Frugal Motoring – Should I buy a hybrid?
In Frugal Motoring I discuss how I run cheap cars, the pros and cons for various purchasing methods (straight up cash, loan, PCP, lease), diesel vs petrol vs hybrid vs electric, ongoing political/ government motoring related machinations and how to keep your car running. Here I'll look at the pros and cons of hybrid cars, some of the history and some worked costings.
Which hybrids am I talking about?
Hybrid vehicles have been around for as long as there has been motorised transport. Petrol-electric hybrid trams were first patented in 1889 (1). The Woods "Dual Power" of 1915 used a combined system of electric motor below 15mph and petrol engine up to it's max of 35mph, which also charged on-board batteries. Just like a modern Prius (1).
It was a commercial failure, as were most attempts at developing electric vehicles up until the turn of the century. Batteries could not provide the range, speed or flexibility required for most users. The energy density of petrol outstripped conventional batteries. Rural communities lacked an electricity grid, and oil-based fuels were much more portable. The idea was ahead of the technology. Lots of companies toyed with electric vehicles, including AMC (developing regenerative breaking systems for the failed Amitron) and Audi (the Audi Duo, a plug-in parallel hybrid 100 Avant quattro), BMW (CVT hybrid-electric E34) and Volvo (with a gas-turbine hybrid 850/S80) (2, 3). It was Toyota with the Prius and Honda with the Insight that were the first mass-produced hybrids, using the trusty petrol engine as backup. Battery technology and the focus on reducing emissions has pushed the pace of change, and since the turn of the century hybrids have begun to become mainstream (1).
A bit of a weird halfway house where the petrol (or diesel) engine is the main driving force, and an electric motor replaces the starter and alternator to provide a boost when accelerating and battery regeneration when breaking. The more powerful electric motor also allows the engine to turn off when coasting or when stopped, as part of stop-start emissions technology (5). The electric motor can't propel the vehicle on it's own, and systems are generally at a lower voltage. This is a route taken by most US and European marques, including the Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Peugeot, and allows for greater fuel efficiency with little change to drivetrain structure (5).
In some ways the simplest design, a series hybrid attaches a fuel-burning engine to the batteries or electric motors. Electric motors provide the drivetrain and motion, and the petrol engine is there to top up the batteries or provide the electricity. This system allows the engine to run continuously at peak efficiency, but requires large batteries and motors to provide sufficient power (6). A clever idea and a solution to range anxiety for those with city cars that occasionally need rural jaunts. Because of the larger motors and batteries they tend to be more expensive, and aren't really mainstream. The only one I can think of is the BMW I3 REX (Range-extender), which was discontinued (7). Make your own by connecting a diesel generator to an electric milk float.
Here the electric motor and/or the petrol engine power the vehicle by being mated to a combined drivetrain, increasing complexity and potential drivetrain losses, but decreasing energy conversion losses. Here the high-torque nature of electric motors are often used for stop-start, with the petrol/ diesel engine providing the higher power required at higher speeds. The combination means smaller motors and batteries can be used, reducing costs while increasing efficiency. Regenerative breaking recoups the battery losses, with further recharging from the petrol engine's alternator (4, 6).
The logical next step in development was to combine these two systems (6, 8). This is what Toyota did with the Hybrid Synergy Drive in the Prius, and what is now found in most hybrid systems (9). In it's simplest form the transmission is set up so that two modes of driving are available; an electric motor only for low speeds, and a petrol engine for higher speeds that also recharges the batteries at high RPM cruising. In some applications the electric motor is used to provide a power boost at high speeds, and the electric motor can act as a generator through regenerative breaking. The use of more complex transmission systems allows for different proportions of electric motor power and petrol engine power to be used at different times. A further development is the use of engine designs and valve-timing maps in the petrol engine which alternate to the more fuel-efficient but less powerful Atkinson-Miller cycle (9).
The final step in development was to add the ability to charge the batteries from the mains, rather than being solely dependent on the engine/ regen. These basically do what they say on the tin. They usually have a larger battery capable of 20-30 miles of range, with a mains connector enabling you to run them entirely on electric for short commutes, saving the petrol engine for fast or long journeys. Due to the larger (heavier) battery they can be less efficient than a pure EV or solely petrol car. Examples here are the hugely popular Mitsubishi Outlander (who basically nailed the market by providing eco-conscious chelsea-tractorists the first PHEV 4×4), plus newer Honda Accords, Chevy Volt and Hyundai Ioniq (10).
Notice that this still subsidises cheap EVs, but not hybrids. The other tax benefits to mention for everyday users are that home electricity incurs only 5% VAT rather than the 20% on fuel (13). Company car users get further benefits when selecting a hybrid or pure electric vehicle, through benefit-in-kind (BIK) and various means. Rather than listing them all out here I'd recommend a read of the useful "Tax Benefits for ultra low emission vehicles" cribsheet from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, and the comprehensive calculator at nextgreencar (14, 15).
One of the reasons for this article is we're deliberating replacing MrsShrink's car with a hybrid or electric. We wanted to run the numbers to see if we could actually save money by replacing. We'd be buying second-hand which means we can navigate the tax system to our benefit with plenty of online guides to help, but for the purposes of this calculation I'll also include some PCP options (16, 17, 18). The benefit of second-hand is that the 20% increase in new purchase price of a hybrid is mostly lost (although still present) due to depreciation (19). We've chosen to look at a new Hyundai Ioniq, a three-year old Mitsubishi Outlander, a six-year old Prius and an eight-year old CR-Z. The Ioniq is Whatcar's 2019 hybrid car of the year, coming with a five-year warranty and looking super sleek and futuristic (20). For the purposes of this calculation I've used PCP (it's the cheapest, but read the reasons I hate PCP here) over two years, with a £3k deposit and 10,000 mile limit on the base model PHEV (cheapest) (21). My table includes Hyundai's claimed 252mpg but I've used the real-world figure obtained when by a couple of different magazines who ran a long-term test Ioniq hybrid for MPG calculations (22, 23). CO2 emissions of 26g/km mean it's tax free for the first year. A Hyundai yearly service is quoted at ~£130.
The second contender is the Mitsubishi Outlander (24). The best-selling hybrid 4×4. Autotrader found me a 2016 PHEV model with 30k on the clock for a reasonable £260/month, again on PCP. Same £3k deposit. Mitsubishi claims between 139 (RDE2) and 156mpg depending on where you look, but again real road tests find it more like 40mpg average (25, 26). 46g/km of CO2 means free tax. A quick google finds people on car forums quoting £300 from Mitsubishi for a service. At 3 years old I'd hope the tyres would be ok, but we'll throw in £30/month to cover a couple of replacements over the course of the year.
Next is our old friend the Prius. 2013 models come in a range of prices depending on spec. Straight-up hybrids start about ~£9k, with around 80k on the clock, whilst PHEVs start at £14-15k. This time we'll take a standard hybrid and purchase it outright with our £3k deposit and a £6k credit card at 0% interest, with the intention of paying back in 24 months. We would intend to own for five years, and so we'll take a guestimate at residual values by looking at what an eleven-year old Prius currently costs; between £4-6k. If we say £5k then we've essentially paid £4k to own a car for five years. For the sums I've used the credit card £6k over two years, plus the sum of the final residual value minus the deposit over the five year ownership; i.e. (credit card/24) + ((residual value-deposit)/60). This simulates financing the depreciation (like PCP) and what you would need to save over five years to go from £3k to £5k deposit (without interest). Stated MPG for the Prius is 70.6mpg, but real world appears to be more like 55mpg (still bloody impressive) (27, 28, 29). Yearly servicing stands between £180 for a minor to £350 for a major (so we'll call it £250). As a six year old car I'd expect higher consumables, so I'll add £50/month to cover wear and tear repairs/ tyres etc. For a 2013 model the 92g/km of CO2 means free tax.
The final contender is the Honda CR-Z, a quirky little coupe which was billed as the first hybrid sportscar (30). It's a proper oddball, not as quick as it's looks suggest, not big enough to be particularly usable for a family (31, 32). Made from 2010 to 2015, a 2011 model with 50-70k miles can be had for as little as £5.5k. We'll take one of those for the maths, with £2.5 on a 0% credit card over two years. Residual is more difficult, but I'll lowball an estimate of £2k after five years, losing £3.5k of value. Same formula for this as the Prius when calculating depreciation costs, just changed slightly to account for the drop of residual versus deposit. CO2 of 117g/km means a tax cost of £20/year. MPG is quoted at 56, but real world tests find it to be closer to 45-50 (a bit pants TBH) (33) Servicing is quoted at £200/year, and as an older car again I'd expect a bit more in terms of wear and tear although most places agree the build quality is high.
The sums say it all. On paper, my cheap and cheerful petrol car has cost me less to run for four years than a new hybrid would. The old lump is not pretty, it's not fancy and it's more polluting, but it serves it's purpose. Ignoring the depreciation costs I would still spend more than half what I do now to run a hybrid. The MPG and tax improvement is not significant enough to offset the purchase cost. Hybrids have two powertrains, they're heavier than a car with one powertrain; they shoot themselves in the MPG foot. There are also concerns about the durability of batteries, although the number of Prius taxis with 250k miles under their belt seems to disprove this. The volume of EVs and hybrids sold continues to rise in the face of falling wider car demand (34). I think I'll wait for further depreciation to bring hybrids into my price bracket, and we'll have to see if they're a technological dead-end to be overtaken by pure electric vehicles, or will remain as a market option in the future.
Frugal Motoring – Should I buy a Petrol?
In Frugal Motoring I discuss how to cheaply purchase cars, the pros and cons for various purchasing methods (straight up cash, loan, PCP, lease), diesel vs petrol vs hybrid vs electric, ongoing political/ government motoring related machinations and how to keep your car running. Here we'll look at the pros and cons of Petrol cars.
Up until Diesel-gate and the associated NOx emissions concerns, diesels were considered the environmentally-friendly option, the motoring posterboy for efficiency. As I've previously discussed, this was highly politically motivated. In artificial testing conditions used for published measurements diesel engines get better MPG, but petrols were never that far behind, and they've closed the gap. The '91 Honda Civic VTEC-E would see 59mpg (1). The lean-burn 4A/7A-FE 1.8 petrol engines in turn of the century Toyota's, favorite of mini-cabbers, would realistically see 45mpg in daily use, and up to 60 on a run (2). And then turbos became a thing. Mmmm… boost.
Turbos not only increase power, but increase efficiency by increasing the stoichiometric ratio (the ratio of fuel/ air) so there is more oxygen available for complete combustion. Manufacturers moved away from 2+ litre engines, towards 1-1.8 litre forced induction (turbo-d and supercharged) engines in larger cars, and even dinkier 0.5-1.5 litre engines in small cars. With improved engine design and compound induction systems these engines produced the same power (bhp) as the older, bigger, dirtier engines (though commonly less torque). Manufacturers have also lopped off chambers and used harmonic balancers to return to the heady thrills of the 3-cylinder thrum. Fiat have even gone back to a 2-cylinder screamer (3). Marvellous. The most efficient petrol cars at the moment are 1l superminis, offering up to 80mpg (4).
There have been issues with this progression. As mentioned these small petrols lack torque, and as such probably aren't as fuel efficient in the real-world as on a bench test. Revving required for that 1.2 engine to lug your six-up Peugeot 3008 soft-roader off to Asda for the weekly shop (5). These engines are more complex, lighter weight and with tighter tolerances. To keep the engine in the peak powerband manufacturers are using six, seven or eight-ratio semi-automatic gearboxes. These are necessarily more complex. There are concerns about durability of both engines and gearboxes (6).
A couple of conservative manufacturers (Mazda, Toyota) haven't taken the turbo route. The lean-burn concept, where over-stoichiometric fuel/air ratios are used to ensure maximum combustion, has continued to be developed. Mazda (in the SkyActiv-G) pushing compression ratios up into the diesel cycle range to produce highly efficient engines (7). NOx is also kept to a minimum due to lower combustion temperatures (they say).
Ultimately, diesels remain more efficient than petrols. Diesel is about 15% more energy dense by volume than petrol, and can be up to 40% more efficient in application (8). Using a worked example; a Ford Focus the 1.5TDCi runs 74.3mpg, whilst the 1.0 petrol will see 60.1mpg (9). At current average fuel prices of 128.9p for petrol and 137.1p for diesel over an average 10,000 miles a diesel driver would spend £838.86/year on fuel (10). The petrol driver will spend £975.03. As always, do your own sums.
You're paying more up front, and in some cases that front-loaded cost is not recouped over a five-year period. This is less of an issue for the frugal folks buying a car and running it for 20 years, or avoiding PCP, sticking to a bangernomics budget. Some of your initial outlay is also recouped at sale. Residuals for diesels have historically been higher, usually at least £500-£2500 more depending on the age of the vehicle (9, 12). This, in my opinion, is due to the increased fuel economy (offering a greater % saving at lower price points) and a perception of greater reliability (earned through very good historic reliability in the old direct injection, non common rail lumps). Modern common rail diesels fitted with dual-mass flywheels (DMFs), EGR valves and all manner of other devices may continue with the former, but will struggle with the latter. Watch out for rattly DMFs and leaky injectors. I wanted but didn't buy a diesel version of my last car because it was £3000 for the diesel, and £2000 for the petrol. Once you get into super-bangernomics <£500 territory I would argue you will struggle to find a diesel that isn't on it's last legs.
One of the reasons I believe residuals are going to equalise is incoming tax changes. As of April 2018 new tax changes came into effect, complication the law, and penalising diesel ownership. The full implications of these tax changes are detailed elsewhere, but essentially VED (car tax) continues to be calculated based on g/CO2/km, however the cost has gone up for each class, and by more for diesels (13, 14). The tax changes also cut the tax break on hybrids. Much was made of what is essentially a tax on diesels being successful. The end result is fewer people are buying diesels, and more are opting for small petrol cars (15, 16, 17). Despite new car sales falling, registrations of new petrol cars is increasing. Petrols are more attractive at the moment.
They're all getting banned anyway (18).
Current targets are for no new diesel or petrol car sales by 2040. MPs are pushing for it to be 2032. You can bet the classic car community will push for there still to be a place on the UK's roads for fuel-burners, but I'm sure the UK Gov will find a way to tax the daylights out of it and make it a pursuit for the wealthy.
The petrol cars available today are a far cry from 10 years ago. Tax-changes and engine developments have made them as attractive a financial proposition as diesels. Efficiency will depend on your type of driving; if you're a red-light racer or a relaxed pootler; if you do more stop-start town driving (where little petrols come into their own) or long runs (better for bigger sloggers).
As usual do your own sums, but in the wait for cheap electric cars a petrol is worth considering.
A return to the Frugal Motoring series, and a window into one of my side hobbies, Bangernomics. I could write a whole separate blog on Bangernomics, many do, but mainly I confine myself to esoteric forums tucked away in little niches of the internet. The term Bangernomics was first coined in 1989 by James Ruppert, the chief and foreman of the subsequent Bangernomics cult/ movement/ belief (1, 2). A motoring journalist, James found himself returning to the UK for a few days and at a loss for transport (2). After adding up potential public transport costs, he worked out it would be cheaper to buy a banger and run it (2). The subsequent press feature, titled "Better than walking" caught the eye of the public, and the movement ran from there (2).
James Ruppert's mantra here is "beware of the dog" (3). Avoiding hopeless sheds and going for the well-loved family cars at the bottom of their depreciation curve and with the curb appeal of steaming dog droppings. You have to be prepared to own and drive something which will make your friends' and neighbours' toes curl. Which is where I think the frugal, financial independence-minded community Venn diagram transects with Bangernomics. Many FIRE bloggers couldn't give a flying monkey about keeping up with Jones' in other respects, so why do they continue to with cars on PCP?
But I know nothing about cars, what can I do?
Happily, the Bangernomics community are really helpful in this regard. When I first started I adopted the opinion that I am of at least average intelligence, and therefore I should be able to learn how to fix and maintain a car. These are all useful skills.
James Ruppert publishes a book on how to subscribe to Bangernomics (1, 3). He also maintains a series of free buying guides, a buying checklist, and a blog for advice (1, 3). For make and model specific guidance, other Bangernomics blogs have published their own buying guides, and people share their knowledge on the Bangernomics forum, as well as the more popular Pistonheads and RetroRides (4, 5, 6, 7). YouTube is an invaluable source, as many thousands of amateurs publish how-to guides.
Not sure what to buy? There's plenty of column inches and forum posts detailing peoples failures and successes. Some highlight their own experiences, listing successes and tips, others offer guidance on good target vehicles (2, 8, 9, 10, 11). My own experience has been tempered by a job requirement to appear respectable and not fail to turn up to work, so people don't die. I've never spent more than £2k on a car, and average 12p/mile in cost over the life of my daily car for purchase price and maintenance. One memorable snotter was bought for £1k and survived 8 years and 80,000 miles of abuse. I also abuse Bangernomics a little by purchasing classics at the bottom of their depreciation curve, before they begin to appreciate as an investment.
A little whistle stop, but hopefully a jump-off point for many. DIY car maintenance should not be a scary thing, and by avoiding it people miss an opportunity to save. Bangernomics offers the opportunity to learn some skills, save some money and tell some good stories, as long as you can put up with some graft, the odd breakdown and minimal social respect for your new whip.
Next time on Frugal Motoring – Should I buy a petrol car?
Frugal Motoring – Should I buy a diesel?
Well, no, obv… Except yes?
What started as a rant post, I shall turn into a mini-series.
In Frugal Motoring I will discuss how to cheaply purchase cars, the pros and cons for various purchasing methods (straight up cash, loan, PCP, lease), ongoing political/ government motoring related machinations and how to keep your car running.
This week I will discuss why and when you should purchase a diesel instead of a petrol.
As discussed in the last Frugal Motoring post, diesels have a bad rep. Audi continues to push the slide into mediocrity with the recent news that even new build A6/A7 cars are affected (1). But this does not extend to all manufacturers. Many (Mazda/ Merc/ Ford/ Kia) continue to produce diesel vehicles with low emissions and good MPG. The diesel brush tars them unfairly, suggesting all manufacturers have ignored the NOx as particulate emissions problems. If we take a look at AutoExpresses list of best 'green' cars for 2018, there slap bang in the middle is a diesel Astra (2).
While if we look at the website Next Green Car, there's a huge raft of diesels with low emissions. It's important to note as well that most of these are general family cars, not flash executive motors sporting the latest tech. The technology for low emissions has trickled down to the mainstream (3).
Taxation is being increased on new cars, and some of the new rules will only affect future vehicles. Additionally, depending on emissions the extra taxation could be as little as £20/year, but are more likely to be around an extra £100-200/year for new low emissions models. Residuals for diesels remain strong but are expected to drop in the future with increased taxation. Governments decreasing taxation on diesels seems unlikely (4).
When is diesel a good thing?
Diesel engines continue to offer generally better MPG when running at moderate RPM for long periods. So if you're doing lots of long distance journeys diesel is probably best.
Diesel also offers better torque at low RPM. This means if you are regularly making long journeys or towing then diesel is a better fuel choice.
But it's worth remembering most of these efficiencies rely upon turbos being spooled up, engines being warm and DPFs operating properly. Short journeys will kill Diesel Particulate Filters, and by nature most diesel engines will struggle to get up operating temperatures doing stop-start work in traffic. Around town this will also mean more invisible pollution for local pedestrians and residents.
Diesels also generally continue to cost more to purchase. This means that unless you're doing starship mileage you may not save on fuel cost what you initially paid out extra in engine choice. Most buyers will only see a diesel recouping it's cost after 6-7 years. The new taxation system is set to worsen this.
If you think this fits you, consider that new diesels will be cheaper to tax and more efficient, but will have a payback time calculation to make. Second hand with have less of this payback due to depreciation, but will be taxed more. Both may see a future drop in residuals. As with all big purchases think carefully about your requirements before buying.
The adage goes that you should write about what you know. While I continue to learn about investing I'll blog about frugal motoring.
In the last few months there's been lots in the news about diesel cars. Since 'diesel-gate' (what will it take for lazy journalists to stop adding -gate to things? Door-gate? Gates-gate?) their social popularity stock has been in free fall. Suddenly they're very out of fashion, and the Daily Mail warns us that many nuns and kittens will die if you buy a diesel. Should you be concerned?
The rise of diesel cars as a proportion of total sold really took off in the '90s and early '00s. Prior to this diesel engines were the preserve of commercial vehicles; loud, clattery, generally large displacement and utilised for their torque curve. In the late 1980s and early 90s manufacturers began to make smaller displacement, less tractor-ish engines. This was largely possible due to a spread of direct injection and common rail technology, bringing more refined efficient running. These found their way into a wider variety of cars including corporate high end models. Engines like the Peugeot XUD, VAG 1z/ AHU/ AAZ/ PD and Mercedes OM60x series spread the word. Reps doing mega-mileage sang the praises of the fuel efficiencies and reliability of these donks.
Diesel had it's golden age. Emissions concerns in the 00s pushed manufacturers to reduce harmful large particulate output (the old diesel smokers) while at the same time increasing efficiencies. Turbos, diesel particulate filters (DPF) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) were born. Diesel engines spread across consumer car ranges and people were seduced by their quoted MPG figures (leading to low tax brackets).
The combination of emission controls and the spread across consumer car ranges lead to people using diesel cars who previously wouldn't. Cars got heavier due to increased safety features all while tax incentives towards high efficiency vehicles continued this push. It was now people doing 5,000 miles/year as well as those doing 50,000, and so issues began. Engines were built for higher combustion pressure using tighter tolerances. Diesel engines are more efficient when up to temperature, and EGR/ DPF function best with long duration moderate RPM runs. The short distance, short duration journeys of those moving from little petrol cars to little diesel cars couldn't produce the sustained RPMs required. Oil barely had time to warm up and lubricate the tight tolerances. People began to complain that their cars were not as efficient as expected, or not as reliable, or were doing DPF regen too frequently. Clouds gathered on the horizon.
It became difficult to develop engines that could meet the power/ weight/ efficiency/ emissions demands of the population and government with current technology. Some manufacturers built engines with tight tolerances that met standards at the expense of reliability (see Renault/ Nissan's DCI). Others reduced displacement, upped boost pressure or used AdBlue (urea injected into the exhaust system, made from pig urine). VAG clocked that international emissions testing systems were always run a certain way, and therefore developed a programme in the cars ECU to detect when the car was being tested and tune for emissions at the detriment of performance. They were found out, and how the hysterical tabloids shrieked with indignation. Imagine that, a large corporation finding a way round government law and not telling the public!
At the same time scientists began to measure and report the elevated toxic levels of NOx and very fine particles that the new diesel engines chucked out. Those new diesels weren't so clean after all, they had just changed from visible smoke to tiny invisible particles. A tipping point was reached.
That brings us to now. The government, ever the one to follow the will of the people (shriek of The Sun/ Mail), has started to roll out new rules. Among these include that any Engine Management Light on, removal of Diesel Particulate Filter or Exhaust Gas Recirculation will be a fail come MOT time. This affects all car owners, but particularly diesel owners, where second hand owners replace or remove DPFs/ EGRs in pursuit of better reliability/ fuel economy (1). At the same time, the recognition of the other harmful exhaust gases has caused taxes and ultra low emissions zones to target diesel drivers (2).
I applaud the manufacturers who have managed to meet required standards. The technology (in it's infancy 10 years ago) has matured and it is possible to have highly efficient diesels that haven't bent the rules. Diesel is an excellent fuel for efficiency and torque.
Three points here. First the obvious. It will cost more to own a diesel car as tax classes change in the future. You may get stung with a hefty bill when you go for an MOT and find out that secondhand BMW 116d is missing it's DPF. Manufacturers are also changing engines to make them meet new emissions standards, but in some cases this is worsening performance or MPG. Many new diesels aren't meeting advertised MPGs in real world environments as the listed MPG figure is from a rosy scenario.
Additionally, you may have received a letter from the manufacturer asking you to bring your car in for a 'fix'. VAG are the big name for this. I would think very carefully before getting the 'fix'. Pistonheads (the car forum for powerfully built company directors driving shiny cars in shiny suits) is full of very interesting threads documenting experiences with their 'fixed' cars (3).
Second, broader, point is about the knock on effect on the UK economy. We may no longer be the British Leyland industrial powerhouse nation, but many thousands of jobs across the UK rely upon the motor industry. The UK retains a reputation for high-tech manufacturing. Many of the manufacturers who have done well out of the rise of diesels produce the cars and engines in the UK (4). The fall in demand has resulted in a fall in production volume, and jobs are being lost (5, 6, 7). It remains to be seen what will happen, but it's unsettling to note the government not supporting manufacturers producing alternatives.
Third and final point and the one I see less writing about; diesel residuals. For the past 5-10 years people have been buying diesels, lots on PCP or finance deals, expecting when they come to sell or hand back the car will be worth a certain amount. That amount may no longer be what was expected. For the owner it's a painful lump to swallow. For finance companies with hundreds of diesel cars on file, it's a much bigger financial black hole. More on this another day.
I have a diesel, what should I do?
You've just bought your Vauxhall Insignia CDTI using a bank loan. You do 20k a year chugging around motorways, and find the car comfortable.
Check where you stand for MOT changes then drive your nice car.
Diesels remain an excellent engine choice if you're doing high mileage where the torque and MPG show. Soporific sensationalist journalism doesn't change it's utility.
I continue to drive a 25 year old diesel. It's loud, smelly, noisy and chucks out clouds of clag. It costs very little to service, very little to tax and can theoretically run on vegetable oils for maximum environmental offset.
Car purchases will be the biggest lump sum spend after a property, so always analyse engine choices pre-purchase. Don't be swayed by government incentives which may change with the government's mood.


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English Online Dictionary. What means namely? What does namely mean?
From Middle English namely, nameliche, namelike, equivalent to name + -ly. Cognate with Saterland Frisian nämmelk, West Frisian nammentlik, Dutch namelijk, German Low German nämlich, German nämlich, Danish nemlig, Swedish nämligen, Icelandic nefnilega.
Specifically; that is to say.
(now rare) Especially, above all.
A synonymous expression is the use of colon—":", as in "There are three ways to do it: the right way, the wrong way […]."
Since this is considered a dependent clause, a comma should follow the expression and either a semicolon or a comma should precede it, depending on the strength of the break in continuity. "Namely" can thus almost be considered a conjunction.


text:
in association with Access/Middle East
by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
If your email program has difficulty viewing this page, see web version.
info@prescon.org
In-Depth Issue:
CIA Says Al Qaeda Ready to Use Nukes - Bill Gertz (Washington Times)
Al Qaeda terrorists and related groups are set to use chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons in deadly strikes, according to a new CIA report.
Most attacks "probably will be small-scale, incorporating relatively crude delivery means and easily produced or obtained chemicals, toxins or radiological substances," the report said.
Islamist extremists "have a wide variety of potential agents and delivery means to choose from for chemical, biological and radiological or nuclear (CBRN) attacks," said the four-page report titled "Terrorist CBRN: Materials and Effects."
Egypt Backtracks on Israeli Gas Deal - Amiram Cohen (Ha'aretz)
At a recent meeting in London, Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Energy Sameh Fahmy told National Infrastructures Minister Joseph Paritzky that Egypt cannot meet its commitments to provide Israel with natural gas.
Three years ago, Egypt had promised to supply an annual 7 billion cubic meters of gas.
"We have no alternative but accepting the British Gas (BG) offer of natural gas from its reserves off the coast of Gaza," Paritzky said.
Anti-Semitism and Terrorism on the Internet - Abraham Cooper (Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs)
In November 2002 after the attack on Israeli tourists in Kenya, Western intelligence deciphered that the Internet played a role in the concealed communications of the terrorists, with messages imbedded on a normal looking website.
Other dimensions of the Internet in the service of terrorism include the dissemination of hate and propaganda, fundraising, and recruitment of suicide bombers.
One can also download personal information of one's supporters or opponents or start cyberwars and disable others' websites.
Rabbi Abraham Cooper is Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
News Resources - North America and Europe:
Bush in Mideast for Summit Meetings
President Bush arrived in the Mideast Monday, landing at Sharm el Sheik at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, where he will meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, King Hamad of Bahrain, and King Abdullah of Jordan. Secretary of State Powell said, "We are here at Sharm el Sheik to take advantage of the new elements in the equation and this window of opportunity that has opened." (New York Times)
Israel Releases Senior Palestinian Ahead of Summit
Israel released a jailed member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's executive committee in a good-will gesture on the eve of a Middle East summit on Tuesday led by President Bush. Taysir Khaled, a leader of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, was released from prison on Monday and was welcomed by Yasser Arafat at his Ramallah headquarters. (Reuters)
Bush Sticks to Broad Strokes in Mideast Peace Push
President Bush is convinced that Israel must accept a Palestinian state to ensure its survival, according to current and former aides who have heard him discuss the subject. But they say he has shown little interest in the details of the complex disputes in the region and remains skeptical of intervening deeply in the negotiating process. As these officials described it, Bush remains wary of the issue despite this week's peace initiative and is dismissive of the negotiating course set by his predecessors at the White House. A White House official said Bush's style has allowed him to place much of the burden on achieving results on the Israelis and Palestinians, where the official said it belongs. (Washington Post)
News Resources - Israel, the Mideast, and Asia:
IDF Giving Abu Mazen a Chance - Margot Dudkevitch
Speaking on Israel Radio, Maj. Gen. Amos Gilad, the coordinator of government activities in the territories, said Israel must give Abu Mazen a chance. "We are at the beginning of the process and we must give it a chance...the Palestinian Authority must make a 100% effort," he said. However, Gilad noted that statements pledging to combat terrorism are not enough and that so far the Palestinians have refrained from taking any steps to combat terror. While Israel agrees to Abu Mazen's statements claiming he needs more time to prepare, the ultimate test will lie in the actions the Palestinians take to combat terror once they announce they are ready, Gilad said. (Jerusalem Post)
Chief of Staff: Signs of PA Action Against Terror in Gaza - Ilan Marciano
Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Ya'alon told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Tuesday that there are initial signs of Palestinian action against terror in Gaza. He expected a temporary cease-fire to take hold in the wake of the summit meetings in Sharm el Sheik and Aqaba since "Hamas doesn't want to be seen as the one who extinguished the light at the end of the tunnel." (Yediot Ahronot-Hebrew)
John Wolf to be New U.S. Mideast Envoy - Janine Zacharia
John Stern Wolf, the assistant secretary of state for nonproliferation, has been tapped by the Bush administration to be Washington's next Middle East envoy, sources close to the administration said Monday. The Middle East point man will head an all-American "coordination group" of approximately a dozen people, which will be an around-the-clock bridge between Israel and the PA and "serve as a monitor, as a mediator, to help them move forward into the first phase of the road map," Secretary of State Colin Powell said Friday. "Don't think of it in terms of a major envoy, with constant negotiations," Powell said. "We're not into negotiations yet. We are in the early stages....There will be somebody in charge of it, but don't think of a George Mitchell or a special envoy who is going to be sitting around, Camp David style. That is quite a ways off." (Jerusalem Post)
The Arab Obligation - Editorial
Like the Palestinians, Arab leaders want the U.S. to extract concessions from Israel without offering reciprocal steps. Yet while U.S. pressure on Israel may be one part of the solution, no peace will be possible unless Arab leaders take aggressive action to stamp out terrorism, support new Palestinian leaders, and decisively change their relations with Israel, in public as well as in private. Mr. Sharon and Mr. Abbas appear ready to make a start; Arab leaders should do the same. (Washington Post)
Washington Carefully Orchestrates Aqaba Meeting - Aluf Benn
The photo-ops from Aqaba will highlight two major differences between Bush's summit and similar events headed by Clinton: Arafat will be missing; his traditional supporters, the EU and the UN, whose officials were not invited to Aqaba, will also be nowhere to be seen. (Ha'aretz)
NGO Armies Search for Clients in Iraq - Mark Steyn
After having spent the last couple of weeks on what the British would call a motoring tour of western and northern Iraq, let me offer a couple of predictions. First, there is no chance of Iraq winding up an Islamist theocracy. Second, there is no possibility of a Ba'athist renaissance. Third, the real danger is perpetual occupation by the humanitarian hordes, the NGO armies. (Jerusalem Post)
Muslim Hate Crime Myths - Michelle Malkin
Last July, someone set ablaze a motel in Heber City, Utah, co-owned by Mazhar Tabesh, a naturalized American originally from Pakistan, causing nearly $100,000 in damage. "Immigrant Family Feels Post-9-11 Rage," blared a Los Angeles Times headline. Yet the chief suspect turned out to be Tabesh himself, who will stand trial in June on first-degree felony aggravated arson charges. On Sept. 21, 2001, someone destroyed equipment and spray-painted "We hate Arabs" inside a print shop in Anchorage, Alaska, owned by Nezar Maad, an Arab-American businessman and "tolerance advocate." Five months later a jury convicted him of federal fraud charges. In Nashville, Tenn., Iraqi-American Aqil Yassom Al-Timimi claimed someone set his Chevy truck on fire after the Sept. 11 attacks because he was of Arab descent. Nashville Scene reporter Matt Pulle raised the strong possibility of an insurance fraud scheme and sources said they suspected Al-Timimi was the perpetrator all along. (Townhall.com)
Skepticism on the Israeli Street - Joel Mowbray (National Review)
Most Israelis seem to be keenly aware that the struggle most Americans view as an Israeli-Palestinian issue is, in fact, much larger. Israelis with whom I spoke realize that they are wanted dead by a massive portion of the world - almost all of which surrounds their tiny country. President Bush's visit to the region this week has done little to infuse ordinary Israelis with a sense of optimism.
"What most Jews don't want to verbalize is that they know, deep down, this is never going to stop," notes an Israeli man who emigrated from the U.S. over 20 years ago and is now a high-ranking official in the Jerusalem police force.
At a meeting with several Sharon advisers Thursday, there were platitudes about how maybe peace might actually happen this time. But those Sharon aides who seemed more honest were resigned to yet another process that will produce little more than false hope.
Skepticism is the norm on the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Almost no one really believes peace is imminent. They've been teased too many times before with the promise of a truly normal life. Israelis are, if anything, less amenable to compromise because of having been willing to give up so much in the past.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I've tried rebooting the iPhone and the Mac.
Any ideas? I'm stuck back in Xcode at the moment, which is not where I want to be!
I'm developing on an iPhone 4 running iOS 6. Incidentally, Xcode seems to take a very long time to run the app once building is finished... don't know if this could be anything to do with it? Some sort of time out?
2012-10-03 15:28:26,266  ERROR - brains.cidr.execution.debugger - Vendor: Apple Inc.
Nathan, try removing ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOSDeviceSupport folder.
Hi Anton, thanks for the suggestion but unfortunately not, makes no difference whatsoever I'm afraid.
Please try the build from http://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/OC-5453.
Thanks Anton. Is there supposed to be a link to a build in that Issue? As I can't see one.
My mistake - you need to edit AppCode.app/bin/log.xml file.
I've reattached the link to the issue as well, you need to be a registered user to see it.
Thanks Anton. Unfortunately the test build doesn't fix it.
I've created an issue OC-5520 and attached the log.


text:
Home > Articles > Web Development > Content Management Systems
Integrating Microsoft Office and Content Management Server 2001
By Shawn Shell
Creating the Web Interface
The Office Macro
Here's a quick-and-dirty method by Shawn Shell for integrating Microsoft Word with Microsoft's Content Management Server 2001.
Web Content Management: A Collaborative Approach
A common problem faced by today's content contributors is the necessity of working in two worlds:
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
Microsoft Office is a natural environment for authors to create content—documents, spreadsheets, and so on. But when the time comes to add this content to a web site, the contributor must switch gears and focus on the web, learning new techniques to migrate the existing content. While contributing content with Content Management Server (CMS) 2001 significantly reduces the training necessary to allow individuals to post content, getting the job done still requires two different tools in two different environments.
But what if you could contribute content to the web while working exclusively in Office? An author working in Microsoft Word, for example, could simply click a button and his content would become instantly available on the web. This article shows you how to unleash this powerful integration.
When we talk about "integration" between CMS and Office, there are really two types that we might like to see:
Contributing portions of an Office document to a web site
Contributing the entire document
The first method is really the act of taking content within a document, converting it to HTML, and placing that HTML into a template to form a web page. The second method involves uploading a document to the CM repository and creating a link to that document within a web page.
While the first method is probably the more desirable choice, it's prohibitively complex. The challenge is that we would be trying to move very unstructured data (the document "portions") into a highly structured template. Contribution of the entire document is less complex, but still accomplishes the same goal—making that content available via a web site.
Gmail in 10 Minutes, Sams Teach Yourself, 2nd Edition
eBook (Watermarked) $9.59
WordPress Absolute Beginner's Guide
By Tris Hussey


Everything you desire in a traveling companion, our Accident Free 2017 Cadillac ATS Luxury Coupe is a stunner in Black Raven! Fast and fun, our coupe is motivated by a Turbo Charged 2.0 Liter 4 Cylinder delivering 272hp while combined with a responsive 8 Speed Automatic transmission. You'll earn near 31mpg on the open road and enjoy nimble handling and impressive precision thanks in part to sport-tuned suspension and Brembo front brakes on our Rear Wheel Drive. With its wide, athletic stance and seductive curves, our Luxury gets second glances everywhere it goes. Check out the gorgeous alloy wheels and HID headlamps!
Open the door to our ATS and notice the cabin is tailored to your needs with cutting edge design and power-adjustable heated performance leather seating. It's packed with amenities including remote vehicle start, a heated steering wheel, a sunroof, a rearview camera, keyless entry/ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control, and universal home remote. Indulge yourself and stay connected behind the wheel thanks to our Cadillac User Experience with voice control, navigation, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, OnStar with available 4G LTE WiFi, and Bose Premium surround sound.
There's safety all around you with front and rear park assist, a rearview camera, anti-lock disc brakes, traction and stability control, active front head restraints, and advanced airbags. Stunning from every angle, our Cadillac ATS Coupe is a brilliant blend of comfort and performance that you'll be impressed with after just one drive. Print this page and call us Now... We Know You Will Enjoy Your Test Drive Towards Ownership!


There are currently 17 people viewing this product.
Have a look at the fantastic Bunny Max Tower range, the perfect playhouse for your children to enjoy playing outdoors in the summer months! With a classical, contemporary design, it would be perfect as a girls hideaway or a boy's play den!
The beautiful apex roof gives an airy light space further enhancing the tower build. With a raised tower, your children can literally be king of the castle! Available in two different sizes, you can pick the best option for you depending on how much garden space you have. Your children won't ever need to go to the park!
The tower design is a special feature with the Bunny Max tower and part of the playhouse that your children will adore. It makes the building unique and will give some great garden views on the raised platform.
Give your children enjoy their own hideaway and their own space, perfect for parties or hosting sleepovers, they will love spending time in the Bunny Max tower playhouse.
As a raised tower design, it wouldn't be right not to have a slide with this playhouse. As an extra feature, we highly recommend the additional slide option, which truly makes the Bunny Max playhouse stand out from the crowd!
You won't even be able to get your children indoors with an added slide. Climb up to the first floor and have a go with your kids!
The Bunny Max tower incorporates our extremely popular Tongue and Groove construction. This panel design is our strongest and with a smooth engineered finish gives you a fantastic looking building, with a rustic, classic look.
The wooden boards interlock together, creating strength and solidity, as well as providing excellent weather protection. As the panels lock together, it means water can't get into the building, protecting the building joints from long term damage.
We also include a solid sheet roof with the Bunny Max Tower as part of our standard package. Just like the floor, the material is pre-cut to size and is attached with the fixings that we provide.
The solid sheet is easy to fix and gives the roof extra protection from the elements. So you've got piece of mind that the children won't get rained on!
With the Bunny Max tower, we supply a Solid Sheet floor as part of the standard package, included in the price. The material is pre-cut to size for an easy, stress free assembly. Simply lay lay out the floor and attach it with the fixings provided.
You can also upgrade to a Premium Tongue and Groove floor. It is suitable for moderate intensity use which provides a better quality flooring that can withstand all domestic use, including very adventurous children!
Each one of our meticulously designed panels are packaged in order to make delivery and handover a seamless transition. The wooden boards have been pre-engineered so that they can fit through a standard front door.
Here at Garden Buildings Direct we appreciate that access to your back garden is not always that accessible. We like to bypass unnecessary hassle, so we do the hard work for you.
Width 159.5cm 5'3" 231.2cm 7'7"
Depth 169.5cm 5'7" 169.5cm 5'7"
Eaves Height (Inc Floor) 168.4cm 5'6" 168.4cm 5'6"
Ridge Height (Internal) 140.3cm 4'7" 140.3cm 4'7"
Door Opening Size (w x h) 40.3cm x 96.9cm 1'4" x 3'2" 40.3cm x 96.9cm 1'4" x 3'2"
Height 178cm 5'10" 178cm 5'10"


Hi there! Hannah, here, with another Kat Scrappiness project!
Kat seems to have a huge love of coffee. She and her design team participate in several "coffee" themed blog hops throughout the year it seems, and she has a whole section in her shop dedicated to Coffee Themed Products.
Recently she came up with two brand new products in her line that were both coffee related. Her "Got Coffee" die and her new Layered Coffee Cup die are two of the newest Kat Scrappiness brand products in her shop. Today's card is using both of those, as well as a stamp from another new KS product: Owl Envelope Art stamp set.
First, I die cut the coffee cup bits out of Neenah Solar White cardstock. For the center portion of the cup, where a logo might go, I lightly dusted it all over with Altenew's Rose Quartz and the edges with Altenew's Puffy Heart. In the center of this, I stamped the small owl from the Owl Envelope Art stamp set. I also covered some of the small portions of the lid with the same Altenew inks.
Next, using some light grey Copic markers I created a curved or shadowed effect. Basic Copic coloring rules applied here, sticking with either a W, C, or N and then using alternating colors. I relied heavily on the "0" to ensure a smooth transition to white.
Taking some Neenah Desert Storm paper I cut out the largest rectangle from the Cross Stitched Rectangle dies. Along the edges gently dusted the beautiful Delicata Golden Glitz. Using the same Delicata ink I performed the same technique on a light pink doily I had.
Using pink fun foam I cut out the "got coffee" sentiment. As it turned out the pink in the foam was pretty much the same pink in the doily and a complimentary one to the other pinks in the cup, therefore I left the foam naked and didn't cover it with adhesive and paper.
I trimmed my Yupo paper down to an A2 length and die cut out the inner portion of my cup. This die cut portion was a total mistake on my part, I didn't have the plans above when I was crafting the card. However, I like how it tied the cup in with the background, created movement in my card, and looked like coffee!
I layered everything on top of a light pink A2 card front using my favorite dot runner and Ranger Multi Medium Matte, then finished off the look by sparkling gold dots everywhere.
I rather like the final look of this card! If you like it and are in need of any of the following products please feel free to use my discount code HANNAH10 at checkout!
Are you participating in our monthly challenges? Each month we have a new challenge whose theme is picked out from our Design Team members. You create your project, based on the theme, and making sure you use at least one Kat Scrappiness product and you could win a $25 store discount! This month's link can be found above, at the top of this page, or here!
This has been Hannah Rubenstahl, from Fanciful Spaces, hoping you have an epic crafting day.


Seeing each other in the hallways. Living just a few minutes away.
They knew of each other. They eventually became friends, even. But…that was it.
As it turned out, they found themselves at the same university. And their friendship grew stronger. Feelings started in each of them, but at all the wrong times.
A season of being apart opened both their eyes…to each other. To really SEEING each other.
In a few months, these two will start their journey as husband and wife. I'll likely be brushing away tears as I get to capture those moments and cheer them on. Quite honestly, I couldn't be more excited and I may have a countdown going for July… Kelly and Joe, thank you. Thank you for entrusting me with the honor of getting to know you – to really see you – and to capture that and preserve it for you two. May your hearts be so full as you see how beautiful your love is and may you smile and laugh as much as I have as I look through all of these moments and remember smiling with you two so much that my face hurt.
Small side note: Kelly is a middle school teacher. Thus – this first photo had to happen.


Year 1 Passionate About Plastic Waste!
Following on from their work on plastic pollution, Year 1 asked Mrs Bushell if they could get some plastic bins for the other classes in the school. They have arrived and today Year 1 enjoyed distributing them to each class. Let's save our oceans together!


text:
Q: Check each sequence of element I need to check each occurrence of <Record> if the value of attribute currencyID should always have the same value. If one of the attribute has different value it should output the value of '1' in new element <Value> else '0'. My XSLT is this:
<xsl:stylesheet version="2.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
<xsl:output method="xml" indent="yes" version="1.0"/>
<xsl:strip-space elements="*"/>
<xsl:template match="@*|node()">
    <xsl:copy>
        <xsl:apply-templates select="@*|node()"/>
    </xsl:copy>
</xsl:template>
<xsl:template match="Amount">
    <Value>
       <xsl:value-of select="if (not((./@currencyID)[1] != ./@currencyID)) then '1' else '0'"/>
    </Value>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

My xml file is:
<Data>
<Record>
    <Amount currencyID="EUR">1.00</Amount>
    <ID>111</ID>
</Record>
<Record>
    <Amount currencyID="EUR">2.00</Amount>
    <ID>222</ID>
</Record>
<Record>
    <Amount currencyID="GBP">3.00</Amount>
    <ID>333</ID>
</Record>
</Data>

GENERATED OUTPUT:
<Data>
<Record>
    <Value>1</Value>
    <ID>111</ID>
</Record>
<Record>
    <Value>1</Value>
    <ID>222</ID>
</Record>
<Record>
    <Value>1</Value>
    <ID>333</ID>
</Record>
</Data>

The generated output is correct, however, if I change the value of currencyID in the 3rd occurrence to 'EUR', the value generated should be '0'. But, currently I get the same output. Is there something wrong in my condition?
Thank you.

A: What you could do, is use a global variable to check if all the currencies are the same or not, and then just use that output the value.
Try this XSLT
<xsl:stylesheet version="2.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
<xsl:output method="xml" indent="yes" version="1.0"/>
<xsl:strip-space elements="*"/>

<xsl:variable name="curr" select="if (/Data/Record[1]/Amount/@currencyID != /Data/Record/Amount/@currencyID) then '1' else '0'" />

<xsl:template match="@*|node()">
    <xsl:copy>
        <xsl:apply-templates select="@*|node()"/>
    </xsl:copy>
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match="Amount">
    <Value>
       <xsl:value-of select="$curr"/>
    </Value>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Who Would You Take to the Yule Ball?
So those are my picks this week^^ Also, in case anyone missed the announcement, Faith from GeekyZooGirl decided to bring back Harry Potter Month in July. YAY! We have a launch post up with information on what's in store, and how to sign up, here!
Ooh, young Sirus! I'd probably fall for him, you're right :) I imagine he'd have no shortage of dates for the yule ball!
Both of those are great choices! I love so much about Luna, and I love seeing her happy and that certainly would make her happy! Also, yes Sirius does deserve love. :) I love your choices.
Hahaha! All the Sirius love is so much fun. He's a fantastic pick. Luna...ah that girl is my favorite ever. She would be someone I'd definitely want to spend time with.
~Kaitlin @ Next Page Please!
Harry Potter Moment of the Week needs YOUR help!


Narrated by Ellen Kushner and Barbara Rosenblat (Orange is the New Black) with a supporting cast.
Sue Zizza (left) with narrator Barbara Rosenblat, also known for her role as Miss Rosa on Orange is the New Black on Netflix.
Samples from SueMedia's recent production of The Fall of the Kings will be a featured work in the Sennheiser/Neumman Listening Room at the 2014 HEAR Now Festival in Kansas City, MO.
"This year we have selected short sections from the book that not only highlight the wonderful story and performances, but will give those visiting the Sennheriser / Neumann Listening Room a chance to compare a variety of monitoring choices for their studios or home listening environments," explained Sue Zizza.
SueMedia is delighted to announce that Swordspoint will be a featured work in the listening programming at the HEAR Now Festival in Kansas City, MO.
"We're delighted to be included this year. The Festival will feature a 30 minute sample from the audiobook with discussion on the production techniques used and more," explained Sue Zizza.
We attend annually to share our latest projects, enjoy new films, and meet interesting artists.


When WM_LABEL_SIZE=64 is set, the following statement failed to compile.
where "label" which is the standard type for integers in OpenFOAM.
By the way, "scalar" is the standard for "double" or "float".
But it returns the same error.
When I use WM_LABEL_SIZE=32, the code compiles successfully.
The presence of the Foam::List<T>::List(InputIterator, InputIterator) constructor often causes problem in 64-bit due to overloading resolution issues. I am considering removing it in OpenFOAM-dev, will let you know.
which should be type-specific enough to help the overloading resolution.


text:
'Eighth Grade' Trailer Marks Comedian Bo Burnham's Directorial Debut
Eighth Grade Trailer Marks Comedian Bo Burnham's Directorial Debut
B. Alan Orange
— March 14th, 2018
in Movie Trailers
Bo Burnham is not for everyone. But his first feature film as a director might be. The stand-up comedian and musician turned filmmaker is tackling the classic genre of teen coming of age movie. He's doing it at a very weird time in American history, when social media is overtaking youth culture. Though, older audiences will notice a lot actually hasn't changed in these hallowed halls of middle school.
For those who've experienced it, for those going through it, and for those about to entry the fray, Eighth Grade is one of the most transitional periods in anyone's life. And that's captured here perfectly in the first trailer for Burnham's movie of the same name. This first look at the dramatic comedy shines an achinginly funny, yet true spotlight on growing up in the age of Snapchat. And some will surely label it a horror movie.
This festival darling, starring newcomer Elsie Fisher, charmed audiences at Sundance and South by Southwest and will hit theaters nationwide this July. And we're sure to hear a lot more about it as summer approaches. It will almost be like attending summer school for some. And a perfect time capsule for others. And it's a great teaching tool for parents of all ages who are suffering through the same kind of experiences with their children.
Eighth grade is awkward and uncomfortable and almost universally terrible. That's the experience Bo Burnham captures in his film directorial debut. The movie, which the comedian also wrote, follows 13-year-old Kayla (newcomer Elsie Fisher) through her final week of middle school, navigating crushes, sex education, social media anxiety, acne, and parents, and mean girls. (Take a moment now to be grateful that Instagram didn't exist when you were at your most gawky.)
As a comedian, Burnham released three specials, and created and starred in the short-lived MTV series Zach Stone is Gonna Be Famous. He originally rose to prominence with YouTube videos of parody songs he wrote. Burnham also directed comedy specials for Jerrod Carmichael and Chris Rock. On the movie side of things, he appeared in the comedy Rough Night starring opposite Scarlett Johansson, Kate McKinnon and Jillian Bell. He also had a very memorable role in the critically acclaimed romantic comedy The Big Sick opposite Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan.
The real stand out in Eighth Grade is Burnham's leading lady Elsie Fisher. She got her start as the voice of Agnes in Despicable Me, and has gone onto various live-action roles, appearing in quite a few TV series over the past few years. She really made her mark on the big screen in McFarland, USA. Here, she takes on her first lead role in a major motion picture.
Eighth Grade originally premiered at Sundance. You can catch the movie in theaters on July 13. Here's everything you need to know thanks to A24 Films.
Topics: Eighth Grade
Contributing writer for Movieweb since 2001. Owns a dog who loves watching Milo and Otis on repeat.


text:
<template name="TestPlanNewItem">

          Add {{ renderLookup "TestRunItemTypesLookup" type }}

</template>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Purpose: To describe and clarify rules on how annuities affect eligibility.
A revocable annuity is considered an available resource.
An irrevocable annuity established prior to May 1, 2001, is not an available resource when issued by an individual, in surer, or other body licensed and approved to do business in the jurisdiction in which the annuity is established.
The income from an irrevocable annuity that meets the requirements of this section is income for determining eligibility and the amount of participation in the total cost of care. The annuity itself is not a resource.
Names the state of Washington as the beneficiary of the remaining funds up to the total of medicaid funds spent on the client during the client's lifetime. This subsection only applies if the annuity is in the client's name.
Requests that the medicaid agency or the agency's designee calculate and budget the payments as equal monthly payments within the actuarial life expectancy of the annuitant. The income from the annuity remains unearned income to the annuitant.
A person designated to use the annuity for the sole benefit of the client, client's spouse, or a blind or disabled child, as de fined in WAC 182-512-0050 (1)(b) and (c), of the client.
An annuity is not an available resource when there is a joint owner, co-annuitant or an irrevocable beneficiary who will not agree to allow the annuity to be cashed, unless the joint owner or irrevocable beneficiary is the community spouse. In the case of a community spouse, the value of the annuity is an available resource and counts toward the maximum community spouse resource allowance.
The medicaid agency or the agency's designee determines how an annuity, purchased by or on behalf of an annuitant and established on or after April 1, 2009, affects eligibility for medicaid.
Clients of noninstitutional medicaid must disclose to the agency or the agency's designee any interest that client, or the financially responsible members of that client's assistance unit, has in an annuity.
Clients of institutional or home and community-based (HCB) waiver services must disclose to the agency or the agency's designee any interest that client, or that client's community spouse, has in an annuity.
If this section does not apply because of (c) of this subsection, but the client of institutional or HCB waiver services, or that client's community spouse, is the owner of the annuity, then the purchase of the annuity is evaluated as an asset transfer under WAC 182-513-1363.
For the definition of "disabled," see WAC 182-512-0050 (1)(b) and (c).
Actuarial life expectancy in this section is rounded up to the nearest whole year.
Subject to (b) of this subsection, a revocable annuity is an available resource.
A Roth IRA described under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 408A.
Not less than the actuarial life expectancy of the annuitant, if the actuarial life expectancy of the annuitant is less than five years.
Asks the agency or the agency's designee to calculate and budget the periodic payments as equal monthly payments beginning the month of eligibility. Periodic payments made before the month of eligibility are not included in the calculation.
Nothing under (d) of this subsection affects the deferral or balloon payment requirements under (c)(iii) of this subsection, or the payment term requirements under (c)(iii)(A) or (B) of this subsection.
If an annuity is not an available resource under subsection (3) of this section, the payments from the annuity are unearned income to the annuitant.
If an annuity is an available resource under subsection (3) of this section, the payments from the annuity are not income to the annuitant.
An annuity as a transfer of assets.
The purchase of an annuity is an uncompensated asset transfer, unless the annuity designates the state of Washington as remainder beneficiary under subsection (6) of this section.
Is paid out, in equal periodic amounts with no deferral and no balloon payments, over a term that is actuarially sound (i.e., a term that is not greater than the actuarial life expectancy of that client).
First position, if either the community spouse, or any minor or disabled children, or a representative for such children, named as beneficiary in the first position under (a)(ii)(B) of this subsection, transfers the right to receive payments from the annuity for less than fair market value.
When the community spouse is the annuitant, the community spouse, or the community spouse's estate, cannot be named as remainder beneficiary under (a)(ii)(A) of this subsection.
If a change of circumstance requires a change in beneficiary designation under (a) of this subsection, the agency or the agency's designee reevaluates the annuity's beneficiary designation.
Actuarial life expectancy is determined by tables that are published by the office of the chief actuary of the Social Security Administration.
In the Medicaid eligibility context, an annuity is a financial product someone purchases, with a lump sum of funds (called the "premium"), that guarantees a stream of payments for a certain period.
Because some annuities can be converted into cash (sold, assigned, or transferred), an annuity is evaluated to determine whether it is a resource or not.
Because all annuities provide a stream of payments, if an annuity is not a resource, then the stream of payments is unearned income.
Because the purchase of an annuity is an asset transfer, annuities are evaluated to determine whether there is uncompensated value for the purposes of long-term care (LTC) Medicaid penalties.
A revocable annuity is an available resource, unless it is established after April 1, 2009, and is the type of annuity described under WAC 182-516-0201(3)(b). This includes irrevocable annuities in the cooling-off period – a grace period that allows an annuitant to cancel an annuity contract within the first several days, because the premium can be returned. Additionally, this includes "assignable" annuities – those can be pledged or promised as collateral in order to obtain goods, services, cash, or other valuable consideration.
An irrevocable annuity is also an available resource if the annuity fails the tests under WAC 182-516-0200(4) and (5), or WAC 182-516-0201(3).
The stream of payments from an annuity is unearned income when the annuity is not an available resource. If the annuity is an available resource, the stream of payments is not income, but a conversion of a resource into cash.
Example: Steve is applying for COPES. On April 25th, Steve's spouse, Joan, purchased an annuity with $100,000 (Joan is the annuitant). Joan can cancel the contract with 15 days of purchase. As of May 1st, all the couple's other resources total $5,000. The couple's resources as of May 1st is $105,000 because Joan can cancel the contract and get the $100,000 returned.
Example: Same example as above, except the annuity was purchased on April 5th and the annuity can be used as collateral for a loan (can be assigned). The couple's resources as of May 1st is $105,000 because Joan can use the annuity to obtain approximately the same value of the annuity as cash.
Example: Same example as above, except the annuity was determined to not be a resource. The annuity pays out $1,200 per month. That $1,200 is unearned income for Joan.
The only annuities subject to LTC transfer rules are those established after April 1, 2009, under WAC 182-516-0201.
Fails to name the state of Washington as remainder beneficiary, either in the first position, or second position as described under WAC 182-516-0201(6).
Note: An annuity can be both a resource and an uncompensated transfer. If a penalty will be applied, recall that it can only start once the client is otherwise eligible for LTC under WAC 182-513-1363(7)(a). An annuity counting as a resource may make an applicant resource ineligible for LTC.
Example: Same example as above, except Joan named Steve as residual beneficiary, and the annuity was purchased within 5 years of Steve's COPES application. The entire purchase price of the annuity is an uncompensated transfer because Washington is not named as residual beneficiary in the first position.
Example: Joanna is applying for COPES. On April 25th, Joanna's spouse, Charlie, purchased an annuity with $100,000 (Charlie is the annuitant). Charlie's life expectancy is 7 years, and the annuity pays out over 10 years. The entire purchase price of the annuity is an uncompensated transfer because the annuity pays out beyond the annuitant's life expectancy.
Determine if an applicant or their spouse has disclosed any interests in an annuity. If so, determine whether the annuity is an available resource or not. If not, determine the amount of unearned income to the annuitant.
For LTC applicants and their spouses, determine whether the purchase of an annuity is an uncompensated transfer or not.
Make sure the trust is indicated on the appropriate person's resource screen in ACES. Add in the remarks that OFR has been notified of the annuity in the ECR.


text:
A Way To Encounter
Published Jun 19, 2019 in Blogs, Life, Sexuality ~ Approx 4 mins
"These open arms are not new; indeed, the love Christ witnessed is the same love we witness moving in our lives today; it's a love of radical inclusion."
This post is edited from its original, published on April 8, 2014 – Fine By Me: An All-Embracing Love
The first time a friend came out to me, I was shopping for a Campbell's Soup Can costume at a Target in St. Louis. As I searched for a means to disguise myself as comfort food he chose to reveal part of his true self to me. It might have been the environment or the context we were in, but I wasn't alarmed by his revelation. Quite the contrary. It was an invitation to experience and understand my friend in a deeper way. Sometimes, we might need to keep ourselves hidden, but other times, the costumes must come off.
Growing up in Green Bay, I had a pretty homogenous worldview. Until I was about six, I thought that every black man that I saw played for the Packers. It wasn't until an embarrassing encounter in a Foot Locker (another story altogether!) that I learned otherwise. Admittedly, I had much to discover about diversity, difference, and privilege. My college years at Saint Louis University (SLU) were filled with nights of deep discussion about race and sexuality. My friends and I were grounded in mutual respect, honest dialogue, and a spirit of reconciliation. It's a classic coming-of-age tale, really–guy goes to college, gets rocked by the vastness of the human experience, and strives to go further still in how he engages the world.
While I had several LGBTQ+ friends at SLU, it was still a relatively closeted community. When I began working and studying at UW-Madison many of the students I encountered identified openly as a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Condoms were passed out readily by people wearing gigantic condom hats and there was a student organization called "Sex Out Loud." Needless to say, it was much different than my preceding 17 years of Catholic education. My understanding of my friends' unique and often challenging circumstances with their families, their network at the University, and their efforts to educate others about LGBTQ+issues grew tremendously. I became an active supporter of LGBTQ+ student groups and programs – an ally, if you will. I quickly learned that being an ally comes with its own risks and challenges.
During Lent my first year in Madison there was a PR program through the LGBT Campus Center. The catch phrase for the campaign was "Gay? Fine by me." I wore my bright blue t-shirt often and pinned a small yellow button bearing the slogan on my backpack. I believed in what they said. Since it was Lent I was attending daily Masses. One day I visited the chapel around noon and set my backpack down beside me in the pew. When the time came for the sign of peace an older professor type (a daily Mass regular) offered his hand. He pulled me close and said quietly, "You should be ashamed to display that pin in here."
I abandoned daily Mass for the remainder of Lent because I was unwilling to remove the pin from my bag. I was also unwilling to face the shame I felt because of his comment. I looked at the world around me–Madison, the liberal capital of Wisconsin – and felt guilty for the comfort I experienced in that environment as a Catholic man. I deeply wanted to be supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, but because of that one comment it seemed that my own faith community couldn't affirm me in that desire. It was a hard time for me to be Catholic.
June is Pride month, and Pride is a big deal in Chicago. Twice this month I've eaten something that was prepped specifically to resemble the rainbow flag – a bowl of ramen that boasted yellow corn, green onion, red pepper, purple cabbage, and a donut frosted with a kaleidoscope of colors. I didn't seek this stuff out – the world simply offered me a way to encounter.
I've been a Jesuit for eight years, and as a member of an all-male Catholic religious order, I'm lucky to have heard other voices in my community of faith. So many never have the chance, or choose not to seek those voices out. I'm grateful when, as conversations around sexuality, gender, and Catholicism arise, people listen first and try to understand. I admire reasonable dialogue around pronouns and gender-neutral bathrooms, and I appreciate when people take the time to recognize that we serve LGBTQ+ people in Catholic spaces whether we like it or not.
When I look to the history of my church I realize that we have a community of believers whose arms have been opened wider and wider by the movement of the Holy Spirit. These open arms are not new; indeed, the love Christ witnessed is the same love we witness moving in our lives today; it's a love of radical inclusion.
Every time I walk into Church, the image I'm met with is one of a God whose arms are spread wide, a God crucified for love. This God tells me that no one is turned away, not because of a pin on their backpack, who they hold hands with, or how they reconcile their own lives with a world that can at times bear hatred and discord. In that image lies a model for Christian love and my own hope. In this Church I pray for the willingness to wrap my arms around even those who withdraw in fear from the work being done and the hard work yet to do, all in the name of love.
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
Eric Immel, SJ
eimmelsj@thejesuitpost.org / Post Archive
Eric was raised in Green Bay, and despite his best efforts to remain indifferent, the Packers have a stronghold on his emotional well-being. He enjoys grilling bratwurst and flirting with vegetarianism, and if he weren't a Jesuit, he'd likely make a last ditch effort at penning terrible pop songs. He appreciates a good beard and Stanley Tucci movies, and he studies philosophy at Loyola University Chicago.
Share A Way To Encounter
Fine By Me: An All-Embracing Love Eric Immel, SJ ~ Approx read time 4 mins
The Knowledge of Encounter Damian Torres-Botello, SJ ~ Approx read time 3 mins
The Hard Truth of "You're Wrong" Colten Biro, SJ ~ Approx read time 3 mins
The summer isn't over yet! There's still plenty of time to work on that "summer soul." We've got 5 (more) spiritual… https://t.co/OHcq8Y4lLW 04:31 PM Jul 19th


Armured-like dressed, my favorite model turned actress, Diane Kruger chose a Feretti grey number for the Met Red Carpet.
Oh, you're rough on the blondinette, you know? She's doing the best she can! And honestly, she pulls off far better than most of the States-born starlets. I don't know how she was/is in the real life, haven't had the chance to meet her (yet ;) ) but she always looked rather charmingly modest to me. Oh, and I must confess, I looove her nose!


Erhan Bayram serves as Board Member for Open Knowledge Sweden. He has been interested in use of technology in education for a long time, and did his MS in Information Technology focusing on educational data mining and educational (EDM) management information systems (EMIS). He had taught at Information Technology program at Bahcesehir University, Istanbul for three years before he came to Sweden.


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license: Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
         or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
         distributed with this work for additional information
         regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
         to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
         "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
         with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at

           http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

         Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
         software distributed under the License is distributed on an
         "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
         KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
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# Windows 8 Shell Tool Guide

The `cordova` command-line utility is a high-level tool that allows
you to build applications across several platforms at once. An older
version of the Cordova framework provides sets of command-line tools
specific to each platform. To use them as an alternative to the CLI,
you need to download this version of Cordova from
[cordova.apache.org](http://cordova.apache.org). The download contains
separate archives for each platform. Expand the platform you wish to
target. The tools described here are typically available in the
top-level `bin` directory, otherwise consult the __README__ file for
more detailed directions.

For information on the low-level command-line interface that enables
plugins, see Using Plugman to Manage Plugins. See Application Plugins
for an overview.

## Windows 8

The Windows 8 command-line tools only support creating new projects.
Commands must be run from a cmd or powershell prompt.

## Create a Project

Run the `create` command with the following parameters:

* Path to your new Cordova Windows 8 project

* Package Name, following reverse-domain style convention. This becomes the default Namespace.

* Project name


text:
Top 3 Financial questions after BREXIT
By Andrea Glover - Topics: Assurance Vie, BREXIT, Financial Planning, Financial Review, France, QROPS
This article is published on: 1st February 2021
We asked Andrea Glover & Tony Delvalle – What are the current top three 'hot topics' with clients, particularly affecting retirees?
UK State Pensions
Andrea commented, "The withdrawal of the UK from the EU has obviously been an area of concern regarding UK State pensions. Now the Withdrawal Agreement has come into force, it is reassuring that those covered by the agreement will continue to benefit from aggregation of periods worked in the UK and EU, and those not yet retired will have the same benefits as current claimants."
Tony went on to say, "UK State Pensions will be uprated every year whilst residing in France. This will happen even if you start claiming your pension after 1 January 2021, as long as you meet qualifying conditions."
UK Properties
Many people coming to live in France often decide not to sell their UK home, instead renting the property out to supplement their pension income. Tony explained, "We are frequently asked if this is sensible as a form of investment. Whilst there is often an emotional tie to a former home, or perhaps a client wants to keep the option of returning to their UK home, there can be punitive tax consequences to such a decision, should they then decide to sell the property as a French tax resident."
Tony continued, "The sale of a UK property has to be declared in both the UK and France. Although under the UK/France double tax treaty you receive a credit in France for any UK tax paid, French residents can also pay social charges on gains arising on the disposal of a UK property. There are also new rules effective from April 2020 in the UK, making such a decision even less attractive."
Andrea summarised by saying "It really is important to speak to a Financial Adviser, particularly if you haven't yet made the final move to France. Dependent on personal circumstances, it may be more beneficial to sell their property and invest in a more tax efficient investment vehicle such as an Assurance Vie."
Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS)
Tony told us that many of their clients have taken advantage of a
QROPS, which enables consolidation of UK pension policies and which has attractive tax and inheritance tax advantages for French tax residents. QROPS can also offer multi-currency flexibility.
Andrea commented, "Many clients currently considering moving their pensions are querying if there are to be any changes in QROPS legislation, in view of Brexit. Our stance on this is that we believe it is highly likely that the UK Government will, after the transition period, impose a 25% tax charge on future transfers to a QROPS, making them less desirable. So, although they may not be suitable for everyone, don't risk leaving it too late or you may face the 25% charge."
Article by Andrea Glover
Contact Andrea Glover direct about: "Top 3 Financial questions after BREXIT"
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Contact details for Informatics staff and research students.
Alphabetical list of all staff and research students.
Alphabetical list of all administrative staff.
Alphabetical list of all research staff.
Alphabetical list of all computing staff.
Alphabetical list of all honorary staff.
Alphabetical list of all technical staff.
Alphabetical list of visiting staff.
Alphabetical list of research students within the School.


text:
Tue 14 Mar @ 7:00 pm
« Soweto Gospel Choir – Hope
BLACKSTREET | Live in Adelaide »
Celebrated Breton composer and multi-instrumentalist Yann Tiersen returns to Australia for the first time in more than five years.
Tiersen brings an immersive electronic performance to Adelaide in support of his acclaimed new album, 11 5 18 2 5 18, which reimagines his back catalogue into a wholly new body of work. He resamples, reprograms and resynthesises his recent works to create a dazzling audio-visual live experience accompanied by the stunning visuals of UK artist Sam Wiehl.
Experience the sonic evolution of Tiersen – a progression from his beloved early albums, wellknown acoustic compositions and expansive Dust Lane era into the ecstatic electronic wizardry of his latest work. This multi-dimensional live show brings listeners into new sonic spaces and transforms Tiersen's compositional genius to dizzying dancefloor heights.
https://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/events/yann-tiersen/
Hindley St Music Hall
149 Hindley St
Adelaide, SA 5000 + Google Map


text:
All posts tagged "Kate Bush"
10 Best Prog Albums of 1985
1985 brought new releases from Rush and Marillion, but also saw quite a few debuts. Check which 10 albums released in 1985 are the best...
10 Collaborations Between STEVEN WILSON & Other Musicians We Would Love to See
Time for wishful thinking! Check out which 10 musical collaborations we would love to see involving Steven Wilson.
What to Expect from STEVEN WILSON's "To the Bone" Album
By Prog Sphere on May 9, 2017
What to expect from Steven Wilson's upcoming album "To the Bone"? The musician gave us a few hints.
By Prog Sphere on April 18, 2017
With the dawn of the 1980s, Progressive Rock was on its way to turn into something totally different. We look back at the best prog...
Interview with VERENA VON HORSTEN
By Conor Fynes on March 11, 2017
Interview with Verena Von Horsten in support of her recent album "Alien Angel Super Death."
Album Review: Verena von Horsten – Alien Angel Super Death
By Conor Fynes on February 11, 2017
Prog Sphere's review of Verena von Horsten's album "Alien Angel Super Death."
KATE BUSH Adds Seven More Shows
By Niko Savić on March 27, 2014
Kate Bush has added another seven shows to her upcoming residency at London's Hammersmith Apollo, due to phenomenal demand. See below for dfull dates and...
KATE BUSH Returns to Stage After 35 Years
British singer Kate Bush on Friday announced a surprise series of live shows in London later this year, 35 years after her one and only...
Kate Bush – Never For Ever
By Conor Fynes on September 19, 2012
Pop-like virtually all types of music- can be innovated and developed upon. Kate Bush earns my respect for being able to write songs within the...
Roger's "2011 – A year in review"
By Niko Savić on December 28, 2011
Firstly a big Thank You to anyone who actually reads my nonsense. I'd still do it if no-one came, but sloppy kisses to ya anyway…xxxxxxxxxxxx!...


From the title of this Xbox Live Arcade game alone your mind wanders and reminisces about the last Sacred game on the Xbox 360, Sacred 2. For those who haven't had the chance to enjoy Sacred 2, you are missing out on a fantastic, dungeon crawling, sandbox action RPG game. Inside Sacred 2 you will have six different characters to choose from with their own unique mounts to ride and with each of these characters you can chose to be light or dark. Being that it's a dungeon crawling, action rpg game you will find yourself neck deep in a sea of amazing weapons, armor, and loot and will draw you back for hours and weeks and months on end looking for better gear. With this, Sacred 2 packs a tremendous amount of character customization and when you factor in the different modifiers, the number of customization options seems limitless. The reason we just told you a very brief synopsis of Sacred 2 is because you will find almost none of this in the latest Xbox Live Arcade game, Sacred Citadel. 1200 MS points is a lot to ask for when it comes to arcade games, and with other heavy hitters in the genre such as Torchlight, will Sacred Citadel rise up to conquer or cower in shame and disgrace? Let's find out.
While the name of the world is the same (Ancaria), there is little to no similarities between the Ancaria of the retail games and the one found here in Sacred Citadel. There are more dramatic differences as well. For instance, the retail game Sacred 2 is a top down view of the land where you observe, direct, and command from on high. Here in Sacred Citadel each level is a pseudo 3D side scrolling environment where the action is up close and personal. That isn't the end though for the dramatic differences by any means. Gone are the six classes of characters to pick from and instead you have a group of four generic styled classes to choose from such as warrior, archer, shaman, and mage. Also gone are the individual classes of useable mounts and instead we get some generic mutant that looks like it was cross bred between a chicken and a triceratops then armor was put on it and a saddle. So far these dramatic changes have greatly altered from what makes Sacred such a great series, but maybe the gameplay and content will make up for this?
Sadly no it won't. Sacred Citadel's gameplay blueprint is something that one would find dating back to the 16 bit days of Golden Axe, and while some would think that to be a good thing, always remember that not everything ages well over the years. Your character will already start out with basic combo system, and when we say basic, we're talking about simple X, Y button presses. The X button is your basic attack and, yeah you guessed it, the Y button is your strong attack. Combos are initiated by pressing X first, then either up, down, left, or right on the LS and the Y button. There are more advanced combos that you can learn but they only involve more presses of the X or Y button. These combos can come in handy when you're faced with a bunch of enemies, but thanks to their dimwitted intelligence, you can run around, grouping them together in a bunch, then wail away on them until they all drop. While this gameplay is good in theory when you talk side scrolling action games, the whole movement and combat system feels over 10 years old with little to no refinement thus making it almost feel like a chore to play rather than a grand adventure, and that makes us melancholy given the wealth of potential and yet none of it used.
Now we know what you're thinking, Sacred 2 has tons of loot to collect so is it the same with Sacred Citadel? Yes and no. There are various types of weapons, which range from swords, axes, maces, hammers, bows, and more and each weapon carries a bonus attribute. For instance, swords can increase your chances of critical hits, while axes are unblockable and will always land an attack. There are other elemental bonuses that can be found attached to certain weapons as well and each of them provides another unique trait. Fire damage, as expected, will burn your enemy and cause damage after the initial attack lands, while spells such as lightning will stun enemies and keep them vulnerable to a second attack. There are also multiple armors to be found throughout the game and each as well provides different boosts and stat enhancements, however, after all this there is a lingering problem. Sacred 2 allowed you to customize multiple pieces of armor and unfortunately that is not something found in this game. This is a huge black eye given that Sacred has always been about customizing your player with new amazing gear and weapons, and that isn't found in this game. What a shame.
There are other aspects of this game that don't seem to fit the feel of the Sacred series. Aspects such as the poor attempts to knit humor into the plot or the fact that each of the four acts in the game are broken down into multiple, very short, side scrolling levels instead of one big world. While there are some similarities to be found, such as potions that can be collected and used in battle, or the distribution of character points after each time you level up, the differences you will find in Sacred Citadel amount to nothing more than a side scrolling hack and slash title instead of a dungeon crawling, loot hunting, action rpg game. Should you spend 1200 MS points on this latest entry into the Sacred series? Undoubtedly no. If you're looking for a generic side scrolling hack and slash game, then there are better ones to choose from, and if you're looking for a dungeon crawling experience that will keep you hunting for long periods of time, then again, there are better games to spend your hard earned points on.


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If you have a long list of hung or corrupt print jobs in Microsoft Windows 10, 8, or 7, you can clear the print queue easily by using either of these methods.
You can clear the print queue using commands like this.
Type net stop spooler then press "Enter".
Type del %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\* /Q then press "Enter".
Type net start spooler then press "Enter".
The print queue on your Windows should now be cleared. Type exit, then press "Enter" to exit the command window.
You can clear the print queue using this the Windows GUI.
Hold down the Windows Key and press "R" to bring up the Run dialog.
Type services.msc, then press "Enter".
Find the "Print Spooler" service in the list. Right-click it, then select "Stop".
Leave the Services window open. Hold down the Windows Key and press "R" to bring up the Run dialog.
Type %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\, then press "Enter".
Select all of the files by holding "CTRL" and pressing "A".
Press the "Delete" key to delete all of the files.
Some files remain in the "printers" folder and will not allow me to delete them. How to I get rid of these?
Make sure the Print Spooler is stopped. If you're sure it's stopped, you might want to try opening a command prompt and running "chkfdsk /f /r" to run a check on the hard disk. Once complete, attempt to delete the file.
When followed properly, these steps should have absolutely nothing to do with causing missing DLL files or background information.
This is VERY DANGEROUS!!!, after following these instruction a number of my programs are no longer working!!!!!, with missing .dll files.
I just wanted to clear the print queue!!!, Not delete all of my background information.
That would probably be an admin rights issue.
This didn't work even remotely for my computer. All I got was "Access is denied" with every step of the way. And it didn't fix the issued of either duplicating print jobs or just not printing anything.
Just dawned on me this is to clear the files in the queue. I'm want to delete the queues themselves. Sorry but the thing that pointed me here sounded like that was what this was about.
Just tried this on Windows 8.1 and …\spool\PRINTERS directory is empty. View is set to show hidden files.
System error 1721 has occurred.


This title may sound scary to you, and it probably isn't because of the word Animations. The word trigonometric to many of you brings up memories of school with random repeating graphics, cosine, sine, and Pi. Don't worry if you forgot everything about trigonometry or never had a chance to learn it. That is OK for today, for my goal with this article is to emphasize just the portions of trigonometry that make sense when used in animations.
Looking deeper, there is a bit more to it. This effect, dubbed the Colorful Explosion by me, uses some trigonometric magic. De-mystifying this magic is where this tutorial comes in. By the end of this article, you will have gained the ability to learn how the above and a range of other animations can be created using just trigonometric functions.
There is really only one thing that characterizes trigonometric motion. That one thing is periodicity or, to put more simply, predictability. All trigonometric animations fall into a predictable pattern - almost too predictable actually.
Let's look at the above chart in greater detail. The input to the function is an angle similar to what you see on the x-axis. The angle is in terms of radians, so that is why you see the Pi symbols. When the Cosine and Sine functions that the angle as the input, they return a value known as the amplitude. This amplitude is what is plotted on the y axis.
One characteristic of trigonometric animations I mentioned is periodicity. In the above graph, let's focus in on the Sine function. Notice that the range of angles shown in the graph goes from -2 Pi (-6.28) and 2 Pi (6.28). Despite the range of the angles, notice that the amplitude never deviates beyond -1 or 1. Even an angle of 1000 Pi would result in a value between -1 and 1.
The periodicity also means that you do not need to look over every possible angle to figure out what the value of your Cosine or Sine function will be. What you need to find is a single tile of your Cosine or Sine function that you can repeat forever without ever having lost any fidelity in your pattern.
For a simple cosine function, the tile's range of angles will be 2 PI. Something from negative PI to positive PI or something from 0 to 2 PI would all work because the range of angles between those endpoints contains 2 PI worth of them!
Ok, this page was a little dry. I will make up for this on the the next page where we jump right into some code.
Onwards to the next page.