text:
Former Super Bowl-Winning Coach to Team with Tirico and Jaworski in MNF Booth
Former Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden is joining ESPN's Monday Night Football. The dynamic, outspoken and often fiery Gruden will join commentators Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski in the booth when sports television's signature series kicks off its 40th season this fall. Gruden will also contribute analysis throughout the year on ESPN Radio and other platforms, in addition to being a part of ESPN's 2010 Pro Bowl telecast and Super Bowl and NFL Draft coverage.
Gruden replaces Tony Kornheiser, who has decided to step down after three years in the Monday Night Football booth.
"I would like to thank Tony Kornheiser for his many contributions to Monday Night Football the past three years," said John Skipper, ESPN executive vice president, content. "He has been a big reason for the show's success on ESPN. Pardon the Interruption is one of ESPN's most important franchises and fans will continue to see Tony on the show and involved in other future ESPN projects for many years to come."
Kornheiser added: "I am totally grateful for the MNF opportunity that I truly enjoyed the last three seasons. I feel we got better each year. My fear of planes is legendary and sadly true. When I looked at the upcoming schedule it was the perfect storm that would've frequently moved me from the bus to the air. I kept looking at the schedule the past month and wanted to find a way to quietly extricate myself. If I could handpick a replacement of a football guy, I would cast a net and drag in Jon Gruden. He is the two things you most want — smart and funny — and has the two things I don't — good hair and a tan. I love PTI and am looking forward to continuing to yammer and yodel with Wilbon until the end of time."
Gruden served as an NFL head coach the past 11 seasons with the Oakland Raiders (1998-2001) and most recently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002-08). He compiled a career record of 100-85 and led his teams to five division titles. Gruden's best season was 2002 when the Buccaneers finished the regular season 12-4 and captured the Super Bowl XXXVII title with a 48-21 victory over the Raiders, the team Gruden had coached just one season earlier. At the time, the championship made then 38-year-old Gruden the youngest head coach ever to win a Super Bowl.
"Jon is one of the best football minds in the game, he has a natural ability to communicate that knowledge and he brings great enthusiasm – everything you want in an analyst," said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, production. "Combining Mike, one of the top play-by-play commentators in TV and radio, and Jaws, arguably the NFL's best X's and O's analyst, with Jon, a Super Bowl-winning head coach, will create a must-watch Monday Night Football booth during the 40th season and in the years ahead."
"This is a tremendous opportunity and I am very excited to be associated with ESPN and Monday Night Football," said Gruden. "I grew up a fan of Monday Night Football, and whether I've coached on Monday night or watched, I've hardly missed a game all these years. To join Mike and Jaws in the booth and to work alongside this top-notch team is going to be a real thrill."
Gruden began his NFL coaching career in 1990 when Mike Holmgren, then offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, hired him as an assistant in charge of quality control. Gruden quickly ascended through the ranks by learning the famed West Coast offense pioneered by longtime 49ers coach Bill Walsh. When Holmgren left the 49ers to become head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1992, he named Gruden the Packers' wide receivers coach. After three seasons in Green Bay, Gruden moved on to become the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator under head coach Ray Rhodes. In 1998, Gruden was chosen by Oakland owner and general manager Al Davis to be the Raiders' new head coach at the age of 34.
A native of Sandusky, Ohio, Gruden grew up in a football family. His father, Jim, served as an assistant at Notre Dame in the late 1970s and later with the Buccaneers. Gruden graduated from the University of Dayton, where he was a back-up quarterback. After graduation, he started his career as a graduate assistant at the University of Tennessee in 1986. He also served as the quarterback coach at Southeast Missouri State (1987-88), and the wide receivers coach at both Pacific (1989) and Pittsburgh (1991) in the college ranks.
Gruden worked as a guest analyst earlier this year with the NFL Network during the NFL Draft and Scouting Combine. He will make his Monday Night Football debut when ESPN kicks off its 2009 preseason schedule with a Super Bowl rematch between the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, August 13 at 8 p.m. ET. Following four preseason games, Tirico, Jaworski and Gruden will call the Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots on September 14 at 7 p.m. in the opening game of the doubleheader that will kick off the 40th season of Monday Night Football. Reporters Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya will also continue to travel to each week's MNF game, providing team updates throughout the day on Monday Night Countdown and other ESPN studio shows.
Quotes from ESPN's Monday Night Football commentators:
Mike Tirico: "I can't express how much I enjoyed working with Tony the past three years. It was a professional experience that I enjoyed and a lasting friendship that I will treasure. I think all of us on the show are better for the time we spent working with Tony.
"Looking ahead to this season, I am excited to welcome Jon to Monday Night Football. Every time you are in his company, you come away so impressed by his energy and passion for the game. He will be a perfect fit with our group. I was fortunate to be there at Super Bowl XXXVII when he reached the pinnacle of coaching success and I look forward to being next to him when he achieves greatness in this new chapter of his career."
Ron Jaworski: "I've enjoyed working with Tony. He's a class act and a brilliant man. He sees the game from the outside in and I see the game from the inside out. He brought me a new perspective and helped me grow in my role as an analyst. I also thank him for his friendship.
"I first got to know Jon when he was a coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was young, bright and energetic. He has a tremendous football mind and his career speaks for itself. He will bring a unique perspective to Monday Night Football and I am excited to work with him."
ESPN's Monday Night Football is the most-watched series in cable television history and the only NFL series nominated for a Sports Emmy in the Outstanding Live Sports Series category the past three years (2006-08). In three seasons on ESPN, Monday Night Football has registered seven of the top 10 all-time biggest household audiences in cable history, led by the Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys telecast (9/15/08), which attracted cable's largest household audience ever (an average of 12,953,000 million homes and 18,608,000 P2+). For the 2008 season, MNF averaged an 8.9 rating and 8,679,000 homes (11,962,000 P2+); the accompanying MNF "game around the game" content on ESPN.com sparked an increase of Monday traffic to the site of 51% over the previous season with an average 68.1 million page views per week.


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Automated statistics gathering silently fails July 20, 2009Posted by mwidlake in performance.
Tags: performance, statistics
…Next Post>
Or "The worst Oracle Performance Feature."
I posted a few days ago about what I feel is the best performance feature in Oracle and cited the Automated Stats Gathering job. A few people did not agree… 🙂 So, in the best traditions of politicians and lawyers the world over, I would now like to claim I was misunderstood and that is not what I said. I said the opposite…(* see later).
Of the many problems that can occur with the automated statistics job, and the one I am going to pick up on today, is the fact that it can choke on large table or table partition segments {and does so silently at that}. What do I mean by this?
The automatic stats job runs every weekday night, by default between 22:00 hours and 06:00 hours. It appears to have some logic where by it looks at the number of table segments (full tables or partitions within a table) that need to be analysed. It then calculates the amount of time it can spend on each segment. If it has 32 objects to analyse in the 8 hours available, it seems to decide it can afford to spend not 8/32 (1/4) hours on any given segment but something more. It looks to be a couple of hours.
The job also tries to prioritise the most "in need" segments to be considered first. I am not sure what it goes on but I think it is those with the largest percentage change, but it is not just as simple as that.
As a result of the above, this is what seems to happen. The stats job starts up and identifies a massive segment to analyse, say a 200GB table. It starts analysing it, say allowing 2 hours maximum, but after 2 hours it has not analysed the massive table so it gives up.
The next night, it identifies the same massive segment to analyze (now 201GB) and maybe gives it an even higher priority. The job tries to analyse it IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY as before. Oddly enough {this is sarcasm} it usually fails. The only reason it WILL succeed is if the night before the automated job managed to analyse other segments and fewer new ones need considering tonight, so it can spend more time on each segment. In my experience this is unlikely.
As a result, the object will probably fail to be analysed every night until the weekend, when the automated job gets to spend 2 whole days analysing segments and so can give each one more time. Unless you spot the error yourself and do a manual dbms_stats.gather_xxx statement yourself, with a low sample size that is likely to succeed.
How can you tell this is happening, or has happened? Look at the history of schema/database wide statsistics gathering operations in the table DBA_OPTSTAT_OPERATIONS . If a job ran all night, it probably choked {in the below, I look at table sys.WRI_OPSTAT_OPR – it is the underlying object}:
{You may ask why this is not failing the next night, like I claimed. It was because we were sorting out the failure the next morning, but had not yet properly fixed the problem}
So, for very large segments, the automated stats job can fail to analyse them.
No error appears in the alert log that I have seen, OEM or grid control does not seem to flag it up anywhere on the system summary or performance monitoring pages.
In OEM you can look at the latest stats run and see how it did. It lies. {Well, last time I checked it lies, I do not currently have access to OEM on a site suffering from the problem and, as you can imagine, clients do not want me to create massive tables just to fake this up for my blog 🙂 }. OEM has a screen to show the activity of the latest automated stats gathering run but, even though it has the option to look for objects for which there is a timeout, it does not show them.
This situation can get completly out of hand. In the below, pulled out with this script here from one site I have seen, the stats was choking every night. Not only at night, it was now choking every weekend {click on "view plain" to see a better layout} .
--show_auto_stat_runs -- Martin Widlake -- show when and what type of multi=object stats gathering runs have occured set lines 100 col operation form a40 wrap head 'operation(on)' col target form a1 spool show_auto_stat_runs.lst select operation||decode(target,null,null,'-'||target) operation ,to_char(start_time,'YYMMDD HH24:MI:SS.FF4') start_time ,to_char( end_time,'YYMMDD HH24:MI:SS.FF4') end_time from dba_optstat_operations order by start_time desc / clear colu spool off operation(on) START_TIME END_TIME ----------------------------------- -------------------- -------------------- gather_database_stats(auto) 090518 06:09:43.3429 090520 00:00:52.7399 gather_database_stats(auto) 090517 22:00:01.0653 090518 06:01:02.1637 gather_database_stats(auto) 090516 22:00:00.5150 090517 06:00:39.3076 gather_database_stats(auto) 090515 22:00:00.4157 090516 06:01:10.6544 gather_database_stats(auto) 090514 22:00:01.6624 090515 06:01:10.3767 gather_database_stats(auto) 090513 22:00:01.0706 090514 06:01:07.7145 gather_database_stats(auto) 090511 06:01:44.2381 090513 00:01:23.3091 gather_database_stats(auto) 090510 22:00:00.3218 090511 06:00:53.7735 gather_database_stats(auto) 090509 22:00:02.4334 090510 06:01:11.2443 gather_database_stats(auto) 090508 22:00:03.2080 090509 06:01:22.6858 gather_database_stats(auto) 090507 22:00:01.4859 090508 06:01:19.1966 gather_database_stats(auto) 090506 22:00:02.1927 090507 06:03:55.9747 gather_database_stats(auto) 090504 06:00:47.3064 090506 00:00:29.0017 gather_database_stats(auto) 090503 22:00:01.0015 090504 06:00:45.7018 gather_schema_stats-BIG_SCHEMA 090503 10:41:16.2605 090503 12:32:33.2488 gather_database_stats(auto) 090502 22:00:00.9199 090503 06:00:47.9868 gather_database_stats(auto) 090501 22:00:02.3382 090502 06:01:24.6070 gather_database_stats(auto) 090530 22:00:01.4914 090501 06:01:31.4369 gather_database_stats(auto) 090529 22:00:01.1076 090530 06:01:14.7856 gather_database_stats(auto) 090527 06:01:01.0286 090529 00:01:16.2678 gather_database_stats(auto) 090526 22:00:00.3628 090527 06:00:52.0203
The Automated stats job was virtually as a standstill as every night and every weekend it tried to do the same things in the same way and failed. So,unlike a human who finds they choke if they try and swallow a pork pie in one go and so stop doing it, Oracle keeps on trying to swallow it whole.
Worse still, it was burning CPU and IO doing a pointless set of partial table analyzes all night and all weekend.
Double Tsch!
(*) This claim that I never said what I said about the stats job is of course a big weasly lie. I did say it was the best feature. I also stick to this, though I think I am clinging on by my fingertips. I think it is the best step forward for smaller, average, not-too-demanding databases, those which tend to have less DBA support. But not the big, complex, highly active ones. I did say that it has problems with them right at the beginning, honest! 🙂
- 3. Noons - July 20, 2009
"So,unlike a human who finds they choke if they try and swallow a pork pie in one go and so stop doing it, Oracle keeps on trying to swallow it whole"
One of the first descriptions I heard of computers and what they do, many years ago, went like this: they are very good at repeating the same mistake, very very fast.
They still do!
- 4. Doug Burns - July 21, 2009
Trust me, Martin, everyone noticed your caveats right at the start.
As for this post, nice illustration of exactly what hit us the other week (I think) and screwed up an entire overnight batch. Happens once in a while, apparently 😉
- 6. Doug Burns - July 21, 2009
We used this query to identify the problem
select to_char(log_date, 'DD/MM/YY HH24:MI'), status, additional_info
from dba_scheduler_job_log
where job_name='GATHER_STATS_JOB'
order by log_date desc
but the situation is complicated in our case because we have both the auto stats gather job enabled (which people were unaware of) and the ETL batch gathers stats too, so the ETL batch took care of it. We set the AUTOSTATS_TARGET to ORACLE before the next night.
- 8. B. Polarski - July 22, 2009
There is also dba_scheduler_job_run_details whic offer an additional column error# whose value I am sure exists somewhere yet to fe found. I don't have faulty execution so I am curious if you have something in error# and addtional_info.
Also and you could add a second query to identify user defined gather stats to complete the picture
col operation for a40
col target for a26
col start_time for a26
col end_time for a26
set head on lines 190
col job_name for a25
col cpu_used for a20
col run_duration for a20
col additional_info for a40
col status for a16
col error# for 9999999
select job_name, to_char(actual_START_DATE,'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS') req_start_date
,CPU_USED,RUN_DURATION,STATUS,error#, additional_info
from DBA_SCHEDULER_JOB_RUN_DETAILS
where job_name = 'GATHER_STATS_JOB' order by 2 desc
prompt Additional gather statistics run
select operation, target,
to_char(start_time,'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS.FF4′) start_time,
to_char( end_time,'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS.FF4′) end_time
from dba_optstat_operations where operation != 'gather_database_stats(auto)'
order by start_time desc ;
- 9. Automatic Statistics Gathering Fails #3 « Martin Widlake's Yet Another Oracle Blog - July 29, 2009
[…] minutes from my lunch time to finish off this thread on the automated statistics gathering failing. <<first post … <second […]
- 10. Automated Statistics Gathering Silently Fails #2 « Martin Widlake's Yet Another Oracle Blog - February 20, 2010
[…] July 23, 2009 Posted by mwidlake in performance. Tags: performance, statistics trackback <previous post…next […]
- 11. Mani - May 7, 2011
What if I do a manual stats for all objects onetime and then enable the job?
- 12. Victor - September 10, 2011
Joining this very late but I'm having problems with this but cannot identify th table causing th problem. I see above you say "There IS a way to spot what the stats job choked on, I'll post today or tomorrow, when I get chance from the day job" but I don't think you ever did! Be grateful if you could
- 15. Rene Jeruschkat - October 14, 2016
I am a little late here, but the content is still good. This is a third way on how to found out what the stats job spent its time. (If you have the tuning/diagnostics pack):
–1. see whether we are hit by this problem
select client_name,window_name,job_start_time,job_duration,job_name,job_status from DBA_AUTOTASK_JOB_HISTORY
where client_name = 'auto optimizer stats collection'
and job_duration > INTERVAL '3:50' HOUR TO MINUTE
and job_status = 'STOPPED'
order by window_start_time desc;
–2. get the session and serial id from the run details
select log_date,job_name,actual_start_date,run_duration,session_id,cpu_used from SYS.DBA_SCHEDULER_JOB_RUN_DETAILS where job_name in (
select job_name from DBA_AUTOTASK_JOB_HISTORY where client_name = 'auto optimizer stats collection' and job_status = 'STOPPED' and job_duration > INTERVAL '3:50′ HOUR TO MINUTE
) order by log_date desc;
–3. get the sql statements this session ran from ASH, needs diagnostics/tuning pack
select sql_id,count(*) from v$active_session_history /*DBA_HIST_ACTIVE_SESS_HISTORY*/ where session_id = 466 and session_serial# = 64717
and sample_time
between trunc(sysdate) -1 + 22/24 and trunc(sysdate) + 2/24 –last night 22:00 to 02:00
and session_id||','||session_serial# = (
select session_id from (
select actual_start_date,session_id,row_number() over (order by actual_start_date desc) rn from SYS.DBA_SCHEDULER_JOB_RUN_DETAILS where job_name in (
select job_name from DBA_AUTOTASK_JOB_HISTORY where client_name = 'auto optimizer stats collection' and job_status = 'STOPPED' and job_duration > INTERVAL '3:50′ HOUR TO MINUTE
) and actual_start_date > sysdate -2 –assumes that the job runs each day and looks at the last 2 days
) where rn = 1
group by sql_id
order by 2 desc;
–4. check the sqltext the session ran, it probably contains the tablename
select * from dba_hist_sqltext where sql_id = '98p2az1f8k9u4';

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Driver receives hefty $575 fine after throwing a lit cigarette out the window
Apparently there are 575 reasons to not toss a lit cigarette out a car window.
A driver in Canada learned that lesson the hard way Saturday after being pulled over by Victoria Police Chief Del Manak.
Manak, who said he witnessed the driver do it right in front of him, posted a photo of part of the $575 citation on Twitter.
The citation listed the offense as a potential "wildfire act."
Manak asked the unidentified driver why he did it, and the driver responded, "I didn't want my car to burn."
"Then don't smoke in your car," Manak said.
While some were critical of the citation amount, Manak told the Vancouver Sun that he let the driver off a little bit easy.
"I don't set the prescribed fine amount, and I actually did use some discretion," he said. "I could have also written him a $138 speeding ticket."
He pulled over someone in September for the same offense but only wrote them up for speeding and littering, the Vancouver Sun reported.


text:
Pitcher Josh Beckett sues pipeline builder over ocelot habitat
McALLEN - Not even the legal equivalent of a fastball under the chin could stop a Texas pipeline builder from clearing acres of brush that Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett claims is critical habitat for the endangered ocelot.A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in Laredo by two of Beckett's companies asks a judge to stop any further work on the natural gas pipeline and specify what the builder must do under the Endangered Species Act. The companies filed a motion for a temporary restraining order Wednesday that included a statement from Beckett describing two occasions when he saw what he believes were ocelots.But the clearing of about 40 acres of thick native scrub on a 7,000-acre hunting ranch about 100 miles southwest of San Antonio was finished earlier this month despite a warning Beckett's lawyers sent to Eagle Ford Midstream LP and its parent NET Midstream in August.The pipeline company had obtained an easement across Beckett's Herradura Ranch in state court, according to the lawsuit. Beckett Ventures Inc. and Hall of Fame Land Ventures LP claim that they urged the company to choose a shorter, direct path rather than the diagonal swath that was cleared."Plaintiffs have attempted repeatedly, and failed, to persuade defendants to adopt an environmentally responsible route that will not cause a prohibited 'take' of the endangered ocelot, which has been spotted on the ranch and which has extensive habitat on the ranch," according to the motion filed Wednesday.A phone message left with Eagle Ford Midstream's parent company wasn't immediately returned.But the company filed a response with the court Wednesday, arguing that the hunting ranch's activity posed a greater threat than their pipeline. They pointed out that a state court denied Beckett's similar request to halt their project earlier this month.Jim Blackburn, who filed the lawsuit, said Beckett's companies went to state court first because the waiting period for federal jurisdiction under the Endangered Species Act hadn't passed before Eagle Ford Midstream started clearing land. He thinks Eagle Ford intentionally destroyed the habitat during that waiting period."We were trying to do everything we could to stop them from clearing the vegetation," Blackburn said.Eagle Ford Midstream noted that e-mails it received from Beckett's lawyers in April requested an alternative route because of the impact on an irrigation system and the ranch's hunting business with no mention of endangered species."The protection of the ocelot was merely a sham to leverage additional money from (Eagle-Ford Midstream) in exchange for an easement," the response said.Beckett was bow hunting from a camouflaged blind on the ranch six years ago when he saw a "very stealthy" cat with unusual markings come through a fence and walk down a drainage, according to statement filed with the court Wednesday.Two years later, he saw an identical spotted cat followed by a kitten, again while bow hunting. Beckett said he is familiar with the more common bobcat and was confident it was not a bobcat. His father saw an adult and kitten that he believed were ocelots on the ranch in 2010.Workers cleared easement for the pipeline on the ranch on Oct. 3 and 4, along with additional temporary work space, the lawsuit said. Eagle Ford Midstream said Beckett overstated the amount of land cleared. The pipeline is supposed to run 102 miles.The pipeline company's environmental consultant evaluated the right-of-way for the project and determined the land "does not exhibit the necessary density, coverage or structure generally described for potential ocelot habitat." It went on to say that the nearest known population of ocelots was 120 miles away in Kenedy County.Based on that information, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined no further action was required.Beckett's team disagreed. It brought, Michael Tewes, a wild cat expert from nearby Texas A&M University-Kingsville to the ranch days after the clearing."In short, suitable ocelot habitat exists on the Herradura Ranch," Tewes wrote in a brief report filed with the court. "It exists along or near the pipeline right-of-way. If ocelots occupied this habitat when it was cleared for the pipeline, then they were affected by such action. Also, noise and activity on the proposed pipeline could affect ocelots adjacent or near the pipeline."David Frederick, who retired after a 32-year career with U.S. Fish and Wildlife and is now a consultant and professional hunter, also filed a report based on a June visit to the ranch. He said there was suitable ocelot habitat and he found big cat tracks in dried mud along a drainage.There may only be about 50 ocelots remaining in Texas.Sonia Najera, a program manager with The Nature Conservancy in South Texas, said loss of habitat is one of the most significant issues facing ocelots. What habitat remains is more and more isolated and ocelots have to trek long distances, often crossing highways and road networks, she said."They will travel along drainages, fence rows that are wooded, wooded corridors," she said. "They do need cover. And it's not just ocelots, it's most wildlife in general."Najera was not familiar with the Herradura Ranch or the lawsuit.The Herradura Ranch offers luxurious multi-day guided hunting trips for white-tail deer, doves, quail, javelina, coyote and bobcat. Phone messages left there were not immediately returned.


text:
Courtesy Photo / Trail-Gazette
Walt Hester / Trail-Gazette
Walt Hester / Trail-Gazette
Walt Hester / Trail-Gazette
Walt Hester / Trail-Gazette
Walt Hester / Trail-Gazette
Walt Hester / Trail-Gazette
The spotlight is on and the microphone ready for the tenth annual Poetry Café sponsored by the Estes Valley Library and Park Elementary School. Students in third through fifth grades and family members are invited to hear live poetry readings from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, in the Estes Park Elementary School cafeteria. The main doors will be closed so attendees should use the cafeteria entrance. Pizza will be served and each family member can receive one free slice of pizza by bringing back the coupon that was included in the Friday folders. Return the coupon to Mrs. Wahler by April 23. Additional slices of pizza may be purchased for one dollar.
Here's what students need to do to take part:
• First find a book of poetry. It could be a book by a single poet like Shel Silverstein or Jack Prelutsky or students may read an anthology of poems by many different poets.
• Find lots of poetry books at the library in the non-fiction 811 section. Ask a librarian if you need help locating them.
• Spend some time reading and enjoying the poems. Read through your chosen poems several times to become familiar with the poem's ideas and images. The more you understand the poem, the more your audience will understand it. Allow yourself to see the images created by the words in your imagination.
• Look up any unfamiliar words in the dictionary for their meaning and pronunciation.
• Read the poem quietly aloud to yourself and be aware of punctuation. Listen for the poem's beat. Practice adding pauses and emphasis in different spots to find the most accurate voice for the poem.
•Read slowly. Allow each word its space. The temptation is to rush. Resist it.
•Practice introducing your poem by announcing the title and the poet's name. Rehearse the poem by reading it aloud for your parents or friends. Be prepared to share two poems during our Poetry Café.
This year students are encouraged to share an original poem or one that they have memorized. Start with a poem you like, recite it to yourself over and over, and you will get to know the poem. One of the best things about learning a poem by heart is that you get to take a poem inside of yourself. When you memorize a poem it is no longer just a poem, but your poem.
Students may want to dress like a beatnik for the occasion. Black clothes and fancy shades with a beret would make you fit right in. The kids at Estes Park Elementary are too cool to clap when one of their classmates finishes reading a poem. When you're as cool as they are, you don't clap. You snap.
Parents, family, teachers, and interested community members are welcome to attend and recite a favorite poem as well. Students may prepare more than one poem, but this year we want all interested students to have the opportunity to read one poem before we start a second round of readings. Don't be square.


text:
Ex-wife says former SC Gov. Sanford trespassed
A lawyer says ex-South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford trespassed at his ex-wife's home and he has been ordered to appear in court two days after his special congressional election.
Documents acquired by The Associated Press Tuesday say Jenny Sanford confronted her ex-husband leaving her South Carolina home on Feb. 3. Her attorney filed a complaint the next day and she confirms the documents are authentic.
In them, she says he was using his cellphone as a flashlight as he left.
The couple's divorce settlement says neither may enter the other's home without permission.
Mark Sanford, a Republican, is trying to revive a political career that was derailed by an extramarital affair, which ended his marriage. He is running for the state's 1st Congressional District seat.
A spokesman says the campaign has no comment at this time.


text:
UNESCO has been at the forefront of global literacy efforts since 1946, advancing the vision of a literate world for all. It views acquiring and improving literacy skills throughout life as an intrinsic part of the right to education. The "multiplier effect" of literacy empowers people, enables them to participate fully in society and contributes to improve livelihoods.
Literacy is also a driver for sustainable development in that it enables greater participation in the labour market; improved child and family health and nutrition; reduces poverty and expands life opportunities,
Beyond its conventional concept as a set of reading, writing and counting skills, literacy is now understood as a means of identification, understanding, interpretation, creation, and communication in an increasingly digital, text-mediated, information-rich and fast-changing world.
Globally, however, at least 773 million youth and adults still cannot read and write and 250 million children are failing to acquire basic literacy skills. This results in an exclusion of low-literate and low-skilled youth and adults from full participation in their communities and societies.
To advance literacy as an integral part of lifelong learning and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UNESCO takes the following approaches to promote literacy worldwide, with an emphasis on youth and adults.
- Building strong foundations through early childhood care and education
- Providing quality basic education for all children
- Scaling-up functional literacy levels for youth and adults who lack basic literacy skills
- Developing literate environments


text:
Brother of Zetas cartel leaders held in Texas jail
AUSTIN, Texas – A man accused in an alleged scheme to buy and train racehorses to benefit the Zetas drug cartel was ordered detained Tuesday in Texas after a judge suggested he might flee to Mexico if released.
Jose Trevino Morales, the brother of two alleged cartel leaders, is among 15 people charged in what federal prosecutors said was a money-laundering scheme centered on an Oklahoma horse ranch. Authorities said Trevino was involved in an operation that quietly arranged to spend millions of dollars of drug money on racehorses.
But Trevino's supporters argued that he was the innocent brother of two men — Miguel Angel and Oscar Omar Trevino Morales — reputedly near the top of the notorious Zetas cartel based in Mexico.
Jose Trevino pleaded not guilty at a Tuesday detention hearing in Austin. The Austin American-Statesman reported that his attorney, David Finn, argued that his client wasn't a risk to flee or commit a crime. U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Lane agreed that there was no evidence to suggest Trevino was a risk to community, but he thought Trevino might flee to Mexico if he was let out of jail.
"We're disappointed with the magistrate's decision," Finn told The Associated Press after the hearing. "The government agreed that he is not a danger to the community or to society."
A spokesman for prosecutors did not return a phone message from the AP late Tuesday.
An IRS investigator who testified Tuesday said a federal informant — a drug distributor working for the Zetas — met Trevino several times when he secretly crossed the border for meetings with his brothers.
An indictment unsealed last month describes how the Trevino brothers and a network quietly arranged to purchase quarter horses with drug money at auction and disguise the source of the funds used to buy them so that the Zetas' involvement would be masked. They would often pay in cash, or use fake names, which helped keep the owners and the money a secret, authorities alleged.
The operation, Tremor Enterprises LLC, started small but worked in plain sight, with some horses carrying names with drug references, such as Number One Cartel. The horses and the operation eventually earned a place on some of the most elite stages in the industry. One horse named Mr. Piloto won a $1 million prize at Ruidoso Downs in 2010.
Three stable workers at the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino told The Associated Press last month that Trevino's stables were known as the "Zetas' stables," and two of the workers described seeing people from Mexico show up to the stables with duffel bags of cash to purchase horses. The AP agreed to let the workers, who refused to give their names, speak anonymously because they feared retaliation from the Zetas cartel.
Neighbors of Jose Trevino's ranch, Zule Farms, questioned how he and his wife could afford to pay cash for top-notch horses.
Trevino's two brothers listed in the indictment are believed to be near the top of one of Mexico's most powerful and violent drug cartels. The elder Trevino, Miguel Angel, is known for his brutality and one of the U.S. and Mexican governments' most wanted men.


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to game that system effectively.
Number Of Companies Using The Patent System Is 'Surprisingly Small'
from the just-the-facts dept
One of the common mantras is that patents are indispensable, particularly for smaller companies, in order to prevent inventions being appropriated. If that is true, then presumably innovative companies are patenting like mad in order to protect their inventions. But is that really the case? Since the necessity of patents is so "obviously" true, like so many other dogmas in the area of intellectual monopolies, people rarely look at the data to see whether it is. However, there is some research in this area, such as this 2012 paper from the UK, which explored the extent of patenting by companies over the last decade or so (pdf). Here are the main results:
One of the most puzzling findings in the empirical analysis of firms' patenting behaviour is the low proportion of patenting firms in the population of registered companies. Our investigation of this phenomenon in the UK finds that only 1.6% of all registered firms in the UK patent and that even among those that are engaged in some broadly defined form of R&D, only around 4% have applied for a UK or European patent during our period of analysis (1998-2006).
Perhaps famously "inventive" high-technology sectors employ them more than traditional markets? Or maybe this is just a UK thing? Well, yes, but only to a certain extent:
In our data, even in high-tech manufacturing sectors, which arguably produce the most patentable inventions, the share of patenting firms in the UK does not surpass 10% . Restricting the high-tech sector to R&D-doing firms that also innovate, the share of patenting firms increases only to 16%. Findings for the US are similar: Balasubramanian and Sivadasan (2011) find that only 5.5% of US manufacturing firms own a patent. Moreover, shares of patenting firms differ dramatically across sectors — even within the manufacturing industry; for example in the UK, manufacturing of chemicals and chemical products has a share of around 10% of patenting firms whereas publishing and printing has a share of only around 1%. This suggests that (a) some firms do not automatically patent all of their patentable inventions, (b) some firms avoid the patent system altogether, either because of its cost or because patenting is perceived to yield no additional benefit, and (c) some innovations involve inventions that are not patentable.
The rest of the paper explores the data in detail, and seeks to come up with some explanations as to why patents are not used as a matter of course. As you might expect, there's no simple answer; instead, it seems to be due to a complex mix of factors. But what is not in doubt is the fact that companies making things — that is, those who aren't patent trolls — do not regard patents as indispensable as some proponents would have us believe.
Follow me @glynmoody on Twitter or identi.ca, and +glynmoody on Google+
Filed Under: innovation, patents, r&d, studies, usage


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Two very interesting videos. The first, a presentation by Rod Jeffries, goes through a treatment of "Lateral Violence". The second is three role-play scenarios to demonstrate the concepts. Both of these videos are in the context of nursing in hospitals… however, it takes little imagination to see how they apply in other environments. I would actually assert that the problems described in these videos are endemic to most organizations.
Alistair Cockburn has also written about safety in a team context.
Scrum and other agile methods all have some mechanisms for dealing with this sort of challenge, but they can start failing quickly if the sponsors of the agile effort do not overcome the habitual and cultural challengs.
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Monday, January 26, 2009
Birthday Number 76 for Ray : Big Party With Burlesque Performance by "Mini Malicious" at Ray's Candy Store Sunday Night ...
Jay ,Biker Bill , Eden and Cowboy Stanley at Ray's waitng for the performance to begin . It was crowded enough inside later that many people just watched it all through the door glass or store front windows .
Sunday night there was a special birthday party for a special neighborhood guy . Ray turned 76 years old today and his friends and some others too celebrated his birthday with him at his candy store . Even Cowboy Stanley braved the very cold night for this special event .
The party started a bit after 11pm with a burlesque performance by dancer Mini Malicious . The partiers , mostly guys , were lined up at the counter well ahead of time .
This performance , as were those from the last two birthday celebrations , is presented here at NMNL for your enjoyment .
Mini Malicious performs regularly around town . More on all of that here :
Stanley's passions , already stirred by Mini's performance , were whipped even more thoroughly as if by a "MixMaster" when Mini let him hold her bustier.
Ilya , the guy who has organized all three past Ray's birthday celebrations . Below Mini displays a B&W Polaroid that Ilya made with his antique Polaroid camera .
Not all present were neighborhood regulars . The guy in these three shots was a stranger that had been partying privately with himself long before he got to Rays . He told Ray that he had a reason to get high today ; he just got out of prison after having spent 8 years incarcerated upstate . Biker Bill was ready to hit him .
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Sorry to have missed the festivities!!!Glad a good time was had by all. Great photos once again Bob!!!
Bob!!! You have outdone yourself once again!!! Excellent shots!!! Did you get Minnies phone number?(smiles...). NMNL rocks!!! Keep up the great work!!!!
Bob!!! You have outdone yourself once again!!! Excellent shots!!! Did you get mini's phone number?(smiles...). NMNL rocks!!! Keep up the great work....
what a classic moment to arrive at, so glad to see that the freaks have a strong hold in town yet, thanks for all the tears of laughter
Now now Eden! No encouraging the stalkers,I mean"secret admires!",ummmpphhh!!!(yikes! same outfit for real?)....Post a Comment
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Reds 4, Cardinals 3
Joey Votto snapped out of a slump, and so did the Cincinnati Reds.
Votto tied a career best with four hits and scored the go-ahead run on pinch-hitter Chris Heisey's ninth-inning single, capping a comeback from a three-run deficit and leading the Reds over the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 Wednesday.
The Reds avoided a three-game sweep by the defending World Series champions, who won just one of six games in Cincinnati last season. The Reds went 3-3 on their opening homestand and headed off for an 11-day, 10-game trip.
''I don't think salvage is a fair word,'' said Votto, who entered with a .188 average. ''We're just trying to find some momentum. It would've been pretty frustrating to go on the road if we hadn't won this game. The Cardinals played well. They've got a good team. They won the World Series. We've got a lot of work ahead of us, and they're certainly in the way.''
Votto doubled off Marc Rzepczynski (0-1) leading off the ninth for the 10th four-hit game of his career. Ryan Ludwick was intentionally walked, Jay Bruce struck out, Fernando Salas relieved and Heisey lined a single to left.
''There was no doubt, right off the bat,'' Heisey said. ''It was a good feeling to get the barrel of the bat on it.''
Heisey's hit was Cincinnati's 14th. The Reds came in batting .201, and manager Dusty Baker said he was confident his offense would pick up.
''You just don't know when they're going to start hitting the ball,'' Baker said. ''It was sure nice to see them come around today. That was a big win for us to end the homestand well and not get too far behind. I know it's early, but you don't want to get too far behind.''
Aroldis Chapman (2-0), groomed as a starter during spring training before injuries forced the Reds to keep him in the bullpen, struck out five in two scoreless innings.
''I feel great,'' Chapman said through an interpreter. ''I prefer to be a starter, but they decided to put me back in the bullpen, and I'm happy with that. That's my job - to hold the other team and let my team get back in the game.''
Reds starter Johnny Cueto gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings.
Down 3-0 in the third against Jaime Garcia, the Reds tied the score in the fifth. Garcia, 6-1 against the Reds, allowed three runs and 11 hits in 4 2-3 innings.
''I wasn't the best,'' Garcia said. ''I was battling. It's part of the game. I don't want to make excuses. They have a good lineup. I was getting ahead, but I wasn't putting them away. I have to work on that in my next bullpen.''
Cardinals manager Mike Matheny believed his players were a little overmatched against Cueto, especially with regulars Lance Berkman, David Freese and Carlos Beltran getting the day off. Freese, last year's World Series Most Valuable Player, struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth, ending his season-opening hitting streak at six games.
''We tried to steal one there,'' Matheny said. ''We tried to grind it out. Cueto is a tough customer, but we put together some good at-bats. Jaime made too many mistakes up in the zone. He's a touch-and-feel guy, and when he doesn't feel it, he has trouble. Under different circumstances, he could have gone longer, but he had a rough fifth inning. His pitch count was OK, but he labored with them.''
St. Louis took a 3-0 lead in the third on Garcia's two-out single, Rafael Furcal's RBI triple into the right-field corner and Jon Jay's two-run homer, his first home run this season.
Votto doubled in a run in the third, when Garcia escaped a two-on, no-outs jam by striking out Ryan Ludwick and Jay Bruce, then retiring Miguel Cairo on a groundout. Votto's double gave the Reds seven hits, matching their total in the first two games on the series.
Bruce's sacrifice fly and Wilson Valdez's run-scoring bunt single tied the score in the fifth.
NOTES: Concerns over Monday's left hamstring forced Reds 2B Brandon Phillips to miss his second consecutive start since agreeing to a $72.5 million, six-year contract. Manager Dusty Baker expects Phillips to miss three or four days. ... Cardinals 1B Lance Berkman didn't start after leaving Tuesday's game in the eighth inning with tightness in his left calf.


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High Flyer – yes, we still have our High Flyer volume discount! If you select 5 or more days to ride with us, the digital pricing elves will automatically subtract $40 from each selection. Note: The package deals at Tamworth and Canaan are not part of the programming; select each day separately to trigger the discount logic. Everything else is fair game, so click away!
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Rain Policy – Fishtail rides rain or shine. The only exception to this will be if the weather is bordering on Biblically cataclysmic and the facility shuts down. (That has only happened 3 times in our history.) No one ever believes us, but you will have a great time riding in the wet. You'll walk away from the day with a huge boost in confidence.
Cancellation Policy – We allow no-restriction cancellations prior to 30 days before an event (with a $10 processing fee). Once inside the 30-day window, we will honor cancellations only if we have a waiting list and enough time to find someone to fill your slot.


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Sites using Semantic MediaWiki
From semantic-mediawiki.org
A variety of websites and projects using Semantic MediaWiki are collected on this website. The list is not intended to be exhaustive but represents selections made by the community, including websites that have previously been featured as Wiki of the Month, a community initiative which ran from 2010 to 2015. A more extensive list of public websites running Semantic MediaWiki can be obtained from WikiApiary.
Results restricted to: (click to remove)


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The Spot: A man in a bowler hat walks around with a red umbrella the size of a Ferris wheel. In his travels, he encounters various citizens in distress—and uses his giant umbrella to help them. It shelters people from rain, of course, but it also serves as a boat, and even an aircraft. "There when you need it," says the tag line. "For auto, home, and business. Travelers." (Click here to watch the spot.)
The Travelers umbrella has an interesting history, as corporate logos go. It dates back to at least 1870, when it appeared in a newspaper ad for the fledgling insurance company. It was reinvigorated in the late 1950s, when it was given its signature red hue. More recently, it spent a lost decade as the logo of Citigroup, after Citicorp and Travelers merged (somewhat disastrously, it turned out) in 1998.
Travelers became an independent company again in 2002, but it left the umbrella behind with Citi. (Who hasn't forgotten an umbrella in a rush to leave an unpleasant gathering?) It wasn't until a year ago—when Citi re-branded, opting instead for a bland little arc emblazoned above the letters of its name—that the umbrella was at last set free. Travelers jumped at the chance to buy it back.
How much did this cost? Travelers wouldn't tell me, but newspaper reports peg the transaction in the millions. "It was a substantial investment," says Shane Boyd, vice president of communications and branding for Travelers, "but we think well worth it."
I'm inclined to agree. For a Hydra-headed financial products firm like Citigroup, the umbrella was never an apt metaphor. To me, it always conjured the array of disparate departments all crammed unhappily under the Citi name. For an insurance company, though, an umbrella is a perfect symbol: It shelters us when stormy weather hits. The logo's enduring appeal is perhaps best summed up by a Travelers executive, quoted in the New York Times in 1964: "It illustrates the concept of protection, it is friendly, it is warm, and it is very merchandisable." (Of course, a slot machine might be just as fitting a symbol for an insurer: You feed it money with the vague hope of a payout that may never be awarded.)
After giving Citi a year to wipe the umbrella off all its signage, letterhead, and marketing materials (to avoid any overlap), Travelers is now putting the umbrella front and center. This new ad debuted during the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 round and is the first spot in what will be a yearlong campaign of ads built around the logo itself.
A whole campaign about a company's logo instead of about the service or product the company offers? Can this be wise? In this case, I think yes.
Consider some recent, nonumbrella Travelers ads. In one, scientists reattach "lucky rabbit feet" to real rabbits, and we see the bunnies doing adorable rehab exercises. In another, a man representing risk (he has the word tattooed on his knuckles) wanders around in the wee hours of the night damaging expensive property. Both ads are clever, and I still remember them long after they stopped appearing on TV. But until I began researching this story, I couldn't have told you which product they were pitching.
Brand awareness is a major issue for any insurance company. There's no eye-catching box you can carefully position on supermarket shelves and no tangible product the consumer might see around town. Yet you need to make sure that potential customers weighing their options will include you in the mix. A further challenge is that the insurance category is incredibly crowded when it comes to advertising, and huge spenders like Geico, Progressive, State Farm, and Allstate have been filling up the airwaves— becoming top-of-mind brands in part through the sheer ubiquity of their ads.
Travelers says it can't compete with those massive marketing budgets, which are several multiples of its own. Instead, the company feels it can leverage its iconic umbrella to get more bang for the buck. Its consumer research shows that even now, after the logo's muddled recent history, people still very strongly associate it with Travelers. (Boyd wouldn't share his proprietary findings with me, but he claims the level of recall is quite remarkable.) Thus that memorable red umbrella—blown up to absurd proportions and plastered across television screens with judicious ad buys—will help jam Travelers into the mind of the comparison-shopping insurance buyer.
I also think the campaign finds a nicely placed sweet spot in terms of its tone. The art director who worked on the spot says he was going for a "modern fairy tale" vibe. There's a lighthearted mood here that contrasts with all the fear-mongering insurance ads on TV, with their terrifying footage of floods and car accidents. At the same time, the umbrella is a much statelier brand icon than Geico's hammy lizard. It manages to be both elegant and, thanks to its size, in-your-face.
I wonder if Citi is jealous? It's like their dowdy, neglected girlfriend met a new guy, got a stunning makeover, and is now flaunting her enhancements for all to see.
Grade: B+. The pretty scenery (filmed in New Zealand) and the cinematic touches are nice, but it's the well-executed deployment of that zany umbrella that really makes the spot memorable. And, by the way, that's no computer graphic. It's a 35-foot-tall, custom-made umbrella. During shooting, it was stabilized by cranes that were later digitally erased. One of the ad guys described the surreal nature of the scene on set: "Walking through downtown Auckland with this thing," he says, "was like living in a Magritte painting."


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Cow Palace wrestling in a bygone era
During the 1960s, professional wrestling was huge at the Cow Palace. There are vast websites devoted to the phenomenon, which was part of a circuit that included Sacramento.
Now a new book, When I Shot Good & Bad Guys Who Wrestled at the Cow Palace, commemorates the era. The book collects photographer Jim Fitzpatrick's work documenting the bouts held by promoter Roy Shire, a former wrestler who became the biggest wrestling promoter in Northern California in the 1960s (scroll down in that page to "The Beginning" for Shire's story).
You can order When I Shot Good and Bad Guys here.
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The 2010 Acura MDX has been loaded down with technology like no SUV before. That's a good thing, as that tech solves so many of the problems inherent to the SUV form factor.
Dewalt 20V Max Cordless Drill & Driver Kit
#1 Best-seller
Comes equipped with an LED which goes on when the trigger is pulled. You'll a clear view of whatever you are drilling or screwing with minimal shadows.
The 2010 MDX retains the 2008 model's torque-vectoring SH-AWD, adding re-tuned Active Dampers a new 6-speed, paddle-equipped automatic transmission, larger 13-inch front, 13.2-inch rear brake discs, optional 19-inch wheels and retunes the 300 HP, 270 Lb-Ft 3.7-liter V6 with a more flexible power band.
Put together, it makes the MDX both more capable and more refined. Engaging "Comfort" mode on the adaptive dampers now better isolates passengers from bumps, further differentiating it from "Sport" mode, which is still taut and controlled, delivering a near absence of body roll.
You can now click the paddles twice in rapid succession to shift down two gears at once, useful for overtaking and cornering as that sixth gear is now a very tall overdrive, spec'd to boost highway fuel economy and refinement. However, one needn't worry — the more flexible engine means sixth doesn't lack the ability to accelerate.
Engage "Sport" mode, knock it down from fourth to second, get on the accelerator and throw the MDX into a corner fast and the result is something akin to a dialed-back BMW X6. Like BMW's strangely-shaped crossover-car-coupe, there's virtually no roll or steering feel, but there's not really any understeer either. The MDX just takes corners at any speed you require of it. Thank the torque vectoring rear differential for that, although, unlike the X6, the front wheels can't push power side-to-side to really capitalize on available traction. Still, the ability to send power to the outside rear wheel in a corner greatly boosts confidence, speed and outright cornering ability. I was disappointed I couldn't convince the MDX to hang its rear out like the X6, but I suppose the desire to do that in a 7-passenger SUV is strongly indicative of its ability to push the boundaries of physics.
The tech fest continues inside with new VGA screens front (8") and rear (9"), the latter featuring a detachable remote that mimics the main HMI on the dash. Neat. There's also LED ambient lighting in high-tech blue, a backup camera with three selectable views (180 degree wide-angle, normal and one that points 90 degrees down for precise negotiation of obstacles), blind sport warnings, radar cruise control with last-second collision mitigating brakes, heated and cooled leather seats, a power tailgate, Sat/Nav with real-time Doppler radar weather maps and live traffic info, a 15 GB hard drive for storing music, full voice-controlled iPod integration with Bluetooth audio, lane guidance and a wallpaper function for the Nav screen capable of displaying your favorite cute kitten picture. Hang in there!
Bizarrely, Acura has slathered the dash and console in an ugly wood trim that isn't in keeping with the otherwise tech-focused nature of the interior.
All these interior features, 6-speed tranny and SH-AWD will also be used on the 2010 Acura ZDX.
At 7.0-seconds to 60 MPH, the new MDX is faster than V6-equipped rivals like the Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7 3.2, Lexus RX350, Infiniti FX35 and BMW X5 3.0. At 16 MPG city/21 MPG highway, it's also more fuel efficient than all but the Lexus. It's expected the new MDX will start around $43,100 when it goes on sale late this year and top out around $55,000 with the "Advance" (the dynamic stuff), "Technology" and "Entertainment" packages.
The restyled MDX is also the best interpretation of Acura's otherwise awkward new design language. In fact, if we were in the market for a 7-seat luxury SUV with tiny rear seats, this would definitely be the one we'd buy. But we're not in the market for a 7-seat luxury SUV, we're in the market for cars that aren't inherently compromised by the desire to conform to the questionable fashion for tall, aggressively-styled wagons. The MDX is arguably the most fun-to-drive, most comfortable and nicest looking car in Acura's range; the problem is there's also cars in Acura's range and they should drive better and look nicer than a big honkin' SUV.


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07/17/2008 Pasquale wrote:
Alford's Greek Testament release 1.1 "version" (OCR scanned images from pdf files, compiled in BibleWorks) - Proofreading is in progress.
per Michael Hanel, please insert it in BibleWorks blog.
Updated 09/24/2011
1) Matthew and Mark proofreaded;
2) A new wmf file compiled by Mark Eddy - Thanks Mark;
3) Corrected some mistakes in punctuation in Acts and letter.
Updated 10/24/2011
1) Release 2 - all books proofreaded twice;
2) a New vmf file.


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Primary tabs
Selected publications
My scientific work is focused on waste clearance mechanisms from the brain. I have mainly focused on mathematical models of basic physical processes like fluid flow, diffusion and convection of molecules, and have used complex geometries (e.g. the brain) for these models. My main contributions to the field can be grouped in two categories: 1) Computational and mathematical models to explain experimental observations and link them to current theories on fluid flow in the central nervous system and 2) Computational models to predict fluid flow and waste clearance from the brain based on limited experimental data.
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Courses held
INF3110/4110 Problem Solving with High-Level Languages (University of Oslo: https://www.uio.no/studier/emner/matnat/ifi/IN4110/index-eng.html)
GRA4157 Big data curation, pipelines and management (BI Norweigan Business Shool: https://programmeinfo.bi.no/en/course/GRA-4157/2022-autumn)


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How to create an easy, elegant updo in just 10 minutes
Play Dress Up(do)
Fantasy: Having five hours to get ready for your big night out. Reality: Having five minutes to get ready for your big night out. Where fantasy-meets-reality: Spending five (okay, 10) minutes to create an enchanting hairstyle that everyone thinks took hours to do.
Yes, this dream can come true, thanks to Moroccanoil artistic director Antonio Corral Calero. Today, the mastermind behind the ethereal, braided updos showcased in Monique Lhuillier's Fall 2014 Bridal Collection runway show shares his very real, and surprisingly easy, backstage tips (no wedding required).
|The finished look! As seen in Monique Lhuillier's Fall 2014 Bridal Collection runway show.
[Note: For best results, mastering the French braid is recommended, though a similar twist technique works too.]
Prep: Apply a treatment oil from mid-length to ends and a texture or volume spray throughout the hair. Blow dry using your fingers to lift, detangle and separate strands. When hair is completely dry, apply a molding cream for additional texture, focusing on the crown. Try Moroccanoil Root Boost, $29.
Step 1: Comb all the hair toward the back of the head and create three large parts: right, left and back. Hair can be parted at the right, left or center as desired.
Step 2: Braid each of the three parts. In this look, the right and left sides are inward French braids and the middle braid is a standard braid that begins at the nape of the neck.
Step 3: Pull the left and right braids around the back of the head and wrap several times around the back braid. (Depending on hair length, they should wrap about halfway down the back braid.)
Step 4: Pin the bottom part of the braid inwards, toward the nape, to create a chignon.
Step 5: For a more romantic and uneven look, gently pull and open each braid slightly within the chignon.
Backstage photos courtesy of Moroccanoil. Runway photo: Women's Wear Daily.


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*LUPEC Boston's latest ruminations, in case you missed 'em in this week's Dig.
by Pink Lady
Our big fall fundraiser, the LUPEC Boston Tiki Bash, is just a few weeks away, and LUPEC's thinking Tiki! Last week we discussed the Mai Tai, that simple and delicious blend of dark rum, orgeat, lime, and curacao that was a cornerstone of the Tiki craze. Did Donn Beach invent this drink, or Trader Vic? Who knows. This week, we turn our attention to a considerably more complex concoction, the Zombie. We're certain Donn Beach invented this one – and took the original recipe with him to the grave.
As the story goes, Donn Beach (née Ernest Beaumont-Gantt) invented the Zombie in the 1930s for an aviophobic friend taking a tipple at Don the Beachcomber's before a flight to San Francisco…or was it a friend trying to overcome a hangover before an important business meeting? In any case, the guest had three of these high-test concoctions before (presumably) stumbling off for his flight/meeting/what have you. He returned a few days later to report: the drinks made him feel like the living dead for days thereafter. And the Zombie was born.
The Zombie became a signature cocktail at the Hurricane Bar at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City and enjoyed great popularity there. The drink went on to become a staple of Tiki joints that sprang up across the US, such as Trader Vic's and, of course, Don the Beachcomber's, where a 2-drink maximum policy was instituted.
Donn Beach was notoriously secretive about his cocktail recipes, creating special mixes for his bartenders that boasted numbers rather than names, keeping even the staff in the dark about his signature drinks. Imitations emerged in other Tiki joints, and Donn himself very likely noodled with the original recipe over time to accommodate new products or lack of available ingredients in certain markets. Countless recipes now exist, making it virtually impossible to pin down an original with which to craft a true artifact version for home consumption.
Tiki expert Jeff "Beachbum" Berry appears to have come the closest in excavating an original recipe through interviews with former staff from Don the Beachcomber's. Poring over personal notes kept by these waiters and bartenders from their days behind the stick, several are published in his book, Sippin' Safari. A variation via Dale DeGroff is below.
Adapted from The Essential Cocktail by Dale DeGroff
1.5 oz medium-bodied Jamaican rum
.5 oz 151-proof Demerara rum
.25 oz Velvet Falernum
.5 oz Donn's Mix #1
1.5 oz fresh squeezed orange juice
.75 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon grenadine
2 dashes Angostura bitters
6 drops Absinthe
Mint sprigs for garnish
Combine with crushed ice in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour into a chimney glass, topping with crushed ice to fill the glass. Garnish with mint.
2 parts fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1 part Cinnamon Syrup (below)
Combine the grapefruit juice with syrup and shake well. Use immediately, or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
5 cinnamon sticks, each about 2 inches long
20 oz. bottled or filtered water
1 quart sugar
Break the cinnamon sticks into pieces to create more surface area. Put the cinnamon, water, and sugar in a large saucepan over low heat. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved, and then reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool completely, then bottle; keep covered in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Makes 2 cups.


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Court upholds 2012 BP oil spill settlement
NEW ORLEANS – Over BP's objections, a federal appeals court on Friday upheld a judge's approval of the company's multibillion-dollar settlement with lawyers for businesses and residents who claim the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico cost them money.
BP has argued that U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier and court-appointed claims administrator Patrick Juneau have misinterpreted settlement terms in ways that would force the London-based oil giant to pay for billions of dollars in inflated or bogus claims by businesses.
During a hearing in November before a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a BP lawyer argued that Barbier's December 2012 approval of the deal shouldn't stand unless the company ultimately prevails in its ongoing dispute over business payments.
But the divided panel ruled Friday that Barbier did not err by failing to determine more than a year ago whether the class of eligible claimants included individuals who haven't actually suffered any injury related to the spill.
Affirming Barbier's initial ruling in 2012, the court said in its 48-page majority opinion that it can't agree with arguments raised by BP and others who separately objected to the settlement.
"No case cited by BP or the Objectors suggests that a district court must also safeguard the interests of the defendant, which in most settlements can protect its own interests at the negotiating table," the ruling says.
The majority rejected BP's request for the panel to "find an intraclass conflict of interest because the claimants allegedly include persons and entities that have suffered no injury."
"In support of this allegation, BP presents us with a series of economists' declarations that had not been provided to the district court when the class was certified," the ruling says.
One of the three appellate judges, Emilio M. Garza, disagreed with the majority in a 14-page dissent. Garza said the "attempted global settlement fails in a narrow, but significant, regard" and should be vacated so it can be fixed.
Plaintiffs' lawyers have argued that BP simply undervalued the settlement and underestimated how many claimants would be eligible for payments.
"Today's ruling is an enormous victory for the Gulf, and an important step forward in ensuring that every eligible claimant is fully compensated according to the objective, transparent formulas spelled out in the settlement agreement that BP co-authored and agreed to," said plaintiffs' attorneys Steve Herman and Jim Roy, who negotiated the settlement and urged the 5th Circuit to uphold it.
BP didn't immediately comment on Friday's decision.
In October, a different 5th Circuit panel threw out Barbier's rulings on the dispute over business payments and ordered him to change the calculation of some damages. Last month, Barbier rejected BP's argument that the settlement shouldn't compensate businesses if they can't directly trace their losses to the spill. BP has asked the other panel to overturn that ruling.
The settlement doesn't have a cap, but BP initially estimated that it would pay roughly $7.8 billion to resolve the claims. Later, as it started to challenge the business payouts, the company said it no longer could give a reliable estimate for how much the deal will cost.


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This blog post was made a while back, from time-to-time I will republish them with associated comments that resulted. This topic is about "rest" after the injury. Most if not all medical professionals now prescribe this method, but as we found out in Zurich recently, the research behind exactly what "rest" is and for how long is unknown. What is known allowing the brain to settle down for a period of time is highly beneficial.
Although most point to physical rest as the major component of concussion management the truth of the matter is that all activity that affects brain activity needs to be limited after a concussion. If we use the "snow globe" analogy; all the flakes in the globe must come to rest before exposing it to further activity. What excites the "flakes" or brain, honestly, just waking up does this. That is why I have been hammering on the need for COMPLETE rest after a concussive episode. It is also why I am a firm believer in getting kids out of school while the brain injury heals.
This information is not new to you that read the blog, but it seems that this management technique is just catching on as a principal protocol, rather than using it if there are setbacks;
"There is so little we really know about concussions," said Dr. Mary Dombovy, vice president of Unity Neurosciences, which includes physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology and neurosurgery. "We're learning more as time goes by. What we're learning is it's not just physical exertion that is making the brain work harder. School tasks, studying for tests, trying to write a paper, these things are very stressful for people who've had a concussion."
It is not that it is stressful, per se, it is that the brain is FUNCTIONING to do those tasks and like getting on crutches for a broken leg, the only way to get the brain on "crutches" is to not give it any stimulation. Along with that comes how long and what to do when symptoms have gone, to me it is obvious that this is where you then begin the Zurich RTP protocol (the current concussion management protocol I use).
What I am having a hard time fathoming is Continue reading


text: This MOOC provides insight into the refugee phenomenon as one of the most complex, compelling and (arguably) misunderstood features of the 21st century. Taking a global perspective, it will outline the fundamentals of who 'refugees' are, where they come from and where they go, as well as delving into the features of the global system for refugee protection and 'solutions' for those who have been forcibly displaced. It places the student at the centre of the learning experience through engagement with a range of robust and challenging activities, materials and online peer engagement.


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When Nicolas Ghesquière announced his departure from Balenciaga, a brand he's headed up since 1997, the fashion world jumped to guess his successor. Now one has been picked, if the grapevine is correct. According to various European publications—including Nouvel Observateur, A Magazine Curated By, and Grazia France, Christopher Kane has been named as the new designer for the brand. Kane currently designs his own line, Versus and has been expected to succeed Donatella Versace at Versace. Balenciaga, Kane, and Versace have yet to confirm any comings or goings, so stay tuned for developing news.
Update: An update from our French counterparts: Balenciaga tells French ELLE that no decision has been made ().
More From ELLE
WWD reports that Kane has issued a denial statement confirming he will not be taking the role at Balenciaga. A Christopher Kane spokesman said, "Rumors surrounding Christopher Kane's appointment as creative director of Balenciaga are unfounded."
Let the guessing game as to who will be Ghesquière's successor continue.


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The launch rehearsal of PSLV-C20 with the primary satellite SARAL and six other satellites has been completed satisfactorily at SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota. Mission Readiness Review and meeting of Launch Authorisation Board are scheduled on Feb 22, 2013.
STRaND-1 is a joint mission between Surrey Space Centre at University of Surrey and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL). There will be an amateur radio AX.25 packet radio 9k6 bps downlink on 437.568 MHz and the launch is expected to take place on Feb 25.
STRaND-1 information and videos http://www.amsat-uk.org/?page_id=12196
STRaND-1 telemetry format http://www.amsat-uk.org/?page_id=12875
Other satellites on the same launch http://www.amsat-uk.org/?p=12180
ISRO PSLV-C20 status http://www.isro.org/pslv-c20/c20-status.aspx


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SAN FRANCISCO – Apple's stock slipped below $500 for the first time in 11 months on Monday as investors reacted to reports signalling the company's latest iPhone is falling further behind a slew of sleek alternatives running Google's Android software.
The latest indication that Apple, the world's most valuable company, is seeing sluggish demand for its iPhone 5 emerged in separate stories published Monday in the Japanese newspaper Nikkei and The Wall Street Journal. Both publications cited unnamed people familiar with the situation saying Apple has dramatically reduced its orders for the parts needed to build the newest iPhone because the device isn't selling as well as the company hoped.
The adjustment means Apple will buy about half as many display screens for the iPhone as management originally planned for the opening three months of the year, according to the newspapers.
Apple Inc., which is based in Cupertino, Calif., declined to comment Monday. Spokeswoman Natalie Kerris said Apple executives would share their views on market conditions Jan. 23 when the company is scheduled to release its financial results for the final three months of 2011. The period covers the first full quarter that the iPhone 5 was on sale.
Although Apple hailed the iPhone 5 as the best version yet of a product that has revolutionized the telecommunications and computing industry, the company's stock has wilted since the device hit the market.
After peaking at $705.07 on the day of the iPhone 5's Sept. 21 release, Apple's stock has plunged nearly 30 per cent. The shares fell $18.55, or 3.6 per cent, to close Monday's regular trading at $501.75, dragging the company's market value nearly $190 billion below where it stood in late September. The stock traded at $498.51 earlier in the day, its lowest price since February.
The stock's decline hasn't been entirely caused by concerns about the iPhone 5's sales performance. Industry analysts are also worried about the recent introduction of a smaller, less expensive iPad cutting into the company's profits.
But the biggest fears hover around the iPhone because it has become Apple's most valuable product since the company's late CEO, Steve Jobs, unveiled the first model in 2007. Apple has sold more than 271 million of the devices since then, and in the company's last fiscal year ending in September, the iPhone generated $80 billion in sales to account for more than half of the company's total revenue.
But Apple's upgrades of the iPhone in the past two years have disappointed gadget lovers who have been clamouring for Apple to do more to stay in front of device makers relying on the free Android software made by Google Inc. For instance, there were high hopes for a larger iPhone screen with the release of the 2011 model, but Apple waited until last September to take that leap. And when Apple moved to a larger display screen with the iPhone 5, it didn't include a special chip to enable users to make mobile payments by tapping the handset on another device at the checkout stand. Such a mobile payment feature is available on some Android phones.
Finally, Apple has insisted that wireless carriers subsidize so much of the iPhone's cost in exchange for customers' two-year commitments on data plans that the carriers make little or no money by selling the devices. That has prompted more wireless carriers to tout less expensive Android phones in their stores, undercutting the demand for iPhones, said Darren Hayes, who has been studying the shifting market conditions as chairman of the computing systems program at Pace University in New York.
Through the third quarter of last year, Android devices represented 75 per cent of smartphone shipments worldwide according to the research firm International Data Corp. That was up from 58 per cent at the same point 2011. Meanwhile, Apple's share of worldwide smartphone shipments has fallen from a peak of 23 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2011 to 15 per cent in the third quarter of last year.
Samsung Electronics, in particular, has been benefiting from the growing popularity of its Android-powered phones, led by its Galaxy S line. The company said Monday that it sold more than 100 million Galaxy S phones in less than three years. It took the iPhone nearly four years to reach that milestone.
"This is a real wake-up call for Apple," Hayes said. "They need to be more flexible in how they do things." Among other things, Hayes thinks Apple may have to reduce the financial burden on wireless carriers selling the iPhone and spend more money advertising the devices, especially with the recent wave of phones running on Microsoft Corp.'s Windows software. Apple's efforts to sell more iPhones to companies also could be short-circuited if Research in Motion Ltd.'s upcoming release of a revamped BlackBerry proves to be a hit. The BlackBerry is due out Jan. 30.
In an attempt to regain its competitive edge, Apple already is considering the release of a less expensive version of the iPhone made of cheaper parts to boost sales in less affluent countries, according to a report last week in The Wall Street Journal. The company so far hasn't commented on that speculation, either. The least expensive iPhone 5 without a wireless contract sells for $649. With the subsidy included with a two-year wireless service contract, the iPhone 5 sells for as little as $199.
Even as it loses ground to Android products, the iPhone remains a solid seller. Some analysts believe Apple sold more than 50 million iPhones in its last quarter ending in December, which would be far the most units that the company has ever shipped during any previous three-month period.
What's more, the iPhone 5 got off to a torrid start in China, where Apple expects to eventually sell more devices than it does in the U.S. Apple said it sold more than two million iPhone 5s in the three days after its debut in China last month.


text: Dear Beloved,from Mrs.Imilda Elkousy, I am Mrs.Imilda Elkousy a widow suffering from long time illness. I have some funds I inherited from my late husband,Adel Elkousy who died in an air crash on the 31st October 1999 in an Egyptian airline 990 with other passengers on board (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm). I was a month pregnant when I received the sad news of his sudden death, but I lost the pregnancy because of the trauma and have vowed not to remarry. I dedicated my life to minor charity work, but because of the trauma of his death and my childlessness,I became ill of the Cervix Cancer with other sickness of been lonely for years. Since then, I have been in and out of the hospital under the intensive care of medical experts. Believing God to see me through in the operation which the doctors are deciding upon because of my age and fear of medical complication due to the deteriorating state of my health , I have decided to give out the deposit which my late husband had left me and the ever hoped child. The deposit is valued US$4,500.000.00 (Four million,five hundred thousand u.s dollars) and I am in need of a very honest and God fearing person that will use the fund for God's work to help the less privileged out there. Please bear in mind that my concern is your personal commitment towards any project that you will embark upon to ensure that its benefit is well distributed among the less privileged in the immediate society. I have mapped out $500.000.00 for your personal use in this work, while I pray that the rest will be used for the mission. Please if you know that you will sincerely use the fund to fulfill this dream, kindly reply for further details with your information to this email (1) Your full Name and address contact with telephone number (2) Nationality (3) Country of Residence (4) Occupation (5) Age / Sex (6)Marital Status. Be blessed. Mrs.Imilda Elkousy.


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BBTS-Exclusive: Decepticon Piranacon G1 Commemorative Seacons
Review by EVA_Unit_4A
While Piranacon and the Seacons were released into the American toy market as a single combined set in late 1988, they did not make it into "The Transformers" Generation One animated series. They did, however, appear in the Japan-exclusive anime series "Super-God Masterforce" (1988) under the name King Poseidon, and the Marvel UK G1 comic book series.
The "Space Pirate Seacons" appeared in the Japanese-exclusive "Beast Wars II" (1998) under the name King Neptune, but with a radically-different color scheme, names, and backgrounds from their G1 counterparts.
This is the third reissue of this toy- the first being the repaint for "Beast Wars II", and the second a Transformers Collector Club exclusive in 2008.
For all American releases up to this point, the Nautilator component was left out for unknown reasons (though it is rumored amongst Trans-fans to be due to lowering production costs at the time).
All decals from the previous release are included here, and they have all been pre-applied during manufacturing. Unfortunately, the heat-sensitive faction-identifying decals from the G1 era have not been included, replaced by the plain purple-on-silver Decepticon icons.
In the Japanese tradition, this set is provided with seven unique collectible trading cards, each linked to a specific Transformer character and a special one for the Piranacon combo himself. (This, as opposed to English releases where these all appear on the packaging that the toy comes in.) These cards feature a painted picture of the character in an action pose on the front, and details on their personality, statistics, and a brief character summary. (FYI: it is commonly acknowledged by Trans-fans that "Fireblast" is supposed to mean "Firepower", but this is done because of limits on the types of words that can be used on toys in the United States.)
Decepticon Snap Trap
Beast Mode
All of Snap Trap's joints ratchet except for the jaw and transformation joint in the neck.
On top is a pink ABS peg that can swing side-to-side a little. When you move it, the two black cannons above his head pump forwards and backwards as if they're recoiling after firing!
Robot Mode
The hips swing outwards only due to transformation, but the shoulders and elbows only ratchet forwards and backwards.
A large black rifle is provided, which can fit into either fist. It can also attach to a hole in the top of Snap Trap's Beast Mode.
Piranacon's sword can be held in either hand.
(As another option- even though this is not in the instructions or considered canon- the back-half of Snap Trap's shell that was removed when transforming him can be pegged into either shoulder connection point.)
Decepticon Nautilator
Beast Mode
The clawed arms can pivot up and down only at the shoulders, the jaw ratchets open, and due to how he transforms, both the head and shoulders section can pivot downwards as if attached to a neck and the pairs of legs can ratchet downwards.
Nautilator's blaster weapon can peg into the inside of his jaw in Beast Mode.
Robot Mode
Only his shoulders can ratchet forward. Because of how he transforms, the lobster arms and legs cannot move on his back.
Nautilator's blaster can be pegged into either fist.
Decepticon Seawing
Beast Mode
(Manta ray)
His wings can snap into two positions- up and down, and his jaw can be opened a little. Though manta rays do not have legs, Seawing does, and they turn with friction at the hips and ankles.
Seawing's paired blasters can be pegged under his wings.
Robot Mode
Seawing is terribly back-heavy. Fortunately his- umm… "hips" turn with friction so he can lean forward enough and stand unaided. Both shoulders friction-turn as well.
Seawing's paired blasters can be placed in both fists.
Decepticon Skalor
Beast Mode
(Coelacanth, an extinct fish from millions of years ago)
Skalor's jaw is both very tight and very pointy, so take great care when opening and closing it! A coelacanth does not have legs or arms, but Skalor does, and they all have friction joints at the shoulders, hips, and knees. Additionally, his dorsal fin can loosely flip side-to-side.
Skalor's paired blasters can be pegged onto his back on either side of his dorsal fin.
Robot Mode
Flipping those fists out of his Beast Mode's feet is a complete pain in the ass…or rather a pain in the fingernails!
The shoulders and elbows have single-axis friction joints.
Skalor's paired blasters can be placed in both fists.
Decepticon Tentakil
Beast Mode
The paired three tentacles on each side can snap forward, while the lower two tentacles and his legs swivel on friction joints.
Tentakil's two blasters can peg onto either side of his head.
Robot Mode
Only his shoulders can ratchet forward. Because of how he transforms, the tentacle arms and legs cannot move on his back.
Tentakil's paired blasters can be placed in both fists.
Decepticon Overbite
Beast Mode
The jaw can open just a little. Though sharks do not have arms or legs, Overbite does. The arms can pop-off and turn with friction at the shoulders. The legs have friction joints in the hips, and ratchet at the knees.
Overbite's blaster can peg under his jaw, but the connection is very loose and it falls out very easily.
Robot Mode
There are single-axis friction joints in the shoulders, and ratcheting joints in the elbows.
Overbite's blaster can fit into either fist.
Even though Overbite is used as the primary shooting weapon for Piranacon, Seawing, Nautilator, Skalor, and Tentakil are also capable of transforming into a third Weapon Mode. Because of this, all of the Seacons except for Snap Trap come with a three-piece display stand which requires assembly, but they can be taken apart just as easily; being held together only by friction…
(Call me paranoid, but the base of those stands looks an awful lot like the feet for Autobot-combiner Computron… I'm also pretty sure the long shafts of the stands are multi-purpose as well, because the Seacons can fit them into their fists like long rifles, and there are larger pegs on either side for other stuff to fit on.)
Decepticon Piranacon
All Transformers combiners from the "Scramble City" OVA / "Super-God Masterforce" era (1988)- including Piranacon, Computron, and a few others- were designed to combine in such a way that a component which served as a leg could swap out and become an arm (or, in the case of Piranacon at least, change into a third Weapon Mode to be wielded by the combination).
Now, because Nautilator was not included in any previous US release, the way the limbs were arranged was different from how King Poseidon appeared in his animated debut in "Masterforce". For the sake of this review (and because having Nautilator as the right arm has a lot of drawbacks despite being screen-accurate), I have assembled Piranacon according to how he arrived in the box for this 2010 BigBadToyStore-exclusive release: with Skalor (right leg) and Nautilator (right arm) switching places, and removing Nautilator's claws and setting them aside.
Piranacon features ratcheting one-axis shoulder joints, and rotating wrists on friction pins. Optionally, his legs can be splayed at the hips, though it will not balance very well when set down like this.
Overbite is usually featured in Weapon Mode when Piranacon is assembled, and is seen being held in the right hand. Piranacon's sword is usually seen in the left hand.
Optionally, Snap Trap's large rifle can be held in either hand (though depending on which components you have for the arms, they may block the rifle from fitting properly into the fist).
During the G1 era of 1986-88 when Transformers was thee big thing along with "G.I. Joe", and a host of other wannabes, I had childhood friends who had several of the Seacons. The one that always stuck in my head the clearest from this time was Skalor, but I never knew what the combination looked like until years later even if I knew they could combine! Despite never owning any of them, I do have a vague nostalgic connection to this toy. (This is actually one of the few G1 toys I know of that I still want today.) To finally get one, looking just as it did over 20 years ago, with all of the features, colors, and decals intact, and in MISB condition for close to its original price, is such a thrill! ("Giddy as a schoolboy", perhaps…?) My first reaction when I opened the cardboard mailing box was that it was so much bigger than I had anticipated! He's certainly bigger than my G2 Decepticon Devastator. (Because, you know, things seem to get smaller as you get older…?)
(The only two Transformer combiners sets I've ever owned...)
Now, if you regularly read my reviews on CollectionDX (and my videos on our YouTube channel), this is usually the moment where I start digging into the toy- surface details, special features, decorations, plastic integrity critiques, etc.- and then at the end give my overall opinion of the toy. While I will still definitely do that last part, my commentary and analysis is going to be carried out in an unusual manner.
If you are reading this and expecting me to tear into it because of weird color selections, highly-inaccurate Beast Modes, simplified and articulation-less Robot Modes, and all the accessory parts and combiner kibble that lie around when not in use, then I'm afraid I must disappoint you at least this one time. That is for at least two reasons…
The first reason is the age of this toy. This review is being written about a toy design that- despite being a reissue- is nearly 23 years old! It comes from the beginning of the Transformers franchise, and thus you will find me giving a pass to a lot of things. The reason I automatically chose to do this is because the standards of toy design- from the standpoints of the manufacturer, the toy technology of the time, and customers- were drastically different. For one, there was less concern back then about having animal forms with accurate body shapes and coloring (even though that may have been what kids wanted back then as well); all they needed to do was look like robots imitating the appearance of alien critters but they didn't quite get it. Also, brightly-colored toys sell better with kids (which, to be fair, still applies today). In my opinion, the Seacons were-and-are always about sea monsters- creatures that didn't quite fit in the natural order of things, and so it was okay for them to only vaguely resemble real animals. (I mean, what kid knows what a coelacanth is at a glance!? I sure don't know, but it makes for a pretty creepy fish monster that you usually don't see in your typical Saturday morning cartoon line-up!)
Because of this, many of the things I complain about today- such as combiner kibble- are rendered irrelevant because of its age, and I outright refuse to apply the standards of today on a design that old. For example, one of the big ones might be that I will not complain about is articulation because they didn't have that back then.
The other reason is perhaps out of a loyalty of sorts to the franchise. We each have our reasons for liking the Transformers and characters that we do. What works for some may not for others, as I have experienced many times both on and off of CollectionDX. I've found that getting this set is my paying tribute and respect to the beginnings of that franchise. Not just that I wanted it because it is a reissue, but more that it is a reminder of what was, and that I liked it back then and that it served as an inspiration for what I still follow today. I cannot possibly imagine what my reaction would have been back twenty-odd years ago if I had seen this combo and all its features back then, but I see it now as it is- the start of something I have come to integrate into my life in a positive way. I don't care much for a lot of G1 toys, mostly because I haven't seen them all or know about them all, and I don't have any of the early animated series to lean on in support of my own interest(s) like most Trans-fans seem to. (To remind you: while I was aware of and wanted toys from G1/G2, the first animated series I saw was "Beast Wars: Transformers" in 1996, which to this day remains one of my favorites. I also do not have this immediate attitude that every new series- and film- that comes out 'will ruin the franchise forever'. For those of you who do: Get over yourselves already and stop placing G1on such a high pedestal.)
I see this reissue more as a monument to the greatness that is G1 Transformers- something that is to be respected rather than just as another toy to acquire because it looks cool.
(Rest assured, ladies and gentlemen, that despite all the passes I give this toy for its age and construction techniques, if I had found issue with enough of it, I would never have gotten it and this review would not exist.)
With all that said, however, this is still a reissue. It has been surprisingly difficult for me to find reviews of the original 1988 release, so it is quite difficult for me to compare this version to previous ones. I know that the arrangement of arms and legs were different each time for various reasons, but I've already addressed that.
As far as I can tell, all materials are the same, hard ABS plastic with a little vacuum-metalized plastic mixed in. I don't believe there was any die-cast metal in any of the previous releases including the original 1988 version (which was still a common practice at the time). The most obvious change I've found is that Overbite originally had a lot of purple in him (which was never present in any of the other Seacons), but all of the purple has been replaced with more of that darker pink. (You can tell something was changed if you look hard enough- his color scheme is rather bland compared to all the others' who have at least three main colors, compared to Overbite who now has only two.)
I cannot comment on plastic tolerances because that comes from handling an earlier release at the same time, which I obviously have not. Something that I will complain about is this: if they've had these molds for 23 years, why didn't they clean up things like how the large rifle fits into Snap Trap's robot hands, how tight the ankle transformation joint is on Overbite and Skalor's wrists??? Why not correct those flaws before you reissue it if they are known problems!? (I know for a fact that Skalor's hands were always hard to fold out, and his Beast Mode's mouth was also very tight, because I played with him personally decades ago!)
I kind of wish that I could have had the option to apply all those decals myself (nightmare as that would have been, I have no doubt), because a few of them were put on a little crooked or on plastic flash from the molds that should have been sanded down first. I'm sure some of these will start pealing and wearing off in a year-or-so just from sitting on the shelf…
Overall, I've had a wonderful, nostalgic, and very satisfying experience in getting this commemorative limited-edition release of Decepticon Piranacon. I also believe that, if widely released today, kids would get as much a kick out of it now as they did 23 years ago. Though they were originally sold for $6.00-per-figure in 1988, and are the equivalent of Scout- and Deluxe-class figures today, I think that upping that to $10.00-per-figure is appropriate and will not break your wallet. They are beloved enough and old enough that the updated price does not seem that unreasonable, in my opinion. Highly recommended!
|Posted 15 April, 2011 - 22:29 by EVA_Unit_4A
Comments9 comments posted
Whoa! mega review, well done.
Thank you!
More components and accessories than any Megazord that I've ever covered in a single set, yes, with a healthy dose of nostalgia tossed in for good measure. ;)
I was surprised, though, how long my video ran- 57 minutes! That would have been my longest single-runtime video had I not broken it in half (which was a terrible choice to make since it flowed so nicely as a single piece).
I have 3/6 of the original seacons.
They look exactly the same. although one major difference I noticed with Snaptrap is that his head was originally BLACK! I was surprised they changed it.. but I imagine it's cutting down costs.
But man I wish they didn't do a limited release on this. I would have loved to gotten the other 3 that I'm missing!
But you CAN still get it- BBTS is still selling it as of the posting of this review!
yeah it's tempting. But I'm really close to zero shelf space.
managed to find the pic that matches the packaging that I orginally bought mine back in the heyday.
But I do remember the previous release of it I think during G2. Missing a seacon.
But I have to say I sat through all 2 videos and was happy watching them.
I think that was enough to get my fix!
Thanks again for that!
(I hope you don't mind- I used my epic CDX staff authority to go in and activate that link for ya... ^^ If you activate the Contact Settings tab in your CDX profile- which I can't do- I'll PM you the code for how to do that in the future in order to save space!)
Ooh, nice find! Huh, so not only was Nautilator packaged separately, but he was available in English releases back in '88, and the display stands were still being used.
I'm glad you liked my videos. If you have a YT account, don't hesitate to leave comments there either!
I actually had gotten nautilator back in the day. In Canada are you sure it wasn't available. I still have the original box that has all 6 figures on display. I do remember releases after though missing 1/6 though.
But anyways great review. I loved that you were so thorough!
I didn't check the Canadian release in '88; I simply assume[d] that is was the same as the US ver, so I can't comment on that.
Despite what the artists went with, I highly suspect Nautilator is the designers' preference as the one to be the gun. He has difficulties as a limb unless his claws are removed, he was sold separately originally, and he's the unusual 6th member of a Scramble City-type combiner team.
..Hm, I wonder if he's been giving HasTak puppy-dog eyes for 27 years and that's why we're getting new team members for Combiner Wars.


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The David Bowie song "Space Oddity" probably shouldn't have been made into a children's book: The haunting 1969 track about an astronaut who loses contact with Earth to float around the universe would probably give most kids nightmares.
That didn't stop illustrator Andrew Kolb from turning the space-rock song into an illustrated book. As seen in the gallery above, the artist lays down Bowie's hit about a spaceman in a "tin can" line by line. It was an odyssey Kolb said wasn't as easy as one might imagine.
"It was one thing to make images that corresponded to the lyrics, but it was another to try to make it function as a visual story on top of that," Kolb said in an e-mail to Wired.com. "In my early drafts it didn't really work as a picture book, and that was my goal all along."
Ultimately, Kolb said he had to turn a blind eye to the various deeper (and darker) meanings of Bowie's song about a wayward astronaut named Major Tom, which the BBC used as theme music for its coverage of the Apollo moon landing.
"It's been really cool hearing all these different interpretations of the lyrics, and all I can say is that the approach I took was the one that translated best to an image-based story," said the Canadian graphic designer. "Either way, how could you not have fun designing spacesuits and jet packs?!"
Kolb's pretty incredible Space Oddity book is available as a free download from the artist's website. He said he hopes his handiwork will get enough support from the Ziggy Stardust fan base that he can find a way to publish physical copies of the book.
To experience "Space Oddity" for yourself, play the song below and flip through the pages above.
See Also: