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At home with the oil rigs
Coming down from Gaviota Pass, it's the ocean I see first. But I look past the waves and ignore the distant Channel Islands, searching for the landmarks that tell me I'm really home. When I fly, my eyes search for these other islands, too, as we bank and straighten out, bound for the runway.
They are not the sort of islands you might imagine. They don't have beautiful names like Anacapa and Santa Rosa, or national parks, or blue whales or rare foxes. The things that make me feel most at home are the oil rigs.
Twenty platforms, gray and stork-legged from the shore, sit in the Santa Barbara Channel. In 1969, one dumped 100,000 barrels of crude into these waters. The spill ignited a local movement that some consider the start of nationwide interest in the environment.
And yet, I love the rigs, particularly after sunset, when they become little oases of orange sparkle on the dark sea. (We have occasionally told visitors that the one on the left is an offshore casino, but have stopped short of selling them boat tickets.) But I've always been slightly embarrassed by my appreciation of them.
So I was relieved when another writer confessed that he'd always been fond of the rigs, too. He told me he was "a sucker for big industrial engineering," able to admire a structure's mechanical splendor even if its purpose was not as noble as he wished.
I don't think it's the engineering that attracts me, though. I used to paddle outrigger canoes, and one of our races took us closer to the rigs than I'd ever been before. As they loomed larger, their appeal diminished. Their gray bulk became a paler blue, their legs appeared both more massive and more spindly. Frightening and fragile at once -- or perhaps that was just how I felt in the boat, as I carefully positioned my body so we wouldn't capsize.
The first time I remember seeing the rigs, I was sticky from a long drive and had cracked the windows to get a breath of ocean air. And then there they were, the smallest of lights -- and something cracked inside me, and was remade.
I wonder if the lights of the rigs serve as my substitute for stars. We can see stars here, of course, the familiar constellations of the Big Dipper and Orion, when the moon is waning. But our nights are often soaked with fog, and my house is close to others and to a brightly lit stadium. The only time I remember the sky filling with the salty scatter of the Milky Way was for a few hours after a storm, when the sky had cleared but the power in our neighborhood was still out.
But can I really love these distant, deceitful, industrial gleams as much as people love stars? I wrote to William Kelly, a psychologist at Pennsylvania's Robert Morris University, about whether there could be some connection between the night sky and these earthbound imitations.
Kelly has come up with a word for the love of the night sky: noctcaelador. For the past 10 years, he's been looking at how to measure this idea, and also studied how and why the love of the night sky might develop.
He hasn't studied oil rigs or other artificial glimmers, but I asked him to guess, and so he did. He speculated that the attraction might be hardwired in our brains. Throughout the ages, the night sky has inspired everything from calendars to religion, he said. Along the way, the human psyche may have started relying on and identifying with the points of light above our heads, our eyes using them as anchors in the endless expanse of sky. "Maybe unconsciously, when we see a beautiful array of lights, some ancient part of ourselves gets activated," he said, "just like it does when we're looking at the night sky."
There is another place I feel I belong. It's a camp in the Sierra that my family started visiting when I was six. In college, I worked on the camp staff. This summer, I returned for the first time in more than a decade, with my own young family in tow. Everything essential was unchanged -- the butterscotch smell of the Jeffrey pine, the swirls of dust on the paths, the burble of the creek, and particularly, the easy camaraderie among the people there.
Yet there was something missing, something just beyond the edge of my vision. I chalked it up to the difference between being a carefree kid and being the parent of carefree kids hopped up on bug juice and marshmallows and mountain air.
On the last night, everyone went to bed early, and my husband and I sat outside the tent. The moon had been full at the beginning of the week, and this was the first time we'd really looked up to the patch of sky between the treetops.
There they were, all the stars that I'd grown up with. And I felt the same way that I do when I see the rigs at last. Home, something inside me said. I'm home again.
Cameron Walker writes about science and travel from Santa Barbara, California.


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California as a wine producing region has grown in size and importance considerably over the past couple of centuries, and today is the proud producer of more than ninety percent of the United States' wines. Indeed, if California was a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine in the world, with a vast range of vineyards covering almost half a million acres. The secret to California's success as a wine region has a lot to do with the high quality of its soils, and the fact that it has an extensive Pacific coastline which perfectly tempers the blazing sunshine it experiences all year round. The winds coming off the ocean cool the vines, and the natural valleys and mountainsides which make up most of the state's wine regions make for ideal areas in which to cultivate a variety of high quality grapes.
Carneros is one of California's key wine producing regions, situated close to the Pacific coast. Although Carneros is relatively young, having been first used for viticulture in the 1940's, it has proven to be a highly successful region, capable of growing high quality grapes and producing wines of real character and distinction. Unlike many other regions of California, Carneros is considerably cooler, and benefits from the tempering effect of Pacific fog on the vineyards. As a direct result of this, Carneros wineries are able to produce fine grape varietals which require cooler temperatures, such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – grapes perfect for the sparkling wines the region has become famous for. However, plenty of still red and white wines are made in the region, from a wide array of grape varietals.
The Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris grape varietal is now one of the most widely grown vines in the world, due to the surge in popularity of Pinot Grigio wines over the past twenty years or so. These grayish-blue fruits, which hang in their distinctively conical bunches, are responsible for a very broad range of wines famous for their variety of color tones and flavors Pinot Grigio varietal grapes are highly influenced by terroir, climate and particularly the skill and expertise of the vintners who process them. As such, there are full bodied, amber colored wines made from this grape, and there are equally delicious yet far leaner, paler, lighter bodied and crisp white wines made from the same species in other parts of the world.
Of all the New World wine countries, perhaps the one which has demonstrated the most flair for producing high quality wines - using a combination of traditional and forward-thinking contemporary methods - has been the United States of America. For the past couple of centuries, the United States has set about transforming much of its suitable land into vast vineyards, capable of supporting a wide variety of world-class grape varietals which thrive on both the Atlantic and the Pacific coastlines. Of course, we immediately think of sun-drenched California in regards to American wines, with its enormous vineyards responsible for the New World's finest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines, but many other states have taken to viticulture in a big way, with impressive results. Oregon, Washington State and New York have all developed sophisticated and technologically advanced wine cultures of their own, and the output of U.S wineries is increasing each year as more and more people are converted to their produce.

subset: commoncrawl


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After an announcement in early January that Milwaukee Power Tools had withdrawn its support of Shaun Muir's Yamaha team, due to a major rule changes that restricted the use of aftermarket ECUs, it looked as though Ian Hutchinson and Josh Brookes might have had to sit out this year's Isle of Man TT; and had the team been forced to run factory ECUs, it would have placed them at a serious disadvantage and left them unable to be competitive.
Although there is no word on exactly how the team managed to negotiate an exception to the new rule change, the Isle of Man TT Press Office has confirmed that Ian Hutchinson and Josh Brookes will be riding for the Milwaukee Yamaha Team in this year's TT. Both riders are scheduled to compete in the Dainese Superbike TT, two Monster Energy Supersport TT races, and the Pokerstars Senior TT event.


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Sayers: My Life and Times
Triumph Books, 2007 - Biography & Autobiography - 234 pages
Four decades ago, Gale Sayers allowed his remarkable running ability on the football field to speak for him. Today, Sayers has a powerful and poignant message to pass along not only to athletes, but to everyone, and it's a message straight from his heart. Sayers, who grew up in modest surroundings in Omaha, Nebraska, is the son of a car polisher and mechanic. After fielding 75 college scholarship offers, he selected Kansas, where he became an All-American halfback before being selected by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1965 draft. He later became the youngest man ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, at age 34. Tragically, a knee injury in 1968 cut short his spectacular career, which included an NFL-record six-touchdown effort against the San Francisco 49ers. The story of Sayers's friendship with former Bears teammate Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer in 1970, was immortalized in the 1971 made-for-TV movie Brian's Song, starring James Caan as Piccolo and Billy Dee Williams as Sayers. The loss of Piccolo helped Sayers put his life in proper perspective. He later realized his serious knee injury was just a minor blip on the screen when it came to life-and-death matters. Since leaving pro football, his enduring message to young athletes is to respect the game, give back to the community, and prepare for the future. Those are words he has lived by his entire life, and they make Sayers: My Life and Times one of the most compelling sports memoirs to come along in recent years.
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Sayers, an NFL Hall of Famer, was a running back for the Chicago Bears in the 1960s, noted for having an elusive running style unlike anyone else's. He became an even greater pop culture figure ... Read full review
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Sooners Subdue Cowboys, 61-41
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -- Oklahoma got all the bounces it needed to get past Oklahoma State in the highest-scoring Bedlam rivalry game ever. But did the Sooners do enough to bounce over Texas and into the Big 12 championship game?
That's for the voters and computers to decide. The third-ranked Sooners took care of their business on the field.
Sam Bradford threw for 370 yards and four touchdowns, cashed in on a 1-yard touchdown plunge after setting it up with an end-over-end flip, and Oklahoma made a case for a BCS bump with a 61-41 win Saturday night against No. 11 Oklahoma State.
On the line was a shot at the Big 12 title next Saturday against Missouri, and also the edge in the national championship race. The Big 12 South will now be decided among Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech in a three-way tie broken by the BCS standings to be released Sunday.
The team that comes out on top will likely be a victory away from going to the BCS championship game in Miami in January.
"I think we have a really good chance," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "You look at what we've done the last two weeks. We've played the No. 2 team in the country and won by 44. We just played the (No. 11) team in the country in their own place, where no one else has beat them, and won by 20.
"Usually it's what you're doing at the end of the year, and we have finished the year really pretty strong."
Texas hopes the pollsters have a longer memory than that, specifically going back to the Longhorns' 45-35 win against Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in October.
A group of Texas fans pulled out all the stops to try to keep the Longhorns in the coveted No. 2 spot in the BCS standings, handing out thousands of signs printed with that score for their game Thursday against Texas A&M.
Longhorns coach Mack Brown was even pleading his case in a telephone interview with television announcers while Oklahoma was making its case on the field.
Brown suggested that the Southeastern Conference's tiebreaker was better than the Big 12's because it eliminates the lowest rated team in a three-team deadlock and lets head-to-head decide the winner between the top two.
Of course, that would benefit Texas. But that's not the way his conference breaks its ties.
The Sooners (11-1, 7-1 Big 12) did the best they could to make up a minuscule eight-thousandths of a point in the BCS standings by putting up as many as they could on the scoreboard.
The problem was Oklahoma State (9-3, 5-3) was able to match them strike-for-strike as both teams scored on six straight possessions beginning at the start of the second quarter. Eventually the nation's highest-scoring offense was just too much.
And the biggest of the bounces went the Sooners' way, too. Tight end Jermaine Gresham scored a 73-yard touchdown on a third-down pass that was intended for Manuel Johnson and deflected into the air over three Cowboys defenders and into his arms 10 yards downfield. He was able to outrun the rest of the defenders the final 50 yards to put Oklahoma up 30-19.
Oklahoma's next touchdown came when Stoops decided to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1, after Bradford somersaulted on his dive for the pylon and came up a yard short. Bradford fumbled the snap on fourth down but was able to pick it up and plunge in for the score.
And the reason the Sooners were able to stay ahead in the first place was a rare defensive 2-point conversion, scored when Oklahoma State went for 2 to try and tie it at 21 and instead fell behind by four on Frank Alexander's return of Robinson's fumble.
"Sometimes you do need to have a little luck to win, and I felt like there were a couple plays that luck was on our side," Bradford said. "But I still think that we played very well tonight overall."
Bradford completed 30 of 44 passes, leading Oklahoma to its fourth straight 60-point game. The Sooners played out of the shotgun much of the game after Bradford injured his left thumb, which led to a few fumbled snaps.
Gresham ended up with nine catches for 158 yards, both career highs, and two touchdowns. Chris Brown had 98 yards on 19 carries and two scores, including one on the first play after a two-section wide swath of Oklahoma fans started chanting "B-C-S" with 32 seconds left.
"Hopefully we'll be the No. 2 team when it's all said and done, and we'll go play in the championship," Gresham said. "If not, we've just got to go with what we've got."
The Sooners' defense, which had been improving and made a statement in last week's 65-21 rout of then-No. 2 Texas Tech had few answers for quarterback Zac Robinson and the Cowboys.
Robinson threw for 254 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score, but never could guide Cowboys (9-3, 5-3) into the lead after halftime.
Dez Bryant caught two touchdown passes to give him 18 for his career, enough to break Oklahoma State's school record set by Rashaun Woods. Perrish Cox had his fourth career kickoff return touchdown, the most among active players in the country, with a 90-yard dash in the fourth quarter to make it 44-41. But Oklahoma State couldn't keep it up any longer and the Sooners pulled away.
"We had our chances and just didn't get it done," Robinson said.
Robinson refused to get in on the campaigning for any of the three teams in the Big 12 South race, and Bradford said his opinion was "obvious" because he was biased.
"Everything we did tonight kind of says why we should be there," Bradford said. "It's out of our hands now."
|Boomer Bytes | View Main
Updated each weekday morning and following games, Boomer Bytes is your quick guide to Sooners in the news:
After a raucous, 61-41 win against No. 11 Oklahoma State in Stillwater, the Sooners (11-1) await the latest BCS standings to determine their fate. Will the Big 12 Championship Game on December 6 against Missouri in Kansas City be OU's next destination or will it be a bowl game? The all-important rankings will be announced between 3 and 3:30 p.m. Central on FOX.
Recap: OU 61, OSU 41 | Blog | Stats | Notes | Quotes
Current BCS Standings & Polls (latest yet to be released)
Dennis Dodd of CBS: "Oklahoma has the early advantage in its Sunday BCS showdown with Texas. It is a significant one. The Sooners moved past Texas in the Sagarin Rankings, one of six computers used to determine the BCS standings. Jeff Sagarin was the first of the computer masters to post their updated rankings..."
From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "...the first piece of public evidence used in calculating the BCS standings is not encouraging for fans of the Texas Longhorns. Jeff Sagarin has jumped Oklahoma over Texas in his updated computer rankings, which he releases through USA Today. It is one of six sets of computer..."
Guerin Emig of the Tulsa World: "Sam Bradford went airborne near the Oklahoma State goal line, over one Cowboy defender before being completely spun around a couple feet off the ground by another, because, he said, "I felt like our team needed a spark." The Oklahoma Sooners, protecting a 30-26 lead at the time..."
Ray Buck of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "OU quarterback Sam Bradford added style points to his place in the Heisman Trophy race Saturday night. It still appears to be UT quarterback Colt McCoy's Heisman race to lose, but Bradford had a hand in five touchdowns -- four passing, one rushing -- and, on top of..."
John Helsley of the Oklahoman: "By game's end, the Cowboys wanted no more of Gresham. He produced timely catches, circus catches, and critical catches. And a lucky catch, too, with Sam Bradford's third-and-8 toss for Johnson bouncing off the wideout's hands and right to Gresham -- in stride -- as he..."
Jason King of Yahoo Sports: "As good as Texas is, the Sooners are the team that gives the Big 12 its best chance at a national title. And you can bet they'll get their chance after defeating a struggling Missouri squad next weekend at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. "Obviously, we'll be disappointed if it doesn't go our way..."
Clay Horning of the Norman Transcript: "The Sooners don't need BCS validation. They don't have to edge Texas out. They probably have but it is not required. It's only required to stick another championship trophy or two in the Switzer Center, but it's no prerequisite to call the season a success. OU must still win..."
Christopher Shelton of the Stillwater News-Press: "It was one of the most demoralizing moments in the neck-and-neck battle. Oklahoma State trailed Oklahoma by eight points in the third quarter when OSU quarterback Zac Robinson hurled a pass as he was dragged to the ground. The ball found its way into Dez..."
Dennis Dodd of CBS: "For three days Bradford and his mates have been watching Texas wage its not-so-subtle campaign to stay above Oklahoma in the BCS standings in the event of the three-way tie that became reality on Saturday. At the end of a long, hard and -- in the end, dominating -- regular-season, the perfect..."
Steve Greenberg of the Sporting News: "We can't say at this point with conviction that Oklahoma will pass Texas in the BCS poll and represent the Big 12 South in the conference title game next weekend. But there is no doubt the Sooners walked off the field at Boone Pickens Stadium feeling very good about their..."
Dave Sittler of the Tulsa World: "How can they deny them now." That's the question 181 people must ponder and answer by Sunday afternoon as they decide the fate of Oklahoma's football team for both this week and a month from now. Was OU's body of work over the last six games enough to break a three-way tie..."
Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman: "The Sooners won it 61-41, their fourth, count 'em, fourth straight game to crack the 60-point barrier, and their reward for such a show, for such a monumental feat of outrageous football is this. A Sunday of worrying about and waiting on points out of their control. "Out of our hands now..."
John Shinn of the Norman Transcript: "It was a thing of beauty, unless defense is your thing. If that was the case, Saturday night's Bedlam showdown at Boone Pickens Stadium might have caused frequent trips to the bathroom. In the end it was No. 3 Oklahoma that won one of the most memorable offensive explosions in the..."
Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News: "The BCS No. 3 Sooners endured a heart-racing second half and beat Oklahoma State, 61-41, at Boone Pickens Stadium. And that's why they very well could be playing Missouri next Saturday in the Big 12 Championship in Kansas City. That's why an OU national championship is still..."
Alan Trubow of the Austin American-Statesman: "The ball bounced everywhere Saturday night . And every time when it mattered most, it seemed to end up in the hands of an Oklahoma Sooner in the end zone. A fumbled snap ended up in Sam Bradford's hands for a 2-yard touchdown run. A pass deflected off receiver Manny Johnson's..."
From Rivals: "While each helped keep OU's national title hopes alive, Bradford and Gresham staked claims that they're the nation's best players at their respective positions. Bradford boosted his Heisman candidacy by throwing four touchdown passes and running for a fifth score in the Sooners' 61-41 victory over Oklahoma State..."
Tim Griffin of ESPN: "Barry Switzer had a term for the luck that seemingly graced his team throughout his career. The "Bootlegger's Boy" is long gone from the Sooners' sideline but "Sooner Magic" was alive and well for Oklahoma Saturday night at Boone Pickens Stadium. Two key plays that provided..."
Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman: "Dominique Franks set up OU's first touchdown with an interception on OSU's third offensive play. He stepped in front of Damian Davis and returned the pick 24 yards to the Cowboy 22-yard line. Franks now has four interceptions, matching Lendy Holmes..."
John Hoover of the Tulsa World: "In the process of beating its state rival, OU claims a share of the Big 12 Conference's South Division title -- the Sooners' third in a row -- and concludes the season 11-1 overall and 7-1 in Big 12 play. Oklahoma now finds itself in a dreaded three-way tie atop the South with Texas and..."
Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News: "History will show the 2008 Big 12 South was claimed this afternoon on a Bowl Championship Series computer. But if No. 3 Oklahoma is the team to emerge from the morass of a three-way tie, the Sooners will remember their breathless, too-wild-to-be-true 61-41 victory over No. 11..."
From the Kansas City Star: "And I still don't understand the logic that Tech's miserable loss to the Sooners created a two-team race that defaults to Texas. That suggests Oklahoma would have been better off beating Tech by six points rather than six touchdowns just to keep a three-team race alive. Other considerations:"
Jenni Carlson of the Oklahoman: "Nothing rattled Sam Bradford for nearly four hours Saturday evening. Blitzing defenders? No problem. Teeth-rattling hits? Ever-changing defenses? National championship pressures? No worries. But asked about the Heisman Trophy after Oklahoma's Bedlam beat down of Oklahoma State..."
Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News: "The Sooners played the toughest schedule of the three tied teams. Cincinnati won the Big East and will be a top-15 team this week. TCU already is a top-15 team. The best nonconference team Texas played was Rice. For what it's worth, the Sooners had the most impressive victory..."
Tim Griffin of ESPN: "Sometimes, one play remains ingrained in the psyche of Heisman voters. Think of Charles Woodson's punt return. Or Anthony Davis' kick return for the old timers. Or Tim Tebow's charge into the end zone with several tacklers attached to him. Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford might have produced one of those..."
John Hoover of the Tulsa World: "Four dropped passes, the second delay-of-game penalty of the season, and a fumbled snap all in the first quarter hurt. But Sam Bradford steadied things with effective third-down passing (8-of-10 in the first half), and the running game got going (121 of 187 yards came in the second..."
Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle: "Sam Bradford threw four touchdowns -- the last with about seven minutes remaining -- as No. 3 Oklahoma survived a back-and-forth second half for a 61-41 victory over No. 11 Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Series rivalry at Boone Pickens Stadium. "There are plenty of reasons, as there..."
Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman: "30-of-44 passing for Sam Bradford, 370 yards, a trampoline vault to set up a touchdown that will make all highlight tapes. Hard to ask for more. Sooners set the bar high against Texas Tech. A 20-point win is very impressive, but the game was closer than that. Bradford was not sacked but had to..."
John Helsley of the Oklahoman: "OU defensive end Jeremy Beal spent a lot of Saturday night in the OSU backfield. Then he talked with The Oklahoman's John Helsley: How hard was it chasing OSU quarterback Zac Robinson? "He's a great athlete. He made us miss and he made some great plays just scrambling for first downs..."
Dan Borst of FOX Sports: "Now, stay with us here: Obviously, if either Oklahoma or Texas wins the Big 12 title game, they'll play for a national championship. But if Missouri wins the Big 12 title game, then whichever team that does not get to the Big 12 title game would probably advance to the national championship game..."


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It has been a while since I've shared a conversation with a friend on here, it's been a while since I've had one to share. Most of my friends have come to accept my lack of faith and religious debates with them have been sparse. There is the usual nonsense from my family of course: Bombarding my facebook page with god nonsense, pleas to return to god, comments of my goodness being a sign that god is working in my life...the usual unremarkable statements that everyone new here posts about when they first arrive here.
Last night was something different.
I have a friend who calls himself Catholic. He isn't a strict adherent to the tenants or faith, but he does have a belief in some sort of god-power. I find this unfortunate because this amazing man with so much to offer others has had such a hard time accepting himself and his hopes for happiness because of this. He's a homosexual, but still worries that he will never have a happy family of his own because he hold sacred the traditional family. It honestly breaks my heart. He's contemplated suicide on occasion.
Here is this person, who has so much good in him, he has so much talent and honesty, he has almost been able to abandon the lables of the oppessive nature of religion, but this strand. This one strand of pernicious god-faith that holds him back. He wants so badly to be accepted, but he can't accept himself.
So last night I was talking to him and here is what I said:
Do not lend yourself by words or faith to the Catholic church. The universe exploded, stars died, all of the marvels of evolution HAD to happen for your parents to exist and ultimately conceive you. This grandeur of the universe exists and you get the unlikely opportunity to not only experience it but be aware of it. You can look in a mirror and you get to either hate the man you see there or love yourself. You are worth more than all the dogma of the church because you are REAL.
When you lend yourself to the church by labeling yourself one of them you are allowing others to judge you by that label. You give them ammunition to call you "bad" or "sinful" all because of a label. That organization, that pedophile hiding, homosexual hating, sexuality oppressing clusterfuck doesn't deserve you. Being a "Catholic" because you were born into it doesn't give people an insight into who you are. I was raised to believe and argue for that church and I will never call myself one of them. All I have to offer this world is myself, and I will not give any part of myself to them.
He responded by speaking of his loving mother, and how she has never judged him. He explained how he does not believe in a god that is a physical manifest or that Jesus was really a mortal version of him.
Over a year ago we had this same discussion before. I was more aggressive and he was more traditional in his beliefs. We have not officially changed eachother's stances, but I think we have influenced eachother's outlooks.
I find that this friendship, unlike the friend I used to post about, is a great example of the exchange of ideas in an examined life. If you don't allow yourself to stagnate in your opinions you allow yourself to grow as a person. Your ideals may not change, but you can allow yourself to see them through new eyes.
Views: 97
You're not gonna tell us his reply? :P Did you really say that to him?
I had saved this as a draft, I wasn't finished with the post.
I guess it got posted publicly... :P Is it finished now?


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Peg/ppg Phosphonic Or Phosphinic Acid /ester
Peg/ppg Various
Peo / Ppo Alcoxysilane Urethane
Ptmg / Pthf Various
Ptmg Alcoxysilane
Ptmg Carboxylic Acid / Ester
Functional Poly(meth)acrylamide
Others Poly(meth)acrylamide [maleimide / Succinimide / Hydroxybenzoic]
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Poly(meth)acrylamide Halogenated
Poly(meth)acrylamide Phosphonic Acid/ester
Functional Poly(meth)acrylate
Poly(meth)acrylate Alcohol / Polyethylene Glycol
Poly(meth)acrylate Alcoxysilane
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Poly(meth)acrylate Carboxylic/ester/carbonate
Poly(meth)acrylate Co Styrene Phosphonic Ester / Acid
Poly(meth)acrylate Epoxyde
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Chemical name
Biodegradable Polymers - Ring-Opening Polymerization
Biodegradable polymers are of great current interest for many applications. Such degradable polymers are important for the future of sustainable polymers and plastics, e.g. to resolve materials' end-of-life and find recyclability routes. SPECIFIC POLYMERS dedicates a significant part of its internal research to biodegradable polymers in the biomedical field.
Forthcoming BBI Funded Programs
Since April 4th 2019, a list of Bio-Based Industries' calls for tenders are opened for submission on the European portal. Within SPECIFIC POLYMERS, we identified various project calls of high interest and corresponding to our main fields of research.
Custom Services: Tailor-made polymers & materials
Industrial and academic organizations worldwide work to make progresses in their research of innovative solutions that fulfill tomorrow's challenges. To that end, it is simple for those stakeholders to identify their needs, but it is more complex to find the appropriate response. In this way, SPECIFIC POLYMERS offer to its customers various custom services in polymers and materials chemistry to help them reaching their goals.
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Specific Polymers
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text:
**Apologies for the low audio. Crank your speakers.**
The scene was simple.
I was invited out to give a demonstration/mini-lecture on deception at a friends psychology class at a local university. The set was basic, and I stuck to things Ive been performing for a long time.
This is the video from that performance/lecture. Youll probably notice that its heavily edited to avoid exposure but experienced performers will catch on quick.
The premise of this clip is straight-forward: one spectator is visualizing the initials of someone close to them, and another spectator is visualizing a playing card. I got the playing card, but failed to get the initials. I went into another effect that didnt play well to the camera, so I removed it, but it ended with the Sharpie reveal found here on Ellusionist. That effect took a few minutes, so there was a significant time delay between the failure, and the Sharpie reveal.
After the Sharpie reveal, I continue with the lecture, but stop suddenly
Three things Ive noticed about myself as a performer who is continuously growing in the art: One // I have a very calm and laid back performance style, and Two // whenever Im on stage, I tend to walk around a lot and use as much room as possible in order to appear bigger than I actually am. The props themselves are small, but I feel as if my style allows me to use them effectively.
So pick it apart.
Where are my mistakes? Be as critical as you feel necessary.
One of the ways we learn in this art is by seeing others perform.
On a side note some of you card guys out there might notice me perform my most favorite peek ever taken straight from the pages of Royal Road. Its definitely one of those moves that makes me feel way too clever. Haha!


text:
Higher-education leaders and policymakers should also pursue a complementary strategy that gives students themselves more agency as consumers.
A meaningful and fair gainful-employment rule is an important first step in protecting students from unscrupulous higher-education providers (Gainful Employment: Whats New? Whats Missing? And To Whom Does That Matter? The Chronicle, March 17). Higher-education leaders and policymakers should also pursue a complementary strategy that gives students themselves more agency as consumers.
As it stands, many students are not discerning when it comes to choosing a college. Just four in 10 students who currently attend either a for-profit or community college considered more than one college before deciding where to enroll. Many prospective students also dont consider data like graduation or loan-default rates to be essential when selecting a college.
Even the best-designed gainful-employment rule may contain loopholes that leave students vulnerable. Further, regulations will take some time to implement, and colleges will have a couple of years to adjust their programs found not up to par.
Providing students with the best opportunity for a financially and professionally stable future will require both top-down and bottom-up efforts. By engaging students more deeply on college choice and quality data, they will gain the knowledge and understanding they need to become informed and responsible decision makers.


text:
News from the world of Maths
In 1982 Dan Shechtman discovered a crystal that would revolutionise chemistry. He has just been awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery — but has the Nobel committee missed out a chance to honour a mathematician for his role in this revolution as well?
Next year sees the centenary of Alan Turing's birth. To celebrate, the Mathscareers website is running a competition for 17 to 19 year-olds. Your task is to write an article on Turing's work and the prize is £100 Amazon voucher and having your article published on the website. See the Mathscareers website for more details.
Today is Ada Lovelace Day celebrating the work of women in mathematics, science, technology and engineering. Since Plus is run entirely by women, we're very happy to join in! We've got plenty of articles and podcast by or about women mathematicians, so we've put together a selection of favourites.
This year's Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded for a discovery that proved Einstein wrong and right at the same time.
Are we close to finding the Higgs? Ben Allanach explains it is not about catching a glimpse of the beast itself, but instead keeping a careful count of the evidence it leaves behind.
Compass & Rule: Architecture as Mathematical Practice in England, 1500-1750, is a lovely online version of the physical exhibition help at the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford, in 2009. Compass and Rule focuses on design and drawing, exploring the role of geometry in the dramatic transformation of English architecture between the 16th and 18th centuries.


text:
Wow….it's been so long since I baked but I knew I could commit once a month and although last month I was too sleep deprived to even take a shower or eat a proper meal, this month we've developed some semblance of a schedule.
So, this month forced our house to venture into the realm of sweet potatoes – an item both my husband and I have never been fond of, but what better way to give them another chance than in a cupcake.
The overall making of the cupcakes was easy – and I let my 4 year old son measure all the dry ingredients. My 4 year old daughter added the liquids, laid out the cups and helped pour the batter into the cups. I have to say, they turned out well.
My son was very excited and kept looking in the oven…
My 13 year old daughter made the candied pecans and toasted the marshmallows in the oven under the broiler.
So, the difficulty was in the assembly! WOW what a royal, sticky pain in the tush!!! To be fair we didn't have an offset spatula but still – transferring the marshmallows was a mess, funny, but still quite the mess.
Taste: Not bad – they reminded me more of a spice muffin rather than a cupcake. Oh, and the sweet potatoes…we loved them! We made these as we were cooking dinner and I had extra sweet potatoes so we threw them into our mashed red potatoes and the kids INHALED them! Go figure, we all like sweet potatoes =)


text:
Book Excerpt: Building a Better Gunfighter
Improving Marksmanship, Mechanics, and Mindset
Editor's Note: We are delighted to announce the release of a new book, Building a Better Gunfighter — Improving Marksmanship, Mechanics, and Mindset, by PoliceOne Firearms Columnist Dick Fairburn. The book is now in print and shipping from Paladin Press, with a cover price of $19.95. Below is the first of three excerpts to be published — with permission from our friends at Paladin Press — here on PoliceOne. Congratulations Dick, on the completion of an excellent new resource for law enforcers.
Unlike most "shooting" books, I will not presume to tell you what gun to carry, nor the specifics of how to shoot it. At various points in my career I have tried almost every shooting technique and eventually came to a conclusion most "experts" are loath to admit. Almost any shooting technique can and will work.
Almost 29 years ago as this is written, I attended my first session at a major training site and learned the Weaver shooting stance from none other than Jeff Cooper. No matter what you think of the late Colonel Cooper personally, if you deny him as the progenitor of all the various schools of thought we now see in modern firearms training and practical competition, you deny reality. In my limited time around him, I found Cooper to be both highly opinionated and, at the same time, extremely curious about serious alternatives presented by those around him. Jeff Cooper clung to the Weaver stance not because he was unwilling to consider other options, but because he hadn't seen anything dramatically better.
As I evolved as a shooter and as an instructor, I looked honestly at each of the "newest" shooting techniques as they came down the pike. Often, these "new" techniques were little more than a re-hash of something we'd used 20 or more years previously. I finally came to understand that most aspects of shooting are cyclic, repeating every generation or so as new shooters think they've discovered something original, only to find out their great idea is little more than an old technique that had fallen out of favor. The newest iteration of the Isosceles stance I learned in my youth is refined a bit through reincarnation, but it is certainly nothing new.
My theory of training gunfighters is simple. Show them a couple of variations of grip and stance and let each student sort out their own way to shoot. You can coach a new shooter into better performance, but you cannot get inside their head or muscles and program them with your own way to perform. Adults learn by listening, observing, trying, failing, and then re-trying until they perfect their own personal way to accomplish a task. A good trainer judges a student's performance by their results, not their technique. Some techniques a student may try are clearly wrong for reasons of safety or incompatibility with other aspects of the overall program. But, if the new shooter develops a style that is safe and productive, let them be. If their technique does not look exactly (or even remotely) like yours or mine, but it works for them, LET THEM BE.
As I will submit in this section of the book, the most important aspect of building a gunfighter is to program them mentally. With proper mental programming the physical part of their performance will be able to survive the stress of a gunfight. If you concentrate too much on the physical aspects, you will degrade the mental side of the equation. All shooting styles will degrade to some extent under stress, so focus on managing the stress and let the physical technique take care of itself.
If you are like me, you will approach any book purporting to train the art of gunfighting with a bit of skepticism. Who is this guy, who thinks he has the answers to one of life's greatest potential hazards? What gives me the right to tell you how to prepare for a fight?
I have not personally experienced a gunfight. I have never shot another human being, nor fired a shot at one. However, I came within "one pound" of trigger pull on two occasions as a police officer.
In both of those cases, I was armed with an AR15 rifle, responding to a "gun" call. In the first case, we were advised a man was holding a woman hostage in a basement apartment. Another officer arrived first, taking up a position behind a large tree with his shotgun. As I exited my vehicle with the rifle, the other officer told me the man was in the basement doorway, holding a handgun to a woman's head. Being familiar with the building, I moved carefully around a retaining wall, knowing it would soon bend, putting me within 20 feet of the doorway. Catching my breath for second, I shouldered my rifle and stepped around the wall, putting the sights on the man's face from less than seven yards. The woman was in front of the man's torso, being held in place by his left arm, and I saw the revolver in his hand, which was then hanging rather loosely at his side. The man froze as I ordered him to drop the gun, and the woman ran quickly away, to my right. I remember lowering my sights to the man's chest when the hostage fled (probably reverting to my training to aim for center mass – the biggest target). I again ordered him to drop the gun and I'll never forget his wide eyes and trembling hand as he replied. "I'm trying to drop it!" The man was literally paralyzed with fear. My partner had gathered up the hostage as I directed the suspect out of the doorway for handcuffing and searching – he had managed to quit shaking enough to drop the .357 magnum.
A few months later, the call came from a sergeant trying to serve an arrest warrant at a residence (alone – foolishly). The woman he was seeking had armed herself with an eight inch .44 Magnum, forcing the officer to step away from the doorway, trapping him in a pocket of the building. His only avenue of escape would have forced him to run straight away, giving the woman a straight shot as he ran down the narrow sidewalk. The first backup officer beat me there, the same guy, again in his familiar position behind a tree with a shotgun. I claimed another nearby tree, again with my trusty AR15. The night was pitch black, but the interior of the house was well lit. The woman was sitting at a small table, directly in line with the open front door. She had the .44 in her right hand, waving it in various directions, while she slugged down an occasional mouthful from a whiskey bottle. My sight picture was very clear, at a distance of about 25 yards. I told the other tree-hugging officer to "call her out," telling him I would fire if she pointed the big revolver out the door in our direction, or towards the pinned officer, a few feet to the left of the doorway. The situation seemed to last forever, but was probably over in less than a minute. The drunk woman never pointed the .44 in our direction and eventually put down both the gun and bottle, keeping her hands up in the air as instructed. As I covered her, the pinned officer made a mad dash away from the doorway, breaking hard to my left as soon as he cleared the hedge. The woman eventually walked out to us for another uneventful capture.
In either situation, I would have been justified in using deadly force against an armed and dangerous individual who was threatening the safety of another (1- civilian hostage and 1- now more tactically aware sergeant). Indeed, in both incidents the sights had been on target and the trigger was only the "final break" away from firing. I questioned myself after both incidents. Was I truly ready to fire or had I hesitated when I should have fired? With many years of reflection, and several other dicey situations in between, I'm confident my actions were right. While I could have legally and morally ended either suspect's life, not doing so was by far the better choice. At that point in my career, I was already an experienced firearms instructor with a great deal of first-class training under my belt. I am convinced it was that excellent training which gave me the presence of mind and confidence to wait the few extra seconds it took for each felon to understand and comply. If either had chosen a different ending, I'm confident I would have taken the next step, operating on "automatic," consistent with my "programming.
With these two incidents as my baseline reference, I have had the opportunity in my career to interview dozens of gunfight survivors. During the course of several research projects, common gunfighting issues have become apparent to me. Adding to my database, have been the hours spent with some of America's finest trainers, many of whom were also experienced gunfighters.
So, while I cannot claim to have personally "seen the elephant," I've extensively studied those who have. As my personal training philosophy developed, I kept reaching back to my experts to see if a new idea fit into their real world experiences. The resulting training philosophy is not mine, but the combined knowledge and experience of all the gunfighters I have met. Their lives have proven the effectiveness of what I present here. I am merely the scribe.


text:
WINDERMERE, Fla. (Stockpickr) -- There isn't a day that goes by on Wall Street when certain stocks trading for $10 a share or less don't experience massive spikes higher. Traders savvy enough to follow the low-priced names and trade them with discipline and sound risk management are banking ridiculous coin on a regular basis.Just take a look at some of the hot movers in the under-$10 complex from today, including Sinovac Biotech ( SVA), which is ripping higher by 31%; Arca Biopharma ( ABIO), which is surging by 26%; RiT Technologies ( RITT), which is jumping up by 16.2%; and Neurometrix ( NURO - Get Report), which is advancing by 15.9%. You don't even have to catch the entire move in lower-priced stocks such as these to make outsized returns when trading. >>5 Huge Stocks to Trade for Gains Low-priced stocks are something that I tweet about on a regular basis. I frequently flag high-probability setups, breakout candidates and low-priced stocks that are acting technically bullish. I like to hunt for low-priced stocks that are showing bullish price and volume trends, since that increases the probability of those stocks heading higher. These setups often produce monster moves higher in very short time frames. I'm not as eager to recommend investing long-term in stocks that trade less than $10 a share because these names can be very speculative, and the odds for picking the long-term winners aren't great. But I definitely love to trade stocks that are priced below $10. I like to view them as a trading vehicle with lots of volatility and lots of upside when the trade is timed right. >>5 Stocks With Big Insider Buying When I trade under-$10 names, I do it almost entirely based off of the charts and technical analysis. I also like to find under-$10 names with a catalyst, but that's secondary to the chart and volume patterns. With that in mind, here's a look at several under-$10 stocks that look poised to potentially trade higher from current levels. >>4 Reasons to Buy Stocks in 2013
Global Geophysical Services
TravelCenters of America
Sucampo Pharmaceuticals
Flamel Technologies
Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.


text:
What if the library doesn't own a book that I need?
If the item is new (has been published in the last 6 months or year), you may suggest it for purchase.
If the book is not new, you may place an interlibrary loan request for it. This service, usually free of charge, borrows books and other materials from public and academic libraries from across the nation. It usually takes 2 to 4 weeks to get an item through interlibrary loan.


text: Symptoms of Sinusitis The location of your sinus pain depends on which sinus is affected. Headache when you wake up in the morning is typical of a sinus problem. Pain when your forehead over the frontal sinuses is touched may indicate that your frontal sinuses are inflamed. Infection in the maxillary sinuses can cause your upper jaw and teeth to ache and your cheeks to become tender to the touch. Since the ethmoid sinuses are near the tear ducts in the corner of the eyes, inflammation of these cavities often causes swelling of the eyelids and tissues around your eyes, and pain between your eyes. Ethmoid inflammation also can cause tenderness when the sides of your nose are touched, a loss of smell, and a stuffy nose. Although the sphenoid sinuses are less frequently affected, infection in this area can cause earaches, neck pain, and deep aching at the top of your head. Most people with sinusitis, however, have pain or tenderness in several locations, and their symptoms usually do not clearly indicate which sinuses are inflamed. Other symptoms of sinusitis can include: Fever Weakness Tiredness A cough that may be more severe at night Runny nose (rhinitis) or nasal congestion In addition, the drainage of mucus from the sphenoid or other sinuses down the back of your throat (postnasal drip) can cause you to have a sore throat. Mucus drainage also can irritate the membranes lining your larynx (upper windpipe). Not everyone with these symptoms, however, has sinusitis. On rare occasions, acute sinusitis can result in brain infection and other serious complications. Some Causes of Acute Sinusitis Most cases of acute sinusitis start with a common cold, which is caused by a virus. These viral colds do not cause symptoms of sinusitis, but they do inflame the sinuses. Both the cold and the sinus inflammation usually go away without treatment in two weeks. The inflammation, however, might explain why having a cold increases your likelihood of developing acute sinusitis. For example, your nose reacts to an invasion by viruses that cause infections such as the common cold or flu by producing mucus and sending white blood cells to the lining of the nose, which congest and swell the nasal passages. When this swelling involves the adjacent mucous membranes of your sinuses, air and mucus are trapped behind the narrowed openings of the sinuses. When your sinus openings become too narrow, mucus cannot drain properly. This increase in mucus sets up prime conditions for bacteria to multiply. Most healthy people harbor bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, in their upper respiratory tracts with no problems until the body's defenses are weakened or drainage from the sinuses is blocked by a cold or other viral infection. Thus, bacteria that may have been living harmlessly in your nose or throat can multiply and invade your sinuses, causing an acute sinus infection. Sometimes, fungal infections can cause acute sinusitis. Although fungi are abundant in the environment, they usually are harmless to healthy people, indicating that the human body has a natural resistance to them. Fungi, such as Aspergillus, can cause serious illness in people whose immune systems are not functioning properly. Some people with fungal sinusitis have an allergic-type reaction to the fungi. Chronic inflammation of the nasal passages also can lead to sinusitis. If you have allergic rhinitis or hay fever, you can develop episodes of acute sinusitis. Vasomotor rhinitis, caused by humidity, cold air, alcohol, perfumes, and other environmental conditions, also may be complicated by sinus infections. Acute sinusitis is much more common in some people than in the general population. For example, sinusitis occurs more often in people who have reduced immune function (such as those with primary immune deficiency diseases or HIV infection) and with abnormality of mucus secretion or mucus movement (such as those with cystic fibrosis). Causes of Chronic Sinusitis It can be difficult to determine the cause of chronic sinusitis. Some investigators think it is an infectious disease but others are not certain. It is an inflammatory disease that often occurs in patients with asthma. If you have asthma, an allergic disease, you may have chronic sinusitis with exacerbations. If you are allergic to airborne allergens, such as dust, mold, and pollen, which trigger allergic rhinitis, you may develop chronic sinusitis. An immune response to antigens in fungi may be responsible for at least some cases of chronic sinusitis. In addition, people who are allergic to fungi can develop a condition called "allergic fungal sinusitis." If you are subject to getting chronic sinusitis, damp weather, especially in northern temperate climates, or pollutants in the air and in buildings also can affect you. If you have an immune deficiency disease or an abnormality in the way mucus moves through and from your respiratory system (e.g., primary immune deficiency, HIV infection, and cystic fibrosis) you might develop chronic sinusitis with frequent flare-ups of acute sinusitis due to infections. In otherwise normal individuals, sinusitis may or may not be infectious. In addition, if you have severe asthma, nasal polyps (small growths in the nose), or a severe asthma attacks caused by aspirin and aspirin-like medicines such as ibuprofen, you might have chronic sinusitis. Diagnosis Because your nose can get stuffy when you have a condition like the common cold, you may confuse simple nasal congestion with sinusitis. A cold, however, usually lasts about seven to 14 days and disappears without treatment. Acute sinusitis often lasts longer and typically causes more symptoms than just a cold. Your doctor can diagnose sinusitis by listening to your symptoms, doing a physical examination, taking X-rays, and if necessary, an MRI or CT scan (magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography). Treatment of Sinusitis After diagnosing sinusitis and identifying a possible cause, a doctor can suggest treatments that will reduce your inflammation and relieve your symptoms. Acute Sinusitis If you have acute sinusitis, your doctor may recommend: Decongestants to reduce congestion Antibiotics to control a bacterial infection, if present Pain relievers to reduce any pain You should, however, use over-the-counter or prescription decongestant nose drops and sprays for only few days. If you use these medicines for longer periods, they can lead to even more congestion and swelling of your nasal passages. If bacteria cause your sinusitis, antibiotics used along with a nasal or oral decongestant will usually help. Your doctor can prescribe an antibiotic that fights the type of bacteria most commonly associated with sinusitis. Many cases of acute sinusitis will end without antibiotics. If you have allergic disease along with sinusitis, however, you may need medicine to relieve your allergy symptoms. If you already have asthma then get sinusitis, you may experience worsening of your asthma and should be in close touch with your doctor. In addition, your doctor may prescribe a steroid nasal spray, along with other treatments, to reduce your sinus congestion, swelling, and inflammation. Chronic Sinusitis Doctors often find it difficult to treat chronic sinusitis successfully, realizing that symptoms persist even after taking antibiotics for a long period. As discussed below, many doctors treat with steroids such as steroid nasal sprays. Many doctors do treat chronic sinusitis as though it is an infection, by using antibiotics and decongestants. Other doctors use both antibiotics and steroid nasal sprays. Further research is needed to determine what is the best treatment. Some people with severe asthma are said to have dramatic improvement of their symptoms when their chronic sinusitis is treated with antibiotics. Doctors commonly prescribe steroid nasal sprays to reduce inflammation in chronic sinusitis. Although doctors occasionally prescribe these sprays to treat people with chronic sinusitis over a long period, doctors don't fully understand the long-term safety of these medications, especially in children. Therefore, doctors will consider whether the benefits outweigh any risks of using steroid nasal sprays. If you have severe chronic sinusitis, your doctor may prescribe oral steroids, such as prednisone. Because oral steroids are powerful medicines and can have significant side effects, you should take them only when other medicines have not worked. Although home remedies cannot cure sinus infection, they might give you some comfort: Inhaling steam from a vaporizer or a hot cup of water can soothe inflamed sinus cavities. Saline nasal spray, which you can buy in a drug store, can give relief. Gentle heat applied over the inflamed area is comforting. When medical treatment fails, surgery may be the only alternative for treating chronic sinusitis. Research studies suggest that the vast majority of people who undergo surgery have fewer symptoms and better quality of life. In children, problems often are eliminated by removal of adenoids obstructing nasal-sinus passages. Adults who have had allergic and infectious conditions over the years sometimes develop nasal polyps that interfere with proper drainage. Removal of these polyps and/or repair of a deviated septum to ensure an open airway often provides considerable relief from sinus symptoms. The most common surgery done today is functional endoscopic sinus surgery, in which the natural openings from the sinuses are enlarged to allow drainage. This type of surgery is less invasive than conventional sinus surgery, and serious complications are rare. Contact Us Today! 617-523-7900


text:
We are committed providers of luxury serviced apartments in the centre of Glasgow.
All our apartments are within 1 mile of George Square, Buchanan Street and the historic, vibrant Merchant City where you will find restaurants, bars, shops, clubs & cafes and several of our apartments have panoramic views over the famous River Clyde.
All our apartments have been awarded a 4* rating by the Scottish Tourist Board - "Visit Scotland".
Our short term serviced apartments offer splendour, decor and quality. We all know how important comfort is, especially when you are working and living away from home or perhaps simply enjoying a break in Glasgow. With Sweeney Serviced Apartments Glasgow, comfort is paramount. With our committed team of support staff answers, help, advice and solutions are but a phone call away.
Sweeney Apartments offer City Centre apartments starting from £75 per night.
All of our apartments have been recently decorated to a high standard and have secure entry. Features include satellite television, flat screen TVs, wireless broadband, DVD, CD, alarm clock with iPod dock with quality bedding and furnishing with regular linen changes. Most apartments come with private parking spaces.
Clydeview Apartment - 2 Double rooms
Riverview Apartment - 2 Double rooms
St Enoch Apartment - 2 Double rooms
Argyle Apartment - 1 Double room
Your every need is provided by Sweeney Apartments and a welcome food pack awaits your arrival.
Sweeney customers can expect all of the above, and in everything we do they will find an uncompromising commitment to excellence and friendliness in the service we provide.
Relax, unwind & enjoy your stay at the "Fit For A King" Sweeney Serviced Apartments.
|Argyle Apartment
|£75 Per room per night (room only)
|Clyde Apartment
|£95 Per room per night (room only)
|Riverview Apartment
|£95 Per room per night (room only)
|St Enoch Apartment
|£85 Per room per night (room only)
Note: Prices are a guide only and may change on a daily basis.


text:
Version and / or Patch Used: 1.2.0
Developer Homepage: http://www.futuremark.com
Product Homepage: http://www.futuremark.com/products/pcmark04/
PCMark is a multipurpose benchmark, suited for benchmarking all kinds of PCs, from laptops to workstations, as well as across multiple Windows operating systems. This easy-to-use benchmark makes professional strength benchmarking software available even to novice users. PCMark consists of a series of tests that represent common tasks in home and office progRAMs. PCMark also covers many additional areas outside the scope of other MadOnion.com benchmarks.
PCMark being synthetic in nature really puts the memory to the test; 1066MHz and 1333MHz gives the win over to Corsair. However, when overclocked the Super Talent pulls well ahead.
PRICING: You can find products similar to this one for sale below.
United States: Find other tech and computer products like this over at Amazon's website.
United Kingdom: Find other tech and computer products like this over at Amazon UK's website.
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text: 11 Apr 2016 10:30 Airbus, manufacturer of the flagship A380 aircraft, has presented Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, with the prestigious award for the best 'Operational Reliability Performance' in the first year of A380 operations. The Etihad Airways A380 fleet recorded an extraordinary 99.8 per cent operational reliability between January and December 2015. This is the highest level of reliability ever recorded by an airline in its first year of A380 operations. Etihad Airways' A380 operational reliability means only 0.2 per cent of flights were delayed, with no cancellations, in the first year.The award was presented to Jeff Wilkinson, Etihad Airways' Senior Vice President, Technical, by Didier Lux, Airbus Head of Customer Service, at a ceremony in Toulouse, France.In the airline industry, reliability is a critical key to success – from punctuality, revenue and yield maximisation, all the way through to the guest experience.Jeff Wilkinson said: "This stellar performance is a result of the sheer hard work and commitment to excellence of our engineering teams. Our Entry Into Service, Technical Operations, Engineering, Planning, Logistics, Flight Operations and Guest Services teams, as well as our Airbus colleagues, are to be congratulated for this success. As Etihad Airways is flying the A380 with one of the highest rates of daily utilisation, with a typical turnaround time of only two hours, this achievement is all the more remarkable."The success with the A380's entry into service sets a new standard in excellence that we are striving to repeat with the introduction of the A350 to the Etihad Airways fleet in early 2018."Didier Lux said: "It is with great pleasure and pride that I hand this award to Etihad Airways today." He added, "This unmatched operational performance in a first year of operating an A380 was made possible due to exceptional team work, the constant push for improvement and forward-thinking. We have set a precedent in A380 operational excellence."The winner of this award is determined by a thorough evaluation of the overall performance of the shortlisted airlines. Operational reliability is a standard international index measuring flight operations subject to delays or defects. High performance in this index verifies the operating capability of the airline and the priority given to maintenance and safety management.Preparations for the A380's entry in service started more than a year before delivery. The cross-functional Entry Into Service team included representatives from all areas of the company, such as Technical Operations, Logistics, Guest Services, and Flight Operations. The team was responsible for re-writing procedures, training pilots, cabin crew and engineers, provisioning parts and tools, and implementing new technologies to support the operation of the A380 fleet. It was this comprehensive preparation that formed the foundation for the outstanding operational results achieved during the first year of A380 operations. Etihad Airways' first A380 made its debut on the popular London Heathrow route from Abu Dhabi in December 2014. There are currently six aircraft in the airline's A380 fleet, with four more scheduled for delivery. Bize Ulaşın Tam anlamıyla uluslararası bir havayolu olarak, gerçekten küresel bir faaliyet ağına sahibiz. En yakın Etihad ofisi ile nasıl iletişim kuracağınızı öğrenin. İletişim bilgilerini görüntüleyin Geri bildirim Bize yorum, tebrik veya şikayetlerinizi göndermek ya da soru sormak isterseniz, lütfen buraya tıklayın Bizi Beğenin Facebook sayfamızı ziyaret edin! Bizi İzleyin YouTube kanalımızı ziyaret edin Bizi Takip Edin Etihad Havayolları | Etihad Kampanyaları | Etihad Yardım | Etihad Ödülleri


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Delano 'Scott' O'Dell
MARION — Delano "Scott" O'Dell, 55, was born in Florence, July 4, 1957, and passed away at his home Aug. 29, 2012.
Scott was born in Florence and lived there a lot of his life. The rest of his time was living on his farm southeast of Marion, Kan. Scott loved the outdoors and enjoyed his hunting and fishing and also enjoyed taking care of his livestock. Scott spent 35 years, working for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, where he was a B & B Carpenter.
Scott is lovingly survived by his parents, Delano and Barbara (Harbison) O'Dell; a brother, Michael, and a sister, Dianne, and her husband Don Burnett, all of Marion; his two nieces and their families; and a host of family and friends.
Visitation was held Monday evening at Zeiner Funeral Home, Marion. A graveside service was held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, at Hillcrest Cemetery in Florence, with the Rev. Alan Stahlecker presiding. A memorial fund has been established for Quail Forever — Youth Program in care of Zeiner Funeral Home, 205 Elm, Marion, KS, 66861.
Last modified Sept. 5, 2012


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Facebook Moving Away From Voting Scheme
By Evelyn M. Rusli
A Facebook experiment in democracy is fading.
On Wednesday the social network announced several updates to its governing policy that may ultimately limit the community's ability to overturn future policy decisions. In a blog post authored by Elliot Schrage, its head of communications, Facebook said it will remove a voting system that gives its users the opportunity to strike down a policy change if a change prompts more than 7,000 comments and if more than 30% of people on Facebook participate in a vote.
In part, Facebook says it's revising its rules because the social network has grown so large.
In October, the company hit a key milestone: one billion monthly active users. As it grows, the 7,000 comment threshold has become easier to surpass.
"We found that the voting mechanism, which is triggered by a specific number of comments, actually resulted in a system that incentivized the quantity of comments over their quality," Schrage said.
In lieu of the old voting system, Facebook said it is planning to roll out several new feedback programs, including a forum where consumers can submit questions to the Chief Privacy Officer, Erin Egan, and live webcasts with Egan. The company also said it will send out e-mail notifications about the policy change to more than a billion users and provide a seven-day comment period, during which time the community can still push the proposal to a vote.
Facebook announced several other updates the day before Thanksgiving, including a change to the way consumers can filter private messages and one that will allow Facebook and its affiliates, such as Instagram, to share information.
Some privacy advocates, who have criticized Facebook in the past for being cavalier with consumers' rights, remain skeptical. Kurt Opsahl, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said he was ambivalent about the loss of the current voting system since it required such a large portion of the community to vote. But he says he's not sure if the new programs will be better.
"It is clear there is a new page where you can ask questions, what's unclear is if it will be effective," Opsahl said.
Readers, what do you think of Facebook's proposal to remove its voting system?
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FDA finds more bacteria in New England Compounding drugs
U.S. health officials have found bacteria in lots of an injected steroid and a heart drug made by New England Compounding Center, the pharmacy linked to contaminated steroids that have claimed the lives of at least 28 people.
The Food and Drug Administration said it identified different types of bacteria in three separate recalled batches of NECC's preservative-free betamethasone and in a single batch of NECC-supplied cardioplegia solution.
Betamethasone is an injectable steroid, while cardioplegia is used during heart surgery.
The FDA had previously confirmed the presence of a deadly fungus in two different NECC batches of a different injectable steroid tied to the national fungal meningitis outbreak. That drug, preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate, was used to treat back and joint pain.
The agency said it did not know how significant the bacterial contamination was in terms of the risk for human disease and said it had not received reports of confirmed cases of infection related to the organisms found in the two products.
However, the findings "reinforce the FDA's concern about the lack of sterility in products produced at NECC's compounding facility," the agency said in a statement.
Federal health officials previously said they were investigating whether two other NECC products could be linked to fungal infections in three patients, including two who had undergone heart surgery.
NECC, located in Framingham, Massachusetts, shut down in early October and recalled all of its products.
The FDA said tests for fungus in the lots of betamethasone and cardioplegia are still underway.
The latest tally from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists 386 cases of fungal meningitis and 28 deaths linked to injections of NECC steroids.


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Buford, seeking to stay alive in the Class AA Upper State softball playoffs, hit the road Tuesday night to face Pendleton in an elimination game.
The Lady Jackets were slated to face Pendleton on Monday, but heavy rain washed out the game and it was reset for Tuesday.
Pendleton fell to Crescent, 12-3 in the opening round of the Class AA Upper State playoffs on Saturday, May 4.
Crescent then defeated Chesterfield, 10-0 in five innings on Monday, May 6.
Chesterfield will host the winner of the Buford vs. Pendleton game on Wednesday, May 8.
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Gerald Harper - Adam Adamant Lives #4
Gerald Harper (born 15 February 1929 in London, England) is an actor, best known for his work on television, having played the title roles in both Adam Adamant Lives! (1966–67) and Hadleigh (1969–76).
He originally wanted to be a doctor but became interested in acting while still at school. He was educated at Haileybury. After National Service he trained at RADA. He started in the London Arts Theatre followed by Liverpool Playhouse before returning to London to play in Charley's Aunt with Frankie Howerd. He also played in Free As Air and Ross and toured in America with the Old Vic and Boeing-Boeing.
His film credits include: The Admirable Crichton (1957), A Night to Remember (1958), The League of Gentlemen (1960), Tunes of Glory (1960) and The Punch and Judy Man (1963), The Lady Vanishes (1979). On radio he did The Sunday Affair; for Capital Radio. Television also included; The Sleeper, The Corsican Brothers and Gazette.
Harper presented a series of Saturday afternoon shows for BBC Radio 2 in the early 1990s, where he played classic songs from the past and gave away bottles of champagne and chocolates. His opening phrase, usually spoken over the introduction of the first song, was "Hello....I'm Gerald Harper. Welcome to my Saturday selection". The radio show was resurrected for Talksport radio for a few months between 2000-2001, and re-titled "Champagne and Roses".
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In addition to our five primary global services – Assurance, Advisory, Tax, Transactions, and Growth Markets – we also provide additional services in key areas around the globe.
Climate Change and Sustainability Services
Our Climate Change and Sustainability Services team is grounded in our core skills in assurance, tax, transactions and advisory. On top of that we have the specific knowledge to help you understand business and regulatory threats and opportunities, explore and execute commercial transactions, monitor performance and assure public disclosures on progress. You'll receive a tailored service supported by global methodologies to address issues relating to your specific needs.


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The best way to prevent mold growth in your house is to keep your house clean and dry. Tips from experts to prevent mold growth begin with cleaning your house regularly, focusing on removing food stains from furniture as quickly as possible. Mold needs nutrients to grow, and dirt, food and debris supply nutrients.
The same logic follows in keeping bathroom surfaces clean and moisture free so that mildew cannot grow on soap scum and moisture. Don�t allow damp towels or clothing to remain in a heap on the floor. Hang them up to dry.
In the kitchen and bathrooms, use exhaust fans for short periods for odor and moisture removal. Ten minutes of fan operation will remove most of the moisture from the air after bathing, showering or cooking.
In bedrooms keep closet doors open as much as possible to allow moisture from clothing and shoes to dry. Other enclosed spaces such as pantries and laundry rooms will also benefit from leaving doors open to allow air to circulate through them and their contents.
Consider louvered doors for closets that have constant mold and mildew problems. The louvers allow better air circulation.
Check the temperature and humidity in your house regularly. A simple instrument called a hygrometer measures the amount of water in the air in terms of relative humidity (RH). Choose from mechanical hygrometers ($5�$35) or electronic types ($8�$25).
Locate your hygrometer in a living area away from the moisture produced by the kitchen or a bathroom. For maximum heating effectiveness and comfort, humidity levels should be between 30 percent and 50 percent. In the summer, a maximum of 55 percent is tolerable. Anything less than 30 percent or more than 60 percent will be uncomfortable and potentially damaging to your home.
Perform regular heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) inspections and maintenance. Keep HVAC drip pans clean, flowing properly and unobstructed.
Clean and dry wet or damp spots within 48 hours.
Keep the landscaping near your home�s foundation sloping away from your home for better moisture control.
We also produce moisture inside our houses through the activities of daily living. Each person produces about three pints of water every day just by breathing. In addition, we create indoor moisture through cooking, dishwashing, showering and doing laundry.
The insurance industry reports that the top three sources of water damage in homes are washing machine hoses, shower tile grout and faulty water heaters. Inspect these areas often to keep undetected leaks and moisture problems at bay.
During humid weather, run your air conditioner rather than opening windows. Although it is nice to allow fresh air to circulate through windows, opening windows allows outside moisture an entrance into your home.
Air conditioning and heating systems do more than cool and heat the air. They allow the humidity level to remain at a comfortable level that reduces the risk of mold growth.
Following these tips should keep your home free of mold and moisture problems, with the further benefits of added comfort and better health for you and your family.
Trudy W. Pickett is extension family and consumer agent at the Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Center, 1791 N.C. 11/55. Reach her at 252-527-2191 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
DSS gives Distinguished Service Award
Sharon Clements, center, was the Distinguished Service Award recipient for third quarter 2013 at Lenoir County Department of Social Services. Clements, an office assistant in the Child Welfare Division, was recognized for this award at the DSS board meeting on Sept. 30. Pictured with her is Carolyn Little, left, the DSA chairwoman, and Jackie Brown, the DSS board chairwoman.


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Hollywood icon Debbie Reynolds, whose storied career began in the late 1940s, still tours a few times a year, with one of her favorite stops being the Drury Lane Theatre. Reynolds, a triple threat (singer, dancer and actor), offers a trio of entertainment in her one-woman variety show: Broadway tunes, comedy and stories of life on the big screen.
Why go: Because the Academy Award-winning "Singin' in the Rain" — one of more than 30 motion pictures Reynolds starred in — is the best movie ever.
Reconsider: A weekday afternoon show suggests that you are not the target audience.
Details: 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Monday and 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace; $50; 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com


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What do you think about being an Atheist and listening to Hardcore (Or not Hardcore) music? Do you think it's weird? What are your thoughts? I personally don't think there's anything wrong with it. Some people seem to think it's hypocritical. I just think that if it's good music then what's wrong with listening to it?
Views: 491
The way I see it, why should our tastes in music, film, literature, etc., change when we realize we see no good reason to believe in any deities? Why should the words we use to express ourselves change? I enjoy listening to classical music. Should I abstain from listening to it simply because I'm an atheist, and many classical pieces were inspired by religion?
The only people I see complaining about it are the religious, trying to claim that we really do believe because we either listen to religious music or say "oh my god", or anti-theists who seem to think that nothing of a religious nature should be tolerated in an atheistic world. I don't hold much respect for either group.
"I enjoy the music and they're my ears"
Amen, brother!
I sort of think any music is game for anyone. The lyrics don't have to be true for the person singing them. For example, I'm happily married, but I love to scream along with the Marilyn Manson version of Tainted Love. I've never been to Australia, but I'll try my hand at the harmonies anytime Men at Work's Down Under comes on the radio. (Admittedly, that one has been awhile.)
I was actually thinking about this the other day when a christian friend professed loving Soundgarden's Spoonman. Odd, I thought. Whatever happened to "whatever is pure, just, holy ... think on these things"? But then I thought - who cares? We gain empathy and understanding for others by putting ourselves in their shoes. Doesn't mean we have to agree with them, but maybe music can expand our sphere of experience.
Even if it is hypocritical, just try to stop me from joining in an old-timey jug band version of When the Saints Go Marching In (although my singing may send you running).
Good answers everyone. Thanks.


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If you have diabetes, you've probably heard about the A1c test. This blood test assesses your average blood sugar level over the previous three months. It's important to know how well your blood sugar is controlled over time. In the long term, high blood sugar can harm your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, feet, and eyes.
A1c results are written as a percentage. For many people with diabetes, the goal is to keep that percentage below 7. But some people have a different goal. Ask your doctor what's right for you.
So what should you do if your A1c number is too high? These steps can help lower your A1c level and reduce your risk for long-term health problems.
Be more active every day. Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity, such as walking briskly, cycling, swimming, and dancing. Ask your doctor for advice on safe, effective exercise.
Follow a diabetes meal plan. Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, fish, skinless poultry, lean meats, and nonfat or low-fat dairy products. Work with your healthcare team to create your eating plan.
Address your stress level. Too much stress can raise blood sugar levels. When you're feeling pressured or overwhelmed, try taking deep breaths, meditating, going for a walk, or listening to soothing music.
Take diabetes medicine, if your doctor prescribes it. Keep taking your medicine as directed even when you're feeling fine.
Check your blood sugar at home, if your doctor recommends it. This lets you track shorter-term blood sugar changes.
One final reminder: Don't forget to schedule your next A1c test. Most people with diabetes should have the test at least twice a year. If your last A1c number was too high, however, your doctor may recommend more frequent testing. It's a great way to gauge the progress you are making toward better diabetes control.
Practice making healthy food choices with this online tool from the American Diabetes Association.
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Larry Perkins Skater Profile
Sponsors: Runnin' From the Po'lice Bearings, $eriou$ Wood, Lil Playa Skate Shop, Knuckle Sammichez Hardware, Nike SB (flow)
Hometown: North Kaka NC, Stance: ?, Age: , Status: Pro
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You still obviously need to have an old bootrom 3GS, however you don't currently need any SHSH while Apple still signs 4.0.1
The fact that Star jailbreak uses Safari, however, means it will be patched in weeks, so back up those hashes while you can..
Now that 4.0 is jailbroken, potential uses of this method include installing 4.1 betas, rolling back to 3.x and similar fun activities.
STOP if you have a new bootrom (week 40+, tethered only 3.1.2 JB etc). Here's how to check bootrom ver
- your hardware is iPhone 3GS with OLD BOOTROM
- you HAVE 3.1.3 SHSH (**)
- you DON'T have 3.1.2 SHSH (otherwise, just use blackra1n/redsn0w).
- you WANT iOS4/JB
Update: thanks to movie for those awesome step by step instructions!
Update2: someone made a Cydia package. Looking at type of questions people ask in the comments, that might be the only option for 80% of them. Apple's license terms, of course, don't allow to redistribute their binaries, so I just link to it. Their description also says it works with 3.1.2/Spirit - I very much doubt that.
This tool can be used to flash pwned nor files (containing LLB exploit) on the phone running Spirit JB (script has hardcoded offsets for 3.1.3 3GS).
*Now flasher checks that all files exist before flashing them.
- Unpack pwned(!) 3.1.3 firmware, copy all the files from iPhone2,1_3.1.3_7E18_Custom_Restore\Firmware\all_flash\all_flash.n88ap.production folder to /tmp directory your phone. You can use CyberDuck or WinSCP to do that. Copy those files directly to the /tmp, not to a subfolder: LLB should be at /tmp/LLB.n88ap.RELEASE.img3, etc.!
- Extract the contents of the spirit2pwn_r2.zip archive to /tmp directory on the phone.
- Run the following commands on the iPhone: (Use ssh or PuTTY).
chmod 755 pwn_old_boot_r2.sh ./pwn_old_boot_r2.sh
- Now reboot and your iboot and llb should be pwned, and you can restore to a custom FW now.
(**) Technically, you can still do that if you don't have 3.1.3 SHSH, but then if you don't really have old bootrom or if you use wrong ipsw files, your only option will be to upgrade to 4.0 and stay without jailbreak or unlock until a new exploit is made public.


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The 27th Annual Mopar Nationals
For one weekend a year, the roads through central Ohio are shaken by Mopars numbering in the thousands on their way to the Mopar Nationals at National trail raceway near Columbus.
This year's 27th annual Mopar Nats had perfect weather each day, plus big turnouts in the show field and swap meet. Show-goers and participants alike got a big eyeful of restored, preserved, and work-in-progress cars, as well as a special "Belvedere/GTX/Road runner Tribute" display, highlighting Plymouth's best B-Bodies. It's likely some of the show cars you'll see next year were in the swap meet or car corral, just waiting for that inspired Mopar devotee to take them home.
On the strip there was action aplenty, as Quick 16, Super Pro, Pro, Street, Stick Shift, Nostalgic, FWD, Young Guns, and Viper classes competed under cloudless skies.
The only damper was the heavy police presence on Brice Road each night, thanks to that unfortunate crash in Tennessee earlier this summer. Lighting 'em up was out of the question this year.
For detailed information on trophy winners from the drags and the showfield, go online to the Nats home page, moparnats.org.