where a dot matrix printer can only approach 240 dots per inch. Nevertheless, these printers remain a cost-effective option for heavy duty, non-letter quality and low graphics operations. This chapter discusses the three conventional printing technologies: impact, thermal, and ink jet, as well as the construction and detailed operation of their print head mechanisms (see figure on top of page 208). These technologies are called "conventional" because their print heads are clearly defined devices, easy to recognize on sight, and easy to replace as an individual assembly. Electrophotographic (EP) printing is accomplished as a "process" of many interacting mechanisms, rather than the actions of any one device. This makes EP technology more complex and difficult to understand, so it is considered to be a "nonconventional" printing method.
An NEC PinWriter P3200 dot-matrix impact printer
Impact Printing
Impact printing is the oldest, simplest, and probably the most de-pendable form of printing ever developed. Images are literally slammed against a page as a matrix of individual dots; the dot patterns form letters and graphics. Impact printers are known collectively as Dot-Matrix Impact (DMI) printers. The figure below shows a comparison between character (e.g., typewriter) and dot-matrix print. Notice how the DMI figure appears rougher and less defined than its die counterpart.
Comparison of character and dot-matrix impact printing
The Dot Mechanics
Each dot is generated by an individual metal print wire drive through a solenoid as illustrated by the figure below. When an electrical pulse reaches the solenoid, it energizes the coil and produces a brief, intense magnetic field. This field "shoots" its print wire against the page. After the pulse passes, the solenoid's magnetic field collapses. A return spring pulls the wire back to a rest position. In actual practice, DMI solenoids and print wires are very small assemblies. A typical print wire might only travel about 0.5 mm. This distance is known as ware stroke.
Print wire action in a straight solenoid
Not all DMI heads hold their print wire directly within the solenoid's coil. While this approach might work well for smaller, general purpose heads, heavy-duty heads need larger coils than can be stacked vertically. Each solenoid is mounted offset from one another, then connected to their respective print wires using a mechanical linkage as shown in the figure below.
Print wire action in an "offset" solenoid
Due to the additional mechanical components, heavy-duty print heads operate somewhat slower than "direct-drive" heads and they usually do not last as long because of the additional mechanical wear.
A typical print wire driver circuit
Driving the Dot
Solenoids require a substantial amount of electrical energy very quickly to develop a magnetic field strong enough to move a print wire. The figure above shows a driver circuit similar to one used in every-day DMI printers. A printer's ECU produces a narrow logic pulse, which is sent along to a transistor driver. In the above figure, a gate array ASIC (marked U3) is responsible for generating the logic signal. However, logic circuits alone cannot handle enough power to operate a solenoid directly, so a transistor driver is used.
A high-power driver transistor (such as the 2SD1929) acts as a switch that turns the solenoid on and off. A driver voltage (typically 24 V, much higher than the +5-V logic supply voltage) provides the energy required. A relatively small nonpolarized capacitor (markedC14) provides supplemental power supply filtering. One such driver circuit is required for every print wire.
A single print wire firing signal
To understand more about dynamics of the driver circuit, refer to the oscilloscope diagram of the figure above. The upper trace shows what happens to the transistor's output voltage when a logic pulse arrives. The lower trace illustrates the corresponding effects on solenoid current. As you can see, current is not instantaneous; there is a rapid period of ramp-up (about 0.3 ms or 300 μs), followed by a sudden drop. The print wire will overcome the restriction of its return spring and fire at roughly the current peak. You can see the effects of continuous print in the figure below.
Continuous print wire firing signals
Electrically speaking, solenoids are not very efficient devices. Only 1% or 2% of the energy provided is actually converted to force. The remaining energy is wasted as heat. Heating can have severe effects that include print wire jamming, coil burnout, and even a potential burn hazard. Solenoids usually require anywhere from +12 to +24 Vdc at currents greater than 1.5 A, so the "on-time" for a typical solenoid must be kept very short (well below 0.5 ms, as in the last picture on page 4) to prevent excessive heating. Metal heat sinks are often die-cast into the head housing to dissipate excess heat as quickly as possible. Short pulses also allow extremely fast firing cycles, and most current DMI print heads can fire at greater than 300 Hz. Some models can be fired as fast as 600 Hz.
Dot Specifications
DMI print heads use an array of 9 or 24 print wires arranged in vertical columns as shown in the figure below. There are three major mechanical specifications that you should be familiar with.
Wire diameter specifies the diameter of each print wire (normally expressed in millimeters). This tells you how large each dot will be.
The distance between the center of each dot is known as wire pitch (also expressed in millimeters). Finally, the height of each fully formed character is specified (in millimeters) as character height (CH). Wire diameter and pitch are much smaller for 24-pin heads than for 9-pin heads.
Comparison of typical dot-matrix impact print head arrangements
Not all wires can be used to form every character. For example, a 9-pin print head with a 2.5-mm CH might only use seven wires to form most characters. Wires 8 and 9 could be used to form characters with descenders. The concept of true descenders is illustrated in the top figure on page 213. When all nine wires are used to form characters, there is no room left for descenders, so characters can be printed with false descenders, also shown in the same figure. Overall character size might appear larger when all nine wires are used, but many people find false descenders awkward.
Comparison of "true" and "false" descenders
The technique of DMI printing is every bit as straightforward as character printing, but the actual formation of each letter, number, or symbol is a bit more involved. Data sent from a host computer is interpreted by the printer's main logic and converted to a series of vertical dot patterns. Motor commands start the carriage (and print head) moving across the platen. Simultaneously, printer circuits will send each dot pattern to the print head in series. Each dot pattern fires the corresponding print wires through an inked ribbon to leave a permanent mark on the page. This is also called serial or moving-head operation. The figure below is a photo of a heavy-duty DMI print head.
A commercial dot-matrix print head
Early DMI printers lacked the dot resolution and electronic sophistication to produce letter-quality print as character printers could. Characters were printed uppercase in a 5 x 7 dot matrix. Such printing was clear and highly legible, but not visually pleasing. Advances in electronics and printer communication allowed both upper and lowercase characters to be printed, while improvements in materials and construction techniques resulted in smaller, more reliable print heads. This made DMI printing easier to look at, but still could not approach letter quality. With the introduction and widespread acceptance of 9-pin print heads, enhanced features became possible.
The additional dots offered by a 9-pin head improved the appearance of each character even more, and provided enough detail to make several different font styles practical, but individual dots were still visible. Near-letter quality (NLQ) was finally accomplished through multipass printing of the same line. Paper position is shifted just a fraction, then a subsequent series of dots would "fill-in" some of the spaces left by a previous pass. Forming a line of NLQ characters might take two, three, and four passes (depending on the particular printer). A single pass per line became known as draft mode.
NLQ printing is limited by the printer's speed. The more passes needed to form a line of print, the more time that is required. For example, suppose a single pass (draft) takes one second. If two passes are required for an NLQ line, print time would be twice as long (two seconds). If four passes are required, print time would be four times as long (four seconds). For long documents, this additional time can really add up. As a general rule, you can save substantial time (and your ribbon) by using the draft mode until you are ready to print the final version of your document.
It was not until the introduction of the 24-pin DMI print head that NLQ print could be accomplished in only one pass. Two vertical columns of 12 wires are offset from one another. As a 24-pin head moves across the page, the leading column places a first "pass" of dots. This forms a basic character image, which is already superior to the 9-pin equivalent. Immediately after the leading column fires, the lagging column places a second "pass" of dots to fill in each character. In this way, two passes are made effectively at the same time.
Advantages & Disadvantages of DMI Printing
To this day, DMI print heads remain a cornerstone of commercial printing technology. They are flexible and inexpensive devices, capable of a wide variety of fonts and enhancements, as well as draft or NLQ performance and bit-mapped graphics. DMI heads are reasonably fast, so they can achieve speeds easily exceeding 160 CPS. They are reliable devices. Heavy-duty print heads can last through more than 30 million characters. Smaller, general-purpose heads can last for more than 100 million characters. Impact printing is mandatory for printing multicopy forms. Finally, they require very little maintenance except for periodic routine cleaning.
However, impact printing is very noisy. The continuous drone of print wires striking paper can become quite annoying. Although DMI printers are now made with plastic coverings that baffle much of its noise, they do not quiet the printer completely. Limited dot resolution is another concern. You might not notice this for NLQ text, but you can see individual dots in draft or bit graphics modes.
You can only achieve just so many dots per inch. Finally, head overheating can be a problem during long printouts, especially when printing graphics where many wires must fire repeatedly.
Thermal Printing
Thermal printing technology eliminates the need for impact altogether by using heat to form characters and graphic images on paper. Instead of forming dots through a matrix of electromechanical solenoids, thermal print heads employ an array of resistive semiconductor heating elements (called dot heaters).
Electrical pulses from the printer's driver circuits transfer energy to each desired dot heater causing them to heat up rapidly. This in turn will discolor the appropriate points on temperature-sensitive paper or a thermal transfer ribbon. Thermal dot matrix (TDM) print heads are available in serial (moving head) and line-head versions, which can be chosen depending on the particular application.
Before you learn about the operation of thermal printing in detail, however, you must understand the way in which TDM heads are constructed.
Thermal Head Fabrication
TDM heads are not built as an assembly of other parts the way other heads are. They contain no wires, solenoids, linkages, or other individual parts. Instead, they are fabricated much like an integrated circuit; one layer of material at a time is deposited onto previous layers in masked patterns that form resistive elements, their interconnections, electrical insulators, and protective coatings. Three popular fabrication methods are discussed as follows. Thermal head thick-film fabrication is shown in the figure below. A semiconductor resistance element is deposited between two conductors and covered with a protective glass film. Everything is fabricated onto a ceramic substrate (or support structure) insulated by a glass insulating layer.
Cross-sectional view of a thick-film thermal printing element
Thick-film technology can achieve resolutions of 12 dots per millimeter. Each dot heater exhibits a resistance that can range from 160 to 3,000 Ω depending on the number of dots and the print head's intended application. Each dot is roughly round and faintly defined. The working temperature of each dot can easily exceed 350°C at the resistive element itself, yet typical thick-film heater elements will last for more than 30 million pulses, and they are highly resilient to power overload conditions. Line-print head versions are often manufactured using thick-film technology.
Another issue to consider with TDM print heads is wear; after all, the print head must be in physical contact with the page surface (or thermal transfer ribbon). Over time, the friction encountered at the page surface will wear away the TDM head. Today, protective film coverings can endure more than 30 kilometers of wear against the page surface before failure.
Both figures on page illustrate typical thin-film fabrication technologies. Both figures are variants of the same approach. A ceramic substrate and glass-insulating layer form the foundation of a thin-film heater. Unlike the thick-film technique, a thin-film resistor is much thinner, and is fabricated underneath its electrical conductors. Finally, two separate protective layers are added. Thin-film technology offers several performance differences versus-film devices. Thin-film devices can achieve resolutions as high as 16 dots per millimeter. Each dot heater can range from 1.5 to 50 Ω depending on the number of dots and intended application of the head. Dots appear square and are sharply defined. Thin-film dot heaters can easily survive more than 50 million pulses, but they are not very tolerant of driver overloads. The hard tantalum covering can undergo more than 70 kilometers of surface wear, more than twice that of a thick-film covering. Thin-film technology can also be used to manufacture either serial or line-print heads.
Cross-sectional view of a thin-film (total glaze) thermal printing element
Although TDM heads are considered rugged and reliable devices, the hard glass and ceramic materials they contain are also very fragile. Impact or physical abuse can fracture the entire structure and ruin the assembly. Because they are fabricated as a single assembly, there are no serviceable parts inside. When one or more dot heaters fail, the whole TDM head must be replaced.
Cross-sectional view of a thin-film (partial glaze) thermal printing element
Contact pressure is surprisingly important in thermal printing systems. The print head must present enough pressure to ensure good thermal transfer to its heat-sensitive paper or thermal ribbon, but not so much pressure where it interferes with the paper transport mechanism. Excessive pressure will also decrease the head's wear resistance by breaking down its protective covering layer faster. As a general rule, contact force should be between 100 to 250 grams. When you examine print heads closely you might note that some of their faces have a slight curve to match the platen.
Serial Head Operation
A thermal heater can be fired much the same way as an impact solenoid as shown in the figure below. Data for such a dot driver circuit is applied to a tri-state buffer. Note the extra input marked "print." This is an enable input that controls the tri-state buffer. While "print" is brought logic high, the buffer's output state will equal its input state (i.e., a logic 1 input will yield a logic 1 output, and vice versa). This enable line is very handy because it allows data to be set up in advance on any number of dot heaters. The "print" signal can then be strobed on all drivers simultaneously. For the simple driver circuit of the figure below, a logic 1 will fire a dot heater, and a logic 0 will not. Each dot heater will have its own driver circuit.
Schematic of a simple thermal heater driver circuit
Timing is very important to the successful operation of a thermal print head as you can see in the figure on page 219. A dot heater cannot work instantaneously; it takes a certain amount of time for it to reach a working temperature. It takes even more time for it to cool off before firing again. This entire cycle is called the pulse period (or SLT). When a dot heater is fired by a logic 1, it begins to heat. It only takes a pulse width of about 0.6 to 1.0 milliseconds (ms) to reach a marking temperature of 350°C. For the figure on page 220, 0.6 ms is used as an example. At that point, the heater has formed its dot and must be avowed to cool. Cooling can require more than 1.5 ms in addition to heating time. If the head (or paper) moves before sufficient cooling can occur, printed dots win tend to appear "pulled" or smudged. Once the heater has cooled enough, it might be moved and fired again.
Drive signals for a typical thermal heater element
It is possible to coax even more heat from TDM heaters by lengthening the driving pulse width. Because energy is applied for a longer time, heaters will reach higher temperatures. However, this must be matched by even longer cooling times. A ROHM NS0907-D1 thermal print head makes an excellent example. Suppose a pulse width of 1.0 ms requires a cool-down time of another 1.0 ms (SLT would be 2.0 ms). If pulse width were extended to 1.2 ms, SLT would have to be 4.0 ms to allow sufficient cooling time. A pulse width of 1.6 ms would require an SLT of 8.0 ms (a much longer cool-down time). It is helpful to understand the relationship of time and temperature, but for the purposes of troubleshooting and repair, you should not be concerned with pulse width and SLT.
Those values win be fixed by software in the printer's ECU. TDM print heads require much less operating power than DMI devices because only a small amount of current is needed to fire each dot heater. A typical impact solenoid might require a pulse of 1.8 A at 12 Vdc for proper firing. That equates to [1.8 A x 12 Vdc]
21.6 watts (W) per solenoid. For a 9-pin printer, the power supply must be able to provide [21.6 W x 9] about 195 W under "worst case" conditions. Such a power demand makes DMI printers unsuitable for mobile or battery-powered operation. On the other hand, a typical TDM print head requires only about 2 W (or less) per dot. For a 9-pin serial TDM print head, it would take [2 W x 9] 18 W to fire all 9 dot heaters together. As you might imagine, this represents terrific power savings. Thermal printers are often found in mobile or battery-powered instrumentation.
Line Head Operation
TDM line-print heads take a bit more complicated approach. Instead of assembling images as a series of vertical dots scanned from side to side, a line-print head uses a single horizontal row of dot heaters to assemble complete images as paper advances. The figure below illustrates a ROHM TDM line-print head. One dot heater is available for every possible point in a horizontal line. Depending on the width of a head (which win probably be as wide as the paper it is printing), there might be as few as 160 or as many as 7,000 dot heaters.
A commercial thermal line-print head assembly
Because the print head now spans the entire page width, there is no longer any need for a carriage mechanism. Data is sent from the host computer and interpreted by the printer's ECU one FULL line at a time, then translated into a series of horizontal dot patterns. In this way, the line head forms entire lines one horizontal row at a time (as opposed to serial heads that form lines as one vertical column at a time). Line-print heads are available for use with heat-sensitive paper or thermal transfer applications. Sending the actual print data to a line-print head, however, is a more complex and involved process than for a serial head. After all, nine discrete driver circuits to fire a serial print head (one driver for each dot heater) are simple enough to follow and troubleshoot, but when you deal with a line-print head that can contain thousands of dot heaters, discrete drivers are totally inadequate. In response to this, TDM line head manufacturers take advantage of sophisticated VLSI (Very Large-Scale Integration) technology to fabricate data handling and dot driver circuitry right onto the print head assembly itself. The figure below shows a simplified internal diagram for a typical line-print head.
After the printer's ECU translates a line of characters into rows of horizontal dots, data for each row is sent in series (one bit at a time) into the DI input of the line head. Remember that data is made up of digital logic conditions corresponding to a heater's output; a logic 1 is on and a logic 0 is off. When a complete row of data is fed into the print head, the dot heaters can be fired to produce a row of finished print. Ideally, all dot heaters should be able to fire together; it would print one full row at a time. Unfortunately, the cumulative current required by every heater firing together would put a strain on even the best power supply. It would also create a strong heat surge. For example, in the figure below, each of the 2,048 dot heaters need 0.19 W (190 mW) of power. If every dot fires together, the head will dissipate a stunning [0.19 W x 2,048] 389 W! A 24-V power supply would have to provide [389 W / 24 Vdc] about 16 A.
Block diagram for the previous illustration
In order to limit line head power dissipation, power surges are limited by firing the line-print head in segments. The 2,048 dots of the figure above are divided into four segments of 512 dots each. A segment is enabled using the trigger (or "strobe") lines (marked STR1 through STR4). There might be as many as four or more strobe lines depending on the density of the particular head. One segment of 512 dots firing simultaneously would dissipate [0.19 W x 512] about 98 W; a much more manageable power requirement for a power supply. It will take four times longer to print with this "segmented" approach, but it places much less stress on printer electronics, and allows extra cooling time for unused segments.
Thermal Printing Media
Heat generated by each dot must be transferred to a page surface as required in order to form permanent images. This is accomplished in either of two ways: direct contact or thermal transfer. As the name implies, direct contact requires that a print head be in direct contact with the paper surface. Heat is used to activate heat-sensitive chemicals in the paper, which cause those points to discolor and leave permanent marks. Most heat-sensitive papers generate either blue or black marks.
This offers a simple, reliable printing approach, but it is not without its disadvantages. Perhaps the most notable disadvantage is that standard paper (such as 20-lb bond xerography-grade paper) cannot be used. Temperatures developed by a thermal print head are insufficient to cause discoloration on normal paper without burning it. Heat-sensitive chemicals cause thermal paper to discolor at much lower temperatures. Such sensitized paper is usually delicate and sensitive material. It only has a limited shelf life (typically a few years). Age, sunlight, humidity, and a variety of chemical vapors will ruin the paper. Finally, thermal paper is manufactured on long, continuous rolls. Its tendency to curl makes it difficult to handle.
Thermal transfer uses heat generated by each dot to deposit solid ink onto a page surface. A narrow plastic ribbon is coated with a heat-sensitive solid ink made of waxes, oils, and dies. By altering the ratio of these materials, ink viscosity and melting point can be optimized to suit a print head. As with DMI print heads, ribbons are inserted between the print head and paper. When dot heaters fire, they melt corresponding points of plastic ink, which remain on the paper to form images. Because it is an ink ribbon (not the paper) that must be heated, thermal transfer printing will work with just about any kind of smooth, standard-bond paper. Print color is determined by the color of the plastic ink. TDM print heads used for thermal transfer printing require slightly more power than direct contact heads in order to melt plastic ink reliably.
Advantages & Disadvantages of TDM Printing Thermal dot-matrix technology enjoys several advantages over other printing methods. First, TDM is very quiet. Even though contact is required, there are no moving parts to generate noise.
Power consumption is also very low in TDM heads. Thermal dot heaters in serial heads often require less than 2 W per dot. Line print heads need even less (in the range of 0.2 W per dot).
Compare this to a DMI head that usually takes more than 12 W per solenoid. Low power consumption makes TDM heads ideal for mobile and battery-powered applications. TDM heads are simple and reliable devices. They are totally self-contained; there are no moving parts or apertures that can jam or clog. About the only preventive maintenance required for TDM heads is an occasional wipe-down to remove accumulations of dust and dirt. Line-print heads simplify the printer by eliminating the need for a carriage
mechanism. They also incorporate on-board circuitry for data handling and dot driving. This too can greatly simplify the printer's corresponding ECU. Print is clear and crisp, with resolutions that can rival that of an electrophotographic printer.
TDM print heads have a few disadvantages. Print time is slightly slower than other printing methods because of cooling time added to each printing cycle. This is just a slight difference. Thermal head life is shorter than most DMI heads, largely due to the surface wear caused by paper friction. TDM heads are usually good for 10 million characters or less, where DMI heads can support 50 million characters or more. Finally, TDM heads cannot be serviced; if a dot heater burns out or its internal circuitry fails, the entire head assembly must be replaced.
Ink Jet Printing
While impact and thermal technologies require a print head to actually contact the page surface in order to print, ink jet dot-matrix printing is a "noncontact" technology; that is, ink jet heads never come into contact with the printing surface. Instead, liquid ink is literally spray-painted onto a page. Commercial ink jet printers use one of two approaches to spray ink: drop-on-demand and intermittent jet. These techniques are both very similar. The drop on-demand technique requires an individual command for every dot that is ejected from an ink jet print head, much like DMI print wires that are fired by discrete pulses. The intermittent jet approach fires streams of ink (a continuous series of dots) rather than individual dots. By timing the start and duration of each ink stream very precisely, it is possible to achieve extremely fine detail at resolutions that are now exceeding 360 x 360 dpi. For the purposes of this book, ink jet print heads are assumed to use intermittent jet technology.
Inside the Ink Jet Print Head
When compared to other types of print heads ink jet heads are perhaps the simplest and most straightforward design. The ink reservoir is provided in a prepackaged container. The ink container might come in a replaceable cassette, or it might be integrated into a throwaway print head assembly. When the ink is installed, gravity and capillary action feed the ink along narrow channels, and the ink comes to rest at each nozzle, the exit aperture, where the ink is ejected. There might be 12, 24, 50, or more depending on the vintage and complexity of the particular ink jet head. The nozzles themselves are really nothing more than fine holes (each about 1/3 the diameter of a human hair) drilled into a metal plate with a laser.
You might wonder how liquid will stay at the nozzles without spilling out all over the place. The answer is that the ink's viscosity and surface tension hold the ink in place until it is pumped out. The figure below shows you the internal components of a throwaway ink jet print head.
A disposable ink jet cartridge assembly
Finally, every ink channel is fitted with an ink pump. In actual practice, an ink pump is almost microscopic, but it is the key element in any ink jet head. Because each pump requires electrical pulses in order to run, a series of contacts will run to a connector on the print head. Like other dot-matrix technologies, each ink pump can be fired independently for maximum flexibility in image formation. The circuitry needed to time and fire the ink pumps is contained in the printer's ECU, or on a supplemental driver board located close to the carriage transport system. There are two basic types of ink pumps: piezoelectric and bubble.
Piezoelectric Pumps
In a piezoelectric pump, a ring of piezoelectric ceramic material is built into an ink channel as in the figure below. When a high-energy electrical pulse is applied across the ceramic ring, its piezoelectric quality causes it to constrict the channel. This causes a sudden displacement of volume that pushes out a single droplet of ink.
After the electrical driver pulse passes, ceramic returns to its original shape, and more ink is drawn into the channel to make up the expelled droplet. Piezoelectric ceramic requires short pulses (in the 5- to 10-μs range) at high energy levels. Pulse amplitudes can be anywhere from 70 to 200 V depending on the particular design of the channel and the type of ceramic used. One pump is required per channel, and can fire at rates approaching 5 kHz (5,000 dots per second). This is one droplet every 200 As.
Diagram of a piezoelectric ink jet nozzle
Bubble Pumps
Bubble pumps (used in "thermal ink jet" or "bubble jet" printers) are also widely used to generate ink droplets; they are now perhaps the single most popular technology for disposable ink jet print heads.
As you see in the figure on page 226, nozzles and channel construction are very similar to piezoelectric heads, but ring heaters replace ceramic rings. An electrical driver pulse fires a ring heater.
In turn, this heats ink in the immediate vicinity. As ink heats, a bubble forms and expands in the channel. When the bubble finally bursts, its force ejects an ink droplet, and more ink is drawn in to fill the void. Heated ink droplets also dry faster on paper. Although bubble pumps are fast working devices, they are limited to firing rates of 1,000 dots per second. Ring heaters (like the dot heaters found in thermal print heads) require a finite amount of time to cool after firing. If there is not enough cooling time, ink might actually dry out and clog inside the channel. However, bubble pumps do not require nearly as much energy to operate. Early units typically used 24- to 50-V pulses, but the new generation of mobile lap-top bubble jet printers uses even lower signals. You can see the proliferation of nozzles and electrical contacts in the HP ink jet print head of the figure on page 227.
Diagram of a bubble jet nozzle
A high-resolution disposable nk jet cartridge
Monochrome vs. Color
Because the color of an ink jet's output depends entirely on the color of its ink, the ink jet printer has become a preeminent plat-form for low-cost, high-quality color printing. The principles involved in a color ink jet design are virtually identical to those of monochrome printers, but where a monochrome printer merely prints black and white (the presence or absence of dots), a color printer must interpret the colors of each dot, and provide a more sophisticated signal stream that will not only drive the print head, but will drive the proper color nozzles.
This marginal increase in complexity also demands a slightly more complex print head as shown in the figure on page . Essentially, a color ink jet head can have three or four separate ink systems integrated into the same head; three to handle the three key colors (yellow, magenta, and light blue), and a fourth color (black) might be included. As you might imagine, cramming three or four ink systems into a single print head is no small feat, and each ink reservoir is considerably smaller than the single-reservoir (monochrome) models; thus, color print heads have a much shorter life than monochrome print heads.
Diagram of a color ink jet cartridge
Ink Considerations
The kind of ink used in ink jet printers is typically an indelible, solvent-based chemical that is resistant to drying in air. As a result, most ink jet heads can be left unattended for prolonged periods of time (often several days to several weeks) without fear of nozzle clogs due to drying. Most ink jet printers also have a type of "ink cap" sponge in the printer's carriage home position that wipes each nozzle whenever the head reaches its home position, and covers them whenever the printer is turned off. This can be an important factor in older ink jet printers because sponges become dried and hardened with ink (as well as age), so they are less effective at keeping the print head clean. Cleaning sponge replacement should be a routine procedure when servicing older ink jet printers.
Sooner or later, solvent will evaporate into the air. Evaporation begins to increase the ink viscosity inside each channel; it be comes thicker. In early stages, this can cause ink to sputter or travel off course to the page. In advanced stages, solvent might evaporate entirely, or enough to allow ink to dry and harden in the channel.
This is a clog. The afflicted nozzle(s) might still fire electrically, but no ink will flow until the clog is cleared. The ink jet head will have to be cleaned or purged. Clogs might also be dislodged through normal use. Once any viscous ink is forced out through normal use, proper operation will return automatically. Of course, disposable ink jet print heads (which do not support purging) can simply be replaced.
Paper Considerations
When ink droplets leave a nozzle, they are still in a liquid form. Once a droplet reaches paper, it must dry almost immediately so that the finished page can be handled. This is not always easyaccomplish if you are using the wrong paper type. Paper must accept ink into its fibers just the right way to dry it quickly, yet leave droplets on the surface for a crisp image. If paper absorbs ink too readily, the dried image might appear light or faint (lacking contrast). This is a typical problem with standard-weight xerography-grade paper. If paper does not absorb ink quickly enough, ink might remain a liquid, which can smear and smudge when touched. Although this is less common, gloss or specially coated papers might act this way. To guarantee just the right drying characteristics, there is a specially made ink jet paper impregnated with clay or solvent-absorbing chemicals that cause ink to dry quickly while leaving a clear, dark image. The best waydetermine the compatibility between paper and ink is to test the printer in actual operation. Either ink or paper (usually the paper) might have to be changed to optimize the printer's performance.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Ink Jet Printing
Ink jet dot-matrix technology offers a method of "noncontact"
printing that can mark a wide variety of surfaces and paper types. Printing speeds rival any DMI printer, yet operation is very quiet. Nozzles and ink channels are incredibly small, so dot resolution can be extremely high (the head in the figure on page 227 is used in300 x 300 dpi ink jet printer). Ink jet heads have no mechanical parts, so they are exceptionally inexpensive to manufacture, enjoy high reliability, and a long working life--some piezoelectric heads are rated for more than 1 billion dots. The low power requirements have made ink jet technology the forerunner of mobile, battery powered printers.
Unfortunately, ink jet heads are sealed devices. If one ink pump
fails, the entire head must be replaced. Costs can also add up;
even though ink cartridges can be made inexpensively, they can
still be expensive items by the time they reach store shelves. Given the fairly limited number of pages handled by a single ink cartridge, the per-page cost of ink jet printing can still be high. The ink itself can be a frustrating problem. Ruptured print heads or leaking cartridges can spill thick, indelible ink everywhere. Fabrics and other porous materials are particularly susceptible to permanent stains; even your skin can be stained. While contemporary commercial "disposable head" printers have become very clean, there is still a risk of ink spillage.
CES Industries, Inc. Copyright @ 2001


text:
I really have to get this book. There is a new book about colleges called Higher Education?: How Colleges Are Wasting Our Money and Failing Our Kids—and What We Can Do About It
I found this really good review of the book and thought I would pass it along.
Has anyone else read this book?


text:
Apartment In Didube
Guests can stay in In Didube apartment when visiting Tbilisi. This apartment offers airport transfer and ironing service.
Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre is 3.2 km of the property, while Rustaveli Theatre is around 3.4 km away. 30 minutes' walk from Tbilisi city center.
The property offers rooms with pay TV, a pantry, an iron with ironing board, a closet and a DVD player. A bathroom comprises a hairdryer, guest toiletries and dressing gowns.
There is a full kitchen fitted with an electric kettle, a fridge, a toaster, a stove and a washing machine.
The nearest metro station is Tsereteli, situated 750 meters from the apartment.
A balcony is also provided.


text:
We were in Madras for a few days (as part of the Poetry With Prakriti festival). Though we've visited the city a few times as an adult, this was the the first time since we were twelve or thereabouts that we saw a bit of the place. We lived there between ages six and nine, and a lot of what we remember had had changed, of course.
These are brief notes on the trip.
• No road seems to meet another at right angles: they merge, curving into each other at acute angles, undulating, flowing around obstructions, never seeming to come to a full stop.
• On the streets, near-misses that would have resulted in fist-fights in Bombay or Delhi are dismissed with a shrug, or in the case of the driver of the vehicle that ferried us around, a giggle.
• Vehicles obey signals at 2 a.m. but ignore them during rush hour.
The right side of the road on a two-way street is merely a suggestion, not to be taken seriously.
• Driving in Madras is as distinct a genre of the art as driving in Bombay, or Delhi. Practitioners of each would look down on the others.
• Did we say Madras has no straight roads? Madras has no straight roads. What it does have is a profusion of one-way streets.
• The city wakes up earlier and goes to be earlier than other metros; things like late breakfasts and dinners are regarded with some suspicion.
• A service apartment is not what you think it is. The one I stayed in had beds, electricity, an AC and a small water heater (more than we expected or needed), but no soap or towel, no heating jug, one plastic chair, no hangers in the closet, no storage one could lock, no room cleaning (all of which we could have used).
• On our previous brief visits, we noticed that coffee house franchises weren't as ubiquitous (except for the now defunct Qwiky's) as in other Indian cities. Figures, we said to ourselves: they take their coffee seriously, Tamil folks. This time, we were surprised to see Baristas and Cafe Coffee Days abound.
• In Madras, you understand what sambhar really should be.
And that dosas are not just for vegetarians. Our first meal was egg dosa with chicken curry in a place called Midnight Masala, which was, apparently, the only non-5-star eating option open at 1.30 a.m., when our flight landed.
• When people say they'd like to meet up, they make the effort to do so.
• And, at an event, if you have a low turn-out, it's no point waiting for late-comers; everyone who wants to be there will be there, on time.
• Low-slung, sprawling, set-back-from-the-road type houses still survive, though newer parts of town have their profusion of ugly concrete boxes And in the business districts, glass-walled skyscrapers are sprouting, which seems like a bad idea in a city that is infernally hot most of the year!
• And on Mount Road, we were delighted to see that Indo-Saracenic frontages still survive. We in Bombay are used to Victoria Terminus being used as the ultimate example of the genre. Chandrachoodan tells us that that isn't correct: for one, the school really first took shape in Madras; and VT has a big helping of Gothic in the mix.
• British-era place-names still survive, not just in everyday conversation; they're also there on street signage.
• No one picks on you if you say 'Madras' instead of 'Chennai.'
• Contrary to popular belief, Madras has a winter. And the winter rain is a wondrous thing: a fine spray that keeps dust and the temperature down.
• The only Hindi you hear is from North Indians in restaurants trying to to talk to waiters.
• In Madras, I have an accent.
• They take their movies stars seriously.
• Life does move slower; and there are more courtesies and rituals. A friend says an Open Mic with a time limit for performers, like the one we run in Prithvi, would not work. People would expect to be able to finish their poems no matter how long they last. Remember, she said, this is a place where the alaap of a performance can take an hour.
• And yes, we fell in live with Amethyst (which, we hear, is moving soon, and the lovely mansion in which it is housed may be demolished). Fab food, great ambience, and of course, a beautiful place.
Wethinks we will write about Poetry With Prakriti separately. Soon.
Monday, 20 December 2010
In Madras
3 comments:
- How do we know said...
- Monday, 20 December 2010 at 17:34:00 GMT+5:30
- work and travel said...
Nice post , ty.. =)
- Tuesday, 21 December 2010 at 19:39:00 GMT+5:30
- Known Stranger said...
Am an immigrant to madras and stayed for short time ( 6 years ) in this metro ( the 4 th metro britishers created. Your post made me smile and helped me see madras from a non chennaite point of view.
- Wednesday, 29 December 2010 at 18:41:00 GMT+5:30
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text:
Associate at Deloitte
1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
As an associate in the Audit sector, I am regularly out on client site and performing tests on their financial statements. I work with a wide range of different clients.
2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
By the end of the 4 year training period, I will be a fully qualified chartered accountant. Additionally, several internal training courses are held to improve your practical knowledge
3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
I enjoy the programme, and other people in the company are very friendly and understanding. I would say the hours are longer than I expected
4. How valued do you feel by Deloitte?
We regularly have meetings with an appraiser so that we can see our progress. At the end of jobs we often receive an email from a manager to thank us.
5. How well organised/structured is your programme?
There is an induction period for the first few weeks before attending college. You have a 'buddy' who is there to look after you throughout your training period at the firm
6a. How much support do you receive from your training provider?
We have a tutor who teaches us at college. We also have an email address so that we can contact them either outside of college hours or inbetween college and exams
6b. How much support do you receive from your employer?
We have an appraiser who makes sure that we are on track with expectations. Also a buddy who guides you through the first stages at the firm
7. How well does your salary/package meet your costs?
All expenses are paid so all my travel costs are covered. The salary is competitive with an increase each year. Bonus is very rarely awarded at lower levels
8. Are there many opportunities outside of work?
Very few in the regional offices. London office advertises many clubs/events etc whereas my office only has Christmas party and summer drinks
9a. Would you recommend Deloitte to a friend? *
9b. Why? *
Very friendly people. Good salary. Gain qualifications whilst being paid.
10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Deloitte? *
Be prepared for long hours! The interview process is quite long but also a very good learning curve and you gain a good feel for the firm throughout
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text:
Reduced $10,000 AND the seller will pay the buyer's closing costs!! This may be the perfect location for a northern Wisconsin getaway! Nestled between Silver Lake and the Nicolet Country Club and across highway 8 from thousands of acres of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest there is something for everyone in the family to do. The home was built in 1979 with many improvements since. Two years ago the windows and hot water heater were replaced . In the past ten years the kitchen cabinets have been upgraded, a new furnace, the metal roof and log siding on the front added. Also included is a wired 24x18 metal shed with concrete floor to store your boat, snowmobile, ATV for your convenience. Why pay the high price of lake front property when you have access to the Laona public beach within a block of your front door?
Features Residential
|Style: 1 Story
|Lake Chain:
|Garage: 1 Car, Attached, Multiple Garages
|Lake Name:
|Year Built: 1979
|River Name:
|Basement Type: Egress Windows, Partially Finished, Roughed-in Bathroom
|Water Frontage (feet): 0
|Fin SqFt Total: 1,471
|Lake Size-Acres: 0
|Lot Size: 16669
|High School:
|Site Influence:
|School District:
|Construction: Frame/Stick


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The federal government is looking for ways to get bankers into the swing of fair lending. The latest measure? Try a 56-page fair lending guide issued by the FDIC aimed at helping bankers detect and prevent illegal lending discrimination.
The guide, which the FDIC hails as the "first practical, step-by-step self-help guide to fair lending issued by a federal regulatory agency," points financial institutions toward ways to best use testers, analyze loans for discriminatory treatment, and implement corrective measures to rectify past problems.
Sent to approximately 7,000 financial institutions supervised by the FDIC, the guide, titled "Side-by-Side: A Guide to Fair Lending," can be obtained at no charge by other institutions by request. Requests should be sent to: FDIC Office of Consumer Affairs, Room F-130, 550 17th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20049.


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merry pranksters: cell phone symphony
me and about a hundred other "agents" pulled off another prank tonight, with charlie todd and the inimitable improv everywhere crew leading the way.
yes, it was unbelievably, bone-chillingly, FREEZINGLY cold. and, yes, it was a privilege to help create a "scene of chaos and joy" in this amazing city.
the set-up was simple. we were told to show up at the north end of union sqaure with a backpack/messenger bag and a fully-charged cell phone. (given all the press and police attention at their "no pants 2k6" prank last month, we were also asked to not blog about the event before it happened). then agent todd split us into two groups... half the people coordinated their ringtones (all motorolos used the "moto" ring, all nokias used whatever the most obnoxious nokia ring is, etc.), then gave their number to a partner, put their cell phone in their bag, and headed down to the strand bookstore, with its strict all-bags-must-be-checked policy. the other half of us--their partners--stood ready to make some calls...
for the callers, like me, there was little immediate gratification in the prank. we couldn't see or hear the result. we just stood there in the freezingness making choreographed calls. but the image of the employees' faces when all the bags started ringing at once--and everyone else in the store... someone said later you could hear on it the third floor--and general goofiness and camaraderie of the event made it totally worthwhile.
improv everywhere posts exhaustive mission reports after each "scene," so check out their site in the coming days for the full audio replay. can't wait to hear it myself.


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Monday, March 12, 2012
why I believe in God
Why I believe in God, any q's feel free to ask. Thank you.
1. There is good and evil
2. Hearts and love- Love is real. Love is beautiful. I know God w/my heart.
3. I see God in the beauty of everything, the sun, the moon, the stars and more importantly in people
4. The Holy Spirit- I can feel the wind, but cannot see it. When everything is right. I feel the Holy Spirit
5. Other, I see God in other people. All you have to do is look.
6. The bible is the most powerful thing I know. It's words are alive and they grow.
7. The hard heart. The disbelief and strength of the hard heart is in of itself enough to make me believe.
8. I talk to God and He talks to me.
9. The one thing that I know- God is THE only truth I have ever found in life.
10. The name of God...His name scorned, trashed and adored.
for what it's worth at the end of the day (and the beginning) His name, His word, His love sustains me.
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SHORELINE — Shorewood High School has named Gary Harris as head coach of the boys soccer team, according to a Wednesday press release.
It marks a return to high school coaching for Harris, who in recent years has coached both boys and girls premier-level club soccer teams. Harris previously spent nine seasons combined as the head coach of the Shorewood and Shorecrest high school girls soccer teams, compiling a combined 99-45-18 record and leading the Thunderbirds to the 1999 Class 4A state title.
Harris also has been a physical and health education teacher at Einstein Middle School in Shoreline since 1990.
"We are thrilled to have Gary return to coaching high school and feel he is a great fit for the T-Birds at this time," the release said. "Gary's experience and commitment for high expectations and accountability were a key reason he was selected to coach at Shorewood. Gary is familiar with Shoreline, our programs and our procedures. His expectations for student success both on and off the field match our school district's expectations."
The Shorewood boys soccer team went 11-6-2 last season and advanced to the postseason after finishing fifth in the Wesco 3A/2A standings.


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PETERSEN, Carol A.
Carol A. Petersen, 63, of Jupiter, FL., passed away on Thursday, (May 21, 2009). She was born in Stafford, daughter of Mary (Zigadlo) Hajostek and the late Stephen Hajostek. Carol was a member of St. Edward Parish and the Florida Atlantic University Phi Theta Kappa. She is survived by her beloved husband of 43 years, Bruce R. Petersen of Jupiter, FL; two sons, Richard Petersen of Jupiter, FL. and David Petersen and his wife, Monica of Georgia; two grandchildren, Sara and Ryan Petersen; her mother, Mary Hajostek of Willington; a sister, Janice Angrisani and her husband, Alfred of Willington; and a niece, Laura Steuer and her husband, Gilbert of Delaware.


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Keeping up with the Mathews Memorial Library is easier than ever! Simply download the Find It Virginia app, select the Mathews Library from the list or search for Mathews.
Inside the app you can check out the Mathews Library events feed or Facebook page with just a tap. The Literati tab sets you up with homework help while Mathews Memorial Library's Gale Cengage database gives you access to newspaper and magazine articles. You can easily search for age appropriate titles for children with TumbleBooks. Check out DayByDayVA for daily suggestions such as songs to sing, activities to try and music videos to watch with your young kids. Need to find out if your library is closed? Just select Locations & Hours for a list of library branches; select the library branch you want to find and you can see their address, phone number, email address and hours.
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A St. Louis Icon
The Forest Park Hotel has been a focal destination within the Central West End for decades. Due to its beautifully preserved architectural details, this St. Louis landmark remains on the list of the National Register of Historic Places.
Historic Luxury
The Central West End
Home to the 1904 World's Fair, the Central West End is a sophisticated community teeming with old world charm. Designed by prominent St. Louis architect Preston J. Bradshaw, The Forest Park Hotel was welcomed into the bustling community in 1923.
A Smashing Success
Following the early success of the hotel, a seven-story center wing addition was added in 1926. This new addition closely followed the materials and design of the original building, allowing the new architecture to fit in flawlessly. The luxurious hotel drew in many entertainment and sports figures throughout its prime.
Circus Snack Bar
The famous nightclub was located on the hotel's ground floor retail space. During its peak in the 1930s and '40s, the club hosted performers such as Liberace, Louis Armstrong and Sarah Vaughan.
More Additions in the 1960s
A one-story stone and glass addition was added to highlight the exquisite architecture of the building in the 1960s. These additions worked to improve the appearance of the hotel and garnered more attention for this featured St. Louis destination.
New Ownership in 1983
Harold Butler, founder of Denny's restaurants, bought The Forest Park Hotel and performed over 7 million dollars of renovations. Although the hotel was improved during Butler's ownership, the building foreclosed in 1990 due to financial difficulties.
Hotel Rooms to Apartment Homes
In 2003, Fairway Construction under the direction of JES Development, renovated and converted the dormant hotel into lavish apartment homes turning the former hotel into The Residences at Forest Park Hotel. The apartment community is now known for its vibrant, historic building updated with modern amenities.
The Residences at Forest Park Hotel
From its beginning as an elegant hotel in 1923, the building has been through many different phases and owners, leading to its status as a historic apartment community today. With its beautiful features, comfortable furnishings and endless amenities, residents love living at The Residences at Forest Park Hotel community.
The 5-Star Team
We pride ourselves on the outstanding service we provide to our residents. Here is the team that will welcome you home.
Marvin Richardson
Maintenance Technician
"I just love putting a smile on the residents' faces. It makes me feel good that I am able to assist them with anything they may need so that they feel safe and comfortable in their home."
Samantha Fisher
Property Manager
"Walking into The Residences at Forest Park Hotel each day never feels like work. I enjoy helping people find a new home and watching them learn to love the community as much as I do!"
Vanessa Macias
Regional Manager
"I love building a team and watching them grow and understand that they are helping to run a really successful company!"
Bob Christner
Maintenance Technician
"My daily focus is ensuring comfort and enjoyment for my residents in their living spaces."
A Fairway Management Community
Our Mission
Develop, build, manage and invest in quality housing where our families would be proud to live. For almost 25 years, we have created housing that enhances the lives of our residents.
Purpose and Vision
Our purpose is to serve our customers by helping them achieve success. We strive to be one of the finest small companies in America by always putting our customer first.
And We're Just Getting Started
Fairway Management has grown from 5 to over 200 properties in almost 25 years. Regarded as a strong management company in the industry, we commit extensive resources to hiring, developing and training our Property Management Team. Each member of the team is available to the residents and has detailed files that accurately track compliance issues, making life for our residents as carefree as possible.


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Content count1,132
Last visited
Days Won30
Status Updates posted by The Meh
Have at it, guys!
"We believed that rescue or escape would soon find us. We prayed to the spirits... they did not answer."
Hurrah hurrah, Chapter 2 of Intuition, "Will", has been posted!
Well, looks like I'll be having some fun before I finish this series...
So... I've been thinking about maybe starting to stream or do YouTube lately.
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Well, on the broad and more helpful side of things, I was maybe gonna do Zombies, among other things.
(If it takes off I kinda thought it'd be cool to do livestreams that support the forums and such.)
The whole idea of "Unity" translated to YouTube would be hard, because in my head I'm very much anal about how its transition plays out, and that it's as perfect as I can possibly make it...
...that being said, if I take up doing all this, it'd be my life's work (as it kind of already is). One huge magnum opus. All I really want of it, I guess.
So... maybe.
At the end of the day, I'm just a college kid doubting his choices that wants to start something up for himself. If YouTube and Twitch can do that for me, sign me up, y'know?
Regards to @Blurryface for probably having UotM for the longest.
So, I've been thinking of maybe doing a Supercut Google document for The Unity Series. Of course, it would probably be a VERY large document, and it would hold just about all I've made in one neat place.
Sound like a good idea to anyone?
I'm glad to say I'm beginning to post chapters for Intuition. Give 'em a gander if you want.
...gander? What kind of vocabulary? Jesus christ I've not said that before.
Urgh, sometimes I feel bad not coming around here more.
I will try to be more active soon enough... gotta figure out a few college things.
Well, the singer of Linkin Park is dead.
Take that as you will.
Sorry that I haven't been on recently, and sorry I haven't updated anything on the Intuition thread. I've been deeply busy in its writing, among the work ahead for it as well. It's... quite a lot, trust me.
That, and school. But, that's just the same old same old. But yeah, given some time, I'll post the first chapter or two for Intuition!
Looking forward mate :)
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1. Sorry, I've invaded the Status Update thing so much recently.
2. Miiiiiiight post something Unity Series related this weekend. Like, "it's something big" type of related. So... yeah...
Something is forming in the dream machine...
Well, shit. I just hit 40 pages for Citadel over on Google Docs, and its' almost done. I'm halfway through the EE and it's a goddamn blast in writing right now. Honest to god... not to sound overzealous, but this is going to be fantastic. I promise you that.
I may have 1,000 posts right now, but I personally believe that, the moment I post Citadel, I will always regard it as the milestone 1,000th post to CoDz. Memento stuff, really.
It's almost ready for transferring over to begin its formatting, which makes it almost time to post... and I'm excited as hell right now regarding it.
We can't post to Site News anymore - there's 420 posts there.
(Always thought you people were high on something! xD jk)
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Well, there's probably more than 420 posts there now. Earlier, though, there was.
Ah now I see what you mean: There are 420 topics in there. :P
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Either or xD
I can kinda see my last post kinda being a bearer of melancholy now... so hey, here's good news!
I'm probably going to get a lot of work in with Citadel. I'm thinking if I don't release it within this week, I'll get it done and will reveal it within the next week. Which... makes my heart skip a beat from the sheer ecstatic pulse it produces. I really do think Citadel will be a treat for you guys... and I can't wait to get it out and about.
The frame is absolute. I'll come back and probably speak more about it later, but I've got other posts to write (yeah, uhh... I've got a lot of ideas pandering and pattering the borders of my mind right now, and balancing them and Citadel tilts the balance too much already, so... trust me I'll figure it out). So, per aspera ad astra.
I just took about an hour to write the most personal introspective post ever, and I honestly feel a lack of validation right now.
Not a bad post, just kinda weird because of the topic. More or less it, else than obligatory unneeded judgments.
Is it good or bad if I begin questioning my life when I see I have like 400+ days amassed here?
Not that I find it too bad, just a bit shocking, really.
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^ Can confirm, bad for health.
I feel almost like 1/4 that time was spent lurking. Ugh xP
It's funny that I said 400+ and now it's like 600+... somehow... I have no idea how that happened.
Right. Now I feel such an initiative to stay an active community member again. Just from learning of Hells' departure.
Not that that's a bad thing. Not at all. I'd welcome it. :D
Out of curiosity, does anyone actually favor the music selection in Zombies in Spaceland? I'm honestly indifferent myself... though I think I've heard enough "Freak-A-Zoid" for my lifetime.
Also a side-note: Still thinking of doing a review-like post about Infinite.
Would it be a funny title if it was "The better parts of the last two games, and the learning curve from Ghosts... also known as Infinite Warfare"? Too long? Eh, I'll figure something out.


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Following the assassination of Francisco Madero and general Victoriano Huerta's declaration of himself as president in 1913, Mexico's final revolution continued for several more years as Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata (who had once been comrades in arms of Huerta) turned their forces against him. American president Woodrow Wilson pulled his support of Huerta off the table after Madero's assassination and began backing Villa and Zapata, as well as Sonora governor Alvaro Obregon and Coahuila governor Venustiano Carranza. Now boxed in, Huerta fled the country in 1914. However, the four revolutionaries broke into separate camps of Constitutionalists and Conventionists, the latter of which were unified in their desire to keep Carranza from taking over the country. Vicious fighting took place for the next several years in which thousands of people perished and the likes of Villa, Zapata, Carranza and Obregon all met the wrong end of a gun. It wasn't until the mid-1930's (after several years in which Plutarco Elias Calles controlled many events from inside and outside the government) that some semblance of stability was achieved…just in time for the Great Depression.
The Thirties can be remembered when what is now the Partido Revolucionario Institucional, or PRI, first began a decades-long political rule of Mexico, initially under Calles. The PRI was founded in 1929, and eventually came to dominate Mexican politics for the rest of the 20th Century. Ironically, Calles was exiled in 1936 (two years after Lazaro Cardenas became president) in a move that took the army out of direct political power. Cardenas went on to nationalize Mexico's oil and electric industries, created the National Polytechnic Institute, and began a series of land reforms and distributed free textbooks to schoolchildren across the country. Cardenas stepped down from office in 1940, and is said to be the only president from the PRI's 70-year dynasty who did not use the office to make himself wealthy.
Although his successor, Manuel Avila, undid the land reforms instituted by Cardenas while further entrenching the PRI machine, Mexico continued a 40-year period of growth that is called the Milagro Mexicano (or "Mexican Miracle") despite a number of economic difficulties along the way that led to the nationalization of banks and two devaluations of the peso. A third devaluation of the peso in 1994 plunged the economy into the country's worst recession in half a century. That year also marked the beginning of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, in which Mexico joined the United States and Canada in an economic bloc based on liberalized trade rules between the three countries.
Over this period, though, the PRI was steadily losing its grip on power, and finally lost the presidency after seven decades when Vicente Fox of the Partido Accion Nacional defeated PRI incumbent Ernesto Zedillo in 2000. To his credit, Zedillo conceded defeat on national radio the night of the election, thereby quashing potential PRI disputes of the result. After six years, Fox stepped down and was replaced in 2006 by fellow PAN member Felipe Calderon, who won a hotly-contested election against Party of Democratic Revolution candidate Manuel Lopez Obrador. The conservative Calderon has capped salaries of public officials while stepping up the government's battle against the drug cartels that have paralyzed Mexico's northern border.
Modern-day Mexico covers nearly 2 million square kilometers, or about three times the size of the state of Texas. It is a nation of over 100 million people (including 20 million residents in Mexico City), third most-populous in the Western hemisphere. Mexico's gross domestic product of US$1.35 trillion is the 12th largest in the world. The country's per capita income of US$12,800 is third-highest in Latin America and has been growing steadily, but there is still a great deal of poverty within its borders. Mexico has a 92 percent literacy rate, with compulsory education for children between 6 and 15 years of age.


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Related Video: Another Crazy Girl Thinks We're Dating!
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These wonderful people are amazing. They helped us every day. No work was too hard for them. They are full of understanding and are ready to give their all, wanting nothing in return except our smiles and our determination to go on living.
(PRWEB) September 22, 2014
Vidan Župarić faced a dilemma. He loved his home and his village, Kopanice, in Bosnia-Hertzogiva. But the devastation of last May's floods left him despairing of being able to save his home.
Interviewed on TV, Župarić expressed his love for his village and his determination to stay.
"This home is my father's legacy," he said. "I was born here; I was raised here. Where else would we go? Even in a ruined house or a tent, living here is better than leaving. This is my village—and the village of my parents and my children."
He was determined to salvage his home but the challenge was immense. As with so many other homes in Kopanice, the Župarić house was virtually destroyed. The entire ground floor was flooded, floor to ceiling. It took three weeks for the water to recede. By then the walls were ruined.
Living in a rented apartment in a nearby town, Župarić, his wife and two daughters were traveling back and forth each day to work on the house, but the extent of work required was overwhelming—they factually had no way to get it done.
Then the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Disaster Response Team arrived—volunteers who had traveled to the Balkans from Slovakia, Poland, Russia and as far away as South Africa to help in the relief effort.
Salvaging the Župarić home required grinding the plaster off the walls and removing the slates from the roof to allow the underlying structure to dry. It was grueling work, and the family appreciated the enthusiasm with which the volunteers approached the task.
"These wonderful people are amazing," says daughter Antonija. "They helped us every day. No work was too hard for them. They are full of understanding and are ready to give their all, wanting nothing in return except our smiles and our determination to go on living. They share their knowledge and skill and teach us new ways to help others. Living in a small village, there is never enough help. People are always asking for their assistance and they never say 'no.' They are always there. We thank them from our hearts."
Created by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in the mid 1970s, the Volunteer Minister program is a broad initiative bringing effective physical and spiritual assistance to anyone, anywhere. Expressly intended for use by Scientologists and non-Scientologists alike, anyone of any culture or creed may train as a Volunteer Minister and use these tools to help their families and communities. And all are welcome to do so.
Equipped with effective technology to resolve virtually any difficulty, Volunteer Ministers live by the motto: "No matter the problem, something can be done about it."
To provide more information on this and the other humanitarian initiatives it sponsors, the Church of Scientology International has published a new brochure, Voice for Humanity—Real People, Real Help. To learn more, visit the Scientology website.


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Today I am posting 2 Gluten Free Recipes even though I only have one picture. I wish I had thought to take a picture of the Shepherd's Pie - it sure looked and tasted good.
The first recipe is for GF/CF Spring Pasta
1 Bag Tinkyada brand GF shapes pasta (corkscrews, shells etc.)
1 bunch of small asparagus cut into bites size pieces,
2 large chicken breasts, browned in EVOO, salt and pepper to taste. Cut into bite size chunks
1 red onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 package of baby bella mushrooms
Peas - fresh is better but frozen works if that's all you have.
1 can olives. Personally I prefer calamata but use what you have.
1/2 C. Cream or Milk,
1/4C grated Parmesan or ASiago cheese.
1tsp Arrowroot powder to thicken.
Cook the pasta according to package directions, rinse well and massage some EVOO into the pasta to prevent sticking.
pour some EVOO into your saute pan and add your onion, garlic, and asparagus. Saute until everything begins to soften up. Add mushrooms, peas and chunks of chicken and saute until everything is heated. Then add olives, cream or milk, parmesan cheese and arrowroot powder.
stir good and then salt and pepper to taste. Top your hot pasta and ENJOY!!!!
Shepherd's Pie - MY style!
If i had ground lamb or chevon I would use it but I had ground turkey on hand - worked fine!
1Lb ground meat (whatever you prefer)
10 potatoes, peeled, cubed and cooked. Mash them like you like to for regular mashed potatoes and set aside. If you don't eat white potatoes - use sweet potatoes for this!
Onion - med, diced.
Peas (1/2 bag frozen)
brocolli, 1 head chopped
1 small bag of green beans, ends removed and cut into bite sized pieces.
4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks.
1/4 lb of grated cheese of your choice!
brown ground meat and fix potatoes. When the ground meat is done add veggies except carrots. The cool thing about this is you can add whatever veggies you want/like!!!! I do not add corn because of hubby's corn sensitivity but if you can eat it - add it. Saute everything until is is mixed up and add salt and pepper to taste.
transfer the "filling" into a large casserole dish and top it with the mashed potatoes and grated cheese. Pop it into the oven until the cheese is melty and top of potatoes are a bit browned.
Serve and Eat. The great thing about this is you can add whatever you have on hand or that tickles your fancy - add spices that you like to change the flavor up!


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As you make money online on Squidoo, you may notice that some of your tier payouts are a little above or below the others. For example, the tier three payout that happened this month was a total of $0.53 but I got paid $0.06 for 4 lenses that has an average monthly lensrank higher than 85,000. And I had one tier two lens that got around $17 instead of the $10.48 in ad pool payout.
Want to know why this happens?
Remember how you can opt out of text link ads and banner ads?
Well, getting that extra amount when you're technically not in the tier is a result of some higher ranked lenses opting out of those ads.
You will only notice this happening with your lenses if they are very close to moving up a tier. For instance, my tier two lens that got the little extra cash bump this payout ended the month with an average lensrank of 2,164.


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I can write this with a clear conscience as I actually broke my running drought last week. It is a pity that the amount of water thrown at us in Jozi has been keeping me safely indoors but watching the unrelenting rain made me excited about wanting to get back on the road. The first time the sun shone it's face we took the gap.
Hubby had been for a few more runs over this period than I had, which meant I was watching his light bounce as he waited for me to catch up with him. I was back at the very beginning again. Regrets were the only thing speeding on this cheery, sunny afternoon, regret that I had 'rested' so long and regret that now I had to contend with the long hard slog back to fitness.
But I was there and noticing my body once more. The body wasn't happy about this movement as it had gotten rather fond of the couch once more and secretly was very grateful for all the heavy rains.
The next morning I woke up to a very light bedroom, and realised that the sun was out again. I jumped up while my brain was still locked in dreamland, and got into my running gear. Hubby turned over and faced the dark side of the room pretending he didn't notice the activity . Shoes on, I made my way to the looooong 4km route around the traffic free suburb.(gotta love holidays!)
I hunted for distractions as I wondered why I was getting a stitch again in my right side. There were a few early runners out all enjoying the dry conditions, when I realised that the puddle I was standing in was self generated. Gosh the human body can complain. Red faced and sluggish legs I dragged myself through the last 2 km's, trying not to torture myself with looking at my very slow watch. I swear the seconds went by in a slower pace. Eventually my smiling dogs welcomed me home and they almost barked at the red face.
I broke my drought even further by going out for a third time when the rain gave us a chance for another 4km. This time I was feeling a teeny bit looser, although I still got the strange stitch in my side.
Sunday saw the unusual sight of us go for ANOTHER run. I wanted to try stretch the time a bit, so I proposed a different route which I thought would get us more miles. I also liked the idea of the long downhill for the first 2km's, unfortunately this meant the longer 2km's uphill, but this was at the end of the route so I didn't mind walking at that stage. All the rain has brought out every single 'gogga' in existance, and being Africa, that means a LOT, so with the sunrise providing the backlight I had to use my hanky several times to cover my mouth when dashing through the beasties. Of course when you think you are 'clear' you take a deep breath and ... in one goes! My breathing at this stage of my fitness is rather heavy which also means that there is no possible means of retrieval, so I just have to swallow and think of something else!
At 57 minutes, my body knew it was close to home, so went into neutral, hubby chatted to early rising neighbours while I dragged my still red, sweaty body up the street and finally stopped my watch at 60minutes. At last. Home has never felt so good!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
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|Date / time: 2015-11-04 03:36:04
|Name: Simon
Do you have bus from prague to innsbruck on 06.02.2015 for 3 person.
When is the bus company release the bus schedule for february 2016?
|Date / time: 2015-11-04 10:20:03
|Name: Pavla
Dear Simon, thank you for the message. The schedule for February is not available yet. But the bus runs on Thursday and 6/2 is Saturday. So the bus will most probably not run. Kind regards Pavla


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I am addicted to GOR. It is my favourite Fanstasy and Sci-Fi Idea and Roleplay. I am playing since 2 years and almost 4 months now 😀
So i create sometimes looks for it as well 😛
Skin: [Atomic] Grace – Honey – Minimal [Lightborws]
Shape: MYOWN
Hair: [LeLutka] Rykiel – Powder
Scarf: Part of Kyoot – Simple Cozy Sweater (Coco)
knitted jacket: Parts of .: vive9 :. Kasia Cardy in Chocolate
Top: Armidi – Corda Serica / Ricco
Corset: Part of <R> Tramp – Brown [SplitVendor] ( Ripped)
Armwarmers: BerriesInc. Armwarmers Cacao
Belt: Knickknack – Ella – White
Legs: KnickKnack – Ella – white – Bootssox
Feet: Maitreya Bare Flat feet


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iShine LIVE is a high-energy, 2 1/2 hour event that is not only biblically-based but is geared just for tweens! The "I" stands for Identity, because iShine LIVE is all about teaching kids to find their Identity in Christ, as a child of God.
At 6:00 PM on Saturday, May 15th, iShine Live is coming to Central Church of the Nazarene in Flint again.
iShine Live with the Rubyz, Luke Benward, Mission Six, Paige Armstrong, Jamie Grace, Kylie Jean
Tickets $8 adults, $5 children, $20 Family Four Pack
Central Church of the Nazarene is located at 1261 W. Bristol Road • Flint
Monday, May 10, 2010
Back by popular demand! iShine Live!
Posted by Smile FM DJ's at 11:06 AM
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