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Bolt Prospects 2012-2013 Preliminary Rankings
We're now almost two months deep into the second NHL lockout in less than a decade. As difficult as it is to remember, though, hockey goes on. It goes on in small junior rinks in Canada and on campuses throughout the U.S. It goes on in the sporting halls of Sweden and Russia. And, it goes on in Syracuse, New York, where players on the cusp of making the highest level of hockey in the world patiently await the mere chance to make their case to play in the NHL. For those players, and in spite the cynical greed of the NHL's business wing, Bolt Prospects presents its 2012-2013 Preliminary Rankings.
We delayed the release of the rankings a few weeks when optimism ran high that hockey would be back after Thanksgiving, believing that perhaps an NHL training camp was in the cards for some of our prospects. But with the breakdown of talks between the commissioner and the NHLPA, it looks like a Lightning camp is far from imminent. So, we press forward, in spite of the setback.
The rules remain the same. Any player 24 years of age or older on the date that would have been opening night for the Lightning is considered overage and not eligible for the rankings. For that reason, Riku Helenius no longer factors into our list, although he likely does factor into the Lightning's future. Likewise, skaters who have played either 41 or more games in a single NHL season or 82 or more career NHL games are also ineligible. So, while Brett Connolly fills up the nets in Syracuse, he is considered a graduated prospect and does not figure into our list. Goaltenders who have 30 or more NHL decisions in a single season or 41 or more career NHL decisions are also ineligible. Lastly, players in the NCAA ranks are eligible for the list regardless of their age.
1.) G Andrei Vasilevskiy, Ufa Jr. (RUS Jr.)
Maintaining his top spot in the rankings is goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. The young netminder had an amazing start to his junior season, running off a 7-game winning streak to start the year en route to winning 14 of his first 16 starts. The workhorse goaltender's torrid pace has slowed a bit in recent weeks, possibly because of his unprecedented workload for Head Coach Alexander Semak. But, even still, it's hard to say Vasilevskiy's done anything to lessen his value on the road to this year's U20 World Junior Championships, with Vasilevskiy's command performance in the opening match of the Subway Super Series offering a preview of what's to come. That's good for a Lightning organization that believes Vasilevskiy, who may be one of the best young goaltenders to be drafted in recent memory, is their future franchise goaltender.
2.) D Slater Koekkoek, Peterborough (OHL)
Coming off his shoulder injury a year ago, Slater Koekkoek has gotten a lot of work done to start the 2012-2013 season. He was elected team captain and has been a minutes-eating workhorse, with point totals that are sneaking up on a point-a-game pace. Peterborough's been down the past few seasons, but Koekkoek may be in the process of breathing new life into one of the OHL's proudest franchises. The leadership component is a bonus for the Lightning, who were counting on Koekkoek's skating and skill to help him develop into a top-4 NHL defenseman. If he can wear a letter, all the better.
3.) RW J.T. Brown, Syracuse (AHL)
With just one goal in the first four games of his rookie pro campaign, it wasn't a scorching start for highly touted free agent signee J.T. Brown. The slow statistical start was further complicated by Brown getting injured, raising inevitable questions about his durability. But, it's hard to deny Brown's skill and versatility, and he's started to hit the scoresheet regularly since returning from the shelf. He's got great speed, slick hands, and will play with some jam. Sooner or later, we expect him to go crazy in Syracuse with The Rookie Whisperer (tm), Jon Cooper, behind the bench.
4.) C/W Cory Conacher, Syracuse (AHL)
Cory Conacher has picked up exactly where he left off last season, leading the Syracuse Crunch in scoring and featuring prominently amongst the league's top scorers. The recipe is simple: speed and tenacity applied in the north-south axis. It's the kind of game that will work at any level of hockey, and it's the kind of game that allows you to have a faster start early in the season than players who like to dangle and play more of an east-west game.
5.) C/W Alex Killorn, Syracuse (AHL)
He's not as diminutive as Conacher, but Alex Killorn brings a style to the rink that makes him similar to Conacher. He also plays a north-south game, and that's helped him get off to a quiet, rock solid start as a rookie. Killorn's also taking more faceoffs and playing a more versatile role than he did in the Calder Cup Playoffs last year, as well. When he was drafted, Killorn drew comparisons to Brian Rolston. He's done nothing yet to dissuade us from the belief he will be a solid NHLer like Rolston.
6.) C Vladislav Namestnikov, Syracuse (AHL)
There's good news and bad news for Namestnikov early in his rookie campaign. The good, maybe even great, news is that Namestnikov doesn't look out of place or scared in the AHL despite being one of the youngest and leanest players in the league. That bodes well for his future. The bad news is that he has already gotten injured, which was a result we somewhat expected given his light weight and surprisingly jam-filled style of play. He's got to get bigger and stronger, but after a quick look to start the year we absolutely see why the Lightning thought they were drafting a difference maker in all three zones when they took Namestnikov.
7.) D Mark Barberio, Syracuse (AHL)
Honest question: how much more is there left for Mark Barberio to prove in the AHL? Seriously. He led the league's blueliners in scoring last year en route to being named the top defenseman in the league. This year he's off to a solid start for the Crunch, and it's almost become old hat. The critique remains that Barberio's defensive zone coverage isn't perfect, but he's fixed his skating and his hockey sense in the offensive third remains PHD level stuff. It's not a question of if Mark Barberio becomes an NHL defenseman. It's a question of when, and whether he tops out as a bottom pair power play specialist or if he can become a minute-eating top four in the league.
8.) G Dustin Tokarski, Syracuse (AHL)
Oh, by the way, at number eight is last year's AHL leader in wins and a championship-winning goaltender, Dustin Tokarski. Tic has been somewhat overshadowed by the drafting of Vasilevskiy and the signing of former first rounder Riku Helenius, but all he's done so far is take the early lead for the starting role for the Crunch. He's a calm, compact goaltender who plays his angles, and posts wins, making him part of Tampa Bay's embarrassment of riches between the pipes.
9.) C Tyler Johnson, Syracuse (AHL)
Cory Conacher may have won the AHL MVP award, but for our money the best player in the league during the second half last year was Tyler Johnson. The centerman has not disappointed so far in his sophomore campaign, currently leading the Crunch in goals. Johnson's not big, but he has two things going for him: world class speed and an absolute laser for a shot. With the right supporting cast around him, that's made Johnson one of the most feared snipers in the AHL.
10.) RW Richard Panik, Syracuse (AHL)
Rounding out the top 10 is maddeningly inconsistent Richard Panik, the Slovakian power forward who may have the most tantalizing talent package of any prospect not named Vasilevskiy. He's quick, ridiculously strong on the puck, and has puckhandling skills to make Vincent Lecavalier blush. And yet, he was held scoreless in all but one of Syracuse's games in the month of October. Since then, he's scored in every single game in November, though, prompting us to fall in love with the Panik attack all over again. Maybe we shouldn't have been surprised he's started to come on strong. Sooner or later, a player with this much talent has got to break through.
11.) D Radko Gudas, Syracuse (AHL)
Also on Syracuse's early season M.A.S.H. list was cult hero Radko Gudas. Listed at 6'0" and a shade over 200 pounds, Gudas has averaged 180 penalty minutes a season over his first two years in the AHL. But it isn't the physical game that intrigues us about Gudas. He's easily one of the most mobile defenders in the AHL, allowing him to win races to loose pucks, and he's not bad at all when he has to handle it, either. All those components put together give the Lightning the makings of a third pair defender who is capable of providing juice to his team on any given night.
12.) RW Nikita Kucherov, Quebec (QMJHL)
After missing most of the first month of the season while his surgically repaired shoulder finished mending, Kucherov exploded onto the scene in his rookie season in the Q. Surrounded by an explosive Remparts roster, Kucherov still stuck out as one of the most skilled young players on the team. He has speed, he has world class puckhandling ability, and he's a finisher. The fact he's taken the next step to come to North America has to thrill the Lightning, because he has first round caliber talent. That talent will be on display in Ufa at the U20 World Junior Championships this year where Kucherov will be expected to be one of Team Russia's leading men. But, there's been a dark side, too, as Kucherov has ended up in the press box while Quebec pondered whether to trade Kucherov to alleviate its log jam of European imports. In the end, they chose to move Kucherov to Rouyn-Noranda. We'll see if a greyhound like Kucherov ends up meshing well with a bunch of Huskies.
13.) G Jaroslav Janus, Bratislava (RUS)
One of the real pleasant surprises of the early season has been the exceptional play of Jaroslav Janus in the KHL. The young Slovakian netminder found himself without a spot in the AHL after the Lightning signed Riku Helenius, despite Janus' exceptional play down the stretch last year that helped him finish in the top 10 in the league in wins, despite being a backup to Dustin Tokarski. Janus eventually made his way to Slovan Bratislava, a top Slovakian club playing their first season in the Russian KHL. After a preseason tryout, Janus not only made the team, but he is now the club's starter with an early season save percentage comparable to Lightning overage prospect Vasily Koshechkin, who seems to have dominated Russian hockey for much of the last decade. Lightning Assistant GM Julien BriseBois has already gone on record to say the team wants Janus back whenever it's practical, and the way he's played so far this year it's easy to see why.
14.) LW Ondrej Palat, Syracuse (AHL)
One of our Bolt Prospects favorites, late round steal Ondrej Palat has continued his exceptional play from the second half and playoffs of last season. He's currently playing big minutes for the Crunch and sits tied with Johnson for second on the team in scoring. Creative. Crafty. Quick. Palat's a magician with the puck on his stick, and in the AHL he's shown a knack for making his linemates better. He doesn't get the attention Conacher and Johnson do, and he isn't the raw talent that Panik or Brown is, but watch a Syracuse Crunch game and try not to get on the edge of your seat when #12 has the puck.
15.) C/W James Mullin, Miami-OH (CCHA)
The next great stealth Lightning prospect, speedy scorer James Mullin is off to another solid start for the Miami RedHawks, notching four points in the first 10 games of the season. Underclassmen don't have a big impact in top leagues like the CCHA unless they have a special skill set, and Mullin does. He's quick as a hiccup with great hands. The only question now is if and when the Lightning will lure Mullin out of the NCAA ranks and into a pro jersey.
16.) RW Brian Hart, Harvard (ECAC)
It's too small a sample set of games to pass any sort of early season judgement on Brian Hart, who we affectionately refer to as The Hitman here on Bolt Prospects. Hart is a power forward, possessing a heavy shot and a skill set that has been compared with former NHLer Bill Guerin. We'll see if Guerin's fellow Northeasterner, Hart, can have an instant impact for his club the way Guerin did for Boston College some 23 years ago. Three points in his first five games with the Crimson isn't a bad beginning.
17.) D Keith Aulie, Syracuse (AHL)
For most players and fans the NHL lockout has been a curse. For Keith Aulie, and the Lightning's interest in Keith Aulie's future, it may turn out to be a bit of a blessing. Had the season gone as planned, the waiver eligible Aulie likely would've been playing limited minutes in Tampa Bay. Now, the big, young defenseman gets to play big minutes in the AHL, gaining more experience and sharpening up his game. The hope is that, with enough ice time, Aulie will gain the same supernatural understanding of angles that made Jassen Cullimore one of the top shut down defensemen in the franchise's history. We'd be all for that here on Bolt Prospects.
18.) C Tanner Richard, Guelph (OHL)
Overage draftee Tanner Richard has justified the Lightning's use of a third round pick by piling up helpers for the Guelph Storm early this year. The Swiss forward has been a steady assist machine in the OHL, validating some scouting services opinions that Richard was one of the real sleepers of last year's draft. Like Palat before him, who was also an overage draft pick, look for Richard to progress to the AHL next year and help make his linemates better, too.
19.) D Dylan Blujus, Brampton (OHL)
Big, mobile defender Dylan Blujus has had a tough start to his 2012-2013 season, with a team worst plus-minus rating thus far. That's tough news for the Lightning, who need the righty shot second rounder to develop and help rebuild their depth at the position. He does have a decent six points in his first 16 games, though, and at 18 he's already one of Brampton's biggest minute eaters.
20.) D Dmitry Korobov, Syracuse (AHL)
Rounding out the top 20 is big, skilled defenseman Dimitry Korobov. Korobov spent the past three seasons playing for Dynamo Moscow of the KHL before being signed as a free agent by the Lightning this season. The 6'2" 236 pound Belarussian has been solid for the Crunch, too, with a +10 rating so far this year. Scouts also see offensive potential in the big blueliner, which bears watching as the season moves along and Korobov becomes even more comfortable playing in North America.
21.) D Nikita Nesterov, Chelyabinsk (RUS)
Nikita Nesterov's had about as good a season as a young stay-at-home defenseman can have in the KHL for Traktor Chelyabinsk. Although he has yet to register a point for the team, Nesterov has gained invaluable experience at Russia's top level, occasionally playing more than 20 minutes a game for the team. That's no small feat in a normal year, but this year, playing against locked-out NHLers, it's an even stronger sign for Nesterov's future. However, a ho hum Subway Super Series does give us some pause. Nesterov was held off the scoresheet in the tour after being one of the leading scorers from the blueline in last year's U20 World Junior Championships. We wonder what version of Nesterov will show up once this year's WJC tournament begins back home in Ufa.
22.) C Matthew Peca, Quinnipiac (ECAC)
An even more stealthy Lightning prospect, Matthew Peca has sizzled a bit less in his sophomore season for Quinnipiac of the ECAC. He has four points in his first 10 games after a scorching 39 points in 39 games a year ago. In many ways, we see the blueprint for Peca in Syracuse in the form of Cory Conacher. Like Conacher, Peca is a speedy, skilled, gritty north-south player who just produces, regardless of his size.
23.) D Artem Sergeev, Val d'Or (QMJHL)
The Lightning may finally have a bonus pick defenseman who has paid off in the form of Russian born defenseman Artem Sergeev. The Foreurs defenseman has posted 17 points in his first 24 games, well on his way to exceeding his 20-point campaign a year ago. Sergeev is exceedingly mobile with a big shot, and will likely join fellow Russians Vasilevskiy, Namestnikov, Kucherov, and Nesterov in Ufa for this year's U20 World Junior Championships. With that much prospect talent, don't be surprised if the quintet brings home Gold.
24.) LW Nikita Gusev, Khabarovsk (RUS)
Nikita Gusev was too good for junior hockey, but is not quite ready to crack the KHL for a CSKA club now laden with locked-out NHLers. The solution? Gusev was loaned to CSKA's farm team in the VHL, Russia's second-best men's league. And despite being one of the younger players in the league, Gusev more than held his own by posting around a point a game. His play was good enough to prompt Amur Khabarovsk of the KHL to trade a first round pick in the KHL junior draft to get his rights. Gusev's now too old to play for Russia in the U20 World Junior Championships, but the diminutive magician is still too talented to count out as a prospect. Like Palat and Richard before him in our rankings, Gusev just makes his linemates better.
25.) D Luke Witkowski, Western Michigan (CCHA)
Closing out our rankings is perennial Bolt Prospects favorite and expert beard grower Luke Witkowski of Western Michigan. When he came on campus, Witkowski was a solid stay-at-home defender with leadership credentials from his time in the USHL. Now in his fourth year of college hockey, Witkowski's learned a ton. We like what we see in Witkowski in terms of a strong, responsible defenseman who is a conscientious team leader and is occasionally chipping in on the scoresheet. Winning organizations have players like Witkowski peppered throughout the depth chart, and we are pulling hard for Luke to get a contract with the Lightning this summer because of it.
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Headaches are one of the most common pain-related health problems in
women. You may have a headache along with another minor health problem, such as
a sore throat, cold, or sinus problem. If your headache is mild and a type you
have experienced in the past, there is little reason to be concerned. But
a new or different headache, particularly later in pregnancy, may mean a
problem such as
Preeclampsia (formerly called toxemia of pregnancy) is a
pregnancy-related condition that causes high blood pressure and affects the
mother's kidneys, liver, brain, and placenta. Its cause is unknown.
Preeclampsia most commonly occurs during first pregnancies.
Symptoms of preeclampsia include:
Call your doctor if you develop a new or different
headache while you are pregnant.
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William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
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To learn more visit Healthwise.org
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Internet Performance, 2007
Acciones Plásticas was originally conceived as an interactive performance piece meant to combat stereotypes affecting young women. Modeled after low-quality videos blogs, Jewish Women, Jewish Girls, The Club, and Latina Role Model each feature a woman whose life is defined by societal expectations. The videos were strategically placed on popular social networking sites, including YouTube and MySpace. The layout of YouTube contextualized the videos and framed them with user comments and similarly tagged user content. Jewish Girls was picked up by a popular left-wing Jewish blogging site Jewschool, and soon entered the Jewish Blogosphere where it was referred to as the JAP. This repositioning shifted the focus from the portrayal of multiple interwoven identities to a depiction of the Jewish American Princess. The JAP became how people knew my work, validating me while simultaneously conflating my identity with that of this particular character.


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The Jubilee Campus is a modern purpose-built campus which now extends to 65 acres and is located only one mile from University Park. The initial phase was opened by Her Majesty the Queen in 1999. The state-of-the-art facilities now include:
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The environmentally-friendly nature of the campus and its buildings have been a big factor in the awards that it has received, including:
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EducationAustrian Economics Overview
Many progressives argue rights to property are arbitrary constructs of an elite and conservative legal system; that there is nothing "natural" or legitimate about them; and that, therefore, they have no special moral status.
Capital and Interest TheoryOther Schools of Thought
Ever since winning the Nobel Memorial Prize in "Economic Science" in 2001, Joseph Stiglitz has been a one-man advocacy band for growth of the state.
Global EconomyMedia and CultureMoney and BanksStrategy


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12 minute co-op fajitas for lunch
« previous entry | next entry »
Jan. 18th, 2007 | 07:17 pm
There wasn't much in the fridge for lunch, so I used salami for meat. Also somehow the tortillas had been thrown in the freezer folded so when they defrosted they broke.
Tonight I made nasu miso (because i'd had it at yabu and it rocked my world) which was pretty good but I used too much sesame oil then I burned my mouth. I forgot to take a picture. I'll make it for the house some time and get it right. I think a little garlic might help it too. Hmmm.
Click on photo to see it bigger as well as any photo details.


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Easy on the eye: the addition of the leather-finished instrument panel from BMW Individual gives the interior a new dimension of quality.
Accessories for interior & exterior
The high-quality 20" light alloy wheel is Bicolour Orbit Grey, forged, gloss-lathed and has a highly captivating, sporty look. Single front wheel, wheel size 8J x 20, without tyre.
The perfectly fitted, durable mats with a raised border and elegant design protect the front footwell against moisture and dirt and keep feet dry. Their black colour suits the interior perfectly.
The premium door sill finishers with illuminated "BMW" lettering automatically emit a gentle light when the doors are opened. Their powerful batteries for the LED illumination last up to three years. Changing the batteries is just as easy as installing the sill finishers.
The high-performance auxiliary heating ensures a comfortable temperature in the car's interior before the drive even begins, and without icy or fogged windows. It can be controlled with the remote control T91 or T100, or (regardless of distance) via a compatible smartphone with the BMW Thermo Call app.
The Travel & Comfort System clothes hanger in an attractive BMW design makes it possible to hang pieces of clothing on the rear side of the backrest. Thanks to the plug-in coupling, it is easy to attach to the basic carrier (required), and can also be used outside of the car (hotel function).
The carrier is attached between the front seat headrest pillars and provides a secure base for all components in the modular Travel & Comfort System. The clothes hanger, folding table, universal hooks or the holder for the Apple iPad™ or Samsung Galaxy Tab can be easily locked into place thanks to the plug-in coupling.
The roof rack can be combined with all BMW racks and roof boxes. It can be attached extremely easily and complies with the highest standards in quality and safety thanks to its sturdy construction and the lock system that protects against theft.
The lockable racing bicycle holder enables the secure transport of racing bicycles with a quick clamping system. It is made of high-strength aluminium and features a simple clamping system for attaching bicycles. A separate front wheel holder is also available.
Information & communication
The snap-in adapter is a docking system that allows mobile phones from manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola and others to be securely stored and charged. For optimal network reception, the mobile phone is connected to the car's external aerial via the snap-in adapter. Depending on the vehicle and its equipment, Basic, Music, Media, Connect and Connect Universal snap-in adapters are available. With these adapters, music stored on the mobile phone can be played over the car speakers. They also enable convenient operation via the iDrive Controller, the multifunction buttons on the steering wheel or the radio.


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DNV GL (legacy GL Garrad Hassan) offers this one-day introduction course to WindFarmer. The course gives a basic understanding of the software: its functionality, main calculation abilities and operation. This is achieved through a day of hands-on guided use of the software, incorporating example cases.
Areas of WindFarmer covered in this course: MCP+ Module: Use of measured wind data, Measure Correlate Predict; Base Module: Energy calculation, Turbine representation, Noise modelling, Optimisation, Report generation; Visualisation Module: Basic visualisation and animation, ZVI - Zones of visual influence; Shadow Flicker Module.
It builds on the Wind Farm Design course, taking the methodologies discussed and applying them. It can also stand alone as a day of training introducing the user to WindFarmer. The courses can be taken consecutively, as the Wind Farm Design course is planned the day before the Introduction course to WindFarmer begins.
For experienced users of WindFarmer we also offer the course Advanced Use of WindFarmer Software.
For more information and registration please click on the direct course links (see above) or contact Andrew Brown.
- Introduction
- PC Setup
- Building a workbook
- Quick feasibility study
- Energy calculation
- Optimisation of layout
- Multiple projects
- MCP+ module
- Noise
- Visualisation
- Shadow flicker
- Reporting and exporting
- Introduction to advanced features
- Q&A session
Target Audience:
Industry professionals interested in WindFarmer software.


text:
SAN ANTONIO, March 14 (UPI) -- Tim Duncan dominated the inside Thursday and San Antonio survived a late surge to fight off Dallas 92-91 and clinch a spot in the post-season.
The Spurs won their 50th game of the campaign thanks to 28 points and 19 rebounds from Duncan, who because of a sore knee sat out last Tuesday's stunning loss to Minnesota.
San Antonio held an eight-point lead with 2:30 to play, but the Mavericks scored the last seven points of the game.
Dirk Nowitzki brought the Mavericks within one by hitting a jumper with 28 seconds left and Dallas regained the ball after a miss by Manu Ginobili.
Vince Carter, however, misfired on a 3-pointer with a second to play.
San Antonio wrapped up a playoff spot for the 16th straight season. Gary Neal added 16 points for the Spurs and Kawhi Leonard had 12.
Dallas had been riding a season-best, four-game winning streak. Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 21 points and 11 rebounds.


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Get Google Now on Your Ice Cream Sandwich ROM
I like to think that one of our big responsibilities here at AppStorm is to try out new methods of customizing and improving our phone experience, then translating the technical jargon of developers, and delivering to our readers a clear and concise method for that customization.
So, when I had been reading on the forums that a way had been worked out to add Google Now to a lot of ICS phones, I jumped right on it.
Google Now Please
It's important to note that there are a few prerequisites for this to work and those require many phones to be rooted and running a custom ROM.
The first requirement is that you're running an AOSP/AOKP ROM. For those who don't know, AOSP is Android Open Source Project and AOKP is Android Open Kang Project. The former is generally found in CyanogenMod and the latter is simply called by its name, AOKP.
The second requirement is that the ROM is Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.4 based. Since you'll be flashing a zip file with the required files, you'll also need a custom recovery such as ClockworkMod.
Before I get started, there is another thing to note. Because of the differences in the way some processors work, there is a different file for the ARMv7 and ARMv6 processors. However, I imagine this is of little concern for the bmajority of Android users as the ARMv6 architecture is quite old.
If you don't know what your phone is, check this comprehensive list.
The ARMv6 version won't work fully but you will still get a lot of the features. From what I can tell, the ARMv7 version is quite complete.
Also worth noting, I ran into trouble on some ROMs that weren't AOKP. Trying to install Google Now on HTC Sense 4.0 and MIUI ICS seemed successful at first. On MIUI, I was even allowed to use the Voice Search without issue. However, when I tried to enable Google Now, I found myself in a world of force closes that ultimately led back to AOSP.
The app's makers claim it works on many devices without AOSP/AOKP but I haven't seen it work yet. Your individual mileage may vary but I wouldn't get my hopes up.
Let's Get Flashing
To flash Google Now for ARMv7, follow the below instructions. Don't worry, it's simple.
- Download the flashable zip, mikeyxda_v7_Offline.zip, here (mirror).
- Move it to the SD Card of your phone.
- Boot into custom recovery (usually ClockworkMod).
- Make a Nandroid backup (just in case).
- Flash mikeyxda_v7_Offline.zip.
- Reboot your phone.
And for those running ARMv6 devices? Follow the instructions above but download and flash this file instead.
You should now have Google Now. The app will appear in your dock as simply "Google", with a lower-case "g" in a blue square icon. Tapping this will bring up the Voice Search portion of Google Now. Clicking on your phone's menu button will bring up a few options. Selecting Settings will display a few more things. You will see Google Now listed in settings. Clicking on it will bring you to a demonstration of the app with an option at the end to enable it, giving you the full suite.
Not Done Yet
That's it? Not quite. As with many custom solutions, there are a few bugs. In this case, one of the biggest problems was sending an email through Now. Apparently, since this is a modified version of the new Voice functionality, the default Gmail app won't recognize it as authentic causing it to crash or simply not work.
There's a fix, though. The instructions below worked for me on CyanogenMod 9. I expect that they should work the same on AOKP.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Gmail
- Uninstall.
- Download this (a modified Gmail app for ICS).
- Move it to the SD Card.
- Enable installation of unknown sources (Settings > Security > Unknown sources).
- Now go install the app from your SD Card.
If for some reason you cannot uninstall Gmail through the method above, you can delete it manually from /system/app/Gmail.apk. Just make sure you have a backup available if things go awry.
Still Not Done
The final bit of housekeeping comes from setting up the Google Calendar. If you want to be able to add events to your calendar through voice recognition, we have a few more steps to follow. I promise, it's nearly over.
- Register your phone on Google Calendar.
- Go to Calendar Settings. Click the Mobile Setup tab
- Enter your number and click Send Verification code.
- Your phone will get a text with the verification code.
- Enter it in the verification code field, click Finish Setup and Save (you should receive another message saying that your device is verified).
- Now create a new contact in your phone called Calendar and make the primary number 48368 (which is GVENT).
- Now you can send a text by voice (ie "Text Calendar Dinner at 7PM on Tuesday"). The event will be created on your calendar and you will receive a text notification.
So now what? If you're curious about what all you can ask, there is a comprehensive list of available questions from XDA here. It allows you to be conversational by asking questions like, "will I need an umbrella tomorrow?" You can also ask about your favorite teams, stock prices, and get directions. Additionally, it allows for some nice hands-free features such as texting and adding appointments (assuming you followed all the directions above).
Is it easy? Well, it's not the simplest app to install but if you've found yourself longing for the next great improvement for Android, it may just be worth it. And unlike Siri, it's doubtful Google will do anything to pull the plug on it getting ported to "older" devices. In an ideal world, we'd all have Jelly Bean by now but we don't.
Until we reach the technological utopia of instant upgrades, I hope this guide will satisfy a few hungers.


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Registration can be made
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by phone 02 9969 4911
by fax 02 9969 7929
or in person.
If you book more than any four classes, pay 50% deposit now and final payment will be due one week prior to each class.
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From a young age, Jean-Michel Gerst was always helping in the kitchen at home. Cooking was
in his blood - his grandfather and mother were both chefs. He started his apprenticeship at the
age of 15 at Restaurant Ritter in Dannemarie, France before travelling to Switzerland, the
Channel Islands and Thailand, finally arriving at the Dorchester in London where he worked for
Anton Mossiman at The Terrace restaurant. Shortly afterwards, he relocated to Australia, where
he worked for Herbert Franchesini at the Brisbane Hilton, responsible for the Hilton's fine dining establishment, Victoria's and was involved in the Hilton's annual master classes. In 2000, he moved to Thredbo, where he has been Executive Chef at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel for the past 10 years. Since then, Cascades restaurant has won several awards including best Brasserie/Cafe in NSW and Best Family/Casual Dining in Australia from the AHA Awards. The hotel's fine dining restaurant, Segreto, has also won some awards and is the home of Jean-Michel's well received winemakers dinners and, of course, his favourite celebration, Bastille Day.
Jean-Michel Gerst's Latitude 36.50 published by New Holland Publishers Australia RRP $40.00
Photography: Graeme Gillies
Check HARBOURView MAGAZINE for more recipes from Accoutrement every month.
Bone Marrow Bread and Butter Pudding
Makes 4 x 9cm diameter ramekins
75g butter, melted
400g brioche
100g bone marrow, sliced
40g Confit Eschalots
150ml cream
2 eggs
1 egg white
salt and ground pepper
30 medium sized eschalots
1⁄2 head garlic left whole with the skin on
100g duck fat
100g butter
2 tbspns thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
40g salt flakes
Preheat oven to 140oC
Put all ingredients in a gratin dish and mix.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 11⁄2 hours.
When the eschalots are cooked just pinch
them away from the skin and serve.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease four ramekin moulds with butter. Slice the
brioche into 1cm slices and cut 12 x 8cm diameter circles. Place one circle
in the bottom of each ramekin, then place a layer of bone marrow, shallots
and salt and pepper. Repeat with another layer of brioche, followed by the
bone marrow and shallots and top with one final layer of brioche.
Whisk the cream and the eggs together and pour the mixture into each
mould. Place the ramekins in a bain-marie, fill with hot water halfway up the
side of the ramekins and cover the tray with tin foil.
Cook in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Once removed from the oven, be
careful when opening the foil so that you do not get burned from the steam.
Inverted Cordon Bleu
Serves 4
4 veal cutlets
3 spring onions finely chopped
400g mixed mushrooms (oyster, swiss brown, field) sliced
1 tablespoon sage, chopped
100g fresh breadcrumbs
salt and pepper
3 knobs salted butter
4 slices pork speck
4 skewers
With a sharp knife, make an incision in the side of the cutlets creating a pocket large
enough to hold stuffing.
Heat some butter and oil in a pan and sauté the shallots and the mushroom mixture for
3 minutes. Add the sage, breadcrumbs and seasoning. Stir in the 3 knobs of butter
and set aside.
When the mixture is cold, form into little parcels with your hands. Wrap the speck
around each parcel and insert into the cutlet.
Close the cutlet by weaving a skewer through it.
Season the meat and pan-fry with some butter and oil for 5 minutes on each side.
Galette of Pear and Dark Chocolate
Serves 6
100g butter, softened
100g caster sugar
70g eggs, shells removed
120g almond meal
40g plain flour
10ml Williams pear schnapps
600g puff pastry, pre-rolled
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 pears, peeled and thinly sliced
100g dark chocolate (semisweet) bits
2 tablespoons milk
For this cake, make sure you choose juicy pears and use a good-quality dark chocolate. You can shape the galette however you want, there is no real rule, the only one is to enjoy it.
For the frangipane, whip the butter until it is smooth, then add the sugar and mix together until well combined and pale in colour. Add the eggs, almond meal, flour and the schnapps and mix until combined.
Cut out two discs of puff pastry, 20cm in diameter. Place one disc onto a lined baking tray. With a pastry brush, paint around the edge of the pastry with a beaten egg. Spread the frangipane mix in the centre of the pastry with a palette knife. Place the sliced pears on top of the frangipane and sprinkle with the chocolate bits.
Place the other disc of pastry on top and press down around the edge, marking with a fork. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and milk. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge and egg wash again to make it more shiny. At this stage, you could make some designs on the pastry with a knife, if desired.
Place back in the fridge for a further 30 minutes and then bake in a preheated oven at 220°C for 30 minutes.


text:
We serve simple, beautiful display ads to theme park lovers & families who travel.
Maingate ads are exclusive. Only a single impression is shown per page, and no other third party ads are allowed on our network sites. This exclusivity gives you a chance to communicate a message simply and elegantly without competing for attention.
Each ad contains a static image, 130 pixels wide by 100 pixels tall, and up to 140 characters of text. We don't allow any audio or animation on the network. We like clear, simple and beautiful ads.
The Maingate ad network represents a highly targeted and well vetted group of websites. Maingate is the only exclusive ad network to reach Disney enthusiasts, theme park fans and families who travel regularly to theme parks around the world.
Our audience is active and enthusiastic. Our publishers have high standards and very loyal readership. When your ad appears in the exclusive Maingate slot, it carries the trust and respect each of our publishers work hard to earn from their Guests.
Publishers are added to the network by invitation only. New sites and services are considered based on many factors including readership, quality and overall appropriateness to our target network Guests.
Products, ads and advertisers are reviewed and vetted by Maingate. We won't advertise a product or service that we wouldn't be comfortable spending our own money on. The ads themselves must be well designed, relevant, and appropriate for the network.
We sell space on our network as "Ad Slots". Each slot has a flat price for a fixed percentage of network traffic. There are 25 slots available each calendar month. Each slot costs $2,625 and guarantees 4% of the traffic across the entire Maingate Ads network.
A buy with Maingate is a buy across the entire targeted network. Further targeting (geo, demo, behavior, etc...) is not offered.
There are no minimum or maximum requirements to how many ad slots are purchased.


text:
ASHEVILLE, NC – As part of its customer service initiative, the Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) has opened a Cell Phone Waiting Lot for individuals visiting the airport to pick up arriving passengers. The Cell Phone Lot, which is free of charge, replaces the "first 20 minutes free" in the airport's short-term parking area, with the major advantage being that there is no time limit in the new space.
The idea behind a Cell Phone Lot is that a guest may stay in the space as long as necessary, provided they remain with their vehicle. Once the guest is contacted by the arriving passenger, it's easy to leave the lot and pull around to the front of the terminal to pick up the traveler.
"Excellent customer service is a top priority for us, and a Cell Phone Lot is certainly an added benefit for travelers and their loved ones," said Lew Bleiweis, A.A.E., Airport Director. "The prevalence of mobile devices makes instituting this service a perfect next step for AVL, and we're happy to add this convenience for our customers."
Visitors to the airport will find the lot located past the main terminal and down the hill on the right side of Terminal Drive.


text:
Greetings one and all!
Welcome once again. I hope that those of you who are with our Vegan Mentor Program have been able to continue on your path either on veganism or working towards it. One concern that some of you have mentioned is in finding vegan recipes that are not only easy, but also inspire you to be in the kitchen to cook. Popular food blog The Kitchn has compiled what they feel are the top 10 most inspiring vegan cooking blogs, with appealing layouts, beautifully presented photos that make you hungry just looking at them, and humor and character from the authors.
And The Kitchn has been featuring quite a few vegan recipes on their own, and they've also compiled what they feel are the top 25 vegan recipes from their own archives, from breakfast through dessert.
Take a look around and I guarantee you'll find something which will inspire you to zip into the kitchen and break out those pots and pans! Happy cooking!


text:
Enhance your favorite wine with the Ravenscroft Crystal Ultimate Decanter, hand crafted with the finest brilliant lead free crystal insures that no impurities will leach into your wine, keeping your most precious wine the way you love it! The large bowl optimized oxidation to release all the notes and aromas. Made in Europe.
Height: 9 in.
Width: 8 in.
Capacity: 56 oz.


text:
'Arrowhead Division' CO Reports Operation Arrowhead Strike 9 Successes
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 30, 2007 - A major clearing operation that wrapped up last week in Baghdad succeeded in preventing 3,200 roadside bombs, jailing 42 terrorists, and seizing enough weapons and explosives to outfit an enemy infantry battalion, the commander of the 2nd Infantry Division's 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team reported today.
Army Col. Steven Townsend described sweeping success in Operation Arrowhead Strike 9, which kicked off March 20 to clear west-central Baghdad's Mansour security district.
The unit's ninth brigade-level operation since arriving in Baghdad in December "significantly reduced insurgent activity" in the region in support of the Task Force Dagger ground forces operating there, Townsend told Pentagon reporters via videoconference from Camp Liberty.
The "Arrowhead Brigade" soldiers worked hand in hand throughout the 36-day campaign with the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, which controls the battle space, and Iraqi forces.
Townsend tallied the operation's gains: three confirmed terrorists killed in close combat, 161 suspects detained for questioning, with 42 of them placed in long-term detention. Two kidnap victims were rescued, after being found chained in empty houses. "Both had been tortured and would surely have been executed eventually," Townsend said.
The most impressive yield of the operation came in terms of 92 weapons caches found during the operation, he said. The troops captured and destroyed 356 small arms, mortars and or rocket-propelled grenades, 147 explosive munitions, three car bombs, two suicide vests, and 143 completed or partial roadside bombs.
Some of these munitions were from Iran, China and former Warsaw Pact countries, but it wasn't possible to tell how long they had been in Iraq, he said.
In addition, the troops captured a roadside bomb electronics factory that held components for up to 3,200 additional bombs, and destroyed three homemade explosives factories found in abandoned homes, Townsend said.
But the real significance of Operation Arrowhead Strike 9, he said, extends far beyond the actual weapons, bomb-making materials and suspects captured. "All of this success enabled the Daggar Brigade and the Iraqi Karkh Area Command to make progress in a more meaningful way," he said.
Townsend cited signs of that progress. Killings and mortar attacks in the district have "dropped off significantly" and Iraqis are moving on with their day-to-day lives. They're cleaning trash and sewage from the streets, reopening markets and moving about on the streets in greater numbers.
They're also taking a stand against violence, he reported, providing more leads through phone and e-mail tip lines.
"This success did not come without a cost," he noted. Two Arrowhead brigade soldiers and an Iraqi army soldier died during the operation, and a Stryker vehicle was lost to a roadside bomb.
Since moving into Baghdad to replace the outgoing 172nd Stryker Brigade, the Arrowhead Brigade has assumed a two-fold security mission, Townsend explained. It serves as Multinational Division Baghdad's strike force, a mobile, offensively oriented force that disrupts insurgent activity and clears areas of the capital where insurgents are operating. At the same time, it serves as Multinational Corps Iraq's operational reserve, ready to respond to threats anywhere in Iraq.
Its most important job, he said, is to reinforce troops operating on the ground.
"In my view, it is the battle space owners who do all the heavy lifting here in Baghdad," Townsend said. "They are living among the people, patrolling the toughest places in Baghdad day in and day out, and working on supporting Iraqis' efforts in all four of our main lines of operation: security, transition, economics and governance."
The "Arrowhead Brigade," home-based at Fort Lewis, Wash., holds a long list of "firsts" in the Army, Townsend noted. It was the Army's first Stryker brigade, its first Stryker brigade to deploy for combat and its first Styker brigade to return for a second deployment to Iraq.
Nearly half the unit's 4,000 soldiers are veterans of its first deployment, he said.
[Web Version: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=33001]


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Samos | North Aegean
Samos is a place of rare beauty. A coastline fringed by spectacular beaches, lush green valleys that seem to go on forever, rolling hills that give way to imposing mountains lined with trees, hidden waterfalls, sunsets that make the sky explode with colour; these sceneries have turned the island into the stuff of legends since ancient times.
Samos was the birthplace of the great mathematician Pythagoras, philosophers Epicuros and Aesop and astronomer Aristarchos, the first person who proposed that the earth revolves around the sun.
The island's natural beauty is matched by its rich cultural life and easy-going, unpretentious ambience - something of a rarity for a place dubbed as a tourist destination. Samos is vast in Greek island standards, its two main towns and 33 villages ranging in colour and character as much as its coastal and mountainous landscapes.
Vathi and Karlovasi, the island's two ports and main settlements, are buzzing with activity all year long. The cosmopolitan retreats of the coastline are brought back to life by the cheerful crowds of tourists every summer. The quaint villages nestled into the mountains have their own distinctive character and pace of life.
Ano VathiThe old settlement of Vathi boasts beautiful traditional houses with architectural influences from Greek Macedonia and Minor Asia, charming alleys adorned with colourful pots, small plazas with natural springs and a number of buildings and churches that you can find with the help of the "cultural map".
PythagorioThe cosmopolitan settlement of Pythagorio has been renowned since the 6th century BC. Visit the ancient port and the ancient theatre, the famed aqueduct of Efpalinio Origma and the Heraion, the greatest temple of goddess Hera in ancient times. In the renovated archaeological museum, you will find well-displayed exhibits from Pythagorio and Heraion.
Music FestivalsIreon Music Festival is an annual three-day music festival that takes places in August, featuring acclaimed Greek DJs and bands of many different genres, from reggae and SKA to rock. Also check out the exquisite Samos Young Artists Festival, organised at the ancient theatre of Pythagoras, with performances of classical music, opera, jazz, folklore and music of the world.
The PanigiriaAsk the locals about the Panigiria, the traditional feasts that take place in the villages, where you can listen to live traditional music, taste local delicacies and dance with the locals until dawn. In Fournoi, Pefko, Kastania, Hydroussa, Koumeika, Platanos you will get an idea of old island life, and you will be introduced to Samos' rich musical heritage.
Samos has something for everyone. Families can enjoy the island's ample facilities and serene spots, singles can opt for the seaside bars and nightclubs. The local cuisine is superb and the dining options unlimited. Samos also boasts an excellent network of hiking trails, as well as some excellent diving sites.
Vathi, the capital and main port of the island, buzzes with activity throughout the year. There, you will find everything you need, and more - shops, restaurants, bars, night clubs, the town-hall, the court-house, stunning neoclassical buildings and an exquisite archaeological museum.
You can also visit the Ecclesiastical museum and the museum of Samian Wine, the famed sweet local wine that is being produced here since ancient times.
Karlovasi is the second town and port. A cluster of 5 areas that hosts the University of Aegean, which lends the town a lively vibe of youthful bonhomie. Karlovasi has a romantic quality, with its the abandoned tobacco factories lined-up at the waterfront, the old mansions, the magnificent sunsets and the imposing mount Kerkis looming at the backdrop.
The unspoilt fishing village of Kokkari is one of the island's most popular places, not least because of its scenic setting, beautiful beaches and traditional island charm. Time here seems to have stopped sometime in the early '90s, lending it a perfectly relaxing vibe despite the crowded bars and tavernas lapped by the sea.
The village of Ambelos boasts vineyards and waterfalls, and Manolates is home to a group of Greek and international artists who arrived and fell in love with the village. From the village Vourliotes, with its quaint plaza shaded by trees, you can get to Moni Vronda, the island's oldest convent, and the diminutive church of Profitis Ilias, built at 1,150m height on the slopes of lush mount Karvounis.
You can fly from Athens International Airport. The flight lasts 55min. Alternatively, you can take a ferry from the port of Piraeus. The ride lasts from 6-12 hrs depending on the route, so be sure to find out about it before you book your ticket.
A destination whose popularity has been increasing the past few years, Samos' accommodation choices vary from cozy boutique hotels to luxurious private villas. Holiday villas to rent are dispersed throughout the island offering sanctuaries of cocooning to all types of guests. The Greek Villas' team of experts has composed a list with the best luxury villas in Samos which will definitely cover any taste and need.


text:
Crimp-free, push-in butt splice. Low insertion force for fast connections. Easily passes through ½ in. knockouts. End-to-end connection ideal for pre-fab operations. Transparent polycarbonate window for visual inspection of connection. Wide wire range of 12 AWG to 20 AWG solid, 12 AWG to 16 AWG stranded. Made in the U.S.A.
Ideal Industries, Inc.
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By Postable
Folded cards $1.70 - $3.99
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Whether you live in the bustling heart of Boston or in the charming outskirts of Vineyard Sound, as a Massachusetts resident you know that there are simply too many wonderful places to visit and too many tasks to accomplish every day to let you get hung up on a used car search.
With CarsDirect, you can avoid the time hassle of searching for a used car in Massachusetts by yourself by letting us do the legwork for you. Our comprehensive website has everything you need to make a confident and informed buying decision, and we're here to guide you every step of the way.
We offer an advanced database full of information about practically every model on the road today. From fuel economy to safety ratings, resale value to customer reviews, you'll learn everything there is to know about any car you choose. Our homepage has constantly updated articles and resources to assist you as you search, and we offer a wealth of vehicle comparison models to help you see how they measure up.
Take advantage of our huge database of used cars in Massachusetts to see what's available, and easily narrow your search by zip code to find local results. CarsDirect understands that finding your next used car is an important decision, and you'll need time to think about your options. Just click 'save' above the vehicle, and then come back and view it any time you want. Plus, you can easily share the vehicles you like to social networks or email the link to yourself or friends.
Cut out the stress and mess of a traditional used car search and let CarsDirect get you behind the wheel of your new ride in no time.
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College of Architecture and Environmental Design
The School of Architecture and Environmental Design provides numerous public service and outreach activities. Assisting communities to improve their economic strength and quality of life for their citizens, the school offers upper-level professional architecture design studios that use physical design problems located in northeastern Ohio communities as educational vehicles.
200 Taylor Hall
Kent State University
PO Box 5190
Kent, OH 44242-0001
Phone: 330-672-2917
Fax: 330-672-3809


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Our gang is setting out from Powis Square. A group of artists, upper class Hippies, queens, Bryan Ferry cover girls and African princesses are heading for the Continent. Why travel light when there's an outfit opportunity for every change of mood that will be appreciated and commented upon. All Abroad in a tailored leaf green Needlecord Blazer worn Hockney style with Tropical white pinstripe trousers and tennis shoes. Nigerian Royalty is wearing the silk Cactus print Love shirtdress - ankle length, with her trendy white cropped Tokyo Trench. Melissa dresses messy in her pale blue Up Country knit with Fresh Prince print trousers, but somehow she always looks chic.
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Golden Silver Striped Susie Bell Dress Gold£450.00
Golden Silver Stripe Jumper Gold£285.00
Ceramic 1970 Candle Gold£110.00


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Difference between revisions of "Discussion Topic: Adequacy of Bandwidth"
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What is sufficient badwidth for a public library? How should we define 'broadband for the purposes of our study?
To kick off the discussion, here is a link to an interesting article by John Bertot and Chuck McClure:
John Carlo Bertot and Charles R. McClure (2006). Assessing Sufficiency and Quality of Bandwidth for Public Libraries, Information Technology and Libraries Available at: http://www.ii.fsu.edu/announcements/e-gov2006/assessing_bandwidth.pdf (pdf)
Here is some measure of broadband for households:
- ITU 1.5 Mbps to 2 Mbps
- OECD 256 Kbps
- FCC 200 Kbps (in one direction
Are these definitions adequate to support library services now? In the future?
Email Traffic[edit]
Nancy--Call for List[edit]
I'd like to come up with a list of possible uses of bandwidth that we could present to libraries to stimulate their thinking, particularly in the focus groups when we visit states. I'll try and put together your ideas with Linda's and anyone else who wishes to contribute.
Nancy--Beginning a List[edit]
John is right, we are looking at apples and oranges and need to separate them but all are important. I'm also going to add the two fellows I've been talking to to this list because I really respect opinions: Jerry McCarthy and Carson Block.
It seems to me that we are talking about at least 3 and maybe 4 issues, and, as I said in my original memo, many of them stimulated by John and Chuck's 2006 study. I tried to print it today and Kinkos wanted $.49 a page. Would you believe that??? I read it online but really want a print copy so I can study it. Does someone have a print copy they can bring to me??
At any rate, 4 issues or approaches:
What are the uses that a library might need bandwidth for? Internet access Regional or local ILS Databases Connectivity between branches What else? Disaster relief I'd really like to come up with a good list here. How do we determine how much bandwidth would be needed for the uses that are identified?
What are the arguments that libraries can use to get support for more bandwidth? Meet user needs Economic development Educational support Disaster relief E-government What else? Is it possible to determine how much bandwidth would be needed for each of these?
How do libraries connect to get larger bandwidth? Telecom companies? Cable companies? Electric companies? Throughy the local school district or city government (who might use one of the ways above? Other??
What methods can they use to get support? Leadership Advocacy Coalition building Government regulation or requirement for a certain level of connectivity? These are from the Bertot and the McCarthy papers
How do they pay for connectivity? e-rate city/county other government budget libraries own budget
Please add to these lists or switch items around.
Linda's Addition[edit]
Of your "uses" list below, I believe video--no matter what it is used for--helps folks understand we're talking about the connectivity needed for video-based meetings, education, etc. This has the potential of being a huge bandwidth eater and therefore I believe it deserves a separate "use" item to spark the thinking in this area.
Also, it might be useful to understand who the primary "organizer" is for any shared bandwidth they are using today. Is it the state, the university, the community college, the city, a consortium of libraries, etc. This takes you a step behind "state networks" but begins to get at who may be the players in any given state (which I maintain is critical to understanding the fundamental differences between states) and who may be critical in aggregating demand, coordinating procurement and contracting, and driving down costs to the end user.
Bob's Note[edit]
Another bandwidth issue is library-hosted services/content. John's survey (question #13) gets at some of this but one cannot tell from the survey what information is hosted "either in the library or remotely." Example: The library has on its Web server over 500 digitized images (pictures, historical documents, etc.) of its community's local history. But if the library merely provides a link to a remote (non-library) server that has all this info, the bandwidth needs of the library are reduced dramatically. So library-hosted services/content is an important issue.
Carson's Note[edit]
Hi Nancy!
Sorry for the late reply * buried in planning for a new branch. And thanks for adding me to the discussion! Some thoughts below...
THE "USES" LIST I agree with Linda and Bob's thoughts below on library-hosted content; bandwidth required will depend on type of content (text? images? audio? video?); the size of what's offered, how popular it is, and as Bob pointed out whether the content is actually served from the library's Internet connection, or in an alternate location.
Other needs to add to the list of "uses" include VOIP (Voice Over IP) for the next generation of voice services; remote management of technology (allowing rural libraries with few tech support options to outsource some of their needs); and stronger resource sharing.
BANDWIDTH One thing I would add to the list of "How do libraries connect to get larger bandwidth?" below is the concept of scalable bandwidth. We kinda know what we want bandwidth for in the near future, and we have guesses about what we might use it for farther down the line. One thing we know for certain is that we'll want and need more of it, so investments in infrastructure should be made with that in mind.
HOW DO THEY PAY? Perhaps add in-kind donations/other charitable giving.
ANOTHER APPROACH After our conversation I realized that the answers to most of the questions were "it depends" * it's hard anymore to even offer generic targets for bandwidth needs because each item on the different lists have their own subsets of variables * some with huge impacts on the bandwidth needs.
It appears one of the greatest needs is helping folks work through those variables on both the broad and granular levels. On the broad, governments and agencies need help identifying and tackling the big funding and large-scale project challenges. On the granular, individualized attention is essential for guiding libraries through a technical planning process and inventory of local resources (including available tech support and infrastructure), putting some numbers in place of the variables, and creating an achievable action plan.
Have fun in Seattle!


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The ruling party of Georgian President Mikhael Saakashvili triumphed in Georgian elections over the weekend that were the first electoral test for Mr. Saakashvili since Georgia's disastrous 2008 war with Russia.
International monitors and local critics said the outcome was basically acceptable, despite numerous complaints of official support for the ruling party and voting irregularities. Turnout was low, under 50 percent in the capital, Tbilisi, and in several other major towns.
In the key contest for mayor of Tbilisi, the pro-Saakashvili incumbent Gigi Ugulava took more than 55 percent of the votes. Former United Nations ambassador Irakli Alasania, the most prominent member of a field of eight opposition candidates, came in a distant second with just 19 percent.
In municipal races around this tiny nation of 4.5 million, Saakashvili's United National Movement appeared to have won about 60 percent of the votes cast. "The final result is that democracy has won in Georgia," Saakashvili told supporters after the results of Sunday's voting became clear.
But critics say the outcome owes more to the fragmented and fractious character of the opposition, who were unable to field a united candidate even in the critical Tbilisi race, than to Saakashvili's popularity, which has been badly dented by a string of scandals.
"This is pretty much a case of people choosing the devil they know, because they fear the other ones might be even worse," says George Khutsishvili, director of the independent International Center on Conflict and Negotiation in Tbilisi. "Saakashvili's greatest strength is the disorganized and ineffective opposition that he faces."
Reasonably fair
Almost 5,000 international observers were on hand to witness the voting, and most declared it to be a step forward for Georgia, where Saakashvili has occasionally flirted with authoritarian means of securing his rule.
"Yesterday's municipal elections in Georgia marked evident progress toward meeting international standards, but significant shortcomings remain to be addressed," said a Monday report by observers from the biggest contingent, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
"Nevertheless, the low level of public confidence in the election process persisted," it added. "Further efforts in resolutely tackling recurring misconduct are required in order to consolidate the progress achieved and enhance public trust before the next national elections."
Some analysts said opposition leaders were damaged by pervasive suggestions that they might be in the pay of the Kremlin, which has made no secret of its distaste for Saakashvili.
After prominent opposition politician Nino Burzhanadze visited Moscow in March to explore terms for better relations, a government-connected Georgian TV station ran a fake documentary that appeared to tar Ms. Burzhanadze as being in the service of Moscow.
"The opposition was intimidated to some extent, and thrown onto the defensive by efforts to label them as 'Russian agents,' " says Mr. Khutsishvili. "They had to worry about disclosing every single source of funding, and were constantly forced to explain themselves."
Mr. Alasania, perhaps the opposition's most promising leader, conceded his defeat in Tbilisi and told his supporters to begin preparing for the next cycle of parliamentary and presidential polls, due in about two years.
"We have been defined by voters as one of the key political force," Alasania said. "With this support we continue our struggle to contribute democratic development of our country, to make electoral system more transparent.... With the parliamentary elections [in 2012], we face the major test ahead of us."
In contrast to last year, when oppositionists held months of rolling street demonstrations in a vain attempt to unseat Saakashvili, no one appears likely to protest now.
"The elections were democratic, and not a single party here – even the most radical – is going to accuse the authorities of any major manipulations," says Irine Sarishvili-Chanturia, a former deputy prime minister who is now a moderate opposition figure. "But the democratic character of the elections themselves doesn't mean we have no problems with our democracy. The opposition is divided, and the authorities made many false promises," she says.
"We need to look forward, and renew our commitment to make things better."
Related stories:


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Incorporate your business's advertising message into a full-blown ad campaign (or as full-blown an ad campaign as your business can afford). After you identify all the ways your product is unique and put your finger in a hard-to-resist, eminently logical reason that people should seek you out in order to buy it, you need to find ways to make your idea fit into various forms of advertising.
You can't buy a 50-pound ad campaign with a 10-pound budget, so you need to pick and choose your media and adjust your message accordingly. Figure out how your message will translate into various media and how much of this media you can afford.
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Maintain consistency of your message in all media. Whatever your unique message turns out to be — whether it's a headline, sentence, slogan, graphic, or other creative hook — be sure to use that message consistently in all media. You need to apply the same message in all the forms of media you use in order to establish it as yours and yours alone, and in order to give the consumer a better chance of remembering it.
Keep your message simple. The real challenge of creating your advertising is to devise a hook that will cut through the clutter that consumers are exposed to each and every day. Today, more than ever before, consumers are deluged with information — and advertising is tossed into this cauldron of information, too. The key to igniting consumer memory is keeping it simple.
Use words that sell. Different words or phrases work for different types of businesses. Words and phrases that sell in the retail industry include clearance, everything must go, and improved. If you offer a service, words and phrases like great service, family owned and operated, and dependable can appeal to a customer.
Make your ads simple in their language but creative in their content and presentation.
Deliver your message with clarity. No matter what form of media you use for your message, be sure to explain your message in clear, easy-to-understand terms. You want consumers to see at a glance what you're selling and then make snap decisions as to whether they want to read or listen further.
Place your most powerful selling message at the beginning of a radio spot or in the form of a headline for printed advertising or Internet banner ads.


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Zendaya Drops Out of Aaliyah TV Biopicby Thomas Chau | PopCrush
Zendaya will no longer portray Aaliyah in the planned Lifetime Television movie about the late R&B singer's life. It was announced two weeks ago that the Disney Channel star and singer would join the picture but she has since bowed out, according to E! Online.
E! reports that there were issues with production, including obtaining the rights to Aaliyah's music.
"Aaliyah has always been an inspiration to Zendaya," the source told E!. "She was honored to portray her and pay tribute to her. If she is going to do it, she wants to do it right."
The movie was to have been titled 'Aaliyah: Princess of R&B' and that the TV film would be based off the biography 'Aaliyah: More Than a Woman' by Christopher Farley. The film was scheduled to air on Lifetime this fall.
No word on whether the project has stalled, been canceled completely, or will still try to move forward with another actress.
Aaliyah, who released such hits as 'Try Again' and 'Rock the Boat,' died in a plane crash on August 25, 2001. She was 22 at the time.


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This cookbook is dedicated to the thousands of 4-H members, volunteers, and community supporters that have, for nearly 100 years, devoted their time, their energy, and their resources to help Marion County young people become strong, self-reliant, and competent individuals. The Marion County 4-H Council has collected the best recipes from 4-H members, family and friends and compiled them into an attractive keepsake cookbook.
The cookbook contains nearly 375 well-loved recipes from some of Marion Counties best cooks, including appetizers, main dishes, desserts, and many others. Hard cover with a plastic-spine binding. Recipes include the contributor's name, enabling you to find the recipes of family and friends.
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Monday, Dec. 2, 2019
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Obamacare: One blow after another
The Obamacare that consumers will finally be able to sign up for next week is a long way from the health plan President Barack Obama first pitched to the nation.
Millions of low-income Americans won't receive coverage. Many workers at small businesses won't get a choice of insurance plans right away. Large employers won't need to provide insurance for another year. Far more states than expected won't run their own insurance marketplaces. And a growing number of workers won't get to keep their employer-provided coverage.
Story Continued Below
Every branch of the federal government played a role in weakening the law over the past three years, the casualty of a divisive legislative fight, a surprise Supreme Court ruling, a complex implementation and an unrelenting political opposition. The result has been a stark gap between the promise of Obamacare and the reality — one that has fueled a deep vein of skepticism about the law as it enters its most critical phase.
"Oh, I've heard of Obamacare, yes, but I didn't know all that was involved," said Cindy Bishop, a part-time worker from Lexington, Ky., who stopped by an Obamacare information booth at the state fair last month. "Everybody that I have ever talked to is totally against it. They're afraid all the doctors are going to pull out, and you're going to have to be like Canada and have to be on a waiting list."
Obama will take a lead role during the six-month enrollment period in trying to convert critics like Bishop. He doesn't expect to boost the subpar approval numbers, at least not in the near term. Democrats stopped anticipating a bump a long time ago when voters defied prediction after prediction that they would fall in love with Obamacare.
His best defense against Republican repeal efforts is a robust consumer response, and his best hope to soften years of public antipathy is a successful rollout. That's why Obama is asking millions of Americans to just give the law a chance — go to the Web, sign up for a health care plan starting Oct. 1 and claim a new benefit that's there for the taking on Jan. 1. It's also why Republicans are mounting such an aggressive last stand this week to revoke funding for the law.
( Also on POLITICO: Obama's health care conversion)
The early hiccups may not matter in the long run if the Affordable Care Act survives Republican challenges and goes on to become an entitlement as popular as Social Security or Medicare and if the early gaps between hope and practice narrow as more states agree to expand Medicaid.
Administration officials said the regulatory delays won't have a significant impact on the overall implementation. And already, despite the unceasing GOP campaign to sink the law, Obamacare has exceeded expectations in some significant ways.
The growth rate for health care costs has slowed to its lowest level in decades, although experts dispute whether the recession or Obamacare should receive the credit.
( Also on POLITICO: Rand Paul on Obamacare compromise: 'Maybe')
More than 3.1 million young adults gained coverage because they could stay on their parents' insurance; 17 million children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied coverage; and insurers have been forced to issue more than $500 million in rebate checks to consumers because they failed to spend at least 80 percent of premiums on medical care.
"The Affordable Care Act has put historic consumer protections in place that have improved the quality and cost of health insurance and will soon provide a simple way for uninsured Americans and their families to shop for quality, affordable coverage in the health insurance marketplaces," White House spokeswoman Jessica Santillo said. "The landmark improvements to the health system are taking effect on time and are already helping make better coverage available at a more affordable price."
( PHOTOS: 25 unforgettable Obamacare quotes)
The broad pillars of Obamacare remain intact: the exchanges, the subsidies and the security of coverage for so many Americans who otherwise couldn't afford it. But in ways large and small, the changes to the law are making the reality of health reform more challenging.
The Supreme Court set back coverage
Chief Justice John Roberts handed the Obama administration an unexpected victory last year with his 5-4 opinion upholding the law. Less understood at the time: the dramatic consequences for his split-the-difference solution that a mandatory Medicaid expansion must be an option for each state.


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Latest News
Ex-Ohio attorney general picked to lead consumer finance watchdog agency
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has tapped Richard Cordray, a former Ohio attorney general who was a leader in state crackdowns on financial industry abuses, to head a new federal consumer watchdog agency that formally opens its doors this week, the White House said Sunday.
Obama will formally announce Cordray's nomination to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at an event on Monday.
However, the president's decision to bypass Elizabeth Warren, the bureau's architect whose candidacy has been fiercely opposed by the banking industry, may not signal an easier Senate confirmation fight.
In May, 44 of 47 Senate Republicans sent Obama a letter threatening to block the appointment of any proposed agency chief unless the bureau is reformed to ensure more "accountability and transparency." If the Republicans hold firm, Democrats would lack the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster and win Cordray's confirmation.
Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said Sunday that "the White House still hasn't addressed the concerns raised by Congress."
Congress created the new watchdog agency in response to the subprime mortgage scandal that crashed the U.S. housing market, sank the economy and cost millions of Americans their homes. Established under the Dodd-Frank Act that overhauled regulation of the financial industry, the bureau was granted independence and sweeping authority to dispatch examiners to Goldman Sachs, JPMorganChase and other financial industry giants on any issue affecting consumers.
Obama, in a statement, said that Cordray "has spent his career advocating for middle-class families, from his tenure as Ohio's attorney general to his most recent role as heading up the enforcement division at the CFPB and looking out for ordinary people in our financial system."
Consumer groups and their allies, who've elevated Warren to something of a folk hero for her crusade to better protect average Americans from sophisticated financial practices, seemed mollified by the decision.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, said the labor umbrella group is disappointed that Obama gave in to opposition from Republicans and "the financial interests that ruined our economy." But he said that Cordray has "an outstanding record of protecting the public interest."
Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which collected 350,000 petition signatures backing Warren for the job, said that while Warren "was the best qualified ... Rich Cordray has been a strong ally of Elizabeth Warren's and we hope he will continue her legacy of holding Wall Street accountable."
Warren, widely credited with conceiving the agency and forging its creation, has been serving as an adviser to Obama and to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. She recruited Cordray to serve as its enforcement chief after he lost his re-election bid as Ohio attorney general last fall to former Republican Sen. Mike DeWine.
Already, the agency has begun pushing credit card providers and mortgage lenders to simplify their forms and disclosures so that consumers can better understand all fees and can better compare different loan offers.
While Warren has sought to take a lower profile in recent months, she's been called before a House committee and faced testy questioning from Republican representatives.
In their May letter, Republicans complained that the bureau director has a five-year term and "effectively answers to no one," even setting their own budget without congressional review.
Obama, however, said that the reforms adopted after the economic crash, including creation of the new bureau, "put in place the strongest consumer protections in our nation's history."
He thanked Warren "not only for her extraordinary work standing up the new agency over the past year, but also for her many years of impassioned leadership and her fierce defense of a simple idea: Ordinary people deserve to be treated fairly and honestly in their financial dealings."
"This agency was Elizabeth's idea, and through sheer force of will, intelligence and a bottomless well of energy, she has made, and will continue to make, a profound and positive difference for our country."
Warren issued her own statement praising Cordray and saying she hopes "that those who want to cripple this consumer bureau will think again and remember that the financial crisis — and the recession and job losses that it sparked — began one lousy mortgage at a time."
"I also hope that when those senators next go home, they ask their constituents how they feel about fine print, about signing contracts with terms that are incomprehensible and about learning the true costs of a financial transaction only later when fees are piled on or interest rates are reset," Warren said.
Warren took leave from teaching law at Harvard University to come to Washington, first to head a congressional panel overseeing the use of more than $300 billion in tax dollars to bail out the banking industry.
In what may be her parting shot, she said that "partisanship may be the most important thing in Washington, but in the rest of the country, people expect their public servants to work together to learn from past regulatory failures and to put our energy into solving problems, not scoring political points."
Cordray, a former Ohio state treasurer and solicitor general, recovered more than $2 billion for the state's retirees, investors and business owners in two years as attorney general, suing major banks, credit rating agencies and subprime mortgage lenders, as well as firms preying on homeowners trying to avoid mortgage foreclosures.
He negotiated settlements that recovered $475 million from Merrill Lynch, now a part of Bank of America, $400 million from Marsh & McLennan, a huge insurance brokerage firm, and $725 million from insurance giant American International Group.
(Tony Pugh and David Lightman of the Washington Bureau contributed.)
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Warren nimble in building Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
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McHenry-Warren tussle leads to call for recess appointment
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