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About Mercedes Benz 190D
The Mercedes Benz line of automobiles is known for producing high performance luxury vehicles throughout its entire history. Although the ""high performance"" aspect of that statement may speak more indicatively of some of the more recent models from Mercedes, the classics still maintain that signature luxurious Mercedes look. The 190D, although only in production for roughly one year ( from 1958 to 1959 ) makes it one of the most rare and collectible vehicles produced by Mercedes Benz. It harbored a 1.9 liter diesel engine and remains one of the most coveted classic cars from Mercedes to this day, as just over 20,000 were ever produced.
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ORLANDO, Fla — The Atlanta Hawks have had trouble at times playing consistently against struggling teams.
They chose a great time to jettison a bad habit.
Josh Smith had 30 points and 10 rebounds and Al Horford added 26 points and 12 rebounds as the Hawks blew past the Orlando Magic 108-76 on Wednesday night.
The Hawks led by as many as 38 points and decimated the Magic defense on the way to earning their ninth consecutive regular-season win over their division rivals. In Atlanta's last game before the All-Star break, it was a signature night for Smith, who could be an asset the Hawks may shop around the trade deadline.
"Smith is a professional," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "He's been in this situation before. During this time of season, rumors do fly. His name has come up before. He's handled it very well. He's handling it very well right now. The last thing we can do is allow any type of rumor to be a distraction. That's my job."
Jameer Nelson and Andrew Nicholson led the Magic with 10 points apiece. No other Orlando players reached double-figures.
The Magic have now lost 24 of their last 27 games. It was the capstone event to an unpleasant day.
Already ravished by various player injuries this season, they were dealt a different kind of blow Wednesday when the NBA announced that forward Hedo Turkoglu would be suspended 20 games for taking a steroid. Turkoglu, who has already missed 31 games this season because of injury and illness, will now be out until late March.
Whether it was that latest dose of bad news or not that led to the lackluster effort, Magic guard J.J. Redick said that after a decent first quarter, nothing went right against the Hawks.
"We were down, definitely down. Nothing more to say. We got punked," Redick said.
Horford and Smith scored at will both inside and from the outside, and had a combined point total that equaled the Magic's team total after three quarters.
It was Smith's third 30-point game this season and 22nd double-double of the year. He now has 200 double-doubles for his career. He said his effort was spurred by his teammates.
"We had an understanding with each other that we were not going to take this game for granted," Smith said. "We needed to be able to come out and play aggressive on both ends of the floor and that is what we did.
"I was just playing relaxed and didn't force anything. I took what the defense game me and everything was working tonight."
It didn't seem like it would be such a lopsided outing early on.
The Hawks started the game just 1 for 10 from the field and had just a six-point cushion after one. They surged in the second, though, outscoring the Magic 32-17 as they built a 21-point halftime lead.
Orlando never recovered.
Horford and Smith combined for 30 points and 17 rebounds in the half, just a shade under the 36 points and 18 rebounds the Magic had as a team Magic coach Jacque Vaughn made it clear that as bad as things are going for his team right now, he isn't expecting to get a team back after the break that has given up on the rest of the season.
"It's just a break, not a vacation," Vaughn said. "It's a break to clear your mind a little bit, let your body rejuvenate, and get ready for the remaining games At the end of the day, as simple as it can be you have to be ready to compete every night, especially with the remaining games that we have."
Horford said there was no question that he felt like the Hawks answered an important call heading into the stretch run of the season. Their first game back after the break is a tough one against East Conference leader Miami.
"Coach Drew challenged us today," he said. "These are the types of games that can get away from you and we wanted to come out and set the tone. ... It was very important (the last two wins). I felt we let a couple get away these last couple of weeks so we had to make it up."
Notes: Hawks G Devin Harris was whistled for his first technical foul of the season in the first quarter. ... G Kyle Korver has now made at least one 3-pointer in each of his last 45 games, the longest active streak in the NBA. ... The Magic fell to 5-18 this season when their opponent scores at least 100 points.

subset: commoncrawl


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Grow the membership? How about nurturing the members we already have who are at the bottom of the MP totem pole. Find out how we can help them better appreciate the game, attend local, regional, and national tournaments. Let's recast the special events, particularly the GNTs so that newer players learn to play imps and enjoy the difference between imps and matchpoints. Reward districts who hold club qualifying events for Flight C players.
Our special events could be driving participation to a much greater extent than they are doing. Live tournament bridge will sputter if we don't engage new club players to enjoy play in a larger venue. It's time for a new grass roots approach: North American Swiss Pairs. Qualify during the Grass Roots Fund month in May and earn the right to play at the fall NABC. The grass roots events, NAP and GNT, should be designed to excite newer players, not just reward those who are already coming to the NABCs
Start the 6K Spingold on Day 2 of the regular Spingold. Structure the NABC+ events in a way that encourages folks to play up.
Lobby your ACBL Board rep to move the 10K event at the start of the Spring NABC to Sat-Sun rather than starting on Day1 of both the Platinum and the IMP Pairs. Bueller? Bueller? Hello? Strive to schedule the start 10K events on day 2 of 3 day NABC+ events whenever possible.
Scheduling a 10K event final that falls on day 1 of a new NABC+ event is WRONG
The ACBL doesn't need a one size fits all policy for team entry fees. If you want 100% of the masterpoints then you pay your 100%. A 6 person team willing to receive proportional overall awards, as we do in Swiss team events, can pay the 4 person team entry fee. We already track the sitouts. This is not rocket science
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Photo Credit: Erik Per Sullivan's picture is courtesy of Erik France. Photographic illustrations of Erik Per Sullivan are copyright © by their respective holders. The images are published with permission or as allowed by the copyright law's fair use or quotation provisions. If any copyright holder objects to an image being included, please notify us and it will be removed immediately.
Disclaimer: This information about Erik Per Sullivan is derived from astrological interpretation of Erik Per Sullivan's date, time, and place of birth.


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Dear Garden Blogging Friends,
You won't believe this but, I was completely speechless for a few minutes this weekend! Seriously! You have thrown a surprise party and given me the loveliest of gifts.
Can a blogger be more fortunate? Two awards! Are you sure there wasn't a mistake? Was there a miscount? Did you see the other nominees? They are stellar Bloggers! What a delight and honor to be in their company.
Thank you, for reading my blog; for taking time to write wonderful comments; for your continued friendship; for your warm welcome into the blogging community and for honoring me with two Blotanical awards. You are the dearest of people...Really, it's you are who are the best.
Conoclinium coelestinum or Mistflower, Clay and Limestone, TN
Let us be grateful to people who make us happy;
they are the charming gardeners
who make our souls blossom. (Marcel Proust)


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Available ebook formats: epub mobi pdf lrf pdb html
Ethan Somerville is a prolific Australian author with over 20 books published, and many more to come. These novels cover many different genres, including romance, historical, children's and young adult fiction. However Ethan's favourite genres have always been science fiction and fantasy. Ethan has also collaborated with other Australian authors and artists, including Max Kenny, Emma Daniels, Anthony Newton, Colin Forest, Tanya Nicholls and Carter Rydyr.


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Pam Oliver calls brouhaha over her hair 'comical'
As is the case almost exclusively when female sideline reporters are in the headlines, one sideline reporter's appearance has become a hot topic.
Fox Sports' Pam Oliver has been crucified by the masses on social media in recent weeks for what some felt was unkempt hair.
It escalated so far that Oliver even became an Internet meme when someone photoshopped a picture of Chewbacca's face onto her body and circulated it.
Ultimately, though, Oliver — not her critics — is getting the last laugh.
"It's comical. This whole thing is just comical," Oliver told Philly.com in an interview .
"You're out there, trying to catch players, get some last-minute stuff, get your reports turned around quickly, and I may or may not have time to put on lip gloss or powder my face."
Oliver, a veteran of the sidelines, can attest that her job is not as glamorous and clear-cut as most perceive it to be.
It's unpredictable. The situations she reports on are fluid and evolving.
Oh, not to mention it's actually pretty damn dangerous.
Oliver can definitely attest to that part — she suffered a concussion this past season after getting clocked in the head by an errant throw and experienced serious concussion symptoms for days.
"You just hope that ultimately people will judge you on your body of work and what you've spent your whole career doing, as opposed to rather than (sic) if you have lines around your mouth," she said.
She knows that's an uphill battle, though.
"A guy can wear the same tie every other week and it's not even an issue," she said. "But if a woman is on and a strand of hair is out of place or if there's a little piece of something in your hair, people go crazy. It's always been that way. It's never going to change."


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Sharps leads by example
Captain Ian Sharps scored the only goal of the game as Rotherham earned a 1-0 win at play-off rivals Exeter.
Despite atrocious conditions, the first half was an entertaining affair. Alan Gow hit the crossbar for Exeter with a stunning effort from 25 yards and Jamie Cureton was denied by a smart Andy Warrington save low to his right.
At the other end, Exeter goalkeeper Artur Krysiak made two excellent saves from Alex Revell and Johnny Mullins before the deadlock was broken three minutes before half-time when Sharps glanced a near-post header across goal and into the net from a corner.
Exeter had plenty of possession after the break, but they did not test Warrington enough.
The Millers were reduced to 10 men three minutes from full-time when Mitchell Rose was given a straight red card for a foul on substitute Aaron Dawson.
Matt Oakley's long-range effort was the closet the Grecians came to an equaliser, but Warrington showed a safe pair of hands to earn all three points for his side, who defended superbly throughout the second half.
Source: PA
Source: PA


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BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's top court said it had rejected a law that would have prevented embattled Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki from seeking a third term in office after 2014 national elections, as an ongoing spate of violence claimed another eight lives Tuesday.
The Supreme Federal Court said in a brief statement on its website that it had ruled unconstitutional a controversial law that limits the premier, president and the parliament speaker to two terms of office.
Al-Maliki first became prime minister in 2006. He secured a second term in office after nearly nine months of political wrangling after the 2010 national elections.
His political rivals accuse him of consolidating power, bringing the security forces and other state institutions under his control, and sidelining rivals. They say he has plunged the country into political infighting that has contributed declining security and some of the worst violence in years.
His backers say he is a unifier who has restored a shattered Iraqi state, and that the Iraqi electorate should decide whether to keep him as prime minister.
After the law was passed in January by 170 members of the 275-seat legislature, al-Maliki's allies dubbed it illegal and vowed to appeal it.
Two lawmakers — al-Maliki's ally Ali al-Shalah and one of his opponents, parliamentarian Mohammed al-Khalidi — said the court issued its decision Monday on the basis that draft laws should be proposed by either the Cabinet or the president, not parliament.
The court couldn't be reached for comment.
"We believe that there were political pressures on the court to overturn the draft law," said al-Khalidi, who voted for it. "Rejecting the law is a danger to democracy in Iraq." He said parliament is only obliged to send to Cabinet those draft laws that need financial allocations.
A spokesman for al-Maliki, Ali al-Moussawi, said the bill "contradicts the constitution and all constitutions in the parliamentary systems which do not limit the term for the Prime Minister."
Authorities, meanwhile, reported at least eight people were killed in violent attacks.
The deadliest incident happened when a bomb exploded outside a tribal sheik's house in Madain, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) southeast of Baghdad. A second blast followed as onlookers gathered. A total of six people were killed and 12 more were wounded, police said.
In the restive northern city of Mosul, drive-by shooters killed a tribal sheik and a police officer in two separate attacks, police said.
Medical officials confirmed the casualties. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release the information to journalists.
Iraq for months has been weathering its worst spike in violence since 2008, when the country was pulling back from the brink of civil war. More than 440 people have been killed in August, according to an Associated Press count.


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TAMPA, Fla. — Music blared in the St. Louis locker room, even though the Rams were eliminated from playoff contention. A winning record still is within reach, and the NFL's youngest team is ready to go for it.
"So we don't even have like one in a million chance? Well, we're going to play hard. We're going to finish up strong," coach Jeff Fisher said after Sunday's 28-13 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept the Rams' hopes for finishing above .500 alive heading in next week's finale at Seattle.
"This is a chance to finish out on a winning note and a chance to be undefeated in the division. If we're able to do that, I'd say then we can jump into the offseason with optimism for next year."
St. Louis (7-7-1) won for the fourth time in the past five games, with Sam Bradford throwing for a pair of touchdowns and rookie cornerback Janoris Jenkins scoring his fourth TD of the season. A victory over the Seahawks will give the Rams their first winning record since 2003.
That's a huge step for a team that won two games in 2011.
"We've got seven wins now," Fisher said. "I don't think many people thought we would do that, but we've got a chance to get eight, so that's what our focus is."
Bradford connected with Lance Kendricks on an 80-yard scoring pass on the first play of the third quarter. The Rams' persistent defense did its part, too, intercepting Josh Freeman four times, turning three of the turnovers into TDs, including Jenkins' pick and 41-yard return early in the first half.
Steven Jackson rushed for 81 yards and one TD, moving within 10 yards of reaching 1,000 for the eighth consecutive season.
"We all realize what's at stake, obviously," Bradford said. "We found the playoffs aren't in the picture still, but if we go up and beat Seattle, we'd be undefeated in our division and finish with a winning record, which are two things we'd really like to accomplish next week."
Tampa Bay (6-9) turned the ball five times and was stopped on downs twice inside the Rams 10 en route to its fifth straight loss. The Bucs also had five turnovers the previous week in a 41-0 loss at New Orleans.
Bradford completed 13 of 27 passes for 196 yards, one interception and no sacks — ending a stretch in which the St. Louis quarterback was sacked in a league-high 30 consecutive games.
Kendricks finished with four receptions for 119 yards, while Jackson closed in on extending the NFL's longest current streak of 1,000-yard seasons rushing on 19 carries.
"We were hoping that we could knock it out and get it out of the way, but they're a very tough defense — No. 1 against the run — so we're very pleased with how we were able to move the ball on the ground," Jackson said.
Tampa Bay outgained the Rams 429 yards to 285, with Freeman going 30 of 54 for 372 yards and one TD. But the Bucs simply were unable the fourth-year pro being intercepted four times for the second straight week.
Mike Williams scored on a 61-yard reception and had seven catches for 132 yards. Vincent Jackson also had a big day with seven receptions for 108 yards, while the Rams limited rookie Doug Martin to 62 yards rushing on 18 attempts.
Freeman has thrown eight interceptions in the past two weeks after only having three passes picked off over the previous eight games. Williams slipped to the ground on Jenkins' interception, but the Bucs quarterback tried to force the ball into a crowd in the middle of the field when he was picked off by James Laurinaitis.
"I've got to take the blame as the quarterback," Freeman said. "Saints game, this game, not really the brand of football I want to play."
Jenkins has scored on three of his four interceptions and has also returned a fumble for a touchdown. Jackson's 5-yard TD run in the closing seconds of the first half finished a 65-yard drive Bradford led after Laurinaitis' interception, and the Rams broke it open with two more TDs in the first five minutes of the third quarter.
Kendricks scored on the first play of the second half, grabbing a pass over the middle at his own 40 and rumbled to the end zone untouched with help from receiver Danny Amendola, who shielded safety Mark Barron from making the tackle just before making just enough contact with another converging defender, Ahmad Black, to allow the tight end to cover the final 20 yards to give St. Louis a 21-6 lead.
Three plays later, Freeman was intercepted for the third time, with Trumaine Johnson's pick at the Tampa Bay 30 leading to Bradford's 5-yard TD pass to Austin Pettis that made it 28-6 with 10:47 remaining in the third quarter.
NOTES: The Bucs lost CB E.J. Biggers to a groin injury in the first half, and he did not return. … St. Louis CB Cortland Finnegan played, but did not start after not practicing all week and being listed as questionable with a thigh injury. … Freeman has thrown for 3,843 yards, a Bucs single-season record.


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My dear old friends Kalpana and Shamik came to visit for a couple of days. Santoshji took a photograph of the 3 of us with his ancient magic box camera, and it just so happened that he captured a picture of us from a previous lifetime!
Life moves at a steady pace, and all is well.


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UAlbany Professors Explore the Moral and Legal Ramifications of Wrongful Convictions
ALBANY, N.Y. (December 27, 2011) – Hundreds of individuals erroneously convicted of rape, murder, and other serious felonies, many of whom spent decades in prisons and/or were under sentence of death, have been exonerated by DNA evidence. Some studies estimate that wrongful convictions in the U.S. occur in as many as 3 percent or more of felony cases. The actual number of innocent people convicted of crimes is unknown and perhaps unknowable. Given that more than one million felony convictions and considerably more misdemeanor convictions occur annually, the number of persons wrongly convicted is potentially staggering. University at Albany researchers James R. Acker and Allison D. Redlich delve into this complicated subject matter in their new book, Wrongful Conviction: Law, Science, and Policy (Durham, N.C.: Carolina Academic Press, 2011).
Acker and Redlich, both faculty at UAlbany's top-ranked School of Criminal Justice, address issues of law, science, and policy related to wrongful convictions in the American justice system. The materials are organized in the form of a casebook, comprising edited judicial decisions and complementary materials from psychology, criminal justice, and related disciplines. Their volume is the first of its kind.
Wrongful Conviction: Law, Science, and Policy also includes detailed analyses of forensic science, jailhouse snitches, false confessions, prosecutorial misconduct, ineffective defense counsel, unreliable eyewitness accounts, and a plethora of compelling case studies.
James Acker and Allison Redlich, both faculty at UAlbany's top-ranked School of Criminal Justice, address issues of law, science, and policy related to wrongful convictions in the American justice system.
The authors conclude that while many of the problems contributing to wrongful convictions are well known, criminal justice systems are still struggling with remedies. Acker and Redlich suggest and remind that while reforms are possible and ongoing, considerably more can and should be done to prevent, detect, and redress wrongful convictions.
James R. Acker has extensive scholarship in areas of death penalty law and the judicial uses of social science research. He has co-authored a series of articles examining capital punishment legislation, which appeared in the Criminal Law Bulletin, and is co-editor, with Robert M. Bohm and Charles S. Lanier, of America's Experiment With Capital Punishment (Carolina Academic Press, 2d ed. 2003). He is the co-author, with his daughter Elizabeth, of Two Voices on the Legal Rights of America's Youth (Wadsworth Publishing, 2004). In 2005, Acker, a University Distinguished Teaching Professor, helped establish the University's National Death Penalty Archive (NDPA), the nation's largest repository of archival material devoted solely to the death penalty. With Professor Redlich and others, he is on the Board of Editors of the Albany Law Review's annual Miscarriages of Justice issue, the result of a unique, interdisciplinary collaboration between the School of Criminal Justice and the Albany Law Review.
Prior to joining the School of Criminal Justice, Allison D. Redlich was a senior research associate at Policy Research Associates, and a research scientist at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She received her doctorate in developmental psychology from the University of California, Davis. Professor Redlich is an internationally recognized expert on police interrogations and false confessions, particularly with vulnerable populations such as persons with mental illness and juveniles. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Justice, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and NARSAD: The Mental Health Research Association. Professor Redlich is a member of the Advisory Board of the Center on Wrongful Convictions of Youth, and has served on the Executive Committees of the American Psychology-Law Society and the Society for Child and Family Practice and Policy.
For more news, subscribe to UAlbany's RSS headline feeds
About the University at Albany
A comprehensive public research university, the University at Albany offers more than 120 undergraduate majors and minors and 125 master's, doctoral, and graduate certificate programs. UAlbany is a leader among all New York State colleges and universities in such diverse fields as atmospheric and environmental sciences, business, criminal justice, emergency preparedness, engineering and applied sciences, informatics, public administration, social welfare, and sociology taught by an extensive roster of faculty experts. It also offers expanded academic and research opportunities for students through an affiliation with Albany Law School. With a curriculum enhanced by 600 study-abroad opportunities, UAlbany launches great careers.


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When it comes to making video where other cameras dare not tread, there is one leader. It's the GoPro HD Hero. Everything from gnarly extreme sports types right up to TV production companies make use of this tiny little camcorder.
While it's not especially new, we thought it was worth treating you to a review now, as a new model has been launched and the older, but still utterly brilliant HD Hero, is now a lot cheaper. We'll touch on what the new model brings a little later, but sufficed to say, this original HD Hero remains a fantastic buy, let's find out why.
The GoPro doesn't look like a normal camcorder, and that's deliberate. It is, however, very modular, which gives owners the opportunity make additions to the basic camera just by snapping extra peripherals on the back of the device. In itself, the GoPro is short and squat, and only likely to be loved by those who know of what it is capable under that silver plastic skin.
On the front of the camera is a fairly petite lens, large red LED a single button and basic LCD display. On the top, is the shutter release button.
On the back is a removable cover, under which the battery is stored. Clip on extra accessories are also available, but we'll talk about those later. An SD card slot is to be found on the side, and a push mechanism frees the card when you want to use it in a computer.
There are also AV outputs (composite and component) and a USB socket. You can both charge the camera, and copy footage off the SD card using this socket.
Record modes
The Hero is nothing if not flexible in its recording formats. At the top end, you have 1080p at 30 frames per second. There is an option to switch between PAL and NTSC, in reality, you can use either, as all modern equipment will support both, and the US format is, frankly, better. If you do use PAL, then the camera will record at 1080p and 25fps.
There are also two 720p record modes. The first, is 720p at 30 frames per second (or 25, for PAL region users). There aren't many reasons to use this one, aside from the fact that it saves space, and if you're recording is going to end up on a DVD, it's more than enough resolution anyway. This mode is ideal if you want to record for very long times.
The second 720p mode is 720p at 60 (50, in Europe) frames per second. This is a real boon, and comes in to its own if you do any sort of sport. Because it has twice the frame rate of normal HD, it can easily be used to create slow motion video that looks smooth and wonderfully detailed. Snowboarders, base jumpers and bungee fans will all, no doubt, make some use of this mode at some time or other.
The GoPro also goes out of its way to accommodate people who want to include a lot of scenery. Where 1080p and 720p are both widescreen modes, the Hero also has a mode called 960p. Again, it records at 30 frames per second, but produces video that is nearly as high as it is wide. This is great for outdoor activities, where you want a lot of beautiful scenery in shot. While a lot of people won't use this mode, it's great to see the GoPro people so totally focused on giving customers a really great and unique experience.
Still photos
The HD Hero also has a decent amount of still photo modes. There's a time-lapse mode, which will fire off photos every second, up to every 60 seconds. A self timer for getting photos of yourself, and your friends, doing something extreme and a multi-shot mode, for capturing three photos in rapid succession.
Photos look decent too, again, assuming there's decent light on the subject. You won't use the still images as much as the video, but it's still something that's fun to play with from time-to-time.
Modular design and expandability
By far the best idea the GoPro people had was to make their camera modular. In so doing, they allow users to upgrade as their funds and needs allow. The basic GoPro doesn't include, for example, any sort of screen. That makes setting it up tricky, but not impossible. For extreme sports the lack of viewfinder isn't an issue, but for other things it's more problematic. So, there is an extra LCD back pack that costs around £70 which takes care of all that, and improves the menu usability too.
An extra battery pack is also availalbe, and while it can't be used at the same time as the LCD screen, it does offer to double your record times if attached to the camera, but it also charges a removable battery, which can be swapped for the one in the GoPro, when it runs out of juice. Do bear in mind, of course, that the LCD monitor will drain a significant amount of power, and will reduce recording times hugely.
Impressive video, in good light
When it comes to being outdoor, the HD Hero produces some stunning video. Show it to someone without explaining what camera it has come from, and they would probably not believe it was anything but a full-size camcorder.
All of the video modes perform well. The 960p format is interesting to look at, it has niche and novelty appeal, and the distortion it produces in finished video is of value in both humorous videos, and those that take place in the great outdoors.
1080p and 720p are both beautiful, in almost all situations. Although this camera uses a CMOS 5-megapixel sensor, there's very little shutter wobble. That means your high-speed activities will be captured without it looking like the while thing was recorded through a jelly.
Things get less impressive indoors. In low, or even medium, light, the colour disappears completely and you're left with a grainy, and unnatural looking video that will have a colour bias that makes things look orange. The colour issues come from the camera's limited white balance, and could be fixed in post-production, but the low-light grain is just something you'll have to live with.
This might concern some, but most of the tests we performed left us with crisp, impressive looking video.
Sound quality
The sound on the GoPro is its weakest point, in all honesty. While it's usable enough, it's really not sufficient for most use. It's very biased toward the high end, and every jolt and touch to the outer case results in a loud clicking, fumbling noise.
If you want an all-round movie making tool, the sound is enough to probably dissuade most people. Of course, where the HD Hero is used with another camera, or with an external sound recorder, you can easily work around the poor audio.
Of course, the fact that it can record sound at all, especially in a waterproof housing, is quite a trick.
Waterproof or vented cases
Old techies like us here at Pocket-lint will remember a few years back (okay, fine, 10+ years, we're old, we admit it) that underwater cameras cost an arm and a leg. Indeed, to put a normal SLR or camcorder underwater now costs a huge amount of money. Here, the HD Hero does full underwater video and photos for a few hundred quid.
If you're not shooting underwater, then you have the option of fitting a vented back to the camera. This allows it to cool more efficiently and helps the produce better sound. Obviously, it's not suitable for use near water, but it does provide a decent amount of protection for rain and, of course, drops.
It's quite amazing what the cases allow you to do with the GoPro. There are some mind boggling videos on YouTube of them being left underwater for two months, shot in to near-space and dropped from a parachute at 3000ft. The HD Hero seems to survive many of these little mishaps, and tell the tale, in 1080p, after.
A choice of mounts
If you're in to messing about in the wild, then there are lots of mounts that will suit you. Drivers can opt for a motorsports mount that is attached via a suction pad to their car or motorbike. There are other mounts available too, which enable you to clamp the cameras to a variety of items.
There's a helmet pack available too. This allows you to fit the camera to a hard head protector, and suits those who throw themselves off skateboards, bikes and cliffs. If surfing is your game, there's a special mount for boards too. Don't be tempted to use the vehicle mount for water activities, it won't work and you may lose the camera.
HD Hero 2
The arrival of a new GoPro means that this model has had a price drop. As we write this, you can get the original Hero for a shade under £200.
The new model has a much improved megapixel count, up from 5 to 11. There is a 120fps shooting mode, for extreme slow-motion, at WVGA resolutions (848x480). The menu system and LCD info display are both overhauled too, which will come as a relief to those who have used the rather basic version on the HD Hero.
There are also more record lights - this is very handy, especially when the camera is mounted to something, and you want to be sure it's recording. And, there's a promised low-light improvement.
Perhaps most exciting though, is the new Wi-Fi remote and video streaming. Due to be launced in 2012, it will allow you to start the camera recording from afar - in fact, you can trigger up to 50 HD Hero2 cameras. You can also send video to your smartphone, and use it as a viewfinder. Or even stream video live online.
- Sky Q update discussed, VanMoof S3 e-bike, and the future of solar charging - Pocket-lint Podcast 61
We'll be reviewing the HD Hero 2 soon, but we still think the original HD Hero has a huge amount to offer, which is why we've given it such a stonking rating.
For less than £200 you can get an HD camcorder that produces vivid, high-quality, 1080p video.
The Hero isn't without some minor faults. The LCD info screen is a bit rubbish - the LCD back improves on it greatly, as well as making a good viewfinder - and the button pressing can be annoying if you're in a rush. The waterproof housing is also a little bit bothersome at times, and the clasp that locks it together is often a pain. The mounts too, can sometimes be a little bit less firm than we'd like, but using a screwdriver to fasten them can help with that.
In terms of flexibilty, the HD Hero is a piece of genius design. It's tiny enough to take all over the world, and cheap enough for you to be more bothered about losing the footage than the camera, if you drop it into the ocean.
You'll also be using a camera that's made TV productions change how they operate, and as such, it means anyone can be producing footage nearly good enough for broadcast TV.


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Tuesday, September 14, 2010
5 comments:
- FoolishCop said...
Love the picture, but how the heck did we both choose the same one?
On a post on my blog that I started drafting last night (and put up just a few minutes ago) I wanted to dramatize the potential weather the Farmer's Alamanc says we'll have this Halloween (okay, let's hope it's not as bad as this). This is the lead picture I chose in the post. Spooky.
Now if my corpses would only come out as similar to yours... ;>
- September 14, 2010 at 1:12 PM
- Rot said...
Dunno...that's crazy.
- September 14, 2010 at 1:19 PM
- Anonymous said...
I had this pic and a couple others like it on my blog awhile back, too. I am in awe of something as creepy and awesome as that.
- September 14, 2010 at 5:52 PM
- Anonymous said...
Does anyone else get a Ray Bradbury feeling from this pic? Eh, maybe it's just me....
- September 16, 2010 at 1:25 PM
- Rot said...
That's great actually.
I can totally see it.
Frost and Fire...or any of those planets of extremes in his writing.
Not really in this photo, but The Long Rain comes to mind...insofar as weather and Bradbury and inhuman conditions.
- September 16, 2010 at 2:26 PM


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Volunteers Step Up to Support January Tanzania Maasai Water & Sanitation Project
Projects Abroad is excited to begin work on a special Water & Sanitation project in Tanzania and has found the volunteers to do the work. Following the success of several Water & Sanitation Projects worldwide, Projects Abroad and partner BridgIT Water are returning to Tanzania in January 2013 to continue with their life changing work. The six volunteers needed to make the project a reality quickly came forward after the project was announced this fall.
The group will be working northwest of Arusha in a remote location in the heart of the Ngorongoro National Park. Endulen is a small village settlement which is made up of Maasai tribes. Having been forced to abandon their nomadic lifestyle this community has become a central hub. Endulen provides education in the local school for over 800 children and has a much needed hospital.
However with infrequent rainfall and an increase in waste water they are in desperate need of a reliable clean water supply. The main beneficiaries of the project would be the 800 pupils of Endulen School who are forced to go and collect water at the start of every school day in order to ensure that there is enough water for drinking, sanitation and food preparation. With 800 students this activity is extremely disruptive to the school day and can take anywhere between two and four hours.
Volunteers here will help to ensure that the local community and school are healthy and self-sufficient with regards to water by drilling a borehole and installing an elevated tank where water can be pumped and stored.
The assistance of the volunteers and specialized staff will help to make a tangible and long-lasting difference to the lives of those living in this remote Maasai community.
While registration is now closed for the Water & Sanitation project, volunteers can still get involved with development work in Tanzania on Projects Abroad's Building Project.


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Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine
Welcome to the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCSF, one of the largest and most comprehensive programs of its kind in the United States.
In some 125 labs, scientists are carrying out studies, in cell culture and animals, aimed at understanding and developing treatment strategies for such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, spinal cord injury and cancer.
While the scientific foundation for the field is still being laid, UCSF scientists are beginning to move their work toward human clinical trials. A team of pediatric specialists and neurosurgeons is carrying out the second brain stem cell clinical trial ever conducted in the United States, focusing on a rare disease, inherited in boys, known as Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease.
Others are working to develop strategies for treating diabetes, brain tumors, liver disease and epilepsy. The approach for treating epilepsy potentially also could be used to treat Parkinson's disease, as well as the pain and spasticity that follow brain and spinal cord injury.
The center is structured along seven research pipelines aimed at driving discoveries from the lab bench to the patient. Each pipeline focuses on a different organ system, including the blood, pancreas, liver, heart, reproductive organs, nervous system, musculoskeletal tissues and skin. And each of these pipelines is overseen by two leaders of international standing – one representing the basic sciences and one representing clinical research. This approach has proven successful in the private sector for driving the development of new therapies.
The center, like all of UCSF, fosters a highly collaborative culture, encouraging a cross-pollination of ideas among scientists of different disciplines and years of experience. Researchers studying pancreatic beta cells damaged in diabetes collaborate with those who study nervous system diseases because stem cells undergo similar molecular signaling on the way to becoming both cell types. The opportunity to work in this culture has drawn some of the country's premier young scientists to the center.
While the focus of the science is the future, UCSF's history in the field dates back to 1981, when Gail Martin, PhD, co-discovered embryonic stem cells in mice and coined the term "embryonic stem cell." Two decades later, UCSF's Roger Pedersen, PhD, developed two of the first human embryonic stem cell lines, following the groundbreaking discovery by University of Wisconsin's James Thomson, PhD, of a way to derive the cells.
Today, the University's faculty includes Shinya Yamanaka, MD, PhD, of the UCSF-affiliated J. David Gladstone Institutes and Kyoto University. His discovery in 2006 of a way to reprogram ordinary skin cells back to an embryonic-like state has given hope that someday these cells might be used in regenerative medicine.
Yamanaka's seminal finding highlights the unexpected and dramatic discoveries that can characterize scientific research. In labs throughout UCSF and beyond, the goal is to move such findings into patients.
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Listing Title: Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine


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Hetepu (Peace) Family.
I am writing this post because venerating the ancestors has become a very popular tradition lately and when I first started honoring my ancestors. Since, there was no one around to assist me I simply followed what everyone else did without having any understanding of the purpose. This is therefore, my understanding of the process based upon my experience.
For the record honoring one's ancestors is humanity's most ancient and oldest traditional practice. Humanity has been honoring their dead ever since the first man and woman wondered what happens after death. In fact, the caring for the dead is one of the significant factors that distinguish human being from animals. Although animals do grieve for their dead, animals lack the mental capabilities of caring for their dead as human beings do. This is why human beings are the only species on the planet that perform elaborate rituals wishing that their dead find peace in the hereafter.
It is for this reason every culture has some type of ritual practice in place assuring that their dead loved ones find peace in the hereafter because it is one of the features that makes us human. That being said, there is no right or wrong way to wish that your deceased loved ones rest in peace. This is the reason regardless of our culture and ethnicity, we all can identify with the various ways of honoring the dead rather it be a moment of silence, the setting a deceased body aflame, the setting a light out to sea, etc. Without even having a full understanding of another's cultural beliefs. The is due to the fact that the ritual transcends logical thinking because we all have one thing in common and that is that we will all eventually face Death.
So any sect that does not abhor or support this basic essential human practice is a cult that is not only created to control and dominate your thoughts in life (and in death), but is also trying to deny you of your humanity and ultimately your free will. Let me explain.
The most powerful organ human beings have is our mind, which consists of a superconscious, subconscious and conscious. Although, the mind is composed of these three parts, technically speaking there is only one mind, it just moves into these three states of awareness. For instance, right now you are consciously reading this post, while subconsciously your heart is pumping blood, which transfers oxygen and vital nutrients throughout your body; as ideas superconsciously pop into your awareness. Hence the human being is a kingdom within.
This is because your subconscious was created to help you to physically survive and it does this by governing all of your memories, which it plays back automatically or what we call a habit. This means that your heartbeat, the digestion of your food, breathing responses and everything that your body does automatically is technically a program or more like a computer program. Your conscious mind is the part of your being that makes decisions of what is passed or impressed upon your subconscious. In other words, your conscious mind also called the soul is what determines if you should read something or not based upon what you believe and think. The superconscious is responsible for taking what you believe and making it a reality.
So, when the first human beings died, their loved ones were at a loss because they had never encountered death. All they knew was that there was a great emptiness and sorrow that they felt. Every culture around the world experienced this same loss when they first encountered death and described pretty much in the same way, how they coped with this strong and painful emotional that they felt. Many cultures, including the Kamitic culture explain that the early human beings not understanding how to clearly express the sorrow they felt in death and the desire in their heart for their loved ones to be a part of them, resulted to cannibalism. Understand that ritual cannibalism was humanity's desire to express that one's deceased loved one was a part of them. It was an extension of the hunting ritual in which a hunter consumed the heart of an animal to absorb its' prowess and strength. This is the origin of the Eucharist or Holy Communion, which is the most important religious ritual practice in Christianity.
Other cultures resulted in taking body parts of their deceased loved ones, properly known as relics. To this day, there are a number of relics possessed by the Roman Catholic Church. Again, as bizarre and macabre as this may sound, the whole purpose of this ritual is to cope and subdue the overwhelming emotion of loss caused by death.
The reason these various rituals dealing with death came into existence in the first place is that our subconscious you will recall is the most logical part of our being and its purpose is to help us to physically survive based upon our beliefs. Since death is a natural phenomenon that we will all experience but there is no logical explanation as to why we die. Our subconscious, which processes everything that we experience like a logical computer, would have concluded that since there is no explanation as to why we die, there is no real explanation as to why we should live. Therefore, when early humans consumed part of the remains of their deceased loved ones or took a relic (body part of the dead), they in essence was trying to impress upon their subconscious a higher purpose of living rather it be to provide sustenance or to continue to provide life, to the community, as the meat of an animal did.
It is not officially known why ritual cannibalism fell out of practice. It is believed most likely that the tradition fell out of practice due to the rise of transmitted diseases (most likely through pests and rodents) and/or the lack of relics that could be shared by the living, which consequently resulted in mummification, burying and/or burning their dead. (It should be noted that the reason a few cultures continue to burn the body of the deceased is because they have not consciously evolved past the ancient global belief regarding the dead. Some more evolved cultures on the other hand reserved the burning of the deceased body to members of nobility in order to ensure that relics were not stolen from their enemies. The last thing one wanted in ancient times was to fight an opposing tribal clan who possessed the skull, right hand or femur bone of a beloved dead leader. The psychological impact of such occurrence would have been devastating).Whatever the case, a new way of wishing the dead peace was needed to relieve humanity of the horrendous emotion caused by death. Consequently, enters religious thought to address the haunting question what happens after death.
Since the Kamitic (Ancient Egyptians) were one of the first cultures to address this psychological problem and provided the foundation for Western religious belief, we will use them as a model to explain how humanity tackled this daunting issue.
It must be understood that prior to this moment, all of humanity cared for their dead the same way. All of humanity faced the same psychological issue with the rotting bodies and desire to rid themselves of the emotional pain due to death. So, in response, some wise Kamitic men and women conceptualized that there was a part of the human being that continued to live after death, which is the reason we all felt some sort of loss when our loved one died. This part that continued to live they conceptualized as being the soul, which was separate from the physical body, thus making the physical body a vehicle for the soul. This made it possible for the body of the deceased to be cared for and grieved but at the same time not consumed or kept as a relic because the soul of the deceased was the vital element and it continued to exist outside of the body. It was also due to this new global belief that it became possible for the living to wish their deceased loved ones peace by simply keeping an item that contains a fragment or piece of the soul, such as the last items used by the deceased or some image of the deceased such as a statuary or figurine. It was from this idea that ancestor veneration was born.
Some scholars I have noted will try to claim that Kamitic people worshipped death but, these are individuals with a limited understanding of the human psyche. The idea behind the conception of the soul meant that human beings no longer needed to consume the flesh or take a relic in order to relieve themselves of the emotional pain caused by death. All they needed to do was to physically acknowledge and respect death by providing a memorable burial either by burying and or mummifying their dead, which signified that their loved one was indeed physically dead. If they were still consumed by the heavy burden of grief, they could remember their deceased loved ones in thought. Technically speaking, because the dead do not have a physical body they cannot be hungry or thirsty since food and drink is meant to sustain the body that they no longer possess. The belief that one's ancestors are hungry and thirsty is simply an individual's way of coping with the death experience. The idea behind saying that one's ancestors are hungry and thirsty is to remind an individual of the reason why they should continue to live because of the sacrifices that other's made for their benefit.
So the main purpose of honoring one's ancestors is to remember the sacrifices that those who lived before you made. If you do not remember the sacrifices that were made, then you will live your life based upon the erroneous belief that you and you alone are responsible for your evolution and survival. Not only that, you are not reminded of the purpose of living or inspired to live for a higher purpose such as to improve the quality of life for your loved ones or humanity overall. It should now become clear why Osar (Asar, Ausar, Osiris in Greek) was considered the most important ancestor or Lord of the Dead in the Kamitic tradition, and why Jesus is considered the Lord of the Dead in Christianity. You will also find this same reference in other cultures such Buddha the Lord in Buddha, Yama in Asian mythologies and so on. By the way, this is the reason every culture has a day to honor the dead rather it be Memorial Day, Hungry Ghost Day, Day of the Dead, etc.
Now, some cultures like the Africans (and many of their descendants), many Asian and Latin Americans take the remembering of the dead a step further because they understand the psychology behind the practice. It is in their celebration of death, that you see from a reverse psychological perspective the beauty of life and vice versa.
They know that by honoring the dead on a monthly, weekly or even daily basis, one is able to inspire ethical and moral behavior among the populace.
This is because since we all will physically die one day, most of us do not fear death. We have been comforted by the belief that our soul will continue to exist after death, so we do not fear death. We do however fear how we will die. in other words, most people wonder if they will die peacefully in their sleep or painfully kicking and fighting as we are dragged off to the other side.
So, many Africans and Asians continued to explore upon the concept of death in an effort to relieve us of the burdensome question of how to secure a glorious afterlife. It was discovered for some that they need to honor their dead every day, while others only needed to honor their ancestors once a month or a year. In some cultures, honoring the ancestors was the responsibility of the head of the household usually the men (or the eldest son) since traditionally it was the men who maintained law and order. In other cultures, it was the responsibility of gifted men, gifted or barren women, who were viewed as shamans, because of their responsibility to guide the tribal community. All of which, later developed into a cultural practice. This is the reason there is no right or wrong way to honor one's ancestors and one does not need to belong to a particular religion to honor his or her ancestors. Honoring one's ancestors is a human spiritual tradition.
Now, the cultural practices that developed was to put one's mind at ease by ensuring that their ancestor was at peace. To keep the ancestor on good terms, it was important that the ancestor feel that they were not forgotten, remembered for his or her honorable deeds, and believed to continue to be a vital member of the community. Hence the rituals that developed from this understanding, was the offering food and drink to the ancestors, burning money for their ancestors so that they will enjoy their afterlife, and so on.
For the same reason, those who honor their ancestors, altars reflect what they believe the afterlife will be for their deceased loved ones and them in return. Many Asian ancestor altars like African and African descendant altars are usually either close to the floor or mid-ranged level, consisting of foods and other gifts that the dead will enjoy. My own altar is a reflection of my Kamitic and Kongo inspired beliefs, indicating that when I physically die my soul will return to the house or village where all my deceased loved ones dwell. I will be able to see my grandparents, great uncles and aunts whom I briefly met and knew in life.
As you can see, this is a non-Western cultural thought, which is not taught but developed as a result of honoring the dead. In addition to this, many believe that if the ancestors are well taken care of they will in return assist the living. This simply means that the ancestors will relieve them of the emotional pain – particularly fear – brought upon them by death. In other words, after honoring one's ancestors one should be happy or feel at peace, because in the process or remembering one's ancestors, they are being reminded that they are spiritual beings having a physical experience. And, in the end, because they honor the living memories of those who died before them, they will have a glorious afterlife as well. This is the reason most people who honor their ancestors do not fear death. Many will attest that they are more courageous because they feel that their ancestors protect and guide them from danger. The general belief or explanation is said to be that the ancestors continue to have an interest in the life of the living.
So, if you do not honor your ancestors or are simply honoring your ancestors out of tradition with no real explanation as to why you are engaged in the practice, you are not addressing the basic question regarding humanity, which is "What happens after death?" With no clear and practical explanation as to what happens after death, you will not have any purpose or reason to live. You will feel as if your purpose is to simply exist at the whims of the forces of nature or even God. With no purpose, you are not only, not fulfilling your destiny but on a course to eventually self-destruct because your subconscious mind, whose purpose is to physically survive. Will literally do whatever it can to stave off death, for example, the numerous unnatural practices behind cosmetic and plastic surgery. In traditional non-Western culture, we look forward to old age because it is a sign of peace, prosperity, and maturity.
Hope this helps.
Hetep (Peace)
For more see Honoring the Ancestors the Kemetic Shaman Way.


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A nearly $28 million project to rebuild Palo Alto's Mitchell Park Library and Community Center is finally nearing the finish line.
City officials say they expect the joint facility to open to the public in November, more than two years after its scheduled completion date.
The time frame is based on a new schedule by Big-D Pacific Builders, which took over construction of the project in March following the city's termination of Flintco Pacific Inc. for "poor performance."
"We finally have a clear path to finishing the largest capital project built in Palo Alto in decades," City Manager James Keene said in a news release. "While it has been a long and challenging process, the new Mitchell Park Library and Community Center will undoubtedly be a community jewel that will bring together multi-generations of Palo Altans for many years to come."
Big-D has hired five replacement subcontractors to complete work including plumbing and roofing, according to city officials.
In addition, the Salt Lake City-based company is working with city staff, project manager Turner Construction, and Flintco surety Fidelity & Deposit Co. of Maryland and Federal Insurance Co., to identify and address components of the project that need to be redone and fixed.
The surety is paying for all work needed to complete the project, according to city officials.
"We are encouraged by the amount of work Big-D has corrected already, and everybody is focused on completing the project with quality work and having it open to the public," said Assistant Public Works Director Brad Eggleston.
Big-D has a good track record in Palo Alto. It was the general contractor for the Art Center renovation project, which was finished on time and under budget, according to city officials.
Employees will likely begin moving into the Mitchell Park Library and Community Center in September.
The 56,000-square-foot Mitchell Park Library and Community Center will feature shelving for collection expansion as well as large flexible spaces, including rooms for children, computer training and reading. Ada's Café, a nonprofit organization that provides disabled adults with jobs and job training, will also operate a coffee shop at the facility.
The project, which was originally scheduled to open in summer 2012, is the centerpiece of Measure N, a $76 million bond measure passed in 2008 to overhaul the city's library system.
Email Jason Green at email@example.com; follow him at twitter.com/jgreendailynews.


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Honduras poses for a team photo prior to its September 6, 2013, World Cup qualifier at Mexico. (Photo: Mexsport)
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – With the fate of a berth at next year's World Cup finals in its own hands, Honduras has called in 25 players to prepare for the last two CONCACAF Hexagonal matchdays.
Head coach Luis Fernandez Suarez made the announcement on Sunday, knowing that a win and a draw will guarantee the Catrachos a trip to Brazil. They will host Costa Rica on October 11 in San Pedro Sula and then travel to Kingston for a meeting against Jamaice four days later.
Two key contributors with clubs in the United States highlight Suarez's roster.
New England Revolution forward Jerry Bengtson has a team-high eight goals in this qualifying cycle, including one in a 2-1 victory at Mexico on September 6.
Oscar Boniek Garcia is the only player to have appeared in each of Honduras' 14 qualifiers, scoring once. The midfielder has also seen action in two of the Houston Dynamo's three CONCACAF Champions League games this season.
Honduras currently occupies the third and final automatic qualifying place from CONCACAF with eleven points, three ahead of Panama and Mexico. The United States (16 points) and Costa Rica (15 points) have already secured qualification. A two-legged Intercontinental Playoff against New Zealand, the Oceania winner, awaits the fourth-place finisher.
(World Cup Qualifying – October 11, 2013, home v Costa Rica; October 15, 2013, away v Jamaica)
GOALKEEPERS: Donis Escober (Olimpia), Kevin Hernandez (Real España), Noel Valladares (Olimpia)
DEFENDERS: Brayan Beckeles (Olimpia), Victor Bernardez (San Jose Earthquakes/USA), Osman Chavez (Wisla Krakow/Poland), Maynor Figueroa (Hull City/England), Juan Carlos Garcia (Wigan/England), Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic/Scotland), Johnny Leveron (Vancouver Whitecaps/Canada), Juan Pablo Montes (Motagua), Arnold Peralta (Rangers/Scotland)
MIDFIELDERS: Edgar Alvarez (Platense), Marvin Chavez (San Jose Earthquakes/USA), Jorge Claros (Motagua), Roger Espinoza (Wigan/England), Oscar Boniek Garcia (Houston Dynamo/USA), Luis Garrido (Olimpia), Andy Najar (Anderlecht/Belgium), Wilson Palacios (Stoke City, England)
FORWARDS: Jerry Bengtson (New England Revolution/USA), Carlo Costly (Guizhou Zhicheng/China), Antony Lozano (Olimpia), Rony Martinez (Real Sociedad), Jerry Palacios (Alajuelense/Costa Rica)


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First District Congressman Rick Crawford makes no sense when he opposes expanded background checks for people who purchase firearms while at the same time contending that we should strengthen the ability to identify and keep guns out of the hands of people with mental illness.
You simply can't have one without the other.
Crawford was right last week when he told representatives of The Jonesboro Sun that "the real core problem" with the ever-lengthening list of U.S. mass murders is a mental health problem. Almost all the people who commit such crimes have a history of mental illness.
Heck, it doesn't take a psychiatrist to conclude that someone who opens fire on innocent people, especially kids, has a mental disease or defect. The problem is how to detect and treat that problem in advance, as well as to keep that person from gaining access to guns.
Crawford offers no help, instead parroting the line of the National Rifle Association, which now opposes expanding background checks for firearms purchasers. Previously, the NRA was for more thorough background checks, and it's a wonder that didn't happen since so many lawmakers clamber to please the gun lobby.
"I think we have sufficient legislation and regulations in place to address all those concerns," Crawford said in regard to background checks. "… What we need to do is be more diligent in enforcing those laws."
But we don't have an enforcement problem. We have a system for checking backgrounds that is incomplete and inefficient in gathering data because much of it depends on voluntary participation by the states. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, between 1998 and 2009, only .03 percent of the 95 million potential gun buyers whose records were scanned by the FBI were denied a gun because of mental illness. That's just 28,637 nationwide in 12 years.
Keep in mind that background checks are required only when a purchase is made from a licensed gun dealer. To regulate gun sales between individuals would be problematic, though we manage to keep up with vehicle sales.
The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (Brady Act) of 1993 created a national system for checking available records as a means of preventing the transfer of firearms to people disqualified from receiving those firearms. That can include people with felony convictions or who have been adjudicated as mentally ill. Called the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, the program is administered by a unit of the FBI. NICS can provide a computerized background check for a firearms dealer, sometimes in no more than 30 seconds.
Unfortunately, and sometimes tragically, the FBI database is far from complete, especially in regard to mental illness.
For one thing, all states aren't required to develop and maintain lists of people who are mentally ill by law. Oklahoma, Mississippi and Louisiana are among the 10 that don't.
Another seven states, including Arkansas, have mental illness databases but don't share them with the FBI. So the mentally ill people in one-third of all states won't turn up in the FBI checks. (The Arkansas database is available to the State Police in conducting state background checks.)
The FBI says that 13 states have become full participants in developing their own NICS programs, giving them full access to the FBI database and actively contributing to it. Those are called point-of-contact states.
Eight other states qualify as partial point-of-contact states because they can conduct background checks with some processing help from the FBI. That means gun dealers in the remaining states must make background checks through the FBI, even though its information is incomplete.
Virginia Tech shooter Seung-Hui Cho was, under federal law, prohibited from buying a firearm because he had been declared by a judge to be a danger to himself. But because Virginia didn't report mental health records to the FBI, he had no trouble buying guns and ammunition and proving himself quite dangerous to others as well.
Does that sound like we have sufficient legislation and regulations in place?
Remember, those mental illness databases include only people who have been found in a court of law to be mentally ill, and the definitions vary from state to state. Even so, that's a small percentage of all people who are mentally ill, most of whom are not violent.
Because of its stigma our society hides mental illness, and yet the National Alliance on Mental Illness says that half of all adults who have serious mental illness show some symptoms by the age of 14. We do a sorry job of diagnosing and treating mental illness, and the public institutions that do are typically poorly funded.
Granted, some of the shooters in mass killings of recent years, including those who opened fire at the Westside Middle School in 1998, showed no previous signs of mental illness. Further, they stole the guns they used so a background check wouldn't have prevented that tragedy in any case.
But we have the ability to stop some of these killings, and we don't need to ban assault weapons or even those high-capacity ammunition clips to do it. We just need to face reality and make the necessary changes to deal with the flash point — a gun in the hands of a mentally ill person.
Roy Ockert is editor emeritus of The Jonesboro Sun. He may be reached by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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CUPERTINO — Three fires on Thursday night damaged the stadium at Cupertino High School and a school building at a church across the street.
The fires, which also affected a nearby area close to Calabazas Creek, happened between 9 and 11 p.m., said Kami Tomberlain, principal of Cupertino High.
It was not clear who set the fires or why. But Tomberlain and Gabriele Schroeder, associate pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church, whose building was damaged in a fire that was apparently related to the one at the high school, said they believe that the fires were set intentionally. They said the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, which handles policing for Cupertino, arrested a man in connection with the fires on Friday.
"It's a shameful thing to have happen," Tomberlain said. "It's just awful."
Representatives of the sheriff's office and the Santa Clara County Fire Department, which provides fire protection in Cupertino, did not return calls or emails Saturday seeking information about the incidents.
The fire at Cupertino High caused from $4,000 to $5,000 worth of damage, Tomberlain said. Two trash cans, one located underneath the stands at the stadium and one located in the stands, were set ablaze, she said. The fire damaged some asphalt underneath the stadium, melted some plastic slats attached to a chain-link fence nearby and charred two steel posts connected to the stands, she said.
The charring on the posts appeared to be cosmetic, but the school is still assessing the damage, Tomberlain said. Regardless, the school expects to have the repairs completed within two weeks.
The church building suffered the most extensive damage from the three fires, Tomberlain said. The fire was concentrated in one building of the church's school, according to Schroeder.
Bethel Lutheran Church is still trying to evaluate damage it suffered, but the fire left one room in the building completely unusable, Schroeder said. It also damaged the building's gas lines and electrical systems.
The building houses the school's kitchen and a large social hall, both of which were rendered inaccessible because of the fire, Schroeder said.
Because of the damage, the church closed its preschool on Friday, she said. It plans to reopen the school on Monday. But because the burned building is expected to remain closed, it will have to rearrange and combine classes for its 45 preschool and 85 elementary school students, she said.
The staff and students were stunned and upset by the incident, Schroeder said.
"They just couldn't believe how somebody could do that to their school," she said.
But the staff helped to calm the students and led them in prayer that afternoon, Schroeder said.
"They were grateful of all the blessings they have in life," she said.
Contact Troy Wolverton at 408-840-4285 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him at www.mercurynews.com/troy-wolverton or Twitter.com/troywolv.


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I ran across a portrait of myself recently, taken in my mid-twenties as I graduated from university.
Like most proud grads, I am perched stiffly in a studio of some sort. Behind me in the photograph is a fake bookcase studded with leathery texts, and I am wearing the classic academic attire, a dark blue robe trimmed in red.
Oddly discordant, however, is the blouse I chose to wear for this occasion. It pops from the neck of the robe, like daisies in spring, a high, ruffle-necked affair with pearly buttons. Extending from the sober sleeves of the gown is more frippery — frilly white cuffs. I looked at the picture quizzically for a moment and pondered. What was I thinking, wearing such a getup for my graduation photo?
Then I remembered. The blouse was fashionable at the time, inspired as it was by the wardrobe of Diana, the Princess of Wales. My idol.
Generally, I keep my fondness for the monarchy to myself, in case some history buff feels he's found a kindred spirit and tries to engage me in a conversation about the English Reformation. I have little interest in actual British history. I just liked the princess. Despite the fact that she was the daughter of a Viscount and went to finishing school in Switzerland, and I was the daughter of a salesman and went to Jasper Place high, I thought we had quite a bit in common.
We were both born in July and married young (me in 1980, she in 1981) to men that were older than our tender selves. We both had sons born 27 months apart, in the months of June and September respectively. And we both ... well, actually, that's about it. I wouldn't even have liked frilly blouses if not for Diana, though would happily have worn a table runner and matching napkins if she had done it first.
There was something about her kind and open nature and shy smile that let people inside. She pushed the boundaries on the traditional role of the monarchy, seemingly extending her soft heart far and wide. She shook hands with AIDS sufferers as others feared contamination, she always had a hug for a child, and her causes — such as the anti-landmine campaign — felt like a sincere reflection of her values.
I am aware that some of these were carefully staged events. But Diana was different than the other Royals. She didn't want her children to be raised by nannies; she ran races with the other mothers at sports days at her sons' school. These simple acts made people like me think that they knew her, and understood her triumphs, her humiliations. Diana appeared to be like us, but better, and of course, more beautiful. I remain transfixed by pictures of the princess, the blue eyes and thick dark lashes, the casually stylish mop of blond hair, the winning smile.
I know she was a silly girl in some ways, who manipulated the media to take her side when her marriage broke up, and that her children have had to endure her embarrassing disclosures, and always will. But I forgave her all that. She was human, she suffered the same disappointments that afflict lesser beings, and if she could weather a divorce and live to love again, so could we.
I remember the night I heard Diana was dead. It was about 9:30 in the evening, and I was ironing in the laundry room in the basement. My eldest son, the Prince William in my household, was 11 at the time. He was tucked into bed in the next room, listening to the radio in the dark before he went to sleep.
"Mom," he cried out. "The Princess of Wales has been killed in a car accident."
My heart stopped.
"Dylan," I said. "If that's a joke, it's not funny.
No, he said. Come and listen.
I sat on his bed and we tuned into the news report, and then followed the sad story on television for days, that endless loop of footage of the car being towed from the tunnel in Paris. I wept watching her little boys walk behind the funeral procession, even harder when I saw the card that read "Mummy" that 12-year-old Prince Harry had placed atop her flower-laden coffin. How sad I was for them, and for her.
As the years have passed, I have thought of Diana often. Just last night, I watched a program on PBS featuring her wedding to Prince Charles more than 30 years ago, and I felt again the pangs of my girl crush. I thought of her sons and mine as I watched, and was grateful that the opportunity to enjoy life together, to experience future weddings, Christmases, babies, is still there for me and my boys. They are life's simple riches, the things that matter whether you are a princess or a reporter. I think Diana would be happy about that, too.
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The first thing to learn about history is that no one learns from history. In 1989, the economy was booming, but then in 1990, it went bust. Banks had made many bad loans, and their reaction was simple: The best way to stop bad loans was to stop loaning altogether. The club industry took a hit in that few expansions or renovations took place. Afterwards, the economy prospered, and conditions became better than ever for the industry.
That is, until late 2008 through last year when the economy dropped off a cliff again. Does that mean that the club industry will become better than ever once again? Pundits say no because the economy has taken too big of a hit for too long. Yet, they are not learning from history. Conditions always improve—and become better than before.
But even now as the economy remains stagnant, your business can't afford to stay still. More than ever, your club has to provide a positive environment and experience to compete. This can be achieved by applying some of the lessons we've all learned in the last few years to updating the look and feel of your facility.
Reassess your priorities. In this economy, even those club owners who can afford to reinvest in their clubs need to be more creative and disciplined in spending those funds. Owners will have to justify every dollar's ability to help get new members and retain existing ones. Operators will have to make better decisions and prioritize expenditures.
It's time to step back and take stock of what's important—the renovations planned before the recession may not make sense today. For example, on a recent project in New York City, the owners had previously identified their top priority as converting a space into a group cycling room, but after talking to experts and researching how many members would actually use the group cycle room (about 3 percent) they decided their money was better spent creating an awe-inspiring entrance and lobby that everyone—from current members to potential new members—would see.
Make your money work harder. One thing we've all had to learn during the recession was how to make a little go a long way. In terms of design, the most cost-effective way to achieve significant impact is through creative use of color. The largest statement of color in any facility can be made with paint—it's an inexpensive and quick décor expression. Keeping up with the latest color trends will create an environment that is well received by the broadest market segment, and it will make your club seem immediately more up to date. The trend during the last few years (and probably for a number of years to come) has been earth tones—tans, rust, gold, browns and greens, perhaps because the concept of "going green" has gained in popularity.
Look on the bright side. While the economy is putting such a damper on so many aspects of our lives, the last thing your members need is to be confronted with a gloomy environment when they go to work out. In a time when people are cutting back on luxuries, offering a space that makes your members feel comfortable and good about themselves will help them justify the financial expense of belonging to your club.
One of the easiest ways to boost your members' moods is through interior lighting. The psychological effect of lighting is one that the retail and restaurant industries have used to their advantage for years. Softer lighting conveys a feeling of warmth and can provide an environment in which your members look and feel their best when entering your club, while working out or when they are in the vanity areas. Consider installing dimmer switches in group exercise areas to give different atmospheres for each class, from soft and soothing for mind-body classes to bright and energizing for step classes.
Roll with the punches. The economy has been down for longer than most people have ever experienced, but I believe another golden age of the fitness industry is still to come. The American public's need for our clubs is greater than ever and will only grow. What will make your club irresistible to those who need it? Your ability to change with the times will be crucial to your ability to survive and thrive.
Bruce Carter is the president of Optimal Fitness Design Systems International, a club design firm that has created about $650 million worth of clubs in 45 states and 26 countries.


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Today, after receiving many more hits, I decided to share what I have on the Dracut, Massachusetts farm. Although, I don't have a lot of information, I was there this past Sunday, two weeks after the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and spoke both with John's sister and his brother. I bought two of the most beautiful mums from James and his sister gave me a postcard, of which I scanned below. In addition, I took the photo.
If you live in the area, I highly recommend you stop by for pumpkins and mums. I will be going back to take photos of John's memorial stone, now surrounded by many mums from people who leave them at this site.
11/12/2013: New videos have been added to this site. Three about the farm, and one, an interview with James Ogonowski and John's widow, Peg.
The farm:
Jim Ogonowski and Peg Ogonowski: A Touching 9/11 Story About Life Insurancehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=BBq8yLNJ-gE&NR=1 (nice video)
|John's brother, Jim and sister in this photo.
Postcard, front and back.


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Women at Woodlawn Chapel value opportunities for spiritual growth through focused mission and caring fellowship. They gather on Thursdays to study and share prayer, forming bonds of friendship and support.
Women's Bible Study meets at the church Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11 a.m. New members are always welcome. The group has studied popular works by contemporary Christian authors, traditional Bible studies, devotional studies and other types of materials.
Date(s) - Apr 26, 2018
Woodlawn Chapel


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This was published 15 years ago
Samsung develops '3D' mobile display
South Korea's Samsung SDI Co., the world's leading display maker, says it has developed the first all-angle three-dimensional (3D) display panels for mobile phones.
The company said that unlike current displays, the new panel maintains the image when viewed from any angle.
"With this invention, we have got a heardstart over our competitors in securing the potentially lucrative 3D image display market," said Yoon Seok-Ryul, a vice president of Samsung SDI.
He said within the next 10 years, such technology would be used for most of flat-panel displays.
The '3D' display market is expected to grow from $US300 million in 2007 to more than $US2 billion by 2010, according to Samsung SDI.
The company plans to start supplying the new 3D displays for mobile phone makers in the the first half of next year.


text: Day Two from the SIA Trade Show in downtown Denver lived up to its billing. OnTheSnow moved from brand to brand, softgoods to ski companies, non-profits to snowboard companies. Every booth we visited had some exciting new announcement moving into the 2013/2014 season. Check out the recap from Day Two at SIA.


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And the winner is..... BoDaisy! Bodaisy, email me at christie (at) christie-craig.com
It's Sunday and I sit here at my desk trying to decide how to approach this very real, personal-experience blog. This one is a little more difficult than most. Don't worry, it's not overly sad, so you won't need a box of tissues. Although, I'm sure my son would love to know that you shed a tear for all his pain and suffering. And yes, there was a lot of that. Unfortunately, the chances are, any tears you may experience will be tears of mirth.
So what's so difficult about writing this blog? Well, the first thing I always do when approaching a blog is to figure out the underlined message, the theme, or as my old sixth-grade English teacher would call it, the premise. And that's a problem, because in my opinion this blog has four morals/messages/themes. And I'm not sure which one really is the main topic. So I'm going to ask for your help. After reading the post, tell me which one of the below themes best describe this story. Or even better, if you have a different one, let me know.
1. Warning: Never try this at home
2. Mama always knows best—when will they ever learn?
3. If you can laugh at it, you can live with it—or at least you can when the skin grows back.
4. Why the expression "Chapped Ass" has a whole new meaning now.
Now, before I really start the blog, I feel I should tell you that I only write this with my son's permission. There just isn't much he won't tell you. And his sense of humor is no doubt in optimum working order. You've heard the acronym TMI, right? Well to my son (I'll admit it, he may have inherited this trait—from his father, of course) he thinks it stands for: Tell Me Instantly.
Okay, now that I've built up your curiosity, let me explain. The story begins several months ago. My son had been experiencing some back pain. He found that heat helped soothe his sore muscles. One morning, I'm sipping my hot coffee, he walked into my office shirtless and wearing PJ bottoms. Now when I'm writing, it takes a good opening line to get my attention out of a story. And he had a pretty good one, "Mom, does this look bad?"
He turned around and I immediately saw a blister the size of a nickel on his back.
"What happened?"
"Heating pad," he told me. "I fell asleep on it." (Here is premise number one: Warning: Never try this at home.)
My mouth dropped open. "Good Lord, son. It has to be broken to get that hot. Throw it away!" (Premise number two: Mama knows best—will they ever learn?)
But did he listen to mom's advice? Hell no. In his defense, it's not all his fault. He was born with two serious ailments that led to this situation.
A: he's a man. (This ailment is never going to change.)
B: he's not quite out of the stage where he thinks everything his mom tells him is stupid, and some day mom will be forced to see this. (This ailment may change, but considering even this experience hasn't made a load of difference, I'm not holding my breath.)
Anyway, back to the story. Let's fast forward a week. I'm at my computer sipping my hot coffee and in walked my son, again shirtless and wearing PJ bottoms.
"Mom," he said, "I hate to say it, but you might have been right." Now this was an excellent opening line and I immediately gave him my full attention.
"About what?"
"The heating pad," he said and frowned in what appeared to be pain.
I frowned back at him. "Turn around."
He did and I didn't see any nickel-sized blisters.
"I think you're okay."
He looked back at me over his shoulder. "I don't think so. It's not my back." He reached his hand back and pointed downward.
Of course, I did what every loving, concerned parent would do. I started laughing. "You burnt your a$$?"
He nodded and smiled somewhat sheepishly. You gotta love that kid's ability to smile in the face of pain.
Normally, I don't ask to be mooned, but as I said, I'm a concerned parent. "Drop your drawers, buddy."
Much to his credit, he flinched. "Do I have to?"
I give him the maternal stink eye.
"I've seen it before."
He shot me the moms-are-idiots look and said, "You haven't seen it in years. It might have changed. Gotten a lot prettier, of course."
I rolled my eyes. "Just do it."
He did it. Down came the PJ bottoms and I gave him my honest assessment and opinion, which was: "Holy Shit!" We're not talking nickels anymore, people; we're talking baseballs and both cheeks.
Now, for the sake of keeping this story from turning into a novel, let's just jump forward to the emergency room.
"What's the reason for your visit?" the attendant asked.
Hubby answered, "I've always said he was a pain the a$$, now he knows I'm right." Yeah, hubby has a bit of a sense o f humor, too.
Now while there were some funny comments made about my son being unable to sit in the sitting room, let's fast forward to when we actually see the good doctor whom I sure wished he'd called in sick that day.
Doctor said, "Pull your pants down."
Son said, "Can I just open my mouth and say 'Ahh?'"
Doctor said, "I have other patients."
Son said, "Not like me you don't. This one is going to be memorable—a highlight of your career. And by the way, it's okay to laugh. My mom did." He pulled down his pants, without succumbing to tears, which was amazing.
Doctor, a true professional, gave us a very intelligent assessment of the situation: "Holy shit!" (See, it wasn't just me.)
Hubby said, "He's a butt model, Doc. Please tell us his career isn't over." (Premise number 3: if you can laugh at it, you can live with it?)
The doc, obviously not a fan of the motto, said, "This is serious. Do you know what third degree burns mean?"
Son, who seldom does serious even when in extreme pain, and especially when he's exposing his buttocks, said, "It means my mooning days are over 'cause if I'm ever in lineup, they'll know it was me." That actually got a chuckle out of the doctor.
It also meant six weeks of wound therapy, and my son dropping his drawers to more women that he'd ever fantasized about.
It also meant my changing butt bandages for six weeks while desperately working on a deadline. So if my next book has a lot of a strange humor in it, you'll know why.
And that concludes my story with the last underlined theme of: Why the expression "Chapped Ass" has a whole new meaning now.
So, what has been going on in your household? Anything exciting to share?
And today I have a very special contest. I'm giving away an ARC of Don't Mess With Texas. That's right, tell me which of the morals/messages/themes you feel better suited this story, or come up with a new one and one commenter will win an ARC of the first book in my Hotter in Texas series.


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Icon Motorcycle Hats
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Icon is a brand that lives the lifestyle it promotes. Passionate participants in the performance riding scene, Icon creates fashionable gear to protect riders from the most intense falls. Icon riding gear includes styles for men and women who live for the thrill of the street. Available items include helmets, jackets, gloves, pants and footwear, as well as accessories and replacement parts. Clothing is both durable and flexible, allowing for freedom of movement without sacrificing protection. The designs are thoughtful and innovative, creating a stunning effect that isn't undermined by a garment's functionality. Embrace your inner street rider with Icon's peerless gear and let your fellow cyclists know you're not afraid to take a tumble. Shop the entire Icon collection at ChapMoto.com


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You're never too old to celebrate Halloween.
Over the past few weeks we gave you some tips on how to be your favorite musicians for Halloween. It turns out some musicians decided to be each other this year. Here's a rundown of some of the best costumes. Who pulled it off best?
Miley Cyrus as Nicki Minaj
It's a look you never thought you'd see but Miley pulls it off well. We wonder how Nicki reacted when she heard the news.
@nickiminaj you a stupppppiddddd hoe #stupittttstupitttt twitter.com/MileyCyrus/sta…
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) October 31, 2012
#BEEZ twitter.com/MileyCyrus/sta…
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) October 31, 2012
Meanwhile, the Maroon 5 guys got all dressed up for the occasion. Can you guess which member was Skrillex?
Repost: Maroon 5 Halloween.. instagr.am/p/Rf7F3Wsx5W/
— PJ MORTON (@PJMORTON) November 1, 2012
Our other favorite judge on The Voice, Blake Shelton, dressed up as a female musician. We bet his wife had something to say about that!
"@bser_ranfan: So we know @miranda_lambert is Honey Boo Boo, blakeshelton what are u being for Halloween?!"Miranda.. twitter.com/blakeshelton/s…
— Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) November 1, 2012
Katy Perry took part in the fun and portrayed Jane from Daria.
. @shannonwoodward You're like my… best friend. twitpic.com/b99r5u
— Katy Perry (@katyperry) November 1, 2012
And although Lady Gaga seems to dress up every day of the year, she makes no exception for Halloween.
So i was weed for halloween. BEST COSTUME EVER ITS SO FUN. Princess High the Cannabis Queen. Photos of party on littlemonsters.com shortly
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) November 1, 2012
Here's our photos!!!!!HAPPY HALLOWEEN #littlemonsters littlemonsters.com/post/5092b1092…
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) November 1, 2012
Rita Ora had some fun while she was stuck in New York. And we must say, she makes a scary Jason.
Happy Halloween…. Jason loves youuuuu. #whiteangelgonewrong twitter.com/RitaOra/status…
— Rita Ora (@RitaOra) November 1, 2012
-Annie Reuter, CBS Local
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The brand new Smurfs trailer is horrifying as hell. See what the cartoon cat Azrael will look like in real life. Or sneak a look at a Smurfette upskirt! It's all pretty horrific, so enjoy!
Here's a little screengrab I snapped of Gargamel's sidekick. Watching a cat laugh may be the most unpleasant thing I've ever seen come out of a kids' movie.
When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they tumble from their magical world and into ours — in fact, smack dab in the middle of Central Park. Just three apples high and stuck in the Big Apple, the Smurfs must find a way to get back to their village before Gargamel tracks them down.
The Smurfs hit theaters August 1st, 2011.
G/O Media may get a commission


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Little could entice copper mining heiress Huguette Clark out of her solitary life in a vast Fifth Avenue apartment, except her love of dolls.
The recluse, who died childless at the age of 104, had a collection of china dolls, and perfectly scaled houses and accessories for them, believed to be worth more than $2 million.
And, although she was seldom seen in public, Ms Clark would come out of her lavish apartment if it meant adding to the collection.
In their book, Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune, Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr. reveal how the heiress attended a Christian Dior fashion show - to search for doll's clothes.


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Suppose that $x \in \mathbb{R}^{n}$ is a vector of small positive fractions, i.e. $x_{i} \approx \frac{1}{n}$. The exact values are unknown. I form the matrix $M=diag(x)-\frac{xx^{T}}{2}$ which is a Stieltjes matrix and is diagonally dominant (at least in the cases of interest).
Now what I am interested in are the sums of the entries of small rectangular submatrices of $M$. These sums turn out to be very small in absolute value in practice, however my efforts to estimate them yield bounds that are too crude. This makes me suspect that some phenomenon is at work under the hood, about which I do not know, and I am hoping that somebody can point out a direction in which to look. (Does this situation/property has a name?)
More formally, take a set of $d$ rows and $d$ columns and look at the $d \times d$ submatrix of $M$ that they induce. Call this submatrix $M_{0}$. My reasoning goes like this: at the worst case, each row of $M_{0}$ contains at most one diagonal entry of $M$. The rest of the entries in the row push it down but we do not know by how much exactly. Rows of $M_{0}$ that do not contain a diagonal entry of $M$ sum to at most the value of the diagonal entry. Therefore the best bound I come up with is $dC$, where $C=max_{1 \leq i \leq n}\{x_{i}\}$.
As I said, in practice this bound is off by an order of magnitude and I would very much like to improve it. But how?
Does this sound like a problem of extremal combinatorics type perhaps? Any other places to look for apppropriate tools?


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>A history of claustrophobia (fear of confined places), agoraphobia (fear of public places), acrophobia (fear of heights), fear of new situations or fear of water may indicate unacceptable risk for the individual and companions. A panic-stricken diver underwater is hazardous to others and quite likely to drown. Instructors should be alert for the candidate who has been coerced into diving by a spouse, parent or friend and has little interest in diving. The individual may even repress his own feelings in order to please someone else. This person may be looking for a graceful way out.
>The role of medication in diving is secondary to the reason for the use of the medication. A medication capable of altering a person's mood is clearly potent and must be used with caution in diving. Nearly all such products carry warnings about use in hazardous situations: driving, operating equipment and so forth. The interaction between the physiological effects of diving and the pharmacological effects of medications are rarely known. On the other hand, it is not wise to stop a needed medication in order to go diving. Each situation will have to be carefully evaluated, and there is no general rule which applies to all.