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Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice
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Thrifty parents snapping up bargains as school uniform cost soars
The soaring cost of school uniforms hit the headlines this week.
Parents across the nation are having to fork out around £230 per child to kit out their kids for school, according to research by Mintel.
But the nine charity shops run by Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice say local parents are much thriftier – and as a result, secondhand uniforms are flying off their rails so fast, they desperately need more.
Price-conscious parents across South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire and North Derbyshire have been snapping up nearly-new schoolwear for pennies at each of the shops and more stock is needed.
Sunny Allison, the hospice's Head of Retail, is urging families to raid their cupboards for items their children have grown out of.
"Not everyone wants to splash out on new items their children are going to grow out of in months. Picking up nearly-new items makes much more sense," said Sunny.
But while demand is high with customers, fewer are donating.
"We are running very low on stock and with a few weeks to go before the schools go back, we have parents waiting for items to go onto the rails," she said.
"We urgently need more summer uniform dresses, pinafores, trousers and jumpers.
"Many people now buy their children's uniforms cheaply in supermarkets and probably think there's no point in donating it to us. But if there is life in those clothes, don't send them to landfill – please recycle them to us. It will help families on a tight budget while raising income for the hospice at the same time."
The Department for Education asked parents how much they spent on school uniform over the course of a year and found it came to almost £213 per child. Adjusting its figures for inflation, it would make the average cost of uniform in 2019 almost £230 per pupil.
Bluebell Wood Hospice shops can be found in Laughton Road, Dinnington, High Street, Wombwell, Bridge Street, Worksop, Market Street, Chapeltown, King Street, Bakewell, Hellaby and Wellgate in Rotherham, Packers Row in Chesterfield and King Street in Sheffield.
Author: Robert Langley
School Pack
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Our website terms and conditions:
Any reference to Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice, we, us and our is referring to Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice. Our hospice is a registered charity in England and Wales (registered number is 1076958) and our address is Cramfit Road, North Anston, Sheffield, S25 4AJ.
Any reference to website(s) or site(s) is to a website owned and controlled by Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice. Any reference to you or your is a reference to you as a visitor of our website. We may change our Terms and Conditions, and will post any revisions on our website.
Our site is protected by copyright. This means that no part of it, including images, logos, text etc can be copied and used, for printing, republishing, pod-casting, transmitting or broadcasting, without the prior consent of Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice. Information may only be printed or downloaded for personal and non-commercial use.
Please contact our Communications Team on 01909 517 360 if you wish to use content from our site.
We cannot accept liability for any damages from the use of our website (whether they are foreseen, foreseeable, known or otherwise) which incur loss of business, loss of data, loss of profits, loss or reputation or any other damages. Please also note that we take great care to ensure our site is accurate, however we cannot take responsibility if you decide to use information that you have not double checked yourself.
We always work hard to ensure that our site is free from viruses or bugs.
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In viewing our site you must agree to abide by the law and not use it to cause distress to others or inhibit their enjoyment. Equally, people may not use the email facilities on this site to send obscene or offensive messages or other material.
Please note that these Terms & Conditions shall be governed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and therefore the courts of England and Wales shall have jurisdiction over any disputes arising from this website.
Our online shop terms and conditions
We display and accept payments in pounds sterling. However, you can usually pay us with any international credit/debit card and your bank will do the conversion for you at the current exchange rate.
We only ship to mainland UK at this time. Postage and packaging is added to the price of our items.
Distance Selling
Purchases on this website are covered by The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000
Full contact details of the supplier
Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice
Madeleine Oldale
Cramfit Road
North Anston
S25 4AJ
We will refund purchases up to seven days from the date of delivery. Please return items to us at the address above.
Details of transactions are stored and are accessible by The Richard Foundation. These do not contain your credit/debit card information.
Our lottery terms and conditions
The Bluebell Wood Lottery is licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission (http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk). Our license number is 30333. Our lottery promoter is Madeleine Oldale. If you feel you have a problem with gambling, visit Be Gamble Aware or call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.
For our full Lottery Terms and Conditions visit www.bluebellwood.org/lottery.
It was easy to apply for a personal loan with WESTERN LOAN FINANCE and they were quick to respond. They made the process seamless and were very helpful. I am happy I chose them. I would highly recommend.
From: Andrea Chase
You are the reason that children and families can create magical memories and make the most of their time together. Your donations provide much needed funds to support our families, and to create memories that they will treasure forever.
Location: ,,
Target amount: £0.00
Amount raised: £232,995.87
Maltby couple's award-winning Christmas lights raise over £4,000 for Bluebell Wood
A Christmas-loving Maltby couple's magical festive lights display has raised over £4,000 for Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice as well as scooping a prestigious national award.
Kaisha's story
Kaisha always knew she was different to her schoolmates, but it wasn't until she was ten years old doctors finally gave her family the answers they'd been searching for.
Tom gets 'life he never had' with starring role in magical new children's book
A young man who spent his final moments at Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice has been immortalised in a heart-warming and magical new book penned by his Uncle and his partner.
Schenck Process UK
Loyalty points help spread festive cheer thanks to community-spirited local business
Bluebell Wood have said a big thank you to a Barnsley-based business who have turned loyalty points into funds to support local children and families
Retford Swimming Club goes the extra length in support of Bluebell Wood
Retford Swimming Club has made a big splash for Bluebell Wood once again this year, raising over £1,000 to support local families going through the toughest of times.
Top tips to keep your real Christmas tree fresh and fragrant
As Bluebell Wood's eager elves prepare to recycle people's real Christmas trees across the region, their expert partners are on hand with some handy tips to keep them in pristine condition until it's time to take down the trimmings.
Twinkle Twinkle appeal goes transatlantic thanks to singer-songwriter's star power
Kate Rusby's breathtaking ballad caught the ear of Greg Garvan from South Carolina, who was so moved by the song and accompanying video he decided to donate £1,000 to Bluebell Wood's Twinkle Twinkle appeal
Bluebell Wood and Sheffield United give fans chance to win a signed shirt in special Christmas raffle
Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice and Sheffield United Football Club have joined forces to give fans the chance to win a signed home or away shirt this Christmas.
Bluebell Wood launches Christmas tree recycling service across the region
The charity will be easing people's post-festive woes with an exciting new Christmas tree recycling service across South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire in partnership with several community-spirited local businesses.
Up-and-coming artist takes on epic 30 paintings in 30 days challenge for Bluebell Wood
An local artist is creating 30 original paintings in 30 days in an epic challenge to raise funds for Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice.
Louis Tomlinson announces special one-off show in support of Bluebell Wood
Singer-songwriter Louis Tomlinson has announced a special one-off live show in support of Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice and other charities "close to his heart".
Would you like to get in touch? If you have something to say then we would love to hear from you.
Thanks so much for your interest in joining the Bluebell Wood team. If you're interested in a truly rewarding role that helps change lives for the better, this is your chance to be a part of our story.
Your support helps us care for children and young adults whose lives are sadly just too short, both in their own homes and at our hospice in North Anston.
Olivia is a bubbly, chatty teenager who loves singing, and all things Harry Potter. She lives in Sheffield with her mum and dad, Michelle and Russell, and her brothers, Harry and Finley, and loves spending time at Bluebell Wood.
Whether you're looking to buy a beautiful bridal dress on a budget or searching for a second hand sofa, you can find just what you're looking for in any of our Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice charity shops.
The dream of Bluebell Wood began in 1998, with the vision to help families in this area who wanted an alternative to hospital care.
Our Care Team offer wonderful support to families, both in our hospice and in the children's own homes.
Without you coming up with all sorts of wonderful ways to support children and their families, then our doors wouldn't be able to stay open for 365 days a year.
Our Fundraising Team are here to support you by turning your fundraising ideas into reality.
Bluebell Wood Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice Bluebell Wood Shop Care Team charity Christmas Corporate Fundraising Donate Family Story Fundraising Get Active Rotherham Sheffield Shops Volunteer Volunteering
© 2020 Bluebell Wood. Registered Charity No. 1076958. All rights reserved.


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Home/Colorado Rockies Rumors
Colorado Rockies: Another Trevor Story trade idea with the Yankees
By Kevin Henry
Apr 7, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story (27) turns a double play as Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Josh Rojas (10) slides out into second base in the first inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
There is a very familiar pattern developing when it comes to Trevor Story trade rumors and ideas. Somehow, people keep trying to figure out how to send the Colorado Rockies All-Star shortstop to the New York Yankees.
Here is the latest media-driven trade proposal involving the Yankees and Colorado Rockies for Trevor Story.
The newest trade idea involving the Rockies and Yankees comes from Joel Sherman of The New York Post. In his article, Sherman proposes that the Yankees send shortstop Gleyber Torres to the Rockies in exchange for Story. A simple 1-for-1 trade, right? Well, it's not exactly that easy.
As we have discussed in other Yankees-Rockies proposed trades, Story's current contract is up at the end of the season, so any team trading for Story will likely only get his services for the rest of the 2021 season unless he is immediately signed to a long-term deal. That, of course, includes the Yankees, a team that, as Sherman points out, would be pushed over the luxury tax threshold for the season … unless Colorado would be willing to send the Yankees the difference in the Torres and Story contracts (roughly $14.5 million). Colorado fans are all too familiar in recent months with the Rockies sending away an All-Star infielder and cash to go along with him.
While the Yankees would receive Story and potentially just months of service from him, the Rockies would receive Torres, who is under team control through the 2024 campaign. While Torres is nowhere near the defender Story is (one of the reasons why Sherman is proposing this deal), the Rockies would receive an immediate plug-in shortstop at the Major League level in exchange for Story.
Sherman tells in his article that he asked four MLB executives about the deal and only one said yes while the other three said the control years would make it a better trade for the Rockies than New York.
The trade, however, would help the Yankees immediately, which is important in a "win now" culture, Sherman wrote.
More from Colorado Rockies Rumors
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The Colorado Rockies should take a flier on outfielder Franmil Reyes
MLB trade rumors: Rockies could deal Chad Kuhl, Carlos Estévez on Trade Deadline Day
7 trade destinations for Colorado Rockies closer Daniel Bard
Torres is a two-time All-Star shortstop and had solid seasons in 2018 and 2019, finishing third in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting in 2018 after slashing .271/.340/.480 and smacking 24 homers. He followed that in 2019 by hitting 38 homers, but has not reached those kind of projected numbers in a pandemic-shortened 2020 or starting the 2021 campaign.
The 24-year-old Torres has also come under fire this season for some defensive lapses, suddenly making him expendable in the eyes of some if Colorado were willing to part with Story.
With the Rockies not entering into contract talks with Story as the season began, the future of Story in Colorado seems murky at best. The icy end in Colorado for Nolan Arenado also points toward Story being unwilling to sign a long-term deal to stay. With that in mind, it's widely believed that the Rockies will trade Story at some point this season rather than letting him walk at the end of the year and receiving nothing in return.
Colorado got one MLB-ready piece in return for Arenado in pitcher Austin Gomber. Could a Torres-Story swap give the Rockies another? In theory, sure. After all, those same four executives Sherman polled said the Rockies couldn't do better than Torres in a trade. But, again, it's unlikely the Yankees would do a simple 1-for-1 trade knowing the control left on Torres. If New York were to ask for more (as in German Marquez, as mentioned by Sherman), the deal would likely quickly sour on Colorado's side of things.
Could a third team be brought in to supply prospects to Colorado? Sherman mentions the possibility and the Rockies do need to rebuild their farm system with high-quality prospects.
Next. Trevor Story talks about his future, Nolan Arenado, and more. dark
After being blasted nationally for what came back to Colorado in the Arenado trade, the Rockies will hopefully be looking for a better return with Story. Could that come from the Yankees? Potentially yes, but any deal with the Yankees or any other team that includes Story will almost certainly not include Marquez as well.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


People with poor eyesight in Karonga are seeing the world in a new sharper focus following donations of free eye glasses by a group of optometric doctors and students from Cardiff university in partnership with Pontallanfrath Rotary club from the United Kingdom.
The exercise which was carried out in the area of traditional authority (TA) Kyungu began on Monday in Mlare and concluded Wednesday at Mwenelondo CCAP church has seen over 600 people screened and given specs for their eyesight.
Speaking in an interview program manager for the thermology outreach project John Rowland, said the biggest cause of visual impairment in subsahara Africa is due to a lack of Glass's hence the donation.
"We know not many Malawian's can afford to buy glasses as they are expensive to perches but we know through the screening and the specks we have provided has made the communities really happy as others gave up hope of regaining sight," he said.
He added apart from providing free eye Glasses to a target of 4000 poor sighted people across the country and they will cover cost for over 100 cataract patients to have their operations at a cost of 25 pounds per person.
"Our main focus is visually impaired and blindness caused by cataracts. We know if we give one pair of glasses to someone it changes their life as they can work better and if we can provide operations to remove cataracts and restore their eyesight to us that's fantastic," said Rowland.
Peter Holmes from Pontllanfaith Rotary held the partnership that exists between Malawians and them saying the success of the project wouldn't have been achieved without their passion for the thermology outreach program.
Member of Parliament for the area Frank Mwenefumbo who initiated the coming of the doctors to the area in collaboration with his brother Ngwele, expressed his gratitude to the British doctors and students for coming to his area as there is a lot of eye related health challenges in his constituency.
"As you know government is over stretched it can't reach out to every community in Malawi therefore as a local leader i have a mandate of initiating such programs hence my gratitude to the doctors who have fundraised and brought the glasses and equipment to the area for people to benefit from them," Mwenefumbo articulated.


This tour presents you the famous beauty of this summer region of the former Austrian emperor house. The "Salzkammergut" is known as the capital of The Sound of Music and belongs to one of the most charming regions in all of Austria: blue lakes, imposing mountains, green meadows and forests truly create a fairy tale landscape. The pristine lakes Mondsee, Attersee, Traunsee and Wolfgangsee are the most well-known lakes in this region.
All about the Salzburg and the 7 lakes by bike.


The plsdof package provides Degrees of Freedom estimates for Partial Least Squares (PLS) Regression. Model selection for PLS is based on various information criteria (aic, bic, gmdl) or on cross-validation. Estimates for the mean and covariance of the PLS regression coefficients are available. They allow the construction of approximate confidence intervals and the application of test procedures. Further, cross-validation procedures for Ridge Regression and Principal Components Regression are available.
Please use the canonical form https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=plsdof to link to this page.


Being from the Northwest I love the outdoors. I also love animals. I am so lucky that my inlaws live in the country. This weekend I had so much fun holding chickens and playing in the lavender garden…there is something so healing about it. What made it even better was exploring in this beautiful white Free People dress I snagged from TJ Maxx! Score! I just love TJ Maxx it's like finding gold the deals are so good. I paired it with a bootie, floppy hat from Nordstrom, and a classic Kate Spade earring. Anyone else just love exploring in the outdoors?


People are different in many respects. Rarely do we think of people being different with respect to how they prefer their communications. There are four distinctive types of people with respect to communications.
Give it too me straight – This type of person doesn't want a lot of preliminaries. These people want you to get to the point quickly. They don't want a lot of justification. They just want to be assured that you are confident in what you are saying. They also want concrete suggestions on what to do. When they ask questions, they want direct answers.
Let's Talk – These people want to be very comfortable with what you are saying. They like a lot of background especially as it relates to what others feel about the subject. They don't want to move too fast so they would like to know what others have done in similar situations. They don't want to be hurried so take your time in communicating to these people.
I Need to Know More – These people want to focus on how you came to the information you are presenting. They are interested in detail, but they really want to be comfortable with the approach that you took. They will want to think through consequences with you if you are communicating a need for action. Be prepared to do a step-by-step description of what you did in communicating with these people.
Let's See What the Manual Says – These people want to be sure that what you are suggesting is permitted. When you communicate to these people, you need to be certain to assure them that everything being proposed is within their scope of control according to the "book". These people may have more of an interest in the policy of what is being proposed than the actual content itself.
These are four very different ways of communicating to these different types of people. What do you do when the same message needs to be delivered to a mix of these types. The general rule is to focus the message on the principal decision maker but try to have the information that others will be seeking.


text:
SAME BOAT THEATER COLLECTIVE
Emeryville Reading Program
Workshop Reading Program
The Emeryville Horror on Zoom
EarthQuake Full Program
SAME BOAT THEATER COLLECTIVE PRESENTS A WORKSHOP READING OF
THE EMERYVILLE HORROR
As part of PlayGround's Innovator Incubator Festival
Written by the Same Boat Theater Collective
Lynn Aylward (Lead Writer) and
Linda Amayo Hassan, Lisa Kang, Ellen Koivisto and Bridgette Dutta Portman
2pm, Sunday, August 11
Potrero Stage
1695 18th Street, San Francisco
GLORIA/ASHLEY....................................................................................................................................................Carla Gallardo
ROO and others.......................................................................................................................................Madeleine Hubbert
VARA.........................................................................................................................................................................Edith Castorena
ISOBEL..........................................................................................................................................................................Leticia Duarte
LOUISE/MAYOR and others ...................................................................................................................Marissa Ampon
PHILLIP/HUNG...........................................................................................................................................................Wayne Wong
DANH/TEEN.....................................................................................................................................................Benjamin Nguyen
DOUGLAS/CHIEF OF POLICE and others................................................................................Peter Fitzsimmons
Feedback Questions
As part of this new play's developmental process, we'd love to hear your thoughts on it! Please send feedback to sameboattheater@gmail.com. We are especially interested in your responses to the following questions:
1. What parts of the play (characters, language, moments, scenes) stood out to you and why?
2. How were you affected by participating in shaping the ending?
3. Did this play serve the objectives of environmental justice theater?
4. What is environmental justice theater to you? What can or should it be for your community?
About the Cast and Team
Linda Amayo-Hassan (contributing writer) is a playwright and in the writers pool for PlayGround. Her short play Latino Souls was selected in November for PlayGround. Linda developed her full length play ¡CHEER! Story of a Dreame, at the Berkeley Rep School and she attended the Kennedy Center Summer Playwriting Intensive in 2018. Linda was commissioned by the Hayward Area Historical Society to write, The Heart of Our Bay, a history of Hayward, California. Linda runs Chabot College Theatre for Young Audiences and is a founding member of Theatre Cultura.
Marissa L. Ampon (Louise/Mayor/Others) has enjoyed being front & center, since her first theatrical performance in Bindlestiff Studio's world premiere of WELGA, which was when the theatre-bug bit HARD in 2017. Since then, it's been non-stop involvement in anything related to the acting world, including upcoming role as Esmeralda in World Premiere BELOW SYCAMORE, presented at Shelton Theater, Sep. 19-28 (https://sheltontheater.org/below-sycamore/). By day, she works in biotech, by night she is hired for voiceover projects, acts on-stage & on-camera, and supports Bay Area playwrights by performing stage readings (IG: @ampontheair).
Lynn Aylward (lead writer) studied playwriting at the Writer's Center in Washington, DC where she was a member of the Playwrights Forum. She has been a member of the Writers Pool at Playground for two seasons, and three of her short plays have been presented by Playground at Berkeley Rep. Her short play Twelve Twenty Five was performed at the Shelton Theater in November 2018. Lynn is working on a full-length play on climate change commissioned by Playground and Planet Earth Arts, and her play Three Chords and the Truth was a semi-finalist for the 2019 Bay Area Playwrights Festival. Lynn has a MSc in economics from the London School of Economics and one in environmental science from New York University.
Edith Castorena (Vara) was born and raised in San Francisco, and had the pleasure of studying theater at YPTMTC and San Francisco School of the Arts. She is currently studying Feminist Studies and Politics at UC Santa Cruz, where she is working on her thesis: Magical Realism as Resistance Theory.
Reg Clay (stage manager) Reg Clay is an actor, playwright and songwriter. A graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington DC and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Reg has worked with several theatre companies in the Bay Area (Oakland Public Theatre, Plethos Productions, Eastenders Repertory Company, Darkroom Theatre, the Douglas Morrison Theatre, and many others); Reg recently published his full length play, Four Men In Paris, which was also performed at the Douglas Morrison Theatre this past October. Reg is also a podcaster, producing shows like The Yay, You Gotta Have Faith and I'm An American, Too.
Leticia Duarte (Isobel) is a theatrical, commercial and film actress represented by Talent Plus/Los Latinos Agency. For more information about their work and upcoming projects see www.sfcasting.com/leticiaduarte.
Peter Fitzsimmons (Douglas/Mayor/Others) is a San Francisco native and works in theater, film and television. He was recently seen in the film short "As Ye Sow", which won the Reel Award in the Canadian Film Festival. He also appeared as the Narrator and Ollie Harrington in the Morrison Theater premiere production of Reg Clay's "Four Men in Paris".
Carla Gallardo (Gloria/Ashley) is a Bay Area native and actor, and a proud member of the Ubuntu Theater Project. Her most recent credits include : Romeo & Juliet (Ubuntu Theater Project), In The Heights (Custom Made Theater), Hamlet(Ubuntu Theater Project), Where The Boys Are(FaultLine Theater), To The Bone (Ubuntu Theater Project). She is currently starring in Theatre Cultura's Cheer! Story of a Dreamer, performing here at the Portero Stage.
Madeleine Hubbert (Roo), a student at San Francisco State University, is making their professional debut in this show. A San Francisco local, they studied at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts as well as with San Francisco Arts Education Project. They have acted in such productions as The Good Woman of Setzuan, Bells are Ringing, and numerous Shakespeare competitions, earning recognition as a California State Arts Scholar. When not acting, they are fond of archery, swing dance, and horseback riding.
Lisa Kang (contributing writer) is a resident of San Jose and a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, where she has been a playwright, actor, educator and environmental activist for several years. Her work has been performed by theaters in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seoul and Taipei. Her work has been featured in Theater Bay Area's Playwriting Showcase and has been recognized as finalist or semi-finalist by Playwright's Foundation, MultiStages (NYC), and Naatak Theater. She is the co-founder of San Jose's City Lights Theater's Light Source playwriting workshop and founder of Butterfly Effect's playwriting workshop in Taipei. Lisa is a member of Playground and of the Playwrights' Center of San Francisco. She is currently working on a full-length play about Monsanto and farmer suicide in India, commissioned by PlayGround and Planet Earth arts. www.lisakang.net/
Ellen Koivisto (director, contributing writer) is an award-winning playwright who co-founded Theatre Artist's Conspiracy, ran the TAC Limelight Playwriting workshop and was associate program director of The Scene Shop in San Francisco, co-produced the Bay Area Shakespeare Marathon, and is a 2010 Directors' Lab West alumni. She taught science (chemistry, astronomy, physics, biology, marine biology, and environmental science) for 30 years, and has been an environmental activist since elementary school. Ellen is a member of Dramatists Guild of America, Inc., Playground and the New Play Exchange.
Benjamin Nguyen (Danh/Teen) is a Bay Area native and has performed in theaters all over the bay. He's excited to continue the reading of The Emeryville Horror and looks forward to experiencing the evolution of this work.
Bridgette Dutta Portman (contributing writer) is a playwright based in Fremont, CA. Dozens of her plays have been read or produced in the Bay Area, across the country, and overseas. She is past president of the Playwrights' Center of San Francisco and a member of the Pear Writers' Guild and the Dramatists' Guild. She has been a finalist for the TITAN award, the Bay Area Playwrights' Festival, the PlayPenn Conference, the New Dramatists' playwriting residency, and more. She holds a PhD in political science (UC Irvine, 2011), as well as an MFA from Spalding University (2018) and has long had an interest in politics, including policy related to both the environment and social justice. www.bridgetteduttaportman.com.
Wayne Wong (Phillip/Hung) believes in love, laughter, and Same Boat Theater Collective.
Special Thanks
Same Boat Theater Collective thanks Farm Fresh to You and California Academy of Sciences for their auction item donations, Alan Levanthal for his consultation and feedback on the script, and Jim Kleinmann for his guidance and support
Same Boat Theater Collective is a fiscally-sponsored participant in the PlayGround Innovator Incubator Program.


The picture at the top of this page is of Admiral Rickover (1900-1986), often referred to as father of the nuclear navy. The ships he controlled were powered by nuclear reactors and were often armed with nuclear missiles. He knew that the first accident with a nuclear ship would also be the last accident - there would be no tolerance for mistakes or accidents of any kind. The stringent standards that he imposed regarding both nuclear safety and personnel selection have been a critical factor in the navy's continuing record of zero reactor accidents.
The process and energy industries are not so sensitive to the consequence of one event. Nevertheless, these industries can learn much from the nuclear navy, and also from other industries such as civilian nuclear power, aerospace and the reliability of electronics systems.
Rickover is very quotable. The following, for example, could apply the control of any process facility.
[A] principle for managing a successful program is to resist the natural human inclination to hope things will work out, despite evidence or doubt to the contrary. It is not easy to admit that what you thought was correct did not turn out that way. If conditions require it, one must face the facts and brutally make needed changes despite considerable costs and schedule delays.
The discipline of process risk management covers a wide variety of topics ranging from highly technical issues, such as vapor dispersion and fault tree analysis, to management systems, human behavior and understanding regulations to operations such as starting up a refinery. No single person can be an expert in all of these areas but an effective risk management professional has a sufficient understanding of them all and understands how they relate to one another.
This page discusses some of the attributes of the ideal risk management professional, whether he or she be a direct employee, contract worker or a consultant. Additional attributes for a consultant in this area are described in The Risk Management Consultant.
There is no formal process risk management discipline, analogous to chemical engineering or business studies, nor is there is no single educational, work or professional background that is shared by risk management professionals, largely because they often start working in this area toward the latter half of their careers, having had many years of diverse experience in operations, design and engineering in a wide range of industries.
Most risk management professionals have a technical education - often in engineering or environmental science. Such an education provides the necessary skills to handle the technical and quantitative aspects of the work, particularly with regard to the analysis of risk, fires and explosions and gas dispersion.
The risk management professional should have a thorough understanding of the many technical topics that the discipline covers. No one can be an expert in all of the technical areas that make us risk analysis, but he or she should possess enough knowledge of them in order to develop the correct parameters for risk analyses and to understand the findings and reports that the experts provide. It is also important to be numerate and to be comfortable working with numbers. Risk management involves quantitative topics such as gas dispersion modeling, the development of F-N curves and the use of Boolean algebra.
A person who thinks and works holistically is not limited to a single, narrow detailed specialized sphere; instead he or she has a broad grasp of management, technical and human systems, and how they interact with one another. This does not mean that the professional has to be an expert in everything - such a goal is obviously unrealistic, but it does mean that he or she needs to have a working knowledge of multifarious topics, and to have a comprehension as to how they fit together. The phrase, "jack of all trades, but master of none", is usually considered pejorative. However, with regard to the risk management professional, it is a sensible job description.
Risk management professionals spend much of their time communicating with others in a variety of ways such as writing reports, listening to client needs, delivering presentations and listening to anecdotes. Hence the risk management professional must be a good speaker, writer, listener and reader.
Much of the discussion in these posts has been to do with the importance of writing well - process safety professionals often have to write reports based on tasks and projects such as hazards analyses, incident investigations and prestartup reviews. These reports need to be clear, succinct and readable.
Most discussions to do with communications focus on the importance of writing well - specifically of writing to the audience's level of comprehension.
Now, in this context the word 'read' does not mean the ability to understand written statements such as "Reverse flow could cause corrosion of the impeller of Pump, P-101". It means understanding the underlying causes of the problem and developing an understanding of management system failures; reading well will help identify hidden messages.
In the year 2000 Yale Professor Harold Bloom (b. 1930) published the book How to Read and Why. Although his book is directed to those reading classical literature some of his thoughts and insights can be applied to the more banal activity of reading process safety reports.
His aphorism, "Clear your mind of cant" is particularly important. Cant means, "Monotonous talk filled with platitudes" or "Hypocritically pious language". The safety business is prone to such platitudes and to pious language. For example, when discussing a major incident that has killed and injured many people it is common to use the word 'tragedy' when describing the event. And of course it is a tragedy - for those affected personally. But for people who were not involved in the event in any way use of the word "tragedy" often seems to be somewhat sanctimonious. It is probably best simply to use the word "incident".
More broadly, Bloom's advice can mean simply "Clear your mind", as discussed in Safety Moment #22: Clear Your Mind of Cant.
For example, a report to do with a Prestartup Safety Review may state, "The start up of the modified system could not proceed because a safety-critical pressure gauge downstream of Pump, P-101A had not been installed".
The plant manager on reading this may react in a 'prejudiced' manner by stating that he always knew that the company that makes that type of gauge was not to be trusted. But a deeper reading of the report may proceed as follows.
The safety-critical pressure gauge was not installed.
The gauge had been delivered on time but it had been put in the wrong location in the facility warehouse.
The warehouse manager was on vacation and her substitute did not understand the parts data base system.
No one in the warehouse has ever received formal training.
Because the process safety training program is directed just to line operators and maintenance personnel.
A deep reading of just one sentence has led to useful process safety insights.
There is really no substitute for industrial experience. It is one thing to learn about a topic from books and articles, and by reviewing incidents that have occurred elsewhere, but it is quite another to actually learn from the school of hard knocks. Industrial experience includes not only a hands-on knowledge of industrial processes and equipment, but also an understanding of the realities of client/consultant relationships, the resistance that managers have toward spending money on safety, problems at the management/union interface and how government agencies actually enforce regulations.
The risk management professional should know about incidents and events (both good and bad) that have occurred in other companies and locations. He or she can use these events to understand and identify patterns in current operations.
< knowledge of . . .> Sensational Literature - Immense. He appears to know every detail of every horror perpetrated in the century.
So it is for the risk management professional; he or she should possess an "immense knowledge" of incidents that have occurred and what lessons can be drawn from them.
In this context it is interesting to note that the recently released proposed update to the OSHA PSM standard relies heavily on actual incidents. Almost all of the proposed changes are justified by showing how such changes could have helped prevent the cited incident.
It is a way for experienced professionals to give back to their community and to help young people who are entering the field.
Development of personal reputation and contacts within the community that could lead to more interesting and rewarding work and assignments.
Enhancement of the reputation for the company or organization that the professional works for.
The writing of articles and papers requires the author to carry out thorough research on the topic about which he or she is writing.
Helping others to prepare and publish their work increases the knowledge and skills of all parties.
A well-known proverb states, "It's not what you know, it's who you know". This proverb is only half correct - technical knowledge and personal skills are vital to any professional. Yet it is important to maintain a network of qualified contacts. In particular, when an expert is has to address a challenging problem it is useful to have someone to call who can help out as a friend and colleague.
The expert's knowledge, skills and attributes are summarized in his or her or resum? or curriculum vitae (CV).
It is critical that the resume be accurate and verifiable, especially with regard to statements, such as the possession of advanced degrees, or major work experience. Accuracy of the resume is particularly important when the risk management professional is involved in litigation. He or she must expect to have his qualifications challenged because, if the resume can be discredited, then the expert's statements can be discredited also.
Many professionals fail to keep their resumes up to date. It is a good idea to check it and modify as needed every three months or so, particularly when new types of work or project are being carried out.
An expert's resume can become very lengthy because he or she is likely to have years of experience in a wide range of tasks and projects. Such length has its drawbacks - it can make the resume difficult to read and lacking in focus. For this reason it is often a good idea to have a short (say half page) summary at the beginning supplemented by an attachment that provides the detailed information.
An expert's resume is greatly enhanced if he or she has published professional papers, articles and books. Books, in particular, can make a very strong impact - the risk management professional can say, "I wrote the book on that. Here it is!"
Involvement with professional societies, as discussed in the previous section, also looks very good on the resume.
After many years of work experience, no one will have a perfect work record. Everyone's career hits the occasional bump in the road. In particular, there will often be gaps in the work record for the times that the professional was unemployed or was trying to land new contracts. These gaps can be filled with information to do with background work such as the preparation of seminars or professional papers, or with time spent on continuing education.
Some risk management professionals have multiple resumes, with each version emphasizing particular qualities. For example, one version may stress say design experience, whereas another may place a greater emphasis on field operational work.
Although this practice may help in specific situations, it is generally best not to have more than one resume. This is particularly true with respect to litigation work because an opposing attorney may use the two documents to demonstrate that the witness is not to be trusted, particularly if the professional appears to have a plaintiff resume and a defendant resume.
One of the traps that experts can fall into is that, if they fail to keep up with the latest knowledge and practice in their field, they may not really be qualified to help a client in an area that is shown on their resume. The expert may fail to recognize that his or her knowledge and judgment is out of date.
A related problem is that some process risk experts may have worked for just one company for the duration of their careers. On retirement they seek to become consultants with other companies, but find that their deep, but narrow, experience can be quite limiting.


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PCMag UK | Reviews | Mobile Phones | News
Hands On With the Moto X Style
The Motorola Moto X Style Pure Edition (MXSPE) is clearly a Moto X. Design-wise, it's not that far off from the Moto X (2014), but it's bigger. I got some hands-on time and talked to some execs at the Motorola launch event, and here's what I saw.
The new Moto X uses the same thoughtful materials as before. Plastic is fine when it's quality plastic, and the Moto X Style comes in a range of colorful plastic and silicone backs that have a very nicely grippy texture; I also tried the wood back, which was cool and a little slippery. I didn't get my hands on any of the leather backs.
The front has dual stereo speakers, very clearly marked, and a broad expanse of 5.7-inch screen with almost no bezel. The LCD screen is bright, and colors are balanced rather than hypersaturated. Swiping through the very Google-standard Android interface went very swiftly.
My main problem with the Moto X Style is that it's yet another one of those giant boat-phones which seem to be taking over America, as if they are rafts upon which we must escape the rising seas. At 6.06 by 3 inches and 6.3 ounces, this 5.7-inch phone is the size and weight of 5.5-inch phones like the Asus ZenFone 2 and ZTE Axon Pro, and yes, it's smaller (but heavier) than the Apple iPhone 6 Plus. But it's still way too big for me, firmly in the "mini-tablet" realm rather than a conveniently pocketable device.
The Style has one of the lightest software loads on any Android phone running today. Only 6.93GB of our test phone was taken up by system software, giving you up to a gig more usable space than the competition. It has a few Motorola apps, but it's mostly Google software, and yes, it's getting Android M.
The Style runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor at 1.8GHz, according to the CPU-Z app. About 2.5GB of the 3GB of RAM was available to applications. I got to run some benchmarks on the Moto X Style, which showed a phone that's still in the process of being optimized. The Style got around 47k on Antutu, which is in the vicinity of Snapdragon 808 and 810 phones like the LG Flex 2 and LG G4 but falls short of the Samsung Galaxy S6.
Motorola says the 21-megapixel camera has been completely rearchitected. I'm very happy that it's keeping the best of Motorola's camera features—being able to launch the camera with a twist of the wrist, and being able to tap anywhere on the screen to take a photo. (That last bit is especially important if you're trying to operate a phone this big with one hand.) The shutter was instantaneous, as it should be. Images appeared bright in poor indoor lighting, but we'll have to see how that goes on the final units. There were none of the persistent focus problems I've seen with previous versions of the Moto X, though—hope springs.
The Moto X Style is a killer package for $399 when it goes on sale in September. (That's for the 16GB model; the 32GB and 64GB versions will cost more.) If its features hold true, it's going to be the benchmark by which other unlocked phones are measured—and yes, that includes the super-hyped OnePlus Two. But I can't help feeling terribly frustrated with Motorola's total embrace of the boat-phone trend. Apparently, if you want power and value, you need big hands.
Asus ZenFone 2 ...
Apple iPhone 6 ...
Motorola Moto X ...
LG G Flex ...
LG G4 (Verizon ...


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Time for reading: 21 min.
Ready for custom headlamps? Confused by terms like LED, halos, U-bar, and projector? Our all-encompassing shopping guide answers all your questions; plus we include an installation overview.
by Richard R
Product Training Director
Why Do I Need To Replace My Current Headlamps?
What Can Custom Headlamps Do For Me?
Navigating Product Options Field Choices
I Just Need OEM Factory-Style Replacement Headlamps. Where Can I Find Those?
Replacement OEM Sealed Beam Style Headlights For Older Classics
I'm Not Sure If My Vehicle Has HID/Xenon Lights - How Do I Know I'm Getting The Right One?
What Custom Styles Exist?
Euro Style Headlight Assemblies
Projector Beam Headlamp Assemblies
Halo Lights
DRL Bar Headlights
What Does Headlight "Housing" Color Refer To?
What Are "Smoke" Lens Covers?
I Have An Older Classic With Sealed Beam Headlights. Are There Any Custom Products For Me?
I See "Good" Vs. "Better" Vs. "Best" Choices For Some Products - What Do Those Signify?
Should I Replace Headlight Assemblies In Pairs?
Removing & Installing Bumper Covers (If Required)
Unbolting Your Old Headlamp Assembly
Disconnecting And Reconnecting Electrical Wires
Transferring Bulbs From Old To New Assembly
The Plug'n'Play Portion Of The Installation
Connecting Extra Wires Found On Halo And LED Custom Headlamp Assemblies
If the front of your vehicle is its "face", then the headlamps are its "eyes". Everyone notices them. One of the most distinctive changes you can make to the face of your car or truck is to replace the factory headlamp assemblies with a custom set. Your ride will take on a personality all its own, and will gain a distinctive appearance that will set it apart from all the other look-alike vehicles on the road.
Custom headlamp assemblies on the market today have more features than ever, and they tend to be described in a number of ways. This makes the selection process somewhat complicated, because odds are you're asking yourself, "Which style is best for me?"
What you prefer most for your vehicle is an extremely personal decision - because beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. Often, one single favorite choice may not exist. We understand. Because we do offer a lot of stylish, head-turning custom headlamp assemblies, we know after talking to our customers on the phone that the odds are good you'll be agonizing over at least two or three final choices before picking one.
In this shopping guide, we'll look at the types of headlights you'll see in sub-sections of our Custom & Factory headlights page. There, we also have factory-style headlight assemblies for those who need them. As a general rule, factory-style replacement lights won't require wiring modifications, but those with additional features such as LEDs or multiple projector beams probably will.
Since many of the headlights we sell contain more than one of the features discussed below, some products will appear in more than one subsection. For example, a single headlight assembly with projector beams, LEDs, and halo lights would appear in all three of those subsections. Or, it may appear under Custom Headlights or Euro Headlights sections if its design deviates from what was offered by the vehicle manufacturer as original equipment.
There are a number of reasons to replace your headlamp assemblies. For starters, plastic outer lens covers on composite headlights deteriorate over time as they are sandblasted by road grit. Milky-looking "cataracts" form on once-clear lens covers as acid rain and sun take their toll and chemically change the plastic. Heat from the sun and humidity in the air cause wiring inside the headlight housing to corrode from within - building up electrical resistance. Combine hazy cataracts on the lens covers with reduced electrical flow, and you've got much dimmer light output.
So if you've got an older vehicle with sealed beam headlights or run-of-the-mill frosted glass lenses, custom headlight assemblies go a long way toward making things look updated and years newer. Even if your car or truck isn't so old, a good look at the clear lens covers on composite headlamp assemblies may reveal they've become cloudy and damaged when you weren't noticing. The good part is, you've got a perfect opportunity to enhance your vehicle's front by replacing them with new headlights that add dazzling style.
If you prefer to keep things stock, brand-new OEM style headlamp assemblies will do a lot to increase the resale value of your vehicle. If your car or truck has a few years on it but is great condition otherwise, getting rid of a set of milky-looking headlamps by replacing them with new ones can bring you an increased sale price that easily offsets the upfront purchase.
When it comes to headlights, "custom" might be as simple as unique colors (black background or smoke tinted lenses), or it could refer to advanced lighting elements like halo, projector, or colored LED lights. While it's true that headlamps on many newer vehicles contain one or more of those features, what you'll find in this section are designs that seek to achieve a higher level of visual excitement. In other words, designs that won't be mistaken for original equipment.
In this shopping guide, we can't tell you what to pick for looks. But we can discuss factors our customers have told us helped them make decisions. For example, the overall shape of your vehicle may play a significant role in headlight choice satisfaction. Are the lines angular, or does it feature more voluptuous curves? We've noticed those with squared-off vehicle lines tended to prefer "plank light" headlight assemblies with a horizontal, flat lighting element along the bottom. Why? It creates a straight-edged look of solidity. Those with curvy vehicle lines often chose halo headlight assemblies with perfectly round halo rings instead of squared off or angular ones. Many of them also opted for projector beam lights with the halos.
Many owners with vibrant vehicle colors, decals, or custom paint work preferred headlamp assemblies with chrome background bezels, while those with matte finishes had the highest likelihood of being satisfied with "smoke" (tinted) headlight assembly colors. And those with solid colors (especially black) often preferred the look of clear headlight lenses with black background bezels.
Is your vehicle's stance enhanced with a lowered suspension or aero kit? Perhaps you might prefer projector beam headlight assemblies with two, even three light pods. And if you like the specific looks of BMW and Audi headlamps which pioneered halo lights and LED light strips, we've got choices that pay tribute to them.
When you're on a page for a specific headlight assembly product, a Product Options box may be visible on the right side approximately halfway down the page. Clicking on the words "Select Product Options" will first bring you to a prompt for entering your vehicle's make, model, and year. This information is necessary in order to narrow down what variations are made specifically to fit your car.
When additional vehicle query boxes ask if your car is a "2-door" or "4-door", answer them accurately. If such a question is posed, it's only because the headlight shape of coupes and sedans varies on your make and model, and parts are not interchangeable. After the model and sub-model information is entered, you may still see some additional headlight design choices.
We know there are times when you need to replace factory headlight assemblies with units that match the quality and function of your originals. While it's fun to customize your ride, keeping things stock may be a priority. One headlamp lens may be cracked. You may have been in a minor fender-bender and the mounting tabs may have broken.
When you need to replace factory headlight assemblies with units that match their original quality and function, we've got you covered. In our "Factory Headlights" subsection, you'll find OEM-style composite headlamp assemblies with 1-piece lens covers made of either glass or plastic. This is where you want to look if you've got a typical vehicle from the 1990s on that was built with flush headlights. Because OEM style headlight assemblies we sell are designed to replicate the look of original lamps installed on the assembly line, features such as LEDs, halo rings, or projector beams usually aren't available.
In some cases, you can choose either a new aftermarket headlamp assembly or a remanufactured original equipment one that's been brought to like-new condition after critical components have been replaced. You may also see individual headlight bulbs offered in the Product Options menu. Whether the factory replacement headlamp assemblies include bulbs or not, you might want to consider purchasing an extra set while you are making your lamp selections. In some cases, the optional bulb offering will be an upgrade to LED headlight bulbs.
If you've got an older classic built before composite headlight assemblies became the norm, you'll find OEM style replacement sealed beam units there as well. A sealed beam headlight assembly contains one or more filaments along with a reflector inside a glass case, usually with a glass lens featuring a multi-prismatic surface. Because bulb filaments are sealed within the headlamp assembly, they cannot be accessed for replacement when burnout occurs. Instead, the entire unit must be replaced.
If your specific make and model was originally available with a choice of halogen or HID (xenon) lights, you'll see a drop down bar asking you to choose between the two. Because wiring connectors for halogen and HID lights differ and are not compatible, you should stay with the same style that was originally equipped on your specific vehicle.
Halogen headlights use traditional bulbs with incandescent filaments to produce light, while "HID" (high intensity discharge) bulbs use a mix of metallic salts heated to a gaseous state with a small amount of xenon gas to produce brighter light. HIDs are costlier because they require an igniter to heat them and a ballast to eliminate flickering.
Halogen Bulb
HID/Xenon Bulb
You may be asking yourself, "which style is the best choice for me?" To make your search through our custom headlamps section easier, we've grouped products into categories based on style. If you'd like to start by seeing all styles of custom headlamps for perspective, we've got them altogether in one place in our "Custom Headlights" subsection. In short, these contain designs or lighting elements not present in typical OE headlamps.
We've got "Projector" style lights with lenses shaped like projectors, "Halo" style lights with halo rings, "LED" style with LED bulbs, and "Euro" style lights - just to name a few. It's important to note that specific features contained in these styles of lights can overlap, and this may seem confusing at first. For example, "Halo" style headlamp assemblies may also be equipped with projector lights and LED bulbs. Or, "Euro" style headlight assemblies may be equipped with halo rings, projector lights, and LEDs… or they may not be. For this reason, a single headlamp product with multiple features may appear in multiple subsections.
For descriptive purposes, the feature that's most noticeable to the eye is the one that wins out when it comes to labeling a headlamp's style. Below, we explain what various styles are best known for.
A "Euro headlight" assembly is a term for a custom headlamp assembly that features a flush, aerodynamic glass surface instead of fixed-shape sealed beam lamps. This style of headlamp had been in use in Europe since the 1950s, but was not allowed on U.S. market vehicles until the 1984 model year. By 1986, they began to appear almost everywhere and soon became an automotive norm. Through the end of the 1990s, Euro headlamp assemblies did not feature a great deal of distinctive styling other than a smooth, one-piece glass outer surface.
Years later as projector beam headlights began to grow in popularity (see further below), original equipment Euro style headlights began to imitate their high-tech look. Frosted glass lens covers were replaced with clear plastic ones which allowed a look in at multi-faceted mirror pieces shaped in a variety of oval and squared-off patterns.
In more recent years, Euro light designs tend to feature circular cutouts that look the part of projector beam lenses. While this may cause confusion as to what a Euro style headlamp assembly actually is, it's important to remember the one thing they have in common is a flush outer lens cover.
When it comes to custom designs, a closer look reveals Euro style headlamp assemblies typically don't have bonus features such as LEDs, halo rings, or projector beam lenses. Instead, they are styled to imitate the looks of those that do. For this reason, they offer solid value for those looking to step up the look of their vehicle.
Shortly after the turn of this millennium, automakers began to breathe new styling life into composite Euro headlight assemblies that had begun to seem plain-looking after being around since the 1980s. Instead of a single piece of frosted glass across the entire headlight assembly, clear outer lens covers were used along with multi-faceted projector beam bulbs behind them. These are known as Projector Beam headlamp assemblies, and you'll find custom headlamps equipped with these in our "Projector Headlights" subsection.
Glancing at a projector headlight assembly, you'll typically find stylish round cutouts for headlights, bright lights, turn signals, daytime running lights, and more - all of which are highly visible and styled to look like lenses that a laser beam might radiate from. Inside each assembly, a glass ball serves as the projector for the main headlight, and similar-looking round cutouts surround it. Turn signals, parking lights, and DRLs typically use incandescent or LED bulbs, and round cutouts are often framed by halo lights.
If you've got an older car with run-of-the-mill frosted lenses or clear lenses that have become cloudy, custom projector lamps go a long way toward making your vehicle look updated and years newer. On our page, you'll also find more subtle-looking examples geared to resemble factory OEM headlights with the addition of one, two, or three projectors. Whether you're replacing just a sealed beam headlight or an entire composite assembly, we've got some interesting projector lens lighting choices.
If you're a real hard-core fan of the projector look, you'll be happy to discover we've got headlights that are literally filled with rows of small projector lenses. On a typical assembly, the center row may light up for low-beam headlight use while high-beams use top and bottom rows. A daytime running light function can also be activated if desired. As with other types of lights we offer, a large number of projector headlights can be selected with tinted or clear lens covers, and a background housing in black, silver, or multiple bright colors.
"Halo lights" are circular rings of light surrounding round headlamp bulbs. First appearing on 2001 BMWs, halo lights (also known as "angel eyes") can be set up to come on with low beam headlights or function separately as daytime running lights. Since their introduction, automakers have embraced halo lights as an effective way to distinguish their vehicle fascias. While early halo lights used incandescent and CCFL bulbs as a source of illumination, the market has trended toward LEDs because they create the cleanest, most evenly-distributed light all the way around the ring.
The aftermarket has been hard at work pushing the design envelope when it comes to headlamp assemblies with LED halo rings. As a result, we're proud to offer the largest selection of halo lights you'll find anywhere - full of creativity, style, and looks that span from mild to wild. For starters, LEDs can be configured to change color, pulse, flash, or fade in and out. This allows halo rings to display white light when serving as daytime running lights, then change instantly to amber and serve as turn signal flashers. We've even got headlamp assemblies with LED halo rings that display a range of colors - casting hues for any mood or setting!
We've got halo headlights that operate by remote control using Bluetooth from your smartphone. And if you've got an older vehicle with round sealed beam headlights, we've got units that fit right in their place - with a variety of halo rings that partially or completely surround the center bulb. Older BMW owners, among others, will appreciate the ability to upgrade their headlamp assemblies with ones that match current-generation U-shaped halos (known as "U-bar" lights).
"U-bar" is an informal term used to describe the shape of a halo ring mounted in a custom headlight assembly. Instead of being shaped like a circular ring, U-bar halo rings feature straight lines with square edges or extremely sharp angles. The "U" in U-bar refers to the fact that these halos are open on one side, forming a visual U on designs where the open edge faces the top. Other U-bar headlights feature open edges that face down or to the side.
JDM fans may appreciate our selection of available halo headlight assemblies with smoke (tint) lens covers and even all-black backgrounds. For "rat rod" owners that prefer a dull and rusty patina to a shiny one, we've even got sealed beam halo headlights designed to appear rusted inside - yet pump out bright light when needed.
"DRL" stands for Daytime Running Lights. By definition, DRLs are illuminated whenever the vehicle's engine is running. DRLs are therefore "on" during the daytime, and aren't for the purpose of lighting up the road. However, they do increase the visibility of your vehicle to surrounding drivers.
In our "DRL Bar" subsection, you'll see all sealed beam and composite headlight assemblies we offer with light bars and/or halo rings that can be dedicated to function as DRLs when properly wired. In many cases, DRL bars made up of LED lights can change color, and they can become amber and flash in synch with your turn signals when properly wired. DRL bars are the latest in the evolution of headlight designs, and many premium automakers fit some form of them as standard equipment.
You'll see DRL light bars that are straight, curved, and dotted. You'll also see swooping LED bar patterns designed to flow with the shape of the headlight assembly, or around lights contained inside of it. A great number of choices await, and we're confident you'll have no problem finding something you really like.
In our "LED Headlights" section, you'll find a range of sealed beam and composite assemblies equipped with LEDs that serve various functions. In many cases, this means the headlight assemblies contain LEDs that serve only as daytime running lights and/or halo lights. The headlight bulb itself may or may not be an LED bulb.
If the headlight bulb itself is an LED one, you'll see that fact noted in the Features bulletpoint list within any of our product pages. You'll also see headlight bulb output listed in lumens rather than watts.
But if you should happen to choose a headlamp assembly not equipped with LED headlamp bulbs, we offer compact conversion kits that make it possible to install LED headlight bulbs after the fact. These come with "plug-n-play" adapter bases for the original socket, and they include new LED headlight bulbs. These adapter kits may appear as an extra-cost choice in Product Options pages, so be sure to look there.
An important note: LED conversions are suitable only as replacements for halogen bulbs, and are NOT compatible with HID/Xenon headlight setups.
But let's take a minute to look at the advantages of LED lights. LEDs are transistors immersed in a film that produces light when electrical current is applied. Because they are not limited by self-consuming filaments the way traditional incandescent bulbs are, LEDs product greater illumination from each watt of electricity. No-filament configuration also allows LEDs to burn cooler than incandescent bulbs because no unnecessary heat is created. In fact, energy savings are so great that LEDs use only a fraction of the electricity normal bulbs do.
LEDs are extremely resistant to shocks and vibrations, and come sealed in moisture-proof casings. This allows them to provide anywhere from 10,000 - 50,000 hours of service, depending on design and other factors. If you measure that against the typical incandescent bulb lifespan of 1,000 - 2,000 hours, it's easy to see how LED headlight bulbs can easily last a lifetime of automotive service.
Within all custom headlight subsections of our website, you'll see check boxes under a HOUSING category along the left side of the screen. "Housing color" refers to the background section inside the headlamp assembly which can be seen through the lens. Using the check boxes, product searches can be narrowed by preferred housing cover.
Most OEM composite assemblies feature chrome or mirror background surfaces that are curved in shape to reflect the maximum amount of light forward. Even if the reflective surface isn't actual chrome, lights like this are still referred to as "chrome" housings.
With the advent of projector beam lamps that do the work of guiding light output forward, headlight housing background areas no longer need to be as reflective in order to be functional. Headlights with "black housings" feature a background finish that's matte black. Because they're generally not used as original equipment by automakers, black housing headlights are ideal for those who want a custom look that gets noticed.
In some sub-sections of our Custom Headlights page, you'll be able to narrow your search to headlamp assemblies that feature housing backgrounds in various colors. More specifically, we've got muted grays that match the look of some high-end makes, and we've got bright colors that catch the eye and make your vehicle stand out from the others.
"Smoke headlights" describes custom headlamp assemblies with a dark tinted lens cover instead of a traditional clear one. In general, a smoke lens will reduce light output based on the degree of tinting it contains.
Within various custom headlight subsections of our website, you'll see check boxes under the LENS category along the left side of the screen for "Smoke" and "Clear". Use those boxes to narrow your search by lens preference. While most smoke lens covers feature chrome background housings, some are available with black.
Yes, there are. Sealed beam headlights are self-contained units found on older vehicles not equipped with Euro/composite headlamp assemblies. Unlike a composite assembly that allows replacement of individual bulbs, a sealed beam unit is removed and replaced entirely once its bulb burns out. Either round or rectangular in shape, original equipment sealed beam units are conservative-looking by nature.
In our "Sealed Beam" subsection, we've got custom and OEM-style headlamps designed for a range of older vehicles - in square and rectangular dimensions. If a stock-looking replacement is what you seek, we've got standard shapes and sizes designed for a range of makes and models. With vehicle-specific designs, our sealed beam assemblies will fit snugly into the headlight cavity, and they'll connect easily to your make and model's existing wiring connectors.
If you're looking to add some spectacular features to your classic car or truck's headlights, we've got sealed beam units with projector beam lights, LED strips, halo rings, and more. Normally, a series of small reflective mirrors are set up inside the housings of sealed beam units. In our section, however, you'll find many of the sealed beam headlights equipped with extra features listed above are also available with background housings in flat black, or in a range of solid bright colors. That's something you won't see on other vehicles coming and going!
We've also got sealed beam headlights that look mostly like original equipment, but are fitted with halo rings around the edges. These halo rings are available in white or solid colors such as blue, green, red, amber, purple, and more. We caution, however, that some headlights with colored halo rings that cast bright hues are suitable for show use only. You can also choose "multi-color" halos capable of changing from white to a variety of colors.
On some products where the manufacturer offers variations on a single basic item, you'll see a drop down box offering "quality" choices. You will see the choices "Good", "Better", and "Best". In some cases, only two of these may be shown. The quality level reflected in drop down boxes does not always correlate with higher cost. Sometimes, the highest-rated item is priced the same as the standard version of it.
"Good" signifies lights are made of similar materials as original equipment - however materials used may differ for certain components. In short, a "Good" level product allows you to get a quality replacement that will function just like an OE one at a value price.
"Better" quality level means the headlight assembly was built to closely match materials and manufacturing standards used by original manufacturers. They do not have certifications from major third party organizations such as CAPA (Certified Automotive Parts Association) or NSF (National Sanitation Foundation - Consumer Products Division) that set and verify quality standards in the collision parts industry, nor are the facilities that manufacture them inspected on a regular basis. However these parts may carry an independent certification that ensures the product's quality and performance.
"Best" quality level headlights may feature certifications from CAPA or other agencies. Or, they may receive a designation of "Platinum Plus" and come with a limited lifetime warranty. The Platinum designation signifies a product is guaranteed to fit and maintain its appearance for as long as the owner has the vehicle. Suppliers of these parts meet all specifications and comply with all ISO (International Organization for Standards) standards. Platinum Plus parts undergo third party validations as well as internal testing to ensure that all guidelines are met. These manufacturers go through the same inspection procedures that CAPA certified companies undergo, but the inspections are performed by the manufacturer instead of an outside agency.
It's a well-known fact that brakes, tires, and windshield wipers are vehicle components that should be in similarly good condition on both driver and passenger sides. Mismatched brakes will cause a vehicle to pull unpredictably when stopping, unevenly worn tires cause unsafe handling issues, and wiper blades that don't clear the windshield reduce driver reaction times. While it's not as critical to replace headlamp assemblies in pairs if only one should become damaged, we feel you should consider doing so - even if you're installing an OEM-style assembly that looks the same as what's on your vehicle already.
Many vehicles built since the early 1990s feature plastic front bumper covers which must be removed in order to access and replace headlamp assemblies. Unless you're practiced at this operation, the procedure can take one to several hours. And once the bumper cover is off, it's just as easy to replace two headlamp assemblies as one. With both assemblies replaced, you'll be amazed at how much brighter your light output is. Brand new headlamps make the front of your vehicle look new again - a factor that can greatly contribute to your vehicle's resale value because visual perception of age is reduced.
For any new part, headlights or otherwise, it's always a "best practice" to start by unpacking the components and verifying that everything is in good shape. For your new headlamp assemblies, remove them from the box and ensure that there is no physical damage.
If your headlights have single wires for DRL or halo lights, touch these wires (red or white are usually positive, and black is usually negative) to a 12-volt source such as the car battery to ensure that all lights function. Make sure that everything you ordered is included, and if the light manufacturer included their own installation instructions, use them along with this guide.
Tools needed: open-end wrenches, socket wrenches, rivet gun (on certain vehicle applications), screwdriver(s), Torx head bits (if applicable), electric drill (if applicable)
This is often the first step because many modern vehicles require the plastic front bumper cover to be slid loose an inch, or completely removed in order to access anchor points where headlight assemblies bolt on. If you're not sure whether this step is needed, we recommend checking with your vehicle manufacturer or accessing a repair manual online. Removing and re-installing the front bumper cover is relatively easy because most are designed to unbolt and slide off with basic hand tools.
Taking a close look at the bumper cover, you'll notice that the bolts which secure it in place are typically exposed once you open the hood. They can also be found underneath the vehicle where the bumper cover meets splash shields, and near the edge of wheel well openings where wheel well liners meet fenders. There may also be small plastic caps or clips covering such bolts, so remove them with a small flathead screwdriver.
Remove the bolts themselves with an applicable socket wrench or flat wrench. On the off chance your vehicle manufacturer has used rivets to secure things (wheel well areas), they'll need to be drilled out with a traditional drill. Then you'll need a rivet gun to reinstall new ones - not an expensive purchase, but the proper tool to use. When drilling out rivets, bits designed for drilling into metal are most suitable due to a higher heat rating.
Once all fasteners are removed, the bumper cover can be detached. Many are designed to slide horizontally along special bracket pieces mounted underneath before coming completely loose, so move the bumper cover in this fashion first if you aren't able to obtain specific instructions on your make and model.
Tools Needed: Socket wrench, screwdriver(s)
Depending upon the year and model of your car, you may need to remove your vehicle's front grille section in order to access bolts or clips that secure the headlight assembly in place. This can be done by removing the screws from the top or sides of the grille and/or by releasing hold-down clips found on some vehicles with a flathead screwdriver.
Once any grille, trim, and bumper cover sections have been removed in order to provide access to headlamp assembly attachment points, you can proceed with unbolting them - usually a small socket wrench serves best for such applications. Look for hold-down bolts in the metal body panels above and to the side of your headlamp assemblies. Some vehicles also feature hold-down clips on the headlamp assembly which can be released with a flathead screwdriver.
After all applicable hold-down bolts and clips have been removed, it's time to slide your old headlamp assembly away from the vehicle - wiggling it gently as you go. Remember, unless you disconnected them earlier from behind, electrical wiring harnesses are still attached. Don't remove any bulbs from your factory housings just yet. Set your OEM headlamp assemblies aside, in the event that you wish to reinstall them one day, for example, if you decide to sell the vehicle.
Tools Needed: Wire stripping tool, wire connectors, pliers (if applicable), electrical tape
Once you've pulled the old headlamp assembly away from the vehicle a short distance, it's time to get a full look at wiring harnesses that are attached. Even if you've removed one or more connectors from the rear of the assembly before unbolting it, there may be others (such as separate wires to side marker bulbs) still attached which were previously obscured. Once you can see everything, unhook any and all electrical connectors from the back of the headlight assembly. Usually, either a simple squeeze on the edges of the connector or pulling up on a tab is enough to cause the connector to release its grip, but if a thin wire bar is present, it usually needs to be slid into an unlocked position first. If you're not sure how a locking clip is designed to release, it's best to further research instructions for your make and model.
You are now ready to begin installation of your new lights.
Depending on your vehicle and design of the new custom lights, you may need to transfer some bulbs. In some cases, new lights will include low/high beam headlight bulbs. In many cases, the turn signal (incandescent) bulb is not included in the new assembly. This is very easy to rectify. You will need to remove the signal bulb from the old lamp (do NOT disconnect any wires) and install it, in its existing housing, into the new lamp.
Both your old and new headlamps have low and high beam headlamps. When you removed the old units, you disconnected an electrical plug from the car or truck's wire harness. On the new assembly, you should find an electrical plug shaped exactly like the plug on the old assembly. This portion of the electrical install is called 'plug'n'play' because you literally only need to connect the new plug into the existing harness. If you have purchased lamps without any additional lighting elements like halos or LED lights, you are done with the electrical install.
When you install custom headlamp assemblies equipped with additional halo and/or LED lights ("bonus lights"), you're going to find extra sets of wires. In the typical installation, there will be one pair of wires for each additional light. Within each pair, one wire will be 'positive' (usually red or white) and one will be 'negative' (usually black). Assuming you want the LEDs and halos to switch on with the headlights, you'll be splicing both white wires together and both black wires together.
However, should you prefer these lights be triggered by your vehicle's daytime running lights (DRLs), parking lights, or even turn signals, the wires can be connected to separate power wires for those items instead. For example, if they're wired into the DRL harness, the world will see them anytime your DRLs are on during the day. Or, connect them to parking light wires to show them off when you're parked on the street at cruise night (they'll also flash every time you use keyless entry). Because wiring harnesses for different lighting functions vary from vehicle to vehicle, we recommend researching locations and wire colors for your specific make and model. Use a test light or multimeter (DMM, or digital multimeter) to probe the factory harness. Be sure to turn on the lights for the circuit you are pursuing so that it shows up as "live".
Once you've decided which wires you want connected, use a wire stripping tool to remove an inch of the colored insulation at the end of each wire. The "power" wire needs to be connected to the light circuit. The "negative' or "ground" wire can be connected to any convenient vehicle ground point.
Before bolting your new headlight assemblies back on the vehicle, check the back of them to see what type of knobs, screws, or fittings are there for the purpose of adjusting headlight aim. Look for applicable hand tools that provide grip, and put them to the side. Test all lights and turn signals to ensure they're functioning properly. Once that's been confirmed, tighten the new headlight assemblies firmly into place and reinstall all other components in the reverse order of removal.
Once you see your new headlights on your vehicle, you'll agree they're worth every penny - and then some! They also make a great gift for the automotive enthusiast in your life. We'd love to hear from you with any product questions, and we're open 7 days a week to help you make the most informed purchase possible.
A Brief History Of Sealed Beam Headlamps In The U.S.
by Michael G
How To Choose The Best Custom Headlamp Assembly
by Timothy Z
Factors To Consider When Purchasing A Replacement Factory Headlamp
How To Install A Set Of Custom Headlamp Assemblies
With over 30 years of experience working on cars Product Training Director Richard Reina is known around the office as one of our technical experts & true a "car guy". His interest began, in his own words, "at the age of two when his dad taught him the difference between a Chevy and a Ford. Since then it's been cars all the time." As an avid enthusiast of just about all things with a motor Richard can answer just about any question related to vehicle maintenance, repair, or restoration & is a trivia expert in motor history. Stay up on all of Richard's guides & articles here or on LinkedIn.
LightingPartsPerformanceInteriorWheels Tires


Is there a solution? Technology is continuing to advance and Facebook is continuing to get more and more enticing. We recommend limiting access to screens, whether it's computers, televisions, iPads, or phones. Young people have brains that are developing at a very rapid rate and it's important that excessive screen use does not get in the way of this growth. If you notice that your kids are showing signs of addiction to technology or social media, begin cutting back the usage time. If you're the one that has an issue with screen overuse, the same goes – cut back time. Taking small steps and cutting back 10 minutes one day, 20 minutes the next, and so on, can help make the transition to less use easier.


We celebrate the only feast that Yahweh Elohim approves every Sunday at the worship (1 Cor. 5:8).
Q: What does « the gospel » mean?
A: It comes from Greek «To Euanguelion» which means "the good news".
Q: What is the definition of « the gospel »?
A: The gospel is the power of Yahweh to save whoever believes it (Rom P1: P16).
Q: What is the content/description of the gospel?
4) He appeared to Peter.
If you believe those 4 elements and you ask to be baptized then you will become a Christian. If not done, you are wasting your time.


text:
Pond Elegance Creates a Lush Meditation Space with a 100-ft. Creek and Bottom Pond
By POND Content Network
The 100-ft. creek empties into a bottom pond. Zen like.
By Amber Swain
We are the third owners of Pond Elegance, Mobile, AL, and the company has been in business since 1986, with now more than 20 years of experience designing and building ponds, waterfalls, and aquascapes.
We build both residential and commercial projects, as well as operate a large showroom and retail location. Pond Elegance covers the Gulf Coast of Northern Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, and were known by our customers for our creativity and over-the-top designs that blend existing architecture and nature into one.
Our goal is to make our customers happy with the waterscape of their dreams.
Recently, the company created and built a 100-ft. creek that streams into a bottom pond. The customer asked for a meditation space that included a stream and waterfall. The design was born from their requirements and the available space on their property. We were allowed to engineer a creek and waterfall design from scratch. The land for the project was completely flat lawn, so that required a lot of imagination.
A three-ft. waterfall with lush aquatic plants surround a collection area.
To begin, we rough sketched the concept of the meditation space as we wanted the creek and
pond to feel like it was a naturally occurring waterscape. The new features had to transition into the existing landscape seamlessly, and we wanted the space to be as visually stunning as the modern architecture of the home.
We found a lot of inspiration in the Floridian flora and the surrounding natural water sources.
The customer loved the sketch and immediately approved the project.
Over two months of 40-hour work weeks and with three team members, the meditation space came to life. The meditation space was such a special project because the focus of our work has always been ponds, not creeks. The creek was a first for us and a bit unusual considering our previous and typical designs. It was incredibly challenging, but the unbelievable look of this project made it well worth the challenge.
To start on the creek and pond, Pond Elegance worked with a landscaping company to remove several trees that topped 50-ft. tall. Next, we had about 60 cubic yards of dirt delivered onto the site to a lawn that's very flat. We had to ensure that the stream would have an easy flow and for that to happen we dumped dirt into place for grading purposes.
Contractor Spotlight | Mark Giordano
Mark Giordano was a Hurricane Katrina evacuee in 2005. He evacuated to Mobile, AL from New Orleans and would ultimately stay in Mobile after learning his apartment building had been completely destroyed in the storm. He found work with the second owner of Pond Elegance. After a year, he felt compelled to start Sunshine Pond, LLC in Florida for the freedom to exercise his creativity within the industry. Years later, he would return to Mobile to buy Pond Elegance with his partner, Tammie Townsend, continuing his work as a creative and efficient waterscape builder.
We painstakingly hand-graded our dirt mound to get the look and feel that we needed. This included a tiering effect of plant shelves and landings.
Next, we created a foundation for the two waterfalls within the design, and had to retain the grade and shape of the creek and waterfall. Over 300, 8-in. x 16-in. cinder blocks were moved into place by the team and these served as the frame to retain the stream's shape. The others were stacked to create the waterfalls. Our design began with a 3-ft.-high waterfall at the top of the stream with an 8-foot-high waterfall behind the top of the stream that empties into the small pond.
Then, we added the steel decking around and over the dirt mound and cinder blocks. About 35 cubic yards of concrete were poured using a concrete pump that created the foundation for the creek and waterfalls.
Now we have an eight ft. waterfall.
Coral rock was added to give this project its picturesque tropical feel. Coral Rock is a Florida-specific material that we were grateful to have access to for this project. We used about 20 pallets of Coral Rock. Each piece was laid by hand with the overall concept and design in mind.
Once the Coral Rock was laid and the cement was dry, it was time for plants. There were over 60 different plants used in the design and were layered to give a natural dimension as well as a variety of colors and textures.
We placed Fish Tail Palm, Eureka Palm, and Alexander Palms for the variation of heights and the widths of their canopies. Palms are an absolute must for a Florida waterscape.
The beginning of the 100-ft creek build.
Using layers and multiple breeds of palm lends to their natural occurrence in that area. This influenced the project's look, as though it were there before anything had been built. Applying the same concept of variation within ground cover as we did with the palms, the crew planted Bolivian Jew and False Mint generously. Both would eventually engulf the exposed coral rock and connect the project into the existing landscape. They would also fill in the empty spaces where cement had been left exposed without Coral Rock. It was important to balance the greenery with pops of color and differentiation. Using multiple ground covers is also reminiscent of naturally occurring water sources.
A variety of ferns were used as a foundation for ornamental plant additions. Water lilies and lotus filled the pond at the bottom of the stream. Taro was used to frame and surround the waterfalls while Arrowhead plants provided pops of color and softness to the edges of the stream and ponds.
Finally, Thalia notably added to the dimension of the waterscape while tying into the natural occurrence look and feel we planned to create.
In our 20 years of building waterscapes, we're feeling immense pride with the execution. We truly made something special out of nothing. Designing to our customer's satisfaction is normal for us at Pond Elegance, but what is out of the norm was the shallowness and expanse of the creek, falls, and pond.
Making the project a seamless addition to the existing surroundings was important to us. We designed with that being a priority and it shows. Plus, the use of local and naturally occurring plants add to the waterscape's beauty. Tucking a hammock near the pond's end completed the feel. The owner was over the moon that we created the ultimate Florida meditation space.
Contractors - Tell us Your Story!
Submit a 1,000 to 1,200 word article on a recent pond installation or technology application, along with three photos, and enter to win a spot in Contractor's Corner spotlight on PONDtrademag.com. Our Contractor's Corner sponsor, Pondliner, will review all case studies submitted for each quarter and will pick the best one to feature on PONDtrademag.com's home page. The winner will also receive $250 worth of Pondliner products. A few rules apply. You must be a professional pond installer in order to write an article. Please provide the name of your company too.
Creating Water Gardens and Ponds in Kansas City
Breakthrough Modular Design Delivers Modern Koi Pond
1 thought on "Pond Elegance Creates a Lush Meditation Space with a 100-ft. Creek and Bottom Pond"
Angela O'Brien
Wow it's beautiful
Designer: Mark Giordano
Installers: Mark Giordano
Contact: 251/639-2546; tammie@pondelegance.com
Project Location: Miami Florida
Size: 100′ stream/creek; 8 x 15' Bottom Pond
Stream/Creek
2 Ponds
Aqua Ultraviolet – 2/Ultima II 6,000 Filters
Aqua Ultraviolet – 100W SL Ultra Violet Clarifier System
2/ 2HP Performance Pro Pumps
Time to complete: 320 hrs.
Crew: 3 people
Buyer's Cost: $85,000
All-Star Pitcher Plants at Shaq's Water Feature


text:
/**
 * <fullname>Amazon Cognito Sync</fullname>
 *

 * Amazon Cognito Sync provides an AWS service and client library that enable cross-device syncing of
 * application-related user data. High-level client libraries are available for both iOS and Android. You can use these
 * libraries to persist data locally so that it's available even if the device is offline. Developer credentials don't
 * need to be stored on the mobile device to access the service. You can use Amazon Cognito to obtain a normalized user
 * ID and credentials. User data is persisted in a dataset that can store up to 1 MB of key-value pairs, and you can
 * have up to 20 datasets per user identity.
 *

 *

 * With Amazon Cognito Sync, the data stored for each identity is accessible only to credentials assigned to that
 * identity. In order to use the Cognito Sync service, you need to make API calls using credentials retrieved with Amazon Cognito Identity
 * service.
 *

 *

 * If you want to use Cognito Sync in an Android or iOS application, you will probably want to make API calls via the
 * AWS Mobile SDK. To learn more, see the Developer Guide for
 * Android and the Developer
 * Guide for iOS.
 *

 */
package com.amazonaws.services.cognitosync;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


For most ACS observations, target acquisition is simply specified by the observing aperture in the Phase II proposal. Once the telescope acquires its guide stars, the target will be within ~1–2 arcseconds of the required pointing. For observations using ramp filters, only the desired central wavelength is required to define the acquisition aperture.
For HRC coronagraphic observations, an onboard target acquisition was necessary. The nominal accuracy of the combined target acquisition and slew procedure was ~0.03 arcseconds.
WFC users (and erstwhile HRC users) must consider "packaging" their exposures to mitigate the impact of cosmic rays either by dithering their images or constructing a mosaic observing pattern to cover an extended target. SBC exposures do not suffer the effects of cosmic rays or read noise, but long integration times are often needed to obtain sufficient signal-to-noise in photon-starved bluer and/or narrow-band filters. Typical WFC and HRC observing sequences consist of a series of "CR-SPLIT" and dithered 10–20 minute exposures for each program filter. Detailed information about dither and mosaic strategies can be obtained from the ACS Dither Web Page and the DrizzlePac website.
HRC coronagraphic observations required an initial target acquisition observation to permit centering of the target under the occulting mask. Observers were encouraged but not required to obtain contemporaneous images of coronagraphic PSF-reference stars in order to subtract residual scattered light and enhance the contrast of their science images.
At the conclusion of each exposure, science data are read out from the detector and stored in ACS's internal buffer memory until they can be transferred to HST's solid state data recorder (and thereafter to the ground). The internal buffer memory is large enough to hold one full frame WFC image, or sixteen HRC or SBC images. Dumping a full ACS buffer requires 339 seconds; dumping a partially filled buffer (if, e.g., reading out the following exposure would over-fill it) requires proportionately less time. Buffer dumps can occur concurrently with a following exposure if its duration exceeds the buffer-dump duration (typically 339 seconds, corresponding to an entirely filled buffer). Otherwise, an observational overhead is imposed between exposures to clear the buffer for the next exposure.
ACS's internal buffer stores data in a 16 bit per pixel format. This structure imposes a maximum of 65,535 counts per pixel. For the SBC, this is the maximum limit on the total number of detected photons per pixel that can be accumulated in a single exposure. For WFC and HRC gain settings above 2 e−/DN, it is the depth of the pixel well (and not the 16 bit buffer format) that limits the number of photons that can be accumulated without saturating the pixel in a single exposure.
Before January 2007, parallel observations with the WFC and HRC were possible with ACS for certain filter combinations. ACS can be used in parallel with the other HST science instruments with restrictions described in detail in the ACS Instrument Handbook. No pure or coordinated parallels with the SBC are allowed. The policy for applying for parallel observing time is described in the HST Call for Proposals.