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Often called the United States' "forgotten war," the War of 1812 left an indelible mark on our nation's history. Kentuckians played a vital role and paid dearly for it: 64 percent of Americans killed in the war were Kentuckians.
Kentucky Life followed the trail of Kentucky's soldiers who fought in the war, from Michigan to New Orleans.
What prompted so many Kentuckians to join the fight?
"The big thing here was…the history between the Indian nations and the British and the citizens of the commonwealth of Kentucky," explained John Trowbridge, command historian of the Kentucky National Guard. Kentucky was the site of continuing warfare between settlers and the Native Americans, who were backed by the British.
Kentuckians were eager to fight, and Lexington's Henry Clay was a leader of the War Hawks in Congress.
Six congressmen from Kentucky fought in the war. "People who voted for the war actually followed up their votes and fought in the war, and some of them died in the war," said James C. Klotter, Ph.D., state historian of Kentucky.
Leading men into battle were William Henry Harrison, governor of Indiana territory, as well as Isaac Shelby, who was serving his second term as governor of Kentucky.
Another faction in the conflict was a confederation of numerous Native American tribes formed to block American expansion. Leading this alliance was the Shawnee leader Tecumseh. "Tecumseh is quite an incredible figure," said John Bowes, Ph.D., associate professor history at Eastern Kentucky University. "Tecumseh is seen as the leader of this movement, this unique movement seeking to develop this pan-Indian confederacy that is bringing all these different tribes together."
The First Nations confederacy had as its spiritual leader Tecumseh's half-brother, known as the Prophet. "What is so often marginalized and put to the side is the very spiritual foundation for that confederacy," Bowes said.
The Militia and the Long Rifle
When it came time to go to war, men of the commonwealth brought with them their Kentucky long rifles. Harold Edwards, historian and gunsmith at the William Whitley House in Crab Orchard, said the rifle was used every day by the settlers for hunting and protecting the family as well as for sport.
"It was their pastime, and they became very proficient with it. You know, the average range was probably a hundred yards," Edwards said.
The British were still fighting in Napoleonic style, marching en masse with muskets, which had a range of 50-60 yards, Edwards said. "It was an old style of warfare dying fast, and unfortunately they learned it a little too late," said Edwards.
What kind of soldiers were these Kentuckians? There is debate about that, Klotter said.
"Were they good soldiers or bad soldiers? They were a little of both," said Klotter. "They were really good fighters, when they fought. But the militiamen of Kentucky were not trained. They wanted a quick fight, and then go home. They weren't particularly good in following orders sometimes."
This reputation led the British to compare the Native Americans with the undisciplined Kentucky fighters, said Trowbridge.
"The warfare in the West was viewed as a bit more savage," said Bowes. "For the Americans it's because of the presence of all these Indian allies. And for the British, it's in part because of the Kentuckians."
Remember the Raisin
On Aug. 12, 1812, more than a thousand Kentuckians headed north toward Michigan in summer clothing for what they expected to be a short war.
"After fighting their way up here…they arrived here in the winter of 1813, January, when Michigan was experiencing a very cold winter," said Dan Downing, chief of interpretation at the River Raisin Battlefield National Park in Michigan.
Historians believe about 100 men died from starvation and exposure to the elements. Even so, the Americans won a victory at Frenchtown over the British. Then they set up for the next battle in haste.
"They don't fortify the position," said Klotter. "They know the British are on their way, but they put people in open fields, without any trenches or any kind of earthworks to protect them."
The British and their Native American allies attacked at 6 in the morning on Jan. 22, 1813. One wing of the American forces was massacred, Klotter said. The other wing fought well but ran out of ammunition and was surrounded. The Americans surrendered, with 500 captured, 400 dead, and 100 who got away, Klotter said.
The captured, wounded men who could not travel stayed behind in cabins. "The great controversy is whether or not the British did all they could to protect those who were unable to travel back to Fort Malden in Canada," said Downing.
The Native Americans, remembering the Kentuckians' previous attacks on their villages, sought vengeance. "When an opportunity came to exact revenge, they took the opportunity," said Downing.
The Native Americans went from cabin to cabin, killing 65 men, in what became known as the massacre of the River Raisin.
The Battle of the River Thames
More defeats that year lowered morale among the Americans, but the tide turned in the fall of 1813 when Americans won control of Lake Erie.
The British and their allies were retreating from Detroit into Canada. "From that moment forward, Tecumseh's angry," said Bowes. "Tecumseh cannot believe that the British are essentially surrendering that territory."
On Oct. 5, 1813, the Kentuckians met the British and their allies again, this time in Ontario, at the Battle of the River Thames.
Twenty mounted Kentuckians, commanded by 64-year-old William Whitley of Kentucky, charged the Native American lines in what was called "Forlorn Hope." The strategy was to draw fire, then send on the American infantry before the Native Americans could reload. "Only a couple of guys actually survived that charge," said Trowbridge.
The British pulled back, and Tecumseh was killed. Whitley also was killed, and is buried on the battlefield in an unmarked grave.
The End of the War
After the victories in the West, the flashpoint of the war shifted eastward, to Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. The United States was pushed to the brink of bankruptcy because of the British naval blockade. Britain was war weary with its battles in North America and in Europe with Napoleon.
Negotiations to end the war began, and both sides tried to secure as much territory as possible.
All eyes turned to the port of New Orleans. The British sent a fleet of 8,000 men to take the city. Kentuckians were called to defend the port.
"The people of Kentucky were warmly welcomed here to New Orleans in anticipation of the battle," said April Antonellis, the War of 1812 Bicentennial Coordinator for the National Park Service.
Andrew Jackson assembled a force of 5,000 to defend the city against the British. On Jan. 8, 1815, the Battle of New Orleans was waged on an old sugar plantation just outside the city limits.
The British, again relying on tactics used in the Napoleonic wars, were slaughtered by the Americans firing long rifles from behind earthworks. In a little more than 25 minutes, the British lost 2,600 men. The Americans lost 71.
"There were errors on the part of the British, leaving some supplies behind, most notably scaling ladders that they were supposed to use to come up over this rampart that the Americans had created," Antonellis said.
The War of 1812 is often called the Second American Revolution.
"If the British had won this battle, New Orleans certainly would have become a British colony or a British territory," she said. "I think it's easy to say that much of the United States could have easily fallen to the British as well. Anywhere west of the Appalachian Mountains that had to trade on the Mississippi River, they would have to pass through the port of New Orleans. If that's a British city, then it would be very difficult to maintain American control in that area."
Who won the war? Strategists say it was a draw. In the end, Native Americans paid the ultimate price.
The treaty ending the War of 1812 was negotiated without their participation, and the Native American alliance lost territory it had hoped to hold. In the years after the war's end, Indiana, Alabama, Illinois, and Mississippi became states.
"The floodgates opened in the aftermath of the war of 1812," said Bowes.


text:
Syntactic Confectionery Delight | |
PerlMonks |
A real challengeby tachyon (Chancellor) |
on Jul 16, 2001 at 16:59 UTC ( [id://97005] : perlquestion . print w/replies, xml ) | Need Help?? |
tachyon has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question: At this node PerlApp decompile? a fellow monk chinman has asked for the help of the perl monks. He has compiled a script usiing PerlApp from Active State. His problem is that he has lost the source code. Decompiling the app is trivial and generates 4 source code files (amingst others) that chinman wishes to retrieve. Having established to my satisfaction that the afore mentioned monk did indeed generate this app (he correctly names all the component scripts, etc) the challenge is now to regenerate his original source. Now Active State has encoded the script data so that it is no longer simple ASCII so this is no gimmee. But what is the encoding algorithm? To shed some light I asked him to encode this script:
The embedded encoded script is interesting. As it is binary encoded and unlikely to pass easily through PM i have used the following subto encode both the original and the embedded PerlApp script: Here is the unecoded and encoded data with a script to regenerate the original source data (note we are using WIN32 so we have CRLF -> chr 13 10. In the unencoded part you can easily see the ASCII series but in the embedded script it is gone. The ratio of 343:333 indicates that a simple 8:7 bitshift is not what has been done but what has? Nor does the pattern obviously repeat. Can you crack the code and help chinman? Perhaps more data will be required. I have asked for a linear string to check for repeats but this is what we have to work with currently. cheers tachyon s&&rsenoyhcatreve&&&s&n.+t&"$'$`$\"$\&"&ee&&y&srve&&d&&print Edit Masem 2001-07-16 - READMORE moved per request
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Zach Strief re-signed with the New Orleans Saints today. He got a five-year deal worth $20.5 million with $8.4 million in guaranteed money, per a league source.
The Dolphins offensive line, meanwhile, will continue to seem incomplete as general manager Dennis Hickey now shops for bargain additions.
The Dolphins have a guard and right tackle spot open if one assumes sometimes NFL starter Shelley Smith -- signed Friday -- can become a fulltime NFL starter for the Dolphins.
So at guard one name that become prominent for the Dolphins now is John Benton. No, he's not a player. He's the new offensive line coach. And he happens to have been the Houston Texans offensive line before he came to the Dolphins.
And he's got his guys in his sights.
The Dolphins have shown preliminary and lukewarm interest in two former Texans linemen -- guard Wade Smith and tackle Ryan Harris.
Harris, 29, has been mostly a backup type during his six-year career with Denver and Houston. He started 10 games for the Broncos in 2010 but that's the last time he actually has been a starter. His time in Houston was spent mostly in a backup role. He is a depth guy and would likely be insurance, if signed, to a rookie draft pick starter option.
Smith is familiar to Dolphins fans. He was once the Dolphins starting left tackle.
That's right, that Wade Smith.
Smith was Miami starting right tackle in 2003 -- his rookie year after being drafted in the third round out of Memphis. And it wasn't a great experience (I recall one three-sack game). Smith started only two games the next three seasons and nobody seemed to notice when he departed in 2006.
But after languishing four four years and two teams, Smith's career hit a stride when he joined the Texans in 2010. He was a guard by then. And he was a starter -- putting a string of 64 consecutive starts at the position the next four years.
Smith is a veteran guard option for Miami. He's 32. He's a stopgap guy.
He'd like to return to the Texans but they have a new coaching staff and would like to upgrade their line. They encouraged him to test free agency.
As Benton has been his coach for years and the Dolphins will run the same (or very similar) zone scheme he's known in Houston, Smith could be an answer for the Dolphins. And the Dolphins could be the way he bookends his career, finishing where he started.


text:
Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
It is that time of year again when we will see election signs posted throughout the Township. Here are some basic guidelines regarding the placement of such signs, as per the Township Zoning Ordinance.
These signs, defined as Issue Signs, are signs that direct attention to an opinion of a public or private nature, such as, but not limited to, a community, social, religious, political, or ballot issue.
Please be aware that no such sign is permitted within the street right-of-way, unless approved by the Township or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Signs located within the street right-of-way may be removed by the Township.
No signs shall be painted, pasted, nailed, stapled, taped or otherwise attached to utility poles, trees, fences, fire hydrants, speed limit sign posts, signal control boxes, Township owned utilities, or in an unauthorized manner to walls or other signs, except insofar as such signs comply with generally applicable rules, regulations, or policies formally adopted by the governing body.
Any sign placed on a property without the owner's permission or consent, may be removed by the owner. This includes all Township owned property.
In a residential zoning district, a six (6) square foot sign is permitted. This sign shall be placed no less than ten (10) feet back from the street right-of-way and be no higher than six feet. In an institutional, business or industrial zoning district, signs are permitted with a maximum square footage of 32 feet. This sign shall be placed no less than ten feet from the street right-of-way and may not be higher than ten (10) feet. One such sign may be placed per street frontage. In other words, one sign per property, unless that property is a corner property. A second sign may be placed facing the second street frontage when the property is a corner property.
The areas surrounding all signs shall be maintained in a neat, clean, and attractive condition.
While there is no time limit for the display of such signs, the general rule is for all such signs to be removed within three months, if the purpose for which they were erected no longer exists.


text:
Juniper Networks this week has rolled out edge routers designed to enable service providers to rapidly deploy new service applications.
Juniper's MX2020 and 2010 3D Universal Edge Routers run software called JunosV App Engine that's intended to allow service providers to quickly turn up new services and revenue opportunities. JunosV App Engine includes a Linux operating system and KVM hypervisor with APIs to Juniper and third-party applications that run on an x86-based server module in the router.
The announcements follow last week's rollout of a video caching module for the MX edge router that stores 80,000 movies and streams them on demand to multiple devices.
At that time, Juniper also announced a host of consumer and business service extensions to the MX line, including parental control services and targeted advertising; managed services, such as virtualised firewall; combining MX routers and Juniper top-of rack switches into a single virtualised element to simplify management of multiple nodes; monitoring and Layer 2/3 routing intelligence offloaded from the customer premises and onto a service provider's MX router.
Those services will also run on the MX 2020 and 2010. The 2020 supports 80Tbps of capacity, Juniper says, enough to deliver HD video to the equivalent of every household in New York and New Jersey. The 2010 supports 40Tbps of capacity.
The routers use Juniper's Junos Trio chipset, which was unveiled three years ago for scaling bandwidth, subscribers and services for mobile Internet, cloud and video services. Existing Trio-based line cards can be used interchangeably in this new chassis, Juniper says.
The JunosV App Engine software allows service providers to drag and drop existing applications, such as load balancing, security services, online gaming and advertising, while simultaneously operating other revenue-generating service applications from any vendor, Juniper says.
Juniper has also added Virtual Chassis capabilities to the MX line, as expected, which allows multiple chassis to operate as a single logical router to scale subscribers and services. And the company has also added a path computational element to the MX that allows IT managers to programme the routers to find the most efficient paths to optimise on-demand bandwidth requirements.
The path computational element was expected.


text:
Wonder Woman Discussions
During World War II, a plane piloted by Major Steve Trevor crashes near Paradise Island, the secret hidden island home of the mighty and eternally young Amazons. He is rescued by Princess Diana, who learns of the war against the Nazis. The Amazons decide to send one of their own to help fight in this crisis. Although forbidden to participate in the selection process, Diana joins secretly and wins the right and responsibility to go. Taking the still unconscious Major to safety, she joins him as Yeoman Diana Prince. Furthermore, when the forces of evil threaten the nation, Diana would spin to transform into Wonder Wonder, armed with a magic belt giving her tremendous strength, bracelets that can stop any bullet, a tiara that can be thrown as a returning weapon and a unbreakable magic lasso that can force anyone to tell the truth. After WW II, she returned to the Island, only to encounter Steve Trevor Jr., agent for IADC, thirty years later. Seeing the amazing coincidence as a sign, she returns to the Man world once more to resume her role as the greatest of the female superheroes.
Jump to season: 1 3 32 33 44 3975


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UHI Argyll is a partner college of the University of the Highlands and Islands and offers people in this area access to a range of further and higher education courses.
The college has a number of centres, with nine main centres at: Arran, Campbeltown, Dunoon, Helensburgh, Islay, Lochgilphead, Oban, Rothesay, and Tobermory with around 1,600 students.
Courses and subjects
Courses are available at all levels from NC and HNC to degree and postgraduate. Industry and vocational qualifications are also on offer. There are a range of study modes, including full time, part time and online.
Subject areas taught at the college include: Business, Leisure and Tourism; Computing and IT; Creative Industries; Education and Childcare; Energy, Engineering and Construction; Gaelic Medium Studies; Health and Wellbeing; Humanities and Social Sciences; and Science and Environment.
Facilities and services
Each centre has computers, high speed internet access, video conferencing facilities and study areas available to students. There is support available on a range of topics, such as funding, study skills and wellbeing, from the staff at the local centres and via email through the Student Support Team.
Courtesy of Argyll College UHI


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The latest from High Noon records was just released today and it's fantastic. If I had it my way, all those Halloween party cd's...those predictable tired old fossils with Thriller and the theme from Ghostbusters on them, would be replaced with the Halloween releases from High Noon.
I just couldn't recommend these albums more highly.
Click below for samples from Way of the Wicked:
Monday, September 9, 2013
Halloween At High Noon: Way Of The Wicked
12 comments:
- Adam said...
it is a sllloooooowwwww process when adding songs to my halloween playlist. Maybe 1 or 2 songs a year, if i stop being so picky as to what songs are worthy of being used. Hope these are playlist worthy cuz pickin's are getting slim
- September 9, 2013 at 9:14 PM
- Ragged Grin said...
Some very cool stuff on there, may have to pick this up. I'm more of a Cramps guy for parties etc, for the haunt I just splice a bunch of stuff together. Have used different sound effects mixed with Black Sabbath and Ozzy's "Mr Crowley", a bunch of pieces of soundgarden and pearl jam "sounds" edited together. Still marinating over this year...the ambient stuff you've got me listening to is intriguing. Thought about using "chant" from Eyes Wide Shut mixed with something else.
- September 9, 2013 at 11:58 PM
- Rot said...
Adam, I look forward to your playlist's release in 2024. ; )
- September 10, 2013 at 6:53 AM
- girl6 said...
ohhhh now..these Are total ear yummmmmm..
2. & 3...keep pulling me back in
9. & 11...i Love when people breathe heavy & talk crazy to me over music, i dunno, it's just so European!
15..<33333 i kinda felt like i was in an italiano horror film, watching the killer put on his/her black gloves.: D
18..(Don't Stop) the Rot...dude, that's You!.. :)
&...Sinister 6...sighhhhh
it's like they wrote some tunes for a chick, just chilling with her mannequins!..<33333
Ahhhhhh...it's ALL Awesome.. :):):) - September 10, 2013 at 9:00 AM
- Rot said...
I love this album.
Lots of Halloween love poured into that..you can tell.
And at the price, you can't beat it.
LOVE track 8. - September 10, 2013 at 9:08 AM
- Adam said...
Hahah, this just may be the official release year. Ambient stuff has been a bit tough for me to get into. I really have to be in the appropriate mood to be able to soak it all in. Rot, is there song or artist that just screams autumn and Halloween? Maybe I should give that a listen.
- September 10, 2013 at 9:08 AM
- girl6 said...
Yeah, i agree BIG Time..
yessss 8., is that Sinister 6!.
that tune is how i feel when i'm just sitting around at home, chillin with my taxidermy & mannequins!..<3333 - September 10, 2013 at 9:12 AM
- Adam said...
girl6- What kind of taxidermy do you have?
- September 10, 2013 at 11:57 AM
- The Gill-Man said...
LOVE their releases!
Much like Jeff, I tend to do music like Cramps, Misfits, Alice Cooper, etc for parties, but THIS is the kind of thing I'd have playing on the Night itself (I tend to have a party a week or two ahead of the Night. Don't want to play host on Halloween...I want to be immersed in the whole experience of Haunting, handing out candy to TOTS and scaring the crap outta teens!
The Halloween at High Noon releases are just perfect for creating a sense of foreboding. I'll confess...I listen to them year 'round...often when commuting home...or when I'm going to sleep. Yeah, I'm weird...I like to listen to creepy stuff as I nod off! - September 10, 2013 at 1:24 PM
- Emily said...
Loved it! Bought it! Thanks!!
- September 10, 2013 at 6:10 PM
- girl6 said...
Adam..i have one falcon & the others are mammals.
i ONLY collect vintage taxidermy, as i Don't like animals being killed just for that purpose or for sport either.
i feel it is a Honor to own these creatures & i'll keep them Forever & Hopefully be able to pass them on to someone else who feels the same way as i do.
i feel Very responsible for them. - September 11, 2013 at 8:42 AM
- Adam said...
Sweet. I had a coyote but had to give it up. Sad day
- September 11, 2013 at 6:06 PM


text:
Dear B. Scott,
I really like your Ebony column. Well, I have a question. I recently starting dating a nice woman. But I wonder if I should tell her that I grew up with her for about two years when we were in foster care together as children. She does not remember me. She keeps telling me that I look familiar, but she cannot place me. When we were kids, I thought of her as a sister. But I feel guilty because, as I got older, I began to dream about her sexually. Recently, I started looking for her on social media sites until I found her and then I found out her address and routine and found a way to "bump" into her. I don't want her to think that I stalked her. I'm not sure if she would be freaked out with dating her foster brother or not. She's younger than me and was adopted after leaving the home. She refuses to talk about anything else besides her adopted family. She can tell I'm holding information back. Should I tell my girlfriend that we used to be 'siblings'?
My goodness love muffin! I get a lot of letters each week, but this is by far the most attention grabbing one I've received to date.
Well, let's get right to the point. You can't build a relationship on deceit. As of right now, your entire relationship is built on a ruse. You knew her from before and via social media websites you studied her, which gave you an advantage in fostering the relationship. Even though you may not have meant to, you've manipulated her with your prior knowledge and common background. I'm not saying you've lied to her, but you've definitely created a falsehood by not telling her the truth from the very beginning.
All secrets have a cost, and the longer you wait the more you have to pay. You might be trying to spare yourself some awkward moments now, but you're setting yourself up for a world of devastation later on.
You have an obligation to level with her, especially if you love her. Like I've said before in previous columns, in any relationship you have to make sure both parties have enough information to make an informed decision. Right now, you don't know if she'd be okay with dating you because you haven't been completely forthright.
This also poses the question as to why you felt like you couldn't approach her with the truth in the first place? Did you feel as though you needed the upper hand to establish the relationship? To be honest, you've made this situation a lot more difficult than it needed to be by waiting.
Tell her the truth. Start from the very beginning, work your way from past to present and apologize for withholding the information. Let her react. The situation might not turn out in your favor, but at least the burden of keeping such a huge secret will be lifted from your spirit.
The moral of this story is, you can't build a stable house on cracked foundation.
B. Scott


text:
The Pelican 1010 Micro case is a range of cases to protect your valuable small items. They have the same look as larger Pelican, plus they combine an attractive style, and offer the legendary strength of Pelican Protector Cases. With the Micro Cases you will be able to protect your cell phone, photographic camera, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), electronic games, pager, radio, and other valuable small items. Micro Cases will totally protect your valuables, as they are crush-proof, dust-proof and have an automatic pressure purge valve. Every Micro case is available in solid color or clear with matching liner and speed lock. They come with a carabiner clip for easy attachment & detachment. The Micro Cases are excellent for trips or outdoor activities when you need to protect your valuables from water, falls, knocks, sun, atmospheric changes, etc. and as they are small sized so they can fit into luggage, bags, glove compartments, other Pelican Protector Cases and so on. And remember, smaller does not mean less strong, the Micro Cases are just as durable as the larger models. Unconditionally guaranteed forever. Pelicans Micro Case Series are perfect for housing electronics, games, cell phone, Palm Pilot, pager and more! They are equipped with an automatic pressure purge valve, water-resistant, dustproof & crushproof.
Pelican 1010 Micro Case Specifications
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text:
Safe Under Any Conditions?
Published: 11/19/2003 2:00 PM ET
Safe Under Any Conditions?
Offering young drivers a false sense of security
By Paul F. Stifflemire,
Today, the U.S. has one of the world's lowest highway death rates. There were only 1.51 deaths in the U.S. per 100 million vehicle miles traveled last year [2002], down from 2.3 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 1988.
---from the Wall Street Journal, November 20, 2003
There you have it. Traffic fatalities are down, not in overall numbers of course; that would be impossible in a nation where, between 1994 and 2002 the number of drivers grew by 15.9 million, vehicles increased by 28.7 million and the number of miles driven was 472 billion greater. Thats billion, with a b.
The media, however, continue to focus on the trees, rather than the forest, often arguing against safety, rather than for it. Rather than give credit where it is dueindividuals are behaving more responsiblythe media continue to hype technology. This example comes from the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. And if you think about it for a moment, you will understand that the prescription being offered will likely increase, rather than reduce fatalities:
From: Technology is available to reduce SUV rollovers, by Joey Ledford
Many sport utility vehicle owners cite safety as a key factor in their purchase decisions, unaware that many models are prone to roll over during aggressive maneuvers. According to federal highway safety officials, more than 60 percent of all deaths in SUV crashes occurred in rollovers in 2002, compared with 24 percent of passenger car deaths. Midsize SUVs are nine times more likely to cause rollover fatalities than other vehicles.
In all, rollovers resulted in 10,666 deaths last year, about one-fourth of all U.S. highway fatalities. Technology exists to prevent many of those rollovers, and even though it is being widely employed on German and Japanese vehicles, American automakers have been slow to embrace it. It's frankly a cost issue in the U.S., said Jim Gill, a spokesman for Continental Automotive Systems, a leading manufacturer of electronic stability control technology.
I test drove a Volvo XC 90 equipped with the Continental Electronic Stability Control. Despite pushing it hard on several revolutions around a wet circular skid pad, I never lost control. I could tell the system had activated by the sound it made --- a rather unpleasant roar similar to that made by fully engaged antilock brakes.
Battling to cut costs, Detroit is holding back, and federal safety officials are doing likewise, promising studies and regulations within three years. Consumers don't have to wait, however, and should demand this lifesaving option be included on their next vehicle.
While that sounds good, a look at the facts behind the statistics indicates that the typical driver involved in an SUV rollover is young, drivingas Ledford saidaggressively, and engaged in a maneuver, much like he was, pushing it hard...around a wet circular skid pad, that causes the vehicle to roll. Adding a safety feature that convinces young, inexperienced drivers (and their parents) that an SUV is safe under any conditions is precisely the prescription for increased, rather than reduced fatalities.
It is impossible to make any car perfectly safe, and it is irresponsible to pretend otherwise.


text:
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Photographs of the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire from the Charles Derleth Papers, 1868-1908, bulk 1906-1908
BANC PIC 1958.021--fALB
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The collection consists of four albums of views collected by Charles Derleth of fires and ruins immediately following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The albums have been divided by Derleth into 28 subject groupings that include seismographic records, geological views (before and after the earthquake), and views of various types of structures and the effects of the earthquake upon them. The focus of the collection is upon structural damage to buildings and the infrastructure of the city, such as water supply pipelines. Also included are photographs of sites in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, including Stanford University, Santa Rosa, Point Reyes and Berkeley. Volume one also includes a small section of copy photographs from the earthquake of 1868.
Charles Derleth, Jr. (1874-1956) received his B.S. degree at the City College of New York in 1894 and his degree in Civil Engineering at Columbia University in 1896. After serving as an instructor at Columbia and Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Colorado, he became Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley in 1903. In 1907 he became Dean of the College of Civil Engineering. He held this position until 1942.
4 albums (ca. 825 photographic prints); albums are 32 x 26 cm. 557 digital objects
Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish photographs must be submitted in writing to the Curator of Pictorial Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Collection is available for use.
Collection Overview
Collection Details
Collection Summary
Information for Researchers
Administrative Information
Scope and Content
Container Listing
1. Fire Views
2. General Views, Earthquake and Fire Ruins
3. Seismograph Records
4. California Earthquake of Oct. 21, 1868
5. Geological Views, 1906
6. Santa Rosa, General Earthquake and Fire Views
7. Golden Gate Park
8. Damage to San Francisco's Water Supply
9. Sanitary Works
10. Palo Alto, Principally Stanford University
11. Agnews Insane Asylum
12. San Jose, General Earthquake Destruction
13. Spreckels Sugar Mill, Salinas Valley
14. Earthquake Damage to Bridges: (1) Pajaro River Bridge, Southern Pacific Railroad; (2) Highway Bridge Near Salinas
15. Earthquake Effects; Frame Buildings
16. Earthquake Effects; Brick Chimneys on Ordinary Wood and Brick Dwellings
17. Earthquake Effects; Brick Buildings
18. Earthquake Effects; School Buildings
19. Earthquake Effects: (1) Churches; (2) Stone Structures
20. Earthquake and Fire Effects to Chimneys and Factories
21. Earthquake and Fire Effects to Class B Buildings
22. Earthquake Destruction to Public Buildings in San Francisco
23. Earthquake and Fire Effects for First Class Structures, Mainly Class A Type
24. Fire Effects to Structural Steel and Cast Iron Columns
25. Fire Effects to Metal Shutters, Wire Glass, Doors, etc.
26. Berkeley Land Slide, Spring of 1907
27. Earthquake and Fire Effects, Reinforced Concrete Construction
28. San Francisco Scenes: (1) Buildings and Streets Before the Earthquake and Fire of April 1906; (2) Construction Views After the Calamity


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On a cold May night with the sky streaked in gray, even the stars seem to shiver as we arrive at Vermilion Valley Vineyards.
Tucked back off the dark, rural road, the winery's entrance is easy to miss (and we do several times) before the lights of Vermilion Valley's updated farmhouse greet us like a warm hug. It's a feeling that continues inside as well, where the high-arched wooden ceiling, yellow lights, fireplace and brick walls give the open tasting room the feel of a modernized Colorado chalet.
Yet despite its ski-resort leanings, the 3-year-old winery is all about being local.
Vermilion Valley is the product of three environmentally concerned owners: a retired school teacher, a retired Oberlin professor and a development worker at Case Western Reserve University who all wanted to create an eco-friendly winery.
"Our vision was to take land that had been used for a long time for corn and soybean production and turn it into something that was good for the local environment and the local economy," says Larry Gibson, one of the owners.
Gibson and David Benzing, a retired Oberlin professor and a professional winemaker, had been looking for a place to house their winery when they were re-introduced to Jack and Fran Baumann, the owners of a 24-acre farm in Wakeman. The land, with its rich soil and 1 1/4-acre pond, was perfect.
"All of Vermilion Valley's estate wines are produced and grown on-site," Gibson adds.
At $6 per glass, Vermilion Valley offers a nice selection of red, white and fruit wines.
We love the spicy cabernet franc, indigo-colored with the taste of burnt cherries, and the light, sweet persimmon wine hand-pressed from the tangy fruit of the persimmon tree growing at a nearby farm.
And if you enjoy fruit wine, this is your place. Vermilion Valley's selection reads like a host of Life Saver flavors: blueberry, strawberry, pear and peach, all made from the fruit of local orchards.
But the winery's sustainable focus extends beyond its fruit. The tasting room floor is made from the wood of locally felled ash and walnut trees, while the gable-shaped roof and its perimeter of windows provides a host of natural light. Even more impressive is the heating system, which uses geothermal coils buried in the outside pond.
In spite of the chilly night air, I convince my friend to join me for a walk outside on a trail that meanders through Vermilion Valley's acres of twisty grape vines and trees.
We pause outside the vineyard's pond. In the future, Gibson hopes to rent paddleboats so guests can stay all day long.
They have also planted an acre of tomatoes, beans and corn. As the vegetables grow in, the owners want to allow visitors to pick their own as they spend a day sipping wine.
"We wanted to create a casual boutique winery experience, where customers could come in and relax in a serene, rural setting," says co-owner Mary Gibson.


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Yesterday's Enterprise
Operation: Annihilate!
Your View
Title :
Operation: Annihilate!
Series :
The Original Series
Rating :
Overall Ep :
First Aired :
13 Apr 1967
Stardate :
Director :
Herschel Daugherty
Year :
Writers :
Steven W. Carabatsos
Season Ep :
x 30
Main Cast :
James Doohan
Montgomery Scott
DeForest Kelley
Leonard H. McCoy
Walter Koenig
Pavel A. Chekov
Nichelle Nichols
Nyota Uhura
Leonard Nimoy
William Shatner
James T. Kirk
George Takei
Hikaru Sulu
Grace Lee Whitney
Janice Rand
Guest Cast :
Dave Armstrong
Majel Barrett
Christine Chapel
Fred Carson
as First Denevan
Jerry Catron
as Second Denevan
Craig Hundley
Peter Kirk
Yeoman Zahra
Eddie Paskey
Lieutenant Leslie
William Shatner
George Samuel Kirk
Joan Swift
Aurelan Kirk
When Kirk orders the satellite energized, Sulu is sitting at his usual position at the helm. When the scene cuts to a wider shot he has vanished and been replaced by a guy in a red shirt.
When the Denevans first attack the landing party, Kirk, Spock, McCoy and one of the two redshirts all fire on them - whilst Yeoman Zahra and the second redshirt stands in the background doing nothing. The redshirt seems to hold his fire because the other officers are blocking his line of sight, so he just holds his phaser at the ready instead. Zahra just stands there... but then she has no choice - because closeups of her walking around show that she's not armed! Now it's not technically her job to be shooting people - Kirk makes clear in the transporter room that she's along to make a full record of everything they see and do on the surface. But even
carries and uses a phaser. Surely Zahra should have at least been carrying one so she could defend herself if she got separated from the rest of the party. So why wasn't she armed? Could it have possibly been because she was (gasp!) a woman?
Great Moment :
Spock's calm reaction to having been blinded in return for being rid of the parasite.
Body Count :
The man in the ship at the start, Kirk's brother Sam and his wife, plus several million of the alien creatures.
Factoid :
This episode establishes that Vulcans have an inner eyelid which protects their vision from the powerful Vulcan sun. This adaption would be mentioned by T'Pol in the Enterprise episode "The Forge".
The original script had the Enterprise defeating the creatures by going to their home planet and destroying it. With their central brain gone, the rest of the creatures died.
The USS Enterprise is heading for the planet Deneva to investigate the reason why communication has been lost with that world. Spock's research has revealed a troubling pattern; several planets which have succumbed to a sort of mass insanity over the last two hundred years. Worryingly, the planets are arranged in a straight line - with Deneva next in line. Kirk is especially concerned as his brother lives on Deneva. As the ship approaches, they detect a small ship on sensors. It is heading directly for the Denevan star, despite appearing to be under intelligent control. Kirk orders an intercept but the ship is too distant to reach. Just as it begins to burn up, a message from the pilot is heard : "I did it! It's finally gone! I'm free!!"
Continuing to Deneva, Kirk leads a landing party to the surface. They find the city deserted at first, but soon a crowd of men appear and attack them - despite yelling that they don't want to hurt them and the officers should leave. The landing party use phasers to stun the group, but on inspecting them McCoy finds that their nervous systems are highly active, as if they were being stimulated by something.
A scream is heard, and the crew run to a nearby location where they find a laboratory. Kirk's brother Sam is there, dead, whilst Sam's wife Aurelan is hysterical and her child, Peter, is on the floor unconscious. It appears that Aurelan has been trying to keep something from forcing its way into the room. She screams that "they're here!" but is unable to talk further due to hysteria and signs that she is in terrible pain. McCoy sedates her and beams back to the ship with her, along with Kirk. Spock remains below to continue investigating.
In sickbay, Aurelan wakes and tries to explain what has happened, but again appears to be in terrible pain. She manages to tell Kirk that "things" appeared eight months ago, invading the planet. But the pain grows to such an extent that her body cannot take it and she collapses, dead. It appears that the colonists have been infected by some alien life form, something that controls them by inflicting massive pain.
Kirk beams back down. Their scans show no alien life forms but on investigating, they find something inside a building; roughly disc-shaped creatures, clinging to a wall. Phaser fire does virtually nothing to them. The officers begin to withdraw but one of the creatures suddenly flies across the room and clamps onto Spock's back. Moments later if falls away, leaving a strange wound on his back.
Back on the ship McCoy investigates Spock's wound, removing a small strand of tissue - but leaving behind much more of whatever it is. The tissue is wrapped around Spock's nervous system, far too completely for surgery to remove it. When Spock awakes he is in agony; he storms onto the bridge, determined to take the ship away from Deneva. Although he is subdued, McCoy confirms the worst; the tissue within him was deposited by the alien being and is a living entity, which can issue orders to the victim and inflict any level of pain necessary to enforce compliance.
Spock wakes again, claiming to have used Vulcan methods to suppress the pain. Kirk isn't so sure, and leaves him in sickbay as he goes to the bridge. Spock escapes from sickbay and attempts to beam down to the surface, forcing Scotty to hold him at phaser point. Spock explains to Kirk that he is not acting under compulsion; rather, their study of the creatures requires a live sample and since he is already infected it is only logical that he be the one to collect one. Kirk reluctantly agrees.
Spock returns with his specimen and they begin to study it. It resembles a gigantic cell, prompting Kirk to wonder if the creatures are parts of a single giant entity, connected by unknown means. This, he thinks, explains why they are so resistant to phaser fire - and cell attacked can draw strength from the rest. McCoy tries to find some way of killing the creatures, but nothing seems to work. Kirk faces the grim reality that he might have to wipe out the whole surface of the planet to destroy the creatures, sacrificing the colonists in the process.
Their minds turn back to the pilot of the Denevan ship. His message proclaiming that he was free moments before he died suggests that something about his situation killed the parasite. They suggest that it might be the intense light, and McCoy tests this by subjecting their specimen to an incredibly bright light - which kills it instantly. The test is run on Spock next, and he reports that the creature within him is indeed killed - yet at the cost of being blinded by the intense glare. Although McCoy and Kirk are horrified, Spock regards it as an acceptable tradeoff and thanks the doctor. However, mere moments later the labs report that it was not the visible part of the spectrum that killed the creature, but rather the ultraviolet. Using ultraviolet light alone would have saved Spock's eyesight.
The Enterprise rigs up a formation of 210 satellites in a low orbit around the planet, drenching it in ultraviolet light so bright that it penetrates even into the buildings. The creatures are rapidly killed, and soon the population is free and working to restore order. In the aftermath Sock returns to the bridge, reporting that the blindness was temporary after all - Vulcans have a second inner eyelid, which was enough to protect him from permanent damage. The now happy crew head off on their next mission.
It is said that there are no genuinely new ideas in storytelling, and that all stories are a mix of previous stories; the originality lies in the way those previous ideas are reused. Operation : Annihilate! contains one of the more blatant uses of a previous story. In 1951 Robert A. Heinlein wrote "The Puppet Masters", a novel about a group of aliens who invade Earth. The aliens are small, disc-shaped creatures which attach themselves to a person's back and control their actions... sound familiar?
Does this episode put enough of a new spin on things? I think so... but only just. For instance, in the novel the creatures (which are from Titan) remain attached as a separate entity. You can pull one off a person relatively easily. Also, they exert direct control - once on, the alien moves your arms and legs around whilst you are helpless. In these respects the Trek version is like a rather nastier cousin; it only has to hit you for a second or two, and you are permanently infected. And it can't control you, other than its almost infinite capacity to
you. It's not that much of a distinction, but it's enough to make this a different spin on Heinlein's idea.
The idea of the creatures being invulnerable to phasers is rather silly, as is the explanation that they draw strength from one another through some mysterious means. I can buy the fact that things like telepathy exist in Trek... they don't exist in the real world as far as I can see, but Trek treats them like they're just some as yet undiscovered ability that some alien races and a few humans have, something that is known and explainable and relatively sensible in how it operates. Whatever these creatures have would have to operate over huge distances - potentially even interstellar distances - and not only serve to allow them to communicate, but allow them to become immune to attack. It just doesn't make a lot of sense.
The episode also suffers from generating a little false drama and pathos around the "blind Spock" thing. It is Kirk who presses McCoy to do his experiments, Kirk who pushes for a live test on Spock, right now, no waiting - and then Kirk who instantly blames McCoy when it goes wrong because they didn't wait. Yes, we can say that Kirk was just desperate for an answer given what was at stake, and yes, we can say that he lashed out at Bones out of guilt, but the whole thing comes across as a bit contrived.
Special Edition
The remastered version has the usual enhanced effects, including a new planet - nice, since the Deneva shot was reused many times as different planets in the original episode. Most interestingly, we get to actually see the ship deploying the ultraviolet satellites, something that was only spoken of in the original.
© Graham & Ian Kennedy
Page views : 46,344
Last updated : 27 Jul 2022


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This time of year is perfect. The leaves are changing, the weather is beautiful, and the Bear Creek Music and Art Festival is almost here. This year's lineup is impressive, and Bear Creekers will not be disappointed. Starting on Wednesday, November 13, a benefit concert for the Michael A's Children's Fund will kick off the festival. Each night will have a costume theme with Friday being "Warm and Fuzzy: Get Your Inner Animal On", Saturday being "Space Is The Place…Sun Ra Afro Power Freak Dance Royal Funk Theme", and Sunday being "The Color Purple". I know I can't wait to hear some good music with some good people and enjoy the beautiful Spirit of Suwanne Music Park.
All Bear Creek Music and Art Festival weekend tickets include primitive camping. The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is over 700 acres of spacious and shaded camping areas. Primitive camping is on a first come, first served system. There is plenty of room for your car at your campsite.
Click HERE for tickets.
Click HERE to donate to the Michael A's Children's Fund.
Lineup By Day
Wednesday, November 13
Freddy's Finest
Toubab Krewe
The Revivalists
The New Mastersounds
Thursday, November 14
FSU Blues Band
Jason Lamar and the Rig
Ron Haynes Gamechangers
Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes
The Malah
Space Capone
Kung Fu
Pimps of Joytime
Toubab Krewe
The Motet
The New Mastersounds
Friday, November 15
Ron Haynes Gamechangers
Flow Tribe
Greenhouse Lounge
Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes
Jennifer Hartswick Band
The Malah
Space Capone
The Werks
Toubab Krewe
The Revivalists
Kung Fu
Pimps of Joytime
Robert Walter's 20th Congress
The Motet
Lee Fields and the Expressions
Zach Deputy
Bonobo Live Band
Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
Saturday, November 16
Lucky Costello
The Resolvers
Chris McCarty and the Underground Movement
Ghost Owl
The Nth Power
Mike Dillon Band
Robert Walter's 20th Congress
Bernie Worrell Orchestra
George Porter's Runnin Pardners
Chali 2'Na and the House of Vibe
The New Mastersounds
Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
Bootsy Collins and the Funk Unity Band
The Roots
Bear Creek All-Stars featuring Lettuce
Sunday, November 17
The Legendary JC's
Jennifer Hartswick Band
Zach Deputy
Orchestra at Large
Roosevelt Collier and Nigel Hall's Gospel Surprise


text:
Written by Think Simple Now
Photo: Bertrand
There is a simple fact of human nature that states we all want to be liked. Don?t be afraid to admit it. If we think about it, underlying many of our actions, we are really seeking ways to validate ourselves and to fulfill this desire of being liked.
Have you ever met someone and instantly took a liking towards them? You can?t explain why, but you feel a fondness and you want to do things to help them. I?m not talking about sexual attraction, but a genuine and innocent feeling of fondness towards another person.
In a job interview, you are more likely to be hired if the interviewer likes you as a person. In a business situation, you are more likely to get deals done and gain favors. In a personal situation, you are likely to gain trust and loyal friendships.
When we decide that we like someone, it is a psychological process that we cannot quite articulate. It?s not a secret that we make decisions emotionally and justify them logically. So, does this mean that we can influence an emotional decision that happens subconsciously?
I believe that decisions can be influenced. I know that the qualities of a likeable person can be cultivated and proactively developed. Do you want to know how to develop the skills to be likable?
My Inspiration
I was helping my partner Adam prepare for an interview last night. At one point, I had explained to him the power of Mirroring and that it can make others feel more comfortable around you.
When I first heard about Mirroring, I was told that ?If you?re afraid that the other person will get suspicious of you mimicking them, then you must be the type of person who thinks that people are actually listening when you?re talking.? I mentioned this and we laughed at it. I said, ?Trust me, just try it out. It really works.?
We went off on another topic and he asked me a question about usability testing in software. I went on answering it, and 10 minutes went by and I was still talking. It felt as if I couldn?t stop talking.
When I finally finished covering all areas of software usability testing (including excruciating details that he would have little interest in), he burst out laughing.
So, apparently, he used mirroring on me. And it worked. What?s amazing is that it worked on me after having just told him about it. I didn?t even have a clue that he was mirroring me.
It occurred to me that like-ability can actually be cultivated, like many skills.
What are these skills?
Aside from being polite and respectful, there are several specific things we can pay particular attention to. I?m not asking you to pretend, but be aware of these things when engaged in a conversation. The little things make a big difference in how others perceive us.
1. Mirroring
This simple technique was the inspiration for this article. Mirroring is copying the other person?s physical mannerisms, movements and facial expressions when engaged in a conversation. You become a mirror image of the other person. (see Wikipedia)
Mirroring happens naturally in social interactions, but when you are conscious of it and are aware of its affects, it can be used as a tool in effective communication for generating rapport.
Mirroring someone closely will cause you to feel what they?re feeling (to some extent). I did an exercise once, in a group of three, during a workshop. One person starts by visualizing a scene; seeing, feeling and experiencing the scene. A second person imitates this person?s facial expressions and physical postures. A third person adjusts the second person?s facial expressions and physical postures until he thinks that they are identical. After several minutes, the second person explains what she was feeling. Not only does the second person feel the feelings of the first person, but will at times see what the first person is seeing in his imagination. I was blown away after trying this out, myself.
Next time you?re engaged in a conversation with someone, try mirroring body language, posture, and facial expressions. You will find that the conversation suddenly feels very friendly and open.
For example, you are sitting across the table from someone. You watch them pick up a glass of water with their left hand and gently lean forward, then to the right. You mirror them by holding your glass of water with your right hand, leaning forward and towards the left.
Try it next time ? just for fun. 🙂
2. Remembering Names
Personally, I?m always impressed when others I?ve just met remember my name and use it in a sentence. Since birth, our parents, teachers, friends, and family, have hard wired the sound of our name in our brain. It is certain to get your attention, instantly. It makes you feel important and respected, filling our desire for attention and love.
Recall the last time someone who you just met parted by declaring ?Nice to meet you, [insert your name]!? Weren?t you impressed? They are clearly interested in you enough to remember your name, and you want to show them the same respect.
Always make an effort to remember people?s names. Here are some techniques to help you.
3. Be Interested
People love talking about themselves, seriously.
Ask questions that the other person will enjoy answering. If it?s a complete stranger, start with the basics and dig deeper. Rephrase their words to make sure you really understand what they?re saying. You can think of this technique as verbal mirroring. By asking questions about their interests or feelings, you are mirroring their interest in themselves.
Really listen when the person is answering. Only when you are listening will you actually absorb what was said and will actually feel interested. If you run into a boring conversation, find ideas that do interest you and re-focus the conversation. Ask questions. Make it a game.
4. Allowing Others to Talk
In addition to asking questions, it?s important to allow the other person to talk. This means, stop talking. Stop talking about yourself, stop inserting your opinions, refrain from interrupting.
Next time you?re engaged in a conversation, practice not saying anything after asking a question. This might mean not speaking for several minutes *gasp*. Even when the other person appears to be finished, practice not speaking for 30 seconds. Often times, the person is still thinking, is actually pausing, and will start speaking again. By doing so, you will get a lot more depth from that person.
Many girlfriends I know have the interruption problem, myself included. Pay particular attention to this skill, you?ll be amazed at the wealth of thoughtful goodness coming from your partner. Being a patient listener is a great way to connect with and get to know people.
Try it: ask a question and then zip up. Listen and learn.
5. Intention
Send out the intention that you would like to get to know this person better, to really listen to them and to be there for them. I?m always amazed at the power of intention, which I believe is the seed for starting anything, whether it is a goal or a friendship.
Make a wish for the other person. Send out a positive intention for your interaction.
6. Offer Help
We are mostly self seeking and are driven by motivations that benefit us, with the exception of some extreme cases and parent-child relationships. But let?s face-it, we are self-seeking most of the time because it is a natural part of our survival instincts. Even if we are working on a good cause, we almost always have a reason for helping that is personally beneficial.
When others genuinely offer their help, we feel particularly fond of them. Why? Offering help is a kind gesture that implies a respect and admiration for you. And when we put ourselves in their shoes, wouldn?t it be advantageous to offer help to others?
I?m a big believer in giving more than I take in return. And my personal motto: ?To get what you want, help others get what they want, first.?
Find a need that others have that you can provide. Offer help. Even just a casual email offering help will make the world of difference towards how this person feels about you.
7. Smile
?Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love,
a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.?
~ Mother Teresa
Do you remember how you felt when you saw a genuine smile? Or awkwardly standing in an elevator full of strangers and suddenly someone smiles at you? It really is contagious and shifts your state to a positive one.
Smile genuinely. Start by smiling at friends. Try lifting the spirits of passing strangers.
8. Authenticity
Any of the above techniques will work by themselves, but become highly effective only when combined with authenticity.
Always be genuine and be your complete self, no more and no less. When you are completely honest and speaking from your heart, you will exuberate a kind of energy that people cannot help but to connect with. In that moment, you are pure, expressive, and radiating your true self. When others see and recognize that side of you, they are really seeing a reflection of that part of themselves.
Just be yourself.
1. Mirroring
2. Remember Names
3. Be Interested
4. Allow Others to Talk
5. Intention
6. Offer Help
7. Smile
8. Authenticity
Which technique do you think is the most effective for being liked? Share your tips and insights in the comments.


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Apple releases a faster version of its AirPort Express networking hardware:
Now with blazing 802.11n, the affordable AirPort Express is powerful enough to run a home Wi-Fi network, yet small enough to take on the road.
Connect up to 10 users
Share your wireless network with up to 10 users.
Print from anywhere
Print documents, photos, and more from any room in the house to one central printer.
Stream your music
Play iTunes music through your stereo or powered speakers using AirTunes.
I've had the original version of the AirPort Express (802.11g) since they first shipped, though I haven't actually used it in a while. I used to use it as a basic wireless network range extender, and have taken it on the road to get wireless access in Ethernet-based hotel rooms. They are cool little devices, and I think the early issues they had with Windows have been resolved. Plus, the price ($99) is right.
Related: Apple Introduces New AirPort Express with 802.11n (Apple PR)


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Lovely Jade Green Fruit Bowl!
Turquoise Paper Plate Holder,
1 Artisan Quilted Batik Fabric Basket Measures:
3"High and 12" diameter top
I hand wrapped these lovely batik fabrics around cotton line, which I then hand coiled and machine quilted to make it sturdy. I used the raw edge technique with some fray for a great shabby chic texture. I just love the blue highlights!
Lovely Gift Basket too!
So many uses....
Napkin Holder.....
Bread Basket.....
Yarn Basket....
Paper Plate Holder
Chip Bowl
Key, Phone, Wallet Holder
All kinds of decorative or storage uses.
These lovely batik fabrics were hand made in Indonesia, using wax resist patterns, which is very labor intensive. The results are gorgeous and unique. I designed and created this lovely basket in my smoke-free home studio.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions.
Custom orders welcome!
For more lovely basket choices, please visit:
For larger baskets:
Ready to ship today!
Thanks for visiting! :)
1-2 business days
I'll do my best to meet these shipping estimates, but can't guarantee them. Actual delivery time will depend on the shipping method you choose.
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Just contact me within: 3 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 7 days of delivery
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
I offer gift wrapping at an extra charge of $8. I ship in clean recycled boxes to keep costs low.
Sep 26, 2023


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Pakistan could be given the responsibility for training two militant brigades in Syria, with about 5,000-10,000 militants.
Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest spenders of the foreign-sponsored war in Syria is turning to Pakistan to train militants, repeating a partnership that once failed in Afghanistan, a new report says.
The Foreign Policy Magazine wrote in an article on Thursday that Saudi Arabia is embarking on a major new effort to train Syrian rebel forces.
The article cites three sources with knowledge of the program that say Riyadh has enlisted the help of Pakistani instructors to do it.
According to the sources Pakistan could be given the responsibility for training about 5,000-10,000 militants from two brigades.
The report says the main goal of the Saudi project is to unite the mainstream armed opposition in Syria, many of whom are extremist forces, under the banner of a unified army.
The decision came after signs of rift in relations between Washington and Riyadh became evident.
Saudi Arabia's decision to move forward with training the Syria militants independent of the United States is the latest sign of a split between the two longtime allies.
In Syria, Saudi officials were aggrieved by Washington's decision to cancel a strike on the Syrian government in reprisal for a chemical attack on the Damascus suburbs this summer.
A top Saudi official told the Washington Post that Saudi intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan was unaware of the cancelation of the strike. "We found about it from CNN," he said.
As a result, Saudi Arabia has decided to follow its own plans which rely on a network of Saudi allies in addition to Pakistan, such as Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and France.
"As the Saudis expand their effort to topple Assad, analysts say the central challenge is not to inflict tactical losses on the Syrian army, but to organize a coherent force that can coordinate its actions across the country. In other words, if Riyadh hopes to succeed where others have failed, it needs to get the politics right — convincing the fragmented rebel groups, and their squabbling foreign patrons, to work together in pursuit of a shared goal," the article writes.
"The biggest problem facing the Saudis now is the same one facing the US, France, and anyone else interested in helping the rebels: the fragmentation of the rebels into groups fighting each other for local and regional dominance rather than cooperating to overthrow Assad," said David Ottaway, a scholar at the Wilson Center who wrote a biography of Prince Bandar.
Syria militants are facing with deep divisions and rivalries with every now and then several of them pledging alliance together to form independent armies.
On Thursday, al-Qaeda leader Aymen Zawahiri who has the strongest militant groups on the ground in Syria fighting alongside the US-backed opposition urged all armed groups to be united and overthrow the Syrian government and set up their own ruling system.


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Robert L. Hess Collection
Creation Date
This booklet contains a Latin translation and linguistic study of a subset (Chapter 44) of the medieval Ethiopian legal codex known as the Fetha Negest, or "Law of the Kings". The paper was presented to the teaching faculty at Halle-Wittenberg University on 26 May 1841 by the two authors, both of whom were Latin scholars at the Halle Orphan House (Schola Latina Orphanotrophei Halensis).
The booklet contains a title page, a three-page preface, nineteen pages of the original text in Ge'ez (Ethiopic) paired with Latin translations, a page of notes, twenty-seven pages of annotations containing comparative linguistic studies, and a summary page of the thesis.


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A team of scientists from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and their collaborators from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have found that a novel noncoding ribonucleic acid (RNA) offers the potential for "switching on" of tumour suppressors that have been shut off.
The research group, led by Professor Daniel Tenen, Director of CSI Singapore, demonstrated for first time that RNA interacts with an enzyme essential for DNA methylation, known as DNA methyl transferase 1 (DNMT1), offering strategies for the treatment of diseases such as cancer.
In this study, the researchers focused on a new class of RNAs, which is critical in regulating DNA methylation. This is a process in which certain building blocks of DNA, the genetic code, are chemically modified without resulting in a change in the code itself. DNA methylation is associated with silencing of gene expression and found in many diseases. For example, in cancer, genes called tumour suppressors, which inhibit tumour formation, are often silenced or shut off in the cancer cells, and this is associated with DNA methylation.
This novel study was first published online in the research journal Nature on 9 October 2013.
How the novel noncoding RNA inhibits DNA methylation
The study focused on this novel noncoding RNA in a specific tumour suppressor, known as CEBPA. The silencing of CEPBA is associated with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, lung cancer and other types of cancer. The scientists demonstrated that the noncoding RNA binds to the enzyme DNMT1 and prevents DNA methylation of the CEBPA gene. This principle, which is likely to extend to thousands of other genes, can potentially be used to "switch on" tumour suppressors that have been shut off.
Prof Tenen said, "We started out by studying the noncoding RNA to satisfy our scientific curiosity. In the process, we discovered the novel finding that RNA inhibits methylation and experimentally, we can introduce RNAs to 'switch on' tumour suppressors which have been shut off. Our results suggest strategies for gene-selective demethylation of therapeutic targets in human diseases such as cancer."
Further Research
In the next phase of their research, the scientists will look into developing tools for targeted activation of other tumour suppressors, besides CEBPA, and investigate the role of RNA in regulating other epigenetic marks.
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Materials provided by National University of Singapore. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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Following its Greater China leadership conference, Nu Skin (China) announces initial details of its five-year business development plan for mainland China. The plan includes tripling the number of stores and sales support centers by 2017 and expanding its direct selling coverage and distribution model to generate higher levels of market penetration.
"With nearly a decade of operational experience in China, we are building on a foundation of success to sustain growth in this important market," said Andrew Fan, president of the company's Greater China region. "In terms of infrastructure, our plans include increasing our physical presence in the market by tripling the number of stores and sales support centers, as well as completing our previously announced, $55 million innovation park and Greater China regional headquarters in Shanghai.
"Additionally, with recently issued direct selling licenses in several provinces, we plan to significantly expand the direct selling side of our business," continued Fan. "Based on market research and continuous consultation with government authorities, we plan to extend the company's product distribution channels to include independent business operators who operate with established business licenses. We will develop this additional distribution channel in a fashion consistent with what the direct selling industry offers in China. Our efforts are designed to align with the government's Twelfth Five-Year Plan to support a consumption-driven economy and to increase employment opportunities."
Nu Skin's physical facilities plan includes updating existing outlets throughout China and expanding physical locations, with the goal of tripling the number of stores and sales support centers over the next five years. These physical locations will increase Nu Skin's presence over a wider area, providing more effective and comprehensive services to consumers and support to the different channels of product distribution throughout China. In addition, to support growing business needs, Nu Skin has initiated the construction of a new innovation park in Shanghai, which will include a new research and development center and increased manufacturing capacity, as well as an experiential and sales support center and regional management offices. This facility is scheduled for completion near the end of 2013.
Because the geographic scope of its direct selling licenses has been limited, Nu Skin's focus to date has been on its employed sales force channel. Now that the company has been approved to conduct direct selling over a sufficiently broad geographic area, and with the advice of China regulators, Nu Skin plans to expand its direct selling operations. The company also continues to work to expand the number of direct selling licenses in additional provinces.
In order to reach further into the unique China marketplace, Nu Skin also announced plans to expand its distribution with the addition of independent marketers to its existing multi-channel business model. These legally registered independent business operators are widely used within the direct selling industry in China and would be authorized to operate sales businesses that provide a variety of products and services under the scope of their business licenses. Consequently, the business model of Nu Skin in China will include:
- Employed and contractual sales people who sell products from stores;
- Direct sellers who sell products away from stores; and
- Independent marketers who will sell products from their own place of business.
"We believe that the expansion of our distribution alternatives in China will effectively supplement our current distribution channels in this unique marketplace, offering additional business and employment opportunities, improving people's livelihoods, and paving the way for our long-term, sustainable growth in this important market," concluded Fan.
Nu Skin initially commenced operations in China in 2003 with retail stores and employees. In 2006, the company received a direct selling license from the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, and was permitted to begin direct selling in Shanghai. The company has since received direct selling licenses in over 50 cities or districts covering 15 provinces.


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A company that sells high-end doomsday bunkers is branching out with an "economy class" -- with spaces selling for $9.950. See inside
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- A company that sells luxury doomsday shelters is branching out with a new "economy class" bunker that costs $9,950.
Vivos is building the cheaper facility to accommodate the growing number of people worried about "life-extinction events" such as super volcanoes and asteroids but can't afford to shell out $35,000 for the fancier model.
The company, based in Del Mar, Calif., started out a couple years ago focusing on pricier products.
Rooms in the five high-end bunkers it is building start at $25,000 and features include medical and dental centers, bakeries, pool tables, pet kennels and fully stocked wine cellars.
All told, Vivos has more than 10,000 "members" in its apocalypse community -- some of whom have merely "applied" for spots in the bunkers and others who have plunked down refundable $5,000 deposits.
After the March 11 earthquake in Japan, the company said reservations skyrocketed nearly 1,000%.
And while Vivos says interest in the luxury bunkers remains strong, two-thirds of its members expressed in a recent survey that they wanted a cheaper alternative.
Enter the Vivos 1000, which will be scaled down to the bare necessities.
"This may be your only chance to secure a spot in Vivos and to have a far better survival solution than trying to survive on the surface," Vivos CEO Robert Vicino said in a statement. "Waiting until the masses realize the end is near will be too late! Ask yourself, which side of the door do you want to be on?"
Like the more expensive models, the Vivos 1000 -- which is 100,000 feet and will fit 1,000 people -- will be able to withstand a 20-megaton nuclear blast within six miles, according to Vivos. Customers are required to put down a $2,500 deposit to save a room.
The complex was originally designed as a luxury shelter, with spacious suites for everyone, but the company decided last week to convert it to an economy class version -- squeezing four beds into each room and knocking down walls to add curtains in their place.
Hundreds of people have already expressed interest in the new facility, said Vicino.
One problem with the scaled-down model: Customers are promised only six months of "autonomous" survival, while the luxury bunkers provide survival for up to a year.
Vivos doesn't reveal the exact locations of its bunkers due to security concerns. But the company said its cheaper facility is located in Nebraska, "far from known targets, fault lines, all oceans, and well above the subsided earth changes envisioned by many predictions." (Video: Financial apocalypse for doomsday followers)
In making the sales pitch for its bunkers, the company presents multiple end-of-days scenarios on its website. There's the killer asteroid that would completely destroy humanity or the super volcano that could eject more than 1,000 cubic kilometers of lava and cause the deaths of millions of people.
And now more people will be able to escape these catastrophic events.
"What was previously perceived by many to be a survival solution only for the 'elite,' is now affordable to virtually anyone wanting a 'boarding pass' into an impervious Vivos shelter to survive Armageddon, or whatever cataclysms may be ahead for our planet," Vicino said.
Carlos Rodriguez is trying to rid himself of $15,000 in credit card debt, while paying his mortgage and saving for his son's college education.
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Regis has presented the listener
with a perfect introduction to British (Australian!) Light Music. These
historical recordings cover a diverse group of composers; however most of the
tunes will be familiar, if not by title then by 'sound'. Enthusiasts of this
genre will probably have umpteen examples of each of these pieces in their CD
or iPod libraries. However, for someone wishing to explore the field there
could be no better place to begin.
There are many Light Music
recordings these days: I recall some 30 years ago trying to track down a copy
of Robert Farnon's 'Portrait of a Flirt'. I eventually found one on an obscure
cassette tape! Nowadays there are seven versions listed on Arkiv and no doubt
many more lurking in compilations.
Recordings of this type of
musical work tend to come in two guises- one is 'historical' and the other is freshly
minted. Ronald Corp's adventures on Hyperion are a good example of the latter,
whereas the massive cycle of Guild Light Music CDs reflects the huge interest
in the former.
The present collection has been
lightly 'themed'. The first 'part' includes works by a number of composers, the
second has six well-known pieces by Eric Coates and finally there are four tunes
by the Australian composer, Percy Grainger.
Many light music pieces have been
used in TV or Radio programmes as 'signature' tunes. Appropriately these have
been noted in the liner notes. I confess that some are before my time! However
many are still in use such as Coates' 'Sleepy Lagoon' used for Desert Island Discs, and Arthur Wood's
'Barwick Green' from The Archers. Special
highlights on this CD include Robert Farnon's rarely heard 'swinging' piece 'Sunny-Side
Up'. Another gem is the London Transport
Suite by Sidney Torch. Here we can enjoy the escapades of travel in the
Capital from an earlier day. 'The Hansom Cab' rattles down the Strand, 'Rosie
the Red Omnibus' waits for passengers outside Harrods and the shoppers are
on-board the '5.52 from Victorloo'! Intellectuals will enjoy Ray Martin's 'Marching
Strings' which was used in Top of the
Form! Detective-novel enthusiasts will relish Charles Williams' once
ubiquitous 'Devil's Galop' that featured in Dick
Barton, Special Agent. I had not come across Ron Goodwin's 'Red Cloak',
with its lavish Iberian mood: it is an impressive little piece. And finally, Angela
Morley's romantic 'Starlight' is the perfect complement to Farnon's 'Flirt.'
Eric Coates is well represented
on this disc with extracts from his two fine London Suites – the 'Knightsbridge March' and the equally catchy,
but less often heard 'Oxford Street March'.
I particularly enjoyed the hard-to-find 'Television March' dating from
1946 – the early days of 'telly' indeed.
The 'Merrymakers Overture' is a little gem which really epitomises the
genre, was composed as early as 1922. All the Coates pieces are recordings of
the composer conducting the London Philharmonic or Symphony Orchestras. So they
are in many ways definitive, although I do wonder if they were 'paced' to fit
on one side of a 78rpm record.
It is a little unusual to include
Percy Grainger in a compilation such as this –especially with four pieces.
However these 'favourites' performed by Frederick Fennell and the
Eastman-Rochester 'Pop's Orchestra will belay any concerns. Whatever genre they
fall into these are four little masterpieces. And Grainger did spend time on
London, so he could be perhaps he regarded as an 'honorary' Englishman' – at
least for the purposes of this CD! I especially enjoyed 'Molly on the Shore',
although 'Country Gardens' and the 'Londonderry Air' are by far the best known
This CD is billed as 'super
budget' and certainly at £5.50 is excellent value for money. The liner notes
are helpful and the programme is broad. Finally the sound quality of these
pieces is excellent, bearing in mind that they were 'laid down' between 1931
and 1960.
Track Listing:
Track Listing:
Charles WILLIAMS (1893-1978) Devil's Galop (Dick
Barton, Special Agent)
Robert FARNON (1917-2005) Portrait of a Flirt (In
Town Tonight)
Ray MARTIN (1918-1988) Marching Strings (Top
of the Form)
Arthur WOOD (1875-1953) Barwick Green (The
Robert FARNON (1917-2005) Sunny Side Up (BBC
Light Programme)
Ron GOODWIN (1925-2003) Red Cloak
Sidney TORCH (1908-1990) London Transport Suite:-'The
Hansom Cab', 'Rosie The Red Omnibus', '5.52 from Victorloo'
Angela MORLEY (1924-2009) Starlight
George SIRAVO (1916-2000) Bumps-A-Daisy
Eric COATES (1886-1957) By the Sleepy Lagoon (Desert
Island Discs) Television March , 'Knightsbridge March'
from London Suite, The Merrymakers, Miniature Overture, Calling
All Workers (Music While You Work) 'Oxford Street March' from London
Again Suite
Percy GRAINGER (1882-1961) Country Gardens, Shepherd's
Hey, Molly on the Shore, Londonderry Air
With thanks to MusicWeb International where this
review was first published


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Storm Arising? Huge Penalties Expected for Penn State Soon
For a Sunday morning that is just beginning for many in State College, Pennsylvania many wish this day could already end!
Just a few moments ago, the process to remove Joe Paterno's statue from Penn State's football stadium has begun. Also announced, lingering penalties soon to be announced by the NCAA that will turn the Penn State athletic department upside down.
Not too long ago, a report surfaced that "unprecedented" penalties will come down on the whole athletic department and university as a whole.
One big source tells CBS News reporter Armen Keteyian, "I've never seen anything like it."
These upcoming penalties are a result of the chilling details from the Freeh report, that gave a who's who of wrongdoers inside the walls of the Penn State system, from the President, on down to the late Joe Paterno.
Some feel the athletic program being penalized is unjust, some feel it's the best thing to do.
For those who raise the question, "Why punish Penn State?", I ask: Is it more justified to not punish Penn State for committing crimes against humanity, than it being justified to punishUSC and Ohio State for crimes that aren't even against the law?!
While the official announcement will be made Monday morning at 9 a.m., we can only speculate what the Nittany Lion program will face.
Death Penalty? That's a possibility.
We can only wait in anticipation to see what will happen. How should Penn State be punished, if you feel they should be punished at all?


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"For advances in the development of angle-resolved electron analyzers for photoelectron spectroscopy."
Background:Bjorn Wannberg received his B.Sc. at Uppsala University in 1963 and his Ph.D. degree at the same university in 1972, with a thesis titled Particle Optics with applications in Atomic Beam Spectroscopy.He was then recruited by later Nobel Laureate Kai Siegbahn to work on the electron optical aspects of photoelectron spectrometers. Besides the instrumentation work, he took an active part in the VUV spectroscopy of small molecules in gas phase, and in particular measurements of angular distributions.
Wannberg became engaged in the start of the Scienta company (now VG Scienta AB) in the mid-1980s, with the aim to commercialize the spectrometer development, especially for XPS (ESCA) applications. Between 1987 and 1996 he shared his time between the research at the university and the development work for Scienta. During this time, he invented a novel way to operate a hemispherical electron energy analyzer in order to collect the energy distributions for a large number of emission directions in parallel. The successive improvement of this so called angular mode has been one of his main tasks ever since.
From 1996 to 2000 he worked full time for Scienta, in the role as the companys specialist in electron optics. Since 2000, he has been working as a consultant in particle optics, although with strong ties to VG Scienta. He is still active in the development of new instruments for angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy.
Art Hebard (Chair), K. Waldrip, V. Zapf, K.D. Irwin, J. Matey, A. Macrander


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IL – Blackhawk Farms Raceway Sticker
Size: 3.4″ tall by 5″ wide.
Contact us if you would like to order this or any other sticker in a different size.
We also do custom vinyl decal stickers. Let us know what you need so we can get you taken care of.


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Those of you who followed our experiment here at Yet Another Linux Blog followed my wife's path as she test drove distros for their out of the box abilities. Those of you who stayed positive throughout this process also understood why some of the more popular distros did not rate well…simply because they do not have much done for you out of the box. The reason we chose rating out of the box is because most new users wont be able to install hardare and software easily without reading some documentation and those new users might become immediately frightened of the aspect of finding answers to 'how to do this'. By having stuff done a user can gain confidence at the early and critical times of using a distro and then build on top of that. Therefore, we set out to find the best distro that came suited for a user like my wife. If you followed along, you also know that PCLinuxOS was rated the top distro. As promised, today we'll chat with Texstar, the creator of PCLinuxOS.
Devnet: Please tell us a bit about how you got your start in Linux/Computers/Open Source…
Texstar: My first successful Linux install was Red Hat. I later found Mandrake which was nothing more than Red Hat with KDE at the time. I moved to Linux after watching Microsoft abuse their monopoly on the desktop. I formally provided unofficial 3rd party rpm updates to Mandrake users between releases until that function was taken over by Mandrakeclub.
Devnet: What type of person do you see yourself as?
Texstar: I'm kind of quiet, laid back, humerous and easy going person. I don't take life too seriously. I look for the good in people. I enjoy chatting with fellow Linux users on our IRC channel (efnet #PCLinuxOS). What a great bunch of people…except for that Lewis guy. Just kidding Lewis! We love you, we really do 😀
Devnet: Why did you start PCLinuxOS?
Texstar: To provide an outlet for my crazy desire to package source code without having to deal with egos, arrogance and politics. I love to package. It is like a puzzle where all the pieces have to fit together or the code doesn't work.
That is my favorite part of doing PCLOS. The other reason is I wanted something that worked out of the box, looked fabulous and didn't require a technical degree from college to get it working.
Devnet: How did you come up with the name?
Texstar: It is Linux for your Personal Computer. I wanted something generic that people could easily relate to and the name matches our website.
Devnet: Who is your target audience with PCLinuxOS?
Texstar: Someone who might be considering Linux for the first time. PCLOS gives them the opportunity to boot from a livecd, test for hardware compatibility and play around with it. Later if they like it they can also install it to their hard drive.
Devnet: How large is the community surrounding PCLinuxOS?
Texstar: I'm not sure how many people are using PCLOS but our website has over 6500 registered users.
Devnet: How many developers work on PCLinuxOS?
Texstar: 12-15 people are directly involved in the development of pclos and many others who provide volunteer support in various capacities.
Devnet: What would you say to someone (like some of those posting on this blog) who states, "PCLOS is just Mandrake/driva repackaged with slight mods?"
Texstar: You know, if we took Mandriva 10.2 (2005) and slapped some graphics on it and called it PCLOS then they would have a valid argument but that is simply not the case. We took Mandrake 9.2 as our base and have built up around it. We have our own kernel developed by ocilent, our own KDE which is packaged totally different than Mandriva. Our menu system is different. Our gcc is different. We have our own custom graphics and iconsets. We use a different package management system utilizing apt-get with a synaptic frontend and a valid upgrade path. Many people are still running Preview 4 fully updated.
We do utilize code from Mandriva as well as Fedora, SuSE, Yoper and others for that matter. I've seen patches and repackaged rpms in Mandriva's source that came directly from Fedora. Does that mean they are ripping off Fedoras code because they didn't come up with the patch/code themselves? I don't think so.
Opensource allows one to share and share alike.
Devnet: PCLinuxOS is still in a "Preview" version meaning it hasn't released a 'full version'. Where would you like to be with PCLOS and the first full version? (features of 1.0, etc.)
Texstar: I'd like to have everything work properly out of the box for the first time Linux user. No fiddling with configuration files, plugins and drivers.
Everything just works.
Devnet: Will PCLinuxOS always be free to download and use?
Texstar: As far as I know. Sometime next year I'd like to provide boxed sets with an instruction manual for a modest fee.
Devnet: Have you read the experiment on YALB and if so, do you agree with its conclusions?
Texstar: As long as Mrs. Devnet is happy then I am happy. Honestly, I think we still have a long way to go to get to where I would like PCLOS to be but in time we will get there. The fun part is being along for the ride and seeing how far we can push the limits of opensource.
Devnet: What do you tell users who think rpms only invite dependency problems in package management? (For us Debian users 🙂 )
Texstar: With Debian, if you want to upgrade your system you run apt-get update, apt-get dist-upgrade or you run Synaptic which is a frontend to apt-get. In PCLOS, if you want to update your system, you run apt-get update, apt-get dist-upgrade or you run Synaptic which is a frontend to apt-get. The only difference is ours are rpms and theirs are debs. Debian's advantage is they have a larger repository with over 12000 packages and ours is just now topping out at close to 4000.
Devnet: Does PCLOS have any plans on porting to other architectures (i.e., power pc)?
Texstar: We have no plans to port PCLOS to other architectures other than maybe a 64 bit version later this year.
Devnet: Some distros ship with mp3 support and some without. Why is PCLOS downloadable with mp3 support when some of the big names such as Ubuntu and Fedora without?
Texstar: I don't know anything about that. Seems like some do and some don't for whatever reasons.
Devnet: Where does one go to get involved with PCLOS?
Texstar: www.pclinuxonline.com is our website.
Devnet: If a train left New York going 60mph and another from San Francisco going 50mph, what would the gross national product of Cuba be?
Texstar: The gross national product of Cuba as of 2003 was 10.6 billion.
—End of Interview
I want to personally thank Texstar for taking time out of development of Preview .9 of PCLinuxOS to talk with Yet Another Linux Blog. I also would like to thank him and all those involved with development of PCLinuxOS for providing a distro out there that 'just works' for my wife. We are now happily Windows Free on all computers save one that dual boots Windows for my work. Still to come, I'll be taking a detailed look at each of the distros we examined in the experiment and offering input from my wife as to what they might be able to build toward to attract new users (new to Linux that is). I've also got a couple of tips and tricks articles coming up that I've been working on steadily. Stay tuned and thanks for reading.


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While many parts of the asset-backed securities market are on tenterhooks because of pending regulations regarding home- and commercial-mortgage securitizations, small-business lender Newtek Business Services has completed a rare kind of deal: a securitization of loans backed by the Small Business Administration. The $16 million sale of notes backed by a pool of SBA 7(a) loans was the first securitization of any kind of commercial business loan since the financial crisis, says Newtek chief executive Barry Sloane.
Although the transaction will not necessarily cause a surge in small-business lending, it may be a sign that fixed-income investors are getting hungry for these kinds of instruments once again — if they're soundly structured.
The Newtek deal earned a AA rating from Standard & Poor's, and the overcollateralization — the amount of loans backing the notes issued by the trust — was three times larger ($24 million) than was required prior to the bursting of the credit bubble, says Sloane. While it is typically the guaranteed portions of SBA loans (75% of the principal for a 7(a) loan) that attract investors in the secondary markets, Newtek securitized the unguaranteed portions of the loans it originated. However, those portions were all secured by commercial and owner-occupied real estate.
"It's a little bit like building a spec home, particularly in today's market," says Sloane of the securitization. "You never know whether the bond markets will be open or receptive."
Newtek's transaction was helped by the fact that the 7(a) market has been robust in fiscal 2011, giving the commercial lender a larger pool of loans to choose from. "[SBA lending] started picking up in mid-to-late 2009, and for the six months of [FY 2011] we've already done 80% to 85% of [FY] 2010's gross loan approvals," says Craig Cline, an SBA loan trader at Coastal Securities. According to the SBA, as of April 8, lenders had originated $12.5 billion of cash flow-based small-business loans, compared with $7.9 billion a year earlier.
At the same time, Sloane says, Newtek is seeing much higher-quality loan opportunities — deals that would normally go to commercial banks.
Newtek will use the $16 million in gross proceeds principally for making new loans and paying off a term loan with Capital One Bank. Sloane says the funding will better match the terms of its lending. That would make these deals attractive for other nonbank lenders, some of which are still having trouble financing their own balance sheets. But for now, Newtek's securitization will probably remain a rarity. Under new accounting rules, the assets and liabilities remain on Newtek's books. "It makes [securitizations] less attractive to other originators," says Sloane. "If they have to show the leverage, a lot of entities can't do these transactions."
In addition, the bonds will be subject to potential criteria changes from S&P on small-business securitizations. The credit-rating agency put out a notice of proposed changes last June but has yet to finalize them.