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Shure BLX24R/B58 Handheld Wireless Vocal System
Applying for Financing is Quick and Easy!
- Apply: There are two easy ways to apply for financing. A credit application can be completed over the phone in a matter of minutes with a Kraft Music team member. Applications can also be completed online.
- Purchase: All financing orders are completed over the phone. Once you're approved, give us a call at 800-783-3368 to place your order! Or you can contact us and set up a time that works best for you!
Terms and Conditions
On qualifying purchases made with your Synchrony credit card 8/9/23 - 9/30/23. 36 Equal Monthly Payments required.
**Qualifying purchase amount must be on one receipt. No interest will be charged, and equal monthly payments are required on promo purchase until it is paid in full. The payments equal the initial total promo purchase amount divided by the number of months in the promo period, rounded up to the next whole dollar. These payments may be higher than the payments that would be required if this purchase was a non-promo purchase. Regular account terms apply to non-promo purchases. New Account APR is 29.99%/Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Existing cardholders: See your credit card agreement terms. Subject to credit approval
Credit is extended by Synchrony Bank.
Making the jump to wireless should be liberating, not challenging. Shure BLX Wireless Systems combine professional-quality sound with simple setup and an intuitive interface for legendary audio performance right out of the box. Precision-built and available in a variety of configurations, it's the most accessible way to own the stage.
BLX4R Diversity receiver
- Adjustable output level
- Removable antennas for quick antenna distribution
- LCD display with detailed RF and audio metering
- Rugged metal construction, rack mount hardware included
- Up to 12 compatible systems per frequency band (region dependent)
- Microprocessor-controlled internal antenna diversity
- One-touch QuickScan frequency selection quickly locates the best frequency
- 1/4" and XLR audio outputs
- Two color audio status indicator LED
This package includes the BLX2 handheld transmitter, featuring:
- BETA58 supercardioid dynamic vocal microphone capsule, designed for professional sound reinforcement and project studio recording. It has become a leading choice among vocalists and touring professionals worldwide.
- Power and battery status LED
- Adjustable gain control
- Quick and easy frequency matching
- 2 AA batteries (included) provide up to 14 hours of continuous use
- 300 feet (91 m) operating range (line of sight)
- Frequency response: 50 to 15,000 Hz
|Included from Manufacturer
|BLX4R Wireless Receiver
BLX2/B58 Handheld Transmitter
Break-resistant microphone clip
(2) AA batteries
Power Supply
|Microphone Type
|Polar Pattern(s)
|Cardioid Dynamic
|Requires Phantom Power
|Frequency Response
|50 to 15,000 Hz
|On/Off Switch
|Simultaneous Systems
|Unique Features
|Adjustable gain control
QuickScan frequency selection
XLR and 1/4" output connectors
|Recommended Uses
|Live Lead and Backup Vocals
Shure Limited Warranty
Every Shure product comes with a Limited Warranty that in normal use the product will be free of any defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one or two years from its original date of purchase. However, this is not intended as a complete statement of the actual Limited Warranty applicable to any product. The Limited Warranty includes other important terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions. For the actual Limited Warranty applicable to any product, please refer to the warranty card issued by Shure and packaged with the product.
Shure Limited Warranty does not apply to Shure software products – please see the associated software license agreement for any warranty applicable to such products. Shure Limited Warranty does not apply to customized Shure products – please see the relevant custom product webpage(s) for any warranty applicable to such custom products. Shure Limited Warranty covers only Shure-branded products - for third party products distributed by Shure, please contact the manufacturer of such product for warranty information.
- Ground shipping is FREE for all orders $99 and up.
- Our central, midwest location ensures fast delivery times.
- See below for transit day estimates. Please note, these are estimates and are not guaranteed.
Generally, package estimated transit days are as follows:
- Upper Midwest: 1-3 days
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- West Central US: 3-5 days
- West Coast: 4-6 days
- Alaska & Hawaii: 7+ days
California residents:
Please click here to see your Prop 65 statement.


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Thursday, April 26, 2012
If you liked yesterday's post on the basics of tying a bouquet you may be interested in this, only slightly more difficult way to embellish your bouquet. This criss cross method uses a second color of ribbon to add some extra color and style to your bouquet. Start the same way you did for the basic bouquet, but before adding your pins you will add in your second ribbon.
I started with a 2.5 yard piece of purple ribbon and pinned it in the middle to my base ribbon. Then you wrap each side around the stems crossing each other as you go.
Rather than pinning a straight line down the back of this bouquet variation, I chose to only pin in the center of each crossing section on the back of my bouquet (this will be facing the person holding the bouquet).
The front of the bouquet is finished at the bottom, by tying a bow where your ribbon ends cross. If you choose, you can leave the ribbon ends as long as you like or trim them shorter. I think leaving the extra long ends has a luxurious feel to it, so I typically don't trim them off.
As with all bouquets, this one is finished off by trimming all of your stems to the same length.
Posted by Craftinomicon at 3:00 AM 1 comments
Labels: bouquet, tutorial, tutorial series, tying bouquets, wedding
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Basic Bouquet Tying Technique
This may be what we think of when the word "bouquet" comes to mind. If you have wedding plans in the mix, though, you may be just as concerned with ways to tie your bouquet! This is a tutorial for a very basic way to tie and wrap your bouquet to create the lovely handle seen below.
This handle is simple in that it is simply overlapping ribbon with some decorative corsage pins inserted in a line down the back.
Here are some supplies you may find helpful in doing this tutorial yourself: Ribbon, floral tape, scissors, corsage pins, and floral wire (you will of course, also need a lovely bouquet of flowers).
To start, arrange your bouquet in any way you most prefer. For this tutorial I used real flowers, but I love the versatility of using paper flowers with wire stems, so be sure to check back for a tutorial that is more specific to handmade flowers with wire stems later on. You will want to remove most of the leaves on the stems that are located where you will be making your handle. Leaving the stems on makes a lumpy surface for tying your ribbon.
Once you have your flowers arranged, tightly wrap your stems together with floral tape. This will hold your bouquet together tightly and be a good "canvas" for your decorative finish. If necessary, you can use a piece of floral wire, or some rubber bands to hold your stems together while you tape them tightly.
I recommend taping your stems as far down as you plan on wrapping your ribbon, as you can see above. At this point, you can trim the bottoms of your stems to an even length, or you can wait until you are all done with your pins and ribbon. Just make sure that your final piece has stems that are all one length, or your finished bouquet will look a little sloppy.
Voila! Here is a bouquet all tied and pinned! You can use any color and width of ribbon you prefer, along with any color and shape of pins you can find. If this seems a little plain for your taste, be sure to check back over the next couple weeks as I will be giving tutorials on several ways to embellish your bouquet handles, and different materials you can use for tying them all up.
Posted by Craftinomicon at 1:17 PM 0 comments
Labels: bouquet, floral arranging, tutorial, tutorial series, tying bouquets, wedding
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Happy Earth Day!
Happy Earth Day everyone! It is an absolutely gorgeous day here in Portland, I hope you are having great weather as well wherever you may be. In honor of the Earth Day holiday, I thought I'd share links to some of my past projects that re-use magazine pages, as well as some of my favorite crafty tips for being more "green" and getting the most out of your crafty stash.
First, here are some projects that you can do with old magazines (or any paper you have lying around, phone books, junk mail, old notes and lists would all work as well!).
Office style gift card envelopes
Paper Twine - Great for tying up gifts!
Recycled Paper Beads Just use paper and mod podge to make tons of unique beads for jewelry and more!
DIY magazine envelopes Perfect for all of your correspondence, can be made to any size :)
Besides these ideas, you could also use scrap paper for making paper mache projects, collages, art journal pages and more!
Not really an abundance of paper in your life? Well, fear not, I still have some great earth friendly ideas for other crafty items!
If you do a lot of sewing, you likely have a lot of fabric scraps. If they are large enough, you may want to look at this craft project roundup of things to do with those scraps! If you find you have lots of small scraps, don't worry, there are still things you can do with them without throwing them away! I like to save up a bag with my tiniest fabric scraps and then mix them in with batting when I stuff fabric toys; it can save you money on extra batting, give your toys a nice texture and is soft and washable. Small scraps can also be used in mixed media art pieces.
If you are looking for an earth friendly craft activity to do with friends, think about hosting a craft supply swap. Have everyone get together some of their old supplies (I know I have tons of extra beads, paints, yarns etc. sitting around that I used for only one project) give them new life by trading with your friends for something new to your stash that they weren't using anymore! If you have leftovers, try to find a local school or after school program that needs craft supplies to take the rest :)
Do you have any other earth friendly ways to use up craft supplies? Post a comment with your ideas or "green" projects I'd love to see them!
Posted by Craftinomicon at 11:48 AM 2 comments
Labels: craft tips, Earth Day, eco craft, eco friendly, green, paper crafts, paper scraps, recycled objects, reuse
Thursday, April 19, 2012
DIY Agate Jewelry
I'm no fashionista, but every now and then I come across a fashion trend that I like and find myself wondering how I can get in on the action without the huge price tags that often go along with trends. I saw this article on MSN.com a few weeks ago and was inspired. I used to do some jewelry making back in high school and college. The real, making your own bezels, setting stones, cutting, filing and polishing metals kind of jewelry. But who has time for all of that?
You will notice that many of the pieces in the article have HUGE price tags as well. Sure, geodes and agates are beautiful and make a statement, but who has hundreds to spend on a piece that probably won't make it to your every day wardrobe? That's where I come in: DIY agate jewelry!
If you are lucky, you have some kind of rock or gem shop locally where you can browse through agate slices at your leisure. You may even have the good fortune I did and find a place that has pre-drilled pieces the perfect size for pendants. If not, you can find places online to order your agate slices pretty cheaply, The Fossil Cartel has some online, but you don't get to select your exact size, shape, color, etc. We happen to have a Fossil Cartel store in town, as well as an independent gem and rock shop. Even when I don't make jewelry, I LOVE going through rock shops. You can find some great natural stone beads and other neat things to hoard away for future projects (not that I ever do that...).
To make my necklace I used a slice of pre-drilled agate, an 18" length of jewelry chain, 2 jump rings, a magnetic clasp and one bail (all store bought). Thanks to some sales, the total for my necklace came in at 8 dollars!
The bracelet was even easier! All I used was a slice of agate, a bracelet cuff from the craft store and some E-6000. Make sure you clean your agate and cuff well before applying the glue (I used rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth), apply your E-6000, position your agate on the band and leave to dry overnight (or even better 2 whole days, but who can wait?).
My favorite part about these two projects, is that you can make them with very little to no real jewelry making experience!
What fashion trends are you crushing on? Do you ever try to make your own cheaper versions?
Posted by Craftinomicon at 3:37 PM 8 comments
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Butterfly Wall Art
To make a paper butterfly collage of your own you need a few supplies:
Decorative paper
Scissors or Xacto blade
Butterfly images to trace and cut out (I have provided some at the bottom of this post which can be made to any size you like, but feel free to make some of your own or image search around the internet)
Pins for mounting butterflies to the wall, or a canvas to mount butterflies to before wall mounting.
You can use any paper you like, but for butterflies you want to stand alone and mount to your wall individually, I would recommend card stock as other papers do not hold their shape as well (wings may get a little droopy, especially on larger sized cut outs). All you need to do is trace your butterfly image onto your paper, cut it out and position any way you like. For something you want to be able to move (or if you aren't allowed to make a bunch of holes in your wall in a rental) You can get a canvas to secure your butterflies to, or a magnet board (then attach magnets to your butterflies).
I also recommend thinking outside the box a little with your paper. I have some wonderful photo realistic scrap booking paper, and I think my favorite butterfly is the one with an image of a sparkler on it. Never would you find this in nature, but it sure reminds me of 4th of July cookouts and all of the other Summer activities that I just can't wait for :)
Using a more decorative paper also makes your butterflies much more interesting without having to cut out extra details. If you use a plain colored paper, you may find yourself wanting to cut out some designs in the wings to add extra visual interest (this is great but can be time consuming). The sky is really the limit on a project like this, so have fun with it!
Here are some scalable templates for butterflies. Some hand drawn, the other found on an image search at Butterfly Utopia.
Posted by Craftinomicon at 1:41 PM 1 comments
Labels: art, butterfly, collage, custom, paper craft, paper scraps, Spring, Summer, wall art
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Sneak Peeks via Instagram!
In the absence of my home internet connection (which is now back, hooray!), The Hus and I decided to do some exploring around our new new neighborhood and get some instagram photos thanks to my new favorite Android app. :)
Above you can see a quick snap of some paper craft butterfly art I am working on (Full post with much higher quality photos and a tutorial will be forthcoming).
We got to take in a couple Happy Hours at the likes of Swift Lounge and Grain & Gristle here in PDX to wind down from all of our unpacking (which I am still finishing up). Can I swoon yet again over how much I adore anything in a mason jar? <3
We spied this colorful berry bush on a stroll through the new neighborhood. Anyone know what kind of bush this is? It was just absolutely gorgeous with the white flowers and bright red berries, but I'm no horticulturalist so looking up plants is not my forte.
What have you all been up to this Spring?
New crafty posts coming soon! For more sneak peeks into what I'm up to, feel free to follow my instagram feed here.
Posted by Craftinomicon at 12:25 PM 0 comments
Labels: instagram, photos, sneak peek
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Moving On Up!
As many of you keeping tabs on me on facebook already know, the lovely hus and I moved into a new apartment this past week. It has been pretty rough in crafty land for me since most of my things have been living in boxes while being moved and rearranging the new place. Also, excuse the lack of images as we currently have no internet hooked up at the new place (it's really hard for me to have no internet!) and my digital camera is still packed away.
The lack of internet will be giving me plenty of time, however, to get my craft corner back together and work on some new projects to share, so make sure to check back on the 16th (hopefully! If I go longer than that with no internet I may lose my mind entirely) I am going to have some cute Spring/Summer themed art projects as well as some more projects that got set on the back burner in March due to packing for the move.
Did I mention I absolutely hate moving? It's on my top 10 worst experiences list. I'll be glad once everything is back in order.
The lack of internet will be giving me plenty of time, however, to get my craft corner back together and work on some new projects to share, so make sure to check back on the 16th (hopefully! If I go longer than that with no internet I may lose my mind entirely) I am going to have some cute Spring/Summer themed art projects as well as some more projects that got set on the back burner in March due to packing for the move.
Did I mention I absolutely hate moving? It's on my top 10 worst experiences list. I'll be glad once everything is back in order.
Posted by Craftinomicon at 12:53 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
As many of you know, Instagram was released for Android today! As I use an Android phone, I am very excited to get to start using this photo app like all the cool kids with iphones :) If you want to follow my photo goodness, I can be found @craftinomicon, of course!
Image of Insta-Grahams from Bakerella.com. Such a cute idea!
Posted by Craftinomicon at 12:12 PM 5 comments
Monday, April 2, 2012
April Already?
I'm not sure where the time has gone, but it is somehow April 2nd already! How did this happen? I apologize for being an absentee blogger lately, the hus and I are still gearing up for our move to a new apartment later this week (I just want it to be over and done with--I hate moving!).
I will have some cute Spring projects coming up, and am going to be playing some catch up with posts I was supposed to do last month, but the time got away from me (Seriously? April? I'm baffled). Hopefully I will keep things organized enough that I don't lose all of my in progress projects while moving :)
In the meantime, for those of you keeping up with time, its about time to get started on gardening for the season. I found this great blog post at The Skinny Gourmet about Herb Gardening that is a great resource for first timers, or if you haven't herb gardened with much success, it has lots of great tips!
I will have some cute Spring projects coming up, and am going to be playing some catch up with posts I was supposed to do last month, but the time got away from me (Seriously? April? I'm baffled). Hopefully I will keep things organized enough that I don't lose all of my in progress projects while moving :)
In the meantime, for those of you keeping up with time, its about time to get started on gardening for the season. I found this great blog post at The Skinny Gourmet about Herb Gardening that is a great resource for first timers, or if you haven't herb gardened with much success, it has lots of great tips!
Posted by Craftinomicon at 12:31 PM 0 comments
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subset: commoncrawl


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Let's make one thing very clear at the start of this conversation about what is so wrong about the Houston Astros: It's all but impossible to find someone who believes they will struggle in the years ahead.
"They're going to be good," said a rival official, "because they're getting access to the best talent and [GM Jeff] Luhnow is a really smart guy."
In the minds of many rival evaluators -- many -- the Astros are playing baseball's current system to perfection.
So the problem with what the Astros have done really isn't about the Astros. The problem is the system, which can reward calculated failure, and this should be a serious concern for Major League Baseball. Everybody has seen what Houston has done, and as one GM said before the season started, with a hint of jealousy, "They're doing it exactly right."
By losing. A lot. Because that's the best way to exploit the current system.


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by M. B. Miller
ALC dropped its third straight game in conference action last night on the road to the Eagles of Cincinnati Christian University, losing 92-74.
After falling in a close one at Brescia and one at home to nationally-ranked IU Southeast, Alice Lloyd was eager to get back into the winning column. Unfortunately for the ALC Eagles, Cincinnati Christian came out on fire, hitting its first three shots, and would not look back. The home team's defense robbed Alice Lloyd of any offensive momentum, and ALC would trail 33-41 at intermission.
The second half would only continue the story of the first as Alice Lloyd could not threaten CCU.
For ALC (10-11; 5-6 KIAC), sophomore Cody Malicoat led the way with 19 points and 6 rebounds.
Cincinnati Christian (16-9; 9-3 KIAC) was paced by Michael Hill with 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting.
The difference in the game came down to Alice Lloyd's inability to be effective on offense. The Eagles shot a frigid 40% for the game while CCU shot at a better clip, near 53%. ALC was also out-rebounded 47-28.
ALC will face another road test on Sunday, February 9th at IU East. That game will tip at 2 PM.


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October 21, 2010
Google Groups Drops Support for Pages and Files
"Starting in January 2011, Groups will no longer allow the creation or editing of welcome messages, files and pages; the content will only be available for viewing and only existing files will be downloadable. If you would like to keep the content currently on the pages and files sections of your group, we highly encourage you to export and migrate it to another product. In February 2011, we will turn off these features, and you will no longer be able to access that content."
Google says that you can create pages using Google Sites and store files by attaching them to Google Sites pages. After creating a site, you can invite the members of your group. "Add the email address for the Google Group (for instance, firstname.lastname@example.com) with which you'd like to share the site, and select the level of access you'd like the members of the group to have."
It's difficult to understand why Google didn't automatically migrate the files and pages to Google Sites. Users could've used these features from the Google Groups interface, even if they were powered by Google Sites.
Google says that the features have been removed "to focus on improving the core functionality of Google Groups -- mailing lists and forum discussions". I don't remember seeing significant improvements from 2006, when Google Groups added the features that are now removed: custom welcome message, pages and files. Since then, Google abandoned almost all its groups and started to use the Help Forum platform. Ironically, even the Google Groups group has been shut down.
24 comments:
- AnonymousOctober 21, 2010 at 4:53 PM
that sucks. perfect opportunity for Yahoo or MSFT to step in and provide a good tool.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 21, 2010 at 5:42 PM
So the google giant can't even keep the simplest programs going. Lookout people. Next it'll be google documents,picasa,gmail and finally google search!!ReplyDelete
The lag on Groups has been horrible for many months. Upwards of a minute to load a single page on my tiny, low usage group. I'm all for the changes *IF* they address and fix the performance problem. Currently the product is almost unusable from the web...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 21, 2010 at 8:33 PM
Google Groups is infested with spam, it's an pandemic! Even on Google's own groups, before they were moved to the forums, were littered with spam.ReplyDelete
Exactly - whatever bonus you give GG, the spamfest exploits it. It needs to be stripped to the minimum necessary for purpose, to make it less attractive to spammers.ReplyDelete
I don't blame Google for doing this, indeed, I applaud it. I just wish they had the courage to be honest about it.
That's beginning to be a general point - Google doesn't intentionally do evil; but they do cowardice like experts.
I'm glad they are removing it. The features where redundant. Use Google Sites and embed the discussion aspect of the stripped down Groups.ReplyDelete
this is all so true. Google is dying out soon I thingReplyDelete
I never used Google Groups before, but I don't like it when companies shiut down their services. If it's lacking, just improve it!ReplyDelete
And yeah, why not automatically transfer the groups to sites? maybe it's a last minute call and they really put so much though in it???
- AnonymousOctober 22, 2010 at 9:58 AM
It sounds like commenters think Google Groups is being shut down, though the blog post says its just some features within Google Groups, not Groups itself. Are people so resistant to change that they think a feature removal means the product is dead? Were Files and Pages the only reason people used Groups? Really?ReplyDelete
Oh, I just misunderstood then. :)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 23, 2010 at 2:42 AM
Thank you Google.ReplyDelete
We used to keep in touch with old schoolmates. So as a social network. We shared documents, created pages related to our meetings.
Now we will look around and move to an other service. Maybe Yahoo? zoho? or even facebook???
- AnonymousOctober 24, 2010 at 8:20 AM
My pages and files haven't been available for the last couple days. Is anyone else experiencing this problem?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 25, 2010 at 4:28 AM
Yes - probably since last Wednesday. I wondered if support had been withdrawn prior to the first advertised date of November 1.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 26, 2010 at 6:11 AM
So what are the options?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 28, 2010 at 5:24 AM
They also discontinued Google Browser Sync.ReplyDelete
They do not care about previous users. They were asked to make it opensoure, but there were no reaction.
Google like other mammoth IT companies (M$). No difference.
- AnonymousOctober 28, 2010 at 5:26 AM
Yes, it is quite identical:ReplyDelete
can we transfer data from google groups to google docs?ReplyDelete
please help me
I don't really understand why google didn't migrate the files? It's much more trouble having to do it over.ReplyDelete
Good afternoon -ReplyDelete
I am an intern with a group that shares an account on gmail that has
some questions as to how to understand the changes outlined in the
email we received on the 21st -
1) What is a customized welcome message?
2) What is a customized page?
3) What is a customized file?
Please let me know as soon as you can as depending on your answers, I
could have more questions.
Dave Connell
- AnonymousNovember 4, 2010 at 4:26 PM
Don't they really mean that they are: discontinuing Groups? I think their message is deliberately confusing. Why not just say, "Find another way to do what you were doing on Groups."ReplyDelete
I don't know who's running Google now, but they're really doing a bad job. First the key features of Google Groups are cut and now Google TV is losing content now that the networks are blocking their shows from Google TV. Google projects are like expensive cars left in a bad neighborhood. Come back in an hour and half the car has been stripped away. ;-(ReplyDelete
Its quite some time since i have stopped using Google groups to the optimum as most of the features are not available. Moreover the presentation is also very confusing. I have recently shifted to a similar application http://forums.com/ which provides files and folders uploading features along with discussions on different forums. The start up procedures are simple yet creative and can be customized according to users preferences. All the discussions can be found at one platform and users can follow those that they want to keep track of or start a new. Having fun using forums!:-)ReplyDelete
Google is going down hill no ones knows whats going on :(ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 1, 2011 at 10:28 AM
The whole thing is pretty mysterious. I just started a mailing list--if I had known about the issues with google groups I would have gone elsewhere.ReplyDelete
Also, the group is non-English and the translated messages I get are unfortunately not that easy to comprehend.
Note to self: next time, look for different software,


text:
Purim Palooza (Carnival) Feb 25, 2018
It was a Palooza! Thank you to all the MANY volunteers who helped make it happen and to the Youth Committee/Department/Groups who took the lead! Also check out videos of the BEECC (preschool) Purim Shpiel at https://youtu.be/HVR6enaRXec and the Religious School Purim Shpiel at https://youtu.be/UxZ1f-NoViIRead More


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Sony files patent for EyePad
No, it's not a tablet, it's a potential controller for the PlayStation console.
Sony is eyeing its own EyePad via a patent, but it's not a gadget designed to compete with Apple's popular tablet.
Instead, the Sony device would act as an input control for an entertainment console and could wind up as a controller for the current and upcoming version of the PlayStation.
Published last week by the European Patent Office, Sony's patent describes a wireless controller that looks like a small tablet with a touch-sensitive surface. Motion sensors would be able to detect the movement and position of the controller. The device could also sport a couple of stereoscopic cameras that could pick up motion above its surface.
Using the dual cameras, the EyePad could allow people to interact with one of Sony's virtual EyePets, as the patent explains below:
The depth maps from the two stereoscopic cameras describe the location of points on the surface of the user's index finger within the common volume, and hence it is possible to calculate whether those surface points coincide with the surface model of the virtual EyePet. This gives the user the precision to stroke the EyePet's ear, tap its nose, tickle its tummy, or otherwise interact with it in very specific ways, and moreover to do so for whatever arbitrary position or orientation they are holding the EyePad in.
The patent mentions the PlayStation 3. But assuming the technology ever becomes reality, Sony could pair it with its upcoming PlayStation 4. The company will host an event in New York City tomorrow at which it's expected to announce the PS4 and possibly other new gaming devices.
Apple may not be too happy with the device being dubbed the EyePad. But the name carries on the Sony tradition of using the word "Eye" in its products, notably the PlayStation Eye camera and the EyePet.
(Via The Register)
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text:
CBS's NCAA March Madness On Demand A Success
CBS SportsLine and the NCAA yesterday announced that NCAA March Madness on Demand, the online video player that provided streaming live video of the first 56 games of the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship set a record, according to what, we don't know, for scheduled live entertainment or sports event with over 268,000 simultaneous streams. In total, NCAA March Madness on Demand has already surpassed 1.2 million video streams served. I guess we were wrong thinking people would prefer the couch potato method of viewing.


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There's been a treasure trove full of memorable chains in the history of hip-hop, but few rappers love their necklaces quite as much as Atlanta's underground king Gucci Mane does. Would you kill for yours? Gucci would (and did). Shoot, he loves his chains so much that he wrote a song about it. Wanna hear it? Here it goes:
Gucci Mane "My Chain" (2006)
From iced-out cartoon characters to secret gangs, each one of Gucci's pendants has a story to tell. And with his recent release from prison and a fourth official album on the way, we're sure he'll be adding many more creative pieces to his collection in the coming years. Take a look back at the history of Mr. Mane's chains (so far) and vote for your favorite one at the end.Gucci!


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Flower delivery to Floresti
Chisinau Flowers - the best way for sending flowers and gifts to Floresti and any other cities of Moldova. Send flowers and gifts to Floresti by shopping online from our select, premium flower arrangements. Using our service online you can send flowers and gifts to Floresti right now. Our company offers fast and accessible for all service. We shall consider your order of flowers with large attention and highest professionalism. We deliver roses, fresh flowers, flower bouquets, flower arrangements, gift baskets, anniversary gifts and other gifts to Floresti. Try our Floresti flowers delivery services and you won't regret. Always best quality, price and customer service.
Also you can place an order for flower delivery to other cities of Moldova: Anenii Noi, Balti, Basarabeasca, Benderi Tighina, Briceni, Cahul, Calarasi, Cantemir, Causeni, Chisinau (Kishinev) Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leovo, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Ribnita, Rishkany, Singera, Soroca, Stefan Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Tiraspol, Ungheni.
If you not found the necessary city, please contact us, and we will try to find a possibility to execute your order in this city within 1-2 business days.


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Drew Brees, Saints improve to 4-0 by handing Dolphins first loss
NEW ORLEANS -- Drew Brees made his latest claim to the moniker of Mr. Monday Night.
He also gave the Miami Dolphins another reason to regret not making a harder push to sign him when they had the chance seven years ago.
Brees passed for 413 yards and four touchdowns, and the New Orleans Saints turned a clash of unbeaten teams into a lopsided affair, beating Miami 38-17 on Monday night.
"I felt like we found our rhythm," Brees said. "Every time we touched the ball, it felt like we were going to go down and score points."
Two of Brees' touchdowns went to Jimmy Graham for 27 and 43 yards as the tight end had at least 100 yards receiving for the third straight game.
Brees' other scoring strikes went to Benjamin Watson and Darren Sproles, who also rushed for a touchdown.
"He plays out of this world," Graham said. "This team is so dynamic, we have so many weapons and Drew knows exactly where to go with the ball."
Sproles' 5-yard scoring run on the game's opening series gave the Saints a lead they would not relinquish en route to their first 4-0 start since their Super Bowl championship season of 2009. It also further accentuated what a turnaround the Saints have made since coach Sean Payton served his bounty ban last season, which New Orleans opened with four losses.
"We like this a lot better," Brees said of the 4-0 start. "Everything that could have gone wrong for us went wrong. Fortunately we're having the ball bounce our way this year. We're playing good football."
Ryan Tannehill passed for 249 yards and a touchdown to Charles Clay, but his four turnovers on a fumble and three interceptions hurt Miami (3-1).
"We're not happy. Obviously you don't want to come out and perform like that," Tannehill said. "But you look at it and there are things you can correct."
The Saints have won their last nine Monday night games, all with Brees at quarterback and often putting on some of his most memorable performances.
There was his 307-yard, four-TD performance against Atlanta late in the 2011 season, the same game in which he broke Dan Marino's 27-year-old record for yards passing in a season.
Earlier that same season, Brees threw for 363 yards and four scores in a 49-24 Monday night win over the New York Giants.
The Saints' Super Bowl campaign was highlighted by Brees' 371 yards and five touchdowns in New Orleans' stunning 38-17 rout of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
Now his 10th career 400-yard outing has delivered a sobering blow to a Miami team that came in riding a surprising start.
"We'll find out a lot about the team we have by the way we come back tomorrow," Miami coach Joe Philbin said.
When Brees was a free agent in 2006, he drew the most interest from New Orleans and Miami, but the Dolphins, fearful of the effects of reconstructive surgery on Brees throwing shoulder, did not pursue the quarterback as enthusiastically as then-Saints rookie coach Sean Payton. Since then, Brees has become one of the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history.
During New Orleans' opening drive, Brees became only the seventh quarterback to pass for more than 47,000 yards. He ended the drive with 47,030, surpassing Fran Tarkenton's 47,003 for sixth most yards passing all-time.
Later, Brees' eighth completion gave him 4,124 in his career, one more than John Elway for fourth all-time in that category.
Brees was 30 of 39 against Miami without an interception. Sproles caught seven passes for 114 yards. Marques Colston had seven catches for 96 yards.
Miami's Lamar Miller had 62 yards rushing on 11 carries, including a 5-yard scoring run late in the second quarter that made it 14-10, but the Saints began to run away with the game after that, and as they did, they turned up their pass rush. Tannehill was sacked four times in the second half, once each by Junior Galette, Martez Wilson, Cameron Jordan and Tyrunn Walker.
"I just don't feel that team was as good as everybody was saying they were," Galette said of Miami. "We just abused the offensive line all game."
New Orleans' defense, worst in the league last season but resurgent under new coordinator Rob Ryan, also allowed fewer than 20 points for the fourth time in as many games.
Miami was driving for a potential go-ahead score in the second quarter when Tannehill tried to scramble up the middle and was stripped by linebacker Curtis Lofton. Safety Rafael Bush recovered on the New Orleans 38. That set up a drive that ended with Graham's leaping, juggling catch as three defenders converged on him.
Later in the half, Jabari Greer intercepted a pass intended for Brian Hartline and returned it 22 yards to the Miami 23. Several plays later, Sproles made a catch along the left sideline, spun away from a converging defender and scored his second touchdown with 55 seconds left in the half to make it 21-10.
Game notes
Miami's 79 Monday night games are the most by any team. The Dolphins fell to 40-39 in those games. ... Payton has now coached in 100 regular season games, going 66-34 (71-37 including playoffs).
Game Information
- Referees:
- Bill Vinovich


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Sandy Dunkley said she got 60 more days with her son Ron because strangers gave blood.
"From the minute they took him from those tracks to his stay in hospital they pumped blood into him to make him live 60 more days," said Dunkley, who gave blood at the second annual Bleed and Feed Ron Dunkley blood drive at the Langley City Fire Hall on Thursday, Dec. 13.
More than 110 people gave blood that day, several firefighters did too, including organizer and City firefighter Rob Rabby and City Councillor Teri James.
Sandy herself gave blood for the first time on Thursday.
"Now that I know how important blood is, I can't wait to give blood and I will for the rest of my life," said Sandy. "I know Ron would be here giving blood."
In November, 2010, Ron had gone to Seattle with a handful of colleagues from the fire hall for a Seahawks game.
The evening before the game, he had gone out with a group but hailed a taxi to drive him, alone, to the group's hotel. His parents say it must have been a very scary ride for Ron to make a desperate 911 call, describing the driver as "a lunatic."
Nobody knows whether he was dropped off, or jumped out of the moving cab to escape the driver behind the wheel. Either way, he climbed between two cars of a stationary train. He didn't see another train approaching, and was hit and then dragged several metres.
He suffered two broken legs and massive internal injuries. He underwent around 40 surgeries and more blood transfusions than can be counted. Sadly, on Jan. 4, 2011, he died of a blood infection.
But his family has watched the legacy of their cherished son live on, as with the success of this blood drive in his honour.
Langley City firefighters presented Sandy and her husband Gene with their son's badge in a frame on Thursday. Frostings Cupcakery owners Melanie and Craig McDougall also presented the Dunkleys with a special firefighter cake and supplied cupcakes for all those who gave blood. They also walked around to local businesses spreading the word about the blood drive.


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GONE FOR YOU by Riley Hart
Wild Side Series: Book 1
M/M Contemporary Romance
Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iTunes
About the Book: Oliver Hayes wears his heart on his sleeve, and his friends never let him forget it. Every Friday night spent at Wild Side, their favorite West Hollywood bar, Oliver's lack of hookups becomes the hot topic. It's not that he doesn't want a good time. He just wants it to mean something, which is a lofty goal when he's still pining after his childhood crush, Matt, who left ten years ago to start a new life in New York City.
Matt Daniels has always felt most at home seated at a piano. He might not have entirely fit in with his family and friends, but he was always able to find himself in music. Or at least he did before he gave up his dream a lifetime ago. Now, he has a successful modeling career and should be enjoying every second of it. Yet nothing feels right, and Matt fears he's losing himself.
Just when Oliver decides to get over Matt for good, Matt waltzes back into LA. As Matt struggles to understand what he's missing in his seemingly perfect life, he falls right back into leaning on Oliver for support. Things aren't what they used to be between them, though. They tumble into bed together, and it's hard not to continue ending up there. For the first time in years, Matt's inspired to compose again, reigniting a spark he thought long extinguished.
But as always, Oliver can't keep his heart in check, and soon Matt realizes he's gone for Oliver too. The biggest question is, can he fully give himself to someone if he still hasn't figured out how to love himself?
Preview of GONE FOR YOU
Oliver opened the door and took one step into the room before his eyes hit Matt. Matt sitting on the side of his bed wearing nothing but a pair of black shorts. His dark brown hair looked wet as it hung against his forehead, a veil between Matt's eyes and him. Had he showered before he'd gone down to play? Tried to talk himself out of it the same way Oliver had forced himself not to go downstairs?
Matt's right leg bounced up and down like a jackhammer as he looked at the floor and didn't speak. Oliver didn't either. He didn't know what to say, so he just took another step into the room, and then another.
It was then when Matt's head tilted up, that he shook his hair off his forehead and his eyes met Oliver's searing with something that he didn't understand. He thought maybe there was some pain in there…a little confusion, but more that Oliver couldn't read.
His breath caught when Matt pushed to his feet. The shorts hung low on his slender hips, and he was sure Matt didn't have underwear beneath them.
His chest was smooth. He had a light trail of brown hair that dipped below his shorts, which hung so low he could see the top of Matt's pubes.
Despite how thin he was, too thin if you asked Oliver, his muscles were well defined. He had a lean six-pack that rose slightly as Matt breathed.
Jesus, he was so fucking sexy, so beautiful it seemed unreal.
Matt moved toward him again. His gaze turned more predatory as chaos erupted inside of Oliver—pain and confusion and lust…was that what he saw in Matt too? Lust was the missing piece?
His thoughts went haywire, snapping and buzzing with years of pent up energy. And then he was moving toward Matt too. He didn't know what they were doing, didn't know where it came from—at least on Matt's part—but the second they met in the middle of the room, their mouths crashed together. Matt's hand slid behind his head, cupped it with his fingers, tangled in Oliver's wet hair. Oliver's fingers locked onto Matt's lean hips, felt his hipbone press into his hand and he wanted to get on his knees and taste them. Wanted to lick and suck and explore every fucking inch of Matt's body with his tongue.
"What are we doing?" he asked when Matt's skillful mouth traveled down his throat.
Matt sucked on the spot where his neck met his shoulder, before he replied, "I don't know, Ollie. I just know…know that I need you right now."
He could hear Matt warring with himself, hear it in the rough edge to his voice. Feel it in the way his body tensed up when he said the word need. It wasn't easy for Matt to need anyone or anything, but Oliver would take on the fucking universe to make sure Matt had it. There wasn't a time in his life when he wouldn't, but this moment right here? He couldn't pretend this was just for Matt. Couldn't pretend he wasn't greedy for him, that the fire searing through him for Matt was based on anything more than his primal hunger for the man. To have him, take him, fuck him, even if it was only once. He'd wanted Matt for years, loved him since he was a kid—and as they stood in the middle of his room, Matt's hand running up and down his back, his cock pressed against Oliver's leg, he damn sure planned to have him. In that moment, he didn't give a shit about the consequences.
Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She's a hopeless romantic. A lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together. If she's not writing, you'll probably find her reading. Riley lives in California with her awesome family, who she is thankful for everyday.
Some of Riley's favorite books:
THE NOTHINGNESS OF BEN by Brad Boney
THE RETURN by Brad Boney
TWO BOYS KISSING by David Levithan
FAITH AND FIDELITY by Tere Michaels
She is also addicted to chocolate and pictures of sexy men. She spends way too much time playing on the internet.
Riley loves hearing from readers. You can contact her at rileyhartwrites at yahoo.com
Get New Release Alerts from Riley.
Riley on Twitter ~ Riley on Facebook
Riley's Amazon Page ~ Riley's Goodreads Page


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Chicago Tribune reporter John Chase talks about Rezko's friend and sponsor
Ernie Souchak, Editor-in-Chief
Trib reporter John Chase knows much about Dr. Ronald Michael, the mystery man pictured with George W. Bush at a fundraiser sponsored by Antoin "Tony" Rezko.
Chase told a source that Tony Rezko lived with the Michael family when he came to Chicago from Lebanon as a young man. Chase said that Michael was involved with Rezko in securing reconstruction contracts in Iraq. And, that Michael was trying to get Federal and Illinois state funding for a project involving property he owned in Iraq.
When pressed for details, Chase would not disclose where the monies would come from, nor for what purposes they'd be granted.
Chase was also the first to confirm that the "John Doe" filed lawsuit against the Sun Times was filed by Dr. Ronald Michael. Furthermore, Chase confirmed that Michael threatened to sue Chase and the Trib if he, Chase, outed him as Mr. Doe.
Michael's threat worked.
John Chase, who has much to tell about the mystery man who, according to Chase, gave convicted felon Tony Rezko his start in Chicago, has never told Tribune readers what he knows.
Oh, did we mention that Michael was on the Blagojevich $25,000 Donor Clout List? And that Michael's name also appeared on a list of possible appointees to the Illinois Health Planning Board with the initials "TR" next to it?
Michael was not appointed to the Planning Board, but his friends Dr. Fortunee Massuda, Dr. Michel Malek, and Dr. Imad Almanaseer were.
Michael followed the banking route instead, and that venture will cost the FDIC over $3,000,000. (Stand by, we'll have more on the bank thing later.)
Why would someone who purports to be a "journalist and author" leave out such relevant, interesting and important information from his articles and book?
John, you saving the good stuff for a screenplay, or what?
Meanwhile, the Valarie Plame story is falling apart. Who will have the most interesting story there - once-jailed New York Times journalist Judith Miller, or John Chase?
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I prepped my lids with Testimo Bright Up Eye Base, and then used my MAC #226 brush to sweep the beige shade over the browbone area. I prefer to use a brush for this step for a more sheer finish. Then I used the broad end of the sponge applicator to apply the blue shade in the crease and the thin end of the sponge applicator to line the upper and lower lashlines. As recommended in the instructions, I used the thin end of the sponge applicator to highlight the inner corners with the shimmmery cream shade. Then I finished by curling my lashes and applying the mascara.
The powder eyeshadows have good colour payoff and a lovely pearl glimmer without being frosty. The shades blend easily and complement one another quite well. I did not experience any fallout or oxidisation but there was some creasing at the inner corners after about seven hours of wear. The mascara is supposed to be blue black but I could not detect any blue tint after application. It held the curl well and did not flake or smudge. It contains fibres and builds decent length and volume easily with just a few strokes.
Overall, I liked both the palette and mascara which are of good quality at a very affordable price. The palette and mascara cost me only about S$17 and S$16 respectively, after the 35% drugstore discount.


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The increasingly incoherent national debate on immigration tends to polarize between "legal" and "illegal." Those two terms, in addition to being inherently arbitrary, mask the gradients of exploitation among immigrants who are living and working legally in various sectors. A study of women who came to the crab industry of Maryland's Eastern Shore on H2-B visas–the supposedly lucky ones who entered the country with the right papers–shows that abuse and oppression can fit comfortably within the confines of immigration law.
The report, published by Centro de los Derechos del Migrante and the International Human Rights Law Clinic at American University's Washington College of Law, examine the women's experiences both in their homeland and the U.S. and reveal what "legal" immigrant labor looks like today:
All of the women interviewed earned were paid a piece rate – typically $2.00 or $2.25 per pound of crabmeat picked. In order to earn the federal minimum wage of $7.25 over the course of a 40-hour workweek, a crab picker earning $2.00 per pound must pick 145 lbs of crabmeat per week, which requires handling over 200 crabs daily. Women who are unable to work with sufficient speed to earn the minimum wage are either sent home, or — in the case of more accommodating employers — are switched to an hourly wage rate…..
The majority of women interviewed — 54 percent — reported paycheck deductions for knives, gloves, and other basic tools and safety equipment. Many of the workers interviewed expressed confusion about the purpose of different deductions. Few regularly received paystubs….
The women interviewed universally reported experiencing cuts on their hands and arms while picking crabs with sharp knives. In some instances, the cuts allow a dangerous seaborne bacterium, vibrio vulnificus, to infect the skin, causing blistering or lesions. A surprising number of women reported either having suffered from or witnessing a co-worker suffer from the disease, which has a 50 percent mortality rate once it enters the bloodstream….
Several women interviewed were frustrated that the men hired to wash and clean the crabs earned more per hour and were given more hours than the women picking crabmeat.
Still, this is preferable to their trying to eke out a living in impoverished rural communities in Mexico. The cost of this opportunity includes debts from heavy (and illegal) recruitment fees, as well as the burden of being tied to one employer while they work in the U.S.
The findings, reflective of common practices in the two-tier guestworker system, underscore the absurdity of the threshold that defines "legal" work, and how easily employers can bend laws or ignore them altogether.
The report calls on state and federal authorities to reform labor and workplace safety policies and to provide better social services to migrants — the basic protections to which their work authorization should entitle them.
Legalization and a path to citizenship are crucial components of comprehensive immigration reform. But the government-sanctioned exploitation in the crab industry shows why rights activists balk at the concept of guestworker programs. While the "illegal" label dehumanizes immigrants, second-class legal status, perhaps even more dangerously, may paper over injustice, as long as the labor market takes inequality for granted.
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)


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For many men, getting an erection is as simple as breathing. But it's an incredibly complex process involving a precise sequence of psychological and physiological events that can easily go wrong. Here's how erections work — and how science is helping millions of men keep it up.
Back in 1992, the U.S. National Institutes of Health organized a conference on impotence. One of it's primary recommendations was to do away with the term itself, replacing it with the now standard "erectile dysfunction," or just ED.
Erectile dysfunction is defined as the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough to have satisfactory sexual intercourse, however you define that. It can describe a complete or inconsistent inability to achieve an erection, or a tendency to sustain only brief erections.
Today, the NIH estimates that ED affects some 30 million men in the United States alone. As is well known, incidence increases with age; about 4% of men in their 50s and nearly 17% of men in their 60s experience a total inability to achieve an erection. After the age of 75, it jumps to 47%. Given our aging population, this is quickly becoming a public health issue. ED can impact negatively on a man's well being, relationships, and quality of life. It's estimated that, by 2025, some 300 million men will experience ED.
From the Brain to the Sponge
To understand what causes it, and how doctors are treating ED, it's important to understand how erections work.
For centuries, scientists have understood that the two paired cylinders within the penis, the corpora cavernosa, when trapped with blood, are responsible for the rigidity of an erection. But as late as the 1980s, scientists still weren't sure how the blood became trapped within the penis in the first place.
Indeed, without some kind of mechanism to trap the blood that's released during the initial stage of the erection, the increased blood flow stemming from sexual arousal would just flow into the penis and then flow out through the veins, making the penis full — or tumescent — but never hard. Interesting, there's no other part of human anatomy with a draining system that allows blood to leave at one time and then change to a system where the blood is trapped at high pressures.
Today, scientists have solved the mystery through an increased understanding of the corpora cavernosa. The interior of these cylindrical structures are like a sponge, with cavernous spaces lined with smooth muscle.
As every man knows, an erection starts in the brain. Sensory or mental stimulation (i.e. sexual arousal) is followed by a burst of a brain chemical called nitric oxide which functions as a neurotransmitter.
Nitric oxide causes the smooth muscle enzyme guanylate cyclase to produce a messenger called cyclic guanine monophosphate (cGMP), which acts to increase the size of blood vessels carrying blood to the penis, and decrease the size of vessels carrying the blood out.
When the smooth muscles are relaxed, blood can flow in through the arteries and fill the spaces. This influx of blood creates pressure in the corpora cavernosa, making the penis expand. The tunica albuginea then acts like a trap door, keeping the blood in the corpora cavernosa, allowing for sustained erections.
The whole thing comes to an end when muscles in the penis contract to stop the inflow of blood and open the veins for blood outflow.
Potential Points of Failure
Decades ago, scientists figured that the majority of ED (upwards of 90% of cases, in fact) could be attributed to psychological factors, which was dubbed 'psychogenic impotence.' But we now know there's much more to ED than what's in your head.
Image: CPD
Needless to say, erections are a complex physiological and psychological process with many potential points of failure, including nerve impulses in the brain (nearly 20% of ED is of neurogenic origin), the spinal column, the area around the penis, and the response in muscles, fibrous tissues, veins, and arteries in and near the corpora cavernosa. Any of these areas of anatomy, and/or the precise sequence of events, when disrupted, can result in ED.
All sorts of classifications have been proposed for ED, some based on the psychological causes and some on the neurovascular and physical processes behind the erectile process.
Here's how the NIH breaks it down:
Typically, ED has an underlying physical cause, such as disease, injury, or the side effects of drugs. ED is often the result of injury to the nerves, or an impairment to how the blood flows to the penis.
The most common cause of ED is damage to nerves, arteries, smooth muscles, and fibrous tissues. This is often caused by a disease, including diabetes, high blood pressure, nerve damage, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, and heart disease. Lifestyle choices are also a contributing factor, such as smoking, alcohol, obesity, and not exercising. Certain surgeries, like radical prostate and bladder surgery for cancer, can also cause ED.
There are also hormonal factors to consider, namely low levels of testosterone.
Many common medicines also produce side effects that can cause ED, like blood pressure drugs, antihistamines, antidepressants, tranquilizers, appetite suppressants, and cimetidine (an ulcer drug).
There's also psychology to consider. ED can arise from feelings of stress, anxiety, guilt, depression, low self-esteem, and fear of sexual failure.
A Trove of Treatments
There are many treatment options, including psychotherapy, drug therapy, oral medications, injectable medications, vacuum devices, and surgery. Needless to say, treatment will depend on the underlying health condition. In many cases, such as heart disease or diabetes, the condition will need to be treated before treatment of ED can begin. And in some cases, treating the underlying cause resolves the problem of ED.
Changing Lifestyles
If ED is lifestyle related, men are typically asked to lose weight, give up smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, exercise, and reduce stress.
Doctors also recommend that some patients get treated psychologically, like behavioral therapy, to help decrease the anxiety associated with sex. Sometimes the patient's partner can help with the techniques.
Better Living Through Pharmacology
Medications are usually the first thing men are prescribed when coping with ED. In the late 1990s, the first effective medication, sildenafil (Viagra), became available. It was soon followed by similar drugs like vardenafil hydrochloride (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis). They've been nothing less than revolutionary in the treatment of ED.
These drugs are classified as phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors, and they're some of the most widely used and effective types of medication for treating ED. They work by temporarily increasing the blood flow to the penis. These drugs, which are taken just prior to sex, enhance erectile function during sexual stimulation by penetrating into smooth muscle cells and inhibiting PDE-5 — an enzyme that degrades CGMP (as noted, a compound that contributes to smooth muscle relaxation). Basically, PDE-5 increases relaxation of the smooth muscle, resulting in increased blood flow — and sustained erections.
Local Therapies
Both injectable and intraurethral agents have been around since the 1980s. Vasoactive drugs, when injected into the penis's erectile tissue, can help to initiate and maintain an erection. Examples include Intracavernosal Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1; Alprostadil), Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide and Phentolamine, and Papaverine.
But owing to the effectiveness of PDE-5 inhibitors, these are now considered second line therapies. That said, they're still useful for the 25-32% of men for whom PDE-5 inhibitors do not work or cause unwanted side-effects.
Vacuum Devices
These devices, called a vacuum constriction device (VCD), consist of a clear plastic tube that's connected to a pump, which is either hand or battery operated. The pumped-out air creates a vacuum, which in turn causes blood to rush into the penis, causing an erection. A rubber ring is then placed around the base of the penis to keep the blood in place. This can allow for an erection to last for about 30 minutes. It takes practice, but 9 out of 10 men are able to have sex, regardless of the cause of their ED.
If all else fails, there's also surgery to consider. A common procedure involves penile implants, either semi-rigid implants (suitable for older men who don't have regular sex) and inflatable implants (consisting of two or three parts that can be inflated to give a more natural erection). These surgeries are well established (being around since the 1970s), are expensive — but some 75% of men report satisfaction after getting it done. Regrettably, like with any surgery, penile implants can result in infections.
Future Therapies
Looking to the future, scientists speculate about novel ways of treating ED, including advanced pharmacotherapy, gene therapy (in which defective genes in the corporal tissue can be restored or the mutant gene antagonized), regenerative medicine (like nerve grafts), and a new drug called avanafil — a PDE5 inhibitor that's currently going through Phase III clinical trials (which is being seen as a viable substitute for men who can't take conventional PDE-5 inhibitors).
And last but not least, there's always spider venom to consider; studies have shown that the Tx2-6 toxin of the Phoneutria nigriventer spider facilitates an erection. Well, at least in rats. Tx2-6 could be important for development of new pharmacological agents for treatment of erectile dysfunction.
Additional reporting by Joseph Bennington-Castro.
Other sources: NIH | Why Men Fake it | NHS


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Enjoy our monthly web comic created for WoW pet collectors! We feature a new World of Petcraft strip on the first Sunday of each month.
About the Artist
Meaghan McLaughlin is an aspiring artist and the author of "Nerds Illustrated." You can enjoy more of her work here.
World of Petcraft #5
February 06, 2011
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5 Reasons to Worry About Next Week
The economy is showing signs of fumbling the recovery.
As we head into 2013 with the uncertainties of global economies and some tax increases, will anyone really be surprised if we all take a step back this year?
The news isn't just iffy on the macro level. There are also more than a few companies that aren't pulling their own weight in this supposed economic recovery.
There are still plenty of names posting lower earnings than they did a year ago. Let's go over a few of the companies that are expected to go the wrong way on the bottom line next week.
Latest-Quarter EPS (Estimated)
Year-Ago Quarter EPS
Apollo Group
Ruby Tuesday
Source: Thomson Reuters.
Clearing the table
Let's start at the top with Apollo Group.
For-profit secondary educators were market darlings during the early stages of the economic downturn. The allure of making oneself more employable through college degrees and specialty programs that could be completed online at reasonable price points made Apollo's virtual University of Phoenix campus an easy sell.
Well, it's been more of school of hard knocks these days. What began a couple of years ago as Apollo merely being chastised for its aggressive marketing tactics has snowballed into the country questioning the effectiveness of virtual classrooms. Low student loan repayment rates haven't helped.
With enrollment slipping, it isn't a surprise to see a scalable model faltering on the bottom line. Apollo has posted year-over-year declines on the bottom line for seven consecutive quarters. No one should be surprised to see that streak stretch to eight quarters when Apollo reports on Tuesday.
Ruby Tuesday has been a laggard in casual dining for some time. It seems to be the kind of restaurant chain that folks merely settle for when more popular operators are too busy.
Investors shouldn't be surprised when Ruby Tuesday posts a loss on Wednesday. This is a seasonal business, and the company's fiscal second quarter is always its least lucrative. Ruby Tuesday has posted a deficit in three of the five previous fiscal second quarters. However, the restaurant chain makes the cut this week because analysts see it losing twice as much money as it did a year earlier. You actually have to go back five years to find the last time that Ruby Tuesday posted a larger deficit than the $0.06 a share in red ink that the market's expecting here.
SUPERVALU has a lot to prove in 2013. It closed out 2012 by suspending the quarterly dividend that it had already cut two years earlier, closing down stores, and essentially putting itself up for sale. The battered grocer saw its stock shed more than two-thirds of its value last year, but it's not as if anyone is racing to approach SUPERVAU as a super value.
The good news here is that SUPERVALU remains profitable. Unfortunately, Wall Street sees the supermarket operator only earning a quarter of what it rang up a year earlier when it reports on Thursday.
Xyratex is a provider of enterprise data storage solutions. Corporate America isn't really cracking open its billfold to make big investments in IT, and the outlook is even gloomier in many overseas markets. After posting a chunky profit a year earlier, analysts see Xyratex posting a modest deficit. This is bad. Xyratex has only posted one quarterly loss in the past three years.
Finally, we have Infosys. The Bangalore-based provider of outsourced customer support and other IT services reports on Friday.
Infosys is often viewed as a way for companies to save money, so one would argue that it's somewhat recession-resistant. It's very profitable. Analysts see earnings of $0.72 a share in its latest quarter. However, that's 10% below what it rang up a year earlier. The good news for Infosys is that Wall Street does see revenue inching slightly higher. Infosys isn't losing its customers. Margins are what's being pressured, and that could be problematic if it stays that way.
Why the long face, short-seller?
These companies have seen better days. The market has rewarded many of these stocks with reasonable gains over the past year, but they still haven't earned those upticks. Lower earnings translates into higher earnings multiples, and nobody wants to see that happen.
The good news here is that Wall Street already expects these companies to deliver shrinking bottom lines. In other words, the bad news is already baked into the shares.
The more I think about it, the less worried I become.
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The article 5 Reasons to Worry About Next Week originally appeared on Fool.com.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Aristotle Munarriz has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. The Motley Fool owns shares of Supervalu. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Supervalu. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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Nadja Baxter suggested a last minute Blogger Challenge, to style ourselves for the Royal Wedding... as a Bride, or Bridesmaid, Member of the Bridal Party, or even as a guest. I went with the later, and though I have struggled with inspiration for blog posts lately, this one was perfect for me. So please join me!
The elegance of Donna Flora seems perfectly suited for day or night, Squinternet Larnia, the designer behind Donna Flora, weaves beautiful collections of Gowns, Dresses, Hats, Jewelry, Hair, and yes, even shoes. I was inspired to share one from her most recent footwear release, a full line of gorgeous sculpted shoes, most with foot sculpt and easy to use HUD. I am so proud of this first attempt at sculpting complete shoes by Larnia, many whose talents tend toward clothing or other wearables will opt to purchase pre-made sculpts for footwear, the new Donna Flora footwear marks an amazing leap forward in her personal skills and that is something to be proud of.
I combined an elegant lilac colored Milena Dress with cream colored jacket and oversized bow, trimmed in sweet beaded flowers. The jewelry Ginger also by Donna Flora is reminiscent of royal jewels, large stones in rich purple and diamonds adorn the ears and a large cocktail ring. The shoes, Lila in Ivory, are a soft satin traditional pump with ankle strap, a petaled flower adorns the heel for added glamour. I complemented the look with a hat from Paper Couture, and skin and eyes by PXL Creations.
Shopping information below, see you at the Nuptials!
Shoes: Donna Flora, Lila, Ivory.
Skin: PXL, Linda G3 Sunkissed, Pale Lips, DEB H P.Eyes: PXL, Linda G3, Sunkissed, Purple Eyes (Tattoo)
Hair: LeLutka, Eclat Hair, 02/Dark (Suntan).
Eyes: PXL, SOUL Eyes, Fate (Small) *NEW*
Dress: Donna Flora, Milena Dress, Lilac & Cream.
Hat: Paper Couture, Cream Silk Hat (Part of Complete Outfit)
Jewelry: Donna Flora, Ginger Set, Ring & Earrings Worn.
Clutch: Orta, Stella Clutch, Creme/Gold.
All poses by Exposeur.


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Vine Spacing
The role of Vine Spacing in Planting Grape Vines
Close spacing will decrease sun and wind exposure a bit, but will also stress the vines by making them compete for limited resources. A mechanized harvest will impact the vine spacing of a vineyard. In this case, vineyard rows must be far enough apart to give the harvesting machines enough space.
Vine spacing between rows is usually 6 to 12 feet. Spacing between vines is usually 6 to 8 feet. If vines are to close together, their collective canopy will shade grapes. Rows of quadrilateral cordon spur trained vines are spaced further apart than double cordon vines. The opposite cordons are usually 24 to 30 inches apart.
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Apr 21, 2012
Children's Books on Pinterest
But who should you follow on Pinterest to find the best picture books? These people!
Authors and Illustrators
Barbara Bietz
Bethany Roberts
Cheryl Rainfield
Debbie Ohi
FT Bradley
Irene Latham
Jennifer Thermes
Kate Messner
Katie Davis
Laurie Jacobs
Linda Gerber
Lizann Flatt
Lori Calabrese
Lori Degman
Mary Kay Carson
Mike Mullin
Renee LaTulippe
Sandra Mcleod Humphrey
Sarah Albee
Shelli Johannes-Wells
Story Connection
Tina Coury
Todd R. Tystad
Chronicle Books
HarperCollins Canada
HarperCollins Childrens
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books
Kids Can Press
Little, Brown and Company
Orca Book Publishers
Random House Kids
Tundra Books
100 Scope Notes
Alice in Baker Street
Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind
Book Bug
Book Chook
Bibliophilia, Please
Children's War
Gathering Books
Good Books for Young Souls
Gotta Book
Great Kid Books
Jean Little Library
Jen Robinson's Book Page
Julia's Book Bag
Kidlit Frenzy
Little Wooden Horse
Mac Library
Meg Writes!
Me! Perogies & Gyoza
No Time for Flashcards
Our Time in Juvie
Picture Book a Day
Playing by the Book
Pragmatic Mom
Reading Rumpus
Reading Tub
Secrets & Sharing Soda
Story Snoops
There's a Book
Waking Brain Cells
Wands and Worlds
Watch, Connect, Read
Welcome to my Tweendom
Yellow Brick Reads
Book Expo America
Children's Book Council
Kirkus Reviews
Picture Book Post
If your blog or publisher or other favourite kids book-related Pinterest board isn't listed here, please email me or leave a comment and I'll add it!
Edited 4/24:
Thanks so much for all the interest!
I have had a few inquiries on how to use Pinterest and as I am far from an expert I would like to direct people to the most recent Bloggiesta Pinterest minichallenge post.
Also, someone asked about whether or not there are keywords or hashtags used to identify children's books on Pinterest when using the search feature. I don't know of anything, but I think it is a good idea to use a keyword in your description to make it easier to search. How about kidlit like on Twitter?
26 comments:
What a good idea, I'll have to check out these links after work today :DReplyDelete
I'll also have to scan a few of my favourites in and pin them if I don't find them amongst these links.
This is a great resource. Thank you for setting it up!ReplyDelete
I second Jen above - great to have this list, and thank you for including me.ReplyDelete
Thanks for setting it up! I have a board from Welcome to My Tweendom. http://pinterest.com/mytweendom/welcome-to-my-tweendom/ReplyDelete
Hi! Thanks for doing this. I'd definitely add the people here. We also have a Pinterest Board, hope you can add us too:ReplyDelete
Thanks again. :)
Wow! This is great! Yes, I'd like to be added to Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/mylmnop Thank you again!ReplyDelete
Thanks! Nice to find them all in one place.ReplyDelete
Topsy Turvy Land
Thanks, this was a cool idea! I'm a children's lit blogger and librarian - my pintrest boards are generally library related http://pinterest.com/jeanlittlelib/ReplyDelete
Jennifer at Jean Little Library
I'm on Pinterest and I've proudly pinned my YA book, Blue Hill, and its trailer: http://pinterest.com/toddrtystad/ReplyDelete
Thanks for the list!
What a great list! We are new to Pinterest and any help finding like-minded pages is most welcome :-) Found several new folks to follow already.ReplyDelete
http://www.storysnoops.com or http://pinterest.com/storysnoops/
Children's Book Reviews from a parent's perspective.Replies
Thanks for including us!Delete
Wow, love this list. Thank you. I'm just getting started on Pinterest and this will help a whole lot.ReplyDelete
Wow thanks! I have a board set up for books for Little S but haven't really explored things further. I foresee this being damaging to my credit card ;)ReplyDelete
Thanks so much for this list. I'm new to both blogging and Pinterest and I'm still bumbling through both, but I'd love for you to add our website:ReplyDelete
My Pinterest id is under my name: Renee Cormier. Here is the link:
Thanks so much and have a great day! Renee
Thanks for posting this resource! All of this social media and sharing is daunting. How do you like Pinterest compared to, say Flickr or Tumblr? I signed up but haven't used it much yet. I find Tumblr a bit much, maybe I'll like Pinterest better. This is like a full time job: using and understanding all of these sites! Phew!ReplyDeleteReplies
Totally! I spend too much time on them. So much fun though!Delete
I think Flickr has its place and I use it for photo backup but I am not a pro so there's not much use for me in sharing photos I took. I love Pinterest because it is like a public bulletin board and I am a total nosy parker! I don't get Tumblr, I have to admit.
Genius idea! If you are still adding people to your list, I'd appreciate a mention :)ReplyDelete
Great list! Thanks for sharing.ReplyDelete
You can find me on pinterest, too!
Sorry I'm late coming over to the party from kidlitosphere yahoo group... Can you please add me?ReplyDelete
for my reviews (eventually all - still working on that!)
Thanks for doing this!
Thank you, what a great resource! I'm a children's book writer and have recently joined the fun at Pinterest. I'd love to be added to your list. Here I am at http://pinterest.com/bethanyjroberts/ReplyDelete


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I've had a lot of response about how helpful this idea has been, so I introduced the exercise to my seniors. With their permission I'm posting some their lists, they are both hysterical and prophetic. It is easy to see how a person's visual interests line up with what kinds of ideas they are drawn to, literally, in their work. Having this list in your studio is a way to remind you to connect your point of view conceptually to an object you enjoy creating.
Take a look and enjoy these lists from Maya Tatsukawa, Cord Luhrman, Ariella Elovic, Gretchen Oldelm, Chris Hohl, Miki Bird and Susie Kim.