![]() Cobalt Blue Skirt Cobalt Blue Boots Looking for a specific brand Carolina Herrera Self. Also Set Sale Alerts & Shop Exclusive Offers Only on ShopStyle. Better yet, purchase a heel grass stopper on a site like Amazon or DSW. Shop Over 120 cobalt blue dress and Earn Cash Back. If you're set on heels, have another pair on hand for moments you need them. If you know you'll be outside on uneven ground, it's probably best to opt for wedges or flats with an ankle strap for extra security. If you're outdoors on a lawn, cobblestone, sand, or even gravel, it's imperative that you can easily walk on the terrain no matter if you're walking down the aisle or down a pathway to your cocktail hour. In addition to keeping your personal footwear tolerance in mind, check out your venue's landscape. For a shoe that combines comfort and style, we love the Something Bleu Cliff Bow D'orsay Kitten-Heel Pumps and the Bella Belle Daisy Blue Flats. Most importantly, go for the blue shoe that aligns with your personal style and allows for some fun photo opportunities. We know they're gorgeous, but it's important that you're feeling comfortable and confident, so you can truly soak in the day. This is not the day to wear those sky-high stilettos you've been eyeing if you're typically a sneaker type of girl. While it may not be as glamorous, comfort and sensibility are key. Maxi dress, Gorgeous cobalt blue and black hombre maxi dresses. ![]() Midi royal blue dress long sleeve - available in 50+ colors (829) 135.00. What to Look for in Blue Wedding Shoes Comfort and StyleĪfter you've gained some bridal footwear inspiration, don't forget a few of the logistics. Check out our cobalt blue dress selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our dresses shops. Read on for the best something-blue wedding shoes. Want something classic and simple? You'll love the Sam Edelman Hazel Pointed Toe Heel. From day and evening dresses to mini and long dresses, explore McElhinneys amazing range of womens dresses from all your favourite brands. Glamorous brides will love the Manolo Blahnik Hangisi Pointed Toe Pumps and the Nina Dora Sandal. To help narrow down your search, we've researched the best options available–keeping comfort, style, budget, and overall quality in mind. Whether you want to stun in stilettos or walk across the beach in espadrilles, there's a "something blue" shoe for every bride-to-be. For the bride with a bohemian sensibility, there are scores of laid-back shoes crafted from light and airy fibers like woven raffia and jute. More formal brides may opt for a classic navy pump or glittery details whereas a minimalist bride will be drawn to simple silhouettes with barely-there straps. Here are the 8 best shoes you can wear with a cobalt blue dress. From block heels, to stilettos and sneakers, there are countless options and that’s what I’m gonna be talking about today. The good news? There are tons of stunning styles to choose from. You may be wondering what kind of shoes you can pair with a cobalt blue dress, well the list is endless. Shop dresses.The tradition of brides wearing something blue on their wedding day comes from the Old English rhyme: “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, a sixpence in your shoe.” The "something blue" traditionally represents purity, love, and fidelity. Lots of details, lots of considered tailoring, everyday luxury in all the fits. Oh yeah, and we’re really good at summer dresses - think embroidery and puff sleeves and sweetheart necklines. Shirt dresses and tank dresses for low-key but cute vacations. Fit and flare dresses and A-line dresses and hand-drawn floral options for when you’re having spring feelings or date nights. We’ve got slip dresses for when you want to bring bedroom-y, ‘90s supermodel energy to your evening, sweater dresses for wholesome chilly weather events and ruched dresses that look great on dancefloors. You searched for cobalt blue dress 92 items Eliza J One-Shoulder Scuba Crepe Cocktail Dress 148.00 ( 5) Sam Edelman Smocked Pleat Sleeveless Midi Dress 98.00 ( 12) TAHARI ASL Stretch Crepe Side Knot Dress 129.00 ( 15) Connected Apparel Faux Wrap Bell Sleeve Jersey Cocktail Dress 69.00 ( 43) Kiyonna Whimsy Wrap Dress 98. Other hot options include mini dresses and plunging neckline situations and little black dresses. Shape Bright Blue Textured V Neck Long Sleeve Dress. light blue dress in a shirt style for day drinks with the dolls or go all out for a night on the town with one of our cobalt blue dresses that will ensure all eyes are on you. We’ve got Powermesh and bandage options that hold you in and sculpt like no other - go take a peek and you’ll get it. Black Dresses Black & White Dresses Blue Dresses Brown Dresses Cream Dresses Gold Dresses. If it’s a fancy function coming up, maybe a catered thing, or a “shower” of some sort, one of our knockout bodycon dresses is probably a strong choice.
0 Comments
I opted for very little color, but any colors that remind you of the coast can be use. The sandy color of this carved tray makes a great base for a coffee table vignette. Switching out dark colors for lighter colors or whites is a great way to begin. A sphere of oyster shells suggests a recent trip to the shore.Ī pair of candles has been moved from the foyer to flank the fireplace for summertime. Here a tub of gathered driftwood steps in for a fire. Using natural items from the lake or seashore gives you the coastal vibe you may be looking for. Driftwood sailboats I crafted a few years ago received new bright white sails. Everything here will meld with most home decor you already have in place. Sure, you can buy new white slipcovered furniture or add seagrass or rattan chairs, but I am talking about how to add a little something here and there for the change of seasons. Each end of my mantel received its own little vignette of coastal accents. Empty wine bottles become candle holders for white tapers. Sand in jars with tea lights give off a soft glow in the evenings. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.Ĭoastal decor can be so easy and inexpensive. ![]() ![]() This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. The easiest way to add some themed decor to your home is to do it with vignettes. Today I will show you how to add coastal decor to your home for some summertime vibes. I live in Florida so it is natural for me to want to get a little beach-inspired for the summertime. ![]() “It enables aggregation on both the merchant and consumer side. “Whether you’re a merchant or a non-profit you’re still looking to garner consumer intention, you’re looking to collect funds and you’re looking to make it as easy as possible for them to send you money and the PF model is a great way to do that,” he says. Oglesby says Facebook is well positioned to compete with existing payments companies. To learn more about raising funds and awareness on Facebook, visit Facebook for Nonprofits.” The Page must be verified, follow our community standards and be linked to a donations account. “Before your organization can collect donations on Facebook, 3 steps need to be completed. Interested non profits are advised what to do to set up donations. The Donate button is “an on-Facebook donation flow available to nonprofits that apply through our application (),” and processes with two to three clicks in the page. It says it does “not integrate with third-party platforms at this time.” Credit card statements will show “FACEBK donate.fb.com.”įacebook users in 39 countries can donate but can only donate to U.S. ![]() Payout reports are offered to admins and receipts are sent to donors. There’s very few players that have that kind of consumer attention.”įacebook says donations go directly to participating non-profits, with Facebook Payments Inc. I could see Facebook becoming a very large payment facilitator over the next few years as they continue to build out that capability. “Everybody that’s in the digital advertising space is trying to figure out how to make it happen and happen really quickly and easily, and being a payment facilitator is a great way to accomplish that. ![]() And you can because you have a two way communications channel. Any time you see advertising in the digital space you want consumers to be able to buy right away. “Facebook is in a very good place to aggregate a whole variety of payments for the simple reason being they’re a huge advertiser. “Facebook being a payment facilitator is very compatible,” he says. Rick Oglesby, principal at AZ Payments Group and a partner at Double Diamond Group, says Facebook is set to be a formidable competitor in the non-profit space, and beyond. Now, any non profit that goes through the Facebook application process can have either re-direct or in-page donation ability. In 2015, Facebook added a donation button to non-partner non-profits but this one involved a couple more steps and redirected to the charity’s website to finish the process. Hopefully that will ensure they are following the rules, and then some.” Rich went on to say, “It isn’t often that 40% of the fee charged to a merchant or submerchant is earmarked for compliance. I’m sure they are planning to do just that. They need to register as a Payment Facilitator, and follow very specific criteria for how they run transactions. The only concern is that Facebook makes sure to follow all the Visa and MasterCard rules for Payment Facilitators. “Facebook is a juggernaut, and this looks like a seamless way to donate. “It’s sounds like a very exciting offering for non-profits,” says Deana Rich, president of Rich Consulting. If a donor is donating for the first time, he must enter his payment card information in a window future donations are done with one click if the user does not remove his card information from Facebook in his payment settings. Facebook’s goal is to create a platform for good that’s sustainable over the long-term, and not to make a profit from these charitable giving tools.” The remaining 95% will go straight to the nonprofit. ![]() To make this possible, starting in August, 2% of contributions will be used to cover a portion of the costs of nonprofit vetting, security, and fraud protection, operational costs and payment support and 3% of contributions will go to payment processing. “We’re committed to building products that make it as easy and safe as possible for people to contribute to the causes they care about. The social media giant says of each donation made through Donate buttons that keep donors on a non-profit’s page: Facebook introduced a Donate button for 19 select non-profits in 2013, but didn’t charge a fee, instead sending 100 percent of donations to the charity. Facebook is charging back into the payments space but this time charging hard - taking 5% on every donation it processes through its recently launched non-profit features, announced to page administrators Tuesday. ![]() She has abilities that make her undetectable to electronic security devices like sensors and cameras, and she can make environmental objects like electrical panels explode from a distance. Stealth: Batgirl can do environmental hacking while trying to be stealthy, which makes her a good choice whenever you’d rather take enemies out quickly than deal with lengthy combat encounters. She can also revive herself after being downed, and heal herself by defeating enemies. For example, some of her abilities let her to tank through damage without her attacks being interrupted, or to interrupt strong enemy attacks with her normal combos. Hacking the planet: Barbara’s prowess with all things technological allows her to hack the battlefield in interesting ways. Primary strengths: hacking, tankiness, and stealth Interactive Entertainment Barbara Gordon (Batgirl) Nightwing’s is a mini drone that allows him to glide around. Traversal: Each of the four heroes has unique traversal abilities that you can unlock by completing their “knighthood” challenges. He can gain darts that heal or even revive allies from a distance, and area-of-effect powers that buff and heal teammates. Teamwork: Grayson also specializes in teamwork. These abilities can be augmented with the power to knock down enemies and gain momentum energy more quickly, letting him use special attacks more frequently. His skill trees include abilities that let him use foes as springboards to leap high into the air and evade attacks with impressive back handsprings. Movement: Given Dick’s background as a circus performer, his fighting style is largely centered around acrobatics, allowing him to move fluidly across the battlefield. Primary strengths: acrobatics and teamwork Interactive Entertainment Dick Grayson (Nightwing) Either way, it can be handy to have a handle on each character’s individual traits. On the other hand, hey, maybe you want to pick your favorite and stick with them through the credits. The degree to which the game world bends depending on who you’re playing as is one of the game’s impressive hat tricks. And although it’s not required, it’s a good idea to mix things up and swap characters often, because you’ll experience different story beats with each one. Their combos are executed differently for example, Red Hood’s timed attacks incorporate his guns in a way that other characters’ ranged attacks aren’t used. In fact, each member of the Bat-family has their own strengths, unique abilities, combat strategies, and more. But that doesn’t mean that each of the game’s four playable heroes is the same. ![]() You can basically play as any character you want for the entirety of the game. Gotham Knights, an open-world action game set in Gotham City, allows you to play as four characters from DC Comics canon: Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood, and Robin. ![]() In fact, the Arduino has hardware to to this for us. And while we will not get CD-quality audio out of an Arduino, we can get more output values by choosing a duty cycle other than 50%. CDs store 16-bit audio, which means there are 65536 possible values. High-quality audio requires many more values than this. This is enough to allow us to play two square waves simultaneously: So we now have three possible output values: on, off, and halfway. ![]() It's way too high to hear, but the average value is halfway between on and off (50% duty cycle, remember?). Imagine generating a 200kHz tone with tone(). If you diddle your output faster than that, say at 200kHz (well within the capabilities of the Arduino, which is clocked at 16MHz), you don't hear the individual output transitions, but the average value over a longer period. Humans can hear audio frequencies up to about 20kHz. The idea is that you may only be able to set your output to one of two values, but you can do so really fast. The good news is that there's a trick you can use called pulse width modulation (commonly abbreviated PWM). If you want to play two square wave tones simultaneously, or even to control the volume of a single square wave tone, you need to be able to output more values than just "on" and "off". This is all very well, but most audio waveforms are not square waves. Thus every 5ms the output changes, and you get a square wave at 50% duty cycle, which means the output is on for precisely half the time. Next time it's called it sets the output high. The first time the interrupt is called, it sets the output low, and returns to whatever your program was doing. So tone(PIN,100) will set a timer interrupt to be called every 5ms. 100Hz means the output repeats every 1/100 of a second, or 10ms. The tone() function, which I expect you've run into by this point, outputs a square wave at a specified frequency. I'm not a master at programming, but I'm not a beginner either.Īrduinos offer only digital output: the output is either on (+5V) or off (0V). If not, could you explain it in the clearest way possible. I understand that it involves phase shifts and adding frequencies of notes, but how do you translate this into code for a piezo buzzer? If you could post some example code that would be greatly appreciated. I mean like the bass and treble clef notes are played simultaneously on the buzzer. ![]() Is it possible to play the song on a piezo buzzer so it sounds like it's being played on a piano (or at least close to). Now I'm a piano player (I took AP Music theory), and the problem I'm having is that I'm only able to play one note only the piezo buzzer. Using some creative liberties, I found a nice piano piece of this song (link here). What better way to be creative than to use "Firework" by Katy Perry. We learned about creating songs using the piezo buzzer. Enough about that, right now in the class we're experimenting with the piezo buzzer (it looks like this). My high school electronics class decided to buy some arduino uno kits, which I must say are extremely cool. ![]() Option 3: Right click any of the images in the filmstrip and select Edit In. Option 2: Right click your preview image and select Edit In Option 1: Go to Photo > Edit In and pick the Topaz Labs software from the drop-down list When completed, your preset name and program should show together like this: Access The PluginĪfter you exit the Lightroom preferences, there are several ways to invoke the plugin. Our default is Topaz Sharpen AI, Topaz DeNoise AI, etc. The Enhance Preview window opens, with the Denoise (and Raw Details) boxes checked. Then select "Save Current Setting as New Preset."Ĩ. Start by opening the Detail panel and clicking the Denoise button. We'll use Sharpen AI is used as an example here.ħ. Denoise is our third Enhance feature in Lightroom and Camera Raw, following Raw Details and Super Resolution. Select the program file itself from within the file. You select the image(s) you wish to denoise batch processing is possible and then click the Denoise button, which you'll find in the Detail section alongside the sharpening and. Open the folder of the desired program.Ħ. Regardless of whether you're using Camera Raw, Lightroom CC, or Lightroom Classic, the basic procedure for using the new Denoise algorithm is much the same. On Windows, it is C:\Program Files\Topaz Labs LLC.ĥ. ![]() The default location on Mac is Applications/Topaz Labs LLC (for current programs). About halfway down, you'll see the Additional External Editor section. ![]() On Mac, you'll go to Lightroom Classic > Preferences.ģ. Lightroom CC (the cloud version of Lightroom) does not support external editors such as our apps.ġ) Go to your Lightroom Preferences options. Jpeg to Raw and Mask AI are not designed to function with Lightroom. You can follow these instructions if needed:ĭeNoise AI Stopped Working From Photoshop Or Lightroom When I Updated To DeNoise AI v3.4 Or Higher DeNoise 3.4 or higher for Mac must be installed into Lightroom with the installer. NOTE for DeNoise AI on Mac: If you are a Mac user and have DeNoise AI 3.4 or higher, the manual instructions outlined WILL NOT work. If they do not, you can easily install them manually using the steps in this article. Your Topaz Labs programs should install to Lightroom automatically during the installation of the program. How To Install Your Topaz Labs Program Into Lightroom Classic ![]() Then there’s the natural decomposition process. Add to that the popularity of grave robbers, and you have sufficient grounds for the belief that sometimes the dead don’t stay dead. Upon exhuming these bodies following reports of the undead, people occasionally found markings such as nail scratches on the inside of the coffin-if the person didn’t actually make it out alive and scare villagers outright. Vampires may have been inspired in part by premature burials in the past, when unfortunate people were mistakenly taken for dead. For instance, how strange is it that the vampire-an immortal demigod-was believed to be undone by garden-variety garlic? The vampire is an especially interesting monster because it’s an example of how multiple real-life events can inspire one creature with seemingly incongruous and contrasting traits. Turns out enclosed, millennia-old death chambers aren’t the most hygienic environments.įinally, we have a mythological creature that for centuries on end has provided humanity with inspiration for terrifying legends and romantic YA novels. What most likely occurred in Tut’s tomb, and in other similar scenarios, was that the search parties were exposed to bacteria, fungus, bat droppings, and the poisonous toxins from the mummification process. However, historians point out that the idea of a mummy’s curse had existed for decades prior to that excavation, the result of the tombs’ written warnings against grave robbers and the Victorians’ infatuation with spiritualism. The most well-known event behind the myth of the mummy's curse was the excavation of King Tut, following which several members of the search party died under abnormal circumstances. The idea behind it–that whomever disturbs the tomb of the mummy receives a fatal curse–is just superstition, but it was inspired and amplified by real-life events. The “Curse of the Mummy” was a myth originated by nineteenth century archeologists, and not the ancient Egyptians themselves. Mummies, obviously, are real but the monstrous, reanimated mummies seen often in Western fiction are not. and the fascination surrounding zombies persists. However, Davis’s clinical analysis received criticism for lacking any real presence of toxins. From there, the witch doctors kept their victims drugged and docile with amnestic drugs. In his 1985 book The Serpent and the Rainbow, Davis put forth that voodoo victims were poisoned by a neurotoxin that temporarily simulated death by slowing the heart and stiffening the muscles. His story attracted media and scientific attention, including from Harvard ethnobotanist Wade Davis, who suggested another explanation. This Haitian man was pronounced dead in 1962 with a burial attended to by his family, but resurfaced 18 years later, claiming to have been zombified and used as a slave. That’s exactly what Clairvius Narcisse said happened to him. In Haitian voodoo folklore and written accounts dating back the early twentieth century, witch doctors were said to bring the dead back to life as mindless puppets to do their bidding, usually as free laborers in sugar cane fields. png), with the ability to still go back and edit the image afterwards. svg file so that it is just the objects that I've put on the artboard, with a transparent background (à la. I tried also to select solely the circle and the font contained within the circle and save with the "export selected" option, however that still seems like I'm getting the background of the circle (despite me having the circle fill option to "none"), and furthermore it loses the preserve editing capabilities it seems because when I opened one of these to change around some of the color it did not allow me to do so. Create a transparent logo to use across social channels, swag and merchandise, video overlays, and so much more. svg and preserve the editing capabilities, but when I open the object in firefox to test it out it looks as if the entire artboard is saved along with the image, as I'm making a little design that's contained in a 100x100 pixel circle and when I open the browser that circle is centered in the middle of the page as it is in the center of the artboard. Next, experiment with photo effects to make your background even more subtle, remove noise. Slowly move the slider to the left until your text, photos, and all your essential design elements stand out nicely. Resize your photo to fill the page, and open the transparency slider. I've been reading a lot up on the various methods for saving and preserving editing capabilities as found here: , however I'm still confused. Upload any image or art in PNG or JPG for free from your gallery. 2.49 (50 off) Little Miss Hug transparent SVG File for Cricut and Silhouette Decal. ![]() When you do this, all your changes made in other apps will be lost. For example, in this sample graphic, the white part should be 'cut out' and not a separate item. Label Frames SVG, Transparent Background, Label Svg, Vintage Frames Svg, Label Frame Vector Clipart, Banner Svg, Shapes Svg. Roundtripping means: You save an SVG, then edit it in a different application (which is quite common for SVG to optimize, add styling, interaction or animation). However, if I understand you correctly, there is part of the logo that is displayed as 'white' when it really should be cut out from the pattern. I'm working with illustrator to create a cadre of icons that I'd like to use on a web page. Download for free the Oovoo Logo in transparent WebP or PNG images file format. If you are saving a file as an SVG, it should automatically have a transparent background. Some studies show promise but have been small and poor in quality. 1,2 Studies of chromium supplementation in patients with type 2 diabetes have been performed for the past 40 years, and the results remain conflicting. Trials conducted in patients with prediabetes have not shown any benefit. ![]() Deficiency is rare, and the question is whether giving additional chromium to patients with sufficient chromium levels results in any improvement in insulin resistance and control of diabetes. Q: Does chromium supplementation make a difference?Ī: Chromium likely is needed to maintain normal carbohydrate metabolism. 1 It is proposed that chromium decreases insulin resistance, which is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes, but the exact mechanism remains unknown. Q: How does chromium affect patients with type 2 diabetes?Ī: The relationship between chromium and diabetes was first noted in the 1950s when diabetes developed in chromium-deficient rats as a result of insulin resistance, which was reversed by chromium supplementation. ![]() Chromium picolinate is designed to be better absorbed than the others. ![]() 2 There are different forms available, including chromium chloride, chromium nicotinate, and chromium picolinate. 1 Severe chromium deficiency is rare, 1 but chromium has become a commonly sold supplement accounting for $85 million in sales in 2002. Q: What types of chromium supplements are available?Ī: Chromium is an essential trace element that is found in foods such as whole grain, broccoli, nuts, green beans, wine, and beer. The card must be of the same suit as the person who started (in this case, the person to the left of the dealer). Then, again in clockwise, each player lays down a card (trick) face up. It can be any heart, diamond or club, but no spades. Playing SpadesĪfter all of the bidding is done, the player to the dealers left begins by playing any card EXCEPT for a spade. There's also a penalty for bidding nil and getting 1 or more tricks. Why would anyone do that though? Well, there's a huge bonus if you can bid nil and succeed. This is basically a player trying NOT to win any tricks. Billy and Sarah's goal is to win at least 5 tricks based on their bids (4+1), Terrance and Beyonce will attempt to win at least 7 (4+3).Īs mentioned previously, a bid of zero is also called a nil bid. A bid of zero or "nil" is another strategy we'll talk about shortly. But be smart and remember that it's very difficult to get all or even half of the tricks. Bidding then continues clockwise around the table. The first player to bid is the person to the left of the dealer. This is the number of tricks that team has to win in order to get a positive score. The teams then add together the total number of bids. Before each round of Spades begins, each player will bid (or guess) how many tricks they will take. Biddingīidding is simply guessing how many "tricks" you can take. The dealer will deal out all of the cards so each player will end up with 13 to start. The goal is to accumulate points, and the first to 500 points wins. You are on the same team as the person across from you and the same goes for the other two. We don't need it, so you are banned.In a typical game, there are four players and two team. I would encourage you all to do the same when you have your experiences! There is strength in numbers!!! REPORT REPORT REPORT!! Best of luck all. So far researching how to bubble it up to the FTC, even though being that they are Russian and most likely operating somewhere out of Europe, they are bound by EU guidelines. I reported them to Apple and now looking into other ways to highlight the racism here. There isn’t anything you can do besides leave a negative review and then report them. On the positive side, it isn’t Americans who are this racist. Then they made fun of my picture to which I responded by highlighting their ignorance and got banned. And they started addressing the black people in the chat in a super offensive way in their attempt at “black people talk” which was essentially super ghetto. A user called “Site Admin” came into the chat and actually started harassing people. I was recently permanently banned for essentially doing the same thing. The last time I was banned it was for calling out their racism in the common chat. I am horrified by how overtly racist the administration is on this app. When you turn it off, the microphone button disappears for everyone. Table Talk is the voice chat feature at the table. So, there is no shortage of rude players. Unfortunately Spades is popular among ex-cons and gang members. Player has 7 minutes to reconnect before he is penalised for a long absence. Lowering WiFi frequency may help in the latter case. Disconnected players either lose cell coverage or use WiFi. On the contrary, even 2G connection is enough to play. I look forward to seeing better versions in the future That should be the very minimum of improvements on this matter The functionality for turning off table talk doesn’t work either. Even in the common chats people use derogatory and hurtful language, specifically the throwing around homophobic terms. I’ve seen players verge on verbal abuse during games and contacting the app about it isn’t easy. The other area of improvement is better administration of chats. 2- I’d also recommend allowing ping time before disconnecting. I speculate that these players are using their phones and/or not connected to WiFi? A few reccos- 1 if the former is the case, make it clear players should connect to WiFi. Apparently players also lose 3 points if disconnected, this hasn’t happened to me personally, but if it did with any frequency I would abandon the app all together. It’s disappointing to be on a winning streak, or a come back, only to have the game end abruptly. This is a frustrating experience, especially because games of Spades can last over 30 minutes. What’s strange is many of these players are fully active up until the moment they get disconnected. The first is connectivity, players get disconnected mid-game I’d say 30% of the time. I’ve been using this app for a few weeks now, and while I do enjoy it there are some improvements needed. Great game, needs better chat admin and to fix connectivity issues |