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Around Ohio, Visiting Nurses Go House-To-House Fighting Infant Mortality
State health officials are promoting visiting nurse programs as part of a statewide strategy to reduce Ohio’s infant mortality rate. It’s persistently higher than the national rate, despite recent progress in reducing the number of sleep-related infant deaths.
Visiting nurses are a powerful tool to help more high-risk infants make it to their first birthdays, many Montgomery County public health advocates say.
In Montgomery County, county data shows African-American infants die more than three times as often as white babies. The reasons are complicated, but prematurity and low birth weight are the leading causes.
Smoking, racial disparities and chronic stress also play a big role, says nurse Elaine Patrick.
“Families who live underneath that federal poverty guideline, they have a lot of extra stressors –– if I’m not working or if we don’t have enough extra money for food, or if I don’t have transportation, how am I going to get to my doctors appointment?” Patrick says. “Just all of those stressors and the disparities of that population, it tends to put them at a higher risk for premature birth or premature labor.”
Patrick is with the Help Me Grow Brighter Futures visiting nurse program, which is designed to prevent infant mortality by supporting high-risk women during and after pregnancy. She spends her days crisscrossing the Dayton area in her bright blue car visiting women and their new babies at home.
Today, she’s checking in on 31-year-old mother of three Betty Reynolds.
“Hi!” A smiling face appears at the front door. It’s a bubbly four-year-old named Amariah. She tells Patrick today is her birthday. “It’s your birthday? Happy birthday!”
Inside, Reynolds is relaxing with her feet up on a small sofa. Three-month-old baby Jacqueline, dressed in pink, sleeps peacefully on her mom’s lap.
Patrick has visited Reynolds every week or two since early in her pregnancy. Reynolds says she first learned about the visiting nurse program at a Wesley Community Center baby shower event.
“Betty and I, we’ve known each other for a while,” Patrick says. “So it’s nice to come in and I can talk to Betty about how her day is going, or she’s frustrated, or if she’s looking cute one day I’m like, ‘Ooh, Betty you’re looking cute.’ So, you build that relationship where, if she was to have concerns she could tell me whatever is on her mind.”
Infant mortality is defined as the death of a baby before their first birthday. And baby Jacqueline is especially high-risk. She was born early at 37 weeks.
Reynolds supports the family on a very low income. She and her other two daughters lived in a homeless shelter for a while during her pregnancy.
“I didn’t like being in that environment myself and I didn’t like having my kids in that environment. It’s stressful being in the shelter,” she says.
Before Reynolds moved her girls into this house, she and Patrick met for regular blood-pressure checks and other tests outside at Carillon Historical Park. Reynolds had preeclampsia, a dangerous and often deadly pregnancy-related high blood pressure condition. She says she had it during all three of her pregnancies.
Patrick sits on the living room floor in front of Reynolds and unpacks her medical supplies.
She takes out a baby scale. Reynolds hands Patrick the sleepy baby, waking her up with a little cry.
“First things first, let’s weigh baby Jacqueline, okay?” Patrick says.
The scale’s reading shows the baby weighs 11 pounds, seven ounces.
“That’s awesome, because she’s growing the way she’s supposed to be growing,” Patrick says.
Patrick typically sees up to 15 Montgomery County women a week. She monitors their health during pregnancy, and after birth, she visits to make sure mothers are recovering, and babies are growing as they should.
The Montgomery County program took effect with Ohio’s expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and officials say that so far no infants in the program have died.
Patrick asks Reynolds about baby Jacqueline’s appetite.
“So tell me, how’s she doing eating now, how many ounces, how often and how is she tolerating it?” Patrick asks.
“Six ounces, about an hour apart,” Reynolds answers.
The baby seems to be hitting a growth spurt.
Making The Connection
Over the last few months, the women have covered an alphabet soup of issues related to pregnancy and child development, including how to create a safe sleep environment to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS, another major cause of infant mortality.
During this visit, Patrick talks with Reynolds about nutrition, the importance of establishing a routine with children and the latest research on early literacy.
“Babies love to hear their moms’ voices,” Patrick says.
Reynolds has dedicated one corner of the small living room to a growing library of books she’s started for her daughters.
“Even if you’re not reading –– just talking to them, they catch on and they’ll follow you,” Reynolds says.
Patrick encourages her to continue read and talk to her girls as much as she can. She tells Reynolds the research shows that even just a few minutes a day make a difference.
“It makes the brain connection,” Patrick says. “If she reads to them every day, by the time she’s five, six years old, she’s like, it’s normal, it’s my routine.”
Reynolds is already a believer.
Her oldest daughter, who is eight years old, is an avid reader. Teachers say she’s doing better than most other kids in her class. It’s a trend Reynolds hopes to continue with her two youngest daughters, by bringing home as many books as possible.
After about two hours, the visit winds down. Patrick gathers her supplies and gets ready to go.
She compliments Reynolds on her parenting.
“Despite all these stressors, I think Betty is totally kicking some serious behind in raising these girls,” Patrick says. “Right, Betty?”
Reynolds says she knows plenty of women who have lost babies to infant mortality.
“When you have a friend or you lose a child to SIDS, it makes you be more protective of your child,” she says.
Now, Reynolds encourages all her girlfriends to learn about the dangers and take advantage of prenatal care during pregnancy. She tells them:
“Educate yourself,” she tells them. “When your doctor asks, ‘Do you want to be tested?’ don’t say no, say yes. Do what you have to do and just educate yourself. Period.”
“An Extra Cheerleader”
Many research studies suggest visiting nurse programs like this one are highly effective in reducing infant and maternal mortality, especially in “highly disadvantaged” settings, cutting the need for hospital visits and boosting kids’ readiness for school. And Ohio Gov. John Kasich has increased investment in infant mortality prevention programs in the highest-risk zip codes across the state.
“Alright,” Patrick tells Reynolds. “So you want to do the same time on the fourth?”
Patrick and Reynolds schedule their next appointment and Patrick stands to say her goodbyes. She and four-year-old Amariah exchange a hug. “Bye, birthday girl! Thanks for letting us come, okay? See you later, mama.”
Outside in the driveway, Patrick says the visiting nurse program works to prevent infant mortality because it fills that gap of emotional support that many new moms just don’t have in their lives.
Patrick knows what it’s like to struggle. She had her own daughter at the age of 19. And after her fiancé died, she raised her daughter alone.
Now 37, Patrick says her experience being a young single parent influences her work with women in the Montgomery County visiting nurse program.
“We are an extra cheerleader, we are an extra person in their court to rally behind them and make sure they make good choices during pregnancy and they make good choices with their children,” Patrick says. “We are just that extra boost they need sometimes in their day.”
Patrick heads to her car. It’s time to head across town to her next visit. But she’ll be back at Reynolds’ house soon.
She’ll continue to check up on baby Jacqueline until she celebrates her second birthday.

domain: medical


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The University at Buffalo Biorepository Program advances discovery and innovation in health care by providing a unique resource of high-quality, highly annotated biospecimens.
Serving as an enterprise-wide resource, the biorepository supports the University at Buffalo community through centralized and standardized services for the collection, processing, management and distribution of biological assets. The biorepository enables critical clinical science research and diagnostic development, as well as the advancement of precision medicine through deep annotation and “big data” integration. It fosters multi-investigator collaborative projects; and strives to facilitate investigator-initiated trials and clinical trial support. Importantly, a University-wide policy will ensure that biospecimens have been collected and stored to meet regulatory compliance.
The UB program is College of American Pathologist (CAP) accredited, implements Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and is Good Clinical Practice (GCP) certified. The facility is a CFR compliant biorepository that manages biosamples suitable for use in any downstream applications with academic, pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners.

domain: biology


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Actions or threatened actions on France, EU, Argentina, Brazil and China
In today's updates:
* France promises EU retaliation after U.S. tariff proposal
Markets: U.S. stock futures are signaling lower values, a day after the Dow sank 270 points and the S&P 500 posted its worst one-day decline since Oct. 8. "In some ways, I like the idea of waiting until after the election for the China deal, but they want to make a deal now and we will see whether or not the deal is going to be right," President Trump told reporters in London today. Meanwhile, the state-run Global Times said China will release an "unreliable entity list" soon — aimed at punishing businesses deemed harmful to Chinese interests — that reportedly includes U.S. entities.
Chicken sandwich wars. McDonald's began December by entering into the "Chicken Wars," a food fight Popeyes challenged Chick-fil-A with in August by releasing its Chicken Sandwich. The contender from the Golden Arches is reported to feature a fried chicken filet served on a buttery potato roll, with butter and pickles (a deluxe version also includes tomatoes, lettuce and mayo). McDonald's is testing the new sandwich in Houston, Texas and Knoxville, Tennessee until Jan. 26.
Ninety thousand packages disappear in New York each day, and package theft has soared in other cities as well, leading to some creative measures to thwart thieves. Link to NYT article.
— In President Trump's trade policy battles, no steps forward and several big steps back. President Donald Trump’s move to propose duties on up to $2.4 billion of French goods, including wine, cheese, Champagne and handbags) over a tech tax, restore tariffs on steel from Brazil and Argentina, plus a threat to increase levies on Chinese goods if a Phase 1 deal can't be reached between the two.
- Trump and France: A report from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) declared a French tax on technology onerous and that retaliatory tariffs as high as 100% on French wines, cheeses and handbags would be justified. The report did not impose such tariffs but cleared the way for Trump to do so if he chooses. The U.S. said the digital revenue tax France has proposed “discriminates” against U.S. companies and it is exploring whether to open investigations into similar digital levies in Austria, Italy and Turkey. While threatening levies on new categories of imports from France, the Trump administration said it would consider whether to impose “fees or restrictions” on French services. The new tariffs will not be imposed until after a public comment period that includes a hearing in Washington on Jan. 7, where producers and consumers of the affected goods can argue against them, and a Jan. 14 deadline for rebuttal comments. (The U.S. has already targeted French wines and many other ag products in a separate dispute over European subsidies for Airbus.)
- Trump and the EU: The U.S. Trade Representative’s office said it was looking at broadening a range of punitive tariffs on EU products, including goods from the U.K., France, Spain and Germany, because of subsidies to Airbus, the aircraft maker, that have been judged as illegal by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
France reacts. French finance minister Bruno Le Maire called the Trump administration’s latest threat “unacceptable” and said the EU would retaliate with “a strong riposte.” “If there should be new sanctions from the Americans, the EU is ready to retaliate,” Le Maire said on Radio Classique. The U.S. proposals, he said, were not actions worthy of an ally. “It’s in no one’s interest, it’s not in the interest of growth, or of political stability,” he said.
- Trump targets Argentina and Brazil: On Monday, Trump made a surprise announcement that he would restore tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum from Brazil and Argentina, jolting markets and accelerating his global trade war. He accused both countries of currency manipulation. The Trump administration exempted Brazil, Argentina and other countries from the president’s metal tariffs in March 2018, with the Trump administration saying it would continue negotiations with those countries to improve their trade terms. In May 2018, the U.S. announced that it had reached an agreement with Brazil and Argentina that would cap their metal shipments (export quotas) at a specific volume each year. Argentina makes up less than 1% of U.S. steel imports. Imports from Brazil have increased by nearly 50% this year, making up for lower imports from Turkey, Canada and other countries that were hit with the Section 232 tariffs.
Currency wars. Last week the Brazilian currency, the real, fell to a record low against the dollar after the country’s economic minister signaled that he was not concerned about exchange-rate fluctuations. Trade tensions and domestic concerns about unrealized tax and public-sector reforms have pulled the real to a record low of 4.27 to the dollar. Currency movements have made Brazilian and Argentine goods cheaper to purchase abroad, particularly important for the agricultural sector and the U.S.’ trade war with China. China has shifted to purchasing products from Brazil and Argentina instead, a move that has upset Trump and other American officials. “I gave them a big break on tariffs, but now I’m taking that break off because it’s very unfair to our manufacturers and very unfair to our farmers,” Trump told reporters on Monday. “Our steel companies will be very happy, and our farmers will be very happy.”
Were Brazilian officials surprised? Yes. Brazil’s conservative populist president, Jair Bolsonaro, had gone to great lengths to strengthen ties with the Trump administration. “Aluminum?” Bolsonaro asked when reporters presented him with Trump’s tweet. “If that’s the case, I’ll call Trump. I have an open channel with him.”
As for Argentina, Dante Sica, Argentina’s minister of production, called the move “completely unexpected... I was in Washington last week, and I talked to a lot of people, and there was no sign whatsoever that there would be any kind of change,” he said. Sica dismissed the claim that Brazil and Argentina have been deliberately devaluing their currencies. “Our currency has a flexible exchange rate and adapts itself to global changes,” he said.
- China: The ongoing U.S./China trade war: If the Trump administration and Chinese officials can’t finalize a partial trade deal by Dec. 15, the U.S. is prepared to drop the “hammer” on Beijing, said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. Trump is threatening to slap 15% duties on another $156 billion in Chinese goods on that date. “If nothing happens between now and then, the president has made clear he’ll put the tariffs in,” Ross told Fox Business Network on Monday. Ross said the key questions regarding potential ag purchases is “how far do they go in this phase, and how enforceable” are the commitments.
President Trump suggested the trade war with China could drag on beyond the 2020 election. Trump said he had “no deadline" for a trade deal with China. He spoke at a meeting with the heat of NATO in London today. And giving some proof to what some observers have said for months, Trump added, “In some ways I like the idea of waiting until after the election for the China deal”... it is dependent on “Do I want to make it?” The president again stated the U.S. is “doing very well” with China. "And China is paying for it, and China is having by far the worst year that they have had in 57 years. So we'll see what happens,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, China may designate a list of “unreliable entities,” which could lead to restrictions on American firms. The state-run Global Times said China intends to punish America for passing a bill about human-rights abuses in Xinjiang, its north-western Muslim region.
— Perspective on escalating Trump trade battles: Here we go again is giving Dolly Parton the fits. Trump’s return to an aggressive stance on trade spooked investors, leading to a fall in equity indices. But it also likely shows Chinese officials, if they didn't have the feelings before, that even if they do reach any Phase 1 accord with the Trump administration, the agreement could become undone if something, however minor, upsets Trump. Other countries wanting to negotiate trade matters with the U.S. will also take note of the ups and downs of dealing with a volatile presidency.
The return of Trump's trade confrontations could significantly impact the economies of some countries and some sectors in the U.S., including farmers and agribusiness.
— China insists pork supplies relatively ample. Inventories of frozen pork in China in the fourth quarter are considered to be relatively ample, according to Yang Zhenhai, director of the ag ministry’s animal husbandry and veterinary bureau. Imports and commercial stocks have boosted state pork reserves, he noted. The focus is on making sure pork supplies are in place for the late-January Lunar New Year holiday.
— China has used up almost all of its waivers — about 10 million metric tons — to purchase American soybeans that are free of retaliatory tariffs, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News (link). Beijing is unlikely to issue new waivers for U.S. supplies before progress is made in trade negotiations with Washington, one of the people said. China has been issuing waivers that allow buyers to ship in U.S. soybeans without having to pay the 30% retaliatory tariffs Beijing adopted in response to American levies. Total export commitments to China for soybeans so far in the 2019-20 marketing year stand at 9.307 million tonnes, with outstanding sales of 3.75 million tonnes and 5.56 million tonnes already shipped.
— Grassley: USMCA deal needed this week for year-end ratification. If a deal on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is not reached by the end of this week, “I do not see how the USMCA can be ratified in the year we’re in,” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said yesterday on AgriTalk radio and on the Senate floor. “By all accounts, the deal is close,” Grassley said. “I urge House Democrats to act quickly and be reasonable so that we can finally deliver certainty on this issue to the American people.”
Grassley said he has recently been in touch with both House lawmakers and members of the Trump administration. “By all accounts,” he said, “a deal is close.”
The Trump administration is considering scaling back intellectual-property protections for drugmakers to help win Democratic support for a trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, the Wall Street Journal reported (link).
Note: Sen. Grassley had some rather explosive things to say on AgriTalk Monday morning. He was somewhat critical of the president over the reimposition of steel and aluminum tariffs today and he suggested that Andrew Wheeler may see his career at EPA end if the RFS rules are not changed. Listen to the audio.
— Growth Energy says EPA supplemental plan ‘fails’ to deliver on biofuels. Formal comments filed by Growth Energy on EPA’s supplemental plan under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to account for obligations waived via small refinery waivers (SREs) “fails to provide the certainty and stability that America’s farmers and biofuel producers need to rebuild after years of demand destruction,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “It offers a solution based on outdated and inaccurate estimates, potentially keeping billions of gallons of biofuels off the market.”
As other biofuel backers said in their comments on EPA’s supplemental plan, Skor stated the EPA plan runs counter to commitments on the RFS by President Donald Trump. She reiterated their call for the SREs to be accounted for via a rolling average of those actually exempted from the three most recent compliance years, not the plan to use an average of the exemptions recommended by the Department of Energy.
The final rule from EPA on the 2020 biofuel and 2021 biodiesel levels is expected to come “this winter,” according to an agency spokesman, with the agency’s regulatory guidance indicating it is expected yet this month.
— Other items of note:
House on Monday extended its legislative schedule by one week, so lawmakers will remain in town until Dec. 20, when a continuing resolution expires. The move was expected.
North Korea threatened the U.S. with a bad 'Christmas gift.' A top official said that the U.S. needs to find a new approach to denuclearization talks. Previous “gifts” from Pyongyang have included a short-range rocket test on Thanksgiving, and an intercontinental ballistic missile test on the Fourth of July two years ago.
Progress on FY20 spending bills. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said lawmakers are working to finish fiscal 2020 government spending bills by the end of the year, after reaching an agreement on the top-line amounts for the 12 bills. Schumer said Democrats will insist on investments in infrastructure and will continue to oppose any effort to take money from military projects to pay for President Donald Trump’s border wall.
Senate confirmed Dan Brouillette on a 70-15 vote to succeed Rick Perry as Energy secretary. Brouillette has been deputy secretary since August 2017.
The water wars that defined the American west head east. Urban growth and a surge in crop irrigation are taxing water supplies and fueling interstate legal fights, such as one in which Georgia and Florida battle over how much should be drawn from a river basin they share. Link to Wall Street Journal article. “Farmers’ rising thirst, together with urban growth and climate change, is now taxing supplies and fueling legal fights pitting states against one another. The shift has exposed the region to water-supply changes occurring globally — as swelling populations, surging industrial demand and warmer temperatures turn a resource long viewed as a natural right into a contested one,” the article notes.
Treasury Department issued new rules on two major pieces of the 2017 tax law that will lessen the exposure of U.S.-based multinationals. Link to WSJ article.
A shortage of french fries? Cold, wet weather damaged potato crops in the U.S. and Canada, leading to tight supplies. Link to Bloomberg article.
Trump strikes back at Bloomberg News. Bloomberg News announced that it would not investigate the presidential candidates in the Democratic field. In retaliation, Trump’s re-election campaign said on Monday that it would bar Bloomberg News journalists from attending its rallies and political events.
— Markets. The Dow on Monday fell 268.37 points, 0.96%, at 27,783.04. The Nasdaq dropped 97.48 points, 1.12%, at 8,567.99. The S&P 500 lost 27.11 points, 0.86%, at 3,113.87.
Cyber Monday sales were on course to bring in a record $9.2 billion for U.S. retailers, according to estimates, up 16.9% from a year ago.

domain: news


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Before the days of in-depth single-player campaigns and cinematic storytelling, nearly every videogame shared the same basic premise: survive as long as you can. From Pong to Missile Command, most early gaming experiences weren’t about concluding story-arcs or even defeating a final boss, they simply tasked players with trying their best at a certain task until they met with an inevitable defeat – our natural instinct to persevere and earn high score bragging rights is what made that journey satisfying.
That’s why I find it curious that survival games as a genre only really took off during the mid 2010s after the success of titles like Minecraft and Day Z. While this was likely due to rapidly advancing technology allowing for more complex mechanics that could better simulate real world survival, you’ve got to admit that there’s no better universal motivator than being forced to find shelter and attend to basic human needs like food and water.
Of course, not all survival games are created equal, and today I’d like to shine a light on IonFX’s criminally under-played Miasmata, a decade-old title that not only helped to pioneer the genre as we know it today but also hasn’t been surpassed when it comes to sheer dedication to its premise.
Originally a part of Valve’s ill-fated Greenlight Program, which allowed gamers to vote for independent titles to be approved for distribution on Steam, Miasmata was developed by a couple of Minnesotan brothers that had previously specialized in simple puzzle games and Pocket PC ports of older titles. Wanting to set their sights on something more ambitious, the duo looked towards the real world for inspiration and came up with an idea that would blend pharmacology, cartography and botany into a challenging yet addictive digital cocktail.
Over the course of four years, Joe and Bob Johnston began developing a custom-built engine that could support unique terrain and physics, as well as an innovative map mechanic that would force players to pay attention to their environment. Settling on a name inspired by the now-debunked theory that noxious air is responsible for disease outbreaks, the duo would release Miasmata in November of 2012 with little-to-no fanfare.
In the finished game, players take on the role of the plague-infected Robert Hughes, a scientist who finds himself trapped on a deserted island with only his wits and some abandoned lab equipment to help him. Forced to study the local flora in order to find a cure for his condition, Robert soon discovers that he’s being stalked by a tiger-like Beast that aims to prevent him from escaping, resulting in a thrilling fight for survival unlike any other game available at the time.
Despite this thrilling setup, there’s no denying that Miasmata is a janky experience in both mechanics and presentation. From glaring quality-of-life omissions to animations that have aged about as well as a year-old jug of milk, it’s easy to see why the game doesn’t usually make top ten lists when it comes to “best survival games.” However, much like other idiosyncratic classics in the vein of Deadly Premonition and even Shenmue, it’s precisely these offbeat and often unfriendly creative decisions that make the game such a memorable ride.
For example, the title’s more realistic approach to inertia means that simply stumbling down a hill while dehydrated can result in a near-fatal incident, and don’t even get me started on trying to navigate the dense jungle while sprinting away from your seemingly supernatural pursuer. Hell, the only other time I’ve had to be this careful with my virtual footwork was in Death Stranding, but even Kojima’s title didn’t go so far as to allow its protagonist to die of a jungle-borne fever after becoming lost in the unmapped wilderness.
Miasmata’s heavily simplified depictions of amateur botany and pharmaceutical science is also based in reality, with the Johnstons consulting with real scientists in order to get the basics right. However, the real star of the show here is the advanced cartography, which teaches players how to triangulate their position through recognizable landmarks instead of a constantly updating mini-map. It can be a little frustrating to find yourself losing hours of progress simply because you took a wrong turn and can no longer find your way back to camp, but it also means that you end up paying more attention to your surroundings and it’s a shame that this mechanic hasn’t shown up again in more recent games.
While the real horror of the experience comes from the protagonist’s fragile state as he’s forced to confront nature itself, the game also boasts a more immediate threat in the form of the ever-pursuing Beast. Survival titles often rely on in-game timers to keep players on the edge (such as Don’t Starve’s ravenous Hounds), but the creature in Miasmata is unique in how it’s specifically designed to hinder your scientific progress. The developers actually programmed the beast to spawn more often when the player character is sick and/or close to ingredients for the cure, making it even more dangerous a typical enemy.
Sure, the creature’s often-inexplicable AI (which was modeled after a pet cat) and the title’s lackluster stealth mechanics mean that you’ll probably stop being scared of the beast after a handful of encounters, but it’s still an incredibly unique way of keeping the exploration fresh. I also really appreciate the Beast’s bizarre design, with its fever-dream-like appearance actually hinting at one of the game’s final twists.
Miasmata may not have aged as gracefully as some other survival classics, with its conceptual reach clearly exceeding its technological grasp, but it’s still a shame that IonFX didn’t continue to refine these ideas in future games. Even in 2023, you’ll be hard-pressed to find another survival title as committed to its mechanics as this one, with most of the genre focusing on player-friendly experiences and forgetting that the challenge of surviving is supposed to be half the fun.
It may not be a polished AAA experience, but I’d argue that Miasmata remains a stellar example of creative survival mechanics in gaming and is still worth revisiting today if you can stomach some uneven presentation.

domain: game


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On-line roulette offers a extensive choice of match kinds, making certain that gamers can discover their desired variation and get pleasure from an exhilarating gaming experience. No matter whether you favor the substantial-stakes ambiance of American Roulette, the favorable odds of European Roulette, or the extra gain of the "La Partage" rule in French Roulette, the on-line entire world offers all these choices and far more. So why not embark on an interesting roulette journey nowadays and discover which version of the match satisfies you ideal?
Suggestions and Methods for Successful at Online Roulette
Commence Modest: When you start actively playing roulette on the web, it truly is wise to start off with small bets till you turn into common with the game. This makes it possible for you to get a really feel for the diverse betting options and strategies without having risking way too a lot of your bankroll. Steadily enhance your bets as you achieve self-assurance and expertise.
Comprehend the Odds: One essential component of profitable roulette enjoying is knowing the odds. Every single bet on the roulette desk has a diverse probability of successful, and as a result, different payout ratios. Analyze the odds for every single wager kind and make knowledgeable decisions based mostly on your comprehension of the game.
Make use of a Technique: A lot of players locate it beneficial to use a specific technique when actively playing on-line roulette. One particular common strategy is the Martingale method, exactly where you double your wager soon after every decline with the goal of recouping your losses and creating a revenue. Nonetheless, remember that no strategy is foolproof, and the outcome of every spin is in the long run determined by opportunity.
Bear in mind, the key to experiencing on the web roulette is to play responsibly and within your indicates. It is a match of chance, so usually be well prepared to get or shed. By starting up tiny, comprehending the odds, and employing a technique that suits your style of enjoy, you can enhance your chances of obtaining an fascinating and potentially profitable experience with on-line roulette.

domain: hobby


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Photo from Amazon
Today we welcome guest Pam Allyn to share with us a short list of her favorite bedtime stories for bigger kids—ones that help guide them into good sleep with independence, imagination, and serenity.
Pam Allyn, a mom of two girls, is a children's literacy expert and advocate and the author of the inspirational and practical book for parents, teachers, and caregivers entitled What to Read When: The Books and Stories to Read with Your Child and all the Best Times to Read Them.
"Bedtime, even for the most rugged of us, is often fraught with worry," says Allyn. "Bedtime stories can alleviate the strain of that separation and provide comfort to the child entering that evening journey. And they can also provide one last giggle before bedtime, one last kernel of knowledge, one great image to carry our children off to sleep."
Here are Allyn's picks for eight great books that will help children enter the bedtime journey with boldness and delight:
Bedtime for Frances, Russell and Lilian Hoban
Even for the older child, this book never fails to elicit huge beaming grins of understanding when Frances traipses into her parents’ room for the umpteenth time. Yet there are wise lessons to be learned here, and as always, Frances works through her fears and with the help of her ever-patient but very funny parents is able to manage bedtime. Don’t hesitate to read books that look “younger” to your 5-8 year olds. The comfort of a much-loved book from the earlier years (such as The Napping House or Goodnight Moon) may really do the trick to settle down your jumpy child and remind him he really does love to sleep!
Edward and the Pirates, David McPhail
Something to talk with your child about is how bedtime, and nighttime in general, is a great opportunity to explore the paradise of one’s own imagination. Not every bedtime book has to be lulling or softly soothing. For some of our readers, an adventurous tale of an imaginative little boy is just the medicine to send our dreamers off to sleepland and all the wondrous stories their own minds can create. McPhail’s book gives us Edward, a reader and a dreamer who learns a lot about pirates.
Look to the North: A Wolf Pup’s Diary, Jean Craighead George
We most often think of fiction as the genre to read before bedtime, but nonfiction can be equally if not more appealing to the curious child whose mind is racing throughout the day. This lovely book by Jean Craighead George is chock full of terrific wolf facts, but told tenderly and with great care and respect for the animal world. The perfect bedtime reading for the inquisitive child who will then go to sleep counting wolf pups instead of sheep.
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, Carmen Agra Deedy
I know, I know! A cockroach, you say? But kids LOVE this book, and Carmen comes from a rich tradition of storytelling that makes this book a special treat to read right before bedtime.
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Betty MacDonald
Possibly the most comforting chapter book of all time, stories of Mrs. Piggle can be read over and over. She is magical, funny, and endlessly resourceful. The books all have a predictable pattern that is very soothing for the bedtime read and endlessly amusing. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle has a cure for everything, even the “Never Want to Go to Bedders”!
The Relatives Came, Cynthia Rylant
This great story from Cynthia Rylant is about a family’s summer trip by car to visit their relatives. There is a wonderful line in this book that reads: “It was hard to fall asleep with all that new breathing in the house.” And yet, even so, the images of the extended family sleeping all over the place are sure to evoke a peaceful smile from your child as the darkness settles in.
Sideways Stories from the Wayside School, Louis Sachar
This school is kooky and silly, and lots of strange things happen. A great distraction for your bedtime worrier. What’s nice is that each chapter can stand alone, so if you want to keep the bedtime story ritual to a manageable length, these stories are for you.
Sweet Corn: Poems, James Stevenson
If your child gets really tired right at bedtime, don’t pull out a thick chapter book. Poems are a far better ribbon to tie up the odds and ends of the day. They are small and compact, but rich with meaning. This collection is simply illustrated, and Stevenson’s observations are quiet and illuminating.
Thanks, Pam. This is a great list to kick off a summer full of good bedtime reading.
Add to this list! What are your big kid's favorite bedtime stories?

domain: literature


Suicidal Tendencies – Get Your Fight On!
- Suicidal Records
- 12" EP
- US - Original
Includes Free Digital Download Code.
Limited Edition Translucent Yellow Vinyl.
This EP will be the second release for the band with Dave Lombardo on drums (Dead Cross, Slayer, Phantomas, GripInc), Ra Diaz on bass and Jeff Pogan on guitars and will anticipate a full length album set to release this coming summer. The 10 songs effort includes new tracks, the first ever cover song from the band for classic Iggy Pop's song 'I Got A Right', a stunning artwork by artist Mike Strachan and much much more!
In Mike's own words : "This ExPx is different in several ways. Where as originally this was gonna be the set up to 'World Gone Mad' which was released in September 2016, now it's more of an ending to 'World Gone Mad' and tie over till 'STill Cyco Punk After All These Years'.
|A1.||Nothing To Lose|
|A4.||Ain't Mess'n Around|
|B1.||I Got A Right|
|B2.||Get Your Right On!|
|B3.||Get Your Bass On!|
|B4.||Get Your Shred On!|
|B5.||Get Your Fight On!|
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FILM PRODUCTION BIG IN CARIBBEAN—06/22/13
The Caribbean region is increasingly sought out as a location for film production. In the past, many films have used countries like the Dominican Republic as backdrops for their stories, but never became the chief destination for filmmakers. However, this is changing, and the Dominican Republic, which appointed its first national film commission in 2012, is now in a position to offer film firms significant breaks as a lure.
FIRST CARIBBEAN NASCAR DRIVER HOPES TO REMAIN IN THE LEAD—06/23/13
Victor Gonzalez, a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the first Caribbean driver in a Sprint Cup race, is trying to win a place in history. He will drive in the Toyota/Save Mart 3/50 at Sonoma Raceway. By doing so, he is participating in the biggest and most popular of the sport’s professional series. Gonzalez has been racing for about 20 years. He was born in Puerto Rico and raised in the Dominican Republic. He wants to encourage others in the Caribbean to pursue racing as a sport.
HAITI RECEIVES GRANT TO IMPROVE WATER SERVICES—06/24/13
Haiti has received a grant from the Inter-American Development Bank to improve services for drinking water in Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital city. The grant totals $35.5 million and will support a program that was developed in 2010 in partnership between the bank and the Spanish Cooperation Fund in Water and Sanitation in Latin America and the Caribbean. The water systems in Haiti are inadequate and foster the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera.
CARIBBEAN NATIONS WORRY ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE DANGERS—06/25/13
Jamaica is being impacted by rising water levels of just eight inches. These few inches have caused parts of the island to disappear, which represents a danger to people’s jobs and lives. According to Conrad Douglas, a Jamaican scientist, some have predicted that Barbuda could disappear in 40 years, but Jamaica is already seeing its environment impacted by climate change in the area of Pedro Cays. One of the four cays has already disappeared, endangering seabird nesting areas and species of turtles. The area is the top producer and exporter of Queen Conch in the Caribbean.
SUNRISE AIRWAYS TO EXPAND SERVICE TO JAMAICA, TURKS AND CAICOS—06/26/13
Sunrise Airways of Haiti is planning to expand its services to include Kingston, Jamaica, and Providenciales in Turks and Caicos. Sunrise operates 19-seat planes and is served by hub operations in San Juan. The startup airline was created in 2009 and launched scheduled flights to Haiti in 2012.
DRUG TRAFFICKING INCREASES IN CARIBBEAN, SAYS U.S.—06/27/13
Assistant United States Secretary of State William Brownfield stated that there has been an increase in the amount of illegal drugs that enters the U.S. from the Caribbean. He said this indicates that drug cartels are looking for new routes as authorities clamp down on Mexican and Central American pathways. In 2012, nine percent of all illegal drugs entering the U.S. came from the Caribbean. In 2011, only between four and five percent of the drugs came in through that route.
GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST CHALLENGES JAMAICA’S ANTI-SODOMY LAW—06/25/13
Javed Jaghai, an outreach worker for the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals & Gays, the only gay rights group in the country, received his first court hearing in his attempt to challenge a colonial-era anti-sodomy law on constitutional grounds. The 1854 law was heard in Jamaica’s Supreme Court, which gave the nation’s attorney general until the middle of September 2013 to respond to the challenge. The next hearing on the matter is scheduled for October 2013.
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS RETURN TO WORK—06/26/13
Jamaica’s air traffic controllers returned to work after holding a “sick-out” in protest of pay arrangements. The two-day protest action required the civil aviation agency to call in supervisors to operate the control towers; safety was not compromised at the island’s airfields and international airports as a result. The Jamaica Air Traffic Controllers’ Association continues to demand an increase in salary, noting the “severe stress” of the job and a significant need for higher pay.
TAX COLLECTION TO IMPROVE IN JAMAICA—06/27/13
The House of Representatives of Jamaica enacted the Revenue Administration (Amendment) Act on June 19, 2013, in response to concerns about some of the law’s provisions. The new law will make major improvements in the ability of tax officials to collect taxes. Tax evasion is a large problem on the island, said Patrick Atkinson, attorney general. The new legislation gives the Commissioner General of Tax Administration Jamaica the authorities to demand useful information, facilitate efficient exercise of investigative powers, and enhance enforcement efforts.
JAMAICA TO BAN SMOKING IN PUBLIC AREAS—06/28/13
Jamaica will soon ban all smoking in public spaces, said Fenton Ferguson, the nation’s Health Minister. Businesses now have six months to display “No Smoking” signs in public areas, and all tobacco products will also need to display new warnings about the health effects of smoking.


Rockwell Automation to Showcase Latest Oil and Gas Solutions at 2016 Offshore Technology Conference
OREANDA-NEWS. Rockwell Automation will showcase solutions and services designed to help oil and gas producers contain costs and increase efficiencies at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, May 2 to 5. The company will exhibit its innovative suite of process control, motor control, safety and information solutions in Booth 11307.
Oil and gas companies are consistently seeking new ways to increase efficiencies and optimize processes amid shrinking profit margins, tightening environmental regulations and emerging operational complexities. Rockwell Automation will showcase automation technologies designed to help producers connect production with enterprise systems, and extract actionable information to improve output, asset utilization and decision-making.
With the emergence of new technologies comes the increased risk of industrial security threats. Dawn Cappelli, vice president of information and risk management for Rockwell Automation, will be participating in a panel discussion on cybersecurity during the event, taking place on May 5 at 9:30 a.m. She’ll be addressing cyber risks, risk-mitigation strategies and workforce initiatives for building a cybersecurity program.
Representatives also will be available at the Rockwell Automation booth to address any questions or unique challenges and to discuss topics, such as:
- Improving operational safety and reducing downtime with the OptiSIS process safety solution from Rockwell Automation. The pre-engineered safety instrumented system is ideal for oil and gas producers with aging process-safety systems that are either noncompliant or can no longer be maintained.
- Optimizing processes with the PlantPAx modern distributed control system from Rockwell Automation. The system was recently updated with expanded design and development guides, and with embedded model predictive control technology for improved control.
- Increasing efficiency and security with the terminal management solution, a joint solution with Endress+Hauser GmbH (E+H). The solution is a safe and efficient way to manage the loading and unloading of oil and gas products at a terminal.
Rockwell Automation will also host outdoor Booths 138 and 139 that feature solutions for use in subsea operations, including a Hoffman enclosure and hazardous locations. Both E+H and Hoffman are part of the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork program.
About the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork Program
The Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork program offers global manufacturers access to a collaborative network of companies mutually focused on developing, implementing and supporting best-in-breed solutions to achieve plantwide optimization, improve machine performance, and meet sustainability objectives.
About Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and information, makes its customers more productive and the world more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., Rockwell Automation employs over 22,000 people serving customers in more than 80 countries.


I found from the HDHomerun forums that I should update the firmware. I downloaded the latest and updated, and now I'm seeing about 14 Mbps, which is perfect. If I decide on another HDHR, I'm figuring about 56-80 Mbps of bandwidth. Since our house was wired back in 1999 with Cat-5 (not 5e), 100 Mbps is as fast as the network can run. Also, each SageTV HD extender can use up to 20 Mbps so in worst case, the network will be overloaded - for 1 NIC. Furthermore, where I want the PC located there is no cable jack so I can't create a local GigE network with the HDHRs and the PC. I do, however, have a Cat-5 run from the HDHR location to the PC location, so I can create a small 100 Mbps network with 1 NIC and the HDHRs. I can then add a 2nd NIC connected to the main LAN to handle regular network access and streaming to the HD extenders. One thing is the HDHR is a DHCP only device, but will default to a 169.254.x.x address if no IP address is handed out to it. I just need to set the HDHR connected NIC to 169.254.y.y with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 and the PC should see the HDHRs.
Edit: Turns out, the reduced bandwidth I was seeing was due to using VLC to view the streams. Using Sage, the bandwidth was still 30 Mbps. I have since installed the SageTV 6.5.8 release candidate and the bandwidth is now down in the 10 Mbps range.


Keeping an eye to the future includes everything from new vehicles, new products, and even new enthusiasts. This past Wednesday, December 15th, Steve Millen and the STILLEN crew delivered a modified Nissan Altima to the Coastline ROP Automotive Technology class at Laguna Hills High School.
This car was one of the main display vehicles for Nissan when they released the new model Altima, and was also an R&D project and show car for STILLEN for many years. The car has been outfitted with a long list of performance modifications, suspension improvements, brake upgrades, aesthetic enhancements by way of a body kit and custom interior. The car is even sporting a 3 part paint job featuring Lamborghini Orange.
Students get a chance to check out the car and meet and greet with STILLEN.
Laguna Hills High School offers its students a first-rate facility to learn about everything from proper maintenance to performance improvements. The students at Laguna Hills are guided by their teacher Tim Chambers. Mr. Chambers has already had the students build a Class 11 VW Beetle and a current ongoing project consists of a Ford Maverick drag car!
We enjoyed our time spent with the students discussing these projects. It was especially neat to see how excited they were about their work and their enthusiasm in continuing on with modifying vehicles in the future, and being part of the automotive industry. By giving the students a vehicle with aftermarket parts the goal is to allow them the opportunity to learn how performance parts work and how they can improve their own vehicles safely and legally.
It’s unfortunate that these awesome types of programs are few and far between, and with budget cuts and educational programs being trimmed all the time, we feel it’s vital for all of us to do what we can, and support automotive programs that can attract new young enthusiasts.
List of modifications performed to the Nissan Altima:
STILLEN Race Pipe
STILLEN Front Strut Brace
STILLEN Rear Sway Bar
Eibach Pro-Kit Lowering Springs
Body / Aerodynamics
STILLEN Front Lip Spoiler
STILLEN Side Skirts (Rockers)
STILLEN Rear Corners
Street Scene Grille Shell and Mesh Grille
STILLEN AP Racing 4-Piston Calipers / 13″ Cross-Drilled / Slotted Rotors, Brake Pads, Stainless Steel Brake Lines
The Nissan Juke is the latest mini-crossover to be released, and with it’s unique look, turbocharged and direct-injected 1.6L engine with solid performance numbers (not to mention available in AWD!), it’s no wonder this car is making waves and creating buzz.
UPDATE 3/2011: We have made a change to the stainless steel tip – Improving the flow with the Juke body, and going with a dual wall slash cut tip. See below for images installed on the Juke!
The calls were almost immediate from Nissan dealerships across the country inquiring what our plans were, and when STILLEN would have upgrades available for the Juke. We at STILLEN are happy to announce that day is here, beginning with the STILLEN Nissan Juke Exhaust. [Video Below]
The STILLEN Rear Section Exhaust System bolts up quickly, replacing the OEM section, and utilizing the factory hanger locations, making this an easy upgrade for any enthusiast. No welding, fabrication or cutting is required to install. Performance is fantastic, with the rear section exhaust generating 13HP and 14Lb/Ft at the wheels on the dyno!
The muffler and tips are of polished 304 Stainless Steel for protection against the elements, and offer a stylish appearance. The double-wall polished stainless tip makes cleaning a breeze, and features the STILLEN logo laser etched into the side.
The STILLEN Exhaust brings an aggressive tone to the otherwise noticibly quiet exhaust note of the Juke, but under normal cruising there is no exhaust drone and no audible presence of the exhaust. When the throttle is pushed, the true growl of the Turbo 1.6L MR16DDT engine comes alive.
More information and pricing can be found on the STILLEN Product Page:
STILLEN has added another application to the popular Front License Plate Bracket kits available for most Nissan and Infiniti vehicles with the inclusion of the new 2011 Nissan Juke!
For all of you who don’t want to have to drill the factory plastic license plate brackets into your bumper, damaging it and leaving you without options if you don’t want to run a front license plate, this kit is for you. This kit uses the factory tow hook on the front of the vehicle, which is accessible by a small removable panel in the fascia, and makes it easy to add or remove whenever necessary.
No more worries about being pulled over, or ticketed when parking for not having a front plate, you can simply install this into the tow hook when needed, and have the freedom to remove it whenever, keeping the clean look without the plate. Kit includes everything necessary to install, including a billet aluminum post, and steel backing plate for a solid installation.
These popular kits are available for the following applications:
Founded in 1986, STILLEN is recognized as one of the premier tuners in the world. With Engineers and a full R&D department on location, STILLEN has long been engineering big brake kits with Brembo and AP Racing, developing superchargers with Magnuson, Edelbrock, Whipple, Vortech, and under the leadership of championship race car driver Steve Millen, trusted by thousands of enthusiasts, manufacturing STILLEN branded products and upgrades, as well as wholesale distribution and retail partners.


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The familiar pink ribbon gets an artisan touch with a necklace made of sterling silver and carefully sized cubic zirconia stones. Handmade by jewelry artisans in Bolivia.
- Sterling silver & cubic zirconia
- 1" H (2.5 cm)
- Available on 18" L (45.7 cm) sterling silver chain
- Handmade and fairly trade in Bolivia
Sales are final for all Outlet items -- no returns accepted or refunds/credits allowed. Outlet items are limited to stock on hand.

domain: artistic


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All couples have their own special, and sometimes quirky, stories about how they met and how that initial spark between them started. And even though we see celebrity couples as the peak of glamour, the context in which they fell in love can be far from picture-perfect or the romantic ambiance we see in movies. This is why we wanted to share how 8 of our favorite celeb duos prove that sometimes real love needs some time to develop.
Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton
Stefani, 53, and Shelton, 46, first met in 2014 while they were both coaches on The Voice. At the time, they were both still married to their exes. However, the colleagues turned into confidants when they both experienced trouble in their respective relationships in the summer of 2015, and gradually, the 2 started to develop deeper feelings for each other.
This is how, in November 2015, the singers started dating and eventually tied the knot in July 2021.
It is obvious that this is a match made in heaven, as Shelton once admitted, ’’Gwen saved my life…’’ and Stefani, in her turn, once revealed in an interview, ’’It was one of those miracle situations where I didn’t see it coming.’’ She even noted that she thought her life was over and that she’d never kiss a man again before she fell for Shelton.
The power couple is still going strong after 7 years of being together, and it seems that being friends first really helped strengthen their bond. Stefani explained that Shelton is not only her soulmate, but also her ’’best friend.’’ She added, ’’We’re so different, yet we’re so the same on so many levels.’’
Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade
The actress and the professional athlete first met back in 2007 when they were both co-hosting a party together, but it seemed that they weren’t attracted to each other from the get-go. Union later recalled, ’’I stayed on one side of the room with my people […] He was on the other side of the room.’’
However, 2 years later, things between them took a turn and the pair became a couple and even got married in 2014. 4 years later and after many fertility struggles, this power couple welcomed their first baby together.
Noah Galvin and Ben Platt
Platt and Galvin initially met when Galvin replaced the actor as the main role of an award-winning musical in November 2017. And consequently, the actors started a close friendship that lasted for years.
In May 2020, the pair announced that they were actually dating. Platt explained, ’’We were friends for 5 years […], we finally decided to really give it a shot.’’ And in November 2022, the couple revealed on Instagram that they were engaged.
Darren Criss and Mia Swier
The Glee alum and his writer/producer wife first met in 2006 through mutual friends, and it was 4 years later that they actually started dating. The couple tied the knot 9 years later, and in 2022, they welcomed their first child, a daughter named Bluesy Bell.
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen
When Teigen met Legend on the set of his music video in 2006, an attraction between them started instantly. However, the pair decided to take it slow afterward, as the model admitted, ’’I left him by himself for a while.’’
The singer also revealed that he didn’t expect things to evolve between them when he first met Teigen. He explained, ’’I wasn’t like, ’This is the woman I’m going to marry’ from day one.’’ However, 7 years after they first met, the couple tied the knot and are now the proud parents of a boy and a girl, with a third child on the way.
Aaron Paul and Lauren Parsekian
The Breaking Bad actor met the actress during a music festival in 2010 and the 2 became good friends. However, it wasn’t until a year later that the 2 fell in love. The duo tied the knot in 2013, and in February 2018, they became parents to a baby girl. In 2022, a baby boy came to expand the family.
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen
When recalling the time he first met Steenburgen during an audition in 1983, Danson admitted, ’’I was a hot mess.’’ The actress further explained, “I was married. He was married. That was not our moment.”
Luckily, the pair reconnected 10 years later on the set of their movie, Pontiac Moon, and things were different this time around. In fact, the 2 fell in love and ended up tying the knot 2 years later. Currently, they have been married for 27 years and are still going strong.
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker
In early 2021, the pair started dating, and a source revealed, “Travis has liked her for a while.” A little more than a year later, the glamorous couple tied the knot in a Las Vegas wedding.
Do you believe that a relationship is stronger when the pair starts out as friends? How did you meet your soulmate?

domain: celebrity


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Ayelet is an anthropologist (PhD) who chose the realm of the imagination as her fieldwork where she weaves stories out of everyday materials, memory, culture and a great love for science fiction. She is also inspired by the short stories of Alison Munro, Elizabeth Strout and Anton Chekhov.
She has published the novel "Evanescent bloom" (2012) and in Hebrew two self help books as well as many biographies as shadow writer.
Born In Britain, she lives now in Nahariya on the northern shore of Israel. She is also a plastic artist and a dancer and in her youth a one woman performance artist.
Photo: Inbal Or-Lev


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Bioware shared some additional details on upcoming commendation changes during the regularly scheduled Community stream. The SWToR ommunity team made up by Eric Musco, Courtney Woods and Hillary Nicole shared information about what’s going to happen to in-game commendations after Shadow of Revan goes live.
- Ultimate and elite commendations are staying the same: While Musco admitted this is subject to change, he reassured that fans won’t lose any commendations either ways.
- Earning commendations: Some slight changes will occur impacting how fast you can earn the before-mentioned commendations. More details will be released next week.
- Three types of commendations become one: Every other type of commendation (excluding warzone) – classic, basic and planetary will be collapsed into a single type of commendation called basic.
As mentioned above, Musco was quick to point out that these changes are not confirmed and could change as a result of testing before Shadow of Revan goes live.
You can watch the (almost) 2 hours of live stream goodness right here


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- Morgans Hotel Group
Enjoy Christmas at St Martins Lane with overnight stay, full buffet breakfast and a choice of Christmas lunch or dinner with a Festive Bellini for two in Asia de Cuba (available 12pm - 2.30pm or 5pm - 10.30pm). Our Chino Latino Christmas menu includes dishes such as roasted duck salad, tamarind-glazed salmon and our signature Mexican doughnuts. Traditional menu options of Roast Norfolk Turkey and Christmas Pudding with brandy butter also available.
Prépaiement complet au moment de la réservation. Must include 25 December 2017. Non annulable et non transférable.
ÉTATS-UNIS 800 606 6090
AUTRES PAYS 00800 4969 1770

domain: food


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1. “Foam Hands”
The multi-banded Dan Bejar brings his main outlet back on the road in support of his very well reviewed latest, Kaputt. (Thursday, Lee’s Palace).
2. “Our Dream”
He’s seem pretty busy acting, showing up on The Good Wife and talking up his new film The Mortician, but the Wu-Tanger comes to town to perform with Omar Linx and JD Era. (Thursday, Sound Academy).
3. “Two Minutes”
The seminal art-punk band’s definitely still got it, as evidenced by the above track from their recently released and well reviewed Red Barked Tree record. (Friday, Lee’s Palace).
4. “A More Perfect Union”
The New Jersey rockers’ latest, Monitor, is a concept album about the U.S. Civil War and was named to plenty of best-of lists last year. (Friday, Horseshoe).
5. “War in Heaven”
The Danish indie rock duo released Raven in the Grave last month, and continue their string of high quality work. Always fun live, too, and we get a double dose as they stop in for a free Sonic Boom performance at 6:30 p.m. (Saturday, Phoenix)
6. “Damn These Vampires”
The Mountain Goats
John Darnielle and co. just released All Eternals Deck, and they remain critical faves with their lyrically dense indie rock. (Sunday, The Opera House).
7. “Go Outside”
It’s a saccharine-sound night, with this lovely-sounding blog-buzzed duo from New York doing their indie-pop thing. Go early to catch Memphis’ Magic Kids, who made a couple of earworms we loved last year. (Monday, Lee’s Palace)
8. “Star for Eyes”
Man, we’re getting old. Lou Barlow may be back in Dinosaur Jr. but his main band has been reissuing their ’90s albums, Bubble & Scrape is out and an expanded Bakesale is coming in June. Still nice to see them around and touring. (Wednesday, Lee’s Palace).


Laser engineering net shaping (LENS), a patented, hybrid additive manufacturing technology developed by Optomec, is most often used for high-value metal 3D printing. It can also be added onto existing CNC equipment, to repair parts using 3D printing. Now, a research team from Washington State University (WSU) is using LENS technology in a one-step process developed to 3D print multimaterial structures.
Amit Bandyopadhyay, the Herman and Brita Lindholm Endowed Chair Professor in the university’s School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, said, “This is a step towards the next level of manufacturing and the next generation of design, validation, optimization and manufacturing using 3D printing.”
Not only has 3D printing overhauled many industrial practices, but it’s also been a major influence on product design processes. But, most 3D printers can only use one material at a time to 3D print parts – not the case for the WSU team’s new process. The researchers, led by Bandyopadhyay, have been able to use their new technique to 3D print structures out of both metal and ceramic, and a bimetallic tube that’s magnetic at one end and not in the other.
This month, the team published a paper on their work, titled “Additive manufacturing of Inconel 718-Copper alloy bimetallic structure using laser engineered net shaping (LENS),” in the Additive Manufacturing journal.
The research was funded by the Joint Center for Aerospace Technology Innovation, the National Science Foundation, and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center; co-authors of the paper include WSU graduate students Bonny Onuike and Bryan Heer, and Bandyopadhyay.
The abstract reads, “To understand processing ability and measure resultant interfacial and thermal properties of Inconel 718 and copper alloy GRCop-84, bimetallic structures were fabricated using laser engineering net shaping (LENS), a commercially available additive manufacturing technique. It was hypothesized that additively combining the two aerospace alloys would form a unique bimetallic structure with improved thermophysical properties compared to the Inconel 718 alloy. Two approaches were used: the direct deposition of GRCop-84 on Inconel 718 and the compositional gradation of the two alloys. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Vickers microhardness and flash thermal diffusivity were used to characterize these bimetallic structures to validate our hypothesis. The compositional gradation approach showed a gradual transition of Inconel 718 and GRCop-84 elements at the interface, which was also reflected in the cross-sectional hardness profile across the bimetallic interface. SEM images showed columnar grain structures at the interfaces with Cr2Nb precipitate accumulation along grain boundaries and the substrate-deposit interface. The average thermal diffusivity of the bimetallic structure was measured at 11.33 mm2/s for the temperature range of 50 °C–300 °C; a 250% increase in diffusivity when compared to the pure Inconel 718 alloy at 3.20 mm2/s. Conductivity of the bimetallic structures increased by almost 300% compared to Inconel 718 as well. Such structures with designed compositional gradation and tailored thermal properties opens up the possibilities of multi-material metal additive manufacturing for next generation of aerospace structures.”
With the ability to use more than a single material at once during 3D printing jobs, manufacturers can better control material properties such as corrosion protection, environmental adaptation, and heat conduction. This could help lower the number of manufacturing steps, and allow manufacturers to make complex products with multiple parts using just one machine, in a single operation.
Additionally, multimaterial 3D printing negates the use of adhesives or joint connections that are currently needed to make multimaterial products.
“You could be joining two very strong materials together, but their connection will only be as strong as their adhesive. Multimaterial, additive manufacturing helps get rid of the weak point,” Bandyopadhyay explained.
A LENS system was used to join two materials in one step, and successfully 3D printed a structure of copper and Inconel 718, which is a nickel-chromium alloy used in liquid-fueled rockets; it’s also used to make sheet metal parts for airplane engines.
This material can hold up well under high temperatures, but cools very slowly, which was a bonus for this project. When the copper was added to the 3D printing process, the part could be cooled 250% faster, which equals higher fuel efficiency and a longer life for airplane engines.
This research has also opened up additional design options. The researchers worked with WSU graduate students Tom Gualtieri and Yanning Zhang to 3D print a metal-ceramic material in just one operation.
“This allows us to vary the composition and add functionality to a product during 3D printing that is traditionally very difficult to achieve. And we can do this in a single process with a single machine,” Bandyopadhyay said.
“Multimaterial additive manufacturing has opened the doors to so many different possible creations. It has allowed us to be bolder and be more creative.”
Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the comments below.[Source/Images: WSU]
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CANDY FROM A STRANGER
Soul Asylum is just as known for its one smash hit, "Runaway Train," as its lead singer, David Pirner, is known for having once dated actress Winona Ryder. At the height of Soul Asylum's popularity, "Runaway Train" was so famous that the band was invited to perform it at the White House for President Clinton. Sadly, after its grand entrance onto the music scene, Soul Asylum has not been able to produce another best-seller: David Pirner and Winona Ryder have long since broken up, and the band seemed to fade into obscurity.
With Soul Asylum's new album, Candy from a Stranger, one cannot really comprehend why Soul Asylum faded so fast. Candy from a Stranger is not a bad album--in fact, it is quite good. After all, what is there not to like about Soul Asylum? Their lyrics are admirable, the music is interesting, and Pirner has a relatively unique voice. Yet, despite all the goodness of the new album, somehow Soul Asylum has not been able to distinguish itself from other one-hit wonder grunge-y bands; Pirner and the band have been unable to really make their mark because their music is simply so pleasant. Passion-inspiring tunes or raw emotions are nowhere to be found on Candy from a Stranger, but, rather, one will hear a garden variety of songs dealing with the pains of love, teenage angst and the like.
Candy from a Stranger certainly possesses several well-done songs, while the rest of the album is mushed together in a string of undistinguished melodies and choruses. For example, the songs "Close" and "No Time for Waiting" are both extremely reminiscent of Broadway ballads. Although "Close" has a grabbing opening guitar line, it soon is overtaken by whininess and sounds too much like it should be sung on the Great White Way, not at a grunge concert. "No Time for Waiting" also feels like a showtune--it is too cartoonish, with no reality to its emotions. Perhaps these two songs would fare well as inspirational (read: cheesy) Broadway songs, but for listeners expecting depth, they do not make the cut by a long shot.
But Soul Asylum is clearly not unable to produce songs with true emotions: Witness "I Will Still Be Laughing," one of the best songs on the album. "I Will Still Be Laughing" grips the listener with its powerful start and does not dissolve into whining or cliches, as do most of the songs on Candy from a Stranger. Dealing with the ups and downs of teenage life, "I Will Still Be Laughing" sings of bitter revenge, but does so in a realistic and interesting way, rather than rehashing the stereotype of the angry teenager who hates the world. The song portrays teenage life as a cycle, not a downward spiral, and therefore has no reason to become overly bitter or cynical, nor overly cheesy. It feels like an objective memoir, not colored to be happy or sad, but rather of the stuff that life is made of: pain, pleasure, beauty, anger and, most of all, uncertainty. Consider some of these lyrics: "They're all laughing at your clothes/standing in the lunch line," and then "Face down in a stranger's tomb/didn't know you were dying/and you rise and you fall/and you wait for the call.
The call he is singing of is most likely the call of adulthood, a voice telling the uncertain adolescent protagonist what to do, where to go, who to become. Yet that call--as we all know--will never come, as there comes a point in each person's life when he or she must make that difficult call, all alone. Soul Asylum has managed to capture the teenage sense of loneliness, fear and desperation in this mature, strong song. It is hard not to appreciate "I Will Still Be Laughing," as it appeals to almost everyone's sense of alienation as an adolescent. The lyrics are gripping, the music is excellent, and the song as a whole is so good that it make the rest of the album something of a disappointment.
Not very other song is disappointing, though. "Draggin the Lake," much more bitter than "I Will Still Be Laughing," is still worth-while. "Draggin the Lake" escapes the cookiecutter emotions found in "Close," "No Time for Waiting" and others. The emotions within "Draggin the Lake," are fueled perhaps by the public's cruel treatment of Soul Asylum after the hype over "Runaway Train" faded: "Sent on a mission to find out/just how much shit one man can take" is the jarring opening line of the song. Unfortunately, the song tumbles down the path towards over-clicheed lyrics after its stunning start. The music still manages to be catchy but the song just could have been much better were it not so trite.
Finally, "New York Blackout," much like "Draggin the Lake," is a song which has some great elements and potential to be truly excellent. "New York Blackout" makes a fantastic use of percussion and guitar, and the song starts powerfully, developing well with an interesting guitar line and melody. Sadly, each time the tune becomes really worthwhile, it stops, gets slow and whines until it picks up more momentum. The best way to describe "New York Blackout" is to say that it is enjoyable--good at some points, cheesy at others, but not quite enough to be a Broadway tune.
On the whole, Candy from a Stranger is an album with some songs that manage to stand out. Generally, the songs sound very similar and are each tinged with bitterness in their own way. Candy from a Stranger is recommended, but do not expect much more than the occasional show of true emotion. We will still have to wait and see if Soul Asylum can move past its one-hit status, and Candy from a Stranger is certainly a step in the right direction away from that stigma, without erasing it.
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I used to work at Trader Joe’s, you know, that place where everyone seems like they’re having too much fun? To be honest, I really liked working there; one of the funnest retail jobs I ever had. But it also opened my eyes up to how people wasted so much money at grocery stores. And it also gave me some helpful insight on ways to save money.
They’re easy hacks once you learn to use them, and soon you’ll be spending less on each food run you make.
Look to the Back of Shelves
One of my duties (among many) was to stock the shelves, and it was an easy task. But when I first started stocking produce, such as bags of kale, spinach, or carrots into the shelves, my manager taught me to put the ones labeled with a later expiration date up in the front, and the ones that were new in the back.
When you’re shopping for produce (or any perishable items, like meat), make sure that you take the time to check the dates and reach for the back. Then you won’t be bringing food home that’s ready to go bad, take it out a few days later to cook, and realize it’s already spoiled. This is one of the great and easy ways to save money when shopping.
Know What’s Really Organic
It turns out that even though something is labeled organic, it sometimes doesn’t even mean anything. For instance, you could buy organic mushrooms for $4.99 or save yourself the money and buy regular mushrooms for $2.99 which are basically the same. Certain produce use little to no pesticides when growing, like mushrooms which are all grown inside in a controlled environment; no need for pesticides (or their skin is thick enough, like a watermelon, that pesticides aren’t even able to reach the inside).
Thankfully there’s a list of what to buy and what not to buy organic. And knowing this is one of the great ways to save money.
What NOT to Buy Organic: Mushrooms, avocados, pineapple, onions, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.
What You Should Buy Organic (a.k.a. “The Dirty Dozen”): Apples, celery, cherries, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, peaches, nectarines, spinach, strawberries, sweet bell peppers, and tomatoes.
Last Tip on Buying Organic: Before making a final decision on the produce you’re buying, check out the organic produce as well. Sounds counter intuitive, but sometimes certain organic foods are cheaper.
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Here I'll give you some of the best tips and hacks I have for making and saving money.
So whether you want to increase your income, get out of debt, or just some simple saving tips, I've got you covered!
Coupon App – Shopular
I talk about this app in my post on 5 Amazing Money Saving Apps for Groceries, but it really is worth mentioning here as well. Apps like this are one of the great ways to save money at the store.
How it works is when you start to approach a grocery store, it automatically lets you know of any coupons or deals that you can get when shopping there. Then all you have to do is show the cashier your phone with the app open to the coupons you want to use, and they’ll scan your phone. No need to cut coupons, it’s as simple as that.
Look Below Eye Level
When working at Trader Joe’s, I learned that some of the most expensive items are at eye level. So let’s say you’re shopping for coffee (or whatever necessity you can think of.. Coffee’s a necessity right?), well the first thing you see is at eye level, therefore making it the easiest thing to grab and go.
But one of the great ways to save money is to look down. Some of the cheaper options (that are almost always the same), are going to be a a few shelves under eye level. It’s an easy hack to remember, even if you’re in a rush.
One Impulse Purchase
Trader Joe’s is FULL of impulse purchases, as are many grocery stores. And they especially get you right at the cash register (like with TJ’s sweet sriracha bacon jerky… oh gosh). Now I would usually say, “Resist! Don’t do it!” But that doesn’t always help. Instead, I’m going to suggest that you get just one (relatively inexpensive) impulse purchase.
Reason for this? Well it’s two fold; first of all, some of us are able to resist a time or two and then we might feel as though we deserve to get a few things that aren’t on our list since we’ve been so good (or you just feel plain restricted when shopping). So getting one impulse purchase allows you to not go overboard, but still get something you like.
Second, you haven’t really grown into the ability to say no to impulse purchases when shopping, and that’s ok. But in getting just one impulse purchase, you’re satisfying the part of you that feels like you need something fun to take home and snack on, but you’re not overspending at the store.
Now I didn’t learn this from working at Trader Joe’s (since TJ’s doesn’t have one), but I did learn this from shopping elsewhere. So yes, you can cut coupons or use Shopular, but why not add on your local grocery store’s rewards programs to cut back more costs. It’s not a credit or debit card, and it’s one of the best ways to save money on groceries.
I’ve been able to save a lot of money by joining a rewards program at the store. I get to take part in all of those deals and save some money. Think of it this way, the store is basically giving some of your money back to you by the time you swipe your rewards card.
It was interesting in my time working at Trader Joe’s to see how people wasted money and learning from it. And just using a few of these tips can prevent you from cringing at the total on your receipt. So even if you’re in a hurry, using these six ways to save money on groceries doesn’t take much time at all and can help you stay on budget.
Now I hope these tips were helpful and if you have any tips yourselves on ways to save money at the grocery store, email me or let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear what you do!
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Chasing Foxes was started in 2016 as a way for Grace and her husband, Silas, to start traveling. However, they started to realize that they had a passion for improving themselves, and wanted to help others level up their lives as well. So whether it's with cooking, travel, or staying healthy, they want to help you better your life bit by bit, as they do the same.

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Hotter summers and milder winters have a hidden health impact, with experts now cautioning that warmer year-round weather will make more countries a haven for disease-carrying pests.
Scientists from around the globe, gathered together this week in Seville for the 4th Symposium of the CVBD (canine vector-borne disease) World Forum, issued a plea for dog owners to be more vigilant about protecting their pet and themselves from diseases spread by blood-sucking parasites as global warming causes local temperatures to rise across the seasons. Dogs are particularly vulnerable to attack from a variety of parasites, such as ticks, fleas, sand flies, stable flies and mosquitoes, all of which are capable of transmitting dangerous pathogens. Some of these pathogens may lead to severe diseases in the dog, and, if left undiagnosed and untreated, may in some cases be lethal.
Dr. Xavier Roura, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain, explains: “Ongoing climate change, as well as the increased movement of dogs through travel and importation, has enabled the wider spread of infectious agents, with ticks, fleas and mosquitoes now finding niches in new countries. Pet owners need to understand the severity of diseases such as leishmaniosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, hepatozoonosis and Lyme disease, and do what they can to treat and prevent them.”
The experts cite climate change as one of the main contributors to the heightened incidence and global spread of existing diseases, as well as the appearance of new ones from parasites not previously found in parts of the US, Europe, or Asia.
Speaking at the official opening of the symposium, Tomas Molina, Vice-Chairman of the European Association Of Broadcast Meteorologists said: “Changes in temperature, rainfall and humidity affect the biology and ecology of every living thing including, parasites. The warmer weather and milder winters that we have been observing in many parts of the world have meant that dangerous parasites are active for longer periods during the year. For example, sand flies, which transmit leishmaniosis, become more abundant as the climate warms. This, consequently, increases the risk of disease being transmitted from parasite to animal.”
It has been estimated that average global temperatures will have risen by 1.0-3.5 degrees C by 2100,(1). Europe alone has warmed by an average of 0.8 degrees C over the last 100 years(2) and while these changes have not been uniform, the greatest warming has occurred during winter and in the north. Similarly, since 1900, average daily temperatures in the USA have increased by approximately 0.4 degrees C, with most of this increase occurring over the past 30 years,(3) and in Asia average temperatures have increased by 0.3-0.8 degrees C across the continent and are projected to rise by 0.4-4.5 degrees C by 2070.(1)
“Pet owners and vets will be very interested to hear how changing worldwide temperatures may affect their dog’s health. It is important they are aware of how to best safeguard dogs from any increased health threats. Preventative measures that not only kill parasites but also repel them before they bite the pet appear to currently be the most effective choice to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases, helping to protect the health of pet and owner,” added Dr. Roura.
The CVBD World Forum (www.cvbd.org) is supported by Bayer HealthCare, Animal Health Division – a specialist in the field of parasite prevention. The CVBD (IV) Symposium was held on March 26-28 (incl) in Seville, Spain.
“It is vital that we continue to investigate and predict future impacts of parasite behaviour on animal and human health. Through ongoing research and the accumulation of our scientific knowledge in animal health, particularly in parasitology, we will be better equipped to identify new disease threats and quickly work to effectively address them, advancing today’s animal healthcare to meet the challenges of an evolving world,” commented Margaret Fairhurst, Head of Global Marketing, Bayer Animal Health.


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LISLE – A release issued by the village of Lisle late Friday offers tips and information for those affected by "one of the worst flood disasters" in the town's 50-plus year history.
Storms that dumped more than seven inches of rain on Thursday left behind massive floods that created dramatic and scary situations throughout town, including an evacuation by boat of the Towers of Four Lakes Village apartment complex.
The Friday release says those who evacuated their homes are clear to return, unless residences are still blocked by standing flood water.
"The village of Lisle is in the midst of handling one of the worst flood related disasters in its history," the release states. "Currently, water levels in the river are dropping, flood waters are receding, roads are reopening and DuPage County crews are pumping water out of heavily flooded areas."
Residents returning to their homes should follow the Village’s Flood Safety Guidelines and use common sense to prevent injuries, the release states:
• Do not walk or drive through flowing or standing water
• Stay away from power lines and electrical wires
• Keep children and pets away from detention basins, culverts, ditches and storm drains
• Have the power company turn off the electricity before re-entering the home
• Look before you step to avoid falling or being injured by flood debris
• Be alert for gas leaks and do not smoke or use candles, lanterns or open flames
• Look out for frightened animals or those that have been displaced by flood waters
• Clean everything that has been wet
• Do not use gas powered generators or charcoal fires indoors
For a full list of safety information and condition updates, visit the village's website at villageoflisle.org.
The storms called together local police, fire, the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office and even the National Guard.
Lisle joined DuPage County and a host of other towns, including Westmont, Lombard, Elmhurst, Addison and Warrenville, in declaring states of emergency.
Declaring a state of emergency allows communities to eventually seek state or federal funding if and when it becomes available.


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United Microelectronics Corporation and STATS ChipPAC announced recently that their first 3D TSV-enabled IC Chip Stacking project was successfully completed. The chip also passed their first stage reliability testing. Of note was the fact that the project is one of the first to be completed using an open-ecosystem collaboration.
Shim Il Kwon, the Vice President of Technology Innovation at STATS ChipPAC stated, “The next level of chip integration is rapidly evolving, and 3D IC technology is poised to enable the next frontier of IC capabilities for customers under various deployment models.”
“We see no imperative to restrict 3D IC to a captive business model, as UMC’s development work with nearly all the major OSAT partners for 3D IC has been very productive. Our successful collaboration with a leading OSAT partner like STATS ChipPAC has further established the viability of an open ecosystem approach. This model should work especially well for our mutual 3D IC customers, as foundry and OSAT can utilize their respective core strengths during development and delivery, while customers can benefit from keeping supply chain management flexible and realize better transparency over technology access compared to closed, captive 3D IC business models,” said S.C. Chien, the vice president of Advanced Technology Development at United Microelectronics Corporations.
This is a major development in chip technology and both companies are going to continue their innovative partnership. In this test, UMC provided the manufacturing of the FEOL wafer, while STATS ChipPAC provided the wafer backside integration, fine pitch copper pillar bump and precision chip-to-chip 3D stacking and water thinning.
This new work spells more demand for qualified engineers. As the push for the new development for better, faster and more functional chips expands, these high powered companies are looking for the best and brightest engineering talent. College students interested in engineering, with a passion for working in research and development, are well suited for these new opportunities. The ability to have such a major impact in this industry is exciting, particularly with the growth in the consumer mobile market and the enormous demand for the creation of new faster and more productive chips.
Do you have questions about pursuing an exciting job opportunity in the development of new chip technology? Ask the experts at SoloPoint for more information about these and other great engineering job opportunities today!