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Cardinals announce 18 non-roster invitees
Top draftees Piscotty, Ramsey, Gonzalez & Wisdom among those invited to camp
ST. LOUIS, MO., January 21, 2014 -The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have extended non-roster invites to 18 players to take part in the team's Major League Spring Training camp along with the 39 players currently on the team's big league roster.
Of the 18 non-roster invitees, 16 are players that were members of the Cardinals organization in 2013. The lone invitees who were not with the organization last year are catcher Ed Easley and infielder Scott Moore. Easley, 28, batted a career-high .334 for Triple-A Reno (Arizona) last season and led the Pacific Coast League in catcher's caught stealing pct. at 36 pct. He was a supplemental 1st round draft pick for the Diamondbacks in 2007. Moore, 30, batted a combined .271 with 14 home runs and 66 RBI between Triple-A Sacramento (Oakland) and Tucson (San Diego) in 2013. The left-handed-hitting third baseman also had a career-high 33 doubles. Moore has had 152 games of prior Major League experience with the Chicago Cubs (2006-07), Baltimore (2007-08, 2010) and Houston (2012), batting .242 with 16 home runs and 53 RBI.
Several of the Cardinals recent top draft selections, including 2012 first rounder's Stephen Piscotty, James Ramsey and Patrick Wisdom and 2013 first round selection Marco Gonzalez, are among the NRIs.
The Cardinals also announced today additional minor league coaching staff assignments with Erik Pappas being named Hitting Coach at Springfield (AA), Jobel Jimenez as Hitting Coach at Peoria (A) and Kleininger Teran as Hitting Coach for the Gulf Coast League Cardinals (R).
Cardinals pitchers and catchers report to Jupiter, Fla. on Wednesday, February 12 and conduct their first workout on February 13. The full squad reports on February 17 and begins workouts on February 18. The following is a listing of the Cardinals non-roster invitees for 2014:
PITCHERS (7): Jose Almarante, Tim Cooney, Sam Gaviglio, Marco Gonzales, Zach Petrick, Lee Stoppelman, Jordan Swagerty;
CATCHERS (5): Ed Easley, Carson Kelly, Casey Rasmus, Cody Stanley, Travis Tartamella;
INFIELDERS (4): Luis Mateo, Scott Moore, Xavier Scruggs, Patrick Wisdom;
OUTFIELDERS (2): Stephen Piscotty, James Ramsey


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In the hills of Portola Valley, California, is the headquarters for Meta, a company that's trying to change the future and also, perhaps, the world.
They're hoping to accomplish this feat by creating a pair of augmented-reality glasses that bring to life technology that seems to be taken straight out of the "Iron Man" movies.
Physical objects are rendered virtually, and those objects — be it a game or a document or even a keyboard — are all manipulated by your hands.
A team of fewer than 50 people lives on a 20-acre rented estate overlooking the wilderness above Silicon Valley.
It's something out of a movie, with a pool, a tennis court, and even pictures of Tony Stark of "Iron Man" fame adorning the walls.
The team lives together on the estate, putting in 14-hour days, and then eating together and afterwards washing dishes together. All for the common goal of bringing to life a pair of glasses that can completely change the way we think of computing.Through these gates is a driveway that leads up to Meta's campus.
Portola Valley is a little bit west of Stanford University, which is about 30 miles south of San Francisco. The house is located about 15 minutes off the freeway, up a windy road.
Next door is the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation, which oversees one of the largest collections of historical military vehicles in the world.
There's a second gate that leads to the house, letting you know you're about to enter Meta's campus.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:GOOGLE: Here's The Ultimate Goal For Google GlassiRobot Cracked Open A Huge Market By Ignoring Everything People Thought About RobotsOculus Rift Creator Is Trying To Buy The Largest Video Game Collection In The World

subset: commoncrawl


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Summer Camp or Amusement Park?stevejb68 on October 20, 2012 in Scouting, summer camp
I had a dandy dream this morning. I paid an "out of season" visit to the Buckskin Camp of Many Point Scout Camp to check in on the campsite Troop 68 has been using for a number of years. I was quite surprised to find the camp staff at the Seton campsite preparing to set up the new climbing towers. This shocked me! But I knew the camp was making improvements. After all, in real life a new Handicrafts Lodge and Nature Lodge had been built this year. Back to the dream, I decided to help the staff prep the site for the new towers. The campsite would actually be a decent site for the towers, more centrally located, but I had always thought the old site was a good place for the towers also. Oh well, our troop would have to move to a different campsite next year.
In the dream I left the campsite for a moment (it seems to be just a few minutes). When I came back not only where the two towers completed but other things had been added. There was a new course for gas-biking (?), and a short zip-line which ended at a new small manmade lake. And there was still more construction going on for other things. My first thought was that the Seton Campsite is not this big! (Typical for a dream, isn't it?) My next thought was that they are turning summer camp into an amusement park. It is at this point that I woke up.
Needless to say, I was a little upset and confused when I woke up. Then I began thinking. I hope I never see a Boy Scout summer camp turn into an amusement park atmosphere. That would really kill the whole premise of the Scouting program. Valleyfair, Six Flags, and Disneyland are not good places to earn merit badges and learn life skills. This is one dream I do not want to see come true.


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Following is a story explaining the prolonged absense of the pirate lass, Annie Rose.
She remembers a face. A face of a man…a face she had never seen before. But she knew him; she knew who he was and why he was there. She remembers feeling numb; unable to move, unable to breathe, unable to scream. It seemed like a dream. She was floating in the sky, but not independently. There was an arm around her; locked around her ribs. She looked down and could see the ocean: dark and still. She could see a ship, the ship she was on with her friends. She felt like she was going higher and higher; the ship was getting smaller. The clouds were unfolding as a solid blanket over the ocean. She turned her head in an attempt to discover who was holding her, but she saw only a shoulder and the back-side of a white head of hair. Then there was darkness.
It was darkness so dark she thought she'd gone blind. She had to feel her face and her eyes to make sure she was still alive. She reached around, searching for a wall, a door, anything to touch. She fell to the floor, crawling, feeling around looking for something…anything. As she was crossing this dark space, her hand met something sharp. She felt the cut on the side of her hand and the sting of the blood leaving the wound. Carefully, she searched for the sharp object, tapping at the ground. She found a stone tile that had broke loose; she could only assume the sharp edges of the tile were responsible for the cut on her hand. As she tapped on the tile, it bounced and she was able to pick it up, but her fingers felt a void underneath the tile. "A hole?†Her curiosity motivated her to reach into the hole and she was surprised at the contents. "A book?†Her fingertips caressed the small book; the edges of the cover and the pages. She hid the book under her belt, hoping that she would eventually have an opportunity to read it. She sat still a moment, listening. The silence was frightening. She wondered if she'd been thrown into a pit somewhere and left to die. Her eyes felt hot as she started to cry, and then she slept.
She woke with the sound of a loud "clang!†As if a heavy door had opened and then shut. She sat up and just stared straight ahead. Out of the corner of her eye, there was a faint glow; she whipped her head in that direction to catch her first glimpse of light. She saw that there was a door…very likely a prison door…that the light was shining through. The glow got stronger and stronger, as if a torch was being carried toward her cell. The light, now upon the threshold, was broken by the figure of a stranger. She shielded her eyes and reeled back as the door swung open after a series of loud clicks. The arm she held up to block the light from her eyes was grasped firmly and she found herself bound with shackles.
"Wait! Please! Stop!†she shouted, still unable to see her keeper with her maladjusted eyes. She blinked and squinted and blinked even more until everything came into focus. She saw that she was being led by a grotesque looking individual. He was humanoid, indeed, but his very skin seemed to be falling off his bones; he walked with long strides and stood a tall height. In one hand, he held the chain that led her shackles and in the other hand he held a leather whip. She surveyed the land around her and noted that everything seemed dead…haunted, even. The trees were gnarly and leave-less. The air smelled stale, as if a spring breeze had not blown through here in centuries. Up ahead, there was a grand estate and grand it was in size, only. It looked to be falling in disrepair. She pulled back on her shackles a bit as her escort was moving very fast, hoping he would ease up. Instead, he halted and jerked the chain so hard that she was flung to the ground, face first. She cried out, having struck her knee against a sharp rock. She looked down at her knee to see a deep gash and then recoiled at the sensation of the whip licking her back. She screamed. The creature started walking again, and she was dragged for several paces until she was able to get back on her feet. As she entered the foyer of the manor, she was surprised at the condition of the estate. From the outside, it looked as if it would crumble to the ground at any second. But inside, it was lavish and extravagant. She stood in shock and bewilderment, gaping at her surroundings. She was led into a long room with marble floors and a tall ceiling. It reminded her of the interior of a temple with soaring arched ceilings, marble floors, and candles; there were candles everywhere. Large ornate chandeliers scattered the ceiling and the smell of spice filled the air. Her eyes followed a dark purple carpet in the middle of the room leading from the doorway to a…throne?
"What is this place?†she asked herself. She stopped to look around at this extraordinary room and was once again jerked hard down to the ground by her horrifying escort. Just as he was raising his whip, a loud shout sounded from the front of the room, and the beast dropped the chain and ran out of the room. She lay there a moment, trying hard to not feel the pain that was surging through her whole body. She lifted her head and saw him. He was walking toward her. She pushed herself up onto her feet and only one thought crossed her mind: "Run.†She turned and ran as fast as she could toward the door. She began to feel triumphant as she neared the door, now only paces away. To her horror, the door slammed shut and she, consequently, crashed into the door. She opened her eyes and he was crouching over her.
"Might I inquire where you think you are going, Love?†he said with a smirk.
"Koravel…†she groaned as she rolled over onto her side. She could think of nothing to say or do. She just stared at him.
"Your eyes…your beautiful, empty eyes. They hate me, Annie.†He pulled a key out his pocket, unlocked her shackles, and then cast them aside. She rubbed her wrists which were already bruised and blistered from the short time she wore them. She looked around at the room once more and then at him. All he did was look back at her. He raised a hand and touched her face. "I've been waiting so long for you, Annie. You've no idea how…happy I am at this moment.†He stood and offered her his hand, but she would not accept it.
Defiantly, she stood on her own, and she stood tall. "I'm tired, Koravel. Tired of your cryptic notes. Tired of your random appearances that usually end with me injured. Tired of you. Tell me what you want!†Annie felt the heat rising in her chest and the rage of merely being in his presence. Her mind was swimming with images of her attacking him and killing him with her bare hands. But in an instant he was (uncomfortably) close behind her.
With one arm around her waist and the other hand on her neck he whispered in her ear "Surely you should know.†He stroked her neck with a hand and then ran his fingers through her hair. She heard him whispering something that she couldn't understand and then she slept.
"BENOL! Get us moving NOW!†Bill sounded desperate as he shouted at Benol.
"He already said that we're making record time, Bill; we'll just have to prepare for what awaits us on the island now.†As Elan finished speaking, a howl shot through the air followed by a lighting crash that struck the mast of the ship. "Another storm!?†Elan fell to his knees and began praying to his Goddess again for protection, but the wind only blew stronger.
"Get off your knees and raise that sail, or else it'll be ripped by the—" Bill was running over to the pulley when the lighting struck again, this time putting a large hole in the side of the ship. He rushed over to the side that was struck and looked over at the damage; they were taking on water. Elan ran to assess the damage as well.
"What do we do?!?†Elan shouted; the waves were restless; the wind was wild; and they were sinking.
Bill clenched his teeth and hollered "To the lifeboat!†Bill turned to make his way to the lifeboat, but Benol had already set off with it! Bill and Elan just watched as Benol rowed away in their only hope for survival. The front of the ship groaned eerily and as the two turned to see what was headed their way next, a large wave crashed over the ship, knocking them both to the deck and unconscious.
Elan stirred and sat up, but a pain in his head caused him to cry out. He found that he was laying on a sea-weed littered beach and, about 30 feet away, he saw Bill lying motionless. He stood and trotted over to Bill, placed his hands on him, and chanted. Bill then opened his eyes and propped himself up onto an elbow.
"Thanks, Elan†followed a grumble. He looked at the wreckage around him and exclaimed a curse. "DAMMIT! We were so CLOSE!†He stood up and paced a few moments while Elan healed himself. He stopped as he noticed something on his person. He reached into his pocket. "What is this?†Bill pulled a note out of his pocket…a note with a black spot on it. His hand trembled, his jawed dropped open, and his eyes gaped. He slowly opened it and began reading the contents:
    It would seem that my plan is working. I have Annie, and you are alive. You may not understand my motives now, but rest assured…you will. My darling Annie Rose and I are finally together. You have no idea how long I've waited for this. But you, gentlemen, there is a reason I didn't kill you with the storm. I would suggest that you return to Doma as fast as the wind may carry you. Annie will return to you soon. The two of you must be there to greet her. The priest will have a very important message for her.                            -K
Bill crumbled the letter in disgust and threw it on the ground. Elan picked it up and read it, as well. He then searched all over himself looking for a note or anything else that a message may be conveyed with. "Message? What message?â€
Bill shook his head. "We're going back to Doma, NOW!â€
It was thus that the two paid for a pair of chocobos to carry them back home.
Annie opened her eyes; she was lying on a bed in a very ornate room. The first thing she saw was the mural on the domed ceiling; it was a painting of a woman holding a black sword to the sun. The bed-posts were carved to look like hour-glasses and almost every piece of furniture had been gilded. A large mirror hung on the wall opposite the bed; the wooden frame of the mirror had runic marks on it, but for some reason, the reflection was clouded, as if it wasn't real. Her clothes were changed and she was clean; but she was now wearing a silk nightgown. 'THE BOOK!' she exclaimed in her mind. She jumped off the bed and ran over to a wardrobe and swung the doors open looking for her clothes. When she turned around, Koravel was leaning on a bed-post reading…a small book. "Looking for this?†he smirked. "Very interesting reading in here. Where did you find it?†Annie was speechless.
"Give it to me. It's mine.†She held a hand out.
"Indeed.†He chuckled eerily and placed it in her hand. "But I doubt you'll enjoy the contents as much as I do.†He closed the doors of the wardrobe she was looking in and then walked over to a table in a corner of the room with a carafe and glasses on it. In the carafe was a dark liquid; it looked almost black, but it may have been a dark blue.
Annie looked at Koravel again, this time noting that he was wearing naught but silk pants. She suddenly felt very…violated, realizing that he was probably the one who undressed her and put her in this nightgown. "Whose bedroom is this?†she asked with a flush to her cheeks.
"Mine†he said as he poured two glasses of the dark liquid.
A dizzy haze swept over her and she stumbled into a nearby chair. She sat herself down and held her head in her hands. 'What game is he playing with me?' she thought to herself.
"Here. Drink this; it'll help.†He crouched next to the chair and held a glass in front of her. She shook her head.
"I'm not an idiot, Koravel†she hissed as she shoved his arm away. She looked up at him and saw him drinking the liquid out of the second glass. He was watching her. He didn't take his eyes off of her. She felt dizzy again. "Oh…†she leaned back in the chair and put a hand on her forehead. She looked at her other hand and was surprised to see that she was holding the glass. 'How did I—' she dropped it and glanced over at Koravel. His back was turned to her and he was looking out a window. On a table next to the chair was a small, but stout, statue. 'This could be my only chance to be done with him' she thought as she picked up the statue and crept quietly up behind him. She was just close enough to hit him with the statue when she froze and the statue fell from her hand. He turned and looked at her with his piercing green eyes.
"What do you think you are doing, Annie?†He seemed angry. The dizziness returned and was twice as intense as the previous time.
"What's wrong with me? What have you done?†She put a hand to her brow and staggered over to the bed and sat down. Again, Koravel brought her the glass.
"This will make you feel better…I promise.†He held the glass out…the same glass he was drinking out of.
She took it from him. 'Fine; I'll play your game.' She took a drink and the dizziness immediately subsided. She glanced up at him and saw that he was watching her again. Her eyes started to feel strange and the colors of the room started to shift. She blinked several times. "What is this?â€
"Just a side effect†he said coolly. There was a vial sitting near the carafe and Annie watched as he drank the contents. He seemed to be cringing as he slammed the vial down on the table and stood taut for a moment. Annie pulled herself further up onto the bed to be more comfortable, when her right arm went numb followed by her left.
'What's happening to me?' she thought to herself. Koravel turned to her as if she had asked him the question.
"Just the side effects, my love. I wanted you awake for this. But I wanted your…physical…condition to be perfect as well.â€
"Pphh—" she tried to speak but only a sputter left her lips and then nothing else. 'Dammit, Koravel! What are you doing?' she thought, knowing he could hear her that way at least.
"I helped you with your dizziness, remember. Plus, I've also primed your body for conception.†He sat on the bed next to her, looking at her. She felt her legs going numb now, starting from the toes, all the way up to her thighs. He pressed a hand on her hip. "Can you feel that?â€
'Don't touch me, you bloody cur!' she could still use and feel her torso, so she jerked away.
"Perfect†he said with a grin. "You've probably been wondering why I've haunted you all these years. Well, it's simple. I've been watching your family for a long time; particularly your mother's side. I spoke with an oracle YEARS ago…when your ancestors were still some of the few living in Ireland practicing the old ways. She told me to watch that family. She said in time there will be a woman who will have difficulties conceiving; she would be a weak woman. But, when she does conceive, she will have a daughter. The daughter of the weakest woman in that line, will be the strongest of all. Your mother was a weak woman…very weak indeed. She nearly died during her pregnancy with you and she would have had I not intervened. Thus, I have waited these many years to produce an heir. You will be the mother of my heir. He will be strong, like you, and powerful, like me. I will be utterly invincible when he joins me in power. Nations will fall to us; Kings will bow to us.†He gripped her nightgown tightly and tore it away.
'No…please…you BASTARD!' she thought. She wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn't. They were fixed open by his witchcraft. A tear ran out the corner of her eye, and she had no choice but to watch him and what he was doing to her. She wanted to kick him, punch him, throw him off, but her appendage paralysis left her vulnerable. Her mind was devoid of any rational thoughts. She wanted death. She wanted to die. She wanted to kill him. She wanted to vomit. It felt like hours were passing…and the hours turned into days; days of this…torture…and she felt pain. She promised herself if she ever made it out of this, she would kill him. She would make him bleed; make him hurt; make him beg for mercy. She would watch the life leave his eyes and his last breath escape his lips. When he finally stopped, he kissed her hard. She wanted so badly to spit in his face, but she couldn't. He lay down next to her and put a hand on her belly and whispered something. At last, she closed her eyes and she slept.
Edited by: [url=http://p068.ezboard.com/brpgww60462.showUserPublicProfile?gid=battleaccountant>Battle] at: 7/23/06 11:29


text:
READ about Piers Morgan's long career in journalism here.
Monday evening's edition of "Piers Morgan Live" offered a decidedly Hollywood feel, as two-time Academy Award winner Sean Penn joined the program for a live interview from Los Angeles.
Well known for signature roles in such films as "Milk," "Mystic River," and "Dead Man Walking," Penn is equally passionate about a variety of human rights causes and often speaks openly and passionately about politics and world affairs.
As his conversation with Piers Morgan turned to Edward Snowden and leaked information on government agencies use of secret data-mining programs, the 53-year-old took exception with specific terminology:
"A legitimate whistle-blower is one who is the curator of the information that they're distributing," said Penn, referring to the tag often affixed to the former CIA employee and NSA contractor. "I don't feel that that's the case with Snowden ... I think that we will find forgiveness in our justice system and in our hearts when somebody has called foul on crimes ... by our government against our people, or against other governments or people."
In the truest sense of the word, Penn felt that gathering and sharing information can be a noble endeavor, so long as it's in the interest of protection, safety and transparency:
"The whistle-blower term is being associated with a blitz of information, based on the kind of narcissism of the so-called whistle-blower," he began, before explaining the ways in which the act can be positive. "I encourage the whistle-blower who sees that the constitution of our country is being violated and who takes the risk to sacrifice themselves, but they've got to be very careful."
Watch the clip for more of Morgan's interview with Sean Penn, and to learn about the actor's work with Haitian runners competing in Sunday's New York City marathon, check out The Long Run for Haiti crowdrise campaign.
For the next edition of "Piers Morgan Live," watch CNN every night at 9.
» Follow "Piers Morgan Live" on Twitter
» Follow "Piers Morgan Live" on Instagram
How long will the Media stay silent about Saudi Arabia's brutality?
NYC is the next 'major' marathon post-Boston? Clearly Mr. Morgan wasn't in Washington DC this weekend for the Marine Corps Marathon and it's 23,720 finishers, and the amount of those wearing "Boston-Strong" shirts.
You have to be a curator to be a whistle blower? Wow. Where do these people come from?
ya, how exactly are those two connected? does this mean Sean Penn isn't an actor because he's not the curator of the theaters his movies are shown? I can't even comprehend what his point is.
Excellent point.
@William and KB
I don't get the "curator" point, either, and I'm surprised because I find most of Mr. Penn's politics admirable.
I think he chose his words poorly, but I believe I GET what his point was. What he is saying is Snowden was never a true 'insider'. He was not a 'policy maker', or 'decision maker' of any sort. Matter of fact, he was low rank and file, and going public has set him for life, assuming he avoids charges and extradition. He is the equivalent of a new sports reporter, who really doesn't know football strategy yet. He can 'report the game' fine, but has no insight. That said? I don't really know why that would be very relevant either.
I have watched you from the beginning of your actual socio-political campaign. To have an "intellectual" discussion with an American that essentially calls a quarter of the country uneducated because they didn't graduate from Santa Monica college and don't have the money to help the Haitians recover from their tragedies, is well who you have always proven to be. While I do not agree with what the tea party has done in the past two months I am not afraid to say the other side of the isle is just as at fault. Understandably, you pretend to understand this country and the principles on which it was created only because you have been blessed to know the spoils. You've never suffered here. You've never wanted here. You've never experienced what it is to be an American and fight for that dream to which it is so often referred. I for not one second deny nor wish any one person to not live and absolutely thrive in our country, for my father is from Manchsster, England. However, what does bother me is that when I see a prominent and high profile figure not only continue to promote his or her one-sided and more than biased opinion but promote his anger on national television when confronted by invited opposition; and I couldn't be more disappointed. You have valid political points and your arguments could very well influence the likes of your "uneducated" audience; however, your tactics have become violent and unacceptable, to which I truly hope ratings are not the driver. Please consider moving to an unbiased, two-sided, and educational program that allows the American people a chance to judge the facts for themselves, rather than cast a god-given right to vote because a celebrity television host told them so.
God Bless you sir and wish you the best.
Our Country is Nothing without an Education! Great point!
Reblogged this on losangelesmobilemechanics.
Actors with agendas makes my head hurt. Sean Penn is an undereducated overpaid puppet. Please exit stage right!
I respect Sean Penn and feel he is a thoughtful, good American. I do think he's covering his A** here so to speak, and acquiesing to the powers that be and towing the party line about Snowden and Manning. Ellsberg himself defended both and insisted they were "whistle-blowers". http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/08/03/208602113/pentagon-papers-leaker-daniel-ellsberg-praises-snowden-manning
In this article he hits the nail on the head...yet, the national dialogue has been directed
and driven by the goverment agencies that need to be exposed....this talk of treacery,betrayl and traitor-ism. has obfuscated the issue... we need to be talking about what happens if these same people keep leading us toward a closed society. The real traitors here are those eroding our democracy.The spin doctors are in control and even people like Penn are drinking the kool-aid or he's afraid to say what he really feels on national television.
Asking Sean Penn for an informed opinion on Ed Snowden is apparently as useful as asking Daffy Duck for his thoughts on recombinant DNA technology.
We are at the point where anyone with any degree of notoriety, be it acting, rap music, sports, or comedic mediocrity (aka Maher) has whatever podium available to espouse their personal positions, educated or no, about whatever the "hot topic" for discussion is at this place in time. While I applaud Mr. Penn's efforts in Haiti to improve the quality of life (IF in fact he is still focused on that mission), I don't believe that his capacity for judgment on every social issue is
pertinent, just because some numbskull shoves a mic in his face, validating his comments as those of import...
will quit piers as of today. i didnt know he hate american people so much. he need to leave and go back where he came from
Sean who? I think I recall him in a movie or two years ago. None of his movies have ever been very good. He should move on to greener pastures. His views are so left that he comes across as a fanatic. Sad that he has drugged or pickled his brain to near senility.
As per Sean Penn and his ilk, Aesop had a good fable about the "Monkey Who Would Be King".
Sean Penn seems frustrated.
He needs to have another drink and beat his wife some more....
How sad,,,Sean Penn selling out to the Feds
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why have you edited Mr. Penn's full statement on Snowdon? edited what he said to preclude anything negative (except, "narcissistic,, which most of your viewers have no clue the meaning of anyway)? y'all are becoming quite the "progressive" equivalent of FOX news (and the like)......
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Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher may have finished this weekend's U.S. Grand Prix in 16th place, but he didn't walk away empty handed. It turns out that the German liked Texas so much, he bought a 500-acre ranch there this weekend.
Schumacher's wife Corinna, who is more into horses than horsepower, had already been working with horses at the ranch, which is set up with stables for 36 of them. He told reporters that they will continue living in Switzerland, although they plan on spending more time in Texas.
If he ever needs help cuttin' brush out there, we know just the guy to show him the ropes.
Photo credit: YouTube; Associated Press


text: This could be a touchy subject, so I've tried to word things carefully. Does anybody who is NOT a vendor have a problem with me giving each vendor my mappings, only for their own tools? There may be a concern that the vendors could use these mappings for "marketing purposes" earlier than they are "supposed to" (e.g. before public release.) Would the vendors be able to guarantee that these mappings wouldn't be used for any marketing purposes, at least before public release of the CVE? Note that this particular issue may be a touchy one with my management, so everyone's input will go a long way. I recognize that giving the vendors my current mappings for their tools would reduce duplicate efforts, and help them to more efficiently assess how the CVE may apply to their databases. It is my opinion that MITRE should respect the vendors' requests for "privacy" in limiting the distribution of unreviewed mappings to their tools. However, I know that this might not appear entirely kosher to others. Each of my mappings dates to around February. About 100 CVE vulnerabilities are shared across all/most tools, so we could do a "sub-mapping" if people have problems with me providing the entire mappings. The entire mappings are between 50% and 80% complete with respect to the current CVE version. They have some inaccuracies due to incomplete descriptive text in the vulnerability lists. I have mappings for ISS Internet Scanner, Real Secure, and System Security Scanner, Netect HackerShield, Axent NetRecon (without their own vulnerability ID's), an old version of NetSonar, and CyberCop Scanner. In the spirit of fairness and efficiency, I would be willing to offer a "mapping service" to others in this input forum who have their own vulnerability databases, provided you can give me a text dump of the database's descriptive text and its identifier (if any). I'm familiar enough with the CVE and the advanced mapping script to be able to create a reasonable mapping in a few hours (assuming the database has similar content for the CVE). Of course, the long term maintenance of the mappings will be the database owner's responsibility, as Dave indicated on Sunday. To the non-ISS vendors, note that because I utilized the X-Force database during CVE research, there are already a lot of references in there that implicitly form a partial mapping, although ISS has explicitly NOT utilized this information yet. - Steve


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Drama List
Starting with: J
Jackal Is Coming (Movie)Korean DramaClumsy and off-the-wall hit man Bong Min-jung (Song Ji-hyo) is hired to kill top Hallyu star Choi Hyun (Kim Jaejoong). She ambushes him at Paradise Hotel in Seong-ju where the… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2012 Rating: 8.75/10 (205 Votes)
Jade Palace Lock HeartChinese DramaLuo Qing Chuan is a modern-day girl who accidentally travels back in time to Emperor Kang Xi's era of the Qing dynasty. She gets embroiled into the princes' struggle for… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2011 Rating: 9.62/10 (176 Votes)
Jail BreakersKorean MovieMo-Suk(Cha Seung-Won) is put in jail for stealing. Since he repeatedly tries to escape, his sentence is made longer. Mo-Suk?s cell-mate, Jae Pil (Sul Kyung Ku) has been sentenced to… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2002 Rating: 9.38/10 (13 Votes)
Jakarta (Movie)Korean MovieTuesday morning, the Vice President is visiting the bank to see if everything is working fine at his fathers` business. His real intentions, though, is to steal some money from… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2000 Rating: 7.25/10 (4 Votes)
Jane (Movie)Korean MovieSo-Hyun is a girl who is scared to be alone. She seeks out people to hang around with, but Jung-Ho is the only person to accept her. Jung-Ho then leaves… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2017 Rating: 5.5/10 (2 Votes)
Jang Bori is Here!Korean DramaA story about the life of a mother and two daughters; a real daughter and an adopted daughter whose fates are twisted and lives change due to the real daughter… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2014 Rating: 9.27/10 (504 Votes)
Jang Ok Jung, Live in LoveKorean DramaThis drama tells the story of Jang Ok Jung, known as Lady Jang Hee Bin, one of Korea's best known royal concubines of the Joseon Dynasty and became known for… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2013 Rating: 9.54/10 (1080 Votes)
Jang Young ShilKorean DramaDrama series follows the life Jang Yeong-Sil: a scientist, technician and inventor during the Joseon period. Jang Yeong-Sil was born in the lower class nobi. King Sejong notices his abilities… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2016 Rating: 9.59/10 (134 Votes)
Jasmine FlowerChinese MovieJasmine Women is an effort "dedicated to all mothers", as its opening credits assert. Based on the book Fu Nü Sheng Huo (Life of Women) by Su Tong, it is… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2004 Rating: 7.29/10 (7 Votes)
Jaws In Japan (Movie)Japanese MovieBeautiful girls are in danger. At Sunny Beach, a huge shark is waiting for his prey. College students Miki and Mai arrive on a private beach on a tropical island.… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2010 Rating: 6.88/10 (8 Votes)
Jealousy IncarnateKorean DramaThe drama depicts romance as well as intense competitive rivalry between an anchor and a weather forecaster working together for a television news show. [More]Status: Completed Released: 2016 Rating: 9.52/10 (275 Votes)
JejoongwonKorean DramaJejoongwon is the first modern hospital in Korea established in the Joseon era in 1885. Baek Do Yang is a nobleman who gives up his status to enter its ranks.… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2010 Rating: 9.57/10 (63 Votes)
Jenny, JunoKorean MovieThe film centers on the title characters of Jenny and Juno , two fifteen year old middle school students whose one night of romance has dramatic consequences for both their… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2005 Rating: 8.83/10 (77 Votes)
Jeon Woo ChiKorean DramaJeon U Chi (Cha Tae Hyeon) helps people using Taoist magic. He got his powers by swallowing a bead from a fox with nine tails. Jeon U Chi loves Princess… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2012 Rating: 9.18/10 (160 Votes)
Jeong Do JeonKorean DramaThe late 14th c, Goryeo. Abuse of power and corruption made people to leave the government offices and only the corrupted people are left in the high offices. When there… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2014 Rating: 8.83/10 (53 Votes)
Jeong Seung Pil MysteryKorean Movie?The Weird Missing Case of Mr. J? is a detective-comedy centered around fund manager Seung-pil Jeong (Beom-su Lee). Seung-pil Jeong manages some 50 billion wons in assets and suddenly disappears… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2009 Rating: 9.2/10 (5 Votes)
Jeonwoochi (Movie)Korean Movie"Woochi" begins in the Chosun Dynasty in 1509 and involves a trio of Taoist wizards, a magician named Jeon Woo Chi (Kang Dong-Won) and his dog turned man, a corrupt… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2009 Rating: 9.15/10 (110 Votes)
Jessica & KrystalKorean DramaJessica & Krystal will take viewers behind the scenes to Jung Soo Yeon and Jung Soo Jung's stylish life as sisters and friends. [More]Status: Completed Released: 2014 Rating: 8.49/10 (288 Votes)
Jigoku Sensei NubeJapanese DramaMeisuke Nueno (Ryuhei Maruyama) is the homeroom teacher of a 2nd grade 3 class in high school. He is referred to as Nube. He sometimes carries himself as an idiot,… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2014 Rating: 9.5/10 (72 Votes)
Jikou KeisatsuJapanese DramaKiriyama Shuichiro works as an information management officer in the prefectural police station. As he is very observant and has interest in the unresolved cases which have gone past the… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2006 Rating: 9.23/10 (30 Votes)
Jikou Keisatsu 2Japanese DramaOne year has past, Kiriyama works at the same police station and he is still interested in unsolved cases which belong to the statute of limitations. Together with his asistance… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2007 Rating: 9.42/10 (24 Votes)
Jikuu Tantei OyuJapanese DramaOne day, Yuka Sekiguchi who is working at a real estate company, had to take over her grandmother's house and was asked to check for a hidden closet. Due to… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2019 Rating: 10/10 (1 Votes)
Jimi ni Sugoi!Japanese DramaKouno Etsuko joins a publishing company with her sights set on becoming a fashion editor. But she is assigned to the very unglamorous proofreading department which examines and fixes errors… [More]Status: Completed Released: 2016 Rating: 9.82/10 (34 Votes)


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In a post earlier this week, I wrote that plastics recyclers should invite their Congressional representative for a plant tour.
Obviously the advice applies to every manufacturer in the plastics industry.
I like to highlight when processors host such an event, and today's example is Hilliard, Ohio-based Advanced Drainage Systems Inc.
ADS had U.S. Rep. Robert Latta tour its Findlay, Ohio, polyethylene pipe extrusion plant. The congressman watched equipment making large diameter, corrugated pipe used in storm water management systems.
"We appreciate the opportunity to discuss the needs of our organization and to provide an overview of how we operate, with a focus on our employee development programs," Tom Fussner, executive vice president and chief operating officer, said in a news release.
For his part, Latta — a Republican — said it was "absolutely essential for me to visit facilities, such as ADS, to hear about the opportunities and obstacles currently facing our job creators."
ADS has 3,800 employees and was founded in 1966. The company has 57 domestic and international manufacturing plants and 28 regional distribution centers.


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Bryan Namba comes to the XPRIZE foundation with three years of experience in local government public policy. Mr. Namba is an Associate Project Manager on the Impact and Design team where he uses his background in public policy to design XPRIZE competitions and to identify breakthroughs that benefit humanity.
Prior to joining XPRIZE, Mr. Namba was a Policy Analyst with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, a joint-power of the City and County of Los Angeles, where he worked on the design of the coordinated system of care for individuals experiencing homelessness. Mr. Namba also worked for the City of Seattle Mayor's Office of Policy and Innovation where he advised on a portfolio of affordable housing and homeless services policy.
Mr. Namba holds a Master of Public Administration and a certificate in Non-Profit Management from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Law and Public Policy from the University of Arizona.


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One of our readers tells us that the Brussels Griffon, CH
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Juli Lacey-Black has braved the snowy roads of Suffern NY to bring us this report on day one of the Rockland Country Kennel Club show. Judge William Dolan had an experienced bunch in his final seven including the the English Setter, CH Reidwood Red Alert , the Harrier, CH Downhome Family Tradition, the Boxer, CH Winfall Brookwood Styled Dream, the Parson Russell Terrier, CH Thunder Hill Soul Journey , the Toy Poodle, CH Smash JP Moon Walk, The Standard Poodle, CH Hillwood Dassin De-Lovely, and the Bouvier Des Flandres, CH Drewlynn's Louis Vuitton.
The snow white Toy Poodle, Walker, bounced back from a disappointing Toy Group appearance at Westminster to win today's show. This impressive little guy, finished 2008 with seven BIS, and we feel he is still a DOG2WATCH.
The snow white Toy Poodle, Walker, bounced back from a disappointing Toy Group appearance at Westminster to win today's show. This impressive little guy, finished 2008 with seven BIS, and we feel he is still a DOG2WATCH.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 6:45 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Friday, February 20, 2009
We have some partial show results in from Suffern NY and the Wallkill Kennel Club where the Bulldog, CH Kepley's Showbiz Razzle Dazzle, went BIS. You may remember this beautiful bitch from Westminster where she took a Non-Sporting Group Three.
Among the other finalists were the Bloodhound, CH Soonipi Dncin In The Moonlite MLH, and the Toy Poodle, CH Smash JP Moon Walk. The two year old Bulldog, bred by Marjorie D Kepley & Jack Kepley, owned by Joan L Fisher, Robert D Speiser & Barbara Wolfe, and handled by Phoebe Jordan Booth, finished 2008 with four BIS.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 9:11 PM 0 comments Links to this post
We have just hit a major milestone. We have recorded over 100,000 hits on our site. Our thanks to you all for making our little site into a success. We are very grateful that so many of you have found this blog entertaining. We hope we can continue to live up to your expectations
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 2:09 PM 2 comments Links to this post
We have completed updating our national and regional rankings. Our national rankings are on the right hand side bar. Our regional rankings are on the left hand side bar below the traditional national rankings. Now that we are two months into the year, we are starting to see some variation between our rankings and the traditional rankings. Chief among these differences is the appearance of the Lakeland Terrier, CH Hi-Kel Terrydale Soldier of Fortune, on our top ten and the absence of the Doberman Pinscher, CH Allure Blazing Star Alisation, who is number four on the traditional list.
Under the traditional system a Terrier Group winner will receive, on the average, 40 percent of the points that the Working Group winner receives, even though there are 26 breeds in the Working Group and 27 breeds in the Terrier Group. Under our system all group winners receive the same number of points at any given show. In any event, peruse the rankings, especially the regional rankings. If you find your dog is on our regional rankings and we have no photo, please provide us with one. Finally, remember our rankings are designed to give exposure to more of your lovely dogs, so enjoy and don't go getting too serious on us.
Under the traditional system a Terrier Group winner will receive, on the average, 40 percent of the points that the Working Group winner receives, even though there are 26 breeds in the Working Group and 27 breeds in the Terrier Group. Under our system all group winners receive the same number of points at any given show. In any event, peruse the rankings, especially the regional rankings. If you find your dog is on our regional rankings and we have no photo, please provide us with one. Finally, remember our rankings are designed to give exposure to more of your lovely dogs, so enjoy and don't go getting too serious on us.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 2:02 PM 0 comments Links to this post
The nation's top dogs have descended upon Chicago and on the first day it was Sadie, Sadie, Scottie Lady. Judge Dana Cline followed the lead of so many others, handing the 2009 Park Shore Kennel Club BIS title to the Scottish Terrier, CH Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot.
Sadie fought her way out of a Terrier Group chockablock full of BIS winners to face the Gordon Setter, CH Firethorn & SandpiperEasy On The Eyes, the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, CH Afterglow Ebeneezer, the Rottweiler, CH CammCastle Friar Tuck, the Brussels Griffon, CH Cilleine Masquerade, the Standard Poodle, CH BAr-None Dawn Travelin`Man, and the Bouvier Des Flandfres, CH Quiche`s Demetrius. This win puts Sadie in the second place slot in the national rankings just ahead of the recently retired Pointer, CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry. Although Sadie has twice the number of points than any other Terrier, she still lags behind the number one dog in the US, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit, by nearly 5,000 points.
However, the year is young and there are lots of big shows to come in the next few weeks. And, as always, you will read about them here first.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 10:22 AM 1 comments Links to this post
Thursday, February 19, 2009
We know we don't always report out on limited breed shows, but we have a request for the results on yesterday's Great Lakes All Terrier Association in Chicago and we are Terrier people ;-) So without further ado, here they are.
CH J'cobe Kemosabe Vigilante Justice
The Scottish Terrier, CH Roundtown Mercedes At Maryscot, continues to dominate her group, going Group One. DOG2WATCH, the Welsh Terrier, CH Sanherpinc Paisa, took Group Two. The Smooth Fox Terrier, CH J'cobe Kemosabe Vigilante Justice, also a DOG2WATCH, got the Group Three. The final spot went to 2008's top Airedale, CH Stirling Cool Hand Luke. This is shaping up to be quite a year for the Terriers.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 5:01 PM 5 comments Links to this post
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
While we were working on our rankings we realized that we had not given you the results from Monday's Colorado Kennel Club in Denver CO. With nearly 10,000 dogs entered over the four days, this cluster has a huge impact on our rankings.
Judge Donald Jones had a trio of 2009 top ten dogs in his final, the Golden Retriever, CH Toasty's Treasure Island, the Scottish Terrier, CH Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot, and the Brussels Griffon, CH Cilliene Masquerade. Also standing for consideration were the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, CH Afterglow Ebeneezer, the Newfoundland, Good AS Gold Animalamual Del Basabura, the Miniature Poodle, CH Alegria Shamus, and the German Shepherd Dog, CH Shoal Creek's Sangria V Barick.
Picking up another BIS and closing in on the number two position in the rankings was the Scottie, Sadie. We won't know for sure if she has passed the Pointer, Holly for a couple of days. But is clear that she has served notice that she intends to take on all comers.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 7:01 PM 3 comments Links to this post
This week it's all about the Windy City where four all breed shows kick off tomorrow on fashionable Lake Shore Drive with the Park Shore Kennel Club show, continuing on Friday with the Blackhawk Kennel Club event, and culminating with two shows hosted by the International Kennel Club of Chicago. These used to be mega events, but hard economic times have reduced entries to the 2000 dog level, still very respectable, if not top 25. In the New York metro area, you can head up to Rockland County and the town of Suffern NY where we have the Wallkillsunday Kennel Club hosting on Friday, and the Rockland County Kennel Club doing the honors on Saturday and Sunday.
Chicago Lakefront
If you've had enough of winter already, you need a six show weekend to gather those last few points, and you don't mind driving between shows, check out the Valdosta Kennel Club's offering Friday in…. Valdosta GA, then pack up the SUV and drive the 90 minutes to Tallahassee FL for the double header from the Ochlockonee River Kennel Club Of Florida. Then pack up and drive two hours to Dothan AL for the Southeast Alabama Kennel Club's show. Then if you still need points and you have any gas left in the tank, drive less than an hour to Marianna FL for the two shows by the Greater Panama City Dog Fanciers Association. You may not finish your dog, but if you leave the sunroof open, you'll get a nice tan.
Boca Raton FL, Intercoastal Waterway
Finally, if you are like us and like to visit places you could never afford to live, get a blood test and visit the Boca Raton (FL) Kennel Club on Saturday or the Silver Bay Kennel Club of San Diego's two day event in the ocean front town of Del Mar CA. Oh, and they will have some really nice dogs there as well.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 5:16 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Susan Lowder, Downhome Harriers, contacted us about Indiana House Bill 1468, which is being fast tracked through the Indiana State Assembly, disguised as an anti-animal cruelty bill. It will, in fact, make it extremely difficult to even show in Indiana. You can read the whole ugly thing at http://www.in.gov/legislative.
We sent the following to Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and 54 members of the Indiana House of Representatives. We encourage you to contact the Governor and as many of the house members as you can. (We won't get into the tedious cut and paste process we used). Feel free to borrow from our ideas and words, but do put your own thoughts in to it too.
I write a blog about dog shows. A reader of mine has alerted me to the subject bill currently under your consideration. Before you saddle you constituents with unnecessary requirements, I ask you to consider the following:
- This past weekend Indianapolis hosted one of the country's largest dog shows. This show brought several thousand exhibitors, vendors, and spectators. This bill would make it virtually impossible for out of state exhibitors to come and spend their money in your cash strapped state. This weekend's shows were but four of the dozens of shows held in your state each year.
- Limits on hobby breeders (and this bill will limit hobby breeders) has a ripple effect on the pet economy which according to a recent CNBC special is a $43B a year industry. Whatever Indiana's share of this is, it is income your state can ill afford to lose.
- States and communities that have such legislation have incurred unnecessary administrative costs. The sponsors of this bill that have told you that this is self funded have mislead you. San Mateo County California (South of San Francisco, where else?) has never been able to recoup costs in the over 20 years since passing such legislation.
- Thirty of the AKC registered breeds have less than 200 registrations a year, making them more endangered than Polar Bears, Gorillas, or Grey Whales. These breeds include the Sussex Spaniel, one of which just won the Westminster Dog Show, and the American Foxhound, a breed created by our first President, George Washington. These restrictions will eliminate the rare breeds produced in your state.This bill will not prevent unethical people from exploiting animals, but it will contribute to the loss of income to your state and impede many of your constituents' ability to own and keep the dog of their choice.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 11:39 PM 8 comments Links to this post
We've updated the traditional top ten rankings and the big change is we now have two toy dogs in the top ten. On the strength of BIS and Toy Group wins at the weekends two largest shows, the Pug, CH Tupelo Shoboat Tu China Tu, and the Brussels Griffon, CH Cilleine Masquerade moved into the top ten. The Pug, Boo, ended 2008 at number eleven, barely missing the top ten. Lincoln, the Griff, came in last year at number five.
We will will publish our top ten tomorrow when we finish the iterative regional ranking process.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 4:05 PM 0 comments Links to this post
In the mile high atmosphere of the Denver CO, one can get a little light headed, but throw in a BIS over top ten dogs, and a 2500 plus dog entry, and you can get get a little giddy. However, for the Brussels Griffon, CH Cilleine Masquerade , it was just another day at the office.
Judge Faye Strauss' job was made no easier by the presence of the Golden Retriever, Toasty's Treasure Island, the Rhodesian Ridgeback, CH Strasridge's Femme Fatale CGC, The Great Pyrenees, CH Rivergroves Trump This, the Scottish Terrier, CH Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot, the American Eskimo Dog, CH Silveroak's First & Foremost, and the German Shepherd Dog, CH Shoal Creeks's Sangria V Barick. Lincoln is already the number two Toy Dog in the US this year. This win will put him back in the top ten dogs all breed.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 1:48 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Down in Texas Judge Michael J. Dachel had the top job at the Guadalupe Valley Kennel Club in San Marcos Texas and his choice for BIS was the Wire Fox Terrier, CH Dalriada's Mystic.
Also on hand in the final seven were the Field Spaniel, CH Bitterblue's Here Comes Da Judge, the Wirehaired Dachshund, CH Rivendell Dark Side Of The Moon SW, the Great Dane, CH Summerfield's Lady Of Hope, the Chinese Crested, CH Pahlavi Peepin' Tom, the Standard Poodle, CH Donnchada Sweet Dreams, and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, CH Heart Of Gold Power Play. We understand this is the first BIS for the 19 month old bitch. Congratulations to breeder/owner Cara Campbell DVM, co-owner Mike Doleski, and handler Klayton Harris.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 1:21 PM 2 comments Links to this post
Down South at the South Arkansas Kennel Club in Camden AR, Judge Dorothy Nickles gave another Pekingese a BIS this weekend. This one went to CH Franshaw Hear Me Roar.
CH Franshaw Hear Me Roar
Also in contention were the Labrador Retriever, CH Ridge Views Magician, the 13" Beagle, CH Alamos El Caporal, the Black Russian Terrier with a tongue twisting name, CH Stioplyh Zved Lizaveta Prokaznitsa, the Westminster Terrier Group Three winner, the Norwich Terrier, CH Skyscot's Poker Chip, the French Bulldog, CH Daystars A Touch Of Gold, and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, CH Twinroc Santa Paws. It was the third BIS this year for the Peke, the latest collaboration between breeder/owner John Shaw and Pekinese handler extraordinaire Hiram Stewart.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 12:34 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Moving west to another "I" state, we had the Keomah Kennel Club show in Des Moines IA where Judge Dana Cline was in a black mood giving his BIS to the Black Cocker Spaniel, CH Exl's Leather N Lace.
Also vying for the judge's attention were the Wirehaired Dachshund, CH Daybreaks Awesome Blossom W, the Great Pyrenees, Valle D'Aspe Polar Indecision, the Miniature Schnauzer, CH Rampages Jewel Thief, the Toy Fox Terrier, CH Azefer Hopalongcassidy, the Keeshond, CH Karolina Bonnyval Deal No Deal, and the Belgian Tervuren, CH Majics Image Maker. It was the first BIS this year for the top winning Black Cocker, who had five BIS in 2008. Congratulations to breeders/owners Sandy Knaus & Jan Huml and handler Jeff Wright.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 12:18 PM 2 comments Links to this post
The largest show this weekend, with 2522 dogs entered, was in the heartland, in Indianapolis IN, where the members of the Hoosiers Kennel Club know how to pick a name. And Judge Darryl Vice knows how to pick a BIS winner, tapping the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, CH Cornerstone Soliloquy, as his top dog.
The finalists included the Gordon Setter, CH Firethorn & Sandpiper's Easy On The Eyes, the Afghan Hound, CH Karakush Dot Com A U, the Alaskan Malamute, CH Nanuke's Still The One, the Pug, CH Tupelo ShoBoat Tu China Tu, the Standard Poodle, CH Bar-None Dawin Travelin' Man, and the Old English Sheepdog, CH Lambluv's Daydream Believer. It was a very big first BIS for the 16 moth old bitch, "Piper". Congratulations to breeders Damon Folmar & Sam Royall, owners, Maryanne & Larry Goethals, and handler Holley Eldred.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 11:52 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Those preferring sun to snow headed to Lakeland FL where Judge Mark Kennedy was holding court at the Lakeland-Winterhaven Kennel Club. His final seven included the timely named German Wirehaired Pointer, CH Star K's Mile Hi Valentine, the Afghan Hound, CH Genesis Silverado, the Newfoundland, CH Halcyon-Cofina Queen Isabela, the Skye Terrier, CH Cragsmoor Buddy Goodman, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, CH Modrian VH Lamslag, the Standard Poodle, CH Dawn Spitfire, and the Bouvier Des Flandres, CH Warwick's Paint the Town Red. Queen for the day was the Newfoundland. We applaud breeders Roberta Jarel & Mary Price, owner Lourdes Cofino, and handler Arvind De Braganca.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 11:27 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Well, now that the computer staffs of the AKC and INFODOG are back from their ski weekend.,(We heard Tahoe was a mess.) we can finally give you a full report on this past weekend. Since we last reported on the West Coast we shall begin on the East Coast in Hartford CT where we have the country's least dog related named kennel club, the First Company Governor's Foot Guard Athletic Association, hosting a show.
Judge Judy Harrington had a group of dogs who have done their share of winning, 2008's number one English Springer Spaniel, CH Cerise Jesse James, the BIS winning 15" Beagle, CH Torquay Midnight Confession, the BIS winning Rottweiler, CH Blackrocks Kazanova, the 2008 AKC/Eukanuba Terrier Group winner, the Sealyham Terrier. CH Efbe's Merci Pour Le Poive, the 2008 top Miniature Pinscher, CH Kimro's Soldier Boy, the young Group winning Schipperke, CH De Lamer Point Blank, and the BIS winning Bearded Collie, CH Tolkien Raintree Mister Baggins.
Congratualtions to breeders/owners Larry & Angela Stein, Robert Lamm, & Lesley Woodcock, co-owner Ellen Charles, and handler Clifford Steele on the Roy's (the Beardie) first BIS of 2009.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 10:54 AM 1 comments Links to this post
Monday, February 16, 2009
Judge Mildred Bryant had some familiar faces and some new faces in her final seven today at the Santa Clara Valley Kennel Club show in San Jose CA. Among those assembled were a Golden Retriever from the classes, Fairegold's Mr. Tambourine Man, the 2008 number one Rhodesian Ridgeback, CH Pupukearidge Ikaika O Sprngvly, the 2008 number one dog all breeds, Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit, the barely two year old Australian Terrier, CH Bluemoon Call Me Irresistible, the even younger Pekingese, CH Pequest Grand Slam, the multi BIS Standard Poodle, CH Penndragon Masaniello, and the four year old Beauceron, CH Volcan De La Negresse. Once again, it was the Giant Schnauzer, Spirit, showing everyone how it's done, picking up another BIS.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 10:52 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Maybe's it's my penchant for alliteration creating it's own reality. After all we started the weekend with a Pug party. Now up in Albany OR, we had a Pom go BIS on Saturday and a Peke go BIS on Sunday.
Judge Karen McFarlane chose the Pekingese, CH Dunkirk's I'm Gonna Live Forever, as her top dog out of a final that included the Golden Retriever, CH Rush Hill's River Road Payoff, the Pharoah Hound, Nefer-Temu Mia Sambasonic SC,the Saint Bernard, CH Tinkerbells Solid Gold, the Cairn Terrier, CH Kiowa MMDW Driving Miss Daisy, the Standard Poodle, CH Randenn Tristar Affirmation, and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, CH Coventry Fair. Congratulations to Fame's, breeder/owner/handler Tim Reese, co-breeder/owner Randy Winters, and co-owner J. Robert Jacobsen.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 3:07 PM 0 comments Links to this post
It wasn't all bad luck on Friday the 13th. Among the BIS winners we have not reported are the Scottish Terrier, CH Roundtown Mercedes Of Maryscot, at the Plum Creek Kennel Club in Denver CO, and the Havanese, CH Harbor's It Had To Be Me, at day two of the Sara Bay Kennel Club in Lakeland FL.
On Valentine's Day it was hearts and roses for BIS winners CH Westwood Alladin, the Rough Collie, at the Greenville Kennel Club in Greenville SC, CH Polar Mist X-Tasy, the Samoyed, at the Central Indiana Kennel Club in Inidanapolis IN, CH Country Squire Heaven Can Wait, the English Setter at the second Plum Creek Kennel Club show in Denver CO, and CH Modrian VH Lamslag, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, at the Lakeland-Winter Haven Kennel Club show in Lakeland FL.
We will be back later with Sunday's results.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 12:40 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Well, we had to wait until the witching hour for results, but we do have some for you. First the complete ones. In San Jose, the Santa Clara Valley Kennel Club ignored the blustery weather and put on a first class show with a first class BIS winner, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit. Judge Janet Sinclair had a great cast of supporting characters in the Golden Retriever, CH Birnam Wood's Hoot Gibson. The Greyhound, CH Sobers Galathea At Grandcru, the Norfolk Terrier, CH Jaeva Golden Auric, the Pekingese, CH Pequest Grand Slam, the Standard Poodle, CH Penndragon Masaniello, & the Shetland Sheepdog, CH Paray Cirque Du Soliel.
We've also have partial results for you from the Spartanburg Kennel Club in Greenville SC, where the Doberman Pinscher, CH Allure Blazing Star Alisaton, went BIS under Judge Jean Fournier. Also in the final were the Geman Wirehaired Pointer, CH Ripsnoter's Mt.View Lookout, the Whippet, CH Tattersall Ticket To Fly, the Welsh Terrier, CH Bayleigh Shaireab's Super Hero, and the Standard Poodle, CH Anastasia Da Maya.
Later today we will catch you up on all the weekend's results.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 12:01 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Sunday, February 15, 2009
We told you yesterday that the Pom, Bon, won the Linn County KC event in Albany OR and that the Standard Poodle, Yes, and the Cogi, Carly, were among the finalists. Now we've learned from Terri Erickson, Paragon Siberians, that the other finalists were Terri's Siberian Husky, CH Paragon's Red Red Wine, the Irish Water Spaniel, CH Poole Ide,Got Water, the 15" Beagle, CH Talbot Hill's Thyme After Time, and the Bedlington Terrier, CH Boardwalk's Bling Bling.
Posted by Billy Wheeler at 7:31 PM 1 comments Links to this post
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DETROIT – Sources say federal investigators have found big bank accounts in Bobby Ferguson's name that they did not know about.
Ferguson is behind bars while he awaits sentencing for federal corruption convictions, but that hasn't stopped investigators from diving into his personal life.
Sources say the secret accounts hold about $200,000. Ferguson's name is on them all.
"The government, they always argued that both defendants likely had access to huge amounts of cash because it was out there missing. And now we've at least come across some money that is out there, apparently not locally, but somewhere else where Ferguson can get access to it," said former federal prosecutor Keith Corbett.
The contractor and longtime friend of former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was convicted in March of running a criminal enterprise to pad his and Kilpatrick's pockets. With sentencing coming up, this latest money discovery raises a lot of questions and has the potential of getting Ferguson into a lot more trouble.
"Is the money coming from outside the United States or is it going through that account to places outside the United States? These could give rise to additional charges. But given the fact that Mr. Ferguson is looking at a 20-year felony right now, I think the government is more interested right now in trying to locate this money, and then every effort they can to retrieve this money for the taxpayers and for Detroit," said Corbett.


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Google is preparing to launch a new service called Google Voice that is built with technology obtained through its 2007 acquisition of Internet telephony company GrandCentral. The Google Voice service gives users a single phone number that can seamlessly route calls to their existing phones. It has its own built-in voicemail service that can be accessed from any phone or through a browser, with GMail-like archiving features for audio messages.
The Google Voice service launched in March for closed testing with a limited audience that consisted of existing GrandCentral users. Google introduced a number of highly impressive features such as automatic message transcription and free SMS delivery. The transcription feature will convert voicemails to text and make them searchable. The service can also automatically forward voicemail transcripts directly to your preferred e-mail account.
There are signs that Google is preparing to open the service to a broader audience. Reports indicate that Google has recently obtained over one million new phone numbers from backbone operator Level 3. PC World speculates that the number grab could be a prelude to the full public launch of Google Voice, but it was unable to get official confirmation from the search giant. There are also reports that Google will offer number portability, enabling consumers to move their existing phone numbers to Google's infrastructure.
Ars recently began testing Google Voice as part of the closed beta program. The service is remarkably powerful and easy to use. It has a number of killer features, such as support for switching between lines during the middle of a call and recording incoming calls by simply pressing a button. Recorded calls and voicemails can be heard directly in the browser through a streaming playback interface and can also be downloaded as MP3 files.
It also offers a simple scheduling system that can be used to control when calls will be routed to specific numbers. For example, you could configure it to direct calls to your work phone during the day and your home phone on evenings and weekends. Google Voice also integrates with your Google address book and allows you to configure different greetings and forwarding destinations for various groups. Call screening is supported with the ListenIn feature, which allows you to hear a voicemail as it is coming in and enter the call by pressing the star key.
The service is off to a good start and already feels relatively mature despite the fact that it hasn't opened broadly to the public yet. Although we're strongly convinced that Google Voice has the potential to be a winner, there are some limitations that detract from its current appeal. The most disappointing bit is that call recording doesn't work on outgoing calls at the present time.
The user interface is consistent with the rest of Google's ecosystem, so it's easy to navigate and very search-centric. The transcription functionality is far from perfect, but it works well enough to consistently convey the gist of a message, if not the exact words. It's a compelling addition to Google's lineup and has the potential to get a lot more interesting as Google integrates its capabilities into its Android smartphone platform.


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I am a beginner in Oracle DBA. I was trying to export emp table of scott issuing the foll command:
exp system/manager file = scott.dmp log = scott.log table = scott.emp
My OS is windows.
When I executed this I got an error message saying:
SP2-0734 : unknown command beginning "exp sys/..." - rest of line ignored
Could anyone explain me as to why I am getting this error?


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So if you're anything like me, you have a burning question about my recent trip to Puerto Rico. There's something you need to know, something you want to ask but don't want to seem intrusive. I kinow...believe me, I've been in your position. I'll save you the anxiety over asking.
The food was fabulous! Absolutely incredible. I won't say one word about the cocktails, with the local rum as their main ingredient...I'll let you figure that out for yourself but the food was so good--I could've eaten all day, every day.
One of the best things I ate there? Tres Leches cake, hands down one of the best desserts I've ever had.


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Part of peculiar quality of Piero della Francesca's paintings stems from the fact that he placed his knowledge of natura phenomena in the service of expressing preternatual meaning. The particular form of a coral amulet on the neck of the Infant Christ in the Montefeltro Altarpiece (and the Senigallia Madonna) demonstrates this remarkable combination and reveals Piero's previously unsuspected knowledge of and interest in human anatomy. The article is the result of collaboration between Miriam Redleaf, M.D., an Otolaryngologist (head and neck surgeon) at the University of Chicago, and Marilyn Aronberg Lavin, Art Historian at Princeton University.
Evidence is marshalled to reconstruct anew the 1470s decoration of the studioli in Federico da Montefeltro's Urbino and Gubbio palaces. The symbolism of their décor epitomizes a combination of both the vita contemplativa and the vita activa, which art historians have long regarded as a contradiction, given the room's purpose (it was where the prince could devote himself to scholarly pursuits, temporarily free from political preoccupations). However, contemporary documents are brought forward to reveal that the function of Federico's studioli was extended to include secret negotiations: hence their decoration was devised consciously to illustrate both facets of the prince's life.
Exhibitions today seem to be conjured up for a wide variety of reasons, most of them irrelevant to the materials assembled with significant risk to the vulnerability of the works themselves. It was, therefore, an unexpected pleasure to find that what might have promised but slight utility as a project should, in its realization, prove not only moving and enlightening but also stimulating in affording useful comparisons and provoking reflection on a theme still only partly confronted in the literature. In the case of Jacopo Tintoretto's portraits we are now in a position to settle some of these questions due to the splendid recent exhibition held in Venice to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the artist's death.
The catalogue of the early works of Jacopo Tintoretto has been seriously distorted by the accretion of paintings by later associates and followers. Among them is Giovanni Galizzi, a Bergamasque active in Venice from 1543 to 1565. By folio following a chain of connections from his two signed and dated altarpieces, some twenty works previously attributed to Tintoretto can be assigned to Giovanni. Almost all his paintings after 1550 are based upon prototypes by Tintoretto and show signs of the kind of collaboration that could have occurred only in a large and busy shop, indicating that Giovanni worked in Tintoretto's studio itself. Among Giovanni's collaborators was the Flemish Marten de Vos, reported to have been present in Tintoretto's shop in the early 1550s.
The recent restoration of the Sistine Chapel frescoes has revealed a new Michelangelo. He is now widely loved and praised as a great painter, but this is hardly how he was regarded in the Cinquecento. Early writers thought very highly of the design and invention of his work, yet in the actual craft and technique of painting they held him in lower esteem. Even otherwise sympathetic critics, such as Giorgio Vasari and Raffaello Borghini, recognized that Buonarroti was not as a good a painter as Leonardo, Raphael, Correggio, or Titian. Many now criticize the post-restoration appearance of the ceiling as flat, gaudy, and cheap in appearance, and they blame the Vatican restorers. But, in light of Michelangelo's critical fortune as a painter, it is worth asking the question: might not Michelangelo himself be to blame? His works look appealing today not because he was a good painter by sixteenth century standards, but because styles and tastes have changed.
Erwin Panofsky invented the term paysage moralisé and applied it in the interpretation of three paint-ings: Raphael's Allegory (Dream of a Knight), Piero di Cosimo's The Discovery of Honey, and Titian's Sacred and Profane Love. He was mimicked to some degree by such authorities as Miliard Meiss and Frederick Hartt ("Carpaccio's Meditation on the Passion"); Mantegna's Madonna of the Rock. This type of interpretation – although it has to recommend it an allowance for some admixture of moral doubt in the otherwise sunny world of Renaissance theories of virtue as they are usually reconstructed – reeks of ideological concerns (personal, philosophical, and political) of the 1930s–1950s and 60s. Panofsky's interpretations have often been rejected piecemeal since, but the bi-polar model of Renaissance morality they implied remains largely unchallenged. A tension between, and potential for conflation of, the concepts of paysage moralisé and disguised or concealed symbolism is also discussed.
In a detailed analysis of the illusion of light in Caravaggio's Supper at Emmaus, the author proposes that Caravaggio's innovations as a colorist go beyond the popularization of tenebrism. Rather, he discovered a way of managing colors that eschewed the Renaissance practices of tonal unity and continuous modeling, instead setting up juxtapositions of colors to enhance the appearance of saturation and brightness and employing discontinuous modeling to enhance the perception of contrast and unity. His approach is compared to earlier Renaissance paintings by Raphael and Leonardo, and to several works of his contemporary reformer of coloring, Annibale Carraci.
When Masaccio and Brunelleschi created the apparent diminution of the Holy Trinity fresco barrel vault, they depended on the orthographic and stereographic projection techniques informing medieval astro-nomical instruments of measure, especially those inscribed on a widely admired siting and surveying device known as the astrolabe. Using these projections, medieval astronomers had structured a perfectly ordered macrocosmic space according to a set of coordinates directly useful to an artist wishing to chart the reflected perfection of a measured and measurable microcosmic space. The diagrammatic protocols governing astronomical graphics were based not only on the belief in the geometrically perfect universe, but also in the idea that the abstract mathematical point could be thought of as a substitute for the seeing human eye. The astrolabic articulation of these two ideas represent a symbolic sanction and a technical underpinning for the fundamental elements of Renaissance perspective as they exist in the Holy Trinity fresco: the relationship between the viewer and the horizon line, the transfer of projected coordinates from one plane to another through a process of rotation, and the mathematically controlled, proportionate relationship of transverse quantities.
Jean-Honoré Fragonard's Corésus et Callirhoë. Scene of Sacrifice and "Théâtre des ombres"
Fragonard's La Grand Pretre Corésus se sacrifie pour sauver Callirhoë (1765, Paris, Louvre) is Fragonard's last and most important history painting. This study refers to a broad range of sources and influ-ences (Sebastiano Ricci, Giambattista Tiepoli, Guarini's "Il Pastor Fido", Racine, the iconography of the "Arria and Paetus"-theme) which helped to shape the final version of the "Corésus". A somewhat unusual chiaroscuro and a peculiar compositional arrangement (position of the columns) suggest that the beholder is watching a kind of "shadow theatre", perhaps an oniric version. Diderot took up this clue in his famous description the "Salon de 1765". He was moreover the only critic who accepted the androgenic aura of the High Priest.


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The RNA conference
Every time I've gone to a Romantic Novelists' Association conference, it's changed my life. Take the first one, for example, in Durham in 2002. Though I'd been chatting with some other RNA members on the net, and made good friends with some of them that way, I'd never met any of the people there in person. I'm pretty sure I'd never even met a published romance writer in person. And yet there I was, arriving late, halfway through dinner on the first night, into a room full of loudly chattering writers. I was terrified. What if they were all so brilliant they wouldn't talk with me? Who was I to say I could write at all? I was unpublished, clueless, and had only ever been rejected.
The following year, in 2003, I was drying my hands in the ladies' room when the organiser of the New Writers' Scheme came up to me and said, "I hear your manuscript submission this year was really good. You should send it to this agent." Then she gave me a card. I had never, ever been told by an impartial stranger that my work was any good. I nearly cried. Then I drank too much wine.
Then there was the first conference as a published author. The first where I actually got to sign books. The time where we all cried because our friend was told by an editor that her book had been bought; the time where we all cheered because a dear friend had placed in the Elizabeth Gouge award and then walked across a field barefoot, swigging champagne. The times when someone tells me I've managed to help them in some way, which is the best feeling ever. There were the shoes and the toasts and the workshops and the naughty kitchens and the meetings with editors and agents and the chance conversations with people whose books I love, and people whose books I am going to love, just as soon as they get published so I can read them.


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Let's say you're walking around your neighborhood, or a neighborhood you'd like to make yours, and you spy a house you find interesting. Even if it isn't for sale, you can just whip out your iPhone, take a picture of the home and in less than a minute, you'll have an estimate of its price, plus details on its square footage, number of rooms, similar homes for sale and other facts.
This feat of digital magic, which works all over the country, is performed by a new, free app called HomeSnap, from a Washington, D.C., online real-estate firm, Sawbuck Realty. Despite its parentage, the company says that using the app doesn't send any data to a Realtor, or invite any calls or emails from one — unless you explicitly ask for such a connection. It's just a cool way to investigate houses and if you like, to share your "Snaps" — photo profiles of houses — with HomeSnap users and friends via email, text or social networks.
Why would you want to use it? Maybe you're interested in buying the house if it ever comes on the market, or helping a friend do so. Or, maybe you're just curious, or nosy. Of course, you could be in real house-hunting mode, and HomeSnap gives you even more information if the house you took a picture of is for sale, including interior photos and bid history. There's even the option of contacting a buyer's agent, asking a question or requesting a tour—right from the phone.
You can use the app to flip through Snaps taken by others, either in nearby areas or around the nation. (HomeSnap allows you to keep your own Snaps out of this "stream," if you'd rather your neighbors didn't know you've been investigating their homes or you'd rather not tip off potential competing buyers.)
With a picture you take of a home, HomeSnap offers data like the number of bedrooms and baths.
There are many real-estate apps and Web sites, such as Zillow, that allow you to get similar information. Some real-estate firms have their own. But these typically require you to type in an address, or troll through a list, or study a map and tap on a marker that represents a house of interest. All HomeSnap requires is that you snap the shutter on your iPhone. (Android and iPad versions are in the works.)
I've been testing HomeSnap for a few weeks in two states: Maryland and Rhode Island. In my 17 attempts, the app almost always correctly identified the house I was shooting. In two cases, both in townhouse complexes, it wasn't sure and presented me with an aerial photo displaying a few guesses from which I could pick. In two other cases, it couldn't identify the house at all for some reason.
The app doesn't actually perform photo recognition on the house. Instead, it uses the iPhone's GPS capability and its sensors to identify the house and then fetches the details from a server in the cloud.
HomeSnap includes a Stealth mode that lets you take a picture when you aren't right in front of a house — even when you're inside another nearby house — and get an aerial view of homes in the area from which you can choose a property as your Snap. This proved accurate for me. In one test, it worked perfectly when I was only able to shoot the rear of a house.
Sawbuck says it built the app partly because it hopes that if a user likes it, he or she will one day use one of its agents. But it says so far only about 10 percent of the 150,000 Snaps taken with the app have been of homes that are actually for sale.
You can flip through Snaps by others, either nearby or around the nation.
If a home isn't for sale, HomeSnap draws its information from public information like tax records, school boundaries and census data. If a home is for sale, it provides much more detailed information drawn from local listing databases.
I found HomeSnap fun and impressive. It's a good tool for investigating possible purchases, learning the estimated value of a house and getting other important information. For example, each Snap includes scores from third-party data vendors that rate the quality of nearby schools and rate the relative appreciation and investment value of a home, over 10 years, compared with the average. Some Snaps reveal previous sale dates and prices.
But its information wasn't always complete or accurate. For instance, in the case of my own home, which isn't on the market, it got the number of bathrooms wrong, and didn't know the number of bedrooms — an omission the company blames on a quirk in the public records available for my area. (My tests elsewhere did include the number of bedrooms.) The app has a feature that allows you to report such errors.
In addition, the app currently doesn't have extra information drawn from listings of homes for rent and can't pinpoint units inside large buildings. The company says it's working on both capabilities.
It marks photos of certain homes with a color-coded banner — green if the home is for sale; orange if it's under contract; and purple if there's an upcoming open house for the property. If there's a major change in the information on a Snap in your history, the app updates it.
The app keeps a history of your Snaps and the company retains them on its servers, whether or not you choose to make them public. In its licensing terms, the company reserves the right to reuse, or modify, the photos you take, though it promises not to "materially" change them, or to distribute or reproduce photos taken by those who opt to keep them private.
If you're looking for a house or just curious about one and you own an iPhone, HomeSnap is a clever, useful and entertaining tool.
Write to Walt at email@example.com.


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DETROIT, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Vinny Prospal scored just 24.7 seconds before the end of regulation Thursday to give Columbus a 3-2 victory over Detroit.
The Red Wings produced two goals in the game's opening 2:40, but could not score again against Sergei Bobrovsky.
Columbus ended a four-game losing streak and handed the Red Wings their fifth straight setback.
The game was marred by an apparent head injury suffered by Columbus center Artem Anisimov. He hit the ice in the second period after tripping over Detroit's Ian White. Detroit's Kyle Quincey also fell and his elbow hit Anisimov's head.
Anisimov was eventually carried from the ice on a stretcher, after which Columbus officials said he was awake and responding. He was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
The Blue Jackets fought back to tie it 5:03 into the third on a slap shot by Derek Dorsett and Prospal beat Jimmy Howard with a backhander for the game-winner.
Bobrovsky made 28 saves while Howard stopped 21 shots.


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38 cm x 120 cm
1 in stock
- Name: Gabbeh
- Size: 38 cm W x 120 cm L
- Woven: Hand-Knotted
- Origin: Persian
- Age: Contemporary (not used)
- Pile: 100% Wool
- Foundation: 100% Wool
- Dying : Natural dyes
- UNIQUE: Only 1 in stock
- CERTIFIED GENUINE: Comes with Certificate of Authenticity
Gabbeh rugs are manufactured by hand-spun wool, both in the pile and warp, and the yarns are dyed using plant and root dyes. The rugs are much thicker than other Persian carpets, sometimes up to 2.5 cm thick.
Gabbehs simple and colourful design are being used in many areas of interior design for homes and offices, with their majestic beauty that enhance any décor.


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"Design for Emotion" Now Available
After seven years of research and almost one and a half years of writing, I'm very pleased to announce that the book I've co-authored with Microsoft's Edie Adams on designing for emotion and personality is available on Amazon.No comments
Get Your Free Copy of Chapter 1 of "Design for Emotion"
UPDATED: Sept. 20: Over at the "Design for Emotion" site, you can get a free draft copy of Chapter 1 of our upcoming book, "Design for Emotion". Click to continueNo comments
Edie Adams on "Two Elements of Emotional Design"
Over at the Design for Emotion book blog, Edie Adams has published a short piece on two elements of emotional design. Click to continueNo comments
We're Writing a Book on Emotional Design
It's been awhile since the last post here at Affective Design, but we've been busy. We're very pleased to announce that we're writing a book on emotional design, and we want you to be a part of it! Click to continue1 comment
2010 Year in Review at affectivedesign.com
Over at affectivedesign.com, we've published a short piece reviewing some of the items and events of note for us in 2010. Click to continueNo comments
"Emotional Design with A.C.T. – Pt. 1" on Boxes and Arrows
Over at Boxes and Arrows, they've published the first part of an article I've been working on for some time now on how to design products with personalities that encourage the people who use them to form relationships. Click to continue1 comment
"Emotional Design with A.C.T." at the 2010 IA Summit
I've given talks at a number of conferences over the years, but the 2010 IA Summit was my first time presenting both a talk and a poster. Click to continue2 comments
"Design for Emotion and Flow" at the 2010 IA Summit
After a couple of years off, it was great to be back at the IA Summit in Phoenix this past April, and even better to give a talk on Design for Emotion and Flow... Click to continueNo comments
AffectiveDesign.com Launches
After many hours of work, late nights and a lot of coffee, we're very pleased to announce the launch of AffectiveDesign.com! Click to continue2 comments
Comcast Experience Maps
Over at the nForm User Experience Blog, Gene Smith has published the Experience Maps we created for Comcast's now discontinued Game Invasion site. Click to continue1 comment
Swimlanes Now Part of Eight Shapes "Unify"
Back in 2008, I blogged about the Swimlanes document that my colleague, Yvonne Shek and I created while I was a consultant at nForm. The Swimlanes document (which is card #12 in the UX Methods Trading Cards) won the 2008 IA Summit "People's Choice Award" at the Eight Shapes' sponsored "Wall of Deliverables". Click to continue2 comments


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Molesworth Court Suites are located in the heart of Dublin, just around the corner from Trinity College and St. Stephens Green.
The National Library, Government Buildings and the National Museum are only a stone's throw away, and Grafton Street, popular with shoppers, is within easy walking distance
- On Site Parking
- Free WiFi Internet access
- Private telephone and answering service.
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Executive Accommodation for those who want more than a hotel.


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Chatter.com's Super Bowl TV Ads Touch Off an Ad Skirmish on Google (Video)
If the forecasts for the size of the audience are correct, then some
107 111 million people saw the two ads for Chatter.com, the new social enterprise application from Salesforce.com
As you may remember, Salesforce bought "bookend" spots that ran immediately before and after the halftime show, and included Will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas, who were the main musical act of the show itself. Salesforce claimed that the bookend buy on either side of the halftime show was a first, and that it was the first time that an advertiser involved the halftime show entertainment act in a Super Bowl ad.
While the general verdict on the ads themselves has yet to come down, there's certainly been some grumbling from other social enterprise players, namely Yammer and Socialcast. Both have taken out text ads on Google against the word "chatter," in some apparent hope of catching the eye of the millions who may have gone from seeing the ad on TV to googling the word "chatter" on their PCs. (I captured a screen-grab of their ads in the image at the right.) "Chatter Isn't It" starts the ad for Yammer, while the one for Socialcast says "Superbowl Chattering?" Time will tell if they're successful.
In the meantime, in case you missed them, here are the TV ads for Chatter.com. Judge for yourself if you think they'll help Salesforce.com persuade companies to sign on to using it for collaboration.