Bethlehem's Celtic Classic has more stages this year and more concerts.
The 27th annual celebration of Irish, Scottish and Welsh culture, which runs Sept. 26-28, will have a new stage on Bethlehem's Main Street, giving it eight — one more than last year.
To fill those stages, it will bring back favorite acts from recent years, who will perform multiple times over the three-day festival. There will be 25 music, dance and comedy artists — fewer than the 40 performers last year — giving nearly 90 performances over three days — more than last year.
The new Main Street stage at Main and Market streets will be open 1-8 p.m. Sept. 27 and 1-6 p.m. Sept. 28. Performers include Pennsylvania-based Kilmaine Saints and Blackwater, a high-energy five-piece Pennsylvania/New Jersey group. They both played the festival last year.
Playing the main Grand Pavilion stage all three nights will be alternative-roots band Glengarry Bhoys, which has played the past four years.
One of the festival's big draws will be regional act Burning Bridget Cleary, a Harleysville-based group whose most recent album, "Pressed for Time," hit No. 1 on Roots Music Report's Folk and Roots Country charts and was nominated for an International Music Award. It will play the Grand Pavilion at 6 p.m. Sept. 26, The Ice House at 1:45 p.m. Sept. 27 and at noon Sept. 28 at the Grand Pavilion. It will close out the Main Street Stage at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 28.
Also big is Tannahill Weavers, one of Scotland's premiere traditional bands. The group first took the Celtic Classic by storm in its 10th anniversary year, and since has played paid-ticket shows at venues such as Sellersville Theater 1894. In its 25 years together, it has released 17 albums. It will play the Ice House at 3 p.m. Sept. 27 and at 4:15 p.m. Sept. 28, and Tavern in the Glen stage at 8 p.m. Sept. 27 and at 4:15 p.m. Sept. 28.
Cassie & Maggie McDonald, who were nominated for Young Performers of the Year at the 2012 Canadian Folk Music Awards, will play at 5 p.m. Sept. 26 at Tavern in the Glen and at 8 p.m. Sept. 26 at The Ice House; and at 3 p.m. Sept. 27 at 2 Gingers Irish Pub Tent and at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 at The Ice House.
Other performers include Ontario-based family Celtic-rock act Searson. Sisters Erin and Colleen Searson combine high-energy fiddling and step dancing with vocals.
Returning favorites include Scottish troubadour Jim Malcolm; comedic acoustic troubadour Seamus Kennedy, who has played the festival throughout its history; and festival mainstay John Whelan Band.
Philadelphia-based duo Timlin and Kane played Celtic Classic's early years as well as the past four. Funky Celtic folksters The Prodigals also have played the festival before, as has Poor Angus, Canadian-based rowdy roots-and-Celtic band The Town Pants and Lehigh Valley-based Piper's Request.
Also playing this year will be Comas, an upstate New York-based quartet that plays traditional Celtic music; Jamison, from the Irish-American streets of Northeast Philadelphia; The Gothard Sisters, a female trio from the Pacific Northwest, and The Hooligans, an Irish/folk/rock fusion group from Philadelphia.
The 4 Leaf Clovers — sort of an Irish boy band, with members 15-17 — will perform at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 27 in the 2 Gingers Irish Pub Tent.
The festival, presented by the Celtic Cultural Alliance, will kick off with the annual haggis-eating contest at 5 p.m. Sept. 26 on Highland Field between Lehigh and Spring streets under the Hill to Hill Bridge, followed by competition in the U.S. National Highland Games Championships at 6:30. The games, which feature the Top 10-scoring professionals in the country, will continue throughout the festival.


The Masonic oaths may vary slightly from one lodge to another, or from one region of the country to another but the oaths are substantially the same throughout the country. The complete rituals from which the oaths of the first three degrees of Masonry were taken may be found at the Ephesians 5-11 website.
Masonic Entered Apprentice Oath. Entered Apprentice is the first of the three basic degrees of Masonry.
Masonic FellowCraft Oath. FellowCraft is the second of the three basic degrees of Masonry.
Masonic Master Mason's Oath. Master Mason is the third of the three basic degrees of Masonry.


text:
Live in Munich is a DVD release of a concert by American jazz musician Miles Davis, recorded on 10 July 1988 in the Gasteig in Munich, Germany.

References

Concert films
Miles Davis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
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Spotlight on Vinho Verde: 10 Things to Know About Portugal's Biggest Wine Region
October 23, 2017 – 8:11 PM – 0 Comments
By Allie Albanese Parade @AAAlbanese
More by Allie & Mel
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Downtown Amarante in Vinho Verde, Portugal (Photo courtesy of Allie Albanese)
At the northern tip of Portugal, right on the border of Spain, sits Vinho Verde, the country's largest winemaking region as well as one of its oldest. Here in this cool, wet region amidst hills and valleys of lush green landscape, fresh, spritzy white wine is king.
Loureiro (a grape I still can't pronounce correctly) is the most widely planted white grape in Vinho Verde and the primary component of its traditional white blends, which along with single varietal Alvarinhos is what Vinho Verde is best known for. Light, floral, refreshing, high in acid and minerality while low in alcohol — Vinho Verde whites are ideal both for sipping on their own and for pairing with food. And given that the local cuisine is comprised primarily of seafood, you won't find a better combo. In all my travels, the natural pairing between Vinho Verde's food and wine is hands down one of my absolute favorites.
Fried fish served whole is common in Vinho Verde (Photo courtesy of Allie Albanese)
Located on the western coast of the Iberian peninsula, Vinho Verde's climate is similar to the Pacific Northwest. It sees a lot of rain, so vines are prone to mildew-based diseases. For this reason, they are often grown high off the ground to allow better air flow, some so far off the ground you can literally stand beneath them!
Vines trained high off the ground at Reguengo de Melgaço (Photo courtesy of Allie Albanese)
Vinho Verde has been making wine for over 2,000 years, and in 1999 it became an official Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC), or a protected designation of origin. Today, the region accounts for 15% of the country's vineyard acreage, where 19,000 grape growers are farming over 51,000 acres of vineyards.
Vinho Verde's Ponte de Lima, the oldest town in Portugal (Photo courtesy of Allie Albanese)
Although Vinho Verde is famous for its refreshing, great value white wines, there's a whole lot more to the region than this. It's a lesson in Old World wine history, a culinary dream and a complete immersion into natural beauty all rolled into one. It's a place worthy of attention and greater exploration, and one that I have no doubt we'll be hearing more about in the months and years to come.
To understand a little more about this beloved Portuguese winemaking region, here are 10 fun facts about Vinho Verde and its delicious wines:
1. VINHO VERDE WINE IS NOT GREEN.
If I had a dollar for every time my mom asked me if Vinho Verde means green wine, I'd likely have enough money to fund my wine habit. While I absolutely love that she tries to engage with me about wine, the answer to this question always has been and always will be no. Although the word "verde" means green in Spanish, "verde" in Portugal refers to a wine that is young and vibrant. So young in fact that these wines are often released as soon as three to six months after harvest.
2. VINHO VERDE IS NOT A GRAPE.
The world of wine is confusing, I know. There are so many grapes and regions around the globe that it's an impossible task to keep them all straight, so it makes sense that regions are often confused with varietals and vice versa. But Vinho Verde is not a grape, it's a region located in the north of Portugal.
3. VINHO VERDE IS NOT PRONOUNCED WITH AN ACCENT ON THE END.
Contrary to popular belief, "Vinho" is not pronounced "Veen-ho" and "Verde" is not pronounced "Ver-day." The proper pronunciation is "Veen-yo Vaird," with only one one syllable on the verde. Yes, that blew my mind too.
Vinho Verde's lush green countryside (Photo courtesy of Allie Albanese)
4. VINHO VERDE REFERS TO BOTH SINGLE VARIETAL WINES AND BLENDS.
Although blends are more common than single varietals, they are all labeled as Vinho Verde. The way to tell what's what is to look closely at the label – if it says "Branco" it's a blend of white grapes, and if it says "Tinto" it's a blend of red grapes. If the label just has a grape name listed then the wine is made only from that varietal.
The main white grapes of Vinho Verde are Alvarinho, Arinto, Avesso, Azal, Loureiro and Trajadura, while the primary red grapes are Espadeiro, Padeiro and Vinhão. Although a mouthful to say, don't let the unfamiliar sound of these varietals fool you – most of them are just as approachable in the glass as the everyday wines are that you reach for.
And just like any wine, the grapes that go into the bottle determine what comes out. So if you're in to wines with lots of minerality, go for Alvarinho. If you like wines with more floral, fruity aromatics, grab a bottle of Loureiro. If you prefer a touch of creaminess, reach for Avesso. And if you like a combination of all of these things, try a blend!
5. VINHO VERDE WINES HAVE HIGH ACID AND LOW ALCOHOL.
Take one sip of Vinho Verde and your mouth will be watering for days, but drink a bottle and you'll likely find yourself still standing. That's because most of these wines fall into the low 10-12% ABV category (which is less than some beers I see on the market), and in turn this low alcohol is balanced out by prominent acidity. Such a combination makes Vinho Verde wines a fantastic choice for an aperitif as well as a perfect pairing for just about any kind of food.
6. VINHO VERDE IS NOT JUST WHITE WINE COUNTRY.
Although 86% of Vinho Verde's production is white, sparkling, rosé and red wine is made in this region as well. While the sparkling and rosé wines tend to be just as easy drinking as the whites, boy oh boy are the red wines in a class unto themselves! In complete contrast to their light and refreshing white counterparts, red Vinho Verde wines are big, bold and can be so inky and concentrated that they stain your teeth with just one sip. Not for the faint of heart, these wines are rich, tannic and acidic, and absolutely must be paired with foods like fatty red meats (think short ribs and steak) in order for them to shine. They are most definitely not sippers, but when served with the right dishes they will blow you away with their uniqueness.
The aftermath of a glass of Vinho Verde's deliciously inky Vinhão (Photo courtesy of Allie Albanese)
7. VINHO VERDE OFTEN HAS SOME BUBBLES.
If you've ever poured yourself a glass of white Vinho Verde, you've likely found them to have a little sparkle. That's because a number of producers inject carbon dioxide into the bottle right before bottling.
Red Vinho Verdes can have bubbles too, but unlike the whites, these wines get their spritz naturally from malolactic fermentation occurring in the bottle.
8. VINHO VERDE DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE A VINTAGE.
Although uncommon, not all Vinho Verde wines have a designated year of production. If you pick up a bottle and see "NV" or "nonvintage" on the label, that means the wine is made from a blend of juice harvested in different years.
9. VINHO VERDE ALVARINHO IS THE SAME GRAPE AS SPANISH ALBARIÑO.
Going back to what I said earlier, wine is confusing. There are lots of grapes around the world that are the same varietal but have different names depending on where they're grown, which adds an extra layer of difficulty to an already difficult subject. However, there's a reason for this madness! Regional grape names are important because no two regions are identical, so they serve as an indication of terroir and the type of wine in the bottle. While Alvarinho and Albariño may be similar in style, Portugal's terroir will never be Spain's terroir, and Spain's will never be Portugal's. Therefore, Alvarinho and Albariño may be the same on the vine, but they will be different in your glass.
10. VINHO VERDE IS ONLY MADE IN PORTUGAL.
Vinho Verde's Seal of Guarantee (Image courtesy of Wines of Vinho Verde)
You won't find Vinho Verde produced anywhere in the world except northern Portugal, and if you do please let me know so that I can report the imposter! This wine is unique to Portugal, and can be confirmed as authentic in origin and quality by looking for the CVRVV Seal of Guarantee on the back label of any bottle.
TASTING VINHO VERDE
Like any wine region in the world, the best way to experience it is to taste it. So to help you get a sense for the beauty and diversity of Portugal's biggest winegrowing region, here are 10 recommendations to give you a tasty overview of what Vinho Verde has to offer. And the best part is that these wines won't break the bank!
WINE: 2016 Cruzeiro Branco
VARIETAL: Blend of Loureiro, Trajadura and Arinto
AVERAGE PRICE: $10
WINE: 2016 Aveleda Branco
VARIETAL: Blend of Loureiro and Alvarinho
AVERAGE PRICE: $8
WINE: 2016 Quinta de Gomariz Alvarinho
VARIETAL: 100% Alvarinho
WINE: 2016 Reguengo de Melgaço Alvarinho
WINE: 2015 Anselmo Mendes Passaros Loureiro
VARIETAL: 100% Loureiro
Sunset in Vinho Verde (Photo courtesy of Allie Albanese)
WINE: 2016 Quinta de Linhares Avesso
VARIETAL: 100% Avesso
WINE: 2016 Quinta das Arcas Arca Nova Rosé
VARIETAL: 100% Espadeiro
WINE: 2015 Adega Ponte de Lima Tinto
VARIETAL: Blend of Borraçal, Espadeiro, Vinhão and Outras
WINE: 2016 Quinta da Lixa Vinhão
VARIETAL: 100% Vinhão
WINE: 2016 Quinta da Calçada Harvest Imperial Brut
A map of Portugal's wine regions (Image courtesy of Wines of Portugal)
Allie Albanese is a featured contributor to Parade's CommunityTable.com, with a column focused on wine and making wine accessible to the everyday consumer. Her goal is to introduce her readers to different wine regions, styles and price points and to educate them in a way that takes the intimidation factor out of the equation.
Allie is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers and was named the Walter Clore Certified Sommelier Exam Scholar for being the top scorer in the state of New York. Allie is also a graduate of the International Culinary Center's Intensive Sommelier Program, where she finished at the top of her class. She is based in NYC and when not eating and drinking her way through Manhattan, she can be found traveling and photographing her adventures both at home and abroad.
Questions, comments or story ideas? Email Allie at [email protected]. And to keep up with her food, wine and travel shenanigans, follow Allie on Instagram at @aaalbanese.
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text:
Plucky El-Hadary inspires Egypt to AFCON final
Tag: black stars, egypt, Essam El-Hadary
Essam El-Hadary rolled back the years with an inspired performance t propel Egypt to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations after defeating Burkina Faso 4-3 on penalties in their semi-final clash at the Stade de L'amitie D'Angondje in Libreville.
After a 1-1 stalemate at the end of extra time, the 44-year-old veteran saved a decisive kick by Bertrand Traore to hand the seven-time African champions a place in Sunday's final in Libreville as they await the winner of the other semi-final clash between Ghana and Cameroun.
The Stallions, who were aiming for only their second AFCON final since the 2013 tournament in South Africa, blew away their advantage during the shootout after the Egypt captain saved a kick by his opposing goalie, Kouakou Koffi, to throw the game open.
Abdallah El Said missed Egypt's first penalty and it all seemed to be going the way of the West Africans until Koffi missed his kick.
The Burkinabes, who eliminated Tunisia at the same venue last Saturday, dominated possession but it was the Pharaohs took the lead in the 66th minute through winger Mohamed Salah who blasted the ball past Koffi after a patient buildup initiated by Ahmed Eissa.
Giant striker Aristide Bance, who inspired the Stallions with a late win over Tunisia, restored parity seven minutes later by smashing home from close range a pass by Charles Kabore. It was the first goal conceded in open play by El-Hadary after nearly 11 hours of football in Gabon.
In reaching the final on their return after a seven-year absence in the continent's showpiece event, Hector Cuper's side finished at winners of Group D and defeated North African rivals Morocco 1-0 in the quarter-finals.
Source: Graphic
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This Summer at Saint Georges Hotel we are offering each guest who books a 'Summer 16' rate with us, 10% off food in The Heights Restaurant Bar and Lounge, as well as a drink voucher to wash it down! This offer is available for direct bookings from Sunday 19th June – Sunday 4th September 2016. Our Summer rates are applicable on reservations between Sunday 26th June and Sunday 4 September 2016 and are subject to availability.
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In U.S.A.F. v. Espinosa, the Supreme Court found in favor of a bankrupt man whose student loan interest was erroneously discharged. The bankruptcy court overseeing the borrower's original proceedings failed to requite the borrower to show "undue hardship", which is typically required before student loans ban be discharged. When the Department of Education later tried to collect the unpaid interest based on this error, the lower courts grabbled with whether or not the issue was appealable, despite U.S.A.F.'s failure to object or timely appeal. The Supreme Court finally determined once and for all that because it was a final judgment, and judgment are only void if there is a jurisdictional error or it is in violation of due process. Since the error did not amount to a due process violation since they had notice of error at the time it occurred, thus, it was only a legal error, and is still enforceable and binding. Score one for the borrowers.
United Student Aid Funds, Inc. v. Espinosa, 2010 WL 1027825.


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Home Research Profiles
Profiles of the men who determine your internet experience
by Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon
in Profiles, Spotlight
Nothing can be more frustrating than a hitched and bumpy browsing experience. It is even more annoying when this is experienced while trying to get something really important and urgent done, not just having a random surf of the internet.
Most often, we are quick to point accusing fingers at the MDs and CEOs of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and why not? They are the public figures associated with the company, after all – for good or otherwise.
Today, we bring you the Chief Technical Officers (CTOs) of the leading ISPs. They are the tech-savvy guys who manage and maintain the technology infrastructure of the ISPs, and these are the things that really determine whether or not you have a hitch-free internet experience, or struggle to hold yourself from smashing your device on the floor.
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These are the men you should call out next time you are having a sour experience online. They are also the ones who ensure your internet experience is great fueling your addiction to guzzle data.
They are rarely in the public eye, or in the office for that matter. Their main domain is the field, where they spend time fixing technical challenges or designing new infrastructure to enhance your experience.
READ MORE: Can this little known FMCG player ever compete with the big names?
Mohammed Ghidan – CTIO, Airtel Nigeria
Mohammed Ghidan was appointed Chief Technical & Information Technology Officer (CTIO) of Airtel Nigeria in March 2014.
He had worked as CTO of Orascom Telecom Algerie S.P.A. (VimpelCom) in Algeria, coordinating the network technology to service 17 million subscribers. Other experiences cut across mobile and fixed operations in different countries including Egypt, North Korea, Pakistan, Greece, Tunisia, Italy, and Canada.
This technician currently has over two decades of professional experience in the telecoms sector and has attended training programs in almost every country where he worked.
He is an Electrical and Electronics Graduate from Menufia University and has several other professional certifications.
Mohammed Rufai – CTO, MTN Nigeria
Mohammed Rufai was appointed as MTN Nigeria's Chief Technical Officer (CTO) in May 2019, and immediately took responsibility for the company's tech strategy roadmap.
He joined the company in 2002 as an RF/BTS Support Engineer in Kano, and his impressive results pushed him through the ranks to become General Manager in 2009. Given the high performance of the network operations team that he led, he was soon reassigned to MTN Ghana as Chief Technical Officer in 2015.
The company's statement acknowledges that his tenure in Ghana saw data usage increase by over 900% and voice traffic almost triple, among other notable feats; this explains why he is a two-time winner of the 'CTO of the Year' award at the Ghana IT and Telecoms Awards (GITTA).
In May 2019, he returned as CTO, MTN Nigeria to work his magic in developing and maintaining the tech infrastructure.
Rufai has almost 20 years' experience in Information and Communication Technology and Telecoms, all gained while in the employ of the MTN Group.
He holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Computer Science from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and professional certifications from the General Management Program at Cranfield University, the Global Advance Program at Duke Corporate Education, India, and the Senior Management Program at Lagos Business School.
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Arun Panda – CTO, Spectranet Limited
Panda was appointed Chief Technical Officer of Spectranet in March 2015.
So far, this is the third company where he has held this position, as he had previously served as CTO in Libercell in Liberia, and Hits Telecom, Kuwait after the company acquired majority shareholding in Atlantic Wireless, Liberia and its brand, Libercell.
His nearly 30 years' experience also includes 8 years spent at Reliance Communications Ltd as General Manager, Network Operations Centre, and another 8 years+ at the Indian Telecommunication Service, in the Department of Telecommunications (DOT).
He is a seasoned technical expert in centralised NOC operations, remote troubleshooting in Optical SDH network, installation & commissioning of TDM switches, RLUs, transmission MUX and other aspects of telecom service.
Arun Panda holds a B.Eng Electronics and Telcom, as well as Masters in Communication Systems and Engineering from the Sambalpur University in India.
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Omoyeni Victor Collins – CTO, VDT Communications
Omoyeni Victor Collins joined VDT Communications in 2001 and headed the Technical and Operations department before he was appointed CTO.
His almost 20 years' experience cuts across Networking design, Microwave design and installations, large-scale engineering projects in FTTH, SDH, and voice and data integration.
Victor holds a B.Eng in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Minna. He is a certified Microsoft Professional (MCP) and has other technical professional certifications, including ITIL and Cisco.
He is also an Alumnus of Lagos Business School and has undergone various Technical and Managerial training and seminars, both within and outside the country.
Paul Jaikaran – CTO MainOne
Paul Jaikaran is a British tech guru, with about 23 years of experience. He became Chief Technical Officer at MainOne, after holding the same position in three other companies: GSTelecom, Vodacom Business Africa, and ipNX.
His career did not start off in telecoms, but in the Shell Petroleum Group in UK, where he worked as a data network engineer. He occupied other positions within the SPDC and Shell Nigeria Exploration (deep water).
Some of his roles in the Shell Group include Operations, Network Design and Project Management.
All of these experiences contribute to make him proficient in network and data center planning, engineering and implementation/build-out, operations management, and network and service performance assurance.
He is a graduate of Imperial College (University of London), and holds an MSc in Communications Engineering.
Opeyemi Ajiboye – CTO, Tizeti Network (wifi.com)
Opeyemi joined Tizeti Network as CTO, after a stint with ipNX Nigeria, Infrastructure Division, where he was the pioneer Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He also doubled as Head, Engineering.
He has over 16 years' experience in the technical communications industry and business operations and infrastructure. The earlier part of his career was spent at LM Ericsson in several positions: Senior Service Manager, Technical Sale of WCDMA, Service Delivery Line Manager for Access Network, Technical Lead on multiple projects; he managed service operations, and was Head, Network Rollout Implementation Management.
He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ilorin, and MBA (Technical Management) and Diploma in Project Management from George Washington University.
He also participated in the Ericsson Management Development Programme and was Global Automation champion for Ericsson Sub Saharan Africa.
Akin Alayoku – CTO, Smile Communications Limited
Alayoku became CTO of Smile Communications in September 2017. Before then, he had worked as Director of Operations at Waters, and Principal Consultant at K.A Primewater.
His technical experience in the telecoms sector started with four years spent at Celtel Nigeria (now known as AIrtel Nigeria), where he was Supervisor, BSS Maintenance and Manager Network Maintenance, for two years each.
He subsequently spent over 6 years in MTN Nigeria, starting as Senior Manager, Network Region Coordination, then he became General Manager, Regional Operations, and finally, General Manager, Core Network Operations.
His input at the time was quite invaluable and helped position MTN Nigeria as the number one network operator in the country. Simply put, he was instrumental in bringing the 'MTN, everywhere you go' vision to life.
Akin bagged his first degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ilorin, Kwara state, and Masters Degree in International Management from the University of Liverpool.
He has participated in several management programs, including Leading Strategic Growth and Change, and Finance and Accounting for non-Finance Executives, both at Columbia Business school, and the Risk Management for Corporate Leaders at the Harvard Business School.
Charles Oluwaseun Oluboyo – Chief Technical Architect (CTA), ipNX Limited
Oluwaseun Oluboyo is the man in charge of maintaining the technical infrastructure and architecture at ipNX limited. He assumed this position in 2014.
Before that time, he was Senior Manager, Research and Development, controlling the infrastructure services units, and new product lines in ipNX.
His experience in ipNX spans the last 15 years, in different positions. He was Manager, Media Hosting for about a year, and the Team Lead and Head of Unit, Media Hosting for another two years. He was also Software and Systems Engineer between 2004 and 2006.
Oluboyo is experienced in building core back-end systems, data center operations, and unified communications product lines, the development, and integration of software applications, as well as offering back-end support for extensions to the wireless product line.
He holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Ilorin, and has also attended different developer administrator training programs.
Note: This article does not include the CTOs of Globacom Nigeria and 9mobile Nigeria, as there is no source to confirm the occupants of these positions. Both companies have not tendered recent financial reports with the NSE, neither do their websites provide answers to these questions.
Tags: Airtel NigeriainternetInternet Service Providers (ISPs)internet technologyMTN NigeriaSpectranet
Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon
Ruth Okwumbu has a MSc. and BSc. in Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Delta state university respectively. Prior to her role as analyst at Nairametrics, she had a progressive six year writing career. As a Business Analyst with Narametrics, she focuses on profiles of top business executives, founders, startups and the drama surrounding their successes and challenges. You may contact her via ruth.okwumbu@nairametrics.ng
December inflation rate shocks analysts as rate reverses movement


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Gfinity Partners with Domino's Pizza to Deliver Investment to Challenger and Elite Series
by Calum Patterson
Gfinity Elite Series Gfinity
Leading UK esports tournament organizer and solutions provider, Gfinity, has penned a multi-year deal with Domino's, becoming commercial partners for Gfinity's Challenger and Elite Series competitions.
In a deal running until 2020, Domino's will deliver 'significant investment' and in return will be featured throughout Gfinity broadcasts, including "bespoke content, broadcast and digital assets, player shirt sleeve branding, social media activations" and more.
Gfinity's Challenger and Elite Series feature tournaments in FIFA, Rocket League and Street Fighter V, and Domino's involvement signals their desire to tap into a booming sector of entertainment.
As Gfinity states, the global esports audience is estimated to reach 500 million by 2020, signalling "a fundamental shift in the way younger people spend their leisure time", the perfect fit for a brand like Domino's.
More: Esports Players and Industry Figures Attend International Olympic Committee's Esports Forum
It is the second non-endemic partner which Gfinity has secured, the first being shower gel and deodorant brand Lynx in March 2018.
Garry Cook, Executive Chairman of Gfinity, explained that the deal with Domino's proves the esports industry is becoming a main attraction for brands aiming to 'connect' with young consumers.
"We are delighted to have entered into a multi-year strategic partnership with Domino's. It is a testament to the continued growth of esports and the quality of the Gfinity Elite Series.
Esports has become the entertainment of choice for brands looking to connect with young adult consumers. It is exciting, it is growing and it is full of opportunity. We look forward to working with Domino's to create new and innovative ways to bring even more excitement and interest in the Elite Series."
We are delighted to announce that @Gfinity and @Dominos_UK are teaming up.
As of today the Challenger Series and Elite Series UK will be Delivered by Domino's
Read more: https://t.co/FP1LIyM9VP#esports #news pic.twitter.com/0EZMJ97QZw
— Gfinity Esports (@Gfinity) July 25, 2018
In return, Domino's will use it's own reach as the leading Pizza restaurant chain, to bring in new fans to the esports world and Gfinity, specifically the Elite and Challenger series.
Domino's will also use its extensive channels to promote both the Gfinity Challenger and Elite Series UK plus the player stories that emerge and share them with its loyal consumer base.
Since its launch in 2017, the Gfinity Elite Series has become a go-to tournament for competitive gamers and brands based on the quality of the events and the huge fanbase that follows them. Esports is one of the fastest-growing entertainment sectors, with a global audience expected to reach almost 500 million by 2020. This forms part of a global c.2.2 billion community who play video games and a fundamental shift in the way younger people spend their leisure time.
Other partners of the Gfinity Elite and Challenger series include Lynx, Turtle Beach and HP Omen.
Source: Gfinity


Where and how to enter data when you have no patients that meet the criteria for their inclusion but want to get credit for reporting.
What to report & how to report it.
What are OP-27 and IMM-2 and how are they different?


Converting electrical into thermal energy in ferroelectrics paves the way for a novel cooling technology, to open up new fields of applications. For electrocaloric refrigeration, a large temperature change (ΔT) and excellent temperature stability are highly desired. Unfortunately, a large room temperature ΔT in lead-free bulk ceramics is usually obtained at the expense of temperature stability, and vice versa, limiting their practical applications. In this work, composition engineering is carried out as an important strategy to tune the phase transition to room temperature and simultaneously induce a diffuse phase transition to achieve excellent temperature stability. A large room temperature ΔT is realized by the application of large electric fields, possibly due to the optimization of sintering process in sodium niobate based ceramics. The 0.78NaNbO3–0.22BaTiO3 ceramic is found to exhibit both a large room temperature ΔT (∼0.70 K) and superior temperature stability (±1.4% variation in ΔT from 300 K to 380 K). Those properties are superior to previously reported lead-free bulk ceramics. This work provides a guide for the development of high-performance ceramic materials such as NaNbO3–ABO3 (A = Ba, Sr and Ca; and B = Ti and Zr) for electrocaloric refrigeration. Most importantly, this work expands the applications of NaNbO3-based ceramics from electric energy storage, electrostrictive and piezoelectric applications, to a new field, i.e. solid-state refrigeration. This makes NaNbO3-based ceramics very promising multifunctional materials for device integration.


Attract More Followers & Get More ProspectsBy Using Social Media Strategies Correctly!
In this online step-by-step master training course, I will show you how to properly blend social media into your business strategies so that you successfully grow your business and strengthen your team through Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other online platforms!
I also interviewed over 77 leaders around the world who have recruited over 100 people into their Network Marketing business through social media. This master course is packed full of all of their best practices and social media strategies for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms. This is how they did it!
7 Step-By-Step Video Training Courses to teach you how to build your profile, attract followers, convert followers into prospects, convert prospects into customers and distributors, and train your team all with social media!
Downloadable Workbook so that you can follow along, do the video exercises, and jot down new ideas.
Bonus PDF Transcripts of every module and bonus videos.
2 Bonus Video Courses with a review of the top social media platforms, strategies for using video, simple technology tips for maximizing platforms, and the Do's and Don'ts of expanding your brand from top experts!
Bonus Worksheets to guide you through learning how to expand your brand.
I'm starting to use the tips that I've learned, and I've already been able to recruit one person successfully through social media. But the most important experience I've had is with personal development. The course has encouraged me and increased my self-confidence. I've been making a lot of new contacts and friends who I'm sure will turn into customers and distributors soon.
I feel so much more confident that I will be able to create a valuable social media presence.
Eric, I have so much great information out of each module. I am at my beginning with Social Media. I used to feel so intimidated but you made me feel so confident. I have no doubt that I will master Social media. Thank you so much.
Awesome information! I've always avoided social media platforms and didn't want to invest the time to learn. These modules are so user friendly and have given me the confidence that I can brand myself and generate more contacts by some simple guidelines. It's encouraging that this information is based on research from networking professionals who are having success on Social Media.
It completely exploded my business! I just had surgery, and while recovering, I decided to use everything I learned instead of losing my business momentum. And now, a couple months later, I've completely doubled my income and built a really nice team.
After I went through Social Media Mastery, I was able to double the number of my followers on social media. I started sharing my experience, and people began reaching out to me and adding me as a friend. I've grown my team by 20% per month. It's been so amazing for me, and I'm still working to understand more.
The Social Media Mastery course came at just the right time for me. I was attempting to build on social media, but not having a lot of success. After following the teachings of the course, I have found many leaders and new people more inclined to speak with me and build a friendship. The results I have achieved from Social Media Mastery have been some of my best yet. I personally enrolled 22 people in my first 30 days, and all the relationships were built using the information from the easy to follow video tools and information work sheets. This mastery course has been like having Eric Worre in my home watching over and guiding me.
I've tried many ways to reach out to people online, and since I've used the Social Media Mastery course I have a clear system that I can follow and I can do it in an authentic and natural way. I can just be myself, build a relationship, and take the business outside of social media. This Social Media Mastery course is so good!
I have recommended this course in my company as a "must-have" to build the proper foundation for social media success. Thanks to branding myself and standing in my own truth as your course recommends, I have attracted friends as well as prospects from literally all over the world as far as Asia. I just enrolled a person who decided to join Network Marketing on her own and reached out to me to be her upline simply because she liked my posts.
Thank you for sharing these concepts with me. I have seen some of the mistakes I have been making. I am ready to move forward with more determination and a desire to become successful. Thanks again.
This course helped me change my view on how to work with social media. Now I'm able to see what platform works best for me. Also, I have a work method and study plan for social media.
It has been an incredible year since I've implemented the strategies from Social Media Mastery into my business. I totally revamped the way I use social media to build my business. I'm now recruiting an average of 8 people a week, have expanded my business to the U.K., reached the next leadership level, become a top recruiter in my company, and obtained many more goals. Social Media Mastery has empowered me to grow as a leader, spread my wings, and better serve my team.
I greatly enjoyed the Social Media Mastery course, because it gave me a great foundation of where to start. I have noticed that more people are attracted to my page and commenting on how "inspiring" I am.
3 years working on "branding myself" and not until NOW am I realizing the lack of progress I've made and the mistakes that could have been avoided if only I received this information long ago. This course is a MUST and will provide much success.
Thank you for this course. It made me believe for the first time in my life that Facebook is much more than just wasting my time.
Build an exciting and attractive personal brand, regardless of your background or experience. Learn how to use your posts and interactions on social media to create your brand and attract followers to you.
Turn your friends, fans, and followers on social into prospects and convert these prospects into customers and distributors without sounded salesy or blasting them with your business. Also, duplicate your social media results throughout your team.
Learn about the best social media platforms to use in order to grow your Network Marketing business. And discover how to maximize each platform's features- including video- to constantly grow your community of followers, friends, and fans.
In this module you are going to learn how to expand your brand and start to attract your friends, followers and fans (the 3F's).
In the 4th module you will learn how to best convert your network of friends, followers and fans into prospects... And do it in a way that is duplicatable for your team. My goal is that you never run out of people to talk to.
Now the step comes where you need to convert your prospects into customers and distributors.. People ask me all the time, should I focus on Customer or Distributors...and the answer is BOTH. But they STAY for the opportunity. Once they become a fan of the product and begin to make you connections, it opens their imagination to the opportunities.
Learn How to Crack The Social Media Code!
7 Step-By-Step Video Training Courses- to teach you how to build your profile, attract followers, convert followers into prospects, convert prospects into customers and distributors, and train your team all with social media!
Master Class Refund Policy: If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, just contact my support team and we will issue you a full refund within 30 days of your purchase.
© MMXIX Network Marketing Pro, Inc. • All Rights Reserved.
This content cannot be reproduced or replicated without permission from Network Marketing Pro Inc. — Eric Worre and is protected under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.


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Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast
Microsoft's New & Future Products and Talking Tesla & Hackintosh w/ Quinn from SnazzyLabs
Play • 1 hr 15 min
Today we take a look at Microsoft's newly-announced products for 2019, along with a behind-the-scenes look at some secretive design labs on the Microsoft Campus. Then, we welcome Waveform's first-ever guest, Quinn Nelson from SnazzyLabs! He talks all about his experience switching to Tesla, if Hackintoshes are still alive in 2019, his thoughts on livestreaming, and finally he joins us for Listener Q & A!
Links from Episode:
Waveform Twitter: https://twitter.com/WVFRM
Quinn's Twitter: https://twitter.com/SnazzyQ
Quinn's YouTube: https://bit.ly/2nM3bS3
Inside Bill's Brian: https://bit.ly/2kfGiVe
Microsoft's Anechoic Chamber: https://bit.ly/1Ol887R
More episodes from Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast
Microsoft Buys Activision for $69 BILLION and Saying Goodbye to YouTube Originals
Marques and Andrew talk for a bit about what's happening with the Ford F-150 Lightning and car dealerships before getting into the big news of the week. They go deep on Microsoft buying Activision for $69 Billion and what that could mean for all of the games that Activision makes. After that, they talk about the news that YouTube is cutting back on a lot of its YouTube Originals. Links: Ford F-150 news: https://bit.ly/3qKbxHp Sonos article: https://reut.rs/3AkDZCN Marques survives Mad Max: https://bit.ly/3KxeVNs Twitters: https://twitter.com/wvfrm https://twitter.com/mkbhd https://twitter.com/andymanganelli https://twitter.com/AdamLukas17 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wvfrmpodcast/ Shop the merch: shop.mkbhd.com Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/mkbhd Music by 20syl: https://bit.ly/2S53xlC Waveform is part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Let's Talk about Pixel 6 Pro Bugs, iMessage vs RCS...and Wordle
There was a lot that happened this week but before digging into the serious news, Marques introduces Andrew to the viral daily word puzzle game Wordle. After that, they go over Marques elaborates on why he's no longer using the Pixel 6 Pro as his daily Android phone. Then they go deep into iMessage and RCS before having David Imel on to talk about all of the latest chipset news to come out of CES 2022. Links: Wordle: https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/ Wordle taken down from App store: https://bit.ly/33xEdKu Pixel December update being pulled: https://bit.ly/33xEhtI Twitters: https://twitter.com/wvfrm https://twitter.com/mkbhd https://twitter.com/andymanganelli https://twitter.com/DurvidImel https://twitter.com/AdamLukas17 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wvfrmpodcast/ Shop the merch: shop.mkbhd.com Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/mkbhd Music by 20syl: https://bit.ly/2S53xlC Waveform is part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Gadgets of CES 2022 and Predictions Gone Wrong
CES 2022 is here but seeing as we're not there in person, Marques and Andrew decided to make a game out of some of the weirder and more interesting gadgets we've seen come out of it so far. After that, they discuss the new Tesla update that some people don't like before taking a look back at their smartphone predictions from last year. There's a lot of gadgets and phone talk in this one so buckle up! Links: Samsung Remote: https://bit.ly/3pZCmHg TCL 98-inch TV: https://bit.ly/3eWbBNF Curved LG Stationary bike: https://bit.ly/3n4g8Su Chipolo card: https://bit.ly/3n3i8u2 Targus backpack: https://bit.ly/3r27yFc Smart lightbulb: https://bit.ly/3zyewVY Finger nibbling robot: https://on.wsj.com/32O2A6R Smartphone predictions 2021 episode: https://spoti.fi/3mZX2Nu Twitters: https://twitter.com/wvfrm https://twitter.com/mkbhd https://twitter.com/andymanganelli https://twitter.com/AdamLukas17 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wvfrmpodcast/ Shop the merch: shop.mkbhd.com Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/mkbhd Music by 20syl: https://bit.ly/2S53xlC Waveform is part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


Published on 3 July 2011 in Linux, Recovery and Windows. 0 Comments Tags: Linux, master boot record, mbr, recover, repair, ubuntu, Windows.
WARNING: You are working with your disks in a very direct manner throughout this process. As always, having thorough and recent backups is essential.
Boot into your Ubuntu LiveCD on the offending machine.
Once Ubuntu has started up, go to System > Administration > Software Sources and enable the Universal Repository.
Now you need to figure out which partition is the one hosting your Windows operating system. Start by typing sudo fdisk -l in to Terminal window.
The two important bits are the /dev/sda1 which is the partition label and the NTFS which tells us it is a Windows formatted partition. So, in this example, your Windows partition exists on the drive sda and it is at partition 1.
We nned to fix the MBR on /dev/sda so type sudo ms-sys -m /dev/sda. You will need to change the sda text if your results from step 4 are different.
Remove the LiveCD from the CD drive and reboot the machine. Windows should come back to you.
Of course, you could do this by inserting the correct Windows CD and booting into repair mode but the Ubuntu way doesn't care about versions and is actually a bit faster.


This is the official Codefog Shop products documentation. It includes the detailed description of the all products available in the shop. You can also find here how to install the extension, set it up and use all of its features. Browse the extensions using the navigation in the sidebar on the right hand side.


You are here: Home / Fully human. Incarnational. / Uncategorized / Fully human. Incarnational.
Let excellence go. Focus on relationships. On being a human being, connected more deeply than we will ever realize to other people.
Pay attention to each other. This starts by noticing what's happening at home. How are people loving each other wherever you live? It's not about gender, marital status, age or sexuality. It's about being Christ in real life, even on the hard days.
What will set Christian leaders apart – pointing to a risen God – is not new news but it is good news. It is how we love each other.
It does take more time. It is messier than we have patience for. But it is the only way to really lead like Jesus.
If your church spends time avoiding the neighbors, keeping certain people out of leadership or in leadership, or talking behind backs in the parking lot, it is time for you to move to a better version of yourself.
Lead your congregation from power struggles to integrity by modeling this yourself.
This does not mean everyone is at the leadership table. It does mean everyone has a voice and is fully loved for who they are.
This does not mean letting bad behavior rule. It is exactly the opposite as we hold people accountable to treating each other right.
This does not mean ignoring the child who acts up. It means making that child (even if he or she is a grown-up child) worth investing in by figuring out how to love them more fully.
Being fully human starts with dealing with ourselves. This is an Easter invitation. Imagine a movement of Jesus-followers being more human to multiply humankind. It's not going to be easy, but it is the only way forward.
we are Easter people and our song is yes! What frame are you holding?


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Release Date: May 27th, 2008
Review Date June 4th, 2008 by High-Def Digest staff
Overview - The house rips apart piece by piece. A bellowing cow spins through the air. Tractors fall like rain. A 15,000-pound gasoline tanker becomes an airborne bomb. A mile-wide, 300 miles-per-hour force of total devastation is coming at you: Twister is hitting home. In this adventure swirling with cliffhanging excitement and awesome special effects, Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton play scientists pursuing the most destructive weatherfront to sweep through mid-America's Tornado Alley in 50 years. By launching electronic sensors into the funnel, the storm chasers hope to obtain enough data to create an improved warning system. But to do so, they must intercept the twisters' deadly path.
Non-format-specific portions of this review were first published in our Blu-ray review of 'Twister.'
French Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround
Subtitles/Captions: English Subtitles
Special Features: Audio Commentary
Before he reinvented himself as a director (with 2001's overlooked horror gem 'Frailty') and a cable-television phenom (with HBO's 'Big Love'), actor Bill Paxton built his career on a string of character roles. Whether screaming "game over, man!" in 'Aliens,' flicking a knife at Schwarzenegger in 'The Terminator,' or yucking it up as a used car salesman in 'True Lies,' Paxton had a knack for nabbing minor roles in classic blockbusters. His transition into the spotlight began with 1996's 'Twister' -- a critically defunct film from 'Speed' director Jan de Bont that pitted Paxton against a devastating tornado in Oklahoma.
Bill Harding (Paxton) and his soon-to-be-ex-wife Jo (Helen Hunt) set aside their differences to help a team of "storm chasers" insert a device into a tornado that will reveal the secrets of other meteorological terrors. Their hope is that it will allow them to create the perfect early-warning technology to save people and predict the path of a tornado. However, they inadvertently stumble into a race with an opposing team of scientists who have more funding, better equipment, and a similar device. Taking advantage of a particularly dangerous storm system, the Harding team rushes to find and track an F5 tornado -- one of the most destructive classes of tornado in the natural world.
Even if I didn't already know 'Twister' had been an early summer blockbuster in 1996, I could've identified its big-dumb-fun actioner roots within the first fifteen minutes. The characters are paper thin, the actors are secondary to the CG wizardry of the tornadoes, and the sleazy scientists-in-black inject an unnecessary band of villains into the story. Admittedly, film fans who are able to suspend disbelief and shrug off faulty science will have a much easier time getting into 'Twister' and will likely find a lot to enjoy. There are some nasty plot holes to navigate, but a simple scan of the synopsis should clue newcomers into the fact that logic isn't de Bont's priority. 'Twister' is about slinging crazy amounts of destruction across the screen, recreating a horrifying force of nature, and pitting a helpless pair of ex-lovers against impossible odds.
Screenwriters Michael Crichton and then wife Anne-Marie Martin don't even attempt to disguise the romantic plot at the heart of the film. Like many filmmakers of summer extravaganzas from the mid-90s, they clearly assumed "man vs. nature" couldn't possibly provide enough conflict or tension to fill a two-hour film, so a love story, a cautionary tale on career obsession, and a diatribe about funded science were all thrown into the mix. Honestly, the film bulges from an onslaught of subplots that just don't matter. If the script were stronger, these elements could've been excellent additions, but the cookie-cutter screenplay makes it all feel extraneous in light of the actual stars of the film -- the tornadoes. For all of its jabbering and flighty drama, 'Twister' is at its best when a tornado is plowing across the screen. If de Bont would have latched onto his CG-birthed disasters instead of the arguments and infighting of the film's characters, the film would have been more consistently engaging.
And what of Bill Paxton? Like the rest of the performers in 'Twister' (which includes a rare campy appearance by Philip Seymour Hoffman), Paxton simply has nothing to work with. The human drama is weak to say the least, offering very little substance to the overall arc of the story, and it fails to create three-dimensional characters that feel authentic. The cast obviously invested as much emotion into each scene as possible, but the dialogue just didn't cut it. When the actors focus their attention on the film's true adversaries, the tornadoes, everything clicks together, but when they're pitted against each other, I simply wanted to fast forwarding to the next chase.
It's been more than ten years since 'Twister' leveled theaters and it still offers a lot of fun for disaster-flick junkies and fans of actioners from the mid-90s. Overall, the story is an overcrowded mess and the characters are cardboard cut-outs compared to the tornadoes themselves. I definitely didn't despise 'Twister' circa 2008… I just didn't love it as much as I did as a teenager in 1996.
Audio Commentary
Along with 'P.S. I Love You,' 'Twister' is one of the last HD DVDs being distributed by Warner Brothers in the US. Like all of their recent HD releases, this one features the same transfer as its Blu-ray counterpart. To cut to the chase, this 1080p/VC-1 transfer will satisfy fans and keep dissenters at a distance.
The first thing I noticed was the clarity of the print -- remastered for its high-def debut, I didn't catch any source noise, artifacting, edge enhancement, or print deficiencies. Scene to scene contrast is steady and the picture retains its filmic layer of grain without resorting to any messy post-processing effects like DNR. Details receives a healthy upgrade as well. Textures pop, hair and skin look fantastic in close-up shots, and tiny details like the flecked rust on Paxton's truck add grit and personality to the set design that had I missed when watching the film on DVD. The palette does take an intentionally dismal turn in the second act, but colors remain bold and stable in spite of the overcast skies.
Alas, everything isn't as incredible as it may seem on first glance. Skin tones consistently flush and fluctuate, sometimes growing pink and pale in the course of the same scene. At times, the actors look as if they've been running in circles when they're actually just sitting and having a conversation. A quick scan of the 2004 SE DVD reveals instances of the same issue, but it's far more prevalent on the HD DVD version. It doesn't help that several shots seem flat or soft compared to my ideal expectations for the transfer. On a lesser note, delineation is also a bit problematic -- background details that were clear on the DVD are occasionally cloaked in heavier shadows. My assumption is that the heavier shadows are more faithful to the original theatrical print, but there's no way to be sure.
All in all, 'Twister' provides a solid catalog transfer that has a lot to offer fans of the film. It may not pack the same punch as other catalog releases on HD DVD, but it easily trumps every standard DVD on the market.
'Twister' also offers the same, powerful Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track as its Blu-ray counterpart -- a mix that lives up to the sonic reputation of its highly-regarded DVD predecessor. Dynamics steal the show from the opening credits to the climactic ending and the LFE channel doesn't just support the mix, it inhabits it. Rumbling thunder, roaring winds, and splintering wood sound perfect and will tear through your speakers with a vengeance. Likewise, the treble-pitched wheen of the high winds never sound shrill, artificial, or overwhelmed by the soundscape. The soundfield itself is spread throughout each channel, and ambiance is particularly impressive in spite of the bombastic nature of the film. Acoustics have been carefully reproduced and voices exhibit varying weights when a scene moves from the interior of a car to the wide expanse of a field. Best of all, pans are transparent, dialogue is clean, and directionality is spot on and eerily realistic.
My only hesitation comes as a result of the track's vocal prioritization. I recognize that many lines in the film are intentionally engulfed by the raging storms, but I noticed a few unintelligible lines elsewhere as well. Whispered words have a difficult time competing with the abundant ambience in the outdoor scenes, and there were several times where I was tempted to turn on the subtitle track. Of course, fans of the film will attest to the fact that this isn't a new problem with 'Twister' -- the theatrical print and the DVD suffered at times from the same issue. Regardless, I'm confident audiophiles will be pleased to experience the aggression and the resonance of 'Twister's high-def release.
The HD DVD edition of 'Twister' includes all of the supplements that are available on the new 2-disc Special Edition DVD. The content is surprisingly thorough and provides more than the previously-released single-disc Special Edition that most fans probably have on their shelves. My general complaint about the package is that all of the video features are presented in standard definition.
Filmmakers' Commentary -- Director Jan de Bont and visual effects supervisor Stefen Fangmeier discuss the production of 'Twister' in this four-year old commentary. The two are far too serious for my tastes (considering the tone of the film), but they offer quite a few nuggets of information about real tornados, liberties taken in the story, and the CG artisans who made a compelling villain out of wind. They also discuss casting, the on-set atmosphere, and the commitment the actors made to the then-uncommon effects process. All in all, fans might find more value in this rather technical track than casual viewers.
Chasing the Storm: Twister Revisited (SD, 29 minutes) -- This newly produced retrospective featurette includes fresh interviews with Bill Paxton and de Bont. While it smacks of self-congratulatory nods like most modern EPKs, it makes a fantastic case for 'Twister's place in Hollywood history and the heyday of early CG. The fun of the production is revealed more clearly here than in the commentary and it was easy to see why everyone was so proud of their work. This is worth a watch for anyone who even remotely enjoyed the film.
The Making of Twister (SD, 14 minutes) -- This production featurette is actually just an HBO "First Look" EPK that whizzes through the film with an obscene amount of film clips and surface-level details. While it does highlight other cast and crew members who don't pop up in the rest of the supplements, they don't offer any additional information that isn't covered somewhere else.
Anatomy of a Twister (SD, 9 minutes) -- The most bizarre quality of this quick featurette is how repetitive it feels. Condensing all of the information already garnered from the other supplements, this extended trailer does little to bolster the behind-the-scenes package.
Nature Tech: Tornadoes (SD, 44 minutes) -- Even though 'Twister' isn't featured in this History Channel documentary, it easily outclasses the other supplemental material as the most interesting extra on the disc. It explores the nature of tornadoes, their historical ravaging of towns and villages across the world, and the manner in which modern day science is helping to predict and combat such catastrophes.
Humans Being (SD, 4 minutes) -- A music video for Van Halen's song of the same name.
Theatrical Trailers (SD, 4 minutes)
'Twister' has never been the mecca of natural-disaster flicks. More than ten years after its release, it offers some fond memories and fun chases, but it fails to establish any real bond with its audience. Regardless, fans will be pleased to find that this HD DVD makes the standard DVD irrelevant. It features an above-average video transfer, a powerful Dolby TrueHD audio track, and a generous collection of supplements. While I won't offer a whole-hearted recommendation, I will say this catalog release is worth a look if you're still in the market for HD DVDs.


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Parking Description: 5 Paved Spaces and several unpaved.


It has been said that once you start dreaming in a second language you know you have become fluent. But is this an old wives' tale?
If you have ever learned or been in the process of learning a language you have probably heard this before - I know I did. It is an interesting idea and one that holds some truth to it. Sure, when the mind is on information overload it is very common to dream about that subject. Very often we dream about unresolved work problems, things we've seen or heard, and at times we may hear or see ourselves speaking a different language.
A very important distinction needs to be made here between times when these dreams depict us speaking what little we know about another language and times when we are fluently speaking the foreign tongue. For example, oftentimes people have dreams where they are "speaking" the language they are learning but upon thorough analysis they realize they were saying the only words they know. Or it turns out to be a mixture of their own language with the known words in the new language. This is by far the most common case. The more interesting instance and the focus of this post is the latter - people having 100% of the dream in the foreign language.
If you are completely bilingual this is an event that happens very often. Both languages are dominated and you think and speak in both, so your mind switches back and forth easily. But for people who are learning the second language, when do bilingual dreams happen? And do these dreams really mean they have attained fluency?
One could argue that dreaming in a foreign language is perfectly normal. And it is if we are already fluent in that language. But when it happens in either a) the early stages of learning or b) having no knowledge of the language? That's when it gets interesting. Some of our students at English summer camp have reported dreaming in English - we take this with rejoice and as normal since they are immersed in the language 24h a day.
In the midst of learning a language in which we are immersed (depending on the learning method), we are constantly bombarded with rules, words and meanings. At night we process our daily activities in our minds and dreams help us do that. It is normal then to have images and sounds of our learned words and sentences at night while we sleep. This is a perfectly normal explanation on why we have these basic language dreams. The difficulty comes when we try to analyze the reason or meaning behind a full-blown foreign language dream, especially if we are NOT fluent.
Our mind works in incredible ways and its capable of very powerful things. There are many theories on why we have these dreams and in some occasions, though not the topic of this post but certainly interesting, why people who have woken after an accident are suddenly fluent in a foreign language. For more on accidents and language swapping check this article. It reports a swapping event and has links to other sources as well.
The phenomenon of dreaming in a foreign language in fluency remains unexplained. However one possible explanation might lie in what our subconscious mind picks up that we consciously are not aware of. We are constantly receiving information even when we are focused on other things. Cars going by, people talking on the street while we are on the phone, etc. All these bits and pieces of information, noises and images do get in our brains unconsciously. More often than not an image or word pops up in our head "out of nowhere" when in reality it is something we heard or saw earlier in the day or weeks before without noticing.
It is said that our subconscious mind can remember word for word, image by image every single detail of our lives. Something we consciously are not capable of doing. If this is the case it can explain how during dreams or vivid memories we can replay whole conversations we've heard. Even in foreign languages. So an answer to the question: Are we fluent once we dream in a different language? is a difficult one to attain if it is looked for in the mind of a learner. Like all things "dreams" a solid conclusion is most likely not possible. Nonetheless my conclusion is that somewhere in the process of learning we tie in conversations we've heard but do not understand with our current learning process. During this process these conversations are replayed during dreams and we wake up with the strange feeling of having "spoken" that language in our sleep. When in reality it is a playback of an unconscious heard conversation. No matter the case, a dream in a different language should be taken as an incredibly positive sign of language improvement and awareness.
Have you had any dreams in a foreign language lately?


One of our newest 2-story home, the Silverton. This home has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a 2-car garage. The main level features great room, dining room, powder bath, mud room through the garage. Also, a cook's kitchen with walk-in pantry! Upper level has 3 spacious secondary bedrooms. The master suite has grand entrance attached to the master bath with walk-in shower, dual vanities, and spacious walk-in closet. The laundry completes the upper level. The lower level is pre-plumbed for future expansion.


text:
\section{Introduction}
\label{sec:Intro}

Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) are an attractive dark matter candidate.
It is thought that these non-baryonic particles form
halos around galaxies including our own.  As the baryonic portion of the galaxy rotates, our solar system passes through this halo at 220~km/s, providing an
effective wind of WIMPs in the laboratory frame which comes from the constellation Cygnus \citep{Spergel1988}.

Recoils induced from this WIMP wind exhibit two distinct signatures that can be used to distinguish between a true dark matter signal
and background events.  First, the motion of the Earth around the Sun at 30~km/s causes the apparent speed of the dark matter particles seen from Earth to vary over the
course of the year and affects the rate of WIMP interactions.  This results in a maximum rate in June and a minimum rate in December; this is the annual modulation.  Second, the rotation of the Earth
on its axis causes the incoming direction of the dark matter particles to vary over the course of the day in the laboratory frame; this is the sidereal modulation.
The Directional Recoil Information From Tracks (DRIFT) experiment aims to provide an unambiguous detection of dark matter by observing this signature.

\section{The DRIFT detector}
\label{sec:DRIFT}

The DRIFT-IId detector is a m$^3$ volume low-pressure negative ion gas TPC \citep{Alner2005}.  It uses a mixture of 30 Torr CS$_2$, which offers negative-ion drift to reduce
diffusion \citep{Martoff2000, Snowden2013}, and 10 Torr CF$_4$, which provides spin-dependent WIMP sensitivity via $^{19}$F \citep[e.g.][]{Ellis1991}.  Recently, 1 Torr of O$_2$ has been added as well (see
Section~\ref{sec:Fiducialization}).  The detector features two back-to-back 50~cm drift volumes which share a central cathode (see Figure~\ref{fig:DII}).
Each volume ends with a Multi-Wire Proportional Chamber (MWPC) that provides gas amplification and a 3-dimensional readout.  These readouts measure the $x$ and $y$ extent of ionization
tracks while the outermost wires constitute veto channels which exclude events coming in from the sides.

\begin{figure}[ht]
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.85\linewidth]{DIISchematic2.png}
    \caption{Schematic of the DRIFT-IId detector, showing a cathode-crossing alpha track.  Lengths are in mm.  Image reproduced from \cite{Burgos2008}.  }
    \label{fig:DIISchematic}
  \end{subfigure
	\hfill
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=1.1\linewidth]{DIIphoto.png}
    \caption{Photograph of the DRIFT-IId detector removed from its vacuum vessel.  }
    \label{fig:DIIPhoto}
  \end{subfigure}
  \caption{ The DRIFT-IId detector.}
  \label{fig:DII}
\end{figure}

The DRIFT-IId detector features excellent range vs. energy discrimination between nuclear recoils, electron recoils, and alpha particles \citep{Snowden2003}.  It is located
1.1~km underground (2800~m.w.e) at the Boulby Underground Science Facility \citep{Murphy2012} to reduce cosmogenic backgrounds, and the vessel is surrounded on all sides with plastic shielding to moderate the
neutron flux.  Despite these precautions, the detector suffers from inherent backgrounds related to radon, which are described in Section~\ref{sec:Backgrounds}.
The identification of these backgrounds, and steps taken to reduce them, are described in Sections~\ref{sec:Texturization}-\ref{sec:Fiducialization}.

\section{Backgrounds}
\label{sec:Backgrounds}

DRIFT's dominant backgrounds are due to radioactive contamination undergoing alpha decays on the central cathode \citep{Burgos2007, Daw2010}.  When $^{222}$Rn in the gas decays it produces
a 5.49 MeV alpha particle and a $^{218}$Po daughter.  $22\pm2\%$ of the time the Po daughter is positively charged as it recoils from the decay \citep{Burgos2008}.
This charged atom follows the electric
field to the central cathode where it is electrodeposited.  $^{218}$Po is radioactive and decays, with a half-life of 3.1 minutes, producing another alpha particle and a
112.2~keV recoiling
$^{214}$Pb atom.  In some cases the alpha particle is oriented toward the central cathode and ranges out in the cathode material.  The $^{214}$Pb  atom, recoiling
in the opposite direction, enters the gas and produces an ionization track very similar to a WIMP-induced nuclear recoil.  This nuclear recoil is called a Radon Progeny Recoil (RPR).  While F and Pb recoils of the same
energy have distinct ranges, events from the central cathode suffer maximum diffusion and the differences between different recoiling nuclei are lost.

The original DRIFT-IId central cathode was made of $20$~\si{\micro \meter} diameter stainless steel wires.  According to geometric calculations with inputs
from SRIM \citep{SRIM}, $36\%$ of the time an alpha particle from a $^{218}$Po decay on the surface
fully ranges out in a cathode wire and produces an RPR background.  $50\%$ of the time the alpha track is oriented away from the cathode wire,
producing a regular alpha track and embedding the Pb nucleus in the wire.  These events are easily categorized as alpha particles.  The final $14\%$ of decays
produce an RPR in one side of the detector while the alpha particle escapes the wire to produce an ionization track in the other detection volume.  The observation of this alpha track ``tag'' identifies the recoil as coming
from the central cathode, and reveals that it is not due to a WIMP interaction.

\section{Thin-film cathode}
\label{sec:Texturization}

In March 2010, the DRIFT collaboration replaced the wire central cathode with a $0.9$~\si{\micro \meter} aluminized mylar cathode in order to mitigate the RPRs described in Section~\ref{sec:Backgrounds}.  A typical alpha particle, with a path length of $40$~\si{\micro \meter} in mylar, is fully absorbed only $1\%$ of the time, compared to $30-40\%$ of the time
(depending on the energy of the alpha particle) in a $20$~\si{\micro \meter} stainless steel wire.  This cathode change resulted in a reduction in background rate from $130\pm2$/day to
only $4.0\pm0.3$/day \citep{Miller2011, Daw2010}.  This change also introduced an unexpected uranium contamination in the new film, described
in Section~\ref{sec:Uranium}.  After a second radiopure cathode was installed in May of 2012 the rate dropped to $2.2\pm0.3$/day.

Any further increase in the cathode's transparency to alpha particles would reduce the detector backgrounds.  While an even thinner cathode would
have a higher transparency to alpha particles, mylar thinner than $0.9$~\si{\micro \meter} lacks the strength to be the substrate for a m$^2$-scale cathode.  The
$0.9$~\si{\micro \meter} cathode can, however, be texturized in order to increase its
transparency to alpha radiation.  The ultimate goal, a $0\%$ chance of
background production, would require complete surface coverage without any straight-line paths longer than $\approx30$~\si{\micro \meter} (see Figure~\ref{fig:TexMockup}).

\begin{figure}[ht]
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.95\linewidth]{TexMockup.png}
    \caption{A thin-film cathode with fine texturization has increased transparency to alpha particles.  }
    \label{fig:TexMockup}
  \end{subfigure
	\hfill
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.95\linewidth]{8-Cycle-label.png}
    \caption{Confocal microscope image of a texturized thin-film sample similar to the cathode installed in May 2013.   }
    \label{fig:TexImage}
  \end{subfigure}
  \caption{}
  \label{fig:TexFilm}
\end{figure}

The DRIFT collaboration has texturized the thin-film by impacting it with $200-300$~\si{\micro \meter} diameter glass beads \citep{Miller2014}.  Each impact
imparts a nearly hemispherical pit into the mylar.  The longest straight-line path on such a curve that is fully contained within the mylar is only $33$~\si{\micro \meter} long,
preventing an alpha particle from ranging out in the texturized portion of the cathode.

The first generation of texturized thin-film cathode was installed in DRIFT-IId in May 2013 (see Figure~\ref{fig:TexImage}), and led to a further reduction in the detector's background
rate from $2.2\pm0.3$~events/day to $0.6\pm0.4$~events/day.  Confocal microscope images of this first generation of texturized thin-film revealed an impact coverage of about $50\%$.  A second generation
of thin-film cathode, more densely texturized than the first, has been manufactured
for installation in DRIFT-IIe.  DRIFT-IIe is a second underground detector which will begin commissioning in the summer of 2014.

\section{Uranium Contamination}
\label{sec:Uranium}

Section~\ref{sec:Texturization} described the thin-film cathode which was invented to address backgrounds due to alpha decays on the central cathode.
Nevertheless a detailed picture of the nature of radioactivity at the cathode and how it generates these backgrounds was missing.
As described in Section~\ref{sec:Backgrounds}, both the radon in the detector and the inherent radioactivity in the cathode material contribute to these backgrounds.
In order to assess the relative contributions of these, and to better focus efforts towards further reductions in backgrounds, a means for performing in-situ alpha
spectroscopy was developed. This in turn has led to a further factor of two reduction in backgrounds.

The DRIFT detector is designed to measure the lengths of $\approx 50$~keV nuclear recoil tracks, which, in a low-pressure target gas, are typically only 1--2~mm.
The alpha particles in question, on the other hand, range from 4--7~MeV and have track lengths from 200--600~mm.  DRIFT's range sensitivity, by providing
alpha track length measurements to $2\%$ precision, is better than its energy resolution and allows for range spectroscopy to be used to identify the radioactive isotope.  This
range distribution, with peaks labeled, is shown in Figure~\ref{fig:AlphaDownDirty} and identifies the presence of $^{234}$U and $^{238}$U in the detector
with the first untexturized version of the thin-film cathode deployed.

\begin{figure}[ht]
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.95\linewidth]{DirtyLength-label.png}
    \caption{Spectrum from the first thin-film cathode.}
    \label{fig:AlphaDownDirty}
  \end{subfigure
	\hfill
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.95\linewidth]{CleanLength-label.png}
    \caption{Spectrum from the second thin-film cathode, demonstrating the reduction in uranium.  }
    \label{fig:AlphaDownClean}
  \end{subfigure}
  \caption{Alpha range spectra from DRIFT allow the identification of radioactive contaminants in the vessel.  Shown are only alpha tracks which are
	down-going (oriented away from the central cathode).  }
  \label{fig:AlphaSpect}
\end{figure}

DRIFT data can then provide location information for each alpha-producing isotope in a few increasingly precise ways.
Alpha tracks display a distinct Bragg curve,
depositing higher ionization density near the head, or end, of the track than at the tail, or origin.  This head-tail measurement indicates if a particular
alpha particle was directed toward the central cathode (``up-going'') or if it was directed toward the MWPC (``down-going'').  These distributions reveal three features: that
the $^{222}$Rn alpha tracks are equal parts up-going and down-going, as expected for a decay in the bulk gas; that both U populations are exclusively down-going,
indicating that the contamination is entirely in the central cathode; and that the $^{210}$Po population is mostly up-going, pointing out that the MWPC
is contaminated with this isotope.

Using the alpha spectroscopy technique, the DRIFT detector can also be used as an in-situ precision assay instrument.
Alpha tracks from decays in the thin-film central cathode, which was designed to be radiation-transparent,
enter the gas $99\%$ of the time.  These events are distinctive high-energy events and are correctly identified as $^{234}$U $35.0\%$ of the time and
as $^{238}$U $33.4\%$ of the time.
The most significant loss of efficiency is due to aspects of the readout which, tailored for short nuclear recoil tracks, is degenerate for alpha tracks oriented
perpendicular to any of the primary axes of the detector.  This reduces the identification efficiency of alpha tracks by about $50\%$, depending on energy.
In this 21.42 livetime-day exposure, 10,910 $^{234}$U and 6917 $^{238}$U decays were identified, which, accounting for detection efficiencies, corresponds to a
contamination of the central cathode of $61.8\pm0.6$ ppt and $777\pm15$ ppb, respectively \citep{Miller2014}.

An alpha decay on the central cathode in which both the alpha track and the RPR are seen in different detector volumes is called a ``tagged'' RPR (see Section~\ref{sec:Backgrounds}).
While the tag is useful for rejecting the RPR as a potential WIMP interaction, these tagged events also imply that the decay occurred on, or very near to, the surface
of the central cathode; otherwise the recoil would have ranged out in the cathode.  Neither uranium isotope produces significant populations of
tagged RPRs, indicating that these isotopes are located in the bulk of the cathode rather than on its surface.  This alpha spectroscopy technique can provide additional detail on where exactly the uranium contamination lies within the thin-film cathode.

\begin{figure}[ht]
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.95\linewidth]{ModelAl071-title.png}
    \caption{Uranium in aluminum model.}
    \label{fig:ModelAl}
    \vspace{4ex}
  \end{subfigure
	\hfill
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.95\linewidth]{ModelFilm071-title.png}
    \caption{Uranium in Mylar model.}
    \label{fig:ModelFilm}
    \vspace{4ex}
  \end{subfigure}
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.95\linewidth]{NewData.png}
    \caption{Data from DRIFT.}
    \label{fig:Data}
  \end{subfigure
	\hfill
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.95\linewidth]{ResultOverlay-title.png}
    \caption{The data (histogram) overlaid with the best fit model (contour).}
    \label{fig:ModelOverlay}
  \end{subfigure}
  \caption{The shapes of the range vs. angle distribution for uranium indicate that the contamination is in the Al rather than the mylar.  }
  \label{fig:URvTheta}
\end{figure}

The cathode consists of a $0.9$~\si{\micro \meter} thick mylar substrate with a $0.03-0.05$~\si{\micro \meter} aluminum layer sputtered onto either side to provide electrical conductivity.  DRIFT can distinguish between contamination in the mylar and the aluminum by examining the alpha track length vs.
the alpha track angle $\theta$ measured from the normal to the cathode.  For a population of alpha particles originating from the aluminum layer, this distribution (see Figure~\ref{fig:ModelAl})
has two nodes.  One node corresponds to alpha tracks which exit the cathode on the ``near'' side without passing through the cathode - these particles lose very little
of their energy in the aluminum layer, regardless of angle, so they are all nearly the same length.  The second population of tracks pass through the mylar
and aluminum layers before exiting into the gas on the ``far'' side - these travel through the mylar and lose energy in proportion to $1/\cos(\theta)$.

If the uranium population is instead distributed evenly throughout the mylar substrate, then the alpha track length vs. $\theta$ distribution will have only one, wider,
population rather than the above two-node structure (see Figure~\ref{fig:ModelFilm}).  In Figure~\ref{fig:Data} the data plotted are from DRIFT-IId.  These are fit to a linear superposition of the
two models, which indicates that $90\%$ of the uranium contamination is located in the aluminum coating, while only $10\%$ is from the mylar substrate.  This best-fit is shown along with the data in Figure~\ref{fig:ModelOverlay}.

After determining that the uranium contamination was located predominantly in the aluminum, the DRIFT collaboration constructed a new central cathode using radiopure
aluminum.  Subsequent runs revealed the $^{234}$U ($^{238}$U) contamination reduced by a factor of 20 (10) to $3.3\pm0.1$ ppt ($73\pm2$ ppb) respectively.  After
this switch the background rate also fell from $4.0\pm0.3$/day to $2.2\pm0.3$/day.

\section{$z$-fiducialization}
\label{sec:Fiducialization}

Sections~\ref{sec:Texturization} and~\ref{sec:Uranium} described recent efforts which have reduced DRIFT's backgrounds by over two orders of magnitude.  But the
remaining $\approx1$ event/day background rate would still be a limiting factor for a WIMP search.  These events are understood to all originate at the central cathode,
and this can be used as a means to reject them if there were a way to measure the event location along the drift axis ($z$).
While the DRIFT-IId detector has always been able to use veto channels on the MWPC to exclude events coming in from the sides of the detector, the third dimension has proven
more difficult.  Until recently, the detector lacked an efficient way of excluding events from the central cathode or MWPCs, as there has been no way to measure the
$z$ position of an individual event.

\begin{figure}[ht]
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.95\linewidth]{RecoilO2-label.png}
    \caption{A neutron-induced nuclear recoil.}
    \label{fig:RecoilO2}
  \end{subfigure
	\hfill
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.95\linewidth]{Recoil-label.png}
    \caption{An RPR from the central cathode.}
    \label{fig:RPRO2}
  \end{subfigure}
  \caption{Two nuclear recoils of similar energy, each with a main peak at 700; times are in units of $\mu$s.  Each waveform has three smaller peaks (S, P, and D) arriving before
	the main peak (I) due to minority carriers \citep{Snowden2014}.  The $z$-location of the event can be determined from the separation of the minority peaks.  }
  \label{fig:RecoilsO2}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[ht]
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.95\linewidth]{FidBackgroundII.png}
    \caption{Events from a WIMP-search run.  All events are located near the central cathode.  }
    \label{fig:BackgroundO2}
  \end{subfigure
	\hfill
  \begin{subfigure}[t]{0.47\linewidth}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.95\linewidth]{FidNeutron.png}
    \caption{Events from a neutron exposure.  Interactions are evenly distributed throughout the detector.  }
    \label{fig:NeutronO2}
  \end{subfigure}
  \caption{A comparison of a WIMP-search run and a neutron exposure shows DRIFT's ability to identify all backgrounds as coming from the central cathode while
  accepting a large fraction of WIMP-like nuclear recoils.  }
  \label{fig:SigRegs}
\end{figure}

It was recently discovered that trace amounts of O$_2$ mixed with DRIFT's bulk gas, CS$_2$, produces at least three new species of electronegative charge carriers
whose drift speeds are a few percent faster than the standard CS$_2^-$ ions  (see Figure~\ref{fig:RecoilsO2})\citep{Snowden2014}.  With this additive, the signal on a wire contains four distinct pulses, rather than just one,
and the separation between them increases with the distance that the charge has drifted, thereby providing the $z$ position of the event.  This method to fiducialize
the detector along $z$ provides a powerful means to exclude any background coming from the central cathode.  For events which occur near to the MWPC the peaks
overlap and are difficult to distinguish - in this case the event is rejected, resulting in a several cm dead zone near the MWPC (see Figure~\ref{fig:SigRegs}).
Figure~\ref{fig:BackgroundO2}
shows the $z$ position vs. energy for events observed during a background run.  For comparison, Figure~\ref{fig:NeutronO2} shows this distribution
for events observed during a neutron exposure.  While the neutrons are distributed throughout the detector, all of the backgrounds are
clustered around the central cathode and can be removed from any dark matter search with only a modest reduction in WIMP acceptance.

\section{Acknowledgments}
\label{sec:Acknowledgments}
We acknowledge the support of the US National Science Foundation (NSF). This
material is based upon work supported by the NSF under Grant Nos. 1103420 and 1103511. We are grateful to Cleveland Potash Ltd and the Science and Technology
Facilities Council (STFC) for operations support and use of the Boulby Underground
Science Facility.

\bibliographystyle{h-physrev}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


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Meal Exchange is a non-profit organization that exists to eradicate hunger in Canada by identifying and implementing student solutions.
CARE works with poor communities in more than 70 countries around the world to find lasting solutions to poverty. We look at the big picture of poverty, and go beyond the symptoms to confront underlying causes. With a broad range of programs based on empowerment, equity and sustainability, CARE seeks to tap human potential and leverage the power of individuals and communities to unleash a vast force for progress.
Website dedicated to keeping you and your network safe from hackers, crackers & cyberterrorists.