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The dust of war has long since settled, but people do not heal so quickly. The Unification Day Festival provides a balm for some, and rips old wounds open for others.
Join us on Santo for our annual celebration at the rustic Goldborrough Country Estate. This year, the festivities will be in honour of the illustrious Lord Ellorian Goldborrough, recently deceased. Rumour has it members of his family will be in attendance, and that he might have made a small donation to the prize pool of this year's tournament!
This is a LARP in English, inspired by the Firefly TV-series.
The game is set on the planet Santo in the Firefly 'Verse and will depict a small, local celebration of Unification Day with all that entails. It is a game about glorious celebration and festive feelings draped over the ugly scars of loss and rivalry left behind after the war.
Characters will generally be larger than life, and have colourful, exaggerated personalities. Many of them will be what can only be described as 'unsavoury' types!
We aim for a play style that is dramatic and laced with grim Firefly-esque humour. There will be action, mainly created and driven forward by the players rather than monsters and non player characters.
The events of this game take place two years before the start of the Firefly TV-series and will feature original characters written specifically for the game, not the characters from the TV-series.
What to expect when you are heading into the Black - promises, obligations and practical information
What follows is the "list of ingredients" for Windfall. Please read it carefully before signing up, so that you understand what you can expect from us, the organisers, and what we will expect from you.
What, exactly, is this?
This is a live action roleplaying game (LARP, or laiv in Norwegian), inspired by the Firefly TV-series. Simply put, LARP is cops and robbers for adults. It has a lot in common with impro theatre, but is almost always without an audience. You create your own experience along with the other players, using the tools the organisers/game masters have given you. If you are new to LARP and want to know more you can follow this link, or contact us. We love to blabber on about our favourite hobby 🙂
Playstyle and atmosphere
As mentioned in the intro text, the setting for this game is a small festival in a rustic environment, celebrating the Unification Day. On the outside, it is a party. People are there to relax, unwind, and enjoy themselves. But under the surface there are ill feelings, rivalry, and other negative emotions. On Saturday there will be a tournament with various contests and in-game prizes, and this tournament with be the central framework for the game. We will aim to give all characters a stake in this tourney, in one way or another.
All characters will be created by the organisers so that they all fit together in a cohesive story and add to the plot. The characters will have their own flair, special quirks, and connections to other characters, and we aim to make every single one of them memorable. We want everyone to have the opportunity to be the protagonist in their own story - nobody at this LARP will be playing thug #3 from the right!
The cast will include crooks, criminals, and other shady characters. Good people with troubled pasts, bad people with redeeming qualities, and everything in between. This will not be a story about heroes, but we do want the festival to be a place where the Serenity crew could fit in seamlessly.
We want drama, we want conflict, we want action, and we want the players to drive these things forward. There will be no great outside threat that you need to join forces against. Your character will have their own goals and motivations, and these may very well bring you into conflict with the goals and motivations of someone else! We want you to plot against each other, to start fights, to stab each other in the back. This is a game about dramatic conflict, not about cooperation.
As the game starts, there will be many secrets. You do not "win the LARP" if these are still hidden when the game ends! We encourage you to spill your secrets! Air all your metaphorical dirty laundry and let the drama unfold!
During this game players are in character from start to finish. You sleep in character, wake up in character, go to the toilet in character, and eat in character. If you need a break, we will have a space where you can do so without disturbing the game for others.
Venue, props, and production value
The venue for this game will be Landsbyen in Holtålen, described further under practical information. This is a low budget production. The little money we have will mostly be spent on food for you, the players, and the many things we need to run the game for you: rent to the venue, transportation of ourselves, and some decorations to get that festive feeling. Sadly there will be no space ship parked behind the cabin, no fancy computer systems or other extravagant sci-fi effects, as time and money do not permit the creation of these. We will use the resources we have to make a few improvements in the area to get the feeling and look we want, but it will still be a cabin in the woods and not an awesome sci-fi set.
Rules and systems
A complete system will be presented closer to the game, but in order to let you know what you can expect, we'll give a brief summary of the mechanisms we will use here:
For close combat, characters will be assigned a combat number. To determine a winner in a fist fight both parties compare numbers and the higher number wins the fight. The fight is then acted out.
For firefights there is no numeric system. Instead, everything will be played out through acting and roleplay. All firearms used must look convincing, make a convincing sound, and be unable to fire an actual projectile. Starter guns will be prefered. Contact us if you are uncertain if you can bring a particular weapon or not.
We will use a simple system for simulating sex, including guidelines for how to make it safe for everyone. Any and all play on sexual violence will be completely forbidden under all circumstances!
Other than this there might be simple metasystems for some situations, as well as a safety system.
Expectations to you, and promises from us
We expect that you create a proper costume. There are no high demands to the costume, but we expect at least a little effort. We expect that you read the materials we give to you, understand them, and ask if you do not. We expect you to be in character at all times. We expect that if you find that you cannot attend, you will let us know in a timely manner (see more about this below).
We promise to answer your questions as soon as we have a proper answer. We promise to send you the information that you need, by the time that you need it. We promise to do what we can to make sure that you have a safe and pleasant experience; this includes having a space where you can relax, check your phone, or just talk about the real world.
When you sign up to a LARP you are not buying a ticket to an event, you are saying yes to the collaborative effort of creating an experience alongside a group of other people. Before this experience can happen, a small part of that group - the organisers - go many extra miles to provide the tools that you need. Hours of work and no small amount of care, consideration, and love go into creating your character, and more often than not it is created especially for YOU.
We do understand that life happens and that you might have to cancel, possibly at the last minute, and that is okay. However, we ask that you respect the effort that we put in and sign up because you want to go - not because you maybe might feel like it if you have the time and the boss is nice and the weather is good. As such, before you sign up, please consider if you truly can and want to participate. Can you afford it? Are you willing to travel to the site? Is sleeping in a tent in September okay for you? Can you get time off from work? We greatly appreciate if you consider all the little factors that dictate if you can go or not BEFORE you sign up, instead of after.
On this note, if there are particular characters (or character traits) you really do not want (or DO want) to play, please do tell us at signup! We will do what we can to accommodate. If by any chance you still recieve a character you are not comfortable with, please let us know as soon as possible, so we can collaborate with you and find a solution! We really do not want you to cancel because you hate and/or cannot play the character!
14.9-16.9 Friday to Sunday. Check-in will start at 16:00 Friday.
Briefing will start at 18:00. You are expected to be in costume when briefing starts. Your camp can be prepped later in-game. The LARP starts at 20:00. Please make sure that you are at the site on time, leave work early or take the day off on Friday.
Play will stop Saturday night, followed by a short debrief and an afterparty.
We want you to be in-character 24/7, but please be respectful towards players who want or need to sleep during the night.
There is a toll fee of 50 NOK per car on the road up to Landsbyen.
This is an outdoorsy LARP. Most of the play will be outdoors, regardless of weather! This is Trøndelag, so plan for all seasons in one day. Always prepare for wet and cold weather.
Landsbyen can be reached by car or by public transport. Unfortunately, we do not have resources to arrange collective transport planned by the organisers.
Participants are responsible for bringing their own stuff from the parking lot to the play area. This means carrying your things on a 400m walk up a country road. Organisers can help out as long as the 4-wheeler is available.
Drivers available to help with pick-ups from the train station and nearest bus stop are much appreciated!
By car
To reach Landsbyen by car from Trondheim, take the E6 towards Melhus and Støren. Once you reach Støren, take off to Rv30 towards Støren and Røros. then immediately turn right and use Fv30. Keep going for 50 km until you see a sign saying "Gåre". Then take right over the bridge, stop to pay the toll and follow the dirt road until you see LARPers.
Coordinates to planet Landsbyen from Trondheim-that-was
There is a small parking space by Landsbyen. It is also possible to park by the road. Please make sure not to block any cars! Drivers are encouraged to fill their car to the brim with participants and stuff!
By public transport
Landsbyen can be reached by bus or by train from Trondheim (there is also a train connection from Oslo on Røros).
Bus 340 Trondheim - Støren - Røros
The bus stop is called "Gåre/Gåregrenda".
Train to Røros
The train station is called "Haltdalen".
This LARP will have 40-50 participants.
Players under 18 will need permission from a parent/ guardian. Absolute lower age limit is 16 years (turn 16 in 2018). There will be no exceptions to this rule.
Casting selection will be based on group dynamics, with some preference given to new players.
Ticket price is 650 NOK, of which 300 is non-refundable. Tickets include a hot meal on Friday and Saturday evening.
Casting will be done after the sign up deadline June 1st. Those who are cast will receive a confirmation along with payment details. You will have one week from the date of that email to pay at least the first 300NOK, to secure your spot. The remaining 350 can be paid later, but the full ticket price must be paid by August 1st.
In a perfect world we would cast everyone who signs up, but unfortunately we cannot go over capacity. If you do not receive a spot in the first round of castings, you will be put on a waiting list.
We would like the LARP to be accessible to as many players as possible. For this reason we have chosen to employ a sponsor programme.
If you wish, you can be a sponsor. This means that you pay more than the listed price for your spot. In that case you will automatically be a sponsor for someone who has less money. You will not get anything extra for doing this, except good karma and nice, warm fuzzy feelings. If you want to sponsor someone, please specify how much in your signup form."
If you want, you can apply for a sponsorship. This means that someone has paid more than the listed price for this Larp as a nice gesture towards people with a more strained economy. You can apply for this in the signup. The discount you get will depend on the numbers of sponsors and money available.
Sleeping arrangementsWe have 32 "indoor" sleeping places (10 in Viknahuset, 16 in lavvo tents and 6 in small houses). You will need to bring all your own sleeping equipment. Make sure your sleeping bag is made for cold weather and remember that you can never have too many blankets! People sleeping in Viknahuset should be aware that this is part of the play area so that any baggage or equipment considered "off" should be placed somewhere else or covered up. We accept participants bringing tents. Please contact us if you are planning on bringing your own tent.
FoodParticipants should bring their own breakfast, snacks and suitable beverages. Remember no labels and no plastic coke-bottles! Everybody can prepare food on the different outdoor fires around the play area. You need to bring your own equipment for cooking, eating and cleaning up afterwards. Please organise yourselves when you have a camp group. There will be served a hot meal on Friday evening (after play start) and on Saturday afternoon/evening. If you want to contribute in making these two meals, please contact the organisers. We are unfortunately not able to cater to all special dietary needs. If you have a serious food allergy which may result in requiring medical attention, we want to know about it. Water is from a nearby creek and is safe. A water pump is available.
ToiletsLandsbyen has a free fall outhouse with two stalls. It will contain toilet paper, wet wipes, and hand sanitizers. There is also a very specific tree stump that is designated as a pee spot.
Sign upThis LARP is not "first come, first served". We will make our selections based on group dynamics with some preference given to new players.
LanguageThis is an English LARP. Firefly is a a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious setting influencing everyday talk, so feel free to indulge! The bar is not set high. Norwenglish is fine in some instances.
Alcohol, drugs and smokingAlcohol is allowed but cautioned. We follow Norwegian law, so underaged (18) serving/drinking and all drug abuse is forbidden. Anyone too intoxicated will be firmly put to bed and, in worst case scenarios, removed from the play area. Smoking is allowed, but not inside buildings or tents. Please be respectful of other participants. Cigarette butts go in the fires or trash, not in the forest!
NPCsThere will be few or no NPCs on this LARP. We want the action to be character driven!
CostumesThis is set in the future, so all fabrics are allowed! The bar is not set high, but we want to see different cultures, status, occupations, and/or personalities in your costumes. Firefly is a mix of western and science fiction with a heavy asian influence, so please run wild with those inspirations!
AfterpartyThere will be an afterparty straight after a short debrief on Saturday night. This is where we party, tell of glorious moments and cheer the organisers and our fellow players!
Cleaning up and leaving LandsbyenAll participants clean up after themselves and their camp. You should also assist the organisers with whatever they need. Nobody can leave Landsbyen before the organisers say so. Check out is Sunday from kl. 14.00. Landsbyen closes at kl. 16.00.
This is where it's at: After the Earth got used up, humanity found a new solar system with hundreds of new Earths ripe for terraforming and colonization. Some grew rich, flush with technology and resources, others… less so. The central planets, generally all in the former group where wealth and prosperity is concerned, banded together in an Alliance. They wanted to bring everyone in under the one umbrella of regulation and law. The benefits of this plan were not universally acknowledged.
After six long years of war, the Independent faction was eventually crushed at the battle of Serenity Valley on Hera. After their fall, any Independent Browncoats that remained scattered like dust on the wind, drifting towards the outer edges of the system where the arm of Alliance law can't as easily reach or control. It's been four years since that day. Four years to heal, to mourn, and to remember.
Firefly is a space western set about 500 years in our future. The human race has expanded beyond the capabilities of the Earth to sustain, and thus set out in generation ships to terraform and settle a new star system.
The planets of Firefly can be sorted into three geographic categories; The Core, where technology is advanced along with the civilisation (in theory), the Rim where things are a lot more like the American frontier, and the Border worlds which exist as a bridge between the two and are somewhere in between.
As Joss Whedon said of his vision for Firefly, "nothing will change in the future: technology will advance, but we will still have the same political, moral and ethical problems as today."
Featured briefly at the beginning of the episode Shindig, our chosen host planet for Windfall is a gloriously undeveloped piece of setting from the show; ripe and ready for our imaginations to populate it.
The border world Santo orbits the sun Qin Shi Huang and has two moons in orbit; Tethys and New Luhor. Before the war Santo proved a popular destination for the rich and beautiful. The planet was considered one of the greatest triumphs of terraforming, leaving it a picture perfect jewel of blue seas, azure skies and glorious scenery. But the Unification War would change all that.
Gone were Santo's glory days as a pearl of the 'Verse and much diminished was the once regular stream of rich and powerful tourists. The planet had escaped physical destruction during the war, but the years during which the clientele were too fearful to travel had done its damage on the local economy. Not even Santo would be free from the brutal scars that such a war would leave behind.
Sweeping holiday estates still remain, owned in name by Core world magnates and politicians, but left maintained to the pure minimum with only a few estate staff still willing to maintain and update like they had in the days before the conflict. Many hotels and casinos were abandoned, leaving just a few to lower their standards and cater to local folk and those of a more questionable moral, often finding new and less savoury ways to attract clientele.
Santo has become known as a "fun" place, no matter what might be your particular cup of oolong. After the war, Casino owners found that they could circumvent Alliance restrictions by operating in this out of the way place, paving the way for the planet to become a Mecca for gamblers, both successful and .. less so.
With the planets resorts beginning to recover from the wounds dealt by the Unification War, Santo is still a popular destination, just this time for the more middle class than exclusively for the ultra wealthy.
The star system this setting inhabits is a star cluster, just like the triple star system Alpha Centauri. It consists of five main sequence stars, around which orbit seven protostars, seven gas giants, three separate asteroid belts, seventy-five planets, and one hundred and forty-nine moons. Four of the main sequence stars orbit a central star.
The five main sequence stars are as follows: White Sun, Georgia, Red Sun, Kalidasa,and Blue Sun.
Santo orbits Qin Shi Huang, a protostar near the White Sun system.
The Union of Allied Planets, or Universal Alliance, of Anglo-Sino Alliance, is the central government and law-enforcement organisation of the Verse. In its present form, the Alliance came about after the Central Planets fought the Unification War against the Independent Planets that wanted to break away from Alliance jurisdiction.
The Alliance is governed by a Parliament housed on the planet Londinium. The Parliament sets a system wide policy, beneath which each planet (at least within the Core) is allowed to organise its own affairs on a planetary level. Anyone can run for a seat in the Parliament, but the money required to run such a campaign generally prevents the common man from ever actually winning a government position.
Individual worlds are governed by planetary Governors or Magistrates. The Alliance has given deadlines on how such a person is to be elected, but out of respect for the sovereignty of each world policies vary from place to place. Some worlds are fairly governed by honest folk, and on others local political machines or long-standing family dynasties rule.
The dominant culture is a melding of those from the People's Republic of China and the United States of America which occurred over the course of the long voyage from Earth That Was. The Alliance is also comprised of other cultures, such as muslim, jew, hindu and native american, all of which are part of the complex social fabric.
A majority of folk in the 'Verse follow the tenets of one religion or another to some degree. Buddhism is the dominant religion throughout the system, particularly in the Core, with Christianity ranking second, claiming larger concentrations of followers on the outer worlds.
Just about every town on every planet and moon has some form of local law, be it a good man with a tin star or a bunch of brigands running around breaking kneecaps on orders from the local magistrate or governor. But whenever something major comes along, like the assassination of a governor or the kidnapping of a powerful Guild leader, the locals call in either the Interplanetary Police (Interpol) or the Marshals.
Interpol deal more with tracking suspects and investigating interplanetary crime than direct enforcement. The direct enforcement of the law and pursuit of criminals across planetary borders falls to the Federal Marshals. Some are righteous keepers of the peace, but there are a few who are more bounty hunter than law man and will go after anyone if the money's good enough.
The Unification War was fought from 2506 to 2511. The Central Planets had taken much of the system's resources and technology and left the outer planets to fend for themselves. This was not too popular out in the Rim and after years of unsatisfactory talks, the outer planets seceded from the Alliance and gathered as much support as they could to start their own alliance. A loss of face this large could not be accepted by the Alliance and so the war began.
One of the last and most grisly major battles of the war was the Battle of Serenity Valley. This battle was seen as the last stand for the hard-pressed Independent force son Hera. The war ended there as the Independents were ordered to surrender by High Command after a crushing defeat.
That covers the nitty gritty necessaries for this LARP, but of course there's still a lot more to the 'Verse. To keep exploring, visit the Firefly and Serenity Database.
Sign up
Singup is now closed and the shuttle to Santo is soon boarding. The tickets will be ready in due time and those who have a reserved seat will be notified.
If you have signed up and not received a seat in this first round of castings, you are automatically on the waiting list. If you do not want to be on the waiting list, please misbehave and notify us on email@example.com
…we will make LARPS. Maybe even good LARPs!
A Mighty Fine Hat is a new group of LARP organisers based in Trondheim, Norway.
We six are a sweet mix of relative newcomers and old farts, with a total of eight decades of LARP experience between us (yes, we counted!). "Windfall – a Firefly LARP" this Autumn, will be the first we organize as AMFH.
According to amusing web tests of which Firefly characters represents us best, we seem to be a healthy mix of Mals, Washes and Kaylees, with a tiny hint of Inara. Not the worst crew to have!
Contact us: email@example.com
Hanne Siri
Although a youngling, she really knows her way around the work stations! Mech, tech, writing, and handcraft, she's got a (1st prize) badge in all of them.… Read More


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If your visit to the Classic Rotary Phones Forum was enjoyable or helpful, you may
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and will help to off-set the costs of the Forum operation. Thank you!
I assume pin-compatible proms are still available in some format and that *you* are going to copy them?
No one has the images available ?
you cannot do anything with it... You still need a backend/Millennium Manager...)
Yes, I remember reading about that a couple of years ago or so, IIRC. I think I still have the Millennium manual in PDF.
So you have taken on the task of writing a substitute manager application?There is a project on Github, is that yours?
Yep - I have that one (and many others revolving around the Millennium-universe), too
Unbeldi, you may be thinking of the Protel Payphone management program (can't recall its proper name at the moment) access made available to us here on CRPF by "Payphone Installer"Terry
Saw your post is this what you are after? This is a phone I have.
Yes and no :-)When I started this thread, I was looking for firmware-dumps of a Millennium with the TTY-keyboard instead of the quickdial-buttons (the left one in this picture). Ever since, I got corresponding dumps from some friends in Montreal.But your phone is actually also something I have been looking for - to be honest, I didn't think I would find anyone that owns an eMillennium... When I talked to Telus and Bell Canada, they all told me that the eMillenniums were only rentals from Quortech and that they took them all back when they were decommissioned. I am genuinely jealous of your phone ;-)If you want to help me with the development of the backend for the Millenniums, please feel free to make a dump of the EEPROMs in your eMillennium and email them to me. Or let me know, if you ever want to donate (for science ;-)) or sell your eMillennium - I would be the first in line

subset: commoncrawl


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Ross School of Business Club of Southeast Michigan Hosts Cloud Computing Seminar at Online Tech: The Ross School of Business Club of Southeastern Michigan will be hosting a seminar on April 19 at Online Tech's newest Ann Arbor Data Center to discuss cloud computing. The seminar, "Cloud Computing: Approach Innovatively and Understand Trends," will analyze current trends in cloud computing and how businesses looking to move to the cloud can adopt and utilize the technology. The speakers include Mike Klein, Online Tech's President and COO; Gary Baker, Crm businesses about how the cloud can be used in current business practices. Gary Baker is the Co-Host of Internet Advisor Radio Program on WJR. Gary was previously the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Gale (Cenage) Learning; Vice President of Information Technology at Borders; and Director of Information Technology Transformation Services at Alix Partners. Gary holds an MBA from the Ross School of Business. Prior to Online Tech, Klein was the CEO of Interlink Networks, Managing Partner of Company Crafters and CEO and founder of Steeplechase Software. Mike has an MBA from the Ross School of Business. instructor with Ross Executive Education and co-authored "The New Age of Innovation" with C.K. Prahalad. He holds a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University. Registration for the event will begin at 6 p.m.and will provide time for networking. Tours of Online Tech's Ann Arbor data center will be available starting at 6:30 p.m. Presentations will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets for the event should be purchased in advance. The cost to attend is $15 for paid members of the Ross School of Business Club of Southeastern Michigan and $25 for non-members and guests. Hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be served.
UM, Baker College to gauge interest in Shiawassee business incubator: The University of Michigan's Center for Business Acceleration and Incubation Studies and Baker College of Owosso will present a town hall meeting to evaluate regional interest in a business incubation program and/or facility in the Shiawassee County region. The event will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. Thursday, April 12 at the Baker College of Owosso Welcome Center Conference Room B, 1309 S. M-52, Owosso. The Shiawassee County Business Incubator Initiative will survey area entrepreneurs, small business owners and students interested in being involved with a regional incubator. These surveys will help assess the feasibility of an incubator and determine the programmatic and facility resources an incubator should offer in the Shiawassee County region. The Shiawassee County Business Incubator Initiative is supported with a grant from the US Department of Agriculture Rural Development. Baker College of Owosso and UM's CBAIS are working with a steering committee comprised of leaders from the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce, the MI-SBTDC, the City of Owosso, the Lansing Economic Area Partnership, Fifth Third Bank, the Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership, and members of private industry, who provide insight on all project phases.


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The following is a guest post from my 19-year-old son, Alec who has been eagerly awaiting the release of the third film in Christopher Nolan's Batman series. Alec attended a midnight premier here in the Sacramento area and admittedly brings you his "biased" perspective. It was hours after this premier that we found out about the tragedy in Colorado. Our prayers go out to the victims and families of those involved in the Colorado shooting this morning.
Here's Alec's two cents on the film:
If you want an unbiased review, Im going to have to ask you to stop reading this, because I am hopelessly loyal to this movie and could speak no evil of it. So excuse the rest of my fanboy rantings that you are about to read if you dare venture further into this review.
The Dark Knight Rises
So I went to the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises this morning, and again I found myself geeking out at the sight of one of my childhood heroes gallivanting across the silver screen. This was a highly anticipated movie of the year for me, and the hush-hush nature of Chris Nolan's secrecy while shooting this film only further contributed to the fervency of that anticipation. I think it is also safe for me to say that I was not the only one impatiently clawing at my seat waiting for the film to start, because the loud rabble of the packed theater was silenced in seconds when the lights dimmed and the movie began.
Chris Nolan has done it again. He has taken a timeless story from the surface of the comic book world (an exaggerated if not unrealistic place….) and made it something that even the most anti-superhero movie critic would watch. I am not an anti-superhero movie critic, so Nolan's film didn't have go to extraordinary lengths to put me in a joyful nerd comatose. The dark and gritty nature of the film only added to my ecstasy, creating an added believability to a super-hero story that would be otherwise unbelievable. The effects were nothing less than awesome of course, but weren't so flashy and thoroughly dispersed that it gave the impression the film was held up by them. So expect lots of cool new bat-gadgets in this flick.
Now one thing that I will admit my surprise to, is Anne Hathaway's performance as Selena Kyle (Catwoman). I didn't expect her to be bad, in fact I don't really know what I was expecting from her. But I do know that I wasn't expecting to like her performance as much as I did. She really captured the "Selena feel," while also avoiding the slippery trap of an over exaggerated and cheezy rendition of a character who's name is literally "Catwoman." So my hat goes off to Anne, because she did a good job.
An interesting element to movies that many people often forget to mention is the music, and I will have to be so bold to say that the Batman movies wouldn't be what they are today if it weren't for Hans Zimmer's brilliant and now very well-known soundtrack. And much like Pavlov's dog, we are trained how to feel about the story by the distinct sounds within Zimmer's composition. The anticipation for Batman to emerge from the shadows is heightened by the steady increase of an ominous thundering. Our sadness at his pain wells up with the mournful croon of strings. The hope for his triumph is catalyzed with an epic symphony that let's us know our hero won't quit while he still has breath. Without the music, we would be much less immersed in the plot.
All in all, The Dark Knight Rises was a fantastic movie, with a gritty plot, no-nonsense special effects, and engaging acting performances. The Dark Knight truly rose above the crowd of superhero movies in those respects, and I believe that it is a film which superhero fans and non-superhero fans alike can enjoy.
Alec McKee is 19-years-old, loves art and movies. When Alec isn't working or attending college, he's drawing or watching films with friends. You can catch a glimpse of Alec talking to young people about bullying with his dad, Jonathan McKee, here.
Posted in Entertainment Media, Movies, Youth Culture | | Leave A Comment


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THE LONDON METROPOLITAN POLICE has confirmed that wearing Google Glass while driving constitutes an offence for UK drivers.
The news follows a report yesterday of a Google Glass Explorer in California who was pulled over and ticketed for wearing a Google Glass headset while driving.
Cecilia Abadie was driving in the San Diego area when she was stopped for speeding, allegedly for traveling 80mph in a 65mph zone. The officer also cited California Vehicle Code section 27602, noting on the speeding ticket the addition offence that she was "driving with monitor visible to driver (Google Glass)".
Ms Abadie claims that her Google Glass headset was switched off anyway, and she plans to contest the ticket after receiving support from the Google Glass Explorer community, which pointed out that California Vehicle Code section 27602 states that there are exemptions, if such a monitor provides information relevant to the journey, like directions or traffic statistics, for example.
Google Glass could become a legal minefield. After we reported this week that Google Glass will support prescription lenses, it will be possible to argue that it is necessary to wear them. How do you prove they were on or off? How can an officer know without a doubt what was on the screen at the time? Would the rules still apply if you were a passenger in one of Google's driverless cars, as technically you would still be the driver for insurance purposes?
The INQUIRER decided to cut to the chase. There are plenty of Glass Explorers in the UK. We wonder, where do they stand legally?
We contacted the Metropolitan Poice, where chief constable Suzette Davenport, National Policing Lead for Roads Policing, said, "Regulation 109 of the Construction and Use (motor vehicle) Regulations makes it an offence to drive a motor vehicle on a road if the driver can see whether directly or by reflection any cinematographic apparatus used to display anything other than information about the state of vehicle, to assist the driver to see the road ahead or adjacent to him/her or to navigate to his/her destination."
So the message is fairly clear. It's no to driving while wearing Google Glass eyewear.
She also added, "Those who breach the regulations face prosecutions."
A spokesman for the Department for Transport told us that, at present, because no legislation exists regarding Google Glass, it is up to the police to interpret the existing laws as they see fit, however its position is that it sees Google Glass as a "significant threat" to road safety.
The spokesman said, "Drivers must give their full attention to the road, which is why it has been illegal since the 1980s to view a screen whilst driving, unless that screen is displaying driving information.
"There are no plans to change this and we have met with Google to discuss the implications of the current law for Google Glass. Google are anxious their products do not to pose a road safety risk and are currently considering options to allow the technology to be used in accordance with the law."
It seems then, in the unimpeded eyes of the state, the message is clear. But the rules are far from cut and dried on this issue. As in the US, the advent of new technology is outstripping the speed of the lawmakers, and we think it won't be long before we see a similar wrangle in UK courts. µ
Repost.Us – Republish This Article
This article, UK police would give drivers wearing Google Glass a ticket, is syndicated from The Inquirer and is posted here with permission.


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Reviews for Thorlos 84NRCM
Overall Rating
Out Of
Total Reviews
running and walking
11/08/19 | By Pam K.
Disappointed that the cushioning has become less and less over last 10+ years Now nothing special
Customer Reviews
06/05/20 | By John H.
Great socks
05/27/20 | By Joe H.
Very comfortable and surprisingly cool considering how thick they are. Bought them because I was having to wear two pairs of socks due to heel slippage, now I can just wear these.
Excellent socks for long walks
05/16/20 | By John I.
Extremely comfortable on extended walks and hikes.
My go to running socks.
04/16/20 | By Mark D.
Best feature has to be the cushioning.My feet do not tolerate thin socks.Wish they would expand color choices.!!!!
The Best 4 Running
04/14/20 | By William O.
Perfect for running and working out in general.
So comfortable
03/28/20 | By Cynthia G.
Very comfortable
Work on my feet all day
03/19/20 | By Jeryl D.
My feet feel so much better
Best socks period
11/27/19 | By Martha C.
lots of cushioning and perfect fit.
Thin on top, quality on bottom
11/20/19 | By Chris P.
I can see my feet through the sock on top. Very thin weave. Padding only on bottom. Would not buy again.
running and walking
11/08/19 | By Pam K.
Disappointed that the cushioning has become less and less over last 10+ years Now nothing special
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The photographs in this post show the notes in my sketchbook; images of each artist's work can be seen at the links given under references.
Michelle Loughlin
Michelle Loughlin is an American textile artist who made a series of work using hand stitching on photographs in 2007/2008. Urban Weavings is a collection that celebrates the urban landscape in her home city New Jersey City, NJ, using photos of sites that are interesting historically or important to the community. These could be demolished or abandoned buildings, or buildings being redeveloped all of which Michelle recorded before they changed as the area became gentrified. Her motivation was personal, a reaction to feeling helpless in the face of rapid redevelopment of the place she lives in and knows well.
These are small works, less than 20cm square, and mounted very simply. The photograph is printed onto cross-stitch fabric and then stitched freely, with bright threads adding colour, texture and life. Rather than simply recording the scene, she responds to it and uses the stitches to complete the picture, to make it more beautiful and vital. She has said of the building that inspired her piece 410 Bergen Lafayette that she 'would drive by and think how can I make that prettier?' Her stitches have a boldness and simplicity to them, as if doodling with crayons, highlighting selected areas; a stitched intervention into the street scene.
Home Sweet Home, Embroidery Jan/Feb 2009
Clare Lane
I first heard of Clare Lane when I visited her solo exhibition at the Stroud textile Festival in 2008, and I was immediately taken by her hyper-realistic images of urban and industrial sites in decay ; I was struck too by the emptiness, the absence of people.
The stretched canvases on show were large, over a metre each way, displayed unframed, and showed photographs that had been digitally manipulated, simplifying the colours into chunky blocks. These had then been stitched in some areas with matching threads, creating a change of texture and depth.
Clare describes what she does as 'unashamedly process driven', starting with walking the streets and taking hundreds of photographs. The next stage is to work with the images in Photoshop. She may use a single image or create a montage, cutting elements from several photographs to create her composition. She may also add layers of scanned images, for example drawings, painted backgrounds, paper cut-outs, text, and apply a variety of filters. The key part of the process is digitally overpainting the whole picture, concentrating on colour and shape and working at such a high level of detail that she may spend hours on a tiny part of the image, looking at it as an abstract arrangement of colour and shape. Because of the size of the finished canvases, she cannot see the final effect until it has been printed on fabric. Then comes the stitching, using an Irish machine to fill in solid blocks of colour on parts of the image, which relieves the flatness of the digital print. This is so subtle that on first glance you may not realise it is there, and it is not always apparent in photographs of her work.
Clare Lane came from a background in architecture and surveying before studying for a textile degree, and her inspiration comes from urban dereliction, our contemporary ruins, which are rarely looked upon as kindly as those that are hundreds of years old, yet they hold the same stories. She describes how she is interested in the 'visual cacophony' of the urban landscape, the way that buildings are surrounded by all sorts of other things that are there without an overall design - rubbish, street signs, road markings.
Urban Fabrication,Clare Lane, Design-It issue 76 (Computer Textile Design Group),2011.
Toil and Rubble, Jo Hall, Embroidery July/August 2008.
Stroudwater International Textile Festival Catalogue 2008.
www.urban-fabric.co.uk Clare Lane's website.


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Spring is here, and you should celebrate and treat yourself with one of these iPhone cases from Manhattan designer Bre Avery! Her latest collection called the Monogram Bar is affordable, fun, and entirely customizable! Featuring palm trees, macaroons, and stars to name a few of the catchy designs, we can't help but currently crush on these.
Every single case in this collection can be personalized with your name or initials. We also love that her cases are made in America, her shipping is free, and every purchase helps animals in need!
Get in a tropical mood with this palm tree printed case!
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As Chip Chick editors, we write about products we love and we think you will too! Chip Chick often has affiliate partnerships, so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.


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Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012...2:48 pm
Help Chen Guangcheng's Family
By now you've probably read many news reports on Chen Guangcheng, China's blind human rights lawyer and activist, and his daring escape from the authorities. His family and those who aided his escape are still in grave danger. Rights lawyers have volunteered to aid Chen Kegui, Guangcheng's nephew, in his self-defense case.
To assist his family, Xu Zhiyong (a prominent human rights lawyer and legal scholar) is fundraising. You can send your donation to Xu Zhiyong directly using your Paypal account: click send money, and send to [xuzhiyong2009 at gmail dot com].
Or you can send your donation to me using a credit card or paypal, which then I will forward 100% to Xu. He will use this donation to 1. provide accommodation for Chen Kegui's family; 2. provide legal assistance to the relatives and friends of Chen Guangcheng in need. Thank you!


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LOS ANGELES — In the opening two games of the season, USC has faced two quarterbacks making their first career starts. It's an unusual trend and one that will end on Saturday at BYU.
This time around, the Trojans will go up against sophomore Zach Wilson. Wilson started seven games for the Cougars last year and their first two games this season, so this week the Trojans' defense has been afforded a luxury they haven't had the past two weeks: Honest-to-goodness game film to prepare with.
Wilson's numbers have been a mixed bag so far this season. In BYU's 1-1 start, he completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 440 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
It's a far cry from how Wilson closed his freshman season. In the Potato Bowl against Western Michigan, Wilson completed all 18 of his attempts for 317 yards and four touchdowns. It included a 70-yard touchdown pass for a score that showed off the pro-style quarterback's arm strength.
If there was one play this season that had shades of Wilson's 2018, it was the 64-yard completion to Micah Simon that set up the game-tying field goal at the end of regulation against Tennessee last weekend.
USC defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast said the defense is looking at film from this year and last, noting that there are some unknowns surrounding how BYU is game planning with Wilson as the full-time starter this season.
"He threw for a lot of yards in high school," Pendergast said. "He looks to throw the ball down the field when he breaks out of the pocket and will also pull it down and run the ball. So he's definitely what you'd consider a dual-threat quarterback."
USC struggled at times against Fresno State's Jorge Reyna, another dual-threat quarterback. But defensive line coach Chad Kauha'aha'a doesn't want the Trojans to overcompensate for Wilson's ability to make plays with his feet.
"I've been at places where we played against scrambling quarterbacks and we started mushing and playing the B gaps," the coach explained. "Next thing you know, the quarterback's picking us apart. … It's not just the D-line. It's the linebackers and the safeties that all have a part in the scramble."
Wilson should also provide a good test for USC's young cornerbacks. The group of freshmen and sophomores have gone up against equally-inexperienced QBs the past two weeks, but now have an opponent with some experience and savvy.
Add in the first road environment for USC this year, and the Trojans know they must remain focused against BYU.
"As a defense, we just have to communicate more and louder," safety Isaiah Pola-Mao said. "It's a hostile environment. It's definitely going to be difficult. But if we're all communicating on the same page, I think nothing changes."


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Was wondering what to do with my precious 2oz, plus another 2oz that I will get from my afternoon pumping session - Go home and take bottle? (but quite far) Buy mineral water bottle? (but need to walk out to nearby shops) Drink it? (No way I'm gonna throw but still a bit "sayang" since I want Erin to benefit from my milk).
Looked around my room then saw a bottle of GNC Fenugreek pills that I just finished that morning. Bingo! Decided to use that. Washed a couple of times with hot water, then cold water to cool it down, then poured my precious milk into it.


text: The investigation of social and policy consequences of emerging technologies, like biotechnology, information technology, and nanotechnology, represents a new emphasis for the Institute. Our growing technical capabilities have implications for every societal institution, from economics and business to religion and the family. It is important to begin to address the philosophical and policy questions that surround this type of change and innovation in a systematic and thoughtful way.


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Ever get so focused on something, the whole world is just white noise?
Yeah, this happened to me in the last week.
Lesson: you should not get that so totally focused on something else when you have a 3-year-old and 16-month-old in the house.
I decided that I was going to get a head start on one of my four 2012 resolutions this past week: I'm going to learn how to quilt.
Over a year ago, I bought one of those "How to Quilt" books at my favorite crafts store. With everything going on, I hadn't cracked it open in, well, probably at least 9 months. But, with the wonders of PBS's CreateTV, I rediscovered that, hey, I wanted to learn how to quilt sometime in my lifetime. As if I don't have ENOUGH going on.
So, I dug my quilting book out of storage (i.e. my basement–and I knew exactly where said book was) and started reading a couple weeks ago. And, last weekend, I felt confident enough that I went out and bought supplies for a small, potholder-sized quilt.
And, last Monday, I decided that the kids were behaving well enough that I could setup for a quick "let's-learn-to-quilt" session.
Got all my prep done with kids underfoot, decided to babygate the kitchen door so they could see me, I could see them, but they couldn't knock over a hot iron or get into my sewing machine.
At some point, I got so focused on whatever I was working on–and I had my back turned to the kitchen door. My daughter dragged a kid-sized chair to the door, unbeknownst to me.
And she let out the loudest, "Hey, Mom!" that she possibly could.
I just about hit the ceiling. And let out a scream of my own.
Which caused my daughter to start crying.
I climbed over the gate, and hugged her, reassuring her I wasn't mad–just that she really had scared mom.
I think after that, we both had a cookie. We both needed one.
Later that morning, I did finish my quilting project. It didn't turn out too bad, even if I nearly had a heart attack in the process.
Hopefully, my daughter doesn't attempt anything similar when I learn how to can next year. 😉 Fabric is one thing, glass and high pressure are a whole 'nother thing.
Until next time,


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- Description
The Stagg NYC3/MPS2CM Phono to 3.5mm Stereo Jack Cable is an excellent choice for those DJing with PC's and Mac using the headphone out. This can then be used to connect your signal to a mixing desk or amplifier.
Also excellent for use with MP3 players, the Stagg NYC3/MPS2CM Phono to 3.5mm Stereo Jack Cable has a 3 meter (10 foot) lead so you have a large reach. The 3.5mm stereo jack and 2 RCA plugs are all sealed for extended durability and will maintain an excellent quality signal transfer.
- Specification
Manufacturer Stagg Model NYC3/MPS2CM Length 3 Meter / 10 Foot Connections 1 x 3.5mm Stereo Jack, 2 x RCA (Phono)
- Reviews
Write Your Own Review


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Fast-heating natural gas grill with three burners and sear station
The Genesis E-330 is part of the Weber series and has three stainless-steel burners in addition to a sear station, plenty of workspace, and precision settings for total control over your grilling experience. It also comes in a liquid propane variant. A less expensive model than some other Weber grills, the E-330 is still a powerful, long-lasting grill choice.
10,000 BTU sear station
One of the best features of the E-330 is the sear station. With a BTU of 10,000, the sear station is ideal for cooking steak, certain types of fish, and other foods that require fast, hot temperatures. Having a separate burner for searing gives you more control over the end result and allows you to perfect your skills.
Porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates
Both the sear station burner and main burners have porcelain-enameled cooking grates that are designed to hold heat and create an even-heating surface. Beneath the porcelain, the grates are made from cast-iron so they are extremely heavy-duty and made to endure high temps and the wears of time.
Porcelain-enameled flavorizer bars and heat deflectors
Like the cooking grates, the Weber Genesis 6631001's flavorizer bars and heat deflectors are enameled in porcelain. Heat deflectors help with heat control so you can cook using indirect heat. The flavorizer bars evaporate food drippings into flavor-boosting smoke, creating even more delicious grilled meals.
Increased grilling control
With features like the sear station, heat deflectors, and precision controls, you get total control over temperature, direct or indirect heat, and flavor. Many grills don't have a sear station, so you don't get the cooking versatility like you do with this grill. The E-330 also has a built-in temperature gauge so you know exactly how hot your grill is at any given time.
Easy to clean
Much of the E-330 is designed to help with cleaning, which is the least fun part about having a grill. The Weber grease management system catches any grease that the flavorizer bars don't use and pours them down through a chute into a disposable pan. The burner tubes of the grill are also constructed to make cleaning easier; they are more resistant to rust than many other grills' tubes, so you don't have to spend as much time scraping during winterizing.
The E-330 is a solid, resilient grill made of materials like cast-iron, stainless steel, and porcelain enamel. These materials are meant to hold heat and not break down from the exposure, as well as resist rusting from food moisture. With proper care (like buying a cover for your grill), the E-330 will stay strong for many years.
Most grills take some time to assemble, but the E-330 has a lot of pieces and steps you have to follow. If you aren't good at putting things together or following directions, you will find the grill assembly frustrating. To help ease any anxiety, recruit somebody who has experience putting grills together and keep the customer service number for Weber on hand if you get confused.
Overall review
The Weber Genesis E-330 is a relatively simple, easy-to-maintain grill that heats up fast and holds heat well. As a cook, you also get complete control with features like the precision settings and searing station. With the easy-to-manage three burners and sear station, this grill is a good first "serious" grill if you have had some experience grilling, but haven't taken the plunge yet to get a really good, powerful grill that will last for a long time.


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Ildikó Boldizsár was born in Dunaújváros, Hungary. Between 1987 and 1993 she was a research fellow at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, doing research on fairy tales. She recieved her doctorate in folklore in 1999. She worked for more than twenty years as an editor, including being editor-in-chief at Magvető Publishing House (2003-2008), where she published seven fairy-tale anthologies of her own. In the meantime she developed Metamorphoses Therapy Method, and afterwards wrote four books on her research findings. She is the founder and owner of Metamorphoses Therapy Centre in Hungary, and currently working as a therapist and writer. More on the author
György Spiró (born April 4, 1946 in Budapest) is a dramatist, novelist and essayist who has emerged as one of post-war Hungary's most prominent literary figures. His plays have won numerous awards, including several for best Hungarian drama of the year. A few of them are available in English translation. The best known one is Chickenhead (1986), an earthy and bitter drama of a young delinquent's disillusionment at the longed-for reunion with his drunken father. He published in 2005 an 800 page novel, Fogság (Captivity). Set in the Roman Empire in the time of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, it follows the experiences of a Jewish wanderer named Uri. His previous novel is the hugely successful Tavaszi tárlat (Spring Exhibition, 2010), describing the early days of the Kádár regime.
Gergely Nagy was born in 1969 in Budapest. Studied drama history, creative writing, script and play writing at the University of Theatre and Film Studies, graduating in 1992. Worked for several theatres throughout Hungary as well as for the public service television (Magyar Televízió). Since his graduation he writes fiction. He has three books published, two volumes of short stories (Give me a point 1999, Loud! 2003) and a novel (Angst 2007). Since 1999 he works as a journalist an editor. From his teenage years he has been involved in Budapest's music scene. Currently he plays the bass for a band named 'Eat me'. More on the author
János Térey was born in Debrecen in 1970, and graduated in Hungarian Literature and Linguistics from Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest in 1996. In 1997–98 he worked as editor for Cosmopolitan, ever since he has been a freelance writer. He has twelve volumes to date, most of them poetry, with one volume of fiction and, lately, several verse novels and dramatic poems. Térey is arguably the most prolific and dynamic creative artist in Hungarian literature today. His energy and drive have repeatedly proved able to bring up to date and breathe new life into poetic genres that were forgotten and believed dead. More on the author
Zsuzsa Rakovszky was born in 1950 in Sopron. One of the most critically acclaimed poets of Hungary and a renowned translator of English literature, she has written three novels, a collection of short stories, and several books of poetry. Her first novel, A kígyó árnyéka (The Shadow of the Snake) was translated into three languages (German / btb, 2005; Dutch / Van Gennep, 2007; Italian / Baldini Castoldi, 2007). More on the author


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The Ultraviolet restaurant, which serves 22 course banquets that aim to stimulate all five senses of guests, opened in Shanghai a couple of months ago and has been astounding diners every night with its avant-garde offerings. Housed in a warehouse in central Shanghai, the Ultraviolet restaurant serves only 10 guests a night and is the brainchild of French-born Paul Pairet. The restaurant serves each course with a tailored set of visual, audio and olfactory stimulants.
Ultraviolet was reportedly a long-term dream project of Pairet, who at the age of 18, or so the story goes, decided to convert either one of his hobbies - cooking or photography - his business in life. As it turned out, Ultraviolet seems to be a combination of both!
"Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet - An exciting, groundbreaking dining concept, conceived in the daring mind of this Frenchman for over 15 years, has finally taken root in Shanghai. Pairet and his team have been working on this world-exclusive, 10-seat restaurant, where visuals, lights, sounds, smells and ambiences are choreographed to enhance and interact with food," according to a statement issued by the official Web site of the restaurant.
The restaurant has just one table - for 10 guests, all of whom are meant to sit together. The restaurant has no interior décor but light and sounds adorn the place.
"No décor, no artifacts, no paintings, no views… Ultraviolet's dining room is ascetic by nature. Specifically equipped with multi sensorial high-end technology, the dining room is dressed-up by lights, sounds, music, scents… a cool air blow, an immersive projection, images and imagination…and food. Each course is enhanced with its own taste-tailored atmosphere. Ultraviolet is the first experimental restaurant of its kind," the statement continues.
The décor and mood of the restaurant's interiors changes with the food type. If served a French dish, you might find yourself surrounded by visuals from France or it could just seem to be raining outside as you dine.
Since Ultraviolet is only a 10-seat restaurant, advance booking has to be done to dine here. Bookings are opened three months in advance and a waiting list is opened six months in advance.
Ultraviolet has set menu prices starting from RMB 2,000 per person (£202), which includes beverages.
Catch a glimpse of the Ultraviolet restaurant and how it stimulates senses through avant garde ambience…


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Serving Lakeville, Apple Valley, Eagan, and the Surrounding Areas
"South of the River" Since 1976
Regular servicing of your piano will add years to the useful life of your piano as well as years of added enjoyment. Let Bruce Kendall Piano Technician utilize his over 4 decades of experience to produce the best sound and tone from your acoustic piano. Rest assured that every repair is guaranteed for as long as you own your piano.
Unfortunately, a "sticking key" is often what prompts the call to have the piano tuned or repaired. Considering each piano key has about 45 parts, it is a marvel that pianos are as free of mechanical problems as they are. Over time all keys need to be adjusted to retain that "new piano" feel to the keys.
Every piano responds differently to changes in humidity. If your piano frequently falls out of tune with the seasons or experiences sluggish keys at certain times of the year, it is responding to dryness or excess humidity.
Bruce can help preserve and protect your piano with the installation of a humidity control system, that will also reduce the need for re-tuning.
It starts with a free estimate! Call Bruce:
With over 40 years of experience, Bruce Kendall provides knowledgeable, quality piano maintenance and repair services.
Bruce maintains pianos for homeowners, studios, schools, and churches. No matter the make, model, age or value of your instrument, Bruce Kendall will be able to make the repairs.
Bruce will perform a detailed inspection of your piano and identify the components needing repair or replacement. He'll explain why your instrument is not holding a tune, or why your keys are not working correctly.
He'll carefully inspect the soundboard, pinblock, and bridges for structural soundness. You'll be told which repairs are needed immediately - and which fixes can be put off for later. Rely on the pro technician piano teachers enlist for services!
Installation of a climate control system will help stabilize your piano's tuning while protecting your piano from possible bridge and soundboard cracking in the future. You will save money in the long term by avoiding these expensive repairs and extra-tunings needed each year. Call Bruce Kendall Piano Technician for more information.


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The Miller Laryngoscope Set featuresthe popular Miller straight blade that sports a "D" shape cross section which helps prevent dental trauma and allows intubation in patients with small oral openings. The curve begins 2 inches back from the tip for positive lifting action. The blade has a narrow tip for optimum manageability and the base of the blade is rounded to prevent pushing the tongue into the floor of the mouth.
The Standard Miller Set includes both of Welch Allyn's "AA" and "C" cell standard battery lightweight handles and lightweight blades for maximummaneuverability.
Blades are manufactured from one piece stainless steel, and the handles of chrome-plated brass, to assure a lifetime of performance. Handles feature a knurled finish for a comfortable and secure grip.
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Robust Design
Welch Allyn's laryngoscope design uses a single piece of 304-series stainless steel as its load-bearing member.This one-piece construction of the Welch Allyn blade is more robust than the typical competitive product. Furthermore, its one-piece blade construction eliminates the potentially weaker soldered or brazed joint.
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Welch Allyn's innovative design incorporates an easy-to-remove light pipe that eliminates the difficult-to cleanareas of most competitive laryngoscopes.
Removable Light Pipe
Another feature designed to help improve the cleaning of a Welch Allyn blade is its surface finish. Typicallaryngoscope finishes have a surface roughness of 32 in. The surface finish used on all Welch Allyn blades hasa roughness of just 8 in. This creates a surface texture that is approximately four times smoother thancompetitive blades, resulting in an easier-to-clean, stain-resistant laryngoscope blade. What's more, the surfacefinish is not a plating, and therefore does not alter the 304-series stainless steel construction of the blade itself.
More Value by Design
There are primarily two causes of reduced light transmission in fiber optic laryngoscopes: fiber opticbreakage and epoxy blockage. Light degradation caused by fiber optic breakage will occur in varyingdegrees in any laryngoscope that is subjected to severe changes in temperature.
FREE Polishing Service
Welch Allyn's state-of-the-art blade design allows for the removable fiber optic light pipe to berepolished throughout the life of the blade. When the optics are repolished, occluding epoxy is removedfrom the input and output points of the fiber optic pipe. This restores the light transmission to itsoptimum level, thus increasing the overall life of the blade. A Welch Allyn light pipe can be repolishedthree times over its lifetime-and can then be replaced at a fraction of the cost of a complete blade.
Welch Allyn will provide this repolishing service free ofcost whenever it is needed over the life of the laryngoscope blades.
Upgradable and Repairable by Design
The removable fiber optic design truly makes Welch Allyn blades thesmart choice for you. That's because this unique design makes ourblades the most affordable way toupgradefrom standard to fiber opticlighting-while still offering the benefits of one-piece blade construction.
To upgrade to fiber optics, simply replace your current, standard lamplight pipe with the fiber optic pipe.
Welch Allyn Warranty
Welch Allyn laryngoscope blades and handles are guaranteed against all manufacturing defects for the lifeof the instrument. Welch Allyn will repair or replace, free of charge, any parts of its own manufactureproven to be defective through causes other than misuse, neglect, damage in shipment or normal wear.Every Welch Allyn laryngoscope blade comes with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.
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The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (concentration – Marketing) degree requires a total of minimum 121 credit hours and a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.00.
- Marketing Concentration Requirements (27 credit hours):
- Internship (3 credit hours): MKT 400.
- Marketing concentration compulsory requirements (15 credit hours): MKT 410, MKT 420, MKT 460, MKT 490 and (MKT 470 OR MKT 485).
- Marketing concentration selective requirements (9 credits): MKT 430, MKT 440, MKT 445, MKT 455, MKT 465, MKT 475 and MKT 480.
Minimum Grade "C" is required for all concentration courses.
- Business Core Requirements (41 credit hours): ACT 300, ACT 310, BUS 220, BUS 230, BUS 250, BUS 300, BUS 310, ECON 251, ECON 252, FIN 300, HRM 300, MGT 320, MGT 450, MIS 300, and MKT 300.
- Mathematics and Statistics Requirement (12 credit hours): MAT 100, MAT 150, MAT 175 and STA 200.
- Liberal Arts Requirements (38 credit hours):
- English Language and Communication Skills (15 credit hours): ENGL 100, ENL 110, COM 114, ENGL 220 and ENL 320.
- General Education Requirement (23 credit hours): Students must satisfy the requirements of the General Education as per the following conditions:
- Courses must be drawn from the following General Education areas at AUM: Speech and Communication, English Language and Literature, History, Fine Arts, Physical Education, Self-Development and Life Style, Culinary Arts, Ethics, Social Sciences, Psychological Sciences, Natural Sciences, Child Development and Family Studies, Economics, Philosophy, Other Languages and Science, Technology and Society (STS) (please refer to Course Catalogue, General Education section).
- In order to ensure sufficient exposure to General Education topics, unless otherwise specified by the degree requirements of the academic major, the student cannot take more than 2 courses from the same area/sub-area as, as shown in tables below:
- Courses that are already required under other category than General Education requirement:
- Cannot be considered as a General Education course;
- Do not count towards the 2-course limit in General Education requirement.
Area Maximum Courses to Take Speech and Communication 2 English Language and Literature 2 History 2 Physical Education 2 Culinary Arts 2 Ethics 2 Psychological Sciences 2 Natural Sciences 2 Child Development and Family Studies 2 Economics 2 Philosophy 2 Other Languages 2 Science, Technology and Society (STS) 2 Area Sub-Area Maximum Courses to Take Fine Arts Arts and Design 2 Theatre 2 Music 2 Fashion and Apparel Design 2 Photography and Media 2 Self-Development and Life Style Academic and Career Skills Development 2 Character and Leadership Skills Development 2 Life Management Development 2 Development of Thinking Skills 2 Technology and Innovation 2
- Free Elective Requirements (3 credit hours):
- Any non-remedial course at CBA-LAD, as long as course restrictions are met.


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Before there were Google and Bing, Internet pioneer Bob Davis founded the search engine company Lycos Inc., which became the way millions of people first encountered the World Wide Web. Davis, who grew up in Dorchester, spoke recently with Globe reporter Michael B. Farrell about the rise and fall of Lycos as well as moving from entrepreneur to venture capitalist at Highland Capital Partners in Cambridge and helping Massachusetts grow the next generation of Internet companies.
How did you start Lycos?
The initial concept called searching the Web was developed by a brilliant scientist at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. But he wanted no part of being in a business. A friend of mine, venture capitalist Dan Nova, found him and was wrestling with whether or not he wanted to buy this technology. I said I'd run it. I had the perfect Internet company: no revenue, no customers, no earnings.
What happened? Why didn't Lycos become Google?
We sold Lycos around the peak of the [dot-com] bubble. In 2000, we were approached by the [Spanish telecommunications firm] Telefonica, and they wanted to buy the company. We sold it for $5.4 billion.
If you had it to do over again, would you have sold it?
I don't know. The company certainly lost a lot of focus after it was sold. I would love to have seen the legacy of Lycos still stand tall. But ultimately our job was to create shareholder value. And we created a ton of shareholder value.
What has been Lycos's influence in the world of Internet search?
What Google built its platform on is something called PageRank, which is a concept that Lycos pioneered. Even more than that, we developed a portal for the Web. The Internet, without search, is a useless card catalog and library.
So, did you take a long holiday after you sold it?
No, I didn't take any holiday. After I sold it, I stayed the CEO of what became Terra Lycos. I did that for about five months and realized I didn't enjoy it. When I decided to leave, that afternoon I was on a flight to my first day of work at Highland.
Why did you join a venture capital firm instead of starting a new business?
It's fun participating in the building of other [companies]. We find great entrepreneurs and great people to build stuff, and then we stand back and say, "Wow, what a great job.''
VCs like to talk about successes, but tell me about an investment that didn't work out so well.
The first investment I made at Highland. It was a software company, and we ended up selling it to a company in Europe. We lost a little bit of money. I was coming out of Lycos, but jumped into a category that I didn't know. So when it faced challenges, I found that I wasn't able to help.
What about a success?
Quattro Wireless. When we kicked off Quattro about five years ago, the idea to see websites on a mobile phone was a new concept. Quattro came along and offered a way to take all of what companies do on the Web and make that a good experience on a phone, and at the same time showing advertisers how to monetize that. We ended up selling that to Apple Inc. for what was reported to be $275 million.
Is Massachusetts still losing technology talent to Silicon Valley? The ultimate incubator that we have are universities, but we still see far too many people moving West when they graduate. There's an ecosystem that Silicon Valley has built that doesn't exist here. Other than EMC, we don't have a large, multinational technology company in Massachusetts. We have been a fertile area to grow companies for West Coast companies to acquire, but we haven't been able to develop the companies willing to stay.
Why did Highland move from Lexington to Cambridge?
We moved here for one reason: You want to fish where the fish are, and the entrepreneurs are in Boston and Cambridge.


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The X franchise is the best-selling video game franchise of all times. It is an iconic game, I'm sure played by everyone some time or the other. The game revolves around the adventures of an Italian guy X as he tries to rescue Y from the villain Z.
Although different versions of the franchise have attributed different occupations to the character X, the original version portrayed X as a carpenter (which is certainly not the most famous of all his occupations).


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Southern California museums end PST with a day of free admission
This post has been updated. See details below.
The end of Pacific Standard Time -- the Getty's region-wide survey on the history of art in Southern California -- will be celebrated with free admission at 19 local museums on Saturday, March 31.
Among the participating institutions will be the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Pasadena Museum of California Art, the Fisher Museum of Art and the American Museum of Ceramic Art.
Pacific Standard Time explored the history of art in Southern California through a series of exhibitions and events held at museums, galleries and other cultural institutions in the area. The survey was an initiative by the Getty, which always has no admission fee.
Here's the list of museums offering free admission on March 31:
Art, Design & Architecture Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara
California African American Museum
Chinese American Museum
Eames House Foundation
Fisher Museum of Art, University of Southern California
The J. Paul Getty Museum
The Grammy Museum
LAND (Los Angeles Nomadic Division)
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Mingei International Museum
ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives (West Adams and West Hollywood)
Pacific Asia Museum
Palm Springs Art Museum
Pasadena Museum of California Art
Pomona College Museum of Art
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Scripps College, Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery
Pacific Standard Time travels from L.A. to Berlin
Museum leaders and others: What Pacific Standard Time means to me
Review: "California Design 1930-1965: Living in a Modern Way" at LACMA
-- David Ng
[Updated March 28: An earlier version of this post included the Vincent Price Art Museum in East Los Angeles College. The museum is closed for spring break and will not be participating in the free day of admission.]
Photo: A view of the LACMA exhibition "California Design, 1930-1965: Living in a Modern Way." Credit: Museum Associates / LACMA


text: James Bernat writes that it's built into the "paradigm" of death that "death is fundamentally a biological phenomenon." But suppose humans in the distant future are successful in building an artificial intelligence that has person-level properties such as consciousness, memory, etc. And suppose this robot is destroyed. Would we not want to say that the robot died? What other concept would be appropriate for describing what happened to this artificial intelligence? Thus it seems like death is not a fundamentally biological phenomenon.


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Entry 46: Five year hiatus over!
Dear Readers,
If you've been with me since the beginning, fall of 2009, I thank you. Even if this is your first reading, I thank you for stopping by. Today marks 5 years since I posted my last message on this website. Hard to believe it's been that long. Much has happened in my life since that post. Much indeed. I'll make this short and sweet as I plan to spend more time chronicling the ins and outs of the last five years and what's happened to my recovery since my last post.
Entry 45 – Coexist? Co-Bleep-Yourself!
Given the current rancor in Washington with the partial government shutdown, I thought it might be appropriate to explore another rancorous group, the 'Anti-CoExisters'.
Haven't heard of them?
Me neither…that is until I was surprised one day scrolling through my personal Facebook newsfeed and found the below message shared from a very good friend of mine, who will remain nameless:
'Every time I see a coexist bumper sticker I think of this.
A reality check for those fools.
The 'This' that Beth is referring to is the picture below:
Given what we're bombarded with on the daily newswires, the anti-Islamic statements expressed above are understandable to a certain degree. I say, 'understandable', but they are not tolerable.
I know that it only takes one terrorist attack in the name of Allah for the above statements to resonate with many, many people. I am NO fan of Islam, and I'm certainly NO fan of religion. What I AM a fan of though is TRYING TO GET ALONG, yes, COEXIST with one another.
If we don't make efforts to coexist on this planet, what will this world look like in another 10, 20, 30 years?
I shudder to think about all the violence that could be exacted in our own country of the United States on those who are not of the dominant practicing Christian faith.
Broad generalizations about a peoples' faith are dangerous to make, and those that create these generalizing 'memes' are doing so at the world's peril.
If it were up to me, we'd all by Atheists living in a material world working for the betterment of humanity simply because that's just a better way to live your life… helping others. We'd all join up in our communities and work side by side, with no pretense of a supernatural deity blessing or cursing our efforts, to fix the problems that plague our communities.
Islam has its crazies, just like Christianity, just like Judaism, just like any religion where its followers decide that its tenets need to be written down on a piece of paper, and called 'Holy'.
I think Beth, the person that wrote the Facebook post, my friend who shared the post, and whoever the person was that created the little pictorial, are just acting out of fear and ignorance.
They obviously have never met the Islamic people I know who are peace loving people, and don't ascribe to any of the generalizations that the above picture portrays for their faith.
And they obviously haven't gone to Indonesia where over 200 million Muslims practice their faith in relative obscurity and peace each and every day. And they haven't spent any time in Muslim areas in our own country like in Illinois where nearly 3 million Muslims practice their religion every day without a terrorist attack, or their next closest in population State, Virginia, which has over 2.6 million Muslims practicing the same way. Or New York, New Jersey, Texas, Michigan, Florida, Delaware, and Pennsylvania who, combined, have nearly 10 million Muslims in their States not strapping on suicide vests, or killing Pacifists, Gays, Taoists, Christians, Jews, Pagans, and the like in vengeance.
To Beth, and my friend who shared Beth's post, I'd just like to plead for you both to stop this kind of unproductive hate speech. Please try to rethink your positions on coexisting with other religions on the planet.
The alternative, where we refuse to coexist, is a much, MUCH scarier reality.
Thanks for stopping by,
Entry 44 – Thank the Lord
Do you 'thank the lord' when a natural disaster strikes and your life is spared?
Well, if you're being interviewed by CNN's Wolf Blitzer in Moore, OK, you apparently are presupposed to be doing just that.
Here's a short clip from Youtube showing the famed news reporter during an awkward moment that I bet he wishes he could get back.
A special thank you to Bradley Bannon for posting this video clip on his Facebook page.
Here's a copy of what Mr. Bannon wrote regarding the clip:
Entry 43: Bengazi Revisited and a Land of Confusion
It's been a little over 8 months since the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Bengazi, Libya that claimed the life of U.S. Diplomat, Chris Stevens, and 3 others. We've learned since that fateful day in September of last year that this was a coordinated, premeditated effort by a group of heavily armed, well trained militia personnel with knowledge of the architecture and layout of the embassy, rather than a spontaneous uprising from protesters reacting to a video about the prophet Mohammed.
What a difference hindsight makes.
My previous post had been a reaction to the initial reports from September of 2012, where it was thought persons had stormed the embassy and killed in the name of their God, Allah, and his supposed offense to the release of a video that depicted their prophet in a less than respectful way.
I'd brought up the question of whether it was harmful to believe in God in general, and Allah in particular.
Despite the more recent information we have about this attack on the embassy, I think the question, and its answer or answers are still relavent. But really, at the end of the day, so to speak, like most questions, the answer is nearly always a big 'It depends'.
A person who chooses to believe in a said god or gods can do great good or great harm on a daily basis for reasons possibly completely unrelated to that same person's belief in said god or gods.
The flip side of that is equally true…a person who does not believe in anything dealing with the supernatural can do great good or great harm on a daily basis irrespective of that disbelief.
While the question of harm by believing in a god or gods is relavent, I must concede that it's actually less interesting than trying to get at the motivations for violence on our planet, and trying to address those motivations with real counter motivations to not do violence.
There's a song by the group Genesis that I really like.
I hadn't listened to this song in probably 20 years until a few months ago. I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed one day, and noticed a post by a friend who'd commented that the politicians engaged in the 'fiscal cliff' discussions in Congress in December of 2012 reminded her of the puppets used in the 1986 music video 'Land Of Confusion".
I immediately was transported back inside my head to my sophomore year in high school where I'd heard the song for the first time, and watched the video on Friday Night Videos on NBC late night (anybody remember that show?)
I liked both the music and the lyrics.
I was 15 years old at the time, and not really 'up to speed', so to speak, on the political realities that were being mocked in the song's video; realities of what it takes for a human being to commit to fight in a war for his or her country. From 15 years old to the ripe old age of 42 where I sit now, those realities are now very apparent to me having lived between those 'bookends' of the former and latter ages.
One lyric in particular stands out….
"I won't be coming home tonight, my generation will put it right".
I can only think about what has happened in the Middle East and Africa over the past 2-3 years with Tunisia starting the so called 'Arab Spring' and wonder how much courage it takes for people to rise up and possibly utter these same words from the song to their loved ones.
How hard that must be.
The song continues to haunt…
Entry 42: God, Please Save Me From Your Followers
Entry 41 – Location, Location, Location
Orginially written in April 2012, but posted on September 10th, 2012:
It's been an incredibly busy last 6 months since moving my family to a new city here in California for a new job. We're in a good location, though very expensive. My new position is slightly little less stressful than my previous one, but still away from home about the same amount of time as before due to my commute.
I'm learning a great deal everyday, which is good. What I lack however, is the time, and frankly, the desire, to cultivate friendships. I hope, in time, the desire to cultivate these good conversations with others will come. I see other people in the area who have families close by, friends they've grown up with, etc. and I have to admit that I am jealous.
Not only am I jealous, I am starting to wonder if my vowing Goodbye and God Bless moments mentioned in my previous entry #40 were a bit too confident and premature.
I woke up the other night thinking something I never in a million years would have thought I would have thought: 'Hey, maybe it would be good if I went back to church, if even just to make some friends."
Yes, I had that thought about a week ago.
It was hard to just write and admit that last sentence.
Think I'm going to leave it there for now, and see how I do over the course of a few weeks.
Thanks for stopping by…
Quick disclaimer: No I haven't renounced my atheistic beliefs with the title of this 40th entry ;), nor am I saying 'Goodbye' to writing this blog…please read on…
I grew up surfing on the east coast. In many ways, surfing dictated how I lived my life from the time I met my assistant scoutmaster, Max Hastings, in the mid 1980's, as a member of Troop 856, up to the day I stopped surfing in early 2001 to pursue a career, get married, and have a child. Ten years would pass before I'd be back in the water paddling on a piece of fiberglass to match the speed of an oncoming energetic wall of water. It was a long time to wait, but in May 2011, the wait turned out to be worth it.
In April of last year I found out a coworker of mine who was living in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas near me and my family was a surfer from Southern California. He invited me and my family to come down to his house in Southern California to go surfing at this one beach break near Encinitas, CA. I wasn't able to work it out to bring my wife and son, but I made the long trek down to Southern California in search of surf. I was pretty nervous about getting into the water again. I didn't tell my coworker how long it had been until we started paddling out. He looked at me askew and said, "Really?! Wow!" The waves weren't that big (thankfully!) and I was able to catch many that day. Afterwards, my coworker said he was a little worried when I told him it had been 10 years since I'd been surfing and he was more wary of me out in the water just to make sure I didn't drown. While I was out in the water that day last May, I was able to jettison myself back to my teens growing up along the coast of South Carolina when I was on a board for the first time, feeling the power of the ocean beneath me. Those were great memories to call back up.
My coworker also invited another friend of his to go out that day; a guy who was really into music.
Out of the blue while we're driving around looking for a good spot for an afternoon session, he mentions 'The English Beat', and how he liked those guys back in the 80's. I chimed in how I had listened to those guys too, along with 'General Public'. We shared some lyrics from songs we'd liked from these two bands, and then I asked him if he'd ever listened to 'The Sundays', being as 'The English Beat' and 'General Public' were British bands from the 80's like 'The Sundays' (granted,very different styles of music, the latter being more indie pop than the ska and reggae influences on 'The English Beat' and 'General Public' sound). He said he hadn't listened to them, and I offered to send him a few web links to the band (see below):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuRheskVG_s (my favorite, contains the quote above that titles this entry).
Until a few months ago, I had NEVER paid attention to the lyrics of that last song, 'Goodbye'. I'd always assumed that it was a song about saying goodbye to someone you love. More on that in just a bit.
My earliest memory of The Sundays are of seeing their CD 'Blind' in my sister's music collection. That little doll on the front cover mesmerized me into putting the CD into the stereo. I was on a 'Vision Quest' of sorts in 1993 (see previous entries 1 through 4 on this site, and the movie of the same name circa mid 80's with Modine), and visiting my sister in VA where she was going to law school. I was immediately 'hooked' by the vocals of Harriet Wheeler, much like I imagine Odysseus was 'hooked' by the sound of the sirens on his epic journey.
It's been 18 years since that experience, but as soon as the opening guitar chords are played I can put myself right back in my sister's apartment and feel all the hope and promise of being in your early 20's, wrapped up in the melancholy of knowing you're in your 40's, and 20 years have passed by in an instant. Little did I know at the time I first heard this song what it would eventually mean to me today.
I looked up the lyrics and read them as the song was being played on YouTube.
These lines completely jumped off the page and slapped me in the face…
'I vow that it's goodbye to the old ways
those stories were a good read
they were dumb as well
I could never be seen
falling down on my knees crawling
o no, talk about a sell'
I haven't heard back from this person if they started to get into 'The Sundays', but I can say that for me, now, this song captures the essence of a 'Goodbye' to faith, religion, spirituality, mysticism, you name it-ality/ism mantra.
Ironically, the two guys I went surfing with that day were and are very outspoken Christians. We talked briefly about our faith and lacktherof on my part while we were out in the water. It was all good. No heavy discussions. Just, this is how I believe and I'm not going to try and get in your face with my beliefs. Cordial.
Still amazed at how this one song with these powerful lines really sum up how I feel about the Bible now. Good read, definitely not divine. But, my oh my, what a wonderful selling job the Christians have done with this collection of stories. You do have to marvel at just how much this book has permeated our entire culture as humans on this planet. But, as The Sundays sing so eloquently, I must say, less eloquently, 'Goodbye'.
Thanks for stopping by,