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Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis had served as the team's GM from 1963 until his passing on Saturday. The Raiders will now look to hire a general manager, and the club has started the search to find such a person to work in concert with head coach Hue Jackson, according to league sources.
The Raiders' model would likely be set up somewhat like Pittsburgh's, in which coach Mike Tomlin and GM Kevin Colbert work in concert.
The Raiders also could hire a consultant, likely an experienced hand like Ernie Accorsi or Ron Wolf, to help them through the rest of this season. Wolf, best known for his success as GM of the Green Bay Packers in the '90s, worked for Davis' Raiders for 26 years.


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The Measurement Condition is an official phrase for a state of floatation of the AC72 where each hull must displace 45% or more of the total volume of the catamaran. Emirates Team NZ's view was that the rules stated there were two measurement modes - one with the AC72 in Measurement Condition to determine the volume of water displaced by the hulls (which has to be at least 45% each). The second measurement is MWP (the floatation plane when the AC72 is in Measurement Condition - effectively the Loaded Waterline Measurement - which is used to calculate the maximum wingsail height and other measurement points above the MWP datum). Due to sloppy rule drafting the class rules could be literally interpreted to read that the AC72 was in one mode for the Measurement Condition calculations (ie checking that the hulls each displaced more than 45% of the total displacement). The boat could then be remoded for the second measurement calculation of the MWP. The point at issue being that in the first measurement (Measurement Condition) Emirates Team NZ argued that their daggerboards could be raised, and then lowered for the second calculation (MWP). Positive Flotation Daggerboards produce positive flotation when lowered, and it had been calculated that if the AC72 was measured (for MC), with the daggerboards in the lowered position then the volume of the daggerboards could be no more than 225 litres - which is quite minimal for hydrofoiling, and would make flight more difficult. If that daggerboard volume was exceeded, then it was likely the the hulls would not meet the 45% minimum displacement requirement. By being able to measure the AC72 with bigger daggerboards, designed to allow the AC72 to hydrofoil more easily, and for those daggerboards to be raised - therefore not affecting the MC calculation to the same extent, Emirates Team NZ have gained a significant advantage over teams who have opted for smaller daggerboards in the lowered position. The International Jury agreed with Emirates Team NZ's literal view of the rule, the Measurement Committee had erred, when they had made an interpretation based on their 'perception of the intention of the original authors'. The International Jury took the view that teams were entitled to take a literal reading of the rules rather than have to take into account the perceived intention of the rule writers. Oracle and Artemis oppose The America's Cup Defender Oracle Team USA and the Challenger of Record, Artemis Racing sided with the Measurement Committee's view. Oracle said in part 'ETNZ have built boards whose volume is greater than what is allowed in rule 1.4(k). It seems that after failing to have the measurement weight of the yacht increased for calculating displacement to make their hulls and appendages legal, they are now trying to create compliance by having the weight of the appendages count but the volume of the appendages set aside. ' Artemis Racing claimed that the 'Application was an attempt by ETNZ to change the AC72 Class Rule to suit their own interest'. Luna Rossa, who have purchased a basic hull design package from Emirates Team NZ, believed to be similar to the AC72 currently sailing, which would have been orientated for bigger volume foiling daggerboards, agreed with the position taken by Emirates Team NZ. Team Korea, although entered as a valid Challenger, did not make a submission that was reported by the International Jury.
America's Cup Race Management backed the Emirates Team NZ case saying the case had 'arisen due to inconsistencies in the drafting of the Class Rule.' The race organisers submitted that 'when drafting the Protocol it was considered important the competitors be able to rely completely on the Class Rules as drafted ......and not to be prejudiced by new rules unless they have consented to them, even if the outcome of applying the plain language used in the Class Rule has an unintended outcome.' 'CRM also submitted that the history of the America's Cup had many examples of technical innovations exploiting provisions of the Class Rule not considered when it was drafted 'and is often accompanied by determined efforts on the part of other competitors to outlaw the innovation. Innovation of one competitor is rule breaking to another.' ACRM noted that in issuing the latest Public (Rule) Interpretation the Measurement Committee had 'acted in good faith and endeavoured to interpret the AC72 Class Rules in accordance with their view of the intent of the Rules and avoid an outcome that was not intended.' Jurisdiction exceeded In its Decision the International Jury found that the Measurement Committee had exceeded its jurisdiction when it had effectively amended a class rule, by way of an Interpretation, and was directed to withdraw it. The Jury concluded by saying that that daggerboards may be retracted when calculating the percentage of displaced volume of the canoe bodies when determining compliance with the definition of 'hull'. ACRM submitted that as the issue had arisen from a drafting oversight that competitor's costs should lie where they fell, and not paid by the erring party - as is normally the case. Had the decision gone against Emirates Team NZ, they would have been forced to discard two of their daggerboards, believed to cost $400,000 each, and would have wasted two of their count of 10 foils permitted under America's Cup Rules. Their AC72 would not have been able to foil as easily and steadily as it does currently. Waterfront scuttlebutt has it that the ETNZ AC72 has been able to gybe while fully foiling at speeds of 40knots - which if true is rather impressive. Oracle and Artemis are now in the situation where they have to consider the value of going to bigger foils. The http://noticeboard.americascup.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JN051.pdf!Decision_of_the_International_Jury cannot be appealed. For Martin Tasker's report on TVNZ http://tvnz.co.nz/sailing-news/jury-decision-boosts-team-nz-video-5124078!click_here

subset: commoncrawl


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ODTUG announced a few days ago the Oracle APEX Theming Competition.
Make an awesome APEX theme and you may win some cool prices!
In the Learning Resources on the ODTUG site you will see a reference to my presentation of last year "Advanced Responsive Design in APEX". In that presentation I showed a lot of live demo's from different aspects of Responsive Design: here's a quick overview of what I covered:
I made the RWD demo app available online now, so you can see it in action or you can download the app and install it in your environment (the zip includes the presentation too).
Hopefully it will help some people doing a responsive design theme.
Another tip that might help; make use of SASS or LESS to generate the CSS. There's a great SASS tutorial (video/material) on SASS from Hampton Catlin, the creator of Sass, which explains why and how to use it.
I look forward to the result of the competition. I'm always impressed with what people come up with.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
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Matthew who?On the upcoming fourth season of Downton Abbey, the Crawleys upstairs may be mourning the recent death of their heir, but those downstairs are suffering from an additional loss: O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran). Beyond the absence of the scheming lady's maid, the servants will also have to contend with new-fangled kitchen gadgets, a familiar face returning and ongoing internal strife (we blame Thomas!).
Matthew who?
On the upcoming fourth season of Downton Abbey, the Crawleys upstairs may be mourning the recent death of their heir, but those downstairs are suffering from an additional loss: O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran). Beyond the absence of the scheming lady's maid, the servants will also have to contend with new-fangled kitchen gadgets, a familiar face returning and ongoing internal strife (we blame Thomas!).
13 reasons to be Downton's Dowager Countess when you grow up
Who will thrive in their job, and who will get overworked? Who finds a bit of time for fun? Check out TVGuide.com's interview with Joanne Froggatt, Phyllis Logan and Sophie McShera for scoop on Anna, Mrs. Hughes, Daisy and more:
Anna Bates
Last season, Anna and her husband Bates (Brendan Coyle) were reunited after she helped free him from prison and they moved into their own cottage. "That doesn't really affect how you see Anna and Bates on the show because they would have spent so much time at work," Froggatt tells TVGuide.com "They would have been there from half past five in the morning until midnight when the family went to bed. So they still eat breakfast, lunch, dinner in the servants' hall with the rest of the servants. They literally go back to their cottage to go back to sleep really. You do see a couple of scenes in Bates' cottage, so the audience is reminded that they do live in the cottage. But for all intents and purposes, it doesn't change for them really."
Fans can still expect to see marital bliss for the couple... at least at the beginning. "Anna and Bates start the season in a very happy place, which is lovely," Froggatt says. "But as always, there are some trials and tribulations for Anna and Bates. They never seem to have it easy, as there is for all the characters. There are interesting things that happen within the household for all of the characters. Anna is certainly affected by events."
And just like last season, we'll get to see Anna show off her moves. "I do a bit of dancing this season," Froggatt confirms. "We had to learn it because it's very much within the period. We have a dance teacher that comes in to show us the moves we need." But don't expect anything scandalous or too jazzy. "No, that's definitely Rose's domain," she says.
POLL: Will you watch Downton Abbey Season 4?
Mrs. Hughes
O'Brien's absence, which will be addressed in the season premiere, will probably have the biggest effect on head housekeeper Mrs. Hughes. "Obviously the main intention is to help Lady Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) to find a replacement," Logan says. "O'Brien had been with her for a long time. She was her lady's maid. You need to build up a rapport with somebody when you're working so personally with them... So I can understand that Lady Cora is certainly feeling aggrieved that she's got to start the hunt for somebody new. And until we find a replacement, I have to step into the breach, which isn't really part of my duties, but needs must. I don't think it suits either of us really that well."
This year, a familiar face that viewers will recognize will return. "It's not so much about the past, it's her interaction with some of the others and a character who has been in it and suddenly comes back again," says the actress. "She has some dealings with that story line. She's involved and very hands-on with a lot of problems that are thrown at her."
But don't expect to see Mr. Horace Bryant, the wealthy grandfather of Ethel's child Charlie and who happens to be portrayed by Logan's real-life husband Kevin McNally. "No, not this season anyway," Logan says. "But who knows what might be up [writer] Julian Fellowes' sleeve for the future?"
Downton Abbey Season 4 Scoop: Lady Edith, London and more
Daisy Mason
My, how Daisy has risen! Last season, the former scullery maid ascended to the rank of assistant cook, thanks to the reluctant support of head cook Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol). This year, she advances her cooking repertoire in a forward-thinking way. "She gets a new electric mixer," McShera says. "Patmore is like, 'It's the devil! Send it away!' But Daisy is like, 'I think it's really good.' She's making souffles and doing the devil's work with the mixer. Daisy's really up for it. She wants to embrace all of this new modernity, but it's because she's younger."
And although she continues her filial relationship with Mr. Mason (Paul Copley), the father of her late husband, the rest of her personal life isn't going so well. "She's not having that much luck early on. It's hard to have a personal life when you work 18-hour days or whatever," McShera says. "She's no Lady Mary. Nobody has come a-calling. It's hilarious because you sort of think, 'Oh my God, give it up with Alfred. He's just not that into you.' But she kind of has to hammer away at it because who else is she going to get off with? There's no one to look at. Mr. Carson? [Laughs] It's limited."
Not only is Alfred (Matt Milne) immune to Daisy's charms, but he still has eyes for lowly but lively kitchen maid Ivy (Cara Theobold), something that's not lost on Daisy. "She's gotten a bit nasty," says McShera. "She's being so mean to Ivy, and it's pure jealousy. It's like, 'She's really pretty. I hate her.' They fell out again because of Alfred."
Fall TV premieres calendar
Opera singers, jazz musicians and nannies
Although the life of a servant is hard work, it's not always drudgery. McShera assures us that the staff gets a fun day at the end of the season, but before that, there are spots of entertainment. In Episode 3, Downton Abbey hosts a house party. "This is the first time since the death of Matthew (Dan Stevens) that they've entertained at the house, so it's a huge thing," Froggatt says. "Everybody's excited and stressed and running around all over the place. They have a famous opera singer (Kiri Te Kanawa) come to the house to sing." Logan adds, "The servants were allowed to listen, a special dispensation, to be upstairs."
Unfortunately, when a jazz band visits Downton, the servants have to be a bit sneakier and listen at the door. They do, however, get a more up close and personal look at jazz musician Jack Ross (Gary Carr), Downton Abbey's first-ever black cast member. "We do get one scene with Jack Ross," McShera says. "He comes through downstairs, and we're all like [stunned], which is really weird to film because from a modern perspective, we're like, 'This is really embarrassing. I'm so sorry!' But he's really sweet and really nice, and it's really funny actually for him to walk in and have all the servants act ridiculous."
Finally, the downstairs staff will expand a bit "really late on," according to McShera. "In the final act there will be new people to interact with," she says. But don't expect the new nanny, who's been hired to look after Tom Branson's (Allen Leech) daughter Sybbie, to make friends with Daisy & Co. "The nanny is explained in the series as being a servant, but she's not part of the servants because she's never downstairs in the servants' hall," Froggatt says. "She has her meals with the children, but she's not one of the family either. So she's kind of a midway person who is kind of on her own a lot really."
Will you miss O'Brien? Which servant are you looking forward to seeing again?
Downton Abbey Season 4 premieres in the UK on ITV in September, while U.S. audiences must wait for the Jan. 5 premiere on PBS' Masterpiece.


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/usr/sbin/mixerctl [-a | -d dev] [-iv] [-e | -o]
Some audio devices support the audio mixer functionality. See mixer(7I) for a complete description of the audio mixer. The mixerctl command is used to control the mode of the audio mixer and to get information about the audio mixer and the audio device. See audio(7I) for details.
The following options are supported. If none are specified, option -i is assumed:
-a The command applies to all audio devices.
-d dev The dev argument specifies an alternate audio control device for the command to use.
-e Enables the audio mixer function if the audio device supports it. If supported, the audio mixer may be enabled at any time. The command silently ignores the enable option if the audio mixer is already enabled.
-i Prints the audio device type information for the device and indicates whether the audio device uses the audio mixer. If the device does use the audio mixer, this option displays the audio mixer's mode.
-o Turns off the audio mixer function if the audio device supports it. If supported, the audio mixer may be turned off if only one process has the device opened with the O_RDWR flag, or, if two different processes have the device opened, one with the O_RDONLY flag and the other with the O_WRONLY flag. (See open(2).) The command silently ignores the disable option if the audio mixer function is already disabled.
-v Verbose mode. Prints the audio_info_t structure for the device, along with the device type information. This option implies the -i option.
AUDIODEV If the -d and -a options are not specified, the AUDIODEV environment variable is consulted. If set, AUDIODEV will contain the full path name of the user's default audio device. The default audio device will be converted into a control device, and then used. If the AUDIODEV variable is not set, /dev/audioctl is used.
See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:
Architecture | SPARC, x86 |
Availability | SUNWauda |
Stability Level | Evolving |
audioconvert(1), audioplay(1), audiorecord(1), open(2), attributes(5), usb_ac(7D), audio(7I), audio_support(7I), mixer(7I)


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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), after reviewing a follow up study on two flavorings from group evaluation 204, has found 4-methylpent-3-en-2-one doesn't present a safety concern with respect to genotoxicity.
However, the review panel couldn't conclude on the in vivo genotoxicity of 7-methyl-3-octenone-2. It said more appropriate in vivo genotoxicity tests, considering also first site of contact, should be performed for the substance.
In addition, the substance 4-methyl-3-hepten-5-one was now identified as a substance for which no representative substances could be identified in the present flavoring group evaluation, resulting in a need for additional data on the genotoxic potential of this flavoring substance. However, the panel noted that the 2-methyl substituted α,β-unsaturated aldehydes in the first review of Flavoring Group Evaluation 201 can be considered as structurally related to 4-methyl-3-hepten-5-one. Thus, the final conclusion on 4-methyl-3-hepten-5-one will be drawn based on the outcome of the evaluation of Flavoring Group Evaluation 201.


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Sunday's football gossip - your soccer fix
Lionel Messi has pointedly refused to rule out a move from Barcelona to the Prem.
Tim Sherwood faces D-day against Swansea - with the axe set to fall if he fails to win.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBolton boss Neil Lennon has gone back for Shola Ameobi in a bid to fire-up his failing side.
Jose Mourinho is unhappy with Belgium boss Marc Wilmots for suggesting his midfielder Eden Hazard should join Real Madrid.
Liverpool have been hit with fresh injury concerns over the fitness of striker Daniel Sturridge.
Manchester United and Arsenal could swoop for Argentine forward Paulo Dybala after his former president urged him to leave Juventus.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdLouis van Gaal has confirmed he wants to add one more new signing to his Manchester United squad.
An England international and another Premier League star are set to become the first players to come out as gay publicly while playing in the top flight.
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has told skipper Vincent Kompany he is not guaranteed his first-team spot and his days of being an "untouchable" at the Etihad are over.
Pep Guardiola is ready to leave Bayern Munich this summer with his eye on Arsenal or Chelsea.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdManchester United goalkeeper Victor Valdes is hoping to move to a rival Premier League club in January, according to his agent Gines Carvaja.
Tony Pulis has revealed he has had secret bonding sessions with Saido Berahino to stop him from leaving West Brom.
Chelsea are considering a move for Boca Juniors star Jonathan Calleri in the January transfer window.
Chelsea are confident of deflecting interest from Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain to sign Red Star Belgrade and Serbian midfielder Marko Grujic.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdManchester United have to double their summer offer for Sadio Mane to have any chance of buying him next year following the Southampton forward's outstanding start to the season.
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola is keen on residing in London and is set to look for new employers in the Premier League at the end of the season if he does not sign a new deal to stay at the German club.


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An undated photo provided by HelloFresh shows a HelloFresh dinner kit. HelloFresh, based in New York, ships ready-to-cook dinner kits to subscribers with everything needed to whip up a meal, from the raw meat and fish to vegetables and spices. Targeting busy consumers, Blue Apron and fellow startups HelloFresh and Plated are trying to make cooking at home easier and cheaper than dining out or ordering in. (AP Photo/HelloFresh) |
NEW YORK (AP) — Sarah Michaelson no longer wonders what she'll be having for dinner. Her meals are delivered to her door.
She signed up with Blue Apron, a company that ships ready-to-cook dinner kits last fall. Michaelson and her husband, Phil, pay $59.94 a week to have six uncooked meals sent to their home every week. Blue Apron's kits are filled with everything needed to whip up a meal, from the raw meat and fish to spices and vegetables. Recipes, with step-by-step instructions and pictures, are included.
"It saves us a lot of money," says Michaelson, a marketing manager at Betterment.com, an online investment management company.
She now eats dinner at home at least three times a week. Before, she would order takeout while at work, or head to a restaurant. Takeout can cost as much as $35 for the New York couple, and dinner at a restaurant starts at $40 for the two of them Michaelson says.
Ready-to-cook dinner kits are the latest concept in online grocery delivery. Blue Apron, and fellow startups HelloFresh and Plated, are targeting busy consumers who want to cook at home, but don't have the time hit the grocery store every week. The companies are new — all three have launched within the last year — but are growing quickly and have plans to reach more customers in more states soon. The kits make cooking at home easier. Since all the ingredients are included and measured, you don't have to buy six onions when all you need is one or a bottle of a spice you'll only use a sprinkle of. The kits can sometimes be cheaper than dining out or ordering in, costing between $10 and $15 a meal. But some of the companies require a subscription or buying a minimum amount of meals a week.
They all work differently, but they all aim to give even the most inexperienced cook the ingredients to cook a gourmet meal.
Michaelson says she has become a better cook since joining Blue Apron. For a recent dinner party, she made seared rainbow trout and an arugula and peach salad, using a Blue Apron recipe. "Usually, I'm pretty basic with how I cook," says Michaelson.
Subscribers are able to choose dishes they want to cook. A box is sent with that week's meals. The boxes are packed with ice packs and insulated to keep the items fresh. All three services use seasonal vegetables and fruits, and recipes change every week. Subscribers benefit from variety so they're not repeating the same meals week in and week out.
The dinner kits are not cheaper than fixing a bowl of spaghetti at home, but they can be cheaper than takeout. Blue Apron's meals cost less than $10 each. The meals at HelloFresh and Plated are a couple of dollars more, but you can lower the price if you buy more meals per shipment or opt for the vegetarian meals from HelloFresh. While the companies tout the per meal price, Blue Apron and HelloFresh require buying a minimum of six meals for each shipment. Plated requires four meals. The cheapest is HelloFresh's vegetarian dinner kit, which costs $59 a week. Delivery for all three companies is free.
But be aware that these services cater to couples and families. Single subscribers may end up with more food than they know what to do with. The minimum dinner kit available from Blue Apron and HelloFresh has two servings of three different recipes. That's six meals all together.
At Plated, you can order a minimum of two servings of two different recipes, a total of four meals per shipment. Josh Hix, Plated's co-founder, says the company's single customers save extra food for leftovers or use it for date nights.
If subscribing to a ready-to-cook delivery service sounds appetizing, here's what you need to know about each company:
PRICING: A minimum of $59.94 a week, which includes three meals for two people ($9.99 a meal). No membership required, cancel any time. A kit for four people costs $119.88, and for six, $179.82.
RECENT RECIPES: Cod with crispy kale and roasted tomato. Lemongrass shrimp with soba noodles and Chinese broccoli.
VEGETARIAN OPTION: Yes
DELIVERY AREAS: Available in 38 states and Washington D.C.: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
PRICING: A minimum of $69 a week, which includes three meals for two people ($11.50 a meal). For four people, its $129 a week, or $10.75 a meal. The vegetarian kits are $59, which includes three meals for two people ($9.83 a meal).
RECENT RECIPES: Beef cabbage wraps with sweet potato fries. Honey chili chicken with tomato relish.
VEGETARIAN OPTION: Yes.
DELIVERY AREAS: Available in 29 states and Washington D.C.: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
PRICING: A minimum of $60 for four meals ($15 a meal). Order six or more meals, for $14 each. If you pay a monthly membership of $10, its $12 a meal if you buy four or $10 a meal if you order six or more.
RECENT DISHES: Pork tenderloin with watermelon, mint, feta and cucumber salad. Apricot chicken with green beans and almonds.
VEGETARIAN OPTION: No. (The company expects to add it this fall)
DELIVERY AREAS: Available in 18 states and Washington D.C.: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.
BLUE APRON: http://www.blueapron.com/
HELLOFRESH: http://www.hellofresh.com/
PLATED: http://www.plated.com/


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SNOW HILL- Towns and local communities must pay more for mosquito control this year or reduce efforts to control the biting pests, after the Worcester County Commissioners voted to pass the extra mosquito control costs on rather than absorbing or splitting the higher bill.
"The state has reduced its share," reported county chief administrator Gerry Mason Tuesday.
County Budget Officer Kathy Whited told the commissioners the state was reducing its contribution by five percent. "The state is going to change the funding for a 50-50 split with the county to 45 percent," she said.
State officials said the choice was a reluctant one. "It's not something we wanted to do but we didn't want to delay the start-up of the program and that was the alternative," said MDA mosquito control program assistant chief David Schofield later.
Whited offered the commissioners three options to handle the increase. In the first option, she said, "We split the extra five percent being pushed back by the state with the communities."
The second option shifted the extra five percent entirely onto the towns and unincorporated communities receiving mosquito control services from the Maryland Department of Agriculture's mosquito control program. Under, the third option the county absorbed the additional cost.
Worcester County customarily pays one quarter of the cost, with the town or community paying one quarter, and the state paying half.
"It only rained six and a half inches from April 15 to October 1. What happened to the money in last year's budget, because they didn't spray it and it didn't get carried over?" commission president Virgil Shockley wondered.
According to Schofield later, most of Worcester County's mosquito population originates in salt marshes, not ditches and freshwater sources replenished or expanded by rain. Salt march mosquito populations are more attuned to the tides.
"Rainfall does play a part, but the tidal influence is the big thing," said Schofield.
The county marshes experience moon tides six or seven times every mosquito season, resulting in a new brood, he said.
"The flooding of the salt marshes is the number one key that pushes all these salt marsh mosquitoes into the area," Schofield said.
The commissioners voted unanimously for the second option, which passes the increase on to the communities and municipalities, requiring those entities to pay 30 percent of the bill, with Worcester County continuing to cover 25 percent.


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Related links:
Movie of the New Horizons mission (6.4 MB QuickTime)
Movie of the launch of the New Horizons mission (5.5 MB MPEG)
Movie of the path of New Horizons through our Solar System (4.7 MB QuickTime)
New Horizons mission site at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
New Horizons Mission to Pluto
A spacecraft is going to Pluto! The name of the spacecraft is New Horizons. New Horizons will be the first spacecraft ever to go to Pluto!
Pluto is very, very far away. It will take New Horizons nine years to get to Pluto! New Horizons blasted off in January 2006. But it won't get to Pluto until 2015.
The spacecraft will do a "gravity slingshot" move when it passes Jupiter. That will make the spacecraft go really fast. It will go 47,000 miles per hour (about 21 kilometers per second) for a while.
When New Horizons gets to Pluto it will study the frozen world. It will also study Pluto's big moon Charon. It will take pictures. It will send back readings from its instruments. Those will tell us about Pluto's atmosphere and magnetic field.
New Horizons won't stop after it passes Pluto. It will also study at least one Kuiper Belt Object (KBO). KBOs are giant iceballs that are sort of mini-planets. Most KBOs are even farther away than Pluto!


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On Saturday, November 5, Africa Classroom Connection (ACC) holds a benefit at Park Square Theatre's Andy Boss Stage in Saint Paul's historic Hamm Building. Support ACC by joining in this delightful afternoon of events:
- Doors open at 1 pm for an African Marketplace, selling beautiful handcrafted jewelry, baskets, wooden masks and more from South Africa.
- Let the show begin at 2 pm! Don't miss seeing the powerful American classic, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. The play was the first written by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway, winning the 1959 New York Drama Critics Award.
- After the performance, enjoy a South African wine and cheese reception and participate in a brief live auction, featuring uniquely enticing items such as a South African Wine Tasting for 10.
Purchase tickets ($65, $40 tax-deductible) through Park Square Theatre's Ticket Office at 651.291.7005 (mention "Africa Classroom Connection fundraiser") or online at http//parksquaretheatre.org/box-office/special events/order-form-special-benefit-performance-of-a-raisin-in-the-sun/
Generous sponsors* have paid for all event expenses, so 100 percent of your contributions go directly toward building classrooms!
Questions? Contact Claire at 612.767.4430 or email@example.com
What is Africa Classroom Connection (ACC)?
Africa Classroom Connection (ACC) is an American nonprofit organization that builds schools in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Its vision is that every child in KwaZulu-Natal has the opportunity for an excellent education. The program was started in 1977 by the Rotary Club in a small rural town Eshowe, South Africa. Amazingly, the organization has built over 3,000 classrooms in 800 schools, more than the government.
It's a self-help partnership: the community must raise a five percent deposit, then donors cover the remainder to build each classroom. As a result, the community respects and cares for its school. Each school's simple standard classroom design ensures that common materials and local labor can be used. That local labor develops income and skills in the community. The government maintains and staffs the schools. A local Steering Committee makes all decisions about where need is greatest, and provides evidence and audits to ensure international accountability. ACC is volunteer-lead, with all administrative costs generously paid for by its board members, so 100% of contributions go directly to construction.
Board member Tammie Follett and 16 others just returned from a Learning Tour to KwaZulu-Natal to visit classrooms and communities in need of schools. "One day," Follett said, "we met 630 primary school students. We described our careers and they asked us questions such as 'What did you study? What do I have to do to be a doctor? Lawyer? Teacher? Electrician?' We aim to inspire and inform them about the power of education. We hope they explore the possibilities!"
The traveler group also brought home beautiful handcrafts available in an African Marketplace at the benefit performance of A Raisin in the Sun at Park Square Theatre on the afternoon of November 5. Please come enjoy great theatre and support powerful education through Africa Classroom Connection www.africaclassroomconnection.org! Event sponsors include *Books For Africa, Merrill Lynch, Presentation Wiz, Thomson Reuters and Z Wines USA.


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§ 416.1427. Effect of expedited appeals process agreement.
After an expedited appeals process agreement is signed, you will not need to complete the remaining steps of the administrative review process. Instead, you may file an action in a Federal district court within 60 days after the date you receive notice (a signed copy of the agreement will be mailed to you and will constitute notice) that the agreement has been signed by our authorized representative.
[45 FR 52096, Aug. 5, 1980, as amended at 49 FR 46370, Nov. 26, 1984]


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Author Notes: This is a super-simple, healthy way to eat a lovely vegetable. My mother is from Spain, and this is how she always prepared cauliflower. When we moved to the States and I saw the gloppy, cheese-covered version of how cauliflower is served in most American households, I was slightly horrified…. My children love this dish, it takes just minutes to make and it goes with just about everything…. —RaquelG
Serves: 4
large head of cauliflower, stem and leaves removed
bottle extra-virgin olive oil; the best quality that you can afford. I prefer the peppery-tasting versions as opposed to the grassy/herbal lighter-flavored types.
lemon, cut in half and de-seeded
kosher salt, to taste
- Put an inch or two of water in your steamer pot over high heat until boiling vigorously. I don't have a traditional steamer and use my pasta pot with the draining insert; perfect for larger vegetables like cauliflower, squash, cabbage rolls, etc. Wash cauliflower and place in steamer whole. Sprinkle well with salt and close steamer lid (most of this salt will fall off into the water anyway, but my mother always did this, so I do too). Steam until a sharp knife inserted into the center of the cauliflower pierces smoothly and easily with little resistance, about 8-10 minutes depending on the size of your cauliflower. We like our cauliflower fairly soft; you may prefer it a bit more toothsome and that's up to you – just test early and often with your knife; the more resistance, the firmer the veggie!
- Remove cauliflower from steamer onto serving plate and cut into wedges or slabs approximately 3/4 inch wide; if the florets crumble a bit that's just fine. With your finger partially over the EVOO spout (unless you happen to have a squeeze bottle or some other fancy delivery system for your finishing oil), drizzle generously with olive oil, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over all and season to taste with salt. Taste to see if the oil to acid ratio is to your liking and adjust accordingly. Serve immediately, piping hot.


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Fair to Carowinds? – Opening Day Trip Report
Whootah member Wes has posted an opening day TR! The Whootah crew was there and had a great day! Read about that and the new changes here:
We have our own pictures from the entire trip under the pictures tab at the top. Here's the direct link:


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The NRA's Disastrous Week
Written by Timothy Johnson
On the morning of Saturday, April 14, 2012, things were going well for the National Rifle Association. The gun rights organization's annual meeting was in full swing. Bloggers crowed about record attendance at the St. Louis, Missouri event. Friday's "Celebration of American Values Leadership Forum" went off without a hitch--all 13 featured speakers were Republican men. Barack Obama was called a "post-American President," "incompetent," and the most "radically liberal" president since Jimmy Carter. But the most incendiary comments about the president had yet to come.
On Saturday afternoon, Ted Nugent, a member of the NRA's Board of Directors, addressed the NRA faithful. Nugent implored NRA members to support the Republican ticket in the fall, declaring, "Your goal should be to be able to get a couple of thousand people, per person who's here, to vote for Mitt Romney in November." After that rather innocuous endorsement, Nugent turned his sights on President Obama, and things quickly spiraled out of control.
"If that dead Marine isn't worth it to you to demand that the enemies in the White House are ousted, then you probably ought to just move to France," ranted Nugent. He continued, "If Barack Obama becomes the president in November, again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year. Why are you laughing? Do you think that's funny? That's not funny at all. I'm serious as a heart attack." Nugent then characterized the Obama administration as "vile," "evil," and "America-hating," before concluding his diatribe with a call for the audience to "ride into that battlefield and chop [Democrats] heads off in November."
On Monday, RightWingWatch.com posted a video of Nugent's inflammatory comments. Almost immediately the video went viral and created a media firestorm.
Following widespread outrage regarding Nugent's inflammatory remarks at the NRA convention, the Secret Service confirmed that it opened an investigation into the aging rocker's comments. (On Thursday, the Secret Service announced that "the issue has been resolved" and the agency "does not anticipate any further action.")
Without mentioning Nugent by name, Mitt Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul stated, "Divisive language is offensive no matter what side of the political aisle it comes from. Mitt Romney believes everyone needs to be civil." This milquetoast response did little to temper the controversy surrounding Nugent's comments.
That same day Nugent addressed his critics during a radio appearance with CNN's Dana Loesch. He doubled down on his remarks while calling his message "100 percent positive." Nugent then compared his rhetoric to that of Mitt Romney, claiming, "Mitt Romney knows what I'm saying is true. He puts it into words for him, I put it into words for me." Nugent responded to criticism of his remarks by DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz by calling her a "brain-dead, soulless, heartless idiot."
Earlier that day conservative "model" legislation organization American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) announced that it was eliminating its NRA-chaired Public Safety and Elections task force. The task force played a role in promoting controversial Voter ID and "Stand Your Ground" self-defense legislation nationwide. According to ALEC, the task force was disbanded so that the organization could focus on "policies that will help spur innovation and competitiveness across the country." The NRA had previously sponsored ALEC's annual conference to a tune of $25,000. While in charge of the Public Safety and Elections task force, the NRA was able to take language nearly identical to Florida's controversial 2005 "Stand Your Ground" law and adopt it as "model" legislation, to be disseminated by conservative lawmakers across the nation. With the task force's elimination, the NRA lost one of its more valuable tools to push its legislative agenda on the state level.
It was also reported that day that Republican Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, the recipient of an A+ rating from the NRA, vetoed legislation that would have allowed members of the public to carry firearms in city halls, police stations, county courts, and other public buildings. Contrary to the NRA mantra of firearms almost everywhere, carried by almost anyone, Brewer reasoned, "The decisions to permit or prohibit guns in these extremely sensitive locations -- whether a city council chamber or branch office staffed with state workers -- should be cooperatively reached and supported by a broad coalition of stakeholders, including citizens, law-enforcement officials and local government leaders."
The NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) later issued a tepid response to the veto, stating, "The NRA believes that this issue needs to be addressed. We have and will continue to work with the Legislature, Governor and all interested parties toward a legislative solution in 2013."
Just three years ago the NRA hosted its annual meeting in Brewer's home state of Arizona. NRA-ILA executive director Chris Cox heaped praise upon the newly appointed governor, swooning, "Even during the most difficult days, she has never wavered. She has consistently supported pro-gun legislative initiatives, like 'right-to-carry' ... During her service as Senate Majority Whip there was never a time when the members of her caucus didn't know which way to vote on bills that matter to gun owners. As Secretary of State she remained a close ally and valuable friend of the National Rifle Association. Now Arizona gun owners are fortunate to have her as governor."
In her 2009 remarks, Brewer declared, "Make no mistake. Arizona is NRA country." Whether that is true today is certainly up for debate. Brewer's veto of the NRA-backed guns in public buildings bill came on the day before the one year anniversary of her veto of NRA-backed legislation permitting guns on campus.
CNN contributor Erick Erickson reported that the NRA representative to conservative powerbroker (and NRA board member) Grover Norquist's weekly Wednesday meeting expressed outrage that ALEC had dumped the NRA. According to Erickson, "The NRA representative claimed that if ALEC was going to run away from the fight on these public safety issues, ALEC might just run away from other issues too, e.g. immigration." The ALEC representative reportedly took issue with the NRA's willingness to defend legislation that it had helped enact. Erickson wrote, "At that point the ALEC representative pointed out that ALEC had actually sought help from the NRA on 'stand your ground' laws, but the NRA decided, yet again, to play it safe and wound up letting ALEC take the bullet."
By Thursday morning, Nugent's NRA convention rant had been scrubbed from the NRA's YouTube account. That same day, Nugent authored a Washington Times editorial defending his actions. Nugent claimed, "By no stretch of the imagination did I ever threaten anyone's life, or hint of violence or mayhem." The real culprits, wrote Nugent, were members of the "left-wing media": "[I]n their ever-desperate scramble to divert attention from the crimes of their communist leaders, the Saul Alinsky 'Rules for Radicals' left-wing media and terminally liberal Democrats circled their battlewagons of deceit and hate and unleashed their tsunami of lies about me and everything I said." Reflecting on the controversy, Nugent concluded that he had "never been prouder."
That afternoon, commanders at Kentucky army base Fort Knox cancelled Nugent's headlining appearance at a concert to be held on June 23, 2012. According to a post on the Fort Knox Facebook page, "After learning of opening act Ted Nugent's recent public comments about the president of the United States, Fort Knox leadership decided to cancel his performance on the installation." A replacement for Nugent has not been announced.
Following the Fort Knox announcement, Bangor, Maine councilmember Charles Longo, Jr. asked that Nugent be removed from this summer's Bangor Waterfront concert series. Longo wrote that, "In the wake of one of the most fiery election seasons ever, I believe that this vitriolic, incendiary rhetoric has no place in our national discourse. Furthermore, I do not believe that we should give him a platform to stand on in the city of Bangor ... Mr. Nugent has proved time and time again that he will use any means necessary to keep him in the headlines, regardless of the shameful things he says."
Reports surfaced that Nugent will plead guilty to illegally hunting a bear in Alaska in violation of the Lacey Act. In a plea agreement filed with the U.S. District Court in Anchorage, Nugent reportedly admitted that he shot and killed a black bear with a bow and arrow after previously wounding a different bear. Under Alaska law, a hunter that wounds a bear, but is unable to retrieve it, has fulfilled his or her bag limit for the season. Prosecutors have recommended that Nugent pay a fine of $10,000 and be banned from hunting in Alaska for a year. He will also have to a make a public service announcement, that will run during his "Spirit of the Wild" TV show, highlighting the importance of knowing hunting regulations.
Nugent was represented in court by fellow NRA board member Wayne Anthony Ross. A mainstay of Alaska politics, Ross was nominated for Alaska attorney general in 2009 by then-Governor Sarah Palin, but became the first state agency nominee to fail to be confirmed in Alaska history after being voted down by the Alaska Legislature. In opposing Ross, critics pointed to a letter he wrote that called gays "degenerates" and allegations that he said, "There wouldn't be an issue with domestic violence if women would learn to keep their mouths shut," at an Anchorage, Alaska meeting of Dads Against Discrimination.
This was not the first time Nugent was busted for illegal hunting. In August 2010, he pled no contest to charges that he illegally baited and then shot an undersized deer in California.


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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Baseball has a problem: Clayton Kershaw, Aroldis Chapman, Felix Hernandez and all the other kings of the hill are just too good.
Ruling with an assortment of big-bending curveballs, sharp sliders and 100 mph heat, a new generation of pitchers has thrown major league hitters into a huge slump.
The spike in strikeouts, the dip in home runs and worries that the game is becoming boring for fans reminds some people of 1968, when Bob Gibson, Denny McLain and their fellow aces dominated.
Back then, the sport came up with a radical solution: The pitcher's mound was lowered from 15 inches to 10 and the strike zone was reduced.
Combined with the addition of four expansion teams, the result was an 11-point increase in the big league batting average in 1969 and a 19 percent rise in runs.
Should baseball drop the mound again?
"I don't know, man, maybe if they keep going like this," Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton said Monday at the All-Star festivities.
"Move the mound back 5 feet," he added with a chuckle.
There's some thought that reducing the mound would combat the outbreak of blown-out elbows, which has seen stars such as Stephen Strasburg, Matt Harvey and Jose Fernandez needing reconstructive surgery, and could also claim Masahiro Tanaka.
With low-run games again in vogue and defensive shifts taking away hits, there's been more emphasis on small ball. That's prompted questions about whether this is a cyclical change, or if this style is here to stay.
From his vantage point in the New York Mets' broadcast booth, former NL MVP Keith Hernandez has an unusual analysis and an equally drastic solution.
"They should get rid of four teams," he said. "Too many players. There's too much dilution of talent. The pitching's not better. It's the same."
"I think that the residuals of steroids and aluminum bats has affected how they taught kids how to hit, and now we're seeing normal bodies and balls that used to get out of the ballpark are caught now," he said.
It wasn't too long ago that batters had the edge. The boom years peaked in 2000 with an average of 1.17 home runs per team per game. The runs average of 5.14 was MLB's highest since 1936.
But offense has steadily shrunk — as have the players — as baseball implemented testing for performance-enhancing drugs and then repeatedly strengthened those rules.
And with complete games virtually a relic, hard-throwing relievers dominate the late innings. Radar guns routinely register mph readings around triple digits.
"Everybody's throwing 109, so you don't get to see the starters for your fourth turn," said Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, exaggerating only slightly. "There's a lot of guys in the bullpen that are special guys."
All that gas has contributed to more than two dozen pitchers needing Tommy John surgery this year.
Dr. David Altchek, the Mets' top physician, said a lower mound "should decrease the force as the body gets less far ahead of the arm."
"As the body falls down the mound, the arm momentarily lags and forces at the elbow cumulate," he said.
But Glenn Fleisig of the American Sports Medicine Institute counters that recent studies disagree whether lowering or eliminating the mound would slightly cut or slightly increase the stress on an adolescent pitcher's arm.
"Reducing the amount of competitive pitching is the most strongly proven action for reducing the risk of pitching injuries," he said.
This much is certain: The major league batting average is down to .252 this year, according to STATS. It hasn't been that low since 1972, the year before the American League adopted the designated hitter.
Teams are averaging a full one run less per game, with the 4.14 scoring average MLB's lowest since 1992, just before the spread of better hitting through chemistry.
There's a lot less contact, too: Teams average 7.70 strikeouts per game, on track to set a record for the eighth straight season and up more than 60 percent from 1981's 4.75.
From the seventh inning on, baseball resembles the 1960s, the greatest era for pitchers since the lively ball days began in 1920. The .241 batting average in the late innings is the lowest since STATS's records began in 1974, and teams are averaging just 1.30 runs — not much incentive to keep fans in stadiums or watching their televisions.
"Obviously the real 'solution' here is to ban setup men and closers," ESPN's Keith Olbermann said.
"I'm not sure lowering the mound would have much impact. Does a lower mound transform strikeouts into homers? Viscerally this doesn't even feel like the results of cleaning out PEDs, because batters continue to hit the ball harder and farther — and less. Ultimately this seems like just more in the decades-long transformation of batting into mere swinging," he said.
Baseball remains the most traditional of American sports. Change comes slowly — widespread instant replay for umpires only began this year.
"I would be reluctant to lower the mound further," said John Thorn, MLB's official historian, "as this might be using a sledgehammer to swat a fly."
Ever cautious, the players' association says the time to consider such a step is "too far off right now," according to new union head Tony Clark.
"It's a game of adjustments," the former All-Star first baseman said, "and we'll see as the pitching has adjusted how the offense adjusts and how long it takes to adjust or if it can adjust based on the current circumstances."
San Francisco pitcher Tim Lincecum, who last month threw his second career no-hitter, put it simply: "It's been one of those things it's a staple in the game. The bases are going to be 90 feet. The distance to the plate's going to be 60 feet, 6 inches. The mound's going to be yay high. It'd be weird to think of it any differently."
With hitting down, should MLB lower the mound?


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Hospital | |
How to Choose a Therapist or Counselor
Sylvia Sensiper, PhD
Perhaps you have a chronic or difficult problem, or maybe you feel depressed or anxious. Before you begin therapy, there are important issues that you need to consider. For example, "How do I choose a therapist?" "How much will it cost and how long will it take?" "What kinds of therapies are there and how do they differ?" "What should I expect at my first session?" What to Look ForIt is important that you choose someone who respects your opinion, your input, and your individuality. One of the most important things to consider when entering a therapeutic relationship is whether the values of the therapist match your values. Conflicts can occur when the client and therapist have different value systems or when there are misunderstandings about the level of conversational intimacy. Engaging the right therapist—someone with whom you are comfortable and trust—is important to ensure that you get the best treatment possible. Where to Find a TherapistLook for recommendations from your doctor or other healthcare providers, professional organizations, or friends. Healthcare professionals may be able to separate your physical problems from emotional ones. For example, Laura went for a physical checkup when her anxiety over moving to a new city and the birth of her second child made her irritable and chronically fatigued. Her primary care physician could find no physical difficulties, and instead recommended that she talk with someone about her concerns. "Although I didn't know my primary care physician well," Laura says, "he had an excellent grasp of my problems and talked about it in a way that made sense to me. The therapist he recommended also seemed to understand my issues and was able to help me." How Much It Will Cost and How Long It Will TakeCheck with your insurance company about coverage. Costs may be based several factors, such as location, the type of counseling you need, and for how long. Learn about payment arrangements in advance. For example, some offices may bill you by mail while others may require payment at the time of your appointment. If your are not fully covered or are uninsured, look for local resources in your area where you can get counseling for a reduced rate. These may include state or municipal services, community centers, or teaching hospitals. Your employer may also have services through an Employee Assistance Program. The length of therapy can vary widely depending on your particular issues and your background. Treatment for mild or situational problems can be relatively short and might be accomplished in as few as 5-6 sessions. Chronic problems and long-term difficulties, however, may require a year or more before you feel that progress is being made. One way to monitor your progress is to formalize (in writing) a set of treatment goals. This ensures that both you and your therapist are working on the same issues. It also helps you assess the benefits for yourself. When it comes time to end therapy, your therapist may encourage you to discuss your decision, but a good therapist should always respect your judgment about when it is time to go it on your own. Although the cost of therapy can affect the way you approach the process and what therapist you choose, the length of treatment should be based on more important factors. What the Options AreIf you and your doctor feel that counseling is the right option, you can discuss therapy options and get a referral. There are different categories of professionals to help you reach your goals. Mental health professionals include:
Therapies are generally divided into the following approaches:
In most cases, mental health professionals can offer you a range of treatment options. If you find something is not working, discuss it with your therapist. You always have the option of changing your mind and trying different therapies or therapists. What to Expect at the First AppointmentYour first session, sometimes called an intake evaluation, will be unlike subsequent sessions. This is a time for your therapist to get to know you—what is important to you and what particular problems or difficulties have brought you into therapy. You will be asked about your family history and childhood, education, friends and social relationships, career, romantic relationships, and current living situation. The depth of this personal history will vary depending on your therapist. When the therapist has developed some understanding of you, he or she will ask if you have any questions. This is the time to raise questions you have about the therapist's training and theoretical orientation and experience with treating problems similar to your own. Be aware that subsequent sessions may be complex. Facing what appears to be a singular issue can often veer off into many other directions. You may need to delve into areas of your life that you had not anticipated exploring. What to Do If You Do not Like Your TherapistYou do yourself a disservice by staying with a therapist that you do not like. If you feel that your therapist is not listening to you, or is downplaying your problems, or has a value system that differs from your own, do not hesitate to talk about it. A responsible therapist has an obligation to either work it out to your satisfaction or to refer you to someone else. Use the same consumer-wise techniques you apply to consumer goods when you search for a therapist. It is not uncommon to try more than one therapist to find a good fit. Do not let this discourage you from moving forward with therapy. It is more important you get what you need from the best person available. RESOURCES:American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
http://www.aamft.org American Counseling Association
http://www.counseling.org CANADIAN RESOURCES:Canadian Psychiatric Association
http://www.cpa-apc.org Canadian Psychological Association
http://www.cpa.ca References:Different approaches to psychotherapy. American Psychological Association website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL) Accessed January 5, 2017. Finding a mental health professional. National Alliance on Mental Illness website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL) Accessed January 5, 2017. For a healthy mind and body talk to a psychologist. American Psychological Association website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL) Accessed January 5, 2017. Therapy and counseling. American Academy of Family Physicians Family Doctor website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL) Updated May 2010. Accessed January 5, 2017. Understanding psychotherapy and how it works. American Psychological Association website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL) Accessed January 5, 2017. Last reviewed January 2017 by Michael Woods, MD
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Tech papers
The Mars Mission – Technology for Another World
We did not find any little green men on Mars, but we did find dried out lakes and river beds. The NASA missions keep discovering new secrets of the red planet. Always on board: Reliable DC motors by Swiss drive specialist maxon motor.
Perhaps mankind will soon start its first colonies on Mars. They will mine the ground for ice, use it as drinking water, and plant vegetables in greenhouses. And when it gets dark, they will look at the night sky, towards Earth, where the foundation for their mission was laid long ago. An unrealistic scenario? Not at all. The research on Mars has advanced immensely in the past 20 years and precision drives by maxon motor have made an important contribution. In four missions by the US space authority NASA, products of the Swiss company reached the surface of Mars. The data collected over the course of these projects is bringing us closer an closer to the goal of a manned mission to our neighboring planet. maxon motor also gains important new insights with every flight: CEO Eugen Elmiger: "In space, our brushed and brushless DC motors are confronted with very harsh conditions – extreme cold, heat, impact, and vibration. We have been able to use this experience to improve our products on Earth many times."
The historic breakthrough
Currently we are still sending robots on the long journey to Mars. They explore the barren landscape, investigate rock samples, and take breathtaking photos. The first of these was Sojourner, a rover with six wheels, which landed on July 4, 1997. It was a historic moment, as all previous attempts to send a vehicle to Mars have failed. Sojourner was small and weighed only 10.5 kilogram. For almost three months, it wandered across the sandy landscape and sent back images and data – much longer than planned. The vehicle was driven by electrical maxon DC motors. These high-quality drives with ironless windings were installed at the wheels and wereused for the steering as well as for the operation of the scientific equipment. For four years, maxon engineers worked with the NASA employees to make the project a reality. Its success fascinated the entire world. Since then, the terms "maxon&rdquo and "Mars" have been closely linked. Yet that was only the start.
The twins on the red planet
Driven by the success of the Sojourner mission, NASA soon started planning the next trip to Mars. This time, two identical rovers were to be sent up simultaneously: Spirit and Opportunity. They were significantly larger than their predecessors (around 185 kg) and equipped with more advanced technology. The rovers were able to take photos, brush and scrape rocks to reveal fresh surfaces for study. Their mission: Find evidence that there used to be water on Mars, and thus, maybe, even life. The two vehicles exceeded all expectations. Their expected service life was three months. However, six years passed before Spirit sent its last signal to Earth. Its brother Opportunity is still going strong even today, ten years later. Since the landing, it has traveled more than 40 km. Despite sand storms and temperature fluctuations from −120 to +25 degrees, the maxon DC motors are also still performing reliably. Each rover is equipped with 35 of these precision drives, which are responsible for driving the six wheels, the steering mechanism, the RAT (rock abrasion tool), the robotic arm, and the cameras. In addition, 8 maxon motors were used in the lander.
Opportunity's great birthday present
Opportunity is still a source of great joy to the scientists on Earth, even though it is starting to suffer from some old-age ailments. In January 2014, just in time for its ten-year anniversary, it found traces of water in the rock formations it was investigating at the Endeavour crater. In addition, the data shows that several billions of years ago, this was the site of a lake, possibly with good conditions to support organic life.
The hunt for the hidden ice
There is still ice on Mars, for example at the two polar caps. The researchers assumed that there is more ice in other regions – below the surface of Mars. Phoenix was sent to prove this theory. It landed on Mars in 2008. Unlike its predecessors, it was a stationary space probe. After just a short period, it provided the desired evidence. It used its arm to scrape away soil at the surface to reveal bright water ice below. This discovery made the maxon motor team in Sachseln jump with joy. Once more, the Swiss motor specialist had been a partner in the NASA mission and supplied nine RE series precision drives. These brushed motors with special ball bearings were used to deploy the solar panels on Phoenix.
A new star on Mars
The researchers could not and would not rest on their laurels. They embarked on a new, daring project and planned to send another rover to Mars. This one exceeded all previous dimensions. Curiosity, the new star in the rover squad, weighed 900 kg and had the size of a compact car. It landed on the red planet in August 2012. Equipped with a robotic arm that can drill and deliver samples to an onboard laboratory, it is on a constant quest to understand if Mars ever was capable of harboring life. Radionuclide batteries ensure a reliable energy supply. maxon MR encoders enable control of the motors in the ctromechanical joints. Since its landing, Curiosity has made quite a few tracks in the red sand and collected valuable data to provide the scientists with new knowledge about Mars. It discovered elements such as hydrogen, oxygen and carbon, the so-called building blocks of life, under the surface of Mars. This is a strong indication that our neighbor ing planet used to fulfill the prerequisites for life. Curiosity also shot landscape photos with such an impressive resolution that the viewer feels almost like he is standing on Mars himself. A feeling that could become reality in the near future: While there are still many obstacles to be overcome before the first manned flight can depart to Mars, the NASA rovers have already paved the way.
The Mars adventure continues!
ESA, the European Space Agency, is planning its own Mars mission in cooperation with the Russian agency Roscosmos. Under the name ExoMars, a probe will be launched towards our neighboring planet in 2016. A Mars rover is to follow two years later. It will be somewhat smaller than Curiosity, but it will come with a drilling unit that can retrieve rock samples from a depth of two meters. Samples will be analyzed directly in the rover. Once again, maxon motor is involved as mission partner and will supply precision drives from the DCX series for the ExoMars rover.


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7 S.Ct. 318
30 L.Ed. 515
GOETZ, Jr., and another
January 10, 1887.
F. W. Cotzhausen, for plaintiffs in error.
O. H. Dean, (argued,) Jas. Hagerman, Wm. Warner,
[Argument of Counsel from page 552 intentionally omitted]
B. K. Miller, for defendant in error.
In Oc
tober, 1881, the plaintiffs in error, Goetz and Luening were partners in the business of buying and selling hides on commission, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At that time one Du Bois was a dealer in hides at Kansas City, Missouri. On the tenth of that month Du Bois telegraphed to them from Kansas City, inquiring what they could sell 400 green salt hides for, and what they would advance on a bill of lading of the shipment. The firm answered by telegram, stating the market price of light hides on that day, and that they would pay a draft 'for two-thirds value, bill of lading attached.' On the same day the firm sent a letter to Du Bois, repeating the message, and adding that if the hides were in good condition, and No. 1, they could sell them readily; that their commission was 2 1/2 per cent.; and that they would sell all hides that he might ship to the market at Milwaukee. Upon this understanding, and during the same month, Du Bois drew upon the firm five drafts, amounting in the aggregate to $9,395, which were accepted, and, with the exception of the fifty one, were paid. The fifth one, which was for $2,000, was protested for non-payment. To each of the drafts were attached a bill of lading and an invoice of the shipment. The bill of lading purported to have been issued by the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company, stating that it had received hides, giving the number and estimated weight, to be transported on the road from Kansas City to Milwaukee, and marked and consigned as follows: 'To shipper's order. Notify Goetz and Luening, Milwaukee, Wis.' The invoice purported to give the net weight in pounds of the hides shipped, and the market price at Milwaukee, and their estimated aggregate value, referring to the sight draft for two-thirds of the amount.
The drafts were made payable to Thornton, the cashier of the Bank of Kansas City, and were cashed as drawn, the bank paying their full face, less the usual rate of exchange on Milwaukee. The amount, as each was cashed, was passed to the credit of Du Bois, and was checked out by him in the usual course of business, within a few days. The drafts were sent by the bank to its correspondent at Chicago, indorsed 'for collection' on its account, and by him were forwarded to Milwaukee. The invoices of some of the shipments were indorsed in the same way. The bills of lading were indorsed by Du Bois, per J. MacLellon, his clerk. The signatures to the bills of lading proved to be forgeries, on which account Goetz & Luening refused to pay the fifth draft. The bank thereupon brought an action against them for the amount in the circuit court of the United States. They defended, and set up as a counter-claim the sums they had paid on the four drafts. At the same time they commenced an action in the state court against the bank to recover the money paid on those four drafts. The latter action was removed, on application of the bank, to the circuit court of the United States, where the two actions were consolidated and tried as one, the same questions being involved in both. The trial resulted, by direction of the court, in a verdict for the bank, by which it recovered against the firm the amount claimed on the unpaid draft, and defeated the claim of the firm for the return of the money paid on the other four drafts.
The contention of Goetz & Luening was substantially this: that they accepted the drafts in the belief that the bills of lading were genuine; that their genuineness was asserted by the indorsement of the bank on the invoices accompanying them; that the bills of lading were forgeries; that no shipments as stated therein had been made; and that Du Bois bore in the community such a reputation for dishonesty, having been charged at other times with forging bills of lading attached to drafts drawn by him, that the bank was guilty of culpable negligence, amounting to bad faith, in discounting these drafts, on the faith of the bills of lading presented by him without inquiring as to their genuineness.
The testimony offered by the firm respecting the character of Du Bois was of great length, but it would serve no useful purpose to discuss it. It is sufficient to say that it consisted of a mass of loose statements, general charges of criminality, with vague references in some instances to reported particulars, sensational articles in newspapers, surmises, insinuations, rumors, beliefs, and suspicions, which might make men cautious in their dealings with him; but they were altogether of too indefinite and uncertain a character to interdict all transactions with him, in the ordinary course of business.
Besides, testimony was produced by the bank highly favorable to the standing and character of Du Bois. He is shown to have been a man of great enterprise and capacity, and, just before opening business with the bank, to have been a member of the government of Kansas City, representing his ward in the common council, and spoken of as a prominent candidate for its mayoralty. He was a member and director of the board of trade of the city, and one of its committee on arbitration, to which business disputes of its members were referred for settlement. He had been a captain in the Union army, and bore the reputation of a brave and gallant officer. He was received in the best society of the city, and was generally popular. He commenced business with the bank in March, §881, and drafts by him, cashed by the bank, amounted from twenty to one hundred thousand dollars a month. Those drafts were always accompanied by bills of alding, and not until after the discovery of the forgery of the bills of lading in this case was it known that in any of these transactions he had been guilty of dishonest conduct.
Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that, when the drafts on the merchants in Milwaukee were presented for discount, the bank made no inquiry as to the genuineness of the bills of lading attached to them. A bank in discounting commercial paper does not guaranty the genuineness of a document attached to it as collateral security. Bills of lading attached to drafts drawn, as in the present case, are merely security for the payment of the drafts. The indorsement by the bank on the invoices accompanying some of the bills, 'for collection,' created no responsibility on the part of the bank. It implied no guaranty that the bills of lading were genuine. It imported nothing more than that the goods, which the bills of lading stated had been shipped, were to be held for the payment of the drafts, if the drafts were not paid by the drawees, and that the bank transferred them only for that purpose. If the drafts should be paid, the drawees were to take the goods. To hold such indorsement to be a warranty would create great embarrassment in the use of bills of lading as collateral to commercial paper against which they are drawn.
The bank, after discounting the drafts, stood towards the acceptors in the position of an original lender, and could not be affected in its claim by the want of a consideration from the drawer for the acceptance, or by the failure of such consideration.
This has been held in numerous cases, and was directly adjudged by this court in Hoffman v. Bank of Milwaukee, 12 Wall. 181, which in essential particulars is similar to the one at bar. There the bank had discounted drafts drawn by parties at Milwaukee on Hoffman & Co., commission merchants of Philadelphia, to which were attached bills of lading purporting to represent shipments of flour. Hoffman & Co. accepted and paid the drafts. The bills of lading proved to be forgeries, and Hoffman & Co. sued the bank to recover the money paid. It was contended that they had accepted and paid the drafts in the belief that the accompanying bills of lading were genuine, and that, had they known the real facts, they would not have accepted and paid the drafts, and could not have been compelled to do so, in which case the loss would have fallen on the bank; that is, that they paid the drafts under a mistake of facts. But the court answered 'that money paid, as in this case, by the acceptor of a bill of exchange to the payee of the same, or to a subsequent indorser in discharge of his legal obligation as such, is not a payment by mistake, nor without consideration, unless it be shown that the instrument was fraudulent in its inception, or that the consideration was illegal, or that the facts and circumstances which impeach the transaction as between the acceptor and the drawer were known to the payee or subsequent indorsee at the time he became the holder of the instrument;' that, supposing the plaintiffs accepted the bills of exchange upon the faith and security of the bills of lading attached, that fact would not benefit them, as the bills of exchange were in the usual form, and contained no reference whatever to the bills of lading, and it was not pretended that the defendants had any knowledge or intimation that the bills of lading were not genuine, or that they had made any representation upon the subject to induce the plaintiffs to contract any such liability; that undoubtedly the bills of lading gave some credit to the bills of exchange beyond what was created by the pecuniary standing of the parties to them, but that they were not a part of those instruments, and could not be regarded in any more favorable light than as collateral security accompanying the bills of exchange; and that proof that the bills of lading were forgeries could not operate to discharge the liability of the plaintiffs, as acceptors, to pay the amounts to the payees or their indorsees, as the payees were innocent holders, having paid value for the same, in the usual course of business.
The case of Robinson v. Reynolds, decided by the queen's bench, and, on error, in the exchequer chamber, (2 Q. B. 196,) is also similar, in essential particulars, to the one at bar. An action of assumpsit having been brought by the indorsee of a bill of exchange against the acceptors, they pleaded that the drawer was in the habit of delivering goods in Ireland to the City of Dublin Steam Company, to be carried of Liverpool, consigned and deliverable there to his order, and of taking from the company a receipt for the goods, bill of lading, or document, which, by the custom of merchants, when indorsed for value, passed the property in the goods, and entitled the indorsee to have them delivered to him; that the drawer used to obtain advances from the National Bank of Ireland on indorsing to it such document, and drawing and delivering to it a bill of exchange on the defendants or other person to whom the goods were deliverable; that the bank used to forward the indorsed document to Liverpool, and to have it presented to defendants, (or such other person,) and, on the faith thereof, the defendants (or such other person) used to accept the bill of exchange; that the drawer, pretending to act in pursuance of such usage, fraudulently indorsed and delivered to the bank a document in the usual form, to which the signature of the agent of the steam company was forged, purporting that the goods mentioned in it had been delivered to the steam company, which was false; and the drawer, at the same time, indorsed the bill of exchange in controversy to the bank, which advanced him the amount on the faith of the document; that the bank indorsed the document, and had it presented to the defendants with the bill of exchange, and requested them to accept the bill of exchange on the faith of, and in consideration of, the delivery of the document, which was delivered as a true one; that the defendants, in consideration of the goods mentioned in the document, and in consideration and on the faith of it, and in ignorance of its being forged, accepted the bill of exchange for and at the request of the bank; and that thus the consideration for the acceptance, which defendants had been induced to make under the mistake into which they had been led by the conduct an indorsement of the bank, wholly failed.
The plea did not allege that the bank knew the document to be forged, or represented it to be genuine; and on that ground, after verdict for the defendants, the plaintiffs, representing the bank, obtained a rule nisi for a new trial, or for judgment non obstante veredicto. After argument the queen's bench made the rule absolute. In giving its decision, Lord DENMAN said: 'The plea does not show that the plaintiffs made any representation which they knew to be false, nor that they warranted the bill of lading to be genuine, nor does it disclose that the defendants accepted the bill of exchange on which the action is brought upon the faith of any assertion by the plaintiffs, further than their indorsement upon it that the bill of lading, which turned out to be forged, was genuine. On the contrary, it appears by the other averments in the plea that the drawer of the bill was the correspondent of the defendants, and that it was upon his authentication of the bill of lading, as referring to goods which he professed to have consigned to them, that they acted.' Judgment was accordingly ordered for the defendant, non obstante veredicto. The case having been taken to the exchequer chamber, the judgment of the court of queen's bench was affirmed. TINDAL, C.J., in delivering the opinion of the court, said: 'The sole ground on which the defendant relies is that the acceptance was not binding on account of the total failure or insufficiency of the consideration for which it was given; the document, on the delivery of which the acceptance was given, having been forged, and there never having been any other consideration whatsoever for the acceptance of the defendants. And this would have been a good answer to the action, if the bank had been the drawers of the bill. But the bank are indorsees, and indorsees for value; and the failure or want of consideration between them and the acceptors constitutes no defense, nor would the want of consideration between the drawer and acceptors, (which must be considered as included in the general averment that there was no consideration,) unless they took the bill with notice of the want of consideration, which is not averred in this plea. Admitting that the bill was accepted by the drawee at the request of the bank, and on a consideration which turns out to be utterly worthless, the case is the same as if the bill had been accepted without any value at all being given by the bank to the defendants; and, on that supposition, the defendants would still be liable as acceptors to the bank, who are indorsees for value, unless not only such want of consideration existed between the drawer and acceptors, but unless the indorsees had notice or knowledge thereof. For the acceptance binds the defendants conclusively, as between them and every bona flde indorsee for value; and it matters not whether the bill was accepted before or after such an indorsement.'
Many other cases to the same purport might be cited. Craig v. Sibbett, 15 Pa. 240; Munroe v. Bordier, 8 C. B. 862; Thiedemann v. Goldschmidt, 1 De Gex, F. & J. 4; Hunter v. Wilson, 19 Law J. Exch. 8; Leather v. Simpson, L. R. 11 Eq. 398.
The bad faith in the taker of negotiable paper which will defeat a recovery by him must be something more than a failure to inquire into the consideration upon which it is made or accepted, because of rumors or general reputation as to the bad character of the maker or drawer. The main position of the plaintiffs in error is therefore untenable. It only remains to say a few words respecting the exceptions to the rejection and admission of testimony.
1. Articles from newspapers, touching the conduct of Du Bois in drawing drafts, with alleged fictitious bills of lading attached, on a house in Buffalo, two years before, were excluded as having no connection with the transactions in controversy, and it not appearing that the officers of the bank ever saw them; and we think the exclusion was correct. The story of his conduct two years before, in a different transaction, however bad or even criminal it may have been, did not show, or tend to show, bad faith in the officers of the bank in discounting the drafts in this case.
2. The testimony of one of the plaintiffs and of one of his attorneys was offered as to declarations of the president of the bank, made several days after the last draft had been discounted, to the effect that the bank had become largely involved in certain wool transactions with Du Bois as early as July or August, 1881, and would have broken off its relations with him if it had not been that this wool matter remained unsettled. The testimony was excluded, and rightly so. The declarations had no bearing upon the good faith of the officers of the bank in the transactions in this case; and if they had, being made some days after those transactions, they were not admissible as part of the res gestoe any more than if made by a stranger. Evidence of declarations of an agent as to past transactions of his principal are inadmissible, as mere hearsay. Luby v. Hudson R. R. Co., 17 N. Y. 133; Adams v. Hannibal & St. J. R. Co., 74 Mo. 553.
3. The testimony of the president of the bank, explanatory of the conduct of its officers when certain drafts came back protested, was admissible. The witness had testified, upon examination by the plaintiffs, that the bank never had any knowledge of a forged bill of lading by Du Bois until October 31, 1881; and that it was not a fact that he had purposely remained ignorant of the facts and circumstances attending the protests of certain other drafts of Du Bois, to which bills of lading were attached, which the bank had discounted; and that he could only explain why no particular pains were taken in the matter by stating what the usage of the bank was in such matters. As the witness was about to state such usage, the counsel of the plaintiffs interrupted him, and called his attention to the question put,—whether any special pains had been taken,—but the court said, 'Let him state the usage as to such papers.' The witness then answered as follows: 'No, sir; I did not take any special pains, for the reason that it is a matter of very common occurrence. A merchant will ship a lot of grain to New York, the drafts come there, and for some reason a commission merchant won't pay them. It may be that he is not in a position to do it. It may be he thinks they are drawn for too much, and he refuses to pay. The drafts come back, or are held, under directions of the bank, for settlement or other arrangement. That is a very common occurrence on shipments with bills of lading attached.' There could be no just objection to the court's receiving this explanation.
We see nothing in the other exceptions which requires notice. Judgment affirmed.


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JVonD shows you how to avoid a bad scenario with commodity circuit breakers and how to look for a blow off.
These pigs are slaughtering themselves…
"African swine fever keeps spreading in Asia, threatening food security"
"In recent weeks, it has jumped borders to Vietnam, Cambodia, Mongolia, Hong Kong, and possibly North Korea. Animal health experts agree that the disease will inevitably spread farther. And many of the newly hit countries are even less prepared to deal with ASF than China, they say, which has so far failed to end its outbreaks."
It's really strange how somethings work. Ya never know which platform will have the most accurate information especially when it comes to futures. When trading the Live Stock futures it's super important to expect weird anomalies.
So what to do when setting up your continuous daily/weekly charts? I donno!
The market manipulation is crazy and it usually has nothing at all to do with fundamentals. A lot of weird seasonality things happen, and they all correspond with rolling from contract to contract.
What we are witnessing in #LeanHog futures right now reminds me of #LiveCattle in 2016 when they big money funders drove down the price for what seemed to be no particular reason. People just kept getting stuck trying to buy the bottoms and just kept getting ran over for months and months until finally ppl were just finished puking out of the market and gave up, but then came the big move. I talk about it on the show – #TradeBuddiesLive
Let's look at some charts!
The important one is at the end but lets start with Live Cattle and what happened in 2015-2016.
We can see that there was a fundamental that drove price up in 2014 then the big funds took profits until they actually started holding a neutral position, or when looking at the legacy COT report we see a short position what I like to call a "Fund Flip" since the fund flip we saw a little rally and traders trying to "catch the falling knife" but continually got ran over for the entire year of 2016 because of the fund's resilient posture. We did get back to a fair value price but there was a massive backwardation in the future spreads which is kind of an inside trick that the funds use to jack everyone I think. They will hold the short or neutral posture and continue to drive down price even though the fundamentals were telling a different story. Fundamentals don't matter. Technical's do. Now if there were a big fundamental to drive up price then it would be a different story but in this case it was a normal market condition. So learning first hand how commodities tend to work, you have to wait for the commodity to prove itself and even then sometimes it can't get the price to rise, so in most cases the funds will just keep shorting the market till it's lowest price, even well below fair value.
Here we can see all the contract changes. Drive price down till it hits the DEC at the lowest point. Everyone thought price would hold the 120, then the 110, then the 100, then finally after everyone got completely sick of trading it and getting crushed, the mid 90's, and then BOOM!
Now let's take a look at Lean Hogs.
Front month getting crushed when no ones looking at the back month's. I've heard very experienced traders talking about buying the V contract at 57 to trade back up to the upper 60's but I think they forgot about something… Now the V trading 48! which was my target all along because I was thinking it would push the DEC down to the bottom which is 43.
Now for a technical anomaly. Some platforms make different rollover dates, which is when the active contract changes.
Here we are looking at a weird anomaly with TD Ameritrade's Think Or Swim platform which is probably the most popular out of most. The price filled a crazy big gap between it's J contract and the Q before finding a bounce. Something kept driving down that price to fill that. Other platforms rolled their active months sooner. So how did TOS see that? I don't know but let's look at another weird anomaly.
Here we look back in time at the Q contract. Notice anything weird?
You should cause there was about twice as many days in the Q contract in 2018 than in 2017 via the TOS platform. Don't ask me why, maybe you know?
With other platforms you see different ways to setup your continuous charts, so what to choose?
With Sierra Chart you have a bunch of different options. I've been using the "Date Rule Rollover, Back Adjusted" and it seems to work good with the moving averages. The other's will jack them up.
So WTFrig! CQG makes the V go active on the 7/27 and TOS is on 8/10. Can't we all get along..? This is crazy. But anyways, if you use good spread charts like the ones I offer free on my site then you should be doing ok for the most part, as far as negotiating most of the madness.
Bottom line is that the price movement in a normal market condition can be manipulated so much that you can't leave any stone unturned. Always watch the spreads and COT on all commodities and always, always, expect the unexpected.
Have you noticed me talking about this on Trade Buddies Live for the last month..?
Here ya go. Enjoy folks!
I know it's tough to see what the deal is so here's the weekly chart.
A $20+ gap! The fucking piece of shit filled the other fricken huge gap. It's total insanity.
I know it's tough to see the magnitude. So here, let me make it real easy for ya.


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Robin Hood and his Merry Men are coming to the Great White Way! The Heart of Robin Hood, a humorous new take on the tale of the classic vigilante, is heading to Broadway in spring 2015. The play, directed by Gisli Orn Gardarsson, is written by David Farr and features music by folk band Parsonsfield (formerly Poor Old Shine) and lyrics by the band and Farr. Performances will begin on March 10, 2015 at the Marquis Theatre, where it will run through August 23. Opening night is set for March 29. The show is currently playing Winnipeg's John Hirsch Theatre and will later head to Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre. It premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2011 and played the American Repertory Theater in Massachusetts in 2013.
In the new twist on the classic tale, Robin Hood and his band of outlaws steal from the rich, but they do not share their spoils with the poor and are unloved by the people, who must also pay unfair taxes to the evil Prince John as he plots to steal his brother's crown. In this time of chaos and fear, Marion must boldly protect the poor and convince Robin to listen to his heart if they are to save the country.
While casting for the Broadway mounting will be announced at a later date, the current Canadian premiere production stars Tony winner Gabriel Ebert, Tony nominee Euan Morton, Izzie Steele and Christian Lloyd. Rounding out the company are Anna Bartlam, Richard Clarkin, Jeremy Crawford, Zachary Eisenstat, Paul Essiembre, Amariah Faulkner, Troy Feldman, Jason Gosbee, Martin Julien, Tristan Mackid, Katelyn McCulloch, Meguire McRae-King, Carson Reaume, Sarah Schenkkan, Stephen Michael Spencer, Darcy Stewart and Tate Yap. The members of Parsonsfield, Chris Freeman, Antonio Alcorn, Max Shakun, Harrison Goodale and Erik Hischmann, perform live on stage during the show.
The Heart of Robin Hood features sets by Borkur Jonsson, costumes by Emma Ryott and sound design by Jonathan Deans.


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The Presentation
You can download a PDF version of the presentation along with presenter's notes at: http://wowinschool.pbworks.com/w/file/56610238/LetTheGamesBegin2-0-PDF.pdf
Books to Read:
Here are the authors/books I've read recently that influence me (these links take you to Amazon and no, I don't get a kickback):
What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy – by James Gee – this is foundational, academic work, but an easy read.
Don't Bother Me Mom — I'm Learning by Marc Prensky – this is the book I'd give to parents, administrators, and fellow educators as a starting point.
Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World – by Jane McGonigal – explores taking the passion that gamers bring and applying it to solve real-world problems.
Got Game: How the Gamer Generation Is Reshaping Business Forever – by John C. Beck and Mitchell Wade – in-depth discussion of how gamers will change corporate America.
Fun, Inc.: Why Gaming Will Dominate the 21st-Century – by Tom Chatfield – explores the components that make video games compelling as models for business and education.
A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule The Future by Daniel Pink – this book really hits at the heart of what needs to change in our education system.
Teaching Digital Natives: Partnering for Real Learning – by Marc Prensky – in this book, Marc shares tips and strategies for using a partnering model for classroom instruction that capitalizes on students' passions.
Tribes by Seth Godin – a very interesting (and short) read about how the connectedness of the 'Net has allowed people with similar interested to form community. I've seen so much of this in the gaming community. Your students are part of these "Tribes."
Everything Bad Is Good for You by Steven Johnson – a very interesting look at how media consumption has likely altered how we think and work. Maybe playing video games and watching LOST isn't so bad after all.
Sites to Visit:
Sources to Explore:
Game industry statistics – http://www.theesa.com/
Publishing industry statistics – http://www.publishers.org/press/
Movie industry statistics – http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/
Videos to Watch:
Jane McGonigal – Video Games Can Make A Better World
Stuart Brown – Why Play Is Valuable, No Matter Your Age
Tom Chatfield – 7 Ways Video Games Engage the Brain
From The Kids:
Those are the adults, but you also need to hear it from the kids! Here's what they have to say!
TES Students Share Their Work in Minecraft
No Future Left Behind
WoWinSchool – Student Perspectives
Games to Play and Build
Here are some of the games we discussed during question/answer discussions:
World of Warcraft – the world's most popular, fantasy-based, online roleplay game. Now nearing it's seventh year of production, this game still boasts over 10 million subscribers. It's rich in challenges, story-driven adventure, and opportunities for developing leadership, teamwork, and digital citizenship.
Minecraft – an amazing, independently-developed game out of Sweden. Imagine a virtual world made of individual building blocks (LEGOs) that multiple students can explore and create in together. Costs about $20. UPDATE – MinecraftEDU offers bulk licenses at a discount to educators!
Lord of the Rings Online – free-to-play (basic) – online roleplay game set in Tolkien's fantasy world.
Dimension-U – The first "educational" game that I've seen that actually begins to bridge that gap between "educational" and "real" games.
Have students build and develop their own games:
Scratch andSqueak – visual programming environments – great for all ages. Gamestar Mechanic – awesome game design system that allows kids to build and share their own Flash-based games. Kodu – a simplified version of Microsoft's XNA programming environment used to make XBox and Windows Mobile.
Funding Ideas
Kickstarter.org – a crowdsourced funding site where individuals contribute to a project they'd like to see happen.
Donorschoose.org – a crowdsourced funding site designed to connect donors to classroom teachers.
TheLudusProject.org – part of the Breneman Jaech Foundation. It's goal is "to support advancements in the research and application of games-based education and digital literacy."
Game Reviews for Educators and Parents:
Common Sense Media's Game Reviews
Contact Us!
Via Email – lucas AT edurealms.com On Twitter – @PCSTechOn Skype – lucas.gillispie


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Third Age 1248
From Tolkien Gateway
Third Age 1248 (abbreviated to T.A. 1248) is the 1248th year of the Sun of the Third Age of Middle-earth.
Notable events in this year include:
- Regent Minalcar of Gondor - with the aid of Vidugavia, King of Rhovanion - leads a great force of troops and defeats the Easterlings in the lands between Rhovanion and the Inland Sea. All Easterling camps and settlements east of the Inland Sea are destroyed.[1]
- Minalcar takes the name Rómendacil (East-victor) in celebration of his great victory over the Easterlings.[1]
- About this time, the western shores of the Anduin are fortified and the pillars of the Argonath are erected at the entrance to Nen Hithoel.[1]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"