text:
Liveblog: LG Press Conference
Feb 14, 2011, 5:04 AM by Rich Brome
updated Feb 14, 2011, 5:32 AM
Live from the official announcement of the Optimus 3D, and possibly other LG phones.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:51 AM: That's a wrap! Look for our hands-on with the Optimus 3D in a few minutes.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:46 AM: Now talking about YouTube exclusivity, just acknowledging there is some.... Some YouTube 3D features will only be available on LG phones for some time, but they can't say which features or for how long.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:44 AM: Optimus 3D is powered by OMAP 4, chip model 4430. Optimus Pad is powered by nVidia Tegra 8020.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:43 AM: ...on the Optimus 3D, that is.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:42 AM: A question was asked about resolution. 3D video is captured in 720p HD, 2D video can be captured in 1080p HD!
Feb 14, 2011, 5:38 AM: Prepared remarks over. Q&A time.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:38 AM: All of those apps look very nice, by the way.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:37 AM: Demo-ing YouTube, Google e-book reader, and Google Talk, including text chat and video chat.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:35 AM: 8.9-inch display, dual-core, 3D camera. Claimed to be thinner and lighter than competition, which seems to be Galaxy Tab, although they don't call it out by name.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:34 AM: Optimus Pad runs Android 3, obviously.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:29 AM: Making fun of the Galaxy Tab for being too small, and the iPad for being too big.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:28 AM: Now talking about the Optimus Pad.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:28 AM: (They didn't mention it on stage for some reason, but we found out from the LG booth reps that the YouTube partnership is exclusive to LG for a few months, 3-6... they wouldn't specify exactly.)
Feb 14, 2011, 5:26 AM: A dedicated 3D button on the side brings up a special 3D hub leading you to 3D video content, camera, and 3D games, three pre-loaded games from Gameloft.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:26 AM: The YouTube guy didn't share any new details.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:24 AM: Partnership with YouTube for seamless 3D video uploading. Also 3D video viewing from YouTube. YouTube executive now getting on stage.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:23 AM: Has HDMI 1.4 output for connecting directly to a 3D TV.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:23 AM: Talking now about the 3D camera. The viewfinder is 3D in real-time, and lets you adjust 3D depth effect with on-screen controls as you record.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:20 AM: They are playing the absolute goofiest promo videos. It's like a real-life version of bad anime. I hope for LG's sake they don't air these on US television.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:17 AM: Talking about speed of dual-core processor plus dual-channel architecture. Good benchmarks (although we conveniently can't read the names of the phones they're comparing against.) A video demo of faster web browsing.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:14 AM: More features: HDMI TV output, DLNA wireless video streaming.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:14 AM: 4.3-inch display, 3D video capturing and sharing to YouTube.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:13 AM: Optimus 3D has not just a 3D display, but "three Ds": dual-core, dual-memory, dual channel.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:12 AM: Talking about the benefits of dual-core processors, including HD video, better gaming, and faster web browsing.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:10 AM: Talking now about the Optimus Pad tablet.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:09 AM: Few details from the CEO on the Optimus 3D, more details in a minute from the product manager.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:07 AM: Here it is, the Optimus 3D, the first global smartphone with a true glasses-free 3D display.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:06 AM: Reviewing Optimus 2X with multi-core, and Optimus Black with better display.
Feb 14, 2011, 5:04 AM: The press conference just started.
I believe the Optimus 2X & 3D are GSM devices...but, did they mention if there will be any CDMA variants?
LG isn't known for bringing their flagship phones to the US market. That may change, but I would guess they'll have a different name, at least, the way the Optimus Pad is call...


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Offering the latest tough-love strategy to reduce the nation's debt, a panel of high-profile Republicans and Democrats on Wednesday recommended that Medicare beneficiaries pick up far more of their health care costs and the government substantially curb the amount both Medicare and Medicaid programs can grow in future years.
The panel, led by former Republican Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico and Alice Rivlin, the budget director under President Bill Clinton, also calls for a national debt-reduction sales tax of 6.5 percent, as well as changes in Social Security and income tax rates.
The debt reduction task force was created by the Bipartisan Policy Center, established by former congressional leaders of both parties. Its recommendations come a week after the chairmen of President Barack Obama's commission on controlling the national debt proposed increasing the age at which people qualify for Social Security to 68 by 2050.
Document: Restoring America's Future
Backers of the latest plan said they hoped it would spur a reluctant public and elected leaders to grapple with painful choices needed to get the country's spending under control. But others warned the political prospects of the plan seemed doubtful – particularly for some of the more far-reaching ideas, such as limiting the amount the government would spend on Medicare beneficiaries.
Right now, premiums account for 25 percent of the cost of Part B, or the physician component of the program, with the government paying the balance. The task force would increase beneficiaries' share to 35 percent.
In addition, starting in 2018, traditional Medicare would be turned into a "premium support" program that would limit the rate of increase of federal spending per beneficiary to one percent above the growth rate of the economy. Under such a plan, beneficiaries likely would pay more to stay in traditional fee-for-service Medicare though they could save money by getting coverage though private health plans that would compete against each other for business.
"I think the premium support is a feasible way of controlling costs," Rivlin said Wednesday at a press briefing.
Projected Health Care Savings By 2040
- $10 trillion: phasing out the tax exemption on employer-provided health benefits.
- $7 trillion: impact of premium support plan.
- $3 trillion: changing the way states and the federal government split the costs of Medicaid.
- $644 billion: new soda tax.
- $300 billion: medical malpractice reforms such as caps on damages.
- $123 billion: increasing Medicare premium costs for beneficiaries.
Source: Debt Reduction Task Force of the Bipartisan Policy Center
But this approach has never drawn much political support over the years. "It's hard to see either party embracing a full blown premium support plan," said Henry Aaron, a Brookings Institution expert who helped develop the idea in the mid-1990s. "The Democrats would be largely against it because of cuts in benefits and not enough Republicans would have a stomach for it. It would mean big benefit cuts and a substantial increase in out of pockets costs."
AARP Executive Vice President John Rother said his group would oppose premium support. Of the overall task force report, he said it "raises lots of questions because of how it shifts more costs to individuals."
The task force also recommends slowing the growth rate of Medicaid, the joint state-federal program for the poor and disabled. But the report did not provide any specifics other than saying the state and federal government should explore changing the way they split paying the cost of Medicaid.
In addition, the task force proposes phasing out by 2028 the tax exclusion on employer-provided health care benefits. The group also would eliminate the so-called Cadillac tax on high-cost plans, a provision of the new health law that takes effect in 2018. Taxing employee health benefits would generate about $10 trillion in savings by 2040, more than any other revenue generator, according to the report.
Labor unions have opposed eliminating the tax exemption on health benefits out of concern it would lead employers to provide stingier benefits, said Paul Ginsberg, president of the nonprofit Center for Studying Health System Change and a consultant to the task force.
Michael Cannon, a health policy expert at the libertarian Cato Institute, said the premium support change to Medicare would have greater ramifications than the ideas offered last week by the chairmen of Obama's commission. Their report recommended increasing cost-sharing for Medicare beneficiaries, but didn't specify an amount, and changing the way doctors and hospitals are paid to encourage more efficient care.
"You can fiddle with the price control formulas as much as you want, but the people whose incomes are determined by those formulas are probably going to carry the day," Cannon said. He said the plan's short-term political prospects were few.
Other recommendations:
* On Social Security, raise the amount of wages subject to payroll taxes now $106,800 — so that 90 percent would be covered, and "slightly" reduce the growth in benefits for the top 25 percent of beneficiaries.
* Establish only two income tax rates, 15 percent and 27 percent; end deductions for mortgage interest and charitable contributions, replacing them with 15 percent refundable credits, and lower the top corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 27 percent.
But the task force also veered sharply in the direction of reviving the economy and creating jobs with a recommendation for a payroll "tax holiday" in 2011 that would excuse employers and workers from paying the 12.4 percent tax into the Social Security Trust Fund.
Taking these and other steps, by 2020 federal spending would be reduced from a projected 26 percent of GDP to 23 percent, and the federal debt would be brought down below 60 percent of GDP, the task force said.

subset: commoncrawl


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We're building our future, with a new expansion to open in early 2016. Open, engaging, welcoming, and embracing, the expansion represents a transformative vision of the museum, offering new opportunities for diverse audiences to experience modern and contemporary art. Hear about what's in store for SFMOMA and our audiences in 2016 and beyond from Director Neal Benezra, artist Richard Serra, and other members of the SFMOMA community. — youtube.com
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Make-A-Wish Road Trip 2004
Posted on Thursday, November 4, 2004 by Ryan
Make-A-Wish Road Trip 2004
Words by Ryan Clements, Photos and Captions by Rob Meronek
Wednesday, November 3, 2004 @ 7:51am CT at Super 8 Inn in Mobile, Alabama
We got started a bit late yesterday, but it really didn't matter. The plan was to leave Skatepark at 9am, but Scotty called and said that he
was still waiting in the voting lines. I thought that was a legitimate excuse enough to not leave him, so we waited on The Body.
It was only Tuesday and we have until Friday to get to Southside Skatepark in Houston, Texas. When Scotty arrived at nearly 10am, the trek began.
I don't know how he managed to do it, but Jim went the wrong way from the Skatepark. That put Jim's car about 30 minutes behind ours, but
when we arrived at Tallahassee Skate Park in mid-afternoon, Jim pulled up next to the F-350 less than 10 minutes later.
Tallahassee Skate Park
I never pass Tallahassee without hitting up their free, cement, and public skate park. Did I also mention that there are no pad rules?
Thanks once again to the City of Tallahassee for creating a spot where skateboarders feel welcome. The session went down for about two hours.
We brought Svenson to film this entire mission, so I think that extended the session a bit because everyone wanted to get their stuff on tape.
If you like cement parks that aren't too huge, then this is the place for you. The quarter-pipes range from about 5' – 9' tall and all have
perfect steel coping. There's also a pyramid area and a bigger bowl. In addition, there are a couple of benches and ledges that you can
prop down in various spots.
Everything went great except for one unfortunate incident. Ian Gow folded his ankle and is yet to skate again. Hopefully it will be healed by Saturday for the demo at Southside Skatepark in Houston.
Thursday, November 4, 2004 @ 9:47am at Wellesley Inn & Suites in Austin, Texas
We were on the road by 8:30am yesterday morning, with a long-ass drive ahead of us. Having Rob Meronek along for the ride always makes
the time pass more quickly. He hooks up the laptop and we watch movies. Yesterday's feature presentations were Kill Bill and Super
Troopers. As the sun set and the temperature dropped, we arrived at Skatepark of Austin. Ironically, the Think team was scheduled
to do a demo, so we got to skate with Terrell Robinson, Daryl Angel, and Jake Nunn, with surprise guest, Neal Mims. The team was
headed by none other than Justin "Ears" Williams.
Skatepark of Austin
Skatepark of Austin has an amazing bowl...one of the best ever. It goes from 6' – 9' deep with a waterfall and both ends are layered
perfectly in masonite. The flat walls are wide and the corners have large radii, which makes them easier to grind through. The street
course has larger obstacles, but if you rip, then you'll have no problem on it. The best things there are the locals and hospitality,
who were all extremely friendly. Yann and Jamie are a couple of the coolest and most mellow owners that I have ever met. They took
care of the entire crew and today they're going to take us to some local spots. In addition, they reserved rooms for us at the local
hotel – they're suites with kitchens and separate bedrooms. Time to go skate.
Friday, November 05, 2004 @ 9:03am at Wellesley Inn & Suites in Austin, Texas
Yesterday was full on skateboarding at its finest. The first stop was this hip under an office building. It's one of those buildings where the parking is actually on the ground level under the building and the offices begin on the 2nd floor. To make the situation even better, it's completely vacant. The way that the parking lot is paved forms a perfect hip, basically a mellow mold of what you have at your local skate park. There was a lawn service guy parked right in front of it when we drove up and it took some coercing to get him to move, but he finally conceded. Then, the owner of the property arrived to give us permission to skate and had some of the locals take a look at a few photos. Apparently some kids had spray painted a bunch of graffiti on the brick walls. That's a super-lame move to pull and a great way to ruin a perfect skate spot. Fortunately, the owner is cool...a lot cooler than most people out there, especially considering that his property got disrespected. From the hip the caravan headed to the Banana Ramp.
The Banana Ramp
Thanks once again to Yann and Jamie from Skatepark of Austin. They were our personal tour guides yesterday. We cruised through an average looking neighborhood and then came upon a not-so-average looking ramp. The Banana Ramp is the original reason that we are in Austin in the first place. I saw a photo of it in Thrasher a few months back and then Jon Comer was telling me about it. After hearing how gnarly it was, I figured that we had to go. The ramp is definitely one-of-a-kind. The photos won't do it any justice at all. It goes from about 5' – 10' in varying heights and 80% of it has custom-molded and poured pool coping. What I'm trying to say is that they designed and made their own pool coping, and it's really, really good. There are three corners and two hips, with quarter-pipes all over the decks. Normally I hate skating metal, but they did such a great job with it that the metal didn't even bother me. It has a totally ghetto look to it, but it's not ghetto at all. In fact, the ghetto look is what gives it its character. Thanks to Ron and Mike for letting us skate.
The Banana Ramp session went on and on and eventually wore everyone out, except for Chris Lehman. He was still skating when we were all packed in the truck and ready to go. We grubbed back at the hotel and some of us went out for a mellow evening session at Skatepark of Austin. Texas hold-em was the game of choice later in the hotel room, and then we were off to sleep. Now we're packing up and heading to Houston for the Jam. Our time spent here has been great and the scene in Austin is cool. From what I can tell, no one is 'too cool.' Every single skateboarder that I spoke to was friendly and totally down to skate. It's been a great experience – thanks for the good times.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004 @ 8:01am at My Office at Skatepark of Tampa
The Most Unique Pool I've Ever Skated
Yann gave us some directions to a pool out in the middle of nowhere. And when I say "out in the middle of nowhere," I really mean it. We drove on these two-lane state roads for miles and miles until we saw a state prison. It was weird seeing a state prison out in the cut, but it was there. Then it was right at Road X and left at Avenue Y and so on, and then get this...the last bit of the directions was, "Take a left at the gravel road, drive until you see a slab of cement, and then get out of your truck and follow the path. It will be self-explanatory from there." We took a couple of wrong turns, and at that point I know the kids were thinking, "What the hell is Clements doing?" Finally we came upon this old pit back in the woods. It was graffiti-ridden and rumor has it that the pool was once part of a country club for people in the Army (or something like that).
At first no one even grabbed their skateboards. Everyone just kind of walked around the pool saying, "No way. I can't believe this. What is this doing here?" I think we were all in some type of shock or something. Then the excitement hit. I think that the crew realized that we were about to skate a spot unlike any other we ever have. The pool was most unique because it was more street-like than anything – you really didn't need too much pool-riding skill to skate it. The deep end was primarily banks, and the top of the banks had a really, really tight tranny to grindable lip at the top. You could grind the face-wall or the sides where it was a bit more gnar. And then where it transitioned from deep to shallow it went to straight banks-to-wall that were it was total street-style wall rides. The shallow end was scattered with cement quarter-pipes and a crappy pyramid (but still fun), apparently constructed more recently by skateboarders. My favorite quarter was the one in the shallow end of the pool that had about a 3ft. transitions and went straight up to where you could grind the half-century old tile. They don't make them like they used to. Grinds were thrown and lines were filmed. Abdias aired out of the deep end bank all the way to the lip, landed fs 50/50, and did a fs grab in. The skating went down in the middle of the day, but the fall temperature was perfect and the humidity was low. That session will be one of the most memorable times in my life, except for when I go back next year.
8th Annual Make-A-Wish Texas Skate Jam
The drive from the pool in the middle of nowhere to Houston was a little over two hours. Jeffrey Marshall was waiting for us at Hobby Airport when we drove into S. Houston, so we grabbed him and headed over to Southside Skatepark. The park was packed and the skating was going off. There was a full-on snake session in the bowl and the street course was busy. You could just tell that something good was going down really soon. This year Brian Schaefer and I got a bit more involved with helping plan and organize the event and it seemed to work out better than ever. Instead of a two-day affair, the Jam was limited to one. It completely sold out to over 700 spectators well before the event and all of the preparations were properly made.
I tried to skate after we had our little meeting, but things didn't quite work out too well. I'm sure that I was worn out from the previous days' excitement, although at the time I was ignoring my lack of energy. My physical condition combined with my brand new wheels was a recipe for slamming, and that I did...right on my tailbone, just like the night before at Skatepark of Austin. Damn, I was over skating for the meantime, so I joined some fellow skateboarders at the strip bar next to our hotel. The only reason that I'm mentioning a strip bar is because it's B.Y.O.B. – that's worth a mention, right? Thanks to Flatline for the hospitality. The next morning came soon and I had to be at Southside early. Jeffrey Marshall was like, "Hey Ryan, can I go with you?" I was like, "To skate? At 8am?" He said, "Yes." I don't hang around 12-year-olds too often. So it was Schaefer, Jeffrey, and I and of course Jeffrey was the only one skating the course. I think that he skated from about 9am – 6pm that day...must be a great feeling. The Make-A-Wish Jam is a completely volunteer event for everyone. No one gets paid. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Everyone gives money to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. If you haven't ever heard of MAW, then here's the deal: What they basically do is fulfill wishes for really sick and dying kids. If you're 11-years-old and you have cancer and all you want to do is meet Tony Hawk, then Make-A-Wish makes that possible. From flying a little boy around the world to a simple trip to Wal Mart, MAW is making dreams possible. Good stuff and this Jam rose about $30k dollars for the Foundation.
The Bowl Jam
The Bowl Jam was first. Kyle Berard was killing it along with Mike Peterson. Chris Lehman aired out to 50/50 on an 8ft. ledge and jumped back fs grab into the bowl...super-gnar. Stew Graham from Scotland was on fire, too. Chaz Pineda from Black Label always catches my attention. He skates like a complete maniac and I think he's only like 15. Mike V. showed up late because he was signing autographs out front. When it was all said and done, first place went to Tony Trujillo who did a backside boneless about 7ft. out on the wall and threw down a bs air that was seriously 8ft. over the hip. The contest was over, but the skating went on all day.
Best Trick Contest #1
In between the video game contests, a poker game, and boxing matches were a couple of best trick contests. The winner of each one received a $5000 donation made to Make-A-Wish in their name (that's a good tax write-off). The first one took place on the big rail with a flat bar on top of it. As for the Honorable Mentions, Marius Syvanen did a kf back tail and Carlos de Andrade pulled a kf bs overcrooks (first try) up it while Alex Safier nailed a bs smith and Sean Connifer locked a kf feeble down it. Here's out the top three went down:
3. George Evans – Flatline – kf boardslide down 2. Dominique Johnson – Adio – kf crooks down 1. Terrell Robinson – Venture – bs overcrooks down and nollie heel back lip and nollie bigspin back lip up...whoa!
Best Trick Contest #2
The second best trick was on the center-piece area that consisted of a bank-to-bank next to an A-frame ledge – they were permitted to skate more of the obstacle in the contest, but no one really did. Tobee Parkhurst got an Honorable Mention for a tailslide 270 out on the A-frame. Joey Corey did a bs 180 to flat from the bank while Rodrigo Peterson spun a switch fs bigspin after time. Top three are as follows:
3. Nick Dom Pierre – Real – kf late shove-it (perfect) from the bank-to-bank 2. Ernie Torres – Real/Adio – nollie heelflip bs 360...damn 1. Jamie Thomas – Yep, The Chief himself was there...and killing it with a textbook kf bs 5-0 down the A-frame and a bs lip up to 5-0 down it. He also threw in a couple of nosegrinds in between.
Thanks - And Now It's All Over
Damian Hebert from South Shore Distributing is the main man behind the event every year, so he deserves top recognition. Second in line for props is Jeff Taylor from Paul Rodriguez...bummed that he didn't make it? Special thanks to every single am and pro skateboarder that came out and skated just for the hell of it.
The drive home was long and the stop in Biloxi made it even longer. The Isle of Capri had rooms for only $49 and free drinks. Yes, free drinks of anything that you want. I'm blaming the free drinks on why I stayed up 'til 4am at the same Blackjack table. Considering that the Isle got 200 of my dollars, I guess the drinks weren't that free after all. Overall, the trip was absolutely amazing. The terrain we skated was remarkable and the friends we hung with were irreplaceable. Thanks to everyone for the great times... Ryan |
Article Archive by Category
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Creating a Plugin for Joomla
From Joomla! Documentation
The plugin structure for Joomla! 1.5 was very flexible and powerful. Not only can plugins be used to handle events triggered by the core application and extensions, but plugins can also be used to make third party extensions extensible and powerful. The main change from Joomla! 1.5 to the 2.5/3.x series was the change in the names of events.
This How-To should provide you with the basics of what you need to know to develop your own plugin. Most plugins consist of just a single code file but to correctly install the plugin code it must be packaged into an installation file which can be processed by the Joomla! installer.
Creating the Installation File[edit]
As with all extensions in Joomla, plugins are easily installed as a .zip file (.tar.gz is also supported) but a correctly formatted XML file must be included. As an example, here is the XML installation file for the categories search plugin.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<extension version="3.1" type="plugin" group="search">
<author>Joomla! Project</author>
<creationDate>November 2005</creationDate>
<copyright>Copyright (C) 2005 - 2013 Open Source Matters. All rights reserved.</copyright>
<license>GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt</license>
<filename plugin="categories">categories.php</filename>
<language tag="en-GB">en-GB.plg_search_categories.ini</language>
<language tag="en-GB">en-GB.plg_search_categories.sys.ini</language>
<fields name="params">
<fieldset name="basic">
<field name="search_limit" type="text"
<field name="search_content" type="radio"
<option value="0">JOFF</option>
<option value="1">JON</option>
<field name="search_archived" type="radio"
<option value="0">JOFF</option>
<option value="1">JON</option>
As you can see, the system is similar to other Joomla! XML installation files. You only have to look out for the group="xxx"
entry in the <extension>
tag and the extended information in the <filename>
tag. This information tells Joomla! into which folder to copy the file and to which group the plugin should be added.
If you are creating a plugin that responds to existing core events, the group="xxx"
attribute would be changed to reflect the name of existing plugin folder for the event type you wish to augment. e.g. group="authentication"
or group="user"
. See Plugin/Events for a complete list of existing core event categories. In creating a new plugin to respond to core events it is important that your plugin's name is unique and does not conflict with any of the other plugins that may also be responding to the core event you wish to service as well.
If you are creating a plugin to respond to non-core system events your choice for the group="xxx"
tag should be different than any of the existing core categories.
Tip If you add the attribute method="upgrade"
to the tag extension
, this plugin can be installed without uninstalling an earlier version. All existing files will be overwritten, but old files will not be deleted.
Creating the Plugin[edit]
The object-oriented way of writing plugins involves writing a subclass of JPlugin, a base class that implements the basic properties of plugins. In your methods, the following properties are available:
: the parameters set for this plugin by the administrator$this->_name
: the name of the plugin$this->_type
: the group (type) of the plugin$this->db
: the db object (since )$this->app
: the application object (since )
Tip To use $this->db
and $this->app
, JPlugin
tests if the property exists and is not private. If it is desired for the default objects to be used, create un-instantiated properties in the plugin class (i.e. protected $db; protected $app;
in the same area as protected $autoloadLanguage = true;
). The properties will not exist unless explicitly created.
In the following code example, <PluginGroup>
represents the group (type) of the plugin, and <PluginName>
represents its name. Note that class and function names in PHP are case-insensitive. The name must correspond with the plugin
attribute of the filename
element in the XML configuration that points at the plugin php file.
// no direct access
defined( '_JEXEC' ) or die;
class plg<PluginGroup><PluginName> extends JPlugin
* Load the language file on instantiation. Note this is only available in Joomla 3.1 and higher.
* If you want to support 3.0 series you must override the constructor
* @var boolean
* @since 3.1
protected $autoloadLanguage = true;
* Plugin method with the same name as the event will be called automatically.
function <EventName>()
* Plugin code goes here.
* You can access database and application objects and parameters via $this->db,
* $this->app and $this->params respectively
return true;
Using Plugins in Your Code[edit]
Now that you've created your plugin, you will probably want to call it in your code. You might not: the Joomla! core has a number of built-in events that you might want your plugin code to be registered to. In that case you don't need to do the following.
If you want to trigger an event then you use code like this:
$dispatcher = JDispatcher::getInstance();
$results = $dispatcher->trigger( '<EventName>', <ParameterArray> );
It is important to note that the parameters have to be in an array. The plugin function itself will get the parameters as single values. The return value will consist of an array of return values from the different plugins (so it can also contain multilevel arrays).
If you are creating a plugin for a new, non-core event, remember to activate your plugin after you install it. Precede any reference to your new plugin with the JPluginHelper::importPlugin()


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You've arrived at the most complete and current source of information about the WebQuest Model. Whether you're an education student new to the topic or an experienced teacher educator looking for materials, you'll find something here to meet your needs.
Are you a doctoral student or faculty member interested in conducting research on WebQuests? You're invited to join a new informal group to exchange ideas, collaborate and co-author. We can capture data as QuestGarden users create their own WebQuests that open up interesting lines of inquiry about the planning process teachers use. Write firstname.lastname@example.com to learn more.
A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. The model was developed by Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University in February, 1995 with early input from SDSU/Pacific Bell Fellow Tom March, the Educational Technology staff at San Diego Unified School District, and waves of participants each summer at the Teach the Teachers Consortium at The Thacher School in Ojai, California.
Since those beginning days, tens of thousands of teachers have embraced WebQuests as a way to make good use of the internet while engaging their students in the kinds of thinking that the 21st century requires. The model has spread around the world, with special enthusiasm in Brazil, Spain, China, Australia and Holland.
To find out more, explore the links to the left of this page.


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Leveraging the Nuvias Private Label Services Model allows for flexible, customised and fully integrated technology support solutions for your business, enabling you to take innovative products and support services to market with minimum risk and upfront investment.
Our Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (DBOT) solution model is aimed at existing service providers looking to grow their services business, or partners seeking to build the capability for the first time. It provides a pathway to roll out, operate, and manage new technology offerings cost-effectively, while overcoming the issues of constrained resource or in-house expertise. We enable you to combine the benefits of outsourcing – injecting external expertise, technology and services – with the flexibility, control and culture of your own in-house operation.
Our Private Label Solution Model focuses on three phases
1. Design and Build
We apply a consultative approach to network and systems architecture planning and deployment, including business and operational processes, ensuring any important business standards are adhered to.
Delivered as a series of workshops, the output is your very own bespoke service offering. Through this process, we guide you in choosing the level of Nuvias resource and involvement required to competently achieve a full-service integration. This covers everything from the ordering of product, sales support and logistics, through architecture, delivery, engineering and assurance.
We also help you make your product or service market-ready through bespoke solution collateral, sales and pre-sales training and preparing you to launch and market.
2. Operate
Delivery by Nuvias of the service defined and created during the build phase. We consider every dimension of operational execution, providing a fully resourced model for operations support, sales, marketing, logistics, deployment, billing, assurance, helpdesk and field support.
This ensures streamlined ongoing operations and management, designed to exceed both your own and your customer's expectations. Service-levels and targets are pre-agreed and resourced to meet clearly defined KPIs, which are evaluated through regular service and delivery reviews.
3. Transfer
At some point, you may wish to take the service 'in-house'. The transfer process is underpinned by a consultative led approach, and is designed to easily transfer the service in its entirety or in part to your control.
Tailored to your desired time line and technical capabilities, we help with staff recruitment and transfer as appropriate, and support you through this with full program management, so that there is zero impact on the running operational service.
The transfer process can occur at any time, although we will typically agree a trigger-point based on volume or time-based objectives. This provides you with a clear, strategic view of success before making the decision to transfer, while validating the original build engagement and justifying the design of the product or service in the first place. The transfer process and costs are agreed as part of the design and build phase.
Contact your Nuvias Account Manager to arrange a discussion with the Solutions Architecture team.
Other Support Services
Engage with our team
Let us know the sort of help you need so we can get to work


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From the Hans Christian Andersen biography "The Life of Hans Christian Andersen. Day By Day", written by DPhil Johan de Mylius:
Getting to know B.S. Ingemann1823: Getting to know B.S. Ingemann
Meisling and Collin agree that HCA be forbidden to spend his time writing poetry. He does however compose a commemorative poem when his benefactor Dean Gutfeldt dies.
The beginning of this year1 February
The commemorative poem for Gutfeldt is printed in the newspaper Den Vest-Siællandske Avis (edited by Pastor H. Bastholm).
During Easter, HCA goes to Odense for one week to see his mother and his former benefactors (Colonel Guldberg, Iversen the printer and Miss Bunkeflod).
His paternal grandfather is now accepted as a boarder at the almshouse, Gråbrødre Hospital. On this occasion, the estate is settled and HCA inherits approx. 51 rdl. (this net amount is half of the estate's value, the rest goes to the almshouse).
Writes a song for Shrovetide: "Nordens Kraft er ei forsvunden" (The Power Of The North Has Not Disappeared) which is sung in Slagelse at the batting of the barrel (a Danish tradition for Shrovetide; children take turns batting at a barrel suspended from the ceiling. Whoever deals the fatal blow, thereby destroying the barrel, becomes Shrovetide King or Queen).
During Easter, HCA also composes the poem "Til Min Moder" (To My Mother) (in Digte (Poems) 1830) and an occasional poem to mark the fact that Meisling's appointment as principle was officially recognised at the Episcopal visitation in July. (When HCA published this poem, "Frøet Liv Alherren giver" (To the Seed the Lord Giveth Life), in his Samlede Skrifter (Collected Writings), he mistakenly connected it with Meisling's appointment as principle in Elsinore in June 1826).
On Sundays and during breaks, HCA would often walk to Sorø, where he got to know and later became friends with the poet B.S. Ingemann, his elder by 16 years. As newly appointed lecturer at Sorø Academy, Ingemann resided in the rococo pavilion to the east of the burnt-out main building, which was being rebuilt at this time (regarding the visits to Ingemann, see HCA's posthumously published Levnedsbogen (The Biography). Amongst the alumni at the Academy in Sorø, he also got to know Carl Bagger, who later became a poet, bohemian writer and editor, as well as Fritz Petit (who in 1829 moved to Germany and became one of HCA's translators). These three became close friends in their youth.
Wrote impromptu, while visiting Ingemann, the poem "Sjælen" (The Soul) (in Digte (Poems), 1830).


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Despite good rainfall and record-setting snowstorms in the spring of 2005, most of northeastern Wyoming, the Black Hills, and western South Dakota remain in the midst of a severe drought. This set of images and maps from NASA's Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) contrast the appearance of the Black Hills region of northwestern South Dakota on July 12, 2000 (left column), with views acquired four years later, on July 14, 2004 (right column). The natural-color images along the top are from MISR's nadir (downward-looking) camera. The browning that appears in 2004 compared with 2000 indicates that the vigor of green vegetation was significantly diminished in 2004.
The color-coded maps (along the bottom) provide a quantitative measurement of the sunlight reflected from these surfaces, and the loss of sunlight-absorbing vegetation between the 2000 and 2004 dates. As the vegetation faded with the drought, the albedo at the surface increased. Albedo measures the fraction of incident sunlight that is reflected by a surface, and can vary between zero (if all the incident sunlight is absorbed and none is reflected) and one (if all sunlight is reflected and none is absorbed). Dense forest has a low albedo; bright desert, snow and clouds, have a high albedo. Here, albedo is provided for the wavelengths of sunlight that plants use for photosynthesis (400 - 700 nanometers). This measurement is known as the albedo for Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR). Surfaces with greater absorption of PAR appear here in blue hues, whereas surfaces with lower absorption appear as green, yellow, orange or red. Black pixels indicate areas where albedo could not be derived, usually due to the presence of clouds. In July 2004, low albedo areas (blue pixels) are notably reduced in extent, and higher albedo areas (yellow, orange and red pixels) have increased.
Because incoming sunlight is scattered by tiny particles in the atmosphere, satellite measurements of albedo and other surface properties must correct for the effects of the intervening atmosphere. These albedo retrievals make use of MISR's simultaneously derived aerosol properties to make these corrections. The multiangular nature of MISR data is also used to account for the fact that most surfaces reflect sunlight into all upward directions, with intensities that vary with angle of view.
The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer observes the daylit Earth continuously and every 9 days views the entire globe between 82° north and 82° south latitude. This image area covers about 243 kilometers by 259 kilometers. These data products were generated from a portion of the imagery acquired during Terra orbits 3020 and 24325 and utilize data from within blocks 54 to 56 within World Reference System-2 paths 33 and 34.
MISR was built and is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Office of Earth Science, Washington, DC. The Terra satellite is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology.


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Detox diets make amazing promises of dramatic weight loss and more energy – all achieved by flushing toxins from the body. Toxins have very little to do with it; detox diets "work" because of the very severe dietary and energy restrictions they require someone to follow.
Detox or liver-cleansing diets have been around for many years. With amazing claims of rapid and easy weight loss and improved health, together with a heavy dose of Hollywood celebrity endorsement, it is no wonder these diets are in the public spotlight.
Toxin build up from our environment and poor diet and lifestyle habits is claimed to be the main culprit for weight gain, constipation, bloating, flatulence, poor digestion, heartburn, diarrhoea, lack of energy and fatigue. "Detoxing" is a way for the body to eliminate these toxins and as a result, a person will feel healthier and lose weight.
Detox diets can vary from a simple plan of raw vegetables and unprocessed foods and the elimination of caffeine, alcohol and refined sugars to a much stricter diet bordering on starvation with only juices consumed.
Some detox programs may also recommend vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements. Detox diet programs can last anywhere from a day or two to several months.
Do detox diets work?
There is no shortage of glowing testimonials from people who have gone on a detox diet, claiming to feel cleansed, energised and healthier. Promoters of detox diets have never put forward any evidence to show that such diets help remove toxins from the body any faster than our body normally eliminates them.
The idea that we need to follow a special diet to help our body eliminate toxins is not supported by medical science. Healthy adults have a wonderful system for removal of waste products and toxins from the body. Our lungs, kidneys, liver, gastrointestinal tract and immune system are all primed to remove or neutralise toxic substances within hours of eating them.
As for the dramatic weight loss typically seen, this is easily explained by the very restrictive nature of detox diets, which can cut kilojoules dramatically.
Claims made that the typical physical side effects such as bad breath, fatigue and various aches and pains are evidence that the body is getting rid of toxins just do not stand up to scientific scrutiny. Bad breath and fatigue are simply symptoms of the body having gone into starvation mode.
The many downsides of detox diets
Apart from the false claim that a detox diet is actually "detoxifying" the body, these diets have many well-documented downsides including:
- Feelings of tiredness and lack of energy
- Cost of the detox kit if a commercial program is followed
- Expense of buying organic food if required
- Purchasing of supplements if recommended by the diet
- Stomach and bowel upsets
- Difficulties eating out and socialising, as most restaurants and social occasions do not involve detox-friendly meals.
The biggest downside of detox diets, especially the more extreme ones, is that any weight loss achieved is usually temporary and is more the result of a loss of water and glycogen (the body's store of carbohydrate) instead of body fat. This means that the weight lost is easily and rapidly regained once the person reverts back to a more normal eating plan. These dramatic weight fluctuations can be demoralising and lead to yo-yo dieting.
Following a typical detox diet for a few days has few real health risks in otherwise healthy individuals. Very restrictive detox diets, such as water or juice only fasting, can be an unsafe form of weight loss and should not be used for more than a few days.
The verdict of Choice
In 2005, Choice carried out a survey and expert review of popular detox diets sold in supermarkets and chemists.
Choice found no sound evidence that we need to "detox", or that following a detox program will increase the elimination of toxins from your body. Some of the popular detox kits have diet plans that are far too restrictive, and give dietary advice with either poor or no rationale.
Detox diets may do little harm to most people, except perhaps for their bank balance, but neither do they do a lot of good just on their own. Concerted changes to diet and lifestyle habits are far more valuable than detox diets and supplements.


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Oh God said to Abraham, "Kill me a son"
Abe says, "Man, you must be puttin' me on"
Bob Dylan; Highway 61 revisited
The narrative of the Binding of Isaac, Akeidat Yitzchak, is introduced with one terse statement: "After these events, The Almighty tested Avraham." Unlike the protagonist in Bob Dylan's version, our patriarch Avraham does not engage God in conversation or argument, nor does he offer a (glib) rejoinder. He silently marches on to his cruel destiny. Perhaps Avraham's uncharacteristic silence indicates that he knew he was being tested. This leaves us with one glaring, yet often ignored question: What are "these events" that precipitated the test? What context could possibly shed light on Akeidat Yitchak?
In general, things were not easy for Avraham. As an island of monotheism in a sea of paganism, his life was complex and his interpersonal relationships often strained. In so many instances, not only was Avraham in mortal danger, his wife Sarah was caught in the crossfire. And yet, this week's portion illustrates that Sarah was not merely a longsuffering partner in Avraham's wanderings and a stalwart supporter of her husband's cause. In more than one instance, Sarah was the focus of the conflict, the object of the carnal desires of others – including powerful monarchs who were accustomed to having their way. In these instances, Avraham had a pre-arranged cover story He instructed his wife to play along with his claim that he and Sarah were siblings and not spouses. While this strategy saved Avraham on more than one occasion, it turned Sarah into a human shield of sorts (and created a moral quandary for us, the reader). Remarkably, Sarah escaped each of these sticky situations unscathed. Perhaps Avraham sensed that Sarah's holiness, or the Divine blessing he had received, would protect them both from the hostile world in which they lived.
One such powerful adversary was Avimelech. Upon Avraham's arrival in his jurisdiction, Avimelech sends his henchmen who simply take Sarah to their leader – no questions asked, no courtship, no consent. That night, Avimelech receives a stern message in a dream: God informs him that his indiscretion renders him a "dead man". To save his life (and kingdom) he must return the woman to her husband.
In the morning, Avraham is summoned; Avimelech, furious at the deception, demands that Avraham explain his behavior. The dialogue is fascinating. Avimelech bellows: How could you have misled me, leading me to almost sleep with a married woman? Avimelech seems sincerely upset, and his moral outrage is poignantly conveyed in the text:
Avimelech summoned Avraham and said to him, 'How could you do this to us? What terrible thing did I do to you that you brought such great guilt upon me and my people? The thing you did to me is simply not done!'
Avraham does not respond; perhaps he thinks the question is rhetorical. Yet Avimelech continues; he changes his tone and seems genuinely interested in learning something from Avraham:
'What did you see to make you do such a thing?'
At last, Avraham speaks. He explains that as Sarah's husband, his own life was in danger. While in his own mind Avimelech was a moral man who would never sleep with a married woman, his morality was skewed: If he found a desirable woman who was married, he would, without hesitation, kill the husband and "free" the widow. A married woman was off-limits, but murder was a normal part of the power structure of pagan society in which 'might makes right.' In one single, seemingly extraneous phrase, Avraham's response points out to Avimelech the absurdity of the pagan system of values:
"The only thing lacking in this place is fear of God."
This, Avraham explains, is the crux of his predicament: Avimelech is moral – but his morality is local and subjective. Avraham, on the other hand, lives by morality of a higher order, an objective morality whose source is God. In Avraham's system, God defines morality, and whatever God commands is, by definition, moral. Avraham attempts to impart this understanding to Avimelech, but we may imagine that his sermon falls on deaf ears.
It is in this context that Avraham is tested: When God calls upon him to offer up his son, Avraham finds himself in a self-created quandary. He had preached absolute morality based on "fear of God"; now, God has commanded him to commit an act that may have seemed to him the antithesis of morality, of kindness, of every Divine attribute that Avraham had come to know and emulate. Could Avraham live up to the standards he had so recently demanded of others? Could he behave differently than Avimelech and his nation of pagans? Could he set aside his own subjective understanding of morality and obey the word of God unquestioningly?
As he marches forward, silently focused on his mission, Avraham proves that he is prepared to fear and obey God no matter what the cost, no matter what the task. As the knife in his hand descends toward his son's neck, the episode comes to an abrupt conclusion, as a heavenly voice calls out, "Now I know that you fear God" – not love God, not emulate God – fear God. Now I know that you are willing to set aside your own subjective and limited human understanding and moral constructs in the face of God's commandments, as they represent absolute morality. Now I know that you practice what you preach.
This aspect of Akeidat Yitzchak is a frightening one, especially for rabbis and all those who preach to others: Beware when you preach, we are warned, for God may hold you to the same standards that you espouse. As in the case of Avraham's words to Avimelech, God just may call upon each and every one of us to practice what we preach. Let us hope that this lesson of Akeidat Yitzchak affects both what we preach, what we demand of others, as well as what we do to live up to the standards to which we hold our fellow man.
The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.


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"Have I Done Any Good in the World Today?" Ensign, Mar. 2012, 34–39
Have I Done Any Good in the World Today?
Life Experiences of President Thomas S. Monson
I was serving with my husband, then the president of the England London South Mission, when the phone rang on June 18, 2008. It was President Thomas S. Monson. He began in his usual friendly fashion, one of the trademarks of his ministry: "How is the mission? How is your family? How is jolly old England?" And then he paused and said, "I have been talking with Frances, I have prayed about it, and I would like you to write my biography."
Needless to say, I was honored and immediately overwhelmed. He then suggested that if I got started the next morning, I could be halfway done by the time we came home. We had one year left of our three-year call.
President Monson teaches, "Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies."1 I have come to appreciate that promise.
How do you write about the life of a prophet? You begin not at the keyboard but on your knees.
I recognized early that this would not be a typical biography outlining dates, times, places, and travels. It was the account of a man prepared before the world was and called of God "to guide us in these latter days."2 Humbling is the best description. Daunting, challenging, and consuming follow close behind.
The Lord has said, "Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same" (D&C 1:38). Hearing the Lord speak through His prophet since Thomas S. Monson's call to the holy apostleship in 1963 is where I began. I spent months reading the hundreds of messages President Monson has given in myriads of settings. I read biographies of all the Presidents of the Church and of many noted religious leaders. I studied the early Church in Scotland, Sweden, and England, where President Monson's ancestors hail from; the Depression that so influenced his youth; and World War II and its aftermath with a divided Germany. (President Monson spent 20 years supervising this area of the Church.) I read his autobiography prepared in 1985 for just his family and later his daily journal of 47 years. I interviewed Church leaders who worked with him in many parts of the world and members who were touched profoundly by his ministry. I engaged a dear friend and history scholar, Tricia H. Stoker, to help with research. She had served on the writing committees of several Teachings of Presidents of the Church manuals and understood how to research the life of a prophet.
I interviewed President Monson in monthly video conferences from England and then, after returning home to Utah, in person while working from his office for 14 months. In every case I felt his warmth, as if we were sitting down at the kitchen table. He spoke of childhood and family, his call by President David O. McKay (1873–1970), and the influence of mentors like President J. Reuben Clark Jr. (1871–1961); President Harold B. Lee (1899–1973); and Elder Mark E. Petersen (1900–84), to name a few.
He learned Christlike living at home, where charity—the pure love of Christ—compassion, and a desire to lift and bless the lives of others were the standard and where, though his parents did not read him the scriptures, they lived them.
His focus on serving the one reaches back to his growing up on the west side of Salt Lake City, "between the railroad tracks," as he likes to say, in the bottom of the Depression. His neighbors and friends had little in terms of material goods, but they had each other, and that was enough. Many close to him, including some of his favorite uncles, were not members of the Church. Religious affiliation held no barriers; he came to love people for people. His parents opened their hearts to everyone. President Monson has never left those moorings.
He is an unusual man who has reverence for everyone he meets and who is interested in their lives, worries, and challenges. He relates to a visiting dignitary from a foreign country with the same attention he does the man who polishes his desk at night. Clearly, one of the measures of his greatness is that he can relate to anyone and finds he can learn something from each person he meets.
If, as President Monson says, an organization is the lengthened shadow of its leader,3 then the desire to lift, encourage, engage, involve, and rescue others one by one is our mandate. This way of living mirrors the example of the Savior, who "went about doing good, … for God was with him" (Acts 10:38).
President Monson has long been calling us to be more like the Savior. When I interviewed President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he confirmed what I had come to understand. President Monson, he said, "is more Christlike than the rest of us."4
For more than half a century, President Monson has given the suits off his back to the destitute. He has sat at the bedside of the ill and elderly. He has given countless blessings to people in hospitals and in their homes. He has turned the car around to make a quick visit to one friend and rushed from meetings to speak at the funeral of another. (If you ask him how many he counts on that list of friends, he will say, "At least 14 million.") He will go to someone in a wheelchair who has a hard time coming to him, "high-five" a group of teenagers, and wiggle his ears at deacons on the front row. He exhibits great reverence for the lives of those he describes as "unnoticed and unrecognized," known to few but their Father in Heaven.
Put simply, President Monson does what most people only think about doing.
His messages are filled with true accounts (he never calls them "stories") that teach gospel principles. He explains: "The actions whereby we demonstrate that we truly do love God and our neighbor as ourselves will rarely be such as to attract the gaze and admiration of the world. Usually our love will be shown in our day-to-day associations with one another."5
In all his ministry around the globe, perhaps some of the most gripping experiences were the years he supervised the Church behind the Iron Curtain. When my husband and I finished our mission in 2009, we went to Germany to walk the ground President Monson walked, talk to the members he so loved, and feel the influence of his years of service. What we found were hearty priesthood holders who wept as they spoke of his consistent visits, his love for Jesus Christ, and his encouragement and concern. We stood in the now-abandoned, dilapidated factory building in Görlitz where in 1968 President Monson stood at the podium and promised the haggard East German Latter-day Saints all the blessings that the Lord had for His children—if they were faithful. That day they sang with such fervor: "If the way be full of trial, Weary not! … Jesus never will forsake us, Weary not."6 He had come under the direction of the First Presidency to the Saints' rescue. Two decades later, with the Berlin wall still standing, these East German Latter-day Saints had stakes, meetinghouses, patriarchs, missionaries, and a temple. And then the wall came down, and the Saints were reunited with their families and as a country.
President Monson often says, "There are no coincidences" as he makes the point that his experiences in life have taught him to always look for the Lord's hand.7
One of the great East German leaders was Henry Burkhardt, who worked closely and was with President Monson for two decades at the scene of all the pivotal events in that country. Brother Burkhardt was a man who served so faithfully and at such great risk all those years behind the Iron Curtain as the Church's representative to the government. He served, among other positions, as a Church leader and as president of the Freiberg Temple.
I asked him what stood out in his mind as the singular moment in President Monson's ministry. I expected him to mention the meeting in Görlitz, the dedication of the country in 1975, the organization of the first stake, the dedication of the Freiberg Temple, or the meeting with Herr Honecker, East Germany's highest Communist official, when President Monson asked permission for missionaries to enter the country and other missionaries to leave the country to serve in other lands. Given the death squads that patrolled the wall, the query sounded almost ludicrous, but Herr Honecker responded, "We have watched you all these years, and we trust you. Permission granted." Which one of these events would Brother Burkhardt choose?
Tears began to flow down his cheeks as he responded: "It was December 2, 1979." I couldn't register in my mind a major event attached to that date. "Tell me about it," I said.
"It was the day President Monson came to East Germany to give my wife, Inge, a blessing." President Monson had a weekend without an assignment, and he flew from the United States to Germany for just that purpose. Sister Burkhardt had been in the hospital for nine weeks with complications from surgery, and her condition was deteriorating. President Monson had recorded in his journal, "We joined our faith and our prayers in providing her a blessing."8 He had gone thousands of miles with his only free time in months—to the rescue.
"Let us ask ourselves the questions," he has said, "'Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?' What a formula for happiness! What a prescription for contentment, for inner peace. … There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved."9
Such is the ministry of President Monson. He is always reaching out to the weary, the lonely, the faint hearted. As Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles says, "The Lord had to make Thomas Monson big because of the size of his heart."10
When the prophet dedicated the Curitiba Brazil Temple on June 1, 2008, he called a lad up to assist him at the cornerstone ceremony. A photographer suggested someone take off the boy's hat for a picture. The boy had no hair and was obviously undergoing cancer treatments. President Monson lovingly put his arm around him and helped him place mortar on the wall. One of those accompanying the President mentioned it was time to go back in the temple to finish the dedication on schedule. President Monson shook his head. "No," he said, "I want to call up one more." Looking over the crowd, he settled on a woman at the back, and as their eyes met, he motioned for her to come forward. He put his arm around her and with loving care escorted her to the wall to finish the cornerstone sealing.
The day after the dedication, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who had also been at the dedication, asked President Monson how he knew the woman was the boy's mother.
"I didn't know," he replied, "but the Lord knew."
It was not many months later that the boy died. Elder Nelson says: "You can imagine what [the experience at the dedication] meant to the mother of that family. That was the Lord's way of saying, 'I know you, I am concerned for you, and I want to help you.' That's the kind of man we've got in this prophet of God."11
At a time when texting and e-mailing have replaced sitting down together, President Monson is constantly reminding us to reach out to one another. He shared this message through the words of a member who wrote him a letter: "The prayers of people are almost always answered by the actions of others."12 He often points to the counsel from the Lord: "I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up" (D&C 84:88). President Monson appreciates that so often we are those angels for each other. Alma committed the Saints at the Waters of Mormon to "bear one another's burdens, that they may be light" (Mosiah 18:8); President Monson is calling us to live that covenant.
I have been the recipient of his bearing up others' burdens. There came a time when he could see the weight of the responsibility of his biography weighing me down. He invited me into his office and with the gentlest and kindest voice said, "How can I help?"
My heart could not resist his overture, and I poured out my feelings of inadequacy, the intimidating nature of the task, and the volume of material to capture, organize, and synthesize. I wanted so desperately to get it right—for him. Our exchange was one of my most precious mortal experiences. I felt like I was at the Pool of Bethesda and the Savior had lifted the drape and reached down to bear me up. President Monson understands the saving power of the Atonement and counts it a privilege to be sent by the Lord to bear up another.
"Reach out to rescue the aged, the widowed, the sick, the handicapped, the less active," he has said, and then he has led the charge. "Extend to them the hand that helps and the heart that knows compassion."13
His regard and interest in others are a measure of his testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ: "By learning of Him, by believing in Him, by following Him, there is the capacity to become like Him. The countenance can change; the heart can be softened; the step can be quickened; the outlook enhanced. Life becomes what it should become."14


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Reflector Primer – The Photographer's Best DIYed Friend
Jun 2, 2010
Reflector Primer – The Photographer's Best DIYed Friend
do you really need one? The short answer is yes. The long answer is….
A reflector, as the name implies, is something that reflects light. In photography, is it usually a big sheet of something white, silver or gold, that bounces light at your subject (or at anything you want light on for that matter).
If you are not to particular about having your reflector look all nice and nifty are plenty of DIY options here, and basically any flat surface will do. Foam boards, bed sheets, aluminum covered plywood, did I say any big surface yet?
What Can I do With a Reflector?
While a reflector does not solve all the problems known to mankind, it is a versatile tool that can assist both in the studio and on location. At occasions it is easier to deal with a reflector than with an additional light source, especially if you wanna go guerrilla.
Reflectors are great as they "travel light" and need no power.
Dueling With The Sun
In this picture, we had harsh sun backlight. A golden reflector came in to the rescue for filling face shadows. This is a scenario where adding an extra light source can be kind of tricky, and a situation where a reflector shines (no pan intended).
The light coming from a reflector usually relates to the light source it reflects. This means that you usually have enough "power" bouncing off of it. No power tweaking is needed.
Reducing Shadows In A One-Light-Source Scenario
If you only have one light, a reflector can serve as a fill. And it takes on some of the qualities of an additional light source. By bouncing the flash back at your subject. In this case the light source is a big square softbox, and the reflector is a 5 in one disc with the white cover. This creates a nice diffused fill.
When we were doing the lighting modifiers cheat sheet we actually took each image twice, with a single light source and then with a huge foam board reflector. Here is a little comparison chart.
Reflector Qualities
Size: As with any light source the size of the reflector in relations to the subject will be a significant contributor to the light quality. As a generalization, you can say, that the bigger the reflector, the softer the light it produces.
Color: The color of the reflector will impact two light attributes: light color and light softness. Lets starts with color, since it is the more trivial one. A white reflector will have almost no impact on the light. What goes in, bounces off and comes out. A gold reflector will warm up your tones, while a silver reflector will cool them down. There is a cheat sheet that shows all that stuff here.
Surprisingly the color will also have an impact on how hard or soft the light is. Light bouncing of a white reflector will behave as if the reflector is a second light source the size of the reflector (let's say it is a very shiny white for the sake of simplicity). This is because the light bounces in a very diffused way.
It may seem counter intuitive, but light bouncing of silver or golden reflectors will be harder. This is because the light behaves more like it is reflecting in a mirror. There is a very good explanation for this in Light: Science and Magic (a must read for any light oriented photographer).
Shape: this is the last of the factors that contributes to the quality of the light. some of the reflectors can be bent to focus or diffuse the light. This can help if you want to narrow or widen the light coming off the reflector. While this is possible with some of the reflectors, it is impossible to do with a foam board.
When Reflectors Are Not The Optimal Solution
This may sound trivial, but I thought it is worth mentioning, reflectors can only reflect, they are useless as a single light source.
Reflectors are also not very good when it comes to controlling spill. You can not mount a snoot or a grid on a reflector. and while you can opt for smaller and smaller reflectors, it is really easier to use a flash or strobe covered with snoot or grid.
Where Can I Get One And How Much Do They Cost?
The good news is that you probably already own a reflector. A white T can serve as a reflector, and so will a pillow cover or a white bed sheet, assuming you have a way to stretch and stabilize them. Cost here (assuming you have one of those items @home) is 0.
Next in line is the foam board. A foam board is basically a sheet of foam trapped between two sheets of paper. That gives the foam some sturdiness, and it feels kinda like plywood only weighs very little. You can get those pretty much any size you want. and they are very cheap. On the negative side is that they don't bend or roll for storage and travel.
Foam boards can also be coated with aluminum foil to create a 2-in-1 silver/white reflector.
If you have a car, you are probably familiar with the Sun shield. They come in both foldable and collapsible forms and are usually silver reflective. If you take the foldable type, make sure you get the bubbly kind. it will help reflect the light in a more diffused pattern.
For the "store bought"-unmodded equipment there is the standard 5-in-1 reflector (which along with foam boards is my favorite reflector). It is a collapsible disc with a coat. The coat has 5 colors: white, black, silver, translucent (which is more a diffuser) and gold. Those will cover any reflecting need and can easily be carried in a bag. This is one of my favorite items in the bag and I use it a lot on sunny days.
At the high end there is the California sun bounce line of products. Those are used by pros and "high end amateurs". They cost a nice arm and a leg but are very sturdy and fold really nice. I have never used one of those before. So I can only tell from the experience of others. If the price tag is too high for you, you can try a DIY version instead.
Udi Tirosh
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
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LONG ISLAND, N.Y. — The Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse (MLL), officially ended their coaching search by naming Joe Spallina their new head coach, according to Lizards General Manager Casey Hilpert. Spallina, who served as an assistant coach for the previous two seasons, takes over the reins for the 2012 season.
"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be the next head coach of the Long Island Lizards," Spallina said. "I have had the chance and experience to learn from Jim Mule the past two years, and I am forever grateful to have worked with one of the most famed coaches in MLL history. I look forward to bringing this franchise to the top of MLL with a hard working dedicated style of coaching. It is an honor to be coaching in the MLL, especially for one of the original franchises, and I am excited to make the most of this outstanding opportunity. I also want to thank my wife and four children for their unwavering support in adding this position of head coach of the Long Island Lizards to my regular duties as the head coach of the Stony Brook Women's Lacrosse team."
Joe Spallina is currently in his first season as head coach of the Stony Brook Women's Lacrosse team. Spallina spent his previous four seasons at Adelphi University, where he posted a 73-2 record and recorded three consecutive Division II national championships. He has been named the IWLCA National Coach of the Year three times and the Field Turf NCAA Division II Coach of the Year in 2009.
"We are excited to name Joe the head coach" said Casey Hilpert. "He is a guy who knows how to win, and is around the sport of lacrosse all the time. We worked closely together this off-season with our drafts and trades and he has a passion and a desire to win that I have not seen anywhere else."
The Lizards fell just one win short of making the playoffs in 2011 and made many off-season roster changes as well. One of the big moves included bringing Hewlett native Max Seibald to the Long Island Lizards. Spallina hopes to bring the Lizards to Boston for the 2012 MLL Championship Weekend.
About the Long Island Lizards
The Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was founded in 2001 as one of the original six franchises. Long Island won the Steinfeld Cup in its inaugural season, 2001, as well as in 2003. The Long Island Lizards currently play all of their home games at Hofstra University Shuart Stadium.


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Guest Post by Mara Zebest
A video posted at the end of 2012 (a couple of months back) is gaining some steam now due to the current gun debate. A Facebook posting offers the following overview:
You will LOVE this video! Share it if you want MORE people (including policemen) to understand this!
Watch what happens when a policeman illegally stops a law student for carrying a gun… and the law student schools him on how he's broken the law.
SHARE This video if you agree!
Hat Tip GunsSaveLives who explains the video is from a Portland, ME law student and an advocate for open carry who teaches an uninformed police officer a few things about his rights. The article continues as follows:
The officer illegally stops the man, seizes his firearm, sweeps him with the loaded gun in the process, and refuses to return his gun for almost three minutes until his supervisor shows up and immediately says the student is free to go.
For those that aren't aware, courts have ruled that the mere presence of a gun is not enough of a reason to stop and detain someone.
I know not everyone is an advocate for open carry, but you have to respect this young man for knowing his rights so well, knowing the case law that supports those rights and remaining cool and calm during the encounter. Also, despite the police officer inappropriately stopping the individual he did a great job staying cool and calm as well. He was also willing to call his supervisor and not escalate the situation.
Open carry is legal where the video was shot, please note that openly carrying a gun is not legal in every state.
More here.


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Re: Who is your favorite Jedi?
Obi Wan is not the best Jedi.Yoda and Windu can easily defeat him.I only liked him in his Padawan form.He was very cool.
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Obi Wan is not the best Jedi.Yoda and Windu can easily defeat him.I only liked him in his Padawan form.He was very cool.
Aparently not...if you watch the movies...
Lol i dont think so he didnt exactly expect Anakin to do that did he ? Also palpatine really beat Windu.
Ok i dont have a favorite light side jedi i'm all darkside...well from the movies i'm the biggest VADER fan...but if we'er talking the games deffinitly Darth Revan
Jedi: Plo Koon (he looks sooo cool) or Aayla Secura (serouisly hot!!)
Sith: Darth Maul (awesome martial arts)
My favourite Jedi is Obi Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Gin, Mace Windu are the ones that I can think of for now. I am sorry that I just cannot have just one as I cannot decide.
My favourite dark Jedi is Darth Malak just because his name is almost the same as my youngest son's
I think Ki-Adi-Mundi just cause he is smart and seems to know that there is something wrong with the boy and my fave dark Jedi (though not really a Jedi) is Aurra Sing cause she is damn hot and grew up as a pirate
I see there are quite the KOTOR fans here. Can't say I dissagree.
Light: Shaak Ti I Just think that she is the coolest looking, lekku just like a Twi'lek, but subtle in nature.
Dark: Darth Vader I've been a Vader gal since birth I believe, and he's what I first loved about Star Wars.
light: kit fisto (he looks cool )
dark: darth maul (he looks cool too )
Light: Luke Skywalker
Dark: Probably Darth Vader
Light: Bardan Jusik because he's more Mando than Jedi and I like his character.
Dark: Darth Maul because he's just so visually entertaining with his fluidity and tatoos. Plus your coolness level is inversely proportionate to how much you say making him totally badass.
Mine is Beldorian
Light-Side Revan with Mace Windu and Kit Fisto in a tie for a very far off second place. I have to mention Obi-Wan somewhere just because of all the tough opponents he fought against and all he accomplished. He fought Darth Maul and killed him as a Padawan, fought Dooku twice, fought and survived against Jango, beat Durge (and I read somewhere he fought Asaaj Ventress but I can't find the book or comic he did it in), killed Grievous, survived Order 66, fought and crippled Anakin and then finally he died fighting one of the most bad@$$ villains ever. Oh, and he survived for years on Tatooine alone. The boredom of living on that sandbox would have killed a lesser man.
My pick is Vosa, ok so she is insane but still tough enough to lead the Bando Gora.
Komari Vosa is less than insane, and not really a Jedi, at least one devoted to the light. I would at least called her a Dark Jedi because of her emotions, insability and anger. Plus she never made it through her trials into knighthood.
I always liked Obi Wan, for the light side, and probably Darth Maul on the dark. I liked his fighting style better than Vader/ Anakin.
What makes you think that?
But is there a specific reason as to why you don't like them?
a few actually
Such as?
You want to know?tell me what you have against Jango first. lol
This is getting off-topic, but, as I have said multiple times in the past:
-He used two wrist rockets to kill two guards, who were right next to each other, and were running away.
-He hired other mercenaries to do the jobs that he was hired to do on numerous occasions.
-He used his ten year old (roughly) as bait against ruthless anachists.
-Under his leadership, the Mandalorians fell.
-He keeps his armor much to shiny for a warrior. He would be spotted easily.
-He is too trusting, for his trade.
-He is too cockey.
-Instead of following Windu, he could have waited in the balconey, and sniped him out while the Jedi was fighting.
-He does not wear his helmet enough. Theis leaves a killing shot by a sniper very possible.
So, why do you hate Jedi?
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This report provides you with the rank of Transport cost of living indexes as at April 2010 for each of the 282 global locations. The indexes are calculated using the prices for specific quantities of the same goods and services in each location, based on expatriate spending patterns across 13 broad categories (Basket Groups). The calculators make use of the cost of living indexes, based on your input and Xpatulator's data, to create reports online which you can save, e-mail or convert to a pdf file.
Transport costs include public transport, vehicle costs, vehicle fuel, vehicle insurance and vehicle maintenance such as hire purchase / lease of vehicle, petrol / diesel, public transport service maintenance, tires, vehicle Insurance, and vehicle purchase.
The April 2010 transport international cost of living rank is as follows:
April 2010 Top Ten Rank Country, City
1 Norway, Oslo
2 Switzerland, Geneva
3 Germany, Munich
4 Cameroon, Douala
5 Switzerland, Zurich
6 Germany, Frankfurt
7 Liechtenstein, Vaduz
8 Germany, Cologne
9 Comores, Moroni
10 Denmark, Copenhagen
This article may be freely copied as long as reference is made to http://www.xpatulator.com/


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Protecting privacy online is a continuing concern. Family historians need to decide what personal and family history information we'd like to keep private while still sharing with cousins and other researchers. Learn more about what controls online privacy and what methods and tools are available to give us the best chance to protect our privacy choices.
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A news program on Norwegian channel NRK got a little more than it bargained for last month when its producers needed a graphic for an eye chart.
With just a few letters it stops being a serious report about eyesight and quickly looks just like a night spent playing Battlefield on the PC.
OMG! Eye Test Chart PWN3D TV Station [Neatorama]


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"We are all connected in the great Circle of Life."
Artist Notes: As I painted my homage to this amazing story, I could not help but be moved by the intricate interplay between all of the magnificent creatures under Simba's domain. I imagined a lush, colorful, and bountiful African plain rightfully reestablished to its splendor after Simba vanquished Scar and his comedic, yet treacherous, hyenas each now forlorn in their punishment. The multitudes of animals have been summoned to pay tribute to Simba's new baby and their future regent as they wait under a spectacular sky illuminated in great anticipation. The world is as it should be…in harmony and perfectly balanced. Simba's heir is exalted by Rafiki and proudly symbolizes what awaits when destiny is embraced, challenges faced, and one summons the courage to stand in the spotlight of providence. I trust that this image will both remind you of this fantastic story and its amazing characters and, most importantly, move you to face the future irrespective of history's impasses knowing that the watchful and approving eye of the King is content as you embrace your place in the circle of life.
The Lion Kingunframed limited edition paper print presented by Thomas Kinkade Studios features premium heavyweight 100 lbs paper, long-life pigment inks that outperform conventional press inks, and an individually numbered certificate of authenticity matched to the Disney art piece.
The Lion King
Art Brand Studios
ArtArt Print
FantasySci-fiAction Adventure
Thomas Kinkade Studios


text: Not sure if you are looking at DIY or commercial options but this has been done well on a commercial scale by at least some integrators. I've never used them in a cluster but they make great virtualization platforms. This is just one example, the marketing term is "1U Twin Server" http://www.siliconmechanics.com/c1159/1u-twin-servers.php Other vendors have various other options and the range of "dedicated" vs "shared" resources among the twin and quad server configurations can vary quite a bit. There is a good chance someone is already making a box with the specs you are interested in. Regards, Chris Lux, Jim (337C) wrote: > From: beowulf-bounces at beowulf.org [mailto:beowulf-bounces at beowulf.org] On Behalf Of Ross Tucker > Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 1:54 PM > To: beowulf at beowulf.org > Subject: [Beowulf] New member, upgrading our existing Beowulf cluster > > Greetings! > > I'm a new member to this list, but the research group that I work for has had a working cluster for many years. I am now looking at upgrading our current configuration. I was wondering if anyone has actual experience with running more than one node from a single power supply. Even just two boards on one PSU would be nice. We will be using barely 200W per node for 50 nodes and it just seems like a big waste to buy 50 power supply units. I have read the old posts but did not see any reports of success. > > Best regards, > Ross Tucker


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Machine Safety: The missing ah-ha for plant management
Isn't the machine a hazard as well as the individual hazards on a machine? Last week I blogged about risk assessments, the mitigation process, and how the new methodologies have migrated from qualitative to quantitative approaches. Since designers have engineering tools to design out hazards. Managers need reliable tools to designate an individual hazard level for each machine on their plant floors.
Isn't the machine a hazard as well as the individual hazards on a machine? Last week I blogged about risk assessments, the mitigation process, and how the new methodologies have migrated from qualitative to quantitative approaches. Great – the designers now have engineering tools to help design out hazards. Of course everyone understands that the mitigated risk level for any hazard never reaches zero. Yet, management still has no reliable tool at their level to designate an individual hazard level for each machine on their plant floor.
Is this an important issue? Let's take a couple of hypothetical (yet often real) examples using the Category system for hazard levels.
1.) Let's assume that a risk assessment on a medium size machine has identified 15 hazards. Furthermore, let's assume that 14 hazards have been mitigated down to Category 2 and that one hazard has been mitigated down to Category 3. If the 14 Cat 2 hazards occur multiple times per shift but the Cat 3 hazard only occurs once per tooling change every three months – would the plant manager consider this "machine" a Cat 2 or a Cat 3 level machine on his plant floor? In either case, what documentation would the plant manager have to substantiate his claim?
2.) Now let's assume on another machine (with a risk assessment on file) that all hazards have been mitigated to Category 1 levels. Probably a pretty safe machine, right? Furthermore, this machine produces multiple different products with associated tooling changes but once a year it produces a short run of a unique product which is relatively large and heavy. Even so, the hazards on the machine maintain their Cat. 1 level. Yet, an accident happens while stacking the large completed products into shipping containers adjacent to the machine and an employee is severely injured. Would the plant manager consider this "machine" to be a Cat 1 level machine given the severity level of employee injury?
What's wrong with this picture? Why can't management have appropriate tools at their level to manage and mitigate hazards? Engineers, EH&S, and maintenance personnel have tools and industry standards to guide them in the execution of their responsibilities.
Management has all the responsibility but no tools in my opinion! What's yours?
Your comments or suggestion are always welcome so please let us know your thoughts. Submit your ideas, experiences, and challenges on this subject in the comments section below. Click on the following text if you don't see a comments box, then scroll down: Machine Safety: The missing ah-ha for plant management
Related articles:
Updating Minds About Machine Safety
EN ISO 13849-1, the quantitative approach to machine safety begins with a qualitative process!
How To Integrate Safety
Machine Safety – the myths of safety cultures.
Contact: www.jbtitus.com for "Solutions for Machine Safety."
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Baldwin RS-4-TC-1A, serial #61211, 1954
Military Spec. MIL0L011575 (TC)
U. S. Army Nos. 1247 – 1276. The largest Whitcomb order that was transferred to Eddystone for manufacture consisted of 74 D-E, 400 HP, multi-gauge locomotives. These units were given class number RS-4-TC (Road switcher service – 4th military class – Transportation Corps) and manufactured between July, 1953 and January, 1955.
Numbers 1247 – 1273 were assigned to domestic service. Whitcomb c/n's 61201 – 61269 were assigned to the units numbered USA 1247 – 1273. These were low profile locomotives that were built to operate under conditions of restricted clearances.
These units were powered by a Caterpillar model D397, V12 diesel engine rated at 400 H.P, which were connected to Westinghouse electric transmissions that consisted of a model 1604 main generator, a model YG49D auxiliary – exciter generator, and four model 974 traction motors.
The 1256 was originally delivered to Sharpe Ammo Depot in Lathrop, California and placed in storage. It was later used at Detroit Tank Plant.
The 1256 was re–manufactured by Construction & Mining Services at their TEAD Annex facility in October 1986. The rebuild included a Caterpillar 3508 diesel engine, 26L air brakes, new electrical cabinet and gear, MU capability, and roller bearing axles. The new class number is RS–4-TC–A1. The unit weighs in at 60 tons, produces 500 H.P, and is geared for 35 MPH.
Sometime between 1991 and 1994, the 1256 was shipped from Hill Air Force Base in Utah to the Badger Army Ammunition Plant near Baraboo, Wisconsin. The 1256 replaced the not yet rebuilt 1262 at Badger. In the spring of 2006 the Army decided to dispose of the 1256. The Army and Spec Pro (the operating contractor at BAAP) granted permission for the 1256 to be shipped to Mid-Continent and either stored or placed in service until the final disposition is known. The 1256 arrived, via the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad, at North Freedom on September 14, 2006. The 1256 then went up for auction by Spec Pro. Members and friends of Mid-Continent pooled their money and placed a bid on October 17, 2006, and were the successful bidders for the locomotive. After being granted ownership, the successful bidders donated 1256 to Mid-Continent.
The 1256 pulled its first train at North Freedom on April 28, 2007 at a members run on the Spring Fling weekend.