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The soft, colourful bowling pins from Rubbabu are tactile and squishy and suitable for indoor bowling games. Easily cleaned with a damp cloth, Rubbabu is hand made in India from 100% natural rubber covered in a high quality flock from Spain. All Rubbabu products are ICTI fair trade certified and eco-friendly.
Suggested age range: 1 - 4 years
Product Size: pins 19 cm tall approx.
Made in India
Rubbabu is a range of eco-friendly sensory toys that are unique, soft, safe and fun for little ones. Hand-made in India from 100% natural rubber and coated with high quality nylon flock from Spain, these classic toys with their soft, flexible texture and bright colours are designed for many years of play and learning. The soft tactile material makes them a wonderful developmental aid for children of all ages including children with special needs. The Rubbabu factory is ICTI-certified as an ethical manufacturer and all toys exceed toy safety standards internationally and in Australia.
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The Chicago Fire (12-8-5, 41 points) host the Houston Dynamo (11-6-9, 42 points) at Toyota Park on Sunday, Sept. 2 at 6:00 p.m. CT (Galavision/NBC 5.2/97.5 ESPN Deportes) in a battle for points in the tightly contested Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Fire fell 4-2 to D.C. United at RFK Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 22 before taking a break in MLS action over the weekend.
This is the third and final match between the two squads this season. Will Bruin and Logan Pause traded goals midway through the first half before severe weather ended the match in the 66th minute as the two teams drew 1-1 at Toyota Park April 15. The Fire and Dynamo battled to a 0-0 draw at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas on July 3.
The Dynamo enter the match after a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC Saturday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium. Before Sunday's match, the Dynamo travel to Honduras for a CONCACAF Champions League match against Olimpia on Thursday, Aug. 30.
CHICAGO FIRE TRAINING SCHEDULE: Aug. 27 – Sept. 3
Monday, Aug. 27: Training 9:30 a.m.*^
Tuesday, Aug. 28: Training 9:30 a.m.*^
Wednesday, Aug. 29: Off
Thursday, Aug. 30: Training 9:30 a.m.*^ - Toyota Park Stadium Field
Friday, Aug. 31: Training 9:30 a.m.*^
Saturday, Sept. 1: Training 9:30 a.m.*^
Sunday, Sept. 2: Chicago Fire vs. Houston Dynamo – Toyota Park – 6:00 p.m. CT – Galavision/NBC 5.2/97.5 ESPN Deportes
*Training is open to the media. Fire players and coaches will be made available immediately following training.
^Training times are subject to change. Please contact Brendan Hannan at 720.937.8962 for media requests.
CHICAGO FIRE vs. Houston Dynamo
- The Fire hold a 3-6-5 record against the Houston Dynamo, including a 1-3-3 record in matches played at Toyota Park.
- The Fire are 9-4-3 against Eastern Conference foes this season, and are 6-0-1 against Eastern Conference teams at Toyota Park.
- The two sides have drawn each of the past four games against each other, dating back to a 1-1 tie on April 23, 2011 at Toyota Park.
- The Fire hold an overall 8-2-2 record at home this season.
- In third place with 42 points, the Houston Dynamo sit just one point ahead of the Fire in the Eastern Conference standings. With 41 points, the Fire are six points behind Eastern Conference-leading Sporting Kansas City. The Fire have played one less game than the top three teams in the Eastern Conference.
- The Fire's loss Wednesday evening was the first time all season the team's defense allowed more than two goals this season.
- Daniel Paladini's strike in the 44th minute of Wednesday's match marked his first goal for the Fire. With the goal, Paladini became the 13th different Fire player to tally a goal in 2012.
- With his goal in the 75th minute, Gonzalo Segares equaled his career high goal output with his third of the season. Segares last scored three goals in a season in 2005, his rookie season. With 11 career MLS goals, the Costa Rican international sits behind only Lubos Kubik (15 goals) for most all-time strikes amongst the club's defenders.
- Dutch striker Sherjill MacDonald's assist on Paladini's goal marked his second assist with the Fire. MacDonald has a goal and two assists in five matches with the Men in Red.
- With only seven points separating the top five teams in the Eastern Conference, the next few months will be crucial for the Fire's bid to make the 2012 MLS post-season.
- The Fire currently sit in fourth place with 41 points, just six points behind Eastern Conference-leading Sporting Kansas City.
- The Fire play their next three of four matches at Toyota Park, where the team has a dominating 8-2-2 record against visiting teams this season.
- All of the remaining games on the schedule are against Eastern Conference foes, and the Men in Red will face each of the nine other Eastern Conference teams once more to close out the regular season.
The Chicago Fire got goals from Daniel Paladini and Gonzalo Segares but were undone by four D.C. United goals en route to a 4-2 defeat at RFK Stadium Wednesday night. The loss to D.C. United marked the first time during the 2012 campaign that the Fire had allowed more than two goals in a match.
The home side got on the board early as Chris Pontius struck a hopeful shot towards the far post. With the ball rolling toward the end line United forward Dwayne De Rosario charged in and powered the ball into the back of the net to give United the 1-0 lead 19 minutes in.
The Fire found its way back into the match with a beautiful exchange in the 44th minute. Patrick Nyarko collected the ball on the left side before cutting in and finding Marco Pappa. The Guatemalan international fed Sherjill MacDonald with his back to goal before cutting toward the top of the 18-yard box. Pappa got the ball back and found an open Daniel Paladini inside the area where he clinically placed the ball under Bill Hamid to level the score at 1-1. Paladini tallied his first goal in a Fire top and became the 13th different Fire player to score a goal in the 2012 campaign.
Before the ink could dry on Paladini's finish, United had regained the lead on an Andy Najar cross. The Honduran Olympian had the ball taken away by Nyarko before regaining possession at the edge of the 18-yard box. Najar sent a looping cross to the back post where newly minted forward Lionard Pajoy headed the ball in for the 2-1 advantage.
United came out of the break confident and took advantage just six minutes into the second interval. United left back Chris Korb sent in a well-placed cross that found the head of Brandon McDonald in the middle of the area. The United center back calmly placed his header over the outstretched hands of Johnson to put the home side up 3-1.
The Men in Red were resilient in their attempt for a sixth comeback victory. In the 54th minute Nyarko squared a ball for Marco Pappa in the middle of the park and the Fire playmaker slammed his shot off the near post.
The Fire would eventually pull one back in the 75th minute when Pavel Pardo sent his free kick toward the back post. Segares crept in behind the United defense and sent his diving header back across Hamid and into the goal tightening the game 3-2.
The visitors were eventually put away in the 89th minute when De Rosario galloped down the left flank before finding Long Tan wide open inside the box. Tan's slotted effort deflected off of Johnson's glove, but eventually rolled in giving United a 4-2 lead.
The Fire continued to push until the final whistle blew, but attempts from Rolfe, Pardo and Oduro were all thwarted.
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced that the Fire will welcome four-time Mexican Primera División champions, Club Santos Laguna to Toyota Park for an international friendly on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Advance tickets for the first meeting between the Chicago Fire and Santos Laguna go on sale Wednesday, July 25 at 10:00 a.m. CT and are available by calling 888-MLS-Fire or by visiting www.chicago-fire.com. The international friendly will serve as Bonus Game 2 in the Fire Season Ticket and Ten Game packages.
Reigning Clausura Champions Santos Laguna have captured four titles in Mexico's Primera División, most recently defeating Monterey 3-2 on aggregate to capture the 2012 tournament. Santos Laguna has experienced success in the CONCACAF region as well. The Albiverdes placed second in the 2011/12 CONCACAF Champions League. Santos Laguna were also crowned champions of the inaugural 2004 InterLiga tournament, the tournament between Mexican clubs to determine qualifying spots for the Copa Libertadores.
For the second consecutive year, the Fire will welcome a Mexican opponent to Toyota Park. In 2011, the Fire took on Chivas de Guadalajara in front of a crowd of more than 18,000. A 61st minute goal by Jorge Mora would prove the difference as Chivas de Guadalajara escaped with a 1-0 victory.
Santos Laguna's roster currently boasts star goalkeeper and Mexican international Oswaldo Sánchez, a three-time FIFA World Cup veteran. U.S. international forward Hercules Gomez tallied five goals in 12 appearances for the Torreon side. Gomez appeared in three games for the United States Men's National Team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and spent six years plying his trade in MLS with the LA Galaxy, Colorado Rapids and Kansas City Wizards.
This is the second international friendly scheduled for the Fire this season. The Men in Red hosted English Premier League side Aston Villa in a match Presented by TrueCar at Toyota Park on Saturday, July 21.
Lincoln Park bakery Molly's Cupcakes (2536 N. Clark) has created a limited-edition Chicago Fire Velvet Swirl cupcake that will be available for the month of August. A twist on the classic red velvet cupcake, one dollar from every purchase will benefit the Chicago Fire Foundation. Check out this video of Fire defender Gonzalo Segares touring Molly's - //www.chicago-fire.com/blog/post/2012/08/02/sega-indulges-mollys-cupcakes.
Fire host "White Party" - CSNChicago.com - August 23, 2012
A white hot night with the Chicago Fire - Josh Whisenhunt - MLSsoccer.com - August 24, 2012
Time for Fire to rest and reflect - Len Ziehm - CSNChicago.com - August 23, 2012
Fire getting boost from Daniel Paladini without Logan Pause - Seth Gruen - Chicago Sun-Times - August 21, 2012
El Fire sale al asalto del RFK Stadium - Jose Luis Sanchez Pando - ViveloHoy.com - August 21, 2012
Berry, Friedrich hitting stride as Fire continue upward swing - Anthony Zilis - MLSsoccer.com - August 21, 2012
As Fire sit idle, things stay tight in the East - August 26, 2012
So the White Party was fun - August 24, 2012
Five Things You Should Know About Wednesday's Game at DC United - August 22, 2012
All-In Podcast with Daniel Paladini - August 20, 2012

subset: commoncrawl


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There is no universal standard to determine a blade's ratings other than its weight. So please use these these ratings to compare between blades of the same manufacturer.
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Here's a roundup of headlines that got people talking during the past week in San Diego and beyond:
Home prices on the rise: San Diego was among 19 of the 20 cities in the monthly index to see an increase in home values from March to April, (1.4 percent,) according to the latest S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index report. April marked the third straight month of increases for the local region. Detroit was the only area to see a month-to-month decrease, at 3.6 percent. See story, S&P: Home prices climb in SD, 18 other cities
Hurdles ahead?: Home prices are going up and foreclosures are down, but calling a housing recovery may be premature. What's keeping local industry experts up at night? See story, 3 possible threats to the SD housing market | Also see: Are we on the cusp of a housing recovery?
Borrowers express fatigue: Banks say they're throwing out offer after offer to distressed homeowners. Thing is, they're not biting. A
How banks reduce mortgage balances: A select number of mortgage borrowers in San Diego County and other parts of the nation are getting their loan balances cut by their banks. See how these deals typically work: Can you get your mortgage reduced? What you should know
Other notes: Our coverage of an ex-con turned San Diego real estate broker was mentioned by the Phoenix New Times...San Diego is expected to get another high-rise...And redevelopment winds down.
Cities are retaining more residents, especially young people (via LA Times)
Residential segregation in the U.S. is alive and well, study shows (via
Why we shouldn't be too positive about declining foreclosure numbers (via
Washington Post)
SDSU's Mark Goldman is quoted in this Bloomberg story on Lennar's deal with Chinese bank
Dwell sizes up Architect Barbie | My localized version from August
When the well-off face foreclosure (via
Will 'rentysomethings' drive the direction of UK's apartment market? (via Economist)
Have story tips, a hot property listing or a question? Email me: firstname.lastname@example.com | Tweet me: @LilyShumLeung | Subscribe to this blog.


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Conservatives resuscitated 1988 Kerry quote on Reagan years
On the day of former President Ronald Reagan's funeral, conservative media outlets circulated a quote by Senator John Kerry from a speech he gave at the 1988 Democratic National Convention in which he called the Reagan-Bush administration a period of "moral darkness." The New York Post followed on June 12 with articles quoting the Kerry speech. On the June 13 edition of FOX News Sunday with Chris Wallace, Weekly Standard editor William Kristol recommended that the Bush campaign use Kerry's quotation in advertisements.
As Media Matters for America previously documented, since Reagan's death, several conservative news outlets revived other Kerry criticisms of Reagan -- a pattern identified in a June 7 New York Times article: "[I]n one sign of what may lie ahead, Republicans circulated old quotes from Mr. Kerry in which he criticized Mr. Reagan."
Before Reagan's June 11 funeral ended, Internet gossip Matt Drudge had posted the headline "1988 Flashback: Kerry calls Reagan Presidency 'Moral Darkness' in convention speech" and had republished an excerpt (though Drudge did not make clear that it was only an excerpt) of a July 21, 1988, Boston Globe article titled "Dukakis Sweeps to the Nomination; Jackson's Forces Make it Unanimous" (available online by purchase from the Globearchives). According to the 1988 article, "Kerry took to the convention hall podium, telling the delegates that the 'moral darkness' of President Reagan's presidency will soon end."
James Taranto -- editor of The Wall Street Journal's editorial page website, OpinionJournal.com -- wrote in his June 11 "Best of the Web" column, "Although the vituperation [from Reagan's opponents] did not reach the levels it has today with George W. Bush, it still got pretty vicious" ; Taranto also reprinted an excerpt -- including the Kerry quote -- from the same Globe article about the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta.
Communications consultant Jay Bryant -- who is a columnist for the Heritage Foundation's website Townhall.com -- wrote in his June 11 column:
During the 1988 election campaign, the one between Bush the Elder and Michael Dukakis, during which Senator John Kerry called the Reagan years a time of "moral darkness," ...
The New York Post ran two news stories on June 12 that cited the speech. In an article titled "Sad Ride Into Final Sunset" Deborah Orin and David K. Li covered Reagan's funeral and reported:
John Kerry -- who in 1988 blasted Reagan for the "moral darkness" of his presidency -- sat with other senators and chatted briefly with Bill Clinton before the service began.
In an article titled "Democrat Foes Bury the Partisan Hatchet in Praise of Gipper," New York Post's Vincent Morris reported:
For Reagan's old foes, like Kerry, the grand sendoff was a marked contrast to the years of enmity.
Back in 1988, while speaking at the Democratic National Convention where Michael Dukakis was nominated, Kerry described Reagan in harsh terms, calling his eight-year presidency a period of "moral darkness."
Kristol recommended that the Bush campaign run an ad that says, "John Kerry thought the Reagan presidency was a period of 'moral darkness.'" During a panel discussion on the June 13 edition of FOX Broadcasting Company's FOX News Sunday with Chris Wallace, Kristol said of Reagan's death:
KRISTOL: I think it could have an impact if the Bush campaign has the nerve to make it have an impact. John Kerry said at the 1988 Democratic convention, speaking on behalf of his fellow Massachusetts liberal Democrat, Michael Dukakis, John Kerry said that the Reagan presidency was a period of "moral darkness."
Now, the Bush campaign -- and no one wants to politicize the death of a recent president. But you know what? The Bush campaign should. And, in my view, they should go out with an ad next week, a very respectful ad about President Reagan and say, "We have a disagreement. George W. Bush is a Reaganite. John Kerry thought the Reagan presidency was a period of 'moral darkness.'"


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Keith Olbermann was put on earth to be appreciated by people like me. As a lifelong sports fan who is also engaged in culture and politics, I exist on Olbermann's wavelength, preferring a smart, if occasionally smartass, take on the day's news instead of the dumbed-down spoon-fed approach found pretty much everywhere else.
During his heyday in the 1990s, Olbermann (along with Dan Patrick) was the face of SportsCenter. Actually, not really the face—thank God he dropped that mustache—but the voice of the program and, by extension, of the network. It's easy to forget, but at one point ESPN was endearing—not the colossus we know now. Olbermann had a lot to do with that.
Coming to prominence at a time when David Letterman's irony-fueled late-night show was comedy's gold standard, Olbermann subverted the idea of the staid sportscaster whose only mission was to bring you the scores. Sports were no longer a thing out there while the rest of us were just over here quietly observing; Olbermann suggested we should interact with (and talk back to) the sports we loved. (He became known for running gags on SportsCenter, like when he'd show a good defensive play in baseball and say, "If you're scoring at home…or even if you're alone.") Sports were entertainment, and their fans were intelligent enough to see through the old clichés.
That's not the ESPN to which Olbermann returned last week. Then again, he's not the same Olbermann either. Olbermann, his weeknight show, is still finding itself, but at this point, it's a sometimes tedious, occasionally terrific mixture of old-school SportsCenter and Olbermann's former MSNBC program Countdown. There have already been plenty of memorable moments, but rather than being a fresh twist on Olbermann's appeal, Olbermann feels like a greatest-hits album—or perhaps more accurately, one of those late-career CDs when an aging band rerecords all its old hits. Still fun, kind of familiar, but also sort of off: That's what Olbermann (and, by extension, Olbermann) has been thus far.
Sports on Earth's Will Leitch suggests part of the problem is that Olbermann, an inveterate troublemaker, will have a tough time working for the Worldwide Leader: He's better hurling grenades as an insurgent than cuddling up with the establishment. But for me, watching Olbermann is to be reminded that, essentially, this is just another version of what cable sports have become in the past 20 years. Olbermann is a smarter, funnier variation, but its sarcastic, impassioned host, once a trailblazer, is now lagging behind a model he helped create. Sadly, however, the model didn't get better after he left SportsCenter in 1997. His descendants learned all the wrong lessons from him. And in the process, they became inexplicably successful—and, worse yet, ubiquitous.
There were sports-media personalities before Olbermann. Howard Cosell was such a popular, polarizing figure that he became an institution. (And never forget that Jimmy the Greek was actually a thing.) But Olbermann brought an above-it-all air that was new. Unlike his predecessors, he looked like he was supposed to be on television but acted as if he had mixed feelings about this whole broadcasting thing. (This, of course, was disingenuous: His smart-alecky persona had already been well-honed as an L.A. sports anchor in the 1980s; the YouTube proof is here.) When he and Patrick became SportsCenter hosts, they told jokes and amused themselves—the implication being that if you were hip enough, you'd laugh too.
This was part of ESPN's branding strategy. Inspired by Olbermann's standard send-off to commercial break, the network started doing its "This Is SportsCenter" ad campaign, which cast athletes opposite ESPN personalities, often in faux-realistic, deadpan comedic bits. (A personal favorite is the one in which Olbermann operates on then QB Jim Harbaugh.) Beyond just being funny, the spots wanted you to understand there wasn't much difference between our sports heroes and the rest of us—oh, and that the ESPN crew hung out with these guys all the time. Being knowledgeable about the sports they covered was important, but for the love of God, ESPN's on-air talents needed to make sure they entertained first and foremost.
Olbermann's successors took it from there—unfortunately. Descendants such as Rich Eisen and Stuart Scott turned SportsCenter into an open-mike-night atmosphere, and by the early 2000s, shows like Pardon the Interruption started popping up. These programs consisted of different columnists pummeling us with their hair-trigger takes on the latest sports gossip and minutiae. (Remember in the 1980s, when it was just the relatively courtly Sports Reporters?) Flip on ESPN's phalanx of channels now and you'll find Mike and Mike in the Morning, Around the Horn, First Take, SportsNation or Highly Questionable.
Today, the ESPN mentality seems to be: Two people talking about sports is okay, but audiences will feel better if they hear from seven people blathering at once. Even worse, the virus has spread throughout the television universe. Look no further than the quick devolution of MLB Network, which launched in 2009 with what appeared to be a commitment to reasonable on-air personalities. Four years later, the network's flagship show, MLB Tonight, tends to be a rotating cast of former ballplayers whose core assets seem to be (1) their on-field experience and (2) how much they can yuk it up. Every network still possesses its small crop of measured, sober experts—MLB Network has Peter Gammons, ESPN has Bob Ley. But they're outnumbered by guys (it's always guys) who are abundant in enthusiasm and willingness to go for the quick-jab quip. (Even more frightening is that FOX Sports 1, a new potential cable challenger to ESPN's reign, dubbed its ethos "jockularity," aspiring to be funnier and more irreverent than the Worldwide Leader. Yes, ESPN's problem all these years is how stuffy it's been.)
It's unfair to lay these complaints solely at the feet of Olbermann. It's not like he suggested that ABC hire the too-cool-for-the-room Dennis Miller to co-host Monday Night Football. And ESPN had much worse "personalities," such as Chris Berman, who pre-dated Olbermann. Olbermann simply played the game better than those around him, who couldn't replicate "smart" and instead settled for "colorful"—which mostly translated into persistently loud or dumb.
But Olbermann also pissed off everyone around him along the way. For all of Olbermann's verbal dexterity and showmanship, his legacy is as much about his on-air talent as it is his arrogance and his contentious departure from high-profile jobs. He abruptly exited ESPN in 1997, his former colleagues' anger so strong that when the ESPN oral history Those Guys Have All the Fun came out in 2011, they all reveled in taking shots at him. He jumped to MSNBC briefly to try his hand at a politics show and then landed at Fox Sports Network, where he was fired. (Rupert Murdoch's infamous explanation for Olbermann's termination: "He's crazy.") Olbermann returned to MSNBC and successfully made the switch to politics with Countdown—reinventing himself in the process—but in 2011 he brusquely departed for a second time. Again, the fallout was spectacular. A year later, he was booted from his gig at the low-rated Current, and it's possible more people paid attention to the resulting bitching-in-the-media fireworks between Olbermann and his former bosses than actually watched his Current show.
Carrying all that baggage, the Olbermann who appears on Olbermann seems to be a man who knows what you've heard about him: that he's brilliant but a total pain in the ass. In its first week, the show hasn't tried to reboot that image as much as it has touched on all aspects of his persona: the references from nowhere (both Futurama and the Jack Nicholson remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice were mentioned the first few nights); the snide takedowns of the "Worst Person in the Sports World" segment; the cacophony of silly voices and accents while doing highlights; and the look-at-me self-obsession. (Just a minute into his first broadcast, while talking about New York Jets coach Rex Ryan's recent heated press conference, Olbermann mentioned New Jersey governor Chris Christie and President Barack Obama, throwing in a mock-perturbed aside that "48 seconds into a show I promised wouldn't be about politics, I'm talking about the governor and the president," a nod to his notorious liberal-firebrand Countdown days.)
The one clear-cut success of Olbermann's first days has been his monologues. Mixing history, passion and current events, Olbermann deftly used the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech to speak movingly about his deceased father's memories of racism. And he's already gotten plenty of mileage out of the NFL's pitiful settlement agreement for concussion victims, remembering the life of running back Doug Kotar, whose death from a brain tumor was probably the result of his football career, and laying waste to a CBS Sports football writer who mocked players' concerns about permanent brain injuries. This is what he did superbly on Countdown as well, summoning that eloquent, growing anger—permanently intertwined with his self-important stridency, alas—to cut through the noise.
These were Olbermann's standout moments, but they seemed odd on the 21st century version of ESPN—or any other all-sports channel for that matter. Standing alone on YouTube, these monologues are beautiful, self-contained segments. But to watch an entire episode—where the segments are stuffed awkwardly between interviews with dopey ESPN personalities like Monday Night Football color analyst Jon Gruden—is to witness a show that's often an ungainly amalgam of the program Olbermann wants to do and the one he needs to do to make his audience and bosses happy. (The play-nice nadir was watching Olbermann struggle through a mostly softball interview with Peyton Manning, who was there to hawk DirecTV.)
The show's internal tension simply underlines the fact that Olbermann's old routine on SportsCenter was merely the starting point for his ambitions: He had his eye on far loftier goals. As funny as he can be doing highlights on Olbermann, there's a sense that, really, he should be doing something better than that by now. The irony is that just about nobody on any sports network could hope to achieve what he's done already on Olbermann; they'd be lucky to make you laugh as much, and his monologues' slow-boiling rage are too nuanced for people who think silence is a sign of weakness.
Watching Olbermann every night last week, I felt I had discovered a real-life version of The Newsroom, with Olbermann taking Will McAvoy's "mission to civilize" seriously. Like the fictional McAvoy, Olbermann accepts it as a given that he's the smartest, most interesting person around. And like McAvoy, he may be right—but he's also deluded to think he can alter the fundamental realities of an industry. For as much as ESPN is trying to change its image by creating the erudite sports-and-culture website Grantland and hiring brilliant sports-and-politics statistician Nate Silver, its reputation remains that of a bunch of ex-jocks har-harring, backslapping and mouthing locker-room clichés, safe in the knowledge that they've got the monopoly on sports coverage.
Olbermann's reappearance on the network is no doubt part of the brand's attempt to reimagine itself, but the place isn't the same as the one he left more than 15 years ago. It's a lot worse. The media have described Olbermann's return to ESPN as a comeback, a redemption story and the heartwarming conclusion of a prodigal-son return. I see it more as a strange fit. Olbermann has long prided himself on being the smartest guy in the room—I just don't like the room he's in.
Tim Grierson is Playboy for iPhone's critic-at-large. His new biography of Wilco, Sunken Treasure, is available now on Amazon. You can follow him on Twitter.
This article was originally published on Playboy for iPhone. For more exclusive content and the best articles from the latest issue of Playboy, download the app in the iTunes Store.
Photo courtesy of Rick LaBranche/ESPN Images


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Don't you understand what i am talking about? "RIFS can handle interactive well from low workload to high workload on desktop." I have mentioned about that and seems you haven't read my newest post. That means you don't have anything to debate with me, all right ?
OK I mention one more things. U haven't try and you are just claiming that *RIFS* is really bad, so anyway you don't have anything to debate with me


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6 Unimportant Things That Make Me Happy
Sunday, May 31, 2009
I've been tagged!
Kayla at The Eclectic Element Tagged me in this one.
For the record, these are ALL important to me!
6 Unimportant Things That Make Me Happy:
My phone. It can do everything.
Facebook. Can't live without it.
My Computer. I'd be lost without it.
My Keurig, my new love.
Coupons - I won't go to the store without them.
Now I tag the following people:
1. Leslie at Leslie Loves Veggies
2. Val at Sweeps4Bloggers
3. Jen at Eighty MPH Mom
4. CaseyDeuce at A Couch With a View
5. Jenn at The Icing on the Cupcake (this was my best friend back in school - show my girl some love!)
6. Jennifer at It's a Beauty Filled Life
Hope you play along!


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If, in the adjustment of said grants, it shall appear that the homestead or preemption entry of any bona fide settler has been erroneously canceled on account of any railroad grant or the withdrawal of public lands from market, such settler upon application shall be reinstated in all his rights and allowed to perfect his entry by complying with the public-land laws: Provided, That he has not located another claim or made an entry in lieu of the one so erroneously canceled: And provided also, That he did not voluntarily abandon said original entry: And provided further, That if any of said settlers do not renew their application to be reinstated within a reasonable time, to be fixed by the Secretary of the Interior, then all such unclaimed lands shall be disposed of under the public-land laws, with priority of right given to bona fide purchasers of said unclaimed lands, if any, and if there be no such purchasers, then to bona fide settlers residing thereon.
(Mar. 3, 1887, ch. 376, §3, 24 Stat. 557.)


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Brazilian women and their hair: Local secrets for looking like Gisele
While Brazilian hair trends have definitely crossed over into North America and beyond over the last few years thanks to the popularity of Brazilian straightening procedures (which have also become controversial, due to the toxic chemicals some of those treatments contain), in Brazil the hair preoccupation goes way beyond straightening. A good chunk of women's time -- and income -- is spent maintaining their hair. Like soccer, it's something of a national obsession.
The patron saint of aspirational Brazilian hair is, not surprisingly, Gisele Bundchen (who happens to be presenting this year's World Cup trophy). "Brazilians are, in general, very much into long, bouncy, wavy hair," said Victoria Ceridono, the beauty editor at Vogue Brazil and the founder of the popular Dia de Beauté blog. "And ombré highlights even for darker hair is also still very big. Basically, Gisele's hair!"
Brazilian telenovela actresses also inspire the nation's women, according to Maria Clara Povia, the beauty director at Marie Claire Brazil. She specifically called out Giovanna Antonelli and Bruna Marquezine, an actress who also happens to be dating the popular Brazilian soccer player, Neymar. (He's so well-known that he doesn't need a last name, and the NYT offers an argument for why he may be the next David Beckham, fashion-wise at least.) But locals aren't the only hair influencers: Povia said that American celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian inspire women in Brazil, and Emma Stone and Alexa Chung are popular with the fashion and It-girl set there. So Brazilians have a bit of a type when it comes to hair worship -- mostly long and very Victoria's Secret-esque.
Achieving this look isn't easy, though, nor is it cheap. Povia said that women in Brazil spend a whopping 10 percent of their salaries on hair care alone. According to Euromonitor International, Brazilian women spent almost $9 billion on hair care in 2013, up from $6 billion in 2009. It's the second-biggest market for haircare in the world, after the U.S. So what exactly are they spending it on? In addition to the popular straightening procedures, "the average Brazilian woman goes to the salon once a month to retouch their roots and twice a month to hydrate," Povia explained. "They color and straighten so much, so they have to go to the salon for deep conditioning."
Barbara Fialho, a Brazilian model who's walked in the Victoria's Secret fashion show, can't do a lot of the traditional chemical treatments because of all the torture her hair is already put through for work. "If I did [straightening treatments] I would lose all my hair! They're very strong," she said. To combat styling damage, Fialho hits the upscale Laces and Hair Salon in Sao Paolo whenever she goes home, to partake of its signature velaterapia procedure.
In velaterapia, a hair stylist uses the open flame on a lit candle to burn off split ends and essentially "cauterize" hair, to keep moisture in. (I had to ask Fialho several times to repeat this to me: "Wait, what? They use an actual lit candle on your hair?" I asked. "Yes!" she insisted.)
Ceridono confirmed that this treatment, which takes between two and three hours, is legit. "They burn the hair to get rid of split ends," she explained. Laces also does 'embroidery' therapy, where they meticulously cut only split ends throughout all the hair length. "It's unbelievable. You don't get shorter hair, but if you touch the treated side it feels so much smoother and healthier!" It's reportedly popular with wealthy women and models -- Fialho said Alessandra Ambrosio and Isabeli Fontana also go there for treatments.
Watch a demo of velaterapia and the split end trimming treatment here. And for heaven's sake, do NOT try this at home:
The majority of Brazilian women turn to products, not candles, to take care of their self-inflicted damage. Oils, conditioners and leave-in treatments are in high demand. According to the Household and Personal Products Industry (HAPPI), they use three times the amount of "post-treatment" products used by women in the U.S.
American companies like P&G and Unilever have launched brands in Brazil in recent years with great success. Povia said that Moroccanoil, L'Oreal, Tresemme and Garnier are popular, as is Pantene, which -- probably not coincidentally -- just named Gisele as the face of the brand. Pavio calls the upscale brand Kerastase, which is particularly expensive in Brazil, "a gift for yourself, an investment." HAPPI estimates that there are more than 3,000 brands of shampoos and conditioners on the market -- and Brazilian women don't have much brand loyalty. They're looking for whatever works.
Brazilian-made products, like Natura and O Boticario, are becoming more common, but natives seem to still trust foreign brands more. Pollyanna, a banker from Brazil who's been living in the U.S. for the last two months, told me, "In Brazil there is this culture that foreign products are much better than national ones -- and the foreign ones are very expensive there." She notes that when her friends visit the U.S. they stock up on our brands, which are cheaper than they are in Brazil. But Brazilian brands, particularly organic and natural ones, are starting to pick up steam.
Fialho only uses Laces' all-organic products, and buys them in bulk when she travels to Brazil. Other brands like Natura manufacture natural products that take advantage of ingredients like acai and cocoa that can be sourced from the nearby rain forest. But, like so-called "natural" skin care here in the U.S., it's going to take a cultural shift there before natural products go thoroughly mainstream. There's a perception that mainstream products work better and that "results come from technology in the products," Povia said. "Average women want to 'feel' the chemistry in the products, you know?"
While long, bouncy -- not kinky -- curls are currently the ideal, there's a small but burgeoning movement among some women to embrace their natural texture, according to Povia. And length may not always be as important. Short pixie cuts are definitely not trending in Brazil, but some popular women's sites are giving the look some attention, and Ceridono predicts the long, layered bob will become more popular.
But the overall GOAL (soccer humor! Sorry.) when it comes to hair: Gisele. And, really, who can blame them?
More From Fashionista:
Matches Co-Founder Ruth Chapman on Gaining Ground in the U.S. and Using Brick-and-Mortar Stores as Marketing Tools
Terry Richardson attempts to defend himself in 'New York' Magazine Profile
15 Pairs of Cute, Walkable Low-Heeled Sandals
You Have to See What Kendall Jenner Wore Last Night


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Caustic Egyptian comic gets thrown off the air
A private news channel suspended one of Egypt's most popular programs, a satirical show modeled after Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show," minutes before it was supposed to air Friday, sending chills in a nation fearing increased suppression of expression under its transitional military-led government.
Just two days earlier, the government held its first court hearing as part of an investigation against Bassem Youssef, the host of "El-Bernameg," or "The Program" in Arabic, after an Islamic youth group charged he had insulted the military, the state and the 2011 uprising during his last show a week ago. The show was his first since the July 3 ousting of former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, and Youssef took jabs at the military, Morsi's supporters and the Muslim Brotherhood, the secret organization through which Morsi ascended to the presidency.
Viewers of Youssef's show were filled with anticipation Friday about whether Youssef would continue to go after the popular military. Instead, minutes before the show was set to start at 10 p.m., the channel announced the show had been suspended.
How the government approached Youssef and his provocative show has become a litmus test for how Egypt and its military would support freedom of expression, once a key demand of the 2011 uprising that led to the fall of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
But since Morsi's ouster, the Egyptian public has increasingly supported a military that has reverted back to its past practices, including a crackdown on Islamists and those who question the practices of the state.
Youssef's show had been on hiatus since July, when the military ousted Morsi. In his return show Friday, Youssef mocked supporters of de facto leader Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and those who worship him as Egypt's new great leader.
The show featured an interview with a pastry shop owner who's now selling sweets covered with pictures of el-Sissi. In one skit, a woman mockingly called into a show seeking advice about her love affair with a soldier who saved her from her abusive husband, a reference to el-Sissi as the savior and Morsi as the abuser. Those features were among the bases for this week's investigation.
A popular Egyptian blogger, who goes by the name Big Pharaoh, said in a tweet that he attended Wednesday's taping and that Youssef did not go after el-Sissi but rather took on the Egyptian media, including CBC.
CBC, the private news channel that airs Youssef's show, is believed to be aligned with the military and its decision to oust an increasingly unpopular Morsi.
A broadcaster read a statement before the show saying "El-Bernameg" had been suspended for violating the channel's policy.
The channel's board of directors asked Youssef and his producer to follow company policy of not violating "editorial policy," the broadcaster said.
Whether the suspension was related to the charges or internal policy was ancillary in a nation struggling with how to protect freedom of expression as it reverts to the practices and laws of the past.
During the taping, there were clashes outside the downtown studio between those who support the program and those who believed Youssef's satire had gone too far in his last show.
It was unclear how long the suspension would last. There were reports Friday night that the show would appear on YouTube instead.
Youssef was in the United Arab Emirates and had no immediate reaction to the suspension. CBC replaced his program Friday with "Arabs Got Talent."
It was the second example on Friday of the government cracking down on those who question it. A journalist of the al Watan newspaper was sentenced to a year in prison for impersonating an officer, though it was unclear whether he was working at the time he was charged. The newspaper, however, called the sentence a "dangerous precedent."
McClatchy special correspondent Amina Ismail contributed from Cairo.


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On the heels of President Obama's Climate Action Plan, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced its own investment in a key component of that plan.
The president made it clear that he considers building energy efficiency to be a cornerstone in the effort to fight global warming. Recognizing that goal, on July 17, the DOE announced an award of $10 million for six projects that will reduce energy consumption and save energy costs in small commercial buildings.
According to the DOE, small commercial buildings have less than 50,000 square feet of floor space. The category includes schools, churches, strip malls, restaurants and grocery stores. In underscoring the role of small commercial buildings in the larger battle against greenhouse emissions, the DOE notes that small buildings make up more than 90 percent of the nation's commercial building sector, which consumes about 20 percent of all U.S. energy.
The awards include $1.9 million to New York-based BlocPower, which will develop a crowd-sourcing website to help market, finance and install energy-efficiency retrofits for 1,500 small buildings across the country.
Florida-based EcoCity Partners will receive $323,000 for a project to design and offer prepackaged technology retrofit options by building type and size, business type, and climate zone for small commercial building owners.
Ecology Action of Santa Cruz, Calif., will receive $2 million to leverage its existing network of contractors to use low-cost, high-impact tools to analyze and implement deep energy retrofits and financing options that are appropriate to small buildings.
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will receive $2 million to partner with Architecture 2030 to develop a 2030 District program for small commercial office and retail buildings.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has been awarded $2 million to partner with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to provide low-cost energy-efficiency services to small businesses in California, New York, Washington and Wisconsin.
Finally, the Southface Energy Institute has been awarded $1.9 million to help develop simple, affordable energy-efficiency evaluations and upgrade tools that meet or exceed the Architecture 2030 targets.
The combined $10 million in awards will be leveraged to generate an additional $14 million in private-sector funding.


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Bronzy Neutrals: MAC Colour 4 Eyeshadow Quad Look
Bronzy Neutrals: MAC Colour 4 Eyeshadow Quad Look
This was a quickie look before I went to school last night! I even timed myself and managed to get it all done in fifteen minutes and *not* leave late for class, LOL! You know I had to dive into the Colour 4 eyeshadow quad, just 'cause is totally my style. Really love the colors and the textures–Manila Paper is the only one that doesn't totally suit me; it's a bit stark on my brow bone, because of my skin tone (would be lovely on someone lighter), but I imagine it'll be very nice as a lid color even if I can't use it as a brow color so much! You could also do a much darker or more coppery/coral lip with this look. I had an itch to use Victorian, one way or another, and thus I went a little lighter!
Happy Thursday! It's almost the weekend–we're almost there! 🙂 Though since mine involves major, major studying for midterms, I'm not keen on its arrival!
You will need the following…
- Eyes: MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot (neutral beige base), MAC Flip Eyeshadow (peachy gold), MAC Aztec Brick Eyeshadow (copper), MAC Creole Beauty Eyeshadow (soft bronze), MAC Manila Paper Eyeshadow (shimmery white-gold), Urban Decay Lucky 24/7 Liner (copper), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
- Face: Kiehl's Tinted Moisturizer (Medium)
- Cheeks: MAC Ripe Peach Blush Ombre (peachy pink)
- Lips: MAC Victorian Lipstick (bubblegum pink with gold sheen), MAC Ember Glow Lipglass (creamy orange-peach)
- Brushes: 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
- Substitutes: N/A
For eyes, start by applying Soft Ochre paint pot as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Flip eyeshadow on the inner third of the eyelid. Next, apply Aztec Brick eyeshadow on the middle third of the eyelid and lightly blend with the inner corner. Darken the outer third of the lid with Creole Beauty eyeshadow with the 239, gently brushing it into the lower crease. Lightly blend Creole Beauty eyeshadow, with the 239, on the outer corner and lid. Lightly tap and brush Flip eyeshadow directly above the crease to soften. To finish the eyeshadow look, sweep Manila Paper eyeshadow as a highlighter on the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Lucky eyeliner on the lower lash line and sweeping lashes with Plushlash mascara.
For cheeks, apply Ripe Peach blush ombre to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.
For lips, apply Victorian lipstick first, and then layer Ember Glow lipglass for a complementing lip.


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I am doing web graphics for about a year on quite good PVA LCD display. 95% of people who see my websites/banners are watching them on low quality TN displays suited for gaming or laptops. Colors on those displays have much lower quality and differ a lot from those I see on my display.
My question is: Is it better to do web graphics on high quality monitors( so when I design mild yellowish background on website, normal people see it almost as white) or is there some other way how to fix this?


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Goy Gaffes
(Ok, so the assumption that these were NOT made by Jews is a leap, I know, but can't a girl hope?)
"A Star is (Not) Born"
Yes, technically a Star of David is two triangles intersecting, Bugsy - but not like this. And I think you can lay off the "poiple" icing now, too.
"The Teal Tornado"
As you can see, this traditionally-colored flaming whirlwind knocked the wording about and blew the second 'k' clean off. Of course, if for the sake of argument we called this a "menorah", then it's also missing a candle. The fact that the "candles" look like Christmas trees is just the icing on the, er, cookie. Mazel Tov!
And last but not least,
"The Religiously Confused"
How much you wanna bet this bakery has a bin of "Christmas Stars" in the back?
Thanks to Ebony W., Shanna M. and Frank R.!


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SPAM: More than an Annoyance?
The SPAM: More than an Annoyance? infographic asks the question "Are there actual physical effects of email spam that impact the environment?" From WebpageFX.com, I like the simple, focused message in this design.
We discovered that a certain amount of Spam emails is actually the equivalent to the level of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions released from driving 3 feet. Discover how far the number of 2010 spam emails can take you across the world! You'll be shocked! We also highlight the nations most responsible for the furthered adverse impact of Spam's GHG emissions on our environment. Our hope is that awareness may create change. And a great start to doing your part is by personally installing a spam filter on you're own email account, forwarding spam emails to firstname.lastname@example.com, as well as informing others!
There are a handful of statistics in the infographic that fall into the lazy-designer "large font" style of visualization. These could have easy been visualized to make the design better. I do like the shaped clouds to indicate countries and breaking down the different actions related to spam, and relating them to the total carbon footprint.
Although I like the overall design, it is missing some key items. Data sources? URL? WebpageFX's logo? License information?
Thanks to Trevin for sending in the link!


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Click here to read our main story: Secret New UAS Shows Stealth, Efficiency Advances.
In December 2011, Iran proudly displayed on state television a stealthy U.S. unmanned aircraft it claimed it had downed while conducting reconnaissance overflights. The trophy was a Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel, an aircraft publicly acknowledged by the U.S. Air Force two years earlier.
Even before, the existence of the RQ-170 had been a poorly kept secret. The unmanned aerial system (UAS) was operating out of Afghanistan and flying over Pakistan and Iran for an undetermined period before it was photographed at Kandahar AB, Afghanistan, in 2008. Later, in 2011, it was involved in the raid in which Osama bin Laden was killed (AW&ST Dec. 12, 2011, p. 19).
The Pentagon played down that embarrassing loss of the UAS. One reason may now be clear. Defense and intelligence sources say the Sentinel was the result of a quick-reaction project designed for specific missions, and not with an eye toward an enduring presence in the fleet. That position was reserved for a new, secret UAS—Northrop Grumman's stealthy RQ-180.
To fully understand this new UAS, one must view it in the context of the larger "family of systems" the Air Force envisions to include long-range strike and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms. A 2010 presentation by the Air Force's director of operational requirements at the time, Maj. Gen. David Scott, made that connection.
Emergence of the RQ-180 allowed the Air Force to reduce requirements for what was once called the Next-Generation Bomber (NGB), a program terminated in 2009 because of its high cost. The follow-on Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) is a less-expensive option that will rely on interoperability with the RQ-180 and other systems in the family.
In 2008, when Northrop is believed to have won the contract to develop the stealthy penetrating UAS, the Air Force was facing criticism from then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates that it was falling short in supporting ISR requirements for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But behind the scenes, defense planners and the intelligence community were worried about a lack of information on some well-defended locations such as North Korea and Iran.
This was also in the wake of the Air Force and Navy's divorce over the effort to jointly develop a single stealthy UAS capable of ISR collection and striking from land or sea. The Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) program was terminated late in 2005. The Navy, in search of carrier-based ISR, proceeded with the X-47B UCAS demonstration and now plans to buy a follow-on called the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (Uclass) system. The Air Force directed its funding and technology to a classified program, likely the RQ-180.
Despite heavy pressure on defense spending, the RQ-180 is moving forward. Cuts to classified budgets are "relatively proportional" to those for white-world programs, says acting Air Force Secretary Eric Fanning. "This is the first time I've been in the Air Force where we've taken a really close look on the classified side to make sure the investments are closely aligned. We are not missing opportunities there to take cuts on the unclassified side...There were some shifts, [but] nothing overly major at this point."
Because of war requirements in Iraq and Afghanistan, where coalition air forces could operate with little threat from the ground, the Air Force had poured funding into ISR collectors without stealthy characteristics such as the Beechcraft King Air-based MC‑12W Project Liberty and Blue Devil 1 intel platforms.
"For a decade now we have built the most incredible permissive ISR capacity and capability that anybody has ever seen," Air Combat Command's chief, Gen. Michael Hostage, said in September. "We are being forced to build a capacity [with the Reaper] I know I can't sustain, and I know I don't need based on the national strategy," which calls for operating in heavily defended airspace, as well. He says Pentagon officials are sorting through what is needed to handle the more challenging threats. "We are talking about the entire ISR construct—how much in permissive, how much in contested and how much in denied" is needed.
Not since the Mach 3 SR-71 program ended in 1998 has the Pentagon been able to overfly targets in hostile airspace to collect intelligence. The proliferation of longer-range and integrated air-defense systems, coupled with its high operating cost, banished the Blackbird to museums. And in 1999, the Pentagon terminated the RQ-3 DarkStar UAS, a potential successor under development by Lockheed Martin and Boeing as a stealthy adjunct to Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk, after it encountered flight-stability problems. These developments left unanswered a Pentagon Joint Requirements Oversight Council mission-need statement for an aircraft capable of operating in defended airspace for long periods.
Though satellites are capable of peering behind borders, they lack the persistence and flexibility of aircraft. Satellites are limited by slant ranges, a problem that aircraft can mitigate by altering their flight paths. Also, adversaries can predict when a spacecraft will fly overhead and adjust their operations accordingly.
High-speed platforms continue to be evaluated, such as Lockheed Martin's hypersonic SR-72 concept (AW&ST Nov. 4, p. 18), but planners leery of acquisition foul-ups and higher-risk technology opted for stealth in order to field a system as soon as 2015.
The expectation that the RQ-180 will be fielded soon has helped to cement support for the Air Force's abrupt change of heart on the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance UAS—once the centerpiece for the service's ISR development plans. The Block 30 Global Hawk was eyed as a replacement for the manned U-2 for stand-off ISR collection, in which aircraft just loiter outside hostile airspace peering into enemy territory to gather images and signals. Though not able to fly as high (50,000-60,000 ft. versus the U-2's 70,000 ft.-plus), the Global Hawk could loiter for a day or longer and not expose pilots to the health hazards of prolonged missions at extreme altitudes, a problem during long flights supporting operations over Afghanistan.
Despite deeming Global Hawk critical to national security in 2011, the Air Force less than a year later proposed terminating the Block 30 version, citing the high operating cost it had once defended. The Air Force also cited lackluster performance of the Block 30's electro-optical and radar-sensor suite, despite earlier assertions that these issues were manageable (AW&ST June 13, 2011, p. 35).
Now the more advanced, stealthy RQ-180, capable of penetrating an adversary's airspace, has superseded the Global Hawk. The Air Force is now standing behind the U-2, with some cockpit and sensor upgrades, as its workhorse stand-off intelligence collector, with the RQ-180 poised to take on the penetrating mission.
In a high-level roles-and-missions trade, the Air Force assumed authority for developing a stealthier, longer-range, land-based UAS capable of penetrating the most defended airspace, guarded by advanced surface-to-air missiles and jammers. Meanwhile, the Navy, is mired in a debate over how stealthy to make its Uclass air vehicle when a high degree of stealth would push costs higher. With the Air Force operating the RQ-180, the Navy would have the option to cut its costs on Uclass.
Perhaps indicative of the debate, the Navy has been coy on the requirements and design specifications for Uclass. The Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff are pushing for Uclass to operate only in "contested" airspace—the Pentagon's word for areas that are defended but not with the most advanced weapons systems. But Navy officials are hoping for a more survivable—though more expensive—design capable of operating over the best-defended areas or "denied" airspace, in Pentagon parlance. Furthermore, the Air Force plans to retain its MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper UAS for operation in uncontested or lightly contested airspace. The so-called MQ-X, which was to be a Reaper follow-on, disappeared from Air Force long-range planning in 2012, another sign its UAS planning was refocusing around the RQ-180.
If the RQ-180 can prove itself operationally, the Air Force will have addressed its need for a high-altitude penetrator. The next big challenge in rebalancing the service's ISR fleet will be to define the future of the Predator and Reaper and their potential successors.


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Chili's Grill & Bar $100 Gift Card
Chili's opened as a fun Dallas burger joint with a loyalty to happy hour and blue jeans. They pride themselves on their humble beginnings, following a devotion to great food, warm hospitality and community spirit. Today, with restaurants all over the world, they continue to cook up the best in casual fare, offering the same genuine service they did way back when. And, just as in 1975, they're committed to giving back to the communities that have helped them grow.
To view a sample e-Gift Card and a complete list of the Terms & Conditions click here.
Your gift code will be posted on your account profile, under "My Gift Cards" within 10 business days of verifying your purchase.
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John E. Sununu
From Conservapedia
John E. Sununu (born September 10, 1964) is a former United States Representative and former United States Senator from New Hampshire. He is a member of the Republican Party. Sununu was elected to the United States House of Representatives in January 1997 and served until 2003. He was elected to the United States Senate in the 2002 election. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1987, and graduated from Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1991.[1]
Sununu lost his 2008 bid for re-election to Democratic opponent Jeanne Shaheen.[2]


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Teenage star Matteo Manassero carded an impressive five under par 67 to grab a share of the lead in the Rolex Trophy at Golf Club de Genève in Switzerland.
The Italian shone with seven birdies to reach 11 under par for the tournament, level with Frenchman Alex Kaleka, who fired a six under par 66 earlier in the day. The pair lead Swede Pelle Edberg and Norway's Marius Thorp, who shot 69 and 67 respectively, by one shot.
Manassero, playing under a sponsor's invitation to join the top 40 players in the Challenge Tour Rankings, made a fine start with back-to-back birdies in his opening two holes, and he picked up two more shots before the turn.
A bogey at the 14th halted his progress, and although he birdied the next three in a row, a bogey five at the 18th prevented him from taking the outright lead.
"I didn't hole all the putts but I'm happy that I'm making chances," said Manassero, who won the Silver Medal as the highest-placed amateur in The 2009 Open Championship and became the youngest player in history to make the cut at the Masters Tournament in April. "It was a little disappointing to finish with a bogey but overall I'm very happy with my game."
Asked if he felt more pressure playing a Challenge Tour event given all he has already achieved in his burgeoning career, Manassero replied: "No, not really. My aim is to get my European Tour card for 2011 so there is pressure every week, whether it's on the main Tour or the Challenge Tour. There is no more pressure this week.
"My goal is to win in any tournament I play, whatever tour it is on. I'm enjoying it here and I think I can win. I'm playing well and I'm confident."
The Rolex Trophy is played in a pro-am format, where each professional plays with a junior amateur in the first round, then with a group of three amateurs for the next three rounds. It is one of the most competitive events on the Challenge Tour schedule as only the top 40 from the Rankings are in the field, plus two invitations, and the prize fund is €218,000.
Kaleka's round featured four consecutive birdies on the back nine, his front nine, before three more in a row from the fifth.
"I'm very pleased to have two rounds back to back like this," said Kaleka, who won on his Challenge Tour debut last year at the ALLIANZ EurOpen de Lyon. "I played in this event last year which helps because I'm used to the format and know the course. I'm hitting the ball very nicely and I hope I can continue to do so for the next two rounds.
"I was lucky to have three good guys in my group today who all played very well which kept the rhythm going. Sometimes it is hard if you play with someone who is struggling as it's difficult to maintain momentum. Since my win last year I've had quite a few top tens and top fives but not won, so it would be great to this week."
Edberg, chasing his maiden Challenge Tour victory, had a mixed round with three bogeys and five birdies but was happy overall.
"If you told me at the start of the week I'd be ten under after two rounds I would definitely have taken that," he said. "I had a pretty rough start but then a birdie at the fifth got me going a bit. I'm hitting really good tee shots which means I don't have very far for my second shots but I'm not taking advantage enough. It was nice to finish with two birdies though.
"But when you are out there and playing well it feels like you should be scoring better. I enjoyed it though. I played with three good guys and it was pretty relaxed and good fun."
|Player Name
|TULLO, Mark
|MANASSERO, Matteo
|KALEKA, Alexandre
|MURRAY, George
|VELASCO, Alvaro
|CARLSSON, Magnus A


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The photo industry has undergone an enormous growth from the recent times. The world of taking photos changed fully thanks the growth of technology. The previous approach to picture taking has extended grow to be obsolete with the onward mar of your new time of taking photos. Aside from the facet of computerized imaging, a major part is being played from the computer systems in taking photos. A photograph-software program helps in the manipulation of photos in as much approaches as necessary. This has wound up when making the photo business even more rewarding. There are actually a large number of firms that offer you services. There are numerous organizations supplying picture cutting route professional services then one need to make proper analysis prior to taking the assistance of an expert organization. There are a number of advantages which a cutting path firm offers to its customers. Allow me to share several benefits. clipping path service
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- clipping path service.
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As an affiliated organization of the American Association for the Advancement of Science(AAAS), the Parapsychological Association invites you to review the call for symposium proposals for the 2014 AAAS meeting in Chicago.
The annual meeting of AAAS attracts approximately 5,000 attendees who present cutting-edge research that has implications for science and technology, public policy, and education. A large cadre of science reporters also attend and highlight the presentations in the press. The meeting will be held in Chicago on February 13–17, 2014. Each section of AAAS attempts to attract submissions of symposia (three to five presenters ) on "hot topics" in the field.
We encourage PA members to review the call and submit symposium proposals by April 23 at the AAAS website.
The Parapsychological Association is an international professional organization of scientists and scholars engaged in the study of psi (or 'psychic') experiences, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis, psychic healing, and precognition. The primary objective of the PA is to achieve a scientific understanding of these experiences.
First established in 1957, the PA has been an affiliated organization of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) since 1969. The PA is a non-profit, non-adjudicating organization that endorses no ideologies or beliefs other than the value of rigorous scientific and scholarly inquiry.


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A few weeks ago, we introduced a new tool for network operators called mediatrace. On the router and switches, a mediatrace report presents several stanzas of data collected along a particular path. While the report is useful, there is a very high information density and the network operator could overlook an important item at a casual glance.
Mediascope was created as an intern project at Cisco to help in the visualization of mediatrace data. Mediascope uses the IOS Web Services Management Agent (WSMA) interface to execute mediatrace commands. As a flash based tool, mediascope can be hosted on a regular web server in your network and be available for general users (well except for ipad/iphone!).
The user initially logs into the mediascope tool with a mediascope specific password. Then the target router is identified and credentials for that node are provided. At this point, the user can ask mediascope to dynamically configure IOS performance monitor to discover the flows traversing the target router. The discovered flows are dynamically displayed in a list allowing the user to select the interesting flow and then continue on to the specific metrics to be gathered (lower part of Figure 1 below).
In Figure 2, we can see the result of the mediatrace run. Note from Figure 1 that the y-axis in the chart is selectable, as are the meanings of the color. In our example, the height of the circles conveys number of IP packets seen for the monitored flow, size conveys CPU utilization, and conditional coloring based on number of packets lost and jitter values. Of course, a much simpler chart could be constructed, but we wanted to show how easily very dense information could be represented.
Using the chart the operator is able to quickly identify the node that is at high CPI, but also the node that seems to be seeing packet loss.
We had a lot of fun creating mediascope. Check out our multi-language demos on YouTube! We invite you to make your own audio version- with the challenge of no English words at all. I'm hoping we'll see one in Klingon soon!
Mediascope demo: English German Spanish
Mediascope is open sourced under the BSD license.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.


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Deere & Co., the world's largest agricultural-equipment maker, cut its fiscal-year profit forecast and said it will scale back production as record crops weigh on grain prices and deter spending by U.S. farmers.
Net income in the year through Oct. 31 will be about $3.1 billion, Deere said today in a statement, down from a May projection of about $3.3 billion. The Moline, Illinois-based company also said it now sees equipment sales falling about 6 percent, compared with a May prediction for a 4 percent decline.
"For the balance of the year, the company will be scaling back production in line with demand for our agricultural products," Samuel R. Allen, chairman and chief executive officer, said in the statement.
Deere said agricultural-equipment sales will be flat or worse in each of its regional segments, with a decline of about 10 percent seen in the U.S. and Canada, which together are the company's largest market. Falling commodity prices are contributing to a reduction in farm income, which in turn is putting pressure on demand for farm equipment, it said.
"This is the beginning of the weakness," Lawrence T. De Maria, a New York-based analyst for William Blair & Co. who has a sell rating on the stock, said today in an interview. "We believe that the bigger downside will occur next year and the year after."
Record Harvest
Prices for corn, soybeans and wheat have each dropped more than 10 percent in the past year in Chicago on expectations of rising global supplies. Net U.S. farm cash income will fall 22 percent to $101.9 billion in 2014, according to a projection from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Farmers in the U.S., the world's biggest grower of soybeans, will harvest a record soy crop this year, the department said yesterday in a report, after rain and milder weather created ideal growing conditions. The department also predicted record U.S. production of corn.
Deere also reported today that fiscal third-quarter net income dropped to $851 million, or $2.33 a share, from $997 million, or $2.56. That exceeded the $2.20-a-share average of 19 analysts' estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Equipment sales fell to $8.72 billion, from $9.32 billion a year earlier, matching the average estimate.
The shares declined 1.1 percent to $85.50 at 9:31 a.m. in New York.
The company saw an improvement at its construction and forestry business in the quarter. Sales rose 19 percent, on both higher volumes and price increases, Deere said. The company expects worldwide sales of construction and forestry equipment to climb by about 10 percent for the full year, reflecting further economic recovery and higher housing starts in the U.S., as well as sales increases outside the U.S. and Canada.
Agricultural machinery sales accounted for 78 percent of Deere's revenue in 2013, while construction and forestry made up 16 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Bovine Temperament: A Feedlot Focus
Wheat Climbs as U.S. Raises Export Forecast Amid Harvest Upgrade


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|Newsletter February 20, 2013
Since our partnership with Telikin last year, there has been a tremendous amount of interest from our membership
On Saturday, February 9th, Cary SeniorNet instructor John Fitzpatrick, hosted a webinar presentation on Telikin Touchscreen Computers. Nancy Allegrezza, RN, Telikin's Director of Marketing, discussed the history and benefits of computing with Telikin. She also offered a demonstration of the Telikin touch screen computer to 25 participants.
Other centers have had the opportunity to use and explore this new technology. This is a fantastic product for everyone - seniors, baby boomers, the young, and those that are impaired.
Leslie M. Smith


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What the platforms tell us about parties' stance on health IT
It's a joke without a punch line: Both Republican and Democratic national party platforms make sparse mention of health IT.
To be certain, there's plenty of focus on the broader healthcare issues. The GOP platform, in fact, dedicates its first two sections to 'Saving Medicare for future generations' and 'Strengthening Medicaid in the states', while the Democrats also address the issue early on with a section about healthcare as part of 'The middle class bargain' and another on 'Social Security and Medicaid.'
[Survey analysis: Romneycare vs. Obamacare, do Americans care?]
As for any particulars of health IT, well, that's another matter. Quite literally, each party offers up a single sentence on its intentions for health IT.
From page 33 of the 2012 Republican Platform PDF:
We support technology enhancements for health records and data systems while affirming patient privacy and ownership of health information.
Now, should that strike you as oddly vague, just wait.
"If anyone was disappointed in the scant attention given to health IT in the Republican Party Platform, then the Democratic Party Platform should give them pause," said Brian Ahier, health IT evangelist at Mid-Columbia Medical Center, author of the Healthcare, Technology, and Government 2.0 blog, and city councilor in The Dalles, Ore. "Health IT is barely mentioned at all, and only in the context of broader technology initiatives."
Indeed, in the 2012 Democratic National Party Platform health IT is on page 41 of the PDF:
We will ensure that America has a 21st century digital infrastructure – robust wired and wireless broadband capability, a smarter electrical grid, and upgraded information technology infrastructure in key sectors such as health care and education.
Reactions to the perhaps pithy stances of both parties stance have been mixed.
"I regret that the platforms are largely silent on HIT," former four-term Vermont Governor Jim Douglas wrote in an email exchange with Government Health IT. Douglas is now a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center's Governor's Council and executive-in-residence at Middlebury College. "Perhaps it's not a sexy topic, but it's essential to our efforts to improve the quality of care and contain costs."
So, why such vague references to health IT? Shouldn't the national party platforms include a greater vision of and intent for the technologies forging the underpinnings of next-gen healthcare in America? Or is what the parties outlined enough for the majority of American voters?
"At this point in time I think maybe it is enough," said Iowa State Representative Linda Upmeyer (R), a career nurse practitioner who has proposed health IT legislation since being elected 10 years ago. "I hope what it means is that this is really in an early state, but there's a commitment to move health IT forward, that they're listening and trying to continually improve so that the government doesn't get this wrong."
While some will argue that the November elections might test the bipartisan nature of health IT, at least for now Ahier, Douglas and Upmeyer view the party platforms as evidence that bipartisanship remains intact.
"It would seem that both parties agree that when health IT is used effectively it can help address the challenges confronting our healthcare system," Ahier said. Douglas added that "the current administration continues to move the ball down the field through grants to the states, incentives to providers and implementation of the meaningful use standards," he said. "I'm confident that the bipartisan support will continue because both parties understand the value of HIT."
Which leads back to the beginning, where both parties support health IT, but are short on detail about exactly how – which may be because neither party can say for sure precisely what committing to health IT will really mean for the future.
[See also: Political strategists on how candidates should shape healthcare messages in election.]
"It's always important to have something that keeps policymakers pushing health IT to the forefront, but we policymakers, be it inside the beltway or inside the golden dome in Iowa, don't have the solutions or all the answers. So we can commit to investing in health IT and rely on the people really doing it to help determine what the next steps are," Upmeyer, the Iowa rep said. "I don't really want congressmen or senators or legislators deciding for them."
Neither does Steven Waldren, MD, director of the Center for Health IT at the American Academy of Family Physicians.
"I'd much rather health IT not be a political football and remain behind the scenes a little because there's no political urgency such that either side is going to try to politicize it and move forward. Instead, they recognize it's an important issue," Waldren said. "The two platforms have different philosophies but at least it's not being debated at the level of lies, made up truths, or spinning things out of context."
Although, there might be a solid punch line or two to emerge from that manner of rhetoric.
For more of our politics coverage, visit Political Malpractice: Healthcare in the 2012 Election.
View the original article here


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Introduction to Inter-Processor Communication (IPC) for KeyStone and Sitara™ Devices
Webinar: "Introduction to Texas Instruments Security Solutions"
Texas Instruments Security Webinar Series
In this series, you will gain an understanding of the TI security framework and the various industry-recognized security enablers that TI supports.
Demo: TI infotainment processors power latest BMW head unit
Enable a "Quick-start" Automotive Infotainment Experience with "Jacinto 6" Processors
ADAS Offerings in EvoCar
Android "Quick-start" Infotainment Experience with Jacinto™ DRA7xx Infotainment Processors
OpenVX implementation on TI TDA ADAS SoCs
The Evolution of TDA
Processor SDK for Android Oreo: Android Automotive Overview
Processor SDK for Android Training Series
Augmenting the driver experience (Tracking, Controlling, Monitoring, Detecting)
Jacinto™ digital cockpit demo wall
TDA2 and TDA3 Processors Training Series
TI's Jacinto TDA2/TDA3 System-on-Chip (SoC) family offers scalable and open solutions based on a heterogeneous hardware and common software architecture for Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) applications including camera-based front (mono/stereo), rear, surround view and night vision systems in addition to multi-range radar and sensor fusion systems.
This training series provides an overview of the evaluation and development platforms as well as getting started with the software and development tools offered by TI on the Jacinto TDA2/TDA3 processors.
The McASP Primer: Bonus Material
The McASP Primer Training Series
This training series focuses on hardware design for the Multi-channel Audio Serial Port (McASP). Before an engineer gets around to writing software for McASP, it has to be wired up properly. That is the focus of this McASP primer.
Multi-camera systems with DS90UB960 deserializer hub and TDA SoCs: Training Series
Overview of Software Defined Radio on Jacinto™ Infotainment Devices
Design Considerations for Robust Interface Between J6 and Car Displays via FPD-Link
Design Considerations for Robust Interface Between J6 and Car Displays via FPD-Link [Part 2]


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Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum
Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum
About the Series
Think of the toughest decisions you—or your family, or your business, or even the nation—have ever faced. Chances are some of those decisions, or ones very much like them, are portrayed in this remarkable series. Leading scientists, journalists, physicians, jurists, ethicists, businesspeople, and politicians, among others, were brought together to grapple with ethical dilemmas that touch on life and death; security and liberty; friendship, truth-telling, and secret-keeping; democracy and justice; and much more. The result is thoughtful, dramatic, sometimes funny, and always thoroughly engaging. Ethics in America II deals with issues that are contemporary yet perennial, so that, as with its predecessor series, Ethics in America I, the scenarios may well seem "ripped from today's headlines" even years after the programs were produced.
Support Materials
© Annenberg Foundation 2017. All rights reserved. Legal Policy


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Arian Ravanbakhsh
Class of 1989
Major/Minor: Political Science
Every single day I use something from my WC education, be it writing skills, the ability to think critically, to understand a different point of view, or to appreciate an artistic work.
My work now involves thinking about the challenges the federal government has in managing and preserving the large amount of electronic records it creates. This is a challenge with many facets and a strong liberal arts education allows me to see, and think about this in different ways.
Who was your favorite faculty/staff member? Story?
They were all wonderful! Though, picking one, it would have to be Dr. Dan Premo. I really think he challenged my thinking in ways that I may not have realized at the time, but appreciate now.
What is your favorite Washington College memory?
In order to get the Pegasus on campus by the end of the academic year, the deadline for most of the pages tended to coincide with Finals week for the Fall semester. I remember many long nights going back and forth from laying out yearbook pages by hand (well before electronic publishing) and studying. And it always seemed to be a week of very little sleep. In my senior year, while listening to the radio play Little Drummer Boy for what had to be the 15th time that evening, the staff kind of lost it and started screaming. Quite therapeutic! To this day, when I hear that song around the Holiday season, I think of that night in the Pegasus office, then in the basement of Reid Hall.
Campus Involvement
- Chair of Alumni Board, 2016-2018
- Community of Students & Alumni
Undergrad Highlights
- Editor of Pegasus, '87, '88, and '89 editions
- Writer for Elm, '87-'89
- Omicron Delta Kappa, '89
- Parliamentarian, SGA, '88-'89


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PD.com: We're not actually discordians
I don't know what this is, but I love it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C5_VbK6VCo&feature=player_embedded
Fuck it. Fuck Spielberg. Fuck Tarantino. Fuck ORSON WELLES. THIS is king. THIS is the shit. THIS is the future.
As a neuroscientist I have to disagree with the perception that anyone is doing mathematical modeling of cognitive intelligence, yet; intelligence as an economist defines it, yes, but economists are worlds away from actual cognition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=QF1xJ7MDlHYWhat in sweet gibbering fuck.
Glittersnatch would be a rather unfortunate condition, if a halfway decent troll name.
Japanese man in lederhosen yodeling with chickens. http://www.wimp.com/manyodels/
If Luna was a furry, she'd sex humans and scream "BEASTIALITY!" at the top of her lungs at inopportune times.
I like the Luna one. She is a good one.
"Stop talking to yourself. You don't like you any better than anyone else who knows you."
Quote from: Waffles, The Iron on July 27, 2012, 12:02:24 pmJapanese man in lederhosen yodeling with chickens. http://www.wimp.com/manyodels/Waffles broke my brain!


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SIM Cards
SIM-Subscriber Identity Module
The terms SIM, smart card, and UICC have an unfortunate tendency to be used interchangeably. The UICC is hardware. A SIM is a software application. Generally speaking a smart card is a UICC running a SIM as well as possibly other applications.
SIM is actually just an application running on a smartcard. A given card could contain multiple SIM's, allowing, for instance, a given phone to be used on multiple networks.
A typical SIM contains several categories of information. One is the actual identity of the card itself. The SIM needs to have a unique identity to the network. This allows the network to identify what sources the subscriber is entitled to, billing information, etc. A second category relates to the actual operation of the device. Information such as the last number called, or the length of the phone call can be stored. A third category of information is personalized information. Phonebooks or calendars fall into this category.
A SIM has three major purposes
- Uniquely identify the subscriber
- Determines phone number
- Contains algorithms for network authentification
A Sim contains
- 16 to 64 KB of memory
- Processor
- Operating System
Uses of SIMs
SIM cards can be used in any kind of device or situation where there is a need to authenticate the identity of a user. They are particularly useful when there is a need or desire to provide different types or levels of service to many users who have different configurations.
The primary use of SIM cards in the United States is in cell phones. There are other uses as well. The US military issues smart cards as identification to its personnel. These cards are used to allow users to log into computers.
Europe has seen a wider use of these cards. The credit and debit card industry has integrated this technology in their cards for years. Similarly, a number of European phone companies have used these as phone cards to use in public telephones. The card companies in the United States have evidently not seen enough fraud to have a business justification to switch to this technology. There is some speculation that American credit cards will use a future generation of the technology when the added robustness and security of the system will make more economic sense.
The SIM uses a hierarchically organized file system that stores names, phone numbers, received and sent text messages. It also contains the network configuration information. The SIM also allows for easy transporting of all information from one phone to another. Forensically speaking, a SIM could be an incredible source of evidence. It allows for all information that the suspect has dealt with over the phone to be investigated. All phone numbers dialed, and receieved would be available for investigation. Also, if no identifying information is on the phone the network provider could be contacted and could possibly provide more information that is even on the SIM.
One downside to the use of SIM cards is the amount of thefts that occur. A person could steal a SIM card and use it for their own personal calls, which would be still on the original owners information log. This is becoming a problem in European countries with the theft of SIM cards.
SIM Security
There are two things that help secure the information located on your SIM. The PIN (Personal Identification Number) and the PUK (Personal Unlocking Code).
When PIN protection is enabled, every time the phone is turned on - the PIN must be entered. The information on the SIM is locked until the correct code is entered. The PIN by default is at a standard default number and can be changed on the handset. If the PIN is entered incorrectly 3 times in a row the phone is locked and another code called the PUK is needed from the network provider.
If the PIN is incorrectly entered 3 times in a row, the phone is locked making the phone unable to make or receive any calls or SMS messages. The PUK, which is an 8 digit code, is needed from the network provider to unlock the phone. If the pin is entered 10 times incorrectly, the SIM is permanently disabled and the SIM must be exchanged.
SIM Forensics
The data that a SIM card can provide the forensics examiner can be invaluable to an investigation. Some of this data can help an investigator determine:
- Phone numbers of calls made/received
- Contacts
- SMS Details
- SMS Contents