Wizards of Money Part 13: Bankruptcy Bill’s Shoot-Out At The Social Safety Net
by Smithy/Unwelcome Guests

View Transcript

Part Summary: In this the thirteenth chapter of Wizards, we are going to take a look at another Chapter 13 … and a Chapter 7 and a Chapter 11 – these chapters are some of the main ways under federal law to file for Bankruptcy. Importantly we will look at the strong relationship between the non-stop credit offers we find stuffing our mailbox, e-mail and voicemail everyday, the innovative financial Wizardry behind such offers and the rapid rise in personal bankruptcies. We’ll examine who does file for bankruptcy and what causes them to go bankrupt. Then we’ll look at the new Dream Bill of the Credit Card and Banking Industries – called “Bankruptcy Bill” – that looks set to pass into law soon. Bankruptcy Bill is aimed at thwarting people’s attempts to be caught in that final, last-resort, safety net, known as the bankruptcy court. To help us understand both the credit offer onslaught and the salient features of Bankruptcy Bill we’ll talk to Margaret Howard, a Law Professor at Washington and Lee University, and visiting scholar at the American Bankruptcy Institute.

Series Summary: The Wizards of Money is an educational series that questions the validity of the global monetary system. Listen and discover amazing facts about the world-wide debt system we’ve all been enslaved by, and how this system produces economic disparity and the massive poverty conditions in which most people find themselves today.

About the Host: Smithy has degrees in mathematics and economics. She works as a consultant calculating investment risk for financial institutions, therefore she does not reveal her real name.

Audio/Transcripts hosted online at http://www.antiscia.com/wizardsofmoney/

Roth Audio ALFiE Integrated 2.1 Speaker System with DVD, CD, and iPod Dock (Black/Silver) Review

Check Price Now!

Not being an extreme audiophile, I was slightly apprehensive about how this system would perform and if it would match up to our old multi-component system. So far so good! Plus the ability to use it as our primary DVD player is a nice added bonus.

We are using as the main stereo in our living room (medium size room in an apartment) and it is sufficient. The iPod dock works great with our “old” iPod mini. The CD/DVD function works well as does the Video Out (using old RCA composite port not component; we have an old TV), Aux in, and FM tuner. The AM tuner has not been that good- there is an audible hissing sound even with the “Talk” feature on the remote enabled (though that feature does improve it a bit). So other than the AM tuner, we have been pleased, and didn’t have to spend an arm an leg as with the Bose stuff…

Finally, I have to admit the system is quite cute and cuddly while being slick. Alfie is our friend.

Cheers.

Roth Audio ALFiE Integrated 2.1 Speaker System with DVD, CD, and iPod Dock (Black/Silver) Feature

• Compatibility: iPod 4G, 5G, 5.5G, 6G; iPod mini; iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G; iPod touch
• All-in-one audio/video unit with integrated 2.1 speaker configuration; touch-sensitive controls on unit with fully functional remote control
• Built-in iPod dock; slot-fed drive plays DVD, CD-DA, Video CD, DVCD, CDR, CD/RW, and MP3
• Aux-in supports an external MP3 source; FM/AM radio with digital clock with dual alarm
• Two front-firing speakers with one down-driving subwoofer with bass enhancement and tone controls

Roth Audio ALFiE Integrated 2.1 Speaker System with DVD, CD, and iPod Dock (Black/Silver) Overview

for all docking iPods, including 120GB iPod classic, second generation iPod touch, and curved screen iPod nano * compatible with iPhone and iPhone 3G * plays audio CDs, CD-DAs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, and MP3 CDs * plays DVDs, Video CDs, and DVCDs * stereo AM/FM digital tuner * 2-1/2″ stereo speakers plus down-firing 4-1/16″ woofer for lows * 40 watts total power (10 watts x 2 + 20 watts for woofer) *

Roth Audio ALFiE Integrated 2.1 Speaker System with DVD, CD, and iPod Dock (Black/Silver) Specifications

Amazon.com Product Description Roth Audio was born out of a wish to create better audio systems, getting to the heart of music reproduction and performance. Roth believes that these two aspects are inseparable, which is why Roth Audio designs and manufactures devices for listening to, and playing, music. Welcome the ALFiE the newest product from Roth Audio, which now embraces the video world.

The Roth ALFiE is an iPod Audio System, DVD player, CD player, and FM/AM radio with alarm clock and full-function remote control. (Click image to view larger.)

ALFiE’s selection of video outputs provide sharp images, while the 2.1 sound engine backs up the pictures with thrilling movie sonics.

Features include a DVD/CD slot with DVD, DVD+/-R, CD, CD-R/RW, and MP3 playback; an AM/FM radio with digital tuning; and a dual alarm.

The ALFiE features a DVD/CD slot that has DVD, DVD-R, DVD+R, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3 playback. An iPod dock is featured at the back of the unit and can be closed when not in use. The ALFiE also features an AM/FM radio with digital tuning as well a dual alarm in which you can toggle between waking up to the radio or your tunes from your iPod. Touch-sensitive controls are found on the top of the unit, which can manipulate basic functioning. And a fully functional remote control takes care of the intricate features available on the ALFiE.

The Roth Audio ALFiE features a high-quality audio setup with a 2.1 amplifier and speaker combination. The ALFiE 2.1 speaker setup provides two front-firing speaker as well as a down-firing subwoofer that can be found underneath and in the belly of the unit. Powering a total combined power of 40 watts, the ALFiE will be sure to provide ample sound throughout the room. A rear port is found on the back of the unit to enhance the bass response and give a rich, beautiful sound throughout the room.

The ALFiE is meant to be a standalone unit, whether it’s in the office, bedroom, or wherever your heart desires. The ALFiE can relay your iPod videos and DVDs to your desired TV while providing unmatched clarity during your listening experience. The ALFiE can accommodate any TV with composite, S-Video, and Component outputs to send the image to your TV. You also can swiftly hook up a pair of headphones to the mini-jack, found at the rear of the unit, for a more intimate experience.

What’s in the Box
Roth Audio ALFiE, AM and FM antenna, remote control, and power cord.

Roth Audio ALFIE

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 23, 2009 13:45:04

HP MediaSmart Server EX495

I’ve been experimenting with creating my own Fluxbox “styles” (desktop themes) lately, and this provides me with an excuse to launch a new regular feature here at E7P: My Eee Desktop. Every month around this time, I’ll try and post a screenshot of how the desktop on my 701 looks—I do tend to ‘tinker’ around with how it looks, so hopefully there will be the odd change or two to show off!

I actually have two Fluxbox themes I’ve been working on, but will save one for next month (for reasons which should become clearer then). In the meantime, then, here is My Eee Desktop for November 2009:

Eee 701 desktop, showing 'IT Crowd' Fluxbox theme

This is showing my own “IT Crowd” theme, for which I used a deliberately chunky system font (note the menu, toolbar and window title bar), in keeping with the “IT geek ” theme of the show.

The system stats in the top-left of the desktop, are displayed via conky. The version of the app in the Xandros/Eee repositories is positively prehistoric (1.4.4, dating from November 2006!), so I may end up compiling my own executable of the latest version, if I find myself with nothing else to do sometime…

The top-right “stack” is a collection of “dockapps”, displaying in the Fluxbox “slit”. From the top down, they are:

• wmbubble – monitors CPU activity and memory usage levels
• wmnd – network activity monitor
• wmwave – wireless network stats display
• wmifinfo – shows various stats regarding current network connection(s)
• wmweather+ – weather applet, including satellite photo (not shown)
• wmfishtime – animated analogue clock and calendar

I’ll post another screenshot of my desktop next month. In the meantime, if you’d like further information on how this was set up, configured, etc., please let me know via the comments box below.

Ever since the Garmin Nuvi 880 was announced at CES 2008, we’ve been excited to get our hands on this portable navigation system. Given the good track record of the other Nuvi series devices, we expected more of the same, solid feature list and good performance. However, we were most looking forward to taking its speech recognition capabilities out for a test drive. To be honest, we were a bit weary since we’ve tried other such-equipped GPS devices, including the Magellan Maestro 4250 and the TomTom GO 930, and while they worked, there weren’t the most accurate and the capabilities were limited. This isn’t so with the Nuvi 880. We were blown away at the accuracy of the speech recognition, the range of features you can use it with, and its overall ease of use. This, in combination with the navigation offerings, sleek design, and solid performance, makes it worthy of our Editors’ Choice award. The only downfall is that you’re going to pay for these features. The Garmin Nuvi 880 has a price tag of $ 1,071.41, but you can probably find it for a bit less online.

Design
Like the rest of the Nuvi series, the Garmin Nuvi 880 is sleek, compact, and simple. It measures 4.9 inches wide by 3.1 inches high by 0.7 inch deep and weighs 6.2 ounces for easy portability between vehicles. The small size also comes in handy when using the it outside of the car as an entertainment device or travel aid, since the Nuvi comes loaded with games and travel tools.

Another benefit is the Nuvi 880’s spacious 4.3-inch touch screen. With a 480×272-pixel resolution, the display is bright and easy to read, whether you’re reading maps or using the other features. You can adjust the screen’s brightness and there’s an automatic mode that switches the map colors for optimal viewing during the day or night. The touch screen was responsive to our commands, and the onscreen keyboard is available in QWERTY or ABC format. The keyboard is on the small side, so users with larger fingers might have some problems. The good news is that it has predictive text, so it will automatically pull up possible search results as soon as you start inputting a couple of letters.

The user interface and software is intuitive. All the icons and menus are clearly marked, and we found that you could pretty much figure out the basic operations just by playing with the device. However, for some advanced tasks such as planning a multidestination trip or setting up Bluetooth, you might want to consult the user manual.

On the left spine, you will find a 3.5mm headphone jack, a microSD expansion slot, and a mini USB port. There’s a power button on top, and the bottom of the unit holds an external antenna jack and power/cradle connector.

The Garmin Nuvi 880 comes packaged with a vehicle mount (windshield and dash), a car charger, a USB cable, a speech recognition remote control, and reference material. The vehicle mount is simple to install and attach, and it securely held the Nuvi 880 in our road tests. We found it interesting that there is a separate remote control for the speech recognition capabilities. On other systems with this technology, it is simply built into the device. The control consists of on and off buttons to activate the feature, and a rubber strap so you can attach it to some place in your car, such as the steering wheel. It’s a bit of an eyesore, but we’re willing to overlook this minor inconvenience since the accuracy of the speech recognition capabilities are the best we’ve seen to date (see Performance for more).

Features
The Garmin Nuvi 880 comes preloaded with City Navigator NT maps of North America and millions of points of interest. Perhaps the biggest highlight, though, is its speech recognition capabilities. We’ve seen this technology in other systems, such as the Magellan Maestro 4250 and TomTom GO 930, but the Nuvi 880 is the most impressive with the breadth of its capabilities and accuracy. In all, you can use voice commands to perform 30 functions, including entering addresses, adjusting the system volume, activating the hands-free speaker system, playing/stopping the music player, viewing the trip computer, and accessing MSN Direct services.

To start planning a trip, whether by using your voice or the touch screen, you can enter a specific address, choose a POI, or select a location from the Recently Found or Favorites list. The Nuvi 880 can store up to 500 favorites/locations. In addition, it supports multidestination trips and you can add waypoints on the fly. You have your choice of three route preferences (faster time, shorter distance, or off-road) and three usage modes (automobile, bicycle, or pedestrian). You can avoid certain road types if you choose, such as toll roads and highways. There’s also a detour function if you want to avoid a certain part of the given route and if you happen to get off track, the Nuvi 880 can do automatic route recalculations. If you don’t need guidance, you can just have the Nuvi track your movements by tapping View Map.

continue

ChromeOS

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virtualHW.version = “7″
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checkpoint.vmState = “chromeos.vmss”
ethernet0.generatedAddress = “00:0c:29:1f:0f:fa”
uuid.location = “56 4d 0b 2f 1c ec 88 cb-73 ba 2e ab 19 1f 0f fa”
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vmotion.checkpointFBSize = “16777216″
ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = “0″

System = sama przeglądarka. Istna rewolucja, nieprawdaż?

CS PURAM- GEETA
Our neighbour was a driver in KSRTC, living in rented house.
His daughter Geeta was a dark, tall, slim girl, working in a shop at Palakad town. She has a younger brother, still in school when, we were there.
An offer came for her hand. The boy is handsome. His parents are well to do, both getting pension, in addition to their savings, a house in Thiruvanthapuram etc. They have only this son whom they want to entrust to a reliable loving girl.
At that point we had to go to Delhi. On our return, we brought Ammu, Sudha’s daughter Meghna, who was only two years old, as there was nobody to look after her, when the parents went to work.
 There was no such decision. We were inside the railway compartment. Damodaran and Sudha were on the platform. When my wife stretched her hands and called Ammu, she jumped into her hands; the train moved. So that was how she came in  our custody. As some wit put it, we bring babies into this world, jus to play with them!
I used to take her wherever I went, in the village. She never showed any sign of remembering her parents; but, when Damodaran and Sudha got into the autorickshaw on their return, after a brief vacation with us in the village, she went away with them, without once turning bach to look at us! My wife was on the point of tears.
One day Geeta came from Thiruvananthapuram. She looked serious. Her man was a spoilt child. After break fast, he goes away with his friends to roam about in the city. At noon, he comes back, takes rest and again, in the evening another outing, returning home after dinner in the restaurants.
Three times, she has to wash his cloths. Always, he goes in clean ironed cloths. Geeta is his washer woman.
An itching caused a nuisance to me. Nothing was visible. Thuppan told me it is caused by small mice. After observing my abdomen he confirmed it.
I went to a doctor, who gave me a medicine to be applied all over my body, for seveal days. No relief came except when it is applied.
Then I poured kerosine oil all over my body. My body became clean. I became fair, but the mice thrived.
Murugan told it comes from the river water. Several persons are victims, not myself alone. It was little consolation.
In March 2000, we came to see Leena’s baby and could not go back to CS Puram, as there was nobody to help her. My mice disappeared, without any reason. I was very much releaved.
The baby born on the auspicious day, when Ammathiruvady is brought to our ancestral home, on Makam of the month of Meenam,every year, was named Ananya.
Premchand, Leena’s father-in-law was also there. They stayed at their son Shishir’s house at Lajpatnagar, quite near to our place, and he woud come to see Ananya daily.
He was younger to me, very jolly, but suffering from diabetes and heart  trouble. Doctors at  AIIMS had recommended biopsy. I think a ring was inserted already.
At his instance I too joined the Yoga course, for ten days, provided by  the AIIMS, free of cost.
Of course, the classes were good, but of no use, unless we continue the practice during our life time. This is not practicable. A proper study to determine the efficacy of the system, I believe, has not been conducted. The pulse rate comes down. That is because we remain in a detached atmosphere, free from normal tensions. The same experience can be had, when we pray at a temple or  church etc.
In the library attached to the Yoga cell, I came across a remarkable book titled POWER HEALING by Dr. Leo Galland. He is a normal allopathic doctor, who examines those cases, where doctors are unable to find out the root cause and fail. He has recorded a number of  strange cases. In one case, doctors treated a patient for heart attack who died after repeated attacks. His investigation revealed that, the patient died of carbon monoxide poisoning. The deceased was working in an old cellar, peeling off plaster, under which the poisonous gas had accumulated, over a long time, in some pockets. THE POISON CAUSED THE SYMPTOMS OF HEART ATTACK.
Another case was a young girl whose skin was extremely dry. She was a schizophrenic patient. Seeig her skin, the doctor told her to take cod liver oil, which contans omega 3 fatty acids. AFTER SOME SIX MONTHS, SHE RETURNED TO GIVE HIM THANKS. She was cured of her mental condition. Now this oil is given routinely to all mental patients in England, I read in the news paper.

201413     ทฤษฎีของระบบดิน-เครื่องจักรกล     Theory of Soil–Machine System

ลักษณะเฉพาะทางกายภาพของดิน เนื้อดินและการกระจายขนาดของอนุภาคเม็ดดิน การจำแนกประเภทดิน โครงสร้างของดิน น้ำในดิน พฤติกรรมเชิงกลของดิน สมบัติทางพลวัตของดิน เครื่องมือไถเตรียมดิน เครื่องจักรกลที่ใช้ในการฉุดลาก ผลของการบดอัดของดินต่อการเจริญเติบโตของพืช การวิบัติของดิน

(Physical characteristics of soils, texture and particle size distribution, soil classes, soil structures, soil water content, mechanical behavior of soil element, dynamic properties of soil, tillage machinery, traction machine, effect of soil compaction on plant growth, soil failure.)

(201413 มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์)

201417     ระบบไฮดรอลิกและการควบคุม     Hydraulic System and Control

ของของไหลในระบบไฮดรอลิก ส่วนประกอบของระบบไฮดรอลิก กระบอกไฮดรอลิกและไฮดรอลิก มอเตอร์ ลิ้นควบคุม การขับเคลื่อนชนิดไฮโดรสแตติก น้ำมันไฮดรอลิกสัญลักษณ์ของอุปกรณ์และวงจรไฮดรอลิก การออกแบบระบบไฮดรอลิก ระบบไฮดรอลิกของรถแทรกเตอร์ การวิเคราะห์และแก้ไขปัญหาระบบไฮดรอลิก ฟังก์ชันถ่ายโอนและบล็อกไดอะแกรม การวิเคราะห์การตอบสนองที่แปรเปลี่ยนตามเวลาและความถี่ การวิเคราะห์เสถียรภาพของระบบป้อนกลับเชิงเส้น

(Fluid power in hydraulic system; components of hydraulic system; pumps, cylinders and hydraulic motors, control valves, hydrostatic drives, hydraulic fluids, hydraulic symbols and circuits; design of hydraulic system; hydraulic systems of tractors; analysis and trouble shooting of hydraulic systems: transfer function and block diagram; analysis of time and frequency response; analysis of stability of linear feedback system.)

(201417 มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์)

201425     วิศวกรรมการออกแบบระบบทางความร้อน     Thermal System Design Engineering

การออกแบบระบบทางความร้อนที่เหมาะสมและที่ให้ประโยชน์สูงสุด การสร้างสมการทางความร้อนจากข้อมูลดิบ การสร้างสมการแสดงสมรรถนะของอุปกรณ์แลกเปลี่ยนความร้อนจากแนวคิดพื้นฐาน การจำลอง ระบบทางความร้อน การวิเคราะห์ความเป็นไปได้ทางการเงินของระบบทางความร้อน การวิเคราะห์ปัญหาทางความร้อนที่ได้ประโยชน์สูงสุด

(Thermal engineering design for appropriate systems and optimum systems, development of thermal equations from raw data, development of performance equations for heat exchangers from fundamental concepts, simulation of thermal systems, financial feasibility analysis of thermal systems, analysis of thermal problems for optimum solutions.)

(201425 มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์)

201429     การทำความเย็นและระบบห้องเย็น     Refrigeration and Cold Storage System

หลักการทำความเย็น ระบบทำความเย็นแบบอัดแก๊ส แบบดูดซึมและแบบพิเศษน้ำยาของระบบทำความเย็น เครื่องอัดแก๊สทำความเย็น เครื่องระเหย เครื่องควบแน่น ระบบการควบคุม ท่อน้ำยาและอุปกรณ์ การคำนวณภาระห้องเย็น ไซโครเมตริกและการถ่ายเทอากาศ การกระจายลมในห้องเย็นและการออกแบบระบบท่อ ระบบปรับอากาศ การถนอมผลิตภัณฑ์เกษตรและอาหารด้วยห้องเย็น การทำความเย็นอุณหภูมิต่ำและเทคนิคไครโอจีนิกส์

(Principles of refrigeration; compression gas, absorption and special type; refrigeration systems; refrigerant, compressor, evaporator, condensor, controlling system, piping and equipment; load calculation of cold storage; psychrometric and ventilation, circulation of air in cold storage and duct system design; air conditioning systems; preservation of agricultural products and food with cold storage, low temperature refrigeration system and cryogenic technique.)

(201429 มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์)

201452     ระบบควบคุมชนิดป้อนกลับสำหรับวิศวกรรมเกษตร     Feed Back Control System for Agricultural Engineering

การแปลงลาปลาสและการแก้สมการเชิงอนุพันธ์ ฟังก์ชันการถ่ายโอนและแผนภาพบล็อก ระบบการควบคุมแบบวงเปิด ระบบการควบคุมแบบวงปิด ผลตอบสนองชั่วครู่ของระบบ การแทนและการวิเคราะห์ด้วยปริภูมิสเตท ผลตอบสนองเชิงความถี่ของระบบ แผนภาพโบด แผนภาพไนควิสท์ เกณฑ์กำหนดเสถียรภาพแบบรูท-เฮอร์วิทช์ เทคนิคการปรับระบบให้มีเสถียรภาพและสมรรถนะของระบบ ระบบไฮดรอลิกและเซอร์โว กระบวนการควบคุม ระบบควบคุมแบบต่างๆ ในงานวิศวกรรมเกษตร

(Laplace transform and differential equation solving, transfer function and block diagram, open loop control system, closed loop control system, transient response of systems, state space representation and analysis, frequency response of systems, Bode diagram, Nyquist diagram, Routh-Hurwitz stability criterion, stabilizing technique and system performance, hydraulic system and servo, process control, different types of control system in agricultural engineering.)

(201452 มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์)

When an employee in any organization is not able to speak and express his ideas, the problems he notices will never be fixed, and might be ignored by the management team, having as consequence that these problems become a bigger threat to the employees in the organization.

 Managers need to let know their employees that there won’t be negative consequences when complaining about any problems, at the same time it is necessary to let them know that any feedback they put on the table will be considered and that it will be left forgotten by the management team, this way you will encourage your employees to tell you the problems they perceive and will be willing to give their proposed solutions. The more proposals you have the easier will be to get to a better solution.

 The more you keep your employees quiet the bigger the problems will be. Communication channels are fundamental in any organization, managers need to be willing to receive any type of feedback, negative or positive, and be able to process it in a constructive way, that will allow a grow in the trust among employees.

 Managers also need to let know their employees that they want to hear from them, that they want to hear their concerns and what solutions they propose; this will allow the employees feel in control, and at the same time will create a better work atmosphere.

Find out why Methodist Health System in North Texas is a great place to work by the employees themselves. Watch Mary Jo, Clinical Nurse Supervisor. www.methodisthealthsystem.org … Methodist Health System Where Life Shines Bright Dallas Medical Center Mansfield Richardson Charlton Hospital Job Health video testimonials RN Nursing Nurse Career School Allied Health Diagnostic Technologist Cath Lab ICU Staff Physiotherapists Pharmacists Radiology Cardiology CNO PACU med surg / CWOCN doctor …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCKOMBrHqpM&hl=en

This high-end gadget available at Opulent Items for no less than $20,000 is a wall mirror with old-style picture frame that reveals a virtual butler as you call it, or when it has to announce messages.
It is an upscale computer server that connects to all electronic systems in your home, including the front gate, security cameras, back doors, garage doors, jacuzzi and the pool gate, to alert you as it detects changes in the environment. These changes can include cars leaving, guests arriving, or an opened gate.

You can hear the virtual butler through the speakers installed in the home, and see what it has to show right on the mirror. It is extremely useful for reminding appointments or other daily events, and the voice has an English accent by default, but you have the possibility to customize it.

The mirror measures 31 x 21 x 5 inches and requires professional home installation.

Posted by Sierra Monica

found @ www.ladiesgadgets.com

iLive 2.1-Channel DVD/CD Home Music System with iPod Dock (Black) Review

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This sound system is a good system for the price. It provides good quality sound and a clear picture with DVD playback. The MP3 playback menus are very basic, and I wish you could play a whole MP3 CD on random instead of just individual folders, but I haven’t figured out a way to do that yet.

Cons: the DVD tray seems very fragile. I don’t know if it is as it hasn’t broken or anything, but I wouldn’t want my kids playing with it very much. The only other problem I have noted is that, while the remote works very well, the buttons on the base unit sometimes are quirky (at times when I push the skip ahead button it skips twice, and the volume knob has to be turned slowly or it doesn’t respond)

Overall the system works well for the price, if you can get past its quirks.

iLive 2.1-Channel DVD/CD Home Music System with iPod Dock (Black) Feature

• Compatibility: iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G; iPod classic 4G, 5G, 5.5G, 6G; iPod touch
• Plays DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, JPEG, CD, CD-R/RW discs
• Digital tuning AM/FM stereo radio with 40 presets
• Resonant wood stereo and subwoofer speakers with cloth grills
• Docking station for iPod with drawer-load disc player

iLive 2.1-Channel DVD/CD Home Music System with iPod Dock (Black) Overview

Watch movies, play music, and view photos from iPod, DVD, CD, USB thumb drive, and SD/MMC memory cards with IH818B Home Music System with Subwoofer & Dock for iPod. Progressive scan outputs and a 2.1 speaker system ensure that all your digital media looks and sounds fantastic.

iLive 2.1-Channel DVD/CD Home Music System with iPod Dock (Black) Specifications

Amazon.com Product Description–Posted July 28, 2008 Watch movies, play music, and view photos from iPod, DVD, CD, USB jump drive, and SD/MMC memory cards with the IH818 from iLive. Progressive scan outputs and a 2.1 speaker system ensure that all of your digital media looks and sounds fantastic.

Watch movies, play music, and view photos from iPod, DVD, CD, USB jump drive, and SD/MMC memory cards. Click to enlarge.

Docking Station for iPod
The IH818 features a certified iPod connector for docking various iPod models. While it’s docked, you iPod receives a charge, so you’ll be ready to go when you detach it. You also can control connected iPods using the device or remote.

Drawer-Load Disc Player
Enjoy all of your retail and burned media. The iH818 plays DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, and JPEG discs as well as CD/CD-R/RW audio discs.

The DVD player boasts Multi-Angle Play and Zoom features, multi-language OSD, a PAL/NTSC converter for enjoying releases of either format, and TV display aspect ratio conversion (4:3/16:9) to match your set.

Control and charge your iPod while it’s docked, and enjoy video from your iPod on your television.

USB and SD/MMC slots let you enjoy media from jump drives and memory cards.

Flash Media Support
Use the USB slot to connect USB “jump drives” or place an SD/MMC card in the memory card slot to access media on either format.

AM/FM Stereo Radio
Enjoy live radio with the digital AM/FM stereo radio. Find your favorite stations and save 20 AM and 20 FM presets, so you can cycle through them quickly.

Form and Function
A backlit LCD with digital clock lets you keep track of the time. The resonant wood stereo and subwoofer speakers with cloth grills look great alongside the modern IH818, and they sound great, too.

Input and Output
The IH818 features several options for input and output. Send video to your television from your video-enabled iPod via RCA, S-Video, or composite video out jacks, and enjoy pristine audio from a coaxial digital output (or, of course, the headphone jack on the front of the unit). You also can attach an MP3 player or other external audio device via a 3.5-mm “mini” input or an RCA input.

Full-Function Remote Control
Enjoy complete control of your unit’s functions (and those of docked iPods) from across the room with included remote. The IH818 uses 2 AAA batteries.

What’s in the Box
iLive iH818 2.1 Channel iPod Docking/DVD Home Music System, remote control (batteries included), AM Loop & FM Wire Antennas, 8 brackets for iPod Players, A/V Cables
GPX IH818

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 22, 2009 13:30:04
POS – Douglas J. Vogelsass – Austin, TX
Good sound quality unless you want some real volume. iPod starts to skip when you crank it. Based on other reviews it might just be a matter of time before volume goes out all together. Also a real bummer that it has to try and load the CD before you can select your operating function. Would not recommend this product.
Great system. NOT! Really only 1 star! – JC2 – OKC, OK, USA
I retract my previous review. I thought it was a good system for my teanage son, until it stopped working correctly. The DVD player constantly runs and has gotten progressively louder. The only way to stop it is to unplut it. Customer service has been unresponsive to e-mails. Phone hours are very limited. Now we have to pay to send it back.

HP MediaSmart Server EX495

Aus dem Text:

Klimaforschungsinstitut gehackt – manipulative Praktiken aufgeflogen. Hacker hat entlarvende Emails des britischen Klimaforschungsinstituts Hadley geknackt. Fund zeigt u.a.: Geheime Absprachen um Daten zu manipulieren, so dass der gewünschte “Erwärmungstrend” vorherrscht. Brisant: Geheime Absprachen um Kritiker der gegenwärtigen Klimaforschung aus dem wissenschaftlichen Prozess auszuschließen.

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By Elizabeth Perelstein, School Choice International

How can we compete with India and China when we value athletic prowess, fashion and trendy music above education? According to New York City Chancellor Joel Klein “Those countries that are doing best are recruiting their K-12 teachers from the top third of their college graduates.  America is recruiting our teachers generally from the bottom third… I pay teachers, basically, based on length of service…I can’t, by contract, pay math and science teachers more…” (Wall Street Journal, October 26, 2009).

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Historical View of Education Reform:

Throughout United States history, we have instituted periodic educational reforms, largely in response to crisis and generally by introducing standards.

-       Sputnik era (1957) produced unanimous recognition that we needed better schooling to compete against Russia, but reforms focused on bringing up the floor, rather than challenging advanced students.

-       In 1983 the U.S. Department of Education released a report called “A Nation at Risk,” causing another wave of reforms targeting the underperforming.

-       The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 resulted in similar action targeted towards weaker students.

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Consequences:

Teaching to the Test: Following No Child Left Behind, teachers throughout United States public schools began “teaching to the test” in order to raise evaluations and certain states actually lowered standards hoping to flaunt better performance.

Skewed View of Equality: The concept of “equality” can also be an issue. Our democratic system has positioned education as the great equalizer.  Equality of education has long been considered a vehicle to foster the equal occupational and financial opportunities intrinsic to our democratic values.  Confusion between equality of curriculum, racial equality and equality of outcomes, however, has obfuscated our educational goals.

Ill Performing Gifted Programs: For the most part, education for advanced learners has been uninspired—a poor attempt to develop inquisitive minds. In the actual classroom, high achieving children are most often given more work—rather than more interesting word—to keep them busy and enable the teacher to focus on those who “need her attention.”

The Challenge to Value our Gifted Learners: The Social Aspect of Being “Smart:” Being “smart” can be taboo; some students hide their intelligence and pursue more socially acceptable activities, believing that they can successfully “fit in” by foregoing interest in learning. We worked with a boy with an IQ of 165.  In elementary school he read Scientific American and became a chess champion.  Hoping to achieve popularity during adolescence, he abandoned these pursuits in favor of football.  His teenage years were marked by failed classes and behavioral difficulties as he tried to be someone other than himself. Peer pressure causes children to sink to the least common denominator, rather than cultivating the brightest minds.

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Conclusion:

Until our country recognizes intelligence as a positive attribute and feels comfortable fostering our highest achievers regardless of race or socioeconomic class, the United States cannot compete with countries that identify and train their brightest to accomplish their utmost.

The Seven Key Questions to Ask Yourself:

1. Determine how much money you have to invest in your system.

2. Decide whether you are seeking “audiophile quality”

or the modern equivalent of the AM radio.

3. Are you an “audio enthusiast” who wants all the bells and whistles, or is FM Stereo the highest in sonic fidelity for you?

4. What types of music do you usually listen to? Are you strictly jazz or do you love thrash-metal? Somewhere in between?

5. How long do you think you’ll own your car or the equipment you purchase tomorrow?

6. Lastly, what special things do you have to watch out for with your car stereo? Does it have odd-shaped openings for speakers or the “head-unit?”

7. Is your car or truck designed to accommodate after-market systems?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be on your way to making an informed buying decision.

Audio equipment comes in a wide range of prices, quality, and performance, from the least expensive mass-produced CD players, tuner/amplifiers and all-in-one systems with navigation and even TV screens, to precision-crafted “reference” components costing several hundred dollars. The key is to obtain the best possible sound quality at the most reasonable price.

After considering the points above it boils down to the following when upgrading your sound system. The first is getting the music into the car – via radio, tape, CD, MP3 player or mini-disc unit, etc. The second is getting the music out of the car – via speakers, amplifiers (amps), subwoofers and so on. You can upgrade either of these areas alone, to some extent, but best results will be obtained by planning a co-ordinated approach.

Once it is installed in you vehicle you will have to bear in mind the following. Your expensive sound system may not be immediately apparent to thieves, as speakers, amps and subwoofers are often hidden from casual view, but one thing that will give the game away is your fancy head unit. One look at it will say “I’ve got a really nice sound system installed in here!” For this reason, many head units are detachable, even on moderately priced systems. Push a button and the whole front fascia pops off to be safely hidden out of sight or taken with you (in a special case) when you leave the car.

Visit http://www.dominantcaraudio.com for a complete selection of car audio equipment. Enjoy!!!
http://www.dominantcaraudio.com

Thanks To : http://accupro.co.cc/ http://wondermahna.livejournal.com/ http://fortworthblog.co.cc

Pracę licencjacką poświęciłem na zgłębienie zagadnienia historyczno-etycznego. Pod kierownictwem Pani Profesor Środy, w Instytucie Filozofii Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, napisałem artykuł na temat epistemologii wartości u Maxa Schelera i Nicolai Hartmanna. Temat ten dotyczył zastosowania fenomenologii w etyce.

Otóż obaj filozofie, Niemiec i Łotysz, wykorzystali dokonania E. Husserla w sferze etyki. Szczególnie M. Scheler zasłynął tym, że jako pierwszy wprowadził do etyki metody ściśle fenomenologiczne w eksploracji zagadnień etycznych. Badania obu zostały ograniczone do sfery wartości. Zgodnie z wynikami badań, każdy człowiek poznaje wartości poprzez emocje. Precyzyjnie, człowiek w obliczu realizacji konkretnej jakiejś wartości, dajmy na to odwagi, reaguje uczuciem, emotywnie, przykładowo podziwem nad czynem odważnym. W akcie analizy tego uczucia odsłania mu się wartość jako czynnik konstytutywny.

Wartość, jako pojęcie, została zadaptowana z ekonomii. Oznaczała cel dążeń człowieka, jakże istotna kategoria dla wszelkich naukowców. M. Scheler, a potem także N. Hartmann, rozumieli ją, a raczej je, bo zawsze chodziło o wiele wartości, prawdziwy wszechświat, jako przedmioty idealne będące jedynie realizowane w świecie poprzez działanie człowieka.

Cały wszechświat wartości, ich przestrzeń, była precyzyjnie podzielona na kilkanaście kategorii. Niestety, pomimo wyjścia przez obu filozofów z prawie tych samych miejsc, obaj stworzyli niezależne systemy wartości. Dowodzi to m.in. niejednorodności tej materii. M. Scheler twierdził, o ile dobrze pamiętam, że wartości święte, sacrum, są najwyżej w porządku. Konstytuują one wszystkie niższe. Te witalne, a potem te życiowe wartości. Przy każdej z nich wskazane są właściwe im uczucia, przejawy i emocje. Ta potężna praca wykonana przez tego filozofa ma jedno zadanie: ugruntowanie etyki na nowych obiektywnie ważnych podstawach.

Zasady etyki Schelera, a za nim nieco później N. Hartmanna, są proste. Należy zawsze realizować pozytywne wartości, a unikać realizowania negatywnych wartości. Następnie, w obliczu wyboru pomiędzy dwoma wartościami, należy zawsze wybierać tę wartość, która jest wyżej w porządku.

Wartości są zdecydowanie traktowane jako idee. Istnieją poza czasem i przestrzenią. Jednak inaczej niż u Platona, ich poznanie odbywa się nie poprzez aktywność intelektualną, a emocjonalną. Taka koncepcja podnosi rangę pragnień wyrażonych w uczuciach. Po setkach lat, wiadomo do czego służą uczucia. Nie tylko do wstrząsania całym jestestwem, lecz także jako precyzyjny kompas.

Ciekawe jest, że jako jedni z niewielu filozofów obaj zastanawiają się nad miłością. Oczywiście w świetle swoich badań. W ten sposób wyniki stają się istotne dla każdego zakochanego. Jego uczucie zostaje dość beznamiętnie przeanalizowane i wskazane zostają wartości, jakie są w ten sposób realizowane. Uchylę rąbka tajemnicy, chodzi o wartości osoby.

Współcześnie tak wiele mówi się o upadku zasad, braku wartości czy lepiej kryzysie wartości. Czy jest tak w rzeczywistości? Jeśli wartości są niezależne od bytu realnego, to właściwie czekają na odkrycie przez jakiegoś pioniera wartości. Cały czas zakładam, że istotnie jest tak, że kryzys wartości jest rzeczywisty. Może być przecież jedynie częścią politycznej gry jakiejś grupy.

I wrote this to my friend Seth in response to an email he sent weeks and weeks ago – cleaning out the ole’ inbox, and that sort of jazz.  Anyway, what it comes down to is that there’s a bit in the middle that I think people ought read.  Sounds pretty arrogant, but hey, wouldn’t be me without it.

Jesus and Mary of Quran vs. the Celebrity Culture
http://forum09.faithfreedom.org/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4725&start=20

Hi the good friends here

The West must love Jesus and Mary as mentioned in Quran as their Social role Model to save the family institution- a natural bond, instead of following the Celebrity Culture so rampant in West perhaps mostly promoted by the confused Atheists Agnostic having no revealed Book or a natural system for life.

It is true that the reason oriented and enlightened Christians find no rational hero in the mythical concepts of Jesus- being son of god or god, and Mary- as an intercession, presented by cunning Paul and Church and the sinful scribes; and hence they leave Christianity silently .The Celebrity culture hardly promotes any family bond for sure.

The Church and the Christians should therefore present Jesus and Mary of Quran as a role model to salvage all such people.

This is also useful for the Atheists to become pro-life.

I love Jesus and Mary as mentioned in Quran

Thanks