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Focus on Funds
Gold Miner Focus on Cash Costs Encourages 'Shake Down' By Governments
Andrew Bary of Barron's makes the case for owning battered, beaten gold-mining stocks over the weekend. Among other things, he's encouraged by the sector's efforts to be more transparent about cost.
As Bary explains, the more accurate (read: higher) cost estimates aren't so much about trying to be more shareholder-friendly, although they are that, than they are about trying to avoid shakedowns by revenue-hungry developing-market governments:
Barrick (ABX) is a poster child for the industry's woes, including higher operating costs, bad acquisitions, cost overruns on new mines, and political risk. Resource nationalism around the world is becoming a growing issue for miners. It's getting more difficult to get government approval for mines, and once they're operational, governments sometimes want to rewrite contracts and get higher taxes, knowing they have leverage.
One encouraging sign is that the industry is showing a new honesty about costs. In the past, companies emphasized "cash costs," which often were about $500 to $600 per ounce. But that ignored a slew of other costs, including those for maintenance and environmental remediation. Barrick, for instance, forecasts 2013 cash costs of about $635 an ounce and "all-in sustaining costs" of about $1,050; Newmont projects about $1,150.
LOW CASH-COST ESTIMATES are designed to impress investors with the industry's profitability. They also encourage host governments to shake down miners. "Governments are seeking to impose significantly higher taxes on us because they think we're making superprofits," said Goldfields CEO Nick Holland in a speech last summer. "The opposite is true."
iShares Gold Trust (GLD) is ahead by 1.9% Monday, Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX) is up 0.6% and Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners (GDXJ) is down by 0.1%.


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Roses are Red
License: CC BY-NC 3.0
The vivid color of this rose brings to mind an old rhyme. It also brings a bee to the flower, seeking nectar. You know roses are red (and violets are blue), but did you ever wonder how and why flowers have such beautiful colors?
The Back Story
- What determines flower color? It's basic chemistry.
- In fact, chemistry explains why most things have color. In plants, flower cells produce specific color molecules called pigments. Each pigment absorbs most wavelengths of visible light and reflects just one or a few wavelengths.
- The wavelength of visible light determines the color that the light appears to the human eye. So whatever wavelength of light a flower reflects is the color you see.
- Watch this video to learn in detail why roses are red, violets are blue, and other flowers have their own hue: http://www.nbclearn.com/chemistrynow/cuecard/53149
Show What You Know
At the link below, learn more about color in flowers. Then answer the following questions.
- Why are roses red?
- Which pigment is most common in plants? What color does it appear?
- What are the two types of pigments that make most flower colors?
- Why do pigments absorb the light waves they do?
- What factors determine the color of a given flower?
- How did flower colors evolve?

subset: commoncrawl


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A new year.
Well every Christmas I spend some time on thinking about space and some ideas form, it's a fun and entertaining game. maybe not correct thoughts, but entertaining. Now the new year starts and it is back to business with computer quizzes instead of trying to find the dream of Einstein. Anyhow I made a small document describing my (well you never now, people tend to independently walk the same paths) view of how the world is constructed.
I promise, no more of this, until next Christmas.
We have the right to think, correct or not, and if in a world of only correctness, you will simply drown in mathematics and never learn to swim it.


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Latest Headlines
Capello's Failed Experiment
Posted on 18 Nov 2010 by Mark Adamson.
Against France on Wednesday England looked lost, confused, disorganized and more the vast majority of the game they were outclassed. France certainly impressed with Nasri, Benzema amongst others, taking the opportunities provided to them due to the suspension of players involved in the circus that was France at the World Cup. So what happened with England? Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and Kie...


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Long time no write.
Ten years after making the last release of Salstat, I've decided to continue with it. The project is on Github now (https://github.com/salmoni/Salstat).
Today's release utilises the excellent xlrd module which has allowed Salstat to read Excel files (xls and xlsx). Many people have asked for this. For now, the basic "happy days" workflow is fine but there is poor error handling.
The next one will have database access. This is a more complex workflow. I also need to harden the Excel and CSV import routines.


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Beautiful beach chalet located on one of Malaysia's famous turtle beaches. Designed in traditional Malay hardwood but with all the western style comforts. 3 bedrooms (all a-c.)
Find a Malaysia vacation rental home for your vacation. Stay at one of our rustic Malaysia cabins, cozy cottages, or authentic condos. We have everything from large rental homes to small villas. Rent for a weekend, week, month, or entire season! Vacation rentals are great accommodations for families and large groups. Enjoy the convenience of a full kitchen and save money by eating in. Living like the locals at a vacation rental assures you an authentic travel experience. Browse our Malaysia vacation rentals and plan your vacation today!


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Event Information
1/8/2013 - 2/2/2013
General Audience
Additional Information
Loose Sand
January 8 – February 2
Loose Sand is an exhibition of 12 contemporary Chinese Artists and will feature small paintings, works on paper, video, and a live artwork to be performed at the opening reception. The artists will be in residence at Ball State from January 6-12. A lecture by the artists and the exhibition curator will be given the week of the exhibition and open to the public. Loose Sand is made possible by an "Arts Alive" grant from the College of Fine Arts.
Reception: Thursday, January 10 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Location: Atrium Gallery, Art & Journalism Building 101
Free and open to the public
Questions? Contact: Nicole Cardassilaris, 285-5916 or email@example.com


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June 18 is National Splurge Day. So said Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith, who calls herself "America's premier eventologist," when she invented it in 1994. Somehow it got traction. Iron Men
Now every June 18 has become an excuse for Americans to treat themselves to things they might not typically buy. Just like birthdays. According to Ron Swanson, "Birthdays were invented by Hallmark to sell cards."I'm not one to suggest wanton spending in this - or any other - economy. "It sends a shiver down our frugal, money-saving spines," says the good folks at Dealnews, and I couldn't agree more. Like any bad idea, if you're to splurge on things you may not need you may as well do it as safely as possible. That is why I've teamed up with Dealnews to help diehard shoppers through this this vapid faux-holiday and, hopefully, save you some dough (and pride) along the way.
The Aeron Chair by Herman Miller
Congratulations to those of you whose bosses provide Aeron chairs in the workforce. They are among the most ergonomically beautiful chairs on the market. And they have the prices to match."Starting at $679, these seats are way more expensive than the ones you'll find at Office Depot, OfficeMax, and Staples. However, when you're sitting in a chair for at least 40 hours a week, shouldn't you gets something that's designed to fit your butt like a glove?"
The chair comes with a full 12-year warranty, which is better than you can say for a lot of furniture at this price point. If you splurge on this item, it's because you value your spine and want a piece of furniture that will last instead of that cheap "executive chair" you buy every few years only to deposit on the curb next to your trash when it becomes impossible to adjust.
Bed Linens
The average American spends almost nine hours a day sleeping, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Sadly, they probably spend those nine hours sleeping on average sheets. If you've been to a nice hotel, you know the difference."When it comes to bedding, treat yourself like a king (or twin, or queen, or California king) because there's a noticeable difference between budget, 200-thread-count sheets and luxury, Egyptian Cotton sheets."
"The point of makeup is to enhance a person's beauty in an inconspicuous way. Cheaper cosmetics are less likely to look natural and will probably cake up later in the day and become a conspicuous way of 'de-hancing' your beauty. Better quality cosmetics are far more likely to work with the conditions of your skin and look good on you, but they'll cost a bit more."
Toilet Paper
Let's be honest with each other: We all prefer our own bathroom. It's our home base. Our Fortress of Solitude appointed with the magazines we like to read and a door that locks securely. When the time comes to handle one of life's necessary – but private – duties, we want to be in our own bathroom. So why do we buy cheap toilet paper? Can't we all agree that comfort in the swim trunk area is something worth a few extra dollars?"Yes, it may last a little longer per roll, but we advocate treating your delicate parts a little more delicately. And, honestly, with all the toilet paper deals we see, it's hard to even call this one a splurge, since it's so easy to save money on the 'good stuff.'"
Razors and Razor BladesHave you ever looked in a friend's medicine cabinet – just looking for some Aspirin, of course – and wondered why he had so many half-used, dime store razors in there? I mean, it's your face, Man! Why shred it to save a few sheckles?"It's worth your comfort to spend a bit more to get a better shave — one that doesn't result in having to apply pieces of toilet paper all over your money maker afterwards. Now, we're not advocating for any specific brand, so buy whatever you can find a deal on. Just stop buying the blades that are sold by bulk in a bag."
If there's one shopping motto that has served me well in life it is this: "Never buy bargain tattoos or half-priced sushi." Still, not a week goes by when I don't see some teenager at the deli showing off some scribbles on his arm he got "from a friend" who is a "wicked good tattoo artist." Trust me. I have a sleeve of Spider-Man tattoos that's nearly 20 years old and it looks as good as it did when it was new. Look for a reputable artist in a clean shop displaying the proper license certificates. Ask a lot of questions, peruse examples of their work and even ask for references from prior clients. Also, don't go to a tattoo studio if you don't know what kind of tattoo you want. If you don't know, you're not ready for one.
Major Home Improvement
"How hard could it be to build a deck?" Answer: Very. DIY is great, but sometimes it pays to pay a professional to get it done faster and better than you ever could. Sure, you can save some money, but do you have the time, skill, and patience to get it done right? Something that might take you a month of Sundays to build could have taken a professional a single afternoon. So unless DIY is 'your thing,' avoid catastrophe and hire a pro instead."
Clothing and Shoes
Good clothing is often more expensive because more care and better quality materials were used in making it. I don't think you should always buy the high-end, designer original items, but clothing is truly a "get what you pay for" proposition. Thrift stores are a great choice if you like vintage, well-made clothing and don't mind hunting. But the appeal of cheap outfits at bargain stores such as Old Navy quickly fades away when that outfit falls apart by the next season. After you invest in better clothes, make sure to read up on how to make clothing last longer.
New Multiplayer Video Games
I'm a huge proponent of buying used video games a few months after they launch. They're cheaper and just as entertaining no matter when you buy them. Unless you're into multiplayer."If you like playing in giant frag-fests online, then you'll want to jump on a game as soon as it's released, as the online multiplayer community is a constantly-shifting entity, centered around the latest titles. Wait a couple months to get a deal on a game, and you'll find the multiplayer community has dried up, as players have moved on to the next game. Thankfully, many game preorders see discounts or include other perks (exclusive downloadable content or gift cards), so it's not exactly like paying retail, anyway."
Even the finest home theater systems can't compare to the thrill of seeing a new-release film at a modern movie theater. You're paying the extra money to laugh with a crowd at a comedy or cheer with a packed house at the climax of an uplifting summer blockbuster. You're paying for an experience. Even if it's something you only do a few times a year – it is insanely expensive, after all – it's worth it if you pick the right movie.
Readers, we want to hear from you! Are you planning on making a splurge today? Connect with us on Twitter with hashtag #NationalSplurgeDay @yahooshopping or leave a comment below.
Iron Men
Going all out. #NationalSplurgeDay pic.twitter.com/4IQYOfdaGc— Pepsi™ (@pepsi) June 18, 2013
- Shopping


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[amazon asin=076277360X&template=thumbnail1&chan=default]Guest 1: Steve Hodges, coauthor of It's No Accident.
Topic: Breakthrough solutions to your child's wetting, constipation, urinary tract infections, and other potty problems.
Issues: 30 percent of kids 2-10 are chronically constipated and 25 percent of 5-year olds have problems with accidents and bedwetting; how it is that most bed-wetting problems are actually the result of constipation; why toilet training kids too so can lead to wetting problems later; the dangers of holding it in.
[amazon asin=0743258738&template=thumbnail1&chan=default]Guest 2: Neil Chethik, author of Voicemale.
Topic: What husbands really think about their marriages, their wives, sex, housework, and commitment.
Issues: A unique look at men's complex inner lives; men's unique, masculine style of loving; what men are really looking for in the women they love.
[amazon asin=0787994146&template=thumbnail1&chan=default]Guest 3: Scott Haltzman, author of The Secrets Of Happily Married Men.
Topic: Eight ways men can win their wives hearts forever.
Issues: Eight ways men can win their wives hearts forever.
Issues: Identifying relationship challenges; how men can use their special strengths to improve relationships; overcoming gender stereotypes in marriage.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download


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Universal Fit
Atomic Floyd SuperDarts
"Atomic Floyd are a relatively small British based company that not many people have heard of. They continue to sell their products through as few authorised dealers as they feel necessary which means that the £200 price rage for these is pretty much what you're going to have to pay if you want to have your socks blown off by these little gems. First Impressions: As I opened the parcel..." --smithamb
Atomic Floyd Twistjax
Build to provide max bass and max treble the twistjax were intended to replace my battered Sony ex75 in ears. They are the same build with a plug in ear with an acoustic bass chamber for hammering the soft tissue of the outer ear. The bass chamber is made of "acoustic steel" which gives a very solid look. At first the highs and lows are amazing and you hear pumpy basses with sparkling...
Atomic Floyd HiDefDrum
In-ear stereo headset Introducing HiDefDrum +Microphone™ by Atomic Floyd™ HiDefDrum are the headphones for music lovers with something to say. These mini works of art pair World Class acoustics with dual-filter technology, so every note you hear and every word you speak is pitch-perfect. Good looking, great sounding, clear talking. Welcome to the New State of Sound.
CAD NB2 Noise-Canceling Earphones, black
The CAD NB-2 Active noise canceling headphones are professional grade in-ear monitors with superb sound quality. They use a High output 9mm driver with neodymium magnet for clear, robust audio and are Great for travel and music listening in challeng...


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Depersonalization-derealization disorder occurs when you persistently or repeatedly have the feeling that you're observing yourself from outside your body or you have a sense that things around you aren't real, or both. Feelings of depersonalization and derealization can be very disturbing and may feel like you're living in a dream.
Many people have a passing experience of depersonalization or derealization at some point. But when these feelings keep occurring or never completely go away, it's considered depersonalization-derealization disorder. This disorder is more common in people who've had traumatic experiences.
Depersonalization-derealization disorder can be severe and may interfere with relationships, work and other daily activities. The main treatment for depersonalization-derealization disorder is talk therapy (psychotherapy), although sometimes medications also are used.
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Secure Boot is almost certainly not causing you problems yet
There's been a few links to this story of someone buying a system that turned out to have UEFI firmware and also turned out not to boot. Given all the press, it's unsurprising that people would assume that problems they have with UEFI booting are related to Secure Boot, but it's very unlikely that this is the actual problem here. First, nobody's shipping an appropriately signed operating system yet. A hardware vendor that enabled secure boot out of the box would be selling a machine that wouldn't boot any OS you could buy. That's a poor way to make money. Second, the system booted a Fedora 17 CD. Fedora 17 isn't signed, so if the firmware booted it then the firmware isn't enforcing Secure Boot. Third, it didn't boot the installed OS. That's really at the point of it sounding like a hardware problem - selling systems that don't run the OS you sold them with is a guaranteed way of getting enough support calls that you wouldn't make any money on them, ever.
To be fair, Linux compatibility with UEFI systems is still not as good as it is with BIOS systems. Fedora 18 will be using a new UEFI boot process and so far in our testing it's been significantly more reliable than Fedora 17. There's still some remaining issues that we're aware of and working on, but right now it's hugely more likely that failures to boot Fedora 17 on UEFI systems are down to our bugs rather than Secure Boot.


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The 10 Most 'WTF' Television Series Finales
- By
- 181 Comments
Everybody loves television. If you don't, you're lying and if you're not lying then why are you reading an an article about television? Either way, week after week, hundreds of millions of people tune into their favorite televisions shows.
Each year, a select few series must come to an end – either by their own choosing or because of cancellation. In a series finale, writers are forced to find a way bring together everything that viewers have seen in the past seasons and provide a conclusion that leaves fans feeling justified for investing so countless hours watching over the years.
Due to the recent Lost series finale outcry, we put together a list of the top television series finales – not the best ones, not the worst ones, but the ones that make you say, "WTF?"
While I'm sure that many finales could fit this bill, we've narrowed it down (using an extremely complicated and nerdy mathematical formula) to the top ten. Some finales that were considered, but not included are Roseanne, The X-Files, Felicity, Veronica Mars, Twin Peaks, M*A*S*H (yes, M*A*S*H) and the aforementioned Lost series finale.
Although, with over 1,700 comments (and counting) in our Lost finale explanation piece, it does appear that maybe I should amend this article and include it as an honorable mention.
Be warned, if there are now-canceled TV shows that you plan to watch on DVD or Blu-ray, this article contains MASSIVE spoilers about what many would consider the most critical episode in a television series entire run.
You have been warned…
In any case, sit back, relax… and get ready to say, "WTF?"
10. Life On Mars (US): "Life Is a Rock"
WTF? It's literally about life on (the way to) Mars.
What better way to start off a WTF list then with an Americanized version of a popular British television show. While the U.K. version of Life on Mars was a brilliant series, the U.S. version paled in comparison. This was never more obvious than in the terrible series finale.
The story of Sam Tyler, a modern-day police detective, who gets hit by a car in 2008 (2006 in the U.K. series) and wakes up in 1973 was a brilliant premise. The mystery of the series was whether or not Sam Tyler actually traveled back in time, is dead or simply in a coma.
After 17 episodes (that's 1 more episode than the U.K. series had), it was revealed that Sam Tyler had not actually traveled back in time, nor was he was dead or in a coma.
As it turns out, Sam Tyler was actually an astronaut on the first manned mission to Mars, sleeping in a hibernation chamber. The chamber was equipped with computer software that helped the astronauts dream about whatever they wanted. Unfortunately, Sam Tyler's computer screwed up and thus created the world of 1973.
Suffice to say, this is nowhere near the brilliant ending of the original version. While I won't spoil it for you, I will tell you that the U.K. version of Life on Mars was voted the #1 greatest TV ending of all time.
You can check out both the terrible U.S. ending as well as the far superior U.K. ending, but if you were at all interested in this series on ABC, I implore you to seek out the original version – you won't be disappointed.
U.S. Ending
U.K. Ending
9. Little House on the Prairie: "The Last Farewell"
WTF? Walnut Groves explodes.
For over 10 years, the world watched as the Ingalls family tackled farm life in the late 1800s on Little House on the Prairie.
Ruined crops, Typhus and the Lake Kezia "monster" are just some of the dangers that faced Charles Ingalls and family during their 184 episodes on the air. Although, nothing would prepare the Ingalls for what awaited Walnut Grove in the final episode – when the residents decided to blow up the town.
In the series finale of Little House on the Prairie, the residents learn that a railroad tycoon, Nathan Lassiter, held the deed to their beloved township. When Lassiter brings Union soldiers to force the residents from their homes, the town decides to send him a message by setting off explosives in every building and declaring that while he may own the land, he cannot have the town.
As the episode ends, Rev. Alden says, "Did you hear that? Walnut Grove did not die in vain."
You can watch Walnut Grove's final moments below.
8. ALF: "Consider Me Gone"
WTF? ALF gets captured.
After the planet Melmac exploded, Gordon Shumway crashed landed his spaceship in the Tanner's garage and the hearts and minds of viewers around the world in ALF.
Throughout the series, when ALF wasn't hoarding lint or trying to eat cats, he was focused on repairing his spaceship and seeking out other surviving Melmacians. As the series came to an end, it seemed like that was going to happen. That is, until ALF is captured by the military on the way to his Melmacian reunion.
In the series finale, ALF is trying to contact Australia on the radio when he stumbles across Skip and Rhonda, two surviving Melmacians who are nearing Earth. They invite ALF to go with them. As it turns out, Skip and Rhonda have purchased a new planet and are on their way there to start a new Melmac.
ALF accepts the invitation and breaks the news to the Tanner family. After throwing him a going away party, ALF sets out for the long-awaited reunion. As the alien spaceship approaches ALF, the Alien Task Force jumps in and captures him. As the episode closes, the spaceship flies away and ALF is left in the hands of the dissection-friendly military.
7. Seinfeld: "The Finale"
WTF? They're on trial.
The series finale of Seinfeld is one of the few WTF finales on the list that needs no explanation. After 9 seasons of hilarious predicaments from the puffy shirt, the double-dip and the Soup Nazi, 76 million viewers tuned into the final episode. As it turns out, the joke was on us; we had to sit through an hour-long train wreck as Jerry, Elaine, Kramer and George were put on trial for breaking the Good Samaritan Law and being a bad influence.
The episode ended up a mash-up clip-show and unwanted reunion with every iconic character from the series past. Perhaps the episode would have been better received if NBC hadn't already aired an hour-long clip show before the start of the finale.
Either way, the series finale of Seinfeld was not only a terrible episode, but a horrible way to say goodbye to four characters and an amazing TV series that brought us so many laughs.
Thankfully, the series was partly redeemed in the quasi-Seinfeld reunion during the most recent season of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
You can take a look at some of the horrible Seinfeld finale below.
6. Quantum Leap: "Mirror Image"
WTF? "Dr. Sam Becket does not make it home."
For five seasons, Dr. Sam Beckett would leap into the bodies of various people throughout time as the result of a failed time experiment.
With the help of his best friend, Al (in hologram form), Sam was focused on trying to find a way home. He hoped that after so many leaps that he would eventually return to his own time. Unfortunately, Sam never returned home.
In the series finale, Sam runs into a bartender that reveals that not only was Sam himself was the one behind project Quantum Leap, but that he has control over his leaps. With this knowledge, Sam leaps to let Al's wife know that he is still alive – and with that, the episode fades to black.
After a couple notes about the future of Al and his wife, fans were left with these words: "Dr. Sam Becket never returned home."
Not only were fans of the series left with only six words as a conclusion – but after countless episodes – the writers misspelled Beckett's last name:
5. St. Elsewhere: "The Last One"
WTF? It's all in the mind of an autistic child.
Before ER and Chicago Hope, there was St. Elsewhere. Set in an urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End, the residents of St. Eligius were tasked with taking care of patients that other hospitals didn't want.
St. Elsewhere is not only credited for having one of the best episodes ("Time Heals") in television history, but for also jump-starting the careers of Helen Hunt, Ed Begley Jr., Howie Mandel, Mark Harmon, and Denzel Washington. With such prestige, you wouldn't expect the series finale to reveal that the entire series was nothing but the imaginings of an autistic child.
At the end of the series finale, the camera pulls to a wide-shot of the hospital to reveal that the building is actually inside a snow globe that's being held by an autistic child. And who is this super-imaginative kid? As it turns out, the autistic child is the son of Dr. Westpall, the Director of Medicine for St. Eligius.
To make sure fans knew that the past 6 years were a waste of time, they included this line as the child stared into the snow globe: "I don't understand this autism thing, Pop. Here's my son. I talk to him. I don't even know if he can hear me, because he sits there, all day long, in his own world, staring at that toy. What's he thinking about?"
If that wasn't bad enough, they also killed the MTM productions cat, Mimsie, during the credits.
You can watch the death of Mimsie below.
4. The Sopranos: "Made In America"
WTF? Did something happen to my TV?
Like Seinfeld, I really don't think this needs much explanation. The series finale of The Sopranos resulted on the infamous "WTF heard around the world" as viewers were left in the dark – literally.
While some people (including Lost creator Damon Lindelof) praised the ending as groundbreaking, many were angry because the future of Tony, Carmela, Anthony Jr., and Meadow were left unknown. As for me, I still don't understand the ending – even after reading multiple explanations.
What I do know is that I, along with the rest of the world, took to their cable boxes with anger thinking that something went horribly wrong and we were missing an important scene. That is, until the credits started rolling.
You can take a look at the infamous final scene of The Sopranos below.
3. David The Gnome: "The Mountains of Beyond"
WTF? David and Lisa are forced to die.
Anyone that grew up in the 80s probably remembers watching David the Gnome on Nickelodeon. The animated children's series followed the life of a gnome couple, David and Lisa. David, as a doctor, would travel around the forest on the back of his fox friend, Swift, healing animals that had been hurt.
In the series finale of David the Gnome, David and Lisa must travel to The Mountains of Beyond because it is their time to die. The only problem is that neither David nor Lisa are really interested in dying, but are forced to because "that's just what happens when gnomes reach a certain age."
Before David and Lisa leave for their final resting place, an Arctic mouse shows up with a note from their old friend Casper. As it turns out, it's time for Casper to die as well, but since he is unmarried, he wants to know if he can tag along with David and Lisa because he doesn't want to die alone.
In the end, David and Lisa say goodbye, give each other one final kiss, hold hands and turn into apple trees.
The episode closes with the spirits of David, Lisa, and Casper waving goodbye.
You can watch the series finale of David the Gnome in its entirety below. If you have kids, have them watch it as well. In the final moments you, along with David, Lisa, and Casper can wave goodbye… goodbye to your children's innocence.
2. Dinosaurs: "Changing Nature"
WTF? Earl kills everyone – slowly.
Not to be outdone by the death of two animated gnomes on cable television, ABC raised the bar by killing off every character in the hit television series Dinosaurs.
In the series finale, all hope of an episode of reminiscing about the humor that made the series a hit was stripped away – as viewers got to watch Earl Sinclair bring about the end of the Dinosaurs by poisoning the world's plant life and subsequently blocking out the sun. The result of which was global temperatures dropping well below freezing and the imminent extinction of every living thing on the planet.
While every adult watching knew what was happening, their children may have been somewhat oblivious. Luckily, the writers made time in the finale's last moments to bring everyone in the know as Earl has to explain to Baby Sinclair how there's no place for them to go and that he's sorry for killing them all.
This episode was so WTF that TV Guide had to include a special warning that the subject matter in this episode might "frighten or disturb younger viewers." You know, because children aren't really used to watching their favorite characters – who were marketed to kids in the form of music videos and stuffed animals – dying a slow death.
If anything, you've got to give the creators credit for proving Baby Sinclair's famous phrase wrong – "I'm the baby, gotta love me" … Nope. Dead.
1. The Prisoner (1967): "Fall Out"
WTF? – The entire episode.
While I'm sure that many of the finales on our list could fill the number one slot, if you've watched the original British production of The Prisoner, you would know that there's no competing with the craziness that is its final episode. It's actually so WTF that while I watched The Prisoner from the beginning, I've never been able to wrap my head around its series finale.
The plot was simple – somewhat: An unnamed British agent resigns from his job. After being kidnapped, he finds himself held captive in a beautiful, yet mysterious village and is given the name Number 6. While free to roam about the village, he is unable to leave.
Throughout its 17 episodes, Number 6 continuously tries to escape the island while trying to figure about the illusive Number 1 – the person that runs the island.
In the series finale, Number 6 finds out who Number 1 is, but only after sitting through a trial with a hooded jury dancing as someone sings "Dem Bones." Upon meeting Number 1, it's revealed that he's wearing a monkey mask. Underneath the monkey mask is a clone of Number 6. After a chase, Number 6 launches a rocket and everyone evacuates the village.
Sound confusing? It was. Series creator and star Patrick McGoohan actually had to go into hiding after the finale of The Prisoner aired because many fans of the series were so incredibly upset with the nonsensical conclusion.
You can take a look at some of the craziness from the series finale below.
So there you have it. While I'm sure there are quite a few series finales that you believe should be on the list, you can't deny that all of these make you say, "WTF."
What do you think of all the WTF series finales? Do you remember watching these episodes as they aired? Which finales do you think should be on the list?
Follow me on Twitter @anthonyocasio
Follow Screen Rant on Twitter @screenrant


text:
The C.E.O., in his usual crisp manner, began the meeting without any small talk. "Let's get to the business at hand," he said. "We have to find ourselves a historian, and we have to do it A.S.A.P."
"Maybe a historian could figure out how we got this silly name," the vice-president for marketing said. "Freddie Mac! I mean, it's really embarrassing when someone asks you where you work. It sounds like a day-care center or a sitcom."
"But do we really need a historian?" asked the vice-president for creative accounting, who liked challenging the C.E.O. in harmless ways. "Remember last year, when we thought we needed a microbiologist, and then, when we couldn't find one, we tried to make do with that professor of ancient Greek who liked to eat lunch at his desk? The whole floor stank of souvlaki."
"We need a historian," the C.E.O. said. "And that's that."
"Well, there's Eric Foner, of Columbia," said the vice-president for chancy loans, who had been given the assignment of proposing some historians for the job. "Foner's won the Bancroft Prize and he's been the president of the American Historical Association."
The C.E.O. looked unimpressed.
"How about David McCullough?" the vice-president for chancy loans asked. "He's won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award."
The C.E.O. had begun doodling, something that those around the table had come to recognize as a sign that the meeting was not going well.
For a while, there was silence in the room. Then the chief lobbyist said, "I've got an idea: Newt Gingrich."
The C.E.O. looked up from his doodle, which turned out to be a fairly realistic rendering of a house going underwater. "Newt Gingrich," he repeated. "An interesting notion. What was the subject of his dissertation?"
"Belgian education policy in the Congo," the chief lobbyist said.
"Right up our alley," the C.E.O. said.
"But has he worked as a historian lately?" the vice-president for creative accounting, ever the contrarian, asked.
"He taught at West Georgia College until 1977," the chief lobbyist said. "He might have gone on a bit longer if he'd gotten tenure."
"It's like riding a bicycle; it all comes back to you," the C.E.O. said. "Give him a ring."
The C.E.O. gathered up his papers and started out of the room. At the door, he looked back at the chief lobbyist and said, "Oh, yes. Tell him that there's no paper grading required."
Newt looked into the room where Callista had been trying to nap. "I don't like the sound of that cough," he said.
"What cough is that?" Callista replied. At that moment, she felt a cough coming on, but she managed to suppress it, emitting instead an extended beeping sound.
"The cough that's kept you in bed for the past three days," Newt said.
"It's just a little cold, Newt," Callista said. "I feel fine. Look at my hair; it's still perfectly in place. This couldn't be anything serious. "
"I don't know about that," Newt said. "I hear there's a lot of dengue fever going around." He walked to the nightstand to get the thermometer.
"I'm sure that I don't have dengue fever, Newt," Callista said. "A cough is not associated with dengue fever. I haven't had the high fever. I haven't had the characteristic rash."
Newt paused, as Callista, trying desperately not to cough, made a sound that suggested a motorbike that won't start. "Why is it that you know so much about dengue fever?" he asked. "Do you have reason to believe that you have dengue fever?"
"Newt," Callista said. There was a seriousness in her tone that made him stop short.
"Newt," she repeated, "you wouldn't leave me if I had dengue fever, would you? It's not a life-threatening illness."
"Well, in certain cases complications can lead to . . . " Newt let the sentence hang.
"Newt," Callista said, in the same serious tone, "have you found another?"
Newt looked offended. "I am appalled that you would have the nerve to ask me that. Asking that question is as close to despicable as anything I can imagine."
" 'Close to'!" Callista said, sitting up in bed so abruptly that a single strand of her hair dislodged itself with a crack and fell over her forehead. "Did you say 'close to'? Have you been cheating on me, Newt?"
"I am leaving you, Callista," Newt said. "I have found another. I am converting to her religion—Swedenborgianism."
"You're leaving me for a Swedenborgian because you think I may have dengue fever? You're leaving a sick wife for the third time? You're converting for the third time? Won't those evangelical wackos you're trying to appeal to think that—"
"No, they won't," Newt said, cutting her off. "It turns out that they don't care at all." As he strode from the room, he heard the sound of loud coughing.
Newt Gingrich looked around the study. The walls were covered with portraits of Herman Cain, plaques citing awards given to Herman Cain, and framed samplers of Herman Cain's sayings—sayings like "You Are Your Own C.E.O., So Be Careful That You Don't Have to Fire Yourself."
A rather comely maid came into the study, bringing coffee for Cain and Gingrich. Watching the maid as she walked toward the door, Gingrich wondered: was it just his imagination or was she giving Cain a wide berth as she passed him? For that matter, he wondered, was she giving him—Newt Gingrich—a wide berth as well?
"Sugar?" Cain said.
The maid paused at the door and looked back, irritation showing on her face. But then she realized that Cain had been asking if Gingrich wanted sugar in his coffee.
Gingrich shook his head. For a few moments, there was an uneasy silence. "Herman," Gingrich finally said, "about that food-stamp business. There was never any intention of implying that all black people are . . . "
Gingrich's voice trailed off. Herman Cain was staring at him, grimly.
"I mean, it's a matter of simple mathematics," Gingrich went on.
"Let me tell you something, Newt," Cain said. He looked angry now, and his big baritone voice seemed to rattle the portraits on the walls. "Let me tell you something," he repeated. Then, suddenly, he smiled broadly. "You're absolutely right."
"Gotcha!" Cain said. "Had you worried there for a minute, didn't I? You fell for the old shucky-ducky, didn't you? You got taken in by the old turkey-lurkey."
Gingrich nodded weakly. "But let me ask you one thing," Cain said. "You keep saying that when you were Speaker of the House and Clinton was President you created eleven million jobs. So doesn't it follow, then, that John Boehner, who's been Speaker of the House with Obama as the President, can be called the food-stamp Speaker?"
"Well . . . ," Newt began. He felt at a loss for words, the first time that had happened since tenth grade.
"Hoo-ee!" Cain said, again breaking out into his trademark smile. "Gotcha again. I'm just funnin' you, Newt. You're being run over by the Cain Train. You've been bamboozled by the Hermanator."
"Herman," Gingrich began, thinking he had to get control of the conversation. "Herman, I was just wondering—"
Cain interrupted. "You've won my endorsement, Newt," he said. "What we need in Washington is someone with a sense of humor." ♦


text:
Web Stories
Orchestra performs with soloists, Dec 14-15
Posted December 6, 2007; 09:33 p.m.
The Princeton University Orchestra, under the direction of Michael Pratt, will perform with the co-winners of its 2007 Concerto Competition at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 14-15, in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall.
The featured soloists on the program are seniors Sarah Vander Ploeg and Suzanne Westbrook.
The first half of the program is devoted entirely to works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, beginning with the Overture to "The Magic Flute." Vander Ploeg then will perform two concert arias for soprano: "Ah, lo previdi" and "Chi sa, chi sa."
Westbrook will conclude the first half of the concert with Mozart's Clarinet Concerto. After intermission, the concert will end with the Third Symphony of Johannes Brahms, one of the seminal works of the late German Romanticism.
Vander Ploeg is majoring in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs (concentrating in arts policy) and earning a certificate in music performance. She is a member of the Chamber Choir and the University Chapel Choir, and she frequently serves as a soloist for chapel events. She has performed in operatic and musical roles at Princeton and elsewhere. She also is an accomplished violist and pianist, and enjoys playing chamber music and with the Princeton University Orchestra. She will continue her vocal studies in London next year.
Westbrook is a music major and also is pursuing a certificate in musical performance. She has played in the Princeton University Orchestra for four years, and has played in several chamber ensembles and participated in the 2007 Atelier piece "Paintbrush." This past summer she studied chamber music at the Bowdoin International Music Festival. She also played principal clarinet in the American Youth Philharmonic for three years. She plans to attend medical school next year.
Tickets for the concert, priced at $18 for general admission, $15 for seniors and $5 for students, may be obtained from the box offices at Richardson Auditorium and the Frist Campus Center, or online through University Ticketing at www.princeton.edu/utickets.


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Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Speed Racer
I managed to graduate and make it out unscathed, even learning a few tricks of the trade like emergency stops and snappy Figure 8s.
Exhibit C:
It was all worth it because I'm finally comfortable driving the newest addition to my "bike" collection. A little birthday surprise and a little something to scoot around on, my new Vespa definitely gets my motor running! My model is the LVX, a 150cc scooter that re-introduces the trademark Vespa styling and features from the 50s and 60s models, and I couldn't be more in love. She's both flirty and sleek and as my muse once said, I can get 70 miles to the gallon on this hog!
Oh, and her name is Frah-Gee-Lay. Because she's Italian.
43 comments:
- Joanna Goddard said...
so cute!!!!
- August 12, 2008 at 9:12 PM
- Pippa said...
so jealous, you cannot even imagine!
- August 12, 2008 at 10:16 PM
- Courtney said...
Pippa: Don't be jealous...come over and ride with me! I've got a certificate and all, but you most likely will want to wear a helmet, just sayin'
- August 12, 2008 at 10:17 PM
- Elizabeth said...
Also, that is one of my favorite movie scenes (and movies) of all times.
- August 12, 2008 at 10:32 PM
- heather said...
OMG!!!! I was just telling a friend of mine how much I want a Vespa!!!! YUMMY!!!! That's awesome!!!
- August 12, 2008 at 10:33 PM
- Stephanie said...
Whoa nelly. Jealous does not even begin to describe it.
You are just about too cute for words on that thing. I'm totally forwarding this to Sean as a birthday hint! Now, you just need some buttery Italian driving gloves ... ooh la la.
- August 13, 2008 at 12:15 AM
- tiffany said...
This is so super cute! I bet you're so excited to be legal on it!
- August 13, 2008 at 12:54 AM
- erika @ urban grace said...
court & fragile,
when can I come over for a ride? i am not a certified-driver, but I think i could handle it?
side car for burks?
i think that's your next purchase... after a helmet of course!
too cute for words!!!
- August 13, 2008 at 7:42 AM
- Little Miss said...
This kills me! I've been telling ML for quite a while that a vespa would be a perfect friend for me, and he only gives me a look of half-belief. Maybe this will help him sway into the Y.E.S direction! Have a blast scooting around!
- August 13, 2008 at 8:20 AM
- Jennifer said...
How absolutely adorable are you? I totally want a Vespa!
- August 13, 2008 at 8:27 AM
- Sarah said...
How awesome! It looks like fun!!!
- August 13, 2008 at 8:27 AM
- I *Heart* You said...
so cute!! what a great bday gift!
- August 13, 2008 at 8:44 AM
- Sarah's Fab Day said...
I love that you named your bike that, hilarious!
- August 13, 2008 at 8:44 AM
- megan said...
You and Frah-Gee-Lay look adorable!
She is a beauty! Congrats!
- August 13, 2008 at 8:45 AM
- vana chupp said...
ahhhh..a cream Vespa. I would love to have one but I so enjoy seeing that another fellow blogger has one. Cheers to you friend!
- August 13, 2008 at 8:48 AM
- Kimberlee said...
You are wayyyyy too cool for me Mrs Barton!!!
- August 13, 2008 at 8:58 AM
- Courtney said...
Oh Kimberlee, I don't think that is at all possible my dear!
- August 13, 2008 at 8:59 AM
- jae said...
Okay, this really is too cute! Can't help it....also jealous! Do you think sidecars for kids are allowed???
- August 13, 2008 at 9:00 AM
- Courtney said...
Jae: I don't know but I've already managed to justify needing one, go figure. Now for the dog, in a few years for the little Bartons. Heck, I could even put an extra friend in the sidecar!
But first, I need to get comfy riding the thing solo. I tried putting my husband on the back and we didn't even make it to the next house on the street! This girl needs to clock a lot more riding hours before I can start pimping out my ride.
- August 13, 2008 at 9:04 AM
- Abbey Goes Design Scouting said...
I love this! So cute!
- August 13, 2008 at 9:04 AM
- Krissy said...
words can even express how jealous I am! You look like you are having so much fun :) Love the new ride!
- August 13, 2008 at 9:07 AM
- Thaozle said...
How adorable! I've always wanted a little Vespa to scoot around town in! That one's a dream.
- August 13, 2008 at 9:19 AM
- Jenn said...
Love the name! It definitely "fits" her. You'll have to show me some of your skills sometime!
- August 13, 2008 at 9:58 AM
- pve design said...
Love it! My twin sons took a week course of racing school at "Grand Prix" New York and loved it.(go cart cars) They are only 15 but are so incredibly anxious to "drive!" The place was so much fun, a real "speed paradise!" They had to dress in Jumpsuits, neck guard, helmet and I bought them the racing gloves! Now I want a Vespa!
- August 13, 2008 at 9:59 AM
- Creative Tonic said...
Go Speed Racer, goooooooooo!!!
A cute friend of mine in the Heights just got a red scooter and a white leather jacket for her birthday (ciao bella!)- look for her! Now, where is the pool boy to fan you both!!!
- August 13, 2008 at 11:09 AM
- Paloma said...
OMG, Court, I LOVE it! I'm so jealous! You know, we took a short cut by a school where people were taking a motorcycle class to avoid traffic on I-10. I wonder if it was your class.
- August 13, 2008 at 11:27 AM
- Shannon said...
Love love love the cream vespa...mine is green, we purchased it for my step son a couple of years ago...somehow its' "coolness" faded with him but rubbed right off on me!!!!
- August 13, 2008 at 11:43 AM
- Mme. Fabuleux said...
This is the cutest little vespa EVER!
- August 13, 2008 at 12:18 PM
- Megan said...
Lovely, and it looks like it matches your other ride too!
- August 13, 2008 at 1:04 PM
- a said...
great - now i want a vespa
- August 13, 2008 at 1:37 PM
- ashley said...
Awesome! I have the ET4 150 in robin's egg blue. It is so much fun! Be prepared for lots of stares on the road. One guy actually asked if he could take my picture with his cell phone at a red light. Enjoy.
- August 13, 2008 at 2:08 PM
- Lauren said...
SOOOO jealous! You look so cute on it! So are you going to brave the Houston interstates on it, or keep it strictly on city streets??
- August 13, 2008 at 3:38 PM
- SimplyGrove said...
COngrats!!! What a CUTE bike!! I want one:(
- August 13, 2008 at 6:26 PM
- thismslife said...
I love it! You have great taste!
- August 13, 2008 at 8:27 PM
- MABELLE said...
Ok, you are now OFFICIALLY the coolest gal I know-but-don't-know!!! THAT IS SO CUTE!!!!!! I've always wanted one and am SO thrilled that I can see cute pics of you buzzing around town on yours!! Amazing ;)
- August 13, 2008 at 10:53 PM
- Carrie said...
I love your Vespa! I got mine a few months ago, the red GTS, love my scoot! We are starting a trend...
- August 14, 2008 at 8:44 AM
- Dolce said...
you got a VESPA!!!
I've been BEGGING for one for years! I am unbelievable jealous and super excited for you. I can't tell you how badly I want one.
I have the (future) pictures all planned out...what I'm going to wear, where they'll be taken, etc.
I told PH I MUST have one for Christmas.
- August 14, 2008 at 12:37 PM
- amber {daisy chain} said...
crazy cute!!! your vespa rocks.
- August 14, 2008 at 2:27 PM
- please sir said...
OH SUCH fun!!!
- August 14, 2008 at 3:28 PM
- franki durbin said...
Look at you!!! Also... I thought I was the only one who used that movie line... "frah-gee-lay... it must be Italian!" Congrats!!!
- August 14, 2008 at 3:32 PM
Look at all the envy a couple pix of you and your hot new wheels have conjured up. Vespa needs to cough it up "$$$" for the certain spike in sales you're certainly sending their way...
"We want the one just like Courtney Barton"
Where is your basket with the French Bread & flowers?
I had a pink Moped in HS. Not nearly as chic. They called it the Barbie mobile
"A surprise party & a Vespa. Any chance your hubby will be teaching Totally Cool Husbands 101"? I'd like to reserve a seat in the front row please.
Happy scootin'!
Jen (Abq Jen)
- August 16, 2008 at 5:00 AM
- Uncle Beefy said...
The Vespa is UBER-cute, Miss Courtney! But really I'm just stopping by to let you know I'm givin' you my support since no one else has bothered to leave a comment. ;)
How do you say "lucky butt" in Italian?
- August 18, 2008 at 10:23 AM
- Annie Empiric said...
I just saw the most adorable girl cruising through my neighborhood on a very pretty scooter and totally thought of this pic of you! If I wasn't deathly afraid of, well, dying, than I would get one too. Maybe someday if we move out of LA....
- August 20, 2008 at 6:43 PM


text:
If you're thinking of putting all your research, or just all your research for one particular surname, into a big, comprehensive genealogy/family history book, you've probably spent some time considering how to lay out your book. There are plenty of ways to do it, and you can refine your own ideas by studying the approaches others have taken. If you visit the Blurb Bookstore and type in the search term genealogy, you'll find lots of examples to look at. Browse several. See what you like and what you don't like.
In From New York to Indiana, author James P. Barber chose to include charts in a separate section, after a textual family history. If your readers are not consumed by genealogy (like us!), the odds are pretty good that they won't be inclined to sit around reading charts. An interesting text will have more appeal to that audience, as will pictures.
- If you're creating a book for family members who are, for the most part, not genealogically inclined, you might want to keep charts in a separate section toward the back of the book, where the hard-core genealogist among your readers will find them more easily anyway.
- If you're using Blurb as your POD publisher, you may find yourself with extra pages available due to Blurb's pricing structure. Consider using them to add some blank family group sheets at the end of your book, as Barber has done here, so generations can be added as the book is handed down.


text:
Submit News
Best Buy Looks to Crush Amazon with Price Match, Free Home Delivery This Holiday Season
Tiffany Kaiser
October 12, 2012 10:46 PM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
(Source: allthingsd.com)
Only about 40 percent of Best Buy shoppers leave the store with a purchase in hand, but the retailer wants to bump this percentage up a bit this holiday season
Brick-and-mortar retailers have been battling with online stores for years, but
Best Buy
is looking to reclaim a place in shoppers' hearts (and wallets) this holiday season with online price matching and free home delivery.
Best Buy announced that it will match the prices of online competitors like Amazon in order to attract more customers. This is huge for Best Buy, considering it has
lost a significant amount of business
to Amazon alone. With e-tailers like Amazon, customers can shop from the comfort at home, receive lower prices and quick delivery.
But Best Buy isn't betting on price matching alone. It's heating up the competition with free home delivery of products that are out-of-stock as well.
Right now, only about 40 percent of Best Buy shoppers leave the store with a purchase in hand, but the retailer wants to bump this percentage up a bit this holiday season.
"We have a tremendous opportunity to increase that close rate," said Matthew Furman, Best Buy spokesman.
Best Buy isn't alone in its holiday efforts to beat Amazon.
is currently testing a same-day delivery service for customers that who buy popular items off of the Wal-Mart website during the holidays. Toys "R" Us is another brick-and-mortar that is working to speed up delivery and offer price matching -- however, its price matching will not include Amazon, only brick-and-mortar competitors.
An interesting aspect of the holiday season is that a growing number of shoppers have started using brick-and-mortars for showrooms -- or checking out products in person -- then going home to buy the products online.
While this is another hurdle that brick-and-mortars must overcome, strangely, they're embracing this model.
"Let's be the best showroom," said Mike Duke, Wal-Mart CEO. "Let's be the best place where customers want to go and get the experience."
According to the brick-and-mortar stores, they can still offer things that Amazon can't. For instance, human customer service and options for purchase like online
brick-and-mortar stores. They added that Amazon now
must collect sales tax
in many U.S. states, so prices are not quite as low on the site as before.
To further hinder Amazon's sales, Wal-Mart and Target have
stopped selling the e-tailer's Kindle Fire tablet
The Wall Street Journal
"Game reviewers fought each other to write the most glowing coverage possible for the powerhouse Sony, MS systems. Reviewers flipped coins to see who would review the Nintendo Wii. The losers got stuck with the job." -- Andy Marken
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text: Kansas City native, Joyce DiDonato stars as Mary, Queen of Scots in the first-ever Met production of Gaetano Donizetti's dramatic historical opera Maria Stuarda. South African soprano Elza van den Heever makes her Met debut as Mary's rival, the formidable Queen Elizabeth I, and Matthew Polenzani sings Leicester, the nobleman caught between the dueling monarchs. Maurizio Benini conducts a cast that also includes Matthew Rose as Talbot, Mary's jailer, and Joshua Hopkins as Elizabeth's advisor Cecil. The production is by David McVicar, who also staged last season's broadcast of Donizetti's Tudor drama Anna Bolena. Soprano Deborah Voigt hosts and conducts backstage interviews with the stars.


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From the BlogBecome a Member
Observe and identify real life damsels and dragons – damselflies and dragonflies, that is – through today's On Your Own Challenge. Kids and their families will have fun searching for these amazing insects and then exploring hands-on Discovery Stations during the afternoon.
Today's Discovery Day includes:
On Your Own Challenge, available in the Visitor Center from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Discovery Stations are at the Visitor Center from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Hike of the Day led by a Bernheim guide, starts at the Visitor Center at 2:00 p.m. and runs 45 – 60 minutes.


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Main Content
- Olympic collar
- Full button storm flap
- Imported
- Satin lining
- LRG full zip vest
- Metallic LRG labels
- Contrast fabric at shoulders
- Rib-knit collar interior
- Two front pockets
- 100% Polyester fabric
- Imported
- Brand: LRG
Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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Track Hindprint about 3/8" (10mm) long, only 4 toes printing. Straddle 1 1/4-1 3/4" (30-45 mm); leaps occasionally 2' (600 mm).
Sign Trails are frequently found in snow along stone walls in fields or running across openings between sections of walls.
Scat: Similar to that of larger weasels but smaller.


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GigapanMagazine.org Volume 3 Issue 5 One of the most difficult panoramas i've made, just because of the location and extreme exposure differences from one corner of the room to the next. A 360-degree, triple-exposure HDR image that took three shooting attempts over the last several months to finally get corre...
The Hoover Dam shot from the new bridge over the Colorado River 11-19-16. This image is made from 18 photos and is 98x218 inches in size. Built in the 1930s the Hoover dam provides electricity and water from Lake Mead to millions of people in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and the southwest. I have never been to a place whe...
In north-central Washington state, the Grand Coulee dam harnesses the Columbia river, generating hydroelectric power and irrigation water for much of the state.
Not a terribly exciting photo, but a good test of my Gigapan Mount. This is Rainbow Dam, one of five hydroelectric dams at the Great Falls of the Missouri River. The reservoir behind the dam covers up Colter Falls, a small waterfall noted by Meriwether Lewis during the month-long stay of the Lewis and Clark Expedition ...
This is the falls a few days after a major storm dumped several inches of rain. The falls are 77 feet high, and are the second largest waterfall by volume east of the Mississippi. The building to the left is a hydroelectric plant. There are two bridges over the gorge, the one closest carries a water pipe, the farther o...
Supplying hydropower to the city of Seattle. Standing on the suspension bridge while the GigaPan is shooting, one gets a firsthand appreciation and learns a healthy respect for the awesome power of the Skagit River.
North of Wawa, Ontario. I like the contrast between the modern hydropower facilities and the ruins of an older generation of hydropower buildings.
The Cheoah Dam is a hydroelectric complex located in Graham and Swain counties, North Carolina on the Little Tennessee River between river miles 51 and 52. (35°26′53″N 83°56′11″W) When completed, the 225-foot (69 m) dam was the world's highest overflow dam. The dam was used as a filming location for the 199...
A view of Calderwood Dam from TN Hwy 129 (the Dragon). Calderwood Dam is a hydroelectric dam located along the Little Tennessee River in Blount and Monroe counties, in the U. S. state of Tennessee. Completed in 1930, the dam is owned and maintained by Tapoco, a subsidiary of the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa), al...


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I am in the mood to get beat up today! so here goes!!
Lets Talk about Image.
I have attended MANY MANY gun shows in the past... I think they have really changed in the past decade or so. many More boothes of "Black Guns" Tatical equiptment, Clothes, Body armour, ect.
Ammo belts that hold large amounts of ammo.. Night taticle scopes, Night range finders..
Desgin guns that really arnt Assult weapons,, Just look like them,,, or,, deliberataly take a normal looking weapon,, and turn it ito someting that LOOKS LIKE, to the uneducated,, something evil,, and to be feared
Whats that Image portray to the gerneral populace? Do you think it breeds fear? Do you think it portrays gun owners as "Kooks"
Do you think the media doesnt salivate over the opportunity to dispaly this??
If we take the attitude,, "Its our right,, and there is nothing you can do about it"
Do you think that attitude will breed fear,,, and the general populace that doesnt understand guns,,,, the second ammendment,, and has slowly become somewhat the majority,, will vote our rights away beacuse of "In your Face" actions.
So so everyone understands where I stand... I am very Pro gun!!
I think we have made a HUGE mistake in displaying a percieved image...
I dont think deliberatly designing guns to LOOK like assult type weapons,,,, or purchasing clothes ,much like a golf ensamble, to make your self look like a weekend swat team member, does our gun rights group much good!!!
I believe we need an Image of "nothing to fear",, and infact,, maybe a preventative against evil..
Go ahead,,, beat me up!!!


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Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform
GEORGIA - Country Specific Programmes for Capacity building
Activity in 2012
Legal assistance was provided to the Georgian government in 2012.
Activity in 2011
Completion of the 2nd Round the Strategic Municipal Planning (SMP) Programme in two pilot municipalities of the Guria Region (Ozurgeti and Chokhatauri), with the support of the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) and the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) with funding from the Norwegian MFA;
Follow-up assistance provided to the pilot City of Lanchhuti involved in the 1st Edition of the SMP Programme; experts' visited the city of Lanckhuti (30 March) to assess the implementation of projects identified during the first round of SMP.
Field visits to the pilot municipalities (March 2011) to examine the final version of their respective strategic municipal plans for 2011-2015;
Joint evaluation workshop (March 2011) of the MP programme held to discuss the regional plan developed by the Region of Guria.
Final evaluation conference of the 2nd Round of the SMP programme and last series of field visits (15-18 November)
The methodology and know-how developed in the framework of the programme were disseminated to all Georgian local authorities with the aid of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG).
Activities in 2010
Programme on Training of Municipal Councillors and Local Government Officials
NALAG organised various training sessions in several Georgian municipalities, especially for the newly elected municipal councillors
GTZ and other international organisations
Training tools tested in 2008 and 2009 in 10 pilot local authorities
Preparation of a guidebook for newly elected municipal councillors
2nd Round the Strategic Municipal Planning Programme
Project location
Guria Region (Ozurgeti, Chokhatauri, Lanckhuti)
opening, in June 2010, of several one-stop-shop/information centres all over its territory as well as some activities of promotion of tourism.
Ozurgeti et Chokhatauri
Various working groups and public meetings, some with the participation of Council of Europe experts, were organised with a
strong political commitment of the Mayors as well as a strong involvement of the Governor of the Region.
a new field visit of the local and international experts was held in each pilot from 22 to 25 June 2010, with a view to meeting all
key stakeholders of the Programme (Mayor and Chief Executive of pilot municipalities, some local officials such as heads of
student and youth departments, as well as representatives of local NGOs and local media) and discuss with them the draft
communities profiles of both pilot municipalities as well as to make a joint analysis of their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and Threats (SWOT).
12 October 2010,Oslo (Norway), mid-term evaluation workshop
to review the implementation of the 2nd Round of the strategic municipal planning programme, identify its weaknesses, and
where needed bring the necessary improvements.
KS, NALAG, Council of Europe experts
Main conclusions
- 2nd Round of the strategic municipal planning programme is developing successfully, particularly given that the plans for
Ozurgeti and Chokhatauri are now at the point where SWOTs vision statements have been completed and development
objectives have been defined.
- First drafts of the strategic municipal plans of Ozurgeti and Chokhatauri are thus ready for public hearings to be organised in
the course of the first semester of 2011.
- The project has received regular national and regional coverage.
- a network of info-points has been opened across Guria Region, in particular nearby Lanckhuti
- further projects will be supported through the programme in 2011.
- The overall action plan of the programme was consequently revised
- a next joint field visit of KS, NALAG and Council of Europe experts, March 2011 to validate and mark officially the
completion of the first phase of the project with the completion of the municipal plans for Ozurgeti and Chokhatauri.
- to launch the second stage (2011-2012) of the Strategic Municipal Planning Programme with the support to the development
of a regional plan for Guria.
- The plan should be situated at a more strategic level, taking into account projects of regional significance (e.g. relocation of
refining capacity, potential new railway infrastructure, business and employment development, environment) to provide an
outward facing perspective of Guria's role in relation to Georgia and its economic and social development.
Previous activities
NTS, Councillors' Training and Strategic Municipal Planning Programmes
Development of a National Training Strategy (NTS)
Development of a National Training Strategy (NTS), which included the setting up of a National Training Coordination Agency (TCA), and a project on human resources management at municipal level.
Date: 2004-2008
In co-operation
former Directorate of Cooperation for Local and Regional Democracy (DCDLR) (2004-200?) Council of Europe, later the Centre of Expertise for Local Government for the Council of Europe (200?-2008)
National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG),
Norwegian Association of Cities and Regions,
Programme of Training of Municipal Councillors and Local Government Officials
Date: 2008
Location: In three Georgian pilot municipalities (Rustavi and Lanchkhuti for SMP and Senaki for EMP)
Programmes of assistance on strategic municipal planning (SMP) and emergency municipal planning (EMP)
In co-operation:
Norwegian Association of Cities and Regions
Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Emergency planning programme ends
responsibility transferred to national authorities
no more direct involvement of local authorities
Councillors Training and Strategic Municipal Planning Programmes continued
Key topics
National Georgian legislation in the field of local self-government;
Budgetary and financial planning procedure at local level and effectiveness of municipal councils and
General management of municipal administration (including communication with citizens)
Tools finalised following their testing in 10 Georgian pilot local
Strategic municipal planning programme
In cooperation
Implemented in cooperation with:
Georgian and Norwegian Associations of Local Authorities (NALAG and KS)
Supported by
the municipality of Lanchkhuti for the period 2010-2014, the responsibility for the support to the Rustavi plan being taken over by UNDP.
2nd Round of the Strategic Municipal Planning Programme, October 2009
developing municipal but also regional strategic municipal plans.
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS)
Pilot municipalities
Ozurgeti and Chokhatauri, Guria Region, South West


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On Sunday I spent the day in and around St Emilion; it was more a question of what tasting opportunities were available, rather than picking and choosing. Normally I would have gone to the tasting held by Vintex Vignobles Grégoire, a good négociant, but this wasn't on this year. And so I headed over the right bank, for two significant tastings.
I kicked off with La Grappe, an annual tasting hosted by Château Gaffelière but featuring the wines of the châteaux to which Stéphane Derenoncourt consults. The tasting featured 54 wines, poured by Simon Blanchard and Frédéric Massie, two of Derenoncourt's team, and both good guys. The tasting was right-bank heavy, as you might expect, although the team also consult to a number of left-bank properties, including Château Talbot and Château Poujeaux, among a few others.
Then it was on to Château Bellefont-Belcier (pictured above), for the Cercle Rive Droite and Cercle Rive Gauche tastings. All told there were 188 wines here for tasting, just a little too many (by just a teensy-weensy amount) to get through in just one afternoon. I probably tasted another 50 or 60, focusing on the right bank, not just Pomerol and St Emilion, but also Fronsac, Castillon and the satellite appellations.
Obviously I can't report on all these wines individually here, but I shall write them up as soon as possible for my Bordeaux 2013 report, begining next week. It is certainly a variable vintage, although whereas I found some good (but not truly great) wines in among the Sauternes on Saturday, this was a more difficult task in today's tasting of reds. The 2013 vintage was a very difficult one, described here in Bordeaux as "the worst in a generation" or the "worst in my lifetime" (which it is seems to depend on the age of the individual giving their opinion more than anything else) and this certainly comes through when tasting the wines. Having said that, of course, Sunday's tastings were not rich in cru classé level wines; there were a few (Chevalier, Clos Fourtet, those mentioned above), but not many. I will be able to form a better opinion on this over the next few days, as I hit Pessac-Léognan (on Monday) and the Médoc (Tuesday and Wednesday), followed by a return to the right bank on Thursday. I start at 8am on Monday, at Château La Mission Haut-Brion.


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As a child, Paula Graves's books were Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries and Harlequin Romances. When she realized there were books that featured both romance and mystery, she knew she'd found her calling. Now Paula writes for Harlequin Intrigue, where she gets to play both matchmaker and murderer and has a blast doing it.
In addition, Paula works a full-time day job at a Birmingham ad agency, where she's a copywriter and graphic designer, a background that comes in handy when it's time to redesign her Web site and create promotional materials for her books. She's also known among certain circles as the Cat Whisperer, but that's a whole other story.
Paula loves to hear from her readers.


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GLORY Announces GLORY 16 Denver in May
- Written by Dave Walsh
As someone who lives in the Southwest I can say that it is sometimes difficult to be a fan of combat sports out here. Going to live events is kept to local and smaller events, which let's be honest, isn't everyone's cup of tea. Sometimes you want to see high level stuff and your only choice is to make a long trek to Las Vegas, Texas or California, which, also isn't great. Well, GLORY is going to make good on their promise to come to Denver, Colorado. They originally were talking about GLORY 14 happening in Denver, but circumstances obviously changed and now we instead will get GLORY 16 Denver on May 3rd at the 1STBANK Center.
Still no information on the card just yet, but as it is a major GLORY event and knowing their plans for the year, we can expect something big.


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Long time no entry ;-).
In April, I moved east ;-) to Marburg to work as a research assistant/Ph.D. student at the Distributed Systems Group (Prof. Freisleben).
The most recent "toy" I have here is our institute's new server - a dual-G4 XServe from Apple. After fixing a bug in Apple's GMac ethernet driver, this machine is now up and running, waiting for me to finish configuring all the services it's intended to run.


text:
Information and documentation pertaining to this regulatory proposal.
California Code of Regulation Titles: 17Sections: 30410, 30410.2, 30421, 30424, 30445 and 30447
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Published: September 7, 2007California Regulatory Notice Register 2007, No. 36-ZClose of 45-day Public Comment Period: October 26, 2007Filed with the Office of Administrative Law: December 31, 2007Approved by the Office of Administrative Law: February 14, 2008Filed with the Secretary of State: February 14, 2008 Effective Date: March 15, 2008
This rulemaking is completed.
Inquiries Regarding the Substance of the Regulations may be directed to:Name: Phillip Scott, Radiologic Health BranchPhone: (916) 440-7978Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
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About Jeff Masters
Cat 6 lead authors: WU cofounder Dr. Jeff Masters (right), who flew w/NOAA Hurricane Hunters 1986-1990, & WU meteorologist Bob Henson, @bhensonweather
By: Dr. Jeff Masters , 1:24 PM GMT on September 08, 2010
Major flooding is occurring in the Austin, Texas region after Tropical Storm Hermine dumped an estimated 10 - 15 inches of rain over the past 24 hours. The flash flood warning for Austin from the National Weather Service at 4am this morning summarized the danger:
"Areas along I-35 and the Balcones Escarpment in and around the Austin Metro area will continue to experience a very dangerous flash flood event over the next few hours. Numerous evacuations and high water rescues have already been reported by the media and law enforcement personnel."
As wunderground's Dr. Rob Carver reports in his blog this morning, hardest hit was the area ten miles north-northwest of Austin, where an NWS cooperative station measured 10.11" of rain yesterday. The rains have swollen the South Fork of the San Gabriel River at Georgetown, Texas to 50-year flood heights.
Hermine has dissipated, but its heavy rains live on, and are now affecting the Dallas/Fort Worth region, where 1 - 3 inch rainfall amounts have been common. Hermine's rains are still lingering over the hard-hit Austin area, but should remain under one inch for the remainder of the morning. However, this afternoon, additional significant rains are possible near Austin as the sun's heat drives thunderstorm development in the very moist airmass over Central Texas.
Figure 1. Radar estimated rainfall for the Austin, Texas area shows that over fifteen inches of rain may have fallen in the region ten miles north-northwest of the city.
Gaston's remains no longer a threat
Dry air has significantly disrupted the remains of Tropical Storm Gaston, which are now over the Dominican Republic. NHC is now giving Gaston a 0% chance of developing, and no models are calling for development. It appears Gaston is finally dead.
Invest 91 off the coast of Africa
A large, well-organized tropical wave (91L) is just off the coast of Africa, near the Cape Verdes Islands, and is bringing sustained winds of 30 mph this morning to Praia in the southeast Cape Verdes. 91L is under a high 20 - 30 knots of wind shear, but this shear will decline to the moderate range, 10 - 20 knots, by Thursday. Water temperatures are warm, 28°C, and 91L has plenty of spin. The Saharan Air Layer (SAL) is well north of 91L, and should not be an impediment to development over the next few days. The models are pretty unanimous about developing 91L into Tropical Storm Igor sometime in the next 1 - 3 days. NHC is giving 91L a 70% chance of developing into a tropical depression by Friday. The GFDL model predicts 91L will be Hurricane Igor five days from now. The storm will track west to west-northwest over the next week, with long range forecasts from the GFS and ECMWF models putting 91L several hundred miles northeast of the Lesser Antilles Islands 7 - 10 days from now. History shows that about 20% of all tropical cyclones that have existed at 91L's current position have gone on to hit the U.S. East Coast; these odds are 10% for the U.S. Gulf Coast, 5% for Puerto Rico, and 10% for Canada. The forecast steering pattern for the coming two weeks from the GFS model shows a continuation of the pattern we've seen all hurricane season, with regular strong troughs of low pressure moving off the U.S. East Coast. This pattern favors a continuation of the sort of tracks we saw for Danielle, Earl, and Fiona, with threats to the northern Lesser Antilles, Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast, and Canada.
Figure 2. Morning satellite image of Invest 91L (Igor?)
Elsewhere in the tropics
The GFS and ECMWF models are predicting the development of a new tropical wave off the coast of Africa 5 - 6 days from now.
Death toll in Guatemala from Tropical Depression 11E rises to 54
In the Eastern Pacific, heavy rains from Tropical Depression 11E have killed at least 54 people in Guatemala, with many more missing and feared dead. The heavy rains triggered nearly 200 landslides and collapses, causing damages near $500 million. Fifteen landslides hit portions of the Inter-American Highway, burying a number of vehicles and a bus. Tropical Depression 11E formed on September 3, moved over Mexico and Guatemala, and dissipated by the next day. Remnants from the depression may have played a role in the formation of Tropical Storm Hermine in the Gulf of Mexico on September 5.
Guatemala is still recovering from the impacts of Tropical Storm Agatha, which killed 287 people in the country and did over $1 billion in damage in May. This September's heavy rains in Guatemala come on the heels of the rainiest August in Guatemala's history, according to preliminary data from the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology (INSIVUMEH). Rain was more than 100% above average in many parts of the country, and more than 200% above average in some regions. September and October are historically Guatemala's rainiest months, and any additional tropical cyclones which affect the country can be expected to cause more serious flooding.
Figure 3. Satellite image from Friday, September 3, 2010, showing Tropical Depression 11E over Mexico and Guatemala. Image credit: NASA.
Next post
I'll have an update Thursday morning.
Jeff Masters
The views of the author are his/her own and do not necessarily represent the position of The Weather Company or its parent, IBM.
Cat 6 lead authors: WU cofounder Dr. Jeff Masters (right), who flew w/NOAA Hurricane Hunters 1986-1990, & WU meteorologist Bob Henson, @bhensonweather


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Counter-Strike: Global Offensive expands on the classic team-based action gameplay that it pioneered when it first launched 12 years ago. Featuring a massive arsenal of over 45 weapons, loads of maps, new game modes, new visuals, leaderboards, and over 165 awards to be earned. CS:GO is a must-have tactical shooter. So what are you waiting for? Come join your friends online and GO GO GO!
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Visit the New York State Archives and Library with the organization that knows New York best: The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society.
We've been providing guided programs and expert advice in Albany since 1993. The Education Committee, with thanks to Meriwether Schmid, FGBS, for her leadership, sponsors this trip.
This program will be held Thursday, November 3, through Saturday, November 5, 2011. As with past programs, we will provide our members with three days of assisted research at the Library and Archives, plus social events.
Travel to Albany on your own (several carriers serve the Albany County airport, and there is frequent Amtrak Service). The Crowne Plaza also provides a complimentary shuttle bus to and from the train station.
Stay at the Crowne Plaza, Albany-City Center Hotel, within walking distance of the Library and Archives. The Crowne Plaza also provides a complimentary shuttle bus to the Archives and Library.
During the three days, you will do your own research, assisted by the Library and Archives staff, volunteers from the Capital District Genealogical Society, and NYG&B experts from our staff and Education Committee.
Thursday morning will begin with orientations of the available resources, conducted by Library and Archives staff.
On Thursday evening registrants will be invited to a program dinner at the hotel, with a talk presented by well-respected New York researcher, Peter Christoph, who was instrumental in initiating the publication of the New York Historical Manuscripts series.
Friday evening a wine and cheese reception will be held at the hotel, affording you a chance to compare notes with other registrants, after two full days of research.
The New York State Library has a large genealogy and local history collection, containing many titles not available elsewhere. In addition it has a major map collection, one of the largest collections of New York State newspapers, and thousands of unique manuscripts. The Library is also a repository for the Family Bible and Cemetery Records series of the New York State DAR. Visit the Library's website at www.nysl.nysed.gov [1], where the catalog is available.
The New York State Archives preserves records generated by the State government (and its colonial predecessors). Collections of particular value to genealogists include probate, land, court, and military records, as well as records of some State-run correction and custodial institutions. The Archives also has indexes to New York State vital records (outside of New York City). Visit the Archives website at www.archives.nysed.gov/aindex.shtml [2] for more information.
Other Albany Repositories: If you have Albany County ancestry you will also have the opportunity visit, on your own, nearby government offices as well as the Albany Public Library and Albany Institute of History and Art.
TO REGISTER: The program fee, including a dinner, reception, and all other arrangements, is $110 for members, $150 for non-members. Guests for dinner, $30. We have arranged a special room rate at the Crowne Plaza of $99 per night, single or double. Please call the hotel directly at 518-462-6611 and mention that you are attending the NYG&B program to get this rate. You may register online [3] or contact Lauren Maehrlein at email@example.com [4]; or by telephone 212-755-8532, ext. 211.


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Among the projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is the East Walnut Grove Water System project.
Project Description: East Walnut Grove Water System is installing water meters to comply with the California Water Measurement Law.
Final Project Cost: $282,000
Click here for Section 1511 Certification (PDF)
Click here for photos (PDF)
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Student work: 'Princeton Writes'
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Princeton Writes is an on-campus program where words matter. Through workshops, roundtables and tutorials, Princeton Writes helps students, faculty and staff become better writers. Read more.


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Sajid Siddiqi
doctoral dissertation, tech. report CMU-RI-TR-09-39, Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, January, 2010
|A variety of learning problems in robotics, computer vision and other areas of artificial intelligence can be construed as problems of learning statistical models for dynamical systems from sequential observations. Good dynamical system models allow us to represent and predict observations in these systems, which in turn enables applications such as classification, planning, control, simulation, anomaly detection and forecasting. One class of dynamical system models assumes the existence of an underlying hidden random variable that evolves over time and emits the observations we see. Past observations are summarized into the belief distribution over this random variable, which represents the state of the system. This assumption leads to 'latent variable models' which are used heavily in practice. However, learning algorithms for these models still face a variety of issues such as model selection, local optima and instability. The representational ability of these models also differs significantly based on whether the underlying latent variable is assumed to be discrete as in Hidden Markov Models (HMMs), or real-valued as in Linear Dynamical Systems (LDSs). Another recently introduced class of models represents state as a set of predictions about future observations rather than as a latent variable summarizing the past. These 'predictive models', such as Predictive State Representations (PSRs), are provably more powerful than latent variable models and hold the promise of allowing more accurate, efficient learning algorithms since no hidden quantities are involved. However, this promise has not been realized. In this thesis we propose novel learning algorithms that address the issues of model selection, local minima and instability in learning latent variable models. We show that certain 'predictive' latent variable model learning methods bridge the gap between latent variable and predictive models. We also propose a novel latent variable model, the Reduced-Rank HMM (RR-HMM), that combines desirable properties of discrete and real-valued latent-variable models. We show that reparameterizing the class of RR-HMMs yields a subset of PSRs, and propose an asymptotically unbiased predictive learning algorithm for RR-HMMs and PSRs along with finite-sample error bounds for the RR-HMM case. In terms of efficiency and accuracy, our methods outperform alternatives on dynamic texture videos, mobile robot visual sensing data, and other domains.
Associated Lab(s) / Group(s):
Auton Lab
Number of pages: 191
|Text Reference
|Sajid Siddiqi, "Learning Latent Variable and Predictive Models of Dynamical Systems," doctoral dissertation, tech. report CMU-RI-TR-09-39, Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, January, 2010
|BibTeX Reference
author = "Sajid Siddiqi",
title = "Learning Latent Variable and Predictive Models of Dynamical Systems",
booktitle = "",
school = "Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University",
month = "January",
year = "2010",
number= "CMU-RI-TR-09-39",
address= "Pittsburgh, PA",
|The Robotics Institute is part of the School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University.
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In search of an easy meatless dish? Try this lighter lasagna with creamy ricotta blended with fresh and frozen vegetables and prepared sauce.
Ricotta is fresh cheese with small soft curds. Its name is Italian for "recooked"; ricotta is made by reheating the whey drained from mozzarella or provolone cheese. Ricotta's mild flavor and loose texture combine well with both sweet and savory ingredients.
The 6-chese Italian blend contains mozzarella, smoked provolone, Parmesan, Romano, Fontina and Asiago. Use another combination of Italian cheeses from your refrigerator in place of the 6-cheese Italian blend. Try Asiago, mozzarella, Parmesan and provolone; shred the cheeses and measure 2 cups.
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6 January 2006
East Lae`apuki lava delta and Petunia skylight
13 January 2006
East Lae`apuki lava delta
20 January 2006
Shatter ring, dirty water, and MLK vent
30 January 2006
MLK vent, skylights, and lava on Pulama pali
Map of flows from Pu`u `O`o: 19 December 2005
Map shows lava flows erupted during 1983-present activity of Pu`u `O`o and Kupaianaha (see large map).
Yellow, brown, and red colors indicate lava flows erupted from October 2003 to December 16, 2005. Yellow indicates the currently active Kuhio (PKK) flow, active most of the time from March 20, 2004 to the present. The east and west arms of the PKK flow, once widely separated, began to merge and overlap on the coastal flat in March 2005. The east arm feeds the East Lae`apuki ocean entry. Activity on the west arm declined through mid-August, and the last surface flow on that arm was observed on August 21. The recent (November-December 2005) breakouts on Pulama pali described as "eastern" and "western" are all on the east arm of the PKK flow.
The brown shade denotes Martin Luther King (MLK ) flows, which first erupted in January 2004 from flank vents on the south slope of Pu`u `O`o. Since then, several more vents have formed in the MLK area and continue to erupt intermittently.
Red indicates the Mother's Day and Banana flows, last active in September 2004. Short flows from the crater, West Gap, and Puka Nui vents are also shown in red. In recent months, only the Puka Nui vent has produced infrequent, small flows.
Map of Pu`u `O`o and vicinity: 19 December 2005
Map shows vents, lava flows, and other features near Pu`u `O`o frequently referred to in updates (see large map). These features can change quickly, but this map should help those viewers lost in the terminology. The vents, lava tubes, and flows active in 2005 include the numbered vents in the crater, the MLK vent complex and associated flows, the Puka Nui vent, and the upper Kuhio (PKK) tube, which feeds the lava flows eventually reaching the ocean.
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Updated: 18 March 2006 (DAS)