The largest plutonium production project in the world occurred at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, a 560-square mile manufacturing plant located in southeastern Washington. In an effort to beat the Germans (and later the Russians), federal government contractors, staffed with the brightest minds of the day, produced incredible amounts of plutonium with breathtaking speed.
Over half of the plutonium used to build the United States arsenal of nuclear weapons, including the plutonium used to build the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, came from Hanford.
Most Hanford workers, farmers and others who lived near Hanford from the 1940's through 1960's speak proudly of their community and the vital role they played in America's defense. And rightly so. They are proud of being the "Atomic City," and when Richland obtained its independence from General Electric, one of the federal contractors at Hanford, the town fathers included a mock atomic explosion as part of the celebration. Even the Richland High football team's emblem is the mushroom cloud.
What no one knew was that the contractors were knowingly exposing them to radiation.
Activities at Hanford resulted in the release of large amounts of radiation into the air, water and soil of the Northwest over several decades. Many of the radiation releases have exceeded permissible limits. Some of the radiation releases have admittedly been intentional, a way of conducting Cold War nuclear experiments on an unknowing and captive population. All of it was done in the name of the national security and the rush to produce more and more plutonium.
The largest intentional release of radiation at Hanford occurred in 1949, and is known as the "Green Run." The public was unaware of this event until some 40 years later, in the late 1980's, when the DOE first declassified release reports acknowledging that the Green Run had occurred and then only after a newspaper reporter sued the agency.
Documents showed that Hanford intentionally and secretly released about 8,000 curies of radioactive iodine on Dec. 2, 1949. Allegedly the radiation was released to monitor the radioactive plume stretching across Oregon and Washington in hopes of evaluating equipment used in determining the location of similar Soviet plutonium production plants.
No one living downwind from Hanford was ever evacuated or warned of the Green Run or any of the other radioactive release from Hanford. Spanning more than 40 years, a set of 400 environmental documents were made public in 1986. These documents revealed that Hanford regularly emitted radiation into the environment. Between 1944 and 1947 the total estimated radioactive iodine released from Hanford was at least 685,000 curies; a truly staggering amount.
Despite this fact, contractors working for the federal government at Hanford repeatedly informed the public that Hanford was safe. When the public asked if Hanford was safe, they were told that "not one atom" had ever escaped from Hanford and that Hanford was as "safe as mother's milk."
Who are the Hanford Downwinders?
Today, citizens of Washington, Oregon and Idaho are outraged that the federal government secretly irradiated them and lied about it. Many are worried about their health, and for good reason. By 1940 standards (much more lax than those of today), the Green Run alone exposed those living near Hanford to amounts of radiation 20 times above tolerance thresholds. Those who lived downwind of Hanford in the years of the releases have subsequently reported widespread incidents of serious diseases often associated with radiation exposure, including cancer and thyroid disease.
Although former Secretary of Energy Admiral James D. Watkins admitted that Hanford had released enough radioactive iodine to cause harm to those living around it, the federal government took no action to correct the wrong done to the U.S. citizens downwind of Hanford, the so-called Downwinders.
The 241-A tank farm serving the PUREX facility, under construcion in 1954. At least 65 of the 149 single-shell tanks now buried at Hanford have leaked.
In light of the fact that the government did not intend to rectify this public wrong without additional pressure, several Downwinders stepped forward in August of 1990 and filed suit in federal court seeking recovery for the injuries they suffered as a result of the releases of radiation from Hanford.
This suit later became known as In re Hanford Nuclear Reservation Litigation, and today it has two offspring, In re Hanford and In re Berg. The cases are independent of one another, yet involve injuries caused by radiation exposure from Hanford.
Radiation exposure can cause serious health effects, even death. Humans are exposed to radiation in a variety of ways including through air, water and the food chain. According to a formerly classified 1954 technical report, the federal contractors at Hanford discharged at least 8,000 curies of radioactive material per day into the Columbia River.
Such radioactive discharges exposed people who ate fish and waterfowl, swam or boated on the river, irrigated their fields with water from the Columbia or simply drank its water. Radioactive discharges from Hanford also reached humans through consumption of foods or plants or the consumption of milk or meat from animals that grazed on contaminated plants or hay.
Children, the largest consumers of milk, are more susceptible to the harmful effects of radiation than adults. One of the more horrifying ways in which numerous Downwinders were exposed to Hanford's radioactive materials was through their mother's milk. Like other living organisms, humans who consume contaminated plants or animals, drink radioactive milk or water, inhale radiative material or are otherwise exposed to radiation, also secrete harmful radionuclides into their milk and pass it along to suckling babies in a more concentrated form.
As it turns out, Hanford was as safe as mother's milk; but the milk itself was hazardous to the child it was meant to nurture.
Hanford's disregard for human health and the welfare of the community around it is shocking. From the immoral and shameful actions of the government contractors silently exposing Americans to radiation to the sloth-like pace of the litigation where tax dollars are used to defend the contractors' actions, the overall picture is mind-boggling.
Taken together, it is positively unprecedented. What the government and its contractors did in the name of national security was to declare war on the American public -- the Downwinders.
Although a few of the plaintiffs' claims have been decided in pretrial motions, most claims have not yet come to trial eight years after the first complaint was filed. In fact, no trial date has been scheduled and the Downwinders lawyers' investigation into liability has been put on hold.
Meanwhile, the only parties that seem to have benefited from the protracted litigation are the federal government contractors and their lawyers. The contractors have made more money in cleaning up the site than was paid to them to manufacture plutonium. And, the federal taxpayers have paid the defense lawyers more than $54.2 million to defend the lawsuit. The Downwinders, the people who bear the scars of Hanford, have received nothing from the federal government.
Even when the Downwinders appear to make progress in gaining support from the federal government, it is a struggle to obtain implementation. For example, over a year ago the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ordered the Department of Energy Richland to pay $12.9 million to implement a medical monitoring program and thyroid disease registry of the Hanford Downwinders.
ATSDR ordered medical monitoring for people exposed to radiation releases under CERCLA, the Superfund law that governs Hanford's ongoing cleanup. The program is designed to track thyroid disease in approximately 14,000 people exposed as children to radioactive iodine-131. Due to government inaction, on July 2, 1998, one of the Downwinders, Trisha Pritikin, filed a Citizen Suit under CERCLA to compel implementation of the order and payment of the $12.9 million to begin monitoring the health of the Downwinders.
Of the 149 massive single-shell tanks buried at Hanford, built in the 1940's and 1950's, at least 65 have leaked. Every year, a new tank is expected to leak. Already, radioactive waste from the tanks has moved through the soil and has reached the groundwater aquifer some 200 feet under the surface.
Radioactive contamination in the groundwater could reach the Columbia River in as little as 15 years, threatening salmon runs, drinking water, and irrigated crops. Scientists have yet to develop a pump-and-treat method that can remove the contaminants from the groundwater before they reach the river.
Hanford contamination is located at 1,377 sites: 158 containing chemical hazardous waste, 100 containing radioactive waste, 996 containing mixed chemical and radioactive waste, and 123 containing nonhazardous waste. It has been estimated that at least 1.2 million cubic yards, enough to cover a football field 700 feet deep, contain radioactive contaminants.
Hanford's funding for clean-up during the current fiscal year is approximately $1.1 billion. Estimates project the total clean-up cost could ultimately reach $50 billion.
The clean-up of Hanford is governed by the 1989 Tri-Party Agreement between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the Washington state Department of Ecology (Ecology). The agreement was executed in anticipation of the listing of four sites at Hanford on the National Priority List under the Superfund Act.
The agreement is the legal document that binds the DOE to actions which comply with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), CERCLA and the state Hazardous Waste Management Act (HWMA).
The agreement contains "definitive work schedules" with major milestones which are enforceable commitments for the most significant actions in the action plan. Unfortunately, the work schedule and major milestones have frequently been treated as rough targets rather than enforceable deadlines.
The state of Washington has recently become more active in taking issue with the federal government and its contractors at Hanford. In early June, Governor Gary Locke and State Attorney General Christine Gregoire announced they would file suit in 60 days to force the DOE to comply with its agreement to meet a year-2000 deadline for draining leaky radioactive waste tanks located seven miles from the Columbia River.
Fluor Daniel Hanford Co., the company that presently manages clean-up projects at Hanford, earned only 55 percent of its performance-based contract during its first year on the job. The fee was reduced for failure to meet objectives related to designing and construction, site planning and integration, environment, safety and health, and financial management.
The state of Washington and the EPA have also criticized Fluor Daniel for cost overruns and delays in completing the K Basins project. The K Basins are two indoor pools that are holding ponds for 2,300 tons of spent nuclear fuel. Their clean-up is considered a top priority in Hanford, yet the clean-up deadline has been shifted several times. The current schedule calls for completion by 2003, but a recently proposed revision would place the completion date sometime between 2003 and 2006.
The two holding ponds, located a quarter of a mile from the Columbia River, hold 90,000 highly radioactive, used fuel rods left over from plutonium production at Hanford. The basins contain more than 80 percent of the nation's spent nuclear fuel.
A tiny amount of plutonium has been found in an aquifer just north of the K Basins, only a few hundred feet from the Columbia. It is unclear whether the plutonium resulted from a past leak at the K East Basin, from Hanford's production days when waste water was poured into the ground, or from a new leak in the basins. It is clear, however, that cracks in the fuel rods are allowing the plutonium to escape into the pond water, placing the workers there at risk. But threats to worker safety pose a huge risk anywhere on the Hanford reservation.
On May 14, 1997, an explosion rocked the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) in Hanford's 200-West Area. According to the DOE, the explosion was caused by the mismanagement of dangerous concentrations of chemicals left in a 400-gallon stainless steel tank following a worker-training exercise in 1993.
Nine construction workers who were present at the time of the explosion were ordered to walk into the path of the toxic chemical release, then held on site for four hours without medical attention. When they were finally released, they had to drive themselves to the emergency room.
On April 9, 1998, tests confirmed that two other Fluor Daniel Hanford employees inhaled plutonium while working on equipment at the PFP. The workers were not wearing respirators because the procedures for the task did not require them. A Fluor Daniel spokesman admitted that Fluor Daniel had "misdiagnosed the hazard" in planning the task.
This was not the first mishap with plutonium handling during Fluor Daniel's tenure at Hanford. In late March of 1998, DOE announced that it planned to impose one of the largest fines in the history of its nuclear safety program against Fluor Daniel, $140,625, for safety violations associated with the handling of plutonium between November 1996 and June 1997, and with the May explosion at the PFP.
This was the second fine to address the explosion at the PFP. Ecology fined DOE, Fluor Daniel and a subcontractor $110,000 for errors leading to the explosion and for poor emergency response.
Despite these persistent problems with the contractor charged with management of the Hanford site, other Hanford contractors have shown some progress. On July 14, 1998 the DOE, citing "consistently excellent" performance, announced it was extending for three years the contract of the contractor charged with environmental restoration, Bechtel Hanford.
Bechtel's environmental restoration contract covers managing a huge contaminated debris landfill, removing contaminated soils, operating facilities to pump and treat contaminated groundwater, and decontaminating and sealing off old reactor complexes.
During fiscal year 1997, nearly 500,000 tons of contaminated soil were removed from the three Hanford sites bordering the Columbia River.
Unfortunately, Bechtel's successful work is but a small part of the overall clean-up process. Bechtel's share of the funding represents only 12 percent of the total annual $1.1 billion clean-up budget ($132 million). Bechtel's new contract will be 100 percent performance-based.
Time will tell whether Bechtel fares better than Fluor Daniel under the new system.
It is anyone's guess when the Downwinders will be compensated for the injury, both physical and psychological, they have borne through the years as a result of the Hanford's releases. It is also unclear when the clean-up of Hanford will be completed, and whether damage to the environment can be completely remedied.
Despite its public commitment to Hanford clean-up, the DOE is evidently not willing to mothball Hanford just yet. An ongoing debate rages over the possibility of restarting weapons production at Hanford's Fast Flux Test facility (FFTF), which was shut down in 1993.
Re-starting the FFTF would result in the importing of as much as 33 tons of plutonium and the production of 60 tons of waste during 30 years of operation. In its present "hot standby" status, the reactor is taking $32 million a year from the clean-up budget. Many critics of the FFTF, including Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, question this diversion of funds.
In addition, Hanford is one of four candidate sites presently being analyzed by the DOE for the treatment of more than 50 tons of surplus plutonium. The final environmental impact statement and record of decision on this matter are expected to be issued in early 1999.
What is certain is that the government's failure to act responsibly toward its citizenry and the environment has created a complex problem that requires concerted attention. It is long past the time for the government and its contractors to accept responsibility for their past misdeeds. Action is needed and constructive steps must be taken to detect illnesses to the affected population before more people suffer.
Action is likewise needed to preserve the stability of the Columbia River ecosystem. To be successful, it will take cooperation and the resources to do the job correctly.
Human health continues to deteriorate, diseases go undetected, and our precious resources continue to be wasted as long as the government continues to deny its responsibility. Our government leaders should be better examples than that and the Downwinders and our natural environment deserve better. It is time that this undeclared war on the American public come to an end -- that the victims of the war be made whole and that the healing begin.
Richard A. Du Bey is chairman of the Environmental and Natural Resources Practice Group for Seattle law firm Short Cressman & Burgess P.L.L.C. Connie Sue Martin and R. Brent Walton are associates with the firm's Environmental and Natural Resources Practice Group, and members of the firm's Hanford litigation team.


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Samsung: $17 billion plant in Texas
Jonathan Hobbs November 24, 2021
Samsung Electronics announced on Tuesday that it would invest $17 billion on a semiconductor manufacturing plant in Taylor, Texas. The initiative is to help the U.S. cope with the current shortage of semiconductors. Which is causing delays in several industries. According to Kinam Kim,
Economy News Technology
Micron plans to invest $150 billion in semiconductor plants
Jonathan Hobbs October 21, 2021
In the next ten years, Micron Technology, the second largest semiconductor company in the U.S. behind Intel, plans to invest $150 billion in semiconductor facilities. This is more than the $95 billion Intel invested previously. Micron also called on the Biden Administration to provide tax breaks and subsidies for plant expansions. According to Wall Street […]
Intel warns of semiconductor supply dependency
Intel CEO, Pat Gelsinger, stressed the importance of reviving the US semiconductor industry. He further warned that relying on semiconductors imports from Korea and Taiwan could issues. According to him, semiconductors are directly related to national security and could raise the risk of geopolitical conflict. In an interview published on the US internet media Axios […]
Economy News Shares
Intel cancels $100 billion semiconductor plant in the UK
Jonathan Hobbs October 7, 2021
Intel is excluding the U.K. from its expansion plans in Europe due to the country's decision to leave the EU. Pat Gelsinger, Intel's CEO, said that the $77 billion hardware giant considered building a chip factory in the U.K. That was before the country made the decision to leave the European Union. The UK launched […]
Samsung to confirm new $17 billion semiconductor plant
Jonathan Hobbs September 29, 2021
Samsung Electronics plans to build a semiconductor plant in Texas, United States. The investment amounts for $17 billion, as part of its expansion plans in the U.S. The deal is at its final steps, an announcement is expected soon. Local media outlets, including Fox News, have reported on the 29th (local time) that Williamson County […]
AMD: "Semiconductor supply to be resolved by 2022"
A report from AMD, one of the market leaders for memoryless semiconductors, predicts that the global semiconductor supply shortage will ease in the second half of next year. On the 27th (local time) AMD CEO Lisa Su predicted that semiconductor supplies would increase at the Code Conference in Beverly Hills, California. "The first half of […]
Economy News Shares Technology
Samsung: New semiconductor foundry in Texas, tax benefits
Jonathan Hobbs September 9, 2021
According to rumors, the Taylor City Council in Williamson County, Texas, a potential site for Samsung Electronics' new semiconductor foundry in the United States, has decided to offer tax benefits, such as rebates on property taxes. Therefore, Samsung Electronics is expected to accelerate its investment decision. The Williamson County, Texas and Taylor City Council
China semiconductor giant SMIC to build a $8.87 billion plant
SMIC (Zhongxin Guoji), China's largest semiconductor foundry, will build a 12-inch wafer semiconductor plant. After the U.S. sanctions, semiconductor demand in China surged after the first half of last year and this year, which drastically improved the performance of the company. As reported by the Chinese media on the 5th, SMIC agreed to invest $8.87 […]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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BariToned, is a trio of large-and-in-charge baritones that give a tip of the heel to Broadway's Leading Ladies. Starring Joe Hager, Edward Miskie, and Kyle Hines, these three brooding baritones smolder through the whimsical world of strong, independent women in this "sublimely smart, genuinely entertaining (Cabaret Hotspot)" musical theatre review. Returning to Birdland to kick off their first national "Damsel In Distress" Tour, BariToned will be headed from NYC to San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and more.
Edward Miskie: The creator, founder, producer, and head of BariToned, Edward is very pumped to deliver the cheek and hilarity that is BariToned. Strap yourself on to something and prepare for the diaphragmal workout of your life. Having played such roles as Lord Evelyn Oakleigh in Anything Goes, Julian Marsh in 42nd Street, Cinderella's Prince/The Wolf in Into The Woods, Fred Graham in Kiss Me Kate, Adam Pontipee in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and many more, Edward is looking forward to bringing glimmers of each of these gents to BariToned. Recently, Edward published a book on cancer survivorship framed in musical theatre called "Cancer, Musical Theatre, and Other Chronic Illnesses" which is available on Amazon and Kindle.
Joe Hager: Revered as a walking prototype for Gaston, and reviewed as "a bold baritone with deep, rich tones," Joe is thrilled to be a founder and OG cast member of BariToned. Hager spent years on the Seven Seas as Dennis Dupree in Rock of Ages with Norwegian Cruise Lines and spent a long run on the road in the National Tour of Beauty and the Beast as Gaston. You may have also seen Joe in the International Tour of The Phantom of the Opera (Monsieur Richard), or Seven Year Itch (Tom MacKennle) at the York Theatre. Joe has been a Javert, a Sky Masterson, a Macheath, and a Marcello, but is most excited to bring you BariToned.
Kyle Hines: Hailing from Oklahoma as a "Lumber Sexual", Kyle specializes in playing deeper than the average athlete – funny in an awkward way, but still sort of sexy. He also enjoys fixing things in his apartment while listening to the soothing sounds of the great Barbra Streisand. Above all, Kyle loves nothing more than spending an entire day hanging out with his wife and three rescue dog-babies – Rudy, Peanut, and Sushi. Some of Kyle's favorite roles include Adam/Lazarus in the NY Times Critics' Pick and Drama Desk Award Winning Play, The Mysteries at the Flea Theatre, and Captain Grizzle Beard in the NY Times Critics' Pick & Off-Broadway Alliance Award Winning musical The Pirate La Dee Da at the Atlantic Theatre Company. Most recently, Kyle played Jesus in the Infinity Theatre Company's production of Godspell, but lately has been spending most of his days with his rescue Baritones, Joe and Edward.
Music direction, and arrangements by Broadway's Dan Pardo, & choreography by Brooke Martino.


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Home/Pharmaceuticals/Study Points to a Possible Injectable Hormone Therapy to Counter Obesity
Study Points to a Possible Injectable Hormone Therapy to Counter Obesity
Adeena Tariq August 8, 2019
Image by CBS News
It is discovered that in a period of 4 weeks an injection reduces Body weight and glucose levels when injected in obese patients and Diabetics.
A small study was conducted which concluded that the patients lost on Average 4.4 kg and considerable improvements in their blood glucose level.
A weight loss surgery procedure named"Gastric bypass surgery", is one of the most common types of weight loss surgery. It is known for its effectiveness in reducing excess weight and improving blood sugar levels in patients of diabetes mellitus. However, it may cause complications if the patients disobey the surgery procedure and directions, thus suffering from Abdominal pain, Vomiting, chronic nausea, devitalizing low blood glucose levels.
In a recent research, Imperial College London revealed that one of the reasons for the effectiveness of Gastric bypass surgery is due to the elevated release of three specific hormone combination called 'GOP' that normally originate from the bowels. GOP reduces appetite, loss of weight and improves the body's ability to utilize glucose, previously stored from food.
The objective of the researchers was to discover if the patients are injected with the GOP hormones Glucagon-like Peptide-1, oxyntomodulin and peptide, mimics the high level the same as after surgery, as well as aids in weight loss and declines blood sugar levels.
In the research, GOP treatment was injected by transdermal route into fifteen patients for four weeks with the help of a pump that slowly injects the solution under the skin for every 12 hours a day, beginning one hour before breakfast and disengaging after their last meal of the day. Nutritionist advice on healthy living and weight loss were also given to the patients.
The foremost author of the study, Ms. Tricia Tan, who by profession is a Professor of Metabolic Medicine & Endocrinology at Imperial College Londonsaid, "Obesity and type 2 diabetes can lead to very serious and potentially life-threatening conditions such as cancer, stroke and heart disease.
There is a real need to find new medicines so we can improve and save the lives of many patients. Although this is a small study our new combination hormone treatment is promising and has shown significant improvements in patients' health in only four weeks. Compared to other methods the treatment is non-invasive and reduced glucose levels to near-normal levels in our patients."
The research conducted by Imperial College London in alliance with the University of Copenhagen and University College Dublin was presented to The American Diabetes Association 79th Scientific Session Meeting at San Francisco, and it got published in "Diabetes Care".
The patients were injected with GOP treatment and different trials were conducted at the National Institute for Health Research Imperial Clinical Research Facility at Hammersmith Hospital, part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
In Hammersmith Hospital, in a period from 2016 to 2018 the research was done on twenty-six obese patients who were also diagnosed with prediabetes and patients with diabetes. On a Random scale, fifteen patients were injected with GOP treatment and eleven patients were infused with saline solution as a placebo every four weeks.
The conclusions drawn from the experiment were that the patients injected with GOP treatment lost on average 4.4kg, patients infused with saline solution lost 2.5 kg and above all no side effects encountered by this treatment.
In another trial the researchers enrolled twenty-one patients endured with bariatric surgery, to compare their results of GOP treatment against twenty-two patients who took a very low-calorie diet. The glucose monitoring device was constant among all the patients to examine their glucose levels following the GOP hormones injection.
Conclusively, valetudinarians who had undergone bariatric surgery lost 10.3kg and those who took a very low-calorie diet lost 8.3kg. Thus, these patients lost notably more weight than GOP patients.
Regarding this Professor Tan expressed her view: "Although the weight loss was smaller, using the GOP infusion would be preferable as it has fewer side effects than bariatric surgery. This result shows that it is possible to obtain some of the benefits of a gastric bypass operation without undergoing the surgery itself. If further trials are successful, in future we could potentially give this type of treatment to many more patients."
The team has also deduced numerous effects of GOP; it enables blood glucose levels lowering to near-normal levels, and may also lead to some variation in the blood glucose concentration. An overall improvement in blood glucose levels is observed in patients who had encountered bariatric surgery, but with a greater degree of variations, thus endangered to achieving low blood glucose levels.
The researchers are looking forward to conducting a larger clinical trial to examine the impact of GOP on a greater number of participants for a longer time duration.
This remarkable testing was carried out by Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre, in collaboration with Imperial College London and three NHS hospital trusts. It's a platform that pursues to benefit people around the globe manipulating scientific discoveries into medical proceedings, ultimately transfiguring human healthcare in a shorter duration of time.
Adeena Tariq
Adeena's professional life has been mostly in hospital management, while studying international business in college. Of course, she now covers topics for us in health.
The Emergence of VISTASEAL Fibrin Sealant Helps to Control Bleeding During Surgery
Access to HIV Medications Greatly Increased in California after Gavin Newsom Passed the Bill
Researchers Alter Proteins to Treats Cancer Effectively
FDA approves a new treatment for Migraines in adults


This should take under an hour. Should be done every 5-10k miles or 1-2 times per year.
Position drop cloth under oil pan.
Position oil collection container underneath drain plug. Initially, slide the container toward the rear of the vehicle 6 – 8 inches as the oil flow will shoot out quite a bit. It will eventually slow to a trickle so adjust the position of the container as needed.
Remove the oil drain plug using the 14mm socket and wrench. Don't drop the plug into the oil collection container.
The Toyota replacement filter comes with this crappy little drain that gets inserted into the filter and drains out some more oil.
Once it's been drained, remove the plastic drain and unscrew the oil filter base using the oil filter wrench. This is what it looks like with everything removed.
Install the small O-Ring into the bottom of the oil filter base. Be sure to coat it with plenty of new oil.
Finally, don't forget to install the new filter…I forget every f'ing time…Seriously, I must be stupid.
Install the oil drain plug and tighten with torque wrench. Torque: 12.5 N*m (127 kgf*cm, 9 ft.*lbf). Toyota recommends that the gasket on the oil drain plug be replaced with each change. I typically do not replace it.
Remove the oil fill cap from the engine. It's pictured below, black knob on the left of the picture (passenger side). The first picture shows the engine compartment with the normal plastic covers in place. The second picture shows the V-Bank and radiator covers removed. The last view is a close up shot of the filler cap.
Use a funnel and add 5 to 5.5 quarts of 5W-30 oil. Toyota lists the standard capacity after an oil and filter change as 6.1 liters (6.4 US qts, 5.4 Imp. qts). Let it sit for a few minutes and check the levels with the oil dip stick. It will be low, but it's easier to add more than to try to remove some. Here is a close up view of the dip stick located in the front center of the engine compartment.
Once it's within the full range, close up the oil fill cap.
Insert key into ignition switch, but do not turn on yet. Hold down the odometer reset button on the instrument cluster and turn the key to the "Run" position (do not start). The maintenance light will turn on, blink several times, and then go out. This completes the reset of the maintenance reminder light.
Warm up the engine by starting the car and allowing it to run for 10-15 minutes. Stop the engine and wait for 5 minutes. Check the oil level on the dipstick. The oil level should be between the dipstick's low and full level marks. Add oil as necessary but do not fill engine oil above the full level mark.
Continue to check oil level for several days and confirm no leaks.


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Ivan Sondey (; born 15 January 1994) is a professional Ukrainian football midfielder who plays for Prykarpattia Ivano-Frankivsk.

Career
Sondey is a product of the different youth sportive school systems.

He played in the team of a regional level FC Kalush, but in July 2012 signed his contract with the professional FC Dnipro and then with the FC Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka in the Ukrainian First League.

References

External links

1994 births
Living people
Ukrainian footballers
FC Kalush players
FC Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka players
Association football midfielders
FC Olimpik Donetsk players
MFC Mykolaiv players
FC Prykarpattia Ivano-Frankivsk (1998) players
Ukrainian Premier League players
Sportspeople from Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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WOMEN'S DEATH SENTENCE
Christian Woman in Pakistan Beaten, Sentenced to Death 'For Being Thirsty'By KATHERINE WEBER Aug 29, 2013
Pakistan delays decision on whether Christian woman will face death penalty for blasphemy against Islam
By Lukas Mikelionis | Fox News Oct. 9, 2013
Honor killings in the United States......
There are an estimated 23-27 recorded honor killings in the United States annually, and the problem is growing, according to a report by the Department of Justice. The report, Honor Violence Measurement Methods, notes 91 percent of the women killed were murdered for being "too westernized." (non-Muslim) - clarionproject.org
Honor killings are sacred acts. When fathers, brothers, sons, cousins, and uncles kill their own wives, daughters, mothers, and sisters, it is a ritual murder that functions as sacrifice and expiation. Every ritual murder is a symbolic act. Murder in the form of terrorism, matricide, sororicide, filicide and particular acts of suicide are all obligatory rituals in the context of an Islamist code of conduct. UCLA - EDU - Sept. 2017
Sudanese woman sentenced to death for being a Christian. Hanna Strange - May 29, 2014 Telegraph - UK
Christian woman sentenced to death for 'drinking from Muslim water cup' in Pakistan may not live to face execution after five years' imprisonment has left her with intestinal bleeding. Daily Mail - By Corey Charlton 30 Jun 2015
Pregnant Woman Gets Death Sentence for Being Christian - Polly Doing - May 15, 2014 Newser - MIDDLE EAST Published October 21, 2014 Last Update December 10, 2015
Pakistani court upholds death sentence for Christian woman accused of insulting Islam - By Lisa Daftari, | Fox News
The Modern Day 'Followers of the Prophet Mohammed.'
'Honor Lost' by Norma Khouri is memorial to her best friend Dalia, and a story of outrage at Dalia's senseless murder in the name of cultural tradition of Islam. The power of Honor Lost makes you want to do some thing, any thing, to make sure no one suffers the same fate !!
"The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men." Sir Winston Churchill the Liberal Lion.
Pamela Geller faced off against Muslim cleric Anjem Choudary. Choudary conceded he thinks Geller should get the death penalty for holding a contest to draw the prophet Muhammad. - May 6, 2015 - KABC
"I am offended not by cartoons, but by more mundane things like beheadings of civilians, cowardly attacks on
public buildings, suicide murders, murders of Catholic priests (the in Turkey ), burnings of Christian churches, the continued persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt , the imposition of Sharia Law on non-Muslims, the rapes of Scandinavian girls and women called "whores" in your culture.
S. Wichman - 2007 - Professor of Mechanical Engineering for Michigan State University
Today is the last chance for Asia Bibi, a Christian woman in Pakistan who's been sentenced to death for her faith. She was sentenced to death by hanging in 2010. ... Today is the last chance Bibi has to appeal her death sentence. - Glenn Beck -Oct. 9, 2018
BEIRUT: An elderly Syrian took part in stoning his daughter to death for alleged adultery, in a video posted on YouTube by the Islamic State group on Tuesday. Agence France Presses - Oct. 22, 2014
Stoning at Jeddah
A woman was dragged forward and her crime was read out (accused of adultery, murder). The executioner dealt her 100 blows with all his strength upon her shoulder.
The crowd picked up stones and started pelting the woman to death. She was facing her last awful ordeal. She was veiled in Muslim fashion, her mouth was gagged to muffle her cries. The men snarled and shouted as they flung their stones, their faces transformed into masks of sadism.
It took over an hour before the Doctor who halted the stoning periodically to feel the victims pulse, announced her dead.
A near by airlines poster begged out. 'Savor it's romance, it's colour, it's quaint traditions..' - R. M. Macoll - Feb. 1958
No news reports were found during research by ABC, CBS, NBC, NYT, LAT or most of the MSM
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You might Lock your keys in your Car often.
After you pay for your Gift Certificate, make sure you hit the return link back to this website.


Senator Rob Portman of Ohio is not exactly Mr. Personality. He's not a culture warrior or a populist firebrand. He's a soft-spoken wonky Baby Boomer interested in budgets, finance, and taxes. He won't be seen with Donald Trump but welcomed former boss George W. Bush to a private fundraiser last month. Also, he enjoys a significant lead over challenger Ted Strickland.
Democratic campaign committees have cancelled Ohio ad buys in a sign that they have lost faith in Strickland's chances. Portman's biggest fear now is of an anti-Trump wave that brings down Republican incumbents across the country. He's worried less about his Democratic opponent than he is the Republican nominee.
It's another oddity of the 2016 election. Mainstream conservative down-ballot Republicans are doing surprisingly well in an environment roiled by populism and nationalism. They certainly haven't been upended by anti-incumbent sentiment. It wasn't a crusading ideology but local dissatisfaction and redistricting that lost primaries for House Republicans Tim Huelskamp, Renee Elmers, and Randy Forbes. The populist, anti-trade, anti-immigration candidates taking on mainstream conservative incumbents have all lost. Whatever is driving Republicans to support Trump has not helped his imitators.
The most high profile challenge to a member of the GOP elite has come from Wisconsin businessman Paul Nehlen, who took on House speaker Paul Ryan earlier this summer. The basis of Nehlen's campaign was opposition to Ryan's stances on immigration and trade. Ryan happens to like both.
Nehlen had the support of Ann Coulter, appeared on Laura Ingraham's radio show, and enjoyed favorable coverage from Breitbart.com, whose CEO later joined the Trump campaign as chairman. "While Paul Nehlen has spoken out in favor of immigration control and has advocated on behalf of the American victims of illegal alien crime," Breitbart wrote in its typical understated prose, "Paul Ryan has ignored these victims as he's continued to push his open borders agenda." Trump himself thanked Nehlen for his "kind words."
A few days before the primary Coulter announced that she was off to Wisconsin to defeat Paul Ryan. Maybe she was being sarcastic. Ryan demolished Nehlen by a margin of 70 points, 85 percent to 15 percent.
John McCain supports Trump despite being attacked by him last year. But the Arizona senator's tepid endorsement of the New York billionaire wasn't enough to forestall a primary challenge from state senator Kelli Ward. Ward called for an "America First" national security policy, blamed McCain for creating ISIS, and said the 80-year-old former P.O.W. might die in office. Pro-Trump hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer, who is also an investor in Breitbart.com, gave $200,000 to a Super PAC aligned with Ward. The day before the primary Breitbart ran a story with the headline, "Exclusive—Breitbart/Gravis Arizona Poll Shows Razor Thin Margin Between John McCain, Kelli Ward Heading Into Election." That was more than a little off. McCain defeated Ward 52 percent to 39 percent.
After losing the presidential nomination, Marco Rubio, another frequent target of the populists, reversed his pledge not to run for reelection to the Senate. He cleared the field of mainstream conservative challengers, leaving real estate developer Carlos Beruff as his sole opponent.
Beruff, like Trump, ran as a wealthy outsider immune to the corruption of the political system. He supported the Great Wall of Trump and called for a temporary ban on travel from the Middle East with the exception of Israel. The only things missing from his pitch were references to "Little Marco" and bottles of water. A July article in Roll Call asked, "Is Carlos Beruff for Real?" He was not. Rubio beat him by 72 percent to 19 percent.
It may be that Donald Trump, in case you haven't noticed, is one of a kind. Disentangling his appeal to Republican voters is a complicated and perhaps impossible task. Is it his deviations from mainstream conservatism that they like, or his accommodations to it? Is it the "outsider" that appeals to them, or the fact that he, like the party's previous nominee, is a successful businessman? Did he simply benefit from fame and theatrical talent in a crowded field of rookies and veterans without stories to tell?
I doubt we will ever know. Still, the relative success of figures like Portman, Ryan, McCain, and Rubio suggests that mainstream conservatism of the three-legged-stool variety—pro-business, hawkish on national security, conservative on social issues—has not been destroyed by the "nation-state populism" of Donald Trump and Breitbart.com. It exists in Congress, in state houses, in conservative institutions and in donor networks. And it is plotting its comeback.


text:
THE FIRST COLORED Professional, Clerical and Business DIRECTORY OF BALTIMORE CITY 7th Annual Edition, 1919-1920
Volume 499, Page 112 View pdf image (33K)
HONORS HIS RACE.
James A. Mitchell, of St, Paul, Minn.,
Stood Third.
James A. Mitchell, a colored Ameri-
can of St. Paul, Minn., passed the St.
Paul Detective Force examination
with honors, Dec. 1916. He was third
among 50 white competitors and only
8 of which passed. He is a native of
Alabama. A graduate of Mt. Meig's
and Tuskegee Institutes. He served
three years as a member of the 10th
Calvary. Prior to his appointment he
was employed by the Heberle Motor
Co. of St. Paul, as a mechanic. He
married Miss Minnie Gaskins, of
Chicago, Ill., formerly of Washington,
D. C., who is an amiable and charming
lady. Mrs. Mitchell is the niece of Mr.
R. W. Coleman, who is the Editor and
Compiler of this book, and is the cou-
sin of Judge Robt. H. Terrell, of the
Municipal Court, Washington, D. C.
Detective Mitchell has been very suc-
cessful.
JAMES A. MITCHELL
LET US HONOR THEM
Senator Joseph I. France and his honor Mayor Broen-
ing are two gentlemen that every true-hearted American citi-
zen cannot too highly appreciate. They are Christian men of
high moral characters whose keynotes are loyalty to the flag,
freedom and justice for all.
IN UNION, THERE IS STRENGTH
Let us all join hands and give three cheers for Prof.
Mason A. Hawkins, principal of the Colored High School,
who is doing all he can to elevate the standard of the school,
and through the cooperattion of the fathers, mothers and
friends will soon have a new one.


text:
Home/Education/Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's Economic Policy – Main Features and Impact
EducationPakistan Studies
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's Economic Policy – Main Features and Impact
Content GeneratorJune 12, 2021
Economic Policy of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto,1972-77
This post discusses Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's Economic Policy introduced in Pakistan during his tenure from 1972 to 1977.
Main features of Bhutto's Economic Policy
Nationalization of institutions
Before discussing the nationalization that Bhutto introduced, it is important for students to get abreast with the concept of 'nationalization'.
So what does the term nationalization refer to?
The term nationalization refers to placing private sector institutions e.g. industries, hospitals, insurance companies, banks, etc. under governmental control. In other words, it is a process in which private ownership of assets is taken over by public ownership.
Why did Bhutto introduce the policy of nationalization in Pakistan?
What were the institutions that Bhutto nationalized?
In all, there were 70 major industrial units that the Bhutto brought under public control. The Federal Ministry of Production coordinated and administered the nationalized industries throughout the county.
What was the impact of nationalization?
Favorable Impact of nationalization?
Land Reforms
The term 'land reforms' also refers to the transfer of ownership from a powerful to less powerful. The government usually pays a reasonable compensation to the landowners from whom it takes the land.
The land reforms as part of Bhutto's economic policy
What was the impact of land reforms?
Manipulation by land lands
Security of Tenure
The economic policy of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was characterized by two important reforms of the nationalization and land reforms as discussed below.
Bhutto regime adopted the policy of nationalization with an aim to:
take control of industrial production and promote industrialization through proper utilization of funds;
enhance the living standard and working conditions of the workers, including the provision of cheap housing for public sector employees;
Provide the workers with the right to form their unions to prevent anti-worker policy or measures;
end the economic disparity and inequality that had enabled a handful of elite people to own a lion's share of industrial wealth. According to different accounts, there were twenty industrial houses in the country that owned 65% of Pakistan's large-scale industry. This small yet powerful elite class influenced the successive governments as they funded other reforms.
Last but not the least, Z. A. Bhutto wanted to raise the popularity of his political party among the urban people who formed a major part of his political support.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto brought almost all major industries, schools, banks, insurance companies under government control.
The nationalized industries included all major metal (iron, steel) industries, heavy engineering, and electricals, petrochemicals, cement, etc. In addition, he nationalized the cotton, rice, vegetable oil, and sugar industries. Similarly, he nationalized major banks, insurance companies, and schools throughout the country.
The nationalization as part of Bhutto's economic policy had both positive and negative impacts on the economy of Pakistan.
The reforms were put into effect without a proper plan and prior preparation. As a result, the federal ministry of production had to face difficulty to coordinate the nationalization process throughout the country. The process was very slow and at times stopped because of the lack of bureaucratic readiness and expertise.
By the end of the 1960s and in the wake of the 1971 breakup, Pakistan witnessed a spike in the inflation rate which was more than 10%. Bhutto's nationalization policy however was successful in bringing inflation to 6% in 1976.
The reforms were introduced at a time when the world was facing a global recession. Companies all over the world faced declining demand for their goods due to the reduced purchasing power of people. Consequently, major companies had to face closures as they could not afford to pay their employees and operate at a loss.
In such a fragile economic situation, the private sector enterprises in Pakistan also would have closed but the nationalized industries in the country continued to operate. As a result of the persistent operation of the industries, the economic growth of Pakistan also began to improve.
The term land reforms refer to changes brought into the laws with reference to land holding, tenancy, etc. Popular land reforms are characterized by changes in laws, regulations regarding land ownership. That is, who will have how much land for the cultivation of crops.
Bhutto's reforms were an attempt to transfer land ownership from a few landlords possessing extensive land holdings to the landless peasants, tenants, etc.
Bhutto's land reforms were as follows:
A person would own a maximum of 250 acres of irrigated and 500 acres of un-irrigated land.
The government would take over the extra land and sell it to the smaller peasants to make better profits.
Similarly, the people without land would also be able to buy the land on easy terms from the government.
The reforms provided 'the first right of purchase of land' to the tenants.
Had the land reforms implemented as per policy, the fate of Pakistan would have changed with a paradigm shift. They have changed the fate of the people and Pakistan. It would no longer be a feudal state.
Furthermore, the security of tenure would have ensured that the landowner could not enjoy the free hand to evict the peasants who have a chance to have their own land.
Bhutto's land reforms could not materialize because of a myriad of problems. The landlords had anticipated the future reforms and had taken preemptive measures to retain control of their land. For that, they adopted such measures which you could not legally challenge them. For instance, many feudal had transferred their lands to people in the extended family.
Similarly, some had transferred their landholding to trusted tenants to retain the actual control in their hands. Many others used their personal influence and bribed the official to ignore any violation of the new law.
The term security of tenure refers to the protection enjoyed by a tenant against any eviction before the agreed time period for which he had rented the land from the landlord.
Unlike the previous times, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto provided security of tenure to the peasants and tenants. Unfortunately, this important reform too did not take a practical shape for a number of reasons. One of the major reasons was that the landowners were still very influential. If a landowner did not want to sell his land to a tenant, the latter could not stand up to him.
Furthermore, the tenant did not have the finances to buy the land. Even if some tenants arranged the money, the tenant would still lack funds to fight a legal case. Many of the feudal lords also managed to influence the authorities to show the land cultivated by tenants as owner-cultivated.
bhutto era 1971 to 1977 css forum effects of bhutto's nationalization policy on the economy of pakistan nationalization policy of bhutto slideshare zulfiqar ali bhutto achievements zulfiqar ali bhutto death reason zulfiqar ali bhutto foreign policy zulfiqar ali bhutto policies zulfiqar ali bhutto reforms
James George Frazer's Views on Religion
Religion, its Types and Theology
ایمان کے لغوی اور اصطلاحی معنی
Aga Khan University Examination Board (AKU-EB) offers Online Exam Preparation for Students.
Objectives Resolution 1949 – Features, Importance and Criticism


Two types of surfaces are commonly referred to as plastic wood: synthetic paneling and ta type of wood filler used to seal holes and repair cracks. Each type requires different preparation techniques and specific coatings. The surface should be properly prepared before painting to avoid paint failure over time.
Abrade the paneling to promote adhesion by sanding it with a fine-grit sandpaper.
Sand the paneling with a fine-grit sandpaper to abrade it to promote paint adhesion.
Wipe the surface with a tack cloth to remove dust that could interfere with primer adhesion.
Apply a coat of acrylic latex primer with a roller. Smooth the wet primer with a paintbrush for latex paints. Allow the primer to dry for two hours.
Clean the brush with water.
Apply a coat of acrylic satin latex paint to the primed paneling in the same way you applied the primer.
Apply a coat of oil-based primer to the plastic wood filler with a paintbrush for oil-based paints. Allow the primer to dry for three hours.
Apply a coat of oil-based paint to the primed wood filler with the cleaned brush.


text:
Jason Ananda Storm: After Postmodernism
Home / features / Jason Ananda Storm: After Postmodernism
August 11, 2021 by Tripp Fuller
I loved this conversation. Once I heard that Jason was going to be releasing a book exploring the future of theory, I was interested… after reading it, I was PUMPED. Metamodernism is spectacular. This rather nerdy and cross-disciplinary conversation was so much fun. Hopefully, you will enjoy it and share it.
Jason Ananda Josephson Storm is chair and professor of religion and chair of science and technology studies at Williams College. He is the author of The Invention of Religion in Japan, The Myth of Disenchantment: Magic, Modernity, and the Birth of the Human Sciences, and his brand new text Metamodernism: the Future of Theory.
"For decades, scholars have been calling into question the universality of disciplinary objects and categories. The coherence of defined autonomous categories—such as religion, science, and art—has collapsed under the weight of postmodern critiques, calling into question the possibility of progress and even the value of knowledge. Jason ?nanda Josephson Storm aims to radicalize and move beyond these deconstructive projects to offer a path forward for the humanities and social sciences using a new model for theory he calls metamodernism.
Metamodernism works through the postmodern critiques and uncovers the mechanisms that produce and maintain concepts and social categories. In so doing, Storm provides a new, radical account of society's ever-changing nature—what he calls a "Process Social Ontology"—and its materialization in temporary zones of stability or "social kinds." Storm then formulates a fresh approach to philosophy of language by looking beyond the typical theorizing that focuses solely on human language production, showing us instead how our own sign-making is actually on a continuum with animal and plant communication.
Storm also considers fundamental issues of the relationship between knowledge and value, promoting a turn toward humble, emancipatory knowledge that recognizes the existence of multiple modes of the real. Metamodernism is a revolutionary manifesto for research in the human sciences that offers a new way through postmodern skepticism to envision a more inclusive future of theory in which new forms of both progress and knowledge can be realized."
https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/homebrewedchristianity/MetaModernCOMP.mp3
Filed Under: features, podcast


Jinx has posted this (and the next posts from the same trip) on her personal blog before - Biking2Nowhere - As we did the trip together we would like to share it again, maybe just not so much from her point of view only. Skip if you have seen it before, enjoy if you have not!
First of all we want to apologize for all the pics of the first few days' posts. We are 3 people with a variety of devices for capturing awesomeness! We have brought them down from almost 1000 to 50. We promise to lessen the pics as the days go by.
Wow! What a day - with tons of mixed feelings!! Doing some last minute needlework till 1am was not quite in Jinx's planning, but if things suddenly don't work, what's a girl gotta do?!
Yep, that's me with a needle and thread!!
First day of our trip and ready to leave!
Toni and Jinx slept over at Abie's, so that we could all leave together and get an early start – we hoped!
Just as we were kitted and ready to leave, Jinx found her Helmet camera kept shutting down. Then discovered the battery was flat!?! How was that possible? She had charged both the battery and the spare just before she left for Cape Town! She decided all must rather hit the road and she would replace it a little later once we stopped again.
The very last time Brutus or Jinx were clean!!
What a beautiful ride through the Durbanville hillside, green pastures everywhere and white-covered mountains accompanying us till the end of the day.
When we made a stop, Jinx replaced the battery with the spare and discovered it too was flat!! Devastated, she had to ride on without the much anticipated cam! The reason being that the cigarette lighter charger Toni had installed for her to give direct power to her (many) devices (vices?!?)– they say she's a gadget freak! – broke the day before the trip started.
The crisp, cold morning air was refreshing and we felt alive. Felt like jumping and bucking, because we were at last on the trip of a lifetime! Passing a pasture with sheep we saw one of the most fascinating sites… Steam was coming out of them, each individual, but from their entire body. So the whole field was full of little white clouds with white air rising out if them. If ever Jinx was heartbroken about her cam's flat batteries!!
The Porselein road between Wellington and Riebeek Kasteel almost had Jinx buying some pretty expensive property as she nearly came down in a stretch of mud.
Brutus came through for her and they passed it with flying colours – ok ok, by the skin of our teeth, but hey, no dust was eaten, ermm… I mean mud! Toni and Abie of course rode like champions and did not seem fazed one bit by the conditions.
Toni used his socket and started charging the cam in the meantime. We had the R20 Wimpy breakfast at Ceres and Jinx went to fetch her charger so that it could get a bit of a power boost while they were eating and buy a new power socket for herself. Lo and behold! She had managed to forget her wall charger at home!! Highly stressed, yet relieved country folk are so prepared to go out their way to help, she managed to get a cigarette lighter installed again. Thanks to Toni for doing the job.
From Ceres we went up the Gydo pass, where we had to take pics of the valley and the snowy mountains and on to Op die Berg. Although the snow had been melting for the last 4 days, it was still close and low enough that we could enjoy every moment of its beauty.
There we turned east and headed for Oasis in the Cederberg, passing fields of orange flowers, rock formations and a stunning pass.
Abie trying to get away from the muggies (midges) eating us alive!
Toni happy with his new orange KTM beanie!
The first day was concluded with of the best Spare Ribs we have eaten, good company and good conversation with Gerrit, the owner of Oasis. What an awesome place!
Thus our first day ending on a high as we got to ride of the most beautiful areas and the recent snow adding to its beauty!


May 4th is not supposed to bring SNOW, it is supposed to be warmer than -2. The sun is supposed to be shining. Well at 7:30am on May 4th 2014, it was much like December 4th!
Teams were a little slow to arrive, possibly thinking that the event would be canceled or postponed. Thankfully we play paintball, not baseball!!! The event and the CPPL forged ahead. All teams were provided with indoor heated staging, making the elements a little less of an issue.
For 2014 the CPPL X-Division will see for the first time three divisions of play. D1, D2, and D3 teams will play for Trophies, respect and prize money.
The first event of the season D3 would see just 2 brave teams enter the X-division. These teams would play the D2 teams, then advance to a winner take all final. Some teams might be fearful of playing X-division for the first time against teams up a division, not the Regina Regulators, or Hinton Chaos. When notified via email that they would be playing the top D2 teams in western Canada, both team captains said "bring it on!"
7:30am May 4th, yes MAY 4th!!!
Ragnarok the 2013 CPPL series D4 champion has jumped all the way passed D3 into D2, they started strong vs. Regina Regulators, reaching the 7 point threshold. Very impressive in defeat the Regulators scored 3 points in the loss. Saskatoon Savage opened their season with 7 points vs. Mobscene who battled bad luck in their opening match. They seemed to have all the key positions every point, only to lose out in the last few moments of each game.
CKA and Wildside let everyone at the PAG arena that they were ready to play. Both teams dominated with 7-0 shut out wins. These teams would face each other next, two teams on a high early in the event.
The D1 teams kicked off the season next. The 2013 D2 Series Champions of pretty much everything the Black Hammers, would take on the newly rebuilt Vengence. While in the other D1 match, Toxic and inquisition would square off. Both matches were extremely close, and somewhat cautious. The Black Hammers and Inquisition would emerge with hard fought close game victories.
When a team loses a match in overtime, they get a "loser" point. The game between Ragnarok and Saskatoon Savage went to overtime, Savage snagged a 4-3 overtime win, taking the 2 points. Ragnarok settled for the single point, wishing they had more. Two games finished, both Ragnarok and Savage looked liked possible event winners. CKA and Wildside played basically as car wreck game of paintball. Calvin Foster from CKA played like a mad man, taking the 50 yard line again and again. Wildside however, seemed to counter with the right move time and time again. Wildside emerged with an incredibly entertaining and exciting 4-2 win. Event was now 2/3 over, it was still snowing on and off.
The Elite Division one was starting to shape up. Black Hammers showed dominate form, securing a 7-1 result vs. toxic. Vengence rebound by defeating long time rival Inquisition by a score of 5-2. Black hammers with the win secured the top spot and a birth in the championship game. Vengence could join them with a win, or single point vs. toxic. Inqusisiton had to score 7 points vs. the Black Hammers, a tall task it would seem at this point.
Wildside and Savage continued to roll. Neither team dropped a game in the prelim rounds, and seemed destined to meet in the finals. Both would lead their groups heading to the playoffs.
Black hammers continued the strong play from the first two games, rolling to a 7-1 win against Inquisition. While Vengence set up a rematch from the first game of the D1 schedule, with a 6-2 final score vs. Toxic.
The finals are single match winner take all set up. The D1 championship game would feature the longest point ever played in the CPPL X-division. Vengence would win the first point with less the 4 minutes remain in the match. The Black Hammers would fire back and score with just 24 seconds remaining!!! The match went to overtime, The Hammers came through, securing the first D1 championship of the 2014 season.
D2 would see a team on a roll stumble for the first time. Wildside fell short of the finals, losing to Ragnarok in the semi-final. CKA would also drop their semi final game vs. Savage. A gusty CKA played an emotional and inspired consolation match, securing a 3rd place finish.
The D3 Championship would see the Regina Regulators continue their strong play. They would win the first ever D3 X-division title. Congrats guys, you played fantastic paintball. Hinton Chaos fell just short of their goal. They impressed many with their style of play however. Expect them to come back improved for E2 the "Empire Open.
That is the best summary that the CPPL can offer. Look for these "wrap ups" after each and every event. Hope that they help teams get motivated for the next event.
See you at the "Empire Open" May 31 / June 1st at Bragg Creek Paintball!


The Northfield Historical Society is having their annual auction on Saturday night… dubbed the Magical History Tour (PDF poster). The Fab Five?
The 2003 auction was significant for me. Just a few days earlier, we'd changed the N.org website over to a weblog (see this Oct. 31, 2003 "coming soon" blog entry). Having a blog made it easy to embed a photo into a blog post. My Nov. 2 post was my first to do this — a photo of the NHS auction in the recently vacated Jacobsen's store — and it included a link to a photo album of dozens more.
The serendipitous reaction I got from people over the next few weeks who'd viewed the dozens of photos convinced me that this was another way to "strengthen the fabric of the community" as I'm fond of saying. The people who WERE there wanted to see themselves and other attendees. And they, in turn, wanted others who were NOT there to see what they'd missed. And then I'd hear from people who said to me that so-and-so "told me that they'd seen my photo at the auction and that's when I went to the album…" And for months afterwards, the pageviews to the photos in that album continuously increased, ultimately into the thousands.
Yeah, I'm tooting my own horn here… I am proud of the thousands of photos of Northfield-related events I've posted over the past three years. But I'm also wanting to encourage more citizens to do this. N.org has a photogallery page that explains the various ways to view the photos. And they encourage people to submit photos, too. So take your digital camera with you wherever you go and help "weave community threads" by adding community photos to the pile. It's "citizen journalism" in every sense of the phrase.
Sean Hayford O'Leary IM'd me about this cool tool on MPR's website: Select a candidate.
By answering a series of questions about major issues, you can quickly learn which candidates are most closely aligned with your views. You'll be able to learn more about each candidate, hear his/her positions on many issues, and find out how your results compare with those of others who take the survey.
I liked it in part because it made the holes in my knowledge more apparent without anyone knowing about my cluelessness. Plus, it allows you to 'weight' an issue depending on how important it is to you.
I took the Governor quiz and was pleasantly surprised that Peter Hutchinson's views were mostly closely aligned with mine, since I intend to vote for him. I then took the U.S. Senate quiz, intending to vote for Amy Klobuchar and was more than a little surprised that my views were much more aligned with Independence Party candidate Robert Fitzgerald.
I wonder what it would take to adapt this tool for the local races, eg, the Northfield City Council, Rice County Commissioner and (non-existent) School Board races? The League of Women Voters of Northfield should do something like this.
In the Loop; the future of Locally Grown?
We like to think of it as a radio show for people who talk back to their radio. Our goal is to push the boundaries of public radio, opening the way for new voices, new attitudes, new radio techniques, and an entirely new way of relating to our listeners.
Why bother to vote? Why stick your neck out by running for office against a "safe" incumbent? Why give money to a political candidate? Why do those people in political ads sound like they're trying to scare us? Why is it just a little unsettling to see a mirror of ourselves in a race for student council?
It was a hoot. Host Jeff Horwich is funny and engaging, the skits and pre-produced stuff were well-done, and the music by their house band, The Smarts, was terrific. The show's producers are really making an effort to involve the audience in the creation of the show, not just during the show. They invite their audience 'collaborators' to brainstorm with them at a local bar once a month to help plan the next show. Another form of citizen journalism. I didn't contribute but I have submitted this audio comment to the show.
It's what Locally Grown could become. Just click on those photos above and imagine the venue being The Grand here in Northfield, with Jellystone Yogi as our house band. It reminds me of the parallels between Prairie Home Companion and Over and Back.
Here's a two-minute video clip I took towards the end of the show, with a little music and a little wrap-up from Jeff.
We still have Categories (lower left sidebar currently) and we're learning as we go. See this blogger's post on the difference between categories and tags.


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The Long, Tangled Roots of the Michael Brown Shooting
Demonstrators protest the killing of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on August 12, 2014.
Scott Olson—Getty Images
By David Von Drehle
Officials in St. Louis County and the tense town of Ferguson, Mo., remain mum nearly three days after an unidentified police officer shot an unarmed black teenager to death. But a young man who says he was with the victim at the time of the shooting has described a virtually unprovoked attack in which the officer fired repeatedly — even after the victim raised his hands and begged him to stop shooting.
In an interview with MSNBC, Dorion Johnson, 22, said his friend Michael Brown, 18, was walking in the street when the officer ordered him to the sidewalk. When Brown did not immediately comply, the officer put him in a chokehold. The young man struggled to free himself, and the officer pulled his gun and fired.
Wounded, Brown tried to flee but was shot a second time in the back. That's when he turned with his hands raised, Johnson said. "I don't have a gun. Stop shooting!" he said, but additional shots were fired.
Johnson's version of events entered an information vacuum created by the silence of city, county, state and federal officials. Ferguson police chief Thomas Jackson said Monday that information concerning Brown's death would be released by noon on Tuesday. But as the deadline approached, a department spokesman announced a change of plans. The officer involved will not be named, nor will authorities commit to a timeline for releasing autopsy results and other details of the investigation.
Citing threats lodged on social media, Ferguson police spokesman officer Timothy Zoll said, "we are protecting the officer's safety by not releasing the name."
The St. Louis County police were also mum. Their investigation into the shooting continues, said officer Brian Schellman, "but it is not for us to release the officer's name. It is a personnel matter. It is up to the Ferguson police."
At a press conference on the steps of the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis on Tuesday, the Rev. Al Sharpton and Benjamin Crump, a civil-rights lawyer representing Brown's family, said they are considering suing the Ferguson police for the release of the officer's name. Citing community distrust of local law enforcement, Crump called for the Justice Department to take over the investigation.
This investigation has been more complicated than most, as police have been pressed into a struggle to maintain peace in a restless and angry community. On Sunday night, peaceful protests erupted into a chaotic scene of arson and looting. Since then, parts of Ferguson — an incorporated working-class suburb of some 21,000 residents roughly 12 miles north of St. Louis — have been patrolled by scores of armored police officers with tear gas at the ready.
"This isn't what Ferguson is about," said one resident, Shante Duncan, 33. "This is a good community. There are lots of people on the ground doing good work, but you never hear about any of it."
Generations of racially mixed families have lived in Ferguson, some dating back more than a century, with ancestors among the slaves who were sold at auction houses on the Mississippi riverfront. Today, its residents comprise roughly two-thirds African Americans and one-third Caucasians. Race relations, often harmonious among neighbors, are frequently tense between black residents and the mostly Caucasian city officials.
"Ferguson is notorious for being prejudiced against blacks," said George Chapman, a 50-year-old African American who has lived in the town most of his life but said he recently moved because he was "tired of the police."
"The police stop us all the time," Chapman said. "The police show us no respect. They treat us like we're nothing."
A racial-profiling report from the Missouri attorney general's office showed that, last year, African Americans in Ferguson were significantly more likely to be involved in police traffic stops and arrests.
Michael Brown's parents said during a press conference on Monday that their son had overcome the racial hardships facing many young African-American males. "He was a good boy," said his father Mike Brown Sr., determined to make something of himself and scheduled to start schooling for a career in heating and cooling.
"He was starting on a new journey," said Brown's mother Lesley McSpadden. "He was maturing."
Brown's family deplored the looted businesses in Ferguson, the violence, the vandalism that resulted in boarded-up businesses and scrawled graffiti inciting violence against police. "Why would you burn your community?" asked Brown's grandfather, Leslie McSpadden. "Why? This should not be his legacy."
Why, indeed. St. Louis is not the first place most Americans would name when asked to think of a city primed to blow. But friction is the result of two surfaces rubbing together, and St. Louis has always been a city where surfaces meet. It may be the ultimate border town. Its signature arch, marking the Gateway to the West, is meant to remind us that St. Louis is the place where the East ended and the West began. Likewise, its equipoise near the midpoint of the Mississippi marked St. Louis as a fault line between North and South.
The racial history of St. Louis is burdened by a hyperconsciousness of borders and boundaries. Colin Gordon of the University of Iowa brilliantly demonstrates this in his book (and related website), Mapping Decline: St. Louis and the Fate of the American City. Few cities, as Gordon shows, have taken a more systematic approach to racial separation and division.
It started with … well, how far back do we want to go? The infamous Dred Scott case of 1857 — that spark in the powder keg of the Civil War — began in St. Louis as a question of whether a man's human rights evaporated when he crossed the border into a slave state. In the decades since that terrible war, St. Louis has tried a number of tactics to keep the races apart.
In 1916, the city passed a zoning law that explicitly restricted black homeowners to certain neighborhoods. The following year, in a case out of Louisville, Ky., the Supreme Court struck down racial zoning laws. So St. Louis realtors responded with a series of restrictive covenants designed to separate the races. White homeowners were forbidden to sell their houses to black customers, and real estate agents could lose their licenses if they participated in a forbidden transaction.
Eventually the covenant strategy failed as well. In 1946, the Supreme Court struck down those arrangements in a case that came from St. Louis.
Now the metropolis turned to redlining, the practice of steering black buyers into certain neighborhoods by discriminating on their mortgage applications. Through it all, white homeowners accelerated the division by moving away from downtown and into predominantly white suburbs — the same "white flight" that remade American cities from coast to coast after World War II.
You can see it all in Gordon's maps, drawn meticulously from government records and Census data. Or you can read it more poetically in the charming prose of the late St. Louis writer Stanley Elkin. In his 1980 love song to St. Louis, first published in Esquire, he noted the peculiar boundaries of his chosen home:
"St. Louis … is a city of sealed neighborhoods, gated as a railroad crossing, of blocked-off streets and private places, chartered as a nation, zoned as meteorological maps, the enclaves and cul-de-sac of stalled weather."
The shooting of Michael Brown, and the violence that followed, happened smack on one of those borders. Ferguson is an inner-ring suburb that is neither black nor white. Its southern border abuts a storied country club where Ben Hogan won the 1948 PGA Championship. Other parts of the little city-inside-a-city produce an overall unemployment rate of nearly 20%.
Established in 1894, Ferguson encompasses rough-around-the-edges manufactured homes and turn-of-the-century Victorian manors within its 6 sq. mi. It is a mixture of suburban and blue collar, home to "King of Kash" payday loan shops as well as boutique home-decor stores. One of Missouri's largest corporations, Emerson Electric, has its headquarters there.
St. Louis rapper Tef Poe, writing in the Riverfront Times, caught the jagged feeling of the border city last year in his description of a neighborhood not far from Ferguson: "Rich people, middle-income, lower-income and dirt-poor people living blocks apart from each other in what is basically the same neighborhood."
As the tension in Ferguson and nearby communities stretched into its fourth day, protesters seemed torn by the friction of a city built on such fine lines. "We're not stupid! We're not stupid!" a group of peaceful protesters chanted in the direction of a line of 130 county police in riot gear. Chanel Ruffin, 25, a Ferguson resident, said that "Ferguson police show us no respect. They harass black people all the time." She said she knew Michael Brown, and "he was a nice guy. He was going to start college and make something of himself. He didn't deserve to be shot so many times."
Like others in the crowd, Ruffin did not try to explain the riot — much less to justify it. "I'm not saying what they did was right," she said.
Things happen along these fault lines that cannot be entirely explained.
They can only be felt. "People were acting out of emotions," Ruffin ventured. "There are a lot of people hurting."
— With reporting by Kristina Sauerwein / Ferguson, Mo.
Witness Tension Between Police and Protestors in Ferguson, Mo.
A man backs away as law enforcement officials close in on him and eventually detain him during protests over the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager killed by a police officer, in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 11, 2014.
Whitney Curtis—The New York Times/Redux
Riot police force protestors from the business district into nearby neighborhoods in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 11, 2014.
A child uses a rag to shield his face from tear gas fired by riot police, who used it to force protestors from the business district into nearby neighborhoods in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 11, 2014.
Police officers keep watch from an armored vehicle as they patrol a street in Ferguson, Mo., on Aug. 11, 2014
Mario Anzuoni—Reuters
Police officers ride an armored vehicle as they patrol a street in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 11, 2014.
A demonstrator raises his hands in front of of a police officer in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 11, 2014.
Riot police lock down a neighborhood in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 11, 2014.
People raise their hands in the middle of the street as riot police move toward their position trying to get them to disperse, in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 11, 2014.
Jeff Roberson—AP
Demonstrators raise their hands and chant "hands up, don't shoot" during a protest over the killing of Michael Brown on in Clayton, Mo. on August 12, 2014.
Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton speaks about the killing of teenager Michael Brown at a press conference held on the steps of the old courthouse in St. Louis on Aug. 12, 2014.
Police take up position to control demonstrators who were protesting the killing of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 12, 2014.
Demonstrators protest the killing of teenager Michael Brown outside Greater St. Marks Family Church in St. Louis on Aug. 12, 2014.
Police stand watch as demonstrators protest the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 13, 2014.
A demonstrator throws back a tear gas container after tactical officers worked to break up a group of bystanders on Chambers Road near West Florissant in Ferguson on Aug. 13, 2014.
Robert Cohen—St. Louis Post-Dispatch/MCT/Zuma Press
Police officers work their way north on West Florissant Avenue clearing the road of people in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 13, 2014.
Robert Cohen—St. Louis Post-Dispatch/AP
Demonstrators protest the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 13, 2014.
People run through smoke in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 13, 2014.
A protester takes shelter from smoke billowing around him in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 13, 2014.
David Carson—St. Louis Post-Dispatch/AP
An explosive device deployed by police flies in the air as police and protesters clash in Ferguson, Mo., on Aug. 13, 2014
Thousands of demonstrators peacefully march to the spot where Michael Brown was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 14, 2014.
Demetrus Washington joins other demonstrators protesting the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 14, 2014.
Demonstrators protest outside of Greater St. Marks Family Church in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 14, 2014.
Lucas Jackson—Reuters
Protesters light candles as they take part in a peaceful demonstration in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 14, 2014.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson (L) speaks to protesters as he walks through a peaceful demonstration as communities continue to react to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 14, 2014.
A young child looks out from a car as demonstrators drive down West Florissant Avenue protesting the shooting and death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 15, 2014.
A demonstrator walks through smoke launched by police after a skirmish in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 15, 2014
A demonstrator protests on Florissant Ave in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 16, 2014.
Jon Lowenstein—NOOR for TIME
Children walk past police officers during a demonstration in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 16, 2014.
Protestors help a man who was injured by tear gas thrown by police after refusing to disperse after the midnight curfew in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 17, 2014.
Protestors throw canisters in Ferguson, Mo. on August 18, 2014.
Protestors demonstrate against the killing of Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo. on August 17, 2014.
A protestor during demonstrations in Ferguson, Mo. on August 17, 2014.
A protestor retaliates against police in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 17, 2014.
A protestor throws a canister of tear gas back at police during demonstrations in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 17, 2014.
Police wait to advance after tear gas was used to dispersed a crowd in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 17, 2014.
Charlie Riedel—AP
A protestor holds a sign that reads "stop killing us" amid clouds of tear gas in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 17, 2014.
Police wait to advance after tear gas was used to disperse a crowd in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 17, 2014.
Tear gas rains down on a woman kneeling in the street with her hands in the air during a demonstration in Ferguson on Aug. 17, 2014. The "hands up, don't shoot" pose became the defining gesture of the protests.
Protesters attempt to treat a woman who was in a cloud of tear gas thrown by police in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 17, 2014.
Demonstrators march down West Florissant Ave. during a peaceful march in reaction to the shooting of Michael Brown near Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 18, 2014.
Demonstrators march down West Florissant during a peaceful march in reaction to the shooting of Michael Brown, near Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 18, 2014.
Police tackle a man who was walking down the street in front of McDonald's in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 18, 2014.
Laurie Skrivan—St. Louis Post-Dispatch/AP
Law enforcement officers watch on during a protest on West Florissant Avenue in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 18, 2014.
Michael B. Thomas—AFP/Getty Images
Demonstrators cover their faces as tear gas fills the air as police fire the gas against an unruly crowd protesting the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug.18, 2014
A protestor wearing a gas mask stands with his hands up while facing armed police in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 18, 2014.
Abe Van Dyke—Demotix/Corbis
Police fire tear gas in the direction of where bottles were thrown from crowds gathered near the QuikTrip on W. Florissant Avenue in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 18, 2014.
David Carson—St Louis Post-Dispatch/Polaris
Demonstrators stand in the middle of West Florissant as they react to tear gas fired by police during ongoing protests in reaction to the shooting of teenager Michael Brown, near Ferguson, Missouri, August 18, 2014.
Demonstrators protest against the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. Aug. 19, 2014.
Joshua Lott—Reuters
A police officer in riot gear detains a demonstrator protesting against the shooting of Michael Brown, in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 19, 2014.
Police officers in riot gear watch demonstrators protesting against the shooting of Michael Brown from the side of a building in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 19, 2014.
Two protesters sit with their faces covered during a peaceful protest in Ferguson, Mo. early on Aug. 20, 2014.
A man is doused with milk and sprayed with mist after being hit by an eye irritant from security forces trying to disperse demonstrators in Ferguson, Mo. early on Aug. 20, 2014.
Adrees Latif—Reuters
In this photo taken with a long exposure, protesters march in the street as lightning flashes in the distance in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 20, 2014.


PUBG developer debunks accusation maps are "asset flips"
The developer of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds has debunked what it calls "misinformation" and "oversimplified tales" about the way the game is developed.
The criticism here revolves around the re-use of certain assets across PUBG's maps, and the buying of pre-made assets from the Unreal marketplace. Posts like the one below occasionally pop up on the PUBG subreddit, alongside the accusation that the vast majority of the game's maps were bought-in. Some even accuse PUBG of being an "asset flip" game.
Some accuse PUBG of being an asset-flip.
This debate kicked off again this week after PUBG creator Brendan "PlayerUnknown" Greene expressed his frustration at the "asset flip" jibe in an interview with Geoff Keighley at E3, saying it "kills me a little inside".
Now, PUBG Corp. has stepped in, in a bid to help players understand the realities of game development.
"For some time, there's been a rumour that all of PUBG's maps are either outsourced or entirely built using store-bought assets," PUBG Corp. communications lead Ryan Rigney wrote in a post on the PUBG subreddit. Rigney went on to explain how the development team did "lean on" asset store work as it was starting up ahead of PUBG's launch in December 2017.
"That's the only way you can spin up a game fast, and for a reasonable price, to quickly find the fun," Rigney said.
"Hiring an art team of 40 people to 'try a game' and 'see if it's fun' is simply not a smart way to work - this is what the asset store is for! It's a great resource for teams that want to work smart."
Rigney said PUBG's first map, Erangel, was a combination of in-house work done at the company's headquarters in Korea, some direct purchasing of assets, and outsourced artwork from a team in the American midwest. "Basically, a few Americans built the Military Base on Erangel," Rigney revealed.
PUBG Corp. then decided to create a studio in Madison, Wisconsin as an in-house art team. Miramar, PUBG's second map, came about as a result of collaboration between this new Madison art team and the Korean team in Seoul. This process involved ress reliance on store-bought assets, but they were still used "because it just doesn't make sense to build everything in the game world yourself". Some assets from Erangel were re-used in Miramar, too.
"Why should one of my artists spend two weeks on a generic sculpt if they could instead spend that two weeks adding real value for players elsewhere? How many times should a telephone booth be modeled? How many times do we gotta sculpt a cash register?"
Rigney also said the majority of external assets are adjusted by PUBG Corp.'s artists for visuals and optimisation / performance.
"Because we're steadily investing more and more in building our internal art teams (along with lots of other teams), Miramar used fewer external assets than Erangel, and Sanhok used fewer still," Rigney said.
"Our fourth map, the one coming out this winter, uses fewer still, but if we're smart it'll almost certainly still involve some mix of assets from different sources. This is a good thing. These sorts of issues are pretty much always more complicated than the reddit meme version of the story ("hehe XD asset flip") so keep that in mind whenever you see someone telling oversimplified tales."
So there you have it. PUBG's maps are made up of a combination of outsourced and bought-in assets, as well as assets created in-house.


A job interview process is an opportunity for a candidate, to make a strong positive impression on a hiring company. Prior preparation is vital for success in such a case. Below is a checklist meant to prepare you in advance.
It is vitally important for the candidate to know extensively about an offered position. Most of questions in an interview is meant to assess the candidate's ability to perform in a specific role, through sheer skill, determination and self-sufficiency. Having little or no prior knowledge about job position create uncertainties that puts a candidate in a serious disadvantage during an interview.
Prior knowledge about a company's operations is also vital for making a positive impression during an interview. It is essential that a candidate research about the company's history and background, present leadership, major products and services, financial performance and future outlook. This also allows the candidate to ask intelligent questions or to demonstrate personal compatibility in an interview, leading to favorable outcomes.
Not knowing or remembering your own skills and experiences during an interview can end any possibilities of success, and create a negative impression on interviewers. The candidate must be prepared at all times to support the information presented in his/her resume, with helpful facts and anecdotes. Providing too much information can also jeopardize one's chances, and ought to be avoided. The candidate is expected to carry updated copies of his/her resume into an interview, and furnish them if and when requested.
The candidate is expected to attend an interview in a well-groomed condition. He/She is expected to dress conservatively (in formal attires such as suits, ties and shoes). The attire must be clean and tasteful. Women should avoid putting on too much makeup or perfumes. Men are expected to shave or trim any facial hair. Finger nails ought to be clean or trimmed, and spectacles with dark shades are to be avoided.
It is vital that the candidate arrive to the interview on time. To avoid delays, he/she ought to know the location, transportation options and travel time in advance. It is considered polite to arrive 5-10 minutes early. In case of delays, be sure to inform the interviewer beforehand. Keep the interviewer's contact details with you, for such cases.
The candidate must maintain a pleasant demeanor at all times. He/She must conduct himself/herself in an honest and truthful manner. Proper eye contact and bodily posture is essential. He/she ought to listen intently when the interviewer speaks. He/she must understand the interviewer's question completely before making a reply. It is recommended to wait a few seconds between a question and answer.
Based on prior research of the job position and company operations, the candidate is to prepare some intelligent questions for the interviewer. Salary negotiations are generally to be avoided on the first interview.
Once an interview is complete, the candidate must personally send an email/ letter on the same day, thanking the interviewer for the opportunity. It may be helpful to remind the interviewer of the candidate's continued interest on the role, and efforts to followup any unresolved issues during the interview.
Each job interview process is a unique experience. The questions posed to the candidate depend largely on the job position, experience, and other factors pertaining to the company. Nevertheless, there are some common pattern in the inquiry.


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About the efficiency, while conventional solar panels have efficiencies topping 20%, thin film solar panels are only are about 8% efficient. Technology Review gives the example of one of thin film flexible18' long panels producing 330w,whereas if that same area was covered in conventional crystalline silicon panels in would be 740w.
Flexible solar modules are produced utilizing a thin stainless steel substrate and flexible lamination polymers which equate to a thickness of ~1.5 mm. This allows our modules to be used for a wide variety of applications.
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Once the solar cells are created,the mile-long roll then moves to the module manufacturing stage where the individual modules are fabricated into finish product.During this significantly automated process,the solar cells are cut to specs,wired,encapsulated,and packaged,which ultimately results in durable,flexible,lightwieht,and powerful solar modules.
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