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I haven't read any of the relevant articles, but the summary doesn't say anyone is urging anyone to opt-out of the settlement. Better headlines, please?
Dear Fellow 'Netizens, I'm writing to urge Comcast subscribers to opt-out of the proposed P2P Congestion Settlement between Comcast Corporation and its customers (http://p2pcongestionsettlement.com/). There are huge problems with the deal, but it only takes you a minute to reject it.
How can I reject it and it only take a minute? Is their a link? I would gladly forsake $16 to make a statement. Sure, a few thousand people will only save Comcast some cash and likely do nothing, but seeing as how I am seriously considering getting rid of Comcast, and doing without (Fuck AT&T - Your world, delivered... to the NSA - I will miss you Slashdot) I will do the thing I think is right and let my voice be heard.
Is their a link?
No, it's the third person plural possessive pronoun. Thanks for asking!
I guess no one ever found the link. And it was supposed to take only a moment. Well so much for many of us doing it..
Robb Topolski is urging people to opt-out in the InfoWorld summary.
"If people reject the settlement, they are freed from the restrictions of this settlement and can sue independently or join any other action," Topolski said in an email. "If enough people reject the settlement, it sends a strong message that the class of people that this settlement was intended to represent are dissatisfied."
Could have included that in the
Either way, I'm not affected.
it's pretty much implied. if you settle for 16 bucks, you can't sue them again. you settled.
Hopefully Comcast isn't given a blank cheque to keep screwing with torrent connections.
I would presume that normally, any further tampering post settlement would represent a new claim of action that you could sue for.
but $16/per isn't exactly a hefty penalty.. so if that's "all they had to pay" vs building out their infrastructure.. they will continue to take the lawsuits. $16 settlement is comcast taking their subscribers out to lunch. once.
they should h
they should have been forced to refund all the subscription fees they collected while they were throttling.
That will never happen. But it damn well should.
You can't sue them again for specific misdeeds. Since this is still on-going, you can sue them again as soon as the fcc's regulatory power over net neutrality is affirmed by congress.
I get that the courts ruled that the FCC can't mandate how ISP route their traffic. They can't enforce net neutrality.
But, in this case we had the ISP injecting packets to cause end user software to abort a communication. Last I checked, man in the middle attacks that interfere with network communications was worthy of felony hacking charges. So what is Comcast geting off so easy?
So what is Comcast geting off so easy?
Laws are webs that catch little bugs and let the big ones slip through.
They are a corporation.
I am patenting this business practice right away. Anyone who uses it without my permission will get sued.
This is why it's actually pretty hard to put together a class action. For a class like this there is a lot of judicial management. It has to be found that the class representative has a claim that is, just that, representative of the class as a whole so they will be a reasonable proxy for the vigor with which individuals would prosecute the suit. (As well as a number of other requirements, such as experienced counsel, etc.).
The real point of the class action system is to create an incentive for small claims
It's useful in cases where it's impractical or not worth it for individuals to sue. For instance, say a company sends one junk fax each to a hundred thousand people. Most of those people will not be able to justify the time and effort it would take to sue for $500 -- it's not remotely worth the hassle. But a class case could allow them to, for filling out a form, claim some money.
So when I sued Allied Telesyn, it was run as a class case, and people who were part of the class could get $250 for filling ou
That is the point. If you accept the settlement, and the $16, you let them off the hook...
That is the way it is in America today. Corporate malfeasance against the individual: penalty is paying A SINGLE PENNY on the dollar. Corporations claiming malfeasance by the individual (Capitol/RIAA vs Thomas) penalty is ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS on the penny!
Because the number of people who can stand up and say 'I only used bittorrent for legal purposes' is almost 0. Without that the user is in violation of their terms of service and Comcast is just trying to limit the damage. While the few people (1 guy?) who did use bittorrent without ever violating his terms of service gets screwed the rest of the people (pirates, arrr) make this case pretty murky.
What? Huh?
Nice generalization, but you forgot that a majority of World of Warcraft's content is distributed via BitTorrent. That's hardly an illegitimate use of P2P.
This case isn't murky at all. Opting out of a pathetic settlement is a collective statement that Comcast's legitimate, paying customers won't let them get away with fucking them over without some kind of due process. It also sends a message to other ISPs that they can't get away with this behavior without someone noticing.
Ironically, people who smoke pot seem to be the most likely to use Torrent legally! (Torrent is used to distribute concert recordings by the Grateful Dead and Phish.)
Because the number of people who can stand up and say 'I only used bittorrent for legal purposes' is almost 0
Possibly so, but I bet the people who had their Lotus Notes [arstechnica.com] messages blocked certainly have legs to stand on.
What Comcast was doing would be similar to the phone company deciding they didnt like the phone call you were making and cutting off both parties in such a way as to make each party think the other party had hung up the call.
Except phone companies are common carriers, and ISPs like comcast are not (unfortunetly).
These lawsuits claim that Comcast promised and advertised specific speeds and unlimited Internet access but impaired use of some P2P file-sharing traffic on its High-Speed Internet network. Comcast denies these claims, but has revised its management of P2P and is settling to avoid the burden and cost of further litigation.
Comcast is getting off easy because the attorney's bringing the suit were bribed with $3 million dollars and decided they would take the money and let Comca
So the settlement doesn't make Comcast pay out enough money, so everybody should opt out, so Comcast gets to pay nothing?
The reasoning is that if you take this payout, you're basically telling the legal system that this payout has righted the wrongs that Comcast made, and that you have no further claim to the wrongs. Same reason insurance companies will offer some seemingly high but lowball amount settlement really quick hoping you'll accept so that youcan't go after them when it turns out you can no longer lift anything over ten pounds. They turn a $100k settlement into a $5k settlement and gain protection from the court.
Yes - that way, all the opt-out people can bring a new lawsuit against Comcrap.
...who believes that bandwidth leeches (yes, you know who you are) should be capped? There are always those that push the envelope in any situation. Bandwidth leeches belong to that group. I would bet (totally anecdotal here) that the number of bandwidth leeches that are in the top 5% of bandwidth usage comprise only a few percentage points of Comcast subscribers. Why is it a loss to those of us who play nice with others when the few greedy subscribers are throttled?
This article has nothing to do with leeches, it's about willful tampering with a particular protocol for their entire user population, leech or otherwise.
And yes, you are the only one. I guess it's OK if you get to decide who is a "leech" and screw the other guy.
I'm a bandwidth leech.
I get games from steam. I watch netflix movies. I use xbox live. I watch hulu. I surf the web and use other various high bandwidth applications.
Those are all high bandwidth services which saturate my Internet connection.
I usually am online at least 12 hours a day.
I pay for Internet access, I pay for those services. I don't see the problem.
The problem comcast sees is that I download several GB per day and my content doesn't come from them. I use the access I pay for.
I prefer my content come from elsewhere. Comcast's conflict of interest isn't being taken seriously.
Why should I be throttled for legally consuming content?
Why should I be throttled for legally consuming content?
Because there's a limited amount of bandwidth and you aren't the only one that wants to use it. Ignoring the particular facts of this case - Comcast's underhanded methods and deception - would it really be unfair to say, for example, that those people that use the most bandwidth have their speed capped when other people want to use that bandwidth? Let's briefly look at the alternatives:
- The bandwidth is divided equally between all subscribers at all times, meaning that if Lucy Lightuser and Henry Heavyuser
they have much more bandwidth at much lower prices
oh no, but they're SOCIALIST countries!
you know, that evil scary word that blocks out all common sense because we worship the free market fairy
the free market fairy solves all problems and is always superior to public solutions, always. look how far ahead our bandwidths are than evil socialist countries, dealing as we do with loving corporations like comcast that always have our needs at heart </sarcasm>
the free market fairy solves all problems and is always superior to public solutions
Are you seriously claiming that the US broadband market is an example of the free market at work?
No matter how you argue it, the problem still lies with the ISP. They sell an internet connection with "unlimited data" and start complaining when you actually use it - even worse, they start secretly throttling the connection.
Absolutely true - although a little out of date. At least over here I would be surprised if there are any ISPs that haven't been writing throttling and transfer caps into the contracts and adverts for at least a year now.
The problem of some people using all the resources available isn't new; it's as old as the world. If ISPs want to offer (and people want to buy) cheap, over-sold connections then they will have to protect those connections from being used to capacity by a few heavy users. If people absolute
All your points are totally valid and seem to be well thought out. The issue for "leeches" like DragonTHC (and myself-- I do my fair share of Netflix, XBox live, and web dev work at all hours of the day and -- suprise -- I don't even HAVE a torrent client installed on my gear) is that what Comcast is selling takes none of that into account.
Anyone here could have predicted that the asymmetrical use of internet by many customers with different needs would result in less than optimal service for everyone-- and the solution to mysteriously throttle usage and inject "man-in-the-middle" attacks to disconnect the "bad" customers is a bad call on Comcast's part.
Tiered pricing? I would pay for that. Being treated like a criminal for eating all I can eat at the ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET is a breach of contract.
Thanks for the compliment, and I can't say I disagree on the fact that Comcast in this case has behaved disgracefully.
A tiered pricing structure where you could pay to be given higher priority would seem like it would make things fairer, since it would mean that heavy users were paying for the privilege. But traffic shaping is, to some extent, still going to be necessary, since the use of some heavy-users would still be more than enough to interfere with other peoples' internet connections. My worry is that
"Because there's a limited amount of bandwidth and you aren't the only one that wants to use it"
No there is not! That is a lie. Korea and Europe do not have the same problems. The issue is these greedy monopolistic ISPs are keeping 10 year old routers and refusing to upgrade in order to boast their shareholder price for Goldman Sachs and others on wall street.
I read on slashdot that 90% of all fiber is dark on purpose in order to limit availability and raise prices.
If I pay $60 a month for x amount of bits
"Because there's a limited amount of bandwidth and you aren't the only one that wants to use it"
No there is not! That is a lie. Korea and Europe do not have the same problems. The issue is these greedy monopolistic ISPs are keeping 10 year old routers and refusing to upgrade in order to boast their shareholder price for Goldman Sachs and others on wall street.
I read on slashdot that 90% of all fiber is dark on purpose in order to limit availability and raise prices.
If I pay $60 a month for x amount of bits to download a second then why can't I get the service I pay for. It doesn't matter if their business model is on averages. I refuse to sign any contract with capped downloads. Its a shame because I hate cable with a passion and prefer DSL but in rural Alaska I had to agree to caps. My wife plays wow and uses vent so she would exceed the cap in a matter of days.
World of warcraft has constant disconnects from players with Comcast. Gee I wonder why? We are thinking of being a DSL only guild and this is rediculous. 3 players from comcast get disconnected and cause wiped in every and I mean every battle with a raid boss.
I'm going to assume that you don't mean that there is literally an infinite amount of bandwidth available, since that is patently false, and take what you said to mean that there is a very large amount of bandwidth available that is not being offered. But here's the thing: it doesn't make any difference.
Imagine that all the ISPs, overnight, were able to upgrade their networks. The available bandwidth is now ten times what it was - problems solved? Not even close. If there's one thing that has been a constan
Let's throw out your entire bullshit argument and replace it with one that makes sense:
How about companies don't over sell their lines? False advertising is illegal. The end. There isn't a "debate" here. If you pay for XkB/s then god damnit you should get X kB/s. PERIOD.
Well, I suppose blindly ignoring what I wrote and then being abusive is one way of debating. Let's try a different one.
In my original post I wrote:
The other alternative would be for the ISP to provide enough total bandwidth for every subscriber to use their maximum allowance all at once. This is fair - Lucy is no longer paying for Henry's use; she can even get a special light-user package if she wants - and it's actually already available. The downside is the price; because a guarantee of constant top speed means no (or little) over-selling is possible, a guaranteed 2MB connection starts at about $350/month.
Let me expand on this a little. There's almost nothing in the world that can cope with everyone using it maximally at the same time; everything is oversold. We all pay taxes to build the roads, but we can't all drive on them at once - they'd get full. Everyone with an airline ticket paid, but if they all turn up they can't all get on. Municipal transport, parks,
Meanwhile in Sweden and Finland, people enjoy their 10Mbit or 100Mbit connections straight to their homes. And their monthly bill is cheaper than what you're paying, too.
Meanwhile in Sweden and Finland, people enjoy their 10Mbit or 100Mbit connections straight to their homes. And their monthly bill is cheaper than what you're paying, too.
Sweden: 53.3 people/sq mi
Wyoming: 5.4 people/sq mi
Yeah, I can see the relevance of your statement.
What is it that you do for a living where you're doing all of those things for 12 hours a day? Even before I finished school, I never averaged those hours of internet usage. After finishing school and working full-time, those numbers become even more impossible.
Ehmm, I don't know about you, but my personal computer seems quite capable of running without anyone actually sitting at the keyboard...just because it's on 12 or even 24 hours a day doesn't mean there's someone hammering the keyboard every last second of it
You are not the only one, I am a bandwidth leech and I agree that there should be limitations on my usage. What I disagree with though is that I am limited without being informed that it will happen. I also disagree with being lied to about it, and I also disagree with communications protocols being abused to limit me.
If they want to limit me, they need to make me aware that I will be limited for certain usages. They need to be precise and stick to their word about how and when, so that I as a consumer can
ACTION REQUIRED - IMPORTANT: To opt-out from the settlement, simply write "I want to opt-out of the settlement" along with your name and address and mail it by May 13th to: P2P Congestion Settlement Claims Administrator; c/o Rust Consulting; P.O. Box 9454; Minneapolis, MN 55440-9454. Ask your friends to please do the same. If we want a meaningful settlement in this case and open Internet in our future, it's important to spread the word and send a strong message to Comcast and the industry.
"I prefer the blunted cudgels of the followers of the Serpent God." -- Sean Doran the Younger


text: How cute is Mally Roncal? Seriously — she's the living embodiment of adorable. Always impeccably turned out, always smiling, always encouraging regular women like you and me to believe in our own beauty. I think she's the bees knees. The celebrity makeup artist earned her stripes by beating the faces of Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Mariah,… read all

subset: commoncrawl


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With more than 60 million U.S. acres affected by glyphosate-resistant weeds and nearly every state affected by some form of resistant weeds, the challenge facing growers is increasing every year. In a 2013 survey of Midwest growers, BASF found that 76 percent will be changing their weed management strategies in 2014 to address this ongoing issue. To help determine the best strategies for combating weed resistance, BASF scientists continue to research solutions to help growers achieve optimal weed control. In a recent Verdict herbicide study, BASF reaffirmed the importance of using a pre-emergence herbicide with multiple sites of action. Multiple Sites of Action BASF scientists tested the effectiveness of Verdict herbicide for control of weeds in pre-emerge and pre-plant applications. Verdict herbicide, powered by Kixor herbicide technology, combines the active ingredients in Outlook and Sharpen herbicides to provide two sites of action. "There are two key reasons for choosing products that use multiple effective sites of action," said Mark Oostlander, technical market manager of herbicides at BASF. "The first is better weed control in general and the second is superior control of resistant weeds." Oostlander explained that if there is a weed resistant to one of the sites of action, having two or more provides backup to ensure the weed is controlled and prevents it from going to seed. To show a living demonstration of these advantages, scientists conducted a greenhouse trial where they took soil and weed seeds—foxtail, common waterhemp and common ragweed—from fields throughout the U.S. and grew weeds in four separate pots. They then applied a different herbicide to each of the pots; one with Outlook herbicide, one with Sharpen herbicide and one with Verdict herbicide. The fourth pot was left untreated. The multiple sites of action in Verdict herbicide proved to have the most complete control on all three of the weeds planted. "From a scientific perspective, we understand how critical having multiple sites of action is for controlling and preventing resistant weeds, but it's hard to really show that to people," said BASF herbicides biologist Chad Brommer. "So in this case, a picture is worth a thousand words. The study visually shows the strengths and weaknesses of using just one site of action compared to using multiple sites of action." Residual Control To show the importance of using a pre-emergence herbicide likeVerdict herbicide, which includes long-lasting residual control, BASF scientists conducted the same greenhouse trial two weeks apart. Four weeks after the first trial started, the soil still remained weed-free, reaffirming the benefits of using a pre-emergence herbicide for clean fields. "Applying a pre-emerge herbicide with residual control also plays a critical role in controlling weeds," said Oostlander. "This is because weeds can be controlled for weeks after applying the herbicide." The Complete Weed Control Plan Verdict herbicide is one of many BASF products that are a part of the Advanced Weed Control program. Advanced Weed Control provides growers with an extensive weed control portfolio and best management practices for efficient application and the most complete control.
To learn more about multiple effective sites of action, click here to watch Verdict herbicide in action. For more information about the BASF herbicide portfolio, visit the Advanced Weed Control website. The website provides growers with the latest expert information, recommendations and insights on effective weed control, including videos from local agronomists and weed scientists discussing strategies specific to geographies across the Midwest and South.


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Sorry if this has already been asked but:
Do you guys think that Souls fall in love with whoever their body had loved before? Like how Wanda fell for Jared and Sunny fell for Kyle...do you think that's coincidence or that that's what happens?
Moderators: December, Bronze Haired Girl, cullengirl
DunnerheartsTwilight wrote:first post....
ok i loved the host... almost as much as twilight... i want to know if you guys think that it is really slow starting off.. cause i do...
Black wrote:Does anyone know when The Host is going to be released in paperback? Like... at Wal-Mart? lol
Because I want it! But there's no way in the world I'm paying $26 for it, sorry.
Black wrote:Do you think the Souls invented a medicine called No Fat or something? You know, instant weight loss? That would be awesome.
Black wrote:Yea, I know you can order it that way online but I haven't seen it in any stores.
Or maybe I haven't been looking...
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To the editor:
As an American I am so overwhelmed by the unacceptable manner in which our government is functioning. Our history reflects that sound judgment and established well tested principles work to provide guidelines to better govern this nation. So many in Washington have lost sight or forgotten why they are there, and what their jobs are.
Today we have professional politicians who base decisions on politics and lobbyists seeking favorable patrician decisions to enhance the economic future of the few.
I have no false preconceived ideas that uphold anything other than a dismal outcome that's about to effect most of America.
Right now I'm at a place in life where my primary concern is not of my future and the significant hardships ahead, but the future that lay ahead for my children and later generations.
For just one hour I wish that our politicians could be placed in our shoes and clearly understand and feel the effect of their own decisions. To find that you have worked a lifetime to achieve small ongoing goals for family and a future of stability and contentment. Then to set back and attempt to comprehend why it was taken away for all the wrong reasons.
I'll leave this with one final thought. "You can fool people, but you will never convince them that they have been fooled."
God Bless America and In God We Trust...
John H Nipper
Cape Coral


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Greg does today's "Blackcast" in honor of Black History Month. He starts off the podcast with talking to some of the cast and crew of a Jamie Foxx comedy project, and then does a sit down interview with Craig Robinson of The Office.
DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST – Click HERE to download the podcast directly, or do yourself a favor and Click HERE to subscribe on iTunes.


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Figures. As soon as Rafael Betancourt lands in The Zone, he gets hurt.
Betancourt struggled with shoulder inflammation and the flu in April and May, bouncing in and out of the eighth-inning setup role. But he had been on a roll of late, witness his August numbers: 3-0, 1.08 in 10 appearances.
And now, he doesn't know when he can pitch again, no thanks to a strain in his upper groin/lower abdomen region. He definitely won't pitch tonight.
"We'll have to wait and see how I feel when I wake up," said Betancourt. "This time of the year, especially with the way our team is right now, I don't want to take any chances. I went through that last year, and it's not fun."
Betancourt sustained a groin strain that cost him five weeks last season before being traded to the Rockies from Cleveland. He said the soreness is in the same area.
"The weird part is I've been pitching good," he said. "Compared to how I was pitching through May, this is the way I like to pitch, the way I feel I can pitch every time I go out there. I feel good when I throw the ball."
Betancourt was one of the major leagues' top setup men last season, and has been pitching the same way in recent weeks. Considering his early-season struggles, he has put up some amazing numbers.
Here are two: He has pitched 47 innings, striking out 67 and walking only seven. And he has been particularly lethal vs. right-handed hitters. They're 12-for-78 with 31 strikeouts against him since May 27th.


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Due to the titanic Champions League quarter-final tie coming up between European giants, Bayern Munich and Juventus, we look at the players would make the starting 11 if a manager had both squads at his disposal.
Formation - 4-3-3
Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon | Juventus
The Italy number 1 is still considered to be one of the best shot-stoppers in the world, and has been one of the best around for over a decade now and will surely be recognised as one of the all-time greats when he hangs up his gloves. Conceding only 17 goals last season shows his quality, and his experience would give him the nod over Bayern's own world-class custodian, Manuel Neuer.
Right-back: Philipp Lahm | Bayern Munich
The Germany international was a key component of the Bavarians' run to the Champions League final last year, and has been almost flawless this season as Bayern have steamrolled the Bundesliga and currently sit 20 points clear of Borussia Dortmund in second. He has also been part of a defence that has only conceded 13 league goals this season. Although Juve's Stephan Lichtsteiner is one of Europe's best wing-back's, Lahm is one of few who can be categorised as better.
Centre-back: Andrea Barzagli | Juventus
The Italy international is one of football's greatest ever bargains, after Juve signed him for an initial fee of less than £300,000 back in 2011 from VfL Wolfsburg. Since his move he has gained a reputation as one of the best defenders in Italy and Europe, with undoubted talent and experience it makes him a formidable opponent for any attackers in world football today. Arguably Bayern are weakest at the back, and Barzagli would get a place over Holger Badstuber any day of the week.
Centre-back: Giorgio Chiellini | Juventus
The big defender has become talismanic for the Old Lady and for Italy, with his defensive ability and his aerial presence in attack. He can also switch to left-back if needed, where he is also useful, and his versatility is key to Juve's rotation plan and can fit into any formation. It would be hard to name a defender in world football that is more talented or complete than Chiellini, and would start over the inconsistent Jerome Boateng of Bayern Munich.
Left-back: Kwadwo Asamoah | Juventus
The Ghanaian international was sorely missed by Juve while he was at the Africa Cup of Nations. His ability to bomb down the wings and ability to play in the centre of midfield saw him take the place of Chilean Mauricio Isla in the Juventus line-up and he has become one of the first names on Antonio Conte's team-sheet. Co-owned with Udinese, Juve own half his contract which they purchased for less than £9m in July 2012, and they have confirmed an agreement with Udinese that will see him become a full Bianconero in the summer of 2013. His stamina, ability and experience would see him nudge the promising David Alaba out of the line-up.
Centre-midfield: Arturo Vidal | Juventus
The Chilean international has been a revelation in Turin since signing from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2011 for £10.5m. Juve have rejected bids of up to £40m from Paris Saint Germain and Bayern Munich for the tenacious midfielder, and rumour has it that he is Pep Guardiola's number 1 target in the summer. His ability to attack and defend in equal measures has made him one of Juve's top danger men, and with Conte's help, he has developed into one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the world. The fact that he is one of Bayer's top targets shows he would get a place over Luiz Gustavo.
Centre-midfield: Bastian Schweinsteiger | Bayern Munich
The iconic German playmaker has previously been a target for Juventus, Real Madrid and Chelsea, and with a list of admirers that good shows his undeniable quality.
The 28-year-old has been part of Bayern's set up since 2002, which means that after 11 years playing for one of Europe's top clubs has given him invaluable experience. His on-ball wizardry and ability to pick out a pass from almost anywhere on the field, not to mention his high work-rate and never-say-die attitude has given him the reputation of one of football's best midfielders. His consistency and wider range of abilities would get him a place over Juve's Claudio Marchisio
Centre-midfield: Andrea Pirlo | Juventus
If you asked 100 people 'who are the five best midfielders of the current generation?' two names will come up in almost everyone's answer: Xavi and Pirlo.
Pirlo's astounding passing ability, vision, balance, skill, trickery and dead-ball expertise make him possibly the most complete footballer playing today. Don't pressure him and you will give him too much space, like against Inter at the weekend, or pressure him and encourage him to move, like Chelsea did in the penultimate game of the Champions League group stage this season. Do either and he will dictate play and unlock the defence time and time again.
The only way to stop him is to stop the players he's supplying the ball to. His experience, talent and ability would see him fit into almost any squad in Europe, and this would see him get a place over Javi Martinez.
Right-wing: Franck Ribery | Bayern Munich
The talented Frenchman has been a starter for the German giants since his 2007 move from French side Marseille. At the time, the £25m Bayern paid for him seemed a little much for a player who was unproven in the Champions League. But since his arrival they haven't looked back as he stepped up and took Hasan Salihamidzic's place on the right side of the attacking trident.
His pace and control can make him unplayable at times, and on his day he is one of the best wingers in the world. His pace gives him the edge over Mirko Vucinic.
Left-wing: Arjen Robben | Bayern Munich
Possibly Bayern's most naturally gifted player, the former Chelsea star finally hit his potential in Germany and has been considered as one of the best players in the world since his £21m switch from Real Madrid.
His trademark runs down the wing are difficult to defend against and 44 goals in 74 Bundesliga appearances shows that he can be a scoring threat as well. His experience would get him a place over Juve's Sebastian Giovinco, who although is immensely talented, cannot influence a game like the Dutch international can.
Striker: Mario Mandzukic | Bayern Munich
The big striker was Croatia's main man in the Euro 2012 finals, scoring three goals in as many games, finishing as joint-top scorer. His stand out performances for Croatia and decent scoring record for VfL Wolfsburg got him his career defining move, and he has grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
Although he may not score as much as Mario Gomez, he gives a lot more to the team and can operate as a poacher or as a deeper lying forward. Gomez often looks lethargic, and as seen against Chelsea in last years Champions League final; he isn't always as clinical as his stats would suggest.
Mandzukic has taken Bayern's attack to the next level and made them even more dangerous in attack. Although Fabio Quagliarella may be more gifted and be more versatile, the Croat is a much more potent attacking threat.
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Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant remains severely damaged nearly one year after the earthquake and tsunami.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- It's been a year since one of the worst natural disasters ever devastated the northeast coast of Japan.
March 11, 2011: A 9.0 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami led to the deaths of more than 15,000 people. Damage at the Fukushima Daiichi atomic power plant also created a nuclear crisis that brought back memories of the 1986 Chernobyl meltdown in Ukraine.
But the Japanese economy and stock market are slowly on the mend. Japan's government reported Thursday that gross domestic product shrunk at an annualized rate of 0.7% in the fourth quarter, a revision from the 2.3% contraction that was originally reported.
While that's obviously still not fantastic news, there are increased hopes that rebuilding efforts in Japan will lead to economic expansion again in the first half of this year.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 (N225) index, meanwhile, has rebounded sharply from post-disaster lows. The Nikkei is up 20% from its 52-week low in November.
But the Nikkei is still about 6% below the level it was at on March 10, 2011. By way of comparison, the S&P 500 (SPX) is up 5% during the same time frame.
Shares of several leading Japanese companies, such as Sony (SNE), Toyota (TM) and NTT Docomo (DCM), are also still lower than they were a year ago.
However, aggressive moves by Japan's central bank could help the recovery. The Bank of Japan has set a specific inflation target of 1% and has committed to more monetary easing. These steps could reduce the value of the yen, which in turn, could make Japanese products more competitive in the global markets.
"It is clear that fiscal authorities in Japan are pushing for more new liquidity. Some of that money could be used for reconstruction efforts," said Michael Gayed, chief investment strategist with Pension Partners LLC, an investment advisory in New York.
"Toyota and other manufacturers that are sensitive to a weakening yen could get a nice bid due to higher exports," he added.
Neil Hennessy, CEO of Hennessy Advisors, a Novato, Calif.-based money manager, pointed out that some Japanese companies are now even reporting record profits. And their fortunes could improve further as the nation rebuilds.
Hennessy, whose firm offers the Hennessy Select SPARX Japan (SPXJX) and Hennessy Select SPARX Japan Smaller Companies (SPJSX) mutual funds, was in Japan two weeks ago to get a first-hand account of the reconstruction efforts and was impressed with what he saw.
"Among the rubble, this looks like a country that is on the verge of a comeback. This will take place over the next four or five years. But it is a good investing opportunity," Hennessy said.
Yes, one of the biggest risks with Japan is that it's not as if last year's calamity is the only problem facing the nation. The economy had been in sorry shape since the 1990s. An aging population and high debt load are just two of the concerns.
"A lot of people have been burned trying to bet on Japan over the past 20 years," Gayed said.
But some of the pessimism may be overdone.
"If Japan is thought to be in such bad shape, why does it have one of the strongest currencies in the world?" Hennessy noted.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul R. La Monica. Other than Time Warner, the parent of CNNMoney, and Abbott Laboratories, La Monica does not own positions in any individual stocks.
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Note to readers: Le Finlandais was heavily damaged by a fire on Tuesday. The spa is separate from a hotel across the street that also carries the Le Finlandais name. The hotel hasn't been damaged.
MONTREAL - The Spa-Hôtel Le Finlandais is not quite a country getaway. A 15-minute drive from downtown or a half-hour from the West Island, it's more of a suburban escape with a pastoral ambience. It's on tiny Ile Bélair in Rosemère, with an entrance on Labelle Blvd. and peaceful views of woods and the Rivière des Milles Îles on three sides.
It's so close to Montreal that I wondered, why spend the night? I weighed my options: indulge in a romantic rendezvous, set up a business brain-storming session, wait for a special occasion or simply escape from everyday duties.
I settled on a one-night tryst, called Jean-Pierre and we zoomed up the Laurentian Autoroute to Rosemère, toting overnight bags and the all-important swimsuits and flip-flops.
Le Finlandais had been two separate businesses — the spa and Hotel Le Rivage — until a few months ago, but they merged in both spirit and in name. They are, however, still across the street from each other, so the management operates a van shuttle to ferry people back and forth across busy Labelle Blvd.
The hotel is a clever re-do of a vintage motel. Owner Pierre Verville had been involved in real estate, so he knows his way around construction materials. And designers Jean-Pierre Viau and Julie Turgeon are infusing Hôtel Le Finlandais with a totally fresh, contemporary look.
Three striking suites are the newest products, and the Suite Le Finlandais is the pièce de résistance. It's a private corner space with all the trimmings: a fireplace, a 55-inch television and a stretch of windows that overlook the Rivière des Mille Îles and the summertime swimming pool. On the leading edge of a new hotel trend, the suite sports an I-Home audio system, so if you bring your own music via iPod, you can set a personal mood. Everything has been thought out to fulfill modern indulgences: aromatic soap made of green tea and ginger, a soaking tub with a television and a separate shower for two with a sexy glow of red lights.
Le Finlandais' Nordic spa across the street has a totally different look. It's a series of outdoor hot and cold baths surrounded by rustic barnwood buildings. The interiors are totally up to date, though. The locker rooms are decked out in stylish red mosaic tiles and the relaxation chambers are warmed by fireplaces. I arrived at 3 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, and the place was booming with people. Everyone was tiptoeing along heated stone paths around the cold and hot pools or blissing out in the saunas and steam rooms, so it didn't feel really feel crowded. There is a policy of silence, so it's not noisy either, and the waterfalls make a soothing constant gurgle and splash. Still, Carole Verville, the spa director and sister of the owner, suggests that morning spa sojourns are ideal. I think evenings are quite magical, too, because coloured lights radiate from underwater, giving the entire outdoor area a pastel glow.
The spa offers more than 20 beauty and body treatments — all listed on iPads — including the signature Royal Facial, plus body wraps that tone the skin and relieve stressed muscles, and reflexology, which uses foot massage to ease aches from head to toe. What makes Le Finlandais a hot property is its moderate prices, as low as $25 for use of the Nordic baths at certain times, when some spas can go to $50.
If you make an overnight visit of it, Le Finlandais works with two next-door neighbours who offer different dining experiences. And the advantages of being in the 'burbs instead of fully in the countryside are that there are competitive prices and after-dark action. With a package, table d'hôte dinners at Mojo or LÀ! cost $110 for two, including a bottle of wine, tax and tip.
LÀ! Grill-Lounge is run by Jean-François Plante, co-star of the midday Quebec television show C'est-Extra! and owner of l'Aromate in Le Saint-Martin Hotel in downtown Montreal. The Rosemère space is pure and modern, with white lounge sofas, minimalist decor and, in summer, beautiful riverfront terraces. Plante does French-inspired bistro cuisine such as bavette, rack of lamb, chorizo sausages, duck confit salad and linguine with shrimp. For dessert, the best-selling extravaganza is sugar pie — astoundingly served with nuts, caramel, ice cream and whipped cream.
Mojo, a lively bar-bistro, offers deals like wine, martinis and draft beer for $5 at their Monday-Friday 5-à-7 cocktail parties, two-for-one tapas on Wednesdays, free dining for women on Thursdays and live music on Thursdays to Saturdays.
The raw bar features tuna tataki and beef tartare, and the huge can't-miss menu lists steaks, seafood, rack of lamb, shrimp, fish 'n' chips, chicken satay, smoked duck and pizza topped with goat cheese and prosciutto.
Le Finlandais is immediately north of St-Rose in Laval via Pont Marius Dufresne over the Rivière des Milles Îles. In warmer weather, the Parc de la Rivière des Mille Îles is an idyllic spot for a laid-back cruise through a series of islands that form a wildlife sanctuary. Park entry is free and there are rabaskas, kayaks and pedal boats for hire or guided tours on pontoons. The trails and riverfront promenade are open in April, but rentals and island activities start on May 6 for spring.
Rosemère is a 15-minute drive from downtown Montreal via Highway 15 north to Exit 14 north.
Spa & Hôtel Le Finlandais: 888-971-0005, 450-971-0005, www.spalefinlandais.com; 124 & 125 Boul. Labelle, Rosemère.
Hotel: $100-$330 for two, incl. continental breakfast and valet parking. Outdoor swimming pool in summer.
Spa Le Finlandais: 450-971-0005; access to Nordic baths, Mon.-Thurs., $35 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., or $25 before 11 a.m. and after 6 p.m. On weekends & holidays, it's $35 all day until 11 p.m.; open daily 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. For hotel guests, it's $25 at all times, plus a 10-per-cent discount on spa treatments. A 60-minute Swedish massage costs $99, incl. access to Nordic baths. Minimum age for spa is 16 years.
Spa Bistro: sandwiches & salads, 8:30 a.m.-11 p.m.
Regional info: Office de Tourisme des Basses-Laurentides (Lower Laurentians), 866-491-4449, www.basseslaurentides.com; Tourisme Laval, 877-465-2825, www.tourismelaval.com; Tourisme Laurentides, 800-561-NORD (6673), www.laurentides.com. Parc de la Rivère des Mille Îles: 450-622-1020, www.parc-mille-iles.qc.ca.
Twitter: rochellelash


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Top Reasons to Visit Best Western at O'Hare
- As part of this deal, you can keep your car parked at the hotel for up to 14 days. A complimentary shuttle will be on hand to take you to O'Hare and then back to your car.
- You can enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast of eggs, fruit, yogurt, bread, and juice.
- The onsite Pine Grove restaurant serves American food throughout the day.
- Feel free to relax over a glass of beer or wine at Shoeless Joe's Ale House & Grille or Enigma Lounge, both located onsite.
- The 24-hour fitness center is equipped with treadmills, cycles, and a stairmaster.
- Rooms come equipped with cable TV and free WiFi.
- Blue line takes visitors to downtown Chicago.
Chicago's Magnificent Mile: Upscale Boutiques and Historical Architecture
The Best Western at O'Hare is situated in Rosemont, Illinois, adjacent to O'Hare International Airport and about 17 miles from downtown Chicago. Rosemont's biggest attraction is probably Allstate Arena, which regularly features big-ticket concerts and is the home turf for a number of professional sports teams.
On Chicago's Magnificent Mile, landmark skyscrapers such as the John Hancock Center and the Wrigley Building tower over the city's liveliest retail corridor. In total, the stretch of high-end real estate houses some 460 stores, ranging from exclusive designers such as Armani and Chanel to beloved brands including Apple, American Girl, and Gap. Double-decker buses and horse-drawn carriages circle the Chicago Water Tower, a limestone icon that survived the Great Chicago Fire, and droves of shoppers navigate eight levels of boutiques and cafés at the nearby Water Tower Place.
Lake Shore Drive runs two blocks east of Michigan Avenue. Travel + Leisure called this stretch "the greatest architecture road on earth" thanks to the superstar skyscrapers lined up along the lakefront. Looming above them all, of course, is the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower)—the tallest building in North America. Runners, cyclists, and runaway lawn mowers travel the adjoining Lakefront Trail throughout the year. A mile and a half north, crowds gather at North Avenue Beach during the summer to people-watch, play volleyball, and listen to live music at beachfront bars.
Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.


text: The Kansas City Chiefs are a lesser team than they used to be, and not just because record-breaking tight end Tony Gonzalez was traded to Atlanta. Since Todd Haley began his offseason conditioning program, the Chiefs players have shed almost 340 pounds of unwanted fat. The average loss for NFL teams trying to work off winter flab, Haley figures, is about 125-150 pounds.


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Submission + - Astronomers find planet barely larger than Earth's Moon
The Bad Astronomer writes: "A team of astronomers have announced the discovery of the smallest exoplanet orbiting a Sun-like star yet found: Kepler-37b, which has a diameter of only 3865 kilometers — smaller than Mercury, and only a little bigger than our own Moon. It was found using the transit method; as it orbits its star, it periodically blocks a bit of the starlight, revealing its presence. Interestingly, the planet has been known for some time, but only new advances in asteroseismology (studying oscillations in the star itself) have allowed the star's size to be accurately found, which in turn yielded a far better determination of the planet's diminutive size. Also, the asteroseismology research was not funded by NASA, but instead crowd funded by a non-profit, which raised money by letting people adopt Kepler target stars."


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This specific female, Ms. Gina, has a nasty attitude. At the very least that is what her BF lets us know. The woman gets really irritated because he was recording the woman with a camera while she was taking numerous pretty self-photos in the restroom.
Take a Closer Look at BLACK-GFs For The Lowest Price On The Web!
This guy suspected he captured his girlfriend doing something completely wrong, however there is no problem with those photos. Except if all those images had been for someone else. That was the situation from this week's submission. Ms. Gina ended up breaking up with the guy but he proceeded to go ahead and received his retribution the sole way he understood how. By simply delivering the video over here.


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For Patrick Peterson, it is as normal as another year at training camp. For Justin Bethel, it's a marker of how far he's come from the tiny program of Presbyterian College. For John Abraham, it's a vindication that he was right in putting off retirement.
And for
The NFL announced Friday night the players that made the Pro Bowl, the first year in which conference did not matter and
Four Cardinals were chosen as Pro Bowl alternates: Defensive end
Dansby was chosen as the team's MVP earlier Friday by the media covering the team, but in what he has called his best season, he did not even earn alternate status.
Earlier this week, Dansby shrugged off worry that he might not make it. "It ain't going to crush me because my play speaks for itself," he said.
The Cardinals do not release what level of alternate each player has been named. Any of those four could still end up
The draft will include Peterson, Bethel and Abraham for sure. Peterson was all but a lock, having finished in the top three in fan voting and having a stellar season covering the opposition's top wide receiver every game. Peterson is only the second Cardinal, after Ollie Matson, to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons. Peterson has three interceptions, 28 passes defensed and 38 tackles this season.
"I don't play this position to be second," Peterson said earlier this season. "I play to be the best in the game. That's not being arrogant. That's not being cocky. I feel like I have done enough things in my young career to be considered the best. Am I the best to some people? Maybe not. But in my eyes I feel like I am the best cornerback in the league."
Bethel has emerged as a playmaker covering kickoffs, punts and also on the field-goal block unit. He has an impressive
"Special teams, it's what I do," Bethel, a cornerback, said earlier this season. "I enjoy it, and this year, I have the chance to maybe go to the Pro Bowl, so I focus on doing what I can."
Abraham considered retiring before signing with the Cardinals as training camp began, and put together a season of 11½ sacks playing virtually all the time. Originally signed to be a pass-rush specialist, Abraham has been an every-down player after season-ending injuries Week 3 to
"I'm not, 'If I get 15 sacks and we lose I've had a good season.' I'm not like that," Abraham said earlier this season. "Getting sacks is good when you win. It always feels better when you win. Right now, sacks and forcing turnovers helps us win."
It is Abraham's fifth Pro Bowl selection with his third team, having made it with the Jets and Falcons previously.


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HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The Coker Cobras held the USC Beaufort Sand Sharks to just one run on three hits in nine innings, but were unable to score a run of their own as they fell to 1-0 on Wednesday afternoon in collegiate baseball action.
In a slow hitting day for both teams there were a combined seven hits (3-USCB, 4- Coker) with just one run scored.
The lone run of the game came in the sixth inning when Clay Bonds reached base on an error and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by David O'Neil to give the Sand Sharks the 1-0 lead.
The Cobras threatened several times throughout the game, as they left seven men stranded, but they were unable to drive home the run.
Jonathan Gainey (Hartsville, S.C.) (2-4) got tagged with the loss as he was the pitcher of record when USCB's unearned run scored in the sixth. Gainey tossed just one inning allowing no hits.
Stephen Richards (4-1) got the win for USCB going four innings allowing just two hits with a strikeout, while Alexander Graham (1) got the save by tossing a scoreless ninth.
Nick Fuoco (Palm Bay, Fla.) had two of Coker's four hits with Matt Ammons (Chester, S.C.) and Tyler Witzel (Melbourne, Fla.) each getting one. Ammons hit was a double.
For the Sand Sharks, Spencer Jackson was 2-for-4 with a double, while Gabe Torres was 1-for-3 and O'Neil drove in a run.
Coker will be back at home again for a three-game Conference Carolinas series against Pfeiffer University starting with a doubleheader Saturday at noon and finishing up with their Senior Day on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.


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Friends mourn slain Bridgeport man
Updated 11:29 pm, Thursday, July 17, 2014
BRIDGEPORT -- The police tape was gone Thursday from the East Side neighborhood where police had found Joseph Myers dead in his Honda Civic, shot in the back of the head, the night before.
Mourners set up a memorial nearby, with flowers, teddy bears and candles spelled out in the name "Joe." And they described Myers as an all-around good guy.
"He had no beef with no one," said Jackie Webster, who identified herself as Myers' fiancee.
He was the well-liked, loving father of a 5-year-old son; "Everyone liked him," she said.
Just before 9 p.m. Wednesday, officers responding to a call found Myers in his car on Jefferson Street, between Newfield and Seaview avenues, a police spokesman said. The 38-year-old city man was lying in the driver's seat and appeared to have been shot one time, according to a city spokesperson. He was pronounced dead at the scene -- Bridgeport's fifth homicide of 2014 and the city's third this month.
On Thursday, residents remembered Myers as a laid-back guy who enjoyed playing dominoes and chess at Newfield Park.
"He was an excellent chess player," said Jerry Rawlings. "I couldn't beat him."
Webster said Myers attended Central High School and then Katherine Gibbs College in Norwalk. Friends marveled at his technological expertise.
"He was a computer geek," said Sharyn Fields, who described herself as Myers' best friend. "He could take apart a PlayStation or computer and put it back together."
While many said he was a straight arrow, court records show that Myers was convicted numerous times and did time in prison, most recently serving a one-year sentence that began in 2010.
But Webster said she and Myers, who met on the online dating site Tag, recently opened an online rim business called "22's," after his favorite number.
She said the couple had scheduled a vacation to Las Vegas in a month, where they intended to marry -- before their plans were forever changed.
City spokesman Brett Broesder said there is no known motive for the homicide. But Webster said Myers' death might have stemmed from an uncashed, winning lottery ticket that someone may have wanted to steal.
"They must have been looking for him, because I was always in the car with him," Webster said. "This (happened) when I wasn't in the car."
Bridgeport Police Capt. A.J. Perez said the lottery ticket is one thing investigators are looking into. He added that Myers was a heavy lottery player.
Fields said the area where Myers was found is also where his sister, Rotisha Carroll, was killed by a stray bullet in 2007. The shooter in that incident was never found, Fields said.
Myers' death came off the heels of a Tuesday press conference at which Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, Mayor Bill Finch and police brass touted a drop in Bridgeport's crime rate and announced state youth violence-prevention grants.
On Thursday evening, dozens gathered at Newfield Park for Myers' impromptu memorial, and Fields said funds were being collected for his funeral.
Webster said she hopes Myers' killer is caught soon.
"He didn't bother nobody," she said, her voice cracking. "Just find his killer."
email@example.com/ @FGPreporting


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Ever badly crave an item, but just have a niggly feeling you will ooh at it once then never look at it again?
I have that feeling with Benefit's new Posietint. It is extremely cute though:
In the UK it is £22.50 which is expensive considering how tiny the little jar is.
This is the pink slightly more opaque version of Benetint, which I think is crapola in a Jar. Benetint also has a million rip of versions that work better, quite frankly.
I've seen the swatches and it does look gorgeous – but I just know I won't want to get my fingers stained pink in the morning – plus, I am more of a orange blush kinda girl.
Oh do I say no!?


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Tag Archives: persistent
Red Dead Redeem my money and buy a better game
**I just found this and it's in note form but I have little to ZERO interest in finishing Red Dead Redemption. I got 80% of the way through. It hurt. So I'm posting up my whinings in note form and … Continue reading
Posted in Red Dead Redemption, Videogames Tagged adventure, brawl, cowboy, crap, critic, deadeye, deadwood, drink, DUEL, game, gold, indian, john marsden, liquor, mine, persistent, pistol, poker, red dead redemption, review, robbery, rockstar, showdown, train, wild west Leave a comment


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Rabobank Report: Mexico, Brazil, Poland, Nigeria Are Potential High Growth Wine Markets As Well As China, South Korea
Offer Competitive Advantages for Early Entrants
By: PR Newswire
Nov. 26, 2012 12:42 PM
NEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Rabobank has published a new research report on the growth potential of emerging wine markets, identifying Mexico, Brazil, Poland and Nigeria as having long-term growth potential for the wine industry, in addition to the traditional emerging wine markets of China and South Korea.
In the report, titled "The Road Less Travelled," Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory group says that while China and South Korea probably rank as the most attractive emerging wine markets, Mexico, Brazil, Poland and Nigeria are four "hidden gems" that have the potential to become important growth markets. Rabobank says that early investments to establish a route to market and build brand awareness hold the key to long term growth in these markets.
Rabobank says that with maturing or declining sales in many traditional markets, wine companies across the globe are increasingly searching for new growth markets. Emerging markets are attracting the interest of nearly all major wine companies. But, the bank says, those companies that were late to invest in these markets often have a greater challenge as the competition has already established routes to market and has garnered share of mind with the consumer.
Hidden gem markets are not currently the largest nor the most attractive wine markets in the world. These markets offer good prospects for long term growth, but are in earlier stages of development and may thus carry more risk. However, the rewards for identifying hidden gem markets, investing early and successfully developing a beachhead may be worth the risk for some companies.
Rabobank's four hidden gems – Mexico, Brazil, Poland and Nigeria – each offer good prospects of medium to longer term growth for ambitious wine exporters willing to make early investments in building their brands in these markets:
Stephen Rannekleiv, Rabobank Food & Agribusiness Research analyst, said: "Wine companies are now facing the question of what to do with these four hidden gems. Although they present opportunities, each has a very different market with much uncertainty for traditional branded wine companies. Furthermore, along with the opportunities in these markets come risks, and the possibility that the opportunity may not be realized.
"The flip side is that early exposure to nascent markets gives a company hard-won experience and expertise as well as a head start on the competition that will likely emerge as the markets develop. Wine companies that manage these opportunities correctly have a chance at securing long-term profitable growth."
The Rabobank report on the growth potential of these smaller emerging wine markets is available to media upon request.
Rabobank Group is a global financial services leader providing wholesale and retail banking, asset management, leasing, real estate services, and renewable energy project financing. Founded over a century ago, Rabobank is one of the largest banks in the world, with nearly $1 trillion in assets and operations in more than 40 countries. In North America, Rabobank is a premier bank to the food, beverage and agribusiness industry. Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory team is comprised of more than 80 analysts around the world who provide expert analysis, insight and counsel to Rabobank clients about trends, issues and developments in all sectors of agriculture. www.Rabobank.com
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The Desert Boot is durable, versatile, yet an all time classic. The Opening Ceremony version of the classic boot, comes with a nice infusion of style, while staying in line with its classic looks. For Fall 2009 they present the boot in nice black and grey suede versions with thin leather soles. The Opening Ceremony Fall 2009 M1 Desert Boots are now available.
ViA: HiGHSNOBiETY


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Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (June 27, 1850 - September 26, 1904), also known as Koizumi Yakumo (小泉八雲) after gaining Japanese citizenship, was an author, best known for his books about Japan. He is especially well-known for his collections of Japanese legends and ghost stories, such as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things.
Early life
Hearn was born in Lefkada (the origin of his middle… (more)
Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (June 27, 1850 - September 26, 1904), also known as Koizumi Yakumo (小泉八雲) after gaining Japanese citizenship, was an author, best known for his books about Japan. He is especially well-known for his collections of Japanese legends and ghost stories, such as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things.
Early life
Hearn was born in Lefkada (the origin of his middle name), one of the Greek Ionian Islands. He was the son of Surgeon-major Charles Hearn (of King's County, Ireland) and Rosa Antonia Kassimati, who had been born on Kythera, another of the Ionian Islands. His father was stationed in Lefkada during the British occupation of the islands. Lafcadio was initially baptized Patricio Lefcadio Tessima Carlos Hearn in the Greek Orthodox Church.
Hearn moved to Dublin, Ireland, at the age of two. Artistic and rather bohemian tastes were in his blood. His father's brother Richard was at one time a well-known member of the Barbizon set of artists, though he made no mark as a painter due to his lack of energy. Young Hearn had a rather casual education, but in 1865 was at Ushaw Roman Catholic College, Durham. He was injured in a playground accident in his teens, causing loss of vision in his left eye.
The religious faith in which he was brought up was, however, soon lost, and at 19 he was sent to live in the United States of America, where he settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. For a time, he lived in utter poverty, which may have contributed to his later paranoia and distrust of those around him. He eventually found a friend in the English printer and communalist Henry Watkin. With Watkin's help, Hearn picked up a living in the lower grades of newspaper work.
Through the strength of his talent as a writer, Hearn quickly advanced through the newspaper ranks and became a reporter for the Cincinnati Daily Enquirer, working for the paper from 1872 to 1875. With creative freedom in one of Cincinnati's largest circulating newspapers, he developed a reputation as the paper's premier sensational journalist, as well as the author of sensitive, dark, and fascinating accounts of Cincinnati's disadvantaged. He continued to occupy himself with journalism and with out-of-the-way observation and reading, and meanwhile his erratic, romantic, and rather morbid idiosyncrasies developed.
While in Cincinnati, he married Alethea ("Mattie") Foley, a black woman, an illegal act at the time. When the scandal was discovered and publicized, he was fired from the Enquirer and went to work for the rival Cincinnati Commercial.
In 1874 Hearn and the young Henry Farny, later a renowned painter of the American West, wrote, illustrated, and published a weekly journal of art, literature, and satire they titled Ye Giglampz that ran for nine issues. The Cincinnati Public Library reprinted a facsimile of all nine issues in 1983.
New Orleans
In the autumn of 1877, Hearn left Cincinnati for New Orleans, Louisiana, where he initially wrote dispatches on his discoveries in the "Gateway to the Tropics" for the Cincinnati Commercial. He lived in New Orleans for nearly a decade, writing first for the Daily City Item and later for the Times Democrat. The vast number of his writings about New Orleans and its environs, many of which have not been collected, include the city's Creole population and distinctive cuisine, the French Opera, and Vodou. His writings for national publications, such as Harper's Weekly and Scribner's Magazine, helped mold the popular image of New Orleans as a colorful place with a distinct culture more akin to Europe and the Caribbean than to the rest of North America. His best-known Louisiana works are Gombo Zhèbes, Little Dictionary of Creole Proverbs in Six Dialects (1885); La Cuisine Créole (1885), a collection of culinary recipes from leading chefs and noted Creole housewives who helped make New Orleans famous for its cuisine; and Chita: A Memory of Last Island, a novella based on the hurricane of 1856 first published in Harper's Monthly in 1888. Little known then, even today he is relatively unknown in New Orleans culture. However, more books have been written about him than any other former resident of New Orleans other than Louis Armstrong. His footprint in the history of Creole cooking is visible even today.
Harper's sent Hearn to the West Indies as a correspondent in 1889. He spent two years in the islands and produced Two Years in the French West Indies and Youma, The Story of a West-Indian Slave (both 1890).
Later life in Japan
In 1890, Hearn went to Japan with a commission as a newspaper correspondent, which was quickly broken off. It was in Japan, however, that he found his home and his greatest inspiration. Through the goodwill of Basil Hall Chamberlain, Hearn gained a teaching position in the summer of 1890 at the Shimane Prefectural Common Middle School and Normal School in Matsue, a town in western Japan on the coast of the Sea of Japan. Most Japanese identify Hearn with Matsue, as it was here that his image of Japan was molded. Today, The Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum (小泉八雲記念館) and Lafcadio Hearn's Old Residence (小泉八雲旧居) are still two of Matsue's most popular tourist attractions. During his 15-month stay in Matsue, Hearn married Setsu Koizumi, the daughter of a local samurai family, and became a naturalized Japanese, taking the name Koizumi Yakumo.
In late 1891, Hearn took another teaching position in Kumamoto, Kyushu, at the Fifth Higher Middle School, where he spent the next three years and completed his book Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan (1894). In October 1894 he secured a journalism position with the English-language Kobe Chronicle, and in 1896, with some assistance from Chamberlain, he began teaching English literature at Tokyo (Imperial) University, a post he held until 1903. On September 26, 1904, he died of heart failure at the age of 54.
In the late 19th century Japan was still largely unknown and exotic to the Western world. With the introduction of Japanese aesthetics, however, particularly at the Paris World's Fair in 1900, the West had an insatiable appetite for exotic Japan, and Hearn became known to the world through the depth, originality, sincerity, and charm of his writings. In later years, some critics would accuse Hearn of exoticizing Japan, but as the man who offered the West some of its first glimpses into pre-industrial and Meiji Era Japan, his work still offers valuable insight today.
The Japanese director Masaki Kobayashi adapted four Hearn tales into his 1965 film, Kwaidan.
Several Hearn stories have been adapted by Ping Chong into his trademark puppet theatre, including the 1999 Kwaidan and the 2002 OBON: Tales of Moonlight and Rain.
Hearn's life and works were celebrated in The Dream of a Summer Day, a play that toured Ireland in April and May 2005, which was staged by the Storytellers Theatre Company and directed by Liam Halligan. It is a detailed dramatization of Hearn's life, with four of his ghost stories woven in.
Yone Noguchi is quoted as saying about Hearn, "His Greek temperament and French culture became frost-bitten as a flower in the North."
There is also a cultural center named for Hearn at the University of Durham.
Hearn was a major translator of the short stories of Guy de Maupassant.
In Ian Fleming's You only Live Twice, James Bond retorts to his nemesis Blofeld's comment of "Have you ever heard the Japanese expression kirisute gomen?" with "Spare me the Lafcadio Hearn, Blofeld."
[From Wikipedia.](less)
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text:
What's New?
AnimeCons TV:
Getting Your Convention on Social Media
Causes of PCD: Post-Con Depression and Steps to Recovery
Top Ten Depictions of Conventions in Movies and Television
Convention Attendee Holiday Gift Guide
Tips to Avoid Con Funk
Five Things More Anime Conventions Need
How-to-Guide to Cosplay at Conventions
What to Pack in a Cosplay Repair Kit
Ten Convention Survival Tips
So You Want to Be a Cosplayer?
How-To Buy a Wig for Cosplay
FAQ for First Time Convention Attendees
A Parent's Guide to Anime Conventions
How-To Guide for Making a Budget for a Convention
How-To Guide for Planning to Attend a Convention
How-To Guide for Tipping at a Convention Hotel
How-To Guide for Making Travel Arrangements for a Convention
How-To Guide for Booking a Hotel Room for a Convention


text:
The Complete Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley
Love's Philosophy
Published by Leigh Hunt, "The Indicator", December 22, 1819. Reprinted by Mrs. Shelley, "Posthumous Poems", 1824. Included in the Harvard manuscript book, where it is headed "An Anacreontic", and dated 'January, 1820.' Written by Shelley in a copy of Hunt's "Literary Pocket-Book", 1819, and presented to Sophia Stacey, December 29, 1820.
The fountains mingle with the river
And the rivers with the Ocean,
The winds of Heaven mix for ever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.
Why not I with thine?—
See the mountains kiss high Heaven
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdained its brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth
And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?
_3 mix for ever 1819, Stacey manuscript;
meet together, Harvard manuscript.
_7 In one spirit meet and Stacey manuscript;
In one another's being 1819, Harvard manuscript.
_11 No sister 1824, Harvard and Stacey manuscripts; No leaf or 1819.
_12 disdained its 1824, Harvard and Stacey manuscripts;
disdained to kiss its 1819.
_15 is all this sweet work Stacey manuscript;
were these examples Harvard manuscript;
are all these kissings 1819, 1824.


text:
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text:
by F. Wisner
(New York)
small light brown tufted bird with crown black and orange beak
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to What Is This Bird?.
May 19, 18 03:00 AM
Little bird about 3-5 inches, it is uniformly light medium brown with no other distinguishing marks. Heard it singing tweety-bird tweety-bird tweet over
May 17, 18 11:44 AM
We've had rose breasted grosbeaks eating black sunflower seeds at our backyard feeders here in Michigan every winter for years, then in the spring they
May 17, 18 11:42 AM
about the size of a cardinal brown back and tail, head darker brown, throat , breast and under side of ytail bright yellow, wings extend length of body


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Could be his agent saying that to reporters. I remember when Terrell Suggs bombed his 40. Scouts said he didn't have enough speed to translate to the NFL.
hear he's not the most athletic guy. Also heard he bombed his pro day.
had two great years even while dealing with the spinal issue
Yet, I still see red flags.
Please shine some light onon this guy... I know he will be on the board @ 9
And a 4.90, 40 yard dash at his pro day?!??
Could be his agent saying that to reporters. I remember when Terrell Suggs bombed his 40. Scouts said he didn't have enough speed to translate to the NFL.
The list goes on, lazy, doesn't stop the run.....hates the gym?
Clearly Vernon Ghloston was a much better prospect.........
I'd rather Mingo or Datone Jones. Mingo is faster and has more 3-4 like experience then Jarvis. If we go that rough I'd rather Mingo. Datone Jones IMO has the biggest upside of the DE/OLB class. Not the proven edge rusher Jordan is but has all the moves just needs a little coaching up. I am not sold on Werner or Ansah being all that.
Originally Posted by Paradis
I'm not trying to be combative, but the points you're using to illustrate your thinking - are razor thin and flawed. There's a ton of examples of guys who timed slow, and played huge. A boat load that timed fast and played slow. Etc etc. Jones can play OLB. if you don't think that - switch to another sport.
The reality is @ 9 - you work with what you got. Patterson? Hell no. Have you actually watched a full game of his?? Or just youtube highlights... Landry Jones... Landry freaking Jones?? Dude, why are we even having this conversation.
The value at 9 is D-lin/OLB/OG. It is what it is. ...I know people here want Offense (so do I) but the way this team's built this year - it's not in the cards to go chasing unicorn quarterbacks, and make-belief Wide receivers... Build up the trenches, fortify the walls, and then we can go balls out in that department next year.
God forbids this happens. If so, then the Jets, FO etc deserve whatever fate befalls them.
Typical SOJF thinking - the solution to our needs in right in front of us available at our pick and they blink, doubts creep in, balls drop etc
This guys was extremely productive and dominated elite college opposition... For God's sake pick the man


text:
Martin "Marty" A. Drollinger, 86, of Grandview, a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, "a man admired and respected by all," and a longtime Sunnyside and Grandview businessman, went to be in the arms of his loving Savior on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014.
Marty was born Jan. 31, 1928 in Kenesaw, Neb., the son of Lynn Robert and Virginia Lenora (Howard) Drollinger. At the age of seven the Drollinger family moved to Spokane, where Marty attended school. During high school he worked for his uncle Fred at Acme Concrete Company. Marty graduated from Mead High School with the class of 1946.
In 1947 brothers, Howard, Harley and Marty along with their parents, Lynn and Virginia, moved to Sunnyside and established Valley Ready Mix Concrete Company in Sunnyside and Grandview.
On May 1, 1948 he married the love of his life, Suzanne (Anne) Kollmar in Sunnyside. After 56 years of owning and operating Valley Ready Mix, the business was sold in 2003. His business partner, Bill Douglas, and all his employees meant the world to him. He treated them all like family. For Marty, time spent with family was a treasure.
He enjoyed taking his family and grandkids on summer vacations to Sunriver, Ore. Ski trips, rounds of golf, watching sports and hosting dinners with family and friends were also a big part of his life. Marty especially enjoyed watching beautiful sunsets from his living room windows. Those moments to him were priceless.
Marty was a classic car enthusiast, enjoyed reading, bowling and traveling with family and longtime friends.
He loved being around all of his pets, who held a special place in his heart.
Marty was an active member of Bethany Presbyterian Church serving as an Elder and Trustee, a member of Lower Valley Golf Course (now named Black Rock Creek Golf Course), past member of Grandview Rotary Club, Lower Valley Elks Club 2112 and in his younger years was a volunteer fireman for the Grandview Fire Department.
Marty is survived by his wife, Anne Drollinger of Grandview, (they had 65 wonderful years of marriage); three sons, Terry Drollinger, Mike (Norma) Drollinger, Mark (Trish) Drollinger, all of Grandview; four grandchildren, Drew (Taryn) Drollinger of Oregon City, Ore., Jeramie Drollinger of Ellensburg, Dacia Drollinger of Grandview and Keala Drollinger of Yakima; his brother, Harley (Pat) Drollinger of Naches; extended family, Cameron (Lori) Grow and family of Pullman, Chris (Shawna) Grow and family of Grandview, David (Tabitha) Foster of Lynnwood, Ashley Foster of Sunnyside, Morgan Rogers of Bellingham; and many special nieces, nephews and dear friends.
Marty was preceded in death by his parents, Lynn and Virginia Drollinger; and one brother, Howard Drollinger.
Dad and grandpa, we were blessed to have had you as a part of our lives and will always remember the stories you have shared with us. Those memories will live in our hearts forever.
Viewing and visitation will be held Tuesday, March 4, 2014, from 3 to 8 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home in Sunnyside. Graveside services will be held Wednesday, March 5, 2014, at 10 a.m. at Lower Valley Memorial Park in Sunnyside. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, March 5, 2014, at 11 a.m. at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Grandview.
Those wishing to honor Marty's memory may contribute to the Bethany Memorial Fund or the Union Gospel Mission in Yakima.
If you would like to sign Marty's online memorial book you may do so at www.funeralhomesmith.com.
Smith Funeral Homes Ltd. and Crematory in Sunnyside is in charge of arrangements.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.


text:
With the latest national headlines about families battling with hospitals to keep a relative on life support after being declared brain dead, the definition of death has been a topic of concern, and has been a topic of concern for religious, and philosophical beliefs for eons. Advancements in medicine ushered in new practices for patients to breathe artificially on ventilators and to be nourished via feeding tubes along with exact scientific measurements of human functioning.
Gerald Vigna, Ph.D., a medical ethicist and theology professor at Alvernia University in Reading, explained how this has led to legal battles over the definitions of death.
�First, it is so tragic when loved ones must come to terms with the finality of death. The extraordinary advancements in medical science have made the matter at times more, not less, confusing. Thus such conditions as locked-in syndrome from ALS or a persistent vegetative state where there is only brain-stem activity have raised the question of what type of medical treatment is ethically required.�
Referring to the legal definition, Vigna pointed out that the definition of death in all 50 states is the cessation of all brain activity.
A Berks County family, speaking anonymously, related their own similar experience. �It is the most heart wrenching decision a family will ever have to make. Our son, after suffering a major stroke and surgery to place a stent into the brain stem, suffered a severe brain hemorrhage and shift of the brain with no possible reversal or cure. The doctors recommended turning off life support.� The local mother held her son�s hand as a Catholic priest administered the last rites of the church guiding his soul to heaven; both praying the prayers of the church as the machines went to zero.
Vigna points out the difference between a patient who is brain dead and a person so severely injured that recovery to a meaningful life is impossible. �In the latter case, medical ethics has adopted a standard that medical treatment can be refused or withdrawn when the burden of the treatment outweighs the benefit to be gotten from it.�
Various sensationalized news reports and the accusations against the California hospital conjured up guilt and second guessing in the painful memories of this family.
And then Fox News broadcasted an interview with Father Jonathan Morris, a Catholic priest who said �science and religion are not at odds. The neurological definition of death is brain death. Five doctors have examined her and declared her brain dead. The machines are only keeping her breathing. The soul is gone to heaven. Someone needs to counsel this heartbroken family to help them accept this,� according to video.foxnews.com/v/3019259511001/father-jonathan-morris-weighs-in-on-jahi-mcmath-case/?playlist_id=921247447001#sp=show-clips.
Vigna said, �Fr. Morris rightly makes the point that the families left behind deserve compassionate care in line with their religious or spiritual beliefs to come to terms with this uniquely painful loss.�
Vigna also spoke about the necessary steps everyone should take in advance of such circumstances. �Prepare a living will and a durable power of attorney. Research all these matters carefully. We owe it to our loved ones not to let them face these decisions without guidance.�
Tri County Record correspondent Carol Quaintance has a B. A. in Multi Media Communications with a minor in psychology from Alvernia University where she studied Medical Morality Theology as well as Theology and Mysticism. In addition, as director of the former local non-profit �Wellness Connection �she took classes in Mind /Body Medicine and Healing and Spirituality at Harvard�s Mind Body Medical Institute, Boston Massachusetts with Herbert Benson , M.D., cardiologist, researcher, and medical professor who holds the first chair in the world in Mind Body Medicine.


text:
GEM & Jenny Tseng Clearly Still on Bad Terms, Jenny: "She Apologized?"
Monday January 21, 2013 Hong Kong
Source: Oriental Daily
Translated by: aZnangel @ http://asianuniverse.net
The two singers of different generations Jenny Tseng (Yan Nei) and G.E.M. were still unable to break the ice at last night's RTHK Music Awards. The two said they didn't encounter each other at the awards, but it was said when Jenny was on the side of the stage waiting to walk out, GEM was standing nearby 10 steps away, but the two still acted like the other is invisible. No wonder Jenny continued to bash GEM on stage, "A singer should be self-cultivated. Don't act arrogant."
When Jenny accepted an interview, she was asked if saw GEM? Jenny said: "Nope. (GEM invited you to attend her concert, will you go?) If the time is right, why not!" Earlier, GEM apologized to Jenny via Weibo, but Jenny criticized: "Oh…..she apologized? (GEM explained on Weibo she saw you chatting with friends that day, so she didn't want to disturb you.) We were in the same line for a long time, I wasn't being interviewed, but that is the past and not a big deal. I don't understand why this issue has been so exaggerated, very surprising."
Jenny frankly expressed she just wanted everyone to learn and have self-cultivation on how to get along with others. Self-cultivation and good singing voice are the key to being a successful artist. She's just trying to 'put money in everyone's pockets' (give advice): "I didn't tell a single lie. I can't even say her three character Chinese name, there is no need to be directing towards anybody. I also have a concert soon, and I don't want people to think I'm trying to get publicity. I just hope you all go easy and help me, help others."
GEM expressed she was already mentally prepared and imagined if she were to see Jenny, would she say hi, shake her hand or give her a hug. However, she and Jenny never met backstage. Jenny disclosed that day, GEM actually had more than enough time to go greet her, but she didn't? GEM helplessly said: "In my memory, there wasn't this opportunity. (This time, you missed the opportunity to break the ice with this senior?) Leave it to nature, I feel very pressured!"
GEM & Jenny Tseng Clearly Still on Bad Terms, Jenny: "She Apologized?"
Started by foreverleila , Jan 22 2013 07:45 AMhong kong gem tang
8 replies to this topic
Posted 22 January 2013 - 07:45 AM
Posted 22 January 2013 - 10:15 AM
she's surprised that this issue is being dragged when she made comments like that on stage? Jenny Tseng may be a good singer but she is obviously a diva. So somebody didn't say hi to you, big deal? You might have seen her and expected her to come up and kiss your ass but maybe she didn't want to disturb you. I don' like GEM, I think she's fake, but I do think Jenny's being a plain b*tch now. Self-cultivation? you obviously can't practice what you preach.
Posted 22 January 2013 - 11:37 AM
The more I read about this news, the more I see Jenny in the wrong. She is truly a DIVA. Perhaps GEM finds Jenny very intimidating and hasn't got the courage to greet her due to Jenny looking all standoffish. The more this news carries on the more Jenny will be seen as the one with the problem.
Posted 22 January 2013 - 02:36 PM
Ok this whole situation looks like a me me me situation, like I'm the one who is right I didn't do anything wrong.
Posted 22 January 2013 - 02:46 PM
Took me really long to figure out who this woman is. Gosh this whole article made her sound like a very petty person! I never ever felt that G.E.M. is arrogant. From her videos on her youtube channel, she comes off as someone very down to earth. Just because she made a video about some music awards it makes her arrogant?.. OK then I guess all the others who have made comments before are equally arrogant... or maybe not so.. since they are seniors themselves so they are excused *rolls eyes*
Edited by SoulReaper, 22 January 2013 - 02:49 PM.
Posted 22 January 2013 - 04:47 PM
Well Jenny haven't had news for a long time and I guess this is making her in the limelight again LOL
Just cos shes a veteran, her words doesn't make her none the wiser
Just cos shes a veteran, her words doesn't make her none the wiser
Posted 22 January 2013 - 07:53 PM
So a being a long timer means you can bash ppl on stage
You are old enough to know that bashing on stage is just going to hurt the singer, so dont do it
But she doesnt seem to understand
You are old enough to know that bashing on stage is just going to hurt the singer, so dont do it
But she doesnt seem to understand
Posted 22 January 2013 - 07:57 PM
Lol, Yan Nei telling others not to be arrogant, that's rich. Maybe she should follow her own advice there.
Posted 22 January 2013 - 08:54 PM
The lesson learned here: 'veterans' especially have to be careful what they say and how they say it because the position they are in will have a huge bearing on how people will respond (both in the industry and outside of it). True, Jenny might not be wrong about certain artists being rude and of course she has the right to express her opinon, but the way she said it and the subsequent way she handled the matter makes it hard for people to support her sentiment. I personally like and respect Jenny for her singing skill / talent, but when it comes to her 'out there' personality and the stuff she says -- well, thanks but no thanks!
Case in point -- compare Jacky Cheung's response about the GEM 'rudeness' situation to Jenny Tseng's response and you'll see why one is truly the industry's revered and respected God of Songs while the other is merely an attention-seeking 'has-been' Diva (at least that's the way the Media portrayed it).
Case in point -- compare Jacky Cheung's response about the GEM 'rudeness' situation to Jenny Tseng's response and you'll see why one is truly the industry's revered and respected God of Songs while the other is merely an attention-seeking 'has-been' Diva (at least that's the way the Media portrayed it).


text:
Im having trouble getting playlists onto my vibez
Someone mentioned earlier in this post that it supports M3U, but when i try to copy M3U playlists to it, it tells me that filetype is not supported
it created a folder on the drive, by itself, in media called "My Playlists" but the playlist i make on the player arent in that folder for some reason
anyone have any idea how to get playlists on there?
I'm not sure m3u is supported in MTP mode. My first recommendation is to force it to connect in MSC mode.
How can I force the Vibez to connect to my WinXP pc in MSC mode instead of MTP?
1. Open Windows' Device Manager
2. Find the vibez in the list of devices
3. Right-click and select "Update Driver..."
4. Choose "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)", then click Next
5. Choose "Don't search. I will choose the driver to install.", then click Next
6. Make sure that "Show compatible hardware" is checked
7. There should be two "Models" available, "MTP Device" and "USB Mass Storage Device", choose whichever one you want to switch to, then click Next
8. Wait for Windows to do it's thing then click Finish
After that's done, the vibez will show up as an external hard drive, and you can put your m3u playlist files wherever you want. Just make sure you pay attention to relative paths. If the tracks in the playlist aren't in the same location relative to the m3u, nothing will play.
Just curious, did this work for you?
playlists, yes -- M3U playlists, maybe not
I ,too, want playlists for audiobooks on my vibez. M3U's were ignored. So how to tell what it wants? The vibes creates it own playlists right on the player, right? and you can edit them there too !
I created a playlist on the device of what music was currently playing by using the command on the vibez menu, and then hooked to a pc and looked at the playlist the vibez had created. It puts them in My Playlists, but you can put playlists in the directories of audiobooks that you upload to the vibez--you do not have to put them in the My Playlists directory, and it is simpler to erase them later (as a usb mass stor. device) because you just delete 1 directory, not the directory and them go find/delete the playlist from it's directory. Vibez scans all directories on power up for playlists anyway.
So look at the playlist. The filename extension is .wpl so search google for .wpl and it is a Windows Media Player Playlist. To be sure, check the syntax in the playlist, and sure enough, it follows the conventions of that language.
How do you make a playlist in that format? 3rd party software, or can be done in Windows Media Player I would think, but I am not running Windows. And I don't want to run some program that manages my music--I just want a playlist.
So I made a Bash script for use at a command line in Linux, Unix, or I think also under Windows (with cygwin) that mimics the playlist that the vibez creates.
The script is called mkplaylist.sh and just needs to be on your path somewhere (with permissions set so all users can read/write/execute it and owner:group set to a non-root user/group, in my case steve:users). I put it in /bin though others may put it other places. To use it, just change to the directory that you have an audiobook in (or music), and type:
bash mkplaylist.sh > whatever-playlist-name.wpl
The bash might not be necessary if you are already running bash, but will always work if you include it.
The script creates a playlist file in the current directory using whatever name you gave it. It includes all the header info identical to the playlist the vibes created, and has all .mp3 files in the current directory listed in the playlist.
Here is the bash script:
---- start -------------------------------------------------------
if [ $1x == '--helpx' ] || [ $1x == '-hx' ]
echo "Usage: mkplaylist.sh [playlist-name] > output-playlist-name.wpl "
echo " "
echo "if [playlist-name] not given, current directory name used"
echo "makes a playlist of all *.mp3 files in current directory"
echo " "
echo "written for Trekstor Vibez 1/1/2008 SKM & BRM"
CURRDIR=`pwd | sed s/'\/.*\/'// `
echo -e "<?wpl version=\"1.0\"?>"
echo "<smil>"
echo -e "<meta name=\"Generator\" content=\"mkplaylist.sh\"/>"
echo -e "<author/>"
echo -e -n "<title>"
if [ $1x == x ]
echo -n -e $CURRDIR ;
echo -n $1 ;
echo -e "</title>"
echo -e ""
echo -e '<seq>'
for x in *.mp3
echo -n -e " <media src=\".."
echo -n -e "/$CURRDIR/"
echo -n -e $x
echo -e "\"/>"
echo -n -e "</seq></smil>"
----- end ----------------------------------------------------
The way we get the filenames is on purpose, so that this script handles filenames that have spaces in them as well as ones that don't.
There may be better ways to do this--I'm willing to learn,
if you know better ways, share them, but this accomplishes making playlists for the vibez, either on your hard drive, or if your vibes is hooked to the computer as a usb mass storage device, this script will make them in the directories you put on vibes that contain your music files.
Just for additional info, to mount the vibes in Linux, you have to add a line to your /etc/fstab file telling it how to mount it. In my fstab I put the following line:
/dev/disk/by-id/usb-TrekStor_vibez_0510F7B07F6BA7D2C-0:0 /media/vibez vfat users,defaults,exec,umask=000 0 0
The above is one line--though shows as two in this editor.
You will have to substitute the udev unique name given above (the usb-Trekstor_vibez part) for the one for your player. You do that by getting a directory of the place where it shows up. Type:
ls /dev/disk/by-id/
and then looking for your device. Be sure to let the connection settle 5-10 seconds to let it show up before
getting the directory.
Once you have that line in your fstab, (be sure to create the mount folder, too:
as root type:
mkdir /media/vibez)
Then you can mount it by simply typing:
mount /media/vibes
and when done (before you unplug it),
umount /media/vibes
If you do this a lot of times, you can make icons on your desktop or taskbar to do these commands by just clicking,
though you might miss error messages that way.
I can't tell what operating system people in this thread are using, so I hope my linux directions don't bore people that don't need them.
If you know anything about batch file programming, you should be able to rewrite the script file as a DOS batch file and have it work that way too. If you get stuck, I can help.
Please respond to the forum so we can hear how it goes for you!
Oops! I spelled vibez wrong in two places, so substitute vibez for vibes please when mounting and unmounting!
Nice work! However, the vibez does indeed support .m3u playlist files. Just make sure the entries in the playlist file use relative paths and that they accurately reflect the location of each track relative to the location of the .m3u file itself.
I don't do this frequently, but it has never failed to work for me in MSC mode.
Here's some more info that may prove helpful. This is based on information provided by one of the developers that worked on the firmware:
Good to know!
But the term relative playlists is a mystery to me.
the vibes creates the .wpl with the files listed prefixed by
a ../ before the filename. If you have directories in your vibes--but no subdirectories--is that a relative path name?
Or what makes a pathname relative?
Here is the way that I have made m3u files for my audiobooks for other players:
first change to the directory where the audio book is.
then type:
ls *.mp3 > playlist.m3u
The ls command prints a directory of just filenames and the redirection command redirects the listing to the filename we give it. And that gives an ordered list of all .mp3 files in that directory into the filename you gave. Because you are doing this in the current directory, there are no paths at all.
There are more things you can put into m3u files, but this works for all the audiobooks and music I have tried.
So what is needed to make a "correct" m3u file for the vibez to see it? We have no examples because the vibes does not create m3u files. It just creates .wpl files as far
as I have seen.
So do you have one that will work? Can you upload a sample .m3u file that you have used and know to work?
Something with relative path files?
And if you can, can you also share a correct playlist in the other formats?
I like the command line and would like to write scripts to make all these types of playlists from the command line.
But I woould need examples of what does work.
Here you go. In this example, I copied the test.m3u to a folder called \My Music\ on the vibez. All paths below reside under the same \My Music\ folder:
FWIW, I copy my AmaroK playlists to another folder on my home directory and do a global replace of the difference in path names. I've used gedit for this in Linux. In Windows, you could do the same thing for a player that uses m3us (maybe with notepad).
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AATA Online: Abstracts of International Conservation Literature
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- A free database for professionals engaged in the conservation and management of material cultural heritage in all of its forms: works of art, cultural objects, architectural heritage, and archaeological sites and materials.
- AATA Online comprehensively reviews and abstracts 150 journals and conference proceedings as new issues appear that selectively represent the field's core literature.
- The database includes over 100,000 abstracts dating from 1932 to the present. Over 1,000 new abstracts are added to the database each quarter.
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