Just thumbing through my owners manual (which I've found some discrepancies with) and it says at start up I should see the battery/charging indicator lamp light up as a bulb check, and I can't for the life of me see it. Anyone with a 5.7 see where...

In his CLEO: 2011 talk , Joachim Fischer, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, will describe the first-ever demonstration of a three-dimensional invisibility cloak that works for visible light—red light at a wavelength of 700 nm—independent of its polarization (orientation). Previous cloaks required longer wavelength light, such as microwaves or infrared, or required the light to have a single, specific polarization.

Fischer makes the tiny cloak—less than half the cross-section of a human-hair—by direct laser writing (i.e. lithography) into a polymer material to create an intricate structure that resembles a miniature woodpile. The precisely varying thickness of the "logs" enables the cloak to bend light in new ways. The key to this achievement was incorporating several aspects of a diffraction-unlimited microscopy technique into the team’s 3-D direct writing process for building the cloak. The dramatically increased resolution of the improved process enabled the team to create log spacings narrow enough to work in red light.

"If, in the future, we can halve again the log spacing of this red cloak, we could make one that would cover the entire visible spectrum," Fischer added.

Practical applications of combining transformation optics with advanced 3-D lithography (a customized version of the fabrication steps used to make microcircuits) include flat, aberration-free lenses that can be easily miniaturized for use in integrated optical chips, and optical "black holes" for concentrating and absorbing light. If the latter can also be made to work for visible light, they will be useful in solar cells, since 90 percent of the Sun’s energy reaches Earth as visible and near-infrared light.

Presentation QTuG5 "Three-dimensional invisibility carpet cloak at 700 nm wavelength," by Joachim Fischer et al. is at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 3. Fischer et al. will also present CML1, "Three-Dimensional Laser Lithography with Conceptually Diffraction-Unlimited Lateral and Axial Resolution," at 10:15 a.m. Monday, May 2.

2. 3-D Terahertz Cloaking

Close-up micrograph of the bump region of the Terahertz cloaking structure. The size variations in the holes, which extend through the entire structure, is a key feature that guides the light around the bump, beneath which objects become invisible. The view is about 2 millimeters square.

A research team from Northwestern and Oklahoma State universities claims to be first to cloak a three-dimensional object from view in a broad range of Terahertz frequency light, which lies between infrared and microwaves. In the team’s paper at CLEO: 2011, Cheng Sun of Northwestern describes how a rigid sponge-like cloaking structure less than 10 millimeters long on a side was built up in 220 layers, each precisely defined to vary the index of refraction and bend light to render invisible anything located beneath a shallow concave bump on the cloak’s bottom surface. The group showed that both the physical geometry and the spectrographic signature of a chemical strip about the width of 10 human hairs disappeared when cloaked.

Despite its Harry Potter-like allure, concealing tiny objects from view is not the team’s ultimate goal, Sun said. Rather, this latest demonstration shows that the new "transformation optics" principles and 3-D lithography techniques they used to make the cloak can also enable optical components for guiding, collimating, and focusing terahertz light in a variety of ways—in new medical and scientific diagnostic tools, airport security scanners, and data communication devices.

3. Nuclear Photonics: Gamma Rays Search For Concealed Nuclear Threats

Gamma rays are the most energetic type of light wave and can penetrate through lead and other thick containers. A powerful new source of gamma rays will allow officials to search for hidden reactor fuel/nuclear bomb material.

These gamma rays, called MEGa-rays (for mono-energetic gamma rays), are made by using a beam of fast-moving electrons to convert laser photons (light at a lesser energy) into the gamma ray part of the spectrum. The incoherent gamma rays can be tuned to a specific energy so that they predominantly interact with only one kind of material. A beam of MEGa-rays, for example, might be absorbed by the nuclear fuel uranium-235 while passing through other substances including the more common (but less dangerous) isotope uranium-238. That sort of precision opens the door to "nuclear photonics," the study of nuclei with light. "It is kind of like tunable laser absorption spectroscopy but with gamma-rays," says Chris Barty of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, who will present on MEGa-rays at CLEO: 2011.

In the last couple of years, MEGa-ray prototypes have identified elements like lithium and lead hidden behind metal barriers. The next-generation of MEGa-ray machines, which should come on-line in a couple of years, will be a million times brighter, allowing them to see through thick materials to locate specific targets in less than a second.

Barty will present several MEGa-ray applications in use today and will describe the attributes of next-generation devices. Work is under way on a MEGa-ray technology that could be placed on a truck trailer and carried out into the field to check containers suspected of having bomb material in them. At nuclear reactors, MEGa-rays could be used to quickly identify how enriched a spent fuel rod is in uranium-235. They could also examine nuclear waste containers to assess their contents without ever opening them up. MEGa-ray technology might also be employed in medicine to track drugs that carry specific isotope markers.

4. Green UV Sterilization: Switching on LEDs to Save Energy and the Environment

Ultraviolet light can safely sterilize food, water and medical equipment by disrupting the DNA and other reproductive molecules in harmful bacteria. Traditionally, mercury lamps have supplied this UV light, however mercury release from power generation and lamp disposal have generated discussion of harmful environmental impact. A potentially energy efficient and non-toxic alternative is the light-emitting diode, or LED, which can be made to emit at almost any desired wavelength. LEDs are also more rugged and operate at lower voltages than glass containing mercury bulbs. Thus, LEDs are more compatible with portable water disinfection units, which could also be solar-powered and used in situations where centralized facilities are not available, such as disaster relief. LEDs currently require a lot of electricity to produce UV light, but researchers from around the world are focused on improving this efficiency.

LEDs are semiconductor devices that operate in much the same way as the tiny elements on a computer chip. The difference is that some of the electrons flowing into an LED are captured and release their energy as light. Because these are solid materials rather than gas-filled bulbs, LEDs are more compact and durable than alternative light sources. The first commercial LEDs were small red indicator lights, but engineers have developed new materials that emit in a rainbow of colors. Nitride-based LEDs are the most promising for pushing beyond the visible into the ultraviolet. Some of these UV LEDs are already being used in the curing of ink and the testing for counterfeit money, but for sterilization, shorter wavelength light is required. These short wavelength, or "Deep UV" LEDs, present a number of technical challenges and are predominantly implemented in highly-specialized disinfection systems in industrial and medical applications, as well as other non-disinfection markets.

The Joint Symposium on Semiconductor Ultraviolet LEDs and Lasers at CLEO: 2011 will feature several talks addressing these challenges, while highlighting current efforts to improve the efficiency of nitride-based LEDs. Max Shatalov of Sensor Electronic Technology in Columbia, S.C., will report an improved design for making high-power UV LEDs that would be especially good for knocking out bacteria. From the birthplace of nitride (blue and white) LEDs, Motoaki Iwaya from Meijo University in Japan will describe a joint effort with Nagoya University to extend the range and improve the efficiency of UV LEDs.

If you liked this article, please give it a quick review on ycombinator or StumbleUpon. Thanks

Only my headlight switch is not on. How to fix? Also fog lamp indicator does mot illuminate on dash. How difficult are these to repair or replace bulbs?

At this point I had a “snow globe” floating in black space. Not very realistic. A background was selected almost at random. It was just a woods scene and it wouldn’t be obtrusive. Using a Mask of the snow globe the woods scene replaced the stark black. Now there was a snow globe floating in the forest. Since not very convincing. Someone needed to be holding the snow globe.

I asked my better half to stick her hand out and I took three shots to have a minimal choice. A little masking resulted in the snow globe appearing to rest in her hand.

What’s a snow globe without some snow? The snow was produced by adding another Layer and filling it with white. Then some Noise was introduced (Filter/Noise/Add Noise) to give a grainy effect. A Levels Adjustment Layer was added and the left slider brought almost all the way over to the right. This gave a small number “flakes”. The Blend Mode was changed to Hard Light and the globe’s Mask applied to contain the flakes to the inside of the globe.

That’s the story. From Panorame to snow globe in about thirty “easy” steps.

Authored by: Tayo Akinyemi

Editors Note: This blog post is the second part of a series on financing distribution networks from Ayllu, developers of the iuMAP, a web-based social enterprise directory launched in media partnership with NextBillion. You can help increase iuMAP's size by submitting social enterprises and giving feedback. The first post in the series can be found here.

Getting the finance right is key to implementing a successful microfranchise model. In fact, it's often about mitigating the risk of the microfranchisee. When an entrepreneur wants to sell a highly desirable product, a solar lamp for example, product acquisition can be tricky. First, the capital investment is expensive. Secondly, it involves risk; if the entrepreneur fails to sell her inventory, she's stuck with the liability. What's needed is a financing mechanism that reduces the risk borne by the already vulnerable entrepreneur. That's where an organization like Milaap comes in.

Founder Anoj Viswanathan was inspired by his work with the business development team of SKS Microfinance. From 2008 to 2009, he helped customers gain access to water purification units and solar lighting. Through this experience, Anoj realized that the potential for social impact was great, but the missing link was access to capital. Unfortunately, mainstream investors wouldn't touch the problem. Despite these challenges, the team realized that a Kiva-like model - crowd-funded low-cost, risk-tolerant capital - could inspire new models in microfinance. And so Milaap was born in June 2010.

Here's how the Milaap model works. Like Kiva, Milaap takes zero-percent interest loans from online users, puts them to work, and acts as an intermediary.  The capital Milaap raises is fed into a network of field partners who underwrite the risk of repayment and lend to the borrower.  Milaap says it provides the capital at a cost less than half of the current financing costs of its field partners, most of whom cannot even access capital from traditional sources.  Thanks to this ecosystem, Milaap can track capital all the way through the value chain.

There are a few distinguishing characteristics of Milaap's model. For example, Milaap takes special care to design loan products that meet its clients' needs. Additionally, it focuses on microfranchise organizations with emerging business models, specifically those between the post pilot and commercial funding phases of development. Finally, within these parameters, Milaap is agnostic in terms of field partners, products, and business models, which makes it an ideal "pipeline partner."  However, Milaap prefers to work with organizations that have built good relationships with their borrower base and are exploring ways to lower their capital costs, eventually to pass on the benefits to the end borrowers.

How did the Milaap model emerge?  First, the launch team conducted research into the cash flows of micro-entrepreneurs. They discovered that loans charged at 10-14% were ideal for a month-long billing cycle. Milaap was able to provide lower rates because its capital was crowd-sourced at 0% interest (down from an initial trial interest rate of 1.5%). This drastically reduced the cost of capital for the field partner, which eventually launched the program at a 12% rate to the rural entrepreneurs.

Having only launched in June 2010, Milaap is still in a very early stage, but has already learned some valuable lessons from its initial set of entrepreneurs, who are employees of Sakhi Retail, a subsidiary of Swayam Shikshan Prayog. For example, one problem in Indian microfinance that has recently received a lot of publicity is borrowers using new loans to pay off pre-existing ones, rather than for their intended purpose, in this case, to finance their business. They confronted the problem by handing a check, issued in the name of the microfranchisor, to the entrepreneur in lieu of cash disbursement.  This ensured that the money could only be used to purchase inventory. Entrepreneurs are also required to supplement external investment with a personal investment in order to secure buy-in. The initial group comprised 8 borrowers, who with their success would provide the vital word-of-mouth support, essential to the success of any program in rural India. About 30-40 new entrepreneurs have since expressed interest, and Milaap plans to scale up from the original test group in January 2011.

So how's Milaap doing in real terms?  Though obviously it has just started up, a strong indicator of success is its repayment rate, which is 100% thus far. Entrepreneurs are re-investing capital in their businesses and the sales cycle is outpacing the billing cycle, which creates a higher capital rotation. This is important because BoP consumers can be fickle. In order to exploit demand, one has to sell inventory immediately. With access to capital, it's possible to acquire a larger inventory and not lose time re-stocking. This means higher cash flow and more revenue generation for entrepreneurs.

All in all, it seems like Milaap has launched a high-potential hybrid social enterprise model.  The web platform development, marketing, communications, and fundraising are managed through a for-profit arm to ensure operational efficiency.  A nonprofit arm provides capacity-building to field partners, assisting with tasks like social impact assessments and other field issues that at times are best managed with the double bottom-line in mind.  Only time will tell whether Milaap can scale up and scale out.

"Light Meets the Dark" Edition
*

Kevin Fobbs at Examiner.com:

"With each passing week this good natured and extremely hardworking young woman danced her way into the hearts of Americans, in spite of liberal alarmists who blamed the Tea Party for 'fixing' the results... ABC network has already put those buffoonish claims to rest. She endured, and principled Americans who have always favored the underdog came to view her improvement and tenacity... as a badge of accomplishment... Shameful and unprincipled cold hearted talk... turns to cowardly acts. These cowards… decided it is fair play to threaten the life of 20-year-old Bristol... a mother, a daughter, a sister and... a human being that God created in his image... All of us should call those compassionless excuses for human beings into question and ask that God’s spirit to be with them this Thanksgiving holiday to teach them how to love and not hate... Open up your heart and eyes to God’s light so that you can see beyond the darkness and appreciate effort, not political contempt, for 'Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.' Luke 11: 34 – 35."

Matthew Philbin at NewsBusters:

"Now that newly resurgent conservatives have handed them a crushing mid-term defeat, liberals are seeing nefarious Tea Party plots everywhere – including in silly entertainment shows. And they’re taking plenty of shots at Bristol and, predictably, her mother."

Tammy Bruce via Human Events:

"The show is a real reflection of how the Palins are really appealing to the average Americans. And it’s also about how the American Left has devolved to such a point that they behave like psychiatric patients over a little dance competition, and the prize is a disco ball on a stick... Suddenly liberals are obsessed with voting procedures? Well, they could have shown interest when ACORN was running around, and it was really an issue."

Sissy Willis at sisu:

"And to think we once admired Bar Bush for her classiness."

William A. Jacobson at Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion:

"Remember, when you hear about how important it is that the next Republican nominee for President have 'gravitas,' the following have been designed by people with gravitas: The TSA's scanning and groping system... Obamacare... Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the mortgage bubble... Our tax code... Our federal and state budget deficits... Our immigration system... We need gravitas, because gravitas has worked so well so far."

Psota at Free Will:

"Where's your fair use now, Gawker?"

Melissa Clouthier at Liberty Pundits:

"By the way, watched the second installment of Sarah Palin’s Alaska. I’ve read some cynical reviews. The gnashing of teeth? That the show is one long political commercial–where Sarah Palin is paid. Well, yes. Yes it is. And who, precisely, are the dummies here? Sarah Palin is reaching the mushy middle American public–just as Obama did–through entertainment medium. Does anyone remember Obama on Nickelodean? Or how about Obama on MTV? Or how about Obama on all the late night shows? Yeah. So the sniping rings a wee bit hollow after the lovefest conducted by the media on Obama’s behalf. Free advertising for the guy they wanted as President? Hell, yes. Reaching the mushy middle via media they use and enjoy? You betcha!"

Dan Riehl at Riehl World View:

"I see plenty of establishment types calling for Sarah Palin to either go away, or at least not run in 2012. Okay, fine. But don't stop there, because Romney, Pawlenty, Gingrich and Thune are all pretty much DOA when it comes to the conservative base. But you won't hear these establishment types and their assorted flacks and hacks saying that."

Megan Fox at NewsReal Blog:

"But the real indicator that Steinem has gone off her meds and is letting the voices in her head write her columns is the claim that abortion helps combat infant mortality. Yes, Gloria, I guess there would be fewer babies who die of natural causes if you kill them first. And even worse, claiming that abortion helps stop the inability of children to bond and thrive. Again, it would be difficult to do either of those things … if you’re dead. Then there is the always-nauseating attack on children with birth defects. This is especially outrageous in an article about Sarah Palin, the mother of little Trig who has Down Syndrome. Steinem is not-so-subtly insinuating that a responsible woman would have killed him before he was able [to] infect society with his defect... Steinem’s article reads like an edition of Infanticide for Dummies written by a crazed eugenicist. Isn’t it cute how leftists, who love to throw around the slur 'Nazi' when describing Tea Partiers, always end up being the ones espousing Nazi philosophies?"

Christopher R. Barron and Tammy Bruce at The Daily Caller:

"The nature of the attacks on Palin reveals much about what motivates her critics. HRC’s press releases are ripe with misogynistic attacks on the Governor... In the meantime, while the actions of a teenager on Facebook warrant days of over-the-top press releases from HRC, a blind eye is turned by the liberal Gay, Inc. to the growing threat of radicalized anti-gay, anti-women Islam."

CosmicConservative:

"Let me tell you what the national gestalt on Ronald Reagan was in 1978. By far the overriding narrative on Reagan was the 'Bedtime for Bonzo' narrative which the media had been hammering since Reagan’s unsuccessful attempt in 1976 to snatch the nomination away from Gerald Ford. Ronald Reagan was routinely portrayed in the press as an intellectual lightweight who couldn’t even succeed in Hollywood. He was interviewed several times and the interviews were every bit as damaging to his image as Sarah Palin’s interviews were. The New York Times and other mainstream 'news' outlets began running 'fact checking' stories supposedly choosing only the 'top ten' or so 'Reaganisms' of the week. A favorite tactic was to find a clip of Reagan mispronouncing some difficult foreign name and replay that on the news repeatedly. At some point in the campaign Reagan mis-spoke and confused some Eastern European nation for another and that started the 'concerned stories' about Reagan’s supposed 'senility' ... People today who talk about how Palin can’t be elected because she either is or has been portrayed as an 'idiot' simply either have no memory of Reagan’s campaign or choose to forget it."

Donald Trump via George Stephanopoulos:

"She's very interesting. And don't underestimate her. I mean, I see what she does. Do not underestimate Sarah Palin."

Jim Geraghty at NRO's Campaign Spot:

"It’s easy to picture a half-dozen GOP candidates quitting the race the day after Palin jumps in. She’ll suck most of the oxygen out of the room, almost all of the media attention, the donations, etc... We know money won’t be an issue for Palin; when she asks for donations, she’ll dwarf the record hauls of Rob Portman and Marco Rubio and Sharron Angle. And there seem to be enough Palin volunteers to make an army of organizers in most of the key states."

Tunku Varadarajan at The Daily Beast:

"Two stout old biddies got stuck into Sarah Palin this weekend —- Barbara Bush and Frank Rich."

Louise Radnofsky at The WSJ's Washington Wire:

"Sarah Palin’s second book, America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag, is out... and it’s heavy with the kind of political red meat that you’d expect from a contender for the Republican presidential nomination and light on the personal disclosures and observations that were the focus of her first book, Going Rogue: An American Life. Chapters about the tea party movement, the military, the Constitution, the family, conservative feminism, hard work, the Founding Fathers and faith make the book read a lot like a Palin 2012 manifesto."

- JP

Help please I have just replaced the bulb after the lamp hour indicator came on and the unit seemed to go into a power save mode (approx 1800 hours). After installing the bulb I then rest the lamp...

Help please I have just replaced the bulb after the lamp hour indicator came on and the unit seemed to go into a power save mode (approx 1800 hours). After installing the bulb I then rest the lamp...

RidersDiscount.com now has XT Racing lap timers! We have been using XT Racing products for years in just about every one of our own racebikes because they’re easy to use, reliable and are truly an indispensable tool for any rider that’s serious about lowering lap times. The Ultra-Lap model is by far one of the most popular motorcycle lap timers on the market today having been used by everyone from the occasional trackday rider all the way up to AMA Pro racers and everywhere in between. If you want to get the most out of your time at the track and improve your riding, then you need an XT Ultra-Lap! Accurate data is the key to being able to tell if any changes you’ve made to your riding or your bike helps or hinders your circuit times. With an XT Ultra-Lap, you’ll be able to quickly verify if your times are better each instance you cross the line as the Ultra-Lap’s LED indicator lamp will show red, if you’re slower or green, if you’re faster – than you were on your previous lap. At the end of every session, the device displays your fastest lap, your average lap time and your slowest lap. For your convenience, the Ultra-Lap’s software automatically divides up each track session along with track name and ambient temperature. This allows you to reference data easily at the end of the day, the next time you go to the same track or any time you want to look back at your progress with a memory of up to approximately 2,000 laps stored on the XT’s internal chipset. To prevent forgetful riders from missing out on valuable data, as long as you turn it on before your first session of the day, the device will automatically power up each time you head out on track. That’s because the Ultra-Lap’s smart programming activates itself the first time you cross the beacon at the beginning of every track session. XT Racing lap timers have been a staple on our racebikes for years for the reasons stated above and many others like excellent technical support and smart, usable features. XT Racing products are not yet available on our website. To order yours, call TJ at 866.931.6644 ext 817. We also have IR transmitters on hand if you need a beacon. If you have any questions, send a note to FORUM at RIDERSDISCOUNT dot COM with XT ULTRA LAP in the subject line and we’ll get back to you right away. The XT Racing Ultra Lap basic kit comes with everything you see here. All you have to do is supply one AA battery to power the device. Image: http://ridersdiscount.com/forum/xt_racing/xt_racing_ultra_lap_timer_2.jpg It is possible to recall the time, date and ambient air temperature of each session with the XT Ultra-Lap. Four simple buttons control how the device works and many aspects of its function are user-configurable. Image: http://ridersdiscount.com/forum/xt_racing/xt_racing_ultra_lap_timer_3.jpg We also have XT Racing IR Beacons available. It’s never a bad idea to have your own beacon, just in case no one else shows up at the track with one. If you want to get really clever, it’s possible to configure your lap timer to measure section split times between the start/finish line on the racetrack with the use of additional beacons. The IR transmitter can be powered by either 4 AA batteries mounted internally or with an external 12V power source. Image: http://ridersdiscount.com/forum/xt_racing/xt_racing_ir_transmitter_1.jpg Our RidersDiscount.com Yamaha YZF-R1 AMA American Superbike equipped with an XT Ultra-Lap. Image: http://ridersdiscount.com/forum/xt_racing/xt_racing_ultra_lap_timer_1.jpg

there are three terminals of the transformer at primary side 220 , 0 and 110. what where should i connect the indicator lamp and fuse . is it okay to use a 2 amps transformer into a wo2m bridge type rectifier diode?

Once that's done, the Race Mode indicator lamp on the center console is illuminated and the kill switches become active; one is located on the exterior at the base of the windshield, and the other sits in what looks like a modified Audi ...

Huawei is a leading telecom solutions provider, owned entirely by its employees. Through continuous customer-centric innovation, we have established end-to-end advantages in telecom network infrastructure, application & software, devices and professional services. With comprehensive strengths in wireline, wireless and IP technologies, Huawei has gained a leading position in the All-IP convergence age. Our products and solutions have been deployed in over 100 countries and have served 45 of the world's top 50 telecom operators, as well as one third of the world's population.
Huawei' s vision is to enrich people's lives through communication. By leveraging our experience and expertise in the telecom sector, we help bridge the digital divide and give people the opportunity to join the information age, regardless of their geographic origin. In order to tackle increasing climate challenges, Huawei has deployed a wide range of green solutions that enable customers to reduce power consumption and carbon emissions, contributing to the sustainable development of the social economy and the environment.
We have R&D; centers located in Santa Clara, CA; San Diego, CA; Ottawa, Canada; Bridgewater, NJ; Rolling Meadows, Ill; Denver, CO; Plano, TX; and High Point, NC.
Huawei North America was established in 2001. As an indicator of the timeliness of Huawei's edge technology, the company's solutions have since been contracted by more than 25 operators in over 28 states, including Leap Wireless, Alltel, XO, One Communications, and Tyco Communications.
Huawei was recently recognized in FastCompany Magazine’s 2010 World's Most Innovative Companies List -#5: http://www.fastcompany.com/mic/2010
Currently, we are seeking an experienced Senior WEB Architect
Must have worked in web development environment, with at least 7-years of relevant technical experience.
Must have good familiarity with:

• Rich web client environment, HTML5/JS/CSS/HTTP/REST
• Solid working knowledge server, REST, web services, GUI’s
• Server/cloud development, mastering LAMP. PhP, Java, C/C++
• Development methodology/tools: Ant, Netbeans, Eclipse, etc.
• Open APIs: OpenSocial, Facebook, Amazon FPS, etc.

Qualified Candidates are encouraged to submit recent resume. (no 3rd party resumes please)

Huawei is a leading telecom solutions provider, owned entirely by its employees. Through continuous customer-centric innovation, we have established end-to-end advantages in telecom network infrastructure, application & software, devices and professional services. With comprehensive strengths in wireline, wireless and IP technologies, Huawei has gained a leading position in the All-IP convergence age. Our products and solutions have been deployed in over 100 countries and have served 45 of the world's top 50 telecom operators, as well as one third of the world's population.
Huawei' s vision is to enrich people's lives through communication. By leveraging our experience and expertise in the telecom sector, we help bridge the digital divide and give people the opportunity to join the information age, regardless of their geographic origin. In order to tackle increasing climate challenges, Huawei has deployed a wide range of green solutions that enable customers to reduce power consumption and carbon emissions, contributing to the sustainable development of the social economy and the environment.
We have R&D; centers located in Santa Clara, CA; San Diego, CA; Ottawa, Canada; Bridgewater, NJ; Rolling Meadows, Ill; Denver, CO; Plano, TX; and High Point, NC.
Huawei North America was established in 2001. As an indicator of the timeliness of Huawei's edge technology, the company's solutions have since been contracted by more than 25 operators in over 28 states, including Leap Wireless, Alltel, XO, One Communications, and Tyco Communications.

Huawei was recently recognized in FastCompany Magazine’s 2010 World's Most Innovative Companies List -#5: http://www.fastcompany.com/mic/2010
Currently, we are seeking an experienced Senior Architect
Must have worked in mobile development environment, with at least 7-years of relevant technical experience.
Must have good familiarity with:

• Mobile application development: Android, iPhone, Black Berry, etc.
• Familiar with Rich web client environment, HTML5/JS/CSS/HTTP/REST
• Server support, App Server, LAMP. PhP, Java, C/C++
• Phone SDK, Multithreading, Video streaming, etc.

Qualified Candidates are encouraged to submit recent resume. (no 3rd party resumes please)
eoe

Huawei is a leading telecom solutions provider, owned entirely by its employees. Through continuous customer-centric innovation, we have established end-to-end advantages in telecom network infrastructure, application & software, devices and professional services. With comprehensive strengths in wireline, wireless and IP technologies, Huawei has gained a leading position in the All-IP convergence age. Our products and solutions have been deployed in over 100 countries and have served 45 of the world's top 50 telecom operators, as well as one third of the world's population.
Huawei' s vision is to enrich people's lives through communication. By leveraging our experience and expertise in the telecom sector, we help bridge the digital divide and give people the opportunity to join the information age, regardless of their geographic origin. In order to tackle increasing climate challenges, Huawei has deployed a wide range of green solutions that enable customers to reduce power consumption and carbon emissions, contributing to the sustainable development of the social economy and the environment.
We have R&D; centers located in Santa Clara, CA; San Diego, CA; Ottawa, Canada; Bridgewater, NJ; Rolling Meadows, Ill; Denver, CO; Plano, TX; and High Point, NC.
Huawei North America was established in 2001. As an indicator of the timeliness of Huawei's edge technology, the company's solutions have since been contracted by more than 25 operators in over 28 states, including Leap Wireless, Alltel, XO, One Communications, and Tyco Communications.

Huawei was recently recognized in FastCompany Magazine’s 2010 World's Most Innovative Companies List -#5: http://www.fastcompany.com/mic/2010
Currently, we are seeking an experienced Senior Architect
Must have worked in mobile development environment, with at least 7-years of relevant technical experience.
Must have good familiarity with:

• Mobile application development: Android, iPhone, Black Berry, etc.
• Familiar with Rich web client environment, HTML5/JS/CSS/HTTP/REST
• Server support, App Server, LAMP. PhP, Java, C/C++
• Phone SDK, Multithreading, Video streaming, etc.

Qualified Candidates are encouraged to submit recent resume. (no 3rd party resumes please)
eoe

Huawei is a leading telecom solutions provider, owned entirely by its employees. Through continuous customer-centric innovation, we have established end-to-end advantages in telecom network infrastructure, application & software, devices and professional services. With comprehensive strengths in wireline, wireless and IP technologies, Huawei has gained a leading position in the All-IP convergence age. Our products and solutions have been deployed in over 100 countries and have served 45 of the world's top 50 telecom operators, as well as one third of the world's population.

Huawei' s vision is to enrich people's lives through communication. By leveraging our experience and expertise in the telecom sector, we help bridge the digital divide and give people the opportunity to join the information age, regardless of their geographic origin. In order to tackle increasing climate challenges, Huawei has deployed a wide range of green solutions that enable customers to reduce power consumption and carbon emissions, contributing to the sustainable development of the social economy and the environment.

We have R&D; centers located in Santa Clara, CA; San Diego, CA; Ottawa, Canada; Bridgewater, NJ; Rolling Meadows, Ill; Denver, CO; Plano, TX; and High Point, NC.

Huawei North America was established in 2001. As an indicator of the timeliness of Huawei's edge technology, the company's solutions have since been contracted by more than 25 operators in over 28 states, including Leap Wireless, Alltel, XO, One Communications, and Tyco Communications.

Huawei was recently recognized in FastCompany Magazine’s 2010 World's Most Innovative Companies List -#5: http://www.fastcompany.com/mic/2010
Currently, we are seeking an experienced Senior Architect
Must have worked in web development environment, with at least 7-years of relevant technical experience.
Must have good familiarity with:

• Server/cloud development, mastering LAMP. PhP, Java, C/C++
• Development methodology/tools: Ant, Netbeans, Eclipse, etc.
• Open APIs: OpenSocial, Facebook, Amazon FPS, etc.
• Mastering data modeling, MySQL, etc.
• Scalability, MemcacheD, etc.

Qualified Candidates are encouraged to submit recent resume. (no 3rd party resumes please)

Hi all, I need help. My car has been showing a warning indicator of a lamp with a sort of wavy/boiling water lookalike indicator under the lamp. I mistakenly thought it was wiper fluid and have been ignoring it for a few days. My manual does not show the exact same symbol, and searches on the...

Guys, I just bought a 2000 328i and it's my first BMW. I love the car but notice 2 things that aren't working. I've done a ton of research and can't find any info on these two. 1. My DSC, or just the indicator lamp is not working. Nothing displays on the dash when I hit the DSC button so I...

Pentax has revealed its latest DSLR, the 12.4-megapixel Pentax K-r, complete with a new 35mm lens to go with it.  The K-r – which will be available not only in sober black but in Stormtrooper white and brazen hussy red – has a 3-inch 920k dot LCD display, 6fps shooting for up to 25 frames, in-camera HDR editing and a 100 – 25600 ISO range.

It can also record 25fps 720p HD video, packs an 11 point SAFOX IX autofocus system and has a maximum 1/6000 second shutter speed.  There’s also a homegrown shake reduction system and a dust-removal mechanism.

As for the companion lens, the Pentax DA 35mm F2.4 AL is targeted at entry-level DSLR buyers (though it will work with all the company’s models) and will be priced at $219.95 when it arrives in October.  As for the Pentax K-r DSLR, that will be $799.95 body-only or $849.95 as the K-r Lens Kit with an 18-55 lens.  Two further double lens kits will be available, pairing the K-r with the 18-55 lens and either the 50-200 ($899.95) or 55-300 ($999.95) lenses.

Press Release:

PENTAX ANNOUNCES K-r DIGITAL SLR AND NEW 35MM LENS

GOLDEN, CO. September 8, 2010…PENTAX Imaging Systems Division has announced a new digital SLR line with color accents that allow owners to choose one that matches their personal style. The colorful PENTAX K-r DSLR camera offers advanced yet simple to use features at an attractive price.

The compact, lightweight PENTAX K-r is easy to use with Auto Picture, Scene, and Custom Image Processing modes that take the guesswork out of shooting stunning images while still offering a high degree of manual and priority control. The K-r offers a variety of new and improved features including a fast framerate, high ISO sensitivity, responsive autofocus, an improved 12.4 megapixel low-noise sensor and widescreen HD video capture that take it a step above an entry-level DSLR camera.

Key features of the PENTAX K-r that are new or have been improved upon from the most recent entry to mid-level PENTAX DSLR models include:
• Three stylish color choices include traditional black, the new classic white, and PENTAX red reflect any owner’s personal style.
• Large 3 inch LCD with 921,000 dots of resolution.
• Faster high speed 6 FPS framerate that captures 25 images in a single sequence.
• A maximum 1/6000 second shutter speed.
• Viewfinder focus point indicator.
• Improved in-camera HDR image capture including a Night Scene HDR mode.
• High sensitivity 100-25600 ISO range with improved noise performance from the new 12.4 megapixel CMOS sensor.
• Versatile dual-power-source design, which offers the choice of either a rechargeable lithium-ion battery or four AA-size battery power (using optional AA Battery Holder D-BH109).
• Infrared data transfer compatible with the IrSimple™ high-speed infrared data transmission system for wireless data transfer to the web or other IrSimple-compatible devices (includes a match-game between two PENTAX K-r’s).

Other important features of the new K-r models include:
• Widescreen 720p HD video at 25 FPS.
• PENTAX-original Shake Reduction mechanism for sharp, blur-free images that works with every PENTAX lens ever made
• Dust Removal mechanism, to shake dust off the CMOS image sensor.
• Highly responsive and accurate 11 point SAFOX IX autofocus system with dedicated AF assist lamp.
• Wide range of in-camera image processing and special effects filters.

With a highly portable, compact and lightweight body in a choice of colors, the K-r holds appeal for busy parents, family memory-keepers, travelers and anyone who reflects personal style in all their pursuits including their journey into photography or videography as a skill or hobby. The PENTAX K-r digital SLR will ship in October 2010 for as follows:
K-r Body Kit $799.95 USD
K-r Lens Kit w 18-55 $849.95 USD
K-r Double Lens Kit w 18-55, 50-200 $899.95 USD
K-r Double Lens Kit w 18-55, 55-300 $999.95 USD

PENTAX also announced the smc PENTAX DA 35mm F2.4 AL, standard lens designed exclusively for use with PENTAX digital SLR cameras. This new lens is versatile enough to be used with a wide range of subjects and applications for high-resolution images with edge-to-edge sharpness.
It is a perfect choice for digital SLR beginners to familiarize themselves with the basics of using interchangeable lenses.

The PENTAX DA 35mm F2.4 AL lens also will ship in October for $219.95 USD.
More information is available here: www.pentaximaging.com and product images are available
here: www.pentaximaging.com/press/pressfiles.html An information video is available here:
www.pentaximaging.com/pentaxian1

PENTAX Imaging Company is an innovative leader in the production of a variety of digital cameras including weather resistant digital SLRs and stylish, compact, waterproof cameras, as well as lenses, flash units, binoculars, scopes, and eyepieces. For over 90 years, PENTAX has developed durable, reliable products that meet the needs of consumers and businesses. With headquarters in Golden, Colorado, PENTAX Imaging Company is a division of PENTAX of America, Inc.

---

Relevant Entries on SlashGear

• Pentax unveils limited edition (and very colorful) Korejanai K-x DSLR camera
• Pentax outs new colors for its K-x line of DSLR cams
• Pentax White K2000 DSLR kits gets price and out for pre-order
• Pentax K-x entry-level DSLR: $650 for 12.4MP and 720p
• Did a box of Crayons throw up or is that the new Pentax K-x DSLR?

hey guys my right indicator has started turning on when i drive without me pressing anything - and doesnt turn off! also my headlamp stays on when i turn off the car. all the fuses are fine. i went to BMW and they said it was the lamp control unit and will cost over a grand to fix... has...

For over 40 years, Glide Foundation has been providing San Francisco’s most disadvantaged residents with programs and services to help them meet their basic survival needs. Over time, Glide has provided increasing need-based services to help more individuals and families break the cycles of multi-generational poverty. Many of those who access Glide’s services are residents of the Tenderloin, which has the highest concentration of homeless individuals and the highest percentage of people living below the federal poverty line among all of San Francisco’s neighborhoods. Individuals and families in the Tenderloin, particularly the homeless and marginally housed, face many barriers to stability and self-sufficiency, including poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, mental health, incarceration, unemployment, HIV/AIDS, violence, and other issues. With a mission to create a radically inclusive, just and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization, Glide provides a welcoming environment that stands ready to embrace new challenges in serving those most in need of assistance and support.

Glide is looking for a Maintenance Technician. The Maintenance Technician should possess adequate familiarity and competent experience in the essential areas of building engineering maintenance. S/he should be able to troubleshoot problems quickly as they arise, perform the necessary repairs/replacements of parts and equipment; and/or arrange assistance, meet with, and assist technical support for service to building systems.

The Maintenance Technician must be available for regular standby assignments and work scheduled off-hours and emergency overtime as required, and willing to quickly respond in the event of internal emergency or external disaster. This person adheres to routine safety precautions and make certain that safety procedures are followed at all times. Regular and predictable attendance is essential.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Must have knowledge of and familiarity with the following:
Fire Safety: familiar with the operation and response to the building fire alarm systems and components, extinguishers, maintaining clear passageways throughout building exits;
Electrical: outlets, switches, circuits, wiring, breakers. Must possess a basic knowledge of electricity and electrical safety and how to utilize the Lock Out/Tag Out procedure when performing maintenance on electrical systems;
Plumbing: fixtures, faucets, drain components, leaks, blockages, floods. Must be willing to safely repair sewage and plumbing lines, including but not limited to toilets, sewages lines and kitchen drainage systems;
Lighting: bulbs, ballasts, emergency exit lighting and battery maintenance, indicator lamp repairs;
Communication: Assist with troubleshooting problems with phone equipment, computer equipment and other devices;
Security equipment: locks, alarms systems, security alarms, panel and cabinet locks;
Building structure: windows, doors, closers, stoppers, handrails, floor tiles, dispensers in bathrooms. Must possess a basic knowledge of how to safely mix, transfer and dispose of construction materials such as concrete, paint, cleaning chemicals, adhesives and plasters;
Office accessory: desks and cabinets, installations of hanging file holders, bulletin boards, white boards, etc;
Must possess a basic knowledge of how to safely dispose of needles, syringes and other sharps;
Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision;
Ability to prioritize work and the ability to multi-task within specific timelines. Works well under pressure and manages stress effectively in a demanding and fast paced multi-cultural environment;
Excellent interpersonal skills. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work. Exercises sound judgment in interactions with others;
Ability to deal with highly charged issues and situations in a in a manner that presents useful and productive solutions;
Demonstrates Cultural Competency. Has the ability to work effectively across cultures. Demonstrates a commitment to learning, communicating and working respectfully with people different from themselves;
Commitment to the mission, values and philosophy of Glide.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
Possession of a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED) and three years related on-the-job experience in one of the following areas: electrical, plumbing, carpentry, mechanical, or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job;
Possession and maintenance of a valid California class C driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record;
Basic experience in the use of a computer, specifically MS Office Suite 2003 helpful, but not required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Drywall repair and painting;
Door and window hardware replacement, locksmithing;
Plumbing repairs to include solder and threaded joints for pressure and drain systems, fixture replacement;
Acoustical and linoleum tile replacement;
Repair and replacement of lighting and other electrical fixtures, including wiring;
Furniture moving and logistics;
Repair and replace worn office furniture;
Use tools ranging from common hand and power tools, such as hammers, hoists, drills, and wrenches, precision measuring devices and electrical testing devices to accomplish essential duties;
Perform daily janitorial duties as needed;
Purchase building and janitorial supplies;
Acquaint new employees to the facility;
Coordinate vendor and/or subcontractor activities;
Meet professional obligations through efficient work habits such as: meeting deadlines, honoring schedules, attending and actively participating in staff and individual meetings.

Glide Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition, disability, or sexual orientation. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds. People of color, differently-abled people and LGBT persons are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants can apply via e-mail, recruitment@glide.org, or FAX 415-771-8420, or snail mail, Glide Foundation, Attention Human Resources, 330 Ellis Street, SF, CA 94102. Be sure to include the job title and job number.

Occupancy Sensor Fluorescent Ceiling Lampholder for closets and closed spaces has sensor that turns lights on/off automatically in response to movement in room. Four knockout holes on box, with self-contained sensor, provide 284° field of view, and green LED indicator light blinks when motion is detected. Device automatically turns off after 3 min of inactivity, and is designed to reduce risk of fire in closets and closed spaces. Unit also includes 13 W lamp and lamp guard.

This story is related to the following:
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Search for suppliers of: Lampholders | Energy Saving Fluorescent Lighting | Compact Fluorescent Lighting

The tiniest ultra mini projector packs a punch that will bring presentations to life! The Atom easily provides 60 inch display resolution for a fun every time! You could hook up your game console, MP6 player, or portable DVD player to the Atom projector and play your favorite movies or games on this big screen! Despite looks like a tank, the Atom is surprisingly light, tiny and compact. That's because this tiny projector is constructed from heavy gauge extruded aluminum for strength. You could take the ultra mini projector anywhere and it will give you the incredible effects. The Atom is the future of wall projection in a small package. Specifications: Specifications: - Resolution: VGA (640 x 480) - Brightness: 50 Lumens - Lamp source: High power LED - Lamp life: 20,000+ hours - Contrast ratio: 200:1 - Focus: manual - Built-in speakers: YES - Interface: AV (Composite) Parts: - Power indicator - ON/OFF - Volume dial - AV IN - Power IN - Ventilation grill (left and right) - Projector lens - Speaker - Tripod jack - Air intake Power Adapter: 100V to 240V Certification: FCC, CE http://www.espow.com/wholesale-entertainment-home-theater-projectors.html

Hi, I have 2000 E46 318i sedan import from japan. I have an issue with the parking lights. When the parking lights are turned o, the passenger indicator light is permanently illuminated whilst the parking lamp on the same side fails to illuminate. Therefore, it appears the indicator lamp is...

Design the brake lamp system to be progressive based on braking pressure. The harder someone is pressing the brake pedal the brighter the stop lamps would be. This would be a good indicator of panic braking situations or short stops as well as gradual braking. Instead of using a brake on/off switch

Hi all, The exterior lamp warning light has appeared on my dash board, after checking that all the lights are working perfectly fine I have noticed that when the light switch is turned to the first position (dimmed lights) the near side indicator in the headlight stays on, it does not blink but...

Back in the crazy dot-com boom days, I knew someone who was into high-performance automobiles. And since these were the crazy dot-com boom days, he had the money to satisfy his urge to drive high-performance automobiles. He bought a used Ferrari, but found that it spent more time in the repair shop than on the road. To solve this problem, he bought a second Ferrari. (Note: This is not a solution available to most people.)

One of the many trips to the auto repair shop was to address an indicator light on the dashboard which had lit up. The mechanics studied the problem and concluded that the indicator light was a false positive. There was nothing wrong with the car aside from the light itself. "Just ignore it," they told him. "We can't disconnect the light for «some reason». If it really bothers you, you can put a piece of black electrical tape over it."

"I don't accept that solution," he replied, and told them to go and fix the problem for real.

Some time later, he returned to pick up the car, and yes, the indicator light was off. Satisfied, he drove off.

The next day, he took a closer look at the dashboard. The repair shop had cut out a piece of black electrical tape in the exact shape of the indicator light and placed it over the malfunctioning lamp.

The only thing I'd be interested to photograph running with stripes on a Tuesday morning is a Bengal Tiger. So I thought as a Ford Figo test mule was overtaking me on the GST road. As it passed by me, I thought I don't have to bother, it could be a data-logging run early in the morning. I'm almost sure that Ford isn't bringing the 1.6-liter Figo to the market and they don't have any other diesel engines in their kitty for this vehicle in the near future. As it passed by me, I noticed something weird. The rear tail lamps looked akward. A Dumbbell shaped clear patch of plastic was present on them instead of the production version's quadrilateral indicator pod. We compared the defunct Ford Fusion's stop lamp with the Figo's and understood they were different. So the customers suggesting the rear of the Figo is similar to the phased out Fiesta prompting Ford to take corrective measure is ruled out as a possibility. Vendors are usually requested several designs of components and perhaps the stop lamp on the Figo mule was an early prototype from the tail light supplier? Or is Ford changing the stop lamp's design for unknown reasons?

My X3 is at 60,000 miles, so it is out of the free scheduled maintenance from the dealership. I haven't received a service light on the car yet for the next oil service, but the engine oil lamp lit on briefly the other day. Since there is no dipstick, I pressed the oil indicator button near the...

An eagle eyed car aficionado in Hungary has caught the 2011 Suzuki Swift with no camouflage while it was being transported in a hauler. The vehicles, stacked tightly, can be easily mistaken for the current generation Swift, if not for the flab-y bumper and placement of badges. Hardly a few hours ago, we posted a video of two 2011 Swifts testing somewhere in Europe. Suzuki's Hungarian plant in the town of Esztergom, about 60 km north of Budapest will manufacture the new Swift for European customers. We expect the new Swift to debut in India next year. The undisguised new generation Suzuki Swift is a design evolution of the current model. On first glance, the new Swift seems to have put on body mass. Its rear tail lamp is much like the existing car, except for the transparent patch over the indicator bulb.

Another noticeable change is the shape of the rear window. The four door model snapped here has the same rear window design as the existing 3-door model (above). The stop light on the bumper has slipped further down. The rear wiper and windshield appears to have been carried over. The "Swift" font style and size is different, if you look closely. No head-on shots are available at the moment. but we have a photoshopped image with the Kizashi-nose stuck to the new Swift's front-end that'll give you a rough idea. The new Suzuki Swift could be unveiled officially on Thursday (June 10). Stay tuned for more.

I own a HD65 when I turn on the projector it will work fine for a couple minutes then the screen starts flashing a mixture of greyish colors then shuts off and the red light by the lamp indicator...

The tiniest ultra mini projector packs a punch that will bring presentations to life! The Atom easily provides 60 inch display resolution for a fun every time! You could hook up your game console, MP6 player, or portable DVD player to the Atom projector and play your favorite movies or games on this big screen! Despite looks like a tank, the Atom is surprisingly light, tiny and compact. That's because this tiny projector is constructed from heavy gauge extruded aluminum for strength. You could take the ultra mini projector anywhere and it will give you the incredible effects. The Atom is the future of wall projection in a small package. Specifications: • Specifications: • - Resolution: VGA (640 x 480) • - Brightness: 50 Lumens • - Lamp source: High power LED • - Lamp life: 20,000+ hours • - Contrast ratio: 200:1 • - Focus: manual • - Built-in speakers: YES • - Interface: AV (Composite) • Parts: • - Power indicator • - ON/OFF • - Volume dial • - AV IN • - Power IN • - Ventilation grill (left and right) • - Projector lens • - Speaker • - Tripod jack • - Air intake • Power Adapter: 100V to 240V • Certification: FCC, CE http://www.espow.com/wholesale-tiniest-atom-60-inch-display-ultra-mini-projector.html http://www.espow.com/wholesale-entertainment-home-theater-projectors.html

Ok, call me crazy... I'm a new owner of a used E92... The other day the lamp indicator lit up on my dash. I couldn't figure out what bulb burned out and ended up at the dealer. They promptly replaced the faulty bulb and took my money. Well it's on again. I went around the car last night...

My Panasonic PT44LCX65 will not come on...the power light does normal green flashes as it is warming up but then powers back down to red and eventually shuts off. After powerdown, the lamp indicator...

For centuries, we hunched over candles after dark. Then gas and electricity arrived – and the world lit up. In the latest extract from his new book, the acclaimed writer reveals the bizarre story of how artificial light came to transform our lives

We forget just how painfully dim the world was before electricity. A candle – a good candle – provides barely a hundredth of the illumination of a single 100w light bulb. Open your refrigerator door and you summon forth more light than the total amount enjoyed by most households in the 18th century. The world at night for much of history was a very dark place indeed.

Occasionally we can see into the dimness, as it were, when we find descriptions of what was considered sumptuous, as when a guest at a Virginia plantation, Nomini Hall, marvelled in his diary how "luminous and splendid" the dining room was during a banquet because seven candles were burning – four on the table and three elsewhere in the room. To him this was a blaze of light. At about the same time, across the ocean in England, a gifted amateur artist named John Harden left a charming set of drawings showing family life at his home, Brathay Hall in Westmorland. What is striking is how little illumination the family expected or required.

A typical drawing shows four members sitting companionably at a table sewing, reading and conversing by the light of a single candle, and there is no sense of hardship or deprivation, and certainly no sign of the desperate postures of people trying to get a tiny bit of light to fall more productively on a page or piece of embroidery. The fact is that people put up with dim evenings because they knew no other kind. (The French, according to Roger Ekirch, had a curious expression, which I pass on without comment: "By candle-light a goat is ladylike.")

Candles were of two types – tallow and wax. Tallow, made from rendered animal fat, had the great advantage that it could be made at home from the fat of any slaughtered animal and so it was cheap. But it was an exasperating material. Because it melted so swiftly, the candle was constantly guttering, and needed trimming up to 40 times an hour. Tallow also burned with an uneven light, and stank. And because tallow was really just a shaft of decomposing organic matter, the older a tallow candle got the more malodorous it grew. Far superior were candles made of beeswax. These gave a steadier light and needed less trimming, but they cost about four times as much and so tended only to be used for best.

The amount of illumination one gave oneself was a telling indicator of status. Elizabeth Gaskell in one of her novels had a character, Miss Jenkyns, who kept two candles out but burned only one at a time, and constantly, fussily switched between the two to keep them at exactly equal lengths. That way if guests came they wouldn't find candles of unequal sizes and deduce her embarrassing frugality.

For those who could afford it, oil lamps were the most efficient option, but oil was expensive and oil lamps were dirty and needed cleaning daily. Even over the course of an evening, a lamp might lose 40% of its illuminating power as its chimney accumulated soot.

Until the late 18th century the quality of lighting had remained unchanged for some 3,000 years. But in 1783 a Swiss physicist named Ami Argand invented a lamp that increased lighting levels dramatically by the simple expedient of getting more oxygen to the flame. Argand's lamps also came with a knob that allowed the user to adjust the flame's level of brightness – a novelty that left many users almost speechless with gratitude. The best light of all came from whale oil, and the best type of whale oil was spermaceti from the head of the sperm whale. Despite its name, spermaceti is not sperm and has no reproductive function, but when exposed to air it turns from a translucent watery liquid to a milky white cream and it is obvious at once why sailors gave the whale its name. By the 1850s a gallon of whale oil sold for $2.50 – half an average worker's weekly wage.

For the well-to-do in many large cities, gas was an additional option from about 1820. Mostly, however, it was used in factories and shops and for street lighting, and didn't become common in homes until closer to the middle of the century. Gas had many drawbacks. Those who worked in gas-supplied offices or visited gas-lit theatres often complained of headaches and nausea. To minimise that problem, gas lights were sometimes erected outside factory windows. Indoors it blackened ceilings, discoloured fabrics, corroded metal and left a greasy layer of soot on every horizontal surface. Flowers wilted swiftly in its presence and most plants turned yellow unless isolated in a terrarium. Only the aspidistra seemed immune to its ill effects, which accounts for its presence in nearly every Victorian parlour photograph.

Gas also needed some care in use. Most gas-supply companies reduced gas flow through their pipes during the day when demand was low. So anyone lighting a gas jet during the day had to open the tap wide to get a decent light. But later in the day as the pressure was stepped up, the light could flare dangerously, scorching ceilings or even starting fires, wherever someone had forgotten to turn down the tap. So gas was dangerous as well as dirty.

Gas had one irresistible advantage, however. It was bright – at least compared with anything else the pre-electric world knew. The average room with gas was 20 times brighter than it had been before. It wasn't an intimate light – you couldn't move it nearer your book or sewing, as you could a table lamp – but it provided wonderful overall illumination. People read more and stayed up later. It is no coincidence that the mid-19th century saw a sudden and lasting boom in newspapers, magazines, books and sheet music.

One natural phenomenon had the promise to eliminate all the foregoing dangers and shortcomings: electricity. Electricity was exciting stuff, but it was hard to devise practical applications for it. Using the legs of frogs and electricity from simple batteries, Luigi Galvani showed how electricity could make muscles twitch. His nephew, Giovanni Aldini, realising that money could be made from this, devised a stage show in which he applied electricity to animate the bodies of recently executed murderers and the heads of guillotine victims, causing their eyes to open and their mouths to make noiseless shapes.

The logical assumption was that if electricity could stir the dead, imagine how it might help the living. In small doses (at least we may hope they were small) it was used for all kinds of maladies, from treating constipation to stopping young men having illicit erections (or at least enjoying them). Charles Darwin, driven to desperation by a mysterious lifelong malady that left him chronically lethargic, routinely draped himself with electrified zinc chains, doused his body with vinegar and glumly underwent hours of pointless tingling in the hope that it would effect some improvement. It never did.

The real need was for a practical electric light. In 1846, rather out of the blue, a man named Frederick Hale Holmes patented an electric arc lamp. Holmes's light was made by generating a strong electric current and forcing it to jump between two carbon rods – a trick that Humphry Davy had demonstrated but not capitalised upon more than 40 years earlier. In Holmes's hands the result was a blindingly bright light. The first one was installed at the South Foreland Lighthouse, just outside Dover, and powered up on 8 December 1858. It ran for 13 years, and others were installed elsewhere, but arc lighting was never a huge success because it was complicated and expensive. It required an electromagnetic motor and a steam engine together weighing two tons, and needed constant attention to run smoothly.

Arc lights were way too bright for domestic use. What was needed was a practical domestic filament that would burn with a steady light for long periods. The principle of incandescent lighting had been understood, and in fact conquered, for a surprisingly long time. As early as 1840, seven years before Thomas Edison was even born, Sir William Grove, a lawyer and judge who was also a brilliant amateur scientist with a particular interest in electricity, demonstrated an incandescent lamp which worked for several hours, but nobody wanted a light bulb that cost a lot to make and only worked for a few hours, so Grove didn't pursue its development.

Then in the early 1870s Hermann Sprengel, a German chemist working in London, invented a device that came to be called the Sprengel mercury pump. This was the crucial invention that actually made household illumination possible. Sprengel's pump could reduce the amount of air in a glass chamber to one-millionth of its normal volume, which would enable a filament to glow for hundreds of hours. All that was necessary now was to find a suitable material for the filament.

The most determined and well-promoted search was undertaken by Thomas Edison, America's premier inventor. By 1877, when he started his quest to make a commercially successful light, Edison was already well on his way to becoming known as "the Wizard of Menlo Park". Edison was not a wholly attractive human being. He didn't scruple to cheat or lie, and was prepared to steal patents or bribe journalists for favourable coverage. In the words of one of his contemporaries, he had "a vacuum where his conscience ought to be". But he was enterprising and hard-working and a peerless organiser.

Edison dispatched men to the far corners of the world to search for potential filaments, and had teams of men working on up to 250 materials at a time in the hope of finding one that had the necessary characteristics of permanence and resistance. They tried everything, including even hair from the luxuriant red beard of a family friend. Just before Thanksgiving 1879 Edison's workmen developed a piece of carbonised cardboard, twisted thin and carefully folded, that would burn for as much as 13 hours – still not nearly long enough to be practical.

When Edison's first practical installation came it was lastingly significant. Edison wired a whole district of lower Manhattan, around Wall Street, to be powered by a plant installed in two semi-derelict buildings on Pearl Street. Through the winter, spring and summer of 1881–2 Edison laid 15 miles of cable and fanatically tested and retested his system. Not all went smoothly. Horses behaved skittishly in the vicinity until it was realised that leaking electricity was making their horseshoes tingle. Back at his workshops, several of his men lost teeth from mercury poisoning from over-exposure to Sprengel's mercury pump. But finally all the problems were resolved, and on the afternoon of 4 September 1882, Edison, standing in the office of the financier JP Morgan, threw a switch that illuminated 800 electric bulbs in the 85 businesses that had signed up to his scheme.

By modern standards those first lights were pretty feeble, but to people of the time an electric light was a blazing miracle – "a little globe of sunshine, a veritable Aladdin's lamp", as a journalist for the New York Herald breathlessly reported. It is hard to imagine now how bright and clean and eerily steady this new phenomenon was. When the lights of Fulton Street were switched on in September 1882, the awed Herald reporter described for his readers the scene as the customary "dim flicker of gas" suddenly yielded to a brilliant "steady glare . . . fixed and unwavering".

It was exciting, but clearly it was also going to take some getting used to.

My daughter's 2000SE transmission indicator lamp came on in her dash. I am not sure what this means. Does anyone have any feedback for me about this issue?

Hello Everyone, Just recently, my 528e started having this quirky electrical issue. When I turn on the headlamp switch, the RHS front and rear turn signal lamps come on and don't flash (the RHS indicator lamp on the cluster also comes on steady). Then after a couple of seconds, they start...

My 2000 E240 has an intermittent problem where every now and again, I get a 'Check Lamp Fault' error (did I quote that right? You know what I mean I...

I posted this on an MB forum but I didn't get any responses. This forum is more active anyway. This is weird. I got an exterior lamp failure indicator on the dashboard. So I checked to see what the problem was. My passenger side low beam wouldn't light up when I switched it on. But when I...

Can someone please tell me if i can drive my truck to the shop with the red battery light staying on. In the manual, it says - the battery is no longer being charged - malfunction of the alternator V-belt or in the charging circuit of the alternator. Red: stop immediately. [b]Do i Need a new...

FirstGiving is a leading provider of online fundraising services to nonprofits across the US and we are dedicated to helping ordinary people raise money for the causes they care about. Since our launch in 2003, our users have created over 242,000 fundraising pages and have raised over $127 million for 8000+ nonprofits.

We are embarking on a major redesign and rebuild of our online fundraising platform. We are seeking an experienced, talented and motivated web architect/developer to lead the architecture and development of this effort.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate our existing technology infrastructure, and determine the right technology stack will help us accomplish our goals.
• Work with product management to quickly efficiently and reliably bring a new product to market.
• Lead a rapid iterative development effort to rapidly create our next generation service.
• Create an infrastructure that will scale to process many millions of page views and transactions with fault-tolerance and predictability
• Help us find and hire additional team-members to complement our existing team.
• You will lead the development team, and also be expected to be hands-on with development.

Experience

If you can design and lead the build of a highly popular web application, we want to hear from you. We believe that past performance is an indicator of future success, and we're probably expecting :

• Several years experience building websites & web applications.
• Experience contributing to a fast-growth online product, where you've had direct exposure and hence understanding of how to design an app that really scales.
• Demonstratable leadership skills. Fellow developers trust your judgment and look to you for guidance.
• Significant experience in more than one web development stack.
• Technology is a passion as well as job.
• Experience working in fast-paced, agile environments.
• Knowledge of both front-end and back-end technologies.

As a bonus :

• In depth understanding of at least one open source stack, LAMP, Python, Rails etc.
• Experience with Microsoft .NET will help you understand our current infrastructure

About FirstGiving

FirstGiving is a pretty interesting place to work. We pay competitive market rates and can offer you an exciting, challenging role in a growing business that's part of something bigger, with plenty of opportunities to learn – and of course enjoy it at the same time. We have unusual investors, who believe in growing our business in a balanced, sustainable way. Our new San Francisco office is located by the ballpark, walking distance from Caltrain, BART and the South Park neighborhood.

If you're interested, please send your resume, together with a cover letter describing why you think you are the right person for us and your compensation expectations to the above address. Please include the words [Lead Architect] in the subject

I'm getting a check brake and tail lamps indicator on the check control display on my dash. It's indicating I have a right rear lamp out but in fact I do not. When I turn my lights on it goes away after a few minutes but comes back when I shut the car off and restart. I've replaced bulbs and that...

TOP PICKS

NEW MELONES RESERVOIR - Big news was an 18.11-pound largemouth bass, a new lake record, caught by Kyle Gentry at a tournament on Saturday on a brown jig with trailer. The fish boosted Gentry and his partner to the top place in a tournament on the lake, and of course, caught him big fish money and honors. "We've had some great fishing," said Matt Summers at Glory Hole Sports. "Three of our lake records have been broken just recently, brown trout, spotted bass and now, largemouth bass." Trout fishing has been decent for trollers fishing 45 feet down. The shore bite has been slower.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Sacramento - The big news is that the first of the spring striper run finally showed up here, smaller schoolie males that began picking up ghost shrimp, bloodworms and pileworms intended for sturgeon. The first fish were caught Thursday and Friday, right on schedule. Look for the main run to start the first part of April. Sturgeon action is farther upriver, but if you want catfish, try the Port of Sacramento.

LAKE BERRYESSA - The koke season has begun, and with some larger than usual fish, taken from 20 to 30 feet down, from Skier's Cove to the Big Island on the main lake. Many setups produced limits of kokes up to 17.5 inches (early for the season) but corn with herring or prawn scents from Pro-Cure and a speed of 1.5 to 1.7 on the GPS were common denominators. The salmon are also larger than usual for this early, measuring from 14 to 22 inches long. Bass are moving up with the nice warm weather, too. There are some smaller bucks running the banks that will eat rip baits like Lucky Craft Pointer 78s. To target the bigger females, work jigs and drop-shot gear 10-20 feet off main lake points. These are spawner females though, so put them back when you can.

COLLINS LAKE - The first of 12 pens of 3- to 4-pound rainbows was released this past week and the lake received another trophy plant. Trout action is wide open for trollers and shore anglers with fish 8 1/2 to 9 pounds weighed in recently. Trophy plants and pen releases will continue weekly until late April or May. Bass action is picking up as the water warms and the bass begin to move up to the banks to spawn. Special junior season turkey hunter, Robert McCrary of Fairfield, killed his bird in the Daugherty Hills Wldlife Area adjacent to the lake this past Saturday.

SILVER LAKE - Two Carson City regulars had a banner day this past week landing a 22 1/2-pound Mackinaw through 14 inches of ice. The big fish was photographed and released along with an 8 pounder and a 3 pounder. All the fish were caught on worms.

NORTH COAST RIVERS

CHETCO RIVER, Ore. - The curtain is dropping, and March marks the seasons end for the Chetco River and with it usually comes a good shot of bluebacks. Has not been a stellar season, according to some, although there have been good time periods. Most are now heading towards the Rogue for the spring king salmon run. The few anglers still fishing here are finding some downrunners and bluebacks.

EEL RIVER - Running a lot of water and high, but the color was actually coming into shape, according to guide Mark Nimitz of Pipe Creek Outfitters. He said the main will be holding a bigger number of fish, both fresh, downrunners and bluebacks. A few guys were even going to try it Monday.

EEL RIVER, South Fork - The river has been fishing all week long, and boaters are averaging three to five steelhead a boat, a mix of fresh bluebacks, downrunners and a very few fresh fish. Fishable from top to bottom, and the rain on Sunday wasn't expected to do much damage. Drifting roe is the way to go. Nimitz fished it Thursday from Myers Flat to the forks and they caught five steelies, seeing only three other boats, and they did well, too.

GARCIA, GUALALA rivers - Those with pontoon boats floating the top of the Gualala River were finding nice pockets of steelhead and doing well on them, but it's very tough access. Both rivers close March 31.

NAVARRO, NOYO rivers - Running low and clear and no reports on the fishing. Set to close on March 31.

ROGUE RIVER, Lower, Ore. - Spring king season is underway, but currently rated slow to fair, but improving each day. Look towards early April for it to become consistent. Some anchored up anglers are finding the occasional chromer.

ROGUE RIVER, Grant's Pass - Winter steelhead are still bending rods up here, but the river is low and continues to clear.

RUSSIAN RIVER - Steve Jackson, owner of Kings Sport and tackle, said the river was flowing at 3000 cfs at Guerneville on Friday and blown out, but by Sunday it had dropped to 1700 cfs and was fishable-a "nice green color", according to Jackson. Anglers were out, but no reports as of press time. The hatchery got 200 fresh new fish last week, so things are looking good for anglers this week. The use of bait ends on March 31, but the river remains open to fishing with artificial lures.

SMITH RIVER - Fishing on the Smith River has been fair, according to guide Phil Desautel of Phil's Smiling Salmon Guide Service. Everybody is gone and the river is void of fishermen. It is a downrunner here and a downrunner there. Desautel fished twice this past week, one day they got three and the next two, including a nice 13-pound hatchery buck. The water is low and clear and the fish are sitting in the one-shot slots. Last weekend was the Oakland Raider Derby which had pretty good results considering the horrible conditions. The Smith came up four feet and the Chetco came up five feet on the first day The winning teams were from Mondavi Winery and Willie Boats and they were fishing with Gary Early and John Klar. There were a total of 38 fish caught between 12 teams and every fish was released.

UMPQUA RIVER, North Fork, Ore. - Guide Curtis Palmer of River Secrets Guide Service said this river appears to be the most consistently productive in the state. The last of the winter steelhead are passing over the Winchester Dam at an average of a couple hundred fish a day. He expects the river to fish well into the second week of April. When the river becomes this full of fresh steelhead, just about any good offering will produce a fish. He said more fish are spawning, so well- cured roe and a Fish Pill or Puffball while sidedrifting is best.

UMPQUA RIVER, South Fork, Ore. - Darryl Grove and Larry Mercer of River Wolf boats fished most of the day Thursday after launching the boat in downtown Roseburg. They landed six of the seven steelhead they hooked up. Darryl said half of there fish were post-spawn.

VANDUZEN RIVER - No direct reports, but should have been in shape and fishing this past week.

NORTH SALTWATER

BENICIA - Tony Lopez at Benicia Bait reported much improved action with some big stripers caught at Middle Grounds on live bait and bullheads. The shoreline striper action has also increased for anglers using anchovies, although most of the bass are small keepers. Sturgeon also started showing near Middle Grounds in deeper water, and two keeper were weighed, one from the Glomar and one from the Mothball Fleet.

BERKELEY - Captain Jim Smith on the Happy Hooker has one more weekend in Martinez before heading here to start his spring/summer season targeting salmon, halibut and striped bass, and just about anything else that swims via live bait potluck trips.

BODEGA BAY - The harbor has been very quiet since squid left town. Not much on the horizon here until salmon opens.

CROCKETT - Captain Mike Shimel had a good couple of trips on the weekend on the Morning Star, finding a total of four keeper sturgeon, some keeper stripers, flounder and some shaker action as well. Most of the action came from the far northwest corner of San Pablo Bay on grass shrimp. One of the stripers went 12.5 pounds, and the biggest sturgeon measured 58 inches.

EMERYVILLE - The Tigerfish ran the landing's first halibut trolling trip, finding four keepers to 12 pounds. The boat started on the south side off of Oyster Point, then found most of the fish between Paradise and Southampton. "We'll be scheduling halibut trips regularly until salmon opens," said Craig Stone at the landing.

EUREKA - Ben Williams at the Pro Sport Center said the calm seas triggered a surfperch explosion for anglers fishing at the docks by the PG&E; station, at Elk River Beach and on the outside at Centerville Beach and the mouth of the Eel River. Small raw shrimp from the grocery store has been top bait. Night fish should be running also, but he hasn't had any reports yet.

FORT BRAGG - The landing has been very quiet since the squid evaporated, but Captain Randy Thornton on the Telstar is prepping for the April 1 abalone opener as well as the April 3 salmon opener.

HALF MOON BAY - Captain Tom Mattusch on the Huli Cat continued to run crab trips finding limits although the numbers have dropped off some.

MARTINEZ - Captain Steve Talmadge on Flash Fishing reported two days fishing with good action, and while Friday's trip didn't produce any keeper sturgeon, his anglers released four shakers, and boxed two quality bass to 12 pounds. On Saturday, anglers fishing on Flash during the Deaf Sturgeon Challenge found two keeper sturgeon to 53 inches. "My crew took some of the money, congratulations!" said Talmadge.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO BAY - John Akina at Oyster Point Bait and Tackle reported good action on halibut with five fish weighed on Sunday, and six on Saturday. Most anglers used herring or anchovies, some with straight bait, some behind dodgers, at 25 feet. "We had three stripers from the pier last night, all keepers," said Akina. Also- rans on the pier were jacksmelt and perch.

TRINITY/KLAMATH RIVERS

KLAMATH RIVER, Klamath Glen - Hardly anyone is fishing down here despite good river conditions, but the few who are, find some pretty decent halfpounder fishing. Nothing fantastic, and no adults at all, but they are catching fish, according to guide Rich Mossholder of Rivers West Guide Service. Look for springer salmon to begin the end of April.

KLAMATH RIVER, upper - Scott Cauldwell of SC Guide Service said the river has been slow fishing. Flows are up and cold due to snowmelt and rain. Weather has been going from 30 to 70 degrees, sunny one day and windy and rainy the next.

TRINITY RIVER, Lewiston - Excellent weather earlier in the week, with some rain sweeping through over the weekend, and the afternoon hatch has been "the best part" according to guide Steve Huber. All their fish were taking topwater flies in the p.m., and they're getting one to three steelies per trip. Mostly downrunners. Huber will be switching gears and heading to the Sacramento River for trout and stripers soon.

MOTHER LODE

AMADOR LAKE - A couple 2-pound crappie caught by boaters is signaling the start of spring here, along with better bass action. Still plenty of big trout coming in thanks to the weekly plants. Shore anglers are using Power Bait or worms, and boaters are drifting Power Bait for the best trout action.

CAMANCHE LAKE - Big bass action is on here with one angler catching a pair weighing 7 and nearly 9 pounds on RoboWorms and topwater lures. A recent tournament with 23 boats produced many limits and a nearly 18-pound limit won, big fish went 5.77 pounds. The South Shore Trout Pond produced a lunker rainbow weighing 9.07 pound, a Kastmaster enticed the fish. Main lake trout fishing is solid for trollers, and Captain Steve Talmadge of Flash Fishing sampled the bite, reporting a slow bite, but big fish. The best action was before 10 a.m., and his group caught fish weighing up to 7 pounds, 10 ounces.

DON PEDRO RESERVOIR - WON staffer Bill Karr joined Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing for some trolling action finding both kings and rainbows. The salmon were smallish, so the pair focused on the big holdover 'bows they found hit a fast trolled homemade spoon. Bass fishing is getting hot as the fish move shallow for the spring spawnfest. Most anglers are covering water early with ripbaits, crankbaits and spinnerbaits, then switch to plastic worms when the sun gets high.

LAKE McCLURE - Jim Nudo at the Barretts Cove Marina got in on the trout action, trolling up a three pounder that hit a Kastmaster while he and a friend fished from a pontoon boat. Once boated, the fish flipped and managed an escape. Bass fishing has been improving steadily, with even shore anglers catching fish around the marina, most using live minnows under a bobber for 2-pound class fish.

LAKE McSWAIN - Marilyn Kemper at the marina reported good action following Tuesday's plant by Calaveras Trout Farm. Several anglers caught fish, top bait bets marshmallows and worms for shore anglers, while boaters did well using Rapalas in brook trout, firetiger and rainbow trout.

LAKE PARDEE - Bank fishing was best at Blue Heron Point, the parking lot bank behind Tom Sawyer Island, and the launch ramp. Power Bait, nightcrawlers and Kastmasters topped the offerings. Trollers are finding the best bite up river from Columbia Gulch to Indian Rock. Some nice holdovers up to 6 pounds reported. Top bet are small spoons in pink or fluorescent orange fished behind dodgers or flashers, and tipped with a piece of nightcrawler.

NEW HOGAN RESERVOIR - Outdoor writer William Heinselman reported much improved black bass action for anglers fishing three to 25 feet with curly-tail grubs, creature baits, Senkos, worms and jigs. He said pre- spawn stage is close for this lake.

TULLOCH RESERVOIR - A good bet for trout trollers fishing from Green Creek's mouth upriver. Shad and small spoons imitating shad worked best for planters and some nice 2- to 3-pound holdovers. Bass action should fire up at this lake over the next few weeks, with Green Springs and Black Creek top spots for anglers casting plastic worms, jigs and tube baits.

NORTHERN FOOTHILLS

BULLARDS BAR - The lake is at 67-percent capacity. Brett Brady at Bare Bones Guide Service hit the lake this past week and landed 20 rainbows to 17 inches while trolling up in the North Fork arm. The fish were more active from 9 a.m. to noon with the surface temp running 48 to 50 degrees. Troll dodgers and nightcrawlers or lures 15 to 20 feet deep 100 feet behind the boat. There were some schools of small kokanee, 4 to 6 inches, seen on the meter and they were hitting the baits but not getting hooked due to their size. The bass bite is wide open as the spots move into shallow water more frequently to prepare for the spawn.

CAMP FAR WEST - The top teams in the North Shore Resort bass tournament this past weekend all weighed in around 11 pounds. The water is rising onto the grassy banks triggering a good spinnerbait bite. Big fish for the event was a 3.6 pounder.

ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIR - The lake is at 91-percent capacity. The water is getting clearer and trout action is picking up in the marina for trollers. One boat picked up five rainbows, 14 to 16 inches, in the marina on flasher/worm combos. Trollers are still working the upper lake from Buck's Beach to the inlets for a mix of browns and rainbows.

LAKE OROVILLE - The lake is up to 43-percent capacity. Bass and coho action is still steady as the lake rises and the water warms up. The bass are in the top 20 feet and hitting Senkos and other plastics. The spots are running 1 1/2 to 3 3/4 pounds. Coho, 13 to 14 inches, are hitting minnows, nightcrawlers and Sling Blade combos all over the lake.

ROLLINS LAKE - The DFG has been making regular plants the last few weeks and shore anglers and trollers are catching lots of rainbows.

SCOTT'S FLAT LAKE - This lake was planted last week by the DFG. The plant included mostly 12 to 14 inchers with some fish to 24 inches. Shore anglers are limiting out in short order with Power Bait, nightcrawlers, Panther Martin spinners and Kastmaster spoons. Trollers are using flasher/worm combos and Rapalas for their share of the planters near the marina and the dam.

SUGAR PINE RESERVOIR - The lake finally received its first plant by the DFG. The roads and lake accesses are clear due to all the warm weather seen this past week and it's finally time to plan a visit.

STUMPY MEADOWS RESERVOIR - The warm weather has cleared the road to the lake and into the parking area and boat ramp. Some anglers are catching some holdover trout and with DFG beginning to plant other lakes in the area, hopefully this place will be next on the list.

THERMOLITO AFTERBAY - Bass action has kicked into high gear with the high lake levels and warmer water temps. The fish are hitting jigs and Senkos along the tule banks in the backs of the coves.

SIERRA LAKES/RIVERS

BOCA LAKE - Ice fishing is DONE for the season. The lake is about half open and now anglers are just shore fishing off the dam and the inlet with salmon eggs and worms.

CAPLES LAKE - There's still one to four feet of snow to dig through to get to the ice. 50 anglers were on the lake this last weekend, and most of them were at the dam and spillway catching limits of pan- sized rainbows and browns on Power Bait and worms.

CARSON RIVER (East) - All reports coming into the Carson River Resort indicate that the water is too cold for decent fishing. The warm weather has started some snowmelt and the flows are up.

DAVIS LAKE - The lake is at 51-percent capacity. Ed Dillard and friends tried the area at the boat ramp at Honker and caught some 1 1/2 to 2 pounders on Power Bait through 18 inches of ice. The bite has been better earlier in the morning. Snowmobilers are getting more cautious about being out on the main body of the lake due to some soft spots.

DONNER LAKE - The lake is pretty much ice-free, but too low to launch a big boat. Boats under 16 feet can probably be launched without too much trouble but there's no dock. Shore anglers are doing pretty well on rainbows and a few smaller Macks off the west end beaches on Power Bait, worms and salmon eggs.

FRENCHMAN LAKE - The lake is up to 40-percent capacity. The ice is still thick with no apparent cracks. The only open water is at Spring Creek and only a very little at that. Fishing is still good at the dam where the access is very good. To get past the dam, 4- wheel drive is recommended. Rainbows are eating Power Bait and Crystal Bullet jigs.

ICE HOUSE RESERVOIR - This lake was finally planted by the DFG this last week. Shore anglers were fishing with inflated nightcrawlers at the dam and catching some browns up to 3 1/2 pounds this past Saturday, according to Ken Mathis at Ken's Custom Tackle and Guide Service. Dale Daneman was trolling brown Sep's grub here on a side planer and caught 26 rainbows, 12 to 16 inches, in 6 hours. The best bite was mid-day.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR - The road from Hwy 89 is open so now the lake can be reached easily from either end. The trophy trout plant of a couple of weeks back paid off for one angler who caught an 8 1/2 pounder while fishing off the shore with Power Bait. The west end of the lake produced limits of 2 1/2 to 4 pounders for locals throwing small Rapalas, according to Dave Kirby at Woodfords Station.

JENKINSON LAKE (Sly Park) - The DFG planters are having the biggest impact on the anglers coming to the lake. The back side of the lake where the water is running in is the best area for shore fishermen using Power Bait. The rainbows are running 10 to 14 inches. A couple of 20-inch Mackinaws were checked in at Sly Park Resort this past week.

LAKE TAHOE - Fishing is still good on the north end from Tahoe City to Crystal Bay Point. Both Mickey Daniels and Chuck Self caught limits over the weekend working Sling Blades and minnows, spoons and plugs from 100 to 300 feet deep. The keepers are running 3 to 7 pounds with smaller fish being tagged and/or released. The morning bite is best.

PROSSER LAKE - Lots of open water here, so ice fishing is done for the season. Shore anglers are doing well at the dam on Power Bait Nightcrawlers and salmon eggs.

PYRAMID LAKE - Crosby's Lodge reports that fishing is best in March and April and two fish weighed in this past week seemed to confirm this. 13 3/4- and 11 3/4-pound cutthroats were weighed in by fly fishermen. The South Nets and Indian Head were mentioned as good places to try for the shallower fish. Trollers have been doing pretty well on Flatfish and Apex. Joe Mendes at Eagle Eye Charters caught 18 fish on Sunday with one over 24 inches. He was using a frog Flatfish.

RED LAKE - The ice is turning a little too blue for some fishermen and Dave Kirby at Woodfords Station warned that the ice may break this week if it stays warm and windy. Use extreme caution if contemplating a trip here.

STAMPEDE RESERVOIR - A snowmobiler towed a small aluminum boat to the lake this past week and caught a 23-pound Mackinaw. Lots of open water here but a snowmobile is the only way to get here for awhile.

TOPAZ LAKE - The spring-like weather brought out plenty of fishermen over this past weekend and some nice limits were checked in at Topaz Landing Marina. Carl Hendshot of Tracy picked up a limit topped by a 2 1/4 pounder trolling a No. 5 CD Rapala on two colors of leadcore. Shore anglers have been doing best on the east side and south end using Power Bait.

TRUCKEE RIVER - Fly fishermen are doing well on rainbows, 15 to 20 inches, and browns, 22 to 23 inches, on BWO's, small black stones, midges and streamers. Mid-day is best after the water has had a chance to warm up a bit.

UNION VALLEY RESERVOIR - This lake was finally planted by the DFG this past week. Ken Mathis at Ken's Custom Tackle was guiding here all this past week and client Jim Erskine of Pollack Pines landed a 17- pound Mackinaw. They were trolling 80 feet deep over the top of sandy ledges with his Double Flutter spoons mid-day, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Mathis said they lost another big fish that they couldn't turn that he estimated was over 20 pounds. Debris is floating on the surface so boaters need to use caution.

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

AMERICAN RIVER - Slow fishing for everything. Not much action on the steelhead, although dedicated anglers can still get one if they put in the time and work. Nothing on stripers until you get down to the mouth, where a few schoolie male stripers finally began showing in the Sacramento on Thursday of this past week.

FEATHER RIVER - Boaters are finding a few catch-and-release local stripers throwing plugs down near Bear River, but nothing big going on here, and no steelhead in the upper part of the river to speak of.

FOLSOM LAKE - Ongoing action on king salmon and rainbow trout, about a 50/50 split between the two, and guide Jerry Lampkin of T.N.G. Motorsports Guide Service put his clients onto 16 nice fish on Friday, caught at 20 feet on a rainbow Speedy Shiner and some on Rapalas. Troll at 3 mph, unless you use Sling Blades and hoochies, then slow to 1.5 mph. Boaters beware around the wind sock, there's a safety buoy about two feet under the surface. Dennis Pfanner of Sacramento Pro Tackle confirmed the report, adding that bassers should use minnows or crawdad, or shad-patterned jigs and spoon around drop-offs and point.

RANCHO SECO LAKE - A huge crowd was out there this past weekend working over the leftover trout, and those from a recent plant. "Some are catching them and some are not" was the report. Usually those in non- motorized floating devices are doing best, because they can cover more of the lake.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Knights Landing - Dennis Pfanner of Sac. Pro Tackle said that sturgeon action remains good up here, from about here up to Meridian, including spots like El Dorado Bend, China Bend and Tisdale. Of course, pileworms, bloodworms, or ghost shrimp are the best bet. Bob Bradbury of Johnson's Bait and Tackle confirmed the report and said they weighed one in on Saturday and two on Sunday, from Meridian, Colusa and Tisdale Weir. No stripers here at all yet.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Redding/Red Bluff - The rainbow trout bite here is "on fire" said Jeremiah Houle of The Fly Shop in Redding. "There's a lot of caddis starting", he said. Go for birdnest, olive fox pupae, zug bugs, poxy back pmds, micro may flies in brown or black and the "usual" cheesebrain egg. He said the regular angler would get half a dozen wild rainbows a day, while one guide put his two guys on 80 hookups in one boat! Most guides are getting 20 to 30 fish a day. Bigger fish coming from the Posse Grounds to Bonneview, bigger numbers and smaller fish from Benneview all the down to the Barge Hole. The river is flowing at 3250 and clarity is perfect.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Upper - Night time temperatures haven't been freezing so there's snowmelt coming into the river, bringing it up and keeping it cold. Fishing has been "okay" but closer to "fair", but it's only seeing minimal fishing pressure.

YUBA RIVER - One report from guide Dave Barbieri, provided by Johnson's Bait & Tackle, was that the fly fishing action was great above the Park's Bar Bridge, where both rainbows and halfpounder steelies to two pounds were being caught on March browns in good numbers.

NORTH COAST LAKES

CLEAR LAKE - Most anglers were found at the north end fishing the tules with worms, jigs, ripbaits, swimbaits, and a few crankbaits. Overall, the fishing has still not hit its stride, but all that can change quickly now that the waters are getting warmer. When it does both the bass and anglers will spread out. Best colors for baits include green pumpkin and watermelon variations, purple and browns, and craw colors. Water color varies around the lake with some areas having a visibility of a foot or so to other areas having at least seven feet of clear water. The surface temperature is running about 57 to 58 degrees in the afternoon and 52 to 53 in the morning.

UPPER BLUE LAKE - The bass bite is starting to pick up along the Highway 20 shoreline now with warmer waters, but it is the trout most are targeting. The lake was stocked with trout last week and the fishing pressure has been very low.

INDIAN VALLEY RESERVIOR - Bass fishing as well as catfishing should be excellent here with all the recently added rainfall waters and the waters are clearing now. The dam area has always been a favorite area to target them both. A few holdover trout have also been taken.

LAKE SONOMA - The waters have cleared but the algae blooms have started. Robo Worms and Carolina-rigged worms have been producing.

DELTA, SACRAMENTO RIVER side - Get ready for some striper action as it appears the bite is starting up. Although still a little murky, Sandy Beach, the Old Dairy, Cache Slough and the mouth of the Deep Water Channel have been producing for both trollers and those tossing swim baits in the same general vicinity. The incoming tides were better in these areas, as well as on Mokelumne River as it cleared and brought fresher water in.

DELTA, SAN JOAQUIN RIVER side - Sturgeon fishing improved with the outgoing tides for sturgeon here, soaking baits off the bottom for stripers and sturgeon. Eel, grass shrimp, ghost shrimp and salmon roe all produces some fish but roe was preferred. Bass are getting fat bellies and ready to spawn. Staging and moving up found most of these fish close to the bank in around 9 feet of water but the bite was still tough. Broken pile, punching mats, you'll just have to move around and try different things until they settle. The waters are warming and that should get things going soon.

NORTHEASTERN AREA

LAKE ALMANOR - The fish have scattered and are no longer all by the dam but with waters improving, so is the fishing, although still not consistent. The fish are still feeding on the pond smelt but it's an early bite and can shut down once the sun hits the water. Add some fog or clouds and the bite will hold a little longer. Sunny days and light winds should keep the warming trend going. The mornings are still pretty chilly but the ramps and roads are dry and open.

BAUM LAKE - Woolly buggers, scuds, micro mayflies, copper Johns and pheasant tails were doing best for fly fishermen. Bait fishermen did well on nightcrawlers and garlic flavored marshmallows. Lure fishermen continue to do well with Trout Magnets and Kastmasters. Lots of browns in the 17-inch range are coming in now, with some fishermen finding limits in three hours.

BRITTON LAKE - Watch for crappie bite to start with warmer weather.

KESWICK RESERVOIR - This lake fishes the same all year unless the water is dirty from recent storms. The best way to fish it is from a jet boat, nymphing the seams and drop-offs, and stripping streamers on sinking lines. Depth is the key to success here, once you find where fish are feeding, success is likely.

IRON CANYON - You can work this lake one of two ways, with an indicator and nymphs or sinking lines and streamers. The midge hatches are usually strong and fishing a blood midge with a black midge pupa dropper is deadly. For those who want to cast and retrieve, flies, leech and bugger style flies work great. You can usually get some larger fish usually this method.

PIT RIVER - The pocket waters can provide some good dry fly action midday on warm days in caddis and March browns. This area is open to catch and release only, barbless hooks, and artificials only from Lake Britton dam downstream. With all of the PG&E; road closures though, it's hard to get here and few reports are coming in.

LAKE SHASTA - The McCloud arm was good for brown trout and salmon. Top lining and also fishing 5 to 25 feet down with the downriggers with UV shad patterned Cripplures, a shad patterned Glo Cripplure with UV Sling blades, a Matrix Kazi Mino in blue, as well as watermelon and silver/black Apex's. Salmon were marked from 90 to 150 feet, with the better bite on a Sling Blade Wiggle hoochie in white, or a shad patterned Cripplure at 120 feet. Bass fishing was solid finding spots on a mixed bag of drop-shot gear, jigs, Senko's and the occasional rip bait. The main lake body continues to be the best producer.

WHISKEYTOWN RESERVOIR - Although still early, a few kokes from 11 to 13.5 inches were taken by the 295 Bridge with pink Apex behind a UV Sling Blade or a UV pink Apex behind the UV Sling Blade. The good news was they were all clean, healthy and free of copepods.

- Western Outdoor News

www.wonews.com

Selling a pair of 00-04 Ford Focus sedan aftermarket tail lights. TYC blackhousing tail lamps. Includes two yellow turn indicator bulbs, two TYC stickers...

I bought a 16 piece Forstner Bit Set (Steelex # D3573) sometime ago, but had never used the bits in the set that are smaller than one inch. Projects I built using the larger bits did not require precise diameter holes, so I never checked them for accuracy.

Yesterday, I needed a 5/8” hole that would handle a 5/8” peg in a piece of furniture I am working on, so I chucked the Steelex 5/8” bit in my drill press for the first time. I clamped a test piece to the table and fence on my drill press and bored a test hole. Good thing I didn’t just start boring holes in my hardwood work-pieces.

To my surprise, the peg was loose in the hole … too loose for a decent fitting joint. I measured the peg (it is .6285) then measured the hole (it is .6325).

I removed the bit and popped the chuck off the spindle, cleaned the spindle and chuck thoroughly with steel wool, re-installed the chuck, re-installed the bit, and drilled another hole. Same result.

Out came the dial indicator. There is no discernable run-out on the spindle or chuck, but the Steelex 5/8” bit showed a little over 40-thousandths run-out. In other words … the shaft is crooked, which is why it produced an over-sized hole. I spot-checked several of the other Steelex bits, and all exhibit runout between 20 and 40-thousandths.

So the question is: How much run-out is acceptable?

BTW … I ran over to the big box, and bought a 5/8” Forstner bit (cheap house brand) that produced a perfectly-sized hole, so my project didn’t suffer. But that sort of defeats the purpose in buying a 16-piece set that I thought was better quality than the house-brand at the big box.

Searched DIY, no luck. My left side mirror indicate lamp/bulb went out. Stealer indicates they do no have bulb but rather the whole assembly for...

Things I learned in Labor and Delivery last night:

1. Baby A really doesn't like being monitored, at all. I knew that he was persnickety about having any sort of infringement on his space (maternity belt, waistband of jeans, clothing of any kind...), but the belt wasn't all that tight, and as I was reclining, there was plenty of space for him to roam elsewhere. He spent the better part of three hours kicking the crap out of the heart rate monitor, which meant three hours of hearing "BUMP, WHOOSH, SCRATCH, BUMP!" over and over and over again.

2. Even nice nurses can say really stupid things:

Nurse: Oh, twins, huh? Are they natural?

Me: Uuuuuh.

(to self: Shit. How do I answer that? Is she seriously asking? Should I be snarky and sarcastic right off the bat to the nurse who will be taking care of me for the next few hours? I suppose it could be pertinent to my treatment, so I better just answer as though she's seriously asking...)

No. We did IVF.

Nurse: (frowning) Oh. I like natural twins better.

Me: (stunned silence)

...and later...

Nurse: So you just couldn't get pregnant?

Me: Nope.

Nurse: You tried for a while, and it just didn't work?

Me: Nope.

Nurse: So how many miscarriages did you have?

Me: This is my first pregnancy.

Nurse: So you just aren't able to get pregnant?

Me: (to self: clearly I AM able to get pregnant, as I am sitting in front of you pregnant with twins, moron. But if you're asking the nature of my fertility concerns, that's not really your business at this point, I don't think.)

Well, it took some help, but here we are.

(though really, your presumption that infertility is automatically the woman's fault is amusing. I should correct you, but my husband is a little touchy about his infertile status, and he's sitting over there in the corner trying to read, and is feeling a little worried about all of this and I'd rather not add embarrassment to his list of emotional responses right now...)


I mean, otherwise, she was a very nice nurse, very friendly, though I did in the course of my hours there find out that she doesn't like working triage, and that she doesn't like the new uniform/nametag regulations that the hospital is putting into place, and that she doesn't like the tattoo I have around my belly button. I'm considering writing a note to the supervisor at the hospital, because while she was nice, and very efficient, and gave excellent care, there are plenty of people who are more sensitive to their infertile status than I am (well, people whose reactions are perhaps more toward the sad/hurt side than mine are, since mine are clearly angry/defensive...). And while it's her prerogative to feel however she would like to feel about IVF, if you are a labor and delivery nurse, you maybe should consider keeping those opinions to yourself, so as not to be mean to those people who are on that sad/hurt side of infertile status.


3. Fetal Fibronectin tests don't hurt at all, really. But an unlubricated latex glove exam of a cervix that is high and fairly tightly closed is EXCRUCIATING.

Apparently, the outer part of my cervix was dilated one centimeter, but as hard as she tried (and she tried really, really hard), she couldn't get her finger all the way through my cervix. So the outside is opening up somewhat, but the inside is really tightly closed (I have no idea. I thought the cervix was either dilating or not. I didn't know that there were outer parts and inner parts that both had to dilate... so whatever). Which is good. However, that lovely exam left me bleeding, and not just a little trickle, more like puddle-on-the-sheet, still-bleeding-this-morning, where-was-the-massacre kind of bleeding. Fun.

4. There is such a thing as too much vic.odin. I have become a total narcotics-lightweight, and two vicod.in left me stumbling and wretching and nauseated. I was signing my release paperwork as I began to feel the full effect of the nausea. I don't remember what the last thing I signed was, but I do remember that my signature was totally illegible as I ran out the door of the triage room I was in, stumbling across the hall to the restroom where I did not actually throw up, but managed to quickly wet a towel and place it on the back of my neck and cheeks (doesn't work for everyone, but it's my personal little magic trick for stalling or even eliminating the need to vomit). I was actually so dizzy from it that, for a minute there, I thought that I may have lost enough blood so as to leave me light headed. But it was just the drugs.

.....

So, I'm supposing it might be nice to share the actual WHYS as regards my recent trip to L&D.; It's going to sound stupid (as it always does in retrospect), but starting at around 10 a.m. yesterday, I noticed a fuzziness/ringing in my left ear. And while it's not necessarily unheard of for me to have a fuzzy feeling in that ear, it's usually connected to a bad head cold or some sort of sinus infection (hasn't happened in several years. In fact, it hasn't happened since I was last a smoker). And yes, my nose has been a snotty mess since I got pregnant, but it's not blocked. The snot moves around just fine, so it would be weird that allergies or general pregnancy-mucous-membrane-inflammation would be causing a blockage in my ear.

And yeah, that, by itself, is not enough of an issue to freak me out, even though I'm certainly quite trigger-happy as concerns my health. But not long after the ringing started, I started to feel a little dizzy as well. The dizziness seemed to be coming and going, and I was mostly able to ignore it. And then right before dinner, I started having some nausea and some hard cramps in my stomach. And then, I got a headache. And then, I noticed that my ring (this ring) was really painful on my finger, like my hand had swollen quite a bit, which lead me to notice that my feet were also swollen. And then, I noticed that the waves of dizziness were accompanied by a flushed face feeling. Which lead me to (insert drums of doom here...) play a little game of Google M.D. And Dr. Google, ever so obliging as always, informed me that my symptoms were all serious indicators of pre-eclampsia, and that I should hie on over to the E.R., tout suite.

And to my serious credit, I did not immediately hie on over to the E.R. I first called the nurse on duty at my doctor's office, and she said that it was probably nothing, maybe a sinus infection, but that if I wanted to be checked out, I should go to one of the local after hours clinics. And only after I said something like, 'given these symptoms, I'm just a little concerned about pre-eclampsia', she suddenly said, "Ohhhhh. Yeah, yeah. True. I'd go to Labor and Delivery over at the hospital RIGHT AWAY." I don't know whether she was humoring me, or whether she hadn't heard all of my symptoms or whether she genuinely didn't put it together herself, but it concerns me that Web M.D. can take that exact set of symptoms (all of which can indicate high blood pressure) and immediately come up with "possible pre-e" and that the nurse at an obstetrics office cannot.

Anyhow, if there were any grocery stores or pharmacies left within a ten mile radius of my house that actually had a blood pressure cuff thingy, I would have just gone to one of those, tested my blood pressure and been done with it. But instead, I dutifully went down to the local hospital and got a full retinue of tests and proddings and monitorings, etc.

In the end, I got a whole 60 seconds with the doctor (who was exceedingly nice-- she's another doc at my clinic, and given my 60 seconds with her, I'd happily have her present for the delivery, too), and her opinion was that she was VERY happy that I had come in to the hospital, that these were symptoms that simply cannot be ignored in a twin pregnancy, but that she thinks it was just a "feel rotten" kind of day, and that other than the headache, which was treated with vicod.in, there wasn't much that could be (or needed to be) treated at this point. My blood pressure was a little on the high side (127/88), but not high enough to indicate any sort of problem. While I know that the actual numbers are what is of significance as it comes to pre-eclampsia, I wonder about my reaction to that slight elevation, as my usual blood pressure numbers are low, low, low (last reading at dr's office was 102/60). I mean, maybe I was feeling a dizziness because, for me, compared to my usual readings, that's a fairly high BP. I don't know. Maybe it's just some random reaction to some random environmental element. Or maybe it was the start of a migraine, thwarted by the super-dose of vico.din. Or maybe it's a TOOMAH ("it's not a toomah."). Or maybe it's just my brain trying to make up something to be wrong when it's bored because nothing is really wrong.

Anyhow, it was all an exercise in "better safe than sorry", and I am glad that I went and found out that nothing was really wrong. I could have done without the commentary on my method of conception, and I could have done without the blood, the blood, my god, the blood, but really, I am glad I didn't wait to discuss it with my OB during office hours, since it could have been quite serious, and those few hours could have made a big difference in my outcomes were anything really wrong.


And so. Thus ends the Adventures of Kate in The Land Of Labor and Delivery Triage. Such a fun journey that was. Annoyingly, the ringing in my ear is still there today. I don't know what it is, or if it matters at all. I figure I'll call the doctor on Monday if it's still there, or if a logical cause of ear blockage hasn't presented itself by then (a cold or maybe an allergy flare up..).

And how was your evening? Any Dr. Google mishaps you want to share?

We just released our China Quarterly Update. For us (the economics unit in the World Bank’s Beijing office), this is a good disciplinary device to go through the data, look at what has happened, think about what the economic prospects and policy implications are, look in some more detail into some issues, and write it all down.

In addition to the usual topics, this time we focused a bit on two macro risks that have caught the attention of analysts: a property bubble and strained local government finances. In this blog I summarize our current understanding of the general economic outlook and what it means for policymaking. In a separate blog post, I will soon discuss the issues on local government finances.

China’s economy has held up remarkably well during the global recession. GDP grew 8.7 percent in 2009, led by a massive investment-led stimulus that showed up partly in an increase in the official fiscal deficit and, especially, in an increase of net new bank lending of almost 30 percent of GDP in 2009. Real estate investment gained prominence more recently.

Through all this, household consumption growth has remained solid, in no small part because the labor market held up well. It is not easy to have good timely labor market indicators on China. But I like the quarterly income data from the household survey.  Per capita rural wage income growth, which includes the impact of both wage and employment developments, dropped sharply to 7-8 percent (yoy) in the last quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009. But, as the economy picked up again, it recovered quickly, reaching more than 13.5 percent (yoy) in the second half of 2009. This confirms more anecdotal indications that the trough in the labor market was quite shallow and short.

Exports declined an estimated 10.6 percent in 2009 as a whole, even as China gained global market share. With imports holding up much better than exports, net external trade was a major drag on growth in 2009, subtracting 3.9 percentage point from GDP growth, and the external current account surplus declined from 9.4 percent of GDP in 2008 to 5.8 percent of GDP in 2009. The higher frequency data shows a dramatic shift, though. After falling steeply in late 2008, exports rebounded strongly through 2009 and in early 2010 they already exceeded the pre-crisis level.

The growth momentum continued in the first months of 2010, with particularly strong exports, retail sales and industrial production. Building on this, GDP growth is likely to remain strong this year. We project 9.5 percent. However, the composition of growth is set to shift markedly in 2010. 

• Exports are on course to grow robustly, as global demand recovers, even though forecasts for world trade for the year as a whole imply a slowdown later in 2010. Although imports should outpace exports somewhat, we project a mildly positive contribution of net external trade to growth this year, which is a large improvement compared to last year (Figure 1).
• However, real investment growth may be around half of the rate last year (Figure 2). In a heated housing market, real estate investment should grow strongly. But, government-led investment, the key driver of growth in 2009, is bound to decelerate heavily.
• With labor market conditions favorable, we expect consumption growth to remain robust, even though sales of consumer durables, notably cars, are likely to decelerate after the spectacular, partly policy-induced surge in 2009.

On other aspects, in our scenario the trade surplus edges down in US dollar terms  because of an expected decline in the terms of trade. The current account surplus may increase somewhat, though, in US dollar terms, though, mainly due to higher income on China’s foreign reserves.

Inflation is likely to increase. But, we think inflation will remain modest—maybe reaching 3.5-4 percent on average in 2010—because international inflation prospects are subdued; the China-specific factors behind food price increases are unlikely to persist; and China’s rapid supply response is likely to continue to contain core inflation.

However, in a heated real estate market, property prices are rising rapidly. In large cities they were on average more than 30 percent higher than a year ago in February, and further increases are in sight. This has triggered policy measures to expand supply and curb speculation, although the government is cautious in its policy response and does not want to clamp down on real estate to heavily.

The world economy is still subdued, but China’s growth has been strong. Unlike in most other countries, China’s output is close to potential (Figure 3). Thus, China needs a different macro stance than most other economies. We think that inflation risks remain modest, in large part because of the global context. But, the macro stance needs to be noticeably tighter than in 2009 to manage inflation expectations and contain the risk of a property bubble and strained local government finances.

• The budget presented to the National People’s Congress (NPC) rightly implies a broadly neutral fiscal stance. The 2010 budget presented to the NPC foresees a broadly unchanged budget deficit, compared to 2009. However, there are still uncertainties about the world economy and it is important to have flexibility in implementation. We think that means contingency plans and, importantly, letting automatic stabilizers work.
• The monetary policy stance needs to be tighter than last year and the case for exchange rate flexibility and more monetary independence from the US is strengthening. It would also be good to increase the tolerance for modest inflation, to ensure room for needed relative price changes. In our view, strengthening the exchange rate can help reduce inflationary pressures and rebalance the economy. Over time, more exchange rate flexibility can enable China to have a monetary policy independent from US cyclical conditions, with is increasingly necessary.
• Ensuring financial stability includes mitigating the risk of a property price bubble and ensuring the sustainability of local government finances. This calls for both macroeconomic and other measures. The Quarterly discusses them.
  Sustained, sustainable growth requires structural reforms. In the presentations to the NPC, the government emphasized the need to adjust the structure of the economy. With growth prospects good and China preparing for 12th Five Year Plan, this is a good time to both look at the whole structural reform agenda and to select those that can be advanced in the short term.  The Quarterly provides an overview of the key areas of reform.

News round-up: Improved infrastructure and crop yields needed to moderate prices; Makerere university students die in campus shooting; Museveni dismisses ICC indictment threat; fears of press clampdown in Uganda

Agricultural economists have warned that east Africa could see another sharp rise in the cost of staple crops.

Although the price of maize, sorghum and wheat have been falling globally since prices spiked last year, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said people in east Africa are still paying more for staple crops than they were two years ago. Cereal prices were now between 40% and 100% higher.

The FAO said inadequate rainfall, poor harvests, dysfunctional markets, conflict, poor infrastructure and high transport costs have influenced food prices.

Analysts have warned that the region faces on-going food shortages unless long-term solutions were found. In a report published yesterday by IRIN, analysts said that investment in agricultural infrastructure and improved crop yields were the only long-term solutions to controlling fluctuating prices.

Christopher Barrett, a development economist at Cornell University in the US, told IRIN that a lack of infrastructure, such as roads and water supply for irrigation, and institutions, such as seasonal credit availability "drove up costs enormously in more remote areas where the poorest and hungriest continue to live".

Meanwhile, a new study by economists Thom Jayne and David Tschirley found that policy decisions designed to stabilise prices "instead created uncertainty and put stress on often weak agricultural infrastructure, all of which contributed to pushing up the price tag on cereals above global prices", reported IRIN.

Millions of people in east Africa are still dependent on food aid. Uganda is still experiencing severe food shortages, although good rains have led to some improvement and the US-funded Famine Early Warning System Network has predicted that the number of Ugandans facing extreme hunger will fall from 2.11 million to 1.38 million by May. The FAO said maize prices in Uganda had now "returned to about normal".

Students die in university shooting

Two students have died and one is in intensive care following a shooting at Makerere University, according to reports.

The two students died from gun shot wounds at their campus hostel late on Monday night. A security guard working at the hostel has been arrested.

Private security firms are increasingly being employed on campus to patrol student hostels. According to the Daily Monitor, police have begun to disarm guards and said no untrained person would be allowed to hold weapons when they were on duty.

The two dead men were from Kenya.

It is believed the shooting occurred after clashes between rival supporters of candidates competing for the presidency of a student guild.

The shooting sparked demonstrations on campus and police were called.

ICC petition 'to indict Museveni over riot deaths'

Young people with links to the Inter-Party Alliance, a coalition of opposition parties in Uganda, are believed to have petitioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) to indict the Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, over the deaths of 30 people in last year's riots in Kampala.

The Observer reported that the ICC has also been petitioned to indict the chief of defence forces and the inspector general of police.

Rioting broke out in Kampala and in parts of Buganda after the government moved to prevent Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, the king of the Baganda people – Uganda's largest ethnic group – from visiting a part of his territory. Rioters blocked roads and brought the capital to a standstill.

Last week, while opening his party's new communication bureau in the capital, Museveni, dismissed the petition, saying the orchestrators were "wasting their time", although he added that he'd be prepared to face the court.

He reportedly said: "Those people going to The Hague are wasting their time - they are just making a fool of themselves."

He said the deaths during the riot did not amount to crimes against humanity.

He added: "If I committed crimes against humanity, I would be very happy to be tried."

The new communication bureau has been launched to challenge the "war or words" in the media against Museveni's party, the NRM. The bureau would employ social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter to get the party's message across.

"We helped to create media houses by creating a good atmosphere for them but now they are mainly bashing NRM and telling lies. The new generation of NRM will fight our war of words with them," said Museveni.

Uganda is due to go to the polls in February next year.

Uganda press faces clampdown

Members of the Ugandan press and NGOs this week condemned a parliamentary bill that will force newspapers to apply for a licence to operate each year.

According to a report in the Observer on Sunday, the press and journalist (amendment) bill, which is understood to be before cabinet, will "suffocate journalists".

A network of media organisations and NGOs, called Article 29 Coalition (A29C), rejected the proposals in the bill, branding them "excessive, authoritarian and contrary to the spirit of the constitution", wrote the paper. Article 29 of the Ugandan constitution enshrines the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom of the press.

Under the bill, newspapers will have to be registered and apply for an annual licence from the Media Council, the chairman of which will be appointed by the government.

According to the Observer, the council can reject licences if a newspaper is deemed to have published material that endangers national security, stability or foreign relations.

In September, the Ugandan government sought to curtail broadcasters, closing down radio stations and arresting journalists following riots in the capital, Kampala.

"To require the licensing of newspapers means the government through the Media Council would now have the power to revoke or refuse to renew the licence at will, which is the situation with broadcasting. This is very dangerous," a statement from A29C read.

In the run up to next year's presidential elections, the international community is expected to keep a close eye on press freedoms in Uganda. Museveni has already been warned that the country faces a cut in aid if he doesn't make serious moves to tackle corruption. The British government has in the past withheld funds when it was concerned about press freedom.

Aid workers struggle to cope with DRC refugees

Aid workers are struggling to cope with the increasing number of refugees arriving into Uganda from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

A least 67,000 people are now living in south-west Uganda as a result of the on-going fighting in eastern DRC. At least 45,000 Congolese are now living in a 217km sq settlement in Isingiro district.

The UN refugee agency in Uganda told IRIN news last week that aid workers were struggling to cope with few resources.

"We can hardly meet international standards of indicators such as water, health and food," said Nemia Temporal, deputy representative of the refugee agency. "For instance, we are delivering 15 litres [of water] per person per day instead of the standard 20l."

Temporal described the situation as a "silent emergency". Because of the protracted fighting in DRC, the plight of refugees was no longer considered urgent by the wider aid community, she added.

Resources were being further stretched by new influxes of refugees from the North Kivu region of DRC.

"We plan for the existing refugee population but, often, many others continue arriving and this has an impact on the quality of the services we provide," she said.

Christians believe that Jesus is coming back and when he does he will resurrect the dead, judge the sinners and bring the Kingdom of God to Earth.  If his recent activity is any indicator of the lord and savior’s potentially earthly behavior, maybe he’ll skip all of that rapture business and just stop at Denny’s [...]

A new Cold war is in beginning. This time centre of this cold war is not Europe but South Central and Euro- Asia. Keeping in mind peak oil and conflicting interests of dominant powers, probability of return of cold war is a logical conclusion.

At Strategic level we see shift in policies of all concerned powers in Afghanistan and Central Asia. US Policy has at last tilted in Pakistan's Favor and India is on retreat. Pakistan and US are coordinating with each other against extremism and results are coming both in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In words of Seasoned Indian Diplomat M K Bhadrakumar 

“India's policy is at a crossroads. Assumptions behind the establishment thinking in Delhi in the recent years are fast withering amid the evolving situation in Afghanistan and India's growing security concerns.”

“…But more worrisome for Delhi is the fact Karzai has begun seeking help from Pakistan. The fault lies entirely with the Indians in having failed to support him in recent months. Delhi backed losing candidate Abdullah Abdullah in last year's presidential elections on the facile assumption that Washington wished to see him in power. That was a disastrous error of judgment. 

Karzai is expected to unfold a road map on reconciliation within the next six weeks. He hopes to hold a loya jirgha (grand council) on April 29 with a view, as he put it, to "get guidance from the Afghan people on how to move forward towards reintegration and reconciliation [with the Taliban]". And in his estimation, if there is greater participation by insurgent elements in parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in August, then further coalition-building becomes possible. 

Delhi can anticipate that in all this, Karzai hopes for cooperation from Pakistan and as a quid pro quo he can be expected to factor in Pakistan's interests. The day after Menon concluded his visit, Pakistani army chief Ashfaq Pervez Kiani met Karzai in Kabul to discuss "matters of mutual interest". Karzai followed it up with a two-day visit to Islamabad that started on Wednesday. 

Pakistan's assertiveness is bothering Indian strategists but Delhi seems to have overlooked that many factors work in Islamabad's favor. The Afghan elites in Kabul have close social and family kinships with Peshawar. The Afghan economy is dependent on imports from Pakistan. Pakistan has influence over Taliban groups and unlike in the past it has also cultivated the non-Pashtun groups of the erstwhile Northern Alliance. It also shouldn't be forgotten that more than 80% of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) supplies for the war in Afghanistan pass through Pakistan. 

And most of all, Delhi underestimated that Pakistan is the US's key non-NATO ally in the war and that implicit in this is Pakistan's expectation to be recognized by Washington as a regional power. In fact, the US has been harping on a fundamental theme: Pakistan has a choice to make, namely, whether it wants to have a comprehensive partnership with the US and NATO; and if so, that it must cooperate with Washington's strategies in the region. …”


Another Indian Analyst, Dr. Subhash Kapila   who is ex Indian Air Force and Intelligence official puts Indian failure in Afghanistan in following words

The Indian policy establishment should really now devote more time to a strategic audit and stock taking of its policy failure on Pakistan and Afghanistan.  There can be no two opinions that India’s policy formulations both on Pakistan stand effectively checkmated by Pakistan aided by those who value Pakistan’s strategic utility to their interests more than India in Afghanistan. 

The Indian policy establishment cannot offer the plea that it stood surprised by developments in Pakistan and Afghanistan in the last year or so.  The indicators emerged with the unveiling of the AF-Pak strategy of the new President Obama in March 2009. 

Similarly, India has strategically shrunk away from exploiting Pakistan’s vulnerabilities in Baluchistan, Pashtunistan, Balawaristan, Gilgit and even Sindh.  India needs to play these cards to force Pakistan Army and the ISI to recoil on Afghanistan, Kashmir and proxy war and terrorism against India. 

The Statement of Dr. Subhash Kapila    gives exact mind set of Indian Policy makers. India’s game has failed but it wants that it should give maximum damage before quitting the game.

In other theater it appears Russian interests in Georgia are near collusion with those of American and NATO. There is clash of interests between Russia, China and US in Central Asia. As US is now aligning with Pakistan, Russia is best Choice for India.

China on the other hand is expected to join US or remain Neutral as US is the main Market of Chinese products and also because china own 48 % of US treasury bonds. If US guarantee that it will not allow Afghan soil to be used against China and will not support Tibet Card  and Taiwan there is no reason for not having a symbiotic relationship with US where both help each other.

The War which started against terrorism is fatly moving towards war of Interests. Encouraging thing for me as a Pakistani is that we have learned our lesson and Pakistani establishment and Leadership is taking stem with care and maturity.

Indian Policy failure has turned Indian Intelligence agencies into injured wolves. Their plan of setting same conditions in Pakistan which they settled back in 70’s in East Pakistan and in 80’s in Sri Lanka has failed badly. They have not only failed in Afghanistan but have also failed in their game with Iran.

 India, who is helping Iran in building Chahbahar Port to counter Pakistan’s Gawader Port, made its relation with Iran unfriendly when it openly voted against Iran to please USA. In past India used Iranian soil to destabilize Pakistan along with its consulates and information centers on Afghan Soil. But in end Pakistan helped Iran by helping it arrest Abdul Malik Riggi and Afghanistan by keeping its 90 % supplies going to Afghanistan via Pakistan Open.

As Chinese say “every conflict is an opportunity”. The war on terror which started as challenge to Pakistani society became an opportunity for change and rectify past mistakes. During past 9 years Pakistan wisely educated its masses that war on Terror being fought in FATA and NWFP was not war against Pashtuns or some specific school of thought but against extremists who were destroying very fabric of Pashtun and Pakistani Society. In end Pakistan not only succeeded the mind set of masses but also convince US and NATO that peace in Afghanistan can only come when Pashtuns will be given their rightful share in Afghanistan. Pakistan also tried and succeeded to some extent to cover the damage of Past by starting new relations with non Pashtun Population.

At present the hostile Afghanistan is coming near to Pakistan. Afghan president Hamid Karzai on his recent visit  in clear words said

“India is a friend but Pakistan is a Brother”

Meaning brothers cannot be sacrificed for friends. This change in Afghan establishment  is the reason that Peace is returning to Balochistan and on other front FATA and other troubled areas are coming back to normality.

 In the retaliation  Indian intelligence agencies are financing the groups to damage as much as they can to Pakistan. The murder of 5 Pakistanies which were blamed at Taliban a week ago in Afghanistan had clear signs of Indian Hand.

Similarly there is strong evidence that India is out sourcing terrorism in Pakistan with the help of third party(Rouge warlords and criminal elements on Pay roll of India). These people are giving Indian funded help to Takfiri groups Which have different ideology but same goals which Indian elite consider vital.

 Indian Political elite are following the philosophy Kutalya Chanakya who said “Enemy of enemy is Friend”. It’s necessary for return of BHARAT RASHTRA to either divide or weaken Pakistan because if Pakistan is Strong then the CHINA Pakistan friendship means INDIA enveloped by two reckonable Powers. But if Pakistan is week then there is only CHINA and India only has to care only one power.

Indian leadership has continued its policy of bleeding Pakistan and at same time has started coordinating its moves with its old allay Russia, Recent policy change by US is now forcing it to stop its campaign of terror against Pakistan from Afghan Soil.

Pakistan has entered in final Phase of War on terror. As an old Urdu proverb rightly says “lamp give intense light before it goes out”.  After victories in SWAT, Malakand, Bajor, SWA and Kurram agencies, The Alliance of Thugs, Fanatics and criminals, Popularly Known as Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan is reaching its conclusion. That is why after a calm of many weeks suddenly a resurgence of terrorist incidents has taken place in Pakistan.

This week can be called the bloodiest week in past two months. The week started with the attack on SIA building in model town in which a suicide bomber crashed his vehicle to the gate of Special Investigation unit’s building killing thirteen people most of them innocent civilians.

Then after the pause of one day an NGO office was attacked in Mansehra district in NWFP in which six innocent people were killed. the people who killed ,were there to help poor people and had nothing to with  politics.

Again after the pause of 1 day again Lahore was targeted and this time there were 9 bomb blasts. First two blasts were suicide blasts which happened in Walton Cantt Lahore in the Area of RA Bazaar. Two suicide bombers targeted Army vehicles killing 57 people including 8 soldiers. According to a very painful report those who were killed included   parents of a 6 month old baby girl who herself was injured in the blast (Those who have kids can imagine and feel the pain for the innocent 6 month old girl).The same day 7 low intensity blasts targeted for harassment of masses and to divert of security forces  occurred in Iqbal Town area resulting in few injuries. Two more low intensity blasts occurred in Shadman and Samna bad resulting in no loss of life.  

Today terrorists again striked Mingora in swat killing 11 people and injuring 52. According to reports a suicide bomber striked a security check post killing two soldiers and 9 innocent passer bys which included children and old men.

According to reports coming in media security forces are in search of at least one suspicious car, a four stroke rickshaw and a motor cycle.  Now it is becoming clear that yesterdays attacks in Samanabad, Shadman and Allama Iqbal Town were diversionary attacks to create harassment and  divert the concentration of Security forces but terrorists failed miserably and security forces professionally preempted their desires.

At Tactical and operational level we see the TTP is getting defeat at every battle ground they choose. They have been flushed out from Swat and Malakand. Their command and control  infrastructure in SWA is completely destroyed, their ideologically and physically strong areas like Bajor are now clear from their menace. Their safe heavens in Aurak zai, Kurram, NWA and Mohmand are under constant pressure, people of these areas are rising against them and they are now vulnerable due to superb military and Political strategy of Government. Their Leadership is either dead or not capable of giving orders. There are reports of Molvi Faqir Muhammad , Qari Zia and Hakeemullah are dead, if that’s not true then again its apparent that they have no capability to order or coordinate anything with their forces which are now either dead or hiding to save lives.

If what I have said is true then what are the reasons for the resurgence of terror? .I my Past essay dated Oct 20^th 2009, “ Striking Taliban’s Centre of Gravity” I wrote

…TTP or movement of Taliban in Pakistan is an alliance of 20 to 30 militant groups helped by Al Qaeda. These all groups are Takfiries with their own networks and commands...

…Like Al Qaeda by just killing its main leadership or capturing its one or two stronghold we cannot destroy it. Fighting networks is a time taking and one has to cut each and every knot of net to get full success. In other words a network has multiple centers of gravity and each needs to be destroyed to get full success….

At this point TTP has lost its first line  leadership due to military action by Pakistani Forces or due to drone strikes by Americans.  The organization is in its last stage of existence as gorilla force, it has lost its support in masses and has now turned into only a terrorist outfit without central command. Although Pakistan has progressed remarkably in its war against terrorist but still there are sleeper cells and supporters of TTP or groups who makes TTP.

According to Interior minister Rehman Malik most of these terrorists or wanna be terrorists are joining Political parties to cover their activities. The government and security forces are on hunt of these criminals but it’s a time taking task in which government have to break the networks of these different  groups in different cities. Government cannot win unless masses help government and become responsible in pointing out the fanatics amongst them and keeping their eyes on new comers in their areas. This Public support requires that government acts or ban those political parties who show soft corner for these terrorists. It also requires a targeted Propaganda offensive by government against these extremists and education to masses.

At strategic ,operational and  tactical level we are seeing changes in fight against Terrorism. This Changing strategic environment in the region has already started a new cold War. World is fastly polarizing. Today India and Russia has signed a nuclear deal worth 1.5 billion Dollars .Russian President Putin has in clear words said that there will be no Arms deal with Pakistan due to Indian concerns.

The re Alignment of powers and change in chess game is predicting that if at all it’s a start of New Cold war then we will see  return of cold war Patterns which are already becoming visible.

India and Russia have already started their moves. Now we have to wait and see what moves US and Pakistan will make. History repeat itself and at this point of time this proverb is proving to be reality.