text:
WIU Professor Provides Real-World Homeland Security Expertise, Research to Students and Security Media
Article ID: 618893
Released: 5-Jun-2014 12:30 PM EDT
Source Newsroom: Western Illinois University
Available for logged-in reporters only
MACOMB, IL — There is rarely a lack of national and international news stories tackling the complex realities of terrorism, counterterrorism and homeland security. Headlines about the prisoner swap between the United States and the Taliban (resulting in the Taliban's freeing of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl and the U.S.'s release of five senior Taliban commanders in U.S. custody) and the Syrian election amid that country's civil war appear at the top of leading international news-gathering organizations' — the New York Times, the Washington Post, BBC News and CNN to name a few — websites almost daily.
Keeping track of the deluge of this type of news coverage is just part of what Western Illinois University's Director of Homeland Security Research Program Dean Alexander does on a constant basis. Alexander, an associate professor in Western's School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA), teaches LEJA and homeland security courses. (The School of LEJA's homeland security minor is one of the top five minor programs offered at WIU; as of Spring 2014, 279 students were enrolled in the minor program.) He also conducts homeland security-related research, writes articles for security publications and presents at international conferences on a regular basis.
In late May, Alexander published "Syria's Siren," an article in Intersec, The Journal of International Security, which expands on the opinion piece, "Restrict flow of foreign fighters to Syria," he published in the Peoria Journal Star April 19.
"That article supports recent revelations of the first suicide bombing by a U.S. born individual, Moner Mohammad Abusalha, in Syria, last week, as well as about Mehdi Nemmouche, the shooter at the Jewish Museum in Brussels last month, who also trained in Syria," he noted. "Syria is increasingly viewed as a hotbed and training ground for trans-national jihadists," he added.
"The multifaceted concerns about this emerging phenomenon include the prospect that Syria comes under control of these jihadi forces; that Syria becomes a failed state with ungovernable areas (see Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq); that Syria becomes a permanent terrorist training base for foreign fighters to wreak havoc in neighboring states and beyond, including the West; and that stability is undermined in the Middle East," Alexander explained in both the Intersec and Peoria Journal Star pieces.
In regard to the recent news of the former Taliban prisoner Bergdahl and the exchange of Taliban commanders, according to Alexander, it sets a bad precedent.
"It will likely encourage more kidnappings of U.S. soldiers and civilians in the U.S. and abroad," he noted.
Currently, Alexander is in Romania, where he presented his research on family-affiliated terrorism at the Southeast European Law Enforcement Center in Bucharest. (In January 2014, Alexander published "Terror in the Family" in Intersec, an article about the Boston Marathon bombers, brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, which highlights the threat of radicalization within families.)


text:
The field of Korean Buddhism, which has a nearly 1,700-year history, has opened up to Western scholars and students with the release of the first comprehensive collection of Korean Buddhist works to be published in any European language.
by Rebecca Kendall, UCLA Today
The Korean Buddhist canon contains an exhaustive collection of East Asian Buddhist writings extant in the 13th century, sections of which are included in "The Collected Works of Korean Buddhism."
"The Collected Works of Korean Buddhism," a 13-volume collection of translations of Korean Buddhist materials, was published in English in July. All the works in the collection also now have a home online, providing even greater access to academics, practitioners and the public at large.
"This series truly cements the field of Korean Buddhism in the West," said Professor Robert Buswell, director of UCLA's Center for Buddhist Studies and distinguished professor in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures. A former Buddhist monk who pioneered the study of Korean Buddhism in the United States after joining the UCLA faculty in 1986, Buswell was charged by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism to help lead this six-year initiative. In addition to editing and translating the materials, Buswell also chaired the project's four-person editorial committee and wrote an introduction to the series.
"No longer do we need to lament that there's nowhere to find material on Korean Buddhism in the English-speaking world," Buswell said, "because we now have 13 volumes of some of the most foundational writings available for investigation."
The collection is based on an existing compilation of materials produced in Korean. It includes the original texts, written in the Buddhist argot of literary Chinese, accompanied by their English translations. Writings include commentaries on scriptures; philosophical and disciplinary texts; indigenous collections of Zen cases, discourses and verse; travelogues and historical materials, and important inscriptions, among other things.
Buswell said that Western experts in Korean Buddhism are few and far between, although interest in the field has been growing rapidly. Because there aren't a lot of people who possess the skills necessary to take on a translation project like this – not only does one need to be fluent in Korean and have a strong understanding of the Buddhist tradition, but one also needs to read classical Chinese, the language of the original manuscripts– he turned to some of his former and current graduate students for assistance.
"We're fortunate at UCLA because we have pretty much the only program outside Korea that offers Korean Buddhism as a specialty in a Buddhist studies program. Most places doing Buddhism in the West specialize in either Chinese or Japanese on the East Asian side, or Sanskrit and Pali on the Indian side," said Buswell, adding that UCLA's programs in Korean studies and Buddhist studies are among the largest and most prestigious in the world. "The fact that we had such an important role to play in this project goes to show how deep our place is in both of these fields. It's something that UCLA can be justly proud of."
UCLA Ph.D. graduates Richard McBride, now a professor at Brigham Young University, Hawaii, and Patrick Uhlmann, now a professor at Geumgang University in Korea, worked alongside Buswell to edit and translate nearly 40 percent of the series. In addition, Seong-Uk Kim, Sumi Lee, and Maya Stiller, who are all currently Ph.D. candidates in Korean Buddhist studies, provided research assistance.
"I think it is no exaggeration to say that this project would never have been finished without the investment UCLA has made over the last generation in building the largest programs in the country in both Korean studies and Buddhist studies," Buswell said.
Read or download the translated collection here. A hard copy of the full set may also be found in the UCLA Young Research Library.
Published: Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Center for Korean Studies
11371 Bunche Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1487
Campus Mail Code: 148703
Tel (310) 825-3284 Fax (310) 206-3555
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
SMF Support > SMF 1.1.x Support
Having problems with the package manager?
(1/163) > >>
Some people have run into problems using the package manager. These are caused either by safe mode issues, or wrong paths.
If you're trying to use the package manager in safe mode, you may experience problems. This is caused by ownership issues. Previously, our recommendation has been to ask your host to enable PHP suExec, which solves those issues.
Recently, we came upon another solution which may resolve the need for PHP suExec in safe mode environments. While this is still something your host should/could do for you, it is also something you can do without their involvement in many cases.
PLEASE NOTE: This solution may or may not work for everyone. We would like feedback on whether or not it works for you.
The tool attached does two things: first, it changes the permissions (if possible) on the files in your SMF installation to combat safe mode, and second it tells you what path it used, which is what you should use in the package manager as well. Please use this tool if you are having problems installing mods, and copy down the path it gives you. The next major release of SMF should solve these problems.
The trick this file uses is that setting your permissions a certain way will make it so that files created by PHP, for example in "attachments", are still owned by *you*, not PHP. This is, in many cases, better anyway, because you don't want files owned by someone else in your stuff!
Tried the tool on a friend's board...
I still get this when trying to use the package manager:
--- Quote ---2: opendir(): SAFE MODE Restriction in effect. The script whose uid is 832 is not allowed to access /.../var/www/html/forums/Packages/temp owned by uid 48
File: /.../var/www/html/forums/Sources/Subs-Package.php
Line: 895
--- End quote ---
Try deleting the temp directory and trying again... or... hmm, I'll make a change to the attachment, one moment..
* Oldiesmann waits
: fopen(): SAFE MODE Restriction in effect. The script whose uid is 2542 is not allowed to access /home/customers/kulma/public_html/keskustelu/Packages/temp owned by uid 502
Tiedosto: /home/customers/kulma/public_html/keskustelu/Sources/Subs-Package.php
Rivi: 1454
[0] Message Index
[#] Next pageGo to full version


text:
July 12, 2011
WASHINGTON - Georgetown University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Lee Reed announced today that Matt Kerwick has been named Associate Head Men's Lacrosse Coach.
"This was an important hire for us and we're excited to have Coach Kerwick back at Georgetown," Reed said. "Matt's intimate knowledge of our program and Georgetown University made him the right choice to fill this role. I see him as someone who would be well-positioned to continue the great tradition of success that we have created over the past 25 years."
Kerwick, a former Hoya assistant coach who has 16 years of collegiate experience, returns to the Hilltop after spending two years as the head coach at Jacksonville University in Florida.
"It's great to have Matt back on the Hilltop," Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Dave Urick said. "He brings Division I coaching experience and will be involved in helping to coach on both sides of the ball. Matt is the type of coach who is going to make an immediate impact."
"I'm excited to be back at Georgetown," Kerwick said. "I have a great amount of respect for Georgetown and for Coach Urick. It is a great opportunity to return to one of the top programs in college lacrosse."
Kerwick helped to build the Jacksonville program, which played its inaugural season at the Division I level in 2010. The Dolphins posted a 6-7 record in their first season in 2010, beating nationally-ranked, and 2011 Final Four participant, Denver for their first win. The Dolphins also recorded victories against other established programs such as Rutgers, Providence and Sacred Heart.
In 2011, Jacksonville moved from an independent to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and finished the season with a 5-10 overall record and a 3-3 mark in the conference.
One of the most experienced young coaches in the game, Kerwick went to Jacksonville with 13 years of head coaching experience at Randolph-Macon, Alfred and his alma mater, Hobart College, where he spent seven years.
During his time at Hobart, Kerwick led the Statesmen to the Patriot League championship in 2002 and two NCAA Tournament appearances (2002, 2004). After leading Hobart to the championship in 2002, he earned Patriot League Coach of the Year honors. Kerwick was also selected East Coast Athletic Conference "Co-Coach of the Year" in 2008 after guiding Hobart to an 8-6 record including a win over No. 15 Loyola (Md.).
Kerwick is currently ranked in the top 25 among active lacrosse coaches in both career wins and career winning percentage, sporting a 108-101 career record.
While known as an outstanding coach, Kerwick also had a stellar playing career at Hobart, playing under Urick. He was a first team All-America selection in 1990 and a second team All-America honoree in 1989. He earned NCAA Tournament MVP honors in 1989 while leading the Statesmen to the Division III national championship four straight years.
An all-around athlete, Kerwick was also a four-year letterwinner on the hockey team, serving as captain of both teams during his senior season. He finished his career by being named the William C. Stiles Award winner, presented to the Hobart senior student-athlete for leadership, determination and character.
Following his collegiate career, Kerwick played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1991 through 1996, earning the Baltimore Thunder's "Unsung Hero" award twice and was an All- Star selection in 1992.
Kerwick began his coaching career as the head coach at Randolph-Macon for three seasons before being named an assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania. He revived the program at Randolph-Macon, leading the lead Yellow Jackets to a 27-14 record, at the time the three most successful seasons in the program's history.
After one season at Penn, Kerwick took the head coach position at Alfred University and in his three seasons he led the Saxons to the postseason each year, earning a spot in the 1997 NCAA Tournament field as well as berths in the 1996 and 1998 ECAC Upstate Tournament. Alfred was 25-17 (.595) in his three seasons. Following his 1996 Super Six Lacrosse League "Coach of the Year" Award, Kerwick was named the 1997 "Babe" Kraus Division III Coach of the Year.
Kerwick moved on from Alfred to Georgetown as an assistant coach. During his three seasons with the Hoyas, Kerwick helped lead the program to a 36-9 record and the Final Four in 1999 before returning to his alma mater as head coach.


text:
Welcome to Ultimate Subaru Message Board, my lurker friend!
|Welcome to Ultimate Subaru Message Board, an unparalleled Subaru community full of the greatest Subaru gurus and modders on the planet! We offer technical information and discussion about all things Subaru, the best and most popular all wheel drive vehicles ever created.
We offer all this information for free to everyone, even lurkers like you! All we ask in return is that you sign up and give back some of what you get out - without our awesome registered users none of this would be possible! Plus, you get way more great stuff as a member! Lurk to lose, participate to WIN*!
* The joy of participation and being generally awesome constitutes winning
** Not an actual guarantee, but seriously, you probably won't regret it!
Serving the Subaru Community since May 18th, 1998!
Running different size full size spare
Posted 08 April 2006 - 06:04 PM
Does anyone know if it is bad in the short term (0-200 miles) to run a full size spare that might be a little different in size from the other tires?
I ask because after purchasing new tires last year I had a sidewall puncture and had to replace the whole tire. The repair shop mentioned that I might have to replace all 4 tires if the flatted tire was worn too much because the difference in diameter between the new and older tires could cause the all-wheel-drive mechanism (sorry, i don't know what it's called) to wear because it would be trying to put out more torque because the wheel with the new tire would be spinning slower than the rest and the computer would be trying to compensate for that. Sorry I don't know the names of all the gizmos.
Posted 08 April 2006 - 07:20 PM
Posted 08 April 2006 - 10:06 PM
Posted 09 April 2006 - 06:31 AM
The automatics will give you lots of warning that things are not right.
Really... Not to ask too stupid of a question, but what kind of warning should I be looking out for? /Thanks...
Posted 09 April 2006 - 10:59 AM
Really... Not to ask too stupid of a question, but what kind of warning should I be looking out for? /Thanks...
You look for slightly burnt fluid, and the typical signs of torque bind. Torque bind is when the car feels jerky on turns (the driveline is binding up). This will be most obvious in parking manuvers or full turns. When you feel it you know what it is.
Posted 09 April 2006 - 11:16 AM
The danger with AWD is if you/someone decides that the front tyres look worn and replace BOTH of them, but leave old tyres on the rear.
Posted 09 April 2006 - 11:23 AM
Well, acutally, if you consider that both front and rear diffs are "open", there is no risk to the gearbox. The diff between the wheels will compensate for the difference. Maybe the oil inside it might run a little warmer, but I doubt it'll do any damage.
The danger with AWD is if you/someone decides that the front tyres look worn and replace BOTH of them, but leave old tyres on the rear.
Yes they are both open, but the front axle runs at a faster speed then the rear axle because the front wheels have the abaility to steer the car. This is what can overheat the viscous coupling (in a manual) and cause torque bind or total failure, if its a mismatch or a constantly differnt axle speed differnce. The fluid will never get to cool down. In an automatic since there is no viscous coupling, it can be more forgiving.
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text:
The body of a man found inside a partially burned car near the water's edge at Lake Cumberland was that of 40-year-old Michael Wesseler of Clarksville, Ohio.
Pulaski County Deputy Coroner Jim McWhorter says Wesseler died the result of a gunshot wound. His body was found Saturday inside his car, which authorities say had been set on fire, but the blaze was not significant.
The Pulaski County Sheriff's Department reports 28-year-old Rocky Lee Smith of Somerset was arrested early yesterday and charged with murder and evidence tampering in Wesseler's death.
Investigators say the motive for the homicide had "a drug connection."
Lieutenant Brett Whitaker says Smith is being held without bond in the Pulaski County Detention Center.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


text:
Demolition Man/Walkthrough
The following is the walkthrough of the mission Demolition Man in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, for Texas property developer Avery Carrington.
Meet up with Avery. He is looking at some prime development land to claim, which is located up the road from his construction site. Avery's problem is that construction on the site has already began, so Avery asks you to destroy the site; to help you, he has parked a Top Fun van is located with an RC Goblin and four bombs directly opposite the site.
After the cutscene with Carrington ends, you are given this instruction:
- Get to the TOPFUN van near the building site to be demolished.
Run to the Top Fun van parked opposite the site and get in. You will then be given the following instructions:
- Use the RC helicopter to transport bombs to four demolition points on the building site.
- You must place one bomb at each target.
- You can place bombs in any order.
- To pick up a bomb, simply maneuver the RC helicopter next to it. The RC helicopter can carry one bomb at a time.
- To drop the bomb, press NUM0, LCTRL, or LMB button.
- If you place a bomb unsuccessfully, you can pick it up and try again.
- Once you have picked up a bomb for the first time, the demolition timer will start.
- You must then place the remaining bombs in 7 minutes!
- A central stairway allows access to all the floors of the building.
Pick up the bombs and transport them to the demolition points in the building site. Start with the demolition point on the top floor and continue downwards. If any builders or security guards try to destroy the helicopter, just kill them by flying straight into them. Avoid flying near the roof or the walls, or else you will damage the helicopter. If you destroy the helicopter, you will fail the mission.
Video Walkthrough
|PC Version - GTASeriesVideos
|< Four Iron
|Two Bit Hit >


text:
SCARSDALE, N.Y. - There will be an extended lane closure on the northbound Bronx River Parkway this week, as work continues on the Crane Road Bridge Project on Friday.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the right lane of the parkway will be closed between Harney Road (Exit 10) and Crane Road (Exit 12) while workers continue to survey the location. There may also be momentary interruptions in the southbound lanes.
Motorists are advised to find alternative routes to avoid delays during the work. For more information, contact the county Department of Public Works and Transportation at 914-995-2555.
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


text:
From FreeMind
(Updated info for Dutch + repair a few table problems in other languages)
(→Getting the latest translations)
|Line 21:
|Line 21:
==Getting the latest translations==
==Getting the latest translations==
Look for a translation into your language present in the development [
Look for a translation into your language present in the development [://sourceforge.net//freemind/freemindbranch].
If such a translation is not present, take [
If such a translation is not present, take [://sourceforge.net//freemind/freemind/Resources_en.properties ].
==Choosing the editing tool==
==Choosing the editing tool==
Latest revision as of 19:13, 12 April 2013
How to contribute translations to FreeMind follows.
Step-by-step overview
Getting a SourceForge user
To get a SourceForge user, visit creation page, unless you already have a user. (You need a SourceForge user to post your translation to Translations tracker, as described below.)
Getting the latest translations
Look for a translation into your language present in the development branch. If such a translation is not present, take Resources_en.properties.
Choosing the editing tool
Translation files can be edited using variety of tools.
Popeye Screenshot | Download can deal with several language property files at the same time, so you can contrast the original property file data with their translations. Also, the program can highlight all properties that do not have a translation set in one of the selected languages.
PropeditScreenshot can directly edit property files written in Unicode reference characters, thereby saving the time and effort of converting into Unicode through native2ascii. Its plugin is integrated with Eclipse and JBuilder. Files can be opened in the IDE and saved in Unicode. See also Propedit project page.
Plain text editor
A plain text editor is the tool of choice if you are well acquainted with them and prefer them. If so, you already probably have your favorite tool. If not, these tools include Microsoft Notepad, Notepad++, Vim, Emacs and a vast variety of other tools.
Using plain text editor is more tricky in that the language translation files are using Java unicode notatiton, encoding a single non-latin character like \u4567, making the file less readable. A workaround is to convert the language file into UTF-8 encoding first, then edit it, and finally convert to Java notation again. The conversion is described in the following section. Once the text is in UTF-8 encoding, tools like Microsoft Notepad can be used, and the non-latin characters are shown as you would see them in a WYSIWYG editor. However, various plain text editors differ in their capability to show UTF-8 characters. Notepad on Windows XP is definitely able to do that.
Converting between Unicode notations
To convert a file in UTF-8 into \uXXXX Unicode escape notation, you may use native2ascii tool included with the Java SDK. Example of use (Resources_cs.properties.txt is before conversion):
cd C:\j2sdk1.4.2\bin> native2ascii.exe -encoding UTF8 Resources_cs.properties.utf8.txt Resources_cs.properties
Ideally, your file's name will be Resources_xx.properties, where xx is the code of the language (e.g. en, de, dk etc.).
To convert \uXXXX Unicode encoded file back to UTF-8, use a command similar to the following.
cd C:\j2sdk1.4.2\bin> native2ascii.exe -reverse -encoding UTF8 Resources_cs.properties Resources_cs.properties.utf8.txt
Translate with PO tools: Virtaal and prop2po
You can also use a traditional PO translation tool such as Virtaal if you convert the properties file to PO format.
To convert from properties to PO, you will need the prop2po command from the Translate Toolkit. Assuming your language code is xx, use the following command for the conversion:
Now open Resources_xx.properties.po in Virtaal. Set your target language in Virtaal: this ensures that various features like spell checking, translation memory and terminology will be set correctly.
Before you submit or test your translation, you will need to convert it back to Java properties format as follows:
This will convert your PO file into a Java properties file using the English properties file as a template. All Java escaping of Unicode will happen automatically. Submit your properties file as usual.
Setting mnemonics
For menu items, you can set mnemonics by putting "&" character before the letter of the mnemonic in the title of the menu item. For instance, "&Edit" means that the title of the menu will read "Edit" and its mnemonic will be "e". Mnemonic is a keyboard shortcut accessible in various ways; in Windows, either by pressing Alt + mnemonic, or by pressing F10, followed by the mnemonic. Mnemonics are there not only for the leading menus, but also for submenus and menu items.
Posting translations
Send your translation to Translations tracker. To be able to do it, you need a SourceForge user, which can be created at Account Registration page at SourceForge.
Registering yourself as FreeMind translator
If you are seriously planning to become a FreeMind translator, and want to receive Call for translations emails from us, please register yourself as translator by subscribing to freemind-translator mailing list. To subscribe, follow this link, and fill in the form.
When to translate
We send a call for translation email after publishing the first release candidate of FreeMind, as at that point we can make sure that only few or possibly none new texts to translate will be added.
A translator can still start creating and posting translations at any point of time, so he or she can distribute the workload in time.
Using new translation in FreeMind
Menu label checklist
State of translation
Currently, we have the following languages translated. The table below is out of date, mapping roughly the state at 0.8.1. It would be very helpful if the translators would update it. Up-to-date information of the state of translation can in any case be found in GIT and in Translations tracker.
The ISO 639-1 language codes can be found in Wiktionary.
Translating the documentation
The freemind.mm file, which is documentation in mindmap format, is a simple XML file. It can be found in your FreeMind installation (eg in Microsoft Windows XP, you'll find it in C:\Program Files\FreeMind\doc). Open the file in a Unicode enabled text editor, and then simply translate everything in the TEXT attribute. For example:
<node COLOR="#000000" CREATED="1124560950701" MODIFIED="1124560950701" TEXT="You can install the applet at your website so that other users can browse your mind maps.">
Using Swordfish
If you want to use translation memory or a CAT tool, you can now use Swordfish to translate MM files. Swordfish is not free software.
First, create a file named config_map.xml and put the following code in it:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> <!DOCTYPE ini-file PUBLIC "-//Maxprograms//Converters 2.0.0//EN" "configuration.dtd" > <ini-file><tag attributes="TEXT" hard-break="segment" keep-format="yes">node</tag></ini-file>
Then copy this file into the /ini folder of your Swordfish installation (there may be a file by that name already; if so, rename it temporarily).
Run Swordfish and go File -> Convert file to XLIFF format. Remember to select the file type as "XML (Generic)" and the encoding as "UTF8". If you select "Embed skeleton", you may be able to recreate the MM file with a third-party XLIFF editor.
Do you find this page difficult to understand? Are you missing some key information? Tell us.


text:
If Manning on market, Texans should be first in line
Updated 12:19 am, Saturday, January 28, 2012
Not that they applauded - it would be unsportsmanlike to root for an opponent's injury - but Peyton Manning having to sit out the 2011 season to recover from a neck injury was not bad news for the Texans.
Now fresh off their first AFC South Division championship with the T-shirts to prove it, the Texans are primed for more good news on the Manning front.
With the Colts undergoing dramatic front-office and coaching changes this offseason, Manning's future with Indianapolis is in doubt. There is a growing belief around the league Manning has played his last game with the organization that drafted him in 1998.
If there are two lines, one for teams not interested in having a healthy Manning as their starting quarterback and one for everybody else, the Texans would be in that long one. Preferably at the front.
Sorry, Matt Schaub. Thanks for your service.
Schaub might be a solid quarterback, but a healthy Manning is more than solid. He is an all-time great.
If Texans owner Bob McNair and general manager Rick Smith are serious about winning a championship, and they claim they are, they will give serious consideration to signing Manning.
It is a no-brainer and not nearly the far-fetched idea you might think.
It isn't often a player of Manning's caliber is available on the open market, particularly at what is likely to be a manageable price tag considering his injury.
Schaub's return dicey
Of course, Colts owner Jim Irsay and Manning, who have bickered through the media this week, could kiss and make up, but don't count on it.
After paying the quarterback $26 million to watch from the sideline this season, Irsay owes Manning a $28 million smooch of a roster bonus on March 8. There is not enough lip gloss on earth to soothe that kind of pucker-up.
Once Manning is let go he should be as interested in the Texans as they would be in him. There might not be a better fit for him in the NFL.
The Texans possess an experienced offense with a strong line and some top-notch weapons as well as a stingy defense. The franchise should hold a dominant position in a weak division for the next couple of seasons, a point that theoretically should translate to a sure playoff berth and an easier path to the Super Bowl than most other potential suitors.
With Schaub missing the final eight games because of foot surgery, the Texans would be remiss if they didn't try to woo Manning.
Manning, who threw for a career-best 4,700 yards in 2010 and for more than 4,000 in his five previous seasons (and in 11 of his 13 years in the league), turns 36 in March. Don't get too caught up in the fact he missed last season. Those were the first games he had missed in his career.
Schaub, who will be 31 this summer, has missed 16 starts in 80 games as a Texan. Manning has missed 16 starts in 224 games. So which one is more of an injury risk?
A Texans official said Friday the team is confident and all early indications are that Schaub will be 100 percent by the start of next season. There is no guarantee of that.
He is coming off Lisfranc surgery on his foot, an injury from which some players never recover. Three years after that surgery forced him to miss a Patriots Super Bowl victory, Ty Law said he wasn't 100 percent. Glenn Earl started every game at safety for the Texans in 2006, but he suffered that injury in an exhibition game the next season and never again played in the NFL.
Pretender to contender
Even with a healthy Schaub the Texans would be wise to consider Manning. This team is that close to a championship level.
The salary cap prevents teams from loading up across the board, but it is often a convenient excuse for teams that aren't creative enough to make moves or aren't willing to spend more money.
The Texans won't get into (or win) a bidding war. They stretched their finances to the limit last offseason, becoming players in the free-agent market in an effort to upgrade their secondary.
It paid off in a big way as cornerback Johnathan Joseph and safety Danieal Manning were productive leaders for a unit that was the most improved on the team.
They won't be able to be as active on the high end this offseason because the salary cap will not increase much and they have a number of players (Mario Williams, Arian Foster and Chris Myers among others) who will be free agents they would like to re-sign.
Still, if Manning is interested, the Texans could make it happen; need to make it happen.
Such a move would turn a good team with upside into a Super Bowl contender.
That would be the best Manning news in Texans franchise history.


text:
Daniel Hopfer was one of the great German Renaissance masters of the art of etching- selectively 'biting' designs and motifs into steel using acid. This cuirass was once thought to have been etched by Hopfer himself, however it is more likely to be the work of one of the many artists he inspired. Such works are very important since they can help us improve our understanding of this master's personal style, through comparison with the work of others. Please note that a maximum of 25 people can attend talks. Places are allocated on a first come first served basis. Free, no need to book.
Talks: Tobias Capwell, 2 and 26 September at 1pm


text:
Want to remind yourself or a friend about this program? Fill out this simple form and klru will email you a reminder on the day that it will air.
Anna, Emma And The Condors
series: Natural Heroes
air date: 9/28/14 11:30 AM
A portrait of a family living with intention. Two sisters, Anna and Emma, together with their parents, fight for the survival of the California Condors. Anna's and Emma's lives are unique in their growing understanding that if we do not take care of the life surrounding us, we will face the possibility of our own extinction.
WARNING: Email reminders for this program have already been sent out. Your reminder may not reach the intended address in time for this program's airing.
Back to TV Schedule


text:
Want to remind yourself or a friend about this program? Fill out this simple form and klru will email you a reminder on the day that it will air.
Bison Homecoming, Preserving Tribal Languages, Per
series: This American Land
air date: 10/06/13 7:00 AM
Bison Homecoming: The buffalo are back! One hundred years after Native American Michael Pablo sent his captive bison herd to Canada to help preserve the dwindling species, dozens of their direct descendants were released into the bison herd on the American Prairie Reserve in northern Montana. The World Wildlife Fund has been collaborating with the American Prairie Reserve to help restore the grasslands habitat for the bison, birds, and other important native species that roamed the region when Lewis and Clark arrived in 1805. Preserving Tribal Languages: The passion of tribal elders and 21st century video technology are merging to bring new life to the Ojibwe language. Using "home movies" that depict everyday scenarios, experts at the University of Minnesota-Duluth are helping new generations learn and appreciate the language and culture. Peregrine Protection: Peregrine falcons are making a comeback-in some most unusual places. With help from bird lovers in Iowa, this once nearly extinct raptor has a new place to call home-atop an Iowa skyscraper! Once nearly wiped out by DDT, local falconers and the state Department of Natural Resources helped design a nest box that's keeping peregrine parents safe and cozy, and helping provide for a healthy new generation. Soaring with Paragliders: Jumping off a cliff has never been so spectacular! Daredevils in Oregon use thermal currents in a sort of "yacht race in the sky." 160 pilots joined the "Rat Race" in the intricate sport of paragliding. Their only source of power is the thermal lift from hot air. Even the crew of "Oregon Field Guide" at Oregon Public Broadcasting got in on the act during this breathtaking event.
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And this is the state that has Silicon Valley...you would think there would be a lot of good expertise in the computing arena for the state to tap in to. However, in their defense, this happens constantly in the federal government too. So much money wasted...
In fact, this very scenario has happened a decade before [cnet.com], albet with Oracle instead of HP.
Doesn't that make it IBMs turn next?
Back in my day, EDS were the masters at cost overruns and delays on cost-plus government IT projects.
Why finish a project someone is paying you for? Do enough (cheaply) to get 50% of the payout, get fired, form a new company and get hired again.
you would think there would be a lot of good expertise in the computing arena for the state to tap in to.
Ahahaha, with our government? If they even had the slightest idea of how important it was to stay out of the fucking 1980's with IT equipment that serves critical functions for the state and its citizens, they wouldn't have waited for the problem to "cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars" to do anything about it.
If they can't get that much straight, how can they possibly hope to know what technical criterion to look for when hiring contractors?
how important it was to stay out of the fucking 1980's with IT equipment that serves critical functions
Talk about blanket statements. I suspect that there is quite a bit of 1980s IT equipment in your life that you are not even aware of.
The problem is not what decade the equipment comes from, it is whether or not the equipment meets its requirements. If equipment from the 1980s is continuing to meet the requirements that governments face today, then there is no reason to spend enormous amounts of tax money to replace that equipment unless doing so will pay for itself before the next upgrade. Unfortunately, there are few cases where such upgrades actually do pay for themselves, so in terms of what is best to do with tax dollars, upgrading old equipment that continues to function as needed is questionable.
Now, if the equipment is not working, then it is time to replace it. The real problem is that government contracts are not typically given to companies deemed best for the job, and so these situations arise. Contracts are awarded to companies that bid low and to companies that are well-connected, even when better companies are available.
how important it was to stay out of the fucking 1980's with IT equipment that serves critical functions
Talk about blanket statements. I suspect that there is quite a bit of 1980s IT equipment in your life that you are not even aware of.
Possibly, but I'm aware that I do use a lot of tech that wasn't invented within the past decade. My last post was ambiguously worded and I apologize, it would have been better to say "not stay in the 1980's". Even people who know nothing about IT understand it's a poor decision to just implement the infrastructure and call it a day. When you're doing something that affects the security of the personal information of millions of people, there's a lot to carefully consider. I've yet to see a politician in Ca
Sadly while part of your post does deserve the +5 you got there is a flaw in you logic in that its not just the cost of the hardware/software but you also have to look into how hard its gonna be to keep maintaining some ancient POS where all the guys that used to work on those are dead or retired and that cost can rise pretty damned sharply.
So its not just the software and hardware, its how much its gonna take to keep that old shit running. If you aren't careful you end up with some giant mess that will
So much money wasted...
It would be understandable if that were the case, but instances like these usually fall into the category of "systematically engineered to extract every last cent of tax dollars out of the project before shitcanning the whole works as an OOPS"
The only other explanation for such negligence and runaway overspending is sheer idiocy -- and I don't think people who get approved to spend that much money are all that stupid.
I'm currently working on an IT project on one of the worse govt departments in my country. They have a reputation for horrible performance, both in their normal operations and in the IT department as well. They were officially reprimanded by the government accounting office a few years back for failure to control their own organisation. The project is a frigging mess, it's the worst project I've ever seen in a professional setting, even compared to municipal IT which is mainly "amateur time".
The main proble
Nope, just standard practice here: Pay "reputable" consultants big bucks to fly in workers from the opposite coast every week. Not to mention the offshoring.
But how much of that is the company's fault and how much is feature creep by the government agency that wanted the work done? Because every time I talk to folks online that work with a company doing work for a government agency I always seem to get the same story "They told us it needed to do X, then a third of the way in suddenly it has to do Y which we hadn't even thought of, and then as the alpha is getting ready suddenly here comes a huge list of "must have" features that basically mean torching the who
I'm glad to see that they didn't fall prey too badly to the fallacy of sunk costs [wikipedia.org]. Too many places wouldn't realize they've already lost the money they threw at the project, and no amount of extra spending in the hopes that it will eventually succeed will get that back.
I'm not glad to see that people can't see that big IT consulting corporations have all, without exception, degenerated into useless hulks that can't get anything done. Show me any large project that they undertake where the goals were completely met, and the user is happy. It's in the realm of fantasy, basically. Big IT consulting is basically a scam.
Last year a well known IT architect wrote an article titled "The Failure bonus" where he describes how the system for government IT contracts is set up in such a way that failure is rewarded richly, but performing better than specs will lead to unemployment at a rapid pace. It's not that big IT consultants are incompetent, it is that they are very competent at following the money.
That said: big projects are inherently impossible to complete and everyone in IT knows it. Government knows it too, big projects should be cut down to manageable size or abandoned. Putting out contracts on a "cash on delivery" basis would probably make that a much more viable option for small firms.
Do you have a reference for that article? Or the author name?
Yes, a reference please. Google did not help on this one.
Went as well as the last?
HP screwed over Vermont: http://governor.vermont.gov/newsroom-Vermont-HP-reach-DMV-settlement-gov-shumlin [vermont.gov] in its attempt to redo the VT DMV.
Of course, we end up paying for the incompetence that drives the grossly misnamed Department of Information and Innovation...
Or that HP sucks as a software company.
Or maybe it turned out exactly the way they intended. I mean hey, HP made $50M on the deal.
RTFA. The contract was awarded to EDS; EDS was a good integrator. Unfortunately, that was back in 2007, just before HP fucked up *backspacebackspacebackspace* bought EDS. (I was there.) HP's applied manufacturing-based practices to the service-based business...things like getting rid of headcount (in cases where those people are 100% dedicated and billable to an account, generating both revenue and profit while fulfilling contractual obligations). So, account after account is now complaining while the
The "king is naked" kind of a moment is when you realize that a lot of those projects could be done in 2-3 years by a dedicated team of 30 people. We're talking about $15M in total personnel costs, assuming you pay $150k gross per person. I'd absolutely love to be in such a team and actually deliver something that makes some local government somewhere more efficient, and their employees happy with the tech. It can be done, just requires proper mindset. Of course the bureaucrats the world over will fuck it u
We see this all the time in the military. A low estimate is given on a minimally speced out project. Then as the project money is spent, the agencies go back to the congress and ask for more money, saying we already spent this money, and it won' really work the way we need it to. Instead of firing the con artists, and suing the contractors, and accepting the money as lost, we fund it more thus encouraging the fraudulent behavior.
Yeah, but those same companies are hire the politicans on their way out the door, sit them behind a desk and let them collect paychecks indefinitely.
It's a revolving door. And the middle class, the majority of the taxpayers, are the ones getting spun in circles and flung away.
Nothing to see here. No political corruption or fraud. Just move along people.
"The decision is a setback for the Department of Motor Vehicles, which has a history of such stumbles."
Oh you mean they've done this before? Well let's wait a few more months and then throw another few hundred million dollars at them. And of course a few million to our political and social friends.
"The DMV project began in 2006, according to the California Technology Agency. Instead of using 40-year-old, "dangerously antiquated te
>"The DMV project began in 2006, according to the California Technology Agency. Instead of using 40-year-old, "dangerously antiquated technology," DMV staffers were supposed to get a modern, user-friendly system that minimized the risk of "catastrophic failure," according to a DMV report on the project."
This encapsulates solving multiple problems at the same time. This cannot be done. You update large systems by plotting a path through incremental improvements that get deployed, tested and fixed before the next increment, so that get you to where you need to be. It might not seem like the optimal path, but anything involving a switch over of technology, UI, back end, infastructure and buckets of code all at the same time is simply never going to work.
In the case of the DMV, it might involve unifying disjoint databases pair by pair until you have only one, while maintaining the same interface to the heterogeneous clients. Then one by one converting the heterogeneous clients to a standard back end interface. Then one by one adding the features of a client to the grand unified client and switching over that system, until the GUC has all the features for all the clients are new client. Then one by one, updating the organizational procedures to make them better, and updating the GUC while doing so. You can make these changes one by one. You can roll back one step if it doesn't work right the first time. You can measure progress by the number of working updates, not in how much less non-working the global-replace-systems is today.
Exactly! Incremental improvement is where it's at. If your most pressing issue is antique hardware, then you only do what's necessary to get the system ported to current hardware. Run the mainframe code in an emulator if you must, but for the life of you don't redo it all from scratch while the customer is one breakdown away from a catastrophe. Once the first most pressing issue is addressed, you move on to the next one. And so on.
I'm a contractor for a government agency that has implemented an entirely new system based on Siebel (yeah, that's right, 1999 called and wants their CRM back). The system has been "designed" (I use the word loosely) to replace several departments systems. It has, of course, been a disaster. On a technical level, Siebel sucks. It's back-end is convoluted and not well designed for massive customization. On the front end, the ActiveX controls it relies on only work perfectly in IE6, so it's compatibility mode
A lot of DMV workers just got new tech for their homes!
Since the project has been going on since 2006 the hardware is probably EOL (unless they did a tech refresh).
I was going to use my mod points to mod up the first person who questioned the new math behind how a $208 million dollar project cancelled halfway through already cost $254 million dollars.
Alas, nobody had yet... and it's just about beer-o-clock here.
I was going to use my mod points to mod up the first person who questioned the new math behind how a $208 million dollar project cancelled halfway through already cost $254 million dollars.
It didn't. $135 million dollars had been spent on it -- the $208 million number is in a different sentence, about a different $371 million project by a different state agency where the contractor was fired. Also note that "halfway through" doesn't mean that only half the allocated costs were consumed; indeed, costs out
contractors and sub contractors and lot's of overhead and have lot's of layers from the guys on the ground to the guys on the back end.
Also some people temp worker drag stuff out so they keep getting a pay check.
This is California's way of creating jobs. There will be IT disaster, so California will have to hire IT staff to fix it. Not very economic, but at least we can create some useless jobs.
This is by far the best line of the article....
"Hewlett-Packard is now run by Meg Whitman, who during her failed campaign for governor in 2010 promised to save California money with better computer technology."
Okay, the system presumably has to handle about 30 million drivers and vehicle statistics, as well as other information such as traffic citations. I assume it's only accessed through a few hundred offices plus allow access to authorised systems (police etc) at any one time. Obviously it's got to be reasonably secure and perhaps operate at more than one site to cater for disaster recovery and redundancy. This is not beyond the capabilities of a few large servers to handle (I presume that cloud storage may be out due to security issues). Such a system could supply the information to Windows/Unix or even phone app clients. I assume driving licenses and vehicle ownership records have to be printed and sent from an office somewhere.
What else is in the scope of the project? Why does it cost several hundred million bucks to develop a new system? I can understand perhaps 10 million to develop and install. The biggest problem I can see is porting the data from the "40 year old antiquated system" to the new one. Someone must be able to explain where the extra £198 million has to go, apart from the contractors pockets.
Having worked on govt projects before, it's all spent on :
a) Management. Lots of it. About 5 times as many managers/sub-contract managers/advisors etc than there will be coders. Because the more management a project has, the harder it is to blame any one person.
b) Paper. Lots of paper. The amount of pages generated on specifications, revisions, reports, recommendations will be able 10 times the number of _lines_ of code created. All to show that no taxpayers money was wasted.
c) Tendering. It costs a lot to tender a bid, which reduces the competition to only the big ones who can afford to throw a million at a 1in5 chance. Whereas, if they were allowed to go to a small consultancy who only has 30 employees, they'd be able to get a much better price.
d) Changes. The requirements are often so written in very complex language that noone really understands it, and then they come along with changes every 2 months which require 3 months of recoding because they didn't fully understand what they were asking for to start with.
e) User acceptance. Don't underestimate the ability of a low level govt employee to refuse to use the new system because 'I've done it this way for 30 years and it worked just fine! This doesn't work like the old one did.'
d) Changes. The requirements are often so written in very complex language that noone really understands it, and then they come along with changes every 2 months which require 3 months of recoding because they didn't fully understand what they were asking for to start with.
With federal government projects, and I assume with state projects as well, there are all kinds of specific guidelines and rules that have to be followed. If these aren't stated explicitly in the proposal, they cause cost overruns. For example: Only union employees are allowed to move servers, equipment must be sourced from certain suppliers, certain technologies such as bluetooth aren't allowed in some government locations... The unwritten requirements can go on and on.
The biggest problem I can see is porting the data from the "40 year old antiquated system" to the new one.
It all goes here.... not only do you have 40 years of data to port, but you also have 40 years of policies and procedures stemming from the old system that have to be enshrined in the new one. You also have to do the port in a way that has 0 downtime as you switch. And, since you can't magically switch hundreds of locations overnight, you have to make sure that the data, policies, and procedures stay in sync between the two systems during the migration period, because every location needs identical information from both systems.
Combine this with mandates such as "The specs for the new system are to exactly match all the quirks and behaviors of the old system" and you have a recipe for disasters like this.
"A few hundred offices"? Think again. California is truly huge. If you assume one office per municipality there would still be thousands. The actual number is likely 10's of thousands.
This system isn't just accessed by actual DMV offices. There are multiple users in every municipality.
Not only that, but why reinvent the wheel?
California's requirements for a DMV system shouldn't be all that different from NY or TX or most other States. A new DMV system could just be redone 'once' for one state and then modifications made to the system base on -legal- requirements of another state.
I emphasize 'legal' reguirements, because the last thing you want are 'desired' or 'mandatory' requirements that aren't really needed. You sink in a lot more money due to incompetence.
California of course is a behemoth of State agencies spread everywhere, not to mention hundreds more various County and Municipal agencies and departments. Just within the scope of the State of California there are massive agencies like the DMV, Health and Human Services (i.e., Welfare), State Parks, Department of Insurance, Franchise Tax Board, and dozens of regulatory agencies and sub-agencies, and the Legislature itself. Across these numerous agencies and departments there are hundreds of thousands of
This is entirely normal when you take a government that chronically under-staffs on IT and relies on consultants. They go and try to do something big, and they don't have the expertise in house to deal with it. Enter more consultants, particularly of the variety that like to write a lot of powerpoint presentations and bill a lot of hours but never actually deliver a bloody thing. Of course, since the government doesn't have enough IT expertise to actually figure that out, the high level senior managers that love powerpoint and high-level mumbo jumbo MBA talk think everything is going well.
And then, scope creep happens. It follows one of three lines:
1. Election happens. New government comes in, with new priorities and a new way they want to do things. This is obviously bad for a huge project in progress.
2. The existing project has a new department join in, which means new managers and thus a new set of demands. Instead of starting up a new project, they try to shoehorn those into the current project to satisfy management's desire for design by a giant committee of managers.
3. Someone realizes that the project didn't actually have all the requirements properly captured in the first place, which is pretty much inevitable in my experience.
You'd think at some point the government would learn that they can't manage projects in this way and rely on consultants to sort it out, but they never do. Of course, in the case of #1 or #2 even in house IT doesn't really save you, but in my experience they tend to be more flexible than a giant Enterprise consulting outfit (mostly because there's no contract they can hide behind to deliver X, even if X doesn't actually solve the problem that prompted the project in the first place).
The whole process is a giant mess.
Really? Why should a company with a head count of 100 in IT then go out and double or triple staff to get an initiative complete? What happens after your done? Do you keep that extra staff on? and when you say Government + Consultants = Failure, there's lots and lots of projects delivered to governments everywhere, on time and on budget. It's only when you hear about these problems that people jump to conclusions. The Government relies on Contractors to get new things done because most of the IT staff
This is entirely normal when you take a government that chronically under-staffs on IT and relies on consultants. They go and try to do something big, and they don't have the expertise in house to deal with it.
Really close here. Every successful project I've been on that utilized a high % of contractors had insanely awesome people in house running the show. But Sacramento's top IT positions cap out under $100k... with no stock options.
Not gonna happen.
Seems the Government Pork-Barrel is sewn-up by the Multi-Nationals who are only interested in milking mega-buck projects for all they are worth rather than delivering a working product anywhere near their promised completion date and cost estimates. And the problem doesn't stop there, even if the project is completed, typically the Contractor continues to milk it via Support Contracts and added Consulting Fees. These Support Contracts can eat away substantially at the State Budget in the event of unforeseen
> Could it be that the way the government contracts are structured and micromanaged by government agencies is the problem and not the contractor or their programmers?
Um, no. It's both.
Oh, I see. It started under EDS auspices a few years back. Pretty light on details other than that, but let me guess, EDS proposed Citrix as a solution right out of the gate and set up the server on some 286 that they found in Ross Perot's attic. Am I getting warm? I'm pretty sure I'm getting warm, because EDS is a one-trick pony, and their trick sucks. Doesn't matter if you're setting up an accounting system or a next generation war ship, EDS will find SOME way to install Citrix on it. I'd say "and make it suck" but that's kind of redundant when you're talking about Citrix!
Too bad for the Government EDS is pretty much the only game in town if you need some IT contracting done. Enjoy your Citrix!
And companies like HP, L3, Cisco, SAIC, and others, make Michelangelo look like my dog with a crayon.
I hereby submit my $100M proposal to undertake an overhaul of the California DMV system, which will only cost $50M total when the state has to cut it short. Send your check now so the savings can start sooner!
"I shall expect a chemical cure for psychopathic behavior by 10 A.M. tomorrow, or I'll have your guts for spaghetti." -- a comic panel by Cotham


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In order to help our members better use the starting information that The Huddle provides, the intent of this page is to discuss perceived differences between The Start Bench List and Predictions and Projections. The players below were identified by multiple members. The two reports are written by two different people so differences are always possible, but at least this page should help you make up your mind about these players on your roster.
TUVEY: Keller is off to another fast start, but he's taken advantage of two of the softer defenses against tight ends (Dallas and Jacksonville) to do so. Against his toughest matchup to date, an Oakland D that ranks in the middle of the pack in fantasy points surrendered to tight ends, he posted his worst numbers of the year. Now he'll face a Baltimore defense that has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to tight ends. I don't believe Keller is matchup-proof, so I'd rather roll with one of the TE targets I noted above in the Fred Davis write-up than take my chances with Keller against a Ravens defense that held him to two catches for 13 yards last year.
DOREY: I am struck with the fact that Dustin Keller is the Jets #1 receiver with 16 catches for 249 yards and two scores. The next best is Santonio Holmes with just 10 catches for 132 yards and one score. Also, The Ravens have not faced a receiving tight end this year. The most productive was Heath Miller with three catches for 42 yards. Otherwise Jared Cook and Lance Kendricks was all. None of those tight ends have done anything in any game. I like this game to have some bigger passing stats. The Ravens already gave up 280 yards to the Steelers and 358 yards to the Titans. A tight end that has never had less than 13.7 points in a PPR league and who has two touchdowns with an average of five catches for 81 yards per week is a guy I have a problem sitting. And the Jets are not going to run.
CONSENSUS: Tuvey just does not like the matchup and thinks other tight ends would do better while Dorey thinks the passing yards will be there and it has so far always trickled down mostly to Keller. Playing in Baltimore is going to be a risk given the defense can focus and shut down any aspect they want. Hard number stats cannot really denote the risk involved so decide if you can live with say 50 yards and no score.
TUVEY: The short answer would be, "Revis Island." And the numbers on Revis are utterly insane: he's been thrown at nine times this season, allowed just three completions, and the quarterback rating on passes directed his way is—you have to squint to see this—a microscopic 7.9. Yes, that's seven. Point. Nine. Boldin won't necessarily draw Revis every play, but as the Ravens' WR1 he'll get him more often than not. And after running up 110 yards in last season's opener against the Jets and a hobbled Revis who had just ended a prolonged contract squabble, Boldin will be subjected to enough of Revis' wrath that I'm looking for other options this week.
DOREY: I can understand the risk element and even appreciate it. But in needing to assign hard numbers to the projections, I know that Revis doesn't always cover the same guy. In week one, Dez Bryant had 3-71 and a score and Miles Austin turned in 5-90 and a touchdown.. Boldin is clearly the #1 wideout here and perhaps that will get 100% of Revis (though BAL will try to get a better matchup). I doubt that Torrey Smith is going to light it up again this week and his deep speed could make the Jets have to respect him. Is there risk here? Of course, but unlike last year wideouts are having success against the Jets.
CONSENSUS: If you have other options, they are undoubtedly less risky. The 70 yards and a score are certainly in line with what Boldin has done and what the Jets have allowed. But they could throw Revis and even more at Boldin potentially so you are taking a risk to rely on him this week. This early in the year - avoid risk if you can.
TUVEY: Now this is more like it, me defending my cell mate… um, Bengals running back Cedric Benson. The suspension is off the table, at least for now, leaving Benson to face a Buffalo defense that is softer than the stats suggest. In Cincy, Ced will get his 20 touches; he's handled that workload in 11 of his last 14 home games, and with that workload produced eight 100-yard games and eight TDs. He gouged the Bills for 124 and a touch in last year's meeting, which with 80 total points was as much of a shootout as this year's tilt projects to be. If you're not playing Benson this week you have no need for him on your roster.
DOREY: The way I see it, the Bills have not allowed any team to rush for more than 72 yards and that was Darren McFadden. The problem is that the Bills have the highest scoring offense and the only runner with more than 10 carries against them was that 72 yards on 20 runs by McFadden. Do you expect Benson to outplay McFadden? Benson does not catch the ball. He ran for 64 yards on the 49ers last week. He only had 59 yards on the Broncos. My assumption is that most of you think an "S2" is more than 70 yards? Nothing so far says that is going to happen to me.
CONSENSUS: There is a downside to Benson this week in that the Bills could throw the points on the board early and then Benson would not get nearly enough carries to matter. He only had 16 in Denver and 17 versus the 49ers. And he is going to be better this week? Probably not going to happen. Consider the 70 yards and no score as the high side of what you will get.
TUVEY: Have you seen Joe Haden play cornerback? Because he's in Cleveland and not New York you don't hear about "Haden Island", but Haden leads the NFL in passes defended (6) and has a completion rate of passes thrown at him of 45%. Nate is now the Titans' WR1, so he draws the top cover guy. I'm not saying bench Washington, because I don't know that Haden gets him all game long, but you have to at least dial back the expectations.
DOREY: I am still trying to figure out the Titans as well as they too are not sure what they have post-Britt. Love Washington as the #2 there but as the #1 it remains to be seen how he holds up. Washington caught eight passes for 92 yards and one score on the Broncos though he had the touchdown prior to the Britt injury. And he only had 34 yards after Britt was out. I am actually planning on dialing Washington back a bit in the Friday night update. Right now it is hard to see where passing yards are going to end up for the Titans other than Washington. He got the bigger yardage because he is the only known commodity there and certainly the most likely to score though with lower confidence than you would like to have to rely on.
CONSENSUS: Washington is in line to have projections reduced just to better signify the risk involved here. The Browns secondary is underrated and Haden is a very good CB. Consider Washington as a risky lower end play this week to be safe.
TUVEY: First you have to sweat out what malady will plague Percy this week. Will it be the migraines? The stomach flu? Sprained pudendum? It's always something with Harvin—and if it's not his health, it's a coaching staff that had him on the field for fewer than half the snaps in Week 2 or a quarterback that's struggling with things like accuracy. When you have to hope for a kick return touchdown to get fantasy value, in my opinion you're best served looking elsewhere.
DOREY: I am in the uncomfortable position of defending Harvin when I would not start him. The bottom line is that I have no faith in the Vikes passing game really but if something is going to happen, Harvin will do it. He had 7-76 against the Buccaneers as a high game. He has been running for 20 to 40 yards per week. But he has not scored yet so the touchdown was more of a placeholder which I mentioned on the game page.
CONSENSUS: Harvin is a huge risk even against the Chiefs. Forget about the score which could go anywhere. Can you live with 50 receiving yards? You probably have someone on your roster with more reliability. Sadly this should be a great matchup and yet The Vikes and Harvin are not inspiring any confidence.
TUVEY: Davis has taken over as the Redskins' "starting" tight end, but last week Chris Cooley still saw more targets and had more catches. This week the Davis/Cooley combo is facing a Rams defense that's allowed seven tight end receptions—that's a three-game total, folks. So Davis gets half of a total reduced by the matchup… I can find other better options; off the top of my head: Scott Chandler, Vishanthe Shiancoe, Anthony Fasano, James Casey.
DOREY: Ah, but the thing with Davis last week was that the Cowboys intentionally schemed to take him out of the game (and given that they won, it worked). Why else would he go from 5-105 and 6-86 and a touchdown to only one catch for 23 yards? The Cowboys spoke to this after the game and the Rams are not likely to do that or have the linebackers that can help out. Last week was not part of a trend, it was an aberration stemming from Davis being the focus of the defense. Last year it was Cooley with 6-80 and 5-62 and a touchdown. The Cowboys have long been stung by Redskins tight ends. Cooley has a chronic knee condition and is not getting better or a bigger part of the offense. Davis had one bad game thanks to the game planning of Rob Ryan. The Rams had only faced Brent Celek, Jake Ballard and Ed Dickson (5-51) so far. Davis is better than those.
CONSENSUS: Don't over value the one game last week for Davis. He has value this week and while a touchdown is always hard to rely on,. he should bounce back with yardage from last week. Unless you have a top name, highly reliable tight end, Davis is as good of a start as most.


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Printing Out Bzp
Also we both have to write essays detailing our relationship thus far and how much we LOOOOOVE EACH OTHER. <3 <3 mush mush <3 gross
Not to mention the paperwork they want filled out.
And a timeline of all our dates and/or visits. Now I'm thankful that it was a long-distance dating relationship, since we can just detail all of our visits. Not to mention I was smart/OCD enough to maintain such a timeline in my diary.
They also want me to undergo an extremely thorough medical exam and submit an FBI police record.
(it's totally worth it <3)
- 0


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"Slide and Dice: The Slasher Film Forever" will officially be thrust out onto DVD this coming May 13. For those of you not in the know, or just confused by the title like I am, the film is a new documentary that focuses on the slasher genre and features interviews with more than 20 folks who have started in or made the films we all love. I assume of course you love "My Bloody Valentine 3D" because they got the guy who directed it. If you know his name you're going to freakin love this thing.
Chad Crawford Kinkle's much praised film "Jug Face" looks to be finding its way onto VOD for us here in the U.S. this coming July thanks to the folks over at Gravitas Ventures. The film follows a small town who worships a large pit that on occasion demands a sacrifice. Just replace the pit with my stomach and sacrifice with KFC and you've pretty much got my life story.
Alfred Hitchcock's classic film "Rebecca" is next on the list for the remake treatment and it looks like Nikolaj Arcel has been hand picked to direct and Steven Knight is set to pen the script. If you're smart you've probably seen some of their films before. If you're obnoxious you'll probably throw a hissy fit over them remaking a Hitchcock film.
Richard T. Jones, who I've apparently seen in a number of films although I can't remember him for the life of me, is the latest addition to the ever growing cast of the upcoming "Godzilla" reboot. Word is he'll be playing some sort of military solider who I assume will battle the giant monster. What were we talking about again? Man I love Easter candy.
Rising above its unfortunate title, Chad Kinkle's Jug Face proves a smart, often terrifying take on demonic forces and the lengths people will go to appease those dark powers. It's an story filled with compelling yet unlikable characters, bizarre cult rituals and angry gods. Jug Face takes more than a few left hand turns and is often head scratching, yet it's an ultimately rewarding film for the viewer.


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City of Lincoln
Finance Department
Finance Department
The Finance Department will continually improve and enhance our position as a trusted and respected provider of services, information, analysis, and recommendations to our customers who are the elected officials, departments, and ultimately, the citizens of Lincoln and Lancaster County.
We will operate in an environment where:
The Finance Department is primarily a service provider to the other departments within a City and County government and to citizens. While the use of technology is an important part of how we deliver our services, the foundation of the department is our employees and their commitment to quality.
Our mission is to :


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A graveside service will be held Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012 at 10 a.m. at Lone Tree Cemetery Pavilion, with Bro. Tony Crye officiating. Burial will follow in the family plot at Lone Tree Cemetery, Stuttgart.
Doris "Alene" Hutchins Hair, 82, of Stuttgart, AR, passed away Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012 at Baptist Health Medical Center-Stuttgart. She departed her life of this world, onto her eternal hereafter journey. We held her, talked to her and caressed her. She passed peacefully from this life in the arms of those that loved her.
Alene was born June 10, 1930, to Bertie Inez (Owens) and Henry Herman Otto Joerns in Hickory Ridge. She was a member of Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church. She was a custom drapery seamstress and worked through Stuttgart Floor Covering and P.K. Buerkle Furniture for many years before retiring. She loved fishing, traveling, decorating and was tediously working in her yard and flower beds. She was very proud to win the nomination from the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce for the Yard of the Month.
Alene was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Mildred Lucille (Joerns) Larque; her brother, Harold William Joerns; and three husbands, Joseph Curtis (BoBo) Hair; James William (Cedarfoot) Harris and Thomas Wilson (TW) Hutchins, Jr., all of Stuttgart.
Alene is survived by her only child, Debra Hutchins Duncan of Stuttgart; her grandchildren, Natalie Blake Duncan of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and Trenton Whitney (Trent) Duncan of Stuttgart; one special great-grandchild, Trenton "Bailey" Duncan of Stuttgart; and a special sister-in-law, Juanita (Banasky) Joerns; several nieces and one nephew. In her later years, she was blessed to have two special caregivers, whom she loved and considered family, Jan Keeth Barnett and Sue Williams.
A graveside service will be held Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012 at 10 a.m. at Lone Tree Cemetery Pavilion, with Bro. Tony Crye officiating. Burial will follow in the family plot at Lone Tree Cemetery, Stuttgart.
To sign her guestbook, please visit www.arkansasfuneralcare.com.
Arrangements by Arkansas Funeral Care, Jacksonville.


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Teamlist Tuesday is here with #NRL Teamlists and officials for Round 12 confirmed.
Head to bit.ly/L...
2 days ago
Round 22
North Queensland Cowboys 14 v Canterbury Bulldogs 54
at Dairy Farmers Stadium
Referee: Paul Simpkins
Match Summary:
The Canterbury Bulldogs have defeated the North Queensland Cowboys 54-14 at Dairy Farmers Stadium in Townsville.
The Bulldogs were simply too good tonight as they handed out the Cowboys a 40 point thrashing. Despite a spirited second half from the Cowboys the Bulldogs had all the answers in defence and attack.
The Dogs opened the scoring in the 5th minute through an Andrew Emelio try and they soon extended when Reni Mautua went through some poor defence to give the Dogs a 12-0 lead. The Dogs then put the match beyond doubt when they scored 3 converted tries in the last 10 minutes of the first half and they went into the sheds cruising at 30-0.
To the Cowboys credit they were able to come up with a more productive effort in the second half and were able to post tries to reduce the deficit to 42-14 but the Dogs were able to run away with it even being a man down when Brent Sherwin was sent to the bin for 10 in the 69th minute.
A good team performance from the Dogs tonight with Sonny Bill Williams, Andrew Ryan, Willie Tonga, Luke Patten, Roy Asotasi & Reni Mautua all having strong games. The Dogs are flying high with the finals coming up and the Dragons will be having nightmares at the prospect of having to face them next week. The Cowboys will now fall outside the top 8 on for against and they are in for a tough time to make it to the finals.
North Queensland Cowboys: 14
Tries: Matthew Scott, Ashley Graham, Mark Henry
Goals: Ashley Graham 1/2
Canterbury Bulldogs: 54
Tries: Trent Cutler, Hazem El Masri, Reni Maitua, Luke Patten, Willie Tonga, Sonny Bill Williams(2), Andrew Emelio(2)
Goals: Hazem El Masri 9/9
By the Clock:
Welcome to Dairy Farmers Stadium in Townsville for the round 22 clash between the Cowboys and Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs will look to continue their great form of late against an inconsistent Cowboys team. The Cowboys have had the wood over the Bulldogs in recent years but current form would suggest a comfortable win in store for the Bulldogs.
1 min: The Bulldogs kickoff to get us underway.
5 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs
On the back of a good break from Willie Tonga, Asotasi is able to get a ball away in traffic the Dogs then spin the ball for Emilio to score out wide. conversion successful from the sideline
Bulldogs 6-0
9 min: The Bulldogs nearly score again but El Masri puts his foot on the touchline. A confident start for the Dogs.
11 min: O'Meley puts the ball down to give the Cowboys their first attacking raid of the night.
13 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs
Luke Patten scoots out of dummy half before linking up with Maitua who goes through 3 defenders to score next to the post. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs 12-0
17 min: The Bulldogs will go back into attack again after a forward pass from the Cowboys.
22 min: Great defence from the Dogs as they survive back to back sets on their own line.
27 min: NEWS Both teams struggling to control the ball. Completion rate Cowboys 7/12 - Bulldogs 6/12
30 min: BIFF - Travis Norton objects to a tackle from Willie Tonga and he gets up swinging punches and the boys exchange blows. The penalty goes to the Bulldogs
33 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs
The Dogs spread the ball to Sonny Bill Williams who is allowed to much room and he strolls through the defence to score an uncontested try. El Masri converts again from the sideline.
Bulldogs 18-0
36 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs
The Dogs are on fire here as Sherwin slips the ball to Maitua who goes through a hole and he finds a flying Luke Patten who runs 50 metres to score under the post. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs 24-0
39 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs
The Dogs keep the ball alive and they go the length of the field again for Willie Tonga to score. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs 30-0
Halftime... It's a massacre here at Dairy Farmers Stadium as the Bulldogs have dominated every facet of the game as the score would suggest leading 30-0.
Possesion: Bulldogs 57% - Cowboys 43%
Completion Rate: Bulldogs 11/17 - Cowboys 10/17
Missed Tackles: Bulldogs 11 - Cowboys 26
41 min: Second half underway..
46 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs
Sonny Bill grubbers to the sideline, El Masri gathers it up and he slips it to Emelio who scores in the corner. El Masri converts from the sideline again.
Bulldogs 36-0
51 min: NEWS Travis Norton leaves the field with a shoulder injury and looks unlikely to return.
57 min: TRY North Queensland Cowboys
The Cowboys finally get on the board after getting back to back sets on the Dogs line and they are able to score in the corner through Mark Henry. Conversion unsuccessful.
Bulldogs 36-4
60 min: VIDEO REF - Possible Cowboys try.
60 min: TRY North Queensland Cowboys
The Cowboys get another try after being given the benefit of the doubt from the video ref after Ashley Graham gets the deflection from the bomb and scores. Conversion unsuccessful.
Bulldogs 36-8
64 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs
Sonny Bill Williams picks up a double after Roy Asotasi offloads close to the line. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs 42-8
69 min: NEWS Brent Sherwin goes to the sin bin for 10 minutes after being judged to have stripped the ball on the ground.
70 min: TRY North Queensland Cowboys
Matthew Scott charges at the line and he plants the ball down to get a little bit of respectability back into the scoreline. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs 42-14
75 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs
Hazem El Masri gets in on the act after the Dogs spread the ball wide and he scores in the corner. Conversion successful.
Bulldogs 48-14
78 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs
The Dogs bring up the half century, from the kick off Tonga goes through the gap and he puts Cutler away for the try. Conversion successful from El Masri thats 9 from 9 now.
Bulldogs 54-14
Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Sonny Bill Williams
2 - Andrew Ryan
1 - Willie Tonga


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The Greater Ardmore Scholarship Foundation golf tournament and fundraiser teed off Monday with its maximum number of 25 teams.
"We've had an overwhelming response — even more than last year," said GASF Executive Director Roselyn Haile. "We had to turn teams away."
A total of 100 participants played in the tournament, with many other people donating and participating in the silent auction. Prior to the silent auction, more than $18,000 had been raised.
"We're really proud of the turnout. This scholarship reaches so many people, and I'm proud to be a part of this organization," said Ardmore board member Sarah Veazey.
After expenses, the money supports the foundation's scholarship program, which awards $500 per semester for a student's first two years of college and $1,000 per semester for a student's last two years.
Matt Groves, Norman, graduated from Ardmore High School and received a scholarship in 1995. He also had two brothers who received GASF scholarships. Now a construction administrator for Architects in Partnership, Groves played on the company team.
"It's an awesome opportunity for me," he said. "It's great to get a chance to come back and help."
Recipients are graduates of Carter County high schools and come from families with a "middle" income between $25,000 and $75,000 (or $100,000 if student has a sibling in college). Students must maintain at least a 2.5 grade-point average and full-time enrollment to continue receiving the scholarship.
"It's one of the only scholarships of its kind in the nation," said volunteer Dave Rickard. "This is what people of Carter County do for these kids."
GASF awarded 85 new recipients among the class of 2013. There are also more than 300 active recipients who are sophomores, juniors or seniors in college.
"My favorite part is the end result, knowing that the scholarships are going to students so they have money for college which they would not otherwise experience," said Tulsa board member Penny Stack.


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OAKLAND, Calif. — Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine got stuck in traffic after picking his son up at San Francisco International Airport and didn't arrive at Oakland Coliseum until about three hours before the first pitch on Friday night.
He should have kept on driving and never looked back.
The Red Sox were humiliated by the Athletics, losing 20-2. In what has been a season of embarrassing moments for the Sox, this was worst.
It was the worst loss since the Yankees beat the Sox, 22-1, June 19, 2000. They had not allowed 20 runs since Aug. 21, 2009, also against the Yankees.
"It wasn't any fun for anyone, that's for sure. Except for the guys on the other side," Valentine said.
Oakland sent 12 batters to the plate in the seventh inning and scored nine runs. Former Sox outfielder Josh Reddick capped the onslaught with his first career grand slam. He has 28 home runs and 73 RBIs.
George Kottaras, another former Red Sox player, homered twice and drove in five runs. Brandon Moss, yet another former Sox prospect, was 4 for 5 with a home run, two doubles, and a career-high four RBIs.
Oakland had 19 hits, 10 for extra bases.
The 20 runs were the most for Oakland since Sept. 30, 2000 when they beat Texas, 23-2. The Sox, incredibly, have allowed 13 or more runs six times this season.
The 62-71 Sox have lost four straight and nine of their last 12. They were 9-20 in August.
The Sox were only 3½ games out of a wild-card spot when the month started. Now they are 12 behind and looking at the possibility of 90 losses.
With 29 games left, the misery isn't ending any time soon.
Sox starter Aaron Cook (3-8) didn't get through the third inning, giving up six runs. The bullpen then allowed 12 runs, with Craig Breslow and Mark Melancon responsible for the seventh-inning debacle.
"I thought they were trying," Valentine said. "Balls were falling in and going over the fence."
Cook retired the side in order in the first inning. Then the Athletics started taking batting practice as his sinker stayed up in the strike zone.
"To have to come out in the third inning, I was just shaking my head," said Cook, who is 1-7 with a 5.7 ERA in his last 10 starts. "Not as much about myself but knowing that [the bullpen] would have to pick up a huge load tonight."
Yoenis Cespedes singled to start the second inning and scored when Moss doubled to left field.
Jonny Gomes followed with an RBI single to center. Rookie Josh Donaldson then lined a curveball off the cement facing of the stands in left field. It was his fifth home run of the season, the third in as many games.
It got even worse in the third inning.
Reddick doubled to the gap in right. With two outs, Moss hit a ball over third base that deflected away for an RBI double. When Gomes singled to center and Moss scored, Valentine finally came out to the mound and Cook was done after only 37 pitches.
Junichi Tazawa, whose job appears to be cleaning up messes left by the starters, retired all four batters he faced.
Alfredo Aceves, the former closer, was next out of the bullpen, in the fifth. He got two outs before nicking Cespedes with a pitch. Moss then hammered a cutter deep to right field for his 15th home run.
Daniel Bard pitched the sixth inning for the Red Sox, his first appearance in the majors since June 3 in Toronto, when he walked six batters and hit two. That led to his demotion the next day.
Bard got an out before Kottaras homered to right field. Cliff Pennington singled but Bard escaped further damage. Bard's best fastballs hit 93 m.p.h.
"I definitely made big steps in the right direction and I just want to continue it for the next month. I know I have to prove some things to some people and I'm ready to do that," Bard said.
"It was good. I felt really comfortable out there. The adrenaline is there. It's not the eighth inning with a one-run lead but it's a lot bigger stage than I've been used to the last couple of months. I wasn't quite as sharp as I wanted to be, [but] it was great to be out there."
As Red Sox pitchers were giving up runs, Oakland starter Brandon McCarthy (8-5) cruised along, going 6⅓ innings for the win.
He was helped by the inability of the Sox to collect a clutch hit. The Sox had nine hits but were 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
Scott Podsednik and Dustin Pedroia (2 for 4 to extend his hit streak to 11 games) had singles to start the first inning. But Ellsbury grounded into a double play before Ross flied to center.
James Loney and Mike Aviles had singles in the second inning. Then Pedro Ciriaco and Jose Iglesias left them stranded.
The Sox finally scored in the fourth inning when Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered to right field. It was his 23d on the season.Peter Abraham can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.


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The Herald crew was the last of the media contingent to leave the Edward Jones Olmos Dome Sunday night because, truth be told, we suck at math. And for about two hours collegue David J. Neal was crunching numbers and scenarios to come up with this singular but important nugget:
If the Dolphins win the rest of their games, they win the AFC East.
Said another way, the Dolphins have to go 11-5 to guarantee themselves the AFC East title.
Now, Miami can make the playoffs without winning out but then we get into the minefield known as needing help from other teams. And the Dolphins don't want to tread there unless they have to.
The Dolphins are definitely aware of their opportunity. As coach Tony Sparano said today, his players knew Sunday's results when they stepped off their charter Sunday evening and they all understood victories over Buffalo in Toronto, at home against San Francisco, at Kansas City, and at New York would give Miami the division crown.
"Not looking ahead is a ridiculous statement," Sparano said, when it comes to understanding the possibilities.
The question is do you think the Dolphins can win out?
The trip to Toronto this week saves Miami from playing an outdoor game in Buffalo as the Rogers Center is an indoor facility. The home game against San Francisco is winnable but the 49ers suprised the Bills Sunday. The game at KC is winnable but the Chiefs have shown impressive fight at times this year and they beat Oakland Sunday. And yes, the Jets lost to Denver on Sunday, but they have a victory over Miami already once this season.
So again the question to you becomes: Will the Dolphins win out to assure themselves the AFC East title?


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Note: You may read the full text of this article free HERE.
Lack of Circadian Pattern of Serum TNF-α and IL-6 in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome.
By Ghizal Fatima, et al.
The present study was designed to test the hypothesis of a circadian [recurring naturally on a twenty-four-hour cycle] variation in circulating levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS).
Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were measured at 4 h intervals of the day in 50 women with FMS satisfying American College of Rheumatology criteria for FMS (age 36.68 ± 9.89) as well as 50 healthy control women (age 32.82 ± 10.53).
Serum TNF-α levels were substantially increased in patients with FMS but showed no circadian variation.
In contrast, no difference in the levels of IL-6 was found.
Moreover, there was also no circadian variation in both the groups of patients and controls.
We conclude that no circadian pattern exists in the circulating levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-α in patients with FMS, although TNF-α levels are found raised in patients with FMS.
Source: Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry, October 2012. By Ghizal Fatima, Abbas Ali Mahdi, Siddharth Kumar Das, Baby Anjum, Nar Singh Verma, Puneet Kumar, and Ragini Shrivastava. Department of Rheumatology & Biochemistry, Chhatrapati Shahu.


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The process for developing advanced Radar and EW systems often begins with component design and system simulation using software tools, which is followed by prototyping the design and evaluation using test instrumentation. In the past, there has been minimal connection between the software simulations and hardware prototype evaluation because the tools required to bridge the gap between simulation and physical test did not exist. It is now possible to integrate Agilent test instrumentation, such as signal generators and analyzers, directly into the Agilent Advanced Design System (ADS) simulation environment, which results in innovative design and verification capabilities as virtual and real world signals are shared between the two domains. As an example, this paper will show the benefits of combining a simulated ADS radar model with physical test equipment to create what is referred to as a "connected solution".
This exclusive White Paper from Agilent Technologies is available only for registered users of Microwave Journal.
Click HERE to download the white paper now.
Useful Resources from Agilent
To order your free copies of Agilent's new Radar Poster and Application Note please visit:
For more information on Agilent's Aerospace/Defense design and test solutions please visit:
As seen in January 2008 issue of Microwave Journal, Radar/Antennas.


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Scene 1: With a resounding crash, the doors to the operating room fly open. The surgical team bursts into the glare of the lights, pushing before them what's left of the patient, a woman in her sixties so slashed and cut up that she's barely alive. The surgeon's voice rises above the din, "Okay, gang, let's see what we've got."
Scene 2: Two women stand quietly side by side, looking down at the animal in the crate before them. Barely able to stand, shaking from the effort, the tan and white dog makes no sound at all. Her head and tail droop, her coat is dull and lifeless. Ribs and spine and hip bones protrude so dramatically that they are reminded of photos of Auschwitz. One of the women lets out a slow sigh. "Why didn't they put this one down?" she wonders. "She'll never make it!"
Scenes from one of TV's medical thrillers? The dramatic start of a documentary by Michael Moore? Nope, neither one.
The first scenario actually happened five years ago to Susan Wallace of Nevada City, California. She had been rushed by helicopter to Sutter Memorial Hospital in Sacramento after a meth-crazed intruder broke into her home, attacked and almost killed her, and set fire to her house. But Susan's doctors and nurses fought valiantly to piece her back together, to replace the huge amount of blood she'd lost, and to give her back her life.
Our second scenario also really happened, just a few months ago. It is, in fact, what this article is about – the inspiring recovery of a diabetic dog named Precious who almost died. Today, thanks to the tenacity of her rescuers and Susan Wallace, Precious is happy and healthy and waiting to be adopted in a special forever home.
How did Susan and Precious happen to cross paths? In 2002, Susan retired from her career as an attorney with the California Justice Department, moved to the picturesque Sierra Nevada foothills, and shifted the focus of her life to working with animals and giving back to her community. A dog lover since childhood, she shared her home with four beloved dogs she had rescued.
The fire set by the intruder in 2005 destroyed her home and killed two of her dogs, Scooter and Molly. The loss, especially that of the little Shih Tzu named Scooter, was a turning point in Susan's life. During her long painful recovery from the attack, Susan found herself searching for a way to turn her grief and loss into a positive and healing force. Eventually she realized that giving another chance at life to dogs that would otherwise die would give her own life new meaning and focus.
In 2007, Susan decided that she could best honor Scooter's memory by establishing a nonprofit organization to rescue dogs that were abandoned, abused, neglected, and homeless, and "Scooter's Pals" was born.
Fast forward to June 2009, when the emaciated tan and white pit bull terrier was rescued from a shelter in Stockton, California. She had been abused by her former owner and had been languishing at the shelter, where she was considered "unadoptable." No one thought she could survive. The shelter needed the space, so she was scheduled to be euthanized.
That is when Fate stepped in. A dedicated animal advocate saw this dog in the shelter, got to know the animal, and realized she was a marvelous dog, loving and extraordinarily good-natured in spite of her condition. When the dog was scheduled to be killed, the animal advocate implored Susan Wallace to help save the dog's life. For Susan, the memory of how the medical team refused to let her die – and her gratitude for getting a second chance at her own life – translated into the same type of commitment to save this poor dog.
Saving "Precious" (as she'd been dubbed because of her gentle disposition) from the shelter was only the beginning. Restoring her health turned into a long, uphill battle, reminiscent of Susan's own. Immediately after her rescue, Precious got bloat (a dangerous swelling and contortion of the stomach and intestines). A well-meaning volunteer, shocked at the dog's emaciation, had overfed and almost killed her. After emergency surgery that saved her life, it became clear that the dog's basic condition was too precarious to release her. She lived at the vet's for months. She was diagnosed with diabetes, put on a restricted diet, and started on insulin, while she continued to stay at the vet's.
By the end of August, Precious showed signs of depression. Susan Wallace, who'd been monitoring the dog's progress and paying the vet bills, set to work to find a foster home where Precious could lead a more normal life. Several attempts to place her were not successful. Finally in September, a Scooter's Pals supporter suggested contacting Patty Letawsky, an experienced dog rescuer who had fostered homeless dogs for years. Patty met Precious, saw her condition, and, understanding the level of care that would be required, took Precious into her home.
In October, Precious encountered one more major hurdle. The vet confirmed that Precious had become almost blind due to cataracts as a result of her diabetes. Susan appealed to the Scooter's Pals network of supporters and, thanks to two generous benefactors, Precious was able to have the miraculous operation that restored her eyesight.
Today, at approximately five years old, Precious is a stable, healthy (although still diabetic) dog. She is spayed, vaccinated, micro-chipped, and on heartworm prevention. She has a strong spirit and loving personality. Patty says, "Her nickname is "Precious-Snortis" because she snorts a lot," and describes her as "a love-bug of a dog that adores people, loves car rides and just hanging out. She's housebroken, gets along well with all the other foster dogs [at Patty's house], and does well with new dogs with a slow introduction (but not cats)."
Patty also reports that measuring Precious' glucose levels and giving her insulin along with her morning and evening meals is "a piece of cake." In fact, it's one of Precious' favorite times each day. As soon as Patty begins preparing her meal, Precious scampers around the house, dives into her crate, and pokes her head out to wait for her food, tail wagging a mile a minute. Patty says, "She doesn't even notice that you're giving her a shot while she's eating!"
Looking back over the past year, Susan says it was an honor to help this dog in Scooter's name, but that the real credit belongs to Patty. Without Patty's skill in nursing sick dogs back to health, without her persistence in figuring out how to balance the dog's insulin and, ultimately, without her understanding of what a wonderful dog this funny-looking canine was, Precious would not have survived. She certainly would never have regained the healthy condition that now allows her to become a normal dog member of a dog-loving family.
"This is the next step," explains Susan, "finding a home for Precious with someone who is not put off by the insulin shots she needs every day. Precious is ready for the forever home she's been wanting all along. Scooter's Pals will provide the insulin and whatever medical care she needs for the rest of her life. All we need now is to find the right home."
* * *
To learn more Precious and the rescue work of Scooter's Pals, please visit www.scooterspals.org, or contact Susan Wallace at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Please help find that special person to adopt this amazing dog, Precious – she needs a home and a family of her own.