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Why is my SYSTEM Tablespace so Big? August 3, 2009Posted by mwidlake in internals, VLDB.
Tags: data dictionary, statistics, VLDB
How big is your SYSTEM tablespace? 512M? 1GB? 4GB? Bigger? Is it bigger than the whole of the first critical database you ever looked after? Why has the SYSTEM tablespace got so big?
You can easily check the size of the SYSTEM tablespace with any oracle development/admin GUI or with this script.
@dbf_lst Enter value for ts_name: system old 8: where tablespace_name like upper('&ts_name'||'%') new 8: where tablespace_name like upper('system'||'%') continue> FILE_NAME F_ID TS_NAME SIZE_M THOU_BL ----------------------------------------- ----- ---------------- -------- ------- +DISCG/sid/datafile/system.272.596722817 1 SYSTEM 24,920 3,190
That is 24GB. It is not the biggest one I have seen, but it is up there in the top 3.
Not so many versions ago, it was not unusual to have a system tablespace of less then 128MB in size. In fact, if you did not use stored PL/SQL this was probably the case up to and through 8i and into 9i. So – it's PL/SQL causing the bloat? No, probably not. Ahhh, what about all that AWR automatic real-time monitoring gubbins you hear so much about? Nope, that goes into SYSAUX.
No, it's probably down to one or both of two internal tables, SYS.AUD$ and SYS.HISTGRM$.
Let's check out what are the biggest objects in this particular SYSTEM tablespace:
select owner,segment_name,segment_type ,bytes/(1024*1024) size_m from dba_segments where tablespace_name = 'SYSTEM' and bytes/(1024*1024) >1 order by size_m desc OWNER SEGMENT_NAME SEGMENT_TYPE SIZE_M ------------ -------------------- ------------------ -------- SYS C_OBJ#_INTCOL# CLUSTER 13,313 SYS AUD$ TABLE 5,688 SYS I_H_OBJ#_COL# INDEX 1,863 SYS I_AUD1 INDEX 1,606 SYS HIST_HEAD$ TABLE 311 SYS SOURCE$ TABLE 224 SYS IDL_UB1$ TABLE 224 SYS C_FILE#_BLOCK# CLUSTER 208 SYS INDPART$ TABLE 160 SYS OBJ$ TABLE 144 SYS I_HH_OBJ#_COL# INDEX 128 SYS I_HH_OBJ#_INTCOL# INDEX 128 SYS I_OBJ2 INDEX 80 SYS I_FILE#_BLOCK# INDEX 62 SYS TABPART$ TABLE 57 SYS I_OBJ1 INDEX 49 {snip}
To be a little obtuse, I'll start with the second largest object, SYS.AUD$, which you can see is getting close to 6GB in size {Oh, and SYS.I_AUD1, the fourth largest object, is the PK index on AUD$}.
AUD$ is the underlying table that holds all of the system auditing information that is turned on and off with the SQL AUDIT command. You can use AUDIT to monitor particular users, changes to system priveleges, access on key tables or particular activity like table changes. Go check the SQL manual if you want to know more.
The records for this captured activity all go into this table. On this particular system a few key priveleges and logons by certain users are the only things being audited, but the data has built up over 3 or 4 years.
On version 9 and 10 the options for managing this table are…poor. Bascially, you have to do it yourself. I think I am right to say that it is the only SYS-owned table that Oracle Corp say it is OK for you to move into another tablespace yourself and that you are allowed to delete and truncate data from. If you AUDIT a lot of things or activities you probably need to delete some data. {If you AUDIT a lot of things or activities and you don't delete any of the data, you probably did not turn on AUDIT very long ago or have not checked the size of your SYSTEM tablespace for a while…}.
Oh, and one final thing on the AUD$ table. It is lacking indexes – it has only one {ignoring LOB indexes}. This is a good thing as indexes slow down inserts quite significantly {I use a rule of thumb that if it takes "N"ms to insert a record into a table, it will take "2.2*N"ms if there is an index on the table, "3.4*N"ms if there are two indexes, "4.6*N"ms if there are three… Get the idea? However, I have not checked this for real in years. Treat this statement as a potential myth}. I would recommend you do not add further indexes to AUD$. If you need to investigate the information in there, I would strongly suggest you extract what you want into a new table with a CTAS statement, then index that copy table and do your work on that. You do not want to slow down further everything that is already slowed down a little by being audited.
What about the largest thing in the SYSTEM tablespace? It's SYS.C_OBJ#_INTCOL# nd is over 13GB in size. I said it would be SYS.HISTGRM$ didn't I?
Well, SYS.C_OBJ#_INTCOL# is a cluster. Clusters are structures, segments, that hold one or more tables. All records for the same key across all those tables are held together, in the same block or blocks. The key is either a normal index or a hash. The idea is that it speeds up selecting records from different tables with the same key – they are all in the same block or blocks. It does work too, but they seem to have fallen out of favour with Oracle designers, but are worth considering.
In this particular cluster there is only one table, SYS.HISTGRM$:
select owner,table_name from dba_tables where cluster_name='C_OBJ#_INTCOL#' OWNER TABLE_NAME ------------------------------ ------------------------ SYS HISTGRM$ 1 row selected.
So, SYS.HISTGRM$ is the only table in the cluster. It {and it's cluster index, on columns OBJ# and INTCOL#} are hiding in this cluster segment. It IS the biggest thing in this particular SYSTEM tablespace. The only index, other than the cluster index, on the table SYS.HISTGRM$ is I_H_OBJ#_COL# and is the third largest object in the SYSTEM tablespace.
--ind_cols select INDEX_OWNER ind_owner ,INDEX_NAME ind_Name ,TABLE_NAME tab_Name ,substr(column_position,1,3) Psn ,COLUMN_NAME Col_Name from dba_ind_columns where table_name like upper(nvl('&tab_name','WHOOPS')||'%') order by 3,1,2,4,5 --eof @ind_cols Enter value for tab_name: histgrm$ IND_OWNER IND_NAME TAB_NAME PSN COL_NAME ----------- ------------------ ------------------ --------- -------------- SYS I_H_OBJ#_COL# HISTGRM$ 1 OBJ# 2 COL# 2 rows selected. Elapsed: 00:00:02.07 -- you find the cluster index by looking on DBA_INDEXES and --DBA_IND_COLUMNS where the "TABLE_NAME" is the name of the cluster @ind_cols Enter value for tab_name: C_OBJ#_INTCOL# IND_OWNER IND_NAME TAB_NAME PSN COL_NAME ----------- ------------------ ------------------ --------- -------------- SYS I_OBJ#_INTCOL# C_OBJ#_INTCOL# 1 OBJ# 2 INTCOL# 2 rows selected. Elapsed: 00:00:00.93
What is HISTGRM$? Do you think it looks like it could be something to do with column Histograms? Well it is, it's the underlying data dictionary table that holds column histograms. It started to become common to see a large HISTGRM$ table with Oracle 9 systems with many partitions {and of course subpartitions, if used}, where statistics were gathered on these partitioned tables aggressively and included a METHOD_OPT clause that causes column statistics to be collected. eg FOR ALL INDEXED COLUMNS SIZE 200 or FOR ALL COLUMNS SIZE 100.
Where most people have seen it balloon in size though is with Oracle 10 and the introduction of…the Automated Stats gathering job {so, there is a connection to previous recent posts 🙂 }.
Every night, every weekend, any partition or sub-partiton that is 10% or more different to last time stats were gathered, get stats gathered. The automatic job gathers states with METHOD_OPT=AUTO. Which means your Oracle software decides which columns to gather histogram stats on and how many buckets it collects.
Whoever wrote that part of the stats gathering feature really liked to gather information.
If you have lots of partitions {or sub-partitions} and gather stats with the METHOD_OPT=AUTO, the two factors added together result in a massive HISTGRM$ table and thus a massive cluster.
Is space important? No, of course not, disc acreage is cheap, just buy bigger discs ;-). {That, of course, was a highly questionable suggestion}.
Being serious, I'm personally not too concerend about my SYSTEM tablespace being that big, after all compared to the size of databases that use thousands of partitions, 32GB is usually not a major concern, but I know of people who did not expect their system tablespace to get that big and have issues with simple running out of strage available to them.
I am more concerned about the impact on parse times and general data dictionary perforance of such large objects. I've found the data dictionary can be very slow for some queries when there are large numbers of extents, objects, columns…Histograms are just in there with the mix. I've had to work around such slow data dictionary access several times in the past and I suspect {though have not had time to in any way support this with evidence} that parsing is slowed down by unneccessary histograms. As an example of this, which actually has nothing to do with SYS.HISTGRM$, if you look back up this post at the code listing the indexes on the cluster and table, the code took between a second and two seconds to run. Normally it takes less than 1/10 of a second.
Can you do anything about the size of these objects? Well, with SYS.AUD$ Oracle allow you to delete from it and move the table to a new tablespace. If you use the SQL AUDIT command, you should include housekeeping the SYS.AUD$ table in your overall implementation.
SYS.C_OBJ#_INTCOL# and SYS.HISTGRM in it are slightly trickier. It is not easy to reduce the space used by these objects and thus the SYSTEM tablespace once they have grown large, but you can stop them getting bigger by collecting fewer column histogram statistics on your partitioned tables. Obviously that is not as simple as it sounds, but many sites with large numbers of objects do turn off the automated stats gathering and run their own code.
- 4. Surachart Opun - August 4, 2009
Great Martin,
thank you for article.
On our database 10g, we move AUD$ table + I_AUD1 index to new tablespaces before "alter audit_trail".
Or delete AUd$ every 90 days. or after made report.
About another object… C_OBJ#_INTCOL# cluster, we don't use much space. But hope to know how reduce it…
- Amit - August 5, 2009
Only supported way to reduce C_OBJ#_INTCOL# size is to Recreate database 😉
- Surachart Opun - August 5, 2009
Hi Amit,
Bad News for me…
By the way, this object no problem with me 😉
Thank You
- Kamus - July 19, 2012
If you really want to decrease C_OBJ#_INTCOL# cluster size instead of recreate database, try below:
1. alter system set event='38003 trace name context forever, level 10′ scope=spfile;
2. restart database
3. truncate cluster c_obj#_intcol#;
4. remove the 38003 event from spfile and restart database again
5. gather the column histogram you really need
on your own risk 😀
- Kamus - July 19, 2012
Forgot to say, never do it on your production system.
- 5. B. Polarski - August 6, 2009
In order to avoid the block checksum of System tablespace, we intend to move the AUD$ and FGA_LOG$ onto sysaux. We would like to partition AUD$ as it seems normal to manage big tables with drop partitions rather than huge delete. However FGA_LOG$ cannot be partitioned due to a Long (col PLHOL). Thanks Oracle corps, now we are forced into millions of row delete.
wonder if somebody as experience with AUD$ partitioned?
- 6. Blogroll Report 31/07/2009 – 07/08/2009 « Coskan's Approach to Oracle - August 12, 2009
[…] Martin Widlake- Why is my SYSTEM Tablespace so Big? […]
- 7. Dejan Topalovic - September 1, 2009
I had same problem last year, when my SYSAUX tablespace growth from 3 GB to 30 GB in just one day!!!
In my case, I collected histograms on a few big partitioned tables (each was over 50 GB). Lately I tried to remove unnecessary data from WRH$ and other tables with infos about histograms, so I can resize the SYSAUX datafile, but I got an error, there are some objects which belongs to XDB component. So I needed to clean up everything (and to relocate XDB component), to be able to resize the SYSAUX datafile …
- 9. Usn - March 30, 2011
That's great information, explains why a growing archive DB of mine grows its SYSTEM tablespace day by day. We are collecting many histograms there. Good to know…
Martin "Usn" Klier
- 10. Auditing vs. Performance in the Oracle Database « Julian Dontcheff's Database Blog - May 11, 2011
[…] I would recommend this article by Martin Widlake: Why is my SYSTEM Tablespace so Big?! The 3rd SYSTEM table after SYS.AUD$ and SYS.HISTGRM$ that I have seen to grow up is […]
- 11. fabio - October 21, 2011
nice article.
good work!
- 12. Franklin F. - December 13, 2011
Good post!! Love it.
- 13. Oracle Interview Questions - December 14, 2011
We had this issue when the system tablespace got full. We had raw devices and we couldn't add new raw devices right away and needed and this def helped because we needed to clear up some space in the system tablespace.
- 14. Keshav - January 3, 2012
I m getting this error in alert log file
ORA-1654: unable to extend index SYS.I_HH_OBJ#_COL# by 62 in tablespace SYSTEM……..
Please help me in resolving this issue…
Provide me the steps..
we are on oracle 9i on solaris machine…….Pleas help me…
Keshav Gupta
- 15. Saroj Mahanta - January 20, 2012
In my case, my UAT env has system tablespace grows upto 10GB. And below is the output of the maximum space consuming object,
Now, i want to know, why SOURCE$ table is having 3+ GB size. What does it contains ?


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Local duo scans north chain
COLDWATER — And there were two.
A search of Branch County's north chain of lakes yielded two visible ice fisherman early Wednesday afternoon.
Calhoun County residents Phil Bard (East Leroy) and Myron Clemens (Athens) were at it on Randall Lake, fishing the northwest corner of the lake. The duo was fishing the same spot on Sunday when the area was inundated with snow.
All this after the region was also hit with a "polar vortex" which brought sub-zero air temperatures and double-digit wind chills to the area. Bard and Clemens had drilled nearly 50 holes through the foot-thick ice as the two fished for bluegill and crappie — in water about 12 to 25 feet deep.
"There are plenty of fish here," said Bard. "They just aren't too hungry [today]."
The two go on to the lake about 11 a.m. Wednesday with temperatures hovering around 15 degrees — a huge improvement over the last few days. The sun shone on the snow-covered ice, making it more manageable to deal with the weather.
"Today, it's warm," said Clemens.
It was roughly a 200-yard walk to their fishing area, through knee-deep snow and slush; but even the most dedicated find a way to feed their hobby. Both Bard and Clemens had 18-volt lithium-powered drills to power their augers, making it easy to drill holes.
"If you drill a hole and their aren't any fish, it's easy to drill another," said Bard. "It's warm out here. I was almost sweating on the walk out here."
The two were wiggling their fishing poles and watching their Vexilar underwater cameras as they scanned the area for fish. The two were using spikes to try and lure in the fish, but the bites were few and far between, prompting a lot of movement.
"When they just don't want it, there's nothing you can do," said Clemens.
Bard had caught five blue gills as of the lunch hour, while Clemens had a pair of bluegills to go along with a 10-inch perch. They tossed back a few bluegills that failed to meet their 7-8 inch requirement.
Bard said they have caught their limit 10 times so far this season, but not yet at Randall Lake. The two fish a number of lakes in the Branch and St. Joseph County area, but as most fisherman do, they keep those lakes a secret.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sad news from Lexington, where Joe Cope of Smokey Joe's BBQ has passed away. From the restaurant's Facebook page:
Our precious Dad has gone home to be with our Lord and Saviour. Thank you all for your prayers your love. Please continue to pray for our family. Thank you. We love you all.
Filed under: Miscellaneous |


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So when exactly was the last time we registered a temperature above 50 degrees? It's been quite chilly lately, but surely our goose-bumped skin has been exposed to such mild weather sometime recently!
Actually, no, not at all. But before I reveal the specific day we last saw 51+ temperatures, here's a little representation of what the temperature spread has been since November 1st:
NUMBER OF DAYS WITH THE FOLLOWING TEMPERATURE READINGS SINCE NOVEMBER 1ST, 2012 (Bremerton Airport):
- 50+°= 12 (First six days of November being 51+ degrees, and then six other days during the past three months with a 50 degree reading)
- 40+°= 57
- 30+°= 22
- 20+° (low temperature)= 26
- 10°+ (low temperature)= 4
It shouldn't be surprising that we registered most days 40° and above, but what should stand out even more is how often we hit the 30s, 20s, and teens, and how infrequently we've been over 50. The Bremerton area usually averages about 8 days with highs in the 30s during the winter and we've nearly tripled it.
And now we wait in suspense. The weather this weekend is a real tricky one. If we reach 51 degrees or more tomorrow, that will be the first time since………November 6th, 2012! We will have gone almost three whole months without seeing the big 5-0 on the seven day forecast, but the first weekend of February is taking on the challenge.
A ridge of high pressure is building, but we run the same risk of seeing low clouds and fog Friday night into Saturday morning. The little fly in the ointment is that the fog doesn't completely burn off on Saturday, which could keep our temperatures in the upper 30s/lower 40s a good part of the day. If skies clear, we could see highs easily hit the low 50s. For now, I expect skies to become at least partly sunny by Saturday afternoon with highs just over the 50 degree mark.
Sunday is another 50+ contender before skies cloud up and temperatures fall. We get so close to touching 50 and then it gets taken from us! All the more reason to enjoy this weekend. If the sun refuses to come out on the peninsula, head to the Cascade foothills! It'll be plenty mild up there 🙂
Matthew Leach
Forecasting Kitsap
Questions? Comments? E-mail me at: email@example.com


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A bevy of Hollywood's elite attended the Mercedes-Benz 26th Carousel of Hope Gala at The Beverly Hilton on Saturday to honor George Clooney.
While Clooney is no stranger to accolades recognizing his work as an actor, director and producer, the gala celebrated him as a philanthropist with the prestigious Brass Ring Award. The biannual event, created by Barbara Davis to benefit research and treatment for childhood diabetes drew the Hilton family, Clive Davis, Smokey Robinson, Sidney Poitier, Joan Collins, Quincy Jones, and Jennie Garth, among others. Clooney roared with laughter as he chatted with Jane Fonda and Shirley MacLaine at the main table, stationed front and center in the pink and lilac ballroom. All the while, he kept his arm around girlfriend Stacy Keibler's waist, whispering in her ear throughout the evening. "This one is dedicated to you, George," said Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds as he tuned up to perform "When Will I see You Again." After a long pause and laughter from the crowd, the singer redirected his dedication saying, "No, that's too weird. This is for you Stacy."
Following a video tribute highlighting Clooney's humanitarian work in Darfur in the Sudan, the jack of all trades took the stage to accept his award with a few short remarks. "In life, you learn that you can't make people do the right things, but you can make it harder for them to do the wrong things," he said. To cap off the evening, Neil Diamond veered off the stage and serenaded attendees in the aisles. Making his way through the singing crowd, the musician coerced Clooney to end the memorable evening with a few bars of "Sweet Caroline" to which the always witty star obliged to appease the crowd.


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Luckily, with the Internet, tremendous measures of data on everything is currently more copious than any other time in recent memory and can without much of a stretch be looked at and affirmed with only a couple of snaps…
Anyway, from what I can tell, a great many people are as yet sticking to the old conviction that all fats are extremely terrible and undesirable for you.
In the past dietary fat has been rebuked for coronary illness, heftiness, diabetes and numerous other medical issues. So normally, the vast majority have suspected that this bodes well and have attempted to remove all fats from their eating routine.
The issue is that now the most ebb and flow examine is uncovering that a few kinds of fat can really avert infection and enhance your wellbeing. What? In what manner would that be able to be?
The way to open this secret is to get a general comprehension of fats; and to realize which fats to bar and incorporate… particularly, the ones to stress in your eating routine.
Understanding the Fat Family
All in all, Fats are exceptionally unpredictable. With a specific end goal to make the subject less befuddling, consider it like a family tree. At the exceptionally top are two distinct groups of fat… the Saturated Fats, and the Unsaturated Fats.
Immersed fat (spread is one of numerous illustrations) is pressed with hydrogen particles, making it strong at room temperature.
Unsaturated fat (like olive oil) contains less hydrogen molecules, so it is fluid at room temperature.
On the following level further down the tree, the Unsaturated Fat family has two kids: Mono-unsaturated Fat and Poly-unsaturated Fat.
In the Poly-unsaturated Fat family, you'll discover Omega-6 unsaturated fats and Omega-3 unsaturated fats, and as you most likely know, it's the Omega-3 family that has been getting all the consideration and standing out as truly newsworthy in the sustenance world.
The three kinds of Omega-3
As though it weren't sufficiently muddled, there are really three unique kinds of unsaturated fats that are for the most part altogether alluded to as omega-3′s.
To begin with up is ALA (alpha-linolenic corrosive); at that point EPA (eicosapentaenoic), lastly DHA (docosahexaenoic corrosive).
In spite of being difficult to articulate, the truth of the matter is that they are critical to keeping your digestion running easily and for keeping up great wellbeing.
Consider Omega-3′s as "fundamental" unsaturated fats, since they're completely vital for good wellbeing and should be incorporated into your day by day abstain from food on the grounds that the human body can NOT fabricate them all alone!


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Defensive battle ahead when Bulls host Grizz
If you're expecting a high-scoring shootout, Saturday night's contest between the visiting Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls won't be for you.
The Grizzlies are second in opponents' scoring and seventh in opponents' field-goal percentage. The Bulls are third in opponents' scoring and fourth in opponents' field-goal percentage.
"They're a lot like us," said Grizzlies guard Mike Conley. "They play very good defense and a very defense-minded team across the board. We have to find a way to score the ball."
Memphis defeated the Sacramento Kings at home on Friday night, 85-69, holding the Kings to season-lows in points (69), field-goal percentage (34.1 percent) and assists (9).
Zach Randolph missed the game due to a strained lower back, but all five starters registered double figures. Mike Conley led the way with 19 and Marc Gasol chipped in 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Tony Allen had a great all-around game with 14 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals. Rudy Gay contributed 13 points and Marreese Speights, who started in place of Randolph, netted 10 points.
Friday's victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Grizzlies.
"It happens. I've looked around the league and teams have been on losing streaks in certain parts of the season," said Conley. "All the good teams have gone through it. We're just going through a bad stretch and just trying to find a way to get ourselves out."
The Bulls head back to Chicago the winners of three straight, including two in a row on the road. Both road victories were overtime thrillers and Friday's in Boston against the Celtics was no different.
Kirk Hinrich hit the 15-footer to put the game in overtime, then Marco Belinelli's turnaround jumper with 3.1 seconds remaining in overtime lifted the Bulls to their 12th road victory of the season.
"It was a dog fight. It's one of those games that was a war from the beginning. It was kind of a like a roller coaster ride. We're just happy that we made the last shot," said Rip Hamilton, who led the Bulls in scoring with 20 points.
Hamilton may have led Chicago in scoring, but the Bulls best player was once again Carlos Boozer. The big man scored 19 points and pulled 20 rebounds in almost 43 minutes of action.
Boozer has been awesome in the month of January, averaging 23.4 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.
Joakim Noah added a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Belinelli, Nate Robinson and Jimmy Butler all cracked the 10-point mark off the bench.
The Grizzlies bested the Bulls, 80-71 in Memphis on Dec. 17. The Bulls are 7-1 in their last eight in Chicago in this series.


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July 2005
The Last Reilly Standing
Thankfully, the longest three months of Aidan's life were coming to an end. Only three more weeks and he'd be the winner of the no-sex-for-ninety-days bet he made with his brothers. He could almost taste victory!
Then he'd met Terry Evans.
Her voice was soft and dreamy. Just the kind a man liked to hear coming from the pillow beside his. Aidan groaned from the absolute misery of having to look at this gorgeous woman and not be able to turn on his usual Reilly charm. Or work his magic until he had her right where he wanted her. In the dark. In his bed. No, it would not be an easy three weeks, not if he was going to be the last Reilly standing...and not on bended knee!


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Our Main Office
Construction Equipment Guide
470 Maryland Drive
Fort Washington, PA 19034
Fri January 10, 2014 - National Edition
WASHINGTON (AP) - A private survey shows U.S. businesses added the most jobs in a year in December, powered by a big gain in construction jobs. The figures add to evidence that the economy gained momentum at the end of 2013.
Payroll processor ADP said Wednesday that companies added 238,000 jobs in December, up slightly from 229,000 in the previous month. November's figures were revised higher.
Construction firms added 48,000 jobs in December, the most since 2006.
The ADP numbers cover only private businesses and often diverge from the government's more comprehensive report. But both reports have shown a solid pickup in hiring since the summer.
Last month, the Labor Department said private businesses added 203,000 jobs in November. The Labor Department will report on December job growth Friday.
Economists forecast that the government report will show employers added 196,000 jobs last month. That would be similar to the healthy average gain of 200,000 jobs a month from August through November. Those increases have helped push the unemployment rate to a five-year low of 7 percent.
Improvement in international trade, factory orders and consumer spending has made economists more optimistic about economic growth in the October-December quarter. Many now expect growth will be at an annual rate of 3 percent or higher, up from earlier estimates that were closer to 2 percent.
Infrastructure Investment Law Is Working, ARTBA Chair Paula Hammond Tells Congressional Subcommittee


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Rule #1 - Be Patient - Rule #2 - Don't ask when, if you don't contribute - Rule #3 - You have coding skills - LinuxMCE's small brother is available: http://www.agocontrol.com
On another note, I wonder if one could connect USBUIRT units to remote MDs and maintain control of equipment local to the MD. Is this possible?
not exactly.. of course each child of the UIRT can be assigned to another room. I've not tested it, but the device structure allows for such a szenario.


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Customize Threads View
Use this dialog box to manage contents view and groupings of the Frames tab.
|Show thread groups
|If this option is selected, threads appear in a hierarchy of thread groups, allowing you to drill down into each group to access its member threads.
|Show stack frames for synthetic methods
|Specify whether you want stack frames for synthetic methods to be shown.
|Move current thread to the top
|Select this check box to keep the current thread on top of the list.
|Show line number
|If this check box is selected, the line number is displayed.
|Show class name
|If this check box is selected, the name of a class containing the method is shown.
|Show package name
|If this check box is selected, the name of the class package is shown. This check box allows hiding package names in the Threads view.
|Show source file name
|Shows the name of source file that contains the method.
|Show method arguments types
|If this check box is selected, the method type is shown next to the method name in the Frames or Threads panes of the Debugger. For example, the unselected vs selected check box is shown in the following image:
See Also
Last modified: 21 March 2017


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On this day in 1997, a sandstorm sweeps across much of Egypt, causing widespread damage and killing 12 people. Most of the casualties were victims of the strong winds, which also toppled trees and buildings.
The storm began in Libya and blew swiftly northeast across nearly the entire nation of Egypt. The 60-mile-per-hour winds caused car accidents, uprooted trees and downed power lines. The sky initially turned an eerie white color from all the sand flying in the air. As the low atmosphere became saturated with sand, the sun was blotted out and it became dark in the middle of the day. Such a storm is called khamaseen, an Arabic word meaning fifty, in the region because that is how many days such spring storms have been known to last. These sandy storms are also known for causing people and animals to suffocate, though there were no human deaths recorded due to suffocation during this May 1997 storm. In the southern part of the Sahara desert on this same day, a separate storm caused an accident that killed 36 passengers on a truck.
Sand and dust storms occur with some regularity on the third of the earth's land surface that is arid. Dust storms occur when drought conditions dry the topsoil and make it vulnerable to high winds. The so-called dust devil storm acts like a tornado in reverse; swirling winds send dust and sand hundreds of feet in the air.
Dust and sand storms happen most frequently in the Mexico City area and in Kazakhstan. Amarillo, Texas, and the entire panhandle region suffered through 38 days of massive dust storms in 1935. In an 1895 storm in Colorado, 20 percent of the region's cattle died from suffocation.


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For interior designer Jackie Higgins and her family, finding a vacation home in Nantucket just made sense. Jackie and her husband, Bob, and their teenagers, Sarah and Brendan, have been summering there for almost two decades. So, five years ago Bob decided it was time to buy, and the family bid on a house. Unfortunately, the deal fell through. "We were disappointed," says Jackie, "but we shrugged and said it wasn't meant to be." Then Sarah went online and found a vacant lot for sale in Nantucket's historic district. This time, the deal went through. "Naturally," says Jackie, "we decided Meant to Be would be the perfect name for our new home."
And new it is—from the ground up, which is unusual in an area filled with 200-year-old structures. To ensure that the house would blend into the historic neighborhood, Jackie, whose interior design firm Beach Glass Designs is located in Huntington Bay, New York, did meticulous research and worked carefully with town officials, creating a classic cedar-shake home with a widow's walk atop the roof, which offers broad views of Nantucket Harbor. "The nicest accolade we receive is that people think our house is as old as the neighboring homes," says Jackie.
The home's interior is as respectful of the area's history as its exterior, with flooring and architectural features, such as paneling and trim, that suggest the look of old Nantucket. Also appropriate are the subtle shell motifs that appear in the decor—"I've always lived near the water so I'm drawn to shells," Jackie says. Her personal style is spare and edited: "I like crisp colors, sand and sea colors—blue, green, beige and gray—and artwork with clean lines."
In spite of its historic look, the house is "decidedly casual," says Jackie. "Every surface can be used—nothing is off-limits." To create just the interior she wanted, Jackie began gathering pieces as the house was under construction, storing items in one place so the family could move everything in quickly. True to her style, she combined comfortable new pieces with well-loved old items, many gathered on antiquing trips. "I was almost always with someone," says Jackie. "It's meaningful to look around and recall who you were with when you bought something." Among her favorite collectibles are old silver pieces, particularly if they're inscribed. Because Nantucket is an area with a lot of artists, she also collects artwork, baskets and accessories from local craftspeople, showcasing a few items in each room.
Creating Character
Jackie suggests minding details to create a home that blends with historic neighbors. Here's how:
» Study old photos for ideas. Jackie had the living room paneling replicated from a photo she found of an old Nantucket interior. On the kitchen ceiling, beadboard adds period-appropriate texture.
» Pay attention to the windows. The 12-over-12- pane windows suit the home's exterior, and transom windows over interior doors add a period look.
» Don't overlook the floors. To conform to Nantucket style, Jackie had wide-plank pine floors installed and fastened them with antique nails.
» Make a statement with hardware. Throughout the house, Jackie specified oil-rubbed finishes on knobs, faucets, and hinges, so the hardware will gracefully acquire a patina over time.
» Add an appropriate personal touch. For the window and door trim, Jackie added carved scallop shells to the corner molding squares, a signature touch that expresses her style.
The living room's slightly formal look belies its use as a family gathering space and game room. No television here, Jackie notes—this space is strictly for reading, chatting and playing games. The TV was relegated to the comfortable family room, another popular gathering spot. The dining area and kitchen are separate but still flow into each other, says Jackie. "Adults tend to gather in the dining room and kids around the kitchen table, but everyone's visible to everyone else."
Throughout the house, Jackie kept walls "quiet," to provide a neutral background for the family's artwork. She also kept window treatments restrained, letting the views make the main design statement. In public areas, wool sisal area rugs add easy-care softness underfoot, but in the bedrooms Jackie left floors bare. "It's an airy, uncomplicated look, plus I love the feel of wood floors on bare feet in summertime," she says.
"The house really is a blend of how we live and local Nantucket style," Jackie says. "It's just a matter of keeping it edited so it's always as comfortable and welcoming as it was meant to be."
Personal Touches
Designer Jackie Higgins offers these ideas for creating lively, personality-filled spaces:
» Mingle old with new. "One adds history, the other freshness," says Jackie. "Too much 'old' feels stale, while too much 'new' doesn't feel lived in."
» Choose materials with different textures and surfaces. In her home, Higgins juxtaposes mellow silver with woven baskets.
» Add instant pedigree to any room with carefully chosen works of art. Hang an oil painting, old or new, Jackie advises. For extra spark, find a piece that fits a room's theme.
» Inject unexpected touches. Not everything has to fit perfectly into a scheme. If there's something you're drawn to (in Jackie's case, a bronze mermaid sculpture she found at an auction displayed in the dining room), find a way to work it into a room.
» Incorporate meaningful items. "For me, it's shells," says Higgins. "Even for my urban clients, I always tuck a shell somewhere into the design."
Click here to see the resources.


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The DMC2159 - Piper Aircraft Wiring System Maintenance Kit
- 12 Week Lead Time
Your Price
DMC2159 Wiring System Service Kit for Piper Aircraft
The DMC2159 Piper Aircraft Wiring System Service Kit provides a turn-key solution and the tools necessary to strip, crimp, install and remove the typical contacts and terminals of this wiring system. The DMC2159 kit includes the tool to application cross reference information that indicates the particular tool(s) that should be selected to repair a specific connector, contact, or terminal. In addition, the kit also contains illustrated operating instructions for the designated tooling.
DMC Connector Coverage
M81824 Environmental Splices
M7928 Insulated/Uninsulated Terminals
Amphenol Aerospace LMD
Deutsch CTJ and HD
Emteq BFS
Garmin Unknown
ITT Cannon D*MA
Molex 1560
Positronic CBD, ORD, and RD
TE Connectivity Mak-N-Lok, Multimate Type III
|Shipping Weight
Limited Warranty / Limitation of Liability*
Daniels Manufacturing Corporation warrants each new unit sold by it to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service. DMC's obligation under this warranty is limited to the free correction or, at DMC's option, the refund of the purchase price of any such unit which proves defective within Ninety (90) Days after delivery to the first user, provided that the unit is returned to DMC with all transportation charges prepaid, and which shall appear to DMC's satisfaction, upon inspection by DMC, to have been defective in material or workmanship.
This warranty shall not cover any damage to such products, which in the opinion of Daniels Manufacturing Corporation, was caused by normal wear, misuse, improper operation or accident. This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties express or implied. No warranty express or implied, is made or authorized to be made or assumed with respect to products of Daniels Manufacturing Corporation, other than those herein set forth. The tooling suggested within this website may not cover a user's specific contract or manufacturing requirements. It is the user's responsibility to carry out sufficient testing to verify the suitability of the DMC product selected for the specific requirements of each particular application. DMC is not liable for consequential or special damages of any nature or kind resulting from the use of any of our products. Daniels Manufacturing Corporation is not liable for Consequential or Special Damages of any nature or kind resulting from the use of any of its products. Owners and users of DMC products assume full responsibility for instructing their employees in the proper and safe use of such products. *as defined by PL93-637.
Materials to be returned for exchange or credit must have prior authorization from Daniels Manufacturing Corporation (DMC) in the form of the issuance of a Return Material Authorization (RMA) control number. DMC, at its sole discretion, will determine if an RMA will be issued.
To obtain an RMA, please contact our Sales Department at 407-855-6161 or email@example.com.
Material returned must be standard items produced by DMC, unused, in saleable condition and not more than three (3) months old. Special order or custom made items are not returnable.
Return material will be subject to a re-stocking charge up to twenty percent (20%).
RMA's for kits are subject to a twenty percent (20%) to forty (40%) re-stocking charge if the kit is returnable.
Return credit must be offset by a purchase order for new DMC product on a dollar for dollar basis.


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Founder of website 8bitlibrary.com
JP is a Generation-Y librarian at NJCU in Jersey City, NJ's second-largest city and home to the Holland Tunnel and Statue of Liberty. JP's area of interest includes using technology to better market to and serve library users, specifically library sevice to diverse populations. JP one of the NJ State Library/IMLS's 8 Urban Librarian Recruitment Grant recipients in 2004, is currently on the executive board of the NJLA's IT section, is NJCU's QandANJ.com site manager, and has facebook'd since 2004.


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The researchers studied behavioral questionnaires given to owners leaving their dogs at shelters and found that people are less likely to report such behavioral problems as aggression and fear of strangers, if they believed that their responses would be shared with shelter staff. Their findings were published recently in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
"Many shelters conduct behavior-based evaluations on animals they take in, but there are few better descriptions of a dog's temperament than an honest assessment from its owner through a questionnaire," said James Serpell, a professor in Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine and director of Penn's Center for the Interaction of Animals & Society. "Shelters are not in the business of giving up on the animals they receive, and they need the best information the owner can provide to keep both the animals and potential adopters safe."
According to the researchers, questionnaires are often effective at revealing certain health and behavioral problems among animals being left at a shelter. While questionnaires can be useful, however, shelters need to be aware that these responses are not always straightforward.
"These owners might think they are bettering their pets' chances by concealing behavior problems, but what they don't realize is that they are really worsening things for both their pets and the shelter," Serpell said. "Shelters could more effectively use their scarce resources to correct behavioral problems or find ways of guiding troubled dogs to more appropriate adopters – if they detect these problems in time."
Serpell conducted the study with UC Davis colleagues Sheila Sergurson and Benjamin Hart at two shelters in Sacramento. They gave questionnaires to two groups of people. One group was told that the information would be kept confidential and the other was told that the information would be shared with shelter staff. Significantly more shelter dogs in the confidential group were reported to behave aggressively to their owners or fearfully with strangers.
The researchers also compared both groups to questionnaires given to a group of dog-owners, all of whom were clients of Penn's Ryan Veterinary Hospital in Philadelphia. The comparison showed that there were many more instances of behavioral problems in animals being left at shelters. While Serpell and his colleagues realize that there are inherent differences between dog owners and people who give their dogs to shelters, they believe it highlights the importance of behavior when people make the decision to disown a pet.
"It appears that serious behavior problems are often the biggest reason people seek to relinquish their animals," Serpell said. "It demonstrates the importance of regular veterinary care and the need for veterinarians to provide preventative behavioral health care."
For animal shelters, however, the lesson that this study provides is more complex. Shelter workers and volunteers cannot lie to people and tell them that responses are confidential when they are not. Yet shelters must identify potentially troubled dogs before making them available for adoption. Even family-friendly breeds, such as Labrador retrievers, could be dangerously aggressive.
"Questionnaires certainly provide a useful starting point when assessing an animal's behavioral health," Serpell said, "but they should also be taken with a grain of salt."
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association


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The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers
This article or section needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of article quality.
The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers is episode 92 (or 6.13) of South Park. It was originally broadcast on November 13, 2002. The episode is a large spoof of The Lord of the Rings (film series).
Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and a disembodied Kenny are playing The Lord of the Rings. Stan's parents have rented The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and tell Stan, Kyle and Cartman to bring it to Butters' parents, as they had asked to borrow it. Still caught up in their game, the boys see this assignment as a "quest", and set off on their journey.
When the boys leave, Stan's parents try to watch Back Door Sluts 9, a pornographic movie described as the most "hardcore" porno ever. To their horror, they discover that they have The Fellowship of the Ring and the pornographic movie mixed up, and realize that Butters is now watching it at his house.
The two drive to Butters' house, and come across the boys returning home, having already delivered the tape. Stan's father plays into the boys' imagination and sends them on their greatest quest ever: retrieve the tape, as it "holds an evil power." Excited, the boys eagerly comply and set off toward Butters' house. They arrive and take the tape, but not before discovering that Butters, though not realizing the nature of it, has watched the movie and becomes obsessed with it.
Excluded from the game and denied the video, Butters becomes steadily more insane, and remains secluded in the basement, muttering about his "precious" and generally acting like Gollum. At this point Stan's parents, who have grown worried that the boys have not returned, show up. Distraught at Butters' behavior, they assume that the boys now have the tape and are watching it. Contacting the other parents, they go on a desperate search to find their missing children and "put it into context."
Returning home, the boys run into some 6th graders, who look inside the box and realize that the tape is actually a pornographic movie. Although they try to take the tape, the boys are able to escape and decide to take it to the council of the High Elf of Faragon. At the council, at which most of the fourth-graders are present, it is decided that to determine the tape's power, they should send one of their own to watch it for a few minutes. Talangar the Black (Token) is volunteered, and steps inside his house for a moment. He soon comes out, expressionless, and announces that he's not playing anymore without an explanation. Now truly convinced of the tape's power, the council decides the tape must be returned to the Two Towers Video Store "from whence it came", and forms the "Fellowship of The Lord of the Rings", which consists of Stan, Kyle, Cartman (with Kenny), Craig, Jimmy, and a kindergartener filling the slot of the Dwarf.
The boys go to the store and, after avoiding a run-in with the 6th graders (in which their party loses Jimmy, Craig, and the kindergartener), join Butters. He offers to guide them to the store in a thinly veiled attempt to get the tape back. Soon all the boys wind up at the Two Towers, and with the 6th graders in hot pursuit they desperately try to return the tape to the drop box. When Butters refuses to let go of it, Kyle throws him and the tape into the drop box.
Angered at losing their movie, the 6th graders threaten to beat the boys up, but flee when the parents arrive. The parents then go into a long discussion with the astonished boys about sex, touching on delicate subjects. The boys (who never actually watched the movie that their parents are so graphically describing) are speechless. The episode ends with a view of Butters, clutching his "precious" among a pile of other returned tapes in the drop box.
Parallels with The Lord of the Rings[edit]
Many actions and events in this episode parody those in the The Lord of the Rings itself. The title in itself is a parody of the trilogy, incorporating all three of the titles into the episode's name.
- Stan - Frodo
- Kyle - Sam
- Cartman (and Kenny) - Gandalf
- Clyde - Elrond
- Jimmy - possibly Boromir; in one scene takes on role of Gandalf
- Craig - Aragorn
- Jason - Legolas
- Butters - Sméagol/Gollum
- The 6th graders - Ringwraiths, Orc armies/Goblins, Balrog
- At one point, the boys hide under a massive root in order to hide from the 6th graders, who try to sniff them out, much like the Hobbits' first encounter with the Ringwraith in both The Lord of the Rings (1978 film) and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
- In the scene when the 6th graders meet on their bikes, a building in the background can be seen which says "More Doors Doors" (Mordor's Doors), which is a reference to Mordor.
- When the boys arrive at Clyde's home, Cartman says the word "mellon", the password to the Doors of Durin.
- Clyde's council parallels Elrond's council. During the council, Stan stands up to say: "I will take it."
- In the scene where the boys pass a "Country Cafe" Kyle says that someone's following them and Cartman responds by saying "It's Butters, he's been following us for like 2 hours". This mirrors Gandalf's observation in Moria.
- Jimmy stands in the road and attempts to stop the sixth-graders by saying, "You shall not pass!".
- The boys escape from the sixth-graders by crossing a river. The sixth-graders, like the wraiths, keep going to find a bridge.
- At the end of the episode Butters, like Gollum, is reunited with his "precious". Gollum falls toward the center of Mount Doom and Butters to the bottom of the drop box. There, at the bottom of the box, a pile of already returned red colored video boxes gives the effect of Butters about to sink into his own lake of lava.


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It might be hard to believe the "Glass Bank" was once a visually stunning piece of architecture. Opened in 1962, the structure was entirely glass-walled before a 1980s renovation gave it a brutalist makeover. The building was penned by a famed local architect and served the city for more than four decades before hurricane damage forced the last commercial tenants to relocate in 2004.
Over the next ten years disagreements between owners prevented needed repairs, and the financial crisis prevented any bailout. Only one man stood in the way of the building's demolishment, but he couldn't fight forever. The Glass Bank's fate was eventually decided by the courts in 2014, and by early 2015 more than fifty years of Cocoa Beach history was demolished.
cover photo courtesy Biz360Tours
Cocoa Beach sits on a beautiful strip of sand along Florida's east coast, splitting the difference between Jacksonville and Miami. It is mere miles from Patrick Air Force Base, NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center, and NASA's Cape Canaveral – all of which heavily influenced the region and helped it earn the nickname "the Space Coast."
In the 1960s the American Space Program was quickly transforming Cocoa Beach, and overall modernization bled into the city's architecture.
One of the crown jewels of this metamorphosis was the First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Cocoa Beach.
Thirty-eight year-old architect Reginald Caywood Knight, a graduate of Harvard and veteran of M.I.T.'s department of architecture, was tasked with designing the building in 1960. Construction began that year and would continue throughout 1961.
The grand opening was in April of 1962. First Federal Savings and Loan occupied the majority of the retail space at 505 North Orlando Avenue in Cocoa Beach, Florida, but over time residents would come to know the five-story structure with parabolic curves as the "Glass Bank."
On the top floor was the Sky Room, a restaurant with 360-degree views of Cocoa Beach.
Guests could step outside to the wraparound "Skywalk" and watch space shuttle launches from nearby Cape Canaveral.
The Golden Years
It was a celebrated opening, however not all was flawless in the beginning. As beautiful as the Glass Bank was, its original design exposed one serious design flaw: The lack of easy and freight access to the upper levels.
With no direct elevator, customers and freight delivers to the Sky Room endured an unnecessarily onerous journey to the top floor. Perhaps this was a factor in the closing of the Sky Room in 1963, just a year after the Glass Bank opened.
If the lack of direct access was a problem, it was remedied with the addition of the express elevator to the exterior of the building in 1963 (pictured at left).
This time restaurant and night club Ramon's Rainbow Room would take over the top space, bringing food, music, and an atmosphere which proved popular in the era.
To its credit Ramon's Rainbow Room became a legend in its own right, hosting astronauts, celebrities, and politicians on special occasions and often drawing crowds. It was known for its cocktails, jazz music, and good food.
Ramon's Caesar Salad dressing was reportedly delicious and "unlike any other Caesar salad you've ever tasted; creamier, with a hint of sweetness and perhaps a bit of curry." The dressing was famous, but the recipe was kept a closely guarded secret.
The Rainbow Room was founded by Don and Allene Holt, owners of the already-established Ramon's Restaurant in town.
The original Ramon's was a dark, ground-floor eatery that shared menus and astronaut-themed décor with the later Rainbow Room. But it lacked the more electric atmosphere provided by a glass penthouse.
With live music and 360-degree views of Cocoa Beach, the Rainbow Room was understandably a popular place.
(click to enlarge)
For seven years Ramon's Rainbow Room entertained and fed its guests atop the Glass Bank, but as times change so do tastes.
By the late 1960s the penthouse lounge had already begun to fall out of favor. It closed in 1970, but was re-opened as "Marby's Rainbow Room" later that year.
Marby's Rainbow Room would not see its second anniversary; by 1972 the top-level restaurant would close for the final time. Meanwhile, First Federal Savings and Loan was still the primary tenant for the remainder of the building. Unbeknownst to those working inside, it too would soon become a former tenant.
During the 1980s the Savings and Loan crisis unwound nearly a third of the thrifts in the country. Included in the speculative lending carnage was the death of First Federal in Cocoa Beach.
Twenty years into its existence, the Glass Bank lost its original tenant.
Man with a Plan
Cocoa Beach resident and attorney Frank Wolfe wasn't yet fifty years old when he purchased the rights to the penthouse space of the Glass Bank in the early 1980s.
Wolfe was an aggressive attorney who enjoyed an illustrious career spanning such positions as city attorney to chairman of the famous Ron John's surf shop.
Wolfe transformed the look of the Glass Bank building with radical modifications that shifted the building from glass to stucco. Following the brutalist ethos, the building now appeared fortress-like, with concrete in place of glass. The penthouse restaurant was expanded to the perimeter of the building, removing the skywalk. Smaller rectangular portholes took the place of the former floor-to-ceiling windows.
In an irony of ironies, Wolfe had erected a two-story windowless penthouse on top of the Glass Bank.
The corners of the building were reinforced with concrete and covered in stucco. Gone was the floor-to-ceiling glass and wraparound viewing balcony for patrons on the top level. Ramon's former express elevator now became a private elevator entrance for the new residence.
The Glass Bank had become a brutalist stucco monolith, although it continued to be known by the more flattering name. Local blogger Dan Reiter summarized one perspective on Frank Wolfe's contributions to the Glass Bank:
"…her ill-fitting crown, the 1981 concrete penthouse addition, so willfully antagonistic of the intentions of Architect Knight––a windowless box, devoid of glass, off-kilter, a brutalist plug, blockading the cosmic flight of her skirt walls."
Wolfe's modifications were indeed a brutalist interpretation of Reginald Knight's all-glass mid-century wonder. Whether or not Knight would have approved, we'll never know. He passed away in 1973, (some say fortunately) before the building's transfiguration.
Glass Bank Transformation
(click to enlarge)
For all the teeth-gnashing over the exterior modifications, few were privy to the wonders that lie within the structure's penthouse. To most it resembled rooftop HVAC equipment surrounded by an unattractive and unnecessarily large beauty wall.
In fact, the five-story building had been expanded into a seven-story building.
The public-at-large did not realize what Frank Wolfe was doing, but the attorney was happy to keep secrets. It would be nearly three decades before Frank would treat the public to an inside-look.
The Wolfe Penthouse
Frank Wolfe concocted a plan for his own private retreat, one in which he could escape the occasional unpleasant realities of the outside world. This concept is not dissimilar to that of a "man cave." It's not just a place to hang out, it's a metaphorical security blanket, or a retreat for times of adversity or stress.
It just so happens Frank built his man cave atop a mid-century glass-walled landmark. But let us forget about the raison d'être for a moment; pictures will struggle, and words likely fail to do Frank's penthouse justice.
The Glass Bank's penthouse was what Tom Hank's character in the 1980's classic movie Big would have built if he were an executive for a toy company in Cocoa Beach instead of New York City.
Entry to the apartment is made via the exterior express elevator. Upon disembarking, visitors step into a nature-themed foyer sporting a small foot bridge with access to the arched entry to the penthouse (pictured below).
The sound of running water explains the foot bridge. It spans a small artificial stream fed by – what else – an extravagant indoor fountain on the right wall, doubling as a waterfall for the room's 100 square-foot ecosystem.
Once across the foot bridge and inside the front door, the small foyer gives way to an enormous windowless two-story, several-thousand square-feet space. Rich wood paneling lines the walls and ceiling. Clean recessed can lights illuminate the main room from above.
Against the far wall, a faux-stone mountain is the room's centerpiece. At its base, a giant fireplace added ambiance to gatherings and took the edge off coastal winter nights.
The edges of the indoor mountain reach to the far sides of either wall, each slope with its own forest illuminated by Christmas lights.
The absence of windows did not deter Wolfe from creating his own sky. More than a dozen faux clouds dot the walls on either side of the mountain.
Frank Wolfe preferred soft to hard edges. He appreciated lines which suggested a continuous flow or motion. Preferences for such amorphous shapes and waves were influenced by the ocean. Residing in Cocoa Beach offered one an intimate familiarity.
Almost everything had rounded lines. Cabinets, chairs, closets, entryway arches, sinks, tables, and tubs. A quick scan of the penthouse reveals a design language not difficult to decipher.
In the center of the room, a sunken group of exquisite leather couches encircle a round glass table. To the right of the couches, an arc lamp illuminates a six-place oval table in the dining area. On the other side of the room a curved bar with a padded and tufted treatment harkens back to the 70s (pictured above right). Adjacent to the bar, a Christmas village display stood erected year-round in a permanent in-wall diorama.
Frank's circular office (pictured above) occupied another corner. Deep rich mahogany tones offset those of the brighter cedar in this rounded enclave. The walls were back-lit to effect a sense of, coincidentally enough, being in a rounded perimeter office. A large circle in the ceiling above housed fluorescent lights designed to mimic a skylight.
The kitchen (pictured at left) stands in stark contrast to the rest of the apartment. Step inside to what looks like a cross between the kitchen of a luxury motor coach and the galley of a presidential submarine, but designed by the architects of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Liberal use of cool fluorescent lighting gave the appearance of natural daylight. Laundry facilities were smartly built-in to the cabinetry on the right, efficiently hidden behind a curved closet next to the refrigerator.
Upstairs, a seating area claims the loft and overlooks the main living area below. The balcony is curved and weaves from one side of the wall to the edge of the stairs, which are also curved and lacked consecutive steps of equal width. A large swath of leather affixed to the ceiling looks like a cushioned bumper for a nearby alcove's wavy molding. Crown molding varied from room to room but was fashioned from leather or a carpet-like fabric.
The master bed occupies another round space, sitting in its own circular enclave and topped with a unique padded leather ceiling (pictured below).
The master bath was every bit as unique. A two-tone carpet cuts a soft path past the bathing area to the closet. On one side the shower and toilet sit in a carpeted alcove, the former separated from the latter by a set of elaborate window curtains.
And as any gentleman's private bath should have, Frank was sure to include his own urinal.
A Jacuzzi tub is the centerpiece of a rounded sunken enclave in the middle of the room, ringed by strip lighting – in a warmer color and offsetting the cooler daylight-hued lights from above (pictured below).
The apartment's mountain theme carries upstairs onto a giant oil on canvas which dominates the bathing alcove. It depicts a peaceful scene on the banks of a river underneath a mountain.
Aiding in the effect is a faux-stone wall, made of a synthetic foam and situated adjacent to the canvas, which rises from the backside of the tub and reaches to the ceiling.
Beyond the tub were the master closet space, with a large motorized rack in which Frank could push a button and spin his garments and shoes whilst picking out the day's ensemble. Given the narrow space of the closet, it must have been a shrewd facilitator.
(click thumbnails to enlarge)
2004 Hurricane Season
In later years the Glass Bank's concrete and stucco modifications were intended to be more functional – if less attractive – and better-equipped to deal with the high summer temperatures and occasionally rough weather.
Except hurricanes.
But few glass structures of this vintage could stand in the way of a motivated category four storm. The 2004 hurricane season was especially unkind to Florida, showing its east coast more major hurricanes than any year since 1964.
First it was category four Hurricane Charley in early August. Weeks later category four Hurricane Frances struck Florida and wrought a havoc which included the outbreak of more than 100 tornadoes across the Southeast. In September category three Hurricane Jeanne came through Florida to punish what Charley and Frances had uncovered, but left behind.
photos courtesy bweissman
Few buildings escaped the wrath of all three storms. The Glass Bank was no exception, although the penthouse, with its lack of windows, was spared.
Windows now broken and yielding to the elements, the building's outer layer had been breached. Exposure introduced mold, mildew, and an accelerating rate of decay. If the environmental breach wasn't enough of an uphill battle, the Glass Bank was afflicted with another issue common with buildings of this vintage: asbestos.
The final tenants of the Glass Bank building were Huntington Bank on the lower level, Nautilus Fitness on the mid-levels, and Frank Wolfe's personal condominium in the penthouse.
All except for Wolfe left after the 2004 hurricane season.
photos courtesy michaelbrnd
Fines & Legal Stalemate
Toward the end of its life the building was co-owned by the Glass Bank Condominium Association (GBCA) and Frank Wolfe; the former controlled all but the penthouse and wanted to restore the iconic building to its 1960s former glory. Frank was not interested in losing his penthouse.
GBCA representative Joseph Yossifon (pictured at right) did not see eye-to-eye with Frank Wolfe on fixes, remodel plans, or the overall direction of the building. Hurricane damage was extreme, but a lack of cooperation saw remodel plans evaporate.
Despite the hurricane damage, Wolfe's penthouse still had electricity and running water. This only emboldened Frank to further entrench himself in his position. While no action was taken by the building's owners to fix the ailing structure, the city began to impose fines – at one point charging the Glass Bank owners $200 per day.
By January of 2013 the owners faced $161,600 in city code violations. Tack on other assessments, fees, and repairs to the building owed to Yossifon, and Wolfe's tally had eclipsed one million dollars. Over the years Mr. Wolfe had also accumulated millions of dollars in assessments, fees, and repairs to Mr. Yossifon. The GBCA filed suit against Mr. Wolfe, who countered with a suit of his own against the GBCA.
"It's just been like that for more than a decade, even when times were good nobody did anything with the building, so we're tired of waiting and so as we promote Cocoa Beach… I just want to see the problem solved."
– Mayor Dave Netterstrom
Yossifon was reluctant to yield to the city's cries for demolishment, but ultimately agreed to a package deal that would waive the previously-assessed fines and liens.
In exchange for the building owners' agreement, the city agreed to front the money required for demolition, and allowed for it to be paid back over the next three years.
The community was divided on the fate of the Cocoa Beach landmark, but most could agree any action was better than the status quo. As the years dragged on, votes for preservation proved harder to find.
"It's absolutely wonderful. It brings back, for those who have been here, the space careers. It brings back a different time in America."
– Phil Roberts, Cocoa Beach resident
Frank Wolfe effects not retrieved (courtesy michaelbrnd)
Beginning of the End
By September of 2013 the Glass Bank had accumulated city fines totaling $210,600. Convinced the fines were not going to achieve the desired results, city attorneys sought an injunction on a nuisance claim either forcing action by the owners or allowing the city to take control of the beleaguered property.
The city had the good graces of Yossifon and the GBCA, but Wolfe was steadfast in his stubbornness.
The city moved to ask the judge for authority to demolish.
For his part, Frank Wolfe had an easy solution for the city: Just buy the penthouse. He was not satisfied with the proposition of releasing his home in exchange to forgive debts which he believed to be fabricated and unjust. However municipalities aren't in the habit of speculating in real estate, and Cocoa Beach wasn't in a position to pay Frank's market price.
"I just want it down. Everyone wants it down. I don't know anyone that's in favor of keeping it."
– Rick Talbott, Cocoa Beach resident
Frank's world began to quickly unravel in the summer of 2013. The ailing Wolfe had temporarily returned to Maine to be with family; six months later, in January of 2014, the city moved forward with its grievance filing and submitted to the courts an agreement signed by the Glass Bank Condominium Association. In preparation for the demolition, the city shut off power and water to the penthouse.
The judge ultimately sided with the city and the GBCA. Wolfe, who was deteriorating and had recently returned to Florida from Maine, rejected the proposal and appealed the ruling. Weeks later, on February 4th, the court ruled in favor of the GBCA in a breach-of-contract lawsuit against Wolfe.
The very next day, on February 5th, 2014, the court approved the demolition order for the Glass Bank.
Wolfe's Penthouse Before Demolition
photos courtesy Christopher Homer
"A lot of people were members of the Nautilus Club. We banked at Huntington Bank. It brings back memories for me, but I'm also glad to see it gone, no doubt."
– Tony Hernandez, Cocoa Beach attorney
Denied Access
Frank Wolfe was dejected and weary. Years of legal battles had taken their toll on his health and wallet. With appeals and personal money exhausted, Frank had no more obstacles left to offer the impending demolition.
After the court decision Frank attempted to retrieve his effects from the building (diplomas, family photos, and other personal heirlooms). But when he pushed the elevator call button, nothing happened. He remembered the building's power had been turned off – along with his access to the penthouse.
There was nothing left.
photos courtesy bweissman
A friend of Frank's later posted the following comment after a news article:
"…Frank told me that he was shut out from his penthouse atop the former Glass Bank because the electricity had been turned off for safety reasons, disabling the elevator. The city of Cocoa Beach had red tagged it and was refusing to allow him access to retrieve his personal property. He was leaving that night where he would make one last personal plea, this time to the city commission."
"It is very sad, but you have to accept change, and why would you want to live in an unsafe building?"
– Judy Wolff, Cocoa Beach resident
A Life for a Penthouse
If there was an appropriate end of the road for Frank Wolfe, it was in the penthouse of the Glass Bank building.
At approximately 3:06 p.m. on Wednesday, February 5th, 2014, the Cocoa Beach Police Department responded to a call of a body found in front of the building. A man was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Francis Marvin Wolfe was unable to make his spiritual return to the penthouse; the 82 year-old was discovered collapsed in the vestibule in front of the penthouse elevator access door. It was the closest he could get to his favorite place; the building's lack of power finally defeated him.
Attorney Scott Widerman gave a statement on behalf of the GBCA:
"Our position is one of disbelief. We are naturally sorry to hear about this tragic event. It is not imaginable that this breach of contract action would have this result. The Trial and Appellate Court found Mr. Wolfe responsible for the damage to the building. This was not the outcome anyone could imagine or desired."
Nothing seemed amiss to longtime friend Bob Baugher. "I had a two hour meeting with him (Wolfe) this afternoon, and he seemed to be in good spirits."
Wolfe was, however, declining in health. Reflecting, Baugher added Frank "dealt with things on his own terms."
Count Baugher as one of Wolfe's supporters; he feels the community failed Frank.
photos courtesy Christopher Homer
Frank Wolfe published obituary
Frank M. Wolfe was born in Hartford, CT November 24, 1931. He completed his high school education in Hartford and enlisted in the Coast Guard serving three years in Korean Theater. He graduated from Rollins College, Winter Park, FL on June 6, 1958, with a degree in Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration and psychology. He then attended Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg, FL and earned his Juris Doctor degree on January 28, 1961. Before moving to Cocoa Beach he was Special Assistant to the Attorney General of the State of Florida. He was a senior partner in Wolfe, Kirschenbaum & Taylor, which later became Wolfe, Kirschenbaum, Caruso, Mosley and Kabboord, a major law firm in Cocoa Beach, FL. He also served as City Attorney from 1963 to 1967. During those years, he served on the board of several banks in addition to being one of the founders and directors of the Merritt Square Bank, Merritt Island, FL. From 1971 to 1981, he was CEO and Chairman of Leader International Inns, Inc., a large real estate company that owned and operated approximately 500 units in the Brevard County area. He was past Chairman of Ron Jon Surf Shop, headquartered in Cocoa Beach, FL, a large retailer known throughout the world. Mr. Wolfe was renowned for his architectural designing ability. He resided in the unique penthouse he built on top of the Glass Bank Building in Cocoa Beach, FL and he spent summer months in Maine where he designed and built a home on the Wells Reserve. He was generous to a fault and gave of himself to so many over the years, far too numerous to count. He was a loyal friend and advocate of the underdog. He demanded excellence of himself and his internal code of ethics was unshakable. He was loved by many. He left an impact on many lives and will not soon be forgotten. Died because he wanted to . . . Lived because he dared to.
End of the Glass Bank building
When Frank died, his estate elected to cooperate with the city. A deal was struck in April of 2014 which granted the city permission to demolish the iconic building.
According to the terms of the agreement, the Wolfe estate would be reimbursed for the property value when it was later sold. Similar to the deal with Yossifon and in exchange for allowing demolition, the Wolfe estate's liens would also be resolved.
The bidding process for Cocoa Beach demolition projects typically sees at least 90 days, but the decades of pent-up motivation to raze the Glass Bank was immense. Within days of the agreement, city hall was collecting bids.
Most relieved of all parties appeared to be the city, its hands finally washed of the issue. But the agreement did little for the on-going dispute between GBCA trustee Yossifon and the estate of Frank Wolfe. City attorney Skip Fowler was succinct in his assessment:
"At least the city is out of it, and they can argue about who bought what from whom until the cows come home."
Cocoa Beach obtained eight bids for the demolition of the Glass Bank building. In September of 2014 the city selected Crusader Demolition of Lakeland, Florida, to handle the tear-down.
- Bid: $145,300
- Duration: 50 days
But the Glass Bank wasn't going down easy. As-if to do Frank proud, the building provided one last obstacle to delay the inevitable: On closer examination, Crusader Demolition discovered more asbestos than expected.
However the project stalled only momentarily; in the middle of December the city commissioners quickly approved spending an additional $32,320.
Just get it done.
December of 2014 was spent removing asbestos from the Glass Bank and salvaging the scrap materials. Demolition cost was adjusted to $177,000 and scheduled for completion in February of 2015. Cocoa Beach accommodated for the adjustment by placing an additional lien on the property (when the property eventually sells, the city gets reimbursed the amount "borrowed" before the seller receives the proceeds).
The empty lot should retain significant value: 82 feet of air rights will remain with the property, according to the demolition agreement.
"It's a shame to see it go but it's not structurally sound and it's an attraction for vagrants. It's a public nuisance."
– John Stroud, Cocoa Beach resident
Followers of the demolition story were temporarily distracted by a feral cat nicknamed Morris that had taken up residence in the abandoned building. After Morris was discovered it wasn't long before a campaign was started to save the cat, which of course led to a dedicated Facebook page. His eventual capture prompted a news conference, and the feline former tenant even got his own day in Cocoa Beach.
Some residents made daily visits to the site during the demolition, memorializing via pictures and drone footage (watch below).
Spectators cheered when the last of the former Glass Bank came down on Groundhog day, 2015. If the public was feeling conflicted or reminiscent, it was buried in the rubble.
"It has been a big part of Cocoa Beach's history. I can recall many, many years ago actually having dinner in the restaurant up there. It's just a piece of Cocoa Beach that, well it's kind of sad to see it go."
– Franklin Glass, Cocoa Beach resident.
Most building damage was sustained in 2004, but the reality was the Glass Bank had already been decomposing for years.
Where did it all go wrong? Cocoa Beach author Dan Reiter offers the following:
"You might blame it on the space bust of the 60's, or the drug-riddled aftershocks of Nam, or the malaise and despair of the disco age. You might blame it on recessions, on layoffs, on depressed property prices, on the steady, gradual degradation of downtown, on hurricanes or lawyers or men possessed… The Glass Bank was the closest thing to a landmark of architecture that we have here in Cocoa Beach."
You might also blame it on an inefficient floor plan, or an era when commercial architects could give function a backseat to form and corporate budgets were under less strict control. You might blame it on higher building maintenance costs, an older infrastructure, or point to the continuous threat of hurricanes.
Surely NASA's reduction of operations in 2011 had a heavy hand in the reduced fortunes of the local economy. Thousands lost their jobs as the Kennedy Space Center was mothballed.
Ironically, the largest obstacle just might have been the building's ownership – or more specifically the parties' inability to reach an accord.
Preserving History
Fortunately a group of preservationists have worked to re-create a virtual Glass Bank building. Dr. Lori C. Walters is a Research Assistant Professor with the Institute for Simulation and Training and Department of History at the University of Central Florida, and leads a group pioneering the school's Virtual Heritage program. Known as ChronoPoints, the group focuses on examining historic structures utilizing the latest digital technology.
3D laser scans are created to help develop accurate models of buildings in their heyday. After successfully recreating the 1960s New York World's Fair (watch), the group turned their attention to the Glass Bank building.
Dr. Walters was allowed to scan the building prior to its demolition, which established dimensions and shape. But the goal was to re-create the Glass Bank in the 1960s, not the Stucco Bank of the 1980s – so vintage photographs have been requested to be scanned into the computer for rendering. (Have vintage photographs of the Glass Bank at its zenith? Contact Dr. Walters and let her know!)
In February of 2015 the group released a video which shows the progress to date.
"Certainly the year you were first exposed to the building plays a role in how you feel about it."
-Dr. Lori Walters, Institute for Simulation and Training and Department of History at the University of Central Florida.
- 1960 – Construction Begins
- 1961 – Structure Construction Ends
- 1962 – First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Cocoa – Cocoa Beach Branch officially opens
- 1962 – Sky Room Restaurant opens
- 1963 – Sky Room Restaurant closes. Construction begins on external "Express Elevator." Ramon's Rainbow Room opens.
- 1965 – Rainbow Room expands floor space by moving windows to the edge of the external catwalk.
- 1970 – Ramon's Rainbow Room closes. Marby's Rainbow Room opens.
- 1972 – Marby's Rainbow Room closes. No other restaurant will occupy the 4th
- 1978 – Tornado damages Glass Bank.
- 1983 – Penthouse addition and stucco of exterior façade. First Federal Savings & Loan Association is acquired by the First FA.
- 1985-1986 – Reliance Bank occupies first floor banking facilities.
- 1990 – Nautilus Fitness modifications.
- 1995 – Name change of lower floor banking facilities to Huntington Bank.
- 2004 – Hurricane (name?) hits. No tenants occupy lower portion of building.
- 2014 – City approves & prepares for demolition.
- 2015 – Demolition of building.
This group of urban explorers takes us on a tour through the building before it was demolished:
As of the date of this post, the Glass Bank is still visible on Bing Maps in bird's eye view:
Check out this 360-degree interactive virtual tour courtesy Biz360Tours:


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11.4: Invertebrate Chordates
- Page ID
- 13227
Would you believe this animal eats its own brain?
This is a sea squirt, which is a tunicate. Many physical changes occur to the tunicate's body during metamorphosis into an adult, with one of the most interesting being the digestion of the cerebral ganglion, which controls movement and is the equivalent of the human brain. From this comes the common saying that the sea squirt "eats its own brain."
Invertebrate Chordates
Living species of chordates are classified into three major subphyla: Vertebrata, Urochordata, and Cephalochordata. Vertebrates are all chordates that have a backbone. The other two subphyla are invertebrate chordates that lack a backbone. Members of the subphylum Urochordata are tunicates (also called sea squirts). Members of the subphylum Cephalochordata are lancelets. Both tunicates and lancelets are small and primitive. They are probably similar to the earliest chordates that evolved more than 500 million years ago.
There are about 3,000 living species of tunicates (see Figure below). They inhabit shallow marine waters. Larval tunicates are free-swimming. They have all four defining chordate traits (see the "Chordates" concept). Adult tunicates are sessile. They no longer have a notochord or post-anal tail.
Adult tunicates are barrel-shaped. They have two openings that siphon water into and out of the body. The flow of water provides food for filter feeding. Tunicates reproduce sexually. Each individual produces both male and female gametes. However, they avoid self-fertilization. Tunicates can also reproduce asexually by budding.
There are only about 25 living species of lancelets. They inhabit the ocean floor where the water is shallow. Lancelet larvae are free-swimming. The adults can swim but spend most of their time buried in the sand. Like tunicates, lancelets are filter feeders. They take in water through their mouth and expel it through an opening called the atriopore (see Figure below). Lancelets reproduce sexually and have separates sexes.
- Chordates include vertebrates and invertebrates that have a notochord.
- Invertebrate chordates do not have a backbone.
- Invertebrate chordates include tunicates and lancelets. Both are primitive marine organisms.
- Name and describe the two subphyla of invertebrate chordates.
|[Figure 1]
|License: CC BY-NC
|[Figure 2]
|Credit: Courtesy of US Geological Survey;By WYassineMrabetTalk✉This vector image was created with Inkscape. - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde...?curid=8062105
Source: http://nas.er.usgs.gov/taxgroup/tunicates/ ; By WYassineMrabetTalk✉This vector image was created with Inkscape. - Own work ; CC BY-SA 3.0 ; commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8062105
License: Public Domain
|[Figure 3]
|Credit: Hana Zavadska;By WYassineMrabetTalk✉This vector image was created with Inkscape. - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde...?curid=8062105
Source: CK-12 Foundation ; By WYassineMrabetTalk✉This vector image was created with Inkscape. - Own work ; CC BY-SA 3.0 ; https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8062105
License: CC BY-NC 3.0


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book review, campus politics, current Indian politics, Daphne du Maurier, Gothic, power hungry sociopath, pscyhological thriller, suspense
"Why do you follow Aldo? What makes you believe in him?"
"We have no one else we can follow." Cesare replied.
Hallmark of a classic is that it remains relevant across time. This book isn't Daphne's best, but it is startling in its eerie & hideous parallels with today's India. See if you can spot'em.
Premise: The tale is narrated by Beo and largely fixated on Aldo. The story itself has inbuilt parallels between Gothic fantasy and modern Rome. Tourist guide Beo chances upon the murder of a tramp, who turns out to be his old nanny Martha. Seeking her murderer and filled with nostalgia, Beo returns to his hometown Ruffano, but incognito. Here, he meets a ghost resurrected from his childhood.
Aldo is a Professor. But demure, benign or modest? Not he! Aldo is a power monger, a megalomaniac with delusions of grandeur.
'He who ceases to see anything great in God will find it nowhere. He must either deny it or create it.'
· His dream – to recreate the chariot ride of the sinister Duke Claudio.
· His game plan – 'The proud shall be stripped, the haughty violated, the slanderer silenced and the viper die in his own venom.'
· His arsenal: College students. He whips up the sentiments of hot blooded, myopic, restless student groups (Commerce vs Arts) to the point of creating mass hysteria, riots, mayhem, rape and murder.
· His designs are veiled, except to Beo. Aldo uses his charisma and his eloquence to create a cult of berserk fanatics. For his grand finale, Aldo unleashes all his venom through his devoted followers.
Can Beo confront his childhood Hero?
Can Beo shake off the awe and see through Aldo's maniacal plans?
Can Aldo fly like the mythical Falcon or will he succeed in scaling even higher heights?
Strengths: Daphne's characters stay true to her narrative style. Just as in Rebecca, it is the muted, subdued, mediocre person who speaks about a more fascinating, riveting personality. It is usually the steady, plodding narrator who survives till the end. The other one lives shorter, but more vivid and vibrant, like a brief burst of flames.
The questions remain – Which one truly lived their life? Which person haunts your mind after that last page is turned? Will History keep repeating its themes until humanity understands?
Title: The Flight of the Falcon
Pages: 320
Price: Rs 355/-
Kindle price: 332/-
Genre: Psychological Thriller , Suspense, semi-Gothic


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Posts Tagged 'gas prices'
$4 Per Gallon Gas = Energy Innovation
Long lines at the gas pump weren't the only product of the twin energy crises of the 1970s. A legislative push toward energy conservation and innovation were also born as a result. And that's why one expert believes the skyrocketing price of oil will do the same in 2011. "History has proven that innovation in the…Read More


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Warning: the "game" I saw today wasn't much of a game at all. All I saw was some concept art, all I heard were some basic outlines of gameplay and a very detailed description of the game's universe.
But as a singleplayer junkie who values story in games and loves pretty art, it won my heart regardless.
The game in question is Adrift (working title), a project shown for the very first time at this year's Gamescom. It's had a strange past; the product of a bunch of former Ubisoft developers and award-winning sci-fi writers, it's been in stealth development for years now despite its lack of a publisher (something it still has yet to find) or even a second's worth of gameplay footage.
What it lacks in official presence, though, it makes up for in promise.
Adrift is set in Neo Paris in the year 2084, in a world wracked by environmental disaster and overpopulation. The cornerstone of the game's story is the fact that human memories are now able to be separated and stored, complete with their accompanying sights, sounds and smells.
These memories can then be traded on the open market, the game exploring the consequences of what happens when people glibly trade the private memories of others and the potential for exploitation that can arise as a result.
Adrift's creative team includes concept art legend Aleksi Briclot and award-winning sci-fi author Alain Damasio, the studio built from the ground up to emphasise something many others regard as an afterthought, if at all: visual style, story and writing. I didn't get to see the writing, but the art, as you can see above, looks amazing.
Now, remember: I saw nothing of this as a game. So it's my favourite "game" from Gamescom, not my favourite game. Dontnod say it's a third-person action title with a graphical style that, while realistic, indulges in colour and a light/dark contrast (it sounded to me a lot like the approach Mirror's Edge took with its hyper-realism). But I couldn't see any of that for myself.
But as someone who plays games as an escape, who prefers to lose himself in a fantasy world rather than shoot at people from the real one, I couldn't help but walk away from Dontnod's presentation feeling more anticipation for Adrift than anything else I've seen at Gamescom. Which either says a lot about how cool this looked or how ho-hum most other stuff looked. Probably a bit of both.
Adrift is due in 2012, and at the moment is slated for release on Xbox 360 and PS3. Interestingly, when asked what will happen if the team can't find a publisher, they said they'd simply publish it themselves.


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When George Condo appeared on the New York scene in the early '80s, his paintings—with their nods to Tiepolo, Velázquez, and the like—seemed out of sync with the pop- and graffiti-inflected styles of his friends Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. But in today's interconnected, often complex world, Condo's work is jarringly fresh. A survey at the New Museum brings together his large-scale abstractions, boom-and-bust-era meditations on the depraved and melancholic, and a showstopping installation of portraits: a Botticelliesque babe, sad-sack Looney Tunes figures, dark scenes recalling late Goya. And a sordid 2008 painting of Client No. 9 proves the present, in all its grotesquerie, is just as inspiring.
"George Condo: Mental States," New Museum, through May 8; newmuseum.org.


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Arkansas Isolated Map
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This is an Isolated map of the state of Arkansas designed by Fire & Pine artists.
Every Fire & Pine piece is made 100% in South Carolina.
Due to the nature of wood and our process, every piece will be unique in wood tone and grain texture.