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Over the past 6 months or so, I've been researching and ultimately building a pair of backloaded horns. At the time of this writing, I've only actually finished one of them, but I decided to go ahead and make a post about it.
My Phase Technology Teatro 7.5s sound great, but they're pretty weak on the low-end. I've been supplementing with a shitty powered subwoofer scavenged from a boxed 5.1 surround system, but it just doesn't cut it, unfortunately, so I decided to build some speakers that would cover it a little better.
Since getting my upper-mid horns and hearing their clarity and definition, I wanted to go with another horn for the bass, if possible. I've seen a lot of really crazy, gigantic basshorns on the internet and wanted to avoid the size that would be required to reach below 100 Hz with a compression driver--not to mention the batshit crazy prices that large-scale compression drivers go for on eBay and Audiogon--so I decided to look into backloaded horns.
Ideally, a horn should be as long as the wavelength of the lowest frequency you wish to reproduce, with a mouth of approximately that same diameter, thus bass horns have to be gigantic to reach low frequencies. You can cheat a little, though, by placing the horn against the floor and/or wall of your room, which lets you cut the wavelength requirement by half for each surface, as it uses the walls/floor as if they were a part of the horn. Furthermore, backloaded horns are typically folded horns, which lets them squeeze a lot of length into a relatively small package. Finally, by starting with a large cone driver, your required horn length is reduced further still.
I used this 8" driver for the horns, based on their high sensitivity, though these would also be an excellent alternative. If you don't plan to supplement the horns with a tweeter like I intend to do, you might also consider using a full-range driver, like this one, though it is obviously more expensive. This driver is another good option if you want to play at high volumes, due to its high power handling and *huge* cone excursion.
I came up with my own design for the horn itself, based loosely on some designs I found around online. However, most of the designs I found have the mouth of the horn opening into the wall, which I was afraid would deaden the sound, based on how directive my upper mid horns are. So, I tweaked those designs a bit and ended up with something I could construct out of a single sheet of 4'x8' of wood (MDF [medium-density fiberboard] is the best for speakers, but it's heavy, expensive and rough on your tools; particleboard is a good compromise, IMO, insofar as it is very cheap, but with many of the same characteristics as the more expensive MDF; plywood works, too, but it's ugly).
I used 1/2" particleboard, though TBH, 3/4" would probably have been a better choice, both for rigidity and sound isolation. The sides are 2'x4', the back is 1'x4' and everything else is 1'x2' (i.e., the front, the top/bottom and the interior partitions; the last piece is cut in half and glued together at a right angle). I'm not going to go into much detail about the actual construction, since I'm a shitty carpenter and I'm sure you can find better instructions on box-making online than I could ever provide. Anyway...
Glue the pieces together using wood glue, and don't be afraid to really gob it on. You want it to seep into all of those little nooks and crannies in the wood and form a good seal. You can see the excess squeezing out from under the board in this pic:
To be sure that the junctions are all airtight and won't be leaking air into each adjacent chambers, you can follow behind with silicone caulk or "liquid nails" formulated for wood, which is what I used:
If you look closely, you can also see the right-angle brackets I used to reinforce the box structure.
After all of the interior structure is glued solidly into place, you can glue the other side panel to seal the cabinet shut. I used the liquid nails instead of wood glue to seal it, with a bunch of cinder blocks, books, records, etc. piled on top to get a good connection while the goo dries:
One thing to remember before sealing the cabinet: go ahead and thread some speaker wire through because it'll be much easier now than if you wait. If you do forget (like I did, actually), you can tie the wire around something (I used my dog's Kong toy), drop it into the speaker hole and then flip the whole thing around until it pops out the mouth of the horn. This is harder than it sounds, though, because these horns are gigantic and heavy as shit.
Another bit of advice, do your painting *after* your gluing (unlike me), so you don't have to worry about excess glue spilling over onto your fancy paint job.
Most of the projects I've seen online make a big deal about filling any cavities with sand or kitty litter so they don't turn into resonance chambers, but I don't really notice any problems and I did not do it. Of course, YMMV.
Anyway, here's the finished product:
You can see my small upper mid horn perched on top. You can also see the speaker wire dangling out of the mouth of the horn, since I haven't purchased proper binding posts yet (maybe never...).
As far as the sound, the bass response is considerably more potent than I expected. The driver works as a direct radiator (so better quality drivers will make a noticeable difference in sound quality), while the low frequencies bounce around inside and bellow out of the horn's mouth. The horn produces some of the clearest, most defined bass I've ever encountered, though it is definitely lacking above 1 kHz. That in mind, I intend to pair it with either this tweeter or this one.
One last picture of the finished horn, this time from the side:
The depth is really what makes these guys huge. Special thanks to my wife, who is gracious and long-suffering :-P


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In his latest attack on the minimum wage,Casey Mulligan charges in his NYT Economix post that the 2007-2009 minimum wage increases are adding to teen unemployment. He writes that "Many teenagers cannot find work this summer, victims of a weak economy and a situation made worse by minimum-wage laws."
Mulligan is correct to note that teens have been hit hard by the recession—as the youngest, least experienced members of the workforce, they are among the last to be rehired in economic recoveries. Due to the dramatic disappearance of jobs during the Great Recession, many older workers are taking jobs previously filled by teens: half of college graduates are now filling jobs that don't require a college degree.
Over the last half century we have seen that teen unemployment rises and falls in proportion to the overall unemployment rate. Since the end of World War II, the teen unemployment rate has ranged from 2.5 to 3.5 the overall employment rate. With overall unemployment at a painful 9.1 percent, May's teen unemployment rate of 24.2 falls within that historic range.
However, Mulligan's claim that the minimum wage is exacerbating the teen unemployment problem is simply not true. A recent recent study [pdf] by economists at the University of California examined every state and federal minimum wage increase over the past two decades and found that they did not lead to declines in teen employment. Their analysis included an in-depth examination of minimum wage increases during times of high unemployment—including the Great Recession of 2007-2009— and found that even in these difficult economic periods, increases in the minimum wage did not cause job loss or slow rehiring.
Moreover, the new study demonstrates how a body of previous research – one frequently relied on by business lobbyists who oppose minimum wage increases – inaccurately attributes declines in employment to increases in the minimum wage. It finds that these studies failed to sufficiently account for critical economic factors such as regional economic shocks and long-run job growth differences in low-wage employment across states. When the authors control for these important factors, the claimed negative employment effects disappear.
While the minimum wage has not contributed to job loss among teens, there are other economic trends affecting teen employment which Mulligan ignores. In fact, he fails to note that teen employment has undergone a dramatic decline since 2000—perhaps because it doesn't fit his claim that the 2007-2009 minimum wage increases are to blame for high teen employment.
Part of this trend in decreasing employment among teens is a result of a positive shift in education—more teens are spending more time fulfilling stricter graduation requirements, taking more advanced courses, and spending time in summer school. Thus, with teens gaining more skills and education, they are investing in becoming more productive contributors to the nation's economy in the futue.
But in addition to this encouraging development, teens are also confronting a more competitive labor market. In a 2005 paper [pdf], Northwestern economist Andrew Sum details how the 2003-2004 recovery, in a sharp contrast to all other post-war recoveries, saw teen employment continuing to fall, while workers 55 and over dramatically increased their employment. Writing about the 2000-2004 period Sum concludes: "No other age subgroup in the U.S. has been as adversely affected by changing national labor market conditions over the past four years as teens. In fact, all older age groups of workers (those 55 and older) have become employed at higher rates over the past four years while the teen employment rate hit a new historical low. A substantial "age twist" in the structure of employment rates has taken place over the past four years in the nation." Keep in mind that this dramatic decline in teen employment was occurring at a time when minimum wage had been losing value for 7 years.
Sum describes structural changes contributing to this age-twist—including fewer jobs in manufacturing, little net job growth in retail, and rising competition from older adults as a result of a jobless recovery. In 2001, the first of the baby boomers were turning 55, creating a growing cohort of older workers. Moreover, these workers are increasingly taking "bridge" jobs after their career jobs and before retirement as a result of changes in Social Security, reductions in pensions and retirement savings, and the need to get a job after losing or leaving a previous job.
A 2010 paper from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows how this increased competition from older workers continued throughout the decade in the occupations where teens are predominantly employed. Most teens work in food preparation and serving occupations, followed by sales and related occupations. From 2000-2009, employment in food preparation and serving increased by 1.1 million. Every age group recorded gains in employment in food preparation and serving occupations, while the number of teens declined by 242,000. Employment in sales and related occupations was little changed from 2000-2009, though teen employment fell by more than half a million, and workers over 55 increased their employment in sales occupations by 822,000.
In addition to the Great Recession, increased competition resulting from a weak job market and a growing number of older workers has been hitting the entire workforce, dealing the sharpest blow to teens. While roughly 10 million jobs were created from 2000 to early 2008 before job losses wracked the economy, teen employment declined by more than 1.5 million.
The crisis in teen employment isn't a wages problem as Mulligan contends, it's a jobs problem. There aren't enough to go around.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ruiz, Phillies break out late to beat Mets
NEW YORK (AP) -- Pinch-hitter Carlos Ruiz came through with a tying homer in the seventh inning, Jimmy Rollins added a three-run shot and the Philadelphia Phillies busted loose late to beat the New York Mets 10-6 Wednesday night.
Shane Victorino drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth and Philadelphia bailed out winless Cliff Lee to take two of three in the series. Ty Wigginton also homered for the Phillies, who improved to 3-6 against the Mets this season.
Lucas Duda went deep twice, including a two-run shot off Lee in the sixth to give the Mets a 3-1 lead. Dillon Gee pitched 6 2-3 effective innings, but the New York bullpen was battered after he left.
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Rollins hit a long drive into the top deck in right off Ramon Ramirez in the ninth for his second homer of the season. Wigginton had an RBI double and Victorino a two-run single to cap a six-run inning that made it 10-3.
Wigginton, a former Met, finished the series with two homers and eight RBIs.
Juan Pierre singled off Jon Rauch (3-4) to open the eighth and went to third on Hunter Pence's single. One out later, Pierre scored on Victorino's liner to center.
Antonio Bastardo (2-1) and Jose Contreras each worked a scoreless inning after Lee was called back for Ruiz with Philadelphia trailing by two.
Lee entered with only eight walks in 51 innings this season, but issued a pair of free passes in the first. Daniel Murphy drew the first one and scored from first base on David Wright's double off the center-field fence, running through a late stop sign from third base coach Tim Teufel and barely beating the relay to the plate.
Wigginton, batting cleanup for the fifth time this season, homered leading off the second.
The score stayed tied at 1 until the sixth, when Scott Hairston doubled and Duda sent a drive to right-center. It was the first homer by a left-handed hitter off Lee since Pittsburgh's Pedro Alvarez connected on July 30 last year.
Looking to win his third straight start, Gee pitched out of a jam in the sixth and retired his first two batters in the seventh. But ex-Met Brian Schneider doubled over the head of Andres Torres, who took a false step in deep center, and Gee was pulled after 110 pitches.
Bobby Parnell came in to face Ruiz, out of the starting lineup for the third straight game because of a sore right hamstring. Batting for Lee, the catcher drove a 1-1 pitch to left for his eighth home run.
Ruiz rounded the bases enthusiastically to calls of "Chooooch!" from Philadelphia fans in the crowd of 30,064. Boos soon followed for Parnell after he got out of the inning.
Lee, hurt by poor run support all year, gave up seven hits and struck out seven in his eighth start of 2012. Before this, he had never gone more than three starts into a season without a win. The 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner was on the disabled list from April 19 to May 8 with a left oblique strain.
NOTES: Phillies rookie 2B Freddy Galvis, hitless in his last 10 at-bats, was rested in favor of Mike Fontenot. Galvis walked as a pinch-hitter to start the ninth and popped out to end it. He has played in every game this season. ... Duda snapped an 0-for-16 slide with a fourth-inning single. ... Mets RHP Miguel Batista, on the disabled list with a lower back strain, was scheduled to make a rehab start for Double-A Binghamton. ... Duda has seven homers this season and two multihomer games. ... Both teams are off Thursday. The Phillies head home to open a series with Miami on Friday night. The Mets begin a four-game series with the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night. ... The entire draft class of the New York Giants was on the field before the game. Running back David Wilson, the team's first-round pick out of Virginia Tech, did a backflip in front of the mound and threw out the first pitch. The left-hander fired low and way wide past Wright, who grew up in Virginia and is a big Hokies fan.


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I presume your vase has "celery" marked on it somewhere. This was a tax fiddle in the UK (and elsewhere??) immediately post WW2. Any container to hold foodstuffs attracted low or zero tax.
The Depression Glass I am familiar with isn't really any different in thickness to other glass made in the years either side of it. JMHOGlen
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Art workshops and assignments are here. Watch the free video art training program and START! your creative journey. This is the first step. Click to join us. Videos and assignments are inside.
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The Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ is the first smartphone to get an update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
Owners of the HSPA+ version of the Samsung-made Google-branded flagship phone should be getting a prompt for an over-the-air update in the coming days. Those using the standard Galaxy Nexus (the version available in the UK) and Nexus S handsets should be notified of an update in the near future.
Motorola Xoom tablet users will also be getting Jelly Bean soon (Motorola is now owned by Google, which may explain its swift upgrade schedule).
The Nexus 7 tablet will go on sale later in July and will be the first device to come with Android 4.1 out of the box.
Jelly Bean is an incremental upgrade but includes a more slick user interface experience, faster voice search and the Google Now app, which is said to be a more intelligent way to search, getting you "just the right information at just the right time."
More info: Google Nexus


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This seems like a straightforward question, but it's proven to be a difficult one to answer. Even visualization researchers don't have a clear definition.
Is it synonymous with information graphics? Does visualization have to be computer generated? Does data have to be involved, or can it be abstract? The answers vary depending on who you ask.
Visualization is a medium. It's not just an analysis tool nor just a way to prove a point more clearly through data.
Visualization is like books. There are different writing styles and categories, there are textbooks and there are novels, and they communicate ideas in different ways for varied purposes. And just like authors who use words to communicate, there are rules that you should always follow and others that are guidelines that you can bend and break...
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Beertopia is in its eighth year! It is always held the Saturday before Saint Patrick's Day weekend in March from 2-6pm. It is held in the parking lot behind grapevine, located at 1012 Market Street in Fort Mill, 5 miles south of Charlotte just off of I-77 exit 85 in Baxter Village.
Each Beertopian who holds either a Green VIP or General Admission ticket will receive a collectible Beertopia tasting glass and full access to sampling 150+ craft beers represented by at least 50 different brewers. Green VIPs will have first access to selected rare beers when they are admitted at 1pm. All ticket holders will enjoy U-Phonik live, vendor access and ability to purchase wine and beer by the glass inside grapevine.
Since the parking lot has limited space, all ticket sales will stop when the allotted number of tickets are sold. We recommend that you purchase your tickets early; Beertopia SOLD OUT the last six years. You MUST have a PRINTED ticket, valid photo ID and be 21 years of age or older to enter the festival — NO EXCEPTIONS
Get your tickets at the link below:


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Note As of 15 November 2015, the Zune service has been discontinued. This may cause errors when attempting to stream or download content or update the service.
If you get error code C00D12FS when you're using the Zune software, you've experienced a Windows Digital Rights Management (DRM) error.
This error usually happens when a Windows DRM component is missing or damaged and must be replaced or upgraded.
Try the following solutions:
Try signing in to Marketplace or playing your content again to see if the problem was fixed.
Note To learn how to update security components on other browsers, see help for that browser.
Click the Fix this problem link below. Then, click Run in the File Download dialogue box and follow the steps in the wizard.
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Successive elections gave Republicans power in the General Assembly, then supermajorities and a GOP governor. Nearly halfway through the 2013 session, the image of what complete Republican control of the legislative process becomes clearer.
N.C. voters wanted change in state government, and they got it.
Successive elections gave Republicans power in the General Assembly, then supermajorities and a GOP governor. Nearly halfway through the 2013 session, the image of what complete Republican control of the legislative process becomes clearer.
Leadership or meddling?
Democrats have said attempts to totally reshape state boards and commissions, and get involved in local affairs, amount to an unprecedented �power grab.�
�We�re not always in lockstep on things, but I think every member of our caucus has been just horrified by the aggressive power grabs this supermajority has, sort of, pursued,� said Ford Porter, spokesman for the Senate Democratic Caucus. �We�ve seen an agenda that is totally against communities. It is about dictating policy from Raleigh.�
The argument over redistricting, typically happening every 10 years, has been resurrected. The Senate passed a bill in April that redraws the voting districts for the Wake County Board of Education. Opponents believe the measure is meant to gerrymander Republicans into control over education in the traditionally Democratic county.
Supporters of the plan say the board is beset with problems and state action is necessary to fix those problems.
A bill to set up a nonpartisan panel to redraw Congressional and legislative districts every 10 years received a chilly reception among some Senate leaders. It twice passed the House with bipartisan support.
Quoted in the Charlotte Observer, Sen. Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson and chairman of the Rules Committee, said he is not on board with the proposal.
�We�ve waited 140 years to have this (redistricting power),� Apodaca said. �I�m not ready to give away what we fought so hard to get.�
Asheville, one of the most liberal outposts in an increasingly purple state, has been a recent focus of legislative action. The General Assembly took away local control of the town�s airport and gave it to an independent commission, and approved a bill removing city control over its water services, handing it to a multi-county board.
Asheville officials say the town will lose $1.9 million in revenue.
Backers of the bill say no such thing will happen, and changing the management structure will save Asheville rate-payers money and improve efficiency.
Sen. Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, introduced a bill that takes away Charlotte�s control of its airport, saying he�s concerned about the city�s ability to manage the major transportation hub and doesn�t want revenue diverted to pet projects.
In a Bloomberg Businessweek piece May 2 that made the rounds among the state�s political class, UNC professor David Swindell said the forays into local government aren�t necessarily political measures against Democrats, but �amount to an unprecedented attack on the state�s cities, which happen to be home to many of the state�s Democrats.�
Different chambers, different approaches
Sen. Louis Pate, R-Wayne, is part of the Senate GOP leadership as deputy president pro tem. He said that, jokingly, being part of the leadership this session has been like a house on fire. He explained that getting legislation through the Senate is a tough process � legislators can�t zing through bills on a whim and send them on to the House of Representatives.
�If things are controversial, they don�t pass that easily, even in committee,� Pate said. �So, all along the way there are all sort of pitfalls where a bill could be kept up, and an amendment could really gut the bill, change the intent of the bill altogether. And, you have to be wary of that.�
Regardless, a perception among political observers developed around the belief the Senate is running hard to the right, while the House is taking a more center-right tack.
�I would say the Senate leadership is probably more conservative than the House leadership,� said Francis De Luca, president of the conservative Civitas Institute. �And I don�t mean any particular person, I mean across the board.�
De Luca noted that because of having fewer members, the Senate Republican Caucus can afford to take the direction it has, while the House Republican Caucus must work with the priorities of more than 70 representatives.
He also disputed the notion that the GOP supermajorities are using their power to make revolutionary changes in state government.
�The truth is they�ve been very tentative at using the supermajority to force anything through that they didn�t feel was an immediate need,� De Luca said. �And I would use the unemployment reforms as a case in point. I think even that had some bipartisan support.
�But it�s hard to point to anything they�ve rammed through since (Gov. Pat) McCrory�s been governor that�s been a huge, game-changing thing.�
Bipartisanship is something pointed out by House Republicans.
�If there�s a bill the caucus supports, it�ll probably move,� said Jordan Shaw, spokesman for Speaker of the House Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg. �But, I do think it�s important to point out most of the bills that we act on in the House are bipartisan-supported bills. The bills that get a lot of the press coverage are controversial, but 80-90 percent of what we do here is not controversial at all.�
He later added, �Regardless of margin, we are still making every effort to work with members of the Democrat caucus.�
Rep. John Bell, R-Wayne, noted the controversial voter ID bill received Democratic votes before it was sent to the Senate.
�We want to get legislation that not only can we support, but we try our best to get legislation where it�s bipartisan,� Bell said. �And with the exception of one or two items, everything we�ve done has been bipartisan on the House side. Even voter ID was bipartisan.�
Rep. George Graham, D-Lenoir, agreed that the vast majority of votes are bipartisan, but noted nothing gets done without Republican support.
�No question about it � they are in complete control,� Graham said. �And they are directing the state. They are in charge.�
He continued, �Anything they want to do, and any day they want to do it, they have the power to make it happen.�
Going forward, Pate said the Senate will be taking efforts to reform the state tax code to eliminate loopholes and bring down overall tax rates. Shaw said the House will also be tackling tax and regulatory reform.
U.S. Senate ambitions
An emerging thought in Democratic circles has it that legislation is being influenced by the perceived ambitions of Tillis and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, R-Rockingham.
Calling it �speculation from the peanut gallery,� Porter said Berger forced Tillis to the center.
�We have leaders of both houses who might want to pursue a certain Senate seat, and Sen. Berger has certainly staked out the far right, and where�s left for Speaker Tillis to go but toward the middle,� Porter said.
Tillis has said he will not run for speaker again, and Rep. Larry Pittman, R-Cabarrus, said the speaker is running for U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan�s seat, before apologizing and walking back his statement.
Democratic consultant Gary Pearce, writing for The News & Observer, speculated the Koch brothers-aligned group Americans for Prosperity would back Berger in a primary � bringing considerable money to the race � and called Tills, �that increasingly squishy moderate.�
Most Republicans are refraining from public comment on a possible matchup as the political landscape reorganizes. Shaw has said Tillis has not yet made a decision on running for Hagan�s seat.
Future dynamic
As the session progresses, the main point of contention within the supermajorities could mimic the House and Senate differences � measured versus aggressive attempts to bring change and reform to state government.
�I think there are some people within the Republican Party who see, and hope, that they will have power for a long time, and they�re being a little more gradual about it,� said Rob Schofield, director of research and policy development for progressive group N.C. Policy Watch.
He added, �Indeed, it appears that�s the way Art Pope, who is the funder of a lot of this and is on the inside as the governor�s budget director, is approaching it.�
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 or email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.


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Washington, Dc — More than 1,500 YMCAs participated in the YMCA of the USA's America on the Move Week with the YMCA in September. Ys across the country motivated 1.3 million people to take 8 billion steps during the week. The campaign, in partnership with the America On the Move Foundation, aims to educate and motivate people to make two small daily changes: add 2,000 steps and take in 100 fewer calories.
Ys hosted a variety of activities as part of the week, including organized walks, educational programs, and family health and well-being events. Ys in Washington promoted fitness at a large walking event led by Gov. Chris Gregoire at the Washington State Fair. In Attleboro, MA, the Y led a walk-ability assessment to gauge the walk-friendliness of its community. Residents of Winter Haven, FL, could log steps through seven days worth of free events from walking to salsa dancing.


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Get ready for a prehistoric adventure with the Dino Play cartridge! This cartridge is filled with playful baby dinosaurs, related icons, and coordinating phrases. You will love making party décor for a child's birthday, cupcake toppers, scrapbook layouts, cards, and other projects with this cartridge. Use the latest Cricut® cartrid.....
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Post subject: Update (Fleurety,profanatica,Vinterriket,etc)
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Dyster Fallen, suicide & forgotten 7
Empty The last breath of my mortal despair 7
Forgotten Woods The race of cain (Digibook cd) 10
Havohej Dethrone the son of god - 7
Homselvareg Homselvareg - 7
Lysergene Critical mass - 7
Murkrat Murkrat 7
Nargothrond Following the frostpaths 7
Profanatica The enemy of virtue 2cd 9
Profanatica Profanatitas de domonatia - 7
Stumm I 7
Trancelike Void Destroying something beautiful - 7
Vinterriket Firntann Mcd (Special foldout packaging + booklet) - 7
Wereju Through the depths of unknowing - 7
Wreck of the Hesperus The sunken threshold 7
Fleurety Min tid skal komme Gatefold 2lp (Legendary album + ep & demo recordings!) - 12
Grafenstein Death born Gatefold Lp 8
Havohej Dethrone the son of god Gatefold Lp 9
Profanatica Profanatitas de domonatia Picture Lp (Comes in die cut sleeve + poster) - 10
Profanation Devastation of purity 7 ep - 3
Profanatica The enemy of virtue 2DVD (+booklet) - 14
Absurd Raubritter/Grimmige Volksmusik - 7
Adalruna - A wolf in hollowed places - 7
Ad Noctum Arrogance 7
Alastor Noble north digipack 8 (One of Austrias oldest and best black metal acts)
Azure King of stars Bearer of dark Digipack (Deluxe digipack edition + booklet) 7
Baptism Grim arts of melancholy - 7
Blackhorned Lost in a twilight world 7
Brocken Moon Das marchen vom Schnee - 7
Caldera Mist through your consciousness - 7
Crimson Moon Xepera Xeper Xeperu 2cd Digipack (Brilliant deluxe digipack + slipcase + booklet) 8
Deathgate Arkanum Stillhallen 7
Decayed Hexagram 7
Flame of War Europa 7
Elffor Into the dark forest 7
Elffor Son of the shades 7
Elite We own the mountains - 7
Farscape For those who love to kill 7 (Totalitarian thrash from Brazil)
Hebosagil Colossal 7 (Slow crushing doom with riff-heavy sludge from northern Finland)
I.Corax Spectral metabolism 7 (Utter brilliance in the field of dark ambient and post industrial. Comes in stunning black/white oversized foldout carton sleeve)
Impiety Paramount evil digipack - 8
Kawir Ara - 7
Leather Nun Absence of light - 7
Mayhem From the darkest past 7 (Rough instrumental mix of TMDS w/Grishnack on bass+ 90 rec w/Dead + 86 reh.)
Mgla Presence Mcd 6
Morker Skuggornas rike 7
Morker Hostmakter - 7
Negative Reaction Tales from the insomniac 7 (4th album by these veteran sludge gods)
Nidsang The mark of death 7
Nordor Honoris causa 7 (Comes with Slipcase)
Nyktalgia Peisithanatos digibook cd 10 (second tragic and mischievous journey in special limited edition)
Omega Massif Geisterstadt - 7
Pantheon Vargstrike 7
Rising Dust Taste of fire Mcd - 5
Sink The process 7 (No sludge.No drone.Not experimental.This is the process.Special fold-out full colour carton sleeve)
Slagmaur Domfeldt Digipack 8 (Excellent 6 pannel digipack + booklet)
Slavia Stength and vision Digipack 8
Sombre Labyrinthe Heptagram rising - 7
Somnolence As midgard weeps - 7
Sturmkaiser Veni vidi vici - 7
Sturmkaiser 1945 mcd 5
Thrustor Night of fire 7
Torgeist - Devoted to Satan Mcd 8
Torgeist Time of Sabbath Mcd 8
Thorngoth Rauhnacht - 7
Thors Hammer May the hammer smash the cross 7
Thunderbolt The sons of the darkness - 7
Vardan Hidden in a tomb - 7
Vargsang Werewolf of wisteria 7
Vermeth Suicide or be killed 8
Voodooshock Voodoom ep - 5
Wall of Sleep Sun faces apostles 7 (Classic doom metal, with huge riffs and an old school Maryland doom vibe)
World Below Repulsion 7 (Fantastic riffing doom with a little epic touch!)
World Below Maelstrom 7
After all The vermin breed Lp - 8
Agressor The merciless onslaught Gatefold Lp (1986-1989 demos)
Akerbeltz / Avangh Dhür / Morbid Yell / Hellthrone 4 way Split Lp - 9
Amnion Cryptic wanderings Foldout Lp 9 (Old cryptic funerary black metal)
Arghoslent Hornets of the pogrom Lp 10
Armageddon Ave Satan lp - 8
Assaulter Salvation like destruction Lp - 9 (RECOMMENDED)
Atman lAssasi de venus Foldout Lp 8 (Leading Spanish Black metal)
Beastcraft Baptised in blood and goatsemen Gatefold Lp - 9
Behexen/Satanic Warmaster Split Picture 10 (+ sleeve) 9
Besatt Triumph of antichrist Gatefold Lp + poster 10
Bestial Raids Order of doom 7ep 3
Bestial Raids/Hellish Heretical rites 7 ep 3
Black Pyramid Visions of Gehenna 7ep - 3
Black Steel Hellhammer Lp 8
Bloodthron Genocide Lp 8 (Killer vinyl version with hot-foiled logo/shield)
Corpus Christi The torment continues Gatefold Lp 9
Defuntos Um sofrimento distante 7ep 2
Decayed Resurrectionem Mortuorem Lp - 9
Earthride Taming of the demons Picture Lp 10 (Incredible Maryland doom. Comes with 350 gram die-cut sleeve!)
Excalibur Fils vengeur Lp + poster - 8
Funeralium Funeralium Gatefold double Lp - 13
Holy Death The knight, death and the devil Lp - 8
Infernae/Thy Antichrist Escupiendo las cenizas de Cristo/Human Pandemonium Gatefold Lp - 8
Killbots, The S/t Double Lp 12 (Coloured double vinyl, lim.300)
Laserguys S/t Lp 8 (Lp only release. Extreme noise terror with members from Endwarfment, Perished and Hellstorm)
Lord Hells fucking metal Lp 8
Metalhead Demon 7ep 3
Morker Hostmakter Gatefold Lp + poster - 9
Morrigan The Damned Gatefold Lp + poster 10
Pest (Ger) Pest Lp 9
Potop/Burmese Split Lp - 8 (Potop: Crippled doom like Burning Witch. Burmese: Sadistic & haunting rock/grind)
Profanatica/Unholy Crucifix/Nuclear Desecration/Goatsodomy Trampling the holy faith Lp + A2 poster - 12
Ramesses Master Gatefold 7ep 3 (Electric Wizard members damage with a more Venom-y and Frost-y touch)
Resistance Bang your fucking skull Lp + poster - 8
Ritual Steel Knights of steel 7ep - 3
Ritual Steel Invincible warriors Lp - 8
Serpent Saints Leather Lucifer Mlp + poster 7
Skyforger - Sword song Lp 9
Slavia Strength and vision lp + poster 10
Soldier Murderous night 7ep 3
Sorgsvart Vikingtid og anarki gatefold 2lp - 10
Storm Warrior At foreign shores (Live in Japan) Lp - 8
Tangorodrim Justus ex fide vivit Lp 10 (Includes A2 poster and postcard)
The bottle doom lazy band The beast must die Lp + poster 9
Vermeth Suicide or be killed Lp + poster - 10
Voodoo Shock The golden beauty 7ep 3 (Germanys leading traditional doom outfit with 2 magnificent rockers)
Whorehouse Massacre, the IV Lp 10 (Haunting rotten hopelessness, comes with 8 page booklet!)
More during the next days
Please note we have NOT started a mail order again and these offers are while small stocks last.
Prices behind titles are in Euros and exclude postage:
For orders, questions or other crap:
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Joined: 20 Feb 2007
Posts: 1457
Location: The Netherlands
Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 8:57 am
Post subject:
sorry, should've put this in the trade forum
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Joined: 20 May 2008
Posts: 3676
Location: Fickt-Euch-Allee
Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 2:00 pm
Post subject: Re: Update (Fleurety,profanatica,Vinterriket,etc)
soulseller wrote:
Just in:
Fleurety Min tid skal komme Gatefold 2lp (Legendary album + ep & demo recordings!) - 12
Wow, now that's a cool price for that. How did you manage it to keep the price that low considering that this particular record is sold for about 20 Euro from the label. Nah, anyway. Expect an order soon.
Btw, you're sold out of Repugnant LPs, aren't you?
Chief Darragh Invictus wrote:
Everything good comes in packs, wolves and beer.
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Joined: 20 Feb 2007
Posts: 1457
Location: The Netherlands
Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 4:17 pm
Post subject:
I actually started trading some stuff for a short period of time (read: a few months) in order to sell some stuff cheap to people who have bought from me over the years, basically all items listed are sold without profit.
I also don't need any stuff to start collecting dust here, that's why I also post the items on a few boards. Anyway, the Fleurety are almost all gone, so if you want one send an email to
. Cheers.
And I might have a few Repugnant picture lp's somewhere, but I'd have to check the stockroom.
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I'm going to crack open a cool one to celebrate Minnesota adopting a 2AM bar closing time. Its about time!
Geez... What the heck time was is before? You poor deprived Northwesterners... It's been 2am here in SoCal for as long as I've been able to hit the town.
Now now don't get to hard on us midwesterners, here in WI it has been 2AM boozing ever since I can remember. You want to see backwards drinking take a look down south to the dry counties and no booze sundays. What would a football game be without a little alcohol haze and for a disclaimer not all southerners are not backwards just the booze policy.
It's hot, it's snowing. Make up your bloody mind mate No wonder the bars never close. You have weather so schizophrenic it drives you to drink.
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The pilot City Lab Intensive was a voluntary, week-long orientation experience for graduate students, scheduled to become a required course for all incoming students, starting in the fall 2013.
Scope and Focus:
Students engaged with each other to explore, discuss, and analyze environs surrounding BAC's immediate neighborhood, as well as a limited number of significant sites accessible via public transportation, within Boston City limits. Hands on activities and the reflective sharing of group experiences were aligned with a series of guest presentations from design practitioners and knowledgeable members of community, whose work has concentrated on community design and development. As an introduction to their BAC concurrent education, students developed a strong sense of discovery and scrutiny, a curiosity and appreciation for learning outside the classroom in a personal, applied manner, where collaborative teambuilding was essential.


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'Président Hollande' in times of crisis
Date created : Latest update :
François Hollande, who ran as 'Mr. Normal', convinced French voters that he is way different from Nicolas Sarkozy. Now it is time for hard work - and difficulties. François Hollande will have to hit the ground running, and take charge in the middle of an unprecedented crisis in Europe.
- Steven ERLANGER, New York Times Paris bureau chief
- Patrick VIGNAL, Reuters news agency
- Jim SHIELDS, Professor at Aston University and author of 'The Extreme Right in France: From Pétain to Le Pen'
- Ulrike KOLTERMANN,Former Paris correspondent for German news agency D-P-A, author of Pariser Spaziergänge
Produced by Christopher Davis, Tom Waterhouse, Anelise Borges


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Coradiant has expanded the scope of its web performance management capabilities with a new program called Open Application Visibility Architecture. Under this new approach, customers can now purchase Coradiant TrueSight Application Visibility Connector integrated with reseller partner dynaTrace Software's Continuous APM system.
The combined technologies will, according to Coradiant, provide data and console integration between its own platform and a range of back-end capabilities into one web application performance management solution.
"We pioneered our open end-to-end approach and are now extending this methodology with the ability to drill down into the application and discover the root cause of issues affecting it to provide the most fitting solution for customers' web application performance management needs," said Ali Hedayati, president and chief operating officer, Coradiant.
While organizations today rely heavily on web applications to drive their business model and increase revenue opportunities, the need for increased visibility into web application performance from the end-user perspective also increases. Coradiant suggests that this naturally leads companies to need an integrated solution that provides visibility from the end user's browser to applications running in the data center or cloud infrastructure -- and that only by creating the ability to monitor, quantify the impact of, and quickly diagnose application performance issues in real time can modern business remain competitive.
Coradiant says that its customers now have the flexibility of coupling its own front-end technology with a choice of back-end solutions to meet unique business needs.
"Managing the performance of complex Web applications requires a best of breed approach," said Bernd Harzog, an analyst with The Virtualization Practice. "Traditional monolithic approaches to performance management are no longer sufficient with the adoption of cloud application delivery, virtualization platforms, and mixed Java, .NET and mainframe application environments. A seamless management architecture allowing IT to pick the right solution for their specific needs is the best approach for monitoring the use of critical business applications."
Under Coradiant's technology proposition, customers can now take advantage of best of breed end user and application visibility solutions without compromising on the desire to have a unified solution. Organizations can deploy end-to-end solutions that provide visibility into the end-user experience with business-critical applications on the front end, while gleaning performance visibility on the back end, or inside the application stack.


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You searched for: Subjects Military Hygiene Remove constraint Subjects: Military Hygiene Subjects Clothing Remove constraint Subjects: Clothing Start Over
1 to 1 of 1
Search Results
1. Applications for material to be manufactured into hospital clothing are constantly received by us
- Publication:
- [New York? : s.n., 1862?]
- Subject(s):
- Military Hygiene
Relief Work
American Civil War
United States
United States Sanitary Commission.


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A few years ago, a colleague and I sat at lunch with two prominent theologians. This was not our first visit together because we had met two years earlier and had had a sweet and delightful discussion of Jesus Christ, the centrality of his Atonement, the lifting and liberating powers of his grace, and how our discipleship is and should be lived out day by day. In that initial meeting there was no defensiveness, no pretense, no effort to put the other down or prove him wrong. Instead, there was that simple exchange of views, an acknowledgment of our differences, and a spirit of rejoicing in those central features of the doctrine of Christ about which we were in complete agreement—a sobering spirit of gratitude for the incomparable blessings that flow from the life and death and transforming power of the Redeemer.
Now, two years later, we picked up where we had left off, almost as if no time had passed at all. Many things were said, diagrams were drawn on napkins, and a free flow of ideas took place. Toward the end of our meeting, one of our friends turned to me and said: "Okay Bob, here's the one thing I would like to ask in order to determine what you really believe." He continued: "You are standing before the judgment bar of the Almighty, and God turns to you and asks, 'Robert Millet, what right do you have to enter heaven? Why should I let you in?'" It was not the kind of question I had anticipated. (I had assumed he would be asking something more theoretical. This question was poignant, practical, penetrating, and personal.) For about thirty seconds, I tried my best to envision such a scene, searched my soul, and sought to be as clear and candid as possible. Before I indicate exactly what I said, I want to take us forward twenty-four hours in time.
The next day I spoke to a large group of Latter-day Saint single adults from throughout New England who had gathered for a conference at MIT in Boston. My topic was "Hope in Christ." Two-thirds of the way through my address, I felt it would be appropriate to share our experience from the day before. I posed to the young people the same question that had been posed to me. There was a noticeable silence in the room, an evidence of quiet contemplation upon a singularly significant question. I allowed them to think about it for a minute or so and then walked up to one of the young women on the front row and said: "Let's talk about how we would respond. Perhaps I could say the following to God: 'Well, I should go to heaven because I was baptized into the Church, served a full-time mission, married in the temple, attend worship services regularly, read my scriptures daily, pray in the morning and at night. . .'" At that point the young woman cut me off with these words: "Wait. . . . Wait. . . . I don't feel right about your answer. It sounds like you're reading God your résumé."
Several hands then went up. One young man blurted out: "How did you answer the question? Tell us what you said!" I thought back upon the previous day, recalled to mind many of the feelings that swirled in my heart at the time, and told the single adults how I had answered. I looked my friend in the eye and replied: I would say to God: I claim the right to enter heaven because of my complete trust in and reliance upon the merits and mercy and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ." My questioner stared at me for about ten seconds, smiled gently, and said: "Bob, that's the correct answer to the question."
Obviously a person's good works are necessary in the sense that they indicate what we are becoming through the powers of the gospel of Jesus Christ; they manifest who and what we are. But I also know there will never be enough good deeds on my part—prayers, hymns, charitable acts, financial contributions, or thousands of hours of Church service—to save myself. The work of salvation requires the work of a God. Unaided man is and will forevermore be lost, fallen, and unsaved. It is only in the strength of the Lord that we are able to face life's challenges, handle life's dilemmas, engage life's contradictions, endure life's trials, and eventually defeat life's inevitable foe—death.


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Comparison of two models
Mplus Discussion
Missing Data Modeling
posted on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 6:33 am
How can I compare a sem mixture model (with k classes) and the same model in which one of the independant variables x, is a covariate of the categorical latent variable c ?
c#1 ON x;
What is the recommended test ?
Thank you for your help
posted on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 9:34 am
These models are not directly comparable using the likelihood since they have different observed variables. The recommended test is the z ratio of Est/SE that is provided in the output. If you have several x's, you can do 2 runs, one with the c on x slopes fixed at zero and one with them free and then do a 2*loglikelihood difference chi-square test.
posted on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 12:51 pm
Thank you very much Dr Muthén.
posted on Monday, March 12, 2007 - 1:36 pm
To follow-up on your response regarding model comparison, (1)is it not appropriate to compare a multilevel mixture model with a covariate to a multilevel mixture model without a covariate using any of the information criteria's? (2)Is it appropriate to compare single and multilevel models using any of the information criteria's? For example, could a 4-item 1-factor single level CFA be compared to the same 4-item 1-factor model at both the within and between level using AIC, BIC, aBIC?
Thank you for your time.
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Saturday, March 17, 2007 - 9:27 am
A necessary condition for models to be nested is that they have the same set of observed variables. I don't believe that a single-level and multilevel model are nested.
Yasmina Molero Samuelson
posted on Thursday, February 05, 2009 - 11:41 am
Dear Mplus team,
I have two variables that I assume are Poisson distributed within class. I have three classes of girls and three classes of boys.
I want to compare two models: In the first model, the distribution of the two variables for girls and boys are independent of eachother in each class. In the second model, the relations between the means among girls and boys respectively are the same across classes. For example; the ratio between the means of Variable 1 for girls and for boys in Class 1 is the same as the ratio between the mean of Variable 1 for girls and for boys in Class 2.
My question is: How can I compare these models?
Thank you for your time.
Bengt O. Muthen
posted on Thursday, February 05, 2009 - 1:15 pm
You can analyze boys and girls jointly using Knownclass. Then you give labels to the means and in one run you impose the parameter constraints on the means using Model Constraint and in the other run you don't. Then compute 2*the loglikelihood difference as an LRT chi-square test of the constraints. And/or, do the testing via Model Test in a single run where you don't impose the parameter constraints, giving a Wald chi-square test.
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Records of former Vt. Gov. Howard Dean opened after 10 years sealed
Associated Press
MIDDLESEX -- File folders full of letters and faxes to then-Gov. Howard Dean's office over the gay marriage issue and other materials from the former presidential candidate's 12 years as Vermont's chief executive were opened Thursday to the public.
Dean's agreement with the Secretary of State's office to seal the records for 10 years when he was preparing to launch a campaign for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination sparked a long legal battle over access to the materials.
The state Supreme Court ruled in 2005, after his failed bid for the presidency, that he could seal the collection and 80 boxes of documents and correspondence remained closed to the public until now -- 10 years after Dean left office, Jan. 10, 2003.
"There are lots of big topics here," said Scott Reilly, a state archivist who spent much of the last six months arranging the records in preparation for their being opened to visitors at the Vermont state archives in Middlesex.
"As you look through the records, you'll see his handwritten notes on certain things, directions to people on how to respond. It's amazing just the breadth of issues the governor's office deals with," Reilly said.
The letters and faxes poured in shortly after the Vermont Supreme Court ruled in December 1999 that the state had to find some mechanism to give same-sex couples the rights and responsibilities of marriage.
Most of the documents praised the decision. A separate tally sheet kept by people answering the phones in Dean's office showed 433 in favor of the ruling with four opposed.
But despite strong support for what came to be known as civil unions, the state Supreme Court's ruling provoked one of the most bitter public policy debates the state had ever seen.
On July 1, 2000, Vermont recognized civil unions, a term coined by the state lawmakers crafting the law. Just days before the law was to take effect, Dean wrote a letter to the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington, which serves Catholics for the entire state.
Dean asked then-Bishop Kenneth Angell, a vigorous opponent of civil unions, to join him and work to keep the debate civil.
"There have been an increasing number of incidents in Vermont where gay and lesbian people have been the targets of deeply wounding personal attacks and epithets. I am increasingly concerned as feelings on this controversial issue become more intense," Dean wrote on June 27, 2000.
Angell agreed.
"As you know, Governor, the Roman Catholic Church has itself endured centuries of hatred, intolerance, and indeed, persecution," Angell responded the next day. "Hence, you will never have to ask us to promote peace and loving acceptance of all children of God, no matter how much we may disagree with their beliefs."
Since Vermont legally recognized civil unions, it and eight other states expanded their laws to allow same-sex marriage and the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on the federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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Search News
First quarter exports from Latin American and Caribbean fall: IDB report
Tuesday, June 18, 2019 - 17:31
The value of exports from Latin American and the Caribbean fell by 1.6 percent in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. The decrease was caused by lower export volumes and falling commodity prices.
IDB and SmartFilms® Cell-Phone Film Festival Launch Citizen-Security Category
Monday, June 17, 2019 - 23:58
Contest seeks short films on crime prevention and citizen security in Latin America and the Caribbean by young people and professionals The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the SmartFilms® Film Festival today launched a new citizen-security contest category and is calling for submissions on the theme "I am not afraid to enjoy my city."
MDB climate finance hit record high of $43.1 billion in 2018
Thursday, June 13, 2019 - 11:26
An increase of over 22 percent on the previous year, boosting projects that help developing countries and emerging economies cut emissions and address climate risks – joint report.
IDB launches US$2.1 billion 2.250% 10-year Fixed Rate Global
Wednesday, June 12, 2019 - 16:54
The Inter-American Development Bank ("IDB" or "IADB"), rated Aaa/AAA (Moody's/S&P),priced a new US$2.1 billion 10-year global bond. The transaction pays a semi-annual coupon of 2.250% and matures on 18 June 2029. Priced with a spread of 12.25 basis points over the UST 2.375% May-29, this represents a yield of 2.270%.
IDB-FEMSA Award to innovation on water & sanitation opens call for 2019
Wednesday, June 12, 2019 - 00:28
The IDB-FEMSA Awards to innovation on water and sanitation are reaching their tenth anniversary in 2019 and will be celebrating the occasion with a special edition that calls on those who have innovative solutions to compete for a special prize. First, second, and third place winners of the IDB-FEMSA Awards will receive $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000 in cash, respectively. This year will also feature a special category called "All stars," where prior editions finalists will compete for a one-time cash prize of $15,000.
Cartoonist from Paraguay wins contest on the future of work sponsored by the IDB
Tuesday, June 11, 2019 - 14:37
COMPETITION OF CARTOONS AND ILLUSTRATIONS RECEIVED 365 PROPOSALS CARTOONIST FROM ECUADOR WIN THE FAVORITE CHOSEN BY THE PUBLIC The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) announced that the cartoonist from Paraguay Manuel González was selected by the jury as the winner of the Third Cartoon and Illustrations Contest: The Future of Work in Latin America and the Caribbean, with his piece "La historia del robo".
IDB announces selected proposals of its "Bootcamps for Tech Fans" challenge
Thursday, June 6, 2019 - 16:48
Fifty-seven proposals were submitted, and the entities selected will benefit people in Central America, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela. IDB Lab, the IDB's innovation laboratory, has announced the two proposals selected to implement the best and most innovative Ready-to-Work Bootcamp models aimed at closing the skills gap of our future workforce in Latin America and the Caribbean, especially of people in vulnerable circumstances.
IDB launches Orange Innovation challenge to boost cultural and creative industries
Thursday, May 23, 2019 - 12:27
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is launching a new challenge known as Orange Innovation to select and finance proposals of up to $500,000 from entities with the best and most innovative business models using cutting-edge technologies to in some sectors of the Orange Economy.
IDB Launches GBP 500 Million 1.250% Benchmark Due December 2025
Thursday, May 2, 2019 - 15:27
The transaction pays an annual coupon of 1.250% and matures on 15 December 2025. It priced with a spread of 40 basis points over the 2.000% UKT due September 2025, which represents a reoffer yield of 1.305% annually.
IDB selects CastleOak Securities to its Discount Note Dealer Group
Tuesday, April 2, 2019 - 10:25
To partner with the IDB to broaden the distribution of its debt securities.


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The outlook wasn't good for Giants defensive end Justin Tuck on Friday and it didn't get any better over the weekend.
Tuck has been scratched from Sunday's game in Baltimore against the Ravens as a result of the shoulder injury that kept him out of practice all week. The Giants listed him as questionable, but it seemed much closer to doubtful to hear them talk about his chances of playing.
The Giants also will play without safety Kenny Phillips. Phillips said he expected to play during the week despite the knee injury that's been an issue for him all season. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who was also questionable with a knee injury that kept him out last week, is active for the Giants.
Baltimore will be without safety Bernard Pollard for the second straight week thanks to a chest injury. Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe is active after missing that loss to the Broncos.


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Availability: Out of stock
Your tiniest swim star will have fun making a splash in our bright one-piece. This cute swimsuit features original prints of our favourite Arena Water Tribe characters: Stella the Starfish and Calypso the Seahorse. Contrasting frill-finished bottoms are just the kind of pretty details little girls love.
FabricWaterfeel X-Life is a soft, quick-drying fabric developed to protect your little one from the sun. This durable textile will keep her covered and comfortable from sun up to sun down in a long-lasting design.
Design + FitArena Water Tribe is beachwear created especially for mini swimmers. All-day comfort and UV protection wrapped up in styles with a no-budge fit. We designed this one-piece with wide stay-in-place straps and a generous cut for plenty of coverage.
In order to ensure that your Arena swimsuit provides you with the best possible performance for a long time to come, we recommend you take the following precautions:
- rinse immediately after use, in non-chlorinated water;
- do not leave the wet swimsuit in a bag or other container for a long time;
- do not expose the wet swimsuit in a bag or other container to direct sunlight;
- wash with detergents suitable for delicate clothes;
- air-dry away from heat sources.
Follow the washing instructions given on your product label.
The label provides useful symbols giving information on how to take best care of it.


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The nebula Gum 29 is a star-forming region about 20,000 light-years away in the constellation of Carina. At the core of the nebula is a cluster of several thousand stars called Westerlund 2. These newborn stars are approximately 2 million years old, and their light illuminates, heats, and erodes the surrounding gas. The Hubble image, utilizing both visible and infrared light observations, was released in celebration of the telescope's 25th anniversary.
This visualization provides a three-dimensional perspective on the nebula and star cluster. The flight traverses the foreground stars and approaches the lower left rim of the nebula. Passing through the wispy darker clouds on the near side, the journey reveals bright gas illuminated by the intense radiation of the newly formed star cluster. Within the nebula, several pillars of dark, dense gas are being shaped by the energetic light and strong stellar winds from the brilliant cluster of thousands of stars. Note that the visualization is intended only as a scientifically reasonable interpretation and that distances within the model are significantly compressed.
J. Anderson, G. Bacon, L. Frattare, Z. Levay, and F. Summers (STScI);
Acknowledgment: The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), A. Nota (ESA/STScI), the Westerlund 2 Science Team, and ESO
Publication: April 22, 2015


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Easter Sunday of 2015 is arriving on the 5th of April. Have you got any good ideas for the holiday? Maybe you have prepared everything you need for Easter holiday, or maybe you haven't, but for the Easter Holiday, at least you should prepare several Easter cards for you beloved ones.
Nowadays, people prefer ecards than the traditional paper cards, and most of them want to make the cards themselves. On Easter day, people will want to make Easter ecards for their families and friends, and they can take advantage of MS PowerPoint to finish the task. It's interesting, right? If you want to know to do that, just check the following post out.
How to Make an Easter Ecard with PowerPoint
Step 1. Run MS PowerPoint and insert an Easter background wallpaper or template. If you want to do that, you need to click "Insert > Pictures" at the upper left corner on your computer, and then adjust the size of the picture to make it fill in the whole page.
Step 2. Insert the Easter elements, such as Easter bunny, Easter egg and so on. Then click "Animations" and choose the animating movements of the elements. For example, you can choose "Custom Path" by clicking "Add Animation", and then you can add the customized animations for the Easter Bunny. The Easter egg can also be added with animation like "Grow/Shrink". Of course, you need to adjust the starting time of the animations of the pictures, and make the animations happen when the receiver open the card.
Step 3. Add your best wishes in the texting blanks of the page, and you can of course use some Easter quotes in this ecard. When the ecard is finished, you can send it to your friends. Of course, if you are skillful in using Photoshop, you are able to convert this PowerPoint ecard to a GIF picture. If you think using Photoshop is a little complicated, you can just convert the ecard to a video so that it is easier to play on smartphones and tablets. When you want to convert PowerPoint to a video that can be played on the smartphone and tablet, you will need a piece of PowerPoint to video converter software. You can find various kinds of PowerPoint converters on the Internet, and among these programs, Leawo PowerPoint to Video Converter Pro is a powerful one. This software is used for converting PowerPoint presentations to all kinds of standard video and audio files, and it keeps all the video and audio effects that you have made in the PowerPoint. If you are interested, you can check out the following guidance about how to convert Easter PowerPoint to Video with this software.
How to Convert Easter PowerPoint to Video
Step 1.Run Leawo PowerPoint to Video Converter Pro on your computer, and you'll see the main interface of the software. Click "Add" to import the Easter card into the software. The preview screen will display the PowerPoint presentations.
2. Choose MP4 as an output for the converted video, and choose the audio and video effects in the drop-down menus. Then click the folder icon in Output to choose a folder on your computer to save the exported video. Then click "Start" at the right bottom to start converting the Easter card.
3. The conversion will be noticed with the estimated time. When the conversion is finished, you will get the converted video in the target folder.
You can send the ecard to all of your families and friends, and don't forget to change the name of the recipient before converting and sending the card. It is for certain that your families and friends will be surprised when they get the Easter ecard you send.


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"Protect me!" squeaked the Overlady. She quickly scampered back behind the great altar stone, eyes frantically darting among the faces in the Wizard's Hall.
Chief Jillian advanced on her, locked into that amazing slow-time reality of combat. She glanced from side to side, checking off the critical objects. There were those curtains, for one thing. The ruler/caster would probably run behind them in a moment. Jillian didn't know what was back there. Maybe traps, maybe a bolt-hole of some kind, barrable doors...she couldn't assume that the prey was cornered.
She took a step, and heard a clanking sound to the left and behind. The golem and scarecrow had just begun to charge at her, but she still had time before they'd become a problem.
She took another step, sparing a few thoughts to consider the target as a caster. Hippiemancy was one of the harder kinds of magic to fight. Dame Branch could almost certainly hit her with a spell to keep her from engaging. So if it looked like she was going to cast, then a quick leap over the altar stone or a throw of her sword would be the only options.
Two more steps. On the left, Banhammer moved toward her. "Stop," he ordered.
For the barest moment, she met her father's eyes. "Disregard," she told him bluntly, and took another step.
He stopped in his tracks, staring dumbly at her.
"The side's at stake," she added.
Yeah. He'd have to disband her to keep her from sticking Olive. And if she had to stand and explain that to the Titans, then she had no problem with it. She served Faq, and would do no less than her Duty to the side. Right now, Faq could conquer Haffaton with one sword strike. Nothing else trumped that.
Dame Branch showed no signs of casting or fleeing, so there was about to be an option here. Going left or right around the altar stone would matter. She should maybe try a feint, to direct the quarry's run.
Another step, with Three-Edged feeling wonderful, eager in her grip. Orwell waddling up from the right earned himself a quick glance. But although he was technically a Haffaton unit now, he was also a fat, scared Lookamancer who'd never been in a single engagement. His mouth was open, struggling for words. She'd go for an incapacitating strike to the spine if he tried anything, but he wouldn't.
"Please!" shouted Olive, gripping the stone and crouching.
Jillian said nothing. No need for banter, nothing to negotiate. Croak the Overlady and take her empire, and anything she could offer now would belong to Faq anyway. Even the heroine buds..
She decided her move: she'd feint right, then juke left past her father when the target took the bait. With a practiced, convincing fake, she looked and stepped that direction.
And Orwell stepped directly into her path.
"Lemon Jefferson," intoned the Lookamancer. He reached out to touch her arm, initiating an engagement. His attack ran so counter to her expectations that he managed to catch her exposed fingertips beneath the cuff of her demi-gaunt as she moved to hilt-strike him out of the way.
That contact was all it took. The lights went out. Jillian was left completely blind.
The strike she'd started was still sprung up in her muscles, though. It connected with the caster's arm, slamming him aside. She added a quick, improvised cut just above where his hip ought to be. It connected with a sack of soft belly, cutting so deep that her sword was nearly yanked out of her grip as Orwell jerked backwards.
The Lookamancer cried out, then she heard him hit the marble dais with two flops and a crack. He made no more sound.
"No. Great Titans..." whispered her father, somewhere to the left and behind.
Jillian froze, bringing her sword up in an elementary defensive stance. She had never been blinded in combat before (although there were several units out there that could do it to you). She really wasn't sure what to do now. She listened, trying to picture the space she was in.
She heard—and ignored—Banhammer crying out Orwell's name, as he ran past her to the enemy unit's aid. But it was the footsteps behind his that were the real problem. Metal clacks on marble, and a scurrying whoosh of straw. She turned to face the golem and scarecrow. She'd have to handle them, somehow, in absolute blackness. And fast, or the Overlady would bolt.
The footsteps were loud, at least. She had a sense of where they were. She wound up to receive them with a sweeping parry, but her timing was late. The metal fist struck her in the left breast just as she clanged her sword against the golem's midsection. A flat blow, useless.
The punch was a real clobber, and it hurt. A rib or two was surely cracked. But she kept her weapon, and only stumbled back into a defensive crouch.
She gripped Three-Edged with both hands, extending it like a feeler. When something soft brushed against the blade, she violently C-hooked the tip, cutting into straw and cloth. The straw and cloth kept closing on her anyway. So she tore into it...hard, with a complete disregard for the other unit. If she could take out this one, she might stand a chance against the tougher one alone.
Something smacked her face, leaving deep scratches—the scarecrow' flailing hand. But the sword was doing excellent work in the thing's torso now, so she turned her head away and sawed at it with both arms. There were clanking footsteps, very near. She tried to pivot around to get the opponents in each other's way. If the metal one gave her just one more moment to finish the job...
The bright light startled her. Jillian was on her keister several feet away before she understood that she had taken a slamming blow to the temple from that disbanded thing's fist again. She climbed to her feet, still holding on to the sword, but now with some balance issues on top of everything else. She'd lost her mental picture of the room. She heard the clanks again, but couldn't place them in space. They were closing, but how soon? She wobbled.
What could she do at this point? She'd never been anything like this vulnerable in a fight before. It started to dawn on her that a chief warlord could actually lose a fight to a couple of unled units under circumstances like these. Especially if one was an armored heavy.
Jillian struck an unsteady stance and struggled to picture her opponents. Or the room. Anything. She wanted a fresh flower. She wanted to go home, like Judy had. She braced herself for the next attack as best she could, planning to dodge at first contact. If she could survive first contact.
She could see herself doing it. That was something, at least. She could picture her own stance. She could envision her feet planted. She could see her...own rear end?
She could also see—
She ducked, and struck the tin golem in the armpit from underneath its heavy swing. A white spark flew. Somehow, she'd known exactly where it was, and that its powerful left hook was coming in at her.
Three-Edged was made of a tougher metal than the golem, and it cut in, unhinging the thing's arm almost completely. The half-disassembled straw doll blundered toward her as well, spilling bits of itself everywhere, and she somehow could picture that as well.
Whatever "vision" she had was limited and weird. The disorientation was still profound, but now she knew where she was in space, relative to her enemies. That was enough for the Chief's fighting instinct to take over.
She thrust the point of her blade right through the approaching scarecrow's face, and yanked upward. The burlap sack of its head ripped fully away from its shoulders and spilled out, empty.
The tin golem raised a huge boot to stomp her leg, but she swiveled and slipped her hip to the side. Its clublike foot slammed down on bare marble. She flung the doll head aside, and in one motion she planted the sword through the center of the metal monster's chest.
It swung at her with its good arm, as if unaffected. She withdrew the sword reluctantly, and fell back a few steps. Right, it had no heart. She'd have to go for a head shot.
It ripped away its wounded arm with its good one, and wielded the severed limb like a club. This gave the monster more reach than she had with her sword, but she still was quicker. She ducked in fast and low, not even looking at it, but still seeing that it had committed to a strike. Then she twisted out of the way and let the fist slam into the floor just behind her heel.
She was seeing herself in the picture as well, and her head finally clicked with the new orientation. This was someone else's view of her, from outside the fight.
Yeah. Of course it was. This was Jack Snipe's view.
Tracking completely with the Foolamancy-vision now, she counterstruck. With the big hulk stooped low from its missed strike, she took a huge, almost lazy overhead swing and put her blade cleanly through its entire neck, an executioner-style critical hit. The head dropped and bit the marble, rolling away. It let its other arm fall. Then the rest of it slumped to its knees and collapsed in a heap.
She stood, seeing a vision of herself with sweat on her bangs, panting. She lined her eyes up, like looking in the mirror, so that she'd be facing him.
"Jack, you...magnificent fool, don't look at me!" she shouted. "I need to see her!"
"Oh! Right!" came Jack's voice from in front of her.
Her view shifted wildly, then she was looking at a figure in the air. The Overlady was clinging to the broomstick, and flying up the main corridor, out of sight.


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Redshift: z=0.396
Data were obtained as part of the HST proposal 12459: M. Postman (STScI) and the CLASH Team
ACS/WFC: F435W (B) and F775W (i)
WFC3/IR: F105W (Y), F110W (YJ), F125W (J), and F160W (H)
This image is a composite of separate exposures acquired by the ACS and WFC3 instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Several filters were used to sample broad wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter. In this case, the assigned colors are:
Blue: F435W (B)
Green: F775W (i)
Red: F105W (Y) + F110W (YJ) + F125W (J) + F160W (H)


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Implement dealers have used service trucks for years toomake service calls. Now some farmers are buying them to save downtime in the field.
Farmer Wilbert Ohlmann was tired of running from field to shop each time he needed a tool to repair a broken-down piece of equipment. Ohlmann's farm covers 52,000 acres outside of the Badlands of South Dakota. When he takes a left-hand turn out of his driveway, it's 14 miles to his west fence line.
"When I'd get a call over the radio, I'd shoot out to the field to repair the problem, but it would never be what they said it was," explains Ohlmann, also a self-trained mechanic who does all of his own repairs.
So in the spring of 1997, Ohlmann bought himself a field service truck. "Now I carry everything with me," he says.
Ohlmann didn't buy just any service truck. He bought the largest Peterbilt chassis he could find from his local dealer. Then he had Feterl Manufacturing custom make a service body to fit the truck. His Dakota model 14000 is loaded with cranes, welders, lube kits, hose crimpers, fuel tanks and anything else he needs to service his own equipment (see sidebar). "It's a shop on wheels," says Jack Harriman, special trucks division manager at Feterl.
Ohlmann isn't the only farmer buying a field service truck. "Implement dealers have used them extensively, but now they are catching on with farmers," Harriman says.
As farm consolidation puts more miles between field and dealer, these buyers are finding it faster and cheaper to do their own fix-ups in the field. "We are getting into an age where it seems we have to do our own repairing," Ohlmann explains. "To have a dealer do it just isn't feasible."
Can you afford one? These trucks aren't cheap. The chassis of Ohlmann's truck cost him ¤80,000. The service body cost another ¤79,000.
Obviously, not everyone would need a truck that big. Typically you can expect to pay ¤30,000 to ¤80,000 for the chassis and ¤32,000 to ¤70,000 for the body. Ohlmann also has a smaller service truck from Feterl, model 10000, for an adjacent farm. He paid ¤35,000 for the body and ¤39,000 for the truck.
Keep in mind that these costs are for off-road service trucks, says Gary Hibma, national sales manager for Maintainer Corporation of Iowa, a service truck supplier for Case Corporation. He says it is possible to get an on-road truck cheaper, but you may end up buying another one after a year if the engine dies or cracks as a result of its vigorous use in the field.
The average life of a service truck is 12 to 14 years. To know whether you can justify buying one, consider these factors:
*Mechanical aptitude: "The biggest kicker is whether you have someone qualified to fix equipment," Harriman says.
*Size of farm: There's no magic number that applies, but most farmers who buy a service truck farm a lot of acreage.
*Distance to dealership: Some dealerships charge by the mile for hauling, so consider how much it would cost to haul broken equipment to the nearest dealer given trucking rates in your area. Also factor in travel time and how much downtime you can afford.
Sizing up a truck. If you decide to buy, you can choose from hundreds of companies that make service trucks. You may want to find one close to you to save on shipping charges. The National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) has a Web site (www.ntea.com) that lists many of these companies along with their products, services and individual Web sites. NTEA's site lets you search by company name or location so you can find the one nearest you. If you don't have access to the Internet, you can call NTEA direct at 800/441-6832.
Some of these companies, like Douglass Truck Bodies in Bakersfield, CA, sell only the service body. Some supply only the truck. Still others, like Feterl and Maintainer, sell both the body and the truck and give you the option to buy either one from someone else.
You will need to determine how big a truck you want. They can range from three-quarter tons to one- and two-ton tandems. At minimum, you'll need one with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 15,000 lbs. to support a service body, according to Feterl's Harriman. But they can go as high as 80,000 lbs. or higher. For the most part, the size will be determined by what you want to put on it.
Next, consider the service body. Some bodies are designed strictly for maintenance; they include things like parts bins, tool drawers, a workbench, welders, torches, air compressors, hose crimping equipment, cranes for pulling engines and radiators and a light package for night work. Some bodies also can be used for preventive maintenance and refueling and include big tanks to carry the oil, diesel fuel, antifreeze and waste.
The combination service/lube requires a 33,000-lb.-GVW truck because of the weight of the tanks, Hibma says. With the maintenance model, you can get by with a lower GVW, typically 20,000 to 30,000 lbs.
Factory- or custom-made? Most companies sell service trucks that are factory-made, and only a handful will design them to meet your specifications. Maintainer, Feterl and Douglass all specialize in custom manufacturing along with selling standard lines.
"[Farmers] all kind of like a different look to their truck, whether it be lights, interiors or how the boxes are designed," says Rick Douglass, president of Douglass Truck Bodies. "It's not cheap," adds Ohlmann about his custom buying experience. "But at least it meets your needs."
Wilbert Ohlmann's Peterbilt 379 is equipped with a 475-hp Caterpillar motor, an 18-speed transmission and 4.33 gear ratio on the rear end.
The truck has 16R2.25 tires on the front for the carrying capacity and weight distribution needed on soft ground such as newly worked field. The rear tandems are 12R24.5. All four wheels in back have full locking differential locks.
Feterl Manufacturing put on the body - a Dakota model 14,000 - the largest it has built to date. Here are just a few of the items Ohlmann wanted on it:
*14,000-lb. hydraulic crane with remote control and a 30-ft. cord to stretch to where Ohlmann is working *Hydraulic air compressor driven by the truck's PTO *Welder/generator mounted on a slide table operated by air cylinders *Hydraulic hose crimper with cabinet for hose ends *2,100-gal., three-compartment diesel fuel tank *Six 80-gal. product tanks for oils and antifreeze *Diaphragm pump with different valve configurations to smoothly pump everything from fuel out of a tank to oil out of a crankcase *Lights for night work *Emergency light bars *Heavy-duty tool drawers and bolt bins *DuPont's Imron durable paint for the body *Metered oil dispenser


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Shameem Akhter is a platform architect at Intel, focusing on single socket multi-core architecture and performance analysis. Jason Roberts is a senior software engineer at Intel. They are the authors of Multi-Core Programming.
Error diffusion in image and graphics processing programs represents an excellent example of a problem which at first may seem resistant to a multi-threaded approach, but upon further review will actually lend itself well to speed up possibilities. Using the Floyd-Steinberg algorithm for error diffusion, the trick lies in considering not the destination of calculated error, but the sources. In this way, the algorithm and code become fairly straightforward.
To see how you might apply the aforementioned methods to a practical computing problem, consider the error diffusion algorithm that is used in many computer graphics and image processing programs. Originally proposed by Floyd and Steinberg, error diffusion is a technique for displaying continuous-tone digital images on devices that have limited color (tone) range. Printing an 8-bit grayscale image to a black-and-white printer is problematic. The printer, being a bi-level device, cannot print the 8-bit image natively. It must simulate multiple shades of gray by using an approximation technique. An example of an image before and after the error diffusion process is Figure 1. The original image, Figure 1(a), is composed of 8-bit grayscale pixels. Figure 1(b) is the 2-bit result of the image that has been processed using the error diffusion algorithm. The output image is composed of pixels of only two colors: black and white. At the resolution of of this printing, they look similar. Figures 1(c) and 1(d) are the same images as Figures 1(a) and 1(b) but zoomed to 400 percent and cropped to25 percent to show pixel detail. Now you can clearly see the 2-bit black-white rendering and 8-bit grayscale.
The basic error diffusion algorithm does its work in a simple three-step process:
- Determine the output value given the input value of the current pixel. This step often uses quantization, or in the binary case, thresholding. For an 8-bit grayscale image that is displayed on a 1-bit output device, all input values in the range [0, 127] are to be displayed as a 0 and all input values between [128, 255] are to be displayed as a 1 on the output device.
- Once the output value is determined, the code computes the error between what should be displayed on the output device and what is actually displayed. As an example, assume that the current input pixel value is 168. Given that it is greater than our threshold value (128), we determine that the output value will be a 1. This value is stored in the output array. To compute the error, the program must normalize output first, so it is in the same scale as the input value. That is, for the purposes of computing the display error, the output pixel must be 0 if the output pixel is 0 or 255 if the output pixel is 1. In this case, the display error is the difference between the actual value that should have been displayed (168) and the output value (255), which is -87.
- Finally, the error value is distributed on a fractional basis to the neighboring pixels in the region, as in Figure 2.
This example uses the Floyd-Steinberg error weights to propagate errors to neighboring pixels. 7/16ths of the error is computed and added to the pixel to the right of the current pixel that is being processed. 5/16ths of the error is added to the pixel in the next row, directly below the current pixel. The remaining errors propagate in a similar fashion. While you can use other error weighting schemes, all error diffusion algorithms follow this general method.
The three-step process is applied to all pixels in the image. Listing 1 shows a simple C implementation of the error diffusion algorithm, using Floyd-Steinberg error weights.
Analysis of the Error Diffusion Algorithm
At first glance, you might think that the error diffusion algorithm is an inherently serial process. The conventional approach distributes errors to neighboring pixels as they are computed. As a result, the previous pixel's error must be known in order to compute the value of the next pixel. This interdependency implies that the code can only process one pixel at a time. It's not that difficult, however, to approach this problem in a way that is more suitable to a multi-threaded approach.


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Electric Cloud's private cloud development technology has this week been enhanced with the company's ElectricCommander 3.8 offering. Described as an application to bridge the gap between private cloud infrastructure and software development, ElectricCommander 3.8 provides developers with self-service and manageability tools to close the loop between operations and requirements.
To clarify what it means by this "gap" between IT and development, Electric Cloud points to the virtual and physical machines that IT operations provides at one level — and the tools and processes that developers must use to lash code together to build, test, and deploy quality software on time in the real-world.
Developers and IT can often work at odds says the company, but the rise of the so-called Development Operations team (or DevOps) acknowledges this problem and assigns ownership. In Electric Cloud's version of the truth, its ElectricCommander 3.8 is then in place to connect the machines, tools, and processes already in place and create a private development cloud where developers find precisely the services and resources they need.
"Enterprise IT organizations are accelerating their investment in private cloud computing and software development teams are going to be their most demanding users," said Electric Cloud CEO Mike Maciag. "Unfortunately, while most private clouds provide 'self-service compute resources' — for development, that hasn't translated to much more than a blank rack of servers."
According to Electric Cloud, ElectricCommander 3.8 accomplishes its claims via a process of workflow automation with a task automation engine to provide an environment to define any arbitrary tasks and the workflows between them. There is also parallel execution to enable compute intensive tasks to be executed in parallel. Plus there's also workload distribution and management engineering so that developers can schedule physical, virtual or cloud compute resources for software development tasks — and this allows developers to automatically get as many or as few compute resources as they need.
According to a November 2010 report by Forrester Research Inc. entitled, Companies Building Private Clouds Focus on Infrastructure but Not Operations, in the private cloud, enterprises are under investing in key areas such as automation, self-service, and tracking and reporting. "Evening out these investments and focusing on operational shortfalls can lead to better implementations sooner, which could drive differentiating value for their company," according to the analyst firm.


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Justin Bieber: 'I Don't Give a F—'
Justin Bieber does not sit down for many interviews. Manager Scooter Braun talks to the media more than his famous client does. But in a no-holds-barred chat with the Biebs, The Hollywood Reporter got to the meat of his tumultuous 2013. Bieber had one critical thing to say: "I don't give a f---."
But he isn't talking about being a brat and behaving "reckless" where he will "do whatever." What he means is he doesn't care what people, like media stalkers, say about him.
While that first, curse-driven statement is sorta rebellious, he followed it up with something more mature, saying, "I know who I am and what I'm doing in my life and what I've accomplished and continue to accomplish as a performer, as a writer, as an artist, as a person, as a human being. I'm happy with the man I'm becoming."
Glad to hear it, kiddo!
Braun weighed in on their silence when it came to the flood of rumors that followed the teen this past year.
Put simply: There were too many to address, and silence is golden.
"The rumors were coming so fast and furious that we couldn't address all of them," the manager said. "Say whatever the f--- you want. Justin's not going to go crazy. He's not going to end up in rehab. He's not going to end up a statistic. Nine months ago, they said he lost his mind -- he hasn't missed a show since. So we're just going to shut up."
All of the drama has left the Biebs wary of people, and their motives and intentions. "I trust my mom and dad," he said. "I trust Scooter with my career; he's always made sure I'm taken care of. That's it." We're glad he doesn't trust, oh, say, Lil Twist.
Braun understands his client's apprehension. "He's the only person in humanity who's grown up the way he has -- with smartphones and cameras on him 24/7," Braun said, making a point that we can't argue. "Another kid can go out and have a good night on the town, and no one gives a crap, but Justin is the most Googled person on the planet -- for four years straight!"
People care about Bieber, even on the periphery. Eminem's manager reached out to Braun saying, "If you ever want Eminem to talk to him, he would do it in a second. He cares about that kid."
Also, Will Smith drove to the Biebs' house during a low point to drag him out of bed and give him a three-hour talk. That's impressive, since Smith is one of the biggest stars on the planet.
The Biebs revealed he digs rock music, like Led Zeppelin to Korn, and black culture, but not in a straightforward way. He's also done with "swag" as a word. GASP!
"I'm very influenced by black culture, but I don't think of it as black or white," says Bieber. "It's not me trying to act or pose in a certain way. It's a lifestyle -- like a suaveness or a swag, per se. But I don't really like to say the word ['swag'] anymore. It's kind of played out."
We get it... we think.