text:
Vehicle Reviews:
2018 Nissan Altima Review
If you're looking for a perfect mix of performance and comfort, the 2018 Nissan Altima might be the answer for you. With its numerous exciting features, the Altima has plenty to offer a variety of drivers. Learn more about the new 2018 Nissan Altima in our comprehensive review from Montgomeryville Nissan.
One of the best ways to get around the streets of Philadelphia, Doylestown and Lansdale is in a brand new sedan. These incredible vehicles have all the style and performance you need with surprisingly roomy interiors as well. However, the sedan market is the most competitive car market in the country, so finding the best one for your needs can be tricky.
The Altima starts out strong with its base model featuring an impressive 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. From the base trim level, you can enjoy 179 horsepower. All that power doesn't stop the Altima from getting an impressive fuel economy either. With an EPA-estimated 38 mpg highway and 27 mpg city, the Altima is one of the most efficient sedans on the market.
For some, that power may not be enough. Fortunately, the Altima comes complete with a powerful V6 version that offers an incredible 270 horsepower. That puts it on par with some luxury sedans and performance vehicles. Even with that extra boost in power, you can still enjoy an EPA-estimated 32 mpg highway and 22 mpg city.
You'll find plenty of room inside this sedan with a whole 39.1 inches of headroom and an incredible 45 inches of legroom. Some full size SUVs don't offer that much legroom. Your rear passengers can also enjoy plenty of space with 37.1 inches of headroom and 36.1 inches of legroom. If you're more interested in carrying cargo, the Altima features a generous 15.4 cubic foot trunk.
Numerous luxuries create a warm and inviting atmosphere inside. You and your passengers can enjoy dual zone automatic temperature control, so you don't have to fight over the temperature anymore. Even the center stack itself was designed for convenience, allowing you to access all the controls with ease.
Nissan has always shined in terms of technology. The NissanConnect infotainment system is one of the most advanced on the market. With Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, you can stay connected to the outside world with access to many of your favorite apps on your smartphone.
If that's not enough, you can enjoy the available Bose Premium Audio System featuring nine high-quality speakers placed strategically throughout the Altima for studio-quality sound that takes advantage of your Altima's unique acoustics.
Test Drive the 2018 Nissan Altima
If you want to grasp fully everything the 2018 Nissan Altima can do, you need to experience it for yourself. A plethora of exciting features are available for you to discover, and you can do it right at your local Montgomeryville Nissan. Don't settle for anything less than the best when you're buying a car to drive around Philadelphia, Lansdale and Doylestown for years to come.
Our helpful team is ready to offer all the knowledge you need to determine if the Altima is right for you. Visit us or call 888-691-7270 to schedule your test drive today!
No featured cars found.


text:
In 1766 King Stanislaus Augustus purchased the Royal Baths Park as a royal summer residence. In Chopin's day, in 1817, the complex became the property of Tsar Alexander I. Up to the 1820s, the park, adjoining the Belvedere palace and grounds, was closed to the inhabitants of Warsaw. Favoured because of his talent, the young Fryderyk was able to play here with Pawełek [1] and Moriolka [2].
The Royal Baths Park is a palace-garden complex situated in the Ujazdów district of Warsaw, occupying an area of almost eighty hectares. The park's name derives from the baroque bathing pavilion known as the Łazienki. This was the first building on this site, erected in the second half of the seventeenth century. Situated on an island surrounded by canals, the richly decorated pavilion was built by Tylman van Gameren for the Grand Crown Marshal Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski, the owner of Ujazdów.
In the second half of the eighteenth century the estate became the property of King Stanislaus Augustus. The entire complex of buildings dates from this period, including the Old Orangery [Stara Pomarańczarnia], the White House [Biały Domek], the amphitheatre on the island and the Myślewicki Palace [Pałac Myślewicki]. In 1772 work began on converting the bathing pavilion into the king's summer residence. This involved wholesale changes to the building's exterior, which ultimately gained a classicist character. In the interiors, however, part of the former baroque decor was retained. Henceforth the building was known as the Palace on the Water or the Palace on the Island [Pałac na Wodzie/Wyspie]. All the buildings on the grounds of the Royal Baths Park were surrounded by broad avenues for walking, with the whole park complemented by stylishly designed gardens.
In the nineteenth century several new classicist-style buildings were erected in the Royal Baths Park. Further changes were also made to the park's spatial organisation.
During World War Two only a miracle prevented the buildings from being blown up. In spite of war-time destruction, it was possible to completely restore the historical buildings of the Royal Baths Park and create a museum-garden complex open to the general public.
The Chopin Monument in the Royal Baths Park, the work of Wacław Szymanowski, is among the most beautiful and best known in Poland. Unveiled in 1926, it stands on a pool, near the main gate to the park, on Al. Ujazdowskie. In 1940 it was one of the first monuments to be destroyed by the Nazis. Hence the inscription that adorns the base today: 'Statue of Fryderyk Chopin, destroyed and plundered by the Germans on 31 May 1940, rebuilt by the Nation. 17 October 1946'.
After the war, in 1958 the monument was faithfully reconstructed and replaced on its original spot. The surrounding area was designed by Oskar Sosnowski. Also engraved on the base are these words by Adam Mickiewicz:
Płomień rozgryzie malowane dzieje,
Skarby mieczowi spustoszą złodzieje,
Pieśń ujdzie cało...
[Flames will consume our painted history,
Sword-wielding thieves will plunder our treasures,
The song will be saved...]
Since 1959, Chopin concerts have been held by the monument on Sundays from the beginning of May to the end of September.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Michael Sheen Issues Rallying Call in Challenge to Irresponsible Lenders
Wednesday, May 16th, 2018
on behalf of Project Work and Other Clients
CAMPAIGNER and Hollywood star Michael Sheen today (15 May 2018) called for communities and policy makers to step up the battle against high interest lenders.
Speaking at the official branch opening of Castle Community Bank in Leith, the actor known for his roles as Tony Blair in The Queen and David Frost in Frost/Nixon spoke to a select audience of community and business leaders, politicians and many involved in the running of credit unions.
The star cleared time in his packed schedule to make the appearance in Leith to help promote the work of Castle Community Bank, officially opening its new presence in Great Junction Street alongside Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities.
Welsh-born Sheen was in Scotland just weeks ago to launch the End High-Cost Credit Alliance, which he founded as part of his crusade against high-cost lenders – particularly the so-called "pay day loans" companies.
That followed a pledge by the Twilight and Passengers star to devote even more time to the causes he supports, revealing how he is now carefully choosing his acting roles to give him the time and resources for his campaigning work.
Speaking at today's launch, Michael Sheen, said: "We all have a role to play in promoting fair and responsible credit.
"We know the high cost lenders have huge budgets, extensive technology at their fingertips and the public awareness.
"Despite their high costs and often irresponsible lending behaviour they are still delivering to millions of people across the UK.
"The battle to make credit unions as effective as possible in taking on the high cost lenders can be a challenging one but Castle Community Bank shows us many of the characteristics I think are needed to take an innovative, bold approach to those challenges.
"Communities all across the UK deserve a fairer, more responsible deal. The sort of deal that credit unions can offer. To help those communities thrive, not just survive."
Castle Community Bank is a not-for-profit credit union and its directors are all volunteers. It was founded by its Chair, Reverend Iain May, a former banker with RBS and Allied Irish Banks who became a Church of Scotland Minister.
He said: "We're incredibly grateful that both Michael and Angela freed up time to open our branch – and it really means a lot to have their support alongside our backers and clients in the city.
"Since Castle Community Bank was created in 2015 we are proud that we've helped more than 1500 people get access to fair and affordable credit.
"Sometimes people mistakenly believe that credit unions are only there for emergencies or for people who are on benefits – but nothing could be further from the truth.
"In fact, every day we provide loans to ordinary people and families across Edinburgh and Lothians enabling them to do the things they want in life – create or improve their family homes, buy a car or to help prepare for and manage life events, like having a baby or planning their wedding.
"We are constantly working to raise our profile and get that message out to more and more people, who may otherwise find themselves falling into a cycle of problem debt by taking out hire purchase agreements or pay day loans at punitive rates of interest which they can't really afford.
"It's our very real hope that having Michael cutting the ribbon on our new branch will get our name in front of an awful lot more people who may be interested in finding out more about us and maybe using our services."
Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities, said: "It is a pleasure to be able to open the bank alongside Michael.
"Everyone should have access to the financial products they need to help them get on in life, without feeling that they have no choice but to turn to organisations such as payday lenders, which often charge extortionate interest rates, leaving people trapped in a cycle of debt.
"Community lenders such as the Castle Community Bank are vital to helping more people access the support they need.
"The Scottish Government wants to tackle the poverty premium so many on low incomes families face which is why we recently announced £1 million for the Carnegie Affordable Credit Loan Fund to help low income families have greater access to affordable credit."
Are you looking to get in touch with our PR agency in Edinburgh?
We'd love to help tell your story to the world in a way that boosts business and the morale of your team. If you're interested in learning more, get in touch on 0131 561 2244 or by using the contact form below:
Chris Fairbairn
Chris Fairbairn is an Account Director with award-winning public relations agency Holyrood PR. He is part of an expert PR team delivering PR services to a wide range of clients from headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland.View Chris's Profile
Related Posts
Rare opportunity for househunters to fast track to a brand new home after lockdown
Thursday, July 2nd, 2020
Comments Off on Rare opportunity for househunters to fast track to a brand new home after lockdown
Surgeons hotel invests £1 million to fight fire with fog
Thursday, July 2nd, 2020
Comments Off on Surgeons hotel invests £1 million to fight fire with fog
Bield Completes Top Team with Two New Senior Management Appointments
Wednesday, July 1st, 2020
Comments Off on Bield Completes Top Team with Two New Senior Management Appointments
So how can we help?
Benefit from business videoAction!
Find out how affordable video can bring a host of benefits to your business.
Make an impact with PR photographyFind out more
Every story can be told better with pictures. Discover our affordable, high-impact photo packages.
Meet the teamOur people
Meet the people who make Holyrood PR what it is, and get an insight into what makes them tick
If you have any comments or questions, please contact us.


text:
BVC Group is a kitchen renovations Cape Town company, which specialises in the renovations of kitchens, bathrooms and more, to meet all your required needs.
In the kitchen renovations Cape Town industry, there is a lack of creativity, quality and real thought behind designing a kitchen but BVC Group strives to provide clients with the best possible designs keeping up with the latest trend as well as paying attention to detail.
All our renovations do not just look amazing but we ensure that the kitchen is practical and user-friendly and we take into consideration exactly what the client is looking for, needs and wants when it comes to renovating their kitchen.


text:
Jorge Yglesias is a poet, writer, literary translator, film critic, and a much loved friend. He's the head of the Chair of Humanities and professor of Film History and Aesthetics of Documentary in the International School of Cinema and TV (EICTV) of San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba. He was awarded the National Prize for Film... Continue Reading →
Miguel Angel Moulet
In conversation with Miguel Angel Moulet, in Spanish. Everyone will want to know more about this young Peruvian director once his debut feature, Todos somos marineros/ We´re All Sailors gets more and better seen. It´s currently doing the festival rounds and has already picked up an enviable array of prizes, including the FICPRESI, the International Federation of... Continue Reading →
Ken Monteith, Executive director of Cocq-Sida (Coalition des Organismes Communautaires Québécois de Lutte contre le SIDA)
A conversation with Ken Monteith, Executive director of Cocq-Sida (Coalition des Organismes Communautaires Québécois de Lutte contre le SIDA), on HIV-AIDS Activism, the Denver Principles, the Swiss Statement, how activism changed the ways science is done, the different eras of HIV treatment, and on how AIDS can be eradicated if the Global Fund is properly... Continue Reading →
Samuel Larson Guerra
An interview with Samuel Larson Guerra, distinguished sound designer (a term he hates), author of one of the few books in Spanish on sound in the cinema, ´Pensar el sonido (Thinking Sound)´, award winning sound designer (Ariel award for Fibra Optica in 1998), editor (Diosa de Plata award for best editing for Dos Abrazos, 2007), composer (Ariel for... Continue Reading →


text:
A website has appeared poking fun at Nintendo with the fictional "1DS," a single screen version of the 3DS.
There are some arguably good reasons for the Nintendo 2DS to exist. That being the case, we're going to go ahead and say that "2DS" is still a pretty silly name for a gaming system. We get what Nintendo was going for, but it kind of strikes as the sort of thing that will make gamers roll their eyes and confuse unknowledgeable parents when they venture into the gaming aisle at Wal-Mart to buy little Timmy the Nintendo thingy he's been begging for.
Perhaps feeling the same way we do on the subject, one enterprising soul has created a fairly brilliant website spoofing Nintendo and the 2DS. The website, which mimics Nintendo's own official sites and even links to official company pages, is a mock advertisement for the "1DS," a fictional single screen version of the 3DS that would have only one screen and offer "3 new ways to play."
These options would include one screen play, TV play and smartphone play. In the single screen mode, players would "easily" switch between the top and bottom screen content, presumably with a button push. The TV and smartphone play on the other hand would connect the imaginary handheld to a compatible mobile device which would then serve as a second screen. The Nintendo 1DS would play "all packaged and downloadable games designed for Nintendo 3DS in 2D" and retail for $99.
Again, we have to give some serious kudos to whoever did this. A clear amount of considerable work went into making this looking as authentic as possible. We wouldn't be surprised, in fact, if this actually managed to trick a few people. That being said, we can't help but wonder what you think of the 1DS. Would you consider buying this if it were real, or is it just for laughs?
Source: Nintendo Life


text:
8 Ways for Expats to Avoid and Prepare the Flu Season
Learn how expats can prepare for the flu season
Millions of cases of influenza (or flu) are recorded every year in the United States alone according to the CDC Flue page. What makes the flu virus so scary is that it can even infect those who have already received vaccination for it. The virus can lead to pneumonia, or some other bacterial infection, which can even turn fatal. Influenza is an acute infection of the upper airway caused by an influenza A or B virus. Some of the common symptoms are fever, cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, headaches, fatigue and more. Check with your doctor if you have the flu.


text:
Every Tuesday, TMINE flags up what new TV events BAFTA is holding around the UK
After a bit of a breather, TMINE's regular round-up of BAFTA TV things is back again with a couple of events, one at the end of June, another in July.
I'm not sure why they're doing a 'premiere' of series 2 of Keeping Faith, given S4C has just finished airing the Welsh language version Un Bore Mercher, but it's there if you want it.
TV Preview: Dark Mon£y
Tuesday, 25 June
Princess Anne Theatre, 195 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9LN
A preview of the first episode of new BBC One drama followed by a Q+A with writer Levi David Addai, actors Jill Halfpenny and Babou Ceesay, and director Lewis Arnold.
Written by BAFTA-nominated writer Levi David Addai (Damilola, Our Loved Boy); starring BAFTA-nominated Babou Ceesay (Damilola, Our Loved Boy) and Jill Halfpenny (Three Girls); and directed by Lewis Arnold (Broadchurch), Dark Mon£y tells the fictional story of The Mensahs, an ordinary working-class family from North London whose youngest son has recently finished filming a major Hollywood movie role.
But Manny (Ceesay) and Sam's (Halfpenny) world is shattered when Isaac reveals he was abused whilst out in America by a renowned filmmaker. Although guilt-ridden, the family decide to accept a substantial pay-off to keep silent, believing the money will help start a new life, enable them to heal and avoid the publicity hell of pressing charges against a celebrity. They are wrong. Damage runs deep, and the price of taking the money may be too high.
Also joining the cast are Rebecca Front (War and Peace), Susan Wokoma (Chewing Gum), Olive Gray (Home from Home), Ellen Thomas (Teachers), Arnold Oceng (The Good Lie), Joseph May (Resident Evil), Rudi Dharmalingam (Our Girl) and Gary Beadle (EastEnders).
Produced by The Forge Entertainment, Dark Mon£y is a 4×60' drama series. Executive Producers are George Faber and Mark Pybus for The Forge, Lucy Richer for BBC One and Levi David Addai. Producer is Erika Hossington.
Premiere event: Keeping Faith – Series 2
Monday, 8 July
National Museum Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff
BBC Wales and BAFTA Cymru have great pleasure in inviting you to the première of the first episode of the second series of Keeping Faith.
Be the first to see Faith fighting to keep her family together, her business afloat and her friend out of jail…
Stars of the show Eve Myles (Faith Howells) and Bradley Freegard (Evan Howells) will be attending the screening, along with the writers and producers.
Public tickets will be distributed by random draw. To enter the ballot, please click here before 11.55 on Wednesday 19 June.


text:
This past week I had the pleasure of attending 360|iDev in Denver. I'd been hearing really great things about all of the conferences put on by 360|Conferences for the last few years. Happily, this conference completely lived up to that reputation.
Most of the sessions I attended were very well done and quite informative. In particular, I found Ben Johnson's talk on enhancing an application's user experience through animations, Gratuitous Animations, particularly valuable. It's best aspect being that it provides a great vocabulary to articulate the value of one of the least-quantifiable but most appealing aspects of iOS.
Jonathan Rhyne's presentation on legal topics relevant to software developers was one every developer hoping to work as an individual free lancer or planning to start a company should have attended. Navigating the legal aspects of the industry can be one of the more intimidating facets of striking out on your own. Jonathan's presentation offered a very approachable take on many of the basic legal issues a developer is likely to encounter during a career.
In terms of technical topics, Joe Keeley's Thread Safely! Techniques for Safe Concurrent Programming and Kendall Gelner's The Ten Terrible Tribulations of Core Data were both full of insights that I can apply immediately to the work we're doing here at Digital Generalists.
But the highlight of all of the sessions I attended was easily Carl Brown's Take the Red Pill and Leave the Matrix: Writing Apps for the Physical World. In spite of the slightly over-the-top Matrix analogy, the content of the talk was nothing short of brilliant. Carl argued that social services like Facebook and Twitter, although serving a legitimate and valuable purpose, are largely distractions that have disproportionately skewed people's expectations of what software can and should do.
The notion that social applications, whose revenue typically comes from ads or the reselling of data collected on the user base, artificially deflate the perceived value of software products in general was a particularly great insight. In my opinion, we don't give enough thought to the long-term impact "free" software models have on the industry, so I was particularly happy to see the topic discussed.
The best part of Carl's talk though was his articulation of where he believes the industry can go next. Mobile has been the hot topic in the software world for more-or-less the last five years. Typically, it's around that period of time that the next "Next Big Thing" begins to gain shape. Consequently, I've been looking to the horizon, trying to catch a glimpse of the next logical step for what we do. Carl's description of the gradual emergence of what's been referred to as the "Internet of Things" (many small, simple, connected devices that can all communicate with each other) is the most compelling argument for what's coming that I've heard so far.
I find Carl's vision so convincing because he argues that the mobile device as we currently know it won't simply be replaced by the next wave of new devices, but that our current smart phones and tablets will be the centerpieces of an ecosystem of these new specialty devices. To me, such a path seems not just plausible, but likely. As much as software pundits like to talk of sea changes and seismic shifts in technology, the new ways of doing things that actually grain traction typically heavily leverage the tools, techniques, and technology that came immediately before.
Even though the sessions were first rate, the real value of the conference was interacting with the attendees themselves. The conference drew people from literally all over the globe. I met developers from Great Britain, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands, in addition to the many developers from all across the U.S. There are few things more valuable at a conference than gathering the opinions and insights of a broad group of your peers. I have yet to find a better way of determining the pulse of what people in the industry are excited about, what techniques they are using, and how they are talking about those things than attending a development conference such as 360|iDev.
Many thanks to John and Nicole Wilker for their work in making 360|iDev happen. It's literally one of the best iOS development conferences around, and I'm counting down the days to next year.


text:
Pastel Howlite Necklace
$ 8.99 $ 18.00
A simply beaded statement necklace with pastel howlite stones. A statement necklace neutral enough to wear every day, with a comfortable and easy toggle style clasp.
Approx. 21" necklace with 13" of beading along the chain, beads are .25".
Designed and handmade in Jena Boom HQ.
Jena Boom is proud to offer FREE shipping! Your items will be shipped within one to three business days of purchase.
Exchange Policy:
We hope you love your purchase, but we understand that shopping online can be tricky sometimes. If you're unhappy with the fit or quality we will gladly accept an exchange for STORE CREDIT ONLY within 14 days of package delivery. Please read our policy for eligibility:
*Items must be unworn, unwashed, and undamaged
*Items must have tags still attached and in original form, no alterations
*Items must be smoke-free and clean
*The return shipping fee is the responsibility of the customer
*Damaged items may be returned for store credit only if we are notified within three days of receiving the package, and must be unworn with tags still attached
*All jewelry and sale items are final sale and cannot be exchanged for store credit
Please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com for information on where to return your items before shipping them. After we receive and approve your items for exchange you will be issued a store credit to use for a future purchase.
Thank you so much for your purchase!


text:
Industrial Design
What is an industrial design?
An industrial design is the ornamental or aesthetic aspect of an article. The design may consist of three-dimensional features such as the shape and configuration of an article, or two-dimensional features, such as pattern and ornamentation. The design features must be applied to an article by any industrial process or means of which the features in the finished article appeal to eye.
When should one file for registration?
As claims are based on a "first-to-file" rule basis, filing of an industrial design should be made at the earliest possible time or before an article is disclosed to the public. Prior disclosure will destroy the novelty of the design. So extreme care should be exercised to ensure secrecy of the design.
What is a registrable industrial design?
To be registrable, an industrial design must be new at the date an application for its registration is filed. A design is considered be new only if it has not been made available or disclosed to the public in any way whatsoever in Malaysia or elsewhere before the filing date of the application and it is not on the record the Register of Designs.
What sort of designs is excluded from registration?
The designs of certain types of article are specifically excluded from design registration. An industrial design is not registrable if:
- The aesthetic appearance of an articles is not significant or the design features differs only in immaterial details;
- it is a method or principle of construction;
- the designs are contrary to public order or morality;
- the designs of the articles concern exclusively with how an article functions; and
- the designs of articles that are integral parts of other articles and whose features are dependent upon the appearance of other article.
Source: Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MYIPO)


text:
Youtuber's 'humdrum' happiness
Cole LaBrant is a social media sensation on his YouTube, Instagram and Twitter accounts where he frequently uploads funny family-friendly videos and shares beautiful pictures of him, his wife, fashion blogger Savannah, and his stepdaughter, Everleigh Rose.
Taken "as is," flaws and all
Have you ever purchased a product labeled "as is?" We trust the lowered price of the item we've bought will be worth whatever hidden flaws might emerge later on.
The challenge of forgiveness
I have always needed forgiveness and I live in a world surrounded by people who need me to be forgiving. The difficulty is that accepting forgiveness or offering forgiveness can be a real challenge.
How to be an optimist
There are many definitions of optimists and pessimists. I heard that an optimist is a man who, having fallen off a twenty storey building, was heard to say as he passed the window of the second level, "I'm OK so far." A pessimist is a man who wears a belt and braces too.
Jesus in jeans Pt 2: The fancy banquet
A modern rendering of the parable in Matthew 22:1-14
Memory loss shows what matters most
Professor Arlene Chan, an oncologist who specialises in breast cancer treatment, was involved in a motorcar accident while she was at university, which left her with broken bones and a severe head injury.
Gangster finds amazing grace
Japanese mobster thought he needed God like a hole in the head – until he got one!
Learning to let go of his anger
Duane Golliday was a lost soul. He had never been a follower of the crowd, but had never used his leadership ability in the right manner either. He just didn't have the drive he needed in order to succeed in life.
Born twice, die just once
Growing up in communist Cuba in the 70s and 80s, Victor Manuel's grandparents bravely taught him about the God of the Bible, despite there being a strong threat of persecution and a general rejection of religion in society.
Finding truth amid hypocrisy
Jen Ledger of Skillet performs at MAPFRE Stadium on May 20, 2017 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Squires/Getty Images) Rock band drummer Jen Ledger saw the hypocrisy around her in the church and youth group she attended as a young teen and decided Christianity was "a load of rubbish".
Forsake the vanity of the crowd
These days most people are on digital platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube trying to build the number of their followers. Gaining and maintaining your social media crowd often depends on feeding your followers what they want to hear.
A letter from God to those feeling unloved
Dear Child, I heard when you said todayThat your life has no purpose or worth,And I cried because it's had meaningSince before the foundations of earth.
Acclaimed scientist's most amazing find
Dr James Tour is a brilliant scientist who was voted one of the 50 most influential minds in the world, has written over 650 research publications, is the holder of over 120 patents, the starter of more than half a dozen companies and is in the US National Academy of inventors. He works in areas that range from computer science to electronics and material science to medicine.
Celtic star survived rock 'n roll lifestyle
Many know Moya Brennan as 'the voice of Clannad' – the family folk band that shot to fame in the seventies, graduating to chart success in the early eighties. She is also the sister of famous Celtic soloist Enya.
Gratitude is good for you
It's so easy to get caught up in running errands and checking items off your to-do list, but what's the point of getting all that stuff done if you never stop to be grateful for it?
Maths Youtube sensation explains why the universe is beautiful
An award-winning high school mathematics teacher says the elegance of maths points to the intelligent design of the universe.
Maybe baby, I'm a 'theybie'
Zyler and Kadyn Sharpe are three-year-old fraternal twins living in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Which is a boy, and which is a girl? According to their parents, that's a question only the children can decide.
Biggest dinosaur ever found?
On the basis of a significant number of fossilized bones found in Patagonia, Argentina, scientists believe a plant-eating dinosaur they have named Dreadnoughtus schrani to be the world's biggest—and that it was still growing when its life ended.
Fathers modelling forgiveness
"We must love them Corrie. We must show them that love is stronger than hate..."
Lessons from a golfer - Pt 1
I am sure you have all heard the stories about intrepid golfers.
'Born again' sounds weird – what does it mean?
It does sound strange, doesn't it? And unfortunately it's often associated with a certain 'brand' of Christian – those who come at you full-on.
Put here by design
American shot putter Michelle Carter knows what she was designed to do and Who designed her for it.


text:
THE FINE PRINT: Core Restaurant in Leslieville welcomes Keyholders from all 3 cities. The VIP loyalty benefit is a complimentary special welcome; A complimentary welcome Chef's selection appetizer starter for the Keyholder whenever dining in, all year long. This VIP loyalty benefit is exclusively gifted from Management to Keyholders with all dine-in visits. Perk has no cash value. Perk may not be combined with any other offer. Perk is for Keyholder only. Core Restaurant reserves the right to change or substitute VIP perk with or without notice. Chef H awaits you at Core Restaurant in Leslieville.
Core Restaurant | 896 Queen Street E., Toronto | Ph. 416.519.8101


text:
Lumber Liquidators TV Commercials
Learn More
Track Lumber Liquidators Ads!
Track Lumber Liquidators Ads!
Sign up to track 453 nationally aired TV ad campaigns for Lumber Liquidators. In the past 30 days, Lumber Liquidators has had 3,380 airings and earned an airing rank of #313 with a spend ranking of #409 as compared to all other advertisers. Competition for Lumber Liquidators includes Lowe's, The Home Depot, Floor & Decor, Shaw Flooring, Menards and the other brands in the Retail Stores: Home Improvement industry. You can connect with Lumber Liquidators on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest or by phone at 1-800-HARDWOOD.


text:
A purebred Toyger cat needs a home
This purebred Toyger cat is almost four years old and is spayed, tested and vaccinated. Babu was born and raised in California and is currently living in Connecticut. However, she is having some issues in her present home. She would need to be placed in a "cat-savvy" family without young children. If interested in learning more about her, contact Compassion for Cats at 203-929-7909.


text:
«« back to flooring stores in Aurora Colorado
Aurora CO is the 3rd largest city in Colorado and home to many bamboo flooring stores. Click on a logo below to learn more about an individual bamboo flooring store. The following bamboo flooring stores also service 194 cities near Aurora CO Colorado and are listed underneath the bamboo flooring store listings.
Become a Site Contributor
Want to be in our directory? Contact our Sales Department.


text:
Inspire awe and fear in the enemy with our Helm of Awe (Aegishjalmur) Long Sleeved Light Military Shirt.
The term Ægishjálmur (Helm of Terror or Awe) is found in the Eddic Poem, Fáfnismál. Our design is based upon the Icelandic magical sigil, Ægishjálmur, featured in 17th century grimoires. According to Icelandic folktales, the magical adornment of the Helm of Awe ensures victory in battle.
With its lightweight fabric and army style epaulette shoulder tabs, our Helm of Awe (Aegishjalmur) Long Sleeved Light Military Shirt is a comfortable and authoritative Heathen shirt that can be proudly worn by Heathens, Germanic Neopagans, Neofolk and Martial Industrial fans all year round.
Our Heathen clothing is designed and custom printed in-house by Ashley S. Palmer, utilising expertise gained from over a decade as a professional designer and creator of bespoke merchandise.
FREE Shipping Worldwide!
Classic masculine fit.
Comfortable lightweight 35/65 cotton polyester.
Military style epaulette shoulder tabs. Double chest pockets. Stiffened collar and wrinkle free finish.
Print Size:
66mm / 2.6 inches (largest dimension)
Delivery Timescale:
Custom orders are created in 5-10 business days and sent via Priority Business Mail with a delivery aim of:
UK - 1-3, Europe - 3-5 and Rest of the World - 5-10 business days from dispatch.
FREE Shipping Worldwide!


text:
State of Mortgage Industry, Discount Rate Projections
State of Mortgage Industry
Let's start off with two basic premises. First, there has always been a range of borrowers (credit & risk-wise) that need home loans at rates that match the risk. Second, there have always been investors out there with varying degrees of appetite for risk, and demand more return for higher risk. For prime borrowers, the end of the Fed's MBS program is in sight: 5 weeks, $55 billion, that's $11 billion a week. After which, of course, mortgage rates zoom out of reach, everyone still left in the business will have nothing to do, all refi's and purchases will end, and I will fill the commentary every day with the worst puns and one-liners imaginable. Seriously, what is going to happen?
Based on anecdotal evidence, it appears that many mortgage companies had great Decembers, then January volumes of about half of December's, and expect February to be somewhere between January and December's volume levels. And although 2009 profits tended to make up for 2008 losses, profit margins also appear to be coming down as the realization sinks in that companies will want the production to support staffs.
Credit Suisse on Mortgage Industry
Credit Suisse came out with a very interesting public report that stated, "Private label Residential Mortgage Backed Securities (RMBS) have seen a fairly consistent rally since March, 2009. We believe the worst is behind us and there is room for further price appreciation, particularly for lower quality, higher yielding assets." The study points out that for lower quality assets, such as subprime RMBS bonds, have rallied from yields in the mid 20's% to yields in the low 10's%. Subprime pools from 3-4 years ago have roughly 50% of the borrowers seriously delinquent, compared to typical pre-crisis delinquency rate of 4% to 5%. But it also means that half the "subprime" borrowers are making their payments! Credit Suisse believes that this optimistic news is not yet fully priced into the market, and is looking for further gains. In addition, the company believes that "the government will continue its heavy involvement with loan modification programs designed, in part, to stabilize house prices", also beneficial to mortgage security prices and rates.
Merrill/BofA on Mortgage Industry
Merrill Lynch/Bank of America also released research which focused on "the glass half full": which borrowers are safer, and more likely to make payments, than others. Their analysts used data from Equifax3, incorporating newly available information on borrower second liens and the history of distress on their other debts besides the first mortgage. It turns out that roughly half of prime and Alt-A borrowers have 2nds on their homes (most HELOC's), whereas only about 25% of subprime borrowers have 2nds (mostly closed-end 2nds). As you would expect, 45% of prime borrowers have a combined LTV below 100%, while only 19% of option ARM borrowers do, and the propensity of a borrower to default on his mortgage rises accordingly. When other types of debt enter the equation, the propensity to have been delinquent on one's other debt rises as we move to poorer credit sectors. "For poorer credit borrowers, going delinquent on other debts may be a way of life, but for prime borrowers, it is more indicative of distress." "We find 65%, 30%, 17%, and 11% of the outstanding balance of prime, alt-A, option ARM, and subprime borrowers, respectively, will not default over 5 years." Bank of America/Merrill Lynch Global research did a fine job on it, and anyone wanting to see it should contact your BofA rep rather than me.
Getting Involved in Mortgage Regulation
If anything, in the last few years folks still in the mortgage biz have learned that, at least for now, government regulation is playing an increasingly important role. And although they can't influence rates or investor programs directly, they can become involved in the political process. You can join MORPAC, which is the MBAA's political action committee, or attend the MBAA's National Policy Conference held in April in Washington DC. One active originator wrote and suggested membership in the Mortgage Action Alliance (MAA). "It does not cost anything, you do not have to be a member of the MBAA, it is non-partisan and they allow you to edit the letters they generate if you want to change something in the content." You can sign up for MAA here.
Denver Mortgage Wholesaler Closes
Brokers learned yesterday that 8-year old Assurity Financial, a wholesaler located in Denver, is shutting down. "Due to circumstances beyond our control, including a rapid, precipitous drop in production below levels necessary to sustain the company's operations, combined with the recent inability of the company to obtain the long term financing necessary to fund its loan production… the winding down of Assurity Financial Services, LLC. The majority of Assurity's employees will be let go at the close of business on February 26th, with a small crew remaining behind to assist in an orderly wind down of the company to satisfy the obligations to its various stakeholders."
What Mortgage Traders Are Saying
Mortgage traders reported that Monday was another quiet day, with very light origination. In fact, much of what traders are seeing is a) the usual Fed buying, b) the usual money manager and hedge fund interest, and c) various investor accounts swapping either coupons or type of security (Fannie for Freddie, or conventional for government Ginnie Mae's). With origination down, the natural spread between Treasury securities and MBS's is narrowing, which is helping mortgage rates. And since the Freddie & Fannie delinquent loan buyback announcement came out on February 10th, although the higher coupon products sold off much more than the lower coupons, it appears that the price erosion has stopped.
Discount Rate Projections
And the discount rate hike last week is old news, and the Fed made it clear that the increase should not be viewed as a tightening. In 2007 the spread between the discount rate and fed funds was 100 basis points (6.25% vs. 5.25%) whereas now it just went from 25B basis points to 50. So many are expecting the discount rate to be bumped up another 25-50BP at some point in the not too distant future, while the FF target stays put 0.25%. Most believe that inflation is not a big concern for the US at this point, which is why many think the Fed plans on keeping the Fed Funds rate low for an extended period of time.
Today's Economic News
Today we have the Case Shiller Index and Consumer Confidence numbers, along with a $44 billion auction of 2-yr notes. We find the 10-year yield back into the 3.70's (3.77 as I type this) and mortgage prices better by between .125 and .250.
Daily Humor
A widow from New York wanted to get out of the big city. She decided to go visit a Dude Ranch in Texas. She spent a week there and had a fantastic time.
When she returned to New York she was at lunch with her friends showing them the pictures of all the good lookin' cowboys.
As the girls were all discussing all of the cowboys one of her friends asked if she "had any 'special' fun" on her trip.
She answered, "No."
Another friend chimes in asking, "Why not, since they are so good looking and there are so many of them?"
She replied, "Are you kidding? You can't see them in the pictures but you should have seen the size of the condoms in their back pockets!"


text:
Posted on December 10, 2014
Everyday use of an Apple 2: Web Surfing, Email, Twitter, IRC, Multi-Tasking & More
A while ago I was listening to the Open Apple Podcast and it was announcing the imminent release of the Apple2pi card (a card which goes into your Apple // to house the Raspberry Pi inside your Apple, as well as a few extra things). FYI David Schmenk is now selling these cards.
Mike Magginis and Ken Gagne both mused at the fact that whilst they appreciated the hard work that went into this hardware and software, they couldn't really think of anything that they could use it for in the real world. The guest on the podcast even stated that he believed that this was something for developers.
I wrote this podcast to both supplement my previous post which goes over the more of the detail of setting up the hardware and software of the solution, rather than the detail of using it for day to day practicability. Briefly at the end of the video I showed twitter and email. I want to show those in a little more detail here, showing that you really can go on using an Apple 2 in 2014 for modern every-day usage. Okay, even I'll admit that it is far fetched to believe that you would use it every day for normal use, but certainly I do use it for many things on an at least weekly basis. I really enjoy using an old machine to do things it was never designed to do.
So without further ado, here's the YouTube video:
Posted on January 13, 2014
How to get an Apple 2 on twitter, email, irc, Usenet and the web
Finally! I've put all my toys to work in my Apple //e – the Raspberry Pi (with Ivan X's Raspple II software), as well as my CFFA3000 to get this Internet extravaganza on an Apple 2!
In the below video, you'll see me demonstrate using an Apple II to effectively do my emails, chat with other folks online in IRC, browse internet news forums and use Twitter! You can of course browse the web in text mode using Lynx/Links/eLinks, but that's not demoed in this video.
Seeing is believing: 🙂
What you'll need to replicate this:
- Raspple II (consists of Raspbian + Ivan X's easy to use tools – apple2.ivanx.com
- Linux software add-ons that I used: ttytter (tty/terminal based twitter client, mutt (email – with a configured .muttrc file I created to connect to gmail), screenie (and screen by dependency). I also prefer the use of the slrn usenet email program (not in video) rather than the default tin email program. All of these applications can be downloaded simply by using
sudo apt-get install <programname>
- A Raspberry Pi Model B
- An Apple II with 64K RAM or better.
- An RS232 to USB adapter
- A RS232 null modem cable and appropriate gender/size changers if necessary to fit your Apple 2's serial port.
- A SuperSerial card, printer port or equivalent compatible port. See Ivan X's website for further info on what's compatible.
Questions? Ask me in the comments!
Posted on January 5, 2014
CFFA3000 – My Experience (or, how to get software onto an Apple easily)
First things first, what is the CFFA3000? I have mentioned it in previous blog posts, however, put simply, the CFFA3000 is a card for your Apple 2 (it works on all types including the GS) which allows you to read CF (CompactFlash) and USB sticks. This makes transferring data from your PC or Mac a synch. No more ADT, no more bootstrapping, no more serial port converters, etc.
However, I found that the owners manual (or quick start guide) which comes included on the CD-ROM in the box to be a little short in detail, so here's how I set up the CFFA3000 and understood the 'SmartPort' (which essentially gives you a hard drive on your Apple).
1) Set the DIP switch
Set the DIP switches on the card at SW3 to support the Apple type you are using. Note that the Apple must be equipped with a minimum of 48K to operate. If all the DIP switches are up (away from the board), then this is the default and is set to support the ][, ][+ and the //e. If you have a IIGS then switch DIP 7 down.
2) Choosing your slot correctly!
The next part of the setup took me the most time to get my head around (literally days, I had to write off to Rich Dreher to get help, and I'm not an Apple novice). After you've got your CFFA3000 running, this pretty much negates the need for a real life Disk ][ interface. You can keep it in your machine if you like, or if you have some real floppies that you want to import to CF/USB before the disks fail, but ultimately you won't need it much. I stuck my one in Slot 5 so that my machine didn't automatically boot from it. This is important, because the //e or the IIGS automatically expect there to be a Disk ][ controller card in Slot 6. The manual suggests inserting the card in slot 7, which is a reasonable choice, however the important thing to remember is that physical Slot 6 must then remain empty, as this will be used as the 'virtual disk ][ interface'.
Just to recap, here is how my cards were assigned:
- Slot 1: Empty
- Slot 2: Empty
- Slot 3: SSC
- Slot 4: Empty
- Slot 5: Disk ][ Controller
- Slot 6: Empty (left empty for the Virtual Disk ][ Controller).
- Slot 7: CFFA 3000
3) Using your USB Stick correctly
Next, to set it up for the first time. I didn't have a Compact Flash card, but I had a USB stick or ten lying around. I noticed that even after following the formatting instructions (more on that in a bit), some USB sticks refused to fully co-operate with the CFFA3000. In the end, I got one 8GB stick working, but before then I resorted to a really old 256MB stick I found lying around. I say this just so you know that not every USB stick is created equal, even ones with reputable brand names like Kingston!
You'll need to ensure that the USB stick is formatted correctly. On a Mac, you should insert the USB stick and run Disk Utility. If the USB stick is larger than 2GB then you'll need to create 2 partitions, one which is 2GB or less in size. The CFFA3000 can't recognise anything larger than 2GB. You need to ensure that the partition is formatted as FAT16 or FAT32 and has a Master Boot Record. Click on the thumbnail to the right for an indication on what a correctly configured 8GB USB stick should look like, to ensure a trouble free CFFA3000 USB experience.
4) Plugging-In and Setting Up
Now it's time to stick the CFFA3000 in the slot and power up the Apple. If you have a 2GS, it's very important to access the 2GS Control Panel, so to let it know which slots are not set to the defaults. To access the Control Panel on a GS, it's Open Apple-Control-Escape. Select 'Slots' from the menu option and ensure that Slot 6 reads 'Your Card', as too does Slot 7, where your CFFA3000 should be. Press ENTER to save these settings. NB: If you have kept your Disk ][ in your machine too, make sure you tell your Apple that it's in a relevant slot by selecting 'My Card' or 'Disk 2 Controller' from the menu options.
If you have a GS, switch it off again, so that it starts up with the settings you just defined in the Control Panel, now, simply start up the unit holding down the M key. This will access the CFFA3000 menu for the first time. I like to go to '7 > Other Settings' and set up a few fundamentals, here's my defaults and the reasons why I chose them:
- 1 Assign first from: USB (I only have a USB media, and I want to boot from the USB first anyway).
- 2 Raw CF Card Settings (defaults)
- 3 USB Settle Delay: 0.6s (depending upon the USB stick they need some time to settle down before they are ready, choose a longer time if you experience issues with your USB stick).
- 4 Parts DOS RWTS for Speed: Yes (at first I selected NO here, because it causes some incompatibility issues with some older DOS 3.3 software, but as I was using a 2GS laterally, I found this to be of no distinct disadvantage).
- 5 Menu at Boot: Always. Since I am frequently changing the software I run on either the Virtual Disk ][ or the SmartPort, I always like to boot into the CFFA3000 menu so I can select which software I want to start with. If I just want to boot the last thing I booted, I simply hit return, so it's no biggie and means I don't have to remember to hold down 'M' when turning on the unit or resetting it, which can be quite tricky!
- 6: Autoboot Older Apples: No. Since I don't have a ][+ or an unenhanced //e any more, this didn't apply to me.
- 7: Sound Effects: On
What is a SmartPort?
To be honest, I'd never heard of a SmartPort before the CFFA3000. I might be explaining it a little wrong here, but if like me, you too have no idea what a SmartPort is, then this will help. Essentially, I think of a SmartPort as a hard drive. You can create a SmartPort image using option 6: New Blank Disk Image. Images may be up to 32MB in size. However, this is a difficult way to do it, because you then have to Initialise/Format the image and put ProDOS16/GS/OS 6 onto it, which infers you already have the software. I found it easier just to download a GS/OS 6 bootable 32MB image from the 'net, here's a good version which has GSOS 6.0.1 ready to go. A SmartPort will also boot all of those larger .2MG images created for an Apple 2GS.
Sometimes, you'll download software for your Apple which needs to be added to that Hard Drive image. This is fine as long as the images you download are in .2MG or .DSK format, but what if you just get the actual files and directories? One way to do this is to download AppleCommander which will open up the Disk Image on a modern Mac and allow you to copy the files from the Mac into the disk image and then re-save the disk image.
5) Grabbing some software.
There are literally tons of locations you can grab software that has become public domain because it's been abandoned or reclassified by it's authors. The Apple2 Asimov FTP (ftp.apple.asimov.net) site remains one of the best locations for grabbing stuff, but it's a bit lacking in indexes to say what file is what, so there's a bit of guessing from the filenames you download to get it right. It is well organised though. If you have any better links to a more complete bunch of resources for the Apple 2 and GS, then please post the link in the comments!
Most of the older DOS 3.3 images, or Disk ][ images suitable for Apple 2 computers come in .DSK format. Some also some in .nib format which is often copy protected and may not work with the CFFA. Try using an emulator like Sweet16 or Virtual ][ to verify if they actually work or not if you run into issues. Most of the .2MG files I have found are 2GS images. Files ending .SHK are Shink-IT archives, the Apple equivalent of .ZIP. To unzip them you'll need the Shrink-IT unarchiver, which has proven elusive to me to obtain in a format which I can run in GS/OS or on an 8bit Apple 2. If you have more luck, let me know how you unzipped them! On the Mac, I have used Shrink-Fit X which is available free in the Apple App Store. This will unzip a .SHK on your Mac, then you just have to successfully get the unzipped files over to the Image on your Apple ][. Not always that easy when dealing with binary files!
6) Parting Shots
When I ordered the CFFA3000, I also ordered the Media Selector, which is the strange little beast to the right. I didn't know if I would need it or not. Turns out, I really did, so I'm glad I spent the extra $20 US on it. Effectively, if you are using the CFFA with a non GS Apple unit, or you have a lot of .DSK images (especially two sided ones), then you'll need this to virtually 'flip the disk'.
You can load up a heap of disk images, lets say 'GAMED1S1, GAMED1S2' are loaded in CFFA Virtual Disk ][ slot 1, then 'GAMED2S1, GAMED2S2' are loaded in slot 2. Then, when your game prompts you to insert Side 2, you'd press button 1. If it asks you to insert Disk 2, Side 1, you'd press button 2, and so on.
I also invested a couple of bucks in a USB A(male)-A(female) 1m cable, which came in very handy. This allows you to plug your USB stick into your CFFA without actually removing the cover of your Apple 2 every time.
Anyway, that's all I can think of. Seriously though, the CFFA3000 is a fantastic card and if you are a retro hobbyist with Apple 2 in your blood, you owe it to yourself to buy one and see what it can do, it will make transferring software to your retro Apple a synch.
Posted on January 4, 2014
CFFA3000 Main menu
Posted on September 21, 2013
2c Running as a console to Raspberry Pi
What the gentleman did in this video is actually pretty awesome. This isn't some cheap hack, where the keyboard is hard wired into the Raspberry Pi, no – he's written a piece of code (available at http://github.com/dschmenk/apple2pi) where you can inject code from the Apple 2 keyboard events directly into the Linux OS running on the Pi. Very neat solution. Not quite sure about how the monitor works yet, will need to do some digging on that!
Posted on September 21, 2013
Raspberry Pi + Apple // = fun
I'm not the first person to do this by any means, but I couldn't find that many videos for it on YouTube etc, so here is a video of me hooking up my Raspberry Pi to my Apple 2. It's a reliable, tidy way to use your apple as a machine with many modern day capabilities, such as web browsing (albeit in text), chatting in IRC chat rooms (using something like irssi), and also browsing newsgroups such as comp.sys.apple2 with a newsreader like slrn.
There are many more uses but these are a few immediate ones that give your apple 2 yet another lease of life.
If you want to know how to make Linux accept connections with a serial port or RS232/USB converter, see my other articles. Also, if you want to know how to set up and get ModemMGR, see the other articles too!
See the video below:
Posted on August 22, 2013
tcpser provides a C64 some telnet goodness
Just like the example shown a few blog posts ago, this guy uses his C64 to do the same thing – using the tcpser utility (Linux based, but has been ported to Windows etc):
Posted on August 17, 2013
Enabling telnetd on Mac OS X 10.7 and above
Somewhat related to this post about setting up a Linux server to be a terminal server to your Apple 2, the following Terminal commands will enable you to run telnetd from your Macintosh in order for you to serial console into your Mac from your Apple 2.
$ sudo launchctl launchd% load -F /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/telnet.plist launchd% exit $ telnet 127.0.0.1 Trying 127.0.0.1... Connected to localhost (127.0.0.1). Escape character is '^]'. Darwin/BSD (localhost) (ttys002) login:
As the above test shows, you can telnet to your own local box. Now you need to set up getty. getty is the UNIX daemon which 'gets a TTY'. A TTY is short for Teletype, and over the years, the teletype has been expanded to support anything which is a serial device.
I used the PL-2303 USB to RS232 cable to give me RS232 serial support on my Mac, which I refer to in another blog post. When I installed the driver and plugged in the USB to RS232 cable, a device was created which emulates a serial TTY device. My machine created the file /dev/tty.usbserial, however yours may be different
Next, I created a new file in /Library/LaunchDaemons called serialconsole.plist.
$sudo nano /Library/LaunchDaemons/serialconsole.plist
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd"> <plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>Label</key> <string>serialconsole</string> <key>ProgramArguments</key> <array> <string>/usr/libexec/getty</string> <string>std.19200</string> <string>tty.usbserial</string> </array> <key>KeepAlive</key> <true/> </dict> </plist>
Note that the first part sets the 'Label' or name of the program (serialconsole). The second part of the file starts the /usr/libexec/getty program with the arguments of running at 19200 baud 8 data bits, no stop bits, 1 parity bit (8N1, or std in mac speak). The last argument tells getty to use the tty.usbserial entry in /dev which was found earlier. Again, if you are using different baud rates, or the location of your RS232 to USB adapter is something other than /dev/tty.usbserial, then you should change these here.
Next, make a quick edit to /etc/ttys, add the below line in there
sudo vi /etc/ttys tty.usbserial "/usr/libexec/getty std.19200" vt220 on local secure
Finally, you want a copy of Modem Mgr for you Apple 2. If you don't have ModemMGR, you can copy it via ADT. Modem MGR or similar will allow you to connect to your telnet connection via your SuperSerial Card. You need two floppys: MMGR.INST and MMGR.WORK – The installer and the working copy of MMGR. The ProDos version is a little more up to date than it's DOS 3.3 version but both should do what you need.
Run the Installer, set Modem type as the Apple Super Serial card and Modem type as Non-Smart. Restart the system and press ESC-: (that's ESC and colon). Set the emulation to be VT220, change the baud to 19200 if necessary. Now all you need to do is launch the serialconsole service you set up. Bear in mind that you won't be able to transfer disk images with ADT when getty uses up the console, so remember to unload it before doing so if you need to at a later date.
sudo launchctl launchd% load /Library/LaunchDaemons/serialconsole.plist
To unload the getty daemon and free up the serial port, simply change load to 'unload'.
Related articles:
>> Using ADT to copy disk images
>> Connecting to a Linux box via telnetd
This article was adapted from this page.
Posted on August 17, 2013
Talking to your Linux box via telnet and the serial port
This article was originally called "Using an Apple IIe as a serial terminal with Gentoo Linux" and was written by Quag7 (July 4, 2007). This information was available as creative commons and was available only on the Wayback machine. So I thought I'd resurrect the article for posterity's sake. Note that although the original author uses Gentoo Linux, you can use any Linux – including Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora etc.
This document provides step-by-step instructions on configuring an Apple //e to act as a serial terminal for a GNU/Linux computer. It includes directions on downloading and installing communication/terminal software for an Apple 8 bit system, configuring the Apple's terminal emulation and serial communications, and setting up the Linux machine to utilize the serial port.
Presumably, many have done this before and could not bothered to document it because it was considered trifling. Well, I have spent far more time on things far more pointless, and, so, it is in consideration of ye idle sleepless sinners, that I write to you this here, uh, procedure, for taking an Apple IIe and using it as a a serial terminal for your GNU/Linux box.
The end result of this process is a fairly usable serial terminal.
- Thanks
- Checklist – stuff you need
- Configuring your Linux system for serial support
- The physical serial connection
- Using ADTPro to create a Modem.MGR floppy disk
- Configuring Modem MGR
- Configuring Linux to use a serial terminal
- Boot Modem MGR and configure baud rate and terminal emulation + establish serial connection
- Screenshots
- Other wastes of time and bandwidth
- Photos of the Apple //e as a serial term sent by others
- Paul Weinsten (pdw) – After having problems with VT52 for days, which was the only emulation the Apple terminal software I was using would support, I came across pdw's page about hooking up an Apple IIc as a serial terminal. He writes about a program called Modem.MGR which can emulate VT220, which does the trick. VT52 is inadequate for many Linux applications. With VT52, my screen would become corrupted with uninterpreted escape sequences. So thanks, pdw!
- Devin Reade – Devin's 1998 description of How to Hook an Apple IIgs up to a Linux Machine via a Dedicated Serial Line was invaluable.
- ADTPro Team – ADTPro allows you to bootstrap an old Apple with no DOS, from "bare metal," as they put it. This remarkable program can help anyone breathe life into an old neglected Apple 8 bit. It's still my favorite of any of the retrocomputing utilities I've encountered. You can go online, pick up an old Apple //e, and make it useful without having to track down any floppies. None of this would have been possible without this application. ADTPro rocks, and you'll see why as you read on.
Checklist – stuff you need
- A Linux machine with a working serial port.
- A working Apple //e system.
- Super Serial II Card or Super Serial Board which can be purchased new for $12.95. Jumper settings and configuration are the same for each card.
- ADTPro software for transferring software from PC across serial cable to Apple IIe.
- Modem.MGR, terminal/communication software for the Apple II series. I used the ProDOS version. So should you, unless you have some kind of weird DOS 3.3 fetish. I have relentlessly queried Google's image search for such a thing, but I have not gotten any juicy hits. However, I've been on the internet long enough to know there's at least one of you out there with this kink – maybe some sort of Woz cosplay thing; I'm still working that out as a purely theoretical consideration.
- Null modem cable and any gender changers and/or extension cables needed to connect the Apple to your PC. Since it has probably been awhile, remember that null modem cables are not the same as straight serial cables. The transmit and receive lines are crosslinked in a null modem cable. I was able to buy one of these off of the rack at CompUSA, so they're not difficult to find. Mine was listed, perhaps confusingly, as a "data transfer" cable in a "null modem configuration." I also used a "straight through" switchbox cable to extend this and a 9 to 25 pin adapter. The Apple serial cards provide a DB25 female plug that I connected to a 9 pin serial port on my PC via an adapter. You'll have to assess your situation; the important thing here is to make sure there's a null modem cable hooked in there somewhere to crosslink the transmit and receive. Online documentation about cables tends to make the assumption that we all like to solder our own and read pinout diagrams (speaking of weird fetishes…). Not me pal, but if it's your thing, well, your kink is OK. Fortunately, everything you need can be bought at a brick-and-mortar computer store or online. This is what I used:
- Belkin Pro Series Serial Direct Cable – (F3B207-06) – DB9 (F) to DB9 (F) null modem cable.
- Serial Cable Adapter (DB9 to DB25) – (F2L087) – DB9 (M) to DB25 (F)
- Belkin Pro Series Switchbox Cable – (F3D111-06) – DB25 (M) to DB25 (M)
No, I am not a Belkin stockholder and frankly I think some of their electronic equipment sucks. Their cables seem to work fine. If my Belkin references in an article like this causes some sort of run-up on Belkin stock, we are deeply screwed as a civilization. Even more screwed, I mean. More screwed than the guy Dick Cheney SHOT IN THE FACE.
Thanks to the ADTPro development team, you won't actually need any software or DOS disks for your Apple system. If you just grabbed one from a junk pile or bought one off of ebay, you can follow the ADTPro instructions for bootstrapping from bare metal which will give you a bootable ADTPro disk, which also has ProDOS. But I'm getting ahead of myself. First thing we need to do is make sure your Linux system has proper serial support. It occurs to me that this last sentence has probably never been uttered, even once, at the Playboy mansion. This should depress both of us.
Configuring your Linux system for serial support
The first thing you will need to do is ensure that your kernel has been configured to load the proper modules for your serial port. I have been a Gentoo user for several years now so I haven't looked too closely at the many "kitchen sink" distributions out there but I would guess that most of them ship kernels with serial support compiled in or available as a module. In any case, should you decide to configure your own kernel, you can find what you need in:
Linux kernel configuration:
Serial driversCompile serial support into kernel.
Device Drivers Character Devices Serial Drivers
You will need:
<*> 8250/16550 and compatible serial support
Previously, this stated that "Console on 8250/16550 and compatible serial port" was necessary as well. This is not the case.
Tim Riker sent an e-mail stating:
FYI: the kernel config option "Console on 8250/16550 and compatible serial port" allows the kernel to output boot messages to a serial port. This option is NOT required to run a serial terminal. The agetty line you have will work just fine without it. If you do have kernel serial console support built in, then you can alter the kernel boot options to see bootup messages. Adding this: console=tty1 console=ttyS0,9600N81 should get console messages on both the video screen (tty1) and the first serial port at 9600 bps, ie: your apple. WARNING: this also means that kernel error messages will show up on this output device, which may mess up any binary transfers in progress. # setterm -msg off should disable this.
Note that these are the names/descriptions in the 2.6.23 kernel. They may change by the time you read this.
Recompile your kernel and reboot if necessary. Your distribution's website should have instructions and how-tos on compiling the kernel for your distribution. Gentoo users do this in a fairly raw way; there is a "Debian way" which involves making the kernel into a .deb package which can be installed and uninstalled at will, though you can do it the cheap and sleazy way if you like.
If you have never compiled your own kernel, this is a good excuse to learn how to do so since the modifications you have made here are fairly minor and the chances of disaster are minimal. It is not a complicated process at all. If you are completely new to it, your best bet is to follow the process specifically outlined for your distribution. This way, if you need to go to mailing lists, IRC, or message boards for further help, people won't wig out at you and curse the next seven generations of your family for doing it the "wrong" way.
The physical serial connection
If you can, make sure the serial card is in slot #2 in the Apple.
You can put it in any other slot (I think) except for slot #3, but will be easiest if you put it in slot #2 since that is the traditional slot for that card, and the directions from ADTPro will assume you are using slot #2. For awhile, I had the card in slot #4, and ADTPro handled this fine but a few of the term programs I used couldn't find it. In addition, ADTPro will default to slot #6 for your drive controller, which is also the traditional slot for that card. This is the greatest number of times I have ever used the word slot in a single paragraph. And I used <strong> tags for each. Isn't that, like, beyond obsessive? Yeah, and Catcher in the Rye is my favorite book too and one time I pulled a cat's tail. ph33r me.
I didn't have to power down my PC to hook the serial cable up and make it work. Make sure the ribbon cable off of which the female DB25 plug hangs from the Apple is plugged into the slot correctly with the "buckle" side facing outward from the card. Then go ahead and connect everything.
Important Note: It is extremely important that you properly configure the serial card. The appropriate settings and further instructions are helpfully documented on the ADTPro page on serial connections.
Two possible configurations are offered:
- Straight-through / terminal connection
- Null-modem / modem connection
Choose null-modem / modem configuration.
Since we're using a null modem cable, the block should be inserted with the arrow pointing upward. Make sure all of the switches are set as indicated. This should take you a minute or two at the most.
The classic Super Serial II card and Super Serial Board are clones (or look that way from the user's side), so the configuration is exactly the same. I don't know about the old Super Serial II cards, but the Super Serial Board's block pops off fairly easily using only your fingers. A chip puller might be prudent, but I didn't have one and the block popped out without a problem, leaving all the pins happily intact. I left my chip pullers back in the 1980s, along with the trauma that resulted from watching that bit in the When Doves Cry video where Prince stands up in the bathtub and beckons you, the viewer, to come closer. What the hell was that all about, anyway?
Using ADTPro to create a Modem.MGR floppy disk
The recommended program for the purposes of a serial terminal is Modem.MGR owing to its excellent VT220 support. VT220 emulation is necessary for the escape sequences and cursor movement that many Linux applications require. Other emulations such as VT52, VT100, and VT102, will give mixed results. Modem.MGR may be downloaded here.
If you know how to turn these images into floppies (or already have Modem.MGR floppies ready to boot), do so and continue on to Configuring Modem.MGR, otherwise…
The next steps are:
- Download and install ADTPro on your Linux PC.
- Transfer ProDOS into the Apple's RAM via serial cable.
- Transfer the 8 bit ADTPro software into the Apple's RAM via serial cable.
- Use ADTPro to transfer itself across the serial cable a second time, and write this instance to a floppy disk.
- Boot ADTPro on the Apple side via the floppy you just created.
- Download and unzip Modem.MGR from the Internet (if you have not already done so) on your Linux PC.
- Send the Modem.MGR disk images over the serial cable via ADTPro, and create bootable Modem.MGR floppy disks on the Apple side.
I have broken the ADTPro procedure out into its own document:
Using ADTPro to create an Apple 8 bit-readable floppy from a disk image downloaded from the Internet
If you already have Modem.MGR floppy disks, you can skip these steps and continue with Configuring Modem.MGR.
Configuring Modem.MGR
Modem.MGR: Insert work diskThe work disk will be the one you boot from.
The installation disk is necessary
only for the initial configuration.
Modem.MGR: Main installation menu
Modem.MGR: Install video driverSelect Option 2: Apple // 80 column
Modem.MGR: Install modem driverSelect Option 2: Internal plug-in
serial/comm. card with external modem
Modem.MGR: Install serial/comm.
card driverSelect Option 3: Apple Super Serial
(If that is what you are using)
Then specify which slot the card is in.
Modem.MGR: Install external modem driverSelect Option 10: Non-smart Modem
- Insert the installation (MMGRPDINST.DSK) floppy into drive 1, and, if you are still looking at an ADTPro screen, reboot by power cycling the machine or using the Apple 3 finger salute, which is CTRL–Open Apple–Reset. Modem.MGR will begin the booting process.
- You will be prompted to install the work disk at some point, and will then be asked to re-insert the installation disk. Just follow the directions on the screen until you get to the MAIN INSTALLATION MENU.
- When you are at the MAIN INSTALLATION MENU, select option 1, Install video driver and press Return.Assuming your Apple IIe supports 80 columns, select option 2, Apple // 80 column. Otherwise, select option 1,Apple 40 column.If you plan on running in 40 columns, you might want to reconsider running as a serial terminal and play Ultima IV instead, or perhaps join the lower-caste Commodore community and learn to live as a Morlock.Wow, that was dorky even for me. (And before you get snippy, I grew up a Commodore user – This serial terminal is my first Apple 8 bit system, and I bought it from ebay in 2007. Whatever the Commodore 64's virtues, 40 columns sucked then, and it sucks now.)
There are other options here as well. If you have the requisite hardware, give them a try. You can always boot the installation disk again and reconfigure. Press Return. You will be asked whether you want Normal or split-screen. Enter N for normal and press Return. Enter Y for Yes to confirm, and press Return again. Your selection will be confirmed. Press a key to return to the MAIN INSTALLATION MENU.
- Press 2, install modem driver and hit Return.Select option 2, Internal plug-in serial/comm. card with external modem, even though you aren't actually using an external modem. Press Return. You will then be asked to select the serial/comm. card you are using. Select option 3, Apple Super Serial, and press Return.You will be asked what slot the card is in. That should be slot #2 if you followed my advice. Otherwise, enter the slot your serial card is in and press Return. Confirm your selection by pressing Y and hitting Return.Your null modem cable essentially allows communications software to read and write to the serial port / cable as if it were a modem. So as far as any communication software you might use is concerned, there's a modem connected (albeit a null one).
- Next, you will be asked what modem you are using. You will lie nakedly and deceptively to Modem.MGR, and you will feel no guilt in doing so because that is how you roll.Select option 10, Non-smart Modem because your null modem cable is an AT-command set-impeded neanderthal grunter at best, and press Return. Confirm with a Y, and hit Return. Then press any key to return to the MAIN INSTALLATION MENU again.
- That's it for configuration. Press 9, Save new installation, and hit Return to save your configuration. You'll be asked to insert the WORK disk. Do so and press Return. Your configuration will be written to this disk. Leave theWORK disk in the drive for now because you're going to be booting from it shortly.
Configuring Linux to use a serial terminal
These instructions are for Gentoo Linux but they are probably the same, or similar, on other distributions. All that is involved is configuring /etc/inittab to have /sbin/agetty attach to the serial port. A cursory look at my file server suggests that Debian uses the filename getty which I take to be the same program as agetty, since the man page pulls up the agettypage. (Hey don't look at *me*).
First, make sure anything that uses the serial port is closed, and this includes ADTPro, which may still be running from before. Close it down, along with anything else that touches the serial port. When one program is using a serial port, it writes a lockfile to prevent other applications from attempting to use it, so if something is open that is already using it (and locking it), you may have problems. Accordingly, once /sbin/agetty is attached to the serial port, you won't be able to use ADTPro. In order to get ADTPro working again, you're going to have to detach /sbin/agetty from that port by commenting out the line you're about to uncomment in /etc/inittab and using the init q command to reload /etc/inittab, which is described below.
As root, open /etc/inittab in your favorite editor. Try hard not to screw up this file, because it is important. You might want to make a backup of it first. If you are a Gentoo user you are probably used to rampaging through your system like a crack-addled wolverine, so you will probably skip this step. I mean, I did.
Next, scroll down to the section cryptically titled SERIAL CONSOLES. You'll see example entries for ttyS0 (first serial port) and ttyS1 (second serial port). Choose the one you have the Apple connected to and uncomment it. Make sure the speed is set to 9600, and change the terminal emulation to vt220, so that the line looks something like this (Make sure to use the line pointing to the right port for your configuration):
# SERIAL CONSOLES s0:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty 9600 ttyS0 vt220
Save the file and exit back to the prompt.
Now we need to make the system reload inittab to see the change you just made. At the prompt, as root, enter:
init q
The system won't print a confirmation message. it will simply return you to a prompt.
Note: If you want to use ADTPro to transfer files again, your best bet is to comment out the same line you just uncommented in /etc/inittab and enter init q to reload/re-read it. Generally speaking, the line should be uncommented when you want to use the serial terminal, and commented out for everything else.
You may also want to review Tim Riker's comment about seeing boot messages on the serial console.
Boot Modem.MGR and configure baud rate and terminal emulation + establish serial connection
Terminal Mode
Modem.MGR Configuration OptionsChoose terminal settings.
Terminal Mode
Modem.MGR Baud RateSelection Option N: 9600
Terminal Mode
Modem.MGR terminal emulationSelect Option V: VT220 Emulation
Make sure the Modem MGR WORK disk is in Drive 1. Reboot the system by power cycling or use the Apple three finger salute (CTRL–Open Apple–Reset).
When Modem MGR boots, you'll see a list of options. If you've come down off of your savage binge, you'll also probably be alert enough to notice that the screen is displaying a very useful 80 columns, provided your system supports it and you configured Modem.MGR properly. There are two remaining things that need to be set here:
- Baud Rate: Press ESC and then M for Modem Baud Rate. Set this to N for 9600. You will be asked to "Wait." but there is nothing left to do to (presumably it is waiting for AT command responses, since it thinks it is talking to a modem). The baud rate is now set. If for some reason you set your baud rate to something other than 9600 in/etc/inittab, make sure the numbers match.
- Terminal Emulation: To set up terminal emulation, press the CTRL–ESC key and then the : (colon) key at the prompt that appears.Select option V for VT220.There is no need to press Return. For future reference, Open Apple–ESC will bring back the help menu, since you probably noticed you're looking at a blank screen now.
Now, press Return. If everything has gone properly, you should see a Linux login prompt.
Now do the Apple-8-Bit-Computer-Still-in-Use-as-a-Serial-Console-in-the-21st-Century dance. Get all crazy mad stupid fresh, too, like the way Rerun used to pop and lock in WHAT'S HAPPENING!!
Turn the Caps Lock off and log in. Run top. This is a good way to test your terminal emulation. If you see a lot of escape codes, and/or the screen scrolls rather than re-draws, you may have to re-set the terminal emulation on the Apple side again.
To do this, simply press Open Apple–ESC to bring up the menu. Then press ESC by itself, then : (colon), then V forVT220. Very occasionally noise corrupts my terminal (such as if I cat a binary file by mistake) and Modem.MGR seems to revert to some other less satisfactory emulation. I use this process to re-set Modem.MGR to VT220, and that's generally enough to clean things up.
Press Return a few times, then run top again. Hopefully, the screen will redraw properly, if a little slower than you are used to. That's life at 9600 bps, baby. Or Baud if you're old sk00l. And wrong. (No I am not that pedantic, but some dork reading this will be. That is, if anyone reads this at all.)
Linux Login Prompt on Apple IIeThe first thing you'll see…
make menuconfigConfiguring the Linux kernel.Lack of extended ASCII makes things a little messy, but usable.
telnet – ddialTelnetting to a real telnet-accessible ddial
running on original Apple 8 bit hardware.Unfortunately, this is now defunct.
Links2 – web browserViewing http://www.textfiles.comThis is one of the few web sites to display
gracefully in console-based web browsers.
nanoDefault text editor in Gentoo.Clone of pine's pico
Linux Logow/ -L3 argument (Gentoo logo)
This has been changed to -L2 in
subsequent versions.
topApple displays process data for Gentoo box
Directory listing
IRCRhapsody IRC client on some ghetto
Undernet piracy channel
vimPopular text editor
links2 – web browserViewing http://www.gentoo.org
telnetTelnetting to the UK's unique Monochrome BBSTelnet to: mono.org
VNStat monthly bandwidth reportMonthly bandwidth usage measured on
router by VNStat
Cottonwood BBS login screenTelnetting to a BBS running on
original Commodore hardware.Telnet to: cottonwood.servebbs.com
IRC via weechatweechat works particularly well as a
console-based IRC client.
slurm realtime bandwidth monitorYou can see "ghosts" of the cursor in the photograph as it
continuously redraws the screen at 9600 bps.
Other wastes of time and bandwidth
Well, now you're using your Apple IIe as a Linux terminal. The only major drawbacks are 9600 bps refresh, which is not really much of a hindrance for most applications, and extended ASCII characters won't draw properly, but that's a minor nuisance. You might also miss having a numeric keypad and Page Up/Page Down keys. The arrow keys on the Apple IIe are positioned…oddly. If you started out as a hobbyist on 8 bit computers, however, you may find yourself reverting to old habits which work around these problems pretty well.
There's more you can do with your old Apple. For example, there is the Contiki operating system with a TCP/IP stack. This includes a web browser, telnet client, rudimentary IRC client, and proof-of-concept web server. You might find theWikipedia article interesting. To use this, you'll want to get this network card. I have this hooked up and it works, but, due to the primitive nature of Contiki's offerings on the Apple platform (for example, the IRC client cannot handle private messages), you will probably find your old Apple is far more useful as a serial terminal running Linux's myriad console offerings.
I would also add, for those of you who might get a kick out of running a website on your old Apple, the web server provided by Contiki does work, but it has hard-coded content. There's no interface for Apple I/O, so you can't, for example, serve your own HTML off of a floppy. There's no reason someone couldn't code this if they knew what they were doing, but no such thing yet exists.
Huge bundles of Apple software are available in the usual …places… on the internet. Many of them are available asTOSEC packs, properly named and cataloged according to that standard (Note that TOSEC itself does not release these – they simply maintain a database and naming scheme for old software). The status of software in these packages ranges from freeware, to gray-area abandonware, to status unknown, to OMFG warez. I'm not going to make a statement about how I feel about this, but it would be nice if software developers of that period who don't mind their software being used by retrocomputing hobbyists would step forward and explicitly say so. Nevertheless, emulation enthusiasts have done a remarkable job of preserving a great deal of software from the old days, thoughtfully packaging much of it up as ADTPro-transferrable DSK images. Download and use it at your own peril (and/or conscience, where matters of conscience apply).
Lastly, there are a variety of Apple hobbyist sites on the internet. I should mention A2Central which maintains a lot of information and hosts a BBS (by which I mean a real BBS, not a web board).
Speaking of Bulletin Board Systems, where are the Apple 8 bit retro-boards? There are several telnet-accessible BBSes running on Commodores, and even some on old Ataris, but only one running on an Apple: The Age of Reason, Gene Buckle's board. You can check out The Age of Reason by telnetting to:aor.retroarchive.org
If you run, or know of someone running a BBS on an old Apple, please mail me at the address at the bottom of this page so I can mention it here.
Tune in next time when I build a supercomputing cluster out of TI-99/4a systems running a h4x0r3d version of CP/M that can predict the weather for the next thousand years and dynamically generate printable 80 column ASCII pornography via images captured realtime from from Britain's growing Orwellian Big Brother camera network.
Actually, I've done this serial terminal project with a Commodore 128, and that procedure is coming soon, though it's a little more complicated.
Photos of the Apple //e as a serial term sent by others
Kaleb Wurr:
A 15 year old from the Mojave desert named Kaleb Wurr logged on to IRC with an Apple he'd obtained from a junk store. He told me that he had an interest in vintage computing and had hacked together his own null modem cable and hooked it up to his Ubuntu machine. While I expected a few very bored GenX and GenY types to try this as a weekend project, I didn't expect that someone born after the Apple 8 bit line was completely obsolete would have any interest in doing this. It goes to show that these old systems still have a kind of weird charm to them:
Posted on August 17, 2013
The CFFA Flash or USB Storage card for the Apple 2
This card will enable your Apple 2 to essentially act as if it has a 32MB (or multiple 32MB) hard drives. You can use either Compact Flash media or USB sticks. However, you not only can emulate ProDOS hard disk volumes, but also become a virtual floppy disk. This becomes really handy for those many DSK image files you might want to run. For example, you could copy the entire DSK collection from asimov or similar onto a USB stick and boot straight any of those images straight from it. The below video explains how.
You can order your own CFFA card over at Dreher.net


text:
Automakers are stuck in whirlpool of tech & regulation 'evolution'
It would become cliched to write that electric vehicles are here to stay, for many have written about it, explored the possibilities and explained the technology on a large scale worldwide. People have also spoken about what new car manufacturers will come up with and how important it is for them to move with times and that is all good. But nobody seems to care about the difficulties that manufacturers go through. Continue Reading


text:
In the interest of full disclosure we here at the PMS Project will be posting the letters we have composed and sent to our leaders in Washington. This is one that I wrote a couple of days ago, under the news that Geithner will be asking for the authority to control wages. These days the government is out of control, and that bit of news sent me over the edge and into a rant, this is the result of that exercise.
Dear Mr. President,
Greetings from Alabama! I am a college student; it's only in the last three years that I have taken a serious interest in what the government does. I have to say the previous administration disappointed me greatly, but Sir, your administration is making my faith in our government seriously waver. In your first 75 days in office you have already transformed the nation into something that will soon be unrecognizable. I find this despicable. I fell in love with this nation in history class when it dawned on me that for all of our faults and bumps in the road we still managed to be the greatest country on earth. I never wanted to live anywhere but here; that is, until now.
I am sure you have heard the phrase, "As easy as stealing candy from a baby." Your budget, to me, does just this. You are stealing money that hasn't even been earned yet from future generations while claiming to make life better for them. Your budget would enslave my children and grandchildren to your debt. I firmly believe this kind of budget is unconstitutional --- though your dismissal of our amazing and in some ways miraculous constitution makes me believe you don't really care about that at all. It is becoming more and more apparent that the only real reason you specialized in constitutional law is so that you would know how to get around it and manipulate it even better. I find this kind of character loathsome in a man of your office.
Furthermore, your penchant for pushing through massive legislation that spends billions upon billions of dollars before anyone has a chance to read the entire bill is unquestionably unconstitutional. Not to mention it is a practice that ensures the public has no idea of what you are trying to do. Sir, this is beyond contemptible. Our elected officials are supposed to represent us, and in effect the citizens are supposed to be the superiors of the government. I realize that you have no real private sector experience and that fact may well contribute to your ignorance of how real business life works, but in the real America if you do something that completely changes a business without the permission of the owner of that business, you get fired and then sued. How can you in good conscience take the faith the voters (misled and foolish as they may be) that voted for you and twist that around in such a way?
I know you have immensely important things to do, what with your constant attacks on the people who question you and your guiding the unwaveringly faithful media in the direction of the fake news. But Sir, I do not see how the bonuses at AIG are at all illegal. If someone could cite the law that is violated, please? The people who were at fault for the problems at AIG are long gone! The people you are demonizing now are the people that were brought in to fix the problems --- they agreed to work for $1.00 a year, WITH the understanding that they would be compensated later on in the form of bonuses. That is not outrageous. What is offensive and highly dishonorable is your continual efforts to find a scapegoat for the things that are your fault and the fault of your cronies in Washington. Sir, it is very easy to look up who wrote the language of the contracts that included the bonuses. It was the people on YOUR staff. I am sorry, Sir, but you are a ridiculous parody of the kind of man that we need as president in these troubled times.
The most encouraging thing that I have seen recently is the breakout of Tea Parties all over the country. There are 4 planned in my great state alone. This helps me to remember that people are wising up, and it helps me to remember that your reign of terror may soon be over. I can not express how happy I am about that fact. I believe that if you had any semblance of honor and integrity you would step down from the post you won with lies and doubletalk.


text:
Rapid e-learning – but 'rapid' what? Rapid development? Rapid business benefits? Rapid tools? …or simply rapid hype!
Is it really the next big thing in e-learning?
No more reading… time to listen. Check out our latest podcast – and find out what we mean by the 3Rs of Rapid E-learning, as well as our top 10 rapid factors!
Rapid E-learning 101:
Alternatively, right mouse click and select Save Target As… to download Rapid E-learning 101. Mac users may need to hold CTRL and click, then select Download Linked File.
As per our cast, you may like to have a look at the following:
- Larstan Business Report: Managing Knowledge in Internet Time: Rapid e-Learning Maximizes the Time/Value of Mission Oriented Training
- Bersin & Associates report: Rapid e-learning: What works
- The eLearning Guild's Rapid White Paper


text:
Five To Love – September 2017 Edition
Fall is in the air and we've got our can't miss events to help you enjoy the best of September in Loveland. Enjoy the September 5 to Love picks and plan your trip to Loveland this month.
1. Pastels on 5th
Pastels on 5th is a community-wide festival in which artists, businesses, and downtown Loveland come together to transform 5th Street into a spectacular sidewalk gallery. This is a free, family-friendly sidewalk chalk art event highlights Loveland's thriving arts community. Don't miss the art plus live music, food, an Artist Marketplace and children's art area.
2. Goodguys Car Show
The Goodguys Colorado Nationals Car Show brings over 2,000 rods, customs, classics, muscle cars and trucks thru 1972, plus entertainment a car auction, swap meet, kids zone and more. If you love cars, you know that this is the weekend to be in Loveland.
3. Loveland Oktoberfest + Barbarian Dinner
The Loveland Oktoberfest returns Sept. 15-16, but WAIT! Plan to come the night before for the amazing Barbarian Dinner Sept. 14. Barbarian style cuisine served as a shareable platter with knives as the only utensil to be used. Mouth. Watering. Now.
Loveland Oktoberfest is Northern Colorado's most authentic Oktoberfest experience with authentic German Polka Bands, pretzels from Styria Bakery and German pastries from European Sweet Treats alongside our lone caterer who will provide an array of authentic German cuisine for the entire festival. You will feel like you are in Munich with the long tables and layout inspired by the original German Oktoberfest.
4. Picasso: Visage Art Exhibit
Picasso: Visage showcases 50 works of art including 35 print originals and is an exploration not only of Picasso's expertise over a wide variety of print media, but a continuation of questions posed by the artist himself, "are we to paint what's on the face, what's inside the face, or what's behind it?" The collection is on loan from a private collection, Spaightwood Galleries in Upton, Massachusetts and from John Szoke Gallery in New York.
5. Osborn Farms Opening Weekend
Osborn Farms is proud to be the oldest continuously family-owned farm in Colorado, founded in 1861. Our Opening Weekend marks the beginning of their Pick-Your-Own Pumpkin season. This weekend celebration is filled with family-friendly activities (barrel trains, hay rides, face painting, and petting zoo) and food-stuffs from local vendors. Along with (of course) a field full of pumpkins.
For more things to do in Loveland, visit www.visitlovelandco.org for events, locations and general information.


text:
Cotton Tyre Service and COSTAR Integration
Cotton Tyre Service and COSTAR are proud to be able to provide the complete integration solution – COSTAR2COSTAR, Web Order and ASN's (Electronic Invoices). COSTAR2COSTAR will provide you with live stock pricing and availability direct from your COSTAR system and enable you to submit orders straight into Cotton Tyres' ordering system.
When the goods leave the warehouse, the electronic invoice will automatically be delivered into your COSTAR system waiting for your confirmation before updating stock and your Accounts Payable. Nothing could be easier!
About Cotton Tyre Service
Cotton Tyres commenced distribution of Cooper & Mickey Thompson tyres in 1999, then a short time later commenced selling the suite of ETD products. Cotton Tyres has developed those brands in South Australia and the Northern Territory in cooperation with ETD.
NTAW formed ETD New Zealand and acquired the business of National Tyre Wholesalers in 2014 and Cotton Tyre Services in 2017 to bring all Cooper and Mickey Thompson tyre distribution in Australia and New Zealand into one entity. Dynamic was acquired in 2013 and MPC in 2017. The key people mentioned above remain in control of the day to day management of the operating entities.


text:
Join us at Dinton Pastures Country Park on Monday June 18 from 10am to 12noon.
Come and join us at Dinton Pastures for our National Bookstart Week celebrations for the under 5's. So come along and bring your own picnic. There will be nursery rhymes, songs and a free book!
- There will be activities and information from the Children's Centre Family Workers. The Early Years Team will be promoting their "Ready for School, ready for life" programme. There will also be stands from the NHS Nursery Nurses, Home-Start and Scottish and Southern Electricity with information about the services they offer.
- There will also be a performance area with a variety of children's authors, who will be sharing their stories. Schedule will be:
- 10am Tina Stubbs
- 10.20am Cathy MacLennan
- 10.45am Layn Marlow
- 11am Rhymetime
- 11.25am Katrina Charman
- 11.45am Carol Otieno
- A libraries goody bag can be collected along with a free "A Busy day for Birds" book.
If families are unable to make it along to their local event they can join in the fun at home, with plenty of Bookstart Bird Boogie arts and crafts and games all on the Bookstart website. at: http://www.bookstart.org.uk/events/national-bookstart-week/