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Vatican City, Nov 19, 2013 / 05:23 am ().- During a recent gathering, instructors of U.S. Catholic Conferences came together in Rome to discuss the most pressing issues they face, immigration and human trafficking being the top two.
"One of the biggest emerging issues that we're seeing, that's at the state level but also in the United States…was the issue of human trafficking," director Jenny Kraska told CNA in an Oct. 25 interview.
Kraska is the Director of the Colorado Catholic Conference in the United States, and was one of many others present in Rome for a conference held there every ten years in order to "have conversations with different congregations" within the Vatican.
The goal of the meeting is to discuss local issues "on the state level" as well as a "country level," but also to understand "how those issues play out in a global front."
During the directors' conference, they had the opportunity to meet with three different congregations and councils within the Vatican, two of them being the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
Cardinal Turkson, president of the Council for Justice and Peace, addressed the issue of human trafficking as a particular concern, noted Kraska, stating that it is "an issue that will continue to be at the forefront of not only the work that the Church is doing through that congregation, but also the work that all of our state Catholic conferences are doing."
Another key issue discussed was the topic of immigration within the United States, and the debate surrounding the ongoing process of reform, Kraska revealed.
"It's something that is obviously very important to the Church in America," she observed, adding that being in Rome "and seeing the impact that immigration has at a global level," will assist the directors in the decisions being made on the home front.
Kraska explained that it is her desire that the participants in the gathering will take this global perspective "back to the work that we are going to be doing with immigration reform."
With "the continued push that the bishops will have," and "as congress continues to meet in the United States," Kraska expressed her hope that something will be "passed in the house" and that "something that the senate can hopefully agree on" will "get done before, ideally before the new year."
"The Church's position that we are obviously advocating on behalf of would be the respect and dignity for human life," she continued, saying that "that's really where all of our thinking and our principals regarding immigration reform start."
"They start with the respect for the person as created in the image and likeness of Christ."
"Obviously going forward from there," Kraska highlighted that "it branches out into all of the different values that we should consider while we examine this issue, especially things like unification of family structure and making sure families are not torn apart."
"I think those are all things universally that, no matter what state you're from, no matter what bishop your representing," she stressed, stating that "those are all really unifying principals" that they as directors offer.
Regarding the ongoing push for religious freedom in light of the Health and Human Services mandate requiring employers to provide health insurance covering contraception, sterilization and some abortion-inducing drugs, even if doing so violates their religious beliefs, Kraska noted that she has seen progress.
Recalling numerous rallies and events that have taken place across the United States, she went on to say that "we've been able to see coming together as a group and talking about this issue very specifically, is that people are starting to become, if nothing else more aware."
"It's really important that people to know that there is these religious liberty issues that are popping up, and that what our rallies, and what the bishop's initiatives have done, is put that issue and put that terminology at the forefront of people's minds."
When asked if she has seen any change on the side of the Obama administration as far as religious freedom being a pressing issue, Kraska stated that "I would like to hope it is."
"I really would hope that the Obama administration would make it a priority for themselves as well."
Expressing future goals of the directors following the conference, Kraska explained that "our first and foremost goal always is to advocate on behalf of our local bishop, and our local Church."
However, she observed that being in Rome with "this experience of not only educating ourselves about lots of different issues that the Church is facing at a universal level" as well as the "spiritual dimension of pilgrimage," has provided a "new vigor" to the work that they do.
"We're dealing usually with issues that are very controversial, and that takes its toll, and so I think having the experience of being together in Rome will give us the additional strength that we need to be renewed in our passions for our jobs, and for the work that we do for the Church."
Tags: Human trafficking, Immigration reform
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2018 Dodge Grand Caravan SE ***Olympia Jeep***, 17" x 6.5" Aluminum Wheels, 2nd Row Bench w/Rear Stow 'N Go 60/40, 2nd Row Stow'N Go Bucket Seats, 3.16 Axle Ratio, 3rd row seats: split-bench, 3rd Row Stow 'N Go w/Tailgate Seats, 40GB Hard Drive w/28GB Available, 4-Wheel Disc Brakes, 6 Speakers, 6.5" Touchscreen Display, ABS brakes, Air Conditioning, Alloy Wheels, Aluminum Wheels, AM/FM radio, Anti-whiplash front head restraints, Audio Jack Input for Mobile Devices, Audio Package, Auto-dimming Rear-View mirror, Automatic Headlamps, Backup Camera, Black Headlamp Bezels, Blacktop Package, Bluetooth, Bluetooth® Streaming Audio, Body Color Exterior Mirrors, Bodyside moldings, Brake assist, Bumpers: body-color, CD player, Climate Package, Cloth Low-Back Bucket Seats, Comfort Package, Convenience Package, Delay-off headlights, DON'T WAIT, COME SEE US TODAY, Driver door bin, Driver vanity mirror, Driver's Seat Mounted Armrest, Dual front impact airbags, Dual front side impact airbags, Electronic Stability Control, Floor Console w/Cupholder, Front anti-roll bar, Front Bucket Seats, Front dual zone A/C, Front Fog Lamps, Front reading lights, Front wheel independent suspension, Gloss Black Grille, Heated door mirrors, Highline Door Trim Panel, Illuminated entry, Instrument Panel w/Piano Black Applique, Knee airbag, Leather Wrapped Shift Knob, Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel, License Plate Front Mount Package, Light Package, Low tire pressure warning, Manufacturer's Statement of Origin, Occupant sensing airbag, ONE OWNER, ONE OWNER, CLEAN CARFAX, Outside temperature display, Overhead airbag, Overhead console, Panic alarm, ParkView Rear Back-Up Camera, Passenger door bin, Passenger seat mounted armrest, Passenger vanity mirror, Power door mirrors, Power Mirror Package, Power Package, Power steering, Power windows, Premium Cloth Bucket Seats, Premium Interior Accents, Quick Order Package 29H SE Plus, Radio: 430, Rear air conditioning, Rear Air Conditioning w/Heater, Rear Fascia Scuff Pad, Rear window defroster, Rear window wiper, Reclining 3rd row seat, REMAINING FACTORY WARRANTY, Remote keyless entry, Remote Start System, Remote USB Port, Safety Package, Security Alarm, Security Group, Security Package, Silver Accent Stitching, Sound Package, Speed control, Spoiler, Steering Wheel Mounted Audio Controls, Steering wheel mounted audio controls, Tachometer, Telescoping steering wheel, Tilt steering wheel, Touring Suspension, Traction control, Trip computer, Uconnect Hands-Free Group, Uconnect Voice Command w/Bluetooth, Variably intermittent wipers.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Standard designs
SKF offers five standard V-ring designs:
- VR1/VA, the most common type of V-ring, has a standard cross section and straight back sideface. VR1/VA is typically used to protect bearing arrangements in gearboxes, electric motors and drives.
- VR2/VS, that has a standard low cross section, tapered back face and wide body, providing a firm hold on the shaft. VR2/VS is commonly used in agricultural and automotive applications.
- VR3/VL, designed with a very compact axial cross section. VR3/VL is commonly used in confined spaces to replace labyrinth seals.
VR4/VE, designed as secondary seals for heavy-duty applications where the primary seal has to be protected against water and/or solid contaminants. The design has the largest cross section of any V-ring designs and also permits the largest axial displacements. VE/VR4 is available in the diameter range 300 to 2 010 mm (11.811 to 79.134 in.).
- VR6/VRME, a heavy-duty, large diameter V-ring for applications with large axial displacements. VR6/VRME can be located axially and radially on the shaft using a standard band clamp. VR6/VRME is primarily designed to protect high-speed bearing arrangements in rolling mills, paper-making and other large machine applications. The VR6/VRME is similar in shape to the VR5/VRM, except that it does not have the extension to the rear of the body section. It retains the saddle feature for axial and radial location on the shaft with a band clamp. VR6/VRME is available on a made-to-order basis.
V-rings from SKF are available for the shaft diameter ranges listed in the table 1. If the shaft diameter lies in the appropriate range for two V-rings, the larger V-ring should always be chosen. In addition, special sizes and designs, including split versions, can be made to order. Contact your SKF sales representative for sizes outside the standard range.


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With the super committee's failure last week, industrious lawmakers are grasping yet again at the opportunity to reach a sweeping deficit reduction deal — but they face the same obstacles that have crushed every group that's tried.
Still seeing an opportunity in the bleakest of legislative outlooks, the bipartisan "gang of six" met for dinner Monday night in the Capitol office suite of Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to discuss a post-super-committee Congress. The group has grown to eight — and its members also tout the support of dozens more who attended informal information sessions throughout the summer — but the size of their challenge has not been reduced.
Lawmakers at the dinner suggested that they talked about talking, but they did not decide whether they would try to fill the void left by the failed Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction. And even if the group wanted to rescue the country from ballooning deficits, it never produced legislative language to back its big goal of reaching nearly $4 trillion in deficit reduction by tackling entitlements and tax reform.
If the gang of six wants to be serious, sources suggest, it will need to come up with a real product sometime in the beginning of 2012. So close to the failure of the super committee, however, that seems like a hefty goal.
"I hope that's not overly optimistic because we're going to be out of session for some period of time, but I think it's clear to me that any proposal dealing with the deficit has to be in writing, scored by the CBO and ready for the floor — and the question is whether our group or any group can reach that. Last night, we talked about at least discussing it," Durbin said when asked whether the gang could create such a product by February or March.
"We're not starting anew, but we're starting fresh in light of changing circumstances, both political and economic," Durbin added.
Besides Durbin, the gang of six includes Sens. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). On Monday, those six were joined by Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), according to sources.
The biggest incentive for the gang and others in Congress to devise a deficit reduction deal is the $1.2 trillion in automatic cuts that were triggered by the super committee's demise. Those cuts include nearly $500 billion in across-the-board spending cuts to the Department of Defense — cutbacks Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and some Congressional Republicans have deemed catastrophic.
Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) began working on legislation to roll back the sequester even before the super committee failed last Monday. They continue that work now, even though the president has said he will veto any repeal that does not replace that amount with more deficit reduction savings.
The trigger of automatic cuts was designed to make both parties squeamish, but given that the cuts will not begin until January 2013, perhaps the discomfort will grow as that date, along with the November elections, draws nearer.
"You think it's difficult, wait until you hear what's going to be said about you as a Member of Congress if you destroy the Defense Department because you can't do the most basic things," Graham said Tuesday. "The question is: Who should be fired? If the Congress can't find a way to reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion over the next decade — which is a drop in the bucket — should the consequence of our failure be destroying the Defense Department? Gutting the military? Firing people in the industrial complex? ... Or should we be fired?
"If you wanted to fire anybody because we couldn't get to $1.2 trillion, I would pick us, not the military," the South Carolina Republican said, before expressing optimism that some bipartisan group, or even the gang of six, could come up with a solution.
Neither Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) nor Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has ever been warm to the gang of six. Reid reiterated Tuesday that if the group wanted to contribute, its members would come forward with legislation.
"What I've said to my caucus, and I'm saying it to you here, if someone has a proposal about reducing the deficit, the debt, here's my suggestion: Put it in bill form, in writing, not all these happy statements about what people think can be done," Reid said, noting that the three GOP members of the group sent him a letter during the super committee debate pledging not to raise taxes. "I say, go get a bill done, get it scored, bring it to me and I'll take a look at it."
Multiple Senate leadership aides suggested that if Reid were more publicly encouraging of the gang's efforts to produce a bill, it might actually help the party's message. Because the gang's outline includes tax increases as well as entitlement reforms, a "balanced package" would require sign-off from the group's Republicans and yet again pin the GOP in the position of having to defend itself or exhibit an openness to tax reform.
But whatever the battle — be it messaging or policy — it will have to wait until next year. Congress' calendar is packed with expiring provisions, including a bill to keep the government funded, the payroll tax holiday, tax extenders and unemployment insurance.
In the interim, it appears everyone will just keep discussing the potential for future discussions.
"Somebody's got to be working on plans," Conrad said.
Steven T. Dennis contributed to this report


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- Description
DetailsFred Perry Men's Plain Polo Shirt Grey Marl X-Large
Fred Perry's solid version of its classic Polo Shirt Shirt is more traditional yet very sophisticated. Fred Perry Polo Shirt Shirts are well known for their superior quality and their fit as well as their classic embroidered Fred Perry laurel logo on the left chest.
Fred Perry Polo Shirt Shirt Details:
- Two button closure
- 100% pique cotton
- Straight bottom hem
- Ribbed knit collar
- Machine wash cold, hang dry
- Imported Polo Shirt Shirt
- Classic Fit (For a fitted look, order one size smaller than normal)
- Model (6'2", 185 lbs, size 32" waist) is wearing size: Medium
- Additional Information
Additional Information
Size Medium Style No Color Grey Marl Fit Classic Fit Gender Men Sleeve Length Short Sleeve Pattern Solid Color Material Cotton
- Reviews


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In 1952, Ted Williams was recalled to active duty and bid the Fenway Park crowd farewell on April 30, 1952. Though Williams would return to the team after serving in the Korean War, many at the ballpark that day thought it was the star's last game. Earlier in the year, Fenway Park hosted the first annual Junior Goodwill Dinner to help fight juvenile delinquency and on April 12, the ballpark hosted the first annual baseball clinic put together by the Boston Globe with Red Sox and Braves players on hand to help teach 5,000 local youngsters. In the fall, Boston College's football team returned to Fenway Park for the first time since 1945.
Record: 76-78, 6th in American League
Manager: Louis Boudreau
Attendance: 1,115,750
The 1952 Red Sox lost two of their three starting outfielders, Ted Williams and Jimmy Piersall, though for very different reasons.
With the Korean War underway, Williams was recalled to active duty. He played in five games leading up to "Ted Williams Day" at Fenway Park on April 30, when he was given a new Cadillac and bid farewell to the Fenway Park crowd (Red Sox and Tigers players also held hands while singing "Auld Land Syne" in pre-game ceremonies). In what he thought might be his final at-bat, Williams stepped to the plate in the seventh inning with a tie game and hit a two-run, game-winning home run off Detroit's Dizzy Trout.
On June 28, the Red Sox sent Piersall to their Birmingham farm club because of his behavior. Piersall entered a mental health treatment facility in July 1952 but returned to the team in 1953 and went on to have a successful career.
The club made some major moves, including the trade of two popular Red Sox players, Johnny Pesky and Walt Dropo, to Detroit in a nine-player deal that brought George Kell and Dizzy Trout to Boston.
The 1952 Red Sox were a great team at home with a record of 50-27 but were a disaster on the road at 26-51. The club's losing record was its first in several years, with the inability to score runs a particular issue. Epitomizing the shortage was Dick Gernert's team-leading RBI total of 67.
Early in the year, the Red Sox concluded one Fenway Park tradition and started another. On April 12 and 13, the team played the cross-town Boston Braves in the final two City Series exhibition games. Prior to the game on the 12th, players and coaches from both teams tutored scores of local youngsters as part of a baseball clinic co-hosted by the Boston Globe. After the session, the youth stayed for the afternoon's Red Sox-Braves exhibition. Among those participating in the clinic were Dom DiMaggio, Walt Dropo and Vern Stephens of the Red Sox, along with the Braves' Warren Spahn. The clinic became a regular springtime event known as the Red Sox-Boston Globe Baseball Clinic and lasted into the 1970s.
In the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s, the Red Sox organization and the Boston Globe teamed up to hold a regular baseball clinic at Fenway Park for thousands of local youth ballplayers. The event was initially called a "Spring training camp" for Massachusetts youngsters who had the opportunity to receive instruction from some of the Red Sox biggest names. The full Boston coaching staff and several players often attended, with upwards of ten players taking part in certain years. Among those who provided lessons was Bill Monbouquette, a Medford, Massachusetts native who had previously attended the clinic as an audience member when he was pitching in high school.
|Red Sox-Boston Globe Baseball Clinic Dates
April 12, 1952
April 25, 1953
May 1, 1954
April 16, 1955
April 26, 1958
April 22, 1959
May 7, 1960
April 18, 1961
May 5, 1962
April 27, 1963
May 2, 1964
April 21, 1965
May 21, 1966
April 29, 1967
April 20, 1968
May 17, 1969
May 16, 1970
June 17, 1972
May 25, 1974
Once again, the 1952 Mayor's Charity Field Day featured a baseball game at Fenway Park. This time, the Georgia Chain Gang (a novelty team) and the Valleyfield Chiefs squared off. These games often lasted between three to five innings in length and the score wasn't always recorded during these informal affairs.
|1952 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
|July 7
|Mayor's Charity Field Day: Georgia Chain Gang vs. Valleyfield Chiefs *
|July 24
|William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Boston Sandlotters 12, Red Sox Sandlotters 7
*For many years, the City of Boston regularly held a summertime Mayor's Charity Field Day. Many of these field days took place at Fenway Park, with a variety of sports, games, activities and other amusements for the crowds. In certain years, the Mayor's Charity Field Day even included an abbreviated baseball game at Fenway Park that was usually played between local teams.
On January 30, 1952, Fenway Park hosted its first Junior Goodwill Dinner to help fight juvenile delinquency. The dinner, which was started by Joe Cronin, became a frequent winter affair at the ballpark for several years. In the fall, behind the strong play of Harry Agganis, Boston University went 3-1-1 at Fenway Park in 1952. Their lone lone defeat came at the hands of a powerful University of Maryland team.
|1952 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
|January 30
|Junior Goodwill Dinner*
|July 7
|Mayor's Charity Field Day**
|October 10
|Boston University 9, Miami University 7
|October 18
|Boston University 33, William & Mary 28 (Football)
|November 1
|University of Maryland 34, Boston University 7 (Football)
|November 8
|Boston University 14, Temple 14 (Football)
|November 15
|Boston University 14, New York University 7 (Football)
* For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
** For many years, the City of Boston regularly held a summertime Mayor's Charity Field Day. Many of these field days took place at Fenway Park, with a variety of sports, games, activities and other amusements for the crowds. In certain years, the Mayor's Charity Field Day even included an abbreviated baseball game at Fenway Park that was usually played between local teams.


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Carol Larsen of Sunborn Gardens in Wisconsin grows delphinium and other flowers in a hoop house to extend the season.
It's a fragrant, fresh bunch of sweet peas, harvested at the peak of perfection and purchased at the farmers market early on a Saturday morning. It's meeting your flower farmer face to face and saying thanks. It's the pleasure of creating a unique arrangement with flowers from your own back yard, which stimulates your creativity and challenges you to look at your garden with fresh eyes. It's locally grown flowers.
During the past few years, the Slow Flower movement has been generating a lot of buzz in the media. Following the success of the Slow Food movement, Debra Prinzing, author of The 50 Mile Bouquet, coined the term "Slow Flowers" in an attempt to talk about some of the reasons for supporting local flower growers as well as appreciating in-season blooms.
"Slow Flowers can be defined a couple of different ways," said Prinzing, former president of Garden Writers Association. "First, it's a conscious choice of sourcing flowers locally or domestically, which might include purchasing from local farmers, or from a reputable florist who sources locally. Secondly, for home gardeners, it's about getting into the seasons and appreciating what each season has to offer. You can have your flowers integrated into the whole landscape, and bringing in flowers and arranging them is a part of establishing a relationship with your garden."
Clockwise: Emily Watson harvests snapdragons in her hoop house. Emily operates Stems Cut Flowers, a farm in East Troy, Wisconsin, as well as Wood Violet, a floral design studio in Milwaukee. • Farmers market customer Kat Lundberg enjoys a bouquet designed by Beth Kemp of Elizabella Flower Farm in Ames, Iowa. The arrangement features zinnias, blue vervain (Verbena hastata), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and yarrow (Achillea spp.). • Bouquets created by Phyllis Wells of Wells Family Farm in Michigan are sold at the Elk Rapids Farmers Market.
Use What You've Got
To that end, Prinzing started the Slow Flower Challenge in 2011 and invites others to take part. The challenge involves creating one flower arrangement each week with flowers from your own garden, or locally sourced materials. Since Prinzing lives in Seattle, admittedly this is a little easier for her than for those in some other parts of the country. But even northern gardeners can take the challenge for part of the year.
There are a number of ways that consumers can source locally grown flowers. A great way to get started is purchasing at the farmers market or from a Community Supported Farm (CSA). There are also a number of resources available on the Internet to connect you with local flower growers. The Slow Flowers website (slowflowers.com) has a map with a searchable database of growers.
Although a trade group, the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers has a number of resources on its website (ascfg.org), which might be useful to consumers and gardeners. These include an interactive map, which can connect you with a flower farmer in your area, a list of reasons to buy local flowers, and growing information.
Prinzing is pleased with the development of more of locally grown flowers. "These are baby steps, but it will ultimately shift the thinking from imported flowers available through grocery stores and wire services to a more sustainable solution," said Prinzing, who has worked with others to develop the recently formed Congressional Cut Flower Caucus to help focus attention on local flowers and growers.
Clockwise: September Dykema of September's Herbs and Produce in Montague, Michigan, harvests lavender (Lavandula spp.) before a thunderstorm. • Katie and Micah Thorson chose locally grown flowers for their outdoor wedding. The flowers were grown by Renee Arcand of Stillwater, Minnesota. • Renee Arcand, a grower and designer from Stillwater, Minnesota, shows off her zinnias and black-eyed Susans in her cut flower garden.
Flower Farmers at Farmers Markets
Carol Larsen of Sunborn Gardens, based in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, has also seen a lot of changes since she started selling at the Dane County Farmers Market in 1975. There's been an explosion of interest in farmers markets since the early days, and a corresponding expansion in the number of flower farmers. That translates into a tantalizing array of choices for the consumer, because when it comes to flowers, local farmers can deliver diversity.
Although not long lasting, the writer finds that the lacy blooms of 'Double Click' are hard to resist with their double and semi-double flowers. Deadhead through the summer to keep your plants productive.
"You can purchase a lot of unusual things that people have never heard of, such as amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) and grasses that you can't get as a commercial product," Larsen said. "Lisianthus, Alstroemeria, snaps (Antirrhinum majus), Ranunculus, Delphinium, stocks (Matthiola incana), peonies (Paeonia spp.) – these are some of the things that local growers can do better."
People who buy flowers at the farmers' market seem to me, self-selected for local flowers, Larsen said. "For sustainable flowers, I think that our retail farmers market customers assume that they are sustainable. We have a sign that notes that is our growing practice. I am sure I could count on one hand the number of questions or comments I have had about that. Just the last three to four years, I have had an uptick in brides asking me for sustainable and local flowers."
Larsen said a lot of people don't know that most of the flowers flown into the U.S. are dipped or sprayed with fungicides and pesticides, so that no diseases or pests are brought in. "Most of our florists appreciate the fact that they can get flowers without deleterious chemicals on them but, (some) florists don't want to dwell on that because, unfortunately, the vast majority of the flowers that they handle are sprayed, dipped or grown in chemicals that are quite toxic."
Finding high quality flowers with a long vase life at a farmers market is a skill that develops over time. The biggest mistake people make is to buy the flowers too open, Larsen said. She advises shoppers to get their flowers in bud or half open. Additionally, it's useful to build a relationship with a good flower farmer who you can talk to, and who can show you the best flowers. They're the vendors who will carefully wrap your flowers so you can get them home in one piece, and who have clean buckets and vases.
For Larsen, being a flower grower is tough financially, but the rewards she is able to harvest sustain her.
"You want to support your local flower farmer just like you support your vegetable farmer. This is definitely my passion. I'm not getting rich, but I love what I'm doing. It feeds my soul, every time I put my hands in the dirt."
A version of this article appeared in a July/August 2015 print edition of State-by-State Gardening.
Photography courtesy of Renee Arcand, Phyllis Wells, Elizabella Flower Farm, Joe Hang Photography, Simon Dykema, National Garden Bureau, and Metcalf's Market.


text: Despite the supposedly game-changing motion controls that the Wii brings to gaming, a good portion of AAA games use the Wiimote in the more traditional controller sense. How do you make the one-handed controller more comfortable for two handed play? By shoving it inside a body that adds an "analog" stick and two DualShock-like grips. And when you're done making Snake do sexy things to Samus, it comes off for easy storage. [Cyber Gadget via Impress via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]


text:
Worst of 2009: Clingy SJP
It was the un-fun Photo Assumption, images of a wife apparently so grateful that her husband simply agreed to go out with her two nights in a row she could not conceal her gratitude and relief and insecurity on the carpet, even as photographers were shooting away.
It was April 2009. And there had been many months of speculation that Matthew Broderick was stepping out on their marriage. And then he shows up with her at a couple of premieres and it's like he gave her permission to start living again.
Look at her. The closed-eye submission.
She can't keep thanking him. He can't get away from her fast enough.
That was the Photo Assumption at the time. And literally, JUST HOURS after these pictures were taken, they announce that they're expecting twins via surrogate. It all made sense.
Photos from Flynetonline.com and Splashnewsonline.com


text:
Connogue Limited, based in Ireland, specialises in telecommunications regulation, spectrum management and radiocommunications matters. ConnogueZ consultants operate in a flexible and cost effective manner and are able to undertake tasks world-wide at short notice. This is achieved through efficient networking amongst a pool of expert independent spectrum management and telecommunications consultants. Many of these experts have held senior positions in national telecommunications administrations, industry or in regional regulatory telecommunications organisations such as CEPTZ European Radiocommunications Office.
National Regulatory Authorities and Spectrum Management Organisations are becoming increasingly aware of the strategic importance of the radio spectrum and its contribution to economic growth, jobs, national security and quality leisure activities. It is therefore not surprising that economic issues increasingly influence spectrum management decisions. Connogue has the expertise to balance the key factors crucial in developing an effective spectrum management policy which would address licensing and tariffs, operator competency, spectrum regulation, auctions and spectrum trading, frequency allocation and assignment, national and international co-ordination, monitoring, enforcement and control, spectrum engineering, type approval and standards, conformity assessment, spectrum migration (refarming) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) issues.
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What I find most striking about this interview is the fact that Matthew makes 26.3% of his net income from just 40 hard- core fans.
Imagine what it will be like for him when he gets to 1,000? The other thing that really stood out for me is the fact that an artist like Matthew (who is totally comfortable with Social Media and extremely Internet savvy) has very little idea what to do with analytics that he is gathering via Google Analytics, CrazyEgg.com, and Compete.com, as well as email stats via Blue Sky Factory.
John Wall – I'm interested in hearing how you are helping Matthew in this domain.
Here's an excerpt from his bio:
Fully immersed in the new digital music world, Matthew is committed to being a trailblazer for other artists. "I want to leave a legacy for other musicians and show them that it's possible to be a one man operation or a small band and do it on your own. I'm always looking for new ways to do that for myself and I'll be letting people know where I've succeeded and let them know what to avoid from my failures," he says.
Ariel Hyatt: Do you believe that 1,000 true fans is a theory that can work?
Matthew Ebel: Absolutely… but I honestly think you don't need 1,000 to earn a living. 1,000 VIP subscribers at http://matthewebel.net would be enough to launch a world tour.
AH: Are you making a full-time living as a musician from your music?
ME: Yes.
AH: Can you give us a breakdown percentage wise of the following:
ME: I'll give you exact figures for Jan-Sept 2009. Top 3 Sources will be in BOLD
Music Sales:
CD Sales – 4.1%
Digital Music Sales – 13.9%
Subscription Site – 36.9%
Live Shows – 18.1%
Cover Gig Fees/Cover – 9.8%
Original Gig Fees/Cover – 6.2%
Tips (Including UStream) – 2.1%
Works For Hire & Voiceovers – 8.2%
Affiliate Sales (typically for my own albums/tracks) – 1.1%
Licensing – 13.2%
Independent Film – 6.6%
Internet – 6.6%
Web Design – 4.6%
(I include this because I'm doing a website for a friend… it's something I choose to do, but it is part of my income this year.)
AH: How many die hard fans, fans that will buy everything and anything from you, would you imagine that you have?
ME: At this point, about 40.
AH: How long did it take you to build up this many fans?
ME: I'd start the clock at 2005 when Beer & Coffee launched.
AH: Do you have a strategy with long-term and short-term goals in place to get to 1,000 true fans or for any future looking aspects of your music career? If so, can you share these goals?
– Hire virtual assistants to book college shows (screw agents at this point)
– Continue outreach online
– Try to educate other content providers on my subscription method
AH: Have you ever made money from social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, or Ustream? Can you please tell us exactly how and correlate them?
ME: Not directly… all these sites serve as ways to communicate new songs and new shows to existing fans, but not as a direct sales vehicle. On occasion, new fans find me via these channels, but mostly it's done via word of mouth.
AH: Has your fame in the podcasting and online world, and your popularity with podcasters helped you to earn more money?
ME: Absolutely. By getting into podcasting when it was still shiny and new, my music was passed around a very excited community very quickly. Almost all of those people became long-term fans, making repeat purchases of my music and merchandise.
AH: What are your next steps to continue to help yourself move forward in your own career?
ME: I'm trying and get Amanda Palmer to hand my stuff off to Ben Folds. Or have me open for her on tour… 😉
AH: If you could give a band or artist any type of advice on how to start in social media, what would you advise them to do?
OK, so, six things that have made a difference for me…
(note: Matthew contributed most of these to the Indie Maximum Exposure List)
1. Stop the Musical Masturbation
I wasted so much time playing open mics and writer's nights in Nashville and Boston. The same is true of all the "hot new music sites" that spring up every 20 minutes on the Internet. The fans do not go there, you're only entertaining yourself. Every open mic I've ever seen is a room full of musicians politely waiting for their turn to get on stage. These events only introduce musicians to other musicians and offer some live performance practice. Trying to sell CD's at an open mic is like trying to sell timeshare condos at a telemarketing convention. Fans go to Facebook or iTunes, not Stereofame. I could waste all my time playing for a crowd of other broke indie artists or I can spend my efforts approaching fans where they're already congregating.
2. Shove Yourself Into A Niche
Music fans aren't found on sites for music fans. I'm inspired by certain things– technology, animals, politics, sci-fi/ fantasy –and so is every other artist. Whatever I'm writing about, there's a community based around that topic. Instead of going after generic "music fan" crowds, I chose to focus on specific niches that share MY interests. Since I'm into podcasting and new media stuff, my music has been resonating particularly well with the geek crowd. That is where I focus my efforts. I'm also a big sci-fi/ fantasy nerd as well, so I hit conventions and gatherings of that nature. Not only is my music relevant to them, I can relate to them on a personal level.
3. Get Personal
I imagine this advice won't apply to "concept bands" that have a specific theatrical act or image, but getting personal with my fans is what keeps me alive. Good music is barely enough to get fans to hand out 99¢ anymore; they have to be emotionally invested in the artist if that artist wants their loyalty. Don't get me wrong, there can still be a "fourth wall" during a live concert or video, but real, meaningful connection with the fans is what keeps me in their heads after the show's over (heck, even your "character" can interact with fans in-character). I chat with my fans via Twitter, Facebook, matthewebel.com and matthewebel.net, and as many other channels as possible. The more I interact with them between performances, the more I stay fresh in their minds and the more inspiration I draw from them.
4. Keep Them Screaming Your Name
In October of 2008 I started my own subscription service– www.matthewebel.net –with no clue whether the fans would like it or not. Part of the offerings were two new songs and one live concert recording every month. It seemed like a tall order to me, but something I could accomplish. Little did I realize that new releases every two weeks would be better than any good album reviews or press coverage. Giving my fans something new to talk about every two weeks meant exactly that: they talk about me every two weeks. They're not buying an album, raving about it, and losing interest after a few months, they're constantly spreading my name to their Twitter followers, coworkers, pets, etc. Regular delivery of quality material is damn near my one-step panacea for the whole industry.
5. Don't Suck
No amount of marketing can make up for a total lack of talent– this is why people don't want to spend $20 on major label CD's anymore. 25 years of piano and a music degree doesn't guarantee I'll be a success, but it gives me one hell of an advantage. I try to keep myself sharp and never assume I'm good enough. Even long-time pro football players go through spring training every year. If nothing else, I find that surrounding myself with talent raises the bar for my own ambitions. I listen to Ben Folds to inspire my production and piano abilities, I follow people like Ariel Hyatt and Amanda Palmer to improve my outreach, I keep a steady stream of Pat Monahan on my Pandora list to hear what kickass vocals sound like. I always want to be on my toes.
6. Experiment In Public
Speaking of being on my toes, I try to push my comfort level in plain sight. Sometimes I'll produce a song in a style I've never really attempted before and release it to my subscribers at http://matthewebel.net –sometimes it flies, sometimes it doesn't. My first attempt at Trance, a song called "Night Train", has become one of the most requested songs I play at live shows now. It's the first one people have openly talked about pirating. For something I originally downplayed as "just an experiment", it's now one of my biggest hits. I experiment onstage as well, trying new arrangements or even lyrics. My fans love knowing that they're part of something spontaneous, that they've got a hand in shaping the very future of my music. Happy fans are vocal fans.
AH: If you had $500 to spend on marketing and promotion, how would you spend that money?
ME: I'd hire a virtual assistant to hit every influential blogger or podcaster that's remotely related to what I'm doing and approach him or her on my behalf (based on preset talking points I'd lay out first). I would want them to interview me about what I'm doing as a small business owner AND as an artist, but any interview is an inbound link.
AH: Is there anything else you would like to say about 1,000 true fans?
ME: I'll let you know when I get mine. Until then, 40 of them are paying 26.3% of my net income. The more I can find, the higher that percentage grows until I can spend all my time touring and writing.
AH: How do you use analytics to your advantage? What are your measurable online results, and how do your measures help you with your music career?
ME: Right now I'm tracking website stats via Google Analytics, CrazyEgg.com, and Compete.com, I also track email stats using Blue Sky Factory. Unfortunately, I have NO IDEA WHAT THESE STATS MEAN or what course of action they suggest. Fortunately a friend, John Wall, is donating his time and expertise to help me interpret this crap. I'm a musician, FFS, not an analyst!
AH: On a scale of 1 to 10, would you say you share a lot (a 10) or are you guarded in what you exposure on social media sites about yourself and your personal life?
ME: I'd say I share about 70% to 80% of my life publicly. I figure that people will just find out what I'd try to hide anyway. 🙂
AH: What would you say to a fellow musician, that thinks that Twitter is just sharing "eating a tuna sandwich" and is stupid?
ME: I'd say find a better way to communicate with your fans, then. If you can't, maybe you should stop Twittering about your lunch and start providing useful information or social connection. If you can, why aren't you sharing this info with the rest of us?
Find Matthew Ebel at:
Get your copy of Goodbye Planet Earth at: http://matthewebel.com/store
More from his bio:
For Matthew Ebel, music is the key to the journey of life, not just the destination. Whether it's outer space adventures or a single father struggling to make a Christmas for his daughter, Matthew's songs and stories resonate in the minds and hearts of an ever-increasing fan base. Ebel is also paving the way in the new music economy, showing that it is possible for independent artists to support themselves through their music; growing his audience by utilizing new tools available to artists.
"I want people to take my music and then go off and create something on their own," says Matthew. "The greatest thrill for me is when people write blog posts based on my music or are inspired to do a version of one of my songs in their college choir – it's the act of creating something new from my work. It's amazing."


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janna on a jaunt
· September 24, 2019
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In-depth travel guides and inspiration right at your fingertips!
I'm Janna. Welcome to my creative space. I hope you enjoy reading through my posts. Thanks for stopping by!
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Faithfulfaith needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 103 designs submitted by 29 freelance designers.
Name of Company: Vero Fine Homes and Estates.
Vero means "True" in italian . My competition is Coldwell Banker/ Century 21 Fine Homes and Estates and all high end real estate firms, and I really need to have my logo convey estates, not just homes.
Check out "Century 21 Fine Homes and Estates" -their new logo, I am looking for something similar or better!!!
Vero Fine Homes and Estates
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Want to stay classy, so black, blue, gold, green, gray- but willing to see your ideas
Desired Style:
Style to be corporate, clean, organized, professional. Relatively simple.
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I am looking for a design that is classy and clean and professional. Corporate, even. I handle high end homes in the million dollar range. I need the logo to reflect this. I would like it to be easy to read and very brandable. It will be on websites, signs, documents, etc.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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|August 29, 2012, 02:17 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: October 31, 2009
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,039
1 step up from Walmart gear?
Howdy folks, first time posting on the hunting sub-forum. I'm usually in handgun.
I just completed a hunting skills weekend class (never been hunting) and while the instructors all cautioned against simply going to Walmart and buying cheap hunting clothes/boots, money is tighter this year (just bought a shotgun).
How is Walmart hunting gear?
If not adequate, please share what are some things that are 1 step up from Walmart? I can order online.
Lasting only a few seasons is alright for me, for now.
I'll be ground hunting deer at 100 yards or less. I am concerned with UV and scent. I'll likely be wearing blaze orange vest.
|August 29, 2012, 03:14 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: May 19, 2012
Location: Western, Ny
Posts: 190
Over 15 years of hunting and thats all I have ever done. Go to walmart find what I need and buy it. Many dead deer didnt have a problem with what I was wearing. Watch the wind when you hunt, and dont move to much too quickly and you will be alright. I and many others have killed deer while wearing blue jeans and a carhart jacket.
"Si vis pacem, para bellum". If you want peace, Prepare for war!!!!
|August 29, 2012, 03:20 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: June 15, 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 9,782
Don't skimp on boots. Most other clothing is pretty serviceable. It does not have to be camo. I buy most of my gear at backpacking shops. Unlike hunting gear the styles and colors change from year to year and buying in the off season nets bargains. There are a couple of shops that put all their winter gear up at 50% off starting June 1. What is left is 70% off on July 1. I have several goose down and fleece items in green, brown, black and gray made by North Face, Marmont, and Mountain Hardware that cost me less than camo from Walmart.
Another option is Goodwill and other such places. I bought a wool jacket in dark green a couple of months ago for $4. Just have to look, you never know what you'll find in those places.
At least 90% of the boots marketed toward hunters are junk. Don't be fooled by the camo patterns. I've found the best boots from 2 sources. Good quality hiking boots are much, much, better quality and sell for less money than boots marketed toward hunters.
Another very good source is military boots. Most of them are much better quality than hunting boots and the price for quality is much better.
This site is more for reference, but you could order from them. I found a pair of Wellco's for my son at a gunshow for $25. Great boots, Gore-tex, waterproof and lightweigt.
I found these for myself at $130.
|August 29, 2012, 03:36 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: June 4, 2006
Location: NE FL.......
Posts: 1,081
Reread JMR40's post a couple of times!
Good boots is where the most $ & thought goes......the rest is not to hard to get in a "frugal" way.
One point on the Goodwill/Thrift stores......read the labels on the sweaters they have and remember that that sweater will be UNDER your top layer so it does not matter how it looks. What you will find is that you can get WOOL, often times Marino which is soft and itch free, for almost nothing.
Of course it may be pink.........
|August 29, 2012, 03:57 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 16, 2006
Location: IOWA
Posts: 7,774
Deer think that every hunter, is a tree !!
There is nothing wrong with Walmart hunting clothes and gear although it would be on the lower end. I suspect that your instructor, might have a hidden agenda. I too echo the sentiments about the boots, especially in the Midwest. I use to be caught up in the latest Camo fasions and the squirrels always looked forward to reviewing the new fall styles. Today, I just fall back on my Rip-Stop Woodland army Camo. ...
There are a number of ways to block or mask your scent. I store my hunting clothes outside and keep them in a plastic bag, with three apples. If and when the apples start to go bad, so be it. I have also used a gound blind and it's surprising how well they work. ....
Be Safe !!!
'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.
|August 29, 2012, 04:58 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 21, 2012
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 763
I use a LOT of gear from Wal-Mart. Heck this year I bought myself a new hunting jacket for gun deer season from Wal-Mart.
Sure its lower end stuff but it'll do just fine. As others said though don't skimp on your boots. If you're hunting in cold weather make sure to spend as much money as you can afford to on your boots. Good waterproof and warm boots make a huge difference in your hunt. Its no fun having wet and/or cold feet while deer hunting in 20 degree weather.
This is who we are, what we do.
|August 29, 2012, 05:05 PM
Join Date: May 11, 2012
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 32
Do you have a Gander Mountain near you? I picked up some camo on clearance for a killer deal. Money is tight for me too, being a college student, so I like to shop around for the best deal.
I personally don't like Walmart and Walmart products. Just my personal opinion.
|August 29, 2012, 05:10 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: October 31, 2009
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,039
Folks, thanks a bunch. You've got me all excited that I might in fact be able to have everything ready in time for the season. I was NOT looking forward to researching every piece of gear...
Any testimonials on good boots? Great boots? So-so boots?
Here's what I've learned:
Camo might not be as important as everyone says.
You want good boots.
Everything else can be good-enough.
Ground blinds help.
Thank you for all the tips, including scent control and military boots. I've always wanted a pair of military boots....
|August 29, 2012, 05:13 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: October 31, 2009
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,039
Snuzzo, no Gander Mtn but I have a Dick's sporting Goods. I hold a little resentment towards the guys in the sporting department because they talked me out of a Beretta 5901 I was ready to buy. So I went to Walmart down the road and got a Remington 870 for hunting this year. I still wonder what a semi auto shotgun would feel like. I'll forgive them someday
|August 29, 2012, 05:14 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: March 23, 2012
Location: Conway, Arkansas
Posts: 1,398
Don't ever go to Gander Mountain, always way over priced.
I buy all I need as far as hunting gear from Walmart. Always have always will. There's only two pieces I haven't bought from there, and that's my hunting boots (ordered from Cabelas) since its stays warm here in Arkansas first part of season I wear snake boots, and other piece is my cold weather gear ( I have my old military gear, paid with those with sweat blood and tear). Other than those two things I get everything as far as clothes from Walmart.
|August 29, 2012, 05:15 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: March 23, 2012
Location: Conway, Arkansas
Posts: 1,398
|August 29, 2012, 05:15 PM
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Join Date: December 11, 2009
Location: Northern California
Posts: 1,766
|August 29, 2012, 07:15 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: June 15, 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 9,782
If you are on a casual hunt on the family farm and never out of sight of a road, or other structure most anything will do. But if you ever hunt in a wilderness setting your clothing selection can get you killed. Walmart sells nothing I'd use on that type of hunt and it has nothing to do with making a fashion statement. For that matter Bass Pro shops sells nothing I'd hunt with, including boots. Cabelas has a few items.
There is a well known phrase in wilderness settings. "Cotton Kills". Never wear ANYTHING made of cotton in the back country. You might only be uncomfortable in summer, but could die the rest of the year. Wool,or quality synthetics is the only way to go. Good boots that won't let you down are vital. I'm aways looking at a bargain, and have 2-3 pairs of boots that retail at $300+. Fortunately I've always been able to find something heavily discounted and have never paid that much. But I'd not bat an eye to pay that much if I could not find a bargain.
The more rugged and remote the hunt, the more important quality clothes become. I've been on solo backpack hunts in areas so remote that if I had fallen and broke a leg my body would likely never be found. Walmart clothes have their place and do fine for most situations. But as a hunter safety instructor we have to assume that some of our students may someday end up on a remote hunt in the middle of Alaska. It is our job to prepare them as well as we can in a short class.
|August 29, 2012, 07:40 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: April 12, 2006
Location: NKY
Posts: 12,133
Do not buy cheap boots. That is a fact if you plan on walking any distance or it might be cold.
Otherwise, Wally World clothing / camo will hold up just fine to get you started.
"He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson
|August 29, 2012, 07:44 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 16, 2006
Location: IOWA
Posts: 7,774
It is what it is and not what it's not
During our basic course, we do not promote brands or stores. We do teach Situational Awareness and address each challenge as it arises. We teach in the midwest states. Y'all teach in VA and other places that are worlds apart from Alaska. In the 22 years that I have taught, I have never had to teach nor would I teach, what is needed to hunt in Africa, Alaska or even Southern California. We don't pick on, nor promote Gander Mountain, Cabelas or Walmart. ....
Be Safe !!!
'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.
|August 29, 2012, 07:47 PM
Join Date: December 13, 2006
Location: Ky
Posts: 52
But Wal-mart camo makes my butt look too big!
Sponsored by:................Space available
|August 29, 2012, 07:57 PM
Join Date: November 13, 1998
Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA
Posts: 24,798
If you figure your hunting mostly to be when it's dry weather, I suggest either the Russell "Birdhunter" or the Red Wing "20 Mile" boots. Lightweight leather, flat soles. Quiet walking. (I don't like "waffle-stompers".)
Any dull, earth-toned clothing from Goodwill will do for "camo". All deer ever see is some shade of gray. I've done just fine for decades with old khaki work pants and a Korean War era GI field jacket. Main thing is for loose fit so winter underwear doesn't make the shirt/pants too snug.
You're from BATFE? Come right in! I use all your fine products!
|August 29, 2012, 08:30 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: July 1, 2001
Posts: 4,862
IMHO, this is a bit over blown. I started hunting in a decent pair of like $59 hunting boots and my "old" clothes. The only thing which I believe is required to buy, but only if you have nothing close and can afford it, is a pair of hunting boots and several pairs of socks. A pair of hunting boots and comfortable socks are fairly important IMO. Basspro and Cabela's sell good boots now for $75 or less, I think. . .
I would hunt in these boots without thinking twice about it.
The rest of the clothes allow you advantages that basic clothes will not. i.e. warm clothes allow you to be out longer in cold weather, rain gear allows more time in wet weather. Wool keeps you warm when wet. Fleece is warm and sheds water well. hi tech underwear keeps you from getting wet when perspiring. Wet, wind, sweat and odor are your enemies. Wet and wind can be handled by good hunting gear. Odor is more complex. A good spray and washing your clothes in a no scent wash will allow you to start out odor free. Aluminum, carbon and other fancy materials can help you not produce odor.
Frankly, Arm & Hammer scentless deoderant is cheap and helps alot. Heck I use this year round so I don't fight my cologne smell! Dressing not to sweat can help alot.
UV is unproven as far as I know, but I also believe it can be washed out. Not worth a big spend to me.
Again, I and many others have killed very big deer in the wrong gear due to age, poverty or just not caring. Walmart is not a terrible place to get base gear. Buy a tote, put your gear in it with cover scent wafers. Makes it smell dirt fresh when you pull it out at the hunting site.
Also, when hunting, have hunting clothes and after hunting clothes. It keeps your real hunting clothes a little more stink free.
This is also related to distance. If you want to be 5 yards from the deer you kill, you will have to be 100's of times better than at 25 yards and that is hudreds of times better than at 75 - 100 yards.
I've taken most of my game at 100 - 200 yards, so maybe what I lack in gear, I make up for in shotmaking!
|August 29, 2012, 08:36 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: May 24, 2011
Posts: 990
Danner desert Acadia boots
A tad pricey $230, but when you're standing on them it's as if you are floating.
|August 29, 2012, 08:46 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: December 12, 2006
Posts: 1,512
Academy has an excelent selection at a reasonable price at or just above Walmart's. Academy will usually have some items that Walmart doesn't carry. I bought a knock off camel pack in camo with the extra storage compartment from Academy for $25. I haven't even seen them at Walmart in camo. Another thing I found was a web belt shell/game bag combo for $10. I believe both are Academy's "Game Winner" brand.
|August 29, 2012, 09:15 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: October 4, 2007
Location: All the way to NEBRASKA
Posts: 8,604
When I was younger, I did most of my hunting in my old Army gear, and before that, it was jeans, a sweatshirt, and a blaze orange zip-up Hoodie..... maybe an orange stocking over the orange feed store gimme cap if it was cold... come to think of it, I killed more pheasants wearing canvas Chucky-T's that I ever did wearing boots.......
Now that I am older, warmer gear is more important- and keeping dry is the better part of staying warm....... Gore-tex, or similar, is a must in bad weather.
As for spendy boots- I have had more miles on Rockies than anything else..... I've never spent more than 150 dollars on a pair of boots.... and the best pair were some 50 dollar on sale Rockies..... I wore those things for years, until I started using them as work boots and wore a hole in them..... by the time I needed a replacement, they had stopped making that style.
You mentioned buying a shotgun- what exactly are you planning to hunt? Oh-deer .... I forgot folks back east use "shotguns" for deer.....
TheGolden Rule of Tool Use: "If you don't know what you are doing, DON'T."
|August 29, 2012, 09:21 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: November 25, 2005
Location: Crawfordville, FL
Posts: 494
The wally world stuff will be fine. Dont get all wrapped up in the latest camo fashion stuff. I do wear camo, but I have also killed more deer in bluejeans and a what ever shirt. A lot of the stuff is like fishing lures. Designed to catch the "sportsman" and not the prey.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights!
|August 29, 2012, 09:24 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: October 4, 2007
Location: All the way to NEBRASKA
Posts: 8,604
TheGolden Rule of Tool Use: "If you don't know what you are doing, DON'T."
|August 30, 2012, 09:57 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: November 19, 2005
Location: southwestern va
Posts: 816
this wont help you for the upcoming season, but as soon as hunting season is over dicks sells all their stuff for 50 to 80% off....one year i ran to 3 different dicks in 3 different towns and bought up a bunch of stuff, turkey vests, thermal underwear, camo, etc
"i got the most powerful gun in the world........an .88 magnum. It shoots thru schools......"
|August 30, 2012, 10:20 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: October 31, 2009
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,039
Thanks again hunters, I'm definitely going to try some of those suggestions.
To clarify - the instructors at the VA hunter's skills weekend class had a lot more tact and professionalism than I made them out to sound. They gave their disclaimers and didn't slam a particular brand or store - their main message on that issue was to not thoughtlessly purchase poor gear and let the almighty dollar be the bottom line when it comes to functional clothes. Most of us had not hunted / not hunted long and a good percentage of us were looking to hunt on public lands since we have no family connections. Yes, you nailed it - there was a survival course offered, and map/compass classes, etc... Also these instructors (who were very knowledgeable) were dedicated and knew they were going to hunt for many more years to come. Hence they didn't mind looking for gear that would last a decade or more. I just didn't feel like writing a disclaimer about their disclaimer so I paraphrased.
Oh, I just thought of something.
What material is recommended as the final outer layer? Don't be afraid to offer any specific suggestions - I always appreciate a starting point.
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Leading Open Innovation and Cooperation: A Global Challenge to Managerial Responsiveness. Symposium. 8th International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management (IFSAM) World Congress 2006. (116.46 KB)(2006).
Leading Open Innovation: Creating Centripetal Innovation Capacity. Symposium. 2006 Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM). (152.84 KB)(2006).


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To become an Arctic Defender like Haiquan, visit:http://www.savethearctic.org/
And for the Chinese language site, please visit:http://event.video.sina.com.cn/arctic
Chinese pop musician, Hu Haiquan, of Yu Quan fame, went with Greenpeace to the Arctic. He found out why the home of the precious polar bear needs to be saved.
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PowerPoint presentation used at the in-lieu fee public meeting on November 4, 2010.
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Meeting notes from the June 18, 2010 Science Panel discussion, Panel members' written responses to the panel questions and a detailed summary by question.
Executive summary of the panel discussion that took place on November 30 and December 1, 2009 and generalized HEA values for salmon developed by NMFS based on the 2009 panel discussion.
Draft responses to the Science Panel's questions and recommendations.
Brief overview of the North Reach Mitigation Bank Science Panel.
Draft report providing an overview of the habitat valuation methodology developed for the River Plan Mitigation Bank. Includes information about HEA, HEP and the proposed HSI models.
Provides information about the July 27, 2010 Science Panel briefing and background on the panel process.
Progress report on several River Plan / North Reach implementation items.
Staff PowerPoint presentation delivered at the April 1, 2010 City Council meeting.
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Mayor Adams' PowerPoint presentation delivered at the Columbia Corridor Association meeting on March 3, 2010.
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Partial packet of materials distributed at the January 28 stakeholder meeting: 1)Staff response to Mayor Adam's questions following the 12/16/09 town hall.
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Materials distributed at the November 16 stakeholder meeting: 1) Proposed amendments; 2) Draft vegetation enhancement standard; 3) Tracking progress.
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Materials distributed at the October 6 stakeholder meeting: 1) BPS response to WWC fee proposal; 2) Restoration site identification criteria; 3) Restoration sites map; 4) River team presentation at Freight Committee.
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Federal Reserve Beige Book: Observations on the Ag Economy
Today the Federal Reserve Board released its Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions. Commonly referred to as the "Beige Book," the report included the following observations with respect to the U.S. agricultural economy:
* Fifth District- Richmond– "Agricultural conditions remained favorable…December was relatively mild across most of the District, with warmer than normal temperatures and significant precipitation. Small grain conditions improved with the added moisture, as did pastures and hayfields."
* Sixth District- Atlanta– "Prices for corn, soybeans, beef, and poultry remained above year-ago levels, while the price for cotton was lower than this time last year. Dry conditions persisted in much of the District, although late December rains helped many areas in the region."
* Seventh District- Chicago– "Although drought conditions eased, depleted soil moisture remained a concern in much of the District. The low levels of the Mississippi River hampered barge traffic moving both crops to market and inputs to farms. Crop operations tended to come out ahead for the year if they had adequate insurance coverage, and most crop farmers saw their net worth grow. Uncertainty regarding the tax treatment of capital expenditures led farmers to move up purchases of equipment and other capital improvements into 2012. Corn and soybean prices slid during the reporting period. Milk prices decreased, while cattle and hog prices increased. Of these agricultural products, only hog prices were below the levels of a year ago. Farmland values trended higher, with an extra spurt of farm sales at the end of 2012 in anticipation of tax code changes. Cash rents for cropland increased as well for the upcoming season."
* Eighth District- St. Louis– "November year-to-date commercial red meat production across the District's states was 4.3 percent higher in 2012 than the same period in 2011. By contrast, November year-to-date poultry production as measured by the number of young chickens slaughtered was down 2.2 percent relative to 2011. The District's states ginned 6.4 percent less cotton from January 1 to December 15, 2012, compared with the same period in 2011."
* Ninth District- Minneapolis– "Agriculture was steady at high levels. Crop prices came down somewhat recently but remain relatively high, a slight relief to livestock and dairy producers who have been hammered by high feed costs. The selloff of livestock herds continued. Sugarbeet producers in Minnesota and North Dakota saw a record crop in 2012, but prices were down. Prices received by farmers increased in December from a year earlier for corn, wheat, soybeans, chicken, dairy products and cattle. Prices for hogs, turkey, eggs and dry beans decreased. According to the Minneapolis Fed's third-quarter (October) survey of agricultural credit conditions, farmland prices continued their rapid rate of increase."
* Tenth District- Kansas City– "Drought continued to impact crop conditions and livestock profits improved with higher livestock prices and lower feed costs. District winter wheat conditions remained relatively poor due to persistent drought. The drought also caused water levels on the Mississippi River to fall further, hindering commodity transportation to and from agricultural regions. Still net farm incomes remained high due to historically high crop prices and crop insurance payments. Livestock profit margins also improved over the past six weeks due to a post-harvest decline in crop prices and rising livestock prices. District contacts noted a surge in land sales, sparked by concerns of tax policy changes in the new year."
* Eleventh District- Dallas– "With little rainfall, most of the District remained in drought conditions since the last report. The drought is negatively impacting the winter wheat crop, and contacts are beginning to express concern for spring planting. Wheat harvest was mostly completed over the last six weeks, and production was up from 2011, mainly because the drought was less severe. Contacts noted that fiscal cliff concerns and the lack of a farm bill are creating a great deal of uncertainty."


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A9 TV; 11 November 2012
This is such an unnecessary blind fight. First and foremost, Palestinians are the sons of Ishmael. The others, the sons of Jacob, are also the sons of Ishmael. They are both of the same lineage of the prophet. Both parties believe in a single Allah. What happened to you? That is a vast land and there is a handful of Jews there. Only 3 or 4 million. Only a handful, very few. Stop that fight, open the borders, embrace one another. May Allah show us Prophet Jesus (as) as soon as possible. Set aside these fights, open the borders, embrace one another, so that everyone will feel at ease. There is nothing wrong. May Allah make Hazrat Mahdi (as) appear, insha'Allah. May Allah show us Prophet Jesus (as) as soon as possible.
A9 TV; 22 September 2011
I am always saying that "Muslims must be brothers." "The Palestinians must be free," I say. "The prisons will be emptied out," I say. "The bloodshed will cease, not a drop will be spilled," I say. "The sleeper will not be wakened," I say. But what does all that mean? If there is no bloodshed in Palestine, if they are completely free, if they can use the whole region as they wish, if the sleeper is not wakened, if the prisons are emptied out, apart from people who have killed… I say, "The prisons will be emptied out. Is that not answer enough? What else do I have to say? Should I say, "Israel be damned?" To say "Israel be damned" is disbelief. Israel is the name of a prophet. That is a wrong thing to say. Why should I want Israel to be devastated? I want it to be well off. And Palestine, too. I want everyone to live in peace. What do they want me to do? I guess they want me to say that Israel should be bombed into oblivion, wiped from the face of history, that its children and everyone should be slaughtered. Is that what you want me to say? What kind of thinking is that? Where does it all end? Why do I bother talking at all? "The Palestinians must be brothers, and we will embrace them all," I say. Young Israelis and Palestinians will embrace one another. I say there will be peace. What do we need to do? Seek revenge? In that case we would have to slaughter all of Israel. Do you want us to draw our swords? Forgive me, but that would be utterly foolish talk. Mindless talk. Islam is all about peace. Its name means peace. It is a characteristic of paradise. Of course, we must call people to peace. What do we need to do? Should we demand conflict? They want bloodshed day and night. I am trying to stop bloodshed. But they want more of it. It is terrible persecution, immorality and lack of good conscience to bomb and slaughter innocent men, women and children in Israel. What else could it be? The same goes for Palestine. It is equally immoral. What I am saying, is that it must all stop. Have I ever said, "One side must stop while the other carries on regardless?" In other words, have I ever said: "People in Palestine are evil while those in Israel are good", "Let Israel go and butcher people in Palestine as it pleases"? All the persecution here must stop. All of it." That is sufficient answer. I have always said, "Let there be peace and brotherhood; they must embrace one another." I say, "There is plenty of land, so let them use it as they like." Let them live freely, as brothers. I have always said, "One people are the sons of Ishmael and the others the sons of Israel. They are the children of the prophets Ishmael (pbuh) and Israel (pbuh)." That is word for word what I said. It is on the tapes. But these psychopaths are crazy for blood. They insist on bloodshed. They are also base and cowardly people, who will flee at once if fighting starts. They throw their weight around, but things are not as you might imagine. They threw their weight around in Iraq. Then they provided girls and women for the American troops. They sell drugs. They sell Marlboro. They engage in wrongdoing of all kinds. The Iraqi Army disappeared overnight. In one night, when the U.S. invasion began. They used to throw their weight around, but then tried to find burrows to hide in. The newspapers described how "the huge Iraqi Army vanished overnight." But that it one of the omens of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). And this has also come about. They also threw their weight around in Afghanistan. Now they are selling drugs to U.S. troops. That is how they make a living. Do not imagine that those who throw their weight around will stand up if anything happens. They will immediately go and hide. The way of the Mahdi means love, peace and brotherhood. Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is coming to stop the bloodshed. We are followers of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh).
A9 TV; 26 September 2011
It is true that Israel has killed Palestinians. No question about it. Palestine has also fired rockets at them and killed people there. Suicide bombers have killed women and children there. Both these are true. I am striving to put an end to both. To eliminate bloodshed and build peace and love. Because one side are the children of the Prophet Ishmael (pbuh) and the others the children of the Prophet Israel (pbuh). We are striving to get them to embrace one another, to live happily in a festive environment in that vast region. It is Shiloh who will do that, the King Messiah or Muhammed Mahdi (pbuh), in other words. Nobody else can do it. We are Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) pioneers. I am a follower of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), a follower of the King Messiah. That is why I am doing all this, for Allah's approval.
The truth is that genuine, pure, devout Jews are in Israel. My apologies to the Jews in Turkey, but some of them do not seem all that devout to me. They are not at all religious. The chief rabbi said as much himself. The chief rabbi in Turkey said: "Some of them have nothing to do with religion. A really large number of them." I have dealings with devout Jews. My true contacts are with them. What can I talk about with someone who is not devout? Because if I talk about the King Messiah, they will wonder who I am talking about. If I talk about the Qur'an or the Torah, they will again wonder what I am talking about. We will have nothing in common. We can have human contact, of course and chat and talk like friends. And I can strive for their well-being and preach. But it is devout Jews I have real contacts with. I love the chief rabbi, for instance. I love the devout rabbis there. I have a wide, devout circle of people in Israel. And a wide circle of Muslim brothers, and one of Christians. I love them all.
Allah governs the world. There are irreligious Jews and freemasons, godless ones. There are irreligious, atheist freemasons. They are the committee of the dajjal [antichrist]. There are also irreligious Christians among them, and irreligious Muslims. They are the committee of the dajjal. The ones opposed to the Messiah, the antichrists. The way of the Mahdi is currently striving against them. True and devout Jews, Christians and Muslims have formed an alliance and are striving against this godless, Bookless, horde of the dajjal with love, knowledge, science and reason. Atheist, godless Jews are making life horribly difficult for devout Jews in Israel. We are aware of this.
The views of the Turkish people are important. All of the Turkish people are warm, loving, compassionate, affectionate and good-natured. Members of the [ruling] AKP are also highly sincere and loving. The people in the government are good-natured. Mr. Tayyip [Erdoğan] sometimes uses harsh language. But his heart is gentle. He is a compassionate and affectionate person. He loves children, the elderly and people in general. He loathes bloodshed. You did not notice today's statement. Through that statement he emphasized what I have been saying about the way of the Mahdi.
A9 TV; September 18th 2011
Both the sons of Prophet Ishmael (as) and the sons of Prophet Israel (as) are my brothers. I surely have love for all of them. I would surely not want any fights and tension to happen between them. We make efforts for this end.
A9 TV; September 14th, 2011
We want both the Palestinians and the Israelis to live fraternally, friendly, amicably in the region in wealth and abundance. Not only them, we want the Christians and other people, all of them, all these people who are the servants of Allan to live nicely. And Islam will progress in such an environment. They can observe the beauty of Islam, the height of Islamic morality in such an environment. In the war environment, in the anarchy environment, in the tension environment, the human brain practically stops. It is very difficult and the Qur'an does not accept that. Islam would not accept bloodshed. Being anti-blood is a characteristic of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), he is the Mahdi adh-Dam; the Mahdi who stops bloodshed. Since we are living in the time of the Mahdi, neither a sleeper would ever be woken up, nor person's nose would ever made to bleed. These are the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (saas). Not even a drop of blood would be shed. We, as the students of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), are after this, insha'Allah. There will be an accord on the least common denominator. Disputes will be solved by talking. Instead of solving disputes by fighting, solving disputes through agreement, through talking is the most wise, most accurate solution. In some places they are creating a tempest in a teapot; this is done in many places of the Islamic world. In our relations with Israel, in our relations with Armenia, in our relations with other countries, we will strive to follow the wisest, the most peaceful, the truest path insha'Allah.
We feel compassion towards the Jews, we want them to be well. We want them to live in the region in abundance, in beauty and in peace. They should be able to perform their religious observances in comfort. They should be able to wander around in comfort. Let them do business comfortably. Let them live there nicely in comfort. The same for our Palestinian brothers as well; let the Palestinian children wander around as they like, let their youngsters perform their religious observances as they like, let them have fun, the whole region is theirs, insha'Allah. We will ensure this beauty, insha'Allah. The prisons will be emptied. Except for those who commit murders or those who give grievous bodily harm, etc., there will be no one left in the prisons, this is the hadith of our Prophet (saas). Everyone will enjoy democracy, freedom, beauty in peace and in safety, in the true sense of the word. The magnificent spirit of Islam, the beautiful spirit of Islam, that pleasant spirit will pervade all around like the beautiful scent of roses, insha'Allah. We are expecting both the Chief Rabbi and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Israel, insha'Allah as our guests. We will, insha'Allah, be in a calming, peacemaking, loving effort that aims beauty, friendship and companionship, insha'Allah.2012-10-31 14:34:21


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Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Microsoft Brings Back...The Comfy Chair
So! You think you are strong because you can survive the soft cushions. Well, we shall see. Biggles! Put her in… the Comfy Chair!
—Monty Python
I don't know what's worse—Steve Ballmer's refusal to spring for iPods for his children and his insistence that they not use Google (see "Over-Share from Dr. Evil's Hideaway," April 18) or the recent announcement that Microsoft would restore free towel service in company showers and offer loyal staffers "dinners to go from Wolfgang Puck."
I am not making that up. Here's the story from MSNBC:
Microsoft said it would supply free towels in company showers, better food in staff canteens and on-site laundry service in an effort to boost employee morale as it battles for talent with Google and other recent start-ups.
The outbreak of the internet "perks war" is the latest sign of Microsoft's attempt to keep some of the trappings of a fast-growing Silicon Valley start-up as it takes on more of the characteristics of other large, slower-growing blue chip companies.
No kidding.
If we learned anything from Microsoft's bombshell announcement that spending was going to go up a lot more than Wall Street's Finest ever dreamed, it's that Microsoft's business model is not what it used to be. The operating system monopoly that allowed 30 cents of every sales dollar to flow to net income is, in my view, no more.
This is due in no small part to Google and its spend-like-there's-no-tomorrow mentality. Google keeps new products coming so quickly that Microsoft—chained like Frankenstein's Monster to the dungeon wall that is Vista (the next generation Operating System Formerly Known As Longhorn and soon to be renamed Long Lost, Lost Horizon, or something more appropriate)—has no chance to out-innovate the kids in Mountain View.
A couple of weekends ago, however, Barron's offered a very different take on Microsoft from Joe Rosenberg, the long-time ace investment strategist at Loew's Corp—a man whose words I read and consider very carefully. (If you haven't seen the interview, I'd advise you to study it, if for no other reason than Rosenberg's contrary take on the bond and commodities markets.)
Rosenberg has this to say about the iPod-distaining Ballmer:
I think Steve Ballmer spends too much of his time on the operational side and not enough time on the financial side. He unfortunately shuts himself off from the financial community. He only meets with the financial community once a year.
Personally, as I have said before (see "Bill's Hideaway" Parts I and II, from 2005), I think Ballmer's boss, Bill Gates, should spend more time in a local Starbucks or college campus watching how people use the technology which Microsoft and Intel pioneered—and others have exploited.
And I think the last thing Ballmer needs to do—at least if Microsoft wants to become something more than a slowly-dying, high-margined software enterprise whose main goal is to return cash to shareholders—is spend time with Wall Street's Finest.
As MSNBC points out:
Google has become the most visible exponent of Silicon Valley's entitlement culture, using the free food in its highly rated cafeteria, along with the availability at its campus of services ranging from massages to automobile oil-changes, to help attract and retain workers. The tech companies defend the on-site perks as a way to reward employees who often work long hours and who would otherwise have to leave the premises, making them less efficient.
Simply put, the cost of being a technology leader has gone up.
As one of many who has migrated entirely away from Microsoft's dreadful MSN product—email, calendar and all—in the last six months, and who looks forward to a full suite of online application products, for free, sometime in the near future, from the Mountain View crowd, I expect the cash flow available to fund that higher cost will dwindle more quickly than anybody in Redmond expects.
And that trend will not be reversed merely by changing the perks for the engineers working on finding the latest security flaw in an ancient operating system.
Towel service? Wolfgang Puck? The whole thing reminds me of a Monty Python routine.
Fetch…the comfy chair!
Jeff Matthews
I Am Not Making This Up
© 2006 Jeff Matthews
The content contained in this blog represents the opinions of Mr. Matthews. Mr. Matthews also acts as an advisor and clients advised by Mr. Matthews may hold either long or short positions in securities of various companies discussed in the blog based upon Mr. Matthews' recommendations. This commentary in no way constitutes a solicitation of business or investment advice. It is intended solely for the entertainment of the reader, and the author.
13 comments:
- Wilburpup said...
"We now have a situation where some of the largest companies, that were overvalued six years ago but have continued to grow earnings at 10% to 15% a year, are completely unloved on Wall Street. These companies are all household names. I never in a million years thought that I would be recommending stocks like Microsoft, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson [JNJ] or Wal-Mart. These are some of the best values anywhere in the world."
-Joe Rosenberg in the Barron's interview.
- jb said...
It's the "micro serfs" vs.the knights of googleplex. The serf's till a rocky soil, while the knights forge far and wide savoring the bounty of the lush internet.
When going into battle the serf's ride invisible horses and make clip-clopping sounds.
Dead right - pure Monty P.
- Peter Clark said...
Ballmer's is actually in New York this morning meeting with Wall Street's finest: Sagging stock sends Ballmer to Wall Street to quell critics. Did you get an advance copy of his itinerary, or did he get an advance copy of your posting?
- 凹凸小生 said...
it's weird no one has written a comment yet. I guess it's been a turbulant couple of days in wall street, everyone is busy decide buying or selling. Microsoft is hitting a transition period for about 5-6 years now. So far Ballmer hasn't done a very good job. A level-3 leader at best.
- MyDailySlice said...
In this week's Fortune, Bob Iger of Disney (when asked how big animation is to his company) said that his son took Toy Story 2 to bed with him. He goes on to say that's when he knew Disney had to go after Pixar.
If Ballmer was in charge of Disney, I think my kid would be watching re-releases of Song of the South.
- deodand said...
At least Microsoft finally paid a dividend.
Google insiders are selling their stock by the boatload, and they make no money outside of their adsense progam, a program notoriously riddled with rampant click fraud.
- Aaron Koral said...
Hi Jeff - I think an interesting issue your post brings up is this: if the cost of "perks" (i.e., free hand towels, dinners to go, on-site laundry service, et. al.) is going up, along with productivity, at tech companies, what is happening to the cost of perks and productivity at non-tech service businesses, competing for the same talent and, more importantly, what does this mean for inflation (i.e., are bond-market participants expecting (anticipating?) a higher inflation rate by selling bonds as the Fed continues to raise interest rates to combat inflation expectations)?
- Jeff Matthews said...
Google insiders have been selling for a long time. So have Microsoft insiders. That's what you do when your compensation comes mostly in stock.
However GOogle makes its money--and click fraud appears to be vastly over-rated--the company is reinvesting in new products.
Microsoft's dividend does nothing to address its competitiveness--it just makes Wall Street happy.
- Rodger said...
Admittedly, Microsoft didn't invent the axle, but it is only fair to recognise that they did develop a pretty good wheel to carry a lot of us around it!
Thanks for the Blog-Op,
- Westcoast Buckeye said...
This is off topic, so I apologize.
Jeff said that he recently migrated away from Microsoft's email, calendar and all.
What did you migrate to?
I am looking for alternatives.
- k9thunder said...
Here's some insights from ex-MS employee.
Towels? What? Only very few who jogged during lunch used them. Better food? Heck it's cafeteria ran by Eurest! Food price which was reasonable in the 90's crept up. Perk not to take away is wall to wall of sodas.
My take is that Billg and the management should not have got into the X-box biz then and now. It was huge resource drain not to mention taking the focus out of net and beating google.
Why? MS has terrible history of hardwares. Ever heard of: Very expensive tv remote with Mark Levinson/Madrigal and very expensive pc speaker with Philips (Logi is leader for both now)? How about very expensive 900 mhz phone? Worthless photo viewer using floppy? Truly pathetic talking toys - Barnie, Arthur and all of Teletubbies? Jettisoning gaming controllers? Shutdown of MS wirelss products?
Morale is very low indeed and bringing back towel and Wolfgang's cuisine is not going to help when google set up recruiting office near MS campus.
- Jeff Matthews said...
"Westcoast Buckeye": Google Mail is a very good product, once you get the hang of it, and Google Calendar is to Outlook as Google Maps was to Mapquest--way easier, slicker, more flexible.
So get a Google Mail account and then start using the Calendar, and keep your eye on what Google Labs is doing. It's great stuff--limited in that it doesn't do everything for everybody, but great stuff.
Oh, and it's free.
- Michael Kassen said...
The picture the other day in the New York Times of Gates, Ozzie, and Mundie spoke more than 1000 words. All were dressed alike! It is eerily reminiscent of IBM in its glory years when everyone wore navy suits and white shirts.