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Canadian Community Clinics: Fires, Friends and Transitions
Northern fires. Lots of them and big ones. If you have been reading the paper or listening to the news, you will have heard about the fires that have been raging in northwestern Ontario. Thankfully, most are now under control or out.
The second night we were in Summer Beaver, an elder told us there were fires on three sides of the community… which, to be honest, turned our nice evening stroll into a less enjoyable one. Fire is always scary and I worked on fires in the north; I have an idea of what they are all about and how they can move. It was more than a bit intimidating to know that if the fire did get close we would have to be flown out along with everyone else, but even more complicating is the fact that we have…. MuckMuck with us!
Going back to our last night in Cat Lake, Muck's owner decided that he would be better off somewhere where he could have more attention and care so he flew into Summer Beaver with us along with Pups, a year and a half old black lab cross! That made my trip.
But when I thought of flying out of Summer Beaver, I figured we could get out but our canine contingent… I highly doubt it.
You could see the pinkish/brownish glow in the sky and when we did fly out two days later to go home, you could see lots of fires. Smokey fires, full flame fires, burnt out areas and soon to be burnt out areas.
And it is dry.
We have had an extremely hot, dry July which means the forests are like kindling and lightening is like a match. We were happy to be out safely but definitely concerned about the communities and the dogs.
The Friends of Animush team drove two and half days back with Muck, Pups and Mittens and Misty -- sisters who had been abandoned but were being looked after by the previous owner's brother.
He said when the bag of dog food was gone, the dogs were gone. So gone they were but safely gone to the south. To me, driving home with dogs destined for a new life is always uplifting and there are always lots of stories about outrageous dog behaviour to tell. By about the end of day one, they honestly seem to know they are going to a safe place and they relax.
But as soon as Ann touched her feet in southernOntario, she was trying to get back in touch withCatLakewhere the fires were reported to be within 10 km. Most of the people had been evacuated but there were 50 or so people who were still in the community to take care of the water treatment plant and other stuff and they felt unsupported and somewhat afraid.
Ann quickly organized a lift of food (people and dog) to be delivered by the next plane that was going in with instructions to people in the community to make sure that the dogs were fed. IFAWEmergency Relief was on call and ready to either go in and feed the dogs in situ or have the dogs flown out to shelter them and then fly them back when the fires were over. I was liaising with Dick Green who runsIFAWER and he was ready with a plane and pilot if need be.
Ann talked toCatLakeevery day and I talked to Ann and Dick. The community contact said you couldn't see the lake for the smoke and our concern was that dogs would remain tied up with no way to escape the smoke and the fire if it came that close. For four days we went back and forth and then voila, on the next day we were told they were flying people back!
It was a serious whirlwind of guessing and hoping and snippets of information but all the same, the best news was hearing that people could safely return to their homes andIFAWER could stand down.
Extra, extra good news is that MuckMuck quickly found new people (not surprising). A month ago he could only stare out over a lake from his chain, and now he's splashing around in one. Not a bad transition.
For more information about the International Fund for Animal Welfare effort to save animals around the world, visit https://ifaw.org


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A compact design combining a wide sweeping path, excellent manoeuvrability and enough power for a ramp climbing capacity of up to 20%. Riding the FLOORTEC R 670 you can cover large areas of floors and get the job done quickly, effectively and with maximum driver comfort.
FLOORTEC R 670 is a robust sweeper designed to withstand tough working conditions indoors or outside. Perfect ergonomics, user-friendly operation and low maintenance costs are among other significant advantages. FLOORTEC R 670 means dust-free and trouble-free sweeping 365 days a year.

subset: commoncrawl


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PYROSERVIS needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 279 designs submitted by 64 freelance designers.
PYROSERVIS (yes, it should be in capital letters)
Our company operates on the Czech and Slovak market in sphere of fire protection, health safety and protection at work. We are very comphrensive, cooperating with many trading partners. We provide services such as the sale of fire extinguishers, implementation of building fire protection and many others. We are over 20 years on the market, we belong among companies with the longest tradition in the Czech Republic.
Our customers include supranational companies such as banks, supermarket chains, gas stations, etc. We are not in touch with individuals.
It can be a logotype aswell as a symbolic logo. If the logo is based as a symbol, it should be possible to put the symbol alone, though it's not a requirement. The symbol should be something that represents our services (water, fire, protection,...) but it can be initials ("PS") aswell.
Our current colors are blue and yellow as shown in attached file. However we would like to keep it, we dont want to limit you in your creativity, so it's primarly up to you. Anyway there should be only two core colors.
The logo has to be memorable, scalable and effective without color.
Conception is:
Unique - express your creativity, we do not want a common logo, think about your design, give us a relevant idea
Balance - everything should match together perfectly
Simplicity - it should be clear and elegant
Tradition - rather than something extra modern we would like something timeless
The logo will be used in either electronic form (web, e-mails) and stationery, thus we would like to see a simple version in colours, in greyscale and version with effects (gradients, gloss, etc. - this one isn't necessary).
In addition we will require the original file (.ai, .svg, .eps,...)
Be creative, good luck.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Haywood Smith and Me
To believe in yourself and to follow your dreams, to have goals in life and a drive to succeed, and to surround yourself with the things and the people that make you happy – this is success!
~ Sasha Azevedo
In these days in which digital publishing is king, the odds of being traditionally published are smaller than ever. But that is my dream.
And when a dream is involved, well, it is important to have a support group. That's one reason I am a member of Georgia Romance Writers. And recently I had the opportunity to participate in the Virginia Ellis Critique Workshop sponsored by GRW.
Except I was at the Silken Sands Writers Conference the day of the workshop and was unable to attend the official workshop. To my delight, I was paired with New York Times Bestselling author Haywood Smith, who also had to miss that day. When she emailed me to let me know she had read my submission, Haywood said it had "real potential" and she looked forward to discussing some "advanced writing concepts" with me. And our subsequent meeting exceeded expectations. Not only did Haywood give me a line-by-line critique of the first several pages of my manuscript, she gave me some general advice that will help improve my fiction writing in general. Most important, she encouraged me to continue pursuing my dream, affirming that I do, in fact, possess the ability to write a successful, traditionally published novel.
I am holding onto that.
What is your dream? Whatever it is, find a support group. Consult the experts. Do the work. And don't stop until your dream becomes reality.
Now, back to my revisions.


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1 Like
Located on a spur off he Devils Garden trail in Aches Ntional park is one of the highest arches in the park. It got its name from thr rock wall that separates it into two separate arches.
Utah is a state located in the westcentral region of the United States of America. Utah is the 13th largest state by area, ranks 34th by population and 10th by population density of the 50 United States. Utah was the 45th state to be admitted into the Union, on January 4, 1896. Utah is landlocked, being bordered by the states of Idaho to the north, Wyoming to the northeast, Nevada on the west, Colorado on the east and Arizona to the south. Utah is very mountainous and is a popular outing destination of the outdoorsman. The state population is about 2.82M with 95% being Caucasian, 2.4% Asian, 1.7% Native American and 1.3% Black. The state capital and largest city is Salt Lake City.Source: wikipedia


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Hello I am in grade 12 programming("ICS4U") and I have decided to create a game in Java for my end term project/exam. I have collected an image off the Internet because I like its perspective. I will be making my own using it as a template. Although I am not very skilled with math and my efforts are outweighed.
Anyways after days of trial and error, I cannot get my collision detection working just right.
I have decided that id post my problem to a forum and hope for the best. :| attached is my entire project RamL.Java is the primary file. Thanks in advance!! I will do my best to return the favor to the forum.


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Historical Context
Table ofContents
This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file "Women's Rights Historic Site Thematic Resources" and other sources on the M'Clintock House and women's rights. TwHP is sponsored, in part, by the Cultural Resources Training Initiative and Parks as Classrooms programs of the National Park Service. This lesson is one in a series that brings the important stories of historic places into the classrooms across the country.
Where it fits into the curriculum
Topics: This lesson could be used in teaching units on 19th century social reform or women's history.
Time period: 1830-1850s
Relevant United States History Standards for Grades 5-12
Relevant Curriculum Standards for Social Studies
Find your state's social studies and history standards for grades Pre-K-12
Objectives for students
1) To describe conditions in upstate New York in the first half of the 19th century that led to the nickname "the Burned-Over District."
2) To examine the issues that led to the First Women's Rights Convention in 1848.
3) To investigate the tactics used by reformers in the early years of the women's rights movement.
4) To discover how issues concerning women's rights played out in their own community.
Materials for studentsThe materials listed below either can be used directly on the computer or can be printed out, photocopied, and distributed to students. The maps, photos, floor plan, and cartoons appear twice: in a low-resolution version with associated questions and alone in a larger, high-resolution version.
1) two maps of New York state and the towns of Waterloo and Seneca Falls;
2) a drawing of Waterloo in 1873;
3) three readings on the M'Clintock family and the role of women in the mid-19th century;
4) a copy of the Declaration of Sentiments;
5) floor plans of the M'Clintock House.
6) 1850 Census data for the M'Clintock household;
7) a photo of the M'Clintock House today;
8) a cartoon depicting women's roles.
Visiting the site
The M'Clintock House is located in the historic area of Waterloo, New York and is part of Women's Rights National Historical Park. The Visitors' Center is located in the nearby city of Seneca Falls, which also contains several other sites important to the women's rights movement. From the New York State Thruway (I-90), take Exit 41 and go south on N.Y. Route 414, which becomes Fall Street. Follow the signs to the visitors' center. Maps are available to help you locate other sites within the park, including the remains of the Wesleyan Chapel, the Elizabeth Cady Stanton House, and the National Women's Hall of Fame. For more information, visit the park web pages.


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By ,
Published January 13, 2015
Jesus Montero hit a go-ahead solo home run in the seventh inning and Felix Hernandez tossed eight stellar innings to help the Seattle Mariners down the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2-1, in the finale a two-game interleague set at PNC Park.
Montero launched a one-out homer off of Pittsburgh starter A.J. Burnett (3-3), accounting for one of just two hits allowed by the right-hander, to snap a 1-1 tie. Hernandez (5-2), meanwhile, won his fourth consecutive start after allowing one run on six hits and striking out five.
Michael Saunders walked three times and scored the other run for Seattle, which has won four of six overall.
"It was big for us," Hernandez said. "We're coming from where we lost in Toronto the last game there and the first game here. We just wanted to win this one so bad."
Starling Marte had two hits and scored Pittsburgh's only run on a first-inning single by Andrew McCutchen.
Burnett struck out nine batters and allowed two runs over seven innings, though he walked four and had two wild pitches for the Pirates, who have lost three of four.
With the score deadlocked at 1-1 through six innings and Burnett's only allowed hit coming off of Endy Chavez' infield single in the fifth, Montero changed the game with one swing.
He smacked his solo shot over the right-center wall on Burnett's 100th pitch of the game to give the visitors a 2-1 advantage.
"I was looking for a fastball and he left it in the middle," Montero said, "and I hit it good."
Tom Wilhelmsen cruised through the ninth to earn his ninth save of the season.
"He never hit that other gear with his velocity -- but the spin and sequences were there," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Hernandez.
Burnett retired the first nine batters he faced before running into some trouble in the fourth by walking two batters and throwing both of his wild pitches.
Saunders drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on the first wild pitch of the inning. Jason Bay then walked, but Burnett struck out Kyle Seager and forced a groundout to get two quick outs. Saunders, though, scored from third on Burnett's second wild pitch of the frame to tie the game at 1-1.
The Pirates jumped on the board early in the first inning as Marte smacked a leadoff double down the left-field line. After Travis Snider struck out, McCutchen hit a single up the middle to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Game Notes
Hernandez has allowed two earned runs and struck out 28 over 30 innings in his last four starts ... Pittsburgh recalled pitcher Duke Welker from Triple A Indianapolis Wednesday and released pitcher Jonathan Sanchez ... Hernandez is 14-7 in 27 interleague starts over his career ... Burnett has not allowed more than three runs in any of his eight starts this season.


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Open Door DaysIdea by Colin Humphris | added on Nov 30, 2009 06:48PM Suggestion
LinksCEFICCEFIC Case Study
"Open Door" events organized by the chemical industry provided a unique opportunity for the public to discover a fascinating industry and to learn in an entertaining way how much chemistry plays a crucial role in our everyday lives.
It was in May 2001 that the group of national federations within the European Chemical Industry Council, Cefic, took the initiative of organizing "Discover Chemistry in Europe," a series of Open Door days throughout Europe. Between May 2002 and October 2003, member associations of Cefic from 13 countries held Open Door events involving some 1000 sites, with an estimated one million visitors. These events often involved universities or research laboratories, and included conferences and exhibitions.
Belgium, through its association Fedichem, kicked off the series. On 4 and 5 May 2002, more than 40 chemical plants opened their doors to the public, as well as about 15 university laboratories and museums. Almost 70 000 people participated, showing an undeniable interest in chemistry. Over the following few months, Belgium was successfully followed by the UK, Italy, France, Finland, The Netherlands, and Spain. It is interesting to note that on average, in all countries, 25 percent of the visitors were younger than 20 years old.
These days provided a unique opportunity to demonstrate in an entertaining way how much chemistry plays a crucial role in our everyday lives. Clothes, CDs, computers, sports equipment, cars, electronic devices . . . almost everything relies on chemistry!
This type of event also demonstrates the chemical industry's capacity for innovation as well as its safety and quality concerns. It offers an excellent forum to show and to explain, "on the spot," voluntary initiatives taken by the industry to help meet today's societal demands. An example is the global chemical industry's "Responsible Care" initiative under which companies, through their national associations, commit to work together to continuously improve their performance in protecting people and the environment throughout the life cycle of their products and processes.
Read Discover Chemistry in Europe by Marc Devisscher (Chem Int, May 2003)
|industrial safety
|general public
Dec 13, 2009 04:06PM
Why would not the industry join the Feast of Science in 2011 to make the same open doors?
Apr 16, 2010 08:18AM
"70 000 people participated".. very big number!
Want to post your own idea or comment?
To post an idea or add a comment, you need to be part of the IYC network. Please log in or sign up now.
Join the IYC Network


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Science Friday® is produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Science Friday® and SciFri® are registered service marks of Science Friday, Inc. Site design by Pentagram; engineering by Mediapolis.
|The Flagstaff Festival of Science gets underway this week. Ira Flatow talks with two festival participants about some of the highlights: Astronaut John Grunsfeld previews a talk on the Hubble Telescope and archeoastronomer Bryan Bates tells what the Mayans knew about 2012.


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Welcome to Dearborn Public Schools
District Profile
To learn about our schools, it's important to first learn about the Dearborn area. The community is proud of the role this region has played in the history and development of Southeastern Michigan. It is a history that can be traced back to Native Americans living along the banks of the Rouge River. Some of the first Europeans to settle in the area were French fur traders and farmers. The first school in Dearborn dates back to the early 1800s and was a simple, one-room log cabin. This is quite a contrast to the 32 neighborhood elementary, middle, and high schools that now span the district.
As Detroit and Chicago grew, Dearborn became a favorite stop for travelers making their way along the path that stretched between the cities. Today, a paved five-lane street, Michigan Avenue, still passes through the heart of Dearborn. Auto giant Henry Ford was born on a small farm in Dearborn. His accomplishments revolutionized the auto industry and brought the automobile to millions of people around the world.
Dearborn remains the World Headquarters of Ford Motor Company. Many schools in Dearborn carry the names of Mr. Ford and his family. Fordson High School, one of three public high schools in our district, was the first million dollar high school in the country and has been designated a Historical Landmark by the state of Michigan. This school district is part of a growing, vibrant area built upon quality education and outstanding city services. Schools, housing, and retail development complement the existing infrastructure to provide residents with a safe, stable community.
Each and every one of our schools is a great place for your child to receive their education. The district offers programs and services to meet the needs of all students. To find out more, please contact the school in your neighborhood or the Administration Office at 827-3006.
Enroll Your Child
View Our Schools
Superintendent profile
Find a School and Get Directions
School Maps
View School Attendance Areas
Use the maps below to view school attendance areas.


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It probably would be seen as a cheap shot to write something like, "Contrary to NBA Hall of Famer Karl (The Mailman) Malone, the United States Postal Service is failing to deliver …"
Those of us here at the Hideout never would want to (ahem) antagonize any situation by assigning blame for anything. So let's just say that, like a lot of husbands who wind up sleeping a few nights on their couches, the USPS is about to let an anniversary slip by without acknowledgement.
Less than two months from now, the NBA and hoops enthusiasts around the globe will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the most astounding single performance in league history: On March 2, 1962, Wilt Chamberlain led the Philadelphia Warriors past the New York Knicks on a neutral court in Hershey, Pa., 169-147. Al Attles and the other Warriors combined to score 69 points. Chamberlain got the other 100.
It is a record that stands to this day – a grand, round number for one of the biggest performers ever in sports (never to have run in the Kentucky Derby, anyway). The Dipper's Herculean feats and outsized personality seemed ripe for him to be honored by casual fans and the culture at large, and what better way than to put his image on a first-class U.S. postal stamp?
That was the passion that moved Donald Hunt, longtime sportswriter at the Philadelphia Tribune in Chamberlain's hometown, to throw his support into a campaign to get the big fella so honored. An online petition sprang up to lobby the Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee at the USPS's own hideout in Washington, D.C. Stories appeared here at NBA.com, as well as in USA Today, the mainstream Philadelphia media and elsewhere.


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Haiti: Efforts to Restore President Aristide, 1991-1994
Description: This report tracks the efforts to restore to office President Aristide of Haiti between the years 1991-1994. During this period, the main U.S. foreign policy concern was the restoration of the democratic process to Haiti. Closely related to this was the issue of Haitians attempting to flee to the United States by boat. Congressional concerns focused on human rights, Haitian migration, socioeconomic conditions, and drug trafficking.
Date: May 11, 1995
Creator: Taft-Morales, Maureen
Item Type: Refine your search to only Report
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department


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Get those tastebuds ready — the Taste of Newport is back in town.
Now in its 23rd year, the annual food, beverage and music fest features more than 30 participating restaurants and 15 wineries.
Live entertainment is included in the admission fee. Headlining this year are Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, the Barenaked Ladies, Taylor Dayne and ABBA: The Concert.
The event uses an innovative system where patrons can put any dollar value on a eScrip card and purchase tastes with it, which range in price from $1 to $7. Any unused value at the end of the event can be refunded at an eScrip booth prior to departure.
Foodie heaven
This year's menu includes a huge range of cheekily named tastes, like Redneck Tacos from BBQ Two 20; the World-Famous Sausage Sandwich from Sabatino's Lido Shipyard Sausage Co.; Lamb Vindaloo from Chakra Indian Cuisine; Seared Salmon Lime Rolls from Ten Asian Bistro; and cannoli shipped directly from Brooklyn by Soprano's Italian Eatery.
The event draws thousands over its three-day run.
"For the entire community, it's a wonderful way to celebrate Newport's finest eateries, local specialties and successful culinary community," said Resort at Pelican Hill Executive Chef Jean-Pierre Dubray.
The Newport Coast hotel will offer tastes from two of its restaurants, the Coliseum Pool & Grill and the Pelican Grill.
"Irvine Ranch heirloom tomato salad, pan-seared day boat scallops, and house-made gelato are among our best-selling items featured for tasting," Dubray said.
Also on the menu are items like lobster gazpacho shooters, tiny albacore tacos, mini seafood pot pie, beach beignets, Irvine Ranch sweet corn and baby zucchini risotto Parmigiano Reggiano, and espresso tiramisu.
"Whenever possible, we source seasonal ingredients locally from the Irvine Ranch," Dubray said. "Our menus are seasonally driven, so diners enjoy locally grown tomatoes, avocados, strawberries, beans and root vegetables featured at the peak of their freshness."
The resort is popular among locals who go there for more casual meals or for special-occasion dining in its crown culinary jewel, Italian restaurant Andrea. Dubray cited several promotions like seasonal menus, cooking classes and holiday events that locals find appealing.
"Pelican Hill is fortunate to have a strong local following, especially with our three distinct restaurants, but also with our spa and golf course. As we soon enter our third year in operation, we continue to participate in events that increase awareness of our value-driven local offerings," he said.
Something for everybody
This year's musical lineup features a list of favorites from the 1970s to today.
Considered the Godmother of Punk, Jett is best known for songs like "Bad Reputation" and "I Love Rock and Roll." Canadian alternative favorites the Barenaked Ladies skyrocketed to stardom with their catchy "One Week" in the late 1990s, while ABBA: The Concert will feature original members of the band. Dayne has topped charts since the 1980s, and is best known for hits like "Love Will Lead You Back" and 2007's dance hit "Beautiful."
All headliners will be joined by other acts on their respective nights.
On Friday, Strangelove: The Ultimate Tribute to Depeche Mode will open at 6:15 p.m. followed by Kate Crash at 8 p.m. and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts at 9 p.m.
Saturday, the evening starts with Bubba and the Big Bad Blues Band at 4:30 p.m., followed by John Bisaha at 5:45 p.m., the Platinum Rockstars at 7 p.m. and the Barenaked Ladies at 9 p.m.
Sunday, jazz group Tizer kicks off at 12:30 p.m., followed by the Derek Bordeaux Group at 2:30 p.m., Taylor Dayne at 4:30 p.m. and ABBA: The Concert at 6 p.m.
For more information, visit tasteofnewport.com.
Get those tastebuds ready — the Taste of Newport is back in town.
If You Go
What: Taste of Newport
When: 6 to 11 p.m. Friday; 4 to 11 p.m. Saturday; noon to 8 p.m. Sunday
Where: Fashion Island, 600 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach
Cost: $25 at the gate; tastes $1 to $7; children under 8 admitted free
Information: (949) 729-4400 or tasteofnewport.com


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Easy and healthy food substitutes
Simple replacements for what you eat can give you improved health and wellbeing.
Choose biscuits made of whole-wheat flour instead of refined flour.
You don't have to deprive yourself of all things tasty, if you're battling cholesterol, diabetes, weight or blood pressure – to name a few. Simple, everyday replacements for what you're eating can significantly impact your health and wellbeing. These healthy food substitutes will allow you to still get all the flavour and satisfaction you're used to.
Easy, healthy food substitutes:
IN: Red rice
OUT: White rice
Red rice has far more nutritional benefits over white rice that most of us are used to eating. Dr Jyothi Prasad, practicing dietitian at Manipal Hospital, Bangalore says, "Red rice has more fibre in comparison to white rice, as white rice is stripped off its fibre and vitamins during the refining process." And red rice is a safer option for diabetics too.
IN: White meat (chicken and fish)
OUT: Red meat (mutton, beef, pork and organ meat like liver and heart)
When it comes to non-vegetarian options, choose chicken and fish over mutton, beef or organ meat like liver. Chicken and fish (white meat) is far healthier than beef, mutton and pork (red meat).
Dr Prasad explains, "white meat has less fat and cholesterol than red meat. It gives the same amount of protein with an added advantage of lesser fat." Dr Prasad stresses that fish provide essential fatty acids, which are heart friendly, and also aid brain development in children.
IN: Skimmed milk
OUT: Whole milk
Choose slim milk over whole milk. Here's why! "Skimmed milk has less fat, which means it can help keep your weight under check. In the run long it is more heart friendly," advises Dr Prasad. This is strictly not advisable in the case of growing children, unless there are concerns about obesity.
IN: Fresh fruit juice
OUT: Colas, energy drinks and fruit concentrates
Give the colas and energy drinks a break, and reach out to fresh fruit juices. Colas, energy drinks and the various other concentrated juices available in the market, contain noting more than sugar and calories. Further, energy drinks, Dr Prasad warns, contains caffeine, which isn't good either. Dr Prasad advises one to opt for fresh fruit juices instead, "they pack in vitamins, minerals and a little bit of fibre too." Even packages juices, as long as they are free of sugar, are a better choice. So chuck those colas today!
IN: Whole-wheat flour and multi-grain flour
OUT: Refined flour or maida
Refined flour, maida, only has carbs and no other nutrients, which means calories sans benefits. So pick whole-wheat flour instead. Whole-wheat flour packs in proteins, vitamins and fibre, which are all extremely beneficial. So choose cakes, bread, biscuits and rotis made of whole-wheat flour/ multi-grain flour, available aplenty in the market today.
IN: Citrus juices, spices and herbs' dressing
OUT: Oil dressings
Citrus juices, spices and herbs' dressing is any day healthier than oil dressings, even if you're using the heart-healthy oil, olive oil. "Spices, herbs and lime juice add zing to your salads without adding the extra calories that oily dressings do," Dr Prasad says.
IN: Herbs, citrus juices and spices
OUT: Salt
Cut your salt, and supplement it with herbs, citrus juices and spices. "Adding too much salt is detrimental to your health, it can put you at risk of blood pressure and more. So cut down your salt intake by adding herbs, citrus juices and spices to add to the taste," suggests Dr Prasad.
IN: Egg whites
OUT: Whole eggs
Egg whites are any day better than eating whole eggs: "Egg yolk is a rich source of cholesterol and must be completely eliminated if one has complaints of high cholesterol or has a family history of heart disease," says Dr Prasad. However, in the case of children, whole eggs are more a better bet any day.
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Reviewed By Darci G (San Angelo, TX) Reviewed for a 2003 Ford F-350 —4/23/2009 6:36 PM
The pictures do not do this rack justice, it is much sturdier than I was expecting. I bought it so that I could carry a couple of kayaks and my travel trailer at the same time. Now that I have had the CapRac for a while it is very obvious that this thing will be getting much use hauling supplies for my house. Never again will I have to buy lumber/pipe etc... at shorter lengths just so it will fit in my truck. The CapRac is very reasonable priced and will fill all of my needs/wants and then some. Ken


text: Sharon says: Typically, one person winning a fight means the other person loses. You are on the same team when you're married though so no matter who wins, everyone losses. Remember to fight the urge to "win" every argument and try to find the compromise when you can and be able to admit when you're wrong.


text: On Tue, 21 Jan 2003, Jim Lux wrote: > > SO I wouldn't worry. I don't worry much about cell phones, either. > > Microwave ovens, I worry about. TV sets and CRT's in general I worry > > about (they produce soft X rays and other ionizing radiation with some > > probability, especially close to the tube). > I wouldn't sweat the TV set/CRT... Color TVs used to emit Xrays back when > they used vacuum tube rectifiers and before they used lead glass in the > rectifier tube envelope (Color TVs running at anode potentials of 25 kV or > so, compared to the 10-15 kV for a B&W set..).. The front face of a CRT is > lead glass and quite thick, just for this reason, as well (since what makes > that spot is the electron beam stopping at the front...) (I seem to recall > reading that there is 2-5 kilos of lead in the average monitor dumped in the > landfills...making it a significant hazmat problem) The lead alone is an excellent reason to use flat panel monitors, although they may well have heavy metal problems of their own (e.g. arsenic in their silicon). Still, arsenic is less toxic than lead and there is a lot less of it. However, lead or not, I'd want to see a spectral analysis of the downstream radiation, sampled over weeks to months, per monitor, before I stop "worrying" about a given CRT or TV, as what the FCC or OSHA considers "safe" may not be what I consider "safe". I have spent (many!) years of my life sitting within two meters of the front face of one monitor or another over the last couple of decades, and ionizing radiation is "different" from RF. The risk is quantum mechanical -- either a given photon hits something it shouldn't and causes it to break all at once or it doesn't, on a purely statistical, quantized basis. It isn't like being in a field of RF radiation and gradually absorbing enough energy to heat and "burn" tissue and break bonds. Even very weak sources of ionizing radiation will cause cellular damage at some probabilistic rate -- the only question is whether one is "unlucky" and one of the transitions initiates cancer or damages retinal cells (one at a time and very slowly) that don't repair or replace themselves at a rate so that over twenty years of gradual exposure vision is significantly affected or melanomas start popping up on your face. The fact that your cancer was unlikely doesn't leave you any less dead. A cynical person is also just naturally curious about multiple scattering and equipment malfunction and whether or not design/safety guidelines adequately protect against the unexpected as well as expected modes of operation. Multiple scattering can deflect an electron so that its path isn't what you think that it is so it produces its potentially ionizing photons around the periphery of the screen, possibly unblocked by the lead (?). Low probability I'm sure FOR CORRECTLY FUNCTIONING EQUIPMENT. Equipment malfunction, however, is subject to the laws of Murph. A small resistor burns out, and suddenly every electron beam sweep is scattering along pathways the manufacturer never intended or imagined. Another burns out, and suddenly the beam current is increased by some unexpected factor. A capacitor blows, and a single inductive surge delivers a voltage ten times larger than expected to the electron beam, for a very small period of time, showering one is a burst of middling hard x-rays. Do monitor safety guidelines protect against all of these things (and ones I haven't imagined)? Maybe, probably, mostly, but Murphy says there are almost certainly surprises both in the steady state and in the unpredictable catastrophic state of operation. I try to sit back a couple of meters from any CRT anyway, as I'm indeed a low cynical type. CRT's haven't been in ubiquitous use for much more than 20 years at this point (PC revolution being from maybe 1982 to 1986 or 1987, by which point nearly every office desk had them). Long term health problems caused by all those CRT's, leaded screens or not, may not surface for another 20 years, and engineering guidelines in the meantime are dictated by what what people IMAGINE to be an adequately safe exposure level. The same people who did nothing when the Ctrl and Alt shifts were moved into carpal tunnel position on a keyboard, the people who still allow monitors to be built that run at 60 Hz scan frequencies, the very same people who regulate the amount of mercury and sulphur permitted in coal burning power plant smoke, the people responsible for keeping things like snake-head fish far from our shores, the ones who regulate the industrial exploitation of our oil fields and forests. Our government and industry leaders, who clearly have our best interests at heart, always. So sure, CRTs are safe. I'm certain of it. > > Computer engineer student types. I don't think that they equipment is > > particularly cheap or DIY, though... > > Pshaw... high school students build cyclotrons out of spare parts in the > garage.... Perhaps from a very advanced high school, but hey, cyclotrons are relatively easy. A big magnet made out of wire scavenged from the alternator wrapped around a core made of the melted-down engine block, an HVRF oscillator made out of parts from the old TV, a vacuum pump made out of an old washer and bicycle pump -- piece of cake. Of course the high vacuum beam pipes and quadrupole magnetic lenses might present a bit of a problem, but anyone who has read Heinlein realizes that really bright kids can easily build nuclear rockets and space suits. Coming up with enough lead to build a wall around your apparatus so you can actually operate your homebrew cyclotron without giving your little brother cancer might be dicey, though. Presuming you WANT to avoid giving your little brother cancer...:-). So sure, for these high school students building a decent oscilloscope out of an old TV or PC monitor, building a multichannel analyzer, building the requisite RF tuning and amplification circuitry so that it will work across a half dozen decades of frequencies would be trivial. Sorry I ever doubted it:-) Gotta go now. Time to turn my gas grill into something that can melt iron in a flowerpot crucible so my teenager can start on his science fair project...;-) rgb -- Robert G. Brown http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/ Duke University Dept. of Physics, Box 90305 Durham, N.C. 27708-0305 Phone: 1-919-660-2567 Fax: 919-660-2525 email:rgb at phy.duke.edu


text:
MSI GTX 670 Power Edition: When Reference is Not Reference
Spicing up the GTX 670
The Power Edition graphics card series from MSI is a relatively new addition to its lineup. The Power Edition often mimics that of the higher-end Lightning series, but at a far lower price (and perhaps a smaller feature set). This allows MSI to split the difference between the reference class boards and the high end Lightning GPUs.
Doing this allows users a greater variety of products to choose from, and to better tailor users' purchases by their needs and financial means. Not everyone wants to pay $600 for a GTX 680 Lightning, but what if someone was able to get similar cooling, quality, and overclocking potential for a much lower price? This is what MSI has done with one of its latest Power Edition cards.
The GTX 670 Power Edition
The NVIDIA GTX 670 cards have received accolades throughout the review press. It is a great combination of performance, power consumption, heat production, and price. It certainly caused AMD a great amount of alarm, and it hurriedly cut prices on the HD 7900 series of cards in response. The GTX 670 is a slightly cut-down version of the full GTX 680, and it runs very close to the clock speed of its bigger brother. In fact, other than texture and stream unit count, the cards are nearly identical.
Continue reading the entire review!
The GTX 670 is, in fact, comprised of 1344 CUDA cores (down from the 680's 1536) and 112 Texture units (down from 120). ROP count stays at 32 and the 2GB of memory on the 256-bit bus runs at a blistering 1.5 GHz (6 GHz effective). For essentially $100 less than a GTX 680, a user will receive about 90% of the performance (depending on the title) of the full blown GTX 680. These cards were released some months after the initial GTX 680, and demand for them has been impressive. With this demand we are now seeing more aggressive designs based on the GTX 670.
The GTX 670 Power Edition is an interesting beast. Unlike some of the earlier Power Editions, which featured de-tuned designs still based on the Lightning boards, this looks to be a slightly modified reference design. It has a slightly beefier power delivery system which takes the draw from around 100 amps to 125 amps max. TDP is listed as 200 watts, but through the use of overclocking and tweaking it can get closer to the 225 watts delivered by the dual 6 pin PCI-E power connections.
Twin Frozr IV cooling technology is used with this board, and it looks nearly identical to the Lightning and HAWK series using TF-IV. One major difference is that the card uses 80 mm fans rather than the larger 100 mm units on the top end Lightning series. This will slightly diminish cooling performance, but when we consider the conservative 200 watts TDP of the part, it is certainly not holding the design back. The actual heatsink itself is large and cools the board and chip quite effectively.
The video outputs are very nice here compared to some of the latest AMD cards. It features dual link DVI (one DVI-I and the other DVI-D), DisplayPort, and HDMI outputs. AMD's latest cards only feature a single dual-link DVI port on its boards, which is problematic for users wanting to run non-DisplayPort enabled monitors over 1920x1200 resolutions. Those inexpensive Korean 27" IPS (which we recently reviewed) monitors which only have DVI inputs certainly come to mind. If a user wants to go with a three monitor Surround setup, then they will need to limit themselves to 1920x1200 with a $25 active DP to DVI adapter, or purchase the $100 powered active DP to dual link DVI adapter above 1920x1200.
The card is manufactured using the Military Class III components that MSI has made somewhat famous. These are higher quality hi-c caps, poly caps, and chokes. The choice of components should insure that they last longer, and have slightly higher capabilities which should help improve any overclocking ability. The combination of higher specification components combined with a slightly more robust power delivery system–topped off with an above average cooling solution–should make this a highly overclockable board.
MSI has added another wrinkle to this equation. NVIDIA previously did not allow or support over-volting the GPU and its components with its GTX 600 series of cards. With the PE and the latest version of the MSI Afterburner 2.3 software, users can, in fact, increase the voltage on the GTX 670. This should allow for some higher overclocking of what was previously still a pretty good part. With the non-voltage way of overclocking still working well for many users, this extra feature should give some nice numbers for those really wishing to push their card.
The card itself is overclocked right out of the box already. A standard GTX 670 has a base clock of 915 MHz and a boost clock up to 980 MHz. In the vast majority of applications, the clock would stay pretty steady at 980 MHz. By adjusting the power range of the card so it can pull more watts, these cards could easily hit GTX 680+ speeds. In this particular case, MSI was pretty aggressive off the bat. The GTX 670 PE has a base clock of 1019 MHz (GTX 680's base is 1006) with a max boost of 1079 (the GTX 680 features upwards of 1056 officially). This is a meaningful jump from the base clocks featured on a reference GTX 670.
These things add up to what looks like a pretty nifty part. The best thing about it is the price. The GTX 670 Power Edition is not all that much more expensive than a standard GTX 670. It retails for around $429 US, but carries a $25 MIR. This brings it perilously close to the $399 MSRP of a reference GTX 670.
Video News
I was wondering how much of a performance gain is seen versus a reference GTX670. Unfortunately, this is not included in the graphs of the game testing. Too bad..
I don't understand the last part of the article, where you mention that MSI's default overclock, is actually causing crashes when put into benchmark / torture test. This would mean MSI's overclock is unstable?
You are looking at most at about a 4% increase over a stock clocked GTX 670. The differences are not all that great. You are primarily getting this card for the cooling and unique design/voltage control rather than it being a much, much faster product than the stock GTX 670.
The last part actually reads, "At no time was this card unstable during benchmarking and torture tests..." So basically it was perfectly stable even with the boost speed up to 1170+ right out of the box. The card performed without issue.
Hey Josh, I wanted to say thanks for the article. I have been on the fence about upgrading from my old xfx radeon 5870. I had been hunting the various 670/680 cards and the amd 7970 and so forth. After all is said and done I got this card yesterday for $395 with borderlands 2 and mafia 2. I have overclocked it an have the core at 1170 mhz and my boost has been anywhere from 1250-1350mhz. This is of course with a voltage bump and such. Anyway, thank you again for a quality article that has resulted in a massive performance bump for me. Temperatures are still low even under load and even at 50% fan the card is still nice and quiet. :D
Josh, I was comparing the BF3 at 2560x1600 Ultra results in your article to those from the Galaxy GTX 670 GC 4GB article. Your results for the MSI GTX 670 PE card are 48fps min and 63.8fps avg. The results for the Galaxy card at the same settings are 26fps min, 41fps avg and 66fps max.
Can the BF3 results for the MSI and Galaxy cards from the two articles be compared? If so, why pay more for the extra 2GB of memory on Galaxy card? Any chance the results for the MSI card are avg and max?


text:
Capoz necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 48 diseños de 14 diseñadores freelance.
HubDirector:: director of a center of interest or activity or importance
We are a lean startup working on a new product aimed at helping companies and communities consolidate the knowledge that emerges through the use of collaborative platform (starting with wikis).
Why HubDirector: we chose 'Hub' because of its etymology:
"perhaps from hubbe, originally 'lump', the source of hob of a fireplace and hobnail, as in boots. A wheelwright's word, not generally known or used until c.1828; it reached wider currency in connection with bicycles.
Meaning 'center of interest or activity or importance'first recorded 1858 in writings of Oliver W. Holmes."
And 'Director' thinking about an orchestra director making a HubDirector someone (or something) that, well, directs a center of interest or activity or importance
Medium to big businesses at first, hopefully online communities in the future but overall anyone who find herself with an extensive body of knowledge built collaboratively and aggregating many sources and now needs to find a way to organise it without losing the collaborative aspect.
Think of any company that uses a wiki to share knowledge internally and then needs to do some gardening to keep everything consistent and help people find relevant information quickly.
- we would like to avoid having the product name in the logo
- cartoons and photos are not what we have in mind
- we would like to stress the 'hub' part of it and very much like the 'o' in this one: http://www.hubspot.com/Portals/53/i…_logo1.png although it's already taken :-)
- ideally we would like to be able to reuse part of it for future products which will be related. Something along the lines of what Atlassian does with the company, Jira and Confluence logos (a common part + a distinctive bit):
- company: top left corner of any page
- Jira: http://www.atlassian.com/software/jira/
- Confluence: http://www.atlassian.com/software/confluence/
the logo will be used 99% of the times online (web pages, web app and so forth).
Thanks a lot to anyone who will spend his time and skills making proposal
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
I've stopped counting the number of people who tell me they're starting Social Security as soon as they turn 62--the earliest age possible--because it's become too frequent of an occurrence. For most people, this is a poor financial decision since their Full Retirement Age (FRA) is 66, and taking benefits four years early will reduce their monthly benefit by 25%.(1)
Continue Reading Below
But here's the thing: They know their decision will lead to a permanent reduction in their payouts, but they don't care. They're more worried about Social Security's future than they own, and think that they should get what they can, when they can. This is not smart financial planning.
Studies show that neither socio-economic status or education level has much bearing on making this decision. If anything, the tendency is somewhat higher among people who could afford to wait until FRA and have adequate resources to draw from in order to generate the income they'd need in order to wait until their 66th birthday.
Even if you show them the amount of Social Security income they're giving up by claiming benefits early, some aren't persuaded. For instance, assume that Margie and Frank have each earned a Social Security benefit of $2,550 a month. Let's say Frank files to begin benefits at 62, reducing his monthly check to roughly $1,660. Margie waits until age 66 to start Social Security. The chart below illustrates the cumulative amounts each will have received at key ages.
*Assumes annual Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) of 2.5%
By approximately age 75, Margie's cumulative income has surpassed Frank's benefits amount and from that point on, he is steadily losing ground. Nonetheless, the "Franks" of this world are adamant about starting Social Security as soon as they become eligible. Logic has no impact on these folks because their decision is emotional. They're afraid Social Security is going broke and they have the mentality of: I'd better take it while I can.
This phenomenon is so prevalent I've come up with a name for it: Scary Headlines = Stupid Claiming Decisions
As I wrote last week, the Social Security trustees reported that for the past three years, largely due to the lousy economy, the amount of payroll tax collected from workers has not been enough to cover the benefits the program has paid out. This gap in inflow vs. outflow has been bridged by using some of the assets (special Treasury bonds, plus the interest they pay) that have built up in the Trust Fund, but unless changes are made, by 2033 all of the bonds will have been cashed in. Since Social Security can only pay out what it takes in, that would trigger an across-the-board 25% benefit cut
Despite this, Andy Peterson, a specialist in pension and retirement issues at the Society of Actuaries, says not to panic.
"The changes needed to get Social Security into balance are among the easier challenges that our policy makers in Washington, D.C. are facing. A combination of a slight adjustment to the [full] retirement age, raising the earnings cap, changing the CPI, a slight increase in the payroll tax…could put it back into actuarial balance without a great amount of difficulty."
According to this year's Trustees Report issued to Congress earlier this month, if we only wanted to attack this from the tax side, we could solve Social Security's funding issues for the next 75 years by increasing the payroll tax from 12.4% to 15.12%. Since employers and workers split this tax, this would amount to each side paying about 1.3% more.
In fact, it wouldn't take much more than this to permanently put Social Security on firm financial ground. "From where we are now, if we increased the payroll tax by 4%,…then you could finance it into eternity," says Alicia Munnell, director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. This approach has the advantage of avoiding any other changes to the program- such as raising the Full Retirement Age or adjusting the cost-of-living formula.
Though the beauty of this approach lies in its finality and simplicity, it's more likely that Congress with take the usual route and tinker with a number of factors that put a "patch" on the problem for a limited period of time. Peterson predicts that "any solution will be a combination of things both sides of the aisle will not like. [Such as] an increase in the taxable wage base, so you get more revenue, plus a benefit cut" achieved by adopting a new method of measuring inflation.
At the risk of stating the obvious, I would like to point out that 2033 is 20 years away. In other words, we've got time to address this, provided we've got elected officials who are willing to do so. Because the longer this uncertainty about the future of Social Security lingers, the more insecure Americans become. And the more bad decisions they make about when to claim benefits. Such as focusing on how many years it takes to "break even" if you start an early versus at a later age.
"How do I get my money's worth?" is the wrong way to go about deciding when to start benefits, says Peterson. Instead you should be asking yourself: "How do I insure against a potentially long life?," something that, as an actuary, he is acutely aware of. Retirement is no longer a 20-to-25 year period; these days you need to assume it will last 30 to 35 years.
"Personally, I would encourage working as long as you can. The longer you wait, the bigger your benefit becomes. It's the only retirement income that has an automatic inflation adjustment built in. So your buying power doesn't erode as you age. By waiting, in effect you're buying a [larger] cost-of-living-adjusted annuity."(2)
If continuing to work isn't an option, Peterson says you're better off taking withdrawals from your 401(k) rather than starting Social Security before Full Retirement Age. According to his calculations, even if you include the four years of reduced benefits you receive, it's more expensive to start collecting at 62 and then buy an inflation-adjusted annuity at age 66 to replace the income you'd get if you had simply waited until then to start Social Security.
At the very least, do the math before you pull the trigger to start your benefit. The Social Security website has some great calculators that allow you to see how your monthly check will change based upon when you begin. In fact, if you go here you can set up an account that only you can access so you can tap into your actual earnings history. You can also go to your local Social Security office and have the folks there run the numbers under different assumptions. Talk with an experienced financial advisor who understands Social Security.
But above all, don't worry about Social Security disappearing. As Peterson points out, "Social Security is such a popular program. And we know that seniors vote. It would be legislative suicide for policymakers to scale it back in any material way."
1. Filing to begin receiving Social Security before you reach your Full Retirement Age always results in a smaller benefit amount. For those born from 1943 through 1954, FRA is age 66. Starting with individuals born in 1955, the Full Retirement Age increases by 2 months per year until it reaches a maximum age of 67 for those born in 1960 or later. Increasing the FRA is one option being considered to help bring Social Security's long-term financial situation into balance. See http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/agereduction.htm.
2. It is increasingly rare that a defined benefit, i.e. "pension," plan provides an inflation-adjusted benefit.


text:
Nobody comes to a bank artlessly because they wish to accept fun. Underneath this ambiguous acumen is the admiration to accompany home cash, and lots of it. Indeed, bank bank is a way to get your easily on lots of banknote in a abbreviate time. However, it can aswell be the way to lose banknote in an even beneath time. The affair with bank bank is that the amateur accept altered pay-out rates. For example, spending bisected an hour in the slots will not advice you ability the hundred dollar mark unless you win the jackpot. But if you go and absorb time at the roulette table, you can ability the 200-dollar mark after cat-and-mouse for 30 minutes. Likewise, you could lose all your bank bank money at the roulette table in a beneath time than it will yield you to lose $10 at the slots.
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Video poker is addition bank bank bold that has a acceptability for top pay-outs. However, like blackjacks, video poker rules and pay-out schemes alter a part of casinos. Examining the casino's pay tables is important afore starting video poker, or any bold for that matter. Usually, there are altered video poker machines at a accustomed casino. Be abiding to accept the one with best pay tables, otherwise, you're just giving the bank your money after a fight. Acceptable pay tables are affirmation that the bold you're arena in fact favors you.
Good video poker machines usually acquiesce over a hundred percent acknowledgment the best you play the game. Also, admitting accepting agnate to aperture machines, video poker is not a bold of chance. This agency that you accept an absolute advantage depending on your skills. Consequently, you cannot play the bold and apprehend a top pay-out after compassionate the basal rules and arming yourself with advantageous techniques. Bank bank is fun, but it does entail some work.
Most bank bank websites and acceptable casinos action both games. Betting acquaintance and bold abilities advance your affairs of acceptable the amateur and accepting top pay-outs. Though arena requires accomplishment in acquirements the amateur and arrive the skills, it does accept its rewards. Besides, bank bank is added fun if you go home burdened with banknote than big debts.


text:
Atlantic City Airport Evacuated Over Suspicious Package
A terminal at the Atlantic City International Airport has been evacuated following the discovery of a suspicious package according to the South Jersey Transportation Authority.
The SJTA was unable to provide further details.
WMGM TV and other media report the device was found in a bathroom at the airport in Egg Harbor Township around 12:30 p.m.
All departing and arriving flights were temporarily suspended.


text:
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text:
This tutorial deals with reverse engineering (RE).
It is organised as follows: In the introduction, the scope of the tutorial
is defined. After presenting the prerequisites, a systematic way to RE
is described – based on an exemplary executable[1] (credits to lepricaun),
that has been used among others in a thread about "cracking" here on AO[2].
The goal in this tutorial is to "crack" that executable, and hence is more
application-oriented than theoretical.
RE is the process of taking something (a device, an electrical component,
a software program, etc.) apart and analyzing its workings in detail,
usually with the intention to construct a new device or program that
does the same thing without actually copying anything from the original[3].
Here, RE is introduced to craft code (in c) that is doing the same as the
original program.
RE can be used to perform cracking, which is defined as the "removal of
copy protection". This is criminal under certain circumstances, at least
in the US, due to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)[4,5]).
The above mentioned executable runs on MS Windows – hence, in this tutorial
we restrict ourselves to use MS Windows based applications/tools.
Final notes: Neither am I a professional programmer nor have I studied
IT. If I use terminology in the wrong context, please stay calm and correct
me. And have in mind: Neither am I native English speaking, nor do I life
in a country with English as its official language.
The tools , we are going to use are
. Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0
With this program, we will create our new code. In addition, this environment
has a nice disassembler, which helps us to check our effort easily. If
not available I will mention an alternative way.
. PE Explorer [6]
PE Explorer will be our main tool to do the disassembly.
. OllyDbg 1.10 [7]
OllyDbg 1.10 is a very useful runtime debugger and disassembler.
. The windows calculator [8]
For calculations in the hexadecimal system and/or conversions to the
decimal system.
I cannot recommend books about RE (haven't read any), but these seem
to be quite popular:
. Hacker Disassembling Uncovered[9]
. Assembly Language Step-by-step: Programming with DOS and Linux[10]
. Online Resources[11]
Having the above tools available, we are ready.
Determination of the program structure
(file: crackit_7.asm)
The first step: We disassemble the executable using PE Explorer and look
at it. Usually, not all program parts are transparent. A RE process involves
a lot iterations of the whole systematic way presented in this tutorial.
After one iteration, you understand the code a bit more, and in a second
iteration you can correct errors and/or add new information to your notes.
Be patient.
– trick: Strings
In the disassembler view, there is a tab "Strings". The crackme's 1,2
and 3 can be solved immediately.
. extract the user-crafted code
(file: crackit_7_relevant.asm)
PE Explorer delimits connected code segments with a delimiter ";——…".
Check for
push ebp mov ebp,esp pop ebp ; eventually, but most likely
since these commands initiate a function (like main()). There are quite
a few, but check the following code for the coder's specific information,
here like
jmp L00401B70 Align 8 SSZ00401290_R0m3oD3l7a: db 'R0m3oD3l7a',0
Sometimes, this task is not so simple, since some compilers add a lot
of stuff to it (like the Microsoft one). Two hints: 1) Make a runtime debugging
using Ollydbg. Follow the code with F7 until you will see something that
is specific for the coder. 2) Here, at some point, you have to enter a
login ie there must be a function call to "gets", for example. Check the code
for the first appereance of "gets" and travel back carefully.
Follow the code until you stumble across the first
mov ebx,[ebp-04h] ; eventually, but most likely leave retn
This ends the program.
. scan for memory regions that are used (variables, constants)
(file: crackit_7_ebp.asm)
It is very helpful to know where in the memory the variables, constants
are stored. The address of the relevant memory is in the basepointer ebp.
In asm, you access it with [ebp]. Data is usually stored in addresses
smaller than ebp, ie [ebp-04h] is typical for the first variable (in the
very simple program below "i"). Test it: With Visual C++ in debug mode,
compile the program
void main(){ int i=1; }
jump into the code and press: CTRL-F11. You will see something like
0040D6D8 mov dword ptr [ebp-4],1
which is i=1, as expected.
In case you do not have Visual C++, compile with your favorite compiler
and use PE Explorer or Ollydbg to look for the addresses.
In our project, we have to deal with quite a lot of variables. We expect
at least two sets: two char-arrays, one for the login, one for the password.
We know, that we have to type in the login/password, so let's check for
eg. "jmp_msvcrt.dll!gets".
call jmp_msvcrt.dll!gets lea eax,[ebp-00000088h]
Indeed: The login will be stored from [ebp-88h] up to [ebp-88h+length_of_loginstring-1].
We further find the position of the password:
call jmp_msvcrt.dll!gets lea eax,[ebp-000000F8h]
Check for all [ebp] in the relevant code segment, however keep in mind
that some are not important. Summary:
[ebp-0Ch] 0 (so far)
[ebp-10h] length_username (result of strlen is in EAX, check crackit_7_ebp.asm)
[ebp-14h] length_passsword (result of strlen is in EAX, check crackit_7_ebp.asm)
[ebp-88h] start of the login. The last one in that series around -88h is -7Ch.
… Let's introduce the notation: login=ABCDEFGHIJKLM, where A
[ebp-7Ch] is a label of [ebp-88h], and M is a label of [ebp-7Ch]
[ebp-F8h] F8h up to DEh is used – A 27-char password? (Is this guy crazy? ;D).
… It looks like. Let's introduce the notation: password=abcdefgh….xyz1,
[ebp-DEh] where a is a label of [ebp-F8h], and 1 is a label of [ebp-DEh]
[ebp-178h] There is another huge region. So far, it's content is unknown
…step 4… but you might have seen, some of it is used for login/password
[ebp-110h] testing purposes. eg.
cmp dword ptr [ebp-00000168h],00000027h
[ebp-00FCh] A pointer to a string "R0m3oD3l7a"
Please be aware, the relevance of certain regions in the memory are not
a priori clear. Just make a reasonable list, which you alter during the
whole RE.
. analyse the program structure
L00401280: Starting point of "main()". Some "strings" are defined.
SUB_L0040136D: Here, something happens. After reading in the login-string
(and getting the length) a bunch of comparisons take place, e.g.
movzx eax,[ebp-00000088h] ; A cmp al,[ebp-00000087h] ; B jz L0040155D ; if (A==B) jump to L0040155D
All in the same manner. What is in L0040155D?
L0040155D: It reads in the password, but then jumps immediately to L00401709.
L0040157C: This also reads in the password, and then determines the length.
L004015AE: L004015C3: Seems kind of loop. Some copying or so?
L004015E7: A lot of comparisons, which seems to involve the login and the password.
L00401709: Output: a taunt! And then it jumps to L0040195F: The END!
Aha, this explains L0040155D.
L00401740: Jesus, another bunch of comparisons. Also with jumps to L00401709.
L0040180E: …whatever…
L0040181C: And a final set of tests. Again with jumps to L00401709.
But if we pass all these, we are done:
mov dword ptr [esp],SSZ00401330__Congratz__you_have_done_it____ call jmp_msvcrt.dll!printf
L0040195F: This is the end, my only friend, the end …
– trick: cracking
(file: crackit_7_cracked.exe)
One sort of cracking would be to replace the above mentioned "jz L0040155D"
at position 004013E3 with "jz to_the_Congratz__you_have_done_it____", which is
at position 0040191D.
jz L0040155D ; = 0F84 7401 0000 ; jumps to 0040155D if A=B.
We want to jump to 0040191D. 0040191D – 004013E3 = 053A.
jump command itself takes 6 byes: 053A – 6 = 0534.
jnz 34050000 ; = 0F85 3405 0000 ; jumps to 0040191D if A != B (more possibilities)
For the hex-edit, use for example [12].
Of course, you can jump before the first comparison, such that not even
the prompt for a login appears.
Construction of an own framework
(file: main.c)
The second step: Using the accumulated understanding of the program,
we try to construct our own framework using Microsoft Visual C++.
What does that mean? We create a main.c-file that contains the same
structure, ie variables, constants, function-availability (like strlen,
printf, scanf), with all variables, constants at the same position in
memory (relative to the ebp). Let's try the following:
#include <stdio.h> #include <string.h> void main(){ int i=0;int j=0;int k=0; int length_username; int length_password; char dummystring0[99]; char username[13]; char dummystring1[83]; char password[27]; char dummystring2[20]; int what_is_this[27]; sprintf(username,"ABCDEFGHIJKLM"); sprintf(password,"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1"); length_username=strlen(username); length_password=strlen(password); what_is_this[0]=0; what_is_this[1]=1; ...
With Visual C++ in debug mode, jump in the code and check with CTRL-F11
which memory-positions are used for length_username (should be [ebp-10h]),
…, what_is_this[0] (should be [ebp-178h]). Adjust the size of the
dummystrings correspondingly.
With this setup, we can copy 1-1 the assembler code from our disassembled
file into our main.c-file. This simplifies the following analysis.
Analysis of code segments
(file: crackit_7_analysis.asm, main.c)
The third step: Now, we start to work. Each code segment has to be looked
at in detail. Some are simple (in crackit_7_analysis.asm: Equation 1)
and can be RE directly, namely "Equation 1: A!=B" (remember our notation).
others are more tricky (in crackit_7_analysis.asm: Equation 2). While
the experienced programmer recognizes "Equation 2: F=M+M%2", a beginner
does not know it for sure. How to get it?
– trick: add asm in c (continuation of the above main.c)
// 2. Equation: F = M + M%2 // The following part is calculating "i+i%2" for (i=0;i<127;i++){ __asm { mov dl, [ebp-04h] ; copy the value of "i" into dl ; copy the asm-code to look at in here: mov al,dl sar al,07h shr al,07h add al,dl sar al,1 add al,al sub dl,al mov al,dl movsx edx,al ; movsx eax,[ebp-7Ch] ; this has to be substituted movsx eax,[ebp-04h] ; this is the only substitution lea eax,[eax+edx] ; the result is in eax mov [ebp-08h],al ; copy the result in al into "j" } // asm printf("%d:%d\t",i,j); // print: initial value M -> function(M) } // for i
Look at the output carefully. You can deduce i+i%2, eg.
i=6: i%2=0: j=i+i%2 = i = 6
i=7: i%2=1: j=i+i%2 = i +1 = 8
i=8: i%2=1: j=i+i%2 = i = 8
There is another example in main.c:
// 16. Equation: I%5 = 2 // The following part is calculating "i%5"
Since the crazy programmer has chosen a login of length 13 and a password
of length 27 (!), a lot of work is ahead of us. However, in this section
I will present all extraordinary constructions.
. the ominous [ebp-000000FCh]
; 8. Equation: L - 5Bh = strlen("R0m3oD3l7a") = Ah movsx eax,[ebp-7Dh] lea ebx,[eax-5Bh] mov eax,[ebp-000000FCh] ; prepare for strlen mov [esp],eax call jmp_msvcrt.dll!strlen cmp ebx,eax ; result of strlen is in eax! jnz L0040155D
We put L (remember our notation for the login) into eax, and subtract
5Bh: ebx = L-5Bh. ebx is then compared with the length of that string
which address is stored at [ebp-000000FCh]: The length of "R0m3oD3l7a"
is 10 = Ah. Hence, the 8. Equation is L – 5Bh = Ah
. "[ebp-178h]" and the loop on L004015AE: L004015C3:
The meaning of the "[ebp-178h]"-array.
mov edx,[ebp-0Ch] lea eax,[ebp-08h] add eax,[ebp-0Ch] sub eax,000000F0h movzx eax,[eax] sar al,1 movsx eax,al mov [ebp+edx*4-00000178h],eax
In edx, there is a "running" variable (0,1,2,3…). The lea,add and sub
will lead us to the position [ebp-78h+ edx ] ie the password starting
with a up to 1 (remember our notation of the password). Sar al,1 then
divides by 2 and stores that value at [ebp+edx*4-00000178h]. The fact
that edx is multiplied with 4 tells us, that we are dealing with an
integer array (integer-size: 4 bytes, while a char has 1 byte).
This one is also illustrated in main.c.
for (i=0;i<strlen(password);i++) what_is_this[i]=password[i]/2;
An example of using that array, see crackit_7_analysis.asm):
; 18. Equation: e/2 = 27h ; What's this ? [ebp-00000168h] = e/2 ! cmp dword ptr [ebp-00000168h],00000027h
. L00401740 – goodies
There is a rather strange part about q of the password. For comments
see crackit_7_analysis.asm.
; 19. Equation: quite a few tests for q movsx eax,[ebp-000000E8h] mov [ebp-00000184h],eax cmp dword ptr [ebp-00000184h],0000000Fh jz L00401709 cmp dword ptr [ebp-00000184h],0000000Fh jg L0040180E jmp L00401709 L0040180E: cmp dword ptr [ebp-00000184h],00000061h jz L0040181C jmp L00401709
I am not sure about that one, but it denies a couple of possibilities
for q. That's all.
. L0040181C – goodies
A nice one is: 20. Equation: 2*x – x/2 = 92h, again see crackit_7_analysis.asm
for comments.
And FINALLY, a last one which is in main.c:
// 21. Equation: y = (J%3)+63h // The following part is calculating "i%3"
As a result, we have a couple of equations, namely 53, plusminus some
around that strange part about q in the 19. Equation. Since we have
(13+27=40) variables only, that's enough hopefully.
Solving equations
(file: crackit_7_analysis.asm)
The fourth step: We know the procedure to check for a valid login/password.
Unfortunately, this does not necessarily mean that we already determined
the login/password. Here, we will solve the (non-)linear equations for the
As an examples, take the equations with login-values only (16 in the
first part). We just know K = 6Bh, L = 65h (note: Eq.8 is obsolete –
it was not necessary to RE that part to solve for the login) and H = 72h.
Warning: We have to be careful with B and A:
B/2 = 30h and A/4 = 13h. B can be 60h and 61h, as well as A=4Ch, 4Dh, 4Eh and 4Fh.
Eq.10: We then solve for M=72h.
Eq.17: I=60h or 61h, as we already know from (Eq.3) (good crosscheck nevertheless).
Eq.15 tells us, that I%5=2, hence I=61h. And so B=61h.
Eq.14 relates A and I: A=4Dh.
Eq.5: J=63h.
Eq.6: G=43h
Eq.1: F=72h, since M%2=0 F=M.
Use the ascii table[13]:
– trick: educated guess
Finalising the login: Either we continue with the following 37 equations
(or so) with the determination, or we try an educated guess: The unused
Eq.4 tells us: D-C has a distance of 1 or 0 (E%2=0 or 1 only).
We start: Maaa.rCracker – hmmm, not likely. Maab.rCracker, Mabb.rCracker, …,
Mass.rCracker, Mast.rCracker, Matt.rCracker, aaahh wait, …
MasterCracker! Yes, it must be that one!
Actually, staring long enough at "Ma…rCracker", you probably just can
see it.
A lot of the remaining unknowns are quite easy to determine. Just have
in mind, that in principle you cannot be completely sure, that your
educated guesses for C, D and E are correct.
Using Ollydbg [7] you can test your progress easily, and you will even
see, which equation is not satisfied doing a step-by-step debugging.
(file: crackit_7.exe, crackit_7.c)
c:\>crackit_7.exe Crackit_7.exe written by Scorpius, 2004 Enter username: MasterCracker Enter password: Sorry_but_this_one_is_also_homework:) Congratz, you have done it!!! Username: MasterCracker Password: Sorry_but_this_one_is_also_homework:)
The last step in a RE process is to construct the c-code. The starting
point is given with main.c. In this example, to put the rest is not too
difficult – essentially a set of strlen, printf, gets, for and ifs –
so I leave this as an exercise (replace the asm-constructs with the simpler
c-equivalent!). However, with the kind permission of lepricaun, I also
attached his original c-file (crackit_7.c). You will see, that some constructs
are not so easy, as they look after RE. This is due to the compiler – the
compiler optimises certain things just by removing. For example x*2/2=3, ie
the compiler just translates x=3 (note: x/2*2 cannot be optimised in such a way
due to the ambiguity doing a /2 with integers!).
I hope, you enjoyed this little introduction to RE. If you want to improve
your own RE skills, I propose the following way:
Take our current work, add some new c-construct to it, compile, disassemble
and try to understand what the compiler did, and why the asm code indeed
reflects the additional c-construct. After a while, you recognise certain
pieces at a glance.
List of references
[ 1] http://www.white-scorpion.nl/crackits/crackits.html
[ 2] http://www.antionline.com/showthread…hreadid=262718
[ 3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_engineering
[ 4] http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf
[ 5] http://anti-dmca.org
[ 6] http://www.heaventools.com/download.htm
[ 7] http://home.t-online.de/home/Ollydbg
[ 8] Windows calculator in scientific mode
[ 9] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS…623155-2902231
[10] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg…glance&s=books
[11] http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/sigmil/RevEng/ (book, not finished), http://www.backerstreet.com/rec/rec.htm(tries to create c code)
[12] http://www.hhdsoftware.com/hexeditor.html
[13] http://www.asciitable.com/


text:
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text:
CHICAGO -- In a move designed to save health insurance costs to treat diabetic patients, insurer UnitedHealth Group announced a partnership today with the YMCA of the USA in which it will reimburse the nonprofit organization for lifestyle coaching at YMCA facilities.
The YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program was designed for people at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. About 24 million Americans currently live with diabetes, and another 57 million have pre-diabetes.
For the 16-week program, trained YMCA lifestyle coaches will work with participants to develop better exercise programs and eating habits. The goals of the program are to help people with pre-diabetes achieve and maintain weight loss of at least 7 percent by eating healthy and increasing physical activity to 150 minutes per week. After the initial sessions, participants will meet monthly for up to a year for maintenance support.
"We are thrilled to work with UnitedHealth Group and be part of a new paradigm in health care that is focused on prevention," Neil Nicoll, president and CEO of YMCA of the USA, said in a statement. "YMCAs are at work in nearly 10,000 communities nationwide, so we are uniquely positioned to take this program to such scale that it can have a real impact on the lives of people at risk for diabetes, as well as their families."
The YMCA program is based on the Diabetes Prevention Program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which found that a person with pre-diabetes could prevent or delay the onset of the disease by 58 percent with lifestyle changes and weight reduction. Unlike the NIH program, which was conducted with individuals one-on-one, the Y's program will occur in a group setting.
The program will begin at YMCAs in seven cities—Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton, OH; Indianapolis; Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN; and Phoenix—and will expand throughout 2010 and beyond, according to Y officials.
"Insurance coverage for these programs is a crucial step in getting more people to participate and achieve these results," Richard Bergenstal, MD, president, Medicine & Science of the American Diabetes Association, said in a statement. "Lifestyle changes, like the ones promoted in this program, can help stop diabetes before it develops."
UnitedHealth Group also pledged $2.25 million for a three-year grant to support YMCA of the USA's healthy living efforts, in addition to its commitment to the Y's Diabetes Prevention Program.


text:
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Here they are at last!!!Stephany Pollard
Many thanks to the man with the camera Richard Morris
Posted by [Details On Request] at 18:43
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text:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Banks in the United States tightened their lending standards and terms for businesses and consumers alike amid a deteriorating economic outlook, a Federal Reserve survey showed on Monday.
The Fed's January senior loan officer survey, which policy-makers had in rough form when they decided to lower benchmark interest rates by a half-percentage point last week, showed also that demand for loans weakened among businesses and households over the last three months.
Banks that were tightening business credit terms "pointed to a less favorable or more uncertain economic outlook, a worsening of industry-specific problems, and a reduced tolerance for risk as reasons for their more-restrictive lending policies," the survey said.
The report is a further sign of the stiff headwinds facing the economy, where growth slowed to a near-stall rate of 0.6 percent in the final three months of 2007. The Fed cut a benchmark interest rate by a cumulative 1.25 percentage points in the last two weeks of January to 3 percent in an effort to prevent the economy from sliding into recession.
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The loan officers's survey showed that one-third of domestic institutions tightened their lending standards for business loans in the last three months, a larger fraction than in the previous poll in October.
A significant number of banks said they had tightened price terms on business loans to all types of companies, including raising the cost of credit lines and premiums charged on riskier loans.
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About 60 percent of banks surveyed reported that demand for prime mortgages had weakened. A similar fraction of institutions said they had tightened lending standards for home equity loans, the Fed said.
Banks are broadly anticipating a decline in credit quality this year, the Fed survey showed.
Between 70 percent and 80 percent of banks expect a deterioration in the quality of all types of residential mortgage loans this year, the Fed said. About 70 percent of domestic banks expect a weakening of the quality of credit cards and other consumer loans.
Reporting by Mark Felsenthal; Editing by Jonathan Oatis


text: JGreen79 wrote:Since when has Orlando been considered the Bay Area? Madden is delveloped at Tiburon Studios in Orlando. Also 49ers and Raiders have been some of the worst teams for the last couple of teams ratings wise, not sure where your getting your info from. I agree that ratings from this game don't mean anything but at least know what your talking about if your going to express hatred for a video game.


text:
Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Mourinho vows to see out contract
Jose Mourinho is determined to eclipse his own managerial record under Roman Abramovich by completing his contract as Chelsea manager.
Mourinho's first Stamford Bridge reign lasted from June 2004 until September 2007, identifying him as the longest-serving coach of the 10 to have worked beneath Abramovich.
The Portuguese's second spell at Chelsea is underpinned by a four-year contract and he believes the stability he now sees at the club will result in a longer stay.
"I have the record - three and a half years. I have to try and beat the record!" said Mourinho ahead of Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester United.
"The club is good - it is more mature and stable now. The club knows what it really wants. The basic thing is the club wants to win, but it also knows the direction it wants to go in.
"That's why I came back. Not just because I love Chelsea and want to be back, I came because I believe in the project.
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Mourinho shrugged off the perception that he excels at making an immediate impact, shaking up a club amid a wave of controversy before moving on.
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"It's a different job for me at Chelsea this time. It's time to be different because of my own project of life.
"I have had my career project since the beginning. I wanted to work in Italy, Spain and England. I wanted to try to win the leagues in these big football countries.
"For us it's very important to be a family that lives together day by day. So I wanted to do it while having this family concept.
"I was so happy at Inter Milan, but the only reason I left was because I wanted to go to Spain. Otherwise I would have stayed at Inter.
"At this stage I don't have these ambitions. At this moment I know where I want to be, it's so simple."
Mourinho voiced his admiration for Manchester United's 18-year-old winger Adnan Januzaj - "he's a fantastic player, he's 25 not 18" - and admits it is a pressing concern for Chelsea's academy to produce a player for the first team.
"This is very important, it's something I want to happen," Mourinho said.
"John Terry was the last player to come through the academy into the first team and that was not with me, it was before me."
Mourinho also insists there is no plan to send Juan Mata out on loan during the January transfer window.


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"The post-Vietnam era was bad enough. Indeed, that whole Indochina adventure was a perfect preview of the modern American habit for failure. We showed up in Southeast Asia, killed two million or so people, sprayed half the Vietnamese peninsula with deadly chemicals, then pulled up suddenly and went home to spend the next 20 years or so making soft-lit, woe-is-us movies about how depressing it is to buy a Mexican hooker when your legs don't move." - Matt Taibbi
I enjoy a good rammy about wacky politics in films that I haven't seen as much as the next havering tool, but I think there are two points that need to be made just about the row that's erupted over Clint's latest movie, American Sniper:
1. It looks like nations don't much succumb to Vietnam syndrome if it's only other people who get rubbed out in vast numbers, rather than your own soldiers. You can imagine what this portends, in an era where it's possible to fight huge conflicts using only model planes. And
2. Even after fourteen years of watching the great stupid battletank of terror-war destruction smash dumbly around the planet flattening whole neighbourhoods and cities beneath its mighty treads, you can always rely on your sensitive modern centrist to launch a passionate, all-or-nothing denunciation by wailing about how the bumper-stickers on its huge, depleted uranium-belching arse represent false advertising.


text: Lily of France has been a trendsetter in lingerie design for almost a century. Women find what the look, feel and size they desire when shopping Lily of France. The collections include sleek microfiber pieces as well as underwire, push-up bras, sports bras and t-shirt bras. Lily of France even featured one of the first bras with an adjustable front closure so women could control their cleavage. Innovative, stylish and comfortable, Lily of France promises to keep fashion moving forward.French designs hit the fashion world in the early 1900s. The sexy and seductive styles were a welcome addition to the world of lingerie. Lily of France opened their doors in 1915 in New York. Designer John Kloss helped Lily of France became a household name in the 1970s when he designed the "glossie" bra. This design stemmed from the "ban the bra" movement during that time. Kloss made this bra from stretchy, sheer material so that it appeared not to exist. The design was seamless and underwired so it still gave women the support they needed. Lily of France also created one of the first bras to have convertible straps so they women could change the look and style to go with their outfit. Lily of France was acquired by Fruit of the Loom in 2007. They continue the legacy to keep up with the trends and produce new designs for women to be supported and happy.One of the best-selling Lily of France bras is the In Action Sport Bra. It uses a construction that provides a high level of support and comfort. The CoolMax lining wicks away moisture unlike any other sports bra many women have owned. Another hit are the Lily of France push-up bras. They feature gel pads for natural enhancement. The gel pads are almost weightless with a soft, natural feel.Lily of France received herroom.com's 2010 Undie Award for Favorite Sports Bra. They also have been showcased in many magazines including "Good Housekeeping's" Best Bra for the Lily of France Gel Touch Tailored Bra. Livestrong.com also praised this bra as the best sports bra for its gel padding, lift and adjustable straps.Lily of France customers cannot say enough about the support and comfort of the bras. One woman who bought the Gel Touch Strapless Bra said, "I have bought many many strapless bras in my time and each time I thought I finally bought the right one, I ended up being very dissatisfied. I finally found the one that really fits and stays perfectly." Women love the Extreme Options Push-Up Underwire Bra because of its versatility. The straps can be worn traditional, close inset, criss-cross and halter style to fit with whatever outfit you are wearing that day or night.Lily of France uses their classic, timeless designs to help women feel blanketed in comfort and at the top of their game. They use their innovative techniques and knowledge of what women love in their bras to continue to move forward and blast the doors off of the lingerie world.