text:
So we battled for three years to get rid of our $70,000 dollars in debt….so what! Here are the benefits that being debt free(besides the house) and the process of becoming debt free gave us.
Cash Flow – First and foremost, we got control of our money back. Instead of the bank requiring hundreds and thousands of dollars a month, that money was staying in our account.
Catharsis – I didn't see this one coming, but eliminating debt helped me to revisit and deal with some bad decisions I made in college. Instead of just chalking them up to youth, I was able to accept them, learn from them, and do something to positively change my life because of them.
Lower Risk – Not having any debt lowered our overall risk level. The prospect of losing income is not that scary anymore. With so few monthly payments, I could probably survive delivering pizza. Second, since we changed our spending and behavior patterns, the chances that we will find ourselves in financial trouble in the future are small.
Less Stress – Even though the debt we had was not very old, we still felt the stress of having it hang over our heads. Without debt the juggling act is gone. We aren't afraid to talk about our finances, and I know that our marriage and relationship has benefited from getting debt free.
Free Time – Along with the debt removal came much less time worrying about money. After a year or two, the system we were continually tweaking became second nature. I don't spent more than maybe a minute or two a day, and 30 minutes on a budget meeting each month. Not only was my money mine again, I was able to reclaim extra time each day.
Change of Values – The debt elimination process caused us to really think about what things were wants and which were needs. Things like clothes, new furniture, and vacations took a back seat to the things that we truly valued. Long term success and happiness became more important than indulging our immediate desires.
Freedom – Finally as the title of the blog suggests, the journey was designed to give us more freedom. Debt can be stifling, and it is amazing how many more possibilities you can see without debt clouding your vision. We are freer to take advantage of life opportunities as they come our way. Free to give more. Free to seek after the things we truly love. For example, my wife was able to drop down to 18 hours a week, when our son came along. She could have stayed at home full time, but she wanted to keep her foot in the professional world.
This result of getting out of debt isn't something I could have imagined before I could see the light at the end of the debt tunnel. If you are on the fence about the no debt thing, seriously give a try for a few months, completely eliminate some debts, and see if you notice your life changing. If you don't like, it will only take a few minutes to get back in debt again.
Let me know which of these ring true for you, and which ideas I am deluding myself on.


text:
Submitted by kamendra • November 1, 2012 www.themobileindian.com
HTC has lately been involved in making some really good looking devices that have been quite a trend amongst smartphone fans across the globe. The HTC One series devices in particular are among the best looking phones ever but HTC has changed this situation with the HTC Windows Phone 8X-its flagship Windows Phone 8 device.
- Category: Technology
- Tags: htc windows phone

subset: commoncrawl


text:
2004 Volkswagen Touareg English Owner's ManualThis PDF contains the complete 10 booklet manual for the 2004 Volkswagen Touareg in a downloadable PDF format. All text is selectable and searchable, complete with a Table of Contents linked to each booklet. Perfect for viewing on PCs, iPads, iPhones and Android devices.
Booklet Covers: (click covers to view larger)
Booklets Included:
Alphabetical Index, Maintenance, USA Warranty, Safety First, Controls and Operating Equipment, Telematics by OnStar, Premium 6 Monsoon, Tips and Advice, Technical Data, Driving Your Vehicle
Engines Covered:
3.2L V6 gasoline, 4.3L V8 gasoline, 4.9L V10 TDI Diesel
Back To The Homepage


text:
Latest News - March 5, 2005
Web Master:
Robin Mills
Latest News - March 5, 2005
|San Juan Bautista Mission 10 Mile Run - Feb 5, 2005
Penny, Robin, Maritza and Jim finishing at San Juan Bautista 10 mile Run.
We were also joined at San Juan Bautista with my colleagues Clive Rees and Daniel Burwitz from Adobe Norwich. Terri and Dennis, the Poje and Johnson families also came to cheer us over the line - and of course to enjoy lunch afterwards. The Mission Burger Bar is now under new management as "JJ's Burger Bar" - repainted, and brightened up. I'm sad to see the end of the "Biker Burger" - however JJ's new menu is just great. Thank's guys for your company.
|Nicholas 2nd Birthday
Feb 17, 2005
|Robin's birthday - 18 January
Burn's Night - 25 January
My friend and colleague Dr Robert Filippini has a little boy Nicholas. We were invited over to the family home in Sunnyvale to celebrate Nicholas' 2nd Birthday. Geri cooked us dinner and we were all entertained by Nicholas. Joining us were The MacBride's, Huang's and Fiala's. Thank you Geri and Robert.
|And coming up...
The big events of 2005 will be the weddings. First our niece Fiona's to be married in May in Houston, Texas. Then of course our son Alan in England in August. So we're looking forward to these occasions.
Page design © 1996-2005 Robin Mills / email@example.com
Last Modified: Saturday March 5, 2005


text:
All the best: Vicki Hawthorne on her faourite things
The 38-year-old is UTV's business correspondent. She lives in Bangor with her husband Andrew Maybin, MD of Tibus, an internet services company and their son, Connor (4).
My best moment
That has to be the birth of my son, four years ago. Being a mum is the best thing I have ever done even though I didn't think I would say that before Connor was born. He's great craic at the age he is now and I'm even starting to see myself in him.
My best way to relax
I'm very lucky in that I have a husband who cooks a lot, so to relax there's very little that beats a home-cooked meal with friends on a Friday night.
My best advice
Always make sure your camera person is fed and keep biscuits in your handbag. This has been the first bit of advice given to me by every camera person that I have ever worked with.
My best job
It's a real privilege being part of the UTV team. I first joined in 2005 and also worked for Sky News for a couple of years before returning in 2014.
My best song
Relight My Fire by Take That. It's an oldie, but it's guaranteed to get me and my girlfriends from school up on to the dance floor.
My best gift
The night before I graduated, my parents gave me a pair of small diamond earrings. It was a complete surprise and a lovely thoughtful gift from them.
My best achievement
Covering lots of stories live for Sky News as the Ireland correspondent. It's an amazing job to have done — and I was very lucky that UTV's managing director Michael Wilson gave me the courage and encouraged me to go for the job. It was a tough post but it armed me with the most invaluable experience.
My best buy
It's not very exciting, but I couldn't be without my iPhone. I rely on it a lot because you can use them for a lot. I take photos and video for the website and I even record voice reports, which can be sent on to the studio, so they can work on it while I get back.
My best film
If you mean the most watched, then it's certainly Toy Story 3 — but that's because of my son. If I had the control of the DVD player then it would be anything from The Shawshank Redemption, which I've watched loads of times, to Pretty Woman if I need a girlie night.
My best book
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It blew me away — it makes you laugh and cry. I've also read Go Set A Watchman, which was written first despite being promoted by the publisher as a sequel. The book had its critics but I really enjoyed finding out what story inspired To Kill A Mockingbird.
Belfast Telegraph


text:
Your necklace had been broken for so long but you are stilling having its beads? There is lots of cloth and leather scrap and you are thinking to get rid of it? If the answer to both of this question … Read More
22 DIY Metallic Accessories To Dress Up Your Outfit
Jewelry is one of the important or you can say an integral part of the women's wardrobe helping them to look more charming and gorgeous. But when it is to dress up for a prom or for the special night … Read More
29 DIY Bracelets Design
The girls are crazy for fashion and glam. Trendy clothes, funky accessories and up to date shoes they owe all of them just to look fabulous and stand out than the other girls. And their glam look is … Read More
20 Crochet Earrings Ideas
Crochet is a great art and would let you enjoy a lot of amazing and functional lay outs if you learn this art. If you think only the sweaters, hats or mittens can are to crochet then you really need … Read More
22 Awesome DIY Recycled Jewelry
A wardrobe of a girl is incomplete with some glam pieces of jewelry in it. Jewelry has been woman's companion for a way long time and since then its sole purpose has been enhancing the personality and … Read More
18 DIY Colorful Bracelets
Jewelry is the most adorable possession for any women around the world. Their dress up is not complete if they have not put some jewelry pieces on. That is why you can witness a huge collection of … Read More
6 DIY Stylish And Easy Bracelets
Bracelets are just good friends of your forearms and now everybody around is wearing some kind of bracelet to make his surrounding people know to his individual taste, religion and personality! … Read More
6 DIY Easy Handmade Jewelry Ideas
Jewelry has been women's most desired possession form the old times to now. You don't need to buy expensive jewelry of gold and silver to look gorgeous, you can make your own dream piece of jewelry … Read More


text: Biomass energy works in humans and animals at the point of consumption. At conumption point, biomass energy is converted into energy via a few different ways. One of the ways biomass is converted into energy is by burning it to create electricity. Another way that energy works by biomass conversion is through its use as fuel. A popular biomass fuel being considered is EA Ethanol, a naturally occuring chemical component found in corn.


text: I'm a UPS employee & I figured I'd ship a package up to Sheffield, MA through brown. UPS correct center is Pittsfield, MA. It wound up in Shrewsbury, MA and its been stuck there for three days. The wrong center is supposed to process an "internal intercept" on the item for this weekend, according to correspondence from the channels I reached out to as an employee and UPS support. Nothing has updated since the weekend. I'm praying I don't get the ol' "your package is a day delayed because of our mess" b/s Lol


text:
I don't know if the online writing community planned it this way, but May is a kick ass month for short stories. Must be the weather. Everyone's been hard at work for the last four months, holed up in their apartments, toiling away at the desk. Spring is the time to reveal all the madness you've been ruminating on over the winter. However, that argument is a bit dissolved up here in New York, where it's 50 degrees out. And that sort of weather just doesn't make any sense.
SSM (looks real dirty in acronym form) is in full swing over at EWN with an in-depth analysis of Alyson Hagy's "Brief Lives of the Trainmen" which I have not read but looks interesting as all get-out.
Meanwhile over at Everyday Genius, Annalemma contributor and force-of-nature, Amelia Gray has been kicking ass for the past four days by producing work under the restrictions and restraints offered up by Adam Robinson.
Also, while I can't find it on their website, the new issue of PANK apparently went live yesterday. Some great offerings this month by the likes of past Annalemma contributors Aubrey Hirsch and Ryan W. Bradley, as well as impressive work from Shanna Germain and Nancy Carroll Moody. But the one that really rocked my world was Kyle Minor's piece. Mainly because it hit so very close to home with some of my past writing. Applause and ouch, all at the same time.
Some amazing things to read this month, so for those of you that just read this blog and no other writing online (I know you exist, I spoke with you recently) then I suggest you explore the world of strange delights known as the online writing and publishing community. This is your challenge for the month of May!


text:
This is a ultra realistic Yamaha YZF-R1 motorcycle paper model from yamaha motor. And there is also the Accessory Kit for this papercraft. The Accessory Kit includes Tool box, Engine oil, Maintenance chemicals, Rear tire, Stand and Wall surface. There is another Yamaha YZF-R1 paper model on this site but it is a 2007 version: Yamaha YZF-R1 2007 Version Papercraft
You can download this yamaha motorcycle paper model from here: Yamaha Papercraft - Yamaha YZF-R1 and Accessory Kit Motorcycle Free Download [YZF-R1] [Accessory Kit]
For more yamaha papercraft please visit the topic: Yamaha Papercrafts Topic


text:
Photo and Commentary by Drew Johnson
Lobster traps in Beverly are immortal and represent Beverly throughout time. It shows that Beverly is on the coast and has a big seafood industry. It also shows how much the ocean affects us on a daily basis. The ocean creates a great atmosphere during the summer and also lessons the snowfall during the winter. Beverly housing prices have skyrocketed because of people wanting to get close to or on the water. I feel that the ocean and the lobster and seafood industry in Beverly will always be a big deal and will hold the test of time. People have been lobstering here since Europeans first arrived, so I see no change in that. Also, the appeals of the ocean will always be there and be the most important thing about Beverly. To sum it up, this postcard will stand the test of time because the ocean and the seafood industry will always be a big part of Beverly.
This picture of lobster traps also contains an intersection because it holds a double meaning in Beverly. I choose the lobster traps as I have said because it represents the ocean, which is a huge part of where we live. However, these lobster traps also represent Beverly as a city. Many people who move into Beverly never leave and are trapped here because the love it so much. Many of my friends' parents have all lived in Beverly their entire lives and raised their kids here. Therefore, I feel that this picture represents the ocean we live near and the city that traps many people to live here their whole lives.


text:
Many organisations are looking to completely dispense with corporate-owned client hardware and shift towards an almost complete bring-your-own-device (BYOD) model over the next decade, according to Kimber Spradlin, an information security specialist and senior director at security software company Moka 5.
"We have organisations come to us, saying that five years from now they don't want to make another end-user hardware purchase. They want to be out of the hardware management business entirely and just manage the life-cycle of the data, and protect the data and the corporate workspace," said Spradlin.
Speaking at Computing's Enterprise Mobility Summit 2014, Spradlin said that the iPhone and iPad had shifted staff mindsets over IT – and that increasing numbers of companies were looking to take advantage of this.
"Five or 10 years ago, we talked in security about bring-your-own laptops and we all laughed. No one thought that would ever happen because users didn't want to pony up, to bear such an expense themselves. Then all of a sudden, the iPhone and iPad came along and users became adjusted to the idea of owning that device and carrying it from job to job," said Spradlin.
This coincides with a fundamental shift from managing devices towards managing the applications, data and corporate information, according to Dragan Pendic, chief security architect at drinks giant Diageo.
That means that organisations need to be better than ever at the old-fashioned practice of information management, said Pendic. "It means, how good you are at labelling and classifying data; how good you are at managing the lifecycle of information in your organisation. If you're bad in these areas, mobility will make things even worse," he said.
However, outside of the public sector, particularly the most tightly regulated disciplines, many organisations have been particularly poor at implementing the practices and processes required to underpin a robust information management strategy.
Indeed, for many in profit-making organisations, the grind of working out classification schemas and applying them has always been hard work.


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Jun 23, 2009
|Filing date
|Apr 25, 2002
|Priority date
|Apr 25, 2002
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Charles A. Green, William H. Wahl, Arto Cinoglu
|Original Assignee
|Fonar Corporation
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (34), Referenced by (5), Classifications (10), Legal Events (5)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
The present invention relates to the art of magnetic resonance imaging.
In magnetic resonance imaging ("MRI"), the body of a subject to be imaged as, for example, the body of a medical patient, is subjected to a strong static magnetic field. Radio frequency ("RF") excitation signals are applied to the subject. This causes the tissues of the subject's body to emit minuscule radio frequency signals referred to herein as "magnetic resonance signals." During the procedure, magnetic field gradients are applied so that, during different portions of the procedure, the strength of the static magnetic field varies with distance along various axes. The resulting magnetic resonance signals are spatially encoded. Thus, the magnetic resonance signals typically are generated only in a limited region as, for example, a single point, a line or a two dimensional "slice." Moreover, the signals from different portions of a line or a slice differ in frequency or phase from one another. If the procedure is repeated numerous times, it is possible, using known techniques, to recover an image data set having data elements, each representing one or more properties of the magnetic resonance signals generated within a single, small volume element or "voxel." Because properties of magnetic resonance signals vary with the composition of the material generating the signal, the signals generated by different tissues within the body will differ from one another. Thus, data elements representing voxels in different tissues will have different values. Such a data set can be used, for example, to provide a visually perceptible image such as a screen display or a printed picture showing different tissues within the body with different brightness or color.
Magnetic resonance imaging offers numerous advantages over other imaging techniques such as conventional x-ray imaging, fluoroscopy and CAT x-ray scanning. For example, MRI is capable of showing soft tissues in extraordinary detail and is capable of displaying subtle anatomical differences. Moreover, MRI does not require exposure of the subject or medical personnel to ionizing radiation.
Many conventional magnetic resonance imaging instruments require that a patient lie on a horizontal bed that is then advanced into a tubular bore within a superconducting solenoidal magnet used to generate the static magnetic field. Other conventional MRI imaging instruments use a magnet having a ferromagnetic frame defining a patient-receiving space. Considerable effort has been devoted to design of such magnets in a manner which provides a relatively open patient-receiving space, as opposed to the claustrophobic tubular bore of the conventional solenoidal magnet. However, in these instruments as well, it has been the common practice to provide the patient on a bed which remains horizontal throughout the procedure.
It is often desirable to provide fixtures in close proximity to the patient. For example, local antennas such as small solenoidal coils can be placed around a part of the patient's body to be imaged as, for example, around the head or around a limb of the patient. These antennas can be used to transmit the RF excitation signals, to receive the magnetic resonance signals emitted by the tissue, or both. Such local antennas allow improved reception of signals from the specific region of interest within the patient's body. Other fixtures can be used for purposes such as supporting or positioning parts of the patient's body relative to the table as, for example, a rest for supporting the patient's head or limb. Typically, these fixtures are simply placed on the surface of the bed at the desired location for a particular patient, or are placed on the patient's body so that the fixture will be supported by the bed surface when the patient lies on the bed surface. These arrangements are satisfactory where the bed remains in a horizontal position at all times.
As described in greater detail in copending, commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/978,084 and 09/718,946, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein, a magnetic resonance imaging system can be provided with a patient support such as a table which can extend in a generally vertical direction so that the long axis of the patient is substantially vertical. For example, the patient may be in a standing posture, with his back, side or front leaning against a generally vertical patient support. Such a support may include a footrest projecting from the table at its lower end and the patient may stand on the footrest. In other arrangements, the support includes a seat projecting from the table so that the seat is in a horizontal plane when the table surface is vertical. In particularly preferred arrangements, the patient support can move relative to the magnet. For example, the patient support may be arranged to move vertically relative to the magnet so as to elevate a portion of the patient into the patient-receiving space of the magnet. Alternatively or additionally, the patient support may be arranged to tilt through a range of orientations between a generally horizontal orientation and a generally vertical orientation.
Where the patient support table is in a generally vertical orientation during all or a portion of the procedure, fixtures positioned on the surface of the support will fall off of the support unless they are secured to the surface. Although the fixtures can be secured to the support using devices improvised for a particular application, as, for example, straps or tape, such arrangements do not offer a complete solution. Accordingly, there has been a need for improved apparatus for positioning fixtures in magnetic resonance apparatus, and for magnetic resonance apparatus incorporating such improved positioning apparatus.
One aspect of the present invention provides a magnetic resonance imaging system which includes magnetic resonance apparatus having a structure including elements defining a patient-receiving gap and also including a patient support moveable relative to the structure through a range of support positions. The imaging system according to this aspect of the invention desirably includes a fixture positioning apparatus and a fixture. The fixture positioning apparatus is operative to secure the fixture to the patient support and to permit adjustment of the fixture relative to the patient support over a range of fixture positions. Most preferably, the range of fixture positions allowed by the fixture positioning apparatus is limited so that for any position of the fixture within the range of fixture positions, the fixture will remain clear of the elements of the structure defining the gap during movement of the patient support. A system according to this aspect of the invention provides adjustability of the fixture as required to meet patient needs, but also provides significant safety benefits. The fixture positioning apparatus prevents the technician from accidentally setting the position of the fixture relative to the support in such a manner that movement of the support will cause the fixture to crash into the gap-defining structure of the magnet.
Typically, the support has a longitudinal direction. The support may be positioned or positionable in an orientation such that the longitudinal direction of the support extends generally vertically. The range of support positions may include a range of movement in the longitudinal direction of the support. The support typically has a pair of longitudinal edges extending in the longitudinal direction. The range of fixture positions afforded by the fixture positioning apparatus most preferably includes a range of positions in a lateral direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. Desirably, the range of positions in the lateral direction is limited so that, for any position of the fixture within this range of positions in the lateral direction, the fixture is disposed entirely between the longitudinal edges of the patient support.
Preferably, the fixture positioning apparatus includes a mounting unit and one or more mount attachments which connect the mounting unit to the patient table, as well as a fixture-receiving unit adapted to engage the fixture. The fixture-receiving unit is adjustable relative to the mounting unit and preferably is adjustable relative to the mounting unit in the lateral direction, so as to provide the adjustability discussed above. In a particularly preferred arrangement, the patient support of the magnetic resonance imaging system includes one or more support tracks extending in the longitudinal direction of the support and the mount attachments include one or more guide elements arranged to engage the support tracks so that the mounting unit can be adjusted relative to the patient support in the longitudinal direction. The mount attachments desirably also include one or more arresting elements engaged with the mounting unit and with the patient support, so as to arrest the movement of the mounting unit relative to the patient support. Most preferably, the fixture-receiving unit includes a releasable connection which releasably holds the fixture to the fixture-receiving unit, so that the fixture can be removed. One or more additional fixtures can be provided, and the releasable connection of the fixture-receiving unit is arranged to engage any of the fixtures. Thus, the fixtures are interchangeable. The additional fixtures may be of different configurations to meet different patient needs.
A further aspect of the invention provides fixture-positioning apparatus for use in a magnetic resonance imaging system as discussed above. The fixture-positioning apparatus according to this aspect of the invention desirably includes a mounting unit and one or more mount attachments adapted to connect the mounting unit to a patient support of a magnetic resonance apparatus. The fixture-positioning apparatus further includes a fixture-receiving unit adapted to hold a fixture. The fixture-receiving unit and the mounting unit desirably are engagable with one another, so that the fixture-receiving unit can be adjusted over a range of positions relative to the mounting unit. This allows adjustment of the fixture held in the fixture-receiving unit relative to the patient support, as discussed above. The mounting unit desirably defines a track direction, and the mount attachments are arranged to secure the mounting unit to the patient support, so that the track direction is transverse to the direction of elongation of the support. The fixture-receiving unit desirably is slideable in the track direction relative to the mounting unit when the fixture-receiving unit is engaged with the mounting unit.
The fixture-receiving unit and mounting unit desirably have stops engagable with one another, so as to limit the position of the fixture-receiving unit in the track direction. The fixture-receiving unit may be adapted to hold a fixture in the form of a coil so that the axis of the coil extends transverse to the track direction and, hence, extends in the longitudinal direction of the patient support when the unit is assembled with the patient support. Preferably, the fixture-receiving unit defines a cradle having an axis disposed transverse to the track direction and also includes one or more releasable latches arranged to engage corresponding features on coils or other fixtures. In a particularly preferred arrangement, detents are provided for holding the fixture-receiving unit at predetermined locations within its range of motion in the track direction.
The preferred positioning apparatus and magnetic resonance systems in accordance with these aspects of the present invention provide secure attachment of fixtures to the patient support and are operable with the support in a vertical orientation, as well as other orientations such as a horizontal orientation, a Trendelenburg orientation in which the head end of the fixture, with the patient's head is lower than the foot end, and intermediate orientations. The most preferred structures in accordance with these aspects of the invention provide the versatility needed to accommodate a wide range of procedures using various fixtures disposed in various locations, and also provide for quick changes of fixtures and positions. Moreover, the preferred apparatus and systems according to these aspects of the invention provide significant safety benefits.
A further aspect of the invention provides methods of operating a magnetic resonance system. A method according to this aspect of the invention desirably includes the steps of positioning a first fixture on a patient support of a magnetic resonance apparatus using a fixture positioning apparatus and adjusting the position of the fixture relative to the patient support by adjusting the fixture positioning apparatus. Preferably, the method also includes the step of moving the patient support within a range of support positions between a pair of magnet elements defining a gap. Most desirably, the fixture positioning apparatus limiting the position of the fixture after completion of the adjusting step so that the fixture does not interfere with the pair of magnet elements during the step of moving the patient support. Methods according to this aspect of the invention may include the further step of disengaging the fixture from the fixture positioning apparatus and replacing the fixture with another fixture. The adjusting and moving steps can be repeated using the new fixture.
A positioning apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a mounting unit 20 (
As depicted in
A fixture-receiving unit 50 (
A latch 66 projects into slot 64. The latch has a gradually sloping face facing toward the open end of slot 64. Latch 66 is carried on a resilient spring arm 68, seen in broken lines in
A pair of plates 80 and 82 projects upwardly from the base plate 52 and extend between end risers 60 and 62. Plates 80 and 82 are spaced inwardly from edges 54 and 56 of the base plate 52. Thus, a region of the base plate between first edge 54 and plate 80 defines a first lip 84, whereas another portion of the base plate between plate 82 and second edge 56 defines another lip 86. Plates 80 and 82 have semicircular indentations 88 and 90 in their top edges so that these plates cooperatively define a cradle in the form of a sector of a circular cylinder having a cradle axis 92. The cradle axis extends transverse to the edges 54 and 56 of the base plate and, hence, transverse to the direction of elongation of the base plate.
As best seen in
As seen in
Stop 49 of the mounting unit is disposed within slot 58 of the base plate. The stop limits the range of travel of the fixture-receiving unit relative to the mounting unit. At one extreme, the first end riser 60 of the fixture-receiving unit is aligned with the end of mounting unit 20 towards the top of the drawing in
As shown in
The coil is engaged with the fixture-receiving unit 50 by positioning the coil as shown in
The coil is encompassed within the length of the fixture-receiving unit 50 in the track direction 40. That is, the coil is disposed between end risers 60 and 62. As pointed out above, the range of motion of the fixture-receiving unit relative to the mounting unit is limited so that the fixture-receiving unit remains entirely within the length of mounting unit 20 in the track direction. Therefore, the coil also will remain entirely within the length of the mounting unit 20.
The fixture-positioning apparatus is employed in conjunction with a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus 120 (
Patient support 130 is associated with a carriage 138 and drive at 140 arranged to move the patient support 130 in its direction of elongation and to tilt the support between the vertical condition illustrated and a horizontal condition (not shown) in which the patient-receiving surface 132 and longitudinal direction 134 are generally horizontal.
As seen in greater detail in
The fixture-positioning apparatus, with or without a fixture thereon, can be engaged with the patient support 130 of the MRI apparatus by placing the positioning apparatus against the patient-receiving surface 132 so that the bottom surface 24 of mounting unit 20 (
In the assembled condition, the mounting unit and, hence, the rest of the fixture-positioning assembly and the fixture are held firmly to the patient support. Also, in this condition, the mounting unit is constrained against movement relative to the table in the lateral direction, transverse to the longitudinal direction 134 of the patient support. The track direction 40 of the guide unit (
The technician can position the fixture readily, without the use of tools. The fixture can be repositioned as desired for a particular procedure. For example, as seen in
Because the fixture or coil 94, and the entire fixture-positioning apparatus, including mounting unit 20 and fixture-positioning unit 50, are entirely disposed within the width of the patient support 130 between longitudinal edges 136, these components do not impede movement of the patient support 130. These components cannot collide with the gap-defining elements 124 of the magnet.
The same fixture-positioning apparatus, including mounting unit 20 and fixture-receiving unit 50, can be used to mount other fixtures. For example, as seen in
The components of the fixture-positioning assembly desirably are formed from non-metallic materials as, for example, polymers such as acetal, commonly sold under the trademark Delrin, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, commonly sold under the trademark Lexan, acrylic, commonly sold under the designation Plexiglass, or fiber-reinforced polymers such as that sold under the designation G10, or wood.
Numerous variations and combinations of the features discussed above can be utilized without departing from the present invention. For example, although only one fixture-positioning assembly is illustrated in
As discussed above, gravity tends to hold the detent bumps 48 (
In a further variant, the detent arrangement may be omitted entirely and an appropriate brake or grasp mechanism may be provided on the fixture-positioning unit or on the mounting unit for locking the fixture-receiving unit to the mounting unit at any position along the track. Also, a screw may be provided on one unit and engaged with the mating unit so that the position of the fixture-receiving unit in the track direction can be adjusted by turning the screw. In all of these variants, it is desirable to provide stops to limit the range of motion of the fixture-receiving unit relative to the mounting unit as described above.
The elements which mount the fixture to the fixture-receiving unit, such as the blocks 106 (
In the embodiments discussed above with reference to
A system in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention includes a patient support 230 in the form of an elongated table having a patient-receiving surface 232, lateral edges 236 and a direction of elongation 234 similar to the corresponding features of the patient support 130 discussed above with reference to
The fixture-positioning apparatus also includes fixture attachment elements 204 (
Every other set of holes 202 spaced apart from one another by twice DR constitutes another set of support attachment elements which can receive the fixture attachment elements 204 on the first fixture 206. Thus, fixture 206 can be positioned at any one of many locations by engaging the fixture attachment elements or pins 204 on the first fixture with any similar set of support attachment elements or holes 202. For example, first fixture 206 can be positioned at position 206′ shown in broken lines in
The system desirably includes one or more additional fixtures, such as a second fixture 208 (
The pins 204 are arranged to engage securely in holes 202. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the pins 204 are tapered, and each hole 204 has a mating taper. This arrangement may be similar to the common Morse taper fittings used in machine shop practice. In other variants, pins 204 can be provided with threads, and holes 202 may have mating threads. In yet another variant, the pins may be equipped with expansible elements or latches that can be engaged with mating fixtures around each hole 204. Essentially, any arrangement of mutually engagable parts which provides a secure attachment can be employed. In an alterantive arrangement, the engageable elements can include strips of a hook and loop fastener on the fixture and on the patient support, these being arranged so that the range of fixture positions relative to the support is limited.
In yet another variant, the support can define a multiplicity of tracks similar to the track 46 defined by the mounting unit discussed above with reference to
In a still further variant, a fixture-positioning unit as discussed with reference to
As these and other variations and combinations can be employed, the foregoing description of the preferred embodiments should be taken by way of illustration rather than by way of limitation of the invention as defined by the claims.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Nov 10, 1983
|Dec 16, 1986
|General Electric Company
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|Jun 7, 1988
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|Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus
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|Jul 24, 1990
|U.S. Philips Corporation
|Magnetic resonance apparatus with uncoupled rf coils
|Aug 11, 1989
|Nov 6, 1990
|Picker International, Ltd
|Magnetic resonance methods and apparatus
|Oct 14, 1988
|Jan 15, 1991
|Picker International, Inc.
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|Jun 30, 1989
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|Jul 12, 1989
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|Diasonics, Inc.
|Lithotripsy system
|Oct 30, 1987
|Feb 4, 1992
|The Regents Of The University Of California
|Adjustable holders for magnetic reasonance imaging rf surface coil
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|Board Of Regents Of Univ. Of Nebraska
|NMR pelvic coil
|Dec 4, 1991
|Sep 27, 1994
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|Apparatus and method for use in medical imaging
|Oct 12, 1993
|Dec 5, 1995
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|Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus
|Jun 1, 1994
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|Circularly polarizing local antenna arrangement with a movable antenna
|Nov 24, 1993
|May 28, 1996
|Technology Funding Secured Investors Ii
|Positioning device for producing movement in the shoulder
|May 31, 1995
|Jun 24, 1997
|Bonutti; Peter M.
|Method of imaging a patient's cervical spine
|Jul 8, 1996
|Oct 28, 1997
|General Electric Company
|Modular subject positioning system for medical imaging
|Mar 15, 1996
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|Surgical procedure with magnetic resonance imaging
|Jun 1, 1995
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|Method of imaging an ankle of a patient
|Dec 5, 1996
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|Method and device for positioning a patient for the diagnosis of herniated lumbar disc disease
|May 3, 1996
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|Surgical operating table accessory for shoulder procedures
|Jul 8, 1997
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|Shimadzu Corporation
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|Sequential imaging apparatus
|Aug 12, 1999
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|Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging apparatus having a magnetic structure that oscillates about an axis
|Dec 22, 1998
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|Ge Yokogawa Medical Systems, Limited
|Diagnostic system with a chair and table movable on rails provided on vertical magnets thereof
|Feb 21, 2001
|Jul 2, 2002
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|MRI magnet with enhanced patient entry and positioning
|Apr 12, 2002
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|MRI coil and MRI apparatus
|Title not available
|Title not available
|Title not available
|Title not available
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Dec 28, 2011
|Nov 25, 2014
|Aspect Imaging Ltd.
|Cage in an MRD with a fastening/attenuating system
|Jun 29, 2010
|Sep 20, 2016
|Aspect Imaging Ltd.
|Cage in an MRD with a fastening/attenuating system
|Jun 29, 2016
|Aug 15, 2017
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|Fonar Corporation
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|Dec 28, 2011
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|Aspect Magnet Technologies Ltd.
|Cage in an mrd with a fastening/attenuating system
|U.S. Classification
|600/415, 5/617
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Jul 16, 2002
Owner name: FONAR CORPORATION, NEW YORK
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:GREEN, CHARLES A.;WAHL, WILLIAM H.;CINOGLU, ARTO;REEL/FRAME:013087/0948
Effective date: 20020701
|Feb 4, 2013
|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Mar 15, 2013
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Mar 15, 2013
|Surcharge for late payment
|Aug 29, 2016
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8


text:
Update (and future plans) on CADIS. the next generation portal, a gateway now, is under development it should be in beta by October should go live in December, replacing the present portal the gateway will have enhanced search capabilities
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.
Update (and future plans) on CADIS


text:
Product or Service
led ceiling light
Profile:Manufacturer - Producer|Ref:PSL116227YH | Country: China | Currency: | Export: No
Model No.: US-SL036-GU10-3X2W
Size: Φ 50*H80mm
Power: 6W
Input Voltage: AC100-240V
Frequency: 50-60Hz
Driver Efficiency: >80%
Power factor: >0.79
LED Color: WW/CW/R/G/B/Y
Temperature: <65 degree Celsius
LED Luminous Efficiency: CW 40LM/W, WW 33LM/W
Initial Flux: 240Lm± 10%(CW), 198LM± 10%(WW)
LED Quantity: 3*2W PCS
Color Temperature: 2700-3200k, 5500-6500K
Beam Angle: 15 30 60 80 degree
CRI: Ra>75
Net weight: 65g
Life Span: 50000Hr
Material: Aluminium
Lampholder: GU10(E27/E14/MR16 Choose)
*Product Characteristics:
1. LED spotlight with high energy saving and light efficiency;
2. Low-power consumption, long life time;
3. The LED color spectrum, there is no UV light no IR rays.
4. No strobe flashing work under DC.
5. Cold light source, no UV, no heat radiation; A kind of green light source with no mercury which is harmful to the environment and health;
6. Long life up to 50000 hours 50 times than the tradition incandescent light.
7. Aviation Magnesium Alloy and Aluminium Alloy Harder texture, lighter weight, and better heat dispersion;
8. With various universal standard bases can replace the halogen, incandescent and flurescent lamp directly.
9. High power spotlight With the certifications, CE RoHS.
Contact the company


text:
- Home
- Trips
- Rafting
- Fishing
- Rock Climbing
- Guide Training
- Kayaking
- Directions and Maps
- Waivers
- Rental
- FAQs
- Contact
Consider a few things when choosing a rafting trip:
Our helpful staff is happy to answer any questions and help you choose the best trip to make your rafting adventure the highlight of your Colorado vacation.
A FULL CHANGE of dry clothes and towel for after your trip. Your sunglass strap retainer. We sell a ton of them, but we know you already have at least one somewhere! We provide action photographs for viewing/ purchase of your group rafting after the trip. You should also bring along any prescribed medication you may require such as epi-pens or asthma inhalers, and have a chat with your guide about your needs. Anything you bring on the raft will get wet and could be lost, so we recommend leaving all valuables such as jewelry, cellphones and other electronics at home or in your car. We will check your cars keys in a the front desk once you are ready to head to the river with us.
Please do not bring pets. Our parking areas do not have adequate shade to keep your furry friends cool in the hot summer sun.
All participants (and a Parent or Legal Guardian, if participant is a minor) are required to sign an Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risks and Release and Indemnity Agreement before participating, and understand that they assume responsibility and liability in the event of an injury or other loss. Click here to download a copy of our waiver.
Any medical or mental condition or physical disability should be disclosed on the Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risks and Release and Indemnity Agreement. In addition please advise your guide/trip leader prior to your trip. Rafting is not recommended for persons with serious medical conditions or pregnant women.


text:
__From OOM:
ECOE: Dear Dinar Enthusiasts, We're about to see the 12 remaining hours of the 48-hour window so many have depicted as the time frame for us to see the final chapter of the world's economic reset unfold.
ECOE: By 9:00 AM EST tomorrow, Wednesday morning the banks on the East Coast will be opening, marking the end for this highly publicized 48-hour window, with just 3-days left in this week for the r/v to take place and prove the IT guy's comment of celebrating this week to be correct.
ECOE: With 7:30 PM CST now having passed, the latest in any evening that we have seen a text messages delivered from our IT/Programmer contact, we can only hope this contact is under lockdown in 'dark' mode in the datacenter, and can only hope that the codes have already been initiated.
ECOE: Our watch for a text message to come in will continue late into this evening, hoping to see at least some sort of advanced notice come through.
ECOE: Bear and Scotti remain optimistic that we will be receiving a text message from our IT contact over the course of the next 12-hours and the r/v to show in the Banks in the morning. No reports having been received to the contrary when I communicated with them at several points throughout the day.
Comments are closed.


text:
Equine Navicular Disease
The navicular bone is a small, boat-shaped bone nestled deep in the protective womb of the hoof, cushioned by the digital bursa (a small, fluid-filled sac), shrouded by the deep digital flexor tendon, and bathed in synovial fluid. It only measures approximately 6 cm wide and 2 cm deep (top to bottom) in an average 1,200-pound horse, so how can such a small bone be such a nuisance?
Part of the problem is that, despite its cushy abode and small stature, the navicular bone has a big job.
"The function of the navicular bone is to act as a fulcrum around which passes the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) before it inserts on the distal phalanx (pedal bone)," explains Sue Dyson, MA, VetMB, PhD, DEO, FRCVS, head of clinical orthopaedics at the Animal Health Trust's Centre for Equine Studies in Newmarket, U.K. "The navicular bone is also an integral part of the distal interphalangeal (coffin) joint, which is one of the major shock absorbing joints in the lower part of the limb. The orientation of the DDFT depends on the position of the coffin joint (flexed or extended), and the position of the coffin joint also influences the size of the forces applied to the navicular bone by the DDFT, which are maximum in the propulsion phase of the stride just before liftoff."
Navicular disease is a common cause of equine lameness, primarily in the forelimb. Current estimates suggest that up to one-third of all horses with chronic forelimb lameness have navicular disease.
Here we'll review prevailing theories regarding the cause of navicular disease and describe diagnostic and treatment options, both traditional and modern.
The Face of Navicular Disease
Researchers have noted that Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, and European Warmblood horses (e.g., Dutch Warmbloods) between the ages of four and 15 years are most commonly affected by navicular disease. Geldings are more frequently diagnosed than mares or stallions; ponies and Arabians are rarely affected. The lameness is often bilateral (affects both feet) in the forelimbs rather than hind limbs. Horses with navicular disease often appear sore after working, but they can appear sound when not working.
Navicular horses' gaits are quite characteristic. Severely affected horses place their weight on the toe first when walking, supposedly to minimize pressure in the heel area where the associated pain originates. While moving the gait is rough, and when standing horses often shift their weight from foot to foot or point their foot (again, to relieve pressure in the heel-region).
"This latter sign is not necessarily specific for navicular disease. It is also seen in horses with primary DDFT injuries," notes Dyson.
What Causes Navicular Disease?
Navicular disease is a catchall phrase that describes horses with forelimb pain originating from the navicular bone and/or its supporting soft tissues, including the:
- Collateral ligaments of the navicular bone;
- Distal sesamoidean impar ligament; and
- Deep digital flexor tendon.
"Historically, navicular disease was considered a single disease," notes Dyson. "Considering the variety of clinical manifestations of navicular disease, however, it is likely that there are probably a number of clinical conditions that give rise to palmar foot pain (that found in the rear of the foot) characteristic of navicular disease. In fact, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and postmortem studies have shown us that there are a number of different disease processes that can affect the navicular bone."
This explains why some horses have a slow, insidious onset of progressive bilateral forelimb lameness, while others suffer acute, sudden onset of severe, unilateral lameness. Also, it explains why some horses have obvious and classic change to the navicular bones, whereas other horses might not ever have radiographic evidence of changes.
"Since navicular disease has never successfully been reproduced experimentally, the exact mechanisms of the disease remain speculative," relays Dyson.
The vascular and biomechanical theories are two popular explanations of how navicular disease develops:
The vascular theory A profound decrease in blood flow to the foot causes pain and degeneration of the navicular bone. For example, thickening of the inner lining of the blood vessels that supply the foot can cut off the blood supply, causing tissue damage and death due to lack of blood flow.
The biomechanical theory Chronic, sustained pressure on the navicular bone by the deep digital flexor tendon secondary to abnormal forces placed on the tendon results in abnormal remodeling of the navicular bone. In response, the bone begins to degenerate and becomes edematous (fluid-filled) and painful.
According to Dyson, "There is little evidence to support the vascular theory for navicular disease (defined as lesions involving the bone), but we do have evidence that blood vessel occlusion does occur within the DDFT and may predispose to degenerative lesions of the DDFT."
Dyson notes that there is likely some genetic predisposition involved in the development of the disease, as well.
Diagnostic Hurdles and Advances
Due to the surreptitious location of the navicular bone, together with the dearth of knowledge about the underlying cause(s) of disease, diagnosis remains challenging.
"Traditional diagnostic techniques include diagnostic anesthesia (joint and nerve blocks), radiography, nuclear scintigraphy (bone scans), and diagnostic ultrasonography," explains Chris Bell, DVM, from the department of large animal clinical sciences at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Canada.
According to Bell, "Despite having and using this arsenal of diagnostics, these tests can generate inconclusive results because they are not specific or sensitive for assessing the subtle soft and bony structures of the foot."
Radiography remains a mainstay in the diagnosis of orthopedic problems, but veterinarians might also consider MRI in addition to the traditional techniques.
"MRI provides detailed information about both the soft and bony tissues of the foot that may not be evident when using traditional diagnostic techniques," summarizes Bell. "When used as an adjunctive diagnostic tool, application of MRI can aid in achieving a precise diagnosis and devising targeted treatment plans."
In a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in April 2009, Bell and colleagues used both radiography and MRI in 23 horses (36 feet) with localized foot pain suggestive of navicular disease.
"MRI detected a larger number of abnormalities," relays Bell. These included:
- Enlarged synovial evaginations--areas of inflammation and resulting small pockets of fluid in the bottom of the navicular bone (18/35 feet);
- Navicular bone flexor surface erosion (8/35 feet);
- Focal cortical bone loss or thinning of the distal (outer) margins of the navicular bone (7/35 feet);
- Fluid within the navicular bone (16/35 feet);
- Adhesions between the navicular bone and the DDFT (22/35 feet);
- Adhesions between the navicular bone and the navicular bursa (17/35 feet);
- Adhesions between the DDFT and the impar ligament (8/35 feet);
- Adhesions between the DDFT and suspensory ligament of the navicular bone (12/35 feet);
- Synovial proliferation and excessive fluid in the navicular bursa (13/35 feet);
- Fiber disruption or degeneration in the DDFT (21/35 feet); and
- Desmopathy (ligament disease) of the collateral ligament of the distal ¬interphalangeal joint (coffin joint) in 19/35 feet.
Downsides to using MRI are that it's a very expensive procedure (upwards of $2,000), and there are a limited number of units in the United States.
Treatment Options Old and New
The process of addressing navicular disease is a great example of the "kitchen sink" approach to treatment. That is, there are many treatment options available and little evidence-based data regarding the efficacy of these various treatments. Some of the more popular treatment options for navicular disease include rest, controlled exercise, and corrective shoeing.
In his article "Navicular Disease: Research Needed to Better Understand" (TheHorse.com/14069) Tracy A. Turner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, from Anoka Equine Veterinary Services in Elk River, Minn., writes, "The first steps in developing a logical approach to the treatment of this hoof lameness are an accurate assessment of the pain and careful evaluation of hoof structure that may predispose it to the condition or cause the pain. Treatment should be based on the type and location of the disease. Shoeing should be the basis of all treatment, and any medicinal or surgical therapy should be as an adjunct to shoeing."
A treating veterinarian might consider additional medical and surgical therapies including administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, oral administration of isoxsuprine hydrochloride to dilate the blood vessels to the foot, acupuncture, and oral joint health supplements.
Despite the variety and number of different treatment options for navicular disease, some horses do not improve following the use of one or more of the above-described techniques.
Bell notes, "When response to treatment is inadequate, the reason for failure is often unknown because of a lack of information regarding the specific lesion or abnormality causing the lameness."
When faced with this issue, MRI can help identify the specific lesion and provide the veterinarian with a prognostication tool to help guide the client's decision regarding the future athletic performance of the horse. In the event the horse is unresponsive to medical treatment and has a poor prognosis to return to athletic use, surgical treatments--such as palmar digital neurectomy (cutting the palmar digital nerve) to desensitize the foot, navicular suspensory desmotomy (cutting the ligament), and carpal (inferior) check ligament desmotomy--can be discussed to desensitize the foot and relieve the pain associated with the foot pathology.
Take-Home Message
"Appropriate management strategies and accurate prognosis require an accurate diagnosis," advises Dyson.
Radiography and ultrasound are valuable tools; however, MRI is the imaging modality of choice in the absence of radiological abnormalities. "MRI has taught us a huge amount about the large number of different injuries within the foot that can cause pain and lameness, alone or in combination," says Dyson. "More research is needed to better understand the different pathological processes occurring in the navicular bone, such as the influence of biomechanics, conformation, and genetics on injury risk."
About the Author
Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc
Stacey Oke, MSc, DVM, is a practicing veterinarian and freelance medical writer and editor. She is interested in both large and small animals, as well as complementary and alternative medicine. Since 2005, she's worked as a research consultant for nutritional supplement companies, assisted physicians and veterinarians in publishing research articles and textbooks, and written for a number of educational magazines and websites.
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text:
5 593 billion yuan.
819 billion dollars.
That is how much the stimulus package for the US economy is expected to cost. That is also the sum that Obama and the US government is going to ask to borrow from China.
China has huge foreign-exchange reserves amounting to 2 000 billion dollars. But China has also problems of its own. I addition, the US will also have to stand in line together with a lot of other countries which also need to borrow money from China.
So how much is China willing to lend to other countries? Are they willing to lend the US almost half of all their savings? And if so, under what conditions? Bear in mind that People's Republic of China is a socialist republic ruled by the Communist Party of China under a single-party system. They might have (and probably have) a hidden agenda.
Obamas plan B - if China for some reason decides not to lend US all the money US needs for the stimulus package - will likely be to ask Federal Reserve to start printing new dollar bills (This is of course a figure of speech, since increasing the supply of money in an economy can nowadays be done electronically).
The point here is that even if the stimulus package will stop the US economy from collapsing, and thereby also prevent the world economy from hitting rock bottom, this crisis marks the end of the existing world order and the start of a new.


text:
by PACKER, ELEANOR
VALLELY. PUPPETS. CHARLIE McCARTHY: SO HELP ME MR. BERGEN by Eleanor Packer. NY: Grosset & Dunlap 1938. 4to (9 1/2 x 9 3/4"), cloth backed pictorial boards, Fine in fine dust wrapper. The story tells how Charlie (a dummy) and Edgar Bergen "meet" and go to Hollywood where Charlie becomes a star. Illustrated with photos of Charlie and Edgar Bergen plus line illustrations by Henry Vallely. Beautiful copy. (Inventory #: 2942)


text:
Download PEEP Where's Quack? apk 0.1 free for Android smartphone
Posted by WGBH Digital in Education | Dec. 4, 2013 | 12 Comments
Apk file size: 11.0 MB
Quack hides, you seek! In this Where's Quack app, the hilariously quirky Quack hides in a number of different locations. In each location, different hiding places change the way Quack's voice sounds. Is he muffled, or maybe far away? Is he down a hole, or underwater? Players can help Peep find Quack by listening as they look for him. There are also a few surprises along the way!
The Where's Quack app was designed to be a digital version of hide-and-seek. If the player finds Quack, he'll hide again. (Ducks are excellent hiders, as Quack himself modestly states.)
The PEEP and the Big Wide World Where's Quack? app was produced by WGBH and the producers of PEEP and the Big Wide World. The animated series PEEP and the Big Wide World gives wings to the innovative idea of teaching science to preschoolers. Wry and distinctive visual humor, charming plotlines, and lovable characters combine with a comprehensive science curriculum to attract and engage kids three to five years old.
For more exciting PEEP and the Big Wide World content, visit http://www.peepandthebigwideworld.com.
WGBH Digital part of our Education and have average installs from 10000 to 50000. Last Update Dec. 4, 2013. Google play rating is 77.6842. Current verison is 0.1. Actual size 11.0 MB.
Similar applications
Animal Match-Up: Game for Kids331 Comments
Animal Planet Hide & Seek Pets3 Comments
Yo Gabba Gabba! Birthday Party16 Comments
12 Comments
A Google User
Good girl It's so cute for little ones #cool
elizebethlangevin langevin
Peep Where's Quack? My granddaughter's love Peep and Quack they are so cute ,this app has them entertained , Thank You so much .
DOCS Monkey
Quack Wonderful game for a wonderful show
Steve Rice
Peep Such a great show, Where's Quack app is very good too
Adam New
Mummy and daddy and brother and sister
Breanna Emberlin
My kids really like this game. Keeps them entertained.
Great Like a real man, I watch this show. And like a real man, I enjoy it as one of my favorites. Thos is also one of the better Peep games out there.
Ehab Meselhy
I do not like it I hate it . It is not good
Juliano Tyler
I always keep on finding quack Peep and the big wide world
puppylover 863
Best app ever!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoever make this,thank you so much I love this game I am just like playing In the real hide n' seek love it
Lovelee J
I Like Quack I like Quack but it is just that he likes to hide in the same spot so it is very very very very very very boring but I do like Peep from Peep And The Big Wide World, and also Chirp?. And why can't we hide????.
puppylover 863
Best app ever!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoever make this,thank you so much I love this game I am just like playing In the real hide n' seek I love it and also I love watching your vids on youtube!!!!!!


text: Le Sat, Aug 11, 2001 at 09:10:42PM -0400, Joey Hess écrivait: > I had hoped that the first working debian-installer would be able to do > network installs, and it's not too far away. I think actually that the > peices it's missing are all required for the cdrom installer > (partitioning, debootstrap interface). I'll be really happy when we get > a working cdrom installer (or any working install via d-i). We might > just get two for the price of one.. Since my first mail I completed my installer. But since I had a very short time constraint I had to simplify some things. What i actually have and that may be valuable for debian-installer is : - a cdrom detection script using a stripped down discover (I have done a discover udeb but unfortunately Branden Robinson didn't integrate it in its package even if I asked him), this is commited in tools/cdrom-detect - an automatic partitionner using libparted (works only for disks having enough free room, or 1-2 big FAT partitions, and of course msdos disk labels only) I'll commit it soon in tools/autpartkit but it will probably need to be modified since it mounts the partition and writes /etc/fstab.new in the target directory. And it writes /etc/windows_part with the name of the bootable windows partition found. I have several other things but that I don't think they should be used by debian-installer (they are too hackish) : - an udeb which does decompress .tar.gz (found in a precise directory of the CD) in the tmpfs used dor the setup (it is required to extend the installer) - an udeb which does decompress other .tar.gz in the target directory (i have a base.tar.gz that I decompress) - a reboot udeb (simple shell script calling reboot and unmounting/ejecting the CDROM) - a basic hook mechanism for launching shell script whenever some events happens (after-unpack-target, after-setup-bootloader), i'm using run-parts to launch scripts put in - a simple shell script to automatically setup grub (will add an entry for Windows if /etc/windows_part exists). I had to make some other hacks for my installer to work : - make anna use my cdrom retriever by default - remove devfs, it does totally confuse parted and grub-install - changed some things in the build system of the images (those changes are worth for d-i, so i commited them, at least the beginning) > This could be pretty easy to do, depending on if syslinux allows > specification of things like foo/bar=baz on the command line, and if the > command line can be sufficiently large. If it does that could seed values > in a debconf database. I think the buffer is not big enough to handle many parameters, and it's not syslinux the problem but the kernel itself afaik. We'll need a conversion mechanism to be able to use short names on the commande line. > Instead of using Installer-Menu-Item fields, you can programmatically do > this via the menutest script mechanism. See doc/ui.txt. Oh, I didn't understand that. I thought that it was for deciding if an item was selected by default ... that was my reading of doc/ui.txt. Cheers, -- Raphaël Hertzog -+- http://strasbourg.linuxfr.org/~raphael/ Le bouche à oreille du Net : http://www.beetell.com Naviguer sans se fatiguer à chercher : http://www.deenoo.com Formation Linux et logiciel libre : http://www.logidee.com


text:
This weeks Funko Friday is one of my favourite Disney Princesses….Rapunzel
We already have the original Pop Vinyl version of Rapunzel with Pascal, and also Maximus. These new updated Disney Princesses were released recently. Belle from Beauty and The Beast is a definate for my wishlist. I especially like the new Princesses flowing gowns. This version of Rapunzel is detailed with the matching dress from the film. I love how her hair is decorated in beautiful flowers.
Have you got any of the new Princesses? Which Disney Princess would you like?


text:
I Honestly Don't Care
Personal Stories, Advice, and Support 34 People
To a Point........I don't care. Yet there is still always a part of me that does, for a tiny split second, or half an hour, depending on what's been said or done. On here, I get a lot of stick from random anonymous people who are too gutless to say who they are. I have read the...
What You Think ....'I don't care, what you think, as long as it's about me!' I love that song.
MizzBlue72 36-40, F 0 Dec 22, 2008
I honestly don't care what people say anymore...you're not in this situation, I know what is going to happen with my future and nothing's going to stop me from striving for it👍
sunday8 22-25, F 1 Response 2 May 10, 2014


text:
Social Media
Your Nonprofit
Ten Key Benefits of Social Media for Nonprofits
Advanced Techniques and Tactics
1. Learn what your supporters are saying and sharing about your organization.
2. Drive traffic to your various web properties—website, blog, Facebook, etc.
3. Improve results on search engine result pages with keyword rich content.
4. Encourage visitors to use online donation pages.
5. Enable supporters to share messages about your organization through their social web presence.
6. Empower your most passionate and influential supporters to promote your mission
7. Invite grassroots movements to engage your organization in real-time and rapidly respond to unforeseen events.
8. Humanize your organization by not limiting communications to traditional methods or messages.
9. Acquire new contacts and build your email housefile.
10. Increase trust and loyalty from your supporters by
allowing them to share their voice through feedback forums.
1. Create a customized listening dashboard using iGoogle. Pull in RSS feeds of Twitter mentions, blog searches and vertical specific news. Use this as your homepage for monitoring your online brand and supporter activity.
2. Develop a communications calendar and create assignments or owners who can commit to activities/content creation.
3. Provide as much pre-defined content as possible for users (or bloggers) to share on their own including tweets, Facebook posts, and details around an event.
4. Allot time during a campaign to respond to online conversations and inquiries, and to acknowledge participants.
5. Designate volunteers and employees to "cover" live events and conferences so they can monitor and engage with supporters who are sharing insights about their experiences in real-time.
6. Tap into your influencers. Personally reach out to and start a relationship with highly influential online users and the media. Ask them for help with programs and outreach when you need it most.
Josh Hirsch
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11 Ways to Check if Your Facebook Page is Up-to-date
2. Evaluate Your Profile Image
5. Use the Short Description
7. Customize your Facebook URL
6. Optimize the About Section for Search
8. Review Your Category, Especially if You're a Local Business
1. Maximize Your Page Cover image
9. Activate Replies to comments
10. Review Admins and Roles
11. Check your notification settings
3. Review Your Tab Thumbnails
4. Maximize Use of Tab Apps
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Social Media and Your Nonprofit
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Josh Hirschon 12 January 2015
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Reflection from June 3rd, 2008 @ Age 26
I had a thought today that's been of assistance to my crazy manic mind. I thought, aside from a lit-tle birthday message tomorrow, if I write Bobby again it's gonna be with the truth. What is the truth you might ask? Well I'll tell you my friend. The truth is that I've always had feelings for Bobby. The only problem was the timing always felt awful, in a horrible and uncanny way. I don't know why. I cannot tell you why. I'll ponder it though.
The truth is that I saw Bobby calling and intentionally failed to answer my phone. I wanted to see him but I was in such a state of disarray that my capacity to interact with other human beings was minimal if not nonexistent. Moreover, I knew I'd want to kiss him if I saw him because he's not been with Charity for a long while now and it'd finally be my turn. My turn. But if I didn't kiss him I would have been disappointed, and if I did kiss him then I would be confused. So you can imagine my confusion when I went to visit him and ended up sleeping with him! What does it mean, does it mean anything at all, does he even care? All these questions that fill my head.
Now on top of that you add that I'm bipolar. When I failed to answer the phone I was in a state of depression I'm not sure Bobby could even comprehend. It's the kind of depression you find yourself struggling through when the bottom drops out and there's no safety net to break your fall. Then when we started talking again, when I reestablished communication with Bobby, my bottom sprang forth and catapulted me as high as can possibly be. I've been in a state of euphoric mania now for almost two months because Bobby decided he wanted to be a part of my life. For the time being. And in my state of mania the intensity was raw and forlorn, and overbearing. I've overstepped boundaries, I feel, and because of this Bobby stopped writing me back. I don't know what I did or what changed with him, but Bobby talked with Andrew about "the weekend" and after that I was cut loose. I don't know what happened, I'm confused and I'm falling. Falling falling I'm falling to the ground. Nobody will be there to break my fall. Nobody is ever there to break my fall. Live and sedate. Live and sedate.
And so I acted overbearing in my state of mania and emailed a bit too often (even though he said he likes getting emails from me and that I can email him anytime I want), and the words I've spoken have been a bit too overwrought. And so here I stand, at the bottom once more, and I cannot write Bobby the truth. I cannot write him the truth because I feel doing so would only make things worse. He'd only think less of me than he already does. He won't write back. I loved that he would write back and now he won't write back. And I don't know why. I can't tell him the truth, and perhaps that's his exact same dilemma. Why ohh why is the truth so difficult to bear? Why ohh why am I so far from normal that I cannot even maintain social relationships with peers? Why am I me? Why was I chosen to lead such a life of struggle and turmoil and patent disregard? Why, all my life, have I loved those who could not love me back? Is there anyone that could love this mess of a mind? I want to hope so, but today I don't believe it's possible. Today I just cannot take it.
I hate Bobby. I hope he goes to hell.
Let me tell you something. Bobby is not who I even want. I've fallen in love with the idea of falling in love, but reality has not followed. I don't want to be high and feel awkward for our first kiss. I don't want to be with someone who has no idea what it means to struggle. I don't want to be with someone who's had their life handed to them on a silver platter. I don't want to be with someone who's mouth doesn't fit mine. I need bigger, fuller lips I can suck on. I need intensity and passion and fulfillment and desire. I want so much more than Bobby could ever even hope to give me. I want so much more. This is okay…I'm going to be okay.


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|Professional Automotive Repair Technical Discussions for October 25, 2009
International Automotive Technicians' Network (iATN) - Members Only
|(Also Available: All, Asian, Chrysler, European, Ford, GM.)
|Vehicle Owners: If you are seeking an automotive repair professional to service your vehicle, visit the iATN Repair Shop Finder.
Open Help Requests for All Makes and Models
|Help Request
|1991 Chevrolet Corvette 5.7L ignition VIN: 8XM5112742
I am posting for a friend of mine. The vehicle is not in my shop yet. The vehicle starts runs then shuts off. Fuel pressure is at 41psi. Tank is full. Similar post in knowledge base back in 2004 by Tim Jervis from Kentucky, if you read this what was your fix? ...
|1996 Chevrolet K1500 Cheyenne 5.7L Tach speedo shift inicator VIN: 2GCEK19M9T
This truck can in with the heater fan working only sometimes. Replaced the ignition switch and now the tach, speedo and shift indicator do not work. I do not know if they worked before. I checked for current from the distributor to the tach and from the vcm to...
|2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 LT 6.0L gas to diese VIN: 1GCHC29U12
GM Tech's I have a customer that converted an 02 2500 silverado from gas to diesel 6.6 t/dsl the engine, alicion trany, fuel tank and inercooler have all ready bin installed . my problem is i need to pull a complete wiring harness with modules cluster . But i ...
|2007 Chevrolet Avalanche LS 5.3L ABS mudule VIN: 3GNEC120X7
My question is: after replacing an ABS control module assembly, does it have to be re-programmed? Reason for question: after replacing module, code *C0569 system configuration error *U0102 lost com with transfer case control module *U0140 lost com with bod...
|1997 Ford F-150 XL 4.6L 4x4 VIN: 1FTDX18WOV
Hello all. I have inop 4x4 no 4x4 light on the dash and no engagement.Switch has been replaced and new one checks out ok. Gem module replaced 6 months ago due to other electric issues . 4x4 light does come on for a bulb check when i start the truck. No power t...
|1998 GMC K1500 Sierra SLE 5.7L unknown VIN: 2GTEK19R6W
truck stalled while driving uphill. check and found no fuel pressure at test port. installed new fuel pump assembly(carter P74757M). engine cranks but no start.check for spark at spark plug, its yellow but its there.check injector signal with noid light, all g...
|2001 Land Rover Discovery Series II SE 4.0L MIL Lamp on VIN: SALTL15491
This Discovery came in running poorly and MIL on. Codes were for O2 Sensor Circuit No Activity Detected (Bank 1 Sensor 1) & (Bank 2 Sensor 1), O2 Sensor Heater Circuit (Bank 1 Sensor 1) &(Bank 2 Sensor 1), and P0300 & P0308. I found that the harness plugs for ... Trouble codes: P0135 (O2 Sensor Heater Circuit Bank 1 Sensor 1), P0155 (O2 Sensor Heater Circuit Bank 2 Sensor 1)
|1991 Mercedes-Benz 500SL 5.0L No Start, Cuts out, Stall, Misfire VIN: WDBFA66E6M
Hoping some of the Mercedes techs chime in on this one. Customer complaint is that this vehicle started to run poorly, stall, intermittantly NOT restart for several hours. When it did happen to restart it would idle poorly, hesitate, stall, and generally run v...
|1994 Mercedes-Benz E320 3.2L Excessive Emissions, Poor Idle Quality, Surge VIN: WDBEA32E2R
Ok lets start at beginning originally the ovp relay failed on this car so i bought a new one and installed it afterwards car started and ran fine. Then a couple of days later it started surging if you touch accelerator lightly between 1000 and 1500 rpm's and a...
|2000 Nissan Sentra GXE 1.8L Misfire, MIL Lamp on VIN: 3N1CB51D4Y
Vehicle was purchased at auto auction. While driving the vehicle home it broke into a severe skip that the MIL light was flashing then it straightened out & repeated the problem again several times. When it straightened out the MIL light would just be steady. ... Trouble codes: P0304 (missfire 4 cyl)
|2004 Nissan 350Z 3.5L window VIN: JN1AZ36A34
hi , i have this 350z came in to the shop with both of the windows not working right hares what is going on when u turn the deffoger switch on both of the windows will go up and down and the passanger side window will go up and it will come back down half way ...
|1998 Pontiac Bonneville SE 3.8L Hesitation, Surge VIN: 1G2HX52K7W
So i test drove the car and could feel right away this hiccup or glitchy feeling it exhibits. kind of like a lean miss or some backfire/too much egr feeling. Usually does it while cruising and then you accelerate, but it will act up while leaving a parking lot... Trouble codes: P0171, P0230, P0404, P1404
|2006 Toyota RAV4 2.4L no start at times VIN: JTMZD31V66
The engine would crank, but not start 1.5 hours after parking the car in the street from his driveway. The owner called a tow truck, the engine started when the tow got there 1 hour later. It was Fri. afternoon, he drove it to us, no problem was experienced at...
Fixes & Summaries for All Makes and Models
|2000 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.0L Misfire VIN: 2B4GP2433Y
As most replies said, it turned out to be carbon or partially clogged injectors. After reading the replies I stayed late and ran a BG fuel system cleaning process. I thought about recommending it with the tune-up like I ususally try to do but didn't due to t... Trouble codes: P0300 (Random Cylinder Misfire), P0302 (Cylinder 2 Misfire), P0306 (Cylinder 6 Misfire).
|2002 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT 4.7L tcm VIN: 1D7HA18N62
Hi Group: The hair pulling is finally over, and it wasn't mine for a change. Turns out this was a case of a faulty TCM. As for the time line of events on this truck, I'm still not sure. Truck owner gave me one story, shop owner gave me another version and bo...
|2003 Dodge Caravan SE 3.3L starting VIN: DONTKNOW11
sorry i took so long to reply . i wanted to give the van at least a week to see if would act up. what i found was B+ wire to the pcm was swelled up with corrosion and had about 3 strains of wire holding it together. cut and soldiered the wire and im calling th...
|2004 Nissan Maxima SL 3.5L Misfire VIN: 1N4BA41E85
thank to all who take the time to reply,to my requst the fix was a new intake manifold gasket.vacuum leak on bank 2 was the cause.thanks again guys. Trouble codes: P0300 (random missfire), P0174 (fuel system lean bank 2).
|2003 Saturn Vue 3.0L wheel bearings VIN: 5GZC53B635
Good morning to all Thank you for all the replies the one that I used and it worked was the one that Charles [...] recommended about knocking out the 2 wheel studs and putting bolts in and using the bolts to pull the bearing out like a press this worked goo...
|1989 Volkswagen Cabriolet 1.8L Starting VIN: HJUITRFDWE
contrary to bosch i took the fuel distributor apart and found absolutly nothing wrong with it ...put it all back together and she started right up and runs perfect to date !


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Falling in Love?
It's probably the best day of your life!!!! You got your dream job at the magazine 'Sixteen.' It seems that all of your dreams have finally come true!!!
Little do you know that you are just starting to have one of the wildest adventures of your life! One so weird you will think that you are in a dream! Take this quiz to find out where your true loyalties lie! (At least in the story) :-)
Created by: Apple
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Related Quizzes:
- Are you falling for him? by Allie
- is he really falling in love with you? by fartonyo
- how well do you know aerosmith by Destinee
- Who will you fall in love with? by Peyton
- Who are you falling for? Part 2 by Marissa
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text: I recieved my secret label yesterday and I returned it within the hour of getting it. Honestly, it is adorable. It doesn't look as cheap or knock offish in person. It was just too small or I would have kept it. It really is quite cute with its smaller quiliting. However the size is a problem for me- its alittle bigger than the medium and alittle longer. So off to NM it went and now I will wait for my jumbo to come in.


text: I noticed there is a Barney's in Orlando but it's called "Barney's Outlet"...thats like the only place that carries Bbags in Orlando, Florida. Is it an outlet store? If so, I guess I shouldn't be keeping my hopes up that there's gonna be a lot of styles to choose from. I am visiting there in May so I'm checking where to shop for Balenciaga.... anyone know of this place or other places that sell Bbags there? thx !~


text:
The report presents detailed (305 pages) evaluation results of 5 S3D films, which were converted to S3D format in post-production.
MSU – Stereoscopic 3D Film Analysis Report for Industry Professionals:
The VQMT3D (Video Quality Measurement Tool 3D) project was created to improve stereoscopic films. The aim is to help filmmakers produce high-quality 3D video by finding inexpensive ways of automatically enhancing film quality.
The second report is now out and is FREE for download to Industry Professionals only.


text:
I bought these at Rexall. It's their store brand of snacks. They are really amazing. I don't like chocolate covered raisins, at all. These are fantastic as a snack. I think the cranberry and dark chocolate really works. The cranberry is a healthier choice. They are low in sodium. Worth trying. great price!
These reviews are the subjective opinions of ChickAdvisor members and not of ChickAdvisor Inc.


text:
Jeff Kobayashi
Jeff Kobayashi has been the driving force behind OnLife Prevention Organization (OnLife) since its inception in 2008. As Executive Director of OnLife, Jeff is responsible for appointing committee chairpersons and members, overseeing all board committees, implementing the OnLife's programs and services at high schools and being the spokesperson for OnLife. Jeff has been a long time advocate of suicide prevention since his 3 year-experience as a peer counselor at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego. Through developing his Master's thesis, Communication Predictors of Suicide: The Personification of Suicide on myspace.com Sites, Jeff was able to statistically detect individuals who have suicidal and depressive characteristics through analyzing their online social network web pages (i.e., myspace.com, facebook.com, etc.).
As he further studied this area, he discovered that there is little, to no utility of online social networks in preventing suicides. With this in mind, Jeff founded OnLife with the mission to pioneer suicide prevention online . Jeff worked closely with outside companies (such as BizCentral USA, Inc. and BizFilings) to launch OnLife as a non-profit organization.
In conjunction with running OnLife, Jeff also volunteers for Yellow Ribbon Organization, a non-profit suicide awareness program in San Diego. He is involved in various public relations activities, including speaking at local high schools about the Yellow Ribbon Program and educating others on suicide awareness. Jeff's credentials include being on the Dean's List while earning his B.A. in Communication and minor in Psychology from the University of Southern California in 2005 and achieving an M.A. in Communication Studies from San Diego State University. In addition, Jeff has professional experience assuming various roles and responsibilities at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, SAIC, Razor USA, and Nektar Therapeutics. Jeff also holds membership to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Computer Science Teacher Association (CSTA), and Web Design and Developers Association (WDDA).


text:
Words containing egaton
Found 11 words containing egaton. Browse our Scrabble Word Finder, Words With Friends cheat dictionary, and WordHub word solver to find words that contain egaton. Or use our Unscramble word solver to find your best possible play! Related: Words that end in egaton
- Scrabble
- Words With Friends
- WordHub
- Crossword


text:
- Applications first will be reviewed by an initial internal review process. Short-listed candidates will be evaluated by the Program Committee, a selection panel of arts professionals assembled by Halcyon.
- Short-listed candidates may be called for a virtual interview where members of the selection committee can interact with each artist and learn more about their projects and previous work.
- Final selection: Following the application and interview phase, the selections committee will select the six national/international and two DC-based fellows. Accepted fellows will be notified of their selection by mid-June.
Selection Criteria
Halcyon uses four equally weighted criteria to assess applications to the Halcyon Arts Lab.
- Artistic Excellence
Are your ideas aesthetically compelling? Do they show a high level of technical finesse in their execution? Are your ideas bold and original?
- Future Potential
Do you show potential to be a leader in the field of socially engaged art? Do you meet Halcyon's definition of an 'emerging artist' ? Have you established a clear sense of your path?
- Project Innovation and Feasibility
How well do you articulate your project goals? Is your proposed project innovative? How did you arrive at this project idea? How will you execute it?
- Impact
Do you put social impact at the heart of your project and or creative practice? Is your engagement with a community or set of social concerns clear and compelling? Is collaboration central to your process?


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I'm no fan of commuting, but I've always liked doing summer road trips. Packing the car, cranking up some tunes, and heading out into the great unknown has been a part of my summer ever since getting out of college.
As I finish packing for my move to San Francisco and impending career change, I'm taking a moment to reflect on why, exactly, I find summer journeys like this so fun. Why doesn't this feel like work? Why do I look forward to trips like this for months in advance?
Here's what gets me pumped about taking off on a good road trip:
#1 – The Excitement of the Unknown
The allure of the open road is a real thing for me. I love watching my familiar surroundings melt away in my rearview mirror. My mind races with infinite new adventures. Taking in the world as it morphs from plains to mountains connects with something deep within me.
Anyone who has driven west across the United States knows the thrill of finally seeing the Rockies. I have done this drive time and time again and still get a kick out of watching the intimidating silhouette of the mountains appear beyond Denver. At that moment, those endless hours spent chugging across cornfields seem totally worth it.
New Mexico to South Dakota
My wife is from New Mexico and I'm from South Dakota. While we were both freelancing, we would take most of the summer and do an extended road trip back to both states. My wife played harp for the Des Moines Metro Opera (I joined her on bass for a couple of seasons with this orchestra), and I remember the anticipation and excitement of packing up the cars and heading west to South Dakota.
We would hang out for a week in Sioux Falls and then head west through South Dakota, stopping off at the Corn Palace and Wall Drug. Did you know that the first two Corn Palaces burned to the ground? You learn this visiting the Corn Palace year after year. Builders finally realized that the structure should really be built out of stone and then decorated with corn. South Dakotans are proud of their kitschy tourist traps. If you grow up as a musician in South Dakota, you even play All-State Band at the Corn Palace! Of course, stopping off at Wall Drug is mandatory when driving across the state… and how could you not stop after seeing signs for the place for the past 500 miles?
Hot Springs, South Dakota
Somehow, we stumbled upon the town of Hot Springs in the southern Black Hills and fell in love with the town, making it a part of our annual trip. There's something totally charming about this town, and it is an excellent point of departure for Black Hills exploration. We'd stop there on the way out to New Mexico for a day or two and also on the way back.
Lusk, Wyoming
Making a South Dakota/New Mexico trip work involves leaving the interstate for many hours and chugging along state highways through little towns like Manville (population 95) and Lost Springs (population 4). Lusk, Wyoming is a metropolis for the region, coming at at over 1600 people. My wife and I planned on staying there for the evening, but as we pulled into town we saw a man dressed as Jesus and dragging a full-sized cross down the sidewalk. We said "yeah…. no" and continued our drive late into the evening to the safety zone of Hot Springs.
#2 – Time to Reflect
My life moves pretty quickly… and I like that. I generally wake up feeling excited about the new day and all the projects that I'm tackling. Though I try to give myself some time to reflect throughout the day, so often it's "go-go-go" from dawn until dusk, with precious little time to really… think.
Suddenly getting hours upon hours to think while road tripping can be a shocker. But I soon settle into it, and I find that many of the bigger decisions I've made in life have happened while silently driving down a highway on a summer road trip. The "luxury of boredom" that happens while doing a long road trip has helped me to make tough decisions or draw unexpected conclusions to problems I've been facing.
#3 – Time to Unwind
For over a decade I've played bass for the Midsummer's Music Festival, and as the freneticism of my school job winds down in early June, I start counting the days left until heading up to Door County. My shoulders loosen as I crossed the Wisconsin border, and my mood brightens as I passed Milwaukee and left urban life behind for a few weeks.
Northern Door County presents a life without stoplights, chain restaurants, or expressways. It's a little slice of heaven protruding into Lake Michigan, and time seems to have little relevance. This place conjures up images of sitting in the park for hours on end while reading an entire novel.
Door County is also time for "deep work" on the bass, going back to fundamentals and pulling out Simandl, Stretcher, and Sevcik. I spend hours practicing technique while gazing outside at the grassy hills and patches of forest. I can feel myself relaxing even as I type this.
That five-hour road trip up to Door County is also a great time to dig into an audiobook. In fact, I typically save an audiobook that I've been meaning to listen to for this trip. I love this road trip!
#4 – Time to Develop New Ideas
Stillness. Silence. Allowing myself the luxury of idle time. Boredom, even.
These are the moments when I am really able to synthesize all those thoughts bouncing around in my brain and come up with cohesive ideas. It is so hard to find moments of true quiet, and though I manage to carve them out during my workaday life (running, meditating, stretching), there's nothing quite like those hours spent driving across the country for deep thought.
Prolonged periods of stillness and quiet are amazing for me. I feel like I figure out so many things sitting in the car and gazing at the passing plains, mountains, and valleys.
#5 – Reuniting with Family
My wife and I have lived hundreds of miles away from our relatives for a very long time. Though Chicago had essentially become my home after 22 years of living there, I still identify as South Dakotan. I get that wistful feeling every time I pull into Sioux Falls, and I know that my wife feels the same when we arrive in Albuquerque.
People who live near family get accustomed to having them as a part of their lives: weekend dinners, trips together, helping with moving the lawn or shoveling the snow. I've never had that in my adult life, soothes road trips have always been a great chance to reconnect with family and remember what I miss about all of them.
Follow Along with my Current Road Trip to San Francisco on Instagram!
Speaking of road trips, my brother and I are actually in the midst on an epic one: from Chicago to San Francisco! We've got all of my possessions (plus my wife's harp!) crammed into two cars and are chugging across the country to relocate me to the West Coast. I'm posting my journey on Instagram if you'd like to follow along.
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text:
By Nicholas Heinzmann
Ingredion Inc., moving to expand beyond its low-margin base in corn sweeteners, said Wednesday it will pay $340 million to acquire Penford Corp., a maker of specialty starch products.
Westchester, Illinois – based Ingredion is handing over a stiff premium for the acquisition: While Penford shares closed at $10.99 a share Tuesday, the accord calls for Penford holders to receive eye-catching $19 for each of their shares. After the agreement was unveiled Wednesday morning, Penford surged $7.74, or 70 percent, to $18.73 in late Nasdaq trading.
The pricey, all-cash deal underscores how Ingredion is seeking to respond to changing consumer tastes. Indeed the food and agriculture industries as a whole are trying to distance themselves from corn-based syrups and additives, which Americans are increasingly shunning in favor of low-sugar and gluten-free options.
"This acquisition is another step in executing our strategic blueprint for growth," said Ingredion chairman and CEO Ilene Gordon. By expanding the company's higher-value specialty portfolio, she said, the deal allows Ingredion to address "growing consumer trends, including nutrition, gluten-free, food textures, and sustainable green solutions."
Ingredion, formerly known as Corn Products International Inc., manufactures starches and sweeteners for food and industrial purposes. The majority of its business involves refining corn into products such as high-fructose corn syrup, a liquid sweetener found in many foods and soft drinks.
The sweetener, however, has come under fire in recent years. A growing number of consumers have come to associate high-fructose corn syrup as synonymous with obesity and diabetes.
Penford, based in Centennial, Colorado, manufactures specialty starches, primarily from potatoes, that can reduce fat levels, improve fiber content and modify texture, color and consistency in products like canned foods and processed meats. Acquiring a company that emphasizes its use of natural-based ingredients gives Ingredion access to a growing market niche.
The combination represents a "tremendous opportunity" for both companies, said Thomas Malkoski, president the CEO of Penford, because it brings together businesses with "complementary product portfolios and capabilities."
Ingredion isn't the only agribusiness concern to identify such opportunies. Earlier this week industry giant Archer Daniels Midland agreed to pay $170 million to acquire closely held Specialty Commodities Inc., a company based in Fargo, North Dakota, that focuses on natural and organic ingredients such as dried fruit and quinoa.
"One of the ways we are improving returns and reducing the volatility of our earnings is through the expansion of our specialty ingredients portfolio," ADM chairman Patricia Woertz said at the time. "Consumers around the world are demanding higher-quality, better-tasting, healthier foods with clean labels."