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Burger King Worldwide Inc. US:BKW is in talks to buy Canadian coffee-and-doughnut chain Tim Hortons Inc. US:THI CA:THI a deal that would be structured as a so-called tax inversion and move the hamburger seller's base to Canada.
The two sides are working on a deal that would create a new company, the companies said. The takeover would create the third-largest quick-service restaurant provider in the world, they said.
Inversion deals have been on the rise lately, and are facing stiff opposition in Washington given that they threaten to deplete U.S. government coffers. A move by Burger King to seal one is sure to intensify criticism of them, since it is such a well-known and distinctly American brand.
A person familiar with the matter said a deal between the two companies could be struck soon, though additional details on timing couldn't be learned. Tim Hortons has a market value of about $8.4 billion, while Burger King's is about $9.6 billion, so together the restaurant companies are currently worth about $18 billion.
By moving to a lower-tax jurisdiction, inversion deals enable companies to save money on foreign earnings and cash stowed abroad, and in some cases lower their overall corporate rate. Even though many of the headline-grabbing inversion deals of late have involved European companies, Canada has also been the focal point for a number of them, given its proximity and similarity to the U.S. Canada's federal corporate tax rate was lowered to 15% in 2012.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., which had been based in California, combined with Canada's Biovail Corp. in 2010 and redomiciled in Canada. The company now has a tax rate less than 5%.
After a tide of tax-inversion deals — including AbbVie Inc.'s ABBV, -0.42% purchase of Ireland's Shire PLC US:SHPG and Medtronic Inc.'s MDT, -0.22% agreement to buy Ireland's Covidien PLC US:COV , with other deals expected in the coming months — the White House called on Congress to take steps to prevent companies from pursuing inversions. The Treasury Department recently said it is assembling a list of options to deter or prevent the deals for Secretary Jacob Lew to consider.
Nevertheless, Burger King, whose initial approach to Tim Hortons came more than a month ago, doesn't plan to have a provision in a merger agreement that would allow it to walk away from a deal if laws are passed that diminish the benefits of inverting, people familiar with the matter said.


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Shhhh! Do not rustle this bizarre creature.
Behold! In what could be her boldest image shift to date (no, not really), Lady Gaga appears in Harper's Bazaarwith NO MAKEUP.
What is going on? Who is this person? Is she Swedish? Is she iamamiwhoami? Is this going to presage an acoustic album? Will all her outfits be fashioned out of natural fibers on manual looms?
Perhaps the answers lie below.
"Don't you think that what's on the cover of a magazine is quite artificial?" she asks. "There's this idea that it's all natural, but everything's been staged to look natural. It is also an invention. It's just that my inventions are different. I often get asked about my artifice, but isn't fashion based on the idea that we can create a fantasy?"
She may have lost me at "magazine."
I love this new look but am not really buying the no-makeup thing. How many different swipes of very subtle makeup in similar shades to the features they are covering (can you tell I have no idea how to write about makeup…or anything) do you think this Bazaar effort took? I would guess 47.
Related articles
- Lady Gaga You and I Fashion Film Video Haus of U Feat. Nymph – Watch Now! (binsidetv.net)
- Lady Gaga Releases Fashion Video for "You and I" (thehollywoodgossip.com)
- How Bazaar! Lady Gaga Gets Naked in a New Way (eonline.com)

subset: commoncrawl


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SAUDI ARABIA. February data signalled a further muted improvement in business conditions in Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector, partly driven by further subdued output growth.
Moreover, new orders grew at the slowest pace on record, whilst foreign demand contracted. Firms reduced selling prices at a unprecedented rate in an attempt to stimulate client demand. Despite muted overall growth, sentiment towards future growth prospects reached a 46-month high.
The survey, sponsored by Emirates NBD and produced by IHS Markit, contains original data collected from a monthly survey of business conditions in the Saudi private sector.
Commenting on the Saudi Arabia PMI® survey, Khatija Haque, Head of MENA Research at Emirates NBD, said: "While the pace of expansion in Saudi Arabia's non-oil sector was slow by historical standards in February, firms were much more upbeat about prospects for the coming year, citing new project wins and stronger growth prospects. However, demand remained softer than in Q4 2017, prompting firms to cut selling prices last month by the most since the survey began in August 2009."
Key Findings
- Headline PMI at 53.2 in February, little-changed from January's 53.0
- New order growth slips to record low
- Unprecedented reduction in selling prices
At 53.2 in February, little-changed from 53.0 in January, the headline seasonally adjusted Emirates NBD Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers' Index™ (PMI®) – a composite gauge designed to give a single-figure snapshot of operating conditions in the non-oil private sector economy – was at its joint-second lowest reading since the survey's inception in August 2009. That said, the figure remained above the critical 50.0 no-change mark and thereby signalled an overall improvement in business conditions in the non-oil private sector.
After falling to a record low in the preceding survey, output growth ticked up during February. That said, the rate of expansion was the second-slowest registered in the survey's history.
Inflows of new business expanded at the slowest pace in the survey's history in February. According to anecdotal evidence, a reduction in demand from both domestic and foreign markets led to softening new business growth. Reflecting the deterioration in foreign demand, new export orders slipped into decline. The contraction ended a six-month sequence of growth.
Selling prices across Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector dropped at a record rate during February. According to anecdotal evidence, companies reduced output charges to stimulate client demand. The rate of reduction was moderate overall and the first registered since September last year.
Input price inflation softened to a three-month low during February's survey period, falling below the long-run average. That said, average cost burdens faced by Saudi Arabian non-oil private sector firms continued to rise at a marked pace overall. Survey data indicated that both purchase prices and staff wages contributed to inflation.
Job creation in Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector continued during February, thereby extending the current sequence of growth to 47 months. The latest expansion was modest overall, albeit above the average registered over the past two years.
Despite easing demand for Saudi Arabian-produced goods and services, firms remained confident towards future growth prospects in February. The overall level of positivity reached its highest since April 2014. According to anecdotal evidence, an expected economic upturn and new project wins underpinned positive sentiment.
Photo: For illustrative purposes only
The Emirates NBD Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers' Index is based on data compiled from monthly replies to questionnaires sent to purchasing executives in over 400 private sector companies, which have been carefully selected to accurately represent the true structure of the Saudi non-oil economy, including manufacturing, services, construction and retail.
The panel is stratified by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) group, based on industry contribution to GDP. Survey responses reflect the change, if any, in the current month compared to the previous month based on data collected mid-month.
For each of the indicators the 'Report' shows the percentage reporting each response, the net difference between the number of higher/better responses and lower/worse responses, and the 'diffusion' index. This index is the sum of the positive responses plus a half of those responding 'the same'.
The Purchasing Managers' Index™ (PMI®) is a composite index based on five of the individual indexes with the following weights: New Orders - 0.3, Output - 0.25, Employment - 0.2, Suppliers' Delivery Times - 0.15, Stock of Items Purchased - 0.1, with the Delivery Times index inverted so that it moves in a comparable direction.
Diffusion indexes have the properties of leading indicators and are convenient summary measures showing the prevailing direction of change. An index reading above 50 indicates an overall increase in that variable, below 50 an overall decrease. IHS Markit do not revise underlying survey data after first publication, but seasonal adjustment factors may be revised from time to time as appropriate which will affect the seasonally adjusted data series.
About Emirates NBD
Emirates NBD is a leading banking Group in the region. As at 31st December 2017, total assets were AED 470.4 Billion, (equivalent to approx. USD 128 Billion). The Group has a significant retail banking franchise in the UAE and is a key participant in the global digital banking industry, with over 90 per cent of all financial transactions and requests conducted outside of its branches. The bank was declared the Most Innovative Financial Services Organization of the Year at the 2017 BAI Global Innovation Awards.
The bank currently has 230 branches and 1040 ATMs and SDMs in the UAE and overseas and a large social media following, being the only bank in the Middle East ranked among the top 20 in the 'Power 100 Social Media Rankings', compiled by The Financial Brand. It is a major player in the UAE corporate and retail banking arena and has strong Islamic Banking, Global Markets & Treasury, Investment Banking, Private Banking, Asset Management and Brokerage operations.
The Group has operations in the UAE, Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and representative offices in China and Indonesia.
The Group is an active participant and supporter of the UAE's main development and community initiatives, in close alignment with the UAE government's strategies, including financial literacy and advocacy for inclusion of People with Disabilities under its #Together Limitless platform. Emirates NBD Group is an official premier partner of EXPO 2020.
For more information, please visit: www.emiratesnbd.com
About IHS Markit
IHS Markit (Nasdaq: INFO) is a world leader in critical information, analytics and expertise to forge solutions for the major industries and markets that drive economies worldwide. The company delivers next-generation information, analytics and solutions to customers in business, finance and government, improving their operational efficiency and providing deep insights that lead to well-informed, confident decisions. IHS Markit has more than 50,000 key business and government customers, including 85 percent of the Fortune Global 500 and the world's leading financial institutions. Headquartered in London, IHS Markit is committed to sustainable, profitable growth.
For more information, please visit www.ihsmarkit.com


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River Bend of Troy Real Estate - Troy MI
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Carney, currently governor of the Bank of Canada, disclosed his allegiance to the club - also known as the Toffees - when asked at a Canadian parliamentary committee whether he followed traditional heavyweights Manchester United or Chelsea.
"I am an Everton supporter ... I have got some cousins in Liverpool," said the governor, a Canadian who played ice hockey at university and who also follows the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers.
"It's been more enjoyable being an Edmonton Oilers supporter than it has been being an Everton supporter of late, but since the Oilers are coming back strong this year let's hope the Toffees [do]. In fact, Everton's doing OK," he said.
Carney's wife Diana - a vice president at the Canada 2020 think tank - later told Reuters that she follows Arsenal.
Carney will take over from Mervyn King as Bank of England governor on July 1.


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NICEVILLE � With music spanning the spectrum from ABBA to Ol' Blue Eyes, and American icons as diverse as Dolly Gallagher Levi and Gomez Addams, Northwest Florida State College has a 2013-14 Broadway and Artists series to please any taste.
NICEVILLE � With music spanning the spectrum from ABBA to Ol' Blue Eyes, and American icons as diverse as Dolly Gallagher Levi and Gomez Addams, Northwest Florida State College has a 2013-14 Broadway and Artists series to please any taste.
The Mattie Kelly Performing Arts Center on the school's Niceville campus is the venue for the eight-show season. Individual show tickets go on sale Friday.
Here's a rundown. Ticket prices include a $2 box office processing fee. Curtain is 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 12, 'This is the '60s�; includes pre-show gala reception, $37 show only: Featuring the timeless music of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Supremes, Monkeys, Cream, Simon and Garfunkel and more, the event celebrates not only classics of rock-and-roll, but NWFSC's 50th anniversary. Tickets: $52
Oct. 15, 'Mamma Mia!': A walk down the aisle awaits a former rock singer�s daughter, but only after she determines which of three men is the dad who will escort her. More than 50 million theatergoers around the globe have enjoyed the romantic comedy, set to super pop group ABBA�s music. Tickets: $51.
Oct. 28, 'Beyond Glory�: Stephen Lang's brilliant one-man show presents the stories of eight veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam, sharing stirring firsthand accounts of incredible valor resulting in the Medal of Honor.Tickets: $37.
Nov. 12, 'The Addams Family�: They're creepy and they're kooky, and now they're live on stage in the altogether ooky hit Broadway musical as Wednesday brings her "normal" boyfriend and his folks home for dinner with her Gothic family. Tickets: $51.
Nov. 25, 'Hello Dolly!': Into shoes famously filled by Carol Channing, Pearl Bailey, Ethel Merman and Barbra Streisand steps two-time Emmy winner Sally Struthers as Yonkers' most renowned matchmaker. The long-running Jerry Herman hit includes such showstoppers as "Before the Parade Passes By," "Put on Your Sunday Clothes" and the title song. Tickets: $47.
Dec. 14, Spencer's Theater of Illusion: The Spencers, internationally acclaimed illusionists, present a mind-boggling twist on magic including walking through a sheering industrial fan and a solid brick wall accompanied by dazzling lights, complex set designs and their famous �Spikes of Doom.� Tickets: $27 adult, $22 youth.
Jan. 23, 2014, 'Bring it On�: This high-flying, hyper-gymnastic and savvy-sweet musical unites explosive dancing, aerial stunts and a hilariously universal story about the challenges and unexpected bonds formed through the thrill of extreme competition. Tickets: $42.
Feb. 22, 2014, 'Memphis�: One of Broadway's newest, hottest Tony Award winners, "Memphis" was inspired by the story of the legendary 1950s disc jockey Dewey Phillips and music that became known as rock 'n' roll. What happens when Dewey plays black music for his white audience? Is Memphis ready? Is America? Tickets: $47.
March 8, 2014, 'The Rat Pack is Back�: The music of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin and Joey Bishop bursts to life once more by a cast of exceptional celebrity impersonators in a tribute show dedicated to the fabulous days of Vegas show rooms. Tickets: $37.
Want to go?
WHAT: Ticket sales for the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Broadway and Artists Series
WHERE: Arts Center box office
WHEN: Season tickets available now; individual show tickets go on sale Friday. Box office hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.
COST: Custom Season Package discount for five or more national shows. Discount of $5 per ticket for groups of 10 or more.
CONTACT: 729-6000or www.mattiekellyartscenter.org.
Contact News Bulletin Arts & Entertainment Editor Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.


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Statement of John Dyer,
Acting Principal Deputy Commissioner,
Social Security Administration
before the Senate Committee on Government Affairs
September 23, 1998
Mr Chairman and Members of the Committee:
Thank you for inviting me here today to discuss computer security at the Social Security Administration (SSA).
At the outset, Mr. Chairman, it is our highest priority to maintain the confidentiality of the information in SSA's systems. Nothing is more important in the operation of our programs than ensuring that the public has confidence that the information placed in our trust is secure. This basic philosophy is a cornerstone of everything we do. In fact, the very first regulation issued by the new Social Security Administration in 1935 dealt with the nondisclosure of SSA record data.
SSA pays benefits each month to almost 50 million beneficiaries. In FY 1998 alone, SSA delivered $400 billion in benefits. In order to achieve our mission, many of Social Security's 66,000 employees must have access, on a need to know basis, to computer records. This creates an inherent tension between the need to deliver accurate benefits on time to the right person and the need to have the tightest security possible. When the agency learns that an employee has abused his or her systems privileges, steps are immediately taken to impose penalties, as severe as termination, on the individual.
When Social Security first became independent in 1995, and had its own Inspector General (IG) for the first time devoted only to SSA's activities, the Commissioner asked the IG to make employee integrity the number one issue and the IG has done so. SSA has consistently asked for additional resources for the IG and received support from Congress for those requests.
We have taken both preventive and enforcement actions to protect information in Social Security files from any wrongful use by our own employees and from any unauthorized access by outsiders. It is important to emphasize that SSA's mainframe computers have never been successfully penetrated by outside parties. This is not to say that we are resting on our laurels. We constantly reevaluate and, when necessary, upgrade the security features necessary to maintain the public's confidence that our systems are secure.
Maintaining SSA Systems Security
In order to meet the challenges of data security in today's highly technological environment, the Agency has adopted an enterprise-wide approach to systems security, financial information, data integrity, and prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse. We have full-time staff devoted to systems security stationed throughout the Agency, in all regions and in central office. They provide day to day oversight and control over our computer software. In addition, we have a Deputy Commissioner-level Office of Systems which supports the operating system, develops new software and the related controls and in general assures that SSA is taking advantage of the latest in effective systems technology.
SSA has a Chief Financial Officer, also at the Deputy Commissioner-level, who assures that all new systems have the required financial controls to maintain sound stewardship over the monies entrusted to our care. In addition, as the Principal Deputy Commissioner, I also serve as the agency's Chief-information Officer; this dual role gives me the oversight of the agency as a whole to assure that our initiatives are enterprise wide in scope.
As I have mentioned, as an independent agency, we have our own IG who can focus his efforts on the agency's needs and concerns. The IG is also very active in working with other Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies to assure all avenues for investigation and prosecution are being pursued-especially for systems security-related issues.
Modern computer security requires the implementation of sophisticated software and control of access to the system. SSA uses state of the art software that carefully restricts any user access to data except for its intended use. Using this software, only persons with a "need to know" in order to perform a particular job function are approved and granted access. Our systems controls not only register and record access, but also determine what functions a person can do once access is authorized. SSA security personnel assign a computer-generated personal identification number and an initial password to persons who are approved for access (the person must change the password every 30 days). This allows SSA to audit and monitor the actions individual employees take when using the system. These same systems provide a means to investigate allegations of misuse and have been crucial in prosecuting employees who misuse their authority.
In summary, we have in place the right authorities, the right personnel, and the right software controls to prevent penetration of our systems and to address systems security issues as they surface.
Audit of SSA's Systems Controls
SSA, as an agency, has been preparing audited financial statements since FY 1987. Fiscal year 1997 represented the fourth consecutive year that SSA' s financial statements have received an unqualified, or clean, audit opinion from SSA's IG or its contractor. The auditors stated, "In our opinion management's assenion that SSA's systems of accounting and internal controls are in compliance with the internal control objectives in OMB Bulletin NO. 93-06 is fairly stated, in all material respects". SSA received an unquali fied opinion from the auditors that our systems of internal controls meet the standards set up by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Our financial statements are prepared consistent with the requirements of the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board, OMB, the Chief Financial Officers' Act, and other relevant Federal statutes.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) conducted the FY 1997 audit under contract with the General Accounting Office (GAO) and our IG. As part of the audit, PwC provided SSA with two management letters that gave recommendations as to how SSA could improve its systems safeguards and financial management controls. Over the past few months, SSA and PwC have been working closely to reach final agreement on how to achieve the objectives of the PwC recommendations. (We have provided this committee with SSA's FY 1997 financial statement--part of the latest Accountability Report--as well as two Management Letters given to SSA by PwC.)
SSA's Response to the Audit
The Social Security Administration and our auditor, PwC, are in agreement on almost all recommendations. SSA takes these issues seriously and has embarked on an aggressive timetable of corrective action. Some of the auditor's recommendations take longer to achieve but I believe that the auditor would say that we are proceeding expeditiously. SSA and PwC have come to closure on virtually all of the recommendations contained in the PwC reports. PwC is now reviewing our progress in making the called for changes and will report on them as part of the audit of SSA's financial statements for fiscal year 1998, this fall.
SSA has developed a workplan to implement these agreed-upon improvements. There are a couple of areas where we are still exploring solutions and expect to close them out as part of the FY 1998 audit process.
I would like now to address some of the major changes we are making in the four primary areas that PwC identified as follows:
- SSA needs improved controls to protect its information;
- SSA needs to improve and fully test its plan for maintaining continuity of operations;
- SSA needs to improve its software application development and change control policies and procedures; and
- SSA needs to improve controls over insufficient separation of duties.
Finding 1, Protection of Information:
The auditors made 43 recommendations on how the Agency could better protect its data in both a mainframe and distributive environment. We agreed with 41 of these recommendations and have closed or completed 30 to date. Some of the actions taken include limiting the use of modems, implementing a process to identify unauthorized modems on a continuing basis, removing access immediately for unauthorized modems when discovered; and strengthening access controls over programmers and other system's personnel. New password guidelines were implemented which require the use of more characters and we are making enhancements to our single signon architecture.
The auditors recently told us that they noted improvements in this area in this year's audit, particularly in the mainframe environments, but believed we needed to give more attention to the distributive environment. We will continue working wi th the auditors to further improve this area.
Finding 2, continuity of operations: There were five recommendations in this area, focused primarily on an updated contingency plan covering both data center activities and activities performed by end users, covering critical operations should interruptions occur, and testing combinations of multiple critical workloads simultaneously. We agreed with all five recommendations.
SSA is committed to testing all critical workloads within a 3-year cycle and has expanded our test capability from 64 hours to 120 hours in 1999. We are taking a fresh look at identifying our critical work loads and how we will maintain continuity of operations in the event of the loss of our computer center in both a short and long-term scenario.
Finding 3, software development: In this area the auditors felt that control and security measures for application systems changes could be improved. We have closed or completed 17 of the 35 recommendations to date and are actively working on the others. New and revised procedures were developed to ensure that requested changes to systems were properly approved, coded, tested, documented, and authorized for production. We now have appropriate policies and procedures in place to document system change control practices and are committed to ensuring 100 percent compliance with policy.
Finding 4, separation of duties: There were three areas where the auditors felt we had inadequate separation of duties: field offices, systems operations, and security administrarion. We generally agreed that we could improve in the areas of systems operations and security administration and have addressed 18 recommendations so far. We disagreed with five recommendations pertaining to field offices because of the high cost of implementing these recommendations and asked the auditors to reconsider and develop alternative approaches. The auditors have reconsidered these recommendations and are in the process of developing revised recommendations which will emphasize the use of performance measurement data to identify high-risk transactions for analysis and, when warranted, additional preventive controls. These new recommendations are much less labor intensive and appear to be achievable. We will continue to work with the auditors to improve this area.
I want to come back to the broader concerns. Addressing systems security is and always will be first of all a high priority for SSA. By design, the Agency has used a system architecture that relied almost exclusively on mainframe systems and centralized databases. With this architecture we are able to more tightly control computer security than those Agencies who are faced with large numbers of local and/or distributed systems.
As SSA, in the increasingly technological environment, moves away from the mainframe environment to more distributed systems, we need to carefully consider at every step of the process how to build in security features. We have already taken a number of steps to ensure that these new systems will be as secure as possible.
We have supported and will continue to support the independent audit of our financial statements. We have supported the auditors detailed testing of SSA's systems. We will work with the various oversight bodies-the General Accounting Office and the IG, for example, to review what we are doing and identify any issues they believe we need to address. Only in this way can we be assured SSA is getting all the advice that is available to us, and doing its utmost to maintain the security of our computer systems, and the data they contain.
Zero Tolerance for Fraud
Finally, I also want to state that we have a zero tolerance at SSA for fraud, waste, and abuse. We believe that our zero tolerance policy has paid off, as evidenced by the fact that almost all of the recommendations made to the Agency by independent auditors in recent years have been of a theoretical nature, e.g., our systems have a weakness that needs to be addressed to assure there is no abuse. Nonetheless, when we have evidence of an abuse of system privi leges, addressing the matter is a number one priority of the Agency.
On June 22, 1998, Commissioner Apfel issued a notice to all SSA employees about administrative sanctions to be taken against any SSA employee who abuses his or her systems privileges. The penalties are severe and will lead to termination of employment for any offense that involves selling data.
SSA's IG is committed to the investigation and prosecution of every employee abuse case that is identified. Many of the SSA employee cases turned over to the Inspector General for investigation were first discovered by the Social Security Administration itself. In addition, we have asked the IG to make investigation of employee fraud the number one priority.
As I noted at the outset the Social Security Administration has a long-standing tradition of assuring the public that their personal records are secure. Systems security is not a one-time task to be accomplished, but rather is an ongoing mission we can never lose sight of. We know we cannot rest on past practice, but must be vigilant in every way we can to assure that these personal records remain secure, and that public confidence in SSA is maintained.


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Information indisponible pour ces critères.
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coltraning wrote:The thing is, the Ws are not going to stop Dwight or, to a lesser extent, Rashard, so you give them their 50 points. If I were Nelly, I would do a combination of small ball run and gun and hack-a-dwight. Among Croshere, Mbenga, Biedrins and POB, that is 24 fouls to use. The manchild scores 80% of his points within 5 feet of the basket, but is a pretty poor shooter. This is the toughest test for the Ws during their current streak, so a hard one to call. I'll say Ws 117-114.
i concur. but we gotta make sure that we only hack em near the end of each quarter. we dont want them to get into the bonus as their other players are good from the line. i have no doubt in my mind we can win. i just think that someones when we think about how good other teams are, we forget how dangerous our team is. someone should go onto a magic forum to see what they're saying about us


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Bluffton High School will host its seventh annual Bobcat Baseball Camp from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 9 at Johnston Stadium.
Players should bring their own cleats, glove, baseball pants or long pants and personal bats. Equipment will be provided if needed, along with lunch and drinks. Campers are welcome to bring their own lunch. There will be several contests for individual awards, with a participation and awards ceremony to follow.


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Green Field Hotel has 60 well-appointed rooms, located in the centre of Hoi An, just 400 m away from the UNESCO World Heritage listed Ancient Town, Bank, Post office, Market and within 3 km from the beach.
In the hotel, the rooms overlook the swimming pool, the garden or rice paddies.
Facilities in rooms: air conditioner, bath tub and shower, hot water machine, IDD phone, mini bar, dressing-table, satellite and cable TV, etc.
An out door swimming pool with massage system designed by Jean Desjouaux France.
Our restaurant serving up to 100 guests next to the swimming pool will be a great place to enjoy Asian-Western food.
Da Nang Airport or Train Station pick-up service is available and will cost 350 000VND (max. 3 people) (cheaper than taxi meter).
Free Services: swimming pool, pool table, WiFi, high speed internet access, etc.
Happy hour: ( 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM ) Guests will be offered free 3 cocktails at our bar.
We hope Green Field hotel will be your home away from home.
Hotel Facilities & Policies
- 24 hour security
- Air Conditioning
- Airport transfers
- Bar
- Book exchange
- Breakfast not included
- Ceiling fan
- Cots available
- Currency exchange
- DVDs
- Fax Service
- Free Internet Access
- Free Parking
- Free Wifi
- Hair Dryers
- House Keeping
- Internet Access
- Laundry Facilities
- Luggage Storage
- Meeting Room
- MiniBar
- Outdoor Swimming Pool
- Parking
- Restaurant
- Safety Deposit Box
- Swimming Pool
- Tours/Travel Desk
Cancellation Policy
This property has a 1 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.


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It cost more than $800 million to build, spans 340,000 square feet and will employ 2,000 full-time workers. It also carved a deep rift in Sonoma County's political landscape over the past decade, spurring legal action, acrimony and even some death threats.
But on Tuesday morning, the Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park opened its doors an hour ahead of schedule to a screaming crowd of thousands. With that, one of the largest casinos in the state -- and among the largest tribal gaming operations in the nation -- kicked into gear, swamping roadways as thousands of Bay Area motorists headed north.
California Highway Patrol Officer Jon Sloat said one motorist reported a four-hour drive time from San Francisco to Rohnert Park -- – a 48-mile journey that generally takes an hour. The morning commute on Northbound 101 was at a near-standstill beginning in Novato.
And, once on city streets, many motorists ditched their cars at hotels and business parks to made their way on foot, plodding across a large field toward the hulking casino like "zombies," Sloat said.
"I wouldn't say this is worse than we thought it would be," he said, but "it's pretty much the worst case scenario we expected, with just the sheer volume of vehicles coming in."
Unlike most, the casino was designed with large windows that welcome natural light. It features 3,000 slot machines, and 144 blackjack, poker and baccarat tables. It is owned by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and managed by Las Vegas-based operator Station Casinos and will be open 24/7.
A massive regional media blitz has been counting down the days, then hours, to opening. Though doors were slated to open at 10 a.m., Station Casinos spokeswoman Lori Nelson said tribal chairman Greg Sarris -- who won federal recognition for the tribe in 2000 and has been the leading force behind the casino –- emerged at 9 a.m. to greet "tremendous terrific crowds outside" and offer them early entry.
They were greeted by traditional lion and dragon dances at all three entrances. The casino has 13 restaurants, four of them full-service, and Nelson said that at mid-afternoon Tuesday there was a 200-person wait list for one of those -- M.Y. China.
"People are patient and I think their whole purpose in coming out was they just wanted to be here for the first day," she said, estimating that crowds –- and traffic gridlock -– should wane within a few weeks.
The casino was first proposed in 2003 but construction did not begin until last June. To win support and offset negative consequences, the tribe agreed to pay about $9 million a year to Sonoma County for 20 years, and a total of $251 million to Rohnert Park over 20 years for public safety, education and other services.
Vocal opponents put forth the traditional arguments, saying the casino would bring crime, enable addiction, and cause traffic congestion and other environmental pressures too great for the region to bear.
A lawsuit filed in state court by a group called Stop Graton Casino alleges the land was improperly placed in federal trust because the state never ceded it. A trial court ruled against the group but the case is now under appeal.
The group contends the land was not historically home to the 1,300 member tribe, which consists of both Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo people.
Rohnert Park pastor Chip Worthington, who has led the opposition, called it the "most egregious case of reservation shopping in the whole state."
Worthington, who visited the casino Tuesday, said he felt vindicated by the heavy traffic congestion and thick cigarette smoke inside –- environmental impacts the group had warned of.
"This is [Gov.] Jerry Brown's toilet," Worthington said. "He ignored all the environmental concerns."
Local response was mixed. In an online posting on the Santa Rosa Press Democrat's regular traffic updates, Jamie Wallace said the traffic was "one of the many negative effects that will arise over the next weeks/months."
"Sadly, RP has been my home and for 12 years," Wallace wrote. "I loved that no one knew or cared too much about it. ;') It was quiet and family oriented. It got missed in the mix of chaos Now we're a major player on the map. I will be moving."
But resident Jessica Smith, who recently moved to Las Vegas, said she was envious that others were getting to experience opening day without her.
"Lucky!" she wrote. "It's super good luck to play on a new black jack table with new cards! Guess I have a little bit of gambler's superstition, but I would love to be there today! I'll be home just after Thanksgiving so I'll have to go and see it!"
Twitter: @leeromney


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Spider Solitaire Pro.
- Publisher: Permeative Technologies Pvt Ltd
- Genre: Entertainment
- Released: 31 Jul, 2010
- Size: 5.2 MB
- Price: $4.99
- App Store Info
DescriptionOne of the addicting card games is ready to land on your device, the same exclusive and favorite card game, which we use to play in PC's and online is, now came with new themes and UI (userinterface) for iPhone.
The Multiple Solitaire card game is the classic and most liked of all other solitaire games. You must be skilled at manipulating the cards to play this game.
The object of the game is to remove all the cards from the table. Use the fewest moves possible and line up all the cards from King through Ace in the same suit to remove the stack from play.
However, unlike other games the Spider Solitaire Card Game has three different versions to it.
Suite 1, 2 and 3 of the Spider Solitaire Game uses two decks of cards i.e (104 cards). Although,these versions are similar to each other, however, the level of complexity keeps changing with each version.
See how many turns it takes you to beat spider solitaire!


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SHOREHAM — A Shoreham couple is trying to organize a local "community-owned solar cooperative" through which residents could become investors. The payoff for investors, they say, would be net-metering credits applied against their monthly electric utility bills.
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|LeMaster Family Tree on Ancestry.com
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Baby Steps: My Ancestry.com Family Tree
4 comments:
- Elizabeth said...
Congrats on the baby steps! Actually that is the way to go! Some of the data out there is questionable.
I uploaded two versions - One I keep private and another public. I do click on the leaves on the public one, and am VERY careful about what I accept. Much of it is census records, and a few other records you probably already have. But honestly some of those leaves have connected me with other people that do very thorough research, and have broken down a few walls.
My reason for going public, and allowing some leaves is other researchers might find the date useful. I make sure all my citations are up to-date with hopes they can see the data and weigh the validity for themselves, and perhaps see what citations should look like....
Have Fun!
- Greta Koehl said...
I also broke down and started Ancestry trees this past year. And I also just put "Living" as the name for the people who form the base of each tree. I do look at the hints; generally I already have these sources and more, but have been surprised a handful of times - most often for less common records such as ship passenger records (not immigration; it was for a great aunt who appeared to have separated from a great uncle). And already some good contacts have been established.
- Apple said...
I love my Ancestry trees. Don't be afraid of the shaky leaves, you can assess the record and decide if it is correct for your tree or not.
Also check out the link area on person pages, far down on the right. I use it to link to my blog posts and Find-a-Grave memorials. I rarely run across other trees that make use of this feature.
- Travis LeMaster said...
Thanks for the tips, everyone!


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We are supplied with products directly from several manufacturers that are classed as "seconds".
How do we get the graded products
Inspected inside and out
Blemished parts replaced
If the blemishes are very noticeable, the relevant panels will be replaced to make the machine more presentable.
11 point safety check
Cleaned, packaged and guaranteed
This is the end for the appliance. It is thoroughly cleaned, both inside and out. It is then repackaged and
delivered to The Appliance Warehouse.
Every appliance comes with a 12-month manufacturer�s warranty.
Our 7 Day Money Back Guarantee gives you peace of mind when buying a graded appliance from us.
It is available on every appliance where you see the 7 Day logo.
The guarantee means that if you are not absolutely satisfied with the appliance, let us know
within 7 days and we�ll collect it free of charge and give you a full refund! Of course, don't
use the appliance or install it, but please do fully inspect the item.


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Make sure to watch the Free and Equal third party debate, which will be broadcasted from 9:00 to 10:30 PM EST today (November 5th). Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party nominee, and Jill Stein, the Green Party presidential nominee, will be facing off.
The debate will be broadcasted on Russia Today, and streamed on freeandequal.org and RT's youtube channel. C-SPAN will also be re-airing the first Free and Equal debate tonight, which has raised the possibility they will be covering it.


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We need to stop.
Just stop.
Stop for a moment…
Before anybody
Says or does anything
Before anybody
Says or does anything
That may hurt anyone else.
We need to be silent.
Just silent.
Silent for a moment…
Before we forever lose
The blessing of songs
That grow in our hearts.
We need to notice.
Just notice.
Notice for a moment…
Before the future slips away
Into ashes and dust of humility.
Stop, be silent, and notice…
In so many ways, we are the same.
Our differences are unique treasures.
We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts
To nurture, to offer, to accept.
We need to be.
Just be.
Be for a moment…
Kind and gentle, innocent and trusting,
Like children and lambs,
Never judging or vengeful
Like the judging and vengeful.
And now, let us pray,
Differently, yet together,
Before there is no earth, no life,
No chance for peace.
By Mattie J.T. Stepanek
September 11, 2001
From the book, Heartsongs
Published by VSP Books
Alexandria, Virginia
Young Mattie's struggle with a rare form of muscular dystrophy caused him to have wisdom and insight beyond his years. Although Mattie died on June 22, 2004, his poems about life and death, love, faith, hope, and joy will remain an inspiration to others.


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Startup WigWag aims to kickstart a new do-it-yourselfer fad in home automation. The Austin-based company announced in June recently surpassed its modest funding goals on Kickstarter, but it has a long way to go in sparking a firestorm in the emerging Internet of Things.
Plenty of home automation kits since the days of X-10 have had their brief day in the sun. Most lead quiet, limited lives confined to the dusty back shelves of hardware stores. Whether WigWag escapes a fate of obscurity to play a larger role in IoT remains to be seen.
WigWag makes three products targeting DIYers interested in adding intelligence to their homes: a universal sensor, a relay box, and a wireless LED Strip light. It also makes smartphone apps that can control the systems using a simple GUI or -- for the technically minded -- its underlying Javascript.
The heart of the WigWag system is its sensor block. It includes eight environmental sensors including light, motion, temperature, and humidity sensors. It has an IR blaster to set up trip wires between sensor blocks, four control features, and analog and digital expansion ports.
The company says the block, driven by four AA batteries or a USB-power link, can be used for a wide variety of traditional and novel home-control tasks, from turning on sprinklers to detecting a break-in. It provides connectivity through a relay box to a WigWag cloud service and presumably relies on WiFi.
The WigWag Glowline is an eight-foot RGB LED lighting strip capable of generating 22,000 colors. It comes with its own power supply and is presumably controlled through a sensor block.
The startup's products are compatible with Phillips Hue light bulbs and Belkin WeMo outlets. WigWag has working versions of all the products, but the cloud service is so far in an internal-only beta test. An iPhone control app is up and running, and an Android version is in development.
The company won pledges totaling nearly $90,000 from 439 supporters as of the end of June, far above its $50,000 goal. Its campaign officially ends August 18.
WigWag aims to ship a variety of development systems, including boards for integrating with Arduino and Raspberry Pi kits, starting in November. Prices range from $119 to $249.
Apparently, the startup has plenty yet to do to make its open hardware and software designs production-ready. Its app and cloud services are based on DeviceJS, an open-source runtime for executing Javascript built using Google V8 and Node.js. DeviceJS supports links to IP, 6LoWPAN, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and RS-232, in addition to Belkin WeMo and Phillips Hue products.
The WigWag hardware is based on the Contiki operating systems for 6LoWPAN. WigWag expects to provide software for the Arduino and Raspberry PI boards on Github, as well as details of its hardware designs when dev kits ship in November.
The tiny startup has considerable marketing savvy. But whether that will translate into a groundswell of interest remains to be seen.
- Jul 02 Tue 2013 11:40
WigWag Kicks Off Home Automation Campaign
Startup WigWag aims to kickstart a new do-it-yourselfer fad in home automation. The Austin-based company announced in June recently surpassed its modest funding goals on Kickstarter, but it has a long way to go in sparking a firestorm in the emerging Internet of Things.


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Yup. good call. Contests are about pushing yourself, the other riders and the sport to the next level. Just because YOU (not kitegrommet, just referring to anyone reading this) don't want to compete or watch competitions doesn't mean that they have no merit or validity. There are a lot of people out there that thrive on competition. I'm one of them. So wht better way to have competition than contests?kitegrommet wrote:...but competition is competition. You go faster, knock the guy out, score the most points, you win. Period.
Contests: can you be better than the other guy, given a specific set of guidelines?
So as for styles for kiteboarding...
Cool. Makes sense. The first guy over the line wins. Simple and quantitative.
Lame. We don't need a pro-level oldschool contested requirement. Doesn't the name itself "oldschool" imply to you that it's done and over with? This is the freestyle of the past when riders couldn't do what they can now. I'm not saying that theres anything wrong with this style of riding, it just doesn't have a place in pro-level contests.
You don't see F1 car racers stopping at red lights, parallel parking and loading groceries in the trunk during a course because it's what people do when they drive in the real world, do you?
Damn, why not the make it a requirement that during each heat - you have to make your own plywood board, then drive and check the wind at 3 spots, then make a special custom bar, ride and then make a post on a forum about your session before you score any points?
Fine, whatever. It's quantitative so it's good for competition. Not my thing personally, but I can see how it would have merrit and I would probably end up watching a few minutes of the highlights reel.
sounds good - but not to be included in the regular contest tour or format.
Long distance:
okay. Point to point. Good stuff I guess. We can pack a picnic and a waterproof camera!
Mutant freestyle:
whatever I guess that will be sponsored by all of the brands that still make production mutants?
Whatever impresses the most, wins. And what impresses...? Techincal tricks. Like the current PKRA. Right now at least. Sure, some refinements can be made (powered landings, etc..), but that's just fine-tuning. As for required tricks - that's lame. The whole point is to ride better than the other guy, right? So do it your own way and find a way to shine. Sure it's subjective, but there's a pretty good points system in place. Just because it looks to you like "10 handle passes in a row", doesn't mean that it does to everyone (especially the riders, who are the ones competing anyways).
It's all about pushing the boundaries.
But who knows... Lenten has a pretty cool combo of big air powered and technical. Maybe that's closer to the future.
Kiteloop/best trick:
well, this is pretty much freestyle. This is fine for local contests, and pretty fun to do - but not really a pro-tour type destinction.
Boots and baggy t-shirts are a requirement to get past the qualifying rounds. Hah. just kidding - I'm actually in to the wakestyle stuff.
uhh... this should fit under freestyle. It's just that some riders aren't doing it right. Hah! Personally, I'm in to wakestyle, but I think that for contests sake, it should be grouped together. Maybe once all of the pros have most/all of the tricks dialed, then "style" will come in to play a little more in freestyle contests. Then it'll will likely start taking back a few more influences from 'wakestyle' (ie. kite powered & low, powered & fast landings). But this is just a refinement, and everyone draws the line somewhere different. Besides... we're really all just rollerbladers-of-the-sky, right?
Cool shit, but it don't think that it is mainstream and widely available enough to be included as a requirement for pro competition.
ohhh.... here's where it gets a bit tricky. not a new thing to kiteing, but new to the mainstream. and it's evolving and changing so fast. Okay, so judging on "style" is key here. I think that it's doable though. check out the ASP. You set up a criteria for judging on style. Then if you like it and fit it - you compete. If not, you take off and do your own thing and don't bitch about it.
I'm stoked to enter some wave contests and check it out from a competitor's point of view before I make any real comments here though.
Well, that's my 2cents.


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Recently we have completed a small refresh in the cluster center. The Cluster Center offers an environment for developing, testing, benchmarking and optimizing products free of charge. The center, located in Sunnyvale, California, provides on-site technical support and enables secure sessions onsite or remotely. The Cluster Center provides a unique ability to access the latest clustering technology, sometimes even before it reaches public availability.
In the last few weeks, we have completed the installation of a Windows HPC Server 2008 cluster, and now it is available for testing (via the Vulcan cluster). We have also received the Scyld ClusterWare™ HPC cluster management solution from Penguin Computing (a member company) and installed it on the Osiris cluster.
Scyld was designed to make the deployment and management of Linux clusters as easy as the deployment and management of a single system. A Scyld ClusterWare cluster consists of a master node and compute nodes. The master node is the central point of control for the entire cluster. Compute nodes appear as attached processor and memory resources. More information on Scyld can be found here.
Adding Scyld to Osiris helps the Council with the best practices research activities that provide guidelines to end-users on how to maximize productivity for various applications using 20 and 40Gb/s InfiniBand 20 or 10 Gigabit Ethernet. I would like to thank Matt Jacobs and Joshua Bernstein from Penguin Computing for their donation and support during the Scyld installation.
Best regards,
Gilad Shainer
Chairman of the HPC Advisory Council


text:
YANGON, Myanmar, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The Myanmar government has come a long way in ensuring peace can be secured with armed groups in Kachin state, a U.N. envoy said.
The government in Myanmar held two days of peace talks in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state, early this week.
Vijay Nambiar, a U.N. adviser on Myanmar, said this meeting was the first step in a national reconciliation process.
"The fact that such a meeting could take place within the country testifies to the distance that the government and ethnic armed groups have traversed since the beginning of the reform process in Myanmar," he said in a statement Tuesday from Yangon.
Myanmar earned international praise for the series of political reforms that began with general elections in 2010.
The Kachin independence movement in Myanmar said it would scale down its fighting after reaching a peace agreement with the central government in mid-October. Conflict in the restive northern state of Kachin has overshadowed political reforms made in Myanmar. The seven-point agreement, however, fell short of a formal cease-fire agreement.
Myanmar is facing a wide range of national security challenges. The Irrawaddy, a Thai newspaper, reports conflict between Buddhists and the minority Muslim community flared up last weekend in Rakhine state.


text:
Cervicocerebral arterial dissections are increasingly recognized as a cause of stroke, particularly in young people. The term "cervicocerebral arterial" refers to the arteries in the neck and brain, while the term "dissection" refers to a tear in the inner wall of a major artery. An arterial dissection leads to the intrusion of blood within the layers of the artery wall. Depending upon which layers blood collects, an arterial dissection can cause narrowing of the channel within the artery (termed stenosis), which restricts blood flow, or an aneurysmal dilation, meaning a localized, blood-filled bulge in the artery wall.
Chiropractic Adjustments and Artery Dissection: Is Your Neck in Safe Hands?
January 28, 2008 | by


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The Jangle-izer
IS THERE A WAY TO GET MORE JANGLE FROM THE NORMAL channel of my Fender Pro Reverb amp? I have a 12-string Rickenbacker and would like to get that clean, jangly Vox tone, but without altering the reverb channel of my amp. —Anonymous
The tone you seek can be obtained very easily by simply replacing a short wire with a capacitor and changing the value of a capacitor on the component board. This modification will work with almost any two channel Fender amp (Twin, Super, Pro, Bandmaster, Showman, etc), and it is easily reversible should you want the stock wiring again.
This mod requires only two parts: a .01uf/400-volt capacitor and a 5uf/25-volt electrolytic capacitor. You'll need a soldering iron and solder too, of course.
Unplug the amp and put the standby switch in the "play" mode to drain any stored electricity from the amp. Remove the four chassis screws on the top of the amp; remove the upper back panel and the cabinet strain relief on the AC cord. Unplug the speaker and remove the chassis from the cabinet. With the back of the amp facing you and looking into the chassis at the right side, you should be able to match up the components in the amp with the layout in Diagram 1. Make sure your amp is similar to the drawing before proceeding.
Notice there is a straight wire connecting the middle of the volume pot to the bright switch. You are going to replace this wire with the .01uf capacitor. Next, locate the 25uf capacitor that is going to pin 3 of the first preamp tube. You are going to replace this capacitor with the 5uf capacitor. Pay attention to the polarity of this cap. The plus (+) lead should face pin 3 of the first preamp tube, and the minus (–) lead should face the front of the amp. Double-check your work, by comparing it to Diagram 2. This is what the amp should look like now.
Put the old capacitor and the removed wire in a baggie and stash it in the bottom of the amp in case you want to put it back to stock wiring later. Reinstall the chassis, the AC cable strain relief, and the upper back panel. Plug in the speaker and you are ready to test it (make sure the speaker is plugged into the main speaker jack and not the external speaker jack). Turn on the amp, plug in your 12-string Rickenbacker, and get your Byrds on! —Gerald Weber, Kendrick Amplifiers


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So summer flew by and I'm back in school. Two weeks into the semester and I'm already swamped, but I promised myself I'd find time to show you all my new favorite FO. Back at the beginning of the summer we got in some Madelinetosh Pashmina at Loop (and I just heard a rumor more is coming soon). I'd been waiting and waiting for it to arrive and I knew just what it was going to be. The pattern I'd earmarked was the lovely Mary Jane Tee by the ladies of Zephyr Style and published Winter '08 twist collective. And the result is as awesome as I'd hoped. See below for my (somewhat silly) so-happy-about-my-new-sweater face.
Source: Winter '08 Twist Collective
Yarn: Madelinetosh, Pashmina
Needles: US 2 & 3
Started: June 7, 2010
Finished: August 20,2010
Find it on Ravelry here.
The yarn is definitely a huge factor in what makes this sweater so special. That brilliant blue is certainly not going to let my fly under the radar. It is just an insanely beautiful color, which is of course we we all love Tosh so much. But the base is impossibly good as well. Pashmina is super soft and smooth. It is full and springy. It has the slightest halo, just enough to feel, but not so much that it obscures the brilliance of the colors. It has lovely stitch definition, making it great for this pattern. And while I'm normally a t-shirt under my sweaters kind of girl, I really just want to wear this against my skin.
The pattern of course, is the sweetest of sweet. Especially, I think, when one chooses the second sleeve style option and goes for the cap sleeve. The cap sleeve directions are not published in the Twist Collective version of the pattern, however I emailed Sarah from Zephyr style and she sent me the portion of the pattern, with the changes for the cap sleeve. The ease of the exchange convinced me completely of the awesomeness of Zephyr Style. That and the fact that the pattern is smart and easy to understand.
The construction is a pretty standard top down raglan, with the main difference being the openness of the neckline. In general it's a pretty simple sweater, but it's made more interesting by the details and the bands of textural stitch patterning. Some favorite details include: the garter ridge at the top of the sleeve, the subtly changing width of pattern bands, and the eyelets at the top of the hem ribbing.
Mostly I knit the sweater as written. The one exception is a added a few decreases for shaping after the bust. I didn't want the tee to be skin tight, but I did want it to have a body conscious fit, and after trying it on as I went, it was clear that one me decreases were going to be required to achieve that effect. In the end, I'm very happy with the fit. It's just what I wanted. And I can't wait for it to cool down a bit so I can wear this guy for more than just a Copenhagen photoshoot!


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– Mick Foley will be hosting a "Tales From Wrestling Past" post-SummerSlam special on Sunday, August 18th at the Hollywood Improv in Hollywood, California. Foley says this year's post-SummerSlam show will be better than last year. Foley is promising that WWE Superstars and Divas will be participating, just like last year. Tickets are only $25 and include a post-show meet & greet. Doors open at 9pm and the event starts at 9:30pm. Tickets can be purchased at this link.
– It looks like Chris Jericho's current run with WWE will end at Money in the Bank or RAW the night after the pay-per-view. Jericho likely won't be returning to WWE until mid-October.
Jericho will begin touring with Fozzy at the end of the summer with a UK tour in August and then a US/Canadian tour from September 12th through October 10th. One of Fozzy's confirmed tour dates is August 18th, the same day as WWE's SummerSlam pay-per-view.


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Formed from the slow crystallisation of magma from beneath the earth's crust, granite is an igneous rock with grains large enough to be seen by the naked eye.
Composed mainly of quartz and feldspar with minor amounts of mica, amphiboles and other minerals, this composition gives rise to predominantly red, pink, grey or white colours with dark mineral grains visible throughout.
The high performance strength of granite has been extensively used for carriageway surfaces in the past and remains a popular choice in providing fine aesthetic value and durability for landscaped areas.
There is a greater demand for producing streetscapes which reflect the character of surrounding buildings using natural materials. This achieves a high quality finish within the public realm, which is valued by local authorities, businesses and the public.


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What I like about the Ritchey Break-Away and the reason I chose it as my main bike is its simple elegance. It harkens to a phrase adopted by Apple's Steve Jobs as his product mantra: "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
The Break-Away looks like any bike. You would never know it can be separated with two allen keys (4, 5 mm).
I may never travel with it but, if I do, it comes with a nice luggage bag that's not noticeably larger than standard luggage. Disassembly is straightforward.
I asked Tom Ritchey how he came to build the Break-Away. By the way, the design was patented in 2002.
"About 10 years ago I wanted to ride my bike more and use it everywhere I traveled. I looked at other designs and they all added weight and interrupted the design of the bike so that it ended up being a disadvantage.
"It struck me that it could be done simply and straightforward. I tested the idea without investing a lot of money and tooling. I built a bike, took it on a trip and kept riding it for more than a year. I realized there was little disadvantage compared to a regular bike in performance, weight or stiffness. Now it's all I ride."
Tom also built a Break-Away tandem, and has a cross-bike as part of the Break-Away line.
I've ridden the Break-Away for about 400 miles, twice in the Santa Cruz Mountains on dirt and rough pavement. It equals and in some areas exceeds expectations compared to my custom steel bike of 24 years.
I'm not going to extol the bike "ride" virtues as you might read in a bike magazine. It handles well, especially on descents. The carbon-fiber fork absorbs shock and contributes to the feeling of control while descending. The rest of the bike is steel.
There is no "toe clip" overlap (a term from the days of toe clips describing the front wheel hitting the shoe tip when the front wheel is turned at slow speed).
I can't comment on climbing, as though the kind of bike makes a big difference here. I'm a slug now. There is no frame flex. The Break-Away would make a great racing bike.
One item of note to a narrow audience: If you ride 28 mm tires, there isn't much clearance. I use 28 mm on the rear and 25 mm on the front. (Update: I'm using 700 x 28 on the front with no clearance problem.) Also, my Silca pump that fit the down tube on the old bike now fits under the top tube. The Break-Away has a sloping top tube. Velcro or some other material is needed to prevent pump rattle.
On smooth dirt roads, like Los Gatos Creek Trail, the narrow clearance is a non-issue. It would only come into play on muddy roads. Shimano's Ultegra brakes are also unfriendly to 28 mm tires. It's a clearance issue when removing the wheel.
I look forward to many more rides on the Break-Away in the years ahead.
(Update: I installed a true 28-mm rear tire (Continental Racer) and there was only 1 mm clearance at the brake bridge. I had the bridge moved up (re-braze) 5 mm and now it's perfect.)


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- Guaranteed to Fit
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- Thousands of How-to Videos
A/C and Heater Controls at 1A Auto
What are the A/C and heater controls and where are they located?
The modern automobile has a number of features designed to make your ride as comfortable as possible. You may take these for granted (as long as they are working, that is), but without your heating and air conditioning, your ride to work would be a lot less pleasant. The heater and air conditioner themselves certainly do the brunt of the work in keeping your car's cabin at a comfortable temperature, but it's the heating controls that allow you to dial it in. There are a number of parts that help out in the process.
The first and most obvious is the climate control unit on your dashboard, also commonly referred to as the temperature control panel. Here you can slide sliders, turn knobs, or push buttons (depending on your model) to set the desired temperature in the vehicle. Behind the dash is a series of ducts containing the various doors that control the flow of air into the cabin. Air passes past the evaporator core and the heater core to be warmed and cooled respectively. There, a blend door, which determines how much hot and cool air to mix. Some hot air is actually used when you turn the air conditioning on to evaporate moisture out of the air. This makes the air feel less muggy. The mode door directs the flow of the air. It pushes the air either through the windshield defroster vents, the dash vent, or the lower vent, pointed at the floor.
In some older models, the position of these doors was controlled by cables attached to the sliders on the dashboard temperature control panel. Moving the slider pulled the cable and moved the doors. If the cables broke, you would lose control of the heating and A/C. If the cable became jammed or kinked, it could be very difficult to adjust the sliders. More recent models use digitally controlled blend door actuators. These contain electric motors that move the doors into their correct position. You may have two of some of these doors if your car has dual-zone climate control.
Another important component of you air conditioning and heating system is the blower motor. This is also controlled by the knobs or buttons on the climate control unit. When your heat or A/C is turned on, the blower motor is what forces the cold or warm air from your vehicle's A/C and/or heating system through the interior vents, circulating it inside throughout the cabin. If your heat or A/C is turned off, the blower motor doesn't do much. Even if a vehicle is not equipped with an air conditioner system, it will still have a blower motor assembly in order to circulate the outside air inside of the cabin, in addition to the heat.
How do I know if my A/C and heater controls need to be replaced?
Problems with the dash mounted climate control panel will be the easiest to diagnose. If your knobs are broken or missing, then you would do well to replace them. If the system doesn't respond to your inputs, it could be a problem with the climate control panel.
Some problems may come from deeper inside the system, though. Like any intricate moving part, the door actuators can eventually wear out and stop working. If the blend door is not working properly, you may find that the hot air is not as hot as it used to be or the cool air is not as cool. Failure of the mode door is more obvious. It will generally leave the door stuck in one position so that air flows only out the windshield vents or only onto to the floor. Clicking noises behind the dash when you try to operate the heating or cooling systems can be a sign of failure in one of the blend door actuators.
As with all electrical motors, automotive blower motors can and will eventually fail as well. Here is some more detailed information about blower motor failure.
Can I replace A/C and heater controls myself?
Replacing the dash mounted controls should prove to be easy. You'll simply have to pry off the old controls, disconnect any wiring, and install the new controls. Replacing the door actuators will take more work, but should be doable for any do-it-yourself mechanic. You will have to remove your dash panels, which may prove to be time-consuming, but, otherwise, the task should be fairly straightforward.


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2097 AD. Secret agent called Snake is sent to Phobos, which was terraformed and turned into a green paradise and citadel of Galatex Corporation, the largest corporation of the solar system. Now this fortress was attacked by some Dancer, who turned a satellite of Mars into a bloody hell. Moving to a single purpose known to his own, he has left behind only corpses. Commanders of Snake don't care for Galatex, but they really want to know - what exactly Dancer hunts for?
Fun at first, but some areas (Alien Massive, I am looking at you) are far too poorly laid out and more an exercise in frustration than game-play. Good effort, smooth coding, bad execution.


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So if you're like me, you spend most of your research time in a windowless office with little interaction with the outside world. Also, if you're like me, you want a chance to escape said windowless office after so many hours of not seeing the sun. But how to do that? Grad school has seasons of intense work that needs to be done right now and then a relief. What can one do that doesn't require a lot of commitment or is at least understanding about the grad school position?
Thankfully, IU has some options: The GPSO here at IU hosts monthly social hours that take place Friday night at a restaurant or bar. The social hours include no cover charge and free food! Beer's on the student though. Groups such as churches often host events such as social hours for grad students and recent grads. Departments hold a yearly picnics. At IU, clubs often have a large number of grad students. Such as salsa. So if you disappear for half a semester and then come back, you still have someone to relate to.


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Anyone have experience with Terrafirma winches? $1600 for a 12ooolbs winch and hidden mounting plate (behind LR# bumper) plus labour for installation.
Seems a little too good to be true, and there is no duty cycle listed on the factory website. Not interested in 5 seconds on, 55 seconds off.


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What The -bleep- Happened Last Night?
After Saturday night's authoritative 11-6 thumping of the Cardinals (which really should have been 11-3 but for three meaningless runs scored in the top of the 9th), I had high hopes for Game 2 of the NLDS on Sunday.
The Phils jumped on Chris Carpenter for four early runs, and I was liking the chances of going up 2 games to none on the Cards. But then the unthinkable happened – Cliff Lee blew a four run lead. Granted, he didn't seem to be at his sharpest last night – he allowed a leadoff triple in the first, and a leadoff double in the second, but managed to wiggle out of those jams. Things would start to unravel in the fourth, when the Cards pulled to within one run, and go further downhill from there.
In the meantime, Carpenter was yanked after three innings, and the parade of relievers must have lulled the Phillies into one of their all-too-frequent offensive stupors.
The Cardinal bullpen yielded only one hit the rest of the way, a single by Jimmy Rollins, which was quickly nullified when Rollins got picked off to end the seventh.
I should have known better than to get too optimistic. After all, the Cardinals are the only NL team to have a winning record against the Phils this year, so I certainly shouldn't expect this series to be a cakewalk. Also, I'm a Phillies fan – a member of a group of people known for their pessimistic tendencies. I'm pretty sure it must be a chemical they put in our water ;-).
Today is an off day, so let's hope the Phillies snap out of it, and get back to hitting (and winning) tomorrow in St. Louis. Especially you, Carlos Ruiz, and you, Placido Polanco, both hitless thus far! Let's get to work!


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I'm looking to see if anyone would be interested in hunting the late fall season (January 13-27) with my dog. I'm not looking for any money or to steal anyone's secret spots, just want to get my dog out and into some birds, and hopefully get someone a shot and introduce them to a different side of turkey hunting. It's a great time for grownups, and kids as well. Probably best if you have a large parcel to hunt or multiple parcels, but public land works fine also. Maizy (my dropper) is 3, well behaved, friendly, and doesn't chase deer. I've guided numerous people before, so this isn't our first time. I'm a PA resident, but have a Virginia license. Saturdays/Sundays work best for me, could be 1 day or two, I'm open to just about anything. Probably best to e-mail me or text/call my phone, firstname.lastname@example.com, 484-681-0589. I'll try to remember to keep checking here for PMs also.
Also, if anyone has any public land in northern/central/eastern Virginia that they could suggest for fall turkey, I'd truly appreciate it. I know there is GW Forest, but that's a little too far of a drive, and not sure about driving in the mountains that time of year. I hunted a few years at Quantico, but can't deal with the red tape and hoops you have to keep jumping through there. PM is fine, I know nobody wants to share this on the WWW.
Thanks in advance!


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Exclusive Daily Updates From The Road. Streaming Video. Joliet to Effingham, IL: A Naturally Aspirated Paxton, the Pinnacle of Corvettedom, and Burnouts That Belong on MTV's Jackass
Just when we were beginning to think it would be hard to do much better than the trip to Joliet and the superb facilities of the Route 66 Raceway there, we made a relatively short run to Effingham, Illinois, and discovered yet another gem in the heartland. On the way there, even the gas stop was a pleasant diversion (quite a change from the venal merchants of the notorious "115 Truck Stop" we encountered the day before). In the little burg of Paxton (no connection with the supercharger company of the same name), the gas station manager made up a Power Tour welcome banner and had everything spic and span. Before we departed, Hot Rod TV set up a looonnng shot of a Tour hot rods all lined up for more of the Long Haul–stay tuned to Hotrod.com for a schedule of air times and dates. When this routine gas stop had suddenly erupted into a remarkable photo opp, and one of Paxton locals enthused, "I can't believe Hot Rod chose our town to stop–that's sooo coool!"
Mid America Designs, a premier supplier of Corvette components and other aftermarket products, had the ideal setup for the arrival of thousands of Power Tour cars, rolling out the green carpet of freshly mowed grass for us. In addition to good grub, great tunes and friendly car folks, we relished the warm nostalgia of the museum, with all sorts of classic Corvettes, collectibles, memorabilia, pins, models, and period auto decor. What an awesome place to hang out and bench race with your buddies.
After a really stellar day, it unfortunately ended on a sour note for some of us at 3:30 a.m., when a couple of a mindless Tour participants decided to do multiple tire burnouts in the host hotel parking lot right next to all the other Power Tour cars. Their antics rousted everybody out of bed, including one very irate Vic Edelbrock. Later on at the breakfast buffet and in the motel lobby we overheard a lot of complaints and grumbling from participants about not being able to get back to sleep and how those yahoos gave the Power Tour a bad name. We photographed these brain-cell challenged culprits' cars (and we were frankly surprised someone hadn't already slashed their tires for that moronic stunt). Hey buddy, that's what dragstrips are for–who are you trying to impress here–MTV's "Jackass" show? If you wanna play with dynamite go do it in your own backyard, where you'll only hurt yourself. The Hot Rod Power Tour is about high performance in every sense of the term, not substandard feats of sheer stupidity. We look forward to not seeing you at our event next year.
Next stop: Springfield, Missouri


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WASHINGTON, June 7 (UPI) -- The shipment of petroleum products by rail led in terms of overall commodity groups for May, the Association of American Railroads said.
AAR said eleven of the 20 commodity groups shipped on U.S. rail systems recorded monthly increases for May when compared to the same time last year. Petroleum and petroleum products led the way with a 41.8 percent increase compared to May 2012. Other cargo, like motor vehicle parts and gravel, recorded single-digit gains.
AAR Vice President of Economics John Gray said the U.S. economy still isn't "firing on all cylinders."
"Pockets of rail traffic growth, such as autos, nonmetallic minerals, and commodities related to crude oil extraction are being countered by continued weakness in steel-related commodities, paper and grain, among others," he said in a statement Thursday. "Like everyone else, railroads are hopeful that the economy will soon finally shake off its malaise and start reaching its potential."
Oil companies operating in North America are turning to rail as production gains overwhelm existing pipeline capacity. Pipeline supporters say their safety record is better than rail, though oil spills from rail are far less severe.
Grain shipments by rail for May were down 20 percent year-on-year.


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Legislation has been introduced that would reduce the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit - or VEETC - for a two year period; then transition to a credit that is adjusted based on the price of oil. The bill would also improve existing credits for blender pump installation and ethanol fueling infrastructure.
It's called the Domestic Energy Promotion Act of 2011 and it has the support of the American Coalition for Ethanol, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association and Renewable Fuels Association. Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, a long-time ethanol supporter and co-sponsor of the legislation, explains why this idea has been put forward.
"It's always been in the back of our mind, if you've been for ethanol, that an infant industry ought to be able to live on its own," Grassley said. "It's also a recognition that within the ethanol industry there's been a feeling that we ought to get the market place working better and that this is one way to advance the dissemination of ethanol and maybe encourage flex-fuel vehicles, so it's a reflection of what thinking has been going on within the ethanol industry."
Grassley says it's a logical step forward. Brooke Coleman, Executive Director of the Advanced Ethanol Council, agrees and praised Grassley for introducing the legislation.
"The proposal strikes the right balance between providing savings to the taxpayer, developing the infrastructure necessary to incorporate growing volumes of ethanol from all feedstocks, and extending the incentives that are critical to the development of next generation ethanol fuels," Coleman said. "The tax incentives for advanced and cellulosic ethanol contained in Senator Grassley's proposal will help our industry put steel in the ground and create jobs and economic activity that cannot be exported. They are the type of tax incentives already provided for the fossil fuels industry, and extending these incentives helps begin the process of leveling an uneven playing field with gasoline and other petroleum fuels."
Other legislation exists that would eliminate the tax credit for ethanol and the tariff on ethanol imports. That was introduced by Senator Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.


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The experience started at 2pm Wednesday, Feb 9th for me. That's when I had a tour of the Family History Library. It had been probably 20 years since I had taken an official tour of the library. I've been using the library during that time frame but just doing my own thing. I was very pleased to see how many digital microfilm/microfiche scanners they have available. There used to be only one scanner per floor, I think there are at least 20 per floor now. You used to have to schedule a time frame to use the scanner, but that's not necessary now - you should be able to find one available anytime you need it.
After the FHL tour I jumped on the bus with my fellow bloggers and reporters for a media tour of the Film Distribution Center. My how high tech and efficient the system is. We were given stock photos to use for our blogs since photographs onsite were not allowed. I'm not going to post them here - you will see them in the blog articles I link to below. It was during this tour that I realized that not everyone in our media group was familiar with genealogy or why we even use microfilms. I was very impressed the RootsTech had invited such a diverse group of media to tell their story. The MormonMommyBlog stands out in this area. It's interesting to see how her heart has changed about genealogy after attending RootsTech. You will find the link below.
After touring the Film Distribution Center we had an opportunity to go into the Church Distribution Center next door. It was a timely thing for me since I needed to pick something up for my Primary class. As the tour bus was taking us back Paul Nauta, FamilySearch Public Affairs Director gave us all the Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD "Showtime!" and a lovely journal.
We had some time to kill before dinner when we arrived at the Joseph Smith Memorial building. There was a lot of socializing going on. I visited the FamilySearch Center there and had my picture taken on the Ellis Island dock.
Then it was on to dinner at The Roof, you can't go wrong with that choice. What a view of Salt Lake and especially the temple at sunset. Not everyone was LDS so it was a lovely way to introduce them to Salt Lake and our culture. Did you know The Roof does not serve coffee? What interesting things you learn through other people's eyes. Before leaving we were given our RootsTech bags containing our name tags, syllabus and a gorgeous leather bound journal. FamilySearch really knows how to treat the media.
Before the doors to RootsTech opened the media were given breakfast and a tour of the facilities. Thomas MacEntee handed out red beads to all the bloggers. What a fun little group bloggers can be! The first thing I noticed on the tour was instead of your typical vendors hall we had a Community Zone Exhibit Hall. It was totally carpeted to encourage people to stand around and talk and still be comfortable.
There was a Media Hub right in the middle of everything. You could power up your laptop, be online and write about any break news you heard. I took the opportunity to just visit and gab with fellow bloggers there during down times. The Media Hub was also a great place for vendors to drop off press releases. Bloggers also got a neat RootsTech mini USB hub and a complimentary membership to Archives.com. I can't wait to try that!
I had debated about bringing my laptop. I can only carry so much stuff around. I see many conference users with wheeled bags which would be lovely if I didn't also have to walk with a cane. Genealogy conference goers know how annoying it is getting around these slow wheeled bag people or how dangerous it is to trip over their bags. I could just picture myself being doubly annoying with a wheeled bag and a cane for people to get around me. So I opted out of the whole laptop thing. Instead I twittered off my phone or stopped at the mini Family History Library there to write tweets. My RootsTech bag was just the right size for me to carry. But, I have to confess to some bag envy by Saturday after seeing all the different styles they handed out. It was quite fun discovering new styles.
The Community Zone also had a Cyber Cafe that anyone could use, and many did. I just have a hard time sitting on a stool because my feet don't reach the foot rest. The Cyber Cafe in my opinion needed some tables and normal size chairs. Or people could do like I did and go to the mini FHL to use the computer. The missionaries there didn't care what you where using the computers for, which was very nice of them. I never had any problem getting onto a computer while in the Community Zone.
One place I didn't visit was the Microsoft Playground. I saw lots of people relaxing and playing games. I forgot all about the massages they offered there. If I had remembered I would of made use of that. This is one piece of information I have stored in my brain for next year.
I did attend a couple of demos in the Community Zone. They had soft couches you could sit on or nice chairs. The mini FHL was right next to the Demo Area so I could sit at an end computer tweet and listen to a demo at the same time. The demos usually had prize drawings after their presentation too. The only suggestion I have for the Community Zone it would be to have more vendors there. Other than that don't change a thing.
Since we were touring the Community Zone as people gathered in the main hall for the keynote address, RootsTech was kind enough to have reserved seating upfront for the media. You couldn't ask for better seats in the house. As we walked in you could tell this was going to be a genealogy conference like no other. There was lively music playing and colored lights moving around. There were two large screens on either side of the stage. Everyone had a perfect view. This was a major class act.
As a recorded voice introduced each speaker with music and lights I began to feel like I was attending a TED Convention for Genealogist!. I'm not going to go over each keynote address. Other bloggers have done a wonderful job here. I just want to say the momentum of coming from a keynote every day just got you more and more siked about being there. There was synergy in the masses coming together, hearing motivating speakers on the use of technology and how things are just getting bigger and better all the time. It's a wonderful age we live in and genealogy is just blossoming from it.
I am just going to mention a couple of classes I attended.
Software Forecast: What Genealogists Need for the Future - D. Josh Taylor
He gave a call to action to software programmers for what genealogists really need. "The community needs software that bridges elements of cloud computing, social networking, and the next generation of web-based technologies with established principles of genealogical research and methodologies in order to harness emerging technologies for genealogy and family history users." I was impressed with his depth of vision.
Create Your Own Family Reference Library and Catalogue - always at your fingertips - Jan Grow
I had been waiting for this class ever since I saw it as an option on the website. The time was changed so it was confusing when this class was offered. Since it was a workshop you needed to sign up in advance. I made sure a couple of days before the conference that I was signed up for one of the new time slots. It was a good thing I did. There was a huge crowd of people wanting to get into this workshop. It became standing room only in the back. I got a nice lovely seat up front because my name was on the list.
Jan went over how she used TreePad for her reference library. I was already a TreePad user and fan so I was thrilled to see how she recorded her genealogy research using it. She didn't show how in the class to download her template, but I found it and saved it to my flash drive. I can't wait to play with it.
Jan used TreePad to track things I had not thought of, which will save me from having to buy a few programs I thought I needed. She gave examples of how you can use TreePad to track magazine articles, belongings, along with your research with a Research Plan.
TreePad is: A Personal Information Manager, Organizer, Database, Word Processor, Fully portable - install and use on a USB drive. Plus has a wonderful search engine. As I play with this program more I will write up my findings. Jan's class was tape recorded and I hope when it goes online it includes the slides.
The final day of RootsTech I attended the Genealogical Data Standards - Discussion. Robert Raymond did an excellent job as moderator. This was a two part class and after the first session many people left and missed out on one of the biggest news of the conference.
During the discussion attendees could come up to the microphone and give their input. The sessions were recorded. Robert did an excellent job adjusting the agenda as the discussion evolved. The original agenda was to cover 1. ID Issues, 2. Solutions, 3. Standards, 4. Plan - Governance.
The first session covered ID Issues. A representative from Google even came to the mic and wanted to help with searchablity. Since we all knew we were going to run out of time it was decided that we wanted to discuss Governance. Along this time Tom Creighton, from FamilySearch, made a very soft announcement that FamilySearch has been looking at these issues and has been developing the SORD project. He went on to tell about the SORD fights they have had. FamilySearch was not looking to control this all by themselves. They wanted to be involved with the community in creating the Standard. He said "Shame on us for not doing this the last 20 years."
In my tweets after the second session I referred to the FamilySearch project as SWORD. I know that came from picturing the sword fights within FamilySearch. So the real name of the project we want to hear more on is SORD.
I can tell you I was way over my head in the discussion. I just know it was important and changes were happening. In fact as I sat there I could feel it as a living thing. I wished I had attended more discussion - they were the place to be in a conference like this. It took until the last day for me to realize what RootsTech was all about - the people. Genealogy and technology coming together and Growing!
At the end of the conference there was a closing session. It was great to come back together as a group. Anne Roach, who did an excellent job putting RootsTech together, took us on a journey on how RootsTech began and what it became. I loved the slide shows. Jay Verkler spoke to us and gave us all an opportunity to show our appreciation to the people that put this all together. We gave them a heartfelt standing ovation, and that didn't even seem enough thanks for what they have done.
Afterward the conference I spoke with Don Snow and his wife and daughter. I learned that at the same time I was feeling something important happening in my class on the Genealogical Data Standards - Discussion, that Elder Richard G. Scott, an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was giving an apostolic blessing on those involved in genealogy work. I think I felt the spirit move through the building at the same time. I can't wait to watch the recording of Elder Scott's talk when it's online.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention the fun RootsTech evening events. Thursday was the Clark Planetarium hosted by brightsolid. There was casual dinner which you needed to visit every floor to get the full course. It was fun but there were too many people there to make it really enjoyable. Probably because there weren't many chairs. I was lucky to get into the first show "Hubble 3D". I hadn't seen anything in 3D since I was a kid. It was really cool. I left early and spent the rest of the night at the FHL.
Friday evening was the "Late Night at the Library" sponsored by Ancestry.com. They had a "Who Do You Think You Are" viewing party, along with food and a class. It was enjoyable. I stayed until about 11pm even though the library stayed open until midnight.
To finish the whole RootsTech experience I went to Dick Eastman's EOGN Dinner Saturday night. Something I have wanted to do for ages. Dick had asked me in advance to be a contestant in the Genealogy Jeopardy game they were going to play. I made sure to eat some almonds before the dinner to wake up my brain. I thought I was going to make a total fool of myself and was pleasantly surprised that I knew as many answers as I did. If I had only wagered more money on the final question it would have been in my grasp. It was great fun anyways. A Dick Eastman dinner is the best way to close a genealogy conference experience.
There were a few things that could be improved for next year.
- More vendors
- Better class descriptions online ahead of time
- Mark the tracks better - especially workshops that need to be signed up in advance.
- Escalators! Seriously the Salt Palace would be perfect if they just installed them in place of the stairs. I know that not within the power of RootsTech but I'm just saying....
- Attend some unconferencing sessions
- Attend more discussions than classes
- Try and take more pictures - I'm really bad at that!
- Get a free massage
Below you will find links to articles others have written about RootsTech. It was only after I created my list that I learned about The RootsTech Daily. That has links to these articles.
I understand that the DVDs and recording made during this conference will be sent to all the registered attendees of RootsTech. They will also be posted online at YouTube's FamilySearch Channel -
There is also a FamilySearch Wiki article on RootsTech at: https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/RootsTech_2011
A new website to come out of RootsTech is: http://familytech.familysearch.org/
Elder Richard G. Scott Speaks on Technology's Role in Genealogy
New Conference Encourages Innovation in Genealogy Technology
Church News
LDS Living
Elder Richard G. Scott Speaks on Technology's Role in Genealogy (video)
FamilySearch Blog
Let's keep the momentum going
ReadWriteWeb Blog - by Curt Hopkins
About.com - Kimberly's Genealogy Blog - Kimberly Powell
The Ancestry Insider
Dick Eastman's Genealogy Newsletter
The FamilySearch Microfilm Distribution Operation
Podcast: An Interview with some of FamilySearch Senior Managers
Video: An Interview with Brewster Kahle
3,000+ Genealogists at the RootsTech Conference (with Pictures)
The EOGN Dinner after RootsTech
MormonMommyBlog - Elisa
Genealogy's Star - James Tanner
DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Blog
Find My Ancestor
Genealogy Gems News
RootsTech 2011: A bold fresh face on the genealogy conference scene
Granite Genealogy - Sue Maxwell
Olive Tree Genealogy Blog - Lorine McGinnis Schulze
Relatively Curious About Genealogy - Tami Glatz
Taneya's Genealogy Blog
Managing RootsTech Knowledge
The Accidental Genealogist
The Family Curator
Virtual Attendance at #RootsTech 2011
Tracing the Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy Blog - Schelly Talay Darashti
The We Tree Genealogy Blog – Amy Coffin
Grove Creek Family History Blog – Rayanne Melick
Geneabloggers – Thomas MacEntee
Latest News From RootsTech 2011
Genea-Musing – Randy Seaver
GenealogyMedia.com – Jordan Jones
Journeys Past – Cheri Daniels
Luxegen Genealogy and Family History – Joan Miller
See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!