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Women of Distinction
Don Mitchell with Woman of Distinction Barbara Kelley, a partner at the Kamlet Shepherd & Reichert law firm. Photo by David Zalubowski, Special to The Denver Post
At a dinner held at the Marriott City Center, Girl Scouts of Colorado saluted the 20 civic leaders who are the Denver Women of Distinction for 2008.
The honorees were:
* Retired dentist Julika Ambrose, a native of Budapest who came to America with her parents in 1947. She was the only woman in a class of 400 at Tufts Dental School, from which she graduated with honors in 1962. She practiced in Denver for 43 years and, since retiring, has become more active in her volunteer work.
* Mary Baca, a founder of the Hall of Life in the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and the Children's Museum of Denver. Orphaned at age 11 after her father died in a coal-mining accident in southern Colorado, she overcame many obstacles to obtain an education and a better life for herself and her family. Her community involvement includes serving on the national advisory council for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the boards of Arapahoe House, Mile High United Way and Denver Urban Renewal Authority.
* Pamela Kenney Basey, an attorney and former assistant vice president for academic affairs at Regis University. She served two terms on the Colorado AIDS Project board and became a trustee of the Denver Foundation in 2007. She's also a competitive cook, faring well in such contests as the Pillsbury Bakeoff, and writes fiction and screenplays.
* Margaret Brown, president of Colorado Business Bank Northeast and 20-year veteran of the banking industry. She's treasurer of the board of the Women's Foundation of Colorado and serves on the board of the Denver League of Women Voters.
* Colleen Colarelli, the departing president and CEO of Girls Incorporated of Metro Denver. An alumna of Up With People and the Denver Community Leadership Forum, Colarelli was chosen as a Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Livingston Fellow in 2005. She also has been director of development at The Gathering Place and at New Mexico Special Olympics.
* Kay Daugherty, a registered nurse and retired chief nursing officer for Denver Health and Hospital Authority. She was a co-troop leader for Girl Scouts in the 1970s and 80s, and was a Girl Scout herself in Bridgeport, W. Virginia.
* Raylene Decatur, chief executive officer of Decatur & Co. and former president/CEO of Denver Museum of Nature and Science. In addition to running her own consulting firm, she manages the Western regional office of Kittleman and Associates, the nation's first executive search firm exclusively serving nonprofits.
* Bonnie Downing, vice president of development for Denver Museum of Nature and Science and past president of the Junior League of Denver. She is one of the first 100 women to climb Colorado's 54 14ers and is on the board of the Colorado Fourteener Initiative and the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association.
* Dawn Engle, co-founder and executive director of PeaceJam Foundation. A former Congressional lobbyist, Engle was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 and was a Girl Scout for seven years in Detroit.
*Lynn Gangone, dean of the University of Denver Women's College and nationally known writer and speaker on leadership development and career advancement for women. A Girl Scout for six years in Connecticut, Gangone believes in never, ever giving up.
* Irene Ibarra, president and chief executive officer of the Colorado Trust. Ibarra's passion is health policy, particularly as it applies to low-income individuals, and developing policy solutions for complex health problems. She credits her grandmother for giving her the wisdom to live life with a positive attitude and to maintain a good work ethic.
* Frances Jefferson, regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau. The single mother of two grown sons, Jefferson was the first in her family to graduate from college. She also founded the Oleta Crain Enrichment Academy to assist young girls and women in gaining the skills they need to meet everyday challenges. She was a Girl Scout in Denver for four years.
* Barbara Kelley, a partner in the Kamlet Shepherd & Reichert law firm and one of Colorado's leading attorneys specializing in corporate and municipal financing, commercial banking, negotiation and commercial real estate. She has mentored scores of young people and spearheads her firm's annual Diva Event, which raises money for a local charity that focuses on women or children.
*Mary Rhinehart, senior vice president and chief financial officer for Johns Manville. One of nine children, Rhinehart has been with Johns Manville 29 years and has helped grow the company's corporate philanthropy program. Her volunteer work includes eight years at Craig Hospital.
*Lucinda Sanders, chief executive officer and founder of the National Center for Women and Information Technology. She's a 2007 inductee in the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame and in 2004 received the University of Colorado's Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award for Industry and Commerce.
* Sandra Scanlon, president of Scanlon Szynskie Group, Inc. and an advocate for getting more women into science, engineering and technology careers. She was key in establishing the annual Girls Exploring Science, Engineering and Technology event for middle school girls and leads efforts to recruit minorities and girls to enroll at the Denver School of Science and Technology.
* Lisa Snider, departing executive director of Colorado Ballet. A six-year trustee of the Women's Foundation, she is also active in Project PAVE and Judi's House. Snider was a Girl Scout in Marion, Ohio.
* Teresa Taylor, executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Qwest Communications. Taylor is a trustee of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and the Colorado Children's Campaign; in January, Gov. Bill Ritter appointed her co-chair of the state Jobs Cabinet.
* Lynne Valencia, vice president of community relations for 9News. Returning to school as a 27-year-old single mother, Valencia developed an interest in the news media after completing an internship at Channel 4. She joined 9News as director of community relations in 1999 and was promoted to her current post in 2007. She also teaches media relations to graduate students at the University of Denver.
* Barbara Yondorf, president of Yondorf & Associates and a civil rights activist since she was 13. Yondorf's firm focuses on health policy consulting and in 2007 she was appointed to the Colorado Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Reform.
The Women of Distinction are chosen on their commitment to girls' issues, their professional accomplishments and their leadership in the community. Through the annual dinner, chaired this year by the mother-daughter team of Jennifer Atler and Marilyn VanDerbur Atler, the women raise funds for Girl Scouting and help to bring the program to girls who need it the most. Many of them also volunteer their time and expertise to guide girls in developing courage, confidence and character.
This year's class brings to 327 the women who have been honored since the program was established in 1997. The dinner has raised $2 million.
Another dinner highlight was the members of Girl Scout Troop 1753 from the Louisville/Lafayette area. These middle school-aged girls made up a song to the tune of the "Brady Bunch" theme song that reminded the new honorees why Girl Scouts has named them to the "honored bunch." Additionally, the girls performed cheers to popular tunes to honor each class of previous honorees, reminding them why they continue to be role models for the Girl Scouts.
Girl Scouts of Colorado also recognized Young Woman of Distinction Shannon Anthony, 18, from Colorado Springs. She is one of 10 recipients of the Girl Scout Gold Award, Girl Scouting's highest honor. It was given for the public service announcement that she wrote and produced to help prevent teen suicide.
Pictures taken at the Women of Distiction dinner can be viewed at denverpost.com/seengallery
Denver Post Society Editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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• The Schedule
Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
UC Santa Barbara (7-9, 0-2) at Cal Poly (1-13, 0-2)
in San Luis Obispo at Mott Gym
Series record vs. the Mustangs – 42-25
Streak vs Cal Poly – Won 1
UCSB streak overall – Lost 4
Cal Poly streak overall – Lost 10
Last time out vs. the Mustangs – W, 3-0 (11/4/11)
Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
UC Santa Barbara (7-9, 0-2) vs. Pepperdine (10-4, 1-1)
at the Thunderdome
Series record vs. the Waves – 29-20
Streak vs Pepperdine – Lost 2
UCSB streak overall – Lost 4
Pepperdine streak overall – Won 2
Last time out vs. the Waves – L, 3-0 (9/3/11)
• The Week In Review
The Gauchos lost a pair of matches last weekend, falling to UC Irvine on Friday and Long
Beach State on Saturday, stretching their losing streak to a season-worst four matches.
Katey Thompson led the team in kills in both matches, posting 20 and 13, respectively.
Taylor Formico tallied a career-high 37 digs against Irvine, while Leah Sully (14) and Britton
Taylor (13) each reached double-digit kills against the Anteaters. The Gauchos had
arguably their worst performance as a team against Long Beach, hitting just .052 and
recording four blocks in a three-game sweep.
• "Taylor-Made" Libero
Each week, freshman libero Taylor Formico inches her way towards another UCSB milestone.
Last week, she tied the record for most 30+ dig matches in a single season. This
week, she stands alone after her career-high 37 dig performance against UCI- the fourth
most digs by a Gaucho in a single match in the rally scoring era and the most since
Chelsey Lowe had 33 a year ago against Cal State Fullerton. So far, she has five 30+ dig
matches this season. Formico is currently tied for the second most digs by a UCSB freshman
with 358, and is a near lock to overtake the current record held by Kelly Heenan,
who recorded 413 digs in 2010. Taylor, if she holds to her current pace, will finish the
season with 738 digs and the No. 1 single season dig record for UCSB and the Big West.
• Formico and Sully Dig the Big West Conference
Taylor Formico's outstanding play is not just limited to her ongoing assault on the UCSB
record book. Formico leads the Big West in both totals digs (358) and digs per game
(5.51). She has a comfortable lead over UCI's Kristin Winkler, who trails the Mountain
View native by 87 digs. Outside hitter Leah Sully is ninth in the conference with 3.63 digs
per game. Sully and Formico are the only teammates on the top-10.
• Great Britton
Freshman middle blocker Britton Taylor is quickly establishing herself as a player
to watch in the future. Britton is tops on the Gauchos and seventh in the conference
with her .277 hitting percentage. When tasked with heavy offensive responsibility,
Taylor has responded- she is third on the team with five 10+ kill matches.
She also ranks third on the squad with 0.88 blocks per game.
• New Blood
For the second consecutive year, the Gauchos will be fielding a roster with seven
freshmen, tied with UC Riverside for the most first-year players in the Big West
•Thompson Excels on the Right
Junior opposite Katey Thompson has rounded nicely into form recently. She
racked up 33 kills over last two matches -- including a career-high 20 against UC
Irvine -- which represents the highest two-match total of her career. Katey, who
has battled injuries, leads the team in aces with 18 and is second on the team with
152 kills and 1.10 blocks per game.
• Something's Gotta Give
With their 0-2 conference record, the Gauchos have a chance at making history,
but not in the way they would like. UCSB has not dropped three straight conference
matches since 2008, when they lost five consecutive Big West tilts from Oct.
1-21. Cal Poly, also 0-2 in conference, will be looking to stave off an 0-3 start as
• Solid Sully
Junior outside hitter Leah Sully has been a source of consistency for the Gauchos.
Sully has recorded 10 or more kills 14 times and a double-double 11 times, both
the most among the Gauchos. While her usual strong serving has been inconsistent
(no aces in seven straight matches earlier this month), she has found the ace
column in back-to-back matches. Sully leads the squad in kills with 249 and is
second in digs (236) and aces (10). Leah currently holds the fifth-best kill average
in the Big West Conference.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wisconsin Governor: Scott Walker (R), at 48%, is in a virtual tie with Mary Burke (D) 47%: Rasmussen Reports.
Democratic challenger Paul Davis is at 51%, beating Republican Governor of Kansas, Sam Brownback, who's at 41%: Rasmussen Reports.
Rasmussen has been described as a "conservative-leaning polling group."
Hey Wisconsin, remember this?
Hey Kansas, remember this?
Heads up, Dems! You know what to do: Help get as many people as you can registered and to the polls. Get out the vote. Without a huge turnout, without Democrats swarming to the ballot box, we cannot win.
It's up to you.


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Have you heard all the fuss about kale? Everyone is talking about it and for good reasons—it's one of the healthiest veggies out there! Part of the same family as broccoli and cabbage, kale knocks them both out of the park with its nutritious value! Kale has incredible health benefits—not only does it have a day's worth of vitamin C in one serving, but it is also an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. This super-veggie also helps aid in the body's detoxification system, making you feel better. Researches have even found a large amount of glucosinolates in kale, which is known to be a cancer fighter! Team kale!
By adding this miracle vegetable to your diet 2-3 times a week, you are sure to feel happier and healthier. As an added bonus, kale is a sturdy vegetable that can be incorporated into your diet in a number of great ways. Check out the list we've compiled so you can eat kale throughout the day!
For starters, kale is a great addition to a green breakfast juice. Combined with your favorite fruits and veggies, kale will give your blended concoction the extra boost you need for a great morning!
Instead of feeling guilty about eating greasy chips, you can feast guilt-free on kale chips. These can be bought in grocery stores or you can easily make your own at home!
Did you know sautéed kale is an absolutely delicious substitute for sautéed spinach as a side? Give it a try and I am positive you'll love it! Simply sauté the kale as you would spinach with garlic, but let it cook for a few extra minutes, because of the sturdiness of the leaves.
For lunch, you can even make a raw kale salad. Raw kale has a very specific and study texture, so it may not be for everyone. If you do decide to eat raw kale, be sure to wash it thoroughly and "massage" the leaves to soften the leaves a little.
If that isn't enough, try making Kale Pistachio Pesto. It would be a great topping for all your favorite pesto meals. We found a delicious recipe on Thrive with Jen Sinkler by food blogger, Shanna Schad, using Kale Pistachio Pesto with grilled halibut. It tastes just as great as it sounds!


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Actor Alex Pettyfer once broke his collarbone in a motorcycle crash.
The "Magic Mike" star is a devoted speed freak and loves racing around the Los Angeles streets on his beloved Ducati, but he has suffered four nasty accidents in recent years.
One of the crashes left him with a broken collarbone, but the committed thrill-seeker has no intention of giving up his high-speed hobby.
Pettyfer tells British magazine Cosmopolitan, "I wanted to be a racing driver for a while and I have a lot of racing cars. I've actually crashed four times in the past five years, including recently at 160 miles-per-hour, when I broke my collarbone."
Bruises and broken bones are not the only problems caused by Pettyfer's hobby – last month he was stopped by a cop in Beverly Hills, Calif., for making an illegal U-turn.


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Experience TRIUMPH's classic breakthrough album, Allied Forces like never before! Fans will get a first listen of the completely re-mastered album LIVE on www.RocklineRadio.com.
Tune in September 21st at 8:30pm PT/11:30pm ET, when TRIUMPH themselves will be live guests in studio. All three members of the Canadian rock juggernaut will be there to debut the release of the album, along with Rockline host Bob Coburn. Founded in 1981, Rockline is considered to be the longest running uninterrupted program in rock history. Broadcasting live every Monday and Wednesday night, the program showcases prolific guests from the world of rock and roll.
Fans are given the opportunity to phone in and have their questions answered by Mike, Gil & Rik. This is the perfect time to rediscover this landmark in Canadian rock music, as this date marks 30 years to the week, of the album's original release.
Fans are encouraged to speak with the band by calling 1-800-344-ROCK (7625). For a station near you or to listen online, go to www.RocklineRadio.com. Take a trip down memory lane and crank the volume up for this unique event in celebration of a special moment in hard rock history. The broadcast will be available for 2 weeks on the Rockline website following the show.
Stay Connected…


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Weaving Data into Personal Interactions
Weaving Data into Personal Interactions
The layout of Lion Brand Yarn Studio, the retail outlet for the eponymous yarn crafting company, is indicative of the brand's marketing approach as a whole. Skeins of colorful yarn for sale line one wall of the Manhattan studio; on another wall a bank of sleek computers provides a place for visitors to look up patterns or see which yarns are available. At the center of the store sits a large wooden table, where on most days a handful of visitors are likely to be found taking a workshop on knitting or crocheting, or working on their own projects.
When the store first opened in November 2008, the company had expected it would simply serve as a brick-and-mortar location for the 135-year old company, which does most of its sales through general craft stores. But then visitors started asking about where they could learn how to improve their knitting and interact with other crafters. Within a few months the store began offering a few basic classes, and it now hosts an average of 100 different classes each month.
"It turns out that there's a huge demand [among customers] who want to learn—not just beginners, but experienced people who want to expand their skills," says Ilana Rabinowitz, VP of marketing for Lion Brand Yarn. "It's really about creating a community."
This lesson has been applied not just to the Studio, but to the entire direction of the company's marketing. As social media has provided myriad ways for brands to interact with consumers, Lion Brand has moved quickly to secure its position as a social hub for crafters. Through its email newsletters, podcast, virtual events, and social media channels, the company has tapped into the personal side of knitting and crocheting, building an engaged and loyal customer base.
But with so many platforms, Lion Brand has had to simultaneously boost its data-gathering efforts. It's become a growing priority to try to capture and analyze each individual customer interaction and comment to help shape the company's future marketing decisions—whether deciding which yarns to promote for the next season, or what image to post to Pinterest the next afternoon.
As the customer base for crafting has expanded in recent years, with DIY hipsters, as well as tweens and teens becoming interested in knitting and crocheting, balancing these quantitative and qualitative elements of Lion Brand, and hobby- and leisure-oriented brands in general, has become more important than ever.
Telling stories
Lion Brand Yarn's social media marketing efforts began with a podcast. In October 2007 two of the most conversational and knowledgeable members of its marketing team sat down together in a studio and discussed the craft projects they were working on. Following the model of NPR's hit "Car Talk," the podcast, called "YarnCraft," kept the discussion breezy and humorous, while also offering useful tips.
"On the website you just see the pattern, but with 'YarnCraft,' we can talk about the details of it, the backstory," Rabinowitz says. "When you're talking about it, you're telling a story."
Though begun as an experiment, the bimonthly show gained a steady following, and more than five years later it boasts more than 10,000 listeners for every episode. But the volume of listeners is not the most important thing to the Lion Brand marketing team.
"To us it's a somewhat different kind of bar than, say, Facebook," Rabinowitz says. "When you have people listening to 30 minutes of pure branded content every two weeks, that's such a huge commitment that we don't really expect huge growth, but care more about the impact it has on those who are listening."
The idea of storytelling, particularly in using branded content, has been central to Lion Brand's approach to its marketing. Perhaps its most successful tool has been the brand's newsletter, the Weekly Stitch, which features information about new products, industry news, and, like the podcast, colorful commentary.
These can be humorous stories on having to hide excessive stockpiles of yarn from a spouse, or tips on managing a huge list of friends and family who expect a handmade gift for the holidays, or straightforward instructions on a new pattern.
The balance of content has proven potent, and the Weekly Stitch has amassed more than one million subscribers, with approximately 17,000 new sign ups every month. With an impressive 43% open rate, these subscribers are clearly reading the email, and with 30% of them having been subscribers for five years or more, they are loyal, too.
The company sends out three other branded newsletters. One is the monthly Pattern Journal, which consists of fictional short stories connected to a pattern—such as a young woman giving a shawl to a dancer she admires, or a woman knitting an afghan as a graduation gift for her boyfriend—and currently enjoys 350,000 subscribers. About 100,000 of the most dedicated Lion Brand fans also subscribe to the New Patterns newsletter, which goes out each week featuring several ideas for new patterns. Finally, the flagship store itself sends out a newsletter each month with details about store events, sales, and news.
Two-way conversation
When making decisions about the content of its newsletters, podcast, and social media posts, Lion Brand's marketing team often approaches its work like magazine editors than marketers. The team is composed of four "content creators"—one focused on the company's Facebook page, another focused on Twitter, and two who produce and host the podcast (for none of them is this the entirety of their responsibilities).
"I think of my job as balancing the art and science of our customers' interests—selecting patterns to feature based on what has performed well in the past, but also what we think the customer should know about," says Zontee Hau, marketing communications manager for Lion Brand, who has been the cohost, writer, and producer of "YarnCraft" since the show launched.
The team also includes a dedicated analyst, who looks at the entirety of the platforms that Lion Brand runs, including Bit.ly clicks, Google Analytics, Pinterest analytics, and follower growth.
Key to making these content marketing choices has been listening to customers. The marketing team now reviews every comment on the company blog and Facebook page, and emails about "YarnCraft," responding as often as possible.
"For many large companies, qualitative feedback is difficult to process," Rabinowitz says. "They feel that they don't have the time to read and process so many words, but I believe that reading all comments and posts is the best way to understand this type of conversational feedback."
Lion Brand also stays connected with its customers, and connects them to each other, through virtual events like seasonal "knit-alongs" and "crotchet-alongs." Participants all work together on the same pattern (this spring it was the Tranquil Green tank top) and share their experiences as the piece comes together.
Keeping an open ear to its audience has allowed the marketing team to respond to shifts and trends in the market as rapidly as possible. Rabinowitz points to the do-it-yourself ethic that has grown, particularly in cities and urban areas, where twenty- and thirtysomethings are embracing crafting, especially crocheting. Lion Brand noticed this rising interest years ago and moved quickly to be sure it was reaching this younger audience.
Now the marketing team has identified an even younger audience turning to yarn crafts. "We're seeing tweens, boys as much as girls, getting interested in both knitting and crocheting," Rabinowitz says.
Lion Brand has put a blogger outreach program in place that specifically targets younger knitters and crocheters, and makes regular appearances at events that attract this demographic, such as the craft fair Handmade Cavalcade in Brooklyn, NY. The company has also raised its cool quotient with younger crafters by supplying fiber artists with materials, such as when artist Jessie Hemmons "yarn bombed" the Philadelphia Museum of Art last year.
A major channel where Lion Brand has been tracking this interest from customers is through Pinterest, which the company embraced shortly after the scrapbooking website's launch.
"Pinterest is an ideal platform for fashion and home decor, which are the categories that people create with our yarn and for crafting in general," Rabinowitz says. "It just makes sense for us to engage here."


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After nearly two years behind bars at the RDCO dog control facility, the fate of 'Diesel' has been decided.
Diesel's owner Dave Smith contacted Castanet to say a Supreme Court Judge has stayed the euthanasia order against the dog.
"He found him dangerous under the Charter, but he has found that conditional orders are allowed, but he has not allowed Diesel to return to me."
Smith says the RDCO has been given seven days to put together potential adopters, which will be discussed next Friday during a telephone conference which Smith will be a part of.
Saddened by the news Diesel will not be returned to him, Smith says the decision is also a 'massive loss' for the RDCO.
"The argument has been in the past by all Regional Districts, that conditional orders are not allowed and this judge has reviewed that, as it was part of the appeal. He has said they are the law," explains Smith.
"So even if a dog is declared dangerous under the Charter they can still be conditionally released."
Smith sees the judge's decisions regarding conditional releases as a 'huge positive' for dogs in the province, which Regional Districts will have to abide by.
The Judge did agree with the RDCO's argument that Smith was an irresponsible dog owner.
Smith, who's owned several dogs in his life time, says that assessment is not true.
"Because of the number of tickets that were written (against me), even though I successfully disputed them in court, those formed the basis for (the decision), I guess I should have done more than I did," Smith says about proving he is a responsible dog owner.
He still stands firm that Diesel is not guilty of attacking another dog for which he is accused of.
Ironically the RDCO made an offer to Smith this time last year to release Diesel into his care under certain conditions. Smith made a counter offer, for which the RDCO did not respond.
The RDCO made a second, non-negotiable, offer in December stating Diesel be transferred to a new owner through an anonymous adoption by a dog rescue agency approved by the RDCO, and not be released back to Smith.
Almost the exact decision made by the Supreme Court of Appeal Judge.
The good news is Diesel will be released and get to live out his dog days, just not in the hands of Smith.
"He is a good dog," Smith sighed.
The RDCO was not available for comment at the time this story was prepared.


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until this whole operation gets blocked? I might have to snag one now before BN gets wise to this.
BN won't do anything, AT&T will. They'll simply limit Nook's to specific peer's so they can continue to be used for book purchases but not for general web access.
Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. See the problem is cellular Internet costs money. Even if you don't think corporations should be allowed to make a profit, it is still going to cost money. You have to have a large network of radio towers to broadcast the signal, those have to be wired back in to a robust network to route the data, which has to be connected to the Internet at large. Of course all that doesn't maintain itself once built, things break, people need to fix it and look after it.
That all costs money, as such, access is going to have to cost money.
So, why is access "free" on things like the Kindle and Nook? Well it isn't. What happens is that Amazon or Barnes and Noble pick up the cost. There are two reasons they can do this:
1) Usage is low. Since access is used only for searching for, or downloading, new books as well as a smattering of other things like news, it isn't all that much. That means they aren't having to pay out a whole lot per device.
2) A large part of the usage has a profit associated with it, namely buying books. Thus each time you use the wireless to get a book, they make some money.
This leads to a situation where it is feasible to offer it to customers at no charge.
However, if you start using it as general purpose Internet, to browse whatever you want, to download files, to play games, that breaks down. Suddenly cost goes up a whole lot, and less (or perhaps none) of the activity generates any money. As such it can't be sustained. They have to restrict it, shut it down, or charge.
Things in life aren't free. If you think everyone should just give everything away, well that shows a real lack of understanding of how the world works (and a good indication you've never had to provide for yourself).
You could - but product differentiation is a pretty important marketing concept. Neither Amazon nor B&N particularly wants to conflate their devices with netbooks.
Yes, so you allow free internet usage... up to a point, or for certain things. Then you charge. Doesn't that sound like any reasonable plan? Instead...
Solution: Don't buy one. It's not like these are life and death matters here where you can somehow morally justify stealing something.
However, if you start using it as general purpose Internet, to browse whatever you want, to download files, to play games, that breaks down. Suddenly cost goes up a whole lot, and less (or perhaps none) of the activity generates any money. As such it can't be sustained. They have to restrict it, shut it down, or charge.
Actually, they do this the same way you can prevent useful tethering on "smartphone only" plans. You pick a gateway and lock it down - the gateway only allows you to connect to certain sites,
However, if you start using it as general purpose Internet, to browse whatever you want, to download files, to play games, that breaks down. Suddenly cost goes up a whole lot, and less (or perhaps none) of the activity generates any money. As such it can't be sustained. They have to restrict it, shut it down, or charge.
Things in life aren't free. If you think everyone should just give everything away, well that shows a real lack of understanding of how the world works (and a good indication you've never had to provide for yourself).
If this is a free market, then as a consumer it is none of my concern how the supplier intends to make money. Nor is it my responsibility to use a product in such a way as to maintain the supplier's sustainability. This does not make me a crook. I'm merely trying to maximize the deal for myself. If this seems somehow unethical, consider that the same applies to the supplier. They need not concern themselves with such things as whether or not their products benefit society as a whole or whether a customer can really afford to buy such an offering.
So anyway, consumer wanting as much as possible for as little as he can is 1/2 of what makes a free market free. That doesn't make customer or supplier immature. To say otherwise shows a lack of understanding of the free market and an indication of a lack of sophistication as a consumer -- sorry, couldn't resist the symmetrical dig
Perhaps if all consumers and all suppliers were to take the long view, the socially responsible view, that might be good. But without laws to enforce this on all parties (and restrict the free market), I just can't afford to put myself at a competitive disadvantage vs. suppliers or other consumers. Can't feed my family or pay the bills with smug self-satisfaction or inner holiness.
Free? Why do you think it (and the Kindle) cost $250? You pay for the internet access when you buy the thing.
The internet is paid for by the book purchases, with the carrier receiving a percentage of that. Any margin on the device goes to BN/Amazon.
It's a little of both really. In some instances the sale of ebooks don't actually make enough money to pay for the cost to transfer them over. Like during roaming. And you can still use the cellular even if you never buy a book on it, there is a small but significant minority of customers who buy one or two books and then only use the free browser and download free books. There are a lot of accounting tricks to say that free books come out of a marketing budget. And users that don't buy books come out of so
I may? Oh, joy!
Welcome to the Arms Race, Android and Nook. Enjoy your stay.
Now I have to get one of these, mod it, install the teathering package that I have on my G1 and I'm set... Read books AND provide random WiFi Hotspot...
Who's going to make the Android App that will allow me to use this thing to track my D&D 3.5/4.x character?
dude, nobody here wants to hear about your mom...
Can I attach this term to the Nook now too?
Along most of the American eastern and southern coasts, the word "nook" is slang for "vagina". That's why sex is sometimes referred to as "nookie".
So it's funny that these unlocked systems are leaving their ports wide open, ripe for molestation by intruders across the globe.
And suddenly, I want a nook.
I was going to wait for the next gen, but the likelihood that B&N would keep it as accessible in the next hardware revision is about as much as Amazon buying these for all their employees.
And suddenly, I want a nook.
...because you want to access B&N's book-buying servers to buy ebooks? If you all think this device will be a free portable Internet connection, think again. AT&T will shortly make all traffic from the Nook only routable to the B&N servers as originally intended. At that point, all you'll have is a Nook without a warranty.
A Nook without a warranty, with an Android OS, and where the system is stored on a commodity memory card vs a ROM or proprietary storage method. A device that hasn't been TIVO'ed into only accepting signed system files, and which uses an OS with an active development community. For $300.
How worthless, how worthless indeed.
Free wireless means squat to me, I'm not a traveling man, I'm either at work or at home 90% of my life.
We've been down this road before [slashdot.org].
Don't do that. Pushing the connection to carry things it wasn't meant to is pretty much theft of service, and it will get pushback from rightfully upset providers, and maybe more from policymakers who see hackers who can't behave themselves.
Do what you'd like with the devices and/or media that you've purchased, but recognize that there's a line of fairness and don't cross it.
It takes a SIM card, so really there's no excuse for using B&N's internet. Get an appropriate SIM and use your own.
At which point you're paying for it. Which is fine, but a bit more expensive (approx $600/year) than using B&N's.
The unit has a SIM slot, hopefully it will take another SIM. Then you can buy service from someone who supports tethering (is there anyone doing that on GSM? heh) if you need that feature. Otherwise, configure your Linux side to perform all communications via WiFi somehow, and you won't have a problem with abusing their network. I don't know if this will increase uptake significantly, but I certainly wouldn't consider buying any such device that I wasn't able to load Linux on.
Unfortunately it seems culture these days follows the "if it can be exploited for my own gain I must exploit it and should not be held responsible for exploiting it no matter what damages my actions cause" mentality.
I don't own either of those readers but if I did I'd really appreciate the planless cellular connection. I'd be very annoyed if some people lacking in self restraint caused the companies to disable the cellular connection or force a data plan on someone who wanted to continue using the cellular
If those 3G connections are not VPNed exclusively to B&Ns servers that is criminally stupid.
More criminally stupid than sticking an Open Source Operating System (or OSOS as I like to say) on a removable storage device, and unlocking the full potential only requires the altering of 1 word in 1 file?
No that's ethically brilliant and something I plan on rewarding them for with my dollars.
For the 1 week of free Internet access? Whoever the provider is, (AT&T or whoever) WILL shut it down.
Either they'll find a way to block opened Nooks, or they'll force a patch onto Nook's and disallow access to unpatched Nook's, and the patch will essentially either lock you into the closed system or shut off your internet access.
If they were smart, they would treat it as a regular cell phone, and charge you a hefty monthly data fee for general internet access, while still keeping access to the B and N site free. And B and N would open an application store.
And it makes it trivial to upgrade the storage later...
I'd like to see how long the battery lasts during heavy internet use.
Days? Sorry, but I just don't think so. My Kindle DX battery lasts about two weeks, as long as I don't have wireless on and only read 1-2hrs a day. If wireless is on, substantially less. If I'm *using* the wireless a lot, even less than that.
So, let's leave the hyperbole out of the summary, shall we?
It's a quote from the fine article.
I really would love an eInk (read: no back light) MPD client for my custom MPD server. Although, stealing Internet access is not my forte. I wonder of the modem can be swiped out for a WiFi card.
This is why we can't have nice things.
Dunno about you, but I consider a hackable device to a be a nice thing.
One of the reasons I've been holding back on an ebook reader is because there hasn't been much success in opening them up despite the fact that they run open source software under the hood. Now that this has happened with the Nook (before it has shipped, even?), I'm pretty much set on buying one now.
http://nookdevs.com.nyud.net/Main_Page [nyud.net]
It's not hard. Just add
Too late. The wiki is dead.
Here's the text from the "Rooting" page:
Looking to root your nook? You have come to the right place!
nookDevs.com is not liable if you screw up during the root process. kthxbai
This will probably void your warranty, nookDevs.com is not liable for that either.
[edit] Requirements
microSD(HC) card adapter
Small screwdriver
45 minutes
Fingernails or a sharp knife
A linux/unix based computer
Android SDK
[edit] Instructions
Turn off nook
Take off the back cover of the nook
Remove the battery
Remove the user microSD card if there is one
Unscrew all screws. Dont lose them. There is a hole in the bottom left with white in it. That is also a screw. Unscrew that.
There are a bunch of tabs around the sides of the nook that release the white bezel. Once released you will need to unseal the glue
Congrats you are 25 percent there!
There are two black tabs on the sides of the nook where the page turn buttons are. Push those back to unlock them
You should be at the board now. Find the OS microSD card
Remove it
Place the microSD card in a adapter, then into a computer
Mount it as ext3 read-write (sudo mount
Open the file init.rc as sudo (sudo nano init.rc)
Find the line that starts talking about adbd
Replace the first occurance of the word disabled with enabled
50 percent done!
Eject SD card
Put SD card back into nook
close nook up
Now, on a computer again, download the Android dev toolkit (google it)
Open a terminal
cd to the android folder
cd tools
If you want to disable updates from B&N run: mv
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE ROOTED YOUR nook. Have fun, be safe, dont forget to bring a towel
[edit] Notes
More pictures for tutorial to come later
Make sure to put the SIM card back in correctly if you remove it. Blue and white site up with the notch in the battery compartment opening end, on the right hand side. Refer to included pic. (discovered nook 3G not working when I got to work. Paperclips make terrible screwdrivers)
Android Debug Bridge (adb) is a versatile tool lets you manage the state of an emulator instance or Android-powered device.
Full documentation and list of commands available in adb can be found here:
http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/tools/adb.html#commandsummary [android.com]
Remember the I-Opener [wikipedia.org]?
I predict a similar fate to the Nook:
- Wicked cool device hits the market.
- Hacked and liberated.
- Provider(s) lose money due to the liberation.
- Tug-of-war between provider(s) and hackers.
- Provider(s) give up and more on after losing too much money.
I expect the cell connection will be firewalled pretty soon unless they completely munged the process and can't. Expect some OTA updates pronto to keep the rooters out. Tug-of-war over rooting. Eventually new TOS to make you a criminal
If you're dealing with the Nook and you power cycle without properly shutting down, you can expect a visit from Mr. Resetti... Those are never fun.
I doubt people will be getting free cellular internet very long if at all. The SIM card identifies the user as a Nook, and if the service provider has any brains, they will restrict the routing of all traffic from such users to where they want.
Not that this is not a cool hack. I would like to throw in my own SIM card and take this baby for a spin.
Forty two.


text:
|Episode Description
|Wednesday, Oct 10, 2012 - 12:00 AM
"Human Population Dynamics"
The human population of our planet now exceeds 6.5 billion and is rising. Much of this growth is projected for the most environmentally fragile regions of the world. Will studying the history of the world's population growth help predict the Earth's "carrying capacity"?. D
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text:
A number of UBS employees have been shocked to find out their self-invested pension plans (Sipps) had exposure to the Madoff Ponzi scheme.
Letters seen by Wealth Manager, have been sent to a number of employees and former UBS staff who have Sipps managed by the firm on a discretionary basis. They have been offered the option to submit claims to the Madoff Victim fund (MVF) by 28 February through Sipp administrator Standard Life Trustee Company.
A further letter from UBS identifies clients as having 'whole or partial exposure, directly or indirectly, to now-bankrupt brokerage firm Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS) as at 11 December 2008'.
It explains the MVF is separate from the liquidation proceedings involving BLMIS, as the MVF was set up to compensate end-investors who have lost their own monies as a result of a direct or indirect investment in BLMIS.
UBS is not authorised to submit claims on behalf of clients.
In the letter, Standard Life said it was in discussions with UBS to 'clarify the nature of the discretionary investment made by them and how to manage any claim' – for example, whether the individual client should make the claim individually or do it through Standard Life Trustee Company Limited.
Wealth Manager understands that the exposure to Madoff was through a fund that invested in a fund of hedge funds.
It is understood that the fund was managed by a third-party and UBS itself did not select the Madoff scheme.
One disgruntled ex-UBS employee said he was shocked to receive the letter and is planning to make a claim. 'I was not even aware that I was in it [Madoff],' he added.
UBS declined to comment or offer any clarity on the number of clients that are affected or whether the bank will offer separate compensation for those affected.
A spokesperson for Standard Life Trustee Company said: 'We currently have a very small number of Sipp customers impacted. We have been in communication with all of our discretionary investment managers and while some have confirmed there is no exposure, others are continuing to investigate.
'For our customers that are impacted, and who would like Standard Life to claim for compensation on their behalf, we will do so ahead of the deadline of 28 February.'


text:
Stay on top of changing business and economic conditions worldwide. The Conference Board is committed to providing information and educational services in the fields of economic analysis, labor market analysis, and demographic studies research.
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This monthly webcast provides the latest insights from TCB's Economics Team for the Euro Zone as well as the outlook for several of the larger European economies. As a special topic, this month's Economics Watch will focus on the state of big data, cloud computing, and information technology in Europe.
Bart van Ark
Bart van Ark is executive vice president, chief economist, and chief strategy officer at The Conference Board. He leads a team of almost two dozen economists in New York, Brussels, and Beijing who produce a range of widely watched economic indicators and growth forecasts as well as in-depth globa...Full Bio
Bert Colijn
Bert Colijn is a senior economist that focuses on the European market. He works on the European Commission FP7 project NEUJOBS, focusing on productivity and economic growth in Europe in 2025. Besides this, he works on developing European indicators and analysis of the European economies.
...Full Bio
Desirée van Welsum
Desirée van Welsum is an economist, managing The Conference Board Business Scenario Program. She has over 10 years of experience in applied economic research and policy analysis on private and public sectors in the economy. Prior to joining The Conference Board, she worked at the OECD, the...Full Bio


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One of the ways we're helping employers manage absence and disability in the workplace is with our Workplace PossibilitiesSM program — a unique, proactive approach to keeping employees at work and productive.
By identifying opportunities to keep employees who may be at risk of disability on the job and get those who go out on disability back to work sooner, Workplace Possibilities helps employers realize rapid and measurable reductions in disability-related costs.
Our Workplace Possibilities experts — nurses or vocational rehabilitation specialists — partner with employers to help with return to work or stay at work interventions. To learn more about how our Workplace Possibilities experts treat each incident as an independent case and help keep employees on the job or ensure a healthier and earlier return to work, view the video below.
For our larger groups we provide a Workplace Possibilities consultant at the workplace as part of their Group Disability insurance plan.* A service that is unique to The Standard, the on-site consultant integrates within an organization to reduce the burden on the HR team by establishing the program and training staff to help in the process.
For further information about the Workplace Possibilities program, click on the links below to view a digital version of our informational flier and brochure.
The Standard
The Standard is a leading provider of financial products and services, including group and individual disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, group dental and vision insurance, absence management services, retirement plans products and services, individual annuities and investment advice. For more information about The Standard, visit www.standard.com.


text:
Bucks-Spurs Preview
By ELI KABERON, Associated Press
Last Updated: Sun, Jan 19 1:41 ET
The San Antonio Spurs have yet to drop back-to-back games this season. Coming off a tough loss and with their best player banged up, it appears a good thing that the NBA's worst team is coming to town.
The Spurs will try to bounce back and avoid their first skid of the season when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.
Though he is expected to suit up against the Bucks, point guard Tony Parker is not at full strength due to a bruised right shin. Parker, who leads the team in points (17.9) and assists (6.3) per game, missed two contests in December because of the injury.
He was questionable for Friday night's game against Portland, but played more than 35 minutes and scored 12 points in a 109-100 loss. He is still considered day-to-day.
"I think I'll play," Parker said about the upcoming contest. "I wish I was 100 percent, but it happens. I'll play. I'll play on Sunday. It will all get better with time."
The team may also be without reserve center Matt Bonner, who suffered a nasal fracture against the Trail Blazers. Bonner will require a protective mask if he plays.
The Spurs (28-9) have come back strong after their losses this season, following each of the previous eight with victories that came by an average of 11.7 points. The team's only loss this season to a sub-.500 team was against New York 105-101 on Jan. 2.
After missing a pair of games earlier this month with a sore hamstring, Manu Ginobili has been solid off the bench of late. In three games since returning, Ginobili is averaging 18.7 points and shooting 45.9 percent from the field. He has hit 54.5 percent from 3-point range and 94.1 at the free throw line.
Ginobili scored 29 points against the Blazers, his highest total in a regular season game since Feb. 27, 2011.
"I got in the game and I had two wide open shots. Both went in. Things started to happen," he said. "They found me on a 3-point shot. I started to feel more confident and the whole situation was exciting."
The Bucks (7-32) have dropped eight straight following a 114-104 loss at Houston on Saturday that kicked off their two-game Texas swing.
Brandon Knight was one of five players in double figures with 26 points, but Milwaukee had no answers defensively down low. The Rockets scored 66 points in the paint, the most the Bucks have allowed all season.
Milwaukee also surrendered 26 points off 19 turnovers. The Bucks allow an average of 17.8 points off their miscues, which ranks among the most in the league.
"You will not win a game on the road turning the ball over 20 times, you will not," coach Larry Drew said. "I know in the first quarter, we had five or six turnovers and I know at least three or four of them lead to easy baskets and you are not going to be successful turning the ball over on the road against a good ball club."
The Spurs have won seven of their last eight overall against the Bucks, who have dropped three straight in San Antonio dating to a 100-98 victory on Dec. 30, 2008.
Tim Duncan has averaged 22.0 points against the Bucks over the course of his 18-year career, his highest average against any opponent. When the team's met in Milwaukee on Dec. 11, the veteran big man scored 21 in a 109-77 victory.
END OF 2ND QTR BUCKS 38 - SPURS 53 :banana
I hadn't realized the Spurs haven't lost consecutive games yet.
Very promising statistic, we'll see how they do on rodeo road trip.
And as good as Mills has been playing, I wasn't worried about beating the Bucks without Parker.
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text:
The DuPage County Election Commission has relied on attorney Pat Bond for legal advice and representation since 1996.
But after Bond's law firm was paid roughly $385,000 in fees in 2011 and 2012, members of the board overseeing the commission want to know if there's a more cost-effective way to meet the agency's legal needs.
Board members recently refused to take action on a proposed one-year extension of the commission's deal with Bond, Dickson & Associates, which is based in Wheaton.
Instead, they've directed staff to do a review of the contract to help determine whether other law firms should be allowed to bid on the work. Another option that will be explored is whether the commission should hire an in-house attorney.
"We need to look at how much we're spending outsourcing legal and how much it would cost to hire legal in-house and what is the most cost-effective way to do business," said Cathy Ficker Terrill, chairwoman of the election board.
Attempts to contact Bond this week were unsuccessful.
The commission isn't legally required to seek bids when hiring law firms.
However, DuPage has a policy requiring that professional services contracts be reviewed at least once every three years.
Terrill said she couldn't find any record of the election commission doing a similar review in recent years of the Bond, Dickson & Associates contract.
However, a one-year extension of the contract that was approved in February 2011 was one of 12 deals mentioned in a report critical of the commission's ethics and procurement practices.
That report by Crowe Horwath -- a consulting firm hired by the county -- indicated the commission failed to follow its own guidelines when it awarded the contracts.
DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin responded by appointing all new members -- including Terrill -- to the three-person election board.
Cronin said he supports the panel's decision to take another look at the commission's legal expenses.
"They're going to open it up," Cronin said. "There's going to be competitive bidding. They're going to see what else is out there."
While the commission is an independent agency, Cronin said election board members are sensitive to the Crowe Horwath report. The consultants recommended that all of the commission's contracts be reviewed.
"We want to make sure we're getting the best quality legal counsel for the best price," he said.
As part of its contract, Bond, Dickson & Associates charges the election commission $235 an hour for representation, including telephone calls, office work and legal research; $280 an hour for court appearances; $420 per meeting to attend board meetings; and $2,100 per day for all election day activities.
The commission paid the law firm $158,856 and $226,649 in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
This year, the agency budgeted $130,000 for legal fees, officials said.
Until a change is made, Bond, Dickson & Associates will continue as the legal counsel for the election commission.
If the board decides to seek bids from other law firms, Bond, Dickson & Associates will be able to apply. "It will be an open, competitive process," Terrill said.


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|2012-01-09, 01:25
|Link #17223
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
It's in the present Part of the humor is that the various heroines are trying their best at being mom's somce they don't know how. Only Charlotte and Chifuyu actually succeed Charlotte because she's naturally caring annd her son is obedient, and Chifuyu because her kid's already a teen so she can take care of herself. Everybody else screws up one way or another
|2012-01-09, 01:29
|Link #17224
That one guy
Join Date: Nov 2011
I think Rin would succeed as well. Despite her childish exterior she seems prime fit for motherhood in my opinion. Though she'd be the obnoxious "Listen to me" naggy kind of mom
On another note: How out of place is biological experimentation in IS-verse? By your standards?
|2012-01-09, 01:43
|Link #17227
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
@ Demi - Meanwhile, Tabane's teaching her daughter about world domination and bunny ears Ichika, I pray for your soul.
Side note - IS would own. If normal humans can fight them, what more with machines that have the powers of nukes?
|2012-01-09, 01:48
|Link #17229
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
@ Demi - And I point you to videogame badasses like Isaac Clarke who massacred an entire ship full of monsters with engineering tools. Or the Marine from Aliens Vs Predator.
Side note - I read Infinite Yao- Infinite Stratos chapter 14 and Ichika mentioned that the girls didn't want to take a bath before or after him so he couldn't use the big bath. Question is, why not? It's not like him taking a bath destroys the bgathroom.
|2012-01-09, 01:52
|Link #17230
That one guy
Join Date: Nov 2011
@eratas: argument A) they were basically still human. That kind of fleshiness could only come from a race such as ours. B)the aliens and predators were too busy fighting each other.
That awkward moment... when you realize the girl you like just used the same bathroom as you did.
That awkward moment... when you mixed up the times and walked in on a naked member of the opposite sex.
That awkward moment-
Well you get the idea.
|2012-01-09, 01:57
|Link #17231
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
@ Demi - Have you seen the AVP games? The Aliens weren't too busy in that game since there were only like 3 predators in the game (One of which you kill). 90% of the Aliens beeline for you and you even kill the goddamned queen! By the way, you're playing as the rookie here so that's saying something.
Side note - What I don't understand is why they still said he couldn't go even after they all went. If everybody went already, then what's the problem?
|2012-01-09, 02:03
|Link #17232
That one guy
Join Date: Nov 2011
I've never played the games so can't debate properly with that data but... my miniscule knowledge of all forms of alien tell me that normal guns don't work on those things, that or their hide is really resilient to regular ammo. Specialized bullets were required to fight back. Predators are hunters, they are equipped with only the most basic armor, but those little armor could probably take fire from a tank's cannon and barely dent in. They rely mostly on strength. Other than that they are an extremely squishy race. I'm talking about Blassreiter level mutant
They're conscious of it. I felt similar awkwardness when I realized I was borrowing the bathroom of a room which was inhabited by girls...
|2012-01-09, 02:06
|Link #17233
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
@ Demi - Guns work on the aliens, it's just that their acid blood hurts you if you're too close when they die. Anyway, what's Blassreiter?
Side note - Really? Ichika doesn't seem to mind and if he's last the water will be drained before they go again.
|2012-01-09, 02:17
|Link #17234
That one guy
Join Date: Nov 2011
@era-era: And thus why I can't debate with data from AvP Blassreiter is probably one of the weirdest yet most interesting 12-episode anime I've seen, though it was somewhat frustrating. The story is about an epidemic of people becoming monsters called demoniacs. The world is already in social disorder because of intense racism and the demoniacs just make it worse. One day, a motorcycle racer was injured after a demoniac attack and it was determined he would never ride again, but a mysterious woman offers him the chance to do so again.
The humans in this anime can also fight back against the demoniacs but it required special weapons
The fact remains, he used it XD
|2012-01-09, 02:30
|Link #17236
That one guy
Join Date: Nov 2011
@eratas: Blassreiters have metal flesh, create weapons out of said flesh and can make anyone into a demoniac just by touching a person or a remains of one, IE blown up pieces, blood, their weapons. They have a tendency to revive the dead as demoniacs and making sure the corpses are chopped into bite-sized pieces is a must to prevent ressurection.
No era-era, they're just hormonally raging teens. Imagine yourself in the bathroom the girl you liked used. Then... yeah... you might not feel it but those girls sure do O.o
|2012-01-09, 02:34
|Link #17237
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
@ Demi - Look at the necromorphs Most of those traits are on the necro's as well. Most of their skin is as strong as well and can take a full plasma rifle clip without flinching.
Side note - Do you think Ichika will ever get past his density?
|2012-01-09, 02:36
|Link #17238
I am no one
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Inside your head
|2012-01-09, 02:40
|Link #17239
That one guy
Join Date: Nov 2011
@era-era: But necromorphs are not living metal, they're still just fleshy human byproducts
The day Ichika gets past his density will be the day a girl actually rapes him(totally serious here) or just forces a kiss on him while confessing.
@zero: welcome back!
|2012-01-09, 02:46
|Link #17240
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
@ Senpai - Eh? I never intended for him to be a badboy. I wasn't aware jerkass=badboy.
Side note - Does mixing sleeping pills and pain pills have any negativ effects?
Side note 2 - I meant Tatenashi and Chifuyu. The carnage will be huge.
Side note 3 - How biug do you think ISA really is? I was planning to make it an Academy of Adventure, but I need a size estimate.
@ Demi - So are the monsters you're talking about. Besides, there are necro's that show up later that regenerate all forms of damage no matter what you do. It's way scarier since it's nigh unkillable.
Side note - Rapes him? yeah, they're gonna be able to do that to the guy with a mini mecha and (some) fight training.
|fanfic ideas, fanfiction, ff.net, harem, is fanfic, warning fanfic spoilers, wincest
|Thread Tools


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Jeffrey Powers shoots the breeze with Chris Pirillo over a few Reese's Minis, the latest offering in the Reese's line of peanut butter cups from Hersheys.
You're probably wondering why Hersheys came to CES to launch candy. Watch the video to find out. Frankly, it's tenuous but it's fun.
Love them or hate them, Reese's Minis are available now in USA and Canada.
Interview by Jeffrey Powers of The Geekazine Podcast.
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text:
Baub posted that he made potato salad for a meal.
Not to shanghigh his tread I thought I'd post my veiws on can potatoes.
I always keep a few cans around. They are dirt cheap and very handy.
Deep fry them whole. Sprinkle them with a little salt like french frys.
Make a quick potato salad.
Throw them in a soup.
Fry up with minced garlic and onion for breakfast.
They have a different taste than fresh potatoes but if you know that going in than you can be creative with them.


text:
So I have ordered twice from Paul and AE in the last few months. The second time was this week. I ordered on Monday, it shipped Tuesday and arrived today. Awesome, right... Well, it gets better. I noticed that one item was left out of the package... Well I happen to be on gmail at the same time as Paul and he said just give him a call. So I did and 30 sec later I was off the phone and the missing product will be on the way.
Now, no one is perfect and mistakes happen. It really is how a person / company reacts that sets them apart from the rest. I really appreciate how I was treated and how quick Paul addressed the issue.


text:
As we celebrate Independence Day, it's important to remember our veterans—both human and canine. The military has been slow in providing the care and respect that these working canines deserve. Retired war dogs were euthanized for decades before "Robby's Law" allowed these brave pups to be adopted. However, the military still has a long way to go in giving dogs proper treatment.
I was shocked to learn that the military classifies working canines as equipment. Because of this distinction, dogs that are retired overseas are considered excess equipment and are not transported home. They can be adopted, but the government doesn't provide any financial support.
U.S. Army Specialist Robert Mather Jr. couldn't afford to adopt the Belgian Malinois he worked with in Iraq and Germany. Fortunately Mather's community raised the money to bring Nouska back to N.J., but it's a disgrace that the military didn't pay for her safe return. Nouska served for 10 years and 4 tours of duty!
Representative Walter Jones and Senator Richard Blumenthal teamed up earlier this year to sponsor a bill that would make sure dogs like Nouska are safe. The Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act would allow the military to honor courageous canines, make sure that all dogs are flown back home, and set up a private fund for lifetime health care. The House of Representatives already passed the bill and the legislation is now in the Senate.
Seems like a no brainer for the furry pups who serve our country and protect our troops!


text: Family Rules Canvas Print Item #: 104971 $29.99 $19.97 Qty: Sorry, this item is currently unavailable online. Ship to Home Canvas print measures 11.5L x 35.5H in. Typography subject Distinctively printed on stretched canvas Finished edges to complete the design Antiqued cream background with black words Comes ready for wall mount; no hanging hardware required Sorry, this item is currently unavailable online.


text:
Channel partners in Massachusetts are concerned that a proposed tax on IT services will interrupt the commonwealth's economic recovery, drive business across the border and add a thick layer of complexity across future transactions.
If it becomes law, the proposed tax would impose a 4.5 percent levy against a wide variety of business-to-business IT services, and it would generate an estimated $265 million in revenue.
"This really frosts me," said Mont Phelps, CEO of NWN Corporation, a Boston-based channel partner. "IT is part of the solution, not part of the problem. They want to take money out of this industry to show that they can."
[Related: Massachusetts Governor Proposes Tax On Computer Services]
According to a document from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, targeted IT and data processing services would likely include services around code development, modification or testing of existing programs, feasibility studies, the design and installation of computer systems that integrate computer hardware, software and communication technologies, disaster recovery, and similar functions.
Momchil "Memo" Michailov, co-founder and CEO of Waltham, Mass.-based data management and protection software vendor Sanbolic, called the new tax "ridiculous" because of the potential to drive part of the IT industry out of the state.
Michailov said he is far from being an anti-tax person, noting that he appreciates government services such as funding the schools where his three children study or building and maintaining the roads he and his colleagues use.
However, he said, the new IT services tax, like the upcoming Internet sales tax scheduled to go into effect in November, are obvious plays by the State of Massachusetts to tax businesses while not taxing individual consumers.
Because of Amazon's acquisition of a Massachusetts-based data robotics company Kiva, sales of Amazon's products and services will be subject to tax. However, he said, there are exceptions for music, videos and the Kindle.
"If they charged taxes on everything, users would be up in arms," he said. "These are very 'loop-holish' taxes. The state is not taxing users for Internet service, even though most bandwidth is used for users' pictures and videos."
The proposed IT services tax, coming on top of the Internet sales tax and a host of other taxes Massachusetts has recently implemented, make doing business in the state complicated, Michailov said.
"Our customers and partners are staring at the computer screen wondering what will happen," he said. "The advantage of the cloud is, people can run a lot of applications efficiently, but it's hard to know where the data and services are."
As an example, Michailov said his 20 GB of email in the cloud would be hard to define for tax purposes.
"How would you tax it?" he said. "I access it from the office, from home and from mobile devices. Data does not sit in one device. It's moving. I have data, pictures and videos. What is the impact? The new tax is not designed to impact consumers. But, I have to figure out how the State of Massachusetts will skim off another 4.5 percent of my business."
NEXT: Driving Business Across The Border?


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I have provided a link jsFiddle so you can see my problem (http://jsfiddle.net/QVBep/1/).
I have a simple calculator which calculates the duration from start to stop.
This works perfectly well, however, at present, it returns a value like so (12:05.4444444444444444444).
My aim is to chop off those meaningless decimal places to return value like so (12:05.04).
I have tried using .toFixed() and Math.round() functions but have had no success!
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!


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The casting of Magic Mike was attention-getting from the start.
It became known over time, you see, that this comedy about male strippers — directed by Steven Soderbergh — would not only star Channing Tatum, but would include Matt Bomer, Alex Pettyfer, several other fine-looking young actors, and Matthew McConaughey, who I can only assume is playing some sort of stripper emeritus, given the rapidity with which people seem to go out of style in the pec-peddling business. (Don't get me wrong; I consider 42 a perfectly good age for stripping. But I imagine that the income may drop.)
The trailer will come as a surprise only if (1) you don't know it's a stripper movie before you start, and (2) you haven't ever seen television and movies play out the "sexy cop" scene before. But nevertheless, we quickly learn that Magic Mike (Tatum) is not only a stripper, but he is a kind of uberstripper — a wunderskind, if you will, who makes all the ladies go crazy. (In my experience, his appeal is somewhat broader, but okay.)
Just a note from a lady, by the way: I'm not sure the people I know go to see male strippers to see "the husband that they never had," any more than the aim of dudes at a bikini car wash is to fantasize about settling down.
At any rate, it's not long before we learn that Mike is not just a stripper. He has a dream. A dream! Of course he does. And what is it? He makes custom furniture. CUSTOM FURNITURE! Just like the guy in While You Were Sleeping, and the guy in Like Crazy, and the guy in Phenomenon [correction: it has been pointed out to me that it was the woman in that movie actually, and that here, I should have mentioned Aidan on Sex And The City instead], and I honestly am sure there are lots and lots more, but WHAT IS WITH GUYS IN MOVIES WHO SHOW THEIR SENSIVITY BY MAKING CUSTOM FURNITURE?
It kind of reminds me of Winona Ryder's character in Autumn In New York, the terrible movie she made where she was in love with Richard Gere (and not in a "you're like a grandpa to me" kind of way). She made whimsical hats in that movie, which I have always remembered, only because it seemed to me that you could not redeem a fundamentally boring character by suggesting that in her (spoiler alert) last stretch of life before she died, she was going to make some truly, deeply whimsical hats.
So Mike makes furniture.
And he's sort of maybe going to have a thing with this woman (Cody Horn), who is the sister of ... the Pettyfer stripper, it appears? And she will challenge his "lifestyle" — by the way, men of Earth, if you pick up "I'm not my lifestyle!" as a line in serious conversation, we are through — and try to get him to move among the living, and it appears they actually might have some relaxed chemistry.
There are actually not as many exposed chests in this trailer as I was expecting, although there's a good amount of dancing, and I do think Tatum is wise to get some more mileage out of the dancing he did so much of in Step Up (that's right: Step Up) before he blows out a knee or something. He's been doing action (Haywire), comedy (21 Jump Street), goopy romance (The Vow, Dear John) — it's smart to get back to a little hip-shaking, because he's actually very good at it.
What do you think?


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Interested in ferns? As a keen gardener, I've been enjoying Leon's blogs about ferns. So I was delighted when I heard Leon Perrie and Pat Brownsey talking with Alison Ballance on Radio New Zealand National. You can listen to the two parts (30 April 2009 and 7 May 2009) from the Our Changing World programme.
Pat and Leon took a walk through Otari-Wilton's Bush in Wellington last November. Otari-Wilton's bush is a fantastic botanic garden in Wellington dedicated solely to native New Zealand plants.
Leon and Pat find loads of interesting ferns – including the Tuatara of ferns, Loxsoma cunninghamii, more about the false Hen and Chicken's fern, and edible ferns including King ferns and bracken.


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A year-over-year comparison of FY 2012 to FY 2011 shows ridership grew 3.5 percent to a new record of 31,240,565 passengers and ticket revenue jumped 6.8 percent to a best ever $2.02 billion. In addition, Amtrak system-wide on-time performance increased to 83 percent, up from 78.1 percent and its highest level in 12 years.
"People are riding Amtrak trains in record numbers across the country because there is an undeniable demand to travel by rail," said President and CEO Joe Boardman. "Ridership will continue to grow because of key investments made by Amtrak and our federal and state partners to improve on-time performance, reliability, capacity and train speeds."
During FY 2012, ridership on the Northeast Corridor is up 4.8 percent to a record 11.4 million, state-supported and other short distance routes is up 2.1 percent to a record 15.1 million and long-distance services is up 4.7 percent to their best showing in 19 years at 4.7 million.
Boardman noted ridership numbers for FY 2013 will get an early boost this fall when the extension of Downeaster service to Freeport and Brunswick, Maine begins Nov. 1, and Amtrak Virginia Northeast Regional service is extended to Norfolk, Va., starting Dec.12.
Factors contributing to Amtrak long-term ridership growth include improved passenger services such as Wi-Fi and eTicketing, high gasoline prices, continued growth in business travel on the Northeast Corridor, the increased appeal and popularity of rail travel, dissatisfaction with congested highways and air travel and effective marketing campaigns.
Amtrak intends to provide FY 2012 ridership information by state and station next week.


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The Super Bowl trespassing case filed by Jenny Sanford against Mark Sanford has been settled, with Mark Sanford admitting he is "in contempt for this and previous instances of trespassing" into Jenny Sanford's home.
In a consent order filed today in Charleston County Family Court, both sides said the agreement means "a full resolution" of the dispute.
Another point in the settlement is that Mark Sanford will pay $5,000 to take care of Jenny Sanford's fees and legal costs.
And, if Mark Sanford does breach the agreement or the no trespassing stipulations of their divorce, "defendant waives any claim of immunity which would delay or precluded his having to appear."
Jenny Sanford had accused her ex-husband of entering her Sullivan's Island home without her permission the night of the Super Bowl. He wanted to watched the second half with their youngest son.
Jenny Sanford was not home at the time. She also said it was part of a pattern by Mark Sanford to enter her residence without permission.
The dispute surfaced during Mark Sanford's run for Congress but was only a minor setback as he won the 1st District seat Tuesday over Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch.
Family Court Judge Jocelyn Cate said she would hold off any sentencing on Sanford's contempt admission based upon his compliance.
The agreement means a scheduled court appearance will not be necessary Thursday.
The penalties available in Family Court for someone found guilty of violating a divorce stipulation are imprisonment for up to a year, a fine of $1,500 or up to 300 hours of community service, or a portion of all three.


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The Monticello City Council has said goodbye to several employees recently, but will not be saying goodbye to the local deer that have taken up residence in the city.
At the December 12 Council meeting, Councilman Blen Freestone and Councilwoman Cassie Boyle were honored for their service at their last official meeting as council members. The council also received the resignation of public works manager Nathan Langston, who resigned after 10 years working for the city. This comes only a few weeks after the departure of Assistant City Manager Greg Martin.
The council voted to not send a letter to the Division of Wildlife Resources concerning the removal of deer in the city. After a motion by Councilwoman Boyle, and a second by Councilman Walter Bird, to write a letter asking for a depredation hunt, they were the only two to vote in favor of the removal letter. Councilmen Jeremy Hoggard and Brad Randall voted against the letter. In the absence of Councilman Blen Freestone, Mayor Doug Allen broke the tie, voting against the letter of removal, stating that the issue can be addressed by a new council, but he personally did not feel this would solve the problem, as he feels it is bigger than a few deer in town.
During the discussion on the issue, City Manager Trent Schafer reported that he had spoken with local DWR official Guy Wallace, who had concerns over removing deer in town regarding the safety, as the only method is to shoot the animals.
Schafer said they try to kill the deer on the outskirts of town, so they are unsure if that would take care of the deer in the neighborhoods. Boyle told the council that they cannot expect everyone in town to build a compound around their house to deal with the deer problem. She also pointed out that she has been told of deer mating right in town so there is no need for the DWR to worry about them being able to "multiply and replenish," said Boyle.
Boyle told the council that she likes the deer too, but there can be too many and questioned the DWR, stating "They manage the cattle on the mountain, why can't they manage the herds of deer?"
Randall said that when everything that surrounds town is more or less a private hunting unit it makes for less hunters in the area around town, and thus more deer coming into town.
Mayor Allen questioned how the increase in the town herd corresponds to the time when hunting changed to "buck only". Allen said he thinks it is a statewide problem that needs to be dealt with beyond Monticello.
Boyle pointed out that people may think there are more important issues to deal with than deer, but that if people are calling her to complain, then it is her job as a public servant to speak out about it.
"This isn't two or three people, this is a lot of people," said Boyle. Councilman Bird said that killing deer on the outskirts of town won't make a noticeabe change, but he believes that three or four years down the road there will be a huge problem.
Bird said he is concerned because the deer have found out that it is safe in town, and there is enough food to sustain them now, "but there is going to come to a point where they are going to eat themselves out of house and home and you are going to have deer dying in peoples yards in the winter and that's not going to be a nice sight either."
The council unanimously passed an ordinance regulating the use of portable storage containers in the city limits. The regulation was specifically meant to address the use of shipping containers and unregistered semi trailers as storage units.
The regulations call for the containers to be painted similarly to the other structures on the property and follow zoning ordinances as far as placement. It also addresses the use of single wide trailers as storage facilities, which will have to be removed by October 1, 2009. Camper shells used for storage are also included in the 2009 removal regulation.
Janet Ross presented the council with an update on the Canyon Country Discovery Center. Ross reports that in May, she talked with potential donors trying to find out if the goal of raising $12.5 million was feasible, and found that $7.5 million was the feasible amount to seek in donations.
Because of this, Ross told the council the size of the proposed building has been reduced to get a more efficient design, and delayed hiring some staff in order to cut back on costs.
The new estimates call for $4.5 million for the 14,000 square foot building and $3 million for the first two years of program operations. Ross says so far they have raised $825,000 in pledges, and are trying to raise money through the state legislature.
The Discovery Center is listed for a $1.3 million appropriation in the proposed buget recently released by the Governor. The final budget will be finalized by the legislature in March.
Ross pointed out that in her estimation, there will be approximately a $1.5 million return annually to the City of Monticello from the project. The indirect benefit, or social return on investment, is harder to calculate, according to Ross, because it is hard to track the value of education.
Using a formula she developed, Ross estimates $9.8 million annually as the social return on the investment. Ross came up with the figure based on costs for local teachers and students to get the value of the classes taught at the Discovery Center if they had to travel elsewhere for a similar science center experience.
Ross also told the council they are still struggling with a location for the center. Originally they were looking at the DOE property on the East side of highway south of town, but were unable to get a commitment, and started looking at private property. Recently, the DOE has told the City the original property is a possibility and the City is trying to get something in writing.
In other business, City Manager Schafer reports the City will interview four applicants for the Assistant City Manager job.


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Right now I'm reading Gomorrah by Roberto Saviano. He's an Italian journalist/writer whose expose on the Neapolitan mafia (the Camorra) has meant that he now lives under 24 hour police protection. Though the Camorra may not have physically killed him life as he knew it ,before the book, no longer exists. It's interesting as he was relatively young (mid 20s) when the book came out and from interviews I've read I doubt he would do it all again.After that I'm going to attempt to finish the 20+ other books that I've been reading on and off for years but never quite finished! Switch by Chip & Dan Heath will be next.Happy reading everyone!
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The lights are on
Shooter fans can be a finicky lot. We love explosive action and intense firefights. We thrill at the speed with which deathmatch games can swing in our favor. So go take down a few waves of aliens and save your team's flag, because when the gun smoke settl
anyone know anything about the upcoming medal of honour game?????? if so, tell us!!!
p.s who will be buying it???
kade stone
Got some time with the beta, and was thoroughly unimpressed - along with pretty much every other participant. Of course, once it became clear the public opinion was terrible everyone who DIDN'T play rose to arms to defend it as not the final product, blah blah blah.
As someone who has played a fair amount of Bad Company, I know what to expect from the engine, from the devs, etc. That said, I personally do not believe Medal of Honor to be anything terribly different from BC2 mechanically, and a reskin that tries to draw at the successes of the CoD franchise in certain aspects will certainly appeal to some... just not to me.
Isn't it Honor?
check out my blog!
Rainheart, I'll never forget you.
Bawww, this dude's British. So yeah, expect some (American) textbook errors.


text: The hardware is noticeably scuffed and there are several large stains on the lining. PLEASE NOTE: In return for a little wear and tear and small blemishes, you'll enjoy big savings on this authentic, well-loved style that still offers plenty of pizazz. Be sure to read the item's condition description carefully, as all sales are final and there can be no returns or exchanges.


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Important Reminder: Your Innovations Are Not Immortal
from the changing-with-the-times dept
Take a deep breath, and repeat after me: "My [business model, product, business unit, brand, offering] has a finite life. I'm going to make that life as happy and productive as possible, but I also have to think about what's next."This is a major issue, and could be the underlying theme of a good percentage of posts around here. Companies or individuals who think that they have some inalienable "right" to have their innovation remain at the top of the market, even as others out-innovate them. It comes from a massive sense of entitlement, that if you innovated once, no one else should be allowed to out-innovate you, and the government should somehow protect your position as an innovative leader. We've jokingly referred to this as companies charging others with "felony interference with a business model."
Innovation is an ongoing process, and that's true for everyone. It's not a once-and-done thing, and whatever innovation you did yesterday is obsolete. You need to keep innovating. Paraphrasing what someone else in the link above says, you need to innovate at the pace of the market. The problem is that many try to use politicians and the court system to slow down the market, rather than innovating along with it.
Conceptually, this is difficult for many. They feel a sense of accomplishment for what they've done, and would like to have the time to bask in that accomplishment. But history has shown that there's no time to bask -- only time to keep innovating. And while that may not seem to be as much fun, it does give you an ongoing sense of accomplishment and makes the world better for everyone at the same time. Who would complain about that, other than those who can't keep up?


text: I come from the small island of Borneo. I have no consoles but I'm a huge fan of Halo. I also like Homeworld 2. Combine them both, you get a space game experience like no other. I love photography, so I'll always be posting in game shots. I have no other purpose in moddb other than this.


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Singer Cesaria Evora was known for winning over international audiences with the slow, somber ballads about love and sorrow from her native Cape Verde islands. She always performed barefoot as a sign of solidarity with the impoverished women of her island. Guest host Allison Keyes speaks with NPR's Felix Contreras about the life and legacy of Evora.
'Barefoot Diva' Of Cape Verde Islands Dies At 70
By editor • Dec 22, 2011


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Aunt Suzanne's food
I'm starting the third week at my parents' house. My sister and I have made so much progress. We have one room and one closet left to investigate. I have eaten really well - only two avoid foods. I think that is somewhat extraordinary for being away from home. One of those was a dessert for my sister's birthday. The other was potato chunks that came with one of the most amazing egg dishes. It was a Greek frittata. The eggs were topped with asparagus, artichoke, sun dried tomatoes, and feta cheese. It was an outstanding combination.
I have made sure to exercise every day. It's best if I get up early and walk or run before breakfast. Once the day starts, it's hard to find time as we get busier and busier with projects. Sometimes exercise comes in surprising places. This morning, for instance, I realized that I had gotten the day wrong for the heavy trash pickup. We suddenly saw the truck a block away and raced around lugging a picnic table, ping pong table, three computers & two monitors and a mattress & box spring out to the drive way. That will get your heart racing.
For the most part, I have eaten meat and veggie bowls. Meat choices have been ground beef, rotisserie chicken, brisket, salmon, and turkey breast. Vegetables have included peas, green beans, parsnips, mustard greens, sweet potatoes, turnip greens, carrots, black beans, pumpkin, broccoli and more. My niece teases me about the combinations I put in a bowl. I think adding hummus to green beans or barbeque sauce to turnip greens tastes good, but she laughs calls it "Aunt Suzanne's food."
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Willamette University's Waller Piano Trio is Oregon's first chamber music group to compete at the Music Teachers National Association's national conference.
The trio — consisting of violinist Chloe Prendergast '14, cellist Jason Pegis '16 and pianist Sherry Liang '16 — is leaving in March for Chicago, where six other district champions will vie for the national title in Chamber Music String.
The Waller Piano Trio won the state championship in November and the division title earlier this month. Music instructor Jason Duckles coaches the students.
"Each member brings their strengths to the ensemble to create a powerful and rich sonority," he says. "They are thrill to work with, and the music department is extremely proud of them."
Prendergast says she is excited by the victory, which came as a surprise.
"We weren't expecting it to happen," she says. "We're thrilled. It was really nice to get some affirmation that what we're doing is working."
A judge evaluated the performers based on technique, individual musicality and group communication. Two other state champions, from Washington and Wyoming, also competed at the district level.
"It was personal for me, to show that a private, liberal arts school could compete," Pegis says. "We have a lot of work to do now, but I'm pretty excited about it."
Liang says the group has gone into each competition with a positive attitude and a determination to enjoy the experience.
"We all have the same level of commitment to the trio, which is very important," she says. "We all like to take risks to make the music come alive."
The MTNA was founded in 1876. Its purpose is to advance the value of music study and music making to society while supporting the careers and professionalism of music teachers. Today the association has about 22,000 members in 50 states.


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In a time where global communication is perpetually undergoing profound and rapid change, Ribbit, or "Silicon Valley's First Phone Company," brings together telephony, computer and internet professionals striving to set voice free to move beyond the device. Broadly defining itself as an "open platform for telephony innovation," Ribbit is making strides towards the future of technology, where, as they see it, customers will expect to get all their communication media from a single source, or a single device, over a single network, regardless of location. With this end in mind, Ribbit's goals are two-fold: to create the tools developers need, and to create an entire "developer success ecosystem" to guarantee that developers can also market and sell their voiceware applications around the globe. In a giant step towards a new, converged global communications industry, the Ribbit Platform went live at the 2008 Adobe MAX Conference, held November 17-19 in San Francisco. Previously open only to selected developers, the platform is now in the public domain, allowing any developer, integrator or carrier around the world to design, test, deploy and manage their software-based telephony services, with just about any industry in mind, from travel and hospitality, to retail, legal and financial services, or the non-profit world.
With phones and computers merging into a new category of hybrid communication tools, the Ribbit Platform fosters innovation in order to accelerate the creation of this new class of applications, and to empower the market that will emerge from it. From their presentation booth at Adobe MAX, Ribbit handed out analog platforms for innovation: 2,000 custom Moleskine notebooks were used to spread the word about Ribbit.com and its gateway to the future of voiceware technology.


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I'm not sure what to think about the charge that Mitt Romney bullied and maybe traumatized a student at his prep school. It's a terrible story–but it was a long time ago.Today Romney seems like a solid family man who, from what I can tell, treats people well, even if he might have a latent temper. (But show me ten high-powered politicians and I'll show you six or eight mean streaks. Obama may be mellow, but Bill Clinton, for one, isn't exactly Maharishi Mahesh Yogi).
Obsessing about episodes from the long-ago past, however, strikes me as a bad way to think about choosing a President. There's too much obsessing in general, really: We're not choosing a king, nor a Doomsday survivor who will emerge to repopulate the earth with his genetic material. We're choosing someone who gets a rather short four years to arm-wrestle with Congress (and perhaps be smacked down by the Supreme Court); who will likely be guided and confined by the political norms and power players of his party, and the flukes of history, and the whims of a scatterbrained public. We should spend at least as much time talking about who will bang the gavels in the next House and Senate as we do about old love letters and family vacations.
Character does matter. You can't understand a candidate based on his platform alone; platforms are often smokescreens, blown away by the realities of governing and world events. But we're wrong to see a new President as a savior (or an arch-villain). We should keep the role-and the life of that one, small, inevitably flawed person in perspective.


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SYCAMORE – For Oaken Acres Wildlife Center founder and President Kathy Stelford and her staff, spring is a time for several hundred new beginnings.
Also known as "baby season" at Oaken Acres, 12140 Aldrich Road outside Sycamore, spring is the busiest time of year at the center. Several baby squirrels, raccoons and birds are just some of the animals Oaken Acres fosters during this time.
"They're a challenge," said Stelford, who founded the wildlife center in 1984. "But boy, does it feel good when you take one that came in at two inches, and 14 to 18 weeks later you're watching it climb a tree."
Christy Gerbitz, director of operations at Oaken Acres, said the center manages between 400 and 500 animals at a time. She said 80 to 90 percent of those animals come in the spring, especially the little ones.
"The babies are vulnerable and a little more easily captured than an adult wild animal," she said.
Although they are most often in need of rescue, babies are not the only types of animals for which the center provides care. Oaken Acres is home to many animals who need assistance, one of which is Frosty, the snowy owl rescued in November from the streets of DeKalb.
Gerbitz said Frosty was still recovering from a beak injury he likely suffered flying into a window or a car. The owl still can't feed himself, which is one of the jobs Gerbitz handles. Although he is doing well, she said the entire healing process could take at least another year.
"We're in this for the long haul," she said.
Stelford said she would like Frosty to become an educational bird for the center. But to make that happen, he needs a specially designed climate-controlled cage, among other supplies and equipment.
Oaken Acres will host its first "Babies Gone Wild" fundraiser to raise money for these supplies and other expenses. Stelford said the fundraiser is also an excellent opportunity for the community to learn more about Oaken Acres and the work it does.
"Oaken Acres is a very valuable resource for our community," she said. "We take every life that comes to us very seriously."
Although Stelford said caring for the animals is a round-the-clock job, she said the end result is worth all the hard work and energy.
"It's really amazing to watch how quickly they grow and the beautiful little animals they turn into," she said.
For those who would like to experience this process firsthand, Oaken Acres is now seeking volunteers. Interested applicants can visit www.oakenacres.org for more information.
'Babies Gone Wild' fundraiser
When: 6 to 9 p.m. March 2
Where: Blumen Gardens, 403 Edward St., Sycamore
Tickets $20 (must be ordered by Feb. 15)
To order tickets:
Call: 815-762-3532
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Online: at www.oakenacres.org, go to DONATE (specify "TICKETS" on review page)
Mail check to 119 E. Alden Place, DeKalb, IL 60115