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Paul Ekstein of Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada, has been selected by the Klussendorf Association as the fifth recipient of the Robert "Whitey" McKown Master Breeder Award. The honor was presented at the 47th World Dairy Expo. This award recognizes a well-managed breeder herd that has been successful at showing and judging, while emphasizing all qualities of the Klussendorf Award, including ability, character, endeavor and sportsmanship.
Ekstein, who immigrated with his parents to Canada from Czechoslovakia as a child, is known for his passion for breeding, showing and developing outstanding Holsteins. In the beginning of his career, Ekstein was building his seed business, Quality Seeds Ltd., while housing his cattle at Sunny Maple Farms. It wasn't until 1980 that all of his hard work materialized into a farm on 650 acres of land and his herd, Quality Holsteins, in the barn. Currently, Quality Holsteins is 95 percent homebred.
Ekstein is said to have an "innate ability to see potential in cows." This keen eye led him to purchase Plushanski Valiant Fran, the dam of seven Excellent and 29 Very Good daughters, and five Excellent and 10 Very Good sons. Fran's legacy of producing stellar offspring earned her 35 stars and the title of the highest Star Brood cow in Canada for many years.
From Fran came Quality BC Frantisco EX-96-3E, and Frantisco's granddaughter, Quality Goldwyn Flansco EX-95, Canada's first and only third generation EX-95 homebred cow. Ekstein has made an impact on the Holstein breed through his development of deep cow families and strong sires, like Quality Ultimate, who helped put Quality Holsteins "on the map."
Quality Holsteins will likely stay on the map and continue to move the Holstein breed forward with cows like Quality Carlton Pam, Canada's first 97-point bred and owned cow. Ekstein has achieved many milestones while doing what he loves, breeding quality Holsteins.
In his career, Paul Ekstein has bred 200 Excellents: 163 females and 37 males. He has been awarded three Master Breeder awards, along with being inducted into the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame. Quality Holsteins has been honored with the title of All Canadian Breeders Herds eight times in the last 23 years. All of these accomplishments, along with Paul's dedication to breeding and developing superior Holsteins and his passion for doing so, earned him the honor of McKown Master Breeder.
The Robert "Whitey" McKown Memorial Breeder Award was made possible by the family and friends of the 1997 Honorary Klussendorf honoree. Whitey joined the Holstein World staff in 1956 and became widely respected as he traveled nationally and internationally, reporting on shows, sales, meetings and other Holstein events. The 1987 National Dairy Shrine president also developed MooKown Holsteins in Belleville, N.Y. Whitey had great admiration for the farmer breeder.
The Klussendorf Memorial Association, considered by many as the Hall of Fame for Dairy Cattle Exhibitors, began in 1937 in memory of Arthur B. Klussendorf, considered the outstanding dairy cattle showman of his time. Each year, the Klussendorf Association votes to add a new dairy cattle exhibitor to its roles with lifetime membership for their cumulative works including ability, character, endeavor and sportsmanship.
For more information, contact World Dairy Expo at 608-224-6455 or http://www.worlddairyexpo.com.


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We help solo and small firm lawyers be able to focus on serving their clients, instead of running their office.
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As the place for lawyers by lawyers, we understand your particular needs and are ready to help you succeed. Our services are a cut above the other coworking spaces, executive office suites and virtual offices because we specialize in having your practice work for you. Together, we can tailor your office experience to suit your particular needs. Together, we can get you the support you need. Together, we can help you succeed and prosper.
The MoreLaw Minneapolis 110% Exceptional Service Guarantee
If you or your clients are dissatisfied in any way with the service and care given by MoreLaw Minneapolis, we will gladly give you an immediate refund; no questions asked, without any hassle, and with no hard feelings. On top of that, we will give you an additional 10% back just for your trouble.
You can't lose!
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We are steps away from and skyway-connected to the Federal Courthouse. We are tunnel-connected to City Hall, the Hennepin County Government Center, and parking ramps.
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When MoreLaw Minneapolis' founder, Kimberly Hanlon, went into solo practice, she didn't want to sacrifice credibility, camaraderie, convenience, or her budget to do it.
She knew she needed a place to meet clients that would reflect well on her. She knew that being connected to other attorneys not only made her practice more fulfilling, but also helped it to grow. She knew that no attorney knows everything they need to know, and that having other attorneys around to talk things over with made her a better advocate and a more ethical attorney. She knew that not having the resources she needed at hand was so inconvenient as to be unworkable. She also knew that her overhead would either make her profitable or bankrupt, and that predictable costs were an important part of that equation.
Kimberly founded MoreLaw Minneapolis to provide all those things she needed as a solo attorney to others, as well. She designed the facility to be optimal for a law practice. She designed our services and pricing around what works for attorneys and what they need, not around what we can charge for. We do what we do because we want you to succeed.
We do more than just offer executive office suites and virtual office services, although we do that very well. We offer services and solutions that you need – support solutions like virtual assistants & paralegals and billing & bookkeeping services. With MoreLaw Minneapolis as your executive office suite or your virtual office, you can be free to grow your practice in style.
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It is important for us to protect our most valuable asset – our culture. That is why we have an application and interview process to be included in our community as a physical or virtual tenant. We are more than just office space and virtual office services – we need to make sure that you will be a good match for our community, and a valuable addition.
To become a part of our community, it is not important how long you have been practicing law, or how many cases you have won, or what your particular area of practice may be. It is not about gender, age, race, religion, or sexual orientation, either. Our office has awesome diversity and we love it that we are not all cookie cutters of each other. What is important is that you are a positive, ethical, success and growth oriented person. It is important that you like us, and that we like you. When you are right for our culture – it's magic.
You could have an office or a virtual office anywhere. MoreLaw Minneapolis is more than just law office space and virtual law office services. We are a community of solo and small firm lawyers who are positive, ethical, and success and growth oriented people. Our community also has many generous leaders; several members are in leadership positions in our state and county bar associations, sit as directors of non-profit organizations, and are active in state and local politics. We are quality people.
We are like family, and deep bonds and friendships form naturally. We inevitably end up co-counseling on cases, or referring potential clients, or turning to each other for expertise. We have fun together, and socialize outside of the office. Our office culture is amazing, and it is the thing that our members have come to value most about us.
Minneapolis, MN 55415

subset: commoncrawl


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Extra Points: Understanding Aaron Hernandez - Football Wires - MiamiHerald.com
By John McMullen
Philadelphia, PA - Why?
It's a simple question, but an answer isn't always as straightforward.
To those of us on the outside looking in at Aaron Hernandez, he had it all. A 23-year-old star who lived in a luxurious home with his fiance and baby, Hernandez was a popular player who signed a monstrous $41 million extension in August of last year with one of the NFL's marquee teams, the New England Patriots.
It was all vindication for the troubled kid from Bristol, Conn., the same guy who was vilified for his persistent marijuana use at the University of Florida, along with the inability to control a prodigious temper.
Hernandez finally had the respect and reputation he was looking for.
Or did he?
TMZ.com recently published a photo of a 17-year-old Hernandez flashing gang signs often associated with the Bristol Bloods street gang in Connecticut, all while dressed head-to-toe in red clothing. It was seemingly confirmation of Aaron's long-rumored affiliation with the group.
Most of us assume everyone has the same kind of dreams -- to be financially secure with a loving family and friends. To young men caught up in a gang culture, however, the thought process is far darker.
Yeah, respect and reputation are still sought but not from conventional sources like a significant other or an offspring. It's all about impressing your real "family," the other members of the gang. And if you don't get the aforementioned respect or garner the rep you "deserve," a third "R" comes into play -- retaliation.
According to Esperanza, a Philadelphia-based activist network designed to strengthen the Hispanic community, defending the reputation and respect of a gang is the logical and expected behavior for all members.
"It becomes a primary function of gang membership," the group wrote in its publication, Gangs 101. "Any disrespect or challenge towards the gang or one of its members, whether perceived or real, will force an action. The challenge must be answered in order to maintain the respect and reputation of the gang. The response or action is usually violent and criminal and it serves as an opportunity to increase a member's individual status or to regain the gang's respect and reputation."
Massachusetts authorities, of course, are accusing Hernandez of orchestrating the murder of Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old Boston man whose body was found in a North Attleborough, Mass., industrial park less than a mile from Hernandez's home on June 17.
Bristol County assistant district attorney William McCauley believes the plot to kill Lloyd began on June 14, when Lloyd and Hernandez went to a Boston nightclub and Hernandez saw Lloyd talking to people Hernandez "had troubles with."
Two days later, Hernandez allegedly summoned two men from Bristol, Conn., to help him kill the "disrespectful" Lloyd. One of them, 27-year-old Carlos Ortiz, was taken into custody in Connecticut on Wednesday after Massachusetts officials issued an arrest warrant. Ortiz is currently being held in The Nutmeg State on $1.5 million bail for probation violation and as a fugitive from justice.
During Hernandez's arraignment on Wednesday, prosecutors claimed they have video surveillance from several sources showing Lloyd getting into a silver Nissan with Hernandez and two other men in Dorchester, Mass., before arriving at the industrial park shortly before the murder.
During the alleged ride to his eventual execution, Lloyd seemed to understand he was in trouble, texting his sister moments before he was shot five times, execution style.
"Did you see who I am with?" Lloyd wrote shortly after 3 a.m., before answering himself with two chilling messages right before being killed: "NFL." and "Just so you know."
Night workers at the industrial park heard gunshots between 3:23 and 3:27 a.m. and a few minutes later, surveillance video at Hernandez's home showed him walking through the house with a pistol in his hand,
The Patriots cut Hernandez less than two hours after he was taken into custody on Wednesday and now the former Pro Bowl tight end is looking at life in prison without parole.
To most of us, this is a tragedy on the level of Macbeth or Othello.
But to the guy who was always more concerned about earning the respect of his "friends" from Bristol, it's possible football was just his job and his athleticism enabled the money to come far too easily to appreciate.
In other words, the things we think are important meant nothing to Aaron Hernandez.
The real story here is Hernandez's inability to leave a dysfunctional group behind despite having the means, opportunity and obligation to do so.


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Joan Rivers thinks everyone needs to lighten up.
When discussing Heidi Klum's super-sexy Oscar night gown on E!'s "Fashion Police," the 79-year-old joked, "The last time a German looked this hot was when they were pushing Jews into the ovens." Needless to say, the line was met with lots of jeers.
But Rivers refuses to say she's sorry. During an interview with "omg! Insider" that airs on Friday evening, Rivers balked when asked if she planned to apologize.
"Apologizing for what?" she exclaimed. "For what?! … Heidi didn't mind it. That's the joke, Heidi Klum didn't mind it. We didn't mind it. So somebody else minded, you know, then don't watch 'Fashion Police.' Next."
Rivers also explained that using the Holocaust in a joke, she's raising awareness … even if that particular joke wasn't met with the reception she expected. "I make points with humor and you want to talk about the Holocaust? That's how I talk about the Holocaust," the former late-night host added. "I remind people there was a Holocaust and someone should wake Mel Gibson up to watch 'Fashion Police.'"
As for an omg! poll, in which 66 percent of readers voted that she had crossed the line this time, well, the comedian has a message for them, too. "You live in the dark ages," she continued. "Learn what comedy's about, tell that Richard Pryor, tell that to Chris Rock, tell it to Louis C.K., go back to Lenny Bruce. I'm very proud to be a part that group."
To find out when "omg! Insider" airs in your area, go to omg.yahoo.com.
More Celebrity Features on Yahoo!:
- Michael Jordan Hit With Paternity Suit by Alleged Former Mistress
- Arrest Made in the Death of Usher's Stepson: Suspect Charged With Homicide by Vessel
- Lindsay Lohan Is No-Show in Court; Judge Refuses to Toss Car-Crash Case and Questions Her Lawyer's 'Competency'


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Tripped UpWednesday, February 8th, 2012
Just as 2011 was a whirlwind of activty for me the first month of 2012 is keeping up the pressure. As if I didn't have enough to do with upgrading the poultry houses and trying to keep up with the farm and the kids I found myself nursing a dislocated elbow. I would never have dreamed I'd hurt myself like I did, but I guess that's why they say "you never know". One of my hired hands and I were cleaning up brush behind the barn when I decided to hop across the fence. Only problem with that was I'm always running to get from point A to point B. My years of manufacturing taught me that it's much easier to gain time while moving from task to task than it is to actually gain while doing the task. At any rate I found myself face first in the frozen ground with a dislocated elbow. I'm still not exactly sure what happened other than I got my foot tangled up in the field fence. According to the orthopedic specialist I may never regain full extension of my arm. As of now I'm back to probably 70% with barely any strength in my left hand. All I know to do is use it as much as I can stand and hope for the best!
The weather here has been, well there's just no other way to describe it, CRAZY! When you need to open windows or run the AC in the cab of your tractor in January that's insane. Couple the 50 and 60 degree days with all the rain we've had this year and everything is a mucky mess. Where we stacked slats to be washed is now a series of ruts from driving the 7010 between the cross ties used to keep them off the ground while they are washed. When both houses are re-assembled and ready for chickens I'm going to have some work to do to get my pasture looking decent. One good thing about the warmer weather and rainfall has been that the grass is already growing again. That saves hay. Most of the winter I have been feeding last years hay on a spot that's washing in the back pasture. My theory is feeding the lower quality hay without a hay ring on and around the slope that's washing will allow the cows to pick through the hay and get the most desirable forage while leaving the rest to stop the washing. The cows tromp all thorugh the hay packing it in good and tight. Anywhere cows eat they also fertilize. The hay they dont eat should have plenty of seed in it so hopefully this spring I'll start to see grass there.
In addition to me being slowed down by my bum arm, my dad who's been helping a lot with planning and supervising around the farm, suddenly came down with pneumonia and had to be hospitalized for a few days. I would never have guessed he was that sick. One day he was here on the farm helping out and the next he was in the ER on his way to being admitted to the hospital. Seems the older you get the less warning life gives you of your next hurdle. This past few weeks has certainly reminded me of how fragile things can become. I thought I understood and was prepared for my parents aging, but maybe I'm not.
With spring imminent I've been working on my seed and plant orders for this coming gardening season. Every year about this time I find myself brimming with excitement thinking of a huge market garden. Then when I get started something always happens to keep me from planting the huge plot I planned. Hopefully this year will be the exception. I've made some machinery purchases that should cut down on the time it takes to keep up with a market garden. So far I've picked up a cultivator and hiller/furrower to be used with the 3316 HST. My plan is to add a seeder and possibly even a vegetable transplanter. Garett is also putting his request in for a small greenhouse. I'd like to get to the point where I can grow my own transplants and even some to sell. First though I need to test the waters for actually selling some of the produce. I'm like a big kid with dreams of expensive toys and a stand at the farmers market!
Things are finally slowing down a bit with the kids activities. Madison must be missing basketball terribly. For her birthday she chose to rent the gym at the county park for her party. She and her friends hooped it up for 3 or 4 hours and barely took a break to open presents and eat cake. Kaylee's cheer season will end shortly with another trip to the Can Am National competition in Myrtle Beach, S.C.. This weekend should be interesting for the whole family and Katie. I guess this is the year she comes out of her shell. She's turned 16 and started to drive and this weekend she's having her boyfriend over for a visit to the farm. I really am excited to see what he thinks of the operation! Garett and Madison both are still taking Jujitsu and have been asked to compete. Garett is an orange belt now and Madison a yellow belt with 2 stripes. I tease Garett all the time that he better hurry and get to the next belt because I can't stand to see him as a Tennessee belt plus his sister is gonna catch him.
Well as always I have a ton to do so I better get at it! Thanks for reading and don't forget to check out our Flickr, Facebook, and YouTube pages. If you tweet you can follow us on Twitter too! I'll say again…Please comment to let me know what everyone thinks of the site, the pics, the videos, the comments, or just life in general! God bless and GO CATS!


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New reports have surfaced claiming that Birth Control pills may change the way you look at your partner. For example, if you met your boyfriend or husband while on birth control, you may think his attractiveness level has decreased when you get off of the pill. Results from the study showed that woman may change their standards, especially towards their partners. This is not the first report that has made claims like this.
In 2008, a study was done that revealed that women who were on birth control were more attracted to men with similar MHC (major histocompatibility complex) genes. The MHC genes relate to how closely you are related. Typically, woman are more attracted to men that have completely different MHC genes then them. When the study was done, women who were on birth control tended to be more attracted to the men with similar MHC genes.
If you are looking for more information on birth control as well as discounts and coupons, check out Birth Control Discounts. It is up to you to decide whether the benefits of birth control outweigh the negatives! The video below will elaborate on the study relating to the effect birth control may have on a woman's attraction.


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Most Popular Stories
The most popular Apple News stories on AllTop right now
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Daily coverage of Apple by Jason Snell & Dan Moren


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If you head straight for the "Celebrities are just like us!" section of your weekly tabloid, the "Hope For Haiti" telethon on Friday night is turning into the must-see show of the decade for you.
George Clooney is clearly burning through the his celeb black book for this event. Movies stars says such as Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington, Robert Pattinson, Clint Eastwood, Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman will be among the many stars of screen, television and music to take part.
The celebs will be giving personal appeals for donations and will be answering phones from the callers pledging support. Some of the best television watching in these celeb-a-thons is seeing the celebrities picking up the phones in the background and yucking it up with the locals. It's just surreal.
U.S. & World
Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
There will also be A-list music, as list of acts grows by the hour. MTV.com reports Beyoncé (performing in London) and Madonna (in New York) are performers who have been added in the past 24 hours.
They join Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira and Sting in New York City. In Los Angeles performers include Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift and a collaboration by Keith Urban, Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow.
In London, Coldplay will perform, and there will be a group performance by Jay-Z, Rihanna and U2's Bono and The Edge.
Wyclef Jean will head up the efforts in New York City, organizing-master George Clooney will take the lead in Los Angeles and Anderson Cooper will report from Haiti.


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In most organizations, labor is the #1 expense item on the P&L. Yet, few companies manage their staffing very strategically.
With the right approach, and right mix of full-time and contingent workers, you can dramatically lower labor, benefits, hiring, training, personnel administration and other expenses.
This 11-page guide will show you 10 ways you can reduce costs, improve productivity, minimize legal exposure, and ensure access to the people you need.


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Saturday, June 25, 2011
I caved in, bought gold
The game I bought gold for is... you've probably guessed it... World of Tanks!
The way gold works in WoT is not that obvious from the beginning. In fact, considering that the game is free to play and it offers pretty much the entire tech tree and all the maps regardless of whether you pay or not, you can theoretically play through all the 10 tiers of tanks without spending a (real) dollar.
The catch is that it becomes harder and harder to gain XP and credits (the game's currency) as the tiers go by. By tier 6 it takes a very long time to gain all the necessary XP to upgrade a tank with the best equipment and even more so to move on to the next tier.
World of Tanks has an interesting XP system. Each tank gains XP individually but at the same time, 5% of that experience is saved separately in a "Free Experience" pool which means it can be used by any other tank. Experience is used to research upgrades. Credits are used to buy those upgrades after they are researched.
Once a tank researches all the possible upgrades, it continues to earn XP but that XP is now worthless for this particular tank. You can choose to turn off XP in return for accelerated crew training. But isn't the remaining XP now lost forever? Not quite. That's where the gold comes in.
World of Tanks has such an innovative F2P model that it got me (I'm a notorious tight-fist) to spend money to enjoy the game even more, after only 2 weeks of playing it. For $30 (2 months of WoW) I bought 6500 gold.
Here's what I used the gold for:
1) I converted the remaining XP for tanks which I had either sold (yes, you can still recover the XP from those tanks), or for tanks which had become elite (all upgrades researched) to Free XP. I used that Free XP to research some upgrades badly needed for one of my tier 5 tanks.
2) I trained the crew to 100% for one of my favorite tanks (a Marder II Tank Destroyer if you are curious) and also for my tier 5 tank (a Panzer IV Medium Tank).
3) I might buy an extra garage slot later.
4) I might purchase a 1-month premium account, which allows me to gain XP and credits at a 50% increased rate.
5) Finally, I might buy a premium tank which allows me to farm credits because it is cheap to repair and automatically makes 50% more credits from battles due to its premium status. Unfortunately this tank costs about $40 in real money so I'm a bit on the fence on that.
Was it worth it? Here's a short analysis of each of the above points.
1) Converting XP is relatively cheap. Since having a lot of XP sitting around on other elite tanks doing nothing is not going to help, I consider it a very good thing to be able to transfer that XP to tanks which need it desperately. As a result, I was able to more quickly research the upgrades my Panzer IV needed in order to not suck so badly in combat. Now, the tank is competitive and a blast to play.
2) Initially I was skeptical about training the crew. A new tank starts with a crew at 50% training, unless you are willing to pay a lot of credits to train them to 100%. Problem is, it becomes progressively harder to reach that 100% as you get closer to it.
The quick solution is to spend 200 gold to train each crew member. That's about $1. A tank with a crew of 5 will cost $5 to train to 100%.
First, I trained the crew of 3 for my Marder II Tank Destroyer. The vehicle already had all the upgrades and it was performing well. Let me just say this: the first battle after buying 100% training, I killed 7 enemies (out of a total of 15). My previous record had been 4.
On top of that, I also won a very wacky medal (it's just like a WoW achievement), for killing the last enemy with my last shell. Hah! Now that's something you don't see every day!
The other tank I trained crew to 100% is my Panzer IV, a Medium with high firepower (when upgraded to the max). Was it worth it in this case? Hell yeah! My tank performs to the top of it's abilities now and is an armored machine of death (at least until it gets spotted).
Why is 100% crew skill so important? Because at 100% crew training every stat on the tank is worth 100%. Crew also aims faster, more accurately, drives better, repairs damage in combat quicker, puts out fires quicker, spots enemies from a farther distance and so on. After 100% you have the option to further specialize each crew member in a number of skills such as camouflage, repair and firefighting. But you can only start specializing once you reach 100%. And if you don't pay for that 100%, it will take ages until you get there.
3) More garage slots are good if you like playing with several different tanks. I already have tier 2 and 4 tanks which I enjoy playing, in addition to the tier 5 and the Tank Destroyer. I would also like to try my hand at SPGs (Self Propelled Guns, or mobile artillery) at some point. Problem is, garage space is limited. The only way you can increase it is either by buying more slots or by selling some of your tanks. It's almost a given that I will fork some gold (300 per) for an extra slot or two.
4) A premium account allows you to earn 50% extra XP and credits from battles. This will simply allow me to progress 50% quicker. Otherwise it doesn't give me a tactical advantage. I'm not sure I'll try it for more than a month though.
5) A premium tank is good for farming credits because these tanks are already fully upgraded (no need to research/buy new equipment), repairs on them are very cheap and these tanks earn 50% more credits than a normal tank of that tier. The only problem is that the nicest such tank, a German Heavy named Löwe costs about $40 in real money. I'm not so sure I want to spend so much money on one tank at this point but it is certainly a possibility for later. First, I'll see how the premium account works, but only after I get back from a short vacation.
There are other ways in which to spend your gold. For example you can buy some premium consumables (such as first aid or repair kits) or premium ammo (only useful in tournaments, unless you're swimming in cash and don't mind shooting real dollars each time your gun fires) but these are of no interest to me.
In conclusion, is it worth buying at least a little bit of gold in World of Tanks? From my point of view, the answer is a resounding YES! Not only does it help make the game more enjoyable by cutting down on some of the grind, but it also helps support the developers who made such an enjoyable and involving game.
15 comments:
I'm in the same situation with Spiral Knights. I love it, it's pure fun. But if I don't start spending some real dollars I will need to waste my life on it for a slow progress.
I still have to understand if I really want to spend money forever, because that's how this would be (it's not a 10 dollars one-time shot, of course).
- June 26, 2011 at 2:00 PM
I've been chatting with some players (ingame) and the general attitude is "I play for free as long as I can, then I will quit".
I guess that "free to play" works fine if you are not forced to spend money. Yes, you can play without spending... but forcing (free) players to level at super-slow speed is not fun anyway and it's a greedy way to ask money.
I still prefer spending a fixed amount of money in advance and play as much as I like/want, I guess.
- June 26, 2011 at 2:54 PM
- Darth Solo said...
Well my point was that you can still play WoT as much as you want. You have access to all the tanks in the game (about 140 of them), the entire tech tree, as well as all the maps.
However, if you choose to pay, you can get sooner to the fun parts, i.e. you can upgrade the tank of your dreams quicker and have more fun playing that tank. Regardless whether you pay or not, you will still arrive at the same point. The only question is when.
I appreciate how the devs implemented the gold economy. At some point you feel compelled to spend some cash, even if you started out thinking that you wouldn't.
Some people obviously will choose not to pay a single penny and that's a perfectly valid choice. Unfortunately, if everyone chose to do the same, the game studio would be forced to shut down for lack of revenue.
The F2P model can be risky but also rewarding if implemented correctly.
- June 26, 2011 at 3:09 PM
- Yow said...
Yow bro! Love ur blog! =)
Was thinkin wanna Link my blog and I link yours ? =)
Left comment earlier about this dunno if u noticed =)
if possible answer at:
- June 29, 2011 at 12:33 PM
- Yow said...
Hey man thanks alot, Linked you to the best spot on my blog thanks alot for helping me grow man :) !
- June 30, 2011 at 3:49 AM
How's WoT going on? How do you "feel" the F2P model is working for this game?
- July 5, 2011 at 2:31 AM
- Darth Solo said...
It's going great. I'm obsessed with it. I'm only at a tier 6 tank but I feel like I want to branch into several different trees to try other tanks.
The F2P model works too well I'm afraid. I bought a $30 gold package and now it's almost gone, after less than a month of play. The last thing I bought was a 7-day premium subscription for the price of a 3-day. They had a special promo.
I need to control myself not to spend too much :)
- July 5, 2011 at 6:47 PM
> I bought a $30 gold package and now it's
> almost gone [...] I need to control myself
> not to spend too much :)
Oh well, you're fueling a cool indie company. That's always good in my opinion. Much better than spending ovr and over for the same old content with a different skin :)
I'm now at a turning point with my F2P game (Spiral Knights). I was VERY tempted to cash 2.75$ for a very good bonus (or 10$ for a MUCH better one) when I suddenly found a way to make cash/xp at a faster rate. No hacks, just some tactics and skill (reading forums helps a lot).
We'll see how it goes. It's true that few dollars would be a ridiculous amount, considering the fun and the quality of the game.
GO BACK TO YOUR TANK, you stinky goat.
P.s. check this official Blizz thread about wow-basd websites (bankalt):
- July 6, 2011 at 2:23 AM
And so... I just discovered "League of Legends". It looks like I lived under a rock until now. A true F2P title.
Downloaded, installed, will be testing it soon.
- July 6, 2011 at 2:22 PM
- Darth Solo said...
Ah thanks for telling me about those games. I'd heard of both but never tried them. I doubt I'll get the chance to give them a try soon because I'm engrossed in WoT but it's good to know.
Yeah, that $30 shows my support for a well-made game.
I'm not worried about the Blizz thing. BankAlt does not interact with armory, I keep all the data in my own database.
- July 7, 2011 at 8:19 PM
There is just one big flaw in this F2P model: non-paying customers play at the cost of paying-customers.
As long as YOU pay, others will keep playing for free at your expense.
There is another thing that I don't like that much: you pay for a "limited" thing. When your funds finish, you must refill your wallet.
It's not like "you pay a fixed amount and pay as much as you like". The gameplay quality (time spent to level, mostly) is based on how much money you invest. It would be like hiring a chinese guy to level your toon in WoW.
I decided to follow your example and I cashed some dollars in Spiral Knights. By spending just 3,00€ I was able to acquire great stuff that would have required days/weeks (the game is MUCH cheaper than WoTanks, by the way).
Was it worth the money? Yes, absolutely.
Will I spend more? No, no way. Because I am not feeling like I pay for something where I have full access, when and where I want.
I still prefer the "fixed amount per month" fee. You pay it and you do whatever you want.
- July 8, 2011 at 2:40 AM
- Darth Solo said...
Well, I don't quite agree about the first part. I don't care if I'm paying so others can pay. I just pay for the convenience of getting some nice things.
I'm not going to continue paying but that initial $30 helped a lot. I still have some of it left and I've learned to use the gold more strategically so that it lasts longer and gives more value.
For now I got pretty much all I wanted. I have all the tanks that I want to play with and I'll stick with them for a while.
Will I buy more gold later? Maybe, because it sure helps.
Will I subscribe again? I doubt it, unless they offer another good deal. For me, subscribing only offers more credits earned but it still doesn't increase the earned XP. Credits are easier to earn than XP anyway.
- July 8, 2011 at 7:07 PM
Hyea dirty and stinky firend... Few things for you here.
1) Are you still playing WoT?
2) If YES, did you pay more (real) dollars?
3) What about WoW, did you play it again?
4) And what about P90X, how's going there :-)
5) Is BankAlt working fine / becoming popular?
Seriously... I'm tired of refreshing this blog 3 times a day waiating for some news :-P so if you have a Google+ account please let me know so we can keep in touch there.
/hug !
- July 28, 2011 at 8:24 AM
- Darth Solo said...
Hey ol' buddy!
1) Yep!
2) Nope, I just paid the $30 but I still have some of it. My plan is not to buy any more gold this year.
3) Nah, I can't bear the idea of going back to WoW. I'm having too much fun with WoT and if I get bored with that, Diablo 3 is right around the corner.
4) I'm going through a lazy phase right now... don't feel like working out, but it's all good 'cos I've lost weight just doing nothing (not that I was fat or anything).
5) TBH I haven't checked it in a long time. It runs on auto-pilot now. I actually had an idea for a WoT site...
Nah I'm not on G+ or Facebook, I'm totally against these social media sites, forever will be. They are dangerous man!
What have you been up to? Still playing WoW?
- July 28, 2011 at 8:57 PM
- Echo said...
Forgot to reply to this one.... will do it now.
No more WoW for me too, got bored of gameplay and constant updates, making me feel like an eternal paying beta tester.
G+ and Facebook are not dangerous at all, brotha! Just use them with very little brain and you're done :)
- August 19, 2011 at 3:43 PM


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Wideo promujące Salamankę. Spacer z lotu ptaka po mieście i jego głównych atrakcjach turystycznych. © Turismo de Salamanca.
Plaza Mayor
Klasztor San Esteban
Dom Muszli
Plaza Mayor
- Wspólnota autonomiczna: Kastylia i León
- Prowincja/Wyspa: Salamanka
Światowe Dziedzictwo – certyfikat przyznawany przez UNESCO.
Salamanka położona jest w środkowej części Hiszpanii, w odległości 212 kilometrów od stolicy kraju – Madrytu. Uniwersalne, wspaniałe, uczone, młode i złote: miasto to jest jednym z ośrodków turystycznych położonych w głębi lądu, który warto odwiedzić z wielu powodów. Jego starówka została wpisana na listę światowego dziedzictwa UNESCO.
Źródło wiedzy. Jest to miasto uniwersyteckie par excellence: Uniwersytet w Salamance jest jednym z najlepszych przykładów architektury epoki Odrodzenia w Hiszpanii i jednym z najstarszych w Europie. W okresie swej największej świetności zaliczany był do najlepszych uniwersytetów europejskich. Przez jego mury przeszli jedni z największych myślicieli, artystów i pisarzy hiszpańskich. W 2018 r. Uniwersytet obchodzi 800-lecie swojego istnienia poprzez interesujący program wydarzeń kulturalnych (wystawy, spektakle teatralne, koncerty itp.), sportowych i akademickich. Więcej informacji: http://centenario.usal.es.
Miasto języka hiszpańskiego. W wieku XV w mieście tym zrodziła się pierwsza Gramatyka Języka Hiszpańskiego, która stała się narzędziem jego ekspansji na cały świat. Jest to też jeden z ulubionych ośrodków studentów zagranicznych, którzy pragną nauczyć się języka hiszpańskiego. Nic więc dziwnego, że Salamanka jest jednym z głównych etapów na Szlaku Języka Hiszpańskiego.
Skrzyżowanie szlaków. Srebrna Droga, dawny szlak rzymski łączący północ z południem Hiszpanii, przechodzi przez Salamankę. Jest to dobry punkt wypadowy do poznania innych pobliskich miejscowości o znaczeniu turystycznym, przez które także biegnie ta stara droga, jak choćby Guijuelo czy Béjar.
Miejsce spotkań. Humanistyczne tradycje, otwarty charakter mieszkańców, zainteresowanie kulturą, bogate dziedzictwo historyczne... To niektóre z powodów, dzięki którym Salamanka stała się Europejską Stolicą Kultury w roku 2002.
Młody duch. Salamanka ma bogatą historię, ale jest też miastem nowoczesnym, dynamicznym i pełnym rozrywek. Studenci wypełniają je życiem i ruchem przez 24 godziny na dobę.
Złote miasto. Salamankę należy poznawać w dzień i w nocy, ale przede wszystkim o zachodzie słońca. Wtedy jego blask nadaje złotego odcienia materiałowi, z którego zbudowano zabytki miasta: kamieniowi z Villamayor.
- Sprawdź wszystkie informacje o ośrodku turystycznym na: http://www.salamanca.es/es/
Więcej informacji
Wycieczki, których nie można przegapić w: Salamanka
Patronato de Turismo de Salamanca
Na mapie znajdziesz wszystkie proponowane przez nas miejsca, które koniecznie musisz zwiedzić. Nie możesz ich przegapić!
Salamanka Dla ciebie
When it comes to culture, Salamanca is a destination not to be missed
It only tales a stroll through the streets to see the centuries of history, art and learning that have made it a universal city. Discover everything this city has to offer, renowned and lively on account of its students.
Salamanca is known as the city of thought and knowledge, but here you will also find art and beauty. Its old town has the UNESCO World Heritage designation, and is home to a magnificent ensemble of monuments, with outstanding examples of different architectural styles: Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Plateresque... The University, besides being one of Spain's oldest, is also one of the country's best examples of Renaissance architecture. Salamanca continues to be an important centre for cultural encounters and exchange in the present day too. In 2002 it was European City of Culture.
At the end of this page you will find a list of the city's main museums and monuments. To ensure that you do not miss anything during your stay, head for the Tourist Office, where they will give you detailed information on routes, itineraries and visits. In Salamanca you can also discover some of the most emblematic places in an original way, such as the "Ieronimus" and "Scala Coeli" exhibitions.
The "Ieronimus" exhibition will show you the Cathedral and its famous medieval towers: the route inside the building displays its 900 years of art and history. You can also get a spectacular view of the city from the top of the Anaya Terrace and Mocha Tower. "Scala Coeli" offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the city by climbing up to the Clerecía Towers.
Może cię zainteresować
Sports lovers have their place here too
Golf and skiing are two of the activities available in Salamanca. You can also stroll through gardens with a literary feel and discover beautiful landscapes in the surrounding countryside.
Salamanca's parks and gardens are ideal to relax and enjoy the best of nature in the heart of the city. The famous Calixto y Melibea Garden is one of the most evocative: it is linked with the work La Celestina, and its plants and fruit trees will transport you to the scene of this famous classical Spanish comedy. The Fluvial, Los Jesuitas and La Alamedilla parks are other green areas ideal for a pleasant stroll.
If you prefer to be a little more active, however, then golf is one of the best options in Salamanca. Less than 15 kilometres from the city centre you will find several golf courses where you can have fun with the clubs: Golf Villamayor and Salamanca Zarapicos Golf Course. They are all attractive 18-hole courses, suited to players with a range of different handicaps.
Skiing is another sporting option in Salamanca. 70 kilometres away you will find the La Covatilla resort, in the heart of the Sierra de Béjar mountains. This is an ideal place to ski as a family, and it also has cross-country ski tracks for the fittest.
You can also have fun outdoors, hiking in the Sierra de Béjar mountains, the Batuecas Valley and the Arribes del Duero area. As you explore these areas of countryside you can discover beautiful traditional architecture in villages such as La Alberca and Miranda del Castañar, you can see fauna such as the golden eagle and the black vulture, and you can go to spectacular viewpoints like Peña de Francia.
Variety and traditional flavours
When it is time to eat, you will find variety and top-quality produce in Salamanca. Going out for tapas is the typical way to sample the specialities of each establishment.
The city has a large number of restaurants and bars, meaning you can savour all types of food: from traditional, home-style dishes, to creative and international cuisine, as well as restaurants specialising in meat, seafood and fish. It is easy to discover all this variety because many of the bars and restaurants are located around the historic centre. As far as prices are concerned, there is something for every budget.
While in Salamanca you should try typical products such as cured meats and Guijuelo ham, Armuña lentils, morucha beef, and sweets such as perrunillas (pastries) and &bollo maimón (kind of sponge). Be sure to try hornazo too. It is a pie filled with egg and other delicious ingredients (pork loin, chorizo sausage, ham...). It was traditionally eaten during Easter week, although can now be found all year round.
The art of "going out for tapas" In the centre of Salamanca you can enjoy one of the local people's favourite gastronomic customs: going out for tapas. When you go into the city's bars and taverns you will notice that, in almost all of them, when you order a drink you are also given an aperitif to go with it. This is the tapa. It is usually served whether you order it or not, because it is included in the price of the drink. This is an informal, carefree way of having a bite to eat, which also means you can sample the various specialities of each establishment. We can assure you that the most complicated thing will be choosing from the huge variety of delicious tapas on offer.
Students, businesspeople, families, groups of friends... You can find them all having tapas at any time of day in Salamanca's many bars. Plaza Mayor Square and the surrounding area is a classic area for tapas: some of the most lively, traditional bars can be found close by, such as those in Zamora, Toro, Clavel, San Pablo and San Justo streets. You can have tapas outside the old town too. A good option is Van Dyck street and the area around it, where you will find some famous taverns and there are also bars with very affordable prices.
For young people
Salamanca's nightlife is famous throughout Spain
The university students take care of making the city lively by day and by night. The options for going out at night are excellent: original bars, a variety of different atmospheres and fiesta to be had until the early hours.
Salamanca's nightlife is unusual, and, above all, very lively. There is nothing like going in search of the next bar to continue the party, walking through the streets of the old town with its stunning illuminated monuments, listening, in the background, to the cheery music of the tuna (groups of students who have been going out to sing old university songs in their traditional dress for centuries). The presence of so many students mean that there is nightlife almost every day of the week. You will also find a wide variety of options for your enjoyment: in the many pubs, bars and nightclubs you can dance to all kinds of music, hear concerts, see films, play cards, or simply have a drink in pleasant surroundings.
Many of these places are open all day, serving breakfast in the morning, drinks and aperitifs at lunchtime and coffee in the afternoon, becoming nightspots later on. If there is one thing that makes Salamanca's bars stand out, however, it is their original, detailed decor. Many are worth popping into for this alone. There are places with decor reminiscent of a university cloister, a chapel, a submarine or an old street, or others with unusual things to be seen inside such as a merry-go-round or a huge dolls' house.
The main areas for nightlife are in the historic centre: Gran Vía street; the Varillas and Plaza de San Justo Square area; the area around Plaza Mayor Square - in Bordadores, Prior, Rúa Mayor and Meléndez streets, amongst others. Here you will find some of Salamanca's most renowned and longest-running nightspots.
If there is fun and atmosphere to be found in Salamanca on almost any day of the year, then when the city's saint's day fiestas come around, things really take off. On 12 June, the feast of San Juan de Sahagún, there is a programme of celebrations including concerts, parades, fireworks and cultural activities. There are celebrations in September too, 8-21, in honour of the Virgen de la Vega. There are open-air dances, performances by traditional groups, concerts, sports events, fairs and, of course, bullfights.
With children
An ideal city for children
Salamanca offers a variety of unusual, enjoyable options for those travelling as a family.
A fun way to explore the historic centre and the city's monuments, especially for the little ones, is a ride on the Tourist Train. It departs every half hour from Plaza de Anaya and covers the main points of interest in the city centre. From the train, children can see the buildings lit up at night.
Visiting the cathedral becomes a game for all the family with the "Ieronimus" exhibition. You can explore every corner of the building and go to the top of the medieval tower to enjoy stunning views of the city. Once on the ground again, there is more fun to be had at the Puerta de Ramos doorway: look for the modern figures that restorers introduced in the lower part to replace statues that were in bad condition. To pass the test you have to find a stork, an astronaut and a monkey eating an ice-cream.
The "Machines with heart" collection is another option that children and adults alike will enjoy. Here you can see old radios and machines for making films, and you can discover how an old flour mill works. There are various exhibitions in the collection, each in a different place in the city. Admission is free. During Easter week and in summer there are also entertainment and dynamic activities organised where the information is presented in an enjoyable way. They are presented in Spanish. If you are interested in taking part you should enrol at one of the exhibition centres.
There is still more on offer: at the Automobile Museum you can discover the history of cars, admiring the hundred-or-so models on display. Neither should we forget Casa Lis. With its windows of a thousand colours, it is a place overflowing with imagination and fantasy. It is home to the Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum, and is full of wonderful statues and multi-coloured objects, and has a collection of more than 300 porcelain dolls - the largest public display of this type in the world. Guided tours are available in English and French, although you should book in advance. If your stay coincides with the patron saint's day fiestas in June and September, you will also find ways to have fun with the children, with activities organised such as parades of "big-heads", fireworks, open-air dances, fairgrounds... Furthermore, after Easter week there is the traditional Lunes de Aguas (Water Monday - held 1st Monday after Easter Monday), where families head to the banks of the Tormes River to eat a typical hornazo (pie filled with egg and cured meats), to celebrate an old 16th century tradition.
Crafts, accessories, and much more
The historic centre is one of the most attractive shopping areas in Salamanca. In this university city par excellence, as souvenirs you can buy crafts, fashion, gourmet foods and, of course, books.
You can find some of Salamanca's most characteristic wares in more than 4,000 establishments spread around the city. Whatever you are looking for, you will find a host of items to give as presents, to keep as souvenirs, or to enjoy on your return home. You just have to choose from the many ideas to be found in the city's shops, street markets and shopping centres. Other useful information Opening times: some shops, especially the major franchises and the shopping centres, are open from 10am-9pm. Traditional shops open from 10am-1.30pm and from 5-8.30pm approximately. Sales: the winter sales generally begin in the first week of January and go on until the end of February, and the summer sales begin on 1 July and run until the end of August. How to pay: most people pay in cash or with a credit card, when you must show your passport or identity card. Tax free: residents from outside the European Union are entitled to have Value Added Tax (IVA) refunded on purchases of more than €90.15.
A special touch for business events
Salamanca's historic centre has the UNESCO World Heritage designation and is a unique setting for business meetings and events.
The city's ancient charm, with magnificent monuments, culture and its streets, overflowing with history, make this a highly attractive setting for congresses and professional meetings. You can get here by road from Madrid in a little over two hours. The city offers excellent accommodation infrastructure, as well as modern facilities, ideal for all kinds of meetings and events. The Castile-León Conference and Exhibition Centre and the University are two of the venues available for congresses. Salamanca is also outstanding for its lively, university atmosphere, especially by night, when its many bars and nightclubs open their doors.
Journey through the history of the world heritage
ROUTE DAY 1: A JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORY Arrival at ...(+Zobacz więcej)
Toledo,Ávila,Salamanca,San ...
Hiking trip in northern Spain to see the beech forests. ...(+Zobacz więcej)
Cáceres,Mérida,Salamanca,Z ...
Meet us in the meeting point for take-off. ...(+Zobacz więcej)
Aranjuez,Toledo,Salamanca, ...
Cycling the Roman route to Salamanca
The historic towns of Avila and Salamanca will mark the ...(+Zobacz więcej)
San Pedro de ...


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Canada Takes IYA2009 to Space
21 August 2009
Canadian astronaut Dr. Robert Thirsk who is presently aboard the International Space Station has recorded a "get involved in IYA2009" message which can be viewed in French or English from the CSA website (http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/images/recherche/photo.aspx?id=1700&format=&search=&l=eng) or on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiJfyevRjj8). While the message is directed primarily to encourage involvement by Canadians, his message is universal.
Dr. Thirsk has also brought both an English and a French copy of 'Mary Lou's New Telescope' or 'Le nouveau téléscope à Chloé' on board the Station with him. This short story on light pollution was written and illustrated by amateur astronomy members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and translated by members of the Féderation des astronomes amateurs du Canada for distribution to children during (and beyond) IYA2009; it may be viewed at, or downloaded from: http://www.rasc.ca/education/mlnt.shtml.
Search IYA2009 Updates
National Nodes: 148
Organisational Nodes: 40
Organisational Associates:33
National Websites: 111
Cornerstone Projects: 12
Special Task Groups: 11
Special Projects:16
Official Products:8
Media Partners:22


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Get some free cupcakes, hermano
When the words "free" and "cupcakes" collide in a sentence, it's got to be good.
Denver cupcakery and cereal bar extraordinaire, The Shoppe, always has something fun going on. But this time, they've won my heart for good.
Subscribers to The Shoppe's email list recently received notice that dozens of delectable mini cupcakes are up for grabs. On its own, this is completely awesome because cupcakes. But when you take into consideration that you must perform all four chicken dances from Arrested Development to be eligible for the prize? Well, now. That's downright magnificent.
Here's a screenshot of the information:
And here's a video of all the majestic chicken dances for reference:
Now, get to practicing. Ca-CAW!


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From WeBWorK
Developing for WeBWorK
These articles will help you modify WeBWorK and contribute to its development.
- Coding Standards
- Setting up a Development Server
- openwebwork-devel — Discussion of WeBWorK development, searchable archives.
- openwebwork-cvs — CVS commit notifications, searchable archives.
Adding WeBWorK questions to the National Problem Library (NPL)
For those who have commit privileges to the NPL.
Administrative tasks
These articles detail how we manage the WeBWorK development and release process.
- CVS Repositories
- CVS Branching
- Preparing a release for distribution (Making tarballs)
- Bugzilla user list pruning
Design/Implementation Notes
- Wishlist
- GUI Toolkit Ideas
- PGLanguageV2 — An idea for a markup-oriented approach to PG. No code yet. (cf. PGML.)
- WeBWorK as a web service
- Problem editor ideas
- Hierarchical problem sets ideas
- Technical design philosophy for WeBWorK — Old, but still good for inspiration or laughs.
This category has the following 5 subcategories, out of 5 total.
- [×] Design Decisions (12 P)
- [×] Release Notes (55 P)
- [×] Translators (5 P)
- [×] Version Control (3 P)
- [×] WeBWorK Consultants (16 P)
Pages in category "Developers"
The following 59 pages are in this category, out of 59 total.


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Sausalito Weekend Factory Tours (2:30 PM)
Heath Ceramics
Saturday, January 18, 2020 from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM (PST)
The original. Among the houseboats and artist studios is the original 1959 factory, where our clay is made, and our dinnerware shapes are formed, glazed, trimmed and fired. Tour size is limited to 15, so an advance RSVP is needed.
When visiting our factories, you'll need to wear closed toe shoes and safety glasses provided. Our general factory tours are appropriate for children 5 years and older with adult supervision. The tours are not suitable for smaller children held by an adult, as this is a working factory environment.
After signing up you will receive a confirmation email and a reminder email.
Join millions of people on Eventbrite.
In order to purchase these tickets in installments, you'll need an Eventbrite account. Log in or sign up for a free account to continue.


text:
Making the most of your money starts with five building blocks for managing and growing your money – The My Money Five. Keep these five principles in mind as you make day-to-day decisions and plan your financial goals.
Submitted questions will be answered by an Arvest banker and may appear on the Arvest Blog.
All Arvest banks are Equal Housing Lenders and Member FDIC.
Investment products and services are provided by Arvest Investments, Inc., doing business as Arvest Asset Management, member FINRA/SIPC, an SEC registered investment adviser and a subsidiary of Arvest Bank. Trust services are provided by Arvest Bank. Insurance products are made available through Arvest Insurance, Inc., which is registered as an insurance agency. Insurance products are marketed through Arvest Insurance, Inc., but are underwritten by insurance companies.
Securities and Insurance Products: Not Insured by FDIC or any Federal Government Agency, May Lose Value, Not a Deposit of or Guaranteed by a Bank or any Bank Affiliate.


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2-A All-state
Connor McCafferty – Senior – Big Horn
Colter Carzoli – Senior – Big Horn
Miles Novak – Senior – Big Horn
Christian Mayer - Junior – Big Horn
Mason Lube – Junior – Big Horn
Ryan Kobielusz – Junior – Big Horn
Seth Kite – Junior – Big Horn
Tyler Kane – Senior – Tongue River
2A Offensive Player of the Year: Connor McCafferty
2A Coach of the Year: Michael McGuire – Big Horn
2nd Team All-conference
Tory Music OL/DL
Cody Delk OL
Dane Chambers OL/DL
Jess Edens Punter
Nick Gill DB
Cooper Powers DL
1st Team All-conference
Nick Gill WR/Return Specialist
Joe Shassetz WR/DB
Justin Orum OL
Tyler Julian OL
Kameron Eckard QB
Daniel Sessions RB/DB
Colbey Bruney RB/LB
Ethan Hoopes LB
Judson White DL
Ethan Hall LB
Cody Delk DL
2nd Team All-state
1st Team all-state
The Sheridan College Generals and Lady Generals basketball teams played on the road this weekend at separate tournaments in Idaho.
The Generals played at a tournament at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls. According to Generals coach Steve Smiley. The Generals needed a few extra minutes Friday night to take care of the Treasure Valley Chukars, edging them out in overtime 88-86 and moving to 8-1 on the year. A Treasure Valley tip-in with 2 seconds left tied the game and a Preston Wells half-court shot went in-and-out sending the game into a 3rd period.
BRONC / LADY BRONC BASKETBALL - The regular season of basketball for the Broncs and Lady Broncs will be Friday, December 6th
Today we hear more from Broncs Head coach Gale Smith says they have three important areas of emphasis they are pushing as the prepare for the home opener.
The Broncs and Lady Broncs play Green River on December 6th at 5:45 and 7:30 both games will be broadcast live on KWYO and 87.7 FM.
The Sheridan college basketball teams play on the road this weekend at separate tournaments in Idaho.
BRONC / LADY BRONC BASKETBALL - The first weekend of basketball games for the Broncs and Lady Broncs will be December 6th and 7th they host a double header with Green River.
Today we hear from Broncs Head coach Gale Smith, he says the Broncs are coming off a good off season and are looking forward to getting the season started in a couple of weeks.
They missed the state tournament in March and Smith says the team is using last year's shortfall as motivation coming into this season.
The Bronc and Lady Bronc basketball coaches are putting on a meet the players night.
On Monday Nov. 25th 6pm at SHS Gym join the Broncs and Lady Broncs for the Basketball Season kick-off event.
The night will include a slam dunk contest, a three point showdown, a children's free throw contest, and a showcase of all the boys and girls basketball teams. The evening will conclude with an epic event between the Mom's of the girls program taking on the Mom's of the guy's program. You won't want to miss this.
BRONC WRESTLING - The Sheridan Bronc wrestlers open the new season December 6th at a tournament in Powell yesterday was day two in the wrestling room for the Broncs.
Tyson Shatto enters his second season at the Bronc's Head coach and says the turn out this week has been good and he's pleased with the numbers in the wresting room.
They have a couple of weeks to prepare for their first competition, Shatto says they have a lot of tough work to get done before that tournament.
The Sheridan Swish basketball team took first place in the 4th grade division at the Power-to-Play tournament in Casper over the weekend.
SHERIDAN COLLEGE BASKETBALL - The Sheridan college basketball teams play on the road this week. The Lady Generals picked up two more victories over the weekend and sit at 7-1 over all Head coach Frank McCarthy.
They play two games at a tournament at North Idaho community college this week and McCarthy says the competition will be tough which is just what the Lady Generals need right now.
Christian Mayer scored five times for Big Horn in their 47-22 state title game victory over Mountain View Friday afternoon.
The Sheridan college Generals won 80-59 Friday night against a Colorado all-star team to go 6-0 on the season.
The Lady generals play tonight at 5:00 and the Generals at 7:00 as they finish up the second day of a tournament at the Hoffman dome.
COWGIRL BASKETBALL - The Wyoming Cowgirls overcame a shaky start and beat Montana state in their home opener 72-62.
Kayla Woodward had 17 points and 15 rebounds, Fallon Lewis had 15 points and 11 boards.
Road & Travel


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major macro economic indicators
|2018 (e)
|2019 (f)
|GDP growth (%)
|Inflation (yearly average, %)
|Budget balance (% GDP)
|Current account balance (% GDP)
|Public debt (% GDP)
(e): Estimate. (f): Forecast.
- Privileged location in a dynamic region
- Very high level of national savings rate (around 23% of GDP)
- Public debt is 90% owned by local investors
- Advanced technology products and diversified industrial sector
- Difficulty of consolidating public finances and bringing an end to deflation
- Reduction of the workforce; increasing share of precarious workers
- Political instability
- Low productivity of SMEs
Risk assessment
Cyclical recovery is nearing its end
Growth remained robust in 2018, but it is expected that it will taper down in 2019. This will be due to structural headwinds, as cyclical tailwinds begin to phase out. The economy suffered from a devastating earthquake, typhoons, and severe floods in 2018. Export growth has started to decline in line with a global slowdown and risks related to the trade war between the United States and China. Private consumption picked up in 2018, favoured by higher real wages, with total cash earnings jumping to 3.6% YOY in June: the fastest pace of increase since 1997. However, private consumption will slow in 2019. Wage growth in 2018 was related to temporarily higher inflation expectations and a tight labour market: the unemployment rate stood at 2.3% in September, the lowest level since June 1994. However, wage growth is scheduled to slow, constrained by companies' sticky deflationary mind-sets and rigidities in the labour market (lifetime employment system). Employees are unlikely to increase their spending enduringly if they believe payments are one-off. Moreover, a sales tax hike is currently scheduled for the second half of 2019, which will drag on domestic demand. In turn, weak domestic demand will exacerbate deflationary pressures. There was modest pickup in headline inflation in 2018, but this can be traced back to higher import prices, notably oil. Consumer price inflation is expected to remain significantly below the Bank of Japan's (BoJ) 2% target going into 2019. Private investment will likely remain sluggish as investors wait to see signs of a real pickup in domestic demand. This caveat notwithstanding, corporate profits, cash reserves, and liquidity conditions remain favourable. BoJ will likely keep its ultra-accommodative monetary policies in place throughout 2019 and 2020, which will continue to sustain economic momentum.
Consolidation of public finances remains challenging
The fiscal deficit is expected to widen further in 2019, with the main factors driving this deterioration being ongoing fiscal policy stimuli, as well as reconstruction work following devastating floods in southwestern Japan in June and typhoon Jebi in September 2018. Infrastructure investments ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will also add to budgetary pressures. These are a constant in Japan, but the space for further stimuli is rapidly depleting, as social spending already weighs significantly on the state budget: Japan's debt service burden represents 25% of GDP. Moreover, there is no easy way to boost state revenues. The government decided to postpone the next VAT hike (from 8% to 10%) until October 2019, which should help boost revenues post-2020, even if private consumption will likely decline in the short-term. Front-loading ahead of October is possible, which would exert upside pressure on GDP in the third quarter. However, the Japanese economy entered a recession in the quarters following the last sales tax hike in 2014 – a scenario which could repeat itself again in the fourth quarter of 2019. The current account is expected to remain in surplus, but this will narrow going into 2019 and 2020. The yen has remained weak against the dollar relative to 2017 levels, which played a role in boosting exports. However, the currency is expected to appreciate in 2019, worsening the terms of trade. Export growth is also set to decline due to slower global demand. Moreover, exports may be impacted by the US-China trade war, as Japan is exposed via supply-chain links. The current account surplus will also benefit from inflows on the services front, as a result of the rise of tourism. The economy has benefitted from higher tourism revenues, led by Chinese tourists. This trend could slow if the yen appreciates significantly relative to the yuan.
LDP faces challenges despite majority
Prime Minister Shizo Abe won a snap election on October 2017. However, despite his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) managing to secure a majority, reforms have been slow to materialise. This includes reforms to unlock labour productivity under the "Third Arrow of Abenomics", as well as constitutional reforms that would allow Japan to increase military spending to 3% of GDP for defensive. Although higher military spending can contribute to GDP growth, in Japan's case it could clash with other social spending in the context of existing budgetary pressures. Prime Minister Abe has also stated that he is keen to revive the Trans-Pacific Partnership, signalling a diversification away from strategic dependence on the United States, and towards a more multinational approach. On May 2018, the trade ministers of the countries that signed the original deal – excluding the United States – met to revive the pact. Japan is simultaneously working on a bilateral trade agreement with the United States. Japan has also recently signed a commercial agreement with the EU.
Last update : February 2019
Japan has ratified the International Conventions of June 1930 on Bills of Exchange and Promissory Notes, and of March 1931 on Cheques. As a result, the validity of these instruments in Japan is subject to the same rules as in Europe.
The bill of exchange (kawase tegata) and the much more widely used promissory note (yakusoku tegata), when unpaid, allow creditors to initiate debt recovery proceedings via a fast-track procedure, subject to certain conditions. Although the fast-track procedure also applies to cheques (kogitte), their use is far less common for everyday transactions.
Clearing houses (tegata kokanjo) play an important role in the collective processing of the money supply arising from these instruments. The penalties for payment default act as a powerful deterrent: a debtor who fails twice in a period of six months to honour a bill of exchange, promissory note, or cheque collectable in Japan is subsequently barred for a period of two years from undertaking business-related banking transactions (current account, loans) with financial establishments attached to the clearing house. In other words, the debtor is reduced to a de facto state of insolvency.
These two measures normally result in the calling in of any bank loans granted to the debtor.
Bank transfers (furikomi), sometimes guaranteed by a standby letter of credit, have become significantly more common throughout the economy over recent decades thanks to widespread use of electronic systems in Japanese banking circles. Various highly automated interbank transfer systems are also available for local or international payments, like the Foreign Exchange Yen Clearing System (FXYCS, operated by the Tokyo Bankers Association) and the BOJ-NET Funds Transfer System (operated by the Bank of Japan). Payment made via the Internet site of the client's bank is also increasingly common.
Debt collection
In principle, to avoid certain disreputable practices employed in the past by specialised companies, only lawyers (bengoshi) may undertake debt collection. However, a 1998 law established the profession of "servicer" to foster debt securitisation and facilitate collection of non-performing loans (NPL debts) held by financial institutions. Servicers are debt collection companies licensed by the Ministry of Justice to provide collections services, but only for certain types of debt: bank loans, loans by designated institutions, loans contracted under leasing arrangements, credit card repayments, and so on.
Amicable phase
A settlement is always preferable, so as to avoid a lengthy and costly legal procedure. This involves obtaining, where possible, a signature from the debtor on a notarised deed that includes a forced-execution clause, which, in the event of continued default, is directly enforceable without requiring a prior court judgement.
The standard practice is for the creditor to send the debtor a recorded delivery letter with acknowledgement of receipt (naïyo shomeï), the content of which must be written in Japanese characters and certified by the post office.
The effect of this letter is to set back the statute of limitation by six months (which is five years for commercial debts). If the debtor still fails to respond, the creditor must start legal action during that period to retain the benefit of interruption of the limitation period.
Legal proceedings
Fast-track proceedings
Summary proceedings, intended to allow creditors to obtain a ruling on payment (tokusoku tetsuzuki), apply to uncontested monetary claims and effectively facilitate obtaining a court order to pay (shiharaï meireï) from the judge within approximately six months.
If the debtor contests the order within two weeks of service of notice, the case is transferred to ordinary proceedings.
Ordinary proceedings
Ordinary proceedings are brought before the Summary Court (kan-i saibansho) for claims under JPY 1,400, and before the District Court (chiho saibansho) for claims above this amount. Those proceedings, partly written (with submission of arguments and exchanges of type of evidence) and partly oral (with respective hearings of the parties and their witnesses) can take from one to three years as a result of the succession of hearings. These proceedings generate significant legal costs.
The distinctive feature of the Japanese legal system is the emphasis given to civil mediation (minji chôtei). Under court supervision, a panel of mediators – usually comprised of a judge and two neutral assessors – attempts to reach, by mutual concessions of the parties, an agreement on civil and commercial disputes.
In practice, litigants often settle the case at this stage of the procedure, before a judgment is delivered. While avoiding lengthy and costly legal proceedings, any transaction obtained through such mediation becomes enforceable once approved by the court.
Enforcement of a legal decision
A court judgment is enforceable if no appeal is lodged within two weeks. If the debtor does not comply with the decision, compulsory measures can be ordered through an execution against Real Property (an Examination Court issues a commencement order for a compulsory auction) or an execution against a claim (a compulsory execution is commenced through an order of seizure).
Japanese law provides for an exequatur procedure in order for foreign awards to be recognised and enforced. The court will verify several elements, such as whether the parties benefited from a due process of law, or if enforcement will be incompatible with Japanese public policy. Furthermore, if the issuing country does not have a reciprocal recognition and enforcement treaty with Japan, the decision will not be enforced by domestic courts.
Insolvency proceedings
There are two types of restructuring proceedings. The first of these is corporate reorganisation proceedings (kaisha kosei), which are typically used in complex insolvency cases involving stock companies. They come with the mandatory appointment of a reorganisation trustee by the court and with a stay against enforcement by both secured and unsecured creditors. The court typically appoints a third-party bengoshi with substantial experience in restructuring cases.
The second of these is civil rehabilitation proceedings (minji saisei), which are used to rehabilitate companies of almost any size and type. The debtor-in-possession (DIP) administers the rehabilitation under supervision of a court-appointed supervisor. Enforcement by secured creditors is not stayed in principle. The debtor must enter into settlement agreements with secured creditors in order to continue using the relevant collateral to conduct their business.
Winding up proceedings
There are two winding up proceedings. In bankruptcy proceedings (hasan), the court appoints a lawyer as trustee to administer the proceedings. Enforcement by secured creditors is not stayed; rather, they can freely exercise their claims outside of the bankruptcy proceedings. The trustee will usually attempt to sell secured collateral with the agreement of the secured creditors and contribute a percentage of the sales proceeds to the estate. The debtor's estate is distributed to creditors in accordance with prescribed statutory priorities without any need for voting by the creditors.
The second, special liquidation (tokubetsu seisan), is used for stock companies. A liquidator is appointed by either a debtor's shareholders or the court. Distributor of the debtor's estate to creditors has to be approved by creditors with claims to two-thirds or more of the total debt or by way of settlement. This procedure is used when the debtor's shareholders are confident that they will obtain creditors' cooperation for the liquidation process, and wish to control the liquidation process without involvement of a trustee.


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(PRWEB) May 03, 2013
Detex Corporation has made available an exclusive advancement in access control panic devices. Where security is a high priority for protection of patients and employees, the patented Detex Delayed Egress/Latch Retraction device integrates both functions in one device for more efficient operation.
This design is well-suited to department routines – for example, controlling access to surgical suites from holding areas, or restricting entry to nursery areas or pharmacy facilities. They also appreciate the smooth pushpad, which doesn't snag on clothing or equipment.
Since everything is contained in the rim device, so there are fewer components to install, and fewer to malfunction and affect performance. Operation is simple: for authorized personnel, the latch retraction operates with the access control system, bypassing delayed egress to allow exit and entry without sounding the alarm. But unauthorized entry triggers a 100dB alarm and keeps the door locked for 15 seconds, allowing time for staff to respond. A fire alarm input provides life safety override for immediate exit during a fire emergency.
Detex is known internationally for life safety and security door hardware, loss prevention and architectural hardware, integrated door security systems, and guard tour verification. For more information about the Delayed Egress/Latch Retraction device, visit Detex.com/EEXER or email marketing(at)detex(dot)com.
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/5/prweb10691969.htm.
|Source: PRWeb
Copyright©2012 Vocus, Inc.
All rights reserved


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SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake (West #2) will begin its run in the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs on Sunday night, taking on LA Galaxy (West #3) in the first leg of the Western Conference semifinals at 7:00 p.m. MT at StubHub Center.
Sunday's match will be broadcast nationally on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, and locally on ESPN 700 AM and 102.3 La Gran D FM/1600 AM. ABC 4 will broadcast Real Sports Live – its hour-long Sunday night sports show – from StubHub Center following the match, with RSL's commentary team of Bill Riley and Brian Dunseth hosting the show live from LA beginning at 10:35 p.m. MT.
Sunday's match is the first of two legs in the Western Conference Semifinal series. Real Salt Lake will host the second leg at 7:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium on Thursday. The winner of the series will be determined by aggregate score. If the teams are tied on aggregate at the end of regulation in Thursday's second leg, there will be two, 15-minute extra time periods. If the teams remain tied following extra time, the series will be decided by a penalty kick shootout.
In the 2013 MLS regular season, Real Salt Lake went 1-2-0 against LA. The Galaxy took the first match between the sides, scoring two early goals to beat RSL 2-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium on April 27. The Claret-and-Cobalt took a measure of revenge in the second meeting, downing the Galaxy 3-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium on June 8. RSL dropped the final meeting between the sides, falling victim to a hat trick from Galaxy FW Robbie Keane to lose 4-2 at LA on Aug. 17.
The 2013 Western Conference Semifinal series will mark the third all-time playoff meeting between Real Salt Lake and LA. RSL and LA have split their previous two playoff matchups, with the Claret-and-Cobalt beating Galaxy in penalties to take home MLS Cup 2009 before LA downed an injury-plagued RSL side 3-1 in the 2011 Western Conference Final.
Real Salt Lake is 10-11-6 against LA Galaxy in MLS regular season and playoff action, posting a 5-8-1 all-time road record at LA. Before Real Salt Lake's 4-2 loss to LA Galaxy at StubHub Center on Aug. 17, the Claret-and-Cobalt had won five straight games at the StubHub Center (formerly known as the Home Depot Center). RSL had gone 5-0-0 (2-0-0 against LA; 3-0-0 against Chivas USA) at the Carson facility since the start of the 2012 MLS season. In its five-game win streak at StubHub Center, RSL outscored its opponents 16-3.
Real Salt Lake MF Javier Morales will look to continue his success against the Galaxy. The Argentine playmaker has five career goals and eight assists in 14 career regular season games against LA.
Real Salt Lake will host LA Galaxy in the decisive second leg of its Western Conference Semifinal on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium. RSL fans can purchase tickets to the second leg at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake at LA Galaxy
- Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. MT at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.
- TV: ESPN, ESPN Deportes
- English Radio: ESPN 700 AM (Pregame begins at 6:00 p.m. MT)
- Spanish Radio: La Gran D 102.3 FM & Juan 1600 AM
- Online: The @RealSaltLake Twitter Feed will provide live match updates
Game Guide for Sunday's RSL at LA Match Now Available Online
Click here to download the PDF version of the MLS Game Guide for Sunday's RSL at LA matchup
RSL History v. LA Galaxy
Real Salt Lake has an up-and-down history against LA, posting a 10-11-6 record against the Galaxy in MLS regular season and playoff action. RSL has had a good deal of success when playing at the Galaxy, posting a 5-8-2 record at LA in regular season and playoff action.


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Many of us remember macramé hangers or still use them! It's easy to tie a few simple knots and make a hanger for any pot size. It all depends on how sturdy your hook or nail is!
String gardens differ from macramé in that the original growing container is removed and the root-ball is wrapped with another product like moss or coconut fiber.
I grew up in the nursery/greenhouse business. When I was in high school, the "houseplant boom" of the 1970s was in full swing. My mother ran the greenhouse part of the family nursery business and she allowed my sister Magda and me to go on a plant hunting expedition to Florida. Two teenagers quickly took off in a 1974 Pinto Station Wagon in search of "stock plants." We came back a few weeks later with the car packed full, and immediately started propagating them.
We could easily sell small tropical plants for terrariums and macramé hangers. Everyone was hungry for the newest shade-loving vine or flower they could hang in a window, and I made macramé hangers for the local music store! These hangers were made from jute rope, everything from the simplest twine to bead-laden intricate knots. I even had a small teacup planted with a "piggy-back plant" hanging from the rearview mirror of my VW van.
Left: Wrap the root-ball loosely with plastic and poke holes in it. I want to reduce evaporation but also allow it to drain well. Middle: I chose cocoa fiber to wrap this evergreen. Holding it in place, I wrapped twine around the roots several times. When I ended back where I started I simply tied it off. Another string is attached for hanging. Right: One easy way to hang plants is by using ready-made chain for hanging baskets that are available at most garden centers. Simply hook the attaching parts together to make a sling.
After you're finished, water your new piece by simply dunking it in a bucket of water, or water gently with a hose or watering can in good weather. Mix a little fertilizer in the water every month during the growing season to maintain nutrition.
In the last few years there has been a new method developed called "string gardens." The nice thing about these hanging plants is that anything goes. They come in a multitude of sizes – tiny little things wrapped in colorful fabric and tied with embroidery thread or very large specimens in burlap, hung with a chain. They can be pottery, glass containers, or as natural as a moss-wrapped root ball. These are plants that have been wrapped in a variety of materials and hung from windows, beams, or ceilings.
String gardens are used to dress up a window, but during good weather they can be hung outside as patio arrangements. It's up to your imagination of what kind of décor you wish to complement. From the funkiest work of creativity to the formal garden setting, these fun plantings work almost anywhere.
This is also a fun project for families to get children involved. They can pick out a plant, choose moss, coco fiber or some other fabric or wrapping material and construct their own little creation. They make great little inexpensive gifts!
A version of this article appeared in a July/August 2016 print edition of State-by-State Gardening.
Photography courtesy of Rita Randolph.


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Features transparent edges with sleek finishes and a sophisticated look. The design is faced at the back of the case with the edges of the phone covered by sleek transparent plastic material. Extra slim lightweight profile offers full protection and durability. Advanced sublimation heat press printing technology gives bright vibrant colors and safeguards case from scratching and fading.
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Linux Preloaded: Coming Soon to a PC Near You
Nov 1, 2012 5:00 AM PT
It's no secret that many here in the Linux blogosphere greeted Windows 8 with jubilation -- not because they had any intention of using it, but because of the opportunity they think it represents for Linux to capture a greater proportion of mainstream users.
That, indeed, was the hot topic du jour last week, but this week -- now that the Win 8 dust has begun to settle -- the conversation has shifted slightly. Specifically, bloggers are pondering the growing assortment of PCs that are coming with Linux already preloaded.
"System76 debuts a sleek, all-in-one desktop PC featuring Ubuntu Linux" was the recent headline that sparked the conversation over at PCWorld, but it has a long line of predecessors, including stories focusing on Linux-preloaded devices from Asus, from Dell and others.
There's no denying Linux-preloaded options are more numerous today than they have been. What does it all mean for our favorite operating system? That's what Linux Girl has been trying to figure out.
'Nothing Less Is Acceptable'
"Linux-friendly vendors and OEMs are long due to the market, since home Linux users are growing in number after the OS conquered the supercomputer and server segments," Google+ blogger Gonzalo Velasco C. told Linux Girl down at the blogosphere's popular G+ Grill. "Non-MS-Windows machines are, each day, more common, and many customers are applauding this trend -- just check any social network or blog and count the plus ones and thumbs up."
The question on many minds now, he added, is how prices should compare between a machine powered by a free OS such as Linux and one running a (more or less identical) proprietary one.
"For sure, having before you two identical computers, one with a libre OS and the other a proprietary one, the minimal price difference should be the cost of the proprietary OS license," Gonzalo Velasco C. opined. "Nothing less than that is acceptable for us."
In fact, "making the machines cheaper, or donating a Linux PC to a public school for every, say, 10 machines sold, would be a very nice policy," he added.
Removing the 'Hardest Part'
"Preloaded Linux is the gateway to wider acceptance of Linux," suggested Google+ blogger Linux Rants. "It's that simple."
Whereas "the consensus seems to be that Windows is easier to install and use than Linux, most of the people that think that never had to install Windows on their computer or mess around with Windows drivers, and they have never installed Linux," he offered.
In fact, "the truth of the matter is that Windows is easier to install than Linux because Windows is already there when the computer shows up from the OEM," Linux Rants explained. "A computer preloaded with Linux takes the hardest part about Linux out of the equation."
'The First Step'
All that's missing now is public relations, Linux Rants added.
"The companies that are preloading Linux on their computers need to advertise the benefits of Linux over Windows, and they have to do it a whole lot," he explained.
"Microsoft is spending billions on marketing for Windows 8, but there's no equivalent for Linux," he noted. "Most people haven't even heard of Linux, and those that have usually have only heard the false rumors that have been around since the 90s.
"That preconception has to be changed," Linux Rants concluded. "Preloaded computers are the first step."
'We've Seen This Before'
Indeed, "I think this is a good start, but I want to see how it plays out," Google+ blogger Kevin O'Brien agreed.
To wit: "Will the Linux option be equally accessible on the web site, or will it present 'We recommend Windows' and bury the Linux option on a page that is not linked to from anywhere on the site?" O'Brien explained. "If you call on the phone, will the sales reps only know about Windows and deny knowledge of any Linux option?
"We've seen this before, so I will reserve judgment," he concluded.
Similarly, "it is nice to see PCs selling with Linux preloaded, but I would like to see how well they sell before I start celebrating," consultant and Slashdot blogger Gerhard Mack agreed.
'Their Own Worst Enemy'
In order for the "preloaded" trend to continue, Linux users will have to commit to buying such machines, Slashdot blogger hairyfeet asserted.
Typically, "Linux users won't BUY from System76, or Dell, or anybody else selling a Linux built machine, because they want the economies of scale and the 'Windows Tax Break' that comes from a Windows system preloaded with trialware," hairyfeet explained.
"Of course by doing this, not only do they give MSFT more sales to show the OEMs how Linux is a waste of time, they also show the OEMs that making Linux drivers is pointless since those units don't sell," he added. "They really are their own worst enemy."
'Wintel Is on the Decline'
Not everyone saw it that way, however.
"Every major OEM ships GNU/Linux PCs," asserted blogger Robert Pogson, for example. "They have to, because Wintel is on the decline."
For the last three quarters, in fact, "growth in unit shipments of Wintel has been flat or declining," he said. "Consumers only have so much money they will invest in computing, and Android/Linux can satisfy every member of the family for the price of one desktop or notebook."
Today, "the world is finally producing hardware and software that works for the end user and not for M$," Pogson added. "You can buy smartphones, tablets, all-in-ones, notebooks, desktops and cloud solutions all using Free Software. You just have to know where to find it."
Over time, "it's the only way those retailers will get the message," he concluded. "Every Wintel PC they don't sell is another message."


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Fuchsia #1070125
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- Parents
- There are no known parents.
Fuchsias are a species-rich genus which mainly originates from Central and South America. They are named after the botanist Leonhart Fuchs. The flowers occur in many colors. The color palette was expanded through targeted breeding selection.
Current location
This plant is in Olias's Greenhouse.
Finally full grown.
It began to sprout.
Taken by Olias.
Flowergame © 2009 - 2020 Play for today


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You've heard the theme to Bowser's castle from Super Mario Bros. But have you heard it remixed in kind of a hip-hop way and officially commissioned by Nintendo as part of the Pictobits soundtrack?
A reader rightly chided me for omitting mention of YMCK in my Pictobits review last month. That's YMCK, the Japanese chiptunes artist who I'd previously not heard of. And that's Pictobits, the Tetris-looking DSi downloadable exclusive puzzle game from Skip Ltd and Nintendo. It is played like you are using the stylus as a pixel-collecting and pixel-drawing eyedropper, and it is designed with pure love for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The blocks you clear gradually illustrate beloved sprites from the NES era.
And the music... the soundtrack is comprised of remixes from YMCK of classic Nintendo songs. I couldn't find an official issuing of the soundtrack, but you can check out more samples of the music associated with the YouTube clip above.
Pictobits is available in the DSiWare shop for 500 Nintendo points or $5 USD. Not a bad price for 17 remixes of classic Nintendo tunes, to say nothing of the game that you play while listening to them.