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Volbeat open up an exciting future with Servant Of The Mind
Danes Volbeat take their style to a fresh level on Servant Of The Mind
By Malcolm Dome published 3 December 21
(Image: © EMI)
If you are acquainted with the previous seven studio albums from Volbeat, then you'll know the basic score: they mix metal, punk, psychobilly and melody with a heady yet disciplined abandon.
However, after perhaps treading water on occasion during the previous two or three albums, with this latest one they've been a little more adventurous. You can hear this on the slinky yet sinister The Devil Rages On, as vocalist Michael Poulsen tells of how Satan came to Earth and took human form to wreak havoc. Hardly a ground-breaking subject, but Volbeat handle it all with their customary individuality.
Shotgun Blues, which is a true story of Poulsen's encounter with ghosts, allows guitarist Rob Caggiano to dig deep into his love for Metallica and deliver some neatly viscous riffs.
And the closing epic Lasse's Birgita tackles the detail of Sweden's first witch burnings in 1471. This is done without having to take the doomy musical approach that many may have expected, but that's not in Volbeat's mentality. They prefer to give off an uneasy atmosphere through the toning down of their usual approach, and once more Caggiano rises to the occasion with some stunning work across the near-eight-minute track.
Naturally, there are moments that are more typically Volbeat, and in this vein Wait A Minute Girl is bright, breezy and summery, inspired to a large extent by Jerry Lee Lewis, while opener Temple Of The Ekur takes its mantra from the sort of ancient themes the band have successfully explored several times previously.
The whole album shines and flows with a real sense of purpose, and you know that not only did they have fun putting this all together, but also they achieved it with the attention to detail that marks it out as a firm step forward for the band.
The best tracks here are Step Into The Light and The Passenger. The former has touches of psychedelia, but these are never allowed to become obtrusive, and are used to add colour and shade to the overall texture. The latter (not an Iggy Pop cover) is the band channelling their Lemmy adoration, and doing it very impressively.
Like others, Volbeat have used the recent global travails to reset their musical clock. The result is not only their best album in a while, but also one that opens up an exciting future.
Today's best Volbeat: Servant Of The Mind deals
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Malcolm Dome
Malcolm Dome had an illustrious and celebrated career which stretched back to working for Record Mirror magazine in the late 70s and Metal Fury in the early 80s before joining Kerrang! at its launch in 1981. His first book, Encyclopedia Metallica, published in 1981, may have been the inspiration for the name of a certain band formed that same year. Dome is also credited with inventing the term "thrash metal" while writing about the Anthrax song Metal Thrashing Mad in 1984. He would later become a founding member of RAW rock magazine in 1988.
In the early 90s, Malcolm Dome was the Editor of Metal Forces magazine, and also involved in the horror film magazine Terror, before returning to Kerrang! for a spell. With the launch of Classic Rock magazine in 1998 he became involved with that title, sister magazine Metal Hammer, and was a contributor to Prog magazine since its inception in 2009. He was actively involved in Total Rock Radio, which launched as Rock Radio Network in 1997, changing its name to Total Rock in 2000. In 2014 he joined the TeamRock online team as Archive Editor, uploading stories from all of our print titles and helping lay the foundation for what became Louder.
Dome was the author of many books on a host of bands from AC/DC to Led Zeppelin and Metallica, some of which he co-wrote with Prog Editor Jerry Ewing.
Mick Fleetwood signs on as Executive Producer for new Fox TV music drama
Skindred's Benji Webbe: I'd really like to do something with a 52-piece orchestra
Pompous, moi? 40 arrogant quotes from 40 different musicians
Wolfgang Van Halen: Mammoth WVH is just the beginning
This newly-colorised footage of Pink Floyd on American Bandstand in 1967 is a trip

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
There were four Austin cars to use the Seven name:
 The 1909–1911 Austin 7 hp
 The 1922–1939 Austin 7
 The launch title of the Austin A30
 The original Mini

The name Austin Seven was also used to refer to the LMS Class 7F 0-8-0 engines.

The name Seven will be brought back by Mini for a visual package on the existing 3-door and 5-door Mini Cooper and Cooper S worldwide from July 2016.

Seven

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Down in the valley there were three farms. The owners of these farms were rich men. They were also nasty men. All three of them were as nasty and mean as any men could be. Their names were Farmer Boggis, Farmer Bunce and Farmer Bean.
Boggis was a chicken farmer. He kept thousands of chickens. He was very fat. This was because he ate three boiled chickens with dumplings every day for breakfast, lunch and supper.
Bunce was a duck-and-goose farmer. He kept thousands of ducks and geese. He was a kind of pot-bellied dwarf. He was so short his chin would have been underwater in the shallow end of any swimming-pool in the world. His food was doughnuts and goose-livers. He made a disgusting paste from the livers and then put it into the doughnuts. This diet gave him a tummy-ache and a beastly temper.
Were none the less equally mean."
That is what the children round about usually sang when they saw them.


WASHINGTON, DC — The Peace Corps recently welcomed Cornell University as its newest Fellows/USA partner school. Cornell joins more than 45 other institutions in offering the Fellows/USA option to returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Cornell's program, offered through the Department of City and Regional Planning (CRP), will grant successful fellows master's degrees in regional planning (MRP).
Volunteers who have satisfactorily completed their Peace Corps service will be eligible for the program which, besides class work towards the degree, will include a required summer placement with Cornell Urban Scholars, a program that supports field placements with community organizations serving New York City's most disadvantaged neighborhoods. The Cornell Urban Scholars program, founded by Professor Ken Reardon and funded by the Heckscher Foundation for Childen, will provide students a research stipend and housing allowance for their summer placement.
Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter said, "I am enthusiastic about our new partnership with Cornell University. With this partnership, the Peace Corps will have the opportunity to further develop the skills of Volunteers in the area of urban and regional planning. I am confident that Cornell University will be a strong Fellows/USA partner.


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Yo Akiyama
2013.12.3[tue] – 2014.1.25[sat] 11:00 - 19:00 (Saturdays 11:00 - 17:00 ) Closed on Sundays, Mondays, National holidays and winter recess (December 22 - January 6).
Yo Akiyama established his signature style of sculptural ceramic creation while still in school. His creative mind lies beneath the awareness by facing the nature and energy of clay, expressed through large scale works. We are excited to introduce Akiyama's new works in this exhibition showcasing the roots, that is the artery of Akiyama's powerful creation as well as Akiyama's now as his next step in his career.
Akiyama's early works were mysterious objects created through black pottery. His student works done in black pottery show influences from primitivism that he was interested in, modern sculptors such as Brâncuşi and Arp, and his professor Kazuo Yagi, but yet to discover his own expression or concept through clay. Those early pieces are gone; however, Akiyama recalls that he can see the presence of Akiyama that has lead to himself now. This discovery lead him to the new set of works, in which the artist re-creates his early black pottery works with his current skillsets and by revisiting his own 1970s. Akiyama titled this new challenge of regenerating or redeveloping his roots "Incubation" (or Houran no Katachi in Japanese) and introduces about 10 new pieces in this exhibition.
Akiyama developed several series of works that express the ever-changing shape of earth with unique creative challenges such as nature vs. human, birth vs. decay, internal vs. external by fusing the phenomenon of soil and thoughts on creation. The series titled "Metavoid," which began in 2003, puts focus on an enclosed space where objects intervene and how we perceive such space. Akiyama would make a large bowl on a potter's wheel, then reverse its inside and outside. This act brings a change in spatial relation of the bowl and the space it holds within (the void). The artist would then place this bowl in an even larger vessel – an exhibition space, the other void. Akiyama uses clay as a vehicle to explore physical shapes to his pursuit ranging from multi-layered texture in motion to human perception of space. We are introducing 5 new large scale pieces ranging from 100 cm to 180 cm from the series "Metavoid." We bring you Akiyama's now.
Akiyama began making a series of slabs with prints of spider webs as his side work around 1993 where the artist began to depart from his signature black pottery works. The series captured the natural beauty of spider webs Akiyama found almost every morning around his home from early summer to fall. About 50 creations from this series will gather in our gallery for public viewing for the first time. They can be seen as an organic map that connects the roots and current of Akiyama's creation.
This exhibition offers visitors the physical experience of Akiyama's thoughts on creation, or his easygoing point of view that pottery is "small remarks made of a piece from mother nature" and goes beyond the boundaries of ceramic art as a genre. This is the first solo exhibition in 4 years at ArtCourt Gallery since Akiyama won the 17th MOA Mokichi Okada Award in Craft and the 52nd Mainichi Art Award for the self titled "Yo Akiyama Exhibition" in 2009. Please stay tuned.
14:00 - 17:00, Saturday, December 7
Talk with Koichi Mori (Art critic / Secretary General of Japan Ceramics Society) x Yo Akiyama


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How Parents in Prison Lose Their Kids Because They Can't Afford to Call Home
Brittany Morrisey | 8.8.2014 3:59 PM
(Credit|||Public Domain)
Earlier this year, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) declared "the era of unreasonable and unjust" prison phone call costs over.
The declaration came after the regulatory body's new rate caps went into effect for interstate phone calls made from federal, state, and local correctional facilities.
So, why are prison phone calls so expensive?
Well, according to a survey of prison phone contracts by Prison Legal News, it's because contracts go to the highest bidder—not the lowest.
An exhaustive analysis of prison phone contracts nationwide has revealed that with only limited exceptions, telephone service providers offer lucrative kickbacks (politely termed "commissions") to state contracting agencies – amounting on average to 42% of gross revenues from prisoners'phone calls – in order to obtain exclusive, monopolistic contracts for prison phone services….
This is because prison phone companies don't "compete" in the usual sense. They don't have to offer lower phone rates to match those of their competitors, as prison phone contracts typically are based on the highest commission paid, not the lowest phone rates. Free market competition is thus largely absent in the prison phone industry, at least from the perspective of the consumer – mainly prisoners' families.
While the FCC has imposed price caps on interstate prison calls, it is still mulling over what it can do to reform how states' price their local prison phone calls.
Last month MEY Legal Services, "a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal assistance to New York City's poorest communities," sent a letter to the FCC about how the high cost of prison visits and phone calls not only provide a hardship to poorer families but—due to some state laws—can result in the termination of parental rights.
Under New York law, "a parent who fails to visit or communicate with his or her child or designated caregiver for six months is deemed to have forfeited his or her parental rights," according to the letter. That obligation does not change when a parent is sent to prison and, in fact, incarcerated parents "bear the burden of convincing a judge that they were unable to communicate with their children or provide financial assistance while in prison."
This pertains mostly to parents in prison for non-violent offences, as generally someone convicted of a violent crime will immediately lose their parental rights.
The number of parents in prison has also increased at disturbing rate; the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world. (You can thank the war on drugs for that.)
Since 1991, the number of children with a mother in prison has more than doubled, up 131%. The number of children with a father in prison has grown by 77%. This finding reflects a faster rate of growth in the number of mothers held in state and federal prisons (up 122%), compared to the number of fathers (up 76%) between 1991 and midyear 2007.
Losing a parent to the prison system can be devastating to a child but maintaining family contact during a parent's incarceration can be beneficial for both parties.
Crony capitalism and bad laws shouldn't make it so that the high price of a simple phone call winds up costing a parent their child.
NEXT: FAA Bans US Flights over Iraq
Brittany Morrisey
PolicyEconomicsCivil LibertiesWar on DrugsPrisonsCrony CapitalismFamily IssuesFCCDrugs


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GALLERIES > BIRDS > CHARADRIIFORMES > LARIDAE > BLACK-TAILED GULL [Larus crassirostris]
Location: Long Beach (Alamitos Bay), CA
GPS: 33.8N, -118.1W, elev=6' MAP
The Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) is a medium-sized (46cm) gull, with a wingspan of 126-128 cm. The bird is resident in East Asia, including China, Japan and Korea. It is a vagrant to Alaska and northeastern North America.
It has yellow legs and a red and black spot at the end of the bill. This gull takes 4 years to reach full adult plumage. As the name suggests, it has a black tail. The bird has a cat-like call, giving it its Japanese name "? Umineko, "Sea cat" and Korean name "? Gwaeng-yi gull, which means "cat" gull.
The Black-tailed Gull feeds mainly on small fish, molluscs, crustaceans and offal. It often follows ships and commercial fishing fleets. It does steal food from other seabirds.
It is a colonial nester, with colonies forming in mid-April. 2-3 eggs are laid by early June. Incubation lasts approximately 24 days.
A rare visitor to the United States, a black-tailed gull was spotted from Burlington, Vermont, in October 2005. Pictures from that sighting can be seen here
Black tailed gull, immature plumage
Click here to see the Black-tailed Gull's range map!


Don't be a buyer, be a DIY-er – The Handmade Co.
Anchal Gupta is a known name to all those who admire and are interested in making their very own handmade products. Her workshops have received a great response in Pune. Only few months since its inception, Anchal's startup "The DIYers" has touched many hearts and given the creative freedom to a lot of people.
Looking at the happy faces of the participants and their lovely creations from her workshop, we could not deny that fact. For Anchal too, it has been a long journey before starting DIYers. She worked as a software engineer in a renowned firm for three years. Eventually Anchal realized that her work was rather monotonous and in the competitive world of corporate it was difficult to get time out to do what one loves. That is when she decided to start DIYers as she always loved making things with her own hands.
"The DIYers officially came into existence on 22nd April 2017, while I was still working. As we grew, there was so much to do and I decided to quit my job and chase my dream" says Anchal. With just her family and a couple of close friends with her as a part of The DIYers, Anchal embarked on her venture. As the name suggests, The DIYers, -Do It Yourself (DIY) – one gets to make their own craft right from scratch. One gets to learn various art forms right from canvas painting to decoupage. Anyone who wants to experience the joy of creating things with their own hands should head here. A little 'me' time in your busy schedules is all you need.
While most of us would think that handmade industry is rather new in India, Anchal thinks it is only a matter of appreciation and more recognition. For her the biggest challenge as a creative business owner, is that people think twice before going for handmade since factory manufactured, ready-made things come cheaper. But she also believes that with this initiative people will figure out for themselves how much effort and feelings are put into handmade things.
Thanks to the presence of digital media that does not limit your reach, Anchal also relies on Facebook and WhatsApp to reach out to people. She also participates in various flea markets and has enjoyed a large footfall. But above all, she sincerely believes that, word of mouth publicity works best which is why she tries to give people the best experience at The DIYers workshops. The happy faces after the workshop, all the effort put behind the scenes feels worth it.
I always wanted to do something that gives people a little joy and that what keeps me going.
This mantra has surely made many people closely connected with the DIYers and its purpose. Helping others to get their creative juices flowing, to help them make a masterpiece out of nothing and to refresh them is what makes Anchal tick. We, at The Handmade Co., share the same vibes and wish Anchal and The DIYers, ultimate success in getting more people to proudly make their own art.
Next Post Do You Track The Growth Of Your Business?
Awesome workshop. Learned many new things from Anchal. She is very kind, helpful and patient with every single person. Gives attention to everyone. Allows you to make something very creative by your own hands which gives you more pleasure than buying something readymade. Keep up the good work And all. I wish you all the best for upcoming workshops. And you know I'll be definitely one entry for your each workshop. 😜Lot to learn from you. Thanks for waking up creative side of mine.


With summer drawing to a close, we are looking forward to a cool and beautiful fall this year. The leave are in the beginning stages of changing in Asheville and we are super excited to see the fiery colors once again. This time last year we were in the middle of scouting many locations for our in-house production facility & boutique.
As we get ready to cross off another month on the calendar, we can't help but be in awe over all of the support and love that we have received since opening this year. Our dream for C and Co. has come true and we are still on cloud 9.
As for product news, we have a few new items that have hit our website. While they do not have pictures yet to accompany them just yet, they are in-fact real products. Regard this as the official debut of our Natural Lavender Home & Linen Spray, our silky Lavender & Peppermint Lip Balm and our juicy Lemon & Lime Lip Balm.
Additionally, we will be debuting a fantastic Rose & Organic Sweet Orange Toner in the near future.
Lastly, C of C and Co. will be out of the shop this weekend for a quick trip to Colorado. Any online orders over the weekend will be shipped on Tuesday the 24th. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Take care and thank you again for the support.


Recently, I wrote about how a wall is a powerful concept because it's so specific and tangible. Whether it's made of steel or cement, a wall is concrete. We can picture it.
But what about $5.7 billion, the amount that a certain wall is supposed to cost? That's a big number, but here's the thing: A number is not compelling. It's abstract. And because of that, a number doesn't stick.
Paul's premise is that a fact just hanging out there gives the brain nothing to hold onto. But create a comparison and people can make connections. For example: "Our profits are just one-quarter of what we made last year."
Isn't it interesting how you can picture $17 in your wallet much more easily than you can imagine $5.7 billion? The first is tangible (a 10, a five, and two singles) and the second is too vague to wrap your mind around.
Reduce the number of facts you share. When leaders communicate quarterly results, for example, they tend to include all the numbers they'd provide to analysts or bankers. But think about what employees really need to know--and what's important for them to retain. You can probably boil all that data down to three to five key facts.
Create a compelling visual. Charts and graphs? Yawn. But make the visual arresting--a photo of an elephant next to a mouse--and employees are more likely to pay attention, get the concept, and remember it.
Tell a story. Human brains glom onto stories, which are like little movies in our minds. So rather than reporting on statistics for new customer acquisition, bring the facts to life: "We've attracted more new customers this year than ever before. In fact, I visited our sales department last week and they had filled a whole wall with Post-Its, each one representing a sales lead. The team was working 12 to 14 hours a day following up. They were so busy that they put me to work; I answered 15 emails before I could escape!"
Notice that I keep referring to "concept", not fact. That's because the most important thing to retain is the big idea--we need more customers--not the exact percentage of how many more customers we need. Once you move away from "just the facts" and concentrate on important concepts, you'll improve the effectiveness of your communication.


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Аркебузи́ри, аркебу́зери () — солдати XV—XVII століть, озброєні аркебузами.

Історія
Попередниками аркебузирів як стрільців з вогнепальною зброєю були кулевринери. Перші аркебузири з'явилися в Китаї часів династії Мін (кінець XIV ст.). У той час китайські воєначальники вже розуміли важливість ручної вогнепальної зброї, тому це призвело до створення цілих частин, озброєних аркебузами. Ці загони, об'єднані в «Дивізії божественного розуму» (Шень-чі їн), у взаємодії з кавалерією зіграли вирішальну роль у вигнанні з Китаю монголів.

Аркебузири діяли разом з пікінерами в складі бойових шикувань (наприклад, терції), і первісно на одного аркебузира припадало не менш ніж три пікінери. Надалі число стрільців збільшувалося і стало дорівнювати числу пікінерів, а з появою багнетів і перевищило його. Аркебузиром був кожний четвертий солдат Чорної армії, а в цілому по війську це співвідношення становило 1:5, що було відносно високим для того часу. Незважаючи на то, у Західній Європі до XVI століття тільки близько 10 % солдатів мали вогнепальну зброю. У битві при Павії у 1525 році 3 тис. аркебузирів здобули перемогу над 8 тис. французьких лицарів, поклавши таким чином край пануванню лицарських армій в Європі.

На початку XVI ст. аркебузири з'являються в Московському князівстві, де вони носили назву пищальників. Тисячі таких вояків брали участь у війні за Псков у 1510 р. і здобутті Смоленська в 1512 р.

У Речі Посполитій аркебузири впроваджені за правління Стефана Баторія (друга половина XVI ст.) і проіснували до часів Яна Собеського (друга половина XVII ст.).

У Японії аркебузири з'являються середині XVI ст., коли після знайомства з вогнепальною зброєю португальців японці починають виробництво аркебуз-танеґасіма й озброюють ними піхотинців-асигару. У 1575 році в битві при Наґасіно воєначальник Ода Нобунага поставив три лінії аркебузирів за дерев'яний частокіл, що захищав їх від ворожої кінноти. Шикування в три лінії уможливило стрільцям двох задніх ліній перезаряджати свою зброю в той час, як перша лінія вела вогонь, забезпечивши безперервну стрільбу і компенсуючи тим самим недостатню влучність вогню аркебузи.

Посилення піхоти викликало зміни в тактиці й озброєнні кавалерії. Таранний удар лицарським списом ставав неефективним проти піхотних рядів аркебузирів і пікінерів, тому з XVI століття спис заміняють пістолі і петриналь, а у вжиток входить прийом «караколь». Так з'являються нові роди кавалерії — кірасири й рейтари, здатні протистояти новим піхотним шикуванням. Крім того, був створений і кінний варіант цього роду піхоти — кінні аркебузири. У Франції кожній роті жандармів надавався загін з 50 кінних аркебузирів.

Після появи більш удосконалих мушкетів до середини XVI ст. роль стрільців у піхотних шикуваннях переходить до мушкетерів, а аркебузири з полегшеними аркебузами починають використовуватися як легка піхота. З виходом з ужитку аркебуз у XVII ст. аркебузири зникають.

Озброєння
Крім основної зброї, ґнотової рушниці, аркебузири мали допоміжну зброю, яка ставала необхідною у випадку бою на близькій відстані, зокрема під час перезаряджання. Вона включала меч (шпагу), кинджал, 1-2 пістолі. Захисне спорядження могло складатися з кіраси й шолома. Бойова амуніція включала сумку для куль, ріг для натруски (пороху, який сипали на полицю), запас ґнота й берендейку з дерев'яними трубочками для відміряних зарядів. Для стрільби з ранніх варіантів аркебуз (XV—XVI ст.) використовувалася сошка.

Див. також
 Аркебуза
 Кінні аркебузири
 Мушкетери

Галерея

Примітки

Література

Піхота


I will be giving 2 presentations for the Northeast Ohio Oracle Users Group in Cleveland on March 30. I will be doing my presentation on Execution Plans that I did at OOUG last year. I will also be doing a presentation on Index Myths that I am currently putting together right now. I will post the files for download when they are complete. If you are in the Cleveland area, stop by and say hello.
OOUG is hosting a one day seminar by Steven Feuerstein on April 16. The seminar is titled "Higher Performance PL/SQL and Oracle 11g PL/SQL New Features". If you are in the Columbus area and work with PL/SQL, you will want to be there. Steven is the world's leading expert in PL/SQL and by far one of the best presenters I have ever seen. Check out the OOUG website for more details.
Instrumentation (when referring to code) is code that is put in place to allow you to monitor the execution of the code. Instrumentation in PL/SQL code is something that is often missing. Worse, a lot of people don't allow instrumentation because they worry that adding the extra code to do the instrumentation will slow down the code too much. It is true that there could be a small bit of performance decrease due to the extra code. However, it is so minimal, this should never be a consideration, especially with the extreme benefits it provides. Proper instrumentation will let you see exactly where your code is performing poorly, so you can focus your efforts where it will have the most benefit.
The module should refer to the business task, and the action should identify the specific process that is running for that task.
I typically use this to keep track of what was previously running before I call set_module, so I can set the module and action back to what it was when my code is done.
Once module and action are being set, you will notice their values showing up in V$SESSION (columns module and action) and Enterprise Manager screens will even use these values in its performance reports.


I am a professional and dedicated domestic plumber working throughout Kings & Abbots Langley, Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead, Watford and large surrounding area to provide you with an honest, reliable value for money plumbing service, whatever your needs!
Established for over 10 years I offer repair and maintenance to a number of issues.
When I set up my company I wanted to be different. I wanted to be the reason people would say 'not ALL plumbers are bad, unreliable etc.' It's not always easy but with over 80% of my business coming from 'word of mouth', I hope you'll give me an opportunity to discuss any plumbing requirements you have.
Minerva Plumbing will cover EVERY aspect & trade of your bathroom work from start to finish. You, the client, will have ONE point of contact, me :) !
The additional trades outside of plumbing & tiling are all highly regarded by myself and I don't let anyone represent my company without my full confidence of their communication skills as well as their workmanship.
Please, have a good look at the photos and give me a call, you won't be disappointed.
If you want the knowledge and efficiency of high quality engineers coupled with the personal touch and friendliness that some of the larger firms can't offer, make your first call to Minerva Plumbing and Heating.
Free estimates and advice is only a simple phone call away so if you live in or around Hertfordshire and require the services of a professional plumbing & heating specialist, give us a call today and expect a warm response.


Anhui province: Dongzhi, Jingde, Jixi, Ningguo, Qimen, She (Xi), Tunxi, Xiuning, and Yi, counties, Huizhou region; Jiangxi province: Dexing, Fuliang, and Wuyuan counties; Zhejiang province: Chun'an county, Jiande municipality.
6a (Vigorous). Language of recognized nationality: Han.
Jixi, Xiuyi, Qide, Yanzhou, Jingzhan, Tunxi. Formerly considered part of Jianghuai dialect of Mandarin Chinese [cmn], but now considered by many a major dialect of Chinese. Dialects reportedly differ greatly from each other. Different from Huizhou dialect of Hakka Chinese [hak]. A member of macrolanguage Chinese [zho].
Used by all. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn].
Literacy rate in L2: 91% (2000 census, Han nationality). Highly literate in Chinese and they use that literature.
Han script, Simplified variant [Hans]. Han script, Traditional variant [Hant].


text:
LG Rollable TV First Hands-on: This is Beyond Amazing
By Mark Spoonauer
The LG Signature OLED TV R is the worlds's first rollable TV, and its multiple modes, booming sound and sheer wow factor makes other TVs look boring.
You have to see it to believe it. And even when I saw it, I found it hard to believe that LG was able to make a 65-inch TV that essentially appears out of thin air. The world's first rollable OLED TV is that impressive.
In fact, this TV has now spoiled all other TVs for me.
Expected to be available during the second half of 2019, the LG Signature OLED TV R (65R9) starts as an elegant aluminum box with the display hidden — called Zero View. But with a push of a button on the remote control, a gorgeous 4K TV emerges, complete with top-notch contrast and support for all the major HDR standards.
The panel is just about 3 mm thick, and the unrolling process is dramatic (in a good way).
In Full View mode, you can do everything you'd normally do with an LG smart TV, plus there's some cool new features that are part of the new webOS 4.5. This includes a Dashboard view that lets you see all of your connected devices, and there's also support for both Alexa and Apple's AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. This is in addition to Google Assistant.
MORE: Best Smart TVs - The Best 4K and HD Televisions for the Money
The interface is improved, too, as it can automatically re-order the apps along the bottom of the screen based on the ones you use most often.
My favorite mode is what's called Line View, which retracts the screen into the base about three-quarters of the way. In this mode, you can listen to music, look at photos and enjoy fun animations and sounds in a Mood menu that includes everything from Rain to Fireplace.
And the sound is powerful. The OLED TV R packs a 100-watt sound system in its base, and its uses both AI sound and Dolby Atmos support to give you a very wide soundstage. We're talking virtual 5.1 surround sound. Plus, you can use your phone to beam music to the TV via Bluetooth, though you can't initiate the transfer unless the TV is rolled out.
LG hasn't said what this set will cost, but it should sit at the top of the company's lineup — even above it's new 88-inch 8K OLED TV — so you know this beauty is going to cost a pretty penny.
But if you want a TV that will turn heads, the LG Signature OLED TV R could very well be worth the splurge.
Who Makes the Smartest Smart TV? Here Are the Results
Mark Spoonauer
Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the direction of Tom's Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in chief of Laptop Mag, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer.
oneijack
All fun and games till the motor that raises and lowers breaks. I like my TV to be on the wall and see no need to move it. much like 3d and curved TV's this is a gimmick, a slick one but still a gimmick. Just give me a paper thin screen to hang on the wall like a picture and I'd be happy.
Jeremy_118
What is this priced at like $15,000? It's likely an serviceable product, too... Practicality and economic viability beats novelty, but we are on Toms's Guide here and I took the click bait.
gabbco7
This looks like an amazing option, but personally the first thing I thought was, "wouldn't it be cooler to have a 2nd option where the rollout suspended from the ceiling!". Now that would be something I would be most definitely interested in!!
DualSense Edge teardown reveals disappointing downgrade from standard PS5 controller
iOS 16.3 now supports hardware security keys — what you need to know
How to use Google Maps on your Fitbit Sense 2 and Fitbit Versa 4
There might only be one Google Pixel Tablet — and don't expect OLED
7 new shows and movies to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime Video and Apple (Jan. 27-29)


Advance registration is required for the Congress, the social programme and hotel accommodation. Please note that after 12th January 2007 the availability of accommodation can not be guaranteed. Download the PDF registration form here.
NOTE: Centro Hotel and Bridgettine Convent Guest House are both fully booked!
Congress materials and admittance to all research sessions; lunch, coffee and refreshments during breaks and City Reception.
NERA membership includes a subscription to the NERA journal (Nordisk Pedagogik) and gives you the benefit of reduced rates for all NERA (and also EERA) congresses. To benefit from your membership at the 2007 Congress, please register as a member using the Congress registration form on our website here.
Cancellation must be made in writing (letter, fax or email) to the Congress Office on 1st February 2007 at the latest. No fees will be refunded after this date. A processing fee of 50 EUR will be deducted from all refunds.


text:
Q: MongoDB multiple arrays with unique values I've run into a slight dilemma creating the schema and setting up my database the "right" way. I have a collection that contains objects which holds 4 different arrays. The objects in the collection entries looks similar to:
itemInCollection{
    ...
    theObj: {arr1: ["user1685", "user5342"], arr2: ["user1432"], arr3: [], arr4: ["user1632", "user2312", "user6452"]},
    ...
}

The schema I made already requires all array items to be unique, but I also want none of the arrays to contain the same entry as another. I also need to sometimes move an item that's already in one array to another array (and of course delete the entry from the old array because none of the arrays should contain the same entry). This is obviously not the best way to keep track of something like this, or is it?
What I have so far is 4 queries that check each array individually for a certain entry, and another query that adds the entry to the corresponding array if no entry was found... and ANOTHER query that would delete the entry that might have been found in another before adding it to a different array.
Is there a better way to set up the database to keep track of something like this? Or is there a dynamic way of querying multiple arrays instead of using 6-7 different queries?
Thanks to all in advance for you time and help :)

A: You could structure your "user" data as subdocuments instead of as strings like this:
itemInCollection{
    ...
    theObj: [
        { userid: "user1685", type: "arr1" },
        { userid: "user5342", type: "arr1" },
        { userid: "user1432", type: "arr2" },
        { userid: "user1632", type: "arr4" },
        { userid: "user2312", type: "arr4" },
        { userid: "user6452", type: "arr4" }
    ],
    ...
}

With this structure in place, it should be easier to ensure uniqueness (at this stage, unfortunately, there is no way to ensure uniqueness of a particular field inside an array - see this link).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
GNU IceCat – früher bekannt als GNU IceWeasel – ist eine freie Software – mit geändertem Namen des Webbrowsers Mozilla Firefox – die durch das GNU-Projekt verteilt wird. Die Software ist mit Linux, Windows, Android und macOS kompatibel. Das GNU-Projekt versucht, IceCat mit der Entwicklung von Firefox synchron zu halten, entfernt dabei aber alle durch Markenzeichen geschützten Illustrationen. Das Projekt betreut auch eine umfangreiche Liste an freien Software-Plug-ins, ergänzend dazu besitzt es einige zusätzliche Sicherheitsfunktionen, die der Hauptlinie des Firefox-Webbrowsers nicht angehören.

Geschichte

Namensursprung

Die Mozilla-Körperschaft besitzt die Marke "Firefox" und verweigert jegliche Nutzung des Begriffs für Varianten der Software, die bestimmten Richtlinien nicht entsprechen. Wenn Distributionen nicht die offiziell von Mozilla bereitgestellten Binärdateien nutzen, sich nicht an die genannten Richtlinien halten, oder eine gesonderte Genehmigung haben, müssen sie Firefox selbst aus dem Quellcode kompilieren und dabei eine Option aktivieren, die dafür sorgt, dass Firefox ohne die offiziellen Markenzeichen und weitere zugehörige Grafiken erstellt wird. Sie können entweder die mitgelieferten freien Grafiken verwendet oder beim Kompilieren eigene angeben.

Diese Regelung führte zu einer langen Debatte mit dem Debian-Projekt in den Jahren 2004 und 2005. In dieser Debatte wurde der Name "Iceweasel" als Alternativbezeichnung für den Firefox-Browser auserkoren. Das erste Mal wurde der Name von Nathanael Norde, als Alternative für Eric Dorlands Vorschlag für "Icerabbit" genannt. Der Name sollte eine gewollte Parodie auf "Firefox" sein und dieser wurde anschließend als Beispielname in der Mozilla Trademark Policy genannt. Der Name "iceweasel" wurde danach gemeinhin für alle weiteren Firefox-Versionen benutzt.

Im August 2005 übernahm auch das Gnuzilla-Projekt GNU IceWeasels Namen und verwendete ihn als Bezeichnung für einen umbenannten Firefox, der keine proprietären Plug-ins nutzt. Die erste Gnuzilla IceWeasel Version basierte auf der Firefox-Version 1.5.0.4.

Den Begriff "ice weasel" gab es bereits früher; Matt Groening schreibt ihn fiktiv Friedrich Nietzsche zu:

Debian hatte von Anfang an die Erlaubnis, Firefox zu verwenden. Diese Erlaubnis wurde aber von Mozilla wieder annulliert, als Debian größere Änderungen am Browser vornahm. Debian fand die Änderungen aber derart wichtig, dass – anstatt Mozillas Richtlinien zu entsprechen – der Name Iceweasel wiederbelebt wurde.

Am 23. September 2007 verkündete einer der Gnuzilla-Entwickler, dass sich der Name in der nächsten Version von IceWeasel zu GNU IceCat ändere. Dieser Schritt wurde gegangen, um Verwechslungen mit Debians separat gepflegtem Projekt des Browsers zu vermeiden.

Veröffentlichungen

 GNU IceCat 2 (Version 2.0.0.11-g1 wurde am 12. Januar 2008 veröffentlicht)
 GNU IceCat 3 (23. Juli 2008)
 GNU IceCat 4 (10. April 2011)
 GNU IceCat 5 (27. Juni 2011)
 GNU IceCat 6
 GNU IceCat 7
 GNU IceCat 9
 GNU IceCat 10
 GNU IceCat 12
 GNU IceCat 13
 GNU IceCat 14
 GNU IceCat 17
 GNU IceCat 24
 GNU IceCat 31 (2014)
 GNU IceCat 38 (2015)
 GNU IceCat 45 (2016)
 GNU IceCat 52 (2017)
6* GNU IceCat 60.7.0  (2019)

Veröffentlichungen von IceCat sind meistens auf dem neuesten Stand des Mozilla Firefox Quellcodes.

Verbreitung

GNU IceCat ist als Download für IA-32- und PowerPC-Architekturen verfügbar. Binärdateien und Quelltext sind abrufbar (allerdings gibt es die neuesten Pakete nur für Linux), auch für Mac OS X 10.4 und 10.5 ist es verfügbar. Mac-Benutzer mit diesen Versionen können es auf Mac OS X mithilfe von Fink installieren. Für Windows (ab Vista) und für Android (ab 2.3) gibt es ebenfalls ein Installationspaket.

Zusätzliche Sicherheitsfunktionen

IceCat enthält zusätzliche Sicherheitsfunktionen wie z. B. das Blockieren von Bilderdateien ohne Größe, die in HTTP-Cookies Dritter resultieren (auch bekannt als Zählpixel). Diese Funktion war zwar bereits in Firefox 1.0, 1.5 und 3.0 verfügbar, allerdings fehlte die UI-Option in 2.0.

In Version 3.0.2-g1 wurde das Zertifikat von CAcert (einer Zertifizierungsstelle) zur Liste der vertrauenswürdigen Rootzertifikate hinzugefügt. Bedenken zu diesem Schritt wurden in einer öffentlichen Savannah-Mailingliste laut.

Erweiterungen

 Die GNU-LibreJS-Erweiterung erkennt und blockiert proprietäres JavaScript.

Lizenzierung

Gnu IceCat ist verfügbar unter der MPL/GPL/LGPL Trio-Lizenz, die Mozilla für den Quelltext nutzte. Anders als Mozilla stehen IceCats vorgegebene Icons ebenfalls unter derselben Trio-Lizenz.

Google Summer of Code 2008

Es wurden Empfehlungen für den Google Summer of Code 2008 gemacht, um GNU IceCat zu verbessern.

Diese enthalten:
 Portierung der Codebasis auf Firefox 3
 Erweiterte Unterstützung freier Plugins wie z. B. Gnash
 Änderungen an Privatsphäre-Features

Der Vorschlag, IceCat auf die Firefox-3-Codebasis zu portieren, wurde akzeptiert und von Giuseppe Scrivano durchgeführt.

Siehe auch

 GNUzilla
 Versionsgeschichte von Mozilla Firefox
 Namensstreit zwischen Debian und Mozilla

Weblinks

 GNU.org, Homepage von Gnuzilla und IceCat
  (englisch)
  (englisch)
 GNUzilla-watcher.blogspot.com, GNUzilla Watcher – GNUzilla- und IceCat-Blog (englisch)
 PDB.Finkproject.org, IceCat in der Fink Paketdatenbank (englisch)

Einzelnachweise

Debian
Freier Webbrowser
GNU


text:
Q: Flashplugin works on youtube but not on website I belong to to watch training videos I can watch video on Youtube with the flash-plugin, but I cannot watch video on a training website that charges monthly for access. I was able to watch video on that site before I switched to Ubuntu last week. Hope someone has the answer for me... many thanks.

A: Often this can be caused by conflicting flash plugins. YouTube works with most of the Free software alternatives to Flash, but many other custom video players do not.
Make sure you've removed any of the browser plugin components of any other players (browser-plugin-gnash, for example), so that the non-free plugin is loaded.

A: Get my Flash-Aid (version 2.0) extension for Firefox. It will detect the best flash version for your system and install it. It also removes conflicting plugins if you have any and apply some performance tweaks.
If you are unable to run flash on the site after using Flash-Aid, go to the extension Help tab, click the report button and send me the results so I can analise your situation.


Browse your favorite printable cloths coloring worksheets to color and print and make your own cloths coloring book.
Large collection of free Printable Cloths Coloring workSheets in various categories. Click on your favorite picture/graphic to print & color.


text:
Glossary March 29, 2021
Updated 25 September 2021 by James Ocean
BIM in Landscape Architecture
Software that works for BIM landscape architecture
Advantages of BIM landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is a comprehensive field that deals with designing, constructing and studying different environments that include not just the architectural elements but also the science, art and environmental ones. Additionally, landscape architecture is not strictly about aesthetics, either – improving QoL (Quality of Life) and providing comfort are also included in the goals of a landscape architect.
Landscape architecture itself is designed and keeps in mind a myriad of different factors, such as the people themselves, the climate, animals, flora and fauna, and more. Promoting and protecting both environmental and human health is also a part of it.
The usage of BIM in the field of landscape architecture allows architects to have detailed digital models of the landscape in question, with coordinated data being included in the model. Such a combination is doing wonders to the BIM landscape architecture as a whole – offering aesthetically satisfying constructions while lessening the number of reworks, which, in turn, saves both money and time.
One of the most popular examples of software that can be applied to the needs of a landscape architect is Revit Modeling Services. It can perform terrain analysis, costs calculation, shading analysis (from the sun simulation), and more. Other software that can be used for BIM landscape architecture includes, but not exclusive to, Rhino, AutoCAD, ArchiCAD, Vectorworks Landmark, SketchUp, and others.
The ability to choose between several different software vendors allows landscape architects to pick the one that suits the most for the current project's scope, size, details, and so on. Now, we'll go over some of the biggest advantages that could be achieved by implementing BIM into the landscape architecture as a whole:
Improved coordination.
BIM as a whole, offers the advantage of improved cooperation between different departments, which allows for landscape architects to work together with civil engineers, architects, designers, etc. This allows for a transparent workflow with the ability for each of the participants to contribute without limiting the rest of the participants.
At the same time, 3D models can be easily extracted as accurate 2D drawings for the onsite workers to make sure that the final design of the project is implemented exactly as intended using BIM landscape architecture.
Information-rich BIM models.
BIM models are packed full of information about different object parameters for a successful simulation in the future. A tree in the form of a BIM model would have a scientific name, root sizes, conditions and other info available within that model.
Additionally, information about the proper handling of the object in real life could be included, as well, such as the water and sun requirements, spread, mature height, and more (if we're talking about our previous example in the form of a tree). Having so much information allows landscape architects to have an easier time making decisions, and it's also easier to perform cost estimates and material estimates with information-rich models.
Revit family.
Revit families are specific elements that have a common set of parameters that can be placed in the 3D model to have a graphical representation.
Landscape architects can both use the existing Revit families from Revit libraries, or they can create their own models from scratch with the parameters that are needed for the project.
All in all, Revit families are capable of significantly reducing the number of reworks and enforce some uniformity, which speeds up the project's completion time immensely. Additionally, models and families that were created for a specific project could be utilized later in other projects if they were saved in a library beforehand.
Rendering in three dimensions.
From the aesthetic point of view, 3D rendering is incredibly important, and that includes landscape renders, as well. Rendering makes it easier to understand if the project would fit well in the current environment. It's also possible to make the renders themselves look more realistic by adding lighting sources, colors, and more – to use 3D models for marketing, financial approvals, and many other purposes, including BIM landscape architecture.
While the advantages of implementing BIM into the usual landscape architectural process are not as vast and varied as they are for the construction industry in its entirety, it's still extremely useful in several different ways, most of which are capable of directly saving both the time and money of the company that works on the project in question.
BIM/VDC Specialist. James Ocean is Head of BIMspiration at Revizto and keeps everything moving onwards and upwards. From supporting and teaching our internal team as well as our clients, James shows us the ins-and-outs and how to best leverage Revizto to maximize workflows, cut costs, and get all types of projects through the finish line.
GlossaryJanuary 31, 2023
What is Digital Construction and How Digital Technologies in Construction Improve Productivity?
Introduction to digital architecture and construction Digital construction may seem like a relatively obvious term at first glance. What's surprising here is how broad this term is and the fact that no definition of digital...
As Built Documentation: Definition, Meaning and Usecases
Introduction The basic definition of as-built documentation can be derived from its name with relative ease – it is a set of documents (either a drawing or a 3D data set) showcasing the building in...
What is BIM Methodology? BIM Method Advantages & Disadvantages
Introduction Construction as a whole is a rather complicated process. It was complicated several hundred years ago, and it is even more complicated now, with so many additional elements that have to be in every...
GlossaryJune 15, 2022
Revit Alternatives and Competitors in 2022
Overview In a relatively new industry of the Building Information Modeling (BIM) software, Revit is a well-known competitor that is the most suitable for various tasks in the field of architectural design. It can be...
BIM in Landscape Architecture Landscape architecture is a relatively small field of work as a whole, although its significance is much bigger than that. Implementing BIM into the regular landscape architectural process allows for many different advantages, most of them leading to the company saving time and money. This article goes over the symbiosis that is possible between BIM and landscape architecture. Revizto 2021-03-29 2021-09-25


text:
"In Phoenix, folks will see the Nova União fire pot!"
Dantas and the folks from Nova União / Photo: publicity
The Phoenix Open, an IBJJF tournament set for April 30, promises to be something special. But for one team, at least, it may be much more than that. It may pan out to be the crowning achievement of Gustavo Dantas, the head of team Nova União in the region.
"Nova União hasn't yet won an International Open. In 2010, we took a good group from Arizona to the Vegas Open and took second, and in 2011, Bruno Bastos led the team that took second at the Houston Open, but now we're going in full blast," says Gustavo Dantas, our GMA in Arizona. The goal for the Phoenix Open is top spot.
"Nova União will fight to get its first IBJJF Open team title. Arizona state has the largest concentration of Nova União competitors in the United States, followed by Texas. Over there the team is getting ready for May's Dallas Open," added the black belt, who is also the president of NU USA.
"My work as team president in the USA is to organize the team and try to put it at the top of the podium at all the IBJJF tournaments possible. I had the honor of helping Nova União win the World Championship as a team in 1997, when I was an athlete, and now I want to help it return to the top, as a teacher. I know it's a tough task, but if we've done it before, we can do it again. Anyone who shows up or keeps up via GRACIEMAG will see the Nova União fire pot!" he said with a laugh.
His opponents had better not be laughing, though.
Sign up for the Phoenix Open and find out more clicking here.
Gustavo Dantas
Phoenix Open
Phoenix Open 2011
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Flat with 27sqm, containing bedroom, living room, kitchen and balcony, pool, sauna and gym.
Flat furnished with a double bed or 2 singles with their clothes, microwave, air net and internet. Bathroom with towels and hair dryer. It is located near the best feirinhas clothes, shoes, bags, pharmacy, restaurants and shopping, etc.
The condo have valet to store and remove your car, restaurant with great food and bar.
It is four kilometers. the convention center and 12km. the airport.
House for season, recent construction and comfortable.


text:
Mount Phoenix (), also Mount Phoenicius (; ), may refer to:
Mount Phoenix (Boeotia), adjacent to Lake Copais, modern Greece
Mount Phoenix (Caria), Karayüksek Dağ, in the Bozburun Peninsula, modern Turkey
Mount Phoenix (Lycia), modern Turkey


We had a wonderful evening! The formal proceedings of the AGM were once again concluded in less than ten minutes, with our script beautifully presented by Eric Richard (not normally associated with being the understudy!).
After the formal proceedings, we enjoyed a brief presentation of the highlights of 2015 and then moved on to the exciting part of the evening – the launch of Breathing London. Whereas Bleeding London photographed all the streets of the capital, Breathing London will involve photographing the green spaces – from the large parks to the small green pockets. It will be run similarly to Bleeding London with challenges, blogs and competitions – full details will be on the RPS website very soon., but if you can't wait, follow the buzz on Facebook. Any questions? Email Judy or Jen via greenlondon@rps.org.
Mentoring us through the year will be award-winning wildlife and landscape photographer, Robert Canis. He started the project by selecting the best three images of London's green spaces from the images brought by members to the AGM. Congratulations to the winners!
We'll be uploading the winning images, the minutes of the meeting and the presentation to the website within the next few days, so keep an eye on the "About Us" section of the London pages of the website.
You can see more images in the AGM album and we'll be adding more when members have sent them in.


text:
Financial AidHelping Fund Your Future
Cost BreakdownProspective StudentsCurrent Students
Types of AidAid Eligibility and Renewal RequirementsCollege Cost EstimatorSatisfactory Academic Progress StandardsReturn Of Title IV FundsLoan Repayment
GraduateInternational Students
ParentsMilitaryOutside ScholarshipsHow Aid WorksFAQPolicies and DisclosuresForms and DocumentsContact Us
Did you know that there are different types of financial aid?
University Scholarships and Grants
Florida Tech provides financial aid in the form of merit-based scholarships and need-based grants to qualified students. These are commonly referred to as "gift aid," in that the student is not responsible for paying any of the awarded funds back.
Scholarships are awarded at the time of admission. A student must be admitted and enrolled as a full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate student at the Melbourne Campus in order to claim an awarded scholarship. The scholarships below are available to domestic (U.S.) freshman unless otherwise indicated. Scholarships are listed separately and academic merit scholarships may not be stacked. Florida Tech scholarships and grants can be combined with state and federal scholarship and grant programs.
Panther Fund Merit Scholarship
All applicants will be considered for a Panther Fund Merit Scholarship. Academic, or merit scholarships, are based on an applicant's academic performance in high school (weighted GPA plus standardized test scores) and are determined at the time of admission. These scholarships are available to all domestic (U.S.) students, whether in-state or out-of-state. Panther Fund Merit Scholarship awards range in value but may cover up to 50% of tuition, regardless of financial need.
Panther Fund NCSSS Scholarship
NCSSS high school graduates are eligible for a minimum Panther Fund Scholarship for 50% of tuition if they are admitted and enroll full-time. Students must meet the minimum merit scholarship requirements and submit a complete admission application indicating attendance at an NCSSS high school.
Florida Resident Merit Scholarship
The following scholarships are available to students who are residents of Florida. Florida Resident Scholarships and Panther Academic Scholarships (see above) are mutually exclusive; they do not "stack" and cannot be combined. If a student qualifies for more than one of the scholarships below, the student will be offered the higher scholarship, but not the sum of two or more. Scholarships in an amount less than full tuition may, however, be combined with Incentive Scholarships, Florida Tech Family Grants, and Need-Based Grants.
Panther Distinguished Scholar Award
High school students who qualify for the Bright Futures Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) award are eligible to be considered for a Florida Tech Distinguished Scholar Award, a combination of scholarships and grants that covers full tuition plus the facilities and activities fees to attend Florida Tech.
The Florida Tech Distinguished Scholar Award is only available to first-time freshmen. To be considered, applicants must:
Complete the Florida Financial Aid Application while still in high school
Qualify for the Bright Futures Florida Academic Scholars award
Apply and be admitted to Florida Tech as a full-time, on-campus, degree-seeking student by February 1 of the year immediately preceding your first semester.
Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) listing Florida Tech as a receiving institution (financial aid code: 001469) by February 1 of the year immediately preceding your first semester.
Complete the Florida Tech Panther Distinguished Scholar application online by February 1st.
Farmer Scholars Programs
Annually, Florida Institute of Technology selects one exceptionally qualified student to receive a Farmer Scholarship, which includes full tuition, room and board, and fees.
Panther Fund Grant
Florida Tech makes every effort to help make attending the university as affordable as possible for all students. The Panther Fund Grant is available to students who have a demonstrated financial need, as determined by the FAFSA application. All applicants with a completed FAFSA will be considered for a Panther Fund Grant. Grant amounts are based on a student's EFC and other gift aid. As such, grant amounts are not fixed and may vary from year to year depending on variable data.
Florida Tech Family Grants
Family grants are available to both domestic (U.S.) and international students.
Legacy Grant
Sons and daughters of Florida Tech alumni, enrolling in a full-time undergraduate program at Florida Tech, are eligible for a $2,500 grant. This award is renewable for up to four years. This award is given in addition to any merit scholarship earned by the student.
Family Grant
Sisters and brothers of students who are currently enrolled simultaneously as full-time undergraduates at Florida Tech are eligible for a $2,500 grant. This grant is renewable for up to four years. This grant is given in addition to any merit scholarship earned by the student.
Incentive Scholarships
Participation in certain extracurricular programs makes you eligible for the following add-on scholarships.
FIRST Robotics & Vex Robotics Award
Current members of an official high school FIRST Robotics or Vex Robotics team will be awarded an additional $2,500 Panther Fund Scholarship per year if they are admitted and enroll full-time. Students must submit a letter from their FIRST team adviser verifying participation during the year of application prior to their admission to the university, and complete the admission and financial aid process by May 1st of their senior year in high school.
Scouting - Eagle Scout And Girl Scout Gold Award
Any new first-year student who has either earned the rank of Eagle Scout or achieved the Girl Scout Gold Award, and is accepted as a full-time undergraduate at Florida Tech's Melbourne campus is guaranteed an additional scholarship of $2,500 Panther Fund Scholarship per year. Students must submit a copy of the certificate verifying their achievement prior to their admission to the university, and complete the admissions process by February 1 of the year immediately preceding their first semester.
Florida Tech competes in 20 NCAA Division II sports. The following sports offer athletic scholarships: baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's golf, men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse, men's rowing and women's rowing, men's soccer, women's soccer, softball, men's swimming, women's swimming and volleyball. For more information on athletic scholarships, please contact the athletic department.
Florida Tech is proud to be able to make substantial scholarship opportunities available to well-qualified transfer students.
Florida Tech Transfer Scholarship
Up to $14,000 per year if the student's cumulative GPA is 2.8 or higher at the university level. This scholarship may be combined with the Florida Tech Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship and/or the FITS-STEM Scholarship.
Florida Tech Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship
An additional $2,500 per year if the student applies and is admitted to Florida Tech and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa. Proof of Phi Theta Kappa membership must be submitted at time of application.
Florida State Scholarships and Grants
Florida resident? You're in luck. Florida Tech works with the state to provide eligible students with Florida Bright Futures Scholarships and Florida State grants. You may also apply your Florida Prepaid College Plan savings to your Florida Tech education.
What You Need To Do
Apply for admission to Florida Tech.
Complete and file the FAFSA. Make sure to list Florida Tech's school code: 001469.
Consult your high school guidance counselor anytime after November of your senior year to fill out the Florida Financial Aid Form.
The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship program is only available to Florida residents who have graduated from a Florida high school and are citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Florida residency and eligibility for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship and the Effective Access to Student Education (EASE) grant are based on state law and administrative rules. Generally, students whose families have been living in Florida twelve (12) months prior to the start of the school year are considered residents. A full and complete description of rules and regulations regarding Bright Futures and other state aid can be found through the state's Office of Student Financial Assistance.
Florida State Scholarships
Bright Futures Academic Scholars
Eligible students receive approximately $6,930 (30 credits x $211/credit hour, plus $600) per year. Eligible applicants must have a 3.5 high school GPA, a 1290 SAT or 29 ACT composite and 100 hours of community service.
Bright Futures Medallion Scholars
Eligible students receive approximately $4,800 (30 credits x $158/credit hour) per year. Eligible applicants must have a 3.0 high school GPA and a 1170 SAT or 26 ACT composite and 75 hours of community service.
Bright Futures Renewal Requirements (continued Eligibility)
Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement
Students must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA to renew their Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) award and a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA to renew their Florida Medallion Scholars Award (FMS). FAS awardees who earn less than a 3.0 cumulative, but higher than 2.75 cumulative GPA will be renewed at the FMS award level, so long as they meet the credit hour requirement (see below).
Credit Hour Requirement
Term 1 Hours Funded
Annual Earned hours Requirement
Full-Time (12 or more)
12+12=24
Three-Quarter Time 12+9=21
Half-Time 12+6=18
Three-Quarter Time (9-11) Full-time 9+12=21
Three-Quarter Time 9+9=18
Half-Time 9+6=15
Half-Time (6-8) Full-time 6+12=18
Note that Bright Futures funds will not pay for withdrawn courses, repeated courses or remedial courses. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeals approvals through the university will not apply to this award and a separate appeal must be made, if the student is eligible to do so. Appeal eligibility requirements are limited and outlined by the state. For more details on Bright Futures requirements, reinstatements and other rules, please visit their website.
Florida State Grants
Effective Access to Student Education (formerly known as FRAG)
All full-time undergraduate students who meet the Florida residency requirements are eligible to receive this financial assistance from the state. The award amount varies from year to year and is based on available state funds; however, the amount awarded for 2020-2021 is $2,841. The state legislature will determine the amount for each academic year.
Florida Student Assistance Grant (FSAG)
Grants approximately $1,000 per year and are based on demonstrated financial need, as determined by the FAFSA application. Florida State Grant Renewal Requirements (Continued Eligibility).
To be eligible for renewal, students must have a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA and must have completed at least 24 credit hours in the past academic year (or 12 credit hours in each term during the aid year in which the eligible student received aid). If a student does not meet the eligibility requirements at the start of the new academic year, the student must sit out a full year before being considered for renewal. Students who sit out a year must meet the minimum GPA requirements to be reinstated. Note that Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeals through the university will not apply to these awards and a separate appeal must be made, if the student is eligible to do so. Appeal eligibility requirements are limited and outlined by the state. For more information on requirements, reinstatements and other rules, please visit Florida Department of Education's Website.
Florida Prepaid College Plan
Florida Tech is an eligible institution for the Florida Prepaid College Plan (FPCP) program. Accumulated funds may be applied toward expenses at Florida Tech. Visit the FPCP office for further details. Visit MyFloridaPrepaid.com for complete details.
Other state Grant Programs
If you're home state is not Florida, you may still be eligible for state grant assistance. Visit State Financial Aid Programs to find out more information about state grant opportunities from your home state.
Federal Grants include Federal Pell Grants and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG). These grants are referred to as 'need-based grants,' because they are based on Financial Need, as determined by the FAFSA applications. Grants do not need to be repaid, except under certain circumstances.
Federal Pell Grants
Federal Pell Grants are available to eligible undergraduate students in a degree-seeking program who have not yet earned a baccalaureate degree. The Maximum annual Pell grant is appropriated by Congress and may change from one academic year to the next. A student's EFC (expected family contribution), enrollment, Cost of Attendance and Lifetime Pell usage are all used to determine the amount of their Pell grant they are eligible for.
Students whose parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. armed forces and died as a result of military service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after the events of 9/11 may be eligible for additional Federal Pell Grant funds if, at the time of your parent's or guardian's death, the student was less than 24 years of age OR enrolled in college or career school at least part-time.
Students who are incarcerated, in a federal or state penal institution, or are subject to an involuntary civil commitment upon completion of a period of incarceration for a forcible or nonforcible sexual offense, are not eligible to receive the federal Pell Grant.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)
FSEOG funds are awarded to students who are considered to have exceptional financial need, as determined by the FAFSA and fund availability. Unlike the Pell grant, each participating school receives a certain amount of FSEOG funds each year. Once the funds have been awarded to students, no more awards can be made for that year.
Federal Loans
A loan is money that you borrow and must pay back with interest. The Department of Education's federal student loan program offers two types of loans to undergraduate students: Subsidized Stafford Loans, Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. The Parent PLUS Loan is also available for parents of dependent, undergraduate students. The interest rate and origination fee for these loans are set annually by federal law.
To be considered for a federal student loan a student must:
be admitted to Florida Tech
file a FAFSA application
be a U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens
be enrolled in a degree-seeking program
register for at least half-time status (at least six credit hours per semester)
If you qualify, your loan options will be presented to you in your financial aid offer letter. If you wish to take advantage of the loan(s) presented to you, you must then accept your loan(s).
Before you receive your loan funds, you will be required to
completeentrance counseling, a tool to ensure you understand your obligation to repay the loan; and
sign a Master Promissory Note, agreeing to the terms of the loan.
Annual Student Loan Acknowledgment
Beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, all Federal Student Loan borrowers (new and existing) must complete an Annual Student Loan Acknowledgment. The purpose of the acknowledgment is for new borrowers to understand the responsibility to repay the loan funds and for existing borrowers to acknowledge that they understand how much they currently owe and how much more they are eligible to borrow. Beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, students must complete the Annual Student Loan Acknowledgment each year prior to receiving Federal Student Loans.
Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
Subsidized Stafford Loans
These loans are available to students with financial need, as determined by the FAFSA. The interest on these loans is subsidized, which means the borrower does not pay interest on the loan while the loan is in deferment. Loans are in deferment while a student is enrolled at least half-time in an eligible degree-seeking program. Once the student graduates or ceases to attend school, the student will have a grace period of six months before the loan enters repayment. Students will pay interest on the principal balance of the loan during repayment.
Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
These loans are available to undergraduate students and are not based on financial need. Unlike the subsidized loans, the unsubsidized loan will begin to accrue interest the day the funds are disbursed (paid) to a student's account and continue to accrue interest through the life of the loan (until the principal and interest are repaid).
Federal Stafford Loan Counseling
Students who wish to utilize their Federal Stafford Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized loan eligibility must complete both entrance and exit counseling.
Entrance couseling must be completed prior to loan disbursement. The counseling provides students with information regarding student loans and the borrowing and repayment process to ensure that students understand the responsibilities and obligations they are assuming.
Exit counseling is required once the student has graduated, ceased enrollment or has dropped below half-time enrollment. Students are required to provide the name, address, email address, and telephone number for your closest living relative, two references who live in the U.S., and your current or expected employer, if known.
Federal Parent PLUS Loans
Federal PLUS loans are not based on financial need. They are available to parents of dependent undergraduate students. Credit checks are required for Federal PLUS Loans. The decision to approve or deny the loan is based on the results of a credit check that is conducted by the US Department of Education. This loan can help the student cover any educational expenses not covered by other financial assistance up to the cost of education. Eligible borrowers can apply at studentaid.gov. When applying for a PLUS loan, it is important to note that it is a loan and must be paid back. PLUS loans are unsubsidized, meaning they begin to accrue interest starting from the date the funds are disbursed to the student's account. These loans also have an origination fee deducted by the lender before funds are disbursed to Florida Institute of Technology. The interest rate and origination fees are a set rate each academic year and set by the federal government. Rates are typically announced during the summer before the academic year begins.
Parents, adoptive parents, and stepparents of dependent undergraduate students attending college at least half time (6 credit hours) in a degree-seeking program are eligible for Parent PLUS loans. Borrowers must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens. Loan approval is subject to credit criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education. A credit report will be obtained by your lender from a national credit bureau once you apply.
Step 1: You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Our Federal School Code is 001469.
Step 2: The parent applicant should log into studentloans.gov web site using his/her FSA ID. (This is the same FSA ID the parent would have used to complete and sign the FAFSA electronically.) From there, select Request a Direct PLUS Loan from the menu, and then select Parent PLUS on the following page. Be sure to request Florida Institute of Technology as the school of choice to ensure we receive the PLUS information.
Step 3: Promissory note and entrance counseling While on the studentloans.gov website, the borrower should also complete and sign the Plus Master Promissory Note (MPN) and loan entrance counseling.
Step 4: Loan Certification The Florida Institute of Technology Financial Aid Office will certify your PLUS loan request and submit it for final approval, guarantee and disbursement.
Step 5: Loan Disbursement PLUS loans are disbursed directly to the school via electronic funds transfer (EFT). Funds are deposited into the student's school account upon verification of the student's enrollment. There is an origination fee deducted from each disbursement by the lender prior to the transfer of funds. For the current rate, please visit the Student Federal Aid web site
Step 6: Refund Refunds from proceeds of PLUS loans will be issued to the student.
Parent PLUS Loan Denials & Counseling
Loan Denials
A dependent student whose parent has been denied a Parent PLUS loan during the current aid year may be eligible to receive Federal Stafford loans at the independent level with proof of Parent PLUS loan denial from the lender. A Parent PLUS loan denial is only valid for one aid year.
If your credit has been denied for the Parent PLUS Loan, you will be given four options on the application to choose from:
I do not wish to pursue a PLUS loan at this time. You must contact the Florida Institute of Technology financial aid office to let us know you would like the additional Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford loan
I will obtain an endorser. Choose this option if you would like to add a co-signer. Borrowers whose Direct PLUS Loan credit checks are denied and then approved with an endorser, must complete PLUS Counseling before the Direct PLUS Loan can be disbursed.
I want to appeal the credit decision. Choose this option if you believe the credit check is inaccurate or you can provide updated information about extenuating circumstances.
PLUS Counseling
PLUS Counseling is required if the U.S. Department of Education has informed you that you have an adverse credit history and you have obtained an endorser or documented to the satisfaction of the U.S. Department of Education that there are extenuating circumstances related to your adverse credit history.
PLUS Counseling can be completed voluntarily at any time. If PLUS Counseling is completed voluntarily and you are determined to have an adverse credit history by the U.S. Department of Education within 30 days of PLUS Counseling completion, your PLUS Counseling requirement will be considered to be fulfilled.
Borrowers can access the PLUS Counseling after they login by selecting PLUS Counseling from the menu, then selecting Parent PLUS to complete the counseling.
Federal Work-Study (FWS) is an employment program which allows students to earn a paycheck through a financial aid award paid by federal funds. The program provides part-time employment opportunities in two areas, On-Campus & Community Service. Since it is federal money, students must receive the aid in their Financial Aid offer each academic year (Fall through Spring) to work. Eligibility is based on need, as determined by the FAFSA.
Students in the work study program are paid hourly for actual hours worked and receive their paycheck biweekly. Funds are not applied to balances on a student's account; however, if a student wishes to use them to help pay their balance, they may do so when they receive their paycheck.
For more information on Federal Work study, please contact Career Services.
Private Loan Providers are loans contracted with private lending companies directly by the borrower.
Florida Tech works with FASTChoice to make finding a private loan provider as simple as possible. The lenders listed on FASTChoice are lenders that have previously made private education loans to our students and have met our university's strict criteria.
Florida Tech's Loan Options page is reviewed annually. Note that at least two lenders will always be presented to you. You are free to choose any lender, including those not presented. Please note that private education loans do not carry a federal guarantee, and are considered financial aid because Florida Tech must certify three things to the lender:
Student is accepted at Florida Tech
Student is enrolled in courses
Borrowed amount is within the student's Cost of Attendance less any other financial aid
Our officials are prohibited from accepting any financial or other benefits in exchange for displaying lenders and loan options in FASTChoice.
Florida Tech explicitly prohibits any conflict of interest between our counselors and Federal or private education loans. All counselors responsible for loans are informed annually of the provisions of this code of conduct. The code of conduct prohibits the following:
Revenue-sharing arrangements with any lender
Receiving gifts from a lender, a guarantor, or a loan services
Contracting arrangement providing financial benefit from any lender or affiliate of a lender
Directing borrowers to particular lenders, or refusing or delaying loan certifications
Offers of funds for private loans
Call center or financial aid office staffing assistance
Advisory board compensation


I first ran across Dungeons and Dragons (D&D for short) in a comic book shop when I was in grade school. Since then, I've played the venerable tabletop role playing game off and on again in my basement with bags full of dice, pencils, notebooks and plenty of hardcover instruction manuals. I always imagined D&D would make a great video game since almost all fantasy-themed video games already borrowed so much from it. Dozens of high quality games were eventually released based on the D&D franchise, including the Baulder's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Icewind Dale series. Unfortunately, all of these titles lacked something that made D&D special – the social experience. You just can't play D&D alone. Finally, in February of 2008, Turbine partnered with Wizards of the Coast to remedy this situation by releasing the MMORPG Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach.
Dungeons & Dragons Online was originally released as a subscription based game where players had to pay $15 a month to access the game. During the time of release this was the standard model in the industry but with World of Warcraft as a direct competitor, things looked grim. Eventually the decision was made to re-launch the game as Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited which would be free-to-play with optional micropayments as the primary means of revenue. Fortunately, all the content updates that went into the game during its pay-to-play life are included in the newly re-launched version. Major updates to the game are known as modules, and there have been a total of eight thus far. Each module has added new dungeons, quests, items, gameplay fixes and so on. Several new races and classes have been introduced through modules, such as the Monk in module 7. New players do not need to know the history of the game in order to enjoy it, but should be aware that they are experiencing a game that has had years of refinement.
Bring Out the Character Sheets!
One of the most enjoyable activities in tabletop D&D is the process of creating a new character. Players choose their race, class, distribute stat points, skills points, and select their starting feats. The level of customization all these steps left open was mind boggling, and it was possible to spend hours researching the best build. Dungeons & Dragons Online manages to preserve that deep character creation process, but also to streamline it for players who just want to get on with it. There are three types of classes available: Melee, Spell, and Specialist. Ten of the eleven archetypes should be familiar to gamers, with the exception being the "Favored Soul" class. That class (along with the Monk) must be purchased before they can be selected, so new players don't even have to worry about the cleric/sorcerer hybrid. As for races, there are a total of six, though two of them, the Warforged and Drow Elf, must be purchased before use. Each race has unique racial bonuses and flaws which are explained during character creation. The game offers players three predesigned 'paths' for each class, but also allows players to customize their skills and feats on their own. Paths can best be described as specializations. So for example a Ranger can chose to pursue skills and feats that allow him to proficiently duel-wield weapons or to perfect his long ranged bow and arrow use. Even after character creation, players can always switch paths or decide on their own what abilities to learn. The ability to multiclass adds yet another layer of complexity to the game, but new players should just stick to the pre made templates for their first character. Appearance customization is similarly in-depth with plenty of hair, nose, lip, eye, and ear options.
After the intricate character creation process players find themselves shipwrecked on Korthos Island which acts as a newbie area for the first two or three levels. An NPC guides players along a path towards a grotto where they run through a dungeon with an AI party, which includes a cleric, sorcerer, and rogue. A special buff prevents players from dying during this introductory dungeon, but it does serve as a good example of what gameplay is like in Dungeons & Dragons Online. A narrator acts as the 'dungeon master' and provides players with flavor text and instructions as they progress through an adventure. Dungeons generally contain plenty of secret treasures, traps, and optional areas which helps them feel like an authentic D&D adventure. I even had to use my 'search' skill to detect a hidden door during one of the early dungeons. Dungeons & Dragons Online loosely follows the 3.5 D&D rules which, among other things, means players have a limited amount of spells per day. Health points do not regenerate automatically while on an adventure, but players can rest at special rest shrines to restore their hp and daily spell limits.
Combat in Dungeons & Dragons Online resembles the gameplay in action-RPGs where players have to click or hold down the left mouse button to swing their weapons. For every swing, ability or spell the game automatically rolls the appropriate dice on the left hand side of the screen to determine whether players hit their target and how much damage they deal. All equipment is labeled in the same fashion as the tabletop game. For example, a long sword might have a damage stat of '1d8' which means it deals 1-8 damage (plus any stat or ability modifiers) on each successful attack. For melee attacks, the twenty sided dice reigns supreme and players must roll a number that beats the defender's AC (armor class.) Gameplay in D&D Online much more closely resembles Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for home consoles than it does PCRPGs based on the D&D franchise, such as Neverwinter Nights. Overall, this is a good thing since it makes the game accessible to a broader audience who are more interested in hack & slash than strategy. The fact that dungeons are riddled with puzzles to solve, levers to switch on, and so on also help make the game more attractive to gamers who grew up playing Zelda and other console action-adventure titles.
Dungeons & Dragons Online is set in the world of Eberron, which was originally a campaign setting for D&D. What sets Eberron apart from the traditional D&D fantasy landscape is the inclusion of non-medieval technologies such as trains, skyships and mechanical beings. The Warforged race is a good example of this since they were originally automatons constructed by the other races. Throughout their adventures players will encounter factories and other signs of industry, though all of this technology is powered by magic rather than fossil fuels in Eberron. The world itself is structured in a fashion similar to the way Guild Wars structures things. All areas outside towns are instanced for each individual player or party leaving only the towns as true persistent areas where players can interact freely. There are costs and benefits to this system but for D&D Online I feel it makes a good fit. Thick flavor text and lore are key components of any D&D experience and instancing is the only way to accommodate the experience of being the first person to venture into a forgotten cavern. If there were dozens of players already camping the elder gazer spawn, it just wouldn't make much sense. Like with most MMORPGs, players are free to skip the quest dialogue but I would advise against it. There are far fewer 'filler' quests in D&D Online than there are in other MMORPGs. Almost every quest is tied to the 'big picture' of the area you're currently exploring. For example, Kathos Island is beset by several troubles which players slowly learn are interlinked. Dungeons themselves are repeatable and come in four difficulty settings. The easiest method of clearing adventures is the solo mode which is only available to those playing by themselves. From my experience solo dungeons are a bit too easy. I plowed through every monster and boss I encountered and barely ever needed a rest. The rewards available in dungeons increase with the difficulty but the first few dungeons aren't worth repeating since the entire first area serves as more of an introduction to the game than anything else.
After clearing things up in Korthos Island, players are free to set sail towards Stormreach where more adventures await. Free players can experience the bulk of content available in Stormreach and its vicinity but additional adventure supplements must be purchased from the D&D Store with Turbine points. There are several in-game methods of earning Turbine points (such as hitting certain levels), so with persistence players can slowly unlock additional content. Players start with 50 points and can purchase additional points in amounts of 400, 900, 1500, and 5000. Discounts are given for volume with $6.25 buying 400 points and $49.99 yielding 5000. New classes & races cost around 590 points while adventure packs cost anywhere from 800-1000 points. New players won't need to worry about purchasing new content for a long time since there are plenty of adventures to be had in Stormreach. The maximum level in Dungeons & Dragons Online is 20 which sounds low but the game has done a good job of breaking each level into various 'ranks' to keep the pacing tolerable. Additionally, the game throws plenty of equipment rewards your way with the completion of quests, so your character's growth is always noticeable. Besides raiding dungeons, players can participate in PvP which was added in module 3. Besides challenging one another to duels, players can participate in all-out brawls in local taverns, which have free-for-all rings similar to the arenas found in the original EverQuest in towns like Qeynos. Even with these features, Dungeons & Dragons Online is not a PvP game, but having some competitive options never hurts.
Dungeons & Dragons Online is a high quality MMORPG with plenty of content to explore. The game has done a wonderful job converting the classic tabletop role playing adventure into a virtual world. Narrated storytelling, hundreds of instanced dungeons, and a comprehensive character progression process make D&D Online a must try MMORPG.
A lot of player feedback has come through to Wizards of the Coast to prepare and development for Magic: the Gathering Arena.
Smite Lore: Who is Xbalanque?


CHARLOTTE — The Seven Wonders of the World just added an eighth: Rory McIlroy hitting driver.
It's become more apparent than ever this year. We've seen so many examples, we need no more. Watching McIlroy hit driver is officially more than a golf bucket-list item. It's an out-of-body experience. Who cares if he only hit six fairways and shot 73 on Saturday of the PGA Championship? The way this course was playing, he was probably out of this thing, anyway.
McIlroy hitting driver is the must-see circus act you want to visit your town. He twists then recoils like a rifle. Low-flying planes aren't safe. Spectators laugh out loud at the sight of his ball traveling such preposterous distances. At steamy Quail Hollow, Rory's drives are more popular than those industrial fans that blow mist.
When McIlroy hits driver it doesn't just sound different—it sounds violent. But you want more of it. It's like Morgan Freeman narrating a movie. It's simply a class above.
Some of his bombs are already the stuff of legend.
At the WGC-Dell Match Play in March he pounded one 410 yards through a walking path and almost pegged a spectator. Last week at the WGC-Bridgestone he hit 52 of 56 tee shots over 300 yards and ranked first in driving distance (328.7) by almost 10 yards. On Monday he even hit a drive over 300 yards — he claimed — while wearing a space suit for a sponsor's event.
And then there was Wednesday's epic TV range session, which the Golf Channel hooked up with Trackman technology. The broadcast team couldn't even focus on a conversation. McIlroy's cuts couldn't be contained. He warmed up with 3-woods that carried 315 yards before taking out his driver—the first of which carried 350. After that, it was a parade of TaylorMades flying across the property.
Despite the club-speed, McIlroy's rhythm remains smooth. One practice swing, step back, stare down the fairway, raise the left arm, maybe fix the sleeve on the right bicep, two glances down the fairway, two quick shimmies. Then, boom!
On 11 he hit a 328-yard drive that curved around the bunkers and landed in the left rough.
Later on 11, down the fairway: "Look where Rory is!"
This has happened all week. For the first two rounds, McIlroy was grouped with Jon Rahm and Rickie Fowler — neither are slouches off the tee — yet he routinely pumped drivers well past them. The Twittersphere went nuts. Three of the nine longest drives this week belong to McIlroy (he also leads the field in strokes gained off the tee).
McIlroy isn't built like Dustin Johnson. He's listed at 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, which could be an inch generous. He's stocky and strong, and his swing is pure.
"He basically works his upper body back away from the ball going back, so he's flexible, but he is also extremely strong, and you need that if you are not a big guy to hit it consistently long," said Brady Riggs, one of GOLF's Top 100 Teachers and the coach for Brandon Hagy, who ranks second on Tour in driving distance behind Dustin Johnson. (McIlroy would rank first at 318.8 per drive if he'd played enough Tour rounds to qualify.) "Basically he decelerates great, and that's critical if you are going to create a lot of speed. You have to get everything flying and then get everything to stop in the right order, and he does it.
"Technically, he is just brilliant."
"He's just strong, in his core especially," said Omar Uresti, one of McIlroy's playing partners Saturday. "He's got really fast, fast-twitch muscles."
Uresti was one of the 20 club pros to qualify for the PGA. At 49 he is playing in his third straight and made the cut for the first time. A PGA Life Member, he has six professional wins and has won roughly $4.5 million in his career. Yet he is not a power player—he ranks last in the field in driving distance (268). On Saturday he was out-driven by McIlroy by more than 50 yards on nine occasions. On 15 and 16, when McIlroy was heating up, he outdrove him by a combined 144 yards.
On 16, the long, dogleg-right par 4, McIlroy cut the corner by flying it over a bunker with a drive that traveled 347 yards, his longest of the day.
"I think I was talking to (James) Hahn's caddie, and I was like, 'I could take it on that line too, and I'll be safe as well—but short of the bunker,'" Uresti said, laughing.
After his round Saturday, McIlroy, who is 11 shots behind Kevin Kisner's lead, was asked if he plans to hit more 3-woods Sunday, hoping to keep the ball in the fairway.
"I guess at this stage of the tournament, what is the point," he said. "You may as well try to get it down there."
In other words, the show's in town for one more day.


text:
namespace media_router {

std::string MediaCastModeToDescription(
    MediaCastMode mode, const std::string& host) {
  switch (mode) {
    case MediaCastMode::DEFAULT:
      return l10n_util::GetStringFUTF8(
          IDS_MEDIA_ROUTER_DEFAULT_CAST_MODE,
          base::UTF8ToUTF16(host));
    case MediaCastMode::TAB_MIRROR:
      return l10n_util::GetStringUTF8(
          IDS_MEDIA_ROUTER_TAB_MIRROR_CAST_MODE);
    case MediaCastMode::DESKTOP_MIRROR:
      return l10n_util::GetStringUTF8(
          IDS_MEDIA_ROUTER_DESKTOP_MIRROR_CAST_MODE);
    default:
      NOTREACHED();
      return "";
  }
}

bool IsValidCastModeNum(int cast_mode_num) {
  switch (cast_mode_num) {
    case MediaCastMode::DEFAULT:
    case MediaCastMode::TAB_MIRROR:
    case MediaCastMode::DESKTOP_MIRROR:
      return true;
    default:
      return false;
  }
}

}  // namespace media_router

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub