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A while back, Kirk wrote to me:
I'm actually interested in seeing what playoff hockey is all about. Who knows, it may even hook me on to the sport a little.
I felt the need to write a lengthy, self-serving posting that would encourage Kirk to not only care about hockey, but to embrace his destiny as a Wingnut. After all, friends don't let friends become Bruins fans. It's not quite as bad as being a fan of say, the Buffalo Bills. But it still hurts. You can't want that for a friend.
Kirk, the playoffs are the most wonderful time of the year. It's hard to explain how deeply hockey fans feel about the playoffs. As a sort of benchmark, Dinur phones me every year and wishes me Happy Playoffs, as if it were Christmas or Hanukkah. No joke. For the past couple of springs, I've had really good theory sections and the Wings have fought all the way to the Stanley Cup series. The spring has been pretty magical and it comes not a moment too soon. Winter quarter always sucks moderately, because football is over by mid-January. The hockey regular season is still going, but I've not been able to adjust my lame attention span to following much regular season hockey (although I find programming everything into Outlook really helps me track a lot better—I've had fun following the Yanks so far this baseball season).
I followed hockey closely in February and March of this year, though. The Wings, for the first time in about twenty years, looked like they might not make the playoffs. Being a Wingnut, you just get so fuckin' spoiled. It was hard to think we wouldn't be a playoff contender.
Reflections on this Year
But sure enough, the Wings pulled through. It's just so awesome to have your team have so much damned character. And it's so damned hard to accept that the last of my generation of Red Wings (the guys who are our age I mean) are pretty much gone. Ozzie's a back-up now. Malts may be gone next year. These guys are core players who, while not the greatest players in Red Wings history, are some of the best teammates in any sport's history and who have a great relationship with the fans. These guys are hard-core professionals who know that they're insanely lucky to get to be NHL hockey players and approach the game with gratitude. They've developed their careers around core athletic and sportsmanship values that are so pure that they make me want to cry.
Any will anyone ever forget Nick Lidstrom, patron saint of hockey defensemen everywhere? And this veritable hockey god was actually in the shadow, if you can imagine such a thing, of Steve Yzerman for a time. Try imagining Lidstrom in anyone's shadow. That's how amazing the team has been. This has been a legendary and rich time in Red Wings history.
Yeah, I was a little sore after being eliminated by the Sharks this year. But in all frankness, as long as we weren't swept, I was okay with it. Thank God for that drubbing we gave them in Game 4. Yeah, we lost the series. But let's face it: dynastic conditions are very difficult in the present NHL. We've been insanely good for several years. There is much speculation by persons like Dinur and Todd Tavares at school (a Bruins fan, God help him—Ai! The pain!) that this Golden Age is coming to a close. Yet we keep managing to find highly viable combinations of veteran experience and youthful talent. Management has been superlative—we keep winning while rebuilding. It's really something to behold. Show me another team that has been managed so well.
I only wish my dissertation were half as impressive.
Right and Proper Playoff Philosophy
Moreover, it's important to note that we've also been one of the few philosophically pure hockey teams in the league, really until this year. I have to admit that while we've been genuinely good, several other teams in the NHL have suffered from bad coaching philosophies that have made them vulnerable in the playoffs. In Kirk's last letter, he said to me:
Football, basketball, baseball and soccer don't really change, they are just more intense, but apparently the "experts" agree with you that teams that are built to win in the regular season aren't necessarily the best teams in the postseason. I think the only other possible comparison to this is in baseball, where a great offense can get get you a great record in the regular season but in the postseason all you need is 3 great starting pitchers and you have a chance to shut down all your opponents. So, teams with mediocre offenses but great starting pitchers may manage to have a winning record and perhaps even win 90 games or so, but then go on to knock off more flashy 100-win teams in the playoffs if their pitchers manage to dominate.
Hockey is like your account of baseball, except exactly the opposite. In the hockey playoffs, the true edge belongs to offensive powerhouses. This is why the Wings have been dominant in the offseason for several years. Several teams in the league were wrongly fixated on immoral and improper strategy for victory that is primarily "defense first." This strategy is an abomination and the gods do not favor it. While many teams favored this strategy, I prefer to foist most of the blame on Ron Wilson. He probably didn't invent it. But after Nagano, he deserves the blame for anything that's wrong in North American hockey. The Ron Wilsons of the world have simply tried to rely on their regular-season, defense-first strategies going into the playoffs. These teams would develop very tight defenses. Then, they'd get a goal or two lead and then actually sit on it for the remainder of the game.
That sort of strategy can work in the regular season. Actually, it often works well. The hockey regular season is long, somewhat like the baseball season. Moreover, there are thirty teams in the league and you meet most of the teams from the opposite conference only once per season. The regular season is not a very scouting intensive experience. You aren't going to play tonight's team all that often, so it's not like any one team has a great set of incentives to really learn the other team's weaknesses. Games are not usually played as series, in baseball's style. You just develop a method that's well-suited to your team and keep plugging away at it. Under those constraints, a strong defense is a very good insurance policy in the regular season of making the playoffs.
Of course, any fan of the San Jose Sharks can tell you that making the playoffs is different from winning in the playoffs. The psychological dynamic is quite different in the playoffs, where you face a best of seven series. Suddenly, your ability to really learn your opponent's weaknesses is critical to victory. In this setting, it is my opinion that the key to victory is a highly intelligent and high-powered offense that has the psychological aplomb and patience to learn how to dismantle the opponent's defense. Naturally, defenses also learn in this process. However, hockey defenses are extremely vulnerable, owing to the critical importance of a single man—the goalie. Once a goalie is cracked, i.e. faces a definitive and crushing failure, it very rare for a team to come back in the playoffs. That said, it is never impossible. One need only recall last year's Stanley Cup series for evidence of this fact.
Digression on Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Championship
That said, such a performance is exceptional. I think the textbook case of defense not winning the playoffs is Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Championship, between the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche. This game was the definitive turning point in a series that ended the intense and bitter rivalry that emerged between the two teams over the course of the '90s, banishing the Avalanche to obscurity over the following years. While the former Quebec Nordiques did win their Stanley Cup the year before, I feel this series put the cap on any Avalanche attempt to define themselves as one of the storied franchises of the National Hockey League. I feel this is true for some time to come.
Some context: Both teams had been quite impressive during the regular season, with the Wings entering the playoffs as the first seed, having won the President's Trophy. The playoff bracket is reproduced below, courtesy of my friends and yours at Wikipedia:
Note that the first seed in the Eastern Conference was the Boston Bruins, who were eliminated in six games by the eighth seed Habs. This is typical Bruins fare. Look, Kirk, it's your choice. I'm just sayin'.
But to return to the original digression, the Avs were the second seed in the conference, tied with the San Jose Sharks for second highest points in the league. This conference championship, then, was a showdown. If the Avs were to ever show that they were better than us, this was their moment.
In all fairness, they didn't suck. It was a seven game series that was played neck and neck. The Red Wings won the first game at the Joe, 5-3. Colorado came back for Game 2 and won in overtime, 4-3. In Denver, the Wings pulled ahead again 2-1, also in overtime. Once more, the Avs tied the series, winning Game 4 in Denver, 3-2. Then, in Game 5, the Avs pulled ahead in the series, winning against the Red Wings 2-1 in overtime.
The turning point was the "Statue of Liberty Goal" scored by Brendan Shanahan in the first period. As you can see below, Roy thought he had the puck securely in his glove. But the ref hadn't whistled it dead and it had fallen out as he was hoisting it. Shanny scooped it in. The shame shattered Roy's psyche. In Game 7, he basically left the light on and the key under the mat for the Wings. The Avs were shut out, 7-0. I like to think of this as the definitive moment of Patrick Roy's career. I imagine there are many who disagree with me and I really could care less. This is how I will remember him for all time to come.
During the playoffs, when the goalie is finally broken, you have them. True, series are won without this spectacle. But there is nothing quite as satisfying as watching your team destroy your opponent's goalie. The core point is, the playoffs are about your offense's strategic ability to learn how to crack the opponent's defense and your defense's psychological ability to recover from failure. At the end of a series, you know who the better team was. This is the glory of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Return to Discussion of Proper Playoff Philosophy
In the past few years, one of the elements that, in my opinion, contributed to the Wings' hegemony was the overwhelming number of teams that employed this Ron Wilsonesque defensive philosophy—get a lead and then sit on it. Let your strong defense and super-cultivated goalie do the rest.
One can see the temptation. There are some very refined goalies in this sport. Among the most refined was a man named Dominik Hasek, otherwise known as "Mr. Slinky for a Spine."
But even the refined goaltending of Dominik Hasek doesn't win Stanley Cups. Briggs Moon probably remembers a team that used to hail from Minnesota, the North Stars, actually defeating the Great Slinky for a Spine in Game 6 of the 1999 Cup finals. It was in third overtime and I had already gone to bed, to be sure (I had to work in the morning), but the Stars eventually won the Cup that night. This sad story (well, not for Briggs) has three core morals.
First, Slinky for a Spine would only win the Cup when he got to (you know it) Detroit, where we don't play "sit on the lead" hockey. So forget that "defense first" crap. It doesn't win the Stanley Cup.
Second, there are some things that money can't buy, but Dominik Hasek isn't one of them. And the identity of the team that could afford to buy him (and Brett Hull, too)? The Detroit Red Wings. Remember this, when picking your allegiances.
This last moral needs a preamble. I was living in DC during the '99 playoffs and actually ran into this guy from Buffalo on the metro. He saw my shirt, and said, "Now that the Wings are out, you're rooting for Buffalo, right? You have to root for Buffalo." You could see the pleading desperation in his eyes. "They have to win. They have to." You could see what losing the Lombardi Trophy three times had done to the poor man. For pure pity's sake, I told him I would root for the Sabres. So fucking sad. So yeah, there are worse teams than the Bruins, Kirk. But still, friends don't let friends become Bruins fans. It's just too bitter. When I called Briggs the next day to congratulate him, all I could think of was the poor bastard from Buffalo on the metro. So fucking sad.
So third, don't let that happen to you.
Well, to get back to the subject. Over the past few years, people have realized the defensive approach doesn't work—thank God! It was disgusting while it lasted. In general, the league is abandoning the defensive trend and learning to play proper playoffs hockey again. Take, for example, the team that beat us this year, the Sharks, have done everything possible to become us. They fired Ron Wilson and hired Red Wings Assistant Coach Todd McLellan. And they do look a lot like us now. It's kind of scary when guys in teal (teal!) try stealing your identity. I have to admit that they did well at managing the transition from regular season hockey to playoff hockey this year. Pretending to be the Wings seems to work for them.
Prophecy: If the Sharks don't win the Cup this year, they will forever be a choke team. I mean, they bought one of our coaches and tried to become us, doing a not-half-bad job. What else could they need? An octopus on the ice? Motown hits over the loudpeakers? A trumpet rendition of Hava Nagila during third period? There can be no excuses. If they don't win this year, they'll be one of those teams. One of those teams like the post-'71 Bruins. Plus, those fuckers will still be wearing teal.
So, hopefully, for Dinur's sake and the sake of all my in-laws, Thornton will remember this little bit he did last year:
Bottom line for the Wings after this playoff season: As the NHL abandons its dalliance with a defensive approach to the playoffs, the Wings need to come up with some new innovation for these guys to later copy after we beat them. The good news? We probably will.


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US company Dropbox has chosen wood flooring from Kährs Grande collection for its new HQ. The rustic Oak Casa design has been installed
throughout. The simple interior, featuring pale walls, patterned retrostyle feature walls, and contemporary timber furnishings, is complemented by Kährs Oak Casa flooring, with its warm tone and lively graining. It is designed in Sweden from sustainable European Oak and has a one-strip plank format with a bevelled edge. The
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subset: commoncrawl


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Move over Lulu Lemon, Adidas is giving you a run for you money in the competition for stylish athletic gear. And what better collaborator than the trend-setting folks over at Opening Ceremony? To celebrate the 2012 Summer Olympics, Adidas Originals and Opening Ceremony (quite a perfect brand name for the occasion!) created a premium capsule collection that reinterprets the sports brand's iconic silhouettes.
The clothing is a little more streetwear versus athletic gear (I can't see myself running a few miles in a collared neoprene halter top, a peplum short sleeve top, nor a zip-front dress… you can see what I mean below), but the fashion-forward garments were purposely intended to meld the aesthetics of the two brands. The collection is currently on sale at Opening Ceremony's pop-up store in London's Covent Garden, as well as in their NYC locations.


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Dalle accuse ai militari francesi in Centrafrica, lo scandalo della pedofilia tra le forze di pace si allarga ad altri contingenti di caschi blu Onu
L'alto commissario ONU per i Diritti Umani, Zeid Raad al Hussein, ha chiesto a varie nazioni di indagare su denunce che i peacekeepers nel Paese africano avrebbero commesso abusi su minori, in cambio di cibo o piccole somme di denaro.
Zeid sabato ha affermato che le accuse ai francesi hanno indotto il suo ufficio ad approfondire altre accuse di gravi violazioni dei diritti umani "in numerosi altri contingenti internazionali". Nessun altro Paese, al di là della Francia, è stato finora nominato.
Secondo l'Alto Commissario "la punizione deve essere commisurata al crimine. Ci sono stati altri incidenti non adeguatamente affrontati dagli Stati coinvolti. Dobbiamo andare a fondo su cosa è stato fatto, e da chi e quando".
Zeid ha pure annunciato l'invio di un team dal quartier generale di Ginevra a Bangui per approfondire l'inchiesta.
Onu, nuove accuse di pedofilia 30/05/15
The boys said they approached the French soldiers because they were hungry. Some were so young they didn't quite understand the acts the soldiers demanded in return. One boy, 8 or 9 years old, said he did it several times to the same soldier, "until one day an older kid saw him and told him what he was doing was bad."
Another boy, 9, said he thought the soldiers had been urinating.
U.N. investigators heard such stories of sexual abuse from several boys in May and June 2014 in
Central African Republic, where French soldiers were protecting a sprawling displaced persons camp in the conflict-torn capital, Bangui.
One year later, revelations about how the U.N. handled the boys' accounts have horrified people both inside and outside the world body. Statements marked "strictly confidential" have shown that its top human rights officials failed to follow up for several months on the allegations their own office had collected.
On Saturday, the high commissioner for human rights, Zeid Raad al-Hussein, said his office was sending a team to Central African Republic to look into what the statement called "possible further measures to address human rights violations," including sexual violence. The office also will ask "concerned states" what they have done to investigate them and prosecute anyone.
No arrests have been announced, and it's not clear where the accused soldiers, who were supporting a U.N. peacekeeping force, are now. The U.N. seems unable to say when the abuses stopped, or how long it continued to investigate.
On Friday, more documents were released by a non-governmental organization run by two former U.N. staffers that's calling for an independent investigation into the case. The documents show U.N. officials scrambling not so much to help a French inquiry into the allegations but to investigate the human rights staffer who told French authorities in the first place.
A separate report with the children's allegations, obtained by The Associated Press, says the first account was heard May 19 by a human rights staffer and a UNICEF child protection officer. The interviews continued through June 24. A Geneva-based human rights staffer shared the report with French authorities in July.
The boys' accounts are simple and stark. An 11-year-old said he had gone "looking for empty wrappings to play with" when a French soldier first called him over, later giving the boy food and a little money in exchange for oral sex. Another boy, 9, "had been severely beaten by his mother when he told her what had happened."
A UNICEF spokeswoman did not immediately respond to questions Friday about how the children's agency reported the allegations, and to whom.
The case has exposed a glaring weakness in a world body that considers human rights one of its three main pillars: It has no specific guidelines on how to handle allegations of child sexual abuse, and no requirement for immediate, mandatory reporting.
Even when French gendarmes showed up at the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Bangui to investigate the allegations — the report shared with French authorities is on the mission's letterhead — they were told they had to go through proper U.N. channels and talk to the human rights office in Geneva instead.
That was in August. At the end of March, the U.N. finally handed France a redacted copy of the same report they already had. The U.N. says the report first given to the French included the names of the children and witnesses and was a breach of protocol.
The children's allegations didn't make their way to top officials at U.N. headquarters in New York for months. On Friday, U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told reporters he first heard about them this spring. When asked why the mission in Central African Republic didn't alert his office in New York right away, he said, "Some reporting lines maybe didn't function."
The NGO that on Friday released internal U.N. documents related to the case, AIDS-Free World, called for an independent investigation into the way the allegations were handled from the start.
"The grim reality is that those with experience within the U.N. system are unlikely to be surprised," its statement said. "They know that this is not an unusual case; it is simply one that has come, partially, to light."
A spokesman for the U.N. human rights office did not comment Friday. The spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general, Stephane Dujarric, told reporters that the documents "may or may not be authentic."
It is not clear whether a U.N. commission of inquiry on Central African Republic looked into the child sexual abuse allegations. It has said that because of limited resources it focused on incidents involving alleged deaths.
The commission's final report in December suggests that the U.N. secretary-general report alleged violations by all peacekeepers in Central African Republic, regardless of whether they are part of a U.N. mission.
But on Friday, his spokesman said the secretary-general only heard of the child sexual abuse allegations this spring.
Among the documents released Friday is a March 24 statement by the human rights staffer who interviewed the children. The statement is for the U.N. investigation into what it calls the "leak" to French authorities.
Between September and March, the staffer says, she didn't hear anything about the case.
But she offers, "I still have all the notes I took of the interviews if they would be of any help."
Child sex abuse claims shake United Nations May 30, 2015
Sexual Abuses on Children by International Armed Forces 30 APRILE 2015
Preti Pedofili: 2.000 Abusi Storici in Gran Bretagna 29 MAGGIO 2015Tweet
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St. Mary Medical Center to Build Surgery Center in Indiana
The surgery center will take up 113,00 square feet of the new facility. Construction is estimated to reach completion in summer 2015.
More Articles on Transactions and Valuation Issues:
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OrthoCarolina Opens $4.9M Surgery Center: 5 Key Points
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Welcome to the Advanced Manufacturing West 2019 Presentation Store. Here you can view and download conference and/or show floor theater presentations before, during, and after the event. If you're looking for a presentation from a specific session that you're unable to find here, note that it's likely because the presenter has not provided permission for external use or has not yet shared their presentation with us. Please check back after the event for a more complete catalogue of available presentations.
Erik Sherburne (Quality Manager, Advanced Molding Technologies)
Location: Tech Theater, Booth 637, Hall E
Date: Tuesday, February 5
Time: 3:30pm - 4:15pm
Track: Tech Theater
Vault Recording: TBD
Audience Level: All
Speed to market is critical now more than ever and the regulatory requirements remain and, in some ways, have increased. In order to be competitive, companies must be dynamic and ever-evolving to meet those requirements and mitigate risks while maintaining aggressive timelines with a focus on product conformity to the specifications.
In this presentation, we will discuss techniques and review case studies we have used to reduce the process validation timeline: CT Scanning for metrology, thorough DFM/DFR review and leveraging statistics, data and software to offset traditional validation methods.


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If you have tried to quit smoking and failed, do not be discouraged. You CAN stop smoking with hypnosis, and it's much easier than you ever thought possible. Habits can be broken just as they were created. No habit is stronger than the power of your mind, which created the habit in the first place.
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Sometimes a combination of the two methods is used, depending on how a patient responds to the treatment.
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Our chauffeurs are impeccably presented in uniform, polite, helpful and knowledgeable. Our punctuality, discretion and unwavering reliability are why our customers return to us time and time again.


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A 25-year-old man faces multiple charges including murder after a 24-year-old New Jersey man was found dead in the trunk of his own car on a New York City street after an apparent kidnapping.
Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli says 25-year-old Andre Jamal Thompson is charged with felony murder, robbery and burglary in the death of 24-year-old Jordan Johnson of Fort Lee. Thompson was arrested last week in a Maryland hotel room and is now awaiting extradition to New Jersey.
Bail was set at $2 million cash for Thompson, who lives in Fort Lee and Worcester, Massachusetts and is also known as "Boogie."
Molinelli says Thompson allegedly lured Johnson to an apartment in Fort Lee. Thompson was attacked there and eventually killed. Medical examiners have said Johnson died of strangulation.
Johnson's girlfriend, Megan Faulkner, reported him missing late last month when he didn't meet her in Harlem despite telling her to go to the neighborhood in a text.
Johnson's sister, Jacqueline Taylor, said something was off about the messages Faulkner got late that night from Johnson's phone.
She said Faulkner didn't feel like they were coming from her boyfriend, despite being sent from his cell, but Faulkner left the couple's Fort Lee apartment to meet him in Harlem anyway.
When Johnson didn't show or respond to her texts and calls, Faulkner told police he was missing. Then she returned to their apartment across the river and found it burglarized, authorities said. Cash and jewelry had been stolen.
Johnson's body was found two days later in the trunk of his car on East 211th Street in Norwood.
Molinelli says the investigation is ongoing and more people could be arrested.
Source: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/New-Jersey-Apartment-Car-Trunk-Rans...


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Latest Release Feature – Adding Images to your Project Management Methodologies
In the latest version of MPMM, you can now insert images into all project management methodologies page that you choose. Most Project Managers upload their existing images which describe the project management life cycle for their particular organization. As long as it's a jpg, jpeg, gif, bmp or png file, you can load the image into any project management methodology page within MPMM.
By using the Professional edition, you can open the Methodology Project Manager and use the "Insert Image" button in the page editor, to insert an image into a specified location on your page. As well as adding general images from your PC or file server, you can also add images that are already included within MPMM itself. So if your image has already been loaded into MPMM but it resides in another project management methodologies, then you can select the methodology that the image resides in and insert it into your page. You can also preview the image before you insert it, to make sure that you insert the correct image.
In some cases, you may also wish to use the image placement settings, which allow you to align the image in the centre / left or right on the page. These settings also allow you to place the image with a specified size, in terms of the image width and height. And finally, you can add "alt text" to an image, which is displayed when you however your mouse over it.


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Apparently this isn't the first effort to form such a group as Brenda Dougall Merriman recalls in the contribution below. Let us not ignore history lest we repeat it.
The former Canadian Federation of Genealogical and Family History Societies was formed on 15 August 1986 in Brandon, Manitoba. Its website was posted in 1998 but has not been maintained.


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1080p24 DVD upconversion. Google-based online multimedia features. Quick-start feature improves start-up time. Very energy efficient.
1080p24 DVD upconversion feature needs to be manually activated. Optional memory required for BD-Live support. Quick-start feature increases standby power consumption.
Bottom Line
The Panasonic DMP-BD60 adds YouTube and Picasa Web Albums to its list of online multimedia abilities, but it's otherwise a clone of its predecessor.
Panasonic's DMP-BD60 ($299.95 list), the successor to the company's previous entry-level player, the DMP-BD35, adds YouTube streaming, Picasa Web Album access, and some other multimedia features. But otherwise, its price, performance, styling, and even its quirks make it essentially identical to its predecessor.
Similar Products
The only difference in the BD60's look is a slight redesign of its centrally located disc tray's faceplate. A flip-down door on the player's lower-right face conceals an SD card slot and a newly added USB port, both of which can be used to access MP3, JPEG, and MPEG files stored on connected media. The included remote control is in Panasonic's standard baton style, lacking backlit or glowing buttons, but everything is clearly labeled. When you grip the remote, your hand naturally assumes a comfortable position for pressing the slightly oversize playback control buttons.
Connectors, too, are the same as on the BD35: HDMI and component video outputs, and optical and RCA-style audio connections. Panasonic's premium DMP-BD80 player ($399.95 list) features a more robust selection of audio output options, including 7.1-channel analog and coaxial digital.
The player's Ethernet port enables you to connect it to a home network for simplified firmware updates. The player's multimedia Web-based features (aka Viera Cast) include customizable weather and stock tickers as well as a YouTube browser and Picasa Web Album access. Browsing YouTube videos was generally smooth, except that some search results differed significantly from what we saw using a PC-based browser, and widescreen videos were improperly scaled in the preview window until I selected the full-screen view. Picasa album browsing was easy to configure, although the manual provided no information regarding setup, and the related slideshow settings lacked options to disable the repetitive background music or to play custom tracks.
Start-up and disc-loading speeds were very close to the DMP-BD35's but not the fastest out there. The average Blu-ray load time was 42 seconds (the same as that of its predecessor); LG's latest speed champ, the BD370, needed only 30 seconds. The BD60 finished our menu navigation test in 25 seconds, while the LG BD370 took 15 seconds. The player features a new quick-start option that decreases its start-up time from 24 seconds to 13 seconds, but at the cost of increased standby power consumption.
The BD60 is the only Blu-ray player I've tested that provides 1080p24 upconversion to a compatible display for DVDs; other players upconvert to the more common 1080p60 format, which introduces the uneven shaking effect known as judder. Like previous Panasonic players that support 1080p24 DVD upconversion, the BD60 inconveniently requires that you manually enable this feature each time you play a DVD.
The challenging HQV Benchmark DVD showed that the DMP-BD60 was good at enhancing picture detail, but it did miss some jagged-edge artifacts in the benchmark's waving-flag scene and the related moving bars tests. The BD60 was able to detect the 24 frames-per-second (fps) pattern of my selection of classic DVD movies, further improving detail.
On our Blu-ray video tests, the DMP-BD60 delivered full-resolution output and admirably smooth renderings of grayscale and color ramps. I encountered no compatibility issues or other problems with the dozen or so Blu-ray discs I tested, including available picture-in-picture (aka Bonus View) features.
Unfortunately, like many of the entry-level players I've seen recently, including the LG BD370 and the Samsung BD-P1600, the DMP-BD60 lacks the internal memory required to support BD-Live downloadable multimedia content. Considering how inexpensive the required 1GB of flash memory is today, Panasonic should have bundled an SD card with the player. One included item I could do without is a generic composite A/V cable. Even if manufacturers are too cheap to bundle an HDMI cable for the best audio and video quality, they should stop packing cables that actually reduce detail in Blu-ray video.
Last year's DMP-BD35 was very energy efficient, and so is the DMP-BD60: It averages 15W during playback, which results in an estimated operating cost of $0.29 per month, based on 5 hours of daily use at $0.1135 per kWh (the 2008 national average). Use of the DMP-BD60's quick-start feature increases standby consumption from 0.4W to 4.1W and adds another $0.25 per month to its cost estimate. Only Sony's BDP-S360 offers greater efficiency, with its 14W average and monthly cost estimate of $0.27.
The Panasonic DMP-BD60 isn't a compelling upgrade for owners of the DMP-BD35, although its support of Google's YouTube videos and Picasa photo service are welcome additions. I wish that Panasonic had made the player's 1080p24 DVD upconversion less of a hassle to use, since it's a unique feature that sets it apart from other Blu-ray players. And the wait continues for an affordable "feature-complete" player that includes enough memory for out-of-the-box BD-Live support and (gasp!) an HDMI cable.
Image Quality:
Benchmark Test Results:
Calibrated Display Settings:
HDMI video input @ 1080p24/1080p60
Objective Testing (higher is better):
HQV Benchmark score: 83/130
HD HQV Benchmark score: 85/100
Average Power Consumption (default settings): 15W; $0.29/month @ $0.1135/kWh (2008 USA average)
Compare the high-definition players mentioned above side by side.
|Complete Green Tech Coverage
More Blu-ray Player Reviews:
Samsung UBD-K8500
Kaleidescape Cinema One
Panasonic DMP-BDT230
Samsung BD-F7500


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Rheingau, Germany
Review: I adore Riesling, but this one isn't high on my list. The Edition Maximilian is medium-dry, with some lemon flavors. Otherwise it falls a bit flat and one note. I wish it had just a touch more acidity to keep it from being flabby.
This is the "second label" of German producer Hans Lang. I may search out his higher end wines - I'm sure it's more balanced and more interesting.
Food Pairing: Something a little spicy.
Bottom Line: A light, semi-sweet wine. Not as expressive or balanced as I would like. Meh. Joe, you can do better.
- PLACE: Rheingau
- GRAPE: Riesling
- CELLAR: Drink now
- www.weingut-hans-lang.eu/
Where did I get it? Trader Joe's
What's the damage? Low Price


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How to Rewrite Radicals as Exponents
When you're given a problem in radical form, you may have an easier time if you rewrite it by using rational exponents — exponents that are fractions. You can rewrite every radical as an exponent by using the following property — the top number in the resulting rational exponent tells you the power, and the bottom number tells you the root you're taking:
For example, you can rewrite
Fractional exponents are roots and nothing else. For example, 641/3 doesn't mean 64–3 or
In this example, you find the root shown in the denominator (the cube root) and then take it to the power in the numerator (the first power). So 641/3 = 4.
The order of these processes really doesn't matter. You can choose either method:
Cube root the 8 and then square that product
Square the 8 and then cube root that product
Either way, the equation simplifies to 4. Depending on the original expression, though, you may find the problem easier if you take the root first and then take the power, or you may want to take the power first. For example, 643/2 is easier if you write it as (641/2)3 = 83 = 512 rather than (643)1/2, because then you'd have to find the square root of 262,144.
Take a look at some steps that illustrate this process. To simplify the expression
rather than work with the roots, execute the following:
Rewrite the entire expression using rational exponents.
Now you have all the properties of exponents available to help you to simplify the expression: x1/2(x2/3 – x4/3).
Distribute to get rid of the parentheses.
When you multiply monomials with the same base, you add the exponents.
Hence, the exponent on the first term is
and the exponent of the second term is 1/2+4/3=11/6. So you get x7/6 – x11/6.
Because the solution is written in exponential form and not in radical form, as the original expression was, rewrite it to match the original expression.
This gives you
Typically, your final answer should be in the same format as the original problem; if the original problem is in radical form, your answer should be in radical form. And if the original problem is in exponential form with rational exponents, your solution should be as well.
Trig Identities for Pre-Calculus
Of course you use trigonometry, commonly called trig, in pre-calculus. And you use trig id...


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Making That Shift
Every one is trying out linux, if you don't want to be left out read on.
This topic covers what you need to know to shift to the boon called Linux.
Firstly why do you need Linux? Linux is for geeks and their geek factor right?
Well the answer is no. Linux is for those who need a peace of mind.
Let's take an example here.
You come home tired after a long day's work and all you want to do is sit in front of your computer and relax but as soon as you turn it on you get a message could not find system32 and windows wont start whatever you do.
So you call your system mechanic and he will comes the next day reinstalls windows an charges you a good 500 bucks. Now your system runs fine and also faster than before and all is well again right?
Again the answer is no.
Within a month or two you will experience the same or a new problem and again its 500 bucks gone.
Now you might ask if I mean to say that Linux is problem-free. I would say no to that. At present all Operating Systems do have their own problems but in the case of Linux it is lesser and you will find more stability and configurability. If this is not compelling enough then read on and I am sure you will reconsider.
So what should your qualification be to know Linux?
To know Linux one must basically need the following:
A bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics is required, and a graduate degree is desired, although not essential.
At least 1,000 hours flying time in jet aircraft, and experience as a test pilot is desirable.
Height must be 64 inches (5.33 ft) to 76 inches (6.33 ft).
…..wait a second, I am sorry that's the qualification for an astronaut. To learn Linux all you need is a system and a willingness to learn.
Ok, I have decided to make the shift. Now what?
First you need to find a distro that is suited to you.
Now what is a distro?
Distros(short for distributions) are versions of Linux crafted by different people or organizations. Each distro suits a different need. For beginners I would suggest the following: PCLinuxOS, Ubuntu, Xubuntu, and Kubuntu. Each of the mentioned above ones are very user friendly.
Do I need to install Linux to try it?
I just love saying no and answer to the above question is no.
Most Linux distros employ the use of live cd.
Now what is a live cd?
Live cds basically give you a full fledged operating system without the need to install it. Simply put, think that when you boot from a live cd it installs itself into your system RAM and gets uninstalled (in Windows parlance) when you shut down your system. The only drawback is that you will experience slower speed(as everything needs to be read from the CD drive and loaded into the RAM) and all your settings will be changed back to default once you restart. Nowadays most distros come as live cd, enabling you try and test them out before you install them.
Now the next lines will teach you how to install Linux right?
Well no. A very good installation guide has been written by our forum member, The Trojan. Just visit our forum to get through the installation (Don't worry you won't need rocket science to get through it, you just a printer, and an inclination to know more).
Ok I have installed Linux now what?
First check if all your hardware has been configured.
Next you will find all the basic software's used in every day life already installed.
Next you might want to install WINE to run some of those windows softwares you can't do without.
The amount of maintenance will drive you mad. You have to hmmm, let's see ummm
Yes (that's right I do say yes), no maintenance required. No anti virus, no defragmentation etc.
Points to Remember
- Most Linux distributions are free and so are the softwares
- Linux is not for geeks only
- Using linux is very easy at the most it might take you a week to learn if you have the IQ of a baby.
- Linux is not limited to a CUI(like DOS) it also has a GUI(like Windows)
- Installing Linux is simple! Just follow our guide.
- There are huge number of softwares for Linux.
- Installing softwares is very easy. Each distro has a package manager similar to add/remove programs. This shows the list of available softwares and you can choose to install it. The package manager then downloads the required software and installs it automatically
- Linux can play mp3,videos, and other multimedia content, like Windows, Linux also needs the codecs to play them!(my brother thought it did not. And yes, my brother doesn't know much about computers).
- At present Linux lacks in availability of games and some softwares which are useful for developers.
Summing it up
Linux has come a long way and is spearheading a revolution. The scenario is changing and pretty soon expect to see more of Linux. One can also expect more games for Linux. At present one can find games like Doom series, Quake series, Counter Strike and Unreal Tournament 2004(there is also a rumour of an Half-Life 2 port, no substantial details on that though). One can also pray that other gaming studios starts developing games for Linux.
Don't forget to post your comments. Also don't hesitate to ask for help in our forums.
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text: While many allergy families are grateful for the increasing number of schools that are nut-free, it can be frustrating for non-allergy families to adjust. What is safe to bring to school these days? Peanut butter has long been loved for it's convenience, affordability, and kid-friendly flavor. May I be so bold as to say SunButter, especially with it's new travel-friendly packaging might just fit the bill? We love it and I know lots of non-allergic kids who do too. It's peanut, tree-nut, dairy, egg, sesame and gluten free. Yippeee!


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ATS Applied Tech Systems Pty Ltd announces the release of their latest software designed to allow manufacturers to collect the data they need to calculate the OEE within their manufacturing process.
ATS Intelligence, the new software from ATS International B.V. is a simple, robust and standardised OEE solution that combines extensive knowledge of manufacturers' needs, proven best practices and technological trends.
Manufacturing intelligence and the calculation of metrics are playing an ever increasing role in the performance of manufacturing companies, with the availability of production data critical to the decision-making process. ATS Intelligence is a powerful tool that will allow manufacturers to view the OEE of everything from an individual machine to an entire plant.
The ATS Intelligence software features an intuitive user interface that allows the operator to easily record all the information required to calculate the OEE in real-time. Taking a straightforward, no-nonsense approach to OEE, the software requires the operator to only enter the information needed to get a quick and clear presentation of the OEE for each piece of equipment and for the whole plant.
ATS Intelligence enables manufacturers to collect and analyse data including the amount of material or product being manufactured; the machine or process manufacturing the product; the equipment's optimum rate of production for each material; and the breakdown of reasons that reduce the total available time to the actual running time for a piece of equipment.
The manufacturer can then use ATS Advanced Reporting Services to explore the details and nuances of all the information gathered from anywhere on the planet using a web browser.


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In one of my earlier blogs, I had written about trust. I had also written that it's an ongoing investigation/ research for me.
My colleague Michelle, told me once that she does not trust people that don't trust themselves. I have been thinking about this conversation. What is the correlation between a person trusting him/herself and earning other people's trust?
Having reflected on this for a while now, I think I have some new insights on what this whole trust thing is all about.
As usual, I would like to commence with the definition of trust.
1.Assured reliance on character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something;
2.One in which confidence is placed.
When I went back to Merriam - Webster dictionary, I realized that I made a big mistake with the definition of trust in my previous blog. I did not see the emphasis placed on "assured" in the dictionary. So, now I look at the definition with a new perspective.
Merriam - Webster dictionary defines "assured" as follows:
1.Characterized by certainty or security;
This brings up the following questions:
1.How can trust be characterized by certainty or security?
2.Can trust be guaranteed?
Then the following struck me:
Trust is intangible. The meaning differs from the person who gives it and the person that receives it.
For example, when I lend a book to someone, I trust that he or she reads and returns the book. For the person that borrowed the book from me, trust may take on a different meaning. He or she may think that I trust that they read the book and maybe, not lend it to somebody else. They may also think that I trust them enough to safe keep the book until they are ready to return it.
This trust issue has everything to do with communication. Would it not be easier if we communicated our expectations (trust?) clearly to others to avoid confusion? How can we do this? I have no answers to this at the moment.
Last week I had a conversation with my colleague Vanessa where she was quizzing me on some decisions that I made recently. At one point in the conversation, I told her that a) she knows me very well, b) I have always considered all aspects before making a decision and c) she should trust me on it.
So, what did I tell her really? I said that she needs to trust me as I am putting my credibility at stake when I am made the decision. The problem is that I think I have an incredible credibility with her. But, does she think I have the same incredible credibility? Would she trust me on my decision? Of course, being the loyal friend that she is, she will back me on a decision I make but, will she trust me in making the right decision?
Hahaha! I just opened a can of worms for myself. I need to go back and talk to her one of these days. But, I am happy that I am getting somewhere on this topic.
This research is ongoing. I still haven't gotten to the bottom of it. But, it's keeping me sprightly.
Fokkerweg #30 Salina - Curacao N.A
+5999 846 4848


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Keen competition, top-notch race organization, rum-and-reggae parties, and the unbeatable attraction of winning a Rolex entice sailors to race in the International Rolex Regatta each year. But when racing's done, you can relax and enjoy:
Christmas Cove, St. James Island:
Anchored along the shores of this Robinson Crusoe-like island, every day seems like a holiday. Sailing the short distance across Cowpet Bay from the St. Thomas Yacht Club, look for little Fish Cay in the middle of Christmas cove (N.O.S. Chart #25647). Approach and anchor either to the north or south of Fish Cay where there's good holding ground, a sandy bottom, and about 15' depth of water. It's too shallow to sail between the island and Cay. When anchoring north, go far enough east toward Great St. James Island to steer clear of the current that runs through Current Cut. Though the beach is gravel, snorkeling is great, especially when the seas are calm enough to permit exploration around Little St. James and Dog Island.
Secret Harbor, St. Thomas:
Known also as Nazareth Bay (N.O.S. Chart #25647), most sailors don't notice this serene anchorage, hence the name "secret". When approaching from Christmas Cove, sail towards the left of the white buildings of the Secret Harbour Beach Resort. There is good anchorage in the west side of the bay, in about 20 feet of water – steer clear of the east side of the bay which is filled with coral heads. Moorings are private. You can't bring your boat into the hotel dock since the area is very shallow, but do dinghy into the dock for a swim at the beach and a meal at the café. A dive shop is also located here.
Caneel Bay, St. John:
Anchoring in Caneel Bay is the best way to see Cruz Bay, St. John's largest town. Cruz Bay has that back-to-the-1960s feel that is embodied in art galleries, comfortable clothes shops & veggie restaurants, plus plenty of new Millennium services. Caneel Bay is within the Virgin Islands National Park waters, so park rules apply when sailors are in this area. When entering, don't anchor in the channel, don't go inside the line of buoys off the swim beach and don't stop in the path of large cruisers coming in to tie up at the Caneel Bay Resort's dock. Tying up at the dock is not allowed, but bringing in a dinghy is OK. Anchor, don't moor, since all moorings are for hotel boats only. Use N.O.S. Chart #25647 or #25641.
History and nature are the two words to describe the best of sightseeing on St. Thomas. Step back in time in downtown Charlotte Amalie—the town was founded by the Danes in the late 1600s and is full of colonial era architecture. Visitors can enjoy a historic walking tour of Blackbeard's Hill, full of pirate-era charm. For a panoramic view, visit Mountain Top where you can enjoy a banana daiquiri and look out over the Atlantic Ocean to the north and British Virgin Islands to the west.
Back at the water level, see marine life including sharks and stingrays, up close at the Coral World Ocean Park.
For necessities, St. Thomas provides a number of marine-related businesses from sail and engine repair to parts replacement. There are also several places to provision, bank, fuel, rent cars and more.
On the fun side, St. Thomas is known as the shopping Mecca of the Caribbean for good reason. Not only are there fine shops island-wide—on Main Street at the Charlotte Amalie waterfront, the new Yacht Haven Grande, Havensight Mall, Tutu Park Mall, and Red Hook—but the Virgin Islands are duty-free ports. Look for good buys on cameras, electronics, jewelry, and liquor.Delicious dining ranges from casual to white tablecloth and includes American, barbecue, seafood, Mexican, German, Italian and eclectic. During Rolex, as well as before and after, do make reservations. This time of year is prime tourist season. Share Tweet


text: On Thu, 23 Mar 2000, A.M. Kuchling wrote: > I'm going over the PyExpat module to be sure it's ready for inclusion > in the Python CVS tree. One point about its error handling is > disquieting; it hews very closely to the C Expat interface, so that a > parser error returns a 0, while success returns a 1. You then need to > call pyexpat.ErrorString( p.ErrorCode ) to find out what went wrong. > > Pythonic principle #10 is "Errors should never pass silently"; should > the module be changed to raise an exception on a parse error? (Best > to break compatibility now, while we still can...) +1 Raise the exception, I say! :-) Cheers, -g -- Greg Stein, http://www.lyra.org/


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Traditionally, the hen do was the bride's last chance to let her hair down with her friends before tying the knot. This meant a night on the town partying, sipping cocktails and having a laugh with the girls.
Today, however, that's not always the case. Not all brides like the idea of spending their hen do going out and getting drunk. Many prefer to do something a little bit different, and that's absolutely fine.
If you are in the process of organising a hen do for a friend who doesn't want to go out and party, you may be a little stuck for ideas. However, there is no need to panic, as I have put together a guide to lots of hen party ideas with a difference.
Book a spa weekend
If the bride-to-be is in need of a good pamper, booking a spa weekend is the perfect way to celebrate her last days of freedom. Choose the poshest hotel that you and the other hens can afford, and spend a couple of days having treatments and sipping champagne.
The best thing about a spa weekend hen do is that even if the bride doesn't like the idea of going clubbing, you can still have a drink at the hotel bar. You can also enjoy delicious meals in the restaurant, complete with more champagne.
Go to London
If the bride-to-be fancies a hen do that's fun and exciting but doesn't want to go out and get drunk, planning a trip to the capital is ideal. There are so many amazing things to see and do here, so no matter what happens, you will have an amazing time.
If you have a look online, you should be able to find a few package deals for London hen dos. These won't all include clubbing, there will be various deals that will be perfect for you, the bride and the other hens. From cocktail making classes to sightseeing deals, you should be able to find lots of fantastic deals.
Stay in a fancy hotel and have afternoon tea
For an elegant hen do, consider booking rooms in a nice hotel for a couple of nights. While you are there, you could spend the afternoon enjoying a sophisticated afternoon tea. This could either be at the hotel where you are staying – you may be able to get a deal that includes this, or at a local cafe.
If the bride wants to include her older relatives in the hen do, including her mother and the groom's mother, afternoon tea is perfect. To make the occasion more special, why not opt for a venue that offers champagne, as well as tea?
Go on an activity day
If the bride-to-be loves sports, an activity day could be the perfect option for her hen do. From abseiling to archery, there are lots of fantastic activities you can do. If there is something that the bride has always wanted to try, such as whitewater rafting, find an activity centre that offers it.
To get a good deal, keep an eye out on sites like Wowcher and Groupon. You should be able to find some good deals on these sites. There are lots of activity centres to choose from, so you should be able to find a suitable one.
Planning a hen do with a difference is a lot easier than you think, all you need to do is take note of the tips and ideas, above.


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"Many people start a new year with a New Years Resolution, which has been thought up at the very last minute … (often alcohol induced ?) and it has no real thought or commitment and it might not necessarily be meaningful to them. Resolutions don't usually work and are often forgotten in a matter of weeks. A resolution is only a goal when it is written down. Nobody has the luxury of having an in-house coach for their lives. We have to motivate ourselves and discipline ourselves to succeed. This takes work and effort. Nobody is waiting to kick your butt and waiting to make sure you show up and live your best life. This is entirely up to you.
How to kick your own butt in 10 easy steps:
Change is hard. To make a change, you need to have a high level of discontentment or dissatisfaction. You need to know where you are before you know where you are going to. Be in enough pain to make a change! Being comfortable never ever creates motivation. Practise self-awareness. What is missing from your life?
How will you know when you are successful and happy? A SMART goal is never vague and unfocused. Do you have a goal that scares and inspires you? If you have an emotion that is connected to your goal you will have a better chance of being invested in that goal. The clearer your picture is in your mind, the more likely it is to happen. Be an architect of your own fate rather than a hapless victim of circumstance.
Tell others about your Big Hairy Goal. Be accountable to others and let that force drive you. Don't make random and weak excuses for not achieving your goals. People are defined by their excuses: "That's just the way I am" or "I don't have time, money, confidence, support" etc. What is your standard excuse for not achieving your goals? Of course, not everyone will support your goals, but don't accept the critical comments of others as truth in your life.
Big goals can be overwhelming. Break your goal down into the steps you need to follow each month, each week and each day. Develop a do-it-now approach. What can you do today that will take you closer to your goals? Every single day matters. One of the most overlooked secrets of success is consistency. It's difficult to start… But START!
Be more scientific about your goals and you will gain control over the outcome. Whatever your goal is, you need a system to keep you on track. Imagine watching an exciting sports game but there is no scorecard? It would take away a lot of the excitement from the game. It can be very motivating to check out your scorecard and get feedback on your progress.
You get what you focus on. Every action either takes you closer to or away from your goal. Keep your desk uncluttered and your mind calm. Stop multi-tasking! Do one thing at a time and get it done properly. Ask yourself "what one thing can I do today to make me more effective?" Be disciplined.
Find someone who will see the potential in you even when you don't see it. If you want to achieve your full potential it helps to have a support team or a few people who understand your goal and have your back. I encourage you to develop an affirmation to help you focus your energy, and attention on becoming the person you want to be. Highlighting words in a positive manner that describe the best version of you. You will soon start displaying these behaviours that you are speaking into your life.
We all lose our way from time to time. If you find you are off course – re-adjust your directions and your actions. What should you STOP doing that is no longer working for you? What should you START doing that you haven't done before? What should you CONTINUE to do because it is working for you? Don't be too hard on yourself when you have a setback, be kind to yourself and lift yourself up. Try a new approach if the plan you have it too rigid.
Celebrate your small victories along the way. There must be some fun and some passion in your goal. Set fun goals too – not everything has to be serious! Set goals for your social life, interests and hobbies too. Fun is not always spontaneous. Put it in your diary before someone else's goals appear on your agenda. Do something everyday that makes you happy.
Give yourself permission to dream big. Achieving meaningful goals is a powerful way to increase your confidence. What other areas of your life can you set an inspiring goal for? Excellence in one area of your life will lead to other areas of excellence. Start taking risks and stop playing small. Get rid of excuses. Today is all you have. Don't let fear, low self-esteem, a lack of confidence or being in a rut hold you back. You have what it takes to be the architect of your life!
Cindy Norcott: https://proappoint.co.za/


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|(no description provided)
|Effective architectural support for detecting concurrency bugs
|Muzahid, Abdullah
|Director of Research:
|Torrellas, Josep
|Doctoral Committee Chair(s):
|Torrellas, Josep
|Doctoral Committee Member(s):
|Snir, Marc; Marinov, Darko; King, Samuel T.; Frank, Matthew I.; Peterson, Paul E.
|Department / Program:
|Computer Science
|Computer Science
|Degree Granting Institution:
|University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Concurrency Bugs
Multithreaded Programs
|Multicore machines have become pervasive and, as a result, parallel programming has received renewed interest. Unfortunately, writing correct parallel programs is notoriously hard. Therefore, it is important to innovate with techniques and approaches to tackle various types of concurrency bugs. This thesis aims at making parallel programming easier by detecting some of the most common and difficult concurrency bugs in shared memory parallel programs, namely data races, atomicity violations, and sequential consistency violations. Specifically, we propose novel, effective and efficient hardware-based techniques that help detect and isolate these bugs. We use hardware-based solutions because they lead to low overhead solutions. Therefore we can use these techniques to detect the bugs both during development time and during production run. The proposal to detect data races is called SigRace. It uses hardware address signatures to detect data races dynamically at run time. As a processor runs, the addresses of the data that it accesses are automatically encoded in signatures. At certain times, the signatures are automatically passed to a hardware module that intersects them with those of other processors. If the intersection is not null, a data race may have occurred, in which case we run a more detailed analysis to pinpoint the race. SigRace can detect data races successfully. But even if a multithreaded program does not have any data races, it can still show incorrect behavior because of a bug named atomicity violation. The proposal to detect atomicity violations is called AtomTracker. It is based on first trying to learn atomicity constraints automatically from the program, by analyzing many correct executions. After it finds the set of possible atomic regions, the hardware monitors the execution to detect any violations of these atomic regions. AtomTracker uses a hardware very similar to SigRace to accomplish this. The above approaches tackle data races in a classical sense or in a more higher level sense (namely atomicity violations). The last work of this thesis is to find out a special pattern of data races that are particularly hard to detect and analyze. This complicated pattern of data races leads to violation of sequential consistency which is the underlying behavior of the memory model that programmers usually assume. Sequential consistency violations (SCV) lead to some of the most notorious bugs in parallel programs. In order to detect SCV in a machine with a relaxed memory model, we leverage cache coherence protocol transactions and dynamically detect cycles in memory-access orderings across threads. When one such cycle is about to occur, an exception is triggered, providing the exact architectural state. We performed detailed experimentation with each of these techniques and showed that they are effective in detecting various types of concurrency bugs. More importantly, we uncovered several new and previously unreported bugs in various popular open source codes using these solutions.
|Issue Date:
|Rights Information:
|Copyright 2012 Abdullah Al Muzahid
|Date Available in IDEALS:
|Date Deposited:
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
Dissertations and Theses - Computer Science
Dissertations and Theses from the Dept. of Computer Science
Graduate Dissertations and Theses at Illinois
Graduate Theses and Dissertations at Illinois


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You probably think of your vehicle as one of the best things in your life because you need it to to go places. Maybe you don't know much about cars and want to learn. If that's what you want, read on to learn about simple maintenance.
Make sure there is an emergency kit located in your vehicle at all times. You should put together a kit that includes the tools you need to change a tire, charge your battery and put more gas in your tank. You may also want to add some batteries, a flashlight and a few blankets in the event that you break down at night.
You don't have to get a mechanic in for simple repairs. Many situations can be self-remedied. You can research the problem online in order to find out more about it. If it is not a very difficult job, you can save some money by doing the repairs yourself.
Ask mechanics if they have worked on your particular make and model of car before contracting with them. If so, they will probably know what must be done to help your car work again.
Make sure all repair records are kept close. Put these records in the glove compartment in your car for easy access. Professional mechanics are going to ask for those records. This will allow them to figure out what the issues are quickly.
Look up reviews online for body shops in your area. These reviews will inform you of the company's quality, customer service satisfaction rates, etc. The information will help locate a local repair shop that you are comfortable with trusting with such an important job.
You should always care for your car. Even learning how to perform simple routine maintenance can save a lot of cash and trips to the mechanic. Apply this advice when car issues hit, and you will be just fine.
Auto Repair Irvine
Foreign and Domestic Auto Service Shop
Call Today: 949-743-0153 – Fix Your Car Today
AAA Auto Approved with ASE Mechanics


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Professional Community for Car Dealers, Marketing, Advertising and Sales Leaders
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I hear this question frequently from our clients and prospects; "How do we get rid of outrageous reviews that are lies, slander, defamation, or out of bounds with the guidelines of Yelp?" Answer? Submit a request for removal…Continue
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Thanks to the crew at Digital Dealer for the opportunity to speak on Reputation Management at Digital Dealer.
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Shortly after coming back from spending a few months abroad, I was determined to do something with myself. At the time I had no job ( mostly I was trying to avoid returning to my old one) and I had recently gone vegetarian…with the hopes of going vegan. Needless to say I spent a lot of this free time either sending out resumes or in the kitchen whipping up something vegan friendly. One of my favorite things to make (and style) were smoothie bowls. I did them so much that I started a little Instagram page called Wholesome and Hungry where I would post my bowls. After getting a job and experiencing some shifts in my life, I abandoned the Wholesome and Hungry IG, but I have decided to get back to it. With a new outlook on nutrition and a desire to get back into the kitchen, now is a better time than ever!
I happen to love almost any fruit, but lately I have been obsessed with berries…all the berries. As with most bowls that I create, I usually open of the fridge and grab whatever fruit looks like it's on its last leg. That is typically when the fruit is its most ripe and gives the sweetest flavor. For this recipe, it was all about these blackberries that were at the bottom of my fruit drawer. They were so sweet & juicy (that's what she said…) it packed the smoothie bowl with flavor. I froze the leftover berries and then added a frozen banana for a creamier texture.
Get ready to feel lucky because I am about to share my biggest secret to getting the perfect consistency: blend the frozen fruit first! It takes a little longer, but blending the frozen fruit on its own before adding any liquids will allow for the thickest and creamiest texture. Now, I am sure most of you are smart enough to determine how to make a smoothie, but for the sake of this recipe here is the process: Start by tossing the frozen banana and blackberries into a blender. Once blended as smooth as possible, add in the chia seeds, your non-dairy milk (I used cashew milk) and a splash of cranberry juice for a richer color. Blend until smooth and then pour into a bowl. If you happen to over-blend and the texture is not thick enough, toss the bowl in the freezer for a little and it will tighten everything. Style with the toppings of your choice and enjoy!
Seriously in love with this summer blackberry bowl. It's made with simple ingredients, but packs a ton of berry flavor. I topped the bowl with some homemade cherry granola and some shredded coconut, but feel free to top yours with whatever you want.
- 1 Cup Frozen Blackberries
- 1 Frozen Banana
- 1/4 Cup Non-Dairy Milk (I used cashew milk)
- 1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds
- Splash of Cranberry Juice (optional)
- Add the frozen blackberries and banana to a blender and blend as smooth as possible. (Note: you will have to stop and scrape the sides of the blender a few times to get the smoothest consistency).
- Add in the remaining ingredients and continue to blend until everything has combined into a smooth texture.
- If you happen to over-blend the ingredients, add the bowl to the freezer to thicken the texture.
- Add toppings to your desire and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts: Calories: 292 Protein: 7 grams Carbohydrates: 54 grams Fat: 6 grams
Please note: These numbers do not include toppings. They are values for the base of the bowl only.


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Preparing the next generation
Roche Basel invests a great deal in its apprentices and in their future. But who are the people behind this commitment? We went to find out at a thank-you event for vocational instructors.
What exactly goes into making a strong, innovative and competitive site? Constantly investing in its own future. Roche would not have lasted for 117 years if the company had not always worked to ensure that its in-house knowledge and scientific curiosity are passed on to future generations.
"Without a future, there is no future," said Roche Basel Site Head Matthias M. Baltisberger speaking at a thank-you event for vocational instructors and mentors and used these words to stress the importance of internal vocational training. He said that the decision to build a new vocational training center in Kaiseraugst showed just how seriously Roche takes the training of future generations. "As long as we can continue motivating young people to want to help shape tomorrow," said Baltisberger, "Roche will be around for another 117 years to come."
Ueli Grossenbacher, Head of Vocational Training, also addressed the enormous effort that goes into in-house apprentice training: "The curriculums for our apprentices are revised every few years by the federal government. This means that, in addition to doing their own jobs, our vocational trainers also need to constantly attend to their own training to ensure that they stay up to speed on the latest developments. Their role entails more than just being teachers in the conventional sense. They prepare young people for a profession, they mold them, and they also stand by them during a very intensive phase of their lives."
On an equal footing
Daniel Stauffer can only confirm that training apprentices in a lab or an office is about more than mere knowledge transfer.
One can also learn a lot from apprentices.
When you go into his office, the first thing you notice is a big yellow poster covered with photos and thank-you messages written in thick felt-tip pen. "Two apprentices from Mannheim gave me that after they came to Basel on an excursion. I gave them a few sightseeing tips," recalls Stauffer jauntily. Today, Stauffer works in adult education, having himself joined Roche as an apprentice chemical lab technician in 1969. In 1975, he moved to the apprentices department, where he worked as a trainer until 1990. To this day, he still enjoys interacting with apprentices from all fields when they come to him on in-house courses and internships. "I like coaxing young people out of their shells, getting them to think in ways that are not necessarily on the curriculum. I start by asking them run-of-the-mill questions. I enjoy watching these young apprentices develop," he says, alluding to more than just their progress at work. In their first year, apprentices have to get used to their new surroundings, whereas in the second year they gain confidence, and even find time to think about some of life's big questions.
Shortly before the final exam, the trainers tend to play more of a supporting, background role. "It is important to meet apprentices on an equal footing. Then you can learn a lot from them too," says Stauffer with a smile. "When I teach my courses, I can focus on getting the subject matter across. Unlike direct on-the-job trainers, I don't have to worry whether every last one of the apprentices found it all very interesting and is now ready to pass an exam."
Full-fledged employees
Andy Frehner is one such trainer. He himself completed his training as a chemical laboratory technician in 2007 and is still with Roche in Basel today. There are many reasons why he decided to take in and train apprentices in his lab. "While I was in training, I felt it was very important to have a good apprenticeship trainer that you get along well with. And since I was very lucky in this respect, I want to give something back now," he explains.
A lab apprentice is an extra pair of hands in the team
Frehner points out that you shouldn't underestimate the time and effort involved in training up new apprentices, especially in the first six months.
However, when things get too hectic, he can always find someone in the team to jump in if he has too much work himself. "And a lab apprentice is an extra pair of hands in the team. From the second year on, they are capable of taking on pretty much any assignment and help us just like full-fledged employees," he adds. We asked Frehner's "extra pair of hands" Johanna Romano what working as a lab apprentice is really like.
'It's important for me to be able to discuss questions'
Johanna Romano, chemical laboratory technician at Roche Basel: "My day in the lab starts at 7.30 a.m. I check in with my apprentice trainer or someone from the team and go through what needs to be done. I took my time selecting an apprenticeship as it had to be the right fit for me. The friendly way that Roche welcomed us and the well-organized work environment clinched it for me. If I'm to give my best at work, it's important for me to be able to discuss questions and problems openly. The bond among apprentices and the team is strong. We eat together almost every day, do sport after school and spend time together in the evening."


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This episode searches for what are often called God Particles by deconstructing the particles that make up reality themselves. What are they? And how do we know they're the smallest thing?
Throughout our scientific history, it was long regarded that the molecule was the smallest thing in our world. Then our understanding deepened and the atom became the new smallest. Then it was sub atomic particles, and then we turned to string theory to describe these infinitesimally small building blocks of reality.
Our understanding is always shifting, and so it is foolish to hold onto one singular idea without being able to expand upon it. This is exactly how science works, a never ending expansion of thought that builds upon itself.
Light is known to be one of the building blocks of all things, and not only are we seeing this in science, but so many of the world's ancient spiritual traditions. We must be open to observing light itself as a starting point where all things stem from, including the tiniest of particles.
The problem is, is that light is said to have no mass at all, so how can it create something that does? Mass is said to represent an amount of matter, but there is no universal agreed upon definition of what matter is. This is one of the great dichotomies we have in understanding light and matter, and yet it is also one of our most greatest assets in breaking through to deeper truth. Who says light has zero mass? Who says light isn't anything but a container for information? What if the structure of light allows for information to be held, and the denser the information, the heavier and more mass it gains?
Could the true God particles be geometry like the flower of life or other sacred forms?
Watch this episode, and find out!
The Holographic Universe: The Revolutionary Theory of Reality
The Geometry of Meaning
Michael Evans Website
Very nice theory. When are you going to test it and stun the scientific community with the proof?
Very enLIGHTning. Sorry, I like the pun. But my mind seem to have gotten stuck on an inverse idea. My mind does that some times. You suggested that light gaining information gets slowed down and becomes matter, essentially. Somehow mind wants to think of the opposite, that the light has the immense informational energy, The plant focus or filters it for what it needs which slows it down and brings mass to it. I don't know. My mind is still processing it, and probably will for at least the rest of the night. But it just doesn't seem right that the plant is adding to what would seem to be a great source. It would seem more likely that it is collapsing or limiting the source thingy stuff, and losing much of the potential/information/enegy in the creation of the needed finite matter/energy. Sorry, that probably didn't make much sense, but I not the best at putting ideas into a few words.
Vary cool; something to look at


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Sunday, April 26, 2009
Reminder: Let's Be Safe Out There
5 comments:
- clintpatty said...
This makes me want to make a video of a cyclist checking both ways first and seeing quiet pretty streets and running a neighborhood stop sign going 15mph+ then getting run over by an 18 wheeler going 65. And then a cyclist, maybe running a sign, turning in front of a car when it wasn't really clear. Then maybe the motorists honks. And the cyclist explodes.
- April 26, 2009 at 3:32 PM
- beardsarefun said...
sounds like a plan. you have a camera?
- April 26, 2009 at 10:16 PM
- JSFixed said...
hey would you want to come down for bike polo this sunday here in birmingham around 5 or so???
i think we will have about 6 maybe not real sure yet need to work things out first... just giving you a head's up... maybe we could have a ride before hand and check out bici
- April 27, 2009 at 12:18 AM
- beardsarefun said...
we've been talking about it and we may; i will get back to you asap. we have a race a few of us were considering the same day so i need to see who's still down for that. i got a few maybes though.
- April 28, 2009 at 12:54 AM
- JSFixed said...
alright man just give me a heads up so i know how much stuff to bring for a grill out
- April 28, 2009 at 1:55 PM