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The fall season is upon us here in Austin. There are fewer hours of sunlight now, so my runs seem to take me into darkness more regularly. Cooler temperatures are slowly, and thankfully, making an appearance. This is always a great time of year in Austin.
This year, the fall season finds us in the midst of, yes, another presidential campaign. If you can't find rhubarb in all of these events and activities, then lo and behold, there will always be some to be found in the run up to a November election. With that in mind, I bring you a lively Episode 051.
1. With only 25 days until the election, we are deep into the presidential debate season. Two debates down and we are now at half time in debate season. Having watched the entirety of both debates, and based on my humble observations, the score is Romney/Ryan 1, Obama/Biden 1.
The first half has been full of plenty of sound bites – if there weren't enough of those already. I don't think that there has been any major issue that hasn't been discussed yet, from social and domestic issues to foreign policy. Debate 1 gave us a lackluster Obama against a make-or-break Romney. Debate 2 gave us a jovial Biden against a rather smug Ryan. I am sure that even without Sarah Palin in the mix (strangely absent from the media glare of late), "Saturday Night Live" will still find plenty of material.
All I ask is for both parties to please, please, please give us some specifics. "Just because" is not an acceptable answer. As citizens, we all need to make the effort to look at the issues and, most importantly, get out and vote. Lest I remind everyone, with rights come responsibilities.
2. By this point in the college football season, I have usually written a Longhorns Update. At this point in the season this year, I am still trying to figure out just who exactly they are. The Horns are in the midst of a tough 4 game stretch right now. They eked out a win at Oklahoma State. Sadly they could not do so at home against West Virginia in what amounted to a wild, strangely thrilling (by DKR Memorial Stadium standards) game in breezy fall conditions. Geno Smith is, in my estimation, the best player in college football right now. Tomorrow is the "you pick it" game of the season as always: the Texas – Oklahoma slugfest. One week later, Baylor comes to town to attempt to put up 40 or 50 or so points as they always do these days.
The Longhorn Nation have to be pleased with the efforts of David Ash. The offense is pulling together nicely, though still a lot of plays reminiscent of Greg Davis' 1 yard bubble screens. However, the defense is suspect at best. I still can't figure how they were projected as a Top 5 defense in the nation pre-season.
3. Finally, a Big 12 note: it was good to see so many West Virginia fans in town last weekend. Reality check: a road trip from Morgantown to Austin sounds a lot better than some of the road trips they would have had in the Big East. No wonder there were a large number of fans here! I had the opportunity to speak with a number of Mountaineer faithful and I really do think that their addition to the Big 12 will provide a very exciting future for the league. Welcome, WVU!
Photo credits: Wikipedia
Smart Physio posts are on professional and career-related topics such as health, fitness, training, and health care.
Rhubarb Diaries posts are commentary, perspectives, opinions, humor and insight on all of my favorite topics: music, sport, and politics/current events.
Allan Besselink, PT, DPT, Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sport and health care, one that has been defined by his experiences as physiotherapist, mentor, McKenzie practitioner, coach, innovator, author, educator, patient, and athlete. Read more about Allan, contact him, get updates via email, or connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.


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Toronto News | Weather & Traffic | CTV News Toronto
Regent Park arts and culture centre opens
A new community centre aiming to bring arts and culture to Toronto's once-maligned Regent Park neighbourhood opened to the public on Thursday.
The Daniels Spectrum, formerly the Regent Park Arts and Cultural Centre, aims to bring dance, theatre, visual arts and music groups together under one roof.
The building is part of a massive redevelopment strategy at Regent Park, as the community housing compound is renovated to become a downtown attraction.
The Regent Park redevelopment includes parks and gardens as well as new condominium complexes and the community centre.
Seema Jethalal of the Daniels Spectrum, said the facility will give arts and culture a chance to flourish in the Regent Park community.
Regent Park, Canada's largest and oldest socially-assisted housing projects, is home to residents from 56 different countries of origin who speak 47 different languages.
"This is a really big deal for Regent Park -- for the city at large, but for Regent Park specifically. This community has no shortage of culture and creativity and diversity, but they have never had a dedicated home for it," Jethalal told CTV's Canada AM.
"Now there is a home for that creativity and culture that has always been here. We can take it to the next level now."
Seven arts and culture groups will offer courses out of the new facility, which opened to the public on Thursday. The facility will also be able to host film festivals, theatre performances and even an inner-city circus school.
"On any given day you could catch a beautiful performance, a concert, a workshop, a dance class… there are all kinds of activities that are going to happen here," Jethalal said.
One club getting a new home is the Regent Park School of Music, which has been forced to practise in church basements for years.
Charlotte Ann Siegel, a student at the music school, says the new facility will give more kids access to training in the arts.
"This means a lot to me because it means that a whole bunch of kids are going to have the same opportunity I had," Siegel told CTV's Canada AM on Thursday.
"It is just such a great vibe in this school … the rooms are great and we have a big space. It is a great environment."

subset: commoncrawl


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Shop Krazy Kutting
City Yuma, AZ
Owners Armando Gonzalez and Santiago Gonzalez
The art of engraving is an artform as old as man. It is a highly detailed process involving the skills of a true craftsman. The craftsman is responsible for creating unique images that sometimes have to be duplicated withexact precision over and over again. The popularity of engraving within the lowrider community has exploded within the last few years with Krazy Kutting at the forefront of this artistic "must-have" accessory. "This business almost didn't come to fruition," Armando Gonzalez says, reflecting back on how he and his brother Santiago "Santi" turned a three-year plan into reality. At the time, both brothers were enjoying well-paying jobs. One with a double major in business and the other working as a mechanical engineer, life's responsibilities made it difficult to walk away from the certainty a corporate job provided each of them. The two would eventually hatch out a three-year plan that would allow them to transition into this family business.
Armando's "Krazy Kreation," which was Lowrider Truck of the Year in 2007, 2008, and 2009 would serve asthe catalyst for what we see today. "Back then we had to build our own parts," Armando says, "and over time, more and more people would ask me to build parts for their own cars." This would eventually lead Krazy Kutting to work on some of the industry's top lowriders, such as Lowrider Car of the Year RM Series, Spirit Runner, and Freak Show of Los Angeles Car Club. Their client list also includes numerous A-list celebrities, like Paul Wall and the infamous Kid Frost. "We treat everyone the same," Santi says. It is this simplistic business model that has allowed Krazy Kutting to be in business for over 11 years. A little known fact is that everything is done in-house. Their 11 employees, who mainly consist of family members, have access to a CNC machine, plasma water table, and laser-cutting machine. "All our engraving is done by us," Armando says. Each one of us has gone through a two-year training and now we have in-house engravers and shaders.
Krazy Kutting however is taking the term "family business" to another level. Two of their engravers happen to be their wives, Karina and Isavra (and yes, that's right, their wives). Even the mother-son duo, Lori and Anthony, help out with engraving and shading. Almost everyone in the family is involved in one way or another. Unfortunately, the cornerstone for this great family was taken from them too soon. A great mother, wife, and sister, Aracely, who was a Kuwait war hero, will forever continue to serve as the family inspiration.
"We are strategically located in Yuma, Arizona, allowing us to serve customers from all over the world … from Texas to Northern California, all the way to Hawaii, Spain, and even Italy," Armando says. With plans of doubling in size, it is their quality and turnaround time that continues to set them apart from any "would-be" competition. With most items already in stock, they feature a variety of products, from custom plaques to necklaces. There isn't anything they can't do for their customers. "We feature everything from scroll work, diamond cutting, Aztec-style designs, as well as club logos," Armando says. With new products in the works, such as custom billet grilles that have been in development for over a year, Krazy Kutting is continuously looking for ways to improve and provide their loyal customer with continued superior quality and better service.


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Release Date: Mar 5, 2013
Record label: The End
Genre(s): Pop/Rock
Austerity seems to be the word on everyone's lips at the moment, whether it refers to the EU monetary crisis, life on the base line in Britain or even the English football team as they attempt to win back some fans. Jon McClure of Reverend And The Makers holds these and more issues close to his heart – as any follower of his on Twitter can bear witness to – but rather than rant about them and bring everyone down, as he threatened to do with the political railing of the Mongrel set-up, he has set about putting wrongs to rights through the sheer power of rhythm and song. @Reverend_Makers, probably the first album title to double as its maker's Twitter name, is an attempt to blast all modern society's ills out of the water and simply have a damned good party.
Having tried to stuff right-minded but clunky 'George Bush = BAD' politics down our throats with his last albums as side-project Mongrel and with the Makers themselves, this is Rev's reaction to no-one ruddy listening. Happily, while we were expecting an opus about how the coalition government's really lame, he's delivered a relentless bosh-pop thump that's more 'Bonkers' than bonkers. Most of it, from the vein-tingle rave-grind of 'Bassline', to the disco strings of 'Out Of The Shadows', to the '90s big beat of 'Shine The Light', is a riot.
As one of the most politically charged bands to emerge from the mid-2000s indie explosion, it was always a problem that Sheffield quintet Reverend and the Makers' downfall was their politically charged lyrics. Their 2007 debut The State of Things and 2009's A French Kiss in the Chaos had the tunes but they were accompanied by a series of diatribes that were so "beginner's guide to politics" that it was hard to take loudmouth frontman Jon McClure even remotely seriously. Luckily, their Twitter-titled third album, @Reverend_Makers, suggests they have learned their lesson.
Calling your new album by your Twitter handle might suggest desperate self-publicity. Though in the case of UK five-piece Reverend and The Makers it signifies a nonchalant recognition of the modern world. These are songs of everyday lives, for people who are up for a good time, so anyone familiar with the band's work and expecting a political message or two should wise up to a simpler expression of "This is life so get on with it." In making this third studio album, the band has gone back to its roots and put together 10 upbeat tracks offering reasons to be cheerful.
The media blackout's over. The curtain's raised. Settle down and prepare for the enlightenment. Jon 'The Reverend' McClure takes centre stage. That little blue bird you've been seeing at the bottom of web pages? Hold tight – it's called Twitter mate, and the Rev's onto it. Except ….
When bands take a break from the touring circuit while working on new material, it can shroud their musical direction in mystery. With no live previews as such, indie rockers Reverend And The Makers prefaced the release of their third record '@Reverend_Makers' with a mixtape of incomplete ideas and experimentation that left fans suspecting a more modern electronic vibe, which isn't wholly off the mark. Opener 'Bassline' at first feels too different from their usual workings, with prominent synthesisers, big beats and a much harsher sound luring the listener into this record.


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Last weekend I went to a big dance club here in New York City. It was a very fun experience and I snapped some photos along the way. I loved the energy and the way the lights changed the mood. There were even fire dancers and acrobats! It was quite an evening and I came home feeling very inspired to paint in a Kandisky-esque way.
Kandinsky often said that his abstract paintings were an attempt to visually capture music (read this if you want to know more). I am definitely searching for a way to capture the energy and music and vibrancy of my evening at the club. Not a classic place to find inspiration, but it's there nonetheless!
Do you find inspiration in odd places?


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The Striker VR (Virtual Recoil) was originally designed for military use, to simulate firing a real gun and prepare soldiers for all of the sensations of war. The haptic virtual reality accessory features realistic recoil and can simulate multiple firing modes including single shot, full auto, and burst. With the proliferation of virtual reality hardware and entertainment, the consumer market for realistic accessories is quickly expanding. The development kit is open and allows for different modes to be created in the future, fazer gun pew pew anybody? The Infinity v1 is slated for public release soon and is poised to lead the pack in an exciting new category of virtual reality peripherals.
First person shooter games are known to place the player in the center of the action, but the unrealistic aiming mechanics of a controller or mouse and keyboard have always left something to be desired. As we enter a new phase of more immersive virtual reality gaming experiences, the proliferation of realistic peripherals that simulate in-game objects is a logical progression.
Popular VR shooting games like Hot Dogs, Horeshoes, and Hand Grendades on the HTC Vive have done a decent job of creating a gesture based shooting experience utilizing all purpose controllers, but a realistic gun can be a game changer for obvious reasons.
Firing a gun is one of the most interesting use cases of virtual reality in gaming. There is a massively popular and ever expanding nebula of gun based games which publishers and hardware manufacturers are keen to capitalize on.
Here is a brief video demonstrating the Striker Infinity V1


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I am back !!
I can't wait to share the new DCWV Moment Maker Planner <3 !!!
I began using this planner this week .
I have the Artistic Planner set up currently .
It is perfect for me because it is set up to fill in daily ,
and has a notes section on the right .
PERFECT for me to write down the Copic or Prisma
color combinations I use for that day !
It has been so much fun decorating each page to the colors I want to use for that day .
I have lots of photos to share with you !!
This is the inside of the planner !
LOVE the gold polka dots !!
I can not tell you how much I love that you can add charms to the front of this !
I will share photos once I decorate one of these <3.
I took before I opened the planner and the
I hope you enjoy the look into this new
planner system.
I look forward to using it more and sharing inspiration photos <3.
Super big Thank you to
Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by !!
Wishing you a wonderful and super Blessed day !!


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With the GDPR deadline of 25 May 2018 fast approaching, will you be compliant when the regulators come knocking? It could be close: while 43% of organizations surveyed by IDC believe they will be ready in May this year, almost the same number (40%) are not sure that they will make it in time. That's a lot of organizations taking what could be a big risk.
Hopefully, your GDPR journey is well underway, because it's only when you start your GDPR journey that you realize how complex a task it is – and how it affects all aspects of the organizations, from top to bottom. Management and support is critical, but so is employee awareness and training, process mapping and improvements to technology. It's all about getting an overview of your data landscape – and managing data tightly.
Here are 6 critical things that are critical for GDPR compliance:
- Identify personal data in your organization, map which applications and workflows are using it, and where it lives. Make sure you include cloud services and externally hosted data and applications!
- Then, conduct a Privacy Impact assessment to understand the risks associated with the data you are using.
- Carefully document your meetings and decisions, to prove you are taking GDPR compliance seriously and you're on the right track. You also need to document your understanding of state-of-the-art technologies and why you chose the technology you implemented.
- Start auditing your suppliers, to make sure you don't have a weak link in your supply chain. Create a questionnaire that you send out – and document the answers.
- Create an incident response plan including a communications plan, so that you know exactly what to do, when – not if! you have a data breach. Yes, it will happen, and you have
- to be ready for it. This will enable you to meet the 72-hour notification deadline and to avoid reputational damage – and possible financial penalties.
- Create a strong consent management process.
If you want to use personal data, you need to articulate the use cases very clearly, and get clear consent for each use case. When the use case expires, you must delete the data.
If you'd like to know more about IDC's research on GDPR and cloud, contact Carla Arend (firstname.lastname@example.com).
***Please note that IDC does not provide legal advice***


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Favorite Things Friday 5/18/12
I'm happy to report still some flowers in the garden. This one was a surprise - a late bloomer. It is the palest purple iris I have ever seen. I bought the tuber at a Iris Society sale of unknowns. This is the first year it has bloomed. Lovely as it is I can see why it may not be cultivated and given a name. The flowers only last a couple of days. Here's another shot:
This rose is one my mother rooted for me from her beautiful roses. Last year this plant was only a stick with a few leaves and I thought I was going to lose it. Hasn't it come back beautifully? I'm looking for a place where I can plant it in the yard.


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Editor�s note: This is the fifth article in a nine-part series following Infantry Training Battalion during a full course of training at the School of Infantry, Camp Lejeune.
Editor�s note: This is the fifth article in a nine-part series following Infantry Training Battalion during a full course of training at the School of Infantry, Camp Lejeune.
�Room clear!� a Marine yelled.
The distinct crack of rifle fire was the only interruption before the next call echoed.
�Room clear!�
Week five at Infantry Training Battalion for the students of Bravo Company started with a 15-kilometer hike across Camp Lejeune while students carried about 100 pounds of gear.
The next morning, the Marines took the basic skills test, which encompasses all training they have received.
Nine students failed the exam all passed it the second time, leaving the class intact.
The students spent the rest of the week at Camp Geiger�s urban warfare site, practicing room-clearing, navigating urban environments and alternative entries through windows.
Pfc. Cameron Smith said he felt prepared for the hike after his nightly exercises, lifting weights on weekends. He also tried to eat and drink enough before the hike, he said.
The students spent the rest of the week at Camp Geiger�s urban warfare facility, where the students practiced room-clearing, navigating in urban environments and alternative entries through windows.
�I feel as though I was ready for it,� said Smith, 23, of Rock Island, Ill. �You always want to set yourself up for success.�
The School of Infantry creates constant competition, Smith said.
�You�re training with other Marines, which means it should be a constant struggle to see who is the best,� Smith said. �I came here for a reason ...if I can�t pass things like this then I shouldn�t be here.�
The last thing that Smith wants is to accept the minimum standard.
�Learning how to operate in an urban environment gives us a baseline to build on in the future when we go to our units,� Smith said.
And with only a month left at the School of Infantry, the students need to establish that baseline sooner rather than later. Some could deploy as soon as they get to the fleet.
And they need to be prepared for whatever the Marine Corps throws at them, said Sgt. Cory Vickery, 23, of Jacksonville.
�Trying to keep the students motivated during events such as the 15-kilometer hike is one of the most difficult things we do,� said Vickery, a rifleman instructor with Bravo Company. �When they�re falling back you have to go get them and get them back up with their platoon.�
During recruit training, before the students arrived to the School of Infantry, they are force-fed information with ditties, but now they must learn them academically and apply them, he said.
�(Urban warfare) is complicated because there is so much to learn in order to ensure they have the proper baseline,� Vickery said. �This is so foreign to the students and they want to go through the motions fast because they have played Call of Duty and seen it on TV, but they need to slow down and be more methodical and think about things. It takes a while for them to do that.�
Some of the students immediately grasped the concepts taught this week while others took noticeably longer, said Vickery. The most important part of being an instructor is making sure that you are patient with the slower learners and you don�t �lose your cool,� he added.
�It�s all about making sure the students are ready for the fleet,� Vickery said. �They�re deploying at some point whether they realize it or not. I train them like I�d be deploying with each and every one of them.
�I make sure they�re what I�d want in my squad.�
Contact Daily News Military Reporter Thomas Brennan at 910-219-8453 or email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @ thomasjbrennan.


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To get your message across to your viewer, nothing is more powerful than using Scale and Contrast. Scale and Contrast allow you to grab the viewers by their virtual lapels and point them in the right direction. Strong differences in scale and contrast also make your project more visually dynamic. Contrasts in style, size, weight, width, color, and position separate information. You have the power to direct your viewers to see what matters most.
Start by figuring out what you want to communicate and who you want to communicate to. Your content is always the starting point for all design decisions. Then look at the information you have in hand, most of the time it's pretty obvious what the most important piece of information is and the next most important, and so on. Scale and Contrast are the tools you apply to make those levels of importance clear to the viewer. The effects of scale are obvious, bigger is better, weightier is better, big and bold are immediately seen as nearer and more important.
Position indicates importance too, the higher the better. But you can't just make everything bigger, bolder, and more visually active. Think of a piece of music with a different instruments being played and different voices singing at the same time. If every instrument is equally loud and every person is singing at the top of his or her lungs. Nothing will stand out it will just be noise. It's the same principle with visual activity, the viewer needs to have a main focus and then be guided into the rest of the information in the order of its visual voice.
Contrast is the level of difference in tonality or value between the background and the foreground. Black and white offer the most contrast, the higher the contrast the stronger the impact. Black and white are at opposite ends of the value scale. As contrast decreases impact decreases, the closer the values between foreground and background the less contrast there is so the level of importance appears lower. Using typographic contrast and scale dynamically can be a great way to create visual interest even when there is no imagery available or if you don't want the specificity of an image.
I'd like to point out three common errors in the use of scale and contrast, the first is trying to make everything look important by making it as big as possible, that just creates a lot of noise and confusion for the viewer. The second is not being bold enough, don't be afraid to create extreme differences of scale and contrast, push beyond your limits and see how effective the big gestures can be. Third common error involves contrast, try to avoid running type over a complex background, it's always a challenge to make this work because there are often a variety of tones in the background.
So no single color of type will show up equally well against all parts of the background. However, there are methods to do this successfully. On this book cover good type use has overcome a very difficult and complex background. There are multiple techniques that work here to lift this headline forward from the busy background. First, there's a thin black outline around the type. There is a hard black drop shadow to the southeast, then there's a soft gray drop shadow also to the southeast.
Also note that the serifs on the letterforms are weighty enough so that they stand out. Each of these steps adds to the visual separation of type from image and creates an illusion of dimensionality. The Sports Illustrated logo is another good example of overcoming a busy background. This logo has to work on a wide variety of media platforms, there are four techniques at work here. There's a thin black outline, there's a heavier gray inline, there's a hard black drop shadow and a soft gray drop shadow.
These are techniques that you can employ to help your type be legible against an image or texture. Remember scale and contrast are your friends, don't be shy about using them to create drama and to attract and hold your viewers attention. But you can't have every piece of type shouting either. It's the modulation of scale that creates the power pick and choose the bits that are the key words, it may be a title or part of a title or another element. But make that type look like the equivalent of a trumpet call and your viewer will hear it loud and clear.
- What is typography?
- Differentiating type characteristics
- Using ornamental and decorative type
- Combining typefaces
- Using contrast and scale
- Kerning and kerning pairs
- Choosing the optimum line length
- Aligning and spacing characters, words, and paragraphs
- Understanding factors affecting legibility
- Working with three-dimensional type
- Putting type in motion


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Hydrolift X-26 S Exclusive Plus 2019
DEMONSTRATOR 2019 Hydrolift X-26 JUST LAUNCHED IN THE UK.
The X-26 S is an innovative and completely new model on the market, staged for social days on the sea. The model is rich in content, graceful and voluminous, but at the same time sporty with a completely new hull that continues the unique driving characteristics Hydrolift has always been known for.
Boat Make: Hydrolift
Boat Model: X-26 S Exclusive Plus
Boat Length: 27 ft
Keel Type:
Hull Material: Fiberglass
LOA: 8.11m / 27'
Beam: 2.45m / 8' 1"
1900kg with engine
8 Persons
Fuel: 350 Litres
3 berths within the cabin
Sea toilet
Port holes
Bathing ladder
Swim platform
Walk thru transom
Two helm seats
Cockpit Lights
Leather steering wheel
Cockpit Table
Ski Pole
Cup holders
Transom Shower
Stereo - JL AUDIO Sound system
Bow docking lights
4 x Fenders
2 x Lines
Warranty : Hull and Engine 5 years
Tonneau cover
Garmin GPS / Charplotter
Garmin VHF DSC Radio
Kill cord
Fuel temperature oil gauge
Parkstone Bay Yachts provides the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information set out in these particulars, and do we warrant the condition of the vessel. The particulars are intended as a guide only and do not constitute a term of any contract. A prospective buyer is advised to check the particulars and specifications and where appropriate instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to fully inspect the vessel and/or to have a sea trial of the vessel. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.


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Mobiveil Inc. IP Catalog
About Mobiveil Inc.Mobiveil is a fast-growing Technology company that specializes in creation of Intellectual Properties, Frameworks and Solutions for the Networking, Enterprise and Device Mobility markets.
The Mobiveil team leverages decades of experience in delivering high-quality, production-proven, high-speed serial interconnect Silicon IP cores to the leading customers worldwide. With a highly motivated engineering team, dedicated integration support, flexible business models, strong industry presence through strategic alliances and key partnerships, Mobiveil solutions have added tremendous value to the customers in executing their marketing and engineering goals within budget and on time.
Mobiveil is headquartered in the Silicon Valley with engineering development centers located in Milpitas, CA, Chennai and Bangalore, India, and sales offices and representatives located in US, Europe, Israel, Japan, Taiwan and People Republic of China.
If you are interested in choosing Mobiveil as your IP partner and would like to understand what's unique about our IP offerings, receive our whitepaper - "What it takes to deliver a configurable and quality Silicon IP." To get your copy write to us at email@example.com (We recommend you use your corporate email address please)
Mobiveil Inc. IP Listing25 Products Listed in the following categories
Success Stories
"Avago Technologies is a leading provider of high-speed serial transceiver (SerDes) technology and silicon solutions for wireless and wired communications infrastructure equipment. Our customers can leverage fully-verified RapidIO Gen3 interface solutions based on Avago SerDes and Mobiveil controller IP.""
Harold Gomard
Director of Technical Marketing
Corporate Headquarters
Mobiveil Inc.
890, Hillview Court, Suite 250
Milpitas, CA 95035
Help Desk
Have a Mobiveil Inc. representative contact me
Read Mobiveil Inc. Latest News


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WordPress 2.7 is about to go live, but are you ready for it? There are a host of changes in store for you, mostly good and maybe one or two clunkers (personally, I think the vertical menu is a bit of a step backward)…
Archive for November, 2008
The inside scoop on WordPress 2.7
Posted in Uncategorized on November 20, 2008|
Gmail gets themes!
Posted in Uncategorized on November 19, 2008|
Whoa! I'm a just a simple, geeky middle-aged man with no money. So the things that often excite me these days are simple, geeky things that just happen to be free. Well, just a few minutes ago I happened to hit the trifecta when I logged into Gmail only to discover that GMail now has themes. While the bland old GMail is still the default, even it has had a major face lift to make it (as the GMail blog describes) "crisper and cleaner" and "you might notice a few colors and pixels shifted around here and there." Quoting:
We wanted to go beyond simple color customization, so out of the 30 odd themes we're launching today, there's a shiny theme with chrome styling, another one that turns your inbox into a retro notepad, nature themes that change scenery over time, weather driven themes that can rain on your mailbox, and fun characters to keep you in good company. There's even an old school ascii theme (Terminal) which was the result of a bet between two engineers — it's not exactly practical, but it's great for testing out your geek cred…
Carnival of the Liberals #78: Post-Election Blues Edition
Posted in Uncategorized on November 19, 2008|
Well, the parties are over and liberal bloggers have turned to some serious self-reflection and lamentation. Greg Laden's got the best of the bunch this time out over at his eponymous cyber-abode in the 78th edition of this humble blog carnival as it ventures forth into year #5. Next up is Capitol Annex on December 3rd…


text: LukeB 0 Report post Posted March 19, 2013 Hi I was wondering if it is possible to eliminate the sidebar whitespace that seems to occur when it has no widgets being displayed. I have the full width sidebar enabled with some widgets inside that are only active on certain posts/pages. However when nothing is active there appears to be some unnecessary white space. Is there any way to stop this happening? In image 1 i have the full width sidebar active but with no widgets being displayed on that post, and in image 2 i have completely removed the full width siderbar from which removes the white space it was creating. http://www.priceofmilk.co.uk/videos/vid-test-2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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An instance of this class represents a single SDP data element as defined by the Bluetooth SDP spec.
- macOS 10.2+
- IOBluetooth
The data types described by the spec have been mapped onto the base Foundation classes NSNumber, NSArray, NSData as well as IOBluetoothSDPUUID. The number and boolean types (type descriptor 1, 2 and 5) are represented as NSNumber objects with the exception of 128-bit numbers which are represented as NSData objects in their raw format. The UUID type (type descriptor 3) is represented by IOBluetoothSDPUUID. The string and URL types (type descriptor 4 and 8) are represented by NSString. The sequence types (type descriptor 6 and 7) are represented by NSArray.
Typically, you will not need to create an IOBluetoothSDPDataElement directly, the system will do that automatically for both client and server operations. However, the current API for adding SDP services to the system does allow the use of an NSDictionary based format for creating new services. The purpose for that is to allow a service to be built up completely in a text file (a plist for example) and then easily imported into an app and added to the system without a lot of tedious code to build up the entire SDP service record.
The basis for that NSDictionary structure comes from the IOBluetoothSDPDataElement. At its simplest, a data element is made up of three parts: the type descriptor, the size (from which the size descriptor is generated) and the actual value. To provide a complete representation of a data element, an NSDictionary with three entries can be used. Each of the three entries has a key/value pair representing one of the three attributes of a data element. The first key/value pair has a key 'DataElementType' that contains a number value with the actual type descriptor for the data element. The second pair has a key 'DataElementSize' that contains the actual size of the element in bytes. The size descriptor will be calculated based on the size and type of the element. The third pair is the value itself whose key is 'DataElementValue' and whose type corresponds to the type mapping above.
In addition to this complete description of a data element, their are some shortcuts that can be used for some of the common types and sizes.
If the 'DataElementType' value is one of the numeric types (1, 2), the 'DataElementValue' can be an NSData instead of an NSNumber. In that case, the numeric data is taken in network byte order (MSB first). Additionally, the 'DataElementSize' parameter may be omitted and the size will be taken from the length of the data object.
If the 'DataElementType' value is the nil type (0), no 'DataElementSize' or 'DataElementValue' entries are needed.
If the 'DataElementType' value is any of the other types, the 'DataElementSize' entry is not needed since the size will be taken directly from the value (data, array, string).
In the case where the element is an unsigned, 32-bit integer (type descriptor 1, size descriptor 4), the value itself may simply be a number (instead of a dictionary as in the previous examples). In the case where the element is a UUID (type descriptor 3), the value itself may be a data object. The UUID type will be inferred and the size taken from the length of the data object.
In the case where the element is a text string (type descriptor 4), the value may be a string object. The text string type will be inferred and the size taken from the length of the string.
In the case where the element is a data element sequence, the value may be an array object. The type will be inferred and the size taken from the length of the array. Additionally, the array must contain sub-elements that will be parsed out individually.


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City of OKCHome Menu
Special Event Calendar
Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority
- Date: 08/02/2019 9:00 AM
- Location: City Council Chambers
200 N Walker Ave, 3rd Floor
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102
Watch the meeting live on Cox Channel 20, or on YouTube at youtube.com/cityofokc/live.
For more information contact:
Transit (405) 297-3492
The Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority (COTPA) oversees operations of the City's public transportation and parking systems including the EMBARK Transit bus system, the Bricktown Trolleys, and City parking garages. The Authority's Board is composed of the Mayor, the City Manager, the City Finance Director and five trustees appointed by the Mayor with consent of the Council. The Board meets the first Friday of the month at 9 a.m. in the Council Chamber.


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My family is complete – I have two wonderful girls who I fell pregnant with so easily. I went on to have two amazing pregnancies followed by two straightforward births. I realise how lucky I am and after seeing a TV programme explaining that IVF couples have to wait up to two years for donor eggs I was absolutely determined I could help make a difference. Four donations and five recipients later I am so proud of the couples I have helped. This whole journey has been amazing and I urge anyone who is considering egg donation to get involved. I am about to start my fifth donation for my sixth recipients and I know just how excited they will be feeling – this makes every step of the treatment I go through worth it. This process can be life changing for these couples and to be a part of this is something I will always be extremely proud of.
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i'm still here! it's been forever since i have posted but now that shooting season is back in full force i have some things to share with you 🙂
when i met with this couple last year and we figured out that i would be coincidentally shooting a wedding in tulsa, oklahoma a couple of months before their wedding and could make the side trip to take photos where they live in oklahoma city, oklahoma! i love getting to photograph in new places and okc was no disappointment!! amanda + karl, thanks for showing me the city 🙂 i can't wait for your wedding back in ohio next month!


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Beach Umbrella
Product Details
About this item
- 7 feet of full coverage
- Power twist mechanism
- Tilting feature
- 4 inch flaps to maximize shade
Use our 7' umbrella to take a break from the sun while enjoying a day at the beach. With vented covers, UPF 50+, and 4" flaps on the sides—this umbrella is sure to bring you plenty of shade. The canopy fabric is made of 100% polyester with clear UV coating to bring you even more protection. his umbrella also includes a mesh pocket inside the umbrella for item storage. A new and improved Power Twist base makes it easy to anchor in the ground, while the two-way tilt pole allows easy adjustment to shield from the sun. The interior ribs and pole are dyed to match the umbrella. It comes in a mesh case bag with a shoulder strap for easy transport. Visit your local club to choose from four assorted patterns: Rainbow Stripe, Shibori Print, Classic Blue, and Classic Teal.
Policies & plans
- Four Pattern Choices
- Fiberglass Ribs
- Steel Pole
- Mesh Case For Easy Transport
- Mesh Pocket Inside Umbrella
Manufacturer Info
Assembled Country
Assembled Size
4.33 "L x 2.756 "W x 46.46 "H


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Tekken 4
PlayStation 2
What do you need help on? Cancel X
Tekken 4 marks the return of Namco's premier fighting franchise, Tekken. This version features enhanced graphics, gameplay mechanics, and fearsome fighters. Newcomers engage old favorites in interactive, multileveled arenas. The addition of walls, terrain effects, position changes, and enhanced sidestepping will force you to adjust your fighting strategy. Expanded game modes such as Training, Team Battle and the new Tekken Force provide the player with a deeper gameplay experience.
Popular Recent Questions
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- Details
- Specs
- Reviews
- What's Included
Looking for ways to cut down on your electric bill? One easy solution is more energy efficient lighting. Old lamps and incandescent bulbs are incredibly inefficient and heat up very hot, very quickly. This eats up electricity when you consider how long you typically keep a lamp on throughout the day. Koncept Technologies has your solution in the AR2000-C-MBK-DSK Mosso LED Black Desk Lamp, Cool White. This sleek and award winning lamp uses 42 cool white, energy efficient LED bulbs that are also dimmable at the touch of a finger. A touchstrip at the head of this Gen 3 lamp allows the user to power on and off the Mosso Desk Lamp and at the same time dim the lighting output to their desired brightness with a slide of the finger. The head of this lamp also not only moves up and down but can also twirl a full 360° giving off light where ever its user needs it. Keeping with the energy efficient theme, the Mosso consumes only 10.5 watts. To help put that into perspective, similar CFL lamps consume anywhere from 13 watts of energy and higher while incandescent bulbs are much worse. Along with being extremely energy efficient the Mosso LED Desk Lamp was made with the environment in mind. Koncept Technologies has created this eco-friendly LED lamp from 57% recycled materials by weight and its aluminum housing is fully recyclable.
Along with the Mosso's ultra-flexible swivel head it has an easily adjustable 2-bar frame design to allow its user to point it in any which direction and angle they desire. It has a 9 foot power cord that gives this desk lamp added flexibility to be used even if a power outlet isn't in the immediate area. The frame of this lamp is constructed of aluminum and plastic and the LEDs used have a rated lifespan of 50,000 hours. The Mosso is C-UL-US certified and comes with a 5 year manufacturers warranty from Koncept Technologies.
This lamp is compatible with Koncept Technologies Gen 3 Series Occupancy Sensors. The Mosso is also available in a silver finish with cool white LEDs or with warm white LEDs in a black or silver finish.
Please Note: Koncept Technologies, Inc. products cannot be shipped outside the U.S. We cannot accept any international orders on these products.
Specifications Manufacturer Koncept Technologies Manufacturer Product No. AR2000-C-MBK-DSK UPC 874871001653 Dimensions L 17.90in x W 11.70in x H 3.35in Weight 5.40 lbs LEDs 42 Rated LED Lifespan 50,000 hours Color Temperature 4,500K, Cool White Color Rendering Index (CRI) 85 Energy Consumption 10.5 watts C-UL-US Certified Yes Ability to Dim Yes Construction Aluminum / Plastic Finish Black Cord Length 9 feet Warranty 5 years
- 1x - Mosso LED Black Desk Lamp, Cool White
- 1x - 9 foot power cord
- 1x - Owner's Manual
- 1x - Desk base
- 1x - Mosso LED Black Desk Lamp, Cool White


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The second day of my new job I had to lead a meeting with my team. Let's slow down.
Lead. A. Meeting.
With. My. Team.
Still recovering.
Let's start with having to say the words "my team" without sounding and feeling like a giant douche. I know it just means that I'm responsible for a group of people, but my god! Those words make me cringe. It's silly and I'll get over it. It's just gonna take some time.
Now let's talk about something I'll probably never get used to and that's talking in front of a bunch of people (my team!) and giving them assignments and deadlines and communicating expectations and
Guys, I'm soooo far out of my comfort zone that it'll cause me to grow and get better, but man…the journey is going to kick my ass.
Also, I just wrote "journey" and now I'm feeling like a pretentious douche again.
Ok, now let's talk about an aspect of my job that doesn't require steeling myself in the mornings with Jay-Z and Drake to get through.
Next month I'm going to Berlin and France on a work trip! France, kids! FRANCE. Also…Berlin. Let's set aside the fact that I might have overstated my level of French on my resume. You see–that's a drama of my own making and I won't complain to you about that. I will tell you, though, that I've been listening and studying my ass off to get ready! French YouTubers, French music, French movies, french fries. You name it!
Ok, I've gotta get back to work!
Bisous !


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Lunkhead is a reformed criminal that is obsessed with Candy.
- In "Secrets", Lunkhead was packing some boxes into the back of a truck when Lt. James Gordon interrupted him. Lunkhead initially resisted, throwing the boxes at Gordon, stating that he didn't want to go back to prison. Gordon bribed Lunkhead with candy and found out Magpie's real identity. In "Attraction" Lunkheads was carrying a taxi, calling it his toy. Lunkheads was arrested after being stopped by Batman and Katana. Magpie later manipulated him, telling him she had "oodles" of candy. When he asked Magpie for his candy Magpie kicked him off the platform they were on.
Powers and Abilities
- Superhuman Strength
- Weakness for Sweets
Beware the Batman
- "Secrets"
- "Broken" (In a photograph only)
- "Attraction"
See Also
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Jimquisition: Neutered
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Why do gamers defend their favorite titles from criticism with such volatility? According to some, it's because they don't want to see their genitalia removed.
Jim, my dearest Jim, WHERE THE FUCK DO YOU GET AL THESE STOCK PHOTOS OF COSTUMES, or at least where did the idea come from.
I love how Saints Row lets you design your avatar to look exactly like you.
Saints Row IV seems to be receiving a lot of "pre-hate", at least what I've seen so far, mostly because of story and gameplay changes. Despite that though I wonder how much it will come up here.
Asking artists to break away from tired, stereotypical ideas and accept harder challenges leads to originality? This is baseless pseudo-science.
Now I need to play Saints Row.
that giant, purple dildo is the only reason i keep coming here.
I think more games need to panda.
I don't think Saints Row is the best example to use. A game where you can create your own character shouldn't be compared to a game where the characters are already created for you.
Also, people might be worrying that characters like the sorceress wouldn't be allowed if detractors got their way, which would be stifling creativity somewhat.
More character diversity would be nice though.
Too bad Saints Row doesn't let the player go to town in the creative department as much as it used to.
Inclusivity, the Viagra of videogames.
The only thing I got out of this episode is that I should get Saints Row 4. The footage he was showing looked all kinds of insane.
Its really only neutering in some cases in the sense that: Oh, we dont get to have a G-cupped playable character in this game, OH NOES MY CREATIVITY.
Then again on the other hand in some cases it does have a fair point to dismiss the criticism when its not relevant in any way to the actual game.
"How dare someone make a game with an artstyle that i dont find personally appealing, this game sucks"
Y'know, a thought just hit me based on what you said, Jim. What genres of games would benefit the most from a little creativity coming from people just coming in?
I do also believe that saints row is a great example where we can have our cake and eat it too unlike some other games where its just about: Lets pander to this demographic, or, Lets try and not offend this particular group so lets remove this and this and this.
Thats the beauty of games in a nutshell, you can have your cake and eat it in this sense because you can still be as creative as possible and still be inclusive to all kinds of groups, with the small exception of the retarded censorcrazy dipshits who wants NO FUN ALLOWED and dont wish to give people said freedom in games because god knows why.
The only problem I have with using Saints Row as an example is the fact that the Player Character is a Customisable Avatar. While fine for RPGS, Sandbox Games and other games with a custom PC, it doesn't really say much about games like Red Dead Redemption or GTA V where the characters/story are written specifically to the one intended vision of the designers for those characters.
This may be irrational of me, but given the current mentality to design and events like Retake Mass Effect, isn't there a risk of a precedent that will only result in another set of checkboxes for developers to make their games 'acceptable'? Don't think I disagree with the spirit of your argument, I just think there needs to be a caveat about this being for encouragement of new ideas and not to be interpreted as something to be expected from the get go of a games inception.
Did any of what I said make sense?
Being more inclusive "when done right" - as was mentioned several times - does indeed encourage creativity.
However, a "checklist" of positive representations or vetoing potentially negative representations DOES stifle creativity.
With GTA-V the complaint is there isn't a female character... the question to the response is "Why should there have to be?" because is there some quota that is not being met somewhere? I am not aware of it.
Picking apart individual games for industry trends is, for all intents and purposes, a dick move. It's essentially the same as "making an example" where in some criminal cases an individual will be handed a far harsher sentencing than would otherwise be deserved in an effort to "send a message" to other would-be criminals. While one can see the appeal in the attempt to fight a growing trend... what of the sentenced individual? They just caught a rap far in excess of the actual "crime", their punishment was compounded for reasons outside of their control and because they just happened to be the unlucky schmuck who got the attention of the judge or social group who want to make a name for themselves.
And to be fair, Saints Row doesn't exactly have need of a character driven story. Your cis/trans/male/female/straight/bi/pan/white/asian/black/fat/thin/buff/weak/short/tall character is going to behave essentially the exact same as the next cis/trans/male/female/straight/bi/pan/white/asian/black/fat/thin/buff/weak/short/tall character.
The hand-drawn art sprites of Dragons Crown or the voice acting and story of GTA-V are not so interchangeable.
Now, I haven't played Saints Row 4
But I have played 3.
And if 4 is even just mostly similar, then using it as a central argument for creativity is fucking MADNESS.
Saints Row is just aggressively fucking juvenile, and I'm not the sort of person to lay down that sort of accusation lightly. There's nothing creative about just brainstorming "Things that would make your grandmother blush" and then just throwing everything you come up with into the game. It's just not. The game isn't trying to say ANYTHING. Now games shouldn't have to say anything, but if you want to use a game as a central argument for creativity then you should REALLY be aiming higher.
Would you please explain to me what is "creative" about a big purple dildo? You must think it is since it is literally the line you end your argument on.
The BEWBS controversy is a giant red herring to begin with. It's a setting where everything is a grotesque. The real issue is in the games where there's a slimy film of hate towards everyone else that extends beyond idiots in multiplayer. The games where there are no women except to be protected or used for shock value. Where you're expected to just take "they're brown or foreign" as excuse to begin shooting.
These issues don't get addressed when people yell about BEWBS being bad and why you're a terrible person for not demanding bigger BEWBS.
Saints Row for all its flaws is a series that has women from competent to "low-functioning burnout", an ambiguously-gay intellectual black dude, and an "it's not important" main character who is so good at killing the world considers them a sociopath.
One of the best things about SR is that well the character is very customizable they also come with a lot of character. The boss is defined she has traits and flaws. With 3 games under her belt she even has a rather impressive back story. It's not like in TES where you make a character with no backstory or any personality then what you imagine. SR gives you a character with backstory and personality then lets you fill in the aesthetic. That is just a little aside about SR.
Just goes to support what I've always said.
I both agree and disagree.
I agree with the point you are making, but at the same time you seem to be countering a point that doesn't seem to be exactly the one being made (at least from what I have really seen).
When I see people complain about games being restricted I don't see them meaning in the sense that they will have less creativity. They tend to mean that they will have less creative freedom. That by caving into people saying "This is bad" or "You shouldn't be doing that" they are paving the way for people to dictate what developers can and cannot do. That would be stopping developers from making the games that they want to make and they will end up only making games that the loudest people want made, so as not to get any backlash from it.
I suppose the Mass Effect 3 ending is a good example. They chose to make the ending as it was originally and people complained about it extremely vocally. So they released the extended cut. Many people argued that by caving into the people complaining the developers gave up their creativity, because they didn't make the ending that they thought the game should have, they gave in and created the ending that the complainers wanted.
I think the fear is that if enough people start complaining about certain features in games, it will become considered socially unacceptable to have those features at all. In some ways that is actually a valid point. If people complain non-stop about sexy female characters, then eventually they are going to stop being made at all, because developers don't want the constant outrage over it from tarnishing the games reputation and giving it negative press.
It is a similar point to the one you made last week in fact. Developers don't want their fans ruining their success by harping on at a single negative review, and likewise I sincerely doubt that the creators of something like Dragons Crown wanted people only going on about the female character designs. They put a lot more into the game than titillation (I am assuming here, I haven't played the game nor do I particularly want to) so by people only dragging down the discussions to complain about the boobs, they might be put off creating such designs in the future.
People often say they don't wish to stop these kinds of things being made, only to have more choices and variety when it comes to games. A much better way of doing this is to praise the ones you like, rather than rant and rave at the ones that you don't. If people who like buxom characters praise them, games will have them. Likewise if people prefer their female characters more reasonably proportioned, then they should be discussing them and praising developers when they do make them. This will encourage them to make more.
Which doesn't happen very often to be honest. Even when developers do make decent characters to appeal to a wider audience they still get complaints. Tomb Raider, Bioshock Infinite and The Last of Us all got sexism complaints based around how they created their female characters, and how is that going to encourage more variety? It's just going to put people off and in many ways that does dampen creativity.
Holy Hell that post was a lot longer than I originally intended.
I don't understand the point of this episode.
I usually find my self thinking: That needed to be said? People don't understand that?
The adage is "Limitation breeds creativity"
That's basic, on a core level
I'm glad this episode exists because people SHOULD KNOW THAT STUFF!
That's the thing though, in the continuity of Saint's Row, the characters gender, ethnicity etc. are irrelevant since the story permits it.
What if Red Dead Redemption had an option that let you swap John Marston's ethnicity or gender and not even a single line of dialog was changed, don't you think the game would become a little more jarring given the setting?
And it express my view far greater than mine. Good show sir, you have thoroughly bested me. *tips top hat*
I've always said that the key to gamer inclusion lies in the create-a-character games.
As much as I enjoy the exploits of Link, Mario and there like. I find my self gravitating to games like Saints Row or Skyrim where the character that I've invested time, thought and emotion into gets it's chance to shine.
I couldn't disagree more. Interactive media is more than mechanics alone. It is the art style, the the plot, the sound, the camera angle, the pacing, etc. as well as the mechanics. It's called "Gesamtkunstwerk".
Here's Mr.BTongue explaining why:
Does Miniature Fantasy Willem Defoe have a new friend? What's there name?
So, let me see if I get the argument correctly... *clears throat*
"If the homogenised AAA industry has to include women, it'll become, gasp, homogenised! Our CoD clones will become even more derivative! Our Duke Nukem Forevers will become even bigger piles of machismo schlock! And our Soul Caliburs will, gasp, have to include women with bodytypes other than this:
What is the world of gaming coming too?"
What I don't get is why, oh, why, people who complaint about this or that type of game just ignore them and invest more time and money on games they like?
Isn't "Because the industry don't make them" a bad excuse??
If I was a game designer and someone told me that my game is this or that, I would say: "Yeah, it is... This is how I made it... Do I force you play and like my games? So don't try to impose your view into my work".
The solution to the lack of certain content in game is resolved by creating new content, not trying to change other peoples work.
Yes it is. A review is someone's personal preference and nothing more.
And no she did not make any such attack on the game, you and many others are being immature and lying and saying that she did because you are trolls.
Ya I agree. I generally agree with Jim but not this week. This sorta movement will just force guidelines and stifle creativity. If the creator wants to do things a certain way than they should be able too simple as that. Saints row wanted to be have crazy customization but just because they wanted it doesn't mean everyone should be forced to have it. If someone wanted a all female cast I say go for it for all I care they just shouldn't be forced to do it.
It would be much more jarring. It would also be much more interesting. The dissidence is a part of the fun in SR. (It can be quite jarring in SR don't forget, all the lines about stripper poles don't go away and the fight animations don't change either.)
You might say that such dissidence wouldn't fit in a "realistic" game like RDR and I guess your right. Character swapping isn't for every game. On the other hand, there is no reason that Jane Marston couldn't of had RDR all to herself.
A game designer should ask "Why should there have to be _?", but they should also ask "What would a _ bring to the story?". If the story is a well-made story that feels complete from the given perspectives then, post-release, everything should be fine because it's a good game, barring stupid idiots complaining for the sake of complaining. If not, then they might've needed more representative characters or portrayed the ones they have better.
If we don't use specific examples by singling out games then how can we expect to have any kind of argument at all. We'd be stuck talking in vague terms about how some games from a genre tend to do something that someone dislikes. Making an example of a game isn't anything like making an example of a criminal, we're not punishing it for doing something bad or disagreeable. The only potential problem (for publishers) with making an example of a game would be if some viewers decide to not buy the game because the evaluated problem is a deal breaker for them, and that's a good thing, or else someone walks away an unhappy customer and takes to forum boards to vent. To make use of your law analogy, making an example of a game is more like using a court case as an example, it's an example about how the public treated this idea and how it's still true.
I love the "creativity" argument as it pertains to a game that is called a rehash, a throwback, and an homage. Is there really anything new to Dragon's Crown?
And hey, I've said it before: in itself, there's nothing wrong with "more of the same." Especially if it's good. But if we're making a creativity argument, then at least part of that goes out the window. Even parodies are often not very creative, and they're more than simple retreads under the guise of tribute. Or, at least, they should be.
I'm glad Jim brings up SR in this video. Amidst a ton of other controversies in gaming, Saints Row the Third managed to avoid pretty much all of them. It's not because it's tame but because of the way it approaches....
Well, everything. Dildo bats, nutshots, streaking (even a mandatory mission where you're nude and drugged) and all from a series where the last game allowed you to spray shit on people for money. Not only hasn't it been stifled, but it's escaped the ire of the people who complained about Tomb Raider and Hitman. I wonder how....
I'm rambling. Gaming's creativity is not what's being threatened.
Jim I must say, you were looking rather handsome today. I found it hard to concentrate on your point.
Point! HURRHURR I made a penus joke!!
Yes, that's generally it. Minds are blown that this sort of thing needs to be spelled out (time and time again).
Did...did I just see a flash frame of Biffo the Bear?
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"Oh, it's you, I have read your blog!"
Most of the time that is a nice thing to hear for instance at a conference where I know noone. It makes people approach, as they feel they know me and would like to share something which they learned through this blog.
But what about when it's said with a lifted eyebrow? When it's muttered in an aside in an agry voice? When it isn't said to you, but in a conversation which you happen to overhear as you pass a door? That's when you realise that a blog isn't always a tool of communication and discourse, but as much a way to feed the gossip mongers out there.
Now, living in a small town I have learned to live with this phenomena. My life, with all it's flaws, is transparent anyway. In Volda somebody are certain to know and mention to somebody else your economic history, your medical problems, your friendly and not so friendly relationships, they will interpret your actions (did they argue last night? Did they look like they were friends?) and they will interpret the state of your house, garden, appearance, car, children, spouse, family - it is all subject to discussion and interpretation at some point by somebody.
My response to this has been to have very little to hide. If people want to look at my life and be entertained by its quirks, please. This is perhaps why blogging suits me so well. But at the same time it means that the small town expands dramatically. Marshall McLuhan's Global Village may be more relevant than I thought, and reality TV, weblogs and social software, all the things that give us access to the lives of individuals are the sources of information for the global gossipmongers.
This way there is nowhere you can hide. Diving into a large city to have the freedom of being anonymous, changing jobs and getting in touch with new people: your life is always open to those who want to check on you and know it all. If I wasn't so used to being pre-judged anyway, I would probably care a lot more about that little aspect of blogging.
Links by way of Jill.
Monday, October 31, 2005
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Marston's makes half-year profit
New acquisitions and lower administrative costs helped pubs and breweries group Marston's post a two per cent rise in its half-year underlying pre-tax profit.
The Wolverhampton-based company, which which has pubs across the West Midlands, said the figure increased to £37 million, while revenue rose five per cent to £553.1m for the 26 weeks ended March 30. On a statutory basis Marston's made a £19.1m pre-tax profit from a £13.4m loss for the same period in 2018
The company also said momentum was maintained in the second half of the year on strong Easter sales.
In a statement to the London Stock Exchange, Marston's also confirmed that its destination and premium divisions' like-for-like sales were up 1.2 per cent while taverns rose by 3.9 per cent.
Managed and franchised like-for-like sales increased by 2.2 per cent and rose 3.2 per cent in the last 10 weeks of the period.
In brewing, revenue and operating profits increased by eight per cent against a strong performance in the same six months of 2017-2018.
Chief executive Ralph Findlay said it had been a "decent" first half of its financial year
"I am pleased to report continued growth across all segments of the business.
"Our taverns wet-led community pubs have built on the strong trading performance last year and it is particularly encouraging to see our food-led pubs once again achieving increasing momentum in profitable like-for-like sales growth.
"Our leading brewing business goes from strength to strength, winning new distribution contracts and continuing to grow market share.
"We remain focussed on our strategic objectives and good progress has been made with our stated aim to improve cash generation and reduce the group's leverage.
"Whilst the backdrop of ongoing uncertainty around Brexit continues to be challenging, opportunities for growth remain and we are confident of delivering another year of profitable growth for our shareholders."
Mr Findlay said that increased promotional activity and new menus had helped boost sales at food-led pubs along with getting involved in trends like vegan food.
In January Marston's, which has an estate of 1,551 pubs and employs 14,500, announced plans to reduce debt by £200m by 2023 and reduce capital investment to around £25m a year from 2020.
Mr Findlay said the group had already taken steps to make interest savings of £5m a year.
Over the next four years it plans to sell assets of between £150m and £160m and is on course to raise £45m to £50m this year
Although investment is being scaled back, the group is continuing to build new pubs and it bought 15 former M&B pubs at the beginning of the year including The Foley Arms at Aldridge.
Marston's will open nine new pub/restaurants and three lodges in the current financial year and six pub/restaurants in the following year.
"We are still targetting growth, but somewhat more cautiously given the level of uncertainty in the market," added Mr Findlay.
Most Read


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At Peak UK we pride ourselves on being world class innovators. All our products are designed and tested by experts, both at paddling and garment production. We use only the finest quality materials sourced all over the globe. All our products are manufactured using the latest and highest quality techniques and machines available.
- Marine grade stainless steel ring that's easy to tie and clip into, eliminating any nylon on nylon friction (FIG. 1)
- Unique ring design throwline with full length webbing reinforcing (FIG. 2)
- Made from tough 600d polyester ripstop and nylon shell with a buoyant foam insert
- Quick draining and drying slotted base
- Contains a 9.5mm floating polypropylene rope, tested to EN1891with breaking strength of: > 700kg with knot ( g 8). >1100kg without knot
- Reflective piping for night use, stiffened wide opening for easy packing
- Easy and tidy cam buckle open / closure system
- Comfortable handle for packing and throwing
- Webbing loops to compliment our Guide Belt
- Optional Dyneema / polypropylene 8mm rope upgrade is available with >1400kg breaking strength (sold separately)
15m, 20m, 25m
Blue / Lime


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Posts by: Larry Alton
The Administration: 5 Simple Steps For Hourly Recruiting Success.
Larry AltonFeb 27, 2017
While specialized, in demand positions in fields such as tech and healthcare seemingly dominate the recruiting conversation, the fact of...
Inside Job: 4 Signs You Need To Rethink Your Hiring Strategy.
Larry AltonJan 03, 2017
Running any kind of business is hard work. Hiring people for that business, of course, can often be even harder. The amount of time and...


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Course Information
A candidate who has passed 12th Examination (12th) in General/Higher stream, from Gujarat Secondary Examination Board, or any other equivalent examination, is eligible for admission.
Selection based on : Merit
Admission Process
From the day admission forms are made available, to the last day of submission a pre-admission counseling unit gives general admission guidelines.
According to the admission norms of the Gujarat University, College is required to give admission purely on merit basis.
The cut off percentage for admission at the entry level usually depends upon the result percentage of G.H.S.E.B.
College displays two merit lists. One list is drawn purely on the basis of merit, which incorporates students belonging to general as well as reserved category. A separate merit list incorporating applicants of reserved category who are not eligible on merit basis is also prepared.
Reservation quota for the students of SC/ST/OBC as well as physically challenged students is maintained as per government guidelines.
At the time of Admission student will have to produce. Original copy of 12th standard mark sheet with a Xeroxed copy thereof. Original School Leaving Certificate with a Xeroxed copy thereof. Eligibility Certificate wherever necessary (A student passing equivalent examination of another board can be admitted if she produces provisional / final eligibility certificate from the Gujarat University). A valid caste certificate (In case of reserved category students) with a Xeroxed copy thereof. Two passport size photographs.
For further details please go to Gujarat University Website.


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I've been trying hard to adhere to my new routine of doing genealogy research first thing in the morning. The trouble is that some mornings are busier than others. When I have an 8:30 client appointment it can be challenging for me to find the time to do research. My genealogy research is important to me, but it's not urgent.
For the last month, I've done at least a little research almost every morning. I'll set my timer for as little as ten minutes and research for that short amount of time. Since my current project is systematically going through my source documentation–which is actually proving to be really interesting and enjoyable–I know exactly where to start and I know that a little bit of focused time will move me along.
What I've discovered in doing this is that the benefit goes beyond furthering my research. Keeping myself engaged in my research on a daily basis makes me more excited to work on it. It also makes me feel more connected to my ancestors and helps me remember names and dates.
For the first half of the year I thought a lot about my genealogy research but I didn't do a lot of it. Mostly I just felt anxious or guilty about not taking the time to work on it. These days, I'm still thinking a lot about it, but my thoughts are happy and productive. That's a wonderful shift.
Doing just a tiny bit of daily action reaps big results. This is true in family history research. It's also true in organizing your family history research. And let's face it–it's true in many other aspects of life, like exercise and healthy eating.
Daily habits are the foundation of an easy life. I've said that for years as a professional organizer. Now I'm seeing it come true in my genealogy research. I love it!


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Concerto for Organ & Orchestra
Price: score € 35,-, parts each € 7,-, organ part € 10,-, complete orchestra set € 110,-
The basic instrumentation of Concerto for organ and orchestra is for strings and percussion, woodwind and brass parts are notated in the score and can be added ad lib.
The work has been composed in 1998 for the opening concert of the 11th International Organ Academy in the Altenberg cathedral (Bergisches Land).
The sub-title of the work is "the 23rd Psalm set to music".
The first movement, Allegro moderato, begins piano in the strings (pdf 1st mvt, p. 3), increasing to a first fortissimo in which the organ with running figures preceeds to a mighty chord (pdf 1st mvmt p.6).
The further development consists in general of a game between a lyrical, melodious theme (pdf 1st mvmt, p. 7) and a motoric, figurative one (pdf 1st mvmt, p. 10).
After a final culmination the movement closes in a diminuendo.
The second movement, Andante larghetto, ("he leadeth me to green pastures") has again, two main themes, a chorale-like theme in 3/4 meter (pdf 2nd mvmt, p. 35) and a lyrical, more flowing one in 6/8 meter (pdf 2nd mvmt, p. 38). This movement again closes piano after a climax (pdf 2nd mvmt, p. 50).
The final movement, Allegro, begins with a dance-like theme in 5/4 Meter, returning twice, rondo-like (pdf 3rd mvmt, p. 53). A grotesque second theme in 4/4 meter (3rd mvmt, p. 66) as well as reminiscences from the two preceding movements form further passages. After a mighty pedal solo, the first main theme of the first movement appears in the tutti like an apotheosis (pdf 3rd mvmt, p. 84). The work closes with the dance-like opening theme of the movement.
Concerto 1. Satz:
Concerto 2. Satz:
Concerto 3. Satz:
Concerto 3. Satz, Schluss:
A musical interpretation of the psalm 23.
Video of the performance on march 13th 2016 with Maria Blazhevich (organ) Tomsk Academy Symphony Orchestra Yaroslav Tkalenko (conductor)
Concerto complete
Video of the performance on january 14th 2005 in St. Remigius, Borken, with the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, conductor: Thomas König, organ: H. A. Stamm


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Guest,Dismiss Notice
We need good tech writers that are willing to help out here at ZL-OA. If you like taking photos of jobs as you perform the steps on your repairs, have historical ads/documents from old magazines, or any else you think belongs in the Technical Library than you might be able to help. Send a private message to Furchin, Mudrunner88, Chris, Jarney, Wuputt, or Markus56 and we can lead you in the right direction to get started.
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As Low As $3.30 Per Student!
Students add on a foam or card stock vehicle design to the platform base.
Bulk pack of 30 kits. Each kit includes six magnets, chassis and keel material.
NOTE: Wood, balsa and foam blanks require shaping with tools and sanding. Gluing and soldering required.


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The Marketer (The Chartered Institute of Marketing magazine) has solicited some top tips from various industry bods on how to produce infectious viral content. These are briefly summarised below but read the full article if you want more meat on the bones. Also you might even spot a top tip from me!
1. Timing
2. Get emotional
3. Be brave
4. Strike the right tone
5. Talent plus timing plus luck
6. Authenticity
7. Explore
8. Seeding
9. Personalisation
10. New platforms


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The overall quality of life in the Kingdom has been rising steadily for the past decade and many Cambodians, particularly in urban areas, could be called new middle class, or, at least, they have enough income to make discretionary purchases for the first time in generations. With the rising availability of credit and loans to middle-income families for the purchase of items such as motor-bikes and cars, consumer culture of the western variety is catching on. But while buying with borrowed money might promise to lift your lifestyle overnight, poor financial planning can lead to a crushing debt and a lifetime spent struggling to get back in the black. Lift senior reporter Sun Narin tries make sense of the risky business of borrowing, before its too late.
With the emergence of modern motorcycles like the Fino or Scoopy, who can resist buying one? Hay Chearin, 31, wanted to buy one for his brother, a student who couldn't afford it himself, but he too did not have the cash. Luckily (for now) he was able to pay US$500 up front and take out a loan on the rest of the $1,700 price tag.
The rest he plans to pay by the month, and he has been given a certain time period to complete these payments. If all goes well, he will pay $67 per month to the shop owners for about two years.
"I am happy that I could buy it, even though I didn't have enough money," he said.
In order to fulfil a client's demand and ease the means of buying vehicles for people with steady, middle income, jobs, motorcycle and car shop dealers are cooperating with banks to provide credit lines directly to customers, who often have limited savings or relatively low-income employment.
The motorcycle shop Yamaha Town, which is in front of Batouk high school, worked with Cambodia Mekong bank to set up a system in which their customers, who are oftentimes teenagers, can drive away with a new Yamaha today and pay for most of it later.
A Yamaha Town customer service representative said: "there are a lot of customers interested in this system since it is easy for them to buy a motorcycle, even though they have a tiny amount of money."
As a policy, Yamaha Town said their customers must pay at least 30 percent of the total retail price as a down payment and the remainder must be paid within two years. Customers are also required to have a minimum salary of $200 per month and the proper paperwork to prove it. The customers are charged 1.5 percent interest per month, or 18 percent per year, which is easily preferable to the 29 to 34 percent annual interest rate currently being advertised by ACLEDA for a comparable loan.
For any customer with a tight budget, the plan presented by Yamaha Town, and other retailers of motos and cars in the Kingdom, is ideal. It might take a bit of discretion, the optimistic customer thinks, but self-control is easy enough. Most people who borrow money, in Cambodia and around the world, are able to repay their debt. But what if they can't? For ACLEDA, this situation raises a difficult series of decisions. Friendly letter, if unreturned, may turn to less friendly phone calls and eventually, if the borrower fails to make payments on time, they risk losing their moto, car, house or even their land, which is still the preferred collateral by any lending institution in Cambodia.
So what about Yamaha town, do they have credit officers to make sure that indebted customers are staying on track? When asked about the stores policy on such matters, Yamaha Town's representative said that Mekong bank was responsible for any complications that occur after the sale.
In a practice that is common among lenders, the smaller firm, in this case Yamaha Town, passes on outstanding loans to a larger financial services firm, Cambodia Mekong Bank, which is better equipped to incur temporary losses and recover their money if borrowers fail to pay back their loan.
For Yamaha Town, the fact that the bank is essentially buying their inventory, rather than the customers, is irrelevant. And for Cambodia Mekong Bank, the worst case scenario is one in which they are forced to cease the assets of the borrower, who they have never met and, given the small size of their loan, promise to contribute little to the banks multibillion dollar portfolio.
Similar credit structures have also been taken up by a number of car dealers. Sean Sophorn, who is in charge of information service at World Trade Transport which is applying the loan system, said customers who want to buy cars with a loan will be charged interest of 1.5 percent per month. Customers have to be earning a stable salary of at least $300 per month.
"A lot of customers get a loan at my company since they can pay the deposit with the money they have," she said.
A government official who bought a car with a loan last month and wanted not to be named said he is happy with the system since he can use the car to drive to his workplace.
"I can take some of my salary to pay monthly, [but] the interest rate on the loan seems to be a bit high," he said.
Banks play an important role in the process. ACLEDA bank, which has been applying the system since early 2010, has loans for cars to satisfy its customer's needs.
"The clients can buy a quality car and can use it while they do not have enough money. We have networks with some car dealers," said ACLEDA Executive Vice President So Phonnary. He added that clients can borrow a maximum of $10,000 and the interest is from 1 to 2 percent per month.


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I have this formula, and many other which contains sum, I am perfectly able to do the computation over a list, however to do this I need to do it in several manual steps. Therefore, I wonder if there would be any elegant way of adding sequence to it or hold the expression or something similar making it run without needing to do step wise computation manually.
$$\frac{(x-\bar{x})}{\sum (x-\bar{x})^2}$$
Please note by manually I mean example calculating the mean first and then subtract it from the list and then sum it and so on.


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Internet Services for Business.
By only working with the top tier service providers, Threshold Communications ensures that your business requirements will be exceeded. These services stand up to the test of time. When your business requires more than fast reliable services, Threshold is ready to provide these additional services.Intelligent Call Routing | Hosted Business Phone Systems


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There are two parts of this 3d sex game. In the first part you have to help busty girl Christie with her dirty job. When you clean all spots you will be able to move the the part 2. It's the animated sex part!
Read game's instruction before start playing. To clean the dirty spot just move your mouse over it until the bar at the bottom of the screen fills up! Control the sex speed by clicking plus and minus buttons. The green ball must be over the red zone at the end of the scene
i like its games ………. nice
ohh yes
I not play game


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Democrats Spoiling To Fight GOP Blast Obama, Prep To Go Own Way
Top Democratic activists and lawmakers who allege that President Obama blew it by being too passive during the midterm campaign, are responding in at least two ways.
They continue to criticize the president heavily. And they're not waiting around for the White House to ramp up anti-Republican aggression.
Instead, Democrats are making plans to fight Republican fire with Democratic flames by creating their own outside groups to mirror those the GOP used to great effect during the recent campaign season.
Obama has opposed such outside groups in politics whose money comes from anonymous donors, perhaps some of whom are overseas, he has warned.
By their actions, these Democrats are clearly splitting with him, at least on this important point.
As Tom Hamburger and Matea Gold of the Tribune Washington Bureau reported:
This week, more than 100 wealthy Democrats gathered in a posh Washington hotel for a closed meeting in which participants repeatedly called for Obama be more aggressive in his agenda and tactical combat with the Republican right.
"I am used to fighting losing battles, but I don't like losing without a fight," said financier George Soros, a longtime donor to causes on the left, in a comment confirmed by his staff as part of a call to arms in private conversations at the postelection meeting of the Democracy Alliance, an organization of wealthy Democrats that provides funding to liberal groups.
In another sign of Democratic unrest, a dozen prominent Democrats — including longtime Bill Clinton advisor Harold Ickes, labor leader Andy Stern and representatives of influential interest groups — will meet Monday to discuss whether to form a new operation to combat the array of outside groups launched this year by Karl Rove and other Republican strategists, according to multiple participants.
Those Democrats clearly aren't in the mood for the kind of renewed efforts at bipartisanship Obama said he took as the message from midterm election voters, especially political independents.
And neither are Senate Democrats, apparently. Glenn Thrush and Manu Raju of Politico report that the Democrats in that chamber are also spoiling for fight.
It appears they've just about had it with the president who's been called No Drama Obama.
They want much more drama from him, or more accurately, passion in defense of and communication of their issues and against the Republican agenda they oppose.
Politico reports that Senate Democrats met in a closed-door session presided over by Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada in which the emotional temperature in the room got quite hot.
"It was a raucous caucus," said one Democratic senator, who spoke on condition of anonymity because closed-door sessions are not supposed to be discussed with outsiders...
... In interviews after the marathon three hour meeting, several senators and senior aides told POLITICO that (Florida's Sen. Bill) Nelson was just one of several senators to express anger at White House missteps – and air deep concerns about their own political fates if Obama and the Democratic Party leadership can't turn things around by 2012.