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Hey, I'm Eric. A producer and creator working in Los Angeles on award-winning AR, VR, 5G immersive experiences, and commercial content.
I’ll be sharing all sorts of stuff including (but not limited to): thoughts, life lessons, and interesting articles I've stumbled across. Here's a quick list of what you can expect:
- Planning tips and how I’ve produced over 15mil+ in content
- Tales from the sets of Hollywood and on-location adventures
- Articles, videos, images, and whatever else that inspires me
- Tech, gear, and apps that I recommend and use every day
- Home renovation videos and thoughts as I build a garage and studio apartment behind my house
You can tweet or message me on Instagram with any suggestions - @ericday


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Increasing Heat Exchanger Performance
A plan for increasing heat exchanger performance for shell andtube exchangers should consider the following steps:1) Determine that the exchanger is operating correctly asdesigned. Correcting flaws in construction and piping that mayhave a detrimental effect on heat transfer and pressure drop maybe the solution.2) Estimate how much pressure drop is available. For single phaseheat transfer coefficients, higher fluid velocity increases heattransfer coefficients and pressure drop.3) Estimate fouling factors that are not overstated. Excessivefouling factors at the design state result in oversized exchangerswith low velocities. These low velocities may exacerbate thefouling problem. More liberal fouling factors and periodic cleaningmay increase the heat exchanger’s performance.4) Consider using a basic shell-and-tube exchanger withenhancement or intensification such as finning, tube inserts,modified tubes, or modified baffles.
Since there are so many different types of heat exchanger enhancements, it is highly unlikely that a commercial simulator could support them all. Furthermore, some propriety data from themanufacturers of the heat transfer enhancement might never bereleased. However, that does not mean that process and projectengineers can not perform some of the preliminary calculations for new technologies.Heat exchanger enhancement must always satisfy the primarygoal of providing a cost advantage relative to the use of aconventional heat exchanger. Other factors that should beaddressed include fouling potential, reliability and safety. Heatexchanger enhancement can be divided into both passive andactive methods. Passive methods include extended surfaces,inserts, coiled or twisted tubes, surface treatments, and additives.Active techniques include surface vibration, electrostatic fields,injection, and suction. The majority of the current discussion isrelated to the passive methods involving mechanical modificationsto the tubes and baffles. Figure shows several different schematics

domain: literature


Technically, neither one of these axle ratios is “better” than the other. Either one of them can be a good axle ratio to use, depending on what you intend to use your vehicle for.
Axle Ratios Explained
Before we compare these two axle ratios, let’s go over what exactly an axle ratio is and how it works. An axle ratio is a measurement of how many times the driveshaft turns to the wheels. For example, an axle ratio of 3.31:1 means the driveshaft turns 3.31 times per 1 turn of the wheels.
In most trucks, the axle ratio is usually around 3-4 driveshaft rotations per 1 wheel rotation, and depending on whether that number is higher or lower, it can significantly alter your truck’s driving characteristics. What you need to remember is that a lower gear ratio will give you better fuel economy, while a higher gear ratio will give you a better torque figure.
A truck’s axle ratio is largely determined by the gears in its differential, and if you’ve ever heard the term “tall/short gearing” used before, it refers to axle ratios. Tall gearing refers to a lower axle ratio; the gears are “tall” because they move the truck further with each turn they make.
In most stock trucks, the default axle ratio provided by the manufacturer is intended to give you a good balance between power delivery and fuel economy, often with a slight bias towards fuel economy. If you’re planning on using your truck as a daily driver and occasionally for towing or carrying something not too demanding, the stock gear ratio will probably work fine for you.
However, most truck manufacturers offer optional gear ratios for sale, so if you want, you can easily have a truck that is more suited for normal city or highway driving or one that is more suited for hauling heavy loads regularly.
It’s also important to note that your differential isn’t the only thing that affects your final drive ratio. Your vehicle’s tire size and the number of gears in your transmission also come into play here.
Driving on especially large tires, for example, will make your final drive ratio lower, meaning that you can use a differential with shorter gears and have the same final drive ratio as a differential with taller gears on smaller tires. So, as you can see, the “best” axle ratio depends on both what your own needs/preferences are and the specific vehicle you own.
Comparing the 3.31 and 3.55 Axle Ratios
Let’s say you’re just trying to compare two versions of the same truck, one of which uses a 3.31 axle ratio and the other a 3.55 axle ratio. Is there a better axle ratio to use in this case?
Again, the right answer comes down to what you want to use the truck for. However, let’s take a closer look at each of these axle ratios and see exactly how they stack up against each other.
We already know that lower axle ratios mean better fuel economy because they don’t require the engine to turn as fast, but how significant is the difference? In general, trucks gain about a 0.5-1.0 mpg increase for every 0.25 decrease in the axle ratio (although this only applies to highway mpg figures; axle ratios don’t significantly affect city driving mpg figures).
So in the case of the 3.31 and 3.55 axle ratios, the loss of fuel economy that you’d get with the 3.55 ratio probably wouldn’t be all that bad. It’s worth mentioning, however, that there are axle ratios available that are even lower than 3.31; you can get a differential with a ratio of 3.08 for some trucks.
If torque is what you’re after, however, you should at least use a 3.55 axle ratio. There are differentials with even larger axle ratios as well, usually up to around 4.30.
To understand how the differential affects the axle ratio and the torque, let’s go over how a differential works. At the end of the driveshaft, there is a pinion gear that connects to a larger ring gear in the differential. The larger the ring gear itself is and the more teeth it has compared to the pinion gear, the higher the gear ratio will be.
With a larger ring gear, more force can be applied to turning the axle, which, of course, gives you more torque. There are some exceptions to this, however; if you have a modern truck with 8 or more speeds, you can get away with using a lower axle ratio because the transmission will be able to compensate for it.
The 3.31 axle ratio offers slightly better fuel economy, and the 3.55 axle ratio offers slightly better torque delivery, but overall these two axle ratios are pretty comparable in terms of their performance capabilities. If you want to pick the best axle ratio for your use, consider what you’ll mostly be using your truck for and what sort of equipment your truck comes with first.


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The Dynamics of Interleukin-10-Afforded Protection during Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis.
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Gil Castro, Antonio
Martins, Ana Catarina
Carriche, Guilhermina M
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AbstractInflammatory bowel disease encompasses a group of chronic-inflammatory conditions of the colon and small intestine. These conditions are characterized by exacerbated inflammation of the organ that greatly affects the quality of life of patients. Molecular mechanisms counteracting this hyperinflammatory status of the gut offer strategies for therapeutic intervention. Among these regulatory molecules is the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10, as shown in mice and humans. Indeed, IL-10 signaling, particularly in macrophages, is essential for intestinal homeostasis. We sought to investigate the temporal profile of IL-10-mediated protection during chemical colitis and which were the underlying mechanisms. Using a novel mouse model of inducible IL-10 overexpression (pMT-10), described here, we show that mice preconditioned with IL-10 for 8 days before dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) administration developed a milder colitic phenotype. In IL-10-induced colitic mice, Ly6C cells isolated from the lamina propria showed a decreased inflammatory profile. Because our mouse model leads to transcription of the IL-10 transgene in the bone marrow and elevated seric IL-10 concentration, we investigated whether IL-10 could imprint immune cells in a long-lasting way, thus conferring sustained protection to colitis. We show that this was not the case, as IL-10-afforded protection was only observed if IL-10 induction immediately preceded DSS-mediated colitis. Thus, despite the protection afforded by IL-10 in colitis, novel strategies are required, specifically to achieve long-lasting protection.
CitationFront Immunol. 2018;9:400. Published 2018 Mar 1. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2018.00400.
AffiliationTWINCORE, Zentrum für experimentelle und klinische Infektionsforschung GmbH,Feodor-Lynen Str. 7, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
JournalFrontiers in immunology
The following license files are associated with this item:
- Creative Commons
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International
- Distinct roles of intracellular heat shock protein 70 in maintaining gastrointestinal homeostasis.
- Authors: Wang Y, Lin F, Zhu X, Leone VA, Dalal S, Tao Y, Messer JS, Chang EB
- Issue date: 2018 Feb 1
- Sodium chloride exacerbates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis by tuning proinflammatory and antiinflammatory lamina propria mononuclear cells through p38/MAPK pathway in mice.
- Authors: Guo HX, Ye N, Yan P, Qiu MY, Zhang J, Shen ZG, He HY, Tian ZQ, Li HL, Li JT
- Issue date: 2018 Apr 28
- Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) or IVIg-treated macrophages reduce DSS-induced colitis by inducing macrophage IL-10 production.
- Authors: Kozicky LK, Menzies SC, Hotte N, Madsen KL, Sly LM
- Issue date: 2019 Aug
- Chronic Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in IL-10(-/-) Transgenic Mice: Evaluation with Ultrasound Molecular Imaging.
- Authors: Wang H, Vilches-Moure JG, Cherkaoui S, Tardy I, Alleaume C, Bettinger T, Lutz A, Paulmurugan R
- Issue date: 2019
- IL-33 induces both regulatory B cells and regulatory T cells in dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.
- Authors: Zhu J, Xu Y, Zhu C, Zhao J, Meng X, Chen S, Wang T, Li X, Zhang L, Lu C, Liu H, Sun X
- Issue date: 2017 May

domain: medical


UK’s rarest cars: 1967 Citroen DS21 Pallas, one of only two left on British roads
Fifty-six years ago, the extraordinary DS21 Pallas seemed to have no direct British rival. The Ford Zodiac Mk3 Executive and Vauxhall Viscount were too quasi-American, and the Vanden Plas Princess 4-Litre R too staid. The potential customer might have looked at the Rover 2000 TC or the Daimler V8 250, but these fine vehicles possessed neither the Citroën’s front-wheel-drive layout nor its insouciant charm. And today, Willie Bennie’s 1967 Pallas is one of the most exclusive versions of the remarkable DS still on the road.
To survey the DS’s complicated and often enigmatic history is sometimes akin to being trapped in a Harold Pinter play. The original DS19 of 1955 was powered by a 1,911cc four-cylinder engine. Seven years later, the range gained modified frontal treatment as the Type 2, then in 1965 Citroën introduced the DS21, with a 2,175cc engine. In addition, there was the new Pallas specification, which seemed perfect for French haute bourgeoisie motorists who might have otherwise bought a Mercedes-Benz 220SE.
In the UK, the Pallas cost a formidable £1,977 3s 9d. However, the specification included quartz-iodine driving lights, extra sound deadening and an even more opulent cabin with an auxiliary heater for the rear passengers. The top speed was a respectable 112mph, and Autocar regarded the Pallas as “the most luxurious, as well as the fastest Citroën ever marketed”. Meanwhile, this newspaper approved of the self-levelling headlights operated mechanically from the anti-roll bars and how the new engine’s performance complemented the striking styling.
Early examples of the UK-market Pallas were assembled in Slough to circumvent import duties, but in early 1966 a 40-year tradition of British-built Citroëns ended. However, Bennie notes that his DS “has Lucas round tail lamps and chrome number plate lights. Apparently, these were fitted to the [French-built] UK-specification cars until the stock was used up”.
His DS21 was registered on 1 August 1967 in Middlesex and is one of the last Type 2s before Citroën unveiled the Type 3, featuring faired-in directional headlights, that September. Bennie also notes: “In late 1966, Citroën changed the hydraulic fluid from LHS, which absorbed water leading to all sorts of problems, to the much more stable LHM. It appears there may be only two cars left in the UK with this specification.” Only 73 examples of all types of DS21 still exist.
Production of the DS ended in 1975 after 1,455,746 units. Bennie had craved one since 1967 when he was 12 and saw a newspaper article. He observes: “I believe that the first owner of my car was the director of a shipping company. The Pallas was then registered to his daughter, who lived in Rhu on the west coast of Scotland. In the mid-80s, it was bought by an enthusiast in Glasgow who then sold it to a successful artist.”
The Pallas had been restored in the late 1980s but it was not in the best condition when Bennie first saw it. He recalls: “It had been in the garage for 16 years and was a sorry-looking sight, but had only done 42,000 miles with only four owners. We bought it in December 2014 and it finally got back on the road last April.
“The body is the original Gris Kandahar [Kandahar Grey] colour, but we added the Bordeaux roof for some contrast, and almost everyone who sees it is impressed with the combination.”
Since then, the DS has covered more than 6,000 miles. Aside from a breakdown last August due to a bearing in the hydraulic clutch seizing, it has more than lived up to Bennie’s expectations. In 1967 Citroën described the Pallas as “a car that’s absolutely unlike any other”, which was no mere hyperbole. Its only true competitor was the NSU Ro80, while many other large European saloons appeared to hail from the Ark by comparison.
When writing about the DS, it seems almost obligatory to quote Roland Barthes’s description in his book Mythologies: “it appears at first sight as a superlative object”. But there is an equally memorable description in Motor Sport when the magazine compared the Pallas with Charles de Gaulle. “It has been said of the General that his mysterious personality and apparent destiny have made him uncharacteristic and unpredictable, a description that fits also the Citroën.” Enthusiasts would not have it any other way.
More like this: UK’s rarest cars: 1981 Renault 14, one of only six left on British roads
For new and used buying guides, tips and expert advice, visit our Advice section, or sign up to our newsletter here
To talk all things motoring with the Telegraph Cars team join the Telegraph Motoring Club Facebook group here


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Eligibility for Social Security Disability Benefits
The government has developed a complex process to determine if someone is eligible for Social Security disability benefits. It is not enough to simply show that you have an impairment to be entitled to benefits. Instead, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will undergo a five-step sequential evaluation process to determine if benefits are available:
- Determination whether you are engaged in “substantial gainful activity”;
- Check if your impairment is a “severe” medically determinable impairment; and
- Confirmation that your impairment meets or “equals” one of the impairments listed in the Social Security regulations; or
- Determination that you can perform your “past relevant work”; and
- Check that if you can make adjustments to perform other types of work that exists in significant numbers in the national economy.
There are two paths for the SSA to find a disability. First, if your impairment meets or equals an impairment listed in the Social Security regulations, the process ends at step 3. If not, you must go through steps 4 and 5 as well. Regardless of the path you take to prove a disability, you will also have to show that your disability lasted for at least 12 full months.
Denial of Benefits
It is quite common for the SSA to deny an applicant’s initial claim for benefits. In this case, it may be helpful to work with Panama City Social Security disability attorneys.
Generally, the SSA can deny your claim for benefits along any step of the sequential evaluation process described above. For example, the SSA may determine that your impairment is not severe enough, that you are able to engage in your old work despite your impairment, or that you are able to perform other types of work in denying your claim.
Just because your initial claim for benefits has been denied, you can still receive benefits by having the SSA reconsider its decision and by appealing the SSA’s determination. You should not be discouraged by an initial denial.
How an Attorney Can Help You
Experienced Panama City Social Security disability attorneys can help you along every step of the process to receive disability benefits.
- Initial Application. Your attorney can help you fill out your initial claim for benefits including completing the form and putting together documentation to prove your disability.
- Appealing a Decision. If your initial claim has been denied, your attorney can work on your appeal and gather evidence such as doctor’s notes and expert opinions to prove your claim.
- Hearing Preparation. During the appeals process, you may have the opportunity to argue your claim at a hearing. At the hearing, you will be able state your case, provide witnesses, and address the SSA’s reasons for denying your claim. An experienced attorney has been through this process many times before and can help fight for your rights.
If you have any questions about your claim for benefits, contact the Panama City Social Security disability attorneys at Trappe & Dusseault.

domain: law


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IPPUDO LAUNCHES HEALTHIER VERSION OF TSUKEMEN Meet the chilly cousin of ramen – Tsukemen! Made fresh using whole grains, the cold, al-dente noodles are perfect match with the hot, rich pork broth blend which is boiled together with bonito fish flakes. Enjoy the fragrant scent of wheat with pork belly, pork loin, spring onion, bamboo shoot and seaweed. Try it yourself at IPPUDO The Star Vista, Mohamed Sultan and Marina Bay Sands outlets today.
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domain: food


a t t h e w o o d's h e a r t
Released 17th October 2005 on Topic Records TSCD557
....the hopes and fears we endure in the name of love, the nightmares and dreams that pursue us....
Drawn mainly but not exclusively from traditional sources, here are pictures of universal situations and emotions -' the pain of losing you is overwhelming, I can't go on' (Ah, The Sighs) -' I thought I loved you, but I don't. But maybe I do after all... Damn!' (Johnny Johnny) - 'You don't really believe what people are saying do you? I love you, you've got to believe me!' (Do nothing 'til you hear from me). Three songs that span 400 years, from the reign of Henry VIII to an Ellington standard - all timelessly relevant to our own experience. This is not an easy journey - when was love ever easy?
- but remember,
"there's many a dark and a cloudy morning turns out to be a bright sunshiny day" (The Banks of the Sweet Primroses)
The inspiration for June's choice of songs on At the Wood's Heart was the particular group of musicians she put together for her BBC4 'Sessions' concert in 2004. "Obviously I was already aware of the strong character of each musician's playing within existing partnerships, but what I was not prepared for was the impact of the ensemble as a whole, as well as the undreamed of textures and colours of new permutations within the group". So, in the live performances which preceeded and shaped this album, a wealth of new material has come to life and been captured alive in a brief few days recording in the South Shropshire countryside in late Spring 2005. For good measure June also asked Iain Ballamy to play on a couple of songs and really make her day!
The musicians performing on this recording are: Huw Warren piano, Martin Simpson guitars, Andy Cutting diatonic accordion, Mark Lockheart tenor and soprano saxophones, Tim Harries double bass, Mark Emerson viola and violin, Iain Ballamy tenor saxophone.
The Banks of the Sweet Primroses (trad) ~ The Broomfield Wager (trad) ~ Ah! The Sighs (anon C16th) ~ Now Welcome Summer (anon/Chaucer) ~ Heart Like a Wheel (Anna McGarrigle) ~ Johnny Johnny (trad) ~ Oh! Alas, I Am in Love (trad) ~ Do Nothing 'Til You Hear from Me (Duke Ellington) ~ Les Choses les Plus Simples (Gabriel Yacoub) ~ She's Like the Swallow (trad) ~ The Cloud Factory (Bill Caddick) ~ Lie Near Me (trad)
Go to LISTEN for samples of some of these tracks
To buy a signed copy, go to the mail order page
Distribution in the USA is by City Hall RecordsRead a 5-star review from The Guardian of the concert which celebrated At the Wood's Heart at London's QEH on Sunday 6th November '05


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Button City is a brand new game from Subliminal Gaming. It’s their first console/PC release after their 2015 mobile game Sky Pets. Button City features a cute, low poly cast of animals (mostly named after different herbs and spices). In this narrative adventure game you play as Fennel, a fox who’s new in town and trying to find his way.
As Fennel you must complete quests, play arcade games, collect costumes and items, solve puzzles and make new friends as you become part of this town and ultimately try to save it.
Shandiin Yazzie Woodward
Art Director, Co-Founder Subliminal Games
Last month, during PAX Online I got to have a chat with Art Director and Co-Founder of Subliminal Games, Shandiin Yazzie Woodward about Button City (before playing the demo). We talked about many things including her art style. Shandiin is a big fan of Studio Ghibli films, Animal Crossing games, bright colors and 2000’s toys — all inspirations which can be seen in the art of Button City.
Shandiin started as a graphic designer and artist before creating Subliminal Games with her husband, Ryan Woodward. They wanted to grow the game development scene in their area of New Mexico. She also volunteers at her local game development center, helping with design and events. Outside of gaming, but closely related she also enjoys building her own mechanical keyboards.
The story behind the game Button City came from the couple’s love of hanging out at their local arcade with friends. The local arcade (named Nickel City) may also be the inspiration for the name of the game.
After talking to Shandiin, I started my journey by playing the Button City demo. The demo gave me a feel for the game, and I’m happy it was a standalone adventure, and not just the opening of the game. I was later granted a review code for the full game on PlayStation 5 and have been playing through that for about a week or two. Most nights I spent about an hour or so exploring the world of Button City before bed. It wasn’t until this weekend that I really dove in. I feel I’m about halfway done with the story, and the game can be made longer by exploring the town and talking to everyone — there are lots of side quests to find.
I really dig the charming story of Button City, being the new kid in town and trying to find your own way. You do get to meet some cool new friends along the way and even join their Gobabots team (which I’ll talk about more in the next section). There are also some not so cool non-friends you meet, including some shady characters, a conspiracy theorist and of course your rivals the Tuff Fluffs!
Button City Arcade Games
Button City is the name of the arcade in town, run by Mr. Button. It’s sort of the central hub for Fennel, his friends and all of the kids in town. At least it was the central hub, until we find out that the arcade may be on the chopping block. Before we get to that let’s talk about the main playable arcade games in Button City: Gobabots (MOBA), Prisma Beats (Rhythm Dance Game) and rEVolution Racer (Racing game):
Gobabots may be the biggest game within Button City. Gobabots is a 4v4 MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) where each team attempts to collect the most fruit. In the real world Fennel can buy or find new Gobabots to use on his team. You may challenge almost anyone in town to a game of Gobabots (1v1 with bots on your team), or wait for the Big Show and play as part of the Fluff Squad with your friends. Throughout the game there is a big Gobabots tournament going on — mainly between the Fluff Squad and the Tuff Fluffs.
I’ve always tried to get into different MOBAs (mainly League of Legends and Dota 2) because that’s what many of my friends spend their time playing. MOBAs have never really been my kind of game though. Gobabots is a simpler version of the MOBA and I think because I had been playing some Gobabots in Button City lately, it got me excited to give Pokemon Unite (Nintendo Switch) a try. A game I would have otherwise ignored.
rEVolution Racer is another arcade game within Button City. Of course, it’s a fast-paced, drifting racing game. In this game you race one-on-one versus an opponent. The game does take some getting used to, but once you know how to drift, boost and handle your car you can easily win each race.
I’ve played many racing games in the past and I’ve put many, many hours into Gran Turismo Sport in recent years. While rEVolution Racer isn’t a revolutionary racing game, it gives me vibes of playing Cruisin’ USA as a kid while waiting for my mom to get her hair cut. It has that classic arcade/retro racing feel.
Of the three arcade games in Button City, this is the one game that I just couldn’t handle. I’ve tried and tried but have never completed an entire song. Prisma Beats is a rhythm dance game modeled after DDR (Dance Dance Revolution). It also reminds me of all the time my roommates and I spent in Guitar Hero back in college.
There was one point where I sort of knew what I was doing at the start of the song, but once the tempo picked up I just couldn’t get the buttons right. I would start to panic and forget which button is which symbol. Next came the combos where I’d have to press two buttons at once. I will figure this out one day and become a Prisma Beat dance champion, but for now I will stick with giving my all to Gobabots and my team, the Fluff Squad.
It’s a good thing you can collect different boosts and fluff buffs around town for each of these arcade games (mainly for Prisma Beats). The game has also gamified some other tasks, like making lemonade — which was a fun activity. Lavender has home-brewed her own Gobabot-themed narrative adventure game, Goba Academy — which you can play on her computer.
I really enjoyed that in Button City if you pay attention to your chats with different characters you can pretty much figure out everything you need to do, but for any time you weren’t really paying attention or if you get lost you can always go to check your quests in the menu. You can also check out your items and current lineup of Gobabots.
The diorama layout of the town also makes it all so simple to explore. You don’t have to aimlessly wander around hoping you remember where each building was and what it looks like. Instead, you just press “O” (on PlayStation 5) and can scroll through these different spots.
It’s very cool to have all of these fun arcade games within the main game. There’s also tons of humor in the writing and dialogue in Button City. Although it seems like a game for kids based on the art style, this game does tackle some heavier/mature subjects at times.
I’ve really enjoyed Button City and although I may not finish the entire story I do plan to jump back in and finish picking up all of the trash. There is so much trash on the streets and in the houses and buildings of this town. I want to clean up this town and get that trash trophy.
Button City is definitely a fun, colorful, relaxing sort of game. The music also helps with the relaxation. Even Sorrel’s Metal Yoga music is still sort of calming. We’re getting many smaller narrative story games today, but what makes Button City stand out is that it adds three different arcade-style games within the game (MOBA, Racing and Rhythm Dance).
I have always thought that the Low Poly art style wouldn’t age very well, and that game artists would have to either use more modern styles or go way back to pixel art. Button City’s look has totally proved my theory wrong.
Button City comes out tomorrow August 10th on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch & PC (via Steam).
*I was provided a review code for Button City by the publisher.

domain: hobby


Harness the tremendous output of the LTG 2.0L turbocharged crate engine with the only Chevrolet Performance transmission specifically designed for it. The all-new 6-speed manual LTG Transmission delivers crisp shifts in a lightweight package engineered to the exact specifications of the LTG engine.
With its all-aluminum construction and uniquely shaped bellhousing pattern, the LTG Transmission is the perfect fit for your street-rod or hot-rod build. When paired with the high-tech, direct-injection LTG crate engine, the transmission enhances the turbocharged thrill by accommodating a max torque limit of 332 lb-ft.
Factory-engineered, the LTG Transmission is a proven performer found in the all-new, sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro. Upgrade your project car with the LTG engine and transmission combination, and enjoy the power and efficiency that comes from this perfect pairing.
These passion projects were brought to life with a convenient Connect & Cruise Powertrain System.
The 272-hp LTG 2.0L turbo crate engine and LTG manual transmission combine in this 1967 Nova to redefine “hot rod” for a new age.
Find everything from the vital data about your engine’s capabilities to how to install it into your build.
Unless specifically noted to the contrary herein, vehicles equipped with Chevrolet Performance Parts may not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and emissions regulations and should not be operated on public roads. Chevrolet Performance customers are responsible for ensuring their use of Chevrolet Performance complies with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances. Many parts intended for racing or other “off-highway” use are not designed or tested for crashworthiness or to meet the safety needs of the motoring public, and may adversely affect the original intended performance or handling characteristics of the vehicle. These parts are designed and intended to be used with experts supervising their installation and use, to help assure the proper and safe operation of the vehicle.
The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price excludes tax, shipping and installation. Individual retailer pricing may vary. Please see your local dealer or retailer for details.
The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price excludes destination freight charge, tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment. Click here to see all Chevrolet vehicles' destination freight charges.


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Enzyme-Based Flavored Toothpaste Dental care and hygiene are as important for your dog as it is for you. Regular brushing can add years to your pet's life by just dedicating few minutes of thorough brushing every day. Petrodex Enzymatic Toothpaste makes it easier for you to maintain your dog's oral hygiene. This toothpaste doesn't foam or require rinsing after brushing. It's available in delicious poultry and beef flavors. Petrodex Enzymatic Toothpaste Flavored toothpaste for dogs Hydrogen-peroxide producing formula Doesn't form foam or require rinsing Helps fight bad breath Petrodex Enzymatic Toothpaste has a hydrogen-peroxide producing formula to reduce accumulation of tartar and plaque. Brushing with this toothpaste can help kill germs from hard-to-reach areas of your dogs' mouth, giving them better oral health. A Closer Look: Petrodex Enzymatic Toothpaste can help get rid of germs from your pet's mouth. It can also prevent problems like bleeding, bad breath and tooth-decay with regular use. Made Specially for: Dogs of all ages
Protect Your Little Pups The Sentry Natural Defense Flea & Tick Spray for Dog & Puppies offers tender protection specially formulated for small dogs and puppies. This spray kills fleas, mosquitoes and ticks the natural way. It can be safely used around children too. Sentry Natural Defense Flea & Tick Spray for Dog & Puppies Kills fleas & ticks Veterinarian testedWorks immediately on contact A Closer Look: The peppermint, cinnamon, lemon grass and thyme oils in this product offer the necessary flea protection for your pet but the gentle way. Made Specially for: Dogs of all ages
Free Your Dog of Mats and Tangles Keep your pet free from mats and tangles by using Magic Coat De-Matting Tool. This de-matting tool is perfect for your dog's sensitive areas such as their belly, tail, ears, legs and underarms. The tool helps to detangle matted hair. In addition, it removes dead, mat-causing hair from your pet's coat and can also eliminate mat formations. Magic Coat De-Matting Tool Helps to remove dead loose mat-causing hair Prevents mat-formations on dog's coat Aids in detangling matted hair Suitable for dog's sensitive areas A Closer Look: Four Paws Magic Coat De-Matting Tool contains stainless steel blades that assist in effectively combing through your dog's hair. In addition, it has a rubberized handle attached that gives a firm and comfortable grip. Made Specially for: Dogs of all ages
Groom Your Dog With a Tough and Durable Comb Safari Coarse Comb is a great pet comb for grooming your canine. It gives an overall and pleasant grooming experience to your pet. This comb is recommended by professional groomers for its high functionality. It's a tough and durable comb that makes grooming more easy. Safari Coarse Comb: Long, smooth and rounded teeth Teeth with both narrow and wide spacing Tough and durable A Closer Look: The comb has long teeth that reach the root of your pet's hair. The teeth are smooth and rounded enough to brush your pet's skin gently. The narrow and wide spacing are suitable for pets with varying coat thickness. Made Specially for: Medium to large dogs
Groom Your Dog Like a Professional: Step-By-Step Techniques and Tips for a Great Looking Dog During these challenging economic times, many people are looking for practical ways to boost their incomes. Starting a dog care business is a viable option to not only make more money with little startup expense but also provides assistance to millions of pet parents whose hectic lifestyles may cause them to leave their pets unattended for extended periods of time during the day or week. Doggy Business 101 addresses the rising need for pet care services and provides detailed advice for starting up and operating a doggy daycare or related business, such as dog walking, pet sitting, and dog camps. This comprehensive guide includes step-by-step methodology for coming up with a feasibility study and business plan to encourage success in the fast growing pet service industry, plus current data on consumer usage or selection of doggy service products. It also offers advice on how to finance and staff a doggy business, with information about bonding and insurance. Marketing and advertising ideas are included to help build public awareness and interest for your self-run business, while sample checklists and business forms help simplify the day-to-day operations.
Groom Your Furry Friend FURminator Long Hair deShedding Tool is designed for your larger dog's coat to remove loose, dead and undercoat hair with no harm. This tool can also reduce shedding, allergies and solves various cleanliness-related problems. It's designed with a sleek, ergonomic handle for easy grip and provides solutions for grooming your canines faster and easier. This tool keeps pet's natural oils intact and leaves their topcoat shiny and healthy. FURminator Long Hair deShedding Tool for Large Dogs Quickly removes undercoat and loose hair Stainless steel deShedding blade Easy-to-use push button fur ejector Sleek, ergonomic handle for easy grip Brings out natural oils for a shiny and healthy topcoat A Closer Look: FURminator Long Hair deShedding Tool is designed with stainless steel edge that grabs loose undercoat hair and safely removes it without damaging the topcoat. It also has a FURejector button that cleans and removes loose hair with ease. It releases hair by a simple push of the button. Made Specially for: Dogs of all ages, weighing up to 51 to 90 lbsWag is an Authorized Retailer of FURminator products
Oh My Dog: How to Choose, Train, Groom, Nurture, Feed & Care for Your New Best Friend Calling the toughest canine questions! Owning a dog is one of life's great joys, but sometimes the challenges it brings can make even the most devoted dog lovers panic, throw up their hands, or feel completely overwhelmed. Before you get to the end of your leash, turn to this friendly and relatable reference that's the next best thing to talking to a dog-owning friend who's seen it all. In Oh My Dog, animal rights activist Beth Ostrosky Stern has compiled tips and invaluable advice from experts-and from her own experience as dogowner-to sooth concerns, answer questions big and small, and help you and your dog get the most out of your relationship. From the moment you even consider getting a dog, to caring for your old friend when his puppy years are far behind him, Oh My Dog covers every angle of dog ownership, including: Which breeds would be good match for me? What do I look for in a vet? How do I make sure our first night together is as stress-free as possible? What activities will help me bond with my dog? Is my dog showing sign of illness? What should I know before I head to a doggie day care or park? How do I read pet food labels? What should I do in an emergency?Choc full of informative side bars, questionnaires, to-do lists, and much, much more, Oh My Dog is the answer-filled fieldguide for anybody who owns a dog or is considering getting one.
Rid Your Dog's Coat of Matted Hair Mat formations can now be easily and conveniently dealt with using Magic Coat De-Matting Tool. This de-matting tool assists in getting rid of dead mat-causing hair. You can use this tool for your dog's full body grooming. In addition, it can also be used for detangling matted hair. Four Paws Magic Coat De-Matting Tool Helps to prevent mat formations Aids in removing loose mat-causing hair Takes care of matted hair Can be used for full body grooming Groom your dog effectively and make sure their coat is free of mat formations by using this de-matting tool. A Closer Look: Four Paws Magic Coat De-Matting Tool comes in a contour shape. It includes rubberized handle that's great to give you a comfortable and firm grip. This tool is suitable to be used on fine to medium hair. Made Specially for: Dogs of all ages
Petsafe Clik-R Duo Training Tool Ever wanted to clicker train two pets at the same time? The Clik-R Duo is the perfect training tool for multiple pets. The green button is a traditional click, and the yellow button is a triple-chime sound, for a more versatile training tool. You can use this clicker to assign a different sound to each pet, so you can train two pets at once. You can also use this to train one pet, with one sound as a cue for a specific command such as Come and the other as a marker that means a reward is coming. Clicker training is a clear way to train your pet using a click and a reward to tell your pet he's done something you like. The click sound tells your pet a fun thing is coming - a small, tasty treat or toy as a reward. It doesn't take long for pets to understand how to play this game, and once they learn, they're usually eager for more. Professional dog trainers love the Clik-R Duo for teaching people how to train their dogs, using one sound to mark the dog's behavior and the other sound for when the handler gets it right. Features: Dual sounds, click and chime, for a variety of training uses Less percussive chime sound for nervous or sensitive pets Uses one 3-volt lithium coin cell battery (included)
Sergeant's Evolve 11 Flea and Tick Squeeze-On Dog 11 to 20-pound.Features include: - Fast acting, kills fleas in as little as 1-hour - Protects your dog from flea eggs and larvae for up to 9-week- Each package provides 3-month of protection for your dog
Sergeant's Evolve 61 Flea and Tick Squeeze-On Dog over 60-pound.Features include: - Fast acting, kills fleas in as little as 1-hour - Protects your dog from flea eggs and larvae for up to 9-week- Each package provides 3-month of protection for your dog
Sergeant's Evolve 40 Flea and Tick Squeeze-On Dog 40 to 60-pound.Features include: - Fast acting, kills fleas in as little as 1-hour - Protects your dog from flea eggs and larvae for up to 9-week- Each package provides 3-month of protection for your dog
Shedding Off Loose Hair Troubles FURminator Short Hair deShedding Tool is designed to reduce shedding for large dogs. It's a grooming brush that can reduce shedding up to 90% and can handle allergies and various cleanliness-related problems. This tool can remove loose, dead and undercoat hair with no damage to your canine's topcoat. FURminator Short Hair deShedding Tool for Large Dogs Easily removes undercoat and loose hair Made with patented technologies 4-inch deShedding edge for coats longer than 2 inches A Closer Look: FURminator Short Hair deShedding Tool for Large Dogs comes with a stainless steel edge that goes beneath your dog's topcoat to remove undercoat and loose hair. It also includes a FUR ejector button to easily clean and remove the loose hair from the tool with a simple push. It has a sleek handle for easy grip. Made Specially for: Dogs of all agesWag is an Authorized Retailer of FURminator products
Grooming > Combs > "sergeant's dog grooming tools"
Wag.com Grooming products include more than 253 items - from Earthbath, to Four Paws, and Tropiclean - we've got you covered. Check out our fantastic prices! We ship via UPS and several other premium carriers to provide expedited service. And did we mention our award-winning customer service?

domain: pet


Bank of Montreal (BMO) has tendered an apology to its MasterCard customers who are witnessing a service disruption and are unable to access accounts as well as their credit cards.
BMO has promised to resolve the glitch as soon as possible.
Scores of other BMO customers who’ve seen their credit cards rendered useless or online banking information become inaccessible have been badgering the bank as well as MasterCard over the matter.
Many of those who have been turned away by BMO’s seemingly overwhelmed customer service phone lines are turning to Twitter.
BMO spokesperson Ralph Marranca was quoted by globalnews.ca as saying that, "the disruptions were related to "systems work, which resulted in some errors processing payments to MasterCard accounts."
"Unfortunately, this has led to higher than normal call volumes," Marranca said in an email message.
"Those attempting to view credit card info on online/mobile banking may experience [temporary] interruptions," the bank’s feed said.


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Nowadays, there are so many products of best food processor for me in the market and you are wondering to choose a best one.You have searched for best food processor for me in many merchants, compared about products prices & reviews before deciding to buy them.
You are in RIGHT PLACE.
Here are some of best sellings best food processor for me which we would like to recommend with high customer review ratings to guide you on quality & popularity of each items.
759 reviews analysed
1. Kenwood KAT 001 ME KAT001ME Kitchen Machine Attachment, Aluminum
Do you own a Titanium, Classic or Premier kitchen machine? The Chef Twist To Bar adapter allows you to use our newer Twist attachments with your food mixer, without having to replace your machine. The adapter easily attaches to the slow speed outlet, so you have full flexibility to create a whole range of delicious dishes and treats using one machine. Features
-Colour of product: Aluminium
-Housing material: Metal
-Compatibility: Kenwood Chef
2. TCBunny Baby Food Maker Processor | 7 in 1 Meal Station with Steam Cooker, Blender, Chopper, Defroster, Reheater, Disinfector, Auto Cleaning Function, 20 Oz Tritan Stirring Cup, White
- 7 Powerful Functions in One Cup – With steaming, stirring, manual chopping, cleaning, disinfect plus warming milk and defrost, TCBunny baby organic food maker enables you to prepare nutritious homemade meals, all in the same cup.
- ·From Pureed to Chunky – From very finely blended fruit and vegetables to combining ingredients of meat, fish and pulses and finally offering chunkier textures. We offer weaning advice, along with tasty, fresh cooked recipes to help your baby set good, lifelong eating habits.
- ·Auto Cleaning – TCBunny Food Processor is designed with convenience and practicality in mind. Only press one button on the Digital Display panel, the machine will be self clean. The cup and blade are dishwasher safe as well, allowing you to cook with no worries about food sanitation every time.
- ·Large Capacity – The healthy baby food maker also helps you save precious time and plan ahead. The cup has a 20oz capacity, so you can cook up to three meals at one time. Serve one meal and store two in your fridge or freezer for later.
- ·Healthy & Safe – Health should always come first, TCBunny Baby Food Maker is designed with FDA approved materials. Besides, this innovative food processor features overheating protection and anti-dry function, safe and thoughtful for your baby and your family.
Digital Display Touchscreen
Boast an innovative design and digital display touch panel which allow the handling of the working bowl with only one hand. Easy to hold your baby while processing his food.
TIPS: The touchscreen will show E1 if the stirring cup or its cover are not in place.
A Variety of Using Options
It can be used for steaming and blending baby food, but it also has disinfection option. This appliance is loaded with features that make any parent a ‘pro’ in baby food preparation.
No Harm to Little Angel
The stirring cup is made from 100% baby-safe and 0% BPA material, Phthalate and Lead Free, FDA Approved.
Every mom or dad loves auto cleaning. Just press one button, and the machine will do the rest. The cup and blade are dishwasher safe, allowing you to cook with clean steam, every time.
Stainless Steel Water Tank
Using stainless steel rather than plastic results in a more durable water tank. Besides, it will last longer than a plastic one, and is also safer for the health of the baby.
Plug: US standard plug
Heating Power: 300W
Stirring Power: 130W
Rated Voltage: 120V~ 60Hz
Product Size: 11.6” × 5.5” × 10.2”
3. Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder, 2 Pack, Blue/Green
4. Chef’sChoice 615A Electric Meat Slicer Features Precision Thickness Control and Tilted Food Carriage for Fast and Efficient Slicing with Removable Blade for Easy Clean 7" Stainless Steel
- Versatile, rugged slicer featuring all structural components of cast aluminum and stainless steel
- Multi-purpose 7-inch stainless steel blade slices a wide variety of foods from deli thin to 3/4-inch thick slices
- Easy clean design – blade, food carriage, food pusher, food deflector and thickness guide plate all remove easily for cleaning
- Special button secures food carriage in lock position to limit access to blade when unit is not in use
- Length : 15-1/2 inches, Width : 10-3/8 inches, Height : 11 inches
- 1-year limited warranty
- Power – 120W, . Use only on three prong grounded 120V 60 Hz outlet
Handsomely styled and engineered for power, efficiency and smooth operation, the 615A will help to quickly and easily bring your Harvest from field to the table. It’s the perfect solution for outdoor enthusiasts who want to slice their own game, make homemade beef jerky or slice a wide variety of foods including vegetables, breads and cheese. Rugged, yet sophisticated, the 615’s key components are constructed of cast aluminum and stainless steel. It boasts an impressive 120 watts power rating and is engineered with a cool running, high torque motor and reliable smooth gear drive for continuous slicing operation.
5. green sprouts Fresh Baby Food Mill | Easily purees food for baby | Seperates seeds & skins from puree, Compact size, No batteries or electricity needed, Dishwasher safe
Baby can enjoy whole, fresh, and balanced purees with the Fresh Baby Food Mill. Parents can easily and conveniently make homemade baby food in small batches at home, or on the go. It separates seeds and skins from the puree without a lot of cooking preparation. The Fresh Baby Food Mill is compact in size, and no batteries or electricity are needed!”
From the Manufacturer
NEW. BPA free. Make fresh, home make purees for baby from fruits and steamed veggies with our simple hand-operated Baby Food Mill. Separates seeds and skins from puree. No batteries or electricity necessary. Polypropylene with stainless steel strainer. Dishwasher safe.
6. ChooMee SnakPack Reusable Food Pouch | 8 Pack ($2.25 ea) 5 oz | Premium Double Zipper
- Fun and colorful Fresh Squad character set | Holds 5 oz | Easy to hold patented shape
- Hygienic design | Soft and durable material | No-Leak double lock zipper | Includes child safe caps
- Easy-fill and clean through wide bottom zipper opening | Top rack Dishwasher and Freezer safe
- Short plastic spout design | SoftSip valve top (sold separately) fully covers hard spout
- BPA, PVC, Lead and Phthalate Free. Meets and exceeds US and European Test Standards
7. Breville BES840XL/A the Infuser Espresso Machine
- Pre-infusion function applies low water pressure at the start of the extraction to gently expand grinds for an even extraction; Water Tank Capacity: 61 oz
- 1600w thermocoil heating system with integrated stainless steel water coil accurately controls water temperature. Settings : Single or Double Shot Volumetric Control & Manual Over-ride. Dimensions : 13.7 x 11.5 x 13.2 inches
- Auto purge function automatically adjusts water temperature after steam for optimal espresso extraction temperature.15 bar Italian pump provides complete volumetric control – preset, manual over-ride or re-programmable volumes
- Accessories: single & dual wall filter baskets, coffee scoop, stainless steel jug, cleaning disc & tablets, cleaning tool, water filter with holder. Please note: There is a “Black Plastic” insert inside the stainless steel bowl of the portafilter, this is meant to reduce heat loss experienced when espresso hits cold metal also prevents any “splashing” from the dual wall pressurized filter baskets
- PID temperature control that delivers water at precisely the right temperature adjustable in 2 degree Celsius increments. Voltage-220 – 240 Volts. Power-1700 Watts
Why the Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso Machine?
For espresso with a well-balanced flavor, flavor needs to be drawn evenly from all the coffee grinds. What is the best way to prepare the grinds for an even extraction?
Rather than starting with bursts of high pressure, the Breville Infuser Espresso Machine starts with steady, low pressure to gently expand the grinds. This helps fills in any cracks, gaps, or irregularities in the coffee puck before full pressure is applied, so even pressure is applied to all parts of the coffee puck and optimal flavor is extracted.
The BES840XL has both automatic features, like temperature settings, and programmable features like volumetric control. The key features that set it apart from other espresso machines in its price range are the pre-infusion technology, the thermocoil heating system, and PID temperature control technology. See chart below for details.
Other helpful features include a cup warmer on the top of the machine and a feature that removes excess water from the filter basket after coffee extraction, so the used grounds form a dry puck for quicker cleanup. The machine goes into ‘Sleep Mode’ after 1 hour and automatically shuts off after 3 hours. There is extra-tall cup clearance for brewing directly into travel mugs.
Other touches include an ‘Empty Me!’ indicator that lets you know when the removable drip tray is full and a ‘Clean Me’ cleaning alert. The storage tray houses the included accessories. Lastly, all parts that come in contact with water and coffee are BPA free.
- The 61 fl. oz. (1.8 L) removable water tank is a top-fill tank with a handle. It has a replaceable water filter to reduce impurities and scale.
- The 1600W thermocoil heating system circulates the water through a heated coil, heating water ‘on demand’ for better temperature consistency. It also uses PID technology to regulate the temperature.
- A 54mm stainless steel portafilter with commercial style spouts and a 54mm tamper are also included for expert tamping control. The tamper is stored magnetically on the machine, but is easily removable for tamping.
- The dry puck feature removes excess water from the ground coffee in the filter basket for easy disposal of the coffee puck.
- The espresso pressure gauge helps you monitor espresso extraction pressure, so you know whether the espresso is being over- or under-extracted.
- The volumetric control functionlets you set shot volumes. Use either the preset volumes or manually over-ride them with your own preferences. Once you figure out what volumes you prefer, you can program it to remain at your customized setting.
- The dedicated outlet for instant hot water (for making Americanos, hot chocolate, and for warming cups).
- The steam wand is used for effortless milk frothing for making lattes and cappuccinos. It is made of stainless steel and swivels 360 degrees to accommodate different size frothing jugs.
- The auto purge function automatically adjusts the temperature of the water used for steaming milk and extracting espresso. The function automatically begins to cool the boiler to the optimal temperature for espresso extraction after using the steam wand.
- The removable drip tray is partitioned for both wet and dry spills, with an ‘Empty me!’ indicator for when it’s full.Breville Consumer Support is 1-866-273-8455
8. Blue Yeti USB Microphone – Silver
- Tri-capsule array – 3 condenser capsules can record almost any situation.
- Multiple pattern selection – cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional & stereo.
- Gain control, mute button, zero-latency headphone output.
- Perfect for vocals, musical instruments, podcasting, voiceovers, interviews, field recordings, conference calls.Signal to Noise: 100dB
- Compatible with Windows 10, Windows 8 (including 8.1), Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP (Home and Professional), and Mac OS X (10.4.11 or higher), and requires a minimum of 64 MB of RAM(remove existing and upload).
By our suggestions above, we hope that you can found Best Food Processor For Me for you.Please don’t forget to share your experience by comment in this post. Thank you!


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Heidi Press, Public Relations Specialist
St. Joseph Mercy Oakland
44405 Woodward Avenue
Pontiac, MI 48341
The Benefits of Laparoscopic Weight Loss Surgery
St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Joins Michigan Bariatric Institute For Free Educational Seminar On Bariatric Surgery
Program to Focus on Benefits of Laparoscopic Weight Loss Surgery
Pontiac, Mich.—St. Joseph Mercy Oakland (SJMO), in partnership with the Michigan Bariatric Institute (MBI), will host a free educational seminar focusing on bariatric surgery options at
6 p.m. Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at the hospital’s Franco Communications Center, 44405 Woodward Ave., Pontiac.
Entitled, “A Minimal Surgical Approach to Treating Obesity,” the seminar will feature an overview of the bariatric surgery program and the types of procedures it offers, as well as a question and answer session.
Speakers include general and bariatric surgeon Jacob Roberts, DO; and Paula Magid, MBI program director and former bariatric patient.
Surgeons at MBI are experienced in advanced laparoscopic surgical techniques, including laparoscopic gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and adjustable gastric banding. Laparoscopic bariatric surgery results in minimal pain, less scarring, shorter hospital stay and recovery time. Weight loss of about 70 percent of excess body weight can be anticipated within the first year and maintained.
Dr. Roberts is on the St. Joseph Mercy Oakland medical staff as a general and minimally invasive bariatric surgeon. He performs surgeries at SJMO and at St. Mary Mercy Livonia, both Saint Joseph Mercy Health System member hospitals.
Dr. Roberts received his medical degree at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and was chief resident at St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital, Oakland Center in Madison Heights, Mich. He completed his fellowship training at the Chicago Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery at Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, Ill. Dr. Roberts also is board certified in General Surgery.
The MBI program provides a comprehensive approach to the bariatric surgery experience, including:
Team of specially trained registered nurses, registered dieticians, behavioral specialists and exercise physiologists to assist the patient through the weight reduction process
Free educational seminars
Comprehensive pre-surgical classes
Post-surgical follow-up visits
Monthly support group
The public is welcome free of charge.
To register for the educational seminar or for more information, call 877-Why-Weight (877-949-9344).
About St. Joseph Mercy Oakland St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is a 443-bed comprehensive, community, teaching hospital and a long-time leader in health care in Oakland County. Founded in 1927 by the Sisters of Mercy, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland has won numerous local and national awards for patient safety, quality and performance, and consistently ranks in the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide. A member of the Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is a technologically leading hospital that combines advanced medicine and personal care to assist patients on their path to wellness. With dedicated physicians, nurses and hospital staff committed to providing quality care throughout the patient stay, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland has truly personalized the patient care experience.
About Saint Joseph Mercy Health System Saint Joseph Mercy Health System (SJMHS) is a newly expanded health care organization serving southeast Michigan. Health coverage spans six counties, including Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne. It includes 537-bed St. Joseph Mercy in Ann Arbor, 443-bed St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac, 304-bed St. Mary Mercy in Livonia, 136-bed St. Joseph Mercy Livingston in Howell, 119-bed St. Joseph Mercy Port Huron, 113-bed Chelsea Community Hospital and 74-bed St. Joseph Mercy Saline. Combined, the seven hospitals are licensed for 1,726 beds, have five outpatient health centers, six urgent care facilities, more than 25 specialty centers; employ more than 14,000 individuals and have a medical staff of nearly 2,700 physicians.
A member of Trinity Health, the nation’s fourth largest Catholic health care organization, SJMHS is committed to providing a remarkable patient experience by using leading edge technology in a comforting and healing environment. As a mission-based organization, Saint Joseph Mercy Health System provides approximately $100 million in community benefit to the communities it serves each year.


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Some musicians seem to have been born with Nashville style. Others have to cultivate one.
You can file keyboardist and songwriter Eddie Kilgallon in the latter category. "I'm a native New Yorker who moved to Nashville in '93," he says. "I had to get accustomed to some things, like putting cornbread in your beans. But a songwriter friend had invited me down, and as soon as I put on headphones in the studio and started playing, it was a life-changing moment. I knew I was moving to Nashville."
Some CeCe Winans albums feature up-tempo, radio-ready R&B tracks. Others, like her latest release, Throne Room, are straight-up gospel projects. But the way the Nashville-based singer sees it, both approaches come from the same place.
You may not have heard of Emil Richards, but you've definitely heard him. A lot.
Wth 1,800 film score to his scredit, Richards, 71, is in all likelihood the most recorded mallet player in history. He also boasts session credits with 750 recording artists, from Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland to George Harrison and Frank Zappa.
Twenty years ago, when MIDI was young and the airwaves percolated with the first generation of synth-pop hits, David Frank ruled the charts, both as a member of the hitmaking duo The System, and as a songwriter and arranger for such artists as Phil Collins, Robert Palmer, Chaka Khan, and others.
Sometimes you get it right the first time. Take the case of Hoobastank, a young California rock quartet who scored a major success with their self-titled 2001 debut. Their sound melded the dark aggression of such predecessors as Tool and Alice in Chains with a unique brand of radio-ready tunefulness. The result: The radio/video hits "Crawling in the Dark" and "Running Away."
Singer/songwriter Nikka Costa makes no bones about her affinity for the music of the decade in which she was born.
"When in doubt, go back to the '70s," she says. "There's no disputing the creative freedom of that era. There was so much going on in the world that inspired artists. Music was less about business and marketing. And the music was just plain better. There's still good music coming out today, but it's harder and harder to find."
Brett Tuggle is one of the most in-demand keyboardists in rock, with credits that include Stevie Nicks, David Lee Roth, Chris Isaak, Coverdale/Page, Steve Lukather, Joe Satriani, and Whitesnake - not to mention his current touring gig with the reunited Fleetwood Mac.
This was supposed to be No Doubt's year off.
"We'd decided to take some time apart after touring behind our last record, Rock Steady," explains band bassist Tony Kanal. "Being in a band together this long is like being married. We wanted to reenergize ourselves and get back together when we had something to say musically."
Michael McDonald is responsible for some of the most beloved songs of the last three decades. After leading the Doobie Brothers through the most successful phase of their career with hits like "Takin' it to the Streets," "What a Fool Believes," and "Minute by Minute," McDonald embarked on a distinguished solo career whose highlights include rousing duets with such R&B greats as James Ingram and Patti Labelle. His husky baritone voice and dramatic piano-based tunes remain one of the most iconic sounds in pop.
When Michael Herring was five years old, his violinist grandfather paid him a dollar a week to take guitar lessons.
It was a shrewd investment. Today Herring commands a substantially higher weekly wage when he tours with the likes of Christina Aguilera, Anastacia, and Prince or adds guitar tracks to discs by NAS, Dru Hill, Mariah Carey and others.

domain: entertainment


From healthcare, education, manufacturing and industrial facilities large or small. Master Door Technologies team of professionals are capable of handing your facilities door maintenance.
Professional service and installation of commercial doors systems...from wood, hollow metal, aluminum or composite. Architectural hardware, locksmith services, and more...
Service & repair of all manufactures power door automation equipment. Both ANSI 156.19 ADA access power assist / low energy and ANSI 156.10 Power Operated Pedestrian. Our expert staff can perform AAADM inspections, preventative maintenance, repair or replacement of your facilities power operated openings.
Performing Locksmith services for most manufactures key systems. From creating new Master Key systems to expanding existing systems, large or small. Our expert Locksmith's will collaborate with you and your systems manufacturer to maintain your facilities key system.
Division 8 material supply subcontracting, supply with installation or installation of General Contractor supplied materials. Our expert sales and project management staff will work closely with you to reduce the issues frequently associated to your Division 8 section of you project.


Implement energy saving technology on Government installations using current ideas & technology to generate an energy surplus which can be donated to impoverished area or public education institutes, such as wind generation units, solar power generation plants, rain barrels for water reclamation, bio-diverse recycling for energy generation
Generate an Executive order mandating all Federal Agencies to establish Telework policies guaranteeing minimum 2 days a week to all qualified employees. This will reduce traffic, pollution, infrastructure, and agency energy overhead costs.
During snow/weather emergencies, mandatory Telework should be implemented.
Reduce the number of desktop computers and networking infrastructure that cost ever increasing amounts to service and protect. Replace networked computers where possible with cheaper handhelds and netbooks with no loss of productivity.
Consolidate all telecommunications in the Defense Information Systems Agency. The Military Departments and Defense Agencies have duplicate systems that overlap. We move the circuits and services to the DISN, turn off the duplicative circuits, and reduce overseas telecommunications staffs.
Frequently an organization’s end of the year leftover funds are spent, many times frivolously, to justify next year’s budget. Instead of penalizing an organization with left over funds, reward and allow them to maintain the same budget.
I suggest that contractors be made to foot the bill for mistakes and or goof up when working for government agencies. Contractors given the contract to renovate the main campus has evidently done something wrong and it appears that it will cost the agency lots of money and is inconvencing employees. What ever the cost, I believe the contractor should absorb the damages and not come out of agency funds.
I suggest you provide buses that will pick and drop employees to and from work and then eliminate transportation allowances
I suggest you reduce some of the too many lights in the Embassy compound to save energy and cut electricity bills


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QuakeCon 2021 is almost here, and now the schedule of events has been released by Bethesda. Day 1 will feature a series of signature panels with Bethesda developers discussing what’s new, what’s upcoming, and looking back at some of the biggest games for their anniversaries, Quake and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Day 2 and Day 3 will feature a variety of fun panels from around the world with charities, community, guest stars and more as we celebrate the games and activities that make QuakeCon, QuakeCon. Streaming Schedule More details about each of the panels, including full panel descriptions, can … Continue reading QuakeCon 2021 Releases Streaming Schedule
DOOM 3: VR Edition is available today for PlayStation VR. Developed by Archiact in collaboration with id Software, DOOM 3: VR Edition transforms the action-horror shooter into a white-knuckle VR experience. Complete and Enhanced DOOM 3 Experience Featuring both DOOM 3 and its expansions – Resurrection of Evil and The Lost Mission – DOOM 3: VR Edition retools id Software’s classic shooter for PSVR technology. Uncover the truth behind the UAC’s dark experiments, fight unholy creatures in terrifying environments and wield an arsenal of iconic weaponry with new textures, shaders and sound effects as you survive against the forces of … Continue reading DOOM 3 Goes Virtual Reality on PlayStation
The details of the next chapter of DOOM Eternal were revealed today during Gamescom Opening Night Live. DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods, Part One – releasing October 20, 2020 – is a new single-player expansion to the award-winning and critically acclaimed entry to the DOOM franchise. The first of a two-part story expansion for DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods, Part One casts players once again as the DOOM Slayer to confront an ancient evil awoken from an imbalance in the heavens. Ripping and tearing through never-before-seen locations in the DOOM universe, players will face off against fierce new demons and … Continue reading New DOOM Eternal Chapters Revealed
The first official update for DOOM Eternal is here! With it comes Empowered Demons, the Precious Metals Event, single-player campaign updates, BATTLEMODE changes and much more. Empowered Demons – Avenge fallen Slayers by killing empowered variants of demons that took those players out. These demons offer a greater challenge and provide large amounts of resources and bonus event XP when defeated. Precious Metals Event – Today kicks off the latest event in DOOM Eternal, dubbed Precious Metals, offering shiny new cosmetics to work toward including the MC Pain Master Collection! Players can simply hop into BATTLEMODE, Campaign, or complete weekly … Continue reading DOOM Eternal Gets First Major Update
In RAGE 2’s second expansion, players will explore the twisted and cursed alternate reality of the wasteland, the Deadlands, when RAGE 2: TerrorMania releases on November 14 for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Check out our full review of Rage 2! Reverse the curse before the skeletal forces of darkness can break free and take over the land of the living. Sounds easy enough. Players will arm themselves with a brand-new weapon – a powerful sword that’s also the key to unlocking the gates between realities (but mostly it’s a sword) – and face off against a legion of … Continue reading Rage 2 Expands with TerrorMania
This year’s QuakeCon will continue it’s legacy of giving as the American Red Cross, Dallas Pets Alive!, 1UpOnCancer, Anime for Humanity, Stack Up, and Gamers Outreach will have a presence at the show, providing attendees with several opportunities to donate, support, and give to help others.
Following up on the original Rage game, Rage 2 does everything a little bit bigger and a lot better. This is one crazy open world post-apocalyptic adventure, with lots of variety in the various forms of melee, ranged and vehicular combat.
Todd goes crazy playing Rage 2 this week. His review of the game is not quite ready, but he was bursting to let you know how this one is playing so far. We’ve even got a 30 minute movie of an extended firefight, cumulating in an epic convoy assault.
When you’re about to get your head sliced in half by the glowing, wrist-mounted fishhook blade of a giant, old, cyborg man, you tend to reflect on the journey that brought you to that very moment. Relatable, right? Once you check out the launch trailer for RAGE 2, you’ll understand. RAGE 2 launches next week on May 14, 2019 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Check out the official RAGE 2 site at bethesda.net/en/game/rage2 to pre-order and to learn more about what kind of crazy things players can do when they take over the mantle of “Wasteland Superhero.” Publishers: … Continue reading Rage 2 Gets Official Launch Trailer
What is RAGE 2? The developers at Avalanche Studios and id Software had a hard time putting it into words. So they made an insane trailer to do the talking for them. RAGE 2 launches on May 14, 2019 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Publishers: Bethesda Developers: Avalanche Studios, id Software Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One


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Hedin v. Amedisys Holding, L.L.C. et al
Minute ORDER denying without prejudice 23 Motion to Allow Amended Complaint And Jury Demand. By Magistrate Judge Kristen L. Mix on 4/18/2014.(klyon, )
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO
Civil Action No. 13-cv-02150-REB-KLM
AMEDISYS HOLDING, L.L.C., and
AMEDISYS WESTERN, L.L.C.,
ENTERED BY MAGISTRATE JUDGE KRISTEN L. MIX
This matter is before the Court on Plaintiff’s Motion to Allow Amended Complaint
And Jury Demand [#23] (the “Motion”). The parties are obligated to read, understand, and
comply with all Local Rules of this Court. D.C.COLO.LCivR 15.1(b) requires, among other
things, that “[a] party who files an opposed motion for leave to amend a pleading [ ] attach
as an exhibit a copy of the proposed amended pleading which strikes through . . . the text
to be deleted and underlines . . . the text to be added.” The proposed Amended Complaint
[#23-2] attached to the Motion does not comply with Local Rule 15.1(b). Accordingly,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Motion [#23] is DENIED without prejudice.
Dated: April 18, 2014
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.
Why Is My Information Online?


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Beyond the Wall
My fascination with looking through windows to discover the story of people living behind the walls leads me to create this collection. Doors and windows are the frames that define the space that you might not be allowed to trespass into, but you can observe it from far away and develop the imagination; It is an aperture that lets me create my imaginary stories behind the solid walls.
On the other hand, the way I present my stories is somewhat inspired form the Iranian miniature style. Iranian miniature has no three-dimensional structure; yet, you can see both inside and outside of the structure simultaneously. You can see the stories in my paintings beyond the doors and windows. The simple and overlooked mundane moments will turn into memories at a glance.

domain: design


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Hey everyone, after a lot of deliberating I finally decided I'd like to start selling prints of my costumes!
Currently I have four different posters in glossy, high quality, 11x17" available for preorder for 10$ each! Shipping is $5.00 in the USA for the first poster, and only .50 after that! I also ship international! I'll be adding more designs later on, if there's an image you're particularly interested in let me know and I'll see if I can make it available for you (although it will be pricier).
(ﾉ´∀｀*)ﾉ Check out here!!!!


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Metal Gear Solid HD Collection has been announced for PlayStation Vita.
Konami's compilation will bring enhanced versions of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater to the Sony handheld.
The collection was previously released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with PSP original Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker bundled in alongside the two games.
"The PlayStation Vita system will provide fans with an exciting new way to enjoy the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection," said Martin Schneider, general manager for Konami Digital.
"We're confident that users will be pleased with the new innovations Kojima Productions have implemented with the new PlayStation Vita iterations, offering a truly unique experience for this exciting new format."
Both games included in the pack will feature improved graphics, trophy support and controls optimised for the PS Vita hardware. Players will also be able to transfer data between the console and a PS3.
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection will be released for PS Vita this summer.
Watch a trailer for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Metal Gear Solid HD Collection below:

domain: news


Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease or ASCVD, is characterized by the accumulation of plaque within arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. It's the top cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In this video, Dr. Dan Duncanson, an Internal Medicine physician at SIMEDHealth, explores ASCVD, the utilization of a cardiac risk calculator and how it provides insights on enhancing one’s heart disease risk assessment. For questions about ASCVD or your risk score, consult your SIMEDHealth primary care provider.
If you're unable to view the video, watch on YouTube.


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Yampa Valley Farms’ Josh Kilbane is feeling a little last minute pressure. Today he will deliver 600lbs of his pasture raised pork shoulder to Steamboat’s base area, the main ingredient for the town’s first ever Savor Steamboat chefs’ cook off.
A new venture, Yampa Valley Farms is the partnership between a land owner and a visionary with a passion for sustainable farming. Raised on a ranch in Montrose Kilbane spent his 20’s back packing around the US, Canada and Mexico working on farms in exchange for lodging and knowledge.
In 2010 Josh, English born wife Kristy and daughter Esme found themselves in Steamboat and decided to stay. Fast forward to December 2012 and Yampa Valley Farms began, on a diversely vegetated ranch at the foot of Sleeping Giant.
Timing is everything for any business, and for the Kilbane’s theirs’ is perfect. Around the country consumers are far more conscious about the source of the food they buy. Steamboat is no exception, with a surge of local producers popping up all over the valley. Farming at altitude with a growing season of 59 days is no easy task.
Luckily there are a handful of hardy souls on a mission to fill our fridges with locally grown delights. If you are here visiting sourcing such delectable bounty is relatively simple. Every Saturday through summer, the courthouse lawn (off Lincoln Ave), houses the Farmers Market where you can find everything from fresh bread to jerky and homemade BBQ sauce. Sweet Pea on Yampa carries a great selection of local meats and veggies open 7 days a week. Bamboo Market and Natural Grocers, both downtown boast a wide selection of Colorado products. Visit Bamboo Market on certain Monday mornings (every alternate), and you may be lucky enough to pick up fresh eggs and raw milk brought in from Fort Collins.
If you’d rather skip cooking, head to Creekside Café for breakfast and order the Local Yokel – everything from the bread to the sausage came to the plate within 15 miles. At the end of the day spend an evening by the river sampling local fare at Sweet Pea, where everything you eat comes with an address, (literally).
This weekend has a little something extra. Kicking off the summer for the first time on the culinary calendar is Savor Steamboat. Nine local chefs will work their magic using Josh’s pork in a cook off. Kids have the chance to pet everything from a Llama to a lamb, grown-ups get a vodka bar, and everyone can boogie to the live music. Saturday June 15, 3-6pm. Free to visit, $20 for BBQ pork tasting and $40 for vodka and BBQ.


invented by Dean Klower
( Winner )
The mepBLITZ machine is a mobile electro-polisher that works quickly without the need for highly toxic chemicals.
About the Inventor
Dean Klower is 35, and is an electrician from Teven, about 10km west of the NSW mid-North coast town of Ballina. He has a background working with machines big and small, including time spent repairing coffee machines. He was a semi-professional football player in his day, and does a bit of coaching for the local Ballina men’s team from time to time.
For more information about mepBLITZ, contact the following:
Read what others have said or have your say.
When Dean realised that a bit of hand soreness could make his time on the tools limited, he decided to become an inventor. With a best mate and a brother who are fabricator/welders, he found himself looking into the tricky problem of post-weld finishing of stainless steel
Stainless steel will remain stainless only if it’s kept clean and shiny – free of pits and scratches on a micro scale that interrupt the corrosion resistant surface and allow contaminants to build up. Some of the most difficult things to clean from stainless steel is the discolouration caused by the high heat of a weld or a laser. But … you HAVE to cut and weld stainless steel…so people use highly toxic chemicals or mechanical abrasion to clean the surface, which has implications for occupational safety, as well as for the quality of the final finish.
Stainless steel is an alloy made by combining different metals, typically iron, carbon, nickel and chromium (also molybdenum, and goodness knows what else). Chromium is the key ingredient in many ways (to qualify as ‘stainless’ an alloy must be 11.5% chromium by weight) but chiefly because the chromium creates a passive film of chromium oxide. Despite being on an invisibly ‘micro’ scale, this film makes the steel impervious to the corrosive effects of water and oxygen. Not only that, the film can reform if the surface is scratched. The phenomenon is called ‘passivation’.
Stainless steel is what the 20th century was built from. Although the concept of chromium-iron alloys being corrosion resistant was known or at least suspected as early as 1821, there were not metallurgic processes that would enable a stong alloy to be made until several were invented in the first decades of the 20th century (in Germany, the UK, the US).
Stainless steel is used to day for everything from surgical instruments to pipes, from cutlery to building, cookware and art. Useful? You bet. Recyclable? Absolutely.
However, stainless steel isn’t stain-proof, just resistant –and much moreso when it is polished. That reflective polished surface really just means that the surface (any surface, from a mirror to an apple) is so smooth that light rays bounce off it evenly.
If a stainless steel surface is damaged by heat (say, when it is welded), or becomes pitted or severely scratched, the chromium is depleted in that area and the chromium oxide layer doesn’t reform. The damaged area is then prone to corrode as iron in an oxygenated environment is prone to do.
Removing a layer discoloured by heat can be done in a couple of ways.
Mechanical abrasion removes the layer of discolouration and more than that: you end up spoiling the finish of a piece of work, and typically changing the direction of the grain (you can see the grain in the above image). This technique also creates many pits in the steel, which become a harbour for contaminating materials and bacteria.
Just to confuse the issue, ‘passivation’ is also used to describe a technique where oxidation ("rust") is encouraged on a steel surface, and then converted to a metalophosphate by using phosphoric acid or nitric acid and further protected by surface coating. This is only somewhat effective at reducing corrosion, and leaves the surface less than shiny. There are a range of methods that date back to the 19th century, and go by names like ‘browning’ or ‘blueing’. A 1912 passivation method was patented as ‘Parkerized’ steel.
Pickling is a process whereby an extremely powerful acid (hydrofluoric acid) is spread on the area and it eats into the metal over time. The person doing this work must wear very extensive personal protection equipment and have pills and gel on standby in case any gets on your skin. If this happens your skin can go yellow and it can even eat into your bones and your marrow, and cause hypocalcemia (which is as nasty as it sounds). It must be disposed of as a hazardous waste.
Its no wonder people take it seriously - in 1994 a technician at a university in WA was involved in an accident with hydrofluoric acid.
Whilst sitting at a fume cupboard processing mineral samples, a laboratory technician knocked approximately 100 mL of hydrofluoric acid onto his thighs. Immediate 10 % body burns ensued, despite rapid flushing with water and emergency hospitalisation. The following week his leg was amputated, however, the individual eventually succumbed to the toxic effects of the HF. He died 15 days after the accident.
And people are using this stuff everyday to make a nice, shiny, corrosion-resistant, stainless steel surface. Aside from that, the pickling process is quite a long and involved one, with a pre-treatment phase and an after-treatment phase, as well as treating the pickling paste waste. Further even are the results of electron microscopy showing pickling to leave an etched effect in the stainless steel, which is a long term contamination problem anyway.
However pickling can be done on site (in a fabrication shop) with the proper training, tools and emergency and protective equipment.
Disposal of the hydrofluoric acid is as challenging and thus expensive as you might suppose – and thus you can also expect that it is not being dispose of everywhere it is used in the correct manner.
The other option you have is something called electropolishing. Gather your grey matter now, because you’re in for a little lesson (if only I can work it out myself)
Electropolishing is a process whereby a metal is polished using electricity. That much you might have guessed, but would you have ever coonsidered that it is the reverse of elecroplating? Perhaps not, and let's not go there.
Classic electropolishing takes place in a big vat of electrolyte - an electrically conductive fluid that contains free ions. If you thought nothing was free, then you didn't consider these ions. Free ions are molecules that have gained or lost an electron, and hence has a positive or negative charge.
Anyway, so into your tub of electrolyte you place your piece of stained stainless steel, but you make good and sure that you've attached it to the positive terminal of a DC power supply first. This 'Anode' for want of a better term will allow oxidization to take place on the work piece, as long as the negative terminal (go ahead and call it a 'cathode' and see if anyone stops you) is dipped into the electrolyte solution as well. As current passes from the anode to the cathode, you get a reduction reaction at he cathode (strangely enough, this means that the electrons in the cathode are gaining ions) and an oxidizing reaction at the piece of stainless steel which dissolves a layer of the steel (most importantly, the bit that is
discoloured) into the electrolyte.
This process wears down the protruding parts of the metal surface faster then the rest of the surface, leaving you with a smoother, shinier surface less prone to building up contaminants. But it also allows for an chromium oxide layer to form, which gives stainless steel its stainless property.
Typically an electropolishing electrolyte will be a concentrated acid - mixtures of sulfuric and phosphoric acid for example are common.
The need for large tubs of electrolyte obviously means that electropolishing is a centralised service provided by specialists rather than something a fab shop can perform themselves. Mobile electropolishing units are really passivation units as they don’t result in the full electro-polished ‘mirror’ finish.
mepBLITz is a portable electropolishing system – and the only one that can back a claim that it does true electropolishing rather than passivation.
It restores a mirror finish to a stainless steel weld, which reclaims the material’s natural corrosion resistance. It is only for use on chromium stainless steel alloys.
The boxy part of the machine is chiefly a rectifier. A rectifier turns AC (alternating current – electricity that fluctuates back and forth and which our electricity girds are based upon as they reduce power lost during distribution – thanks Nikolas Tesla) into DC (direct current – electricity that flows in one direction only like the stuff you get from batteries … and rectifiers).
DC power flows along a 5M length of electrical cable to a handpiece, then into a 6cm brass electrode. This electrode is covered with a ‘boot’ which is a special material developed by the inventor made from nylon and teflon. It is extremely heat resistant.
This is an important point, because at peak the mepBLITz machine can run at 2400W (other machines claiming ‘electro-polishing’ are really only running at 900W, as so don’t deliver the full electro-polishing effect. They would be more properly described as passivators).
2400W is a lot of power to push through a brass electrode and hence it heats up. However, Dean has developed a novel liquid cooling system to keep the electrode from getting too hot.
This machine has two pumps: one feeds the electrolyte solution to the electrode, the other feeds a coolant solution to the electrode. The machine works by soaking electrode into the boot, and when that boot is brought into contact with the workpiece, the same reaction occurs that would occur in an electropolishing tub. The operator of the mepBLITz needs to wear a face mask and rubber gloves, and hold the workpiece with non-conductive clamps, and that’s about it.
The power is going in one direction only – into the workpiece. What happens on a micro scale is that the electricity and electrolyte draw a layer of iron from the metal, which makes the stainless steel surface more chromium rich.
The electrode gathers the iron as a loose material that can be wiped free. It tends to be wiped off on the inside of the boot by the action of the cleaning.
Their electrolyte is a special formulation of Dean’s as well – by reducing the amount of phosphoric acid and by including citric acid, the electrolyte is much safer to use than classic passivation acids, or electro-polishing electolytes. It isn’t quite environmentally friendly (they’re doing some research into the claims they could make about environmental impacts of the machine, but they’re too early to make claims), but its less harmful than other stainless steel polishing systems and techniques.
The amount electrolyte uses is dependent on the surface area of the weld. They say 5 litres is enough for 15 hours continuous polishing.
When the machine is electro-polishing, the power that runs through the electrode is a factor of the amount of stainless steel surface area your are bringing in contact with the electrode, and how much electrolyte you are using. The handpiece has a 0-60 scale digital readout that that shows you this – where 0 is obviously zero power, and 60 is the cut off point where the machine will perform a safety short, and need to be reset. The optimum number for polishing is 25.
The electrolyte solution can be either pumped automatically to the boot at a level pre-set by the operator, or can be controlled manually by a button on the handpiece.
As electro-polishing is being done, the electrolyte solution covers the workpiece, and if the electrode is held in place for a period of time, the more profound is the polish. A little steam is given off in the first place, and the longer the electrode is held in place, the citric acid solution begins to burn off, then finally the phosphoric acid. If this happens the boot will go ‘meta’ (a term these guys are using) and harden to a point where it no longer functions.
In these circumstances you can either throw the boot in a bucket of water overnight, or you can put it into the ‘kettle’ at the side of the machine. This kettle heats up water to speed up the time the boot can be returned to optimum function from over night to 45 seconds.
However, the machine is sold with 40 boots. They’re thinking of not including the ‘kettle’ in future versions of the machine, as it’s expensive to add on, the clients they’ve got using the system rarely bring a boot to ‘meta’ anyway, and when they do they chuck it in a bucket of water rather than wait the 45secs. They throw a new boot on the machine.
The mepBLITz machine runs at 2400W peak power, current machines only run up to 900W maximum. The reason is that running them with more power would make them hotter, and would then burn off the electrolyte solution.
However, the MepBLITz runs cooler – it uses a coolant like you use in your car engine to reduce the heat at the cathode. This, along with a special heat-resistant material (teflon/nylon) ‘boot’ that holds the electrolyte, means the machine can run more powerfully, meaning faster cleaning time. It can also work straight on a fresh weld, resisting the heat in the weld. This means again a faster cleaning process, as other machines can’t cope with the heat of a fresh weld. However they do require some heat in the workpiece to make the electropolishing technique work, which would ordinarily come from the electropolishing machine, adding to the time it takes to clean a weld.
The coolant is a special mix that Dean has developed for this machine.
The mepBLITz comes with the ability to change the shape of the electrode by fitting a different shaped piece of electrode to the end of the basic electrode. This will increase the flexibility of where you can polish. These electrodes need to use a specially shaped boot, and also a different ‘dipping’ electrolyte solution with a higher phosphoric acid content. This is because the machine is no longer controlling the electrolyte going to the boot.
They’ve also developed a phosphoric acid neutralising spray that comes with the machine.
In the future they hope to develop a ‘drag through’ boot and electrolyte tool for use on longer lengths of pipe (similar to a ‘pull through’ you use to clean a wind instrument like a clarinet, or a firearm like a rifle).
The machine weighs thirteen kilos. It can be plugged into a domestic single-phase power point, or used on site from a generator. The photo below shows you the front of the machine with all the bits and pieces labelled.
What is special about the mepBLITZ is that by bringing more power, more heat-resistant boots and a cooled electrode to a workpiece it can be properly electro-polished to a mirror shine very fast. Eight times faster than you could currently do it any otherstainless steel welding machines.
It can also clean on a hot weld, right after it’s been completed.
It’s also safer to use.
A video of the machine in action can be seen at the website www.metalscience.com.au
The Metal Science mepBLITz has received a COMET grant to exploit their technology.
Quote of the Week
"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones." - musical innovator John Cage


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Cgaxis Models Volume.044 Street Equipment II Vray 3ds max
The third series of Cgaxis, City & Street Objects includes a set of ready-made objects of 30 highly detailed 3D models.
CGAxis Models Volume 44 – Street Equipment II is a collection contains 30 highly detailed 3D models.Ready to use in your 3d Architectural Projects, Game design and,virtual reality and more …
Types of bike park racks, fountain, bench, sidewalk, recycle bin, street lamps, street lamps, traffic lights, traffic lights, bus stop, tunnel object; roadside guard object, station object Bus, Traffic Sign Object, Street Flooring (Disabled Crossing), Three-Dimensional Gas Station Model, Different Street and Four-Way Objects, Rail Guard and Railway Crossing Objects, Overpass Objects, Design Seats And meeting places and groups of people and…
The 3ds max files of this package were extremely lightweight and optimized, and all of the objects with the required material and textures can be downloaded in the following zip file.
- Total size: 215 MB
- Materials & Textures : Yes
- Instant download with high speed : Yes
- File Format : only (3ds max + v-ray)
Download Cgaxis Models Volume.044 Street Equipment II


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Kristine Schanbacher, an associate in the Omaha office, recently was appointed to the City of Omaha’s new police Citizen Review Board. Schanbacher was selected by Mayor Jean Stothert out of more than 160 applications.
The board was created in January 2014 to build trust between residents and the Omaha Police Department. The appointees will review internal police investigations and annual data to provide recommendations to the mayor and the police chief.
The board includes five representatives from each of the city’s four police precincts and one at-large member. Schanbacher will serve as the southwest precinct representative.
Schanbacher is a member of Kutak Rock’s litigation department. She focuses her practice on insurance coverage, claim valuation and contractual indemnity matters. In addition to her insurance litigation experience, Schanbacher has represented clients in general commercial disputes involving breach of contract, trademark infringement and patent infringement