text:
About Lotussia Travel
Lotussia Travel is a Hanoi based tour operator offering a wide selection of multi-activity tours, multisport vacations, outdoor adventure tours, value-for-money travel services and free travel advices in all over Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia (Indochina), Myanmar, Thailand. The company focuses in private adventure tailor-made trips, customized for small groups, individual travelers and family vacations. The travel agency also arranges set departure tours, boat cruises, beach holidays, , honeymoon packages, hotel reservations, car rental, airlines ticket bookings, visa application.
We are not a World Leading Travel Agency which is able to cater all your travel needs. We are just a local tour operator run by local people who are fond of outdoor activities, community travel and eco tours. We love our homeland and we are eager to sharing our country as it is.
The story started first on January 24th, 2005 when Lotussia Travel opened its first office in Hanoi which is also its head quarter now. The Company' first travel products were limited to day trips and short excursions in and around Hanoi such as Halong Bay cruise tours, Perfumed Pagoda tour, Mai Chau treks, Tam Coc tours, Sapa trekking tours, Cuc Phuong trek, Pu Luong trek, Mekong river boat trips, Halong bay, Cat Ba kayaking tours…[read more] Why travel with Lotussia
We are different from other local travel agents and tour operators. Booking your tailor-made trip with Lotussia Travel guarantees a journey that has been thoroughly planned by an travel expert with in-depth knowledge of the region, that brings you an authentic scenery, a real life experience. We pride ourselves on our attention to detail and customer service.
All our clients travel at their own pace rather than being made to fit in with a group scheduled departures, mass travel and local travel arrangements are made using private tour guides and drivers wherever possible. Your trips are flexible and can be customized to match your personal travel needs...[read more] Lotussia Travel Service Standard In order to provide to the clients an extraordinary leisure holiday, an impressive journey in all tourist destinations where Lotussia Travel is present, the company almost never arranges any routes without prior inspection.
Principally, Lotussia Travel requires all the trip associates to know the travel destinations well by any means of traveling or enquiry to the local travel partners to figure out all the relative details of any trip. For outdoor adventure tours such as jungle trekking, hiking tours, sea kayaking, river rafting tours, motorcycle, motorbike tours, mountain biking, road cycling tours, snorkeling, scuba diving vacations, Lotussia Travel will never add any new route into available schedule until survey or pre-view it...[read more]
TRAVEL DESTINATIONS - VIETNAM LAOS CAMBODIA MYANMAR CHINA THAILANDHanoi Ha Giang Ba Be Lake Buon Ma Thuot Can Tho Cao Bang Chau Doc Dalat Da Nang Dien Bien Phu Hai Phong Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Mai Chau Hue Lang Son Sapa Bac Ha Nha Trang Tam Coc Mui Ne Phan Thiet Hoi An Halong Bay Son La Tay Ninh Mekong Delta Bolaven Plateau Champasak Don Det & Don Khon Huay Xai Luang Nam Tha Luang Prabang Muang Ngoi Neua Muang Sing Nong Khiaw Northern Laos Pakse Phonsavan Plain of Jars Sam Neua Savannakhet Si Phan Don (Four Thousand Islands) Southern Laos Tadlo Udomxai Vang Vieng Vieng Xai (Pathet Lao Caves) Vientiane Angkor Borei & Phnom Da Anlong Veng Ban Lung Banteay Chhmar & Banteay Top Battambang Bokor National Park Central Cardamoms Protected Forest Chi Phat Kampot Kep Kirirom National Park Koh Ker Koh Kong Conservation Corridor Koh Tonsay Kompong Cham Kompong Chhnang Kompong Thom Kratie Krong Koh Kong Mondulkiri Province Northeastern Cambodia Northwestern Cambodia PailinPhnom Bayong Phnom Chisor Phnom Penh Phnom Sampeau Phnom Santuk Phnom Tamao Wildlife Sanctuary Poipet Prasat Preah Vihear Preah Khan Prey Veng Pursat Ream National Park Sambor Prei Kuk Samraong Sen Monorom Siem Reap Sihanoukville Sisophon South Coast Sre Ambel Stung Treng Svay Rieng Takeo Tbeng Meanchey Udong Wat Ek Phnom


text: Taylor Schilling was never the first choice for the role of Piper on Orange Is The New Black. The producers really wanted someone who was at least as well known as Natasha Lyonne and Laura Prepon. Not big stars by any stretch but at least you had heard of them. So, they went after an actress who is certainly well known for her relationship but who acts at about the same list level as Laura Prepon. They went for Katie Holmes. Katie was offered the role of Piper and turned it down. I don't know if it is because she and Laura don't like each other because Laura has been rumored to be the next contract wife. Maybe Katie thought the show was beyond her acting ability. That is certainly possible, although Taylor is more like the glue that keeps it all together so all of the other actors can show off their skill. The official reason Katie gave was that she was too busy. You know, starring in really bad Broadway plays and even worse movies.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Please download the wonderful
Pali chanting and English chanting
from Wat Pah Nanachat
and practice right speech which gives right thought and right virtue
chanting is must for those who practice to Noble 8foldpath.
if you can't chant Pali, chant English. and the Pali
and then connect the meaning
it is a slow process but with great benefits.


text:
Discussion in 'November 2013' started by roscoe36, Oct 21, 2013.
Here are some photos from the game:
U live in Santa Clara? Cool. I'm in the city in Visatacion Valley with a view of the soon to be defunct Candlestick.
Ok. Its time. We need to bench Monroe to start the game. The Josh Smith 3 experiment needs to end
Totally agree dude. Let him have Mason call his name in pre-game intros. Let him take the floor and participate in pre-game handshakes and high fives. ...as soon as he, Dre or Moose pick up a foul or do something bone-headed, they get subbed-out for Pizza Guy, Singler or better yet, some young stud SF that Joe gets in a trade for our expirings. I don't have a problem with Josh Smith playing 10-15 minutes per game at the three spot if it keeps everyone happy and engaged. Smith, Monroe and Drummond are our three best players. I want them to be treated as such. Either Monroe or Drummond should always be playing Center. Either Smith or Monroe should always be playing Power Forward.
That's crazy!
That's why it was so frustrating.
I see Blaha on the pics, I wonder why I couldn't choose the away announcers on my LP for this game? Double-Singler with another sweet 4p 1 dime game. Atleast he provided some sub-par defense. Stuckeys 3 point shooting is starting to regress to the mean. I guess enough has been said about the defense and Smitty at the 3. Drummond had the play of the game when he ripped the ball out of the air. I bet the stat guys had problems if they should record it as a block or a board. Pizza Guy and Kenny were the positives from this game. Kenny looks like he's on his way to becoming a beast on D. All those minutes of learning from the bench is starting to pay dividends. Tony Mitchell (6-9) looks like a raw version of McGee when he is flying around like superman without a clue.
But Smith and Jennings was dealt a coach no one else really wanted so it evens out!
The pieces are there but they desperately need to get on the same page and give more effort. I'm just hoping that we can be somewhere around .500 after 20 games.
Jonas looks likes he pissed he has to wear sneakers at the games while Singler looks like he's in mid-game form!
They may not be able to P&R with all the bigs on the floor.
Hey everyone, it's the Pistons defensive scheme!!!
Nice pictures, glad you got Sheed in there even if it was from the back side.......
This one was on NBAtv I believe. If it were on regular league pass, they usually have 2 channels for each broadcast team.
watched it on NBA TV...let me say this!!!!!: - I hate Jennings. Never liked him from high school and I still dont! He is bringing down this team because he is not a leader and no where near a NBA point guard. He will cost Dumars his job. I blame Allen Iverson for making 6'0" guards all think they can average 30 PPG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Josh Smith NEEDS a good point guard...Like ben Wallace hewould be more effective with a guard to alley oop and push the break and be unselfish. Plus , I dont think this team is tough enough for Smith.... - The backcourt was highly overrated. No leadership. Billups is great as the 11th man leader from the bench and lockerromm but DEFENSIVELY, he's toast! jennings? BLHHHH!! Stuckey ? Get him OUT!! bynum? whos afraid of the big bad wolf?? POPE- a rookie. something has to give. - i LOVE: DRUMMOND , SINGLER, MONROE, JEREBKO, DATOME.....I LIKE: SMITH, BILLUPS everybody else can go!
If this keeps up, what do we really have to lose in playing Siva? He seems to be the forgotten man and he is a bonafide PG
...Observations:I'm not sure what Maurice's pre-game speech was but I have to assume that it was something like: "Ok guys, let's go out there and get this over with. ...bring it in. ...'uninspired' on three, ...one ...two ...uninspired!"Another "fast start" for the Pistons in this game. At around the halfway point in the 1st Q, I thought that I had accidently hit the rewind button on my DVR remote.Prior to the season, I remember reading some stuff about Brandon Jennings where he said that he was going to be a different player and look to facilitate more. It appears that Mr. Jennings has some short-term memory loss issues. He may want to get that checked out. He ran the offense like a well-oiled ice skating rink.It seems that BJ7's favorite play is the one where he dribbles around above the three point line for 20 seconds, ignores the picks that Drummond and Monroe set for him and then chucks some kind of sidewinder 25 footer that any NBA player can get at ANY time. I'd like to propose a new nickname for Brandon Jennings: "Chuck"I blame coach Mo for Chuck's "facilitating". Cheeks is the one letting him get away with it. I now know what the exact opposite of Larry Brown looks like.I'm convinced that Steph Curry goes out there and does his thing hoping that opposing PGs will try to "out-Curry" him. That dude fires up (and makes) jumpers with no conscience. In the GS games that I've watched, it seems like opposing PGs try to match his scoring and it just doesn't ever work. That dude can fill it!Kyle Singler should have been a decent matchup for Klay Thompson. Cheeks stuck him on Green & Barnes instead. Mo is playing the "Gene Hackman-before the town's people bought into his coaching methodology" role pretty well!What bizzaro world does Cheeks live in where it looks like Rodney Stuckey deserves monster minutes? It seemed like he was out there for the full 48 last night. I know it wasn't that bad but time stands still for me when Rodney is in the game. ...Kinda like when you're in line at the Post Office or something.Pope should be absolutely dominating almost all minutes at SG. I can't remember when a Piston roster decision has ever been so obvious (2012/13 Andre Drummond perhaps?).Andre Drummond was a MONSTER in this one. It's amazing how he acumulates points while barely touching the ball. By doing this, he doesn't give the opposing team a chance to foul him.I'm not sure what Cheeks saw Smith doing or not doing that resulted in cutting his minutes in half. I'm not saying that Smith was playing well (he wasn't). I'm not saying that Smith has played well (he hasn't). I'm just saying that there are several guys on this team that aren't being benched that are more deserving. I think that there are probably better ways to motivate your $54 million dollar free agent signing than benching him in favor of playing Kyle Singler out of position.I want Tony Mitchell to succeed more than anyone but he didn't make a case for more playing time in this one. He played like he had arrived late to the game and had to borrow some shoes and a uniform just so he could take the floor.Pizza Guy has a sweet jumper. I like him at SF. ...At PF, he's rather 'Jerebko-like'.At least Charlie didn't play.
How does Will Bynum get a PLUS 13 in a blowout loss?
He played well. I would have liked to see more dimes but after watching Jennings, Will was like a breath of fresh air on a warm Spring day. Jennings has to get better. Right now he's being out-played by a 31 year old undersized, undrafted journeyman who has "issues" on full moons and has done hard time in an Israeli prison.
I've been saying, give Datome a chance. These are his first NBA minutes. The dude isn't a scrub. He's probably not going to be an NBA great, but I remember when Toni Kukoc came to the NBA, it took him a good year or two to find his legs. Of course, coach playing guys out of position is completely retarded, but what can you do.
Separate names with a comma.


text:
Heidi Seifert, LCSW-R, MA
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
85 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10003
It's not a goal to be the best. It's not a strategy to be the best. It's not a desire to be the best that's important t's an understanding of what you can be the best at. Would you like to find out? This is a 12 week program where we develop what career you want and what you need to do to get there. It is goal oriented where you will be coached in gaining clarity and taking action.
Michael Picucci, PhD, MAC, SEP
Holistic Psychologist, Author, Focalizer
44 East 12 Street, New York, New York 10003
Career Counseling: Most clients' first come to me with a feeling of being trapped by the circumstances that work/life has presented them. It's very frustrating! By introducing you to some elegantly simple tools, you will discover that there are openings (physically and energetically) that can dissolve frustrating stuckness. Importantly, you can become aware of perceptions and experiences not previously available to you. The tools/exercises that we use in session experientially shift us out of our everyday minds. This allows you access to another intelligence within a naturopathic pathway supported by your body, hearts and nature.
Gerald Schoenewolf, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychoanalyst
207 East 15th Street, New York, New York 10003
Various internal conflict underlie career problems. Often counselors give advice to those who come to them for career counseling, but I stay away from advice. Giving clients advice only keeps them dependent on you. Instead, I focus on the underlying conflicts that are related to low self-esteem, fear of competing or an inability to assert themselves. Often women have their own kind of conflicts about being a woman in a man's world, and internal resentments hold them back. My approach is to focus on the conflicts of each client and help them resolve them and cope more effectively. The approach has proven over the years to be quite successful.
Kevin Fleming Ph.D.
Coach/Change Agent/Consultant
Lower Manhattan, New York 10012
While most career counselors love to give you capacity based profiles of what your talents and interests are for your best bet career choices, Grey Matters international believes that most people make predictably irrational decisions and then after making them learn way to make them fit into their identities using various types of rationalizations and strategies. We are able to assist folks in career counseling type settings by giving a deeper look at their decision making profile so they can better understand where the core frustration or desire is coming from in the world of work. Contact firstname.lastname@example.com or 877-606-6161.
Philip Kolba, MA
New York, New York 10013
Careers are integral to the identities of many people, while for others careers are simply means for attaining a happy life. Whether you're developing your first career or looking to switch careers, I use a combination of assessment batteries and counseling to explore my clients' goals, preferences, and aptitudes to identify their career path and develop a plan for achieving it.
Jessica Allen, LCSW, ACT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapist
125 E 23rd Street, New York, New York 10010
Stress can hit anyone at any level of business and it is shown to be widespread across many different industries. This type of stress can be defined as the adverse reaction to excessive pressure or demand placed on them at work. While stress is a state of being and not a mental illness, it can create problems in other areas of life. If you are struggling with work stress, CBT can help you learn to cope with the stress differently to allow for better performance and overall mood
Stephanie Manes, JD, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
30 East 21st Street, Suite 2A4, New York, New York 10010
Nothing is more exciting than helping people figure out what they best at and passionate about. I love helping people of all ages change directions, take risks and pursue goals. Are you tired of what your are doing now and looking for a career change or unsure of what your best career path even is? We can work together to help you clarify your goals, face any fears that might be holding you back, and take steps into the future.
Joan Warren, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
280 Madison Avenue Suite 208, New York City, New York 10016
My professional experience in career counseling is to offer guidance, inspiration and support in the desire to and process of making change. I am not in the position to oversee your seeking employment, but will address your needs to enrich your working experience and set goals through this transitional stage. Whether you are beginning to enter the workforce or are looking to shift direction in your career path or retire, emotional exploration of possibilities and support through the process will make a difference.
Rev. Christopher Smith, LCAC, LMHC, LMFT
Helping you find wholeness...
124 East 40th Street, Ste 404, New York, New York 10016
Traditional career counseling focuses on exploring career options and then pursuing them. When I work with clients, I prefer to see the work in a broader context. While we will be able to explore some of the traditionally addressed elements, I will also help you look at how your current work (or lack thereof) is affecting you, your relationships and your behaviors. Additionally, from a spiritual standpoint, I will help you explore the relationship between your work and your faith (especially your vocation). In looking at career and work in this broader way, you are more likely to find a place of wholeness and peace. I look forward to joining you on this journey.
Patricia Schneider, Dr., Ph. D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
260 Madison Ave. Ste. 8047, New York, New York 10016
We will identify and target your short and long-term goals, your assets and strengths, your capacity for responsibility and accountability, stress level, financial situation and management, the presence of any mood problems (depression or anxiety), define your values, identify the degree of challenge you wish to confront and can realistically master, your need or desire for structure versus a desire for independence, your current skill set and wish to learn more and advance, your sense of security, this to provide you with tools for acquiring long-term stability, career satisfaction and increased self-esteem and life satisfaction.
Lois Horowitz, Ph.D, LCSW
London Terrace Gardens/ Chelsea/ West 23rd Street, New York, New York 10011
Do you feel irritable, fatigued, and depressed at work? Do you have trouble managing your emotions with your boss and co-workers? If you do, you are not alone. Recent research shows that work-related stress and burnout result in both physical and emotional symptoms. For more than twenty-five years, I have helped people to learn how to take better care of themselves in the work-place and to reach their professional potential. Please visit my website lhorowitz.com for more information about my qualifications and the way that I work with clients.
New York Behavioral Health, Ph.D.
New York Behavioral Health
380 Lexington Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10168
We know being satisfied at work is not just about productivity and competency. You may be great at what you do. You may be very successful by every external metric. Or maybe you aren't motivated or aren't stimulated by what you do. You have to find a way to navigate your current position or find a new one that is satisfying and fulfulling. We help clients clarify their values and identify beliefs and behavioral patterns that have interfered with taking the risks necessary to be professionally fulfilled. Your work life is certainly about financial security, but it can do more than put food on the table. It can feed you intellectually, interpersonally, and emotionally.
Maureen Berube, LMFT
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
144 East 44th Street, Suite 401, New York, New York 10017
I am able to provide career counseling from the perspective of a family therapist analyzing the systemic forces at work and as an individual who made the choice mid-career, to step off the treadmill and restart. I have the expertise to support clients in making complex decisions as well as those facing difficult situations. We will examine the thinking behind your career change, personal career development and other career related issues. I am available to support young people exploring career options, experienced professionals contemplating a career change, parents who want to return to the work force and those who are unemployed.


text:
Review: Jagannath: Stories by Karin Tidbeck, reviewed by Sofia Samatar (Author Week #5)
Illegal Mingling: Karin Tidbeck's Jagannath: Stories
Reviewed by Sofia Samatar
In a long twilight, the sound of tiny bells hangs in the air: a young woman's mother is coming for her from the forest. Elsewhere, by the side of a lake, a family reunion is in progress, merry aunts and cousins hatching from cocoons. And in a tin can provided by charity, a tiny creature made of spit, salt, menstrual blood and a carrot kicks its legs, while the first October snow begins to fall. These are some of the strange, seductive images you'll find in Karin Tidbeck's stories.
Jagannath: Stories (Cheeky Frawg, 2012) is Tidbeck's English-language book debut. It brings together works previously published in English, the author's translations of her own stories—most of them from her Swedish collection, Vem är Arvid Pekon?—and original material. On the strength of Vem är Arvid Pekon?, Tidbeck won a grant from the Swedish Authors' Fund; her first novel, Amatka, is forthcoming this fall from Sweden's largest publisher. Jagannath gives English-language readers the chance to enter the shifting territory of Tidbeck's marvelous multiple worlds.
The stories in Jagannath are fascinating, frightening, and above all, tender. There's an intimacy to them that's immediately enchanting: several take the form of diaries or letters, or words exchanged with a close friend. "Some Letters for Ove Lindström" is written to the narrator's dead father. I first read this story in Shimmer Magazine earlier this year: that's when the name "Karin Tidbeck" stuck in my mind, along with the haunting melancholy of this story of a broken family, lost hope, and magic. "Some Letters" concerns a young woman, Viveka, who returns to the place she grew up, an old schoolhouse where her parents lived with the other members of a commune: the loss of Viveka's nuclear family (her mother disappeared when she was three; she lost her father to alcoholism and then death) is mingled with the loss of the commune, which was both an extended family and a vision of a utopian future. Loss fills every line of the story, like Viveka's last memory of her mother: a red dress and the sound of tiny bells. Who was Viveka's mother? That question both deepens the sadness of the story, and expands it outward toward mystery, toward the forest.
The red dress returns in "Reindeer Mountain," where it becomes the sign of the vittra: tall, handsome, magical people who live inside the mountain, and like to wear red. Two sisters struggle with fear of madness and envy of each other in this story of a family with mixed human-vittra blood. The theme of human contact with other species, subtle in "Some Letters from Ove Lindström" and explicit in "Reindeer Mountain," runs through the collection. "Pyret," a sly gem in the form of an encyclopedia entry, details the habits of vittra cattle. A footnote informs us that the most common crime among those accused of witchcraft in medieval times was "illegal mingling": humans consorting with non-human beings.
Many of the stories in Jagannath play with this theme: in "Beatrice," a woman's love affair with a steam engine produces a whistle-voiced, coal-chewing child; in both "Miss Nyberg and I" and "Cloudberry Jam," children are grown like plants. The narrator of "Brita's Holiday Village" discovers two families at once: while her memories of her relatives begin to emerge in her writing, she dreams the life of a second, insect-like family. And in the collection's title story, the mother of a family carries her brood inside her.
Other themes include transformation, the nature of time, and the judgments of God. The stories "Augusta Prima" and "Aunts" take place in the same world, a fairyland of the actual fairytale type, where games are bloody and casual torture is the order of the day. The stories show two different perspectives on what happens when time enters this timeless realm. These stories—like "Rebecka," in which torture leads to salvation—explore different types of illegal mingling, mixing transgression with law and cannibalism with comfort. The intimate tone of so many of Tidbeck's tales invites the reader to blend in as well, to imagine a personal shift into something slightly different. The words of "Some Letters for Ove Lindström" are ostensibly written to a dead man, but when you read them, you'll know better. Like all of the stories in Jagannath, these letters are for us.
November 15, 2012 - Posted by charlesatan | November 2012 | author week, karin tidbeck, original content, reviews, sofia samatar, sweden
2 Comments
[…] watch this space as we publish a short story, an interview, a review, and a guest post from […]
Pingback by Author Week #5: Karin Tidbeck « The World SF Blog | November 18, 2012
[…] You'll find excellent reviews by Indrapramit Das at Strange Horizons and by Sofia Samatar at The World SF Blog. […]
Pingback by What I've been up to « the Literate Condition | January 16, 2013
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
The World SF Blog ran from 2009 to 2013. It offered news, links and original content in the form of commentary, round table discussions, essays, interviews, author highlights and original and reprint fiction from around the world.
The site won the 2012 BSFA Award for Best Non-Fiction, a 2012 Kitschies Black Tentacle (Special Achievement) Award, and was a 2011 World Fantasy Award nominee.
The Editor-in-Chief was Lavie Tidhar.
The Associate Editor was Charles A. Tan.
Fiction Editors were Debbie Moorhouse and then Sarah Newton.
Contributors to the blog have included: Anil Menon (India), Guy Hasson (Israel), Kaaron Warren (Australia), Mihai Adascalitei (Romania), Aliette de Bodard (France), Fábio Fernandes (Brazil), Lauren Beukes (South Africa), Harry Markov (Bulgaria), Joyce Chng (Singapore), Athena Andreadis (Greece), Nick Wood (South Africa), Karin Tidbeck (Sweden), Rochita Loenen-Ruiz (Philippines) and many others.
Between 2010 and 2013 the site has published fiction by Samit Basu (India), Zen Cho (Malaysia), Nir Yaniv (Israel), Ma Boyong (China), Tow Ubukata (Japan), Theodora Goss (USA), Ekaterina Sedia (Russia), and many others.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed by contributors to the WSB are solely those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the WSB administrators. All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The WSB makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site.
Recent Comments
James Bacon on A Last Word shaunduke on A Last Word Jetse on A Last Word Science Fiction News on A Last Word caseyparry on A Last Word
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
2010 stories 2011 stories 2012 stories africa aliette de bodard anil menon anthologies anthology apex book of world sf apex magazine arab science fiction australia author week awards brazil canada charles tan china comics denmark editorial ekaterina sedia English fabio fernandes fantasy magazine fiction finland france germany giveaway guy hasson haikasoru hungary india interview interviews islam israel italy japan joyce chng karin tidbeck lauren beukes lavie tidhar Magazine malaysia mexico movies nick mamatas nir yaniv nnedi okorafor original content original fiction overview philippines poland reviews rochita loenen-ruiz romania russia samit basu sf signal short story highlight silvia moreno-garcia singapore south africa steampunk strange horizons sweden thailand the basics of flight the portal archive tuesday fiction united states vandana singh
- June 2013 (9)
- May 2013 (10)
- April 2013 (12)
- March 2013 (15)
- February 2013 (11)
- January 2013 (15)
- December 2012 (4)
- November 2012 (14)
- October 2012 (16)
- September 2012 (16)
- August 2012 (22)
- July 2012 (13)
RSSEntries RSS
Comments RSS
Site infoThe World SF Blog
Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.


text:
Laws, Regulations & Annotations
Property Taxes Law Guide – Revision 2017
Other Code Provisions
Health and Safety Code
CHAPTER 1. Definitions
Section 18210.5
18210.5. "Manufactured home." "Manufactured home" as used in this part shall have the same meaning as defined in Section 18007.
History.—Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1149, in effect January 1, 1981. Stats. 1983, Ch. 1076, in effect January 1, 1984, substituted "a structure, transportable . . . under this part" for "a mobilehome" after "means" in the first sentence, and added the second sentence. Stats 1990, Ch. 765 in effect January 1, 1991, substituted "as used . . . Section 18007." for "means a structure, transportable in one or more sections, which, in the traveling mode, is eight body feet or more in width, or 40 body feet or more in length, or, when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems contained therein; except that such term shall include any structure which meets all the requirements of this paragraph except the size requirements and with respect to which the manufacturer voluntarily files a certification and complies with the standards established under this part" after "home" in the first sentence, and deleted the former second sentence which provided that "'Manufactured home' includes a mobilehome subject to the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C., Sec. 5401, et seq.)."


text:
- Home
- About
- Issues
- Act
- Publications
- Donate
The Concord Coalition, whose co-chairman is former U.S. senator Sam Nunn, is one of several organizations that have been backed Chambliss and his Democratic partner, Mark Warner of Virginia, in their attempts to forge a congressional consensus on the debt.
The group's national political director was in the audience, ready with fulsome praise. "The 17 years I've been working on federal budget issues, I've never seen people quite like Mark Warner or Saxby Chambliss on this issue," Smith said. "This is like being in that movie 'Lincoln.' I feel like I'm witnessing an ordinary senator evolve into something extraordinary. He didn't have to do this."


text:
Summer Teen Volunteers
Summer Teen Volunteers are trained to interact with visitors of all ages, spending half of their day in the Crown Family Playlab, The Field Museum's early childhood center, and the other half of their day in the Museum's exhibitions facilitating hands-on interpretive carts.
What is the Crown Family PlayLab?
The Crown Family PlayLab starts with a child's innate curiosity, adds real artifacts and specimens, and encourages young explorers to discover the wonders of nature and learn about diverse cultures. Volunteers are trained to interact with young learners in an educational setting, staff various environments within this unique space, facilitate drop-in programming, and assist with space and artifact/specimen upkeep and general operating procedures. During work hours, volunteers will be standing, bending down, and sitting on the floor and on small chairs for extended periods of time.
What are interpretive carts?
Summer teen volunteers will be trained on three interpretive carts—hands-on activity stations showcasing real artifacts and specimens. Teens must demonstrate an ability to engage audiences, respectfully manage artifacts and specimens, and track visitor data.
What are the qualifications for becoming a teen summer volunteer?
Volunteers should be outgoing, articulate, have the ability to think quickly on their feet, and enjoy learning about the world around them. Candidates should demonstrate a strong interest in the natural sciences and/or the field of early childhood education. Bilingual candidates are a plus. Teens must have completed one year of high school and be between the ages of 14 and 19 years old.
What is my commitment as a teen summer volunteer?
Summer Teen Volunteers are asked to commit to one day a week for a minimum of 8 days between June 16 and August 16, 2014. Available shifts are 9am-4pm on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. Summer Teen Volunteers are not needed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Teens must successfully complete a minimum of 56 volunteer hours during the course of the program in order to be eligible to become a year-round teen volunteer.
Summer teen volunteers are required to attend two all-day mandatory training dates on May 31 and June 1, 2014, from 9am-3pm. If you are unable to attend, you will not be able to volunteer this summer. No exceptions.
How do I apply?
The deadline for applications was Friday, March 14, 2014. Please note there is limited capacity for the summer teen volunteer program.
If you missed the 2014 application process look for the 2015 Summer Teen application to be posted here in January 2015.
Questions? E-mail us at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Gastronomy is an important complement in the Ayre Hotel Cordoba and is based on fresh and natural products. It offers a traditional cuisine featuring traditional local dishes with a modern touch. Dining rooms can be booked up to 500 people.
Located in the gardens by the pool. Offers delicious meat and fishes cooked with coal and other refreshing specialties. Open in summer.
A multi-purpose space, specially designed for receptions, cocktails, coffee breaks and exhibitions. Typical winter and summer patios with natural light.


text:
Came across this online video about the digitising programme at the British Library. During the video it says that the Newspaper Archive will be going online in the Autumn.
Now I know that some of the newspapers are already online, but this seems to me to be referring to the FindMyPast project. So many exciting projects going on in the Genealogy World that it's hard to keep up with it all. So much to look at and so little time !
Technorati Tags: British Library,Newspapers,Family History,Genealogy,Findmypast


text:
Crazy Eyes
Kim Kardashian
As Kim Kardashian counts down to her wedding day on August 20, she's being a typically coy bride about her Vera Wang wedding gown. "I don't want to give too much away, but it'll be really elegant and pretty," Kardashian told Access Hollywood. "She's really, truly unique, and she's someone I trust," the future Mrs. Kris Humphries continued, "and someone I think can get my vision over across perfectly." And Kardashian is nothing if not a perfectionist. Last week, she took a red-eye from L.A. to New York City just to spend an hour on her final fitting at Wang's boutique—then she immediately flew back home.
MORE: See the looks from Kim, Khloé, and Kourtney's newest fashion line, the Kardashian Kollection
Ivanka Trump
For Ivanka Trump's custom-made gown in October 2009, Wang looked to Grace Kelly's wedding dress for inspiration—particularly the lace sleeves. "It's modest and tasteful," Wang told New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn about Princess Grace's dress, which was created by MGM costume designer Helen Rose. "[Ivanka] was actually very much about being covered, and I seized on the chance to do a dress that wasn't naked and very Hollywood." To complement the gown, Trump wore three pieces from her own jewelry collection: a $45,000 hair clip, a $90,000 art-deco bracelet, and $13,000 drop earrings.
The Kardashian Fashion Files


text:
If you have ancestors who spent time in India then Emma Jolly's website will be of interest to you. Emma has just published a book Tracing Your British Indian Ancestors and is an expert in this field of genealogical research.
There are lots of links on the various pages to help you to get to know the documents left behind by those who swapped the grey skies of England for the burning sun of India.
Technorati Tags: India,British Raj,Emma Jolly,British India,Family History,Genealogy


text:
Jump to:Page Content
Home > News & Events > Events Calendar > CID Speaker Series: Featuring Jamshed Kazi and Richa Mishra, UNDP
Join us this week as we welcome back to campus, two HKS alumni
to discuss their most recent work at UNDP. Jamshed Kazi is the Practice Manager of the
United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Democratic Governance
Group based in New York and coordinates advisory support to UNDP's
field offices globally across over 170 countries. He is also
responsible for the development of UNDP's first ever Youth
Engagement Strategy as part of the UN Secretary-General's priority
areas over the next five years. Jamshed has over 14 years of
development experience spanning Asia-Pacific, Europe/CIS, and
Africa in the UN system, NGO sector and international treaty
bodies. His field assignments have included serving as Assistant
Resident Representative of UNDP / Head of Governance in Ethiopia as
well as in Lao PDR from 2003-2007. Jamshed holds an MPA degree from
the Harvard Kennedy School where he was a Mason Fellow and also
possesses a MSc in Development Studies from the London School of
Economics and Political Science.
Richa Mishra is a development practitioner with substantive international experience, including with the UN system, World Bank and research institutions. She is the UNDP Project Manager for the upcoming Global Report on Democratic Governance (2013) and specializes in democratic governance, gender, micro-finance, institutional analysis, post conflict rehabilitation and post disaster reconstruction. Richa has wide-ranging experience in social analysis as well as mediating and negotiating with diverse stakeholders such as governments, NGOs, other civil society institutions and communities. Richa earned her mid-career MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School and was a Mason Fellow, Galbraith Scholar and Ash Institute Fellow.


text:
J by Jasper Conran Navy feint stripe tailored fit trouser
Item No.46497_0035245A
Item No.46497_0035245A
70% Off - Save a total of £56.00
Jasper Conran is known for his highly personal take on traditional British elegance. Using the ultimate luxury fabrics and his signature precision cut, the J by Jasper Conran range of tailored suits is perfect for the well-groomed man.
Sunday to Friday - order by 9pm
Saturday - order by 6pm
Monday to Sunday - order by midnight
Orders over £20 - FREE
Orders under £20 - £2
Show full delivery details
Subject to exceptions, Debenhams is happy to exchange or refund your purchase within 28 days of delivery. Please check here for more details on our returns policy and exceptions.
Open a Debenhams Credit Card today and receive:
Please note: if the amount you pay on your card is less than £500 after the 10% discount is applied, the 0% interest offer will not be available.
Credit available from NewDay Ltd to over 18s only
*Terms & Conditions apply.Find out more & apply now


text:
'Certainly, Buffalo's belief in Ruff has paid dividends. He's been coach of the team since July 21, 1997, the longest tenure with one team of any coach currently working behind an NHL bench. This marks the fifth time in the history of this franchise, which was born in 1970, that they've moved this deep into the playoffs, and Ruff has been part of four of those clubs.'
'Canes', Sabres' coaches both hardy survivors
May 16, 2006 Submitted by
Via: NBC Sports


text:
On my PS90 - When I had a laser on 1 side and a flashlight on the other - the item on the inside of the rifle always bumped me and was really irritating after a while... (when carrying the gun on a sling at the range)
Well, I FINALLY can mount 2 items on 1 side!
This is a custom modification of Critical Dimensions double side rail.
Now, I can have both of my items back on the gun, and leave the inside side rail empty...


text: In 1964, acclaimed filmmaker Michael Apted began his career as a researcher on a new experimental series for Granada TV called Seven Up, which explored the Jesuit maxim 'Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man.' The original concept was to interview 14 children from diverse socio-economic backgrounds from all over England, to see whether a class system was in place. By asking the children about their lives and their dreams for the future, differences in attitudes and opportunity were witnessed. For almost a half century, Apted has interviewed the original group every seven years, examining the progression of their lives. Now they are 56. From cab driver Tony, to schoolmates Jackie, Lynn and Susan and the iconoclast Neil, the present age brings more life-changing decisions and surprising developments. From success and disappointment, marriage and childbirth, to poverty and illness, nearly every facet of life is discussed with the group, as they assess whether their lives have ultimately been ruled by circumstance or self-determination.


text:
2011 Updates to model-data comparisons
And so it goes – another year, another annual data point. As has become a habit (2009, 2010), here is a brief overview and update of some of the most relevant model/data comparisons. We include the standard comparisons of surface temperatures, sea ice and ocean heat content to the AR4 and 1988 Hansen et al simulations.
First, a graph showing the annual mean anomalies from the IPCC AR4 models plotted against the surface temperature records from the HadCRUT3v, NCDC and GISTEMP products (it really doesn't matter which). Everything has been baselined to 1980-1999 (as in the 2007 IPCC report) and the envelope in grey encloses 95% of the model runs.
The La Niña event that emerged in 2011 definitely cooled the year a global sense relative to 2010, although there were extensive regional warm extremes. Differences between the observational records are mostly related to interpolations in the Arctic (but we will check back once the new HadCRUT4 data are released). Checking up on our predictions from last year, I forecast that 2011 would be cooler than 2010 (because of the emerging La Niña), but would still rank in the top 10. This was true looking at GISTEMP (2011 was #9), but not quite in HadCRUT3v (#12) or NCDC (#11). However, this was the warmest year that started off (DJF) with a La Niña (previous La Niña years by this index were 2008, 2001, 2000 and 1999 using a 5 month minimum for a specific event) in the GISTEMP record, and the second warmest (after 2001) in the HadCRUT3v and NCDC indices. Given current indications of only mild La Niña conditions, 2012 will likely be a warmer year than 2011, so again another top 10 year, but not a record breaker – that will have to wait until the next El Niño.
People sometimes claim that "no models" can match the short term trends seen in the data. This is not true. For instance, the range of trends in the models for 1998-2011 are [-0.07,0.49] ºC/dec, with MRI-CGCM (run5) the laggard in the pack, running colder than observations.
In interpreting this information, please note the following (repeated from previous years):
- Short term (15 years or less) trends in global temperature are not usefully predictable as a function of current forcings. This means you can't use such short periods to 'prove' that global warming has or hasn't stopped, or that we are really cooling despite this being the warmest decade in centuries.
- The AR4 model simulations were an 'ensemble of opportunity' and vary substantially among themselves with the forcings imposed, the magnitude of the internal variability and of course, the sensitivity. Thus while they do span a large range of possible situations, the average of these simulations is not 'truth'.
- The model simulations use observed forcings up until 2000 (or 2003 in a couple of cases) and use a business-as-usual scenario subsequently (A1B). The models are not tuned to temperature trends pre-2000.
- Differences between the temperature anomaly products is related to: different selections of input data, different methods for assessing urban heating effects, and (most important) different methodologies for estimating temperatures in data-poor regions like the Arctic. GISTEMP assumes that the Arctic is warming as fast as the stations around the Arctic, while HadCRUT3v and NCDC assume the Arctic is warming as fast as the global mean. The former assumption is more in line with the sea ice results and independent measures from buoys and the reanalysis products.
- Model-data comparisons are best when the metric being compared is calculated the same way in both the models and data. In the comparisons here, that isn't quite true (mainly related to spatial coverage), and so this adds a little extra structural uncertainty to any conclusions one might draw.
Page 1 of 3 | Next page


text:
Revenue Bonds
The UNC Policy Manual
Chapter 100.1 - The Code
Section 706
The Board of Governors shall have authority, subject to such limitations and restrictions as may be established by state law, to issue revenue bonds and special obligation bonds. Revenue bonds may be issued for service and auxiliary facilities, student housing, student activities, physical education, and recreation facilities. [See G.S. 116-41.1 et seq., 116-175 et seq., and 116-187 et seq.] Special obligation bonds may be issued for the construction, renovation, improvement or expansion of any capital facilities located or to be located at a constituent or any affiliated institution of the University for the purposes of carrying out the mission of that institution. [See G.S. 116D-21 et seq.]


text:
7:12 but well worth it, IMO. I really like how he pays tribute to the animal in the end.
Printable View
7:12 but well worth it, IMO. I really like how he pays tribute to the animal in the end.
Old school my butt, HE'S WEARING SNEAKERS! :smt082:anim_lol::smt082
Thats the way us old farts from the deserts of the world do it. We run our prey for 4 hours through the mid day sun then pour 1/2 of our water over our head but save the other 1/2 so we can run 4 more hours. Some of the crazy city folk that visit us say we should drink more of it instead but then we would have to stop and pee all the time. We also always round out the edges of our spear points so we wont cut ourselves just like those boys. They are quite inovative with that reverse middle finger salute I bet them hollywood boys never did catch on.
The animals used to get away but lately some hollywood types come along and tranquilize them for us so they can make pictures. :mrgreen:


text:
Saint Honore
Silver Sequin Crop Jean
Out of Stock
- Our universal fit. Eased through the hip and thigh, sits just below the waist.
- Medium wash.
- Optional rolled hem. Distressing at knees and hip. 'Feel Beautiful' script inside waistband.
- Shank button and zip fly; belt loops. Rose gold rivets and hardware. Sequin detail at knees.
- 73% cotton, 14% rayon, 11% polyester, 2% spandex. Hand wash. Imported.
- Hits at mid-shin. Length: 24".
- Petite length: 22"


text:
With her long line of successful films, Angelina Jolie has worked with the majority of the notable actors in Tinseltown.
And it sounds like one of the "Changeling" chick's most challenging costars was her own daughter Vivienne Jolie-Pitt.
Having a mom like Angelina Jolie can open all kinds of doors that would otherwise be slammed shut, and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt was thrilled with her cameo in "Maleficent."
During her interview with Entertainment Weekly, the "Changeling" chick gushed over having her little one play a young Aurora.
They can't go anywhere without causing a scene, and it was a bit crazy at LAX International Airport today (February 5) as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt brought their family back to the States.
Making the most of the Boxing Day holiday in Australia, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie took their family to the Currumbin Wildlife Park in Queensland on Thursday (December 26).
Joined by Pax, Vivienne, Knox, Shiloh, Maddox, and Zahara, the "Fight Club" hunk and his "Changeling" chick looked to be having fun as they encountered furry friends of all shapes and sizes.
Escaping all the pressures of life, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt went for a boat trip on the Coomera River in Queensland, Australia today (December 23).
Taking time out for fun on the weekend, Angelina Jolie took her twins out in Rose Bay in Sydney, Australia on Saturday (November 23).
The "Tomb Raider" star wore a sleeveless top and long black skirt as she brought Knox and Vivienne to the Red Rocket Toy Store, followed by gelato at Grandfather's Moustache Restaurant.
Getting in the Halloween spirit with her little ones, Angelina Jolie took half of her brood to a local party store in Gold Coast City, Australia on Sunday (October 27).
The "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" star was accompanied by Pax, Knox, and Vivienne while wearing a black top and flowing black pants.
Taking a break from filming his latest movie to spend some time with the kids, Brad Pitt went to Legoland in Windsor, UK on Sunday (September 29).
The "Fight Club" star was dressed in all black as he patiently waited in line for a water ride with twins Vivienne and Knox.


text:
On sensitivity: Part I
Climate sensitivity is a perennial topic here, so the multiple new papers and discussions around the issue, each with different perspectives, are worth discussing. Since this can be a complicated topic, I'll focus in this post on the credible work being published. There'll be a second part from Karen Shell, and in a follow-on post I'll comment on some of the recent games being played in and around the Wall Street Journal op-ed pages.
What is climate sensitivity? Nominally it the response of the climate to a doubling of CO2 (or to a ~4 W/m2 forcing), however, it should be clear that this is a function of time with feedbacks associated with different components acting on a whole range of timescales from seconds to multi-millennial to even longer. The following figure gives a sense of the different components (see Palaeosens (2012) for some extensions).
In practice, people often mean different things when they talk about sensitivity. For instance, the sensitivity only including the fast feedbacks (e.g. ignoring land ice and vegetation), or the sensitivity of a particular class of climate model (e.g. the 'Charney sensitivity'), or the sensitivity of the whole system except the carbon cycle (the Earth System Sensitivity), or the transient sensitivity tied to a specific date or period of time (i.e. the Transient Climate Response (TCR) to 1% increasing CO2 after 70 years). As you might expect, these are all different and care needs to be taken to define terms before comparing things (there is a good discussion of the various definitions and their scope in the Palaeosens paper).
Each of these numbers is an 'emergent' property of the climate system – i.e. something that is affected by many different processes and interactions, and isn't simply derived just based on knowledge of a small-scale process. It is generally assumed that these are well-defined and single-valued properties of the system (and in current GCMs they clearly are), and while the paleo-climate record (for instance the glacial cycles) is supportive of this, it is not absolutely guaranteed.
There are three main methodologies that have been used in the literature to constrain sensitivity: The first is to focus on a time in the past when the climate was different and in quasi-equilibrium, and estimate the relationship between the relevant forcings and temperature response (paleo constraints). The second is to find a metric in the present day climate that we think is coupled to the sensitivity and for which we have some empirical data (these could be called climatological constraints). Finally, there are constraints based on changes in forcing and response over the recent past (transient constraints). There have been new papers taking each of these approaches in recent months.
Page 1 of 3 | Next page
- E.J. Rohling, E.J. Rohling, A. Sluijs, H.A. Dijkstra, P. Köhler, R.S.W. van de Wal, A.S. von der Heydt, D.J. Beerling, A. Berger, P.K. Bijl, M. Crucifix, R. DeConto, S.S. Drijfhout, A. Fedorov, G.L. Foster, A. Ganopolski, J. Hansen, B. Hönisch, H. Hooghiemstra, M. Huber, P. Huybers, R. Knutti, D.W. Lea, L.J. Lourens, D. Lunt, V. Masson-Demotte, M. Medina-Elizalde, B. Otto-Bliesner, M. Pagani, H. Pälike, H. Renssen, D.L. Royer, M. Siddall, P. Valdes, J.C. Zachos, and R.E. Zeebe, "Making sense of palaeoclimate sensitivity", Nature, vol. 491, pp. 683-691, 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature11574


text:
I'm your office manager, not your personal logic assistant, folks. Figure it out.
Katherine Tull-Potts, BA
Office Manager
politeness is never superfluous
Katherine Tull-Potts, BA
Office Manager
Hi Katherine,
I'm sorry I forgot a salutation in my last email but I thought we were far enough into the conversation that it was superfluous.
My network problems seem to have resolved themselves, so I don't need anything else. But it seems like the rest of the office should know the situation with the IT Department. Can you please let them know which IT guy to trust, so they can avoid contacting the other one altogether? Thanks!
- Sean McAdams, HR
some manners. no salutation?
Katherine Tull-Potts, BA
Office Manager
All right, so I emailed both IT guys and asked them if they always lie. They both said "No". Are you sure one of them lies?
- Sean McAdams, HR
in a mtg plz figure it out for yrself
-sent from my flip phone
Thanks a lot, Katherine.
I contacted Michael Broy, and he told me to reinstall my network adapter drivers. That sounds kind of risky, and before I do it I just want to make sure that he is not the IT guy who always lies. Can you just really quickly let me know which one is which and then I'll stay out of your hair? thanks!
- Sean McAdams, HR
sean - i'm very very busy and i really don't need this. there are two IT professionals that you can contact. Michael Bay is: mbayman@. Andrew Fleary is: afleary@
be aware that one of the IT professionals ONLY TELLS THE TRUTH, whereas the other ALWAYS LIES. i would provide more information but i am very very busy and i just can't.
Katherine Tull-Potts, BA
Office Manager
Hi Katherine,
I'm so sorry about whatever happened this weekend. I hope everything is OK. And I'm sorry to bug you about this IT problem - I'm afraid I don't know whom to contact instead. Can you shoot me the appropriate email address? Thank you so so much in advance.
- Sean McAdams, HR
sean - experienced a lot of trauma this wknd actually thanks for reminding me. your problem is an IT issue and definitely not mine, ok?
Katherine Tull-Potts, BA
Office Manager
Hi Katherine,
I hope you had a great weekend. So I'm having some internet problems - can't seem to connect to the network with my work laptop. Do you know if other people are having problems and whether there is a fix? Thanks a lot.
- Sean McAdams, HR
Photo courtesy of Flickr user wetwebwork under the Creative Commons License.
Dear Katherine - no salutation in your "politeness is never superfluous" email?
And... Sean's a newb.
You guys really need to hire David Thorne (http://www.27bslash6.com) to do something that would necessitate him emailing Katherine Tull-Potts.
easy peasy :-) Should I wait before I answer & put poor Sean McAdams from HR's little problem to rest?
I would ask both IT professionals if the sky is blue. Of course, if they're nocturnal like the IT team I know, then the one who tells the truth might not say yes.
You ask either one what the other would say and do the opposite.
Unfortunately, this doesn't work as well for an IT issue as, for example, which direction to take at a fork in the road.
What does the "BA" after Katherine's name stand for?
This is a tough problem. It clearly calls for a midget standing on a block of ice!
Or just fire that Bay guy. He changed his name mid-question and almost certainly violated corporate policy by asking the employee to fix his own computer. Even if he's telling the truth, he's not very good at his job.
(Just make sure at the exit interview to ask him who Fleary would say the liar is, in case someone finds it important later for some reason. I assume it'd be important for budget requests or picking a three-legged race partner at the annual picnic.)
EssenGrabow wrote:What does the "BA" after Katherine's name stand for?
Boolean Algebra
Bad A$$
neyfam2000 wrote:Woot!--going from "Deal-a-day" to "Site-a-day"
I would get rid of all of them. More than likely the cat 5 was unplugged.
Fire Sean for not making the lying an HR issue
Fire The IT staff for being incompetent by telling the user to screw up his computer without looking at the issue.
Fire Katherine for being a B&itch.
And put the toe on ice.
I say fire them both for top posting.
The one who always lies is wearing a top hat. Never trust a computer professional wearing a top hat. They are clearly a mad scientist.
View All →


text: Seller: drillspot (12,109) 98.9%, Location: Boulder, CO, Ships to: US, Item: 391559563296 €€ Contact Us About Us Payment Shipping Returns Click here to view full size. Full Size Image Click to close full size. Approved Vendor 1RHW5 O-Ring, Viton, 27mm IDx32mm OD, PK 10 Model: 1RHW5SKU:: 413366 Price: US $22.99 Description O-Ring, Viton, AS568A Dash Number -, Fractional Width -, Actual Width 2.5mm, Color Black, Cross Section Shape Round, Inside Dia. -, Actual Inside Dia. 27mm, Outside Dia. 32mm, Radius -, Axial Thickness -, Thickness -, Durometer Rating Medium Hard, Durometer 75 Shore A, Temp. Range -15F to +400F, Meets/Exceeds SAE J200, ASTM D2000, Includes -, Package Quantity 10 Metric Buna N and Viton O-RingsMeet ASTM D2000 and SAE J200 standards.Round cross-section Black color Contact Us About Us Payment Shipping Returns Frooition www.frooition.com | eBay design, eBay store design, eBay shop design, eBay template design, eBay listing design This listing is currently undergoing maintenance, we apologise for any inconvenience caused. Color: Black, Material: Viton


text:
Discussion in 'Pistons and NBA' started by doublead, Sep 25, 2006.
i say 15
name some good players coming out the 07 draft that you will like the pistons to take
Please check out the link that Tater has provided. I think you will find that it answers all of the questions you are raising.
Number 11
20th, the MAGIC WILL make the playoffs and they will be one of the surprises in the EAST. A nice frontcourt of Dwight and Darko and some nice VETS like Battie and Grant Hill along with Bo Outlaw and Hedo Turkloglu will give the young up and coming MAGIC a nice mix of talent and experience. Orlando shed the extra baggage of Steve Francis and was playing like a REAL TEAM, their ball movement was good and they had NICE CHEMISTRY. Now they have resigned another young player in Trevor Ariza as part of their youthful exuberance movement and those young players will make the Magic deeper as they give rest to their starters. I can see the Magic finishing top 5-6 this year in the EAST.
Who is this Grant Hill chap that you speak of? I've watched quite a few games in the last 5 years, but don't remember seeing this fellow out there on the court. I'll say the Pistons get pick #6 from the Magic.
He's the dude watching the games from the bench and waving his crutches in the air when Orlando scores.
$16.9 million per year to wave your crutches in the air? Sounds like a good gig. I gotta' get me some of those crutches...
Bump I'm wondering if we should sticky this thread as the Magic's season will impact our pick... right now we're dumping misc Magic info into the Darko thread...some of us are more interested in the draft pick than the Darko diaries. It's cool if this doesn't warrant a sticky... although this is the right place for Magic stuff.
Stuck. Darko-free Magic thread for pick monitoring.
So the Vegas over under for Magic wins is only 37. Those guys are pretty good at handicapping, so I guess I will have to either accept that as a likely outcome or go and put some cash down. I'm leaning toward the cash outlay.
Getting 37 wins would be a 1-game improvement for Orlando over last season. A win total of 37 (based on last year's standings) would mean a #11 pick headed to the Pistons.
Good point Laim... it's hard to imagine the Magic getting only one more win than last year considering how they finished... sure they could have a setback like the Warriors last year... but the Warriors didn't have bigs controlling the paint.... we just gotta hope Howard stubs his toe or something (nothing too serious). They're gonna go all out knowing that they might not have a pick this year. I really don't like their perimiter defense... DMC and Howard could be in foul trouble a lot.
I see the magic making the 8th seed or just missing the playoffs. I the the pick will fall anywheres between 10-17. If I had to settle on one number it would be 15. The Magic has the potential to be a good team but potential for a young team in the NBA sometimes never come to fruition. We all hope it will be 6 and hope for a bad season for the magic because the Pistons are in need for a big man for the future ahem(Darko). even though Amir may be the power forward of the future.
The NBa is about to hit a 3 year lull of nobody's..Unless u can get Gregg Odem, the draft is irrelevant to us. We will bbecome free agentville, though!
This upcoming draft does appear to be overhyped... I don't see any bigs that you can say will be an impact player (baring Ogden). A trade for a 2-3 year player would make sense.
Things are barely starting but I would, at this point, venture a guess that they will give the Pistons a draft choice somewhere in the 20s. Of course, I know that it is only one game into the pre-season, but when you start Dooling, Bogans and Garrety and have Deiner play 31 minutes, and win by 19 points against a NBA team, they seem pretty solid "so far". They had only 11 players dressed and 2 of them are going to the instructional league. They had 7 players in double figures. Somewhere in the 20s.
Separate names with a comma.


text: Lace Embellished Vest Style: 570070623 Out of Stock Love it? Everyone else did too. This item sold out! Use our search tool, chat online or call 1.888.855.4986 to find something equally desirable. Romantic lace, beaded and intricately embellished—the distinctive style of a signature vest. Shirred at the back yoke for a beautiful drape. Length: 22" to 23". 100% nylon. Hand wash. Imported. Read More… Share on Facebook Tweet Pin


text:
As the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas prepare to face off for the MLS Cup Final in Toronto, a member of Arsenal's staff offers a unique perspective. Steve Morrow serves as the Club's International Partnerships Manager. It's a role that has given him a great deal of exposure to the ins and outs of Arsenal's partner club in Major League Soccer, the Colorado Rapids.
But prior to taking that position, Morrow also picked up some intimate knowledge of FC Dallas. He served as the team's head coach from 2006-2008.
USA.Arsenal.com's Kevin Mooney caught up with Morrow to talk about both clubs, the growth of MLS and which team he thinks has an advantage in Sunday's final.
USA.Arsenal.com: Can you give an example of how the relationship between Arsenal and Colorado Rapids has benefited the club?
Steve Morrow: "We placed one or two younger players from South America with Colorado. They adapted very well and it was a situation where they were able to go there and train with the first team for a few weeks instead of coming all the way to London."
USA.Arsenal.com: Were you surprised that the Rapids made the MLS Cup Final this season?
Steve Morrow: "I think broadly speaking, many people would say it was a surprise, but I don't see it as that big of a surprise. Having known Gary Smith so well and how he operates, how he coaches and how he organizes his team, I'm not too surprised."
"I think it has a lot to do with how MLS is structured. It gives an opportunity to those teams who don't necessarily finish as high up in the league as they expected, but managed to get into the playoffs. Obviously MLS is all about how you do when you get to the playoffs. I think the Rapids have a team that is well suited to that format."
USA.Arsenal.com: How good is this team and could they compete in England?
Steve Morrow: "That's something I've been asked before because of my experiences of managing a team in MLS and then coming back here and trying to draw those comparisons. I would suggest the best of MLS could potentially survive in the lower end of the Premiership, if not the top end of the Championship."
"I do rate the league quite highly, probably more than people outside of the league do. Having worked there, I think it's a better league than people give it credit for. It's continuing to grow in the right direction. For me a good yardstick is how well they compete against the top teams from Europe who do ore-season tours. I think the MLS All-Star teams and even the individual franchises are competing very well against the top teams in their pre-seasons."
USA.Arsenal.com: Is this Colorado team a budding powerhouse in MLS or is this Finals appearance a one-off?
Steve Morrow: "I hope this isn't a one-off year! I think Gary is building a strong team. When he first came into this job he wanted to re-shape the team a little bit and build a team for the future. He's got some good players, some experienced players and young players coming through as well and certainly Gary has put his stamp on that team. I think with the kind of team that Gary has, I don't seeing it being a one-off. I see them being quite a force in MLS for seasons to come."
USA.Arsenal.com: Which of the Rapids players stand out for you?
Steve Morrow: "Certainly the experience of Pablo Mastroeni, and Drew Moor is quite an experienced defender. Looking through the spine of the team there is Conor Casey up front, Omar Cummings and Brian Mullan who came in during mid-season to bring some experience. I think they have a good, strong group of players there. Players who are physically strong as well. They are a physical team to play against. The forwards they have also have the potential to score some goals."
USA.Arsenal.com: Are there any players left on the Dallas roster from when you managed the team?
Steve Morrow: "I think there are a few players still there. Obviously the team changed quite significantly just after I left. Players seemed to move on a little bit. In particular when I checked the line-ups in recent week I saw Dax McCarty and Brek Shea playing. They were two young players I drafted in my time as coach there. It's nice for me to see those young guys making such good progress. Eric Avila is another young player who got quite a few minutes this year too. I'm really pleased for those guys."
USA.Arsenal.com: Do you have a sense of how good are FC Dallas are?
Steve Morrow: "I've seen one or two games – we've been watching MLS closely and obviously watching some players develop there as well."
"I think they have gotten stronger as the season's gone on. They hit form at the right time and they look a strong team defensively with an exciting attacking potential too."
USA.Arsenal.com: Who are FC Dallas' star players?
Steve Morrow: "David Ferreira – he has done very well for them. He's actually a player who I tried to bring in when I was in Dallas, but it didn't quite work out. After I left they managed to sign him. I think he has been very successful in MLS and has been playing consistently well for Dallas. He seems to be an important part of that team. Players like Dax McCarty and Brek Shea have contributed very well for them this year."
USA.Arsenal.com: How does "soccer" play in American football-mad Texas?
Steve Morrow: "Every chance I get I try to promote MLS, because I think it's a strong league and I think it's getting stronger each year. Soccer sits as a sport – not just in Dallas and Texas, but across the country as well – behind football, basketball and baseball, but I think it's starting to compete and it's getting more time on television as well which is good to see. For me, it's very positive and is moving in the right direction."
"I think outside of the States, people still don't know the league well enough to make a good judgment. I think what they do go on is the U.S. National team which has had reasonable success the last few years. I think people are starting to think a little better of MLS and American soccer."
USA.Arsenal.com: Do you have a prediction for the final?
Steve Morrow: "I'm torn a little bit. With the time I spent in Dallas, I obviously have a great deal of fondness for the people and fans I met there. And obviously, my relationship with Gary Smith, I hope for Gary to do well too. I think Colorado will be a very difficult team to play against. It should be a great atmosphere up in Toronto which will help the occasion to. Toronto hasn't been a happy hunting ground for Dallas in recent years so that could be a good omen for the Rapids."Copyright 2017 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source


text:
Deferred Channel build now available for the Office 365 client apps
Your top questions about Office 2016 answered
The new Visio is here—work visually
Visio is the industry-leading diagramming solution used by over 12 million users and we're thrilled to share our latest innovations. The new Visio makes it easier to define business processes, document best practices, visualize the future state of transformative initiatives, and stay on top of operational insights. Using Office 365, you can share Visio diagrams with everyone and communicate one version of the truth to drive organization-wide alignment.
The new Office is here
Today is the worldwide release of Office 2016 for Windows. This marks a milestone in delivering new value for Office 365 subscribers with a focus on collaboration, apps that work for you, a perfect pairing with Windows 10, and security features businesses will love. It also marks a new model for delivery, where subscribers can expect to get more frequent updates with new features and improvements.
Going to Microsoft Ignite? Take the Trip Report Challenge!
Ignite, Microsoft's new, premier enterprise technology event, kicks off May 4th in Chicago. If you're planning to attend the event, try your luck in the Ignite Trip Report Challenge sweepstakes. To participate, create a remarkable trip report of your learnings at Ignite using the newest Office application, Sway, and get a shot at winning one of three awesome prizes.
Take the stage at Microsoft Ignite!
Office 365 ProPlus—IT Control and Management update
A key benefit of Office 365 ProPlus is the reduced burden around upgrades associated with traditional software deployment. The result is that Office upgrades are fast and it's always up to date, just like you expect from a cloud service. Today, we'll discuss the IT Control and Management capabilities specifically around deployment and upgrade management for enterprise environments.
Visio webcast series–Visio 2013 advanced concepts
Visio webcast January 6—value stream mapping template
Visio webcast December 16—tips and tricks for Project 2013
Join us Tuesday, December 16th at 9:30 a.m. PST/12:30 p.m. EST for this exciting and practical webinar that will demonstrate tips and tricks for building and maintaining a proactive project schedule. Read on to register and learn how to qualify to receive a complimentary copy of Microsoft Project Professional 2013!


text:
By Nik Brumsack
Arsenal legend Lee Dixon is impressed with the improvements Carl Jenkinson has made to his game - and believes it was only a matter of time before the 20-year-old received an England call-up.
Jenkinson has been included in Roy Hodgson's squad for the friendly against Sweden next Wednesday, providing he receives international clearance from FIFA, after having previously represented Finland at youth level.
Dixon was the last Arsenal right back to earn a senior England cap and he is delighted Jenkinson's consistent start to the season has been rewarded.
"He's certainly got potential to be an international player," Dixon told Arsenal.com. "The important thing with young lads like that is you let their progress go unhindered.
"He seems like a good kid. I don't know him but I'd like to sit down with him and have a chat to find out what his thoughts are. I'd like to get to know him a bit but I believe he's a really good kid and he's got a huge future ahead of him.
"As a player, you want a chance to play and show what you can do, as well as learning as you're playing. It's important you get those opportunities. Sometimes you don't always get a chance to get a run of first-team games because it's not your time. I like him a lot. I think he's got a lot of attributes to go towards being a very good full back."
The similarities between Dixon and Jenkinson go beyond their England roles. Both men also spent time in the lower leagues before being given their chance at the top level.
"It's a big step and he's done it a little bit differently to me," Dixon said. "He's only played about five minutes for Charlton before he came. I played quite a few games in the lower league and knew a little bit about was I was doing. It was still a big leap [for me] to come to Arsenal.
"He's gone right in the deep end. He's an Arsenal lad as well so it's good to see. The fans relate to it - they can see his passion. He's still got a lot to learn but I see a lot of potential in him going on and being a top class full back.
"As long as he keeps trying to learn and progress, and not think he's made it when he's played 50 games, then he's got a real chance."Copyright 2017 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source


text:
Free standard shipping over
$ 75.00
Please enter search term
$ 99.00
This elegant rhodium-plated pendant captures the grace and elegance of a swan. Delicately embellished with clear crystals set in pavé, it sparkles softly and complements any outfit. The pendant comes on a chain.
Subscribe to the newsletter and stay up to date
Please enter a valid email address!
It seems that cookies are not enabled in your web browser. Please activate cookies and reload this page.


text:
The past and future of America's space arsenal intersected, briefly, in the summer of 2011. For two weeks in July, NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis roughly shared its Earth orbit with the Air Force's X-37B, a 29-foot-long, highly maneuverable robotic spacecraft that entered service in early 2010 and has been cloaked in secrecy ever since. The X-37 was around 80 miles higher than the Shuttle, so it's doubtful the four-person Atlantis crew, conducting the 135th and last Shuttle mission, ever saw the robotic craft. The X-37's small size — barely a quarter the length of Atlantis — made a sighting even less likely.
Equally striking was the difference in cost between Atlantis and its tiny robotic compatriot. Atlantis cost more than $10 billion to design and build and around $500 million to launch on that one mission. The Boeing-built X-37 mini-shuttle set the taxpayers back an estimated $1 billion for development and construction and just $180 million to send into space. (All cost figures in this story are in today's dollars.)
'Small' is the new watch-word for America's orbital force. But small doesn't mean less capable.
There are lots of things Atlantis could do that the X-37 cannot and vice versa, complicating any direct comparison. Both craft were designed to carry scientific and military payloads into orbit: Atlantis, with its school-bus-size cargo bay, emphasized carrying capacity; the X-37, optimized for endurance, has a bay the size of a pickup truck's bed. Still, it's almost unheard of for a major government technology to be cheaper than its immediate predecessor. Just ask the Air Force, with its $400 million F-22 fighters replacing F-15s that cost a quarter as much.
Moreover, the X-37B is meant to be launched into space on short notice, remain in orbit for a year or more and return only when its fuel tanks finally run dry. After a few weeks or months of reconditioning, the mini-shuttle is ready to return to space atop an Atlas rocket. With its fleet of two X-37s, the Air Force can keep at least one in orbit at all times.
Because they had to support their human crews, Atlantis and her sister Space Shuttles could spend at most two weeks in orbit before their water and air supplies began to run out. Between flights the manned orbiters needed nine months of expensive reconditioning by Rockwell, the main Shuttle contractor. It would have taken a fleet of 18 Space Shuttles to ensure one was in space at all times, but NASA built only five of the massive spacecraft for a total program cost of more than $200 billion.
From huge, slow and expensive to tiny, speedy and cheaper, Atlantis' and the X-37's brief proximity last summer represented a passing-of-the-torch for the world's leading space power. The era of big space missions is fading. "Small" is the new watch-word for America's orbital force. But as the X-37 and a host of other new spacecraft demonstrate, small doesn't mean less capable.
Tiny satellites, including relays, orbital cameras and other sensors, aren't the only "faster-better-cheaper" tech transforming the American space force. So-called "pseudolites" — that is, relatively inexpensive robots, planes and airships operating in the very-high-but-not-quite-orbit upper atmosphere — are rapidly proliferating and taking the place of some old-school satellites.
The "smaller-is-better" space revolution wasn't inevitable. It resulted from a complex interplay of politics and economics, plus a chain of engineering crises that claimed some careers and even a few lives. What follows is a brief recent history of America's space force from the end of the Cold War to today, with a glimpse into the future as old spacecraft waste away and smaller, quicker, cheaper and more robotic systems take their place.
From Dominance to Decay
In the Cold War's aftermath in the early '90s, the Air Force, the Navy, NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and America's other space agencies directly operated, or had access to, 200 or so spacecraft with military capabilities. The U.S. space fleet — including spy, communications, weather and GPS satellites and the four Shuttles — represented roughly half of the world's entire space arsenal. The Soviet satellite force, 180-strong, accounted for most of the rest.
The collapse of the Soviet Union and Russia's subsequent economic woes starved the former Soviet space fleet of funding. The Russian orbital arsenal declined as old satellites failed and burned up and fewer new satellites took their place. At its low point in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Moscow had access to just 80 satellites.
'The technologically ambitious programs started to collapse.'
Meanwhile, China's rise as a world power, and space rival to America, had yet to begin. The result was a period of unchallenged orbital dominance for the U.S., which year after year poured no less than $50 billion annually into space gear and operations. The wars in Iraq in 1991 and the Balkans in the mid-to-late '90s — not to mention the ongoing war in Afghanistan and the second Iraq war between 2003 and 2011 — drove home the importance of spy satellites, space-based radio relays, GPS and other orbital systems.
Soldiers used satellites' positioning signals to navigate across unfamiliar terrain. Air Force controllers accompanying the ground troops used satellite communications to guide in air strikes. Jet fighters and bombers dropped GPS-guided bombs. Orbital cameras tracked insurgents and terrorists. Soon there were few facets of U.S. warfare that didn't somehow involve space.
"This created a feedback loop," Eric Sterner, an analyst with The Marshall Institute in Virginia, tells Danger Room. "Greater experience with space capabilities led to increased demand for them, which led to yet more experience with them." Responding to growing demand, the U.S. space community initiated a portfolio of ambitious new programs.
New Pentagon-run space programs included: the Space-Based Infrared System for spotting missile launches; the Space Radar for tracking ground targets; and two new communications relays, the Transformational Satellite and the Advanced Extremely High-Frequency (AEHF) satellite. The new spacecraft cost between $2 billion and $4 billion apiece. The military planned to buy dozens of them.
These new versions of old-school sats were huge, complex and powerful. A single, $2 billion AEHF comms sat, 75 feet across when deployed, tipped the scales at seven tons and was estimated to handle 12 times as much information as the older satellite model it replaced.
The NRO started work on upgraded versions of its secretive Keyhole spy sats. The improved Keyholes were even bigger and pricier than the Air Force's spacecraft. One new Keyhole, launched in 2010, cost $4.5 billion to build and required a 23-story Delta IV rocket to lug it into orbit.
NASA began development of no fewer than three different reusable "space planes" that, like the Space Shuttle, would be capable of launching into orbit or near-orbit and landing like an airplane. These included, in decreasing size order, the X-33, the X-34 and the X-37.
Space ambition was unlimited but time and money weren't. Almost all of the new orbital gear ran into problems. "Most of the Department of Defense's large space acquisition programs have collectively experienced billions of dollars in cost increases, stretched schedules and increased technical risks," the Government Accountability Office reported in 2011. Many of the systems that made it into orbit suffered mechanical problems.
"The technologically ambitious programs started to collapse," Sterner says. The military canceled the Transformational Satellite and the Space Radar outright. NASA also terminated all its space planes; only the X-37 survived when the Air Force agreed to take over its management and expenses.
The Space Shuttle, the grandfather of Cold War-style orbital systems, suffered the most public and tragic failure when the orbiter Columbia, its wing damaged by a loose chunk of fuel-tank insulation, exploded on re-entry in 2003, killing seven astronauts.
Rock Bottom
Starting in the middle of last decade, the U.S. space force fell into "total disarray," one space insider tells Danger Room. Satellite programs came in years late and billions over budget. The Space Shuttle was temporarily grounded and its retirement date pegged for 2011 — years before its planned replacement, the Orion capsule built by Lockheed, would be ready. To sustain America's manned space exploration over the post-Shuttle gap, NASA planned to rent Russian capsules, an unthinkable scenario only a decade prior. Disillusioned senior engineers and managers left the space agencies in droves.
But the military space programs hadn't hit rock bottom — not yet. Arguably, that dubious milestone came on Jan. 11, 2007, when the Chinese military launched a solid-fueled rocket from the Xichang Space Center. A non-explosive kill vehicle separated from the rocket and struck a defunct Chinese weather satellite, blowing it into a thousand pieces.
The U.S. military used to talk about dominating space. Quickly, it became worried about being dominated.
The Chinese military's first anti-satellite test shocked America and the world. Satellite-killing weapons were nothing new: in 1985 a U.S. Air Force F-15 firing a prototype rocket shot down a target sat. But the Chinese test heralded the arrival of an unexpected space power. In a decade of rapid development, China ultimately matched the U.S. in total, annual rocket launches: 15. Starting at basically zero, China quickly built up its space force to more than 50 satellites, ranking just below the recovering Russians. Not only could Beijing match big, sophisticated U.S. spacecraft, it could shoot them down, too.
Following the Chinese satellite-kill, the consensus attitude inside the U.S. space force seemed to shift. The thinking in the years right after the Cold War was "how can the U.S. dominate space?" says Brian Weeden, an analyst with the Secure World Foundation in Colorado. Now it was "how can the U.S. ensure that we can continue to use space?" Weeden says. (Emphasis mine.)
One man had foreseen this crisis. Pete Worden, a mischievous Michigander now in his mid-60s, achieved the rank of brigadier general in Air Force Space Command, where he helped oversee satellite development and operations. In the early-'90s he co-led a two-year probe mission costing just $80 million that seemed to confirm the presence of water on the moon.
In the '90s and early 2000s, Worden argued that smaller, cheaper spacecraft, developed quickly and launched frequently, were the key to a better, more survivable space arsenal — one that could be quickly tailored to counter pop-up threats and had enough self-contained pieces to absorb attacks from a power such as China.
Instead of maintaining today's arsenal of some 200 pricey, military-grade satellites, U.S. space agencies should operate potentially thousands of smaller, cheaper spacecraft in a vast, constantly shifting constellation, reformers such as Worden claim. Each craft in this new space force should be just good enough to achieve its mission — no better — and sourced from the lowest bidder. No single satellite should be so valuable that the U.S. can't afford to lose it.
Inspired by Worden's moon probe, in 1992 NASA initiated the "Faster, Better, Cheaper" program, which aimed to build and deploy spacecraft in just a year or two instead of decades, and at a cost of just a couple hundred million bucks apiece instead of billions. The space agency was still investing heavily in pricey, old-style equipment. But there was enough skepticism within NASA to fuel support for Faster, Better, Cheaper.
Between '92 and '99, NASA launched 16 Faster, Better, Cheaper missions, including five Mars probes and a couple space telescopes. Ten of the speedy, inexpensive missions succeeded. Six failed owing to engineering errors or communications mix-ups.
Analysts declared Faster, Better, Cheaper a failure. The backlash against the initiative tarnished NASA and Worden. "I've been a real zealot for affordability," Worden said. But U.S. government space culture prized its billion-dollar programs — and Faster, Better, Cheaper's apparently low success rate seemed to reaffirm this choice. Worden's preference for small and cheap gear "was not well received by my space colleagues," he said. The bad blood Worden engendered with his ideas contributed to his departure from the air service in 2004. He eventually joined NASA as the head of Ames Research Center in California.
But Worden had the last laugh. As it became obvious that traditional, billion-dollar programs were even less likely to succeed than Faster, Better, Cheaper, critics began to change their tune. "I would like to respectfully suggest that success-per-dollar is a more meaningful measurement of achievement than success per-attempt," wrote Air Force Lt. Col. Dan Ward, currently one of the most vocal military advocates of cheaper weaponry.
Space Resurgence
The first organizations to internalize the lessons from NASA's Faster, Better, Cheaper experiment were commercial start-ups vying to steal business from the main space contractors such as Lockheed, Boeing and Rockwell. "Smaller start-ups are sweeping in and decimating the bigger guys," says the space-industry insider. He's being a bit hyperbolic, of course. The traditional players still have plenty of work. But the insider is dead-on when he says: "It's really a great time to be a small, innovative thinker in U.S. aerospace."
Among these "New Space" firms is Scaled Composites, based in the Mojave Desert. In 2004, Scaled slapped together some rudimentary controls and a rubber-fueled engine inside a custom-made, eggshell-shape composite airframe to produce SpaceShipOne, the world's first civilian, sub-orbital space plane. Total cost: $25 million, ponied up in part by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
'It's really a great time to be a small, innovative thinker in U.S. aerospace.'
In October 2004, SpaceShipOne rocketed more than 60 miles into the upper atmosphere, winning the $10-million Ansari X-Prize and gratifying Worden, who was present at the Mojave airfield for the launch. Today a larger SpaceShipTwo, designed to carry passengers, is in testing. And the Pentagon is officially interested in copying the technology for ultra-high-altitude spying and super-fast resupply and transport missions. More to the point, Scaled has proved that powerful near-space vehicles can be produced quickly and cheaply.
Next in the world of space up-starts: SpaceX, a California rocket-maker founded by Paypal billionaire Elon Musk that aims to break the near-monopoly on military space launches held by United Launch Alliance, a consortium of Boeing and Lockheed. In late 2010 SpaceX launched one of its bare-bones Falcon rockets carrying a small Army satellite and a reusable capsule. When the capsule splashed down in the Pacific, it was the first time in six decades of space exploration that a privately-built spacecraft had left and returned to Earth. The company also has a deal with NASA to resupply the International Space Station starting in April.
SpaceX charges the government around $150 million for a space-station supply run, roughly half as much as its bigger competitors. The main driver behind SpaceX's low cost is "re-usability." In other words, almost everything SpaceX builds — rockets, capsules and other gear — is meant to be launched, recovered, reconditioned, and then launched again. (The same philosophy that underpins the X-37.) Traditionally, a lot of space equipment is engineered to be used once then thrown away, adding to the cost of materials and labor. Thanks to SpaceX, those traditions are themselves beginning to be discarded.
With its roots in Worden's moon probe and NASA's Faster, Better, Cheaper effort, New Space has made a deep impression on a U.S. space force reeling from its recent failures and China's rapid rise. In the past few years, the Pentagon in particular has moved to institutionalize Worden's vision.
In 2007, the Air Force established the Operationally Responsive Space office in New Mexico. Spending just $100 million a year for five years, the new organization built and launched four quick-and-dirty satellites. The office's biggest successes was ORS-1, a surveillance satellite roughly the size of a compact car, compared to the semi-truck-size orbital spies that were standard before. To keep down costs, the Air Force fitted the new sat with the same camera as the U-2 spy plane. Launched in 2011, ORS-1 began peering down on Afghanistan in January.
Earlier this year the Air Force announced it would be closing the Operationally Responsive Space office. But the shut-down is actually a sign of the organization's success, as the techniques it pioneered are being adopted across the military space force, the Air Force said.
The flying branch has also embraced air-breathing "pseudolites" — that is, high-altitude drones, planes or even balloons that can perform many of the same functions of satellites but more cheaply. As they can maneuver more quickly, they're also less vulnerable to Chinese rockets. In recent years EQ-4 Global Hawk drones and even KC-135 tankers fitted with radio relays have begun filling in for multi-billion-dollar communications satellites. Bottom line: the future of the U.S. orbital arsenal lies in "militarily responsive space-launch supplemented with air-breathers," Larry Wortzel, an adviser to the U.S. government on space issues, tells Danger Room.
Not coincidentally, NASA Ames, where is Worden is director, is a major player in pseudolite research.
Marine Gen. James Cartwright, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff before his retirement last year, was an enthusiastic supporter of smaller, cheaper space systems. Along with allies in Congress, he argued for the NRO — arguably the most conservative of the space agencies — to adopt Worden's smaller-is-better philosophy. "We have worked ourselves into a cul-de-sac where we have the most exquisite platforms in the world, and we have one on each coast, or one on in each orbit," Cartwright said. "We can't keep going this way." The NRO resisted at first but has since agreed to at least consider smaller camera-equipped sats similar to ORS-1.
Our Orbital Future
The small-fast-cheap trend is still a fairly new one. As more agencies attempt a wider range of missions with tiny satellites and reusable robo-shuttles, they could discover that the simple-is-better approach has natural limits. SpaceX originally planned to launch its first space-station resupply mission in February, but was forced to delay the mission until April to give company engineers more time for testing. "Getting these systems to work is hard," commented John Logsdon, a space expert at George Washington University.
All the same, the emerging consensus around smaller spacecraft could shake up the space industry. Corporate casualties are possible. "I think you will see continued discussion about making satellites faster and cheaper," Weeden says, "but I am not confident that the military procurement system will be able to make that transition. If it happens, I think it will be because the military is purchasing more commercial off-the-shelf systems from companies that are making this transition." Goodbye, Boeing and Lockheed. Hello, Scaled and SpaceX.
One thing the future does not include is more astronauts. NASA aims to continue manned missions with the International Space Station, rented Russian capsules and, eventually, a new American capsule-and-rocket combo to replace the retired Space Shuttles. But it seems clear the next generation of NASA astronauts will not perform many, or any, military roles as they have in the past. Heavy-lift rockets, X-37s and other robotic systems will take over where human beings once toiled. "Almost zero manned missions," is how the space insider characterizes the emerging space force.
The removal of human explorers could come at a cost to the U.S. space force's PR efforts. A smiling astronaut emerging from a just-landed Space Shuttle makes for much better television than a tiny, battered robot autonomously taxiing down some desert runway. By this token, the coming U.S. orbital arsenal won't look like much. But that doesn't mean it won't dominate America's rivals in space.Go Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article.


text:
Hello I have been looking into moving into teaching English as I moved to Portugal 2 years ago, and am a fully qualified UK Primary Teacher with 12 years experience. The director of a local school recommended I take the IHCYL course at the nearest TT centre to me.( which he also is director for)
My question- is this the best route for me to take bearing in mind my previous experience or will the shorter course (than Celta or Tesol) mean I will find it difficult to break into the market elsewhere or even state school teaching?
I had been researching this at a leisurely pace, but theyve just had someone drop out of their next course(March) and want to know if I'm interested- Thanks


text:
I have a pre-intermediate level class with a blind student in it. I'd appreciate any ideas concerning activities or games for the class.
Thanks for any help you can give me!
Discussion and help for TEFL teachers, from teacher-training to ELT management
Moderator: Susan
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests