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Recipes - Re-usable code
This thread can be used to post recipe code that might be re-usable or of general use to other coders.
Would a moderator kindly consider making this a STICKY?
Moderator Notice
This thread has been made a sticky, and unlike most other sticky threads, this one is open to all who have a useful bit of code to post or a useful recipe tip. Do not use this thread to ask any questions. Start a new thread. Posts that don't belong here will be deleted, but you are encouraged to post if you have something to share.
Please add a descriptive title to each post and explain how to use your code. Post the code in code tags and if it's longer than 4-5 lines, put spoiler tags around it to collapse it and make this thread more readable.
Last edited by Starson17; 05-16-2011 at 11:55 AM.
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Create a "virtual feed"
The PARSE_FEEDS method below is used to create a virtual feed from an RSS feed. in this case, it uses the PARSE_FEEDS method to:
Get all articles associated with the feed via the BasicRecipe methods
Scan thru the articles and find titles that contain the word "recipe"
Delete these articles from their existing feed
Create a new feed section called "recipes" to hold these articles
As-is looks like:
Main Feed Article a Recipe a Recipe b Article b
Main Feed Article a Article b Recipes Recipe a Recipe b
from calibre.web.feeds.recipes import BasicNewsRecipe from calibre.web.feeds import Feed def parse_feeds (self): # Do the "official" parse_feeds first feeds = BasicNewsRecipe.parse_feeds(self) # Loop thru the articles in all feeds to find articles with "recipe" in it recipeArticles = [] for curfeed in feeds: delList = [] for a,curarticle in enumerate(curfeed.articles): if curarticle.title.upper().find('RECIPE') >= 0: recipeArticles.append(curarticle) delList.append(curarticle) if len(delList)>0: for d in delList: index = curfeed.articles.index(d) curfeed.articles[index:index+1] = [] # If there are any recipes found, create, append a new Feed object if len(recipeArticles) > 0: pfeed = Feed() pfeed.title = 'Recipes' pfeed.descrition = 'Recipe Feed (Virtual)' pfeed.image_url = None pfeed.oldest_article = 30 pfeed.id_counter = len(recipeArticles) # Create a new Feed, add the recipe articles, and append # to "official" list of feeds pfeed.articles = recipeArticles[:] feeds.append(pfeed) return feeds
Last edited by Starson17; 02-25-2011 at 10:06 PM.
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Add FEED objects during PARSE_INDEX
There is a slight difference between the Feeds object that is returned from PARSE_FEEDS and the object returned when using PARSE_INDEX.
The module below (FEED_TO_INDEX_APPEND) accepts a Feed object and an Index object. The Feed object is traversed and appended to the Index.
This can be useful in mixing the use of an index as well as RSS feeds in a single recipe. It could be called in a way similar to:
# Do the "official" parse_feeds first rssFeeds = Feed() rssFeeds = BasicNewsRecipe.parse_feeds(self) # Append the rssFeeds object to the feeds list that would be # used in PARSE_INDEX self.feed_to_index_append(rssFeeds[:], feeds)
Here is the conversion module:
def feed_to_index_append(self, feedObject, masterFeed): # Loop thru the feed object and build the correct type of article list for feed in feedObject: newArticles = [] for article in feed.articles: newArt = { 'title' : article.title, 'url' : article.url, 'date' : article.date, 'description' : article.text_summary } newArticles.append(newArt) # append the newly-built list object to the index object # passed in as masterFeed. masterFeed.append((feed.title,newArticles))
Last edited by Starson17; 02-25-2011 at 10:07 PM.
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Add dates to Feed title
Here's a module that will add the earliest/latest feed dates to the title of the feed (and therefore the Table of Contents entry as well). Useful when feeds aren't updated on a regular basis ...
The GET_FEED_DATES procedure accepts a single feed object (not a list of feeds, but a FOR loop could deal with a list). It also accepts a date mask of the begin/end dates for use with STRFTIME.
Here's an example of calling the procedure:
# Append the earliest/latest dates of the feed to feed title startDate, endDate = self.get_feed_dates(feed, '%d-%b') newFeedTitle = feed.title + ' (' + startDate + ' thru ' + endDate + ')'
Here's the procedure itself:
def get_feed_dates(self, feedObject, dateMask): startDate = feedObject.articles[len(feedObject.articles)-1].localtime.strftime(dateMask) endDate = feedObject.articles[0].localtime.strftime(dateMask) return startDate, endDate
Last edited by Starson17; 02-25-2011 at 10:07 PM.
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Default cover with custom image
Instead of fully replacing the cover using the cover_url, just replace the stock image of the default cover with a given image.
Add a cover_img_url field with the url in the definition of the class, and add the following code (imports and fuctions). There is no need to call any of these functions directly, all is handled via the redefined default_cover function.
The code is based on the code from BasicRecipe itself
import os from contextlib import nested, closing from calibre import strftime, __appname__, __version__ import calibre.utils.PythonMagickWand as pw from ctypes import byref from calibre import fit_image def get_cover_img_url(self): return getattr(self, 'cover_img_url', None) def _download_cover_img(self): # hack to reuse download_cover old_cu = None try: old_cu = self.get_cover_ur() except: pass new_cu = self.get_cover_img_url() self.cover_url = new_cu self._download_cover() outfile = os.path.join(self.output_dir, 'cover_img.jpg') self.prepare_masthead_image(self.cover_path, outfile) self.cover_url = old_cu self.cover_img_path = outfile def download_cover_img(self): try: self._download_cover_img() self.report_progress(1, _('Downloaded cover to %s') % self.cover_img_path) except: self.log.exception('Failed to download cover img') self.cover_img_path = None def prepare_cover_image(self, path_to_image, out_path): with pw.ImageMagick(): img = pw.NewMagickWand() if img < 0: raise RuntimeError('Out of memory') if not pw.MagickReadImage(img, path_to_image): severity = pw.ExceptionType(0) msg = pw.MagickGetException(img, byref(severity)) raise IOError('Failed to read image from: %s: %s' %(path_to_image, msg)) if not pw.MagickWriteImage(img, out_path): raise RuntimeError('Failed to save image to %s'%out_path) pw.DestroyMagickWand(img) def default_cover(self, cover_file): ''' Create a generic cover for recipes that have a special cover img ''' try: try: from PIL import Image, ImageDraw, ImageFont Image, ImageDraw, ImageFont except ImportError: import Image, ImageDraw, ImageFont font_path = P('fonts/liberation/LiberationSerif-Bold.ttf') title = self.title if isinstance(self.title, unicode) else \ self.title.decode(preferred_encoding, 'replace') date = strftime(self.timefmt) app = '['+__appname__ +' '+__version__+']' COVER_WIDTH, COVER_HEIGHT = 590, 750 img = Image.new('RGB', (COVER_WIDTH, COVER_HEIGHT), 'white') draw = ImageDraw.Draw(img) # Title font = ImageFont.truetype(font_path, 44) width, height = draw.textsize(title, font=font) left = max(int((COVER_WIDTH - width)/2.), 0) top = 15 draw.text((left, top), title, fill=(0,0,0), font=font) bottom = top + height # Date font = ImageFont.truetype(font_path, 32) width, height = draw.textsize(date, font=font) left = max(int((COVER_WIDTH - width)/2.), 0) draw.text((left, bottom+15), date, fill=(0,0,0), font=font) # Vanity font = ImageFont.truetype(font_path, 28) width, height = draw.textsize(app, font=font) left = max(int((COVER_WIDTH - width)/2.), 0) top = COVER_HEIGHT - height - 15 draw.text((left, top), app, fill=(0,0,0), font=font) # Logo logo_file = I('library.png') self.download_cover_img() if getattr(self, 'cover_img_path', None) is not None: logo_file = self.cover_img_path self.report_progress(1, _('using cover img from %s') % logo_file) logo = Image.open(logo_file, 'r') width, height = logo.size left = max(int((COVER_WIDTH - width)/2.), 0) top = max(int((COVER_HEIGHT - height)/2.), 0) img.paste(logo, (left, top)) img = img.convert('RGB').convert('P', palette=Image.ADAPTIVE) img.convert('RGB').save(cover_file, 'JPEG') cover_file.flush() except Exception, e: self.log.exception('Failed to generate default cover ', e) return False return True
Last edited by Starson17; 02-25-2011 at 10:09 PM. Reason: refactored _download_cover_img
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Remove articles from feed
This code will easily remove articles from feeds based upon a character string in the title of the article or part of the URL. This is specifically for The New Yorker recipe to remove video links (word "video" in the title of the article) and Goings On About Town (GOAT in the url), but it can be easily adapted for any recipe:
def parse_feeds (self): feeds = BasicNewsRecipe.parse_feeds(self) for feed in feeds: for article in feed.articles[:]: print 'article.title is: ', article.title if 'VIDEO' in article.title.upper() or 'GOAT' in article.url: feed.articles.remove(article) return feeds
In addition to matching on the url and/or the title of the article, one can match on the article date or summary with article.date or article.text_summary.
Last edited by Starson17; 02-17-2011 at 04:38 PM.
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Device: kindle 2, kindle 3, Kindle fire
One of several ways to Do a print Friendly Version
If the rss feed goes to a pages that has a nice link to get a printer friendly version that is clean. Then this method can work really well for you in most cases. You will have to know a little bit about regular expressions or of course you can do like I do and cheat and use firebug to get the link say for instance /services/printVersion.asp then let http://www.txt2re.com/index.php3 convert it to python reg expression.
then you could use code like this...
put this at the top to allow for the use of the tempfile usage
from calibre.ptempfile import PersistentTemporaryFile
temp_files = [] articles_are_obfuscated = True def get_obfuscated_article(self, url): br = self.get_browser() br.open(url) ''' we need to use a try catch block: what this does is trys to do an operation and if it fails instead of crashing it simply catchs it and does something with the error. So in our case we take and check to see if we can follow /content/printVersion, then if we can't then we simply pass it back the original calling url ''' try: response = br.follow_link(url_regex='.*?(\\/content\\/printVersion)', nr = 0) html = response.read() except: response = br.open(url) html = response.read() self.temp_files.append(PersistentTemporaryFile('_fa.html')) self.temp_files[-1].write(html) self.temp_files[-1].close() return self.temp_files[-1].name
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Recipe to download an EPUB from feed
So that this doesn't get lost, I'm going to repost it here. It's a recipe that grabs a single link to an EPUB.
The recipe modifies build_index, which is the method that gets the masthead image and cover, parses the feed for articles, retrieves the articles, removes tags from articles, etc. All of those steps ultimately produce a local directory structure that looks like an unzipped EPUB.
The recipe grabs the link to one EPUB (the first in the RSS feed), saves the EPUB locally, extracts it, and passes the result back into the recipe system as though all the other steps had been completed normally.
To use the recipe, just modify these lines:
epub_feed = "http://feeds.feedburner.com/NowEpubEditions"
soup = self.index_to_soup(epub_feed)
url = soup.find(name = 'feedburnerriglink').string
so that "url" points to an EPUB as in: "http://some.place.com/epubfile.epub"
The sample below grabs the first EPUB in an RSS feed, but you can just supply a single URL directly or grab it from the front page of a newspaper. I've posted a complete recipe to emphasize that the normal recipe methods, like "feeds", "remove_tags", etc. should all be omitted.
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Small piece of code to convert all links to text:
def preprocess_html(self, soup): for alink in soup.findAll('a'): if alink.string is not None: tstr = alink.string alink.replaceWith(tstr) return soup
Last edited by Starson17; 02-25-2011 at 10:10 PM.
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Recipe to keep track of feed items already downloaded and only download new items
Here is a recipe template that keeps track of already downloaded feed items and only downloads items that it hasn't seen before or whose description, content, or URL have changed. It does so by overriding the parse_feeds method.
Some caveats:
from calibre.constants import config_dir, CONFIG_DIR_MODE import os, os.path, urllib from hashlib import md5 class OnlyLatestRecipe(BasicNewsRecipe): title = u'Unknown News Source' oldest_article = 10000 max_articles_per_feed = 10000 feeds = [ ] def parse_feeds(self): recipe_dir = os.path.join(config_dir,'recipes') hash_dir = os.path.join(recipe_dir,'recipe_storage') feed_dir = os.path.join(hash_dir,self.title.encode('utf-8').replace('/',':')) if not os.path.isdir(feed_dir): os.makedirs(feed_dir,mode=CONFIG_DIR_MODE) feeds = BasicNewsRecipe.parse_feeds(self) for feed in feeds: feed_hash = urllib.quote(feed.title.encode('utf-8'),safe='') feed_fn = os.path.join(feed_dir,feed_hash) past_items = set() if os.path.exists(feed_fn): with file(feed_fn) as f: for h in f: past_items.add(h.strip()) cur_items = set() for article in feed.articles[:]: item_hash = md5() if article.content: item_hash.update(article.content.encode('utf-8')) if article.summary: item_hash.update(article.summary.encode('utf-8')) item_hash = item_hash.hexdigest() if article.url: item_hash = article.url + ':' + item_hash cur_items.add(item_hash) if item_hash in past_items: feed.articles.remove(article) with file(feed_fn,'w') as f: for h in cur_items: f.write(h+'\n') remove = [f for f in feeds if len(f) == 0 and self.remove_empty_feeds] for f in remove: feeds.remove(f) return feeds
Last edited by Starson17; 02-25-2011 at 10:10 PM. Reason: Typos and grammar.
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Rotate images
This code will rotate images so that the long dimension is vertical. It's been updated and revised from code found here after python magick wand was replaced by calibre.utils.magick and calibre.utils.magick.draw:
The code would typically be used for image-based recipes (comics) read on devices that don't have a g-sensor based autorotation capability or where you prefer to lock your reader software into portrait orientation. This code makes the long dimension of the image appear in the long dimension of the screen on a handheld device that can be rotated for better viewing. Don't use it for recipes being read on a non-rotatable PC monitor (unless you want to view images with your head tilted 90 degrees).
You may also want to set extra_css to include something like:
img {max-height:95%; min-height:95%;}
This leaves some room above and below the image for the links typically displayed in recipes.
#Add these imports from calibre.utils.magick import Image, PixelWand def postprocess_html(self, soup, first): #process all the images. assumes that the new html has the correct path for tag in soup.findAll(lambda tag: tag.name.lower()=='img' and tag.has_key('src')): iurl = tag['src'] img = Image() img.open(iurl) width, height = img.size print 'img is: ', iurl, 'width is: ', width, 'height is: ', height if img < 0: raise RuntimeError('Out of memory') pw = PixelWand() if( width > height ) : print 'Rotate image' img.rotate(pw, -90) img.save(iurl) return soup
Last edited by Starson17; 05-16-2011 at 11:57 AM.
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Print_version and string handling.
The question of how to modify a URL in a recipe comes up often, particularly when using print_version. It's basic string handling in Python, but I thought I'd post some tips here:
The most common three ways this job (URL modification) is accomplished in recipes are to use : 1) replace, 2) partition/rpartition, and 3) split/join. You can read about them here:
Use replace whenever you are replacing some part of the URL string (usually in the middle) with some other string and 1) the part being replaced never changes (this lets you find it) and 2) you don't want to change the two parts on either side of the part being replaced. You can keep the part you are replacing (by inserting itself back in) and you can add additional stuff in the middle, but you can't change the first and last parts.
Use partition/rpartition when you want to split the string into three parts and the part in the middle never changes (so you can find it), but you want to change one or more of the three parts.
If there isn't any unchanging part in the middle to find, then the solution most commonly used is split/join with splitting being done on the slash. It splits the URL into each part between slashes and you can do whatever you want to each piece, then put them together with join (which adds back the original slashes). You find the part to change by counting the cut up pieces (between slashes) and changing the pieces you need to change and inserting anything needed between them.
This shows a URL having the string "/v-print/" being inserted after the 6th slash to change
def print_version(self,url): segments = url.split('/') printURL = '/'.join(segments[0:6]) + '/v-print/' + '/'.join(segments[6:]) return printURL
Also see TonytheBookworm's method described above.
Last edited by Starson17; 11-04-2011 at 09:50 AM.
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Set a recipe that generates a typical e-book rather than a periodical
Sometimes, one may wish to use a recipe to generate a typical e-book rather than a periodical. You may make that possible by adding the following piece of code inside your recipe class.
def create_opf(self, feeds, dir=None): if dir is None: dir = self.output_dir title = self.short_title() if self.output_profile.periodical_date_in_title: title += strftime(self.timefmt) mi = MetaInformation(title, [__appname__]) mi.publisher = __appname__ mi.author_sort = __appname__ mi.publication_type = self.publication_type+':'+self.short_title() mi.timestamp = nowf() mi.comments = self.description if not isinstance(mi.comments, unicode): mi.comments = mi.comments.decode('utf-8', 'replace') mi.pubdate = nowf() opf_path = os.path.join(dir, 'index.opf') ncx_path = os.path.join(dir, 'index.ncx') opf = OPFCreator(dir, mi) # Add mastheadImage entry to <guide> section mp = getattr(self, 'masthead_path', None) if mp is not None and os.access(mp, os.R_OK): from calibre.ebooks.metadata.opf2 import Guide ref = Guide.Reference(os.path.basename(self.masthead_path), os.getcwdu()) ref.type = 'masthead' ref.title = 'Masthead Image' opf.guide.append(ref) manifest = [os.path.join(dir, 'feed_%d'%i) for i in range(len(feeds))] manifest.append(os.path.join(dir, 'index.html')) manifest.append(os.path.join(dir, 'index.ncx')) # Get cover cpath = getattr(self, 'cover_path', None) if cpath is None: pf = open(os.path.join(dir, 'cover.jpg'), 'wb') if self.default_cover(pf): cpath = pf.name if cpath is not None and os.access(cpath, os.R_OK): opf.cover = cpath manifest.append(cpath) # Get masthead mpath = getattr(self, 'masthead_path', None) if mpath is not None and os.access(mpath, os.R_OK): manifest.append(mpath) opf.create_manifest_from_files_in(manifest) for mani in opf.manifest: if mani.path.endswith('.ncx'): mani.id = 'ncx' if mani.path.endswith('mastheadImage.jpg'): mani.id = 'masthead-image' entries = ['index.html'] toc = TOC(base_path=dir) self.play_order_counter = 0 self.play_order_map = {} def feed_index(num, parent): f = feeds[num] for j, a in enumerate(f): if getattr(a, 'downloaded', False): adir = 'feed_%d/article_%d/'%(num, j) auth = a.author if not auth: auth = None desc = a.text_summary if not desc: desc = None else: desc = self.description_limiter(desc) entries.append('%sindex.html'%adir) po = self.play_order_map.get(entries[-1], None) if po is None: self.play_order_counter += 1 po = self.play_order_counter parent.add_item('%sindex.html'%adir, None, a.title if a.title else _('Untitled Article'), play_order=po, author=auth, description=desc) last = os.path.join(self.output_dir, ('%sindex.html'%adir).replace('/', os.sep)) for sp in a.sub_pages: prefix = os.path.commonprefix([opf_path, sp]) relp = sp[len(prefix):] entries.append(relp.replace(os.sep, '/')) last = sp if os.path.exists(last): with open(last, 'rb') as fi: src = fi.read().decode('utf-8') soup = BeautifulSoup(src) body = soup.find('body') if body is not None: prefix = '/'.join('..'for i in range(2*len(re.findall(r'link\d+', last)))) templ = self.navbar.generate(True, num, j, len(f), not self.has_single_feed, a.orig_url, __appname__, prefix=prefix, center=self.center_navbar) elem = BeautifulSoup(templ.render(doctype='xhtml').decode('utf-8')).find('div') body.insert(len(body.contents), elem) with open(last, 'wb') as fi: fi.write(unicode(soup).encode('utf-8')) if len(feeds) == 0: raise Exception('All feeds are empty, aborting.') if len(feeds) > 1: for i, f in enumerate(feeds): entries.append('feed_%d/index.html'%i) po = self.play_order_map.get(entries[-1], None) if po is None: self.play_order_counter += 1 po = self.play_order_counter auth = getattr(f, 'author', None) if not auth: auth = None desc = getattr(f, 'description', None) if not desc: desc = None feed_index(i, toc.add_item('feed_%d/index.html'%i, None, f.title, play_order=po, description=desc, author=auth)) else: entries.append('feed_%d/index.html'%0) feed_index(0, toc) for i, p in enumerate(entries): entries[i] = os.path.join(dir, p.replace('/', os.sep)) opf.create_spine(entries) opf.set_toc(toc) with nested(open(opf_path, 'wb'), open(ncx_path, 'wb')) as (opf_file, ncx_file): opf.render(opf_file, ncx_file)
The above basically changes one line in the implementation of the following function of calibre.web.feeds.news
def create_opf(self, feeds, dir=None):
mi.publication_type = 'periodical:'+self.publication_type+':'+self.short_title()
mi.publication_type = self.publication_type+':'+self.short_title()
For an example recipe, check the "Ming Pao - Hong Kong" recipe in your Calibre copy or here. You may also get insights on how to append the publication date in the e-book title, which could be useful for differentiating e-books generated on different dates.
Moderator Notice: The difference between a typical ebook and a "periodical" is relevant for a Kindle, but may not be relevant for other ebook readers.
Last edited by tylau0; 07-09-2011 at 10:32 AM.
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Handling redirections
Let us assume that you have a feed with links that all point to redirected pages. By default Calibre does not handle this case so the safest way of doing this could be summarized like this:
def print_version(self, url): return self.browser.open_novisit(url).geturl()
Last edited by kiklop74; 08-21-2011 at 09:38 PM.
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Convert Images to Grayscale
For those who have grayscale only readers, this will convert images to grayscale. It saves between 8% and 20% of space. My tests on raw individual images showed 8%, but tests reported by others showed up to 20% reductions for the final ebook. YMMV
from calibre.utils.magick import Image def postprocess_html(self, soup, first): #process all the images for tag in soup.findAll(lambda tag: tag.name.lower()=='img' and tag.has_key('src')): iurl = tag['src'] img = Image() img.open(iurl) if img < 0: raise RuntimeError('Out of memory') img.type = "GrayscaleType" img.save(iurl) return soup
Last edited by Starson17; 11-04-2011 at 09:51 AM.
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text:
Black Heritage, Kenneth Cole Reaction, Travel Smart by Conair Business
54 items
54 items
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Comp. Value $155.99
Comp. Value $132.99
Comp. Value $132.99
Comp. Value $77.99
About Black Heritage, Kenneth Cole Reaction, Travel Smart by Conair Business, Kenneth Cole started his business in September of 1982 selling shoes out of a 40 foot trailer in Midtown Manhattan. Today, the company is a fashion leader and has taken an edgy approach to many categories including business and travel with their Kenneth Cole Reaction line.
Kenneth Cole Reaction appeals to fashion conscious consumers whom value both style and function. Each piece reflects a casual urban perspective and a lifestyle uniquely associated with Kenneth Cole. Kenneth Cole Reaction bags feature bold colors, clean lines, and high quality materials – all backed by a manufacturer warranty and all of which add up to a casual, yet modern style perfect for both men and women.
Kenneth Cole vouches for its uncompromised dedication to providing its customers with a variety of fashion-forward high-quality products with superior workmanship. Whether you are heading to the office or to the airport, when you venture out and travel with a bag from Kenneth Cole, we want you to embark on your journey with confidence and peace of mind. This is why we are keen to even the smallest of details while putting emphasis on fashion, functionality, quality and durability above all else. Life has a way of coming at us all quickly, so it's best to be ready for anything, anywhere.,

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Letters: 600 Kilo-what?
A version of this article appears in the Fall 2017 issue of Home Energy Magazine.
August 01, 2017
I don't understand the featured article on the Home Energy website this month ("Measured Performance of Heat Pump Water Heaters," HE online Summer '17). It claims that the average electric consumption of clothes dryers is about 600 kWh per year. My wife and I have a vented Kenmore natural-gas clothes dryer that I have separately metered. From December 15, 2013, through January 26, 2017, the meter registered 26 ccf (hundred cubic feet), or about 8.7 ccf per year. That would equate to about 260 kWh per year.
To read complete online articles, you need to sign up for an Online Subscription.
Once an order has been placed there is an automatic $10 processing fee that will be deducted with any cancellation.
The Home Energy Online articles are for personal use only and may not be printed for distribution. For permission to reprint, please send an e-mail to email@example.com.


text:
Releasing the Power of Knowledge Engineering
2013 April 08, 08:00 CEST
Gothenburg, 07 April, 2013: At Hannover Fair 2013, SKF presents a selection of products and integrated solutions under the theme "Release the Power of Knowledge Engineering".
In recent years, we've focused our knowledge on developing solutions and innovations that will help customers compete – not just today or even tomorrow, but far into the future. We're talking about fully case-proven solutions – with quantifiable benefits to profitability and sustainability.
The benefits of working with SKF are greater now than ever before. We have grown closer to our industrial customers, and found smarter ways to create tangible value using the knowledge we have gained. Today we follow machinery assets at every stage in their life cycle – from design right through to maintenance – helping to improve processes to produce better results.
SKF has been a leading global technology provider since 1907. Our fundamental strength is the ability to continuously develop new technologies – then use them to create products that offer competitive advantages to our customers. We achieve this by combining hands-on experience in over 40 industries with our knowledge across the SKF technology platforms: bearings and units, seals, mechatronics, services and lubrication systems. We call this SKF Knowledge Engineering.
SKF Knowledge Engineering is the combination of three business dimensions:
1. The cultural/geographical dimension – understanding of cultures and regions where we live and work
SKF is a global company with a local presence. We intimately understand the demands of our customers and their customers. Wherever they are. Local expertise is supported by global industry specialists who can put those needs into perspective and draw upon successes in similar situations around the world. They in turn, are backed by a worldwide manufacturing footprint and a fine-meshed service and support network to put our solutions to work.
2. The customer dimension - industries and segments
The number of SKF customers is over two million and SKF is active in applications in around 40 specialized customer industries. Working in so many areas has given SKF the experience to develop products and services specific to industry demands – and to recognize when knowledge from one industry can be successfully applied to another. This means we have understood the application demands and conditions, and developed solutions to match, evolving even better solutions as the technology, and engineering within the industry evolves over the years.
3. The competence dimension – our five technology platforms
SKF's specialist teams who are competent in areas ranging from bearings and units to seals, mechatronics, services and lubrication, work closely together to provide advanced integrated solutions.
It is within the SKF Solution Factory network where small and medium sized OEM customers and end users can get individual support in dealing with their special challenges. Here they get access to the SKF Group's broad experience in the five platforms and can discuss with local SKF engineers in order to provide or develop custom made solutions.
A SKF Solution Factory offers a wide range of support that include: application engineering, bearing and lubrication analysis, remote condition monitoring diagnosis, engineering consultancy, linear motion systems, power transmission products, sealing solutions, energy and sustainability management, asset management systems and expertise, spindle reconditioning, bearing remanufacture, and a wide selection of training programmes.
Each SKF Solution Factory is part of a network that allows knowledge gained in one part of the world to be quickly accessed and applied in another part of the world. This speeds up the solution process and is the basis for an ever-growing knowledge pool.
SKF's core competencies support our Knowledge Engineering
Since SKF began operating in 1907, our efforts in the area of research and development have resulted in numerous innovations that have created new standards and new products and solutions in the bearing industry. In 2012, SKF recorded 663 invention disclosures. and successfully applied for 421 first filing of patent applications. Through our knowledge, SKF can help customers improve their effectiveness, making them more successful and profitable.
SKF's ability to continuously develop products and services that enhance our customers' competitive advantage is achieved in two ways: by investing in core technology areas and specialists, and by combining the resulting knowledge to address specific requirements.
Life cycle management:
An increasing share of SKF's research projects primarily target improving life cycle environmental performance of customer applications. This means considering the environmental consequences of a product or manufacturing process, no matter where in the product's life cycle these consequences occur.
To support this positive development and foster the use of improved environmental performance technologies, SKF has recently embarked on a programme of life cycle management. The aim is to constantly improve the knowledge of the environmental performance of SKF's products and manufacturing processes, and to put that knowledge into practice by adapting day-to-day business methods and tools.
Sustainability has been a focus of SKF for more than 100 years. Ever since we developed the world's first self aligning ball bearing in 1907 the company has realized the importance of making operations run smoother – smoother by reducing friction. When friction is reduced, less energy is used. Today, the environmental impacts associated with energy generation from fossil fuels are well known. We at SKF are convinced that taking care of the natural environment actually makes business sense and is the right thing to do. Now, as we make our way through our second century in business, we see an even greater opportunity – as well as a responsibility – to play a vital role in helping to address these challenges – the global challenges of environmental sustainability. In 2005, we created our BeyondZero™ concept with two goals in mind;
1. Reduce the negative environmental impact deriving from SKF operations, and
2. Increase the positive environmental impact delivered by SKF solutions by innovating and offering new technologies, products, and services with enhanced environmental performance characteristics.
By combining these goals, SKF BeyondZero is an attempt to make an overall positive contribution towards addressing the environmental challenges faced by the planet.
Another proof of SKF's commitment to sustainability and the environment is the new SKF BeyondZero portfolio and its connected targets for SKF's new climate strategy and partnership with WWF in their Climate Savers Programme. So far SKF is the only industrial engineering company to be accepted into the Climate Savers Programme. The programme aims at reducing greenhouse gases such as CO2 emissions in a way that is real, measurable, and verified by external experts. And SKF has committed to developing products and solutions that contribute to these goals at all stages of the lifecycle of equipment and machines, in many automotive and specialized customer industries.
There are a number of SKF BeyondZero portfolio products and solutions demonstrated at the SKF Stand at Hannover Fair. A notable new product is the SKF drive solution for aeration blower systems used in wastewater facilities. The SKF solution can reduce energy consumption by up to 40%. It features an energy efficient high speed permanent magnet motor, active magnetic bearings (AMB) and an integrated AMB control system. When used in a 350 kW blower it may result in annual savings of 500,000 kWh, which equals a 375-ton reduction in CO2 emissions.
Sensorization/Condition Monitoring:
Responding to the customers' need for reducing installation costs and time and to increase the life of components, SKF develops products that make efficient use of wireless technologies.
Monitoring operating conditions as close to the contact area as possible gives greater accuracy for studying the performance of a system. In addition to temperature, speed, direction of rotation and vibration, loads can be monitored via sensors by sensors attached to the outside of bearings or housings, but SKF continues this focus with groundbreaking innovations set to revolutionize condition monitoring for bearings – wireless based SKF Insight™ . Break-through developments in various technologies now enable bearings to communicate their operating conditions continuously, with no external power, sensors, cables or data acquisition electronics – its all integrated inside the bearing.
The SKF Insight™ solutions include:
• Minaturized packaging of sensor technologies enables measurement of critical parameters such as RPM, temperature, velocity, acceleration, acoustic emission and load.
• Self-powered – by using the application environment itself, smart bearings can generate their own power needed to operate.
• Simplicity due to no sensors or cables to install – intelligent wireless communication technology is packaged inside the bearing enabling it to communicate within environments where traditional WiFi cannot operate.
• Smart bearing networks - communicating through each other and via a wireless gateway, bearings with SKF Insight™ form a "mesh network" and can send information relevant to their condition to the SKF cloud servers.
The interaction between lubricants and bearing steel is an essential factor, and is critical when bearings operate with marginal lubrication.
The chemical composition and mechanical properties of the reaction layer formed by the interaction between the lubricant and the bearing steel strongly influences the performance of bearings. Therefore, understanding the composition and mechanics of reaction layers is very important for SKF. Understanding, predicting and controlling the working conditions help reduce bearing friction and wear, and prolong service life.
SKF's new Extended Life spherical plain bearing and rod ends use a unique tribological system, which includes special surface treatments, grease and seals, which when combined with the internal geometry of the bearing makes these bearings robust and energy efficient.
SKF Extended Life spherical plain bearings help reduce the cost of ownership and reduce environmental impact because they last longer and do not require relubrication. For example, a single bearing with a 100 mm bore can save up to 876 g of grease per year. A tractor with six bearings of this type and size can save up to 5.2 kg of grease per year. This translates into a savings of 7.7 kg of CO2e per year. The calculations are based on grease savings and do not include the 37% reduction in frictional losses. This product is a part of SKF BeyondZero portfolio.
SKF focuses on developing new elastomeric materials and optimized seal-lip tribology to enhance sealing functions, using advanced modelling of the seals.
The new generation of materials uses new types of fillers to provide low friction. Magnetic encoders within the seals, combined with sensors, enable the transmission of information to the controlling systems. New insights into rubber aging, rubber friction and wear have been obtained, combining novel experimental methods with advanced simulations.
SKF offers machined sealing solutions for fluid power, fluid handling and power transmission applications. Some special aspects of SKF's solutions are:
• Partnerships with customers from the design phase to serial production with solutions tailor made to their needs
• Prompt manufacturing of seals and components up to 4 000 mm in diameter as one piece and larger using a special welding technique with short delivery times
• Extensive range of sealing materials including materials certified to or complying with a broad range of industry standards and regulations (FDA, NSF, KTW, NORSOK, NACE, etc.)
Aktiebolaget SKF
For further information, please contact:
Nia Kihlström, SKF Group Communication, +46 31-337 2897; +46 706 67 28 97; email@example.com
Colin Roberts, SKF Group Communication; +31 30 6075608; +31 653 944 111; email@example.com
SKF is a leading global supplier of bearings, seals, mechatronics, lubrication systems, and services which include technical support, maintenance and reliability services, engineering consulting and training. SKF is represented in more than 130 countries and has around 15,000 distributor locations worldwide. Annual sales in 2012 were SEK 64,575 million and the number of employees was 46,775. www.skf.com
® SKF is a registered trademark of the SKF Group.
™ BeyondZero and SKF INSIGHT are trademarks of the SKF Group.
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ACS Petroleum Research Fund
The Petroleum Research Fund is an endowed fund, managed by the American Chemical Society that supports fundamental research directly related to petroleum or fossil fuels at nonprofit institutions (generally colleges and universities) in the United States and other countries.
ACS Petroleum Research Fund (ACS PRF) grants are intended as seed money, to enable an investigator to initiate a new research direction. The investigator should not have published or received financial support from another funding agency for the proposed research. Also, proposals that the ACS PRF Committee feels are a logical extension of an investigator's previous research may be denied as "not a new direction."
Since the first ACS PRF grants were approved in 1953, several grant programs have evolved to serve segments of the scientific community, including "new investigator" grants and grants to support researchers in departments that do not award doctoral degrees.
Scope of the Fund
Proposals must be for fundamental research in "the petroleum field," which is defined in our founding document as "petroleum, natural gas, coal, shale, tar sands and like materials." Fundamental research encompasses the properties of these materials, whereas the petroleum industry undertakes "applied research," which is outside the scope of ACS PRF. See our list of Research Topics that are supported and not supported by ACS PRF.
- About ACS PRF
History of the fund, research areas supported, recent grantees and FAQ's.
- Grant Types
Information for principal investigators on grant programs and eligibility criteria.
- Information for Applicants
If you are thinking about submitting a proposal, please read this first.
- Proposal Requirements: Formats, Budgets, and Submission.
- Grantees: Manage Your Grant
Information and forms for grantees to manage PRF grant requirements.
- Reviewers
Information for peer reviewers asked to evaluate proposals submitted to PRF.
- Contact Us
ACS PRF Staff.
Proposal Submission
Grantees in the News
ACS PRF grantees receive award recognition for their significant contributions to science. Read more
ACS PRF Supports ACS Summer School
To encourage the development of sustainability through science and engineering, the ACS PRF supports the ACS Summer School on Green Chemistry and Sustainable Energy.


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"Goodness is only some kind of reflection upon evil...that's all it is." --Anna, in Zulawski's Possession.
Possession, the feverish and mesmerizing masterpiece from Andrzej Zulawski, is a drama about a failed marriage that unexpectedly turns into a horror film; a bad trip that you sometimes wish would end only because you feel disturbed, or at the very least unbalanced, for enjoying it immensely.Continue Reading
The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant
When choosing where to start in a director's filmography, I've always enjoyed picking at random. Recommendations tend to be fairly overwhelming and a total buzz kill. The themes of Fassbinder's films were always intriguing to me, and since I enjoy seeing filmmakers break down and interpret romantic relationships, I started with The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. The film surpassed my expectations in terms of human dynamics by exposing a character's relationship to the women in her life in such a constricting setting, from her lover down to her servant.
Petra von Kant (Margit Carstensen) is as far removed from an overnight success as a person could get. As a fashion designer in Germany, she had to go through the process of constant rejection and a humiliating divorce before being taken seriously in her field. These experiences have turned her into a cynic in matters of work and love. Her daughter is away at boarding school and she lives alone with her servant/secretary/assistant, Marlene (Irm Hermann). Marlene's role as a servant in her home goes far beyond the orthodox. In a sense, she's a broken extension of Petra, living vicariously through her disgrace and vanity. You get the feeling that she once aspired to be a self-sustaining fashion designer, but found herself tailoring not only Petra's designs, but her mess of an existence.Continue Reading


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The ultimate Lego Terminator is back. And it's packing some serious fun power.
Lego Mindstorms EV3
Amazingly fun to build and program. Sensors and motors worked well. Plenty of extra apps for iOS and Android. Tons of variety in what you can build and do.
No copy and paste in the programing app. There's room to allow more experienced hackers — er, programmers to go beyond the basics.
How We Rate
- 1/10A complete failure in every way
- 2/10Sad, really
- 3/10Serious flaws; proceed with caution
- 4/10Downsides outweigh upsides
- 5/10Recommended with reservations
- 6/10Solid with some issues
- 7/10Very good, but not quite great
- 8/10Excellent, with room to kvetch
- 9/10Nearly flawless
- 10/10Metaphysical perfection
Standing as tall as 16 inches, this third-gen automaton has a full range of sensors and motors. Your android won't be making soufflé in the kitchen or taking the dog for a walk anytime soon, but the EV3 does recognize color levels, shoots red balls into the air, and can follow complex programming commands. At heart, the EV3 is a toy meant for imaginative play. In practice, it's a $350 robot programming proving ground. And it's worth every penny.
Even the unboxing is a thrill. You'll find discrete packages of components — the motors, sensors, literature, and exactly 594 Lego bricks. The main brain brick runs on an ARM9 300Mhz processor with 64MB of RAM and 16MB of flash storage. There's a USB port for connecting the brick to your computer, Bluetooth for controlling the bot with your phone or tablet, Wi-Fi for sending programs and sounds, and an SD slot for holding more files.
There are five main bots in the EV3 series, including the R3PTAR (a sneaky cobra), the tank-like TRACK3R, and the six-legged scorpionesque SPIK3R. Each bot has a unique feature, like a claw grip or a ball shooter. There are two larger motors, one smaller motor, a touch sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, and a color sensor. There is also a remote control for moving a finished robot around the room.
You can program the brick without ever building one of the five starter bots. In fact, it's a good idea to try experimenting with the motors and sensors to see how they work — sans the Lego bricks. The brain unit looks similar to the previous NXT models. (The original NXT was released in 2006 and cost $250; the NXT 2.0 came out in 2009 and cost $280.) However, the new brain provides more flexibility in programming, a cool tool for budding engineers.
In a major improvement over the first two kits, there are now iOS and Android apps that help you put together each bot.
In a major improvement over the first two kits, there are now iOS and Android apps that help you put together each bot. The apps provide a 3D, interactive view of each step in the build process. You can zoom in, rotate the pieces, and watch animations that help you fit the pieces together. It's incredibly helpful, especially if you do not have laser vision or good lighting for the printed docs.
Because the Mindstorms EV3 is primarily designed for kids, I enlisted the help of two young friends, a 12-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl. They worked together to build most of EV3RSTORM, the bot shown on the packaging, including the main torso and legs, which took about 90 minutes. I took over to finish it up, which required another 90 minutes — for a total of three hours. To make sure my mind is as still as sharp as it was in my teens, I built the TRAK3R robot as well, which comes with crystal-clear instructions.
As with any typical Lego project, the pieces are small but color-coordinated. There were a few times when we felt a bit frustrated searching for, say, one tiny yellow brick. When assembling the arms, we made one minor miscalculation and had to start over on that appendage. No matter — it was still fun.
Programming the robot was incredibly easy. The software, available for both Windows and Mac, works like a visual diagramming tool (think Microsoft Visio or Google SketchUp). You drag and drop instruction modules onto a blank canvas and hit a play icon. Lego says the process takes about 20 minutes, but my group had a working program in ten minutes where the bot could walk straight for a bit, stop, turn, and start walking again.
We also built a program where the bot used the IR sensor. It would walk for a while, but if you flipped your hand in front of its "eyes," it would stop and say something. You can use one of 127 prerecorded sample clips, like a low alien blurp, or record your own.
The teenagers who helped me build the main bot worked in intense collaboration for an hour and a half straight — a long stretch of focus and concentration that seems rare in kids today.
Then we asked a programmer friend to build a much more complex program sense color differences like red or blue. (The EV3 could recognize bold colors like red but had trouble with greens and browns, however.)
The programming software is a bit limited, however. There is no copy and paste, and the mouse cursor tended to lag at times after building a complex program. There should be a way to switch quickly between the mouse pointer and the hand icon.
After finishing up with the programing, we also tried an app called Robot Commander, available for iOS and Android. You can control the bot over Bluetooth, issuing commands like "move forward" and "skate," which causes the bot to shuffle like it's on ice skating. The bot also uses Wi-Fi for sending programs to the brick. With the app, you can press a microphone button and speak one of the move commands like "forward" or "turn left." Alas, you can't tell it to dance a jig or do the Running Man — only the commands shown onscreen.
It's worth noting that there is an incredibly active Mindstorms community. One new trick is that you can snap a photo of the EV3 with the Commander app and upload it to Lego.com.
There's something incredibly rewarding about both the previous NXT bots and the new EV3 kit. Once you master the basic routines (go forward, bark a command, turn around), you can envision going a few steps farther — perhaps even building your own enclosure. In many ways, Lego is a thought leader in robotics because they make building them so enjoyable and easy.
The teenagers who helped me build the main bot worked in intense collaboration for an hour and a half straight — a long stretch of focus and concentration that seems rare in kids today.
It "took a village" to master the EV3, though. As a team, we sorted the bricks to find the right ones, built programs, and laughed at bot's antics.
No gadget in recent memory has been quite this captivating. Other than the few minor issues with programing, like the lack of copy and paste, it's a brilliant toy. For aspiring engineers, the EV3 is a major step up in quality and fun factor.
All photos by Josh Valcarcel/WIRED
When you buy something using the retail links in our product reviews, we earn a small affiliate commission. Read more about how this works.Go Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article.


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CNET was the first news organization to comment on the TrekDesk Treadmill Desk.
By: Mike Yamamoto MAY 7, 2008
When Crave first started seeing workstation fitness machines, we thought they were just a passing novelty. But now we're seriously beginning to wonder--and worry--whether they're actually catching on.
The desk treadmill seems to be the most popular form of office exercise, as evidenced by the "Walkstation" and the "TreadDesk," respectively estimated at $6,500 and up to $4,000. But now they have yet another competitor that may end up being substantially cheaper.
The "TrekDesk" is an alternative to the other all-in-one setups, a universal workstation that instead attaches to a standard existing treadmill with adjustable height, center console, manuscript stand, and cupholder. (That green exercise ball is part of the ergonomic TrekDesk Chair, which is sold separately.)
Although the price isn't final yet, the desk is expected to cost less than $549. There's just one catch: The treadmill isn't included. Still, if you already have one that's been gathering cobwebs, this might be a way to get some use out of it for a change.


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RSBS Presents: Fandom Condensed
Jeff tells me that the fans in Milwaukee treat you like a person, no matter which team you're there to support. Let's be honest, though. Milwaukee is the exception, not the rule. Most of the time if you find yourself in the confines of a rival team's arena, you should prepare for the worst. I saw the Tigers play in the Bronx once and I quickly realized that the "D" on my cap instantly marked me as a target.
However, it gets much worse. And it's even worse for the teams because they end up being defined by their fans. To help you understand this concept a little better, the interns came up with a few examples of what we present to you as "Fandom Condensed."
Red Sox
Not exactly known for their classiness under the best of circumstances, these fans show us that it doesn't take much to make "Boston" rhyme with "Jersey Shore."
White Sox
If beating up umpires and base coaches is your style, you're probably a White Sox fan. I'm not saying we haven't all felt this way at some point but there's a world of difference between wanting to punch an ump and actually doing it. Luckily, they've found a way to move quickly between those two worlds on the south side of Chicago.
However, if there's one team whose fans have earned the right to the title of baseball's most dangerous fans, it has to be the Phillies. Brawls, swearing, dumping beers on people. It seemed like the Philly fans had taken things as far as humanly possible. Then they started throwing up on opposing fans. Honestly, I don't even want to think about how you top that one.
I could go on but I think you get the point. Feel free to chime in with a comment if there's a glaring omission.


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Rock singer Meat Loaf is "recovering well" in a hospital after collapsing on stage during a concert in Canada on Thursday night, his publicist said in a statement Friday morning.
A video of the performance at Edmonton's Jubilee Auditorium in Alberta showed the singer dropping his microphone and falling to the floor amid a performance of his classic "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)." Musicians went to his side to help, and the music eventually stopped.
"He was admitted to a nearby hospital to undergo routine tests. His vital signs are stable and normal — he's responsive and recovering well," said spokesman Jeremy Westby.
U.S. & World
Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
Westby added the singer "extends his heartfelt thanks for everyone's support and well wishes, and is expecting a speedy and full recovery."
The 68-year-old, who was born Marvin Lee Aday, had canceled two other concerts in recent days — in Moose Jaw on Saturday and in Calgary on Tuesday — citing poor health.
A spokesman for Alberta Health Services said a patient was transported from the auditorium to a hospital, but the spokesman declined to identify the patient or provide an update on the person's condition for privacy reasons.
Attendees were asked to vacate the arena, concertgoer Mikey McBryan said.
Meat Loaf had appeared to be struggling earlier in the performance, McBryan, 33, said.
"It was him forgetting words, he wasn't on cue, but it was forgiveable," he said. "We're all loving it and going crazy, and then it just took a turn for the worst."
Born Marvin Lee Aday, Meat Loaf made his name with theatrical stage productions and operatic songs, including "Paradise by the Dashboard Light," ''Two out of Three Ain't Bad" and "Bat out of Hell."
He won a Grammy Award for "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)." He also appeared in the films "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Fight Club."
He has collapsed on stage before. In 2011, medics rushed to his aid during a concert in Pittsburgh but he got up and finished the show. In 2003, he collapsed at Wembley Arena in London and was admitted to a hospital.
The singer said he suffers from asthma and from a medical condition that causes an irregular heartbeat.
@JWongGlobalNews @GlobalEdmonton it was meatloaf, saw it with my own eyes pic.twitter.com/crgeEv1BWk— Calmanda (@callie_86) June 17, 2016


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Linden Lab Official:Destination Guide FAQ
Official Linden Lab® Information: You may access and link to this page, but you may not copy, distribute, modify, adapt, or translate any content on this page. This content is subject to the Terms of Service and is not available under the Creative Commons or any other license.
Have a suggestion to improve this page? Contact us.
- 1 General information
- 2 Information for landholders and other stakeholders
- 3 How venues and content are selected
- 4 The Basic mode Destination Guide
- 5 Editors' Picks and Popular Places
- 6 Submission guidelines
- 7 Image specifications
- 8 Text specifications
- 9 Contact the Linden Lab editors
General information
The Second Life Destination Guide highlights some of the best inworld locations and Resident creations. For new and existing Residents alike, this is the place to go to explore and discover what's most exciting in Second Life. We keep the Destination Guide fresh with regular updates, so check back frequently!
Venues and content featured in the Destination Guide are not paid placements. Currently, the best way for a Resident to promote their venue, event or business is through inworld Search or the classifieds.
To visit the Destination Guide on the Web, go to secondlife.com/destinations.
In the Advanced mode of the SL Viewer:
- In the search bar in the upper right, click the magnifying glass.
- In the Find window, click the Destination Guide tab and peruse the incredible variety of locations and events!
Information for landholders and other stakeholders
Currently, the best way for a Resident to promote a venue, event or business is through inworld search or the classifieds. We encourage all venue owners to review the guidelines at the Search FAQ for information on how to maximize your presence using inworld Search.
Venues and content featured in the Destination Guide are not paid placements. However, we welcome Resident suggestions for cool spots to feature. Some entries included in the Guide are also surfaced on the website for Residents exploring SecondLife.com for the first time. Please visit the Destination Guide Suggestion Page to submit a venue for consideration. Be sure to follow the submission guidelines below.
|Note: By nominating a venue, you authorize Linden Lab to use its content. Journalists, publishers, filmmakers, and others interested in Second Life often contact Linden Lab for images of Second Life. Linden Lab may direct these parties to the Destination Guide for promotional shots.
How venues and content are selected
Selections for inclusion are at the sole discretion of Linden Lab.
Criteria favoring selection:
- The venue is a high-quality implementation of the Second Life experience.
- The venue appeals broadly to the Second Life community, including new Residents.
- The venue is exceptional or unique.
- The venue is being promoted outside Second Life and is participating in the inSL logo program, if appropriate.
- The venue has a real and active community.
- The submission includes a compelling and visually interesting screenshot.
- The submitted description text accurately describes the location.
Criteria weighing against selection:
- The venue or one like it has been included before.
- The venue has been warned for failure to comply with some aspect of the Terms of Service.
- The venue is currently violating the Terms of Service through use of bots, campers, illegal gambling, or mainland Adult content.
- The submitted screenshot contains promotion text over the main image.
- The submitted description text includes lists of keywords and/or incoherent or inaccurate text.
The Basic mode Destination Guide
The Basic mode of the SL Viewer is the default experience for the newest Residents of Second Life. Since the "first hour" is so critical in determining whether someone will ultimately stick around Second Life, the Editorial Team applies heavier scrutiny to those venues or locations featured in this streamlined version of the Destination Guide.
If you wish to be eligible for inclusion in the Basic mode version of the Destination Guide, please consider the following guidelines:
- Is the landing point (and any immediate surrounding areas) optimized for Basic mode? For example, is it set correctly so arriving visitors land at the right spot? Also, do navigation tools like teleporters route people to the right place?
- If some of your key attractions are not in the immediate vicinity of the landing point, be sure to include clear signage or arrows that point visitors in the right direction. We recommend including calls-to-action for nearby activities and games so that newcomers can easily find fun things to do.
- Avoid use of "insider" language or instructions that may be confusing to someone accessing Second Life through Basic mode.
- Is the venue arrival experience free of unsolicited group invites, notecards and other inventory offers? These notifications are confusing to many new Residents, who are unfamiliar with how groups and inventory work in Second Life.
- Consider how your venue design and its surroundings will be experienced by someone in the streamlined Basic mode. For example, do seats use one-click sit actions? Do other interactive objects, like vehicles, work? (We recommend that you test them using an alt account to make sure non-owners can use them, too.)
- Where Advanced mode is necessary (for example, if you have shops elsewhere in your region), are there instructions explaining this choice to visitors? (As of June 2011, Residents can't yet buy items in Basic mode.)
For inclusion in the Newcomer Friendly category only, these additional criteria apply:
- There are helpful signs or tutorials that are up-to-date and reference features in Basic mode.
- There are clear pointers to get further help with Second Life. For example, a scripted sign that links to Second Life Answers community help.
- The venue has an active and welcoming community within close proximity of the landing point.
Editors' Picks and Popular Places
You can nominate venues for inclusion in the Editors' Picks or Popular Places categories on the Destination Guide Suggestion Page.
- Editors' Picks features venues that highlight some of the best architecture, activities, communities and/or creative efforts in Second Life. The features are refreshed periodically.
- Popular Places features venues frequently populated with real people, communities and conversations. This list is periodically refreshed but does not reflect real-time traffic and activity, nor does it aim to reflect the most popular places in Second Life. Every effort is made to include venues that adhere to Linden Lab's policies on traffic bots and camping.
Submission guidelines
You may suggest a destination using the form if:
- You personally own the parcel.
- You belong to the group that owns the parcel.
- You are on the access list of the Private Region that contains the parcel.
- The parcel belongs to Governor Linden and is set in ABOUT LAND > OPTIONS tab as a Hangout.
- The parcel belongs to a friend and is set in ABOUT LAND > OPTIONS tab as a Hangout.
- The parcel is 512m2 or larger.
Suggested venues must comply with all of the following:
|Warning: Do not suggest content that is copyrighted or otherwise subject to another party's proprietary rights (including privacy, publicity, trademark, and trade secret rights) unless you own the rights or have the owner's permission. Content determined to infringe upon intellectual property rights is removed from our website and services.
Residents are limited to two suggestions per month. You can also email our editors your Destination Guide suggestions. Please include a link to your image that meets the submission criteria below:
Image specifications
The quality and aesthetic composition of your image helps persuade Residents to visit your suggested inworld location, so submit a well-composed screenshot that captures the creativity, community and/or aesthetic beauty of your venue. Do not layer or embed any text or logos within the photo itself. You have an opportunity to add descriptive text separately in the Description field of the entry form.
Focus on specific attractions you want visitors to see first. Specifically, if you're submitting an image for a store, generally emphasize your products rather than the store building. For example, if you make clothes, snapshot your avatar in a flattering pose wearing one of your dresses. Or if you have an attractive and creative vendor display, use that. If you've been selling in Second Life for awhile, you likely already have product photos as part of your branding that you can repurpose to save you time. However, an exception applies if your store is an attraction itself, like it's in a beautiful forest worth exploring.
The Destination Guide submission form asks you to include a link to a web-hosted screenshot of your venue. Your image can be hosted on any photo-sharing or web-hosting site, such as Flickr or Photobucket. Use JPG format with the dimensions of 657 width by 394 height, in pixels. For example (see on Flickr):
Be sure to include the full URL (ending in
.jpg) to the web-hosted screenshot for your listing. Please note that the Destination Guide user suggestion form may reject images that do not meet this exact criteria. If you use Flickr to host your image, make sure to include the proper image URL (ending in
.jpg) in the form.
In some cases, Linden Lab editors may re-shoot images to improve visual clarity or composition, but we strongly prefer you submit quality images to begin with.
|Note: If you receive a form error when you try to submit your suggested destination, please email the Linden Lab editors. Include the submission suggestion and the info requested in the form (title, description, SLurl link) along with the image as an attachment.
Inworld photography resources
If you're unfamiliar with taking inworld photos, check out the following resources that offer tips and best practices:
- Guide to High-Quality Photography by Torley Linden.
- Taking high-res snapshots by Strawberry Singh.
- The Checklist is comprehensive photo shoot preparation, by Cajsa Lilliehook.
- Second Life Flickr Group includes many pictures from other Residents.
And of course, look at existing Destination Guide submissions to see what your fellow Residents and the Linden Lab editors have done.
Text specifications
The submission form asks you for descriptive text of up to 400 typed characters.
Destination Guide uses third-person voice, so avoid use of first-person language (such as I, we, our and my). Also, please refrain from using overly-hyped or promotion-heavy language; Destination Guide entries should be informative rather than overtly promotional in nature. Lists of keywords are not acceptable as descriptive text.
Linden Lab reserves the right to edit material for length and clarity.
Contact the Linden Lab editors
For questions or update requests to existing entries, or to report an error — like a wrong SLurl or place that's gone — contact the Linden Lab editors via email. Please note that we are not able to respond to every inquiry, however we welcome all comments, feedback and suggestions.


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dutrainc necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 8 diseños de 4 diseñadores freelance.
Create a website layout for Lowlife Choppers that catches peoples eye and looks up-to-date
If you have any questions please email me at email@example.com
Lowlife Choppers
Lowlife Choppers is getting built, as well and the Choppers
I have pics of the store that is getting built
the current website that is up is just so it is not blank . . . but i like that kind of design
Lowlife Choppers will be selling Choppers as well as custom ones
Websites that I like
Our Logo
I will pick the best winner and if i don't not find one I will re-list for a possible winner
- modern
- eye catching
- stick to the theme that the current website has
- able to send out newsletters to people if they enter there email address in a box (join the mailing list)
- please look at the current website to get ideas http://www.lowlifeforlife.com/
- buttons to have .... apparel, bikes, contact, gallery, parts, cart, home . . . etc.
- FLASH!!! if possible
- shopping cartI also want a brick wall on the page.


text:
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+++2013 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 SL+++POWER MOONROOF and LEATHER HEATED SEATS++++++ We proudly stand behind all our pre-owned vehicles and we have also competitively market priced this vehicle in order to save you the time and hassle that is normally associated with the car buying experience.
If you've ever shopped for a Pre-Owned vehicle, you might give it a thorough going over. Or take it to a trusted mechanic. But you might still wonder, did you miss anything?
With a pre-owned vehicle from Peters, you don't have to wonder. We take the vehicle to the best mechanic we know, a factory-trained mechanic. Using state-of-the-art equipment and a discerning eye, each Pre-Owned vehicle gets an obsessively detailed inspection.
Peters of Nashua has been serving the area's automotive needs since 1955. Family owned and operated, Peter Proko and Peggy A. Proko are involved in the daily operations of all of their stores and take personal pride in knowing that their customers are well taken care of. Peters of Nashua is fully involved with the organizations that matter to you. We are proud to support a number of organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Nashua P.A.L., Nashua Technical College, Jewish Federation of the Arts, The American Red Cross, Local High Schools and Sports Teams, The Nashua Soup Kitchen, The Humane Society of Greater Nashua, The Nashua Police and Fire Departments, Veterans Associations, The Nashua Silver Knights and many more. We purchase hundreds of cars every year. Our favorite way to acquire top quality pre-owned vehicles for our inventory is to purchase them from our customers.
Our dealership boasts a no haggling policy to make sure that the process of purchasing a car isn't riddled with ulterior motives and high stress. Instead, we price our vehicles right from the start, so you don't have to worry about getting the best price possible. We factor in market values and vehicle availability, along with both factory and dealer incentives, to get it right the first time.
New vehicle pricing includes all offers and incentives. Tax, Title and Tags not included in vehicle prices shown and must be paid by the purchaser. While great effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, errors do occur so please verify information with a customer service rep. This is easily done by calling us at (603) 718-3851 or by visiting us at the dealership.
On all Nissan Certified Pre-Owned vehicles Price reflects all discounts, rebates, and incentives to dealer. Must finance with NMAC. Price includes $450 NMAC Captive Cash Rebate.
**With approved credit. Terms may vary. Monthly payments are only estimates derived from the vehicle price with a 72 month term, 4.9% interest and 20% downpayment.
*Number of views in last 30 days
† Based on 2013 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.
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(603) 718-3851Call Now
280 Amherst St. • Nashua, NH 03063Get Directions
Open Today! Sales: 8:30am-7pm
Open Today! Service: 7am-7pm
Open Today! Parts: 7am-7pm
Phone: (603) 718-3851http://maps.google.com/?q=280%20Amherst%20St.%2C%20Nashua%2C%20NH%2003063


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The New England Patriots will permanently move Devin McCourty to safety, according to NFL Network analyst Michael Lombardi.
The Patriots sent a fourth-round draft pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for cornerback Aqib Talib at Thursday's trade deadline.
Talib instantly becomes the most talented, and most troubled, cornerback on the Patriots' roster. Lombardi believes the Patriots will line Talib over the opponent's No. 2 receiver and double-team the No. 1. That has been the Patriots' tendency with their No. 1 cornerback.
McCourty has some experience at safety from the end of 2011 and played the position last week.
The move to acquire Talib plainly shows the Patriots are all-in for a Super Bowl this season.
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.


text:
4 Ways to Eat Outside of the Box in Honolulu
Someone out there in restaurant land was doing some unconventional thinking, perhaps just to keep me from getting bored.
(page 1 of 4)
Tucked away on my computer desktop, I keep a list—not of restaurants to eat at, that's never a problem, but restaurants that seem interesting enough to write about.
This month, I looked at the list and scratched my head.
Even by my standards, it was an eccentric assortment of eateries: A downtown paninoteca. A Nepalese restaurant in Kaimuki. A high-end macrobiotic cafe. And a venerable takeout place turned out by its landlord into a lunchwagon.
The only common denominator? They were individually out of the ordinary. And as a list? Sort of weird and wonderful, definitely not boring. It was the least I could do to eat at all four.
Haili's Hawaiian Foods
I am as fond of Rachel Haili as I could be of anyone who once fed me ake maka, raw beef liver dotted with inamona (crushed kukui nuts) and hairy with ogo. She at least handed me a napkin, just in case I spit out the first bite. I didn't. I'll eat anything once, though in the case of ake maka once was enough.
Haili is one of three sisters, the second generation to run Haili's Hawaiian Foods. The ake maka was part of lesson eight years ago in real Hawaiian food that also included aama crabs, loko (don't ask) and raw octopus—none of which were included in the mainstream Hawaiian fare they dished up at their half-century-old stand in the Ward Farmers' Market.
You hate to see an institution go down, and Haili's looked like it might when a reshuffle of Ward tenants pushed them and other vendors out of the market. "We didn't want to lose our customers in this location," says Haili.
They didn't. "The Ward people suggested we do a lunch wagon," she says. At first she thought, "No, no, that's too small. I can't do what I do." But then she remembered her Chinese mother running a lunch wagon at KCC, so now there's a brightly painted, shiny new lunch wagon parked across from the Ward Theatres, with a few picnic tables in a landscaped strip along the parking lot.
Haili's Backyard Luau, they call it. Which works if you happen to have Auahi Street running through your backyard.
We stopped by, ordering a Hawaiian combo plate ($8.50) and a pelehu steak plate ($9). "We have squid luau today," said the girl at the counter.
"Get it, get an order," said the friend who'd joined me. "Don't even hesitate."
I'd ordered the combo plate because it came with Haili's pork laulau, which manages an extraordinary richness without adding the usual square of fat. In addition, it has a dense layer of taro tops. Taro tops, when cooked, look like moribund spinach, but Haili's still have a wonderful, almost floral fragrance, and a slight mint tang.
The plate—actually a cardboard cafeteria tray—came with some watery lomi salmon, a spicy poke made with au (swordfish), some tasty but nearly chickenless chicken long rice.
Much the same, minus the laulau, came on the steak plate—bite-size pieces of steak, marinated in the usual garlic, pepper and sugar, with a texture that made it obvious somebody had been at it with a meat tenderizer. The steak came with a housemade mango and pepper salsa, which was good, but unnecessary.
Since my friend was diverted by the squid luau, I stole as much steak as possible. I like squid luau, which despite the name invariably contains octopus, not squid. But the coconut-taro tops stew is often too sweet for me to consume in any quantity. Finally my friend set down his plastic spork. "Pau?" I asked.
"After you eat all the octopus, the magic's gone," he said.
Haili's still has some magic going for it. "Business has been picking up, the location is so visible we are getting tourists," says Haili. "They're cute, always asking, 'What's poi?'"
The Haili clan intends to keep the lunchwagon going even after it completes its move to a new location, probably on Kapahulu Avenue. Look for it. Order the laulau.
1020 Auahi St., (808) 593-8019, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., mybackyardluau.com


text:
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Valley Vista Lodge is an up market guesthouse situated in a leafy suburb close to the Pietermaritzburg CBD (approximately 3 kms) and with stunning views over the city and surrounding areas. There is e... Read More
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Our location is our best asset, close to just about everything! Situated in one of the older up-market suburbs, Greenlands has a wonderful view of the city. Each of the five air-conditioned, comfortab... Read More
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'Home away from Home'
The Sleeping Bao Bed & Breakfast was established in the heart of Pietermaritzburg in one of the city's preeminent residential areas over 12 years ago. The luxury accommodation i... Read More
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A Bit of Heaven is a peaceful rest, overlooking a fairy tale garden.
This centrally situated luxury accommodation is 5 minutes from the Johannesburg and Durban N3 hig... Read More
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A beautifully appointed garden flat with full kitchen and en-suite bathroom (shower, basin, toilet) in the leafy-green and upmarket suburb of Wembley, on the North side of Pietermaritzburg, less than ... Read More
Nestled in a lush environment conveniently situated a stone's throw away from the N3 and close to all restaurants. Nearby attractions include the Midlands Mall, a number of private schools, Cascades C... Read More
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Our Highly Recommended Rating makes Fountains self-catering B&B a destination for the discerning traveller, looking for classy comfort, cleanliness and care. We are ideally centrally situated, with cl... Read More
From R910 PPS
Redlands Hotel is situated in the sought after northern suburb of Wembley in the heart of the beautiful Redlands Estate. Ideally situated 5 minutes from the CBD and all amenities, the tranquillity of ... Read More
From R375 PPS
The best located self catering accommodation in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal! Situated a mere 500 metres from the Cascades shopping centre, Virgin Active gym, world class mountain bike and running ... Read More
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Celia Labistour won a booking to the value of R4725 at Old n New Bed and Breakfast
Wow! Thank you so much. I love your website and always try to book via SleepingOut. This is my 4th win. Amazing!!!
How can you Win Free Accommodation?
Price Range comparison
In order to provide meaningful price comparisons this website compares the Per Person Sharing Rate or, where this is not available, the Average Price Per Person for a unit, based on its maximum occupancy.When Homes and Villas are selected as the search criteria, the full daily rate for the unit is used for price comparison and display irrespective of the number of people the unit sleeps.* This accommodation is only available as a unit. It has been included in these search results as the average price per person based on maximum occupancy falls within the selected price range. However, the price displayed is the full unit price.


text:
I just wanted to know where i could get your cover of the song "disco inferno" cuz it really liked it alot.
yo been a fan forever, was glad to hear you'll be with Lupe in Millwaukee. Comin on over from Iowa. I used to play Who the FUck is Bob mixtape at work back in florida. Everybody used to just vibe to it and ask me what it was. haha Anyways I can't wait for the cd Bobby and cant wait for the show in Millwaukee. Keep it up and keep doin you.
"Don't Let Me Fall" has to be one of the best songs i've ever heard. What you do with music is absolutely amazing. I was never big into the whole rap genre, but the way you bring it is just hard not to like. The beats, the lyrics, and just the creativity is one of a kind. Keep puttin' out those tracks and i'll keep buying! Big Fan!
Keep brining the heat B.o.B! Don't let the industry ruin your creativity, you're way ahead of the crap played on the radio!


text:
I'm currently trying to improve the security at our work. This sounds very broad, but, for example, I'm penetrating our systems and checking whether servers are vulnerable to certain exploits.
As an example, SMTP gave me this telnet result:
220 [redacted] Microsoft ESMTP MAIL Service, Version: 7.5.7601.17514 ready at Mon, 10 Mar 2014 14:15:30 +0100
After a few hours of searching for a solution, I've found a way to hide the details about this server, resulting in this result:
220 [redacted] Ouch, sorry.. 404 - version not found.. Mon, 10 Mar 2014 14:15:57 +0100
This seems a lot more secure, as it does not display the version number any more. My question is, did this increase the security of my server? Or doesn't it actually make much of a difference and should I ignore version numbers as a security vulnerability?
Is there a security benefit in hiding the IIS version number?


text:
DWTS Season 16, Let the Campaigning Begin – Deena Nicole Cortese
It must be January, because the guessing games have begun. 🙂 Let me remind our readers of the difference between a real rumor, a campaign and a simple answer to a question.
A real rumor is just that – a rumor. Someone says "so and so is going to be on DWTS" – not just anyone, but someone who might be in a position to know or hear something. A campaign is when a "star" puts it out there (often over and over again) that they want to be on the show and they get their fans to spam ABC to get them on the show. Word to the wise – this has NEVER worked. We have yet to see a celebrity campaign their butts off and actually make it on to the show.
Option 3 is when some silly reporter randomly asks a celebrity (perhaps at the prompting of that celebrity's PR person prior to the interview) if they would do DWTS. That allows the celebrity to signal their willingness to do the show without looking like they are campaigning.
Today we have what I think is the beginnings of a campaign – it's hard to tell. You be the judge:
I love dancing 🙂 tweeties do you think I'd be good on dancing with the stars?? I feel like I'd kick butt lol
ETA: I added this before but it didn't post – Lots of her fans are suggesting Derek or Mark but I say give her to Maks cuz he LOVES him some Jersey Shore. 😉


text:
follow me on Twitter
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Share Alike 3.0 License.
Disclaimer: These opinions are mine and mine alone. Nothing here can or should be taken to represent the viewpoint of my employer.
Background: I was invited by UCL Partners to present at an Innovation Diffusion workshop for NHS London. The paper was subsequently presented to the NHS London Clinical Senate.
As Deleuze & Guattari would say, the NHS is a striated space. The quickest way to add innovative 'smooth spaces' is by combining digital tools and social movements. Slides below, full paper attached: comments welcome.


text:
SKF MultiLube delivers automatic lubrication for high-altitude mining conveyors
The challenge
Proper bulk conveyor lubrication is tough to maintain in the best of conditions. In a high-altitude, remote location with temperatures as low as -30 °C, it's an extreme challenge. Looking for a centralized lubrication solution that could handle the punishing cold, mine management looked to SKF.
The solutionSKF suggested SKF Multilube – an automatic, centralized lubrication system designed for multiple lubrication points. Management asked SKF to install the SKF Multilube pump unit with dual-line SGA dosers to the tension roll with doser monitoring components. To insulate and pre-heat all pipes and dosers, SKF housed the heated Multilube pumping unit in a steel cabinet.
The results
SKF Multilube proved so successful that the mine now uses about 30 installations of similar lubrication systems. All of them are equipped with SMS functionality that alerts maintenance staff when the equipment needs checking. This functionality helps drive reliability while reducing routine manual maintenance and grease handling costs.


text:
Sermon delivered May 9, 2010.
We are now in the middle of Spring moving towards Summer. What defines these two seasons? Technically, Spring and Summer are determined by the position of Sun relative to the latitude of the Earth. Thus, Spring begins on March 21st when the Sun is directly above the Equator or the middle/neutral latitude of the Earth. Summer begins on June 21st when the Sun reaches its farthest point on (for us in the United States) the northern latitude of the Earth. Most people tend to like the seasons of Spring and Summer because the position of the Sun brings us more daylight hours and a consequential increase in temperature. Just like flowers, plants and trees turn green and grow in its light, our body and mind respond well to the light and warmth of the Sun. Our general attitude and spirit tend to improve and become more positive as we progress through Spring and Summer. It's almost like we need the Sun. It's very difficult, if not impossible to live without it.
There is another Sun in our life. It's not a terrestrial body but a living person. Not just any person but the second person of God. He is the SON of God but is referred to at times as the SUN of Righteousness. Of course, this person is our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. We refer to Him as the SUN of Righteousness because He said to His disciples in today's gospel reading (6th Sunday of Pascha, John 9:1-38) "I am the light of the world" (v.5). As we said earlier, we need the light and warmth of the terrestrial Sun. Much more so do we need the light and warmth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Surely, it is no mistake that God chooses to reveal Himself as light as He appeared to Moses on Mt. Sinai in the flame of the burning bush and as He led the Israelites out of Egypt towards the promised land in the pillar of fire. In addition, Jesus reveals His divinity in this way, "and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light." (Mt.17:2).
In Orthodox Christian, the presence of God in the form of light is emphasized by the use of sun light, oil lamps, candles and gold to illuminate the inside of the temple, especially the icons. More to the point, almost all Orthodox churches are built so the worshippers are facing East. This is done because the terrestrial Sun rises in the East bring natural light into the temple and more importantly, because Jesus the spiritual light of the world will come from the East at the Parousia (the Second Coming). Thus, as we worship God, we expect and await the return of His Son Jesus to establish His Kingdom forever. Let us briefly revisit the subject of icons. Icons are holy images. Icons of Jesus Christ often depict Him holding a book, the gospel, which is either open or shut. If it is open, these words are written on the page, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12).
Just a few weeks ago, at the Liturgy of Great and Holy Pascha, we read from the beginning of John's gospel. Listen to these words: 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world" (John 1:1-9).
In the weeks following Pascha we continue reading from the Gospel of John. Listen to these passages as Jesus Himself speaks about the light:
John 3:18-21
"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
Matthew 6:22-23
"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"
John 12:35-36
Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
John 12:44-50
Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."
We know that before Jesus was incarnate in the flesh He, being the eternal Word of God, was speaking to us through the prophets of the Old Testament. Listen to the wisdom given regarding light:
Psalm 18:28 — For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
Psalm 27:1 — The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 36:9 — For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.
Psalm 89:15 — Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.
Psalm 119:105 — Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
Psalm 119:130 — The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.
Proverbs 6:23 — For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life.
The essence of the teaching in these passages is that God is light, who enlightens our mind, heart, soul and body to dispel the darkness of sin in our life. In order to receive the divine light we must hear the word of God, repent of our sins and follow His commandments. The conversion of St. Paul is a good example of this paradigm. Listen to the account from the Book of Acts:Acts 9:1-9
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads." So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
We know that Saul did as the risen Lord commanded, received his sight and receiving the new name Paul went on to become the greatest of the Apostles. His example, together with the blindman's example from today's gospel, show that Jesus Christ is able to restore physical sight.
More importantly, He gives spiritual sight, one could say 'insight', to those blinded by sin. He does this so we may behold the truth, the state of things as they are, not as we want them or think them to be. In addition, the Lord gives spiritual sight so that we, His disciples, may also become the light of the world. He says in the Gospel of Matthew:
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Mt.5:14-15).
In other words, through the light of Christ, we can become Christophoroi (literally "Christ-bearers"). Providentially, we celebrate the memory of Saint Christophoros today, May 9th. We become Christ-bearers, we become Christ-like through our humble, repentant, faithful presence to other people. Thus, God is manifest to others through us.
Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews is the pastor of St. George Greek Orthodox Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Fr. Andrews is the past president of Minnesota Eastern Orthodox Christian Clergy Association (MEOCCA), and a volunteer chaplain with the St. Paul Police Department.


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Versus network continues AToC coverage
Looks like the Versus network has entered into an agreement with AEG to continue televised coverage.
When I first heard this I had mixed results. Versus coverage has been less than desirable at times – at least for those of us that are cycling fans. However, the network has apparently notice the market potential of the cycling community as a whole. Their press release (full content below) states:
Since VERSUS started airing coverage of the Tour of California in 2007, the network has seen average viewership growth of 46 percent. Last year's race saw the number of viewers tuning in to the network's daily coverage double from 2007 (3 million vs. 1.5 million).


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$49.00 USD $70.00 USD You Save 30% ($21.00 USD)
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Collections: Best Sellers, Books & Journals


text:
Hey there guy's, got a new space sim in the works , that i have been following for a while, that looks really cool on kickstarter.
I love the idea of FPS/RTS/4X hybrids. Reminds of the days of yore playing battlezone 1 and 2
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/20 ... son-perspe
What do you guys think?
Talk about other games
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- randommonicle
- Posts: 185
- Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:26 pm
Burn with me
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text:
Ron C (Feat. Milli Mill & Mr. Playboi) - Pot Of Gold (Waka Flocka Diss) [Unsigned Hype]
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