Different styles of earplugs are pictured. Left, pre-molded earplugs. Center, formable earplugs. Right, roll-down foam earplugs.
An earplug is a device that is inserted in the ear canal to protect the user's ears from loud noises, intrusion of water, foreign bodies, dust or excessive wind. Since they reduce the sound volume, earplugs are often used to help prevent hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing of the ears).
The first recorded mention of the use of earplugs is in the Greek tale Odyssey, wherein Odysseus's crew is warned about the Sirens that sing from an island they will sail past. Circe, their hostess, tells them of the Sirens' bewitching song that makes men drive their boats ashore and perish. She advised Odysseus to fashion earplugs for his men from beeswax so they would not be lured to their deaths by the sirens song.
In 1907, the German company Ohropax, which would produce mainly wax earplugs, was started by the German inventor Max Negwer.
Ray and Cecilia Benner invented the first moldable pure silicone ear plug in 1962. These earplugs were valued by swimmers because of their waterproof qualities, as well as those trying to avoid harmful noise. Ray Benner, who was a Classical musician, bought McKeon Products in 1962. At that time, the company's sole product was Mack's Earplugs (named after the original owner), which was a moldable clay earplug. The Benners quickly redesigned the product to a silicone version, which would become known as Mack's Pillow Soft Earplugs.
Present-day earplug material was discovered in 1967, at National Research Corporation (NRC) in the USA by Ross Gardner Jr. and his team. As part of a project on sealing joints, they developed a resin with energy absorption properties. They came to call this material "E-A-R" (Energy Absorption Resin). In 1972 the material was refined into commercial memory foam earplugs, made from either polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane.
Foam earplugs, mainly made from either polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU) (memory foam), which are compressed (rolled) and put into the ear canal, where they expand to plug it.
Wax earplugs, which are rolled into a ball and carefully molded to fit over the external portion of the ear canal.
Flanged silicone earplugs, an example of Universal-fit.
Custom molded earplugs, made from a mold of the wearer's ear and designed to precisely fit all ear canal shapes. Custom molded is further divided into laboratory-made and "formed in place".
NIOSH Mining Safety and Health Research recommends using the roll, pull, and hold method when using memory foam earplugs. The process involves the user rolling the earplug into a thin rod, pulling back on the ear, and holding the earplug deep in the canal with the finger. To get a complete seal, the user must wait about 20 to 30 seconds for the earplug to expand inside the canal.
Earplugs and other hearing protection devices can be tested to ensure that they fit properly and are successfully limiting sound exposure with a number of different systems, most of which use large noise-cancelling headphones that fit over the ear and transmit the test sounds. These include the NIOSH HPD Well-Fit, as well as the Howard Leight VeriPro and 3MEARFit.
Earplugs are especially useful to people exposed to excessively noisy devices or environments (80 dB or more).
Disposable foam earplugs: with coins for scale (top) and inserted into the wearer's ear.
Basic foam style earplug protection is often worn by industrial workers who work within hearing distance of loud machinery for long periods of time, and is used by the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) for soldiers to use when firing weapons. Earplugs are rated for their ability to reduce noise.
In the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandates that hearing protection is rated and labeled. To be rated, hearing protection is tested under ANSI S3.19-1974 to provide a range of attenuation values at each frequency that can then be used to calculate a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). Under this standard a panel of ten subjects are tested three times each in a laboratory to determine the attenuation over a range of 9 frequencies.
The various methods have slightly different interpretations, but each method has a percentile associated with the rating. That percent of the users should be able to achieve the rated attenuation. For instance, the NRR is determined by the mean attenuation minus two standard deviations. Thus, it translates to a 98% statistic. That is, at least 98 percent of users should be able to achieve that level of attenuation. The SNR and HML are a mean minus one standard deviation statistic. Therefore, approximately 86% of the users should be able to achieve that level of protection. Similarly, the NRR (SF) is a mean minus one standard deviation and represents an 86% of users should achieve that level of protection. The difference between the ratings lies in how the protectors are tested. NRR is tested with an experimenter-fit protocol. SNR/HML are tested with an experienced subject-fit protocol. NRR (SF) is tested with a naive subject-fit protocol. According to Murphy, et. al. (2004), these three protocols will yield different amounts of attenuation with the NRR being the greatest and NRR (SF) being the least.
The experimenter-fit NRR should be adjusted per the guidelines of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health as the required NRR ratings differ greatly from lab tests to field tests.
The NRR(SF) used in Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand does not require derating as it resembles the manner in which the typical user will wear hearing protection.
Most disposable earplugs are elastic ones made of memory foam, that is typically rolled into a tightly compressed cylinder (without creases) by the user's fingers and then inserted in the ear canal. Once released, the earplug expands until it seals the canal, blocking the sound vibrations that could reach the eardrum. Other disposable plugs simply push into the ear canal without being rolled first. Sometimes earplugs are connected with a cord to keep them together when not in use. Other common material bases for disposable earplugs are viscous wax or silicone.
Other devices that provide hearing protection include electronic devices worn around and/or in the ear, and are designed to cancel out the loud noise of a gunshot, while possibly amplifying quieter sounds to normal levels. While rich in features, these electronic devices are extremely expensive, compared to their foam counterparts.
In other activities, hobby motorcyclists and skiers may also choose to use decibel reduction earplugs, to compensate for the ongoing noise of the wind against their head or helmet.
Musicians are exposed to potentially harmful levels of sound, which can lead to hearing loss, tinnitus, and other auditory symptoms. Because of this, musicians may choose to use earplugs.
Musician's earplugs are designed to attenuate sounds evenly across all frequencies (pitches) which helps maintain the ear's natural frequency response and thus minimizes the effect on the user's perception of timbre (frequency spectrum, f.ex. bass and treble levels). These are commonly used by musicians and technicians, both in the studio and in concert, to avoid overexposure to high volume levels. Musician's earplugs generally achieve a more natural frequency response by incorporating a small diaphragm or membrane together with acoustic channels and damping materials. Simpler variants with only a small hole introduce a low frequency leak, and will not achieve a flat frequency response. Preformed earplugs, such as the ER-20 earplug are universal (non-custom) earplugs with a noise reduction rating (NRR) of about 12 dB. A selection of musician's earplugs have been reviewed by the National Acoustic Laboratories and The HEARing CRC in conjunction with Choice. The review results (which include attenuation measures and user ratings of comfort, fit and sound quality) are available at What Plug?
A more expensive option is the custom molded musician's earplug, which is custom-made for the individual listener. These earplugs are typically made out of silicone or vinyl materials and come with a vent and a variety of filters that can change the amount of attenuation provided. Common static filter attenuations are 9, 15, and 25 dB. This type of plug is quite popular among audio engineers who can safely listen to loud mixes for extended periods of time. However, they can be quite costly, being intended for constant re-use unlike simple earplugs which are disposable.
Alternately, musicians may use in-ear monitors, which are essentially headphones that also serve as earplugs by attenuating surrounding sound. In order for in-ear monitors to double up as hearing protection, custom earpieces should be used. The process for having custom earpieces made is similar to that of the custom musician's earplug and, similarly, the earpiece will be made of silicone or vinyl. While using an in-ear monitor can help protect hearing, the amount of protection provided by the monitor depends on the listening level that the musician chooses. Because of this, if the musician sets the monitor to a high level, the monitor may attenuate surrounding sound while still providing a potentially harmful level of sound directly to the musician's ear and therefore no longer serve a protective function.
Several earplugs on the market claim to be for musicians, but are not in fact by definition a musician's earplug. By having a thin acoustical bypass channel, they allow for a slightly better frequency response and lower attenuation than simple earplugs, but far from the level of fidelity that membrane-based earplugs provide. These types of earplugs do not provide the flat attenuation that is characteristic of a musician's plug, but may still be useful for some, due to their lower price points.
Earplugs can be molded to fit an individual's ear canal. This is associated with a higher cost, but can improve comfort and fit. A custom molded earplug increases the chance of proper insertion and therefore has a lower uncertainty of efficacy.
Custom molded earplugs fall into two categories: Laboratory made and Formed in Place. Laboratory made requires an impression to be made by a professional of the ear canal and outer ear. The impression is sent to a laboratory to be checked and made into a hearing protector. Formed in place uses the same process to make an impression of the ear canal and outer ear and then turns that impression into the protector. Both types of custom molded earplugs are non-disposable with the laboratory made typically lasting for 3 – 5 years and the formed in place lasting for 1 – 2 years.
For the best attenuation and proper fit, the impressions for custom molds must meet a desired criteria by the manufacturer of the mold. Before an impression can be taken for the custom mold the ear canal is checked for any wax or physical abnormalities. This is important in making sure there is a proper seal with the impression material and also not to push any wax deep into the canal. The otoblock (made with foam or cotton) will be inserted deep in the canal to prevent the impression material from going too far. The impression material (either silicone or powder/liquid) will be placed into the ear canal. This will need to be fully made, making sure there are no gaps or creases in the impression. If there are, then the mold made from the impression will not adequately seal the ear canal. Therefore, if the impression is not properly constructed, then it will need to be redone. Once the custom mold is made, it will need to be inspected by the Audiologist for proper fit on the patient.
For best results they are molded in the ear while in the position that they will be used. For instance, if they are to be used for sleeping then they should be molded in the ear while lying down, as different positioning of the jaws causes significant changes to the form of the ear canal, mostly a reduction of the diameter, risking the sleep earplug to be made too large otherwise. These changes can be felt by feeling with a finger just at the entrance to the ear canal while moving the jaws sideways, up and down or anterior and posterior.
Most molded earplugs are made from silicone but other materials may be used, including thermoplastics , plastic, nylon  and even 3-D printed earplugs.
The noise reduction of passive earplugs varies with frequency but is largely independent of level (soft noises are reduced as much as loud noises). As a result, while loud noises are reduced in level, protecting hearing, it can be difficult to hear low level noises. Active electronic earplugs exist, where loud noises are reduced more than soft noises, and soft sounds may even be amplified, providing dynamic range compression. This is done by having a standard passive earplug, together with a microphone/speaker pair (microphone on outside, speaker on inside; formally a pair of transducers), so sound can be transmitted without being attenuated by the earplug. When external sounds exceed an established threshold (typically 82 dBA SPL), the amplification of the electronic circuit is reduced. At very high levels, the amplification is turned off automatically and you receive the full attenuation of the earplug just as if it were turned off and seated in the ear canal. This protects hearing, but allows one to hear normally when sounds are in safe ranges – for example, have a normal conversation in a low-noise situation, but be protected from sudden loud noises, for example at a construction site or a while hunting.
Non-linear acoustic filtered earplugs provide similar advantages to electronic earplugs, but do not require batteries, filtering out the sound through various mechanical methods. They allow low level sounds to pass through while reducing loud sounds. The most common variant of filtered earplug filters out high decibel sounds through the conversion of that sound into another form of energy, specifically extremely minor amounts of heat by means of compression acceleration. This makes them useful for applications where situational awareness is required but noise protection is also necessary, such as the military or police. Hunting is another good example.
To determine the comfort of earplugs used for sleeping, it is important to try them on while actually lying down. The pressure on the ear between the head and pillow may cause significant discomfort. Furthermore, just tilting the head back or to the side causes significant anatomical changes in the ear canal, mostly a reduction of the ear canal diameter, which may reduce comfort if the earplug is too large.
Some earplugs are primarily designed to keep water out of the ear canal, especially during swimming and water sports. This type of earplug may be made of wax or moldable silicone which is custom-fitted to the ear canal by the wearer.
Exostosis, or swimmer's ear, is a condition which affects people who spend large amounts of time in water in cold climates. In addition, wind may increase the prevalence of the amount of exostosis seen in one ear versus the other dependent on the direction it originates from and the orientation of the individual to the wind. Custom-fitted surfer's earplugs help reduce the amount of cold water and wind that is allowed to enter the external ear canal and, thus, help slow the progression of exostosis.
A 2003 study published in Clinical Otolaryngology found that a cotton ball saturated with petroleum jelly was more effective at keeping water out of the ear, was easier to use, and was more comfortable than wax plugs, foam plugs, EarGuard, or Aquafit.
Jacques-Yves Cousteau warned that earplugs are harmful to divers, especially scuba divers. Scuba divers breathe compressed air or other gas mixtures at a pressure matching the water pressure. This pressure is also inside the ear, but not between the eardrum and the earplug, so the pressure behind the eardrum will often burst the eardrum. Skin divers have less pressure inside the ears, but they also have only atmospheric pressure in the outer ear canal. The PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) advises in the "Open Water Diver Manual" that only vented earplugs designed for diving should be used in diving.
Earplugs are also available which help to protect ears from the pain caused by airplane cabin pressure changes. Some products contain a porous ceramic insert which reportedly aids equalization of air pressure between the middle and outer ear thereby preventing pain during landings and take-offs. Some airlines distribute regular foam earplugs as part of their amenity kits for passengers to aid their comfort during landings and takeoffs as well as to reduce exposure to the aircraft's noise during the flight. These can help passengers get to sleep during the flight if desired.
Hearing protectors sold in the U.S. are required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to have a noise reduction rating (NRR), which is an estimate of noise reduction at the ear when protectors are worn properly.
Due to the discrepancy between how protectors are fit in the testing laboratory and how users wear protectors in the real world, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have developed derating formulas to reduce the effective NRR.
While the NRR and the SNR (Single Number Rating) are designed to be used with C-weighted noise, which means that the lower frequencies are not de-emphasized, other ratings (NRR(SF) and NRSA) are determined for use with A-weighted noise levels, which have lower frequencies de-emphasized. NIOSH recommended and the U.S. EPA mandated  that 7-dB compensation between C and A weighting be applied when the NRR is used with A-weighted noise levels.
Painful discomfort occurs at approximately 120 to 125 dB(A), with some references claiming 133 dB(A) for the threshold of pain. Active ear muffs are available with electronic noise cancellation that can reduce direct path ear canal noise by approximately 17–33 dB, depending on the low, medium, or high frequency at which attenuation is measured. Passive earplugs vary in their measured attenuation, ranging from 20 dB to 30 dB, depending on whether they are properly used, and if low pass mechanical filters are also being used.
Using both ear muffs (whether passive or active) and earplugs simultaneously results in maximum protection, but the efficacy of such combined protection relative to preventing permanent ear damage is inconclusive, with evidence indicating that a combined noise reduction ratio (NRR) of only 36 dB (C-weighted) is the maximum possible using ear muffs and earplugs simultaneously, equating to only a 36 - 7 = 29 dB(A) protection. Some high-end, passive, custom-molded earplugs also have a mechanical filter inserted into the center of the earmolded plug, with a small opening facing to the outside; this design permits being able to hear range commands at a gun range, while still having full rating impulse noise protection.
Such custom molded earplugs with low pass filter and mechanical valve typically have a +85 dB(A) mechanical clamp, in addition to having a lowpass filter response, thereby providing typically 30-31 dB attenuation to loud impulse noises, with only a 21 dB reduction under low noise conditions across the human voice audible frequency range (300–4000 Hz) (thereby providing low attenuation between shots being fired), to permit hearing range commands. Similar functions are also available in standardized earplugs that are not custom molded.
In 2007, the American National Standards Institute published a new standard for noise reduction ratings for hearing protectors, ANSI S12.68-2007. Using the real ear attenuation at threshold data collected by a laboratory test prescribed in ANSI S12.6-2008, the noise reduction statistic for A-weighted noise (NRSA) is computed using a set of 100 noises listed in the standard. The noise reduction rating, rather than be computed for a single noise spectrum the NRSA incorporates variability of both subject and spectral effects. ANSI S12.68 also defines a method to estimate the performance of a protector in an atypical noise environment.
Building upon work from the U.S. Air Force and the ISO 4869-2 standard, the protector's attenuation as a function of the difference in C and A-weighted noise level is used to predict typical performance in that noise environment. The derating may be quite severe (10 to 15 decibels) for protectors that have significant differences between low and high frequency attenuation. For "flat" attenuation protectors, the effect of C-A is less. This new system eliminates the need for calculators, relies on graphs and databases of empirical data, and is believed to be a more accurate system for determining NRRs.
Similar to a noise reduction rating (NRR) required on hearing protection devices in the United States, a personal attenuation rating (PAR) can be obtained through a hearing protection fit-testing system. The PAR is subtracted from the measured noise exposure to estimate the total noise exposure an individual is receiving when wearing hearing protection. The PAR is regarded as more accurate than the NRR because it is calculated per individual and per hearing protection device, while NRR is a generalized estimate of potential sound reduction based on the protection provided to a small population of people.
Pushing in earplugs into the external ear canal may cause the air pressure to rise in it, in effect pushing against the eardrum and causing pain. This may be caused by pressure on the ear while lying down on the side, and is also the case when completely expanded foam earplugs are pushed further into the ear. To bypass the latter risk, such earplugs are instead removed, compressed and inserted to the desired depth. Vice versa, when pulled out, the resultant negative pressure pulls the eardrum. Therefore, some earplugs are better carefully screwed or jiggled out rather than yanked out. Yawning does not help to equalize this air pressure difference, since it equalizes the pressures between the middle ear and the environment, while this overpressure rather is located in the outer ear, between the eardrum and the earplug.
If pushed too far into the ear canal, they may push earwax and debris into the canal and possibly against the ear drum. As a precaution, earplugs should not be pushed further into the ear canal than they may be grabbed and rotated. Earwax impacted by earplugs can be removed by irrigation or other remedies, as described here.
There is a possibility of allergic reactions, but this is likely rare, as earplugs generally are made of immunologically inert materials.
Custom shaped plugs are recommended for long-term use, since they are more comfortable and gentle to the skin and won't go too far into the ear canal.
They may cause earwax to build up and plug the outer ear, since it blocks the normal flow of earwax outwards. This can result in tinnitus, hearing loss, discharge, pain or infection. Excess earwax should be carefully removed from the ear, and earplugs should be cleaned regularly with water and mild soap. However, foam type earplugs are usually designed to be disposable, and will expand and lose their memory property upon drying after washing with water and soap. From then on, they will expand very quickly after being compressed, making proper insertion into the ear canal quite problematic. They also lose a large proportion of sound attenuating capability after such washing and drying.
They may cause irritation of the temporomandibular joint, which is located very close to the ear canal, causing pain. Individually fitted non-elastic earplugs may be less likely to cause this irritation compared with foam ones that expand inside the ear canal.
Earplugs are also a possible cause of ear inflammation (otitis externa), although the short-term use of earplugs when swimming and shampooing hair may actually help prevent it. Still, many pathogenic bacteria grow well on warm, moist, foam-type plugs (polyvinylchloride (PVC) or polyurethane). However, there need also be a loss of integrity of the skin for infection to occur. Hard and poorly fitting earplugs can scratch the skin of the ear canal and set off an episode. When earplugs are used during an acute episode, disposable plugs are recommended, or used plugs must be cleaned and dried properly to avoid contaminating the healing ear canal with infected discharge.
^ a b ""How To Wear Soft Foam Earplugs." NIOSH Mining Safety and Health". Cdc.gov. 2012-09-24. Retrieved 2013-06-22.
^ "How To Wear Soft Foam Earplugs". www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
^ Rawool, Vishakha (2011). Hearing Conservation. Thieme. ISBN 978-1604062564.
^ a b c Vishakha, Rawool (2012). Hearing conservation in occupational, recreational, educational, and home settings. New York: Thieme. pp. 201–219. ISBN 9781604062564.
^ "ZenPlugs Custom Moulded Earplugs". Zenplugs.com. Retrieved 2013-06-22.
^ "Phonak Serenity SP Custom Molded Earplugs". Phonak.com. Retrieved 2019-04-18.
^ "Shooting & Hunting Hearing Protection". www.earplugstore.com. Ear Plug Superstore.
^ "Selecting the Right Shooting Ear Protection". www.espamerica.com. ESP America.
^ "3M™ Combat Arms™ Single Tip Corded Earplugs 370-1030, Small Size, 50 Pair/Case". www.3m.com. 3M.
^ Robert, Deen (14 July 2008). "Who Needs to Wear Earplugs for Sleeping?". wEarPlug. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
^ "– The right size ear plug". Blog.allearplugs.com. 2010-09-08. Retrieved 2013-06-22.
^ King, John F.; et al. (2010). "Laterality of Exostosis in Surfers Due to Evaporative Cooling Effect". Otology & Neurotology. 31 (2): 345–351. doi:10.1097/MAO.0b013e3181be6b2d. PMID 19806064.
^ "Ear Infections | Healthy Swimming | Healthy Water | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 2017-06-19. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
^ Chisholm, E.J.; Kuchai, R.; McPartlin, D. (2004). "An objective evaluation of the waterproofing qualities, ease of insertion and comfort of commonly available earplugs". Clinical Otolaryngology and Allied Sciences. 29 (2): 128–32. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2273.2004.00795.x. PMID 15113295.
^ a b "EPA Standard, Title 20, Part 211". Ecfr.gpoaccess.gov. 2012-10-09. Retrieved 2013-06-22.
^ a b c Occupational Health and Safety Administration, January, 1999. The OSHA Technical Manual, OSHA Publication, Section IV, Appendix IV: C.
^ a b "More About: Shooting/Hunting Hearing Protection". www.earplugstore.com. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
^ "Health Enterprises ACU-LIFE Shooter's Ear Plugs (Sonic Valve II)". www.earplugstore.com. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
^ a b c ANSI S12.68 (2007). American National Standard Methods of Estimating Effective A-Weighted Sound Pressure Levels When Hearing Protectors, are Worn, American National Standards Institute, New York.
^ ISO 4869-2 (1994). Acoustics—Hearing Protectors Part 2: Estimation of effective A-weighted sound pressure levels when hearing protectors are worn, International Organization for Standardization, Geneva.
^ Murphy, William (2013). "Comparing personal attenuation ratings for hearing protector fit-test systems" (PDF). Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
^ "Can earplugs be harmful?". 9 March 2015.
^ Hathway, Jessica (2 January 2014). "Earplugs for Sleeping - Noise Reduction Rating". Wearplug. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ear plugs.
Look up earplug in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.


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Q: Sharepoint - One feature that creates more than one content type? Is it possible to create more than just 1 content type with just one feature in Sharepoint?
I've a got a project where a couple of content types inherits from another one and I have 5 features just creating those content types.

A: Yes. In fact sharepoint has a feature that has basic content types defined in [12 Hive]/TEMPLATES/FEATURES/ctypes folder.
Just define multiple <ContentType> tags as seen here and it works!

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RPGWatch Forums » Comments » News Comments » Bard's Tale IV - Director's Cut Review
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Bard's Tale IV - Director's Cut Review
MMORPG checked out the Director's Cut of The Bard's Tale IV:
The RPG Files: The Bard's Tale 4: The Director's Cut Review
The Bard's Tale 4: The Director's Cut is an epic tale of corruption and evil, suffering and loss, of lessons learned too late and and the bitter consequences. It's also a story of hope and triumph and perseverance. It's a game that challenged me and a story that tugged at my heart.
The Bard's Tale 4 had a rocky start last year. We checked out the new changes and got a feel for the performance changes in our Initial Impressions piece a couple of weeks ago. Additionally, combat, enemies, puzzles, and many other aspects of the game were reworked and polished. Those systems felt good in the initial chapters, but a lot of games start strong and finish weak. How well would these hold up over the entire game? I spent the past two weeks working my way through the story. Read on and we'll see if InXile put as much effort into the finish as they did the beginning. There are some minor spoilers ahead so be warned.
The Bard's Tale 4: The Director's Cut is a dramatic improvement from the initial release over a year ago. More than that, it's an incredibly solid dungeon crawler and respectable entry in the franchise. It weaves puzzles and RPG character progression into a captivating story of love, loss, and triumph.
HiddenX
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henriquejr
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While I'm enjoying the game and am 80 hours into it, I have yet to discover the 'love' aspect of the story mentioned in the conclusion!!
If God said it, then that settles it!!
Editor@RPGWatch
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I too am mostly enjoying the game, after 50 hours or so, and I too have yet to discover the love aspect of the story.
There was plenty of complaining about the number of puzzles when this was released, and while it does have a lot of puzzles in my view they are not too numerous.
NFLed
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I find the game to be like one giant puzzlebox with each battle, puzzle, quest and character gradually unlocking more of the whole. I feel like each time I defeat or solve something, I gradually tease a little more out of the game. The lack of enemy respawn emphasises this, with enemies placed as part of the grand "puzzle" rather than for experience/levelling.
I think it probably does get in the way of the storytelling and world-building a bit, and the use of high level enemy groups on most "exploration" maps to block progression feels a bit forced. That said, yesterday I had a bit of fun after discovering I *could* take on a red-group and visit areas I probably shouldn't. Bloody, but do-able.
Where I think it falters is that it clearly isn't "bard's tale" - should be called something like Tales of Caith or something. Also, as an RPG, progress is very controlled/gated. The skill system allows you the flexibility to make quite distinct character builds, which is a big plus, but is then crippled by only letting you take 3 or 4 skills into battle.
For example, since I needed my bard to be able to hit things occasionally, and had the (very useful) firehorn, and later a weapon with a special effect, there was only room for one bard song. The game offers about 10 songs in the skill tree, and I was only really able to use one.
Similarly, at a certain point you can gain cleric spells, but you'll probably need to sacrifice two of your 3-4 slots to make use of them (depending on charater).
I suspect you are meant to change your ability loadout before each fight, but the reality is that you pick your favourites and forget the rest. You'll then choose gear that boosts those skills, and that's your build.
For me, part of the fun of a turn-based battle system is being able to use lots of odd skills/abilities/spells that wouldn't really be practical in a real-time system. Those edge-case ones that are rarely useful *except when they're brilliant*. This system doesn't allow for that, instead focusing on making you figure out how best to apply your limited selecting in the most effective way possible.
This all adds to the puzzle, and is a clear design choice, but for me it is what stops it being "just one more hour" and instead has me consuming it in bitesize chunks.
Irien
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After running through the original trilogy over the past two months, I decided against replaying Bard's Tale four just yet, but I do plan on revisiting the game either later this year or early next. My least favourite part were some of the semi-lengthy puzzles, but since I took notes the first time through, they shouldn't be quite the same distraction that they were.
I'm interested in replaying this with the director's cut at some point and curious about the changes. This review seems to be written by someone who never played the original though, so it doesn't tell me anything about what exactly changed.
fadedc
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I am playing this now after just completing the remastered Bard's Tale 1-3. I'm liking it so far but only have about an hour playing it.
Favourite RPGs of all time: Wizardry 6, Ultima 7/7.2, Fallout2, Planescape Torment, Baldurs Gate 2+TOB, Jagged Alliance 2, Ravenloft: The stone prophet, Gothic 2, Realms of Arkania:Blade of destiny (not the HD version!!) and Secret of the Silver Blades.
bjon045
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I had a great deal of fun when I first started playing Bard's Tale four, shortly after it was released, then the sheer amount and weight of the puzzles dragged it down a lot for me. I did get through it though, but I'm really looking forward to a replay when I know the puzzles will no longer be a detriment.
Before I'm installing it - does it really download the whole stuff, or does it use already downloeded parts from the standard installation ? I mean, 26 GB are pretty hefty for my slow internet connection …
(I don't remember why, but I have both a Steam version installed and a GOG one in my Library … oh, I remember I did so because I wanted to install the game from the retail mediuem, and that was - of course, like everything else is these days - Steam-bound.)
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." (E.F.Schumacher, Economist, Source)
Alrik Fassbauer
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Alrik, back when I first played Bard's Tale four, GoG kept reinstalling the entire game with practically every patch. I'm not sure if that's still the case, but it was fairly annoying when I first played the game.
Yes, I remember 2-3 days of downloading myself …
(No downloads while I'm not at home, of course.)
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R&B introduces the new Recycled Line of Poly Trucks with a blend 30% pre-consumer recycled material and 70% virgin material. This line is offered in a full complement of 6 - 20 bushel sizes in black only. The units will have the same heavy-duty .225" nominal wall thickness that is both cost effective and sturdy. This 8 bushel truck has internal dimensions of 32 1/2"L x 20 1/2"W x 23 1/2" "D. These units incorporate our proprietary molded-in caster ring technology allowing for a seamless interior tub, thus no exterior base is required. The 4" polyurethane non-marking casters are standard with all swivel casters but are available with 2 rigid and 2 swivel casters- either making transporting over any surface smooth rolling. This truck has a weight capacity of 195 lbs.


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Alabama Shakes, the Sound of Summer, But Don't Hold That Against Them.
April 20, 2012 by aok6666 Leave a Comment
In 2010 it was Sleigh Bells, last year it was Odd yawn Future (reviewed earlier here ). And this year, the breakthrough act to emerge from SXSW was, by all accounts, Alabama Shakes. And already you can hear the backlash to the release of their debut album Boys & Girls beginning to build.
Much the same thing happened after Amy Winehouse released what was her second and, as it turned out, her final album, Back to Black. One minute, all the right people were smiling approvingly stroking their beards and nodding their heads to the silky new sound. The following morning, it was everywhere.
They never really forgave her. Which is most unfair. It's hardly her fault if everyone else is desperately trying to latch on to the next big thing. And you can detect that same sense of faint resentment seeping out between the lines in the admiring reviews that Boys & Girls has been provoking.
Yes they've paid their dues, and Brittany Howard plainly means everything she sings. And the energy and passion of their live shows has mostly been faithfully reproduced here in the recording studio. And there's no mistaking that aura of authenticity, and the sense that here's a band who go to bed with the Phil Spector box set Back to Mono by their bedside.
And yes, after they've finished touring with him this year, their next album is certain to be produced by Jack White, who's sure to even further fine-tune their impeccable musical instincts. But you just know that come the summer, this album's going to be all over the place.
On ads, movie soundtracks, jet-set catwalks, and, finally, as background muzak in all the lazy retro women's retail discount clothing boutique stores in every shopping mall in the western world, and eventually beyond.
But you can only really hold that against them if they're the kind of band who are actively courting that sort of attention. And goodness knows, there are enough bands out there that are. But this plainly isn't one of them.
But what are you going to do? The fact of the matter is, Alabama Shakes sounds like a latter-day Janis Joplin has joined the stage at a private party hosted by Prince to briefly take the mike and lead his band. And nobody can believe what they're hearing, least of all the host. You've been warned.
Sign up for a subscription right or below, and I shall keep you posted every week with All the Very Best and Worst in Film, Television and Music!
Filed Under: Music Tagged With: Alabama Shakes, Amy Winehouse, Back to Black, Odd Future, Phil Spector, Sleigh Bells, SXSW


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Local restaurants adapt to new COVID-19 guidelines
By Meghan Grey and Marissa Voss | December 19, 2020 at 5:32 PM CST - Updated December 21 at 9:09 AM
MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - New state COVID-19 regulations go into effect Saturday.
Starting this weekend, restaurants are allowed to open for outdoor dining with limitations.
Under new guidelines, bars and restaurants are allowed to offer outdoor dining options at either 50 percent capacity or with no more than 100 people at a time. Customers also need to remain seated while eating.
"As much as we can to mitigate the risk to provide some of that economic activity while getting the most benefit on the safety and the health side of this," Gov. Tim Walz said in his announcement on Wednesday.
Local restaurants are now adapting. With the weather getting colder, Pub 500 and The 507 are making plans to adjust.
Peter Whiteman, General Manager of Pub 500, said, "We encourage to bring your own blankets. We've got the fireplace going. We don't have any heaters, but you're welcome to bring your own. We've got lots of hot drinks, whatever keeps you warm."
Isaiah Pitchford, General Manager of The 507, added, "The way I look at is that it's a chance to give the customers what we want to give them, and if they want to come out they do and if not, then we just keep building the hype for when we can have them inside."
Monday, the state legislature passed a COVID-19 relief package. The package totals to $216 million and provides aid to those without jobs, entertainment establishments, non-profits, gyms, restaurants and bars.
Meghan Grey is a multimedia journalist at KEYC News Now. She joined the team in September 2020.
Marissa Voss
Marissa Voss started at KEYC News Now in May 2020. In her short time with the station, Marissa has been a sports and news reporter.


text:
High School Seniors Encouraged to Apply for Seal of Biliteracy
Tulsa Public Schools is encouraging multilingual seniors to apply for recognition of their proficiency in multiple languages by graduating with the district's Seal of Biliteracy. Students can apply online atwww.tulasaschools.org/sealofbiliteracy.
The 2020-2021 school year marks the district's third year of offering students the opportunity to graduate with a Seal of Biliteracy. In the first year of the program, Tulsa Public Schools was the first public school district in the State of Oklahoma to offer the Seal of Biliteracy in 11 different languages. Tulsa is also the first school district in the state to award the Seal of Biliteracy in Chinese, Indonesian, Yoruba, and Zomi languages.
"Students who successfully earn the Seal of Biliteracy not only increase global cultural competence, but gain strong language skills that will help them be successful in college, careers, and life," said Interim Chief Learning Officer Ebony Johnson. "Since the beginning of this program during the 2018-2019 school year, 115 graduates have earned a Seal of Biliteracy award. We are so proud of our students' accomplishments, and we are excited to offer this opportunity to this year's seniors."
Seventy-six graduates of the class of 2020 earned the Tulsa Public Schools Seal of Biliteracy after successfully attaining proficiency in both English and an additional language by high school graduation. The 76 graduates in the district's second cohort earned seals in six languages: Chinese, French, Indonesian, Spanish, Yoruba, and Zomi.
The student application deadline is Friday, Dec. 18; eligible students must demonstrate proficiency in more than one language. Students can visit www.tulsaschools.org/sealofbiliteracy to apply.
NEWS BUREAU
Weekly Case Count, January Intersession, Extension of Semester One
Board approves extension of first semester and distance learning
Grissom Elementary to launch Montessori program in 2021-2022
Six students honored by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Society
Cooper Elementary will begin offering a two-way dual language program in the fall of 2021


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Q: rounded corners (border-radius) of image in opera 10.50+ everything works fine in chrome, firefox, etc, even in ie (using pie), but in opera it's not working at all. comarison between opera and chrome: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5011224/opera-chrome.png
<!DOCTYPE html>

        <meta charset="utf-8" />

A: Which version of Firefox are you testing with? This is a leading question, because I suspect you're using FF4, because Firefox 3 had the same problem that you're reporting here with Opera.
The problem is that the image in the  tag is being rendered in front of the element's border. This means that although it is doing the rounded corners, you're not seeing them because the image is in front of them.
If you specify border: solid black 1px; as well, you'll get a better visual clue as to what's happening because the border will visibly disappear behind the image at the points where the rounded corners begin.
There isn't a direct fix for this, but there are a couple of work-arounds:

*

*Use a wrapper
 element around the , and put the rounded corners on the
 instead.

*Display the image as a background-image instead of a foreground one.
Hope that helps.

A: It seems like overkill, but have you tried rounding the image's container div and setting it to overflow: hidden?  (I don't have Opera, or I'd test it myself)


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Q: Change Owl Carousel options if items count is smaller than page size I have a carousel that the number of its items are not always the same and I want to change some options of the carousel when the items count is smaller than the page size.
Here is what I tried but it doesn't work :
var owl = $('.owl-carousel');
owl.owlCarousel({
    items: 1,
    loop: true,
    rtl: true,
    autoplay: true,
    autoplayTimeout: 3000,
    autoplayHoverPause: true,
    dots: false,
    rewind: false,
    checkVisible: false,
    responsive: {
        500: {
            items: 2
        },
        700: {
            items: 3
        },
        900: {
            items: 4
        },
        1100: {
            items: 5
        },
        1300: {
            items: 6
        }
    },
    onInitialize: function (e) {
        if (e.item.count < e.page.size) {
            owl.data('owl.carousel').options.loop = false;
        }
    }
});

Carousel work properly but callback function doesn't work and I get Cannot read property 'options' of undefined error in the chrome's console.

A: responsive: {
        500: {
            items: 2,
            loop: function () {
                if ($(this).find('.owl-item').length > 2) {
                    return true;
                }
                return false;
            }
        },
        700: {
            items: 3,
            loop: function () {
                if ($(this).find('.owl-item').length > 3) {
                    return true;
                }
                return false;
            }
        },
        900: {
            items: 4,
            loop: function () {
                if ($(this).find('.owl-item').length > 4) {
                    return true;
                }
                return false;
            }
        },
        1100: {
            items: 5,
            loop: function () {
                if ($(this).find('.owl-item').length > 5) {
                    return true;
                }
                return false;
            }
        },
        1300: {
            items: 6,
            loop: function () {
                if ($(this).find('.owl-item').length > 6) {
                    return true;
                }
                return false;
            }
        }
    }


Please use this board to share custom content files for the Complete Reference application to be used with the Pathfinder Role playing game.
Create content easily online using the PF content creator!
* You need a forum account to use the content creator.


To identify and develop a self-supporting group of co-op developers that is committed to the vision and objectives of the co-op movement.
To increase the interaction among consultants, developers and other professionals working with existing or new co-operatives.
To stimulate the development and sharing of co-op resource materials.
To provide opportunities for on-going skill enhancement and training.
To provide members of the CZDN with access to co-op development opportunities, where applicable.
To stimulate the development of new co-ops by linking qualified developers to co-op development opportunities.
To encourage new and existing co-operatives to join the appropriate co-op sector organisations.


>>> that boot loaders are picky about any reserved memory below 1MB.
>> Would 0xC0000-0xCFFFF for be OK? We already use that on some targets.
> the maximum number of option roms.
payload, so there are no survival requirements at all.


EDPS was formed in 2004 and is the independent supervisory body at the European Union level. In 2014, the European Parliament and EU Council appointed the Supervisor and Assistant supervisor.
In the situation of a dispute, where a decision is to be offered, EDPS' voting powers are restricted to the situation when the case principles are applicable to European Union Institutions. In the case of cross-border processing activities, another supervisory body comes into picture.
Member states will have an obligation to establish a supervisory authority at a national level, together with mechanisms aimed at creating consistency in applying the GDPR across the Union. In cross- border cases, though, there is only one supervisory decision taken, and this principle is called the one stop shop. According to this principle, an organization with subsidiaries in more than one member state only has to deal with the data protection authority in the state where its headquarter is located.
The EDPB will consist of representatives of all the national supervisory authorities' representatives. It is a European Union body with legal personality and extended powers and has the purpose of solving disputes between national authorities, provide European Union certification and codes of conduct, as well as to offer guidance.


Director: Albert Pyun | Stars: Silkk the Shocker, Ice-T, Tarsha Nicole Jones, Ernie Hudson Jr.
Urban Explorers are extreme sports' answer to computer hackers: a growing breed of thrill-seekers who thrive on infiltrating the planet's most dangerous man-made structures... Just because they can.
A dashing Franz Liszt appears to have it all - talent, success, wealth and adoring fans. Yet when he takes on a young street musician as a violin student, his own fork is transformed.
A Dublin street kid is selected as a choirboy for Handel's first performance of The Messiah. His friendship helps deliver the composer from a temporary lack of self esteem and restores his great glory.
A comedy about a lost inheritance, love and a red umbrella, which, according to a local legend, belonged to St. Peter himself.
Reincarnated Lady of the Lake and knight John Pope must stop evil immortal wizard Pendragon from obtaining Merlin's Sword in the Stone on Halloween in the present, which would create October 32nd and end time. Wizard Leong helps them.
A sleuthing action of chasing black money from Eastern Europe to treasured islands on the Adriatic Sea. One female special prosecutor stands up to the thugs and arms dealers, but is soon pitted against the corrupt officials and oligarchs.
A dramatic story of three friends happily spending time on their own in a mountain cottage in the High Tatras. On the arrival of the wife of one of them their perfect friendship is put to a test.
Three war stories ranging from World War I to a post-apocalyptic nuclear holocaust treat death and the fragility of the humankind through different approaches.


Living room is the center of your house and it should be very attractive and perfect. This is the place where you welcome your all guests and loving people who comes at your house. Interior Design for Living Room is a crucial task and should get done under experienced team of interior designers. For this reason, you must contact the most reputed and skilled designers from a leading interior designing firm.
Our company has years of expertise in delivering different interior designing services to the targeted customer. Our skills are enough to satisfy a client and fulfill his/her need regarding his living room. Living Room Interior Design is a challenging task and requires highly creative minds and specialization. When you are in the need of living room interior designing, in that case, you must contact only the experienced one from the city.


Khabar: Are there choices about Death?
Home > Magazine > Spiritual Straight Talk > Are there choices about Death?
You need to understand this: Everything that you can experience is life. What you call "death" is also life. So, are there choices about death? There are, definitely. What you are referring to as death is just the last moment of life as you know it for now; that final moment when you transcend the limitations of your physical body happens only once in this lifetime. Almost everything in your life may happen many times over. But this one thing happens only once in your lifetime and it is the last thing that you do. I want you to understand death as life, not something else. This is the last act of your life. Is it not very important that you choose to make it happen gracefully and wonderfully? If you are fearful of it, if you are ignorant of the ways of life and you create resistance towards it, naturally you will miss that possibility, and the very thought of it is torturous.
People on the spiritual path choose the time, date, and place of their death. The yogi always wants to know the time and date of death ahead of time. He fixes it. Many years ahead he says, "On this date, at this time I will leave," and he leaves, because he has created the necessary awareness within himself to leave consciously. Leaving this body consciously without damaging this body—like you take off your clothes—you take off your body and walk away. If you can do that, that is the ultimate possibility in your life. If your awareness has grown to such a point that you know where you, as a being, and this physical body, which you gathered, are connected, then you can disentangle yourself whenever the moment is right for you.
Is this suicide? Definitely not. Suicide happens out of frustration, out of anger, out of fear, out of inability to bear with suffering. This is neither suicide nor euthanasia. This is about being so aware that you know when life has completed its cycle, and you walk out of it. And this is not death either. This is known as samadhi, where a human being has developed sufficient awareness within himself to separate himself from the physicality that he has gathered. In that level of awareness, one can leave. If you do not attain such a level of awareness, at least you can make that last moment very graceful, pleasant, joyful, and blissful for yourself if you manage certain things.
If you want to exercise this choice, a certain amount of preparation is needed. You cannot waste life and try to make use of death. If you maintain a certain level of awareness right through your life, the moment of passing also can happen in awareness. If you live a life of unawareness and you expect that moment to be aware, such things do not happen to people.
Just practice this tonight, the last moment of passing— I call it passing because you are passing off from wakefulness to sleep that last moment—maintain your awareness and see. It will change your life phenomenally. Just use this as a method every day. Go at it with total perseverance. You will see in a few days, you will get there where the final moment you are aware. Suddenly, everything about your life, the fundamental quality of your life will change just by doing this one simple thing. If you manage to move from wakefulness to sleep in awareness, this last moment of passing from life to death will happen absolutely gracefully for you. There are other methods also.
In India, traditionally people choose not to die with their loved ones, because if you die among your family, so many emotions will come. Naturally you will try to cling to life. You will not allow it to happen gracefully. People travel to faraway places which are considered spiritually vibrant and they want to shed their body in that space. Even today, people still do this. This may be completely unthinkable in the West because people there want to die in the comfort of their family. That is not a wise thing. It is truly wise for a person to choose a space which is spiritually conducive, which is vibrant in a certain way and to leave with as much grace as possible. If you have lived your life with grace, it becomes extremely important that you die with grace.


The grip is the only part of your bow you actually touch during the shot process, meaning the way you handle it is critical. Despite that, I believe grip remains one of the most overlooked aspects of good shooting form.
Over the years, I've seen many variations of how people grip their bows, and guess what? None of them are necessarily wrong. Just like any other aspect of archery, the proper grip is simply one that can be repeated consistently shot after shot. However, there are several things that can make that task much easier. One is to keep the entire grip on the thumb side of your lifeline. Then you want to point your thumb at about 2 o'clock (10 o'clock for left-handed shooters), making sure it isn't riding up against the shelf of the riser. Lastly, you want to have a loose hand, not squeezing the grip and not with your fingers stuck straight out; just let your hand relax.
There are two main muscles in your hand, one on each side of your lifeline. If your grip crosses over onto both, then it's a lot easier for you to torque the bow just by tensing your hand slightly. It's very important to keep the bow on the thumb side of that lifeline only, making it almost impossible to torque with the muscles in your palm.
The best way to do this is to make a thumbs up sign, turn your thumb to 2 o'clock (or 10 o'clock for lefties), open your hand and place it on the grip. This will help prevent your thumb from pressing too hard against the shelf, which can create sideways torque and cause inconsistencies in your balance while aiming.
Now, your bow isn't going anywhere. So, stop holding onto it for dear life at full draw. Just relax your bow hand. Now, squeeze the grip again and see what it does to the bow and level. That's called torque, and it's bad. You want a completely relaxed hand. Just allow your fingers to lie softly on the back of the grip. Don't stick your fingers way out trying to avoid torque, because when you do that you can't help but tense up those muscles, which defeats the entire purpose. It's OK if your fingers are touching the riser, as long as they aren't influencing it.
Again, there is no right or wrong way to grip the bow, if you can do it the same every time, and the method I just described will help you achieve consistency. Keep the grip on one side of the lifeline in your hand, keep your thumb from pressing too hard up into the shelf and relax your entire hand. A consistent grip is absolutely crucial to accurate shooting.
Mossy Oak Properties, Inc., the nation's largest real estate brokerage network focusing on rural and recreational land, recently reported their 2018 statistics, which revealed growth in all sectors.
New to the Winchester® Repeating Arms pump shotgun line is the Super X® Pump Extreme Deer Hunter camo model. This new 12 gauge shotgun features a synthetic pistol grip stock with textured gripping surfaces and a Mossy Oak® Break-Up Country® camo finish.
The old advertising slogan "strong enough for a man, but made for a woman" has never been more accurate than in the Stiletto. Only PSE, the inventors of the legendary X-Force, can create a bow that delivers the maximum speed and performance that women need in a bow.


This last Saturday Dylan and I took Gracie on a hike at Fort Yargo. We met up with a group of other dog owners. There were about 10-12 dogs there! I think all the dogs had a blast.
We hiked the 7 mile lake loop trail. This trail features beautiful views of the lake and passes by an old smokehouse that you can go look in. We happened to be passing by during a historical reenactment, which was pretty neat to see!
I would recommend this trail during Spring or Fall. Last year Dylan and I took Gracie during the Summer and we were pretty miserable. Temperatures were in the high 90's F- way too hot for a Siberian Husky to hike! However, all three of us did much better with the 60F degree weather.
The park also features dog friendly cottages and cabins. However, the lake beach does not allow dogs. Of course the park also has RV and tent camping sites. I have considered taking Gracie camping here. I believe she would enjoy it.
Please enjoy a few more of our photos below.
This looks like a very fun park!!! You are gorgeous, my dad has always wanted a husky but want to wait until we more to the country to get another pup!
Looks like a great place for a hike. Of course the Huskies still have energy after a 7 mile hike. LOL!
Looks like a wonderful place to hike and fun was had by all!
I have not done a hike with my family in a while. We went once to a waterfall. And this looks like a lot of fun.
Looks like a lovely hike…I've never been on one before!
You should try it! I suggest starting small and then working your way up. Find something between 1-2 miles and go up from there!
That looks like a great place to hike. How did the dogs feel about the historical reenactment people?
That looks like a great getaway!
Looks like a wonderful time was had by all. Such a beautiful countryside.
This looks like a blast! I love hearing about places with dog friendly camping areas.
Looks like a wonderful time was had by all… and looks like an amazing place to spend time!
What a great post – makes me want to go for a hike! Thanks for sharing your beautiful husky pics with us – they are glorious!
Thank you! I always encourage people to go hiking with their dog. Even if it is just a short 1 1/2 to 2 mile hike. We have been on plenty of hikes with little dogs and they all do great. A tiny yorkie went to Fort Yargo with us!
I love Husky dogs. They are very beautiful. Hope one day i have one.


text:
Vipul Roy is an Indian television and film actor. He is well known for his role of Bhola Pandit in SAB TV's F.I.R. He acted in the Punjabi feature film What the Jatt!!.

Early life and education
Roy did his schooling from Sherwood College and according to an interview he received his first award for acting from Amitabh Bachchan for a play as a child. He was pursuing his Hotel Management from Ooty before he participated in the first season of India's Best Cinestars Ki Khoj in 2004.

Personal life
In 2019, Roy got engaged to his girlfriend Melis Atici. They married on 20 February 2022.

Career
Vipul Roy participated in the first season of India's Best Cinestars Ki Khoj. Later, he hosted Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Mega Challenge and become its first anchor from a non-singing background. He then went on to host Wheel Ghar Ghar Mein along with Manish Paul. He then had roles in fictional shows such as Tujko Hai Salaam Zindgi, and Chehra.

In 2013, after Aamir Ali left the show, Roy landed the lead role of Bhola Pandit in the show F.I.R. In 2014, he joined the cast of Jeanie Aur Juju.

In 2015, Roy played Sunny in Sahib Biwi Aur Boss. In 2016, he played the main lead in Dr. Madhumati On Duty as Mohan opposite Debina Bonnerjee. In 2017, he played the most popular role of his career as Sr.Inspector Aditya Dev in the series Partners Trouble Ho Gayi Double. In 2019, he appeared in &TV's Naye Shaadi Ke Siyape as Bunty. He acted in ALT Balaji's web series, Booo Sabki Phategi as Veer along with Shefali Jariwala.

Filmography

Television

Film

Web

References

External links

Living people
Indian male television actors
Indian male film actors
Year of birth missing (living people)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Innoprot will be participating as exhibitors and in the one-on-one partnering in the next "Discovery on Target" Conference, which will take place in Boston, MA, from the 25th to 28th, September, 2018.
You can request a meeting with our delegates in the Convention, Dr. Jorge Gamiz, Business Development Director and Dr. Clarisa Salado, General Manager at Innoprot.
You can also visit our booth #510 and get information about our solutions for your drug discovery and development programs. We will be showing our latest advances in GPCR screening, in vitro models to identify new drugs against Parkinson''s Disease, Alzheimer''s Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Stroke.


On April 11, 2013, the annual meeting of the Canadian Conference of Orthodox Bishops took place at the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto (Canada), with 12 bishops participating.
The agenda had many issues, all of which were discussed in detail with the necessary decisions taken in order to enhance the continued cooperation of the Orthodox Churches in Canada and to promote their spiritual endeavours. The Synaxis began in the morning at 10:00 and concluded in the afternoon at 5:00, with the Metropolis offering a Lenten luncheon to all participants. Invited to the lunch were six Consuls Generals based in Toronto representing the following countries: Greece; Cyprus; Serbia; Romania; Bulgaria; and, Ukraine. Each of the six diplomats briefly offered greetings and thanked Metropolitan Sotirios for the invitation, commenting with admiration on the great cooperation amongst the hierarchs and the Orthodox Churches in Canada.
Before the lunch, the 12 bishops along with the six Consuls Generals are pictured in the Church of St. John the Theologian located within the Metropolis.
Seated from the left are: Archbishop Gabriel, ROCOR; Bishop Christoforos, Ecumenical Patriarchate; Bishop Ilia (Albanian), Ecumenical Patriarchate; Archbishop Nicholaj, Romanian Patriarchate; Bishop Iov, Russian Patriarchate; Metropolitan Sotirios, Ecumenical Patriarchate; Bishop Georgije, Serbian Patriarchate; Bishop Alexander, Antiochian Patriarchate; Metropolitan Yurij (Ukrainian), Ecumenical Patriarchate; Bishop Andriy (Ukrainian), Ecumenical Patriarchate; Bishop Ioan Casian, Romanian Patriarchate; Bishop Irenee, OCA. Diplomats standing from the left are: Tatiana Popa, Romania; Iakovos Giragosian, Cyprus; Dimitrios Azemopoulos, Greece; Vladimir Pavlov, Serbia, Ivo Mouskourov, Bulgaria; and Anatoliy Oliinyk, Ukraine.


text:
(Redirected from Army Black Knights men's gymnastics)
Patriot League (primary)
Independent (football)
ECAC (men's & women's gymnastics)
Atlantic Hockey (men's ice hockey)
GARC (rifle)
NIRA (women's rugby)
Rugby East (men's rugby)
CSFL (sprint football)
EIWA (wrestling)
Mike Buddie
West Point, New York
Michie Stadium
Christl Arena
Baseball stadium
Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field
Other arenas
Gillis Field House
Tate Rink
On Brave Old Army Team
Black, Gold, and Gray[1]
www.goarmywestpoint.com
The Army Black Knights are the athletic teams that represent the United States Military Academy.[2] In sports contexts, the teams are commonly referred to as simply Army. They participate in NCAA Division I-A as a non-football member of the Patriot League, a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and a member of Atlantic Hockey, the Collegiate Sprint Football League (men), the Eastern Intercollegiate Gymnastics League (men), the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association, the Great America Rifle Conference, the National Collegiate Boxing Association, the National Collegiate Paintball Association[3] and the National Intercollegiate Women's Fencing Association. Army is also one of approximately 300 members of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).
Three of the service academies (Army, Air Force, and Navy) compete for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, which is awarded to the academy that defeats the others in football that year (or retained by the previous winner in the event of a three-way tie).
2 Sports sponsored
2.1 Football
2.2 Men's golf
2.3 Men's soccer
2.4 Men's ice hockey
2.5 Men's rugby
2.6 Wrestling
2.7 Non-varsity sports
2.7.1 Handball
4 Hall of fame
Since 1899, Army's mascot has officially been a mule because of the animal's historical importance in military operations.[4][5] For many years, Army's teams were known as the "Cadets." The academy's football team was nicknamed "The Black Knights of the Hudson" due to the black color of its uniforms.[6][7] In 1999, Army adopted "Black Knights" as its official nickname in all sports.[8] They may also use "Cadets" in certain circumstances.[9]
U.S. sports media use "Army" as a synonym for the academy, while in 2015, the academy declared their name to be "Army West Point."[9]
"On Brave Old Army Team", by Philip Egner, is the school's fight song.[10] Army's chief sports rival is the Naval Academy, due to its long-standing football rivalry and the inter-service rivalry with the Navy in general. Fourth class cadets verbally greet upper-class cadets and faculty with "Beat Navy", while the tunnel that runs under Washington Road is named the "Beat Navy" tunnel. In the first half of the 20th century, Army and Notre Dame were football rivals, but that rivalry has since died out.[11][12]
Sports sponsored[edit]
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Cross country
Cross country Lacrosse
Football Rugby
Golf Swimming and diving
Gymnastics Soccer
Ice hockey Softball
Lacrosse Tennis
Rugby Track and field†
Soccer Volleyball
Sprint football
Track and field†
Co-ed sport
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor
Football[edit]
Main article: Army Black Knights football
"Beat Navy" tunnel
The Army Black Knights football program are one of the few NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent schools (not in a conference). Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946. The annual Army-Navy Game between the Black Knights of Army and the Midshipmen of the Naval Academy at Annapolis (Navy) is among the most storied rivalries in all of college sports and currently marks the end of regular season play for college football each year.
Army lacrosse in action against Navy during the 2009 Day of Rivals.
Men's golf[edit]
The men's golf team has won 21 conference championships:
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (9): 1982–88, 1989 (spring), 1989 (fall)[13]
Patriot League (11): 1991–93, 1994 (spring), 1994 (fall), 1995, 2002, 2004–05, 2011, 2016, 2019[14]
Men's soccer[edit]
Main article: Army Black Knights men's soccer
Men's ice hockey[edit]
Main article: Army Black Knights men's ice hockey
Every year, Army faces the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Paladins in the annual West Point Weekend hockey game.[15] This series, conceived in 1923, is the longest-running annual international sporting event in the world.[16]
Men's rugby[edit]
Army men's rugby
Main article: Army Rugby Football Club
Army rugby plays college rugby in the Division 1–A Eastern Conference.[17] The Black Knights play their home games at the Anderson Rugby Complex on the campus of West Point. Rugby is a relatively popular sport at Army; for example, the 2012 game against Air Force was attended by 2,000 fans.[18] Army is led by Director of Rugby Matt Sherman.
Army has one of the most successful college rugby teams in the country. Army played in three consecutive national championship games from 1990–1992, and reached the national semi-finals four consecutive years from 2000–2003, and twice in a row in 2009 and 2010.[19] More recently, Army reached the quarterfinals in 2013. Army also plays in the Collegiate Rugby Championship, the highest profile college rugby tournament in the U.S., reaching the finals in 2011. The Collegiate Rugby Championship is played every year in early June at PPL Park in Philadelphia, and is broadcast live on NBC.
Wrestling[edit]
The Army Black Knights Wrestling team host home dual meets, tournaments, workout, and practice in the state of the art facility Arvin Gymnasium on campus. The team currently competes in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) since Army is a member of the non-wrestling Patriot League.
In 2014, Kevin Ward, a former Oklahoma State All-American, took over the program. Ward is best known for starting the Ouachita Baptist University wrestling program in 2010, the first NCAA wrestling program in Arkansas.
Non-varsity sports[edit]
Handball[edit]
Main article: Army Black Knights handball
The Army handball team has at least 31 men and 18 women National Championship titles.
Lt. Raymond Enners Award (national men's lacrosse award; named for a member of the Class of 1967)
Maggie Dixon Award (national women's basketball rookie coach award; named for Army women's basketball coach)
NCAA Award of Valor:
2007 - Derek Hines (Class of 2003), who demonstrated valor in Afghanistan before being killed there.
2008 - Emily Perez (Class of 2005), who died after an improvised explosive device exploded near her vehicle in Iraq and whose U.S. Army unit recognized her for her leadership after her death.
NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award:
1967 - Dwight D. Eisenhower (football)
1973 - Omar Bradley (baseball)
Hall of fame[edit]
For a list of members by name, sport, class year, or induction year, see footnote[20]
The Army West Point Sports Hall of Fame consists of displays in the Kenna Hall of Army Sports, which is located within the Kimsey Athletic Center.[21] The first set of members was inducted in 2004.[20]
Military World Games
List of college athletic programs in New York#Division I
United States Military Academy grounds and facilities#Athletic facilities
List of sportspeople educated at the United States Military Academy
Footnotes[edit]
^ "USMA Publication Standards Manual Style Guide" (PDF). October 2, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
^ "Army West Point Athletics Rebrand" (PDF). GoArmyWestPoint.com. Army Black Knights. April 13, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
^ "National Collegiate Paintball Association —". ncpapaintball.com. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
^ "Army Mules". GoArmyWestPoint.com. Retrieved January 1, 2009. [permanent dead link]
^ "Army Mules". The Historical Marker Database. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
^ Edson, James (1954). The Black Knights of West Point. New York: Bradbury & Sayles.
^ "Army plans games for home gridiron". The New York Times. January 15, 1947. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
^ "Quick Facts". Go Army Sports.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2009.
^ a b "'Army West Point': New logo highlights sports rebrand". Army Times. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
^ "On Brave Old Army Team". GoArmySports.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2009.
^ Crowley and Guinzburg, pp. 243–245.
^ Lapointe, Joe (September 8, 2005). "Notre Dame and Army to Wake Up the Echoes". New York Times. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
^ "MAAC Men's and Women's Golf Championships History". Retrieved June 13, 2013.
^ "Golf". GoArmySports.com. Army Sports Properties. Archived from the original on May 1, 2012. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
^ "Army-RMC Rivalry". Go Army Sports.com. Retrieved January 1, 2009. [permanent dead link]
^ Crowly, R, and Guinzburg, T: "West Point: Two Centuries of Honor and Tradition" (ISBN 0-446-53018-2), page 234. Warner Books, 2002.
^ College Premier Division
^ Rugby Mag, Army Beats Air Force, November 2, 2012, http://www.rugbymag.com/college-premier-league-/6290-army-beats-air-force.html Archived January 26, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
^ College rugby
^ a b For the 2004 induction year, go to "Hall of Fame". GoArmyWestPoint.com. Army West Point. Retrieved April 6, 2017. , select "By Induction Year", press the black "Sort" icon (which will then produce a list of members by induction year (starting with the most recent year), and then scroll down to the bottom (for the first group of inductees, the Class of 2004).
^ "Army Sports Hall of Fame". GoARMYsports.com. Army Sports Properties. Archived from the original on May 1, 2012. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to United States Military Academy athletics.
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Toss the sweet potato in the paprika and olive oil, then pop into a preheated oven (180ºC for fan) and roast, turning occasionally, for 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile, line a large oven dish or salad bowl with the spinach leaves.
Next add the tomatoes, avocado, chickpeas and grapes as layers on top of one another.
Add the dollops of houmous all over the salad.
Leave the potatoes to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then add to the salad and top with the fresh chives.
Enjoy on its own or with a simple olive oil dressing.
Next Post VINYL IS BACK!


Tenaris is committed to developing a long-term sustainable business by minimizing the environmental impact of our operations and by making the most efficient use of natural resources and energy.
We integrate care for the environment into all our business management procedures, from the beginning of the production process to the final delivery of products and services to our customers. We understand to the environment is a differentiating factor, a top priority for our customers.
We produce most of the steel used in our seamless pipe products and purchase the steel used for welded pipes. Steelmaking is done through the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) route, using recycled steel (scrap) which lowers the emissions of CO2.
Tenaris has received the World Steel Association's Climate Action certificate for participation in its CO2 emissions measurement campaign.
We have reduced electricity consumption per ton of product by 22% since 2004 and our consumption of natural gas has dropped by 20%.
Furthermore in 2009 Tenaris has launched a "CO2 Emissions and Energy Saving Plan", reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions as part of its drive to minimize the impact of the company's activities on the environment.
Our aim is an additional 10% reduction in the specific consumption of electric energy and a 15% reduction in the specific consumption of natural gas that represents savings in CO2 emissions of more than 300,000 tons per year.
Our action plan requires a complex R&D program with coordinated actions throughout all business functions to increase energy efficiency in our installations.
In 2009 the Energy Efficiency Plan at Tenaris's Dalmine mill was awarded with the unique recognition in EU, the "Motor Challenge Programme Award" and in June 2010 the mill and its power plant were qualified under the EN 16001 norm for their energy management system.
In 2011 Tenaris's mills in Romania, Silcotub, also earned the "Motor Challenge Programme Award" for its innovative energy efficiency project related to the Zalau and Calarasi plants.


This digital menu board template in the Burger Bar Menu design displays a yellow background with a flame watermark and fire licks at the restaurant name on top. This restaurant display menu is perfect for up-selling and promoting new items in your restaurant and allows for easy updates. Available in two common ratios, 16:9 and 16:12.


text:
Fairfield chiropractor ordered to pay $70K for fraud
03/04/2014 | 10:51 p.m. | Lisa Bernard-Kuhn
A Fairfield chiropractor was ordered to pay nearly $70,000 in restitution and investigation costs to the Ohio Bureau...
Report on small business triggers new sparring on Obamacare
02/26/2014 | 7 a.m. | Mark Wert
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may raise insurance premiums for 11 million small business employees...
Medicare Advantage plans face 3.55% cut in 2015
02/21/2014 | 5:59 p.m. | Mark Wert
Health insurers participating in the Medicare Advantage program for elderly Americans, including Humana Inc. and...
Free mini-workshop set for chronic pain sufferers
02/21/2014 | 5:55 p.m. | Lisa Bernard-Kuhn
A series of local workshops are planned for sufferers of chronic pain.
Analysis: Obamacare not 1st law beset by delays, blown deadlines
President Barack Obama's repeated postponement of deadlines in the rollout of his health-care overhaul has sparked...
Ky. Senate passes bill creating malpractice panels
The party-line vote in the Republican-led Senate followed a contentious debate on an issue that has drawn powerful...
Senators try to curb Medicare Advantage cuts under Obamacare
A group of 40 senators, including one from Ohio and two from Indiana, want the Obama administration to scale back...
Sen. Brown says plan will fix Medicare loophole that costs seniors thousands
02/19/2014 | 4 p.m. | Lisa Bernard-Kuhn
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown says he has a plan to end a Medicare policy that's caused seniors across the country to be...
Cincinnatians get help with Obamacare sign-ups
A series of events are planned in the coming weeks across Cincinnati to help local residents sign up for new...
Cincinnati to team with Enroll America for Obamacare outreach
Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley is planning to announce a partnership between the City of Cincinnati and Enroll America...
Ky. enrollment under Obamacare to hit 250,000 by month's end
02/17/2014 | 11:08 a.m. | Mark Wert
If the current rate of enrollment continues, more than a quarter of a million Kentuckians should be enrolled by the...
Cranley: Catholic Health Partners eyeing Bond Hill for new office space
02/14/2014 | 9:48 a.m. | Lisa Bernard-Kuhn
Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley says Downtown-based Catholic Health Partners (CHP) is seriously considering a site in...
Local Obamacare enrollment jumps 50 pct. in January
Enrollments in the online marketplaces created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act rose by at least 50...
St. Elizabeth opens Independence walk-in clinic
St. Elizabeth Healthcare has opened an Express Care clinic in Independence - part of the health system's growing...
TriHealth moving two medical practices to University Station
01/30/2014 | 10 a.m. | Bowdeya Tweh
The practices are being moved to meet the growing demand among its expanding patient base, the health system said.
About Daily Dose with Lisa Bernard-Kuhn


Ideally, make your Yorkie batter the night before. Whisk the eggs, flour, milk, 25ml of water and a pinch of sea salt to a smooth batter, then pop into the fridge overnight, removing when you preheat the oven for the meat (or, as a minimum, make the day you need it but leave to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes).
For the gravy, place the bones in a large roasting tray. Trim, wash and roughly chop the leeks, quarter the unpeeled onions, then add to the tray and roast for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove the bones and veg to a large pot, keeping the tray of juices to one side. Top up the pot with 2.5 litres of water, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for at least 2 hours 30 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by half.
Place the tray over a medium heat on the hob, then add the flour and stir well to pick up any sticky bits from the bottom. Pour in the wine and port, leave to bubble away for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in a few ladles of the stock, before tipping it all back into the pot.
Simmer gently for a further 2 hours, or until you reach your desired consistency.
Lift out the bones and strain the gravy, skimming off any fat from the surface, then adjust the seasoning, if needed. Keep aside to reheat at the last minute.
When you're ready, remove the beef from the fridge and leave to come up to room temperature. Turn the oven up to full whack (240ºC/475ºF/gas 9).
Score the beef fat in a criss-cross fashion, then rub with 1 tablespoon of oil.
In a blender, blitz the peppercorns, 1 tablespoon of salt and the rosemary leaves to a fine dust, then sprinkle and pat all over the beef.
Place a large roasting tray on a medium-high heat, carefully sear the beef on all sides, then transfer to the oven.
Immediately reduce the temperature to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 and roast for 50 minutes – this will give you medium-rare (cook for a little longer, if you prefer) – then remove to a board. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Turn the oven up to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7.
Divide the dripping between a 6-well deep Yorkshire pudding tray (8.3g per well, if you want to be super-scientific about it!), then place on the middle shelf of the oven for 5 minutes, or until the fat is smoking hot.
Quickly but carefully pour the batter into the wells – each should be between half and three-quarters full. Immediately return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until they have quadrupled in volume, are deep golden all over and sound hollow when tapped.
Carve and serve up the beef, adding a Yorkshire pudding to each plate, then drizzle with gravy (reheat, if needed). Delicious served with pinches of lemon-dressed watercress, horseradish and crispy roast potatoes.
Make your Yorkshire pudding batter in a large jug – it'll make your life so much easier when you're pouring it into the smoking hot fat.


Motorcycle Lane Splitting Legal in California?
Lane-splitting, the practice of motorcyclists passing slower-moving vehicles by riding in between them, may soon become legal in California. Currently, the practice lies in a legal gray area in the state with lane-splitting not officially being made legal or illegal in the state's statutes. That may soon change, however, if a bill passes and is signed into law by the governor. If the bill passes, California will become the first state in which lane-splitting is made formally legal.
The bill, AB 51, was prompted by a citizen complaint after the California Highway Patrol issued safety guidelines for lane-splitting in 2015. Prior to that, law enforcement agencies had treated lane-splitting as tacitly allowed. The CHP's guidelines gave suggestions for how motorcyclists could safely engage in the practice, prompting the citizen complaint about the CHP making public policy, prompting the CHP to remove the guidelines.
Assemblymember Bill Quirk then sponsored AB 51, which would allow the CHP to issue safety guidelines for lane-splitting, making the practice legal in the state. The bill passed the California Assembly by a vote of 69 to zero on Aug. 4. Now, the bill will go to Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature. The bill appears likely to be signed into law since it is supported by both Democrats and Republicans.
Proponents of the bill say that lane-splitting helps to reduce traffic congestion by allowing motorcyclists to quickly move through traffic. The bill's opponents include some motorists and safety officials, who indicate that they believe the practice is unsafe and startling. Some drivers have also complained that they feel it is unfair that motorcyclists are able to move past them when the motorists are stuck in traffic.
In 2013, 4,668 motorcyclists were killed in accidents across the country. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that in 2012, motorcyclists had a 26 times greater likelihood of being killed in a motor vehicle accident than did other types of motorists. California had a fatality rate for 2012 that was a little lower than the national rate. The state has in excess of 850,000 motorcycles that are registered.
A study by the California Office of Traffic Safety conducted in 2015 found that lane-splitting results in fewer injuries when motorcyclists pass while going no more than 10 miles an hour faster than the other traffic. The risk of injury increases as the speed differences between the motorcycles and the vehicles around them increase. AB 51 would allow lane-splitting when the motorcyclists are driving less than 10 miles per hour faster than the other traffic when traffic is moving at speeds of 30 miles per hour or less.
While the guidelines should provide some parameters for safer lane-splitting, motorcyclists who engage in the practice may still face dangers while passing in between stopped or slow-moving vehicles. Other drivers may not see the motorcyclists and may swerve into them. When traffic is stopped, it is also possible for a driver to open a car door, inadvertently hitting a passing motorcyclist. In addition, bikers should be aware of other motorcycle laws in California that may come into play when they lane split.
Motorcycles provide riders with an economical mode of transportation along with the free feeling that riding can bring. Motorcyclists simply do not have the same type of protection that is afforded by the steel cages of other types of motor vehicles. This means that motorcyclists are much likelier to suffer catastrophic or fatal injuries when they are involved in traffic collisions. If you have been seriously injured or your loved one has been killed in a motorcycle accident that was caused by another motorist's negligence, you might need to get legal help. Contact a motorcycle accident attorney today in order to learn about your case and your rights to recovery.
We serve clients throughout California including those in the following localities: Los Angeles County including Antelope Valley including Lancaster and Palmdale, Beverly Hills, Downey, the Gateway Cities, Glendale, Los Angeles, Norwalk, Palmdale, Santa Fe Springs, Torrance, and West Covina; Kern County including Bakersfield; Orange County including Huntington Beach; Riverside County including Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, and Rancho Mirage; San Bernardino County including Ontario; and San Diego County including Chula Vista and San Diego.


Nope… still not working for me. Sorry. I can thoroughly recommend that you get a hold of a copy of Big Finish's excellent Spare Parts. The Fifth Doctor and Nyssa find themselves on a world living in fear of a police state, where people scrape a meagre living and a dark traders making worryingly good business in second-hand body parts. Its make for far more harrowing and entertaining viewing that Age of Steel, which somehow seemed robbed of any real substance. The Doctor's discovery of the Cybermen's weakness makes me long for the return of a little gold dust and a poorly protected chest vent.
This entry was posted in General on May 30, 2006 by Paul B.


Open-ended questions and pausing during questioning are effective ways of eliciting information in a fraud investigation interview, says Toronto lawyer Kevin Fisher.
In an article in Forensic Accounting & Fraud, a special supplement published by The Bottom Line and Lawyers Weekly, Fisher discusses interview techniques for use in fraud cases.
"One of the things to do is maybe ask someone a question or start to ask a question after they've answered something and then just stop and look at your notes for a minute or make them think you're looking for something. People feel like they have to explain or fill in that gap," Fisher, litigation partner with Basman Smith LLP, says in the report.
In the article, Fisher says when conducting an interview, he maintains a healthy level of skepticism, questioning whether they are telling the truth.
The line of questioning will change based on the individual's background, he says.


I have nothing funny to say about Sarah Palin being brought to task on the clear insanity that she has perpetrated over the last 3 years. Well, maybe, I do have something funny to say: Trig does look more like Bristol than Sarah.
Please keep it classy. From now on when you accuse President Obama of being a Kenyan bring both Tripp and Trig's birth certificates and a picture of you having an ultrasound with on of the 1978 LA Lakers in the room and a copy of Levi Johnston's Playgirl spread (you know something for the ladies), and, for once, enough bagels for everyone in the press corp.


A serious problem with biofuel farming today is that it competes with food production for land and other resources. In 2007, one-third of the U.S. corn crop wound up being used to produce ethanol. The resulting shortage has been fingered as a cause for the skyrocketing prices of corn products, which are staples in many countries. As the world's population and calorie needs grow, the squeeze will only get tighter.
Planting energy crops could upset the ecosystem. In Malaysia, for example, jungles are being uprooted to plant palm trees for their oil. And some promising crops could become invasive species. For example, a giant reed that seemed ideally suited for Florida's tropical climate could also overwhelm native Everglade plants and choke waterways.
Additionally, the environmental impact of producing some biofuels makes them less eco-friendly. Growing corn for ethanol uses vast amounts of water and nitrogen fertilizer. And large-scale ethanol production would mean laying new pipelines to transport the fuel -- if it were piped through existing gasoline lines, it would corrode them and pick up contaminants.
Identifying these potential problems has allowed scientists to suggest potential solutions. Rather than using potential sources of food for biofuel, farmers could raise dedicated biofuel crops that actually benefit the environment. Switchgrass, for instance, is a water-thrifty native to the Great Plains that, as a perennial, it doesn't need annual replanting. Plus, it actually restores nutrients to the soil, boosting the next season's growth.
To relieve land stress, biofuels might be extracted from plants that thrive in conditions where food crops flounder. For example, poplar trees can grow in toxic soil due to their ability to remove and destroy contaminants, such as petroleum. Another possible solution to biofuel's problems is breeding new strains of both fuel and food crops that are more drought and saltwater resistant.
Using these and other techniques to regionalize fuel markets could ease the environmental toll of transporting fuels. Cars in the Midwest might run on an ethanol blend made with Illinois corn; in the South, with Louisiana sugarcane.
Experts say we're a good five to 10 years away from seeing biofuels being used as an everyday energy source. Universities, private companies and governments alike are investing in research to speed the process. Learning where the balance lies between use and overuse, for each crop and in each region, could reap a healthy harvest of sustainable energy for generations to come.