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è un videogioco prodotto e distribuito da Square Enix per PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 e PC. Sequel diretto di Final Fantasy XIII, il gioco fa parte del progetto Fabula Nova Crystallis.

Ambientato tre anni dopo gli eventi di Final Fantasy XIII, Serah Farron, sorella minore di Lightning, la protagonista del gioco originale, parte, insieme al giovane Noel Kreiss, alla ricerca della sorella.

Il gioco è uscito in Giappone il 15 dicembre 2011, nel Nord America il 31 gennaio 2012 e in Europa il 3 febbraio 2012. La versione per PC è stata pubblicata su Steam l'11 dicembre 2014. Come per tutti i capitoli dal VIII in poi, la versione italiana è doppiata in inglese con sottotitoli e menu in italiano.

Trama
Final Fantasy XIII-2 riprende tre anni dopo la fine del precedente episodio.

Lightning viene trascinata da una forza misteriosa nel Valhalla, una città che si erge nella dimensione alternativa. Mentre la ragazza parla con la Dea Etro, sulla spiaggia appare un uomo, Caius, che si incammina lentamente in mare, evocando dall'acqua figure mostruose, che scatenano il caos. I due non possono fare a meno di combattersi.

Durante il combattimento, Lightning evoca Odino e Caius si trasforma in un Chaos Bahamut. Dopo che Lightning ha avuto apparentemente la meglio sull'avversario, si apre un varco all'interno del quale fluttua un ragazzo, che Lightning sembra conoscere e che corre a mettere in salvo prima che la furia di Caius, rinvigoritosi, possa travolgerlo. È Noel Kreiss, uno dei due protagonisti di Final Fantasy XIII-2, apparso precedentemente in una visione della ragazza. Noel si trova nel Valhalla perché Lightning ha ascoltato le sue preghiere, con cui chiedeva un miracolo: non essere più solo. Il giovane viene infatti da un futuro in cui non ci sono più esseri umani, è stato l'ultimo bambino a nascere e ha visto tutte le persone che conosceva morire, una dopo l'altra. Dopo aver sconfitto Caius, Lightning gli spiega che c'è un modo per mettere a posto le cose, ma deve svolgere una missione per lei: trovare sua sorella Serah, che vive su Gran Pulse, dove tutti credono che Lightning sia morta. Noel accetta la missione affidatagli e parte, insieme ad un piccolo Moguri, alla ricerca di Serah.

La scena si sposta a Nuova Bodhum, città fondata su Gran Pulse da alcuni ex-abitanti di Coocon: nell'anno 3DD, ovvero tre anni dopo gli eventi di Final Fantasy XIII, Serah si sveglia e scopre che i suoi vestiti sono cambiati. Il villaggio è stato attaccato da mostri di Pulse. Serah viene salvata da Noel che le consegna il piccolo Mog. Il ragazzo riesce a convincere poi Serah che Lightning è viva, e insieme partono per ritrovarla attraversando il "Portale" che è apparso poco tempo prima, di cui Noel ricorda a malapena come usarlo. Da qui i due iniziano un viaggio nel tempo alla ricerca di Lightning e del modo per cambiare il futuro. In ogni epoca in cui si trovano sembra però esserci un "paradosso", ovvero un'influenza di altre epoche che cambia l'aspetto del luogo: non si capisce come ciò sia possibile, e si sospetta che qualcuno stia cambiando il corso del tempo di proposito.
Durante il loro viaggio Serah e Noel incontrano Hope e Alissya (una ragazza che avevano conosciuto precedentemente): questi due fanno vedere ai due eroi un fonte profetica che possiede la data di centinaia anni prima; appare quindi un video in cui Cocoon cadeva (la fine di Final Fantasy XIII). Hope racconta di Yeul e dei Lungivedenti, una stirpe di ragazze che riescono a vedere il futuro: nella sua epoca, anche Noel aveva una Yeul insieme a Caius; dopo che il mentore li abbandonò, però, la ragazzina morì.

Durante l'avventura i protagonisti incontreranno molte "Yeul" in diverse epoche: una in particolare disse la frase "se cambia il futuro cambia il passato". Nella Riserva di Sunleth i ragazzi incontrano Snow, ma dopo aver eliminato il paradosso in quella zona egli scomparirà.

Gli eroi, dopo tante battaglie, riescono a cambiare il futuro e ad arrivare ad Academya nel 400DD, diventata una città piena di vita e tecnologia, dove incontrano di nuovo Hope e Alissya (che si erano ibernati per risvegliarsi in quell'epoca): Hope spiega che non hanno più intenzione di costruirne un altro e che il completamento è di circa un Secolo nel 500DD ma per loro sfortuna i due, dopo aver attraversato l'ennesimo portale, si separano. Serah, ormai sola, incontra varie Yeul che le rivelano ciò che vedono e le narrano della leggenda dei "Sei L'Cie" (Lightning, Snow, Hope e gli altri protagonisti del capitolo precedente): il giorno della caduta di Cocoon su Pulse la dea Etro ebbe pietà di loro, liberandoli dalla prigione di cristallo in cui erano rinchiusi. Dopo aver proseguito, Serah incontra Caius che, dopo un breve dialogo, la uccide.
La storia prosegue: Serah sembra essere tornata a Nuova Bodhum, e tutto fa sembrare di essere in un sogno. La ragazza incontra Snow che, smentendo i discorsi di Serah su come sua sorella sia svanita nel nulla, sostiene che Lightning è viva e vegeta e aggiunge che Serah e lui sono sposati. La ragazza non crede a tutto questo fino a quando incontra Lightning, ma Serah non crede nemmeno alle sue parole e quando Lightning le chiede di seguirla, ella rifiuta. Quando questo succede, una voce familiare guida Serah fino al luogo dell'impatto del meteorite, avvenuto all'inizio della storia: qui la ragazza scopre che la voce non è altri che Vanille. Insieme a Fang, le spiega che quanto avvenuto e un sogno, e che anche lei sta dormendo dentro al cristallo. A discorso terminato, le mostrano la via per uscire dal sogno e Serah, dopo aver visto la morte della Yeul che Noel doveva proteggere, riesce a liberare anche quest'ultimo.

Noel rivela successivamente a Serah come lei sia simile a Yeul: può effettivamente vedere il futuro ma non potrà mai viverlo, perché ogni volta che ha una visione la sua vita diminuisce. Serah tuttavia non si tira indietro, altrimenti nessuno sarà in grado di fermare Caius.

I ragazzi riescono ad uscire dal sogno, ma si ritrovano alla Nuova Bodhum nel 700DD, in cui tutto è desolato e distrutto. Ai due protagonisti appare Lightning, che spiega come, ogni volta che molte persone muoiono in una volta sola, il portale tra i due mondi si spalanchi come era successo anche il giorno della caduta di Cocoon: il portale si era spalancato e lightning venne cancellata dalla storia. Quanto detto sta per ripetersi per colpa di Caius: se farà cadere Cocoon su Pulse prima che Academya venga evacuata, il portale si spalancherà di nuovo. Serah e Noel si recano ad Academya nel 500DD, in cui il crollo di Cocoon è imminente e la popolazione è stata evacuata nella 13ª Arca. Serah e Noel si recano lì, ma mentre camminano sentono la voce di Yeul che dice "Tornate indietro, la Dea non deve essere uccisa": i ragazzi, prendendo queste parole come una trappola, continuano il cammino e incontrano Caius. Aiutati fortunatamente dall'esercito di Academya, da Hope e da Sazh, riescono a sconfiggerlo, finché improvvisamente il cielo si lacera: i due protagonisti penetrano nel portale e si ritrovano nel Valhalla, in cui si confrontano con Caius. Quest'ultimo rivela che l'anima di Yeul è destinata a morire per sempre, perché anche se ci sono mille Yeul nel tempo l'anima è la stessa per tutte ed è condannata ad una morte eterna.
Dopo un duro combattimento Caius, ormai allo stremo, si conficca la spada di Noel nel cuore e svanisce. Tutto sembra finito: i ragazzi ritornano ad Academya, dove incontrano anche tutti gli altri. Cocoon cade, però senza nessuna morte e in cielo si eleva il nuovo Cocoon, che Hope battezza "Bhunivelze".

Le cose però precipitano: Serah ha una visione del futuro e muore sotto gli occhi di Noel. Il ragazzo, improvvisamente, ricorda quello che gli disse tempo prima Yeul "Se cambia il futuro, cambia anche il passato" e capisce quindi che i veggenti sono obbligati a vedere tutto e, quindi, sono condannati anche a morire. Il cielo diventa rapidamente nero e Mog sviene, sostenendo che la Dea è morta. Noel ha un altro ricordo improvviso: Caius gli disse che in sé stesso batte il cuore di Etro, e se lui morirà lo farà di conseguenza anche la Dea. Tutto si oscura, Academya sembra essere diventata il nuovo Valhalla e alla fine si può notare una Lightning cristallizzata, seduta in una scultura di cristallo al centro di Academya.

Il Requiem Della Dea
Il Requem Della Dea è un episodio extra, scaricabile come DLC, avente Lightning come protagonista. Il DLC è ambientato a Valhalla e fa da scenario ad uno scontro tra Lightning e Caius, durante il quale la ragazza viene a sapere della morte di Serah. Lungo il combattimento, compare l'anima della ragazza, intrappolata da Yeul, la quale incolpa Lightning per la morte di Serah, poiché è stata proprio lei a dire a Noel di portar lì sua sorella. Lo spirito di Serah le parla e le dice che non importa che sia morta, perché lo ha fatto compiendo qualcosa di importante, ed il suo ricordo (una lacrima) rimarrà sempre con lei. Lightning, senza proferir più parola, si siede sul trono di Etro, sul quale giace immobile mentre il suo corpo si cristallizza. La scena coincide con quella mostrata nel finale del gioco, ma vi è un'ultima sequenza, accompagnata da un monologo che si chiude con le parole "Per ora è il sonno, sogni incessanti aspettando la fine dell'eternità. E, un giorno, mi risveglierò ancora", in cui i suoi piedi tornano a calpestare Pulse, seppur sia ormai diventato il Mondo Morente del 700DD.

Modalità di gioco

Esplorazione
Rispetto a Final Fantasy XIII, il gioco presenta una maggiore libertà di movimento all'interno del mondo: una schermata detta "Historia Crux" permette di scegliere fra vari luoghi ed epoche (infatti i protagonisti viaggiano nel tempo) fra quelli già sbloccati; essi si sbloccano tramite i vari "Portali" presenti nei luoghi/epoche, che si attivano tramite degli "Artefatti" che si devono trovare durante l'esplorazione. All'interno dei luoghi raramente si trovano un percorso obbligato ed un obiettivo fissato sulla mappa, ma c'è invece possibilità di esplorare un'area. Si possono trovare dei Chocobo da cavalcare, ma si consuma un oggetto detto "Erba Ghisal" ogni volta che si sale su uno di loro. Cavalcando un Chocobo, non si incontrano mostri. Durante l'esplorazione si può salvare con un comando apposito, senza bisogno dei "terminali" presenti in Final Fantasy XIII, completamente scomparsi in questo capitolo. La loro funzione di negozio per gli oggetti viene invece svolta da Chocolina, una mercante viaggiatrice del tempo. Ottenendo appositi oggetti detti "Lucchetti", uno per ogni luogo, i luoghi già sbloccati nell'Historia Crux si possono "riavviare" per ricominciare l'esplorazione del luogo com'era la prima volta che lo si è giocato, ma si può anche riportare il luogo allo stato in cui era prima del riavvio. Nell'"Historia Crux" si possono anche sbloccare dei luoghi equivalenti ad altri, ovvero costituiti dallo stesso luogo e dalla stessa epoca, ma diversi perché frutto dei cambiamenti della storia operati da Serah e Noel: essi sono indicati con le X al posto degli 0 nel numero dell'anno (per esempio i Monti Yasachs nel 10 DD sono quelli che si visitano per primi, i Monti Yasachs nell'1X DD sono l'equivalente modificato).

Sistema di combattimento
Come in Final Fantasy XIII, il gioco usa una variante dell'Active Time Battle (ATB). Si potrà inoltre modificare il livello di difficoltà delle battaglie. Durante le battaglie, il giocatore può usare degli eventi di breve durata, chiamati "Azione Istantanea" (Cinematic Action), per infliggere danni maggiori ai nemici: in essi basta premere il più velocemente possibile i tasti i cui simboli compaiono sullo schermo. L'"Azione Istantanea" non può essere scelta dal giocatore, ma si è obbligati a giocarla in alcuni momenti. A differenza di Final Fantasy XIII, si può cambiare il leader in ogni momento della battaglia tramite il comando "sostituzione", e alla morte del leader l'altro personaggio prende il suo posto: la battaglia finisce solo alla morte di Serah e Noel. Si può inoltre domare mostri e usarli come alleati in battaglia: dopo una battaglia si può ottenere il "Cristallo" di un mostro, e tale mostro viene incluso in una lista. Dalla lista di mostri ottenuti dal giocatore, si può creare una "coalizione" di tre mostri ed inserire uno di essi in un optimum come se fosse un terzo personaggio. Ogni mostro svolge sempre lo stesso ruolo, ma in ogni optimum si può inserire un mostro diverso, sempre fra i tre della coalizione. Cambiando optimum durante la battaglia, il mostro subentrato avrà la stessa quantità di PV del precedente. Il mostro non può fungere da leader, e alla morte dei due personaggi la battaglia finisce anche se il mostro non è morto. Durante una battaglia con un mostro alleato si riempie una barra detta di "sincronizzazione", e quando è completa si può usare una tecnica detta "Istinto Bestiale", la cui modalità di utilizzo è simile a quella dell'"Azione Istantanea". I mostri sono sviluppabili con il Cristallium come i personaggi, ma solo utilizzando un oggetto detto "catalizzatore" ad ogni movimento nel Cristallium. I mostri si dividono in cinque "gradi", da quelli più deboli a quelli più forti. Dalla lista dei mostri si può anche usare il sistema dei "retaggi", ovvero sacrificare un mostro per far apprendere ad un altro le abilità che erano sue; molti mostri hanno però abilità che non si possono trasmettere: se non hanno abilità trasmissibili, sacrificarli è inutile.

Cronoradar di Mog
I mostri non sono più visibili sulla mappa come in Final Fantasy XII e Final Fantasy XIII, ma appaiono quando il giocatore si avvicina. Appena il mostro appare sullo schermo, compare un quadrante chiamato "Cronoradar di Mog" (Mog Clock) che circonda l'area in cui si trovano i personaggi ed il mostro: esso garantisce vari bonus o penalità in base al tempo impiegato per incominciare la battaglia. Quando il contorno del quadrante è verde, si può attaccare il nemico avvicinandosi e premendo X, in modo da iniziare la battaglia con dei bonus. Se è giallo, non si possono ottenere bonus. Se è rosso, la battaglia inizia automaticamente una volta scaduto un periodo di tempo; se è iniziata automaticamente, è disattivata l'opzione "ricomincia" durante la battaglia. In ogni caso si può superare il contorno del quadrante per evitare la battaglia.

Riflessioni
A volte, arrivato il momento di parlare con i personaggi non giocabili, vengono offerte varie possibilità su che cosa dire: le "riflessioni" (Live Trigger) servono soltanto per permettere un dialogo più interattivo. I dialoghi cambiano anche ogni volta che si gioca. A volte si trovano dei tesori contenuti in cubi sospesi in aria, che fungono da "ricompense di riflessione" per le riflessioni giocate in precedenza: a seconda delle risposte, si possono trovare oggetti diversi. Gli oggetti "ricompense di riflessione" si possono ottenere anche appena si finisce di giocare un luogo/epoca, senza trovarli nei cubi.

Frammenti
Sconfiggendo i boss e portando a termine le "missioni" e i "Labirinti Temporali" si ottengono i "Frammenti": essi non compaiono come oggetti nell'inventario, ma ad ognuno di essi corrisponde una pagina di informazioni che si leggono in un apposito elenco. Di ogni luogo sbloccato si conosce il numero di frammenti che si possono ottenere in esso.e in totale sono 160

Missioni
Durante l'esplorazione si incontrano dei personaggi che affidano al giocatore delle "missioni" facoltative quali sconfiggere un mostro o trovare degli oggetti. Una volta accettata la missione, si vede sulla mappa il luogo dove si trova il personaggio che l'ha richiesta, da cui si deve ritornare una volta portata a termine. Si possono accettare più missioni alla volta e si può anche lasciare un luogo mantenendo missioni in sospeso. Terminata una missione, si ottiene un "Frammento".

Labirinti Temporali
Da alcuni luoghi si può accedere ai "Labirinti Temporali", che si trovano in luoghi extradimensionali in cui il giocatore si muove su pannelli sospesi su uno sfondo confuso e deve risolvere dei rompicapo. Risolto il rompicapo, si risolve un'anomalia temporale. In qualsiasi momento si può uscire dal "Labirinto Temporale" e in seguito si può poi riprovare.

Cristallium
Il Cristallium ha alcune differenze rispetto a quello di Final Fantasy XIII: non si può vedere il percorso, ma solo selezionare un ruolo e andare avanti di un livello in quel ruolo, consumando punti. Ad ogni livello corrisponde un aumento dei parametri o l'apprendimento di un'abilità. Del percorso nel Cristallium si vede solo il luogo in cui ci si trova, e ogni posizione corrisponde ad un livello. Solo una breve lista delle prossime abilità che si apprenderanno dà informazioni sui livelli futuri, e solo di quelle a cui si è più vicini si sa anche il livello nel quale le si apprenderanno. Dopo aver superato una serie di livelli aumenta il livello del Cristallium, e quando ciò avviene si può scegliere tra diverse ricompense per il personaggio, quali l'apprendimento di un nuovo ruolo e l'aumento della capacità di equipaggiamento. Per i mostri il Cristallium ha alcune differenze: ogni mostro svolge un solo ruolo e non ci sono Punti Cristallo, ma ogni volta che ci si sposta nel Cristallium avanzando di un livello si deve usare un oggetto detto "catalizzatore": ne esistono diversi tipi, che si dividono tra quelli riservati ai mostri meccanici e quelli riservati ai mostri biologici. A seconda del tipo di catalizzatore che si usa, quando si aumenta il livello si ottengono diversi bonus oltre all'aumento di parametri o all'abilità dati dal Cristallium: per esempio un catalizzatore dà un aumento di tutti i parametri, un altro solo della potenza fisica e così via. Ogni catalizzatore ha un "grado": esistono catalizzatori con lo stesso nome, e quindi gli stessi effetti, ma di grado diverso; quando si potenzia un mostro, si può selezionare qualsiasi catalizzatore adatto al tipo di mostro (meccanico o biologico) e di esso si consumerà un'unità per ogni spostamento nel Cristallium se il catalizzatore ha grado pari o superiore a quello del mostro, altrimenti più unità cosicché la somma dei gradi di ognuna dia il grado del mostro (per esempio, per far avanzare di un livello un mostro di grado 2 si consumerà un'unità di un catalizzatore di grado 2 o superiore oppure due unità di un catalizzatore di grado 1).

Equipaggiamento
Un'altra novità rispetto a Final Fantasy XIII è il sistema della "capacità di equipaggiamento": ogni personaggio ha un certo numero di punti di "capacità di equipaggiamento", ed ogni accessorio occupa una certa quantità di questi punti, sempre la stessa. Si deve quindi assegnare ad un personaggio gli accessori in modo che, sommando i punti che ognuno occupa, non si superi il numero di punti di capacità del personaggio. Quando aumenta il livello del Cristallium si può scegliere di aumentare la "capacità di equipaggiamento" del personaggio.

Personaggi

Personaggi giocabili
 Serah Farron: Sorella minore di Lightning. In seguito agli avvenimenti di Final Fantasy XIII, la ragazza vive su Gran Pulse in un villaggio, Nuova Bodhum, costruito con i membri del NORA. Al momento lavora come maestra alla scuola elementare. Quando viene a sapere che Lightning è ancora viva decide di partire con Noel per cercarla.
 Noel Kreiss: Un ragazzo armato di due spade speciali proveniente dal futuro. Dopo aver desiderato per molto tempo di non essere più solo viene salvato da Lightning che gli affida una missione: trovare sua sorella Serah. Afferma di essere l'unico essere umano sopravvissuto nella sua epoca. Inizialmente dice di avere dei vuoti di memoria e di non ricordare come ha imparato ad utilizzare il portale per viaggiare nel tempo.
 Lightning: Protagonista dell'episodio precedente. Alla fine di Final Fantasy XIII viene attaccata da una forza misteriosa che la trascina in un mondo chiamato Valhalla. Tutti la credono morta, tranne Serah, sua sorella, convinta di averla vista poco dopo la fine della storia di Final Fantasy XIII, mentre nessun altro ricorda di averla vista. In realtà è ora guardiana del santuario della Dea Etro nel Valhalla dove dovrà affrontare Caius. Durante il loro primo combattimento conoscerà Noel, al quale affiderà una missione: trovare Serah e cambiare il futuro. Lightning funge da voce narrante al gioco.

Altri personaggi importanti
 Mog: Un Moguri. Non si sa molto sul suo conto, ma lui si presenta come il portafortuna di Serah. Sembra essere stato mandato da Lightning. All'inizio appare abbastanza timido ma, con il tempo diventa un gran chiacchierone. Si trasforma nell'arma di Serah e aiuta i protagonisti grazie al Cronoradar per segnalare la presenza dei mostri e alla sua abilità di trovare oggetti: quando lo fa, si illumina il rombo che ha sulla testa e premendo R1 il giocatore può vedere un tesoro prima nascosto. Si può usare la sua abilità anche per ottenere tesori che appaiono trasparenti. Inoltre, andando avanti nel gioco si ottiene la possibilità di lanciarlo per raggiungere tesori visibili ma situati in posti non raggiungibili.
 Caius Ballad: Un uomo misterioso che una volta era amico e maestro di Noel. La sua ragione per opporsi Lightning è attualmente sconosciuta. Avrà una missione simile a quella di Lightning e a suo modo cercherà di completarla. Viaggia con la sua compagna Yeul. Ora, Caius è un guardiano della timeline. È stato rivelato che è immortale e che conserva la memoria di tutti gli eventi timeline.
 Paddra Nsu-Yeul: Una ragazza con il viso parzialmente coperto da un velo e compagna di viaggio di Caius con il quale ha un forte legame. È una veggente ed ha lo stesso nome, Yeul, che veniva dato alle veggenti di un antico villaggio di Pulse.

Personaggi secondari/di supporto
 NORA: Gruppo creato da Snow che si occupa di mantenere la sicurezza lottando per la libertà. Oltre che lottare per la libertà, il NORA, è stato incaricato di proteggere Serah. Costruiscono su Gran Pulse un villaggio, Nuova Bodhum.
 Snow Villiers: Dopo la scomparsa di Lightning decide di andare a cercarla, lasciando a Serah il suo ciondolo come pegno del suo amore. Incontreremo il giovane nella Riserva di Sunleth. Salva Serah e Noel da un mostro Flan, prima di essere duramente criticato da Noel per la sua avventatezza e l'incapacità di proteggere le persone. Nonostante questo, si dice di essere indifferente sul rapporto tra Serah e Noel.
 Hope Estheim: Leader dell'"Accademia", una squadra che fa ricerche sulla storia del mondo e cerca di sviluppare le scienze per far vivere gli esseri umani senza l'aiuto dei Fal'cie. Hope è consapevole che Serah e Noel viaggiano attraverso il tempo grazie alla loro comparsa alle Rovine di Bersah nell'anno 5DD, e li aiuterà a raggiungere Lightning.
 Alyssa Zaidelle: Membro dell'"Accademia", incontra Serah e Noel alle rovine di Bersah nel 5DD e grazie alle sue ricerche sul paradosso temporale diventa un'importante ricercatrice e l'assistente di fiducia di Hope Estheim. Non si sa se per far successo o per verità ma avrà un'attrazione possessiva verso Hope. Si scoprirà in seguito che desidera il fallimento della missione di Serah e Noel poiché nella linea temporale originale ella è morta durante la caduta di Cocoon.
 Sazh Katzroy: Sazh è attualmente impegnato in attività volte a migliorare Gran Pulse. È diventato pilota di aeronavi, ma Hope nell'anno 10DD dice che è scomparso. Nell'ultimo capitolo si rivedrà per aiutare Serah e Noel. È stato creato un DLC apposito per lui.
 Oerba Dia Vanille: Apparirà in una visione di Serah. Insieme a Fang, si è trasformata nella colonna di cristallo che sorregge Cocoon.
 Oerba Yun Fang: Apparirà, con la compagna Vanille, in una visione di Serah. Insieme a Vanille, si è trasformata nella colonna di cristallo che sorregge Cocoon.
 Dajh Katzroy: Avrà maggiore spessore nel DLC legato a Sazh, il suo ruolo generale nella trama è marginale.
 Chocolina: Misteriosa mercante viaggiatrice del tempo, appare in vari luoghi e funge da negozio per gli oggetti e le armi. Sembra sia vestita con delle finte ali da Chocobo, ma, a quanto dicono le informazioni su di lei nell'"archivio", potrebbe anche essere una creatura non umana.

Edizioni limitate
Il gioco è stato venduto in due differenti edizioni limitate, chiamate rispettivamente Collector's Edition e Crystal Edition, che oltre al gioco presentano diversi contenuti da collezione.

Collector's Edition
La Collector's Edition presenta una confezione in digipak, la colonna sonora divisa in quattro dischi ed un concept artbook.

Crystal Edition
La Crystal Edition comprende una confezione in digipak, una maglietta, la colonna sonora in quattro CD, un concept artbook e delle cartoline.

Accoglienza
La rivista Play Generation diede alla versione per PlayStation 3 un punteggio di 91/100, apprezzando la trama non lineare, il sistema di combattimento convincente e le ottime animazioni e come contro le musiche poco ispirate e le ambientazioni ed i nemici riciclati da Final Fantasy XIII, trovando che questo capitolo abbia compiuto un passo nella direzione giusta, in quanto sapeva offrire un'esperienza più varia e divertente rispetto al predecessore ma era lontano da essere uno dei migliori GdR occidentali.

Note

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy


text:
I gave him a hard look.
Stepping away from the plate, I took a few more practice swings. I almost missed Elliot coming up behind me. He reached his arms around me and positioned his hands on the bat, flush with mine.
"Let me show you," he said in my ear. "Like this. Feel that?Relax. Now pivot your hips- it's all in the hips."
I could feel my face heat up with the eyes of the entire class on us. "I think I've got it, thanks."
"Get a room!" Marcie called to us. The infield laughed.
"If you'd throw her a decent pitch," Elliot called back, "she'd hit the ball."
"My pitch is on."
"Her swing is on." Elliot dropped his voice, speaking to me alone. "You lose neye contact the minute she lets go of the ball. Her pitches aren't clean, so you're going to have to work to get them."
"We're holding up the game here, people!" Miss Sully called out.
Just then, something in the parking lot beyond the dugout drew my attention. I thought I`d heard my name called. I turned, but even as I did, I knew my name hadn't been said out loud. It had been spoken quietly to my mind.
Nora.
Patch wore a faded blue baseball cap and had his fingers hooked in the chain-like fence, leaning against it. No coat, despite the weather. Just head-to-toe black. His eyes were opaque and inaccessible as he watched me, but I suspected there was a lot going on behind them.
Another string of words crept into my mind.
Batting lessons? Nice. . . touch.
I drew a steadying breathe and told myself I imagined the words. Because the alternative was considering that Patch had power to channel thoughts into my mind. Which couldn't be. It just couldn't. Unless I was delusional. That scared m,e more than the idea that he had breached normal communication methods and could, at will, speak to me without ever opening his mouth.
"Grey! Head in the game!"
I blinked, jerking to life just in time tp see the ball rolling through the air toward me. I started to swing, then heard another trickle of words.
Not. . . yet.
I held back, waiting for the ball to come to me. As it descended, I stepped toward the front of the plate. I swung with everything I had.
A huge crack sounded, and the bat vibrated in my hands. The ball drove to Marcie, who fell flat on her backside. Squeezing between shortstop and second base, the ball bounced in the outfield grass.
"Run!" my team shouted from the dugout. "Run, Nora!"
-Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick.
Pages 85-87.
The author.
Date February 8, 2017
Tags beccafitzpatrick, books, HushHush, novels, Supernatural
The envelope was thin. One, maybe two pages. Whatever he had written wasn't too long. First, she turned it over and checked the back. No name, just a street address in New Jersey. She held her breath as she used her fingernail to pry it open.
Unfolding it, she saw it was dated March 1935.
Two and a half years without a reply.
She imagined him sitting an old desk, crafting the letter, somehow knowing this was the end, and she saw what she thought were tearstains on the paper. Probably just her imagination.
She straightened the page and began to read in the soft white sunlight that shone the window.
My dearest Allie,
I don't know what to say anymore except that I couldn't sleep last night because I knew that it is over between us. It is a different feeling for me, one that I never expected, but looking back, I suppose it couldn't have ended awake way.
You and I were different. We came from different worlds, and yet you were the one who taught me the value of love. You showed me what it was like to care for another, and I am a better man because of it. I don't want you to ever forget that.
I am not bitter because of what has happened. On the contrary, I am secure in knowing that what we had was real, and I am happy we were able to come together for even a short period of time. And if, in some distant place in the future, we see each other in our new lives, I will smile at you with joy, and remember how we spent a summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. And maybe, for a brief moment, you'll feel it too and you'll smile back, and savor the memories we will always share together.
I love you, Allie.
She read the letter again, more slowly this time, then read it a third time before she put it back into the envelope. Once more, she imagined him writing it, and for a moment she debated reading another, but she knew she couldn't delay any longer. Lon was waiting for her.
Her legs felt weak as she stepped out of the car. She paused and took a deep breath, and as she started across the parking lot, she realized she still wasn't sure what she was going to say to him.
And the answer didn't finally come until she reached the door and opened it and saw Lon standing in the lobby.
-The Notebook
Tags books, nicholassparks, novels, YA novels
Ava rinsed her mouth with water as she stared at herself in the mirror. Her large woodsy-green eyes were filling with revenge. How dare you flaunt your unborn baby in my face. Her eyes darkened in the mirror. And to watch that fat demon make three after what he did to me? What kind of man are you? Tell me? Who the F**k are you? You f*****g son of a whoring bitch!
"Are you okay in there?" asked Michelle outside the door.
"Just washing up," replied Ava in a sing-songy-manner. She then rinsed her mouth one last time and shut off the water. As she reached for the decorative hand towel, she noticed a bottle of nail loish and an old-fashioned, sharp metal nail file on the marble countertop.
Ava picked up the knife-like nail file with all her might as she slowly reached for the doorknob.
"Trust me, it gets better in a few weeks," shouted Michelle.
Ava's large green eyes were turning black with murderous rage. . .
"You really are sick in there, aren't you?"
"Ava. . . are you okay?"
Then suddenly Ava SPRUNG OPEN the door, leapt out of the bathroom and shoved the metal file into Michelle's face. In response, Michelle bent backwards, terrified.
"I can't believe they still make these." Ava stood cool and calm as a Druid tree.
Michelle breathed heavily for a few moments. . . then started laughing, recovering from the false alarm.
"Oh, did I scare you? Bless your heart."
Michelle continued laughing at herself. "You scared the hell out of me. How silly?"
Ava joined in on the laughter. "How rude of me. I am so sorry."
"And yes, they do still make those. I`ll grab you one next time I go to Piggly Wiggly."
-The raping of Ava DeSantis
Tags Mylocarbia, Revenge, thriller
THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by JANDY NELSON
I`m too mortified to sleep. What was I thinking? I keep imagining Joe reading my ridiculous poem to his brothers, and worse to Rachel, all of them laughing at poor lovelorn Lennie, who knows nothing about romance except what she learned from Emily Bronte. I told him : I belong to him. I told him: My heart is his. I told him: I hear his soul in his music. I`m going to jump off of a building. Who says things like this in the twenty-first century? No one! How is it possible that something can seem like such a brilliant idea one day and such a bonehead one the next?
as soon as there's enough light, I throw a sweatshirt over my pajamas, put on some sneakers, and run through the dawn to the forest bedroom to retrieve the note, but when I get there, it's gone. I tell myself that the wind blew it away like all the other poems. I mean, how likely is it that he showed up yesterday afternoon after I left? Not likely at all.
Sarah is keeping me company, providing humiliation support while I make lasagnas.
She can't stop from squealing. "You're going to be first clarinet, Lennie. For sure."
"It'll help you get into a conservatory. Julliard even."
I take a deep breath. How like an imposter I`d felt every time Marguerite mentioned it, how like a traitor, conspiring to steal my sister's dream, just as it got swiped from her. Why didn't it occur to me then I could dream at all?
"I`d love to go to Julliard," I tell Sarah. There. Finally. "But any goof conservatory would be okay." I just want to study music: what life, what living itself sounds like.
"We could go together," Sarah's saying, while shoveling into her mouth each slice of mozzarella as I cut it. I slap her hand. She continues, "Get an apartment together in New York City." I think Sarah might rocket into outer space at the idea-me too, though, I, pathetically, keeping thinking: What about Joe? "Or Berklee in Boston," she says, her big blue eyes boinging out of her head. "Don't forget Berklee. Either way, we could drive there in Ennui, zigzag our way across. Hang out at the Grand Canyon, go to New Orleans, maybe-"
"Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" I groan.
"Not the poem again. What could be a better distraction than the divine goddesses Julliard and Berklee. Sheesh. Unfreakingbelievable. . . "
"You have no idea how dildonic it was."
"Nice word, Len." She's flipping through a magazine someone left on the counter.
"Lame isn't lame enough of a word for this poem," I mutter. "Sarah, I told a guy that I belong to him."
"That's what happens when you read Wuthering Heights eighteen times."
"Twenty-three."
I`m layering away: sauce, noodles, I belong to you, cheese, sauce, my heart is yours, nooddles, cheese, I hear your soul in your music, cheese, cheese, CHEESE. . .
She's smiling at me. "You know, it might be okay, he seems kind of the same way."
"What way?"
"You know, like you."
-The sky is everywhere.
Date July 9, 2016
Tags books, Jandynelson, novels, YA novels
Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Right before I went in to work, I stopped off at the drugstore where Dante was working. I think I just wanted to see that he really had a job. When I walked into the drugstore, he was behind the counter, placing cigarettes on the shelf.
"Are you wearing shoes?" I said.
He smiled. I stared at his name tag. Dante Q.
"I was just thinking of you," he said.
"Some girls came in a little while ago."
"Girls?"
"They knew you. We got to talking."
I knew which girls they were before he told me. "Gina and Susie," I said.
"Yeah. They're nice. Pretty, too. They go to school with you."
"Yeah, they're nice and pretty. And pushy, too."
"They looked at my name tag. And then they looked at each other. And then one of them asked me if I knew you. I thought that if was a funny question to ask."
"What did you tell them?"
"I told them yeah. I said you were my best friend."
"You told them that?"
"You are my best friend."
"Did they ask you anything else?"
"Yeah, they asked if I knew anything about an accident and you breaking your legs."
"I can't believe it. I can't believe it!"
"Did you tell them?"
"Of course I told them."
"You told them??"
"Why are you getting mad?"
"You told them about what happened?"
"Of course I did."
"There's a rule, Dante."
"You're mad? You're mad at me?"
"The rule was we weren't supposed to talk about the accident."
"Wrong. The rule was we weren't supposed to talk about the accident with each other. The rule doesn't apply to anyone else."
There was a line forming behind me.
"I have to get back to work," Dante said.
Later that afternoon, Dante called me at work. "Why are you mad?"
"I just don't like other people to know."
"I don't get you, Ari." He hung up the phone.
What I knew was going to happen, happened. Gina and Susie followed me up at the Charcoaler just as I was getting off work.
"You were telling us the truth," Gina said.
"So what?" I said.
"So what? You saved Dante's life."
"Gina, let's not talk about it."
"Why not, Ari?" You're a hero." Susie Byrd had this thing in her voice.
"And how come," Gina said, "we don't know anything about your best friend?"
"Yeah, how come?"
I looked at both of them.
"He's so cute. I'd have thrown myself in front of a moving car for him too."
"Shut up, Gina," I said.
"How come he's such a secret?"
"He's not a secret. He just goes to Cathedral."
Susie had this gaga look on her face. "Cathedral boys are cute."
"Cathedral boys suck," I said.
"So when are we going to get to know him?"
"Oh, so you want him all to yourself."
"Knock it off, Gina, you're really pissing me off."
"You're really touhy about things, you know that, ari."
"Go to hell, Gina."
"You really don't want us to know him, do you?"
"I don't really care. You know where he works, go help him. Maybe that way, you'll leave me alone."
– Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe.
Tags books, LGBTQbooks, novels, YA novels
Looking For Alaska by John Green
Eighty-nine Days Before.
"We found you a girlfriend", Alaska said to me. Still, no one had explained to me what happened the week before with the Jury. It didn't seem to have affected Alaska, though, who was (1) in our room after dark with the door closed, and (2) smoking a cigarette as she sat on the mostly foam couch. She had stuffed a towel into the bottom of our door and insisted it was safe, but I worried about the cigarette and "girlfriend".
"All I have to do now," she said, "is convince you to like her and convince her to like you."
"Monumental tasks", the Colonel pointed out. He lay on thr top bunk, reading for his English class. Moby Dick.
"How can you read and talk at the same time?" I asked.
"Well, I usually can't, but neither the book nor the conversation is particularly intellectually challenging."
"I like that book," Alaska said.
"Yes." The Colonel smiled and leaned over to look at her from his top bunk. "You would. Big white whale is a metaphor for everything. You live for pretentious metaphors."
Alaska was unfazed. "So, Pudge, what's your feeling on the former Soviet bloc?"
"Um. I`m in favor of it?"
She flicked the ashes of her cigarette into my pencil holder. I almost protested, but why bother. You know that girl in our precalc class?," Alaska asked. "Soft voice, says these not this. Know that girl?"
"Yeah. Lara. She sat on my lap on the way to McDonald's."
"Right. I know. And she liked you. You thought she was quietly discussing precalc, when she was clearly talking having hot sex with you. Which is why you need me."
"She has great breasts," the Colonel said without looking upfrom the whale.
"DO NOT OBJECTIFY WOMEN'S BODIES!"Alaska shouted.
Now he looked up, "Sorry. Perky breasts."
"That's not any better!"
"Sure it is," he said. "Great is a judegement on a women's body. Perky is merely an observation. They are perky. I mean, Christ."
"You're hopeless," she said. "So she thinks you're cute, Pudge."
"Doesn't mean anything. Problem with you is that if you talk to her you'l; 'uh um uh' your way to disaster."
"Don't be so hard on him," the Colonel interrupted, as if he's my mom. "God, I understand whale anatomy. Can we move on now, Herman?"
– Looking for Alaska
Tags books, John Green, novels, YA novels

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
The Supermarine Type 224 was an inverted gull-wing monoplane fighter aircraft designed by R.J. Mitchell at Supermarine in response to Air Ministry Specification F.7/30, which sought a fighter for introduction to succeed the Gloster Gauntlet. It was powered by the Rolls-Royce Goshawk engine, which used an experimental evaporative cooling system, and problems with this system, combined with its disappointing performance, led to it being rejected, a contract for production aircraft eventually going to the Gloster Gladiator. It is nevertheless notable because R.J. Mitchell learnt lessons from its failure that were to contribute greatly to his success with the Supermarine Spitfire.

Design and development

Specification F.7/30, which was formally issued to the aircraft industry in October 1931, called for an all-metal day and night fighter armed with four machine guns, a high top speed and rate of climb, and a landing speed of less than 60 mph. The importance of a good view from the cockpit was made clear. Although the use of any power plant was permitted, the Air Ministry did express a preference for the evaporatively cooled Rolls-Royce Goshawk then being developed.

Of the many proposals submitted by manufacturers, three were selected for official development as prototypes, the Supermarine 224 among them. In addition, privately funded submissions for the competition were encouraged. R. J. Mitchell, Supermarine's designer, came up with a clean-looking inverted gull-wing monoplane with a fixed undercarriage powered by the 600 hp Goshawk II.

The gull wing configuration was chosen in order to shorten the undercarriage legs and so reduce drag, but since this configuration was known to be liable to produce problems with lateral stability an extensive programme of wind-tunnel testing using models was carried out before arriving at the final design. These tests also revealed a lack of directional stability: Mitchell accordingly enlarged the fin area.

The cockpit was open, and further wind-tunnel tests were also carried out on a full-size model of the cockpit area to ensure that the pilot would not be subjected to undue buffeting. The fuselage was of monocoque construction, with one pair of guns mounted either side of the cockpit and the other pair in the 'trouser' fairings of the undercarriage.

The wing was of unusual construction, having a single main spar, forward of which  the condensers of the engine cooling system formed the entire leading edge of the wing, the combination of the two producing a 'D-box' spar of great torsional rigidity. Behind the main spar the wing was fabric-covered.

The evaporative cooling system used by the Goshawk involved allowing the cooling water to reach a temperature greater than 100 °C without boiling by keeping it under pressure while circulating through the engine: this superheated water was then allowed to boil off by releasing the pressure, the resulting steam then being cooled in a condenser, collected as water and then recirculated through the engine.

The system had been experimentally flown in other aircraft, but these were all biplanes, and the condensers and collector tank for the condensed water were all mounted in the upper wing. In the Type 224 the collector tanks were in the undercarriage fairings, and, as the condensed water was nearly at boiling point, it was liable to turn to steam under any slight change of pressure; this frequently occurred in the water pumps and would cause them to stop working.

Competition

The Type 224 first flew on 19 February 1934, piloted by "Mutt" Summers. Its performance was disappointing: maximum speed was 228 mph (367 km/h) and it took 9.5 minutes to climb to , well below the predicted performance of a 245 mph (394 km/h) speed and climb to  in 6.6 min.

The aircraft which was chosen for production, the radial-engined Gloster Gladiator, was a late entrant to the F.7/30 competition, making its first flight on 12 September 1934 and was a rapidly undertaken development of the aircraft the competition was intended to provide a replacement for.

However, Mitchell was already in discussions about a number of improvements - these included a new wing, tailplane, and engine arrangements - which would give it a top speed of 265 mph (426 km/h). The Ministry felt that, as eight rather than four guns would be needed, a wholly new aircraft, rather than a modification of the Type 224, was called for.

In 1933, Supermarine had asked the Air Ministry for the name "Spitfire" to be reserved for it. The Type 224 ended its career as a target on a firing range at Orford Ness, Suffolk in summer 1937.

Specifications (Supermarine Type 224)

See also

References

Bibliography

Buttler, T. British Secret Projects: fighters and bombers 1935-1955. Midland, 2004.

Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. London: Putnam, 1992. .
Mitchell, Gordon. R.J. Mitchell: Schooldays to Spitfire. London: Tempus Publishing, 2009. .
Price, Alfred. The Spitfire Story: Second edition. London: Arms and Armour Press Ltd., 1986. .

External links

Supermarine Type 224 - Colour drawing and description

1930s British fighter aircraft
Type 224
Inverted gull-wing aircraft
Cancelled military aircraft projects of the United Kingdom
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Low-wing aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1934

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Timeout using Balancer, IHS, WebSphere and Birt I have an application that generates a report that process in more than 30min and I receive a timeout error. If I generate a report and it lasts less then 20 min, it works. My environment works as follow:
   Balancer https://www.example.com/
   /   \
IHS1   IHS2  redirect IHS:443 to WAS:9081 (WEB) and WAS:9082 (REPORT)
 /        \
WAS1     WAS2 WAS:WEB and WAS:REPORT
\         /
    DB

When I change my application to return data to WAS or IHS it works. If I return to balancer I receive a timeout.
Here is my configutation on IHS:
ServerName   example.com
RewriteEngine on
RedirectMatch ^/$ https://example.com/example/

SSLEnable
SSLProtocolDisable    SSLv2
SSLProtocolDisable    SSLv3
SSLCipherSpec         TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
SSLCipherSpec         TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA256
SSLCipherSpec         TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
SSLCipherSpec         TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256
SSLCipherSpec         TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA
SSLCipherSpec         TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA
SSLClientAuth         none
SSLServerCert         example-ssl
KeyFile               /opt/IBM/HTTPServer/ssl/example.kdb
SSLStashfile          /opt/IBM/HTTPServer/ssl/example.sth

ProxyPass           /example-rel/                             http://10.10.0.3:9082/example-rel/ connectiontimeout=7200 timeout=7200
ProxyPassReverse    /example-rel/                             http://10.10.0.3:9082/example-rel/

ProxyPass          /example/                              http://10.10.0.2:9081/example/ connectiontimeout=7200 timeout=7200
ProxyPassReverse   /example/                              http://10.10.0.2:9081/example/
ProxyPassReverseCookiePath  /    /example/

ErrorLog     logs/ihs-443-example-error_log
CustomLog    logs/ihs-443-example-access_log  common_ssl

I set timeout on webcontainer/ejb container/tranaction manager to 7200 and session management invalidationTimeout 120 min. I also set the HttpInboundPersistReadTimeout on the custom properties on WAS.
Did I forget to increase the timeout somewhere?

A: If using one of the load balancers that ships with WAS, look at the staletimeout setting.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Summary: Increased axial stress on spine is displayed. Stress is absorbed into disc annulus. Overstressed disc annulus can result in prolapse. This condition involves the disc nucleus material being pushed through a tear in the annulus, often occurring in the posterior disc. Pressure on the nerves commonly results, causing nerve root irritation. Resulting necrotic nucleus tissues can also cause irritation.


Congratulations to Glenmont fifth grader Zara Pattison who won first place in the Schenectady Daily Gazette's annual Student Gazette journalism competition!
The competition includes hundreds of entries submitted by students in grades 3-12 from throughout the region. These entries are judged by Daily Gazette staff members in different categories and by grade levels 3-6, 7-9 and 10-12.
The annual Daily Gazette Student Gazette Award Reception was held at their offices in Schenectady on Thursday, May 3 where Zara was joined by her family.
Keep a look out – her first byline is scheduled to appear in print sometime in June! Making BC proud!


text:
New: SPORTS TRAVEL!
U S Open Tennis
2024 Olympics Paris
Final Four -Houston TX
Travel 2023
Savannah, Jekyll Island,Beaufort, SC
Fascinating Bali
Women's Retreat: Thailand
Splendours of Egypt
CHICAGO: Jazz and Blues Tour
RCCL ALASKA INSIDE PASSAGE
Ancient Wonders of the Bible Lands
GREECE ODYSSEY
Puerto Rico Cultural Journeys
AFRO-CUBAN CUBA
Chicago Jazz and Blues Tour
* Guided Chicago Tour
* Meet the Blues Brothers
* Chess Records
* Chicago Cultural Center
* Architecture Cruise
* Chicago Historical Museum
* Lincoln Park Conservatory
* Harry Caray's Nitti's Supper Club
* Motorcoach Transportation in Chicago
* Driver's Room & Gratuity
* Lodging for Four Nights in Downtown Chicago
* Four Hotel Breakfasts
* Three Dinners
* All Taxes and Tips on above services
* Luggage Handling (one bag per person) where available
Day 1 Saturday, July 15 Motorcoach Transportation :Your deluxe motorcoach will meet your group at O'Hare airport to begin your five day tour in Chicago. Check in to your Downtown/Magnificent Mile, Chicago's premier commercial district, hotel for a four night stay. The vibrant, bustling area is home to upscale shops, luxury fashion outlets, cool restaurants and posh hotels. Explore downtown attractions all within close proximity to your hotel.
Chess Records: Take a tour of the original Chess Records where so many Rock and Blues artists created their hits. Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James, Chuck Berry and the Rolling Stones all recorded here. You will see the original recording studios, the offices of Leonard & Phil Chess and plenty of memorabilia from the era.
Navy Pier - Chicago This evening you will have free time at Navy Pier, a 3,300-foot-long pier on the Chicago shoreline of Lake Michigan. You will have time for dinner on your own and some time to explore the area. During the summer months, there is a spectacular Fireworks show every Wednesday and Saturday night. Find a spot anywhere on the pier to take in this dazzling free display.
Day 2 Sunday, July 16: Guided Chicago Sightseeing Tour this morning, enjoy a guided city tour of Chicago. Discover the history, architecture and incredible stories that make up Chicago. Driving and stops along the way. The LOOP is Chicago's business and theater district. You'll see some of the most architecturally significant buildings in the world and artwork by Picasso, Calder, Miro, and Chagall. Walk thru Millennium Park with its stunning outdoor art and philanthropic spirit, Harris Theater for Music & Dance, Pritzker Music pavilion, Crown Fountain with a reflecting pool book ended by town 50- foot high towers of glass brick, plus see Lake Shore Drive.
Meet the Blues Brothers: Also during your morning tour the Blues Brothers will hijack your bus for 30 minutes, they're "putting the band back together" and you'll find yourself "on a Mission from God" with Jake & Elwood Blues. "They've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, its dark out and they're wearing sunglasses."
Visit the Chicago Cultural Center: Tour the Chicago Cultural Center, one of the city's most popular attractions and the cultural heart of the downtown Loop neighborhood. Taking up an entire city block, the stunning landmark building is home to the world's largest Tiffany stained glass dome. The Cultural Center also features free art exhibits showcasing local and national artists. There are also an ongoing free music series that takes place in jaw-dropping spaces, creating wonderful acoustic experiences.
Dinner at House of Blues: After time to freshen up, enjoy dinner this evening at the House of Blues. Dine on Chef-Inspired signature Southern cuisine alongside talented local Blues musicians performing nightly in the Restaurant & Bar. (B,D)
Day 3 Monday, July 17: Chicago Architecture Cruise expert guides will share an insider's glimpse into the buildings, architecture, and engineering that made Chicago famous as the birthplace of the skyscraper and home of modern American architecture. Nothing is more impressive than this world-renowned architecture as seen from the Chicago River. Tour highlights include Tribune Tower, Wrigley Building, Trump Tower, Marina City; and more than 40 Chicago landmarks.
Shopping on the Magnificent Mile: The Magnificent Mile is one of the top ten hospitality, fine dining and retail districts in the world, making it One of the Great Avenues of the World. Each of the Great Avenues has its own unique features, distinguishing it as a premier commercial center, while all provide visitors, local employees and residents with a world-class urban experience. This experience is the result of seven values: historic setting, spectacular streetscape, innovative architecture, distinctive retail, high-quality fine dining, world-class hotels and premier office space. For example: The Magnificent Mile is rooted in the 1909 Plan of Chicago, Daniel Burnham's historic vision for a great metropolis and features spectacular gardens along a tree-lined boulevard with some of the world's most distinctive buildings, both old and new. The retail, dining and hospitality venues are diverse and exciting, and the office space is some of the most highly valued in the world.
Dinner & Music at Buddy Guy's: This evening, dinner is included at Buddy Guys Legends, the world's premier Blues Club owned and operated by Grammy Award Winning Blue's Musician, Buddy Guy. He is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer himself and has had a major influence on rock titans like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan Tonight enjoy Louisiana-style cajun and soul food – served while a Blues band makes a little music. (B, L, D)
Day 4 Tuesday, July 18: Visit the Lincoln Park Conservatory and step into beauty and tranquility. Feel the clean, oxygen-rich air. Smell the fragrant tropical flowers. See ancient ferns and towering palms. Experience the charm of a Victorian Era glass house. Built between 1890 and 1895, the historic Lincoln Park Conservatory displays lush, exotic plants from around the world in four display houses – The Palm House, Orchid House, Fern Room, and Show House. Venture outside to visit the Formal Garden, Bates Fountain, the Von Schiller Monument, the Old English-style Grandmother's Garden, and the Shakespeare Monument.
Chicago History Museum: This morning tour the Chicago History Museum. Discover the city's vast history in Chicago: Crossroads of America. Whether you want to explore the grandeur of the world fairs of 1893 and 1933, or Chicago innovations that changed the world like skyscrapers and modern retail, or the diverse neighborhoods and lively cultural scene, this exhibition is a must see!
Harry Caray's Nitti's Supper Club: Join Frank Nitti, his gang of gangsters, and flappers at this audience-interactive, musical-comedy revue. Set during Prohibition in the year 1932, the immersive show will transport you back in time. Sing along to great Broadway tunes by Porter, Gershwin, and Kander and Ebb. It's an evening of nonstop fun! (pending availability) (B,D)
Day 5 Wednesday, July 19: Depart for home after breakfast at the hotel this morning, check out. Your motorcoach will transport your group to O'Hare airport where you meet your return flight home.
$2,395.00 per person, double
$2,195.00 per person, triple
$2,095.00 per person, quad
$2,895.00 per person, single
Includes roundtrip airfare from RDU, four nights accommodations, taxes and fees, ground transportation, tours and admissions as noted, meals as noted, gratuities and tips for driver's and guides.
Deposits/Payments: $200.00 per person (non-refundable) due November 30, 2022.
$300.00 per person, January 15, 2023
$300.00 per person, February 15, 2023
$300.00 per person, March 15, 2023
$300.00 per person, April 15, 2023
$300.00 per person, May 15, 2023
Final payment, June 15, 2023
Cancellation Penalties:
Initial payment of $250.00 is non-refundable.
On or after June 1, 2023, no refunds available. Travel insurance is strongly encouraged. Request a quote at booking.
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text:
The Grace Commentary
A Free Online Bible Commentary
Big Macs and Bible Study
November 4, 2012 by Jeremy Myers Leave a Comment
The Grace Commentary will focus heavily on providing historical and cultural background studies for each book of the Bible. It is my conviction that these studies not only help bring the Bible to life, but are more important than word studies, grammatical analysis, or other types of research that can be performed on any particular text.
Some may wonder why cultural and background studies are important or necessary for understanding the Bible. They want to know why they can't just "read the Bible for what it says." The answer is that you can "read the Bible for what it says," but only if you understand what it says. And cultural and background studies help us understand what the text says. If you don't know the culture, then you won't know the way people thought back then, and if you don't know the way they thought, you won't know the meanings of the words they used, and if you don't know the meaning of the words, you can't just "read the Bible for what it says."
I recently found an illustration in Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh's Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels which helped me explain this in a way that makes more sense (p. 9). They write that when we in the United States read about a "Big Mac" we don't need someone to tell us that it is "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun" (remember the old Big Mac commercial?). We know what a Big Mac is and we don't need someone to unpack it for us.
But suppose I wrote a letter to you, and in it, I mentioned how much I love Big Macs.
Now suppose that my letter gets miraculously preserved for 2000 years until a future archeologist discovers it. Upon translating the letter, the archeologist decides he wants to research what these "Big Macs" were that I loved so much. So he does some investigation, and immediately discovers that some people in 21st Century America are called "Mac." So he decides that "Big Macs" are guys named Mac who are really large, and in my letter, I express my special affinity for them. He publishes his findings in a leading archaeological journal of his day.
Another scholar comes along, who has a degree in computer science, and he remembers reading something somewhere about "Mac" computers during the 20th and 21st centuries. He goes back and finds his notes and discovers that there were little Macs, called MacBooks which could be carried around, and other, bigger Macs which sat on a desk. He decides the bigger macs must be "Big Macs" and publishes his findings. He is invited to speak at the TED Conference in the year 4014.
A third scholar, who happens to be an expert on the Jeremy Myers who wrote the original letter, remembers that Jeremy grew up in a town called Missoula, and during his growing up years, attended MAC (Missoula Alliance Church) and was a member of MAC (Missoula Athletic Club.). So he theorizes that Big Macs were either bigger versions of this church or this athletic club. He writes a paper about it…which does not get published, because the premise is too fanciful, and nobody knows or cares too much about Jeremy Myers anyway.
Finally, someone comes along who studies ancient customs, cultures, and diets, and knows that there were several food items containing the term "Mac." He writes a paper about "Mac and Cheese" but how there is no known use of "Big Mac and cheese" and so probably, when Jeremy Myers wrote about loving "Big Macs" he meant the sandwich from a fast food restaurant (which requires further cultural explanation) called McDonalds. The worldwide recognized symbol was something called "the golden arches" and their signature sandwich was the "Big Mac." It contained two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun. The scholar explains that in the past 2000 years, the ingredients to the special sauce have been lost, but most scholars believe it contained some sort of mixture of mayonnaise, ketchup, and relish, all of which require further explanation in this paper. This scholar goes on to write a book called The Gastronomical Background of Ground Beef in the Letters of Jeremy Myers. The book becomes a best seller.
OK, all of this is a little silly, but you get the point. Our modern era is separated from the Bible culturally, economically, politically, geographically, chronologically, religiously, scientifically, and every other -ly you can think of. We need historical and cultural background studies to help us understand the Bible, so we can truly "read it for what it says."
The World of the Bible
Some might object, "Oh, we are not that culturally different from the world of the Bible. Words and worldviews are still about the same." But just consider the following random list (also from Malina and Rohrbaugh, 2003:7) showing just how different our cultures are:
1. In agrarian societies more than 90 percent of the population was rural. In industrial societies, more than 90 percent is urban.
2. In agrarian societies, 90-93 percent of the population was engaged in what sociologists call the "primary" industries (farming and extracting raw material). In the United States today it is 4.9 percent.
3. In agrarian societies 2-4 percent of the population was literate. In industrial societies 2-4 percent are not.
4. The birthrate in most agrarian societies was about forty per thousand per year. In the United States, as in most industrial societies, it is less than half that. Yet death rates have dropped even more dramatically than birthrates. We thus have the curious phenomenon of far fewer births and rapidly rising population.
5. Life expectancy in the city of Rome in the first century B.C.E. was about twenty years at birth. If the perilous years of infancy were survived, it rose to about forty, one-half our present expectations.
6. In contrast to the huge cities we know today, the largest city in Europe in the fourteenth century, Venice, had a population of 78,000. London had 35,000. Vienna had 3,800. Though population figures for antiquity are notoriously difficult to come by, recent estimates for Jerusalem are about 35,000. For Capernaum, 1,500. For Nazareth about 200.
7. The Department of Labor currently lists in excess of 20,000 occupations in the United States and hundreds more are added to the list annually. By contrast, the tax rolls for Paris (pop. 59,000) in the year 1313 list only 157.
8. Unlike the modern world, in agrarian societies 1-3 percent of the population usually owns one- to two-thirds of the arable land. Since 90 percent or more were peasants, the vast majority owned subsistence plots at best.
9. The size of the federal bureaucracy in the United States in 1816 was 5,000 employees. In 1971 it was 2,852,000 and growing rapidly. (The Washington Post reported in 2006 that the number was over 14 million.) While there was a political administration, and military apparatus in antiquity, nothing remotely comparable to the modern governmental bureaucracy ever existed. Instead, goods and services were mediated by patrons who operated largely outside governmental control.
10. More than one-half of all families in agrarian societies were broken during the childbearing and child-rearing years by the death of one or both parents. …Thus widows and orphans were everywhere.
11. In agrarian societies the family was the unit of both production and consumption. Since the industrial revolution, family production or enterprise has nearly disappeared and the unit of production has become the individual worker. Nowadays the family is only a unit of consumption.
12. The largest "factories" in Roman antiquity did not exceed fifty workers. In the records of the medieval craft guilds from London, the largest employed eighteen. The industrial corporation, a modern invention, did not exist.
13. In 1850, the "prime movers" in the United States (i.e., steam engines in factories, sailing vessels, work animals, etc.) had a combined capacity of 8.5 million horsepower. By 1970 this had risen to 20 billion.
14. The cost of moving one ton of goods one mile (measured in U.S. dollars in China at the beginning of the industrial revolution) was:
Steamboat: 2.4
Rail: 2.7
Junk: 12.0
Animal-drawn cart: 13.0
Pack Mule: 17.0
Wheelbarrow: 20.0
Pack Donkey: 24.0
Packhorse: 30.0
Carrying by pole: 48.0
It is little wonder that overland trade at any distance was insubstantial in antiquity.
15. Productive capacity in industrial societies exceeds that in the most advanced agrarian societies known by more than one hundredfold.
16. Given the shock and consternation caused by the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the forced resignation of Richard M. Nixon, we sometimes forget that this sort of internal political upheaval is nothing like it was in the agrarian world. Of the 79 Roman emperors, 31 were murdered, 6 driven to suicide, and 4 were deposed by force. Moreover, such upheavals in antiquity were frequently accompanied by civil war and the enslavement of thousands.
With such a list, any who suggest that the biblical world is not that much different from ours, and we can understand the thoughts and ideas of the Bible without knowledge of their world, is doomed to have serious misunderstandings of Scripture. Certainly, some things can be understood without background studies, but even in these areas, background studies can enhance our understanding.
Of course, such study of background material requires more than a lifetime – more even than a thousand lifetimes! But this should not dissuade us. Just as "a penny saved is a penny earned" so also, a biblical setting gained is a biblical passage learned (OK, it's not quite as catchy. But it's still true.)
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Daily Archives for April 6, 2020
Why passenger pigeons went extinct a century ago
A passenger pigeon flock being hunted in Louisiana. From the 'Illustrated Shooting and Dramatic News', 1875.
(Wikimedia/Smith Bennett), CC BY-NC-ND
Eric Guiry, Trent University
On Sept. 1, 1914, a Cincinnati Zoological Gardens employee found the lifeless body of Martha, the world's last living passenger pigeon, resting beneath her perch.
Forty years earlier, Martha's ancestors numbered in the billions. Their flocks formed avian clouds across eastern North America, obstructing sunlight for days. The sight was so overwhelming that the American conservationist Aldo Leopold called them a "biological storm."
By the early 1900s, only a handful of birds remained, and these were in captivity. How, in a few short decades, could one of the world's most prodigious bird vanish from the sky?
As an archaeological scientist with a background in ecology and chemical analyses, I have always been fascinated by great extinction events and the disappearance of the passenger pigeon is one of the most notable in North America's history. It's exciting to look at the events that led to their demise.
Forests of food?
For decades, two theories have been used to explain the extinction of passenger pigeons. While it has long been understood that human activity caused their extinction, the exact mechanism wasn't known.
A male passenger pigeon on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in Ohio. The last wild bird was shot in 1901, and Martha, the last captive bird, died on Sept. 1, 1914, at the Cincinnati Zoo.
(Tim Evanson/flickr), CC BY-SA
One theory was that because the birds mostly ate a highly specialized diet of tree nuts (known as "mast"), such as acorns and beechnuts, they died off when they could no longer find enough food after the forested habitats they devoured were cut down by humans.
The other theory was that their obliteration was due mainly to humans killing staggering numbers of birds for sport and to feed growing urban populations.
The conflict between these two ideas was already evident in the early 19th century, when the almost ceaseless slaughter of passenger pigeons was well underway. After the Civil War, technological advancements, such as the telegraph and expanding rail networks, helped professional hunters, called pigeoners, to locate migrating flocks at their nesting sites and collect birds, young and old, on an industrial scale.
The great American ornithologist John James Audubon may have captured popular sentiment when he said, "… nothing but the gradual diminution of our forests can accomplish their decrease as they not infrequently quadruple their numbers yearly, and always at least double it."
So, which was more likely: hunting or habitat destruction?
Diet clues
My colleagues and I used stable isotope analysis to study chemical markers in the bones of passenger pigeons found in archaeological deposits dating from 900-1900, in the heart of the birds' former nesting habitat in Ontario and Québec.
An animal's bones can tell us a lot about what ate before it died. Because bones grow and remodel slowly over the course of an animal's lifetime, their stable isotope composition gives us information about average diet over a period of months or even years. This longer-term record of diet lets us see what a bird ate over its entire life, rather than at a single meal or in a single season.
Why giant human-sized beavers died out 10,000 years ago
Our study found that passenger pigeons could live off other foods, including farmers' crops. This suggests that an unchecked commercial pigeon industry was likely the more important driver behind the birds' extinction.
A passenger pigeon skull collected during archaeological excavations.
(Eric Guiry)
Prior to our research, little was known about the diversity (or lack thereof) of their diet. At the time of their decline and disappearance, no one had the technology to be able to follow and document the birds throughout their full life cycle, including cross-continental migration.
Past historical research indicated that mast was the birds' food of choice, as they roamed up and down the great forests of eastern North America searching out patches at the peak in their masting cycle. Yet there was also scattered anecdotal evidence that the birds would at times descend on farmers' fields of corn and wheat.
Most of the birds we sampled did eat mostly mast, but a subset had chemical compositions that suggest their diet was made up largely of crops like corn that would have been available even as their traditional sources of food grew scarcer. We also tested the subset of birds to see if they belonged to a specific age category or genetic group but found that corn-based diets occurred in both young and old birds, as well as in all genetic groups, suggesting that this dietary flexibility may have been widespread.
A new mystery?
Our analysis answered our original question, but also opened up another mystery for future study.
The passenger pigeon was found across most of North America east of the Rocky Mountains, north of the Mississippi and south of Canada. But sometimes they were seen in Bermuda, Cuba or Mexico.
We performed DNA analyses to confirm the birds we were testing were, in fact, passenger pigeons. These results suggested that there may have been more genetic diversity in these birds than previous studies revealed.
Much of the previous DNA work was concentrated on birds that died not long before the species disappeared entirely, which may have meant the genetic diversity in the birds was already waning. A sample from the earlier birds in our study suggests there may have been more internal diversity during the thousands of years these flocks dominated the skies and forests of eastern North America.
Bird species are facing extinction hundreds of times faster than previously thought
This research reveals the amazing potential that archaeology and scientific techniques have for helping us understand major events of the past and how the actions of humans have shaped the world as we know it today.
Eric Guiry, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Trent Environmental Archaeology Laboratory, Trent University
April 6, 2020 by particularkev	Categories: extinction, Passenger Pigeon	| Tags: article, extinction, Passenger Pigeon | Leave a comment
How we discovered the conditions behind 'slow earthquakes' that happen over weeks or even months – new research
The world's tectonic plates.
Naeblys/Shutterstock
Åke Fagereng, Cardiff University
You're probably familiar with earthquakes as relatively short, sharp shocks that can shake the ground, topple buildings and tear rips in the Earth. These earthquakes, and their aftershocks, happen because although tectonic plates move at centimetres per year, this motion is seldom steady. Earthquakes result from a "stick-slip" motion, where rocks "stick" along fault planes while stress accumulates until a "slip" occurs – a bit like pulling on a stuck door until it suddenly opens. This slip also releases energy as the seismic waves that, in large magnitude earthquakes, create substantial damage.
In the last two decades another class of stick-slip motion has been discovered worldwide. These "slow slip events" last for weeks to months, compared to seconds to minutes for earthquakes. Slow slip events occur faster than average plate motion, but too slow to generate measurable seismic waves. This means they need to be studied by GPS networks rather then seismometers.
Although their motion is slow, the amount of movement that occurs in a slow slip event is substantial. Earthquake magnitude depends on the distance that rocks move and the area this movement occurs over. Using the same definition, many slow slip events would have had magnitudes above 7.0 if they slipped at earthquake speeds.
Slow slip events repeat at intervals of a year to a few years. Compared to major earthquakes, which have repeat times of hundreds of years (or more), slow slip events are actually very frequent. Even in the short time of a couple of decades that we've observed these types of slip, many cycles have occurred in several places – notably around the Pacific Rim.
Slow slip events generally happen next to areas where faults are locked and expected to rupture in major earthquakes. It's therefore possible that these slow slip events can trigger earthquakes on neighbouring locked faults. It has, for example, been suggested that slow slip events preceded the 2011 magnitude 9.1 Tohoku earthquake in Japan and the 2014 magnitude 8.1 Iquique earthquake in Chile. That said, numerous slow slip events have also been observed without any immediate, subsequent major earthquakes on neighbouring faults.
Earthquakes may also trigger slow slip. In particular, the magnitude 7.8 Kaikōura earthquake in New Zealand in 2016 triggered slow slip events up to 600km away from its epicentre.
It is not known why some fault segments host slow slip and others host earthquakes. Neither is it known whether the same area can change behaviour and host either slow slip or earthquakes at different times. It's therefore important to characterise the source of slow slip, and find out what materials help create slow slip and under what conditions.
A unique opportunity
The Hikurangi subduction zone.
Åke Fagereng composite using map data from NOAA., Author provided
The Hikurangi subduction zone (where the Pacific ocean floor is pulled underneath the New Zealand continent) offshore New Zealand's North Island is potentially the country's largest earthquake fault and is a unique opportunity to investigate slow slip events. This is because slow slip here happens shallower and closer to the shoreline than anywhere else in the world.
The drill.
Åke Fagereng, Author provided
The shallow slow slip events in New Zealand have been observed by onshore GPS and ocean bottom pressure sensors. Oceanic scientific drilling expeditions recently sampled sediments and installed observatories along this margin.
The subduction zone.
Stihii/Shutterstock
These International Ocean Discovery Program expeditions – which drilled to just over 1km deep in water depths of 3.5km in late 2017 and early 2018 – revealed that the seafloor rocks and sediments hosting slow slip in Hikurangi are extremely variable. The range of rocks, described in a recent Science Advances paper led by Philip Barnes of NIWA (New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research), include mudstones, sands, carbonates, and sedimentary deposits from oceanic volcanic eruptions. The seafloor samples show that the source of the slow slip is a mixture of very soft sediment and hard, solid rocks.
Different types of rock from the New Zealand seafloor.
The diverse seafloor sediments are not the only variability offshore of New Zealand. The seafloor itself is also very rough, including seamounts (submarine mountains rising over a kilometre above the seafloor). This seafloor roughness also makes the fault vary depending on where along it you are.
The observations are consistent with a hypothesis where slow slip events occur in rocks that are transitional between moving steadily and moving in earthquakes. One way to think of this model is as rigid rocks interacting with softer, more ductile surroundings. Researchers using numerical simulations and laboratory experiments have also suggested that variable fault rocks can cause slow slip.
But diverse fault rock isn't the only model for the mechanics of slow slip. Another possibility is that pressurised fluids decrease frictional resistance and slip speed along faults. It is also possible that some rocks become stronger when they move faster – so that faults start accelerating but slow down before reaching earthquake speeds.
The recent discoveries in New Zealand may be applicable to other depths and locations around the world. However, future studies will undoubtedly lead to further insights and complexities – including in the relationship between slow slip events and earthquakes.
Åke Fagereng, Reader, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University
April 6, 2020 by particularkev	Categories: Earthquakes	| Tags: article, conditions, discovered, earthquakes, slow earthquakes | Leave a comment


text:
MAN SD200 — городской двухэтажный низкопольный автобус, выпускаемый компанией MAN в период с 1973 по 1985 год по спецификации VöV-Standard-Bus.

История
Автобусы MAN SD200 были построены кузовными компаниями Gaubschat, Waggon Union и Orenstein & Koppel (O&K). Самонесущая конструкция получила для нижнего этажа и подвесного потолка каркас из стальных труб, для верхнего этажа —алюминиевые профили. Наружные стены были облицованы алюминиевыми листами. Но как и остальные стандартные автобусы, модель SD200 получила переднюю часть с вертикально изогнутыми по бокам ветровыми стёклами.

Серийное производство автобусов MAN SD200 началось в августе 1974 года, выпуск первой серии SD74 начался в феврале 1975 года. В BVG было поставлено 956 автобусов серии SD200, ещё восемь автобусов были доставлены предприятию O&K со слегка изменённым оборудованием в Любек-Травемюндскую транспортную компанию (LVG), где они выполняли междугородние маршруты от Любека до Травемюнде.

На передней и правой сторонах автобусы серий SD73 — SD81 получили целевые ленты Brose, а на передней и задней частях—трёхсекционный индикатор номера линии вместо штекерных знаков. В период строительства чуть менее двенадцати лет в дальнейшее развитие этой серии вошло множество технических и конструктивных нововведений. В частности, с 1976 года была установлена трёхступенчатая коробка передач Voith, которая в сочетании с наружными планетарными осями, используемыми с 1975 года, составляет отличительный звук этих автобусов. С установкой дизельного двигателя D 2566 UH шум двигателя также изменился.

Самым важным нововведением для пассажира с 1978 года была установка второй лестницы за сиденьем водителя. Подтяжка переда стандартного рейсового автобуса была унаследована от серии SD81. Проектировщики получали заводские автобусы только с 1980 года. Для маркировки автобусов с проектировщиком за правое лобовое стекло была вставлена небольшая прозрачная пластиковая табличка. В последние годы производства уже использовались компоненты последующего поколения: с 1982 года вместо дорожных целевых лент Brose автобусы были оснащены матричными индикаторами цели движения, в которые можно было запрограммировать до 312 целевых данных. В 1985 году были установлены усовершенствованные дизельные двигатели и коробки передач, которые также были использованы в серии MAN SD202.

В 1980 и 1983 годах в связи со строительством трёх прототипов MAN SD202 была подготовлена замена SD200, а производство было прекращено в 1985 году. В 2003 году последний SD200 прекратил эксплуатацию в Берлине.

Поскольку двухэтажные автобусы предлагают хороший вид на верхнем этаже, их можно найти во многих городах в качестве экскурсионного автобуса в соответствии с их рисунком в качестве рейсового автобуса. Для этого многие SD200 были отреставрированы и получили открываемую крышу на верхней палубе, или стали двухэтажными автобусами с открытым верхом. На некоторых экскурсионных автобусах в Гамбурге дизельные двигатели MAN заменяются на другие.

См. также
 MAN SL200

Ссылки
 https://www.traditionsbus.de/Fahrzeuge/man_sd200.htm
 https://www.traditionsbus.de/Fahrzeuge/man_sd200_nichtbvg.htm

SD200
VöV-Standard-Bus


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Youth legislature back in session in Jackson
Prep picks up its fourth governor in a row
By Jane Hurst, Editor-in-Chief • November 23, 2021
From November 11 to 13th, seventeen delegates, representing the sophomore, junior, and senior classes, headed downtown for the Lead Mississippi Youth Legislature conference. In 2020, the conference...
Red (Taylor's Version) shows her maturity
From Issue 4
By Lily Teague and Mary Kathryn Mason • November 18, 2021
The long-awaited Red(Taylor's Version) was finally released on November 12, 2021. Fans had anticipated its arrival since its announcement on June 18, 2021. This version of Red includes 30 songs, plus...
A new era of Prep football set to begin
By Will Gibbs • August 18, 2021
The 2021 Jackson Prep football season will officially kick off August 20 when the Patriots take on the Greenville Christian School Saints. However, things will look much different for the Patriots this...
REVIEW: Nomadland; a beautiful story about finding belonging after loss
From Issue 10
By Megan Tomlinson, Staff Writer • May 18, 2021
After losing everything in the Great Recession, Fern (played by Frances McDormand), an independent and hardworking woman, embarks on a journey through the American frontier in her van to live as a modern...
Prep coach, alumni start podcast called "Abnormally Open"
By Anna Blaire Bryant and Megan Tomlinson • May 18, 2021
Abnormally Open is a podcast that was recently founded by Jackson Prep coach TJay Busin and class of 2020 Alumni, JC Polk and Preston Oden. It's main purpose is to talk about topics that interest...
REVIEW: Chick-fil-A's new salad disappointing
By Eliza Maxwell and Walker Poole • May 18, 2021
Our social media editors were told they had to have a byline for Issue 10. This hard-hitting piece of journalism is the result. Chick-fil-A's new salad is a Lemon Kale Caesar Salad. It is served...


Dental implants are used to replace both the form and the function of missing teeth. In the case of existing teeth, the tooth root holds the tooth in place. When a tooth has been lost due to infection, gum disease, an accident, or injury, a dental implant can be used in order to replace the tooth root and secure an artificial replacement for the tooth.
The actual dental implant is a metal screw designed to thread into the jawbone and allow for the attachment of a variety of prosthetic dental replacements. Most of the time, the implant is made of medical grade titanium or a titanium alloy. Titanium is used due to its excellent compatibility with human biology. The bone bonds with the titanium, creating a strong foundation for artificial teeth. In addition, implants can help preserve facial structure, preventing the bone deterioration that occurs when teeth are missing. Tens of thousands of dental implant procedures are performed every year. Dental implant has become more affordable and reliable ever.
Dental implants can be used for a variety of replacement situations. The implants may be used to replace one single tooth, eliminating the need to grind down and alter adjacent teeth. On the other hand, they can be used to support replacement teeth for mouths that are entirely toothless.
Dental implants can be used as anchors to provide support for a fixed bridge, or to provide stability for a complete denture set, eliminating unsightly and bothersome moving and/or clicking associated with dentures. Dental implants are changing the way people live! With them, people are rediscovering the comfort and confidence to eat, speak, laugh and enjoy life.
Dental implants, as metal anchors, are surgically placed into the jawbone. For most patients, the placement of dental implants involves two stage treatment. First, implants are placed within your jawbone. For the first three to six months following surgery, the implants are beneath the surface of the gums gradually bonding with the jawbone. You should be able to wear temporary dentures and eat a soft diet during this time. At the same time, your dentist designs the final bridgework or denture, which will ultimately improve both function and aesthetics.
After the implant has bonded to the jawbone, the second phase begins. Your dentist will uncover the implants and begin making your new teeth. An impression must be taken. Then posts or attachments can be connected to the implants. The teeth replacements are then made over the posts or attachments. The entire procedure usually takes six to eight months. Most patients do not experience any disruption in their daily life.


These options are configured on the DAP that you must create in order to deploy Event Logger.
If this option is present and not empty, only events with event IDs specified in the comma-separated list and permitted by the event type filters are logged into their corresponding reporting tables. If this option is absent or empty, all events permitted by the event type filters are logged into their corresponding reporting tables.
Setting this option to false turns on the event filtering group agent activity. All events defined at this group level will be skipped.
Setting this option to false turns on the event filtering group agent state. All events defined at this group level will be skipped.
Setting this option to false turns on the event filtering group esp service. All events defined at this group level will be skipped.
Setting this option to false turns on the event filtering group queue. All events defined at this group level will be skipped.
Setting this option to false turns on the event filtering group strategy. All events defined at this group level will be skipped.
Setting this option to false means that for each interaction activity reporting event, customer defined user data will not be stored.
Defines how many records (or events) are stored in internal memory before flushing to the database. For database performance, bulk operations are more efficient than record operation. Changing this parameter defines the size of the bulk database operation.
This option is also relevant for JMS Event Logger. This option specifies the maximum number of records (or events) that are kept in memory while waiting to be written to the database or to the JMS-compliant message queue. If the number of queued events becomes greater than the value specified for this option, Interaction Server discards the data, and events are not written to the database or the message queue. When setting this parameter, keep in mind that reporting events, depending on the average event size, may consume large amounts of memory. This parameter should be set to allow for safe failover to the backup DB Server in the case of database event logger. Note that Interaction Server makes immediate attempts to reconnect to DB Server (primary and backup) if the connection is lost.
For MS SQL, specifies the schema name to use to access the database. Note: Logger does not check the accuracy of field definitions. Be sure to correctly define all names and values. Both the name and the value of this option are case-sensitive.
For Oracle, specifies the schema name to use to access the database when the Interaction Server DAP is configured with a user who is not the schema owner. If the Interaction Server DAP is configured with a user who is the schema owner, you do not need to set this option.
Note:In the Interaction Server application configuration options, this option specifies the main Interaction Server database schema name. In the options for the Logger DAP, this option specifies the database schema for event logging.
Specifies the time interval, in milliseconds, between two write operations to the database. This option also makes it possible for the logger to perform a bulk collection of records before storing in the database.
field-name—Specifies the database field name. The field name must be exactly as defined in the database. This parameter is mandatory.
string. Field type is varchar.
integer. Field type is numeric.
timestamp. Field type is timestamp.
length—Specifies the length of the field. This parameter is optional and is inferred from the field type. For the string type this parameter defaults to 64.
Event Logger does not check the accuracy of field definitions. Be sure to correctly define all names and values. Both the name and the value of this option are case-sensitive.
timestamp. Field type is timestamp.* length—Specifies the length of the field. This parameter is optional and is inferred from the field type. For string type this parameter defaults to 64.
Retrieved from "https://docs.genesys.com/Documentation:Options:ES:InteractionServer-DAP1:Current (2019-04-25 00:49:13)"
This page was last modified on October 31, 2016, at 11:45.


text:
Scientists Create Cyborg Rose That Could Store Energy
By Alixandra Caole Vila
Mar 01, 2017 10:21 AM EST
Rose was chosen as the focus of the experiment because it is readily available, compact and because it has the same characteristics as trees.
(Photo : Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Scientists have revealed cyborg plants can potentially address our energy woes.
In 2015, scientists at Linköping University in Sweden have unveiled the world's first cyborg plant. As explained by Live Science, the rose was chosen as the focus of the experiment because it is readily available, compact and because it has the same characteristics as trees.
By filling its veins with conducting polymers PEDOT-S:H, the cyborg rose was able to grow electronic circuits inside it, while still allowing water and nutrients to move around. But there was a bit of a problem --- the variant tended to clog up the xylem.
After series of experiments, the scientists came up with a new polymer called ETE-S that allows the circuits in the cyborg rose to spread autonomously throughout the entire plant, and not just in the xylem.
As written in their new paper, by using ETE-S, the circuits were able to spread in every part of the tissue of the plant and not just in localized regions of the plant. Thus, they concluded that ETE-S can turn cyborg plants into fully functioning supercapacitors for energy storage.
"We have been able to charge the rose repeatedly, for hundreds of times without any loss on the performance of the device. The levels of energy storage we have achieved are of the same order of magnitude as those in supercapacitors. The plant can, without any form of optimization of the system, potentially power our ion pump, for example, and various types of sensors," said Eleni Stavrinidou, Assistant Professor at the Laboratory of Organic Electronics, in a statement.
To charge the cyborg rose, the scientists placed gold electrodes on the rose cutting to create a fully functional transistor. After which, they connected it to an external resistor and proceeded with the charging.
Forbes noted that in addition to making plants into capacitors, the scientists also made fuel cells that work inside plants to turn their sugars into energy.
Tagscyborg rose, energy, plants, supercapacitor, cyborg, hybrid, technology
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This New Massive Offshore Wind Farm in the Netherlands Can Power 785,000 Homes


The Honor Committee held its first meeting of its new term Sunday headed by its newly-elected 2015-2016 Executive Board.
Omega Psi Phi hosted alumni speaker Gary Flowers for a forum titled "From Ferguson to 4th Year: Tools for Building a Better Community" in Nau Hall this past Thursday.
CustomInk announced the completion of its multi-million dollar facility expansion in Charlottesville Thursday. The project marks the fourth major facility opening for the company during 2014, according to a company press release.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe held a press conference Wednesday in Richmond, addressing the savings actions he will enact in order to eliminate the revenue shortfall in Virginia's budget for the Fiscal Year 2015.In a press release, McAuliffe outlined the process of approving the budget savings plan for the coming fiscal year.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Wednesday Virginia is receiving $22 million in federal funds through the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. The government will allocate the funds over the next seven years to 16 school districts in Virginia, according to a press release.
Thousands of University community members filled the Amphitheatre Thursday for a candlelight vigil in honor of missing second-year College student Hannah Graham.
Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton spoke to members of the University Board of Visitors Thursday about problems within Virginia's education system, proposing potential solutions.