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Rooney Mara was born into sports "royalty." She is the daughter of Timothy Christopher Mara, executive of the New York Giants football team, and Kathleen McNulty, granddaughter of Art Rooney, Sr., founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Mara got her first lead role in "A Nightmare on Elm Street," followed by playing the girlfriend of Mark Zuckerberg in "The Social Network."
However, her major break–out role was playing Lisbeth Salander in the American version of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" which is the first film of a trilogy.
Her work in that film brought her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination. She also had the female lead playing opposite Channing Tatum in "Side Effects," which dealt with the dangers of psychotropic drugs. The cast included Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Mara recently sat down with a group of select journalists to discuss one of her latest films, "Ain't Them Bodies Saints," a story about a young outlaw couple in Texas in the 1970s.
Written and directed by David Lowery, the film co-stars Casey Affleck, with a supporting cast including Keith Carradine and Ben Foster who plays a local sheriff who creates a complicated love triangle.
The film received the U.S. Dramatic Cinematography Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
The following has been edited for content and continuity.
What attracted you to the script?
Mara: I loved the whole world. I loved where it took place and the time period in which it took place. I really loved the roots – the stuff that you don't see in the film. I felt like the whole script was very poetic. It felt like a folk song. Then, when I met David (Director David Lowery) and I saw "Pioneer," his short film, I had this feeling that he was going to make something special and I wanted to be a part of it.
How would you describe your character?
Mara: I think Ruth, in the parts that come before the film starts, (back story) had to kind of grow up fast and is sort of caught in between the nostalgia of wanting to go back to her old life and also being a mom and being protective. She's caught in between two love stories – the love story with Bob (Casey Affleck) and the love story with her daughter and she has to choose one, which is a very difficult choice to make.
Where did you shoot the film and was it a pleasant experience?
Mara: We shot the film in Louisiana in August and it was 105 degrees every day. There's really not a whole lot to do there, but I just kind of loved how easy and simple it was and loved being there and would love to go back to shoot another movie. I don't think most people would say that but there's something about it that I loved.
Were you able to walk around without being recognized?
Mara: I can walk around anywhere. It doesn't happen very often that people recognize me, but it has been happening more often recently, but not really that much. It happens the most in New York. Maybe people do recognize me but maybe I'm not very approachable.
This story takes place in a very rural area. Did you find it easy or difficult to immerse yourself in that world?
Mara: It's not really a whole different culture. I'm an American and grew up here. It's very different from having to play someone from a completely different country. That is truly a different culture. Even though the setting is very different from growing up in New York, it felt very familiar to me and it didn't feel like a totally different culture. We've grown up hearing similar accents and watching westerns and very similar stories to this one so it didn't feel that foreign to me.
We meet you and Casey's character as a very loving couple and while certainly not like Bonnie & Clyde, we see almost no traces of their outlaw pasts. Was that directorial?
Mara: It was how it was written. It's sort of a more realistic version of this kind of story. I don't think they consider themselves outlaws. They're just kind of kids who get in over their heads, but I don't think they're trying to be outlaws.
Is it advantage or disadvantage to work with the writer/director?
Mara: I've done it a few times. It's different because they have a different perspective on the script and sometimes it can be really helpful and sometimes it could also be a hindrance because maybe they're too close to it and don't know if something isn't working. It could go either way. Working with David is fantastic because he's not precious about anything and would have dropped anything if you gave him a good enough argument and would come up with something right on the spot. The way he wrote the script, like I said, was so poetic and very musical. I think a lot of the dialogue and monologues have kind of a musical quality and he wanted the film to feel like a folk song and I think that's definitely what the script read like. We made a lot of last minute changes so it obviously was great having the writer right there.
A lot of the scenes were dialogue heavy. Does that satisfy you as an actor?
Mara: It would but I feel like Ruth had the least amount of dialogue of any of the characters. We added stuff while we were shooting but I think Ruth is actually a pretty quiet character. I was always trying get a little more fire in there for her. I didn't want her to just be this sympathetic mother who is protective. I wanted her to be more rounded than that.
You and Casey's character did bad things. Why do you think they come off as being sympathetic characters?
Mara: Casey (Bob) makes the point that he's never really hurt anyone. My character is the one who did something bad in the beginning and I don't think she did it with ill intentions. Like I said, they're just kids. I don't think they have any idea what it means to shoot someone or the power behind a gun. There's no ill will behind what they're doing. I think they're just kind of naïve. They just get caught up. Bob actually goes to prison and he hadn't killed anyone ever.
What do you like about Casey as an actor?
Mara: Casey as an actor? You know, I really didn't know him at all before this. He shot all of his stuff first and then I came to Shreveport and we shot our stuff together and then I shot my stuff alone and he went off. So, I think our first day shooting together we shot one of the opening scenes in the car. He has this long, beautiful monologue about our future. I had read the script so many times at that point and loved that monologue and when we did it together, I never imagined the way he was going to do it, which is very rare. Usually you can imagine how an actor is going to do something, especially if you've read it many times. It was so alive and in the moment and that's what it was like working with him. He's a fantastic actor.
When you're not working, what do you do with your time?
Mara: I like to read a lot. I don't spend that much time not working, but I'm not working now and I haven't really been doing anything. I like to walk around different cities. I like to travel a lot. My charity takes up a lot of time.
What is the name of your charity?
Mara: It's called Uweza. It's sort of like the Boys and Girls Club of America. It's in Kibera in Kenya and is one of the largest slums in East Africa. We have a lot of enrichment after school programs. It also provides housing, food, and medical care for orphans.
Did your family support your decision to become an actress?
Mara: Yes. Well, my older sister is an actress (Kate Mara) and she started acting before I did so they were used to it. They were very supportive of her and very supportive of me.


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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Cleared to Race at Martinsville
Dale Earnhardt Jr., who missed the last two races in Charlotte and Kansas due to a concussion, will be back behind the wheel of the #88 Chevrolet this Sunday in Martinsville.
Earnhardt received the concussion in a multi-car crash on the last lap of the Talladega race on October 7. He began having constant headaches and was officially parked on October 11. Regan Smith took over for Earnhardt and came in 38th in Charlotte and took an impressive seventh-place finish in Kansas this past weekend.
Dr. Jerry Petty, the neurosurgeon who evaluated Earnhardt, made this statement in a press release:
"Dale Jr. has done everything asked of him. He hasn't had a headache since October 12, and we have not been able to provoke any symptoms since that time. I have informed NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports that he is medically cleared for all NASCAR-related activity.''
Although Earnhardt is returning to racing, his hopes of winning the championship are all but gone, as he is currently 122 points behind leader Brad Keselowski with only four races to go.

subset: commoncrawl


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HV/Series/Episode/ Work by: Barrett Golding · Todd Melby · rx · Tony Schwartz · StoryCorps · Jake Warga
Hearing Voices from NPR®
041 Christmas Mashup: Holy Days & Silent Nights
Host: Barrett Golding of Hearing Voices
Airs week of: 2010-12-22 (Originally: 2008-12-10)
"Christmas Mashup" (52:00 mp3):
Holiday cheer and holiday weird, a mix of lotsa holiday stories, found-sound, and sprinkling of sampled songs:
A home-recording of a "Christmas Gathering 1947" (4:08 excerpt), on an unlabeled 7″ Wilcox Gay Recordio Disc, was found by Bob Purse. The complete recording is posted at the 365 Days Project, "Christmas Gathering 1947" (6:32 mp3):
John Beltran remixes Bing Crosby "The First Noel" (5:02), on the compilation Holiday Chill – The Christmas Remixes.
"Dad and Sam" (4:43) is Jay Allison's story of father and brotherhood, from his series Life Stories.
Simon & Garfunkel mixed "Silent Night/7 0'Clock News" (2:05) back in 1996, on their album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme.
Every year at the Mall of America, you can hear "Arthur Jackson: Singing Salvation Army Bellringer" (4:54), a reformed drug addict now serving the Lord. The piece was produced by Todd Melby (KFAI Listening Lounge | Twin Cities Daily Planet | 2 below zero).
"Carrie Conley" (2:06) talks about raising six children as a single mom, and rounding up Christmas dinner and presents for everyone. Her son, Jerry Johnson, interviewed her for the StoryCorps project.
Every year, from 1963-1969, the Beatles sent their Fan Club members a Christmas message on flexi-disk record. The "Beatles Fan Club Christmas" (excerpts 6:41) messages were collected on The Beatles Christmas Album. Several sites have them posted online; there's hi-fi (320kbps) mp3s at TheBeatleSource). And here's the first and last of the seven years from The Internet Beatles Album…
"The Beatles Christmas Record 1963" (5:03 mp3):
"The Beatles Christmas Record 1969" (7:45 mp3):
"Christmas Kids" (4:25) tell the stories, myths and rumours of the Holidays, from a 2nd-graders POV: Mrs. Beasley's class at Emerson School in Bozeman, Montana, recorded in 1986.
At an orphanage in South Africa, some "Zulu Kids" (2:14) belted out a few songs for producer Jake Warga.
The late, great sound-recordist, Tony Schwartz, takes us on an audio tour of "Christmas in New York" (6:04) in the late 1950s. For more TonyS: Library of Congress | WNYC | WFMU | TonySchwartz.org | HV from NPR | Amazon.
HV's Barrett Golding tours his hometown of Bozeman looking for "The T in Xmas" (2:55): A toy-shop owner displays her wares, a Jewish man recounts the story of Hanukkah, a Salvation Army captain tells the history of bell-ringing, and the Sweet Adelaides choir offer a-capella carols.
Seattle's Captain Smartypants and the Seattle Men's Chorus yodel and line-dance their country-style Brokeback Dreidel, aka, "Kislev Cowboys" (excerpt 2:06) by Eric Lane Barnes. Recorded live by Tom Speer of the Seattle Channel, the video is posted onYouTube.
George W. Bush speeches are captured and placed in the extraordinary rendition program of mashup artisan Rx, who wishes you a "Happy RXmas & Whole Lotta Love" (Bush vs. Led Zep- excerpt 2:31). Here's the full version from WFMU, "Happy RXmas" (3:23 mp3):
One more Rx crash up, GWB & friends "Imagine" a "Walk on the Wild Wide (John Lennon vs. Lou Reed):
And we end with a Mahalia Jackson "Silent Night" (excerpt 2:41), remixed by King Kooba (bassist Charlie Tate and producer Matt Harris, aka DJ Shuff). The song is floating around the net free. In this HV Hour we only had time for a couple minutes, so here's the full version, Mahalia Jackson "Silent Night (King Kooba Mix)" (5:06 mp3):


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Speed Cameras (com.sygic.speedcamapp): Speed Cameras by Sygic with speed camera alerts, traffic, and speed limits ... Read More > or Download Now >
Speed Cameras for Android
Tech Specs
- • Latest Version: 3.9
- • Updated: November 18, 2015
- • Requires: Android 4.1 and up
- • Developer: Sygic. - GPS & Maps
- • Content Rating: Everyone
User Reviews
- • Rating Average
- 4.04 out of 5
- • Rating Users
- 60570
Download Count
- • Total Downloads
- 8871
- • Current Version Downloads
- 2771
- • File Name: com.sygic.speedcamapp.apk
You can now download the latest version apk file and install it.
More About Speed Cameras App
Speed Cameras Description: Speed Cameras by Sygic is the most accurate and easiest to use GPS based app, which lets you:
• See the speed limit for the road you are traveling on
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• Know about speed limit changes & exceeding the speed limit
• Drive more safely thanks to acoustic and visual warning
• Display speed limits and warnings also in other apps, such as Google Maps
• Track your mileage and useful driving stats using Trip log feature
• Record videos of your trips with the premium Dash Cam function
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Get real-time alerts of 60,000+ fixed speed cameras & radar locations
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► When HUD is running, tap on it to flip the screen and place under the windshield
Speed limits and warnings in other apps
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* Sharing recorded videos by Dash Cam is forbidden by law in following countries: Slovakia, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium and Portugal
Sygic | Bringing life to maps.
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Update: speed limits updated worldwide
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Fixes & improvements: various bugs and stability issues
If you like the app, please take some time to leave us a nice review. Thank you for your support!


text:
{mercado global bag: c/o RedEnvelope // top and scarf: zara // earrings: c/o padgett hoke // bean boots} |
it breaks my heart to hear that amazing local businesses are shutting their doors.
small towns can be tough!
one of my favorite places, Shades Cafe, is closing it's little log cabin this month.
when i stopped in the other day, i soaked in the sun from my favorite sunny seat in all of town.
the cabin may be tiny, but Shades adds so much character to jackson.
i urge all of you locals to stop by for one last eggs benedict or mocha latte.
i'll sure miss stopping there for a bite to eat before hitting the river in the summers.
you can read more about it here.
photos by ashley merritt


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If you're looking to change or update the look of your kitchen on a budget, simply changing the face of your cabinets can work wonders. Not only is this a cost-effective option, it can completely alter the look and feel of your kitchen.
Two ways to make a change to your kitchen cabinets is to either paint or stain them. The question is, which option should you choose?
If you've been paying attention to the world of interior design, you probably noticed that painted cabinets are on-trend lately. Whether they're steel blue, mustard yellow, emerald green, or classic white, painted cabinets are all the rage.
The exact type of paint that you choose for your cabinets will affect how they look, how well they can withstand wear and tear, and how resistant they are to water. Aside from the color, there are many paint options, including oil-based, water-based, or even varnishes. You will want to discuss each option and their effects (such as lifespan, off-gassing, and so forth) with a paint professional before you make your choice.
Another factor to consider is how the paint will be applied to the cabinets: either sprayed on or brushed on. Spraying the paint typically provides the most even, smooth finish; however, if you ever need to touch it up in the future, it could be a challenge to get a blemish-free finish. On the other hand, brushed-on paint might not have as consistent a finish as a spray-on version, but it will be a lot easier to touch it up as the need arises.
The type of wood also matters if you're leaning towards paint over stain. In order to achieve a smooth finish, the wood needs to have a completely flat surface and be void of knots and heavy grains.
It's modern
If it's an updated, contemporary look that you're after, then paint is the way to go. If you've got old-fashioned wood cabinets – such as oak, which has fallen out of style – paint can disguise any grains in the wood that you're no longer a fan of.
It provides a ton of options
Considering the seemingly endless variety of paint colors to choose from, the options are vast when it comes to creating a truly unique look to your kitchen.
It hides dust easily
Compared to stained wood, painted cabinets hide dust much better, especially lighter colors.
It's expensive
Generally speaking, it costs more to paint cabinets than to stain them because it entails a lot more time and elbow grease. If you are having your cabinets painted by a professional, you're looking at paying anywhere between $2,000 to $5,000, depending on the size of the kitchen, how complex the job is, and where you live.
It can crack over time
Painted cabinets are more susceptible to cracking as time passes which can make the cabinets look worn and dated.
If you love the grain of a certain type of wood, then staining your cabinets is a fantastic option. While stained cabinets are more traditional-looking than painted cabinets, they still provide a classic, timeless look.
Stained cabinets let the natural features and grains of the wood show through. You can choose from a variety of stains, from clear to a very dark mahogany or chocolate brown that adds a dramatic touch while still letting the wood's grain and texture show through. You also have the freedom to choose the type of finish you'd like, including glossy, semigloss, and matte. Some stains even have UV protection.
They're classic
While old oak cabinets are somewhat dated, many other types of stained woods are timeless. As such, stained wood cabinets are still rather popular among homeowners simply because they are less prone to going out of style and are not dependent on the latest trends in kitchen design.
They're good for resale value
Because of their classic and timeless look, stained cabinets are often better for resale value than painted cabinets.
They're more affordable
Since staining cabinets doesn't take as long as painting them, staining is the cheaper way to go.
The wood needs to be attractive
Stain is meant to show the grain of the wood, so if you are not a fan of the type of wood your cabinets are made of, stain is likely not the best option.
There aren't as many design options
You can't get nearly as much variety with your stain as you can with paint colors.
When it comes time to make a decision about the finished surface of your kitchen cabinets, make sure you test each option with your actual cabinet material so you can have an actual visual of what the finished product will look like. In addition, have samples of your countertops and backsplashes readily available to match up with the cabinets so you can verify how everything goes together before making your final decision.


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More Single Card Dual GPU Madness: NVIDIA's Flagship 9800 GX2
by Derek Wilson on March 18, 2008 9:00 AM EST- Posted in
- GPUs
For quite a while now, the 8800 GTX and 8800 Ultra have been the fastest single GPU cards around. In spite of the fact that we haven't seen any faster single GPU solution introduced, it is only recently that the rest of the lineup has become compelling on either the NVIDIA or AMD front. Aiming high is a good thing for those who can afford it, but until the technology makes its way into cheaper products most of us won't see the benefit.
It costs quite a bit of money to develop and produce single GPU solutions of ever increasing die size and complexity. It's a problem of engineering rather than science: yes faster hardware could be built, but it doesn't matter how fast your product is if people who are interested can't afford it. There are trade offs and diminishing returns to consider when designing hardware, and production cost and market value always have something to say about what type of performance a company will be able to target with a given product.
NVIDIA's G80 is a huge chip. Yes, they owned the market for a long time with it, but its cost to build was high and it was an expensive part for end users to own as well. AMD finally pulled out a wild card with the 3870 X2, and rather than putting their money into a large high cost chip, they combined two GPUs onto one board for their high end offering. Sure, NVIDIA had a single board dual GPU product a couple years back (the 7950 GX2) - and ATI tried that as well back in the Rage MAXX days - but we haven't seen a similar solution from their DX10 lineup until today.
With G9x coming in as a glorified die shrink to G80, NVIDIA took the opportunity to move away from huge die size and shift to the cheaper option of combining two GPUs on a single board for its highest end part. It is less expensive to make use of two chips, even if their combined size is larger than a monolithic one because yields are so much better. NVIDIA is able to get more chips per wafer and a higher percentage of those will be good compared to a large design.
Of course, in spite of a cheaper to produce solution, the increased performance of this solution over previous high end has earned the 9800 GX2 a pretty heft price premium. At a retail price of at least $600 US, these bad boys will not be making their way into everyone's systems. There is always a price for having the best of the best.
As we mentioned, NVIDIA has done single card dual GPU in the past. But this board is different from both the 7950 GX2 and it's current competitor, the 3870 X2. Let's take a look at the board and see just what the differences are.
50 Comments
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archerprimemd - Tuesday, April 1, 2008 - link
i apologize for the noob question, just didn't know where to look for the info:
dual gpu single card or single gpu dual cards (meaning, in SLI)
which is better?
also, isn't having the 2 gpus in one card sort of like doing an SLI? -
Tephlon - Friday, April 4, 2008 - link
"dual gpu single card or single gpu dual cards (meaning, in SLI)
which is better?"
To be honest, these seems to very based on timing and pricing.
For instance, back in the 7 series, I bought two 7800GT's and SLI'd them. About a week later, the 7950GX2 became available. It offered similar (if not better in some cases) performance than the two 7800gt's, so I returned the gt's and got the GX2.
But at the same time... The 7800 Ultra's were available... and two of those in SLI were better than the GX2... but for nearly twice the money.
Again, this might vary generation to generation, so YMMV.
"also, isn't having the 2 gpus in one card sort of like doing an SLI?"
the short answer is yes. I actually posted about this in more detail just a few pages ago, so for more on the subject see http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3266...">http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3266... -
Tephlon - Friday, April 4, 2008 - link
oops, sorry.
I meant to say see my post at http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3266...">http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3266...
Its about half way down the comments page. or you can just search 'Tephlon' -
SlingXShot - Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - link
You know 3dfx tried this SLI madness, and put 16 chips on one board...and you know they failed...these products are not attractive to standard joe and the only people who care are the ones who install new computer for a living. Is it not good practice puting 4 video cards together. People want new design, etc. -
Ravensong - Friday, March 21, 2008 - link
Ok, here's what I don't get and I hope someone can clarify this for me. In the article "ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2: 2 GPUs 1 Card, A Return to the High End" the CoD4 benchmarks running at 1920x1200 HQ settings, 0x AA/16x AF give a result of 107.3 fps yet this article's benchmark shows a result of 53.8 for 1920x1200. When I saw this I yelled out like like Lil Jon "WHAAT??" How did the frames drop this much? Perhaps the new 8.3 drivers are raping performance? This seems to be the case with every benchmark other than Crysis which received a minor increase from the 8.3 drivers. I'm not a fanboy for ATI/AMD by any means but I hardly see these scores as fair when just a few video articles ago this thing was doing well and then all the sudden it has piss poor performance when the GX2 launches. Reading this site on a daily basis I figured that the weird drop in performance would have been noted?? Not sure if anyone else noticed this but I surely did right away. I know I've had nothing but headaches atm with 8.3 and trying to get the 4 3850's I bought running in crossfire X. Thankfully thats just my secondary rig, if it had been my main I may have smashed it into pieces by now :D -
TheDudeLasse - Friday, March 21, 2008 - link
It's gotta be Catalyst 8.3
The scores im getting with 8.2 are 70% better.
Ravensong - Friday, March 21, 2008 - link
Definitely, no other explanation as to why the scores are so horrid compared to only a month and a half ago when the original benches debuted. I wish all the sites using 8.3 would correct this injustice!! lol... Hardocp went as far as saying "The Radeon HD 3870 X2 gets utterly and properly owned, this is true "pwnage" on the highest level." ... just wow. :D -
Ravensong - Saturday, March 22, 2008 - link
Any comments on this dilemma Sir Wilson?? (referring to the author) :D -
TheDudeLasse - Friday, March 21, 2008 - link
I think you may have had some driver issues with the 3870X2.
Im running a email@example.com and 3870x2.
I´ve been running the same benchmarks as you describe and the results are completely different.
For instance Call of Duty benchmark results vary almost over 70%
I ran the same benchmark "We start FRAPS as soon as the screen clears in the helicopter and we stop it right as the captain grabs his head gear."
1920x1200 4xAA and 16AF Your result 42.3 fps average
My result 76.056fps average
That's an over 75% improvment to your score.
What's the jig? screwed up catalyst drivers or what?
7Enigma - Thursday, March 20, 2008 - link
I see you have not answered the requests regarding why 8800GT and 8800GTS SLI was not included in these benchmarks. I can understand if you were not allowed to due to some Nvidia NDA, and why you might not be able to talk about it.
If you could please reply with a :) if this is the case, we would be greatly appreciative. Otherwise it looks like there is a gaping whole in this reveiw.
Thank you.


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Lotus SEVEN VIN decoder
Every Lotus car has a unique identifier code called a VIN. This number contains vital information about the car, such as its manufacturer, year of production, the plant it was produced in, type of engine, model and more. For instance, if someone wants to buy a car, it is possible to check the VIN one the online database to ensure that the car was not stolen, damaged or illegally modified. The VIN has a specific format that is globally recognized. This format was implemented by the ISO institute. Every car manufacturer is obliged to mark all its vehicles in this special format. This online service allows a user to check the validity of the car and get detailed information on almost any VIN, search for Lotus SEVEN car parts and check the car's history. The VIN also allows a user to get a build sheet of Lotus SEVEN.
Select Lotus model:
Please check Lotus SEVEN car parts catalog for additional information if you're looking for parts to repair your vehicle. You can search Lotus SEVEN parts by VIN. It is possible to get market price of new or used Lotus SEVEN by VIN. Every buyer must check Lotus SEVEN car history before getting a car loan or credit. Buying a used car? Do not forget to read about Lotus SEVEN problems, recalls and complaints. Find all the latest facts, figures and Lotus SEVEN specs based on year, make and model. Lotus vehicle history report may contain the following information: title problems, prior damages, unsafe salvage rebuilds, odometer mileage, theft, past sales.
- What is VDS? VDS is a Vehicle Descriptor Section. VDS is used to specify a type of vehicle and may include information about the model, platform, engine and transmission.
- What is VIN? VIN is a Vehicle Identification Number
- What is VIS? VIS is a Vehicle Identifier Section
- What is WMI? WMI is a World Manufacturer Identifier. The first three symbols identify the manufacturer of the car.


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Are Stocks Preparing to Plunge?
Stocks are oscillating between positive and negative territory today as the second week of earnings gets under way. At roughly halfway through the trading session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up by 2 points, or 0.02%.
The biggest news impacting the market today is a report that Apple has cut its orders for iPhone component parts. According to The Wall Street Journal, the tech giant's orders for iPhone 5 screens for the first quarter of this year have dropped to roughly half of what the company had previously planned to order.
While Apple once dominated the smartphone market, controlling an estimated 23% of it in 2011, its share has since fallen to 14.6% on the heels of stiff competition from the likes of Samsung Electronics and other manufacturers that have adopted Google's Android operating system.
Despite these issues, noted technology journalist David Kirkpatrick recently told Yahoo!'s Daily Ticker that the company still has a lot of "tricks up its sleeve" in 2013:
I don't think there's any fundamental problem with Apple. In fact, Apple's P/E is still ridiculously low. It's still by far the world's most popular electronics company. I would be a buyer of the stock.
Beyond Apple, many investors are focused on the financial sector, as all three of the remaining too-big-to-fail banks report fourth-quarter earnings this week. The nation's fourth-largest bank by assets, Wells Fargo kicked things off last week, reporting record fourth-quarter and 2012 fiscal-year earnings. As I discussed at the time, traders nevertheless sent shares in the lender down on concerns about its contracting net interest margin and slightly lower quarterly mortgage origination volume.
Up next for the banking sector is JPMorgan Chase , which reports earnings on Wednesday, and Bank of America and Citigroup, both of which release results on Thursday. While analysts are anticipating somewhat ho-hum earnings, investors already know that the figures will be weighed down by legal settlements entered into by the banks at the beginning of last week.
For B of A's part, the bank said that its fourth-quarter earnings will be "modestly positive" after recording a $2.7 billion charge-off related to a long-simmering dispute with Fannie Mae and a $2.5 billion charge-off associated with a broader foreclosure settlement that also encompassed Wells Fargo, JPMorgan, and Citigroup. To see a full list of B of A's legal woes, click here.
Think you've got a good chance at beating the market this year? How about a 98.79% chance? If you're interested in these odds, here's some news for you... Motley Fool Supernova, the flagship service of Fool co-founder David Gardner, is re-opening to new members tomorrow! Get instant and free access to learn how you get these kind of market-beating odds by clicking here now.
The article Are Stocks Preparing to Plunge? originally appeared on Fool.com.
John Maxfield owns shares of Bank of America and Apple. The Motley Fool recommends Apple and Wells Fargo & Company. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Bank of America, Citigroup Inc , JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Wells Fargo & Company. 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.
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Notice: this Wiki will be going read only early in 2024 and edits will no longer be possible. Please see: https://gitlab.eclipse.org/eclipsefdn/helpdesk/-/wikis/Wiki-shutdown-plan for the plan.
Architecture Council/Meetings/January 10 2013
Meeting Title: | Architecture Council Monthly Meeting |
Date & Time: | Thursday January 10, 2013 at 1600 UTC / 0800 SFO / 1100 Ottawa / 1600 London / 1700 Berlin attention DST change HTML | iCal |
Dial-in: | Let's use the Foundation's Asterisk setup for this call:
Participant conference extension: 701 then enter pin: 51968
All AC Members are invited.
- PMC Reps please confirm attendance or list your delegate below. Every PMC is required to name a primary and backup delegate, and to ensure that one delegate attends the meeting.
DTP: | Brian Payton | |
Eclipse: | |
Martin Oberhuber |
Modeling: | |
Mylyn: | Steffen Pingel | |
Tom Watson |
Technology: | |
Wayne Beaton |
Tools: | Doug Schaefer | |
Neil Hauge |
- Signed-Up: Wayne Beaton, Ian Bull, Doug Clarke, Neil Hauge, Markus Knauer, Martin O, Brian Payton, Steffen Pingel, Doug Schaefer, Michael Scharf, Eike Stepper, Krum Tsvetkov, Tom Watson
- Regrets: John Arthorne, Christian Campo, Dave Carver, Sebastien Gandon, Adrian Mos, Andrew Overholt, Gunnar Wagenknecht
- No-Show: Chris Aniszczyk, Boris Bokowski, Nick Boldt, Chuck Bridgham, Cédric Brun, Benjamin Cabé, Linda Chan, Kenn Hussey, Mik Kersten, Achim Loerke, Ed Merks, Mary Ruddy, Mike Milinkovich, Kim Moir, Tom Schindl, David Williams, Mike Wilson
Agenda / Notes
Review of Last Meeting
- Architecture Council/Meetings/December 13 2012
- Still open items moved to #Action_Items
New Topics
- Krum bug 397644 How to contribute documentation
- Follow-up offline on the bug, fine-tuning the guide and finding a place for it - BIG THANKS to Krum for getting things started
- John / Wayne : Process Diet
- Postpone to next month, follow up on the mailing list with initial thoughts, to prepare
- Wayne : Eclipse Data Centre Move
- Physically moving Servers on Feb 9, expect to be back up on Feb 10; IP addresses will change
- Wayne : PMI (Project-Management-Interface)
- Create a snapshot of the current Portal and put it into the Drupal-based PMI by end of the month
- Pre-populate data with current meta-info from the Portal
- System already used today on the LocationTech Forge
- Please try http://projects.eclipse.org and provide feedback (Create Community/Project Bugzilla or the AC mailing list)
- Some Portal functionality is not quite ready yet, eg Simrel tracking
- Voting in place (can be used) but does not send E-Mails yet
- Tagging / Search is in place
- Linking up the "Contributing" box against project-specific "How to contribute" as written up by Krum would be a great idea
- Statistics from project Dash not 100% accurate (eg when moving to a different company, the new company gets all the credit)
- Ian Bull: bug 397237 CVS read-only access
- Committers cannot connect anonymously to read-only CVS, some people are affected in their builds
- Martin: Using an old workspace with CVS projects (maybe just for browsing), re-importing from git is quite some effort .. this affects consumers
- Wayne: Not much compassion ... projects knew long enough ... something has to go away eventually, when do we turn the switch ? In 6 months or when ?
- Why not simply keep running read-only, why shutting down ? - continue discussion on the bug. Would need a really compelling argument to keep an obsolete service running.
- Michael S: Servers and services are also changing... the world is changing. Can't keep everything alive forever.
- If we do see references to CVS that are bogus, please fix them !
- Eike Stepper: Any plans to change the client side of the git story ?
- Martin: Was discussed on the Eclipse/PMC/Minutes_2012 on Dec 19
- Want to replace the classic "Eclipse SDK" which comes from the Platform team by an EPP Package
- Markus: bug 397896 is open for making this happen in EPP.
- Martin: EclipseCon 2013 AC Meeting
- A room is reserved for combined PC/AC meeting on Sunday (PC 2-4, combined PC+AC 4-5)
- Martin cannot attend this year, so will need somebody to head the meeting
General Topics
- Eclipse Infrastructure - git, Gerrit, Maven, Hudson, Bugzilla, ...
- Wayne wants a plan by end of this quarter, to move Orbit off CVS (maybe using Maven, ...)
- To be discussed also at EclipseCon ... any ideas from AC members ? Please let us know on the AC mailing list
- Updates from the Board or the EMO
- Most already discussed; Forges eg for LocationTech due to license allowances; these are operated by Eclipse.org
Action Items
- Cleaned up old action items, see Architecture Council/Meetings/February 10 2011 for old stuff
- (old) Martin to add Eclipsecon meeting notes onto the wiki
- (old) Tim write up an initial wiki page with information for people to standardize on the tracing API
- (old) Martin revise the AC Wiki to make it easier to find the New Member Process. More links on homepage. More usage of categories.
- (old) Martin bug 315210 Make the AC mailing list open / moderated


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Invasive Plants of Wisconsin
esula L. leafy spurge Family: Euphorbiaceae |
Leafy spurge is an invader of sunny sites including native grasslands and barrens and various disturbed sites, such as abandoned agricultural fields and roadsides and rights-of-way. It is very persistent once established and spreads aggressively to displace much of the native vegetation. It can grow on various disturbed soils, but does best on dry, sandy soils. It is resistant to many traditional methods of control and can actually increase if the land is cultivated or burned. Even the use of herbicides is expensive and requires a long term commitment to achieve control. Research on biological controls is underway. The best way to start control is to survey natural areas and begin with the new, small infestations and work in toward larger populations. You can learn more about leafy spurge life history and control methods on the internet. |


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We tend to think of nature as having reliable patterns; the leaves turn color each autumn, seasonal birds come and go. But there are also examples of sudden, unexpected changes in the environment around us. These rapid shifts occur when an ecological threshold has been crossed, either from a series of small changes or one abrupt change.
Take the case of Florida Bay, a shallow lagoon at the southern tip of Florida. For as long as anyone could remember, the clear water bay was dominated by seagrass, a rooted aquatic plant. Then, in the early 1990s, its waters became murky and choked with phytoplankton blooms. A combination of factors pushed the ecosystem over the edge, including nutrient inputs from septic systems, water diversions, the removal of plant-eating animals (manatees) and drought.
Multiple drivers were also behind the dieback of arid forests, grassland and shrublands in the southwestern United States. During the 1990s, livestock overgrazing, decades of fire suppression, and an increase in climate variability merged to create vulnerable ecosystems. The result: massive insect outbreaks devastated forests and an unprecedented amount of land was consumed by wildfires.
In the Pacific Northwest, a change in water allocation led to the decline of two endangered fish species. Marshes in the Klamath River basin were drained to provide water for nearby agricultural operations. When several years of drought hit in the late 1990s, the ecosystem tipped. Nutrient loading led to a drop in water quality and blue-green algae took over. In 2002, Lost River sucker and shortnose sucker populations collapsed.
Functioning ecosystems provide humans with essential services, such as clean water and protection from disease. Protecting these services requires managing ecological thresholds. One step is recognizing things such as damming, intensive farming and grazing can produce complex shifts in nearby ecosystems, especially when human changes are accompanied by unexpected natural events, such as extreme climate events.
Stability Important
Thresholds can be managed by supporting stable ecosystems, which are less prone to collapse. The two key components of ecosystem stability are resilience and resistance. Resistance is an ecosystem's ability to remain stable when confronted with a disturbance. Resilience is the speed at which an ecosystem recovers from a disturbance. For example, resistance refers to a forest's ability to withstand a windstorm; resilience refers to how quickly felled trees would grow back.
Given enough disturbance, systems can cross an ecological threshold that is difficult to reverse. In stable systems, if a windstorm blows down a forest, it recovers after the storm. But if the forest is compromised by invasive pests, and the windstorm is followed by a severe fire and a heavy rainstorm that washes away the soil, a non-forest ecosystem would likely take its place.
What can we do to prevent undesirable threshold changes in ecosystems? Or, put another way, what can we do to increase the resistance and resilience of ecosystems? This is an active topic of research at the Cary Institute; some ideas are emerging.
First is to maintain a diversity of plants and animals in an ecosystem. Humans have a tendency to simplify ecosystems to maximize one particular output. But this makes them more vulnerable to collapse or sudden change and should be avoided. Second is to minimize multiple stresses. As illustrated with the earlier examples, threshold changes are often associated with a combination of stresses, such as excess nutrients, species loss and overharvesting.
A diversity of flora and fauna is good. A diversity of environmental stressors is not. This seems straightforward enough, but in today's changing world managing ecological thresholds is one of the greatest challenges facing environmental scientists. Success will rely on collaborative research, environmental monitoring and policies that value the myriad important services that functioning ecosystems provide.


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A local shop got it to pass signal and technically function, but with four power tubes, some big-bruiser transformers, and a rating of 105 watts, I was expecting more.
A well-worn U1040 out of its cabinet.
The U1040's back panel includes jacks for both reverb and tremolo footswitches.
Hi Jeff,
It's probably a lingering artifact from
some emotional turbulence years ago,
but I'm fond of the goofy, early-'70s,
two-tone blue Univox amps with the
orange logos. I bought a weary, nonworking
U1040 project off Craigslist
and have been trying to nurse it back
to health. A local shop got it to pass
signal and technically function, but
with four power tubes, some big-bruiser
transformers, and a rating of 105
watts, I was expecting more. The amp's
volume seems weak and muted, its
tone is nothing special, and the whole
thing just seems sonically constipated. I've been told this amp has an
unusual design. What remedy might
the amp doctor prescribe for this lackluster
Best regards,
Tom Shaw
Hi Tom,
Although I've never owned one, I absolutely
remember these cool and unusual-looking
amps. According to the Univox site, your
1040 Quad Reverb was one of a large contingent
of models designed and marketed
in 1971. Although Univox was originally
a Japanese company, around the time your
1040 was produced, these amps would have
probably been assembled in Westbury, New
York, using Japanese-built chassis. This model
was also available with a 4x10 speaker configuration
(U1044). These amps sold for $480
at the time, which was a pretty decent chunk
of change considering that a Volkswagen
Beetle was selling for under $2,000.
Although this 1040 model exists, apparently its schematic does not—at least online. So as a reference, I chose a schematic for another model with the same basic specs, the 2-channel 1010. It has 10 tubes, a solid-state power supply, reverb, tremolo, presence, and a 105-watt RMS output. My guess is this will be almost identical to your model.
When troubleshooting older amps with no known history, it makes sense to start with the tubes. Used or abused output tubes can certainly leave an amp with lackluster performance. Install another set of 6L6s and see if this makes a substantial difference. If so, have the new tubes biased properly for optimal performance. I'd also substitute each preamp tube and listen for an improvement. This may be a case where each tube replacement brings the amp another step towards proper performance.
While there are a few atypical design elements, there's really nothing too "unusual" about it. The most noticeable difference is that the unit uses a 6AN8 triode/pentode tube in the reverb circuit. The pentode half of this tube feeds the triode half, which is basically a 12AU7, and the triode side drives the reverb tank. A little out of the ordinary, but certainly not an area that should be causing amp anemia. The following design differences, however, could be possible suspects.
The power supply differs from what's normally found in the majority of guitar amps. In most guitar amplifiers, the power-supply voltages that are fed to different stages of the amplifier are all derived, in one way or another, from the main supply voltage, traditionally called B+. But in this design, the power supply is actually split into two discrete sections. The full power supply (650V DC) is feeding the plates of the output tubes, while the rest of the amplifier is fed with exactly one half of that voltage (325V DC), which is sourced at the center of the power-supply filter stack.
Most Music Man amps used a very similar design, but since the preamp stages of the Music Man were all solid-state, the half power-supply voltage was only used to supply the screen grid voltage to the output tubes, and here is where a potential problem could exist in your amp. The half voltage is derived at the center point of two series capacitors. If these capacitors are worn, dried out, and out of balance, the half voltage could be substantially low and cause weak output from the output tubes, as well as lower gain in the preamp stages.
Check the half voltage. If it's substantially low, replacing these two 100 μF 450V capacitors could bring the amp back to life. And while you're at it, I'd replace all of the filter caps, as their performance could be questionable as well.
Next, I'd look at the output stage. In most designs, the plates of each pair of output tubes on either side of the output transformer are connected together. In this design however, the plates are separated by a 100 Ω resistor. If those resistors have failed, you may only be getting output from two of the four output tubes. Replacing those resistors should enable all four tubes to operate again.
If none of the above potential causes are the source of the lackluster performance, I'd finally suggest looking at the speakers. Over the years I've seen many instances where the original speakers in vintage amps can become weak and worn out, and the amp sounds and feels completely underwhelming. Disconnect the internal speakers and play the amp through a good extension cabinet. New speakers can make all the difference in the world.
Warning: All tube amplifiers contain lethal voltages. The most dangerous voltages are stored in electrolytic capacitors, even after the amp has been unplugged from the wall. Before you touch anything inside the amp chassis, it's imperative that these capacitors are discharged. If you are unsure of this procedure, consult your local amp tech.
Jeff Bober is one of the godfathers of the low-wattage amp revolution, co-founded and was the principal designer for Budda Amplification. Jeff recently launched EAST Amplification, and he can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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A Google barge built with recycled shipping containers proved its seaworthiness Thursday as it cruised from the San Francisco Bay to Stockton. But many other details about the odd-looking vessel remain a mystery.
Here are five things that we do know so far:
1. Google: an unconventional company that can afford to be fanciful
CEO and co-founder Larry Page once built an inkjet printer out of Legos, so it wasn't a shock last fall when it was revealed the 50-foot-tall barge at a San Francisco Bay island belonged to Google. Documents filed by Turner Construction Co. said the Treasure Island project would be part of a three-vessel fleet that would cost Google Inc. about $35 million. The other barges are supposed to be moored in Los Angeles and New York. So far, only one other similar vessel has been spotted in Portland, Maine.
2. Intrigue spurs speculation
Google initially had little to say about the barge, leading to a guessing game about the intentions of the company based in Mountain View.
There were reports that the vessel might be turned into a party boat where Google executives could schmooze with government leaders and important customers. Others theorized the barge would be a floating data center to help run Google services -- a concept the company has patented. Speculation that Google was building an aquatic store for its products seemed to make the most sense, given that the papers initially filed by Turner Construction described plans for a "floating retail store."
Google tried in November to clear up the confusion with a still-vague statement characterizing the barge as an interactive retail center.
3. Navigating the regulatory waters can be tricky
Google had hoped the barge would be completed by now, but those plans sank last fall after maritime officials began raising questions about the vessel. Work on the project came to a standstill as the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission concluded Google had not obtained the proper permits to build the barge at Treasure Island.
Rather than risk further delays and possible fines, Google decided to move the barge to Stockton, about 80 miles east of San Francisco on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta. The vessel made the short cruise Thursday. Port of Stockton Director Richard Aschieris told The Record in Stockton that Google has signed a six-month lease to moor the barge there.
4. Maintaining a sense of whimsy
Google has been having fun with all the attention the barge has been getting. When it first sought to clarify its purpose last fall, Google said it was sad to report the vessel wouldn't be a refuge for "the last remaining dinosaur."
Another tongue-in-cheek statement came Thursday.
"It's been a busy six months for our barge and it's grown tired of all the attention, so we are moving it to Stockton where it can have a break, enjoy the city's delicious asparagus, warmer climate and get a bit of rest before its next chapter," Google joked.
5. All aboard
If Google's plans pan out, the barge is expected to travel to ports throughout the West and become a tourist attraction that draws hundreds of curious visitors to waterfront areas.


text:
PREPARING to perform at her third World Cup, pop star Shakira says she thanks football for changing her life.
Shakira says she "will never forget that I met the love of my life at the World Cup."
She and Spain defender Gerard Pique met when promoting her 2010 World Cup anthem, "Waka Waka — Time for Africa," and the couple have an 18-month-old son.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's closing ceremony concert, Shakira says "if it wasn't for the World Cup my son Milan would not be here."
In Maracana Stadium before the Argentina vs. Germany final she will perform "La La La (Brazil 2014)" with Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown.
Shakira says though Pique was affected by defending champion Spain's early exit, "I have a way of consoling him."
Shakira: World Cup changed my life
12th July 2014
Showbiz, Arts & Culture


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STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – U.S. rapper A$AP Rocky was convicted in Sweden on Wednesday of assault over a Stockholm street brawl, but spared time in jail after a high-profile trial that had led President Donald Trump to accuse Sweden of treating him unfairly.
A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, and two members of his entourage were found guilty of kicking and beating 19-year-old Mustafa Jafari after an argument. But the court said allegations they hit him with a glass bottle, which might have brought a tougher sentence, were not proven.
"In an overall assessment, the court finds that the assault has not been of such a serious nature that a prison sentence must be chosen," Senior Judge Per Lennerbrant told a courtroom packed with reporters.
In a comment posted on Instagram, Mayers said he was disappointed with the verdict and that it had been a difficult time.
"Imma keep moving forward," he said. "Thank you to my team, my management, attorneys, label and everyone who advocated for justice."
The rapper, who shot to fame with his 2011 debut "Live.Love.A$AP", was not court for the verdict. He was released on Aug. 2 after 31 days in jail and a three-day trial, in what legal experts said at the time was a sign the judge was likely not to jail him further.
The court said the fact that the defendants had no prior convictions over the past five years and had already spent time in custody awaiting trial meant they would not serve further time in prison or pay any fine.
Prosecutor Daniel Suneson told Reuters he had not yet decided whether he would appeal any part of the verdict.
"The court has been of the same view as myself, with one big exception, which is whether or not a blow was dealt with a glass bottle," he said. "Beyond that I feel the court made an accurate assessment."
Slobodan Jovicic, Mayers' Swedish lawyer, told reporters that despite the verdict, the court had ruled in favour of his client regarding some aspects of the case.
"We didn't succeed all the way but on the other hand we got many points proven," he said, adding that he had contacted his client about the verdict via text message and would speak to him later on Wednesday.
The case drew global attention, particularly after Trump offered to vouch for the rapper's bail and asked Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven to help free him. Sweden does not have a bail system and Lofven pointed to Sweden's independent judiciary saying he could not intervene.
Trump tweeted messages saying he was disappointed in Lofven and demanding: "Treat Americans fairly!"
Other celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and Rod Stewart, had also spoken out in support of the rapper.
During the trial, both the defence and prosecution made liberal use of video taken on mobile phones during the altercation. The prosecution said that after an argument, Mayers threw Jafari to the ground, after which he and the two others kicked and punched the teenager.
Mayers said he acted in self defence after the teenager attacked his bodyguard.
The court said it had been proven that the artist and two of his party had hit and kicked the plaintiff as he lay on the ground, and discounted their claims of self-defence.
Mayers, best known for his song "Praise the Lord", had been in Stockholm for a concert at the time of the fight. He had to cancel several shows across Europe due to his detention.
He is due in neighbouring Finland on August 16 to play the Blockfest festival in Tampere.
Reporting by Johan Ahlander, Niklas Pollard, Simon Johnson in Stockholm and Anna Ringstrom in Uppsala; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, Alison Williams and Toby Chopra


text:
Away Mission: A Vision for Embedded Linux
Away Mission: A Vision for Embedded Linux
On the mark for its organization and on target for the current hot topics in the Embedded Linux Community, October's M-Vision was a gem in the small conference category. The "M" stands for MontaVista, a company committed to developing Linux kernels and tools for embedded and mobile devices. This conference, MontaVista Vision, was much more focused and satisfying than the competing mobile and embedded tracks at last August's LinuxWorld conference.
MVison in general
This was an excellent location for a small conference - the SF Palace Hotel entrance is just about 100-150 feet from the entrance to the regional 'subway' (BART). There are multiple bus and municipal rail lines that converge on the area, and it's only a 10-12 minute walk from the ferries.
The session presentations were not available on-line before the conference
and there was at first a hint that they would not be posted later, a
mistake cleared up by the first afternoon: most of these were on a 1GB USB
drive (not included in the conference bag) that had to be requested in the
afternoon in the registration area. There were 19 presentations on the USB
stick and about 11 missing. The organizers said that all presentations
would be posted, and most were indeed up after a week.
Conference perk: a good roller bag with detachable, separate shoulder bag. The main bag was not padded for carrying laptops, however. Well, it would have been nice to be able to use it for every occasion. There were additional perks in the small expo area, but the best was the 2X binoculars at one of the MontaVista podiums.
Of the breakout sessions, only one room had enchained power cords -- this one had a session with hands-on exercises. My own 15-foot extension cord was invaluable in connecting to the few outlets in rooms I attended sessions in, allowing others to share the same power connection.
There was less competition for outlets as most participants took hand-written notes. This is largely due, I think, to MV's reliability in depositing slides and videos on-line after their events. There also were a few product managers and marketeers in the audience.
On the food front, there was a good full breakfast - it was eggs, potatoes, meats, fruit, cereals - and there was a decent box lunch with a bag of gourmet chips that could be carried away.
While there was soda and a tea/coffee service at the breaks, there were no snacks in the first afternoon. A small amount of breakfast pastry was available during the AM keynote break. Cookies and pretzels were put out for the afternoon break on the second day.
For the evening, there was a party with a SF theme and ethnic food stations. There also was an awesome dessert bar, and Nintendo Wii stations and computer arcade rides for fun. Considering that the regular conference cost was only $595.00 (USD) - $350 for customers - this was a very good value.
Besides good conference swag and edibles, there were a good set of keynotes and good mix of sessions on 5 separate tracks:
- Working with Open Source
- High Availability
- Bringing up HW
- Linux on Freescale
- Monte Vista How-to Sessions
M-Vision Keynotes
The MVison opening keynote was by Rusty Harris, CEO of MontaVista. Harris called for more support for open source and explicitly more contributions by members of the embedded community and more events like M-Vision. "It's tough to work together when we can't find each other," he told the attendees.
"The embedded Linux community is growing faster and is building more smart devices than ever, and it shows no signs of slowing," said Rusty Harris. "Generating this growth during today's economic uncertainty shows how strongly committed embedded engineers are to getting the most out of open source."
Harris said that the embedded community is driving Linux now that there is more uniformity and standardization. But he also spoke of a need to counteract the PC and Windows bias of developers and OEMs now that "Linux is the most viable model of open source on the planet!"
He said MV would work more closely with semiconductor companies and pledged MV resources to work with attendees to build a better embedded community.
The second keynote, "Linux for Internet Devices" was presented by Pete Kronowitt from Intel's Open Source Technology Center. He discussed the growth of Linux in mobile Internet devices (MIDs) and presented Intel's view, noting that the embedded market has grown rapidly since 2000.
"Now there are about about 1.4 billion of us attached to the Internet -- but there are another 4-5 billion who will soon be attached. They reside in underdeveloped countries. And affordability will be key to driving the next 2 billion users and probably the 2 billion users after that."
The number of people using mobile devices to get to the Internet is expected to triple from 2007 to 2012, and triple again in another 4-5 years. Kronowitt said the smart phone market is exploding and Linux is growing even faster: over 30% of units in 2012 will be Linux-based.
A Forrester survey in February of 2008 asked potential buyers of a mobile Internet device about the main deterring factor:
- 60% of respondents say phone screens are too small to use online
- 24% say laptops are too big and heavy to carry every where
- 38% say they would pay up to $20 a month for wireless broadband service
So this helps to define what Intel thinks of as the 3 pillars needed for a good mobile Internet experience:
- The right ultra mobile size and performance with long battery life
- Internet compatibility and SW consistency - with video especially
- Always-connected, high-speed wireless
He also gave a plug for Intel's Atom CPU, saying it was the "smallest piece of silicon we've launched to date with our most advanced (45nm) technology."
Intel launched Moblin.org last year with the goal of developing a lean FOSS SW stack to operate everywhere. It also has an application framework in development. The Moblin community is seeking to lower component count and costs with optimized memory footprints.
But something happened along the way: the netbook exploded on the scene! This has changed the game for device OEMs and consumers and expanded Moblin's base rapidly. Currently, Moblin is a Linux-based software platform for building applications that run on devices based on Intel Atom CPU.
Kronowitt said that Intel isn't doing any advertising for Moblin.org: "Code speaks louder than ads." He also hinted there would be new Moblin announcements in November.
Slides and video from this session are at www.mvista.com/download/author.php?a=66.
In another keynote, Deepak Saxena - a principal in the OLPC project - addressed "Linux Power Management Challenges for the OLPC and Beyond".
At first Saxena summarized vision and history of the XO and its current status. He noted it was built for both the tropics and deserts and also for rough handling. It needed a new model of networking for remote locations. The XO was also designed for collaboration up front. It also had a goal of 10-20 hours runtime -- doing something all the while.
Saxena pointed out that the key element in power control is that the graphics engine is not directly linked to the CPU, as in conventional notebooks - the frame buffer is driven from the display controller. The wireless chip also works even if the CPU is in sleep mode.
See the Saxena video at http://www.mvista.com/download/author.php?a=26.
State of the Linux Kernel
Jonathan Corbet, the editor at LWN.net, gave the second day keynote. Corbet reviewed the huge on-going effort that goes into a Linux release and ways to contribute. He put up a slide showing the wide diversity of of industry kernel contributors. Red Hat, IBM, Novell, and Intel are standouts.
Who contributes?
from 2.6.23 -> 2.6.27-rc5(Non-affiliated) 19% Red Hat 12% IBM 7% unknown 6% Novell 6% Intel 5% Parallels 2% Oracle 2% linutronix 2% consultants 2% Movial 2% SGI 1% academia 1% Analog Devices 1% Renasas Tech 1% Freescale 1% MontaVista 1% Fujitsu 1% Google 1% Astaro 1%
Corbet also spoke about new Linux file systems, specifically ext4 as a descendant of ext3. This adds journal checksums and also lifts size limits from files and filesystems. He also discussed btrfs, which has a faster fsck, full checksumming, subvolumes and snapshots.
Corbet said there was lots of on-going work in drivers and the kernel and also in userland space. He also asked why a project hasn't been started to port DTrace to Linux from Solaris.
The slide deck from his presentation and related videos are available here: http://www.mvista.com/download/author.php?a=8
Fast Boot Session
One session I'd recommend is "Fast boot: Tips & Techniques for Improving Linux Start-up Time" by Christopher Hallinan, who contributed to the u-boot boot loader.
A typical embedded system contains a bootloader and kernel, both of which are typically configured with many useful default features that may or may not be important for a given product requirement. This presentation shows how to significantly reduce boot time for embedded systems.
Hallinan saw Intel's 5-second boot demo at the recent IDF conference and wanted to see how far he could go on his own. He set this up as a personal project to see what was do-able in a short time. How short? How about 5-7 person-days over a month?
Hallinan said he thought that Intel spent over 40 man-weeks on its effort. And he got within 10% of Intel's 4.5-second boot. Not bad at all.
Hallinan based his efforts in part on suggestions from Tim Bird of the Linux CE forum, who had written a paper on reducing boot times (http://kernel.org/doc/ols/2004/ols2004v1-pages-79-88.pdf).
One key delay noted there is ide_init, which can take over 3 seconds at boot time, even in modern Linux kernels. Bird noted that "The call sequence underneath ide_init() shows that a large number of calls are made to the routine ide_delay_50ms()...." Many embedded devices use SSD storage so this can be stripped out of many embedded kernels.
Hallinan used a Freescale MPC8349 Emitx board and U-Boot loader. This setup had 256 MB of RAM and 16 MB of flash with a 533 MHz clock, plus serial and USB and net ports.
With a 2.6.25 kernel with typical configuration he had a boot time of 1:15 to cmd prompt, with ~5 seconds for U-Boot alone.
A full description of the tech sessions is here: http://www.mvista.com/vision/index.php?p=sessions#bordug
And all the presentations are here: http://www.mvista.com/download/topic.php?t=18
MontaVista also held a technical bootcamp on embedded Linux drivers the day before M-Vision, pricing it at only about $100 more for M-Vision conference attendees.
The tutorial instructor was Mike Anderson, chief scientist of the PTR Group, an experienced instructor on embedded development. Hands-on labs were included covering driver entry points, blocking I/O, moving between user and kernel space, driver debugging, and other topics.
Talkback: Discuss this article with The Answer Gang
Howard Dyckoff is a long term IT professional with primary experience at
Fortune 100 and 200 firms. Before his IT career, he worked for Aviation
Week and Space Technology magazine and before that used to edit SkyCom, a
newsletter for astronomers and rocketeers. He hails from the Republic of
Brooklyn [and Polytechnic Institute] and now, after several trips to
Himalayan mountain tops, resides in the SF Bay Area with a large book
collection and several pet rocks.
Howard maintains the Technology-Events blog at
blogspot.com from which he contributes the Events listing for Linux
Gazette. Visit the blog to preview some of the next month's NewsBytes


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Home Occupation
Certain occupational uses termed "home occupations" are allowed in dwelling units on the basis that such uses are minor to the use of the premises as a residence. They have special regulations that apply to ensure that home occupations will not be a detriment to the character and livability of the surrounding neighborhood. The regulations ensure that the accessory home occupation remains subordinate to the residential use and the residential viability of the dwelling is maintained. The regulations recognize that many types of jobs can be done in a home with little or no effect on the surrounding neighborhood and, as such, may be permitted provided such uses are:
Permit requirements and uses allowed in each type vary and are allowed only if they comply with all of the requirements of this ordinance. Deviation from any standard requires a variance approval from City Council.
- Compatible with residential uses
- Conducted within the bona fide residence of the principal practitioner
- Limited in extent and do not detract from the residential character of the neighborhood
- Minor to the use of the premises as a residence
Home Occupation Types
There are two types of home occupations, Type A and Type B.Permit requirements and uses allowed in each type vary and are allowed only if they comply with all of the requirements of this ordinance. Deviation from any standard requires a variance approval from City Council.
In Marietta, All home occupations shall comply with:
- A home occupation shall be incidental and accessory to the use of a dwelling as a residence. No more than 750 square feet or 25 percent of the floor space, whichever is less, of the dwelling unit (including attached garages) may be used for the occupation.
- There shall be no exterior evidence of the home occupation or alteration of the residence and/or accessory buildings to accommodate the home occupation. Internal or external changes which will make the dwelling appear less residential in nature or function are prohibited. Examples of such prohibited alterations include construction of parking lots, paving of required setbacks, or adding commercial-like exterior lighting. Any alteration or addition which expands the floor area of the principal structure dedicated to the home occupation use shall void the existing business license and require a new business license be obtained, subject to property compliance verification by the Department of Development Services. For Type B home occupations a new public hearing must be held for the rights associated with the special land use permit to be reestablished.
- There shall be no outside operations or exterior storage of inventory or materials to be used in conjunction with a home occupation.
- Off-site employees of the resident shall not congregate on the premises for any purpose concerning the home occupation nor park their personal vehicles at the location.
- No article, product or service used or sold in connection with such activity shall be other than those normally found on the premises.
- No more than one vehicle associated with the home occupation may be parked at the site. Such vehicle is limited to one and a half-ton carrying capacity and must be used exclusively by the resident and parked on a valid improved surface.
- No use or activity may create noise, dust, glare, vibration, smoke, smell, electrical interference or any fire hazard.
- All home occupations shall be subject to periodic inspections by the Department of Development Services.
- Any type of repair or assembly of vehicles or equipment with internal combustion engines (such as autos, motorcycles, marine engines, lawn mowers, chain saws and other small engines) or of large appliances (such as washing machines, dryers, and refrigerators) or any other work related to automobiles and their parts is prohibited.
- Group instruction, assembly or activity shall be prohibited.
- Accessory home occupations may not serve as headquarters or dispatch centers where employees come to the site and are dispatched to other locations.
- The Department of Development Services must approve all business licenses which shall be re-certified annually.
Type A - Limited Home Occupation
Residents are permitted to use their home as a place of work, home office or business mailing address.Employees or customers are prohibited from coming to the site. (e.g. artists, crafts people, writers and consultants.)
Specific Criteria for Type A Home Occupations
In addition to the established general criteria, home occupations are subject to additional restrictions, including:
- No clients, non-resident employees or customers are allowed on the premises.
- Pickups from and deliveries to the site in regard to the business shall be restricted to vehicles which have no more than two axles and shall be restricted to no more than two pickups or deliveries per day between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- No signage regarding the home occupation is permitted on the property.
- No advertisement shall be placed in any media (including flyers soliciting business) containing the address of the property.
Type B - Special Land Use Permit Home Occupation
Residents are permitted to use their homes for work which requires or results in either employees or customers coming to the site. Examples are counseling, tutoring and certain office uses.Special Land Use Permit
For this type of home occupation you must obtain a special land use permit from City Council because of their greater possible impact on the surrounding neighborhood as a result of individuals and visitors from outside the neighborhood coming to the property.
View the Type B - Home Occupation Permit Application (PDF)
Specific Criteria for Type B Home Occupations
In addition to the established general criteria, Type B home occupations are subject to the additional restrictions, including:
- A special land use permit must be obtained from City Council following a public hearing, which shall follow the same procedures and fees set forth in Division 720. City Council shall consider the desires of the immediate neighborhood, the nature of the proposed business, the availability of parking, traffic generation and any other issue that may detract from the residential character of the area and property values.
- No Type B home occupation may be established in districts zoned for multi-family residential purposes.
- No more than one Type B home occupation per dwelling is permitted.
Uses that may be permitted as Type B Home Occupations include those in
which only the occupants of the dwelling and one additional employee or
consultant or agent or subcontractor shall be authorized to work on the
premises. Visitation by clients in conjunction with a home occupation
shall be limited to two per week; provided however, that the following
exception is made for purposes of meeting overriding public goals of
- Tutoring or the instruction of music, dance, arts and crafts and similar subjects, limited to two students in home at one time.
- The following uses are specifically prohibited as Type B home occupations (list not all-inclusive):
- Animal hospitals
- Auto sales or auto repair
- Day care
- Funeral homes
- Kennels or the keeping of animals
- Lodging services
- Personal service establishments
- Restaurants or any preparation of food or drink
- Retail or wholesale shops
- Special events facilities
- Veterinary clinics
- Customers may visit the site only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
- The applicant for any proposed Type B home occupation must provide city staff with a copy of the most recent recorded protective covenants applicable to the subject property. The applicant must submit a copy of the request to the homeowner's association, if any, and must provide a copy of the response, if any, to the city staff. The burden of proof shall be upon the applicant to show that the proposed use is allowed by the protective covenants
- If the proposed use clearly violates the subdivision covenants, staff shall have the authority to deny the application. The applicant may appeal the denial to City Council at the next regularly scheduled meeting, but such an appeal shall not require a public hearing. If staff's decision is affirmed by City Council, the matter shall be concluded. If City Council reverses staff's decision, the matter would be placed on a subsequent City Council agenda for a full public hearing.


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By Admin1 (admin) (adsl-70-240-139-65.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net - 188.8.131.52) on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 8:03 am: Edit Post |
1965: Robert Bienkowski served in Colombia in Bucaramanga and Bogota beginning in 1965
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Robert Bienkowski can be contacted at bienkorsaihsdorg
Country of Service: Colombia
Cities you served in: Bucaramanga and Bogota
Arrival Year: 1965
Departure Year: 1968
Work Description: Training science teachers
Originally posted: November 5, 2002
Looking for another volunteer who served with this Group?
If you know this volunteer or someone from his or her group and are looking to reconnect with them,
leave a message above where it says "Create New Conversation."
If this is your profile, post any additions, updates or corrections to your profile below where it says "Add a Message."
RPCVs: To add your own RPCV profile click here.
The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related stories in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about what RPCVs with your same interests or from your Country of Service are doing today. |


text:
Android: If you're a fan of Google Tasks and you'd like to put quick access to your task lists right on your Android home screen, gTasx is a simple wrapper for Google Tasks.
Google Tasks—oddly enough—doesn't have an official Android application. If you'd like quick access to your Google Tasks, gTasx is a simple application that acts as a front end for Google Tasks. It's no frills and essentially just a wrapper for the Google Tasks mobile site but it gets the job done, puts quick access on your home screen, and rocks a little to-do list icon to distinguish itself from the rest of your home screen apps and bookmarks. Separating the task list out from your browser also makes it easier to switch between your tasks and other application—especially when you're using the browser for other things.
You can search the Android Market for "gTasx" or scan the QR code to the right (courtesy of AndroidLib). Have a favorite Android application to share? Let's hear about it in the comments.
gTasx [AndroidLib]


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The daughter of Huawei's founder, a top executive at the Chinese technology giant, was arrested in Canada and faces extradition to the United States, stirring up fears it could reignite a Sino-U.S. trade row and roiling global stock markets.
The arrest of Meng Wanzhou, 46, who is Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's chief financial officer, threatens to drive a wedge between the United States and China just days after they agreed a 90-day trade war truce in Argentina on Saturday - the day she was detained.
Meng's arrest, revealed late on Wednesday by Canadian authorities, is related to U.S. sanctions, a person familiar with the matter said. Reuters was unable to determine the precise nature of the possible violations.
People familiar with the matter told Reuters in April that U.S. authorities have been investigating Huawei, the world's largest telecoms equipment maker, since at least 2016 for allegedly shipping U.S.-origin products to Iran and other countries in violation of U.S. export and sanctions laws.
The arrest and any potential sanctions on the world's no. 2 smartphone maker could have major repercussions on the global technology supply chain.
U.S. and Asian shares tumbled as news of the arrest heightened anxiety over prospects of a collision between the world's two largest economic powers, not just over tariffs but also over technological hegemony.
Huawei is already under intense scrutiny from Washington and other western governments over its ties to the Chinese government, driven by concerns it could be used by Beijing for spying. It has been locked out of the U.S. and some other markets for telecom gear. Huawei has repeatedly insisted Beijing has no influence over it.
Meng, one of the vice chairs on the company's board and the daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested on Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. authorities and a court hearing has been set for Friday, a Canadian Justice Department spokesman said. Trump and Xi had dined in Buenos Aires on Dec. 1 at the G20 summit.
Huawei, which generated US$93 billion in revenue last year, confirmed the arrest. "The company has been provided very little information regarding the charges and is not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms. Meng," it said in a statement.
She was detained while transferring flights in Canada, it added.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily briefing on Thursday that China had asked Canada and the United States for an explanation of Meng's arrest, but they have "not provided any clarification".
The Chinese consulate in Vancouver has been providing her assistance, he added, declining further comment. On Wednesday, China's embassy in Canada said it resolutely opposed the arrest and called for her immediate release.
In April, the sources told Reuters the U.S. Justice Department probe was being handled by the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn.
The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday declined to comment. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn also declined to comment.
'Extremely shocking'
Lu Xiang, an expert on China-U.S. relations at the state-backed Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, called Meng's arrest "extremely shocking."
"If someone from the United States is hoping to use threats to an individual's personal safety in order to add weight in the talks, then they have most certainly miscalculated," he said.
Arthur Kroeber, founder of Gavekal Dragonomics, said Beijing was unlikely to retaliate against the U.S. business community in China because its interests have partly overlapped with China's in the trade war, giving Beijing some leverage.
Jia Wenshan, a professor at Chapman University in California, said the arrest "runs a huge risk of derailing the U.S.-China trade talks."
While Meng's arrest comes at a delicate time in U.S.-China relations, it was not clear if the timing was coincidental.
The probe of Huawei is similar to one that threatened the survival of China's ZTE, which pleaded guilty in 2017 to violating U.S. laws that restrict the sale of American-made technology to Iran in efforts to curb Tehran's missile and nuclear programs.
Earlier this year, the United States banned U.S. firms from selling parts and software to ZTE, which eventually paid $1 billion as part of a deal to get the ban lifted.
Huawei has said it complies with all applicable export control and sanctions laws and other regulations.
News of the arrest came the same day Britain's BT Group said it was removing Huawei's equipment from the core of its existing 3G and 4G mobile operations and would not use the Chinese company in central parts of the next network.
In January 2013, Reuters reported that Hong Kong-based Skycom Tech Co Ltd, which attempted to sell embargoed Hewlett-Packard computer equipment to Iran's largest mobile-phone operator, had much closer ties to Huawei than previously known.
Meng, who also has used the English names Cathy and Sabrina, served on the board of Skycom between February 2008 and April 2009, according to Skycom records and several other past and present Skycom directors appear to have connections to Huawei.
Meng's arrest drew a quick reaction in Washington.
U.S. Senator Ben Sasse praised the move and said that it was "for breaking U.S. sanctions against Iran." He added: "Sometimes Chinese aggression is explicitly state-sponsored and sometimes it's laundered through many of Beijing's so-called 'private' sector entities."
(Reporting by Makini Brice and Karen Freifeld; Additional reporting by Julie Gordon in Vancouver, David Ljunggren in Ottawa, Diane Bartz in Washington, Tony Munroe and Christian Shepherd in Beijing, Josh Horwitz and John Ruwitch in Shanghai and Jessie Pang in Hong Kong; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree and Tomasz Janowski; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall, Muralikumar Anantharaman and Susan Thomas)
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.


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Slipcover a Real Chair ? YES, I Can!
Warning for my Mother: - remember how embarrassed you were when I shared the photo of my dining room on the "world wide web?" You may want to ignore these next photos!
A Special Plead to my Readers: Please do not judge me or my family for the condition of this chair. The rest of my furniture does NOT look like this - I promise. But this is my little-10-year-old-helper's favorite tv watching chair (since he was 2). --AND this chair sits in direct sunlight most of the day. --AND I am frugal and did not want to buy a new chair, without completely redecorating the entire den at the same time.
Warning: Don't get any closer.......
Yikes!!! What kind of people are we?
(Disgusting, I know.)
Well - I took some drop cloths from Home Depot and bleached them. I used two 12'x9' drop cloths and about 3 gallons of bleach. (Several washings). I also used rather fat cording - figuring if I am going to the trouble to place cording on every seam, then I want it to show!
I measured and cut and pinned and sewed.
And HERE is the finished product!!!!!........
We LOVE our "new" chair!!!
Lessons I learned:
(1) It is MUCH easier to tackle a project when the fabric you are cutting is inexpensive. So what if you mess up on two $9.00 drop cloths? Go buy one more and you will have a whopping $30 in the project (plus another $3 for the extra bleach). Certainly costs a LOT less than a new chair (plus a second matching chair, and a new sofa, and new window treatments, etc..)
(2) Canvas drop cloths are very SOFT - after two bleachings and two regular detergent washings.
(3) This project takes time (maybe 7 hours, total- with interruptions) and patience - but is not as difficult as I thought. Well worth my day!
(4) All drop cloth canvases are NOT the SAME! The two I bought at Home Depot for the chair were very thick and could withstand lots of bleach. The drop cloth I bought today at Lowe's (8 oz weight) is much thinner and only required about 1 cup of bleach (or less) to lighten. (It is a much thinner fabric.)
This post is featured at Kimba's Do-It-Yourself Day!
Please visit Metamorphosis Monday for more before and after projects!
This post is also linked to The Shades of Pink and Reinvented!


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Speaker: It's the recrimination I don't need …
230 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 … 10 Newer→ Last
Grow up.
Hey! I was moving from 'bargaining' to 'acceptance' this morning, and you ruined it by being all mean!
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Can't remember the exact wording but there were a few too many Great War comparisons on Morning Report. A player compared the smell in the changing room to a WW1 battlefield, and then someone said something about the ABs being "sent out to their deaths".
Something not quite right there ...
Hey! I was moving from 'bargaining' to 'acceptance' this morning, and you ruined it by being all mean!
In hindsight, I think all the cr@p I heard on radio sport yesterday afternoon may have influenced how I read the comments this morning. Yes, yes, I understand listening to Murray Deaker may cause irreversable harm, and I promise never to do it again.
The big lesson NZ needs to take from this is perspective - and also - graciousness in defeat. Already people are blaming the captain, the conditioning programme, the ref, the gameplan. It just isn't cool. Move on and accept we lost, and do it with a smile instead of a moan.
It looks like Henry will be leaving the All Black fold and I'm sad that the era has come to an end (also helped with the exodus to the NH of some of our key players). These last four years have been a great era for NZ rugby. We thrashed an over-hyped Lions outfit. We won the grand slam in the NH - not done since the 70s. We have held a vice like grip on the Tri Nations and Bledisloe cup (with four blips out of about 45 along the way). This All Black team has been a great one, and no matter who goes on to win the world cup, the All Blacks will always be the team to beat.
With respect to the author of the original blog, e are condemning ourselves to more of this rubbish if we won't accept the obvious in that arrogance and complacency was a factor (not the only one in this loss.
One of the minor benefits of being knocked out so early (I'm really clutching at technical straws here :) is that the draw for the 2011 RWC will be based on these results.
The tiny upside as a result is that we will likely end up in the same group as one of the real heavyweights, England, France, SA or Argentina. In theory, we should then get a taste of tough rugby in the group phase, thus avoiding one of the criticisms I hear being levelled at this particular campaign.
See, the NZRU ultra-long term strategy will soon pay off :)
You play to the conditions and guess what, when you play against the hosting nation you also play to an extent against the ref.
In a two point game France scored half their points against 14 men and made the break that led to the winning 7 pointer from a clear forward pass. A 17 point swing from the referee towards France.
Under these circumstances there are only two 'play to the conditions ' options you have– (a) play the referee, (b) make sure you create a points buffer bigger than the referee's swing. We haven't had option (a) since Sean Fitzpatrick retired. Unfortunately the ABs were only good enough to create a 17 point buffer when, with this referee, they really needed a 20+ points buffer.
And this analysis doesn't even begin to quantify the effect of 60 minutes where the French had immunity from the offside rule. Given the same immunity in their code, the French soccer team would win every world cup. But no one would pretend they did so on merit.
This masochistic belief that the All Blacks need to be better than the opposition and a massive points swing from the referee before they deserve to win is as weird as it is common.
The other benefit in losing ....not having to play the 3rd/4th play off!
ANd I think Andy Milne and legbreak got it pretty much right.
To which I'd add, they tackled liked demons, we missed two that counted given they only got the ball about twice. Imagine what a better attacking team would have done to us.
We scored once from a back move and almost twice more in the first 20 and they never got the chance again. WHat have we been practising for 4 years?
For the most professional and thorough thinkers of the game, we looked awfully out of our depth once the pick and go didn;t work in the last quarter.
FYI - for posterity's sake, here's how Fairfax sports journos called it on Friday. Note Greg Ford's reference to the French as 'Cheese eating surrender monkeys', a Homer Simpson-ism for French lack of enthusiasm for a war in Iraq.
Now where's that white flag got to?
Jim Kayes: Forget '99, the last four years are what matters. The All Blacks are too quick, too strong, to skilful, too good. France has forgotten how to play French rugby. No scrum and little flair, they will rely heavily on a kicking game.
Marc Hinton: Everybody keeps saying that the French have a big one in them, a la '99. I don't see it. This is an average Les Bleus side and Bernard Laporte's selection gambles are nothing but last rolls of the dice. The All Blacks have been waiting a long time for a significant test at this tournament, and I fully expect them to be magnifique.
Tony Smith: The moment of reckoning. Now is the hour to justify the All Blacks' billing as world No 1. France can't beat them - they can only beat themselves. This is one of France's worst World Cup squads. Where are the backline Serges? Bernard Laporte has chosen robots as backs.
Greg Ford: Kip time is over lads. Time to earn your pay by bludgeoning France into submission and then by flaying them some more just for kicks. The tabloids in the UK call the French Cheese-Eating-Surrender-Monkeys. Could not have said it better myself. They'll roll up the white flag.
Here's an amazing clip from the scene of the giant rugby ball in Paris, before, during and after Saturday night's game, which I am now seeing in a whole new light. It was posted by Bruce Ferguson, who directed the movie that screens on the inside of the ball:
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Ah, yes, but as Chris 'The French pose absolutely no threat to the All Blacks' Rattue would say
You take a considered stand and you take your chances in these things. It is the columnist's lot, and an enjoyable, invigorating one whatever the outcome.
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I meant to reply to Charles' post, of course, which is now on the previous page.
I think the ABs lost due to insufficient hype.
Why couldn't Air NZ paint all their planes black and have the staff fly and serve coffee wearing rugby kit? Couldn't Telecom change all the dialtones to play snatches of patriotic music when you make a call? Why couldn't Parliament switch location to a big tent in Paris for the duration of the cup?
The corporate hype was obviiously a necessary part of getting as far as we did, so a bit more of it could have taken us to victory. No?
Couldn't Telecom change all the dialtones to play snatches of patriotic music when you make a call?
Right, like "Why does love do this to me?"
Thanks for putting that up, Giovanni. That's a direct and honest response from Chris Rattue.
But there really was such a lot of hubris being spun about the ABs' chances. I know hindsight is 20/20 but the danger of being so dismissive about the opposition is that sometimes it comes back to bite you in the arse with big teeth.
I wouldn't accuse the ABs of that but certainly many of our sports commentators fall into that category.
Right, like "Why does love do this to me?"
And "Back to the devil you know"
It has to rub off on the players though.
When you have recent ex-coaches like Mains and Hart going on about a likely 30+ point win, it must have an effect.
When your coach picks Keith Robinson to get him fit for the semi-final it has to rub off.
Which begs the question: Does my hubris look big in this??
There is an up side. This from Molesworth and Featherston
"Rugby doesn't influence the economy
We thought we'd mention this in case the unthinkable happens this weekend and France - not the other team - qualify for the semi final of the rugby world cup...(What with Dougie not even on the bench n all.)
When Reuben Thorne led New Zealand out of the world cup in the semi-finals four years ago, he commented to a reporter that the loss would dent the economy. The story was picked up all over the world. We noted at the time that the record shows he is more a great All Black Captain than a great economist. New Zealand has been dumped out of the world cup four times now. Each time, our economy has accelerated in the following quarter. We have won the world cup once - in 1987, immediately before the stockmarket crashed.
From an economic point of view then...Allez les bleus. (Actually, we'd rather have a recession, thanks, just this once.)"
And on a happier note ... our Special Olympians are going great guns in China.
The half-million dollar cost of their trip to the games was largely covered by community fundraising.
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Am I the only one the current lead on the Herald (''Pampered' All Blacks, not Henry, take the blame') profoundly annoying? First of all, "take the blame" suggests it's the players themselves who are doing the taking (native speakers are invited to correct me on this). Secondly, since when are the people who write comments to the Herald synonimous with the "New Zealand public" invoked in the first line of the piece?
I guess four years ago the New Zealand public consisted of to talkback radio callers, which is possibly even worse, but come on...
Are there any Aucklanders on Public Address willing to go to the airport on Wednesday and offer a slightly different take on what the New Zealand public is like?
Even though I think Henry ended up with a massively undercooked plan, I really, really wish he would stick around. Every time we crash out of a World Cup the first thing we do is panic and throw the coach out. Wouldn't it be better if we stuck with one for a while and had somebody who could actually learn from his mistakes so they wouldn't make them again next time? Nah, just get rid of him, get somebody new who can find whole new ways of screwing up. Fantastic.
One of the many stupid things about that NZH headline was that it was coach who did the pampering.
Collins and Oliver, for example, spoke publicly about how they'd rather be playing, and I'm sure others thought that privately.
And the Wellington Phoenix are battling along okay too. Not over promising but not disappointing either.
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But there really was such a lot of hubris being spun about the ABs' chances.
Not from us there wasn't.
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