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In a previous post, I've observed some oddities in connection with the dating of Wahl and Ammann 2007 and with Schneider's obfuscation when asked to explain how an article supposedly accepted on March 1, 2006 could cite an article that had not even been submitted until August 2006. (BTW, I note that Journal of Climate uses the term "In final form" in its timelines, which, applied to the Wahl and Ammann case, would preclude any dates prior to August 2006, the date of submission of Ammann and Wahl 200x, which is cited in Wahl and Ammann 2007, and, more likely, preclude any dates prior to the June 2007 acceptance of Ammann and Wahl 200x – a date which appears to have triggered the actual acceptance of Wahl and Ammann 2007.)
Why would they go to this trouble? Why wouldn't they just put the acceptance date for Wahl and Ammann 2007 as June 2007, concurrent with the acceptance date of Ammann and Wahl 2007, which unblocked the publication process?
To answer this, we need to look at the IPCC Publication Deadlines, where we shall see a compelling and incontrovertible link between Wahl and Ammann timelines and attempts to at least appear to meet IPCC publication deadlines.
IPCC Working Group 1 Publication Deadlines
Three main milestones were set out in the IPCC Publication Deadline timetable:
May 10-13, 2005 – Literature to be cited will need to be published or available in draft form by this time (the date of the Second Lead Author meeting).
Dec 13-16, 2005 – Literature to be cited will need to be published or in press by this time (the date of the Second Lead Author meeting).
Late Feb 2006 – the TSU must hold final preprint copies of any unpublished papers that are cited in order that these can be made available to reviewers. This means that by late-February 2006 [the date for preparing the Second Draft] if LAs can not assure us that a paper is in press and provide a preprint we will ask them to remove any reference to it.
There are several different versions of the WG1 Publication Deadline Timetable. An early version is here; The most recent version is online here. Also see the IPCC document entitled "Deadlines for literature cited in the Working Group I Fourth Assessment Report", preserved as of Apr 30, 2006 (and unchanged as at June 21, 2006).
The above deadlines were well publicized and guided the behavior of climate scientists. For a huge study like AR4, for better or worse, there have to be some cut-off dates or the study would never end. For example, Judy Curry has mentioned here her understanding that there was an end-2005 deadline, an understanding that presumably guided her publication schedule.
Wahl and Ammann 2007 Chronology
The first deadline cited above was May 10-13, 2005. On May 10, 2005, Ammann and Wahl submitted Wahl and Ammann 200x to Climatic Change and Ammann and Wahl 200x to GRL -see here – and issued a press release on May 11, 2005 here . The submission date on the published version of Wahl and Ammann 2007 is May 11, 2005.
The second deadline was December 13-16, 2005 and "literature to be cited will need to be published or in press by this time". The
UCAR website states that Wahl and Ammann had been "Provisionally Accepted" on Dec. 12, 2005 – on the eve of the expiry of the second IPCC deadline. Has anyone ever seen a paper report the date of its "Provisional Acceptance"? Clearly "provisional acceptance", whatever it is, is not the same thing as being "published or in print". Wahl and Ammann had clearly missed an important deadline – a deadline that Judith Curry and others were adhering to.
The end of February 2006 was a drop-dead date by which "the TSU must hold final preprint copies of any unpublished papers that are cited in order that these can be made available to reviewers. This means that by late-February 2006 if LAs can not assure us that a paper is in press and provide a preprint we will ask them to remove any reference to it." The UCAR website states that Wahl and Ammann was supposedly "accepted for publication" on Feb 28, 2006, this third date, like the other two, being on the eve of an IPCC deadline. So there is an incontrovertible pattern.
The timing of the Climatic Change decision was very curious, to say the least. GRL turn times are very short. The GRL decision on the contingent GRL submission would be available in 2 weeks; within the four corners of journal administration, there was no reason for Climatic Change to make a hurried decision ahead of GRL – especially given that Schneider had already been burnt once by Ammann on his GRL submission. Why wouldn't Schneider just wait a couple of weeks? Or is it possible that UCAR/Ammann, with an eye on IPCC deadlines, put pressure on Schneider to "accept" the article before the end of February? Sure seems likely. And I wonder if Schneider's acceptance still had some strings attached – something that seems highly likely given the subsequent delays. Ammann and Wahl 2007 was published over a year after any other Chapter 6 journal citation.
Ammann placed Wahl and Ammann 2007 online in early March 2006. It was brought to my attention and I immediately made a number of posts – see here on March 10, 2006 and there are a number of contemporary posts, including ones where I placed my 2005 Review and correspondence online. This new version included a table showing that the MBH verification r2 for the AD1400 step was 0.018 (we had reported 0.02). Despite this confirmation of at least one of our results (and they confirmed many of our results), Wahl and Ammann did not withdraw their allegation that all our claims were "unfounded".
On March 16, 2006, GRL notified Ammann and myself that the Ammann Comment had been rejected, with Famiglietti stating:
The simple message, with which I concur, is that there is nothing significant that is new here, so that there is no need to publish the present exchange.
Despite this GRL rejection over two years ago on March 16, 2006, the UCAR webpage on this matter states (as of today):
We are working on an update of this site and a cleaned-up version of the code since the Wahl and Ammann paper is accepted by Climatic Change and in press. Once GRL has reached a decision, we will also post the appropriate codes and illustrations here. (Note, the current version is fully functional, and no results will change.)
They were obviously very quick to announce the Climatic Change acceptance, but not so quick to announce the GRL rejection. Securities commissions would make mincemeat of mining promoters that did this.
A version of the webpage was scraped on Feb 5, 2006. The only change between that version and the present version is the insertion of the above paragraph. The last recorded change to the webpage (as of today) was on March 25, 2006. Ammann's webpage presently states:
Caspar Ammann
Last modified: Mon Mar 25 13:57:32 MDT 2006
Thus, there was one and only one change on this webpage between Feb 5, 2006 and today: the insertion of the above paragraph. A change to the webpage is attested on March 25, 2006. The only plausible conclusion is that the above paragraph was inserted on March 25, 2006. If so, the paragraph was untrue and overtly deceptive at the time it was published on the UCAR website. I would welcome any interpretations of this information (and will post any such interpretations in this paragraph).
Returning to the IPCC schedules. On April 7, 2006, according to the IPCC Schedule, the Second Order Draft was to be made available to reviewers and the 8-week review period for expert and Government reviewers was to start. I downloaded the Wahl and Ammann version then online at the WG1 website for unpublished papers; my download is dated Apr 7, 2006 on my computer, which I take to be the date that I downloaded the pdf. (On Apr 9, a CA reader noted that online that the stale version was still online at WG1). The pdf document properties stated that the pdf had been created by Oyvind Paasche, a Chapter 6 Contributing Author, on March 10, 2006. Curiously this version was identical to the May 10, 2005 version that I had received as a reviewer (converted to pdf form.) So the version online at WG1 (and presumably the version available to Chapter Author Paasche) was not the "accepted" version or even the September revision, but the original submission which failed to disclose the failed verification results. Recall the requirement "the TSU must hold final preprint copies of any unpublished papers that are cited in order that these can be made available to reviewers." The Wahl and Ammann version then held by the WG1 TSU was not a "final preprint" – even the March 2006 version was not a "final preprint". But the situation was even worse, the TSU was not even in possession of a current version of the paper.
TSU presumably became aware of the problem as a result of CA attention. Instead of placing a notice of the substitution on their website and sending a notice of the substitution to Reviewers so that any Reviewers that had downloaded the stale version could download the current version, they quietly substituted the new Wahl and Ammann version at the WG1 website without any notice whatever. I don't know the exact date on which they made the substitution. I downloaded the newer version on June 2, 2006, which, again by coincidence, was the end of the 8-week review period for expert and Government comments.
The IPCC schedule provided that Review Comments be collated and sent to Chapter Lead Authors on or about June 16, 2006.
This schedule was closely adhered to. At the present website, the front page of the online Review Comments states that these are from "Batch AB (15 June 2006)".
A couple of IPCC reviewers (with whom you are familiar) noticed the non-compliance of the Wahl and Ammann article (and a couple of other articles) with published IPCC publication deadlines and objected to the inclusion of these articles. See, for example, comments 6-1115, 6-1116, 6-748, 6-1158, 6-750, 6-1215 and 6-735.
Review Comment 6-1158 (B 29:41 29:41) stated:
Wahl and Ammann 2006 did not meet several publication deadlines. Is it fair to use this study when other studies also not meeting publication deadlines were not used? It was not accepted by December 13-15. TSU did not have a preprint by late February. The version available for review was not the same as the accepted version – in particular, the version made available omitted critical information that MBH98 failed cross-validation r2 and CE statistics. [Stephen McIntyre (Reviewer's comment ID #: 309-119)]
or 6-1115 which stated:
It seems very unwise to me to waive IPCC WG1 policies on publication guidelines, especially for lead authors. For example, Osborn and Briffa 2006 did not meet the December deadline for being published or in print; it was not even mentioned in the First Draft nor was it available from TSU as part of the First Draft process. Other citations in the chapter did not meet the December deadline for being published or in press as at the December draft meeting (Osborn and Briffa 2006; Wahl et al 2006; Wahl and Ammann 2006; Hegerl et al "accepted"); several did not meet the February drop-dead date for providing TSU with a preprint (Wahl and Ammann 2006; Hegerl et al "accepted"). The version of Wahl and Ammann 2006 as accepted differed dramatically from the version provided to TSU for both the First Order and Second Order Drafts, notably in respect to the inclusion of their calculation of MBH verification statistics confirming the results of McIntyre and McKitrick showing failure of MBH verification statistics that had previously been denied. [Stephen McIntyre (Reviewer's comment ID #: 309-12)]
The CLA Replies were, in a way, predictable. But there's something very interesting in the wording of these rejections that I didn't notice when the Review Comments became available in 2007. See if you notice.
Rejected, guidlines used for preparing the draft have been followed and new guidlines do not pose problems 6-1115)
Papers cited are within the guidlines for in press papers 6-1116)
Rejected- the citation is allowed current rules. 6-748
Rejected- the citation is allowed under current rules. 6-1158
See response to comment 6-1158. (6-750).
Rejected – revised deadlines mean that these papers are citable. 6-1215
Rejected -… all papers cited are within current IPCC publication deadline rules. 6-735
Notice that they didn't contest the validity of the Review Comments under the Publication Deadlines that existed at the time that the Review Comments were made. Watch the pea under the thimble as the Chapter Authors purport to justify these Replies.
A more typical sort of Review Comment was the suggestion by authors that their own 2006 publications be cited. Here's a typical example by D. Stone (9-476):
9-476 I conceitedly suggest adding the following recently accepted papers: Stone, Allen, Selten, Kliphuis, Stott. 2006. Stone, Allen, Stott. 2006. A multi-model update on the detection and attribution of global surface warming. Journal of Climate; Crooks, Allen, Stott. 2006. An update on the detection and attribution of observed temperature change – a space-time separable approach. Journal of Climate
Another example Review Comment 9-816:
9-816 A 49:1 49:2 This has been more thoroughly tested in: Pall, Allen, Stone. 2006. Testing the Clausius-Clapeyron constraint on changes in extreme precipitation under CO2 warming. Climate Dynamics.
Two weeks after the delivery of the above Review Comments to Chapter Lead Authors, pursuant to prior IPCC schedules, the Fourth Lead Author meeting took place in Bergen, Norway from June 25-30. The schedule states:
This meeting considers comments on the second order draft and revisions to produce the final draft start immediately afterwards.
June 25 chapter meetings
June 26-28 LA4 meeting
June 29-30 Meeting of the TS/SPM writing team
Most institutions make minutes of their meetings and I presume that IPCC Lead Author meetings are no different. It would be interesting to see the minutes of this meeting.
On July 3, 2006, IPCC WG1 sent an email to reviewers (which I received), a scraped version of which is onlinehere, a document the name of which indicates that it was written on July 1, 2006.
Guidelines for inclusion of recent scientific literature in the Working Group I Fourth Assessment Report.
We are very grateful to the many reviewers of the second draft of the Working Group I contribution to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report for suggestions received on issues of balance and citation of additional scientific literature. To ensure clarity and transparency in determining how such material might be included in the final Working Group I report, the following guidelines will be used by Lead Authors in considering such suggestions.
In preparing the final draft of the IPCC Working Group I report, Lead Authors may include scientific papers published in 2006 where, in their judgment, doing so would advance the goal of achieving a balance of scientific views in addressing reviewer comments.
However, new issues beyond those covered in the second order draft will not be introduced at this stage in the preparation of the report. Reviewers are invited to submit copies of additional papers that are either in-press or published in 2006, along with the chapter and section number1 to which this material could pertain, via email to firstname.lastname@example.com, not later than July 24, 2006.
In the case of in-press papers, a copy of the final acceptance letter from the journal is requested for our records. All submissions must be received by the TSU not later than July 24, 2006 and incomplete submissions can not be accepted
A short turn time of July 24, 2006 was required because the IPCC schedule required that Chapter Lead Authors return annotated responses to all comments on the second draft to TSU by August 4 (which would be the approximate date that one can ascribe to the Chapter Lead Author Replies presently online). Given the well-publicized deadlines – ones that Judy Curry believed to have still existed – by what authority were these new guidelines issued? Are there minutes of the meeting? Did someone make a motion? Did someone second the motion? Was anyone opposed?
I presume that the Chapter Author Replies presently online date from approximately August 4, 2006. In response to Stone's first suggestion, they replied:
The papers that are in press have been included.
Consulting the papers, the first timeline and second timeline for the two suggestions read:
Manuscript received 10 June 2005, in final form 21 April 2006)
Manuscript received 13 June 2005, in final form 24 April 2006)
So these references fall within the July 2006 variance – they were suggested by reviewers, they did not introduce a new topic and they were in final form. One wonders whether the TSU observed the protocol set out in the July letter to reviewers and obtained the required letter of acceptance from the Reviewer. IPCC policy requires that all written reviewer comments be placed in an open archive. The July 2006 correspondence would obviously be "written comments" under this definition, but wasn't placed online with the other comments.
It does seem possible that Chapter 9 authors did check such matters. The other Stone suggestion referred to above online here was turned down as follows:
This paper is not citable here, since its status is 'submitted'.
Its publication timeline shows that it was accepted on July 21, 2006 – a date which did not entitle it to be cited.
25 May 2005 / Accepted: 21 July 2006 / Published online: 30 August 2006
So you can see why Ammann and Wahl are so determined to preserve the fiction of a March 2006 acceptance date even Wahl and Ammann 200x was not "in final form" and "editorial components" were "incomplete". I've browsed through the IPCC references and so far I've been unable to locate any other article that has a comparable timeline to Wahl and Ammann 2007. I'll post on this separately.
The July variance is very limited and did not permit Chapter Lead Authors to include any 2006 article whatsoever. The policy required that a Reviewer "suggest" an article and "submit" it to the TSU. In-press articles had to be accompanied by the acceptance letter. In most walks of life, this sort of variance would be very strictly administered to avoid favoritism.
However, as we've seen above, the Chapter 6 Authors applied this rather specific variance to qualify Wahl and Ammann 200x,
Osborn and Briffa 2006 and Hegerl et al 200x.
In many contractual situations, they wouldn't have been allowed to do this. The following argument would be made: had the Chapter Authors excluded these articles in the Second Draft, as IPCC policies required, Reviewers would be entitled to suggest their citation to clarify an issue under the July 2006 policy. But the July 2006 policy could not be used to salvage prior breaches of the policy by Chapter Authors, especially where the policy breach was in favor of their own article (Osborn and Briffa 2006) or other IPCC Chapter Authors (Hegerl et al 200x; Wahl and Ammann 200x).
Note that if Wahl and Ammann was supposedly qualified under the July policies, then a Reviewer was obligated to submit a copy of the Wahl and Ammann 200x acceptance letter to the IPCC TSU. This would be a "written comment" and should be on file. Will they have one? I doubt it, but we might as well find out.


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Modernist Cuisine Comes to The Tech, Plus New Eats in the South Bay
Modernist Cuisine Photo Exhibit at The Tech
Nathan Myhrvold, former chief technology officer for Microsoft turned culinary mad scientist, invites you to see food like you've never experienced it before.
The author of the seminal "Modernist Cuisine" books, is bringing 75 eye-popping, large-format photographs of food to The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose.
The exhibit opens June 25 and runs through Sept. 1. It's the second stop on a three-year worldwide tour for this exhibit.

subset: commoncrawl


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The shutdown isn't going to stop the fun. The second annual Salute to Oktoberfest, featuring food, music and fun for everyone, is still going to be outside Club Stewart on Saturday.
Events begins with a 5K Mug & Volksmarch at 2 p.m. Then, at 4, Stewart/Hunter's Rising Star will be chosen in the final round of competition.
After that, it's music by Darry & the Veil, games, craft and food vendors. Tickets are needed for various amusements and are $1 each, $20 for a wristband, and $60 per family for four wristbands.
The public's welcome and admission is free.
Bingo 101
Never played bingo? Unlock the excitement by learning the basics. Free classes are set for Oct. 14 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and Oct. 17 from 5-6:30 p.m. at Fort Stewart Bingo, adjacent to Club Stewart. For more information, call 368-3930.
Company-level basketball
Sign-ups for companies interested in the 2013-14 Stewart/Hunter season begin on Oct. 15. Those interested should submit a memo to their Sports Office before Nov. 15.
Games will be played Monday-Thursday at 6, 7, 8 and 9 p.m. at Newman Fitness Center on Stewart and Tominac Fitness Center on Hunter. Play begins Dec. 2 and ends in March.
For more information, call 767-8238 on Stewart or 315-4160 on Hunter.
Army Photo Contest
Entries in the All Army Digital Photo Contest can be submitted online at https://apps.imcom.army.mil/apptracmain from Oct. 15-Nov. 15. Local entries can be submitted to FMWR Outdoor Recreation office at email@example.com .
There are two divisions, active duty soldiers and other eligible participants, including family members, retirees and DA Civilians.
There are seven photo categories; people, military life, nature and landscapes, animals, still life, design elements and digital darkroom.
For details, call 767-5145 or 767-4361.
Golf demos
Try new golf equipment during a free Golf Demo Days at Hunter Golf Club from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 18 and 19. PING and NIKE vendors will be there to answer questions.
For more information, call 315-9115.
Girlfriend night skate
Girls can Come out for skating fun and friendship at Corkan Family Fun Center Oct. 18 from 3-8 p.m. The cost is $3 per person.
For more information, call 767-4273.
Costume fun run
Put on your Halloween costume, get ready to have fun and maybe even win a prize during the Family Costume Fun Run at 10 a.m. Oct. 19 at Hunter.
Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. at the starting point, Stephen Douglas Street and North Perimeter Road.
There's no charge, and you can run 5K or 1.5 mile.
Prizes will be given for the best costume worn by adult, child and pet who run/walk the course.
For more information, call 315-2019.
Zoo Spooktacular
Leisure Travel takes you to the Jacksonville Zoo on Oct. 19 to enjoy trick-or-treating, music, dancing, food and bounce houses. See some of your favorite zoo animals, visit with fairies, wizards, pirates, scarecrows and more. Register by Oct. 16.
The cost is $20 for adults and $18 for children (ages 3-12). The price includes transportation and admission.
Call 767-2841 at Stewart or 315-3674 at Hunter.
Golf scramble
Maj. Gen. John M. Murray extends invites you to play in the Commanding General's Golf Scramble at 1 p.m. Oct. 25 at Taylors Creek Golf Course. Register by Oct. 24.
Play will be limited to the first 25 four-person teams. For details, call 767-2370.
Halloween Hoopfest
Men's and women's teams will compete during the Halloween Hoopfest – featuring a basketball tournament and three-point shootout – at Newman Fitness Center Oct. 25-26.
The 3-on-3 games begin at 6 p.m. Oct. 25. The shoot-out begins at noon Oct. 26
Army civilians and area residents are invited to wear costumes without masks to watch.
For more information, call 767-3031.
Halloween Bash
Put on your costume and join the party Oct. 25 from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. at Club Stewart with DJ FreakSho laying down the beat. The night includes a costume contest, drinks and fun. There is a $5 cover charge.
For more information, call 767-4717.
Pumpkin-carving class
Learn how to carve the best pumpkin ever at the Southside Pavilion Area of Holbrook Pond Oct. 26 from 3-6 p.m. The Pumpkin-Carving Class is for family fun. It's free, but you do have to bring your own pumpkin.
For more information, call 435-8213.
"Golf 4 Life"
The next "Golf 4 Life" clinic at Hunter Golf Course is from 9-10 a.m. Oct. 26
The series of four clinics covers a short introduction and new topic each time. Priority sign-up is given to active duty.
For more information, call 315-9115.
Fall Festival
Liberty County Armed Services YMCA and FMWR have set a Fall Festival for 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 26 at the YMCA's soccer field on Mary Lou Drive in Hinesville.
The festival includes arts and crafts, carnival games, food, entertainment, military displays, vendors, a hay ride and other fun. There's no charge.
For more information, call 368-9622.
Body Building Contest
Registration is under way for The Rock Body Building and Figures Contest to be Nov. 2 at Woodruff Theater.
Weigh-in will be at 8 a.m., prejudging at10:30 and the finals at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $2 for prejudging and $5 for the finals.
It costs $25 to register until Oct. 11 and then goes up to $35. There is an additional crossover fee of $15. Sign up at Newman Fitness Center.
Three place awards will be presented in several divisions.
For information, call 767-3031 or 767-9336.
Managed deer/hog hunts
Registration is under way for managed deer and hog hunts for soldiers and retirees starting at 5 a.m. Nov. 9 and Dec. 7 on Stewart.
Register at Pass and Permit Offices by Oct. 30 for the first hunt and Nov. 26 for the second. Hunters will be chosen by lottery. The cost is $10 per person, if selected.
Fifty slots will be available for each hunt, with 45 given to active duty and five to retirees.
For more details, call 435-8061 on Stewart or 315-9354 on Hunter.
Wildlife photo contest
Stewart/Hunter amateur photographers with a military ID card are invited to submit wildlife photos for the Wildlife Photo Contest.
Submissions will be accepted until Dec. 31 at the Pass & Permit Office.
Fees are $15 (ages 18 and older), $10 (ages 16-17) and $5 (ages 15 and under). Judging and awards will be later. Age groups with fewer than five entries will receive certificates instead of cash prizes.
For details or registration, call 435-8061 or 767-4316.


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Facebook Is Up 16% (FB)
Following strong earnings growth, Facebook is on a roll.
Shares are up nearly 16%.
Mobile ad revenues paved the way for the earnings beat.
"Facebook is basically a mobile company right now — a majority of its revenues come from mobile, not from the desktop product," explained our Jim Edwards. "And the vast majority of its active users are mobile users."
The company is seeing upgrades across Wall Street today.
Bank of America has a $64 price target on Facebook. "With better-than-expected 4Q revenues and expense commentary about in-line to slightly above our expectations, we would expect 2014 estimates to see a meaningful increase," wrote BofA's Justin Post and Joyce Tran, who said investors should "maintain buy" on Facebook.
Canaccord's Michael Graham increased his price target to $70 for the stock."Facebook reported another strong quarter that was dominated by the continued transition to mobile, which brings fewer ads at higher prices. This trend should continue in 2014, along with the probable ramp of Instagram revenue and video ads," he wrote.
See Also:
- You Think Facebook Is Having A Big Move Today? It's Nothing Compared To These
- Google Sells Motorola To Lenovo For $2.9 Billion
- A Simple Test Can Determine If You're A Good Liar
SEE ALSO: Facebook Shares Surge On First Ever $1 Billion Mobile Ad Revenue Quarter


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Acer recently announced four new all-in-one PCs just in time for the holidays or those looking for a new multitouch desktop PC before the expected debut of touch-centric Windows 8 in 2012. Two of the new devices, part of Acer's AZ3 and AZ5 lines, are updates to their predecessors such as the Acer AZ5700-U2112. As before the new all-in-ones feature multitouch displays with 1080p high-definition resolution, big hard drives, and tons of RAM.
But the updated devices have been tweaked with faster processors, and, more importantly, cheaper starting prices. Pricing for the new AZ5771 starts at $750 (although it's $850 as a pre-order on Amazon), compared to the AZ5700's nearly $1,000 starting price when it debuted in late 2010.
The computer maker's new Veriton line-up is also adding two all-in-one devices that aren't multitouch. The new Veriton V2620G, for example, features a quad-core Core i5 processor and supports up to 8GB of RAM. The smaller 20-inch screen on both Veriton PCs supports 1600-by-900 resolution.
Acer's new PCs are expected to be available immediately.
Here's a look at the features of Acer's new all-in-one PCs.
Acer AZ3 and AZ5
The AZ5 features a 23-inch multitouch screen with 1920-by-1080 pixel resolution, Intel 3.3 GHz quad-core Core i3-2120 processor, 4GB DDR3 RAM and 1 TB hard drive. The AZ3 has a 21.5-inch multitouch screen with 1920-by-1080 pixel resolution, AMD 2.7 GHz dual-core A4-3400 processor, 4GB DDR3 RAM and a 500 GB hard drive. Both devices feature a 1.3 megapixel Webcam, two USB 3.0 ports (side), four USB 2.0 ports (rear), 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, multi-in-1 card reader, optical drive, one HDMI in, one HDMI out and Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit). If you get tired of reaching across your desk to manipulate your PC via multitouch, you will still have a wireless mouse and keyboard to fall back on.
Multitouch on a Windows 7 PC may not be ideal, but the new PCs could be great for Windows 8, the next version of Microsoft's operating system, which is expected in 2012. The new OS will be a radical change from previous versions since it will feature a touch-centric start screen reminiscent of Windows Phone 7.
Veriton Z2620G and Z2610G
Acer is also introducing two all-in-ones to its Veriton line-up for business users. Both computers come with a 20-inch screen with 1600-by-900 resolution, 4GB DDR3 RAM (upgradeable to 8GB), 500GB HDD, six USB 2.0 ports, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Windows 7 Professional. The Veriton 2620G comes with a 2.50 GHz Core i5-2400S processor and pricing starts at $850. The Veriton 2610G is packing a 2.60 GHz dual-core Intel Pentium G620 chip and is priced at $650.
Connect with Ian Paul (@ianpaul) and Today@PCWorldon Twitter for the latest tech news and analysis.


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Estoril, Portugal—When launched the Turbo Carrera (aka the "930 Turbo") in the U.S. market for the 1976 model year, the car had already achieved near-legend status, stories of its prowess having wafted across the Atlantic after the release of the 1975 model in Europe. The performance from its single-turbocharged 3.0-liter sohc flat-6 was downright amazing for the times: U.S.-specification models produced 234 bhp and 246 lb.-ft. of torque, in a 2785-lb. rear-drive car with an engine mounted aft of the rear axle. The had instant supercar status.
Fast forward 34 years, and the Legend of Turbo has only grown—as has the performance. But first glance at the new, 7th-generation 2010 model might leave you wondering: "What's the big news here?"
For starters, the features the first truly new engine in the model's history. Based on the Carrera S's 3.8-liter flat-6, the twin-turbo version features direct fuel injection for the first time, while tipping the scales at 26.5 lb. less than the outgoing version. Along with more displacement (the Turbo was previously a 3.6), a higher compression ratio (from 9.0:1 to 9.8:1), more efficient intercoolers and a new expansion-type intake manifold, the 3461-lb. Turbo (the Cabrio is 3626 lb.) has both more power (up 20 bhp to an even 500) and noticeably less turbo lag. The little bit of lag that still exists is worth it, as the rush that follows is simply mind-blowing.
Torque is rated at 479 lb.-ft. from 1950–5000 rpm, but order the Sport Chrono Package ($3470) and the overboost function provides a 516 lb.-ft. hit from 2100–4000 rpm. Despite the Turbo's extra power, Porsche says its emissions are down 18 percent while fuel consumption has decreased by 16 percent.
New to the Turbo is Porsche's ultra-quick-shifting twin-clutch 7-speed PDK gearbox (a $4550 option) that's been upgraded to handle the Turbo's extra power. Launch Control comes standard when the PDK is ordered in conjunction with the Sport Chrono Package, which provides for thrilling (and consistently repeatable) neck-wrenching all-wheel-drive launches.
Also available for the first time on a Porsche are steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters ($490), although Porsche's non-intuitive pushbuttons come standard with PDK. Those who believe it's more about the drive than it is about bragging rights at the drag strip should opt for Porsche's easy-shifting 6–speed manual gearbox (which comes standard)—you see, PDK outperforms the 3-pedal manual (partly due to Launch Control), with conservative claims of 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 sec. for the PDK/Sport Chrono Turbo, versus 3.6 sec. for the manual. One minor gripe with PDK is that the gear indicator on the instrument panel is too small, and offset to the right.
Another new technology on the Turbo is Porsche Torque Vectoring ($1320). It combines a mechanical limited-slip rear differential with variable torque distribution at the rear axle by applying the brakes to the inner rear wheel, intended to enhance turn-in and minimize understeer. While there is a bit less understeer, a more effective way of controlling the car's attitude is via left-foot braking—happily, the new Turbo doesn't cut power when overlapping throttle and brake as with most Porsches. PTV or not, the Turbo's chassis dynamics are better than ever, with perfectly snubbed suspension, incredibly direct steering and strong brakes. And, the car's power-on oversteer moments are now easier to control, due to a smoother distribution of power between the front and rear axles.
But what still defines this (known internally as the 997 II) is its ferocious, pin-you-into-your-seat acceleration. About the only downside here (other than price: $132,800 for the coupe, $143,800 for the cabriolet) is its less-than-stellar music from the engine compartment. Usually you want to "blow the doors off the competition," but the Turbo's intake system sounds more like it will suck the doors off as it whooshes by; and although the exhaust is loud, the note is thoroughly uninspiring—nothing like a .
Still, small grievances with a car that is greatly improved and could very well be the most "livable" supercar in the world. Both Coupe and Cabrio are on sale now.


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There has been a great deal of nonsense talked about the new Sherlock Holmes movie not being a faithful presentation of Holmes and Watson. In actuality, Jude Law is one of the great Watsons, adding to the virtues of his acting a face straight out of the Paget illustrations. It was eerie. Downey did a miraculous job of playing Holmes without playing any of his actor predecessors in the role. With help from the script, he even managed to convince one that the one factor that neither Holmes nor he could alter — height — was meant to be shortness, not tallness. It was a great pleasure to see him go to work, or rather, to see Holmes emerge, fully formed, from Downey. Downey and Law made a great team, a faithful depiction of the young Holmes and Watson having adventures.
(The only thing I would quibble about? The clothes and how the characters wore them. It was a little beyond the dabble in Bohemianism that would work for a couple of professional men. But of course, if Holmes and Watson had been scrupulous about not hanging around the house in their shirtsleeves, and wearing dressing gowns or smoking jackets to stay decently clothed around each other and Mrs. Hudson, modern audiences would have misread it, and Downey's ressourcement approach would have run into Gillette again. Shrug. It worked. Except for one reviewer who saw this Holmes as a clothes horse. When he never wore a good clean boiled collar in the entire flick, and he was ruin on his hats, his shirts, and every other piece of garb that touched his body. Sure.)
Doyle made both Holmes and Watson good fighters, and taught Holmes several different styles of martial arts. So any reviewer who complains about this is a twit. Given that Doyle wrote an entire historical novel about the old bareknuckle boxing, blew up the house in the affair of the Engineer's Thumb, raced steam launches down the Thames in The Sign of the Four, and had his big break by writing a novel claiming to be the true story of the Mary Celeste when that mystery was in the news, you can probably assume he'd have liked the action in this flick. So they can quit ripping on Guy Ritchie. Ritchie practically channels Stuff Doyle Would Like.
I loved the movie's Lestrade, Eddie Marsan. Loved loved loved him. The toughness and determination, the irritation with Holmes' gadfly ways, all presented in a man who misses some stuff but isn't a bumbler. Constable Clarke is an original character, and he also is a lot of fun. (His name may come from Doyle's historical novel Micah Clarke.)
Mrs. Hudson only appeared briefly, but Geraldine James played one of the best and most Victorian Hudsons ever. Mary Morstan lived up to her billing by Doyle, played as a kind, loving, and formidable lady of unusual beauty by Kelly Reilly. Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler was fun, although you have the typical costumer's indecision as to whether they should constantly show or hide her curves when she's running around in men's clothes.
(She was perhaps the most criticized member of the cast in reviews, because she wanted to play Adler without chewing the scenery, and most people wanted Adler to be the woman of their romantic fantasies, oozing sex appeal and wuv at every moment. I'm not sure how they imagine their Adler not scaring Holmes away. Especially if she'd tried that when there was danger afoot. There's even criticism that Adler isn't souuuuulful enough. What?? The minority criticism was that she did have chemistry with Holmes, with those who prefer Holmes to have a strictly intellectual appreciation for The Woman. Well, folks, that's not the option chosen by this movie; don't blame the actress. Either way, what's shown on screen is a good deal more chaste than what's shown in movies following the lead of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. It's a surprising moment of taste in our show-it-all times. My only criticism is that she's not a contralto, but I still can work with that. But yeah, she probably needs to chew some scenery next time, or whatever it takes to bring out the opera diva in her inner Irene. Like that fight scene with Holmes that's in the trailer but not in the movie.)
The movie showcased these women and others with a very Doyle (or Watson!) appreciation of them, each having their own strength and beauty and style. Just as with Doyle, we tend to get this depicted in short flashing scenes only. But in a world where actresses today seldom get to play any kind of decent role, I think these actresses feel lucky to have short bursts. We'll see what happens next time.
The villains and non-heroes were interesting, as they should have been. One particular thug is allowed to be a real character as well as physically impressive; I hope to see his actor again. (And maybe this character too.) The main villain is played by an actor who obviously could have done a good Holmes himself. I think there were a few occasions where the filmmakers deliberately allowed you to realize this. 🙂
As for the movie, I must say that it was not as blowy-uppy as I had been told. It was a fun script and a clever one, with plenty going on. The gimmicky things about the presentation were not overused; they were played when fun, and kept back when not. I appreciated that. The action portions were lurid, but heck, Doyle loved a good lurid fight or chase or villainous scheme. Although the central conceit of the villain's scheme was no secret to any anime viewer, it was kept adequately hidden. (In a way not quite a "fair play mystery" — but Doyle wrote before that concept emerged, and "fair play" began out of frustration with him.) But even that turned out to be cover for What Was Really Going On, and done for the benefit of other characters, not us. Frankly, every time I began to roll my eyes, the movie proved that it knew what it was doing. It was a lot of fun, and not stupid.
I could have done without London being quite so gritty. You can't just show dirt without showing the struggle of hardworking Victorians (like Mrs. Hudson) against that dirt. (Just as you can't just show Bohemian young Englishmen without showing that their generation was into morals and city reform.) But it was a valid choice, and set the scene that this was more a "Jack the Ripper" London than a cozy one. (Though I couldn't believe the number of people who've claimed in reviews that nobody's ever done a gritty Victorian London movie. Obviously not very versed in movies….)
I do have some accent issues. Other than Irene Adler, who is from New Jersey, and the American ambassador, everybody is supposed to be native English. Of course the English actors don't have to worry, and Downey's accent is fairly solid; but some of the actors slipped back and forth across the Atlantic from scene to scene. It wasn't anything hideous or laughable, but it was noticeable.
The music by Hans Zimmer is a great pleasure. Any score that allows me to listen to cimbalom for long periods of time is a good score. The violin pieces were well-played, as is fitting for literature's most famous amateur of the violin. There was also a brief but clever use of the Dubliners singing "The Rocky Road to Dublin" as a sort of soundtrack for London's public culture. (I say 'clever' because that particular style of fast playing emerged from emigration to Victorian London, much as bluegrass emerged from various old-timey regional traditions being blended together by playing after work at northern factories.) It also works as a soundtrack to Holmes' hyper side at work in that London, constantly on the hop but still under control.The music by Hans Zimmer is a great pleasure. Any score that allows me to listen to cimbalom for long periods of time is a good score. The violin pieces were well-played, as is fitting for literature's most famous amateur of the violin. There was also a brief but clever use of the Dubliners singing "The Rocky Road to Dublin" as a sort of soundtrack for London's public culture. (I say 'clever' because that particular style of fast playing emerged from emigration to Victorian London, much as bluegrass emerged from various old-timey regional traditions being blended together by playing after work at northern factories.) It also works as a soundtrack to Holmes' hyper side at work in that London, constantly on the hop but still under control.
I don't recommend the movie for young kids, because there's a lot of scary stuff and rough fighting, and Irene does a lot of Implying that she and Holmes have slept together in the past. Also, some skin is shown, but not anything explicit. If you're worried about magic in flicks and want the Occult shown to be a Bad Thing as well as Stupid, this is your movie. But you have to wait till the end for villains to get. And no, Holmes is not okay with Adler performing criminal acts, and no, the filmmakers don't show this as something likely to end well for her. The same is true for a lot of stuff in this movie. Heck, Holmes in the stories is often a cautionary example. But no, they're not going to come right out and say, "Gosh, all this is so self-destructive! Holmes, tell everyone not to do drugs or stay up late or sleep with crazy fast women who steal things!" If your kids have read the unabridged books and stories, though, they're probably old enough for this flick. Use your judgment, basically.
This movie does set two conditions that are not adapted from the books; but they are not used haphazardly. It's an alternate Holmes world, where "The Sign of the Four" has never taken place yet Watson met Miss Mary Morstan anyway. Meanwhile, Irene Adler has been running around as the kind of adventuress I thought "adventuress" meant when I was a little kid reading the first few paragraphs of "A Scandal in Bohemia". (Her marriage with Godfrey Norton didn't work out.)
(All fanfic by men about Irene Adler either kills Norton, makes him a brute who beats her, or otherwise makes her single again in jigtime. So don't blame the poor scriptwriters. They too were caught in Irene's allure.)
As for pretty much everything else not in the Canon of the stories and novels but proposed onscreen, you may look to the Writings about the Writings, the Great Game. In short, you may blame Sherlockians and Holmesians, and specifically the Annotated Holmes of Baring-Gould and the new Annotated by Les Klinger. So scroll down no further, if you don't want to know.
The most important Sherlockian concept, and perhaps the best implemented, was the infamous deduction that Watson must be a gambling man, because he kept his checkbook locked up in Holmes' desk. We do know from "A Study in Scarlet" that he tended to spend money freely, but there's no real reason to blame gambling. It was London. There were shows and public balls and a thousand things to buy, as well as restaurants and pubs that a single man could use to get his three squares a day. Likewise, there's no reason to believe that anyplace in the apartment had a more secure lock than Holmes' desk, which was no doubt expensively protected for his work's sake. But the actors and script used the gambling idea as a door into Watson's character, to show that he was a man with failings and a craving for risk, as well as estimable qualities. It has never really worked in the body of fanfic, professional or otherwise; but here, it works.
The other inspired riff on the Game is the bullpup. One Sherlockian opined (nasty mans!) that the bullpup Watson was keeping (only mentioned once in A Study in Scarlet, and probably referring to a pistol) had been poisoned by Holmes in an experiment; and a dying dog is indeed finished off by poison in the stories. In this movie, the bullpup is a longtime denizen of the rooms at 221B; and while Holmes does include him in his experiments, he never does the dog any harm. Awww.
I liked this movie. It was fun and clever, with a good heart. It didn't hate its subjects or the audience, and it didn't leave a bad taste in your mouth. It left the door open for sequels. And it even had awesome end credits, which I appreciated. (There was a lady on the crew named Windibank!! How Doyle!) I would like to see it again.
(The amusing thing is that, although many reviewers seem to determined to say nasty, clueless things about this movie, they still can't resist telling people to go. The other amusing thing is watching reviewers warn Holmes purists against things that the real purists will love. Others claim to be fans of the books, yet object to situations which the books created, like Holmes' dragging his feet against Watson getting married and moving out! Still, a surprising number of movie reviewers have revealed their Baker Streetcred.)


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Wolf Blitzer delivers the most important breaking news and political, international, and national security stories of the day. Tune to The Situation Room weekdays 5-7pm ET on CNN.
By Dugald McConnell and Brian Todd, CNN
(CNN) - Contractors at an Environmental Protection Agency warehouse were careless with inventories, and used government furniture and appliances to create hidden "man caves" complete with couches and TVs, an agency watchdog alleges.
Out of sight of the security cameras, and often hidden behind screens or boxes, employees created rec-rooms with furniture and appliances from government storage, according to an audit, feathering their nests with televisions, DVDs, refrigerators, microwaves, and couches.
Perhaps the most elaborate part of the setup was an extensive gym, with weights and equipment to rival a fitness center. Using floor tiles from storage, they carpeted the area, and they used notebooks from storage to record their workouts, according to the EPA inspector general's report.
The EPA was paying contractor Apex Logistics $1.6 million per year to handle the warehouse, located just outside Washington in Landover, Maryland.
"They set up a gym, they set up all these things with our money," said Ryan Alexander, with spending watchdog Taxpayers for Common Sense. "So we're paying a contractor, so their guys can sit around and watch tv and work out?"
The report also alleges that valuable inventory was going unused. Large amounts of equipment were idle – not just surplus furniture, but new and unopened air conditioners and refrigerators that sat untouched for the past five years.
Photos also show several upright pianos lying on their backs collecting dust.
"Why are we paying people to store things we don't need? It's just waste upon waste upon waste," said Alexander. "We have old computers that have never been opened. We have lots of stuff that we're just not using."
The auditors also reported finding dirty or unsafe conditions – from furniture piled in the aisles, to unsafe electrical wiring, to dust and rat feces throughout the building.
"It seemed that every aisle you walked down – it was a cumulative effect," EPA auditor Robert Adachi told CNN. "There was inefficiency, there was waste, there was potential abuse."
Perhaps most puzzling of all was a box containing expired passports of EPA employees – including diplomatic passports.
"This was just a breach of security," said Adachi, who pointed out that they could be sold on the black market if they fell into the wrong hands. "There were also other sensitive documents that contained personal identifiable information," he said.
The EPA says it takes the report seriously, and is taking corrective steps.
"We took immediate action to secure the warehouse and its contents, and issued a stop work order to the contractor," said EPA spokeswoman Alisha Johnson.
An inventory has almost been completed, she said, adding that "all personally identifiable information has been secured and will be stored or disposed of properly."
Adachi said much of the blame goes to the contractor, whom CNN was not able to reach. But still, he said, while the EPA responded quickly once it was alerted to the situation, the agency was still at fault for what he called "a pure lack of oversight" over the years.
Johnson said the EPA believes this was an isolated case, after reviewing all other storage and warehouses and finding them appropriately managed. She said the agency will implement additional safeguards for their oversight and management.
[twitter-follow screen_name='BrianTodCNN']
I'm ok with tax dollars being used to setup a simple gym. I bet they were hard working employees, sad such a big deal was made of this. Tax dollars are spent in much worse ways every day.
Most companies provide rec room for their employees as long as they don't use them during the hours they should be working. I guess the only problem is who is paying for it. But when you think about who pay for secret service men hotel room and meals while they are watching the president. All their salaries are paid by taxpayer money including the president. At least they encourage them to stay fit.
Republicans want to privatize everything. We'll this is what you get . Some idiot running a payroll company with over payed workers. Fire them and hire government workers with a supervisor. By the way they pay twice as much for a private employee because the politically connected can skim the pay roll.
THAT's a "man cave?" Seems like much ado about nothing. The real waste is the time it took to put this story together and publish it.
Folks, this is nothing new. I worked in the Pentagon in the 80's and on many government contracts since. Believe me when I tell you: this ain't nothing!
At least this stuff is being warehoused for future use. When the U.S. Embassy moved from Bonn to Berlin, everything was simply thrown away in Bonn and brought over again from the US to Berlin - I mean: EVERYTHING! From furniture to tools to vacuum cleaners. This is SOP, happens worldwide, and is disheartening to watch. How our Government wastes money is a travesty to every American taxpayer.
Well, you had a good run guys, living every man's dream. Aaaaaaaand queue the unoriginal political commentary and regurgitation of talking points.
Wow – TV's, refrigerator, microwaves!! Umm – kinda sound like our lunchroom – or any office's lunchroom!
Wow. Going after the really big fish here huh?
A couple warehouse guys carved out some personal space with box fans and dorm fridges. Big whoop. Do you have any idea what the "back of house" at any federal courtroom looks like? Those very well paid, insured and pensioned governmental employees each have their own magical kingdoms with gyms, showers, kitchens, large staffs to wash their cars and get their dry cleaning.
The production cost of your ridiculous expose and the binding on the government report likely cost more than all the actual loss at that warehouse. Meh.
Low hanging fruit. Corporate journalism is a joke. Each of you has some earnest professor out there that you respected. I hope when you think about that professor and then your job in the news "industry" you're ashamed. And if you don't that's even worse.
Oh my...refrigerators & pre-historic TVs!!! The injustice of it all. The warehouse looks like a dump. I'm sure nobody reported that? I'm not quite sure what I see as improper purchases? Most federal buildings have TVs in their lobbies to broadcast missing children alerts and the news. Most federal buildings have small gyms – especially buildings that contain law enforcement agencies since its part of their job to keep fit & in shape. Does anyone know any office that doesn't have a refrigerator or a microwave so the employees can keep keep their lunch cold and then warm it up? Most agencies "exchange" furnishings or equipment when they don't need them anymore to avoid making new purchases and to get more use out of the items. One agency's old furniture is another agency's new furniture – at no additional cost. Give me a REAL scandal, because this one is just stupid.
This is what happens when you farm stuff out to contractors and third-party vendors. Yet gov't and business continue to make the same mistakes.
"How about Three Trillion and not three Billion wasted on Destroyers. Like Idiot Obama The biggest wasted Destroyer of all time."
And their is More Places like this i know this for a fact. They are managed and Directed by people whom don't care and don't understand what they are Doing. The Gov. has all the fault in this because they are doing the same thing. the over seers of this facilities and to give the contractors equipment and to make sure they are doing their job. most of the time the facility overseer is doing same thing scamming the system. I now of a place where It was a must to spend ever drop of cash on stupid shit that really did not have justification. the amounts of tax dollars spent every year on event that number one are not very organized in my Onion and cost Millions of Dollars a year. it sad cause our school are broke and they spend without understanding the impact.
Where can my company bid on a contract like this? You mean we can get paid, not do much, and completely chill out in a government furnished man cave? Sign me up.
That man cave sucks. They could have built that with stuff found at Goodwill. Whatever, that 20 year old TV and high school rec room weight bench along with everything else there probably like 300 bucks MAX
I've seen more elaborate lounges than this at companies. What's wrong with a lounge? As long as it wasn't our money, who cares! Let them rest and workout.
Well just think what the actual Fed employees man cave looks like? Hey these contractors get the Idea from the people that hired 'em. They just don't have a unlimited amount of taxpayer $$ to waste, i.e. IRS and GAO.
This sort of thing has been happening for fifty years but now, when every PAC and politician is searching for scandals and reasons for "outrage", this mades the news. The United States Government is a huge enterprise and absolutely will have flaws in management in every agency and department – just like every major corporation. It's good for citizens to expose waste and to help police the system. It is not good for politicians to spend 100% of their time creating scandals rather than doing their most basic job of establishing a budget. That is a scandal!
What are they. Compulsive hoarders? Those man caves do not really cost the taxpayer any money. Buying and storing the stuff without using it , is insane and that is where the big waste of taxpayers money is, Why did they buy all this redundant
stuff, cheaper by the dozen? Fulfilling a political or buddy commitment.
They would be ahead of the game if the whole warehouse burned down to the ground.. ,
Tip of the iceberg
Not much of a man cave. Was expecting to see something that would blow my mind when I saw the article. Kids TV room at the house looks better.
Agreed, the government should run things like this, not private industry. Private industry just introduces waste and fraud.
Are you insane? GOVERNMENT is just about the definition of waste and fraud.
This is why the Democrats need to raise taxes, to keep this gravy train of government waste rolling along. We could easily cut 10x the amount sequestration amounted to, just by cutting back on these heinous wasteful spending and contracting. We also need to lay off about 50% of the contractors, and 30% of the Federal workforce.
LOL look at the tv were are they shopping Salvation Army get a grip LOL
"a pure lack of oversight" over the years? How many more gov't agencies do we still have to find out about such waste of taxpayer dollars? Our gov't needs to have independent auditors in ALL areas. This is so unacceptable as we are taxed to death, just barely making it from paycheck to paycheck. If you want a gravy job, just apply to Uncle Sam.
Wow, cheap ,very ugly, and small space devoted to staying healthy. Unless they used taxpayer money to buy the workout equipment CNN should be ashamed of itself and find real news. Perhaps it would be better if they were smoking and getting fat with taxpayer health insurance – I know – ban McDonalds for goverment employees!
The point here if you get it is government waste all the way around. Wake up.
Waste? From our government? Really?
I guess my first question would be why does the EPA have this type equipment stored in a warehouse? Second, this kind of crap goes on on all across the federal government. Agencies spending your tax dollars on useless items that should be part of their personal off time. We are in a budget crisis, we are going to furlough 800,000 federal employees and this is what we pay someone to do. Manage a warehouse full of stuff they shouldn't even have. You wonder why people get pissed off. I'm sure if the watchdog looked hard enough, he could find alot more.
The agency had purchased too much material, had to warehouse what was not required and enterprising employees took advantage of the situation. I don't see a big SNAFU here outside of improper purchasing ... at whose expense? The taxpayer is, once again, left holding the bag.
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I'd like to start off by reminding everyone that judges are human. Pretty opinionated humans, but still human. We make mistakes and sometimes after a long day of judging, we reflect upon our day and wish we had pinned a class a little differently or didn't look down at the exact moment a mini-disaster happened that we were told about later. ("Are you blind—you put the horse that bucked in second?!") We miss things. We can only judge what we happen to see in front of us for a short span of time. And our life experiences will cause us to decide who we like more in a class and our chosen field of expertise will sometimes leave us placing certain types of horses above others. But we love our jobs, and we love to see riders and handlers succeed.
My riding style of choice is hunter/jumper, but most of the shows I judge at are local schooling shows complete with all disciplines. I'm lucky enough to have shown saddle seat as a child, and I competed in western horsemanship for a season, both of which help me keep an open mind and allow me to love judging multi-discipline classes.
Between conversations with other judges and from my own judging experiences, I've tried to come up with a list of pointers to help with a rider's success and allow you to be more competitive at most horse shows. This list is by no means exhaustive, but they are the most common things I've heard/seen.
At most shows that I sit at, there are 30+ classes to get through. At 10 minutes for a flat class, 2 minutes for a course, and many un-judged warm-ups in between, the last thing any judge ever wants to do is to wait for entrants to get into the ring. Don't get me wrong—we get the tack changes and the, "Oops, my class is next?" but I personally have great respect for those individuals ready to walk into the ring ON TIME.
- Be willing to go first for courses/patterns
This one is along the same lines as being late. Be prepared and please don't leave the judge waiting to start a class as you look around to see who the first rider will be. Make it be yourself! If you go first and put in a winning round, equal to another, I will certainly give the better ribbon to the person not hesitating to go into the ring.
- Trainers – don't yelling during classes
For example, yelling "no" or "change it" or "diagonal" or "wrong lead" or "more heel." The list goes on and on. Of course, the level of horse show will decide how much I try to ignore these. I will, however, admit that there have been times when I haven't noticed the wrong diagonal/lead yet and the trainer's voice nicely alerts me to their rider's absentmindedness (which is written down on the scorecard). Obviously if it becomes a life/death situation then by all means yell out instructions!
Don't Run over the judge
Trust me—I saw your horse. Coming so close to me that I can see the dust particles sticking to Show Sheen on your horse's coat is not going to get you any bonus points. I will simply have to assume that you are not able to steer your horse very well or you need more practice with "floor craft" (see next item on the list).
Perfect your "Floor craft"
In ballroom dancing, there are certain dances that "travel" around a room, and in those dances the "leader" needs to constantly be watching other partners and trying to predict dancers' moves to avoid any collisions. It takes practice and experience to really get good at this. I wish riders practiced this more. When I judge, if a horse has to break because another rider cuts them off, I penalize the pair who did the cutting and ignore the break of the pair avoiding the collision. Riders, learn the art of "floor craft"! It will help you in all your flat classes and anytime you are riding in a ring with others!
Don't get discouraged
I can only judge what's in front of me. I miss things. Lots of things. I try hard not to, but in large classes I will. "That pony broke to a trot halfway around the ring and still pinned while I kept going all the way! It's not fair!" Maybe I did see it, but you were on the wrong diagonal the whole time. I really love going to the small schooling shows and giving every rider some piece of advice or something to work on. There are lots of times that I'm thinking, "WOW, that is an amazing pony and an asset to any lesson program." But unfortunately, in the horse show world, he may not move as nicely as the imported Warmblood next to him so he may not pin as often. Don't be discouraged—keep showing! Every judge has their own opinions, but it's just that— their opinion.
Know what equipment is allowed
Check with your organizations rule book if you have any questions about tack, equipment or show clothing. Of course, I do have to throw out a disclaimer that some judges have their own pet peeves. I know one judge who won't pin a walk/trotter with spurs on. Another cannot stand bats/whips/sticks being carried in an equitation class. Those opinions have nothing to do with the rules.
Wear gloves
A rider without gloves on doesn't bother me too much, but I know it's a pet peeve of other judges. It's such an easy thing to do that I recommend all riders wear gloves when appropriate to their discipline.
Wear clothes that fit
I'm not asking everyone to run out and get a pair of $400 breeches, but your show clothes should fit well. Otherwise your outfit will only detract from the overall look you are trying to present to the judge, making it more difficult to judge equitation classes. I look for form fitting, neat (clean-ish) clothing, boots reaching to the knee, hair properly captured under your helmet, etc.
Make sure your horse is totally sound
Please put your horse's interests first and if your horse's soundness is questionable, keep him at home.
Overall Turnout
Come with clean, neat, presentable tack. Your horse should be well groomed, in good weight, healthy coat, trimmed whiskers, mane appropriate length for discipline, etc.
Avoid having a very sweaty horse (summer heat aside)
I try hard to ignore this, but I can't help but wonder why the horse had to be ridden to that point right before class. It's not something an you want a judge to have to think about.
Show your numbers
Please make it so I can see the number on your back. I know this vexes A LOT of judges. If we can't see the your number we have one of two choices: Go up and ask you or just not use you in the pinning.
Not only is this distracting to see in a class, it can be a dangerous choking hazard. Leave the gum chewing for when you are not on a horse.
Any mistreatment of the horse
This goes without saying. Quickly disciplining a misbehaving horse is one thing, but there is a line between that and excessive. Be very careful not to cross it, as it will not be tolerated. The horse always comes first.
Happy showing!


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text:
Maybe it's been a while since you looked forward to sex. And maybe it's been even longer since you actually felt sexy. If you want to truly reconnect with the physical side of your sexuality, your first step is to define what is sensual for you, which involves becoming aware of your most subtle sexual thoughts and feelings.
[sidebar]We know what you're thinking: Who has time for that? Many of our clients say their lives are too hectic to pay attention to such subtleties, and the fact is, the chaotic pace of their daily routines probably has contributed to the depletion of their sex drives in the first place. But once you tune in to your sensuality, you probably will find that you've maintained more of it than you give yourself credit for. Contrary to how you may feel at this moment, you are not asexual. You simply need to reawaken that part of you. Bringing back your sensuality will require effort, but it also can be fun.
Here are some exercises that can be powerful, though they may seem relatively innocuous. We know that you may be tempted to skip over them in search of more potent solutions to your low libido. You've probably been moving so quickly through your life that you're missing out on the more delicate aspects of your sexuality. And you must reacquaint yourself with these subtleties in order to rediscover and revitalize your sexual desire. We invite you to relax and take pleasure in this process. It involves the type of homework that you actually can enjoy completing!
More From Prevention
Try to approach the following exercises with an attitude of curiosity and openness to learning new things about yourself. As human beings, we are constantly growing and changing. Our sexual selves are no different. And you've been out of touch with yours for a while.[pagebreak]
Wash away inhibitions
A wonderful way to ease into the process of becoming reacquainted with pleasurable bodily sensations is to take a warm bath. Be sure to have massage oils and a soft washcloth or sponge available. You may choose to light some candles or play music to enhance your sensual experience. Take the phone off the hook and let others know that you are not to be disturbed. Expect to spend at least 30 minutes with yourself. You're going to use this time for relaxation and exploration. Familiarize yourself with what your body responds to and how it likes to be touched. Move slowly and deliberately from one body part to the next, massaging your throat, breasts, underarms, inner elbows, belly, inner thighs, buttocks, back of your knees, and feet.
Notice when you start to lose interest in what you're doing. What's going on that leads you to dissociate from this experience? Can you make any connections between this experience and your tendency to shut down when you're with your partner? Experiment with a variety of touching styles—a light, feathery caress; a deep, slow rub; a quick circular motion; or whatever else comes to mind. Which is sexiest to you?
Massage oil onto your skin. How does this change the experience for you? Pour water over various body parts, or if you have a shower massager, experiment with different water pressures against your skin. Which feels best to you? As you perform this exercise, pay attention to what makes you feel sexy and what methods of stimulation spark your sexual energy. See how deeply you can relax and let go.
More from Prevention: Anatomy Of The Perfect Bath[pagebreak]
Stock up for sensual indulgence
Now that you've gotten a taste of the sort of self-exploration that you'll be doing, you're ready to move on to your next assignment. It involves an activity that many women enjoy: shopping!
First, take a trip to a lingerie shop. Once you are comfortable, choose a few sexy things to try on. You may be attracted to a particular style, or perhaps a color or type of fabric. Find something that feels sensual when you wear it. This is not for anyone's eyes but yours. If you later decide to share your selection with your partner, that's fine. But right now, you are pleasing only yourself. Try to purchase at least one item that challenges your impression of yourself sexually. That is, get a little crazy!
Next on the agenda is a trip to the grocery store. Your task is to identify at least four or five foods that feel sensual when you eat them. As with your choice of lingerie, your selections need to appeal only to you. Look for foods that have an alluring appearance, a seductive taste, or an erotic consistency. Imagine what you will feel as you eat them. Perhaps you derive the most sensual pleasure from sweet, juicy seasonal fruits such as cherries, strawberries, and peaches. Chocolate always is a favorite, as is ice cream. Wine and cheese definitely can create a seductive, sexy mood. Or maybe a steak on the rare side does it for you. Have fun and a sense of humor when filling your basket.
Finally, you'll want to visit your local bookstore. There you will find a selection of erotic literature. Yes, you are in search of pornography. The civilized folks at the store probably label it "erotica"; they have shelves and shelves of it. Your task is to locate this section and choose something wonderful from it. Among my clients, the books with short stories written by women for women seem to be especially popular. Try not to be concerned about what the people at the checkout will think of your purchase. They probably have discovered this tantalizing reading for themselves! (Need ideas? Here are 8 Sexy Reads For Your Bedroom.)
Once you've stocked up on the necessary supplies, schedule an evening alone at a time when you won't be interrupted. Make the final preparations for your own seduction. Consider what music you want to hear. Are scented candles in order? Indulge in whatever will enhance your efforts to feel sexually alive. You may want to begin your evening with a warm bath or relaxation exercise to help distance yourself from the day's events. Then combine your lingerie, food, and erotica in ways that please you. Be slow and passionate about it. Your goal is to make yourself feel good. Savor your sexiness. Welcome this part of you back into your life.


text:
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, Ever Merciful.
Love for All, Hatred for None.
the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Ever-Merciful
I pray to God that He may be with all those who are coming to attend
this Jalsa for the sake of Allah that He may grant them great rewards
and He may show mercy to them and He may remove their hardships and sorrows;
may He let them have what they desire and raise them up on the Day of
Resurrection along with those to whom He has shown mercy and His grace
and be the protector of all in their absence till the completion of the
journey. O God! O You who are the Great Granter, the Benevolent and Merciful,
and Remover of hardships, do listen to all these prayers of mine and
grant us victory over our opponents, with great and grand signs, for,
You have the power to do whatever You like. Aameen, Aameen once again.
( Ishteharat, Vol.1 p.342)


text: Founded in 1984, the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain is a unique example of corporate philanthropy in France. The Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain is a creative space for artists, a place where the general public can discover art, and is dedicated to promoting and raising public awareness of contemporary art. Each year, the foundation organises a programme of exhibitions based on either individual artists or themes, commissioning work from artists to enrich its expansive collection. Reflecting Cartier's dedication to nurturing its creative vocation, the foundation supports contemporary art as a means to address the concerns of the modern world and works to bring that art to the largest audience possible.


text:
|IORIZZO, MASSIMO - University Of Wisconsin
|BOWMAN, MEGAN - University Of Wisconsin
|Simon, Philipp
|CAVAGNARO, PABLO - University Of Wisconsin
|Senalik, Douglas
|CARPUTO, DOMENICO - University Of Naples
|VAN DEYNZE, ALLEN - University Of California
Submitted to: Plant and Animal Genome Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/8/2010
Publication Date: 1/15/2011
Citation: Iorizzo, M., Bowman, M., Simon, P.W., Cavagnaro, P., Senalik, D.A., Carputo, D., Van Deynze, A. 2011. Development of EST based markers for exploiting the carrot genome [abstract]. Plant and Animal Genome Conference. p. 175.
Interpretive Summary:
Technical Abstract: Carrot is the most economically important member of the Apiaceae family and a major source of provitamin A in the human diet. Breeding and genetic studies are ongoing to improve quantitative and qualitative traits. However, carrot molecular resources are relatively underdeveloped, hampering progress in genetic studies. Recently, a next generation sequence approach was used to develop the first extensive carrot Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) collection. Here we report the development and evaluation of EST based SNP and SSR markers. Computational analyses of EST sequences provided the identity of about 23,000 SNP and 8,700 SSR candidate markers. About 80% of SNP mutations were transitions. Trinucleotide repeats were the most abundant class of SSR motifs in carrot ESTs. A set of 354 SNP and 200 SSR primer pairs were tested, with 212 SNP and 110 SSR markers verified as having the expected sequence. Screening of verified SNP markers within two mapping populations identified 70 segregating markers. Mapping of SNPs and testing of SSR markers within F2 mapping populations is ongoing. The F2 segregating SSR and SNP markers derived from EST sequences will be placed on genetic linkage maps allowing the development of the first carrot EST based genetic map and integration of previously constructed maps.


text:
Like many road warriors, I often catch up with work-related reading on the plane, and on a recent flight to the U.S. from London, I was proud of myself for squeezing the maximum work value per pound out of my carry-on materials, which included e-books and other lightweight techno platforms.
But when I pulled the Kindle from my bag, it looked as though a child had scribbled on it with a black marker. The screen was stone dead. Next out was my iPad: One click produced the cover of the book I planned to read during my nine-hour flight, and the second click revealed that the book had not been downloaded. All I had was the cover art. Out came the trusty laptop, but the battery promptly expired.
This experience reminded me of one of the crucial issues surrounding the cloud-computing phenomenon.
Cloud computing offers a value proposition based on convenient services that you pay for as you go. Customized solutions can be offered in a flexible and secure environment. Companies can offload their noncore technologies and focus on their core businesses, providing a better product for their customers.
But cloud computing is based on the premise that users will always have access to the cloud service. Managers need to ask themselves what would happen if the service were unavailable. What if the cable from their internet provider were cut or — as has happened with alarming frequency lately — the service were disrupted by hackers or technical glitches?
The key issue is access to the data. Servers and technology can be found at secondary sites, but if the data is locked in the cloud, the business's ability to function may be severely compromised. On my plane, which had no Wi-Fi, I was without access to the source data. The format of the data on the Kindle probably wasn't compatible with other devices, even if I could have extracted it and the software licenses had allowed it. I did have the data (the book) on my iPhone, but reading a book on an iPhone screen didn't appeal to me and I had no way to connect the phone to the iPad.
A fellow passenger told me my quandary had put him off investing in such a device, which brings me to another point: Even if your data is secure, your customers might be scared off if they heard that your cloud provider had suffered an event like the outage that occurred on Amazon's Web Services platform.
While some AWS clients such as Netflix were unaffected, the errors within AWS's Relational Database Service prevented some companies, including Foursquare and Reddit, from performing at full capacity. In the eyes of many executives and their customers, this type of outage severely damages the perception of the cloud as a citadel. Clearly, hack attacks and data-lockout scenarios make assessing and managing the risks of the cloud a very complex proposition.
So far, few organizations have stepped up to help companies understand and deal with these risks, so your company will probably have to take on the task itself. First, managers need to ask vendors where and how the data would be stored and how the vendors would guarantee the data's availability. Second, companies should bring in specialists who are well versed in the technical issues of cloud platforms to closely read the service-level agreements offered by vendors. Like most terms-and-conditions contracts in the tech world, these SLAs tend to be complex and to strongly favor the vendors. The specialists should work in conjunction with corporate technology leaders and, if need be, the board of directors to assess the value of the vendors' offerings.
Next, managers should consider cloud-based processes along two dimensions: operational dependence and risk tolerance. Your biggest concern is with processes that the organization is highly dependent on and that have a low risk tolerance — in the case of an airline, for example, the reservation system. Placing these processes in the cloud would require fail-safe, redundant solutions that can be accessed via a second vendor. This level of duplication, known as cross-cloud backup, allows companies to move their data from one cloud (such as Amazon S3) to another (for example, Rackspace Cloud Files) and must be built into the strategic planning of any move to the cloud.
Cloud computing is the future. It is winning over entire industries — including traditional late adopters such as health care. The keys to success are careful planning of a migration strategy and understanding that the cloud approach is adolescent in places (remember the early days of the internet?) and that problems will occur. If you're still window shopping, it's time to start catching up on your reading about the cloud. But if you do so on a plane, remember to take a real book along, too.
Robert Plant (email@example.com) is an associate professor of computer information systems at the University of Miami School of Business Administration.


text:
Man accused of impersonating fallen Mass. soldier online
Brandon Ashraf accused of posing as Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Pucino
An arrest has been made after someone set up a Facebook page claiming to be a Massachusetts soldier who was killed in Afghanistan.
Someone was using Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Pucino's likeness on social networking sites. Pucino, of Plymouth, Mass., was 34 when he was killed in 2009 in Afghanistan.
The site was taken down after dozens of complaints were lodged.
Brandon Ashraf, 28, Cheektowaga, N.Y., was arrested following an investigation.
Pucino's sister, Lisa Pucino-Haglof, said her brother's photos and name were also used on a dating site.
Police allege Ashraf set up various Internet accounts using Pucino's identity. He allegedly set up a meeting with a woman in Florida whom he met on a dating site.
Ashraf was arraigned and released on his own recognizance.
Pucino-Haglof had called the ordeal "a betrayal," and said she just wants her brother to rest in peace.


text:
Bachman's business a (cheese) cake walk
When 25-year-old Lexington native Lindsay Bachman, owner of That's So Sweet Cheesecake Bakery, opened up shop at 429 W. Main St. in Lexington on April 18, she had already discovered a niche market which was so sought after in the area that she almost instantly sold out of cheesecakes.
"When we opened I was here working by myself for 10 days with my mom who helped, but wouldn't let me pay her," said Bachman. "We were here 15 or 16 hours a day for 10 days straight because as soon as I opened, I was selling out. I opened at 7 a.m. on a Wednesday morning, from 7:10 a.m. to 5 p.m. when I closed, traffic was constant."
Usually with a new business, customers can expect to go into the store, maybe purchase an item or two and be on their way. On the contrary, Bachman said she is so busy this holiday season, she is literally having to turn away customers in order to find time to sleep at night.
"We either have to say 'no' at this point, or go insane and make cheesecakes with absolutely no sleep," said Bachman. "I love to work hard, but there comes a time when if I start feeling like I am not sleeping and I have been here for 16 or 17 hours for five days in a row, my product is going to start to show that and I would rather say 'no' than give somebody something that wasn't my best quality."
The story of Bachman's success is the story of a young woman who, on a whim, discovered she could make a cheesecake. The idea came to her after some co-workers at her previous job were enticing her to bring a treat into work during November of 2010. Her mother was never known for making cheesecakes and in fact, Bachman recalls she didn't even have all of the right ingredients to make a cheesecake anywhere near the quality she produces today.
"I did it, not ever thinking it would turn into anything," said Bachman. "But I did it and word got around. I made six cheesecakes that Thanksgiving and then 25 at Christmas that year. Keep in mind these were 25 full-sized 9'' cheesecakes. That's all I had the ability to do in my kitchen at home."
To describe her home kitchen at that time, Bachman said it was nestled into a small old house, an oven, a mixer and a fridge. Her counter space was all split up and she guessed it totaled about three feet. After Christmas, Bachman recalls she was having fun making the cakes, but still considered it just a hobby to make a little cash on the side. The following spring and summer however, she started experimenting with other flavors of cheesecake. She tweaked the recipe, which she said is not a family recipe and as her product's notoriety started to grow, Bachman realized she had something a little bigger than a hobby on her hands.
"I thought, 'I've got a business here and if I am going to continue, I might as well see how far I can take this.'" said Bachman. "Nobody told me not to do this. Some people may have even thought it wasn't the greatest idea, but what many people didn't know, is that when I signed the lease, I already had 15 weddings booked to get me through the first six months."
Even before the bakery was open for business, Bachman had kept up with a Facebook page for her cheesecakes. After signing the lease for the business space in January of 2012, she received a message from Sarah Kelley, a culinary gradate from Kendall College, Chicago, who wondered if Bachman would need help with the baking. At the time, Bachman said things were so up in the air, she wasn't sure that she could staff someone else. However, she kept Kelley's information on file and 10 days later, she was hired as a full-time employee.
"We hit it off right away," said Bachman. "We didn't know each other at first, but I knew this was what she went to school for and I knew I could give her some responsibility. That was April 26, and she has worked 30-50 hours every week ever since. To know that I can give myself a job and on top of it give somebody else a job is huge to me, especially these days."
The inside of the shop was literally built by Bachman's husband Pete Bachman, a self-employed carpenter in Lexington. Bachman said her husband's work schedule really made the transition into the building much easier. She was looking forward to having the bakery business space for a number of reasons. One of the biggest was that she personally didn't feel productive working from home.
"I got married in October 2011, and with this shop, I got my home back. I was honestly a little scared to open a store like this," said Bachman. "My husband Pete was the one that said, 'Our home is constantly a mess, why don't you call about the space and see what they want for it.' So I did and I signed the lease in January and opened in April, so it worked out well."
While she sold her cheesecakes from home, they were mostly bought by friends and family. Now, Bachman said she goes entire days on end without seeing a single person she knows. On Dec. 19, Bachman said she had somebody driving over from Peoria to pick up some of her mini cheesecakes and after she finished that order, she would soon have to start on an order from Chicago for 20 of her 9'' cheesecakes. The bakery has delivered as far as Galesburg, places around Livingston County, as well as Bloomington.
"I'm a talker and I love to see where people are from — that part is fun for me," said Bachman. "I think I have found a niche market because a lot of bakeries make cakes and cupcakes, but you have to drive to Chicago to the Cheesecake Factory to get a good cheesecake. I try to be as accommodating as possible, I try to always do my best to make customers happy and that can't hurt either."
Made in more than 15 unique flavors, her most popular treats are the small cheesecakes she calls "minis." She said they have become popular because customers can choose an assortment of flavors and not have to commit to one. The minis are sold $2 each or three for $5. Likewise, a dozen of the mini cheesecakes sell for $20. She also makes 6'' and 9'' cheesecakes by order only. She said they are by order only because she can't risk it not selling.
"Granted," she said. "Around this time it probably would sell, but also around this time we are so busy with special orders that we can't keep up with that much for the store. We try to have the best assortment of product on hand here in the store. However we have sold out in the past, we try to avoid it, but it has happened."


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overview.fmt - format of news overview database
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