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Take the 2-minute tour × The ingredients of mirepoix are consistently described as onion, carrot and celery in a 2:1:1 ratio, but there isn't much consistency advice on how to cook it. Most recipes I've found say to sauté it, while most articles I've found on mirepoix itself recommend sweating it. What determines whether you sweat or sauté mirepoix? share|improve this question add comment 1 Answer up vote 7 down vote accepted There are no real doneness rules on mirepoix per se (even raw is used in some dishes). However, the recipe designer may say sweat versus sauté to give an indication of colour and flavour depth to match the 'headliner' of the dish (usually the meat). Although not a rule, you may generally see sweat used more for lighter meats like fish and fowl and sauté for darker and gamier meat like beef and lamb. That way a darker and more browned mirepoix will not overwhelm say a delicate fish (both in colour and taste). share|improve this answer I agree, I think in terms of mirepoix (and other similar veg), the terms are used more to indicate levels of browning. I never really liked that though -- since you can brown veg quickly or slowly to get different results. –  jalbee Jul 9 '13 at 22:29 add comment Your Answer

http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/35141/when-should-you-sweat-mirepoix-and-when-should-you-saute-it

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# where to find the distributions # this doesn't have to be an actual backpan. backpan_dir /MINICPAN/authors/id/B/BD/BDFOY # where to store the distribution reports report_dir /Users/brian/Desktop/bdfoy-catalog # where to unpack the dists or create any temporary files temp_dir /Users/brian/Desktop/bdfoy-catalog # the maximum amont of time allowed to index a distribution, in seconds alarm 15 # If set to a true value, copy bad distributions to the named directory copy_bad_dists /Users/brian/Desktop/bdfoy-catalog/bad-dists # Try to index a distribution even if it was previously tried and # had an error retry_errors 1 # give yourself a name indexer_id brian d foy # give the indexing system a name, just to identify the machine system_id macbookpro # the Perl class to use as the Indexing class. It has to at least # provide a run method indexer_class MyCPAN::Indexer queue_class MyCPAN::Indexer::Queue # the Perl class to use to hand out indexing jobs. dispatcher_class MyCPAN::Indexer::Dispatcher::Parallel interface_class MyCPAN::Indexer::Interface::Text worker_class MyCPAN::Indexer::Worker reporter_class MyCPAN::Indexer::Reporter::AsYAML # The number of parallel jobs to run parallel_jobs 4

http://cpansearch.perl.org/src/BDFOY/MyCPAN-Indexer-1.28_10/examples/backpan_indexer.config.bdfoy

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Anmelden German suche ein beliebiges Wort, wie hipster: chib'bun -(adj.)of a relatively little size but showing fierce and malicious violence; seemingly cute and little but really ferocious -(noun) Something small and vicious. From: Esenasab words for little and viciously aggressive- chibbun chibbunly chibbunnest chibbunicious chibbunly chibbunner - - - - - - - - - - - - Angry at the kid's teasing squirrel, it became chibbun. BITE marks from your little brother?? Damn! I didn't realize a six year old could be such a chibbun. Of all the animals, Tasmanian Devils are the most chibbun. von ScarySquirrel 12. Juli 2005 2 1 Words related to chibbun: chibbon funny insult word 1. Chibbun Noun / Adj - Small but fierce 2. An insult word for when no other fits. 1. E.g. The Mongrole child that is 3 foot tall just chewed off that fat mans head. He's a bit chibbun / What a chibbun! 2. "Stop blowing all my inheritence on alcohol, you old old chibbun." "You Gypsy faced chibbun" von Ewut 5. Oktober 2006 21 24

http://de.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=chibbun

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Don't watch this if you're squeamish, OK? OK. Pravit Suebmee is a 27-year-old trainer at a crocodile farm that caters to tourists in Samut Prakan, Thailand. He's got eight years of experience, so he's been putting his head inside the mouths of crocodiles as a gag for quite a while, presumably without incident. He wasn't so lucky on Sunday. There's obviously zero margin for error with a stunt like this. Suebmee's boss says he might have slipped on the wet ground, causing him to startle the animal by brushing its cheek. Though wounded on his face and neck, Suebmee was not seriously injured. [Bangkok Post, via World Star Hip Hop]

http://deadspin.com/man-puts-head-inside-crocodiles-mouth-crocodile-bites-895126595

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A small J2ME client application written using Java Midlet communicates with the web service written on VB.NET successfully and the invocation of web services method call returns a string as a means of successful communication when it runs on the emulator. Same application when it is ported to phone NOKIA 9500 is not working. ( Application is not getting started at all when we run the application on the actual device) The application on startup shows 2 options, and selecting one of the options invokes the Web service. The same has been well tested from the emulator. However when installed on the mobile device, on starting the application, not even the options are displayed. Could you please provide any valuable suggestions to overcome this issue?

http://developer.nokia.com/community/discussion/showthread.php/65590-Implementing-web-services-on-NOKIA-9500-in-symbian-80-platform

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Revision as of 07:01, 24 August 2007 by Forum Nokia KB (Talk | contribs) Archived:FEP causing browser to crash on S60 2nd and 3rd Editions (Known Issue) From Nokia Developer Wiki Jump to: navigation, search 3d-party FEP causing browser to crash There is a bug in S60 browser code that can cause a crash with 3rd-party FEPs.  After installing a 3rd-party FEP, the browser crashes on launch, causing a KERN-EXEC 3 panic. Reported against S60 2nd Edition, FP2 and FP3 S60 3rd Edition Date identified September 21, 2006 Detailed description This bug can be worked around by implementing your own MAknEditingStateIndicator that has empty methods. This  will avert the browser from crashing but may have unexpected behavior with some other components, so extended testing with other editors is advised. To implement this indicator interface you will need a header file which is not part of the SDK until S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 1. The header (akneditstateindicator.h), included in the S60 3rd Edition, FP1 SDK, can be used also with previous S60 platform versions that are affected by this issue. How to reproduce The dummy indicator implementation would be something like this: // FepIndicator.h: #include <akneditstateindicator.h>  // for MAknEditingStateIndicator class CFepIndicator : public CBase, public MAknEditingStateIndicator         enum TIndicatorState             EStateNone = 1,     static CFepIndicator* NewL();     virtual void SetState(TIndicatorState aState);     // From MAknEditingStateIndicator     void SetState(TAknEditingState aState);     CAknIndicatorContainer* IndicatorContainer();        // ... // FepControl.cpp: void CExampleFepControl::ConstructL()     RWindow& window = Window();     window.SetOrdinalPosition(0, ECoeWinPriorityFep);     TPoint fepControlPos(0, 0);     SetExtent(fepControlPos, TSize(0,0));     window.SetExtent(fepControlPos, TSize(0,0));     // Create multi-tap input engine     iMultiTapEngine = CExampleFepMultiTapEngine::NewL(*this);     // Create status pane indicator     iIndicator = CFepIndicator::NewL();  // FepIndicator.cpp: void CFepIndicator::SetState(TAknEditingState */aState*/)     CAknIndicatorContainer* CFepIndicator::IndicatorContainer()     return NULL; 40 page views in the last 30 days.

http://developer.nokia.com/community/wiki/index.php?title=Archived:FEP_causing_browser_to_crash_on_S60_2nd_and_3rd_Editions_(Known_Issue)&oldid=12836

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MySQL Cluster Interconnects and Performance The ndbd process has a number of simple constructs which are used to access the data in a MySQL Cluster. We have created a very simple benchmark to check the performance of each of these and the effects which various interconnects have on their performance. There are four access methods: With benchmarks developed internally by MySQL for testing simple and batched primary and unique key accesses, we have found that using SCI sockets improves performance by approximately 100% over TCP/IP, except in rare instances when communication performance is not an issue. This can occur when scan filters make up most of processing time or when very large batches of primary key accesses are achieved. In that case, the CPU processing in the ndbd processes becomes a fairly large part of the overhead. Using the SCI transporter instead of SCI Sockets is only of interest in communicating between ndbd processes. Using the SCI transporter is also only of interest if a CPU can be dedicated to the ndbd process because the SCI transporter ensures that this process will never go to sleep. It is also important to ensure that the ndbd process priority is set in such a way that the process does not lose priority due to running for an extended period of time, as can be done by locking processes to CPUs in Linux 2.6. If such a configuration is possible, the ndbd process will benefit by 10–70% as compared with using SCI sockets. (The larger figures will be seen when performing updates and probably on parallel scan operations as well.) There are several other optimized socket implementations for computer clusters, including Myrinet, Gigabit Ethernet, Infiniband and the VIA interface. However, we have tested MySQL Cluster so far only with SCI sockets. See Section, “Configuring MySQL Cluster to use SCI Sockets”, for information on how to set up SCI sockets using ordinary TCP/IP for MySQL Cluster.

http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E17952_01/refman-5.5-en/mysql-cluster-interconnects-performance.html

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Developing Sun Master Indexes (Repository) Enterprise Records An enterprise record includes all components of a record that represents one entity. The master index application stores two different types of records in each enterprise record: system records and a single best record (SBR). A system record contains an enterprise record’s information as it appears in an incoming message from an external system. An enterprise record’s SBR stores data from a combination of external systems and it represents the most reliable and current information contained in all system records for an enterprise record. An enterprise record consists of both system records and the SBR. System Records The structure of a system record is different from the SBR in that each system record contains a system and local ID pair. The remaining information contained in the system records of an enterprise record is used to determine the best data for the SBR in that enterprise record. If an enterprise record only contains one system record, the SBR is identical to that system record (less the system and local ID information). However, if the enterprise record contains multiple system records, the SBR might be identical to one system record but will more likely include a combination of information from all system records. The Single Best Record The SBR for an object is created from the most reliable information contained in each system record representing that object. The information used from each external system to populate the SBR is determined by the survivor calculator, which is configured in the Best Record file. This data is determined to be the most reliable information from all system records in the enterprise record. The survivor calculator can consider factors such as the relative reliability of an external system, how recent the data is, and whether the SBR contains any “locked” field values. You define the rules that select a field value to be persisted in the SBR. Objects in an Enterprise Record In a master index application, each system record and SBR in an enterprise record typically contains a set of objects that store different types of information about the business object. A record usually contains a parent object and several child objects. A record can have only one parent object, but can have multiple child objects and multiple instances of each type of child object. For example, if the business object being indexed is a person, the record can only contain one primary name and social security number, which would be contained in the parent object (for example, a person object). However, the record could have multiple addresses, telephone numbers, and aliases, which would each be defined in different child objects (for example, in address, phone, and alias objects). Each address would be stored in a different instance of an address object.

http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19509-01/820-3375/dsgn_eview-records_c/index.html

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Return to Transcripts main page Resolving Fiscal Crisis; Al Jazeera Makes Major Move on U.S.; Behind-the-Scenes at the White House; Asteroid to Make close Call with Earth Aired January 3, 2013 - 17:00   ET WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And you're in the SITUATION ROOM. Happening now, more diversity and more partisanship. The new Congress has sworn in. Newcomers are ready to do battle, but can they avoid the gridlock of the last Congress? I'll talk to one of the architects of a bipartisan fiscal reform plan, exclusive conversation with Erskine Bowles. That's coming up. The Arab news network, Al Jazeera, buys a struggling cable channel founded by Al Gore, the former vice president. Is the Middle East government trying to buy American public opinion? And we'll take you inside the White House with some just released official photographs of the Obama presidency. We have glimpses of history you haven't seen before. BLITZER: We begin this hour with 113th Congress that was sworn in today right here in Washington. You'd think it wouldn't take much to outdo the record of the approval rating of the previous Congress, but the 113th will be more diverse, and perhaps, even more partisan than before. And with some incredibly tough and contentious issues to solve, the battle lines are already being drawn. CNN national political correspondent, Jim Acosta, is walking into the SITUATION ROOM. He's got a closer look. You've been studying it this new Senate and House. What do you see? JIM ACOSTA, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: It was a busy day, Wolf. Some things did not change. John Boehner is still the speaker of the House, but there are plenty of new faces on Capitol Hill and some of them have come ready for a fight. ACOSTA (voice-over): The newly sworn in 113th Congress is so diverse it's redefining the term ladies of the House. There are more women than ever before, roughly 100. Add that to the approximately 43 African-Americans, 31 Latinos, 12 Asians, and seven gay and bisexual members of the House and Senate and even the politicians, themselves, have taken notice. REP. TAMMY DUCKWORTH, (D) ILLINOIS: It means that we reflect America more. You know, the district where I come from is a very diverse district, and it's good to see Congress starting to look more like the rest of America. ACOSTA: But some things will stay the same on Capitol Hill. John Boehner survived some GOP defections to remain House speaker, not surprisingly, the eyes of the famously emotional Ohio Republican welled up with tears. REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R) HOUSE SPEAKER: The American dream is in peril so long as its namesake is weighed down by this anchor of debt. Break its hold and we begin to set our economy free. ACOSTA: That will be no easy task, not with so many moderates now gone from the Senate. ACOSTA: In some of their places, more partisans, like Democrat, Elizabeth Warren. Do you think both sides can work together up here? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope so. I really hope so. ACOSTA: The banking industry critic will now seat on the Senate Banking Committee as a hero to liberals. DAVID AXELROD, FORMER OBAMA CAMPAIGN STRATEGIST: There are people who sat in that Senate who will do anything to stop her and to stop the kinds of consumer protections that she was fighting for, and now, she's a colleague and -- ACOSTA: Now, they have to deal with her. AXELROD: Now, they're going to have to yield the floor. ACOSTA: On the other side of the aisle, Tea Party backed Texas Republican, Ted Cruz, signaled to CNN he will be fighting for conservatism, not compromise. Were you disappointed on how the fiscal cliff went down? SEN. TED CRUZ, (R) TEXAS: I was. I think it was a lousy deal. I think it raised taxes by $620 billion, which is going to hurt the economy and kill jobs. ACOSTA: His party is already feeling feisty on the next battle to come, whether to raise the nation's debt ceiling. SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, (R) MINORITY LEADER: We cannot agree to increase that borrowing limit without agreeing to reforms that lower the avalanche of spending that's creating this debt in the first place. ACOSTA (on-camera): The last Congress was not just unpopular, it was unproductive, passing the fewest number of laws in at least 40 years. That's why a lot of Americans are hoping the 113th is the do- something Congress -- Wolf. BLITZER: You know, some conservatives, though, say that's good. The less Congress does, the better off the American people are. ACOSTA: That's right. But this Congress that just departed, the 112th, could not have been more unpopular. The 113th does not have a tough act to follow. BLITZER: Yes. We'll see what happens. Thanks very much. Jim Acosta is going to be a busy guy. With a new Congress in place and a new cabinet may soon be following, President Obama's though, still on vacation in Hawaii. Is he clearly, though, mulling over some choices to fill some very important second term vacancies? Let's go to Honolulu right now. Our White House correspondent, Dan Lothian, is standing by. What are you hearing about some of those opened positions, Dan? DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, Wolf, administration sources telling me that there are no plans for the president to make any cabinet announcements while here on vacation, but that it's possible, though, not definite that that will happen when he returns to Washington next week. These are key positions that need to be filled and some of the nominations could face stiff opposition. LOTHIAN (voice-over): CNN has learned Chuck Hagel, top contender for the Defense Department post whose prospects had appeared to be dimming amid criticism from pro-Israel groups and gay organizations over past comments, is still in the game. Close friend, former senator Max Cleland tells CNN, quote, "I understand his nomination is back on the table and I believe very strongly he should be defense secretary." A strong endorsement that the president is not yet ready to make, but recently on NBC's "Meet the Press" did not count him out. BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My number one criteria will be who's going to do the best job in helping to secure America. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anything of disqualifying him? OBAMA: Not that I see. LOTHIAN: But Hagel supporters are concerned about the process of names being floated, exposed to harsh scrutiny before they are formally named. ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Anyone with any record of involvement in controversial issues will always mobilize against the would-be appointee a whole phalanx (ph) of accusations and sometimes distortions. LOTHIAN: If not Hagel, Michele Flournoy, under secretary of defense for policy, remains in the mix. At the treasury department where Sec. Timothy Geithner plans to leave sometime around inauguration, one name floated American Express CEO, Kenneth Chenault, has no plans to leave that company, a spokesman confirmed to CNN. White House chief of staff, Jack Lew, is considered to be another choice for the job. And at the CIA, counterterrorism and homeland security adviser, John Brennan, and acting CIA director, Michael Morell, remain on the short list according to a source. History shows most presidents get the nominees they want, but in this political environment, there's no guarantee. REID WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF, NATIONAL JOURNAL HOTLINES: It used to just be Supreme Court justices who inspire these sort of partisan free for alls. Now, it's bleeding down into a president's cabinet picks as well. LOTHIAN (on-camera): Now, the president has already made one choice for secretary of state, Senator John Kerry, for that position. He's expected to have a smooth confirmation. Now, I did talk to a senior administration official, asked him if the president had already settled on names for all of those positions but just not made them public. This official telling me, quote, "no decision is final" -- Wolf. BLITZER: Dan Lothian in Hawaii for us. Dan, thanks very much. Let's dig a little bit deeper right now. The politics behind filling the president's cabinet. Our sister publication "Time" magazine takes a closer look at that in this week's brand-new issue. "Time" senior correspondent, Michael Crowley, is joining us here in the SITUATION ROOM. Michael, thanks for coming in. BLITZER: It's never really completely easy getting confirmation. You nominate someone, getting them confirmed, but it looks like it's going to be a little bit tougher for this second term President Obama in certain key positions. CROWLEY: Yes, it is. And I think you have to look no further than the recent example of what happened to Susan Rice who was Obama's putative choice to be secretary of state before he nominated John Kerry. Her nomination never was submitted. She never made to the Senate. She was shot down before Obama was able to officially tap her. It's a combination of the extreme partisan climate we're in. People are angry to each other over other issues. We've just come out of a heated presidential election. We have these fights over the budget. And on the other hand, the Republicans in the Senate are exercising their ability to filibuster and block up nominations to unprecedented degrees, according to a lot of experts who have followed Washington and the Congress for decades. BLITZER: Your colleague, Michael Greenwald (ph), has a strong piece in the new issue of "Time" in which he says, among other things, "Obama's second term is shaping up to be full of non-stop, overt partisan warfare. Congressional scholars say the modern GOP has taken the confirmation process to new extremes." Go ahead and elaborate." CROWLEY: Well, you know, Wolf, to some degree, these are powers that have always been there but the norms in Washington are changing. People are more aggressive about exercising powers they have. You know, there's just a little bit less of politeness, there's a little bit less of -- this is the decorum. This is how we've always done it. People are saying, where is our leverage? How can we use it? How can we maximize it? And people are finding new ways to do it. They're being more aggressive. And again, it's just a very tense partisan atmosphere right now. We just came out of this election. There's a lot of bitterness over that. They're fighting over the budget. And also, I think that there's evidence that shows that Republicans in Congress are more conservative than they were, thanks to a lot of backers, including the way primaries are working out on the Republican side. More conservatives who really have a stomach for a fight. They're not interested in compromising, but they're not interesting in Washington traditions like deferring to the president to let him choose his team of advisers, which is kind of a long- standing Washington point of etiquette which has kind of gone out the window now. BLITZER: What area where there could be some bipartisan cooperation is a sensitive issue that wasn't tackled during the first term, comprehensive immigration reform. The president clearly wants to do something this year. There are some Republicans, Marco Rubio, for example, he looks to be ready to cooperate, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. You think that they're going to get something done? I remember the Bush administration, President Bush, trying to work with Senator Kennedy, Senator McCain, couldn't do it then. CROWLEY: I'm a skeptic, Wolf. I may be too cynical. And my prediction is not worth much more than anyone else's, but I would just say that the reason I'm skeptical is the passion about immigration within the republican base that I've seen personally and you probably have as well, but, you know, in my travels on the campaign trail, particularly, the Republican primaries, it was no issue that infuriated Republican primary voters like the immigration. The rhetoric they used. I was at a town hall forum where I heard a guy talking about threatened to shoot people coming across the boarder. There is so much anger. Now, I haven't heard conservatives say that do you think the party is waking up, that some of the key Republican media outlets might be changing their tone, making a little bit easier coming some of the anger and making it easier for Republicans to make (ph) a deal, but I remain skeptical. BLITZER: Don't you think the Republicans, though, want to reach out to Hispanic community and demonstrate that they are not simply walking away completely from them? CROWLEY: That's right. And so, that's the bind they face, but I just think that the base is not there yet. The Republicans who vote in primaries, who will be voting in the midterm primaries as we go into the midterm Congressional elections and who will shape the next presidential primary, they're not there yet. In my personal and anecdotal experience, I think according to a lot of the polling. And so, the party has got to find a way to bring them around and I just haven't seen that yet. BLITZER: Michael Crowley of "Time" magazine, thanks for coming in. CROWLEY: Thank you, Wolf. BLITZER: A key architect to fiscal reform says Congress and the White House fell well short of what they had to do. ERSKINE BOWLES, CO-FOUNDER, FIX THE DEBT: We had a chance for our generation to do something big, to put our fiscal House in order, and we absolutely blew it. BLITZER: My exclusive interview with Erskine Bowles, the former co-chairman of the Simpson-Bowles commission on the dangerous cliffs, yes, cliffs that lie ahead. And up next, sudden death from a sky. A top Taliban commander killed in a U.S. drone strike. Why the Pakistanis right now are furious? BLITZER: For a top Taliban commander linked to attacks on U.S. troops, death came from the sky suddenly without warning. The drone strike which killed several militants in Pakistan's rugged tribal area is causing some new controversy. Our foreign affairs correspondent, Jill Dougherty, has got the details for us. Jill, what's going on? JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, U.S. official now is confirming the death of that key warlord. He does not saying how he died, but he does say that Mullah Nazir (ph) and his men were directly responsible for planning and carrying out cross border attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan as well as providing protection for al Qaeda forces in Pakistan. DOUGHERTY (voice-over): Pakistani intelligence officials tell CNN what they believe was a U.S. drone has killed a key Pakistani- Taliban commander in South Waziristan. Mullah Nazir, also known as Maulvi Nazir Wazir, Pakistani warlord who sent his men to Afghanistan to fight U.S. and NATO troops. The Pentagon is not confirming Mullah Nazir's death, but senior officials are calling reports that he died a major development. Nazir, they say, had a lot of blood on his hands. Pentagon spokesman, George Little, saying, any time a bad guy has a bad day, it's a good day for us. But in Pakistan, fury over Nazir's killing. A man who played both sides against the middle. PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Mullah Nazir was one of the top commanders of the Taliban. He had done a peace deal with the Pakistani government. So, unlike some of the Pakistani- Taliban, he wasn't regarded as an enemy of the Pakistani state, but he was certainly sending Taliban soldiers into Afghanistan to attack U.S. and NATO targets. DOUGHERTY: At the state department, questions about the drone strikes brought the usual terse (ph) response. VITORIA NULAND, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN: Again, I'm not going to talk about intelligence issues at all from this podium. DOUGHERTY: But the state department has had to deal with the fallout from previous strikes that have angered Pakistan. Nevertheless, relations between the two countries recently have been on the mend. The killing of the militants came even as Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S. Sherry Rehamn discussed new economic initiatives between the two countries with a top state department official. DOUGHERTY (on-camera): And a U.S. official says while it's still too soon to tell, the death of Nazir along with some of his deputies could push his network into disarray, and as a result, degrade al Qaeda's access to South Waziristan -- Wolf. BLITZER: We'll watch the fallout together with you, Jill. Thank you. Meanwhile, some stunning travel plans in the works. Sources telling me that the Google chairman, Eric Schmidt, will be traveling to North Korea on what's being described as a private humanitarian visit. But could Google be trying to expand its online empire into -- inside that tightly controlled communist nation? Now, the state department isn't to please. The spokeswoman, Victoria Nuland, had this exchange with a reporter. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why don't you think the timing is particularly helpful? NULAND: Well, in light of recent actions by the DRPK -- UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By that, you mean the missile? NULAND: Correct. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And, did you express your view to them, I mean, that the timing was not right? NULAND: They are well aware of our views. BLITZER: The Google chairman, Eric Schmidt, will travel with the former New Mexico governor, the former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Bill Richardson, who's made a number of humanitarian trips to North Korea. Sources also tell me they believe Richardson will try to get the release of an American prisoner captured last month in North Korea. Those are some pictures we showed you. I traveled with Governor Richardson to north Korea two years ago back in December 2010. One of the major battles here in Washington will be over the debt ceiling. I'll talk about that and more with Erskine Bowles. He worked at a plan to try to fix this crisis. He's firm on where Democrats and Republicans should not be looking for a fight. BOWLES: We shouldn't negotiate on the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. That is crazy. BLITZER: A deadly car bombing in Iraq once again stirring fresh fears of violence between various religious groups. Kate Bolduan is monitoring that and some of the other top stories in the SITUATION ROOM right now. So, what's the latest? KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. At least 15 people were killed and dozens more injured when the bomb went off at a bus station filled with religious pilgrims. It happened less than 50 miles south of Baghdad. The bombing comes after protests by tens of thousands of Sunni Muslim against the Shiite-led government. No group, though, has claimed responsibility for this attack. A very different story. Actor, Gerard Depardieu, joked a few weeks ago that Russian president, Vladimir Putin, had sent him a passport, but now, it might actually happen. Depardieu plead his native friends in a high profile protest of government plans to raise taxes on wealth citizen. He says he already paid 85 percent of his income in taxes last year. Now, Mr. Putin is offering the actor's citizenship if he wants it along with a 13 percent flat income tax rate that comes with it. Sure will be more about that. And by the time the bill to avert the fiscal cliff was delivered to the White House, President Obama was some 5,000 miles away in Hawaii, enter the auto pen. The president reviewed a digital copy of the bill and then aides used the auto pen to put his signature on it, you see working right there, rather than have the commissioning special flight to send a hard copy of it to Hawaii. Inauguration day for President Obama is less than three weeks away and if you want something special to celebrate with the 57th presidential inauguration store is opened just for you. Looking at some of the online stores, quote, "essentials." You can find a wide selection of buttons for some $5. Obama tube socks will keep you (INAUDIBLE) on up to a medallion set for a good $7,500. I know you will be getting a -- BLITZER: What about an auto pen? An inaugural auto pen? BOLDUAN: I think those are pretty limited supply. BLITZER: Yes. Limited auto pen. BOLDUAN: I mean, I'm not often in Hawaii, so you don't have to auto-pen me. BLITZER: Auto-pen. OK. Thank you. After the fiscal cliff, a bigger cliff, the debt ceiling fight. BOWLES: For God's sake, I wouldn't wait until the last minute. We've had enough of this brinkmanship, moving from crisis to crisis. BLITZER: I'll speak exclusively with Erskine Bowles, the co- chair of that bipartisan panel which tried to head off this entire crisis. BLITZER: Congress went to the 111th hour and then way beyond before agreeing to a deal that keep the country from going over the fiscal cliff. That tax agreement was signed into law today but more cliffs lie ahead, including the very dangerous problem of raising the U.S. debt ceiling. BLITZER: And Erskine Bowles is joining us right now. He's the co-founder of the organization called Fix the Debt, which is obviously something important, former White House chief of staff under president Bill Clinton, and the co-sponsor of the Simpson-Bowles commission designed to deal with debt relief and deficit reduction. Erskine Bowles, thanks very much for joining us. BOWLES: Thank you, Wolf. I'm glad to be with you. BLITZER: All right. A lot of important issues on the table, but first of all, had you been a member of the House or the senate, how would you have voted for that fiscal relief legislation? BOWLES: Look, I would have voted for it. You know, I think going over the cliff would have been an economic disaster for the country. It was too much, too quick, too abruptly, and if you look at cuts that were, you know, in the sequester, they're all in the discretionary items. None of them deal with the things you really need to slow the rate of growth and that's the entitlement programs. And it did generate a little bit of revenue for the country, about $600 billion worth. So, I would have voted for it. It was a step in the right direction but for sure, Wolf, it was a missed opportunity. I've called this the magic moment, you know, where we had a chance for our generation to do something big, to put our fiscal House in order, and we absolutely blew it. BLITZER: In the next few weeks, as you well know, there will be at least three crises points coming up raising the nation's debt ceiling dealing with what's called that sequestration, those automatic spending cuts and domestic spending and national security spending. Also, continuing resolution to keep the government operating. How would you deal with those crisis points in order to deal with what you want, which is the big picture and really getting to the bottom of this whole issue? BOWLES: For God's sake, I wouldn't wait until the last minute. We've had enough of this brinksmanship, this moving from crisis to crisis. That is a foolish way for any organization, small or large, much less the U.S. government, the largest economy in the world, to run its organization. Here's what we've got to do. We have got to do -- we make the tough decisions. And you know, we're only about halfway there of the things we have to do. We've got to make sure that we, you know, reform our tax code. We've got to broaden the base, simplify the code, get rid of some of this backdoor spending in the tax code. We've got to slow the rate of growth of the entitlement programs, particularly, health care. If we don't slow the rate of growth of health care, it will absolutely bankrupt the country. And finally, we've got to make Social Security sustainably solvent. These are the big items we have to deal with if we're going to stabilize the debt and get it on a downward path this person (ph) to GDP. These guys have got to negotiate. They've got to start working together. They've got to put some of his ultra partisan politics aside and deal with these really big issues. BLITZER: But you know Washington right now, it's very dysfunctional, despite the last-minute deal on the fiscal cliff, and there was some bipartisanship at the very, very end, but it looks like they only want to deal with what we call small ball. They're not ready to deal with that big picture unless you see something there that I'm not seeing. BOWLES: Look, I can tell you, what I see are the things that you said. You know, there is great uncertainty out here in the country. The markets are going to react at some point in time and we've got severely to the lack of knowledge of what's going to go on, the uncertainty. You know, and we do have the debt ceiling coming up. We do have the budget coming up. You know, we do have this sequester coming up. All of that creates great uncertainty. And what these guys have got to do is start acting like grownups and they've got to start negotiating, just like, I might add, we did in the 1990s when President Clinton actually sat down and negotiated with Newt Gingrich and Trent Lott. Even when there was ultrapartisanship people say that partisanship is so much worse today than it was then. Hell, back then, they were trying to impeach the president. I mean, gosh, we've had partisanship but you've got to put that partisanship aside and work together. BLITZER: Hearing what the president says repeatedly now when it comes to raising that so-called debt ceiling, it's going to have to be raised by the end of February, early March, at the latest. Now I want to play a little clip. Listen to the president. BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If Congress in anyway suggests that they're going to tie negotiations to debt ceiling votes and take us to the brink of default once again as part of a budget negotiation, which, by the way, we have never done in our history until we did this last year, I will not play that game. BLITZER: He says he won't play that game and Republicans are saying they're only going to raise the debt ceiling if there's an equal amount of spending cuts accompanying the raising of the debt ceiling. He says he's not going to play that game. Will he have any choice? BOWLES: Look, that's the kind of brinkmanship I'm talking about. We shouldn't negotiate on the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. That is crazy. Why would we want to put our economy through that? But there are lots of things we can negotiate on. We do have the sequester. We do have the end of a continuing resolution. We have lots of things coming up that will force us to make some of these tough decisions. BLITZER: Here's what Mitch McConnell wrote in an op-ed on Yahoo! News. And I'm going to read it to you because he's going after the president. He's the Republican leader in the Senate. "Predictably the president is already claiming that his tax hike on the rich isn't enough. I have news for him. The moment that he and virtually every elected Democrat in Washington signed off on the terms of the current arrangement, it was the last word on taxes. That debate is over." What he's saying is, it's now all about spending cuts, no more discussion of taxes for all practical purposes. No more increases in taxes. It's all spending cuts. Do you agree with Mitch McConnell on that? BOWLES: I actually don't. I think the primary focus has to be on spending cuts. You know, we have got to slow the rate of growth of health care in particular. We've got to make Social Security sustainably solvent. And we're going to have to do more in the discretionary front. So there's lots of work left to be done on the spending side, and we haven't had enough discussions of that to date. BLITZER: Would you like to be the Treasury secretary? BLITZER: OK. That's a pretty blunt answer. Because your name -- you've seen your name floated out there as a possible successor to Timothy Geithner. BOWLES: And the reason I say that is, look, I'm 67 years old. I've been gone from home for over a dozen years doing various public service things and I've come home, I've got nine grandchildren under 7, and I really want to stay home. So I don't want a full time job either in the public or the private sector. BLITZER: One final question. How disappointed were you that the president rejected the Simpson/Bowles recommendations? BOWLES: Well, look, I was disappointed at the time but I came to understand that what he was doing was -- his goal was to use it as a framework for his discussions that he had with Speaker Boehner back in the -- gosh, almost two years ago now. And his first effort to get a grand bargain. He felt that was the way to be successful. If it'd been right, he would have been proven to be a political genius. Unfortunately, he wasn't. They didn't get a deal done. And so I was very disappointed. BLITZER: Yes, I think that was an historic moment to try to do that grand bargain. I know you and Alan Simpson worked hard on it together with the other members of your commission. It was clearly a missed opportunity, certainly with hindsight, at least that's what I think and I know you agree. BOWLES: And we're going to keep working on it. This is -- you know, our generation, Wolf, yours and mine, we're the ones that created this fiscal mess. I don't care whether you're a Republican or a Democrat. Together we created this mess. And it's our responsibility to clean it up. We can't leave this until the next generation. BLITZER: Erskine Bowles, thanks for all that you have done. Thank Senator Simpson for us as well, and we'll stay in touch -- BOWLES: I sure will. Thank you, sir. Good to talk to you. BLITZER: Al Jazeera making a major move for more viewers right here in the United States. Up next, we have details behind the network's multi-million dollar purchase. And the story behind this rare moment captured by a White House photographer. We're going behind the scenes in the Oval Office. BLITZER: The TV network Al Jazeera has bought a major foothold right here in the United States. It announced it purchase Al Gore's Current TV which is on the Channel Guide of 40 million homes right here in the United States. Gore and co-founder Joel Hyatt put out a statement saying, among other things, "Al Jazeera has the same goals and, like Current, believes that facts and truth lead to a better understanding of the world around us." Let's discuss this with Brian Stelter, the "New York Times" media and TV correspondent, also joining us, Howard Kurtz, of CNN's "RELIABLE SOURCES", who's the Washington bureau chief of "Newsweek" and "The Daily Beast." Brian, you broke this story in the "New York Times." So tell us, why does Al Jazeera want Current TV? BRIAN STELTER, TV AND MEDIA CORRESPONDENT, NEW YORK TIMES: Al Jazeera has been trying and frankly failing for years to get on television here in the United States. It's been so much of uphill battle it's more like a cliff they're trying to climb up. And I think they eventually decided they had to buy their way in by buying Current TV. BLITZER: Tell us about the timing of this deal, because you have an important and interesting nugget in your report. STELTER: You know, for the days leading up to New Year's Eve, Al Gore and his partners were trying to get the deal done by midnight because of course higher tax rates were going to into effect. As it turned out the deal wasn't done until yesterday on January 2nd but they were trying to avoid those higher tax rates. BLITZER: What do you make of this, Howie? You study the media. You've been watching what's going on. Why does Al Jazeera, which is based in Doha, Qatar, really want to have a foothold on the American media market? They already have Al Jazeera in English as well as Al Jazeera in Arabic which is very popular around the Arab world? HOWARD KURTZ, CNN'S RELIABLE SOURCES: First, Wolf, can I note the unusual nature -- all right, the essential weirdness of a former vice president of the United States selling his network to an Arab- based network that is owned by a foreign government? But leaving that aside, as Brian says, Al Jazeera English, which has actually won some praise in recent years for its international reporting, including among others from Hillary Clinton, has -- you know, wants to reach the big and lucrative American market. So it faces an uphill climb at this point for two reasons. One is, can it put the numbers on the board? Can it draw enough ratings that cable systems have been wanting to keep it one. Time-Warner Cable, the -- affiliated with the parent company of this network has already said no. And secondly, can it deal with the image problem when it was battling the Bush administration during the war on terror that was left behind where some people thought the network -- the parent network had an anti-American tone. BLITZER: You quote the author, Brian, of a book entitled "The Al Jazeera Effect." You have this in one of your reports. You say there are still people who will not watch it. We're talking about Al Jazeera. Who will say that it's a terrorist network. How much of a problem will this be for the new owners of Current TV, whatever format they eventually decide to go with? STELTER: You know, a lot of people don't even know this but the only journalist ever detained at Guantanamo Bay was an Al Jazeera cameraman. You know, this sort of disdain goes back along time. And it's deeply rooted. But I do think it is subsiding. Al Jazeera will definitely still have an uphill battle trying to get people to tune in. I hear today that some of the distributors that are going to carry the channel are getting some hate mail from some viewers who still don't want to see it on their cable lineups. But money can change a lot of these kind of problems and Al Jazeera has a lot of money. They can put a lot into marketing and promoting the channel and trying to change the image of it. BLITZER: I know that Al Gore and Joel Hyatt, Howie, they tried to get Current TV, make it a major player. They had Keith Olbermann working there for a while. It hasn't exactly worked out the way they wanted. Why? KURTZ: It's been an extraordinarily low-rated channel, Wolf. Because it didn't have a clear identity. It -- even though it was co- founded by Gore, it didn't do a lot of politics. Then it decided to do more politics, the $10 million deal with Keith Olbermann blew up in a contract dispute. Other hosts, Eliot Spitzer went there. You know, haven't gotten much traction. And so, you know, although it looks like Al Gore will make a substantial amount of money on this sale, from a critical point of view and from point of view kind of influencing the national conversation, Current TV just never got it done. BLITZER: Do you think those shows are going to stay under the Al Jazeera ownership, Brian? You know, the Eliot Spitzer show, the Jennifer Granholm show, the former governor of Michigan, a whole bunch of other shows? STELTER: No, I think Howie picked the best word for it. Extraordinarily low ratings. It's kind of amazing to look at 40,000 viewers watching. There are local stations in Memphis and Houston and Toledo that get higher ratings than that. I don't think the shows will stick around. I think some of the hosts might possibly but it's unlikely. I think for the most part, Al Jazeera is buying this for the real estate, because it's beach front real estate, but not for the house, not for anything around it. BLITZER: Yes, but you know -- KURTZ: A lot will -- BLITZER: Howie, go ahead. Make your point. KURTZ: Just briefly going to say a lot will depend, Wolf, on how much appetite there is in the American market for international news. A lot of these organizations have cut back on that. They think Americans are mainly interested in what's going on here at home. And that of course is Al Jazeera (INAUDIBLE) with correspondents around the world. BLITZER: Al Gore and Joel Hyatt, Brian, they may have had money but it's nothing compared to what the Amir of Qatar has. I've been to Doha, Qatar, I've been to Al Jazeera headquarters. They're getting ready to host the World Cup soccer games in Qatar. They've got a ton of money over there. If they want to start spending a lot of money, they could probably build Current into a major player. STELTER: I think that's right. I think in some ways we're entering a new golden age of international news coverage. Now we don't know if anybody wants to watch that but look at the players, the BBC in Britain, Russia has its news channel, China is making inroads into the U.S. with a news channel. And here comes Qatar. Now the front of the pack because it has more homes than anybody else. They would all like to compete with each other and frankly with CNN and other U.S. cable news channels. But it's really unclear if anybody wants to watch those channels. BLITZER: Well, we'll see what happens. You know what, you have a lot of money, you could buy a lot of personalities, you could do some stuff. And I know for a fact that the Amir, the leadership in Qatar, they want to be players not only in the Persian Gulf, where they are, not only in the Arab world, not -- but internationally including right here in the United States. These are very ambitious folks. We'll see what they have to do. I'm just guessing, Howie, you're going to have much more on this story coming up Sunday on "RELIABLE STORIES," is that right? KURTZ: Your guess is correct, Wolf. Sunday morning, 11:00 Eastern. BLITZER: Yes, 11:00 a.m. Eastern. Brian, Howard, thanks very much. Some glimpses of history you haven't seen before. We're taking you inside the White House with just-released official photographs of the Obama presidency. You're going to want to see these. Stay with us here in THE SITUATION ROOM. BLITZER: Let's go behind the scenes right now over at the White House. Through official photographs of the Obama presidency that have just been released today, some show glimpses of history we haven't seen before. Joining us now is the former White House aide Jen Psaki. Most recently a spokeswoman for the Obama re-election campaign. Jen, thanks very much -- BLITZER: -- for coming. I love these pictures. PSAKI: They're great. BLITZER: That Chuck Kennedy took. This is one in the White House, December 28th, 2012, returning early from Christmas vacation, the president met with his top leadership to discuss the fiscal cliff. PSAKI: Well, the body language tells you everything you need to know about this photo. You can -- you can imagine the president saying something like, on one hand, we could do this, or on the other hand, we could do that. If only there were thought bubbles, we would know where they would prefer to be than in this room. BLITZER: You see the Republican leadership over there on the couch. PSAKI: That's right. BLITZER: The Democratic leadership on the -- PSAKI: On the right, the Democratic. BLITZER: On the other side. The vice president -- PSAKI: And the apples in the middle, always in the Oval Office. PSAKI: the symbol of apples. BLITZER: I love the Oval Office. All right. Take a look at the next picture. We'll put it up, show it to our viewers. The president reacts as John Brennan, his counterterrorism adviser, briefs him on details of the shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The president later said when he went there, that was the worst day of his presidency. PSAKI: Right. He did say that, and it clearly impacted him so terribly. I remember one of the days on the campaign, where he was the most down trodden was the day of the Aurora shooting. What I love about this photo is that the rug he's standing on has famous quotes that he loves. And one of them he uses often, which is the Martin Luther King quote, "The arc of moral justice is long, but it bends towards justice," and that's certainly applicable in this case. BLITZER: And he went up to Newtown. I was there myself. A couple of days later. He delivered a powerful speech. He also met with some kids there. Let's put it up and show it to our viewers. There, he's pretty happy there, it's a great picture that Pete Sousa took. PSAKI: It is. You know, the traveling staff used to say he was a baby whisperer because he was drawn to babies in rope lines and backstage, behind the scenes. And this was clearly such a great moment in an otherwise sorrow-filled day. And I know some of the siblings of one of the young girls who lost her life are in this photo as well. BLITZER: Yes Such a nice picture. Let's go to the next picture, a very different picture, October 2nd, 2012. The president rehearsing debate preparation. You see Ron Klain behind the desk. He was helping the president -- former chief of staff for the vice president. The president sitting there. You were involved in the campaign. BLITZER: John Kerry played Mitt Romney. PSAKI: He did, almost too well, to the point where he got under the president's skin, because he played him so well. BLITZER: Did you ever watch any of those rehearsals? PSAKI: I didn't, I tried to stay out of the fray of that, but this was the day before the infamous first debate, if we can call it that. You have Ron Klain, who won the -- who ran debate prep there. Senator Kerry, clearly, they just ended a mock debate session here, and they're kind of going through what happened, what to work on, some fine points before the debate. BLITZER: Here's November 6th, 2012, happens to be Election Day. The president is waiting for a concession call from the Governor Mitt Romney. PSAKI: So this is a moment -- BLITZER: By the way, take a look and see what channel they're watching over there. PSAKI: Well, clearly, we would like to fix it sometimes for you. BLITZER: They're watching CNN. Because that's very important. Go ahead. PSAKI: So, clearly in this photo, they're fine tuning. We all -- we all thought, including CNN, I think, that the race was going to be called much later, so they had a much shorter timeline to -- BLITZER: This is his speechwriter in the middle there? PSAKI: That's Jon Favreau, his director of speechwriting for many years back in the Senate, David Axelrod, his senior adviser. You see the remnants on Jon Favreau there of the beard that many of the -- campaign staff grew. Now in the neighboring room is all of his friends and family and close campaign aides, celebrating. So they're really trying hard to concentrate and make sure they really capture the moment in the remarks. BLITZER: Here's the next one. You see the president, he's obviously happy on Election Day with his wife. PSAKI: Yes, he is. You know, so happy. There was just elation in that room. There was crying, there was hugging, there was screaming. You see Valerie Jarrett there, I think that might be Craig Robinson, the first lady's brother, in the back. This was really a warm room. People they felt very comfortable with who had been a part of the journey from the beginning. BLITZER: All right. Let's take another picture. Very different picture over here. June 28th, 2012. Look at this, the president is over at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and he's actually praying with a wounded warrior. PSAKI: Yes, these were -- these are moments that the president rarely speaks about. You know, he enjoys going to Walter Reed, he enjoys talking to the soldiers' families. There aren't media allowed in, so this was a White House photo that was released, I'm sure with the agreement of this family, and he's very much touched by these moments. They're really -- he keeps them with him when he's making decisions about global policy. BLITZER: It's a nice picture. Very good pictures. I want to thank the White House photographers for those excellent pictures. PSAKI: Yes. They're great. BLITZER: Jen Psaki, thanks for coming in. PSAKI: Thank you, Wolf. BLITZER: And sharing with us your thoughts. PSAKI: My pleasure. BLITZER: Earth is poised for a close encounter, get this, with an asteroid. Up next, will there be any threat to the United States when we're closer to the asteroid than we are to the moon. And at the top of the hour, it's the first day of a new session of Congress. The House speaker, John Boehner, already facing some push back from his own party. BLITZER: An asteroid is on track to make a relatively close call with earth. Key words, relatively close. In fact, so close that it will come between us and the moon and even closer than major communication satellites. CNN meteorologist Chad Myers is tracking this asteroid for us. Chad, we're talking pretty short distance, relatively speaking, when it comes to space. CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, only 14,000 miles. And that's just a little more than the old cars had for a warranty, a 12- month, 12,000-mile warranty. So yes, it's going to be very close. It's not going to hit the earth. We already know that. But what it's going to do, Wolf, it's actually going to come between where our satellites are, even the ones that take pictures for the weather and the geo -- GPS satellites, fly right by the earth, and right out the other side. So it could impact satellites two different times, but that's unlikely. The satellites are very small and this thing is not very big at all. I mean, comparatively, we don't want to get hit by it. It's bigger than two, let's say, train cars put together, about 150 or 160 or so feet long, it weighs an awful lot, it would do a lot of damage if it did hit, but so far right now, it is not going to hit here. February 15th, this is the closest approach. Now you would think, wow, can I look at it? Probably not without a telescope or a really good pair of binoculars. So it won't be quite that bright for that to happen. But the moon is 239,000 miles away. This thing is only going to be between about 14,000 and about 16,000 miles from the surface of the earth -- Wolf. BLITZER: So the bottom line, Chad, give us a little perspective. Bottom line, folks are watching, should we be nervous, not so nervous? Excited? Give us a little analysis. MYERS: Maybe excited, but you should not be nervous. This is the diameter of the earth, almost maybe 8,000 miles, when it's rounded up. There's another 8,000 and there's another 4,000. So compared to the diameter of the earth, it's going to be way out here, flying on by. Now considering that the moon is still another 225,000 miles away, this is a very close brush. And this does come within a few hundred thousand or million miles of the earth twice a year. What we don't know quite yet is what the earth will do to this trajectory, to the orbit. Will it bend the trajectory just a little bit, so that the next time it comes by, could it be a little bit closer or a little bit farther away? All those things in 3-D space, kind of all get your head in a spin, so to speak. BLITZER: It's spinning right now. Chad, thanks very much for that. MYERS: You're welcome, Wolf. BLITZER: And happening now, the opening of a new Congress. Will it see the kind of drama and dysfunction that marked the last one? Two new members are here this hour. Out of the hospital and on her way out of a job. A closer look at Hillary Clinton's final days as secretary of state as she prepares to step down.

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search In Hinduism, an avatar /ˈævətɑr/ (Hindustani: [əʋˈt̪aːr], from Sanskrit अवतार avatāra "descent") is a deliberate descent of a deity to Earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being (e.g., Vishnu for Vaishnavites), and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation", but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation".[1][2] The phenomenon of an avatar (descent of God in human and other forms[3]) is observed in Hinduism, Ayyavazhi, and Sikhism only. Thus Avataravada is one of the core principles of Hinduism along with Ekeshwaravada (One Supreme Divine Reality), Veda Praman (Authority of the Vedas), Atman, Karma, Murti Puja, Ahimsa, and Punarjanma (Reincarnation).[4] The term is most often associated with Vishnu, though it has also come to be associated with other deities.[5] Varying lists of avatars of Vishnu appear in Hindu scriptures, including the ten Dashavatara of the Garuda Purana and the twenty-two avatars in the Bhagavata Purana, though the latter adds that the incarnations of Vishnu are innumerable.[6] The avatars of Vishnu are a primary component of Vaishnavism. An early reference to avatar, and to avatar doctrine, is in the Bhagavad Gita.[7] Shiva and Ganesha are also described as descending in the form of avatars. The various manifestations of Devi, the Divine Mother principal in Hinduism, are also described as avatars or incarnations by some scholars and followers of Shaktism.[7][8] The avatars of Vishnu carry a greater theological prominence than those of other deities, which some scholars perceive to be imitative of the Vishnu avatar lists. In Sikhism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a soul to earth in any form.[9] Guru Granth Sahib believes in the existence of the Dasavatara. In Dasam Granth, Guru Gobind Singh wrote three composition on historical avatars which include Vishnu Avatar, Brahma Avatar, and Rudra Avatar.[10] Etymology and meaning[edit] The Sanskrit noun avatāra is derived from the verbal root tṝ "to cross over", joined with the prefix ava "off, away, down". The word does not occur in the Vedas, but is recorded in Pāṇini (3.3.120). Avatāra was initially used to describe different deities, then around the 6th century AD it began to be used primarily to describe the manifestations of Vishnu.[11] While earlier texts mention deities taking on different forms, the Bhagavad Gita (4.5-9) is the first text to discuss the doctrine associated with the term even though the word avatāra itself is not mentioned.[12] According to some scholars like Mercy Oduyoye, H. M. Vroom, and Noel Sheth, the common translation "incarnation" is somewhat misleading as the concept of an avatar corresponds more closely to the view of Docetism in Christian theology, as different from the idea of God 'in the flesh' in mainstream Christology.[13][14] Meaning in Sikhism[edit] In Sikhism, every soul that has taken form or has been born on earth is called avatar. Guru Granth Sahib believed in the existence of Dasavtara, who were kings of their times who tried their best to bring revolution in the world. Guru Granth Sahib states: ਹੁਕਮਿ ਉਪਾਏ ਦਸ ਅਉਤਾਰਾ ॥ हुकमि उपाए दस अउतारा ॥ By Hukam (Supreme Command), He created His ten incarnations,[15] ਦਸ ਅਉਤਾਰ ਰਾਜੇ ਹੋਇ ਵਰਤੇ ਮਹਾਦੇਵ ਅਉਧੂਤਾ ॥ दस अउतार राजे होइ वरते महादेव अउधूता ॥ ਅਵਤਰਿ ਆਇ ਕਹਾ ਤੁਮ ਕੀਨਾ ॥ अवतरि आइ कहा तुम कीना ॥ Since your take form (birth), what have you done?[9] Gurmat defines 'avatar' as one who has taken avatar/birth onto this mortal earth. It is quite clear from this line. Avatars of Vishnu[edit] Matsya, fish avatar of Vishnu The concept of avatar within Hinduism is most often associated with Vishnu, the preserver or sustainer aspect of God within the Hindu Trinity or Trimurti or the one and only supreme God for followers of Vaishnavism. Vishnu's avatars typically descend for a very specific purpose. An oft-quoted passage from the Bhagavad Gita describes the typical role of an avatar of Vishnu—as bringing dharma, or righteousness, back to the social and cosmic order:[1][5] Whenever righteousness wanes and unrighteousness increases I send myself forth. and for the establishment of righteousness, I come into being age after age. (Gita:4.7–8) The descents of Vishnu are also integral to His teaching and tradition, whereas the accounts of other deities are not so strictly dependent on their avatar stories. Although it is usual to speak of Vishnu as the source of the avatars, within the Vaishnavism branch of Hinduism Narayana, Vasudeva, and Krishna are also seen as names denoting divine aspects which descend as avatars.[1] The Bhagavata Purana describes Vishnu's avatars as innumerable, though there are ten incarnations (Dashavatara), that are widely seen as his major appearances.[1][6] Krishna and Rama are the two mostly widely known and worshiped avatars of Vishnu, with their stories told in the two major Sanskrit epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.[16] Different lists of Vishnu's avatars appear in different texts, including: the dasavatara from the Garuda Purana; lists of twenty-two, twenty-three, and sixteen avatars in the Bhagavata Purana;[17] thirty-nine avatars in the Pañcaratra[18] the dasavatara again in Agni Purana; the first eight of the dasavatara in Padma Purana. The commonly accepted number of ten was fixed well before the 10th century CE.[17] In addition, various Vaishnava saints and founders are considered to be partial avatars.[19] The various avatars categorized in many different ways. For example: Purusavatara is the first avatara; Gunavataras are represented by the Trimurti (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva) who each preside over one of the Guṇas (rajas, sattva, and tamas); Lilavataras are the well-known ones, and include Avesavataras (beings into whom part of God Himself has entered) and saktyamsavesa (into whom only parts of His power enter); Kalpa-, Manvantara-, and Yuga-avataras descend during different cosmic ages.[20] Some Vaishnavism schools consider Krishna to be the source of all avatars (Krishnaism). Varaha, the boar avatar of Vishnu (18th-century painting, probably of Pahari provenance) The ten best known avatars of Vishnu are collectively known as the Dasavatara (a Sanskrit compound meaning "ten avatars"). This list is included in the Garuda Purana (1.86.10"11).[21] The first four are said to have appeared in the Satya Yuga (the first of the four Yugas or ages in the time cycle described within Hinduism). The next three avatars appeared in the Treta Yuga, the eighth descent in the Dvapara Yuga and the ninth in the Kali Yuga. The tenth, Kalki, is predicted to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga.[22] 1. Matsya, the fish-avatar who saved Manu – the progeniter of mankind from the great deluge and rescued the Vedic scriptures by killing a demon. Story can be found in the Matsya Purana. 2. Kurma, the tortoise-avatar, who helped in the Samudra manthan – the churning of the ocean. Story can be found in the Kurma Purana. 3. Varaha, the boar-avatar, who rescued the earth from the ocean, by killing her kidnapper-demon Hiranyaksha. Story can be found in the Varaha Purana. 4. Narasimha, the half man-half lion avatar, who killed the tyrant demon-king Hiranyakashipu, to rescue the demon's son Prahlada, who was a Vishnu-devotee 5. Vamana, the dwarf-avatar, who subdued the king Maha Bali. Story can be found in the Vamana Purana. 6. Parashurama, sage with the axe who killed the thousand-armed king Kartavirya Arjuna 7. Rama, the king of Ayodhya and the hero of the Hindu epic Ramayana 8. Krishna, the king of Dwarka, a central character in the Bhagavata Purana and the Mahabharata and reciter of Bhagavad Gita. 9. Buddha, also known as Gautam Buddha, the enlightened one. He was born as the crown prince of the Kapilavastu to King Suddhodana and Maya. He was named Siddhartha, meaning "Perfected-Goal." *(see note) 10. Kalki ("Eternity", or "time", or "The Destroyer of foulness"), who is expected to appear at the end of Kali Yuga. Story can be found in the Kalki Purana. • Note: Some versions include Balarama (the elder brother of Krishna) as the eighth avatar, with Krishna listed as the ninth instead of Buddha, while others replace Buddha with Balarama as the ninth avatar. In the Bhagavata Purana[edit] Mohini, the only female avatar of Vishnu (statue in a Belur temple, Karnataka.) As many as forty specific avatars of Vishnu are mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana, though the book adds that the number is innumerable.[23] Twenty-two avatars of Vishnu are listed numerically in the first book:[24] 1. Four Kumaras (Catursana) [BP 1.3.6] – the four Sons of god Brahma and exemplified the path of devotion. 2. Varaha [BP 1.3.7] 3. Narada [BP 1.3.8] the divine-sage who travels the worlds as a devotee of Vishnu 4. Nara-Narayana [BP 1.3.9] – the twin-sages 5. Kapila [BP 1.3.10] – a renowned sage spoken of in the Mahabharata, son of Kardama Muni and Devahuti and sometimes identified with the founder of the Samkhya school of philosophy 6. Dattatreya [BP 1.3.11] – the combined avatar of the Hindu trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. He was born to the sage Atri became a great seer himself. 7. Yajna [BP 1.3.12] – the lord of fire-sacrifice, who took was the Indra – the lord of heaven 8. Rishabha [BP 1.3.13] – the father of King Bharata and Bahubali 9. Prithu [BP 1.3.14] – the sovereign-king who milked the earth as a cow to get the world's grain and vegetation and also invented agriculture 10. Matsya [BP 1.3.15] 11. Kurma [BP 1.3.16] 12. Dhanvantari [BP 1.3.17] – the father of Ayurveda medicine and a physician to the Devas. 13. Mohini [BP 1.3.17] – the enchantress 14. Narasimha [BP 1.3.18] 15. Vamana [BP 1.3.19] 16. Parashurama [BP 1.3.20] 17. Vyasa [BP] 1.3.21] – the compiler of the scriptures – Vedas and writer of the scriptures Puranas and the epic Mahabharata 18. Rama [BP 1.3.22] 19. Krishna [BP 1.3.23] 20. Balarama [BP 1.3.23] 21. Buddha [BP 1.3.24] 22. Kalki [BP 1.3.25] Besides these, another four avatars are described later on in the text as follows: 1. Prshnigarbha [BP 10.3.41] – the son of Prshni 2. Hayagriva [BP 2.7.11] – the horse-faced avatar 3. Hamsa [BP 11.13.19] – the swan, he expounded on the Vedas to Sage Narada. 4. Golden incarnation [BP 11.5.32] – the avatara in Kali-yuga for propagating hari-namasankirtan, which is sometimes interpreted as the saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, though there is no explicit mention of a name in the verse.[25] In Dasam Granth[edit] 24 avatars of Vishnu are mentioned in Bachitar Natak's composition in Dasam Granth, the second scripture of Sikhs written by Guru Gobind Singh:[10] Before describing these avatars, the composers have written that these tried to equate themselves with god and unable to know secrets of almighty. But Dasam Granth is controversial among Sikh scholars and few of them believe it to be the work of Guru Gobind Singh. Other Vaishnava avatars[edit] There are many senses and shades of meaning of the term avatar within Hinduism. Purusha avatars[edit] Purusha avatars are sometimes described as the original avatars of Vishnu within the Universe:[26][27][28] Guna avatars[edit] The personalities of the Trimurti (Hindu trinity) are also sometimes referred to as Guna avatars, because of their roles of controlling the three modes (gunas) of nature,[27] even though they have not descended upon an earthly planet in the general sense of the term 'avatar'. • Vishnu – As controller of the mode of goodness (sattva) • Brahma – Controller of the mode of passion and desire (rajas) • Shiva – Controller of the mode of ignorance (tamas) Manvantara avatars[edit] Manvantara avatars are beings responsible for creating progeny throughout the Universe. There are said to be unlimited numbers of these avatars.[29][unreliable source?] "During the hundred years of Brahmā's life, there are 504,000 manvantara-avatāras."[30] Shaktyavesa and Avesa avatars[edit] Avataric incarnations are classified as two kinds • direct (sakshat) • indirect (avesa) When Vishnu himself descends, he is called sakshat or shaktyavesa-avatara, a direct incarnation of God. But when he does not incarnate directly, but indirectly empowers some living entity to represent him, that living entity is called an indirect or avesa avatar.[31][unreliable source?] There are said to be a great number of avesa avatars. Examples include Narada Muni, Sugata Buddha, and Parashurama. Parashurama is the only one of the traditional ten avatars that is not a direct descent of Vishnu. According to the Sri Vaishnavism sect of Hinduism, there are two types of primary or direct avatars, Purna avatars and Amsarupavatars: 1. Purna avatars are those in which Vishnu takes form directly and all the qualities and powers of God are expressed, (e.g. Narasimha, Rama and Krishna).,[32][33][unreliable source?] 2. Amsarupavatars are those in which Vishnu takes form directly but He is manifest in the person only partially. (e.g. avatars from Matsya, Kurma etc.). The avesa or indirect avatars are generally not worshiped as the Supreme being. Only the direct, primary avatars are worshiped in this way. In practice, the direct avatars that are worshiped today are the Purna avatars of Narasimha, Rama and Krishna. Among most Vaishnava traditions, Krishna is considered to be the highest Purna avatar. However, followers of Chaitanya (including ISKCON), Nimbarka, and Vallabha Acharya differ philosophically from other Vaishnavas, such as Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya, and consider Krishna to be the ultimate Godhead, not simply an avatar. That said, all Hindus believe that there is no difference between worship of Vishnu and His avatars as it all leads to Him. According to Madhvacharya (chief proponent of Dvaita or school of differential monism), all avatars of Vishnu are alike in potency and every other quality. There is no gradation among them, and perceiving or claiming any differences among avatars is a cause of eternal damnation. See Madhva's commentary on Katha Upanishad. Avatars of Krishna[edit] Krishna is believed to have incarnated as humans in legends. 1. Swami Chakradhara - the founder of the Vaishnava Mahanubhava sect 2. Samvaliyaji - Sanwaliya Seth, born in Rajasthan 3. Daityasudan - the slayer of the demon Lemurasura of Lemur town Avatars of Ganesha[edit] The Linga Purana declares that Ganesha incarnates to destroy demons and to help the gods and pious people.[34] The two upapuranas – Ganesha Purana and Mudgala Purana – detail the avatars of Ganesha. Both these upapuranas are core scriptures of the Ganapatya sect – exclusively dedicated to Ganesha worship. Four avatars of Ganesha are listed in the Ganesha Purana:Mohotkata, Mayūreśvara, Gajanana and Dhumraketu. Each avatar corresponds to a different yuga, has a different mount and different skin complexion, but all the avatars have a common purpose – to slay demons.[35] The Mudgala Purana describes eight avatars of Ganesha:[36] 1. Vakratunda (Vakratuṇḍa) ("twisting trunk"), his mount is a lion. 2. Ekadanta ("single tusk"), his mount is a mouse. 3. Mahodara ("big belly"), his mount is a mouse. 4. Gajavaktra (or Gajānana) ("elephant face"), his mount is a mouse. 5. Lambodara ("pendulous belly"), his mount is a mouse. 6. Vikata (Vikaṭa) ("unusual form", "misshapen"), his mount is a peacock. 7. Vighnaraja (Vighnarāja) ("king of obstacles"), his mount is the celestial serpent Śeṣa. 8. Dhumravarna (Dhūmravarṇa) ("grey color") corresponds to Śiva, his mount is a horse. Avatars of Shiva[edit] Sharabha (right) with Narasimha (18th-century painting, Pahari/Kangra School) Although Puranic scriptures contain occasional references to avatars of Shiva, the idea is not universally accepted in Saivism.[7][37] As an avatar requires residence in a womb, Shiva as ayonija (not of a womb) cannot manifest himself as an avatar. The Linga Purana speaks of twenty-eight forms of Shiva which are sometimes seen as avatars.[38] In the Shiva Purana there is a distinctly Saivite version of a traditional avatar myth: Shiva brings forth Virabhadra, one of his terrifying forms, in order to calm Narasimha, an avatar of Vishnu. When that fails, Shiva manifests as the human-lion-bird Sharabha. The story concludes with Narasimha becoming a devotee of Shiva after being bound by Sharabha.[39] However, Vaishnava followers including Dvaita scholars, such as Vijayindra Tirtha (1539–95) refute this Shaivite view of Narasimha based on their reading of Sattvika Puranas and Śruti texts.[40] The monkey-god Hanuman who helped Rama – the Vishnu avatar is considered by some to be the eleventh avatar of Rudra (Shiva).[41][42] Some regional deities like Khandoba are also believed by some to be avatars of Shiva.[43][44] Other stated avatars of Shiva, according to some sources, are 8th century non-dualist Vedanta philosopher (Advaita Vedanta) Adi Shankara. He was named "Shankara" after Lord Shiva and is considered by some to have been an incarnation of the god[45] and Virabhadra who was born when Shiva grabbed a lock of his matted hair and dashed it to the ground. Virabhadra then destroyed Daksha's yajna (fire sacrifice) and severed his head as per Shiva's instructions.[46] In Dasam Granth, Guru Gobind Singh have mentioned two avatars of Rudra: Dattatreya Avatar and Parasnath Avatar.[47] Avatars of Devi[edit] A 17th-century painting depicting Hanuman worshiping Rama and his wife Sita. Lakshmana is also seen in this painting from Smithsonian Institution collection. Rama is considered the avatar of Vishnu, Sita of Vishnu's consort Lakshmi, Lakshmana of Shesha – the serpent on whom Vishnu sleeps, and Hanuman is believed to be an avatar of Shiva. Avatars are also observed in Shaktism, the sect dedicated to the worship of the Goddess (Devi), but they do not have universal acceptance in the sect. The Devi Bhagavata Purana describes the descent of Devi avatars to punish the wicked and defend the righteous—much as the Bhagavata Purana does with the avatars of Vishnu.[48] Like Vishnu, his consort Lakshmi incarnates as Sita and Radha – the consorts of Rama and Krishna avatars.[49] Nilakantha, an 18th-century commentator on the Devi Bhagavata Purana – which includes the Devi Gita – says that various avatars of the Goddess includes Shakambhari and even the masculine Krishna and Rama – generally thought to be Vishnu's avatars.[50] Lakshmi and Saraswati are also goddesses worshipped as Devi avatars.[51] Avatars of Brahma[edit] In Dasam Granth, second scriptures of Sikhs written by Guru Gobind Singh, mentioned seven Brahma Avatars.[52] 1. Valmiki Avatar 2. Kashyap Avatar 3. Sukra Avatar 4. Baches Avatar 5. Vyas Avatar 6. Khat Rishi Avatar 7. Kalidas Avatar See also[edit] 1. ^ a b c d Matchett, Freda (2001). Krishna, Lord or Avatara?: the relationship between Krishna and Vishnu. 9780700712816. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-7007-1281-6.  2. ^ Introduction to World Religions, by Christopher Hugh Partridge, pg. 148, at Books.Google.com 3. ^ Vivekjivandas, Sadhu. Hinduism: An Introduction – Part 1. (Swaminarayan Aksharpith: Ahmedabad, 2010) p. 33. ISBN 978-81-7526-433-5 4. ^ Vivekjivandas, Sadhu. Hinduism: An Introduction – Part 1. (Swaminarayan Aksharpith: Ahmedabad, 2010) p. 33–36. ISBN 978-81-7526-433-5 5. ^ a b Kinsley, David (2005). Lindsay Jones, ed. Gale's Encyclopedia of Religion 2 (Second ed.). Thomson Gale. pp. 707–708. ISBN 0-02-865735-7.  6. ^ a b Bryant, Edwin Francis (2007). Krishna: A Sourcebook. Oxford University Press US. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-19-514891-6.  7. ^ a b c Sheth, Noel (Jan 2002). "Hindu Avatāra and Christian Incarnation: A Comparison". Philosophy East and West (University of Hawai'i Press) 52 (1 (Jan. 2002)): 98–125. doi:10.1353/pew.2002.0005. JSTOR 1400135.  8. ^ Hawley, John Stratton; Vasudha Narayanan (2006). The life of Hinduism. University of California Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-520-24914-1.  9. ^ a b Page 792, Line 7, Bhagat Kabir 10. ^ a b Dasam Granth Sahib 11. ^ Sheth, p. 116. 12. ^ Sheth, pp. 98, 116. 13. ^ Mercy Amba Oduyoye, H. M. Vroom, One gospel – many cultures: case studies and reflections on cross-cultural theology, Rodopi, 2003, ISBN 978-90-420-0897-7, p. 111. 14. ^ Sheth, p. 108. 15. ^ Page 1037, Line 5, Guru Nanak 17. ^ a b Mishra, Vibhuti Bhushan (1973). Religious beliefs and practices of North India during the early mediaeval period, Volume 1. BRILL. pp. 4–5. ISBN 978-90-04-03610-9.  18. ^ Schrader, Friedrich Otto (1916). Introduction to the Pāñcarātra and the Ahirbudhnya saṃhitā. Adyar Library. p. 42.  19. ^ Sheth, p. 100. 20. ^ Sheth, pp. 100–101. 21. ^ Garuda Purana (1.86.10-11) 22. ^ Matchett, p. 86. 23. ^ Rukmani, T. S. (1970). A critical study of the Bhagavata Purana, with special reference to bhakti. Chowkhamba Sanskrit studies 77. Varanasi: Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series. p. 4.  24. ^ Bhag-P 1.3 Canto 1, Chapter 3 25. ^ The Golden Avatara 26. ^ Avatar – Categories of Incarnations[dead link] 27. ^ a b gaudiya.com – theology 28. ^ Mittal, Sushil (2004). The Hindu World. New York: Routledge. p. 164. ISBN 0-203-67414-6.  29. ^ Avatar – Categories of Incarnations,by Atmatattva Das, 06/17/2005[dead link] 30. ^ Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 20.322 31. ^ Teachings of Lord Chaitanya – Avatars 32. ^ Types of Avatars; answers to questions #67-70. 33. ^ DLSHQ.org 34. ^ Grimes, John A. (1995). Gaṇapati: song of the self. SUNY Press. p. 105. ISBN 978-0-7914-2439-1.  35. ^ Grimes, pp. 100–105. 36. ^ Phyllis Granoff, "Gaṇeśa as Metaphor," in Robert L. Brown (ed.) Ganesh: Studies of an Asian God, pp. 94–5, note 2. ISBN 0-7914-0657-1 39. ^ Soifer, pp. 91–92. 40. ^ Sharma, B. N. Krishnamurti (2000). A history of the Dvaita school of Vedānta and its literature: from the earliest beginnings to our own times. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 412. ISBN 978-81-208-1575-9.  43. ^ Sontheimer, Gunther-Dietz (1990). "God as King for All: The Sanskrit Malhari Mahatmya and its context". In Hans Bakker. The History of Sacred Places in India as Reflected in Traditional Literature. BRILL. ISBN 90-04-09318-4.  p.118 44. ^ Sontheimer, Gunther-Dietz (1989). "Between Ghost and God: Folk Deity of the Deccan". In Alf Hiltebeitel. Criminal Gods and Demon Devotees: Essays on the Guardians of Popular Hinduism. SUNY Press. ISBN 0-88706-981-9.  p.332 45. ^ Padma Purana 6.236.7-11 46. ^ Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary With Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. p. 859. ISBN 0-8426-0822-2.  47. ^ Composition 10, Rudra Avtar 48. ^ Brown, Cheever Mackenzie (1990). The triumph of the goddess: the canonical models and theological visions of the Devī-Bhāgavata Purāṇa. SUNY Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-7914-0363-1.  49. ^ Hindu Avatāra and Christian Incarnation: A Comparison, Noel Sheth Philosophy East and West, Vol. 52, No. 1 (Jan., 2002), pp. 98, 117. 50. ^ Brown, Cheever Mackenzie (1998). The Devī Gītā: the song of the Goddess. SUNY Press. p. 272. ISBN 978-0-7914-3940-1.  verses 9.22cd-23ab 51. ^ Brown, p. 270. 52. ^ Composition 9 - Brahma Avtar Further reading[edit] External links[edit]

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Circle of confusion From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia   (Redirected from Circle of least confusion) Jump to: navigation, search In photography, the circle of confusion (“CoC”) is used to determine the depth of field, the part of an image that is acceptably sharp. A standard value of CoC is often associated with each image format, but the most appropriate value depends on visual acuity, viewing conditions, and the amount of enlargement. Properly, this is the maximum permissible circle of confusion, the circle of confusion diameter limit, or the circle of confusion criterion, but is often informally called simply the circle of confusion. Real lenses do not focus all rays perfectly, so that even at best focus, a point is imaged as a spot rather than a point. The smallest such spot that a lens can produce is often referred to as the circle of least confusion. The depth of field is the region where the CoC is less than the resolution of the human eye (or of the display medium). Two uses[edit] Two important uses of this term and concept need to be distinguished: 1. For describing the largest blur spot that is indistinguishable from a point. A lens can precisely focus objects at only one distance; objects at other distances are defocused. Defocused object points are imaged as blur spots rather than points; the greater the distance an object is from the plane of focus, the greater the size of the blur spot. Such a blur spot has the same shape as the lens aperture, but for simplicity, is usually treated as if it were circular. In practice, objects at considerably different distances from the camera can still appear sharp (Ray 2000, 50); the range of object distances over which objects appear sharp is the depth of field (“DoF”). The common criterion for “acceptable sharpness” in the final image (e.g., print, projection screen, or electronic display) is that the blur spot be indistinguishable from a point. 2. For describing the blur spot achieved by a lens, at its best focus or more generally. Recognizing that real lenses do not focus all rays perfectly under even the best conditions, the term circle of least confusion is often used for the smallest blur spot a lens can make (Ray 2002, 89), for example by picking a best focus position that makes a good compromise between the varying effective focal lengths of different lens zones due to spherical or other aberrations. The term circle of confusion is applied more generally, to the size of the out-of-focus spot to which a lens images an object point. Diffraction effects from wave optics and the finite aperture of a lens can be included in the circle of least confusion;[1] the more general circle of confusion for out-of-focus points is often computed in terms of pure ray (geometric) optics.[2] In idealized ray optics, where rays are assumed to converge to a point when perfectly focused, the shape of a defocus blur spot from a lens with a circular aperture is a hard-edged circle of light. A more general blur spot has soft edges due to diffraction and aberrations (Stokseth 1969, 1317; Merklinger 1992, 45–46), and may be non-circular due to the aperture shape. Therefore, the diameter concept needs to be carefully defined in order to be meaningful. Suitable definitions often use the concept of encircled energy, the fraction of the total optical energy of the spot that is within the specified diameter. Values of the fraction (e.g., 80%, 90%) vary with application. Circle of confusion diameter limit in photography[edit] In photography, the circle of confusion diameter limit (“CoC”) for the final image is often defined as the largest blur spot that will still be perceived by the human eye as a point. With this definition, the CoC in the original image (the image on the film or electronic sensor) depends on three factors: 1. Visual acuity. For most people, the closest comfortable viewing distance, termed the near distance for distinct vision (Ray 2000, 52), is approximately 25 cm. At this distance, a person with good vision can usually distinguish an image resolution of 5 line pairs per millimeter (lp/mm), equivalent to a CoC of 0.2 mm in the final image. 2. Viewing conditions. If the final image is viewed at approximately 25 cm, a final-image CoC of 0.2 mm often is appropriate. A comfortable viewing distance is also one at which the angle of view is approximately 60° (Ray 2000, 52); at a distance of 25 cm, this corresponds to about 30 cm, approximately the diagonal of an 8″×10″ image. It often may be reasonable to assume that, for whole-image viewing, a final image larger than 8″×10″ will be viewed at a distance correspondingly greater than 25 cm, and for which a larger CoC may be acceptable; the original-image CoC is then the same as that determined from the standard final-image size and viewing distance. But if the larger final image will be viewed at the normal distance of 25 cm, a smaller original-image CoC will be needed to provide acceptable sharpness. 3. Enlargement from the original image to the final image. If there is no enlargement (e.g., a contact print of an 8×10 original image), the CoC for the original image is the same as that in the final image. But if, for example, the long dimension of a 35 mm original image is enlarged to 25 cm (10 inches), the enlargement is approximately 7×, and the CoC for the original image is 0.2 mm / 7, or 0.029 mm. The common values for CoC may not be applicable if reproduction or viewing conditions differ significantly from those assumed in determining those values. If the original image will be given greater enlargement, or viewed at a closer distance, then a smaller CoC will be required. All three factors above are accommodated with this formula: CoC (mm) = viewing distance (cm) / desired final-image resolution (lp/mm) for a 25 cm viewing distance / enlargement / 25 For example, to support a final-image resolution equivalent to 5 lp/mm for a 25 cm viewing distance when the anticipated viewing distance is 50 cm and the anticipated enlargement is 8: CoC = 50 / 5 / 8 / 25 = 0.05 mm Since the final-image size is not usually known at the time of taking a photograph, it is common to assume a standard size such as 25 cm width, along with a conventional final-image CoC of 0.2 mm, which is 1/1250 of the image width. Conventions in terms of the diagonal measure are also commonly used. The DoF computed using these conventions will need to be adjusted if the original image is cropped before enlarging to the final image size, or if the size and viewing assumptions are altered. Using the “Zeiss formula”, the circle of confusion is sometimes calculated as d/1730 where d is the diagonal measure of the original image (the camera format). For full-frame 35 mm format (24 mm × 36 mm, 43 mm diagonal) this comes out to be 0.025 mm. A more widely used CoC is d/1500, or 0.029 mm for full-frame 35 mm format, which corresponds to resolving 5 lines per millimeter on a print of 30 cm diagonal. Values of 0.030 mm and 0.033 mm are also common for full-frame 35 mm format. For practical purposes, d/1730, a final-image CoC of 0.2 mm, and d/1500 give very similar results. Criteria relating CoC to the lens focal length have also been used. Kodak (1972), 5) recommended 2 minutes of arc (the Snellen criterion of 30 cycles/degree for normal vision) for critical viewing, giving CoC ≈ f /1720, where f is the lens focal length. For a 50 mm lens on full-frame 35 mm format, this gave CoC ≈ 0.0291 mm. This criterion evidently assumed that a final image would be viewed at “perspective-correct” distance (i.e., the angle of view would be the same as that of the original image): Viewing distance = focal length of taking lens × enlargement However, images seldom are viewed at the “correct” distance; the viewer usually doesn't know the focal length of the taking lens, and the “correct” distance may be uncomfortably short or long. Consequently, criteria based on lens focal length have generally given way to criteria (such as d/1500) related to the camera format. If an image is viewed on a low-resolution display medium such as a computer monitor, the detectability of blur will be limited by the display medium rather than by human vision. For example, the optical blur will be more difficult to detect in an 8″×10″ image displayed on a computer monitor than in an 8″×10″ print of the same original image viewed at the same distance. If the image is to be viewed only on a low-resolution device, a larger CoC may be appropriate; however, if the image may also be viewed in a high-resolution medium such as a print, the criteria discussed above will govern. Depth of field formulas derived from geometrical optics imply that any arbitrary DoF can be achieved by using a sufficiently small CoC. Because of diffraction, however, this isn't quite true. Using a smaller CoC requires increasing the lens f-number to achieve the same DOF, and if the lens is stopped down sufficiently far, the reduction in defocus blur is offset by the increased blur from diffraction. See the Depth of field article for a more detailed discussion. Circle of confusion diameter limit based on d/1500[edit] Image Format Frame size[3] CoC Small Format Nikon 1 series 8.8 mm × 13.2 mm 0.011 mm Four Thirds System 13.5 mm × 18 mm 0.015 mm APS-C[4] 15.0 mm × 22.5 mm 0.018 mm APS-C Canon 14.8 mm × 22.2 mm 0.018 mm APS-C Nikon/Pentax/Sony 15.7 mm × 23.6 mm 0.019 mm APS-H Canon 19.0 mm × 28.7 mm 0.023 mm 35 mm 24 mm × 36 mm 0.029 mm Medium Format 645 (6×4.5) 56 mm × 42 mm 0.047 mm 6×6 56 mm × 56 mm 0.053 mm 6×7 56 mm × 69 mm 0.059 mm 6×9 56 mm × 84 mm 0.067 mm 6×12 56 mm × 112 mm 0.083 mm 6×17 56 mm × 168 mm 0.12 mm Large Format 4×5 102 mm × 127 mm 0.11 mm 5×7 127 mm × 178 mm 0.15 mm 8×10 203 mm × 254 mm 0.22 mm Adjusting the circle of confusion diameter for a lens’s DoF scale[edit] The f-number determined from a lens DoF scale can be adjusted to reflect a CoC different from the one on which the DoF scale is based. It is shown in the Depth of field article that \mathrm {DoF} = \frac {2 N c \left ( m + 1 \right )} {m^2 - \left ( \frac {N c} {f} \right )^2} \,, where N is the lens f-number, c is the CoC, m is the magnification, and f is the lens focal length. Because the f-number and CoC occur only as the product Nc, an increase in one is equivalent to a corresponding decrease in the other, and vice versa. For example, if it is known that a lens DoF scale is based on a CoC of 0.035 mm, and the actual conditions require a CoC of 0.025 mm, the CoC must be decreased by a factor of 0.035 / 0.025 = 1.4; this can be accomplished by increasing the f-number determined from the DoF scale by the same factor, or about 1 stop, so the lens can simply be closed down 1 stop from the value indicated on the scale. The same approach can usually be used with a DoF calculator on a view camera. Determining a circle of confusion diameter from the object field[edit] Lens and ray diagram for calculating the circle of confusion diameter c for an out-of-focus subject at distance S2 when the camera is focused at S1. The auxiliary blur circle C in the object plane (dashed line) makes the calculation easier. An early calculation of CoC diameter (“indistinctness”) by “T.H.” in 1866. To calculate the diameter of the circle of confusion in the image plane for an out-of-focus subject, one method is to first calculate the diameter of the blur circle in a virtual image in the object plane, which is simply done using similar triangles, and then multiply by the magnification of the system, which is calculated with the help of the lens equation. The blur circle, of diameter C, in the focused object plane at distance S1, is an unfocused virtual image of the object at distance S2 as shown in the diagram. It depends only on these distances and the aperture diameter A, via similar triangles, independent of the lens focal length: C = A {|S_2 - S_1| \over S_2} \,. The circle of confusion in the image plane is obtained by multiplying by magnification m: c = C m \,, where the magnification m is given by the ratio of focus distances: m = {f_1 \over S_1} \,. Using the lens equation we can solve for the auxiliary variable f1: {1 \over f} = {1 \over f_1} + {1 \over S_1} \,, which yields f_1 = {f S_1 \over S_1 - f} \,. and express the magnification in terms of focused distance and focal length: m = {f \over S_1 - f} \,, which gives the final result: c = A {|S_2 - S_1| \over S_2} {f \over S_1 - f} \,. This can optionally be expressed in terms of the f-number N = f/A as: c = {|S_2 - S_1| \over S_2} {f^2 \over N(S_1 - f)} \,. This formula is exact for a simple paraxial thin lens or a symmetrical lens, in which the entrance pupil and exit pupil are both of diameter A. More complex lens designs with a non-unity pupil magnification will need a more complex analysis, as addressed in depth of field. More generally, this approach leads to an exact paraxial result for all optical systems if A is the entrance pupil diameter, the subject distances are measured from the entrance pupil, and the magnification is known: c = A m {|S_2 - S_1| \over S_2} \,. If either the focus distance or the out-of-focus subject distance is infinite, the equations can be evaluated in the limit. For infinite focus distance: c = {f A \over S_2} = {f^2 \over N S_2} \,. And for the blur circle of an object at infinity when the focus distance is finite: c = {f A \over S_1 - f} = {f^2 \over N(S_1 - f)} \,. If the c value is fixed as a circle of confusion diameter limit, either of these can be solved for subject distance to get the hyperfocal distance, with approximately equivalent results. Henry Coddington 1829[edit] Before it was applied to photography, the concept of circle of confusion was applied to optical instruments such as telescopes. Coddington (1829, 54) quantifies both a circle of least confusion and a least circle of confusion for a spherical reflecting surface. "This we may consider as the nearest approach to a simple focus, and term the circle of least confusion." Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge 1832[edit] The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (1832), 11) applied it to third-order aberrations: "This spherical aberration produces an indistinctness of vision, by spreading out every mathematical point of the object into a small spot in its picture; which spots, by mixing with each other, confuse the whole. The diameter of this circle of confusion, at the focus of the central rays F, over which every point is spread, will be L K (fig. 17.); and when the aperture of the reflector is moderate it equals the cube of the aperture, divided by the square of the radius (...): this circle is called the aberration of latitude." T.H. 1866[edit] Circle-of-confusion calculations: An early precursor to depth of field calculations is the T.H. (1866), 138) calculation of a circle-of-confusion diameter from a subject distance, for a lens focused at infinity; this article was pointed out by von Rohr (1899). The formula he comes up with for what he terms "the indistinctness" is equivalent, in modern terms, to c = {f A \over S} for focal length f, aperture diameter A, and subject distance S. But he does not invert this to find the S corresponding to a given c criterion (i.e. he does not solve for the hyperfocal distance), nor does he consider focusing at any other distance than infinity. He finally observes "long-focus lenses have usually a larger aperture than short ones, and on this account have less depth of focus" [his italic emphasis]. Dallmeyer and Abney[edit] T Dallmeyer (1892), 24), in an expanded re-publication of his father John Henry Dallmeyer's 1874 pamphlet On the Choice and Use of Photographic Lenses (in material that is not in the 1874 edition and appears to have been added from a paper by J.H.D. "On the Use of Diaphragms or Stops" of unknown date) says: "Thus every point in an object out of focus is represented in the picture by a disc, or circle of confusion, the size of which is proportionate to the aperture in relation to the focus of the lens employed. If a point in the object is 1/100 of an inch out of focus, it will be represented by a circle of confusion measuring but 1/100 part of the aperture of the lens." This latter statement is clearly incorrect, or misstated, being off by a factor of focal distance (focal length). He goes on: "and when the circles of confusion are sufficiently small the eye fails to see them as such; they are then seen as points only, and the picture appears sharp. At the ordinary distance of vision, of from twelve to fifteen inches, circles of confusion are seen as points, if the angle subtended by them does not exceed one minute of arc, or roughly, if they do not exceed the 1/100 of an inch in diameter." Numerically, 1/100 of an inch at 12 to 15 inches is closer to two minutes of arc. This choice of COC limit remains (for a large print) the most widely used even today. Abney (1881), 207–08) takes a similar approach based on a visual acuity of one minute of arc, and chooses a circle of confusion of 0.025 cm for viewing at 40 to 50 cm, essentially making the same factor-of-two error in metric units. It is unclear whether Abney or Dallmeyer was earlier to set the COC standard thereby. Wall 1889[edit] The common 1/100 inch COC limit has been applied to blur other than defocus blur. For example, Wall (1889, 92) says: "To find how quickly a shutter must act to take an object in motion that there may be a circle of confusion less than 1/100in. in diameter, divide the distance of the object by 100 times the focus of the lens, and divide the rapidity of motion of object in inches per second by the results, when you have the longest duration of exposure in fraction of a second." See also[edit] 1. ^ J.-A. Beraldin et al. (2006). "Virtual reconstruction of heritage sites: opportunities and challenges created by 3D technologies". In Manos Baltsavias, Armin Gruen, Luc Van Gool, and Maria Pateraki. Recording, modeling and visualization of cultural heritage. Taylor & Francis. p. 145. ISBN 978-0-415-39208-2.  2. ^ Walter Bulkeley Coventry (1901). The technics of the hand camera. Sands & Co. p. 9.  3. ^ The frame size is an average of cameras that take photographs of this format. For example, not all 6×7 cameras take frames that are exactly 56 mm × 69 mm. Check with the specifications of a particular camera if this level of exactness is needed. 4. ^ APS-C” is a common format for digital SLRs. Dimensions vary slightly among different manufacturers; for example, Canon’s APS-C format is nominally 15.0 mm × 22.5 mm, while Nikon’s DX format is nominally 16 mm × 24 mm. Exact dimensions sometimes vary slightly among models with the same nominal format from a given manufacturer. External links[edit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_of_least_confusion

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Colin Friels From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Colin Friels Born (1952-09-25) 25 September 1952 (age 61) Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland Occupation Actor Years active 1966–present Spouse(s) Judy Davis (m. 1984) Children 2 Colin Friels (born 25 September 1952) is a Scottish-born Australian actor. Background and training[edit] Friels was born in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland.[1] His mother was a mill worker and his father a joiner.[2] He lived in Kilbirnie until 1963, when his family moved to Australia, arriving in Darwin, Northern Territory before settling in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton. He worked as a bricklayer's labourer before studying at the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), and graduated from there in 1976, with actors such as Linden Wilkinson and Michael Siberry. Acting career[edit] Friels career began with work mostly in theatre and television. In 1980 Friels was a presenter on the long-running children's series Play School. His first film role was in the unreleased Prisoners (1981), starring with Tatum O'Neal. The film was allegedly so bad that Tatum's father Ryan O'Neal purchased the rights to the film to prevent it from ever screening.[citation needed] His first actual appearance in film was in Monkey Grip (1982), an adaptation of a novel by Helen Garner, where he starred alongside Noni Hazlehurst. In 1986, he played the title role in Malcolm, about a shy mechanical genius, for which he was awarded the 1986 AFI Award for Best Actor. Friels was also nominated for the Best Actor award the following year, for his role in Ground Zero, but did not win: the film received mixed reviews, with one describing him as "a proficient enough actor, but...miscast".[3] Friels later won another AFI Award in 1995 for his starring role in the 1994 Halifax f.p. telemovie Hard Corps. Friels has played a wide range of other roles. He was a megalomaniac corporate executive in the 1990 feature film Darkman. From 1996 to 1999, he played Frank Holloway on Water Rats,[4] a role which won him the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor at the 1997 awards. In his acceptance speech he said, "I'm very flattered for this and it's all rather silly, isn't it? So, thank you very much."[citation needed] Since 2003, Friels has appeared as the main character in the BlackJack series of telemovies. Personal life and views[edit] In late 1997, Friels was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. However, his treatment was successful, and he is one of the very few victims of this disease to go into long-term remission.[1] During his treatment he even continued to work on the set of Water Rats, until eventually the impact of the chemotherapy stopped him working, and he chose to have his character written out of the series by sending him on a sailing journey around the world. At this time, however, he also continued his stage work, and was performing in Sydney Theatre Company's Macbeth. Friels has been married to actress Judy Davis since 1984, and they have two children, Jack and Charlotte. They were briefly separated, but later reconciled. The relationship was briefly in the media when an argument led to a court order against Friels – however, they remained together at that time.[5] Friels believes that social and political awareness comes with the territory of acting, and is known for his engagement in policy debates, including industrial issues such as workplace relations and free trade.[1] He publicly criticised Bush administration policy in the Middle East, and supported the Sydney Peace Foundation.[6] His engagement with social issues has also been evident in his acting work, with two prominent examples being his lead role in Ground Zero, in which he played a cameraman investigating British nuclear testing in South Australia, and his appearance in the ABC television drama Bastard Boys, in which he played union official John Coombs. 1. ^ a b c Interview with Colin Friels, George Negus Tonight (ABC Television), 26 August 2004., retrieved May 2007. 2. ^ "Colin Friels Biography (1952–)". Retrieved 2009-01-02.  3. ^ Hinson, Hal (1988). Ground Zero (review), Washington Post, 30 September 1987. 4. ^ Australian Television Information Archive: Water Rats 5. ^ Graeme Webber and Anthony Stavrinos, "Judy Davis takes out violence order against Colin Friels", The Age, 31 October 2002, 6. ^ Sydney Peace Foundation, Tell Me the Truth About Peace (event), 2005,, retrieved May 2007. External links[edit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Friels

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IAS machine From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search The IAS machine was the first electronic computer built at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), in Princeton, New Jersey, USA. It is sometimes called the von Neumann machine, since the paper describing its design was edited by John von Neumann, a mathematics professor at both Princeton University and IAS. The computer was built from late 1945 until 1951 under his direction.[1] The general organization is called Von Neumann architecture, even though it was both originated and implemented by others.[2] Julian Bigelow was hired as chief engineer in May 1946.[3] Hewitt Crane, Herman Goldstine, Gerald Estrin, Arthur Burks and Willis Ware also worked on the project.[4] The machine was in limited operation in the summer of 1951 and fully operational on June 10, 1952.[5] It was in operation until July 15, 1958.[6] The IAS machine was a binary computer with a 40-bit word, storing two 20-bit instructions in each word. The memory was 1024 words (5.1 kilobytes). Negative numbers were represented in "two's complement" format. It had two general-purpose registers available: the Accumulator (AC) and Multiplier/Quotient (MQ). Although some claim the IAS machine was the first design to mix programs and data in a single memory, that had been implemented four years earlier by the 1948 Manchester Small Scale Experimental Machine.[7] Von Neumann showed how the combination of instructions and data in one memory could be used to implement loops, by modifying branch instructions when a loop was completed, for example. The resultant demand that instructions and data be placed on the same memory later came to be known as the Von Neumann Bottleneck. The memory was originally designed for about 2300 RCA Selectron vacuum tubes. Problems with the development of these complex tubes forced the switch to Williams tubes. It was an asynchronous machine, meaning that there was no central clock regulating the timing of the instructions. One instruction started executing when the previous one finished. The addition time was 62 microseconds and the multiplication time was 713 microseconds. IAS machine derivatives[edit] Plans for the IAS machine were widely distributed to any schools, businesses, or companies interested in computing machines, resulting in the construction of several derivative computers referred to as "IAS machines," although they were not software compatible in the modern sense.[4] Some of these "IAS machines" were: See also[edit] 1. ^ "The IAS Computer, 1952". National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved May 26, 2011.  2. ^ D. A.Godse; A. P.Godse (2010). Computer Organization. Technical Publications. pp. 3–9. ISBN 978-81-8431-772-5.  3. ^ John Markoff (February 22, 2003). "Julian Bigelow, 89, Mathematician and Computer Pioneer". The New York Times.  4. ^ a b c "Electronic Computer Project". Institute for Advanced Study. Retrieved May 26, 2011.  5. ^ Goldstein, Herman (1972). The Computer: From Pascal to von Neumann. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 318. ISBN 0-691-02367-0.  6. ^ Dyson, George (March 2003), "George Dyson at the birth of the computer" (Video), TED (Technology Entertainment Design), TED Conferences, LLC, retrieved 2012-03-21  7. ^ "Manchester Baby Computer".  8. ^ Turing's Cathedral, by George Dyson, 2012, p. 287 9. ^ Turing's Cathedral, by George Dyson, 2012, p. 287 Further reading[edit] External links[edit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAS_machine

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List of Macross Frontier characters From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia   (Redirected from Sheryl Nome) Jump to: navigation, search Cast of Macross Frontier. This is a list of characters from the anime series Macross Frontier.[1] Main characters[edit] Alto Saotome (早乙女 アルト Saotome Aruto?) Voiced by: Yuuichi Nakamura • Age: 17 → 18, male. A high school student in the Mihoshi Academy Pilot Training course. As a result of his fine features and long hair he is often mistaken for a girl at first glance, even receiving the nickname 'Hime' (Princess).[2] His appearance was revealed to have been inherited from his late mother, Miyo. Despite this, he is otherwise a rather normal, though somewhat aloof and standoffish, boy.[2] Born into a well-known Kabuki family, his persistent yearning for the skies has made for a thorny relationship with his father, who has disowned him.[2] He constantly frets about living aboard Macross Frontier due to the lack of a true 'sky'. After getting the chance to pilot the VF-25 Messiah variable fighter (due to its original pilot, Henry Gilliam, being killed by a large type Vajra in the first episode) his flying skills draw the attention of Ozma Lee, who accepts him as a candidate for the S.M.S. Skull Squadron.[2] When S.M.S. grows suspicious of Leon and break away from the Frontier fleet, Alto remains as one of the few S.M.S. members who stay behind on Frontier. He later joins the N.U.N.S. forces and is assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing as squad leader (3 fighters) with call sign Sagittarius-1. As a result, he is given a new VF-171EX variable fighter. After being told by Leon Mishima that Ranka may become a tool for the Vajra in their war against humanity, Alto vows to kill her if necessary to save the Macross Frontier fleet. He is presumed dead after his VF-171EX is destroyed by Brera Sterne's VF-27 during the initial stages of the final battle between the Macross Frontier fleet and the Vajra. However, Alto reveals he had ejected from the VF-171EX before it was shot down. He resumes the fight in his original VF-25 Messiah, stopping Grace O'Connor with Michel's sniper rifle while being aided by Brera, who had broken free from Grace's control. As the Frontier fleet lands on the Vajra home planet, he ejects from his damaged VF-25 in his EX-Gear, giving the fighter a final salute as he fulfills his dream of flying in a real sky. He is last shown flying over Ranka and Sheryl at the Vajra planet. As part of the 25th Anniversary Tribute, Alto is shown mimicking scenes from the previous Macross series: • The scene where Alto saves Ranka for the first time is a nod to when Hikaru Ichijyo rescues Lynn Minmay. • While controlling his VF-25 in slave mode, he uses the same flying hand motion as Isamu Alva Dyson. • His salute to both girls in the final episode is a nod to a similar scene in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?. • When his fighter is rising to the surface to be launched, that scene and the one in which Alto raises his head is very similar to those shown in the opening of the original Macross when Hikaru and his Valkyrie rise to the surface. Ranka Lee (ランカ・リー Ranka Rī?) Voiced by: Megumi Nakajima Sheryl Nome (シェリル・ノーム Sheriru Nōmu?) Voiced by: Aya Endou, singing voice: May'n • Age: 17 Known as the "Galactic Fairy", Sheryl Nome is a pop idol from Macross Galaxy fleet who constantly tops music charts, leading people to say that it was impossible not to hear her songs if you lived in this galaxy.[5] As such, her popularity was soaring just as high in the Galaxy's sister fleet, Macross Frontier. Due to her beauty and singing talent, she is a very proud and self-assured person.[5] Sheryl recognizes the singing talent of Ranka Lee and often offers to help her 'behind the scenes' to realize her dream of singing. Sheryl's first encounter with Alto Saotome occurs when he serves as a backup 'performer' at her first concert in Frontier. It is later revealed that Sheryl is apparently a failed experimental subject called Fairy 9 and is "discarded" by Grace O'Connor on Galia 4, the latter stating that she had outlived her usefulness. However, Sheryl survives and makes her way back to Frontier together with Michael in his VF-25G. Confronting Grace O'Connor for sabotaging her career, she is reminded that she used to be an anonymous and homeless orphan girl living in Galaxy's slums, where Grace picked her up for the Fairy 9 project. Grace also reveals that Sheryl is suffering from a terminal "V-Type" infection and will soon die in the absence of a cure. Crushed by the revelation, she almost quits singing altogether if not for Alto's encouragement and the desperation brought on by a vicious Vajra assault on Frontier. While Sheryl is singing for a charity concert, Luca Angelloni discovers that her infection gives her similar abilities to those of Ranka Lee in producing fold waves through her singing, albeit to a lesser extent. Leon's administration immediately seeks her help, instantly resurrecting her singing career for the final assault against the Vajra. A letter and photograph written by Mao Nome's daughter is found by Cathy Glass in the remains of the 117th Research and Exploration Fleet and confirms Sheryl Nome is in fact Dr. Mao Nome's biological granddaughter, her fold quartz earrings inherited from Mao. The series hints that her mother fell on hard times shortly after the death of her grandmother. During the final battle, Ranka Lee cures Sheryl's infection by sending the "V-Type" microbes from her brain into her abdomen, resulting in Sheryl having the same capability as Ranka to link up with the Vajra through singing. Sheryl joins Ranka in rallying the Vajra to side with the Frontier fleet and defeat Grace. The prequel manga reveals that her parents were residents of the Macross Galaxy who were opposed to mandatory cybernetic implants by the government and were ordered to be either executed or captured by the authorities under the cause of treason. Her parents were both killed for their resistance and Sheryl spend a part of childhood living in poverty until she met Grace O'Connor, during that time she met Lylith Amagi, the daughter of the Amagi family who competed with the Saotome family as famous Kabuki actors, but was disowned after her father's second wife gave birth to a son. Like many disowned children of the aristocracy, Lylith was enrolled into Erato Academy, where she taught Sheryl that she must stop burdening her natural talent with feelings of sorrow as they affected her singing skills. During a major audition for the lead role in an upcoming musical, Sheryl's singing abilities attracts Vajra, which Grace took a notice to. Lylith sacrificed herself to save Sheryl, telling Sheryl that her songs must convey feelings to others; Sheryl promises to Lylith and her parents that she will be the best singer in the galaxy. During her time as a student in Erato, Sheryl unwittingly met Alto Saotome as a Kabuki actor on stage, making their destiny entwined since then.[6] Mihoshi Academy[edit] Mikhail "Michael/Michel" Blanc (ミハエル・ブラン Mihaeru Buran?) Voiced by: Hiroshi Kamiya Michael is also one of the most observant characters, noticing the love triangle between Alto, Ranka, and Sheryl as well as catching on to Grace's insidious plot behind the scenes. He is a childhood friend of Klan Clang and have liked her for a long time, although it is not clear whether he knows that their feelings are mutual. He chose to hide his feelings regardless, since he believes that as a soldier who always has to put his life on the line, confessing such feelings would only bring pain. He nonetheless reciprocated after Klan eventually confessed to him, only to be stabbed by a stage 2 Vajra later while saving her from a Vajra assault in the S.M.S. micronization/macronization chamber, after which his body is sucked into space via a hole and is never found.[8] His VF-25G is eventually piloted by a micronized Klan, and its sniper rifle is used by Alto to destroy Grace, thus ending the conflict with the Vajra. Luca Angelloni (ルカ・アンジェローニ Ruka Anjerōni?) Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama Alto and Michael's junior classmate. He is often frustrated with his seniors, who like to give him a hard time.[9] He is a genius with computers and military electronics.[9] As with Michael, he is a member of the S.M.S. Skull Squadron. He pilots a green RVF-25 (reconnaissance version). His fighter is custodied by three pet Ghost Drones (which he calls Shimon, Johanne and Petero, or Simon, John and Peter) that respond to his verbal commands. He is also the heir to the L.A.I. corporation, which means he has access to exotic, prototype technologies and is somewhat involved in Grace and Leon's plans. It is also strongly hinted that he has a crush on his classmate Nanase Matsuura. After Nanase is injured and Michael is killed due to the Vajra attack inside the Frontier, Luca, together with Alto, joins New U.N. Space forces as part of the 4th Fighter Wing and vows to destroy the Vajra. He flies the new Recon version of the VF-171EX until the final battle with the Vajra, when he switches to his original RVF-25 and with Klan Clang tows Alto's VF-25 to him. During the final battle, Luca disengages the A.I. limiters on his Ghost drones to counter Macross Galaxy's V-9 Ghost attack drones. While the drones are eventually destroyed, they succeed in covering Alto to complete the mission. After the fleet lands on the Vajra homeworld, he is seen rushing to Nanase Matsuura bedside as she awakens from her injuries. Nanase Matsuura (松浦 ナナセ Matsuura Nanase?) Voiced by: Hōko Kuwashima Another classmate of Alto, Michael and Luca, Nanase is also Ranka Lee's friend.[10] A shy, quiet and voluptuous girl with glasses, she also works in the same "Nyan-Nyan" restaurant as Ranka and supports her dream of becoming a singer.[10] Nanase is a skilled artist and was hired by Grace to become Ranka's costume designer. She is severely wounded in her right eye and other parts of her body during a Vajra attack inside Macross Frontier. Sheryl Nome takes her into a shelter for medical attention, thus saving her life. However, due to the injuries she goes into a coma and did not reawaken until the Frontier fleet lands on the Vajra homeworld. Private Military Provider S.M.S. (Strategic Military Services)[edit] Ozma Lee (オズマ・リー Ozuma Rī?) Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi The middle-aged top ace in the S.M.S. private military company and leader of Skull Squadron, he holds the rank of Major and is an experienced former N.U.N.S. pilot.[11] He is an avid fan of Fire Bomber and often plays their songs in his car or while at home, and also names Skull Squadron's battle formations after their songs (i.e., "Planet Dance", "Totsugeki Love Heart"). Although laid-back, short-tempered, and careless on the outside, he knows when to be serious, and believes that the real duty of a soldier is to care for his subordinates and civilians, thus making him more reliable than he actually looks. He is somewhat overprotective of his "sister" (legally, his adopted daughter) Ranka Lee, and lies to her about his work so she will not worry about him, telling her he has a desk job in a company's personnel department.[11] He is actually unrelated to Ranka by blood and is only her adopted brother, constantly blaming himself for failing to protect her family during a Vajra attack on the 117th Large Scale Research Fleet eleven years ago. He also had a prior romantic relationship with NUNS 2nd Lt. Catherine "Cathy" Glass sometime in the past, which makes their current working relationship on Macross Quarter a little tense at times. Like Cathy Glass, Ozma had grown suspicious of Leon Mishima's intentions and confronted him only to be arrested by his men. However, he and Cathy escape and find the body of president Howard Glass after Leon had him killed inside Battle Frontier. He and Cathy are found by Bobby and return to the Macross Quarter to tell the truth about Howard Glass' death. Ozma learns that Ranka has left the Frontier fleet to recover her memories and decides that he must also choose his own path. When S.M.S. resorts to piracy and separates from the Frontier fleet in the Macross Quarter, Ozma battles Alto and, before joining the Macross Quarter in its fold jump, tells Alto (whom he has many misgiving due to Alto's at-times rebellious piloting behavior) that he has improved and reminds him to choose his own path. He was one of the primary investigators at Galia 4, where the Macross Quarter uncovers the truth behind the Vajra and the corrupted factions in both the Galaxy and Frontier fleets. After Macross Quarter rendezvous with the Frontier fleet during the final battle, he joins the fray and fires nuclear missiles at Grace. However, the missiles prove ineffective against Grace, who having compromised the Vajra queen now wields an impenetrable super-dimension energy shield. Eventually he manages to cover Alto so he can defeat Grace. In the closing scene, he is seen to be back with Cathy as the Frontier fleet settles on the Vajra home planet. He drives a Lancia Delta. Ozma Lee shares many characteristics with Roy Focker from the original Macross series. In episode 17, Ozma is seriously wounded after a fierce battle with the Vajra, but conceals his wounds while watching Ranka's debut concert with Cathy until he loses consciousness from severe blood loss. However, unlike Focker, who died in episode 18 of the original series due to a similar injury, Ozma is rushed to the hospital, where he survives. Both characters even make references to pineapple-based desserts in their situations (salad for Focker; cake for Ozma). Canaria Berstein (カナリア・ベルシュタイン Kanaria Berushutain?) Voiced by: Hōko Kuwashima The middle-aged First lieutenant in the S.M.S. and the pilot of Skull Team's VB-6 König Monster variable bomber.[12] Although she rarely speaks, when she does her words have great weight and she often advises Ozma.[12] Canaria also serves as a military medic for S.M.S.[12] She is married and has a young son named Eddie. Canaria leaves them at Frontier after departing with Ozma and the rest of the S.M.S. deserters. During the climatic battle against the Vajra she flies her VB-6 König Monster into the flight deck of Battle Galaxy and fires with the rail cannons and missiles at its bridge, blinding the enemy ship long enough for the Macross Quarter to destroy its Macross Cannon and enabling the Battle Frontier to destroy the Battle Galaxy ship by itself. Klan Klang (クラン・クラン Kuran Kuran?)[13] Voiced by: Megumi Toyoguchi A blue-haired, stern-looking, but well-endowed Zentradi female (Meltran) who is the commander of the all-female S.M.S. Pixie Squadron (which consists of herself and two subordinates). Klan has the rank of captain.[14] Klan is a childhood friend of Michael Blanc and harbors a crush on him that does not seem to be reciprocated. She is an ace Queadluun-Reapower-armor pilot.[14] Due to a genetic anomaly when she is micronized she physically appears to be a child.[14] This makes her the perfect target for Michael's mockery.[14] In episode 20 Diamond Crevasse[15] Klan finally reveals her love to Michael in the heat of battle, only to watch helplessly from the macronization chamber as he is mortally wounded trying to protect her. Michael's last words are a declaration of his love for her and an apology for waiting to tell her until it was too late. When the Macross Quarter deserts the Frontier fleet, Klan is one of those who stay behind, saluting the ship as it launches past her. During the final battle, her Quaedluun-Rea is critically damaged by Brera Sterne, but she springs back into action in Michael's VF-25G while in micronized form, trumping her sniping skills. In the climatic confrontation with Grace, her VF is damaged while covering Alto, so she entrusts him with Michael's sniper rifle. Alto uses the weapon to deliver the kill shot at Grace. Nene Rora (ネネ・ローラ Nene Rōra?) Voiced by: Aya Hirano A tall (by Zentradi standards) pink-haired Meltran who is part of the all-female S.M.S. Pixie Squadron.[16] A calm, gentle and kind character.[16] Raramia Rerenia (ララミア・レレニア?) A red-haired boyish-looking Meltran with an intense gaze who is part of the all-female S.M.S. Pixie Squadron.[17] She never spoke once during the entire series and was never seen again after her Queadluun-Rea power-armor received a direct hit during battle with the Vajra in Episode 14, presumed to be killed in action. Jeffrey Wilder (ジェフリー・ワイルダー Jefurī Wairudā?) Voiced by: Tōru Ōkawa Captain of SMS Macross Quarter, and S.M.S.'s de facto field commander.[18] A colonel in the S.M.S. ranks, he used to be a pilot in an U.N. Forces aircraft carrier early on his career.[18] A seasoned veteran, he has a beard and a horizontal scar across his face as proof of his previous combat experience. Though a very polite officer, he can become highly mischievous when the situation requires it.[18] It is mentioned that he lost his wife some time ago. When he receives an order from Richard Bilrer that the S.M.S. would be disbanded and then reincorporated into the N.U.N.S. (just as he learned the truth regarding President Glass' death from Cathy and Ozma) Wilder declares that the S.M.S. are now pirates instead of soldiers and successfully convinces the other S.M.S. members (excluding Clan, Nene, Alto and Luca among some others) to join them. He then commands the Macross Quarter to detach itself from the Frontier and go into a fold jump. After he and his crew investigated the truth behind the Vajra attacks by reviewing the evidence from the wrecks of the 117th fleet, he realizes that Grace O'Connor plans to force humanity into becoming like the Vajra living in a linked mind network with O'Connor as its Queen. Now with knowledge of the truth behind the conflict Wilder filed a report to the government on Earth and took his ship to the Vajra home planet to help stop the conflict between humanity and the aliens. He also asks Monica Lange if she will stand with him when they go to confront Leon and the Vajra, showing that he knew her feelings for him and that he shared them too. Captain Wilder brings Macross Quarter back to the Vajra homeworld and presents evidence of Leon's involvement in the assassination of President Glass and his working with the true enemy, the co-conspirators from Macross Galaxy fleet. He and his crew are victorious in defending Battle Frontier. Both his ship and Battle Frontier confront Macross Galaxy's flagship, Battle Galaxy and destroy it. He is later seen on the surface of the Vajra planet with the rest of the bridge crew and with Monica at his side. Bobby Margot (ボビー・マルゴ Bobī Marugo?) Voiced by: Kenta Miyake Highly skilled helmsman of the S.M.S. mothership, SMS Macross Quarter.[19] Somewhat stern in appearance, he is "just like a girl inside", as he often says.[19] He was a hair stylist as well as a make-up artist, somewhere in the past.[19] He is well liked by female crew members for his good understanding of others. He is an open homosexual and has not-so subtle feelings for Ozma, though he understands well that Ozma will never reciprocate and he is content with just having feelings for him. Apparently very effeminate, calm and soft-spoken when not fighting, he will become quite serious, daring and aggressive during combat, or when he needs to scare or threaten others. Monica Lange (モニカ・ラング Monika Rangu?) Voiced by: Rie Tanaka One of the bridge operators of SMS Macross Quarter.[20] In charge of the main search radar and chief of the main operator group, she has a serious leader personality type.[20] It was revealed later that she is enamoured with Captain Wilder, who eventually reciprocated her feelings in episode 24. Mina Roshan (ミーナ・ローシャン Mīna Rōshan?) Voiced by: Aya Hirano One of the bridge operators of SMS Macross Quarter. Currently in charge of internal warship status management.[21] Despite having an IQ of 180, she sometimes has trouble adjusting to the pace of her fellow teammates[21] and is proud of her high level of intelligence.[21] Mina is also of Indian ancestry. Ram Hoa (ラム・ホア Ramu Hoa?) Voiced by: Kaori Fukuhara One of the bridge operators of SMS Macross Quarter. In charge of communication and main weapons control.[22] A woman of not too many words that tends to classify everything that she comes into contact on a regular basis.[22] Henry Gilliam (ヘンリー・ギリアム Henrī Giriamu?) Voiced by: Takashi Ōhara A tough pilot in the S.M.S. Skull Team and Ozma Lee's second in command. He lost his life in Episode 01 while defending the Macross Frontier fleet in the first Vajra attack of 2059.[23] His VF-25 Messiah variable fighter is now piloted by Alto. Richard Bilrer (リチャード・ビルラー Richādo Birurā?) Voiced by: Tadashi Miyazawa The mysterious macronized Zentradi owner of the S.M.S. Private Military Provider Company. Has multiple artificial implants in his body and some of them enable him to receive telephone calls directly into his left ear. As shown in Episodes 14 and 15, Bilrer is a model train otaku and dreams of connecting the whole galaxy using the mysterious fold quartz obtained from the Vajra. It was revealed during the final episode of the series that he has a picture of the long lost celebrity Lynn Minmay inside the fold quartz in his ring and that he intended to meet her again using the Vajra's fold communication network.[24] S.M.S. member who was killed by the Vajra during their assault into the S.M.S. macronization chambers in Episode 20. Alto and his friends find her body while escaping from the enemy.[8] New United Nations Military[edit] Catherine Glass (キャサリン・グラス Kyasarin Gurasu?) Voiced by: Sanae Kobayashi • Age: 23 A N.U.N.S. General Staff second lieutenant attached to the Macross Frontier, she is also the daughter of President Howard Glass.[25] Both beautiful and intelligent, Catherine (or "Cathy" as she is commonly known) is revealed to be a former Miss Macross winner, and later goes on to serve on the judging panel in the 2059 contest. After having graduated from university with honors, she joined NUNS and is being fast-tracked into the elite.[25] Though a very competent officer, she sometimes lacks flexibility.[25] She has a relationship with Leon Mishima without her father's knowledge and was formerly in a relationship with Ozma Lee before that. Catherine becomes part of the SMS Macross Quarter crew during a mission to rescue the Macross Galaxy fleet from the Vajra. Like Ozma, she has grown suspicious of Leon's intentions and confronts him, only to be arrested by his men. However, she and Ozma escape and find the body of her father after Leon had him killed at the gangway of Battle Frontier. Later, they return to the Macross Quarter after being found by Bobby, and they tell everyone of the truth about President Glass’s death. She later joins the Macross Quarter crew into exile to investigate the truth and participates in the final battle. During the course of events of her investigation, before and after the exile from Frontier, Cathy's feelings for Ozma return. When the Frontier fleet settles on the Vajra home planet, she is seen to be back at Ozma Lee's side looking on the new homeworld. Howard Glass (ハワード・グラス Hawādo Gurasu?) Voiced by: Tomomichi Nishimura The fourth elected president of the New United Nations Government and also the administrative director of the Macross Frontier fleet.[26] His administration was responsible for the creation of the Frontier colony fleet.[26] As president, he shoulders all political decisions to ensure the security and well-being of his citizens.[26] He is also Cathy's father.[26] Glass dies in episode 20 after being gunned down (as well as his two personal bodyguards) en route to the Battle Frontier bridge by Leon Mishima's men.[8] Leon Mishima (レオン・三島 Reon Mishima?) Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita The President's aide and Chief of Staff.[27] An ever calm and composed man, Mishima is President Glass' close associate.[27] He is a savvy political operator and begins the series engaged to Cathy Glass.[27] He knows far more about the Vajra than it seems and apparently is working in secret with Grace O'Connor. In episode 15, it is revealed that he also helped Grace to lure the Vajra to Frontier. He assigns Brera Sterne, a cyborg, as Ranka's personal bodyguard. Ozma and Cathy confront him on his planned "Coup d'état", but Mishima tells that them that they are too late as he already has a sniper targeting Glass. However, the sniper is killed during a Vajra attack, and Glass escapes. Eventually Mishima succeeds and the president is ambushed and shot to death inside Battle Frontier, which gives Reon total control of practically all N.U.N.S. forces in the Frontier fleet. After this, he becomes the fifth president of the Frontier government. Mishima also double-crosses O'Connor by ordering her assassination, but she easily kills his men and escapes from Frontier. Later, Mishima reveals to Alto the findings about Vajra and surprises him by stating that Ranka is assisting the Vajra in destroying humanity. He also declares to Macross Frontier's population that they have only three months of oxygen left to sustain themselves and that the only way they can survive is to annihilate the Vajra and claim their planet as their new homeworld. During the final battle with the Vajra, the Macross Quarter returns from exile and saves the Battle Frontier from a Vajra fleet attack. Then Captain Wilder reveals to N.U.N.S. officials that Mishima was behind the Vajra attacks as well as the murder of Glass, leading to his immediate arrest by his own guards. Machida (マキー Mashīda?) N.U.N.S. VF-171 pilot from the Macross Frontier fleet. Captain Wilen (ウィラン大尉 Wiran-taii?) Voiced by: Daisuke Matsuo N.U.N.S. pilot from the Macross Galaxy fleet. He reports to the Macross Frontier headquarters that his fleet is under attack by a large horde of Vajra. Jessica Blanc (ジェシカ・ブラン Jessica Brancu?) Michel Blanc's older sister and a friend of Klan. Jessica took care of Michel after their parents died and the two were very close. She was a N.U.N.S. pilot and a sniper. Jessica was court martialed after she accidentally shot and killed her superior officer. Because Jessica was having an affair with the officer and the couple had just broken up she was found guilty. Some time later Jessica committed suicide. Major Ohgotwhai Macronized Zentradi leader of the N.U.N.S. 33rd Naval/Marine Fleet stationed in planet Galia 4. He and his forces help Alto fight rogue Commander Tehmzin's mutiny and rescue Sheryl. The character's name and design are very similar to those of Zentradi Commander Vrlitwhai from The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? animated movie. Major Ohgotwhai's Advisor Unnamed macronized Zentradi advisor of the N.U.N.S. 33rd Naval/Marine Fleet stationed in planet Galia 4.[28] Dies during the "Dimension Eater" explosion when the Assault Module of the Queadol-Magdomilla Class Fleet Command Battleship is destroyed.[29][30] The character's design is very similar to that of Zentradi advisor Exsedol Folmo from The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? animated movie. Tehmzin (テムジン Temujin?) Voiced by: Jun Konno Macronized Zentradi soldier of the N.U.N.S. 33rd Naval/Marine Fleet stationed in planet Galia 4. He is the leader of a rebel faction disgruntled with the peace between Zentradi and humans, and longs to restart the war and reassert Zentradi dominance in the galaxy. Shortly after Sheryl's entourage lands on Galia 4, Tehmzin's faction takes the entire regiment and the entourage hostage when Sheryl falls ill. Alto Saotome defeats him in battle after the arrival of Michael and Ranka. The character's name and design were similar to those of Zentradi Commander Quamzin from The Super Dimension Fortress Macross TV series. However, the Japanese pronunciation is identical to the name Temujin, one of the titles of Genghis Khan. Grace O'Connor (グレイス・オコナー Gureisu Okonā?) Voiced by: Kikuko Inoue The series' main antagonist, Grace O'Connor first appears as Sheryl's manager from the Galaxy Fleet and as a person with a gentle and calm attitude.[31] She seems to often upset her employer despite having considerable abilities.[31] O'Connor also has cybernetic implants that allow her to directly interface with any computer terminal. She also appears to be secretly working with the cyborg pilot Brera Sterne as his superior. In the 13th episode, it is revealed that O'Connor is a cyborg as well, as she unleashes from her arm a series of conduits to activate a weapon of mass destruction called a "Dimension Eater." She apparently perishes in the ensuing fold dislocation, calmly wishing everyone from the Macross Frontier fleet good luck before the Dimension Eater engulfs her and then almost half of the planet of Galia IV, triggering a large scale Vajra attack on the Frontier fleet in the process and destroying the N.U.N.S. 33rd Naval/Marine fleet base on the planet surface. It is revealed later that O'Connor uploaded her mind into another cyborg body. Returning to Macross Frontier, she picks up Ranka and becomes her manager. Back in 2047, O'Connor was a scientist in the 117th Long Distance Research Fleet and worked in Dr. Mao Nome's team, surviving the destruction of the fleet during the Vajra attack a year later. It is believed she is chief suspect of causing the destruction of the fleet. In 2053, she continued the research on the V-Type infection in Galaxy Fleet, using Sheryl Nome as the test subject and manufacturing Sheryl's entire idol status for her purposes. O'Connor is later betrayed by Leon Mishima, who orders her assassination, but she single-handedly kills Mishima's men and escapes from Frontier in her own VF-27 variable fighter. She eventually rendezvous with Brera and reveals to him that Ranka is his sister, but immediately activates his slave mode forcing him to follow her orders. Afterward, she discovers the location of the main Vajra Queen and merges her cybernetic body with it. Eventually she manages to compromise the Vajra fold communication network by manipulating Ranka and sending the Vajra against the Macross Frontier fleet during their final battle. O'Connor and her cyberlinked fellow conspirators from Galaxy fleet merge with the Vajra network, gaining total control over them, while she declares that they do not need "Little Queen" Ranka anymore, as they feel the power of controlling the Vajra's galactic scale "Body". Her ultimate plan was to kill all the humans who would not submit to her and have fold crystals embedded in the others so they could be completely under her control, since nothing in the N.U.N.S. arsenal would have been able to withstand the might of the Vajra's interdimensional abilities in a galactic scale conquest. She becomes power-mad once fully linked to the network and declares war against anyone who opposes her, sending compromised Vajra war fleets to Human/Zentradi colony fleets and even to Macross City on Earth. In the end, Ranka and Sheryl's songs release the Vajra from her control and she is soundly defeated by the combined Vajra, S.M.S. and Macross Frontier fleet forces. O'Connor is killed by Alto with Michel's VF-25G sniper rifle.[24] Brera Sterne (ブレラ・スターン Burera Sutān?) Voiced by: Sōichirō Hoshi • Age: 19 Also known as Brera Mei (ブレラ・メイ Burera Mei?), he is the mysterious pilot of the crimson VF-27 variable fighter that Alto Saotome encounters for the first time inside a Vajra carrier.[32] Brera seems to know how to play the first part of Ranka's song "Aimo" using his harmonica, claiming that the song is the only fragment of his past he still has after memory modification. After saving Ranka from a wild beast attack, the injuries Brera sustains reveal that he is also a cyborg.[32] He harbors a great deal of concern for Ranka's well-being, but does not exactly know why.[32] A picture discovered by Alto inside the Macross Class SDF Global reveals that Brera had some kind of connection to Ranka before becoming a cyborg. It is eventually revealed that he is a Major in the Galaxy Fleet Antares Squadron. He becomes Ranka's bodyguard and also likes to listen to her songs, describing the feeling he gets from her songs as being enveloped in a universe that accepts him instead of rejecting him. Brera assists Ranka into delivering her stage 2 Vajra pet "Ai-kun" to the rest of its species. Some time later, he and Ranka find the planet of origin of the Vajra. Grace O'Connor reveals to Brera that Ranka is his younger sister, but then she activates his slave mode forcing him to follow her orders. During the final battle, O'Connor makes Brera help the Vajra by destroying Alto's VF-171EX. The explosion of a Vajra carrier nearby shatters Brera's slave circuit implant, thus freeing him from O'Connor's control. He proceeds to encourage Ranka to fight O'Connor's influence and eventually teams up with Alto and covers him while Alto defeats O'Connor in the end. Ai-kun (愛くん Ai-kun?) A cute-looking animal that first appears from out of nowhere at the Formo Mall while Ranka is promoting her debut album, and then at Mihoshi Academy, running away from Sheryl and the rest of the school after having wrapped itself in Sheryl's panties. It is later on adopted by Ranka, who first discovers it at Griffith Park in Frontier City. Because it is illegal to keep unknown animals from newly contacted planets as pets (in cases where they may bear pathogens, or disrupt the delicate ecological balance of a colony ship), Ranka keeps Ai-kun in secrecy. One day, prior to Ranka's debut concert, Ai-kun disappears, and Ranka has her friend Nanase look for it. Asking for assistance, Nanase shows Luca an illustration of Ai-kun, which he later on identifies as a Vajra larvae. During the concert, Ai-kun undergoes a transformation and upon reuniting with Ranka, molts into a stage 2 Vajra. Ranka and Brera take Ai-kun and leave Island 1 to deliver it to the Vajra home planet. Ranzou Saotome (早乙女 嵐蔵 Saotome Ranzō?) Voiced by: Kenta Miyake Alto's father and the 18th sōke of the Saotome family of. A very strict man, he has trained his son harshly in the art of kabuki since youth which has resulted in their current estranged relationship. However, after a close brush with death, Ranzou is willing to make amends with Alto and officially name him successor to the Saotome family. Miyo Saotome (早乙女 美代 Saotome Miyo?) Alto's mother, who died when Alto was twelve. A considerable beauty, Alto inherited her good looks and has a strong resemblance to her. She often spoke of flying in the sky, which inspired Alto to become a pilot for the sake of flying in a true sky. Yasaburou Saotome (早乙女 矢三郎 Saotome Yasaburō?) Voiced by: Hirofumi Nojima A senior apprentice to Alto's father, Alto regards Yasaburou as his older brother since he is a student of the Saotome family, though he is not a blood relation. Despite his mild-mannered and kind appearance, he is a stubborn and persistent person, making multiple attempts to convince Alto to return to his father and become the rightful heir to the Saotome family. While he is talented kabuki actor and seen as the potential successor to Ranzou, Yasaburou feels that Alto is denying his talent as a kabuki actor and is running away from his true calling, believing that Alto is only going through a phase as a pilot and will evidentably return to kabuki. Elmo Kridanik (エルモ・クリダニク Erumo Kuridaniku?) Voiced by: Tōru Ōkawa The micronized Zentradi president and manager of the small talent agency "Vector Productions".[33] He hears Ranka's singing by chance and scouts her, becoming her manager.[33] However, after Leon Mishima realizes that Ranka's singing has an effect on the Vajra he assigns Grace O'Connor as her new manager, forcing Elmo away from her. He is seen taking shelter in the same bunker as Sheryl and watching her sing during a Vajra attack. Elmo becomes Sheryl's new manager some time later. A comment made by him when asking Ozma Lee's permission to become Ranka's manager suggests that he is a Space War I veteran. George Yamamori (ジョージ・山森 Jōji Yamamori?) Voiced by: Tōru Ōkawa The director of the Bird Human film, who gave Ranka the part of Mao Nome after the original actress was wounded during a car accident caused by a wild beast attack. This launches Ranka's musical career into stardom. Yamamori's physical appearance was based on that of series director and creator Shoji Kawamori, and his name is also a phonetic play on the director's name as well. Miranda Merin (ミランダ・メリン Miranda Merin?) Voiced by: Rie Tanaka The self-conceited winner of the current Miss Macross Frontier contest, Miranda plays Mayan priestess Sara Nome in the recent Bird Human film. She appears to be a descendant of (as she shares her last name with) a similarly conceited character (Jamis Merin/ジャミス・メリン) from the original Macross TV series, who also competed in the first Miss Macross contest. Screenshot depicting Mao Nome as seen in 2047 A.D. Dr. Mao Nome (Dr. マオ・ノーム Dokutā Mao Nōmu?) The Mayan sister of Sara Nome, who was also involved in the events of Macross Zero. Ozma Lee apparently knew her. In 2047, she was a scientist with a background researching Protoculture Civilization. "Dr. Mao" (as she is referred to the series) headed a project on board the 117th Long Distance Research Fleet to manage and prevent a Vajra-related disease (the V-Type infection) with Grace O'Connor and Ranshe Mei as her assistants. Dr. Mao is eventually revealed to have a granddaughter, who inherited her fold quartz earrings and is believed to be Sheryl Nome. She is presumed to have been killed during the destruction of the 117th fleet by the Vajra. Ranshe Mei (蘭雪 美 Ranshe Mei?, pinyin: Lánxuě Měi) Voiced by: Maaya Sakamoto Ranka Lee and Brera Sterne's mother, who was a leading scientist in the 117th Long Distance Research Fleet and worked in Dr. Mao's team in 2047. Ranshe was strongly opposed to O'Connor's plan to sacrifice the Vajra in order to control their fold communication network. She later appeared to Ranka in a vision when she was held captive inside a Vajra mothership. Like Sheryl Nome, Ranshe was also infected with the "V-Type" infection; since Ranka was conceived and carried to term while her mother was infected, Ranka was born with permanent immunity to the otherwise lethal infection. Ranshe is presumed to have been killed during the destruction of the 117th fleet by the Vajra. 1. ^ Macross F Cast List 0! 2. ^ a b c d "Alto Saotome". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-21.  3. ^ Macross Frontier (TV Series). Macross Frontier Official Site. Story Section. Story List. Episode 04. 04-24-08 4. ^ a b c "Ranka Lee". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-20.  5. ^ a b "Sheryl Nome". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-21.  6. ^ Macross Frontier - Galaxy Memory CD Drama 7. ^ a b "Mikhail "Michael/Michel" Blanc". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-21.  8. ^ a b c Macross Frontier (TV Series). Macross Frontier Official Site. Story Section. Story List. Episode 20. 08-21-08 9. ^ a b "Luca Angelloni". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  10. ^ a b "Nanase Matsuura". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  11. ^ a b "Ozma Lee". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  12. ^ a b c "Canaria Berstein". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  13. ^ Official Romanization of クラン・クラン (Klan Cang) Retrieved on 07-02-09. 14. ^ a b c d "Clan Clang". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  15. ^ Official Romanization of クラン・クラン 16. ^ a b "Nene Rora". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  17. ^ "Raramia Rerenia". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  18. ^ a b c "Jeffrey Wilder". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  19. ^ a b c "Bobby Margot". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  20. ^ a b "Monica Lange". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  21. ^ a b c "Mina Roshan". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  22. ^ a b "Ram Hoa". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  23. ^ Macross Frontier (TV Series). Macross Frontier Official Site. Story Section. Story List. Episode 01. 04-03-08 24. ^ a b Macross Frontier (TV Series). Macross Frontier Official Site. Story Section. Story List. Episode 25. 09-25-08 25. ^ a b c "Catherine Glass". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  26. ^ a b c d "Howard Glass". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  27. ^ a b c "Leon Mishima". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  28. ^ Macross Frontier (TV Series). Macross Frontier Official Site. Story Section. Story List. Episode 12. 06-26-08 29. ^ Mechanic of Macross: Queadol-Magdomilla XXVII. Page 180. Macross Perfect Memory. Reference Book. 260 A4 pages. Minori Library, Japan. Y2800. 1983, October 10. 30. ^ Macross Frontier (TV Series). Macross Frontier Official Site. Story Section. Story List. Episode 13. 07-03-08 31. ^ a b "Grace O'Connor". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  32. ^ a b c "Brera Sterne". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.  33. ^ a b "Elmo Kridanik". Official Macross Frontier Page: Character Section. Mainichi Broadcasting System. December 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-23.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheryl_Nome

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1. No Profile Picture Contributing User Devshed Newbie (0 - 499 posts) Join Date Apr 2004 Rep Power Confused about processor speed. I am going to buy a new computer and at the moment I have my eyes on two. One of them has the following processor: AMD DUAL CORE X2 3600 , I googled it and apparently the processor speed is 1.9GHz The other one has a INTEL CORE 2 DUAL e6320 and google says it is 1.86HGz. My problem is that I don't think their clock speed could be so low specially the INTEL. My theory is that in fact if I buy INTEL CORE2DUAL E6320 I will get 2 processors with the speed of 1.86 - hence the name DUAL - which means that I will have about 3700GHz speed, am I right? Last edited by amahmood; June 25th, 2007 at 02:01 PM. 2. #2 3. Just another guy Devshed Frequenter (2500 - 2999 posts) Join Date Jun 2003 Rep Power No, you don't add the speeds together with a dual core processor. A dual core processor consists of two processors on a single die, but both run at the same clock speed. The advantage is that when you are multi tasking, each core can run some of the applications independently and increase overall performance. The clock speeds don't combine though. My hobby: collecting US coins 4. #3 5. No Profile Picture Registered User Devshed Newbie (0 - 499 posts) Join Date Aug 2007 Rep Power Go with the intel. Yes it has a rather low clock speed but It's very efficient with the cpu cycles. I have an e6300 and I OC'd it to ~3.0GHz. They're excelent overclockers if your into that kind of stuff. even without the oc its faster. since I can't post URLs, check out Tom's Hardware. they have a great CPU comparison chart, and the e6320 beats the AMD X2 3600 in most if not all, even with the lower clock speed. IMN logo majestic logo threadwatch logo seochat tools logo

http://forums.devshed.com/cpus-104/confused-processor-speed-455084.html

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Take the 2-minute tour × I'm developing a simple particle system that should be able to perform on mobile devices (iOS, Andorid). My plan was to use GL_POINT_SPRITE/GL_PROGRAM_POINT_SIZE method because of it's efficiency (GL_POINTS are enough), but after some experimenting, I found myself in a trouble. Sprite size is limited (to usually 64 pixels). I'm calculating size using this formula gl_PointSize = in_point_size * some_factor / distance_to_camera to make particle sizes proportional to distance to camera. But at some point, when camera is close enough, problem with size limitation emerges and whole system starts looking unrealistic. Is there a way to avoid this problem? If no, what's alternative? I was thinking of manually generating billboard quad for each particle. Now, I have some questions about that approach. I guess minimum geometry data would be four vertices per particle and index array to make quads from these vertices (with GL_TRIANGLE_STRIP). Additionally, for each vertex I need a color and texture coordinate. I would put all that in an interleaved vertex array. But as you can see, there is much redundancy. All vertices of same particle share same color value, and four texture coordinates are same for all particles. Because of how glDrawArrays/Elements works, I see no way to optimise this. Do you know of a better approach on how to organise per-particle data? Should I use buffers or vertex arrays, or there is no difference because each time I have to update all particles' data. About particles simulation... Where to do it? On CPU or on a vertex processors? Something tells me that mobile's CPU would do it faster than it's vertex unit (at least today in 2012 :). So, any advice on how to make a simple and efficient particle system without particle size limitation, for mobile device, would be appreciated. (animation of camera passing through particles should be realistic) share|improve this question add comment 2 Answers up vote 1 down vote accepted Instancing isn't available in ES2 but ultimately it would provide the best approach. In the absence of instancing there are a few other ways you can optimize the data. You know that the index array data is not going to change even if the vertex array data does, so the index array can become a static array. The same can apply to texture coords (assuming that you don't have an atlas of particle textures) so they can be also shifted into a static VBO, which would - of course - need to be non-interleaved. That effectively leaves position and colour as being the only dynamic per-vertex data that needs updating, with colour being the only attribute that is duplicated (and if you're using 4 unsigned bytes for colour then the duplication isn't so onerous). None of this is perfect and you've correctly identified reasons to be unsure of it. However, before you go ripping things apart it would pay to benchmark and see if using duplicate data actually is a problem. This can fly in the face of instinct, but it's often the case that pulling tricks to reduce memory usage ends up having overall negative consequences for performance. Accepting extra memory usage and accepting some duplication of data - even if it does seem instinctively "wrong" - can frequently turn out to be the most optimal approach. share|improve this answer In this case using index buffers is just additional overhead. Each of the 4 vertices is only visited exactly once in drawing the quad. The post I linked does describe how to do hardware instancing on an ES 2 GPU –  bobobobo Sep 30 '12 at 0:00 Thank you for suggestions. I've implemented particle system this way and it looks it could be good enough for now. Unfortunately I am unable to test it on device for a few days, but I'll be back with results when I get them. –  Srđan Oct 2 '12 at 11:10 That hardware instancing implementation passes a modelview matrix per-vertex - an index buffer is utterly trivial overhead by comparison. Using an index buffer will also let you join multiple sprites together in a single draw call, which you can't do without one. Proper instancing - using glVertexAttribDivisor - is the kind of instancing I refer to, and that will give the best combination of low overhead and high performance. –  Jimmy Shelter Oct 2 '12 at 15:10 add comment Yeah, I would say go with a 4-vertex triangle stripped quad. If you are drawing large numbers of these triangle strips using the same color, and the same set of texture coordinates, you could do 1 of 2 things: 1) Send the 4 vertices for each object and store the color and texcoords in uniforms 2) "Hardware instancing" share|improve this answer +1. OP should also be aware that point sprites have another problem -- each sprite clips out when its centre reaches the edge of the viewport, i.e. too soon. So useless for most applications. –  Nick Wiggill Sep 29 '12 at 21:51 Thank you very much for this. That's what I actually needed in first place, but didn't know it is possible. For now I have system as described by mh01 bellow, but this is probably going to be an update. Thanks. –  Srđan Oct 2 '12 at 11:14 add comment Your Answer

http://gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/37932/opengl-sprites-and-point-size-limitation/37940

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Take the 2-minute tour × I'm playing an old game in Dosbox. The game asks me whether my sound card is Sound Blaster or Roland. What should I choose for best sound? enter image description here Game happens to be http://www.gamecrafters.com/gamecrafters/maddog/index.html if you're curious. share|improve this question Did you try the two settings? –  Lasse V. Karlsen Nov 24 '12 at 16:47 add comment 3 Answers up vote 6 down vote accepted Audio quality is somewhat subjective, although it's my opinion that the Roland MT-32 produced superior music quality. You can compare them with a number of videos on YouTube, here's one for Space Quest 3: Sound Blaster: Roland MT-32: The Roland audio is a bit better quality, has reverb effects, actual MIDI "instruments," is in stereo, etc. DOSBox, however, doesn't emulate the Roland MT-32. It only passes MIDI data to whatever MIDI devices are available on your PC. This might be the actual Roland hardware, although that's unlikely in this day and age. However, most modern sound cards have rudimentary support for MIDI, but the quality depends on your card, it's drivers, etc. There are a few 3rd party MIDI device emulators for DOSBox - there's a good article on their wiki about setting them up. So, to summarize, you'll probably get better quality out of the MT-32 option, but only if you take the time to set it up and configure DOSBox/your PC properly. share|improve this answer add comment Boxer.app, a popular DOSBOX wrapper for Macs, has recommendations for preferred sound systems in the help file. They are (in order from best to worst) 1. Gravis Ultrasound / Max. Not many games offer it, but it's the best choice when they do. 2. General MIDI (MPU-401). Better music. Can be paired with Sound Blaster 16 for digital audio. 3. Roland MT-32. Predecessor to General MIDI. 4. Sound Blaster. 16 if available, otherwise pro or regular. "Most reliable" 5. AdLib. Not as good as Sound Blaster. 6. Disney Sound Source / Tandy 3-voice sound, two obscure options 7. PC speaker Boxer added special Roland MT-32 support in 2011; it's possible this isn't available in other DOSBOX variants. share|improve this answer add comment On my PC, I found that for this particular game - Maddog Williams - Sound Blaster sounded better. Roland played a constant high tone behind the music. share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/93937/playing-oldgame-in-dosbox-is-sound-blaster-or-roland-better

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Anti-Gay State Senator&#39;s Secret Gay Life Is Revealed In Bribery Indictment Carl Kruger is a Democratic state senator from Brooklyn. His vote against gay marriage last year was crucial in stopping the measure in New York. Funny thing: He lives with his gay lover, who's the bagman in their bribery racket. First, the bribery: Kruger, the feds charge, conspired with a state lobbyist named Richard Lipsky to shake down clients for Kruger's vote. He's charged with accepting bribes from Lipsky to funnel state money to various New York City projects being developed by Forest City Ratner, as well as trying to curtail the state's recycling laws. When the feds raided Lipsky's Upper West Side apartment, they found "$102,000 in cash from a safe in a closet and $4,000 'in crisp, large denominational bills from the pocket of a suit belonging to Lipsky,'" according to the New York Post. According to the New York Times, Kruger used the money to "bankroll a lavish lifestyle, financing a four-door Bentley Arnage and a $2 million waterfront home originally built for a boss of the Lucchese crime family." Now, about that lifestyle! Kruger, who was one of four Democrats who killed gay marriage in New York last year (along with face-slasher Hiram Monserrate), ostensibly lives with his sister in Brooklyn. But according to the Post, neighbors there "said either that they did not recognize him or that he was rarely, if ever, there." That might be because he actually lives in this gaudy 7,000 square-foot home with the Turano family—Michael, his brother Gerard, and their mother Dorothy. Kruger is, according to the complaint, essentially a member of the Turano family. "He helped manage the household and shop for groceries," the Times says, and even help pick out a gravestone for the family plot." Dorothy Turano, who is, at 73, much older than Kruger, was often seen out in public with him, "and some neighbors described the two as a couple," the Times says. But "it was the oldest son, Michael, to whom Mr. Kruger was closest, and they forged a relationship in which they 'supported and relied on one another,' according to the complaint." Indeed, Michael Turano, the complaint says, created the shell companies that Kruger used to launder his bribe money and "finance the Bentley, pay credit card bills and make mortgage payments on the house." So what, exactly, are we to make of all this? Let's see what the Post says: "GAY POL'S $1 MIL 'BRIBE' OUTRAGE: KRUGER & BEAU IN PAY-FOR-PLAY ROUNDUP." Oh! Michael Turano and Kruger lived together, they co-mingled their finances, and Kruger helped look after Turano's aging mother. There have been plenty of secretly gay politicians who opposed gay marriage; Kruger appears to be the first secretly gay-married pol to have done so. To add the craziness: The home that Kruger and Turano share was built by an architect named Anthony Fava, who was murdered in 1991 by the his client and the home's original owner, Lucchese crime family boss Anthony Casso.

http://gawker.com/5780985/anti-gay-state-senators-secret-gay-life-is-revealed-in-bribery-indictment?tag=Bribery

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Brooks Brothers Inadvertently Reveals America&#39;s Whitest CollegesS Brooks Brothers does not make the type of "College apparel" worn by Southeastern Conference country animals on "game day" that serves as little more than a bib for copious amounts of spilled beer and barbecue sauce. That is not what Brooks Brothers does. Brooks Brothers makes dignified casual apparel for American winners. But, what Brooks Brothers has agreed to do as a nod to modernity is to produce—for the first time in its history—college-branded "sweaters, dress and polo shirts and ties" for a select group of 15 American colleges. In this way, Brooks Brothers has, through its business plan alone, revealed to us all the 15 schools in America most infested by unbearable preppy (or faux-preppy) Brooks Brothers-wearing scumbags. We now present these 15 schools to you, in order of unbearability: 15. The U.S. Naval Academy 14. Stanford 13. Georgia 12. Vanderbilt 11. Alabama 10. Cornell 9. Virginia 8. Auburn 7. Ohio State 6. Princeton 5. Georgetown 4. Boston College 3. NYU 2. Notre Dame 1. Harvard Get a football team that's not a fucking embarrassment, Yale. Then you'll get your polo shirts. [Bloomberg via Inside Higher Ed. Photo via Facebook]

http://gawker.com/5815919/brooks-brothers-inadvertently-reveals-americas-whitest-colleges?tag=Ivy-League

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Comment of the Day: How Do You Know When Your Boyfriend&#39;s Gay?S Ladies, today we learned that finding a man ain't always easy. Especially if he is a man who won't ever admit that he is gay! If only there was some fool proof way, some kind of test to put to your perspective man-in-waiting to decipher his sexuality. Fortunately for us, one commenter is a scientist. From robbiebobo: Hey Single Ladies! Wondering if that boy who just can't seem to catch your hints is looking to be another sort of catcher? Here's a helpful quiz to help you sort it out. 1. Does he love musicals? Do you sometimes catch him singing them or crying to himself saying "Elpheba?" 2. Does he watch football, drink beer, and have difficulty opening up emotionally? 3. Does he want to have sex with other men? If you answered yes to number 3, time to move on, gurrl! (The other two don't actually matter.) Well there you have it! If the sight of your 'gina is loathsome to your man, well, I'd say that's a deal breakah! [Image via Shutterstock]

http://gawker.com/5866503/comment-of-the-day-how-do-you-know-when-your-boyfriends-gay?tag=hugh-jackman

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Next: , Previous: Pragma Static_Elaboration_Desired, Up: Implementation Defined Pragmas Pragma Stream_Convert pragma Stream_Convert ( [Entity =>] type_LOCAL_NAME, [Read =>] function_NAME, [Write =>] function_NAME); This pragma provides an efficient way of providing user-defined stream attributes. Not only is it simpler to use than specifying the attributes directly, but more importantly, it allows the specification to be made in such a way that the predefined unit Ada.Streams is not loaded unless it is actually needed (i.e. unless the stream attributes are actually used); the use of the Stream_Convert pragma adds no overhead at all, unless the stream attributes are actually used on the designated type. The first argument specifies the type for which stream functions are provided. The second parameter provides a function used to read values of this type. It must name a function whose argument type may be any subtype, and whose returned type must be the type given as the first argument to the pragma. The meaning of the Read parameter is that if a stream attribute directly or indirectly specifies reading of the type given as the first parameter, then a value of the type given as the argument to the Read function is read from the stream, and then the Read function is used to convert this to the required target type. Similarly the Write parameter specifies how to treat write attributes that directly or indirectly apply to the type given as the first parameter. It must have an input parameter of the type specified by the first parameter, and the return type must be the same as the input type of the Read function. The effect is to first call the Write function to convert to the given stream type, and then write the result type to the stream. The Read and Write functions must not be overloaded subprograms. If necessary renamings can be supplied to meet this requirement. The usage of this attribute is best illustrated by a simple example, taken from the GNAT implementation of package Ada.Strings.Unbounded: function To_Unbounded (S : String) return Unbounded_String renames To_Unbounded_String; pragma Stream_Convert (Unbounded_String, To_Unbounded, To_String); The specifications of the referenced functions, as given in the Ada Reference Manual are: function To_Unbounded_String (Source : String) return Unbounded_String; function To_String (Source : Unbounded_String) return String; The effect is that if the value of an unbounded string is written to a stream, then the representation of the item in the stream is in the same format that would be used for Standard.String'Output, and this same representation is expected when a value of this type is read from the stream. Note that the value written always includes the bounds, even for Unbounded_String'Write, since Unbounded_String is not an array type. Note that the Stream_Convert pragma is not effective in the case of a derived type of a non-limited tagged type. If such a type is specified then the pragma is silently ignored, and the default implementation of the stream attributes is used instead.

http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gnat_rm/Pragma-Stream_005fConvert.html

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Take the 2-minute tour × I have two vector layers: A first one with all cadastral parcels of a region. This layer has several attributes, it's only the geometry and 3 of the attributes I'm intrested in. My second layer is a selection of parcels from the same region. This layer has 7 attributes. The first 3 attributes are identical to 3 attributes from the first layer with all cadastral parcels. The 4 other attributes are filled in afterwards. How can I copy a parcel from the first layer to the second one, only with the geometry and matching attributes in the right field of the attribute table? share|improve this question add comment 2 Answers When copying features from one layer to another, attributes are copied and pasted in the same order they appeared in the original attribute table. Attribute/column names are not considered. This is how you could make it work: Your original parcel layer should be restructured so that the the 3 attributes you care about are first in the attribute table. If you then copy features from the original layer to the target layer, all attributes will still be copied but at least your attribute values of interest will end up in the correct columns. The rest can be deleted or written over. share|improve this answer This seems to work but I have problems with restructuring my attribute tables. I use the plugin Table manager and works fine for most of my shapefile, except for 1, the original layer with the cadastral parcels. This shapefile is 100MB and every time I try to start the plugin QGIS crashes. I also noticed that sometimes when I copy a feature QGIS copys the attributes of this feature, but the geometry of the feature I tried to copy before. –  Maarten Decoene Apr 6 '12 at 10:59 add comment If you are having problems with the method suggested by underdark, the following might be an alternative approach: • Select the features from the original layers. You can do this manually or using e.g., the (advanced) search function in the attribute table window. Save the selection as a new layer (save selection as). • Optional; remove columns you are not interested in with Table manager • Merge the new layer with your target layer (see this gis stackexchange question about merging multiple shapefiles). share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://gis.stackexchange.com/questions/22901/how-to-copy-features-from-a-vector-layer-to-another-vector-layer-with-only-corre/30704

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Aurora Rocket Clock: Radioactive beautiful...arm melting Most alarm clocks function under the mantra that you can sleep better when you don't need to worry about waking up. The Aurora Rocket Clock works under the mantra: you don't have to worry about waking up if you never go to sleep. The 25cm clock can glow in 12 different, eye-opening colors that can be programmed to change on the hour or shift sequentially. If you really enjoy the Seinfeld episode when they open the Kenny Roger's Roaster outside of Kramer's room, this may be the clock for you. If you sleep butt-naked and would like to tan in your sleep, this might be the clock for you. And yes, the glow can be turned off completely, but then we don't have much to make fun of. Product Page [via popgadget]

http://gizmodo.com/196843/aurora-rocket-clock-radioactive-glowso-beautifularm-melting?tag=mario-kart-wii

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Don&#39;t Forget To Feed The PhoneS If I told you there's a website that posted pictures of people feeding food to inanimate objects, what would you say? Yeah, I'd want to see it too. There's something awesome about a balloon drinking coffee and a girl eating door. I can't be the only one who now wishes they could feed their iPhone to charge it. [Feeding Objects via BoingBoing]

http://gizmodo.com/5612949/dont-forget-to-feed-the-phone?tag=fuel

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Snapseed for iPadSPhoto editors are pretty useful: boosting pics to bring out colors, adjusting settings to bring out quality, adding filters to bring out hipsters, etc. Snapseed for iPad is a great photo editor that's incredibly easy to use. What is it? Once you get the hang of it, Snapseed allows for super quick adjustments of pictures. Just a few swipes up and across and you'll bring out the charm in your images. Of course there are sharing options to Flickr, Facebook and e-mail. If you want a photo editor that's deeply intuitive and packed with plenty of options (but not buried in them) Snapseed is where it's at. Who's it good for? Why's it better than the alternatives? The interface makes a lot of sense. Though I'm still swiping horizontally, I'm not dragging fake bars across a fake meter, I'm just swiping wherever I feel like so it feels a ton more natural. Also, being able to compare the effects you've made against the original image (it's a button tap and the original image will appear on the screen) is good for keeping track of what you're doing. I love the 'selective adjustment' option too, it lets you adjust settings for a certain area of the picture. Snapseed for iPad How could it be even better? More options, though there are plenty enough, would always be awesome. I'd also like an option to see the changes and edits you've made in another screen so you can easily remove them layer by layer if you can (though this might be too complicated). Also sharing to Twitter seems like an obvious thing Snapseed needs. Snapseed for iPadSnapseed for iPad | iTunes

http://gizmodo.com/5810108/snapseed-for-ipad?tag=filter

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Connect With Buhl Nonprofits and Charities Buhl Nonprofits and Charities Want to donate to or volunteer for a Buhl charity or nonprofit? Browse this list of nonprofits in Buhl, ID to see ratings, read reviews, and learn about their programs. Find top Buhl nonprofits and charities and start volunteering or donating today. If you have worked with a nonprofit, write a review and tell your story. Find and share experiences about a Buhl nonprofit Write A Review Filter by Issue

http://greatnonprofits.org/city/Buhl/ID/category:Animals/sort:review_count/direction:desc

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Connect With Pueblo Nonprofits and Charities Pueblo Nonprofits and Charities Want to donate to or volunteer for a Pueblo charity or nonprofit? Browse this list of nonprofits in Pueblo, CO to see ratings, read reviews, and learn about their programs. Find top Pueblo nonprofits and charities and start volunteering or donating today. If you have worked with a nonprofit, write a review and tell your story. Find and share experiences about a Pueblo nonprofit Write A Review Filter by Issue

http://greatnonprofits.org/city/Pueblo/CO/sort:review_avg/direction:desc

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Connect With Arkadelphia Nonprofits and Charities Arkadelphia Nonprofits and Charities Want to donate to or volunteer for a Arkadelphia charity or nonprofit? Browse this list of nonprofits in Arkadelphia, AR to see ratings, read reviews, and learn about their programs. Find top Arkadelphia nonprofits and charities and start volunteering or donating today. If you have worked with a nonprofit, write a review and tell your story. Find and share experiences about an Arkadelphia nonprofit Write A Review Filter by Issue

http://greatnonprofits.org/organizations/city/Arkadelphia/AR

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smallstring-0.1.0: A string type optimized for size in memory The SmallString type is for storing small identifiers. We do not provide fast operations on strings - what we offer is low memory overhead. The Ord instance is not guaranteed to be the same as that of the corresponding string. data SmallString Source A space efficient representation of text. This is like a strict ByteString, but with fewer features, and UTF preserving. Fow ASCII data, we're slightly smaller than ByteStrings for small strings. fromString :: String -> SmallStringSource Convert a String into a SmallString. toString :: SmallString -> StringSource Convert a SmallString into a String.

http://hackage.haskell.org/package/smallstring-0.1.0/docs/Data-SmallString.html

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On the Record: Benkler on NSA, the Manning Trial, and the Future of Journalism From the Print Edition / Interview   /   October 21, 2013  /  Photo by Jonathan Nomamiukor ON THE RECORD: Can you discuss the Constitutional ramifications of programs like the NSA and the NDAA act? YOCHAI BENKLER: The thing to understand about the NSA surveillance program is that it represents a fundamental inversion of the model at the heart of the fourth amendment: the idea of privacy as a check on government power. We use the term privacy and sometimes we mean vis a vis commercial firms and sometimes we mean vis a vis the state. In either case, they are ways of checking power — either the power of commercial power or the commercial state. In the fourth amendment, the core idea is that the state shouldn’t know too much about us. Large amounts of social behavior and activity need to be outside the gaze of the state. What does that mean? It means that essentially we believe that the state needs to be blind to much of what goes on because we can’t rely on the state perfectly to apply the laws always at the right place at the right time at the right measure with the right level of intensity for all conditions. Instead we have a large opacity and only when the state has reason — articulable reason in advance to look at something specific – do we let the state peek, look inside, and do something. The reason is that law by necessity will be vague, incomplete, there will be gaps, there will be conflicts, there will be ambiguities, and there is a lot of discretion. And in that discretion is where abuse comes. So how does that connect to the question of 5th amendment and due process and particularly vagueness? Nowhere is that clearer than in the material support statute. OTR: Can you elaborate on your last point and discuss the Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project ruling? YB: Material support is so broad and terrorism itself is such a broadly defined set of activities that there’s an entire population of potential subjects that may or may not fall close to the line that are now also under the perfect gaze of the state. When the state is nearly omniscient and has in its back pocket a set of vague and broad laws – be they terrorism related like material support or computer abuse related like computer fraud and abuse act – this provides enormous freedom of action for prosecutors, for investigators, to go after people in ways that are overzealous, in ways that are abusive, in ways that are simply inappropriate. So we see from the banality of the analysts stalking ex-lovers to the amazing report the ACLU put out in September of FBI abuses in pursuit of domestic advocacy groups. We see enormous scope in these vague laws for abuse. And that enormous scope is then enabled by complete visibility of the state onto the behavior. We’re continued to be told by advocates of the program that with the right levels of the rules, with minimization to the left and FISA court to the right, we’d be able to replicate the protections we had on the fourth amendment while we have the information as opposed to without having the information. We’ve seen repeatedly over the last dozen years that these rules fail. They don’t actually deliver. And they don’t deliver because they represent a fundamental conflict between the commitment of the fourth amendment to keep the state relatively blind and the commitment of the NSA and its professional, competent, honest staff to try to get universal visibility so they can deal with the emergency they perceive as overwhelming. And its this fundamental contradiction between the sense of urgency and emergency of people on the inside and the commitmentof the constitution to keep the state blind in order to keep it limited that is causing this series of failures. And that’s why we also need the solution to be one where we basically step back from the war constitution rather that we tweak the institutions a little bit to the left or a little bit to the right. I think one of the things that has become very clear after 9/11 is that America responded with a panic response. With a response of a kind that you see someone fighting for their lives, throwing aside all rules and trying to do something. And in the first instance this may have been understandable. The torture program was the most extreme, violent program of that lapse. Formatively at least we’ve abandoned it. The system of indefinite detention that we’ve retained in the teeth of the fact that fundamentally you really cannot justify continuing to hold people forever under an indefinite war that has no boundaries and has no time limit and yet we’re stuck with it. We see doctrines develop about the unilateral power of the Presidency to initiate war like behaviors – the drone program, the development of secret law whether it be around surveillance, whether it be around targeting of American citizens, all basically building on the notion that the American public probably can’t handle the politics necessary. But in reality what this does is that it takes the emergency immediate response and turns it into a stable constitution. And when you see in area after area, whether it’s surveillance or drone targeting of U.S. citizens, or indefinite detention, or material assistance as it is applied broadly to practically all Muslim communities. You see a series of events that if you step back for a moment and you don’t deal with the particulars, “oh was it legal under this subsection or that subsection,” but you step back for a moment and you say “stop… is it really reasonable for America to think that forever you can have a system of indefinite suspension somewhere. We can have a system of executive branch only-decision to kill Americans. We can have a system that applies to things that are basically straight speech and assembly counting as forms of terrorism in America by Americans with no real direct or imminent threat simply because of the potential that maybe they’ll help a terrorist organizations shift resources somewhere else – even a terrorist organization that is not really directed at the U.S. but at some remote ally. That is what was so powerful about humanitarian law project. There you have organizations – one was Kurdistan Workers Party, the other the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, neither of which had anything to do with the United States. You had an organization whose sole role was to teach them peaceful dispute resolution and interacting with U.N. aid organizations. That was sufficiently close to terrorism that the Supreme Court held that they could be within the material support statute. That’s not really an American constitution we can recognize. OTR: Can you speak a bit about how you came to be a key witness for the Manning trial? YB: I came to participate in the Manning trial initially because I was working on the future of journalism as a broad research question. Journalism had undergone similar discontinuities to those that we have already seen in certain branches of entertainment, in software. Decentralization complimented by multiple business models, and organizational models, both social and commercial. And wikileaks was a particularly interesting example – one that I agreed to write a piece for the CL-CR journal. And then the embassy cables broke out, the attack on wikileaks on multiple dimensions – on their storage, communications, on their payments systems occurred, and I spent a lot of time writing up an article on wikileaks. At the time I was primarily focused on the journalism side, not the whistleblowing side. Then when I saw the treatment of Manning during the first year of his imprisonment, I organized a letter of 300 professors protest- ing the conditions of his incarceration. In that context, his defense turned to me asked me if I would testify… if I could testify particularly on the context of aiding the enemy… on what Wikileaks was like and what the nature of the fourth estate had become. Because what was important at the time was what Manning did in regard to aiding the enemy charge was what any other whistleblower or leaker will do: turn to the press… and that there was no reasonable distinction to be made between Manning and someone who had leaked to the NY Times. And this was important because it was important to establish that the aiding the enemy charge here was essentially leveled under conditions that would’ve made it available as against any leaker, certainly against any leaker subject to the military code, but aiding the enemy is not necessarily limited to those subject to the code. So I spent a bit of time preparing and the testimony itself was interesting. It was a challenging four or so hours of back and forth, particularly with the prosecution. But I think it allowed me to make very clear that a reasonable person looking at wikileaks from the prospective of late 2009, early 2010, would have seen an edgy online journalism source that had broken dozens of stories. Many of which, most of which, had nothing to do with the United States. They would have seen an organization that even the Pentagon’s own report on it kept using the terms “correspondent, journalist, editor, opinion piece,” with regard to pieces on Wikileaks. And when they challenged wikileaks it was never on accuracy but rather on the substance of whether they agreed or disagreed with the argument. So even a reasonable reader of the Pentagon’s memo itself on wikileaks would have come away understanding that this was a new media organization. And that was the substance of the testimony. OTR: Could you discuss the role New Media plays in the 21st century and the future of Journalism? YB: I think a core feature of network economy is the radical decentralization of the capital necessary to produce, process, and store and communicate information, knowledge and culture. This is true for software, it’s true for music, it’s true for video, and relatively later in the game it became true for journalism. We now see a wider array of strategies being deployed to provide the basic thing we call “the news of the day.” Some of it is purely social and voluntary – we see this when people capture videos of riots. We see this when people capture abuses by police in Occupy or in Tahrir Square. Some of this happens with people who are politically motivated, engaged with people who are particularly motivated and engaged in a recreation of the party presses like the Daily Cause or Town Hall. Some of it is small-scale commercial like snopes.com or talking points memo where you essentially have a very small scale organization doing an outsized job able to sustain itself on a low cost low returns model rather than the very high costs, high return model of the traditional media. And some of the traditional media, like the Times, continue and grow and reach to an international English reading audience. Perhaps in this regard the most interesting example is the Guardian which moved from being a respected UK publication into being one of the top ten news outlets read in the United States, with many more readers in the U.S. than in the U.K. So the network fourth estate really now combine all of these components put together. We see organizations anchored in academic institutions like factcheck.org or media matters that are focused specifically on fact checking and media criticisms. We see experts who may be academics or may be in think tanks creating outlets that become much more professional. You can agree or disagree with them. So that’s what we’re seeing – we’re seeing the emergence of a new multidimensional, multi-type of organization and motivation structure media ecosystem. But we also see traditionalists hanging on to the old way of doing things and refusing to recognize the value of the new. And the place we see this the most clearly is the reporters privilege debate and the questions over reporters privilege now in congress where we see the traditionalist hanging on for dear life to the concept that you can only give reporters privilege to people who make a living or somehow make money off of journalism and refuse to recognize the incredibly important role that amateur journalists and people who are not journalists but nonetheless report on specific issues and become major experts play. There’s no question for example that Alexa O’Brien played a larger role in reporting on the Manning trial and provided more professional and thoughtful and really deep understanding of the case than any of the traditional media because she was there following it the entire time. She understood the context. And any law or framework that ignores the journalistic role that she played in covering that case simply misses the critical component of what journalism is today. OTR: Could you discuss some of the pressures modern day journalists face in this country? YB: The most important pressures that American journalists face today has to do with national security reporting and the efforts to prevent public exposure and public criticism of the war constitution and the way that it’s applied. Whether it be on drone strikes, whether it be on indefinite detention, or mostly what’s on everybody’s mind today: surveillance. Primarily that means the question of the investigations of journalists —We saw the public outcry over the subpoenaing of phone records of the associated press, over the affidavit claiming that that fox news reporter Jamie Rosen was a coconspirator in espionage act violations, and we saw the threat of incarceration and subpoena for James Risen over the leak. So the question then becomes how much we actually protect journalists and their sources in the national security area from the state and its power to prosecute them and their sources. And the question is how broadly that protection covers. And the second question is what we do with whistleblowers and whether we give any protection to whistleblowers and if we do whether we limit it to traditional media. What we are seeing today in the efforts in congress is a relatively strong emphasis on defending traditional media although not as much as I think we need. We are also seeing a willingness to throw the online journalists who are not fulltime journalists under the bus. We see this very clearly in Senator Feinstein’s attempt to limit the Schumer bill. We see it very crisply in the house bill that explicitly requires that you make money to be protected. Nonetheless both the Schumer bill and the bill in the House have very strong components that if you do a little mix and match could actually provide coverage to journalism as a function. The critical thing to understand is that journalism is no longer an organization or business model. Journalism is a social function. If you collect news that is relevant to the public and disseminate it with the intent to disseminate it to the public you are fulfilling the function of journalism. It is that social function that the first amendment freedom of the press protects. It is that social function that the law needs to protect. It is that social function that we need as a democracy. If we take some portions of the house bill and we get rid of some limitations of the senate bill we can have a truly powerful bill that will cover all acts of journalism. Acts of journalism rather than journalists: that’s what we need to protect. We have the tools, it’s not clear that we have the political will. We need to keep pushing for protection for journalism as a function rather than journalism as a class of paid professionals. Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published. one × 9 =

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Place Making In the book "1491" Charles C. Mann notes that much of what we think of as a wild and untamed Amazon Basin may have been in fact a kind of human managed park. That people can 'make places' in the large scale; deeply reshape entire landscapes is surprising. I hadn't thought of the real world as a 'wiki' but clearly the parallel of grooming our digital gardens could be applied to the real world as well. We often forget about the plasticity of the net, of communities and of the real world. Many of our mediums are two way; they shift in response to our actions within them. We do more than "report" or "comment" but actually "change" and we can choose to do so in an intentional way. This observation slightly set me off on a mad read through various texts including "1491" itself, "Blessed Unrest" by Paul Hawken, "Endgame" by Derrick Jensen, "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan, "The Pathless Way" which is a reading on John Muir by Michael Cohen and notably "Food not Lawns" by Heather Flores. In the following I am going to go on a random (and long!) walk through these books. Here is a flickr picture of the cluster, more or less centered around "Blessed Unrest", "1491" and "Omnivore's Dilemma": There were also other sources that contribute to the thinking here that I should mention: 1) The term "place making" as practiced by Portland City Repair: 2) As well, due to my work at Meadan, I had a chance to talk to Luis Von Ahn about his 'human computation' approach. A summary of some of his work is presented here and is critical listening: 3) Jared Diamond's "Collapse" is a hidden gorilla in the discussion although the conclusions in this more recent round of books go in different directions. I mentioned "Collapse" earlier here: I apologize for the length and yet incompleteness of this rant. I simply have not had the time to make it more concise but I wanted to share the thoughts before they were completely obsolete, forgotten or lost. There are many holes in the arguments made, such as being more precise about the actual costs and feasibility of rewriting our landscapes underneath 300 million Americans (if we just speak about North America). I will begin with "1491". According to "1491" Pre-Columbian natives used a form of 'biosphere engineering' to bias the world in their favor; employing practices ranging from labor intensive mixed crop agriculture, to judicious use of fire. To cite a few comments: "Anthropologists now believe that the majority of the Amazon rain forest was managed by humans. There are many fruit and nut bearing trees in the Amazon, and this was probably due to human interference. They also used a unique form of burning in the Amazon, where they would stop the fields from completely burning so that there would be charcoal. Turns out the active carbon in charcoal bonds to organic elements and makes the soil as good or probably better than using fertilizer." "Amazon soil is poor, intense rain and heat of forest have eroded its surface, washed out all its minerals and decomposed vital organic compounds. As a result much of the red Amazonian soil is weathered, harshly acid, and almost bereft of essential nutrients - one reason ecologists refer to the tropical forest as a "wet desert". Most nutrients in tropical forests are stored not in the soil as in temperate regions, but in the vegetations that covers it." [ ] There were larger populations with technologies more varied than we may have formerly appreciated: "The idea that the Amazon is not an untouched wilderness but the product of extensive management by large human populations sharply contrasts with long-held views that the region was sparsely populated by tribal groups who peacefully coexisted with the apparently hostile environment that surrounded them. [There is] evidence of extensive civilizations in the region, most notably the human-enhanced floodplains in Bolivia, remnants of ancient towns and road systems and the presence of rich, apparently human-made soils [ called 'terra preta' ]. Scientists believe terra preta was created through a process one specialist calls the "slash-and-char" method. Essentially, instead of completely burning trees to ash, pre-Colombian farmers merely smoldered organic matter to form charcoal, and then stirred the charcoal into the soil." [ from ] We only recognize this view recently - looking at older texts the scientists are completely confused: "The origin of the Amazonian Dark Earths ['terra preta'] is not entirely clear and several conflicting theories were discussed in the past. Camargo (1941) speculated that these soils might have formed on fallout from volcanoes in the Andes, since they were only found on the highest spots in the landscape. Other theories included a formation as a result of sedimentation in Tertiary lakes (Falesi, 1974) or in recent ponds (Cunha-Franco, 1962)." [ from ] One early technology worth emphasis is the "Milpa": "A milpa is a field, usually but not always recently cleared, in which farmers plant a dozen crops at once including maize, avocados, multiple varieties of squash and bean, melon, tomatoes, chilis, sweet potato, jicama, amaranth and mucuna. In nature, wild beans and squash often grow in the same field as teosinte, the bean using the tall teosinthe as a ladder to climb towards the sun; below ground, the bean's nitrogen-fixing roots provide nutrients needed by teosinte. The milpa is an elaboration of this natural situation..." "The milpa in the estimation of H. Garrison Wilkes, a maize researcher at the University of Massachusetts in Boston 'is one of the most successful human inventions ever created'. In Europe and Asia farmers try to avoid stressing the soil by rotating crops; they may plant wheat one year, legumes the next, and let the field lie fallow in the year following. Then farmers use artificial fertilizer which at best is expensive and at worst may inflict long term damage on the soil. Nobody really knows how sustainable that is. The milpa by contrast has a long record of success. 'There are places in Mesoamerica that have been continuously cultivated for four thousand years and are still productive'" according to Wilkes. [ from '1491' page 221 in the 'Very Old Bones' chapter ] A Milpas can be thought of as the extreme utilization end of a managed forest in a sense. Kind of the ultimate wiki. A labour intensive mixed garden that is intensively and manually groomed for group reward. Diversity (presumably) confers some resistance to the vagaries of climate and disease. Beyond even this were technological practices that appeared modern and industrial in nature. Fish-weirs that cover 30,000 square miles, are visible from space (and may be the greatest building projects ever undertaken by humanity). I mentioned these in previous posts to geowanking. [ see ] [ and ] [ and which was feedback from their discoverer ] The same activities apply to North America. And this interests us because of our choices now about how we manage our land. To briefly draw a sketch of North American human habitation as I see it now (drawing the lines in between "1491" and other books): 13,000 or more years ago people begin to kayak and fish along the edge of the Bering Land Bridge. They arrive in Alaska in several waves. A small genetically isolated group of individuals eventually making it past glacial shield walls into North America proper. Populations boom and through mismanagement quickly kill off all the mega-fauna. Large populations also act as a well minimizing any genetic drift from newcomers. Post glacial mega-floods wipe away planetary early record of civilization. Lacking oil based industrial technology they eventually come into a balance with their natural world, using a kind of bio-technics. Fire is used to burn off underbrush, to drive bison and to create grassland. Bison in turn are encouraged to constantly migrate (again by use of fire) and this helps the health of grasslands. The eastern seaboard is planted with fruits and nuts. A sublime expertise and attention to the pattern of the life emerges out of ongoing use of life technology. Even their language becomes deeply inflected with their naturalist lore. Strategies employed included an ambitious and possibly conscious genetics program to define maize. Populations grow up to about 100 million; comparable to current populations in many ways. Huge civilizations rise. With the arrival of Europeans populations crash due to genocide and disease; about 98% of the natives dying off within 100 years. Low genetic diversity may have played a role in the effectiveness of disease [ as my friend Paige points out ]. With the top predator species removed the ecosystem oscillates out of balance; second rung species such as bison, carrier pigeons and salmon undergo huge population growth; forests become overgrown; forest fires rage. Europeans eventually sort things out. Most of the United States and Canada is turned over to production of corn, soybean and cattle. Twitter is invented, we all congratulate ourselves for wisely trawling away the bottom of the oceans and plan for our off-planet escape once the inevitable food-chain collapse begins. My overall sense is that using the technology of the time, bronze tools, fire, spears, early peoples around the world killed off everything they could, dominated the land to the extremes that they could, but eventually came into an equilibrium. Since they depend on life technologies more than us, they end up becoming part of the ecosystem and engaging in a symbiotic relationship with that ecosystem, grooming it to suit their needs, and possibly in turn being changed as well. The Americas still offer traces of a fabulous paleolithic record, one completely eradicated in Europe, and even almost invisible here due to the clash of two hugely unequal cultures aided by the the spread of germs. Omnivore's Dilemma In 'The Omnivore's Dilemma' Michael Pollan points out practical ways we can start to reclaim our environment. He talks about living in "local food" systems, to have "closed-loops" where all processes are fully transparent. In particular he talks about PolyFace Farms, a small farming operation that makes produce, milk, eggs, chicken and cattle and yet has no waste in a local and transparent process. They farm without pesticides or any external inputs other than sunlight and rain and at a higher total yield per acre than industrial farming practices: Effectively PolyFace Farms rejects the 'unrolled' farming practices; demonstrating how a 'closed-loop' farming practice can also be efficient. Historically farming was a form of solar power. Radiation was captured into forests, grasses and algae. Animals interacted with these landscapes in ways that plant life had evolved to deal with. Everything was local and there were no pesticides or food inputs required to keep the system going. Today farming is a form of oil power. Machines are used to bring in and distribute fertilizer and pesticides. Large quantities of mono-culture crops are grown (in a way that is easier for machines which lack human deftness to cut down at the end of the season). There tends to be runoff of excess fertilizer and this becomes a pollutant for rivers and streams. Animals are kept separately in feed-lots, often in their own waste. Antibiotics are required to keep animals healthy. Food has to be brought in. Waste has to be trucked out. Industrial farmers separate the inputs and outputs to forge a higher yield in one dimension even though they are really just juggling the environmental books. Modern farming is effectively a criminal form of total cost evasion that hurts everybody. It has impoverished farmers, driven many off the farms and to suicide, and fueled inefficient yet huge agri-business corporate machines that we will now have to shut down at some significant grief to us as a civilization. It's an example of a maxim that the side-effects of any intended action always dominate and drown out the original intent. Oddly I found a parallel to Neal Stephenson's brilliant work 'The Diamond Age' in an idea of the 'feed' versus the 'seed'. The feed represents an industrial delivery process, creating a dependency between consumers and producers, and the seed is a return to local consumption practices. Metaphorically one is a line, the other a circle. Linear 'unrolled systems', whose inputs and outputs are not connected to each other, benefit intermediary transporting agents or parasites. Closed-loop systems are more robust in that they protect communities from economic and environmental flux. Aside from yield it should also be pointed out that any practice affects language and perception. Polyface farms goes "beyond organic" and introduces a concept of "local food" as a measurement we should seek when choosing food. Polyface farms also appears more traditional, it appears more 'beautiful' and 'less inhumane' because it is more in line with the deeper meaning that our language has carried for us through industrialization. There is a measurement applied to slaughter - that of a "glass abattoir" - where processes are public, open and invite observation. This is a contrast to industrial farming where processes are so horrifying to our sensibilities that they must take place behind closed doors. If in fact Polyface farms goes bankrupt, and the only thing that survives is the one phrase "local food"; it may have been a success. Omnivore Thoughts Michael Pollan also posted something in the New York Times that you may find worthwhile. It didn't have nearly as much impact as his book on me (perhaps it was the digital medium): The question that arises out of his work was: what access to local foods do we have? How do we even shop locally? Most of us do the basics to make safe food choices. Scouring for recipes and ideas, going out of our way way to buy organic produce at Saturday Markets, cooking larger meals that last for days and freezing what is not used, making sure meals include salad and the like. But perhaps even more is needed. EcoTrust and other organizations here in Portland, Oregon do provide resources; and there is a network of local farmer delivered produce. So perhaps it is possible to have local food not just on a Saturday market day but on any day, and have good guaranteed quality and transparency on that food. EcoTrust also goes beyond just food and acts as an anchor for civil society projects such as those that "Blessed Unrest" speaks about. In fact they hosted the launch event for Paul Hawken's recent "Wiser Earth" project which is discussed later. [ see ] But even with local foods in hand - then what about making and preparing food? How does one even make food on an ongoing daily basis, day after day? For me I occasionally cook but there is always spoilage; I simply cannot buy efficiently in the quantities I want - and it is more of a gourmet experience than a cost saving and quality of life enhancing experience. Then too what about all of the little out-of-season treats and desserts we give ourselves as a reward? Do we give up those in favor of whatever the local market has in season? Clearly one has to start canning and planning a year in advance... and then this raises the question how much work does it really require to live locally? It all seems like a hassle. What may be needed is more of a community than just an individual atomized lifestyle. One has to be in an extended family network, and people have to specialize and trade off roles. Somebody cooks for everybody, somebody cans, somebody farms. Import some grandmas who remember how the hell to make food, throw in some farmers, find some families that want to live better. Find a few economists who can study the system itself and produce reports that show competitive advantage toe-to-toe with industrial farming. Even throw in high technology workers for extra dollars. Effectively to eat better one needs to not just buy better but to literally engineer or join or create an intentional community built around a fundamental principle of rewriting its surrounding landscape, making it richer and healthier over time. (As a parent the unimaginable time costs of raising a child can also be factored into this. Instead of spending perhaps half of ones time in play, one could trade off here again; with kids protected by an enclave of other adults.) Perhaps one thing needed is some kind of "scoring" that weighs individual free time, individual quality of life, food, diet, support for family and children, social space, stress, mobility. Such a scoring probably should include personal sense of value, meaningfulness and purpose in life. Maximizing for those scores could lead people to select practices such as discussed in '1491'. Or perhaps we could all just move to Bhutan. Presumably his work will have some impact. We'll likely see farmer co-ops and marketing boards with a "local food" mantra emerge. We'll see meat marked with the location of the "glass abattoir" where you can go see the animals being killed that feed you. It isn't just knowing how far the food traveled, or that it was "organic" but being able to actually go and see it with your own eyes, and having it be close enough that it is not a big deal, and even more so, that you as a visitor are not just welcome but desired. That seems inevitable. Even perhaps we'll see crazy new dating services not just for singles but for adopting whole extended families into intentional communities... "rate my commune". Perhaps we just need a new food aesthetic; one where people actually love good food. Marc Powell of foodhacking is a good example of somebody at the vanguard of a community that cares enough about food to actually seek out good food, and presumably therefore may protect good food sources. It's clearly a John Muir trope of the civil society moment that "When we try to pick out anything by itself we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe". We are "bound fast by a thousand invisible cords that cannot be broken". To solve the problem of what to eat for dinner, we must rewrite how we live. Neah Bay Fisherman Recently Paige Saez and I were hiking in the Olympic National Forest in northern Washington. This was kind of a prelude for me to doing some hiking after Ryan and I do WhereCamp. We hiked around the Sea Stacks at Shi Shi Beach and explored some of the spectacular tide pools. Incidentally a highly recommended hike. On the way we had stopped by a house in Neah Bay with a hand-printed sign selling fresh caught wild salmon - it was a local native fellow. We talked for quite a while before focusing on actually buying fish. There was a deliberate and conscious pace that he set. Eventually he mentioned that he would have to purchase $80,000 worth of gear in order to be able to sell this commercially - beyond what he was selling us - yet that his family had been doing this for generations. Later I noted that the park-land in that area represented the least "actually useful" land - much of the rest was subject to aggressive forest "management". Some coastal areas were state protected and or otherwise inaccessible to industry, but outside of that everything was hugely clear-cut in giant patches of tree-farms as is most of the United States sadly. It struck me as odd that the National Park didn't simply protect an entire chunk of the landscape in all its diversity for once - including the persons. It would be interesting to see what a whole watershed management practice, that allowed and encouraged human habitation, could look like. Here opportunities for local food webs appeared to be marginalized by law with a separation between used and unused land enforced at a federal level. The basic thesis Derrick is presenting is similar to "1491" and "Omnivore's Dilemma". It is "live in the parks - don't just set them aside - make the earth a park.". Again it is an idea of place making writ large. But with an oxyacetylene anger that is surprising. He approaches crimes against nature with a kind of beginner's mind; as if he was freshly transported from the year 1491 to the year 2007. The rawness and tone of his anger is actually difficult to read and to stomach. (As simply a reading practice I ended up cutting it with Kurzweil in order to actually be able to even finish the work. Kurzweil is so focused on one sine wave that he's decomposed out of the noise that its always an upbeat counterpoint to almost anything. By contrast Derrick has found another sine wave going darkly in the opposite direction). In typical Derrick style he relays a friends comments: "A friend and fellow activist said, 'What will it take for you to finally call it an apocalypse? The death of the salmon? Global warming? The ozone hole? The reduction of the krill populations off Antarctica by 90 percent, the turning of the sea off San Diego into a dead zone, the same for the Gulf of Mexico? How about the end of the great coral reefs? The extirpation of two hundred species per day? Four hundred? Six hundred? Give me a specific threshold, Derrick, a specific point at which you'll finally use that word.'". Derrick later points out the role of the predator is to live closely intertwined with a natural system: "When I eat a salmon I pledge myself to ensuring that this particular run of salmon continues and that this river of which the salmon are a part of thrives. If I cut a tree I make the same pledge to the larger community of which it is a part. When I eat beef or for that matter carrots I pledge to eradicate factory farming". [ Page 138 ] With that position he swiftly cuts through Peter Singer style inanities about a calculus of suffering. Peter Singer being a philosopher who paints both himself and people around him into peculiar corners using koans that have no resolution. For example selecting to minimize the suffering to cattle by killing all cattle. Others, such as Michael Pollan struggle with Peter Singer, and versus their predatory instincts. Derrick instead speaks about selecting to maximize biodiversity - a very E.O Wilson attitude - and not to select for solutions that necessarily minimize suffering. Such a calculus better seems able to meet Singerian requirements than even Singer's philosophy. One amusing parable Derrick relates is how "the bodies of the dead are buried in a confined space, heating the air around them and causing it to expand. Because the space is confined, pressure goes up, pushing a piston which turns a crankshaft. This enslavement device is called the steam engine and has evolved now into the internal combustion engine. At first the burned dead were trees, and later the longer dead in the form of oil. Anybody who has ever used fire has used energy stored in trees or coal for that matter. The big change is in the conversion of these dead into mechanical energy, into what Catton and others call 'ghost slaves'. Today we have about eighty or so ghost slaves for each citizen and more than 9/10ths of the energy used by Homo sapiens is derived from sources other than each year's crop of vegetation". [ p 107 ]. Derrick echoes my fear that industrialized religion is nihilist. And I'd like to digress there momentarily: He comments "The material world is primary. This does not mean that the spirit does not exist, nor that the material world is all there is. It means that real world actions have real world consequences. It means we cannot rely on Jesus, Santa Claus, the Great Mother or even the Easter bunny to get us out of this mess. It means this mess relaly is a mess and not just the movement of God's eyebrows. It means we have to face this mess ourselves. It is very silly to think or act or be as though this world is not real and primary and it is pathetic to not live our lives as though our lives are real." [ page 300 slightly paraphrased for brevity ]. Clearly many folks have a sense of the presence of God. Others, the atheists subscribe to an idea of technology and progress. Both points of view imply that something very much like God eventually makes itself manifest. In many ways both the Christians and the Atheists are very similar. Anything that gives us an excuse to walk away from our behavior here on Earth seems wrong; religion or science. The bible is like television tuned to static; people see whatever they want and use it to add righteous weight to their idealism and hope. Reason is the same way; driven by emotion and highly subjective choices. Nature on the other hand does actually and literally speak. She corrects naivet strongly, demonstrates the value of good relationships, the need to be prepared, and the rewards we receive when we are in harmony with her. There is nothing silent about it, nothing arbitrary or idealistic. If we could somehow practice an engaged and active worship of our own real world, simply being in nature more, and reflecting on what nature says it feels like that would make us stronger. Overall I can't recommend taking all of Derrick's recommendations. Blowing up cell towers and dams will land you in jail, destroy your life, and accomplish nothing. Place destroying plays to the strengths of oppressors. However the unalloyed depth of his rage is the way nature would be outraged if she had a human voice. Because of this Derrick will eventually get in legal trouble for the depth of the anger he expresses. We simply cannot do that, and we must find other ways. Oddly when I later read "Blessed Unrest" by Paul Hawken, I saw similarity. Paul and Derrick both see the same issues; Derrick says "blow up dams", Paul echoes "This means dismantling the big bombs, dams, ideologies, contradictions, wars and mistakes" [ in turn quoted from Arundhati Roy ]. I asked Mr. Hawken about Derrick's work and we both saw the works as definately affected by the author having been abused by his father (a point Derrick freely admits). Blessed Unrest In "Blessed Unrest" Paul Hawken points out that there is a civil society movement and that it is directly connected to preserving our environment. The two causes of civil rights and protecting the planet are connected. This movement is granular and stretches from a mass of local watershed grassroots organizations up to bemoths like and Pierre Omidyar (who funded Platial). I had waited to post to geowanking because I wanted to get a copy of Hawken's book. When it did arrive a couple of days ago I found myself fairly captivated. I had in fact meant to go out and play with fellow geo hacker Dave Yaginuma who was in town for the RailsConf. (Thanks for the pass Gina). Instead I found myself awake at 4:30 in the morning finishing up the appendices. Similar observations to "1491" are also echoed: "When you take into account an agriculture that also included coffee, cacao, tomatoes, avocado, peppers, cayenne, chilies, peanuts, cashews, tobacco, sunflower, safflower, vanilla, pineapple, papaya, blueberries, strawberries, passion fruit, pecans, butternut squash, pumpkin, zucchini, maple syrup, cranberry, tapioca and a whole assortment of beans, it is not difficult to concede that Amerindian farmers were the leading plant breeders in history. Europeans, who had gone chronically hungry for centuries, came into an edible landscape farmed by people who by and large were well fed." [ John Mohawk, Subsistence and Materialism, Paradigm Wars, Indigenous People's Resistance to Globalization. ] [ Page 98 ]. ( I'm a huge fan of laundry lists of food and will reproduce all faithfully ). "Agriculture is culture, and the Americas have been cultured - one might say gardened - for a long time. The romanticized notion of a pristine environment, the idea that white men discovered a virgin continent, was a fanciful one. Beginning in the Pleistocene, humans have altered the land to the benefit of themselves and other species. If you walk into a primary Amazonian forest with an ethnobotanist, you will find a landscape that has been transformed over thousands of years by the intervention of the native population. Forests were converted into silvicultural gardens that supplied a year-round crop of medicines, fibers, fruits and animals. If we could walk the tall-grass Buffalo Commons before the mass slaughter of ruminants and ungulates, we would find ourselves head high in grasses in one of the most fertile savannas in the world, sustained and kept productive by fire ecology." [ Page 98 ]. Usually when reading one is trying to find new language; ways to succinctly capture and express ideas. One piece of language "Blessed Unrest" introduces is Stewart Brand's idea of "slow food"; citing his friends Danny Hillis (whose metaweb project I mention elsewhere by itself). Personally I think the "local food" moniker is more empirical - "slow food" is not a winning phrase and probably only succeeds because of the fame lensing effect around Stewart. Paul Hawken has a kind of Chomsky criticism for media surrounding WTO and global market ideals. He goes out of his way to point out that the so called Seattle Riots were largely a press fabrication, that there is a unified yet non-violent resistance to globalization. He says the press in general focuses on noise and rhetoric rather than say some of the more critical works such as: . He also makes a point that "when communities depend almost entirely on sources of production thousands of miles if not continents away, they become spectral towns lined with fast-food outlets and big-box retailers". [ p 118 ]. He argues that "there are no economies of scale; there is only nature's economy.". He opines "There is no reason that we cannot build an exquisitely designed economy that matches biology in its diversity and integrates complexity rather than extinguishing it." Of note "Darwin's Nightmare" is mentioned. Although not an unbiased movie it is a must see: A subtle point is made about language itself; how the dividing lines between life, intelligence, language are not so clear as we might think. "The Mi'kmaq people know the world through sound. Mi'kmaq name their pine trees by the sound of the wind soughing through the branches one hour before sunset in the fall. Elders can remember the prior names of the native stands of pine, and detect how trees are changing due to environmental damage from acid rain and air pollution by comparing their names with current sounds that they make". [ p 101]. When we think of diversity, language itself is a form of diversity, and each perhaps fits closely to a geography. More than that it is embedded awareness. The classic phrase "meaning through use" applies here. We are prey to language; we often think in words and words and their relationships to each other can shape our thoughts. Being on the lookout for good terms, and for new terms is a good practice. But it is in the appendix where the fun begins - as Paul unveils his own collaborative digital gardening project: This is a wiki of non-profits that hopefully will be collectively groomed. It is a worthwhile and new effort because prior to Wiser Earth there simply was no free, public, definitive enumeration of non-profits. Supposedly "public interest" companies such as and silo this community data behind their own walls under the excuse that it costs money to groom the commons (the same circular justification that NavTek and Encylopedia Brittanica have hidden behind as well). "Life information" - data that materially affects the quality of life - should be public with the responsible government agencies carrying the burden of making it public at no cost in a multiplicity of media. Incorporated non-profits are all registered with the Federal Government and there should have been at least a download or cd-rom available from the federal government, but there is not. One cannot 'see' what non-profits are geographically nearby, or find non-profits meeting a certain criteria. This lack of data hampers good work. I recently had to find a list of geographically proximate non-profits for an Interra related project. This required scraping GuideStar and NetworkForGood, running 10 threads in tandem for about 2 weeks, slowed by http access latency (using whytheluckystiff's hpricot html parser in ruby). The end result was the 90000-99999 zipcode block, and simply the ability to find the locations of the nearest incorporated headquarters of various non-profits in that block. This still didn't tell me the geographical area of interest that the non-profit was spending into. The Wiser Earth Wiki is part of a longer term vision to not just capture all the non-profits but to try and create a kind of "Whole Earth Catalog" of practices for businesses. This last led under Betsy Power's guidance. Interestingly, and somewhat suddenly, we also see a number of encyclopedic efforts including "Encyclopedia of Life" from Edward Wilson (similar to Tree of Life): and even more ambitious projects like FreeBase from Metaweb: There seems to be some recognition that 'commons' or 'gardens' can work and are a useful strategy. It is a pattern of human behavior that seems to be having a resurgence both on and off the net. Again on a personal note, part of the thesis of "Blessed Earth" was the connectedness of the civil society movement. And it turns out its connections stretch right into me, and I've only been involved on the periphery (due to a recent interest in not dying in a sun-baked wasteland). It seems like many of us here in the kind of progressive open-source non-profit community are connected, some through big events, some through shared values, some simply due to long term friendships. If I had the time I could draw a relationship graph that starts with events like Planetwork and Bioneers, and connects to people like Jim Fournier and Elizabeth Thompson (who did Planetwork), Ben Discoe (vterrain), Doug Engelbart (modern computers), Kaliya Hamlin (identity), Brad DeGraf (smartocracy) and Jon Ramer (Interra), Daniel Ben-Horin (Compumentor), Howard Rheingold (smartmobs), Steward Brand (whole earth catalog), Danny Hillis (various things), Paul and many many others. It was in fact this recognition of the value of connections in this specific community that spurred the now broader open identity movement. These folks all represent a wave of a kind of civic activism. Unifying events such as Bioneers and Planetwork moved in the background to help bring these voices together. Early technology projects like "The Well" also were key: If you're interested in the non-profit sector there are even now upcoming events in this family, and there are opportunities to participate: [ Net2 is an interesting event that is occurring at the same time as Where 2.0 - for those of you less focused on geekery you may even want to select for this instead. Or you can all come to WhereCamp without temporal conflict. ] If you look even further in the credits of "Blessed Unrest" you start to see some of the code lifters - people like "Oz Basirir" and "Noel Tarnoff". The actual developers who built WiserEarth, and who are in a way related to a technical enthusiasm that you see in the CivicSpace, OpenLayers, FireFox and OpenStreetMap community. The same is true for the "Web Collective" Seattle based developer community that built Boston Community Change for Interra. And the same values show up in CivicActions who built . There is a network here of people (of whom I've only mentioned the smallest portion of that I happen to know about) who are active in one way or another, in pragmatic, non-violent analysis, consensus and tools building for what they see as good. These kinds of people all represent an enabled and networked community that somehow has a "for good" philosophy ingrained in them. Everything they do is open-source, they literally just give it away and yet still make a living. This may all be just an attempt to create "durable and reproducible works"; purely a technical optimization that cannot be bothered with the inconsistencies and liabilities of ownership - or it could be a deeper sense of right and wrong. Blessed Thoughts It may very well be a mixture of European and native values that eventually comes to define the resurgence of environmental awareness. Influencing Greely, Watkins, Thoreau, Muir, Pinchot, Roosevelt, Emerson and others who define the early environmental and civil society movements. [ See "The Pathless Way" ]. That environmental movement is still here, it is starting to self-organize rapidly and Paul Hawken has hope that it will counter what we are facing. I personally am still concerned that it is completely dwarfed by the industrial machinery and the looming environmental crisis. The problem is that it is not business as usual. Civilizations trundle along through many imagined crises but this time we are facing challenges that will absolutely end our way of life within decades. There is a naivite about what happens when civilizations hit resource walls. Any individual wealth we have is basically irrelevant when effectively the air is going to be sucked out of the room. The problem is not even with nature or with our behaviour but with our collective intellect. Computationally we simply don't have the ability to reason about the challenge gradient facing us quickly enough in a top-down manner. The challenges are big enough, fast moving enough that they overwhelm our ability to reason. As humans we often codify reasoning into habit so that we can deal with more situations more quickly; here we need to get beyond formula, to be fully present in the moment, to reason fully about the situations in real-time and not simply resort to autonomic response. To do that we need more computational muscle than we have; not necessarily even in terms of metal, but in terms of software and social structures that let us do decision making better. If we think about the big slow moving institutions; the federal government, the scientific agencies that advise government and attempts to influence what is still largely a politically driven process rather than a science based process, with endless positioning, lobbying, bickering, compromises and distractions that drive the direction of our civilization - one can see we're not likely going to succeed. We're going to make incremental small improvements to the direction of this machinery, fail to cut back resource use quickly enough, and crash into a resource wall, just like so many smaller civilizations, simulations and games do. There's no reason why we should think of ourselves as exceptions to the sharply non-linear inflection points that characterize many other complex situations. Things often approach self-induced criticalities and crash-out; it is totally routine. We have no idea when we will actually hit the resource exhaustion wall. We should have reasonable awareness at the very least. The world envisioned by "1491" came to a balance as we have not yet; even if that vision is idealistic it feels like what we should strive for. There is either a sense of ignorance or despair about this crisis. Many of us tend to be extremely cynical by nature anyway; as the world shovels more noise in our faces we simply raise the bar on what we deem acceptable levels of devastation. We are also easily distracted, working to protect kin more so than biodiversity; fretting over starving children more so than our entire foundations being swept away. We do have tremendous collective reasoning capability. About the only thing moving as fast as the rate of destruction is the rate of growth of the Internet, and the possibility for some kind of intelligent group based decision making to come out of it. This was Jim Fournier's thesis when he started PlanetWork and it seems to be a valid one; although precisely how a large network of connected people translates from endless hyperglossia to actual progress remains to be seen. Whatever the solution is - it is still not here. The natives of "1491" occupied the same land as us, had similar population sizes to us yet applied totally different technologies, a totally different set of hard earned insights, and had totally different outcomes. We've been allowed to do something different because we don't need nature, all we need is oil. As "Omnivore's Dilemma" points out, oil has taken the place of the sun and natural process. Unlike the sun we've been able to turn up the velocity of consumption. Like ants at the sugar-pile we've stopped gardening a nature we do not need and have just begun refactoring it as suits our whim. We've unrolled the previously closed loops of natural agricultural processes and started to diverge increasingly from our own biological foundation. In doing so a kind of evil has slipped into the land. As we stop needing nature we start to tear off our skin. Today we live in a perpetually revolving media carnival of grotesqueries and indignities such as Bhophal, Chernobyl, Valdez... We live in little white drywalled jails on black asphalt pavilions that are distant from any real or green living spaces. Most of us live lives that are isolated and basically purposeless, selfish, banal and meaningless, where we don't even know our neighbours, where we are unwoven from the fabric. We're prey to a kind of infernal machine of our own making. We cannot plant our own gardens, many of us don't even have any rights on the soil we live over. Often as not that soil is paved. Instead we fixate on optimistic or wishful thinking, trying to desperately cash out. In effect serfs. How many friends do you know who just want to be rich? Or who just want to be able to buy that house in San Francisco? Who can't even see that we could be rich if we could think bigger. Everything about oil culture is one of industrialized process powered externally. Because we don't create power locally we separate production from consumption. We buy into that industrialized process becoming fragile and exposed to the vagaries of change. We practice industrialized consumption, industrialized religion and find our vacation escape in conveyer belt 'Conde Naste' experiences (that all by themselves are in no small way a special evil) rather than just living in our own self-created shared paradise. And outside of the west the media reports huge suffering. A suffering absolutely connected to our actions. Granted nobody has a divine right to life: the life of a system often seems to involve death and cruelty to individuals. A morality based on a "calculus of suffering" is futile - suffering is a fact of life. But perhaps life doesn't need to be quite so cruel and diminishing. We can afford to do better and do less harm. What most of us begrudge is the arbitrary, grotesque nature of the kinds of suffering we see today; mass starvation, genocide, poison. And yet we continue to buy into these systems because they seem to reward us - because true costs are deferred for a few centuries. It is like the ultimate faustian bargan; if we die before our debts are due, we've won. It's like maxing out your credit card and escaping into a fantastical afterlife free of debt collectors. By drawing from oil reserves we appear to be getting more for less work. If a man comes to a people and starves half and gives their wealth to the other half, then that man has the support of the wealthy half. Here nature itself gets short shrift. The reason LETS (Local Economic Currencies) and Coops fail is that they have trouble competing against a dollar that offers a lifestyle backed by free energy. The cost, quality, diversity, marketing and packaging of dollar based goods appears to be superior. Oil was also part of my own life. Growing up in Alberta was very much a case of being indoctrinated in Big Oil. Through my childhood I shuttling back and forth between parents living in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Even my first programming gigs were writing farm software for industrial farming operations and drill stem test analysis software for wildcatting operations. Even in Alberta, the richest province in Canada, the landscape has changed yet again, and within my working lifetime. Alberta has very little wildcatting now and has shifted to oil-sands at questionable return on investment: There's a '1984' quality where even our memories of place are rewritten. It seems to apply when I think back about growing up in Canada. Marketing boards in the 1970's and 1980's helped shape my childhood perception of the bounty and necessity of industrial farming. We didn't have any deep well of culture; the whole province wasn't even incorporated until 1905 and everybody who was there seemed to have arrived like a tabula rasa. A reductionist even sloganesque philosophy stepped into the vacuum. It is hard to even shake off slogans now even knowing better, even knowing that there is a deeper and even more beautiful fugue beneath. That we lived on very old bones. The lesson from "Omnivore's Dilemma" in turn is that we should rewrite these stories. We should think of ourselves as inheriting a legacy of these ancient Americans and try to apply practices that respect nature. We can call it nano-technology if we want to. "Blessed Unrest" suggests that we are in fact starting to rewrite those stories. It still feels like an uphill battle. It feels like the civil society needs to engage with teeth. To actually have a real power to make change rather than just the hopeful or wishful thinking of a hippie army. Eventually it will be necessary to remove many of the sclerotic industrial agricultural institutions we've built. But nobody is going to have the stomach for that pain unless the rewards are totally clear. There are even laws that prevent innovation, that legislate how farms are run. There are farming organizations with vested interests in the status quo; that constantly rewrite the legal landscape away from competing ventures. Reading the case of Monsanto itself is enough to make ones blood boil. As a simplistic maxim: new things succeed when they are so rewarding, so vastly superior, that they switch people away from old things. It's not a case of stopping old vices but starting new more powerful ones. It is intriguing that Americans often seem consumed by fear, consumed by the need to protect and preserve their own lives, and in that fear they fail to hold the line for a broader planetary civilization, preferring to instead break ranks and defend only themselves no matter what the consequences for anybody else on earth. Why are we so fearful? My bubble-gum psychology is to suggest that there may be a kind of Paulo Freire maxim at work where "the oppressor and the oppressed are both trapped in their roles". We need to learn not to be angry or afraid of each other or other countries but to recognize there is a "third force" that traps us all. For people who have grown up and lived in the US they sometimes don't realize just the kinds of local environmental pressures people around the world face. Saber rattling is an indicator of local stresses more so than any overt hostility I believe. The problem today is that with nuclear risks saber rattling is dangerous. And at the same time one doesn't want to create self-induced criticalities; as the US Forestry Management Service found out when they worked so hard to suppress forest fires (which then eventually led to a build-up of undergrowth and even larger fires). Local food webs could perhaps have a calming effect on stress behavior; both personally and at a broader level. If personal risk of dying of starvation is lowered, and dependence on oil mitigated, then those urges to inflict harm on others may be dampened as well. In many ways closing the loops again, living locally, consuming locally, producing locally all helps to push against oil. Part of what "place making" might mean is envisioning how to close those loops; to hold a vision of the land so strongly that we don't forget it again. Place Making Redux We have unrecognized and forgotten heroic powers. We can do more than simply comment on the land but can actually rewrite the landscape. In many ways the real landscape is as malleable as the digital landscape. Whatever bizarre delusion we're under that this is a conservative struggle or a liberal struggle, or that we're paralyzed, or that we are facing final end days is a kind of psychosis. We can act more effectively. It's also clear that there's really only one goal that we should all be pursuing, which is to make the planet healthy. And if it is healthy to at least assert that fact instead of being so unsure and at risk as we are now. This is a longer term kind of goal. (When you don't have kids you can't really even appreciate what it is like to have a longer term concern in some ways, or even the idea of compromise, and I suspect many humanists and environmentalists are people with families). It feels like we should be living our beliefs in some ways. Food seems like the starting point. In food even the simple act of eating well by itself tugs on so many other things that it almost demands a rewrite of personal lifestyles. As individuals we should only eat local food, and transparently processed foods. We therefore need to live near farms or purchase from farmer co-ops. We should become more involved with food, taking vacation opportunities to farms instead of to some Conde Nasty beach resort. There's almost an implied need to live in intentional communities where food and other labour can be distributed; and that refactors divisive urban landscapes. Almost nobody can survive by themselves and eat locally and still have time for anything else. That means we have to be able to deal with more complicated social structures than many of us do now. Separately it means applying the best formal metrics to proving that these approaches are more efficient. Beyond this we should push back on law, to have laws passed that reflect the biases of local food. We have to rewrite the physics away from industrial farming. We should leverage digital technology. Yes map the locations of food cooperatives. But also get beyond just reporting what is. Build just-in-time spatial brokerages that help people make decisions more quickly and effectively than CraigsList and EBay do. Do local micro advertising. Invert the Google model so that you express something that you want, and people come to you rather than you having to search for it over and over like an idiot. Build signaling networks so that people can listen to a geography or community and so that voices can be heard better. Often if it cannot be Googled it does not exist - fix that by pinning ideas to places - geo-locate your blog posts. Build transparency by place sharing so that diseased corporations cannot hide their activity. Build huge community owned place aggregators to back all these efforts. Get beyond tagging and build pure relationships between things. These tools should have been out years ago. There is at the very least a "tail wags dog" effect in place sharing. Reporting on a place like any reporting sometimes warps that place as attention is drawn to it. One can start to make places exist, literally defining what you want to exist. With enough attention and focus drawn to something, in the right kinds of appropriately wealthy forums, those things could begin to exist. has a feature that lets people join events that they "want to exist" and this is similar. Beyond even that I still feel that we need to do predictive simulations of the known rules and relationships that govern a watershed and communities in watersheds. We need to get beyond 2d red dot syndrome, or static 3d, or even simplistic historical time models, but actually start to express digital models that can capture the future. We need to move to not just a "Wiser Earth" or "Encyclopedia of Life" style compendium of dry facts but a "relationship wiki" or a "constraint wiki" of the relationship between facts. Computers can help weigh decisions if constraints are formal and this could help us avoid some of the worst side-effects of our decision making. Recently I had a chance to talk to Marc Davis at Yahoo!. It turns out that like Brad DeGraf and like Mike Liebhold that he too was also involved in early Buckminister Fuller visioning GeoScope projects. There's a hugely energetic and community of strong wills that want to see stuff like this happen; they're engaged and are doing it in some respects. I'm sure Where 2.0 will have it's share of noise and announcements. But the simple metric is "is your daily quality of life improved?" and until that's done there's still an opportunity to do something relevant. I would have called this all Civilization 2.0 but some dude at O'Reilly stole the idea: ( Maybe it should be called "web 2.0" 2.0 . ) Again I point out Luis von Ahn's work; if we can make it fun people will do it. People will groom these virtual gardens. We can imagine an internet that stretches from a virtual space into a real space. Like language or like 'life' having no clear boundary between it and what it depends on. That speaks about place and gets beyond "finding the most relevant places" but that actually "makes places" come to exist by the intensity of focus. That continues to be owned by everybody, where children, aged, incapacitated, prisoners, foreigners, citizens, governments and corporations all vote with their attention on a level playing field based on the merit of ideas - not just with powers they have to deny others participation. I have put up a wiki here if you want to talk about this more, provide links or the like: Also I have been bookmarking under place+making: The Omnivore's Dilemma Michael Pollan In the absence of the Sacred Jerry Mander tp:// Endgame Derrick Jensen Note that 'green anarchy' issue 17 summer 2004 has a Derrick Jensen interview. 1491 Charles C. Mann Collapse Jared Diamond Encyclopedia of Life Project E.O. Wilson Blessed Unrest Wiser Earth Paul Hawken and friends Field Notes from a Catastrophe Elizabeth Kolbert The Pathless Way Michael Cohen on John Muir's life The Singularity is coming Ray Kurzweil

http://hook.org/anselm/essays/20070625_essay.html

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man in dugout canoeEach September, hundreds of people gather in a wooded area outside Rexburg, Idaho, to rediscover their "stone age" heritage. They work with primitive tools, learn to build fire by rubbing sticks together, and participate in a rigorous assortment of classes designed to teach them some of the 'lost' arts. It's called "Rabbitstick," after the aboriginal tool that requires a certain primitive knowledge base to master. The organizer of the week-long event, Dave Wescott, calls it the largest gathering of primitive technologists in the country. "There's not a lot of look-see. It's a lot of hands-on," says Wescott. "And to me that's critical because you don't own a skill until you've done it; and when you've taught it to someone else, you can really call it your own." woman tanning hide"This totally changes people's lives," says Montana resident Lynx, a regular participant at Rabbitstick. "This is as close to a family reunion as I have. It's a remarkable special thing. People come from all walks of life, but we all have this one thing in common; and it's very powerful and special. Maybe we're all the black sheep of our own families, and this is the safest family we can be ourselves in." Dave Wescott has spent most of his adult life as a licensed outfitter; and he's not surprised about all the talk of "family." "For some reason this stuff has made them different," he says. "I wanted to be Tarzan and an Indian until I figured out it wasn't going to happen. None of my family did that. I come here and connect with people who had the same experiences and thought processes as me. They are family." people in costumesSteve Watts travels from North Carolina each year to attend Rabbitstick. He's the president of the Society of Primitive Technology, an international organization. "To me it's about rediscovering our stone age heritage which we all share," he says. "Otherwise, it's just arts and crafts. Whatever I teach I try to put it into some historical anthropological context. The idea is to try to literally touch your own heritage. There are several other gatherings like this across the country, but this is sort of the Mother Church. This is where you'll get some of the best instructors in one place. It's the place to come." More information on Rabbitstick

http://idahoptv.org/outdoors/shows/backtothepast/rabbitstick.cfm

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Teagarden a nice prospect Updated: July 5, 2009, 3:03 PM ET By Jason Grey | Taylor Teagarden is better than this. The Rangers' backup catcher went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs on Saturday to raise his average to .232 on the season, but he has yet to go deep. It hasn't quite been what fantasy owners were expecting, even given that his stellar performance at the end of last season (.341 with five homers in September) was a little bit over his head. Before the season, it was thought that there would at least be some sort of time-share or platoon arrangement between Teagarden and starter Jarrod Saltalamacchia, especially given that Teagarden is a far better defensive catcher, but it hasn't worked out that way. Teagarden has gotten just one or two starts a week, registering 69 at-bats, while Saltalamacchia has gotten 212. Teagarden, for one, believes that his lack of consistent playing time has been the main culprit in his inability to get into an offensive groove. "When I was playing every day coming up in the minors, I felt like I was able to hit for average and power," Teagarden said. "I don't feel that way right now. I'm seeing a lot more off-speed stuff, but I'm just trying to handle the bat as well as I can and just get on base. It's tough to get your timing down when you're not in the lineup, and if your timing and mechanics aren't right, you're not going to have good at-bats and get good hits." However, recent comments by manager Ron Washington to the Dallas Morning News indicate that Teagarden could be in line for at least a few more at-bats. With the temperatures heating up, he wants to keep both catchers fresh by giving Teagarden at least one more start per week. Teagarden has never been expected to hit for a high batting average, but rather to provide an acceptable one in the context of his patience and power. The bottom line is that continued patience with Teagarden as your second catcher in AL-only leagues can pay off in the second half -- even if he doesn't squeeze out more at-bats from Salty, he has the offensive capability to put up better numbers than he has thus far. Potential pickups Here's a look at some new additions to the player pool this week that you may be considering for your roster. American League Anthony Swarzak, SP, Twins: Swarzak is not necessarily a new addition to the player pool, but in case he was dropped in your league when he was sent down a few weeks ago, he's worth picking back up again in AL-only leagues after the Twins had to put Kevin Slowey on the disabled list, as he'll re-enter the Twins' rotation. Tommy Hunter, SP, Rangers: Hunter has acquitted himself well in three starts this season and will stay in the rotation at least until Matt Harrison returns. However, despite his big frame, he's not a strikeout pitcher, and his fly-ball tendencies are a problem that will only be exacerbated by his home park. Combine that with the fact he's been somewhat hittable in the minors, and his second-half future doesn't look that bright. Shawn Kelley, RP, Mariners: Kelley missed two months because of an oblique injury and returns to the M's 'pen to become the primary reliever in the seventh inning, with a chance of moving into the primary setup role should Mark Lowe falter. He has the potential to be a bit better than your average middle man. Dave Dellucci, OF, Blue Jays: Dellucci, who was let go by the Indians earlier in the season, was called up to the roster when Russ Adams was designated for assignment. Though he really can't play left field anymore, some scouts think there's still enough juice in his bat against right-handed pitching for him to be mildly useful, though he's hit just one homer in 16 games this season. If you're desperate for some punch in a deep AL-only league, he might be worth a look depending on who else is out there in your free-agent pool. Brian Duensing, RP, Twins: The career minor league starter was called up to fill a relief role in the Twins' 'pen. The lefty has never had great raw stuff, but he's gotten by in the upper minors on control and location. He's probably not suited to be an everyday member of a rotation at the big league level, and his current long-relief role doesn't give him much fantasy value. Ryan Langerhans, OF, Mariners: Langerhans was called up to the give the M's another outfielder in the wake of Endy Chavez's season-ending injury. Before this latest stint in the big leagues, Langerhans was a career .233 hitter with 24 homers in 474 games, and those kinds of numbers should be of little interest to fantasy players. Julio Borbon, OF, Rangers: I wrote a full profile on Borbon in my Minor Achievements column Wednesday. While there is intriguing speed potential here, Borbon is likely to find himself back in the minors when Josh Hamilton is ready to go, limiting his short-term value, as his main asset at the current time is giving the club a pure center fielder in case something happens to Marlon Byrd. Luke French, SP, Tigers: French had posted a 1.66 ERA and 41 strikeouts in his past six minor league starts to earn the right to replace Alfredo Figaro in the Tigers' rotation. Although the 23-year-old has shown better tilt and command on his slider, I'm still dubious about his potential to have sustained success in a big league rotation at this point in his career. Fu-Te Ni, RP, Tigers: Ni is a sidearming southpaw who is viewed as a situational lefty or long reliever at best, and neither of those roles are usually conducive to fantasy value. National League Ryan Sadowski, SP, Giants: The Giants wanted to move Jonathan Sanchez out of the rotation, but didn't want to rush prospects Madison Bumgarner, Tim Alderson, or even Kevin Pucetas to the big leagues just yet, so they called upon Sadowsky, who has responded with 13 scoreless innings to start his major league career. Even though he has a favorable home park and gets a ton of ground balls, there's likely going to be some major bumps in the road ahead. He had problems with a few too many walks in the minors, and his lack of an out pitch means the strikeout numbers will be pedestrian. It's possible he could have some short-term success beating the odds like Kyle Kendrick did for the Phillies in 2007, but we know how that eventually turned out. Sam Fuld, OF, Cubs: The Cubs are giving Fuld some looks in the leadoff job, and he has the skills to do just that. He walks more than he strikes out, knows how to handle the strike zone, and has the speed to create some havoc on the bases. He failed to beat out Felix Pie for the Opening Day job in center in 2008 and still has a bunch of veterans to beat out for a role in a crowded Cubs outfield. Still, even manager Lou Piniella classified him as a "prototype leadoff hitter," so he may continue to get opportunities if he keeps getting on base. If you need speed in NL-only leagues, he's a viable option. [+] EnlargeGarrett Jones Kim Klement/US PresswireGarrett Jones has at least some temporary value in Pittsburgh. Garrett Jones, OF, Pirates: Jones is a 28-year-old minor league journeyman who spent years being blocked by better prospects in the Twins' system. He had a career .450 slugging percentage in the minors but just a .312 on-base percentage. Jones almost made the Pirates' club out of spring training, and after their trades last week, he will compete for playing time in left field (at least until Lastings Milledge returns to the big leagues.) Jones hit .308 with 12 homers and 14 steals at Triple-A this season. Considering how underwhelming Brandon Moss has been this season, Jones has a chance to earn some significant at-bats and has started four straight games since his recall. There's limited upside, and the playing time may not last very long, but if you're trolling the free-agent pool for a hitter in deep NL-only leagues this week, you could do worse. Claudio Vargas, RP, Dodgers: Vargas was activated from the 60-day disabled list to serve a middle-relief role in the Dodgers' bullpen. As if that weren't enough to blunt his potential fantasy value, during his time in Arizona, Vargas was known as "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Vargas" for his inconsistent performance, which tells you all you need to know. Brooks Conrad, 2B, Braves: Conrad was summoned when Kelly Johnson went on the disabled list, but he shouldn't get much playing time, as Martin Prado's hot bat has cemented him as the starter for now. The 29-year-old has shown some power in the minors but has never hit for much average, and his strikeouts have been excessive, leading me to believe he wouldn't be able to do much even if he did some get extended at-bats. Rodrigo Lopez, SP, Phillies: With Antonio Bastardo on the shelf, the Phillies called upon Lopez to fill his spot in the rotation for at least a few starts, and he responded Friday with his first win in the big leagues in almost two years. Still, Lopez has had just one season (2004) when he was useful in fantasy play, and that was driven by a lot of good luck. While there is some short-term positive value, don't expect the soft-tossing righty to turn it into the long-term variety. Jarrett Hoffpauir, 2B, Cardinals: Hoffpauir is likely just a temporary fill-in for the Cards' infield until Mark DeRosa is ready to return from his wrist injury this week, so he shouldn't garner any fantasy interest, especially since he lacks power and speed. Drew Sutton, IF, Reds: Sutton may be a mild sleeper in NL-only leagues, as he's a player who was impressive at the past Arizona Fall League after posting a 20-homer, 20-steal season repeating Double-A last season. He didn't fit into the Astros' plans, so the Reds acquired him in the deal that sent Jeff Keppinger to Houston. Sutton battled mononucleosis earlier this year, which has limited his at-bats. He's versatile enough to play all over the infield and outfield, and that appears to be the kind of utility role the Reds have him pegged for at the moment, but if it appears he's going to get some regular at-bats, he could surprise. He has a very good, controlled swing; doubles power; and some speed. Another week, another young Angels starter. To see whether Jason Grey is a believer in Sean O'Sullivan, join ESPN Insider. Insider To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

http://insider.espn.go.com/fantasy/baseball/flb/story?page=IYHC090705

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Log in   •   Sign up   •   Subscribe  feed icon Inventor Of Artificial Dog Testicles Creates Canine Ear Implants For Floppy Ears Image: Adam Vogler/The ExaminerImage: Adam Vogler/The Examiner The inventor of the famous Neuticles (plastic testicles for dogs that made Number 2 on my list of dumbest pet products) has come out with his second dog prosthesis: PermaStay Ear Implants for dogs.  Oh, they're not about helping your dog hear better; they're about  perking up floppy ears. Ear cropping is a procedure conducted mostly by breeders to get a dog's ears to conform to the standard for their breeds.  Very simply put, it is done to make their ears stand up. Gregg Miller, the basement inventor from Oak Grove, MO, created ear implants for the ears that fail to stand up straight, even after they are cropped.  He claims he's had about 1,000 demands for the implant. So he spent the last five years trying to perfect the implant so that it would not infect a dog's ear as the ear tissue incorporates it. His patent pending device, though now ready for sale at $400, requires veterinary surgery that will cost, according to his estimates from $300 - $500. Miller claims that a dog doesn't even feel the implant in his ear.  Problem is dogs do feel a lot of pain for a long time after the cropping.  When ears are cropped at the early age of 7 - 12 weeks, many nerve endings are severed.  They take time to heal and have a harder time healing because their ears are taped "in position" for eight weeks or more subsequently. Photo credit: jsmjr (Flickr)Photo credit: jsmjr (Flickr) But sometime after the tape is removed, it may be discovered, as it is in about 20 percent of the cases, that the ear droops anyway... that the ear is broken.  Ear cropping and tail docking are, in fact, considered inhumane by many animal rights organizations in the U.S., including the Humane Society.  Vets are not even trained to conduct these procedures and the American Veterinary Medical Association has strongly opposed ear cropping, tail docking, and other primarily cosmetic procedures. Many European and other countries have totally banned ear cropping and tail docking. Ear cropping is 100 percent cosmetic.  It is done to comply with the American Kennel Club (AKC) standards on the shape and size the ears of each breed should show.  If owners want to make any money from their show dogs, they will make sure their dogs meet the breed specifications, even though the dog's progeny will also be born with non-breed standard ears. Which brings me back to Mr. Miller's PermaStay Ear Implants... Good luck with these Mr. Miller.  They seem to do the job.  And there probably is a greater demand for stand-up ears than for plastic testicles in the dog breeding world, as the AKC wants the real testicles left on. References:  The Evening Telegram Weird News, Patriot Ledger, DoggiesParadise, American Kennel Club, DVM 360, Stop The Crops, Breeds That Crop That's the buzz for today! Jan 8, 2010 by Anonymous Neuticles and PermaStay "Lady Bee" - its obvious that you have a bee up your butt- or several. Before you post things you should get your facts straight as your slanderous post is riddled with false information and biased drivol. Lets first start with Neuticles. They are not plastic- but FDA medically approved polypropylene. This less expensive model became outdated with the introduction of solid silicone Neuticles which make up over 90% of sales which have exceeded 345,000 pets in all 50 states and 49 countries Neuticles encourage neuter hesitant pet owners to neuter that simply would not before. As a result, pet overpopulation is being reduced and those Neuticled pets are living longer, happier and healthier lives. I'm sorry you have a problem with that as you obviously favor pet over population. PermaStay was developed due to overwhelming Worldwide consumer demand. It is the first product of its type that is humane and painless. For you to compare it to ear croppings again shows your lack of intellegence and twisted thought process. You use the word "cosmetic" as if it was evil. I suppose you're also opposed to humans having procedures that make them look better? This is still a free country and definately falls into the 'mind your own business' catagory. Get a life " lady bee" and above all get your facts straight because you are making a fool of yourself and just may end up in court getting sued for defamation. Jan 8, 2010 by Anonymous Cosmetic surgery on pets Humans can choose to have cosmetic surgery. Do animals have a choice? People are fond of saying animals give us unconditional love. It's too bad we don't return the favor. People are way too concerned with looks. The animals don't care what we look like. Why should we care what they look like? We should love them as they are, not make them into something they are not. Jan 8, 2010 by Anonymous thats your right as a pet thats your right as a pet owner but dont run down and degrade those that want their pets to look their best. frankly, i think dogs with one ear up and one flopped over looks goofy. i think mr miller's invention is a god send and congratulate him for creating a product the works safely and above is humane. as for the author of the this news story she sounds like a bitter old #itch. Jan 8, 2010 by Anonymous Thank you Mr. Miller While I felt Ladybee was pretty respectful of Mr. Miller and his company, I think the first reply did more to harm the company's reputation than the initial article. Threatening a lawsuit for defamation and writing antagonistic responses usually makes me more likely to respect a company. OH WAIT, no it doesn't. Thank you Mr. Miller for saving the world one dog testicle and one floppy ear at a time. Jan 9, 2010 by Anonymous This product is obscenly stupid Why not go tattoo your pets or pierce their ears? It's the same damn thing and can result in infections just like cropping or these implants can. If your dog doesn't care that he's missing his balls then he certainly won't care if he has big floppy ears. Anyone who says opposite or who calls Lady Bee a b*tch for caring about animals is a superficial sadist. Jan 9, 2010 by Anonymous What's left to invent, doggy What's left to invent, doggy permarections made of polypropylene we later upgrade to silicone? Why can't we admit some things are just rediculous even if there are people who will spend money on it. If I ever have to have a testical removed I wonder if I can get a cheap prosthesis by going to the vet and pretending I'm a great dane. What a hoot. Jan 9, 2010 by Anonymous I love how society screams I love how society screams and badgers to neuter and when someone creates an alternative or option to the traditional method of neutering they make light of it. im glad there are Neuticals and if it helps people neuter their pets and stops pet over population then its wonderful. Jan 9, 2010 by Anonymous i disagee. i felt the i disagee. i felt the author of the story was hateful and very biased. she called him a 'basement inventor' but failed to mention he has a 28,000 sq ft home on 35 acres according to a USA TODAY story which profiled his business when he won the ig Nobel Peace Prize for medicine. i do agree with the post above. i have a jack russell terrier and all i hear from the vet is NEUTER NEUTER NEUTER and when i take Charlie to the dog park Im looked at like a criminal because Charlie hasn't been altered. I do plan on nutering him with Neuticles when Im good and ready. Im grateful that my dog can maintain his look and I for one would not neuter otherwise. Jan 9, 2010 by Anonymous My Great Dane got PermaStay My Great Dane got PermaStay implants because one ear bent in the middle. The product worked perfectly. i dont give a crap what anyone thinks about it as she is my dog and likley lives better than most people do. Jan 9, 2010 by Anonymous I'm sure glad the inventor has a big home! Jan 10, 2010 by Anonymous ladybee- you're wayyyyyyyoff ladybee- you're wayyyyyyyoff base here. anyone who creates a product that encourages neutering should be applauded and not belittled. what is wrong with you? perhaps jealosy? Jan 10, 2010 by Anonymous Neuticles don't promote neutering They promote vanity and insecurity. There's no reason to not get your dog neutered the old fashioned way other than not liking how it looks or feeling too insecure with your own manhood to see a dog not have balls. Grow up and accept that your dog doesn't care if he has implants or not. Jan 10, 2010 by Anonymous Both products are unecessary People should really start treating their dogs like dogs and not like miniaturized versions of humans. They are not our "babies" they are our pets. To treat them like humans robs them of their true nature. They are animals and should be respected as animals. Just because WE want them to look a certain way does not make it ok. We have tampered with nature enough as it is. We have pugs and pekingese that cannot breath normally. We have bulldogs that must give birth via c-section because their heads have been bred to be so large. Setting these arbitrary standards is what makes dogs in this country high-strung, overbred and ultimately turned in to shelters because the person who wanted the dog for their "look" doesn't know the first thing about actually owning a dog. Ear-cropping is cruel and unnecessary. Deliberately disfiguring a living creature for your own selfish vanity is something that you should be ashamed of. I hope they outlaw it soon like they did in Europe. Are you the kind of person who would love their dog less just because their ears don't stand up? If so, I pity you and your dog. Jan 10, 2010 by Anonymous It's so disgusting that this dude invented things solely for human vanity! Dogs who are altered don't miss having testicles (I'm sure of it) and there's no point to dock ears or tails other than to fit some human-invented breed standard. It's sickening! Jan 10, 2010 by Anonymous I agree with an earlier poster. Neuticals do not promote neutering, if you need your dog to have them then you are insecure. Neutering early decreases the chance of cancer and most older unaltered dogs end up getting such a large prostate that they can't pee or poop well. As for these things to fix ear croppings...good luck finding a quality vet who will do it anymore. The AVMA now has recommended that veterinarians no longer perform this service as it not necessary. Frankly anesthesia should never be taken lightly and sometimes these can take multiple surgeries. There can be a lot of complications as well and if done wrong the dog can actually lose it's ears. Why put a dog through the pain and rish of surgery if it is not necessary? Neuticals are a big joke in the veterinary world. Personally, one of the things that gross me out are big, old, saggy dog balls. Get over it, dogs don't need balls and they most certainly don't need their ears cut so that they look a certain way. Personally I prefer my boxers, schnauzers, great danes, and dobies with floppy ears as they are cuter and happier. It's on the way out, good luck holding on. Jan 11, 2010 by Anonymous I wouldnt have neutered had I wouldnt have neutered had it not been for neuticles. ive neutered other dogs and they know they're missing. whoever doesnt use neuticles are either uncaring pet owners or are just too cheap to get them Jan 11, 2010 by Anonymous To "UGH" You're " sure of it"? lol !!!! well mr Im sure of it- would your dog "not know" if his leg got cut off or his tail or his nose? of course he would so why not a familiar body part he has paid so much attention to up until neutering? its amazing how some people think dogs are so stupid they dont know they have been altered. if i was a dog id sure hate to have you as my owner. Jan 11, 2010 by Anonymous Do you really think implants trick them If you're so certain that dogs notice that they're missing their balls, do you really think they don't think neuticles are different than their own body parts? If you're going to compare neutering your dog to its losing a leg, then don't you think neuticles are like its having a prosthetic leg? Do you really think your dog wouldn't notice that? It's a stupid argument anyway. You don't use your testicles to get around do you? I lost my tonsils and my wisdom teeth and I don't notice them. And if it's so important to your dog to have all of its body parts, then why doesn't this jackass invent something to help fill in a spayed dog's uterus? Seems a little sexist to think that only male dogs know what they're missing. If you ask me, all of these comments supporting this idiotic idea are all put up by a handful of people who work for neuticles. Jan 11, 2010 by Anonymous By the way If your dog does know his testicles are gone then shouldn't he be bothered by the chunk of his ear missing after your crop it? Jan 11, 2010 by Jill Harness Jill Harness's picture Dogs don't care how they look My pup got his tail broken at one point and it had to be cropped in the very middle. The hair hasn't grown back at parts and it looks rather "Frankenstienish," but you know what? He doesn't give a crap how his tail looks. As a pet owner who cares about my animal, not about its looks, I don't care how the thing looks. If someone offered me the opportunity to make his tail beautiful again and it only required his having to go through surgery, I would immediately say no. There's no chance I would risk an animal's health for a vain surgery that they don't even care about. Jan 11, 2010 by Anonymous Jill how do you know he how do you know he doesnt care? does he talk to you? lol Jan 11, 2010 by Anonymous Obviously he talks to me Otherwise how could ANYONE tell their dog was happy. After all, wagging tails and happy faces don't mean anything. Jan 12, 2010 by Jill Harness Jill Harness's picture That was by me The last anon was me. Jan 12, 2010 by Anonymous Thanks DR. Volger My boyfriend lost one of his balls after going cow tipping last year. We were able to replace it down in Mexico using a neutical. It was a good thing too because I wasn't about to bee with a one balled freeak. Now we can even yuse his new invention to cure his occassional impotancy. Yay!!! Jan 13, 2010 by Anonymous Okay....dogs aren't people. Okay....dogs aren't people. This has been said already and is said all the time, but its one of those things that must be repeated. They don't know when they are missing 'parts' down there, they aren't the human male with the human ego. My boy dogs are simply nutered, and still hump and act the same as as before. And they have less chances for diseases and etc. win win. The idea that the dog 'knows' is just not correct. It is a dog. and as smart as our dogs are.....they don't think like we do, they are still animals, and no they don't know or care. As for the nueticals, I don't have a big problem with people using them...... Oh, I definitly think they are pointless to the dog though, since(apologies for repeating myself) the dog does not know he does not have testicles anymore...so simply they are only for the owner's comfort. I don't know a single person, other than the few who have posted here, that don't burst out laughing when they hear about them. But if thats the worst thing done to a dog, thats better then all the dogs in the world being put to sleep, I guess. Even if it is ridiculous. Jan 4, 2012 by Anonymous Ear implants You guys are morons if the dog doesn't know or care about his balls being chopped off then he ain't gonna give a crap if he gets his ears cropped, implanted, or tied to the floor Obviously it's your dog there are no Health benefits whatsoever to chopping a dogs balls off period it's a lie that the veterinarian world has created or humane society's or whatever to Control the dog population in fact there is not one study to prove otherwise (in other words of the thousand of study's proving other wise I'll find you 10,000 to contrast it) Do what makes you happy pets serve us just don't treat them like garbage If you want your dog to look nice impant his ears Sincerely German shepherd lover

http://inventorspot.com/articles/dg_36351

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Hydrogen Cars Could Melt Tunnels, Ruin Day While a hydrogen-fueled future seems perfect, it might not seem so great if it results in a jet flame heading towards you at a high velocity. According to researchers/buzzkills at the University of Sheffield, a computer simulation of a hydrogen car crashing inside a tunnel revealed some not-so-fantastic side effects. Whereas gasoline leaks onto the ground and then ignites, hydrogen would escape into the air as a 2000 °C flame that would extend out for many meters (likely straight up). This would result in some serious damage to the tunnel's ceilings and fire-suppression system. Reps for BMW pointed out that the fuel tank of their prototype hydrogen 7-series has never been breached, which sounds like a challenge to me. [New Scientist]

http://jalopnik.com/320461/hydrogen-cars-could-melt-tunnels-ruin-day?tag=tunnels

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Take the 2-minute tour × • The verb 好く exists. • 好く is transitive. By extension, "to like ~" is predicted to be: a. ~を好く。 However, empirical data shows that this pattern is the accepted form: b. ~が好きだ。 Question: Is ~を好く used and is it even grammatical? If it is not used, why is it so? share|improve this question I always use 形容動詞 “好きだ” and never use the verb “好く” except for fixed phrases such as 虫の好かない. But if you search “好いている,” you find a lot of examples. There might be a dialectal difference. –  Tsuyoshi Ito Feb 9 '12 at 12:38 By the way, I think that 好く is a “change-in-state verb” (see this answer), that is, it means the change from not liking to liking, and “to like” is 好いている. –  Tsuyoshi Ito Feb 9 '12 at 12:49 I have a stereotypical (not seriously confirmed) impression that the verb 好く is used in Kagoshima dialect: おいどんはあんたば好いとう = "私はあなたを好いている" (Perhaps, its ungrammatical; It's just my stereotype.) –  sawa Feb 9 '12 at 13:16 add comment 1 Answer up vote 2 down vote accepted Is ~を好く used and is it even grammatical? It's grammatical, but hardly ever used in the form 好く in standard modern Japanese. However, the passive form 好かれる is quite common in standard Japanese. Dialectal negative forms 好かん or 好かへん are also quite common in certain parts. If it is not used, why is it so? This is mostly me guessing, but I imagine that people shied away from the use with the direct object marker を because it seemed a bit too... well... direct. Why ～が好き instead of ～を好く? I think this might be for a similar reason that ～が嫌い exists next to ～を嫌う. However, maybe it's more acceptable to be direct about things that you dislike than things that you like, so ～を嫌う survived. But then why not ～が好く with が on the object like many other verbs that have to do with emotion? (Incidentally, ～が好かん takes が so this would fit into the pattern.) share|improve this answer I think the reason 好く is not used is not like what you explain but rather like what Tsuyoshi Ito comments to the question. It can be used only to mean change of state from not liking to liking. To just express the "like" meaning, the na-adjective 好き is more appropriate. –  sawa Feb 9 '12 at 13:13 IIRC the oldest attestations for 好く are as an intransitive verb, meaning "to be in love", "to be chic", etc.; then you have ～に好く for "to like/love something", and only after that do you get transitive ～を好く (which then becomes ～が好き, relatively recently). So dialectical forms like ～が好かん could be explained by having branched off at an earlier point. –  Matt Feb 9 '12 at 13:16 @sawa Valid point. But that still doesn't explain why the forms 好いた, 好いている etc. are uncommon in standard Japanese. –  dainichi Feb 9 '12 at 13:17 @sawa: If a verb being "change in state" caused it to fall out of favor, Japanese would be left with hardly any verbs at all. –  jkerian Feb 9 '12 at 15:52 @jkerian If there is an alternative (as in this case; i.e. a na-adjevtive 好き exists), people will use that. If there isn't, people will deal with it. –  sawa Feb 9 '12 at 15:54 add comment Your Answer

http://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/4611/what-does-the-verb-%E5%A5%BD%E3%81%8F-do?answertab=votes

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Turns Out, Getting Slutty on the First Date Can Actually Lead to MarriageS Conventional wisdom tells us that elegant, desirable ladies—long-term investment pieces—never do sex on the first date, no matter how much they want to. Not that they do want to, because "wanting to" is a male domain, while the female domain is mainly parasol twirling, nose powdering, and not putting out. Oh, but the men—as much as they sit around feverishly "wanting to" all day long—don't actually like it when a woman does put out, because it means she's one of those no-good putter-outers and not a real woman at all. Certainly not relationship material. Because look at her! She discarded these arbitrary social mores somebody made up and did the thing that both of us really really wanted to do! Boo, you whore. Now, obviously this is some antiquated shit, but it's clinging to our modern dating scene with all its might. I know a number of liberal feminists who wouldn't dream of having sex on the first date (or even the second or third) because of the message it would send. As though sex somehow devalues you as a person. It taints the entirety of the date that came before. It makes a long-term relationship impossible. Lust can never become love. Well, bullshit, says this study. Love and lust aren't so far apart as traditionalists would have us believe. The study mapped the areas of the brain stimulated by feelings of love and by feelings of sexual arousal: Sexual desire activates the ventral striatum, the brain's reward system. When someone enjoys a great dessert or an orgasm, it's the ventral striatum that flickers with life. Love sparks activity in the dorsal striatum, which is associated with drug addiction. ...The areas of overlap indicate that sexual desire transitions into love in many cases, and the feelings aren't separate. "Even love at first sight, can it happen? Of course it can happen," says Pfaus. "And when it does happen, do you want to play Scrabble with each other? When it happens, you normally want to consummate it." So there—love can grow out of a sweaty one-night stand. I've seen it happen plenty of times; I don't know many young people who would admit to being morally opposed to casual sex; and yet the idea that, in general, waiting as long as possible is just nebulously better still completely pervades our culture. (Obviously if you don't want to have sex—if you have concerns about STIs or intimacy or you're just not sure you like this dum-dum—then you absolutely should not have sex. The sex-having isn't the issue. The point is that if you do want to have sex, and he wants to have sex too, then what the fuck is stopping you? Objectively? What is it? Some made-up rules about the purity of your vagina? Please.) Which got me thinking—who invented this system, who benefits from it, and who perpetuates it? The answers are men, men, and everybody. First of all, this paradigm is hella old. It was probably invented by, like, the 4th dude. This is basic stuff. The idea that a woman is property that can be "soiled" and then lose its value once it becomes "used" is the basis for the majority of the subtle patriarchal oppression that still crushes women all over the place. And nowadays, the dude gets to have sex with as many women as he wants and, thanks to our primordially ingrained double standard, still maintain the moral high ground—he's better than her because she gave it up "too soon" (according to some arbitrary Gregorian boner calendar). "Eeeeew, gross, lady! You're a terrible person for doing that thing that I was literally begging you to do five minutes ago!" Dearest readers: I get that you don't do this. And your friends don't do this. And everyone you know has evolved beyond this square old stuff. It's not the way I live my life either. But you must understand that people do do this all the time. And plenty of us have subtle biases about when and how to do sex "right" that we use to calculate both our own self-worth and the worthiness of others. It's a broken system, and we all perpetuate it. I swear to god, women—do we all have Stockholm Syndrome or something? It's like we spent so many millennia getting this paradigm literally beaten into our brains that now we honestly think we believe it. Because historically, non-conformity hasn't ended too well for us (best case scenario, we get nothing; worst case scenario, we get dead). And so we conform! "No no no, we like sublimating our desires and artificially withholding sex in some dumb puritanical chess game! It's the best! And, to be fair, we deserve it! We are pretty gross and whorish." Come on, everyone. Just do what you want to do with your parts and stop telling other people what to do with theirs. You know it's stupid, your sex partners know it's stupid, and now brain science says it's stupid too. Image via Jim Cooke

http://jezebel.com/5923855/turns-out-getting-slutty-on-the-first-date-can-lead-to-marriage?tag=Dating

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In the frothy, bloody wake of Sharknado, there's another shark-oriented movie coming soon to SyFy: Ghost Shark. The guffaw-inducing trailer for the movie which airs August 22 includes lines like "ghosts are real" and "it's going to swim up and bite you in the ass if you don't wake up." Even better: "Do you think ghosts are logical?" Ghost shark, you guys. Ghost. Shark. [Deadline Hollywood, EW]

http://jezebel.com/sharknado-whatever-ghost-shark-is-coming-802377272

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Take the 2-minute tour × In researching the phrase "evening and morning" I noticed a very small difference in the Hebrew text between Genesis 1 (e.g. 1:4) and Daniel 8:14, where the latter has a tiny dot in the first letter of the word transliterated "bqr". Does that change the meaning of the word at all? share|improve this question Software Monkey, welcome to Judaism.SE, and thanks very much for bringing your question here! I look forward to seeing you around. –  Isaac Moses Feb 21 '12 at 23:26 Your links are giving me a 403. But these should work instead: mechon-mamre.org/i/t/t0101.htm and mechon-mamre.org/i/t/t3408.htm. –  Alex Feb 21 '12 at 23:26 @Alex: Strange; both links work from me with current FF. –  Lawrence Dol Feb 21 '12 at 23:27 Software Monkey, please consider registering your account, which will give you access to more of the site's features. –  msh210 Feb 21 '12 at 23:39 @Alex and Software Monkey, those links didn't work for me either, on FF, so I took the liberty of replacing them with bilingual Mechon Mamre links. –  Isaac Moses Feb 22 '12 at 1:52 show 1 more comment 1 Answer up vote 10 down vote accepted No, it doesn't change the meaning. The letter bes that starts that word appears with a dot in it usually, but without one after a word (in the same phrase) that ends in an open syllable. (Usually.) The pronunciation changes between these two forms, but not the meaning. It's not unique to this word, either, but true of all words that start with a bes, gimel, dalet, kaf, pe, and tav. It's also true in more generality than just word-initial positions (though not in complete generality) that one of those letters has a dot in it when appearing after a closed syllable and has no dot when appearing after an open syllable. The dot is called a dagesh lene. share|improve this answer Re "The dot is called a dagesh lene": to be more precise, I should say it's called a dagesh. Sometimes a dagesh forte appears in any of these letters after a closed syllable. But that's a whole 'nother story, not what the question was about, so I'll leave the answer as is. –  msh210 Feb 21 '12 at 23:47 add comment Your Answer

http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/14521/whats-the-significance-of-the-dot-in-bqr-in-danial-vs-the-omission-of-the-sam?answertab=oldest

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You are here Semantics driven Analysis of Social Media Please checkout comprehensive tutorials from our group: at WWW 2011 conference: Meena Nagarajan, Amit Sheth, and Selvam Velmurugan. Citizen Sensor Data Mining, Social Media Analytics and Development Centric Web Applications (Slides) at ICWSM 2013 conference: Hemant Purohit, Carlos Castillo, Patrick Meier, and Amit Sheth. Crisis Mapping, Citizen Sensing and Social Media Analytics: Leveraging Citizen Roles for Crisis Response. (details, slides) at SDM 2014 conference: Hemant Purohit, Carlos Castillo, and Fernando Diaz. Leveraging Social Media and Web of Data for Crisis Response Coordination. (details) Quick overview of our broader Vision for Citizen Sensing research: Computing for Human experience- Semantics-Empowered Sensors, Services, and Social Computing on the Ubiquitous Web - In the interdisciplinary context, our work is part of a broader agenda of analyzing citizen sensing to understand, inform policy or decision makers and develop tools to help manage important social and human development issues/challenges, including: • Coordination during disasters • We investigate massive social media communities during disasters via psycholinguistic theories to assist coordination functions of demand, supply and engagement while answering: with whom to coordinate, why and how to. [Highlight: ICCM-13 ignite talk at UN Nairobi, ICWSM-2013 tutorial, SDM-2014 tutorial, First Monday journal highlight for Jan-2014 issue, TechPresident article ] • Harassment on social media • We analyze social media conversations to identify and monitor harassment by understanding language of source and target users for mining intention, sentiment tone and emotions evoked. [Highlight: Fast Company's article on our cursing behavior research] • Prescription drug abuse • We mine social media to capture the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of prescription drug abusers through the automatic extraction of semantic information (including entities, relationships, triples and other intelligible constructs such as sentiments, emotions, intervals, frequency, dosage, etc.) [Highlight: article on this research] • Depressive disorders • We leverage social sharing behaviors to mine depression and other mental health issues in this area. [Highlight: Collaboration with domain experts at Mayo Clinic] • Gender-based violence • We model gender-based dynamics in the social data stream across the world to inform policy decision making of development agencies, in collaboration with the Subject Matter Experts at UN. [Highlight: Joint research with UNFPA experts to directly impact the policy actions] Short summaries of various aspects of interdisciplinary Social Media research at Kno.e.sis: Over the last few years, there has been a growing public fascination with 'social media' and its role in modern society. At the heart of this fascination is the ability for users to create and share content via a variety of platforms such as blogs, micro-blogs, collaborative wikis, multimedia sharing sites, social networking sites etc. Our research primarily focuses on the analysis of various aspects of User-Generated Content (UGC) that are central to understanding inter-personal communication on social media. More recently, our interdisciplinary collaboration is studying People-Content-Network, and sentiment-emotion-subjectivity analyses. The objective of our work on semantic content analysis is to bring structure and organization to unstructured chatter on social media centered around the following questions: • What are people talking about: What are the Named Entities and topics that people are making references to? How are cultures interpreting any situation in local contexts and supporting them in their variable observations on a social medium? • How are they expressing themselves: What do word usages tell us about an active population or about individual allegiances or non-conformity to group practices? • Why do they scribe: What are the diverse intentions that produce the diverse content on social media? Can we understand why we share by looking at what we predominantly do with the medium? What emotions are people sharing about something? On one hand, the social context surrounding the production, consumption, and sharing of user-generated content has opened several opportunities for enriching user interaction with content. On the other hand, this same social aspect to content production has introduced new challenges in terms of the content's informal nature. User-generated textual content in social media has unique characteristics that set it apart from the traditional content we find in news or scientific articles. Due to social media's personal and interactive communication format, user-generated content is inherently less formal and unmediated. Off-topic discussions are common, making it difficult to automatically identify context. Content is often fragmented, doesn't always follow English grammar rules, and relies heavily on domain- or demographic-specific slang, abbreviations, and entity variations (using "skik3" for "SideKick 3", for example). Some user-generated content is also terse by nature, such as in Twitter posts, which leaves minimal clues for automatically identifying context. All of these factors make the process of automatically identifying what a social media snippet is actually about much harder. Moreover, the recent popularity of the Web and online social media has completely revolutionized human interaction. The Web has an unprecedented scale of user interactions, as the Internet has become an integral part of human life. This shift in human social dynamics requires research, as the applicability of traditional research methods in social sciences is not clear in this new scale of social interactions. Therefore, we need an interdisciplinary approach, where Computer Science methods build on insights from existing theories in other disciplines- Social Science, Psychology, Linguistics etc., can enable us to perform quantitative analysis of this massive social data, and help us to understand the evolving human social dynamics. Our current phase of the work is identifying micro level variables from People, Content and Network dimensions of a social network, which will ultimately result in understanding of macro-level behavior of social phenomenon such as, information dissemination, influence spread, community evolution and sustainability, coordination in communities, etc. It will also allow us to validate the classical theories of Social Sciences in this digital realm. Our work spaces specifically spans eight closely-aligned projects: 1. Named Entity Recognition 2. Language usage in Social Media 3. Monetization/Targeted Content Delivery on Social Networks 4. Exploration of People, Content and Network dynamics in the online social networks 5. Assisting Crisis Response Coordination by Leveraging Social Media Communities  6. Trust Networks: Interpersonal, Social and Sensor 7. Mining Opinion and Emotion from Social Media 8. TWITRIS: A System for Mining Collective Intelligence from Citizen-Sensor Data 9. Linked Open Social Signals Depending on the context, we have studied, analyzed and evaluated a variety of content from Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and Wikipedia and also, we have used a variety of relevant background knowledge to advance traditional computational techniques. Named Entity Recognition (What do people write) Our work in identifying what people talk about on social media focuses on recognizing named entities, with particular focus on a class of entities called Cultural Entities - those that refer to artifacts of culture, for example, names of movies, TV shows, songs and book titles. In addition to referring to multiple real-world entities (e.g. "The Lord of the Rings" can refer to multiple instances of movies, different video games and a number of novels), cultural entities are particularly hard to extract because of their use of fragments from everyday language. In a recent work with Amir Padovitz at Microsoft Research, we explored a feature-based approach to improve the accuracy of existing named entity classifiers in identifying such cultural entities. We hypothesized that knowing how hard it is to extract an entity is useful for learning better entity classifiers. With such a measure, entity extractors become "complexity aware", i.e. they can learn to respond differently to signals depending on the entity's extraction difficulty. We proposed and developed an unsupervised algorithm to extract this prior using graph-based spreading activation and clustering techniques. We conducted evaluations in identifying movie named entities in informal weblog posts and found overwhelming evidence that this new prior improves extraction accuracy, supporting our hypothesis about engineering 'complexity aware' classifiers. Our another investigation in identifying cultural entities, along with researchers at IBM Almaden, utilized MusicBrainz, a rich domain knowledge of music entities and their relationships (encoded in RDF) to annotate artist and track/album mentions in UGC from MySpace music forums [ISWC09a]. In this work, we showed that eliminating parts of the domain model using constraints implied in the content and metadata from the domain model effectively reduces entity disambiguation scenarios and improves spotting precision. For example, a comment, 'Saw you last night in Denver' indicates that the artist is still alive, allowing us to rule out parts of the Ontology mentioning artists who are not. We also showed that simple Machine Learning classifiers built over such pruned models, and learning over a variety of feature types (a combination of Natural Language, domain-related words such as music, song, concert etc. and sentiment expression features) yielded better results than using any of them alone. In other related efforts, we worked on providing spatio-temporal-thematic summaries of chatter on Twitter using contextual information from the social medium [WISE09]. As part of a targeted content delivery platform, we used an information theory based algorithm to eliminate off-topic chatter in user-generated content on MySpace and Facebook forums to detect the main topic of discussion [WI09]. All of these studies highlighted pertinent challenges that informal UGC brings to text analytics. Language Usage in Social Media (How do People Write) In collaboration with Prof. Marti Hearst at UC Berkeley, we conducted an analysis on how men and women self-present in their online dating profiles [ICWSM09]. We studied language usage by quantifying usages of words from linguistic, personal and psychological categories from the Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC) Dictionary; next, using a multivariate statistical approach called Exploratory Factor Analysis to identify systematic co-occurrence patterns among LIWC variables; and finally grouping user profiles on the basis of their shared multi-dimensional features to compare and contrast self-presentation strategies. We found interesting results in language usage by the gender groups that deviated from results of past studies in the general speech and writing habits of men and women. In particular, we found men to be using a higher proportion of tentative words (e.g., 'may be', 'could' and 'perhaps'), a class of words typically attributed to the feminine discourse. We also found many similarities in actual word usages, more so in the use of open-class category words (like affect and verb groups). We believe it may be the case that self-expression tends towards attempting homophily in online dating profiles, given the tendency to 'imitate and impress' in courtship. Besides people's language use in online dating profiles, we also examined people's cursing language use on Twitter [CSCW04]. On social media, people can instantly chat with friends without face-to-face interaction, usually in a more public fashion and broadly disseminated through highly connected social network. Will these distinctive features of social media lead to a change in people’s cursing behavior? we examine the characteristics of cursing activity on a popular social media platform – Twitter, involving the analysis of about 51 million tweets and about 14 million users. In particular, we explore a set of questions that have been recognized as crucial for understanding cursing in offline communications by prior studies, including the ubiquity, utility, and contextual dependencies of cursing. Monetization/Targeted Content Delivery on Social Networks (Why do People Write) Of the several messages that users post on social media everyday, an important task for an application trying to respond to a message is to identify the underlying intent. Our work in the identification of intents behind user posts caters to monetization of user activity on social networks [WI09]. Unlike web search, the presence of an entity alone does not classify intent accurately - any of these intentions could occur with a product X - 'i am thinking of getting X' (transactional); 'i like my new X' (information sharing); and 'what do you think about X' (information seeking). Our approach to automatic identification of intents relied on using 'action patterns' - pattern of words surrounding entity X. Using a set of seed 'action patterns' indicating intent, we developed a minimally supervised bootstrapping algorithm that learns new intent revealing patterns from an un-annotated corpus of 10K user posts from MySpace. Intent tendencies of new patterns are computed using semantic (using communicative functions of words from the LIWC dictionary) and distributional similarity with seed patterns. As part of a targeted content delivery application [WI09], we found that the new learned patterns were effective in identifying monetizable posts, i.e., those with information seeking and transactional intents. We also found that users were 8 times more likely to click on ads that were generated from their monetizable footprints left on the network (in wall posts, forum messages) than those generated from their profile information (hobbies, activities etc.). An example below shows a user post and contextual ads generated for it using Google AdSense when content has off-topic keywords (upper half). The bottom half shows ads after off-topic keywords have been eliminated. Figure 1. Difference in the targeted ads after eliminating off-topic keywords Exploration of People, Content and Network Dynamics in the Online Social Networks Understanding information, influence or popularity propagation in online social networks is a challenging problem with several contributing factors such as the timeliness of the information, the participants responsible for sharing the information, the structure of the network etc. We believe that there is a three-dimensional dynamic at play in how information propagates through a network - the people involved (passionate advocate or an objective observer), the content being propagated (fact-sharing or emotionally charged) and the connections between the people, all play a role in how information spreads. Understanding these micro-level variables and their interactions will shed light on macro-level consequences, e.g., political decisions or consumer behaviors. In a recent study of tweeting practices [ICWSM10], we analyzed viral content on Twitter, i.e., tweets that were passed around or retweeted the most in a given period of time. We focussed on topical tweets generated by communities that gather on Twitter around real-world events. Our study includes popular events of the year 2009 -- the Iran Election, the Health Care Reform debate and the International Semantic Web Conference (ISWC). These events were selected to represent varied characteristics in terms of social significance, attracting different populations, spanning different time periods, different lengths of time and representing a good variety of twitter activity. We analyzed 250 most viral tweets which were found based on n-gram analysis of the tweet content. For each tweet, we gathered all instances of the tweet in dataset and plotted the re-tweet connections between the authors of the tweets as a directed network, for example, If user A retweets user B, an edge is drawn from node B to node A; indicating the direction of information diffusion. We found two clear patterns in analyzing the networks. • 1. A certain class of tweets that we classified as making a call for action, crowd-sourcing or collective group identity-making, generated sparse re-tweet graphs. In other words, although the content was being re-tweeted, author attribution was largely absent. Figure 2,A1. shows one such example for a "call for action" tweet - Join @MarkUdall @RitterForCO and @BennetForCO to support an up-or-down vote on the public option... The corresponding follower graph (A2.) (authors connected by follower links) was however well-connected; implying that people did (potentially) see these tweets from their network but did not feel compelled to credit the sender or the original author. • 2. In contrast to the above, we found that tweets that shared an information or fact generated a denser retweet/attribution network. Figure 2, B1 shows an example of an information sharing tweet- Iran Election Crisis: 10 Incredible YouTube Videos.. Figure 2. Graphs showing sparse (A) and dense (B) RT networks and their corresponding follower graphs for 'call for action' and 'information sharing' type of tweets The patterns were observed consistent across the events despite the fact that the events were varied in the population they attracted and the goals of the communities. This categorization is certainly not exhaustive but suggests an important finding - the content being tweeted plays a key role in what an explicit retweet network will look like and in many cases, whether it will be traceable at all. we believe that the suggestive relationship between the tweet type and its retweet pattern will contribute to the study of link-based diffusion models. In another study, we explored the dynamics of user engagement in social media [SoME'11,WWW'11], as the shift in the information consumption in today's social media has demanded effective methods to understand the new forms of user engagement, the factors impacting them, and the fundamental reasons for such engagements. We perform exploratory analysis on Twitter to understand the dynamics of user engagement by studying what attracts a user to participate in discussions on a topic. We identify various factors which might affect user engagement, ranging from content properties, network topology to user characteristics on the social network, and use them to predict user joining behavior. As opposed to traditional ways of studying them separately, these factors are organized in our framework, People-Content-Network Analysis (PCNA), mainly designed to enable understanding of human social dynamics on the web. We perform experiments on various Twitter user communities formed around topics from diverse domains, with varied social significance, duration and spread. Our findings suggest that capabilities of content, user and network features vary greatly, motivating the incorporation of all the factors in user engagement analysis, and hence, a strong need can be felt to study dynamics of user engagement by using the PCNA framework. Our study also reveals certain correlation between types of event for discussion topics and impact of user engagement factors. Assisting Crisis Response Coordination by Identifying and Matching Requests and Offers of Needs on Social Media Disaster affected communities are increasingly turning to social media for communication and coordination. This includes reports on needs (demands) and offers (supplies) of resources required during emergency situations. Identifying and matching such requests with potential responders can substantially accelerate emergency relief efforts. Current work of disaster management agencies is labor intensive, and there is substantial interest in automated tools to assist response coordination and enhanced situational awareness via mining this new source of information, social sensing. We exploit psycholinguistic cues to validate conversational behavior of language usage, whether online social media also has similar properties as in the face to face communication. We observed similar behavior how linguistic features studied in the past on offline behavior can determine the conversational nature of online social media by studying Twitter datasets of different events. We create classifiers using those linguistic features to filter coordination assisting data out of massive social media streams. [CHB'2013] Extending our thoughts of further going in-depth by focusing on functions to assist coordination, we created machine-learning methods to automatically identify and match needs and offers communicated via social media for items and services such as shelter, money, clothing, etc. For instance, a message such as 'we are coordinating a clothing/food drive for families affected by Hurricane Sandy. If you would like to donate, DM us' can be matched with a message such as 'I got a bunch of clothes I’d like to donate to hurricane sandy victims. Anyone know where/how I can do that?' Compared to traditional search, our results can significantly improve the matchmaking efforts of disaster response agencies [FM'2014]. It involves collaboration with social scientists, Profs. Valerie Shalin and John Flach at WSU, and our international collaborators Drs. Patrick Meier and Carlos Castillo at QCRI in the humanitarian computing space. A quick summary of our analysis frameworks and systems is available here Trust Networks: Interpersonal, Social and Sensor Trust relationships occur naturally in many diverse contexts such as ecommerce, social interactions, social networks, ad hoc mobile networks, distributed systems, decision-support systems, (semantic) sensor web, emergency response scenarios, etc. As the connections and interactions between humans and/or machines (collectively called agents) evolve, and as the agents providing content and services become increasingly removed from the agents that consume them, miscreants attempt to corrupt, subvert or attack existing infrastructure. This in turn calls for support for robust trust inference (e.g., gleaning, aggregation, propagation) and update (also called trust management). Unfortunately, there is neither a universal notion of trust that is applicable to all domains nor a clear explication of its semantics in many situations. Because Web, social networking and sensor information often provide complementary and overlapping information about an activity or event that are critical for overall situational awareness, there is a unique need for developing an understanding of and techniques for managing trust that span all these information channels. Currently, we are pursuing research on trust and trustworthiness issues in interpersonal, social, and sensor networks, to potentially unify and integrate them for exploiting their complementary strengths. Mining Opinion and Emotion from Social Media Social media serves as a platform for people to speak their mind more freely, which lead to a growing volume of opinionated data that can be used by: (1) Individuals as suggestion and recommendation. (2) Companies for making marketing strategies and other decisions. (3) Government for monitoring social phenomenon, being aware of potential dangerous situations, etc. As a popular social media service, twitter provides a convenient and instant way for people to share their opinions by tweets anytime anywhere. For better use of such information, there should be methods for automatically identifying opinionated tweets with respect to specific topics and classifying them according to their sentiment polarity. We addressed the problem of topical sentiment analysis of tweets and proposed a novel approach to construct topic and context-aware sentiment lexicon for this task [ICWSM12]. The proposed technique has been evaluated on multiple domains, and the results show that the proposed approach outperforms several baseline methods significantly. In recent years, there is a surge of interest in building systems that harness the power of social data to understand public opinions and predict what is about to happen. We studied the spectrum of Twitter users who participated in the on-line discussion of elections, and examined the predictive power of different user groups [SocInfo12]. We presented a method to predict the "vote" of a user based on target-specific sentiment analysis of his/her tweets. The study showed that Twitter users were not equal in predicting elections, and demonstrated the importance of identifying likely voters and user sampling in electoral predictions. Besides looking into people's opinions about things, we also looked into people's emotional states. We explored how to detect people's emotions that are expressed in sentences from suicide notes [BII12]. We designed a hybrid system consists of machine learning and rule-based classifiers. For the machine learning classifier, we investigate a variety of lexical, syntactic and knowledge-based features, and show how much these features contribute to the performance of the classifier through experiments. For the rule-based classifier, we propose an algorithm to automatically extract effective syntactic and lexical patterns from training examples. In the process of detecting emotions from suicide notes, we realized that our system's performance can be affected due to the relatively small size of annotated emotion dataset. To overcome this bottleneck, we have automatically created a large emotion-labeled dataset (of about 2.5 million tweets) by harnessing emotion-related hashtags available in the tweets [SocialCom12]. We have applied two different machine learning algorithms for emotion identification, to study the effectiveness of various feature combinations as well as the effect of the size of the training data on the emotion identification task. Our experiments demonstrate that a combination of unigrams, bigrams, sentiment/emotion-bearing words, and parts-of-speech information is most effective for gleaning emotions. Check out our Twitris Wiki page and a short summary of Twitris' Capbilities.        Twitris is a Semantic Web application that facilitates understanding of social perceptions by Semantics-based processing of massive amounts of event-centric data. It addresses challenges in large scale processing of social data, preserving spatio-temporal-thematic properties. Twitris 2.0 also covers context based semantic integration of multiple Web resources and expose semantically enriched social data to the public domain. Semantic Web technologies enable the system's integration and analysis abilities. Why Twitris?         Emergence of microblogging platforms such as Twitter, friendfeed etc. have revolutionized how unfiltered, real-time information is disseminated and consumed by citizens. Twitter, has therefore emerged as the preeminent medium for sharing citizen-sensor observations, as was demonstrated in a variety of situations ranging from Mumbai terrorist attack to Iran elections.         While the decentralized information diffusion model offered by twitter has gained momentum and has created avenues for experiential data sharing, millions of observations, shared through tweets, create significant information overload. In many cases it becomes nearly impossible to make sense of the information around a topic of interest. This problem is further compounded by the fact that tweets increasingly integrate other social networking sites (flickr, twitpics) and general Web content(news, Wikipedia, blogs) through embedded links and metadata. Given this data deluge, analyzing the numerous social signals carried by tweets and associated content to find out what is being said about an event (theme), where (spatial), when (temporal), how are key concerns (topics of discussion) changing over a period of time and whether there are regional differences in the opinions on a given topic, can be extremely challenging. What is Twitris?         In response to this growing data deluge, we have developed Twitris (currently Twitris 3.0) with the vision of performing semantics-empowered analysis of a broad variety of social media content. Specifically, Twitris aims to capture semantics (i.e., meaning and understanding) with spatial, temporal, thematic dimensions, user intentions and sentiments, networking behavior (user interactions patterns and features such as information diffusion and centrality) and other information present in social media. Semantic Web technologies enable its core integration, analysis and data/knowledge sharing abilities. Twitris, focuses on people-content-network centric analysis, leveraging the relevant Semantic Web technologies, background knowledge, languages, tools where appropriate.         Twitris is a Semantic Social Web approach to detect social signals by analyzing massive, event-centric data through:         a. Analysis of casual text with spatio-temporal-thematic (STT) bias, to extract event descriptors.         b. Capturing semantics from contexts associated with tweets.         c. Use of deep semantics (using automatically created domain models) to understand the meaning of standard event descriptors.         d. Use of shallow semantics(semantically annotated entities) for knowledge discovery and representation.         e. Exposure of processed social data to the public domain, complying with semantic Web standards.         f. Semantic Integration of multiple external Web resources (news, articles, images and videos) utilizing the semantic similarity between contexts. Twitris has been developed as a multi-layered system where each component acts as part of a pipeline. Here is a Functional Overview of Twitris.         The system is currently being used for a number of People-Content-Network study experiments and being extended to integrate with SMS and other Web data used by a number of widely deployed open source projects. These include applications used by non governmental organizations (NGO) in developing countries for crisis management (in particular,, and Twitris is being extended with Twarql technology for limited real-time support and is being adapted for a cloud platform for much higher scalability.         TWITRIS is part of a larger research agenda on Computing for Human Experience, at the Ohio Center of Excellence in Knowledge-Enabled Computing (Kno.e.sis) Center at the Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio (other key themes include semantics-enriched services computing and the sensor Web). Read more about twitris.. Complementary projects: Twarql, Semantic Sensor Web Research @Meena Additional collaborators Projects Support in part by: • Microsoft's "Beyond Search - Semantic Computing and Internet Economics" 2008 Award • IBM's 2007 UIMA Innovation Grant - "UIMA-based Infrastructure for Summarizing Casual, Unstructured Text" • NSF Semdis and STT • Trusted Semantic Sensor Web • Interdisciplinary NSF project: SoCS: Social Media Enhanced Organizational Sensemaking in Emergency Response (Read more)

http://knoesis.org/research/semweb/projects/socialmedia

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Trade Stuff You Don&#39;t Want for Things You Do at You know the old saying that one man's trash is another man's treasure. At, a marketplace for trading just about everything, you can take your unwanted "trash" (like bad holiday presents) and turn it into "treasure." The free service simply facilitates old-fashioned bartering: You add items you have to swap, then browse for stuff available, and work out the details with another swapper (you make an offer and can complete a swap by shipping items or meeting up locally). Because claims to be the biggest community of swappers in the world, there's a good chance you'll find something you want. You can even trade Groupons and gift cards. works on the honor system, but swappers are given ratings so you can decide whether or not to trade with certain people. If you have something you can't find a good use for, check out to see if someone else can—and save yourself some money on stuff you actually want.

http://lifehacker.com/5871303/trade-stuff-you-dont-want-for-things-you-do-at-swapcom?rel=author

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Screen Standby Keeps Your Android from Sleeping While Streaming While Minimizing Battery Usage Android: If you use your Android for streaming or video playback over HDMI, you've likely run into the problem of your tablet's screen staying on unnecessarily. This runs down the battery, and there's no need to see the image on both screens. Screen Standby fixes that problem. Screen Standby simply sets your screens brightness to zero while your streaming/playing video over HDMI. It's a simple trick but solves an annoying problem for those of us who use our Androids as a media center. To use it, just tap the button to turn off your backlight and you're set. You can still see the image you're streaming on your TV (or wherever), but your screen will be off. To get things back to normal, all you have to do is lock and unlock your device. Screen Standby is free to download, but it does require rooting your device. Screen Standby | XDA Developers

http://lifehacker.com/5952888/screen-standby-keeps-your-android-from-sleeping-while-streaming-while-minimizing-battery-usage?tag=streaming

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, Volume 56, Issue 3, pp 261-274 Applied model for the growth of the daytime mixed layer Purchase on Springer.com $39.95 / €34.95 / £29.95* Rent the article at a discount Rent now * Final gross prices may vary according to local VAT. Get Access A slab model is proposed for developing the height of the mixed layer capped by stable air aloft. The model equations are closed by relating the consumption of energy (potential and kinetic) at the top of the mixed layer to the production of convective and mechanical turbulent kinetic energy within the mixed layer. By assuming that the temperature difference at the top of the mixed layer instantaneously adjusts to the actual meteorological conditions without regard to the initial temperature difference that prevailed, the model is reduced to a single differential equation which easily can be solved numerically. When the mixed layer is shallow or the atmosphere nearly neutrally stratified, the growth is controlled mainly by mechanical turbulence. When the layer is deep, its growth is controlled mainly by convective turbulence. The model is applied on a data set of the evolution of the height of the mixed layer in the morning hours, when both mechanical and convective turbulence contribute to the growth process. Realistic mixed-layer developments are obtained.

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF00120423

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HTML Tidy warning re XML decl., cleaned source breaks IE From: Robin Haswell <[email protected]> Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2005 10:23:31 -0000 To: <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> HTML Tidy gives the following warning when an XML Declaration follows a DTD: line 3 column 1 - Warning: removing whitespace preceding XML Declaration However placing the XML Declaration before the XHTML DTD causes Internet Explorer to render in "Quirks mode". The W3C Validator does not invalidate an XML Declaration following an XHTML DTD. I suggest bringing HTML Tidy in line with the W3CV, mainly to avoid this annoying warning. -Robin Haswell Received on Wednesday, 9 February 2005 14:21:55 GMT

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/html-tidy/2005JanMar/0026.html

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Re: Mutation events replacement From: Aryeh Gregor <[email protected]> Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:15:22 -0400 Message-ID: <CAKA+Ax=UMsm_H5yQA+ThYUgJyEHhtPARtP5oppkFdrv1hEPsQQ@mail.gmail.com> To: Ryosuke Niwa <[email protected]>, Boris Zbarsky <[email protected]> On Wed, Jul 20, 2011 at 3:11 PM, Ryosuke Niwa <[email protected]> wrote: > But internally, a node movement is a removal then an insertion.  There's > always possibility that a node gets removed then inserted again after > mutation observers are invoked.  Also, what happens if a function removed a > bunch of nodes and then inserted back one of them? I'm suggesting that we change insertNode()/appendChild()/etc. so that they're *not* internally a removal then an insertion: they're internally atomic. If you call foo.removeChild(bar); foo.appendChild(bar) then that would be a remove/insert no matter what. But if you call foo.appendChild(bar) and bar has a parent and bar is not the last child of foo, that would be a move. Yes, this causes problems as long as mutation events exist. But when mutation event handlers modify the DOM, behavior is undefined and is totally inconsistent between browsers in practice, so I don't think it's a big deal. Just do whatever's convenient and leave the behavior inconsistent in this case like in others. We don't need to standardize behavior here unless we're going to standardize behavior in all other cases where DOM mutation listeners mutate the DOM, which we aren't. On Wed, Jul 20, 2011 at 10:17 PM, Boris Zbarsky <[email protected]> wrote: > What I do have a strong opinion on is that it would be good to have some > data on how common "move" operations are compared to "remove" and "insert" > on the web.  Then we'll at least know how common or edge-case the situation > is and hence how much effort we should spend on optimizing for it... I can say that it's very common and critical for editors. Tons of what you're doing is shuffling nodes around: splitting up text nodes and wrapping bits of them in new elements that you just inserted before them, moving all the contents of an element next to it before you remove it, etc. Editors of various types seem like they're one of the big use-cases for a mutation events replacement anyway, so my guess is it's important. But nobody's even made a list of use-cases for mutation listeners, have they? I don't think moving nodes is as common a use-case for typical sites. But typical sites don't want mutation listeners either, so they aren't what we should be concerned about here. Received on Thursday, 21 July 2011 20:16:10 GMT

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-webapps/2011JulSep/0430.html

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Re: Saxonica Comments on XProc last-call draft, sections 1 and 2 From: Norman Walsh <[email protected]> Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:59:25 -0400 To: Michael Kay <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> / Michael Kay <[email protected]> was heard to say: | 1. Technical (but non-normative). Fig 1 Example. Since the example is trying | to illustrate that a pipeline takes XML documents as input, it would be | better if the input consisted of "schema documents" rather than "schemas". | (A schema document is an XML document, a schema is not). Fair enough; I think we could change the labels in the diagram to read "source document", "schema documents", and "result document". | 2. Nomenclature. "validate-xml-schema" is a misleading name for a step that | validates an instance. Uhm. I suppose. I guess we could rename them "validate-with-xml-schema", "validate-with-relax-ng", "validate-with-schematron" if you think that would be a significant improvement. | 3. Clarification. It becomes clear later, but it's confusing to read in the | first para of section 2 that a pipeline contains no loops, and in the fourth | para of 2.1 that a compound step may contain (or "reconstruct") an iterator. How about: [Definition: A pipeline is a set of connected steps, with outputs of one step flowing into inputs of another.] A pipeline is itself a step and must satisfy the constraints on steps. And we just leave the whole loop question until later. | 4. Clarification. In 2.1 it's hard to reconcile the definition [Definition: | The steps (and the connections between them) within a compound step form a | subpipeline.] with the next sentence "A compound step can contain one or | more subpipelines". If the steps form one subpipeline then how can the | compound step contain many subpipelines? Are we talking about transitive | containment here? Yeah, that's a little clumsy; I'll give that some thought. | 5. Clarification. At the end of 2.1, "A step can have zero parameter input | ports, and each parameter port can have zero parameters passed on it." it | might be clearer to say "A step can have zero, one, or many parameter input | ports, and each parameter port can have zero or one parameters passed on | it.". Yes, I think that's an improvement; thanks. | 6. Clarification. In 2.2, I don't understand this: "Within a compound step, | the declared outputs of the step can be connected to: * The output port of | some contained step. * A fixed, inline document or sequence of documents. * | A document read from a URI." How can an output of a step be a document read | from a URI? Like this: <p:output port="out1"> ... </p:output> <p:output port="out2"> <p:document href="someURI"/> It seems a little silly in isolation, but recall that all of the branches of a choose have to have the same outputs. In the otherwise branch, you may want to dummy up some of them. Having allowed a fixed, inline binding, it seems arbitrary to forbid a URI binding. | 7. Technical. In 2.5, Parameters, it seems unnecessarily constraining to | require that the value of a parameter be a string. In XSLT, for example, it | is common for a parameter to have a document as its value. For V1, the WG has decided that all parameters will be exclusively | 8. Technical. By the time I get to 2.6, I'm wondering what precisely the | spec means by an "XML Document". An Infoset? A PSVI? I think "an infoset" is about the best answer we could give. We're trying to leave implementors the freedom to use SAX events, StaX events, DOMs, or even serialized XML; whatever they want. | 9. Technical. In 2.7, the Environment is defined as containing static | information. And it includes options. But I don't think it's true that the | values of the options are known statically, is it? Good point. I'll have to look at that. | 10. Typo. In 2.8 para 4, "step step". | 11. Technical 2.8.1. Making the default context node an "empty document | node" is probably a mistake; you would want to make the decision differently | with XPath 2.0, and it will be hard to change later. What do you suggest? Be seeing you, Norman Walsh <[email protected]> | Education's purpose is to replace an http://nwalsh.com/ | empty mind with an open one.--Malcolm | Forbes Received on Wednesday, 26 September 2007 17:59:42 GMT

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-xml-processing-model-comments/2007Sep/0034.html

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5 Reviews Scarface: The World is Yours Say hello to the most foul-mouthed game since Mario Strikers Unsatisfied by movies where the main character dies at the end? Scarface: The World Is Yours gives you the chance to put things right, glossing over the finale in which murderous anti-hero Tony Montana is shot in the back in his palatial, drug-funded mansion. Instead, Tony gets to blast his way out of the ambush, at the expense of everything he fought so hard to get. The mansion is impounded by the police, the money vanishes into thin air and his precious reputation is left in tatters. Back from the nearly dead, Tony's mission is to win back what he lost, and with the help of old friends who are still intimidated enough to work with him, he sets out to rebuild his criminal empire. You horse! So what we've got is a GTA-style gangster game starring one of the most memorable - and sweariest - gangsters in movie history. You can shake the nunchuk to make him swear randomly as he walks down the street. It's ****ing ace! Tony's Miami adventure isn't set out exactly like a GTA game, though. Instead of completing lots of unconnected missions for different people, spread all over the city, there's a more tightly focused narrative. The aim is simply to earn enough money to fund a return to Tony's former lifestyle, and the only way to do this is by selling drugs. There are dealers all over the place. When you get hold of a new stash, you can sell it in 200g chunks. To get the best price you have to hold the A button while a little meter fills up, releasing it when it's at max strength. Too much or too little and you've blown the deal. The same system is used for talking your way out of trouble with the cops and intimidating rival gangsters. Scarface is underpinned by a mini business sim, in which you take over territory, find the highest price for your merchandise and blow the profits on the luxury items needed to restore Tony's credibility. Gangs and police can be paid off to reduce the two 'heat' meters that make your progress ever more difficult as they build up. Other than that, it's flashy cars, speedboats, guns and women all the way. Red mist When you get into a mission, the gunplay works swiftly and accurately with the Wii remote. There's a free aim function, which is more than adequate, or by holding Z you can lock on to a particular enemy and make small adjustments with the remote to target different areas. Aiming for the nuts (left or right) scores quite highly, as does blowing off a limb, head or kidney. Once your foe is down, shaking the nunchuk gives him some final sweary disrespect. The point is to build up your Balls meter, which can be used to activate Blind Rage mode - ten seconds of first-person invincibility, which is very useful in a tight spot. In fact many missions are extremely difficult if you don't start them with maximum Balls. The best thing about the game is that it manages to be laugh-out-loud funny even while remarkable amounts of crimson pixels spurt forth from those unfortunate enough to cross Tony Montana. Battles are punctuated by shakes of the nunchuk to deliver wittily foul-mouthed ripostes, and even random pedestrians have multiple levels of wisecracks when you start a conversation with them. Luckily Tony refuses to kill civilians, so you can only grin and bear it when a chat-up line goes humiliatingly wrong. The worst thing about the game is the restrictive layout of the city. The visual promise of GTA-style freedom is dashed once you've done a complete circuit around the little islands that make up the map and found that many of the areas around the looping main road are nothing but sealed-off scenery. It's a big game but there are few alternative routes to different areas.   1 2

http://m.computerandvideogames.com/168135/reviews/scarface-the-world-is-yours-review/

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Switch to Desktop Site Rebuilding Akokolacha Why America must get more involved - not less - in Afghanistan About these ads Former National Public Radio correspondent Sarah Chayes went to Afghanistan in October 2001 to report on the war. When the fighting - and the news assignment - was over, she sensed her responsibility was just beginning. Feeling a growing need to stop talking about conflict and start doing something about it, she stayed to serve as field director of Afghans for Civil Society, a non-profit group in Baltimore. Engineer Abdullah and I clambered about the wreckage of this parched village last June, a knot of elders and a gaggle of children spilling over the uneven ground. It quickly became clear that we would never know what the village had once looked like. "I had seven rooms here," one turbaned elder with a wolf-like face asserted. "And a bathroom adjoining every room." Abdullah and I looked at each other, then at the 10 square yards of mounded debris we were standing on. The mansion the man was describing was what he wished he'd owned, and I told him as much. The visit went on like that. No one would tell the truth about a neighbor's house, for fear of scuttling his own chances of getting a castle from the foreigners who had inexplicably arrived to rebuild the village. The Akokolacha project has proved to be an extraordinary microcosm of the wreckage that is Afghanistan, the obstacles in the way of laying new foundations, and the key role the US has played and still plays - for good or for bad. The parched village of Akokolacha abuts the Kandahar airport. It was smashed half to rubble a year ago when Al Qaeda forces - holed up in a bloody last stand - were pounded by US bombs. Villagers returned to find 10 of their 30 houses heaps of broken mud bricks, the desert wind softening the edges. Last spring, the nonprofit development organization I'm helping to run appealed to the people of Concord, Mass. (where I gave a lecture) and others we approached personally for money to reconstruct Akokolacha's ruined houses. The response was breathtaking - $18,000 in private donations to build a symbolic bridge between a small American town and a crippled village in Afghanistan. Page 1 of 6

http://m.csmonitor.com/2002/1210/p12s01-coop.html

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Switch to Desktop Site Bank tax should pay off the TARP, not raise spending (Read article summary) Kevin Lamarque/Reuters (Read caption) US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (back to camera) testifies May 4 before the Senate Finance Committee on a proposed bank tax. The proposal raises several questions, including whether the tax will be used to pay down TARP costs. About these ads Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner appeared before the Senate Finance Committee to push the Administration’s proposal for a Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee, more commonly known as the Bank Tax. The purpose of the fee is to [M]ake sure that the direct costs of TARP are paid for by the major financial institutions, not by the taxpayer. Assessments on these institutions will be determined by the risks they pose to the financial system. These risks, the combination of high levels of riskier assets and less stable sources of funding, were key contributors to the financial crisis. The fee would be applied over a period of at least ten years, and set at a level to ensure that the costs of TARP do not add to our national debt. One year ago we estimated those costs could exceed half a trillion dollars. However, we have been successful in repairing the financial system at a fraction of those initial estimates. The estimated impact on the deficit varies from $109 billion according to CBO to $117 billion according to the Administration. We anticipate that our fee would raise about $90 billion over 10 years, and believe it should stay in place longer, if necessary, to ensure that the cost of TARP is fully recouped. As noted by other participants in today’s hearing, the bank tax raises a host of questions: Is it possible to design the tax so that it is ultimately paid by major financial institutions (by which I presume Geithner means their shareholders and top management), or will it get passed through to their customers? How much, if at all, would the tax reduce bank lending? Is it fair to target the banks even though the bank part of TARP actually made money for taxpayers? Would the tax reduce risks in the financial system? Those are all interesting questions, but today I’d like to highlight another one: Can Congress embrace the idea of a bank tax that would be used to “ensure the costs of TARP do not add to our national debt”? As described by the Administration, the bank tax would be used to reduce the deficit, thus offsetting budget costs of TARP. Congress, however, is hungry for revenues that it can use to offset the budget costs of new legislation, e.g., extending the ever popular research-and-experimentation tax credit or limiting the upcoming increase in dividend taxes. With PAYGO now the law of the land (for many legislative proposals), some members are looking at the $90 billion of potential bank tax revenues as the answer to their PAYGO prayers. All of which points to a looming budget battle: Will the bank tax be used to pay off the costs of TARP, as the President has proposed, or will it be used to pay for other initiatives? Add/view comments on this post. About these ads

http://m.csmonitor.com/Business/Donald-Marron/2010/0507/Bank-tax-should-pay-off-the-TARP-not-raise-spending

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Subject: Re: NetBSD: Certified mom-ready. To: Paul Newhouse <> From: Dave McGuire <> List: current-users Date: 04/19/1999 13:09:17 Warning: My message below contains little more than flamage. If you're not in the mood for that, act accordingly. On Mon, 19 Apr 1999, Paul Newhouse wrote: >It mentioned Linux 6 times and NetBSD once. While it's nice that NetBSD >got mentioned, it is a Linux article by weight of numbers. >It stinks but, that's how it is. *8^((( [flame on] Indeed. Though not entirely shocking, given the rate at which we're losing members of 'core'. them put it, "well, their leaders are..." Now Herb has resigned, and I'm almost dreading going into the office today! What the hell is going on? It seems from my [admittedly rather isolated] point of view, my favorite which I've been evangelizing and selling people on since the 0.9 folding in on itself due to petty political bickering, massive ego problems, and an apparent lack of tranquilizers/beer/prozac/whatever it would take to keep people from yelling and screaming at each other like children. Is this really what's happening? If so, why? Is that even an answerable question? [flame off] -Dave McGuire

http://mail-index.netbsd.org/current-users/1999/04/19/0016.html

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pkgsrc-Changes archive CVS commit: pkgsrc/devel/mercurial Module Name: pkgsrc Committed By: wiz Date: Sat Aug 7 06:24:05 UTC 2010 Modified Files: pkgsrc/devel/mercurial: Makefile distinfo Log Message: Update to 1.6.2: 1.6.2 (2010-08-02) This release addresses a regression in the color extension. * color: pass write/write_err to win32print correctly (issue2312) * convert/progress: use plural and avoid retrieving * color: call correct superclass method in write_err 1.6.1 (2010-08-01) This is a scheduled monthly minor bugfix release. * alias: ensure checksignature() is applied directly to the command * bash/zsh completion: use HGPLAIN when invoking hg (issue2297) * bookmarks: don't allow name to contain whitespaces only * bookmarks: ensure current bookmark is updated when specified with -r . * bundle: lookup revisions after addbranchrevs * color/progress: subclass ui instead of using wrapfunction (issue2096) * commit: only warn when reopening the workdir's branch * dispatch: give better error message when cwd doesn't exist (issue2293) * doc: make sure we use our own code for generating man pages * filelog: cmp: don't read data if hashes are identical (issue2273) * filelog: test behaviour for data starting with "\1\n" * hg.clone: fix branch value when passing a repo object (issue2267) * hgweb.wsgi: add a URL to the corresponding wiki documentation * hgwebdir: allow pure relative globs in paths * hgwebdir: use template paths configured in the hgrc (issue2281) * init: create target directory recursively * inotify: check all components of filenames against hgignore (issue884) * keyword: move collecting of [keyword] patterns to reposetup (issue2303) * log: fix missing diff output for hg log -p in subdirectory * log: follow filenames through renames (issue647) * mail: ensure that Python2.4 to 2.7 use the same header format mercurial.spec: rename docutils to python-docutils in BuildRequires * mq: clarify the fact that qimport is trying to read a file * mq: cleanup status if applied mq is stripped (issue1881) * mq: fixed ENOENT when qrename to new/directory.patch * mq: reset self.added after the mq transaction instead of inside qimport * qpush --move: move the right patch even with comment lines * rebase: re-add patches to mq repo after rebase * revert: rename original to .orig instead of copying (issue2282) * revset: fix ancestor subset handling (issue2298) * runrst: try to be more helpful if docutils is not installed * tag: do not allow tag names to consist solely of whitespace (issue2307) * transplant: crash if repo.commit() finds nothing to commit To generate a diff of this commit: cvs rdiff -u -r1.44 -r1.45 pkgsrc/devel/mercurial/Makefile cvs rdiff -u -r1.33 -r1.34 pkgsrc/devel/mercurial/distinfo copyright notices on the relevant files. Home | Main Index | Thread Index | Old Index

http://mail-index.netbsd.org/pkgsrc-changes/2010/08/07/msg044651.html

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Subject: GENERIC and ALPHA configurations To: None <> From: Pavel Cahyna <> List: port-alpha Date: 09/28/2006 15:13:52 there are GENERIC and ALPHA configurations in sys/arch/alpha/conf. A comment in GENERIC says: "The generic kernel on NetBSD/alpha does enough to get booted, etc., but not much more. For a more complete kernel see the ALPHA machine description file." "If you add stuff to this, please add it to the ALPHA configuration, too." This seem strange. Shouldn't GENERIC itself be a reasonably complete Also, the request to add stuff to ALPHA was ignored several times, leading to a situation whre ALPHA is no longer a superset of GENERIC. Could I just merge the two and remove ALPHA?

http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-alpha/2006/09/28/0000.html

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Subject: Re: dependence on logical service vs. package name To: None <> From: Marton Fabo <> List: tech-pkg Date: 09/06/2002 15:33:33 Are there so many groups of packages that provide the same service, which is accessible using the same interface (so that they can be just replaced by each other) that making this mechanism work even worths the I realize the exim/sendmail/postfix stuff, are there others?

http://mail-index.netbsd.org/tech-pkg/2002/09/06/0005.html

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Social Media SONR is a Terrible, Terrible Idea That Simply Won't Work I seem to be going through a love-hate relationship with web apps at the moment. I wasn't going to post about this one, but I just spotted a post by Richard MacManus on the subject and I think he got it very, very wrong. The service in question is SONR, a frankly under-baked service that (allegedly) allows you to track your podcast statistics. Richard writes: I get a lot of product pitches by email every day, but few of them are really compelling enough to grab my attention. But this one did, perhaps because it is a product that promises a much-needed media tracking solution. In this case, podcasting statistics (and later video-blogging). From the SONR homepage: "SONR (Sonar) is a media tracking tool for content providers. Specifically geared towards podcasters (and later, publishers of video content), SONR's goal is to provide detailed information on how listeners interact with your content. Currently, most podcasters only know when a listener has downloaded their content, but with SONR's media player, providers can now track how much of their podcast was listened to and what the user did while listening." ...This is something that has been needed in podcasting for a long time - ways to put metadata into your podcast AND track usage. I know Marc Canter for one is going to be very pleased about that! Well, the second I heard the words "podcast tracking", I was interested. Those who have been following this blog for a while (yep, all three of you!) will know that podcast tracking is a thorny problem, largely because the MP3 format isn't suited to tracking. Services like Fruitcast and Podtrac can track downloads, but nothing more. Only Audible has a tracking service that actually delivers accurate statistics, but it gets around the issue by using a format that isn't MP3. In fact, back in November 2005 Dave Winer, Mitch Ratcliffe, Greg Yardley, Jeff Jarvis, Om Malik, Doc Searls and a whole load of other smart folks had a fascinating debate on podcast metrics and Audible's efforts in this space. It's a well-understood topic, and one that has been discussed at length. So here's my beef: SONR will be virtually useless when it comes to the podcast tracking issue. Here's the huge, huge catch that Richard mentions only briefly: to use SONR tracking, your listeners need to use the SONR media player on a website. Which raises the obvious question: what use is that to anybody? Isn't the whole point of podcasting that it's portable and time-shifted? If you're listening to an audio file on your PC without subscribing to an RSS feed, is that even a podcast? How the heck is this supposed to fix the podcast tracking issue? As far as I'm concerned, SONR is next to useless. It's a completely unneccessary diversion that will take us no closer to accurate podcast statistics. But maybe I'm mistaken - am I missing something here? Load Comments The New Stuff The Next Big Thing What's Hot

http://mashable.com/2006/02/14/sonr-is-a-terrible-terrible-idea-that-simply-wont-work/

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Take the 2-minute tour × 1. A link says: Any type of algebraic structure on subsets of $S$ that is defined purely in terms of closure properties will be preserved under intersection. Examples are σ-algebras, π-systems, λ-systems, or monotone classes of subsets. Note however, this does not apply to semi-algebras, because the semi-algebras is not defined purely in terms of closure properties (the condition on $A^c$ is not a closure property). $S$ is said to be a semi-algebra if it is closed under intersection and if complements can be written as finite, disjoint unions: • If $A,B∈S$ then $A∩B∈S$. • If $A∈S$ then there exists a finite, disjoint collection $\{B_i:i∈I\}⊆S$ such that $A^c=⋃_{i∈I} B_i$. In "the condition on $A^c$ is not a closure property", • what does "the condition on a set operation such as taking complement is not a closure property" mean? • What is the meaning of "closure properties"? How do you see the family of semi-algebras (aka semi-rings) of sets isn't closed under intersection? 2. Michael Greinecker also commented: The family of semi-rings on a set are not closed under intersections. BTW, if I am correct, the concept of a semi-algebra of sets is the same as semi-ring of sets in Wikipedia. Thanks and regards! share|improve this question The family of all bounded intervals is a semi-ring on $\mathbb{R}$ but not a semi-algebra (since the complement is unbounded and hence not a finite union of bounded sets). –  Michael Greinecker Jan 6 '13 at 0:47 add comment 1 Answer up vote 2 down vote accepted Closure properties can be formulated in terms of concepts from universal algebra. Let $X$ be the underlying set (in our examples, $X$ is a famly of sets itself). Let $I$ be an index set, $(\kappa_i)_{i\in I}$ be a family of cardinal numbers and $(f_i)_{i\in I}$ a family of function satisfying $f_i:X^{\kappa_i}\to X$ for all $i$. We say that $C\subseteq X$ is closed under $(f_i)_{i\in I}$ if we have for all $i\in I$ that $f_i(x)\in C$ for all $x\in C^{\kappa_i}$. One can show that the family of sets closed under $(f_i)_{i\in I}$ forms a Moore collection. Let's look an an example: Let $U$ be a set and $X\subseteq 2^U$. We let $I=\{s,c,u\}$, $\kappa_s=0$, $\kappa_c=1$, and $\kappa_u=\omega$. We identify constants and nullary functions, so we can let $f_s=U$. We let $f_c(A)=A^C$ for all $A\in X$, and we let $f_u(A_0,A_1,\ldots)=\bigcup_n A_n$. That $X$ is closed under these three functions means simply that it contains $X$, is closed under complements and countable unions- it is a $\sigma$-algebra. Now, one cannot write down semi-algebras this way, since there is no unique decomposition of the complement into disjoint sets. If $\mathcal{S}$ is a semi-algebra and $A\in\mathcal{S}$, then there exists a number $n$ and sets $B_1,\ldots,B_n\in\mathcal{S}$ that are disjoint and such that $A_c=B_1\cup\ldots\cup B_n$. Now if there exists a unique such family and if this family only depended on $A$, we could write down this property as closure under some functions in the following way: We let $f_{c_1}=B_1,\ldots, f_{c_n}=B_n$, and for $m>n$ we let $f_{c_m}=f_{c_n}$. We use the last condition because we have no a priori bound on how many sets are needed. But these sets are not a function of $A$, so this property can not be viewed as a closure property. Here is an explicit example (taken from Alprantis & Border) that shows that the intersection of sem-algebras might fail to be a semi-algebra: Let $X=\{0,1,2\}$, $\mathcal{S}_1=\big\{\emptyset, X,\{0\},\{1\},\{2\}\big\}$, $\mathcal{S}_2=\big\{\emptyset, X,\{0\},\{1,2\}\big\}$, and $A=\{0\}$. We have $\mathcal{S}_1\cap\mathcal{S}_2=\big\{X,\emptyset,\{0\}\big\}$, and $A^C=\{0\}^C=\{1,2\}$ is not the disjoint union of elements of this intersection. share|improve this answer Thanks! (1) How is $C\subseteq X$ closed under $(f_i: X^{\kappa_i} \to X)_{i \in I}$ related to the example for semi-algebras? (2) For semi-algebras, why do "there do no unique decomposition of the complement into disjoint sets (even then, one would need a hack)" and "a function can have only one value" matter? What is "a function"? –  Tim Jan 6 '13 at 14:33 @Tim I've edited it and hope have clarified these issues. –  Michael Greinecker Jan 6 '13 at 22:19 Thanks! I edited some places I thought were typos. Feel free to edit again if I am wrong. I was wondering if the definition of a set operation having closure property comes from some references? –  Tim Jan 7 '13 at 14:02 @Tim All things closure operations I learned from the Handbook of Analysis and its Foundations by E. Schechter. –  Michael Greinecker Jan 7 '13 at 14:13 Thanks! Besides the two books, what other books in analysis do you recommend? –  Tim Jan 11 '13 at 21:36 add comment Your Answer

http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/271233/why-isnt-the-family-of-semi-algebras-aka-semi-rings-of-sets-closed-under-inte?answertab=oldest

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Take the 2-minute tour × In laymen's terms, as much as possible: What is the Riemann-Zeta function, and why does it come up so often with relation to prime numbers? share|improve this question A good example of a question that is asked by someone genuinely interested in math but is looking for an accessible way into more advanced number theory that he would otherwise have no other means of finding. –  Justin L. Jul 23 '10 at 6:47 add comment 5 Answers up vote 49 down vote accepted Suppose you want to put a probability distribution on the natural numbers for the purpose of doing number theory. What properties might you want such a distribution to have? Well, if you're doing number theory then you want to think of the prime numbers as acting "independently": knowing that a number is divisible by $p$ should give you no information about whether it's divisible by $q$. That quickly leads you to the following realization: you should choose the exponent of each prime in the prime factorization independently. So how should you choose these? It turns out that the probability distribution on the non-negative integers with maximum entropy and a given mean is a geometric distribution, as explained for example by Keith Conrad here. So let's take the probability that the exponent of $p$ is $k$ to be equal to $(1 - r_p) r_p^k$ for some constant $r_p$. This gives the probability that a positive integer $n = p_1^{e_1} ... p_k^{e_k}$ occurs as $\displaystyle C \prod_{i=1}^{k} r_p^{e_i}$ where $C = \prod_p (1 - r_p)$. So we need to choose $r_p$ such that this product converges. Now, we'd like the probability that $n$ occurs to be monotonically decreasing as a function of $n$. It turns out (and this is a nice exercise) that this is true if and only if $r_p = p^{-s}$ for some $s > 1$ (since $C$ has to converge), which gives the probability that $n$ occurs as $\frac{ \frac{1}{n^s} }{ \zeta(s)}$ where $\zeta(s)$ is the zeta function. One way of thinking about this argument is that $\zeta(s)$ is the partition function of a statistical-mechanical system called the Riemann gas. As $s$ gets closer to $1$, the temperature of this system increases until it would require infinite energy to make $s$ equal to $1$. But this limit is extremely important to understand: it is the limit in which the probability distribution above gets closer and closer to uniform. So it's not surprising that you can deduce statistical information about the primes by studying the behavior as $s \to 1$ of this distribution. Let me mention two other reasons to care about the limit as $s \to 1$ of the above distribution. First, the basic reason to think of the primes as acting independently is the Chinese Remainder Theorem. Second, a natural reason to look at a distribution where the probability that a number has exactly $k$ factors of $p$ is $(1 - p^{-1}) p^{-k}$ is that this is precisely the distribution you get on the residues $\bmod p^n$ for $k < n$. In fact, I believe this can be upgraded to the corresponding statement about Haar measure on the $p$-adic integers. share|improve this answer Off-topic: What is $$ (with respect to latex formatting)? –  BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft Jul 27 '10 at 22:30 It's basically \displaystyle and centering. –  Qiaochu Yuan Jul 27 '10 at 22:40 That is why one should not use $$ in real latex but \\[ and \\] :) –  Mariano Suárez-Alvarez Jul 29 '10 at 21:05 I feel like I've just been let in on a mathematical secret. –  I. J. Kennedy Oct 27 '10 at 4:48 add comment Giving an explanation in layman's terms is always going to be challenging, given that the Riemann-Zeta function (and related hypothesis) inevitably lies in the domain of abstract mathematics, but I shall do my best. The Riemann-Zeta function is a complex function that tells us many things about the theory of numbers. Its mystery is increased by the fact it has no closed form - i.e. it can't be expressed a single formula that contains other standard (elementary) functions. Although there are many different ways of expressing the Riemann-Zeta function (the Wikipedia article gives several), it can ultimately be derived from the following simple series of real numbers: by extending it into the complex plane. The reason this strange and esoteric function is so famous and actively discussed in mathematics is due to the Riemann hypothesis - proposedi n 1859 by the by the great Bernhard Riemann and still unsolved. The Wiki article states the problem in quite simple terms: The Riemann zeta-function ζ(s) is defined for all complex numbers s ≠ 1. It has zeros at the negative even integers (i.e. at s = −2, −4, −6, ...). These are called the trivial zeros. The Riemann hypothesis is concerned with the non-trivial zeros, and states that: The real part of any non-trivial zero of the Riemann zeta function is 1/2. Thus the non-trivial zeros should lie on the critical line, 1/2 + it, where t is a real number and i is the imaginary unit. Although the conjecture (it is only that at the moment) has many consequences for mathematics (number theory in particular), the primary one, at least the one Riemann originally proposed, is about the distribution of prime numbers. In other words, it tells us with great precision what the average gaps between primes are as we move to greater and greater numbers. Many of the other implications are rather more esoteric, though perhaps equally important for pure mathematicians. share|improve this answer add comment Here there is another attempt at an explanation. We know that the sum of the inverse of the positive numbers, $1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + \cdots$, diverges. Euler shown that the sum of the inverse of the squares, $1/(1^2) + 1/(2^2) + 1/(3^2) + \cdots$, has a finite sum, namely $\pi^2/6$. Mathematicians love to generalize things, so they thought at the function $\displaystyle f(x)=\sum_{n=1}^\infty\dfrac1{n^x}$ which is defined for $x \gt 1$. But this was not enough: they decided that the variable could be a complex number and not a real one. There is a standard tecnique (Analytic continuation) which allows us to extend the function to nearly all the complex plane. So we now have a function which formally is $\displaystyle \zeta(s)=\sum_{n=1}^\infty\dfrac1{n^s}$ (the variable being $s$ and not $x$ to show that we are dealing with complex numbers) but is not computed in this way. Just to make an example, $\zeta(0)=1/2$, and sum of an infinity of ones is not $1/2$. :-) It may be shown that for $s = -2n$ ($n$ positive integer) $\zeta(s) = 0$. But there are infinite other point s'=(x,y) where ζ(s') = 0. For all of these points, 0 < x < 1; Riemann's hypothesis says that for all such points $x = 1/2$. If it were true, we could have the best asymptotic expression to count π(n), that is the number of primes below n. Why does the function pop up when we talk about primes? I don't know, but in the case of integer values Euler proved that sum of 1/(n^s) = product over all primes of 1/(1-p^s) Maybe this could be a good start. share|improve this answer The product formula is valid for all $s$ with $\Re(s)>1$; it's of great importance as to why the zeta-function (and its cousins the L-functions) relates to the distribution of prime numbers. –  Akhil Mathew Jul 23 '10 at 11:45 Correction: zeta(0) is -1/2, not 1/2. Also, I think it is misleading to say analytic continuation is a "standard technique" to extend the zeta-function. Whether a function has an analytic continuation to some larger region is a property, but checking where that property works often depends on special aspects of the particular function under consideration. –  KCd Feb 3 '11 at 3:45 add comment The key point is that the Riemann zeta function is a function whose properties encode properties about the prime numbers. As mentioned by Noldorin, in order to fully understand the Riemann zeta function you need to "analytically continue it to the complex plane" which is a tricky process which takes serious study. Fortunately for some easier properties of the primes you can just use the definition of the zeta function for real s. Claim (due to Euler): The fact that $\zeta(s)$ goes to infinity as s->1 tells you that there are infinitely many primes. Sketch of proof: Use the "Euler factorization" mentioned by mau (expand the RHS as a geometric series and then multiply it out using unique factorization into primes): $\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1} {n^s} = \prod_{p prime} \frac{1} {1-p^-s}$ Now take log of both sides to get: $\log \zeta(s) = \sum_{p prime} \log \frac{1} {1-p^-s}.$ Now use the taylor series for \log and send s to one. You'll get that the left hand side goes to infinity (http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/255/), while the right hand side looks like $\sum 1/p$ + bounded terms. So there must be infinitely many primes. share|improve this answer Noah: in the last paragraph, you want to send s to 1, not zero. –  KCd Feb 3 '11 at 3:47 Indeed, thanks. –  Noah Snyder Feb 4 '11 at 18:00 add comment The above answers give excellent explanations about why the zeta function has close connections to number theory, but I thought I'd mention something about why the Riemann Hypothesis should matter so much. By taking the logarithm and then differentiating the zeta function, one gets the formula $$\frac{\zeta'(s)}{\zeta(s)}=\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac{\Lambda(n)}{n^s}$$ for $\Re(s)>1$, where $\Lambda(n)$ is the von Mangoldt function which takes the value $\log p$ at powers of primes $p$, and is 0 everywhere else. Think of it as a weighted way of counting the primes (the prime number theorem tells us that $\log p$ is the natural weight to choose). Much of analytic number theory proceeds by choosing a weight of the set we wish to consider (often the primes), and then encoding this weighting in a so-called Dirichlet series (an infinite sum of the form above). We can then use analysis to study this series and get lots of useful information. In this case, then, the function we need to study to get information about the primes is $\frac{\zeta'(s)}{\zeta(s)}$, which we can study using complex analysis. In complex analysis, a good slogan is 'the only things that matter are zeros and poles' (effectively points where the function shoots off to infinity). Hence to understand the prime numbers, we just need to understand the zeros and poles of $\frac{\zeta'(s)}{\zeta(s)}$ - we know about the simple pole at $s=1$, we know there aren't any other zeros where it counts, and we also know that the only other poles are at zeros of $\zeta(s)$ (roughly because dividing by zero causes infinity). In other words, if we knew where these zeros are (i.e. the Riemann hypothesis) we can work with $\frac{\zeta'(s)}{\zeta(s)}$ in all kinds of clever ways to get good results on the prime numbers. More specifically, in the usual contour proof of the prime number theorem, knowing that there aren't any other zeros in $\Re(s)>1/2$ would allow us to shift the contour further to the left, reducing the error term in the result to (roughly) $O(\sqrt{x})$. share|improve this answer add comment protected by Marvis May 14 '12 at 1:11

http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/540/what-is-the-riemann-zeta-function?answertab=oldest

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Take the 2-minute tour × If $(m, 10) = 1$, choose $b$ so that $10 b \equiv 1 \pmod m$. Then $n \equiv 0 \pmod m$ if and only if $n' + ba_0 \equiv 0 \pmod m$, where $a_0$ is the unit's digit of $n$, and $n'=(n-a_0)/10$. First generalize this and tell me how to extend this theorem to general divisibility tests of other numbers by a single formula or method or procedure. share|improve this question What are n' and $a_0$? –  user7530 Oct 4 '11 at 7:23 I suspect that $a_0$ is the last (one’s) digit of $n$ and that $n'=(n-a_0)/10$, the number that you get when you erase the last digit of $n$; is that correct? –  Brian M. Scott Oct 4 '11 at 7:49 @Brain M. Scott! Your suspected one is very right. The last digit is $a_0$. –  gandhi Oct 4 '11 at 8:09 Edited to include Brian's interpretations. –  Gerry Myerson Oct 4 '11 at 12:11 add comment 2 Answers I suppose a generalization would be, if $\gcd(m,r)=1$, choose $b$ so that $rb\equiv1\pmod m$. Then $n\equiv0\pmod m$ if and only if $n'+ba_0\equiv0\pmod m$, where $a_0$ is the unit's digit of $n$ when $n$ is written in base $r$, and $n'=(n-a_0)/r$. share|improve this answer Can you go little further from your consideration. –  gandhi Oct 4 '11 at 17:49 Can you be a little more specific in your request? –  Gerry Myerson Oct 4 '11 at 21:44 add comment HINT $\ $ In radix $\rm\:d:\ \ n'\:d + a_0 \equiv 0\ \iff n' + a_0/d \equiv 0\pmod{m}\ \:$ when $\rm\:\ (d,m) = 1\:. $ This amounts to "simplifying" an equation by cancelling some unit factor $\rm\:d\:.\:$ Because $\rm\:d\:$ is a unit (i.e. invertible), this is an invertible transformation, i.e. $\rm\:d\:x\equiv d\:y\iff\ x\equiv y\:.$ One encounters such simplifications (or normalizations) quite frequently, e.g. normalizing polynomial equations to be monic, i.e. scaling them so that the leading coefficient $= 1\:.$ share|improve this answer Good. Thank you sir. –  gandhi Oct 4 '11 at 17:48 add comment Your Answer

http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/69727/divisibility-tests-for-all-numbers

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Dear forum members, I am currently doing a maths project and as a part of this project I am trying to prove a certain conjecture about the divisibility of numbers. First of all, could someone please take a look at the proof given in this document on page 4, solution 2. I do not understand how does Euclid's lemma relate to the proof given, and I'd be grateful if someone could explain this to me. Second, if I was trying to prove a certain thing about the divisibility of two integers, call them a and b, by a number x, and if I knew that the difference of these integers, a-b, is divisible by x, could I use the congruence theorem of modular arithmetic to prove that both a and b are divisible by x? I am really lost in the world of proofs and do not understand them at all. So if someone could please help me, I would be very grateful. Thank you!

http://mathhelpforum.com/algebra/90836-congruence-theorem-modular-arithmetic-euclid-s-lemma.html

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I've noticed a very popular Area 51 site proposal: Myanmar IT Pro At the moment it is the second most followed proposal with well over 100 following users. The problem is that most of these users are new, with no previous experience with the Stack Overflow network and with no understanding of the goals of site-definition phase. As a result the whole proposal is filled with „meh” questions and the users who are not aware that this is „meta”-question stage are more than eager to use comments to discuss the questions as if it were on an active site, not a site proposal. Since the questions were „meh” in the first place, those comments quickly devolve into pointless chit-chat and even minor political flames. • How do we educate those new users? They probably aren't really bad users; they just don't understand the concepts behind Area 51 site proposals. It's just another web forum for them. • Should we radically clean-up proposals such as this (possibly discouraging users by deleting most of their contributions)? • Maybe we should just leave it alone, since it will not get a critical mass of experienced users and will be discarded after a while? share|improve this question It's not just them. I have to resist answering questions too. –  waiwai933 Jun 6 '10 at 15:51 Indeed. It's happening for Persian IT proposal too. Most users following the proposal have never used the trilogy. –  LeakyCode Jun 6 '10 at 21:30 The popularity of that proposal is probably caused by the link to it on the main page of myanmaritpro.com, "Need your support! Support Q&A site for Myanmar IT professionals" –  Peter Mortensen Jun 7 '10 at 1:29 add comment 2 Answers Remember the definition phase is just the beginning. The commitment phase (not this week, unfortunately, but early next week) will rely pretty heavily on users having some level of reputation in our ecosystem. It will be extremely difficult to reach the commitment threshold without substantial amount of aggregate multi-site reputation. share|improve this answer Is there something to prevent a couple thousand clueless users with 51 rep (earned from verifying email) to reach the threshold? If that's not the case, from what I'm seeing on the proposals, it can become a disaster. –  LeakyCode Jun 6 '10 at 21:35 @meh (sic), what I understand is that you will need reputation on other sites in the trilogy –  jmfsg Jun 6 '10 at 23:41 @Mehrdad: There were plans to count not only pure rep, but also badges. For example a proposal needs commitment from 10 "Taxonomists", 20 "Strunk & Whites", 5 "Civic Duties" etc. –  Tadeusz A. Kadłubowski Jun 7 '10 at 5:59 @Tadeusz: Taxonomist strikes me as a particularly bad requirement; S&W and Civic Duty look useful, maybe even Electorate, but I don't see any others. Requiring a certain number of "Nice/Good/Great" type badges doesn't appear useful. Do you have a Meta link about this? –  Gnome Jun 7 '10 at 14:59 @The Cat: The actual numbers aren't decided yet, but the general idea was mentioned by Joel in the original SE 2.0 blog post: „For instance (and I’m making these numbers up), we might require that a site get at least 100 commitments from people with the Teacher badge, at least 20 from people with the Enthusiast badge, and at least 50 from people with a reputation of 1000 or more on some of our sites.” –  Tadeusz A. Kadłubowski Jun 7 '10 at 16:53 @the we aren't using badges initially, we convinced Joel that would be a micro-optimization at this early stage –  Jeff Atwood Jun 7 '10 at 21:13 Considering it again: S&W and CD just repeat the rep requirements. You have to have 2k to edit for S&W, and the 300 votes for CD is hard to legitimately achieve without already participating. –  Gnome Jun 7 '10 at 21:29 add comment Familiarity with at least one established SE site seems to make all the difference in the quality of example questions. (Counting SOFU/Trilogy as SE sites.) The issue you point out will only get worse as Area 51 moves gets out of public beta and wider, more diverse audiences are attracted, too. I've been thinking about it the past day or so, and the only idea that's stuck around as viable is to require some familiarity with an existing SE site. Something like a longer new user introduction, no matter how short it actually is, will just be a wall-o-text they quickly click through to get to the stuff they want to see. That familiarity can be measured in terms of rep, maybe something low like 100-500, and will be much easier to get once there are more diverse SE sites (i.e. right now you have to get it on SOFU). The rep requirement could be fulfilled across multiple sites, too. For example, 100 SO + 400 SU = 500 and meets the requirement. In addition, requiring an account of a certain age (e.g. 30 days) may be better. A low limit like a month really isn't that long to wait, and I get the idea that Area 51 is intended for—or at least works best with—a select audience who are more committed to their proposals than the average visitor of the established site. However, it will preclude users that don't speak a language currently used on any site, which could hurt proposals like Persian IT. Given its popularity, it seems inevitable that foreign language Area 51 proposals will be accepted, possibly even the norm. Perhaps there can be enough bilingual users to reach a low rep limit on other SE sites? share|improve this answer add comment You must log in to answer this question. Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .

http://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/52714/on-area-51-what-do-we-do-with-the-users-who-have-no-previous-exposure-to-the-st/52738

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Wilms Tumor_KH_Parent Wilms Tumor Most parents can't think of anything more frightening than being told their child has cancer. Fortunately, most kids with Wilms tumor, a rare kidney cancer, survive and go on to live normal, healthy lives due to the highly treatable nature of the disease. Also known as nephroblastoma, Wilms tumor can affect both kidneys ― but usually develops in just one. Doctors believe that the tumor begins to grow as a fetus develops in the womb, with some cells that are destined to form into the kidneys malfunctioning and forming a tumor. Signs and Symptoms Before being diagnosed with Wilms tumor, most children do not show any signs of having cancer, and usually act and play normally. Often, a parent may discover a firm, smooth lump in the child's abdomen. It is not uncommon for the mass to grow quite large before it is discovered ― the average Wilms tumor is 1 pound at diagnosis. Some children also may have nausea, stomach pain, high blood pressure (hypertension), blood in the urine, loss of appetite, or fever. Even though Wilms tumors often are large when found, most have not spread to other areas of the body. This makes it easier to successfully treat than if the cancer cells have spread (metastasized) to other parts of the body. Several tests are used to confirm a Wilms tumor diagnosis and determine the stage of the disease. Tests that might be used include: • Ultrasonography (ultrasound or US), usually the first tool used to diagnose the condition, uses sound waves instead of X-rays to generate an image of the area doctors wish to view. • Computed tomography (CT or CAT scan) produces a detailed cross-sectional view of an organ through X-rays. It is extremely useful in detecting tumors and determining whether cancer has spread to other areas. • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses radio waves and strong magnets to produce detailed pictures of the internal parts of the body. This provides more intricate images that allow doctors to see if the cancer has invaded any major blood vessels near the kidney. • X-rays are used to look for any metastasized areas, especially in the lungs. • Bone scans use small amounts of radioactive material to highlight areas of diseased bone, if any exist. • Laboratory tests such as blood tests and urinalysis check the general health of a patient and to detect any adverse side effects (such as low red or white blood cell counts) of the treatment. The chance of Wilms tumor being hereditary ("running in the family") is so rare that there is no test to screen those who may pass the disease onto their offspring. However, certain genetic factors like birth defect syndromes can increase the likelihood of developing the disease. Those with a family history or personal history of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (a condition associated with larger-than-normal internal organs), WAGR (marked by defects of the iris, kidneys, urinary tract, or genitalia) or Denys-Drash syndrome (defect of a boy's external genitals) are at risk. Kids with risk factors for Wilms tumor should be screened for the disease through an ultrasound every 3 months until about age 6 or 7. Those at high risk may get undergo screening until they're a little older. Treatment is determined by many factors, the most important being the stage of the cancer at diagnosis, and the condition, or histology, of the cancer cells when observed under a microscope. "Favorable" histology is associated with a good chance of a cure; tumors with "unfavorable" histology are more aggressive and difficult to cure. About 95% of Wilms tumors have favorable histology. Doctors use a staging system to describe the extent of a metastasized tumor. It is extremely useful in determining prognosis (possibility for a cure) and the best course of treatment. For example, a child with very aggressive disease should be given an intensive regimen of medication to achieve the best chance for a cure. A child with less-invasive disease should be given the least amount needed to reduce long-term side effects from toxicity. The stages are: • Stage I: Cancer is found in one kidney only and can be completely removed by surgery. About 41% of all Wilms tumors are stage I. • Stage II: Cancer has spread beyond the kidney to the surrounding area, but can be completely removed by surgery. About 23% are stage II. • Stage III: Cancer has not spread beyond the abdomen, but cannot be completely removed by surgery. About 23% are stage III. • Stage IV: Cancer has spread to distant parts of the body; most commonly, the lungs, liver, bone, and/or brain. About 10% are stage IV. • Stage V: Cancer is found in both kidneys at diagnosis (also called bilateral tumors). About 5% are stage V. Surgery is most often used to treat Wilms tumor. For stages I through IV, a radical nephrectomy ― removal of the cancer along with the entire kidney, ureter (tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder), adrenal gland (hormone-producing gland that sits on top of the kidney), and surrounding fatty tissue ― is done. Since stage V patients have cancer involvement in both kidneys, removing both kidneys would result in kidney failure and the need for a kidney transplant. As a result, surgeons usually take out as much of the cancer as possible and preserve as much healthy kidney tissue as they can to avoid an organ transplant. Regardless of the stage and histology, all treatment plans usually include both surgery and chemotherapy, and the more advanced stages also may require radiation therapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs (administered either orally or intravenously) to enter the bloodstream, circulate throughout the body, and kill cancerous cells wherever they may be. Radiation uses high-energy X-ray beams to kill specific cells in different areas of the body. Both treatments have short-term and long-term risks. Temporary or short-term discomfort may include nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, mouth sores, fatigue, loss of hair, weakened immune system (leaving a patient vulnerable to infection), and bleeding or bruising. Long-term effects may include the development of secondary cancers (like leukemia) or the weakening of some internal organs, such as the heart. However, these risks are minimal ― the benefits of treatment far outweighs potential risks. Caring for Your Child As much as parents long to have their child out of the hospital, they often feel unsure of whether they can provide appropriate care after their child comes home. The doctors, nurses, and home health services should provide all the information and support needed to help a parent care for a child between hospital visits. Depending on the treatment regimen (and a child's general health and the doctor's recommendations), appropriate at-home care can vary. Treatment for most children with Wilms tumor is not as intensive as treatment for other cancers (except for more advanced stages) so most kids won't have tremendous restrictions on them. Most kids undergoing treatment for Wilms don't have special nutritional requirements or need medication for low blood cell counts, as most other cancer patients do. However, parents must watch for signs of distress, like fever, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. A child with a high fever should see a doctor right away. Once a child is finished with therapy, the care team will provide a schedule of follow-up tests. Chest X-rays or CT scans may be taken every several months. Stage and histology of the cancer will determine the ultrasound schedule. Blood work and a physical exam may be required to check for adverse effects of the treatment. For kids who relapse (the cancer returns), prognosis and treatment depend on their prior therapy, the cancer's histology, and how long it's been since the last treatment. The longer it's been, the better. There are few late recurrences of Wilms tumor, so remaining cancer-free for at least 2 years after treatment is generally a very good sign. Reviewed by: Christopher N. Frantz, MD Date reviewed: January 2009 Related Sites CureSearch for Children's Cancer National Kidney Foundation (NKF) American Cancer Society American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer National Cancer Institute (NCI)

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GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- With each outing this spring, it seems more difficult to imagine that the Reds' front office would conclude camp in nearly three weeks by telling Aroldis Chapman he's not the best person to take their rotation's fifth spot. "We still have a ways to go before we have to make that determination," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. Baker was given another reason to be impressed on Wednesday vs. the Brewers. In his third outing, but first start of spring, Chapman pitched three innings and allowed one run and one hit with one walk and five strikeouts. Cincinnati lost the game, 5-2. Of the 45 pitches Chapman threw, 29 were strikes and he reached three-ball counts three times. After he reached 100 mph in each of his first two appearances, he topped out at 98 mph multiple times, according to the radar guns of a few scouts behind home plate. Most importantly, he was throwing strikes. "For the most part, I felt really good about the command of my pitches today," Chapman said, with Class A Dayton pitching coach Tony Fossas translating. "Some of them were a little bit away. I threw a lot more sliders and fastballs today. I felt good with it today. There were less changeups." Chapman also showed he was just as capable of paying for a bad pitch. His first batter of the game, Rickie Weeks, launched a 3-1 fastball well over the left-center-field fence for a home run. It was the first time anyone had taken Chapman deep during Spring Training. "I just made a mistake, a [3-1] pitch down the middle," Chapman said. "Of course he has life on his fastball, and I saw a slider and changeup from him and I don't think he was able to get the offspeed over for strikes a lot," Weeks said. "I don't really pay attention [to the hype]. He's a pitcher. He's going out and doing his job. The hype about him? The guy throws 100 mph, so what do you expect?" Weeks was the only batter that eluded Chapman when he also walked in the top of the third. The Milwaukee hitters otherwise had their hands full trying to get a handle on the hard-throwing 22-year-old Cuban lefty. Following Weeks' homer, Chapman retired eight in a row, including a stretch of five out of six with strikeouts. The first inning concluded with Ryan Braun called out on strikes by a 90-mph hard slider. Corey Hart fanned on a 97-mph fastball for the third out. In an impressive sequence in the third inning, Chapman threw four pitches to strike out George Kottaras that were clocked at 95, 96, 97 and 97 mph. "It's very funky," Hart said. "Everything he threw was moving. Nothing was the same." Over three outings this spring, Chapman has given up one earned run and four hits with two walks and a team-leading 10 strikeouts. He is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA. The Reds made a splash when they signed Chapman in January to a six-year, $30.25 million contract despite him largely being an unknown entity. He defected from Cuba in July and had no professional experience. To this point on the mound, Chapman has mostly backed up the bold investment. "He looked outstanding," Baker said. "The more I looked at him, he started to remind me of a guy I faced and a guy I played in Puerto Rico with -- [former Red Sox tall and skinny left-hander] Rogelio Moret. He had a nasty sinker today, a two-seamer, that we didn't even know he had. He's slowly but surely adding to his repertoire of pitches. He's feeling more comfortable and more confident." Chapman demonstrated less command with his fastball and slider in his previous outing vs. the Dodgers on Friday. But he has been nowhere nearly as wild and raw as scouting reports indicated before camp began. Part of the reason is because Chapman focused on improvements since signing and has learned quickly. "I am staying taller and finishing up my pitches better and not dropping my elbow," he said. "I was always opening up too much and I've made those corrections." Chapman is making a bid for the fifth spot in the Cincinnati rotation against several other candidates -- including Micah Owings, Travis Wood, Justin Lehr and Matt Maloney. One pitcher no longer in the race is Mike Lincoln, who was informed Wednesday morning that he would be headed back to his regular bullpen role. It wasn't a stunner since Lincoln had a 11.37 ERA in three starts. The only fifth-starter candidates having anywhere close to Chapman's success are two other prospects that had outside chances, at best, coming in -- Wood and 2009 first-round Draft pick Mike Leake. "We're starting to narrow it down," Baker said. "We're going back to have some meetings and try and determine who is who. It'll probably go down to the wire, even if we have to use Minor League games or 'B' games and things like that. As long as we get these guys their innings for endurance sake." Since the Reds tell their pitchers exactly when they'll be coming out of the bullpen, the club didn't view Chapman's first start as a different type of test from his previous relief appearances. What made this outing different was some hitters saw him a second time around, but Baker even downplayed that significance. "Initially, how to pitch them goes to the catcher," Baker said. "Where to pitch them goes to the catcher. How you get it there is up to him." So far, Chapman has done his part by mostly getting it there well. The decision of whether he's big league-ready falls on the Reds.

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[an error occurred while processing this directive] BBC News watch One-Minute World News Last Updated: Wednesday, 23 February, 2005, 13:56 GMT Royal Navy right to promote gay rights? Royal Navy HMS Scott The Royal Navy has joined the Stonewall's Diversity Champions Programme to promote gay rights. Royal Navy spokesman Anton Hanney said the force's existing no-sex policy will remain in place on ships and at naval bases. Stonewall's chief executive Ben Summerskill said he was optimistic that the Army and the RAF would follow suit. He said the forces staff had become so sophisticated and highly-trained that they could no longer afford to lose them due to prejudice. Is the Royal Navy right to promote gay rights? Should the Army and the RAF do likewise? Yet another example of the 'liberal' totalitarians getting their way over common sense. I'm married and straight and would not feel comfortable in close quarters with other women or gay men - does that make me a bigot or is it as I suspect the way the majority feel if not say? Paul, London, UK There is legislation protecting gay employment issues. The armed forces should be no different. Its about time! Craig, Sheffield I also served in the Royal Navy as a sea-going wren and I know that sharing your living space with 30+ other women is not easy. I have no problem with homosexuals but I'd like to stand up for the rights of heterosexual people. If gay personnel are to serve in the forces why not make it all mixed living quarters where men and women can live together. It would by prejudice to say that a man and woman were more likely to have a sexual relationship than two gay people. SH, Cardiff I would like to point out that the Navy is not exercising gay rights - but is exercising equal rights. And who can argue with that? D, Kent, UK I think a lot of the points made here will become obsolete as the older entrenched views die off and are simply replaced by younger, more enlightened people who wonder what all the fuss is about. Aidan, London As a gay person I really love the support of some of you out there, though some others on here should be ashamed, it is because of the narrow mindedness of people like you that we need a programme like this. Because you are gay does not mean you fancy ever other male you see, catch a grip on reality! Thanks again for those of you voicing your support! Roy, Belfast, UK The RN should be applauded for taking this step Corporal A J K (Ret), Canada I think the RN should be applauded for taking this step. Canada's Armed Forces have the same policy that the RN is trying to introduce and it's worked for us for years. I even served along several openly gay soldiers. Corporal A J K (Ret), Canada Why do so many people, who are probably male, making the assumption that a gay man will be staring at them in the shower? You will probably find that a great many of them will be in a relationship with someone they care a great deal about, they will not sign up to the armed forces, renowned for its homophobic attitudes in the past, just to eyeball other men! Jo, Chester, UK I was in the forces for 5 years and as employees we were considered apolitical and asexual. As long as you can do your job, that was all that mattered. The forces really suffer when they try to conform to civilian standards. They run fine on their own. Jim, London It amazes me how many people take the attitude that straight men couldn't share a room with gay men. Do they think that they are all sex-mad? Any decent person is quite capable of sharing a room with their preferred sex and controlling themselves. People who think it is "unacceptable" should grow up and come into the 21st century. Annie, UK An utter waste of money and resources Greg Marriott, Saffron Walden, Essex This is an utter waste of money and resources. At a time when our armed forces are being more and more overstretched, is this really worth any attention at all? Greg Marriott, Saffron Walden, Essex Some people feel that the Navy shouldn't be singling out one minority for this attention. When you consider that this very issue was considered illegal only a few years ago then yes, it's important enough to be made an issue of. To Greg Marriot:- It's not a waste of money and resources. To lose highly trained personnel simply because of their sexual orientation is wasteful. James Robson, Scotland I'm gay and have served in the RN for the past 3 years. My fellow crew mates know I am and none of them have a problem with it. Partly because they know that I don't let anything interfere with my job and partly because I was honest about it from the start. Honesty, loyalty and doing your job well is far more important to my crew mates and most of the rest of the RN personnel that I have met than who you sleep with. There are the odd one or two individuals but there are in any job. Greg, UK But the Royal Navy ISN'T promoting gay rights, it is simply treating everyone equally. Which is the only sensible way to treat a group of people who are going to risk their lives as a team. John, Fleet, UK Sorry John, Fleet, UK but the Navy IS promoting gay rights and encouraging gay recruitment. That is the purpose of the policy. Hopefully, it will result in everybody being treated equally and sexual orientation will become a non-issue. Ken, England UK Just treat all people as equals Ieuan Johns, Port Talbot, UK No public body should actively promote the rights of any group, minority or otherwise. Just treat all people as equals and stop trying to gain free publicity for retracting what was a terrible injustice in the first place. If there is truly any feeling of remorse then compensation should be given to those dishonourable dischargees from all forces over the past 50 years. I can't see that, can you? Ieuan Johns, Port Talbot, UK Having served for 5 years in the RN, I can speak from first hand experience. We had exactly the same prejudices when women were allowed to serve on board. Look at them now, it was as if they have been on board for centuries. The same will happen for gay service personnel also. Neil, Norwich, UK Are we to believe that there are absolutely NO gay people already currently serving in the armed forces/navy? Let's get real here! Seems to me to be a legalisation of an existing situation...so, what's the problem? Dee, Ballycastle, N.I. The new policy will be fine in the future Ted, retired RN officer In the past sexuality in the armed forces generally only became an 'issue' when inappropriate behaviour undermined discipline in some way. The new policy will be fine in the future just so long as sexuality does not become more important than competence in judging personnel. Ted, retired RN officer Hopefully it is actually a minority of people in the UK that hold some of the views here, including the religious nonsense which has been the causation of so many of the world's ills. Well done to the Navy and this comes from someone who's family has served many generations, and can tell a tale or two! Phil, Harrogate, UK We all heard the same arguments for not letting women into the armed forces, but they have been proven wrong. Homosexuals served in British forces in WWII and women on the front lines helped Russia turn the tide against the Nazis. Chris Knell, London It should pursue a policy of 'don't ask, don't tell' and retain the status quo Anthony Metcalf, Dubai The Navy shouldn't actively promote gay rights, just like it shouldn't actively promote the rights of any group who make a lifestyle choice. It should pursue a policy of 'don't ask, don't tell' and retain the status quo. Anthony Metcalf, Dubai I am openly gay at work, my colleagues accept me for what I am and my work. I was open about my sexuality when I was employed and told that I was being judged on my ability and qualifications. I find the comments about sharing showers, quarters on ships etc the classic response. How do these people know that they are not already sharing with closeted homosexuals who fear being themselves for fear of the repercussions and treatment that they could receive? Most gay guys I know are aware of the impact their actions have at work and maintain a professional approach. Jason, Sunbury, UK Females are not expected to share rooms or showers at the same time as men so why should heterosexual men be expected to share with homosexuals? Anon, UK Once again the feelings of the majority are to be ignored for the rights of a minority. I spent six months in the Falklands in 1982. The room I slept in with three others was 6ft wide x 10ft long and in Bosnia a six man Portocabin was 8ft wide x 15ft long. Showers are shared, amongst other places, so where are my rights and thousands like me when we don't want to have to share our time without some one looking at us when we change and shower. Females are not expected to share rooms or showers at the same time as men so why should heterosexual men be expected to share with homosexuals? Everyone forgets this side of military life when they talk about homosexuals in the armed forces and before the accusations come fast and thick you don't have to be homophobic to think like this. Anon, UK To Anon - It appears you don't like gay people very much, and you have the right to this opinion. However, you don't have the right to spend your entire life in a permanent "gay-free zone" - any more than you have the right not to be fancied by ugly women. You also seem to assume that gay men are all uncontrollable nymphomaniacs who would be constantly lusting after their heterosexual colleagues in any combat situation. This may be a common prejudice, but it is complete rubbish. I have no issue with gays but for their own sakes I don't think they should serve in the armed forces and profess their sexuality openly. Not many members of the armed forces are tolerant to the point where they would gladly accept gays. I do not condone that attitude as I've served in the Army and I believe in the freedom of expression afforded to us in this country and those freedoms are extended to everyone. Colin S, London Ah, how predictable, homophobes coming out to play whenever they get the chance. What I wonder would their reaction be upon being reminded that the greatest general in western history, Alexander the Great, was of an orientation they despise. Sexual orientation has nothing to do with someone's competence to carry out a given task. The military should be based on ability and skill nothing else. Kevin Farrell, Edinburgh The Royal Navy is wrong to promote gay rights. They should not be involved in people's sex lives. Military personnel are there to do a job. Any fraternisation should incur immediate dismissal from military service, regardless of sexual orientation. John, North London, UK Yes, it is long overdue. The Royal Navy is right to promote equal rights. In itself discrimination is a violation of a person's human rights. Prejudice, discrimination, the de-humanization of individuals and groups based on a real or perceived identity continues to be a source of serious human rights abuses. All human beings, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity or sexual identity have the right to be afforded equal treatment and dignity in line with international humanitarian and human rights law. Paul, London, UK As usual, the liberal extremists make a big song and dance about their fight for equality when in fact everyone else is just getting on with things Bill, Bristol As usual, the liberal extremists make a big song and dance about their fight for equality when in fact everyone else is just getting on with things. If anything people like Stonewall are now perpetuating any discrimination rather than assisting in resolving anything and the sooner they disappear and allow the tolerant majority to get on with life, the better. Bill, Bristol At last - if homosexuality wasn't an issue in times of war (WWII) - it shouldn't be a problem in times of peace. Mark Tidmarsh, Brighton, England The Royal Navy is not kicking and screaming but moves faster than many corporate businesses with reforms Sam, London It has been said before and remains true that life in the military is very different from civilian life. There are not many places where 50 men are expected to sleep in the same mess in close proximity. I am however in favour of the RN's move to promote equality for homosexuals. Furthermore the Royal Navy is not kicking and screaming but moves faster than many corporate businesses with reforms. All this without workers unions! An example to other companies I hope. Sam, London As an ex Royal Navy rating who has been to sea on a warship and slept and lived in a mess with 40 some men I can say that a homosexual is a difficult thing to come to terms with. It's all very nice for people who have never been in this situation to say "It's about time" and "What does a person's sexual orientation have to do with it" but to spend nine months cooped up like chickens, sleeping three feet above or below you and not feel awkward is not normal. Let them serve if that is their wish, but please do not publicise your sexuality. James Jeffrey, expat in US It's very welcome that the Navy is promoting and accepting gay rights, because although things are far better these days... we have very little in the way of rights. The bigoted comments I see on here reflect the fact that some people cannot see past the sex thing. Love is love people... as long as you uphold the law, do your job/duty well, and don't abuse anyone in life, then does it matter what gender you are attracted to? Gay people have served the country for years in many ways. Wake up to the modern world folks. Melissa, Heathfield, E Sussex I think that this is an utter disgrace! Ian, Belfast The Royal Navy has nothing to lose and everything to gain. It's can only be a positive move on their part. Mike Woodcock, Harrogate, North Yorkshire Why do so many people seem to assume that homosexuals will fancy anyone of the same sex? Do straight people fancy every member of the opposite sex? Someone's sexuality does not effect how they perform their job, and I for one am pleased that the Royal Navy is leading the way towards and end to discrimination in the military. Alex P, N Ireland Would we be having this discussion if it was about black people? To me, it's not different. Everyone deserves the right to contribute to their country. Tony, UK Any sexual activity between serving men and women (especially between those who are in the same unit/ship) is extremely damaging to discipline and moral and should not be allowed. Hence the reluctance to accept women in combat (and in my opinion and many like me they are not suited for it anyway) or to allow homosexuality. Have all these people who are so readily willing to allow it actually served in any of the forces? I would be willing to bet that most if not all have not. Gordon (Late RE and Light Division), Staffs, UK This is wrong. By singling out social groups the Navy are proving that they are treating them differently, whereas your colour/race/religion/sex should have nothing to do with why you are accepted into the Navy. Dan, Leeds If straight men and women can work together without sexuality becoming an issue, why should there be a problem with straight and gay members of the same sex working as a team? It is now unacceptable in the military to discriminate due to ethnicity or gender (and rightly so), so why should there still be this entrenched culture of homophobia? If you're willing to die to defend your country and are up to the job, what else really matters? Michael, Cheltenham, UK Frankly the services aren't ready for this Anon, London I agree that gay men and women can do a perfectly good job in the armed forces - I should know, I used to be one of them. However, I disagree with gay men and women in the armed forces because the majority around them will not accept or tolerate it and that will have a damaging affect on the services and the standard of the job they do. Frankly the services aren't ready for this. One day though and I hope in the not to distant future they will. Anon, London Why is this an issue at all? The very fact the forces have chosen to make this an issue suggests they still have some sort of hidden problem getting with the times! The right to join the forces is not down to the ability to do the job. The fact is, men and women are separated on the ships (different cabins), and if this is to go ahead then the gays should have separate cabins also. If a man and woman cannot share a cabin I do not see why a gay person should be able to share with a straight man. If the rights are going to be 'equal' then make them equal! Mark, UK Gay or straight, if you're under fire the last thing you're going to think about is whether you want to have sex with the person next to you. I fail to see the problem with having gays in the military. Being gay is not a disability and doesn't affect their ability to do the job in any way. Alex, Aylesbury, UK I think the Navy is right to promote gay-rights. Who a person sleeps with does not affect their ability to do a job, as well as the fact that it is nobody else's business anyway. About time. Homosexuals served their country alongside their straight comrades in both world wars with honour, why can they not do so now? Helen Greenhalgh, Edinburgh, UK As a committed Christian I find the notion of homosexuality and lesbianism abhorrent and against the fundamental will of God. Should the Royal Navy promote gay rights? In a word, no. Ed, UK To Ed, UK: The Royal Navy is not a vehicle for the forwarding of Christian beliefs, it is a service for the protection of all British citizens and interests. As such, it is fitting that it is welcoming the skills of all capable Brits. A welcome move. Rob, UK To Rob, UK: Your point is void insofar as you seem to forget that the commander in chief of all our armed forces is HM Queen. Forgive me if I am wrong but she took an oath that says that she is Defender of the Faith. Allowing homosexuals into the Royal Navy is discrediting our constitutional monarchy and its relationship with the Royal Navy. Ed, UK To Ed, UK: The Queen is the head of the Church of England, not some evangelical branch. The Church of England has gay priests. So why can't the Royal Navy? A Legge, Leeds, UK I think it is long overdue! About time that we recognise difference, yet are treated all the same. Dave, Stockport, Cheshire This is quite a bold move by the Navy, and I applaud them for it. However, it should not be viewed on as just a lip service policy. Acceptance of a person's sexuality is a whole lot different to condoning homosexual relations aboard battle ships. I am pleased this has been clarified by the Navy. Dan C, Shropshire Sexuality, like skin colour, is part of who you are, but it is not who you are Robb Dunphy, Dublin Why ever not? Does sexuality really affect their duties? No. Sexuality, like skin colour, is part of who you are, but it is not who you are. In this day and age equality is the by-word, and race, religion, gender or sexuality, has nothing to do with how you perform your job unless you let it. Robb Dunphy, Dublin, Ireland It never ceases to amaze me how much time and money this country spends trying to appease what is actually a tiny minority of people. There are much larger social issues going unmanaged. Luke Briner, Weymouth, UK To Luke Briner, UK: Firstly, this programme is funded by Stonewall, a voluntary organisation financed by private donations. Secondly, there are around four million gay people in Britain, which is more than the entire population of Ireland - so this can hardly be described as a tiny minority. Tim, London As long as they respect the discipline, don't scream for special privileges, and are prepared to go and die alongside their colleagues, then fine. Mark H, UK No, it should not. It shouldn't have been legalised in the forces at all. Matt, Coventry, England The British armed services are just starting to come to terms with sexual diversity. Destroying the myths about homosexuality in the military means recruitment can focus on what is important, without being influenced by archaic belief systems. It's about time this happened in the UK, since it has worked well elsewhere. Dan, London, England It is entirely right and decent to allow homosexuals into our armed forces and that they have equal rights, however that is as far as we need to go. Positive discrimination is still discrimination. Oliver, UK About time too. Why should the armed forces be allowed to break the law and discriminate against gays and lesbians. They have always had archaic rules and it is good to see them being dragged, albeit kicking and screaming into the 21st century. There is no room for bigots in this country and that includes the military. Karen Smith, London, UK Of course the Navy is right in doing this. If you are deemed good enough to join the armed services because of the aptitude and skills you have what difference does it make if you're gay? If it in some way made you less able then how have some gay people managed to join the services just by keeping quiet about their sexual preferences? Dave, Nottingham, UK A sensational headline to promote what is normal employment practice. The armed services need quality employees, what they do behind closed doors and in their own time as long as it is legal, is not an issue. Gavin, Hull, UK Americas Africa Europe Middle East South Asia Asia Pacific

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In his keynote at the Web 2.0 Expo, Tim O'Reilly sets off the punditocracy by insisting that the "war of the Web" is heating up again. Did it ever cool off? Those ubiquitous URL-shortening toolbars are throwing Web addresses behind a cloak of invisibility, O'Reilly said, and they "don't let you navigate freely like the Web used to work." With Google's Chrome hurling itself into the mix, the browser and operating-system wars are starting to look less "Mean Girls" and more "Aliens vs. Predator." But O'Reilly's attitude isn't "bring it on, and get me a large popcorn with extra butter, while you're at it." Rather, he hinted that at least in some cases, he's willing to embrace Google as a big, cuddly, benevolent dictator in the midst of it all. It's "a monopoly that's a service of value to users," he said, adding that generally, when Google makes a product with the primary goal of one-upping the competition--Knol vs. Wikipedia, Checkout vs. PayPal--it's not a success. That's probably because, at least right now, among all the giant robots stomping about the series of tubes, Google is the one that most resembles O'Reilly's vision of the "open Web." In a blog post prior to his speech, he predicted that Microsoft could take over this role. Or not. Either way, he insisted that "it's time for developers to take a stand." Setting off this kind of electric shock in the Web's punditocracy is a great way to drum up attention and newsworthiness that doesn't have anything to do with philosophizing about the recession, extolling the possibilities of the real-time streaming Web, or predicting which dot-com figurehead is going to be the most plastered at South by Southwest this year. Thank goodness! That stuff was getting so boring! And O'Reilly's rallying cry has already gathered reactions. Barbarian Group executive Rick Webb, for one, posted a colorful retaliatory blog post, in which he said that "setting aside the 'boo hoo, the Internet is becoming a bunch of walled gardens' arguments, when rational people have conversations about how to make the Web actually usable and not 95 percent piracy, spam, and fraud, almost every discussion starts with the proposition that there is no other realistic option but to chuck the whole thing and start over." Of course, the Web should be in a state of "war." When have things been any different? It's a hub of innovation, competition, and constant change, and I think we all knew that already. The barrier to entry is low enough so that if there's a glaring problem with something, users will flock to whoever can create a better alternative. In fact, O'Reilly brought that up on Tuesday, when he talked about expensive in-car GPS navigation systems. "The turn-by-turn directions from TeleAtlas cost $99 [on the iPhone], but Google is giving it away for free. This is a natural kind of extension for Google. I don't think Google is being evil here by being disruptive," O'Reilly said. "That's a massive user win, even though it is incredibly damaging to some existing companies and some existing business models. When Google offers free speech recognition, [that would be] an amazing win." Is that legitimate innovation? Yes. But let's hope the "win" doesn't stop there. If Google manages to throw a sucker punch to Apple, Microsoft, or whoever else by offering something once-pricey for free, I should hope that the rest of the industry makes sure that it doesn't grow too complacent. So let's get this straight: monopolies are bad, unless they're "nice" ones on behalf of companies that extol the virtues of Razor scooters, wheatgrass smoothies, and lava lamps. Competition is great, as long as everybody's nice to each other. Doesn't quite make sense to me. But, hey, it's his show. Tech to make part of your St. Patty's Day festivities Play Video Member Comments

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[SMH | Text-only index]    HSG debt no hassle for A-League gun Heskey Date: December 18 2012 Rob Forsaith The Hunter Sports Group (HSG) wheeled out the big guns to appease Knights stakeholders on Monday night, but for those involved with Newcastle's A-League franchise the wait continues. Wayne Bennett, one of the biggest names in the NRL, successfully implored members to stay the journey with embattled owner Nathan Tinkler. Given the $20 million bank guarantee written into Tinkler's takeover, the NRL can breathe relatively easy about their problem child. It also helps the coal baron is enamoured with rugby league. In contrast, Tinkler butted heads with Football Federation Australia (FFA) in April and declared he was ready to hand back the Jets A-League licence. Newcastle marquee striker Emile Heskey, who signed a one-season deal, will start negotiations with the club in January. HSG insists a tax bill of virtually $3.2 million will be paid long before then, but failure to do so could potentially be a sticking point in those talks. The English star insisted on Tuesday he's giving it little thought. "Not really. From January we'll sit down and discuss it, I doubt that will have any impact on anything," Heskey said ahead of a crunch clash with Sydney FC. "I'm sure that off-field stuff will sort itself out over a period of time, but there's nothing that we can actually do about it. "I'm enjoying the town and enjoying everything about it." The Australian Taxation Office's move to liquidate the Jets last week created unwanted UK headlines for a league attempting to enrich its status overseas. Aside from the embarrassment of having Heskey go homeless, the FFA's recent TV deal featured five matches a week and that's a promise essentially dependant on a 10-team competition. FFA chief executive David Gallop recently dismissed rumours that HSG was considering sacrificing the Jets to save the Knights. Jets chief executive Robbie Middleby is also upbeat the saga will be over soon, but the former North Queensland operations manager was equally buoyant prior to FFA's axe falling on the Fury. Panni Nikas, a former National Youth League player of the year who was one of many left in the lurch by the Fury's jarring exit, felt for the Jets players soaking up the speculation. "I've got no idea what's happening up there (in Newcastle) with Tinkler, but when it was up in the air at the Fury you never really understood how we'd be affected. "You were never too sure ... every time you came in and asked for an update. They were telling us one thing and another thing was happening. "I think the FFA should do everything in its power to keep them (Newcastle) in if they have to, but hopefully it won't come to that." [ SMH | Text-only index]

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/hsg-debt-no-hassle-for-aleague-gun-heskey-20121218-2bkz8.html?skin=text-only

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You may also like problem icon Walk and Ride problem icon You Tell the Story Can you create a story that would describe the movement of the man shown on these graphs? Use the interactivity to try out our ideas. Take Your Dog for a Walk Congratulations to those of you who correctly answered this problem. Holly from Stoke by Nayland Middle School sent in this solution: If the man gets closer to his house then the graph line gets lower and lower. The slower the man walks the more curvy the line gets, if the man goes away from the house really slowly and then really slowly towards the house then you can make a curvy line. To make it steeper you have to make him go faster and then when you are on the bend you stay still for a bit to make it smoother. Dominic gives a concise answer: To curve steeper you would have to walk faster and to curve shallower you would have to walk slower.

http://nrich.maths.org/4803/solution

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O.J. is innocent: book Celebrity private eye William Dear doesn’t think O.J. Simpson got away with murder. The real killer is the gridiron great’s troubled oldest son, Jason, theorizes the Texas gumshoe in his latest book, “O.J. Is Innocent and I Can Prove It.” Dear has spent 17 years de-constructing the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman on the night of June 12, 1994. Digging through his prime suspect’s trash and abandoned storage locker, Dear says a treasure trove of circumstantial evidence points to the 41-year-old son. According to Dear, among the items he found in the locker were a hunting knife, owned by the “overlooked suspect,” that forensic experts believe is the murder weapon never found by investigators and photos of Jason wearing knit caps similar to one at the crime scene that failed to be linked to his dad. Dear questions why his suspect was never interviewed by police nor his fingerprints or DNA compared to unidentified ones at the crime scene. Jason battled with “intermittent rage disorder” and assaulted his girlfriend two months prior to the murders, Dear claims. He also contends that Jason confesses to having a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality and heavy drug use and cryptically declares “that this is the year of the knife for me” in his diary. Jason Simpson, a chef who lives in Miami, couldn’t be reached for comment. His phone was disconnected. Thanks for the Email! Back to the Article > Share Selection

http://nypost.com/2012/04/01/o-j-is-innocent-book/

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In a sharply higher estimate than just a month ago, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is saying it will lose $100 million this year from fare-beaters on buses and subway lines. The estimate Monday from the MTA's transit division chief comes even as the New York Police Department has stepped up efforts to arrest passengers who skip out on paying fares. The NYPD's patrol services bureau arrested 1,228 people for fare-beating between Jan. 1 and June 24, an MTA spokesman said on Monday, compared with 609 arrests in the same period last year. That represents a 102% jump in fare-beating arrests, which have risen in every borough except Brooklyn. Speaking to the MTA's Transit Committee ahead of the authority's monthly board meeting, New York City Transit President Thomas Prendergast said projected losses from unpaid fares had increased sharply. An MTA official later said the new estimate was $100 million a year. The MTA was recently publicly estimating its losses at $14 million a year. Adam Lisberg, the authority's chief spokesman, didn't explain why the estimate rose so sharply. Representatives of the MTA have been in the field recently, observing passengers on city buses and subways. From those anecdotal findings, the MTA extrapolates the total amount of fare avoidance city-wide, Mr. Lisberg said. Fare-evasion arrests on buses alone have risen 72% in the current year, the NYPD announced Monday. In a statement, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the added arrests were due in part to the deployment of uniformed "impact officers" on city bus routes. "Officers throughout the city assigned to Impact are conducting regular checks of city buses during their tours," Mr. Kelly said. "This increased uniformed police presence on buses has resulted in additional fare evasion arrest[s] and we believe deters other crimes in transit." In addition, the NYPD uses plainclothes officers to deter crime in the city's transit system, including fare evasion. Despite the high price tag, fare-beaters still represent a small fraction of the MTA's annual ridership of 1.6 billion, Mr. Lisberg noted. But the costs are significant. For instance, the revenue lost by riders ducking turnstiles and bus fareboxes exceeds $93 million—the annual savings the MTA reaped with a controversial round of subway and bus service reductions in 2010. Write to Ted Mann at

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304870304577489131572461346?mod=WSJ_NY_LEFTTopStories&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702304870304577489131572461346.html%3Fmod%3DWSJ_NY_LEFTTopStories

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SINGAPORE—Singapore authorities said Friday that the Singaporean man allegedly leading a global soccer match-fixing syndicate has been cooperating with police investigations. Dan Tan Seet Eng "is currently assisting Singapore authorities in their investigations," Singapore police said in response to queries. It didn't elaborate on how Mr. Tan is assisting police or whether he has been detained. European investigators say they believe Mr. Tan is the leader and financier of a crime syndicate allegedly responsible for fixing hundreds of soccer matches around the globe. Mr. Tan couldn't be reached for comment. Singapore's announcement came as Italian police arrested a Slovenian man suspected to be a member of this crime syndicate. Admir Suljic, who turns 32 years old on Saturday, surrendered to police at Malpensa international Airport west of Milan early Thursday, Italian police said. This month, Europol, a coordinating group for European police forces, said had evidence that 680 soccer matches played around the world—including in some of the sport's biggest tournaments—may have been fixed. Some 425 soccer and team officials, players and others are suspected of being involved, and dozens have been arrested. Europol said it uncovered more than $10.9 million in alleged betting profit and at least $2.7 million in corrupt payments to people involved in the matches believed to be have been fixed. A Europol official said Mr. Tan was one of the people being investigated in this probe. Write to Chun Han Wong at

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323549204578317862247583032?mod=_newsreel_1&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424127887323549204578317862247583032.html%3Fmod%3D_newsreel_1

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Population control From OrthodoxWiki Jump to: navigation, search needs original discussion Population control is the practice of limiting population increase, usually by reducing the birth rate. The practice has sometimes been voluntary, as a response to poverty, or out of religious ideology, but in some times and places it has been government-mandated. This is generally conducted to improve quality of life for a society or to prevent a "Malthusian catastrophe." "Population control" has also been conducted in the name of eugenics, racism, and the economic self-interest of corporations to exploit citizens of poor countries. Given the nature of human reproductive biology, controlling the birth rate generally implies one or more of the following practices: sexual abstinence, contraception, same-sex relations, sterilization, abortion, or infanticide. Orthodox Christian ethics Contemporary concern about population growth would appear to be a direct contradiction between the Orthodox Christian ethical imperative to "be fruitful and multiply." In the fourth century St. John Chrysostom noted the population question and related it to the need that the sexual drive be fulfilled in marriage. "It was for two reasons that marriage was introduced; so that we may live in chastity (sophrosyne) and so that we might become parents. Of these the most important is chastity...especially today when the whole inhabited world (he oikoumene) is full of our race." Chrysostom's argument is equally relevant today. Humanity has been obedient to the divine command and has been "fruitful" and has "multiplied" and "has filled the earth" (Gen. 1:28). This raises the question for Orthodox ethics regarding the appropriate means for population control. Coercion of the individual couple's choices regarding their obligation to procreate does not seem ethically appropriate. Also, Orthodox ethics opposes the use of abortion as a birth control method. Advocating widespread abstinence from sexual relations by huge numbers of married people without contraception control methods violates some of the purposes of marriage as understood in the Orthodox Church. The use of contraceptives within marriages to space and limit offspring seems to be the appropriate ethical response. Persuasion and education are appropriate means to encourage smaller families. All Orthodox ethicists, however, would hold that respect for the freedom of each couple to decide must be considered an important and significant factor of population control policy. United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) President Ronald Reagan gave his position on international population policies in the following remarks to Right to Life activists (1987): These days the population bomb hysteria that was all the rage in the 1960s and 1970s has largely subsided. Every prediction of massive starvation, eco-catastrophe of biblical proportions, and $100 a barrel oil has been discredited by the global economic and environmental progress of the past quarter century. Intellectually, the "Malthusian limits to growth" menace is stone dead. But within the Clinton State Department, "Malthusianism" flourished. The Clinton administration allocated almost $300 million a year to international population control—or what is euphemistically described these days as "family planning." In countries ranging from India to Mexico to Nigeria to Brazil, the basic human right of couples to control their own fertility and determine their own family size has been trampled upon by the state, thanks in large part to flows of dollars and deluges of false limits-to-growth propaganda supplied by the American government. The UNFPA, however, has had a particularly demon-like presence in developing nations. Back in the Reagan years, Congress sensibly pulled out of the UNFPA because of its complicity in some of the most inhumane forms of population containment. Today the UNFPA maintains the fiction that the agency has fought coercive policies. How does one explain, then, that UNFPA once gave an award to the Chinese government for the effectiveness of its genocidal one child per couple policy? To this day no one knows precisely how many babies and women have died at the hands of the population control officials in China. What we do know is that this program will go down in history as one of the greatest abuses of human rights in the 20th century. The Chinese government's ongoing birth control policy has already claimed an estimated 5-10 million victims. An estimated 80-90 percent of the victims have been girls. UNFPA still spends millions each year on population control programs in China. Sheldon Richmond wrote:4 But are those programs really necessary, let alone ethical? Are there really too many people? Famine, deepening poverty, disease, environmental degradation, and resource depletion are adduced as the symptoms of overpopulation. Yet on no count does the evidence support the anti-population lobby's case. On the contrary, the long-term trend for each factor is positive and points to an even better future. Television pictures of starving, emaciated Africans are heartbreaking, but they are not evidence of overpopulation. Since 1985 we have witnessed famines in Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, and elsewhere. Those nations have one thing in common: they are among the least densely populated areas on earth. Although their populations are growing, the people are not hungry because the world can't produce enough food. They are hungry because civil war and primitive economies keep food them from producing food. In the 20th century there has been no famine that has not been caused by civil war, irrational economic policies, deliberate retribution, or natural disasters. Moreover, the number of people affected by famine compared to the number affected during the late 19th century has fallen—not just as a percentage of the world's population but in absolute numbers. How the new demography of depopulation will shape our future Newt Gingrich, in his review, wrote:5 [Ben Wattenberg's Fewer: How the New Demography of Depopulation Will Shape Our Future] reports conclusively that the world will have far fewer people than was expected even a decade ago, that in numbers and age and gender patterns this smaller population will be distributed in ways that will be significant, and that the implications for the environment, the economy and national security will be quite profound. The biggest news is that in sheer numbers the human race is now likely to peak at 8.5 billion people, rather than at the earlier United Nations' projection of 11.5 billion. Even the U.N. demographers now agree that the population explosion will never reach the numbers they had once projected. Mr. Wattenberg makes so many fascinating points in this thin book that it is impossible to cover them all in a review. However, a few deserve to be singled out. Mr. Wattenberg highlights the intellectual dishonesty of [...] environmentalists and their factual mistakes over the last generation. Mr. [Paul] Ehrlich had predicted famines beginning in the 1970s. They simply haven't happened. The global warming projections all assumed a population of 11.5 billion. If the human race peaks at only 8.5 billion people—3 billion fewer than predicted—and then starts a long-term decline, human environmental impact will be much reduced. He concludes by noting that the less developed countries could in fact experience a "demographic dividend." He notes that poor countries with falling fertility rates are growing wealthier quicker than are the rich modern nations. In the meantime the New Demography is bad for most Western nations. Thus the need to spread the vision of freedom and democracy around the world, lest non- (or anti-) democratic nations (Islamic states for example) win by default, by simply taking over due to sheer force of numbers. No one really knows where these trends will take us. Much of Mr. Wattenberg's book could be called speculative, but it is important that good minds pay close attention to these changes. Personal tools Please consider supporting OrthodoxWiki. FAQs

http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Population_control&redirect=no

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Golden Bear pencils are made in the USA out of Genuine Incense-cedar and feature high-quality graphite cores that resist breakage, making them perfect for teachers, students and everyday users. In a market flooded with low-quality, imported pencils that sharpen unevenly, break and waste precious class time, you can never underestimate the value of a quality pencil.

http://pencils.com/product-category/all-brands/golden-bear/

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Take the 2-minute tour × A little bit of background information: I'm planning to write a little booklet or web page about CPU/computer architecture, basically for my own education, because we didn't cover it in depth in college. I feel like I should be learning a lot more about the fundamentals about how computers work, if I want to be a better programmer. The idea is to present the workings of a CPU by describing it from the ground up. Starting at simple electrical circuits, then semiconductors, transistors etc. From my school physics class I remember that I was very often left with a lot of gaps about how different concepts are linked together. I want to avoid this. So here's my question: How does an electrical field really work? How come that an electron can exert a force on another electron without physical contact? What is it in an electron that creates the field, where does the energy for doing the work come from? share|improve this question If it is the case that the electric field and the electron are fundamental constituents of nature, is it possible to describe "how they work"? If they are truly fundamental, in what "more fundamental" terms could they be described? –  Alfred Centauri Dec 24 '12 at 1:46 Just for Fun, I googled Feynman electricity and got a pretty good answer to your question. (I later looked at the link in Dave's answer but I prefer the one I stumbled on). Part of Feynman's genius was that he understood (from his father I think) that giving things a name didn't explain them. He could answer these sorts of questions without saying "it happens because of so-and-so's law". –  RedGrittyBrick Dec 24 '12 at 22:00 add comment 2 Answers up vote 2 down vote accepted How does an electrical field really work? There are two formulations that describe the known data on electric and magnetic fields. a) The classical electromagnetic theory ruled by Maxwell's equations . This works well in describing the macroscopic data, of which the electric field is a component. b)The quantum mechanical formulation that leads to an explanation of how fields are built up, which is necessary to explain effects like the "photelectric effect", the behavior of atoms and molecules, the internals of atoms and molecules. For a) the electric field is a fundamental component of the behavior of matter. For b) the electric field is built up coherently by innumerable virtual particle exchanges, mainly virtual photons, between the generators of the field and the detectors of its existence, so it is not fundamental. Charge is fundamental in this framework, and charge is quantized (+/-1/3, +/-2/3,+/-1)in absolute value electron charge units. That is why it is a quantized theory of the world. For a) it is an action at a distance , the field of the electron exerts a force on other charged matter; similar to classical newtonian gravity, where the masses exert a force on each other. It is the charge of the electron. When we are talking of electrons we are really in the realm of b), quantum mechanics, because its size is of the size where quantum mechanics has to be used to understand the data. In QM language the electron, when looked at individually, is continually exchanging virtual photons with the boundaries of its containment. Virtual means that energy and momentum are not conserved because nothing real is exchanged with the other electrons/ions except an information "I am here". When many electrons are involved, the surface of a charged metal sphere for example, the collective electric field is built up out of those exchanges. The energy was supplied in this case by the experimenter who provided work to separate the electrons from the rest of the molecules, turning them into ions.Either by the triboelectric effect or the classical generators of electricity, using magnetic fields and providing a current of electrons in metals. Ultimately it is kinetic energy turned into electric energy. ( actually sun energy stored in fuels or water works, turned into kinetic energy ...) Now magnetic fields, used to generate most of our electricity, are a bit of a different story, but similar and again needing quantum mechanics to be understood. In scenario a) they also are fundamental. share|improve this answer v nice summary. –  Art Brown Dec 24 '12 at 5:30 Thanks for this elaborate answer. –  alexraasch Dec 24 '12 at 14:18 add comment I'm going to paraphrase a response by Feynmann who was asked to explain electromagnetic forces. He (correctly) interpreted the questioners intent as "explain E&M in terms of the force between your behind and the chair." The problem is that E&M just is a fundamental interaction between particles and it is the fundamental microscopic description of most of the macroscopic forces that we deal with on a day to day basis. I suggest reading QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter by Dr. Feynmann and see if you can condense it to meet your requirements. share|improve this answer If anyone has the corresponding link w/o the ICP references please let me know. –  Dave Dec 24 '12 at 1:48 So are you saying that there is no more fundamental explanation or that we don't know yet? –  alexraasch Dec 24 '12 at 2:09 @Dave Without the added ICP bits: youtube.com/watch?v=wMFPe-DwULM –  Nathaniel Dec 24 '12 at 2:15 @alexraasch I'd say that any "more fundamental" description would get well outside of the question's stated scope, requiring getting into quantum field theory, the gauge symmetry model of forces and so on. –  Dave Dec 24 '12 at 2:43 Well, if I have to dive into that I will. There's no rush. The level of electronics that they teach you in computer science is rather superficial. I've always been dissatisfied with that.In that video of Feynman, he actually doesn't say that it's fundamental and that there is no deeper explanation. He just says that he can't explain it to an ordinary person. That's a lot different from what you told me. –  alexraasch Dec 24 '12 at 2:49 add comment Your Answer

http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/47475/how-does-an-electrical-field-really-work/47481

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Local Doctor Explains Duchess Kate’s Morning Sickness Condition While Britain is celebrating the news that Will and Kate are expecting, there are also concerns that the Duchess of Cambridge - born a commoner - is suffering a relatively uncommon complication with her pregnancy. In short, it's the mother of all morning sickness; KDKA's Mary Robb Jackson reports.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/video/8031235-local-doctor-explains-duchess-kates-morning-sickness-condition/

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Skip to content Video: Jimmy Kimmel has ideas to fill time on NBA TV Nov 19, 2011, 12:30 PM EDT Jimmy Kimmel has some ideas to fill all that air time, and we thought we’d pass them along. They should go with them, we’ll watch anything Jack Nicholson does. Featured video How much can Andrew Bynum help Pacers? Top 10 NBA Player Searches 1. D. Williams (9839) 2. B. Lopez (5120) 3. A. Bargnani (4941) 4. J. Calderon (4854) 5. E. Gordon (4397) 1. N. Batum (4297) 2. J. Crawford (4191) 3. E. Bledsoe (4080) 4. K. Bryant (3854) 5. S. Curry (3613)

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/19/video-jimmy-kimmel-has-ideas-to-fill-time-on-nba-tv/

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Howdy, Stranger! Sign In with Facebook Sign In with Google Sign In with OpenID Using the seek function to go to a certian byte range ReddyfireReddyfire Posts: 3Member So I'm trying to use the seek function to seek a couple of lines of the file without going to the end of the file. Just trying to stay within a certain byte range. Here is my code. print "content-type: text/html open (FILE, "< file.txt") or die("File not found"); seek FILE, 21,0; What would I need to do to only stay within a certain byte range and display the text only in that byte range without going to the end of the file. I have looked all over but can't seem to figure out how to do this without going to the end of the file. Sign In or Register to comment.

http://programmersheaven.com/discussion/382504/PostReply.aspx?S=B20000

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One Man's Disaster Relief Is Another Man's Pork In all the attention paid to the drama over the fiscal cliff, most people momentarily forgot that there were a few other important things the 112th Congress was supposed to take care of before its ignominious term came to an end. But yesterday, thanks to a couple of prominent politicians criticizing their own party—something always guaranteed to garner plenty of media attention—everybody remembered that states in the Northeast, particularly New York and New Jersey, are still waiting on federal disaster aid. First New Jersey governor Chris Christie came out and gave a blistering press conference in which he blasted House Republicans for not taking up the relief bill, saying, "There is only one group to blame for the continued suffering of these innocent victims: the House majority and their speaker, John Boehner." Christie also said he called Boehner multiple times, but Boehner wouldn't return his calls. Then Representative Peter King, a Republican from New York, delivered a rather extraordinary statement on Fox News, not only urging people in New York and New Jersey not to donate to members of his party, but referring to them as "these Republicans," as though they were from a group of which he was not a part. "These Republicans have no problem finding New York when they're out raising millions of dollars," King said. "I'm saying right now, anyone from New York or New Jersey who contributes one penny to Congressional Republicans is out of their minds. Because what they did last night was put a knife in the back of New Yorkers and New Jerseyans. It was an absolute disgrace." Yow! Obviously, it's good politics to plead on behalf of the folks back home, but King seemed genuinely pissed off (it's harder to tell with Christie, since pissed off is pretty much his default mood). And the GOP is about as popular as syphilis right now, so criticizing them is also good politics. That will always be true for Christie, which could complicate his potential 2016 presidential run—he can't look too close to the national party or his popularity at home will suffer, but he can't be too antagonistic if he's going to win over Republican primary voters. (King won his last election without too much trouble, but his district has plenty of Democrats). But this is a good reminder that one man's absolutely necessary emergency government expenditure is another man's pork. This mini-revolt also reminds us just how far south the center of gravity within the Republican party has moved. New Jersey, which has an independent commission draw its congressional districts, will have a 6-6 split in its delegation in the new Congress. But head north, and it's tough to find a Republican. Only six of New York's 27 members are Republicans, and there are a grand total of zero Republican representatives from the New England states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Christie and King are criticizing a party in which they as Northeasterners are a vanishing breed. The fact that Sandy hit a couple of states that many members of the House GOP caucus would just as soon see go straight to hell anyway went a long way to mitigate their enthusiasm for disaster relief. This problem is both regional and ideological. The time is gone when most or all members of Congress saw Americans suffering from a natural disaster, no matter what part of the country it occurred in, and said, "Of course the federal government will help." After all, the fact that people are looking for help from the federal government just shows that they're 47-percenters who deserve nothing but contempt. All that being said, there's only so much pressure an embattled Speaker can take. After emerging battered and bruised from the fiscal cliff debacle, by the end of the day yesterday Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor basically sued Christie for peace, declaring that the new Congress will take up a Sandy relief bill on the first day of its session. You need to be logged in to comment.

http://prospect.org/article/one-mans-disaster-relief-another-mans-pork

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5 Reasons To Watch ‘The Watch’ These are the people keeping the peace. One (Ben Stiller) started a neighborhood watch so he could make friends. Another (Vince Vaughn) joined so he could spy on his teenage daughter’s dates. And the other two (Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade) are just bored. But when they uncover an alien invasion, it’s up to them to save the world. Here are five more reasons to check out the comedy The Watch. 1. They’ve had smaller roles in Starsky & Hutch and Anchorman, but The Watch marks the first time Stiller and Vaughn have starred in a movie together since 2004′s hilarious Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. 2. The movie was penned by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the duo behind Superbad and Pineapple Express. 3. We’re due for a good alien-invasion comedy. Sure, there was MIB 3, but that hardly makes up for Mars Attacks! or Battlefield Earth. (That was a comedy, right?) 4. Director Akiva Schaffer is one-third of Lonely Island, the comedy team that made SNL‘s digital shorts (“Lazy Sunday”) and whose last album, Turtleneck & Chain, featured songs like “I Just Had Sex” and “Jack Sparrow.” 5. A movie must be good if someone rejects Quentin Tarantino to star in it. Jonah Hill turned down a major role for a much smaller one in the upcoming Django Unchained to do The Watch. blog comments powered by Disqus

http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2012/07/5-reasons-watch-watch/

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You are viewing read_w read_w's Journal [Most Recent Entries] [Calendar View] [Friends] Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in read_w's LiveJournal: [ << Previous 20 ] Wednesday, February 19th, 2014 4:50 pm Aquel no era yo [No real spoilers here—it looks like I'm telling the ending, but the ending is shown in flashforwards right at the beginning.] I went to a showing of the Oscar-nominated short live-action fiction films at the ICA over the weekend. "Aquel no era yo (That wasn't Me)" seems a shoe-in for the Oscar, 'cause it seems like it was taken directly from the "How to Win an Oscar" guidebook. A child soldier from Africa (no country ever named, but, you know, Africa—one of those bad ones) rehabilitated by The West after having been rescued by a beautiful young do-gooder white woman. Chock full of harrowing violence, focused mostly on the violence against the white people, but socially relevant harrowing violence, so you can feel virtuous for watching it, along with horrified and thrilled. Though it was quite accomplished. It felt like a feature film that happened to be short (24 min)—which is also at least partly a criticism. Contrast it with "Just Before Losing Everything," about a woman leaving her abusive husband, which I think really makes use of the short-film form. Its 30 minutes shows events that take place over an hour or so, a short time out of a much longer story. She's taken her kids to the supermarket where she works, where she can use the phone and meet her sister; we see that a few people at work know her plan without having seen them discuss it, we see that everyone at work knows she has an abusive husband without having seen them ask "how did you get that black eye," we see that she doesn't get along with one of her coworkers without seeing what led to it. And it ends, not exactly abruptly or with a cliffhanger, but unexpectedly and with not much resolved. It's a much more daring use of the medium, using the fact that it's short to do interesting things—definitely not a short feature film, not a sitcom like "Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?" not a comedy sketch like "The Voorman Problem" (other nominees). Making a short feature film is another play out of the "How to Win an Oscar" playbook—the people who vote for Oscars know feature films, and feel comfortable with them. A 24-minute feature film isn't going to unsettle them. Sunday, July 1st, 2012 10:51 pm Iced Chai It took a while, because I don't make it all that often, but I finally converged on a recipe I like for chai. In particular, it took me a while to figure out that the right amount of coriander, found in many recipes, is none. • 14 2.5″ cinnamon sticks • 2.5 Tbs whole decorticated cardamon seeds • 2.5 Tbs whole allspice • 2 Tbs whole cloves • 1.5 tsp whole black pepper, lightly crushed • 8 cups cold water Bring to boil, turn down to simmer, and simmer covered 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add • zest of 1 orange (use a vegetable peeler; much less if grated) • 1.5 Tbs grated fresh ginger • 4 Tbs roasted chicory* • 1/3 cup honey and let sit 15 minutes, covered. Strain through fine mesh and let cool, covered; chill. This makes fairly strong chai, for adding quite a bit of milk to. *Instead of chicory, which gives a definite roasted/coffee-like flavor, I've also used tea, which is more traditional. I strongly recommend teabags, because the tea should go in as soon as it comes off heat, but should only steep 4 minutes: 4 teabags. I've more often used Celestial Seasonings "Caffeine Free Herbal Tea" (which is not decaffeinated black tea, but an herbal tea that tastes somewhat like black tea), 4 bags steeped only 90 seconds. Monday, February 6th, 2012 6:28 pm LCFD Winter Weekend recipes I headed up the kitchen at LCFD's Winter Weekend at Senexet House last weekend, my first time heading up a kitchen cooking for a crowd. A few people asked for a few recipes—under the cut. Spinach-feta egg bakeCollapse ) Blueberry-peach flummeryCollapse ) Red lentil bisqueCollapse ) Black bean spreadCollapse ) Cheddar-corn egg bakeCollapse ) Black bean stewCollapse ) Thursday, November 24th, 2011 9:36 pm Thanksgiving meal I've made a pretty set Thanksgiving meal when I've cooked for myself for a while now, seasonal for this part of the world. I like all of these individually, and really like them as a menu. A pretty plate, too. To whatever extent succotash is authentically Indian, it'd be made with dried corn and dried beans. Soak 2 c lima beans (I like large ones) in 8 c water with 4-1/2 tsp salt overnight. Drain; bring to boil in water to cover, cover pot, and transfer to 300° oven for 30 min to 2 hrs (depending partly on how old they are) until just tender. Drain and quickly cool to stop cooking. Soak 1-1/2 c dried posole (mote) in water overnight. Drain and cook in water to cover 1-2 hrs (depending partly on how old they are) until cooked through, adding 3/4 tsp salt toward the end; they won't get tender, but they'll stop being mealy. Drain. (This can be difficult to find in some places. It's often labeled mote pelado in Spanish; I believe anything labeled mote or posole will be right. "Hominy" may or may not be the same thing; maíz trillado isn't the same, nor is regular dried corn. Canned hominy would be the closest substitute.) Cook 2 onions, diced, 2 green peppers, diced, 3-4 Tbs oil, 1/2 tsp salt over med-high heat until well browned. Add a little water to deglaze the pan, along with 3-4 Tbs almond butter, and enough additional water to make a sauce. Stir in the posole, then fold in the beans. Taste for salt (or tamari) and pepper. From The Second Seasonal Political Palate with small variation. Growing up, my babysitter was a very good cook of typical midwestern food. Her butterbeans (large lima beans) were one of my favorites. I'm sure hers was made with saltpork, which I don't eat now, but almond butter adds a richness and savoriness that is reminiscent. Here's remembering Hazel. Butternut squash with ginger and garlic Peel 2 lbs butternut down to the orange flesh, and scoop out seeds; cut into 1/2" dice. Add to pot with water to not quite cover, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 Tbs butter. Simmer, covered, until just tender, 4-10 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid, and spread out to quickly cool. Return liquid to pot along with 2 Tbs grated ginger, 2 Tbs pressed garlic, and 1 more Tbs butter. Boil down quickly until most of liquid is gone and it's syrupy-thick. Toss with the cooked squash. Best if it sits at least an hour for flavors to soak in before reheating. From Julia Child & More Company with small variation. Cranberry-orange relish Roughly chop 1 whole orange. Pulse in food processor until finely chopped but not pureed. (You may want to go through it to pull out larger chunks to add to next step.) Sort 12 oz cranberries and pulse in food processor until finely chopped but not pureed. Add to chopped orange along with 1/3-1/2 c honey and 1/4 tsp salt Best either immediately or after a day. Adapted from Joy of Cooking. Even a little salt interferes with the perception of bitterness; the salt greatly mellows this. I'm surprised the Joy recipe doesn't include it. Wilted cabbage salad Finely shred 2-1/4 lb red cabbage (quarter longitudinally, core, slice crosswise). Toss with 1 Tbs salt and let sit at least 6 hours, tossing occasionally. Rinse in two changes of water (add water to the bowl and drain in colander twice, don't just rinse in colander) and thoroughly dry (a salad spinner in several batches works well). Combine with about 1/6 onion, thinly sliced, 3-4 Tbs cider vinegar to taste, 2 Tbs dried dill, maybe more salt. Red cabbage behaves like litmus paper, changing color dramatically depending on acid/alkali. With the cider vinegar, it's very red/purple. This is new to my Thanksgiving menu; I happened to have some leftovers. But it's certainly seasonal, and its refreshingness works well with this menu. Variation: cumin instead of dill plus a little garlic is good too. Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 3:53 pm Drained yogurt I haven't posted this earlier because it seems more like an ingredient than a recipe, but I do have a couple uses for it. I've started making well-drained yogurt and like it. Put a quart of full-fat yogurt (it doesn't seem to have to be great yogurt—I'm using my grocer's house brand—but full-fat definitely makes a big difference) in a dish towel in a colander and let drain (in the fridge) 6-10 hours; then put a saucer on top and a 1.5-2 lb weight on top of that and drain another couple hours. The result is thick enough to come off the towel in a few chunks. The whey that drains out can be used as yogurt or buttermilk in most baking, or makes a decent (if odd looking) lassi. Makes about 2.5 c drained yogurt and 1.5 c whey. What to do with it: The result is a kind of über-yogurt: really thick and rich; approaching cream cheese in texture but without cream cheese's heaviness. Toppings of various kinds work well. I've tried toasted pecans with maple syrup and rum, which was pretty good (though the tanginess of the yogurt wasn't quite right with that); orange juice concentrate is also nice. My favorite is a pineapple-ginger syrup: finely grate 1–1.5" fresh ginger and squeeze the juice into a cup, and add 12 oz pineapple juice concentrate (the frozen stuff, thawed). 3-4 spoonfuls of that over 2/3 cup of the drained yogurt, as desert or breakfast, is pretty spectacular. You can also use it where you might use sour cream. I'm not one of those people who thinks you can substitute yogurt for sour cream, but you can substitute this stuff for sour cream, and the result is even richer. (I don't know that I'd do it where the sour cream is standing nearly alone, the taste isn't the same, but if it's doctored up the mouthfeel makes it great.) I've made a topping for steamed or boiled potatoes with this yogurt, with mustard, garlic, and shoyu, that I like very much. (A bit less than half the fat of sour cream, if that matters to you.) I heated it in something and it didn't break, as sour cream can, though I should experiment with it more before making that a strong claim. That pineapple-ginger syrup, by the way, is pretty good other ways too. A fair amount added to seltzer makes a very nice soda, or a little added to iced tea, or spooned over fruit. I used it in a Thai-ish curry and liked it that way too. Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 11:46 pm Savory biscotti Made for a friend's birthday, and for the Boston gender-free English country dance anniversary dance; a requested recipe. 1¼ c all-purpose flour 1½ c barley flour (or whole wheat pastry flour, but then you need to be careful not to overwork the dough) 1 t coarsely ground black pepper 1½ t salt 1 t baking powder ¾ c grated romano cheese ½ c toasted pistachios (prettier if left whole) ½ t dried thyme ½ t dried oregano ¾ t dried basil 2 Tbs (packed) minced fresh parsley ¼ c julienned marinated sun-dried tomatoes* 2-3 T minced canned chipotle (1½ to 3 with adobo)—the higher amount is quite spicy 4 large eggs, lightly beaten ¼ c olive oil, plus extra for brushing 1/3 c vermouth or white wine or water [perhaps less; it's a pretty sticky dough, though not that difficult to roll out] paprika (preferably smoked) Preheat oven to 350F. Place two baking sheets together (for insulation) and line the top sheet with parchment paper. In large mixing bowl, whisk together flours, black pepper, salt, and baking powder. Add cheese, nuts, thyme, oregano, and basil, and stir together. Separately combine eggs, ¼ c oil, wine/water, chipotles, tomatoes, and parsley. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; add the wet and stir to make a soft dough. Let sit a few minutes to firm up. Roll to shape into a log about 3" diameter (about 10" long). Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and dust with paprika. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden and slightly puffy. Remove from oven and set on rack to cool completely. Set oven to 325F. Slice cooled log on the bias into slices a bit wider than 1/4". Place flat on baking sheets and bake 12 minutes; turn each slice over and bake another 10 minutes, until barely colored. Transfer slices to cooling racks. Lower oven to 175F and crisp the biscotti on the racks, about 45 minutes. (They should not color further.) I think these are bit dry to eat by themselves, but they're very nice buttered, and they should be good with soup. *America's Test Kitchen likes Trader Joe's; best to get the halves and julienne them yourself. Friday, December 4th, 2009 2:33 pm Freshly baked bran muffins Freshly baked because you can keep the batter in the fridge for a couple weeks, and bake them as wanted. Traditional in a lot of ways, though the apple juice concentrate (in place of buttermilk and sugar or honey) is my idea. Various people have told me they don't like bran muffins but they like these. Combine and allow to cool 1 c boiling water 1 c bran Whisk together 2-1/2 c whole wheat flour 2-1/2 t baking soda 3/4 t salt Separately mix together (use a pretty large bowl: it can expand quite a bit when you add the other ingredients) 2 eggs 1/2 c oil 2-1/4 c apple juice concentrate (the frozen stuff, thawed) Measure out 2 (additional) c bran 1-1/2 c raisins Stir the cooled bran into the wet mixture. Add the flour mixture; before completely mixed, fold in the dry bran and raisins. Cover and keep refrigerated. To make: Do not stir the batter—most of the rising has happened in the bowl, and stirring will deflate it. Fill greased muffin tins almost full (again, most of the rising has already happened), and bake at 400° about 20 minutes (start checking a little earlier), until springy. If you're not using all the cups in the tin, put a little water in the empty ones, for more even cooking and to avoid warping the tin. Makes about 40 The above is more traditional, but I now replace the raisins with diced crystallized ginger (1 – 1-1/2 c, depending on how strong it is). "Baker's cut" is already diced, though difficult to find. I assume you could use other fruit juice concentrates or other dried fruit. I've used melted butter in place of the oil, and barely notice a difference—I now stick with oil. Sunday, June 8th, 2008 1:57 pm Two bits of cleverness I cooked at Farm and Wilderness camp for a few days this week; Sam Arfer is head cook there and he invited me up for "skills week," cooking for 130 adults (with 6 cooks). They do real cooking there, no heating up frozen lasagna, and very good food. I had two while-cooking ideas I'm pleased with. I made scrambled tofu for breakfast, and I'd pressed (and crumbled) the tofu the night before so it wouldn't end up soupy. But by the time it had started to brown it was really too dry, even with a ton of caramelized onions—it'd be difficult to eat with a fork without it all falling off. I thought, with the help of one of the other cooks' suggestion of hummus, of tahini. Not enough to really be noticeable of itself, not enough to be in any way creamy, but enough to definitely improve the texture. Something I'd probably do at home too. The other bit of cleverness was in a coconut-milk sauce for stir-fry. I was looking for something sweet to add to it, and was considering applesauce. I was looking around the walk-in cooler for leftover applesauce and saw leftover canned pumpkin. It worked very well—a little sweetness, some earthiness, ideal amount of thickening. (This along with a bunch of other seasonings.) Definitely something I'll use the next time I make my quick-curry chickpeas. About 2 parts coconut milk to 1 part pumpkin puree. Friday, January 4th, 2008 12:17 am Several snack-like things I found an interesting bowl as a holiday present for my brother and sister-in-law, and filled it with several different snacks: Candied pecans The candied pecans from below. (I ended up making 3 [double] batches, because I slightly burnt the first one, and needed an extra gift. I lost my nerve and undercooked the next two batches. This can be partially remedied by putting them in a low oven for quite a long time. They'll get un-sticky, but they'll never get crisp.) Chocolate peanut brittle This turned out quite different from what I intended, though I wasn't unhappy with it. It was supposed to be a thin layer of brittle with cocoa nibs floating in it and peanuts sticking up through it. But it's been too long since I've made peanut brittle and I didn't remember that the candy cools and seizes up after you add the room-temperature ingredients, so if you want it to pour you have to get it fully hot again. Also, I'd never done anything with cocoa nibs before, and I didn't know that they'll at least partially melt. Also, I used so many cocoa nibs that they were never going to be individually visible anyway. The result looked like a disaster—such large chunks that you'd surely damage your teeth trying to eat it. But the cocoa nibs acted like shortening in biscuits, making the brittle much less hard. (The brittle was nearly black from the nibs, which was not unattractive.) The result wasn't bad at all. I don't offer this as a recipe so much as an idea—using cocoa nibs in nut brittle, either just as an ingredient, or to "tenderize" it (not quite sure what to call it—the result is still entirely crisp/crunchy/brittle, just less hard). Candied orange peel & candied ginger I cheated on the candied ginger and bought it from Trader Joe's, then sliced it (knife dipped in hot water—you'll need to set the ginger aside to dry afterwards) to be about the same size as the orange peel. It'd been years since I made candied citrus peel too, so I forgot that it has to age for at least a couple weeks before you eat it, or you'll get a pretty objectionable and long-lasting bitter aftertaste. 3 (organic, or at least unwaxed) oranges 2 c sugar 3 Tbs light corn syrup 3/4 c water Cut the oranges into quarters and cut out most of the flesh (you don't have to be too obsessive at this point). Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain, cover with fresh cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer until tender (about 15 minutes). Drain and dump into cold water. Remove the softer remaining innards with a spoon. Cut into 1/4" or so strips (and to a length that's similar to the ginger). Combine 1 cup of the sugar with the corn syrup and the water in a heavy pan. Stir over low heat until dissolved, then either a) brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in hot water, or b) cover the pan and simmer a few minutes so condensing water will wash down the pan sides (this option is a bit less reliable) (you're doing this to make sure there are no stray sugar crystals that might make the whole thing crystalize as it becomes supersaturated). Add the orange peel and cook over low heat, carefully stirring occasionally, until most of the syrup is absorbed. Cover and let stand overnight. Bring to a simmer again. On several layers of paper towels, spread the remaining cup of sugar. With a slotted spoon (if there's still syrup remaining), remove the peel and roll in the sugar. Transfer to a sheet of wax or parchment paper and let dry for several hours, turning occasionally. Either put this (mixed with about 2/3 the amount of candied ginger) in single layers separated by wax or parchment paper, or toss both with about 1-1/2 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot. Store in an airtight container. Set aside for at least 2 weeks to mellow. (Taken with minimal alteration from 1997 Joy of Cooking.) Thai curried sliced almonds 2-3 tsp Thai curry paste (I used red, Thai Kitchen*) 3/4 tsp salt 4-1/2 tsp oil 2 c sliced almonds Lightly cook the first 3 ingredients in a saucepan. Put the almonds in a bowl and pour the spice mixture over; stir to combine. Spread out on a cookie sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, at 275° for 30 minutes. (If you start out with toasted sliced almonds, you can cut the time to about 15 minutes; if you use whole almonds bake at 300°.) The higher amount of curry paste is probably too spicy for snacking, but I meant them to go on salad, fish, etc. Even 2 tsp may be too spicy for eating out of hand. *Thai Kitchen is quite strong, which you really need for this recipe; a mild one will require so much that it'll do odd things to the texture. I've since used green to good effect as well.) Curried pecans 2-1/2 Tbs olive oil 1-1/2 Tbs curry powder (Anyone have a recommended one that's reasonably easy to find? Mine is Frontier Herbs, which is okay.) 1/2 tsp salt 1/8 tsp chipotle powder 1/4 tsp smoked paprika 1-1/2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce 2 c pecans Heat the first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan and cook gently for a couple minutes. Take off heat and add the Worcestershire. Pour over the pecans and stir to combine. Line a cookie sheet with several layers of paper towels or brown paper. Spread the pecans on the paper, and bake at 275° for 10 minutes. Transfer to fresh paper and bake another 10 minutes. Raise heat to 300°, transfer to fresh paper, and bake 4 minutes; stir and bake for 3 more minutes. Let cool. I'm sure you could use half a pureed canned chipotle instead of the powdered, or cayenne plus more smoked paprika. Tuesday, January 1st, 2008 10:40 pm New Year's meal I have a pretty set meal that I've been cooking on New Year's Day for a long time now. I tend to shop for groceries several times a week (partly from spending my early adulthood without a car), and to expect to go the grocery store if I need something for that day's meal. A couple of days before New Year's many years ago I realized I'd have to decide ahead of time since the stores would be closed. I hadn't had black-eyed peas in a long time and decided on them, not remembering that they were traditional for New Year's Day—when I looked up some recipes, one mentioned the tradition, and I've stuck with it since. Of these three recipes, only the cornbread is even a little unusual, but I'll include all of them for completeness. Black-eyed peas and rice 1-1/2 medium onions, chopped 1/4 c olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes 7 cups water 1-1/2 tsp salt 1-3/4 c black-eyed peas (dried) 1-1/4 c brown rice Saute the onions in the olive oil until lightly browned; add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook a few minutes more. Add the water and bring to a boil, then add the black-eyed peas and rice. Cook 45-55 minutes till tender. It's worth getting the peas from a store with a decent turnover; very old ones will take a lot longer to cook. Reasonably new ones will cook in about the same time as brown rice. 1-1/2 medium onions, chopped 1/4 c olive oil 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes 3 lbs greens* (weight includes stems) 1 tsp salt 2 Tbs shoyu Saute the onions in the olive oil until lightly browned; add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook a few minutes more. In the meantime, stem, wash, and coarsely chop the greens. Add the greens to the onions along with the salt and shoyu, and water to cover. It's fine to have plenty of water, it's good mixed with the peas & rice and the cornbread. Simmer 60-90 minutes, until very tender. Taste for shoyu/salt. Note that curly greens like kale take up a lot more room until they wilt. Just keep adding them to your pot (along with a smallish amount of water) and stirring until there's room for the next couple handfuls. Don't add water to cover till it's wilted. *Greens: I like kale. Supermarket collards are overwhelmed by the taste of the onions, chard gets too soft when cooked long, and the bitterness of mustard is the wrong symbolism for New Year's. Some years I've added some kind of smoky veggie "meat" to one or the other of these. (One year I added it to both, and they tasted too similar to one another). This year I added "sausage" to the greens after they'd finished cooking, so the greens still tasted of themselves—a better choice than adding it at the beginning. I don't know why I tried this recipe—everything about it suggests dry cornbread (not much fat, all cornmeal, hot pan) which I don't like. But it doesn't come out dry, and it's my favorite recipe. And the fact that it's all-cornmeal gives lots of taste. 1 egg 1/2 tsp salt 2 Tbs olive oil 1 c buttermilk* 1 c cornmeal 1/2 tsp baking soda Preheat oven to 425°, and put an 8- or 9-inch cast iron skillet in the oven; let it heat for at least 15 minutes. (If you don't have a cast iron skillet you can use an 8-inch square or 9-inch round pan, but you won't get much crust.) Beat together the egg, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the oil, then add the buttermilk. Whisk together the cornmeal and baking soda. Add the buttermilk mixture and quickly whisk to combine. Remove the pan, add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the hot pan and swirl it around, and pour in the batter. Return to oven for 12-15 minutes, until springy in the middle. *Buttermilk is best, but plain yogurt is an okay substitute. The black-eyed peas & rice and the greens recipe are slightly modified from The Political Palate, Bloodroot Collective, 1980 Sanguinaria. The cornbread recipe is slightly modified from Vegetarian Express Lane Cookbook, Sarah Fritschner, 1996 Houghton Mifflin. Sunday, January 7th, 2007 9:32 pm Kimchee salad A little less unseasonably warm today, but I'm still thinking warm-weather food. Any number of variants here, but one I just made that I'm quite happy with: 1 lb kimchee 1 lb coleslaw mix 1 bunch scallions 1 c peas or snow peas or snap peas 1 c roasted peanuts Baked tofu:       14 oz tofu       3 Tbs shoyu       1 Tbs sesame oil       1 tsp dried ginger       2 Tbs water Slice the kimchee so it's about the same shape as the coleslaw (I used nappa kimchee, but radish should be good too). Slice the scallions. Lightly cook the peas (if you use frozen English peas, you just need to run them under hot water) and slice if you use snow or snap peas. Press and bake the tofu as in the green bean recipe; cut into small strips; bake in a large shallow pan till it firms up. Mix all ingredients and taste. Don't use up all of an ingredient to start with in case you want to adjust proportions. With the tofu it works as a main dish, without it works as a salad. Sunday, July 9th, 2006 12:25 pm Cold avocado soup Yet another requested recipe. Everything is pretty approximate. Serves 2. 1 avocado 1/2 c sour cream 1 to 1-1/2 c ice water 1 Tbs good soy sauce 1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt 2 medium globe tomatoes or about 2/3 of a pint of grape tomatoes 2 to 3 scallions Puree the avocado and sour cream along with a little of the water in a blender or food processor. Add the soy sauce, salt, and the rest of the water to your desired consistency. Taste for salt; it will need to be quite salty for the tomatoes. Dice the tomatoes and add to the soup; cut the scallions lengthwise and then slice thinly and add to the soup. You want this well chilled, but it should be served soon after making it--I suggest chilling it over ice water so it'll be quick, or I imagine you could use a few ice cubes in place of some of the water if you're using a blender. If you make this fairly thick, there will be enough air incorporated into the soup that even if you press plastic wrap onto the surface it will discolor and get old tasting if it sits a while; this is less of a problem if the soup is thin. The soy sauce is basically to add a rich/meaty character--I imagine you could use a mix of chicken (or vegetable) stock and water instead of soy sauce and water. One-third stock, two-thirds water would be my guess. I've made this with frozen avocados when fresh weren't available and it works, though there's enough citric & ascorbic acid added to them (to prevent browning) to be tasteable. Saturday, July 1st, 2006 9:41 pm Glorious vichyssoise First, the 's' is pronounced. "Mayonnaise" isn't <may·oh·nay>, "hollandaise" isn't <hol·un·day>, and "vichyssoise" isn't <veesh·ee·swah>. The next waiter who incorrectly corrects me on this gets a fork in his thigh. Not that I order vichyssoise in restaurants any more--I've never had a proper vichyssoise in a restaurant. Which baffles me, it's about the easiest soup there is to make. The problem is, I'm not good at planning ahead unless I'm cooking for guests, and this is a soup that has to be chilled after cooking--so it's been a long time since I've made it. 3 cups sliced leeks, thoroughly cleaned (or a mix of leek and onion) 4 cups red potatoes, peeled and diced 8 cups water (some of this could be chicken stock, but even if I ate chicken I'd use water) 1 Tbs salt 3/4 - 1 c heavy cream chives, snipped Put the first 4 ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, and simmer, partially covered, 50 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Purée--a fine food mill is best for this, a blender or stick blender is next; don't use a food processor, it'll turn glue-y. Taste for salt--because it's chilled it needs to be a little saltier than you'd think. Chill. Check the texture, you may want to add more cold water. Add the cream before serving and garnish with snipped chives. Glorious. Wednesday, June 21st, 2006 7:55 pm Local vegetables! The farmers' markets have been open since the beginning of June here in Boston, but until this week they just had leafy things, which in the spring aren't enough different from the supermarket to get excited about (though they're great after the first frost), and rhubarb, which was rather pale. But I got local snap peas today! Snap peas are almost always good, but picked today (or maybe yesterday) they're one of my favorite foods. Here's how I made them, for me and a friend tonight: Snap peas, snapped A little oil A little salt Preheat oven to 550F (yes, really 550F). Toss the peas with the oil and salt in a roasting pan (single layer), and roast them till some of them have gotten a tiny bit brown, stirring once or twice--probably 3-5 minutes total. For maximum crispness, serve immediately, but they're also good cold. If not eating right away, cover them once cool--they tend to dry out. If your snap peas are a bit wan, you'll want to cook them a little longer at 500F. Farm fresh don't really need to be cooked at all, so brief in a really hot oven works fine. Older ones will be better a little more cooked. I cook green beans (especially early ones, later in the season they can be too tough for this method) and asparagus this way too. This I served with Cold shrimp soup 2/3 lb shrimp (frozen is fine) 3/4 to 1 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped 1/8 sweet onion, chopped (maybe start with less) 1-1/2 Tbs dijon mustard 2 tsp dry dill weed (if serving immediately, you'll probably want more) 1 tsp sweetener 1-1/2 to 2 c buttermilk 1/3 c tart white wine, or a bit of lemon juice All measurements are quite approximate. If your shrimp are still frozen, run them through the food processor first till finely chopped, then add the next 5 ingredients and process till finely chopped. Add the buttermilk & wine and process again; taste for seasoning. Since almost all the ingredients start out cold you can serve it immediately, or it'll keep a day or so chilled. Serves 2 as a main course. A very good combination, the slight sweetness of both the shrimp and the snap peas, with the contrasting texture. Sunday, June 11th, 2006 12:08 pm Cinnamon-Date Skones Not "scones," as the flavoring is about as authentic as blueberry bagels. But tasty. Another requested recipe. 4 c whole wheat pastry flour (you could certainly try white, though I suspect the flavor would be a bit insipid; I've used barley flour and they taste good, but they're a bit crumbly) 1/4 c dry sweetener (I use dried cane juice; if you use brown sugar you may want to mix it with the wet ingredients) 1/4 c baking powder (yes, really that much) 1 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 lb butter (frozen or chilled, see below) 1-1/3 c chopped dates, packed 1-1/3 c chopped pecans 1-3/4 c heavy cream 1/4 c dark rum 4 eggs Mix the first 5 ingredients. Cut in the butter however you normally would, then add the dates & pecans Add the dates to the dry ingredients and break up the clumps (the dates do tend to clump when you pack them), then add the pecans, and grate in the frozen butter (this is my preferred way of "cutting in" butter). Mix together the cream, rum, and eggs, and briefly stir them into the dry ingredients. Allow that to sit for a few minutes to firm up. Divide into 4 pieces, and shape each into a round 1-1/2" high; cut each round into fourths; place on a lightly greased baking sheet. This will keep, covered closely with plastic wrap, overnight in the fridge. Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes (that's a rough guess), till lightly brown and minimally springy. Rich enough to serve plain, or with processor-whipped cream (which is much thicker than other-whipped cream) or clotted cream or butter. Wednesday, May 10th, 2006 8:13 pm Chipotle-sweet potato soup I had a request for this one too. Perhaps the highest ratio of goodness to effort of anything I make. 1 medium onion, chopped olive oil 1/2 tsp salt 3 cloves garlic 1 tsp dried ginger 3 very large sweet potatoes, the redder the better, peeled and diced 1 canned chipotle, minced, with adobo vegetable stock to just cover 1 cup or so milk/soy milk [edit: a can of coconut milk is really good] tamari to taste 1 large (approx 22 oz) can black beans, rinsed Saute the onion in the olive oil with the salt over medium-low heat till well softened. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute a few minutes more. And the sweet potatoes, chipotle, and vegetable stock. Simmer, partially covered, till the potatoes are very tender. Puree (a stick blender is easiest) and add milk to thin as you like. Taste for salt/tamari & heat (you can finely mince more chipotle or just use the adobo if you want more heat). Stir in the black beans and heat through. The extra canned chipotles: I put individual chipotles on plastic wrap and spoon their adobo over, and then freeze hard. Once they're frozen I wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store in the freezer. Sunday, March 26th, 2006 1:00 am Polenta with chiles A friend asked for the recipe, so I figured I'd post it here. 3 mild chiles (can certainly use more if you like). Bring to a boil 2 c milk 1/4 c water (use liquid from canned corn) 1/2 tsp salt (a bit more if you don't use the canned corn liquid). Once that's boiling, combine (don't let it sit long) 3/4 c cornmeal 3/4 c cold water (use liquid from canned corn) and stir into the boiling milk. Stir continuously until it comes back to simmer and thickens; turn heat down and simmer 15 minutes (or longer), covered, stirring occasionally. (If you let the polenta cool it will solidify, so have everything else ready before you take it off the heat. It won't be harmed by cooking longer.) Just before taking it off heat, stir in 1/2 c parmesan (or a bit more). Meanwhile, peel, seed, and chop the roasted chiles; chop 2-3 canned chipotles (more if they're mild) and mix with the chiles. Layer in a greased casserole: polenta, chiles, and 1 c corn (or a bit more) 2/3 c chopped cilantro 1/2 lb (2 c) shredded jack cheese 1/2 c heavy cream (The layers I use, from the bottom up: a bit less than half of the polenta a bit more than half of the cheese a bit less than half of the cream the rest of the polenta the rest of the cheese the rest of the cream.) Bake 400° for 30 min, until well browned. The advantage of canned corn over frozen (I've tried both) is that the liquid is a good addition to the taste of the polenta. (You won't have a full cup, just use what you have and water for the rest.) I haven't described how to roast chiles here—I assume there are plenty of places on the web that will tell you how if you need it. I bet diced nopales would be a good substitute for the chiles—haven't tried it. An update: If you want this to come out at all solid, you'll need to let it cool (or chill) before you bake it. If you bake it immediately it'll come out very soupy. Still tasty, but a very different result. Another update: The cilantro really doesn't add much, as it loses almost all taste when cooked; I've been asked if it was spinach. Culantro would work, but I can rarely get it. Cilantro stems do keep some taste, but it's a lot of work to get enough. I know cilantro root stands up to cooking, but I wonder about the texture. Yet another update: I've realized there's more advantage to canned corn than just the juice—it's bred and processed to remain crisp with more cooking, especially if you choose one with 'crisp' in the label. Frozen corn tends to toughen in anything that gets baked. Saturday, January 28th, 2006 12:58 pm Cheese pancakes I just made these; I'm amazed at how good they are. Another recipe that is even better than it looks. Only slightly modified from the current Gourmet. 3/4 c chopped onion 1/4 tsp salt olive oil 1-1/2 c whole-milk cottage cheese (preferably small-curd) 4 Tbs butter, melted 1/4 tsp pepper 3 eggs 6 Tbs flour Cook the onion with the salt in olive oil over med-low heat till browned. Combine with remaining ingredients. Using a well-seasoned cast-iron or non-stick skillet and a bit of olive oil, cook 1/8-cup scoops of batter till somewhat browned on both sides. These have a nice slight crispness when served immediately, but unless you can serve them instantly they should keep in a warming oven as you finish cooking the batch. Along with a fruit salad, serves two hungry people or three more reasonable appetites. Monday, November 28th, 2005 10:48 pm Candied pecans I haven't made these in a while, but I was just talking about them. I always make a double recipe. 1 c pecans 1/4 c dark rum 1/4 c maple syrup 2 Tbs butter 1/8 tsp (or a bit more) salt Steep the pecans in the rum for at least 20 minutes. Combine pecans & rum, maple syrup, and butter. Cook over high heat about 10 minutes (if you have a light-weight pan, you'll probably have to user lower heat for longer to avoid burning), stirring frequently and then constantly, until liquid is gone and butter starts to be noticeably separate, and the syrup just starts to form threads between the nuts—this is a bit nerve wracking, as overdoing it will burn the butter or nuts, but undercooking will leave them gooey. (If you've cooked out the liquid, they will be dry once they cool.) Spread out onto a lightly greased cookie sheet (the more you spread them out, the less you'll have to break them apart after they cool), and sprinkle with salt while still hot (I like fairly salty with the sweet). Let cool completely before packing in an air-tight container. Slightly modified from The Common Ground Dessert Cookbook. Monday, November 7th, 2005 6:05 pm Tofu with green beans and coconut sauce This is remarkably good—better than the sum of its parts. As I was tasting the sauce, etc., I thought I was going to be disappointed. I think it also gets better the next day (though it loses a lot of color). On first reading, this may look time consuming. But there's a lot of meanwhile time—while the tofu is pressing, while it's baking, while the onions are sweating. Press 16 oz firm tofu (put on a plate, cover with another plate, and weight with about 4 lbs [½ gallon container] for 20-30 minutes). Cut the tofu into cubes. Preheat oven to 375°. Combine 1 Tbs sesame oil, 2 Tbs shoyu, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp dry ginger, a few dashes hot sauce, 2 Tbs water. Grease a shallow baking dish. Add the tofu, pour the shoyu mixture over, and gently stir to coat. Bake, gently stirring occasionally (a silicone spatula works well), until liquid is mostly gone, about 25 minutes. Thinly slice 1 smallish onion. Cook in oil over low heat with ¼ tsp salt until thoroughly soft, 10-15 minutes—you may want to cook it covered, as you don't want it to dry and brown. (A wide skillet works best for this, for reducing later on.) Trim 1 lb green beans and cut into 2" pieces; slice 1 red bell pepper and cut into 2" pieces. Once the onions are soft (but not brown), turn heat up to medium and add 1 Tbs grated ginger, 1 Tbs minced garlic, ¼ tsp chili flakes; sauté a couple minutes. Add 1 can (14-15 oz) coconut milk, additional ½ tsp salt, 1 Tbs shoyu; bring to a boil. Add the green beans and quickly bring back to boil; simmer 2-3 minutes. Add the peppers and simmer another 6 minutes or so, until beans are just cooked through. Remove the beans and peppers with a slotted spoon, and quickly boil down the sauce till slightly thickened, reduced to about ¾ cup. Stir in about 1 Tbs lime juice; you may want to add a bit of sweetener or more salt. Serve the beans over the tofu, pour the sauce over that, and top with cilantro and chopped salted toasted cashews. You could serve this over rice noodles or rice, though it's not very strongly flavored—I liked it by itself. It's difficult to keep the green beans bright green; cooking them quickly and serving as soon as possible after they're cooked will help. Modified from Gourmet, Sept 2005 [ << Previous 20 ]

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Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Portfolio App for iPad Profile| Send Message| (30)   For people who are near retirement or in retirement a daunting problem is replacing income. Gone for the foreseeable future are the 4-5% yields from CDs or U.S. Treasuries. The bond markets offer little assistance as they are in their last legs of a 30 year bull market, after a 50 year bear market. Given the projected slow growth (or worse) global economy one can hardly count on exceptional earnings growth. One of the only strategies for investors to get ready to replace income, stay ahead of inflation and capture growth is the "dividend growth strategy". In particular, my 4,5,8 dividend growth program. The numbers stand for: • 4% yield • 5% dividend growth • 8% earnings (or cash flow growth in the case of MLPs and REITs) This strategy covers the 4 most critical objectives for investors in or nearing retirement. Income, income growth over inflation, capital appreciation, and the incentive not to time the market. Let's take these points one by one: The 4% yield is 350 basis points over the risk free return from a 12 month Treasury bill, a historically high premium. For Retirement Accounts 4% is also is also the magic withdrawal number. Assuming that a retirement account is large enough, a stretch considering that less than half of people between 55- 64 years of age have a $100,000 balance or more in their 401k, If one is receiving a reasonably secure 4% plus from a diversified stock portfolio they can draw down on the dividends and have less need to hit principal by selling stocks, thus less incentive to over trade. There are plenty of stocks yielding close to 4% which would allow us to construct a portfolio with a net yield of over 4%. Dividend Growth To construct a yield-based portfolio without equally focusing on those companies with a solid dividend growth history and the likelihood of increasing that distribution at a rate of 5% would be foolish. Inflation is a silent killer. Even with an inflation rate of 2%, it would not take too many years before there would be a forced scaling down of your lifestyle. One of our objectives for an investor near or in retirement is to have dividend income growth above the rate of inflation. There are plenty of companies with are likely to increase their dividend over 5%. Corporate cash levels are at record highs and a number of sectors such as MLPs and REITs are mandated to pay 90% of their free cash flow to investors. There are two ways that dividends can increase, higher corporate earnings or increasing the payout ratio. In order to make this strategy as simple as possible I tend to discount the increasing of payout ratio for stocks paying 4% or more, just too unpredictable. The only exception is if a company announces that their policy on payout ratios has been changed in a material way and that is typically for companies paying lower than 3%. I want to make this a dividend growth strategy one which will minimize the opportunity which the customer has to make a mistake. A true wild card would be if the Federal Government would have the foresight to have a "tax compromise" which would allow mature companies with considerable cash on their balance sheet, but off shore, to bring that cash on shore but not at the current prohibitive tax rates. This was done before and would bring billions back of dollars back in the United States. for mature companies who already pay dividends and could pay more. Microsoft (MSFT), Cisco (CSCO), Intel (INTC), Apple (AAPL) (though not a mature company) are just a few examples. Tie it onto a domestic job creation bill. Write your Congressman yesterday on this matter! Earnings Growth To state the obvious, no company can increase their distribution unless they have more cash to distribute. Therefore, the third leg of my dividend growth strategy is an 8% or more EPS growth. MLPs and REITs trade and their payments are based upon cash flow. With just a little bit of research focusing on REITs, MLPs and Fortune 500 companies with a global business you should be able to put together a diversified portfolio. Here are a few names. Atlas Pipeline (APL, 7.2% yield) DCP Pipelines (DPM, 6.8% yield) Eli Lilly (LLY, 4.0% yield) Colony Financial (CLNY, 7.1% yield) Bristol Meyers (BMY, 4.3% yield) Kimco (KIM, 4.3% yield) McDonald's (MCD, 3.5% yield), ok not 4% but as part of a dividend growth portfolio a great name to have LinnCo (LNCO, 7.7% yield) I also question anyone's ability to time the market. Thus putting together a portfolio and only selling when there are news events which would change the company's fundamental ability to grow earnings at the 8% rate and the dividend at 5% puts time on your side, as you are collecting a 4% yield while you wait, again trying to make the account replicate a pension plan. Indeed a disciplined investor would be less inclined to sell during a general market decline and will be more likely to buy on dips, thus strategically increasing your cash flow. The overwhelming data on how many investors liquidated their equity positions at the markets lows in the first quarter of 2009 (and never came back) make the dividend growth strategy critical to preventing investors from selling and ruining any chance of retiring. To conclude, investors need to look past the headlines and focus exclusively on your goals while not playing the market. Have a plan that you feel comfortable with and one you can live with through the ups and downs of the markets. Have a disciplined, relatively easy to follow strategy to make their retirement funds resemble a defined contribution pension plan, one that you can draw income while not being forced to sell stocks. Obviously people need to save money to have a significant pool of capital to employ their strategy, but if done, the beauty of this strategy is that there are many different ways to customize this strategy and achieve your returns and simplified your life. Source: Replacing Income: The 4, 5, 8 Dividend Growth Program

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Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Portfolio App for iPad Profile| Send Message| (51,046)   There is a new move afoot in Washington to limit the tax advantages of municipal bonds. We have warned of this on several prior occasions over the past couple of years. While the probability of success of such efforts was low before the U.S. found itself it such a messy fiscal state, the chances of muni-bond holders "sharing the pain" and paying their "fair share" has risen substantially. In today's Bloomberg, we find this: Obama Proposes Limits on Tax-Breaks for Municipal-Bond Investors Sept. 13 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama proposed curbing the amount of interest from municipal bonds that top earners can exclude from their taxable income, a step that may diminish demand for state and local-government securities. The president’s $447 billion job-creation plan would pare the tax break for municipal-bond interest to 28 percent for couples earning more than $250,000 a year. Such tax-exempt interest is currently worth 35 percent for earners in the top tax bracket … The impact of such tax changes would probably be: 1. market value of current muni-bond holdings would fall; 2. the interest rate on new purchases to be higher to compensate for lost exemption; 3. states and local municipalities would face higher costs of financing via tax exempt bonds; and 4. the federal government would expand Build America bonds (taxable muni bonds) which further expands federal control over state and local decisions. The article did not state how the President's proposal would impact property-casualty insurance companies. They are the second largest holders of municipal bonds after individuals. If they also lost tax benefits, the effects of the tax change on the muni-bond market would be amplified. Some short-term extra volatility might be introduced into insurance company stock prices while portfolios are adjusted, and as investors filter through company financials to ascertain the impact on a per company basis. Disclosure: QVM does not have positions in any mentioned security as of the creation date of this article (September 13, 2011). Source: Muni-Bond Tax Exemption At Risk In Obama Jobs Proposal

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Seeking Alpha MissionIR's  Instablog Send Message My company: My blog: MissionIR Blog • VistaGen Therapeutics (VSTA): A Hidden Stem Cell Opportunity 0 comments Feb 27, 2012 2:02 PM | about stocks: VSTA When it comes to modern medicine, stem cells are seen as playing a role unmatched by anything else. Used in a growing number of cell therapies for certain cancers, various diseases related to the immune system, and other treatment applications, in addition to cell research, stem cell technology is opening an increasing number of doors for medical researchers and practitioners. Today it's a market rapidly closing in on $1 billion, and, in spite of controversy surrounding some aspects of stem cell use, the funding for stem cell research continues to grow. Stem cells, including pluripotent stem cells (non-embryonic adult cells that are artificially reprogrammed to mimic embryonic stem cells), are unique in their ability to differentiate into specialized cells, such as heart or muscle or nerve cells. As a result, they provide an important tool for medical research, treatment, and drug development. For example, stem cells can play a substantial role in the discovery of new medicines that are more effective and safer for patients. They can also be used in the field of regenerative medicine, where various tissues and organs can be generated to replace damaged ones, for application to spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and perhaps even Alzheimer's. In addition, given their ability to duplicate the functions of a whole host of other cells, stem cells are becoming important in all types of advanced biomedical research, helping us understand the most basic workings of the human cell and human body. But one of the lesser known, though potentially huge applications of stem cell technology, involves the early stage testing of drug candidates. The pharmaceutical industry can spend vast amounts of money developing and introducing a new drug, only to find out later that it has negative effects on the heart, liver, or other organs. As a result, the drug must be limited or withdrawn, greatly reducing, or even eliminating, the anticipated profit potential. The numbers involved are telling. It can cost over $1 billion to bring a new drug to market, and it can all be lost if the drug is later found to have toxicity issues, such as causing heart problems. In addition to the time and money spent on developing and marketing, companies can face a long string of associated lawsuits. In the case of Avandia, an anti-diabetic drug produced by GlaxoSmithKline, concerns that the drug may lead to an increased risk of heart attack, even though not firmly established at the time, still led to a major reduction in sales, and a slew of lawsuits. Given that the drug had been bringing in over $2 billion in annual sales prior to the trouble, it was a significant blow, and gives an idea of how much big pharma might be willing to pay for a workable solution. It's a problem for which California based VistaGen Therapeutics believes it has the answer, and it all revolves around stem cells. Using advanced stem cell technology, VistaGen has produced functional human cardiac cells that can be used early on in the drug development process to test for cardiotoxicity. Cardiotoxicity has been a factor in over 30% of drug withdrawals, and addressing it is seen as a major market. The use of real human heart cells in pre-clinical testing offers important advantages over traditional testing methods, such as animal testing. First of all, it can be performed at the earliest stages of development, reducing the risks of developing the wrong drug. It's also more accurate, since traditional testing involving animals can fail to detect potential risks in humans. And it's far easier than the large number of patients and lengthy testing required in human trials. By identifying cardiotoxicity issues early in the process, drug developers can take steps to rescue the drug candidate, developing variants that are both functional and safe. Given that stem cells, including non-embryonic stem cells, can be pointed in many different directions, their potential to transform drug development has no clear limit. But VistaGen is only now beginning to show up on many investors' radar screens. Its recent strategic drug rescue-related collaboration agreements with Synterys, a medicinal chemistry and drug discovery services company, and Cato Research Ltd., a leading contract research and development organization, were further indications of the recognition VistaGen has earned for the exciting potential of its stem cell technology-based drug rescue initiatives. The collaborations are intended to help develop safer drug rescue variants by leveraging VistaGen's drug rescue initiatives with Synterys' medicinal chemistry expertise and Cato Research's drug development and regulatory capabilities. In the case of its key collaboration with Synterys, the idea is to combine VistaGen's human pluripotent stem cell technology platform, called Human Clinical Trials in a Test TubeTM, with modern medicinal chemistry, to generate new safer variants of once-promising drug candidates discontinued in development due to heart toxicity concerns. VistaGen sees itself as essentially transforming drug development by bring human biology to the front end of the process, attacking cardiotoxicity issues early in the cost curve, and removing much of the risk and uncertainty typically involved in bringing new drugs to market. Perhaps more importantly, it lessens the chance that patients will be asked to play the role of unsuspecting guinea pig, taking drugs that may cause them far more harm than good. Please see disclaimer on the MissionIR website Stocks: VSTA Back To MissionIR's Instablog HomePage » Comments (0) Track new comments Be the first to comment Full index of posts » Latest Followers More »

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Seeking Alpha moneymcbags'  Instablog Send Message My blog: When Genius Prevailed • Small Company Update: A Hot Piece of SAAS Money McBags wanted to finally get to SAAS today because he has mentioned it a fuckton but has just never found time to cover it in full detail (likely because he has spent way too much time covering this in full detail) and it deserves it's own break out.  This is one of Money McBags' favorite names right now (he likes the name even more than he likes the names Madz Negro, Dick Blewitt, and the soon to be immortalized Harry Baals) so it's time to roll up the sleeves, break out the excel, the thesaurus, and the urban dictionary, and get down to business: What the fuck do they do? inContact is the actual name of the company (and Money McBags would love to be in contact with Jayme Langford, but that's a different story), and they have two basic businesses.  One sucks more dick right now than Tori Black in A Shot to the Mouth and is more irrelevant in the long-run than something called Lady Antebellum (or the entire Grammy Awards show) and the other is more awesome than a Mickey Mantle letter. The crappy business is their legacy telephony business which basically aggregates and provides telecommunications services to companies and that might be one the least interesting and most irrelevant businesses other than providing computer repairs for the Amish.  They basically go to Verizon, Qwest, and Global Crossing and then act as the middle man (the telephony Lucky Pierre if you will) and resell those companies' various telecommunication services and products in a bundled offering to their own clients.  This is and has been the majority of their business and is the main reason no one has given a fuck about this company because frankly, it's just not going anywhere.  As technology gets better and long distance telephony becomes more competitive, reselling other companies' plans has a future about as bright as that of JOEZ jeans, so a big fucking yawn. That said, the sizzle to this steak or the extra F in the MFF scene is their cloud computing, software as a service (and yes those two terms are mostly redundant but the more Money McBags types them the harder his dick gets because those usually result in premium mulitples applied to a stock) call center business.  This business basically takes all of the big legacy equipment out of the call centers, optimizes the call routing, and allows for call center employees to work at home.  Their 10K has the gory details, but in their words their software: "includes automatic call distribution (“ACD”) with skills-based routing, interactive voice response (“IVR”) with speech recognition, computer telephony integration (“CTI”) capabilities, reporting, work force optimization, e-learning, call center agent hiring and customer feedback measurement toolsTaken together, the inContact solution creates an integrated solution for call centers, including those with distributed workforces – either at-home or multi-site." In Money McBags' words, their software is full of fucking awesomeness because it cuts the costs out of an unneeded business expense that traditionally has relied on big upfront equipment spend and ongoing real estate and maintenance costs, while also better optimizing the whole fucking process.  Seriously, Money McBags dreams about businesses like this (such as CNQR, KITD, and fleshlights) because they are scalable, take the place of more expensive alternatives, and automate the process. So now that we know what this company does, here are the interesting points (though not as interesting as these points): 1.  Their software business is growing ridonkulously fast, even faster than Sofia Vergara's son's reputation on "Take your Mom to School" day.    Since 2006 the software business has grown annually at 240%, 48%, 46%, and probably ~20% in 2010 which is spanktastic.  They are penetrating a market that has yet to take advantage of this kind of software and their business has gone from $4MM in revenue to $35MM in four years and they are both winning new customers (~35 per Q) and also upselling old customers (by adding 22 upsold contracts in Q3 2010).  The obvious question though is what the fuck happened in 2010 that the growth rate was cut in half (in Q3 they said the lost two large customers of ~$225k in revenue), because seriously, that is more concerning than finding pants that fit is for a polyorchid. Normally, when Money McBags sees a growth rate falling like that huge red flags shoot up faster than a heroin addict trying to get rid of the DTs, and those flags did shoot up, but Money McBags talked to one of SAAS' biggest investors a couple of months ago and was told that the declining revenue growth rate was from an internal sales fuck up (Money McBags has not confirmed this with the company so he is relating information from a third party, and as always, Money McBags is just some random guy on the internet with a predilection for dick jokes and Alice Eve, so take all of this for what it is worth). The story Money McBags was told is that SAAS tried to launch the next version of their software before it was completely finished and that version didn't have some of the capabilities that the old version had, so customers basically said "fuck you very much" and decided to wait for SAAS to work out the kinks before upgrading or buying the new version.  This caused sales to get pushed out and as a result SAAS told the new version of the software to go fuck itself, stopped trying to sell it before it was ready, and went back to selling the shit that works until the new version is 100%.  As a result, their sales should start to pick up again because the sales force isn't going out with some confusing message about two versions of a software.  It passes Money McBags' sniff test (unlike Paris Hilton's vagina or asparagus urine), though it does raise questions as to management's capabilities. 2.  Their revenue and earnings look deceptively shitty: Without looking at their two businesses separately, their revenue has basically been flat since 2005 at ~$82MM, they have had negative EPS, and negative cash flow from operations until this past year, so um, seriously?  At first glance, Money McBags would run further away from this company than the lovely Meredith Whitney seems to be running away from congress or Gary Busey seems to be running away from sanity, and that is why this company is still under the fucking radar. Their shitty legacy telephony business has gone from ~$75MM to ~$48MM in revenue and that is masking the growth of their cockriffic software business.  Not just that, and this is really one of the two key points to this whole story, management is OVERINVESTING IN THE SOFTWARE BUSINESS right now because they want revenues to rapidly grow in order to get scale.  Their software marketing costs were up 28% last Q which is outpacing revenues and obviously not a way to run this business in the long-run.  At $100MM in software revenues, this business becomes hella fucking attractive to a CSCO or whoever else has tried and failed with this kind of solution so management is stepping on the pedal to try to ramp up revenues as fast as possible.  Shit, if you strip out that unnecessary marketing costs, the software business would be profitable today.  In 2010, the software business will have lost ~$6.25MM in income while their legacy telephony business will have earned ~$6.10MM in income (EBITDA has been positive for the last 9 quarters).  They are using their shitty legacy run off business basically to fund growth, it's a great strategy, but hidden in their financials which causes fund managers to overlook them when running screens. 3.  The market opportunity is ginormous and scalable, like Kim Kardashian's ass, (though if you are going to try to scale Kim Kardashian's ass, make sure you have an experienced belayer).  In their latest presentation the company estimates this is ultimately an ~$8B global opportunity and again they currently have only ~$35MM in sales so Money McBags will address that opportunity with a "hell fucking yeah" (though throwing that $8B number out is a bit preposterous as it is more divorced from current reality than Lindsay Lohan, but whatever.  Money McBags is sure this is a big opportunity, shit maybe it's only 1/2 of what they think, but if so, that's still a $4B market and they are only ~1% of that right now).  They estimate there are ~3MM call center reps in the US and 72% of them are in enterprise sized contact centers that would be able to use their services which is their current market focus. 4.  Their competition sucks.  They have two competitors, legacy premise based businesses and other software based models. Compared to premise based call center providers, SAAS offers better service, at cheaper prices, with more flexibility, scalability, and security.  It's like going from a palm pilot to an iPhone or dating 2005 Heidi Montag to dating 2010 Heidi Montag. As for other software solutions, as far as Money McBags can tell no one has yet matched what SAAS can provide in terms of functionality (shit like ACD, IVR, CTI, WFO, and JIZZ solutions.  And only one of those is made up).  Money McBags knows and CSCO have tried to compete with SAAS but as of now, SAAS still has the best technology (though CSCO should buy them to combine their sales force with SAAS' software in a marriage that would be as cocktacular as peanut butter and chocolate or strings and bikinis, but alas SAAS seems too small for CSCO to care about right now even if the potential market is huge).  SAAS is the only cloud based solution that can offer "telecommunications services with contact handling and performance management optimization." 5.  It fits a need in the market and trends are in their favor.  SAAS' software is basically a cost save to enterprise companies.  It allows people to work from home, it cuts hardware costs, and it increases efficiencies which equates to a 28% cost save for companies with 25 seats all the way up to a 45% cost save for a company with 400 seats.  Now Money McBags is not sure what percent of a company's total cost is typically related to call centers, but a 45% savings in anything is nothing at which to sneeze.  With margins soon to be compressed across the globe as input costs rise, companies need to continue outsourcing and becoming more nimble, and this is one easy way to do that.  Plus SAAS offers the first solution for the middle market that is affordable. But it's not just the cost save as the trends are all pointing towards solid growth.  Cloud based computing is becoming trendier than Power Balance bracelets or NSFW muff guessing.  With more people already out of work, working from home is becoming an easier option and SAAS allows call center reps to stay the fuck at home and thus not have to be functioning members of society.  Most importantly, CRMs/ERPs/whatever acronym you want use are looking for this kind of bolt on type offering. 6.  There exists a place in this country called Sacopee. Yep, Sacopee, Maine, its mascot is the fighting colonoscopy bag (or the Hawks, potato-puhtato) and it is located just south of Mouthnipple, Canada.  This of course has nothing to do with SAAS, but it is something Money McBags thought you would all be curious to know. 7.  SAAS is a SAAS model which is the best revenue model in the world. SAAS is software as a service and it basically means companies sell the software on an ongoing basis and thus the revenues are recurring and stickier than the pages of an old Juggs magazine.  This model is much preferred to the traditional software model (though not preferred to the traditional runway model) where you actually sell the software in a one-time transaction and then maybe get some maintenance fees because this doesn't lead to the lumpy quarter problem and it is easier to predict revenues.  The point is, Money McBags loves this kind of recurring revenue model and SAAS has 92% retention rates (which is actually a bit low, but given the ponzeconomy™ it is possible that they saw an inordinate amount of customers going out of business). 8.  There are a lot of fucking issues:  They are unprofitable and have had to raise funds in the last year, there are bigger companies out there who have more resources to eventually do this better, their management team took way too long to put all of this shit together, their legacy business blows, there is some sort of issue at the playboy mansion causing people to get sick (perhaps Pauly Shore went skinny dipping in the grotto), sales in their software business are slowing (but again, Money McBags hears their management team just cocked up the sales pipeline in the last few Qs to try to push out a new version of the software, so that should be getting better, but one never knows), they lost two large customers last Q (~$225k in revenue), and margins fell. Valuation: Valuation gets a bit tricky because the company is overspending on marketing right now to ramp up quickly.  That said, lets look at a reasonable upside scenario,.  Say their legacy telephony business stays flat...TO READ THE REST GO TO THE AWARD WINNING WHEN GENIUS PREVAILED.... Tags: SAAS Feb 15 9:36 AM | Link | Comment! • Economic Update: Lies, Damn Lies, and The B(L)S Jobs Report Wow.  Just f*cking wow.  Even with stability in the Middle East more fragile than an osteoporosis sufferer's boney coccyx as Egyptian government officials join in the protests against their own government (which is a bit like Alan Greenspan protesting against fiat currency or Camille Crimson protesting against hummers) and Jordan contemplates reforms to lessen the monarchy's power (and newsflash King Abdullah, you might want to do some reading on Czar Alexander II because once you let Pandora out of the box, she's not going back in, it's called entropy (though if it were Brooklyn Decker's box that she were let out of, perhaps she would go back in)), with the jobs report not just relatively awful by missing guesses by a f*ckton, but absolutely awful by showing fewer jobs are being created than in Whoopi Goldberg's pants (and Money McBags is not entirely sure what that means), and with propoganda being spread to impressionable of age females that a rise in cancers are linked to oral sex, the market still went up.  Unf*ckingbelievable.  As the market seems to care about geopolitical unrest, a national depression, and anything tangible about as much as Mark Sanford cares about family values, all we can do is buy the f*cking rip. The big news was obviously the B(L)S jobs report which headlines lauded as a fantastic report as the unemployment rate dropped to 9.0% in a mathematical sleight of hand that would make Fibbonaci proud and Bernie Madoff's dick hard, the private sector added 50k jobs which would have been more if not for that frisky weather (and um, the f*cking depression), and the last two months of data were revised upwards by 20k each month (apparently the checks got lost in the mail). So while analysts try to spin this number as positive (even though it was more disappointing than the book Cooking with Pooh is for coprophiliacs who order it sight unseen) as it was way below their guesses of 145k and way f*cking below the whisper number of 180k (and as always, Money McBags only cares about whisper numbers if Kelly Brook is doing the whispering and the number is 69), Money McBags will break it down for you and show why it was so ugly that not even Bill Clinton would sleep with it.  So below are Money McBags' thoughts on the B(L)S employment situation report and the Street's reaction to it: 1.  Using the weather as an excuse for the ginormous miss is just f*cking absurd.  Honestly, the weather has now been blamed for everything from lower retail sales (except retail sales were actually decent), to the Protests in Egypt, to the Fat Boys breaking up.  Analysts point out that a big reason for the miss was that construction jobs were down 38k and transportation jobs were down 32k and those two sectors are most levered to bad weather (construction is also most levered to the glut of foreclosed homes available and the crash of home prices, but that's not important).  That said even if we add back the 70k jobs that were "weather related," the jobs report number would still be 25k below guesses.  But that is not the most important point here. The most important point is that these numbers are SEASONALLY F*CKING ADJUSTED (bolding intentional, because, yes Money McBags is yelling) which means that they should TAKE IN TO ACCOUNT THE WEATHER because, you know, THAT IS THE WHOLE F*CKING POINT OF SEASONALLY ADJUSTING SOMETHING.  Now look, Money McBags is no Willard Scott (and not just because he doesn't have a GMILF fetish), but as far as he can tell, the weather this past January wasn't any kind of anomaly (like Carrot Top's career), it was just kind of an average January, or at least within one standard deviation of a normal January.  So given that, the seasonal adjustment should have seasonally adjusted for the f*cking weather and thus this huge miss shouldn't have been caused by a little snow. 2.  The economy didn't really add 50k jobs, it only added 36k because the government cut 14k jobs which is a trend that promises to get worse than Rick Rolling or promise rings.  That said, there were 11k fewer temporary jobs which took away from the numbers, so one could say 47k permanent net jobs were added to the ponzeconomy™.  Either way, you need to keep your eye on these government numbers because they are only going to get worse (more importantly though, you need to keep your eye on these numbers). 3.  The 9% unemployment rate is more misleading than Citigroup's corporate derivatives team and it only takes third grad math to figure it out.  Just think about it.  All else being equal, if only 36k jobs were added and ~150k people enter the workforce every month, right off the f*cking bat we have ~100k more unemployed people going in to the population, and using the theory of something called Mathematics, that should cause the unemployment rate to increase, not decrease.  Of course the actual calculation has more moving parts than a Rube Goldberg machine or the Octomom's vagina, so it's not quite that clear cut (though it should be), but the point is that just using the headline numbers and saying unemployment dropped by .4% is intellectually bankrupt. Here is a simpler, logical way to think about it.  The unemployment rate went from 9.4% to 9.0% with the addition of 36k jobs, so that would imply that for every 9k jobs added, the rate goes down by .1%, holding everything else equal (and Money McBags would like to hold these equal).  So, using basic math, for a 1% drop in the unemployment rate, the ponzeconomy™ just needs to add 90k jobs and thus to get the rate down from 9%, to a cockposterous 0% full employment, never been reached before level, the ponzeconomy™ just needs to add 810k jobs.  Ok, sounds simple enough, but here is the part where our minds get blown (and please let it be Alice Eve doing the blowing, and it not be our minds), according to B(L)S' report, there are 13.9MM unemployed people, so if 810k jobs get added (and thus take unemployment to absolute zero, according to our calculations above), we'll still have 13.1MM people unemployed.  That's right, using the B(L)S' math, 13.1MM unemployed people equals a 0% unemployment rate which only makes sense in the land of Make Believe or Art Laffer's head.  Perhaps it's a derivative of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, we'll call it the Hildasolis uncertainty principle where the more you know the unemployment rate the less you know the number of unemployed.   So just step back from the numbers and think about this for a second (and then step back from that and think about this for a few hours). Anyway, the real reason unemployment dropped by .4% was that more people simply dropped the f*ck out of the workforce and thus the labor force participation fell from 64.3% to a record low 64.2%.  If the labor force participation rate had stayed at 64.3%, an extra ~300k people would have been added back to the unemployed bucket and back in to the labor force, boosting the 13.9k unemployed to ~14.2k and yielding an unemployment rate ~9.3%, which is pretty much flat with last month's number (though there is still some fudging in there that would bring the rate higher, but whatever). In all honesty, this remains the most brilliant government strategy since giving Marilyn Monroe a key to the back door.  Last month Money McBags called it the "F*ck off" strategy because simply telling the unemployed to f*ck off, and thus kicking them out of the labor force, is the quickest and easiest way to get the unemployment rate down.  Sure it doesn't make the economy better, and sure it is a bit heartless, but remember, the important thing isn't the numbers, but it is the perception of the numbers, and a 0% unemployment rate would be perceived as something as awesome as Tolstoy's War and Peace or Malene Espensen's t*ts.  So if you all elect Money McBags to office in the next round of elections when he heads up the BOGUS party, he promises you in his his first afternoon of work he will cut unemployment to 0% with just the stroke of a few keys.  Now that is some f*cking change we can believe in (and apparently another change we can believe in is ending sentences with prepositions, as somewhere the great William Safire rolls over in his grave). 4.  Just some quick stats:  6.2MM of the 13.9MM unemployed (which is 42%) are long-term unemployed, with the other 7.7MM being pre-long-term unemployed.  2.8MM were considered marginally attached to the workforce (up from 2.5MM) and they are as marginally attached to the work force as Egyptians are marginaly attached to Mubarak or Taco Bell is marginally attached to beef.  Of those not counted in the labor force, 1MM of them are "discouraged", which means the other 1.8MM are "f*cking discouraged." 5.  The U6 unemployment rate was 16.1%, unless you want it seasonally adjusted (and the seasons Money McBags likes in his adjustment are cayenne pepper and stripper juice), then it was 17.3%.  And since the U6 rate is a better measure of all employment because it includes the discouraged, the perplexed, and Mickey Rourke, and since it also negates the effect of the "f*ck off strategy," it is more bizarre that we don't refer to this when talking about unemployment than it is that trying to grow meat in a lab is so f*cking hard (because really, if you want to grow meat, just look at a picture of Sofia Vergara). 6.  Whatever this meinmyplace thing is, it is deliciously awesome (though unclear why it takes so long to load).  And yes, this has nothing to do with the jobs report, but one can only look at made up numbers for so long without a break. 7.  The last 2 months were revised up by 40k lifting job creation in November to 93k from 71k and in December to 121k from 103k, while dropping the B(L)S' credibility from none to Lindsay Lohan.  And this brings us to our most important point: 8.  ALL OF THESE NUMBERS ARE FULL OF SH*T ANYWAY (even moreso than Manuel Uribe's colonoscopy bag):  The B(L)S manipulates the numbers more by using seasonal adjustments, the fictitious Birth/Death goal seek model, benchmark revisions, and telling numbers it won't love them anymore if they don't do what it says.  It is these benchmark revisions which shoot down any credibility the No Labor Department might have had.  For instance, the 2.3MM job losses from April 2009 to March 2010 were just revised up to 2.6MM.  Come again?  And if you are Jennifer Metcalfe, then by all means, please come again.  But seriously, how the f*ck can they change numbers from over a year ago?  Sh*t, if tomorrow the NFL awarded the Arizona Cardinals the 2009 Super Bowl or the AVN awarded Kelly Madison 2010 MILF of the Year, don't you think those fine organizations would lose credibility (even if the lovely Ms. Madison deserved it)?  So why did Money McBags just waste all of his time analyzing this sh*t if it will just be a different number next month, next year, sh*t even next f*cking decade? Here is an example of how ridiculous these numbers are:  The Birth/death model black box model (and as always, the only model with a bigger black box is Nyomi Banxxx) had all of its numbers from the past year changed in the benchmark revisions.  No really, the numbers which were completely made up anyway, are now a different set of completely made up numbers so any analysis done with them (and Money McBags always shows the preposterousness of them) was all for f*cking naught.  Money McBags was so perplexed by these numbers having changed and by the birth/death model number for January coming in at an unheard of -339k (which is so far out of the norm that not it is not even within a Kim Kardashian fat tail of the mean), that he emailed some guy named Mish to see if he had any f*cking clue (and Mish got all down and dirty with it so Money McBags wouldn't have to, so enjoy, and if you need something to wake up after reading that, enjoy this).  So the 36k jobs added include a non-seasonally adjusted 339k somehow mashed in there.  Sounds credible to Money McBags. 9.  Ok, Money Mcbags has harped on the math plenty so far, but there is one more thing he is having trouble understanding (other than people who watch American Idol and how Minnie Driver has a career), so bear with him.  Last month, there were 14.485MM people unemployed, this month there were 13.9MM, for a difference of 585k.  So if 36k got new jobs, and the labor force was reduced by 504k (though the people not in the labor force only went up by 319k, so um, explain that, oh right, the total population fell by 185k somehow, must have been a breakout of that terrible "rounding error" disease), where did the other 45k to 230k people go? December Unemployed 14,485 Reduction in Labor Force (504) Jobs Added (36) ???? (45) January Unemployed 13,900 December Unemployed 14,485 Increase in "Not in Labor Force" (319) Jobs Added (36) ???? (230) January Unemployed 13,900 Perhaps the unaccounted for are the new "Lost Generation." As usual, if you care about the made up numbers that are going to change anyway, here are the details from Table B: January Change in Jobs # Government Jobs Govt Full Time (14,000) Total Govt (14,000) Permanent Private Sector Jobs Financial Servives (10,000) Other 5,000 Professional Services 42,400 Information (1,000) Transportation (38,000) Retail trade 27,500 Wholesale Trade 9,200 Education and Healthcare 13,000 Leisure and Hospitaility (3,000) Mining 1,000 Manufacturing 49,000 Construction (32,000) Plug (1,700) Total Permanent Private Sector 61,400 Temporary Private Sector Jobs (11,400) Total Permanent Jobs # 36,000 Birth/Death Model Plug An anomalous -339,000 Actual Jobs # Go F*ck Yourself So now that we have established that the jobs report was not just awful, but manipulatedly gibberish and likely to be changed later anyway, you should all write your news reporters/columnists/prevaricators when they hype up how great the drop in the unemployment rate was.  Sh*t, even Bloomberg ate a dick on this one as they reported: "The improvement underlying the drop in the unemployment rate is in sync with reports that show the economy is gathering momentum, which in turn would bolster job growth in coming months." Umm, Bloomberg, please read the above 2k words to see THAT THERE WAS NO F*CKING IMPROVEMENT UNDERLYING ANY JOBS REPORT (except for 36k more jobs which will do as much for fixing the economy as a kleenex will do for Barbra Streisand when she sneezes). Anyway, Money McBags always has more at THE AWARD WINNING WHEN GENIUS PREVAILED.  And if you need your Money McBags fix during the day, he is known to frequent the Twitter, the Facebook, and the Rick's Cabaret where he is not just a shareholder (who happens to be up 13% in a month since buying back), but he's also a client. Feb 08 10:08 AM | Link | Comment! • Surely You Can't Like CRUS. Money McBags Does Like CRUS, and Don't Call Him Shirley. Money McBags did a quick analysis of CRUS yesterday and today he was able to go through their transcript and he has to say, he was actually pretty f*cking surprised by how positive management sounded so perhaps there is still nice upside here.  Below are Money McBags' takeaways from the call. 1.  This company is still driven by AAPL, but sh*t, if you're going to be driven by something other than Malene Espensen, then why the f*ck not AAPL?  54% of revenues came from AAPL and they "are engaged with them on multiple new developments" their relationship continues to be "outstanding," visibility "remains excellent" and they expect to grow revenue with AAPL "substantially this year."  And yes, for any CRUS shareholder that should have made their dicks hard (or for female shareholders, their pedicures dry quickly).  As the AAPL relationship goes, so goes this company and while AAPL has a reputation for not letting suppliers get any kind of bargaining power over them, CRUS is still just one little f*cking socket in what AAPL does, like a tick on a whale, or a mole on Gabourey Sidibe.  In theory, AAPL likes CRUS because their audio chips kick the sh*t out of the competition and there is supposedly a pretty wide gap between CRUS and their competition (though not as wide as the gap between the hotness of Mark Sanford's mistress and his cheated on wife, which explains why he eschewed his BS family values schtick like all good politicians).  So as long as AAPL is concerned about quality, there is no reason for this relationship to end any time soon, that said, Money McBags does worry about pricing power even if guidance is for that to be steady. 2.  There is now a tablet opportunity for their chip and this could be really exciting, like an invitation to Charlie Sheen's new house. Management was kind of coy about this on the call saying:  "It is one of the ones you would want to be in. I'm not going -- we're not in all of the ones I would like to see us in the long-term but at the same time, it is definitely in one of the better names. It has got a pretty good channel.  A customer we've currently got a reasonable amount of business with as well." So, umm, it certainly could be the iPad and if so, that could be a f*cking huge boost to earnings because iPads continue to sell faster than money or tickets to an Alice Eve taint tickling booth.  This bears keeping an eye on (while this bears keeping two eyes on). 3.  There could be some upside in the energy business, but who the f*ck really knows.  This Q was hurt by their seismic business which they said on the call is always hard to forecast but picked back up at the end of the Q.  They also seem to remain bullish on their power meter business, that said, they talked about a really f*cking interesting potential opportunity with their LED business.  Now look, Money McBags is no engineer (though he is always happy to be first in line to run a train if need be), and he's not 100% sure of what this LED market opportunity really is, but on the call management said about the LED potential: "if you look at the landscape in the market place, sometime between now and 2015, you go from a $40 million unit kind of a market, $40 millionish to $1 or $2 billion, and so you know, we're probably not going to get 100% of that market but I don't mind splitting a billion units." So um, who doesn't like a market that is going to grow from nothing to f*cking something really interesting in four to five years.  Money McBags wouldn't forecast anything from this in his numbers, but it is definitely something that could provide upside. 4.  Management is kind of a bit douchey.   Ok, Money McBags is sure this sounded better than it read, but CRUS' CEO said "Our biggest problems are that our largest customer is the best company in the world" and "It will be a challenge to hire enough engineers that meet our standards in order to staff everything we want to do going forward." First of all, Vivid Video is not their largest customer, so the first statement is false, but secondly, hey good for them that they are all up in AAPL's dilznik right now (and that may be an overly technical term, but whatever), but that statement reeks of the beginning of hubris and this company has nothing about which to be cocky since they have almost no control over their sales.  Yeah, it was a meaningless and kind of flippant comment, but Money McBags knows the second you start getting cocky about sh*t like that and take your eye off the ball, you figuratively and literally get a dick in the face.  This is what Money McBags would have liked to have heard "our biggest problem is that even though out largest customer is the best company in the world, it means we have to try even harder to diversify our revenue base and continue to raise our standards to meet that large customer's needsFinding the talent to keep doing that will be challenging, but our goal is to continue to find success for the long-term."  Was that so f*cking hard?  And trust Money McBags, if he is the one coaching you on CEO-speak, you may want to take that extra management class. 5.  NOLs are coming (and not just because they recently found the work of Riley Steele).  This isn't that big of a deal, but it should make their GAAP financials look a bit different from now on.  They are going to take a $100MM non-cash income benefit in Q4 in order to properly value their deferred tax asset and then use a 35% non-cash tax rate for.....READ THE REST AT THE AWARD WINNING WHEN GENIUS PREVAILED Tags: CRUS Feb 01 9:37 AM | Link | Comment! 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Forgot your password? Keeping Cool May Be the Key To Longevity 224 Posted by Zonk from the everybody-be-cool-you-be-cool dept. merryprankster writes "New Scientist reports that Scripps Research Institute scientists have found that lowering the body temperature of mice by just 0.5C extends their lifespan by around 15%. Until now the only proven way of increasing longevity has been calorie restriction — but as this also causes a lowering of body temperature the researchers speculate that this cooling may be the underlying mechanism retarding aging. In this study mice with a defect in their lateral hypothalamus, which has the side effect of cooling body temperature, not only lived longer but also ate normal amounts." Keeping Cool May Be the Key To Longevity Comments Filter: • Sweet! (Score:3, Funny) by Aadain2001 (684036) on Friday November 03, 2006 @04:16PM (#16707981) Journal Alaska, here I come! • Confusing title (Score:3, Insightful) by Gregory Cox (997625) Despite the title, and all the comments talking about living in a low-temperature environment, I hope people realise that turning down the thermostat or moving to Alaska is not going to make a difference. I'm sure most people remember, but just in case, internal body temperature is carefully regulated by your brain, and won't change unless you catch a fever, or start freezing, in which case you have other problems to worry about. As for the results of this study, lab mice are not humans, and correlation does • by Ruff_ilb (769396) Eh, I wouldn't necessarily say that it would have some negative effect on chances of survival. Remember, it only has to do with living long enough to have lots of babies. After that, you don't really matter to evolution. Also, keep in mind that we have plenty of former defense mechanisms (storing lots of excess energy as fat, anyone?) that aren't very useful to us now. • Re:Confusing title (Score:5, Interesting) by radtea (464814) on Friday November 03, 2006 @05:11PM (#16708819) That is probably not true for humans. Humans are creatures of culture: accumulated, collectively held knowledge. The people who transmit culture are elders--in modern society, grandparents. They remember how they raised you, and when you have kids they provide guidance that effectively transmits traditions, habits and beliefs across generations. You, on the other hand, don't remember how you were raised, certainly not at a very early age. This may explain why humans live twice as long as they "should". One way of normalizing lifespan across species is to measure it in heartbeats. All mammals except humans live about one billion heartbeats. The range is around 0.7 to 1.1 billion. Humans live over two billion heartbeats, far outside the range of all other mammals. One plausible reason for this is that human groups that had more elders were more effectively able to accumulate knowledge across generations, and therefore were more successful. Not everyone would have to survive into old age to make this effective, but everyone would have to have the capacity to survive into old age to make it likely that a few members of each generation would. Ergo, until mouse model results are proven in humans--which so far as I know CR etc has not been--they are interesting, but not nearly so promising as one might naively think. We may already be so heavily optimized for long life that the simple tricks that work well for other species are considerably less effective for us. • When we developed fire, evolution stopped because the pressure had been removed. When we first evolved, it was 1 billion heartbeats. Technology made medicine and better nutrition, which improved our lifespan significantly. It's not evolutionary, it's technology. • After that, you don't really matter to evolution. Untrue. We are social creatures. There is strong evidence to suggest that having grandparents around turned out to be a huge advantage to humans. By having experience in the society, parenting improved., and shared child rearing improved survival rates. Parent post is an example of way oversimplified evolutionary theory. • by BigDogCH (760290) Yup, having grandparents was probably important back several thousand years ago, now we just stick them in an old-folks-home. Now they are a hindrance! • by drinkypoo (153816) Actually, we store excess fat and carbohydrates as fat. We don't get energy until we convert 'em to glucose (or ketones!) and then burn them. If we would back off on the carbohydrates, and most importantly stop eating more calories than we burn while we sit on our asses, then we wouldn't get fat. Besides, the ability to store energy is still potentially useful when civilization crashes due to the time_t bug :) Seriously though, the thing that's not helping us today isn't that we store fat - that's stil • by thc69 (98798) For instance, you're definitely burning fat reserves when you run a marathon. Actually, if you catch me running a marathon, then I'm already burning in hell. • After that, you don't really matter to evolution. I've heard people post this before, and it's really a bizarre notion. And easily proven wrong -- I have two groups of people. One group evolves the behavior that anyone over child-bearing age gets a overwheming desire to sacrifice their life at any cost to protect a child. The other group evolves a behavior that once you get beyond child-bearing age, you have an overwhelming desire to kill children. Which group is going thrive better? By your logic, it sh • Re: (Score:3, Funny) by Intron (870560) How about when anyone past child-bearing age gets an overwhelming desire to tell you how you're getting fat, how well your siblings are doing compared to you and how you married the wrong person? Worker bees and worker ants don't have babies by definition. Don't bees and ants evolve sophisticated worker traits? How can the workers not "matter to evolution"? • They are talking about core body temperature, not your cubicle temperature. So, the question is this - If "they" can offer you a gene-splice "cure" for aging that involves you looking like a crocodile or turtle for the next 200 years, do you want it? What if you could double your lifespan, but think twice as slow? • Both good questions, but they need to be followed up with further questions. 1) does the gene-cure include a tweak that makes crocoturtle people seem more attractive too? 2) (assuming "twice as slow" means, "half as fast") slow as in IQ-70? or slow as in the handicapped genius kid from "Malcolm in the Middle?" • I wonder what implications this has for those humans whose *normal* body temperature is BELOW the standard 98.6F?? Frex, mine is typically around 97.5F or even a little lower; at 98.6F, I'm actually running enough of a fever to *notice* that I don't feel well. [Consults thermometer known to be accurate] At the moment, it's 96.9F, which starts to border on a feeling of "I could use a hot cuppa," but I'm not yet really chilled. A friend also has naturally low body temp, and the other things we have in common is • Alaska, here I come! That seems to be working for Ted 'Internet Tubes' Stevens. That guy is seriously old. • Thermostat (Score:4, Funny) by Apocalypse111 (597674) on Friday November 03, 2006 @04:18PM (#16707997) Journal So when my dad kept yelling at me not to touch the thermostat, to keep it at 60 degrees, he was really trying to help me live longer? Thanks Dad! • by Ana10g (966013) Wait, so does this mean that when Grandma keeps the thermostat at 150F at the nursing home, she's actually trying to kill herself? WHY GRANDMA, WHY? • Re: (Score:3, Funny) by Apocalypse111 (597674) No, she only turns it up when you're around. She can't afford to keep giving you holiday presents on her fixed income, and decided the best solution was to remove you from the picture. For your own safety, I suggest you bribe the nursing staff to put her on heavy sedatives, and get her an electric blanket on her next birthday - that way she'll be too sleepy and comfortable to resume plotting your demise, and you will have effectively turned the tables on the murderous old bag. Old people try to do these • Oh crap (Score:2, Funny) by FhnuZoag (875558) Then with global warming, we'd be truly screwed, eh? • It did extend the life by 12-20%, but what will happen in case there is an infection? Wouldnt this force us to have relatively poor immunity to diseases ? In the end, would this even out? • Last I checked, that's what fevers were for. • As a close friend with a degree in Foods and Nutrition points out: The rodent calorie-restriction longevity increase only shows up in laboratory settings, where the rodents are protected from exposure to infectious agents. When they are allowed such exposure, they prove to be much more susceptable to them, becoming ill more easily and dying form it ditto. So calorie restriction in ordinary environments REDUCES lifespan from this effect alone (i.e. not counting competitive disadvantages of underfeeding). • So now we need to compare experimental scientists on a calorie-restricted diet with theoretical scientists. If the experimental scientists live longer we know that it's because they eat fewer calories AND spend most of their time in a lab, and that the rest of us need to do more lab time. • by AxelBoldt (1490) That's a very interesting result, do you happen to have a pointer to the paper? • Global warming is bad for your health. • Ice cream! (Score:4, Funny) by Rob T Firefly (844560) on Friday November 03, 2006 @04:22PM (#16708069) Homepage Journal Excuse me, I'm off to 31 Flavors. My very life depends on it! • Excuse me, I'm off to 31 Flavors. My very life depends on it! Actually, I remember seeing something on TV once (was it on Supersize Me?) that the founders of Baskin Robbins died young of heart disease... explain that one science! • by drinkypoo (153816) Well, it's worth mentioning that the inventor of the Atkins diet actually had a congenital heart defect but ended up dying because he slipped on some ice outside his house and hit his poor old head. (No signs of cardiac arrest, besides the fact that you can tell when someone's dead because their heart isn't beating.) No idea about the B-R people but eating a bunch of ice cream all the time is generally considered to be an unhealthy activity. • by robpoe (578975) it was on supersize me .. and something about they died early or at least had bypasses at an early age • The glorious Air Conditioner! • They ran commercials years ago showing people from the frigid north somewhere (Russia maybe)? eating Dannon yogurt and living to 100 years old. This is nothing new. • Live 80 years or so compfortable and warm, than freezing for 90 years or so! This is a line from the computergame Aqua Nox. • So when people complain that I'm weird for liking a data center cold enough in which to hang meat, I'll have the last laugh? Enjoy your warm, short life in those cozy, tropical getaways, suckers! I'll be here configuring a new web appliance in one of my racks, freezing my ass off and barely able to type with my cold, stiff hands. Hah! I win! • Huh, I thought those guys in the server room looked a bit young for their age... • Let's see... .5C for 15% extension of life... so 150C decrease in temperature should yeild a 3000% extension.... Freeze me! • I for one welcome our 15% longer living, micro-cryo-frozen mutantmice! • This has been discussed many times with the folk-science of elders in colder climates around the world for centuries. If the landscape wasn't violent as well as cold, people up North just seem to live longer. • Interesting question. The article says: This may be because the body burns less fuel when it is at a lower temperature, which results in the production of fewer free-radical compounds that damage cells and promote the wear and tear of ageing. So is there an evolutionary advantage with having a lower body temperature in colder climates? Maybe there is. Since having a lower bodytemperature means having a lower basal metabolism you'd be able to make do with less food than someone with a high basal metabolism • The opposite may be true. Lower external temperature means your body will have to generate more heat for homeostasis - to maintain your body's internal temperature. That means more chemical reactions need to occur which means it will burn more fuel. • And a individual with a need for a higher internal temperature would therefor be at a double disadvantage in the local (lower-temperature) biotope: they would need more fuel and they would have more, possibly harmful, chemical reactions. So, if (and only if) the proposed free-radical theory holds then it would seem to me that in a warmer biotope nothing stops the free-radical reactions while in a colder biotope there could be a advantage with a lower body temperature. And one could add to that fact that i • While it's great that this research was carried out and has provided some reasoning behind caloric restriction, it's not a very shocking finding at all. The aging process is just a series of chemical reactions, some that we understand, some that we do not. Most organic reactions are slowed down significantly by relatively small decreases in ambient energy (lowering temp). Hence aging process should be expected to slow down as well. • So, if your woman is frigid, will she live longer? • ...will we live longer? No, really! I have a bodytemp that's about 36.5 C / 97.7 F. Not so cool otherwise I guess. • I was kind of thinking the opposite for myself. I have a high metabolism and thus a high body temp. Plus I live in Texas. Guess I'm screwed. • by blackbear (587044) Ha! Got you beat. Mine typically varies between 97.4-97.6F. The last time I gave blood (double unit of red cells) it was 97.1F on a nice warm day. (Body temp measured before the blood draw.) The thing is, I've never heard of anyone else having an average body temprature a full degree below the human average. Perhaps it's not that uncommon. • by DCheesi (150068) I'm another one that's about a degree low; I usually read between 97.5 and 98.0. I'm not sure exactly because none of my thermometers have been that accurate, but I do know that I've never read out at 98.5 or above unless I was sick. Speaking of which, I should point out that AFAICT I don't get sick any more often than the average person (maybe less often). Which should serve as at least anecdotal evidence agianst the people claiming this would weaken the immune system... • by smchris (464899) The occasional childhood problem was making people believe I felt lousy. Some viruses can make you feel pretty crummy with only a degree or so of fever. As a down side I wonder if that is a contributing factor to my borderline obesity. I do feel noticeably and unpleasantly cold when I am hungry. And I hate with a passion levels of office air conditioning that others seem to find tolerable. Since we are taking names, probably the most famous low temperature person? George W. Bush President Bush Sails Thro • of course! (Score:4, Funny) by GrumpySimon (707671) <[email protected]> on Friday November 03, 2006 @04:35PM (#16708309) Homepage The Fonz will NEVER die! Oh, wrong 'cool'. My bad. • My body temp is usually a little high, around 99 f. Nice knowing you guys. • So looks like the UK Govt has an excuse to stop paying winter fuel top-ups to OAPs then. • As a member of the calorie restriction society I have one thing to say: Ohhhh my god give me a sandwich! • by kthejoker (931838) on Friday November 03, 2006 @05:29PM (#16709107) Lest we be fooled, lowering your body temperature as a warm-blooded person is impossible. What the researchers actually did was artificially inject a protein that when unfolding generated higher amounts of heat than normal proteins into the hypothalamus. This tricked the mouse's brain into lowering its internal thermostat. This is more like holding a match to a thermometer which can trigger a fire alarm. It's fooling a local sensor to simulate a global sensation. So you can't eat ice cream, or live in Antarctica, or whatever to fool it. You have to trick your brain. Even better, at this tricked out brain level, you need less calories to survive because your brain doesn't turn on its "must store fat" warning level as quickly. So this might be a good cure for obesity in the future. But seriously, how cool is it that they can use a heat-generating protein to trick a mouse's brain? I love how neurology proves how gullible we are. • by ceoyoyo (59147) Impossible hey? Come here, I have a nice semi-frozen pond to show you. Bet you $1000 I can lower your body temperature with just one push. Agreed. In fact, cooling your core body temperature by environmental means would actually cause you to burn more calories to maintain homeostasis. • by Oxen (879661) First of all, they didn't inject a protein, the genetically engineered the mouse to express a protein in the brain. Second of all, it is certainly possible to lower the temperature of a warm blooded animal, you just have to add some hydrogen sulfide. http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/04/ [slashdot.org] • Do people in Finland, Russia, Alaska, Canada, etc... live on average %15 longer than people who live in warmer climates? Okay... those in warmer climates who die of old age, not starvation, disease, war, etc... • Scandinavia (note, not the Nordic countries, so this excludes Finland) has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, IIRC. I think it's more to do with universal access to healthcare, some of the best in the world, high standards of living, etc. The cold can't hurt either, apparently! • I don't have time to read the article, but this kind of makes sense. Especially from a nerd point of view. The hotter something is, the more energy it uses. For humans this requires more fuel which means more calories. It stands to reason that we're on borrowed time and just wearing out our parts. Take care of them and you live longer. • I gotta be cold, hungry and drink red wine in moderation while eating fish and vegetables if I want to live longer. And apparently become a Super Villian. As long as I don't have to have that fake Austrian accent. Man, and what's up with all the stuff I now have to do to write a comment? Geez. • Actually, if you follow the link from the blurb, you will find the idea of calorie restriction increasing longevity is contraversial. A rat will eat itself to death, that doesn't mean that starving yourself makes you live longer. • The biophysical mechanism in the article makes sense. Reactive oxygen species (i.e., the "free radicals", like superoxide and hydrogen peroxide) are generated in the mitochondria during metabolism. The bulk of the ROS's are scavenged before they can cause harm, but those that aren't neutralized can damage biological molecules (e.g., proteins, lipids, and DNA). On a slightly unrelated note that might make this a bit more concrete, UV rays generate ROS's when they strike biological moleculues in the skin. Th • Does this mean you stay younger longer, or older longer?

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Forgot your password? Comment: Re:Wow, this generation sucks. (Score 3) 134 by Beriaru (#39619309) Attached to: America's Secret Underground Ice Fortresses It also says that after getting it running, the necessity of better shielding was discovered. Oh, and do not forget that the reactor discharged its radioactive liquid waste (47,078 gallons in total for 33 months) directly into the icecap. One has to wonder why they discontinued that type of portable reactors *rollseyes*. Comment: Re:Computers are too reliable (Score 1) 403 by Beriaru (#38096066) Attached to: Why Do Companies Backup So Infrequently? Because for them, as any other industry with a few decades of history, TI is nothing but a replacement of paper, ink and mail. Drawings, memos, invoices... all of these were paper 30 years ago, and they got stacked in a warehouse. A fire was a real threat, but what can you do? The original was the original, and a copy of an invoice doesn't have the same valor than the true original (you can see the culture of the original in all its glory in courts, where I've seen a judge ask for the true original email sent to prove the copy wasn't tampered). Nowadays people still work the same ways. Tradition has a lot of inertia, and doing backups is not part of that tradition. Comment: Re:I smiled for a moment... (Score 4, Informative) 229 by Beriaru (#34650742) Attached to: Spanish Congress Rejects Internet Censorship Law Yep, they worry about soccer. You're not spanish, or if you are, you're in denial. Spain had our laws and constitution stomped a week ago and nobody gave a damn. Had our worker rights ripped apart and nobody gave a damn. Our politics are a wealthy elite and the crisis don't touch them, but nobody-give-a-damn! BUT, if you touch a local soccer team or closes music or video downloads, hell breaks loose. This is Spain, and that's the reality in Spain. by Beriaru (#34650052) Attached to: Spanish Congress Rejects Internet Censorship Law The citizen awareness was high because the sharing webpages closed showing the notice of the intent of the government of passing the law as a 'petty topic' so it could approve it without public discussion. That raised protest, a DDoS attack to the web pages of ALL politic groups, a flood of emails and calls to the politics, and so on. That incidents produced some notices in national media that raised more the awareness of the public opinion. At last, the politic groups was intimidated. The situation in Spain is critical, with a 20% of unemployment and a brutal credit crunch. So a high unpopular law as that could 'spark' some unrest.

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Forgot your password? Comment: What is a "vocational school?" (Score 1) 141 by westlake (#46475171) Attached to: Is the New "Common Core SAT" Bill Gates' Doing? Many of the most successful countries with test results, have a school system where only the best continue on to more schooling the rest go to vocational schools. I am not sure what a "vocational school" is in a post-industrial environment. I am not even sure any more what "best" means in this context. Comment: Re:Becuz (Score 3, Interesting) 141 by Marxist Hacker 42 (#46475129) Attached to: Is the New "Common Core SAT" Bill Gates' Doing? Where to begin? Denial of reading the classics. The elimination of poetry and Shakespeare. Replacement with texts designed to limit vocabulary and more importantly, limit thinking. The almost assured dropout rate of at least 34% as the kids too stupid to achieve common core drop out from frustration and the kids too smart for common core drop out from boredom. It's likely great for the 68% of the kids in the middle of the bell curve, but universal literacy is not going to be accomplished under it anymore. Comment: Re:I went back to corporate America because Obamac (Score 1) 400 by operagost (#46473953) Attached to: White House: Get ACA Insurance Coverage, Launch Start-Ups Because $6,700 is real chump change. I know families where both parents work for at least 40 hours a week, and they have outstanding medical bills of just a few thousand dollars that they can't pay. Racking up $6,700 a year, plus the few hundred a month, is only going to make things worse. This is absolutely NOT helping the people who the administration claimed it would.

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Forgot your password? Bethesda Criticized Over Buggy Releases 397 Posted by Soulskill Fatal System Error 104 Posted by samzenpus from the read-all-about-it dept. brothke writes "As computing and technology has evolved, so too have the security threats correspondingly evolved. The classic Yankee Doodle virus of 1989 did minimal damage, all while playing a patriotic, albeit monotone song. In 2010, aggressive malware now executes in stealth mode, running in the background with an oblivious end-user, and antivirus software that can’t detect it." Read on for the rest of Ben's review. Comment: Good for technology != Good for Art (Score 2) 296 by Darth Dave (#1529306) Attached to: Copyright! I started reading this article from the perspective of someone who has personally witnessed RIAA scare tactics and the damage they can do. By the time I was halfway through, I realized the article was written by one of the people who give the RIAA their excuses to abuse the powers they've been granted. The open source philosophy is a wonderful thing. If you're reading slashdot, you know all about how it can increase colaboration, speed up development time, and contribute to creating a more functional product. But this philosophy simply doesn't apply to art. The element that makes art such a beautiful thing is its unique expression of an individual's viewpoint. In art, collaboration is unnecessary (and potenetially harmful), devel time is irrelevant, and "a more functional product" equals the Backstreet Boys. Sure, it sucks that most recording artists only receive a few pennies for every CD they sell and that "big, evil corporations" seem to control the record industry; that's what makes online distribution such a revolutionary thing. The Artist (FKAP) can sell albums directly from his website (either as MP3, another format, or by mail) and receive all the profit in return. Is there something wrong with that? Is there some reason that you, me, or anyone else should have the right (after 5 years or any other amount of time) to take his art and modify and distribute it as we see fit? Let Disney keep Mickey as long as they want; it's by far the lesser of two evils. Don't give the RIAA an excuse to bully people who have done nothing wrong (see what happened to the Smashing Pumpkins Audio Archive for a case study), or to force out MP3's in favor of a format they can control. Respect the rights of artists - they don't owe you anything, but if you take pleasure in what they've created, you owe them a debt you'll probably never be able to repay.

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Forgot your password? Comment: Slashdot Libertarians... (Score 1) 245 by Lendrick (#46284017) Attached to: White House Responds To Net Neutrality Petition I love how all the Slashdot Libertarians who are all about Internet Corporate Freedom (that is, against any laws the actually protect consumers from selective throttling and other anti-neutrality bullshit) are suddenly in favor of net neutrality now that the Obama administration has said that they're not going to do anything about it. Comment: It was like this a deacde ago, too. (Score 4, Interesting) 282 by Lendrick (#45977669) Attached to: Intel Dev: GTK's Biggest Problem, and What Qt Does Better Comment: Re:News for Nerds? (Score 1) 265 by Lendrick (#45956435) Attached to: Engineers: Traffic Studies Use Simulation Software, Not Lane Closings I know, right? You look all over the place for credible reports of Democrats being this shady, and all you get are unconfirmed internet comments about unnamed Democratic governors closing down DMVs, without a source or even the name of the state it supposedly happened in. Then the liberal media doesn't report it, for lame reasons like "it didn't really happen". Fairness in reporting demands that they report on Democratic scandals too. And if they can't find one, they need to make one up. Comment: I really hope the closed ecosystem fails hard. (Score 1) 1009 by Lendrick (#45942085) Attached to: Windows 9 Already? Apparently, Yes. Conceptually I don't have a problem with an app store or a tablet interface (provided they don't take away my fucking start menu), but I *do* have a problem with the fact that they're trying to pull an iOS and phase in a closed ecosystem where the only way to get apps is to go through their app store. From a competition standpoint, no good can come of it. It's pushing us more toward expensive, locked down appliances and away from general purpose computers. That said, I have to speculate that part of the reason people don't know how badly Windows 8 is doing is that Microsoft likely learned from their Vista failure and has hired marketing firms to canvas the internet with positive comments about it so that people don't realize how unpopular it actually is.

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Forgot your password? Comment: Re:Not imposing common carrier status (Score 1) 235 by RLaager (#46290017) Attached to: FCC Planning Rule Changes To Restore US Net Neutrality I'm pretty sure if you try to disrupt the telephone network, the phone company has every right to disconnect you or take other measures. I don't see how the ISP side should be any different. FWIW, I work for a small, rural, independent telephone company that also provides Internet. Comment: Re:Good. We can stop relying on people who... (Score 1) 731 by RLaager (#46218669) Attached to: Death Hovers Politely For Americans' Swipe-and-Sign Credit Cards They should have checked your ID since the card was unsigned. Also, Visa does more-or-less prohibit the checking of IDs; from the guidelines, "merchants cannot as part of their regular card acceptance procedures refuse to complete a purchase transaction because a cardholder refuses to provide ID": http://usa.visa.com/download/m... Comment: Re:What is their obligation to you? (Score 3, Interesting) 376 by RLaager (#41667335) Attached to: FCC To Allow Cable Companies To Encrypt Over-the-Air Channels Cable companies...generally don't PAY for [local channels]. So they don't get to CHARGE for them since the originator of the programming gets nothing from them. For what it's worth, this used to be the case, but is not any more. Many local channels have switched from "must-carry", where the cable company has to carry them, but doesn't have to pay, to "retransmission consent" where they can charge the cable company. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Must-carry#United_States Comment: Re:File under "No shit Sherlock" (Score 1) 228 by RLaager (#40942145) Attached to: ISPs Throttling BitTorrent Traffic, Study Finds Would you also unblock the file and print sharing ports on request? It's never come up and we don't expect it to, so we don't have a formal policy on those ports. At our size, we can deal case-by-case. If someone had a legal use case, we'd make sure their needs were met; this may or may not involve unblocking the port(s). Using the port 25 blocking as an example... if someone says, "I can't send email from my Gmail address using Outlook.", we say, "Use port 587. Here's how...". This limits the number of exceptions and maintains as much of the security as is possible. However, if they say, "I use Linux and want a proper MTA setup.", we say "We'll unblock port 25. Please make sure to secure your mail server so it can't be use to send spam." Comment: Re:File under "No shit Sherlock" (Score 2) 228 by RLaager (#40940743) Attached to: ISPs Throttling BitTorrent Traffic, Study Finds I work for a small, rural ISP. When we advertise X Mbps, a properly working (i.e. not virus laden or too old to get X Mbps on its own) computer will actually get X Mbps to our speed test. In other words, we overprovision the customer's service to account for not just access technology overhead (e.g. ATM for ADSL), but TCP/IP (+HTTP) overhead as well. Our speed test is from Ookla (a popular speed test vendor) and is not doctored in any way; we just can't guarantee speeds to random speed test servers on the Internet. Congestion within our network or on our upstream links would be considered a serious outage. However, if, for example in the case of DSL, your line is simply too long to get X Mbps, you won't; most customers in that position are grateful for whatever they can get. But if you felt we cheated you, canceled your service, and demanded a refund for that first month, you'd get it. (We only require contracts on one type of Internet service--terrestial, fixed location wireless--because of the cost of the equipment and the install, but we'd waive the contract term in such a case.) Aside from enforcing the speed purchased, we don't shape, throttle, or do evil things to traffic on customer Internet connections, except by customer request. (We offer an *optional*, opt-in service that blocks porn sites using an HTTP proxy.) We don't prioritize or de-prioritize particular packets on customer Internet connections by source, destination, or anything else. However, for security reasons, we block the Microsoft file and print sharing ports (which nobody should use directly over the Internet anyway) and outgoing port 25 (SMTP) traffic. The latter makes a huge difference in blocking spam from infected customer computers. If you ask for port 25 to be unblocked on your connection, we will unblock it. Personally, I think this is exactly how ISPs should behave. Anything I should do differently? Is this an "Internet connection", or does the port blocking disqualify it? Other random details: Our DNS servers verify DNSSEC, but accept expired signatures to avoid customer complaints every time an otherwise working domain forgets to rollover their keys. We unfortunately do not yet sign our own domains and don't yet support IPv6 everywhere, but are working on both. (We only finally got redundant IPv6 upstreams earlier this year after making significant changes to which networks we buy from because one upstream has ignored literally years of IPv6 requests from us.) Comment: Re:Why Not Include Recovery Media Instead? (Score 1) 133 by RLaager (#37654616) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Create Custom Recovery Partitions With FOSS? I wish that manufacturers would internally install an SD card or flash drive with the hardware write-protect switch set. This provides all the advantages of optical recovery media (write-protected and separate from the hard drive) plus the advantage of a recovery partition (it's not separate, so it can't get misplaced). Comment: Re:Let me be the first to say (Score 2) 102 by RLaager (#37348566) Attached to: Russian Space Agency Determines Cause of Soyuz Crash This isn't about spaceflight, so it isn't directly applicable here, but... I was always curious about a $1 bid, so I asked someone in the construction industry. He said that one of the requirements on every job is a "completion bond". This is a bond from an insurance company that will pay to have the project completed to the requirements if the bidder fails to do so themselves. So, if you get an insurance company to underwrite a bond on your $1 bid, the buyer doesn't care. If you don't build it, your insurance company will pay someone else to do so. Either way, they get what they requested for your bid of $1. If you don't get the bond, they'll never accept your bid in the first place. How does the buyer ensure you're meeting the requirements? They have inspectors. As with any contract dispute, if you say you completed the project to requirements and the buyer says you didn't, ultimately a court will have to decide who's right. Comment: Re:Power should cost more during day time. (Score 1) 325 by RLaager (#36315228) Attached to: Using Flywheels to Meet Peak Power Grid Demands To the majority of us, "off-peak" means those times which we are either at work or asleep. Do you propose people wake up at 3 a.m. to wash their clothes? Run home during lunch to take a shower? My dishwasher has a timer delay feature. I use it already even though I don't have time-of-use billing because I can shift the noise to a time when I'm not near it. If my washer had a timer, I could wash one load of clothes during the day and/or one during the night, depending on when the off-peak hours were. Likewise for drying. A given load could take up to two days to get washed and dried, but that's not a huge problem. In fact, I already prefer doing one (full) load at a time more often than batching it up and doing laundry all day. Comment: Re:Misleading... (Score 1) 389 by RLaager (#35227910) Attached to: Lawmaker Reintroduces WikiLeaks Prosecution Bill How would you define "ex post facto law"? As it turns out, my definition seems to match Calder v. Bull, which is apparently the relevant precedent in the U.S.: -- Calder v. Bull, 3 U.S. 386 (1798) Comment: Re:Misleading... (Score 5, Insightful) 389 by RLaager (#35226864) Attached to: Lawmaker Reintroduces WikiLeaks Prosecution Bill Retroactively granting someone immunity (which is a limited form of retroactively making something legal) is very different from making something retroactively illegal. For example, if Congress were to repeal the prohibitions on marijuana and apply that retroactively, people could be released from jail. On the other hand, if Congress made possession of ibuprofen illegal retroactively, the fact that someone owned Advil (and took it all) last year could land them in jail. I'm not a lawyer, but it seems that making something legal retroactively would not run afoul of the constitutional prohibition on ex post facto laws. I'm not taking a position, in this post, on the wiretapping immunity law itself, the legality of said wiretapping, or the legality of Congress granting such immunity.

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Forgot your password? + - Universities Hold Transcripts Hostage Over Loans Submitted by Hugh Pickens writes Comment: Re:It can be a blurry line (Score 1) 129 by omgwtfroflbbqwasd (#31604488) Attached to: Who Should Own Your Smartphone? First things first. Is "company data" - email, contacts, files - accessible from your phone? If so, they have a vested interest in making sure that data is not compromised when your phone is lost or stolen. As a result, PIN/password requirements, encryption, antivirus, and remote wipe capabilities are generally required. In some cases where devices have a tunnel to the corporate network (Blackberry), they will possibly want to control what apps you install to prevent malicious ones from accessing the corporate network via your BES server. Most laypeople don't have any clue about protecting company data on a regular basis, they just want their data instantly and aren't concerned with what happens in a worst-case scenario. "Oops, it got stolen. Guess I need to get the latest model now!" Comment: Still not protected. (Score 2, Informative) 129 by gillbates (#31604338) Attached to: Who Should Own Your Smartphone? Anything of yours can be subpoenaed in a lawsuit. Northwest Airlines subpoenaed the *personal* computers of their employees when they suspected their employees were getting too uppity^H^H^H^H^H^H, I mean, striking by calling in sick. It hardly matters if you use encryption, etc... the legal discovery process can violate whatever privacy you thought you had. It only takes a credible allegation of wrongdoing - not even "beyond a reasonable doubt" - to discover all of your personal files, etc... and, because only money is involved, the plaintiff needs only show guilt by a "preponderance of the evidence", or more succinctly, that it is likely that you did it. If you think you can get smart by encrypting your files, it's likely you'll be held in contempt of court, and have a summary judgment entered against you. The only thing paying for the hardware means is that you'll eventually get it back, usually. Comment: Re:GPL freaks (Score 1) 131 by misiu_mp (#31604288) Attached to: DarkPlaces Dev Forest Hale Corrects <em>Nexuiz</em> GPL Stance So they should give all their rights up in return for a promise? How about you sign a job contract binding you to work 80 hours a week for 5$ an hour in return for a promise of really big bonuses. Promises dont count. Contracts and licenses do. Besides, llfonic's representative clearly stated they had no plans to contribute anything back. Operating Systems + - Adobe to move all its apps to run on the web-> Submitted by Link to Original Source + - The 150 mpg Toyota Prius Submitted by Anonymous Coward Data Storage + - Hard drive imports may be banned-> Submitted by Link to Original Source

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Forgot your password? + - City Caller ID hit with Patent Infringement 3 Submitted by pyr02k1 pyr02k1 writes "The developer of a free Android application that looks up a callers city location by the phone number is being threatened with Patent Infringement by Cequint. The software in question does a simple lookup by the incoming numbers zip code to tell where the caller is located. Cequint claims to hold 2 patents on the ability to perform the action in question, despite the information in question being freely available information. The City Caller ID application has since been pulled from the Android Marketplace. The Developers post is located at http://techdirt.com/blog.php?company=cequint&edition=techdirt and the patents are http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=ZWUKAAAAEBAJ&dq=6353664 and http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=QIR_AAAAEBAJ&dq=7200212 ... when something like this happens, where can a small developer turn?" Comment: Re:Woohoo GOOGLE! (Score 4, Insightful) 218 by pyr02k1 (#31197330) Attached to: Google Gets US Approval To Buy and Sell Energy Comment: Re:Standard Calculus (Score 3, Informative) 369 by pyr02k1 (#30013416) Attached to: Radar Beats GPS In Court &mdash; Or Does It? i only caught the part on the pressdemocrat link. missed a whole other link :D take one thing into account now, the rough 0-60 speed of a car, that can do 0-60 in 6.8 seconds. it would travel around 300 ft if the speed was exactly the same the whole distance to 60. thats the other part we need in this equation and we're golden. if it took him 300 ft to get to 60 at 6.8 seconds. he has 23.2 seconds to continue 1700 ft. so he'd of been doing, 73 :D now figure in his car was really slower then that, but 65 would be about right in the end result. no matter the year of celica, i doubt it was doing 0-60 in 6.8, unless mommy and daddy paid a load of cash to make it go faster... he sped. i think if gps proved he wasnt speeding, it'd of been nice. but they spent all this time fighting a case, where he was speeding anyways. oy vey Comment: Re:Standard Calculus (Score 5, Informative) 369 by pyr02k1 (#30013342) Attached to: Radar Beats GPS In Court &mdash; Or Does It? The problem of this calculus you mention wasnt the speed at the end, nor even the beginning. we're missing a piece of information to properly go through this. distance. it says at a stop light, he was 0, then the next ping was 45. but the problem becomes distance covered in that 30 seconds. tie in the math, etc. if it says 45 on the ping, thats worthless. we need to know how far he traveled in 35 seconds to get an average speed, and, for the sake of argument, his vehicles 0-60 speed as well to get the stats on how quickly he could have possibly gone up to 60, nearly where they "clocked" him. obviously, his average speeds worthless, and his speed 30 seconds after his initial of 0 is worthless. we need the distance traveled in that 30 seconds. And TFA says "virtually" the same location. For all we know, he spotted the cop, hit his brakes and was doing 45 when he was pinged. Distance is key ... notice how TFA forgets that wonderful detail. And, I'm sure as a teenager, with a GPS, he knew that if he hit 70, theyd get an email alert. Heck, he probably knew that if he wanted to, he could go 69, wait for a ping, if he had timed them right, speed up to 100 and brake to 69 again, all before the second ping... I guess the parents forgot that Teenager + Technology is generally > Parents + technology Comment: It's surprising really... (Score 3, Interesting) 294 by pyr02k1 (#29940099) Attached to: The Golden Age of Infinite Music When you get down to it, it is quite surprising the kinds of music my generation will listen to when given the chance. As was stated in another comment, in the past it was limited to what they wanted you to hear. You would be limited to the selection on the radio and nothing more. Now, with piracy galore and plenty of music services, such as Pandora, you get a taste of other varieties and artists you would never have heard before. I can go from listening to Heavy Metal to Techno to Country and then into Classical. My taste is open, simply because of piracy and the free services available. As time progresses, it'll be interesting to see how this shapes. Mainly because of how much the various MAFIAAs are trying to kill piracy in its whole, without an alternative, and yet refuse to decrease the price of a media that costs 1/50th to produce and distribute as they charge for it in a retail store. They continue to push and shove for people who pirate music to pay hugely outrageous fines, and yet they dont make it available at a reasonable price. Imagine having to go to a store and pay $15 for a loaf of bread, simply because they can charge that much and get away for it. It's a matter of time until fat people galore go running out of the store with 8 loaves stuffed in their pants. It stuns many of the people I talk to when they ask how I can go from one genre to another without being phased, and enjoy it all just the same, and I answer that without being forced to listen to only popular media and having the ability to open my horizons more then most, I can find more music and movies to enjoy then most people would ever dream... well, except everyone here. Not that any of us would ever pirate anything in our lives... of course not. Yayyyy Piracy! I mean ... ehh, heck with it Comment: Re:Suits me just fine. (Score 1) 313 by pyr02k1 (#29805939) Attached to: No Dedicated Servers For <em>CoD: Modern Warfare 2</em> And dont forget, it's also a problem with the hosting users hardware at that. I know of 9 CoD4 and 5 servers (4 of those at 48 players nearly 24hrs a day), running on one dedicated box, that can handle said abuse, running around 8-35% cpu depending on time of day, and constantly pushing around 10mbit/s but as high as 50 when all the servers were loaded up. Top that with 4GB ram used just on those 9 servers. Thats on an 8 core server w/ 8GB ram on a 100mbit line. (Purchased with intent of using the left over ram on CoD5 servers) Now imagine this on the whim of a 15 year old who cant afford to get anything better then mommys 5 year old hp media center pc... Consoles have one thing, consistency. We lack it as we prefer to build our own pc or buy a premade one from some no name manf. This will be hell on hosting a "session" for other people if your computer cant handle it, much less network. I know that of the people I'm 100% positive who have canceled their pre orders, myself included, 12 of which could handle it system wise, 8 of those 12 could do it network wise. 8 people couldnt do it system wise at all. 20 people they arent getting money from in just one small group. I know of about 5 people who, despite hating no dedicated support, will still pay for the game. As a side note to Aim Here. CoD4 and 5 dont require excessively huge amounts of bandwidth to host a simple multiplayer dedicated. Operation Flashpoint 2, requires FIVE TIMES the amount of bandwidth as CoD4 or 5. Am I saying most home users could do 32, or even 10 player sessions ... no. But, a FIOS, or higher end cable or DSL plan, could do it. In the US, it'd be a pain to accomplish since many users are on simple 768kbit dsl or cable plans. 50 a month (around the cost of cable internet usually, and 10-15 more then a verizon dsl) will get you around 20-25 players. 65 would get you around 60 as a maximum, but higher is very possible. + - Major bug in snow leopard deletes all user data-> Submitted by inglishmayjer inglishmayjer writes "From the article: The issue is caused by logging into a guest account, the user finds "that their account has been fully reset with all data wiped and lost — the account is like a brand new one." Link to Original Source + - Blogger Loses Unemployment Check Because of Ads-> 1 Submitted by ScuttleMonkey writes "Techdirt is reporting that one unfortunate, unemployed New York lawyer recently had her unemployment benefits greatly reduced because of the incredible $1/day she was earning via ads on her blog. "The whole thing sounds like a bureaucratic nightmare, with NY State asking her to get a form from her new "employer" who didn't exist. Then NY Department of Labor started giving her all sorts of contradicting information, and eventually an "investigation" into her "business" — during which time her unemployment benefits were stopped entirely. She's now pulled the Google AdSense from her blog (total earned over the life of the blog $238.75)."" Link to Original Source + - Apple vs. Microsoft: Top 20 Stolen OS Ideas-> 2 Submitted by Link to Original Source

http://slashdot.org/~pyr02k1/tags/binspam

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Forgot your password? Comment: some of this will work (Score 1) 242 by smithcl8 (#46397723) Attached to: Walmart Unveils Turbine-Powered WAVE Concept Truck Practically, I don't see why the shapes of the truck and the trailer couldn't go this direction, along with putting the driver in the middle. There are significant cost savings to the manufacturers to eliminate the need for left and right sided cabs. A passenger seat could be arranged in the back, if necessary. We're a LONG way away from carbon fiber panels on the trailers, though. That's kind of silly, though the weight difference is a small positive. I've always wondered why some vehicles are shaped as they are. Buses, tractor trailers, and other large vehicles could really use a simple redesign to gain some serious aerodynamics. Comment: It's Small (Score 1) 333 by smithcl8 (#45271409) Attached to: How Kentucky Built the Country's Best ACA Exchange It's easy....the problem with the federal site is that everything is bigger. They have to handle the user load from all of the states that decided not to do their own thing. They have to maintain connectivity and exchange data with the insurance companies and plans for every one of those states. They have to interface with their own back-end systems for subsidy eligibility and everything else for all of those states. None of that is easy to coordinate or implement. In Kentucky, you have a total population of less than 5 million and according to the state, less than 700k are uninsured. (http://insurance.ky.gov/Static_Info.aspx?Static_ID=119&Div_id=16). That's not a huge number of potential hits. A large percentage of the uninsured are eligible for Medicaid under the expansion, which makes the processing even simpler. You limit the number of users, the number of private insurers, and the number of potential plans by doing this at a single state level. The same would not be true for CA, TX, or probably even FL or NY, where there are simply more people and more players. I believe the states that didn't do their own Medicaid expansion or their own website dumped into the federal government's lap something that is simply too big to manage. I know a lot of money was spent, but can you imagine trying to get all of that data to work back and forth with all of those players? If one of the insurers didn't play ball, did the federal site just kick them out of the exchange? If one of the states waited until the last possible minute to say no to doing their own, what position does it put the DHHS? What about the infrastructure and the development teams? I hear comparisons on TV to Facebook or other mega websites. The comparison is wrong. Every major website I can think of started as something small and built up to what they are now. A dorm room, a garage, or someone's basement, up to a bajillion dollar a year giant. You don't just set a date for a website and say, "Have at it." I can't even think of an instance where this user count has ever been dropped onto a single site on its first day.....can you? Is it possible to make it work? Absolutely. Is it simple? Heck no. Comment: more bills in the mailbox (Score 1) 89 by smithcl8 (#44662925) Attached to: Autodesk To Follow Adobe's 'Rent Our Software' Business Model? From a business perspective, I don't see how this is a huge deal. Most software companies charge an up front fee plus a subscription if you want to keep current. I realize it isn't the exact same model, but companies are still paying out the ears for "support" and upgrades down the road. The only beneficiaries of this are the software company and the fact that the IT crowd doesn't have to go begging for a big check every 4-5 years for the latest and greatest version. (Accounting is much nicer about smaller, annual checks for some darned reason.) For a home user, though, this stinks. Imagine a world where every company "rented" their software. You'd have bills coming in just for the right to use your computer! Not me. Comment: What about the content??? (Score 1) 192 by smithcl8 (#44658429) Attached to: Students At Lynn University Get iPad Minis Instead of Textbooks Just because you have a new toy that you can read on doesn't mean that the eBooks or other resources they will access on these will be worth a damn. They will still need a computer to do their actual work on. Unless the books are given for free, and they are the same textbooks that the students would've bought before, this is a really bad idea. I see no problem requiring laptops for class and this just is a step from that, but the iPad is useless other than as a book, email reader, or toy.

http://slashdot.org/~smithcl8

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USDA’s projected average U.S. corn yield of 152.8 bushes per acre could fall by a couple of bushels before all is said and done, according to Al Kluis, Northland Commodities, LLC, speaking at a Minneapolis Grain Exchange press briefing on USDA’s Aug. 10 supply and demand estimates. The higher estimated yield was due to record stalk counts and pushed estimated U.S. corn production to 13.1 billion bushels. “One thing to keep in mind is the report is based on conditions as of Aug. 1. If the information were gathered today, we would not see the same potential for corn. My projection is for average yields of 149 bushels to 150 bushels.” Kluis’ projection would drop projected production back to 12.7 billion to 12.8 billion bushels, essentially unchanged from last month. Projected corn usage is better than expected as USDA increased exports and ethanol use. A lower dollar value is part of the reason for the higher exports, according to Kluis. “We’re probably the cheapest source of wheat and corn in the world. So people will be turning to the United States.” Corn ending stocks are expected to increase from 1.13 billion bushels for 2006-07 to 1.5 billion bushels for 2007-08. Despite the huge corn crop, “we’re going to consume it and that certainly is positive,” Kluis said. “So is the fact that global stocks of corn, soybeans and wheat are down from last month, which shows that longer-term, we’ll see a lot of competition for acreage and higher prices. But we haven’t seen any price rationing kick in.” A short-term negative could be the stunning 375-point drop in the Dow on Aug. 9, according to Kluis. “A couple of hedge funds are probably in red ink today (Aug. 10). They are carrying a lot of long ag futures positions and there is a lot of false selling pressure. Long-term prices will bounce back.” USDA also projected a U.S. soybean yield for this season of 41.5 bushels per acre, which would produce a crop of 2.63 billion bushels. Ending stocks dropped to 575 million bushels for 2006-07 and is forecast to drop again to 220 million bushels in 2007-08.

http://southeastfarmpress.com/print/will-projected-corn-yields-stand

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Posted: Sat December 8, 2012 7:43PM; Updated: Sat December 8, 2012 7:42PM Lucas eager to expand IndyCar reach Decrease font Decrease font Enlarge font Enlarge font INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- With all due respect to the rest of the world, Forrest Lucas is glad American Ryan Hunter-Reay won the IndyCar championship. "I think it's very important that we have American names out there again,'' Lucas said. "We still need to have a little Formula One and some of that atmosphere to it, but it needs to be an American company for people here to root for it because people are watching to see their guy win.'' Lucas spoke during the "Lunch with Lucas'' program during the International Motorsports Industry Show on Friday. Part of the program focused on Lucas' patriotism. The U.S. flag has been a part of the Lucas Oil shield since it was created in 1989 and the company's branding statement is "American Real.'' Lucas hopes he can play a part in bringing U.S. fans back to IndyCar racing. "I think Indy racing kind of got off track years ago,'' he said. "Americans stopped watching Indy racing. They started watching NASCAR and NHRA and things like that, so I think it's very important that we have the Americans back in it, and it's extremely important that we're getting a lot of traction here.'' "In a time when motorsports are a little down, we are going forward just full bore,'' Lucas Oil spokesman Stuart Rowlands said. Lucas explained that television is facing an uncertain future. "There's a huge flux in television,'' he said. "Nobody really knows where it's going. Everybody's guessing and betting, and there's going to be a lot of people with their handhelds.'' Rowlands said Lucas Oil Network would immediately increase the company's reach. "They're trying as hard as they can and this is the obvious way to do it,'' he said. "If we can't build the racetracks over there and there's no local television or cable networks, hey, if you can show your product on the internet, you can watch it on the computer.'' "I wish everybody could watch television, but so many people are going to quit watching television and start watching internet television,'' he said. "We're trying to cover all bases. We're not abandoning standard television, we're just trying to get out there and get the rest of it because we are a worldwide company and we want to get more worldwide. We're just trying to be good businessmen.'' SI Videos Videos from the Web SI CoverRead All ArticlesBuy Cover Reprint

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/racing/news/20121208/lucas-eager-to-expand-indycar-reach/

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Take the 2-minute tour × I work in the technical group at a large Architecture firm. While there are a number of people here that are very proficient at various programing and scripting languages, it's far from the environment of the development environment of a software company. Rarely are there ever more then one or two people working on a development project, most of which are just automation scripts. There's no source control, or version control setup or anything like that. My academic background is engineering but not CS or CE. So I've taking a number of programing classes in school, and actually tinkered a lot with VB back when I was a little kid. Yet it wasn't until this past year at my current job have I really had the opportunity to do any real development outside of homework problems in school. In the past year I've transitions from making simple automation scripts to full blow plug-in applications in C#.NET. I have family and friends that are CS or CE majors, and work for companies whose main product is software. While have no interest in actually working for a software company, but it seems like they do have a major advantage over me. At their work they have people with more experience that can look over their should and give them suggestions to improve their code or logic. Sites like Stack Overflow are great for solving bugs and getting advice, but only when you know you need the advice. I'm sure there are many times when I'm taking the completely wrong approach to something. What are some of the best ways to improve these real life programing skills? Is there a way to find open source projects (preferably .Net based) that I can help work on, so I can gain some experience working with other (more experienced) programmers? I've also been looking into design patterns, but have a hard time recognizing when to use certain patterns. share|improve this question In your comments on answers you point out that the problem is you don't have anyone to review your code. You should update your question to reflect this problem. –  Robert S. Jul 2 '09 at 20:25 add comment closed as off topic by Servy, Peter O., Jerry Coffin, R. Martinho Fernandes, DuckMaestro Feb 2 '13 at 6:54 8 Answers up vote 6 down vote accepted Find a coding hobby project that interests you. If you find it interesting you will spend way more time working on the code than if you are doing it simply to learn. As far as go to SourceForge and find something that looks interesting to you and get involved. Again emphasis on interesting. Don't worry too much about how practical it is. share|improve this answer codeplex.com has a lot of .Net projects to work on. –  jle Jul 2 '09 at 20:02 actually my projects at work are pretty interesting I just need more people to work with. Thanks I'll check out codeplex –  Eric Anastas Jul 2 '09 at 20:03 add comment I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that you write some code. Read Code Complete. Look at other questions about this topic here at StackOverflow. Find an open source project and contribute to it. Start your own pet project that focuses on the skills you're interested in. When to use Design patterns How to get into C# Open Source projects share|improve this answer Well obviously I need to write code, but I think my issue is more with not having anyone to tell me how and where my otherwise functioning code could be improved. –  Eric Anastas Jul 2 '09 at 20:06 Don't worry too much about how your code can be improved. Instead you should learn how to do more things with code. Nobody's code is ever perfect. –  Robert S. Jul 2 '09 at 20:25 Code Complete's a great book if you want to improve your code quality - one of the classics. –  Rory MacLeod Feb 27 '10 at 3:33 add comment Real world programming skills: something you could do for a living, in a professional environment. Come up with an idea, it doesn't need to be the GREATEST idea ever... then write it. Write it in a professional manner. Use version control, even for a personal project. Have a ticket system, even for a personal project. Get used to doing things in the manner a professional does them, even for a personal project. Otherwise, you're just learning bad habits. I would even go so far as to ask some of those friends or family who have jobs in the industry to help you out with an impromptu code review. Buy them dinner, I bet they'll do it. The only way to learn anything is to actually start doing it. Expect that your first code will be awkward, and will be re-written several times as part of your growing process. Then, if your personal project might have any interest for others... ship. Put it out there. Get user feedback. It will be brutal, and an educational experience that you could not buy at any price. You'll be a better programmer for it. share|improve this answer add comment There is a very high profile C# open source software project that can always use more help. It's called the Mono Project. I would recommend contributing to the Mono Project over others because they use a very transparent and open development model, and they are high profile so being a "Mono contributor" has some extra prestige in my opinion then many random C# open software projects. Plus Miguel de Icaza (head of the Mono Project) is an awesome and funny guy. share|improve this answer add comment What I do in my free time is find something that interests me, build it, and learn in the process. For example, instead of taking a canned forum or CMS, I would build my own and learn from my own mistakes. Granted this wont give you knowledge about source control etc since you would most likely be the only developer but learning tricks and better coding style is certainly worth the effort. Perhaps you can get involved in an open source project as well! :) share|improve this answer add comment Find experienced developers who are willing to do informal design / code reviews with you periodically on some of the projects you have already done (since you know them well) so they can explain the pros / cons and possible different approaches to solving those same problems. The more different opinions you can get on how experienced developers would solve the problems you are familiar with, the more options you'll have for solving the next problem. Expect each developers approach to be radically different, yet still enlightening. :-) share|improve this answer add comment You can do a lot of things. These come to mind: • Particpate in an open source project. • Read StackOverflow a lot • Ask a lot of questions on StackOverflow • Read good books share|improve this answer Also, try answering questions here. Especially ones that mean you have to try things out. –  Richard Jul 3 '09 at 9:43 add comment Adding a bit to William' answer: find an interesting open-source project and become an active contributor. This will not only give you a chance to do hands-on coding, but an opportunity to see other peoples' code. There is a lot to learn from code written by other programmers. share|improve this answer add comment

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1076336/how-to-gain-real-world-programming-skills-when-you-dont-work-for-a-software-com

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Take the 2-minute tour × I m developing a c program using libcurl. when I build my program I can use different version of libcurl. When I change from version to other (of libcurl) I have to change some blocks in my source code to adapt it to the libcurl version. I'm looking to add macro in my code which will check the libcurl version and then determine which block of source code to use automatically Are there a macro function or constant in libcurl which return the libcurl version? share|improve this question add comment 2 Answers up vote 1 down vote accepted See curl/curlver.h (which is included when you #include <curl/curl.h>). You have the following numbers to play. #define LIBCURL_VERSION_NUM 0x071a00 share|improve this answer I would not recommend using that, I recommend curl_version_info() instead as in my separate answer. –  Daniel Stenberg Jun 3 '12 at 11:36 add comment Even better is to use curl_version_info() since it will return information about the library actually (dynamically) in use and not the version number that was available when your application was compiled. libcurl gets updated fairly often and after a couple of months/years it is likely or at least possible that your application might run with a later version than what it was compiled against. share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10820428/macro-function-in-libcurl-which-return-the-libcurl-version

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Take the 2-minute tour × I bet this has probably been asked before, but since reference (int& name) is taken the same as reference counting by searchers, couldn't find a single thing. Why isn't there ever mention of references as alternates to smart pointers? Is it just for the null case, or is there something else? What advantages/disadvantages are there to using either? share|improve this question To the random drive-by downvoter: That was rude. No comment? Don't down vote without a comment, and don't down vote things that seem like dumb questions to you. The questioner is confused between references, reference counts, and other things. We were all novices at once. Instead of down-voting a dumb question, provide an answer. I'm up-voting just to offset the stupid down-vote. –  David Hammen Aug 25 '12 at 7:30 add comment 1 Answer up vote 5 down vote accepted I think you have your terminology mixed up. A reference and the term reference counting aren't really talking about the same thing. References and smart pointers, or even pointers for that matter are very different and not interchangeable. A reference cannot be reseated. Meaning that once you have a reference, it can only refer to the thing it initially referred to. A reference is merely a memory address. A pointer on the other hand, points to a memory address; it can be changed to point to different memory addresses. When someone says a smart pointer does reference counting, they mean the smart pointer is keeping count of how many objects are referring to the memory the smart pointer is pointing at. This is different from a reference. I hope that helps. share|improve this answer I know well that reference and reference counting aren't the same. It's the searchers, like Google and the one here, who can't see the difference (context) and show me sites that relate to reference counting and smart pointers, instead of reference and smart pointers –  efaj Aug 25 '12 at 6:28 But, I didn't know references couldn't be switched/swapped or made to reference something else. Now with that... it's obvious why they don't replace smart pointers. –  efaj Aug 25 '12 at 6:32 add comment Your Answer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12119637/smart-pointers-vs-reference

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Take the 2-minute tour × Part of my code: curl_multi_exec($mh, $running); $done = curl_multi_info_read($mh); while($running > 0); This code results warning Warning: curl_getinfo(): supplied argument is not a valid cURL handle resource and i don't understand why. When i doing var_dump($done['handle']); it's return resource(7) of type (curl). Please, help me find the error. share|improve this question I think you should just look at good examples at php.net/manual/en/function.curl-multi-exec.php .. your code has major errors ... –  Baba Sep 12 '12 at 12:10 Thanks!) You are right. First example solve my problem. –  bbyby Sep 12 '12 at 12:18 You are welcome .... –  Baba Sep 12 '12 at 12:19 add comment Your Answer Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12387851/php-curl-multi-info-read-curl-getinfo-warning-supplied-argument-is-not-a-valid

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Take the 2-minute tour × Turns out this seems to be a complex subject, please tell me if my approach is too simple. Basically what i'm trying to do is send an email reminder to a list of users (only when they have a reminder coming up, but that is besides the point) at 7 am every morning. Of course 7 am is at a different time based on the server location for everyone all over the world. The plan is to collect to GMT offset hour via javascript from the user when they register: var today = new Date(); var offset = -(today.getTimezoneOffset()/60); Simple enough, I now know the offset hour and store that in a database along with the rest of the users data. Now server side I have a TimerTask set up that runs every hour. I collect the system hour (say its 5 am), see how far away from my target time that is (in this case 2 (7-5)), get the system offset hour (in this case its -5), then pull all users from the database that have a GMT offset hour of -3 (-5 + 2), then do the email sending etc. At this point im assuming I know its 7 am for everyone whos time zone offset is -3 and I can continue with the process. This will run again the next hour and collect all users with a time zone offset of -4. Is this something that will actually work, or am I missing something? Calendar systemTime = Calendar.getInstance(); int targetHour = 7; int currentHour = systemTime.get(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY); //Its 5 am. int difference = targetHour - currentHour; //2 int zoneOffset = systemTime.get(Calendar.ZONE_OFFSET) / (1000*60*60); //-5 int targetZone = zoneOffset + difference; //-3 List<User> users = userDAO.findByZoneOffset(targetZone); for(User user : users) { //Send email or whatever I want to do with these users. I understand its possible that the client time zone may be set incorrectly and therefore product an off result, but im willing to take that risk as its not absolutely necessary for the reminders to go out at exactly 7 am, just preferable. share|improve this question add comment 1 Answer up vote 0 down vote accepted That won't be enough to get a time zone consistently. It doesn't take account of daylight saving time. So if the user is anywhere that observes daylight saving time, they'll either get emails at 6am for about half the year, or they'll get emails at 8am for about half the year. You may well be better off guessing their time zone based on IP geolocation + offset. I have a TimerTask set up that runs every hour. I would suggest running more often than that. Otherwise, you may well find that you end up waking up just before you would send an email - so you then go back to sleep, and send the email at 7:59 next time... which may be 8:59 with your current scheme, based on client DST changes. At that point you're nearly two hours off your intended send time! I collect the system hour Don't do that, either. At this point there are two time zones to take account of - and your server time zone is completely irrelevant. Use UTC until you convert into the client's local time. It's going to make life much simpler. If you're still using Calendar, you can do this simply by setting its time zone. Looking at your code, it looks like you also could end up missing a bunch of users completely, if you're checking by exact match of hour. If you end up running once at (say) 3:59 and then once at 4:01, you'd miss anyone who had to be run at 4. I would suggest keeping track of when you last sent a mail to each user - or possibly when you last ran - and use that to make sure you always catch everyone. Finally, I'd strongly advise that you use Joda Time. It's a much cleaner date/time API, which will help you to think about the right concepts to use at the right point in your code. share|improve this answer I'm a little confused about the whole GMT offset thing in regards to DST. For instance, my time zone in NC is -5, to my knowledge that doesn't change throughout the year does it? If I were to check in spring, would it actually be -4? I figured that by using to system clock it would automatically adjust for DST. Then again, parts of the world don't use DST at all so I guess when the server was in DST it would calculate the incorrect time...err..time zones. –  ryandlf Dec 10 '12 at 7:28 @ryandlf: I don't know about North Carolina specifically, but most of the US observes daylight saving time. Do you change your clock every spring and fall? If so, that's changing the UTC offset. Note that the system clock of wherever you happen to run the server may well change DST on different dates to the user. Heck, it could easily change in a different direction (as the southern hemisphere observes DST in the opposite direction, e.g. putting their clocks back an hour in ~March, and putting them forward an hour in ~October). Or other countries have very different DST transitions. –  Jon Skeet Dec 10 '12 at 7:31 Do you know of any resources to collect the time zone based on ip geo? I'm having trouble finding any examples. –  ryandlf Dec 10 '12 at 7:33 @ryandlf: I suggest you search for "detecting time zone javascript" or something similar. Basically it's a fairly complicated business. Of course, one option is to ask the user. Make a guess, but allow the user to change their settings. –  Jon Skeet Dec 10 '12 at 7:35 add comment Your Answer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13796457/java-sending-email-to-different-time-zones-at-the-same-time-each-day

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Take the 2-minute tour × Can anyone suggest any links, ideas or algorithms to generate flowers randomly like the one as my profile pic? The profile pic flower has only a 10 x 10 grid and the algorithm is not truly random. I would also prefer that the new algorithm use a grid of about 500 x 500 or even better, allow the user to pick the size of the grid. [Plant[][] is declared as int plant[10][10];] public void generateSimpleSky(){ for(int w2=0;w2<10;w2++) for(int w3=0;w3<10;w3++) public void generateSimpleSoil(){ for(int q=0;q<10;q++) public void generateSimpleStem(){ int ry=rand.nextInt(4); for(int u=7;u>1;u--){ int yu=rand.nextInt(3); public void generateSimpleFlower(){ for(int q2=1;q2<4;q2++) for(int q3=xr-1;q3<=xr+1;q3++) share|improve this question What do you mean by truly random? –  Jeremy Jan 2 '13 at 3:01 I second @Nile 's comment. You might want to first isolate what about the flower you want to be random. color, petal size, core size/color, stem size, etc. A true randomization of that flower would make for a real messy plant. –  brainmurphy1 Jan 2 '13 at 3:06 I mean that the algorithm that i used to generate the flower in my profile pic used an algorithm than only changed the way the stem ooked. The flower still looked the same. So i want to make it "truly randam" i.e. make the enteire procedure random. –  Hele Jan 2 '13 at 3:07 @brainmurphy1: I was specifically referring to the difference between a true random number and a psuedorandom number, but I second your comment also. –  Jeremy Jan 2 '13 at 3:08 Did you have a look at L-Systems? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L-system –  Henry Jan 3 '13 at 6:58 show 5 more comments 1 Answer up vote 4 down vote accepted It sounds like a reasonably simple problem where you just generate 1 parameter at a time, possibly based on the output of the previous variables. My model of a flower will be: It has just a reasonably upright stem, a perfectly round center, some amount of leaves on the stem on alternating sides, petals perfectly distributed around the center. random() is just a random number within some chosen bounds, the bounds may be unique for each variable. random(x1, x2, ..., xn) generates a random number within some bounds dependent on the variables x1, x2, ..., xn (as in stemWidth < stemHeight/2, a reasonable assumption). The Stem stemXPosition = width / 2 stemHeight = random() stemWidth = random(stemHeight) stemColour = randomColour() stemWidthVariationMax = random(stemWidth, stemHeight) stemWidthVariationPerPixel = random(stemWidth, stemHeight) stemWidthVariationMax/-PerPixel are for generating a stem that isn't perfectly straight (if you want to do something that complicated, a low PerPixel is for smoothness). Generate the stem using these as follows: pixelRelative[y-position][0] := left x-position at that y-position relative to the stem pixelRelative[y-position][1] := right x-position at that y-position relative to the stem pixelRelative[0][0] = randomInRange(-stemWidthVariationMax, stemWidthVariationMax) for each y > 0: pixelRelative[y-1][0] = max(min(randomInRange(pixel[y] - stemWidthVariationPerPixel, pixel[y] + stemWidthVariationPerPixel), //pixelRelative[0][1] and pixelRelative[y-1][1] generated same as pixelRelative[y-1][i] for each y: pixelAbsolute[y][0] = width / 2 - stemWidth / 2 + pixelRelative[y][0] pixelAbsolute[y][1] = width / 2 + stemWidth / 2 + pixelRelative[y][1] You can also use arcs to simplify things and go more than 1 pixel at a time. The Top centerRadius = random(stemHeight) petalCount = random() // probably >= 3 petalSize = random(centerRadius, petalCount) It's not too easy to generate the petals, you need to step from 0 to 2*PI with step-size of 2*PI/petalCount and generate arcs around the circle. It requires either a good graphics API or some decent maths. Here's some nicely generated tops of flowers, though seemingly not open-source. Note that they don't have a center at all. (or centerRadius = 0) The Leaves You could probably write an entire paper on this, (like this one) but a simple idea would just be to generate a 1/2 circle and extend lines outward from there to meet at 2*the radius of the circle and to draw parallel lines on the flower. Once you have a leaf generation algorithm: leafSize = random(stemHeight) // either all leaves are the same size or generate the size for each randomly leafStemLength = random(leafSize) // either all leaves have the same stem length or generate for each randomly leafStemWidth = random(leafStemLength) leaf[0].YPosition = random(stemHeight) leaf[0].XSide = randomly either left or right leaf[0].rotation = random between say 0 and 80 degrees for each leaf i: leaf[i].YPosition = random(stemHeight, leaf[i-1]) // only generate new leaves above previous leaves leaf[i].XSide = opposite of leaf[i].XSide Last words The way to determine the bounds of each random would be either to argue it out, or give it some fixed value, generate everything else randomly a few times, keep increasing / decreasing it until it starts to look weird. 10 x 10 versus 500 x 500 would probably require greatly different algorithms, I wouldn't recommend the above for below 100 x 100, maybe generate a bigger image and simply shrink it using averaging or something. I started writing some Java code, when I realised it may take a bit longer than I would like to spend on this, so I'll show you what I have so far. // some other code, including these functions to generate random numbers: float nextFloat(float rangeStart, float rangeEnd); int nextInt(int rangeStart, int rangeEnd); // generates a color somewhere between green and brown Color stemColor = Color.getHSBColor(nextFloat(0.1, 0.2), nextFloat(0.5, 1), nextFloat(0.2, 0.8)); int stemHeight = nextInt(height/2, 3*height/4); int stemWidth = nextInt(height/20, height/20 + height/5); Color flowerColor = ??? // I just couldn't use the same method as above to generate bright colors, but I'm sure it's not too difficult int flowerRadius = nextInt(Math.min(stemHeight, height - stemHeight)/4, 3*Math.min(stemHeight, height - stemHeight)/4); share|improve this answer To put it simply, You're awesome! –  Hele Jan 4 '13 at 15:47 add comment Your Answer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14116410/ideas-for-algorithm-to-generate-random-flower

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Take the 2-minute tour × i would like to learn something about embedded development; i think the best thing would be to buy hardware stuff and play with it but i don't' know where to start and, if possible, i would like not to pay to much .... If you have experience in this field, which would be the best road to follow? Thank you very much ! Greetings, c. share|improve this question Possible duplicate of stackoverflow.com/questions/45247/… –  kgiannakakis Jun 4 '10 at 14:38 add comment 5 Answers up vote 3 down vote accepted I assume you mean real embedded and not embedded linux or some other operating system thing. All above are good, sparkfun.com is a GREAT resource for sub $50 cards. Dont buy the embed. The armmite pro is nice, trivial to bypass the high level canned package and load your own binaries (I have a web page on how to do it if interested). Stellaris is good, the 811 is easy to brick so be careful, the 1968 eval board is not a bad one. The problem with the stellaris boards is almost all of their I/O is consuemed by on board peripherals. The good thing about the stellaris eval boards, based on what you are wanting to do is that all the I/O is consumed by on board peripherals. Lots of peripherals for you to learn how to write embedded code for. You are going to eventually want a jtag wiggler, I recommend the amontec jtag-tiny, it will open the door to a number of the olimex boards from sparkfun. the sam7 and stm32 header boards are good ones as well. the lillypad is a good starting place for arduino (sparkfun), same price as the arduino pro mini, but you dont have to do any soldering. get a lillypad and the little usb to serial thing that powers it and gives you serial access to program it. Just like the armmite pro I have a web page on how to erase the as-shipped flash and have a linux programmer that lets you load any binary you want not just ones limited to their sandbox. avoid PIC and 8051 unless you are interested in a history lesson. the PIC32X, not sure my first one is in the mail, it is a MIPS 32 not a PIC core. the ez430 msp430 board is a very good one, the msp430 has a very nice architecture, better than the avr. You can get your feet wet in simulation as well. I have a thumb instruction set emulator, thumbulator.blogspot.com. Thumb is a subset of the arm instruction set and if you learn thumb then you can jump right into a stellaris board or stm32. My sim does not support thumb2, the thumb2 processors also support thumb, the transition to thumb2 from thumb is trivial. avoid the stm32 primer boards, avoid the stm32 primer boards, avoid the mbed2 boards, avoid the mbed2 boards, avoid the lpcxpresso boards, avoid the lpcxpresso boards!! I recently found a behavioral model of an arm in verilog that you can simulate your programs, have not played with it much. qemu-arm is probably easier, not a bad place to get your feet wet although it can be frustrating. Which is why I wrote my own. ARMS own armulator is out there, in the gdb source release for example, easier than qemu-arm to use, but can be frustrating as well. go to codesourcery for arm gcc tools. use mspgcc4.sf.net for msp430 tools. llvm is rapidly catching and passing gcc, if nothing else I expect it to replace gcc for the universal cross compiler tool. at the moment it is much more stable and portable than gcc when it comes to building for cross compiling (because it is always/only a cross compiler wherever you find or use it). the msp backend for llvm was an afternoon experiment for someone, sadly, I would really like to have that supported. If you use llvm, use clang not llvm-gcc. share|improve this answer oh yeah, duh, the GBA, GameBoy Advance. Nice platform for learning embedded. –  dwelch Jun 5 '10 at 1:24 Out of curiosity, why avoid the mbed, stm32 and lpcxpresso boards? –  Ben Gartner Jun 18 '10 at 21:14 mbed and lpcxpresso are like the stm32 primer. They lock you into a specific development platform. These boards are not there for you to learn the processor they are there for you to use the IDE/toolchain. I am not interested in the toolchain and definitely not interested in windows nor a web based thing. I want to learn the chip and will vote with my dollars to buy from some other vendor. –  dwelch Jun 20 '10 at 2:51 add comment If you want to get your feet wet, get a cheap evaluation board like Stellaris LM3S811 Evaluation Kit (EK-LM3S811) which is $50 at Digi-Key then download CodeSourcery G++ which provides free command line tools or the IAR Kickstart Edition which allows you up to 32KB of code. share|improve this answer Choosing ARM Cortex is a smart move. I would definitely stay away from outdated architectures such as PICmicro or 8051. –  Miro Jun 4 '10 at 18:54 add comment I would suggest starting up with MSP430. The MSP430 launchpad is quiet cheap. Alternatively, you could start up with the Stellaris (ARM Cortex M3) Boards. You can use the already provided libraries first to start developing apps rite away and then start writing your code for configuring and getting things done by referring the data sheet.You also get example codes, relevant documents and Keil 32K limited evaluation version. If you want to do things write from scratch, then get an ARM based board with IO breakout headers and start working. Lot of them are available from vendors like Olimex. One word of caution ARM is difficult to start with if you are working from scratch with little or no idea about embedded. So if you are looking for something easier go for AVR or 8051, but 8051 core is too old. So, Stellaris would be a good option in my opinion with their already available driver libs and codes. share|improve this answer add comment Well, depending how much money you want to spend, and how much development expertise you have, you could either get an Arduino (arduino.cc) or a FEZ Domino (C# .NET) (tinyclr.com). Both are premade MCUs, with all the tools you need to start developing out of the box. The Arduino is going to be very simplistic, but probably better for a beginner. The FEZ is a little harder to work with, but FAR more capable. Both have the same physical pinout, so you can use "shields" between them share|improve this answer If you are a hobbyist, Arduino might be a good choice. However, when you think about embedded programming as a profession, you need to learn to program in C. Understanding some assembly wouldn't hurt either. –  Miro Jun 4 '10 at 18:59 On a hardware level Arduino is just Atmel AVR, so you can program it in C, too. –  starblue Jun 4 '10 at 21:16 add comment I would recommend a kickstart kit from iar systems. They're fairly complete and work out of the box. share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2975072/tools-for-embedded-development/2975109

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Take the 2-minute tour × I have a file: #ifndef _variableinclude_h_ #define _variableinclude_h_ AClass* variable1; int* variable2; But I include this file in another two different ones: - atest1.h - atest2.h The problem is the following: variable redefinition. How to avoid that??? share|improve this question you are getting linker error or a compiler error? –  Naveen Oct 1 '10 at 5:04 Note that the include guard is illegally using a reserved prefix (_v). Also, by convention macro's are uppercase. –  MSalters Oct 1 '10 at 7:26 @MSalters: Why is this reserved? I thought only double underscores shouldn't be used. –  ur. Oct 1 '10 at 7:29 @ur: Double underscores are reserved everywhere in tokens, not just as a prefix. And they're reserved for unspecified use by the implementation. E.g. a compiler may internally define _variableinclude_h_ as soon as you #include <variableinclude.h>. –  MSalters Oct 1 '10 at 7:48 Any identifier containing a double underscore is reserved. Anything starting with underscore followed by a capital letter is reserved. Anything else starting with underscore is reserved if it is declared at namespace scope (which your include guard is) –  jalf Oct 1 '10 at 9:49 add comment 1 Answer Welcome to ODR Make the variables extern in the header file. extern AClass* variable1; // assuming AClass is declared at this point. extern int* variable2; Define them once and only once in any cpp file e.g. in main.cpp at namespace scope. AClass* variable1 = NULL; // assuming AClass is declared at this point. int* variable2 = NULL; share|improve this answer +1 the solution –  Mario The Spoon Oct 1 '10 at 5:05 add comment Your Answer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3836652/c-variable-redefinition/3836658

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