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Grant to help assess maple syrup industry expansion
Jane McGinnis
Mary Barker
Staff Writer, @mbarkerCDT
Posted Dec. 26, 2013 at 12:01 AM
The Commercial Maple Syrup Producers of Michigan, a newly formed organization of the state's larger maple syrup operations, recently received a $10,000 Strategic Growth Initiative, SIG, Grant as part of the state's $2.25 million grant program aimed at growing Michigan's food and agriculture industry. Craig Waldron, owner of Far Hills Maple Syrup, LLC, in Burt Lake — the largest commercial maple syrup operation in Michigan — is chairman of the Commercial Maple Syrup Producers of Michigan association. Waldron said the objective of the grant is to complete a feasibility and market assessment on the potential impact the maple syrup industry could have on the state's economy by identifying the opportunities, challenges and strategies to move forward. He said the group's goals are to increase the tap counts in Michigan and to increase public awareness of the significant potential the maple syrup industry holds. In addition, the producers association will work to increase consumption of Michigan maple syrup; create Michigan maple syrup brand recognition; collaborate with government agencies and universities and increase the market value of syrup producers' sugar bush investments. Waldron said room for growth in the state's maple syrup industry is staggering. He said statistics indicate that the United States imports four times more Canadian maple syrup than it produces here. Quebec is the world's leader, capturing approximately 88 percent of the world market. Waldron said Michigan has more potential maple syrup taps than Quebec and more than any other state in the nation including Pennsylvania, New York and Vermont — all industry leaders in the United States. "When people think of Vermont, they think of maple syrup. Vermont has pushed this for years, and it has worked. That 's just smart marketing," said Waldron. "We want to create a brand recognition to rival Vermont." The Commercial Maple Syrup Producers of Michigan estimates Michigan utilizes less than .2 percent of its potential Maple taps. Waldron said larger producers would be defined as those with 3,000 or more trees tapped. He said because of the significant investment required to tap the trees and produce syrup, jobs can not be exported once the syrup facility is functioning. "The investment is staggering, so it is going to be there for a while," said Waldron. With 28,000 trees tapped at Far Hills Maple Syrup, Waldron knows firsthand the requirements of ramping-up a syrup production facility. The Burt Lake-based business has been around since 1975, with a big investment in growth since early in 2000. The company has 560 acres and trees are tapped on about 240 acres. The trees are predominantly Sugar Maples. "Last year we made 10,400 gallons of syrup. Last year was an average year," he said. He said when producers get between 20,000 and 30,000 taps, the production becomes more efficient. He said the Commercial Maple Syrup Producers of Michigan would like to help smaller operations who want to take the next step to become bigger producers. Another group, the Michigan Maple Syrup Association, the MMS, has been in existence for some 50 years. Waldron said the vast majority of its members are small operations, many of which tap fewer trees and produce at their current level. "We felt there are bigger operations that have different ideas and priorities, so we formed this group. … Some fear that too many taps will hurt the price. The growth is happening anyway. And we don't set the price; Canada and the East Coast does," said Waldron. He added there are more and more landowners expressing an interest in producing maple syrup. Many have retired early and want to do something with their investment of land, and they see the potential. "There is more interest than ever in producing Maple syrup in the state," said Waldron. Eventually, Waldron said if Michigan can become a major player by meeting just some of its production capabilities, the effect on the state's economy would be significant. "There are so many things that could be impacted; agri-tourism; construction, spinoff products, packaging, marketing, distribution. …" said Waldron.


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Immediately South of Dupo is Columbia, Illinois (www.ColumbiaIllinois.com) and Waterloo, Illinos (www.Waterloo.il.us). These communities have long German traditions and have all the amenities of country living while developing as bedroom comminutes for the St. Louis Metropolitan area. If you are from St. Louis, and are looking for a country setting, many turn to this area for a bucolic country setting as well as educational and economic opportunists afforded being located in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. The new world class World Shooting & Recreational Complex (www.claytargetsonline.com) is located in Sparta (www.spartaillinois.us) not far from Dupo. Within minutes of Dupo is Millstadt, Illinois (www.villageofmillstadt.org). It is a small community with a history of generation after generation residing there, including because of its schools, community and heritage. It is known for its fish fries and Summer picnics. Living in Dupo includes being near Hilltoppers (www.hilltoppers.mywebcommunity.org) which has featured competitive swimming teams for many years. The Lexington apartments can be seen from the I255 Interstate highway. These apartments are known for their spaciousness while being located near the St. Louis Metropolitan area. They represent a bargain in that they are affordable for being so large and so close to St. Louis.

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Futuristic "Almost Human" on Fox
One's human, the other's android. But it's unclear which has greater humanity. "Almost Human," a futuristic drama executive-produced by Emmy Award winner J.J. Abrams and creator J.H. Wyman and starring Karl Urban (the human) and Michael Ealy (the android), premieres Nov. 4.
Creator exec producer J.H. Wyman said, "We've all seen the robot who longs to be human. This is the robot who's more human than he can handle."
On his previous series "Fringe," Wyman said, the mythology evolved. "Almost Human" by contrast is much more distinctly a police drama.
Fact is catching up with fiction every day. The future is now, he said: "last week they planted a false memory in a mouse. We're really close, guys."


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Bike Plan, Ongoing
Since my Let's Get Down to Business post I've been thinking about why the Bike Plan is important. Five years ago I would not of cared nor thought it worth spending time on. You know what has changed? Us. Those who pedal in this city. We've come a long way. We have numbers and energy that I didn't imagine possible in 2004, yet those outside of our circles don't see it. They need to see us, hear from us and know what we are about.
Yes, I know the city doesn't give a fuck about us. Special interests run government and we're irrelevant to them. But you know what? We are motivated, passionate, loud and our cause is just. This is exceptional. The 2009 Bike Plan is actually less useful/relevant to cyclists than the 1996 one, but their cogs keep turning and doing what they do - nothing. If we don't cause a ruckus and spell out why this is so fucking important to people - not just cyclists - those cogs will just continue spinning into oblivion and uselessness. Let's put a wrench in it!
Joe Linton wrote that LA's Bike Plan is a Step Backward on Bike Lanes from the 1996 plan. If you have not made a comment regarding the Bike Plan, what are you waiting for? Here is the real site and then a fun, mirrored one with a little more umph (where your comments still get submitted to the city): www.labikeplan.com. Alex Thompson gives a more thorough critique related to the Council District Transportation Advisory Committee with some great talking points. Enci discusses why non-cyclists should care about the Bike Plan.
Also LA'S BEST BIKE PLAN - BWG WORKSHOP:
Meeting at Santa Monica/Vermont Red Line Station at noon on Saturday the 31st and heading Downtown for the 1pm workshop. On facebook also.
Meet @ The Exchange at 1pm: 114 W. 5th St., Downtown LA, CA 90013
A new city meeting has been added in Northeast LA:
Wednesday, Nov 4
Ramona Hall
4580 N Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90042


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The White Sox and left-handed reliever Will Ohman have agreed to a two-year, $4 million deal, pending a physical, as confirmed to MLB.com on Saturday by a source close to the situation. The team has yet to comment.
Ohman, 33, fills the need of a left-hander sought out by the White Sox to complete their bullpen changeover, possibly being used in a situational role or in the middle innings. That 2011 changeover includes the addition of fellow free agent Jesse Crain and the departure of Bobby Jenks, Scott Linebrink and J.J. Putz.
This addition of Ohman sets up White Sox relievers extremely well against a team with significant left-handed punch, such as the defending American League Central champion Twins, featuring Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Jason Kubel, with Ohman joining fellow southpaws Matt Thornton and Chris Sale.
UPDATE: Scot Gregor @ DH:
The White Sox' bullpen shapes up like this: Chris Sale is your closer, Matt Thornton and Jesse Crain are the primary setup guys, Sergio Santos is behind them, Tony Pena is the long man and Ohman the left-handed specialist.
UPDATE #2: Ohman will earn $1.5 million in 2011 and $2.5 million in 2012 (from the press release).


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by Michael Caruso
The Pennsylvania Ballet danced "Building on Balanchine" April 14 – 17 at the University of the Arts' Merriam Theater in center city. I caught the final performance of the set on Sunday afternoon, along with an audience that packed the venerable theater, and experienced one of the most moving expressions of fan gratitude I've encountered since I started to write about the local arts scene in 1976.
"Building on Balanchine" offered three ballets: two by the program's namesake, the late George Balanchine, and one a world premiere by Benjamin Millepied of filmland's "Black Swan" fame. The two Balanchine pieces were "Agon" and "Who Cares?" with Millepied's "The Part of Darkness" filling in the space in between.
But it was the imminent retirement of longtime principal dance Martha Chamberlain that proved to be the emotional heart of the afternoon, with Chamberlain receiving wave after wave of grateful ovations and bunches of flowers thrown onto the stage at the conclusion of "Who Cares?"
The openly expressed heartfelt sentiment from audience and colleagues alike came from a combination of feelings, thought and memories. Chamberlain has been a stalwart member of the East Falls-based Pennsylvania Ballet for what seems like forever. And yet, there she was at the Merriam Theater dancing at the very top of her form. And Chamberlain's technical command never looked surer than it did in "The Man I Love" and "Fascinatin' Rhythm."
The passion of the former and zest of the latter were most definitely delineated by an embroidered sensuality in "The Man I Love" and the exuberance of a Jazz Age flapper in "Fascinatin' Rhythm." But Chamberlain's characterizations were securely built upon a technique of linear extension and musicality that she has refined and strengthened through many superb performances on local stages. Every movement fit George Gershwin's music, here splendidly orchestrated by Hershey Kay, every gesture projected brother Ira's familiar lyrics, and every inflection delivered Chamberlain's understanding of the personality those lyrics reveal.
To write that Martha Chamberlain retired at the zenith of her career is an understatement because it doesn't take in the fullness and rareness of the moment. I saw and heard the final performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra of Leopold Stokowski, Eugene Ormandy, Riccardo Muti and Wolfgang Sawallisch — and none of them compared with the ovation Martha Chamberlain received April 17. And as someone who has seen her dance throughout her career here in Philadelphia, I know she deserved every thunderous clap, every shouted "brava," and every flower she received.
Local opera lovers will have the chance to take in two of the most popular and acclaimed operatic masterpieces in the standard repertoire this weekend and next. The Opera Company of Philadelphia will present Giacomo Puccini's "Tosca" in the Academy of Music April 29, May 1, 4, 6 and 8, with matinee and evening performances available. The Academy of Vocal Arts will perform Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Don Giovanni" at 7:30 p.m., April 30, May 3 and 5 in its own Warden Theater at 1920 Spruce St, and 7:30 p.m., May 10 and 12 in the Haverford School's Centennial Hall. Call 215-893-1999 for "Tosca" and 215-735-1685 for "Don Giovanni."
The OCP's mounting of "Tosca" will be conducted by its music director, Corrado Rovaris. Stage direction is by Jonathan Eaton, with sets designed by Boyd Ostroff and lighting designed by Drew Billiau. The title role will be sung by soprano Adina Nitescu, with tenor Thiago Arancam as Cavaradossi and baritone Boris Statsenko as Baron Scarpia.
"Tosca" is one of the few Puccini operas set in a very specific place at a very specific period: Rome at the turn of the 18th into the 19th century when Napoleon Bonaparte was still a figure fighting for revolutionary reform and before he had crowned himself Emperor of the French and their Empire and become a reactionary force throttling those very same forces striving for democracy. The opera opens immediately after the overthrow of the Roman Republic. One of its high officials, the Consul Angelotti, has escaped from prison and is hiding out in a small side chapel in a church in which the painter Cavaradossi is working on a portrait of the Madonna, whose face he has based on Angelotti's sister.


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A team of former Cameron University softball players faced off against a team composed of members of the Lawton Fire Department and the Lawton Police Department following the dedication of McMahon Field and Athletics Center - after, that is, a softball was delivered to the pitcher's mound via parachute. Prior to the game, Cameron President Cindy Ross, speaking from the field, welcomed community members as well as Cameron students, faculty and staff and invited them to tour the new facility. Dignitaries in attendance included Kenneth Bridges, Chairman of the McMahon Foundation Board of Trustees, as well as other members of the McMahon Foundation board.
"Welcome to our 'field of dreams'," President Ross said. "Thank you for joining us for another historic day at Cameron University. We are excited by the completion of this state-of-the-art athletics complex, the new home of Aggie softball. It is a team richly deserving of this new facility."
Cameron student Sonora Zukerman, a member of the Aggie softball team, spoke of how the new facility would benefit not only her team but all members of Aggie athletics. She also expressed the appreciation of her teammates to the McMahon Foundation for its financial support of the complex.
President Ross also acknowledged the contribution of the McMahon Foundation.
"Similar to so many other historic events at Cameron University, we are only here today because of the generosity of the McMahon Foundation," she said. "The McMahon Foundation stepped up to the plate with a gift of $1 million to make this new complex possible. Because the foundation's gift of $1 million is the largest single gift in the history of Cameron athletics, it is fitting that the honor of throwing out the first pitch for the first game to be played at McMahon Field and Athletics Center go to Kenneth Bridges, Chairman of the McMahon Foundation Board of Trustees."
As Bridges joined President Ross, they discovered that no softball was on hand – until, that is, a parachutist began his descent. Sgt. First Class (Ret.) Dana Bowman, a double amputee, delivered the game ball after landing on the field.
During his tenure in the U.S. Army, Bowman served in Special Forces and was a member of Golden Knights, the Army's elite parachute team. He lost his legs in 1994 during a training accident in which his jumping partner died. Nine months after the accident, Bowman became the first double amputee to re-enlist in the Army, doing so while skydiving with his commander into the ceremony. He became the U.S. Parachute Team's lead speaker and recruiting commander. He retired from the Army in 1996 and earned a bachelor's degree in commercial aviation in 2000. Today, he strives to demonstrate that physically challenged people can still work and excel in today's society and military.
"Dana epitomizes the triumph of the human spirit," President Ross said.
McMahon Field and Athletics Center is named in recognition of the McMahon Foundation, which has been a steadfast supporter of Cameron University since 1963 and has provided almost $16 million to the university through the years. Previous gifts include the largest single gift - $4 million – in the university's history for the McMahon Centennial Complex (MCC), $1.25 million for the McMahon Learning Center at Cameron Village and $1 million for the Academic Commons. Additionally, the McMahon Foundation has provided funding for scholarships; support for academic programs, KCCU and athletics programs including tennis, golf and baseball; and construction of the Louise D. McMahon Fine Arts Complex and the McMahon Foundation Tennis Courts.
The complex is located across 38th Street from McCord Field, in close proximity to Cameron Stadium parking. Features include dressing and locker rooms for the team and umpires, a press box, a concession facility, an equipment storage room, covered bleachers, landscaped patio spaces with sun shades for additional viewing areas, an indoor practice facility with batting cages for both baseball and softball, indoor hitting for golf and a new weight room for all Cameron athletes.
McMahon Field and Athletics Center adds to the more than $60 million in construction that has transformed the Cameron campus over the past 10 years, joining the Academic Commons, the Center for Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurial Studies (CETES), the CETES Conference Center, Cameron Village, Cynthia S. Ross Hall (formerly known as the School of Business Building), the McMahon Centennial Complex and the Bentley Gardens in recent construction. Each of these capital improvements has played a part in Cameron's status as the "Location of Choice" for community events and as the "University of Choice" for students throughout Southwest Oklahoma and beyond.
June 11, 2013


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I'm back with a big gun this time and I'm sure you're all going to enjoy it. I have all sorts of fun and handy tips for drawing a mage this week. Mages (or wizards) if you prefer practice arcane arts. This is more styled in a regular fantasy or dungeons and dragons type of setting and not so much on the WoW. I hope you'll like it anyways and we'll get right to it and finish up with some practice.
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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For breakfast this morning, I had 2 pieces of light toast topped with PB and a sliced banana along with a glass of milk. Only 1 piece of toast shown- but I was feeling hungry, so I ate another one. 8 points.
After doing a few things around the house, I jumped on the treadmill to finish out my Merry-thon! I walked 1/4 mile, ran 1 mile at 4.5 mph, ran 1/2 mile at 4 mph and walked the rest to 2.1 miles total. It was a good workout! It took me 33:44 and I earned 8 AP's. I actually ran 26.14 miles! WHOOHOO! So proud of myself for finishing- and now I'm ready for some cross training. My hips, legs, knees and foot have been hurting lately. I want to keep up running 3 days a week and add in some other workouts, but lately, running has been my only workout to get this Merry-thon completed- and my body feels it!
For lunch, I made up a salad of lettuce, pears, blackberries, pomegranate, pistachios, parmesan cheese (feta would have been better but we were out), Schwann's teriyaki chicken wings and Raspberry vinaigrette for a total of 8 points.
For dessert, I was craving a sundae, so I had a serving of Schwann's light yogurt with a sliced banana and a drizzle of chocolate syrup for 5 points.
YUM! That was satisfying.
And then we headed to my Grandpa's for the weekend. My mom and dad are here for the weekend, too- so it will be fun!
On the way to his house, I drank some diet cherry Pepsi that hubby picked up for me because he knows how much I love it! It has been a while since I've had it! YUM!
And I also snacked on 2 clementines for 0 points.
I'm going to sign out for the night and enjoy time with family! I have 13 points left for the day and 27 weekly points left- so I'm good! I plan on enjoying the food- but not over eating- my usual holiday plan!
Make sure to check out my recap of 2010 and check back tomorrow for my New Years Resolutions for 2011!


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For Sale
Paris 16th, J, FR
Undisclosed Address
4 bed
5 bath
A much sought after addresses, close to Trocadero and its gardens, in the chic sixteenth arrondissement, very nice apartment completely renovated in a gorgeous Haussmann building, on the 6 th floor. The location is exceptional and the view is the most unique of all of Paris and the Eiffel Tower. The reception apartment of 3400ft² features: an entrance gallery, a reception hall, lounge and dining room occupying half the surface with marble, hardwood flooring in all the other parts, moldings and frescos on the ceilings, and fireplaces. A fully equipped kitchen (made of premium materials), 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (Italian marble). In the same building, closed parking spaces and service rooms can be acquired independently of the apartment. Exceptional and rare.


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By Jim Stanford on March 6, 2013
Comments: 9 Comments
With Congress locked in a fiscal stalemate, federal agencies in Teton County are beginning to implement budget cuts mandated by the sequester. Citizens are preparing for the prospect of fewer climbing rangers at Jenny Lake this summer, or a possible delayed opening of some roads in Yellowstone.
This video, which has been making the rounds in social media, helps reframe the broader debate over government funding. The skewed public perception of wealth distribution shows just how far the goalposts have been moved in terms of generating more revenue vs. spending cuts.
Those who like to portray the discussion in terms of "job creators" and "makers vs. takers" should have a hard time justifying how this isn't a banana republic, let alone a just society.
The stock market hit an all-time high yesterday, but as the N.Y. Times reported, the economic recovery has favored corporate profits while doing relatively little for adding jobs or workers' pay. This video plainly illustrates why.
Posted under Democratic Party, Economy, Environment, Politics, Republican Party
Tags: cynthia lummis, fat cats, grand teton national park, john barrasso


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Lincoln Memorial - 3D Jigsaw Puzzle
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The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and was dedicated on May 30, 1922. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the murals was Jules Guerin. Abraham Lincoln was the Great Emancipator and perserver of the nation during the Civil War. This memorial is an enduring symbol of freedom and hope.
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Explore Our Hotel
A modern hotel in Leigh Sports Village with fast transport links to Manchester and Liverpool
Four miles from the M6 motorway, the updated Holiday Inn Express® Leigh - Sports Village hotel is ideally situated, whether you're visiting for business or leisure. Offering free parking, the hotel is within 25 miles of both Manchester Airport (MAN) and Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL). Eight miles away, Wigan's North Western and Wallgate stations have direct train connections to towns across the northwest and beyond.
By car, you can reach the attractions of Manchester in 35 minutes and Liverpool in 45 minutes. The hotel is just a 10-minute walk from Pennington Flash lake and country park, while horse racing fans are seven miles from Haydock Park Racecourse.
Seat up to 150 delegates in the largest of the hotel's nine conference rooms. Delegates can keep up to speed with free Wi-Fi and stay fresh with a tea and coffee station on hand. Staff provide catering, customising fresh and tasty meals to suit your needs.
Fill up buffet style each morning with the inclusive Express Start Breakfast, and at dinner time you can order hearty meals in the casual hotel restaurant. You'll also find several restaurants and takeaways in the local vicinity. Buy snacks any time from a lobby vending machine, or simply unwind with a drink in the contemporary on-site bar.
- Black-out Shades
- Pillow Menu
- Crib Available
- In-Room Heating and A/C Controls
- Sofa Bed/Sleeper Couch
Bathroom/Personal Care
- Private Bathroom
- Bathroom Amenities Available
- Hair Dryer
- Bathtub
- Separate/Walk-in Shower
- Separate Vanity Area
- Heated Mirrors
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- Flat-screen TV
- Work Desk with Lamp
- Desk-level Electrical Outlet
- Direct-dial Phone
- Electrical Adapters Available
- Windows Open by Guest
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- Connecting Rooms Available
- Complimentary Coffee/Tea Supplies
- Breakfast Buffet Included
Hotel Restaurants
The Newly Refurbished Great Room, Offers the Express Breakfast and Limited Evening Menu
Location: Ground Floor
Serves: Breakfast, Dinner
Hours of Operation: : 7:00 AM-9:30 PM
Hotel Bars & Lounges
Fully licensed restaurant and bar
Location: Ground Floor
Hours of Operation: 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Business Services
- 9 Meeting Room(s) Available
- Printer
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- Office supplies available
Internet Access
- Free High-Speed Internet in all Rooms
- Wireless Internet service is free for all IHG® Rewards Club members
Health & Fitness
Complimentary Fitness Center
24 hr fully equipped gym for guests use only
Hours of Operation: 12:01 AM to 11:59 PM
- Rower
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- Free Weights
- Stationary Bicycle
Housekeeping & Laundry
- Daily Housekeeping
Added Value
- Wake Up Calls
- Storage Space Available
Hotel Details
Leigh Sports Village Sale Way
Leigh, WN7 4JY
United Kingdom
Check In: 3:00 PM
Check Out: 11:00 AM
Check-in Age: 18
Parking + -
- Complimentary Self Parking Available
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- Service Animals Allowed
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- Smoke-Free Facility
- Number of Floors: 4
- Total Number of Rooms: 135
- Number of Suites: 0
- Number of Non-Smoking Rooms: 135
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- English
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LEWIS HAMILTON spoke of his pride at equalling Nigel Mansell's pole record for a British driver following a dramatic opening qualifying session for Formula One's new era.
In wet conditions around Melbourne's Albert Park, that only added to the spectacle for the start of the new season dominated by the major regulations overhaul, Hamilton snatched pole at the death ahead of Sunday's Australian Grand Prix ahead of home hero Daniel Ricciardo.
For a few seconds it appeared as if Ricciardo, who replaced fellow Australian Mark Webber at Red Bull after being promoted from Toro Rosso, would clinch a sensational pole for his new team in front of his home crowd.
But as last man across the line, Hamilton timed his run to perfection to beat Ricciardo by three tenths of a second to claim the 32nd pole of his F1 career and haul himself alongside Mansell.
"He is one of the greatest British drivers we've had," said Hamilton of the 1992 world champion.
"To get as many poles as him is a great achievement which I owe to my teams, McLaren and Mercedes, and all the good people I've had around me."
For Hamilton, achieving such a feat was not only a battle against his rivals, but also the new rules and the weather conditions.
All the teams are still coming to terms with the switch from 2.4-litre V8 engines to 1.6-litre V6 turbo-charged power units that feature two energy recovery systems.
The fact they were forced to run in the wet from towards the end of Q1 onwards provided yet another learning curve when many continue to struggle with their cars in the dry.
Even Hamilton suffered a technical glitch in Friday's first practice after just half a lap which ended his running inside five minutes.
But when it mattered most, Hamilton delivered, and he said: "That was a small hiccup in practice, not a scare.
"It was just unfortunate we missed the session, but we didn't need to take the car apart and we could go from there.
"Overall, it's been an interesting weekend, and today it was so much harder for everyone with the conditions.
"But I'm really happy, especially with the job the team did.
"These new cars are a lot harder to drive in the wet, and for me the first time I'd driven it in the wet, so it's great for the team what we've done."
For Ricciardo, it was almost a dream start, particularly with four-times champion and team-mate Sebastian Vettel failing to reach the top 10 for first time in 28 races since the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix.
Despite narrowly missing out, he was still beaming as he said: "It was thoroughly exciting, with the weather adding to the mix. It was a lot of fun.
"I don't know what Seb's problems are. We'll have to see what went wrong on his side.
"But for now I'm happy for me to be up here and for the team because a front-row start wasn't looking possible a few weeks ago."
Hamilton's team-mate Nico Rosberg lines up third, followed by Kevin Magnussen who conjured a brilliant fourth on his F1 debut for McLaren.
As for the heavyweights, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen start fifth and 11th, the latter spoiling his return to the team by spinning into a wall at the end of Q2.
Either side of the Finn are Jenson Button in his McLaren in 10th and Vettel 12th, the trio all elevated a place courtesy of a five-place grid penalty for Williams' Valtteri Bottas who drops from 10th to 15th.
It is understood power-unit suppliers Renault and computer software problems contributed to Vettel's downfall.
The 26-year-old German said: "We don't have an explanation at this stage, but we definitely know there was something wrong and we are looking into it."
Marussia's Max Chilton, out-qualified 18-1 by team-mate Jules Bianchi last year, starts 17th with the Frenchman 18th.
Lotus' miserable form continued, with Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado 20th and 21st, aided by a grid penalty for Sauber's Esteban Gutierrez who lines up at the back.


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CSC's Yogesh Khanna Receives Government Contractor CTO Innovator Award
CSC's Yogesh Khanna Receives Government Contractor CTO Innovator Award
FALLS CHURCH, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CSC (NYS: CSC) announced today that Yogesh Khanna, chief technology officer (CTO) for its North American Public Sector (NPS), has won the 2012 Government Contractor CTO Innovator Award in the large company category from the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) and Washington Technology. The award was presented on November 12 at NVTC's annual TechCelebration banquet.
Khanna's award recognizes his instrumental role in establishing CSC's data center consolidation and cloud go-to-market strategy and offerings. He also developed a strategic roadmap for product offerings to support the Federal Data Center Consolidation Initiative and to help CSC's clients migrate to the "as a service" consumption model. In addition, he established an Innovation Task Force, comprising CTOs who represent their respective divisions at CSC.
"Yogesh has remarkable passion for and proficiency in delivering results that government customers and internal colleagues value," said David Zolet, executive vice president and general manager of CSC's North American Public Sector. "He leverages more than two decades of experience to continuously drive next-generation solutions that help our customers meet their missions and achieve greater efficiencies. I continue to be impressed by his technical acumen and engaging approach."
Khanna leads the development and implementation of the NPS cloud strategy and is an active contributor to CSC's global cloud computing initiatives. He recently served as a commissioner on the TechAmerica Big Data Commission. He is frequently sought after for his opinions and perspectives by media, appearing on Federal News Radio and WTOP News. He also participates in panel discussions at industry conferences, presenting frequently at technology and business solutions conferences.
This annual award recognizes CTOs within the region's government contracting community for their critical contributions to achieving results for their customers and their leadership within their own companies. The winner was chosen by an independent panel of leaders from the government contracting community.
For insights and commentary on federal government IT topics, visit www.envisiongovit.com.
About CSC's North American Public Sector
As a go-to partner for critical national programs, CSC offers thought leadership, specialized skills and innovative services in critical areas for government clients. Leveraging a global footprint in both private and public sectors, and experience gained from serving almost every U.S. government agency, CSC's North American Public Sector (NPS) brings innovative ideas and proven best practices to help the U.S. government meet mission-critical requirements. For more information about CSC's government solutions, visit www.csc.com/government.
About CSC
CSC is a global leader in providing technology-enabled business solutions and services. Headquartered in Falls Church, Va., CSC has approximately 95,000 employees and reported revenue of $15.7 billion for the 12 months ended September 28, 2012. For more information, visit the company's website at www.csc.com.
Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for CSC.
Michelle Herd
Senior Manager, Communications
North American Public Sector
Joel Shadle
CSC Media Relations
CSC Corporate
Steve Virostek
Director, Investor Relations
CSC Corporate
KEYWORDS: United States North America Virginia
The article CSC's Yogesh Khanna Receives Government Contractor CTO Innovator Award originally appeared on Fool.com.Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2012 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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The glows of peaceful rainbow colors pacify all frights and loudness in the bed room for the baby, which also gives imaginary fantasy to the grownups.
giimmö * Magic Light plays tricks on the switch, gently tap giimmö to turn on, and tap again to turn off.
By learning inspirational stories behind each giimmö role-play, children enhance their creativity as well as ability of comprehensive understanding.
The inbuilt LED features low heat and low power consumption to correspond to the needs of eco-friendly.


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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.
- Reform measures (labour market, banking sector, bankruptcy law, etc.)
- Renewed competitiveness and strengthened export sectors
- Improvement in the financial situation of companies
- High-quality infrastructure
- Significant tourism potential
- High levels of private and public debt; very negative net external position
- Labour market duality; high structural unemployment
- Large number of small, unproductive companies
- Fragmented political landscape; national unity threatened by independence drive in Catalonia
Sluggish economic growth in 2019
Spanish growth was already showing signs of slowing in 2018. Growth is expected to moderate further in 2019. The labour market will remain on a positive trend, with a continued decline in the unemployment rate, but job creation is projected to be less dynamic. The slight acceleration in wages, driven by the minimum wage hike and the increase in public sector pensions, should lead to a rise in disposable income. However, this gain will mainly benefit savings. Household consumption is set to decline further, especially in durable consumer goods. Conversely, accommodative financing conditions should continue to support growth in residential construction. The vigorous real estate market will likely continue to fuel the surge in investment, hampered by a slight slowdown in the corporate sector. Despite an external environment characterised by a high level of uncertainty over increased protectionism and a gloomy outlook in the eurozone, net exports are once again expected to make a positive contribution. As the effects of euro appreciation dissipate, exports are set to strengthen as they continue to capitalise on competitiveness gains.
The budget deficit is gradually narrowing, but by less than required under the stability programme
The strong economic recovery since 2015 combined with fiscal consolidation under the European Excessive Deficit Mechanism have contributed to a gradual readjustment in the country's public finances. Spain, the last eurozone country still subject to the corrective arm of the Stability and Growth Pact, emerged from the mechanism in 2018 with a government deficit of less than 3%. In 2019, the deficit is expected to continue to shrink, but it is difficult to determine to what extent. Pedro Sanchez's socialist government presented its budget proposals to the Commission in October 2018, but has yet to have them approved by both chambers of the Spanish Parliament. Despite the support of the radical left-wing Podémos party, the government has only a slender majority and will struggle to get its budgetary policy ratified. The finance law presented by the government proposes to cut the government deficit to 1.8% of GDP. Expenditure is expected to decrease only slightly and to finance new social measures such as the increase in social security contributions due to the hike in the minimum wage, the indexing of pensions to inflation and the increase in social transfers (child protection, long-term care and paternity leave). These measures will be financed by increasing the taxation of dividends from large companies (domestic and foreign), as well as high-income households, and by introducing new taxes, including environmental, digital services and financial transaction taxes. If the budget is not passed, the 2018 budget will be repeated, leading, on a constant policy basis, to a smaller reduction in the government deficit (2.2% of GDP) and an unchanged structural balance. Presented as part of the European semester, the Spanish budget was rejected by the Commission, which considers that even if Pedro Sanchez were to implement these measures, the government and structural deficits would still exceed those set by the government, breaking the commitments made under the Stability Programme. Public debt is expected to decline only slightly, at a slower pace than that set by the stability programme. However, this decline is mainly due to cyclical factors such as lower interest rates and higher inflation.
With a fragile government, snap elections could be on the way in 2019
In May 2018, Pedro Sanchez, the leader of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), won, for the first time in the history of Spanish democracy, a non-confidence motion against former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy after the verdict in the Gurtel case found that Popular Party members were involved in a corruption scandal. The socialist government, which is supported by the radical left-wing Podemos Party and the Catalan and Basque independence parties, remains on a fragile footing since it has a tiny majority with only 80 deputies. It is therefore at the mercy of the independence vote, particularly that of the Catalan party, making it dependent on relations between the State and the region. Accordingly, Mr Sanchez's government may have great difficulty passing its budget, which is the cornerstone of its social policy, especially since the PSOE does not hold a majority in the Senate. Parliamentary elections could thus be called. Since it is well ahead in the polls, the PSOE has not ruled out calling elections, but the party will have to choose the best time to do so. Various elections are already scheduled to take place in 2019, with municipal, regional and European elections all being held on May 26, 2019. In the regional elections held in December 2018 in Andalusia, the bastion of the Spanish left, the PSOE, which has run the region since 1982, failed to obtain a majority.
Last update : February 2019
Cheques are widely used for corporate transactions in Spain. They offer similar legal safeguards under the juicio cambiario (Civil Prodecures Code) in the event of default. The same is true of promissory notes (pagaré), which, like bills of exchange and cheques, are instruments enforceable by law. If unpaid, they are recorded in the registry of unpaid acceptances (RAI, Registro de Aceptationes Impagadas). Attached to the Centre for Interbank Cooperation, the RAI is the country's most important registry. It records all commercial payment defaults of over €300, thus allowing banks and other deposit institutions to verify a company's payment record before extending credit.
In contrast, bills of exchange are rarely used commercially. In the event of defaults, they offer creditors certain safeguards, including access to special collection proceedings with instruments for negotiation under the civil procedures code (juicio cambiario). Bills of exchange that have been guaranteed by a bank can be somewhat difficult to obtain, but they do limit the risk of payment default by offering creditors recourse to the endorser of the bill of exchange.
Electronic transfers via the SWIFT network, widely used by Spanish banks, are a fast, fairly reliable and cheap payment instrument, provided the purchaser orders payment in good faith. If the buyer fails to order a transfer, the legal recourse is to institute ordinary proceedings, based on the unpaid invoice. Banks in Spain have also been implementing SEPA standards for euro-denominated payments.
Debt collection
Unless there are special clauses included in the commercial contract, the applicable rate of interest is that applied by the European Central Bank in its most recent refinancing operation (performed prior to the first calendar day of the half year concerned), with an additional eight percentage points. The rate is published by the Finance Minister every six months, in the Boletín Oficial del Estado. The statute of limitations for ordinary claims is five years.
Amicable phase
There are no formalities or conditions for the dispatch of a reminder to the debtor, but it is advisable to send a claim to the debtor first. The creditor can obtain guarantees for the payment of the debt.
Legal proceedings
If no settlement agreement is reached with the customer, the creditor can initiate a legal collection process, using civil procedure law (ley de Enjuiciamento civil).
Exchange proceedings
Exchange proceedings are used for claims based on bills of exchange, promissory notes and cheques. A judge of the first instance (juzgado de primera instancia) verifies that the 'exchange title' has been correctly implemented and then orders the debtor to make payment of both the principal amount and the late interests and costs, within ten days. The judge will also order a seizure for security (embargo preventivo) on the debtor's assets, equivalent to the outstanding amount. The debtor has ten days to dispute the ruling.
If there is no payment received or opposition within the prescribed time, the judge will order enforcement measures. If necessary, the judicial representative will carry out attachment. When claims are contested, a court hearing is held to examine both parties' arguments and a judgement should be handed down within ten additional days. Although this is time frame that is prescribed under Spanish law, it is rarely adhered to by the courts.
Ordinary proceedings
In addition to the juicio cambiario, creditors unable to reach a payment settlement out of court can enforce their rights through a civil procedure (juicio declarativo). Civil procedures are divided into ordinary proceedings (juicio ordinario) for claims of over €6,000 and oral proceedings (juicio verbal) – a more simplified system – for smaller claims. Both proceedings are initiated with a lawsuit served on the debtor.
The claimant is required to explain the facts of his claim and provide all supporting documents – either originals, or copies that have been certified by a public notary – on filing its initial petition. Prior to the investigation of the case, the judge will summon the parties during a first hearing (audiencia previa), using ordinary proceedings, to encourage a conciliation. If this is unsuccessful, the lawsuit will be pursued. The court can then order specific measures to clarify issues or facts that remain unclear, before passing judgment.
Monitory proceedings (Juicio monitorio)
For monetary, liquid and overdue claims, whatever the outstanding amount (previously limited to up to €250,000), creditors can now benefit from a more flexible summary procedure. The filing of a petición inicial is directly submitted to the judge of first instance (juzgado de primera instancia) where the debtor is located. After reviewing the supporting documents, the judge can order the debtor to pay within 20 days.
If the debtor does not respond, the judicial representative will inform the judge and request confirmation of the decision in favour of the initial request. The judicial representative then hands down a ruling confirming the conclusion of monitory proceedings, which is transmitted to the creditor. This allows the creditor to contact the Enforcement Office for the next phase. If the debtor disputes the ruling and provides motivated arguments for this within a written statement signed by a barrister and a solicitor, a full trial on the case will be instigated.
Enforcement of a Legal Decision
When all appeal venues have been exhausted, domestic court decisions become enforceable. If the debtor fails to satisfy the judgment within 20 days, the Court Clerk, upon request, can seek out the debtor's assets and seize them.
Decisions on foreign awards rendered by EU countries benefit from enforcement conditions, such as EU Payment orders and the European Enforcement Order. Judgements rendered by non-EU countries are recognised and enforced, provided that the issuing country is party to a bilateral or multilateral agreement with Spain. If no such agreement is in place, Spanish exequatur proceedings will be followed.
Insolvency Proceedings
Pre-insolvency proceedings
A debtor has the possibility of negotiating a formal refinancing agreement (acuerdo de refinanciacion formal) with his creditors. This agreement must be signed by the court. Within this agreement, the parties are free to write off as much of the debt as they deem necessary.
Bankruptcy proceedings
Bankruptcy proceedings are launched by filing a petition for an insolvency order. After examination of the petition, the judge makes an insolvency order. Creditors are expected to notify their claims within one month of publication of the insolvency order. The court appoints an insolvency manager, who examines the debtor's financial situation and establishes a report on its debts. If there is no opposition to the report, the insolvency manager submits the final version to the judge. The judge subsequently orders the commencement of the arrangement phase with its repayment schedule, viability plan and alternative proposals for repayment.
During these proceedings, the debtor may file for liquidation:
- upon petition of the debtor, at any time;
- when the debtor is no longer able to make the scheduled payments or the obligations incurred, as defined in the arrangement;
- upon petition of a creditor, for breach of the arrangement;
- upon petition of the judicial administration, upon termination of professional or commercial activity.
The judicial administration draws up a liquidation plan in order to realise (sell) the assets, consisting of the bankruptcy estate, which is submitted to the judge for approval.
Liquidation in Spain aims to sell the company's assets. During this phase, the company retains its legal persona. Liquidators are appointed to execute the process and they can also take over the function of administrative body and company representative.
The liquidator cannot redistribute the company's assets among its associates until all of its creditors have been paid and payment demands against the company have been settled. Aggrieved creditors can contest transactions that they believe may have taken place illegally during the allocation of the assets.


text:
adirago needed a new print or packaging design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 42 designs submitted by 14 freelance designers.
Dismount Creative
Dismount Creative offers social DIY experiences in Houston area bars, boutiques and coffee shops. No experience required, no materials needed, no commitments. Bring your friends or come meet some new ones. Cool, modern crafts for cool, modern women. Our projects are inspired by the latest in fashion and culture. At the end of the night you'll have an awesome new piece to take home. Our class offerings are constantly expanding- at this time our classes include jewelry making, beading, glass etching, metal stamping, paper crafting, block printing, fabric stenciling and making body products.
In addition, Dismount Creative offers private parties. Our events are perfect for baby showers, wedding showers, bachelorette parties, birthdays and more. We also work with brides on projects to create a special, personal touch for their wedding.
Our customers are primarily professional women between 20 - 40 years old. They often spend weekday evenings and weekends with friends, socializing over dinners and drinks. They are interested in fashion and design and keeps up to date with the latest trends through magazines and blogs. Many of our customers don't consider themselves 'crafty' or 'creative'.
I want a 4x6 postcard flyer, front and back. It will be distributed by hand, not mailed.
I'd like the design to be fresh, modern and fun. Vibrant and graphic, but sophisticated. I do not prefer the 'nightclub flyer' style designs. You do not need to restrict yourself to the colors in the logo.
I imagine one side showcasing some photos of projects with the bulk of the text and information on the back, however I'm open to anything that looks good. Please see the files attached for the logo (there are two versions) and some pictures of projects. You don't need to use them all.
Please feature the website address, http://www.dismountcreative.com, prominently.
Please try to include the text below:
*Dismount Creative offers social craft classes all around Houston. No experience required, no materials needed, no commitments. Bring your friends or come meet some new ones. Cool, modern crafts for cool, modern women. Come, enjoy a cocktail (or coffee!) and create something beautiful with us. At the end of the night you'll have an awesome new piece to take home.
*Customize your own jewelry, home accents, stationary, body care products and more. Keep them for yourself, or make them as a gift.
*Visit our website to see what classes are coming up!
*Save 10% off your class with the code LAUNCH!
*Gift certificates and private parties are available.


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War for Sake of the Elves
This article describes a concept which is mentioned in J.R.R. Tolkien's works, but was never given a definite name.
|Previous war: First War with Melkor
|Next war: Wars of Beleriand
|War for Sake of the Elves
|Beginning: Y.T. 1090
|End: Y.T. 1100
|Place: North of Aman, northwest Middle Earth
|Outcome: Decisive victory for the Valar, Downfall and Chaining of Melkor
|Major battles: Battle of the Powers,Siege of Utumno
|Valarian forces of Aman
|Melkor and his servants
The War for Sake of the Elves was fought by the Valar, under orders from Manwë, the Elder King, against Melkor to liberate the newly-awakened Elves from his influence. It culminated in the near-apocalyptic Siege of Utumno, where Melkor was captured, enchained, and imprisoned for three ages of the world.
[edit] Prelude
Melkor ruined the Two Lamps that gave light to the worlds. The Valar held council among themselves and spoke of the coming Children of Ilúvatar, who first would be the Elves. Yavanna noted that the time of their arrival was unknown and they should not leave the lands of their future dwelling unprotected. Tulkas likewise agreed with the necessity of immediate action.[1]
Manwë bid Mandos to speak, and he replied that the Children shall come in this age, and the Firstborn will walk under the stars. Varda then created other stars to help to light the world for the coming of the Elves. Using silver dews from Telperion, she created many new stars, including Wilwarin, Telumendil, and others. As a challenge to Melkor, high in the north, she hung the seven stars that make up the Sickle of the Valar. After Varda's long effort, the Elves, awoke in the starlight by the shores of Cuiviénen, the Water of Awakening.[1]
While Oromë conducted his hunting trips on his great steed Nahar, he heard the newly-born Elves singing. He met them and spent time among them, and yet perceived the influence of Melkor among them, as they were afraid of him. Oromë reported these findings to the Elder King, who once again called a gathering of all the Valar, even the far-off Ulmo. He then proclaimed that they "should take up again the mastery of Arda at whatever cost, and deliver the Quendi from the shadow of Melkor".
[edit] The War Begins: The Battle of the Powers
The titanic conflict between the Valar and Melkor now began in earnest, with the Host of the Valar confronting the Host of Melkor, who would ever remember that this war was begun for the Elves' sake, and it would be burned in his memory. The hosts first clashed in the North-west of Middle Earth, and that region was battered and broken by this collision. The Valar quickly prevailed, driving Melkor off.
The Elves heard little of the details of the battle. They could feel the earth creaking and groaning under them, and saw bright lights in the North, like those of great fires.[1]
[edit] The Siege of Utumno
Melkor retreated to his great underground fortress of Utumno. There the Valar besieged him for years, and fought many battles before its gates. It was during this time that the contour of Middle Earth was changed, with the Great Sea being widened. The Bay of Balar was carved out, and the great river Sirion came into being. The northern highlands of Hithlum and Dorthonion, sources of Sirion, were raised up as new mountain ranges. The far north was laid waste, as the Valar's power descended into the deep pits of Utumno. In the end, the pits and halls were unroofed, and Tulkas wrestled Melkor and cast him down, and bound him with the powerful chain Angainor.
[edit] Aftermath
The Valar, while very powerful, were not omniscient. They failed to find some of the deepest chambers under Utumno and Angband, and Morgoth's lieutenant Sauron was never captured. Some Balrogs and other evil creatures hid there, and others dispersed to the far edges of the earth, the Valar's strength too depleted from the lengthy siege to pursue and destroy them. The Valar dragged Melkor back to Valinor for judgment before Manwë, in the Ring of Doom.
In the Ring of Doom, Melkor laid upon his face and begged for mercy from Manwë, but his prayers were denied. He was cast into the prison of Mandos for three ages, after which he would be brought before Manwë once more. The Valar gathered in council once again, and it was decided, after some debate, to summon the Quendi (Elves) to Valinor to preserve them from evil influence. Oromë chose ambassadors to accompany him back to Valinor, where they beheld the glory of the Two Trees. Then the Great Journey began.[1]


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The Priwen Series by CoverON. A two-piece hybrid case with the ease and convenience of a fold out kickstand.
CoverON's Priwen Series
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InnoDB: Starting with InnoDB 1.1 with MySQL 5.5, concurrent access to the buffer pool is faster. Operations involving the flush list, a data structure related to the buffer pool, are now controlled by a separate mutex and do not block access to the buffer pool.
InnoDB: The mutex known as the log sys mutex has historically done double duty, controlling access to internal data structures related to log records and the LSN, as well as pages in the buffer pool that are changed when a mini-transaction is committed. Starting in InnoDB 1.1 with MySQL 5.5, these two kinds of operations are protected by separate mutexes, with a new
log_bufmutex controlling writes to buffer pool pages due to mini-transactions.
InnoDB: Starting in
InnoDB1.1 with MySQL 5.5, the asynchronous I/O capability that
InnoDBhas had on Windows systems is available on Linux systems. (Other Unix-like systems continue to use synchronous I/O calls.) This feature improves the scalability of heavily I/O-bound systems, which typically show many pending reads/writes in the output of the command
If there is a problem with the asynchronous I/O subsystem in the OS that prevents
InnoDBfrom starting, the new
innodb_use_native_aiosystem variable, which is enabled by default, can be disabled at startup. This variable applies to Linux systems only, where the MySQL server now has a dependency on the
Performance; InnoDB: The redo scan during
InnoDBrecovery used excessive CPU. The efficiency of this scan was improved, significantly speeding up crash recovery. For additional details, see Optimizing InnoDB Configuration Variables. (Bug #49535, Bug #29847)
Performance; InnoDB:
InnoDBpage-freeing operations were made faster for compressed blocks, speeding up
DROP TABLE, and other operations on compressed tables that free compressed blocks. One symptom of the older behavior could be 100% CPU use during these operations. (Bug #35077)
InnoDB: The AIX implementation of
InnoDBerrors. (Bug #50691)
InnoDB: The limit of 1023 concurrent data-modifying transactions has been raised. The limit is now 128 × 1023 concurrent transactions that generate undo records. You can remove any workarounds that require changing the proper structure of your transactions, such as committing more frequently or delaying DML operations to the end of a transaction.
The limit of 1023 concurrent data-modifying transactions was due to a bottleneck with the InnoDB rollback segment. Previously, a single rollback segment supported 1023 transactions that perform writes. The single rollback segment is now divided into 128 segments, each of which can support up to 1023 transactions that perform writes, for a total of approximately 128K concurrent transactions. Read-only transactions do not count against that maximum.
Each transaction is assigned to one of the rollback segments, and remains tied to that rollback segment for the duration. This enhancement improves both scalability (higher number of concurrent transactions) and performance (less contention when different transactions access the rollback segments).
If upgrading to from MySQL 5.1 or earlier, do a slow shutdown before upgrading or some time afterward to take advantage of this feature. InnoDB makes the required changes inside the system tablespace automatically, the first time you restart after performing a slow shutdown. (Bug #26590)
A unique index on a column prefix could not be upgraded to a primary index even if there was no primary index already defined. (Bug #51378)
InnoDBdid not reset table
AUTO_INCREMENTvalues to the last used values after a server restart. (Bug #49032)
When using the
EXAMPLEstorage engine, when the engine had been built as a plugin (instead of built in), and DTrace probes had been enabled during the build, loading the storage engine library failed due to a missing object table entry.


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Inside Apple's new Mac mini ServerWhile Appleinsider predicted the arrival of a new dual-drive, optical-free Mac mini, Apple managed keep secret its plans to introduce a new Mac mini server bundle up to its relatively subtle launch this week. Now the company faces the task of publicizing its availability as it works to enter a market it hasn't excelled at in the past.
The new Mac mini server offering isn't just optimized to run Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server, but now actually comes bundled with Apple's server operating system software. Previously, home and small business users who wanted to try Snow Leopard Server needed to shell out $500 for the retail box version or opt for an Xserve bundle, which starts at $3000 and requires either a server rack or a sizably awkward 17"x30" of free space.
Prior to Snow Leopard, the unlimited user version of Mac OS X Server cost $999; that's what the unlimited user version now costs with the Mac mini server thrown in for free. The server version of the new Mac mini drops the optical drive to make room for two 500GB, 5400 RPM 2.5" (laptop style) SATA hard drives. It also supplies a capable 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processor and 4GB of fast 1066 MHz DDR3 RAM (expandable to 8GB). This is all fit into the same 6.5" square, 2" high Mac mini enclosure, which weighs in at just 2.9 pounds.
Compared to the conventional, high end model of the revamped Mac mini lineup, you get three times the disk storage (without a built-in optical drive) for just $200 more. So essentially, Apple is now giving away Snow Leopard Server in the Mac mini server bundle just as the company always has on the Xserve. For the first time ever, this provides Apple with an entry-level server to position at the home server niche and relatively sizable small business market.
Mac vs generic PC in the mini server category
Compared to other small form factor PC servers, the Mac mini server supplies a far more powerful processor than the low-powered Atom or Celeron found in many mini computers such as the $350 Asus Eee Box (which is not sold as a server nor really designed to perform like one). That machine also supplies slower DDR2 RAM, lacks the Mac mini's FireWire 800 for fast external expansion, and hard drives top out at 180 GB.
Most importantly however, low cost small PCs typically ship with Windows XP Home in order to cut costs. That means to do "server" things, you'll have to spend at least $460 on Amazon's "Microsoft Small Business Server Standard 2003 R2 32-bit for System Builders," which includes a five user license. Licensing for additional users costs between $50 to $60 each, or can be purchased in blocks of five for $150.
Small Business Server Standard combines a copy of Windows Server 2003 with a version of Exchange Server (for calendaring, contacts and email messaging); Microsoft's Internet Information Services (web server); Windows SharePoint Services (for collaboration); Routing and Remote Access Service (for dialup access, VPN, routing, and NAT services); Windows Server Update Services (for update management across the network); and a fax server.
Microsoft's "Small Business" bundle is designed to serve small office needs without encroaching on the company's larger server business, where it makes its money. For this reason, the Small Business bundle is restricted in various ways. You can only run one instance of it on the same domain (so you can't buy and set up multiple Small Business Servers to run on the same network); it's limited from joining other domains (such as your larger corporate directories); it can only support a maximum of 75 users; and some features are artificially limited in various ways, such as the Exchange database being fixed to no larger than 18GB. That means if you have 20 users, each person's mailbox and calendar would have to be less than 1GB. The 2003 version is also limited to running 32-bit apps only and to using 4GB of RAM.
If you opt for the latest 2008 version of Small Business Server Standard, you have to shell out at least $760 for the first five users, but it allows you to run 64-bit apps and use up to 64GB RAM. Of course, all 64-bit editions of Windows require 64-bit hardware, so SBS 2008 won't run on a low end Atom, Celeron, or Core Duo processors used in most small form factor PCs.
SBS 2008 still imposes the same bundle restrictions however (along with some new ones, such as not being able to use it directly connected to the Internet as a router without an external firewall), so for unlimited, unrestricted use you'd need the full version of Windows Server, Exchange, and SharePoint, which immediately prices you out of the mini server category, as even the licensing for five users begins at a steep $5,900 and quickly inches up to $20,000 for a single server supporting 100 users.
In comparison, the version of Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server bundled on the Mac mini is the same as you'd get at retail or on an Xserve. Like Microsoft's Small Business Server package, Snow Leopard Server bundles both core server features (DNS, DHCP, directory services, and file and print sharing services with support for Macs, Windows, and other Unix/Linux clients); calendar, chat and email services (with mobile push messaging and calendaring support); web and web-based wiki, blog, and calendar collaboration features; routing, firewall, RADIUS, and VPN services; and client machine backups, software update, and group policy management features.
Mac OS X Server also supplies some unique features of its own, including Podcast Producer for automating video editing workflows from capture to delivery; Xgrid distributed processing; QuickTime Streaming Server for broadcasting media streams; and NetBoot/NetInstall for supporting diskless workstations and remote imaging client machines. The product is not restricted to a certain number of users, and any number of Mac mini servers can be set up on the same network, participate in any number of directory domains, and services can consume as much disk space as the hardware allows. Key services are also 64-bit across the board in Snow Leopard Server.
In contrast, Microsoft's lower cost appliance offering, called Windows Home Server, only offers basic file, web, backup, and media streaming services, not all the things a small office user would want to do.
On page 2 of 3: Apple's fledgling small server business.


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Undergraduate contributors are from Brown University unless otherwise indicated. If you you know of anyone whose name has been omitted, or if you have something you would like to see appear in the Victorian Web, please contact george at landow.com; replace "at" by "@."
Other Contributors
Last modified 14 May 2006


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Yahoo's new company Hortonworks: all Hadoop all the time
Yahoo spins off Hadoop into the new company Hortonworks. Can it compete against other established and emerging big data vendors such as Cloudera, DataStax, MapR and LexisNexis?
Yahoo, seeking to capitalize on the big buzz around "big data" and cloud computing, yesterday spun off a new business zeroing in on its development of the open source tools Apache Hadoop.
Hortonworks, formed with the venture capital firm Benchmark Capital, will focus on advancing the open source software's current framework. Hadoop has grown increasingly popular because of its cloud computing technology and its ability to process and store large amounts of data coming from semi-structured and unstructured as well as structured sources. The new company will also offer support for businesses and vendors alike. Yahoo and Benchmark Capital have not disclosed how much each company invested in the new business.
A formal announcement is expected to come later today at the Hadoop Summit, being held in Santa Clara, Calif. One of the summit presenters, Eric Baldeschwieler, has already been named the chief executive officer of Hortonworks, according to a release that surfaced yesterday. Baldeschwieler, who is slated to talk about the past and the future of Hadoop at the summit, was formerly the vice president of software engineering for the Hadoop team at Yahoo. He will be joined at Hortonworks by about 25 others, including several Yahoo employees and core Hadoop architects and developers.
"We anticipate that within five years, more than half the world's data will be stored in Apache Hadoop," Baldeschwieler said in a press release. "We've assembled a top-caliber team committed to the Apache open source community and with the technology and business expertise to deliver value to the big data market."
Although an open source community of engineers and architects have had their hands in developing Hadoop, Yahoo has been its true pioneer and the largest contributor to the project, developing about 70% of the code. In return, Hadoop has been instrumental in managing Yahoo's voluminous data, which runs on 42,000 servers and delivers content to nearly 700 million customers worldwide, according to the Hortonworks website.
"Apache Hadoop has been and will continue to be an important area of investment for Yahoo," Jay Rossiter, senior vice president of Yahoo's cloud platform group, said in a press release. "The creation of Hortonworks will enable Yahoo to leverage a commercial partnership in addition to our continued internal investment to accelerate the evolution of the technology and its use to power Yahoo's business."
Is it time for another look at Hadoop?
Yahoo's decision to spin off Hortonworks will add fuel to the emerging market for enterprise-grade Hadoop distributions, however, potential customers of the new company need to proceed cautiously, according to one industry analyst.
With Hortonworks, Yahoo has effectively become one of the biggest names in the Hadoop business, said James Kobielus, a senior data management analyst with Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research Inc. But Yahoo also lacks the experience of a veteran commercial software vendor.
"Yahoo has been a Web 2.0 pure play from the start and now they're getting into the products business," Kobielus said. "Can Yahoo manage an actual software product group? They're unproven, so that remains to be seen."
End users can expect the market for enterprise-grade Hadoop to heat up in the coming months as new vendors like Hortonworks enter the market and established vendors like Cloudera, DataStax and MapR continue to develop and launch new products, Kobielus added.
In fact, just today Cloudera rolled out new tools for Cloudera Enterprise 3.5, which beefs up its data management offerings, and Cloudera SCM, claiming to provide easy installment and configuration for a complete Hadoop-based stack. MapR also announced new partnerships with several companies to help leverage big data analytics.
"We're going to see a glut of these kinds of vendors until there is the inevitable shakeout," he said. "For end users, this means that they need to take a renewed look at Hadoop for addressing problems that [are usually handled by] data warehouse and analytics vendors like Teradata and Oracle and IBM."
The competition to become the tool for big data management and analytics stretches beyond the world of Hadoop. Earlier this month, LexisNexis Risk Solutions said it will make its High Performance Computing Cluster (HPCC) open source and serve as a Hadoop competitor. Armando Escalante, the chief technology officer for LexisNexis, said the multiparallel batch processing engine known as Thor will run queries four times faster than Hadoop.
Kobielus expects Hortonworks to begin offering products or services within the next six to nine months.
"They're going to remain fully open source in that all development done by Hortonworks will be contributed back to the Apache Hadoop community," he said.


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Based in Koblenz, Germany, and still run by founder Roman Arnold, Canyon is the largest direct-sales bike company in the world.
Many such companies simply rebadge off-the-peg Taiwanese and Chinese frames, but Canyon boasts its own test lab and frame development process; its bikes are therefore unique to the marque.
And because they're sold direct, they boast an unusual combination of high performance and value for money. The Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 7.0 Di2, for example, has an aero frame and Shimano Ultegra electronic shifting for £3,299. At a more down-to-earth price, the Endurace CF 8.0 has a carbon frame and full Shimano 105 group for £1,299.
Canyon has long been involved with racing and currently supplies bikes to the Movistar and Katusha teams. In 2009 it provided bikes for the Silence Lotto team of Cadel Evans, who that year won the world championship. In 2014 Movistar's Nairo Quintana won the Giro d'Italia aboard Canyon bikes.
On May 2, 2015 British time trial specialist Alex Dowsett rode a Canyon Speedmax WHR prototype to a new UCI Hour Record of 52.937km.
Great all-round package backed up by a frameset that is fun to ride
Great speed, handling and comfort but not as versatile as other gravel bikes
A commuting bike that does so much so well, but it is compromised by a practical but less than exciting drivetrain


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By Kelly Lanfranca
In 2007, pregnant for the first time, I knew I wanted one thing: continuity of care. Based on the experiences of those around me, I had formed the opinion that birth was a medical event. Therefore I had determined that the only option for us was to find a private obstetrician to ensure continuity of care and that ever-so-important medical expertise. I wish that back then someone would have told me that the decisions you make for your first birth will affect you for the rest of your life. I wish that someone would have told me that although birth is one day is still requires a lot of preparation. My first pregnancy ended in an elective c-section because we were told that baby was too big and too high and a natural birth was just not going to happen. My second pregnancy ended in an emergency c-section because after spontaneously going into labour I was told that our baby was distressed and I was not progressing. It felt wrong, and I felt robbed.
Then came 2011, and alas we were fortunate enough to be having a third child. I was annoyed that I had let the system dictate my first two births and adamant that it was not happening again. I had read that statistically your chances of a vaginal birth after c-section were higher in a public hospital, so I started there. I called the local public hospital's antenatal clinic and set out my story, I'd had 2 possibly unnecessary c-sections, was planning a vaginal birth, and didn't want any trouble. They put me in touch with a caseload midwife who was eager to take me on, I was told this was my best bet. I was excited, this time would be different. I had also read that statistics show having a Doula decreases intervention rates and increases positive outcomes, so I was certain we needed Jacinda, an acupuncturist and Doula who I met during my second pregnancy.
At 18 weeks I received a phone call from my caseload midwife advising that the team had agreed that I would be fighting an uphill battle against hospital policy and procedure to have the birth I wanted. She arranged an appointment with a public obstetrician to "seek permission" for a trial of labour. I called Jacinda, flabbergasted and afraid that I'd never find someone who would believe that I was capable of giving birth. She suggested we look into homebirth, an idea way out of my comfort zone. I agreed to speak to a couple of independent midwives, but we also decided to meet with the public obstetrician to hear what he had to say.
I spoke to four independent midwives about homebirth, about my c-sections, about the risks of repeat c-section versus the risks of vaginal birth, and I could not believe how supported I felt. They all gave me the impression that I was perfectly capable of giving birth, that I was not insane for wanting to try. When I saw the public obstetrician however, he could not understand why I wished to deliver my baby vaginally. He agreed that there were a number of risks of repeat c-section, he stated that my first two c-sections were down to "Dr having a holiday booked and just bad luck", he even informed me that I had a "favourable pelvis for childbirth". In conclusion he said he would allow a trial of scar but with conditions and that if he was not on duty on the day I went into labour, no other obstetrician there would agree to this.
Mark and I knew that if we stuck with the hospital, we would end up with another c-section. But we still weren't entirely comfortable about the idea of giving birth at home, so we asked an independent midwife to come and meet with us. Hazel was passionate about VBAC in particular and after chatting with us for a couple of hours and answering every fathomable question with a well researched and evidence based answer, she had us buzzing with excitement. We were going to do this, we were going to bring a child into the world in our home! We went to see our beloved, trusted GP to tell him the plan and his response was "Oh no, you can't do that, your uterus doesn't work, you need to have another c-section." I laughed it off.
A few weeks later Hazel called to say her family had to relocate to Orange and she could no longer be our midwife. I was now about 22 weeks and panicking, what if we couldn't find another midwife? I met Emma and instantly loved everything she stood for, her passion, her energy, her intelligence, and her faith in the human body. PLEASE BE MY MIDWIFE!! It turned out that Emma worked as part of a Private Practice of Midwives, and when you book with them you have a second midwife attend the birth. I loved the idea of this, there is safety in numbers after all. Melanie would be my second midwife.
The rest of my pregnancy was a dream. Prenatal visits with Emma were relaxed, we talked about any concerns we had and made plans for the birth. Finally, here was the continuity of care I had longed for since 2007, this was bliss. Jacinda and I talked through my fears, came up with coping strategies, and prepared for birth. My confidence was now at 100%, I had found a birth team who believed in and supported me. We went to a local GP to get a script for some medication (syntocinon just in case, etc) and he lectured us about homebirth being far too risky and that babies were not consumable goods that you could just throw away and try again. We laughed that off too.
At 41 weeks I developed terrible back pain and Melanie told me that the baby had turned around and was now posterior. Excellent. On Saturday night I had a show and the following day, I woke in the morning feeling like something was starting. I had mild contractions throughout the day and night, and then it stopped. And then nothing. Emma came to visit on Monday, and she said that the baby now appeared to be anterior, so she suggested that the early labour I had experienced was just to help turn the baby around.
A contraction woke me at 3am Tuesday morning, it was now Hunter's second birthday. By 6:30am, they were so strong that I could no longer lie in bed. They were coming about every 7 minutes and I just had to move through them. We had made plans to take the boys out for Hunter's birthday but I stayed home and laboured alone. I was quite tired, so I tried to get some rest. Lying down slowed the contractions, so I knew that it was still early. Each time one came I just had to get up, it was involuntary. I would either hop up onto my hands and knees and swing my hips in a circle, or stand at the ensuite sink and sway. I had decided that soften, open, release were to be my key words, so with each contraction I would take a deep breath through my nose and on the exhale I would say those three words.
After a couple of hours in the bedroom, I needed a change of scenery, it just wasn't working for me anymore. I decided some fresh air would be nice so I went out into the back yard. When a contraction came I would pace Mark's beautiful garden, and I would look at the plants, the water fountain and the Buddha while breathing and saying soften, open, release. This was so calming and refreshing, just what I needed. But then the silence of the house became deafening, so I went in and turned some music on, and then with each contraction I would dance around. Finally my boys came home, and as much as I enjoyed the time alone, I was so happy to see them. We had lunch together and then put them down for a nap.
Now it was time to try a bath. Again the contractions slowed right down and it was lovely just to get some rest after spending so long pacing and dancing! After 45 minutes my three year old burst into the bathroom declaring that he needed to do a poo, the moment was lost, and I got out. I found that pacing around the dining table furiously shaking my hands was a good way to distract myself from the pain. On some occasions, Mark would hold an ice pack to the small of my back while I swayed through contractions and this felt good, but I needed more of a distraction. I decided to cook some Bolognese sauce, Hunter loved pasta and it was his birthday after all. So at around 4pm I started grating carrot, capsicum, onion and mushroom to make a healthy dinner. By now I'd stopped timing contractions, it was too consuming.
Jacinda had told me that sometimes it's not the regularity of contractions that indicates a woman has reached established labour, but her demeanour between contractions. So when I burst into tears at 530pm, we knew something was happening and Mark asked me to call Jacinda and Emma. Emma said I was sounding like I was doing very well and that I was now establishing and that she would come whenever I needed her to. During the ten minute conversation with Emma I had three powerful contractions and I realised how close together they now were. While this was going on, Mark was trying to get the boys fed, bathed and in bed an hour ahead of schedule, and he was successful!
Jacinda arrived shortly after 6pm and it felt so good to see a fresh face. We stayed in the bedroom, where I would rest on the floor between contractions and rock on the fit ball breathing through them. From the moment Jacinda arrived, I didn't once check the time. Mark joined us once the boys were in bed, and we realised we hadn't filled the pool yet nor did we know how long it would take, so off he went again!
It was just before dark when Jacinda suggested I get in the pool so we headed to the lounge room. Ah, the serenity. The heat of the water and the sensation against my skin was just what I needed. I was so incredibly relaxed. I decided it was time to call Emma, I needed to know that our baby was ok. When she arrived she was so discreet I hardly noticed, and I was so focused that I could barely acknowledge her. She observed me and checked the baby's heart rate and assured me that we were both doing really well.
I must say, I felt like a goddess. Here I was, laying in a pool, surrounded by gentle, caring people catering to my needs. I was constantly offered drinks, I was fanned, water was poured over me, cold compresses held to my face and neck, music played, and hot water added to the pool on request. There was no place in the world I would rather be. But then it started to get really hard. The breaks were shorter, the contractions were longer, the pain was more painful. At some point I started really chanting OPEN and OUT on the out breath and found that I could not handle the contraction without yelling these words. I also started banging the side of the pool with my hands, the motion seemed a good distraction from the pain.
The pain in my back became quite unbearable so Emma tried applying pressure, which really helped. Mark then got in the pool, as I kneeled on all fours he pressed hard on my back while Jacinda held my hands. A few times I complained that it was getting too hard and taking too long and Emma would reassure me that I was doing a fantastic job and making great progress.
Finally something started to change. It wasn't anything I had control over, but what my body did with contractions turned from coping through them to working with them. It was at this point that I asked Emma if we should check to see how dilated I was because I was afraid of pushing if I wasn't yet there. Emma was amazing. She told me to listen to my body, it knew what to do. She suggested we get through a few more contractions and if I wasn't sure she would check dilation. Only a few contractions later I felt my water break and Emma again reassured me that this was a sign of great progress and to just go with it. My body took over. My yelling OPEN and OUT during contractions suddenly turned to silent pushing, I could feel my pelvis opening up, feel my baby coming down. I felt the head emerging and I pushed and panted and pushed and panted, feeling myself stretch and stretch. Her head popped out and I had to breathe deep and wait for the next contraction, and her body was then born. My oh my what a strange feeling that was, I felt her kicking and twisting inside me as she wriggled out and I exclaimed "What the f*** is that?!"
It was 12:16am... "Sit back and pick up your baby!" Emma instructed. This two seconds lasted an eternity, and as I reached my hands into the water and lifted out my beautiful baby girl I was in absolute awe of what had just happened. She took her first breath in my arms with Mark right there with us. We confirmed that she was in fact a girl, and just sat there holding her, amazed by her, absorbing the moment. Mark went and got the boys out of bed. Emma suggested I get out of the pool, so holding my baby in my arms, I climbed out and onto the lounge. The cord had stopped pulsing so Mark clamped and cut it. Jordan was too tired to participate and wanted to go back to bed, but Hunter was mesmerised and refused to leave his sister's side.
I sat feeding Ava, trying to work with the contractions push the placenta out, but I just couldn't. I could feel myself fading and Emma and Melanie were starting to worry. An hour after Ava was born, Emma removed my placenta using controlled cord traction and then discovered that I had a third degree tear. It was recommended that we go to hospital to have it stitched, so Ava and I were dressed and packed into the car. Before dressing Ava, Emma weighed her. My 5 foot 2, 55kg body, had just given birth to a 4.54kg baby!
We got to hospital at about 3am. The obstetrician wanted to repair the tear under a general anaesthetic and I agreed. Emma stayed, taking care of Ava while I was under and bringing her to me in recovery. After several hours of declaring my intention to leave I was finally given scripts and instructions and signed a form to say I was leaving against medical advice, and I was at home in my own bed with my three beautiful children by lunch time. Bliss.
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. What an amazing experience. It felt so right. Yes I ended up in hospital, but I gave birth to a 4.54kg baby! How could I push that out and not need some stitches? I am so proud, I want to take my baby to every doctor who said I couldn't give birth and say "I did it!" I've recovered beautifully, my baby is now one week old and I am on top of the world. I am so incredibly thankful to have found Jacinda, Emma and Melanie and to have such an amazing supportive husband. All it took was for them to believe in me. I can't wait to do it all over again.
Published 31/8/12


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Hot Press Illustration Boards
by Crescent
The smoother surfaces of Crescent Hot Pressed Boards are designed primarily for marker, pen and ink techniques that may require sharper detail. Their non-porous smoothness allows pens to flow clean, sharp and uninterrupted across the board. They also work well as airbrush boards.
All Crescent Hot Pressed Boards have gray cores.
No. 200 has a smooth, high rag content surface and is heavy weight.
No. 201 has a smooth, high rag content surface and is medium weight.
No. 202 has a super smooth, high rag content surface. It's ideal for technical lettering, fine line pen and ink, and airbrush. It's medium weight.
No. 205 Has a smooth, high rag content surface. It's bright white and is heavy weight.
No. 215 has a smooth, high rag content surface. It's bright white and is medium weight.
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Product Questions and Answers
Are these acid-free?- Asked by Katie M. on 21-Oct-13
Even though these boards have a high rag content, they are not considered acid-free. However, the Crescent #110 is acid-free.- Answered by MisterArt on 22-Oct-13
Can you use pencil on Hot Press Illustration boards?- Asked by Syl on 03-Sep-13
The Hot Press Illustration boards are not suitable for pencil, they're only for markers, pens, or ink.- Answered by MisterArt on 05-Sep-13
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