text:
The future of CNN, never exactly bright the last couple of years, suddenly looked dire this week when new ratings came out showing a 40 percent decline in prime-time viewers since 2009.
Jon Klein, the network president, has consistently defended the network's down-the-middle news strategy despite the increasingly large ratings leads opened up by MSNBC and particularly Fox, with their ideological slants and big personalities.
So is it time for a radical re-thinking of "the most trusted name in news," the network of Larry King, Anderson Cooper, Campbell Brown and Wolf Blitzer? We asked a dozen or so prominent media watchers, former industry executives and CNN personalities for their recommendations.
Their near-consensus: It has to change, get more personality, no longer be – as one media critic called it – "the view from nowhere." Exactly how to do that was not so easy to agree on – and one person we asked, Phil Donahue, doesn't think it needs to change at all. But the responses from everyone else broke down into five different approaches.
Bring back "Crossfire"
Ask a couple former "Crossfire" hosts for a solution to CNN's ratings troubles, and maybe it's not a surprise what their answer is: Resurrect their old show.
Both Michael Kinsley and Bill Press—each who had stints taking the liberal side of the right vs. left political slugfest—think it's worth a shot.
By bringing back "Crossfire," they argue, CNN could continue with its strategy of not falling squarely on the left or the right in prime-time, but still offer lively opinion on both sides—something it appears that viewers want.
Five years ago, one of Klein's first orders of business after becoming network president was killing off the long-running show, a pioneer in high-decibel political debate which had been the recipient of harsh on-air criticism from Daily Show host Jon Stewart just a few months before.
"When he unceremoniously dumped it, Jon Klein said he wanted straight news and not commentary or opinion," Kinsley told POLITICO. "And now he's got everyone expressing opinions left and right—because that's what people like.'
"'Crossfire' used to vie with Larry King as the network's number-one show—and we beat him on many nights, even though he had us as a lead in and we had Lou Dobbs," Kinsley said, adding that he means "the early Lou Dobbs, the boring corporate suck-up, not the new exciting xenophobic Lou Dobbs of legend."
"We were number one," said Press, a top liberal radio host who was on "Crossfire" from 1996 to 2003. He described Klein's pulling the plug on "Crossfire" as "one of the biggest mistakes in the history of modern television journalism."
Forget neutral – create a new identity
Davidson Goldin, the former editorial director of MSNBC, who now runs a communications business in New York, worked at CNN's cable news competitor as it morphed into a liberal alternative to Fox in the evenings. From that experience, he thinks that "CNN needs to find an identity and own that identity."
"A news channel trying to build a brand by saying they cover news is like a restaurant trying to become popular by saying it cooks food," he said.
"What we understood from the get-go was that by focusing on opinion, analysis and using topic-area expertise to draw conclusions, we could easily differentiate ourselves from CNN, that was so wedded to just regurgitating the facts," Goldin said.
New York University journalism professor Jay Rosen, author of the "PressThink" blog, said the choice doesn't have to be between "the view from nowhere"—what reporters might call "straight down the middle" journalism"—or the Fox News/ MSNBC model.
"Maybe the view from nowhere has failed, not because audiences want opinion rather than hard news but because the Voice of God isn't as convincing as it once was," Rosen said. "Nothing will improve at CNN until the people running the news report consider that viewless-ness may not be an advantage, but ideology is not the only alternative."
Press added that he thinks CNN "is going to have to bite the bullet and do some advocacy programming," because in his opinion, "there ain't no room in the middle."
Viewers, he continued, get their straight news elsewhere and are "looking for opinion in prime-time… anchors with an edge."
Bring in big personalities
Adding more "edge" in prime-time doesn't necessarily mean rushing out to hire a fire-breathing host on the left of right. Personalities larger than life, or so normal they stand out, would do the trick.
Michael Wolff, founder of Newser.com and a Vanity Fair contributing editor, pointed out that "the viewing audience is just less and less interested in traditional television civic-minded news delivered by what are, in effect, news readers."
"CNN has to figure out how to make the news either more efficient or more entertaining," Wolff continued. "These are the two keystones of modern news, and the network is deficient on both counts. I suppose I would try formats that gave you what you need to know in minutes instead of blocks, and personalities that had stronger voices—not necessarily ideological voices, but more unique and identifiable ones."
As for who could fill that role, Wolff said it could be "anybody who doesn't wreak of conventional television."
Wolff noted one of the secrets of Fox News chief executive Roger Ailes'' success: "Find people who don't look or sound like what you think television people should look and sound like."
Aaron Brown, who was replaced in 2005 by Cooper at 10 p.m., said that CNN doesn't have the "big, broad personalities" that seem to excel these days in the evenings on cable news. Brown included himself in that group, along with Campbell Brown, John King, and Cooper.
"If I were at CNN, the thing that would scare me is not that we're losing, but that it's that re-runs are beating us," Brown said. "At 10 p.m., a two-hour-old "Countdown" is beating my guy, the guy I have invested millions in promotional dollars."
Jazz up the broadcast
Atlantic contributing editor Michael Hirschorn, a former top executive at VH1 who founded production company Ish Entertainment, said CNN should step away from "headline-type news", which has become " increasingly easy to access, and, therefore, commodified."
"What's working right now is news packaged as entertainment," Hirschorn continued, "which is a tempting route for them to go down, and which they've gone down in a toe-in-the-water kind of way." He pointed out the short-lived comedy news show hosted by D.L. Hughley as an example).
However, Hirschorn said that "it's a gamble they can only take once in earnest."
"What might yield more rewards is doing a full overhaul of their news operations," he continued. "Update the look, the language, the production style. If you look at some of the stuff the BBC is doing, it's a lot more nimble, raw, real, less larded with the kind of newsy bushwa Jon Stewart makes fun of. But that would involve firing a lot of producers and on-air personalities and that's always hard to do."
Hirschorn believes CNN could find success by focusing more on specific audiences, "focused shows that serve specific audiences. "'Morning Joe' may have a small audience but the people who love it love it," he said. (While still behind Fox & Friends, the MSNBC morning show topped CNN, CNBC and HLN in viewers this past month).
Mix it up….
Others suggested everything from tweaking the current line-up—perhaps with a new personality or two—to scrapping it in exchange for something completely different.
If Northeastern journalism professor Dan Kennedy had his way, the network would bring back Aaron Brown at 10 p.m. and move Cooper to 9 p.m.
Kennedy, who also writes the "Media Nation" blog, said that he likes "the idea of leaving CNN as the sole cable net doing news during prime-time," and enjoyed it when Brown squared off against Brian Williams's old 10 p.m. newscast on MSNBC. "They were both terrific, and you could just pick whichever one seemed most interesting on a given night," he said.
"The 8 o'clock hour is probably going to be a loser no matter what you do, because CNN is up against the heavyweight bout between Bill O'Reilly and Keith Olbermann," Kennedy said. "Yet it's important to get things off to a good start, since you need a decent lead-in for 9 p.m."
"Wouldn't it have been great to have a newscast focusing on international news anchored by Christiane Amanpour?" he asked, referring to ABC News' latest acquisition. "Too late for that."
Rosen has his own ideas for a 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. line-up.
At 7 p.m., he would rename John King's show "Politics is Broken," and focus on "bringing outsiders to Beltway culture and Big Media into the conversation dominated by.... Beltway culture and Big Media."
Rosen would program "Thunder on the Right" at 8 p.m., a show where a well-informed liberal "mostly covers the conservative movement and Republican coalition and where the majority of the guests (but not all) are right leaning."
The following hour would be "Left Brained," a show offering the opposite mix of hosts and guests. And at 10 p.m. would be "Fact Check," an accountability show with major crowdsourcing elements" that would cut through "the week's most outrageous lies, gimme-a-break distortions and significant misstatements with no requirement whatsoever to make it come out equal between the two parties on any given day, week, month or season."
Rachel Sklar, editor-at-large of Mediaite, a media industry site, didn't call for a return of "Crossfire," but does think one of its last hosts on the right should make a comeback on CNN. Her idea of a good pair: Tucker Carlson and Ana Marie Cox.
Both Carlson, who this year co-founded The Daily Caller, and Cox, currently the Washington correspondent for GQ, have had lively debates on the Washington Post's website. Sklar described Carlson as "authentic and engaging on-air," while noting that Cox has "a built-in audience thanks to Twitter and [filling in for MSNBC host Rachel] Maddow, and the cool-kid cred that CNN seems to crave."
"They had a good thing going in their WaPo chats, and I bet that would play well on screen—they're smart and watchable and neither of them are particularly afraid to piss anyone off," she continued. "And while they take the news seriously, they don't take the players—or themselves!—seriously. As a general rule, maybe that's the way to go."
But don't screw it up.
"If they 'fix' CNN to be like Fox and MSNBC, then who will we turn to when we want that breaking news coverage?" Sklar asked. "The breaking news coverage without an agenda?"
Prime-time, she noted, is only a "piece of the puzzle" with the demo—the prized age 25-54 demographic—even smaller.
"Stop for a moment and think about what CNN stands for. It feels pretty important right now," Sklar said. "So, yes, tinker with the execution, by all means—that's clearly broken, and there are ways to fix it. But the central mission matters, and I still truly believe there's a market for it."
Aaron Brown, now the Walter Cronkite professor of journalism Arizona State University, makes the point that while CNN is taking heat for its prime-time ratings, the network is still a "highly profitable business" overall.
"What they do have to do is endure the fact that each month or week or year, there are going to be stories about how they get their asses kicked," Brown said. "But as a business, they are doing just fine."
Indeed, while any network would want to turn a profit and take home bragging rights in the ratings, Brown pointed out that the former is still the primary goal for executives.
"If I had to choose and I'm [CNN Worldwide president] Jim Walton or the Time Warner guys, I'd choose to make a fortune," Brown said. "If I'm anchoring the show, I'd want to win, or I wouldn't want to lose to a re-run."
And then there is Donahue, the daytime talk-show pioneer who hosted an MSNBC prime-time show from 2002-2003. He said he hopes CNN will weather the current trend in cable news.
"At this moment, their competition is more entertaining than they are," Donahue said. "And I admire them for holding on and not being seduced by that kind of arm-waving."
But at this point, for CNN, holding on may not be enough.


text:
Arson, murder suspect arrested after month-long manhunt
Harry Carl Mapps, 59, is accused of killing three people in Colorado and then setting a house on fire to cover it up
By Dan Elliott
The Associated Press
DENVER — A monthlong hunt for a man accused of killing three people in Colorado and then setting a house on fire to cover it up has ended with his capture in Oklahoma.
Harry Carl Mapps, 59, was arrested at a motel in Roland, Okla., on Saturday night, authorities said Sunday.
Mapps faces charges of first-degree murder and arson in the shooting deaths of Kim and Reggie Tuttle and their adult daughter, Dawn Roderick. Their bodies were found in the Tuttles' home in the southern Colorado town of Rye after it was damaged by fire on Nov. 27.
A booking photo showed Mapps with a swollen lip and large red patch on his right cheek, but authorities said there had been no struggle during his capture. No other details of his arrest were released.
Pueblo County, Colo., Sheriff Kirk Taylor said Mapps was found using information developed by the U.S. Marshals Service in Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas. Mapps had lived in Texas.
The Marshals Service had issued a fugitive warrant for Mapps and said authorities were searching for him nationwide.
It wasn't immediately clear if Mapps had an attorney, and authorities did not yet know if he would fight extradition to Colorado.
The fire at the Tuttles' house was ruled arson, and Taylor said it was meant to cover up the shootings.
Three days after the fire, deputies said Mapps was their primary suspect. Authorities said he had been living with the Tuttles and was working for a trucking company owned by Reggie Tuttle, 51.
Taylor said money appeared to be the motive for the shootings. Authorities claimed Mapps stole checks made out to one of the victims and cashed them on the day of the fire. He also faces theft, identity theft and forgery charges.
Pueblo County sheriff's investigators arrived in Oklahoma Sunday and hoped to speak to Mapps, said Lisa Shorter, the sheriff's spokeswoman.
Mapps wasn't armed when he was arrested, but investigators did not yet know whether there were any weapons in the motel room or Mapps' vehicle, said Charles Ahmad of the Marshals Service in Denver.
Ahmad said the firearm used to shoot the Tuttles and Roderick had not been recovered, and investigators believed Mapps still had it. Ahmad declined to identify the weapon.
Shorter and Ahmad said they did not yet know where Mapps had been while he was a fugitive. He once worked as a long-distance trucker, and authorities had said he was familiar with little-used back roads.
Friends called the Tuttles generous and caring.
"Kim and Reggie would help anyone who needed it," Winnie Owens, a friend and neighbor, told the Pueblo Chieftain. "The hearts of everyone in this valley go out to that family."
Kim Tuttle, 55, worked on the culinary staff at Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo.
Roderick, 33, lived in nearby Pueblo and had a husband and three children. Authorities haven't said why she was at her parents' home.
- Tags
- Arson/Investigation
- Fire

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Colleges of Arts and Sciences name Dai Ho Chun Distinguished Chair
Alison Rieser to serve joint appointment in departments of economics and geographyUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Colleges of Arts and Sciences
HONOLULU — Thomas Bingham, Richard Dubanoski, Charles F. Hayes, and Joseph O'Mealy, deans of the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, are pleased to announce that Alison Rieser, JD, LLM, will serve as the Dai Ho Chun Distinguished Chair in the Colleges Arts and Sciences.
Rieser comes to the UH Mānoa from the University of Maine School of Law. Since 1993, she oversaw legal and public policy research on fisheries, ocean pollution, coastal land use, and international maritime relations. As the Dai Ho Chun Distinguished Chair, she will serve a joint appointment in the departments of economics and geography from January 1, 2006 to June 30, 2008.
The Dai Ho Chun Distinguished Chair in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences Endowment was made possible by the late Dr. Dai Ho Chun through an estate gift. Dr. Chun, a visionary educator, designed the chair to support interdisciplinary collaboration. According to his guidelines, appointees must be excellent researchers and teachers, have the ability to integrate theory with creative applications, and draw from historical and contemporary perspectives, as well as provide multicultural analysis.
"Professor Rieser is a world-class scholar whose expertise in marine law and ocean policy is extremely important for Hawaiʻi and the Asia Pacific region," said Richard Dubanoski, Dean of the College of Social Sciences, of which economics and geography are a part of. "We look forward to her sharing her talents and knowledge throughout our campus and community."
Rieser is a specialist in marine conservation law, property rights management regimes, and ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in human ecology from Cornell University, her JD from George Washington University Law School, and her LLM from Yale Law School. Besides contributing to a long list of publications, she has been a prestigious Pew Fellow, and has served in many leadership positions on issues such as international whaling, oil spill preparedness, and aquaculture, on both local and national levels.
"I'm delighted to have the opportunity to work with such a diverse group of scholars and teachers," said Reiser of her appointment. "It's a unique opportunity to use all aspects of ocean policy, from the legal and scientific, to the ethical and historical, to educate students and promote greater wisdom in humanity's relationship to the Earth. I can't think of a better place to do so than in the middle of the planet's largest ocean, in a community where both traditional knowledge and cutting-edge science are revered."


text:
Andrew Milligan / Pool via Reuters
Britain's Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton wave during a visit to St. Andrews University in Fife, Scotland on February 25, 2011. The couple made their second official visit together since announcing their engagement in November, to St. Andrews University to launch its 600th anniversary celebrations.
David Cheskin / Pool via AFP - Getty Images
Prince William's fiancee Kate Middleton greets members of the public during a visit to the University of St Andrews in Scotland on February 25, 2011. During the visit they viewed the surviving Papal Bull (the university's founding document), unveiled a plaque, and met a selection of the University's current staff and students to mark the start of the Anniversary. Prince William and Kate Middleton attended the university as students from 2001 to 2005 and began their romance there.
Carl de Souza / AFP - Getty Images
Kate Middleton is surrounded by media and security as she meets the public during a visit to the University of St. Andrews in Scotland on February 25, 2011.
I imagine its good to practice and get used to doing public appearances ahead of their big day. Full story on their visit. More on the royals from the Windsor Knot blog.


text:
154 members5 Likes
426 members7 Likes
226 members8 Likes
Ryan D has not received any gifts yet
HI, I live in Fairfax. Looking for partner to hit a ball on weekends or weekdays. I''m 3.0 . Three is a room for growth up to 3.5 for short time. Have not played for a while, just need some practice. If you are interested, shot me an email at enigma6205@ gmail . com. Work in DC at intersection of 20th st. and L st SW.
i can pick you up or meet you. either way, i just need an address and a time. we can go from there.
what up Ryan. im in Aberdeen. when would you like to play.
© 2020 Created by Mark / The Mayor. Powered by


text:
I've tried the steps provided in the following tutorial: https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17125 and get the following errors when the file is unzipped using 7-Zip:
Unexpected end of data
Data error: database\data
It looks like the data file has been damaged at some point and contains little of the data it should have.
However, the backup file contained in the database folder appears to be intact.
My question is whether or not it is possible to recover database using the backup file.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.


text:
Foreclosures In Doaktown
Buying a house from the foreclosure list can be a great way to buy an apartment or investment property at a huge discount! Largely this is because of lack of knowledge about the process or fear from misinformation they may have heard about buying a foreclosure. Foreclosuresearch.ca is a fantastic resource to learn all about the foreclosure market and how best to arrange a deal that suits your unique needs. Click below for foreclosures, power of sale and bank owned homes in Doaktown.
How can I find power of sale homes in Doaktown?
I use Foreclosuresearch.ca for my foreclosure needs because it is a one stop shop so to speak for education and learning about the market and foreclosure procedure as well as lists of available properties with pictures and descriptions.
This saves me a considerable amount of time and effort. I don't have to search the internet for hours looking at different Realtors websites sifting through houses in Doaktown that are not really foreclosures or don't fit what I am looking for.
Other options for finding foreclosed houses is to contact your local bank to see if they are carrying properties in their portfolio or to contact a local Realtor that concentrates in foreclosure listings. Many Realtors will list which ever property they can get their hands on but they may not be well versed in the foreclosure buying process so you need to be informed before going in.
How to buy a repo house in Doaktown with bad credit.
Let me start off by saying that shopping for a foreclosed house in Doaktown with bad credit is feasible!
You have the option to buy a residence for cash at a real estate auction. Then your credit doesn't play a factor at all because you are not obtaining a loan. Not everyone has this form of money lying around though so lets consider other options.
Research federal home buying programs. There are many programs available again to help those with low salaries or poor credit to buy homes.
Search for houses in Doaktown and look for loans with low down payments. Save up money for your down payment but expect to pay a moderately higher interest rate due to your lower credit score. You should be able to refinance in a couple of years after making on time payments to acquire a lower rate.
How you can buy a foreclosed condo in Doaktown, NB.
The very first step is to get pre approved for a mortgage through a bank of your choosing or scrape together enough money to buy a house through an auction for all cash.
Next, find condos in Doaktown, NB that you are interested in. Find a Realtor that focuses in foreclosures and will be able to help you through the method of buying.
If you have questions about the process, I would consider talking with a real estate or foreclosure attorney before purchasing to make sure you understand the method and the ramifications of investing in foreclosed properties.
Something that ought to be considered before you buy is that some foreclosure properties are not open to having a home inspection done before buying and/or the bank that owns the property may not agree to make any repairs. This could end up costing you some money to make the repairs after purchasing. This is the only problem in my opinion when buying foreclosed homes.
How long does it take to buy a power of sale home in Doaktown?
This relies on how you are buying the residence. Properties that are purchased in cash at an auction are turned over within a week or two maximum depending upon how long it takes your funds to transfer to the bank and the title to be completed. Personally, I have had properties transfer to me within three days.
If you are buying a property through a mortgage then the closing process takes a small bit longer. My experience has been about thirty days to closing, which is pretty regular when purchasing a property.
Are there reasons not to buy a repo house?
Foreclosed houses are usually sold "as is," suggesting the bank is not willing to make any repairs before offering the property. This means that any repairs could fall back upon the new owner to fix. Sometimes the repairs are minor and other times they are huge.
Often a foreclosed property in Doaktown NB has sat vacant for a while so maintenance has been ignored and will need to be looked after immediately.
Sometimes, just because the title has changed to a new owner doesn't mean that all difficulties have vanished. This is the importance of having a title search done prior to buying a property given that liens or lawsuits could be attached to the property and you could inherit them without understanding it.
How to negotiate for power of sale homes.
Patience is key here! The bank is in business to make money so they will be trying to get the highest possible price for the house that they can.
Keep in mind that working with banks is a mechanical process and usually taken care of by computers and not real people. This can be frustrating for you the buyer but it is what it is. At some point if you are persistent the bank will probably cave if they have no other offers because they realize they need to move the property quickly.
Are Doaktown bank owned homes good or bad?
This all depends upon your goals and the risk level that you are prepared to accept. If you agree to take on the possible repairs yourself and not expect the bank to pay for them then this is a great deal!
Remember to do your due diligence on foreclosures and on your property before purchasing to know exactly what you are getting involved in.
Power of Sale Introduction
There are numerous things you might unknown about the power of sale. When do you understand you are confronted with a power of sale or foreclosure in Doaktown, and how do you understand if it is the best investment for you? Offered listed below are responses to 7 commonly asked questions regarding the power of sale, and how it can help you make educated purchases in New Brunswick.
Exactly what is power of sale or foreclosure?
This is a term that not many everyday people have actually heard of. If you are interested in investing in real estate, particularly those on the foreclosure market, then you want to be familiar with this term. A power of sale is a stipulation that is written into a home mortgage which allows the loan provider to sell the property in the event of default to pay back the home loan debt. It technically is the stipulation that allows foreclosure on a home when a financial obligation is not paid. This kind of sale occurs so that the loan provider, which is typically a bank, can recover losses that they sustained by the loan default.
A power of sale also refers to the power expressed or implied in a trust contract permitting the trustee to offer the financial investment making up the trust.
Essentially, this provision in a mortgage or trust enables the lender to offer the home without going to court to do so. It is a type of shortcut to enable healing easier and faster. For those planning to purchase foreclosed house, this is a lot easier as the lending institution does not have to go through the courts to make the sale happen.
If you are aiming to acquire a power of sale foreclosure house, there are some benefits. This includes an expedited process. Usually a foreclosure through the courts can take a lot of time; whereas those that go through a contract provision can be much quicker.
Where can you find power of sale homes?
It is really much easier than you believe to discover power of sale houses. In New Brunswick, as in all of Canada, the usual process is to offer the home by power of sale, which is unlike the majority of the United States which tends to go through the courts for a foreclosure. Normally, when a home is being offered through power of sale, it in fact goes through a real estate agent. That makes it simple to discover houses under power of sale. A realtor, or other realty sites, will likely have listings of power of sale homes in your area.
How do you buy a distress sale acreages in New Brunswick?
It is a great choice to purchase power for sale foreclosures in Doaktown New Brunswick. The procedure is quite fast and simple. The procedure for the sale is generally set out in the home mortgage, so they may vary a little bit differently for properties depending on the loan provider.
In New Brunswick, there are 2 kinds of power for sale – legal and statutory. A contractual power of sale is when the home loan documents have consisted of the power of sale clause. A statutory power of sale is when the power of sale clauses is not consisted of, but these are very uncommon.
The general process consists of:
Notice offered to the borrower after fifteen days of default
Notification provided to anybody who has an interest in the residential or commercial property
For legal power of sales, the customer has 35 days to pay, if statutory, the customer has 45 days
As soon as the period expires and the default is not fixed, the lender can sell the home
The home can be sold by auction, private agreement, or by tender. The residential or commercial property is normally noted with a real estate agent and put on the market for sale utilizing numerous listing service (MLS).
The ownership of the property will alter hands only if the property is sold. This is likewise not a fire sale, although it is quicker than a court procedure. The offers from the buyers like you are carefully analyzed, and the existing owner might ask for an accounting.
How do you discover power of sale listings?
Among the very best methods to find a power for sale listing in Doaktown is to make use of an exceptional MLS. These services are available on line and offer an excessive quantity of listings so that you can discover the exact house you are looking for. A website, such as foreclosuresearch.ca, can offer you with all of the listings in New Brunswick under power of sale. Websites like this one allow you to browse in your area for power of sale home, together with the timing and expenses involved.
Are power of sale houses cheaper?Normally, power of sale houses is less expensive than going through a person simply offering their house. This is due to the fact that the bank only wishes to not lose on the offer. They want to make the cash back that they have lost from the default. In Canada, any extra money from the sale is given back to the property owner, however if there is a deficiency, the owner is responsible for the difference.
For more information on buying foreclosed properties please check the information here. When buying or selling any home, use a real estate agent for your own safety and peace of mind. Find an agent here. A lawyer would be a good idea also.


text:
I am always telling software developers and project engineers that the people who use their products and software are not replicas of themselves - they have different expectations, different motivations and intentions, and completely different levels of knowledge about the product. Part of the contribution that technical writers is opening up the field of knowledge about a product by creating user guides and help systems that are clearly written and easy to understand.
But are we as writers in danger of falling into the same trap? Do we always remember that the people using the user guides and help systems are not replicas of us either? For example, do we bear in mind that some of those users may have sight or hearing difficulties? We could be losing a large proportion of our audience before we even begin.
That's why meetings like the STC UK and Ireland Chapter's Accessibility in Technical Communication and the Workplace event on 13th-14th June is so important. It's a chance to learn how disabilities can affect people and what we can do to make our work more accessible to everyone.
I understand that places for this event are limited, so make sure you book soon.
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Still, Christie exemplifies ingenuity only in its cunning aspects. For the full experience of language "marked by inventive skill and imagination," Dickens is your man. I find it hard to talk about Great Expectations without wanting to sound like Dickens, just a little bit, just for the fun of it--so today I found myself helplessly muttering "J-O-Joe!" at odd moments during our class discussion. That's the comic Dickens, of course, but there's also the creepy Dickens ("I saw speckled-legged spiders with blotchy bodies running home to it, and running out from it, as if some circumstance of the greatest public importance had just transpired in the spider community") and the poignant Dickens ("Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlaying our hard hearts"). Sometimes, the most remarkable thing is his ability to change registers, or even to sound both funny and tragic notes at once. There's Joe's hat, toppling hilariously off the mantlepiece like an animated indicator of Joe's unfitness to be in Pip's elegant lodgings, and then moments later there's Joe himself, showing up the superficiality of that very judgment and shaming Pip back into humility with his own "simple dignity":
'You and me is not two figures to be together in London; nor yet anywheres else but what is private, and beknown, and understood among friends. It ain't that I am proud, but that I want to be right, as you shall never see me no more in these clothes. I'm wrong in these clothes. I'm wrong out of the forge, the kitchen, or off th' meshes. You won't find half so much fault in me if you think of me in my forge dress, with my hammer in my hand, or even my pipe. You won't find half so much fault in me if, supposing you should ever with to see me, you come and put your head in at the forger winder and see Joe the blacksmith, there, at the old anvil, in the old burnt apron, sticking to the old work. I'm awful dull, but I hope I've beat out something nigh the rights of this at last.'And so, of course, he has.
In my George Eliot seminar, it was week 2 on The Mill on the Floss. I wrote a bit about it at The Valve and don't have much to add except that reading so much George Eliot at once this term is really bringing home to me how important I think intelligence is to fiction with any real literary aspirations. I've quoted David Masson before on the relationship between a novelist's writing and a novelist's thinking; here's the most relevant bit from British Novelists and Their Styles :
the measure of the value of any work of fiction, ultimately and on the whole, is the worth of the speculation, the philosophy, on which it rests, and which has entered into the conception of it. . . . No artist, I believe, will, in the end, be found to be greater as an artist than he was as a thinker.I'm thinking maybe I will found a school of criticism based on this principle. The Massonites? This may be the definitive answer to the whole 'should aspiring writers go through MFA programs': no, or at least not too early on, because they should not expect to be taught how to write before they have learned how to think--and think hard. The satisfactions of George Eliot's novels are certainly not all intellectual or philosophical, but far from agreeing with those who object that the novels are somehow too discursive to be pleasurable, I agree with Henry James's remark that the "constant presence of thought, . . . of brain, in a word, behind her observation, gives the latter its great value and her whole manner its high superiority. It denotes," as he says, "a mind in which imagination is illumined by faculties rarely found in fellowship with it."


text:
Black Friday was born from the Golden Era of Capitalism in 1960s America. On the Friday following Thanksgiving—a harvest holiday when Americans consume vast amounts of turkey, stuffing, pie, and wine, watch TV, and appreciate their lives—Americans would flock to the shopping centers of their cities to begin the Christmas shopping season.
The term "Black Friday" originated in Philadelphia by the Police Department to describe the turmoil caused by the flood of people in the late-November slush: traffic jammed the streets; shoppers spilled from over-crowded sidewalks; stores were stampeded from open to close; a black smog drifted through downtown.
Although the police struggled with the holiday phenomenon, merchants looked forward to this time of year, as their financial balances would turn from red (loss) to black (profit)–another reason for the day's colorful name.
Today, the day has taken on a more sinister tone: Black Friday is now a worldwide over-consumption event.
The post-war prosperity of the 1960s allowed Americans many new freedoms, including larger families, suburban houses, and new cars, as well as a sense of pride and optimism for the future: life in America seemed to be getting better all the time. With the increasing availability of goods, Americans began to define themselves through their possessions, through comparing their lives with their neighbors', and the desire to acquire status symbols intensified.
America reached peak oil production in 1970 and underwent a philosophical shift from Keynesian economics to free-market Monetarist economics, heralding an end to the Golden Age of Capitalism, although conspicuous consumption and the pursuit of the "American Dream" continue today.
Black Friday signifies that, if anything, people's materialistic tendencies have intensified: each year it begins earlier and ends later, and each year more people join in the event, spending increasing amounts of money ($52.5 billion in 2011). This year, Toys R Us, Walmart, Sears, and Kmart opened at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, operated through the night, and closed the following evening, although many employees protested.
"Black Friday signifies that, if anything, people's materialistic tendencies have intensified."
Because online shopping has become a popular way to avoid the crushing crowds and sold-out commodity items, more people now celebrate Black Friday (and Cyber Monday) than Thanksgiving, and possibly Christmas—the supposed reason for this wasteful, hollow behavior.
Since 2003, Black Friday has consistently been the biggest shopping day of the year around the world, although many retailers attempt to prolong the sales for as long as possible before Christmas, making it a multi-week affair. The allure of Black Friday is that people of all economic levels like to feel as though they are "getting a good deal" on items they feel socially and culturally obligated to buy.
To minimize the psychological pain that goes along with paying money, many people use credit cards for their purchases, resulting in an ever-heightening number of first-world citizens in debt. If one doesn't feel enough pain, however, they will shop more. While initially triggered by a need to share love, the failure of shopping to actually meet this need can lead to a cycle of escalation, which humanity is no doubt experiencing on a global scale.
What started as a celebration of prosperity has become something akin to a national addiction. The United States currently uses almost double the amount it produces, consuming the most clothing items, metals, plastics, and electronics. Americans also own 30 percent of the world's vehicles, but because we drive more with less-efficient cars, we emit nearly half of the world's vehicle carbon dioxide emissions. We also use 40 times more water per person than those in third-world countries.
Modern Americans are so accustomed to over-consumption that they display two alarming symptoms: obesity rates are the highest in the world and one of the costliest forms of preventable death, and we suffer from "affluenza"—a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from an unsustainable addiction to economic growth.
"The 'need' to consume has led to the continual, systematic abuse of Earth's natural resources at a rate that outpaces the sustainable capacity of our ecosystem."
The "need" to consume has led to the continual, systematic abuse of Earth's natural resources at a rate that outpaces the sustainable capacity of our ecosystem, and we now face the looming problems of resource depletion, environmental degradation, and reduced ecological health.
The true test of an addict is whether the negative behavior continues despite adverse personal consequences: Americans must slow the rate of consumption to sustainable levels. While shopping online is a passive way to somewhat reduce our carbon footprint, it is simply not enough. There must be a paradigmatic shift in the way we show our love around the holiday season.
Research shows that "experiential gifts" (concert tickets, weekend getaways, books) provide more happiness than material possessions for both the giver and receiver. You can also enrich the experience and self-satisfaction by making all of your gifts by hand. Use recycled materials or buy them second-hand, and think about things that people actually need rather than want. Or ignore the expensive, commercial holiday completely.
The goal is self-sufficiency and simplicity: the power is yours!


text:
Updated 1:53 p.m. - Republicans, confident that they would have the votes to be successful, said they would push ahead with their alternative plan to resolve the "fiscal cliff," even as Senate Democrats said the GOP proposal would never even be allowed a vote in their chamber.
GOP leaders said they intended to follow through with their vote to pass a pair of bills which would preserve tax rates on income less than $1 million and approve new spending cuts in place of the automatic cuts -- many to defense -- set to take effect on Jan. 1.
House Speaker John Boehner is now spending a third day working to pass his Plan B bill, which has zero chance of becoming a law and zero chance of becoming party of any final budget deal. The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd reports.
"Absent a balanced option from the president, this is our nation's best option," House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., told reporters on Capitol Hill. "And Senate Democrats should take up both of these measures immediately."
President Barack Obama has promised to veto the legislation; it is virtually dead-on-arrival in the Senate, where Democrats oppose the proposal.
"Until Republicans take up our bill in the House -- the one that passed here -- there's nothing to discuss," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "We're not taking up any of the things they're working on over there now."
Retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison tells The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd that she remains hopeful that leaders are working behind closed doors to strike a deal in the fiscal cliff negotiations and believes there is a way forward.
The partisan standoff devolved into protracted gamesmanship that appeared to move Democrats and Republicans no closer to a deal to resolve the fiscal cliff just 12 days before its onset. Much of Thursday's action in Washington, represented in a series of dueling press conferences throughout the day, seemed to have more to do with positioning each party for the possibility of failure than reaching the kind of agreement that has eluded lawmakers for so long.
"After today, Senate Democrats and the White House are going to have to act on this measure," Boehner said at an afternoon press conference. "If Senate Democrats and the White House refuse to act, they'll be responsible for the largest tax hike in American history."
With less than 12 days until the tax hikes and spending cuts which compose the "fiscal cliff" will snap into place, Republicans remain locked in a stalemate with Obama over the extent of the expiring tax rates they should extend, as well as how deep of cuts should be made -- and to which programs.
Republicans' Plan B proposal, on which the House will vote this evening, came after the White House offered a deal in which no taxes would go up on income under $400,000, along with changes as to how Social Security benefits would be allowed to grow in coming years. But the administration views the plan as a non-starter, meaning that today's vote serves little more purpose than to posture the GOP for the final stages of negotiations (or, for the political fallout that would result from going over the fiscal cliff.)
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., second from right, walks to a Republican strategy session with Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012.
"I've done my part," Boehner said about the state of negotiations. "They've done nothing."
A handful of conservative Republicans, who oppose tax increases in virtually every instance, have said they would vote against their leadership on Plan B, making House Speaker John Boehner's, R-Ohio, task in approving the bill more difficult. Boehner can suffer only 24 defections from fellow Republicans if no Democrats break ranks and support the plan.
Cantor, on Thursday, confidently predicted the bill would have adequate support when it reaches a final vote, tentatively scheduled for this evening.
The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd speaks with House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer about the latest on the fiscal cliff negotiations.
"We're going to have the votes to pass both the permanent tax relief bill as well as the spending reduction bill," he said.
At the same time, Democrats ridiculed Republicans' strategy as a waste of time given Obama and Senate Democratic leaders' stated opposition to even allowing for consideration of the plan.
But the speaker said he wasn't convinced his backup proposal really was dead in the Senate. "I'm not convinced at all that when the bill passes the House today, it will die in the Senate," he said.
The impending Christmas holiday -- along with some congressional leaders' travel to Hawaii this weekend for the funeral of the late Sen. Daniel Inouye, D -- means there are few working days left for Republicans to resolve their standoff with Democrats and Obama.
Reid said that senators would be asked to return to Washington next Thursday, four days before the fiscal cliff.
Cantor said that the plan -- as of now -- was for lawmakers to stay in Washington following tonight's Plan B vote.
"We do not intend to send members home after this vote," he said. "We want to stay here, we want to avoid the fiscal cliff from happening."
Boehner also said the House would stay in Washington past tonight's vote, though he would not say for how long.


text:
This article or section needs expansion and/or modification. Please help the wiki by expanding it.
This article or section needs more/new/more-detailed sources to conform to a higher standard and to provide proof for claims made.
|Biographical Information
|Other names
|Ullubōz, "King of the Sea", "Lord of Waters", "Dweller of the Deep", Ulu, Guiar, Gulma
|Lord of Waters
|Ulmo's halls
|Ossë, Uinen, and possibly Salmar
|Physical Description
|Green armor
|Images of Ulmo
Ulmo (Quenya, pronounced [ˈulmo] was a Vala, also known as King of the Sea, Lord of Waters, and Dweller of the Deep.[1] He was third in majesty of the Valar, after Manwë and Varda; he was in other words the third of the Aratar.
Ulmo was very close in friendship to Manwë before Valinor was made, and he had always distrusted Melkor. The Dark Lord feared him almost as much as he feared Varda, since the sea cannot be tamed. Ulmo had no dwelling in Valinor, or any permanent dwelling on land. He prefered the deeps of the seas and the rivers to land. His palace, on the bottom of the Outer Sea, was called Ulmonan.
He seldom came to the Councils of Máhanaxar, and only when in great need. He preferred to stay in Arda, not by walking on the land, as his form would fill man or elf with great dread. All waters were under his government; bays, rivers and even the waters under the earth. It is through these that he kept in touch with Arda, and thus knew more of the goings on with the children of Ilúvatar than even Manwë, for it was said he lived in the very veins of the world.
He was said to be fearful to look upon to mortal eye, dressed like a giant wave in glittering green armour, blowing his great horn Ulumuri. It was said that those who heard Ulmo's horn would forever be filled with a longing for the sea. Ulmo's vassal Ossë, and Ossë's spouse Uinen were, to the elves, the best known of the Maiar. Through them Ulmo would learn much of the elves.
Ulmo had always loved the Eldar and the Edain, even when the Valar forsook Middle-earth. He opposed Oromë's plan to bring the Elves to Aman. But he eventually helped them get to Aman, because he knew that was what they wanted, and he accepted that. He tore a great piece of land off the shores of Beleriand and used it to transport the Eldar to the blessed coasts of Aman. He anchored the island (it was renamed Tol Eressëa) in the Bay of Eldamar, which he did because he knew the minds of the Teleri. Ulmo was the Vala most responsible for the fall of Morgoth, by urging Turgon to build Gondolin and Finrod to build Nargothrond. He appeared before Tuor and urged him to to go to Gondolin as a messenger for Turgon. When Tuor got there, he eventually married Turgon's daughter Idril and fathered Eärendil; he Elwing from the sack of the Havens of Sirion, and thus she took the Silmaril to her husband Eärendil which allowed them to gain admittance to Valinor and plead for their mercy. Ulmo also defended the Eldar in the council from the potential wrath of Mandos.
The name Ulmo is said to derive from the Valarin Ullubōz.[2]
Alternatively, Ulmo is a Quenya title, which means "He who pours" (cf. ulya- "to pour" and agentive ending -mo "-er").[source?]
In the earlier writings his Noldorin name was Ylmir, among them Tuor's The Horns of Ylmir.[source?] (Another Noldorin translation of his name is given as Nûron.)[3][4] The Sindarin form is Ulu ([ˈulu]), though he is also called Guiar ([ˈɡuɪ.ar]) and Gulma ([ˈɡulma]).[source?]
In Eriol's Old English translations, Ulmo is referred to by various names: Garsecges frea "Ocean ruler", ealwaeter-frea "All-waters ruler" or agendfrea ealra waetera "owning lord of all waters".[5]
See also
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin".
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar: Appendix D. *Kwen, Quenya, and the Elvish (especially Ñoldorin) words for 'Language': Note on the 'Language of the Valar'"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part Three: The Etymologies", p. 378 (entry for NŪ-)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies — Part Two" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter and Patrick H. Wynne), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 46, July 2004, p. 7
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "III. The Quenta: Appendix 1: Fragments of a translation of The Quenta Noldorinwa into Old English, made by Ælfwine or Eriol; together with Old English equivalents of Elvish names"
| Manwë · Ulmo · Aulë · Oromë · Mandos · Irmo · Tulkas ·
|Varda · Yavanna · Nienna · Estë · Vairë · Vána · Nessa
|Arien · Eönwë · Ilmarë · Melian · Ossë · Salmar · Tilion · Uinen
|Saruman · Gandalf · Radagast · Blue Wizards
|Sauron · Balrogs (Gothmog · Durin's Bane) · Boldogs
|Music · Valarin · Almaren · Valinor · Valmar · Second Music • italics indicates Aratar


text:
- FASB Home››
- Superseded Standards
Summary of Statement No. 139
Rescission of FASB Statement No. 53 and amendments to FASB Statements No. 63, 89, and 121 (Issued 6/00)
This Statement rescinds FASB Statement No. 53, Financial Reporting by Producers and Distributors of Motion Picture Films. An entity that previously was subject to the requirements of Statement 53 shall follow the guidance in AICPA Statement of Position 00-2, Accounting by Producers or Distributors of Films. This Statement also amends FASB Statements No. 63, Financial Reporting by Broadcasters, No.89, Financial Reporting and Changing Prices, and No. 121, Accounting for the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and for Long-Lived Assets to Be Disposed Of.
This Statement is effective for financial statements for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2000. Earlier application is permitted only upon early adoption of the Statement of Position.
- Project Plans Archive
- FASB Outlook
- Presentations & Speeches
- Meeting Minutes
- Public Forums
- Exposure Documents & Public Comment Documents
- Other Comment Letters
- Ballots
- Additional Communications
- Research Project Published Reports
- Agenda Requests
- Foundation Annual Reports
- FASB Chairman Quarterly Reports
- Superseded Standards
- Technical Inquiry Service
- Comparability in International Accounting Standards
- Public Reference Request Form
- Strategic Plan
- FASB Special Report: The Framework of Financial Accounting Concepts and Standards


text:
We are thrilled to introduce Spring-O! I hope you think it's as fun as we do.
Here's how it works...Print out the official Spring-O scorecard from classiceliteyarns.com. Then start filling it in! All you need is one bingo (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) to qualify to be in the drawing, but once you have one, why not go for the big one?
(If you're not on Ravelry, you are about to be introduced to one of the most glorious procrastination tools in a knitter or crocheter's toolbox. Head over to Ravelry.com to sign up!)
Once you're a member, check out the Ravelry how-to page about adding projects. Don't forget to tag your project with the tag "Spring-O" so we'll know how to find it, and share it with the Classic Elite Knitters Group on the Spring-O forum thread.


text:
The Source
President Glassner appoints Steverson chair of Diversity and Inclusion
April 11, 2014
President Barry Glassner has appointed Professor Janet Steverson, the Douglas K. Newell Professor of Teaching Excellence at the Lewis & Clark Law School, to chair the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion.
This special advisory committee reviews and recommends initiatives across the institution to promote and improve diversity and inclusion in the College's programs and practices.
"An experienced and respected teacher, scholar, and facilitator, Professor Steverson will be a superb committee chair," President Glassner said. "I am certain that the committee will continue to make progress with her as its leader and build on the promising start achieved this semester."
Steverson's appointment follows the departure of the former committee chair, Dean Tuajuanda Jordan.
Steverson will continue to serve in her role as chair of the Bias-Policy Committee.


text:
ONGENS gets its first 'Kiwi Tavern'
as virtual 'Aotearoa' grows …
Sign of the ONGENS times … The Kiwi Tavern at Port Cook.
Even though the New Zealand National Virtual World Grid appears to be going through a difficult and, at times, fragile gestation, there is a small band of enthusiasts who are willing to put up with the frustrations of working in an Alpha test world to ensure that the ONGENS Grid moves through Beta on into a full-blown phase which will allow productive education research and possibly hypergrid access to other open-source, OpenSimulator virtual worlds.
One of those enthusiasts is Auckland University academic Dr Scott Diener who "shouted" the first "drinks" – a tankard of Kiwi ale – to virtual world builder Cira Emor, who is re-creating the build of a log cabin(piece by piece!), and your's truely Johnnie Wendt, who is creating a beachside "slum", Arcadia Asylum Memorial City, with a little bit of help from the creations of the late and much lamented Second life "artist" Arcadia Asylum.
Besides its two regions, soon to be three, in Second Life, the University of Auckland has something like 12 regions on the ONGENS Grid, some named Kapua (a small cloud) keeping with the university's virtual world Second Life theme of Long White Cloud or Aotearoa.
As well as constructing Port Cook – it is still in the ongoing construction phase – Scott (SL :Professor Noaralunga) has also opened up two storefronts under the buildings which are giving away "freebies" such as office and home furnishings. Another has been allocated for the supply of freebie textures, to be stocked in cargo boxes.
Johnnie Wendt, Scott Diener (pink shirt) and Cira Emor at the Kiwi Tavern.
Designed primarily for research into the benefits of virtual world education and Web3D technology the ONGENS Virtual World Grid, within the ONGENS (Otago Next Generation Networks and Services) Test Bed Project, championed by Dr Melanie Middlemiss of Otago University, is a joint project on which the Universities of Canterbury and Otago and part of the GNI (Global Network Interconnectivity) Project, The GNI Project has been designed to develop research, enterprise training, and knowledge sharing activities to support new ICT technologies, such as JAIN SLEE, on the way to telecommunications, multimedia, and information systems convergence. It is funded by the New Zealand Tertiary Education Commission Growth and Innovation Pilot Initiative (The SLENZ Project is also funded by TEC).
One of the ONGENS residents, Wendy Steeplechase, at the Port Cook furniture store.
Since the launch of the grid Canterbury and Otago have been joined by the University of Auckland and WelTec, each with a node and regions within the ONGENS Grid. Students from WelTech have already used the grid for real world learning projects.
The grid is currently running on OpenSimulator software, and utilises the high-speed KAREN (Kiwi Advanced Research and Education Network) connectivity between New Zealand's tertiary institutions, and research organisations as well as public Broadband.
The attractive stone buildings in Port Cook – the tunnel leads through a forest to a castle.
The Port Cook Harbour … from the inside
… and the harbour entrance from the outside with the castle in the background
THE ONGENS team plans to develop the ONGENS Grid into a New Zealand National Virtual World Grid initiative, and is currently seeking funding and expressions of interest for involvement in the project.
Meanwhile in a related project, an Otago Open Source Software Initiative has been set up by Otago University's Department of Information Science to provide advice and support to schools and small-medium sized businesses (SMEs) in New Zealand on a range of open-source software technologies that have the potential to reduce IT operational costs, leverage productivity and enable companies to "work smarter".
"The main issue holding back schools and small businesses from moving to open-source solutions on the desktop is the often limited support and documentation that makes much open-source software a difficult proposition to maintain and manage," a spokesperson said. "This lack of documentation and support often results in the running cost of open-source software, i.e. the costs associated with lost productivity due to downtime and the cost of in-house technical-staff time required to support the software, quickly outstripping the initial purchase price of a commercial alternative.
"It is this situation that has lead the Department of Information Science to establish the Open Source Software Initiative to support the take up of open source software by schools and SMEs by using its expertise to develop standardised, tested software bundles that "work" and to provide a support forum with "expert advisers" to assist in the identification of appropriate open-source solutions," the spokesperson said.
Filed under: Education, ONGENS, Virtual Worlds | Tagged: Cira Emor, GNI Project, KAREN, Kiwi Tavern, Melanie Middlemiss, ONGENS Virtual Grid, Open Source, OpenSimulator, Otago Open Source Software Initiative, Scott Diener, University of Auckland, University of Canterbury, University of Otago, Weltec | Leave a comment »


text:
Sticky onion & cheddar quiche
Nutrition and extra info
- Vegetarian
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal567
- fat44g
- saturates26g
- carbs33g
- sugars5g
- fibre2g
- protein11g
- salt0.72g
- 25g butter
Butter is a dairy product made from separating whole milk or cream into fat and…
- 500g small onion, (about 5 in total), halved and finely sliced
Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 2 eggs
The ultimate convenience food, eggs are powerhouses of nutrition packed with protein and a…
- 284ml pot double cream
- 140g mature cheddar, coarsely grated
For the pastry
To make the pastry, tip the flour and butter into a bowl, then rub together with your fingertips until completely mixed and crumbly. Add 8 tbsp cold water, then bring everything together with your hands until just combined. Roll into a ball and use straight away or chill for up to 2 days. The pastry can also be frozen for up to a month.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a round about 5cm larger than a 25cm tin. Use your rolling pin to lift it up, then drape over the tart case so there is an overhang of pastry on the sides. Using a small ball of pastry scraps, push the pastry into the corners of the tin (see picture, above left). Chill in the fridge or freezer for 20 mins.
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. While the pastry is chilling, heat the butter in a pan and cook the onions for 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until they become sticky and golden. Remove from the heat.
Lightly prick the base of the tart with a fork, line the tart case with a large circle of greaseproof paper or foil, then fill with baking beans. Blind-bake the tart for 20 mins, remove the paper and beans, then continue to cook for 5-10 mins until biscuit brown.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl, then gradually add the cream. Stir in the onions and half the cheese, then season with salt and pepper. Carefully tip the filling into the case, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese, then bake for 20-25 mins until set and golden. Leave to cool in the case, trim the edges of the pastry, then remove and serve in slices.


text:
State's GrowFL program wants business owners to apply for its research and consulting services
GrowFL's mission is to spot companies capable of tremendous growth -- and then help them to blossom.
But while the program provides research and consulting services tailored to individual businesses, it has had difficulty finding companies that meet some of the strict criteria established by the Florida Legislature.
As a result, GrowFL could use more applicants.
But local companies need to act fast: The deadline to turn in a completed application for the next GrowFL program, which begins in August, is May 31.
"We don't find it difficult finding the companies who want the services," said Tammie Nemecek, who coordinates GrowFL with the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County and similar groups statewide.
"Our challenge is finding companies that qualify."
To qualify, companies must be beyond the start-up stage, have a product or service it sells and have generated revenue of $1 million to $25 million.
Target companies are supposed to have at least 10 employees but fewer than 100. They also must have shown employment and revenue growth in three of the past five years.
Many companies meet one or several of those criteria, but few clear every hurdle, Nemecek said.
But Nemecek and Joan McGill, a Sarasota EDC vice president of business development, encourage every company with sales of $1 million or more to apply.
That way, even if the company is not selected by GrowFL, it could receive alternative funding if it becomes available.
"We want to reach as many people as we can," McGill said.
GrowFL estimates that the free research and consulting services it provides are worth about $50,000 to a typical participant.
"You can think of it as a Fortune 500 market research team that is being put to work for Florida's small businesses," Nemecek said.
Firms find it 'tricky'
Current GrowFL participants in the region include Ambo Foods Inc., Anexio, Biolife LLC, Datum, JMX International, Karins Engineering Group, Resource One, SouthTech, Voalt� and Weber Manufacturing.
"It can be tricky when you're a small company," said Andrew McFall, in charge of marketing at South Manatee-based Biolife, the maker of WoundSeal, a powder that stops bleeding and seals wounds.
"You have more opportunities than you can pursue," McFall said. "You have to make good choices."
BioLife, founded in 1999, announced last week that 20,000 retail outlets now carry WoundSeal. Two years ago, none did.
The first aid product is now sold in Rite-Aid Pharmacy, H-E-B Pharmacy, Duane Reade Pharmacy and Giant Eagle, together with local Publix Super Markets Inc., Walgreens and CVS pharmacies, Target stores and Bed, Bath & Beyond locations.
For its part, SouthTech Solutions Inc. last week was named "Small Business of the Year" for 2013 by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.
SouthTech, which was begun in 1994 and today employs 27, provides information technology and technical support for small- and medium-sized companies. Revenue there has grown by 20 percent or more each year, except the recession year of 2008.
Cameron Ford, director of the University of Central Florida's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, is a believer in the economic gardening philosophy that is the basis for GrowFL.
Instead of recruiting new companies to move to a region, the concept is to identify companies already here with the potential to become "gazelles" -- economic- development-industry parlance for companies growing quickly.
"Recruiting companies tends to yield pretty marginal returns," Ford said. "By identifying a small number of these high-potential firms that are on the cusp of being gazelles, if your goal is job creation, you get a lot of bang for the buck."
In addition to the research and advice while in the program, GrowFL companies can remain engaged afterward through seminars and CEO roundtable discussions.
Pacer Group, which makes electrical cables and components for vehicles from boats to golf carts, was part of the inaugural Sarasota GrowFL class in 2009.
Pacer CEO John Swiatkowski said he continues to attend monthly roundtable meetings at the EDC offices on Cattlemen Road.
"As you can imagine, people in that group can be fairly direct," Swiatkowski said. "They challenge your assumptions."


text:
Welcome to The Swing Site where swingers come to play! Whether our swingers are newcomers or have long been involved in the swing lifestyle, local swingers, as well as swingers from all over the country, come to The Swing Site for a safe and fun way to meet other swingers who share the same interests. The swingers lifestyle – local and beyond – is hardly new on the scene; it has been in existence for generations. Many believe since the 1950s, but has evolved into a modern lifestyle that benefits the Internet generation. The technology available to us today has allowed the swinger lifestyle to evolve exponentially; giving swingers the freedom to meet each other through convenient, safe, and anonymous methods. At The Swing Site we give our members the tools to connect through chat rooms, video instant messaging, and more; and we provide information about swinger parties and upcoming swingers travel where active members can meet and enjoy each other's company in whatever capacity makes them comfortable. Everything from club parties, hotel takeovers, pool parties, house parties, and an occasional boating party can be found here.
At The Swing Site we are committed to providing our members a fun, easy-to-navigate social site that combines the convenience of the Internet with the intimacy of a swingers club. Local swingers, as well as swingers around the country, can connect through a variety of fun applications that we provide. At The Swing Site we are all about having fun and we hope you will join us!
The Swing Site allows you to search for other couples and singles by age range, distance couples, single females, bi or straight. Find the type of people you are looking for and then interact with them in a number of ways not found on other websites. Try it now for free and see how well it can work for you.
If you find someone who interests you then add them to your personal hotlist. This allows the person to see you are interested. If they think you are hot as well they can add you to their personal hotlist or send you a private message. Plus, if enough people add you to their hotlist you might make it on the Top 20 Hottest Page.
No Waiting. Have some fun now! Are you ready for a hookup tonight? Let people know you want to play. Tell them your desires and see just what can happen. The Let's Play Now feature publishes it for the entire site to see. So if you ready to go then let them know!
Do you want to find sexy couples or singles on your vacation? Then look no further. We have sexy hookups for you! Find who is vacationing in your area as well. View the screen shot below to see how the travel section works. Get your free membership now to see travelers by you.
theswingsite.com has monthly hottest swinger photo contests. Each month there is a new theme to the photo contest and all of the members get to vote. Vote and rate the pictures in multiple categories for each photo adding another layer of fun to the mix. Best Overal Photo, Greatest Sex Appeal, Creativity and much more.
Swinging refers to a recreational lifestyle in which couples engage in consensual sexual activities of their choosing with other couples and singles. This is what sets the swinging lifestyle apart from other non-monogamous activities; the fact that it is done together as a swinging couple.
While sexual activities performed in a group environment can be traced as far back to the Roman Empire, the modern version of the swing lifestyle has tentative roots in the 1950s during which time it is generally thought to have been practiced in some American military communities. This type of sexual recreation was first legitimized in the 1960s when the North American Swing Club Association began in Berkeley, California. Within a decade, the lifestyle was in full swing and was very much a part of the social thread of the 1970s.
Today, the swing lifestyle continues to be one that is chosen by couples for a variety of reasons; to explore sexual adventure within the security of their relationship, to defuse sexual stagnation, to express themselves freely, and even to improve their relationship!
The touchstone of the swinging lifestyle is that participants are always in control and can choose to engage in only those activities in which they feel comfortable, within the guidelines that they have set forth as a couple. There are many different ways to be a swinger; only you know what works best for you. Some of the more commonplace activities accepted in swinging include:
Exhibitionism/Voyeurism - Either engaging in sexual activities with your partner while others watch or watching others engage in sexual activities.
Girl Girl - The women play sexually with other women while the men stay only with their female partners.
Soft Swapping - Engaging in sexual activity with another partners other than your own that can include kissing, touching, and even oral sex; anything other than sexual penetration.
Full Swapping - Having intercourse with another partner or other partners other than your own.
Group Sex - Sexual activities in which a multitude of partners engage simultaneously. May also be called an orgy.


text:
Fuel cells
Car manufacturer Lotus has demonstrated a black cab powered by hydrogen fuel cells, which they hope will be just one of a fleet operating during the London Olympics in 2012. But what are fuel cells, and how do they work?
Generating power
Much like battery-powered electric cars, those that run on hydrogen use electricity to drive the wheels. But rather than storing that electricity, with batteries sometimes taking many hours to recharge, fuel cells generate power onboard by reacting hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of an electrolyte – a non-metallic conductor in which electrical flow is carried by the movement of ions. Most of them are "proton-exchange membrane" cells. They function as follows:
Hydrogen gas is delivered to a negatively charged anode on one side of the cell while oxygen is channeled to a positively charged cathode on the other side.
At the anode, a catalyst – often platinum – knocks the hydrogen atoms' electrons off, leaving positively charged hydrogen ions and free electrons.
A membrane placed between the anode and cathode only allows the ions to pass through. The electrons must travel along an external circuit – generating an electric current.
At the cathode, the electrons and the hydrogen ions combine with oxygen to make water, which then flows out of the cell.
Aren't they expensive?
Two things have prevented major production of hydrogen-powered cars until now: the cost, and producing the hydrogen in the first place. Until recently, the platinum catalyst that splits the hydrogen into an ion and an electron has been prohibitively expensive.
Up to a few years ago, hydrogen fuel cells cost around $1000 for every kilowatt of power they generated – or around $100,000 per car. There were various avenues of research into how to bring the cost down, including work at Lawrence Berkley Laboratories on replacing the platinum catalyst with a platinum-nickel alloy that was 90 times more efficient.
By last year, US Department of Energy reported that it had got the cost down to $61 per kilowatt – far closer to the target cost of $30. One further possibility being explored by Ballard Power Systems is enhancing the platinum with carbon silk. This is expected to bring a 30% reduction in cost with no loss of performance.
Where does the hydrogen come from?
As free hydrogen doesn't occur naturally on Earth in any large quantity, it has to be extracted from water. This is normally achieved by reforming natural gas or by passing a current through water, splitting it into its components, hydrogen and oxygen.
This has led some to question fuel cells' credentials as an environmentally friendly power source – they're only as green as the electricity that makes the hydrogen, which often comes from burning fossil fuels.
But some have suggested that hydrogen can instead by produced at home by using sunlight to split water with the help of a catalyst, titanium dioxide – the white in white paint. With more centralised production, a large infrastructure of hydrogen refueling stations would be required if vehicles powered by fuel cells are to become used more widely than just by demonstration taxis.
The first commercial hydrogen refueling station was opened in Iceland in 2003. Japan has a number of filling stations and they are becoming more common in the US – however this may change now that the Obama administration has cut off public funding for the development of hydrogen vehicles.
The first hydrogen station in the UK – in Hornchurch, northeast London – closed in 2007 after the end of a three-year trial of hydrogen-powered buses. Others have since opened up in London to support a larger trial of buses, and in Birmingham.


text:
São Paulo Preview
When I think back to last year's inaugural running of the São Paulo Indy 300, the image is somewhat cloudy. Perhaps that's due to all of the dust that was kicked up as the starting grid rushed over the Sambadrome at speed. If you'll recall, the slick surface of the Sambadrome had proven to resemble an ice rink as cars had to carefully tiptoe through the main straightaway to keep from skidding out of control. Credit everyone from INDYCAR to track and city officials to quickly figuring out a workable solution and grinding the track overnight. The result was a white cloud of dust as the field took the green flag.
The next image I remember is Mario Moraes landing on top of Marco Andretti's car in the middle of the first turn. It would be the first of two years running that Marco didn't make it past the first turn in a season opener.
With passes for the lead, long straightaways providing good passing zones and a monsoon thrown in – it proved to be one of the most entertaining street races I've seen. This year the São Paulo Indy 300 promises to be new and improved. They have widened some of the turns – Turn One in particular. They have sufficiently ground the Sambadrome area to suitable standards. Many parts of the track have been repaved with supposedly the same grade of asphalt used for the nearby Interlagos circuit. Also, some of the curbing has been lowered. All in all, it should provide even better racing than in 2010.
I don't know if it's the double-file re-starts or if I'm just happy to watch any racing, but the three road/street courses we've seen so far have been much more fascinating than those we've seen in year's past. The fact that we've had three different teams win in as many races has also helped – in addition to having six different teams represented in the top six drivers in the point standings.
This will be the last of four road/street courses before the series takes on four straight ovals, beginning with the Indianapolis 500. I am not a fan of Indianapolis being the first oval of the year, nor am I crazy about the schedule being broken into quarters – with four road courses, then four ovals followed by five road courses (with an oval thrown in) then wrapping up with three ovals. I realize the teams like it because they don't have to keep swapping back and forth between configurations, but I would prefer a little more variety from race to race.
Speaking of variety, as mentioned – there is quite a bit of variety in the point standings. All in all, there are eight teams represented in the top ten. There are the usual suspects; Dario & Dixon along with Power and Briscoe (although their teammate, Helio Castroneves is mired in fourteenth). But there is a refreshing mix throughout the top ten. Tony Kanaan is third in only three races with KV Racing Technology-Lotus. Oriol Servia and the resurgent Newman/Haas Racing is fourth. Mike Conway moved all the way up to fifth after winning Long Beach for Andretti Autosport. Alex Tagliani is quietly in sixth, now driving for Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Simona de Silvestro slipped to a three-way tie for seventh after a disappointing weekend at Long Beach, and Vitor Meira is only two points behind in AJ Foyt's lone entry.
Although recent history would indicate that Will Power or Dario Franchitti would be heavy favorites to win on Sunday, I think it is wide open – maybe more so, than I can ever remember. Many of these drivers fared well in last year's race. Alex Tagliani started on the front row and ran well before a mishap on Lap 28. Vitor Meira finished third in his native country. Simona de Silvestro led four laps in her very first IZOD IndyCar Series event and finished sixteenth. Tony Kanaan started sixth and finished tenth. He is capable of doing much better with his new team. Brazilian Ana Beatriz ran well in her IndyCar debut as well – finishing thirteenth. Don't forget that Ryan Hunter-Reay finished second behind race winner Will Power in his debut with Andretti Autosport. He has the capability to win the race on Sunday.
It's an early race on Sunday. From what was said the other night on Trackside, don't look at the Noon Eastern starting time and think that you'll have a forty-five minute pre-race show before the drop of the green flag. This week, the green flag will wave shortly after the start of the telecast, with plenty of wrap-up time at the end of the telecast. If you see faded colors at times, don't blame Versus. Last year, they were using a Brazilian feed which was sub-par in picture quality. Bob Jenkins, Wally Dallenbach and Jon Beekhuis will not be on-site. Instead, they will be watching the same feed as you and I from the safety of a studio in Indianapolis. Kevin Lee – who I still say is the hardest working person in sports – will be the only TV presence on the ground in Brazil. He should have a lot of fun covering twenty-six pit stalls by himself.
It would be easy to pick Dario Franchitti or Will Power to win Sunday. Franchitti finished seventh last year, which is somewhat forgettable, by his standards. Will Power needs a lot of points before the series takes to the ovals. Everyone says that he's gotten the ovals figured out, but he has yet to ever win on one. Until he wins on an oval, I'm not ready to put him in the class with some of the drivers that are proven winners on ovals.
Instead, I'm going to go with a Brazilian to win at São Paulo. Helio Castroneves needs a win badly heading into May. I think he'll get some points and some much needed momentum, but he won't get the win. Besides, although he may be the most popular Brazilian driver in the US, I get the idea he is not the most popular Brazilian IndyCar driver in Brazil. That honor goes to the person that I think will take the checkered flag on Sunday – Tony Kanaan, who has been on bed rest all week with flu-like symptoms. Still, I think that when the visor goes down, he'll muster up enough to perform well in his own country,
Enjoy the race!
George Phillips
5 Responses to "São Paulo Preview"
Hopefully Pesnke dominate here, maybe bring back some of their confidence going into Indy. Helio seriously needs to get moving, I wonder if the Captain will dump him if he gets over shadowed by his team mates again.
On the other hand an upset win might not be surprising, looking at last years race, positions 3 to 5 were a bit unpredictable so anything is possible. Lets hope Panther have a strong showing, maybe if they carry momentum Buddy Rice can threaten for a win in his comeback at Indy.
I would rather TK wait until Indy to win, but 2 wins in a row would be just fine with me. I wouldn't count out Servia, either.
I agree on the order of the races. I love street races but I just want to see an oval race at this point. I get the feeling Power's championship hopes are in the balance here. He HAS to score many more than Dario and Dixon before the Ovals. Plus we know we can count on Briscoe and Helio also taking points from Will. He has to win Brasil!
I'm going with a sleeper win by Oriol Servia beating my favorite driver Helio Castroneves with Will Power rounding the podium…Briscoe 4th, Dario 5th, TK 6th, Bourdais 7th, Hinchcliffe 8th, Simona 9th, Dixon 10th…
I'm going to stick my neck out and say……. Rahal for the win. (based on nothing at all)


text:
THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Eat and kill: Are you ready for sales?
It's clear to me that emotional intelligence is the most important skill for success in adult life. And the consummate career application of emotional intelligence is the sales department. I connect easily on ideas, and can close a sale because the idea exchange is so rewarding.
There's another kind of salesperson, though. The kind that can hit numbers, close tough deals with demanding customers, and compete effectively against the most cutthroat of their peers.
I am fascinated by this type of person. When I was flying two or three times a week, I sat beside a lot of sales guys. And it is mostly guys. First Class is always full of men when you travel between smaller cities, and the odds of sitting next to someone in sales on any late-in-the-day, weeknight flight, is very high.
I talked with sales guys a lot, and mostly I learned that I don't think like they do. So it should come as no surprise that my company just had to hire one of these sales guys: Justin Rheinhardt. That's his name. I loved hiring him because I knew my days of having to be a cutthroat closer were over. Justin is that. But also I loved hiring him because I learned so much from him in just two weeks.
For example, Justin was in recruiting, which makes sense because we are selling services that help recruiters. So I asked him why he wants to do sales instead of recruiting.
And he told me that if you're a sales guy, you can't be a recruiter, because good recruiters really care about placing the candidate where they fit. Good recruiters build relationships to help people over a long period of time— helping that person build their career on a path that works for them.
Justin just wants to sell, so he was closing instead of counseling. For Justin, the rush of the close is what drives him. Which I totally believe, because I don't really have that. I have the rush of a good idea.
I talked to Richard Goldman, COO of Birkman International, a company that helps businesses make intelligent hires by using the Birkman Method for personality assessments. Goldman says, "If you're a great team player, you probably don't belong in sales. Salespeople are in it for themselves. They eat what they kill."
I asked Goldman if he thought I could develop these skills, and he says that our underlying needs are set by age five or six, and our usual behaviors are set by age 22.
So it's pretty clear to me that I'm not a salesperson, and I'm not an eat-what-I-kill sales person, plus I'm not going to become one either. I'm more of a convince-someone-else-to-go-out-and-do-the-killing person.
Also, Justin has a rule that you make your calls list at the end of the day, so that you can start calling right away in the morning. That calling part seems really hard to me. You have to be really driven to kill to be able to sit down and make calls every day.
But I know that if you want to be an idea person, you should sit down and write an idea first thing in the morning. And now, come to think of it, maybe you can tell who you are by what you require yourself to do first, every day.
Penelope Trunk has started several companies and worked for many more.


text:
UPDATE: More Videos by clicking here.
If you're on Twitter, you know what's up! Matt Kemp tweeted a upcoming Celebrity Basketball Game. I had to check this out since Kemp is always bragging that he could be in the NBA if he had continued playing Basketball instead of Baseball.
Everything happened last night. It was held in Westchester High School in Los Angeles. This event was done by the Watson Brothers. Marcus and Brandon do this every year to help out the community with a toy drive. Brandon is currently in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. Their mission is to raise money to give out Toys to the community. The entry fee was $ 10 or a new toy.
The Gym was packed. I'm sure the event was a success. They brought a bunch of actors that to be honest I have no idea who they are. Maybe it was the B list. Besides the no name actors, a couple of Athletes were in the house. As mentioned, Kemp was there. Coco Crisp, who just signed with the Oakland A's was present. But the biggest star was Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma Thunder. He of course did not play. I'm sure his team wouldn't allow him to play a pick up game.
On to the game...
I took my Brother in law. Erik is fifteen years old so he was excited by all this. Before the actual game, the celebrities were warming up. This included Kemp, who shot easy lay-ups, Slam Dunks and three pointers. No joke, he can play.
Check out this video:
Slam Dunk! I shot a couple more videos. I'll post them later on.
Kemp sat in the side lines after his warm up and I told Erik to go up to him so he can meet him. He was nervous, it was funny. I told him to relax, that Kemp is a good guy. After he met him, he told me "Oh yeah, you were right, Matt Kemp is a cool guy!" Funny.
Erik & Matt
I told Kemp I shot his Slam Dunk and it was going to YouTube and he said "Tell everyone 'bout my skilllzzz!"
Just did.
The actual game was fun. Matt's team lost 90-89. High scoring game with no defense and that includes Kemp! No one really played much defense. But who can blame them? No one wants to see these guys hurt, especially the Dodgers front office.
I know a couple of Twitter buddies that went. I'll ask them if they want to post their pictures here. Peace!
Monday, December 21, 2009
Matt Kemp Slam Dunks A Great Event
4 comments:
- Chris said...
Awesome post and pics, thanks Roberto!
- December 21, 2009 at 1:24 PM
- Roberto Baly said...
Thanks Chris! :)
- December 21, 2009 at 1:27 PM
- Michelle said...
VERY cool! :)
- December 22, 2009 at 4:55 AM
- Roberto Baly said...
Thanks Michelle! :)
- December 22, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Legend of Bigfoot
For hundreds of years, the legend of Bigfoot has been a subject of intrigue, with many sightings reported in remote areas worldwide. The tall half-man/half-ape is known as Bigfoot in the United States, Sasquatch (hairy giant) in Canada, and Yeti or Abominable Snowman in the Himalayas. Covered in long fur, Bigfoot received his name from reported discoveries of huge, human-like footprints up to 18-inches long.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
(based on 1 reviews)
January 04, 2015
"Bought for aunt. She got a kick out of it. Shipped fast and was packaged really well."


text:
Late this fall, some of my students found a cocoon on our playground. After some research, we discovered that some species "overwinter", which means they are in the cocoon state for an extended period of time. We are waiting and watching to see if anything will come out.
About 2 weeks ago, the friends found another cocoon, so we added that to our butterfly pavilion as well. As I was trying to take a picture, I took the cocoon out to get a better shot. It was rocking a little on the paper I used as a background. I figured it was probably due to the uneven stem, but as I held it in my hand, I could feel lots of movement in the cocoon. I have to say it really freaked me out for just a minute!
We have really enjoyed observing our cocoons. This has been a great experience and we have really increased our vocabulary. One of our favorite activities is to clap syllables of the words we say. Usually, most of our words only warrant one or two claps, but we had lots of fun clapping the syllables of words like: met-a-morph-o-sis, co-coon, chrys-a-lis, an-ten-nae, ab-do-men, and thor-ax! Check out the post Going Bug-gy! for some of the other fun things we did while learning about bugs.
When we studied the life cycles last week, I learned about a hot little debate going on ~ cocoon, chrysalis or pupa? We read several books about metamorphosis and noticed that there were three ways the pupa stage is referred to. It got a little confusing, so I decided I needed to do some research.
We learned that in the pupa stage, the butterfly caterpillar spins a hard outer covering called a chrysalis. Moth caterpillars form a softer cloth-like covering called a cocoon. The chrysalis and the cocoon are both coverings for a pupa. This was a little confusing, but since we realized we had a cocoon, we didn't really worry about the semantics.
Okay, so why does Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar refer to a cocoon? He explains:
Here's the scientific explanation: In most cases a butterfly~ The Caterpillar Express~An Occasional Newsletter from Eric Carle, vol. 1
does come from a chrysalis, but not all. There's a rare
genus called Parnassian, that pupates in a cocoon.
These butterflies live in the Pacific Northwest, in Siberia,
and as far away as North Korea and the northern islands
of Japan.
And here's my unscientific explanation: My caterpillar is
very unusual. As you know caterpillars don't eat lollipops
and ice cream, so you won't find my caterpillar in any
field guides. But also, when I was a small boy, my father
would say, "Eric, come out of your cocoon." He meant I
should open up and be receptive to the world around
me. For me, it would not sound right to say, "Come out
of your chrysalis." And so poetry won over science!
I came to school this morning and as I began to settle into my early morning routine, something caught my eye. There was movement in the butterfly pavilion. I walked over and this is what I saw:
This was a magnificent creature. He was bigger than my hand! He had large fuzzy antennae and beautiful spots on his wings. His body was very large and hairy, almost like a giant brown bumblebee. We set him free this afternoon. This evening, I've had the chance to do a little research. I believe this was a Polyphemus Moth. I guess I didn't realize that moths could really be beautiful and not just those annoying little brown things that cluster around the porch light. (I mean, I read Silence of the Lambs, but until I saw this thing, I just didn't get it.) Some moths are just as breathtaking as the most brilliant butterfly! Here is a clear picture of another Polyphemus Moth I found on the internet, so you can see the colors a little better:
What started as a teachable moment from finding a cocoon on the playground has been an amazing learning experience for both the kids and myself. I hope I have the opportunity next year for such an experience. For that to happen, I'll need to replace our sad, dilapidated butterfly habitat~ our butterfly pavilion has had it. I inherited it with my classroom, and it has clearly seen better days. It is held together with clear packing tape, a wish and a prayer. I really need to get a new one. I'll probably go with the smaller version of the one I have now.
.....But, I have found the MOTHER of all Butterfly habitats! How awesome is this? A butterfly tent that the kids can crawl into and interact with the butterflies! I think they are made by Insect Lore, but they didn't have a picture or purchase info. KidEnergy.com seems to have them at a pretty good price. How cool would it be to sit in the tent with butterflies all around? hmmm.....
I know, it's a little extravagant, but my old one really has had it. : )


text:
A couple of views of the isle of Stirk, our recent release:
The harbor of Stirk is a welcome respite for passing trade ships.
The local Temple of Kynareth is dedicated to the waves and the ocean wind.
The Census and Excise Office doesn't get a lot of work.
A view of the island from the reefs of Vabriasel, to the east.
The lonely lighthouse of Stirk.
A view of the harbor from the lighthouse island.
A communal kitchen in one of the many tenement buildings of the town.
A rainy day near the east gate.
A view of the great arch, with the wide Abecean Sea behind it.
An old mural of Empress Alessia, flanked by Akatosh and Morihaus.
This lonely dunmer is a long way from home.
The common room of the Safe Harbor Inn.
An artful still-life in one of the town's upper-class manors.
The Isle of Stirk
Screenshots of recent work on Province Cyrodiil
Post Reply
3 posts • Page 1 of 1
Beautiful screenshots. I will need to find a mod that allows me to steal and place that painting somewhere else. The one from the last image.
A Thieves' Guild quest where you hijack a painting would be quite cool in my opinion!
<roerich> woah it's hot in here
<Lord Berandas> it must be Summer.
<Infragris> #hell is meant as a spam and off topic channel. Doing a great job already
<Lord Berandas> it must be Summer.
<Infragris> #hell is meant as a spam and off topic channel. Doing a great job already
Post Reply
3 posts • Page 1 of 1


text:
A question that often arises is "How useful is a free text search in PubMed?" Free text searching is fine for some searching purposes but does not take full advantage of PubMed's features. I experimented by comparing a free text search with a search using Boolean operators for the topic "heparin induced thrombocytopenia". The results?
Free text:
You can find out exactly how the search was done by clicking the details tab which, in the case of our searches, reveals the exact same strategy for both:
(No other popular medical search engine that I know of allows you to do this, by the way).
These strategies, however, yield 2908 hits. This illustrates the disadvantage of free text searching which is that it usually produces an unmanageable number of citations. A more restrictive search strategy is often needed. One method is to restrict search terms to the title field. Without the title restriction PubMed searches throughout the entire citation including the abstract. The results will include many articles in which heparin induced thrombocytopenia is incidental to the main topic---articles you probably don't want. By applying the title restriction you confine your results to articles that have all three words in the title. Type [ti] after each search term:


text:
Product Description:
Shawn Watson asked for the support and flex characteristics of the Transit with a softer inner boot and lighter overall construction. We answered with the heat moldable Liquid Liner
a multi dimensional, tri-density liner that was designed to wrap up and around the foot, ankle, and lower leg and give unimaginable support. L shaped heel kidneys create a heel pocket with extraordinary hold down. This unique liner has solid support and hold that Watson craves yet is unbelievably easy to get in and out of. The tongue opens wide enough to slide your foot in with ease while the elastic flap insures quick closure. Watsons outer boot is the stiffest in the line working with the Pro-plate to bring you the lightest and most responsive system available. The amazing support, performance and comfort are definitely good enough to have Shawn Watsons name on it.