Anonymity is one of the important aspects of Teitho, and has a role in Tolkien's stories as well. And so it shall be our May theme. Thanks to Idhren for the suggestion!
Aragorn had to spend much of his life in a disguise, without revealing his name - not even knowing his true name until adulthood. It must have been hard, to keep his name and linage secret for all the time, end entrusting it to only a selected few. But then he became a king, and suddenly anonymity may have became a desired relief from the court and a nostalgic reminder of the old times.
While the theme seems to be made for Aragorn, Legolas could have a need of anonymity as well. Maybe the prince of Greenwood (or later Ithilien) wanted to try the life of a simple guard or servant just for a while, or got into a situation where revealing his name would put him in danger.


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Charlotte Street, London, West End W1
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The West End of London is among the most desirable office space locations in the world, and the offices at 48 Charlotte Street are among the best value in the district. Located just north of the famous Oxford Street and within a thriving media and technology enterprise hub, the offices on Charlotte Street are fully-equipped and exceptionally well fitted out. They are serviced to meet the needs of all resident operators and available on flexible terms that are ideal for growing businesses.
Amenities nearby could hardly be in any greater abundance, and the West End is very well connected to other important business districts in London like the City and Canary Wharf, as well as the rest of the UK.
As with all flexible workspaces, exact pricing is dependent on several factors including the amount of space required, the length of commitment, current availability, bespoke service agreement and so forth.
As a guide, these Fitzrovia serviced offices are priced from £10 per day and virtual office packages with a Fitzrovia postal address are priced from £3 per day.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Plaats in Indonesië
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 Tambakroto (Sayung), een plaats in het bestuurlijke gebied Demak in de provincie Midden-Java

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text:
[ Retro Scan ] The Atari Trak-Ball
The reports of Retro Scan's death are greatly exaggerated.
I just emerged from the other side of a huge house move that taxed my body and soul. Moving my huge collection was very difficult, and now dealing with where to put it all keeps that stress going. I feel behind on lots of things, but it's time to catch up. One of the best ways to do that is with a new Retro Scan. So here we go — let's talk trackballs.
As far as I know, the first arcade video games to use a trackball were Midway's Shuffleboard and Atari Football, both from 1978. As to which came first, I have no idea at the moment.
Atari really ran with the trackball (they called it a "Trak-Ball") and produced several mega arcade hits that used the interface, including Missile Command and Centipede. It only makes sense that they would bring the tech home to their Atari 8-bit computer line — and the Atari 5200, as seen here — in the form of the Pro-Line Trak-Ball controller.
(An aside: Despite the ad saying the Trak-Ball controller works for the Atari 2600, I know of no vintage 2600 games that support trackball mode natively. There is a joystick mode switch on the bottom of the controller, however, that lets you use it with any game.)
Of course, the 5200 version of the Trak-Ball controller is legendarily huge. It's almost as big as the (already big) console itself. But I've heard good things about it, despite never having used one. I do have the smaller CX22 Trak-Ball controller and I enjoy games of Missile Command on my Atari 800XL with it from time to time, although it is criminally under-supported (in Trak-Ball mode) by games on that platform.
So how about you guys: Have you ever used the Atari 5200 Trak-Ball? What did you think about it?
[ From Video Games Player, October-November 1983 ]
Discussion Topic: Have you ever used a trackball with any game console? Tell us about it.
Posted in Gaming History, Regular Features, Retro Scan of the Week, Retrogaming | 8 Comments »
Ted Dabney (1937-2018)
In Memoriam: Samuel Frederick Dabney, Jr. (1937-2018),
co-founder of Syzygy and Atari
Samuel Frederick ("Ted") Dabney, Jr., who co-founded Atari with Nolan Bushnell in 1972, died of esophageal cancer just three days ago. He was 81 years old.
I was not close with Ted, but I did interview him at length for articles about Computer Space and Pong back in 2011 and 2012. During our conversations, he was candid, detailed, kind, and very helpful. During my conversations with him, a lot of the details of early Atari history you can now read online were coming out of him for the first time, so he was a vital source of fresh information on that subject.
Ted did critical work as a partner of Nolan Bushnell in the early 1970s. He served as a creative sounding board for Nolan's ambitious ideas and also as a key implementer of some of them.
Ted met Nolan around 1969 while working at Ampex, where they were office mates. They shared big dreams and secret sessions of the board game go while in the office, and in off-hours, they hung out and scouted locations for a new restaurant idea Bushnell had that involved talking barrels.
With Nolan at Syzygy Engineering, Dabney created the video control circuitry used in Computer Space, built the prototype cabinet for that game, designed its sound circuit, and more. On Pong, Dabney built the prototype cabinet and gave feedback to game designer Allan Alcorn. He also provided ideas for Atari's third game, Space Race, before he left Atari in 1973.
There is some confusion about the reason Dabney left Atari. Dabney told me that Nolan forced him out. Bushnell commonly cites poor work performance as the reason Dabney left. Absent some documentary evidence, the real answer will always be one of those fuzzy historical points left to interpretation. What we do know for sure is that the two founders were no longer getting along.
(By the way, I have recently read some reports about Dabney that say he left Atari because he was angry that Nolan patented his motion control circuitry without including him on the patent. This is plainly false. Dabney did not even know that Nolan's motion control patent existed until I informed him about it in a 2011 interview.)
A lot of the key info I gleaned from Dabney can be found in my 2011 piece on Computer Space, which is a primary source for some of the secondhand knowledge you'll read about Dabney and Atari's early days on the web. Some day I need to publish my full interview with Dabney on Pong, because it is very insightful.
It's also worth noting that Dabney remained friends with Nolan throughout the 1970s despite the Atari business acrimony. They were never truly close like they were circa 1969-1972, but they still kept in touch, shared a hot tub or two, and Dabney created a trivia game for Nolan's Pizza Time chain in the early 1980s.
I will miss talking to Ted. He was laid-back, easy going, and straightforward. He had so much skill and experience from his days before Atari, and I need to write about that some time. I had hoped to interview him again at some point, but life delayed those plans. May he rest in peace.
Posted in Gaming History, Memorials, News & Current Events, Regular Features, Retrogaming | No Comments »
Carol Shaw Donates Collection to The Strong
You may recall that I interviewed Carol Shaw for VC&G back in 2011. Shaw is best known for developing River Raid and for being Atari's first female video game designer.
(At that time, I called Shaw "the world's first female video game developer." Since then, I have made a new discovery, so stay tuned.)
Through connections made between myself, Shaw, and my good friends at The National Museum of Play at The Strong in Rochester, NY, Shaw recently donated a cache of amazing historical materials, including printed source code for River Raid and an EPROM of her first game, Polo.
When I first learned that Shaw still had large format printouts of the River Raid source code (back in 2011), I panicked, trying to figure out the best way to preserve it. I was thinking I might even have to fly over and photograph it myself — just to make sure it would not be lost.
But luckily, ICHEG at The Strong is a wonderful institution, and I have been doing my best to direct prototypes and other artifacts their way over the past few years. I am happy to do my own small part in preserving the history of video games, and it is wonderful that an important pioneer such as Shaw is getting the recognition she deserves.
[ Retro Scan ] Bentley Bear's Spelling Bee
"Follow me, KIDS! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"
I recently visited fellow NC computer collector Tom Copper (hopefully the subject of a future post), and Tom gave me this neat and rare piece of educational software for the Atari ST series. It's called Spelling Bee, and it features Bentley Bear of Crystal Castles fame.
Apparently, Atari made a series of educational games starring Bentley Bear. Sadly, this particular game is not that great. It's just a simple version of Hangman that, in my opinion, does not aid spelling skills at all. I have two kids — ages 7 and 4, and my eldest gets to play all the older educational software I can find. She gave this product a thumbs down. So do I. But it sure is a neat piece of computing history.
(P.S. If you're interested in an overview of great educational games of the past, check out this slideshow I did for PCWorld back in 2015).
[ From Scholastic Series Spelling Bee by Atari, 1988, cover/back ]
Discussion Topic: What's your favorite educational PC game of all time?
Posted in Computer Games, Computer History, Regular Features, Retro Scan of the Week, Retrogaming, Vintage Computing | 4 Comments »
[ Retro Scan ] Milton-Bradley MBX for TI-99/4A
Milton-Bradley MBX Flyer: Side 2
The Milton-Bradley MBX, launched around 1983 for the TI-99/4A home computer, is a strange product: it combines a pistol-grip joystick with a rotating knob and analog control, a 64-position touch pad with overlays, and voice-recognition headset into one package that is supposed to enhance gameplay on specially-designed TI-99/4A games.
This neat TI-99/4A site has a history page about it, so I think I'll just snatch a portion that explains the MBX's origins:
Now that you have an idea as to what the MBX System is, below is a little history provided by Mike Langieri (the creator of the device). According to Mike, the MBX actually started out as a stand-alone game console in 1982 and was to be Milton Bradley's answer to the Atari 2600 and Intellivision. MB's plan was to provide the game player with voice recognition, speech synthesis, and an action-input keypad which in turn would give them an advantage over the systems already on the market.
Now how come MB did not go ahead with their own system in 1982? Once the Colecovision came out, Jim Shea (then president of Milton Bradley) thought that the market was not big enough to support 4 game systems from Atari, Mattel, Coleco, and Milton Bradley and therefore killed the project. However, so much development went into creating MB's own video game unit that Mike was then assigned to finding a use for all the technology they developed.
Eventually it was decided to transform Milton Bradley's gaming system to an add-on for the TI-99/4A, most likely due to the fact that MB had earlier developed the Gamevision line of video games for the 99/4A and also created the graphics chip used inside of the TI system. Thus, "the MBX was the phoenix that rose from the ashes" as Mike wonderfully put it.
It's amazing to think "What if" and wonder what a Milton-Bradley game console might have been like. I believe that Milton Bradley also originally tried to sell this idea to Atari, but they declined, and it ended up as a TI-99/4A peripheral. A non-rotating, non-analog variation on this joystick did end up as Atari's Space Age joystick, though.
I have a complete MBX system in the box (which may be where I got this flyer), but for some reason I have never used it. I think that's because I don't have any of the games that support it — or I didn't 17 years ago when I first bought my MBX on eBay. Right now I don't even know what box my MBX is stored in, so it would be hard to rectify that.
[ From Milton Bradley MBX Promotional Flyer, ca. 1983 ]
Discussion Topic: When was the first time you ever used voice commands with a computer?
Posted in Computer Games, Computer History, Gaming History, Regular Features, Retro Scan of the Week, Retrogaming, Vintage Computing | 12 Comments »
Atari's Forgotten Arcade Classics (1972-1975)
Rolling Stone recently launched a dedicated gaming site called Glixel, and just recently, EGM alum and Glixel's General Manager, John Davison (of whom I am a big fan), asked me to write something for the site.
So I did. Atari turns 45 this month, and I thought it would be fun to look back at some of Atari's early coin-op titles that very few people have heard of. The result is called "Atari's Forgotten Arcade Classics," and you can read it now over at Glixel.
If I weren't so busy with other projects, I'd dive more in-depth into the origins of Atari — I certainly have a lot to say about it. But that will have to wait until another time. Until then, I hope you enjoy this piece.
Posted in Gaming History, Retrogaming | 5 Comments »
The Origins of Chuck E. Cheese
I mentioned this in my most recent Retro Scan, but I figured this was worth repeating in its own post.
Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre launched 40 years ago last month — on May 16, 1977. To celebrate the anniversary, I wrote a long feature about the origins of the pizza chain for FastCompany that they published last week.
In the piece, you can learn about how Chuck E. Cheese was originally supposed to be a coyote, read about rat-related intrigue, and glean some of the visionary genius of Nolan Bushnell, who saw the chain as a way to bring arcade video games to the mainstream — as well as scratching a fundamental itch of human nature. It worked.
Hope you enjoy it.
Hear Benj on the Retronauts Podcast
Since February, I've been appearing on episodes of Retronauts, a long-running retro gaming podcast traditionally hosted by Jeremy Parish and Bob Mackey. Retronauts traces its origins to the now defunct 1UP.com, but it has moved along with Jeremy wherever he goes.
And that includes a move across the country: About five years ago, Jeremy relocated to sunny Raleigh, NC from San Francisco. After resigning from his editor-in-chief position at USGamer.net late last year, Jeremy decided to rely on Patreon to fund Retronauts as a full-time project.
There's only one problem: Bob Mackey is still located on the west coast, and Jeremy can't afford to fly out there every time he wants to record a show. So while Bob still creates episodes on the west coast, Jeremy started up a "Retronauts East" wing of the show featuring a local crew of regulars.
Fortunately, I am a Raleigh native, and I still live here. So the Retronauts East roster includes both myself and Ben Elgin, a Hillsborough, NC software engineer and a veteran of Jeremy's Gamespite forums.
Since then I've been on five episodes (with another micro episode on the way), and it's been a blast. Jeremy is a gin aficionado, and we typically drink a gin and tonic before or during the show, which is why you may hear high-resolution ice clinking in the background.
Here's a run-down of the episodes I've appeared on so far:
Episode 87: Apple II Games
Episode 91: Early Sega Arcade Games
Episode 95: Early Batman Games
Micro 59: Atari Swordquest
Episode 98: Mac Gaming in the 1980s
There's more to come. So stay tuned and enjoy.
Posted in Computer Games, Computer History, Gaming History, Macintosh, News & Current Events, Retrogaming, VC&G Announcements, Vintage Computing | No Comments »
Prodigy: Christmas 1992
Video Games Are Fun
Epic GDC Adventure
Nintendo Name Formula


"As menopause receives more attention, more sophisticated products will enter the market space."
London-based industrial designer Peter Astbury tackles menopause with style and Grace.
Last summer, fashion and culture website Man Repeller coined a new term, "menocore," identifying it as the new normcore and (approvingly) describing this beige, flowy look as the "aesthetic of a middle-aged woman on a low-key beach vacation." Yet, despite the rise of the older style muse and the recent "mainstreamification" of menopause, few lifestyle products have considered the unique needs of the menopausal demographic, whose members are undergoing the hormonal shift from which menocore derives its name.
Enter Peter Astbury, London-based industrial designer and the visionary behind Grace—a sleek, innovative wristband created to counter the effects of menopausal hot flashes with smart, cooling technology. With Grace, Astbury joins the movement seeking to break the taboo around menopause, and he hopes to use his discreet, intelligent wearable to help women regain control and confidence, at home and in the workplace.
The James Dyson Award runner up recently graduated with first-class honors in industrial design and technology from Loughborough University in the UK. We spoke to him about smashing stigmas, bettering lives through effective design, and potentially facilitating the world's largest study of menopause.
As a young, male industrial designer, what inspired you to create a product that addresses menopausal women?
Introducing a product into the world and seeing it make a genuine difference to people has been a dream of mine since starting university in 2013. While I was trying to find areas of focus for my final year at Loughborough University, I had a conversation with my manager. We discussed areas of design which had not received much attention and menopause was one of them.
Considering it as a year-long design project was a daunting prospect at first, as I knew nothing about it. However, the more I researched, the more I couldn't believe that an effective, non-invasive solution had still not been created. The magnitude of the issue, as well as my determination to improve people's lives, inspired me to address menopause from a design perspective.
The menopause market is saturated with kitschy wearables and novelty pieces, like fan necklaces and cooling pearls. Why have there been so few products to approach menopause with style?
It's possible that companies have been able to get away with selling these products for so long due to the sheer desperation women are feeling. The relative lack of funding and investment into physical solutions for menopause will also have played its part in slowing development of better products.
Overall, companies seem to misunderstand these women's wants, needs and aspirations when it comes to wearables. JWT Intelligence really hit the nail on the head here—the Elastic Generation are not the uncool or behind-the-times women that businesses have assumed they are for so many years. Having said that, I think this lack of thoughtfulness is steadily improving. As menopause receives more attention, more sophisticated products will enter the market space, effectively meeting user needs and appealing on an aesthetic level. There simply won't be the market for garish products that there appears to be right now.
Grace is a sleek and beautiful piece of jewelry that wouldn't immediately be recognized as a product designed to alleviate menopause symptoms. How do its elegance and discreetness work to undo cultural taboos?
Thank you! For a long time now, menopause has been something that isn't spoken about openly. Now the hashtag #breakthetabootrends on Twitter on World Menopause Day [18 October]. Times are clearly changing. A product that is designed to be hidden feels like a step backwards, encouraging women to keep their menopausal symptoms hidden. On the other hand, a badge with a big M printed on it—an idea which received attention in the United Kingdom recently—may feel like too much of a label.
You've said that Grace helps not just with the physical symptoms of menopause, but also with the emotional side effects. Can you explain how Grace helps women regain their control and confidence?
Women commonly describe the fear they have that a hot flash will hit them at a really inconvenient time—in an important meeting, or on crowded public transport, for example. Simply knowing that you have the means to counter a hot flash if it happens can do a lot to restore the control that you want to feel over your body. This feeling of control and confidence is especially important at night.
At Loughborough University, we have a Clinical Sleep Research Unit. Once I had an initial concept for Grace, I approached the team there, to get their take on whether using Grace could help women get a better night's sleep. Their opinion was strongly in favor, telling me how important it is to have a calm mind at night. Because Grace could counter the physical effects of night sweats, the user may also get to sleep faster, safe in the knowledge they won't be waking up due to hot flashes.
What was the most surprising finding you encountered while developing this product?
The most surprising thing for me personally has been hearing first-hand accounts of women struggling every day with menopause. I'm used to seeing facts and figures but, since Grace was unveiled to the public, it's been the individual stories of women all over the world who have been in contact that's left the biggest impression on me. Their desperation to be involved as research participants so they can use Grace as soon as possible has really made me feel their urgency and has motivated me even more.
What do you hope to achieve with the data collected through Grace's technology?
My hope is that data generated by Grace can be used on multiple levels—firstly, to benefit the individual. A smartphone app is being developed to help users understand patterns and trends associated with their hot flashes in greater detail.The ability to send this data to their medical professional or specialist would make it easier for those professionals to give more tailored advice, following many stories of frustrating appointments I have heard.
It was apparent from the start, with university-level access to academic papers online, that very little large-scale research has been done on menopause. People who wear Grace on a daily basis could anonymously help facilitate the largest study on menopause so far. Using the vast pool of data collected, we could shed light on patterns and global trends of hot flashes in relation to age, nationality, lifestyle and more.
What's next for Grace? Will it be available for purchase in the near future?
I am actively looking for investment and funding to help take Grace to the next level with increasingly advanced prototypes and rounds of testing. I hope that in the near future Grace will be widely available, supporting women who are experiencing hot flashes.


text:
Q: How can I simplify this pieces of repeated codes? I have a component which has many events, and I want to control this events by one flag. As readOnly becomes true, all events should not work. Here's an example.

const event1 = () => {
    if (!readOnly) {
        // do something
    }
}

const event2 = () => {
    if (!readOnly) {
        // do something
    }
}

const event3 = () => {
    if (!readOnly) {
        // do something
    }
}

There are repeated codes in every events, and I want to simplify this.
Is there an idea to simplify this codes?
I thought the template method pattern first, but I don't use it because it has too much overhead as I think. Also, there is a solution like this code below.

const doWhenNotReadOnly = (function) => {
    if (readOnly) return;
    function();
}

const event1 = () => {
    // do something
}

const event2 = () => {
    // do something
}

const event3 = () => {
    // do something
}

Are this codes are better than first codes?

A:

var readOnly = false;
function execAnEvent(evt){
  switch(evt){
    case 1:
      document.write("
This is random number: " + Math.random() + "
");
      break;
    case 2:
      alert("You have clicked me!");
      break;
    case 3:
      if(confirm("Wanna open https://majorflux.codehs.me?")){
        window.open("https://majorflux.codehs.me");
      }
      break;
    case 4:
      console.error("255.255.255.255.255.255 is an invalid IP address!");
      break;
  }
}
div{
  background: red;
  border: 2px outset green;
  width: 100%;
  height: 100px;
}

Usage of a switch element can help, in combination with a function that has at least one parameter.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
White knight gives Beth and..
White knight gives Beth and her mum a night to remember
Ross and Russel
A white knight has come to the aid of an elderly woman and her daughter duped into buying tickets they thought were close to front row from a ticket resale site.
The story first emerged on 3AW Breakfast's Rumour File on Wednesday.
Beth Simpson and her 85-year-old mother purchased tickets to Dream Lover the musical, but were shocked when they arrived in the mail to find they were actually to be seated right up the back.
But Beth told Ross and John this morning they got to see the show last night and it was a welcome night off after a difficult period for her family.
"It was fantastic, we got front row seats in the dress circle," she said.
"When we got there mum said that's where she would have wanted to sit.
"It was a chance for her to forget about everything else that's been happening."
Click PLAY to hear more


Interested in the new Lumia 630? Connects are giving away 5 of the new Windows Phone 8.1 devices along with 3 extra Shells, all in different colours. In order to win you need to share a picture featuring the colours Yellow, Green and Orange, matching the colours the 630 is available in, on Instagram, along with the hashtag #LumiaYGO.
Ready to paint the town yellow, orange and green? Then all you need do is check out the Terms and Conditions of the competition and you're good to go. You have the whole month of May to enter, and you can submit as many pics as you like.
If you're in your bright minds, now is the time to create some #LumiaYGO masterpieces! We can't wait to see what you come up with. We're all eyes for your pics, and all ears for your comments on this month's theme. Do you love the new Lumia shells? Which one would you pick for yourself?
Connects are also inviting you to get some inspiration from their Instagram feed. Find out more about this contest by reading the post on Conversations.


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Fire and Smoke Alarms from February 2022: Landlord/Factor perspective
Created: 15 November 2021 09:49
The Scottish Government has introduced new rules for fire and smoke alarms across homes in Scotland. From February 2022, every home in Scotland must have:
A smoke alarm in the living room or most commonly used room
A smoke alarm in circulation spaces such as hallways or landings
A heat alarm in every kitchen
All alarms need to be mounted on the ceiling and interlinked. They can either be sealed battery alarms or mains wired alarms.
You will also require a carbon monoxide alarm where there are fixed combustion appliances such as boilers and wood burners
The Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 will be amended to reflect the new rules.
These rules already apply to private rented properties and new-builds, but from February 2022 will be extended to all homes in Scotland. It will be the responsibility of the home owner or landlord to ensure that all properties meet the required standard.
Social housing perspective
Installation of these new alarms could be an expensive outlay for social landlords, as the Government estimate that it will cost £220 to bring an average three bedroom house up to the required standard. Although the Scottish Government has made over £15 million of loan funding available for social landlords to ensure that tenants are safe in their homes, potential problems and interesting legal problems could arise.
For example, what can a landlord do if the tenant fails to provide access to the property in order to install the necessary alarms? Social landlords should already be lettering tenants regarding the installation of these new alarms. If this does not encourage engagement from tenants, we can send formal letters and if needed, raise a court action for access to the property. Social landlords can currently force access for gas safety checks, however it is unclear whether similar powers will apply to the installation of smoke and heat alarms.
Local authorities will be responsible for requiring home owners and landlords to bring their properties up to the new standard. While it is not a criminal offence if landlords are unable to meet the standard, non-compliance could have an effect on insurance. Different home or building insurers may require that the insured property complies with the Fire Safety laws, having properties without the necessary alarms in place could invalidate any insurance.
This could also apply to factors. The alarms do not need to be in place in common areas, so factors have no responsibility to ensure compliance in privately owned properties. However, factors are likely to be responsible for the building insurance. It is not clear if factors can take any active steps to force installation nor what approach insurers will take. As a best case scenario insurers are likely to increase premiums where landlords or factors cannot warrant that all properties have the required alarms, but a worst case scenario could be invalid insurance claims.
The potential issue with insurance could have a knock on effect on Standard Securities, which could require valid home insurance. The Scottish government have advised anyone with such concerns to contact their insurers.
We are waiting on further guidance from both the Scottish Government and insurers on these issues. In the meantime, please contact a member of our Property department for further advice.
Written by : Mark Oswald
Life at TCY
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Fire and Smoke Alarms – New Rules from February 2022
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Home / Flotsam / Flotsam digital
Flotsam digital
Flotsam: Adrift Amongst the Stars is a roleplaying game about outcasts, renegades and misfits living in the belly of a space station, in the shadow of a more prosperous society. You play through their everyday lives, interpersonal relationships and small-scale drama in the Below, a dangerous world where poverty, social strife and gang conflict sit side-by-side with alien technology and supernatural weirdness.
Imagine the Belters of the Expanse watching as Earth and Mars shape their lives, the civilians in Battlestar Galactica living with the decisions made by the military and the folk of Downbelow in Babylon 5, abandoned to destitution and squalor by those who built the station. This game is about characters like that.
The game is GMless and diceless, with rules that point your characters at each other and bring their relationships into sharp focus. They help you create a rich setting, flawed characters, and charged relationships which develop over time. You'll watch your characters evolve and change before your eyes. It's really cool.
FLOTSAM IS A GAME FOR 3-5 PEOPLE AND TAKES 3-4 HOURS TO PLAY.
Buy on Itch
Category: Flotsam Tags: dream askew, flotsam, flotsam adrift amongst the stars, flotsam rpg, gmless
Bought Flotsam at a gaming store or convention? You can get the digital files for free. Take a look at our digital guarantee.
The game needs 3-5 people to play. It gives everyone a Primary character to play and a Situation to run the rest of the time, so you'll be fully engaged in the game at all times, and every scene will harness the full creative power of the group. Clean, simple rules enable you to juggle those roles without difficulty, even if you're not used to playing without a GM. There's a one-page overview of how the game flows below, and you get access to the full draft rules immediately when you back the game.
"It felt like taking a small step towards GMing" – Sue Elliott, playtester
Your Primary character might be:
The Thunder, a gang leader or law enforcer
The Spider, a trader, spymaster or criminal
The Voice, a cultist, community leader or demagogue
The Cast-Off, a drifter and freelancer
The Sybyl, a prophetess with uncanny powers
The Hybrid, a blend of human and something else (AI, alien, god)
You could push forward a Situation like:
The Community's social strife and internal divisions
The relentless effects of Poverty
The Gangs who run things down here
The Above, a more prosperous and powerful society
The Spirits who inhabit this place
The people and things that come and go from Outside the station
"A wonderful, evolving story of the tangled relationships of people trapped in very difficult circumstances" – Simon Miller, playtester
Flotsam is all about the way your characters' personal issues and relationships develop over the time. And it's designed to unleash the creativity of your gaming group to produce a completely unique setting. As such, it's at its best when played as a campaign, so you've got time to make those things happen.
However, the game also includes quick-start scenarios which enable you to leap straight into a tense social situation full of charged relationships, perfect for one-shot play. You can play a satisfying Flotsam scenario in 3-4 hours.
A short, simple summary of how the rules work is here:
You can see a short example of Actual Play here:
Scenarios, handouts and other resources for Flotsam.
£3.00 – £26.00 View products
Flotsam hardcover + PDF


How to make members list in two columns?
<ul> I just dont know how to add the tables here.
<ul>'s, give them a fixed width, and float them left in the css.
Not really something for a beginner to be able to do.
Would you be able to help here?


Happy Wednesday my lovelies. How are you? Are you looking forward to Friday?
Today I am bringing you another review. Two reviews in one week! Yes I may have made a mistake with my scheduling but I'm so glad to be sharing this with you today.
Way back on the 17th February I ordered a box from treats to your door which cost £3.50 which included postage! Due to the snow my box arrived last week. Last Friday (2nd) and I loved it.
I genuinely love this company, I can't recommend it to people enough. I have raved about them to all of my friends and family and they are so impressed too. I won't lie, I only took one photo because I dug straight in and ate the sweets (with a little help from my mum and dad) within about 20 minutes.
My sweets arrived in perfect condition, I won't lie but I honestly thought that the postman ate them. They arrived in a white box, with a lot of tape around to make sure the box can't be opened in damage or transit I guess.
I have had all of these before so none of them were new for me and luckily I knew I liked everything I received. I ate the star mix within minutes, I do love a good haribo.
Personally I believe that they added the right portion of the sweets. A handful of haribo star mix in a clear bag is enough for a small sweet snack. I received 5 fried eggs. These are my dads favourites and he loved them.
My dad isn't really a man of many words but trust me that is a huge compliment.
I also received 5 strawberries which I didn't get the chance to eat because they are my mum's favourite sweet, so I kindly gave them to her. She clearly enjoyed them because she ate the whole lot.
Last but not least the chocolate disco disks, they reminded me a lot of my childhood, I used to get them on a Friday in a pick'n'mix after school with one of those white chocolate mice too. It was the highlight of the week. I loved the nostalgia of it.
I thoroughly enjoyed my box and I would happily pay £3.50 for a box again. It would make a great monthly subscription box which is something I think they should possibly look into setting up.
They are super easy to use, speak too and they make you feel so welcome. They are professional,friendly and helpful and that's the best way to make a strong business. I am genuinely buzzing to use them again. I have never found a small business that is already so successful and dedicated to reach their goals.
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La série des Matinées est constituée de 17 tableaux peints quasi simultanément par Claude Monet, datés en 1897. Ils représentent un bras de la Seine vu depuis son bateau-atelier amarré près de sa propriété à Giverny. Selon la classification Wildenstein, ils correspondent à la nomenclature 1472 à 1488.

Contexte
Durant les années passées à Argenteuil, Monet se fait construire un bateau-atelier lui permettant une plus grande possibilité de points de vue et aussi de se déplacer sur différents lieux propices. Manet le représente dans son tableau Claude Monet peignant dans son atelier en 1874.

Monet lui-même en fait des représentations à cette même date et en 1876.

Il s'inspire probablement de la démarche de Daubigny qui en a fait réaliser un en 1857.

À Giverny, vingt ans plus tard, il continue à utiliser le "Grand Bachot" comme il le surnomme, notamment pour réaliser la série des Matinées. Pour  accéder au site qu'il a choisi, il lui suffit de sortir de sa propriété, de traverser la route et la voie ferrée, et d'emprunter une barque sur un des bras de la Seine au confluent de l'Epte.

Une fois sur place, il travaille simultanément sur la plupart des tableaux de la série, comme le rapporte un journaliste travaillant pour La Revue illustrée, Maurice Guillemot. Celui-ci en fait un reportage sur les pas du peintre en août 1897. Lors de cette visite, Guillemot relève que Monet travaille sur  en même temps.

Dans les séries des Meules et des Cathédrales de Rouen, Monet cherche à saisir des moments où la lumière s'exerce selon les saisons ou les heures de la journée.

Pour la série des Matinées, il restreint le champ des variants par rapport à ces deux séries. Il choisit l'été et le début de la matinée.

Il commence en 1896 mais c'est en 1897 qu'il s'y consacre particulièrement, à la faveur d'un temps plus clément. Après avoir saisi les motifs sur place, il termine les tableaux dans son atelier.

Composition picturale

Dans cette série, Monet choisit une composition picturale qui donne une large place à la surface de l'eau. Il offre ainsi le sentiment  d'un véritable cheminement aquatique, grâce aux reflets des arbres et du ciel contribuant à la mise en perspective.

La différenciation des tons et des formes entre les différents tableaux est subtile, uniquement  la conséquence de différentes conditions atmosphériques rencontrées.

Par la constance de son cadrage, quasiment inchangé selon les tableaux, Monet démontre une maîtrise de son sujet, qui est, non pas le paysage lui-même, mais l'ambiance que l'on peut rencontrer dans un même lieu, à la même période de l'année, sur une période de quelques jours.

On peut y voir un tournant majeur dans sa démarche artistique, après des années 1890 consacrées à des sujets où l'eau est très peu présente. Hormis la série des Peupliers, qui utilise un peu les reflets de l'Epte, mais de manière assez marginale, les Meules, les Cathédrales de Rouen et les Monts Kolsås sont exclusivement "terriens". Même lors de ses séjours à Dieppe et ses environs au début des années 1896 et 1897, il semble n'avoir voulu retenir que les falaises et les vallons abrités.

La série des Matinées, de par le rôle primordial que joue la représentation de la surface de l'eau, préfigure nettement celle des Nymphéas. Elle  constitue ainsi, dans l'œuvre de Monet, une étape importante le conduisant vers cette autre série à laquelle il va se consacrer de plus en plus  jusqu'à sa mort en 1926. C'est d'ailleurs durant la même année 1897 qu'il va commencer à en peindre les premiers tableaux.

Les prémices
Monet commence à travailler sur le site dès 1885. Trois tableaux de cette époque en témoignent.

Les tableaux précurseurs
Quatre tableaux, probablement réalisés juste avant la série proprement dite, montrent des vues traitées de manière similaire. Monet les a datés de 1896 pour les trois premiers. Il n'a pas daté le quatrième.

Les tableaux de la série

Expositions
La galerie Georges Petit expose plusieurs tableaux de la série en 1898. La présence des W 1474 à W1478 et W1487 y est attestée par Daniel Wildenstein dans son catalogue raisonné. Celle des autres tableaux n'y est pas indiquée comme certaine.

Le compte rendu laissé par Julie Manet après sa visite de l'exposition, mentionne que la série "Seine" occupe un panneau de la "grande salle Petit"   sans préciser le nombre de tableaux, mais note deux "Seine" "à l'eau assez clapotante".

Évocations dans la littérature
Dans Jean Santeuil, Marcel Proust évoque le charme produit par les tableaux de la série.

Bibliographie
 Daniel Wildenstein "Monet ou le Triomphe de l'Impressionnisme" Taschen - 2003
 Daniel Wildenstein "Monet - Catalogue raisonné" - tomes 2 à 4 - Taschen - 1996
 Jean-Dominique Rey et Denis Rouart "Monet - Les Nymphéas - l'Intégralité" - Flammarion - 2016

Notes et références

Série de peintures de Claude Monet

Impressionnisme
Tableau des années 1890


The French Champions on Wednesday night progressed to the Quarter-Finals against Chelsea by aggregate.
The night heated up when the PSG player, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was given a controversial red card in the 31st minute for a challenge against Oscar.
The first goal came late from Chelsea's Gary Cahill. The goal was replied only five minutes after by former chelsea star, David Luiz from a stunning header.
The match progressed to extra time where Eden Hazard scored a penalty from a Thiago Silva foul. Silva paid atoned for his mistake by scoring decisive equalizer to take PSG to the Quarter-Finals by aggregate.


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Lev Féliksovich Lagorio (en ruso: Лев Феликсович Лагорио; Feodosia, 9 de diciembre de 1826 - San Petersburgo, 17 de noviembre de 1905) fue un pintor y acuarelista ruso conocido principalmente por sus paisajes y escenas marinas. Estuvo asociado con la escuela de pintura "cimeriana", conformado por artistas que trabajaban en el sur de la península de Crimea.

Biografía
Su padre, Felice Lagorio (1781-1857), era un mercader genovés que ejerció como cónsul externo para el Reino de las Dos Sicilias. Entre 1839 y 1840, recibió su primera formación artística en los estudios de Iván Aivazovsky. En 1842, con el apoyo de Alexander Kaznacheyev, gobernador de Táurida, pudo matricularse en la Academia Imperial de las Artes. Más tarde, logró obtener apoyo financiero por parte de Maximiliano de Beauharnais, el nuevo presidente de la Academia. Entre sus profesores estaban Alexander Sauerweid, Maxim Vorobiev y Bogdan Willewalde.

En 1850, recibió el título de "Artista" por su pintura Vista de Lahti y dos años después obtuvo la ciudadanía rusa. También se le otorgó una pensión para poder estudiar en el extranjero, visitando primero París (1853), y luego yendo a Roma, donde permaneció hasta 1859, pagando de sus propio bolsillo los últimos dos años.

Tras su regreso, en 1860, fue nombrado profesor y exhibió las obras que había realizado en Italia. Viajó a la región del Cáucaso en 1861 y presentó una serie de paisajes desde allí ante el zar Alejandro II, quien lo condecoró con la Orden de Santa Ana.

Volvió al Cáucaso entre 1863 y 1864, con el séquito del Gran Duque Miguel Nikolayevich, donde participó en la Guerra del Cáucaso. Después se estableció en San Petersburgo, pasando el verano en Sudak y haciendo frecuentes viajes al extranjero.

En 1885, se le encargó pintar una serie de obras relacionadas con la Guerra ruso-turca de 1877-1878 y visitó campos de batalla durante los escenarios europeos y asiáticos. En 1900, fue nombrado miembro honorario de la Academia. Fue sepultado en el Cementerio Novodévichi, San Petersburgo.

Galería

Referencias

Bibliografía
 N.O. Mayorova y G.K. Skokov, Лев Лагорио: история жизненного пути, творческое наследие, (Historia de su vida y patrimonio creativo), Белый город, 2006

Enlaces externos
 ArtNet: Más obras realizadas por Lagorio.
Nacidos en 1828
Fallecidos en 1905
Pintores de Rusia del siglo XIX
Pintores de Rusia del siglo XX
Pintores marinistas
Galardonados con la Orden de Santa Ana
Fallecidos en San Petersburgo


Hi! I'm Peter Hedman, a finishing PhD student in computer vision at University College London.
My focus is on creating immersive 3D experiences from easy-to-capture footage of real places. For example, you may want to scan and digitally revisit your childhood home, or capture a VR-ready 3D panorama of the places you visit during a vacation.
Formally, my research interests are image-based rendering, 3D reconstruction, multi-view stereo and global illumination. Aside from my research interests, I'm passionate about GPU programming, physically-based rendering and real-time graphics.


Fonte De Medici is a luxurious agritourism that comprises three clusters of wholly restructured and newly equipped farmhouses from the XIII century, owned by Antinori family.
This ancient borgo (typical small country town), surrounded by the prestigious tuscan vineyards so popular all over the world, is located between Florence and Siena, one of the most beautiful road for wine and food lovers who want to experience a relaxing holiday in a very special place.
Each of the charming apartment has been finely restored and named after grape or olive varieties, reminding one of being in one of the most famous wine and olive oil producing areas in the world. Furthermore, the guests at Fonte De Medici have a swimming pool and a solarium with a magnificient panoramic view. Just a few steps away there is also a little fitness center with sauna, a steam room and other relaxing areas as well as a tennis/football field. Inside the main house there is also the Trattoria della Fonte, where a wide range of typical dishes from the Chianti area is served matching the wines from Antinori.


With the cost of buying new and second hand caravans increasing due to the populataty of holidaying or staycationing in this country, its more cost effective to upgrade the caravan you love and currently have rather than spending in some instances tens of thousnads of pounds for a caravan that doesnt have the feel of what you already own.
We can install speclialist Caravan Double Glazing with a 34mm profile made only for caravans with the opening windows you want at no extra charges, with the added benefits of security, less condensation, noice reduction and added warmth. We provide a 5 year guarantee on our windows. With a colour range of White, Brown, Grey, Green, Oak and Wood Effect.
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A typical Air Con install with the wiring, gas trunking and labour is £989 inc VAT, and at less than £1 per day to run its a cheap option.


text:
Click {here}`); bedsrcript.src = "https://dsrportal-cdn.bc0a.com/corejs/be-dsr.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(bedsrcript, s); })(); The Importance of Serving with Compassion | Assumption University
News and Events News The Importance of Serving with Compassion
The Importance of Serving with Compassion
As a political science major, Matthew Brennan '12 learned many important lessons, among the most valuable of them the need to serve with compassion. After graduating, Brennan carried with him a quote from the Venerable Father Emmanuel d'Alzon: "The secret of our influence is that we love our students, that they feel our love." Brennan said that this statement guides him in his career as a healthcare professional.
Brennan, a Shrewsbury native, serves as the managing director of Family Lives, a
Westborough-based human services organization that provides disabled individuals with comprehensive home healthcare services, including physical, occupational, and speech/language therapies; augmentative communication; and nursing. After earning a bachelor's degree from Assumption, Brennan continued his education at the University of Cambridge where he studied law. Ultimately, he returned to the Worcester area to pursue opportunities with Family Lives.
Brennan enjoys a personal connection to Family Lives, which was founded by a group of families and healthcare professionals in 1999; his mother Carolyn serves as chief executive officer and his brother, Michael, was a patron of the organization's services, receiving continuous nursing care at home.
"It is good to work for an organization that works – like my brother worked – not only for desegregation or integration of some human beings, but for the sanctity of all human life," Brennan explained. According to the organization's mission statement, Family Lives is committed to safeguarding the home lives of people and treating each client with respect and dignity.
As managing director, a position he assumed in 2016, Brennan works to "ensure that the nursing and therapy services are provided with respect and care" and to "support, partner with, guide, form, and advocate for the people that make us: our patients, families, nurses, therapists, staff, and supervisors," he said.
Brennan added that the best part of his work is "being witness to the good lives" of those he serves and with whom he works.
At Assumption, Brennan learned skills that prepared him for life outside of studying and work. "My professors introduced me to differences with which I was unacquainted – the difference between care and control, the difference between goodness and greatness, the difference between providence and prudence – and invited me to choose one or the other," he said, adding that he also developed a passion for serving thanks to his undergraduate formation at Assumption. "My professors taught me that education is a relationship, a relationship of care in which a teacher cultivates a student so that he or she may choose to live a life of integrity," he said.
Brennan said that his experience at Family Lives has been eye opening. "We work to assist our patients in achievement of everyday life, life with the things that you and I take for granted: love and friendship, home and neighborhood, work and study," he reflected. "This we accomplish not only by caring for the health of our patients, but also by enhancing their image and competency. The better our competency and image, the more access we have to good things."
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTION BY KAITLYN FRIEL '19
Emmanuel d'Alzon Library
Hound of the Week: Margaret Brennan '20
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Adam Savage, that dude from Mythbusters, transformed a NERF Rival Nemesis blaster into the ultimate non-lethal weapon. When he was done, it had a magazine that could hold a THOUSAND soft plastic NERF balls.
Next articleTHIS DUDE DROPPING AN ELBOW ON A CROCODILE WILL MAKE YOUR WEEK!


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High-Performance Plastics in Fuel Cells for Emission-Free Mobility
Ensinger
The topic of emission-free mobility has become quite familiar to the average person today. In a time when sustainability is more critical than ever, engineers and researchers are continuously seeking solutions to the arduous carbon-emission problem, particularly in the energy and transportation sectors. One technology that has gained momentum over recent years is the fuel cell. Considered an appropriate alternative to the traditional combustion engine, the fuel cell requires high-performance materials that enable it to operate as efficiently as possible. This is where Ensinger's TECACOMP HTE materials come into play. As high-performance engineering thermoplastics, TECACOMP HTE compounds have excellent mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties rendering them highly reliable materials for bipolar plates in fuel cells.
Credit: Ensinger Plastics.
The fuel cell and its environmental impact
A fuel cell is an electrochemical system that converts chemical energy to electrical energy. It basically runs like a battery but does not decay or require recharging. It simply keeps functioning as long as there is a fuel supply. Most fuel cells are based on hydrogen and oxygen, which enables electricity generation with the harmless byproduct, water. This positions fuel cells as the eco-friendly alternative to internal combustion engines, for example, which are known for their carbon dioxide emissions. Other fuels are also used for energy conversion, including methanol, butane, and natural gas.
Given their high efficiency and environmental advantages, fuel cells have found their way into many application areas, including the transportation sector, consumer electronics, satellites, and more. All this comes as a result of their mode of operation and the materials that constitute their parts.
The most commonly used fuel cell today, especially in vehicle applications, is the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell. Also known as the proton-exchange membrane fuel cell, the PEM fuel cell's operation is centered around the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). This combination of layers includes the proton-exchange membrane itself, catalyst layers, and gas diffusion layers (GDL). This assembly is supported by gaskets to ensure no gas leakage takes place and bipolar plates, which transport the reactant gases from the MEA to the endplates. In fact, not only do bipolar plates serve as channels for the reactants, but they also help assemble stacks of PEM fuel cells.
The role of bipolar plates in fuel cells
Fuel cells are generally utilized in stacks due to the demand for high voltages in most applications. That is why many MEAs are stacked on top of one another in a series connection, combining to produce a sufficient useful voltage. This is where bipolar plates come into play.
Bipolar plates sandwich each fuel cell to separate it from the adjacent cells. These plates offer good conductivity - both electric and thermal - and sufficient mechanical strength to endure the contact pressure in the cell. Each plate has multiple channels machined into it, known as "flow field." These channels permit the gas flow over the adjoining MEA. Other channels are also used for coolant circulation, and in that manner, bipolar plates separate the reaction gases from the cooling media and distribute them into the reaction zones.
Bipolar plates can be made of metal, carbon, or polymeric composites. In effect, polymeric materials have shown clear advantages over other materials, especially taking into account the weight, volume, and cost contributions.
Ensinger, a leading producer of high-performance plastics, have developed highly filled thermoplastics called TECACOMP HTE, particularly for the use in bipolar plates of fuel cells. TECACOMP-HTE-based bipolar plates stand out thanks to their excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, permeability, and mechanical strength. These engineering thermoplastics are suitable for injection moulding and hot compression processing, and they are optimized to resist the chemical media inside the fuel cell. This gives them a clear advantage over metal-based bipolar plates, which would require costly chemical-resistant coatings to be layered on top before stack assembly. As a result, such thermoplastics have extended the service life of bipolar plates four times longer than metal plates.
The table below shows a list of the TECACOMP HTE materials provided by Ensinger and some of their key properties. These are produced as a powder or granules based on either polypropylene (PP) or polypropylene sulfide (PPS).
Table 1. Key properties of Ensinger's TECACOMP HTE compounds.
TECACOMP PP HTE black 1014973
TECACOMP PP HTE PW black 1014974
TECACOMP PPS HTE black 1017672
TECACOMP PPS HTE PW black 1014976
Density (23.0 °C)
Flexural strength (23.0 °C)
Impact strength, Charpy unnotched (23.0 °C)
1.7 kJ/m²
Max service temperature
90 - 130 °C
200 - 280 °C
UL94 class HB, DIN IEC 60695-11-10
Electrical conductivity (23.0 °C)
2500 S/m
16800 S/m
Fillers (90 % by weight)
Visit the TECACOMP HTE materials' technical datasheets for more detailed information.
With such materials, bipolar plates can be highly effective in supporting fuel cells to efficiently allow emission-free energy conversion and reduce the carbon footprint of many applications. Ensinger has made sure that these compounds are well-tested and ready for use in demanding conditions. As the key account manager at Ensinger, Joachim Reidenbach, expressed: "We are currently receiving a great many enquiries about our TECACOMP HTE materials, which have been tried and tested in practice. Ensinger is prepared for this trend and can also manage production quantities of over 200 tonnes."
About Ensinger
Ensinger Compounds develops and produces high-performance compounds (high-performance plastics) with fillers and additives whose formulations are precisely and individually adjusted in line with the customer's requirements, making them suitable for a varied range of technical applications. Ensinger's portfolio comprises formulations that are electrically conductive, thermally conductive, abrasion and wear-optimized, detectable and designed to permit laser direct structuring. Today, Ensinger is collaborating with Matmatch to bring materials like TECACOMP HTE closer to engineers and product developers seeking high-performance materials for their projects.
Explore and compare the different materials from Ensinger.
Visit the Ensinger supplier profile for more information.
Article by Ensinger GmbH
High Performance Plastics: Ensinger Compounds develops and produces high-performance compounds with fillers and additives whose formulations are precisely and individually adjusted in line with the customer's requirements, making them suitable for a varied range of technical applications.
Our portfolio comprises formulations which are electrically conductive, thermally conductive, abrasion and wear-optimized, detectable and designed to permit laser direct structuring. The structure of the company, the specialization of its employees and its widely diverse machine equipment outfit lends us the flexibility required to offer you optimum service, whether for small quantities or large-scale series production.
https://www.ensingerplastics.com
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Ensinger GmbH
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I hate taking the bus. I absolutely despise it. I've lived in Winnipeg for 22 years and yet, no amount of Winnipeg Transit experience prepares me for the pure misery I feel as I stand outside in -30 C weather, waiting for a bus that will never come. I'm never sure why it won't come. Maybe it broke down as a result of the unbearably cold weather. Maybe the bus driver was ahead of schedule, blew past my stop 10 minutes ago, and is now sitting comfortably at Confusion Corner, wondering why the bus is so empty this morning. Either way, I'm still cold, pissed off and late for class.
Lacking both a license and the will to drive a car, my transportation options in the winter are limited. I can take the bus or I can ride my bicycle. I could also walk, but I don't fancy leaving my house two hours before class starts. Up until a few years ago, riding a bicycle in the winter sounded ridiculous. I can barely handle the walk from my apartment to the bus stop without freezing exposed skin. How could anyone handle upwards of an hour braving not just the bitter cold, but all that snow?
It's actually a lot easier than it looks. For one, the snow is much less of a problem than it seems. Unless there has been a recent dumping of snow, the major roads in Winnipeg are about as dry as they are in the summer. There may be the occasional patches of ice or build-ups of snow, but not as many as you would think. Even when it has recently snowed, a good pair of knobby tires and a slow pace should be enough to keep you upright. Other than your tires, there aren't a lot of changes that need to be made to your bike. You'll have to do a little extra maintenance, making sure you clean and lube your chain frequently, especially once it gets slushy outside. If you know you'll be out past 5 p.m., invest in some good bicycle lights.
What you wear while you're riding is going to have a huge effect on your winter cycling experience. Too little clothing and you'll find yourself cold, and probably in pain very quickly. Too much clothing will make you sweat, and weigh you down. The best way to prevent either is with an army of layers.
Your base layer should be something that will wick sweat away from your body. This keeps you dry, a crucial part of staying warm. Your second layer should be a fleece or other type of breathable insulation. This layer is meant to keep your body warm. Depending on how good this layer is at keeping you warm, you may want more than one insulating layer. The final layer should be wind-resistant, to keep in warmth, and keep out the cold winter wind.
How many layers you wear on your lower body depends mostly on personal preference. While some cyclists recommend a similar layering system to the upper body, I've found the final wind-resistant layer to be generally unnecessary unless there is a lot of slush on the road. Even then, I am more concerned with water-resistance than wind-resistance.
Unlike your upper body and legs, your hands and feet are much less likely to warm up as you ride. Especially in extremely low temperatures, your extremities are the first to feel the cold. Lobster claw mittens are popular, but a little pricey. I usually wear two pairs of gloves, making sure that the outer pair is wind-proof. Ski gloves work well, and are usually not too expensive. Two pairs of socks are a good idea on your feet as well. A pair of thick wool socks over thinner, preferably wicking socks, should do well. The shoes you wear are more or less up to you. Some people wear hiking boots, but they can feel very heavy. I just use my summer cycling shoes, and if it is particularly cold or wet, some cycling shoe covers on top.
How you keep your head and face warm depends a lot on the weather. While a neck warmer and toque under your helmet might be enough on a mild day, you should definitely be prepared to cover all your exposed skin when it gets really cold. A balaclava is pretty well a must, as well as possibly a toque and neck warmer overtop. You might also want to use ski goggles if your eyes are sensitive to the cold. It may take a few tries to figure out what works best for you. My brother rides the whole winter with almost no face protection, while I suit up in full balaclava gear even when it's only -10 C. You should also make sure you can breathe well under all of your gear. Many balaclavas only come with a nose opening, so if you know you normally take deep breaths through your mouth while riding, you should make sure to find something with a mouth hole.
If you're not up for riding on treacherously cold days that doesn't mean you need to keep your bicycle in storage for the next two months. You can always take the bus once in awhile and still save $50 a month on bus fare, not to mention a large portion of your sanity. Cycling in the winter isn't an all-or-nothing activity, and it's easier than you think.


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PAX 2011: On the (re)starting line with APB: Reloaded
J. Olivetti|08.29.11
J. Olivetti
In this article: 1.5.3, 1.5.4, 1.5.5, 1.6, aimbot, aimbots, aimbotting, all-points-bulletin, apb, apb-reloaded, beta, clan-warfare, contacts, criminals, enforcers, featured, gamersfirst, Jon-Enee-Merriex, launch, level-cap, patch, pax, pax-prime, pax-prime-2011, relaunch, swat, update, wall-hacks
There's nothing like a car crash to slow down traffic as everyone rubbernecks at someone else's misfortune. Likewise, gamers and media alike were fascinated with the premature demise of last year's All Points Bulletin, craning their heads to see how extensive the damage was.
But out of the wreck a new and improved version of the game was born, and now the crowds are equally taking notice of this resurrection. Not every canceled MMO gets a second chance at life, after all. This is why we were glad to sit down with GamersFirst's Jon-Enee Merriex at PAX to discuss how APB's reloading is going, what the devs have planned between now and launch, and what other projects they're tackling.
Put the pedal to the metal and hit that jump -- this interview can't drive 55!
Massively: So what are you working on now?
Jon-Enee Merriex: We've been working on our next update, 1.5.3, and it should be out in the next few weeks. We're doing a lot of changes to the code to stop a lot of the cheating, which is annoying. We're also starting to do statistical analysis to catch cheaters, looking at player activity to see if they're cheating and things like that. And there's other stuff I can't talk about or I'll get killed!
Our design team is working on a lot of projects as well. We're adding new contacts and more levels in the next month or so. We're going to increase the level cap again and add tier 5 contacts, which will have things like car kits and mods and SWAT gear, which players have been waiting for. Oh yeah, and permanent weapons, so they'll do a whole bunch of new stuff with that.
What's been the hardest aspect of the cheating to deal with?
It's really funny -- there are two main issues we're handling. Fortunately, the game is server-side, so it's really hard to hack. The two issues are wall hacks and aimbots. Depending on what type of player you are, one will annoy you more than the other. So the casual players tend to be very annoyed by wall hacks, and the more skilled players are worried about aimbots. That's because when people use aimbots, they end up in the high ranks, so the advance players have to face them a lot.
So with 1.5.3 we're focusing on wall hacks and changing the way all that works, so they won't be as exploitable. Part of the issue with aimbots is that because it's a client issue, the client is sending us bad information, things it shouldn't be doing. We have a couple of ideas we're working on; we can't talk about it, but it will make aimbotting much more difficult. It's our number one issue, and although it's just 3% of the players, they can ruin the game for the rest.
What's the level cap going to be?
We haven't determined that yet.
Uh-huh!
[Laughs] We're still working on it. But there will be eight new contacts: four new criminal contacts and four new enforcer contacts. As far as extending the level cap, we're trying to determine how many ranks each of the contacts will have. Once we know that, we'll know how far we're going to raise the level cap. Hopefully within two weeks or so we'll have more details on that.
So all of these wonderful things we can't know about yet!
You can still play the beta, though. We're about to cross 800,000 players. I was actually expecting it to happen this weekend, but it didn't.
What does the launch window for APB: Reloaded look like?
Fall. We're basically saying "when it's ready." I can say this: 1.5.3 is going to be a big cheat patch to deal with the cheating, 1.5.4 is going to have the new contacts and additional areas in the waterfront and financial districts, and we may have a 1.5.5 -- we haven't determined that yet. Patch 1.6 is going to be clan warfare, and that's the patch we're going to launch with.
Having seen our track record on releasing updates every four to six weeks, you can determine the launch. I didn't say any launch date, but that's what we're looking at right now. We're very close. You guys have already talked about our retail, and we're working with Steam and something else -- I can't say the other thing.
Stop doing that!
Another major company is doing something really big they're going to announce, I think, next week, and then you'll understand -- we're working with them as well.
Thank you for talking with us!
Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 26-28, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about SWTOR, Guild Wars 2, City of Heroes, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!


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Exclusive interview with golf star Justin Rose: "I have great memories of playing in Abu Dhabi"
The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship returns for its 13th year at Abu Dhabi Golf Club this weekend. The four-day tournament will see 126 players compete for a $3 million prize fund. Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood will go head-to-head with World No 1 Dustin Johnson, four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy, 2016 Open champion and Olympic silver medallist Henrik Stenson and 2013 US Open Winner Rose. What's On caught up with the English star to get his thoughts on this year's competition – and his chances of winning
Your 2017 season was certainly an exciting one, with a strong finish towards the end of the year. How do you compare your first six months of the year to the last six months, and what do you credit your success to?
The 2017 season was one of the best of my career and the second half of it was so much fun. It's always easier when you're playing well but up until my back-to-back wins in China and Turkey I was probably giving myself a B-minus grade for the season. The late season victories and going close for the Race To Dubai title made it an A-minus season with one putt at Augusta away from being an A-plus, so I can't complain. There's not one thing that I changed that I could credit the wins to, I just played well when I was in contention and took a lot of confidence from it.
Ahead of Abu Dhabi, what are your plans for not only the championship here in the capital, but also the 2018 season?
I've played twice in Abu Dhabi now and went close to winning in 2013, so I have some great memories of the place and my plans are to try and go one better and start my season off in a positive way. This year is obviously a Ryder Cup year so a good start to the season on the European Tour is important to me and being able to get a result in Abu Dhabi against a world-class field will give me a lot of confidence for the season ahead.
As always, it's going to be a strong field of players in Abu Dhabi. What does that say about the Championship and what is the feeling amongst yourself and the players about returning?
I love starting the season here in Abu Dhabi because you always want to test yourself against the world's best players and being able to do it so early in the season is beneficial to all of us. The Championship has always been one of the strongest events of the European Tour schedule and rightly so attracts the best players from all over the world. The fact that the likes of Tiger, Phil and the current world no. 1, Dustin Johnson, have played here in the past, as well as the list of past champions, shows how popular the tournament is amongst the world's best.
The PGA Tour is filled with a great mix of players of all ages – what does that say about the modern game of golf?
The standard of golf these days on both the PGA Tour and European Tour is incredible. There's so much young talent coming through and giving us more established players a good run, every year there seems to be a new star. To win a tournament, any week of the year, is tough and you have to bring your best golf to finish at the top of the leaderboard.
You had a great battle with Tommy Fleetwood – the reigning champ – on the Race to Dubai. Planning to take away the Falcon Trophy from your British compatriot this weekend?
I really enjoyed my battle with Tommy at the end of last season and we were paired together quite a few times in the last few weeks so it did sometimes feel like we were playing head-to-head. In Abu Dhabi though, I'll be playing my own game and doing my best to shoot as low as I can. If I end up holding the famous Falcon Trophy at the end of the week, then I'll probably have a little bit of fun with Tommy.
You've been a pro for almost 20 years now. What are some of the greatest things you've learnt that you could share with the younger generations of golfers?
It has been a rollercoaster ride that's for sure and if I could do it all again, I wouldn't do much different. I'm extremely proud of the 20 years hard graft I've put in and pleased with what I've achieved. I've won a Major, and Olympic Gold and tournaments around the world, I've got some great memories and I'm really happy with where I'm at and believe I can achieve more. I think a piece of advice I would give is enjoy it. I've enjoyed everything I've done which has helped keep me motivated, fresh and ready for the challenge.
January 18 to 21
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, Dhs50 daily, under-18s free. Tel: (02) 8853555 Taxi: next to the Westin. abudhabigolfchampionship.com
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Shaquille O'Neal Compares KD-Westbrook Relationship to His With Penny Hardaway
The Russell Westbrook vs Kevin Durant "feud" appeared to have ended for a brief moment on Sunday night during the NBA All-Star Game when the two connected on an alley-oop. It even led to the entire Western Conference All-Star team celebrating.
Russ vs KD is probably one of the biggest and most fun storylines of the season so far, and Shaq was asked to weigh in on it via Fox Sports.
The Big Diesel had an interesting take on the situation, comparing it his relationship with Penny Hardaway on the Orlando Magic back in the 1990s.
"I've been in a similar situation. Probably due to lack of communication. I can understand what Russell's going through. I did the same thing to Penny [Anfernee Hardaway] when I signed in L.A. Me, I felt there was no need to call anybody and tell them what I was doing, and I'm sure Penny was hurt by that. I'm sure that's what it is. And then Russell's probably saying, 'You was my man, but you go to the team that beat us, and you don't even call me to tell me?' So it's just a lack of communication. They were always friends and always tight and always played together. But one lack of communication can cause everything."
What do you think of Shaq's comments? I can see it, but him leaving Orlando was more of the Magic's fault than it was ever Shaq wanting to leave them. That wasn't the case with Durant and OKC.
The ESPN 30 for 30 about the 1990s Magic, "The Magic Moment," perfectly describes what went down between Shaq, Penny and the Magic franchise. With that said, it's much different than Russ-KD situation.
I, for one, hope the feud (whether it's truly one or not) continues this year.
-- Josh Dhani
Golden State Warriors Josh Dhani Kevin Durant NBA Oklahoma City Thunder Orlando Magic Penny Hardaway Russell Westbrook Shaquille O'Neal Sports Trash Talk


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SHWETAMBARA PARAKH, M.D., FACS
PARAKH PLASTIC SURGERY
DR. SHWETAMBARA PARAKH WANTS HER PATIENTS TO BE THE BEST VERSION OF THEMSELVES and strives for results that are harmonious and natural. "My philosophy is to develop an individual treatment plan for each patient to ensure long-lasting results that are true to the whole person," says Dr. Parakh. Double-board certified, Dr. Parakh has established herself among the very best in the field of aesthetic and reconstructive surgery and strongly believes less is more when it comes to aesthetic surgery. Her quest to give patients a more personalized approach resulted in the creation of her private practice in 2017 where she personally sees every patient whether they are seeking an invasive or non-invasive treatment.
Dr. Parakh is the daughter of two physician parents who instilled in her that success comes through hard work and dedication. After attending one of the top medical schools in India, Dr. Parakh came to the United States to pursue a career in surgery and discovered her true passion for plastic surgery. She was accepted into the highly competitive plastic surgery training at the combined program of Cornell and Columbia Universities at New York Presbyterian Hospital and trained at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, Lenox Hill Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Hospital for Special Surgery. Her top-notch training taught her the classic techniques combined with the newest and most advanced innovations in aesthetic surgery.
Dr. Parakh is a master in the art and science of plastic surgeries that require the highest level of skill and aptitude exercising the safest standard of medical care. She specializes in what she likes to call, "The Mommy Makeover." She found a surge of women asking her to help them return to their "pre-baby" bodies, and filled that void in plastics in the New York metropolitan area. Her other areas of specialty include facial rejuvenation with face/neck and eye lifting; breast augmentation/lift; scarless and traditional breast reduction; gynecomastia; liposuction; tummy tuck and body contouring.
370 Grand Ave., Suite 202, Englewood, NJ 07631 • 201.567.1919 • parakhplasticsurgery.com
Categories: Bergen – Top Doctors 2020


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Audi A4 saloon (2019 - ) review
Cars Reviews & More
Review Audi A4 saloon (2019 - ) review
The Audi A4 has some of the fiercest competitors anywhere in motoring, but it more than holds its own, even in such esteemed company. Read our review to find out how.
Words by: Ivan Aistrop
Last updated: 28th November 2019
The Auto Trader expert verdict: ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.0
Available new from £30,835
The Audi A4 will be near the top of any executive car buyer's shortlist, and it thoroughly deserves its place there. It's enjoyable and comfortable to drive, a joy to sit in, practical enough for a family and very competitive on kit and cost. One of the best cars of its type.
Effortlessly desirable
High-quality interior
Running costs for a Audi A4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Reliability of a Audi A4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Safety for a Audi A4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
How comfortable is the Audi A4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Features of the Audi A4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Power for a Audi A4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Interested in buying an Audi A4?
Find new Find used Find a dealer
Running costs for a Audi A4 4/5
The battle between the Audi A4, the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes C-Class is one of the most tightly fought anywhere in motoring. The margins are super-slim in pretty much every area, and none more so than in this one. They'll all cost you around the same to buy, they'll all protect your investment pretty well with very similar resale values, and with very similar figures across the board for CO2 emissions, fuel economy insurance groupings and maintenance, they'll all cost you a very similar amount in day-to-day running costs. As a result, you shouldn't look to the figures to make your buying decision for you, but on the plus side, it's nice to know that whichever you decide to plump for, you won't be losing out to any great degree.
Reliability of a Audi A4 2/5
Audi has never fared particularly well in customer satisfaction or owner reliability surveys. Take the JD Power UK Vehicle Dependability Survey as an example. Audi finished in the bottom three of all the manufacturers in the study last year, and that's also been the case for the few previous years. However, our owner reviews are far more complementary about the A4's dependability, with very few complaints reported. The car comes with a standard three-year, 60,000-mile warranty.
Safety for a Audi A4 4/5
The Audi A4 is pretty well equipped as standard, with all the usual boxes ticked when it comes to keeping you and your passengers safe and sound. That means you get six airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control. For even more security, there's also cruise control, reversing sensors to help you park, and a pop-up bonnet to protect any pedestrians you may accidentally hit. There is also a system that'll brake for you to prevent a crash around town. If you want to spend a bit more, then there are a huge number of active systems you can pick from the options list. These include an adaptive cruise control and lane assist system that is so advanced the A4 can almost drive itself. Traffic sign recognition, cross traffic assist and a head-up display are all available to those with deep enough pockets.
How comfortable is the Audi A4 4/5
Audi is renowned for its high-quality interiors, and yet again, the firm has crafted a driving environment that feels very plush indeed. The materials are dense and thoughtfully finished, while the fit and finish demonstrates surgical levels of precision. Bear in mind that exactly how posh your car feels will depend on the version you choose, and the colour scheme you plump for, but none of the options we've seen are going to leave you feeling short-changed. The dashboard design is simple and easy to navigate, with most functions being operated through the infotainment system. The collection of buttons and dials that once controlled the system has now been replaced by an interface that's fully touchscreen, which some will like and others won't. The new system does work quite well, though, provided you invest a decent slice of time in getting to know it, and the high-def screen looks fab. What's more, Audi's cool configurable digital instruments – in place of analogue ones – are now standard across the range. Finding a comfy driving position is easy, and all-round visibility is clearer than in many rivals, too.
Those in the back get a very generous amount of legroom, and rear headroom is also fine, even if passengers that are much over six feet tall could feel their heads brushing the roof lining. A high transmission tunnel eats into the amount of foot space across the back row, so carrying three in the back might be a wee bit of a pinch, but it's the same story in all of the A4's major rivals. Interestingly, the boot of this facelifted car is actually a fraction smaller than that of the pre-2019 A4 due to the fact that much of the mild hybrid gubbins sits beneath the boot floor. However, it's still competitive with the rest of the class, and a very capable family car.
The A4 delivers a driving experience that'll be perfect for the vast majority of the people who'll buy it, because it does everything you want it to. It's not the most agile car of its type, and nor is it the most comfortable, but it really isn't far behind the very best on either score, doing a really great job in both areas. If you're looking for a blend of both abilities, then the A4 is about the best compromise you'll find. That's the case on the standard suspension that you'll find on Technik and Sport-trimmed cars. S line cars have a suspension that's lowered by 23mm, and we couldn't detect any significant loss in comfort (although it should be noted that this was on immaculate Italian roads and the situation may well be different when faced with the scruffy surfaces of the UK). Range-topping Vorsprung models come with an adaptive suspension that alters its behaviour according to the driving model you select, but we haven't had a chance to try it yet.
Features of the Audi A4 4/5
All versions – even the entry-level Technik models – get alloy wheels and LED technology in the headlights, rear lights and daytime running lights. Sport models get various metallic trims and beefier bumpers and side skirts for a racier look, while S line cars look even racier with bespoke bumper designs, rear privacy glass and cool, swooshing indicator lights.
The amount of standard equipment you get with the Audi A4 greatly improved during its 2019 facelift. Like before, the entry-level trim - now named Technik – comes with front- and rear parking sensors, three-zone climate control, cruise control, an electric bootlid release and a very decent infotainment system, but it now adds items as standard that were once confined to the optional Technology Pack. These include sat-nav, heated front seats, digital instruments and a reversing camera, all of which is very desirable stuff. Upgrading to Sport trim earns you leather upholstery, LED interior lighting, sports seats and a slightly different interior finish, while S line trim gives you lots in the way of styling enhancements, but not a great deal in the way of extra luxury kit. The same goes for the Black Edition, but the range-topping Vorsprung gives you the lot, including a sunroof, electric seats, adaptive suspension, massaging seats, head-up display and an upgraded sound system.
Power for a Audi A4 4/5
There are a whole bunch of engines available in the Audi A4, some petrol, some diesel, and most of them are fitted with mild hybrid technology to make them more efficient than they would otherwise be. We've only driven one of each so far, and of those, the diesel will be most popular. It's a 2.0-litre with 163 horsepower, and it feels impressively muscular from the mid-range upwards, so it's capable of very impressive pace. Granted, it does feel a tiny bit reticent to get going right at the bottom of the rev range, but that's less to do with the engine and more to do with the seven-speed twin-clutch automatic gearbox. When you get your foot down, the 'box takes a second to figure out the best way of delivering the pace you're asking for. Once it does, though, you're away, and what's more, the engine always stays smooth and quiet, contributing to the A4's very civilised on-road demeanour.
The petrol we've tried is the 40 TFSI, containing a 2.0-litre turbo petrol with 190 horsepower. It does everything any self-respecting diesel-phobe would want it to. It's perky, flexible, has a good turn of speed and, if anything, it's even smoother and quieter than the diesel. It's a better fit with the twin-clutch automatic gearbox, too, so it doesn't suffer the same initial hesitance, although do bear in mind that it'll be a lot thirstier.
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A new paper was just published on coprophagy in a cave salamander involving collaborators from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, The Nature Conservancy, San Antonio Zoo, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Soares D, Adams R, Hammond S, Slay ME, Fenolio DB, Niemiller ML. 2017. Evolution of coprophagy and nutrient absorption in a cave salamander. Subterranean Biology 24: 1–9.
The transition from carnivory to omnivory is poorly understood. The ability to feed at more than one trophic level theoretically increases an animal's fitness in a novel environment. Because of the absence of light and photosynthesis, most subterranean ecosystems are characterized by very few trophic levels, such that food scarcity is a challenge in many subterranean habitats. One strategy against starvation is to expand diet breadth. Grotto Salamanders (Eurycea spelaea (Stejneger, 1892)) are known to ingest bat guano deliberately, challenging the general understanding that salamanders are strictly carnivorous. Here we tested the hypothesis that grotto salamanders have broadened their diet related to cave adaptation and found that, although coprophagous behavior is present, salamanders are unable to acquire sufficient nutrition from bat guano alone. Our results suggest that the coprophagic behavior has emerged prior to physiological or gut biome adaptations.
© Matthew L. Niemiller, Ph.D.


Revenue Leakage occurs when a facility does not bill a patient for services and supplies that were already provided. These "missing charges" can quickly add up and have a major impact on health system revenue. Often times, these missed charges result from worklfow or ordering processes in such a way that the hospital does not even know they are missing them. Research shows that most organizations are failing to capture a significant percentage (1%-3%) of earned revenue for services already rendered to patients due to documentation and coding error gaps. Revenue Leakage can easily equate to hundreds of thousands of dollars or more of lost revenue every month.
Avelead's Master Build Automation Tool (MBAT) was designed to alleviate these challenges and put you back in charge of your charges. MBAT is comprised of several modules which make the challenge of keeping all this data in sync a breeze.
Avelead's Revenue Identification (REViD) system is designed to eliminate revenue leakage within your organization. Our REViD solution provides tight integration with your existing patient financial and clinical systems. Its powerful predictive analytics technology evaluates patient account charges before they are billed to generate coding exceptions where possible charges were missed. Local auditors utilize exception-based workflows to quickly and easily resolve coding issues. Implementation of REViD in your health system will lead to increased efficiency, better coding and most importantly, recapture of lost revenues.