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We geeks are the doers.
We make things.
We create new stuffs.
We come up with new and exciting ideas.
But we are *NOT* tools for anyone.
That "pepsi consultant" can go eat shit and die - if he or she thinks he/she can push geeks to do whatever he/she likes.
The "consultant" thought he would make a name for himself by acting like Gordon Ramsay. Hilariously, he was right, just in the exact opposite of what he hoped for. Unlike the chef, he did nothing to earn any such position and tried to generate strife where there was none.
I've been a professional game programmer for quite a while. Yes, female programmers are rare. I've worked with only three or four in the last fifteen years or so if I recall correctly. They're mostly to be found in the art, design, QA, and production/management departments. To be honest, this always made me a little sad, because one of the big strengths of working on teams comes from having different skill sets of course, but also different opinions and viewpoints. As with anyone else, their actual skills varied quite a bit from person to person. But I really don't think it comes down to sexism or anything that people should freak out about - it's just not a job that appeals, for whatever reason, to a large number of women.
I've never even heard anyone at work malign someone on the job because they were female. Granted, I'm not exactly in the position to hear that sort of thing, but most developers I know don't have that sort of mind set to begin with. They're there because they love making games, and don't really care about whether someone is male or female. It never really made much of a difference to me, at least.
I'm proud of the devs for not taking the bait and declining to participate in this idiotic "Pepsi Consultant's" little drama show. What a fucking moron.
To be honest, this always made me a little sad, because one of the big strengths of working on teams comes from having different skill sets of course, but also different opinions and viewpoints.
While better than saying, "We don't want women," I think it is odd to see this idea that women should be wanted for a different viewpoint, as opposed to just wanting people in general with different viewpoints. Opinions and viewpoints seem to be largely influenced by upbringing and life experiences. While there are still plenty of women around who were raised differently as girls than a typical boy was, and there are many women around with different experiences than that. There is still plenty of crap that women put up with when older, but experiences vary there too.
The result is that many of the same things that resulted in men ending up in a male dominated field can often be the same reasons some women get into the field, and there is little to no difference between them as a result, beyond the typical person to person difference. I've known several women who went into engineering, probably in part because they had parents that felt raised them with the attitude, "I don't care if you are a son or daughter, but you should learn how to use basic tools, and if you take an interest, we can work on projects together." As adults, they are not defined as a female engineer, but just as an engineer.
While better than saying, "We don't want women," I think it is odd to see this idea that women should be wanted for a different viewpoint, as opposed to just wanting people in general with different viewpoints. Opinions and viewpoints seem to be largely influenced by upbringing and life experiences. While there are still plenty of women around who were raised differently as girls than a typical boy was, and there are many women around with different experiences than that. There is still plenty of crap that women put up with when older, but experiences vary there too.
The article, if you read it, was largely about an artificial attempt to inject sexism and conflict into the show where none at all existed. Thus, I'm commenting on women's roles as game developers as I've seen it from inside the game industry as a programmer.
I simply feel that women tend to bring a unique viewpoint to the table. I would never pretend to be able to represent the viewpoint of a black man or a gay man. Nor would I be able to represent the viewpoint of a women, because those factors tend to fundamentally alter one's life experience, giving people unique perspectives. Don't read into it any more than that.
Anyhow, the entire point of my post was that, in my experience, most game developers *don't* actually give this much thought in a professional environment. We're too busy trying to make fun games that we (and hopefully others) will enjoy. I'm also not claiming sexism hasn't been a problem either - just that I've never seen it personally. All I have is a perspective of one person's life, so take that for what it is.
There are pervasive differences in the experience of living in the US based entirely off gender (and others based on, say, race), so having someone female on a team will give you insights into things that an all-male team is extremely unlikely to be aware of. And vice versa, although that's much rarer.
That people aren't aware of this is, to some extent, part of the problem.
This is different. I saw the word 'pepsi' and 'brand management' and knew the pepsi guy was the one who would mess it up.
Let me regale you of a tale from my younger days. We were having a meeting with the BIG customer Pepsi.
The lead dev was busy in the basement coding away. He was called and summoned up to the meeting as the BIG customer wanted to ask some questions. He grabs his drink off his desk and walks in. Answers their questions. They are happy, everyone is happy. Until the second meeting.
'We have decided to fund the project but you can not have that one developer anywhere near the project'.
The PM leans back in his chair and says 'Why is that?'
'he brought a coke can into this meeting'
''We can do what you ask but the project will never be completed'
'WHAT *WE* are paying for it'
'you just fired the lead developer of the project and the only one who knows how to do what you want'.
I have heard numerous stories like this one about Pepsi. I may like their drinks, but their management is cray cray. Everything is about the brand and not the customer.
The "consultant" thought he would make a name for himself by acting like Gordon Ramsay. Hilariously, he was right, just in the exact opposite of what he hoped for.
Let me suggest an alternative. The consultant was very smart. He knew that without strife and discord, there would be no show. Nothing that people would watch. Reality programs need drama.
So, he worked to create strife. He forced the participants to drink Mountain Dew (so, more caffeine than they were used to) in order to get them hyped up. He made deliberately provocative statements. He did everything possible to get the participants out of their comfort zone and arguing with each other, deliberately, in order to make a show that would sell.
Arguably, although his plan failed, the show might have also failed without his influence, simply because of a lack of drama.
"Let me suggest an alternative. The consultant was very smart. He knew that without strife and discord, there would be no show. Nothing that people would watch. Reality programs need drama. "
Let me offer an opposing view, you didn't read the article and have no idea what you are talking about.
Since the actual show wasn't a reality show, it was something more akin to "http://www.amctv.com/shows/the-pitch" or home makovers where the homeowner comes back to see their renovation and the show follows the technical aspect of the renovations, there was no need for "manufactured" drama.
In fact, making an indie game from scratch, involving all the technical aspects from both veterans and novices (the programmers and youtubers respectively), and having to do this on an imposed deadline would create all the "real" drama needed to make the show interesting. Not to mention the inside look at what most people never get to see, creatives making entertainment out of nothing.
what this douchebag did was take a creative environment, strip all of the creativity out of it and then throw in heaps of sexism, forced strife, corporate policy and "reality" fakey crap (like forcing a game programmer to re-enter a "scene" 5 times to get the "shot").
the biggest stupidity was that he was just some corporate douche who used the sponsorship ties the program had to force changes he thought would make the program better, he wasn't even someone there to make those decisions, only by throwing his corporate money weight around was he able to get the ones who were in charge of that stuff to concede to his input.
at the end of the article everyone pretty much agreed if this douche had never been there, there would have been no issue...
TL:DR the adults would have gotten along fine without this mental 3yr old.
Umm that "consultant" is a very powerful media exec. He MADE his career doing exactly what he did during this game jam. The difference is he is used to targeting Jersey Shore/reality tv of the week on MTV type of audience, 20 something party all night didnt go to college OMG camera lets scream and show our tits people.
Matti Leshem is Pepci go to guy when tehy want to reach young and loud retard crowd. He is not going away anywhere. If anything Pepsi will drop the idea of targetting geeks, after all they are
That "pepsi consultant" can go eat shit and die - if he or she thinks he/she can push geeks to do whatever he/she likes.
Well, if the event was sponsored by Pepsi, yes. That's generally one of the conditions for sponsorship.
Otherwise the event will probably either not happen because there are no funds to organize it, some other sponsor is found (to which one has to follow THEIR rules), or some other form of fundraising is determined.
It's why sites like Wikipedia don't do advertising - because they refuse to
Well, if the event was sponsored by Pepsi, yes. That's generally one of the conditions for sponsorship.
There's a big difference between putting up Pepsi logos and branding (which everyone involved said they were fine with) and forbidding anyone to use any drink that isn't a Pepsi product, including water and coffee. No one could reasonably have expected the latter going in.
Nor does corporate sponsorship imply that a "branding consultant" should engage in aggressively sexist behavior that would get someone fired if they did it in any normal white-collar office.
A good allegory to this is the Simpsons episode with the "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" show. A bit long for my ADD, but makes the point.
But we are *NOT* tools for anyone.
Obviously, you've never been to Silicon Valley. That place is chock full of tools.
Would you like to see a half-million-dollar TV show in which four teams of indie developers and Youtube personalities compete to create amazing videogames?
I'd rather play the game they made as a finished product instead.
And letting us vote on the games would be the competition.
I'm not even Australian, apparently I just write in some sort of impenetrable code.
Is that even English? Seems more like some dystopian futurespeak loosely based on a form of English which has been coopted by media and communications majors.
Not only is it English, it is British English from English Britain, the original and still the best English since 1066.
Accept no substitutes.
So...Norman French? Because that's the language they were speaking after 1066...
Not only is it English, it is British English from English Britain, the original and still the best English since 1066.
More like the tortured English of Murdoch's London headline writers. I don't think they are required to have a complete understanding of the language. I could write a book entitled "How to turn any sentence into meaningless gibberish with just a Thesaurus" using just London newspaper headlines as examples.
Practically unreadable. It is far too long and contains many run-on sentences. Further it is filled with jargon that is not explained.
Yeah, I couldn't figure out if the article just wasn't meant for the general public, like maybe "Indie Statik" is only focused on game developers, and unless you were' heavily into that world, you shouldn't bother reading this.
I wondered about that because not only was there a lot of jargon, but there strange and unclear metaphors, and there were references to various things that seemed to assume you'd understand the reference. Half the time, I didn't know what the author was talking about. Maybe someone
The answer is "Some people who aren't you."
I would, except that the idea of another "drama" filled "reality" snorefest instead of a real documentary would ruin it.
It's not that nobody would watch people code for four days. It's that nobody would watch manufactured reality show drama troweled over hour-long chunks of dramatically-edited footage of people coding.
Well, people would, but at that level of edited reality, it becomes irrelevant what the contestants are actually doing. They could be sorting tiny screws or building Lego sculptures of breakfast foods and the show would be the same.
http://www.tvrage.com/person/i... [tvrage.com]
Read the articles. That was proposed by the sponsors after firing the asshole. However, the devs had lost so much energy and focus due to the jackass that they were pretty confident anything they'd come up with at that point would be crap. Rather than put out crap just to finish, they walked.
It opens with paragraphs of him saying how awesome he is. Funk dat.
I'm only about a third of the way into the article, and it's already hilarious.
You generally don't read a lot of crash and burn stories, so this is great. The author needs more drugs, though, and some speed.
As an aside, it shows how one person can make a difference - whether that difference is negative (in this case) or positive.
I would like to point out how buzzword-y the Maker Studios website [makerstudios.com] is.
Maker is a talent first, technology-driven media company. Entertainment is changing. Millennials are living a mobile, social, on-demand life.
That's not a thing, that's just a narcissist.
So he tried to create a Jerry Springer kind of air by trying to antagonize the teams and getting them to go ad hominem against each other, and those geeks didn't go for it. Wow, who would've thought that geeks care more about content and less about form, more about what a person can do than who they are...
Matti, in case you're reading this: Don't. Just
"Would you like to see a half-million-dollar TV show in which four teams of indie developers and Youtube personalities compete to create amazing videogames?"
No. And I can't imagine what drugs somebody was smoking to even think it was a good idea in the first place. It's boring as hell to watch people talk and pound on keyboards. Essentially internal processes (like the excitement of creating a game) are invisible to the third party observer. There's a reason why reality shows are filled with drama real, fake, and everywhere else on the spectrum between the two extremes. That's what pays the bills.
The production company grasped that, the self absorbed prima-donna "indies" did not. Seriously, when the introductory paragraph and a good chunk of the overall text is the narcissistic writer bragging on himself and how cool the "scene" was... I could see the train wreck coming.
After being incredibly turned off by "reality" shows that contain no reality at all ("Dangerous Flights" is the most egregious example I've seen lately), I was totally absorbed by Penny Arcade's low-budget reality show offering of Strip Search [penny-arcade.com] last year. (The site is slightly misorganized, but you can find stuff if you try).
The show was a dozen web comic artists in competition. The premise of a single artist being funded and supported by Penny Arcade for a year was motivational, and the simple act of appearing in an episode granted even the entrants ousted first an audience for their work. While it was clear the producers provided for the possibility of backstabbing and conflict, they didn't go out of their way to insert any, and in the end the show was all the better for it. I'd actually put PA's Strip Search above 90% of professional, high-budget, high-production-values TV series.
My point being, it's totally possible to structure an interesting show where game dev competition is friendly and rewarding for all, and producers with zero-sum on the brain don't exist. It just hasn't been made yet, apparently.
After reading all three articles, I'm glad the developers walked out. Now they need to stop apologizing about it. They were recruited by misrepresentation, and when they found out, they didn't like it. They have nothing to apologize for. They don't need to justify their actions. That the sponsor lost $500K is not their problem.
Hmm. What got me was that it all fell apart when the Mountan Dewd Bro started instigating sexist shite. [gamasutra.com]
"Do you think you're at an advantage because you have a pretty girl on your team?"
"Do you think the teams with women on them are at a disadvantage?"
As expected the indies didn't putting up with corporate sell-out nonsense or reality-TV false shit-stirring of sexism in games. Marketdroids should have known better. [youtube.com]
Protip: Developers are not the players. That's really two separate communities, and there is zero barrier to entry, just like romance novel writing. There are far more female romance novelists. There are far more male indie gamedevs. It's not sexist. Different sexes make different choices in general since Men and women are different. [youtube.com] A generalization doesn't limit the individuals who are free to be outliers. To get rid of the sexism and racism we've got to stop looking at things in terms of those constructed identity labels, and focus on what the individuals are actually creating and deciding and experiencing for themselves.
Thus spake the master programmer: "When a program is being tested, it is too late to make design changes." -- Geoffrey James, "The Tao of Programming"


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We visited a coastal area of China where the average age is 79 years old! People very routinely live to be over 100 and the area has become known as the "longevity region." I asked the tour guide what they eat, and he said, local vegetables and fruit, and seafood. I saw not one overweight person. (I felt like I was visiting the China Study!)
Everywhere we went in Asia, the people eat YOUNG COCONUTS, like I advocate for in 12 Steps and recipes. Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam. They are plentiful and inexpensive, sold in snack stands at every tourist spot. Purveyors just whack the top off with a machete (see photo below) and pour the liquid into a container to drink. Or they'd just poke a hole and stick a straw in for you. What incredible nutrition.
Unfortunately, Coca Cola is also everywhere on the globe as you'll see in the photo, competing with natural snacks like electrolyte-rich coconut liquid. The sons of the ladies serving the coconut liquid were running around underfoot drinking not coconut liquid, but Cokes! They were only 7 or 8 years old, but their teeth were black and rotted. (After I saw them, I wish I'd taken a photo. I taught them some Americanisms, though, like how to say, "Get OUT!" from Seinfeld and do "knuckles"). I'm sure these people think, Coca Cola is from America, so it must be good, because Americans are rich and happy! (Their exposure is limited to the mass media of glamorous celebrities, and tourists with pockets full of cash.)
What a terrible thinking error THAT is!

subset: commoncrawl


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The Green Bay Packers have re-signed CB
In 2013, Shields started 14 games for Green Bay and tallied a career-high 64 tackles (57 solo), a career-high-tying four INTs and a team-leading 25 passes defensed (also a career high). He joined the Packers as non-drafted free agent out of the University of Miami in 2010 and has appeared in 53 games with 35 starts during his four seasons with the club. For his career, Shields has posted 165 tackles (138 solo), 64 passes defensed, 13 interceptions, one forced fumble and one sack.


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New street signs and maps detailing the area, a hotel building boom and numerous trashcans up and down Jackson Ave. are just some of Gayle Baron's accomplishments during her 14-year tenure as president of the Long Island City Partnership.
Now, Long Island City will have to find someone else to take the reigns as Baron recently announced she is retiring from the post where she helped put LIC on the map.
"I have never found a more supportive and involved group of men and women," said Baron, who described her experiences as demanding and challenging, but also enlightening, fulfilling and fun.
Outside her time as president, Baron also was executive director of the Long Island City Business Improvement District (BID), co-chair of the New York City BID Managers Association and executive director of the New York Women's Agenda.
Prior to coming to Long Island City, Baron was an executive with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where she was involved in economic development, real estate and ground transportation.
"[I am going to miss] the opportunity to bring Long Island City to the next level," Baron said. "I'm so proud of what we've done as a team and there's more to do. I think that the area will continue to evolve and grow."
As president of the partnership, Baron oversaw the move of JetBlue headquarters from Forest Hills to Long Island City, supported businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy, helped create tourist street maps and witnessed the increase of hotels in the area.
"We think it looks fantastic," Baron said in reference to the giant JetBlue sign installed on the roof of the Brewster Building at Queens Plaza. "We believe it's just another iconic sign that will help brand Long Island City."
JetBlue has 1,000 employees in Long Island City and is one of the largest employers in the neighborhood. Several local businesses reported an increase in customers when the airline arrived.
Baron also partnered with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to propose and install signs and maps throughout the neighborhood to assist the increasing number of tourists, as well as new residents.
"We want to keep encouraging tourism," she said. "This can be such an economic engine for New York City."
As Long Island City has become a popular tourist attraction over the years, residents have also seen a spike in hotels in the area. Nearly 20 hotels in the area have been built within the past six years. LIC's proximity to Manhattan and its comparatively cheaper prices are a big reason for the spike.
"You have eight subway lines that arrive in Queens Plaza and Jackson-Vernon," Baron said. "It's also a very safe neighborhood. Our international visitors like the fact that it's a little hip and edgy."
Baron said she hopes that Long Island City will reach its full potential.
"I envision Long Island City as fully built out with far more commercial development than we have right now, with general retail, restaurants, and small businesses also thriving," she said. "I think it will become a real residential hub."
Although the neighborhood is bringing in a lot of new businesses and residents, Baron hopes that those living in the area for a long time stay.
"What we see today is just the tip of the iceberg," Baron said. "I think in the next decade the entire area is going to expand and I'm going to feel so good coming back and seeing that all those building blocks really worked."
Dan Miner, former senior vice president of the LIC Partnership, joined Baron and a number of her friends and former associates at her retirement party at SHI Restaurant, located at 47-20 Center Blvd., to wish her a bright future.
"It is difficult to overemphasize the importance of Gayle Baron's contribution to the LIC renaissance over the last 14 years," Miner said. "She is still committed to making the best LIC possible."
Miner described Baron as someone who is "incredibly dedicated," an "excellent leader and mentor" and someone who is "not willing to settle for anything but the best."
"Gayle very often worked behind the scenes, coordinated and guided the efforts of volunteers on non-profit organizations, economic development and city agencies, and pulled a lot of things together," Miner said.


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Where the Germs Are Lurking in Your Home
Find out the best ways to disinfect your home.
Most people don't realize that when it comes to spreading germs, the kitchen is a bigger culprit than the bathroom, says microbiologist Philip Tierno of New York University and author of The Secret Life of Germs. The kitchen faucet, refrigerator handle, and microwave buttons are some of the germiest things in your house, mainly because so many people touch them and yet they're rarely cleaned.
As for the kitchen sponge? "It's the worst," says Tierno, because bacteria thrive in the sponge's damp crevices. A survey last year by the Hygiene Council, an international group of infectious disease experts, found that 70 percent of kitchen sponges and cloths in the United States had high levels of bacteria. When those contaminated sponges are used to wipe down the counters, "you just spread the bacteria around," notes Chuck Gerba, an expert in environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona.
Colds, stomach flu, even food-borne illnesses can be spread by touching the germy surfaces in our homes. The kitchen, where raw food is prepared, can be host to pathogens like salmonella and E. coli, which can sicken older Americans with weakened immune systems, notes Tierno. "Those who are diabetic or caring for elderly parents should pay attention to the germ hot spots in their homes," he says.
A 2008 study by the University of Virginia found that the cold virus can live on surfaces around the house for up to two days. Most frequently contaminated were doorknobs, refrigerator door handles, TV remote controls, and bathroom faucets—all items that had been touched by study participants suffering from the common cold.
Other viruses, says Gerba, can survive on household surfaces from a few hours to several weeks. The norovirus, which causes diarrhea, can last for several weeks.
So what's the best way to disinfect the items and surfaces we touch the most?
Nuke the sponge. "Put the sponge in about an inch of water in a container and microwave it for a minute," says Tierno. The water helps conduct the heat evenly so it can kill any bacteria or viruses. You should do this daily, especially if you've used the sponge to clean up after food preparation. Don't put your sponge in the dishwasher unless you have a special high-heat germicidal cycle, warns Tierno. The regular dishwasher cycle isn't hot enough to disinfect a germy sponge.
Use bleach diluted in water. About three tablespoons of bleach in a half-quart or even a quart of water is the simplest, cheapest, most effective way to kill both bacteria and viruses on household surfaces in both the kitchen and the bathroom. "And it won't stink up your house with fumes," adds Tierno. There's also no bacterial resistance to bleach, says Gerba. "Bleach has been used for more than 100 years without a problem." If making your own solution is inconvenient, you can purchase disinfecting wipes made with bleach. Use them to wipe down light switches, faucet handles, doorknobs, the microwave touchpad, and the telephone.
Don't forget the drain. Tierno calls the kitchen sink "a repository for germs, especially the drain." Scrub the drain with a brush and a solution of bleach and water.
Wash your hands. You'll spread fewer germs around the house if your hands are clean. Use warm water and soap and wash for 15 to 20 seconds—about the time it takes to sing the "Happy Birthday" song twice, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Candy Sagon is a writer with the AARP Bulletin.
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Cause Determined for Car Accident That Killed Two Texoma Teens
The cause of a fatal car accident that occured on Kell West just after 5pm on Friday (1/4) killing two Archer City teens has been determined.
Wichita Falls Police Information Officer Sergeant John Spragins says that the several-car collision was caused by a lead vehicle slowing down on the freeway causing other vehicles behind to wreck.
The two teens who died, 17-year-old Shon Blair and 18-year-old Dalton Schwartz-Maxwell were both in a Chevy Aveo. 17-year-old Billy Bob Skaggs, also in the Aveo, and 30-year-old Tiffanie Gonzales, in a separate vehicle, were also seriously injured.
While the setting sun was in fact glaring down the westbound lanes of Kell, Sergeant Spragins says that glare will not be listed as a factor in the crash report.
A benefit account to help the Schwartz-Maxwell family with funeral expenses has been set up at American National Bank under the name Heather Jolyn Maxwell.


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YANGON, Myanmar – Myanmar's president has pardoned 56 political prisoners, moving forward with his pledge to by the end of the year release all those jailed for opposing the government.
President Thein Sein ordered their release Tuesday, just ahead of a forum in Brunei to be attended by leaders from across Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Myanmar is expected to face questions about ongoing sectarian violence.
It has become a pattern for prisoner amnesties in Myanmar to coincide with high-profile international meetings as a way of highlighting the nominally civilian government's reforms since taking office after years of absolute military rule.
A member of the government's political prisoner scrutiny committee, Ye Aung, said those released Tuesday included several ethnic minorities. He said about 130 political prisoners are still believed to be jailed.


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Tonight, the final episode of the Whitest Kids U' Know airs on IFC and I'd just like to say 'thank you' to all of you out there who have tuned in week after week, sent our sketches around youtube and told everyone about our little show.
It's hard to believe that its been 5 years since we debuted on the Fuse network ( right before Pants Off Dance Off! ) and so many of you have been so kind and supportive since day one.
I remember doing a live interview on Steve's Untitled Rock Show, only one week after the show came out, and being shocked that so many people who liked the show actually came down to the studio to say 'Hi' and stand outside the window (in the rain even!).
When the show moved to IFC, I was, again, shocked by how many of you wrote in saying you were going to add the channel so you could watch our show. And every time we've toured, it's been amazing how nice and cool everybody we've met has been. ( Hardly any of you give us a hard time about how crappily rehearsed our live shows are!)
If it wasn't for so many of you sending our sketches around the Internet, we never would have gotten the show, and if it wasn't for you guys embracing the show the way you did, we'd never would have been picked up by IFC, and if it wasn't for how awesome you've been to us since then, we'd never have been able to do 5 seasons.
This isn't the end of the story. We'll still tour as a troupe, we'll still make specials and we're writing a new film as we speak – but we're getting to the end of a chapter. And it's been a great chapter thanks to you guys.
Love you all, see you soon
(And a very special thanks to everyone at IFC for putting up with us for all these years. We'd never have been able to make a show this dirty, anywhere else )


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State lawmakers in New Jersey have taken their first step toward creating a museum for fire apparatus. Members of the New Jersey State Assembly introduced a bill that would appropriate $2 million to establish the museum at Allaire State Park in Monmouth County.
The rationale behind the bill, co-sponsored by state assemblymen Christopher Bateman and Peter J. Biondi, would be the preservation of fire trucks and other equipment that saw duty in New Jersey. The state Department of Environmental Protection would be authorized to build a new home for a fire apparatus collection that was donated to the state by fire buff Ernest N. Day, who began bequeathing the rigs in 1963. Known as the Day Collection, its pieces date back to the early 20th century.
Also, the bill calls for the DEP to set up an advisory committee to find an appropriate site at the park. There was no immediate news on whether Gov. John D. Corzine intends to sign the bill.
(This post originally appeared in the December 21, 2006, issue of the Hemmings eWeekly Newsletter.)


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Ask Slashdot: How To Get Paid For Open-Sourcing Your Work? 167
kc600 writes "Say you're a freelancer, using mainly open source solutions. You notice that customers, although they don't object to the whole open source idea, don't see the point in paying you for the time it costs you to properly open source your code. As a result, code is not released, because it would take too much time to factor out the customer-specific stuff, to debate architecture with the other developers, look at bug reports, et cetera. You feel there's something to contribute that many might benefit from. The code would also be better maintained if more people would use it, so the customer's project would also benefit. But you're not going to do it in your free time; you have enough on your mind and the bill is paid, right? What useful tricks can you think of to encourage yourself — and your customers — to properly share code, to the benefit of all, and get paid for it?"


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The long-awaited next instalment in the critically-lauded BioShock series has been delayed until 2013.
BioShock Infinite - which will switch the original two games' underwater setting to that of an art deco floating city - was originally set for release in October 2012.
But now the game will be released on 26 February in North America, apparently to apply final spit and polish - or perhaps to provide space for Grand Theft Auto V's - theoretical - release in October.
At least one analyst has suggested Rockstar Games and BioShock publisher 2K, which are owned by games giant Take-Two Interactive, might be looking to coordinate big releases - although that remains speculation.
In any case, the game will not be shown at either E3 or Gamescom, developers Irrational Games have now said. A final UK release date has not been confirmed.
"When we announced the release date of BioShock Infinite in March, we felt pretty good about the timing," said Ken Levine, co-founder of Irrational Games, in a blog post on the company's website.
"Since then, we've come to realise that some specific tweaks and improvements will make Infinite into something even more extraordinary.
"Therefore, to give our talented team the time they need, we've decided to move the game's release."
He added: "The great can be made greater, and we owe it to both ourselves and to you, our fans, to take this opportunity."


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-10.21.09- On Tuesday the UN sent out an alert that East Africa could be hit by flash floods in approaching months, with the potential to affect hundreds of thousands of people already suffering from a severe drought. The prediction comes from the UN's humanitarian coordination office that reported that the El Nino climate pattern in the Pacific basin could set off heavy rain in the Horn of Africa, which is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in a decade. Read more
Flooding Expected To Hit Drought-Stricken East Africa
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Tropical storm threatens floods, slides in Mexico
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-10.21.09- Tropical Storm Rick threatens to trigger dangerous flash floods and mud slides when it makes landfall in western Mexico after sparing Baja California's glitzy resorts a direct blow. Read more
PHILIPPINES: Storm-weary Farmers Suffer Huge Losses
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-10.21.09- Philippine agriculture officials said the agriculture sector suffered the most from the two cyclones. They placed the total damage to agriculture and fisheries wrought by the two typhoons at 18.5 billion pesos (397.65 million U.S dollars). The amount covers lost crops, fish and livestock, the damaged irrigation facilities and 200,000 hectares of submerged land. Read more
Lupit threatens the Philippines
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-10.21.09- Having been downgraded from a highly dangerous super typhoon earlier in the week, Lupit is still packing sustained winds of 92 mph (148km/h) with gusts to 115mph (185km/h). Read more
Heavy rain floods Colombia cities
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-10.21.09- The Colombian capital Bogota is one of several cities in the country which has suffered floods after a day of torrential rain. Hundreds of people were trapped by the waters, which reached up to a metre high in places – but authorities say there have been no deaths or injuries. Read more
Philippines starts evacuation ahead of new typhoon
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-10.19.09- The Philippines began evacuating thousands of people in northern areas prone to floods and landslides on Tuesday ahead of a powerful typhoon that has gained strength over the Pacific, officials said. Typhoon Lupit, which means "fierce" in Filipino, was expected to make landfall around the far northern tip of the Luzon region by Thursday and dump more rain on typhoon-weary provinces, said Prisco Nilo, head of the weather bureau. Read more
Australia braces for severe bushfire season
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-10.21.09- Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd warned the nation Wednesday to brace for a severe bushfire season as fire crews battled intense blazes stoking memories of infernos earlier this year which killed 173 people. With the fire season barely under way, firefighters from two Australian states have been battling huge blazes threatening the northeastern tropical city of Rockhampton and coastal hamlets further south in New South Wales. Read more
Slow-moving Typhoon Lupit may skirt Philippines or Taiwan
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-10.21.09- Authorities distributed canned goods and rescue boats and kept helicopters on standby as Typhoon Lupit slowed to a crawl along a course that forecasters said might hit the northern Philippines by Friday or veer toward Taiwan. Read more
Flood-borne disease leaves 89 dead in Philippines
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-10.17.09- Massive floods brought by powerful storms have caused an outbreak of the deadly disease leptospirosis that has claimed 89 lives in the Philippine capital alone, the health secretary said Saturday. The incidence of the disease in the Philippine capital and surrounding areas rose to 1,027 with 89 fatalities from October 1-15 this year compared to 769 cases and only 39 deaths in the same period last year, Secretary Francis Duque said. Read more
Tropical storm Rick threatens flash floods in Mexico
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-10.21.09- Tropical storm Rick made landfall Wednesday in northwestern Mexico having lost its punch as a former top-strength hurricane, but still threatened the region with heavy rain and flash floods, US forecasters said…With possible rainfall of 10 inches (25 centimeters) over Sinaloa and the central state of Durango in the next day, the NHC warned the rains "could produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides." Read more


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For many teens, high school years are about proms, homecoming, Friday night football games, basketball games and plenty of fun. For Kayla Romero they were filled with countless doctor visits, trips to Denver for treatments, and hospital stays as she battled re-occurring Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
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How Men Feel: You Should Dress For Your Boyfriend's Holiday Office Party
Figuring out what to wear for your boyfriend's holiday office party means walking a tough line between looking like a babe, so as to impress his colleagues, and looking elegant enough to impress his boss's wife. For other people. Not for you. You look like Audrey Hepburn every goddamn day. Here is some advice from our male friends directed towards women who are certainly not you.
Disclaimer: We mostly like doing these so we can berate our male friends for their foolish opinions afterwards. You should take them about as seriously as we do. Also, we're wearing giant bear headdresses right now. [ITPGallery]


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After this week you should have either an upset stomach, stress headache or both. Human beings do not do well in markets that climb up and down by over a percent on a daily basis. Unfortunately, as this market bottoms, we may expect more of the same.
On the plus side, the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou received a parliamentary vote of confidence this week. Yet, facing investors this week is a vote on the passage of the austerity plan that the European Community demands in exchange for bailout money.
Economic data continues to disappoint with the latest unemployment figures coming in more than expected. Wherever you look, gloom and doom pervades the minds and hearts of
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On Thursday, for only the third time in its history, the International Energy Agency decided to release 60 million barrels of oil from global strategic petroleum reserves. They did so in order to "ensure a soft landing for the world economy."
As readers are aware, I suggested that investors "take profits" on oil as it soared past $100 a barrel almost two months ago. I argued that the clearing price on oil should be closer to $85 a barrel, given the slow growth of world economies. I was early in my recommendation, since oil subsequently climbed as high as $112 a barrel before plummeting to its present level of around $90 a barrel. I fully expect my price target will be
The European Community's solution to the Greek debt crisis has been an exercise in kicking the can down the road for well over two years. Unfortunately, this Greek Tragedy is now taking on the dimensions of a three-ring circus and taking the world's financial markets along with it.
This week, the volatility in the stock markets was reminiscent of the bad old days of 2008-2009. The on-again, off-again status of Greece's promised next installment of last year's bailout package was the chief cause of concern. The money was promised to Greece, if it cut the country's deficit of $40 billion. So far that hasn't happened. The Greek population has taken to the streets once again to prevent the
Here we are in the middle of June, in the third year of a presidential cycle, and no one is talking of its historical bullish implications. Despite all the present gloom and doom about the economy and the stock market, here's something to remember. There has never been a negative return in the stock market during the third year of any president's four-year term since 1939.
Sure, there could always be a first time. And if you look at the historical data and compare it to this cycle, you can understand why. Usually, the year immediately following a president's election is negative. Barak Obama's first year, however, was extremely positive. The stock market lows were put in March of that
Last week's uninspiring gain in employment disappointed Wall Street and sent the markets into the doldrums. As July approaches and the start of most state and local government's new fiscal year begins, expect a lot of pink slips in the mail.
Unfortunately, the continued slow economy and the end of federally-sponsored stimulus programs are delivering a one-two punch to most state budgets. Since states are required to balance their budgets each year, cutting spending is a necessity. Most economists are forecasting at least a loss of 110,000 jobs in local government sectors in the third quarter.
Negotiations with state employee unions have been largely one sided. Either the unions accept
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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — With the legislative session adjourned, members of the Senate Government Oversight Committee are poised to renew an investigation into state employment issues aided by the authority to subpoena witnesses.
The committee gained that authority through a resolution passed as the last Senate action of the 2014 session on Friday.
The oversight committee wants to know who authorized payments for silence to former workers who signed settlement agreements. It's also investigating hiring and employment practices and bidding, purchasing, and contracting policies.
Senate Government Oversight Chairwoman Janet Petersen says she hopes to have the first hearing this month.
Petersen says the panel needs to question current and former officials and will see if they come willingly before issuing subpoenas.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Juventus striker Vincenzo Iaquinta's agent, Giuseppe Iaquinta, has questioned the Serie A club's summer purchase of Arsenal forward Nicklas Bendtner.
The Danish international moved to Turin on a season-long loan deal on transfer deadline day - a move that has prompted an angry response from the 32-year-old's father and representative.
"This purchase I do not understand," Iaquinta senior told Tutto Juve. "Why spend money on him when you have Vincenzo in the team? Last year they took Marco Borriello – doing this has written down my son in an incredible way.
"I do not understand. What has Vincenzo done wrong? He was always respectful, always tried in training and because he suffered some injuries, has been shown the door like this.
"We have been polite, respectful, and yet Juve and the President do not say a word. When Juve were going through a bad period, Vincenzo was there for them. And then when he suffered some bad injuries, he was shut out like a rookie."
Bendtner's future at the Emirates Stadium appeared bleak after Gunners boss Arsene Wenger strengthened his forward line with the acquisition of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, forcing the 24-year-old to search for another club in his bid for regular first-team football.
Having spent 2011/12 on loan at Sunderland, the striker had hoped to be considered for the Arsenal team this season. But, after being left behind on the club's pre-season tour of North America, he opted to link up with the Bianconeri on loan.
Antonio Conte's side have started the season in fine form, with six wins and one draw from their opening seven games in Serie A. However, that hasn't prevented an element of unrest amongst some of the club's fringe players.
"It is not fair to treat a person like that," added Iaquinta. "With all due respect to the Agnelli family, you cannot destroy a person psychologically like they have done with [my son] Vincenzo."
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Status Report
From: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Posted: Monday, December 3, 2012
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce that leaders from academia, government, and industry will gather in January in the Dallas-Fort Worth area at the 51st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition, January 7-10, at the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Convention Center, in Grapevine, Texas.
In addition to a wide range of technical sessions on aerospace science and engineering, the event will feature a series of keynote addresses and panel discussions, with the New Horizons Forum putting special emphasis on the theme "Aerospace Science - We Push the Envelope, We Solve Hard Problems, We Build the Future."
The keynote speakers for the New Horizons Forum include:
* Monday, January 7, 1:30 p.m. - Lt. Gen. Larry D. James, deputy chief of staff, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Headquarters, United States Air Force
* Tuesday, January 8, 8:00 a.m. - Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, U. S. Air Force
* Thursday, January 10, 8:00 a.m. - Joy L. Bryant, vice president and general manager, International Space Station, Space Exploration, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
Panel discussions for the New Horizon Forum will include:
Wednesday, January 9, 9:30-11:30 a.m.: Spin-on Technology for Aeronautics and Space, featuring: Paul Giangarra, IBM distinguished engineer, IBM; Rich Friedrich, director, Cognition Based Analytics, Hewlett-Packard Laboratories; Kent Cunningham, chief technology officer, Microsoft Corporation. The panel will be moderated by Rupak Biswas, division chief, Advanced Supercomputing Division, NASA Ames Research Center; and Wyatt Kash, editorial director, AOL Government.
Over 1,300 technical papers are expected to be presented at the conference.
The 51st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting will also offer a new program for young professionals, who will one day assume leadership roles in the aerospace community. AIAA's inaugural "Rising Leaders in Aerospace Forum" will allow young aerospace professionals, age 35 and under, to engage with other aerospace professionals to learn best practices and gain valuable advice and guidance. The forum will feature a speed mentoring leadership exchange, panel and keynote sessions, Q&A sessions with top industry leaders, and multiple networking opportunities.
Other career-oriented sessions being offered to attendees at the Aerospace Sciences Meeting include:
* Tuesday, January 8, 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: "Tactical Maneuvering - Charting Your Own Career: A Career Workforce Development Workshop"
* Tuesday, January 8, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: "Get Your Green Card - Immigration Options for Scientists and R&D Engineers"
* Wednesday, January 9, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: "Intellectual Property Law Workshop"
Also featured are a series of distinguished lectures, which are free and open to the public:
* Monday, January 7, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. - The AIAA Durand Lectureship in Public Service will be presented by Gen. John R. Dailey, United States Marine Corps (retired), director, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C. The Durand Lectureship, named in honor of William F. Durand, was approved by the Board of Directors in 1983. It is presented for notable achievements by a scientific or technical leader whose contributions have led directly to the understanding and application of the science and technology of aeronautics and astronautics for the betterment of mankind.
* Monday, January 7, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. - The AIAA Dryden Lectureship in Research will be presented by Alan H. Epstein, vice president, technology and environment, Pratt & Whitney Corporation, East Hartford, Conn. The title of the lecture will be "Mechanics and Dynamics Research for Advanced Airbreathing Propulsion." The Dryden Lectureship in Research emphasizes the great importance of basic research to the advancement in aeronautics and astronautics, and salutes research scientists and engineers.
* Tuesday, January 8, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. - The AIAA Wright Brothers Lecture in Aeronautics will be presented by Thomas J. Cogan, director, airplane product development, Boeing Commercial Airlines (retired), Seattle, Wash. The title of the lecture will be: "Creating the Dream: Development of the 787 Dreamliner."
* Wednesday, January 9, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. - The AIAA von Karman Lectureship in Astronautics will be presented by James H. Crocker, vice president and general manager, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Littleton, Colo. The title of the lecture will be: "From Galileo to Hubble: Mankind's Extraordinary Journey." The von Karman Lectureship in Astronautics honors an individual who has performed notably and with distinction technically in the field of astronautics.
The 51st AIAA ASM Executive Chair is Ray O. Johnson, senior vice president and chief technology officer, Lockheed Martin Corporation. The New Horizons Forum is chaired by Lt. Gen. John T. "Tom" Sheridan, U.S. Air Force (retired), vice president, National Security Space, The SI Organization, Inc. The Aerospace Sciences Meeting chair is Rob Vermeland, manager, aerodynamics and acoustics, Advanced Development Programs, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company.
For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Merrie Scott at 703.264.7530 or firstname.lastname@example.com. For exhibit opportunities please contact Chris Grady at 703.264.7509 or email@example.com. For more information on the 51st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition, please contact Duane Hyland at 703.264.7558 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Registration information can be found at www.aiaa.org/ASM2013. Registration for the 51st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exhibition is free for credentialed members of the media.
AIAA is the world's largest technical society dedicated to the global aerospace profession. With more than 35,000 individual members worldwide, and nearly 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineer
// end //
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- Champions League
Arsenal take depleted squad to Olympiakos
Arsene Wenger has opted to leave a number of his star players at home for Arsenal's Champions League trip to Olympiakos on Tuesday.
The Gunners boss, who admitted his team looked jaded during their 2-0 defeat at home to Swansea at the weekend, has left eight senior players behind.
Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski are both injured, while Jack Wilshere, Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker, Mikel Arteta, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud will miss the trip to Athens.
"Some players needed a rest because they were a bit on the fringe of injury and some players were a bit injured," Wenger told Sky Sports News. "When I count the injured players I speak about Podolski and Walcott.
"We 100 per cent needed to rest Wilshere and Cazorla, Arteta and Mertesacker played many games recently and have been rested.
"We he have one luxury that we can [rest players] but we have one necessity which is to win the game so I try to find the right balance between resting some players and having a competitive team."
Wenger, who is set to oversee his 150th Champions League match, appears to be prepared to risk Arsenal's chance of winning Group B. The Gunners are currently second, one point behind leaders Schalke - and Wenger is convinced victory will be enough to top the group.
"I am convinced that Montpellier will get a result against Schalke - they are highly motivated to do it," Wenger said. "If we win the game I am convinced we will finish top of the group. We know the Champions League is a difficult place and we need to play at a very good level to do it."


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When America's founding fathers approved of the first American flag in May 1776, and used the same colors to create the Great Seal of the United States at the Continental Congress in 1782, they had no idea how good the three hues would look on Corvettes centuries later. Their intentions were to symbolize the traits of their new country: valor and hardiness (red), purity and innocence ( white), and vigilance, perseverance, and justice (blue).
The Corvette's use of America's trademark color triad marks another series of famous moments in history; the first was credited to Corvette racer John Greenwood, who campaigned his red-white-and-blue "Spirit of ..." Corvettes at various venues, including Le Mans and Sebring, in the 1970s. Even as recently as May 2006, this tricolor scheme provided the palette for the '06 Corvette Indy 500 Pace Car. "These color choices were based on a patriotic theme as America's sports car," Corvette Product Manager Harlan Charles says.
So there's no doubt that American-based Corvette owners have employed the colors and imagery of the flag on their cars to show their patriotism for decades. But what about Corvette enthusiasts who have never been to America? What would prompt them to put the Stars and Stripes on their vehicles?
"I have always had a love for American muscle cars since I was a young boy, and I love Corvettes," Kevin Mafrici, a 60-year-old aircraft engineer in Chipping North, Australia, tells VETTE magazine. "I am the proud owner of a '98 Corvette coupe that clearly shows its American-born allegiance."
In 2000, Mafrici was celebrating his sixth year of Corvette ownership with a '92 Polo Green C4 convertible, but it was time for a change. "I had modified it immensely, but my wife had issues getting in and out of it, so I looked to replace it with a newer model," he says. "My intention was to import a C5. Back then, the late-model Corvette choices in Australia were rather limited; we didn't have a lot of options for color, transmission, or extras, so I purchased a Torch Red '98 coupe sight unseen; it had emigrated to Australia shortly after it was brand-new, sometime in 1999, and when I found it, there were only 4,000 miles on the odometer."
The '98 Corvette marked the second year of the C5 generation. A total of 19,235 coupes and 11,849 convertibles were produced, for a grand total of 31,084 units. All production models came with the then-new Gen III LS1 engine featuring 346 cid and 345 hp. Two new performance options were added for the model year: the JL4 Active Handling System and the Z51 Performance Handling Package.
After converting his Vette to righthand drive (RHD) to meet Australian regulations, Mafrici got to work "changing things." In 2002 he began cosmetic upgrades and light mods. "I focused on making the engine bay and underbody show ready, then added 13.5-inch drilled-and-slotted brake rotors and polished factory wheels, modified by Mag Wheel Repairs and Polishing, in Sydney," he says.
The next year he added a C5-R-style rear wing, carbon-fiber fender trim, stainless-steel brake lines, and interior accoutrements consisting of Simpson five-point racing harnesses, polished-aluminum gauge surrounds, a red-and-black-leather steering wheel, a billet shift knob, and a cockpit-mounted camera.
In 2004 he sent his Corvette to Advanced Airbrushing in Penrith for custom graphics born straight out of American history. "The thought of airbrushing was there from when I first bought the C5," he says. "The problem was what to paint. Most of the show cars had naked women on the bonnets; it looked great, but I never felt comfortable with that idea for my car. I had the idea of a racing winner's flag-black and white checkers-[but] it's been done many times before, on many different cars. Eventually, I came up with the idea of an American flag. I had to wait until the big car shows were over for the year, and then I booked my car in for the airbrushing. By chance, the painter at Advanced Airbrushing was American, and he had some great ideas; I finally agreed to the three-dimensional look."
Afterwards, Mafrici revamped the interior cabin again, this time with custom red-and-blue-leather door panels and trim to match the new look of his Corvette.
Then it was time for even more fun-squeezing more power out of the factory LS1. "In 2005, I decided to upgrade the engine with LS6 power," he explains. "There were a few websites that walked you through the changes, and I knew that my engineering background gave me the skills I needed to do the work myself. I retained the stock LS1 bottom end and upgraded it with a GM Performance Parts Hot Cam. Then I added GMPP LS6 racing heads with 61cc combustion chambers-which raised the compression to 12:1-Lunati pushrods, and Harland Sharp 1.8:1 roller rockers. I also changed the timing chain and the oil pump, and replaced the stock valve covers with C5-R units to give more clearance," he says.
Other engine mods include a Holley/John Lingenfelter Series polished EFI manifold with ported intake runners, modified coil mounts, Aeromotive billet fuel runners, and an Aeromotive EFI fuel regulator set at 60 psi.
Exhaust gases are exhaled through Bassani heat-wrapped long-tube headers (1 7/8-inch primaries) mated to a custom 3-inch exhaust that was designed and installed by Liverpool Exhaust in Moorebank. The nicest feature of the system is an electric bypass unit called the M5, which allows Mafrici to keep the exhaust mellow when he desires, or flip a switch and make it bellow. "You cannot believe the looks my Corvette gets when I drive it in full-bypass mode. When I back off hard, flames shoot out of the exhaust," he says. The suspension remains stock, except for polished A-arms, lowering springs, and Energy Suspension bushings.
What kind of power does this patriotic people-pleaser produce? According to Mafrici, his Vette spins the dial at 500 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. That may explain why he's on the third rebuild of the factory 4L60E, its most recent incarnation sent to Craig's Automatics in Chipping Norton for bulletproofing; the rearend is a factory Getrag LSD outfitted with 2.73 gears.
Though it has won more than 40 awards at car shows throughout Australia, this red, white, and blue Corvette's biggest compliment may have come from an American car club traveling Down Under. "When the graphics were finally completed, the Las Vegas Corvette Club was in Australia and joined my local club at a BBQ that we hosted," Mafrici says. The Yanks' responses? "They absolutely loved my Corvette. They wanted to take it back to America with them," he says.
That's easy to believe. After all, red, white, and blue has always been hard to beat, especially on a Corvette. As John Greenwood's C3 race cars proved time and time again in the 1970s, the spirit of the Vette and the spirit of America have always been one and the same: the determination to win, the desire to stand out from the crowd, and the love of the open road.
The same holds true today. "Most people in Australia love the look of my Corvette, too," Mafrici says. "But every now and then I get a few angry looks and comments [from Australian loyalists]. I don't care. My Corvette is here to please me, not them. If I ever get the chance to bring my Corvette to America, I will. I'm sure I can find plenty of people who agree with me that the American flag looks great on a Corvette...about 304 million of them!"
Car: 1998 Coupe
Owner: John Mafrici
Block: LS1
Displacement: 346 ci
Compression Ratio: 12:1
Heads: GM Performance Parts LS6
Valves: 2.00/1.57 (sodium-filled exhaust)
Camshaft: GMPP LS6 "Hot" (0.525/0.525" lift, 219/228-deg duration, 112-deg LSA)
Rocker Arms: Harland Sharp, 1.8:1 ratio
Piston: Stock LS1
Crankshaft: Stock LS1
Rods: Stock LS1
Intake Manifold: Holley Signature Series polished
Throttle Body: Polished stock
Fuel Injectors: Stock
Exhaust System: Thermal-wrapped, stainless-steel, 1 7/8-in long-tube headers; 3-in stainless pipes with dual polished mufflers and electric bypass valves
Transmission: 4L60E with HD rebuild
Torque Converter: Stock
Driveshafts: Stock
Front Suspension: Mid America Motorworks bushings, polished arms
Rear Suspension: Mid America Motorworks bushings, polished arms
Rearend: Stock with 2.73:1 gears
Front Brakes: Drilled-and-slotted rotors with polished calipers and red covers
Rear Brakes: Polished calipers and red covers
Wheels: Polished stock
Front Tires: Yokohama AVS, 255/35ZR17
Rear Tires: Yokohama AVS, 295/30ZR18
Fuel Octane: 98
Current Miles: 48,000
Miles Driven Weekly: Approx. 30


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text: In an interesting, and to be applauded, move from the BBC, they are now releasing a technology based television programme under a Creative Commons non-commercial attribution licence. R&DTV's first episode is now available for free download in a number of file formats. There is a full 30 minute version available, a shorter 5 minute highlight version, as well as a complete Asset Bundle, which includes rushes that may not have made it into the final programme versions.Full story »


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Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific syndrome of reduced organ perfusion secondary to vasospasm and endothelial activation that affects approximately 7% of all pregnant women. It is characterized by hypertension (blood pressure [BP] 140/90) and proteinuria (300 mg in 24 hours or 1 dipstick) after 20 weeks' gestation. Edema is no longer included as a diagnostic criterion for preeclampsia, although it is often present, as it is an expected occurrence in pregnancy and has not shown to be discriminatory.
If untreated (or sometimes even with aggressive treatment), the symptoms get progressively worse. Symptoms relate to decreased perfusion to the major organs: kidneys (proteinuria, oliguria), liver (epigastric pain, elevated enzymes), brain (headache, blurred vision, hyperreflexia, clonus, seizures) and the placenta (fetal distress, intrauterine growth restriction). The devastating sequence of events after preeclampsia is as follows: eclampsia (seizure occurs), HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme levels, low platelet count), followed by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), which is often fatal. Not only is preeclampsia life-threatening for the mother, but it can also cause intrauterine growth retardation, decreased fetal movement, chronic hypoxia, or even death in the fetus caused by decreased placental perfusion. If seizures occur, the patient has a risk for placental abruption, neurological deficits, aspiration pneumonia, pulmonary edema, cardiopulmonary arrest, acute renal failure, and death. Fetal bradycardia is typical during the seizure, usually with slow recovery to the baseline heart rate upon the seizure ending.
In addition to preeclampsia, there are four other categories of hypertension disorders in pregnancy: (1) Gestational Hypertension—BP of 140/90 in a normotensive woman, no proteinuria, and the BP returns to normal postpartum; (2) Eclampsia—The development of seizures along with preeclampsia; (3) Superimposed preeclampsia on chronic hypertension—New onset of proteinuria in a hypertensive woman; and (4) Chronic hypertension—BP of greater than 140/90 before pregnancy occurred or hypertension diagnosed after 20 weeks that persists past the postpartum period. The remainder of this chapter will focus on preeclampsia.
The cause of preeclampsia is unknown; it is often called the "disease of theories" because many causes have been proposed, yet none has been well established. Experts believe that decreased levels of prostaglandins and a decreased resistance to angiotensin II lead to a generalized arterial vasospasm that then causes endothelial damage. The brain, liver, kidney, and blood are particularly susceptible to multiple dysfunctions. Several risk factors have been identified that may predispose a woman to developing preeclampsia: nulliparity; familial history; multiple gestation; patient history of diabetes mellitus, chronic hypertension, renal disease, trophoblastic disease, and malnutrition.
Nursing care plan assessment and physical examination
Obtain a thorough medical and obstetric history early in the pregnancy to determine if the patient has any of the risk factors. If she had a previous delivery, obtain information on any problems that occurred. Assess the patient's level of consciousness and orientation because her mental status may deteriorate as preeclampsia progresses. Ask the patient if she has noticed an increase in edema, especially in her face; nondependent edema is more significant than dependent edema. The significant other may report that the patient's face is "fuller." Ask the patient if her hands and feet swell overnight and if her rings feel tight; she may even report that she is unable to take off her rings. Question her about any nausea, headaches, visual disturbances (blurred, double, spots), or right upper quadrant pain. Ask the patient and significant others if she has had seizures.
Inspect the patient for pitting edema. Although most pregnant women experience some edema, it has a more abrupt onset in preeclampsia. Weigh the patient daily, in the same clothes, at the same time, to help estimate fluid retention; often, the patient gains several pounds in 1 week. BP should be taken on the right arm while the patient is supine and also in the left lateral position. Compare BP readings to determine increasing trends.
A funduscopic inspection of the retina may reveal vascular constriction and narrowing of the small arteries. Auscultate the patient's lungs bilaterally to assess for pulmonary edema. Assess the deep tendon reflexes and assign a rating from 1 to 4; with PIH, reflexes are brisker than normal. Check for clonus bilaterally by dorsiflexing the foot briskly and checking if the foot comes back and "taps" your hand. Count the beats of clonus present; presence of clonus is indicative of central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Perform a sterile vaginal examination to determine if the patient is in labor or to determine the "ripeness" of her cervix for labor. Also note if the amniotic sac is intact or ruptured and if there is any bloody "show," which signals the onset of labor. If the amniotic sac is ruptured, note the color, amount, and presence of odor of the fluid. Assess the uterus for the presence of contractions, noting the frequency, duration, and intensity. Place the patient on the fetal monitor immediately to determine the status of the fetus. Provide ongoing assessments of the baseline fetal heart rate and of the presence or absence of variability, accelerations, and decelerations in the heart rate. Often, a nonstress test (NST) is done on admission to assess the fetus' well-being.
Remember that the patient's condition can deteriorate rapidly. Vigilantly monitor for signs and symptoms of progressive disease and impending eclampsia and HELLP. Assess the blood pressure, pulse, respirations, and urine output hourly. Check deep tendon reflexes and for clonus hourly or as ordered. Report upward trends. Be alert for such signs and symptoms of impending eclampsia as accelerating hypertension, headache, epigastric pain, nausea, visual disturbances, and altered sensorium, and also increased bleeding tendencies.
Many women expect pregnancy to be a happy and normal process; the hospitalization is unexpected. Assess the patient's ability to cope with the disorder and her social supports. In addition to concern about the pregnancy, she may have other children that need care while she is hospitalized. Assess the resources of the patient and significant others to manage job, childcare, financial, and social responsibilities.
Nursing care plan primary nursing diagnosis: Altered tissue perfusion (cardiopulmonary, cerebral, peripheral, renal) related to arterial vasospasm and obstruction to flow.
Nursing care plan intervention and treatment plan
Often, preeclampsia occurs before the fetus is term. The goals of treatment are to prevent seizures, intracranial hemorrhage, and serious organ damage in the mother and to deliver a healthy term infant. The only cure for preeclampsia is delivery of the infant; however, if the infant is preterm, care is balanced between preventing maternal complications and allowing the fetus more time in utero. If the symptoms in preeclampsia are mild, often the patient is treated at home on bedrest, with careful instructions and education on the danger signs and frequent prenatal visits to monitor progression of the disorder. Antihypertensives are usually not prescribed for mild preeclamptics; no differences in gestational age or birthweight have been noted, and growth-restricted infants were twice as frequent in mothers who took labetalol than those treated with bedrest/hospitalization alone. Mild preeclampsia is really a misnomer, because it can become severe very rapidly. Frequent tests of fetal well-being are done throughout the pregnancy, including an NST and biophysical profile, to detect the effects of preeclampsia on the fetus.
If symptoms of preeclampsia worsen, hospitalization is mandatory. Maintain the patient on complete bedrest. If the urine output is below 30 mL/hr, suspect renal failure and notify the physician. Readings of 2 to 4 protein in the urine and urine-specific gravities of greater than 1.040 are associated with proteinuria and oliguria. Hemodynamic monitoring with a central venous pressure catheter or a pulmonary artery catheter may be initiated to regulate fluid balance. Magnesium sulfate is given via intravenous (IV) infusion to prevent seizures. Serum magnesium levels are done to determine if the level has reached the therapeutic level; serum levels also alert the caregiver of a move toward toxicity. If the magnesium sulfate infusion does not prevent seizure, the physician may order phenobarbital or benzodiazepines. Using either low doses of aspirin or dietary calcium supplementation is being explored as means to prevent preeclampsia.
If the patient is alert and is not nauseated, a high-protein, moderate-sodium diet is appropriate. Low-salt diets are not indicated. Glucocorticoids may be given to the mother intramuscularly at least 48 hours before delivery to assist in maturing fetal lungs to decrease the severity of respiratory difficulties in the preterm neonate. A cesarean section is indicated if the fetus is showing signs of distress or if preeclampsia is severe and the patient is not responding to aggressive treatment. All efforts are made to stabilize the patient's condition before surgery.
Maintain the patient on bedrest in the left lateral position as much as possible. This position assists with venous return and organ perfusion. Maintain a quiet, dim environment for rest, close to the nurse's station. Eliminate extraneous noises, lights, visitors, and interruptions that might precipitate a seizure. Plan assessments and care to ensure optimal rest. Pad the side rails, and keep the bed in the low position with the call light in reach at all times. To be prepared for emergencies, keep a "toxemia kit," which includes an artificial airway, calcium gluconate (antidote for magnesium sulfate), syringes, alcohol pads, and other medications, at the bedside. If the patient is receiving magnesium sulfate, monitor for signs of magnesium toxicity: hyporeflexia, decreased respirations, and oliguria. Expect the patient receiving magnesium sulfate to be lethargic.
If the patient is in labor, closely monitor fetal heart rate patterns and contractions. If the fetal heart rate shows signs of stress, turn the patient to her left side, increase the rate of the IV fluids, administer a humidified oxygen per mask at 10 L/min, and notify the physician. Because abruptio placentae is a potential complication of preeclampsia, be alert for any of the following signs of placental detachment: profuse vaginal bleeding, increased abdominal pain, and a rigid abdomen. The fetus also shows signs of distress (late decelerations, bradycardia).
Provide emotional support to the patient and family. The onset and severity of preeclampsia, along with its potential outcomes for the infant, are worrisome. If delivery of a preterm infant is imminent, educate the family on the environment and care given in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Tour the NICU with the father, and explain what can be expected after the birth. This preparation helps alleviate some of the new parents' fears after the delivery.
After delivery, complications of preeclampsia can still manifest over the next 48 hours. Continue ongoing monitoring; be alert for seizures and indications that the patient is going into
HELLP syndrome.
Nursing care plan discharge and home health care guidelines
If the patient is discharged undelivered, emphasize that follow-up appointments are important for timely diagnosis of progressive preeclampsia. Educate the patient on the importance of the left lateral position for bedrest. Tell the patient to notify the physician immediately for any of the following symptoms: headache; visual disturbance; right upper quadrant pain; change in level of consciousness or "feeling funny"; decreased urine output; increase in edema, especially facial; or any decrease in fetal movement. Tell the patient to weigh herself daily and notify the physician of a sudden weight gain. Be sure the patient understands the seriousness of the disorder and the potential complications to her and her infant. If the patient is discharged delivered, she needs to receive similar teaching because preeclampsia does not resolve immediately after delivery.


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Given today's announcement by RR of all three QB's playing vs. Western, there are a couple of interpretations/reactions that spring to mind (there may be others but I'm a couple hours into some social drinking at the moment). The first is that with two true freshman and one so far terrible QB, that the decision to play all three is completely prudent and the only rational decision to make. As RR said, you don't really know how good they are until you see them in action vs. real opponents.
The other possibility is that no one has really separated himself from the others, which could cause some (given last year's terrible QB situation and play) to be mildly disappointed given our hunger for a clear starter to emerge and thrive.
As for me, my vote is squarely for the former. I think this is exactly what we should do given this year's team and the current QB situation. Let them prove themselves live, and have the competition continue through the early season. I'd only be slightly disappointed if someone didn't emerge by end of season, but even then if we're winning and getting effective play, it's all good.


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Attorney General Lockyer Announces Agreement with Rite Aid to Reduce Tobacco Sales to Minors
Multi-State Deal Is Sixth Reached With Major Retailers; More Than 40,000 Outlets Covered
(SACRAMENTO) – Attorney General Bill Lockyer today announced an agreement with Rite Aid under which the nation's third-largest drug store chain will implement new procedures to curb tobacco sales to minors in its 579 California stores, and 2,315 outlets in 19 other states and Washington D.C.
"Government and society have no higher priority than protecting the health and safety of our children," said Lockyer. "By entering this agreement, Rite Aid has made a commitment to do its best to ensure its stores do not help our kids travel down a deadly road."
The Rite Aid "Assurance of Voluntary Compliance" is the sixth agreement produced by an ongoing, multi-state enforcement effort which Lockyer has helped lead. Previous agreements cover all Wal-Mart and Walgreens stores, and all gas stations and convenience stores operating under the Exxon, Mobil, BP, ARCO and Amoco brand names in the signing states.
Combined, the agreements cover more than 40,000 retail outlets across the nation. They provide measures to reduce sales of tobacco products to minors by the nation's top retail chain (Wal-Mart), number one drug store chain (Walgreens) and largest oil company (ExxonMobil).
Launched in 2000, the multi-state enforcement effort by a group of 30 Attorneys General focuses on retailers with poor records of selling tobacco products to minors. State laws prohibit such sales. Undercover inspections showed minors were able to buy tobacco products at Rite Aid stores in California and other jurisdictions.
The enforcement program's goal is to secure the companies' agreement to take specific corrective actions. The agreements incorporate "best practices" to reduce sales to minors, developed by the Attorneys General in consultation with researchers, and state and federal tobacco control officials.
In the 2,894 affected stores, the agreement announced today requires Rite Aid to:

Check the ID of any person purchasing tobacco products when the person appears to be under the age of 27, and accept only valid government-issued photo ID as proof of age.

Use cash registers programmed to prompt ID checks on all tobacco sales.

Prohibit self-service displays of certain tobacco products, the use of vending machines to sell tobacco products, distribution of free samples, and sale of cigarette look-alike products. The ban on self-service displays applies only to cigarettes, chewing tobacco and snuff.

Prohibit the sale of smoking paraphernalia to minors.

Hire an independent entity to conduct random compliance checks of approximately 12% of all Rite Aid stores in participating states every six months.

Train employees on state and local laws and company policies regarding tobacco sales to minors, including explaining the health-related reasons for laws that restrict youth access to tobacco.

Lockyer and the other Attorneys General will monitor Rite Aid's compliance with the agreement, and can bring enforcement actions to remedy violations.
Lockyer and Attorneys General from the following states signed the Rite Aid agreement: Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont and Washington. The Corporation Counsel of Washington D.C. also signed the agreement.
The Attorneys General have long recognized that youth access to tobacco products ranks among the most serious public health problems. Studies show that more than 80 percent of adult smokers began smoking before the age of 18. Research indicates that every day in the United States, more than 2,000 people under the age of 18 begin smoking and that one-third of those persons ultimately will die from a tobacco-related disease. Young people are particularly susceptible to the hazards of tobacco, often showing signs of addiction after smoking only a few cigarettes.
In 1999, Lockyer established a full-time Tobacco Litigation and Enforcement Section to enforce California laws regarding the sale and marketing of tobacco products. The section also enforces the national Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), reached with tobacco companies in November 1998.
Californians who suspect violations of state tobacco laws or the MSA can file complaints by calling 916-565-6486 at any time, or by writing to the Tobacco Litigation and Enforcement Section at P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento, CA 94244-2550. Additional information is available on the Attorney General's web site at http://www.ag.ca.gov/tobacco/.


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Here we go, here we go, here we go…
It's on… for realsies.
The election has been announced and in just a few short weeks (32 of them)… in just a few short days (225 of them) we'll get the chance to vote for who'll represent us in the seat of Hume.
Graham Richardson, on his Sky News show "Richo" referred to this as the longest campaign in Australian political history and reflected on the eight week 1984 campaign (Hawke v Peackock) as being far too long.
And this one's going to be four times as long. It's almost as long as the year-long campaigns Americans hold every fourth year for the presidency (and when you think about it… a 7.5 month campaign in a three year term is the same ratio… one quarter of the parliamentary term spent campaigning).
Anyway, the rest of Australia has finally caught up with us. We've been recording the campaign in Hume now for 11 weeks. But because the campaign is now on in earnest it might be timely to recap the current lay of the land.
- Four candidates have so far nominated: Angus Taylor (Libs), Bruce Nicholson (KAP), Adrian Van Der Byl (CDP) and James Harker-Mortlock (Independent).
- Angus Taylor won pre-selection against a strongly contested field back in May, and set up a Goulburn office in November.
- James Harker-Mortlock was the president of the Burrinjuck Nationals at the time of nominating as an Independent. He has since relinquished his National Party ties.
- Adrian Van Der Byl previously ran for the state seat of Goulburn.
- Bruce Nicholson is the first candidate for Hume from Katter's Australia Party.
- The ALP has not named a candidate yet and is expected to do so in February/March.
Those are the basics of what has happened so far (give or take a bunch of campaigning and a side order of argy-bargy).
The election date has now been set as September 14 and although the writs will officially be issued on August 12 (meaning that is the OFFICIAL start of the campaign) that won't stop the campaigning of politicians in this lengthy period I'm calling the Mega Campaign.
In light of that, I've renamed all the previous Hume Campaign Diaries and Hume Chronicles with just the dates and we are resetting the clock at week one. If this was a movie franchise, this would be the "reboot" (a term I hate… it's either a sequel or a remake, am I right? But I digress).
We've had a few weeks to look at the candidates announced so far and many years to look at Hume election patterns so let's cast a preliminary eye over the field.
It's hardly revelationary to say Angus Taylor is the man to beat. Let's examine the evidence.
The Libs won Hume in 2010 with 53.56% of the vote (Labor 31.86%, plus the other candidates). On a two party preferred basis the result was Libs 58.72%, Labor 41.28%. Of course, that was then, and this is now… so what variables may have changed those figures.
Alby Schultz is/was a very popular local member, elected five times as the Member for Hume. Angus Taylor may or may not carry over all of Alby's personal vote but given that the seat had been a safe coalition seat for John Sharp even before Alby, Hume remains, at least notionally, a safe coalition seat.
Another variable is the national context. Others will offer more accurate analyses of what's happening nationally than I, and it's too early in the campaign for any certainty… however at the moment the ALP trails in most polls and considering they were barely able to form minority government last time around, on the evidence at hand Labor isn't resurgent nationally or in Hume and trails the Libs.
So to the next variable… what will the ALP do in locally? There've yet to even announce a candidate and latest word is we won't be hearing who it will be until late Feb/early March. That's either a brave approach from the team that came a distant second last time, or a signal that they've conceded the race already.
Remember back in 2010, even though Robin Saville matched the pace set by Alby Schultz in campaigning around the electorate (and that's no small feat, considering Schultz is a very strong campaigner who covers the length and breadth of Hume very effectively during election campaigns) he still didn't put a significant dint in Alby's vote.
Now Angus isn't Alby... so he may do better or worse than Alby did… but if you were the challenger (as the ALP is) wouldn't you still want to be seen as putting in the hard yards from word go and trying to be seen as matching it with Angus? There's already a CDP, KAP and Independent candidate so it's not like the Libs are the only ones making an early run.
Maybe the voters will forget what happens in this early part of this 32 week Mega Campaign, but I still would've thought any party keen to be seen as fair dinkum would "go at them from the jump" (apologies to Banjo Patterson).
Labor has a lot to prove locally after the cynical and unsavoury exercise that was the 2011 NSW state election, where the ALP put up Sydney student Crystal Validakis who not only never so much as visited the electorate during the campaign but wouldn't talk to the media after revealing that fact to one of those untrustworthy media types (ok it was me).
In sporting parlance, the team that was admittedly odds-on to lose didn't even bother to play and you can expect to do that for long and still keep your fans. Even Labor party stalwarts were angry with the Party's approach to that election and concerned at what long term damage that could do to the party (see that story here).
Miraculously, Labor still polled second in 2011 with 23.4% of the two-party preferred vote but anything short of a genuine campaign this time around would surely see them consigned to the political graveyard as a minor party.
There have been whispers that Labor are looking at a well-known Yass identity as a candidate. If that is the case it will see that candidate and James Harker-Mortlock splitting the Yass vote when ideally each would like to have one locale that was all their own.
Which brings us to the other candidates. James Harker-Mortlock, thanks to his former role with the Nats (and for that matter his even-more-former role with the Libs years earlier) is an IWB (Independent With Baggage). He will do well in Yass but it remains to be seen if he can develop a profile in other areas.
Adrian Van Der Byl, I suspect, is happy to just act as a platform for his Party's platforms with no expectation of electoral success. I could be wrong. He may believe he can win Hume but there's no evidence to support the CDP have a realistic chance of winning many lower house seats, including Hume.
Then there's Bruce Nicholson. Bruce, God bless him, genuinely believes he can win Hume. And you know what, maybe he can. Maybe the Katter Australia Party can succeed in securing the "third party" status that others like the Democrats, Greens and One Nation have hoped to in the past, winning over disillusioned voters sick of the Big Two (Libs and Labor).
I personally don't see Hume as a potential KAP seat though given the solid track record of the coalition, but that's the fun of elections... seeing how they transpire. Bruce believes he is currently polling at around 20-30 per cent of the vote. I think that is several large smidges on the high side, but who knows.
So IF I was to throw my two cents worth into the mix and look in my scratched and slightly cloudy Crystal Ball… unless a Labor Party or Independent candidate with a huge public profile joins the parade, I can't see Angus being beaten. I'm sure he'll hate to hear that - no-one wants the kiss of death of being called the favourite in case it turns voters against you or makes them think you're cocky … but he's taking nothing for granted and plugging away as if he was the keenest to win and was a man with the most to prove, so even my tip shouldn't do him too much harm.
Given the way previous elections have gone (and with no offense meant to any Labor candidate past, present or future) I expect Labor would place second even if they stood a domesticated wombat as their candidate, such has been the rusted-on nature of the Labor vote in Hume and Goulburn. I think Bruce and James will battle it out for third with Adrian taking fifth.
Of course there will probably be more candidates added to the list, and a lot can change between now and September 14. It's longer than a footy season for goshing heck's sake.
Candidates can make mistakes, others can hit their groove, and what's happening nationally can also play a role. And then there's that other element, momentum (or the Big Mo) which can can come into play (a great read on that is The Big Mo: Why Momentum now rules our world by Mark Roeder). Someone can get on a roll and that can take on a momentum all its own.
So, there you go… a bit of analysis, a bit of prognostication, and a whole bunch of guessing.
Along with some opinion and commentary by me, this Campaign Diary will contain links to all Press Releases I receive from the candidates along with details of their itineraries - both of which assist voters in assessing what the candidates have been up to.
IF some candidates supply me with plenty of info and others not much or none, that's on their own heads. For example, we have photos, press releases and itinerary details aplenty for Angus Taylor this week. If other candidates are unhappy they aren't getting the same attention... SEND ME THE SAME AMOUNT OF STUFF.
Over at Hume Chronicles I will endeavour to find what the candidates have been doing online along with what Fairfax publications and members of the public have had to say about them in online stories and social media.
That's plenty for now. We have 225 days to go and I hope they aren't too painful.
Oh yeah, the King of the Week award. Mostly it will go to who it appears has done the hardest yards of the week, either by appearances, press releases or a combination of those and other elements. But I'm capricious. Sometimes I feel like marking on a curve and giving it to someone who shows improvement. Sometimes I give it to Bruce Springsteen (every week if I could).
This week's winner is easily Angus Taylor for several press releases and a long itinerary of events last week and this.
One week down, 31 to go... seeya next week.
ANGUS TAYLOR (Liberal Party):
ANGUS TAYLOR (Liberal Party):
Saturday Jan 26: Speaking Picton and Goulburn Australia Day celebrations
Sunday Jan 27: Bungendore Show
Wednesday Jan 30: Phone canvassing in Goulburn Campaign office
Thursday Jan 31: Doorknocking Murrumbateman and Yass
Friday Feb 1: Opening aged care facility Cootamundra, abattoir visit Cootamundra; health care visit Cowra; Doorknocking Cowra 3- 6pm
Saturday Feb 2: Doorknocking Goulburn and Yass; BlazeAid Charity Ball, Yass
Sunday Feb 3: Picton Creative Trader markets til 3pm. Doorknocking Picton 3 – 6pm
Monday Feb 4: Local Land services meeting, Yass; Phone canvassing
Tuesday Feb 5: Phone canvassing and doorknocking
Wednesday Feb 6: Phone canvassing
Thursday Feb 7: Phone canvassing and doorknocking
Friday Feb 8: Phone canvassing


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Asked by sherribeare at 2:26 PM on Sep. 26, 2010 in Crazy for CreditsLevel 52 (475,652 Credits)
Answer by Codysmom2106 at 2:38 PM on Sep. 26, 2010
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