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Challenging Assumptions About MRO Growth
Pratt & Whitney Aftermarket President Matthew Bromberg delivered the keynote address to a packed crowd on Day 2 of the MRO Americas 2014 conference.
In his remarks, Bromberg discussed industry forces that have shaped today's MRO environment and trends influencing the future of the industry.
To succeed in this challenging market, Bromberg said that Pratt & Whitney will continue to drive three key metrics for our customers: quality, speed and value.
Remarks for MRO Americas
Pratt & Whitney Aftermarket President Matthew F. Bromberg
April 9, 2014
"Challenging Assumptions About MRO Growth"
Steel Manufacturing, Wind Turbine Development, Auto Manufacturing, Ocean Shipping, Airline Transport, Semiconductor Fabrication, and Telecom Infrastructure.
What do these industries have in common?
They all have, at one point, struggled with overcapacity.
The results vary, but the causes have some similarities. In each case, the balance between supply and demand changed, and the participants were slow to respond by adjusting investment. In some cases, the industry missed the impact of government intervention. In all cases, the industry missed an inflection point.
Are there relevant lessons here?
Is the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Industry at an inflection point?
Over the next 30 minutes, I hope to answer these questions by sharing our perspective on our industry and some of the underlying drivers.
Before I do, I will spend a moment introducing Pratt & Whitney.
First, I'd like to thank Joe Anselmo and Ed Hazelwood for the invitation to address this conference, and I'd also like to recognize and thank our partners, our suppliers, and most importantly, our customers.
It's great to be here with you today. It's also a great time to be in the industry and a great time to be at Pratt & Whitney.
MRO is a $60 billion business and growing, and Pratt & Whitney is proud to participate and honored to be a leader in this industry.
Pratt & Whitney's 85-year MRO history started with our first products, the Wasp engine family. In the early days, we had a two-man service department. The service guys would put spare parts and tools in a suitcase, fly off to the engine, and fix it, right then and there. In fact, two mechanics could remove a Wasp engine in 15 minutes. A test cell was a Ford flat bed truck with an engine mount. Maintenance was on location, flexible and cost effective.
Sounds pretty good even today.
Today, MRO is a multi-billion-dollar business for Pratt & Whitney. We have five engine centers, 15 repair facilities, 65 field offices, and 6,000 professionals. We serve over 500 large-engine customers in 136 countries, and we resolve over 40,000 customer issues each year through our state-of-the art Global Operations Center.
Dependable Engines is job one.
Looking into the future, we are thrilled with the success of our Geared Turbofan engine, which has already sold more than 5,000 engines. This revolutionary engine family, which will enter service in 2015, was designed to handle the uncertainty of today's marketplace. Its game changing architecture not only promises industry leading fuel burn advantages, but also promises to set the industry standard for maintainability and cost-of-ownership.
This new family of engines, our PurePower family, when combined with our strong installed base of more than 12,000 engines, will propel Pratt & Whitney's customers and our aftermarket to new heights over the next 20-30 years.
Given our bright future, we are very interested in the question at hand.
Is our industry at an inflection point? To answer this question, let's look at the economics of the industry, and let's analyze MRO supply and demand.
First, let's look at MRO demand drivers. Traditionally, MRO growth has been larger than OEM growth. This has been driven by both an increasing installed base and also by aging platforms. Ten years ago, we estimated OEM growth of 3–4 percent per year, and we estimated MRO growth to be 6–8 percent.
What is today's outlook?
It is common knowledge that we are riding an amazing bow wave of new aircraft deliveries – the installed base of aircraft is projected to reach more than 41,000 by 2030. These aircraft are needed for our emerging markets, and to replace the aging fleet in North America. In light of this production schedule, OEM growth is forecast at 6–8 percent for the next decade.
One would expect MRO growth to follow.
However, it is not. There is solid consensus that the global MRO spend will grow at only 3–4 percent per year over the next decade.
What happened?
One explanation is that as the fleet grows, it is getting younger.
Today the average aircraft age is 15 years. That happens to be the oldest fleet ever. Over the next decade, this will drop as new aircraft are introduced, and it will drop as older aircraft are retired. Since younger aircraft require less maintenance, the demand for MRO services will also drop.
A second explanation is that this new fleet is getting more reliable. Pratt & Whitney is inserting cutting-edge technologies such as our geared architecture, advanced materials, and 3D aerodynamics to stretch engine performance. Engine time on wing and aircraft reliability have both increased by 30 percent over the past 10 years.
As an example, 40 years ago we saw in-flight shutdown rates in the range of 40 per 100,000 engine flight hours. Today, the industry targets rate closer to one shutdown per 1,000,000 flight hours. An improvement of almost 400 times. Engines are more reliable.
Finally, aircraft and engines are designed for reduced maintenance. The Geared Turbofan engine has 2,000 fewer airfoils and six fewer LLP stages than a conventional turbofan. The engine has a 50 percent improvement in on-wing inspection intervals with many previous tasks being eliminated. Engines are designed for less maintenance and for easier maintenance. This also reduces MRO demand.
In summary, MRO demand growth is decreasing:
So is this change in growth rate, this slowing demand, a problem? No one is going to complain about the industry growing from $60 billion to $85 billion over the next 10 years.
Now let's look at supply. Here as well, our views have changed over the past decade. I see three key drivers: fleet diversity, globalization, and outside investment.
First, look at fleet diversity. As the fleet grows, it is becoming less diverse. Over the past decade, Boeing and Airbus models have reduced from 13 platforms to seven. Today, 75 percent of all aircraft are narrow-body, and 90 percent of those are the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320. Even with the strong deliveries from Bombardier and Embraer, and even with new models from Mitsubishi, Comac and Irkut, the worldwide fleet is becoming less diverse—more common.
In the long run, this creates economies of scale across the MRO landscape. Consequently, the industry will require less diversity among parts, tools, and shops. The industry requires less capacity to deliver the same MRO services.
Second, I'll comment on globalization. Thirty years ago, airlines all had internal MRO capability. Fifteen years ago, many airlines were outsourcing MRO, but on a local or regional level. Today, airlines have a different view. Every airline I meet tells me they care about quality, speed and value. Not geography. Whereas we previously thought many shops served captive regional or national markets, today we know that all shops compete on a global scale.
Finally, let's look at outside investment. Motivated by the strong OEM market fundamentals, not only are airlines and existing MRO providers adding capacity, but outside investors such as private equity firms, continue to pour money and people into the MRO marketplace.
In some cases, new investors often consolidate facilities as they buy and integrate separate companies. In other cases, these investors often add MRO facilities or reposition OEM aerospace firms for the aftermarket. Over the past decade, the private equity community has invested more than $30 billion into aerospace and defense in the U.S. alone. In a large, global industry, the landscape of players and investments is never static. Will outside investors be net capacity creators or reducers?
In some cases, new investors often consolidate facilities as they buy and integrate separate companies. In other cases, these investors often add MRO facilities or reposition OEM aerospace firms for the aftermarket. Over the past decade, the private equity community has invested more than $30 billion into aerospace and defense in the U.S. alone. In a large, global industry, the landscape of players and investments is never static. Will outside investors be net capacity creators or reducers?
It is clear that we are at an inflection point. The demand for MRO services is strong, but its growth is slowing. On the other hand, the capacity to deliver MRO services is sufficient, yet its base is increasing.
As an industry, we should continue to push for open and free MRO markets, letting innovation and efficiency dictate where work is performed.
Sometimes we look to governments to solve market problems—we need to resist that temptation. Slowing down or taxing imports and exports hurts airlines through higher costs and slower maintenance. Likewise, restricting foreign repair stations does not improve quality; it penalizes the end customer.
As MRO providers, we should compete aggressively in the global marketplace, challenging ourselves to execute core strategies through operational excellence. I believe competition is good. It is the lifeblood of our industry, it makes for healthy customers, and it challenges everyone to improve.
As an airline, you should seek out the best service provider worldwide, demand the best service, expect the lowest cost. However, not all services are created equal. An airline should not have to trade maintenance cost with dispatch reliability, total cost of ownership with risk management, or technical support with customer service. Many airlines mistakenly trade one for the other. Find a provider that can deliver comprehensive, dependable services.
Finally, as an airline, you are facing a challenging decision—in light of a radically evolving MRO landscape, should you enter or expand your existing MRO footprint? It is tempting. It is a big industry. It is a high-tech industry. It offers exciting careers for some of the most capable members of our workforce. A successful enterprise can generate strong returns.
Should an airline enter the MRO industry today? In my experience, airlines enter for one of three reasons: (1) a national or corporate mandate, (2) cost of ownership considerations, or (3) a desire to grow revenues through a logical adjacency.
Working with many airlines over the past decade, I believe there is no perfect maintenance strategy. Successful airlines include those that operate full-service MROs and those that have outsourced everything. However, if cost-of-ownership is the prime objective, there are other, more flexible methods of driving down maintenance cost than expanding internal MRO capability.
As an OEM, what should Pratt & Whitney do?
Pratt & Whitney is focused on balancing supply and demand, and we are laser focused on helping our customers.
How will we accomplish this?
To start, we are listening to our customers, and our customers have high expectations. Our customers expect operational improvements and cost reduction. Our customers expect technical expertise and customer service. And, our customers expect MRO breadth and flexibility. Our customers expect value.
We believe we can provide the solution.
However, the solution requires us to rapidly mature our MRO business. While we are proud of our history, and realistic about our present capabilities, the industry and our customers demand a faster, worldwide network that delivers not only spare parts and overhauls, but complete engine services as well –
So how do we transform a global organization?
Step one, we will continue to drive three key metrics for our customers: quality, speed and value.
To drive speed, we will reorganize our business around our customers giving them a simplified way to work with Pratt & Whitney. One Company, One Contact.
To create value, we will introduce more innovation into the MRO business. This is critical, because I think Pratt & Whitney, and the industry, are slow to adopt technologies. Don't misunderstand me—there are some sophisticated repairs across the industry. However, walk into any MRO facility, including those at Pratt & Whitney, and you see mountains of paper, job tickets, boxes of inventory, and hardbound engine manuals.
Did you know that over the past decade, engine turnaround time across the industry has actually increased from 62 days to 71 days—a 15 percent erosion?
More rapid adoption of technology enables the MRO industry to drive productivity. We have access to great resources like electronic work instructions, real time feedback from tools, and visual recognition technology. We need to use them. We also need to commit to paperless environments, truly integrated supply chains, and data sharing across the value stream. As we are about to introduce the most sophisticated engines in aviation history, we need to introduce the most sophisticated MRO processes.
Pratt & Whitney will relentlessly speed up, providing faster overhaul services, recognizing that every day an engine is in our shop, it is not generating revenue for our customers.
Step two, we will transform into a comprehensive service organization.
We have offered Pratt & Whitney Engine Services to PW2000, PW4000, and V2500 customers since the late 1990s. We see customer demand increasing for broader, more comprehensive services.
For the PW4000, about 45 percent of the world's fleet is under a service contract. For the V2500, more than 60 percent of the world's fleet is under a service contract. And for the PurePower engine family, which will enter service next year, 85 percent of the operators have selected Pratt & Whitney Engine Services to support not only their entry-into-service, but their total maintenance as well.
But our customers also want choices. That's why, for the PurePower engine, we are investing so heavily in our partnership network. We are committed to a global network of facilities and partners that includes and supports airline shops. The network will provide customers choice and flexibility. And the network will ensure that we have the capacity for rapid support of engines around the world. Our partners and customers will play a big part in this network.
In this model, our incentive is aligned with that of our customers: keep the engine in service and operating efficiently. This means reducing the number of shop visits, and also reducing the cost of ownership. We don't want only to sell spare parts; we want to provide customers with increased time-on-wing, higher dispatch reliability, and everything in between.
That's what we're doing today.
What will tomorrow bring?
Pratt & Whitney has launched the most advanced engine in commercial aviation. Our game-changing geared architecture will set an industry standard in terms of performance and reliability. For instance, the engine will result in 15 percent lower fuel burn than a conventional engine. This will save operators 15 billion gallons of fuel, and it will save our environment 150 megatonnes of CO2 over the next decade. This is equivalent to taking 3 million cars off the world's highways.
Game-changing architecture demands game-changing MRO technologies. As you know, today's aircraft and engines are generating more real-time data than ever before.
Big Data enables us to capture and share this data in a fashion never before thought possible.
Pratt & Whitney is using Big Data technologies to predict engine in-flight-shut-downs. We are using Big Data technologies to improve our technical support. Looking forward, we believe Big Data will connect the entire MRO network. It will align airlines, MROs and OEMs. Together we will anticipate repairs before the aircraft lands.
In the near future, we will use this data to enable Pratt & Whitney Intelligent Workscopes—workscopes tailored to the engine, operator and environment. This will provide operators with an optimized maintenance solution.
Looking forward, Pratt & Whitney will provide industry leading technical and customer support to allow our customers to focus on their operations, not ours.
Another trend being discussed this week is additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing. It is transforming manufacturing worldwide, and will have a pronounced impact on the aviation industry.
Pratt & Whitney has been a leader in additive manufacturing for the past 25 years. The PurePower engine family will be the first to include production hardware that will be printed, not machined.
3D printing dramatically reduces time from design to production. It decreases manufacturing waste, reduces inventory, and virtually eliminates lead-time. For engine parts, it can account for a 30 percent weight reduction, improve fuel burn, and lower cost-of-ownership.
For the MRO industry, the impacts will be significant. One day, overhaul shops will print their replacement parts. That is an exciting concept: no inventory, no lead time. Yet questions remain regarding certification, regulation and intellectual property.
Looking outside commercial MRO, I am watching the defense industry. As worldwide defense spending is reduced, defense contractors struggle to find growth. During previous down cycles, consolidation was the ticket. However, after decades of consolidation, few opportunities remain. The defense companies are coming—they will enter commercial aerospace, they will enter commercial MRO. They are capable competitors.
Finally, I am watching our outside investors. Recall that Private Equity has invested $30 billion into U.S. aerospace and defense over the past decade. As a result of this investment, many aerospace companies are owned by financial investors. In fact, 30 major aerospace companies, which are privately owned, generate aftermarket revenues in excess of $8 billion. Think about that—in a $60 billion industry, more than 15 percent of the action is owned by financial firms.
As you may know, private equity firms are in the business of providing transitionary capital. This means the firms have stated objectives to sell their business in 5 to 7 years. We live in an industry that requires long-term strategic alliances, partnerships and joint ventures. Investment returns are not measured in months, but in years. How do we assess risk and options when one in five MRO dollars is changing hands before we realize a return?
There are many other trends worthy of discussion if we had more time: labor rates are converging and general managers are highly mobile. Global logistics are improving and the surplus market is becoming a dominant force in the industry. And financial firms are finding more creative ways to support the aviation industry as well. For example, in the not too distant future, airlines may not need to own an engine. In major cities, people don't own cars, they just rent them. Zip Cars. It is more efficient. In our global aviation city, this could also work. Think about it—"Zip Engines." Fully interchangeable. No turnaround time. No spares.
So, let's bring the discussion back down to today, and the challenges we face.
The MRO industry is healthy and has a strong outlook given the fundamental demand for air travel. Daily, I marvel at the fact that 85 percent of the world's population has never flown in an aircraft. Think about that when you fly out of Phoenix later this week.
In any case, globalization will drive air travel, and air travel will drive MRO. However, the fundamental relationships have changed over the past decade. The installed base is getting younger, and these new aircraft and engines, which have been designed to reduce the maintenance burden, are more reliable, and more cost effective. MRO demand is no longer a multiple of OEM growth, but a fraction.
On the other hand, two aircraft types dominate the MRO landscape permitting significant economies of scale. In addition, the global market has brought MRO facilities closer together. Aircraft and engines are crossing the globe in search of the best service provider. Finally, new investment continues.
Clearly we are at an inflection point. Demand growth for MRO services is slowing, and the capacity to provide those services is growing. In itself, this is a major challenge. However, we also face challenges such as government regulations, new entrants, and emerging technologies. Rest assured the pace of this change will continue, making strategic planning even more critical. The ones who will do well are the ones who innovate, create more efficient processes, and provide the best customer value.
Without a doubt, it's a very exciting time to be in the aftermarket. At Pratt & Whitney, just as we are leading the industry with our new engine, we will lead the industry with the quality, speed and value of our performance. We will lead with a flexible network providing Pratt & Whitney Engine Services.
Remember the two mechanics removing an engine in 15 minutes? Their principles are relevant today: on wing, rapid, cost-effective and customized maintenance.
This is our heritage, this is our future.
Looking forward, our Dependable Engines will be met with Dependable Services.
Thank you. Are there any questions?
This speech includes 'forward-looking statements' and projections. These matters are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in forward looking statements include deterioration in global economic conditions; declines in end market demand in residential and building construction; declines in demand in both the commercial and defense segments of the aerospace industry; fluctuation in commodity prices, interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, and the impact of weather conditions; and company-specific factors including the availability and impact of acquisitions; the rate and ability to effectively integrate these acquired businesses; the ability to achieve cost reductions at planned levels; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies and new products and services; delays and disruption in delivery of materials and services from suppliers; labor disputes; and the outcome of legal proceedings. For information identifying other important economic, political, regulatory, legal, technological, competitive and other uncertainties related to United Technologies Corporation, see UTC's SEC filings, including but not limited to, the information included in UTC's 10-K and 10-Q Reports under the headings "Business," "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Cautionary Note Concerning Factors that May Affect Future Results," as well as the information included in UTC's Current Reports on Form 8-K."


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This is my work league. $50 to play. 10 team non-keeper league
QB's: 1 pt / 25 yds pass; 1 pt / 10 yds rush; 6 pts / TD, -2 pts / INT,FUM
RB/WR/TE: 1 pt /10 yds rush,rec; 6 ptd TD
Here is my team:
QB: T.Green
RB: D.McAllister, T.Henry, W.McGahee, L.Gordon, J.Jones, M.Morris
WR: H.Ward, J.Porter, D.Driver, A.Boldin
TE: Winslow
I scored the least points in our league last week, no one scored. I picked up M.Morris and now Alexander might play, so he's useless.
I'm thinking I need to make a trade, but don't know who to offer and who to get. I know that the owner who has Quentin Griffin doesn't think he's as good as I do. I was thinking of maybe offering Henry and Ward to him for T.O and Griffin. Would that be a bad deal? I just don't want to end up in last place and will do whatever it takes to make this team into a winner. What do you think I should do?

subset: commoncrawl


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Friday, September 14, 2007
Know Your Foe - Notre Dame 2007
History - Founded in 1842 by a 28 year old priest. It was originally known as "University of Notre Dame du Lac," which in French means "Our Lady of the Lake." But there are actually two lakes on campus. Legend has it that when the school was founded in November of 1842, everything was frozen and so they only thought there was one lake (why didn't they just check on Google Maps?). The land on which ND sits had been purchased by Rev. Stephen Badin, the first Catholic priest ordained in the United States, and left in trust for anyone who would found a school on the site. A fire in 1879 practically wiped out the campus, but within ten years the campus was once again thriving.
The influence of Catholicism is obvious throughout the campus, where 82% of the students identify as Roman Catholic. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart is in the center of campus, a statue of the Virgin Mary stands on the dome of the Main Building ("The Golden Dome"), and there are crucifixes in most classrooms on campus. Know Your Foe was unable to confirm if confessionals were being installed at Notre Dame Stadium to allow fans to be forgiven for what they were thinking about Charlie Weis.
Dorm life is huge at Notre Dame. About 80% of the student body live in the dorms, including roughly half of the senior class. Can you imagine being a senior and still eating those shitty dorm meals? There are 27 dorms on campus, all single-sex, and all with chapels. Since there are no fraternities or sororities on campus there is tremendous dorm loyalty, with many students living in the same dorm their entire collegiate career. In the tremendously competitive environment that ND is, there are fierce rivalries between dorms, and the residence hall intramural competition, which includes full pads and full contact football, is almost as legendary as the competition on Saturday at the stadium.
Location – Notre Dame, IN. Yes, technically, the school is located in Notre Dame, Indiana, though most people just consider it in South Bend (yeah, we were surprised, too). And though fans of both Michigan and Michigan State would never acknowledge this, Notre Dame is only about four miles from the Michigan border. But it's still in Indiana. And though the small ND campus is renowned for its beauty, South Bend is in the armpit of Indiana, which is pretty much the armpit of the United States. A stone's throw away from ND is beautiful Gary, IN, the smelliest, grossest city around. Drivers literally have to speed by at at least 80 mph simply to prevent the carcinogens from entering their car and body as they pass. Further south is farmland peppered with such burgs as West Lafayette and French Lick
South Bend is about the same size as Ann Arbor, and derived its name because it lies at the south bend of the St. Joseph River. The city began as South Hold in 1829, named by, of all entities, the post office. The USPS renamed the town to South Bend in 1830 because so many other places were called South Hold. Really? What in the world was going on in this country in 1830 that so many places were called South Hold? It was officially incorporated as a city in 1865. Heavy industry has always dominated South Bend's economy, most famously by the Studebaker Manufacturing Company. Studebaker cars were built there until the company's demise in 1963. The Studebaker National Museum is in South Bend, as is the College Football Hall of Fame.
Nickname - Fighting Irish. It's one of the most unique and well-known nicknames in all of sports. As a matter of fact, there are no other colleges that use "Irish" as their nickname.
Although there are a number of theories on how Notre Dame became the Fighting Irish, most people believe its genesis was during the 1920s when the press referred to the football team as such, due to the roster being populated with Kellys, Duffys, Ryans and Gallaghers. Even though diversity has come to ND - at least on the field - the nickname remains despite the presence of Vernaglia, Zbikowski, Kamara, and Jabbie. Despite the presence of only a few Irish surnames on this year's ND roster, the NCAA has yet to challenge the ethnic nickname, or even the violent imagery associated with it. But give them time.
Before the '20s, Notre Dame had several nicknames, including the Rovers and the Ramblers, due to their willingness to travel to play football during the Knute Rockne era. At one point they were also known as the Terriers, at which time an Irish Terrier would appear on the sideline during football games. There's no doubt that if they'd kept that name, the history of Notre Dame football would be very different.
Mascot – The Leprechaun. A true classic, and the fact that they have a living student version makes this one of the best mascots in all of college athletics. So many times during my youth, when they'd show that leprechaun cheering and mugging for the camera, I just wanted to punch my TV screen. When the mascot is getting under your skin, you know it's good.
The live mascot is always a student that wins an annual tryout. The green knickers and gold vest that he wears is topped by an Irish country hat. The leprechaun carries around a shillelagh during the game leading cheers in the student section, and is hoisted by the cheerleaders after every ND score to perform a pushup for every Irish point. Surprisingly, the leprechaun was named the official school mascot only in 1965, replacing the Irish Terrier, Clashmore Mike.
Colors - Blue and Gold. That's right, no green. They use the green when they feel like they need it, such as in 2005 against USC. When they first broke out the green jerseys in the '70s it was a fun gimmick. But now that just about every college and pro team has an "alternate" jersey (and Oregon has 384), this tactic seems very played. The blue and gold are a great combination, though not necessarily unique (Navy and Brigham Young use the same colors). Plus, Notre Dame actually gets it right when they invoke gold, staying off Know Your Foe's shitlist. And though they are the picture of utter blandness, the golden helmets are iconic and a perfect symbol for the university.
The colors of the university at its founding in 1842 were yellow and blue. The yellow symbolized light (which I get) and the blue symbolized truth (which I don't understand). But even back then, evidently, schools didn't like to admit using yellow. However, sometime after the statue of Mary and the dome of the Main Building was gilded, yellow was replaced by gold as the official color.
Logo – An interlocking ND. This has been the Notre Dame logo since at least the 1960s, though other logos have cropped up at times. The interlocking ND has had, at times, a green or blue shamrock behind it. The interlocking letters have appeared on both the jersey and pants of the football players since Lou Holtz added them in 1986 – the most recent changes to the uniform. A cartoon leprechaun is also sometimes used as the ND logo. This guy really brings the "Figthin'" out in "Fightin' Irish." Throughout the various incarnations of this cartoon logo, the little leprechaun has his fists up, ready to fight.
Typically in Know Your Foe, we discuss the helmets in the logo section. And we'll do it here, even though Notre Dame, obviously, has no logo on their helmets. In a way, the helmets themselves are logos of the university, representing the golden dome atop the Main Building. Though iconic in college football, they are almost the same, albeit with no stripe and a gray facemask, as two of their fellow independents, Army and Navy.
As with so many things at Notre Dame, tradition plays a huge part with the helmets. The team's student managers spray paint the helmets prior to each game, refreshing the shine each week.The paint contains actual gold. Although ND has had the same helmet design since 1964, which is the longest-running unchanged helmet design among the NCAA Division I-A colleges, they haven't always been so plain. From 1959 to 1962, head coach Joe Kuharich added a green shamrock to the helmet. In 1963, plain white numbers replaced the shamrock for one season.
As always, all images of the helmets are from the incredible Helmet Project site, and the logos are from the equally wonderful SportsLogos.net.
Fight Song – Notre Dame Victory March. One of the most famous college football fight songs was written by brothers and Notre Dame grads, Michael and John Shea in the early 1900s. Though it ranked only fifth in a Sports Illustrated poll of the best college fight songs, it's second as far as the MZone is concerned (The Victors is number one in both rankings). The beginning part with the flutes, where the leprechaun dances around, the way the band plays it quietly during the extra point and then pumps up the volume right after and the fact that so many non-football fans know the song make it a classic. Know Your Foe hates it and loves it at the same time.
The original lyrics, which were written in 1908, were revised in the late 1920s to the following:
Rally sons of Notre Dame:
Sing her glory and sound her fame,
Raise her Gold and Blue
And cheer with voices true:
Rah, rah, for Notre Dame
We will fight in ev-ry game,
Strong of heart and true to her name
We will ne'er forget her
And will cheer her ever
Loyal to Notre Dame
Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame,
Wake up the echoes cheering her name,
Send a volley cheer on high,
Shake down the thunder from the sky.
What though the odds be great or small
Old Notre Dame will win over all,
While her loyal sons are marching
Onward to victory.
Those are some damn good lyrics for a college fight song. They invoke the name of the university, the colors, mention cheering, fighting, and loyalty, and has ultimate confidence in victory. No wonder they've won so many football games.
Academics - There's no doubt Notre Dame is a strong academic institution. But how strong all depends on who you ask. Ask a Domer and he's going to say it's at least in the top ten, maybe even number 1, up there with Stanford, Harvard, Princeton and Yale. Most non-Domers would put it somewhere outside the top 25. Michigan grads would put it anywhere below U of M. Domers love their school and that's one of the main reasons it ranks highly on college rankings like the U.S. News and World Reports' list, where it ranks 19th (Michigan is tied for 25th). Alumni giving for ND is always among the highest, even if its academic reputation isn't as strong. And the university is sitting on an endowment of almost $4.5 billion, which is huge for such a small school (Michigan's endowment is about $5.6 billion). Perhaps this helps explain why the university reserves almost a quarter of its admissions spots for legacies of Notre Dame. Know Your Foe has always felt that among Big Ten schools, Michigan alums love their school the most. But that love of alma mater is no more than the love Notre Dame grads (and families of grads) have for their school.
Athletics - Surprisingly, for a school full of competitive achievers, Notre Dame hasn't produced huge numbers of national championships in sports other than football. The men's basketball team has only been to one Final Four (in 1978), though the women's team won it all in 2001. They've won titles in women's soccer as well as men's and women's fencing, but who really cares about that? Notre Dame is a football school. Always has been, always will be, no matter their record. While almost all of the ND athletic teams play in the Big East Conference, the football team remains one of only four independents. And that's really too bad. The university was reportedly offered a spot in the Big Ten in 1999, which was rejected due to a lack of alumni support. Though being an independent has served the Irish well, particularly in the wallet, they are a natural for the Big Ten and would bring an East/West balance that would allow the conference to align smoothly into somewhat even divisions. This wouldn't be the case if the conference added an eastern team such as Syracuse or Pittsburgh. But no, Notre Dame remains staunchly independent in football, allowing them to schedule as hard or as easy as they choose. And, more importantly, it allows them to have their own network football contract, and even have their own BCS qualification rules, both of which add up to huge dollars that they don't have to share with fellow teams in their conference. So when anyone asks you why Notre Dame is still not in a conference, tell them the reason is the same anything happens in college football: Money, and lots of it.
Famous alums - Notre Dame covers the gamut here, with alumna in just about every field of endeavor. It's an extremely lengthy, if not overly impressive list. From the media, 2nd-rate sportscasters Don Criqui, Ted Robinson, and Tim Ryan are all ND grads. CBS Morning Show talking head Hannah Storm is an Irish grad as is ESPN Radio morning talking head Mike Golic. Obnoxious talk show hosts Phil Donohue and Regis Philbin, both went to ND as did punk rock's Ted Leo, and comedy's George Wendt. Current Secretary of State Condaleezza Rice as well as Chicago Cub fan turned villain Steve Bartman have ND diplomas hanging on their wall. As do current or former CEOs of Texaco, Liz Claiborne, DTE Energy, Office Depot and Red Hat. And don't forget about that character Martin Sheen played on The West Wing. But they've only had a fictional president from Notre Dame, not a real one.
The Game – Even though Know Your Foe spends a ridiculous amount of time on each of these reports every week, this section of this week's KYF has been the most difficult to write. Who knows what's going to happen with these two teams? They've both looked awful, with Notre Dame not getting an offensive touchdown and Michigan's defense only able to stop their opponent during garbage time. And it's not as if the ND defense or the Michigan offense has been all that great either. To top things off, both teams will start a true freshman at QB. This is going to be one ugly game. Michigan is at home, but that might not be an advantage for the Wolverines right now. The coaching staff is in turmoil, the players are mad at the fans, the fans are mad at life. It can't get any worse for Michigan can it? Sadly, it can: NOTRE DAME 12, MICHIGAN 9.
19 comments:
- Rusher said...
What about God?
He might not be a true alumni but a pretty good fan.
- September 14, 2007 1:56 AM
- gitchegumee said...
But, . . .
If God is a Notre Dame fan, why are they 0-2?
Oh, that's right, I forgot, Nietzsche informed us that God is dead.
Just like Notre Dame football.
BTW, outstanding job with Know Your Foe, as usual. Thank you! Keep up the great work.
- September 14, 2007 4:52 AM
- surrounded in columbus said...
12-9? are you sniffing glue? there's just no way in H3LL michigan could ever... kick 3 field goals in one game.
- September 14, 2007 8:04 AM
- beast in 'bama said...
Sic - It's gotta be a fumble recovery for a touchdown, an extra point, and a safety. A safety? With Michigan's defense? Yeah, it's gonna happen on a punt somehow.
Seriously, this has got to be the toughest game in the country to handicap - maybe ever. A lot of people down here have said they are going to watch it just to see what happens. Kind of like whenever they bring out the jaws of life at an accident.
- September 14, 2007 8:24 AM
- Dezzi said...
An extra point from Michigan? I could see Michigan getting 9 points from a TD, missed extra point, then a FG from 40 yards out... but the 40 yarder would come after having missed a 27 yarder and having a 32 yarder blocked.
Never thought I would want Garrett Rivas back... does anyone know if Remy Hamilton has any eligibility left?
I sense a Mike Hart game where he runs for 300+ yards on 40+ carries because they will be scared to open up the passing for Mallett.
One thing is for sure this weekend... a team with blue as one of their colors will win.
- September 14, 2007 9:01 AM
- fightinamish said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- September 14, 2007 9:19 AM
- fightinamish said...
Did you just call Gerald Ford a "real president"? That's debatable.
- September 14, 2007 9:20 AM
- whetstonebuck said...
Let's see. Two teams with horrendously bland uniforms as well as records. Yeah, this is a must watch game. If for nothing else, to observe one of the teams change their helmet design following the game. Superstition would be a good reason since good taste isn't being invoked. Maybe they could influence Penn State to…nah. That's going to take a death.
- September 14, 2007 9:41 AM
- Billster said...
1) As much as I love ND, I can't see them winning this one. They won't be able to put points up no matter what Michigan does on defense. Twelve points is generous.
2) I have to disagree re: your assessment of ND academically. I won't argue it's on par with Harvard, Stanford, et. al, but I find it humorous that you give it such little respect when it's ranked higher than Michigan in the report you reference. If that report is your benchmark (and it seems to be, since you cited it), then 'nough said about ND's excellence relative to Michigan.
- September 14, 2007 9:42 AM
- god of the whoppers said...
and rudy???
- September 14, 2007 10:21 AM
- Robert said...
knockin' back some of grandpappy's cough medicine a little early this friday aren't we? michigan uniform bland? change the helmet design? yeeeaaa that's it. keep on sippin' that $5 vodka buddy. the michigan uniform was voted best uniform over at your ww leader by something like 6 million sports fans. and as much as i don't like notre dame, they've got some classy uniforms when they stay out of green.
holy hell i can only imagine your own wardrobe. seriously, tie-dyed shirts are no longer cool after the summer camp ages of 10-13.
- September 14, 2007 11:29 AM
- whetstonebuck said...
There's no accounting for taste. The fashionistas you reference probably think Ms. Spears wardrobe is "to die for."
In other polls the majority ranks vanilla as the number one ice cream. Go figure. Another vote for Penn State's unis.
Dude, shake up that polo shirt and Dockers mentality. What have you got to lose?
Sure the Michigan helmet design is the most recognizable...because it's so freakin' weird. Weird does not necessarily mean attractive. (see Oregon)
Don't know nuthin' 'bout granpaps cough syrup. Feel free to share.
Oh, strictly Aloha shirts for me. Tie-dye is for poli-sci students on your campus.
- September 14, 2007 12:27 PM
- TitleIX said...
Seriously, this weekend is alllll lined up for some supreme karmic justice....
picture this:
1) Michigan clocks Charlie Weis' Notre Dame and
2) Ty Willingham's Huskies clock tOSU
ooooh the potential for nirvanah
- September 14, 2007 2:21 PM
- Robert said...
first off, it's our enviro majors that rock the tie-dyed shirts, so you're wrong there.
second, please tell me it's black socks and tennis shoes with the aloha shirts for you? why do i get the feeling you've been on more than 3 cruises in your life?
and seriously though man, mix it up? should we add granite countertops and hardwood floors to the sisteen chapel? paint the whitehouse in earthy tones for the "green" fad these days?
i'm all for mixing it up, but there's a reason the classics stick with you. i think any reasonable person would say the michigan uni's are a good look. you have to admit you're in the minority here. but hey, to each his own.
- September 14, 2007 2:57 PM
- Killing My Liver said...
Title :
If that scenario plays out, I would be a very happy man.
- September 14, 2007 2:58 PM
- Rusher said...
Rudy, would be a starter on this years ND team!
- September 14, 2007 4:03 PM
- whetstonebuck said...
It's ostrich cowboy boots with the aloha shirts. Eat your heart out, preppy-boy.
Thanks for the correction on who's wearing the tie-dye. Are you sure they don't exchange clothing with one another down at the co-op?
No cruises in my past. Oh, how I want to though. I think I have the Mrs. convinced to go on one. She has a phobia about being below the water line.
Yes, of course I know I'm in the minority on this blog. It's just my opinion. I know I'm bucking the classics, but I think '56/'57 Chevys are ugly too. There may be no help for me.
- September 14, 2007 4:44 PM
- Reed said...
My new favorite ND leprechaun logo.
- September 14, 2007 5:06 PM
- Harrison Clifford said...
Blue probably symbolizes truth to Notre Dame because it was the color of loyalty (trusting) during the middle ages. If you wore green it meant love and blue meant loyalty etc...
- September 14, 2007 5:15 PM


text:
New Paulding Library Is Now Open to Students
Georgia Highlands College, which has been a vital presence on the town square in Dallas since 2009, finally reached our goal of providing more than a virtual library to students on the Paulding campus. On Monday, March 11 college officials and David Austin, chairman of the Paulding County Commission, cut the ribbon on a very real library in the historic county courthouse, situated on the square in Dallas, adjacent to the GHC academic building.
The new library will house 3,500 titles covering history, literature, art, music, science and all other areas of the college curriculum. It also includes a rotating collection of current best-selling fiction and non-fiction, as well as newspapers and magazines. Visitors to the library will have access to over 80,000 ebooks, more than 13,000 online videos, and the full-text contents of more than 37,000 magazines, journals, newspapers and other publications through the GHC library holdings in GALILEO, a statewide library access resource. Kennesaw State University, an educational partner with GHC at Paulding, donated a number of books to the collection.
Elijah Scott, director of libraries for the GHC, said, "Our continual growth on the Paulding campus and the increased requests by students prompted us to seek a facility where we could house a physical library. David Austin and the Paulding County Commission worked tirelessly to help us procure space in this beautiful, historic building so that the library would be easily accessible to our students. We are pleased that we can be a part of revitalizing important buildings to make them useful and relevant once more. Doing so preserves the heritage of Dallas, yet keeps her moving into the future."
The library will be open to the general public, too. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.


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|Hey Mom! Learn more about the Gerber Life Insurance Grow-Up Plan!
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Insurance and decisions help
I am completely in a mess w/my prenatal care right now. I would really like others thoughts and opinions.
I basically HATE where I am. Being near a military facility and having to use base to avoid copays and whatnot. Well my last button has been pushed when they refused to call in a PRENATAL RX to my local pharmacy (I live 35min away from base). Why they dont/wont call this in you ask??? I have no clue!!
So my option right now, until more research is done, is to change levels of my ins and do copays and deductibles.
Here is where it gets more complicated. (I come from having midwives and LOVED them, unfortunatly we have moved too far from them) And their are NO MW around here and the only travelling homebirth one DH has declined
Our local group is NINE MALE Obs, but I would have to meet my deduct and pay 20% copay per visit 4mile drive. (Dont have a good thing with male gyns/obs )
The next place has a newer birthing center and the group I am looking into has 4females and 4 males, no copay, but still have to meet the deduct and a 33mile drive.
What would you do?? Please help me
SARAH, Married to my loveMama to Bubs,Taters, Peanuts our , Dookers , and sweet baby E born on his EDD
Kicking my weight away with TurboFire, wanna join me?
Registered Users
Re: Insurance and decisions help
well, first i certainly wouldn't opt for the all-male OB practice just to be closer if you would be uncomfortable with them. close is nice but i think you need to be comfortable with your provider. so it sounds like if your major issue with your current insurance situation is the distance then it sounds like the other option that you would want to pursue (the newer birthing center) isn't any closer. so i probably wouldn't necessarily change unless there is something else going on with your base provider (like you can't stand them personally, they're pushing you to do things you don't want to, etc.).
Registered Users
Re: Insurance and decisions help
But if it is that the one at the Base is uncomfortable for you to go to because of personal reasons, I personally would go with the newer place with the longer drive. 20% per visit can really add up.
But before making a decision, maybe you should see if there is any way to visit the birthing center to see what it's like. They may even offer free 15 minute consultation appointments with one of the women Drs you might consider switching too.
Good luck!
Stacy, mom to two very spirited boys... Thomas and Patrick
Just trying to keep up with them - lol!
Registered Users
Re: Insurance and decisions help
I too would not go to the all male group. Sorry but no man has pushed anything out of anywhere to tell us women how to do it :lol I too use midwives and oh my heart breaks for you! I love my midwives we have used! I would definitely interview the other group that has 4 women and 4 men. I would also try really explaining ot my husband that you are not not not comfortable with a man and really prefer a woman. I don't want some other man besides my hubby seeing that part of my body if I have the option to use a woman. I would also find out what is opposition to the female homebirth midwife is and see if there was ANY ANY ANY way at all that you could overcome that obstacle - I'm praying for ya!
~ Christi ~
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Re: Insurance and decisions help
You can get your prenatal vitamins OTC at Walmart. That is all I have ever taken b/c I didnt want to pay the prescription copays. Hope you get this all figured out.
Jen H.
Registered Users
Re: Insurance and decisions help
Have you tried calling Tricare? I went through a LOT of issues w/them... I finally was able to talk to someone in "Medical Management." They are the ones that makes all the insurance decisions. Now I am allowed to go to ANY doctor I want w/no copay - after throwing quite the b&%@h fit a few times.
Also, as far as military docs calling in a script... I don't think they can do that. I've gone to MTF's & Veteran's doctors & they've explained to me that they aren't allowed by law to do that. Many doctors are not certified in that state, but b/c they are military they are allowed to practice there as long as they are on the MTF. It sucks, but it's just a rule
I myself hate MTFs in general & have had a few bad experiences there, but I wish I had one that close (I know it's far for you). I live 4-5 hours from the nearest one in OH. I live 30 mins from the nearest actual medical facility at all & 48 mins from my personal doctor/hospital.
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NEW YORK — Energy Secretary Steven Chu will leave office soon, possibly by the end of this month, he told colleagues in an e-mail Friday morning, according to Energy Department employees.
His departure had been widely expected, although as late as Thursday afternoon he was refusing to answer questions on the subject. The open slot at the Energy Department adds to a constellation of vacancies at the top of related agencies: the Environmental Protection Agency, the Transportation Department, and the Interior Department.
President Obama said in a statement that Chu ''brought to the Energy Department a unique understanding of both the urgent challenge presented by climate change and the tremendous opportunity that clean energy represents for our economy.'' The president said that in the four years of Chu's tenure, ''we have doubled the use of renewable energy, dramatically reduced our dependence on foreign oil, and put our country on a path to win the global race for clean energy jobs.'' He also praised Chu for expanded support for research into ''groundbreaking innovations that could transform our energy future.''
Chu presided over a $90 billion surge in expenditures in which the Obama administration tried to use the Energy Department to accomplish twin goals: stimulating the economy, and advancing energy efficiency and clean energy production.
Chu, a physicist, is the first Cabinet secretary to come into office with a Nobel Prize (an honor he shared in 1997 for his work with supercooled atoms) and the first scientist to lead the department. His 15 predecessors as secretary included a dentist, an admiral from the nuclear navy, a former electric utility lobbyist, and a variety of political figures.
New York Times
Hagel still has backing of White House for Defense job
WASHINGTON — The White House on Friday dismissed criticism of Chuck Hagel's hesitant congressional testimony and insisted that it expects the Senate to confirm him as defense secretary.
One day after Hagel was roughed up in a grueling confirmation hearing, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Hagel did a ''fine job'' and the Obama administration would be stunned if Republicans tried to block the nomination of a decorated Vietnam combat veteran and former two-term GOP senator.
''The president believes Senator Hagel will make an excellent secretary of defense and that he will be confirmed and he looks forward to working with Senator Hagel in that position as we continue to advance our national security priorities,'' Carney told reporters.
If confirmed, Hagel, 66, would be the lone Republican in President Obama's Cabinet, the first Vietnam veteran to be defense secretary and the first enlisted man to take the post.
Hagel seemed ill-prepared under withering cross-examination from Senate Armed Services Committee Republicans in nearly eight hours of testimony.
Associated Press


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Craft Show Attracts Crowds
ST. MARYS — The South Street parking lot was packed with close to 20 vendors for Saturday's SummerFest Craft Show.
The craft show began at 9 a.m. and ran through 5 p.m. Stands featured birdhouses, paintings, tutus, Pampered Chef products, jams and a variety of other items.
The show — new to the lineup this year — gave residents from St. Marys and the surrounding area an opportunity to market their handcrafted products while also mingling with festival attendees.
Renee Roettger, a Kettlersville resident, lined her tables with jewelry, which she and her mother handcraft. Her business, Aspiring Designs, features more than 500 pieces of jewelry ranging from necklaces to rosaries — custom jewelry can also be made for weddings, proms and other occasions. Aspiring Designs combines both the taste of Roettger and her mother and emphasized why purchasing items from local residents has many advantages.
"I have a full service business," Roettger said, "I'm local so I guarantee all my work, and I can also fix others' work."
A few stands away from Roettger, Susan Little sold many hours of her hard work at her first craft show.
Little's stand was full of handmade blankets, rice heating pads, do-rags, purses and seat belt covers. Her blankets displayed an assortment of colors and patterns.
"I like the brighter colors more because it's more fun to work with," Little said.
For 45 years, Little has been devoting hours a day to her hobby.
"If I work for three hours a day, it takes me about six weeks to make a blanket," Little told The Evening Leader. "It's a stress reliever, and it's also something that allows me to see where my time goes."
Sidney resident Peggy Wilson also displayed her hard work and creativity. Peggy's Purses and Accessories usually sits at the farmer's market in Sidney every Saturday, but Wilson came to St. Marys to see new faces and spread her market. Taught by her 97-year-old aunt who still sews herself, Wilson has been making purses for two years. She expanded her business to accessories like bracelets and other jewelry this spring in order to fill all of her reserved space at the farmer's market, but purses are still her strong suit.
"I love finding the material and making something pretty out of it," Wilson said. "I'm the original bag lady, so you will never see another purse like the ones I make."
Wilson said she understood financial times are rough for many residents around the area. She was both aware and careful of the economic situation when she priced her items.
"I try to stay in the low price range," Wilson said. "People like to treat themselves sometimes, and they are able to. My purses are all $25 and lower."
Selling items was the focus of the vendors at the craft show but just as important was the fellowship and sense of community among all who attended.
"You have to be a people person to do this," Little said. "I like to be here and see the people."


text: (CNN) -- More "Breaking Bad" yo? The series star Bryan Cranston seemed to drop a major hint in an interview with CNN's Ashleigh Banfield Thursday. Asked by Banfield if his character, Walter White, died or not, Cranston said, "Hey, you never saw bags zip up or anything. Or say ... you know." He left the rest up to viewers' imaginations. In response to questions about whether the character could show up in a movie or anywhere else ever again, Cranston said: "Never say never." Whoa. He may have been teasing, but that remark revived hopes for countless fans who still are mourning the loss of the character and the acclaimed series. The show literally went out with a bang in September 2013 and there was even a mock funeral held for the character in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the series was set and filmed. Cranston has remained busy since the series ended, most recently starring in the summer film "Godzilla." And AMC has announced that "Breaking Bad" fans can look forward to a new series, "Better Call Saul," which will bea spinoff featuring criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. What say you diehard fans? Do you think Cranston was kidding or not?


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If you're smoking pot in public, officers will be giving helpful reminders to folks about the rules and regulations under I-502 (like not smoking pot in public). But the police department believes that, under state law, you may responsibly get baked, order some pizzas and enjoy a Lord of the Rings marathon in the privacy of your own home, if you want to.That's the Seattle Police Department, writing that, by the way. Don't you like police department humor?
AND: "I'm not sure where you're suppose to get it," King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg told CNN. "If you stumble across some on the street or it falls from the sky, then you can have it. Otherwise, you are part of a criminal chain of distribution."
The Washington State Liquor Control Board has until December 1, 2013, to establish clear guidelines for the regulation of marijuana sale and distribution. Until then, obtaining marijuana by any means remains illegal.The line between the risk-taking transgressors and timid rule-followers remains, even today. As I said, that's not fair.
Also, marijuana possession is still illegal under federal law, but the government hasn't said what it intends to do about Initiative 502. The U.S. attorney's office released a statement yesterday reaffirming its position on the illegality of any action involving marijuana, stressing that federal properties such as military bases and national parks remain off-limits to Washington tokers.


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* Nestor over at Bruins Nation has found another "Hugh Johnson" clip, the "alleged" UCLA Internet fan/reporter. We say "alleged" because we agree with Nestor -- this smells bogus. Looks like a USC practical joke.
For UCLA's sake, I really, really, really hope it is.
* For Michigan fans who don't live in the Detroit area, check out Detroit News writer Bob Wojnowski's weekly college football column. Always entertaining. Maybe Drew Sharp can rent a sense of humor from him someday.
* SiC sends us this story from the Ann Arbor News taking a look at Michigan's new zone scheme for the O line.
* Reader DevilGrad poses a very interesting question in anticipation of the Texas-Tosu game:
Which number will be bigger?
A) Number of points Ohio State scores against Texas
B) Buckeye fans arrested in Austin (keeping in mind that most Austin public libraries are open on Saturdays).
* Finally, because Buckeye fans are always complaining that we never put up enough Ohio State material on this site, we present this picture from reader LRC. Apparently Tosu fans have been arriving in Texas all week and he snapped this photo of one visiting a horse farm on the outskirts of Austin.
In a sad footnote, we're told the horse in this picture had to be put down after this encounter.
Enjoy the games today.


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Top Ten Traps in C# for C++ Programmersby Jesse Liberty, author of Programming C#, 2nd Edition
In an article for the July 2001 MSDN Magazine I talked about what you need to know to move from C++ to C#. In that article, I mentioned that the syntax of C# is very similar to that of C++ and that the difficult part of the transition was not the language itself but getting comfortable with the managed environment of .NET and understanding the extensive .NET Framework.
I've begun to compile a list of the syntactical differences that exist between C++ and C#. (See the FAQ from my book, Programming C#, at www.LibertyAssociates.com.) As you might expect, most of the syntactic changes are small and nearly trivial. There are, however, some changes that are potential traps for the unwary C++ programmer, and this article will focus on the ten most dangerous.
Trap #1: Nondeterministic finalization and the C# destructor
The biggest difference in C# for most C++ programmers will be garbage collection. You will no longer have to worry about memory leaks and ensuring that pointers are deleted, but you also give up precise control over when your objects will be destroyed.
If you control an unmanaged resource, however, you will need to explicitly free that resource when you are done with it. Implicit control over unmanaged resources is provided by a destructor, which will be called by the garbage collector when your object is destroyed.
Related Reading
C# Essentials
The destructor should only release unmanaged resources that your object holds on to, and it should not reference other objects. If you have only managed references you do not need to (and should not) implement a destructor. You want this only for handling unmanaged resources. Because there is some cost to having a destructor, you ought to implement this only on methods that consume valuable, unmanaged resources.
You never call an object's destructor directly. The garbage collector will call it for you.
How destructors work
The garbage collector maintains a list of objects that have a destructor. This list is updated every time such an object is created or destroyed.
When an object on this list is first collected, it is placed on a queue with other objects waiting to be destroyed. After the destructor executes, the garbage collector then collects the object and updates the queue, as well as its list of destructible objects.
The C# destructor
C#'s destructor looks, syntactically, much like a C++ destructor, but it behaves quite differently. You declare a C# destructor with a tilde as follows:
In C#, however, this syntax is simply a shortcut for declaring a
Finalize() method that chains up to its base class. Thus, when you write:
// do work here
the C# compiler translates it to:
protected override void Finalize()
// do work here
Trap #2: Finalize versus Dispose
|Are there any C# traps you'd like to add to this list?
It is not legal to call a destructor explicitly. Your destructor will be called by the garbage collector. If you do handle precious unmanaged resources (such as file handles) that you want to close and dispose of as quickly as possible, you ought to implement the
IDisposable interface. The
IDisposable interface requires its implementers to define one method, named
Dispose(), to
perform whatever cleanup you consider to be crucial. The availability of
Dispose() is a way for
your clients to say, "Don't wait for the destructor to be called; do it right now."
If you provide a
Dispose() method, you should stop the garbage collector from calling your object's destructor. To stop the garbage collector, you call the static method,
GC.SuppressFinalize(), passing in this reference for your object. Your destructor can then call your
Dispose() method. Thus, you might write:
using System;
class Testing : IDisposable
bool is_disposed = false;
protected virtual void Dispose(bool disposing)
if (!is_disposed) // only dispose once!
if (disposing)
Console.WriteLine("Not in destructor, OK to reference
other objects");
// perform cleanup for this object
this.is_disposed = true;
public void Dispose()
// tell the GC not to finalize
Console.WriteLine("In destructor.");
Implementing the Close method
For some objects, you'd rather have your clients call the
Close() method. (For example,
makes more sense than
Dispose() for file objects.) You can implement this by creating a private
Dispose() method and a public
Close() method and having your
Close() method invoke
The using statement
Because you cannot be certain that your user will call
Dispose() reliably, and because finalization is nondeterministic (meaning you can't control when the garbage collector will run), C# provides a using statement, which ensures that
Dispose() will be called at the earliest possible time. The idiom is to declare which objects you are using and then to create a scope for these objects with curly braces. When the close brace is reached, the
Dispose() method will be called on the object automatically:
using System.Drawing;
class Tester
public static void Main()
using (Font theFont = new Font("Arial", 10.0f))
// use theFont
} // compiler will call Dispose on theFont
Font anotherFont = new Font("Courier",12.0f);
using (anotherFont)
// use anotherFont
} // compiler calls Dispose on anotherFont
In the first part of this example, the
Font object is created within the using statement. When the using statement ends,
Dispose() is called on the
Font object.
In the second part of the example, a
Font object is created outside of the using statement. When
we decide to use that font, we put it inside the using statement and when that statement ends, once again
Dispose() is called.
The using statement also protects you against unanticipated exceptions. No matter how control leaves the using statement,
Dispose() is called. It is as if there were an implicit try-catch-finally block.


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Washington (CNN) - The vast majority of Americans still say economic conditions in the country remain poor, but the public appears less pessimistic about the economy than they did earlier this year, according to a new national poll.
A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Thursday morning indicates that 78 percent say economic conditions today are somewhat or very poor, with 22 percent saying the economy's in good shape.
Thirty-seven percent of people questioned in the poll say economic conditions are currently very poor, but that number is down seven percentage points from February.
"There are some major regional differences," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "The number of people in the Northeast and Midwest who think the economy is in very poor shape has gone down by 10 to 12 points since February, compared to only a three-to-five point change in the South and West. Westerners remain most pessimistic about the state of the economy, with 46 percent saying that it is in very poor shape, compared to only 33 percent in the Northeast."
According to the survey, the economy remains issue number one with Americans, with 42 percent saying it's the most important issue facing the country, 25 points ahead of health care. But that 42 percent is down five points from January.
The survey's release comes as the federal government releases its revised reading on the first-quarter Gross Domestic Product. GDP is expected to have grown at a 3.3 percent annualized rate for the first three months of the year, versus the initially reported 3.2 percent rate.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted May 21-23, with 1,023 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
–CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report
As long as democrats are in power we will never recover. Tax and spend your way out is a failure program no matter how many times democrats try it.
Dear America,
Be optimistic about the economy now or wait for more signs. But please oh please do not forget which party put us in this mess to begin with.
Obama and the Democrats are the "Emergncy responders and tow truck drivers" the Republicans were driving when our economy spun out of control, hit the ditch, rolled over and started to catch fire.
Don't let them confuse you by compalining that we have to take a while to recover from what they caused.
apparently the hopeful ones aren't people with money in the US stock market, or any concept of what 13 TRILLION dollars of debt means in terms of fiscal health
This is a good sign, but there are so few people asked. It really has to make you wonder who these people are and why so few are being asked. Just this really represent the feelings all over the US?
Well, I'm not less pessimistic. Our Debt load scares the bejesus out of me. Spend, spend, spend. If my family spent like .Gov has been, we'd have been arrested years ago.
That is beccuse of after 8 years with the disasterous bush and party of No management of the economy and the drastic cuts in regulation of the economy we are now on the road to Obama recovery!
haha...what a joke.."smile and wave...smile and wave..." You liberals live in a fantasy world if you think people believe this poll...of 1023 Obama supporters.
Lets hope this is true because as a northeasterner construction hasn't improved at all. Government jobs yes, but not residential work.
Home sales are up. Employers are beginning to hire. I'm very optimistic.


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This isn't offtopic, it's Link's catch-phrase from the animated series. I remember being in second grade, and people using the "well, excuuuuuuse me" line, and thinking it was really funny.
Rewatching it, it just seems really - well, corny. But it's from the show, and one of the first things I thought of when I saw the article title. In fact, I'm kinda disappointed this isn't from the "well-excuuuuuse-me-princess dept."
Twilight Princess "hot lon lon milk" hack, anyone?
Different Zelda. Zelda II takes place a couple of years after Zelda I, but the princess sleeping in the North Castle has been there for centuries. According to the Zelda II manual, after the wizard put the sleeping spell on her, a law was made that all Hyrule's princesses
Yup, that's the Zelda series we're talking about. Not the CD-i game, which I haven't seen live, but even the still were far more awful [geocities.com] than this series.
Wasnt that Super Mario Bros? I thought Zelda was in the half-hour block with Captain N and Super Mario Bros was a separate show
In this regard, the animated series can hardly be said to be unfaithful to the games on which it is based. Let's face it: the princess Zelda has always been a symbol of sexual desire, and the act of "rescuing" her is but a polite euphemism for sexual conquest. Insofar as the cartoon series recognizes these aspects of Zelda lore, it is only making explicit what had previously been confined to implicit snickering.
Heck yeah. I learned so many things from even the original Legend of Zelda. Among them are the following:
See also Wikiquote [wikiquote.org].
Could work. I personally prefer darker, serious stories, so my personal preference would be the Twilight Princess scenario that you mentioned. While an American production may pehaps seem a little watered down, a Japanese production, say by Production I.G. would be ideal. Plus it would prove a great tie-in for TP should such a series prove successful (which it would be if decent writers are employed, given the fanbase is already there).
Call it jumping on a bandwagon, but leave any such production in the ha
"No, no, I don't mind being called the smartest man in the world. I just wish it wasn't this one." -- Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias, WATCHMEN


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http://www.nj.com/news/bridgeton/local/ ... ml&coll=10
Hopewell township solicitor T. Henry Ritter wanted to call attention to a contradiction to information that he provided the township committee previously.
It wasn't a complaint, per se. He just wanted it on the record.
It seems Ritter had a run in with a pit bull last Saturday -- in Bridgeton.
The incident comes on the heels of a similar one in Hopewell where two dogs were running in traffic in August.
A West Park Drive resident caged them, but questioned weekend policies.
So Hopewell checked out Bridgeton's weekend policy, curious as to how Animal Control Officer Billy Knipe handles the weekends.
They found out that the weekend policy is that Knipe is on call 24-7, and he responds if there is a "serious" call.
Define serious.
He was jogging in a section of Bridgeton City Park with a friend and encountered the dog on West Park Drive, not too far from the Hopewell border.
The pit bull, when Ritter first spotted it, was running in the street.
But to get where he was going, he'd have to deal with the dog, not knowing if it was friendly or not.
"I had to run by where this dog was," he said. "This dog was running in and out of traffic. Luckily, it didn't bite."
The pit bull did jump up on Ritter, however.
He noted he was really concerned about it before he found out the dog was friendly.
And he was concerned that the dog might get hit or cause an accident.
The dog followed Ritter as he walked from West Avenue to Commerce Street.
Along the way, the pit bull was running up to cars in the street.
After finally eluding the dog, he called 911 at Freitag Funeral Home.
"(The dog) was distracted at the funeral home," Ritter said. "I was able to slip away."
The 911 call center couldn't help -- it wasn't an emergency.
Ritter said he also called the Bridgeton Police Department, and they told him there wasn't anything they could do.
"They told me to capture the dog," Ritter said, which by then was irrelevant, since the dog had disappeared


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Fall 2013 Community Medical School Takes Place Sept. 10 to Oct. 8
- 09-05-2013
- By Carole L. Whitaker
On Tuesday, September 10, 2013, Community Medical School kicked off the Fall 2013 semester with a special panel presentation, titled "Patient Choices: Navigating End of Life," featuring four experts discussing palliative care, the intensive care unit, ethical issues and more on this important topic.
A joint program between the UVM College of Medicine and Fletcher Allen Health Care, Community Medical School is a series of evening lectures by the top faculty experts who teach and inspire the next generation of physicians and scientists at Vermont's academic medical center. Each presentation reviews a current medical science topic in an easy-to-understand format, including informational handouts and a question-and-answer session following the lecture.
Classes are held Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., followed by a half-hour Q&A session, in the Carpenter Auditorium at the UVM Given Medical Building. The lectures are free and open to the public, but registration is requested. To register or learn more, call (802) 847-2886 or visit Community Medical School online.
The Fall 2013 series schedule includes:
September 10 – SPECIAL PANEL PRESENTATION: Patient Choices: Navigating End of Life
Robert Macauley, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics; Ursula McVeigh, M.D., Assistant Professor of Family Medicine; Renee Stapleton, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine; and Benjamin Suratt, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine
This panel of end-of-life experts will discuss such issues as: the demographics of dying; palliative care; the intensive care unit; life-sustaining treatments; navigating priority- and goal-setting for medical care; determining prognoses; and end-of-life care ethical issues.
September 17: Who Owns Your Genes: How the Patent System Impacts Physicians and Patients
Debra Leonard, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Explore the history of the patenting of human genes. Hear directly from a molecular pathologist about how gene patents have affected her clinical practice, and discuss several solution approaches, with a focus on the recent unanimous Supreme Court decision.
September 24: HIV/AIDS: How Care in Vermont Has Changed
Christopher Grace, M.D., FACP, Professor of Medicine and Director of Infectious Disease, and Deborah Kutzko, A.P.R.N.
AIDS has devastated all parts of the world. Learn about the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) responsible for AIDS pandemic and review the significant changes that have occurred in the U.S. over the past 30 years, including treatments, new advancements and policies.
October 1: Keeping It Simple: Reducing Stroke and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Using Life's Simple 7
Mary Cushman, M.D., M.Sc., Professor of Medicine and Hematologist
Learn about the latest research that shows how even a small improvement in just one of the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 measures for good health - get active; control cholesterol; eat better; manage blood pressure; lose weight; reduce blood sugar; and stop smoking - can result in reduced risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.
October 8: One Day at a Time: When Headaches Become Chronic
Robert Shapiro, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Neurological Sciences and Director of the Headache Clinic
What is chronic daily headache (CDH) and who is most at risk? Learn about the different types of CDH and its causes, as well as review treatment options and the impact of CDH.
Visit Community Medical School Archives to view past presentations.


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MOSCOW, Pa. (AP) — Teachers in the North Pocono School District in northeastern Pennsylvania have set a strike date for April 18.
Union leaders say the date allows additional time for the two sides to reach an agreement. Negotiations started in November 2011 and the teachers' contract expired over the summer.
The Times-Tribune of Scranton reports (http://bit.ly/YsQCU7 ) the North Pocono Education Association voted Jan. 30 to authorize a strike and on Monday set a strike date. Union representative Bill Lydick declined to comment on specific issues, but says he hopes the two sides can reach an agreement next week.
District solicitor Joseph O'Brien also says he's hopeful the two sides can avert the possible strike.
Information from: The Times-Tribune, http://thetimes-tribune.com/


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As a general rule of thumb, expansion teams typically struggle in their first year of existence.
This wasn't exactly the case with the Montreal Impact in 2012.
The club started its inaugural campaign slowly, but picked it up later in the season, going on a nice five-game winning streak from the end of July through August.
The Impact won 12 matches last term, but missed the playoffs, finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference. Despite the relatively positive season, philosophical differences between head coach Jessie Marsch and club president Joey Saputo caused a rift and Marsch was shown the door.
Saputo simply felt his team was better than their record indicated: "We are not a seventh place team," he declared at the conclusion of the season.
Therefore, the head man brought in a different manager in Marco Schallibaum.
Schallibaum joined the club on January 7, 2013 and brings plenty of European managerial experience.
Prior to coming to North America, Schallibaum coached in the Swiss Super League for 10 years, leading FC Basel, BSC Young Boys, Servette, Sion, Schaffhausen and Bellinzona.
Most recently, Schallibaum led Lugano in 2010-2011 in the Swiss second division. His club won an impressive 19 games that season.
So with his extensive coaching resume en tow, the Switzerland native will have one major goal with the Impact in 2013 -- get the second-year franchise to the postseason.
Luckily for Schallibaum, many of the club's key pieces from 2012 are back in the fold.
Italian forward Marco Di Vaio will lead the attack in 2013. The 35-year-old striker became the Impact's first Designated Player on May 24, 2012 after signing from Italian side Bologna.
The Rome native is one of the most prolific goal scorers in Italian soccer history, scoring 142 goals in 342 Serie A matches with Lazio, Bari, Salernitana, Parma, Juventus, Genoa and Bologna.
He featured in 17 games with the Impact last term, scoring five goals and adding three assists. If the Impact are to make the playoffs this time around, Di Vaio will need to score more consistently.
Also in Montreal's attacking corps is youngster Andrew Wenger. Wenger was made the Impact's first-ever draft selection after being taken first overall in the SuperDraft last season. The Pennsylvania native appeared in 23 games, with seven starts, last campaign and bagged four goals. Assuming Wenger gets more consistent minutes this season, he should have a breakout year.
Wenger and Di Vaio up top together could be an extremely dangerous strike pairing for the Canadian club.
In the midfield, Patrice Bernier is one player the fans should flock to Saputo Stadium to see for his exceptional passing and creativity. One of the new faces in the middle of the field is Andrea Pisanu, who arrived in Montreal on January 4 on loan from Bologna.
He scored six goals in 75 games in Serie A, including 71 with Parma between 2004 and 2012. He has also played for Cagliari and Chievo in Italy's top flight.
Joining Bernier and Pisanu in the midfield roles will most likely be Justin Mapp, Filipe and Davy Arnaud.
In defense, the backline will be anchored by veteran Alessandro Nesta. Nesta will be 37 when the calendar turns to March, and will need to be the rock in the back for the Impact to progress in what could be Nesta's final season on the field.
"Maybe this is my last season, and I want to do very good," Nesta said during the team's preseason training in Florida. "I want to win with this club, with these guys. And I think we can."
Joining the Italian veteran in the back will be Jeb Brovsky, Matteo Ferrari and Hassoun Camara. Montreal finished 2012 with a minus-6 goal differential and will need to improve upon that figure this time around if they want to reach the postseason.
Montreal certainly has the pieces to continue its upward trend toward the playoffs, but Schallibaum will need to figure out how to get more production out of Di Vaio and Wenger if they are to reach the postseason party in year No. 2.
2012 IN REVIEW: Montreal had a relatively good first season in Major League Soccer in 2012. They started slowly and got better as the season went on, but finished in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with 42 points, missing the playoffs by 11 points.
ACQUISITIONS: Andrea Pisanu (M), Andres Romero (F).
LOSSES: Evan James (M), Shavar Thomas (D), Josh Gardner (D), Lamar Neagle (M).
OUTLOOK: Anytime a new coach enters the fray, it will take time for the team to adjust to what he expects from them, but assuming the acclimation process goes smoothly, Montreal certainly has a strong squad that can compete for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Di Vaio and Wenger together should drive a potent offense, allowing the Impact to potentially slide into the final postseason berth.


text: Well I've got an HH explorer with an upgraded hex fly and the original asym fly as well. I'm thinking of taking the asym and somehow make it into an undercover effectively turning the hammock into a double layered hammock. Anybody have any thoughts or maybe even experience with this idea? Think i may have to lay out the hammock on the fly to get the exact shape and then cut/sew the edges maybe with some shock cord in there to keep it snug fit? Help appreciated Added thought, should i stitch the finished layer to the hammock leaving an opening to add padding etc or should i hang it up like an underquilt? Its a side entry HH.


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The Norris Group Real Estate Headline Roundup in 2-September 7
For more information about The Norris Group's California hard money loans or our California Trust Deed investments, visit the website or call our office at 951-780-5856 for more information. For upcoming California real estate investor training and events, visit The Norris Group website and our California investor calendar. You'll also find our award-winning real estate radio show on KTIE 590am at 6pm on Saturdays or you can listen to over 170 podcasts in our free investor radio archive.


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The word geek here refers to love and passions, officials explain. Everyone is passionate about something — everyone "geeks" something, said library staff.
The Geek the Library campaign, launched in March, 'Geek the Library' is funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through OCLC, a nonprofit library cooperative that has provided services to help libraries deliver more to users.
"We want everyone to take a moment and think about what the library means to them and the enormous value it brings to the entire community," said Joan Rogers, library director. "Did you know that what the library brings to the table affects everything from the unemployment rate to literacy? Our value goes well beyond the library walls. But it is no surprise that we have had to make tough decisions based on our budget, and we are struggling to maintain the important resources and services that so many people count on."
Activities are planned all week within the library, located at 5168 Civic Center Drive, and around the township, including a Geek poster photo session from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at the library.
The poster will be added to a library display that tells library visitors "what you geek."
For a donation of $10 to the Friends of the Library, people can get their own copy of the 11x17-in. poster with their photo.
"Bring your props and tell us what you geek," said Rogers.
"Our goal is to celebrate the library as an important community asset and to educate the public about how the library is funded. And we want to thank Waterford residents for understanding how important a library is to a community by passing the millage renewal last August."
Rogers said library officials need to have a "continuous library funding conversation in this community and we want the public to realize that every individual plays a role in making sure our library has adequate funding."
She said while Geek the Library Week is focused on fun, there is an underlying and serious message.
"Public libraries across the country are at risk," she said, "and every voice of support for the library counts."
Get updates about Geek the Library Week at Waterford Township Public Library. Visit www.waterford.lib.mi.us.


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kgb answers » Products & Services » Fashion » which panties do girls prefer most?
Wednesday, February 01 2012Source: http://www.theoriginof.com/panty.html
Related questions
Top 10 questions Fashion
- USED JEANS...a brand of jeans from the late 80's to mid 90's was founded by who.
- What is the significance of a pouka shell in the dreadlocks?
- What does EMB mean on gold jewelry?
- Why does the lead singer of korn wear a kilt?
- Is pewter (the metal) waterproof? Can i wear a pewter pendant in the water and it not tarnish?
- who designed miranda kerr's wedding dress?
- Why does ralph laurent polo use a 3 on their shirts?
- who was Eiko Ishioka?
- If a shirt is 95 percent cotton and 5 percent elastane how much will it shrink?
- In mens jeans what size comes first width or length ?


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The Central Jackson County Fire Protection District is in discussions to move its emergency dispatch center to the Kansas City Fire Department.
Callers to 911 will see no difference in the call taking process or emergency response, CJC said in a release. With this potential move, 911 calls would still be answered by Jackson County Sheriff or Blue Springs Police dispatch, but will be routed to the Kansas City Fire dispatch facility. The district also said callers would receive no delays in call reception or processing.
The district says the move is strictly a business decision. The current annual cost for CJC to house its own dispatch center is approximately $850,000 with personnel, equipment, training, etc. The cost after the move is projected to be less than $400,000 per year, according to the district.
Should the CJC dispatch center be relocated to Kansas City, it will also result in the loss of nine positions, according to CJC Chief Steve Westermann.
"However, through the discussion and negotiation process, CJC is able to secure a job for any CJC dispatcher wishing to take advantage of the opportunity to work for KCFD dispatch," Westermann said in the release. The release did not say whether the nine CJC employees would receive a pay cut if transferred to KCFD dispatch.
Kirk Lair of the International Association of Firefighters Local 3133 said that if these CJC dispatchers were to accept a position with KCFD, they would likely have to reside within Kansas City boundaries in accordance of the Kansas City Charter. However, he said an exclusion was made with Municipal Ambulance Services Trust personnel when it merged with KCFD in 2010, allowing them to reside outside Kansas City boundaries.
"With economic and development downturns affecting budgets for public service entities, Westermann was given direction by the CJC Board of Directors to find ways to address budget shortfalls without compromising the service (for) our citizens, businesses and visitors," wrote the release.
These costs, if the CJC dispatch center remained in Blue Springs, are expected to increase in the next few years due to necessary upgrades in hardware and software. In 2006, CJC took 911 fire and EMS dispatch service from the city of Blue Springs and developed its own system and housed it at Fire Station No. 3. That change for a separate fire and EMS dispatch apart from Blue Springs Police dispatch was primarily due to increased call loads for both agencies, wrote CJC.
The contract is awaiting approval from the city of Kansas City, according to the CJC release.
"The decision to make the transition to KCFD dispatch is not an easy one and is being done through considerable discussion and negotiation to ensure the service would be at least as effective and as high quality as is provided now," CJC said.
"This change will be difficult but in the end we believe the decision is in the best interest of our patrons," said Westermann in the release. "We are confident the customer care will not change while strengthening CJC's financial stability."
A KCFD Public Information Officer also said the department has been talking to "other municipalities" throughout the metropolitan area to create a regional dispatch center at the current KCFD center.


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Fans have had a lot of questions about Max Payne's return to gaming. Can Rockstar do it without Remedy at the helm? Why is Max bald? Why is he in Brazil? And is it still noir?
While Rockstar has been slowly answering these questions, there's one question that have gone overlooked: what kind of mess did Max get himself in this time?
The "second official trailer" for Max Payne 3 sets up the story, which begins with the kidnapping of Rodrigo Branco's trophy wife, Fabiana, while under Max's protection. "As Max fights to uncover the truth behind the kidnapping, he is pulled deeper into a web of violence and deception with little hope of escape as street gangs, paramilitary forces and elite police units fight for power and influence over the streets of São Paulo, Brazil," Rockstar's official PR describes.
BOOM video 11879
Max Payne 3 will arrive on Xbox 360 and PS3 on May 15, with a PC release to follow shortly afterwards.


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SAN DIEGO, Jan. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc., an industry leader in RNA technologies for the treatment of rare orphan diseases, today announced that Joseph E. Payne, President & CEO will be presenting at the Biotech Showcase in San Francisco on Monday, January 13, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. PST, at the Parc 55 Wyndham Union Square Hotel in Track A - Hearst (3rd Floor). The presentation will provide a corporate overview and summarize the key accomplishments of 2013, including:
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130531/MM24393LOGO)
About Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc.
Founded in 2013 and based in San Diego, Calif., Arcturus Therapeutics is focused on RNA technologies for the treatment of rare diseases and high unmet medical needs. Arcturus has developed of a novel, potent and safe RNA Therapeutics platform called LUNAR TM , a proprietary lipid-enabled delivery system for RNA medicines including small interfering RNA, messenger RNA, and microRNA oligotherapeutics. The company owns Unlocked Nucleic Acid (UNA) chemistry technology and patent portfolio (32 patents, USPTO granted) enabling the targeting of any gene in the human genome For more information, visit us at www.ArcturusRx.com.
About Biotech ShowcaseTM 2014
Biotech Showcase is an annual investing and partnering benchmark for life science executives and investors devoted to providing private and public biotechnology and life sciences companies, investors and pharmaceutical executives with an opportunity to present and meet in one of the largest annual healthcare conferences that attracts investors and biopharmaceutical executives from around the world. Now in its Sixth year, this rapidly growing financial-focused biotech conference features multiple tracks of presenting companies, plenary sessions, an opportunity to schedule face to face partnering meetings and networking. The attendees to the showcase include private and public equity investors, bankers, analysts, biopharmaceutical industry executives and other industry professionals. The event is being held at the Parc 55 Wyndham San Francisco – Union Square.
|SOURCE Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc.
Copyright©2012 PR Newswire.
All rights reserved


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I am working on a project for a friend and I want to use FPDF. He would like the option of uploading an image to his website and then generating a PDF document with the image laid out 6 times.
The image size he is expecting to upload is: DL size (99mm x 210mm) Not sure yet what that is in Pixels.
But I dont know how to lay the image out 6 times in rows of 3. I then need to add numbering so that each image has a unique number in a corner of the image.
And if the ordered quantity is more than 6 then I want another set of the uploaded image to go onto another page so I will have 2 PDF pages, then 3 pages, then 4 pages etc...
What is the best way of doing this?
Thanks for your help


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what gets fracking old is people thinking Microsoft is nothing more than a house for crappy products.
Windows 7 phones are pure beauty.
This coming from a Linux user and blogger. The only thing Microsoft really had to do was get hardware in line to make this tablet a reality.
And you're doubting one of the largest tech companies in the world can do that. I think you should think about that for a bit.
And I think that you should think about the Zune before sharing your unbridled money-can-achieve-anything attitude. Microsoft claimed that they were going to invest millions of dollars into their Zune to "beat" Apple's iPod. Yeah, tell me how that went for them.
The tablet market is not looking for a really tiny laptop with a bad keyboard. Anyone who thinks a keyboard (with almost zero tactile feel) is a killer feature has never watched how people use iPads most of the time -- and never considered how small a percentage of iPad owners bought keyboards of any type.
The Surface is ironically named, as Microsoft's is likely to remain underwater on the investment that they put into Surface.
and the Zune is/was a GREAT alternative.
The problem isn't the hardware OR the software. It's the attitude of people.
Apple sells a 'lifestyle' along with their products. it's a perceived image that you have to have their products to be cool.
Any other product isn't cool enough and makes you uncool. This is the real problem Microsoft has to beat.
Actually a lot of big companies have canned very good designs. Microsoft has canned the Courier. So until there is a date and a price, the fact of the matter is that it's a great looking product that can easily be total vapour.