text:
At the time of recording Answer Me This! Episode 270 dicksmack.org*, the domain name bandied around in last week's episode, was still available. But within minutes of today's episode becoming available, it seems one enterprising listener snapped it up. If it's any comfort, dicksmack.com is still available…
* Apologies to any listener called Dick S. Mack for any upset all this may have caused
On today's agenda:
ostrich eggs
symmetrical balls
gorilla balls
the 'guess the price of the scarves' game
book blurbs
jam vs conserve
supernatural forces vs scientific forces
Zara vs Liberty
Rick Stein's signature vs George Orwell's signature
Frankenstein's monster's education
celebrity community service
LingerieLegends Football League
the We're the Millers trailer
Plus: Olly's binders full of women are very well organised; Helen insists on having a Pocket full of articles to keep her diverted during boring shopping trips; and Martin the Sound Man finally reveals what his PhD was in. Wait – he didn't just buy it off the internet?
This week's Bit of Crap on the App (available for iDevices or Android) includes Olly's impression of every Stephen King film ever. Has to be heard to be believed.
Please be so kind as to send us your QUESTIONS (unless they're about zombies, in which case don't): leave voicemails on the Question Line (call 0208 123 5877 or Skype ID answermethis) and send emails to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Oh, and if you want to buy a signed copy of the AMT book, and to support a terrific independent bookshop by doing so, ask Bookseller Crow for one.
See you next Thursday,
Helen & Olly
AMT270 Child-Friendly Rating: 36%. F-bomb detonates within first minute of the show, followed by discussion about dicksmack.org, and the dick-related things that site could potentially contain. Several swears. Early question about testicles. Safe waters in the middle of the show, but ends with a question about a sport that is essentially fap-material.


text:
Dove Body Wash(26 products available)
✖Selected 0/20Clear All
Top Rated Products
White Dove Bar Beauty SoapEUROPE HEALTHY TECHNOLOGY B.V.
Dove Purifying Detox Green Clay Body WashANGELA BEAUTY PRODUCTS LTD
Dove Body WashAmbika Products Hygiene Makers
Dove Body WashA. V. S. Herbals Pvt. Ltd.
Dove Body WashAjitia Udyog Sansthan
Dove Body WashCrown International
Dove Body WashHERB ELEMENTZ NATURECEUTICALS PRIVATE LIMITED
Dove 800Ml Deeply Nourishing Body Wash Age Group: AdultsCOMMERCE INDIA
Dove Mandarin and Tiare Flower Scent Body WashSAWAN AGENCIES
Client Testimonials & Reviews
"I am using GetDistributors for quite some time for business expansion and development. I am receiving good inquiries. I am satisfied with the quality and pricing of their services. They also helped me in branding and product promotion. My company's rankings on the well-known search engines have improved too. Keep doing the great work. I am expecting good services from you in the future too!
Radhika Gurugram, HaryanaMember Since - 3 YearsWildflower Naturals
"We PARAM Health care, kota (RAJ.) deal with manufacturing and marketing of ayurvedic medicine and herbal cosmetics from last 10 years. When we join business portal TRADEINDIA in yr.2017, after that we found tremendous business growth due to bulk purchaser or distributor shared with tradeindia to us on regular basis and they are also concentrate on update product promotion very well. Very well business portal tradeinida.
Mukesh Jain Kota, RajasthanMember Since - 7 YearsParam Health Care
"Today we have associated with your tradeindia services. Hope for the best results from your portal.
Vikrant Ahmedabad, GujaratMember Since - 4 YearsMv Hygiene Production
"In to the Meantime I would like to appreciate service of Tradindia.com As a Director of "MV HYGIENE PRODUCTION" manufacturer & supplier I was facing many issues with management and marketing of my organization and it's products, from the day in touch with"tradeindia.com" and it's professional team I experienced new confidence for expanding digitally.
Vikrant Ahmedabad, GujaratMember Since - 4 YearsMv Hygiene Production
"Thanks Tradeindia team for being a valuable platform connecting suppliers and buyers and boosting their businesses. Also, appreciate your customized attention and service to your clients. Thank you and all the very best for this financial year.
Pramod Gupta Kolkata, West BengalMember Since - 4 YearsMatmon Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd
"We have join the Tradeindia since 2 Years ago,we have appreciate to Tradeindia service to increase our business in India or international market. Tradeindia is one of the best trade portal in India for B2B market place.
Anuj Moga, PunjabMember Since - 6 YearsItncs Traders(Opc) Pvt. Ltd.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Concerned about the environment but feeling overwhelmed by all the issues out there? Feeling discouraged about how you as an individual can really make a difference? Not to worry. Here, we've compiled a short list of easy and practical ways that you can help the environment.
The great thing about these tips is that in most cases you really won't have to change your lifestyle radically to have an impact on the environment. One thing we do encourage is more reliance on human power in your daily life. We hope that some of these tips will help us move one person at a time towards a society that is more responsible and less reliant on convenience.
For example, things like walking to the grocery store and using a reel mower will reduce air pollution and energy use, while also reducing the time you spend at the gym! Additionally, if you get your kids to follow your example by using human power more, you can do your part to help reduce child obesity and diabetes!
Please note that this is by no means a comprehensive list. In fact, we're looking for help in expanding these tips with things that have worked for you that don't appear on the list!
Have you made a simple change in your life that you feel has helped the environment? Do you know of other ways that an average person can move towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle? What are your favorite ways to help the earth? Have you used cool, eco-friendly products you'd like to recommend? Let us know! See the bottom of the page for the comment option. No spammy links please, they will be removed!
In this list are things you can implement both indoors and outdoors to help save the environment. And don't forget, you can add to the list! Just submit a comment at the end of this page! It's that easy to share your environmental tips with the rest of the world. Try it out!
1. Prevent energy leaks at home.
Check this out: Did you know that heating and cooling can make up to 50 percent of your energy bill each month? If you heat and cool your home more efficiently by fixing leaks, you'll save money and reduce your impact on the environment.
Plugging up those energy leaks is simple. Insulating your home will keep your house warmer in the winter and help to cool things off in the summer. Sealing all your ducts can help as well. This Energy Star website will help with simple techniques for sealing your ducts.
Weatherizing your home is also critical. Want to learn how to weatherize to prevent energy leaks? Read more at this U.S. Department of Energy website!
2. Lower your home thermostats!
That's right, thermostats, plural! Most people have their heater, hot water heater, and refrigerator thermostats set at unnecessary temperatures.
Try this out for a few months: Set your heater at 68 degrees F or lower in the winter and 78 degrees F or higher in the summer. Programmable home thermostats are an even better way to heat and cool your home responsibly.
Next, adjust the temperature on your hot water heater to 140-degrees F or lower if possible. Most people keep the temperature on the hot water heater much higher than they really need. Try it out!
And finally, make sure to use the energy-saving settings on your refrigerator. Better yet, try switching to a more modern, energy saving frig. Look for new refrigerators with the Energy Star label.
What's with all this Energy Star Business? Check out the U.S. government's Energy Star program homepage to find out more about how you could be saving money on energy costs and help the environment at the same time. It's win-win, baby!
3. Switch as many bulbs as possible in your home to compact fluorescent bulbs, or LED bulbs.
Good news! Compact fluorescent bulbs are really going mainstream nowadays, which means they're cheaper and easier to find than ever. That's great, because the California Energy Commission reports that lighting can make up to 25 percent of the average home's electricity consumption. When you switch your incandescent light bulbs to ultra efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, you'll be making a big difference in your energy use.
A while ago, the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration stated that when the average cost of a fluorescent bulb was around $11.00, your energy savings would be around $20.00 for each bulb over a three year period. Now that Walmart and other stores are selling these bulbs at about 2 bucks each, think of the savings you'll have from switching! Additionally, compact fluorescent bulbs generally last up to seven years each. LED bulbs last even longer, use even less energy, and are finally starting to hit the brightness levels and price points where you can use them throughout the house.
4. Use a low-flow shower head.
You may associate a low-flow showerhead with one that reduces your shower to a frustrating trickle. Thankfully, technologies have improved so that you can enjoy a high pressure shower while saving water at the same time!
Another benefit is that with a low-flow showerhead, you will not only save water, you'll also save energy! Why? The California Efficiency Partnership says that about 73 percent of the water you use in your shower is hot water, and you use a lot of energy to heat that water for you shower. They go on to say that the use of low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators can reduce your water heating costs by around to 50 percent! This website has great information about low-flow showerheads and other ways to save water in the bathroom.
5. Compost!
Return your organic waste where it belongs: the soil! Rather than sending banana peels, grass clipping, etc. to the municipal dump, start a compost pile instead. The Environmental Defense Fund says that around 18 percent of the waste an average family in the U.S. produces comes from the yard and garden. If you recycle your yard and garden waste, you'll reduce the amount of energy used to send this waste to the dump. Add your organic kitchen scraps to your yard waste and you're significantly decreasing your waste.
Compost also makes your plants stronger and healthier, reducing the need for fertilizers and chemical pesticides. Don't forget that many cities have municipal composting programs for your yard waste. Need more info about the benefits of compost, how to compost, and what to compost? Check out our guide to garden compost for lots of tips, or get a composter.
6. Use drip irrigation systems in your garden.
Drip irrigation systems, also known as micro-irrigation systems, are designed to deliver water directly to your plants, with minimal waste. According to Colorado State University, drip irrigation systems are around 90 percent efficient, whereas traditional sprinkle systems are only around 50-70 percent efficient. The Colorado State University Extension Service has a great website on the benefits of setting up a drip irrigation system in your garden.
7. Plant trees in your yard and community.
Everyone knows that planting trees can help the environment. Trees sequester (trap) CO2 emissions, minimizing the effects of global warming. They also have many other beneficial effects. Trees cool your home, reducing the energy used for cooling. Trees improve mental health. Trees increase property values. Trees reduce urban runoff and capture dust particles from the air. Trees reduce noise pollution. The list goes on and on!
Need more reasons to plant trees? The U.S. Forest Service has a great page about the benefits of trees. The trees to plant are those native to your area. Why plant native trees? Because native trees use less water, support native wildlife, and are better adapted to your area. You can plant native trees in your yard or if you don't have a yard, contribute to community tree planting efforts.
8. Go "mostly organic" in your lawn and garden.
Using organic gardening products and techniques is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment. You don't necessarily have to go 100 percent organic either. Try out a few organic pesticides or fertilizers and see what works for you! By going mostly organic in your garden, you'll help to stimulate beneficial soil organisms, reduce harmful wastewater runoff, and create a healthier place for your pets and children to play.
9. Use a reel or electric lawn mower.
If you have a small yard, consider using a manual push reel mower. Why? Here's a testimonial from Lars Hundley, one of the writers for this blog:
"People who use gas mowers put up with ear-splitting noise, headache- and nausea-inducing fumes and mechanical problems," says Mr. Hundley, Chief Gardening Evangelist at Clean Air Gardening. He prefers the serenity and simplicity of old-fashioned reel mowers. "There is a real element of pleasure to using a manual mower," he says.
Today's reel mowers are a far cry from the one your grandfather used. "Reel mowers are light, quiet, and virtually maintenance-free," notes Hundley. The mowers are environmentally friendly, and also better for your grass. "Rotary mowers tear the grass — reel mowers cut grass like scissors, leaving a fine spray of clippings as mulch for your yard," he explains. They do take some effort, but they aren't any harder to push than an 80-pound gas mower that isn't self-propelled.
Reel mowers aren't necessarily practical for really big lawns, so think about switching that gas mower to a clean, non-polluting electric mower.
Want more information about reel mowers? Here's is a fun article by the Christian Science Monitor all about the benefits of reel mowers.
10. Replace your single-paned windows with double-pane windows.
This can be an expensive home renovation, but it will make all the difference in the world in terms of saving you energy during the cold winter months. The American Council for Energy Efficiency has a website on selecting the best energy efficient windows for your home. In addition to double panes, energy efficient features to look for on windows include tinted glass coatings, low-emissivity (low-e) coatings, and multiple layers of glazing.
11. Turn off lights and electronic devices when you're not using them.
We all know it's important to turn off the lights when you leave a room to save energy. How about turning off your T.V., radio, computer, etc.? We're not talking about simply turning the off switch. Many electrical appliances continue to use a small amount of energy when turned "off." This energy will add up over time.
So, we recommend connecting several appliances to one of those surge suppressing power outlet strips that has an on/off switch. When you leave for work in the morning, flip the switch and your devices will be completely turned off. Try that for a few months and see how much energy you save!
12. Fix water leaks in the bathroom, kitchen, landscaping, etc.
You know those tiny leaks you've been meaning to fix inside your house and in your landscaping? Guess what? That water loss adds up over time and can cost you big money. Not to mention all that wasted water! Protect our freshwater resources and save money by fixing those leaks! It's another of many great ways to help the earth.
13. Consider switching to a low-flow toilet.
According to the U.S. Government's Environmental Protection Agency, about 41% of our indoor water use in the home goes toward flushing the toilet and 33% goes to bathing! Modern low-flush toilets are designed to use water efficiently. Here's a website that has lots of information on reducing water use with a low-flush toilet and other simples changes in the home.
Want to get extra fancy? Well, the EPA has a new WaterSense label for toilets that use even less water than a standard low-flow toilet. These models are based on extensive studies of fluid dynamics over the last several years, so they work, and they work well.
If you don't switch to a low-flush toilet, you can also use low-tech methods like putting a brick or a small milk jug in the tank to reduce water use. You can also take this sage advice, "If you pee, leave it be, if you strain, pull the chain!"
14. Use ceiling fans to cool off in the summer.
If you use ceiling fans during hot summer days, you can create a cooling effect similar to "wind chill." A few ceiling or regular fans strategically placed in your home can reduce the amount of time you spend with the air conditioning on. There are even Energy Star certified ceiling fans out there that use even less energy than typical ceiling fans!
15. Use solar energy to dry your clothes!
Here's something you can do that is easy, practical, and won't cost a penny to implement. In fact, it will save you money! No matter where you live, the sun has to come out eventually. When it does, hang your clothes out to dry. If you live where I do, in the Desert Southwest, the sun is almost always shining. Except at night. Ha ha.
So, take advantage of this natural energy to dry your clothes! It may take you 10 extra minutes out of your day to hang up your clothes, but that's a small price to pay in the long run.
Of course, there are days where drying outdoors on the line is not practical. That's fine. Use your drier! Don't feel guilty! However, you should read some of the suggestions on the Energy Star website about washing and drying clothes to make more efficient use out of your drier.
16. Invest in solar energy.
There are many ways to invest in solar energy. Unfortunately, some solar energy products for the home can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and have a payback period of a decade or longer.
However, there are lots of inexpensive solar gadgets out there you can try out. For example, solar-powered landscaping lights can help you reduce how much energy you get from the grid. How about solar cell phone chargers?
If you can afford it and you're going to be living in the same spot for many years to get the payback, outfit your home with a few solar panels. Additionally, there are many forms of passive solar energy out there as well that can help you take advantage of the sun. See this U.S. Department of Energy website for more information about solar energy, and for rebate information on your particular state.
17. Rethink transportation.
This tip encompasses several different ideas. It involves a lot of thinking, some basic planning, and finally putting your plans into action. Yes, hybrids are great. Yes, biofuels are cool. Yes, using public transportation is important. Yes, you should get out and walk and use your bicycle more often. A bike that fits is much easier to ride.
However, don't feel bad that you don't make enough money to buy a fancy hybrid. Don't feel bad that public transportation sucks in your city (as it does it mine!). Don't feel bad that you had to take a job with an hour commute to make ends meet!
Just sit and think about a few practical and environmentally friendly ways you can get from one place to another. Can you car pool to work? Can you take a bus when you go to the movie theater? Can you walk or bike to the corner store? Brainstorm and put at least a few of these ideas into action. Even if you don't buy a hybrid car, walking instead of driving to the grocery store is a great way to help the environment!
18. Use small, efficient devices to cook food.
You love to cook and you've got a big fat oven that you use to cook everything. Cool. But consider that toaster ovens, pressure cookers, crock pots, microwaves, and electric grills are efficient and won't heat up your kitchen in the summer. Less heat, less energy to cool your home. On that note, bake lots of cookies and casseroles in your big fat oven in the winter!
19. Use some Xeriscaping principles in the garden.
You may have heard about Xeriscaping from your friends who live in arid regions of the U.S. However, Xeriscaping is not just for those who live among cactus and sage brush. Xeriscaping simply means that you use water wisely in your garden and landscaping. Some concepts of Xeriscaping are: using efficient irrigation systems, using low-water use plants, reducing turfgrass, and creating thoughtful water-wise garden designs. Texas A&M has a great site about basic Xeriscaping principles.
20. Use some native plants in the garden.
Why grow native plants in your garden and landscaping? First off, native plants are better adapted to your area. This means that they require less maintenance and less water. They are also more resistant to pests and diseases. That translates to water savings and reduced use of pesticides and fertilizers. Additionally, native plants attract native wildlife and native beneficial insects. You don't have to plant 100 percent natives to make a difference, consider just planting a few.
When you grow native plants, you help blend your landscaping with the native landscapes you find outside of your town or city.
The US Environmental Protection Agency has an excellent program that encourages the use of native plants for home landscaping called Greenacres.
21. Get involved locally!
Sometimes I just have to turn off the T.V. and forget about all the bad news concerning the Earth's environment I see on a daily basis. It can be too much for one person to handle. When I'm feeling overwhelmed by issues like dying coral reefs, species extinction, etc., I try and look towards what's happening in my community.
For example, I recently started volunteering at a local organic farm. This is a small operation run by some very devoted people. Agricultural land in my city is unfortunately being quickly eaten up by housing developments. There are all kinds of issues at stake here: losing aquifer recharge zones, additional urban runoff from new developments, gentrification, etc.
So, by helping this group of farmers a few hours a week, I feel like I'm making a difference in my little corner of the world. And I also get a big bag of organic veggies for my efforts! Look for small ways to help the environment in your community!
So, there's your list of easy and practical ways that you can help the environment.
But wait. There are obviously more than 21 ways to make a difference, right? Of course there are. That's where you come in!
We want your ideas, your creativity, and your ingenuity. Share with us what you're doing to help create a more sustainable future!


text:
Home | Forum | Chat | Tours | Articles | Pictures | News | Tools | History | Tourism | Search
Articles Home
About the author
Write for BanglaCricket
Submit now
BanglaCricket welcomes article contributions. Please email our editors or private message one our forum moderators a copy of your article
(plain text format preferred) so that we can consider it for publication.
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily
reflect the views of BanglaCricket unless explicitly stated.
Bangladesh registered its first ever ODI win on home soil by defeating the mighty Indians by 15 runs. Bangladesh stunned India when Aftab knocked the bails off by a direct hit and Murali Kartik was well short. A jam packed stadium of over 40000 fans at the BNS suddenly errupt in joy at the historic event. Earlier, Bangladesh managed to score 229/9 in 50 overs. On reply, the world's second mightiest team, India could only manage to score 214 with more than two overs to spare. Bangladesh outplayed India in every department of the match with outstanding fielding, spirited bowling and determined batting. India was never been able to be in the hunt as their lifelines were cutoff regularly by the Tigers.
Bangladesh wins the 100th ODI
by BanglaCricket Team
Published: 26th December, 2004
Today i watched Bangladesh play. No, in fact, and curiously my four 4 year old daughter sat on lap for the first time to watch a cricket match. And what a match to groom a future fan on. Bang with a win! I don't know how you would start someone on cricket but I had a go. My thoughts were, "Well as Bangladesh will eventually falter why not spend some quality time and share my favourite pastime with my fave person". To the utter joy of Bangladesh fans the script did'nt follow the usual turn of events. The finale was cemented after the mini conference between Sujon, Sumon, Rafique and Pilot. That was the turning point. Bangladesh decided and willed that this match was to be won. It certainly was an important lesson for the Bangladesh team; for a prospective new fan and above all for seasoned fans like me - to be rudely awakened by the power of mental will and its enduring power to transform.
Last night (EST) as the match started, I was confident, Bangladesh will win this match. But after Bashar was out, I gave up and went to bed. Had a strange dream, Bangladesh lost badly to Scotland. Woke up confused, aren�t we playing India? Turned the monitor on and I was in joy to see Agarkar had just been out: only 2 wickets to go for the historic win. My wife jumped up from sleep as I screamed, �Bangladesh is winning�.
As Whatmore has said repeatedly, Bangladesh needs 1-2 good innings to come out of the batch patch. Truly it was just one super innings, Ashraful's performance on the 2nd test that changed it all for us. The tigers have begun to believe in themselves. The team now plays to win. This win is one of the most important events in Bangladesh cricket history. On its 100th ODI Bangladesh made a huge turn towards becoming a respectable cricket nation.
This win was a total team work. Thanks to every member of this team, the coaching staff and the think tank for finally selecting a balanced team.
This has to be one of the best moments in my entire life. I was up late and saw the team crawl to 37 for 3 despite some earlier promise. I wanted to stay up and follow the whole match as I was afraid that we'd go back to our old scripted ways. However, my work and my computer had other ideas so I gave up on that. Also, I couldn't take any more defeat. Years of dissapointments and emty promises has left me with a very fragile heart. The only thing different last night was a promise of a balanced performance by Sumon and the team.
It's funny how I woke up and followed the match around the same time as Rajputro. India only needed 30 runs off of 30 balls with 2 wickets in hand. Highly doable and the way Sharma was playing, I thought we would be denied once more and found it hard to follow the match at the stage. I was getting ready for work and was merely glancing at the monitor every few seconds hoping to see a fall of wicket. All of a sudden, there was only one batsmen listed (Sharma) and my heart skipped a bit. "45.6: Khaled Mahmud to Khan, OUT: gone! Zaheer goes for the big one and finds Mashrafe Mortaza at wide long-on, who holds on well to a difficult chance, Bangladesh just one wicket away from making history! (cricinfo)". I will never call Chacha (Khaled Mahmud) mediocre again.
With one wicket in hand, India still needed 26 runs to win and I was still terrified. You see, you have been close before, who can forget the one wicket loss to Pakistan in that test match? At the same time, I noticed that Masri and Chacha both had overs in their hands and Nazmul did well with the ball. The moment came 11 balls and 10 runs later. With India only 16 runs away from a win Murali Kartik played Chacha's ball straight to Aftab at point and the wonder kid picked up the ball and with a direct hit at the stumps sealed a long awaited victory for millions of cricket loving Bangladeshi fans all over the world.
I am sorry that I ever doubted the teams commitment during the last 2/3 tours. The team played as a unit and did everything right to give us a memorable 100th ODI match.
This page has been viewed 9820 times.
About Us | Contact
Us | Privacy
Policy | Partner
Sites | Useful Links | Banners |
© BanglaCricket


text:
As we are only about five hours away from flipping our baseball calendars to a whole new year and being that the MLB Network launches tomorrow in millions of fans' homes across America (which could only bring more attention to the MLBlogs community), for any new visitors to MLBlogs.com or Prose and Ivy, I would like to wish you a happy new year!
Spheroid: Prose and Ivy
MLBlogger: Ryan at Prose and Ivy
Signup date: Dec. 5, 2007
1. Why do you blog?
I live in New York City and there aren't many Cubs fans that I've met here so far who are readily available to talk about the day's Cub headlines or the most recent Cubs game. It's great to have access to a community of baseball fans in general, but especially to be able to reach out and communicate with other Cubs fans on a daily basis. Until the Cubs hire me as a beat reporter/analyst, this is the closest I'll come to either…and I love it!
2. What was your favorite post?
My favorite post would probably be the one titled "The Face, The Brace, The Pace, The Place and The Ace" or "The Poster Child". The first one was one of those blogs where you feel like you have so much to say it just flows once you sit down and start typing. Those are exciting when they happen. The other one I just think is really funny…my own little parody of the Cubs upcoming ads for the 2008 team. Good times.
3. Strangest blogging experience?
The first time I received a comment because I couldn't believe people were actually reading my blog. It's made me post nearly daily lately with people responding and the feedback I've received regarding how many people are enjoying my page.
4. What is your favorite blog, including at least one MLBlog?
There are couple that I was really enjoying yet can't seem to find any longer which is too bad. I really like Crawly's Cubs and Some Ballyard. A good mix of humor and analysis is what I really enjoy when reading someone else's blog. And anyone who enjoys my blog…I generally read there's regularly too.
5. What would you be doing if you weren't blogging?
Walking my dogs. They REALLY should be outside on a walk right now.
6. Where do you think the blogosphere is going?
Blu-ray? I don't know you got me.
7. Favorite team and why?
Cubs. Chicago Cubs. Yes those Cubs. Great characters on the team, great potential, great history, great fans, great stadium, the seventh inning stretch, the underdog status year in and year out, wondering if this will be the year and how many more years I'll be wondering if this will be the year…and Ryne Sandberg. He was the man.
8. What is one thing most people don't know about you?
I have met two of my comedy heroes in rest rooms (BIZARRE but true). I met Chevy Chase in rest room at a political fundraiser a few years back and was so excited I shook his hand to meet him before I had a chance to dry my hands after washing them. After shaking my hand he looked at me and said "You gave me a wet shake." I didn't know what to say…all I could come up with was "It's all water I swear." The other was Bill Cosby in a Barnes and Noble bathroom in NY. I was waiting for the bathroom to become available and right behind me walk in two huge security guys…behind them, a man with sunglasses and a baseball cap. Quickly that man became Bill Cosby. SO COOL. I didn't want to bother him although inside I was freaking out as he is a stand up legend. He then said to me "Are you waiting?" I turned and looked at him and said "Yes, Mr. Cosby. I am waiting." He just turned away, then turned back, smiled and said "We are waiting." He then left. But for a brief moment there, Bill Cosby and I were doing the same exact thing at the same exact time. Again…SO COOL. (And yes, he was wearing 'one of those sweaters'.)
9. Happiness is…
…champagne all over your team's clubhouse at the end of the World Series. I'd say that's happiness indeed.


text:
The Fourth Estate clings to the truth
The truth is a comfort and an ally, but it can't always protect you because the truth also has enemies.
A press secretary will spend a weekend criticizing the Wall Street Journal because she swears a recording of an interview shows that the president she works for said "I'd have" rather than "I have" when referring to his good relationship with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un. She raves on as though her claims prove a credible story is fake news. President Donald Trump appeared to say "I have," but even if he meant to say or did say "I'd have," it was a complete lie either way.
The president doesn't have a good relationship with the leader of North Korea, nor will he. The president has called Kim Jong Un "Rocketman" and has tweeted that he is short and fat.
Whether the president spoke a contraction or not, the meaning of his comment was a lie.
It wasn't fake news. It never is with this administration.
The enemy of truth is the person caught in its snare. Those who shout the loudest often have the most to hide.
It isn't pleasant to report that the leader of the free world has told more than 2,000 verifiable lies in one year in office.
It is decidedly unpleasant. That is why the president, and those he surrounds himself with, try to discredit the truth tellers. The truth is a threat to a liar.
That became abundantly clear during the administration of Richard Nixon. During his tenure, his lies and the compilation of the lies of those who came before him were uncovered. Only one group has the ability to speak truth to power when every level of the government is involved in telling the lie or covering it up.
That group is the press. That is why the news media is called The Fourth Estate.
Some stories bring excitement. Others bring fear. Some stories shake the very ground upon which you stand.
Some stories make you want to dig deeply and reveal every happy detail. There are some facts you want to ignore so that you don't become the messenger people want to kill.
In every case, the only security comes when you cling to the truth.
"The Post" is a new Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks movie recently released in theaters. It shines a light on how newspapers— specifically the Washington Post — fought a corrupt administration and won. For decades, the military and executive branch of the government had been violating the law and putting lives unnecessarily at risk. When a top-secret government study was discovered and published, it led to the end of a war and eventually the end of the Richard Nixon administration.
The movie appropriately highlights the courage of Kay Graham — publisher of The Washington Post — who made the financially and personally risky decision to publish stories that the government wanted to keep secret.
Graham said her husband Phil coined the phrase , "The newspaper is the first rough draft of history."
That is accurate in so many ways. Newspapers are the first to write a story. But there are also times when that rough draft isn't 100 percent accurate and additional facts are added to the official record in following days.
"We don't always get it right. We're not always perfect," Graham says to editor Ben Bradlee near the end of the movie. "But I think if we can just keep on it, you know? That's the job, isn't it?"
That is the job.
You have to do everything you can to be as right as possible every day. In today's world, that means withstanding howls of fake news and intentional attacks meant to discredit those who are pointing out collusion, emoluments, lies and failure to release tax returns and other documents that every administration has released in the past.
It didn't seem like "The Post" was taking direct shots at the current administration. The script was sold before the 2016 election when most people still expected Hillary Clinton to win. However, the obvious similarities between the Trump and Nixon administrations are hard to overlook.
Despite the many challenges the news industry faces in 2018, like Graham said many years ago, all we can do is just keep on it. That's the job, and we have to do it.
Kent Bush is publisher of Shawnee (Oklahoma) News-Star and can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Health libraryBack to health library
Reviewed 10/21/2022
Cookout Safety
Don't let food poisoning cram your summer fun.
Marinade: Set aside sauce for serving before marinating raw chicken.
Meat: Cook to internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Serving Platter: Keep away from raw meat.
Meat: Cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
Cheese and mayo: Store in the refrigerator or an ice-filled cooler.
Bun: Wash your hands before taking buns from the package.
Lettuce: Wash greens—or use those marked "ready to eat."
Serving platter: Keep away from raw meat.
Potato Salad
Bowl: Cover tightly to insects away
Potato chunks: Cool in the refrigerator after cooking.
Prepared salad: Keep in a cooler or in the fridge until mealtime.
Fruit salad
Creamy sauce: Store in the refrigerator or an ice-filled cooler.
Melon: Wash before cutting.
Bowl: Cover tightly to keep insects away.
Iced Tea
Tea: Brew with water that's 175 degrees or hotter.
Lemon Slices: Wash before cutting.
Pitcher: Keep it insulated, or store in ice.
Ice: Keep ice for drinks in a separate cooler from meat.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture.


text:
Jayhawks hold on
The Salukis' famed defense slows Kansas, but it can't stop the Jayhawks in the end.
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The Kansas Jayhawks knew they had to abandon the beautiful game they usually play to beat Southern Illinois. The Jayhawks admit they don't like winning ugly -- but they like losing even less.
When the Salukis slowed their NCAA tournament run to a crawl, Brandon Rush and his Kansas teammates stooped down into the grit for a win that put them on the brink of the Final Four.
Rush scored 12 points without missing a shot, and Kansas eked out a 61-58 victory over Southern Illinois in the West Regional semifinals Thursday night.
Darrell Arthur and Russell Robinson scored nine points apiece to help the Jayhawks (33-4) barely avoid yet another Saluki surprise and another disappointing exit from the tournament.
Kansas went into the locker room bickering and muttering at Southern Illinois' tenacity, yet still won its 14th straight game by nursing a small lead through the final minutes against a defense that made the Jayhawks' future NBA stars work exceptionally hard for every basket.
"It shows that we can win whatever the circumstances are," said Kansas guard Mario Chalmers, who scored just nine points. "Everyone knows we like an up-tempo game in the 80s, but we can take our time and slow it down with the best of them, too."
When Tony Young missed a desperate 3-point attempt from half-court at the buzzer, Kansas dodged its second straight tournament loss at the hands of the Missouri Valley Conference, which takes the "mid" out of mid-major with each passing year. Bradley beat the Jayhawks last season, but Kansas advanced to face the winner of UCLA's late game against Pittsburgh.
Southern Illinois decisively won the matchup's clash of styles, forcing a deliberate tempo on the high-flying Jayhawks while keeping the possessions long and the score low. The Salukis' defensive aggression and offensive rebounding were complemented by just enough big shots from its struggling scorers to keep it close.
But Kansas adjusted with a maturity that wasn't present in coach Bill Self's last two teams. Nine players got a field goal for the Jayhawks, who waited for holes in the Salukis' defense -- and then threw themselves into defending the other end.
It was elemental basketball, and Kansas put all the elements together.
"Whoever plays Southern isn't going to look good offensively," Self said. "It just isn't going to happen. ... I was disappointed how some guys handled the heat, but when the game was on the line, we handled it pretty well."
Jamaal Tatum scored 19 points in his final college game for the fourth-seeded Salukis (29-7), who couldn't get the break they needed to reach the round of eight for the first time in school history with just their second loss in 17 games.
Julian Wright's free throw with 1:23 left put Kansas up 58-53, but Tatum hit a 3-pointer moments later. Chalmers hit a free throw, and Tatum added another jumper to cut the Jayhawks' lead to 59-58.
But Rush confidently drove the lane with 25 seconds left and flicked home a basket with the poise that might someday make him the best of his three basketball-playing brothers.
"Somebody had to step up down the stretch and make a good play, and I'm glad I did," Rush said.
Rush's layup provided the game's final points, but Tatum missed a chance to tie it on a 3-pointer with 8 seconds left.
"The shot I took is a shot I've practiced numerous times in the gym at night (and) in between classes," Tatum said. "It felt good. I don't know what to say."
Randal Falker got the rebound for Southern Illinois, but lost the ball. Wright then missed two potential clinching free throws, but Young couldn't hit his fifth 3-pointer of the night on the run, sending Kansas into a subdued, relieved celebration.
Young scored 14 points on a poor shooting night, and Falker added 11 points and nine rebounds for the Salukis.
"We do what we do to everybody, no matter what's on the front of their jersey," Southern Illinois coach Chris Lowery said. "I'm disappointed in the final result, but I'm very proud of our guys."


text:
Arelatively new boutique in West Omaha is creating jobs not only for the employees but for vendors who just need a place to sell their work. NJ & Co. is run by a duo consisting of mother and daughter. Nicole Leathers handles the business while Jane White, her mother, manages merchandise and displays. Leathers said the store's demographic ranges from college-aged girls to women in their 70s.
NJ & Co. opened their doors in August 2012 sporting six total vendors. Three women go to market and select inventory for the store's niche while some vendors work there.
NJ & Co. illuminates a sense of vintage home décor and repurposed furniture. The fashions are influenced by the different vendors, but there is an underlying retro meets modern look to it all. You can find old-fashioned bird cages for the café or perhaps a frock for a special occasion.
Leathers feels West Omaha is a prime location for the store. "I feel like we're filling the home décor niche," Leathers said. In fact, nothing at the store is mass produced.
More important is what Leathers and White are doing for the vendors. "We provide these women with an upfront entry point where they can learn to succeed without losing money," Leathers said.
The vendors include MOD Boutique, Painted Dog, Twice Nice, Bocachi, Ali Rae's and Beaded Creations by Marcia.
Mod lives by the motto "style is eternal," so mothers and daughters can shop together for jewelry, tops or leggings. Painted Dog believes in recycling and giving back to the environment; they repurpose furniture using only biodegradable stripping products.
Twice Nice also refurbishes old décor and brings the metamorphosis full circle with stain and finishing. Bocachi believes in scouting for old treasures while offering tops, dresses, jackets, accessories and more.
Ali Rae offers shoppers tunics, jewelry, scarves and purses. Beaded Creations by Marcia specializes in making interchangeable beaded watch bands. Expect some funk and bling with industrial chic.
Opening your own business is always a risk. Leathers was nervous about opening because of the economy, but she finally decided, "to hell with it!" Leathers added that she hopes the boutique draws people away from malls to support local shops.
White previously owned seven Hallmarks and some accessory stores in Wisconsin, so the duo had some experience behind them. "My mother's background made it less scary opening," Leathers said.
NJ & Co. offers "Girl's Night Out" the first Thursday of every month. The store stays open until 8 p.m. for shopping, snacks and spirited beverages.
Shortly before Christmas the store offers a men's shopping night. Maybe it's because men wait until the tail end of December to buy gifts. Maybe they have a soft spot for décor. Regardless, men's night has been NJ & Co.'s most successful endeavor so far. Gift wrapping is always provided, regardless of the day.
NJ & Co. is the perfect place for Mother's Day. Shopping shouldn't be too hard, since the store merges older tastes with young flair. After all, NJ & Co. offers furnishings, frocks and finds. Stop in today at 17650 Wright St., Suite No. 4.


text:
Well, what an unexpected gem I found while out walking on Monday. The Inverleigh Flora and Fauna Reserve is around 27km west of Geelong on the Geelong-Hamilton Road and just 2km NW of the pretty historic township of Inverleigh. I need to give directions, as it's very hard to find information about this really worthwhile site, which is plonked in the middle of the largely treeless western volcanic plains farmlands. Cared for by a dedicated volunteer 'Friends of' group, this 1000+ hectare site represents remnant grassy woodlands, one of the most threatened eco-systems in Victoria, with only 1% of the original grassy woodlands of the state remaining. It really is worth spending a day there to explore, though there are no facilities and water, so you need to be self-sufficient. The reserve is known to have almost 50 species of native orchid: perfect for a spring wildflower walk. I also saw, among many other birds, hundreds of colourful eastern rosellas, as well as kangaroos, and even a sleepy koala up in the manna gums! The ancient dry river beds and flattened, worn sand dunes were shaped by volcanic activity some two million years ago. The walking is easy, but hot and exposed, so Black Gully Dam, about half way around the 9km circuit walk I did (which will be in the Best Walks of Geelong, Bellarine & Brisbane Ranges book), was perfect for a rest in the shade. Dogs are also allowed, though must be strictly kept on leashes and on the management tracks – and you'd definitely need to carry extra water for them, too.
Posts Tagged 'manna gums'
Inverleigh Flora and Fauna Reserve: woody grasslands walk
Posted in Bushwalking, Dogs, Walks, Walks with dogs, Wildlife, tagged eastern rosellas, Flora and Fauna Reserve, grasslands, grassy woodlands, inverleigh, manna gums, native orchids, Wildlife on 03/06/2012| 2 Comments »


text:
Winter meetings begin (WITH UPDATES)
UPDATED, 7:50pm
The Phils have finished meeting with agents from the Beverly Hills Sports Council, who represent Chan Ho Park and Chad Durbin. A person with direct knowledge of the discussions characterized talks with Park as "ongoing."
We wrote below that the Phils appear likely to tender a contract to Durbin.
UPDATED, 6:03pm
--Just came out of Ruben Amaro's daily briefing with reporters. Before I delve into transcribing the quotes, here is the gist: He insisted that the Phils would not push payroll much past $140 million, but he also said that they are hoping to add a late-inning guy. How to resolve this contradiction? Perhaps by moving some payroll. That would be the philosophy behind the Joe Blanton trade rumors, which Amaro would not directly comment on.
--No decisions yet on whether to tender contracts to Chad Durbin or Clay Condrey before Dec. 12 deadline, but Amaro said "Those are guys who we will probably count on."
--If the Phils open talks with Pedro Martinez, it will not be until much later in the offseason.
--Acquiring that last bench piece is a very low priority right now, could be left to an in-season trade.
UPDATED, 3:05pm
Heard this about Brandon Lyon from a major league source: He is not expected to sign anywhere soon, and winning is more important to him than closing.
The Ken Rosenthal tweet mentioned below about Lyon being too expensive for the Phils made perfect sense in light of their recent talk about a tight budget, but it is far from impossible that he lands in Philly. For one thing, he is the perfect fit, from a baseball standpoint--experience closing, willingness to set up. But he might just end up asking more than the team is willing to spend to fill that role.
Lyon has been linked to Phils in many places, but the team has expressed only a preliminary interest at this point, a source said. Stay tuned.
UPDATED, 12:44pm
--The Phils will meet with Chan Ho Park's agent, Jeff Borris, later this afternoon--one of many, many such meetings with agents this week. Ruben Amaro seems to believe that Park has accepted the fact that he should be a reliever at this stage in his career, and he and Borris are having a difficult time agreeing on Park's value. In reality, Park has not decided definitely that his rotation days are over, though it is unclear if he has received any offers to start next year. The Phils view him strictly as a reliever.
--Also, the Phils have been named organization of the year by Baseball America, and are accepting the award at a luncheon right now.
--There is a report out there from AOLFanhouse's Ed Price that the Phils are checking in on potential trade interest in Joe Blanton, as a way to clear payroll space and possibly sign a reliever. FoxSports's Ken Rosenthal tweeted this morning that Brandon Lyon's price was too high for the Phils, no surprise given the way Amaro has talked of late about a supposedly tight budget.
Good morning from the press room at the Indianapolis Marriott, where the winter meetings are beginning slowly, from a Philly perspective. Not much happening yet on this snowy morning, but we did just hear that umpire Doug Harvey and former Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog were elected by the Veterans Committee to the Baseball Hall of Fame.


text:
Im Sale findest du besonders günstige Artikel oder aktuelle Aktionen.
Du möchtest dich von Büchern, CDs, Filmen oder Spielen trennen? Verkaufe alles auf momox.de
Randolph Caldecott (1846-1886) was one of the most important British illustrators. He transformed the world of decorated children's books in the Victorian era. In 1877, he was asked by Edmund Evans, the colour printer and talented engraver, to illustrate two children's books. These books were an immediate success and he went on to produce two books every Christmas until he died. Caldecott chose all the stories and rhymes he illustrated and occasionally wrote and added to the stories himself. His delightful style and humour can still be enjoyed by young and old alike. This story, 'The House That Jack Built', was was one of the first two books illustrated by Caldecott and was originally published in 1878. Many of the earliest children's books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Pook Press are working to republish these classic works in affordable, high quality, colour editions, using the original text and artwork so these works can delight another generation of children.


text:
SDN (software-defined networking) gains more mind share every day. The concept of reinventing networking to better match today's applications and infrastructures is a tantalizing goal, but clearly not without its challenges.
Michael Bushong has been around the SDN space for some time, having spent years leading SDN efforts at Juniper Networks. Bushong is currently working at SDN vendor Plexxi, and in this week's New Tech Forum, he takes a close look at what SDN promises -- and what questions need to be answered in order to truly reinvent the network as we know it. For that goal to be realized, says Bushong, SDN and big data must go hand in hand. -- Paul Venezia
Big data and SDN: Closing the loop
The networking industry has reached an inflection point. With cloud as the backdrop, SDN and big data are poised to converge in a way that will redefine how data centers function. As with all changes of this magnitude, the reality lies not in the big concepts but in the details of how these two technology forces come together. Those who understand the nuances will be in the best position to exploit the new technology -- and provide new points of leverage for data center architects.
Why we need SDN
To understand how SDN and big data will come together, you need to get to the heart of why SDN is hot right now. While much of the emphasis has been on the supporting protocols like OpenFlow, the reality is that SDN is larger than the technologies it comprises. SDN is really an industry reaction to an ongoing pain point in networking.
Today, provisioning and managing a network is a needlessly manual chore. So long as the surrounding infrastructure and applications using that infrastructure are stable and relatively unchanging, that pain is noticeable, but not crippling. But the rise of virtualization in compute and storage arenas has fostered enough workload portability to expose networking's contribution to IT pain.
The energy behind SDN exists because of the potential to alleviate that pain. But how does that work?
The most basic tenet behind SDN is the separation of control and forwarding. By centralizing control, the network can be treated as a unified resource. With a global view, the SDN controller can use the entire network to service application workloads. Conceptually, this is not unlike global traffic-monitoring solutions in cities today. With a citywide understanding of traffic patterns, control centers can use tools like metering lights and adjustable tolls to control the flow of traffic.
These capabilities are enacted through one or more SDN controllers, which also serve as platforms on which controller applications can run. The applications themselves are the ultimate vehicles for SDN value. With the entire network as their resource, these applications can do things like streamline provisioning by making intelligent, top-down decisions based on controller input. For example, users can steer traffic to network monitoring points. What would have been a distributed configuration problem can now be solved from a single administrative touch point, reducing effort and the risk of downtime due to misconfiguration.
The role of big data
To be truly dynamic, SDN applications must be responsive to the world in which they exist. Minimally, there will need to be feedback loops to ensure the desired behavior is actually occurring after a change is made. Beyond that, it seems inevitable that the triggers for network changes will evolve from manual intervention to state-driven changes.
The natural progression from manual to automated will pass first through network analytics. For example, can current traffic conditions be used to drive path optimizations in the network? Can locality be used to intelligently pair users with content that is cached in close proximity?
Once you accept that analytics can play a meaningful role, you need to consider where that role should begin and end. What are the sources of information that can potentially be used? How many endpoints should be considered? What is the impact of virtualization on the number of endpoints? How much state information is distributed across these network and non-network entities? How is that state information collected, stored, and correlated?
The natural conclusion of this line of thinking is that analytics as we know it today will just scratch the surface. Ultimately, the promise of SDN will be inherently tied to the information that surrounds the network and drives the decisions that make SDN applications interesting. With more and more endpoints driving increasing traffic to a growing number of users, that adds up to big data.
When SDN and big data collide
There are a number of practical implications of moving to a dynamic IT infrastructure with hooks into multiple data sources. Here is a handful of the questions we'll need to consider:
- How granular should the data be? Most analytics tools today sample data over time intervals, then average out the results. If this data is being used to drive real-time network behavior, what's the right granularity for measurements? If the window is too wide, changes will not be real time. If the window is too narrow, there's a risk that behavior shifts back and forth, never reaching equilibrium.
- Where do you collect the data? If the source of data is a distributed set of IT infrastructure entities (some physical, some virtual), what collects the data? And where is that data stored? The act of reaching out to many devices in real time is technically challenging, but bringing that data together is downright frightening. How do you design data collection to be resilient in case of failure? What kind of scale must be considered? What about performance?
- Real-time or batch processing? Collecting big data is hard, but processing it can be even harder. Is the data processed in large batch jobs? If so, how do you ensure the processing time is sufficiently fast to make near-real-time adjustments possible? Should processing instead split into lots of smaller jobs, as with Hadoop? How does that implementation integrate with the network infrastructure?
- How much data do you keep? In a state-driven system, when something goes wrong, you cannot just look at the configuration to find out what was driving device behavior. Troubleshooting will need to expand to include an analysis of the state at the time of the issue. How much history must be stored? How is state correlated with events that might be happening elsewhere in or around the network?
- What about security? And perhaps the biggest challenge: Do people really want a network that changes dynamically? That implies a level of trust that simply doesn't exist today. What does the change approval process look like? What form does auditing take? If things are fully automated, how is a large distributed system meaningfully tested?
The next phase of networking
The technical challenges of combining SDN with big data are difficult but not insurmountable, but they need to be addressed during SDN's formative years. The worst possible outcome would be for the industry to have solidified an SDN architecture without having fully considered the impacts of big data.
Controller architectures must consider how state information is going to be collected, stored, and accessed. SDN applications need to be designed with state consumption in mind. Which decisions does the application need to make, and more important, what are all the data sources required to inform those decisions? Even the devices themselves will be part of the solution. How should they publish data related to the current conditions on the device to be used by these applications? Given the uncertain architectural landscape, what can be done on devices to make the eventual integration with other infrastructure easier?
Obviously, there are more questions than answers at this point. But in our industry's rush to get point protocols and solutions to market, we are in danger of solidifying architectural principles without fully considering the endgame. We would all do well to pause now and ensure we're planning for long-term success.
New Tech Forum provides a means to explore and discuss emerging enterprise technology in unprecedented depth and breadth. The selection is subjective, based on our pick of the technologies we believe to be important and of greatest interest to InfoWorld readers. InfoWorld does not accept marketing collateral for publication and reserves the right to edit all contributed content. Send all enquiries to email@example.com.
This article, "SDN, big data, and the self-optimizing network," was originally published at InfoWorld.com. For the latest business technology news, follow InfoWorld.com on Twitter.


text:
Going down the YouTube rabbit hole can be frustrating. You want to catch up on last night's late show or check out a few sports highlights, but you soon find yourself trapped in mind-numbing loop of annoying advertisements. It can bad enough to make you think your pay-TV bundle is a great deal.
But the ads are there for a reason: content producers deserve to get paid. It might not matter as much for the big companies who throw their stuff on YouTube merely for exposure; but for video bloggers and other independent creators, it can mean the difference between making a living and going back to their day jobs.
Google thinks it has the answer for both viewers and content producers: YouTube Red, a $10-per-month subscription service that grants you ad-free access to virtually all of YouTube's video vault. YouTube Red works anywhere you encounter YouTube videos: youtube.com, embedded videos across the web, and within YouTube's Android and iOS apps.
In addition to that, your subscription also includes the unlimited version of Google Play Music (and if you already have a paid subscription to that service, you now have access to YouTube Red, too). More on that later.
Here's what you get
In addition to Google Play Music and ad-free videos, you get two other goodies with a YouTube Red subscription: First, when watching on a mobile device, you can save videos offline so you can watch them even when you don't have an Internet connection. Second, videos will continue to play in the background even if you lock your mobile device or switch to another app.
Those features are the outgrowth of YouTube Music Key Beta, which Google rolled out last year as a trial run at how it might reinvent YouTube. The company provided the same offline access and background playing, while eliminating advertisements on music videos.
I've been a Play Music subscriber since day one, and I really came to appreciate the ability to save a video offline or to keep a song playing while zipping over to another app. Be aware, however, that you'll need to hop into the settings to enable background play; by default, YouTube kicks it on only if your device is connected to headphones or a speaker.
But YouTube Red feels liberating: there's no dreading an irritating advertisement every time I go to launch a new video. It's made me go to YouTube more often to seek out a how-to video or to just glance at the various subscription channels. I know I'm a member of the "in" crowd now, so I'm more apt to spend time there.
That's what Google hopes, of course. This ad-free bliss, however, is limited to paid YouTube content, such as movie and TV rentals and purchases, and YouTube's gaming channel. But Google will soon offer more to hook you in. There's a YouTube Music app in the works (YouTube is the home to most of the world's music videos, so it's the right kind of vertical to launch), and YouTube is developing original programming, just like Amazon has done with its Prime service.
The original content looks to be quite the mashup of comedy, drama, and romance, but we'll need to actually see how it turns out to determine if the quality is there. This excites me less, especially since none of it's ready yet; but it does give me the feeling that there will be at least some extra value for my monthly fee.
A gateway to Google Play Music
As I mentioned earlier, a YouTube Red subscription includes the unlimited version of Google Play Music. Similar to Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and other services, this gives you a broad catalog of music for streaming and/or offline listening. You can also upload music that you own (up to 50,000 tracks) to an online music locker and play them through the Play Music site and its mobile app.
The 320Kbps streaming bit rate isn't audiophile quality—Tidal streams in lossless FLAC—but it's better than what some other streaming-music services offer. If you're concerned about going over your mobile data plan's cap, you can configure the app to stream at the highest bit rate only when you're on a Wi-Fi network.
YouTube is subtly integrated with Google Play Music: If there's a video for the song you're listening to, you'll see the album art in both the mobile apps and browser-based player. Each artist page also has a collection of their YouTube videos.
If you're not all that into music videos it might be uninteresting, but I like the ability to discover a new song through one of Play Music's curated stations and then see what the artists can do on camera. It's a great add-on.
It's a compelling package, for some
From what I've seen so far, YouTube Red—combined with Google Play Music—is a compelling package. For $10 a month you get an excellent streaming-music service plus a supercharged YouTube experience.
If you're already a Play Music subscriber, you automatically get YouTube Red. And if you're one of the few early adopters who signed up for Play Music at launch (and stuck with it) you're still locked in at the $8-per-month rate. Now that is an absolute steal.
What's unknown at this point is if you'll get to join the YouTube Red party as part of the new Play Music family plans that will launch soon. It seems likely, but we won't know for sure until Google chimes in.
I won't formally review YouTube Red at this point, because none of its original series are available for screening, but I'm a fan of what Google has put together so far. If you don't care about music videos, and you're already subscribing to another music-streaming service (paid or free), you might not feel the same. Google is offering a 30-day free trial if you're curious. Just remember, this is still YouTube: For every piece of quality content, you'll encounter 100 painfully amateur videos.


text:
Here's one that almost slipped through the cracks. Who knew Busta was coming out with a new movie? And digg this, it debuts this Friday, December 4, 2009.
Synopsis: "Breaking Point" is a dramatic tale of corruption and self-realization, in which one man has to overcome a deep seeded conspiracy and his own lingering past in order to gain the redemption he desires. Steven Luisi (Tom Berenger), a once prominent criminal defense attorney is attempting to come back to the profession after a struggle with drug addiction and a family tragedy. Steven stumbles into a complex, high profile murder case. Against his better judgment, he takes on the case that will eventually lead him down a path that brings him face to face with his own demons. While trying to solve the case Steven teams up with an ex-athlete turned gang member, Richard "Beanz" Allen. The two develop a fast friendship. Together they seek to reveal the truth and bring about justice in the court and on the street. Steven and Allen go head to head with the murderous Bowen (Busta Rhymes), a vicious Gang leader and Steven's old drug dealer. With Allen's help, Steven discovers that there are deep connections between Bowen, himself, and a corrupt police department. Throughout his journey, Steven learns more about the truth, and about himself. Allen and Steven discover that their common mission is the pursuit of redemption.[mashshare]


text:
More On Oracle Database User Calls
On May 7th I posted a blog entry entitled, Understanding user calls. This was a result of my frustration with the words being casually used, yet many DBAs (including myself for many years) not really knowing what they mean. Since user calls is one of the key workload statistics and it can also be used for predictive analysis, I decided to blog about it, running a number of tests to demonstrate its definition.
Since the original posting, I have had some wonderful conversations (especially with my students in Houston and Munich) and have been thinking about other interesting scenarios. The results of these other scenarios is what this blog is all about.
For a quick review, the key to understanding a user call is to remember we're referring to an Oracle client/user process making a single request to its server process. Period. As I explore the various scenarios below it's easy to get distracted and confused unless we stick to this definition. And when we do this, regardless of all the activity surrounding the scenario, the number of user calls will clearly emerge. So let's get started!
The DDL effect.
I ran a number of tests creating and dropping both tables and procedures. Without exception, all tests showed two user calls where made; a parse and an execute. I ran create table, drop table, create procedure, drop procedure, and I change the number of columns in the table creation statement and the number of SQL statements in the procedure. Every single DDL statement resulted in two user calls. I'm confident that the client process takes the entire statement, creates a single parse and execute call, bundles them into a single SQL*Net action (don't want to use the word call here) and sends the bundle to the server process. The result was always two user calls (11gR2 v$[sess|sys]stat #7) and one SQL*Net round trip (11gR2 v$[sess|sys]stat #557).
The recursive SQL effect.
The short answer is, no effect. The long answer: As background, a recursive statement is more than just SQL a developer does not type. It is formally defined by its depth. A statement's depth can be found by tracing the SQL and looking for the dep entry. If it is greater than zero, then it has been tagged as recursive SQL. Here is a link to an excerpt from my Firefighting book with more details.
This situation is closely related to the previous situation (The DDL effect). For example, when a table is created Oracle must create additional SQL (that is, recursive SQL) to insert data into the various data dictionary objects, such as tab$ and col$.
Here is the SQL I used for this test. Each of the 500 select statement iterations will be considered recursive SQL.
looper number;
the_count number;
for looper in 1..500
select count(*) into the_count from customers;
end loop;
Without exception, the above anonymous pl/sql resulted in two user calls and a single SQL*Net roundtrip. It appears the SQL*Plus client process batches the two calls (parse and execute) into a single SQL*Net action and the server process performs the rest of the work. So while the server process may perform lots and lots of work, because the client process only issued a parse and execute call to the server process, only two user calls result.
The multiple statement effect.
If multiple statements are not included within an anonymous pl/sql block, then each is separately parsed, executed, and if necessary fetches occur. (Picture yourself typing one statement at a time into SQL*Plus and you've got the right idea.) As you can imagine, the user call count can quickly grow.
However, if the statements are contained within a pl/sql block, then the user process batches all the statements together and sends them to its server process as a logical unit. The result is only two user calls; a parse and an execute. If the client process asks for information from its server process (like the put_line in the below code example) then a fetch call is required for a total of three user calls.
For example, take a look at the code below, which is modified code from the previous section. Only three user calls resulted regardless of how many SQL statement were contained in the pl/sql block, their type (select, update, commit, etc.) or placement in the anonymous block (inside the loop or out). As I'll discuss below, where we place the put_line statement does indeed affect the number of fetches. Notice that this code uses explicit cursors and the cursor is programmatically fetched one row at at time. The key is the server process is doing the fetching and only sends the final result back to the client process resulting in a single user process fetch. This scenario demonstrates the importance of remembering that a user call originates from the user process, not the server process.
set serveroutput on
cursor customer_cur is select owner,status from customers;
customer_rec customer_cur%ROWTYPE;
the_count number;
the_count := 0;
open customer_cur;
fetch customer_cur into customer_rec;
exit when customer_cur%NOTFOUND;
the_count := the_count + 1;
end loop;
dbms_output.put_line('The count is '||the_count);
If the above code is modified by simply moving the put_line inside the loop, then the number of user call fetches is dependent on both the number of actual fetches and the fetch array size. In my experiment, there are 71,353 rows in the customer table, so the final few lines look like this:
The count is 71350
The count is 71351
The count is 71352
The count is 71353
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> show arraysize
arraysize 15
If you have been following along closely, you should be able to guess how many user calls executing this anonymous pl/sql block required. There is a single parse and execute call plus one user fetch related to user call for every 15 rows returned. Since there were 71,353 rows, the number of fetches required were 4,757 (round 4,756.8666 up to nearest integer, that is, which is also known as a ceiling function). So the total number of user calls should be 1+1+4757 which is 4759. And YES, that is exactly what occurred when I tested this multiple times!
Just for fun I reset the array size to 200 and reran the SQL. The number of user calls should be 1+1+ceil(71353/200) which is 359... and it was!
The procedure effect.
Here is an example of a procedure containing the anonymous pl/sql block shown above.
create procedure p1
looper number;
the_count number;
for looper in 1..500
select count(*) into the_count from customers;
end loop;
Once again and without exception, when running the above procedure the user process recorded only two user calls for the procedure creation, dropping, or execution. Even with additional SQL inside and outside of the loop, only two user calls were made by the client process. But as I demonstrated in the Multiple Statement Effect section above, if data is returned to the client process than fetches will occur.
In Conclusion
Obviously, there are an infinite number of scenarios I could have come up with, but I think you get the idea: There is always a single parse and execute. And if data is returned to the client process, then for each fetch of this data, there is an additional user call. I find it is extremely helpful to remember a user call is always taken from the perspective of a user process, not a server process.
Thanks for reading!
Start my FREE 18 lesson Machine Learning For Oracle Professionals E-Course here.
Craig Shallahamer is a long time Oracle DBA who specializes in predictive analytics, machine learning and Oracle performance tuning. Craig is a performance researcher and blogger, consultant, author of two books, an enthusiastic conference speaker a passionate teacher and an Oracle ACE Director. More about Craig Shallahamer...
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me directly at craig at orapub.com.
|Oracle Database IO Read Wait Occurrence Mismatch - Part 2
|Operating System Focus: Log File Switch Checkpoint Incomplete
|5 Steps For DBAs To Learn More And Work Less


text:
(CNN) - U.S. House Speaker John Boehner signaled on Thursday any action on immigration is unlikely this year because House Republicans don't trust President Barack Obama on the issue.
"There's widespread doubt about whether this administration can be trusted to enforce our laws and it's going to be difficult to move any immigration legislation until that changes," Boehner told reporters.
[twitter-follow screen_name='politicalticker'][twitter-follow screen_name='deirdrewalshcnn']
The issue of how to deal with some 11 million undocumented workers is the central component of immigration reform that splits the House GOP, which controls the chamber.
Even many of Boehner's allies who support addressing immigration urged him to put off a vote on the issue until after the midterm elections.
Boehner believes certain changes in immigration policy would make good economic policy. He also is trying to help Republicans appeal more broadly to Latino voters, a shortcoming that complicates GOP White House aspirations.
But many Republican members of Congress are worried more about their current races and angering the conservative base, whose turnout is crucial for midterms.
After a lot of attention to immigration reform at the start of 2013, the issue faded over the summer after the Democratic-controlled Senate passed a bill that stalled in the House.
Republicans there said they preferred to address the matter incrementally rather than in one comprehensive measure.
Obama raised the issue in his State of the Union address last week, putting the spotlight on the House to act.
"If we are serious about economic growth, it is time to heed the call of business leaders, labor leaders, faith leaders, and law enforcement - and fix our broken immigration system," Obama said.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Thursday the administration had been heartened to see Republicans, including Boehner, "identify immigration reform" as a priority.
But, he said, building trust on these "issues take time and this certainly has taken some time."
GOP distrust of Obama
In his opening comments at his weekly news conference on Thursday, Boehner said he wanted to tackle the divisive issue of immigration reform.
"You all know for the last 15 months I've talked about the need to get immigration done. This is an important issue for our country, it's been kicked around forever, and it needs to be dealt with," he said.
But in a clear attempt to lay the blame for inaction on the White House, he struck out at Obama.
"The president seems to change the healthcare law on a whim whenever he likes, and now he's running around the country telling everyone that he's going to keep acting on his own; keeps talking about his phone and his pen. And he's feeding more distrust about whether he's committed to the law," Boehner said.
Last week, Boehner released a set of immigration principles at a closed-door meeting of all House Republicans, and a significant block of conservatives opposed moving ahead.
At the meeting, many members said they didn't trust that the President really wanted to work with Republicans to pass something before the election. And some were skeptical that any agreement they did reach to ramp up security efforts around the issue wouldn't be fully enforced by the administration.
A Boehner aide pointed to a letter that House Republican leaders sent to Obama last week outlining a small list of narrow bills they pressed him to support.
Boehner said on Thursday that he didn't see a way to move forward with the much heavier lift of immigration reform until Obama "rebuilds the trust" on some smaller issues.
But even if the President were to agree to help move some of these GOP priorities through Congress,that process would take months, putting any vote on immigration close to the 2014 election - a time when members of both parties agree it would be virtually impossible to reach common ground.
Pelosi dismisses mistrust
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi dismissed Boehner's argument that GOP mistrust of Obama prevented any action on immigration.
"That's not a reason not to do an immigration bill, that's an excuse not to do it. And around here you have to always differentiate between what is a reason and what it is an excuse," Pelosi said.
She said there were enough votes in the House to pass comprehensive immigration legislation, and said she believed Boehner was working in "good faith" to try to act.
I want to know why illegal immigrants get free tuition for colleges in massachusetts. When the people who live in the US as legal citizens and pay those taxes don't. Why should our hard earned money go to those who are here illegally. Someone answer me that or point me in the direction where I can find out because that's not right.
Don't know what kinda ohians send such crappy leadership that cannot do national business.
Speaker Boehner isn't too smart, he doesn't even have a college degree. He has no leadership nor can he convince anyone to agree with him. How did he ever get to be speaker, we just need to ask the Republicans who elected Gov. Scott in FL, who is a 14 time felon, or who elected a 2 time rapist in Idaho senate. Republicans care less who is leading them. There only agenda is to do nothing and obstruct everything. Defeat Republicans if you want this nation to have better jobs and make more people be able to vote. Republicans are taking away the rights of the people. But beware voters, Republicans are taking over city by city, funded by the Koch Bros. They are taking over city councils, key organizations, justices, they are getting elected to key position to take over this nation.
Wow....thought they were gonna move on this right after Nov 2012.
Yeah right...that is why, not the fact that they can not even get it down to one response to the SOTU.....they can not agree on much of anything, so how in the world could they EVER agree on immigration. Keystone Cops.
Guess who lost the vote of Hispanic and all other nationalities that are awaiting legal status??? Yup!! Bonehead and his merry band of bigots that keep putting this issue off...November can't get here soon enough to get these folks out!!
Who is Boneher trying to fool. He and his fellow republicans have zero plans to work with the a President. This hypocrit now tries the tactic of saying they can't trust the President. Really, this coming from the same people who from the very beginning stated publicly that their number nor priority was not the American people, it was making sure the President does not succeed on anything. Plus the Repubs are afraid of any immigration reform. The ones that cannot be trusted is the House Republicans and the majority of Repubs in the Senate. These guys will say anything they think their base will believe.
Of course save the "talk" for the presidential elections; the issue works for Dem and Reps.
they are having a hard life without papers as well so at least something for it to be seen
The illegal immigrants who are here work pay taxes and contribute to Social Security and will never see a dime of Social Security benefits
Hugo Chevez was a better dictator than the great? I AM Oboma !? Atleast chevez had a oil pipeline. An desired his slaves to work? An he could control HIS borders! an he to showed interest in take overs an bailouts to appease few .an hurt many.. thank you
I love it when they show Boehner looking like he's crying. Just sayin'.......
If I was the least effective SoH of all time I'd probably cry too.
This is unbelievable, Boehner can't get the GOP in the House to come together, (NO LEADERSHIP AT ALL), and then blames his own failure on The President! Wow! This is the description of Incompetence in the GOP! They are truly eveil!
At least we have a temporary reprieve from the sell out of the american people. Both parties are being exposed for the slaves they are to campaign donors. Knowing that giving them immediate work status would result in 12 years of wage depression for Americans is enough. Once that is known all debate should end. Enforce the existing laws and get on with it.
Want immigration reform? Seal the borders first.


text:
Newmarket Community Church Thrift Shoppe reopening
NEWMARKET — The Newmarket Community Church is pleased to announce the grand reopening of The Thrift Shoppe at Ten North Main on Saturday, March 2, from 10am to 2pm. Bring a friend or two!
The shop has recently undergone a beautiful transformation with all new interior paint and an updated, more welcoming and bright, sales floor layout. Clean, gently-used donations are always welcome during regular shop hours: Thursday's from noon to 8pm, and Fridays & Saturdays from 10am to 2pm (effective 3/2).
This "Resale Boutique and Beacon of NCC" offers clothing for ladies, men and children, including casual and professional wear, sleepwear, shoes and outerwear; jewelry and accessories and; a variety of useful household items and home decor, including glassware and dishes, collectibles, books, and many other surprise treasures—you never know what you will find here!
What you can count on finding here are friendly, helpful, dedicated and loving volunteers! These folks spend many hours receiving, sorting, merchandising and selling donated goods. Shop volunteers include many long-time members and friends of NCC.
Shop sales income is reinvested in the missions of NCC including support of the Newmarket Area Food Pantry, Food Pantry "Coffee Hours", and other outreach missions which benefit many local families.
No cost clothing available for families in need at private, confidential appointments. For more information, please call the NCC office at: 603-659-3892. *The Thrift Shoppe at Ten North Main Street (Rte 108) is conveniently located just south of Aubuchon Hardware (near bus stops) and is approximately ¼ mile north of Newmarket's historic town center.


text:
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Facebook Inc. is taking another small, cautious step toward online video ads which analysts have said would make the company even more profitable but could also potentially spark a user backlash.
Facebook US:FB on Thursday said it will begin posting 15-second premium video ads from select advertisers. Users can expect to see the ads in the next few months, the company said.
"Each 15-second video ad will start playing without sound as it appears on screen and stop if people scroll past," the company said in a blog post. "If people tap the video, it will expand into a full-screen view and sound will start."
Facebook had said in December that the company had started testing the ads.
"We'll roll out premium video ads slowly and monitor how people interact with them," Facebook said. "This limited introduction allows us to concentrate our efforts on a smaller number of advertisers with high-quality campaigns to create the best possible experience on Facebook."
Facebook's cautious approach is based on concerns that video ads could turn off users. But analysts have long pointed to video ads as another potential growth catalyst for the social network.
"This is very positive for the stock," Topeka Capital analyst Victor Anthony told MarketWatch. "Rollout was/is slow because Facebook wants to ensure that the user experience will not be disrupted. With this launch they are communicating that they now feel comfortable that the user experience will not be compromised."
IDC analyst Crawford Del Prete also portrayed Facebook's cautious approach as a smart decision.
"While they may not be moving fast, I think they are being thoughtful about monetization of their network in innovative ways," IDC analyst Crawford Del Prete told MarketWatch.
Other stories from MarketWatch:
Yahoo and Katie Couric: Vanity affair?


text:
Amelia Lily Bomber Jacket
Amelia Lily opted for this classic black bomber jacket to pair over her nautical-style dress for a cool mix of styles.
Amelia Lily Print Dress
Amelia Lily chose this blue-and-white striped dress to give her look a bit of a cool nautical vibe.
Browse: Amelia Lily | Bomber Jacket | Print Dress
Popular Lookbooks see all looks »


text:
Reformed churches
Reformed churches, in a general sense, all Protestant churches that claim a beginning in the Reformation. In more restricted and more usual historical usage, Reformed churches are those Protestant churches that had their ecclesiastical origin in the doctrines of John Calvin, as distinct from those that are Lutheran or Evangelical. Swiss and Dutch churches and many in Germany came to be denominated Reformed. The Reformed churches as a rule follow the polity of Presbyterianism. They tend toward a simple form of worship rather than elaborate ritual. In the United States, churches bearing the Reformed title include the Reformed Church in America, generally known as the Dutch Reformed Church, the Christian Reformed Church, the Evangelical and Reformed Church, and the Free Magyar Reformed Church in America. The first two trace their origin to Holland, the third to Germany and Switzerland, and the fourth to Hungary. See Calvinism.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Protestant Denominations


text:
Sun Microsystems has recently opened the Solaris source code to the Internet community at large in an attempt to stimulate interest in its previously proprietary UNIX operating system.
In the past few years, Sun has lost a tremendous amount of market share to vendors that distribute inexpensive x86 GNU/Linux systems. Sun's hardware/software solutions are costly and can be difficult to maintain. Although x86 hardware can be less reliable, it is much easier to replace and far less expensive. IBM and Red Hat have revealed an elaborate battle plan designed to help them leverage the appeal of GNU/Linux in an effort to acquire former Sun customers and HP recently celebrated the sale of their one millionth Linux server. Stiff competition has has forced Sun to reevaluate their business model.
Sun has always been a powerful force in market innovation, but they have repeatedly failed to find effective ways to capitalize on some of their most unique and compelling products. Sun research projects continue to fascinate the development community, but few of their recent endeavors have yielded any usable technology. The revolutionary Project Looking Glass has yet to become a viable choice on the desktop and aside from a prodigiously impressive spec document, virtually no information about the Fortress programming language is available to the public.
Solaris 10 includes several intriguing features that make it a competitive choice in the modern operating system market. Powerful technologies like DTrace and ZFS are of significant value and have generated substantial amounts of interest. The availability of an x86 port has also helped Sun to slow the steady migration away from Solaris.
In an affirmation of its will to survive in a market that loves Linux and open technology, Sun has decided to open the source code of Solaris to the general public and endeavor to form a community that will elevate the value of Sun software. A substantial quantity of Solaris source code is now available for download from the Open Solaris web site. Sun has liberated almost ten million lines of code, including the source of the powerful DTrace utility.
The open Solaris code has been released under the OSI certified Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL), which is mostly based on the Mozilla Public License (MPL). Unfortunately, the CDDL contains conditions that make it incompatible with the GPL, the popular open source license used by the Linux kernel and many other notable projects. A particularly funky clause in the CDDL that explicitly denies the right to use unlicensed, patented code content in derivative projects will definitely hinder adoption. Prohibitive licensing costs will prevent developers from including open Solaris code in non-commercial products and decrease the potential value of code contributed to the Open Solaris project.
Sun is obviously serious about building a community around Open Solaris but it may not be enough to save them from obscurity. There has been positive developer response, but probably not to the extent that Sun had hoped for. The #opensolaris channel on FreeNode has less than 150 participants at the moment (compared to the 800+ that hang out in #gentoo) and tag:opensolaris at Technorati turns up about 75 blogs (whereas tag:linux turns up over 2500). Needless to say, statistics don't say much at this point. It is still too early to determine how Open Solaris will affect Sun in the long term, but I think we can safely assert that it won't bring about a Solaris Renaissance. With persistent competitors like HP and IBM promoting Linux, an open source Solaris at this stage in the game may not be enough to prevent the Sun from setting.
Write-up by Ryan Paul