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Dean Kamen's “Luke arm”—a prosthesis named forsssa the remarkably lifelike prosthetic worn by Luke Skywalker in Star Wars — came to the end of its two-year funding last month. Its fate now rests in the hands of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which funded the project. If DARPA gives the project the green light—and some greenbacks—the state-of-the-art bionic arm will go into clinical trials. If all goes well, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gives its approval, returning veterans could be wearing the new artificial limb by next year.

The Luke arm grew out of DARPA’s Revolutionizing Prosthetics program, which was created in 2005 to fund the development of two arms. The first initiative, the four-year, US $30.4 million Revolutionizing Prosthetics contract, to be completed in 2009, led by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md., seeks a fully functioning, neurally controlled prosthetic arm using technology that is still experimental.

The Roman calendar changed its form several times in the time between the foundation of Rome and the fall of the Roman Empire. This article generally discusses the early Roman or 'pre-Julian' calendars.

The calendar1 used  after 46 BC is discussed under the Julian calendar. An inscription containing the Roman calendar, which predates the Julian reform of the calendar. Observe that it contains the months Quintilis and Sextilis, and allows for the insertion of an intercalary month.

The original Roman calendar is believed to have been a lunar calendar, which may have been based on one of the Greek lunar calendars. Roman traditions claimed that it was invented by Romulus, the founder of Rome about 753 BC. The earliest known version contained ten months, and started at the vernal equinox; however, the months by this time were no longer 'lunar':

· Martius (31 days)

· Aprilis (30 days)

· Maius (31 days)

· Junius (30 days)

Samuel Adams Utopias, which went on sale in February 2002, was claimed to be the strongest commercial beer in the world, at 25% alcohol by volume. The beer was stronger than Millennium, a single release brew made by Sam Adams in 1999, at 21% alcohol.

Utopias is made with caramel, Vienna, Moravian and Bavarian smoked malts, and all four varieties of noble hops: Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Tettnanger, Spalter, and Saaz. The beer is aged in scotch, cognac and port barrels for the better part of a year. It is described as having a "distinctive smell of cinnamon and vanilla with subtle hints of floral, citrus and pine."

The beer was packaged in a copper-finished kettle designed to resemble those used in the brewing process. 8,000 twenty-four-ounce bottles of Utopias were produced in all, with a suggested price of US$100 a bottle.

Women could be spared the discomfort and even injury caused by poor bra design because the Scientists from the University of Wollongong in Australia have developed an "intelligent fabric" with its own sensors that can be used to design  bras for women more accurately.

As many as 80 per cent of women are thought to be wearing the wrong bra, increasing the risk of pain and nerve damage caused by bra straps, particularly during exercise.

Experts found that even the minority in the right size bras could still be at risk of long-term injury because much of the support is given by the straps that bear down on their shoulders.

The vertical movement of the chest can exceed 70mm (almost three inches) during vigorous effort and they say the stresses and strains can affect nerves around the shoulders so seriously that it causes numbness in fingers. Better support is needed because the female breast contains no supportive muscle or bone.

No conversation about the vibrant city of New Orleans would be complete without talking about the succulent seafood dishes and distinctive flavor of New Orleans-Style cuisine. At the heart of all this delicious discussion would surely be the name Zatarain's. That's because Zatarain's has been an important part of New Orleans-Style cooking for over 100 years and a key ingredient in the city's rich cultural heritage.

Today, families everywhere have fallen in love with the delicious flavor of these zesty seasoned productsand recipes. The reason for the popularity of Zatarain's is that it truly captures the flavor and rich texture of New Orleans-Style cooking.

The tradition for making such amazing food was started well before the turn of the century by a man named Emile A. Zatarain, Sr. In 1889, he obtained the company's first product trademark and started to market root beer. Shortly after, he began to produce mustards, pickled vegetables, and extracts. As the business grew, so did the demand for a broader range of products. Through their expertise in blending spices, the company established a reputation for making only the most authentic New Orleans-Style food. In 1963, the Zatarain family sold the business which was then moved to Gretna, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans.

Today, Zatarain's is the nation's leading maker of New Orleans-Style food products. Zatarain's prides itself on great taste, high quality, and a near fanatical dedication to New Orleans cuisine. Interestingly, Zatarain's is as much a tradition at backyard barbeques as it is at formal dinners. It's amazing to think that, from such humble beginnings, the company has grown to make over 200 food products from Rice Dinner Mixes, Pasta Dinner Mixes, Breadings, Seasoning & Spices, to Seafood Boils, Stuffing Mixes, and other products based on authentic New Orleans-Style foods and seafood preparation.

WPS formed in 1883 as the Oshkosh Gas Light Company and incorporated as Wisconsin Public Service Corporation in 1922.

In 1947, the Public Service Bayside Plant, near the mouth of the Fox River, was renamed the J.P. Pulliam Plant to honor the long-time president.

WPS was first listed for trading on the New York and Midwest stock exchanges in 1953. In September 1994, we became a subsidiary of WPS Resources Corporation, a holding company approved by shareholders in May 1994. Then in February 2007, WPS Resources Corporation became Integrys Energy Group.

The company serves more than 429,000 electric and 311,000 natural gas customers within an 11,000-square-mile, 20-county service territory. That territory consists of a large portion of northeast and central Wisconsin and a small part of Upper Michigan.

WPS operates coal, natural-gas and hydroelectric generating plants to produce electricity. All of our gas is purchased directly from gas producers and marketing companies, and we have a contract with ANR Pipeline Company for transportation of the gas we purchase.

Below is an abbreviated history of WPP.

1985

Martin Sorrell takes stake in Wire and Plastic Products Plc , a UK manufacturer of wire baskets, following his search for a public entity through which to build a worldwide marketing services company

1986-87

Sorrell becomes chief executive of the renamed WPP Group Builds below-the-line capabilities with acquisition of marketing services companies in the UK and US

1987

Acquires J. Walter Thompson Group for $566m, including ad agency JWT , PR firm  Hill and Knowlton Inc and market research network MRB Group

1988

Listed on NASDAQ exchange in New York Continued acquisition of US and UK-based marketing services companies

1989

Acquires The Ogilvy Group for $864m, including ad agency Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide ,  Ogilvy Direct and  Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Research firms Millward Brown and Research International join WPP

1990-92

WPP named the world's top agency group by Advertising Age Group financial re-structuring

1992

For nearly half a century, families have turned to KB Home to experience the dream of new home ownership. Today, KB Home is one of the country's premier new home builders with a reputation for providing architectural innovation, tremendous quality, superior customer service and warranties, plus smart financing with our preferred lender, Countrywide KB Home Loans. Of course, the KB Home Studio is what makes buying a new KB home a truly personal experience. From cabinets to countertops, flooring to appliances, you'll find everything you need to create a unique and personalized home.

Whether you're new to the home buying process or not, KB Home understands it is perhaps the single largest financial decision you will make. Our preferred lender, Countrywide KB Home Loans, has skilled loan consultants who have the experience to guide you through every step of the home buying process. They'll review your financial status and provide important feedback on the strength of your buying power. Countrywide KB Home Loans' consultants will offer competitive financing options to make owning a new home more affordable. KB Home Studio design consultants will help you create a home that suits your style. This unique showroom offers thousands of design options to truly personalize your new KB home. And during the building process, you'll receive numerous updates from your construction and customer service teams. Where Trust Is Built.

In the beginning...

Rutabaga was founded way back in the '70s. There were a few fledging companies out there like Wenonah Canoe, and a score of small companies making accessories, (Dagger was a paddle company back then). The problem was that the leading sporting good shops in town thought whitewater was for crazy people, they didn't have any gear available, and they wouldn't go to the trouble of ordering it. Basically, if it didn't involve hunting, fishing, or a ball of some sort, it wasn't a real sport. Parenthetically, those places are all out of business now. Adapt or perish.

Rutabaga moved from the basement of Rutabaga Manor, (the source of the name), to an old gas station, then to an old grocery store, and finally into the current facility eleven years ago.

Fast-forward fifteen years or so...

Although in a way funny, it is also sad. Unlike a normal playfull cat chasing mice, or playing with yarn, the cat in this picture would never be able to act in the same activities.

This is superb, I think.

If you like that take a look at this.

The G. Leblanc Corporation is one of the world's leading makers of woodwind and brass instruments. The company manufactures instruments under the brand names Leblanc, Noblet, Normandy, Vito, Holton, Martin, and Courtois. Leblanc's Holton subsidiary is the world's largest maker of French horns, and makes other brass instruments as well. Leblanc's Martin subsidiary is known for an esteemed line of trumpets, and specializes in smaller brasses. Leblanc also manufactures instrument cases and woodwind mouthpieces. Leblanc operates three factories in the United States, in Kenosha and Elkhorn, Wisconsin, and one plant in La Couture-Boussey, France. The company was originally set up as a joint venture with a French company, Leblanc S.A. Leblanc S.A. was one of the oldest corporations in France, tracing its roots back to 1750. Leblanc USA purchased a majority interest in the French company in 1989, then acquired the entire firm in 1993. Leblanc has been a key promoter of school music programs in the United States from the 1950s onward. The company manufactured an improved line of instruments for beginning students and helped establish the type of instrument rental practice that is now an industry standard. The company helped organize the school musical instrument sales industry, and its efforts led to the founding of the National Association of School Music Dealers.

18th-Century French Antecedents

At a Glance

3M was founded in 1902 at the Lake Superior town of Two Harbors, Minn. Five businessmen set out to mine a mineral deposit for grinding-wheel abrasives. But the deposits proved to be of little value, and the new Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. quickly moved to nearby Duluth to focus on sandpaper products.

Years of struggle ensued until the company could master quality production and a supply chain. New investors were attracted to 3M, such as Lucius Ordway, who moved the company to St. Paul in 1910. Early technical and marketing innovations began to produce successes and, in 1916, the company paid its first dividend of 6 cents a share.

The world's first waterproof sandpaper, which reduced airborne dusts during automobile manufacturing, was developed in the early 1920s.

A second major milestone occurred in 1925 when Richard G. Drew, a young lab assistant, invented masking tape – an innovative step toward diversification and the first of many Scotch® Pressure-Sensitive Tapes.

In the following years, technical progress resulted in Scotch® Cellophane Tape for box sealing and soon hundreds of practical uses were discovered.

In the early 1940s, 3M was diverted into defense materials for World War II, which was followed by new ventures, such as Scotchlite™ Reflective Sheeting for highway markings, magnetic sound recording tape, filament adhesive tape and the start of 3M's involvement in the graphic arts field with offset printing plates.

In the 1950s, 3M introduced the Thermo-Fax™ copying process, Scotchgard™ Fabric Protector, videotape, Scotch-Brite™ Cleaning Pads and several new electro-mechanical products.