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PHOENIX – With cactus and strip malls obstructing the views at times, visitors easily could write off Phoenix as a place where water and culture are scarce. But this metropolis – which includes upscale Scottsdale and college town Tempe – is a nature lover's oasis with pristine peaks and the vast Sonoran desert.
As for the urban landscape, it's more than just golf courses crowded with retirees. In central Phoenix, which predates Arizona's 100 years of statehood, you can find historic homes and classic bungalows, including one designed by master architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Brightly colored murals around town show how much the Hispanic community has influenced the city.
Now that the summer months have given way to milder temperatures and snowbirds are finding their way here to escape colder climates, here are five free ways to heat things up in Phoenix:
Camelback Mountain hike
One of the most popular views is from the top of this red sandstone landmark situated between Phoenix and Scottsdale. Trekking to the top, which rises 2,704 feet above sea level, isn't for the faint of heart.
Fortunately, there are less exhaustive trails at the base. You may also get a warm-up having to park a little farther away. The free lot fills up quickly. City officials tentatively are scheduled to begin improvements to traffic congestion in early 2013.
Considered one of the best hiking cities, Phoenix has several other peaks that don't cost a cent to climb: http://phoenix.gov/parks/trails/index.html.
First Friday art walk
Downtown Phoenix takes on another life come nightfall the first Friday of each month. This walk started out in 1994 with galleries and other venues staying open later to showcase local artists. But First Friday has snowballed into a people-watching phenomenon.
Art aficionados, skater-boys and teens looking like they just came from Comic-Con deluge Roosevelt Street in the Roosevelt Row neighborhood. Artists selling anything from T-shirts to Day of the Dead figurines are stationed along the sidewalks.
It's also worth venturing onto streets off Roosevelt. You'll find numerous old homes converted into businesses. The locals frequent this area for the bars, late-night munchies and Roosevelt Growhouse, a boutique and community garden that also houses a beehive.
Tempe Town Lake
This 2.5-mile human-made lake that provides flood control for Tempe also is a haven for cycling, jogging and other activities. Feel free to skate or stroll the 12-foot-wide paths that lie on either side of the lake. On any given day, you can spot people kayaking, sailing and even dragon-boat racing on the water.
The lake also is the site of free special events, from Fourth of July fireworks to the Fantasy of Lights Boat Parade every December. Typically, there's no fee to watch annual sporting events such as Ironman Arizona.
Rio Salado Audubon Center
Forget about city life just a couple of miles south of downtown at this hidden nature center. The Rio Salado Audubon Center is nestled in a 600-acre preserve along the Salt River. The park is home to at least 200 different species of birds and other wildlife including coyotes and jackrabbits.
Take a walk or bicycle ride along the 16 miles of riding trails. Indoors, there are interactive and photo displays to peruse.
Parents looking to amuse their children can choose from numerous free activities after school and on weekends. You also can toast Mother Nature at a monthly Birds 'n' Beer talk (lecture and snacks are free, beer from a local brewery is offered at a reduced rate). Closed Mondays, http://riosalado.audubon.org.
Historic Neighborhoods Tour
In 1996, a coalition of city residents led by Gerry and Marge McCue sought to dispel the myth that downtown Phoenix wasn't safe and had no decent housing. Their grass-roots effort culminated in a handy guide to 34 historic neighborhoods.
You won't find any cookie-cutter rows on these tree-lined streets. Each one is a showcase of past architectural trends. The styles range from Tudor to American Colonial and Craftsman.
Make sure any self-guided tour includes a stop at Encanto Park. Home of Phoenix's first public pool and golf course, the lush 222-acre park is a historic landmark. Paddle-boat across the lagoon or take the kids on the carousel.
With an estimated 80,000 printed over the years, the free maps have become staples in some hotels and antique stores. You also can get a copy by calling the McCues, who say they will leave it on their porch for pick-up. If the couple happens to be home when you retrieve it, you may also get free advice about how to make the most of your visit (602-253-5579).
Frank Lloyd Wright fans should go to east Phoenix to gaze upon the home Wright built for his son at 5212 E. Exeter Blvd., which sparked a recent controversy when it was bought by a developer who announced plans to tear it down. Constructed in the 1950s, the home has a circular spiral layout modeled after the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The property remains in preservation limbo as the City Council considers granting it landmark designation, which would delay demolition for up to three years.


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CEO of Consumer Electronics Association says America must command in innovation to restore being a global leader.
As president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, Gary Shapiro wears some rather big shoes. He leads a team of 140 employees and thousands of industry volunteers that hosts the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas — the largest consumer technology trade show in the world. Being atop the industry's premier showcase for new ideas gives Shapiro a unique perspective on technology and innovation.
Since CES began in 1967, it has grown more than tenfold — and in 2010, it saw 2,500 exhibitors showcase their latest products to nearly 127,000 attendees. CES has a history of debuting thousands of innovative technologies, (think HDTVs, tablets and netbooks), many of which have become part of our everyday lives.
In addition to his role at the Consumer Electronics Association, Shapiro is a member of the board of directors of the Northern Virginia Technology Council, the State Department's Advisory Committee on International Communications and Information Policy, and the Economic Club of Washington, D.C.'s board of directors. He has served as a member of Virginia's Commission on Information Technology.
In his new book, The Comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream, Shapiro lays out the case for why the U.S. should rededicate itself to the field in which it has always been a world leader — technological innovation. Shapiro spoke with Public CIO about how this can be done and what roles technology and innovation play in state and local government.
The book is about the future of our nation as far as innovation. The best choice we face as a country and as a society for economic growth is through innovation. The government at this point has three choices: raise taxes, cut spending or grow the economy. The only way to grow the economy is through innovation. Innovation is what is unique about us as Americans.
I think state and local governments have the advantage in that they could go to best practices. In my state of Virginia, one of the things I like is it is very advanced in how it deals with the citizenry. In The Comeback, I describe how Virginia made a conscious decision about 15 years ago to focus on the Internet. I was part of a commission on information technology and [economic??] development with the founder of AOL and a bunch of technology people. It was basically to make sure the government put a set of laws in place to allow the technology and provide services to citizens using the technology. So now going to the Department of Motor Vehicles is extraordinarily easy in Virginia.
Even though it's a very fiscally conservative state, Virginia had the first secretary of technology, who happened to be my best friend and roommate, which is how I got involved. Fifteen years ago or so, Don Upson was the first state secretary of technology. We went all over the world to say, "Here in government, technology is important and is what can make your states run better." The bottom line is in terms of what states and localities can do; it's a matter of figuring out how you can become more efficient and save money by using technology and best practices.
There is a partnership between state and local government, the legislators and the technology community, to say, "This is what we want our state reputation to be." I'm on the board of the Northern Virginia Technology Council, and this is part of the discussion all the time. Sen. [and former governor Mark] Warner was a technology guy in the state. Tom Davis, who was a congressman until recently, was a technology official before joining Congress. For 20 years Congressman Rick Boucher was a technology guru in Congress. There is a whole bunch of state legislators like that — Republican and Democrat — who are totally geared in on technology as a solution for government problems and government efficiency. Everyone running for office comes to the Northern Technology Council and receives its blessing. They say, "This is our competitive strength." One-third of the [nation's] Internet traffic goes through Virginia. We have 2,000 members of the Northern Virginia Technology Council alone, and it's part of the Virginia economy.
If these states would correctly perceive that either they could save money or [avoid] a reputation as being low-ranked [in technology], that's enough to spur action. People make decisions about where to live for many reasons, and one of them is how they perceive the state. My younger brother moved to Virginia because he checked out all the states and said, "I can buy a house in Virginia, and it's a well run state." It wasn't about technology, but people make decisions for different reasons. Some of it is for taxes, and some of it is how well the state is run and the services provided. States' reputations are pretty important.
We're just starting another spurt of innovation with technology on a number of levels. As broadband speeds and broadband competition increase, and you have wireless and apps, you have phenomenal opportunity for efficiencies — and companies are racing to fill the gap. I think the recession has a silver lining in that it focused companies on the need to innovate. Also, given where technology is with tablets and stuff that allow people to do things differently, you have phenomenal opportunity there. So innovation overall is entering a really terrific phase, which I think will benefit everyone, including state and local governments.
I don't know if it's ever proven to be an economic indicator, but there were a lot more people at CES this year than last year. This is a show about innovation, and we exceeded last year's total by several thousand people. We were larger by more than 200,000 square feet. We had 300 more exhibitors. It's an indicator to me that the economy has turned around. Companies have something to introduce.
The Comeback, though, is about the fact that we will do OK for the next few years, but our economy still is going to be fundamentally challenged as long as we have these incredible deficits at the federal, state and local levels. We have to do something about it, and our national strategy should be focused on innovation.
We started out with some phenomenal assets. We are a nation of immigrants, which means genetically we're people who want a better life. We have the First Amendment, which encourages us to push against the status quo without fear that someone is going to knock us down. We also have the best university system in the world.
The negatives are we have challenges at the K-12 educational levels; [we rank] very low. We are increasingly isolating ourselves against the world with regard to trade and attracting the best and the brightest, which is what we used to do.
So The Comeback argues for the strategy that says, "Our future is tied to innovation because it will help economic growth and because it is what we are best at." We're not necessarily the best at low-cost manufacturing. People who get college degrees don't necessarily want to stay in the factory and solder products together.
The Comeback is the strategic plan for the United States based on a SWOT analysis — strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Our biggest opportunity is innovation and The Comeback says here's how we get there.
The fact that about 80 tablets were introduced in the show demonstrates that there is tremendous growth in that category. The tablet has phenomenal applications, which will allow businesses to be creative and innovative about how they get their messages to their customers, and also for consumers to access more and more services. Just in the application development area, there is tremendous opportunity for anyone who provides a service to do it better. Government's job is to provide a service. There's phenomenal growth opportunity to use technology to provide better service at a lower cost to citizens.
Looking for the latest gov tech news as it happens? Subscribe to GT newsletters.

subset: commoncrawl


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This week in the Hamptons, crime paid well for a guy who clearly was paying attention on Facebook. And guess who ran into some trouble with a bus? It's not Old Man McGumbus.
Dang It, Facebook
A man in East Hampton reported that his laptop had gone missing after somebody broke into his home. The man told police that on the day of the robbery he'd posted on his Facebook page that he was going away, and believes that was how the thief knew it was safe to break in.
Bad Bus Driver
A woman in East Hampton reported that a bus driver was deliberately being abusive by yelling at her and abruptly moving the bus before she was able to reach her seat. Police advised the woman to complain to the bus company with the name of the driver.
Justin Bieber was booed off the stage while performing at a soccer event in Canada last week. Bieber responded to the boos by saying "I love you" and then left the stage. There wasn't any crime related to the Hamptons. It's just sort of funny.
An altercation broke out at a Southampton restaurant after an argument began inside the establishment, then eventually involved a large group of people fighting outside on the street. Police are investigating, but rumors that Justin Bieber fans sparked the incident are false.
Shelter Island
Old Man McGumbus, 105 years old and former international jiu-jitsu champion, was arrested on charges of disodorly conduct last week after he ordered 15 different drinks from BlackJava, a local coffee bar, and upon receiving the various lattés and cappuccinos immediately complained that none were to his liking and demanded that they all be remade. When the owner of BlackJava told McGumbus that he was not welcome at the restaurant anymore and asked him to leave, McGumbus threw a bottle of fox urine at the register, which shattered and created a smell that still lingers inside the coffee shop despite several cleanings.
Bad Teens
Three teenagers were charged with breaking and entering into three houses in Amagansett. The teens allegedly stole beer and liquor and also kicked in the door of one of the homes.
After not being able to get into a bingo party in East Hampton and getting into a fight upon hearing an inappropriate comment about a friend's girlfriend, a man suffered a serious eye injury when he was assaulted with a belt buckle. Who knew that bingo elicited this kind of intensity?


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Vauxhall Corsa VXR paint job and body repair problem
* Vauxhall Corsa VXR arrives with a bad paint job and body repair issues * Dealer refuses to take back the car * Vauxhall agrees to the rejection of the car and arranges for a replacement...
Harry Owen was happy with his one-year-old Vauxhall Corsa 1.2, which he'd bought new from Thurlow Nunn Vauxhall in Diss, Norfolk. However, it was time for a change and although the car that caught his eye, a Vauxhall Corsa VXR, was a year older, it was a whole lot more exciting.
Harry couldn't wait to pick up his 10-plate VXR. He'd been assured by the dealer, Drive Vauxhall Haverhill, that it was an ex-demo Network Q car. When he viewed the Corsa, it was extremely dirty, but he'd been told it would be fully cleaned and immaculate when he collected it.
So it was with some disappointment that he found the car was still dirty when he took delivery, and there were no mats. Giving Haverhill the benefit of the doubt, he took it home and cleaned it himself. It was then he found evidence of damage repair, including inconsistent paint and visible body filler.
The drive home also highlighted that the front tyres were very close to the end of their life and that the brakes were sticking and squealing. Harry wasn't happy, and commissioned an independent inspection report, which confirmed repair work had indeed been carried out.
Armed with this, Harry headed back to his original dealer, Thurlow Nunn, which conducted a full dealer inspection. This revealed that Harry's VXR wasn't, as he'd been told, a Network Q car. A couple of fault codes showed up on the car's computer, too.
Harry contacted Helpdesk after Haverhill refused to take the car back. His dealer had offered to repair the car, but the whole experience had wiped out Harry's trust in both Haverhill and his VXR.
We contacted Haverhill and Vauxhall, asking why the VXR had been allowed to leave the showroom in this condition. It clearly wasn't sold as described or fit for purpose.
Vauxhall agreed, and said Harry could switch cars if he sorted out his negative finance equity. He opted for a similar 1.2 to his original Corsa, which he wished he'd never given up in the first place.
What if this happens to you?
- Never buy a used car without carrying out a thorough inspection of it. If you're not sure, take someone along who's experienced.
- Test driving any car, and particularly a used one, is essential.
- Carry out a full history check, too, and don't accept the car until all promised work, including valeting, has been carried out.
We've prepared lots of useful advice, including a full guide on warranties that could help you with either a new or used car.
If you need our help, email us at email@example.com with a few details and we'll be in touch.


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Report: Missing NYC woman found dead in Turkey
Photo: David Martinez
FILE - In this image from files provided by the family, Sarai Sierra is shown in an undated family photo, in New York. The New York City woman who went missing while vacationing alone in Istanbul was found dead on Saturday and police detained nine people for questioning in connection with her case, Turkey's state-run news agency said. Sarai Sierra, a 33-year-old mother of two, was last heard from on Jan. 21, the day she was due to board her flight back home. Her disappearance attracted a lot of interest in Turkey, where such disappearance of foreign tourists are rare and Istanbul police had set up a special unit to find her. (AP Photo/Family Photo, File)


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Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Reidsville Man Indicted as Felon in Possession of Firearms
STATESBORO, GA -- Robert Beecher, 60, from Reidsville, Georgia, was indicted in June by a federal grand jury sitting in Savannah for possessing several firearms as a convicted felon. Beecher faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison if it is determined that he has three qualifying felony convictions and is classified as an Armed Career Criminal under federal law.
Evidence presented during an earlier detention hearing held at the federal courthouse in Statesboro, Georgia established that Beecher had multiple felony convictions dating back to the 1970s, including convictions for arson, burglary, and aggravated assault. Testimony during the hearing also revealed that Beecher was in possession of multiple firearms at his residence in Reidsville on May 7, 2014, the day of his arrest. Based on the evidence presented during Beecher's detention hearing, U. S. Magistrate Judge G.R. Smith ordered Beecher detained pending trial.
U. S. Attorney Edward Tarver emphasized that an indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the Government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the ATF. Assistant United States Attorney Carlton R. Bourne, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. For additional information, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.


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$15.25 $15.25
100% American Merino wool
Dyed and spun in Maine
6.25 to 8 sts per inch US 2-4 needles
Peerie is the polished, worsted-spun sibling to Brooklyn Tweed's rustic, woolen-spun Loft. Peerie sings in both cabled and textured fabrics, and looks lovely knit up in lace, thanks to a 4-ply construction that enhances luster and strength.
Boasting a palette of 45 colors, Peerie is an excellent companion to have alongside you when adventuring in colorwork motifs or when showcasing your favorite hue–the choices are abundant. Perfect for next to skin wear, Peerie is BT's softest yarn yet, thanks to the fine fiber (20.5 microns!) of the Merino sheep.
Not sure what to knit with Peerie? Find our lovely selection of Peerie kits HERE.
7 in stock
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The season may just be over or just about to be over but start preparing now if you want to increase your odds next season hunting big deer. There are many different things to help you do this and each hunter will have different things that will help him or her. I would like to share a few of things that have helped me over the years. The thing is make you a plan and start executing that plan now.
Hunt Where they are
One of the biggest factors I believe is, there have to be trophy bucks where you hunt to be able to kill trophy bucks. The more brutes you have in the area the better your chances are. It doesn't matter if you are on private or public land with a little homework, hard work and preparation you can increase your odds of taking taking big deer.
Grow Big Deer
I have hunted public and private land over the years and preparation is the key on both. Whitetail habitat and quality deer management are key factors that make a huge difference key factors that make a huge difference deer hunting. If you hunt public land make sure it has good whitetail habitat and if you hunt private land practice quality management. The Quality Deer Management Association is a great resource to help you learn to manage your property and herd.
Do Your Homework
If you plan on hunting public land do your homework and hunt the places that have high success rate of hunters taking trophy bucks. Years ago I put in for a very tough draw hunt in Georgia and although it took me three years to get drawn I finally got it done and killed a nice nine pointer. It was a three day, seventy five hunter quota and I was the only hunter to kill a buck and it was all because I did my homework and was determined. I increased my odds by being where there were a good number of trophy bucks and I prepared.
Here is a list of some things that will help you prepare for next season.
Locate Prime Whitetail Properties: Locate properties known to have good whitetail habitat and get access to hunt them.
Scouting: Scouting is a great way to help you increase your odds. The inter-net can help you find whitetail hot spots before ever stepping foot on a certain piece of property. You can locate pinch points, saddles, travel corridors, water, elevation changes etc..
Google Earth is a great way to scout properties and help you figure out where to start your search once you arrive to do you scouting on foot. It can save you a ton of time and walking. Once I do my inter-net scouting and first foot scout a piece of new property, I like to walk the complete boundary. Looking for trails entering or leaving the property and try to figure out where those trails are leading to and from and why. Don't over scout, keep human activity to a minimum. The less they have to deal with you, the safer they feel, and the better your chances are of seeing a monster.
Equipment Checklist: Having good equipment is a must. Making an equipment checklist will help you prioritize what equipment you need to upgrade or purchase. By doing this early you can get the things you need throughout the year. Not having to purchase it all right before the season. It won't take a chunk out of your wallet at one time.
Archery Practice: You need to practice, practice, and practice some more. Simulate hunting conditions when practicing. Such as shooting from elevated spots. Wear the clothing you will be wearing in the field. Shoot at life size targets, and practice shooting in all weather conditions etc…
Quality Deer Management: Learn about and implement strong quality deer management practices where you hunt. Plant food plots. Implement supplemental feeding programs. Manage the herd with antler restrictions, and manage buck to doe ratio etc…
Trail Cameras: Use trail cameras to help you survey your bucks and to help you decide the best locations to place stands.
Hunting Tips And Techniques: Learn as much as you can about whitetails behaviors and feeding habits. Learn tips and techniques from the pros. Attend seminars at hunting shows to help you in the field. Learn whitetail vocalizations and what they are saying when they make those sounds. Learn how and when to make those sounds.
Get Fit: The better shape you are in the better hunter you will be.
Deer Stand Preparation And Concealment: Get your stands put out early and leave the area alone. Make sure you stands give you plenty of cover when you are in them.
These are just a few things to help you get ready. The season will be here before you know it. If you are like me you are already wishing opening day was here. By starting to prepare early you can give your self a much better chance at getting that buck of a lifetime. When next season rolls around. If you get that buck of a lifetime all that hard work and preparation will be worth it… I promise!


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After his first week as a "Pro" taping the "Pros Vs. Joes" show, Adam "Pacman" Jones showed one contestant he's not there to be nice.
LA Times sports writer Sam Farmer stopped by the set to casually observe a bunch of young never-weres compete against numerous pro athletes on the downside of their career. One confrontation occurred between Jones and former Holy Cross linebacker Dan Adams:
Anyway, Adams stuck Jones at the goal line, jarring loose the football. It was pretty funny, because Jones had been talking trash to that point, referring to Adams as "Waterboy." A few minutes after the hit, the two exchanged punches and had to be separated.
"He hit me 10 yards out of bounds, kind of a cheap shot," Adams said. "I couldn't sit there and not retaliate. You've got to have some pride and dignity."
As for the oft-suspended Jones, released by the Dallas Cowboys after the season, he didn't seem too concerned about how he came off on camera.
"I guess that's the person he wants to be," Adams said. "But I guess in his defense, people kind of get caught up in the heat of the moment."
Of course. He was caught up in the moment. But one person close to the show said that Pacman's been ornery from the start of taping:
"His crew of thugs were scarier than him...but he did bring it for the show...and he was serious about kickin these guys' asses."
Let's put the "Pros Vs. Joes" production team's Pacman readiness at Defcon 3. Sad part is, it might actually better for his long-term career right now to actually get thrown off this show. Look what happened to that New York lady from "Flavor Of Love."
More Fisticuffs For Pacman Jones [LAT Blog]
Pacman Gets Into A Pros Vs. Joes Fight [PFT]


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I am using the NetWrix Password Expiration Notifier with great success. Recently I wanted to start getting the users' managers notified when password expiration is imminent. All of my user accounts have the Manager field updated in AD. No notifications are sent to the users managers. I continue to get the alerts so I know the scheduled job is running.
Is there something else I must configure for this to work?


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HOUSTON (Reuters) - The chaplains and company gardener are gone now, along with a weatherman who made more than a quarter million dollars a year, as Chesapeake Energy Corp CEO Doug Lawler chops away at the high costs left behind by his free-spending predecessor, Aubrey McClendon.
If McClendon was known for lavish spending on perks for employees and his voracious appetite for acquiring oil and gas properties in U.S. shale basins, Lawler is building a reputation for focusing the country's No. 2 producer of natural gas on its core business.
"You had too much land and you had too many people," said a source close to the company's board of directors. "Those things had to be fixed."
The company has cut 1,200 jobs so far this year, or 10 percent of its workforce, and its stock price has risen by 20 percent since Lawler took over. On Tuesday, it said it cut 800 of those jobs, with more than 600 at its Oklahoma City campus.
Lawler's broad review that aims to shrink the oil and gas company was scheduled to end by November 1.
Chesapeake has sold about $4 billion in assets this year in addition to trimming jobs.
Internal records seen by Reuters show that the company's payroll in 2012 included a meteorologist who made $350,000 in salary, three chaplains, seven chefs, two company archivists, a fitness center staff of 15 people and a gardener, along with the hundreds of geologists and petroleum engineers normally needed to run an oil and gas business.
A company chaplain reached at home said he no longer works for Chesapeake. No one answers the phone at the Chicago office for Chesapeake Weather and its website has been taken down.
McClendon, who started Chesapeake in 1989 with a friend, left in April after clashes over spending with the company's board and a series of Reuters investigations led to civil and criminal probes of the company.
An internal investigation has cleared McClendon of any intentional wrongdoing.
The reductions are aimed at putting the company back on solid financial footing after McClendon's lavish spending.
Anything not directly related to the exploration and production business is a target for cutting, the source close to the company's board said.
Earlier this year, more than 200 workers took voluntary buyouts, and about 90 employees from departments including land, human resources and operating services were laid off last month, according to a company email.
Investor relations executive Jeff Mobley told Deutsche Bank investors last week there was a "tremendous opportunity to reduce our income statement costs," noting that the size of the oil and gas unit's workforce was meant to support 175 drilling rigs, nearly three times the number now running.
Chesapeake will also tie compensation more closely to performance than in the past, Mobley said.
Lawler has believers on Wall Street. The stock is trading around its highest level in nearly two years. It closed on Tuesday off 0.8 percent at $26.05.
The rally has been driven in part by a bull market for exploration and production companies, but also by investors believing Lawler's mantra on efficiencies and cost reduction, said Tim Rezvan, analyst at Sterne Agee.
"Even though we haven't received official 2014 spending guidance, he has been clear that it will be aligned with cash flow, which has reassured investors," Rezvan said.
McClendon spared little expense to build a sprawling 120-acre red-brick Georgian-style campus that includes a 72,000-square-foot fitness center with an Olympic sized swimming pool, five restaurants and a community garden.
Payroll for fitness center employees, a gardener and the chaplains and the company historians alone totaled more than $1 million in 2012, according to internal records.
The luxurious campus was needed to lure workers to landlocked Oklahoma City and retain them in a tight labor market, the company has said. Others disagree.
"I've never seen anything quite like they had over there at Chesapeake," said the source close to the company's board. "I think (McClendon) carried it to an extreme, especially when you look at what it cost you to do all that stuff and how much people were being paid."
Even Joe McClendon, Aubrey McClendon's father and a former energy executive, had a job at Chesapeake when his son was CEO. Internal records from 2012 show he worked a few hours a week on "special projects" and reported directly to his son.
A spokesman for Chesapeake declined to say whether the elder McClendon still works for the company and he could not be reached for comment. He earned a nominal salary of $2,500 a year.
Additional reporting by Terry Wade; Editing by Frank McGurty and Grant McCool
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Rent paid. No new metro pass yet. Postie beside me again. Read a friends story this morning and it inspires me to have friends that do amazing things. Its warm today, cloudy with sun peeking though just enough necessary for sunnies. Glad the Tamil protest is over. I don't like people fighting in the streets. My friend said the ambo's couldn't get to the hospitals fast because of them. I wanna see the Wolverine movie. Hugh Jackman, I like him, especially in that role. There's an article in the Metro about timeraiser.com, cool idea. I'm looking forward to the next #genyTO. Adoration by Egoyan, I'd like to see that one too. The Mississauga McCallion is really old and creepy. I never wanna live in that burb. SJP is having twins and Lohan is hopped up on energy drinks. Everyone seems to be taking something. That guys coffee smells damn good. Late start today but feeling great. Looking forward to the weekend, its almost here!
i quit everything i don't like
Labels: for the record, genius, random, star, Toronto
she's gonna grow up and write a book about you
I had a blog before this one, it was on myspace, it still is. It's called it 'It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be" after a favorite book by Paul Arden. It's all writing and poetry. I revisited it today, it had been since 2007 that I logged into myspace. I guess you could say I've been kinda busy. I have two accounts casieandjenie and misscasiestewart.November 25 2004
I am spinning, sitting here thinking.Thoughts of you run from my heart, past my mind Turning round in my head. Touching me all day. One day, you might be mine. You light my fire, you are my star.Will I see you tomorrow? Will I ? I will be with you again.I feel your energy, moving in the air.When you are around, you put a twinkle in my eye.I want you close to me, I think you want me too.August 10, 2006
crazie//: casie.racie.spacie.energetic. dynamic.distinct. animated. always entertaining.fastmoving. neverslowingdown. sexy.preppy. intellectuallystimulating. delicate and decent. like diana, ladylike, its her middle name. a very laid back kind of girl. sort of radiant. sparkling the way the sun shines, when even out of sight and glowing, gleaming. she even she has a sister stewart. sibling. she's also social & s.m.a.r.t.
May 22, 2006
There is no price imaginable that could buy all my creativity, for it is infinite and contagious.
May 22, 2006
There is no price imaginable that could buy all my creativity, for it is infinite and contagious.
We are all units and we are all united.
Labels: creativity, writer
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It's always somewhat dangerous to over-emphasise a lack of coherent planning in a record. In the case of Raise, the new effort from electronic / soundtrack artist Adrian Corker, knowledge of the improvisational approach on offer explains a lot, perhaps too much.
Bookended by two delicately played solo piano pieces, Raise is predominantly an ambient excursion into the realm of gently experimental sound art. Crackles and hisses abound, and there's a distinctly irregular gloom to the mix. This is ostensibly the result of being recorded in a wide variety of locations (from the lo-fi surroundings of the local pub to the comparative opulence of Valgeir Sigurðsson's Greenhouse Studios) but one senses that equally to blame is the inconsistent instrumental paths taken over the middle seven tracks. There are hints of classical and jazz dotted throughout, largely thanks to Corker's variety of collaborators, but all are weaved together in an attempt to create something of a unified textural character.
In a sense, this is what leads to Raise being such an underwhelming listen. In the absence of prolonged drones or fully coherent soundscaping the pressure is on the subtleties of the playing to provide interest. On a track such as 'Circle Song', which features Portico Quartet's Jack Wylie on sax and Milo Fitzpatrick on double bass, there is enough interplay between the players to accentuate the strengths of Corker's minimalism. At other moments, like on 'Raise Pt. 2' there simply isn't all that much to take note of. The subtlety is such that the human element to the sounds is muffled and, at least on early listens, lost altogether.
The impression given by Raise then is, even for devotees of the ambient scene, decidedly mixed. It's hard not to feel at points that Corker is making his life more difficult here. Yes, there is worthwhile work to be done with improvisations and the utilisation of different recording techniques and locations, but too much of the time Raise fails to make the most of these aspects of its creation. Lengthier tracks fall prone to feeling oddly static whilst, in contrast, the intriguing tape manipulation exercise that is 'Unfold' is given less than two minutes to make an impression.
Strangely the aforementioned piano bookend tracks, 'First Light' and 'Interdependence', therefore end up being two of the most successful on the album. They are both displays of the human touch that is so missing from much of the rest of the record. 'Interdependence', as album closer, serves both to emphasise the emotive bent that Corker can add to his work, and to further illustrate how significantly the rest of Raise often fails to reach the same level in that department.
Ultimately this is an album with admirable intentions, and some pleasant moments, but it takes too many listens to make its strengths known. It's hard to be much more than lukewarm about its contents. Corker has endeavoured to merge his soundtracking skills with an approach less befitting of that stylistic bent, prompting Raise to exist as a disappointing unbalanced portrait.
5Benjamin Bland's Score


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Filed under: ABT/Quadrupel (trappist), Smuttynose | Tags: beautiful, brilliant, calories, cherry, citrus, clear, crisp, red, sweet
Style; glass: ABT/Quad; trappist
22 fl oz x 8.5% ABV = 187 / 60 = 3.08 beers * 150 C = 462.5 calories (est.)
Purchased at: Super Saver, Pennington, NJ for $4.99
Aroma: cherry, raisin, wine, fruity, flowery.
Visuals: quirky but not unappealing packaging, ruby red body is brilliant, transparent and foreboding, weak white head thins to nil, little lace. The body is breathtakingly beautiful.
Taste: Very over the top sweet, slightly artificial in flavor. Candy malt, bright cherry sugar flavors, hops seem to be an afterthought, but they are there.
Palate: Tangy, tingly, highly carbonated, sharp, could cut through a heavy meal. Might be better with some age. Finish is acrid, bitter, and biting, but quick and fleeting.
Overall: A nice big beer from Smutty, though not my favorite from them. This one seems kind of chemically influenced, somewhat overly sweet, and just a bit off balance. Some time in the cellar would teach it a few tricks, I think.
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Vegan Pecan Pie
I thought I didn't like pecan pie until I had this Vegan Pecan Pie. The questionable brown mush experienced in normal pecan pies is replaced by barley malt, maple syrup and enhanced with cinnamon, ginger and a touch of cardamom in this version. Flaky Vegan Pie Crust is recommended.
Find more Holiday recipes on Veganbaking.net
Vegan Pecan Pie Recipe3 cups pecans (whole pecans and pieces)
2/3 cup barley malt syrup
2/3 cup maple syrup
½ cup non-dairy milk
5 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon
1 ¼ teaspoons ginger
½ teaspoon cardamom
¼ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon golden flax meal
1) Prepare your pie crust
If using a store bought pie crustPlace the prepared pie crust on a cookie sheet and bake at 350F (177C) for 7 minutes. Place the pecans in the pre-baked crust, and bake an additional 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
If using a home baked pie crustPlace the pie crust on a cookie sheet, place the pecans in the crust, and bake at 325F (163C) for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Increase oven temperature to 350F (177C).
2) Prepare the pie fillingIn a medium saucepan combine the barley malt syrup, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and salt. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes and remove. Whisk in the golden flax meal. Pour the mixture over the pecans.
3) Bake the pecan pie to perfectionPlace the pie on a cookie sheet and bake at 350F (177C) for 30 more minutes. Remove from the oven, place on a rack and allow to cool before cutting with a sharp knife. To store, cover the pie with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. This recipe makes one 9 inch diameter Vegan Pecan Pie.
Get a price on the Pie Pan I Recommend at Amazon.
User reviews
2 reviews
making it more Southern style
I'm going to make this pie, but I want it to have the classic Southern flavor, with vanilla but no spices. Also, I wonder if instead of 2/3 cup barley malt syrup and 2/3 cup maple syrup, I can use 1 cup barley malt syrup (or 1 cup brown rice syrup) and 1/3 cup molasses? (I'm thinking maple is not a "Southern" flavor.) Thanks to anyone who replies!
Mattie - would it be possible to replace the barley malt syrup with brown rice syrup?
could you substitute brown rice syrup for the barley malt syrup??
Top 500 Reviewer
View all my reviews (2)
Just ok
This recipe was just ok for me....I didn't like the ginger flavor...The flaky pie crust was very good though..will definitley use again.
Top 500 Reviewer
View all my reviews (2)
Think I will try this recipe for Christmas!!
Best pecan pie evar.
I grew up in the north, so pecan pie is a foreign concept to me. Being in the south now, I decided to try making a pecan pie for our weekly vegan pot luck. It was good to me, but the true result was that the long-time southern food eaters said it was the best pecan pie they'd ever had, vegan or not. Too bad pecans are so expensive!


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Last Friday evening at Holy Cross Cathedral, we welcomed almost 40 visitors from France, who were here in Boston for the weekend's Magnificat magazine Pilgrimage of Hope.
In the delegation from Magnificat were the publishers, Pierre-Marie Dumont and his wife Bernadette, the Archbishop of Bordeaux Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard and Archbishop Robert LeGall, the Archbishop of Toulouse, France.
Father O'Leary and Cardinal Ricard
Father Kevin O'Leary, who speaks French very well, gave them a tour of the cathedral, including a visit to the crypt where the bishops are buried. They said they were very impressed by the beauty and size of the cathedral.
After my welcome, Cardinal Ricard gave us a wonderful talk on Bishop Jean-Louis Cheverus, the first bishop of Boston.
Bishop Cheverus
Bishop Cheverus left Boston to return to France, where he became the archbishop of Bordeaux and a cardinal. He is buried in a magnificent monument in the cathedral in Bordeaux. He is remembered very fondly for his ministry there.
The tomb of Bishop Cheverus
At the Pilgrimage, we were so pleased by the wonderful response of the 1,600 people who gathered for the talks, Masses and other events.
The Pilgrimage, like the magazine, made a positive contribution to helping people develop a liturgical spirituality and an understanding of the Church's prayers, which leads them to the liturgy with great beauty and great dignity.
Michelle Schumacher delivered Saturday's keynote
Father Peter Cameron gave Sunday's Keynote address
There were a number of musical presentations, including a performance by the Boston Boy Choir on Saturday.
The choir is based at St. Paul's in Cambridge. The boys attend the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School, which is a day school with rigorous musical training and full academic instruction.
Although it is a very prestigious school, the students are not charged tuition. Because they are expected to perform at Masses and concerts, they are given what the school calls a "working scholarship." There are auditions for fourth graders every spring for the next year's new class.
Click the button below to listen to a recording of their performance at the event.
The musical centerpiece of the Pilgrimage was the Saturday evening concert, "Magnificat in Music." It was an exploration of the how the Magnificat has been portrayed in music going back 1,000 years. The program closed with the playing and singing of Bach's "Magnificat" with a full choir and full orchestra.
Bishop LeGall
I preached at the Pilgrimage's closing Mass and at the end of the service I gave an Apostolic Blessing to those present, which included a plenary indulgence for those in attendance who had a spirit of conversion and detachment from sin, had recently gone to confession, received Communion and prayed for the Holy Father's intentions.
We were so grateful to Father Romanus Cessario, a Domincan, who is the magazine's senior editor and a professor at St. John's Seminary, and Father Dan Barron, an Oblate of the Virgin Mary here in Boston and the editor of the children's edition called, "MagnifiKid!," for their work here locally making sure the Pilgrimage was a success. I also want to recognize the leadership of Father Peter Cameron, who is also a Dominican and the editor-in-chief of the English edition.
Father Romanus Cessario
"Magnificat" began in France, but now its largest edition is printed in English, with more than 200,000 subscriptions in America. Also, there are now editions in Spanish and German.
– – –
On Saturday morning I visited the Archdiocesan Charismatic Renewal Conference at Madonna Shrine in East Boston.
It was a wonderful blend of various charismatic prayer groups and their leaders representing the Anglo, Brazilian, Hispanic, Haitian, Nigerian and Ugandan communities of the Archdiocese. I'm so grateful to Vin Cerasulo, Director of the Archdiocesan Charismatic Renewal, for his efforts in my name to bring together all the different ethnic groups.
– – –
On Saturday afternoon, the 10th, Bishop Antonysamy Francis of Kumbakonam and Fr. Selva Raj came to visit me at the Cathedral bearing gifts from India. As you can see they dressed me in a traditional Indian garment, in "Kelly Green"!
– – –
Tuesday evening we had a Mass in Bethany chapel and an appreciation dinner for all the all lay volunteers, who do so much for the different boards and commissions and serve on the Pastoral Council.
– – –
Wednesday morning we met with the Pro-Life directors of New England. We reported to them on the successes of our Pro-Life Sunday and the great participation of the young people at our Pro-Life youth Rally.
Marianne Luthin is director of our Pro-Life Office
Until next week, blessings to you all!
+ Cardinal Seán


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IF we spend at least $2500
THEN Half Fast Subs will invest 100% of revenue toward LED lighting, window insulation and furnace upgrades.
22 Apr 2012
Half Fast Subs on the Hill
1215 13th St
Boulder, CO 80302, USA
In this campaign students from the University of Colorado Boulder teams up with a local restaurant, Half Fast Subs, and the city's energy consulting firm, Energy Smart, to bring Carrotmob to the environmentally concerned town of Boulder. On Earth Day April 22nd, Half Fast Subs will be investing 100% of the sales from 11am-3pm in energy efficient upgrades.
No updates yet!
Have ideas for Carrotmob? Experiencing problems on our site? Please use the form below. You can also reach us at: firstname.lastname@example.com. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Happy mobbing!
The fastest and easiest way to join Carrotmob is by connecting with your Facebook account. You will also be able see what your friends are doing on Carrotmob and quickly share some of your activities with your network. To learn more about how this works, read this. If you are curious about the permissions we're requesting of your Facebook account, read this. Clicking this button will NOT post anything to your Facebook wall.


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Read what our numismatic experts have to say on a variety of coin topics, hobby news, mint stats, paper money and more, featuring "The Buzz" – Dave Harper's award-winning blog.
Dave Harper offers his observations about what's happening day by day in the numismatic field. Sometimes it's news. Sometimes it's opinion. Always it's entertaining.
What's on your mind? Want to get better connected to the hobby? Be part of the Community Voice. We want to hear what you have to say.
In the mood for a little conversation? Join Debbie Bradley as she talks about what's happening in the world of numismatics. She's not an expert, but she's having fun collecting, one coin at a time.
George Cuhaj likes paper money. He likes its look, its feel, its history. As paper money specialist at Krause Publications, Cuhaj knows a lot about currency, old and new. Here he shares his wit and wisdom. You don't want to miss what he has to say.
Crowns, thalers, rupees – coins from far and wide are all part of Tom Michael's world. As world coin market analyst at Krause Publications, it's Tom's job and avocation to have his finger on the pulse of coin markets worldwide.
Respect and honor. That's how Fred Borgmann approaches the hobby of collecting military medals and historical items. Each medal, ribbon and insignia speaks to not only the event it memorializes, but to the soldier who wore it. Fred Borgmann tells their stories.
A historian and writer, Robert Van Ryzin is an expert on U.S. coins. The editor of Coins magazine and author of Fascinating Facts, Mysteries and Myths about U.S. Coins, Van Ryzin talks coins, from Carson City dollars to Roosevelt dimes. If it's U.S. coins you're interested in, Van Ryzin has something for you.


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The fall TV season is wrapping up with finales and holiday specials. Here are a handful of viewing options for Dec. 16-Dec. 22.
This schedule of premieres, finales, movies and specials includes many holiday programs, but you can find an even more comprehensive holiday schedule here.
Monday, Dec. 16
Robot Chicken
11 p.m. Monday, Adult Swim
In "Born Again Virgin Christmas Special," we learn what Ebenezer Scrooge really said after his night with the ghosts and all about the danger elves face on the job at the North Pole. This holiday special is definitely adults only, unless you want to traumatize the kids.
Monday premieres
7 p.m. "Who Shot the Daytime Soap?" TVGN
8:30 p.m. "Lizard Lick Towing," truTV
Tuesday, Dec. 17
How Sherlock Changed the World
8 p.m. Tuesday, PBS
They're talking about Sherlock Holmes, the legendary detective who returns to PBS in January with the new "Sherlock" mysteries starring Benedict Cumberbatch. This two-hour special examines how the fictional detective created 120 years ago by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has affected real police investigation techniques.
Tuesday premieres
8 p.m. "Hardcore Pawn," truTV
Tuesday finales
7 p.m. "The Voice," NBC
9 p.m. "Trust Me, I'm a Game Show Host," TBS
Wednesday, Dec. 18
Kathy Griffin Record Breaker
7 p.m. Wednesday, Bravo
Kathy Griffin makes history with her 20th stand-up special for Bravo. Guinness World Records has given the Oak Park native its award for "Most Stand-Up Specials by a Comedian."
Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of the Year
8:30 p.m. Wednesday, ABC
Barbara Walters hosts her last "Fascinating People" special by interviewing Pope Francis, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lawrence, the cast of A&E's "Duck Dynasty," NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, "Good Morning America" anchor Robin Roberts and Prince George, son of Kate Middleton and Prince William.
Mob City
8 p.m. Wednesday, TNT
Frank Darabont's noir thriller closes out its short first season with back-to-back episodes that are a marked improvement over the first two.
Wednesday premieres
7 p.m. "Kathy Griffin Record Breaker," Bravo; "A Home For the Holidays with Celine Dion," CBS
9 p.m. "Michael Buble Holiday Special," NBC
Thursday, Dec. 19
Ground Floor
9 p.m. Thursday, TBS
Derrick and Tori blow their money on lottery tickets, exactly what I've done ever since the Mega Millions jackpot hit $425 million.
11:15 p.m. Thursday, Adult Swim
Trent's children learn the true meaning of Christmas when a terrorist Santa takes over the mall in "Wreck the Malls."
Thursday premiere
8 p.m. "Farm Kings," Great American Country
Thursday finales
7 p.m. "The X Factor," Fox
8 p.m. "The Returned," Sundance
Friday, Dec. 20
The I Love Lucy Christmas Special
7 p.m. Friday, CBS
Two "I Love Lucy" episodes from 1956 have been colorized and seamlessly combined for this holiday treat. "The Christmas Episode," once thought to be lost, has the Ricardos and Mertzes decorating Lucy and Ricky's tree and remembering special times in their lives. "Lucy's Italian Movie" is the classic episode in which Lucy stomps grapes.
Christmas in Washington
7 p.m. Friday, TNT
Hugh Jackman hosts as the Backstreet Boys, Sheryl Crow, Janelle Monáe and others perform for the first family.
8 p.m. Friday, CW
The spy thriller's penultimate episode starts out with Team Nikita seemingly safe and considered heroes after saving the world from war. Then they learn Amanda (Melinda Clarke) is still alive, and how they find out is simply devastating.
Friday premiere
4 p.m. "The Hollywood Christmas Parade," Hallmark
Saturday, Dec. 21
The Wizard of Oz
7 p.m. Saturday, TNT (repeats at 9:15 p.m.)
Tired of old holiday movies? Make a night of it buy watching back-to-back airings of the 1939 musical starring Judy Garland.
Saturday Night Live
10:30 p.m. Saturday, NBC
They've been hilarious doing "Late Night" bits, but now Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon co-host the last "SNL" of the year. Fingers crossed Fallon's team writes all the sketches.
Sunday, Dec. 22
Mr. Stink
7 p.m. Sunday, PBS
Hugh Bonneville of "Downton Abbey" plays a homeless man who is invited by a 12-year-old girl to hide out in a shed in her parents' garden.
I am Britney Jean
8 p.m. Sunday, E!
Britney Spears has said her reality show with ex Kevin Federline, titled "Chaotic," was her biggest mistake. Girl hasn't learned though: She's letting the cameras in again as prepares for her Las Vegas residency and new album.
American Declassified
9 p.m. Sunday, Travel
The team looks into the assassination of Martin Luther King and the Marfa Lights in Texas, which are totally unrelated.
On the Case with Paula Zahn
9 p.m. Sunday, Investigation Discovery
The new season opens with a look at the murder of a mother of four in Bourne, Mass., that took three decades to solve.
Want more? Discuss this article and others on Show Patrol's Facebook page.


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Idaho Aims to Make Gay Couples Recalculate Taxes
Idaho aims to require same-sex couples who are legally married elsewhere to recalculate their federal Internal Revenue Service filings before filing state taxes.
Tax Commission spokeswoman Liz Rodosovich said Thursday the agency altered its 2013 income tax forms following June's U.S. Supreme Court decision invalidating parts of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
That prompted the IRS to rule legally married same-sex couples in states that recognize their marriages will be treated as married for federal tax purposes.
Now, Idaho's rules potentially require extra bookkeeping.
Those who file a joint federal return as a same-sex couple must file an Idaho return as single or head of household.
Then, they must recalculate their federal tax return, as if they'd used single or head of household status, before filing with the state.


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Supercomputer maker Silicon Graphics says it has shipped more than 500 of its Altix UV line of machines in the past year, perhaps a larger number than you thought was possible and possibly indicative of the benefit of selling a Xeon-based system over one based on Itanium processors.
The Altix UV family is made up of three different distinct lines of servers, and the 500-plus installations cited above includes boxes in all three families, Jill Matzke, director of shared system marketing, tells El Reg. So don't get the wrong idea and start thinking that SGI has sold more than 500 of the high-end Altix UV 1000 machines.
UV is short for "UltraViolet", which was the code-name SGI used as it was developing the NUMAlink 5 interconnect and the system boards based on Intel's "Nehalem-EX" Xeon 7500 processors and related "Boxboro" 7500 chipset. The line includes the entry Altix UV 10 machines, announced in April 2010. It's basically SGI's riff on a standard 4U, four-socket Xeon 7500 server using the plain-vanilla Boxboro chipset and "Millbrook" memory buffers that all the other server makers employ. The Altix UV 100 and 1000 machines are based on a two-socket blade server and make use of the NUMAlink 5 interconnect.
The Altix UV 100s use the interconnect to make a 2D torus that links 48 blades – that's 96 processors and either 768 cores using the Xeon 7500s or 960 processors using the new "Westmere-EX" Xeon E7 processors released in April – into a shared memory system that spans up to 6TB of memory.
The big bad UltraViolet machine is the Altix UV 1000, of course, which lashes 128 of the SGI blades together using an 8x8 (paired node) 2D torus interconnect, yielding a 128-socket shared memory system that supported up to 2,048 cores and 16TB of global shared memory using last year's Xeon 7500s. The NUMAlink 4 interconnect using in the Itanium 9100-based Altix 4700 petered out at 512 sockets (1,024 cores) and 2TB of shared memory, by comparison. SGI could have used the quad-core "Tukwila" Itaniums to make a refreshed Altix 4800 if it wanted to, but decided instead to focus on Xeon processors and expand from its own variant of SUSE Linux to a machine that can run standard SUSE Linux Enterprise Server or Red Hat Enterprise Linux as well as Microsoft's Windows Server 2008 R2.
SGI has been making a lot of noise lately about how Windows Server 2008 can run on its Altix UV 100 and 1000 machines, and in fact, the UltraViolet hardware scales far beyond the limits of that Windows OS at this point. The Windows kernel sees the NUMAlink 5 interconnect as it would any other NUMA chipset grafted on top of an Intel chipset and runs any Windows application that a normal SMP server can. (That doesn't necessarily mean that it runs well, mind you.)
Windows Server 2008 R2 currently tops out at 256 cores (or threads if you have HyperThreading on your Xeon or Itanium processors) and 2TB of main memory. You can put eight complete, maxxed out Windows Server images on a single top-end Altix UV 1000 machine and run them all at the same time on the box. (No one is suggesting anyone should do this.)
While SGI is bragging a bit about its Altix UV installations, the company isn't providing any kind detailed breakdown by product number, blades shipped, revenues, or anything that would help us quantify how well the server line is doing. But Matzke was able to provide some color.
SGI's Altix UV super rack
She says that life sciences and defense contractors and integrators that build systems for the US government's military and intelligence community have been big growers in the past year for the Altix UV line. As for the product mix, Matzke says "it's a healthy mix of all three" and that although Windows support is in the early days on the Altix line, which only came out in February and was ramped up in March, SGI is "starting to see some uptake with Windows".
She would not hazard a guess at how far Windows could pump up sales at SGI over the long haul. But her boss, SGI president and CEO Mark Barrenechea – once the man in charge of application development at Oracle – gave some guidance about how the Altix UV line and support for both Linux and Windows had expanded the company's addressable market significantly.
Back in February, when speaking with Wall Street analysts, Barrenechea said that traditional high-end HPC workloads represented about a $1bn potential market, and that chasing RISC and Itanium shops running Unix workloads on large shared memory SMP or NUMA systems represented another $1bn or so in total addressable market now that SGI could peddle Xeon-based, large memory Windows and Linux boxes. Another $1bn in potential new market comes from running "big data" analytics and data warehouses on Windows or Linux atop the Altix UV line.
The good news for SGI is that it has broadened its customer base since its acquisition by Rackable Systems (which took its name) and the introduction of the Altix UV line. "We're selling to a higher number of customers with more modest systems than we did with our Itanium-based machines," explains Matzke. "Our installed base has grown pretty dramatically."
A larger installed base means that there is a great probability down the road that SGI will be able to sell much larger systems as workloads grow – and SGI is counting on this as well as word of mouth as companies deploy fat Linux and Windows systems on its shared memory architecture to help it grow.
Not all big data needs big memory
Not all big data jobs require a big shared memory system like the Altix UV 1000s. Some big data munchers, like Hadoop and other Map/Reduce variants, do better on clusters of machines. To that end, SGI has started preconfiguring Hadoop clusters based on its Rackable and Altix ICE clusters, which are made of standard x64 rack servers.
SGI is not religious about any particular processor, and SGI is building Hadoop clusters based on two-socket motherboards using either Intel Xeon or Advanced Micro Devices Opteron processors – whatever customers will cut the check for. SGI doesn't want to give out all of the feeds and speeds of these Hadoop setups, but gave El Reg some idea of what is in the racks and boxes.
The Hadoop compute nodes, sometimes called workers, come with 12 or 18 memory slots and use 4GB or 8GB memory sticks; they are equipped with six to twelve SATA disks, ranging in capacity of 500GB to 1TB, and are available with Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, or InfiniBand network ports.
The Hadoop master nodes, which have namenode, task tracker, and job tracker server programs, and are a bit fatter. They come from SGI in two- or four-socket variants, with each node coming with 18 or 24 memory slots. The chassis supports the same six to twelve drives, although with either fast and skinny SAS or slow and fat SATA options.
The Hadoop clusters are not just about server hardware. "Anyone can do Hadoop on their own since it is open source," explains Bill Mannel, vice president of product marketing at SGI. "What we have done is create extra value in terms of packaging, density, and management."
At least one SGI Hadoop customer is deploying them in ICE Cube containerized data centers. SGI is considering extending its Management Center cluster management tools so they can see into Hadoop clusters and visually display what is going on with the data chunking and chewing inside the cluster.
Most of the Hadoop installations that SGI has been involved with have customers plunking the open source Hadoop atop of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, but the company is happy to support SUSE Linux or CentOS if customers want that, or any number of commercial extensions to Hadoop.
Pricing information for the Hadoop prefabs is not being released by SGI. ®


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Hear from the director and cast of Thor in a bunch of new interviews. We've got tons of new hints for Neil Gaiman's Doctor Who episode. Plus Amazing Spider-Man, Total Recall casting news, and a new X-Men: First Class trailer!
Spoilers from this point forward!
Top image from X-Men: First Class.
Here's a bunch of new interviews with director Kenneth Branagh and stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Jaimie Alexander, and Rene Russo.
X-Men: First Class
Here's another new trailer.
And here are two new posters. [ComingSoon.net]
The Amazing Spider-Man
Here are some more set photos. [ComingSoon.net]
Super 8
Here's a couple new photos.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Costar Zoe Kravitz offers an update on the much-delayed Mad Max continuation featuring Tom Hardy taking over for Mel Gibson:
"I heard the other day that we should be good to go in mid-January, we're supposed to go to Australia to start. I guess there's a point where you say, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah.' But I hope it gets made. They're saying it is. I've had this role now for over a year, and they've done a great job at staying in contact and reassuring me that the film is going to happen. They've put together such a cool cast and I know they've started building a lot of the vehicles and cameras and they've really been in pre-production for such a long time, so I think it'll happen...I really hope it happens, because George is amazing and Tom Hardy is too. I love the film. And I think the best time to make it is probably right now. George wants to push the limits with the stunts, make it all really real. Because even by today's standards, a lot of the stunts from the original 'Mad Max' are very impressive… so what we'll do now, that'll be pretty mind-blowing."
She also explains a little about her character, which so far has only been described as "Five Wives":
"There's a group of five women being taken from one place to another place, and I'm one of those women. So they call us the five wives. There are five women who are five wives. No, I'm not playing all five wives.
Total Recall Reboot
Bokeem Woodbine, who has appeared in movies such as The Rock, Ray, and Devil, has reportedly been offered the part of Douglas Quaid's friend. The speculation is that the part in question is based on Benny from the original movie, but that's assuming all the characters in this new movie have analogues in the original. [Variety]
Terminator 5
Director Justin Lin denies the reports that the entire original Terminator cast might return:
"No. I don't know where that came from. Everything has just been between me and Arnold, you know? Just us going out and trying to find the right partners. I have certain elements, but it's never been about, 'Hey, let's bring everybody back!' I just don't process that way. To me, thematically, there are certain things that I want to see in a 'Terminator' movie. A lot of that does draw back to creating this timeline that is an extension, closer tonally to the first and second movies. But to me, it's not as mathematical as, 'Hey, let's get everybody back together and we'll shoot the movie.'"
He then expanded on this point, suggesting he's willing to depart from what was established in Rise of the Machines and Terminator Salvation:
"I always feel like what's great about the 'Terminator' franchise is that there's time-travel and there are different timelines to play with. There are also a lot of gaps from what we love about all of the 'Terminator' movies, so there's a lot of things we can do and play with. To me, all of that, I don't really want to discuss it now. That's part of the fun of developing. But the bigger questions for me are always the characters and the themes. You want to start there. But obviously, answering your question, ['Terminator'] does have that capability, finding fresh ways of going back without destroying other [movies], because you can tell your own stories."
Lin also clarified that it's possible he will have to move on from this project because of his increasingly busy schedule, particularly after the huge success of Fast Five. He said he should know what he's doing in the next three to four weeks. [MTV Movies Blog]
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
Star Daniel Radcliffe and director David Yates both suggest that this movie is pretty much just one massive two-hour battle scene:
Radcliffe: The second film is essentially the final battle. It starts when Harry splits off from Ron and Hermione and you see the stories intercut. I don't know how long it will be between the ultimate fight with Voldemort, but you certainly won't notice the time go by — it's so non-stop that you won't have time to think about the pace. It's relentless."
Yates: "What's really fun about Part 2 is that... you're just parachuted back in. The audience has been though six or seven movies and they don't need any set-up. When I first read the script for Part 2 I said 'Steve [Kloves - the screenwriter], this is great, it doesn't have a beginning!' It starts and bang. You're immediately off in this big, loud, exciting opera."
There's more at the link. [IGN]
Dark Shadows
Michael Sheen has confirmed that he will not be appearing in the movie. [MTV Movies Blog]
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
The post-apocalyptic romantic comedy, which reportedly stars Steve Carell and Keira Knightley, has reportedly picked up additional cast members Adam Brody, Rob Corddry and William Peterson. [Variety]
Piranha 3DD
Original Piranha 3D cast members Christopher Lloyd, Ving Rhames, and Paul Scheer - at least one of whom actually died in the last movie - will return for the follow-up movie. I know this sounds crazy, but I'm starting to suspect strict adherence to continuity isn't a primary concern of the otherwise rock solid Piranha franchise. [ComingSoon.net]
Doctor Who
Here are two new sneak peeks for "The Curse of the Black Spot." [Life, the Universe, and Combom]
And here's a radio trailer, featuring a bit of new dialogue.
The new Doctor Who Magazine has revealed a ton of juicy info about Neil Gaiman's upcoming episode, "The Doctor's Wife." First, here's a new synopsis:
The TARDIS, drawn off course by the most unlikely distress signal, materialises outside of time and space itself. In this bubble universe, the Doctor meets Idris and her aunt and uncle, who live together in a scrapyard of impossible things. Idris, it seems, is mad. And when the Doctor finds out why she is the way she is, things start to get a bit complicated. And unmentionable.
And a quote from the episode:
The Doctor: Time Lord emergency messaging system. Like a flare pistol. In an emergency, we'd wrap up our thoughts in psychic containers and send them through time and space. OK, not like a flare pistol. Anyway there's a living Time Lord still out there! And it's one of the good ones!
Rory: You said there weren't any Time Lords left.
Doctor: There aren't. No Time Lords left anywhere in the universe. But the universe isn't where we're going.
Here are some more tidbits:
- This story will change the way we see a key part of series' mythology
- We see an infinite TARDIS corridor
- Originally there was a "TARDIS hall of mirrors" that instead got replaced with an "Ood being really scary in the dark"
- There was going to be a TARDIS swimming pool scene, but it was too expensive to film
- The episode was originally going to have Rory trapped in the Zero Room
[DoctorWhoTV via Life, the Universe, and Combom]
The Radio Times has confirmed "The Doctor's Wife" will be slightly longer than usual, clocking in at 50 minutes. [Blogtor Who]
Here's a promo and a sneak peek/behind-the-scenes look at the season finale, "The Day We Died."
And here are some cast interviews about the finale.
Finally, some promo photos. [SpoilerTV]
The Sarah Jane Adventures
It was really the only sensible decision they could make, but the BBC has now gone ahead and confirmed that there are no plans to continue the show without late star Elisabeth Sladen. The six episodes that have already been filmed for series five will eventually be shown, however. [BBC]
Executive producer Chris Fedak reveals the most expensive part of the season finale is a huge action sequence:
"It's set in the desert and includes a super motorcycle, lots of special effects and a truck getting blown off the road. It has an element of Duel, which is Steven Spielberg's first movie. There's also an element of Road Warrior… and an ode to the television show Street Hawk, which I watched as a kid."
[TV Line]
The Event
Here's a short synopsis for the season - and, let's be realistic, series - finale, "Arrival."
Martinez and Peel (Roger Bart) are pitted against Jarvis and his ally; Leila struggles to survive; tremors are sent across the globe as the portal starts to open.
Here's a preview from executive producer Sera Gamble for this week's episode, "The Man Who Would Be King."
And here's an exciting promo poster.
Ben Edlund discusses Castiel's traitorous partnership with Crowley in its larger context:
"The real driving catalyst, the reason why more bad has happened to good people on 'Supernatural' this year than any other year, does not come directly through the Mother of All monsters. She's badass, and she does bad things, but it's this partnership between the angel and the demon that has driven most of our conflicts. It's all because of Crowley and Castiel."
He also explains what learning about all this will mean for Dean:
"He won't like it. Familial betrayal is his kryptonite, so to speak. It's his thing. It's the thing he hates worse than any other thing, and he has brought Cas into the family, so the math there has a clear outcome. It's going to hurt him deeply even to discover what we understand to be the case right now, which is that Cas is capable of working with a demon. Even that is going to be so painful. It's going to be a hard week for that good-looking bastard."
There's more at the link. [Zap2It]
Here are some promo photos and a synopsis for next week's episode, "Let It Bleed." [multipleverses.com]
A demon kidnaps Ben (guest star Nicholas Elia) and Lisa (guest star Cindy Sampson) to get to Dean (Jensen Ackles). Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean are forced to join with an unlikely ally to free them.
And here's the same for the finale, "The Man Who Knew Too Much." [multipleverses.com]
The wall comes down in Sam's (Jared Padalecki) head and all hell breaks loose. Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Bobby (Jim Beaver) are, for once, at a total loss on how to help him and are forced to stand by and do nothing while Sam breaks. The battle for heaven comes to a head.
Here's a promo for this week's episode, "Prophecy," as well as a preview from executive producer Brian Peterson.
Here's an interview with Tess actress Cassidy Freeman about Lex Luthor's return.
The Nine Lives of Chloe King
Here's a photo and description for ABC Family's upcoming show.
A smart, pretty, slightly offbeat teen girl who lives alone with her single-mother suddenly discovers her destiny is far greater than she could have ever imagined, in "The Nine Lives of Chloe King," premiering Tuesday, June 14 at 9:00PM ET/PT on ABC Family. The new one-hour scripted action drama follows Chloe King, who is looking forward to celebrating her 16th birthday with her friends and single mother — just like every other year - that is until she starts developing heightened abilities and discovers she's being pursued by a mysterious figure. Chloe soon learns she's part of an ancient race called the Mai, which has been hunted by human assassins for millennia - and that she may ultimately be their only hope for survival.
Additional reporting by Gordon Jackson and Charlie Jane Anders.


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| 6.4°C Belfast
James Franco has defended Shia LaBeouf following the actor's recent bizarre behaviour.
Shia has been in the headlines as a result of his plagiarism scandal and subsequent performance art installation, for walking out of a press conference for Nymphomaniac and for his declaration that he isn't famous any more - a slogan he wrote on a paper bag which he then wore on his head for a premiere.
Now James has written an opinion piece in the New York Times in which he admitted he empathised with Shia.
The star begins the essay - titled Why Actors Act Out - by saying that as an actor and artist he's "inclined to take an empathetic view" of Shia's conduct.
He continued: "This behaviour could be a sign of many things, from a nervous breakdown to mere youthful recklessness. For Mr LaBeouf's sake I hope it is nothing serious. Indeed I hope - and, yes, I know that this idea has pretentious or just plain ridiculous overtones - that his actions are intended as a piece of performance art, one in which a young man in a very public profession tries to reclaim his public persona."
James likened Shia to Marlon Brando, pointing out: "Actors have been lashing out against their profession and its grip on their public images since at least Marlon Brando. Brando's performances revolutionised American acting precisely because he didn't seem to be 'performing', in the sense that he wasn't putting something on as much as he was being. Off-screen he defied the studio system's control over his image, allowing his weight to fluctuate, choosing roles that were considered beneath him and turning down the Oscar for best actor in 1973.
"These were acts of rebellion against an industry that practically forces an actor to identify with his persona while at the same time repeatedly wresting it from him."
James also admitted he'd had times when he "felt the need to dissociate myself from my work and public image".
In conclusion, he said he hoped Shia's project was a "worthy" one.
He said: "Mr LaBeouf has been acting since he was a child, and often an actor's need to tear down the public creation that constrains him occurs during the transition from young man to adult. I think Mr LaBeouf's project, if it is a project, is a worthy one. I just hope that he is careful not to use up all the good will he has gained as an actor in order to show us that he is an artist."


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Comic books browse by: Shop category:
Scenarist Jon McNaughtAvailable series in store category "Comic books"
Jon McNaught in the COMICLOPEDIA
" Jon McNaught is a comic artist and printmaker from Bristol. He graduated from the University of the West of England, the UWE. He now works at the same university as a printmaking instructor. He printed the first few copies of his first book, the graphic novella 'Birchfield..." [ Read more ]


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Day of Archaeology 2012 falls in the middle of the University of West Florida's (UWF) 10 week long field school season. The university offers four archaeological field schools—three terrestrial (Campus Survey, Colonial Frontiers, and Arcadia Mill) and one maritime—and I am fortunate to serve as a supervisor at Campus Survey. Under the direction of Dr. Ramie Gougeon and graduate student supervisors, university students transform classroom knowledge into real world experience. Campus Survey teaches students about archaeological methods and techniques related specifically to cultural resource management (CRM). Students learn how to use a compass, read maps, and develop other field techniques while also sharpening their digging skills. After completing the survey portion of the field school, students also excavate a prehistoric site—named Thompson's Landing– on UWF's campus.
To begin this summer, we surveyed a portion of campus near Thompson's Landing. Campus growth and general improvements may place a road within the survey area. As the students learned how to dig shovel tests, take notes, complete paperwork, and successfully navigate the woods, they also encountered what most people consider the most interesting part of archaeology—the artifacts!
Within the first three weeks, the students discovered and defined the boundaries of four separate lithic scatters. Two shovel tests revealed interesting features—one of shell and the other a burnt pit—that led to the first units of the summer. Unfortunately, the shells appeared modern and the other feature is likely a burnt tree. Despite these faux features, the survey portion provided great information about larger research questions relating to Pensacola's prehistory. The lithic scatters suggest information about prehistoric peoples' behaviors and activities while also providing information about site formation processes.
Research questions and excavations at Thompson's Landing, however, focus more specifically on shells and ceramics. Last year, field school students unearthed a substantial shell midden with complicated, ill-defined chronology. This year we hoped to identify discrete shell deposits to better outline periods of use, to understand subsistence patterns, and to improve our knowledge of ceramic differentiation through time within the region. With the aid of auger test results, the completion of five units, and the use of student manpower, the site began to provide answers.
Of these five units (three of which included shell midden), one proved essential to answering some of our questions with ease. The shells present included rangia and polymesoda, two different types of clams. Between the two, rangia usually serves as the dominant species, yet the midden primarily yielded polymesoda shells. The dietary shift caused new questions to arise: Did food preferences change? Did environmental factors affect the shells availability? Perhaps changes in salinity or water temperature affected the shells and enabled polymesoda to dominate?
As we contemplated the significance of the shells, ceramic sherds began to appear in the midden. The sherds recovered were shell-tempered, consistently dating the midden to the Mississippian period. Despite modern trash, such as glass and iron fragments, resting a few centimeters above the shell midden, no modern artifacts appeared within the feature. The first half of field school enabled students to learn, provided a feature comprised of an intact artifactual assemblage, and the beginning of a fantastic answer to one of our research questions!
The archaeological process often follows a pattern in which the discovery of new information leads to new questions. I hope the next year fuses the information we have (or have unearthed) with the data and knowledge that archaeology helps to uncover. If you'd like to know more about our field school, like the UWF Campus Field School Facebook page.