text:
Search + Social Media Increases CTR By 94 Percent: Report
A new report from agency GroupM and comScore details the degree to which search and social media have become intertwined in the purchase path that consumers take across the Internet. The report is a follow-up to a similar study done in 2009.
GroupM and comScore looked at consumer behavior associated with purchase decisions in the electronics/telecommunications and consumer packaged goods categories. They found that while search dominates social media among consumers making buying decisions — nearly 60 percent of cases that end in a purchase begin with search — social media play an increasingly important role during consideration and especially after a purchase is made.
The report found that "40 percent of consumers who use search in their path to purchase are motivated to use social media to further their decision making process."
Social boosts search CTRs
The phrase "social media" as defined here includes blogs, consumer reviews, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
The consumer behavior revealed in the study is complex. However the report supports the idea that social media are now critical for product or brand awareness and drive related, subsequent search behavior. GroupM stated that "when consumers were exposed to both search and social media influenced by a brand that overall search CTR went up by 94 percent."
As one might expect, the "the top motivation of consumers to use social media in their purchase process is to get other people's opinion (31 percent)." Almost half of those converting in the study used both search and social media, while the other half used search alone.
Source: GroupM Search
Most people start with search
Most people start with search (58 percent vs. 18 percent for social media) and use it throughout the purchase process. However a sizable minority (26 percent) said they only use search at the beginning of their research and shopping:
- Search is seen as the "pricing" tool throughout the buying cycle
- Consumers turn to search to conduct product research and select a purchase location
- 45 percent of people use it throughout, while 26 percent say they only use search at the beginning of their research and shopping process.
The report found that "28 percent of consumers said social media plays a valuable role in helping them become aware of new brands and products [and helped] eliminate brands from consideration for 30 percent of consumers."
11 digital dance moves "from start to finish"
However the report also suggests that availability of increasing amounts of user-generated content and opinion may be elongating the purchase cycle. GroupM and comScore found that "the path to purchase is 60 and 57 days respectively from the first touch point, with up to 11 measured digital steps from start to finish."
Here are more of the findings:
- 58 percent of consumers start with search, outpacing company websites (24 percent) and social media (18 percent)
- 40 percent of consumers who use search in their path to purchase are motivated to use social media to further their decision making process
- 46 percent of consumers who use social media in the purchase pathway are driven to use search to expand their knowledge about their likely purchase
User reviews most important to consumers
The report said that the "top-performing" social media in terms of usage and reach during the purchase process were the following:
- User reviews: 30 percent
- Social networks: 17 percent
- Video sharing: 14 percent
- Twitter: 9 percent
GroupM also found that "category-specific blogs have a reach of 16 percent among consumers who use social media in making their purchase decisions."
After a purchase the study found that 64 percent of consumers are likely to follow a brand. Furthermore, "74 percent of consumers use a Facebook brand page as the desired format for following a brand for future engagement."
Postscript From Danny Sullivan: Speaking of search meeting social, Search Engine Land's SMX West conference has a number of sessions on this topic, since they are becoming so intertwined. See my recent post: Exploring Social Meets Search.
We're listening.
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text:
We've gone all the way back to the first All-Star Scholars -- when they were called the "All-City Brains Team" -- and gathered names of stellar students through the years, from 1956 to present-day.
Know where they are now? (One's serving in the N.C. House of Representatives. Do you know him?)
Take a look at this list and see who you know and who you might remember. (One works at The Observer today and at least one used to. Do you remember them?)
At least one is a Rhodes Scholar. How many Morehead-Cain Scholars do you see?
Were you on this list? Tell us what you're doing now. See someone you know who has done interesting things? Let us know that, too.
Comment, or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
(Note: We list all Scholars in the early years. In 1969, the News began naming finalists, then a single Senior of the Year, but only for Mecklenburg. In 1994, The Observer made the Seniors of the Year truly regional, naming seven winners. That evolved to today's 10 Seniors of the Year, who each receive a $1,000 scholarshiop.)
1956 The first "All-City Brains Team" was designated Jan. 2, 1956, by the Charlotte News. The idea came, said the News' story, from a White House Conference on education, which had asked: "If Newspapers can publicize All America football players, who not all America brains?"
Central High: Jimmy Edwards, Betty Galloway, Phil Grose, Reid Hinson, Janice Hudson
Harding High: Jerry Godfrey, George Hart, Willa Lynn Leary, Betty Ann Smith, Carol Spurrier
Myers Park High: Gary Heeseman, Carolyn Mason, Ken Oliver, Verner Stanley, Joe Wearn
1957 The following year, the paper named 25 students to two teams, in separate stories. The first, a story headlined "City All-Brains Team Announced" announced five students from each of the three white high schools, noting "A team of five teenagers from each of the two Negro schools will be announced next week."
Central: Patricia Edwards, Robert Kirkpatrick, Rhodes Corbett, Barbara Snyder, Betty Place Harding: Mike Bolt, Joanna Brooks, Barbara Dodson, Gail Power, Sammy Smith
Myers Park: Betsy Wilson, Susan Hull, Anne Way, Burton Buchan, Ken Oliver
West Charlotte: Eddie Joe Johnson, Emanuel Bagby, Ella Ruth Riley, Albert Heath, Marian Platts Second Ward: Shirley Blakeney, Willie Rufus Boulware, Nathaniel Brown, Robert Reid, Bessie Lee Tillery
1958 This year, the News changed the name of the team to "All-Star Scholars," and included county schools for the first time, yielding a total of 53 students, chosen by principals, advisers and teachers.
Central: Mary Elizabeth Willard, Judy Killheffer, George A. Rembert, Mary Grose, Judy Crotts
Harding: Sue Williams, Dickie Blackwell, Judy Shankle, Jennie Lee Satterfield, Patricia Christenberry
East Mecklenburg: Helen Wayne, Jeanne Foard, Dorothy McGill, Ed Chesnutt, Linda Kay Furr Myers Park: Carroll Rogers, Mary Katherine Ulmer, Mike Shulman, Charles Adams, Graham T. Allison Jr.
West Mecklenburg: Dorothy Jane Gilliam, Patsy Ann Bryant, Sarah Jane Price, Suzanne Helms, Charles Sparrow
West Charlotte: Clara Withers, Antonia Wallace, Willie Mae White, Charles Tinsley, William McCant
North Mecklenburg: David Martin, William Bates, William Workman, Mary McCutchan, Barbara Ann Metcalf
Second Ward: Charlotte Bauknight, Horace Witherspoon, Dorothy Beatty, William Crowder, Gloria Yongue
J.H.Gunn: Patricia Stitt, Lincoln Abraham
Torrence-Lytle: Lucy Knox, Frankie Allison, Willie Gaston, Joyce Douglas
Sterling: Beulah Mae Miller, Delores Rabb
Plato Price: John Ashford, Leonard Smith, Nancy Springs, Ernest T. Moore, Alex Thompson
1959 Beginning this year, city and county high schools nominated Scholars in proportion to their schools' size: one per each 90 seniors, for a total of 29.
Myers Park: Louise Ann Habicht, Nancy Duvall, William Spicer, Benjamin Gravely
Central: Mary Mayfield, Virgil Spencer, Dewey Corbett, David Hobson, Sarah Love
Harding: Randolph Lambe, Beth Clinkscales
East Mecklenburg: Brenda Balch, Betsy Gardner, Peter Little, Ralph Connor Reid Jr.
West Charlotte: Henry Marvin Davis Jr., Elizabeth Priscilla Withers
Second Ward: Cora Cannon
York Road: Lemar Foster
Charlotte Catholic: Julianne Butler
West Mecklenburg: Mary Bynes, James Clark, James Kelly
North Mecklenburg: Elizabeth Irene Withers, Jerome Baucom
Torrence-Lytle: Virginia Grier
Sterling: Osie Stewart
Plato Price: Barbara Ann Brown
J.H. Gunn: Rosetta Vaughn
1960 31 Scholars named.
Myers Park: Mary Lucas, Sally McKaig, Meredith Clifton, Alice Stratton, Laura Livingston Harding: Jerry Boyd, Eddie Aycoth
East Mecklenburg: Jane Wilson, Elizabeth Speer, Jane Miller, John Allgood
West Mecklenburg: Stephen Garrison, Arthur Holshouser
South Mecklenburg: Carol Ford, James May
West Charlotte: Linner Ward, Dealver Brown
North Mecklenburg: William Blackwelder, Joan Daggy
Second Ward: Ernest Cohen
York Road: John Montgomery
J.H.Gunn: Carrie Barnes
Torrence-Lytle: Fannie Brown
Sterling: Louis Wallace
Plato Price: Lloyd Davis
Charlotte Catholic: Margie Peavy
Garinger: Elaine Moss, Carol Brooks, Clifton Suitt, Susan Dellinger, Kathryn Green
1961 A jump to 37.
Myers Park: Shirley Spratt, Susan Stephenson, Howard Greene Jr., Richard B. Sargent, Linda Orr Harding: Patricia Jones, Winfred Seitz, Donald Sigmon
East Mecklenburg: Sarah Cohen, Rebecca Crews, Ernest Eich, Frances Pittman, Henry Tysinger West Mecklenburg: Gordon Coley, Barbara Hensley, Gloria Deaton
South Mecklenburg: Russell Eppley, Valory Rogers
West Charlotte: Mary Howey, Thelma Byers, Vivian Rippy
North Mecklenburg: Dudley Brown, Thomas Dunn, Patrick Fisher
Second Ward: Eureatha Jones, Vivian Carelock
York Road: Laverne McIlwaine
J.H.Gunn: Peggye Johnson
Torrence-Lytle: Madeline Brown
Sterling: Christine Foust
Plato Price: Larry Sloan
Catholic: Wayne Brown
Garinger: Jeff Pearson, Eleanor May, Susan Appleton, Harriett Baugh, Davis H. Ranson
1962 35 Scholars.
Myers Park: Ann Jackson Loftin, William Mackey Clark, Jean Ann Gaskell, Carey Dean Shore, Carol Grant Anderson
Harding: Sammy Woodward, Sue Chapman, Cameron Hood
East Mecklenburg: Mildred Jane Williams, James O. Funderburk Jr., Bonnie Jean Eicher, Robert W. Lenon Jr.
West Mecklenburg: James Walton Hyder, Linda Adale Macken, Michael Davis Bridges
South Mecklenburg: Libby Crane, Doug Pratt
West Charlotte: Leona Anderson, Elizabeth McCorkle, Roscoe Trimmier
North Mecklenburg: Billy Jean McKeown, Frank D. Ghigo
Second Ward: Annette Marie Lewis
York Road: Clifton Woods III
J.H.Gunn: Willis Alvin Orr
Torrence-Lytle: Thomas Franklin Kearns
Sterling: Edward Lewis Holloway
Catholic: Phillip M. Walker
Our Lady of Mercy: Carol Minnick
Country Day: John Palmer
Garinger: Richard Michael Minday, Phyllis L. Huffman, Norman Austin Smith, Alma Sue Green, Ruth Lestha Doyle
1963 These 34 were feted at a dinner at the Central YMCA, a tradition that would continue for years.
Myers Park: Nancy Manning, William Purnell, Raleigh Shoemaker, Thomas Spencer, Betsy Strawn, Alice Kimel
Harding: Richard Harris, Don Skinner
West Mecklenburg: Susan Eskildsen, Dorothy Feeney
York Road: Ruth Rainey
East Mecklenburg: Jane Lynch, Richard Forbis, Linda Murchison
South Mecklenburg: Alexander Forney, Jan Hudson, Jane Glenn, Roger Bruhwel
West Charlotte: James Alexander, Willine Carr, Sara Bryan
North Mecklenburg: Susan Martin, Zoe Ann Hough
Second Ward: Daisy Smith
Charlotte Catholic: Gary Eck
Our Lady of Mercy: Ann Guise
Country Day: Erwin Laxton
J.H. Gunn: Karene Coleman
Sterling: Oneal Walker
Garinger: Mitchell Nicholaides, William Spivey III, Ann Stovall, Timothy Kroboth, Benjamin Roth
1964 39 Scholars.
Garinger: Pat Wright, William Lewis, Chris Nicholaides, Dennis Carroll, Beth Gault
Christian High: Terry Cook
Sterling High: John Adams
West Charlotte: Frances Jones, Marcia Allen, Georgina McLaughlin
South Mecklenburg: Susan Walker, Bill Findlay, Carolyn Eppley
North Mecklenburg: Tom Park, Anita Dresser, Bennett Setzer
Our Lady of Mercy: Francine Frate
York Road: Melvin Phifer
East Mecklenburg: Ware Botsford, George Evans Jr., Eddy Tucker, Ken Pittman, Frances Lynch West Mecklenburg: Donna Prather, Morris Newlander, Fred Eggleston
Harding: Lew Brown, Miriam Terres, Jo Ann Anderson
Charlotte Country Day: Nan Heinbaugh
Torrence-Lytle: Henrietta Donaldson
Charlotte Catholic: Freddy Garges
Second Ward: Vernie Johnson
Myers Park: Jan Wuertenberger, Henry Benoit, Mohe Stone, Sara Jane Fallis, Joan Ellen Moritz J.H. Gunn: H.S. Johnson
1965: A jump to 47.
Myers Park: Phillip R. Wallas, Tracy Whittaker, Rosemary Hill, Ben Hawfield Jr., James D. Cahill Jr., Margery Venning
Torrence-Lytle: Ronald Potts
Harding: Carol Thompson, Andrea Plummer, Carlyn Smith
West Mecklenburg: Charleen Funderburk, Paul E. Thomas, Ellison Funderburk III, Linda Ann Jones, Greg Cox, Kenneth Antley
York Road: Peggy Hemphill
East Mecklenburg: Mary Fedarko, David Stevenson, Robert Braxton, Donald Pearce
South Mecklenburg: Margaret Mohrmann, Douglas M. Franks, Thomas McCaslin, Catherine Morrison
West Charlotte: Norma Leak, Janice Belton, Drayton Graham, Howard Counts
North Mecklenburg: William Hough, Terrie Baumgardner, Thomas Kerns, Mary Thomas
Catholic: Walter C.West
Our Lady of Mercy: Patricia Pietras
Christian: Edward Cooper Jr.
Country Day: Christina Yates
J.H. Gunn: Dorothy Mason
Sterling: Mary Murphy
Garinger: Ann Elmore, Linda Tall, Georgia Beyer, Luther Moore, Jerry Hicks, Maria Helms
(James Coleman (above right) is the John S. Bradway Professor of the Practice of Law at Duke Law, and director of the Center for Criminal Justice and Professional Responsibility.)
1966: 48 Scholars.
Torrence-Lytle: Norma Jean Carr
Harding: Shawn Rudisill, Beth Snavely, Jeremy McCreary
West Mecklenburg: Joyce Davis, George Petrides, Shayne Arrowood, Betty Blythe
York Road: Eddie Sifford, Robert Massey
East Mecklenburg: Susan Ballinger, Brenda Owen, Michael Engelberg, Jeffrey Lazarus, Lawrence Litwak, Kathryn Gallaway
South Mecklenburg: Dale Boyd, Betty Newton, Allen Wenner, Jackie Dunn, Norman Hurwitz West Charlotte: Alicia McCullough, Vicille Wallace, Carolyn Cuthbertson, Kelly Alexander, Larry Frazier
North Mecklenburg: Nancy Withers, Judith Mackay, James Puckett
Second Ward: Mack Foster, Ira Dixon
Catholic: William Wygand
Our Lady of Mercy: Karen Meyers
Christian: Mary Lou Davis
Country Day: Shelley Welton
J.H. Gunn: Calvin Murphy
Garinger: Charles Ducey, Wanda Ball, Ellen Culp, William S. Lachicotte, Terry Miller, Barbara Hargett
(Kelly Alexander, above left, currently serves in the N.C. House of Representatives.)
1967: 48 Scholars.
Myers Park: Robert F. Allen Jr., Elsie Love, Betty Mayfield, Graham McGoogan, John Northey, Bruce Page, Sarah Shaw
Garinger: Suzanne Aycock, Jackie Hollingsworth, Marie Lewis, Anne Martin, Paul Noll, Veronica Sorban, Susan Stroud
Harding: Rickie Carlisle, Catherine Rasberry, Kathy Ann Folk
West Mecklenburg: Cathy Navey, Paul Scott, Marsha Springs, Reggie Whitley
West Charlotte: Isaac Heard Jr., Arnold Sanders, Bernestine Singley, Bernice Wallace, Katura Williams
Independence: Sandra Corriher, Ronald Williams
Second Ward: Harry Ezell, Shirley Hyatt
Catholic: Paul Gaffney
Our Lady of Mercy: Mary Potter
Christian: Milli Crosier
Country Day: Mary Howe
Olympic: Philip Blanks, Vicki Yandle
South Mecklenburg: Theron Crump, George Ealy, John Newell, Janice Stewart
East Mecklenburg: Linda Bost, Jean Braxton, Diane Harbuck, Mike Honegger, Tim Timmons North Mecklenburg: Janette Davis, William W. Strong, Stephen L. White
1968: 49 Scholars.
Myers Park: David Crawford, Scott Verner, Winston Boyd Edmond, Carl H. Whittaker, Robert Lipscomb, Norbert Black, John W. Roberts (Scott Verner is an assigning editor for community news in The Observer.)
Independence: Barton Menser, Jackie Ann Ross, Nancy Black
Harding: Brenda Ward, Margaret Caldwell, Susan Grubbs
East Mecklenburg: Cynthia Armstrong, Patricia Ann Flora, Margaret Mooney, David Baker, Debborah Jean Haan
West Mecklenburg: James A. Tevepaugh, Karen Clarke, Angelia Epley, Linda Payseur
South Mecklenburg: Susan Lee Millbern, David Allen Durham, Michael T. Vaden, John Charles Beall
West Charlotte: Brenda Ann Porter, Annie Black, Reginald Thompson, Barbara Williams
North Mecklenburg: Curtis H. Smith, Judith Kelly, Martha Johnston, Gloria Shuford
Second Ward: Claudette Cofield, Dorothy Wise, Cecelia Garrett
Catholic: Peter Pallard
Our Lady of Mercy: La Fleur Paysour (Paysour covered the arts for The Observer in the '70s and '80s).
Christian: Marsha Brooks
Olympic: Roy Johnson, Sarah Wilson
Country Day: Sharon L. Jones
Garinger: Richard Jones, Gayle Pettit, Diane Stinson, Ann Louise Yaeger, Dennis Young, Annette Dixon
1969 For the first time, a smaller group of All-Star Scholars was chosen as Seniors of the Year (14 of the 50) and a winner, Marilyn Adkins of Harding, was named Senior of the Year for the city and county, receiving a $250 prize.
The others: Susan Brawley, Independence; Jannis Burke, Christian; Janie Crowder, Second Ward; Mary Alice Dixon, Charlotte Catholic; Christy Eve, East Mecklenburg; Marie Floyd, West Mecklenburg; Nicholas H. Greenia, Country Day; Ned Lipford, Myers Park; Betty Elaine Moore, North Mecklenburg; Donna Newman, Garinger; Lynne Platt, West Charlotte, Wanda A. Porter, South Mecklenburg; Jane Ellen Price, Olympic.
1970 Of 52 honorees, these 13 were seniors of the year, with Cindy Millsaps of South Mecklenburg named senior of the year.
The others: Carol Baker, Garinger; William H. Bobbitt III, Olympic; John Campbell, East Mecklenburg; Rosalyn Cobb, Charlotte Country Day; John Davis, North Mecklenburg; Robert Donnan Jr., Myers Park; Phyllis Foster, Independence; Vanessa Haygood, West Charlotte; James Kenny, Charlotte Catholic; John Morris, West Mecklenburg; Barbara Norman, Harding; David Walker, Christian High.
1971 Leigh Bradford of North Mecklenburg became Senior of the Year among these 13 chosen from 51 Scholars.
The other finalists: Kenneth J. Armstead, Charlotte Catholic; Linda Dale Fickling, Independence; Betty Glenn George, Myers Park; Trena Hardin, Harding; Charles Walton Kirby, Garinger; Pamela Jean Mewborn, West Mecklenburg; Carolyn Stacy Nash, Country Day; Cader Olive, South Mecklenburg; J. Byron Walthall Jr., East Mecklenburg; William Allen Winget, Olympic; Claudia Annette Withers, West Charlotte; Alice Wyckoff, Christian.
1972 Of the 13 finalists from 51 honorees, Sharon Campbell of Harding won.
The other finalists: Louis Bradley Jr., Charlotte Christian; Sharon Campbell, Harding; Tom Campbell, South Mecklenburg; Sally Dowd, Country Day; Henry Ervin, West Mecklenburg; Beth MacDonald, Olympic; Nancy Miller, Independence; Barbara Owens, Charlotte Catholic; Lucy Peterson, East Mecklenburg; Vernon C. Smith Jr., North Mecklenburg; Robert Stetler, Garinger; Anne Walker, Myers Park; Jonny Young, West Charlotte.
1973 Doug Rader of Myers Park became Senior of the Year among 13 finalists and 52 Scholars.
Other Seniors: Barry Winfred Baucom, Independence; Thomas Marshall Bostian, West Mecklenburg; Donna M. Brewer, Charlotte Christian; Douglas Carr Huitt, Harding; Richard Tobias Inman, West Charlotte; Donald Joseph Karl, Charlotte Catholic; Michael Barry Kastan, East Mecklenburg; Grover Clarence Ritchie III, Garinger; Donald Weldon Shrum, Olympic; Shields J. Sloan, Country Day; Suzanne Wasiolek, South Mecklenburg; John Winkler, North Mecklenburg.
1974 (14; 57) Michael Knight of South Mecklenburg won.
Other finalists: Elizabeth Benjamin, West Mecklenburg; Teresa Bowers, Country Day; Robin Bradford, North Mecklenburg; Robert Dellinger Jr., Independence; Davison Douglas, Myers Park; Judy Lebold, Olympic; Cynthia Maag, Garinger; Mary Lou McMullen, Charlotte Catholic; John Nanney, East Mecklenburg; Julia Rece, West Charlotte; Lavonda Sellars, Harding; George Sheppard, Charlotte Christian; Karen Young, Charlotte Latin.
1975 (17; 37) North Mecklenburg's Jim Holshouser was the winner, and runners-up were named for the first time: Wendell Butler, Garinger; Jon Michael, Charlotte Latin; Jenny Burns, Country Day; Susan Bishop, East Mecklenburg.
1976 (18; 58) Anne Elizabeth Cobey of East Mecklenburg prevailed; runners-up: Mary Louise McMaster, Myers Park; Stephen Harris, South Mecklenburg; Ann Saravalli, Charlotte Catholica.
1977 (17; 59) Providence's Janice Rea won; runners-up: Elizabeth Schofield, Charlotte Latin; David Fahey, Myers Park, Jane Sattler, South Mecklenburg; Michael Riley, West Charlotte.
1978 (19; 59) Ken Caldwell of Independence was named Senior of the Year; runners-up: Jennifer Watson, East Mecklenburg; Craig White, North Mecklenburg; Margaret Petrea, Providence Day; John Siman, South Mecklenburg.
1979 (19; 62) No runners-up are mentioned in the story from this year, when Jeffery Huff of West Mecklenburg won, in the largest class of Scholars to that date.
1980 (20; 59) The prize rose to $500 and Carol Jolly of Independence became the first black woman to win, says the News' story.
Runners-up: Douglas Horner, West Charlotte; K. Monroe Bridges III, Country Day.
1981 (19; 58) Lynn Crowder of West Charlotte won.
First runner-up was Lucia Halpern, Myers Park; second runner-up Susan Culp, Charlotte Latin.
1982 (20; 60) Jennifer Smith of Country Day won an increased prize of $1,000 this year. Runners-up: Morris Arthur, West Charlotte; Susan Kuhn, East Mecklenburg.
1983 (19; 56) Independence's Michele Killough won; runners-up: Karla Hauersperger, East Mecklenburg; Monica Reid, North Mecklenburg.
1984 (17; 54) This year's money rose again, to $1,500 for Sarah Stroud of West Charlotte. Runners-up were Angie Raynor, Harding; Garry Barber, North Mecklenburg.
1985 (19; 55) Suresh De Silva of Garinger won.
First runner-up: Ellen Wilkinson, Country Day; second runner-up Anne Bryson, Charlotte Latin.
1986 (17; 51) Senior of the year was Rupal Manu Naik, Providence Day; runners-up: Michael Hinshaw Jr., Charlotte Latin; Eva LaDawn Dawkins, Myers Park; Mary Louise Dagenhart,
Country Day.
1987 (numbers not available) Sara Wyche "Sally" Higgins of Myers Park topped the field.
First runner-up: Joey Peterson, South Mecklenburg; second runner-up: Jeff Johns, East Mecklenburg
1988 (16; 54)
First runner-up was Matthew Heyd, Providence Day; two second runners-up: Natasha Long, Olympic, and Andy Baxter, West Charlotte (Father Matt Heyd, right, is rector at Church of the Heavenly Rest in Manhattan.)
1989 (16; 55) Nigel Long of Olympic won.
Runners-up: Heather Heiman, Country Day; Michael Caldwell, West Charlotte; Meredith Rolfe, Myers Park
1990 (17; 50) Valerie Wright of Country Day triumphed.
Runners-up were Douglas McCurry, Providence Day; Angela Williams, Harding
1991 Charlotte Latin's Alexa Klimas won.
Runners-up: Frank Ingram, South Mecklenburg; Alex Sansone, East Mecklenburg
1992 The awards' only co-winners: Jean-Paul Montagnet of South Mecklenburg and Denise Phillips of Myers Park.
1993 Eric Weiner of South Mecklenburg won.Runners-up: Ethan McCutchen, Olympic; Christie Stancil, Independence
1994 This was the first year the award went truly regional, with seven Seniors of the Year chosen to reflect the Observer's regional publication areas: Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Catawba Valley, Gaston, Iredell, Union and York.
Winners: James O'Neill of Ashbrook; Sarah Autry of Newton-Conover; Matthew Coleman of Forest Hills; Sharon Crutchfield of Mount Pleasant; Chuck Edwards of Charlotte Latin; Susie Han of North Iredell High School; Janci Ketner of Clover
1995 Marie Christina Hermitte, Central Cabarrus; Sam Cho, Newton-Conover; Melina Shabani, Hunter Huss; Erika Jade Moore, Statesville; Elizabeth Bradfield Irons, West Charlotte; Megan E. Owen, Parkwood; Emily Louise Smith, York Comprehensive
1996 Zubin Eapen, Northwest Cabarrus; Laura Hogshead, Sun Valley; Monika Moore, Statesville; Crystal Blake, York Comprehensive; Aleksandra McClain, East Lincoln; Jennifer Fisher, Providence Day; Christine Burleson, N.C. School for the Deaf
1997 Logan Buck, Monroe; Tina Gillespie, East Gaston; David Harris, Mooresville; Connie Jones, Northwestern; Alicia Martin, South Caldwell; Sarah Rapisardo, Myers Park; Kevin Belote, Northwest Cabarrus
1998 Ronnie Crisco Jr., A.L. Brown; Marcie Dewalt, Independence; Jaclyn Elledge, Statesville; Anna Elliott, West Caldwell; Mark Brandon Goddard, Clover; Karen Lynn Helms, East Lincoln; Mary Elizabeth Prouty, Parkwood
1999 Katherine Betzwieser, Hickory; Mindy Deason, Sun Valley; Elaine Lai, Myers Park; Allyson Lippert, Mooresville; Bradley Mauney, South Point; William Shane Perry, Chester; Angela Traurig, Northwest Cabarrus
2000 Lauren Elizabeth Welch, Northwest Cabarrus; Stephanie Shannon Morgan, West Caldwell; Brooke Shepherd, East Gaston; Kristin Marie Karnap, Statesville; Marykate Zukiewicz, North Mecklenburg; Kyle David Mayes, Parkwood; Dewana Donnielle Flynn, Great Falls
2001 Emily Shoemaker, Mount Pleasant; Wesley Joines, West Caldwell; Gabriela Radut, East Lincoln; Susan Somers, North Iredell; Emily Vasquez, Providence Day; Carrie Tapley, Parkwood; Monica Lemmond, Clover
2002 Amee Patel, Harding; Beth-Erin Springer, South Rowan; Catherine LePrevost, Hickory; Gwynne Cashatt, Forestview; Carrie Johnson, North Iredell; Natalia Roldan, Monroe; Blake Clancy, Lancaster
2003 Courtney Tighe, Charlotte Catholic; Wesley Griffin, Kings Mountain; Elizabeth Dover, Cannon; Deborah Tarwasokono, Hibriten; Emily McCrary, West Iredell; Megan Paul, Weddington; Noel Wall, Andrew Jackson
2004 Chaz Michael Beasley, Newton-Conover; Stesha Doku, Myers Park; Tiffany Nicole Everidge, Statesville; Dane Grismer, Parkwood; Erin Elizabeth Lopez, Jay M. Robinson; William Rothwell, Gaston Christian; Jarman Tisdale, Great Falls
2005 Megan Brown, Chester; Tara Scheidt, First Assembly Christian; Molly Eggleton, Alexander Central; Rachael Huston, Forestview; Jamie Bumgarner, North Iredell; Anthony Moore, Harding; Danielle Allen, Monroe
2006 Faraaz Kahn, South Mecklenburg; Tim Campbell, South Rowan; Della Cuthbertson, Forest Hills; Chris Long, Ashbrook; James Lee, Mooresville; Felicia Boulware, Lewisville; Candice Castaneira, Northside Christian Academy; Eric Dravland, Hibriten
2007 Edie Wellman, Providence Day; Laura Benshoff, Concord; Joseph "Joey" Black, Rock Hill; Sarah Cade, Hopewell; Carey Carpenter, Myers Park; Miranda Harper, East Burke; Tyler Mills, Piedmont; Sean Mattio, Vance; Ernest Simons, Forestview
2008 Jessie Robbins, Cannon; Nailah Robinson, West Caldwell; Charlie Modlin, Gaston Day; Taylor Evans Williams, Country Day; Jessica Nash, North Iredell; Clarissa Gutierrez, Providence; James Hopson, Forest Hills; John Blackmar, Vance; Jeremy Feaster, Harding; Zachary Beaver, Northwestern
2009: Emily Bone, Monroe; Addy Adelekun, Forestview; Kristin Ates, Mallard Creek; Xiaoyang Zhuang, Providence; Marissa Diloreto, First Assembly Christian; Jorge Garcia, Garinger; Lauren Miller, West Iredell; Rachel Myrick, Myers Park; Jackclyn Ngo, Renaissance School at Olympic; Mattson Smith, Fort Mill (Rachel Myrick, left, is using her Rhodes Scholarship toward a Master of Philosophy in International Relations at Oxford University.)
2010 Lauren Caddick, Forestview; Simone Dixon, Northwest Cabarrus; Katie Driest, North Mecklenburg; Michael Greshko, Providence Day; Matthew Hamilton, Sun Valley; Manal Hossain, South Pointe; Max Tyler Nagle, Ardrey Kell; Cassady Schulte, Independence; Rachel "Mattie" Williams, South Iredell; Hron Enuol, West Mecklenburg
2011 Matthew Harvey, Nations Ford; Monique Kreisman, Highland School of Technology; Savjeet Brar, Charlotte Country Day; Nicholle Romero, Cuthbertson; Emily Cathey, North Mecklenburg; Kristen Carpenter, Mooresville; Ryan Dahrouge, Harding; Kyla Risko, South Mecklenburg; Tanner Fadero, Butler; Darren Kataja, Jay M. Robinson
2012 Daniel Austin Abel, South Pointe; Nanami Liberty Miyazaki, St. Stephens; Amanda Hu, Providence; Megan Elycia Luke, Hickory Grove Christian; Neha Kukreja, Providence Day; Sammy Said, Vance; Hannah Love, A. L. Brown; Kelechukwu "KC" Emezie, Marvin Ridge; Shruti Patel, Olympic Biotechnology School; Anna Paschall, Highland School of Technology
2013 Justin Elliott, North Mecklenburg; Kaycee Gass, Lincoln Charter; Hannah Kessenich, Marvin Ridge; Yeonsoo Sara Lee, Myers Park; Maria Mazariegos, International Business and Communication Studies at Olympic; Shiva Mohan, Fort Mill; Andrew Paluszak, East Gaston; Katy Thompson, Hickory Ridge; Mary Thurman, Hickory Grove Christian; Constance Zhou, Charlotte Latin

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Cloud provider Rackspace has launched a new open source data storage system for its customers.
The Cloud Block Storage system is powered by the non-proprietary OpenStack system to provide attached storage in the cloud, to support file systems, databases and other input/output intensive applications.
A standard drive option for everyday storage is available, and a solid state drive (SSD) offering can also be used for higher performance. There is a flat pricing structure for both options with no charge for I/O, and they are available for cloud servers powered by OpenStack.
"The explosion of data over the past few years has placed greater demands on our customers, presenting them with a variety of new storage related challenges," said John Engates, CTO of Rackspace.
"We developed Cloud Block Storage to deliver consistent performance in the cloud, with scalability and a very simple pricing model that gives customers the flexibility they require to meet their unique business needs."
With Rackspace Cloud Block Storage customers can attach up to 1 Terabyte of additional storage to cloud servers.
The price is 12p per gigabyte per month for standard volumes, and 56p per gigabyte per month for SSD volumes.
OpenStack compatible APIs allow customers to avoid proprietary implementations, said Rackspace.
Cisco demonstrated its own support for OpenStack earlier this month with the release of a free distribution of the open source cloud management platform, which it will package other services on top of, including virtual networking and high-availability features.


text:
GSI 37 AUTO TYMP Tympanometer
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The nature of strange ripples of sand on the Martian surface is clearer now thanks to pole-to-pole images returned by a NASA spacecraft. But even with this new information, scientists still are unsure just how the features, which are unlike anything on Earth, came to be.
The ripples are found over large swaths of Mars. They are smaller than the red planet's gigantic dunes but larger than sand ripple fields found on Earth.
Called Transverse Aeolian Ridges (TARs), these unusual features are formed by wind-driven particles (phenomena involving air movement are known as "Aeolian processes"). The winds blow the ridges into many shapes: simple ripples, forked ripples, snake-like sinuous waves, crescent shapes and complex, over-lapping networks.
Scientists study TARs because they hold clues to the past and present climate processes on Mars, and because they can trip up NASA's rovers currently rolling around the Martian surface, as has already happened to the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity.
Matt Balme of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Ariz., and his colleagues conducted a comprehensive pole-to-pole survey of more than 10,000 images of TARs taken by the Mars Orbiter Camera, part of the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft (which launched in 1996 and orbited Mars at least until 2006 when it stopped responding to signals), to gain more insight into the strange features.
The images showed that the TARS:
- Are more common in the southern hemisphere of mars than in the northern hemisphere.
- Are found in an equatorial belt between 30 degrees north latitude and 30 degrees south latitude.
- Exist in two distinct environments: near layered terrain or adjacent to Large Dark Dunes (LLDs).
- Are abundant in the Meridiani Planum (a plain 2 degrees south of Mars' equator) region and in southern-latitude craters.
Additional information on TARs came from Opportunity's 2005 encounter with one of the ridges. The rover was bogged down for six weeks with its wheels firmly stuck in the sand.
Opportunity's time stuck in the ridge showed that at least this TAR was composed of an outer layer of granule-sized material ranging from about 0.08 inches (2 millimeters) to 0.2 inches (5 millimeters). Below that outer layer was a mixed mass of fine and coarse particles.
How they form
TARs need two things to form, Balme explained: a supply of sediment and strong winds. The sediment requirement helps explain why the features are found near dunes and layered terrain, he added.
Both dunes and layered terrain (which could have been formed by ancient sand dunes, ocean or lake deposits, or layers of volcanic ash) provide the raw material for the TARs.
Steep slopes can also provide additional particles for ripple formation as they erode. This factor could explain why TARs are confined to a central belt around the planet, Balme said, because steep slopes are not generally found in the middle to far north and south latitudes of Mars.
TARs also come in two age ranges: Those near layered terrain are generally several million years old and inactive, while the ones near LLDs are young and may still be actively forming and moving.
"My theory is that the very young TARs are found near the Large Dark Dunes, which are also very young, because the sand blowing off the dunes provides the energy needed to form TARs," Balme said. "Meanwhile you have areas near layered landforms that used to have active sediment transport, but no longer [do]. This shows a dynamic environment that has changed, and we might be able to use TARs as paleo-markers to help decipher ancient climates."
Current models that examine circulation patterns in Mars' atmosphere don't provide much evidence that wind patterns and atmospheric densities on Mars were significantly different in the past than from what they are now.
"But I think the geology we are seeing suggests that there might have been different patterns and densities," Balme said. "The observations we're getting now from Mars Global Surveyor [data analysis] and the HiRISE camera (flying aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter [currently orbiting Mars]) are giving us really good data to drive the models."
In addition to figuring out what processes formed the TARs, scientists also still don't know exactly what materials compose the various TAR fields or why they see these large features on Mars, but not on Earth.
"Over the next couple of years we should be seeing many more images from HiRISE that can gives us more information, for example, about the heights versus spacing and whether TARs have more in common with dunes or the ripple fields found on Earth," Balme said.
HiRISE images of the fields taken over long time intervals could show small movements within some of the TAR fields, indicating which ones are still active and possibly demonstrating how they form, Balme said.
© 2013 Space.com. All rights reserved. More from Space.com.


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Authorities are asking for the public's help in identifying a man suspected in a string of bank robberies in the West Valley and South San Jose dating back to mid-January, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office said.
The Sheriff's Office released surveillance photos Thursday of a man they believe held up five banks in a monthlong span. The afternoon robberies were committed by a suspect who presented a teller with a note demanding money then fled with an undisclosed sum of cash.
Investigators say the robberies occurred Jan. 18 at a US Bank on South De Anza Boulevard in Cupertino; Jan. 24 at a Wells Fargo Bank on Almaden Expressway in San Jose; Feb. 1 at a Bank of the West on Cox Avenue in Saratoga; Feb. 6 at a Wells Fargo Bank on Homestead Road in Cupertino; and Tuesday at a Wells Fargo Bank on Homestead Road in Santa Clara.
The robber is described as a white man in his mid-30s, between 5-foot-6 and 6 feet tall with a muscular build.
Anyone with information about any of the robberies can contact Sheriff's Detective Sgt. Paula McAllister at 408-808-4500, San Jose police Detective Ryan Chan at 408-277-4166 or Santa Clara police Detective Steve Hoesing at 408-615-4814.
Wells Fargo is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
Contact Robert Salonga at 408-920-5002. Follow him at Twitter.com/robertsalonga.


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Meetings & Groups
Meeting facilities, comfortable accommodations, engaging activities, and gorgeous scenery.
"…if only all of our meetings were like this one." Veronica G.
Plan Your Wedding
Lakeview garden ceremony, intimate reception facility, and stunning views.
"…we couldn't have dreamt of a more perfect place…" Mike & Jessie C.
Vacations & Getaways
From horseback riding and romantic carriage rides to swimming and outdoor games.
"…with so much to do, we lost track of time." Justin P.


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- Telephone:
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((((((***FREE 3 MONTHS ENGINE&GEARBOX WARRANTY & FREE 12 MONTHS FREE RECOVERY )))))****FULL Service History, HPI Clear, USED BY 2 FORMER KEEPER, LAST SERVICE AT CURRENT MILEAGE, GREAT CONDITION IN AND OUT ***FINANCE AVAILBLE NO DEPOIST REQUIRED, FIRST TO SEE WILL BUY***Excellent condition*** , 3 months warranty, 12 months MOT, Full service history, Excellent bodywork, Interior - Excellent Condition, Tyre condition Good, White, £4,499 p/x welcome
This car comes with
16in 5 - Spoke Alloy Wheels (195/45 Tyres) with Locking Wheel Nuts, ATC Air Conditioning, Auto Wipers inc. Auto Headlamps, Cruise Control, Electrically - Operated Front Windows with One Shot Touch Up/Down, Perimeter Alarm, Privacy Glass, Quickclear Heated Windscreen, Radio/CD, MP3 Compatible, Multi - Functional Matrix Display, AUX / USB Connection, Sony DAB Radio, Bluetooth/Voice Control
- 201906149010303
- 2012
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- £4,499
- 450
- 63,000
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Vehicle summary
|Body style
|Engine size
|1388 cc
|Fuel type
|Number of doors
|Number of seats
|Gearbox type
|CO2 emissions
|130 g/km
|Insurance group
|Standard manufacturer's warranty (miles)
|60000 miles
|Standard manufacturer's warranty (years)
|3 years
|Standard paintwork guarantee
|No details available
Performance & economy
|Fuel consumption (urban)
|37.7 mpg
|Fuel consumption (extra urban)
|61.4 mpg
|Fuel consumption (combined)
|49.6 mpg
|0 - 60 mph
|12.2 seconds
|Top speed
|109 mph
|Engine power
|94 bhp
|Engine torque
|94.41 lbs/ft
|1433 mm
|Height inclusive of roof rails
|No details available
|3950 mm
|0 mm
|1722 mm
|Width including mirrors
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|Fuel tank capacity
|42 litres
|Minimum kerb weight
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|Interior features
|Exterior features
|Accessory Power Socket (12V)
|16in 5 - Spoke Alloy Wheels (195/45 Tyres) with Locking Wheel Nuts
|60/40 Split Back and Fixed Cushion
|Body Coloured Bumpers
|Drivers Lumbar Support Adjustment
|Electrically - Operated/Heated/Foldable Door Mirrors with Integrated Side Indicators
|Quickclear Heated Windscreen
|Leather - Wrapped Gear Knob
|Cruise Control
|Cup Holders
|Remote Audio Controls
|Radio/CD, MP3 Compatible, Multi - Functional Matrix Display, AUX / USB Connection
|Trip Computer
|Centre Console
|Floor Mats - Front and Rear, Velour
|Manual 4 - Way Driver Seat Adjust
|Auto Wipers inc. Auto Headlamps
|Sony DAB Radio, Bluetooth/Voice Control
|Upholstery Cloth
|Privacy Glass
|Electrically - Operated Front Windows with One Shot Touch Up/Down
|4 Front and 2 Rear Speakers
|ATC Air Conditioning
|Rake and Reach Adjustable Steering Column
|Drivers Airbag
|Front Fog Lights with Chrome Bezel Rings
|Third Brake Light
|Passengers Airbag
|Tyre Inflator Kit
|ABS, Emergency Brake Assist
|Front Side Airbag (Head and Thorax)
|Electronic Stability Programme (ESP)
|ISOFIX Mounting Brackets for Child Seat (Rear Outer Seats Only)
|Perimeter Alarm
|Front and Rear Head Restraints
|Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS)
|Seat Buckle Pre-Tensioners on Front Seat Belts
|Centre Rear Seat Belt
|Electronic Brake - Force Distribution (EBD)
|Drivers Knee Airbag
|Remote Central Locking with Two Flip Keys
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This includes MPG figures which are calculated under European Standards, in test conditions, and will vary under normal driving conditions. The information displayed above describes the typical specification of the most recent model of this vehicle. It is not the exact specification for the actual vehicle being offered for sale which may vary. Specifications for older models may also vary. Please contact us prior to purchase to confirm the exact specification of this vehicle.
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Finding Primary Sources on the Web: More Info
Finding photographs and other non-text sources
For articles on searching for images on the web see:
- Mattison, David, "Images of History on the Web". Searcher 10(5), May 2002.
- Tomaiuolo, Nicolas G., "When Image is Everything". Searcher 10(1), Jan. 2002.
Image: 1934 Ansel Adams photograph of "Roy Takeno reading paper in front of office." Courtesy of the American Memory collection Under a Great Injustice: Ansel Adams's Photographs of Japanese-American Internment at Manzanar.


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We've seen a lot of changes
in the computer and information markets since we began business in 1986.
IBM-compatible PC's with glaring amber monitors have evolved into blazing
fast multimedia workstations, and the Internet, which was virtually
unheard of back then, is now the world-wide network we all share to
do our daily business.
As technology changes, so do the products and services
we offer, but our commitment to keeping our customers on its cutting
edge, through our technical expertise and top-notch customer service,
has remained the same for 25 years and will continue through the next
1988 - What a year
to get a business computer!
For only $4,995.00
you could buy one of our Force Turbo XT PC's with a whopping
640K of RAM, a dot matrix printer, Ability word processor
and Cougar Mountain accounting software (hard drive optional!).
2002 - Communications
setup in the jungles of Laos
In addition to providing Internet
to rural counties in the US, Nationwide has installed communications
systems in even more remote areas such as Ecuador, St. Maarten
Island, and even at a gold mine in the jungles of Laos.
the image to below to see the story of this exciting excursion.
Nationwide Computer Systems, PO Box 551149, Davie, FL 33355
See Locations
for local contacts


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This is our HSBC Bank PLC Bank page. We have listed the full address of HSBC Bank PLC, phone numbers and websites. HSBC Bank PLC is in Chatham, HSBC Bank PLC offers online banking, online saving and phone banking in Chatham. We have bank phone numbers, fax numbers, bank maps of every local bank in Chatham.
HSBC Bank PLC Map:
HSBC Bank PLC
231 High Street
Chatham, ME4 4BQ
Phone: 0845-740 4404
231 High Street
Chatham, ME4 4BQ
Phone: 0845-740 4404
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- Description
DetailsCutlery insert
Runner system: TANDEMBOX plus
Material: Polystyrene (PS)
Colour / finish: metalic silver
Nominal Length: 500 mm
Cabinet width: 900 mm
Item package: 1 piece
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Product Code BL472.814INMESI Set N/A
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FREE standard delivery on orders over £40 ex VAT for UK Mainland
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(usually next day)
£4 ex VAT FREE Guaranteed Next Day £10 ex VAT £10 ex VAT
Delivery charges apply to UK Mainland. Highlands and Islands may incur an additional charge. Please email us to check carriage charge.
Standard delivery – Orders placed before 2pm will normally be dispatched the same day for next day delivery by our preferred couriers or our own vehicles.
We offer a guaranteed next day pre noon delivery service for £10 ex VAT for orders placed before 2pm.
Orders placed after 2.00pm will not be processed until the next working day. Our delivery service operates Monday - Friday.
Goods will require a signature on delivery.


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Anchal's holistic program is designed to address the diverse needs of each woman and equip them with the tools needed to sustain employment as an Anchal artisan and beyond. By offering alternatives to dangerous and exploitive work, Anchal helps women rediscover their dignity, independence and creativity in a financially rewarding way. The program offers women design and skills training, full-time employment, educational workshops, health services, a supportive community and access to an international marketplace.
Dry clean recommended.
Anchal's Narrative Collection explores the connection between vernacular imagery, heritage artwork and a maker's journey to empowerment. The contemporary geometric design partnered with an aggregated stitch pattern revolutionizes traditional kantha quilting techniques. Kantha, a traditional India embroidery technique, is the process of joining multiple layers of vintage saris with a simple running stitch. Each design is captured in a photograph and translated into a quilt's compositional pattern, allowing variant stitch patterns to reveal the artisan's process & determination. This art takes patience, dedication and practice. A standard throw quilt takes an average of 2 weeks to stitch.
A modern patchwork design and detailed hand embroidery make the Anchal Project Blush Organic Cotton Curve Lumbar Pillow Cover an eye-catching addition to your home décor. Pair two together for an asymmetrical look, or mix & match with other decorative pillows from the curve series.
• Made by an Anchal Artisan in Ajmer, India
• Colors: Blush
• Material: 1 layer of 100% GOTS certified organic cotton canvas
• Gold Zipper Closure
• Features hand-stitched name of artisan maker
• Form not included
AHAlife is committed to help you live a conscious and inspired life.
Many of the items you discover here are exclusive to AHAlife, which is what makes our community of designers and artisans so special.
If you find one of our products anywhere else for less than it's being sold on our site, we will match it.
Our dedicated Support Team is here to help. Reach out any time at:


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Every now and then, something surfaces on the Internet that is so amazing, we stop and wonder how we lived our lives before we knew about it. Today is one of those days. Stop what you're doing because it's time to watch "Thunder on the Streets II."
This was a TV special from Evansville, Indiana in 1986 that spent an entire hour of television covering, I shit you not, SCCA Solo autocross.
No, I don't know why someone decided that a local autocross meet should be televised, let alone for an entire hour, but boy am I glad they did.
The video comes to us from Jalopnik reader Gene, whose local SCCA club just dug out a VHS copy of the special and tossed it up on YouTube.
If you've ever wanted to spend an hour watching RX-7s, Celicas, AE86s, Fox Mustangs, C4 Corvettes, and tons of others blast through the cones while local folks cover it like it's the Indy Goddamn 500, then look no further.
Oh, and it's the entire TV special, so it comes complete with period-appropriate commercials for Hardee's and RCA camcorders and VCRs.
OH! And at the end, about 50 minutes in, there's a montage set to "I Can't Drive 55" and then "The Heat Is On." It is the best salute to grassroots motorsports I think I've ever seen.
"Thunder on the Streets II" is your new god.


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Ask any voice actor what inspired them to become a voice actor, and the stories are usually pretty similar. They were told they had a great voice, they began in radio, they listened to cartoons…stuff like that. I consider myself a tad different in that regard. Technically cartoons and video games inspired me to get in, which is why I'm not enormously different. What makes me a tad different is that the cartoon and video game performances that inspired me the most…were not the original performances of the source material. They were dubs.
Shows like "Dragon Ball Z," "Neon Genesis Evangelion," and "Pokemon" may not have quite the same name power as "Looney Tunes," "SpongeBob SquarePants," or "Rugrats," but quite frankly, they influenced me way more than any North American cartoon ever did. Even when I grew up, bought the DVDs, and was able to switch over to the original Japanese audio track with English subtitles, the original Japanese casts didn't resonate with me nearly as much as the performances of the English actors who dubbed them. To me, the English dub casts will always be the casts that matter. Which is a pity, really, because while their appreciation has grown tremendously over the years, dub actors, as Rodney Dangerfield would say, "Don't get no respect"…comparatively speaking, anyway.
In discussing last week's audioblog entry, it became apparent to me that there is only so much "mainstream" respect and awareness for what we do. Voice actors are relatively obscure in the grand scheme of things. However, even within our industry, there are obscure parts, such as dubbing. The reason I'm using Godzilla as my featured image is because, in all likelihood, that's what many people think of when they hear the word "dub." They imagine the original Japanese actors talking for extended periods of time, only for atrociously lip-synced dialogue to ruin whatever mood was originally set up.
Well, in this entry, I'm gonna show some lovin' for the dubbin.' I don't think it's nearly respected as it should be. That's partially because, up until (relatively) recently, the English dub actors were not allowed to be credited to specific roles, and instead the credits would simply say "Featuring the English Voices of…" and then list all of the actors in a seemingly random order. However, there's also a lack of awareness of the process and art behind dubbing. It has come a long way since it originally started! Some of the stuff here will be "old news" to voice actors who have done ADR or dubbing before, but like I said, in the interest of spreading awareness of the job of the voice actors who inspired me most, I'm gonna talk about the three "Methods" of dubbing (and the third one, I bet, will surprise even the veterans).
METHOD 1: The "Three Beeps" Method
This is, hands-down, the most common method. This is used not only in anime, but also in dubbing for foreign films and ADR. First, the actor is played a preview of what they will be dubbing. Following this, the engineer will set up three beeps at a set rhythm to be played to the actor through their headphones. Based on the rhythm of these three beeps, the actor tries to imagine in their head where the fourth beep should be, and is supposed to start saying their line on this imaginary fourth beep, taking care to match the lip movements of whatever it is they're trying to dub. This used to be a pretty long process in the days of laying everything to film, when so many analog machines had to be timed to be in sync with everything, but ever since things went digital, this process is much faster. Here's an example of the talented Johnny Yong Bosch dubbing the main character of an anime called "Eureka Seven":
METHOD 2: The "Rhythmo-Band" Method
While the Three Beeps Method has gotten faster, it's still not nearly as fast as the Rhythmo-Band Method. This is a rare method of dubbing. In fact, it's almost exclusive to France and Quebec. And…that sucks, quite frankly, because this method is so much more effective and useful for the actor. Rather than cue the actor with beeps, the engineer takes a blank strip of film and writes out the revised dialogue by hand onto the film strip. This film strip, the "rhythmo-band," is then projected onto a separate TV screen beneath the main TV screen that shows the visuals that the dubbing actor will dub. Towards the left end of the rhythmo-band screen, a static red line is projected. As the visuals of the main screen move along, so does the rhythmo-band. Because the engineer took the time to precisely calculate how long everything should be pronounced, and adjusted the size and length of their handwriting accordingly, the rhythmo-band's text scrolls from right to left in sync with the picture, and the dubbing actor simply reads the rhythmo-band's moving text as it intersects with the static red line.
In doing so, the rhythmo-band displays to the actor the exact speed and timing at which they're supposed to say their lines. An example of this is shown below, using behind-the-scenes footage of the French dub of "Pokemon" (fast-forward to the 3:29 mark):
Okay, actually, before I move on, I'd like to clarify one thing. I will thank all of my older readers and listens–and Herman Cain–to STOP mispronouncing the damn show's name! It's "POE-kay-MON," not "POE-kee-MON." It annoyed me when I was 11, and it annoys me now! Do you people not have ears? It's in the theme song! Listen!
See, I'm not making this stuff up! So please, STOP it!
…Anyways. The reason the Rythmo-Band Method is awesome is because the guess work present in the "Three Beeps Method" is eliminated for the actor…
…But not for the engineer. The reason this method didn't take off much beyond France or Quebec, is because it takes an exhausting amount of time to prepare for the engineer. Especially in the old days when they had to watch the film over, and over, and over, and over again so that they could calculate the proper length and size of their handwriting so that it would be in sync with the picture. Thankfully, they no longer write out the revised dialogue by hand, and have since developed software programs designed to mimic the rhythmo-band's function and work in sync with audio editing programs like Pro Tools (one of which can be found here). I've heard rumors on the internets that a select few studios in LA use this method now. I'm all for this method replacing the Three Beeps Method, if only because I'm an actor and it makes the actor's life much easier.
Well, that is, until we get to the third method…
METHOD 3: Revise The On-Screen Visuals
Since dubbing began, the idea has been that, since the on-screen visuals can't be revised, dubbing actors had to do the best they could to sync their words to the mouth movements of the characters they were dubbing. Dubbing studios couldn't go back to animation studios and ask them to draw alternative drawings to match the lip movements of the English actors, or ask film companies to shoot alternative scenes in which the actors on screen matched the lip movements of the dubbing actor. That would be absurd and impractical…
…And it…still is. But we've gotten a step closer to making it doable. Unfortunately, I can't embed this video in my blog, but click this blue text to watch this video–fair warning, this is one of the creepiest things you will ever see.
What you just saw (assuming you clicked the link–you DID, right?) is the result of a computer program developed by New York University called "Video Rewrite," that uses CGI to rework the mouth formations of people on screen to match the mouth formations of the words spoken by the dubbing actor. They used Video Rewrite to dub an old video of JFK, making President Kennedy's mouth look like he was speaking the words of the dubbing actor. The idea behind this is that, when mass-produced, needing to match lip movements in dubs will be a thing of the past, and the dubbing actors will finally be able to deliver their lines however they please, without regard for how the original actor did. This technology, though, is a long way off.
So for now, it's mostly the Three Beeps Method and the Rhythmo-Band Method. Take some time to watch a foreign movie dubbed, or an anime dubbed (anything by Hayao Miyazaki will be good since Disney is in charge of dubbing his movies). For those of you who aren't familiar with how the technology and artistic acting ability of dubs have evolved over the years, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
PS: From now on, I'm going to be doing something with my audioblog entries that I haven't been doing before. Very often when I post my audioblog entries in social media forums, some GREAT discussions will come out of them. That's good, for the most part…problem is, often some great material will come out after the fact. For example, in last week's audioblog entry, I talked about how VO has zero presence in colleges except for Yale. Turns out…I was a tad misinformed. A few colleges do indeed offer it. They're still few and far between, and I maintain that it needs to have a stronger presence, but more colleges were brought to my attention, and more elements of the issue were discussed. So, from now on, when I see a great discussion arise, I'll post links to those discussion threads. Entry #20 has already been retrofitted that way, and I'm workin' on the others. By all means, join in on the discussion! It's not like you're…actually, hold on a second…
*three beeps*
It's not like you have to wait for your time to speak!


text:
I arrived back from the last trip out to find that the team had discovered a huge, leaning dead tree—a 'widow-maker'—behind our camp, and no one was comfortable staying at the site any longer. These trees can come crashing down with no warning. Often I have jolted from deep sleep into an adrenaline-flushed wakefulness (How close is it? Should I run? Which way?) by the gunshot-like popping of fibers signaling an old tree starting to topple. On a quiet night, sound travels far, and the tree is usually a long way away, but the panic is real. So, "When a tree falls in the forest…?"
The next day we moved back to the campsite by the river, accepting the small risk that there may be a huge flood again. If flooding returns, we built several racks to protect the equipment—and we'd need to wait with our feet in the water until the water subsided. Pak Manto, our colleague who has spent the most time in this part of the forest, said this river experiences a significant flooding event only about once a year… so we should be fine now. Indeed, the weather this year has been unusually dry. November and December are very wet (total rainfall here averages over 12 feet a year), followed by a few dry weeks in January before the early-year rains resume. But this year it has hardly rained since January.
If this persists until June, when the typically drier season begins, the forest will have a very tough time. The fires from land clearing for hill rice and oil palm have already started, and by September the smoke can be so bad that planes cease flying into local airports, literally stranding us on Borneo! I remember once being unable to see across a room through the smoke. Climate change models predict little temperature change for the tropics, but anticipate significant shifts in rainfall pattern and totals, although these are difficult to predict with models (but see this paper on Indonesia). It is interesting that every villager I've talked to has both heard about climate change and believes that he or she has witnessed its effects playing out over the last few years. Rice planting times are changing, winds are wrong, rivers are too low. Nobody seems to be denying climate change in Borneo!
It is true, despite these observed oddities, that we are prone to forget the saw-toothed nature of 'natural' weather events. Though rare, extreme events can shape the world in intervening years. Borneo's forests are a prime example. Wind and animals scatter seeds throughout the forest year by year. Usually the seedlings of most species can survive anywhere in a lowland forest. However, every 50 years or so, there might be a very extreme drought. The hilltops will dry out more than the valleys, and as the drought persists, seedling of species that need higher levels of moisture will die out on the ridges. As a result, when the rains finally return, the species of seedlings will no longer be evenly distributed. As surviving seedlings mature (ever so slowly…1 to 2 centimeters per year in the shade), tree communities begin reflecting this uneven distribution of drought-tolerant species—despite the fact that mature trees seldom die from a bad drought due to their deep tap roots. In this very forest, David Peart and I found evidence for this change in species composition. Exploring the evolution of drought tolerance is one of the goals of our current project, and we've sited plots in both wet valleys and drier ridges to observe how species are differentially distributed.


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Beyonce Performs National Anthem at 2013 Presidential Inauguration
Beyonce gave the performance of her career at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration ceremony today. The songbird performed the National Anthem in front of 800,000 people who were in Washington D.C., to watch President Obama get sworn in for his second term.
Her patriotic rendition capped off a beautiful event that featured dignitaries, poets and musicians. Among the artists performing at the ceremony included James Taylor delivering an acoustic guitar-driven rendition of 'America the Beautiful' and Kelly Clarkson singing 'My Country 'Tis of Thee.' Other celebrities in attendance included Katy Perry and her beau John Mayer, Usher and Stevie Wonder.
Before the event, Beyonce was escorted to the West Front of the U.S. Capitol by her hubby Jay-Z. The two looked very much like the royal king and queen of hip-hop and R&B. Mrs. Carter wore a shimmering floor-length black gown (designed by Emilio Pucci) with a fur coat, while a bespectacled Hov was dressed in a charcoal suit with a blue shirt and tie and navy-colored scarf around his neck.
The Destiny's Child frontwoman follows behind Aretha Franklin who sang 'My Country, 'Tis of Thee' at the 2009 presidential inauguration. President Obama and Michelle Obama famously danced to Beyonce's cover of Etta James' 'At Last' at the inaugural ball.


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* Billions for local projects prompts "love feast" in House
* Even Tea Party conservatives find plenty to like
* But no truce seen in partisan war
By Fred Barbash and Caren Bohan
WASHINGTON, Oct 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives has rediscovered the formula for peace, harmony and an end to gridlock after a month of partisan warfare: $8 billion worth of harbor dredging, dam and lock construction and other federal waterway improvements.
The bill got only modest attention in the aftermath of a government shutdown and the technological woes of President Obama's health law when it passed last week by a vote of 417-3.
No error there: 224 Republicans and 193 Democrats, at each others' throats for the past five years, joined together in what Representative Virginia Foxx called a "love feast."
Pork it was not, members insisted, rejecting the old pejorative term in favor of "infrastructure" spending, and garnishing the title with another word, "reform," that's also in vogue.
Nor, by members' definition, were these earmarks, the pet projects inserted by individual members that have become taboo symbols of lavish Washington spending.
Whatever the jargon, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act was a reminder of the allure of traditional home-district spending and its healing power in an age of division.
The bill included projects that would benefit about half of the state delegations in Congress, by a rough count.
For Georgia, there was an expansion of Savannah Harbor; for Florida, improvements to the ports of Jacksonville and Canaveral, not to mention the Everglades Restoration Plan.
Texas and Louisiana won approval for the dredging of the Sabine-Neches Waterway, 79 miles billed as America's "energy gateway," and "the artery of southeast Texas."
Authorizations went to North Carolina, California, the Mississippi Coast, Maryland, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and the entire Great Lakes region. (For a factbox of various projects click: )
In voting for the measure, small-government Tea Party faction members bucked conservative organizations, like the Heritage Foundation, that held sway over them during the October showdown that shutdown the government.
And liberal Democrats bucked environmentalists, who expressed concerns about provisions designed to speed up the environmental impact assessments that sometimes slow down water projects.
What is more, the Senate has already approved similar - though not identical - legislation and the White House, though skeptical, is not threatening a veto.
"For all the hand wringing about the inability of Republicans and Democrats to get along in Washington, there is definitely one area in which they continue to get along and that is parochial projects," said Tad DeHaven, a former Capitol Hill policy adviser and now a budget analyst at the Cato Institute.
A dominant theme during the debate last week was redemption. Even those who said they had concerns about the bill said they would support it because of its bipartisan sponsorship, "something all too rare in Washington these days," said Elizabeth Esty, a Democrat of Connecticut. "I am proud to say that this bill reflects the bipartisan action that my constituents expect from Congress."
But Americans in search of a do-something Congress should not get their hopes up.
Water bills are unique: Tea Party or not, a member of Congress cannot go home and tell the locals that he voted against a deeper port or a shored-up beach.
Most vote yes, issue a press release and if possible, go down to the jetty or the dam for a photo op. "The Peoria Lock and Dam is becoming a popular place for federal legislators to conduct news conferences," the Pekin Times reported in Illinois over the weekend after the third visit from a member of Congress in a few months.
So powerful are the forces behind water bills that when President George W. Bush vetoed a $23 billion version in 2007 as "fiscally irresponsible," Congress overrode him, one of only six veto overrides in 25 years.
Water bills are "not inherently" partisan, said Patrick Griffin, a former White House aide and now associate director for the Center for Congressional and Presidential studies at American University.
"I'm not sure I would be betting a new era of cooperation simply on that vote," he said.
Plus, authorizing projects is but the first step toward actually funding them. Actual spending must be approved by appropriations enacted separately by both houses of Congress. With the appropriations process broken down and replaced by temporary crisis-mode funding showdowns, it is possible that only a fraction of the money promised will ever be spent.
The Army Corps of Engineers, for which the money was authorized, already has a $60 billion construction backlog, as a skeptical White House pointed out in its response to the bill's passage. Indeed, the bill passed by the House deauthorized dozens of projects that had languished for years, enabling House conservatives to say they were offsetting the cost of the new projects by sacrificing the old, justification for adding the word "reform" to the title of the bill.
But the questionable future of the newer projects got lost in the torrent of press releases that poured forth from members in the days following Thursday's House vote.
Hailing the Savannah project, designed to deepen the Georgia harbor for supertanker use, Georgia Representative Tom Graves, a Republican Tea Party favorite, predicted that in no time, "those supertankers will arrive at the harbor full of goods, and Georgia business will make sure they leave full."
The legislation "will allow larger ships to reach our ports and energy and manufacturing centers," said Texas Representative Randy Weber of the Sabine-Neches Waterway project, which aims to deepen the channel from 40 to 48 feet to accommodate larger ships.
Still, the measure brought back nostalgic glimpses of the way Congress used to operate, for better or worse, in the days when they actually appropriated money, much of it "earmarked" for pet projects of individual members.
Though some members pine openly for a return to earmarks, arguing that they allowed Congress rather than the president to decide where money is spent, earmarks stand condemned, especially by conservatives, as a corrupting contribution to exploding deficits.
Representative Daniel Webster of Florida contrasted this water bill with the one portrayed in the movie, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," about a naive new member who fights against a dam, and the system.
Unlike the water bill in the movie, said Webster, these were not "pet projects" but rather taken from a list provided by the Army Corps of Engineers.
"Gone or the days of inserting earmarks at the last minute," he said. And "gone are the days of wasting taxpayer money on pork barrel spending."
Only one member, Democrat Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, had the temerity to call the projects earmarks, mostly, he admitted, because he didn't get one. "I support all of these projects," said Cleaver, but I don't have an earmark in it - and I want one."
Democratic Representative Collin Peterson of Minnesota, one of the three lawmakers to vote against the bill, also felt left out. It failed to include reauthorization for a flood-control project in Roseau, Minnesota, said a spokeswoman.
The bill mobilized the big-time lobbyists, hundreds of them, according to lobbyist registration data, from power-houses like Exxon Mobil, the American Petroleum Institute and the National Corn Growers Association to every county, city and even villages that stood to gain.
Their show of force gave them a rare victory over the new breed of small-government ideological lobbying group, like Americans for Prosperity, which called it a "giant spending bill" and the Heritage Foundation, which condemned the measure as "an abyss of spending."
Progressive Democrats came out in force to support the bill as well, despite the concerns of environmental organizations about provisions designed to speed up time consuming environmental reviews required for water projects.
"This is something Congress has done many times in the past, going back almost 200 years," said Steve Ellis, vice-president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, which urged a 'no' vote. "
"It's sort of a reflexive activity in many ways."
It also benefited from the "hangover" of the fight that shut down the government earlier in October and nearly risked a default.
"People were so fatigued by that," Ellis said. "If you read the transcript of the Congressional Record, it was everybody touting how bipartisan this is.
It was "almost like they were trying to convince themselves that they can do things on a bipartisan basis and wanting to make sure that their constituents and other people thought that Washington could work."
In the aftermath of the government shutdown, said American University's Griffin, there may be slightly more inclination to cooperate.
On a water bill, said Griffin, it "is probably not a mortal sin to vote on the same side as the other party. It's probably just a venial sin."


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Upon creating a new account for frozen cortex, there was a pop-up stating that if I allowed them to send me a email every month promoting their games, I would get the soundtrack for free. I clicked yes, but I did not get a email or anything that allowed me to download the soundtrack.
So, exactly how and when am I supposed to get the soundtrack?
Frozen Cortex soundtrack
Bug reports and technical support for Frozen Cortex.
Moderator: Admins
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I would like to thank Linda for two very pretty Granny Blankets.
This is the simple Granny Square made in plain colours with very pretty borders.
These two Blankets are a great size to snuggle under and I know they will be giving a
great deal of comfort to two lucky Residents.
Decorated with Roses and Butterflies and tied up with Ribbon
these will make wonderful Gifts.
x Sue x


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As the More is More Mom®, I'm all about……….more Mediterranean dishes! I'm sorry, but there is little tastier than fresh herbs and garlic (and creamy, melt-y cheese), though repeated flossing is very likely necessary. This is the perfect menu for an outdoor dinner with family and friends. And if you like lamb, you're in for a real treat!
Shrimp Saganaki
Greek Salad with a homemade dressing
Lamb Kebabs with Feta Sauce
Steakhouse Kebabs (why not add shrimp and chicken!)
Corn on the Cob (for the kids…..)
Shrimp Saganaki
This is so delicious; you'll pray for leftovers that you can toss over a plate of pasta!
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 ¼ lbs tomatoes (approximately 6 small), chopped
Course sea salt
Crushed red pepper flakes
1 ½ lbs shrimp, shelled and deveined, sliced in half lengthwise
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
¼ cup fresh chopped dill
1 cup feta cheese
In a large skillet, heat the oil over a high heat until it shimmers.
Add the onions, continuing to cook on high until the onion starts to get soft and a little bit brown, approximately 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, seasoning with salt and crushed red pepper flakes (a couple good shakes should do)
Cook the tomatoes until they are soft, mixing and crushing them a bit as you go, cooking for about 5 minutes
Add the shrimp and olives, continuing to stir until the shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes
Stir in the dill and about ¾ cup of the feta cheese, until the cheese is hot, approximately 1 minute
Transfer to a serving bowl
Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, serving with pita chips or baguette bread
Greek Salad with Homemade Dressing;
Of course, quantities depend upon how many people you'll be serving, but this is a great salad for a small group or a crowd!
7 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp ground mustard
Cracked black pepper to taste (I like a good solid shake)
1 ½ tsp fresh oregano (which goes a long way in a dressing)
2 cups olive oil
1 Tbsp sugar (heaping)
Mix all of the ingredients together in either a cruet or a bowl. The dressing will stay fresh in your refrigerator for several days.
For the Salad;
In a large bowl, combine;
Romaine lettuce, chopped
Cucumber, peeled and chopped
Grape or cherry tomatoes
Red onion, cut into thinly sliced pieces
Kalamata olives, pitted
Feta cheese, crumbled for sprinkling
Toss the salad with the dressing and serve
For the Kebabs;
I always marinate the meat the night before, and then all that's left to do the following day is to thread the kebabs and toss them on the grill.
Between the two recipes, I had about 36 kebabs. They make awesome leftovers!
For both the lamb and the steak kebabs you will need;
Skewers, if using bamboo, soak in water for at least 30 minutes
3 lbs New potatoes for each kebab recipe (I made 6 lbs for 2 recipes), boiled for 30 minutes or so, until they are extremely tender. Drain and cool on a tray or foil lined cookie sheet until cool enough to handle. Once the potatoes are cooked, they are fine left at room temperature for quite a while.
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 red onion, cut into 1" pieces for the lamb
1 white onion, cut into 1" pieces for the steak, chicken and/or shrimp
Lamb Kebabs with Feta Sauce;
3 ½ lbs boneless leg of lamb (which you may need to plan ahead and order from your butcher), cut into 1"-2" cubes
In a bowl, mix together;
2 cups olive oil
1 tsp lemon zest
½ cup of lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
8 garlic cloves minced (hence the dental floss)
2 Tbsp fresh oregano (more dental floss)
In a large re-sealable baggie, combine lamb and marinade, refrigerating overnight.
Feta Sauce;
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
1 ½ cups Greek yogurt
6-8 garlic cloves, minced (once again…..dental floss)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
If you like it lumpy, simply mix in a bowl and refrigerate
If you like it smooth, pulse in the blender and refrigerate
Steakhouse Kebabs;
Both Nick and Amanda like lamb, but he is a chicken fanatic and she likes steak and shrimp. I made a huge helping on marinade and used a separate Zip-loc baggie for each the chicken, the steak and the shrimp.
1 – 1 ½ lbs of chicken breasts or tenders, cut into 1"-2" cubes
1 – 1 ½ lbs of beef (I used boneless NY strips), cut into 1"-2" cubes
6 shrimp for Amanda
In a bowl, combine;
2 cups olive oil
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp thyme, chopped
Divide the marinade amongst the various baggies and refrigerate overnight.
Threading the kebabs is easy, but it takes a little time. I like to get that all ready before company arrives, by threading and storing in large Rubbermaid containers in my refrigerator.
On each skewer, thread a piece of meat, potato, a few onion slices, tomato and repeat
When ready for dinner, heat grill to medium high
Place kebabs on grill for a total of, approximately, 12 minutes
After your guests have nibbled on their Shrimp Saganaki, put out the salad, the kebabs and corn on the cob. Opa!
More shrimp, more feta, more Kalamata olive, more Mediterranean dining…….
To schedule an Interior Design appointment, Life Style consultation or speaking engagement, please email firstname.lastname@example.com


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While fixing a problem that I found on the iTunes section of our Gift Shop, where you can rent and purchase movies (and purchase songs) online, I decided to make some improvements.
This section of our Gift Shop provides our readers with direct access to Apple's iTunes Store for the following categories:
- Today's Top Songs
- Top Movie Rentals
- Top Movie Purchases
- Top Soundtrack Albums
- New Soundtrack Releases
The result of the improvements today expands each category optionally to show up to 20 selections instead of just three. When you visit the iTunes page, you will see an arrow at the end of the listing, and clicking on that arrow will show you more choices in that category.
For example, in the Top Movie Rentals category, you will see three selections:
Selecting the arrow that appears to the right of the last selection will result in an expanded display, similar to the one below:
As always, selecting one of the titles will take you to the iTunes service so that you can complete your transaction and start downloading it.
Try It Out
Give it a try today by clicking on the Read link below to visit the iTunes section of our Gift Shop!
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SAP Partner Login
As an existing SAP Partner, you can access SAP's exclusive partner website – sappartneredge.com. This secure website delivers a personalized experience the serves up the role-based information you need to build and run a successful SAP operation. Login today to access sales and marketing resources, events, product/solution information, support, demos, references, education, partnership services, and more.


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- Debussy: Clair de Lune / How Great Thou Art
- Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody On A Theme of Paganini, Variation 18 (Andante Cantabile)
- All Creatures of Our God and King
- Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 in C minor (Adagio Sostenuto) / Abide with Me, 'Tis Eventide
- Ravel: "Ondine" from Gaspard de la Nuit
- Chopin: Nocturne in D-Flat Major, Op. 27 No. 2 / Nearer, My God to Thee
- Homeward Bound
- Satie: Gymnopédie No. 1
- Chopin: Étude in C Minor, Op. 25 No. 12
- Mompou: Canción No. 6 in E-Flat Minor
- Liszt: La Campenella
Watch the amazing video above! We love this CD! WOW such talent! I have been playing this CD at home and also in the car while I am out. This is for sure going on my list to buy for gifts as well.
Thanks Deseret Book and Josh Wright for this awesome CD!
Now here's the exciting part...


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An update to today's chaotic and accomplishment-free special session in Albany: For the first time ever, leaders of the New York Senate have committed to a debate and a vote on marriage equality. Flanked by four rank-and-file Senate Democrats and Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle, Gov. David Paterson this evening announced there will be a gay marriage vote at before the end of the year, reports Gay City News.
"This is the first time that the Senate leadership has indicated that it will support a vote on marriage equality. This is a stunning and very happy development in this process. I will continue to place marriage equality on any special sessions that I call on Monday and Tuesday because I feel that the bill should be debated immediately. However, I have profound respect for the leadership of the Senate and the process that they took to bring us to this vote."
Paterson was joined by the Senate's deputy majority leader, Jeffrey Klein, who represents portions of the Bronx and Weschester; Manhattan Senator Eric Schneiderman; Thomas Duane, the openly gay Chelsea senator who is the lead sponsor of the marriage equality bill; and Eric Adams, the black Brooklyn senator who delivered a moving floor speech earlier on the importance of LGBT rights and marriage equality.
Liz Benjamin at the Daily News quotes sources who suggest Senate Democratic leaders will "shoot for a vote next Tuesday" after the Senate passes a deficit reduction plan (hopefully) on Monday. If there's no DRP, debate could begin but a vote will likely be delayed.
Daily News photo via DNBlog1's Flickr


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Massachusetts city fights to control fire alarm monitoring
LOWELL, Mass.—Massachusetts' highest court ruled last year that municipalities can't require businesses to install just one type of fire alarm system when the state building code allows for four choices. But the city of Lowell contends that decision doesn't apply to it.
This is the latest development in the fight against municipalities monopolizing fire alarm monitoring, which also is occurring in Illinois. But Lowell is going to be on the losing end of the battle, an industry spokesman predicted to Security Systems News.
"I think it's cut and dried, to be honest with you," said George Condon, president and owner of West Springfield, Mass.-based Northeast Security Solutions. "I think Lowell will lose."
Condon is the spokesman for the Joint Fire Committee, a coalition of state organizations and private companies that came together to help wage a three-year legal battle against the city of Springfield, Mass. which had an ordinance mandating that commercial and other buildings have a municipally-connected fire alarm system using a radio box instead of other types of systems allowed by the state's building code.
The industry argued the municipality was restricting free trade and using tax dollars to compete with private fire alarm monitoring companies. The Supreme Judicial Court last spring ruled that the Springfield ordinance was a violation of the state's building code. And, according to the Lowell Sun newspaper, the state fire marshal's office subsequently sent out a notice to all fire departments across the state, saying that the Springfield case "is precedent and applies to every jurisdiction across the state."
Lowell's fire chief had been mandating that buildings with 13 or more residential units have a new wireless alarm system. Then, according to the Lowell Sun, the city reversed that policy after the Springfield decision last May, but then decided to change it back again.
Lowell argues the Springfield case doesn't apply because the city is applying its mandate under the state fire code, which says buildings with 13 or more units must have a fire alarm system that provides automatic fire-department notification, the newspaper said. The city contends that means signals must go directly to its dispatch center without human intervention at a central station.
But a Northeast Housing Court judge recently disagreed with Lowell's argument. The case went to that court after the Lowell Fire Department filed a complaint against Princeton Properties of Lowell because it refused the city's mandate to connect to the new wireless alarm system.
According to the Lowell Sun, the judge dismissed the city's complaints against Princeton Properties, citing the recent decision by the state's high court. In fact, the judge wrote that there was "no meaningful distinction" between the Springfield and Lowell cases, the newspaper said.
However, Lowell has appealed the housing court decision, the newspaper said.
Condon said the city won't be successful. "They lost at the local level and they've appealed but I think it will be upheld all the way up the line," he told SSN.
He said Lowell is not the only municipality in the state refusing to give up plans to take control of fire alarm monitoring.
"The Springfield case itself should have sent the message and they still don't want to accept it," Condon said. "They're really in denial, in my opinion, and they're not checking with their city solicitors or the state statute or the attorney general's office or even the fire marshal's office, which has backed this thing as well. It really baffles me every time I hear somebody say, 'Well, it doesn't apply to us.'"
He said he doesn't buy municipalities' claims that they want control of monitoring for public safety reasons—noting that most UL-listed central stations can turn around a fire signal in less than 15 seconds. Instead, he believes cash-strapped municipalities are seeking an extra revenue stream in fire alarm monitoring. "I think there's a lot [of reasons] on the financial side," Condon said.
Massachusetts city fights to control fire alarm monitoring
This is yet another example of Government extending their business into the private sector where they don't belong. Beyond code enforcement and permits, city, state, and federal governments need to stay out of interests of companies private or publically-owned. Governments don't invent ideas, design, or create profitable products and services. Local governments are doing well to just manage their own affairs. The security and fire alarm industry needs to make our message very clear. We will not set idol and allow government to bully their way into business run by, "WE THE PEOPLE."


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by Zettler Clay
Throughout the years, Tim Duncan has developed something of a decent resume. Four championships, two MVPs, a demeanor that'll put a Leslie Nielson deadpan to shame. On Sunday night against the Nuggets, he decided that wasn't enough.
1) Slap the defender with the ball to temporarily distract him.
2) Drive past said defender.
3) Throw it down over incredulous and dazed defender.
4) Get up and run back down court like you didn't just accomplish the first three.
Check, check, check and check. Consider the Duncan vitae updated.
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