When the original Olympus Pen F 35mm half-frame SLR was introduced in 1963 it was the only half-frame SLR and the smallest full system SLR in the world. It was a uniquely styled camera with a smooth, sleek, minimalist design made possible by the use of a system of mirrors instead of a conventional pentaprism, hence no characteristic SLR bump on top. This system of mirrors included an unusual primary mirror that moved vertically out of the light path when the shutter was released.
In my opinion the Pen F series is one of the most beautiful cameras ever designed. It is a very high quality device with very smooth operation.
The Olympus Pen FT replaced the Pen F in 1966. It introduced a number of minor improvements (i.e. a single stroke film advance instead of double stroke, a self timer and a focusing screen with a micro prism) and one major advance in the form of open-aperture TTL (through the lens) exposure metering. This was at a time such things were still something of a novelty. The metering system utilised a semi-silvered mirror that directed some light to the metering cell, and the rest to the view-finder. This resulted in a view finder that was unfortunately somewhat dimmer than the original Pen F.
The viewfinder of the Pen FT has a series of numbers from 0 to 7 in the view finder with a needle to indicate a number. This number must then be set on the lens. There is no coupling to either the lens or the shutter speed: you must take your eye away from the viewfinder to transfer the number observed in the viewfinder to the lens. Overall the system is rather cumbersome, but at the time I think TTL metering was enough of a surprising novelty for people to forgive this!
Lenses made after the introduction of the Pen FT have an aperture ring with light meter numbers on one side and F numbers on the other. The aperture ring can be turned all the way around so either the light meter numbers or F stops are on top of the lens. This system was claimed to be easier to understand then obscure F stop numbers, which tend to confuse beginners. But to be honest it is a rather slow and cumbersome to use in practice!
The Pen FV was introduced shortly after the Pen FT. It included all the improvements of the Pen FT, but without the TTL metering and it therefore had the brighter view finder of the original Pen F. The Pen FV is considerably rarer than the Pen F or Pen FT and often commands higher prices, though the rare black version of the Pen FT is the most sought after, and most valuable, model of all.
Apart from being the first half-frame SLR (yielding 72 exposures on a 36 exposure film), the Pen F series had a number of other innovations, including an unusual rotating focal plane shutter that permitted flash synchronisation at all shutter speeds. This is a feature that remains unique among focal plane shutter cameras to this day.
The Pen F camera was part of a comprehensive system. There was a range of lenses from 20mm to 800mm, including ultra fast lenses with apertures as fast as f/1.2, macro lenses, mirror lenses and some early examples of zoom lenses. Note that there is an approximate conversion factor of 1.4x to give 35mm equivalents focal lengths. The only thing lacking in the Pen F lens range was an ultra wide-angle lens, the widest being a 20mm lens giving a field of view similar to a 28mm lens on a full frame 35mm camera. There were also accessories such as an external meter for the Pen F/FV, bellows units, extension tubes and reversing adapters for close focus (and, indeed, extreme close focus) photography, and flash units.
Olympus used some very clever marketing for the Pen F range which naturally focussed on the very small size of the Pen F system. There was even an advert featuring a shoe being used as a camera bag!
Porroprism finder, magnification 0.8x (standard lens), with Fresnel lens.
Double action with 90 degree self-cocking lever. Double exposure impossible.
Hinge system with release built into rewind knob.
Porroprism finder, magnification 0.8x (standard lens), with microprism and special Fresnel lens.
I bought this camera mainly for the lens it came with, the rather rare 38mm f/2.8 pancake. But it is also nice to have the original Pen F camera in my collection with it's lovely gothic letter F on the front.
This camera, pictured here with the 40mm f/1.4 lens that it came with, has been in my collection for a long time. There have been times in the past when I have sold almost my entire collection, but this is one camera I have never been able to part with!
I suppose sooner or later I'd have to add the final Pen F camera, the Pen FV, to my collection! My Pen FV came with one of the original (i.e. non-pancake) version of the 38mm f/2.8 lens.
This is the widest angle lens in the Olympus Pen F range. When used on a Pen F film camera the field of view is similar to a 28mm lens on a full frame 35mm camera. When used on a digital camera with the an APS-C sensor the full frame equivalent field of view is 30mm, and it's 40mm on a M/43 camera.
Along with the 100mm f/3.5, this is the most common lens in the Pen F range. When used on a Pen F film camera the field of view is similar to a 35mm lens on a full frame 35mm camera. When used on a digital camera with an APS-C sensor the full frame equivalent field of view is 37.5mm, and it's 50mm on a M/43 camera.
The 25mm f/4 and 100mm f3.5, along with one of the standard lenses would have been a very common outfit. Unfortunately my example of the 25mm f/4 has a dysfunctional aperture diaphragm, which is why I purchased the f/2.8 version (see below) to replace it. But that doesn't necessarily stop me from mounting it on a digital camera, it just means I'm limited to using it permanently at it's maximum aperture.
The f2.8 version of the 25mm was a much higher quality lens than the f/4 version. It is also a much larger and heavier lens. This is quite a rare lens. My example is in rather rough condition, but the mechanics and optics are in very good condition, and since I bought this lens mainly as a user, that is the most important thing. When used on a digital camera this lens is certainly capable of very fine results.
This is one of the less known of the Olympus Pen F lenses. Most Pen F collectors have heard of the amazingly tiny 38mm f/2.8 pancake lens, but this is the original 38mm f/2..8 lens, a simple 4 element lens intended as a budget option for those who wanted to get in to the Pen F system at the lowest possible entry point. It was only produced quite early in the life of the Pen F series, so it's actually quite rare, but because it is one of the less technically interesting of the Pen F lenses it isn't in high demand, despite it's rarity. My copy came with my Pen FV. I haven't yet taken any photos with this lens.
This is by far and away the smallest lens in the Pen F range. It turns the Pen F cameras into truly pocketable 35mm SLR cameras, and there aren't many cameras that can claim that! As with most 'pancake' type lenses ergonomics take a back seat to small size… with no room for a proper focusing ring you have to feel for the two focusing tabs on each side of the lens.
When used on a Pen F film camera the field of view is similar to a 55mm lens on a full frame 35mm camera. When used on a digital camera with the an APS-C sensor the full frame equivalent field of view is 57mm, and it's 76mm on a M/43 camera. Using this lens on a digital camera is certainly fun, but it seems with this lens image quality also takes a back seat to small size! With extremely soft corners the result certainly have character, which I actually quite like, but this lens certainly isn't one to choose when you're looking for high resolution!
Olympus had quite an extensive range of close-up equipment in the Pen F system, including a bellows unit and this macro lens. Below left you can see this lens racked out to it's closest focus setting.
It is a tiny and very convenient lens that was really quite ground breaking at the time it was launched. It is one of the rarer Pen F lenses. With it's 38mm focal length this lens give a field of view similar to a 55mm lens on a full frame 35mm camera. When used on a Pen F film camera the field of view is similar to a 55mm lens on a full frame 35mm camera. When used on a digital camera with the an APS-C sensor the full frame equivalent field of view is 57mm, and it's 76mm on a M/43 camera.
Below is a test shot of a stamp using my Olympus E-PL3 camera. The sensor on this camera is 13mm wide, and a UK stamp is 15mm wide, so as you can see this lens is getting very close to a 1:1 reproduction ration!
This is one of a wide range of standard lenses Olympus made for the Pen F system, there where 5 in total: a 38mm f/2.8 pancake (see above), a 38mm f/2.8 normal model (only produced for a short time very early on in Pen F range), the 38mm f1.8 (the most common, and, some would say, the sharpest), the 40mm f/1.4 you see here, and finally the rare and desirable (though apparently not very sharp!) 42mm f/1.2, which is the fastest lens in the whole Pen F range.
I really love this lens and I have taken many photographs with it on various digital cameras. When used on a Pen F film camera the field of view is similar to a 58mm lens on a full frame 35mm camera. When used on a digital camera with the an APS-C sensor the full frame equivalent field of view is 60mm, and it's 80mm on a M/43 camera. It gives a very distinctive quality to the out-of-focus areas of a shot (otherwise know as 'bokeh') that is quite unlike a modern lens.
This is the fastest telephoto lens in the Pen F range. When used on a Pen F film camera the field of view is similar to a 85mm lens on a full frame 35mm camera. When used on a digital camera with the an APS-C sensor the full frame equivalent field of view is 90mm, and it's 120mm on a M/43 camera.
This is another recent acquisition. When I first tried this lens I wasn't too sure about the bokeh, but that was with subjects in the middle distance (3-5 meters). with subjects in the close range (1-2 meters) I like the bokeh much better. Typical of most fast Pen F glass this is a real double personality lens: wide open you get a real vintage look with very distinctive bokeh, and stopped down you get a much more modern look.
Along with the 25mm f/4, this is pretty much the most common Olympus Pen F lens. With a 35mm equivalent focal length of 143mm this was the Pen F version of the typical 135mm lens on full frame 35mm cameras, offering a smidgen extra reach and a much smaller size. It is quite a sharp little lens and it works very well on cameras with APS-C sized sensors.
By the standards of the time, this was the first lens in the Olympus Pen F range that just nudged into super-telephoto range… it was also the longest lens in the Pen F range to retain a fully automatic aperture diaphragm. When used on a Pen F film camera the field of view is similar to a 210mm lens on a full frame 35mm camera. When used on a digital camera with the an APS-C sensor the full frame equivalent field of view is 225mm, and it's 300mm on a M/43 camera. I haven't used this lens much on a digital camera so I don't have any sample photos.
Olympus made just 2 zoom lenses for the Pen F system. One was a 100-200mm f/5 lens with a preset aperture diaphragm. But the first was this lens, a 50-90mm zoom. The zoom ratio was, by modern standards, a very modest 1.8x, but zoom lenses where still quite a novelty at the time, so I suppose people were willing to except this in exchange for the thrill of using a zoom lens perhaps for the first time! Judging by the fact that even today this is a pretty common lens I can only assume that despite the limited zoom range, and the rather bulky dimensions, this was a popular lens that sold in quite large numbers.
When used on a Pen F film camera the field of view is similar to a 70-130mm lens on a full frame 35mm camera. When used on a digital camera with the an APS-C sensor the full frame equivalent field of view is 75-135mm, and it's 100-180mm on a M/43 camera. My example is in rather rough condition, and it's an early model with an aperture ring that lacks the Pen FT's metering numbers.
As far as I am aware a tele-converter was one accessory that Olympus never made for the Pen F system, but when a company leaves such a gap in a popular system you can rely on the third party manufacturers to step in and fill it! This tiny little converter multiples the focal length by 2x and reduces aperture by 2 stops. It maintains the automatic diaphragm of the lens it is used with. I've showed this tele-converter attached to the 150mm lens to give a 300mm f8 lens. Rather a slow combination, but it may have still be useful in a pinch!
One of the great things about modern compact system cameras (CSCs… also known as mirrorless cameras) is the ease with which they can be adapted to use classic lenses from bygone eras. This is because the distance between the sensor and the front of the lens mount (the so called flange-back distance) is much less than most film cameras designed for 35mm film. This in turn means that the depth of the adapter doesn't prevent the lens from focusing to infinity. The manufacturers of many CSCs often make adapters themselves (for example, Fujifilm make an adapter to fit Leica M mount lenses on their cameras). But because a basic adapter is so easy to make, a host of small far east companies make adapters for practically every other mount you can imagine. They then sell them on Amazon and eBay for very little money, generally in the £15-25 range.
The crop factor for M4/3 cameras, such as those made by Olympus and Panasonic is 2x, so you are using Pen F lenses somewhat outside of their original scope, but the difference is still much smaller then when you mount 35mm full frame lenses on a M4/3 camera.
I find that on my Fujifilm X-E1 camera (35mm equiv. focal lengths in brackets) my 20mm f/3.5 (30mm), 25mm f/2.8 (37mm, not show in the above X-E1 photo), 38mm f/3.5 macro (59mm), 40mm f/1.4 (60mm), 60mm f/1.5 (90mm) and 100mm f3.5 (150mm) make most sense. Together these lenses cover a really useful range of focal lengths.
On my Olympus Digital Pen M4/3 cameras the wide angle lenses make less sense, as they just become rather slow standard lenses, but the 38mm f3.5 macro (76mm), 40mm f/1.4 (80mm) and 60mm f/1.5 (120mm) make wonderful macro and fast short telephoto lenses.
One of my recent acquisitions I am most excited by is the Pen F 38mm macro. This tiny lens weighs just 230 grams including the mount adapter, and gives superb results on both APS-C and M4/3 cameras. And since I don't already have a macro lens for my M4/3 cameras I think this lens is definitely going to save me a purchase! And giving these beautiful example of 1960s engineering another burst of life is a real pleasure.


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For your convenience, most of the titles below link to a site where the book may be purchased and/or they link directly to the full story/article itself.
To the Last Man
by Alexander Cohen
The incredible true story of Sergeant William T. Miles. This new non-fiction book solves a 66 year old Korean War MIA case.
An American in the Basement
by Amy Waters Yarsinke
Gulf War 1 – the Scott Speicher story – Betrayal & cover-up. The incredible story of denial, deceit, and deception that ultimately cost Navy pilot Captain Michael Scott Speicher his life is exposed in this military tell-all. Read more.
America's Abandon Sons
by Robert S. Miller
For anyone that wishes to educate themselves on the issue of America's POW/MIAs, this is a must read. Today this regrettable saga is still one of America's most closely guarded secrets.
A POW Story
by U.S. Army Doctor Hal Kushner
This story is about the "will to live" and the resilience of the human spirit
by U.S. Army Doctor Hal Kushner, Former Vietnam Prisoner of War
by Joseph Douglass
J. Douglass documents the betrayal of missing American POWs after World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He tells in detail what happened and why, with firsthand testimony on U.S. and communist policies.
An Enormous Crime
by Hendon & Stewart
The Definitive Account of American POWs Abandoned in Southeast Asia. A dramatic history of living American soldiers left in Vietnam, and the first full account of the circumstances that left them there.
Leave No Man Behind
by G. 'Bill' Bell
"Leave No Man Behind" is the powerful story of Garnett "Bill" Bell's quest to find and bring home the POWs and MIAs of the Vietnam War. In this book, Bell shares his perspective as a witness to history as it unfolded.
American Trophies: How American
POWs Were Surrendered to North
Korea, China, and Russia
by Sauter and Zimmerlee
The story of American heroes kept by our country's enemies and Washington's failure to recover them.
Abandoned in Place
by Lynn M. O'Shea
Provides a snapshot of the Vietnam POW/MIA issue from the signing of the Paris Peace Accords, in January 1973, ending American involvement in the war in Southeast Asia to the "dysfunctional" POW/MIA accounting effort
of 2014.
Easy-t0-Read Fact Sheets to Help Get You Started
All titles below link to and open the full version of the document.
There ARE Live American Prisoners Of War in Southeast Asia and Our Government Knows it!
Historical Time Line with Comments
Lynn O'Shea's History Review
The National Alliance of Families Offers Recommendations . . .
Seven recommendations to correct past problems and regain the trust of POW/MIA families.
10 Key Pieces of Evidence
Evidence that men were left behind.
Lynn O'Shea 59 Small Numbers
19 New POWs Move Over, You're Getting Company, and We're About To Send DPMO Into Debunk Overdrive (September 2008)
"Military Tourism:" Washington's Failing Recovery Program for America's 83,000 POW/MIAs, 2005-2012 and beyond.
Alexander Fairfield's summary of a recent 2012 government POW/MIA accounting report concerning Washington's inability to effectively resolve America's long-standing backlog of 83,000 POW/MIA's of the 20th century.
Program Performance Review
An Unsolicited Program Performance Review of DoD's new DPAA/JPAC mission by Alexander Fairfield.
Inspect What YOU Expect
by Moe Moyer
The six expectations: Declassification, Database, DNA, Budget, Personnel, and Goals. It is time to instill this expectation in the effort to account for America's Missing in Action/Unaccounted For. The goal: create accountability and efficiency amongst those who are responsible for the fullest possible accounting of America's Unaccounted For from all previous conflicts/wars.
EDUCATION
Education is the key to the success of the POW/MIA Mission. We must first EDUCATE
ourselves so that we can speak with confidence, then we must educate
our friends and fellow veterans to the truth.
DPAA current info:
-Recently accounted for
-Recent News & Stories
-News Releases
WHO ARE WE? | OUR MISSION | LEGISLATION | NEWS | ARTICLES/STORIES | WHAT CAN I DO?
Visit The Ride Home website
MEMBERSHIP | MERCHANDISE | VIDEOS | REFERENCE LINKS | DONATE | CONTACT US | ARCHIVES
POW/MIA/KIA UNKNOWNS

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Bierkowo (kaszb. Biérkòwò, niem.: Birkow) – wieś w Polsce położona w województwie pomorskim, w powiecie słupskim, w gminie Słupsk.

Wieś jest siedzibą sołectwa Bierkowo w którego skład wchodzi również miejscowość Miednik. Zbudowana na planie ulicówki, z główną zabudową zogniskowaną o 700 m na południe od gminnej drogi Słupsk – Darłowo, będącej przedłużeniem słupskiej ul. 3 Maja, wzdłuż której do centrum miasta jest ze wsi ok. 6 km. Na zachód od Bierkowa, w bezpośrednim jego pobliżu bierze początek Moszczeniczka, niewielki dopływ Wieprzy.

W latach 1975–1998 – miejscowość administracyjnie należy do województwa słupskiego.

Historia
 W starożytności osadnictwo pod wpływem Rzymian – odkryto w okolicy skarb monet rzymskich.
 1628 – najstarszy zapis nazwy wsi: Birckow,
 1779 – aż do 1945 roku wieś funkcjonowała w dokumentach jako: Birkow,
 1784 – wieś liczyła łącznie 21 dymów w tym folwark i 12 gospodarstw chłopskich,
 1800 – lub około tej daty rozparcelowany został majątek królewski, ulicom nadano nazwy, z początkiem wieku wybudowano pośrodku wsi masywny dom z wieżą z dzwonem adaptowany jako szkoła,
 1895 – wybudowano kościół filialny pod wezwaniem św. Józefa należący do parafii Niepokalanego Poczęcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny w Bruskowie Wielkim (przebudowany w 1924),
 1922 – założono Wassergenossenschaft Gross Brüskow–Birkow–Strellin, spółdzielnię utrzymującą kanał rzeki Słupi na wysokości Strzelina; oprócz niej do 1939 roku działały jeszcze Motzbachgenossenschaft odpowiedzialna za meliorację Moszczeniczki oraz Molkereigenossenschaft produkująca mleko,
 1942 – we wsi funkcjonowała kasa pożyczkowo-oszczędnościowa, mleczarnia, zakład instalacji energetycznych, rybiarnia, masarnia, młyny, sklepy wielobranżowe, usługi świadczyli mistrz budowlany, kowale, krawcy, szewcy i stolarze,
 1945 – wkroczenie Armii Czerwonej,
 1966 – oddano do użytku budynek nowej szkoły stanowiący centrum wsi; do szkoły podstawowej dojeżdżają dzieci z Bruskowa Wielkiego, Bruskowa Małego, Krzemienicy, Wierzbięcina i Swołowa.

Infrastruktura

Kanalizacja. Nowe oświetlenie. Nowe chodniki. Nowe drogi asfaltowe. Stacja redukcyjna gazu ziemnego, szkoła, świetlica wiejska, dwa place zabaw.

55 gospodarstw rolnych o powierzchni od 1 do 55 ha zajmujących się uprawami oraz hodowlą.

Firma ORvita produkująca czystej odmiany produkty orkiszowe, palarnia kawy, wędzarnia ryb, ubojnia zwierząt, stolarnie, sklepy.

Dwie duże firmy: Fabryka Przekładni Kątowych (150 osób), KDP (120 osób).

Nieopodal Bierkowa jedyne w powiecie wysypisko śmieci spełniające normy UE.

Najbliższa stacja kolejowa: Słupsk.

Kultura
Folklorystyczny zespół wokalny Bierkowianki ma w swoim dorobku udział w kilku programach telewizyjnych. Próby odbywają się w świetlicy przekazanej Kołu Gospodyń Wiejskich.

Przy kościele pw. św. Józefa działa schola dziecięco-młodzieżowa pod opieką bierkowskiej młodzieży.

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne
 Cmentarz ewangelicki

Słupsk (gmina wiejska)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Android Central ROM review: MIUI for the Droid Incredible
Even with the new and soon to be released Android phones, the Droid Incredible is still a favorite. When you add custom ROMs into the mix, the Dinc really shines. It's been cracked wide open, all the popular and fun hacks have been ported over, and the hardware can still do some Incredible (ha!) things.
This time around PvilleComp is back with a review of the very different and unique MIUI ROM for the Dinc. I've toyed with this one on other devices, and I'm glad to see someone step up and give us a full review of it. Mike does an excellent job, and you can see that for yourself after the break. Thanks, Mike!
Want to write a ROM review for Android Central? We'd love to hear from you! Look here for details.
If you are a fan of AOSP ROM's, a move to MIUI Gingerbread will take a little getting used to. The iOS style interface will catch you off guard if you are coming at it from an Android frame of mind. With that said, if you put on your Apple hat (you know, the one William Tell shoot arrows at ;) navigating around the ROM becomes much easier.
Install the ROM using standard install practices. Wipe Data, Cache and Dalvik Cache before your install and you should have no problem. Login to your Google account does not occur until you launch a Google app like Market or Gmail, once logged in Contacts and Calendar synced with no problems. I used Clockwork 3.0.0.8 to install and again there were no problems with the install.
MIUI comes with a nice assortment of pre-loaded apps including Camera, Gallery, Music, File Explorer, MIUI-DEV, the standard load of Google apps, DSP Manager, Notes, ROM Manager, Monitor, Terminal Emulator and Torch. The Camera app is well thought out and easy to use. MIUI's Camera app has become popular enough that it has been ported to CyanogenMod and other ROM's as well. The Gallery is straightforward without many bells and whistles, so if you like the standard Gingerbread Gallery is available as well.
The built in File Explorer app has a nice interface that breaks your data down by type and even shows your SD card usage in a nice color-coded bar graph by file type. However, it does not give you access to the System so you will still need Root Explorer or a similar app if you want to really dig around in the phone. You can also synchronize folders over Wi-Fi with either a PC or Mac making the task of keeping music or other data updated on your phone a snap.
The music app does act a little strangely, so be forewarned if you're retentive about how your music app works. Finding album art was at best hit or miss. Of the three albums I put on for testing, only one was identified correctly; I think Joe Strummer may be spinning in his grave knowing that The Story of the Clash was misidentified as Jaron, The Long Road to Love. Later, the app started displaying lyrics, incorrectly, in three languages. Amusing, but not a bonus feature.
Some quirks took a while to figure out in other areas of the ROM as well. For example, I could not figure out why apps would not download from the market. Then I discovered that you have to go into the Downloads app and explicitly select "Download Using Mobile Network." Once that was selected, apps would download and install over 3g just fine. Adding Widgets requires you to long press the screen, then select "Add" from the Menu button and add a widget. You then select your widget by dragging it from the list at the top to the screen thumbnail on the bottom of the screen. Lastly, if you have not already figured out that this is not your average Android ROM, hold on to your hat. There is no app drawer. Period. All apps are loaded onto one of five home screens. If you fill up your screens, you can create a folder widget and then drag and drop apps into the folder to make more room or just to organize things a little better.
So, once you get your Apple/iOS hat firmly in place the settings will look familiar. It's a typical iOS layout complete with sliding toggles. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings are where you would expect them in iOS, but it does seem a bit weird seeing the Android logo as the icon for tasks like Development Settings and Launcher Settings. Some interesting additions include an App called Monitor, which allows you to track data usage on both Wi-Fi and 3g channels, and a firewall that allows you to control how, or if an individual app can access the internet. Each app listed in the firewall has a switch for Wi-Fi and 3g allowing you to turn them on and off individually.
The Notification bar is also unique, when pulled down you have access to three tabs; the first for Notices is where you will find all the Android app notices you expect. The second is for apps that are running in memory; here you can either fast switch between apps or kill them to conserve memory. Finally, there is the Toggles tab where you will find 15 different elements you can toggle on or off, including Power, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, Volume and others. This Notification Bar Tab concept is a nice feature would and it would look good in other ROM's as well.
Finally, there is the Lock Screen. It's a typical downward sliding Lock, but it's been broken up into three sections. On the left is a phone icon, in the center is a clock and on the right is a messaging icon. Unlocking the phone by swiping down over each icon determines what app is launched upon unlock. It's a nice clean implementation of the four tab AOSP lock screen.
Overall, battery life was on par with other ROM's, calls were clear and crisp and once I figured out how to get the market to work over 3g downloading and installing apps from the market is painless.
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that this is not an Open Source project. It's Android, but the MIUI portion of the code is closed. This has posed some concerns in the community, however it's up to you to decide if this is an important factor or not.
So what is the final verdict? MIUI Gingerbread is a good ROM, and it has a loyal following in the community. It's stable, it's fast, it has a ton of features you don't see in other ROM's and it has some bugs and quirks. For me it's too "Appley" for my tastes. If I wanted an iPhone I would have bought an iPhone. It's a nice ROM, it's just not my ROM. You may feel differently, so I suggest you try MIUI Gingerbread for yourself.
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text:
Endnotes: Priced Out (Tsung-Mei Cheng)
Health care in America is expensive, but it doesn't have to be, according to the late Uwe Reinhardt, a leader in health care policy. Reinhardt…
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Health care in America is expensive, but it doesn't have to be, according to the late Uwe Reinhardt, former James Madison Professor of Political…
Currie Wins NOMIS Foundation's Distinguished Scientist and Scholar Award
Princeton University's Janet Currie is winner of the NOMIS Foundation's Distinguished Scientist and Scholar Award, which comes with a research grant…
Hydraulic Fracturing Negatively Impacts Infant Health
From North Dakota to Ohio to Pennsylvania, hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, has transformed small towns into energy powerhouses. While…
Satellite Imagery Reveals Decline in ISIS Oil Production
Oil production by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) steadily declined between 2014 and 2016, indicating that the group was financing itself…
Reinhardt Receives Health Policy Leadership Award
Uwe Reinhardt is a winner of the 2017 Bipartisan Health Policy Leadership Award from the National Alliance of Health Policy. The award recognizes…
Booms & Busts: How the 1980s Could've Predicted the Great Recession
Many argue the Great Recession could have been ameliorated through strategic policies, but the government ignored warning signs of coming economic…
Boost in Collateral, Rather Than "Feeling Richer," Drives Consumers to Borrow as Home Prices Rise
When home prices rise, households tend to borrow and spend more. But economists have had trouble identifying exactly what causes that relationship…
WWS Reacts: Trump's Tax Proposal
President Donald Trump released a nine-page outline of a tax plan last week, which included proposed tax cuts for corporations and individuals.
Funding Available for Creative Quantitative Research Projects in Education
A fund offered through Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs will focus on cross-disciplinary education…
Balance Forgiveness Programs More Effective at Reducing Credit Card Debt Than Lowering Monthly Minimum Payments
According to data recently released by the Federal Reserve, the amount of outstanding debt that Americans hold — often in the form of credit card…
Felten, Krueger Join Rework America Task Force
Princeton professors Edward Felten and Alan Krueger will serve on a new task force aimed at transforming America's labor market to a 21st century,…
To Predict How Climate Change Will Affect Disease, Researchers Must Fuse Climate Science and Biology
Predicting how climate change will affect the incidence of infectious diseases would have great public health benefits. But the relationship between…
Princeton Professor Calls for Federal Guarantee of Quality Education for Kids
American children, no matter where they live or what school they attend, deserve to be guaranteed a quality education, much as we guarantee a safety…
Lower-Income Children Raised in Counties With High Upward Mobility Display Fewer Behavioral Issues, Perform Better on Cognitive Tests
Children who grow up in urban counties with high upward mobility exhibit fewer behavioral problems and perform better on cognitive tests, according…
Doctors Trained at Lowest-Ranked Medical Schools Prescribe More Opioids
Physicians trained at the United States' lowest-ranked medical schools write more opioid prescriptions than physicians trained at the highest-ranked…
Study Links Unhealthy Segregated Neighborhoods to Childhood Asthma
Researchers have had trouble explaining why black children are much more likely than other children to suffer from asthma. A new study by Princeton…


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Business & Inputs/
Land, Interest Rates Give Structural Support to Farmers' Finances ... For Now
Working Capital Wears Thin
10/22/2019 | 3:42 PM CDT
Relatively stable land values continue to hold up farmers' balance sheets. Bankers say agriculture's overall debt-to-asset ratio, at 13.5%, remains strong. (DTN file photo by Elaine Shein)
By Katie Dehlinger
DTN Farm Business Editor
Todd Neeley
DTN Staff Reporter
MOUNT JULIET, Tenn. (DTN) -- Tight profit margins are likely here to stay, and that could create challenges for producers, especially if land values stumble or interest rates rise above their current historically low levels, according to bankers and economists at two separate events on Tuesday.
A group of farm credit CEOs held a press call on Tuesday, outlining the state of the agriculture economy.
Jeff Swanhorst, CEO of AgriBank, which provides farm loans throughout the Corn Belt, said the debt-to-asset ratio in agriculture remains in a strong position at 13.5%, and stable land values continue to hold up the farm economy.
"If we had a similar reduction in ag real estate in the next few years that we had in the '80s, the debt-to-asset ratio would be similar to the '80s," he said.
Currently, total U.S. farm assets stand at about $3.1 trillion with debts at $415.7 billion, according to USDA. By comparison, in 1980, farm assets stood at around $2.7 trillion with debt at $431.6 billion. The 1980 debt-to-asset ratio was 16.1%.
In the current stressed farm economy, farmers are continuing to cut into working capital to weather low prices. Working capital is seen as a cushion to survive adversity, Swanhorst said.
During agriculture's boom time in 2012, working capital came in at just north of $160 billion, dropping to just under $60 billion in 2019.
"We had an uptick in working capital to 2013," he said. "Since then, that has been cut in half. If that farm is not generating positive cash flow, it will come out of working capital."
Swanhorst said projections into the next decade "portrays a difficult time for production agriculture."
University of Missouri FAPRI professor and former USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board Chairman Seth Myers said at a separate Farm Foundation event that the current low-price environment is here to stay for row crops. Farmers will need to adapt, or they'll be pushed further to the margins. It's a slow process, unlike the 1980s, when financial conditions deteriorated rapidly.
"Between 1980 and 1985, we had a tremendous decline in land values, but again, half of that came in the last year. So when it finally broke, it moved those land prices lower in a hurry," he said.
The interest rate environment is completely different today with rates hovering around historic lows, so Myers said he thinks supply and demand factors will play a larger role in how land values adjust.
Swanhorst said the low-interest environment has been a "very stabilizing" factor for agriculture and land values, although there continues to be corrections in certain regions. In addition, agriculture continues in an efficiency cycle where farmers are doing everything they can to reduce the cost of production, Swanhorst said.
NON-PERFORMING LOANS RISE SLIGHTLY
While there has been a slight uptick in the number of non-performing loans as a percentage of total loans in ag from 2018 to 2019, the percentage is far smaller than what was experienced in the 1980s. Farm Credit data shows the percent of non-performing loans peaked in 1986 at around 23%. In the second quarter of 2019, however, that stands around 1%.
Byron Enix, CEO of American AgCredit, an ag lender servicing Western states, said the producers it serves are experiencing economic stress overall.
The grain industry in particular is starting to see the negative effects of five years' worth of reduced revenues and depressed prices.
"Strong production has somewhat offset impact, but erosion of liquidity and equity has been material for many operations," Enix said.
As a result, he said, his company has seen an increased number of loan restructures. The next move for some customers, Enix said, will be to sell assets.
Those who have been forced to liquidate assets have done so in an orderly way, and a majority of buyers have been farmers, said Swanhorst.
LENDERS GETTING NERVOUS
Mississippi State University ag economics professor Keith Coble said the lenders he talks to are getting nervous, especially about their customers that have eaten into their working capital in recent years.
"You're going to see farmers retire. A farmer that's on the margin of being able to survive, they're going to lose the land, and it's going to go to another producer that's probably larger and more efficient."
The fed cattle industry has seen three years of returns below breakeven, he said, but is expected to see profits improve in 2020. Cow-calf operations, Enix said, have remained "generally profitable," although upstream pressure in fed cattle is depressing prices a bit.
In dairy, Enix said the company's customers have seen margins at or below breakeven for three of the past four years. In the next 12 to 18 months, however, he said producers have the potential to make money.
While there will be opportunities for profit in next year or two, the focus will continue to be on metrics like working capital, land values and interest rates.
"If we compound the stress in the current environment by lowering asset values and raising the cost of servicing debt, we could be in a very different financial position," Myers said.
Katie Dehlinger can be reached at Katie.dehlinger@dtn.com
Follow him on Twitter @KatieD_DTN
Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com
Follow him on Twitter @toddneeleyDTN
(ES/AG)
Copyright 2019 DTN/The Progressive Farmer. All rights reserved.


This is an historical account of the evolution and development of international social work, with a focus on migration and its relevance to current practice.
The authors are correct in citing migration's relevance to first-year students, although the breadth of detail and specific content will lend itself better to students more advanced in their professional training or those engaged in post-qualifying education. The use of case studies links well to the structure of the academic and practice education systems. That is enhanced by the inclusion of the National Occupational and Quality Assurance Agency standards.
This is a well-researched text that introduces the subject in a concise manner. The title of the book as an "introduction" is misleading; it is comprehensive enough for the reader to develop their knowledge, values and skill. As the authors write: "social workers need to adopt an international attitude to practice given the impact of migration and globalisation on the practice approach". This book is a "must have" core text.


Does anybody know what the maximum send length is for TSEND/TSEND_C on the variuous S7-1500 CPU's?
The maximum number of bytes that can be transmitted depends on the device.
It doesn't really lead me any closer. For the S7-1200 it says 65534 bytes.
I haven't been able to find any information in either the datasheets nor the S7-1500 manual.
New subject after splitting fromTIP: S7-1500 Communication - TSEND x TSEND_C.
with Industrial Ethernet the maximum frame size is 1460 bytes (maxSegmentSize). Consequently, the 1452 bytes of data fit in one Ethernet message; this means that the above-mentioned communication processors can send the data in one message.
The CPUs with integrated PROFINET interface also support open TCP/IP communication via Industrial Ethernet using T blocks.
The Industrial Ethernet CP sends the 1452 bytes of data in one message. The S7 CPU sends the same volume of data in two messages.
The maximum length is 8192 bytes.


This is a simple, yet versatile loan payment calculator. It'll work for most types of loans including auto, mortgage, and personal loans. It also has the functionality to build a payment schedule chart, so you'll know exactly how much you'll be paying over the term of your loan.


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IoT & AI Disrupts Hospitality
by Robi Karp | Jul 28, 2018 | Uncategorized
The IoT Economy is set to top $11.1 trillion per year by 2025, according to McKinsey. The technology is set to add value to all types of industries from factories to retail to smart city management.
In the hospitality industry, beyond these broader economic forecasts, the major players are leveraging IoT technology to create a more personalized experience for guests. Hilton and Marriott are among the large hospitality brands that are thinking creatively about the Internet of Things.
Hilton's Internet of Things initiative is called the Connected Room.
"Imagine a world where the room knows you, and you know your room," explained Hilton CEO Christopher Nassetta, speaking to Skift. "Imagine a world where you walk in, the TV says, 'How are you doing, John? Nice to see you,' and all of your stuff is preloaded."
The idea, for now at least, is for guests' smartphones to serve as remote controls for their hotel rooms, allowing them to control room features including temperature, lighting and window coverings. In the longer-term, Hilton says guests will be able to use Connected Room to use voice commands to control their room or access their content, as well as to upload artwork and photos for display.
Marriott is partnering with Legrand and with Samsung to create its own version of a connected hotel room in an initiative called the IoT Guestroom Lab. The idea is to explore how connected devices could elevate the guest experience, create more efficient designs and construction processes for hotel rooms, and promote sustainability.
Two prototype rooms are geared around the needs of three different types of guests: a yoga-minded meeting planner, a frequent road warrior, and a family of four on vacation. Smart features in each prototype room include a connected art frame, a connected shower, and a smart mirror.
"We know that our guests expect to personalize almost everything in their lives, and their hotel experience should be no different," said Stephanie Linnartz, global chief commercial officer at Marriott International. "By teaming with best-in-class partners, we are leveraging mobile and voice-enabled technology to give our guests the ability to set up the room to best meet their needs — whether that is creating the ultimate relaxation environment or one that enables productivity for business travelers."
In a related project, Marriott introduced a "shareable shower door" that was available this past December and January at a Marriott location in Irvine, California. Acting on internal company research that showed that over half of business travelers said they had their best ideas while showering, Marriott created a way to preserve and share those ideas.
As steam builds on the connected door during a shower, guests can use their finger to draw whatever comes to mind. The door records these strokes using touch-sensitive technology and shares the resulting images through the guest's email or social media accounts.
A smart shower door may seem like a whimsical idea, but connected amenities such as smartphone-activated room locks are already widely available at properties around the world.
When some of the largest players in the industry are publicly discussing how to holistically integrate connected devices into experiences for guests, it sends a strong signal that a wider rollout of Internet of Things technology in hospitality is coming soon.
More recently, Marriot has partnered with Amazon to install Alexa into rooms.
" Alexa for Hospitality is a new experience offered by invitation to hoteliers that brings the simplicity and convenience of Alexa to hotels, vacation rentals, and other hospitality locations. "
In China, the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) has begun rolling out "smart rooms" with AI that include voice control technology. These AI Smart Rooms have been developed in collaboration with Chinese technology company Baidu and allow guests to use voice commands to freely switch settings between work and leisure modes, and enjoy a more convenient and seamless room service experience.
AI Smart Rooms, Lin Wang, vice president of marketing for IHG Greater China, said:
"Millennials are particularly sensitive to technology, often seeking new things to try. The AI Smart Room will undoubtedly be extremely attractive for them, paving the way for a new level of modernisation and consumer satisfaction.
"We will continue to make use of cutting-edge technology in hotel service and facilities in the future, and we hope this will further strengthen customer awareness and appreciation of smart technology."
Grand Ambassador / Pullman
In Seoul, the Grand Ambassador introduced 25 Smart Rooms last year. All 25 of the hotel's rooms on the 16th floor are IoT Smart Rooms. Guests can scan a QR code on the wall of the room using their own device and control the lights, curtains, TV channels, and room temperature from one menu. Do not disturb and make up room notifications can also be set along with ordering amenities such as pillows, towels and shampoo.
Who Is Doing All Of This?
Companies such as hIoTron provide backend platforms for hotel IoT while companies like CIRQ+ provide some of the front end IoT units. As well, Samsung, LG and many others are introducing smart room technology into their consumer electronics products.
"At the 2018 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC), hotel TV leader LG Electronics announced new smart features set to revolutionize the hospitality industry with advanced in-room voice assistant compatibility."
The Voice Controlled AI Systems (the "Brains")
While Alexa and Google Voice are 2 potential voice controlled AI systems that hotels are introducing, IBM offers a white-labelled alternative.
Henry Broodney, Offering Manager at IBM Internet of Things, makes the case that
Data is arguably a company's most valuable asset. And voice assistants are a way to strike "customer gold" since they enable customers to literally tell you "hey, here's what I like and want."
He goes on to say that:
"As companies like Amazon and Google carry on the conversation with your customers, where does that leave you? Are you training them on what your customers say and do? Are you enabling them to "mine" your customer gold?"
Get in touch with me if you would like to know more.


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HomeSports NewsTyron Woodley Returns On May 23rd Headliner – Dana White
Tyron Woodley Returns On May 23rd Headliner – Dana White
Former Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley might be having his big day coming faster than you might expect and according to UFC President Dana White, they are close to finalising a deal for the 23rd of May.
The UFC revealed this information during his interview with the promotion's broadcast partner's ESPN on Friday.
"We're working on a fight with (Woodley) right now," White said. "After these three dates, we're coming right back. We're going to do four fights in 14 days. After May 9, the UFC schedule is back on. We're back on and running. We're looking at a fight for Woodley. Woodley will probably be the fourth fight. He'll be the main event."
Woodley will be making his first return to the octagon since losing his Welterweight title to the present champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 235 back in March 2019.
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Before the Corona Virus pandemic put a hold on all Sporting activities, Tyron Woodley was preparing to face Leon Edwards on March 21st in UFC on ESPN+ 29 Main Event in London. However, the fight got cancelled during the fight week after Edwards pulled out of the fight.
Tyron Woodley's return on May 23rd hasn't been finalised and no venue, streaming information has been made public. more information about his return will be announced soon.
ESPN made an announcement, after the interview with White that Tyron Woodley is close to signing a contract for a potential fight with fellow Welterweight contender Gilbert Burns, who was also linked to the March 21st date as a late replacement.
Jushua – Pulev : Martin Bakole Decisions Sergey Kuzmin, Wins WBC Int Heavyweight Title
Anthony Joshua Aims To Defeat Kubrat Pulev With A Spectacular Knockout
Lyndon Arthur Defeats Anthony Yarde With Split Decision


We could be looking at in interesting 2016 primary season on the Democratic side of the isle. Clinton would be the heavy presumptive favorite and the only challenges that could be legitimately entertained would need to be both motivated by this kind of moral mission, and also have a constituency. There would only be room for one or two white male mainstreamers angling for the veep slot.
More in another post as to why I think this matters, vis a vis Russel Brand's charismatic case for disengagement. I'm sympathetic to the "don't vote for wankers" argument, but I think I have a better one. But more on that another day.


In her new pink shoes. She loved her green balloon.
Steve drove me home from the Poetry Reading at Borders. Drove around the block so I could shoot the Halloween House and the FULL moon. Got out of the car and it wasn't looking like much. Then the traffic started to arrive. And the lights of the passing cars added some interest. But when the 25 bicycles sped by with their lights on I shot as fast as I could. Not intending an animation initially but I thought it made the series worthy of publication.
Walking into the room this morning I saw the oak tree catch the morning sun, reflect it onto the art room tables. Warm fire aglow. A stunning welcome to the beginning of the work day. I dialed the combination to get the camera out of my locker.
Autumn colors at their peak, through the art room windows.
Driving from one school to the other in the middle of the day, stopped at the red light. You just never know what you will encounter. Near West Penn Hospital.
Wonder what the dog is thinking?
It was all candles. Candles on the mantel, the table, the desk in the hall. It was very dark. I thought all of us looked great by candlelight. We discussed The Help and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The power was off for about two hours. Fortunately the night before I baked a Gateau di Sirop (recipe)with a bottle of Steen's Cane Syrup. Baked Split Second Cookies with Bon Maman Fig Jam. Extra sharp cheddar and Honeycrisp apple slices. And Tess and Chris brought me a box of St. Moritz truffles from Oxford Centre downtown. Lovely. A gold box with an oval window in the middle. There's a spider and a tiny dancer one and a pumpkin one and each one is delicately embellished. Just before everyone arrived, Laura had sent a picture on my phone of a lovely ring on a finger. Then she called. James Weaver asked her to marry him and she said YES. It was a happy night!
Wagner's Shoes in Lawrenceville. I bought discontinued Dansko clogs on sale. You know how I like to live in them all the time. Seems most shoe salespeople in shoestores disappear into the back and magically reappear with boxes. Here you can see the storeroom with the stacks of shoe boxes, right there. A tin ceiling way high. First time to shop in Wagner's. The storefront has stained glass above the awning. Great service. 4313 Butler St (412) 682-2759. Scroll down for exterior view.
Check out the newspaper clippings.
Talking to my sister(NYC) Sunday morning I asked her the best way to warm the brioche from Saturday. She responded French Toast! and so while we talked on speakerphone I made it and it was so good. Had never made it out of brioche before although have seen it on a menu. Soak. Saute in heavy pan with a bit of butter and oil. Eat with warmed maple syrup or jam.
Slice and soak in egg and milk mixture.
Crossed the Allegheny River to go to Millvale. After I went to Panza's to pick up Joan's painting I had reframed, I went to get some brioche and a loaf of crusty bread from Jean-Marc Chatellier's French Bakery. 412.821.8533 Everything in the bakery is beyond delicious. There are samples on the counter of the melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies and a French shortbread called Breton Cake. There are little fruit tarts, apricot tarts and flaky croissants, even Key Lime pie slices. As I was about to pay for my order, I saw him frosting a cake in the back. I asked the young woman waiting on me if it would be all right to take a picture. She said," Just take it!" So I did. Magnificent artistry in cake making. And delicious. I have eaten memorable wedding cakes made by him. Once I bought a cake there for Laura's graduation from Marquette and drove it to Milwaukee WI.
Memo to self: Drive across river more often to Millvale and buy delicious pastries from Jean-Marc Chatellier.
It's dark in the morning on the way to school and you know how I like to shoot at red lights. Saw the Cathedral peeking through the driveway as I looked to the left out the driver's window. Then when I got to school in Arlington the sun was coming up and I could see the Cathedral in the distance. The school buses lined up, waiting to let the children get off to go inside for breakfast.


Indiana State University is looking to hire a field technician with experience in telemetry to work on a bat presence study in the North Cherokee National Forest. The focus of this study is to compare the efficacy of acoustic data, GIS models, and traditional mist netting survey methods for predicting the presence of Indiana and Northern long-eared bats. The successful applicant will be working on a small crew with a graduate student to conduct acoustic surveys, radio telemetry, mist netting and emergence counts – with work being during both the day and night. Additional duties will include data entry, gear maintenance, decontamination following white-nose protocols, and various other tasks. The position will start late May and run to early August. The successful candidate will obtain experience in multiple bat survey methods while learning bat ID and gaining telemetry experience in mountainous terrain.
Candidates with rabies vaccines will have the opportunity to handle bats, but rabies vaccine/bat handling experience is not a requirement for this position. Preference given to those with telemetry experience.


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2 Book part
2.1 Book chapter
Theoretical Studies of Absorption, Emission and Gain in Silicon Nanostructures
Density-functional and many body perturbation theory calculations have been carried out in order to study the structural, electronic, and optical properties both in ground and excited state configuration, of silicon nanocrystals in different conditions of surface passivation and doping. Starting from hydrogenated clusters, we have considered different Si/O bonding geometries at the interface. We provide strong evidences that not only the quantum confinement effect but also the chemistry at the interface has to be taken into account in order to understand the physical properties of these systems. In particular we show that only the presence of a surface Si-O-Si bridge bond induce an excitonic peak in the emission-related spectra, redshifted with respect to the absorption onset, able to provide an explanation for both the observed Stokes shift and the near-visible PL experimentally observed in Si-nc. For the silicon nanocrystals embedded in a SiO2 matrix, the electronic and optical properties are discussed in detail. The strong interplay between the nanocrystal and the surrounding host environment and the active role of the interface region between them is pointed out, in very good agreement with the experimental results. Finally, concerning doping, we will show that, thanks to electronic transitions between donor and acceptor states present at the band edges and considering also the effect of quantum confinement it is possible to engineer the absorption and emission spectra of Si nanocrystals. For each considered system optical gain calculations have been carried out giving some insights on the system characteristics necessary to optimize the gain performance of Si-nc.
Theoretical Studies of Absorption, Emission and Gain in Silicon Nanostructures / Degoli, E.; Guerra, R.; Iori, F.; Magri, R.; Marri, I.; Ossicini, S.. - (2009), pp. 25-60.
Titolo: Theoretical Studies of Absorption, Emission and Gain in Silicon Nanostructures
Autori: Degoli, E.; Guerra, R.; Iori, F.; Magri, R.; Marri, I.; Ossicini, S.
Titolo del libro: Silicon nanophotonics : basic principles, present status and perspectives
Pagina iniziale: 25
Pagina finale: 60
Appare nelle tipologie: 2.1 Book chapter


Built by Swimrunners with the express purpose of supporting others competing, the RS1 Swimrun Suit from Orca in now in its third generation - and it's better than ever.
Orca love bringing the latest sportswear innovations to athletes of all levels and ability, and nowhere is that clearer than with the improved version of the RS1 Swimrun Suit. The combination of two types of Yamamoto fabric gives you enormous lightweight freedom both in the water and on your feet, with elasticity in the shoulders to make every stroke count, while the rest of the body features exactly the right fit for light compression to keep fatigue at bay. The lower half also features DuraSkin 2 fabric, proven to be considerably more durable for longer-lasting and abrasion-resisting wear.
Perhaps most impressive here however is the ingenious undershirt-like construction that goes into the RS1. Not only does it make it easier to transition in and out of the suit, but also allows you to open the zipper in a moment for full-blooded ventilation when the road ahead starts to heat up, while the lack of a back zipper allows greater freedom of the water too. Elsewhere, the Swimrun pad used at the heart of the RS1 adds extra buoyancy to ensure you always take the correct position in the water, the pocket system (one large on the back and several within the interior) gives you plenty of storage space for those nutritional items, and its green and black styling is always on point.


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Krug: 2006 In Three Acts
BY ANTONIO GALLONI | SEPTEMBER 25, 2020
Clos du Mesnil is one of the most revered sites in Champagne. Rémi and Henri Krug bought the 1.84-hectare vineyard in 1971 with the goal of securing a high-quality fruit source. But once they started working with the fruit, they realized they had something special. The first Clos du Mesnil, the 1979, remains epic to this day. Although not be design, Clos du Mesnil is also the archetype for what many grower Champagnes would later become – single vineyard, single variety, single vintage wines. I recently had the chance to taste the 2006 Clos du Mesnil, the latest release, with Olivier Krug over Zoom, which is how everything seems to happen these days.
Krug presented three wines in what they call their "Soloist to Orchestra" tasting; the 2006 Clos du Mesnil, Vintage and 2006-based Grande Cuvée. All the wines reflect the warm, radiant weather that is the single most distinctive attribute of the vintage. I have to admit, this presentation made me chuckle, as it was not too long ago that Krug adamantly refused to provide the market and consumers with any detail whatsoever about their Grande Cuvée. "The market can't handle that," I was told steadfastly in the old Krug tasting room in Reims. "If Grand Cuvée releases were differentiated you could do all sorts of things, like market mixed 6-packs," I replied. I did not review the Grande Cuvée for a number of years because there was no way for consumers to know if they were buying the exact same wine I had reviewed. Then Krug came up with thematic names for each vintage (for the 2006-based Grand Cuvée it was 'Capricious Indulgence') and the Krug ID back label, which gives consumers a great deal of information, before settling on the current 'Édition' system, a masterstroke of marketing because it distinguishes each release and also highlights Krug's remarkable history, something very few houses can match. Brilliant.
But lets get back to the wines. The 2006 growing season was marked by unstable weather and some hail early on. Flowering began in mid-June, which is typical. July saw three weeks of uninterrupted elevated temperatures that marked the wines to a significant degree. Intense heat was followed by heavy rain episodes in which two months' worth of rain fell in just over two weeks. Dry winds from the north and east at the end of the summer and helped restore balance in the vineyards. Harvest began in mid-September, pretty typical by today's standards.
The 2006 Clos du Mesnil was harvested over three days, which is remarkable for a tiny parcel measuring 1.84 hectares divided into five blocks that are often picked over a wider timeframe. Soaring in the glass, the 2006 is stratospheric in its beauty. The richness of the year contrasts so beautifully with the flintiness and energy of Mesnil. With time in the glass the mousse softens, releasing layers of vinous intensity. Tangerine oil, pastry, lemon confit and marzipan all build effortlessly. The 2006 is sumptuous, racy and exotic to the core, with all of that richness supported by a phenolic, intense frame. This is Krug ID: 319030.
The 2006 Krug Vintage is fabulous. Here the richness, breadth and texture of Pinot come through loud and clear in a Champagne that is classic Krug. Red plum, coffee, spice, baked apple tart and lemon confit all flesh out effortlessly in the glass. The ripeness of the year is evident, and yet the vibrancy of the Chardonnay lends so much energy. The 2006 can be enjoyed today, but also has the balance and stuffing to develop well for many years to come. This is a superb showing from the 2006. This is Krug ID: 118014.
The NV Grande Cuvée 162ème Édition, built around the 2006 vintage, is fabulous. All of the natural radiance and intensity of the year comes through in the wine's ample, resonant personality. Apricot, peach, mint, chamomile, baked apple and lightly honeyed notes all build in racy, sumptuous Grand Cuvée that delivers the goods big time. Readers will find a gorgeous, open-knit Champagne loaded with class and personality. The 162 is still a baby, in fact it hasn't aged much at all since I last tasted it in 2014, although this is a recent disgorgement. This is the first release that transitioned to the Édition labeling, which was used for some of the later batches, with the 163 being the first wine released as an Édition from the very beginning. Readers will find a small amount of the 162 on the market, most of it reserved for three-packs with the Vintage and Clos du Mesnil, and yes, you guessed it, mixed six packs in wood cases spanning two series; the Éditions 161 through 166 and Éditions 162 through 167. It is an absolutely gorgeous wine. The 162 is based on 2006 and includes wines from 11 vintages going back to 1990. This is Krug ID: 416037.
Lastly, earlier this year Krug appointed Julie Cavil as the new Chef de Caves. Cavil joined Krug at the end of 2006 and was groomed to be outgoing Chef de Caves Eric Lebel's successor in a gradual transition that was carefully planned. I met Cavil the first time many years ago at Clos du Mesnil, which was her focus back then. Needless to say, it will be very interesting to see what the future holds at Krug.
Champagne: 2020 New Releases, Antonio Galloni, August 2020
Roses de Jeanne La Bolorée – The Short End of the Stick, Antonio Galloni, March 2020
Cristal in Magnum: It's Another World, Antonio Galloni, December 2019
Champagne – 2019 Fall Releases, Antonio Galloni, December 2019
Krug: Clos du Mesnil 1979-1998, Antonio Galloni, July 2011


The first week of the 2017 Girls Rock Camp season began today, as dozens of campers descended upon Pawtucket's Jamstage.
Some arrived with friends; others didn't know anyone.
Some brought their instruments; others had never played a musical instrument before.
Today, the campers formed bands.
Over the course of the week, each band will write a song.
It's a dare that campers take every year, without knowing exactly how it will all turn out.
Today, they pledged to do their best, to communicate directly, to listen to one another, to try not to say "I'm sorry", and to be a croissant, not a bagel (ask a camper what that means).
and one still-pending unnamed band.
Women volunteers are everywhere at camp, teaching instrument lessons, leading workshops, serving as band coaches, and performing (and taking questions) at lunchtime concerts.
Thanks to today's lunchtime performer, Jen Long, who talked about music and activism between songs.
Jen even let a camper try her Whale Guitar.
Thanks also to Seven Stars Bakery for helping feed the campers and volunteers today.
Rest up tonight, campers. Here's a peek at day two.


Even if you've actively avoided the news over the past few months, you've probably heard something about the state of healthcare and health insurance in America. You may have heard that premiums are rising and many carriers are exiting the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, which will force millions of consumers back to the marketplace. So this Open Enrollment season will be a turbulent one for consumers, who have a lot at stake in choosing the best health insurance plan for them. And that points to the big problem in health insurance that doesn't get a lot of attention: consumers don't understand health insurance and aren't confident in their ability to select the best plan for them.
Well first, we've been engaging insurance consumers for years at PolicyGenius. Our digital platform has been used by millions of consumers for insurance advice, quoting, decision support and enrollment for products like life and disability insurance. We know that people put off insurance decisions, dreading them more than root canals, and commonly feel apprehensive and overwhelmed about the whole thing. During the first ACA open enrollment, we assisted consumers on the New York State of Health exchange to understand the pain points and critical junctures of the health insurance decision making process. And we found that many consumers were confused about where to start, and how the different features of a health insurance policy worked. To supplement those insights, we recently ran a nationwide survey of 2,000 US consumers, gauging their literacy, confidence and preferences around health insurance.
And what we found was concerning, if not totally surprising to those of us who've been in the insurance business for a while. When it comes to health insurance, consumers generally don't know what they don't know. We asked consumers about four basic, and important, health insurance concepts: deductible, coinsurance, co-pay, and out-of-pocket maximum. Around 68% of consumers said they "definitely understand" the concepts. But then when we tested them on the concepts, asking them to pick the correct definition in a multiple-choice question, we saw much lower comprehension than the confidence would suggest. Only 4% of all consumers were able to correctly define all four terms. Consumers are most familiar with what a co-pay is: 53% were able to correctly define it. Consumers are least familiar with the concept of coinsurance: only 22% were able to correctly define it.
So what happens when you have consumers who don't understand core health insurance concepts shopping for health insurance? Probably a lot of ill-informed decisions and frustration. And that's why PolicyGenius is launching a health insurance app today, to help consumers confidently navigate the health insurance marketplace and the confusing set of decisions that entails. We've got 50-state coverage of both on-exchange and off-exchange plans. And, perhaps more importantly, we've designed an intuitive self-guided experience to lead users to the best health insurance plans for them.
Our "light bulb" idea when designing this app, inspired by consumer insights from other lines of insurance we offer, is to remove the "black box." What does that mean? Well, other sites (including the newly revamped healthcare.gov) ask you questions, feed your answers into an algorithm, then spit out a recommendation of "Here's the best plan for you!" But the universal response when we ran through those experiences, and tested them with consumers, was "Huh? How did they get that? Why is this the best plan for me?" And as anyone who's worked in digital user experience knows, as soon as users question the workings behind your site, you've lost their trust.
So we decided to flip the experience and walk users step by step through a deconstructed algorithm - that algorithm being the set of key tradeoffs involved in the health insurance selection process. That includes a guided, plain English walk-through of decisions about premiums, out-of-pocket costs, prescriptions, and provider networks. Every feature - whether it's how much the plan's premium is, to whether you want a plan that covers your current doctors - must be weighed against the tradeoffs in other features. This is the frustrating thing with health insurance: there's no right answer, just a lot of "well, it depends" answers based on your priorities. For example, you might like to keep your current doctors, but would you still feel that way if the only plan that does so is twice as expensive as the next best plan? You might not - and that's the "a-ha" moment that users find with our app, which illustrates the tradeoff when you make a choice, across all the key health insurance decisions. And the end result of the experience is transparently rank-ordered plans, by best fit for your priorities, with a comprehensive look at each plan's benefits.
In our survey, only 39% of consumers said they're "very confident" in their ability to select the right health plan for their needs. We're hoping that our app gives consumers the confidence boost and the outcome they're looking for.
In addition to our app, we've launched a comprehensive resource center for health insurance, to help consumers educate themselves about important plan benefits during the shopping process. We've also built a subsidy eligibility calculator in our health insurance shopping app, as there are an an estimated 2.5 million consumers who may be missing out on health insurance subsidies for which they're eligible. These subsidies are important because with them, about 70% of consumers will be able to find plans with a monthly premium of less than $75. So even with the bad news of premium hikes, affordability is still very much in reach for most consumers, as long as they're informed.
At PolicyGenius, our mission is to help people get the insurance coverage they need, and have them feel good about it. We're excited to extend our mission to health insurance today. And while more Americans are insured than ever before, we'd like to help get that uninsured figure down to zero.
Jennifer Fitzgerald is the CEO and co-founder of Policygenius, an independent online insurance marketplace making it easy for people to get the coverage they need.


Your skin is the largest organ in your body, so it's important to treat it right. If you have oily skin regular care and maintenance can be a struggle. People with oily skin regularly run the risk of clogged pores and blemishes. We've done research to find the best face masks specifically for people with oily skin. Check out our favorite products for 2018.
This face mask by Peter Thomas Roth is designed to fight acne and prevent future breakouts. Simply apply the mask and allow it to dry, which will unclog pores and help clear away blemishes. The special formula combines the power of sulfur and eucalyptus oil to fight acne, while the kaolin base helps absorb excess oil while aloe works to prevent over-drying. If you have oily skin and are prone to acne, this will be a great option for you.
This aromatic mask by Ole Henriksen is a great choice for all skin types, including oily and combination skin. The blend of clay and herbs provides a deep clean, leaving your skin feeling soft. Unlike some other masks that should only be used once every 1-2 weeks, this mask can be used 2-3 times per week. The formula works to smooth skin and tighten pores without drying out your skin. If you have acne, this mask can also help reduce inflammation In addition, the proprietary formula has elements that help soothe irritated skin while still providing a deep clean.
For a home spa treatment suitable for acne-prone skin, try the Healing Clay Mud Mask by Derma-nu, The mask has a kaolin base with additives like spirulina and kelp to help soothe skin while cleansing and unclogging pores. The special blend of botanicals goes on smooth and is 100% natural and organic. The mask is great for all skin types, including sensitive skin. If you have acne, the special formula will help soothe inflamed skin, leaving your face feeling soft. In addition, your face will be left feeling refreshed while reducing blackheads and wrinkles.
This is a totally unique and interesting face mask, unlike most of the others on our list. This mask begins as a unique gold cream, which will dry white, at which point the treatment can be washed off. This patented herbal blend is designed specifically for people with oily skin and acne, and the mask will help shrink pores and tone skin while also giving you a deep cleanse. Compared to some other home-spa face treatments, Elizavecca's wash-off treatment is inexpensive while still providing great benefits. Bonus: really cool packaging.
The active charcoal in this mask by Origins helps control acne and removes blackheads with its exfoliating properties. The activated charcoal also works by attracting toxins to the charcoal, removing them from your skin. The mask can also help to prevent future breakouts and help scarred skin heal. The kaolin base helps to absorb excess oil while the myrtle leaf water provides a cooling sensation. In addition, you'll get the feeling of having a spa facial at home.
This specially formulated mask is designed to help acne-prone skin. You'll feel refreshed with this aromatic mask. The mask is made of natural cleansing and purifying products like witch hazel and kaolin as well as soothing elements to calm irritated skin. The mask helps to absorb excess oil while exfoliating unwanted dead skin cells. If you don't want a full mask, this formula can be used for spot treatment, as the sulfur destroys bacteria from acne. This product can be a little pricey compared to similar products, but we feel it's worth the investment.
This medicated clay mask by Clinique promises to both heal existing blemishes and prevent future breakouts. You'll experience a deep clean and notice that your skin is clearer and shine-free. You can be assured you're getting a high-quality product from a trusted brand. Users have reported successful long-term results reducing acne and breakouts, making this one of our favorite masks.
Boscia's groundbreaking face mask is made from a mineral-rich clay blend designed to exfoliate skin while providing a deep cleanse. The mask is unique in that it is a natural jet black, made without synthetic dyes or fragrances. When the mask dries, peel it away for a detoxifying effect and clean pores. You'll see immediate results and notice firmer, clearer skin after pulling away the mask.
This face mask by Bliss is designed for all skin types, but works hard to give you great-looking skin. This quick and easy facial provides gentle exfoliation and a deep clean, helping prevent blackhead build-up. The mask is blended from two different products to create a mask full of rejuvenating enzymes designed to exfoliate. You'll notice brighter skin, smoother skin, and smaller pores.
This mud mask by AHAVA is one of our favorite options for face masks for oily skin. The Dead Sea mud and minerals help absorb excess oil while actively smoothing and hydrating skin. This mask goes beyond the surface for deep cleaning that leaves you feeling radiant. While simultaneously cleansing, this mask also helps to tighten pores and give your skin a rejuvenating glow. The mud mask is part of AHAVA's line of face masks, which are designed to be used in conjunction with one another, a bonus for people with combination skin.
Oily skin can be a burden, but it doesn't have to be; these face masks are designed to help tackle and defeat skin problems. Don't hesitate to check out our top choices for masks for oily skin for 2018; your skin will thank you.


These heat and abrasion resistant aluminized aramid fabrics are woven from aramid yarns and then aluminized using our exclusive Dual Mirror aluminization process, which provides infrared heat reflectivity, heat protection, and abrasion resistance. Aramid fabrics are recognized for being strong, abrasion resistant, and heat and flame resistant. Introduced in the 1960's by DuPont, Aramid fabrics are commonly known by the brand name "Kevlar®."
Korspun fabrics are comprised of a fiberglass core, designed to resist the highest temperatures, wrapped in an abrasion resistant para aramid shell. The para aramid shield minimizes fabric flex fatigue and makes the fabric extremely durable.
Our PBI/Para Aramid blend combines polybenzimidazole synthetic fiber with para aramid to create a high performing fabric used in a variety of protective apparel for welders, firefighters, and astronauts. The synthetic fiber possesses exceptional thermal and chemical stability that provides excellent thermal protection, while the para aramid provides a great deal of strength and durability.
An economic, durable flame-retardant material for many high temperature industrial and protective clothing applications, including molten metal splash. PFR Rayon fabric has excellent insulation characteristics and is comfortable to wear. It provides anti-static protection and a moisture regain of over 10% compared to a 2% moisture regain for aramid fabric.
Our low cost, aluminized polyester is a non-flame retardant material with insulation properties that provide protection against infrared and ultra violet waves. Often used to make exterior covers to protect against the sun and low intensity radiation in products like sun awnings, cooler bags, keg covers, water bottle covers, and make-up covers.
Specifically designed for use in the metal processing industry, these fabrics were engineered to protect in high-risk environments and endure catastrophic molten metal splashes exceeding 3,000F without penetrating the fabric.