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FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — A Frederick County grand jury on Friday declined to indict three sheriff's deputies involved in the asphyxiation death of a man with Down syndrome, prompting the man's family to question the thoroughness of the investigation by the officers' co-workers.
Robert Ethan Saylor's parents, Patti and Ronald Saylor, want to review the investigative file compiled by the sheriff's office and the state medical examiner's autopsy report before deciding whether to pursue civil action, Baltimore attorney Sharon Krevor-Weisbaum said. Neither file was available for public inspection Friday.
"The family is extremely disappointed and saddened by the grand jury's decision," Krevor-Weisbaum said. "The inquiry into events on that terrible night is not going to stop here."
Saylor, 20, died Jan. 12 after the deputies, moonlighting as Westview Promenade mall security officers, tried to remove him from a Regal Cinemas Westview Stadium 16 auditorium at the management's request. His caretaker had gone outside to get the car after a screening of "Zero Dark Thirty," and Saylor had returned to a theater seat, his family's lawyers say. Saylor ended up handcuffed on the floor after he became "verbally and physically resistant" to the deputies.
State's Attorney J. Charles Smith said the autopsy concluded that Saylor died of asphyxia, with obesity, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and a heart abnormality as significant conditions. Saylor stood 5-foot-6 and weighed 294 pounds, Sheriff Charles A. Jenkins said.
Smith said the medical examiner found that Saylor's Down syndrome, physique and heart disease made him more susceptible to sudden death in stressful conditions that would compromise his breathing.
The medical examiner's office ruled the manner of death as homicide in February. Smith said "homicide" means that "but for the actions of other individuals, Mr. Saylor would not have died."
"The deputies employed police procedures pursuant to their training with the Frederick County Sheriff's Office," Smith told a news conference outside the county courthouse.
Smith stressed that the grand jury had acted in an investigative function, meaning it did not rely solely on the investigative file from the sheriff's office. The panel heard from all 17 eyewitnesses, including the 18-year-old caretaker, and the three deputies, he said.
He said none of the deputies hit or kicked Saylor, or used any force to his neck or head. The only police equipment used was three sets of handcuffs, linked together to accommodate Saylor's girth, Smith said.
He said Saylor was on his stomach for one to two minutes. When he showed signs of medical distress, the deputies immediately removed the handcuffs, called for an ambulance and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Smith said.
He called Saylor's death a "tragic and untimely loss."
Attorney Patrick McAndrew, representing Lt. Scott Jewell, Sgt. Rich Rochford and Deputy First Class James Harris, said the deputies did as their training dictated.
"Each one of the deputies is the consummate law-enforcement professional," McAndrew said.
The sheriff said his officers have been trained to deal with developmentally disabled subjects.
In response to the family's concerns, he said it wasn't unusual for a police agency to investigate its officers' actions.
"I've got a professional, very complete group of professional investigators. I certainly rely on their work, and I hang my hat on them," Jenkins said. "Apparently the grand jury thought it was a very thorough and complete investigation," the sheriff said.
He said the officers remain on paid administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation that will likely be done by the end of next week.


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Technology Committee
Technology Committee
Technology Committee Charge:
The role of the Technology Committee is to assist in effective planning and general oversight of technology at Georgia Highlands College. The membership of this group represents leadership of each segment of the college and will therein provide insight from those perspectives in lending assistance to technology planning and policies. The Technology Committee shall consist of the Vice Presidents, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Associate Director of Information Technology, two faculty members, and a student. Members of the Student Engagement Council will be called upon for considering student technology issues.
- Faculty representatives will be recommended by the Instructional Council and will serve a two-year term. Student representatives will be recommended by the Director of Student Life and serve a one year term. Students may be nominated for one additional term by the Director of Student Life. All final appointments will be approved by the President with the consultation of the Vice Presidents.
- The Committee will elect a chair annually.
- The Committee will meet at least once a semester unless additional meetings are necessary.
- The Committee shall provide advice and counsel on the purchase, use, maintenance of technologies, and policy development to the Chief Information Officer.
- The Committee shall call upon other participants to provide insight or advice to assist in certain deliberations.
The Committee shall call upon the additional students from the Student Engagement Council to assist in deliberations of student technology related issues. These appointments will be recommended by the Director of Student Life. This body shall be guided by the following principles:
- Given the complexity of integration, security and support issues associated with technology decisions, the CIO should serve as a senior executive in the technology fee process. As such, the CIO should play a key role in the selection of technology fee proposals for funding, either as chair or co-chair of the committee, or as an advisor to the committee chair.
- As per Board of Regents Policy on Mandatory Student Fees, all mandatory student fees collected by an institution shall be budgeted and administered by the President using proper administrative procedures, which shall include the advice and counsel of an advisory committee, composed of at least 50 percent students.
- Technology fees shall be used to support students in the pursuit of those instructional needs that directly provide educational value. Technology fee revenues may be used to improve campus infrastructure where those infrastructure improvements provide direct benefit to students or to the educational objectives of academic programs.
- Technology fee revenues and expenditures shall be tracked in separate budget units for administration, analysis, and reporting by the Vice President of Finance. The committee shall use this information for planning purposes. Documentation on technology fee revenues, allocation decisions made by the Committee, purchasing documents, and documents showing the transfer of equipment in those cases where equipment has been reallocated must be maintained to provide a clear history of technology fee expenditures and allocations.
- Technology fee expenditures shall be consistent with the provisions and goals of the Information Technology Strategic Plan in support of the missions of the College. Periodic review of technology fee expenditures should be performed at an executive level of the institution to ensure that, over time, funds are allocated in the most appropriate areas.
- Technology fees expenditures that are used to procure or replace hardware shall follow the equipment lifecycle outlined in the Technology Replacement Plan, unless the equipment is deemed immediately necessary. Furthermore, technology fee proposals and funded projects should plan for long-term maintenance of hardware and software acquisitions. That is, any proposal that provides for purchase of hardware or software should include consideration of or provision for ongoing support in the form of staff, ongoing maintenance contracts and/or supplies.
- The Committee shall recommend plans or policy changes to the President's Cabinet for approval.
- All final decisions are made by the President.
- The committee shall provide the President with a brief annual report of its activities at the end of the academic year.

subset: commoncrawl


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Shanshan Feng closed with a 3- under 69 on Saturday to win the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters by five strokes.
Feng ended the final Ladies European Tour (LET) event of the year at 21-under- par 267 on the Emirates Golf Course. This was Feng's second win of the season on the LET.
Dewi Claire Schreefel also shot 69 on Saturday to take second place at minus-16. Becky Brewerton (65) and Caroline Masson (71) shared third at 12- under-par 276.
Feng eagled the par-5 third, but gave one stroke back when she bogeyed the fifth. She atoned for that mistake with a birdie on the eighth. Around the turn, Feng carded eight pars and a birdie at the 14th to cruise home.
Lorie Kane (71), Cindy Lacrosse (72) and Gwladys Nocera (73) shared fifth place at 11-under-par 277. Line Vedel (69) and Felicity Johnson (71) were one shot back at minus-10.
American teenager Lexi Thompson, who won this title last year, shot 70 in the final round and ended in a tie for 10th at 9-under-par 279. Michelle Wie (69) shared 19th at minus-6.


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Submission + - Eee Keyboard Details Released (engadget.com)
ScuttleMonkey writes: "Details on the new Eee keyboard previously held secret during the FCC filing, have now been made available. You can now take a look at the innards and a full spec sheet detailing exactly what is being promised. "Beneath the 5-inch, 800 x 480 pixel touch panel (with stylus) we'll be getting Windows XP Home running on an Intel Atom N270, 945GSE / ICH7-M chipset with Broadcom AV-VD905 video decoder, 1GB of DDR2 memory, either 16GB or 32GB of flash storage, 4-hour battery, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, gigabit Ethernet, HDMI and VGA outputs, integrated stereo speakers and mic, 3x USB, headphone and mic jacks, and external WiFi / UWB antenna. The Eee Keyboard's on-board Ultra-Wideband (UWB) throws 720p content to your TV within a 5-meter range (10-meters for non-video transmissions) via a UWB receiver packing 2x USB ports, another mini-USB port, audio out, and HDMI.""


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James 'Whitey' Bulger Defends Himself in New Documentary
During his trial, alleged mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger decided not to testify on his own behalf, calling the proceedings a "sham." But in the new documentary "Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger," directed by Joe Berlinger, Bulger defends himself against charges that he was a longtime FBI informant and that he killed two women.
Bulger was convicted of a racketeering indictment that included involvement in 11 murders, and controlling a web of drug-dealing, extortion, money-laundering and gun-running from the 1970s to the 1990s. He was missing for 16 years before he was arrested in 2011. In November, he was sentenced to two life terms plus five years in prison.
In the film, Bulger's voice is heard in recorded phone conversations that he had with his defense attorney, J. W. Carney Jr. The documentary, which premiered this week at the Sundance Film Festival, shows Carney directly asking Bulger if he was ever an informant. Bulger can be heard saying "I never, never, never cracked," and lists examples from his past when he refused to give names under pressure.


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Well, I trashed my windows MCPC- wouldn't boot windows, no Linux(removed it as it wouldn't work with my Mobo)
So I thought ...what the hell, so I have to reinstall, reactivate, reload all the drivers and apps, but it will be a clean install.
About 7 hours later.... every time I try to install the audio driver ( any version, from the CD or the website), it switches itself off.
Sometimes it demands that i install the "Microsoft bus driver " first. ( I have tried with 4 different versions of the MSBD...no go.) then it goes into standby!
It will not detect the Realtek HDaudio device, if I try and install it manually, the PC copies the files then crashes (either goes into standby with no warning, or actually switches off).
The motherboard install CD autoloader says "no correct item found"
This is after installing WMC with the mandatory multiple reboots, installing media portal and configuring it.
One notable issue with WMC insert a dDVD "windows media player cannot play this DVD because an error has occurred with Digital rights Management"
Translation- unless you install a 3rd party DVD player, WMC cannot play DVDs. £75 for WMC OEM, and MS too tight to pay for an MP4 licence.....
And all these People who say that Linux is difficult should be forced to install printer drivers on Citrix Metaframe!
I am now going to reinstall WMC yet again, but this time I won't fit the TV card until after I get everything else working. ( I am told that apparently this is the cause of the problem, but I am not totally convinced)
edit: and I am not alone, just google for asrock AM2NF6G-VSTA and audio )


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Young ace shuts down Atlanta, hits a homer and causes a ruckus
MIAMI — The game meant little in the standings. Yet as the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves faced the team with the league's worst record, they found themselves in a bench-clearing standoff.
"It was crazy, huh?" third baseman Chris Johnson said. "Tempers were high."
Rookie Jose Fernandez aggravated the Braves with his demonstrative behavior while pitching the Miami Marlins to a 5-2 victory Wednesday.
"When you watch him pitch, there are some things he does on the field that you can do without," Braves catcher Brian McCann said.
Fernandez was in no mood to celebrate the victory to end his marvelous season. Instead he trudged through a quiet stadium hallway to seek out the Braves so he could apologize for his behavior.
Fernandez allowed seven innings and hit his first major-league homer, but he drew a rebuke from his manager for showboating, and precipitated the standoff with the Braves.
"I feel embarrassed," the 21-year-old Fernandez said. "I feel like I don't deserve to be here, because this isn't high school. This is a professional game. I made a mistake. I'm going to learn from it."
The game was the last of the season for Fernandez because he passed his 170-inning limit set by the Marlins. A top candidate for NL Rookie of the Year, he finished 12-6 with an ERA of 2.19, second-lowest in the majors behind only the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw. He went 9-0 in 15 home starts.
But he wasn't happy with the way he finished.
"I had a good year, and it ends up like this," he said sheepishly. "I embarrassed a lot of people. It's just not right for the game. For sure I can promise 120 percent that that will never ever happen again. I won't show anybody up like that."
Leading 4-0, Fernandez became agitated in the sixth inning, when the Braves scored their only run off him on Evan Gattis' home run. Fernandez reacted with a cocky grin, and the Braves let him know they didn't appreciate his expression.
"Somebody hits off him, and he smiles," Braves pitcher Mike Minor said. "It seems like you're not supposed to get a hit off of him."
Fernandez stared at the Atlanta bench muttering as he walked off the mound to end the inning, then waved his arms in agitation in the dugout. When he homered a short time later, he stood admiring the hit before slowly starting into his trot. He spat as he rounded third base as Johnson said something to him.
"He stood there for a while, and that's disrespectful to Mike," Johnson said. "That was bad."
As Fernandez crossed the plate, he traded words with McCann. Umpire Sam Holbrook stepped between them, and other players quickly joined the dispute.
Fernandez laughed as he was pulled away by teammates, and the crowd of 25,111 roared. Shoves were swapped but no punches were evident, and no one was ejected.
"I think he realized that he messed up," McCann said. "I think emotions got the best of him."
Fernandez agreed. He sought out McCann and Minor after the game.
"I said, 'I'm really sorry, I'm embarrassed and that's something that won't ever happen again,' " Fernandez said. "McCann said, 'Hey, man, you're a kid but you're in the big leagues. You need to do what big leaguers do.' "
Marlins manager Mike Redmond said he talked with Fernandez and was certain there would be no more showboating.
"Tonight showed some immaturity on Josie's part," Redmond said. "Showing the other team up with a home run, that's not what we're doing here. We're 30-some games under .500. We don't have the right to be flashy or show anybody up."
The crowd of 25,111 had no problem with Fernandez's theatrics. When he slowly walked off the mound for the final time after the seventh, he removed his cap as fans gave him a standing ovation.
He allowed five hits and struck out five. Two relievers pitched the final two innings.
Miami's Giancarlo Stanton hit his 20th homer and drove in three runs off Minor (13-7), who allowed four earned runs in six innings.
Notes: Braves RF Justin Upton was back in the lineup after leaving Tuesday's game when he fouled a ball off his right knee. ... Hanging in the Marlins dugout near the bat rack was a team jersey, and on the back it read, "Never Forget 9/11." ... Marlins RHP Nathan Eovaldi is likely to be scratched from scheduled start Thursday against Atlanta because of back tightness. Rookie LHP Brian Flynn would take his place.


text: The 37th annual Christmas Traditions festival is in full swing, having kicked off in Saint Charles the day after Thanksgiving. But fret not, there's still plenty of time to enjoy this year's celebration, which continues until the afternoon of Christmas Eve. As in years past, we have more than 30 Christmas Legends characters roaming about the Main Street historic district, …Read More »


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Business Faculty and Staff
Gerald Ferguson
Adjunct Faculty
Hometown : Pittsburgh, PA
Joined Chatham : 2007
Academic Areas of Interest
MBA (Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management)
Personal Website : Visit Website | Visit Website
Mr. Ferguson graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with an undergraduate degree in Political Science and Legal Studies. He received his graduate degree from Geneva College. He is currently at the University of Pittsburgh completing his doctorate degree. He has over 15 years of experience working in the Human Resource arena. His career started in the federal government where He processed discrimination complaint cases and provided training and development for management and employees. During his career he has worked in the non-profit sector as well as the for profit sector. In 2001, Mr. Ferguson started an HR consulting firm named Multi Diversity Group (www.multidiversitygroup.com). Through Multi Diversity Group he provides training and development, workforce research, audits, conflict resolution and mediation. He started his teaching career in 2007 with the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC). While at CCAC he has taught in the Diversity and Ethnic Studies department as well as the Business and Technology department. Some of the Diversity and Ethnic Studies courses that he has taught include: Intro to Diversity and Ethnic Studies, Understanding Violence in America and Current Issues in Ethnic and Diversity Studies. Some of the Business courses that he has taught at CCAC include: Principles of Management, Labor Relations Management, Principles of Supervision, Human Resource Management, Business Law and Public Relations. Mr. Ferguson started teaching at Chatham University in 2007. Some of the courses that he has taught at Chatham University include: Foundations of Business, Intro to Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior, in both the undergraduate and graduate program. He also serves on a board of directors for a social change foundation. The name of this foundation is Three Rivers Community Foundation (www.trcf.org). In addition to serving on the TRCF board of directors he serves on an advisory committee for a charter school, diversity committee for CCAC and the diversity advisory committee for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Mr. Ferguson has been happily married since 1997 and he and his wife have two sons.


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Marketplace for Friday, April 6, 2012
The economy added 120,000 jobs in March, but economists were expecting better. We talk with one of the employed - a factory worker who has seen his wages sink even as that sector of the economy hums along. Plus, New York Bureau Chief Heidi Moore and Sudeep Reddy of the Wall Street Journal examine this month's job numbers in our Weekly Wrap segment. Also on the show, a Dutch winemaker saves a vineyard in the south of France as skyrocking real estate prices pit grapes against developers. We talk with the director behind a study out of NYU that says new environmental regulations should consider the jobs lost and gained before being passed. And a look at how reforms to Alabama's immigration laws could help out business but make life harder for undocumented immigrants.


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- Darkmoon Turtle
- Item Level 20
- Binds when picked up
- Use: Teaches you how to summon this companion.
The Darkmoon Turtle companion can be purchased from Lhara at the Darkmoon Faire on Darkmoon Island for 90 Darkmoon Prize Tickets.
It can also sometimes be found within a [Darkmoon Game Prize].
Patch changes Edit
Patch 4.3.0 (29-Nov-2011): Added.


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THE FEDERAL government has been urged to explain why Dubbo families are paying soaring electricity bills, the member for Dubbo Troy Grant said.
Mr Grant said the NSW state government was working hard to place downward pressure on rising power prices.
"Labor must be honest with electricity consumers as to how much the carbon tax is contributing to their power bills," he said.
"We have implemented a number of reforms to help reduce the impact of rising power prices in NSW, including increased assistance measures, the closure of Labor's unsustainable Solar Bonus Scheme, and the commissioning of a review into reliability standards imposed by Labor which are a key driver of rising network costs."
Mr Grant said the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has determined green schemes including the cost of the carbon tax were calculated to add approximately $316 to the power bill of Dubbo families.
The Climate Change Minister, Greg Combet, said the NSW government was misleading consumers by forcing electricity retailers to print on every household power bill that the "Federal carbon tax and green energy schemes add about $316 a year''.
The O'Farrell government made the politically charged power bill warnings a condition of having a licence to supply electricity in NSW.


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Interim District 2 Councilman Ed Harris, with his "aide" (young daughter Morgan) in tow, held an informal coffee outreach on May 31 at Coffee Method on Niagara Avenue in Ocean Beach to step up engagement between residents and city government.
Ocean Beach librarians turned out to pitch the lifeguard-turned-councilman on a plan to expand the outdated facility at 4801 Santa Monica Ave.
"We have the oldest library in the city," said one librarian, as she unrolled a floor plan done for a revision of the facility, which she said has great potential to become a meeting place for the entire community.
Harris directed her to contact his staff and set up a meeting to talk about how to proceed from here.
One woman broke down in tears as she described a homeless man she'd encountered who voluntarily does his own cleanups around town.
"I wish there was something you could do to help this man," she said.
Harris was sympathetic.
"Our approach is that we need to provide as much assistance as we can, but it's not an easy solution," Harris said. "There are big problems with mental health."
He said "We need to find a balance" regarding giving handouts versus real help aimed at improving peoples' lives.
Harris answered questions from all comers, thanking the dozen or so who turned out for sharing a weekend morning with him.
Asked if it will be hard to go back to being a lifeguard when his interim term as councilman expires in December, Harris said, "No" emphatically, with a smile and laugh.
Might Harris seek something in the way of higher government office at the state level?
"I'd be reluctant to seek a position that would take me out of San Diego," said the veteran lifeguard. "I'm raising these guys (children). That's my top priority. And I've got another five years on the beach and I plan to finish and enjoy that."
Harris said he's had a fun life, traveled a lot and done some purposeful things.
"That's the OB way to live," pointed out a constituent.
A former Marine, Harris talked about how he got involved in politics.
"In the Marines, you learn to take care of the people who work for you," he said. "I had a lifeguard I guarded with for 15 years who tore his hip and had to have it replaced after a cliff rescue. The state put him on disability and took his benefits away from his family. If he'd been on that same rescue as a policeman or firefighter, [the family would] be covered."
That led to lobbying and successful legislation being enacted in Sacramento to put lifeguards on par with police and fire personnel in benefits compensation. It also led to Harris becoming a labor representative to the city for 90 lifeguards.
Asked what his legacy will be, Harris replied, "I'm here to keep the roads getting paved, pipes getting replaced and keeping utilities undergrounding moving forward."
It's the little things he'll be able to do in the limited time he has that will really matter to Harris.
"There's a stop sign to make crossing safer near Loma Portal Elementary that people have been trying to get since my kid was in kindergarten, and they're in fourth grade now," he said. "We've got that moving forward and it's on the 90-day list and will be installed."
Harris said he'd also very much like see a reduction of plastic bags and other single-use plastics, adding, "It's going to happen before I'm out."
The councilman said the plastic "problem" hit him — literally — in the face when he swam into a black plastic bag out in the ocean recently.
Harris said San Diego police officers are underpaid, noting that's become a top priority being addressed citywide.
Queried as to whether he had a take on the controversy over the view of some that SeaWorld San Diego is exploiting orcas in its live shows, Harris replied, "I can't read a whale's mind. I'm not a trainer. But SeaWorld is a huge economic contributor to San Diego and helps a lot of stray birds and marine mammals."
Is it a good thing that the ethical treatment of marine mammals is in the conversation?
"People pushing back on all sorts of issues allows society to meet somewhere in the middle," Harris said. "As long as we do that, I think we can keep moving forward."


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The Journey To Opening Night
So here we are, one day away from the start of the 2012-13 campaign. It's been a long, but not uneventful summer, in which the Warriors roster has undergone some major developments. As we sit here on the eve of the Warriors' season opener, let's take a moment to recap the offseason that was:
The Dubs were counting their blessings at the beginning of the summer, as a string of fortuitous events offered the opportunity to drastically improve the overall talent and depth of the roster. First, the Warriors were the beneficiaries of a crucial coin flip, in which they were awarded the seventh slot in the NBA Draft Lottery. Had the Warriors lost the coin flip, they would have been slotted eighth in the NBA Draft Lottery, and due to the stipulations of a trade made years ago, that pick would have been forfeited to the Utah Jazz in the 2012 NBA Draft, resulting in a situation in which the Warriors were without a lottery pick. Considering the way last year's lockout-shortened season concluded, that could have been a critical blow to the hopes and aspirations of the team in the immediate future. But alas, the basketball gods appeared to be on the Warriors' side…and this wasn't the only time.
Certainly, the value of a lottery pick in the draft cannot be overstated. For a team devoid of large amounts of cap space, the draft is the smartest and most-fiscally responsible method of improving the product on the court. But draft picks themselves don't score buckets or lock down opposing players – it's what you do with the picks that determines their true value. So, on draft night, the basketball gods struck again…and again…and again. With the 7th, 30th and 35th picks, the Warriors stared at the draft board and saw a name available they didn't expect to be there, and jumped at the opportunity to select them. Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli and Draymond Green fit multiple needs in terms of talent, character and position, and just like that, they were donning the blue and gold. Already with a core of established talent in Stephen Curry (healthy), Klay Thompson (primed for a breakout season according to NBA GMs), David Lee (20.1 points, 9.6 boards last year) and Andrew Bogut (on the verge of making his Golden State debut), the Warriors were fortunate to add three more quality rookies on draft night, and they rode that momentum into free agency, where more crucial developments would soon ensue.
The Warriors didn't have a ton of room under the cap, but that didn't stop them from addressing multiple needs in rather efficient fashion. First, seeking to improve their backcourt depth behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, the Warriors acquired guard Jarrett Jack from the Hornets in a three-team trade. A seven-year NBA veteran, Jack possesses the size to play both guard positions, as well as the skill and experience to lead the Dubs' second unit when the starters need a breather. While Stephen Curry has recovered from his offseason ankle surgery, to get a backup the caliber of Jack was an absolute coup. After crossing that off their checklist, the Warriors then moved to addressing the remaining needs along their bench, specifically at the forward positions. Brandon Rush and Carl Landry were signed to identical deals, giving the Warriors arguably their most talented bench in recent memory. Landry, a five-year veteran who seemed to dominate the Warriors upon every encounter throughout his career, will now switch sides and man the low post for the Dubs, a delightful sight for Mark Jackson no doubt. Add in Rush, who looks to build upon last season's breakout performance, and suddenly the Warriors have a roster that goes at least two deep at every position. And perhaps best of all, they didn't have to break the bank in order to do so. Every addition the Warriors made this offseason has come at a reasonable price tag that simultaneously served to provide an influx of talent, while not hindering the future financial flexibility of the team. This is the type of forward thinking that can often make the difference between perennial success and failure.
However, as any decent cook knows, just because you use the tastiest ingredients, it's no guarantee the end product is going to melt in your mouth. The Warriors management has put together the most well-rounded and talented roster the team has had in quite some time on paper, but until that product is put on the court, there's no telling how it will all gel together. However, the early signs are certainly positive. The Warriors were the only team in the NBA Summer League to finish undefeated at 5-0, and while that league is largely comprised of rookies, non-starters and roster invitees, the team continued its winning trend in the recently completed NBA preseason, in which the Warriors tied for the most wins in the entire league.
Sure, it's not the regular season and teams don't necessarily feature the lineups they are likely to send out on the court starting tomorrow night, but it's not like the Warriors were any different in that regard. Twelve Warriors averaged 10 or more minutes per game in the preseason, meaning that the distribution of minutes is actually much closer to reality than one might initially think. Regardless, a win at any time of year is a good thing, particularly for a team with a recent history of losing. If the Warriors hope to take the next leap into the upper echelon of the Western Conference, the first step towards that goal is to establish a culture of winning, where winning is the expectation, not the aspiration. The Warriors have taken advantage of the opportunities to establish that culture of winning thus far, and should be commended for it. Ultimately, however, the true merit of this roster will be judged by their ability to maintain that winning culture over the course of the arduous 82-game regular season, which begins in Phoenix tomorrow night. There will be ups and downs, highs and lows; that is an inevitability in today's NBA game. But it will be the precision with which the team navigates that rollercoaster ride that will determine exactly how successful this 2012-13 version of the Warriors will be.
So, with that said, strap yourselves in Warriors fans…it should be a wild ride.


text:
HP gets denser, faster...
With nanowire chip advance
HP claims to have made a chip design breakthrough that could result in integrated circuits up to eight times denser than those currently in production.
The new technology would also use less energy per transaction than today's chips, if HP's computer models are correct.
The research has been published in the 24 January issue of Nanotechnology, titled "Nano/CMOS Architectures Using Field-Programmable Nanowire Interconnect".
The breakthrough specifically relates to field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). For those not dealing with such things on a daily basis, HP explains that these are "integrated circuits with programmable logic components and interconnects that can be adapted by end-users for specific applications". CMOS, of course, stands for complementary metal-oxide semiconductor, the stuff of all chippage.
"As conventional chip electronics continue to shrink, Moore's Law is on a collision course with the laws of physics," said Stan Williams, co-author of the paper and director of quantum science research at HP Labs.
"Excessive heating and defective device operation arise at the nanoscale. What we've been able to do is combine conventional CMOS technology with nanoscale switching devices in a hybrid circuit to increase effective transistor density, reduce power dissipation, and dramatically improve tolerance to defective devices."
The new approach involves building a nanowire crossbar above the transistor layer. The CMOS then handles all the logic operations, while the nanowire deals with the signal routing. This frees up an enormous amount of processing power, since traditionally, between 80 and 90 per cent of traditional CMOS is used for signal routing.
Although the research currently exists only in a simulation, HP has started work on a real world version, and the researchers reckon it could have a working laboratory prototype within a year. Nothing if not ambitious, they estimate that their model, which uses 15-nanometer-wide crossbar wires over 45-nm half-pitch CMOS, could be technically viable by 2010. ®
Sponsored: Minds Mastering Machines - Call for papers now open


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LA GRANGE – Reservations are being accepted for the La Grange Memorial Hospital Foundation's Annual Gala, "Light up the Night."
This year's Gala will take place at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Burr Ridge Marriott, 1200 Burr Ridge Parkway. Tickets are $250 per person.
Proceeds from the Gala support the hospital's Patient Care Center and are matched by a grant from the Community Memorial Foundation, which has set a goal of $5 million.
The Gala, which is black tie optional, will feature dinner and music by Spoken Four, a group that plays a range of music from the '50s to today's Top 40.
To reserve tickets for Light up the Night, go to www.keepingyouwell.com/almh/make-a-gift/gala, or call 708-245-2904.


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^^ lol funny statement and im sure that has happened before think of the older days when their werent as may teams and only 2 divisions. but prob not in 20 or so yrs.
bring on marty!!! how fitting that its NJ too.
Sunday @3 lets go!!!!!
kj start a game thread man


text:
And the winner for best family film is ...
Annual Movieguide Awards honor entertainment with positive messages
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – Hollywood celebrated faith and values films at the 21st annual Movieguide Awards Gala held on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, honoring the best motion pictures in 2012 presenting uplifting and family-appropriate messages.
Hosted this year by Joe Mantegna, currently staring in the CBS television series "Criminal Minds," and his daughter, Gia Mantegna, the Movieguide Awards dinner was attended by sold-out 450-person audience, including top studio heads and executives in Hollywood, prominent actresses and actors.
Two important awards were presented by noted philanthropists and patrons of faith and values films: Dr. Jack Templeton, president and chairman of the John Templeton Foundation, and Foster Freiss, head of the Freiss Family Foundation.
Out of this year's semifinalists, 20th Century Fox and Walt Disney studios garnered the highest number of nominations in the Best Movies for Families category, with Fox having five semifinalists and Disney having four semifinalists. Magnolia Pictures' documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" was a surprise nomination, completing the list of family films along with New Line's "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" and DreamWorks' "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" and "Rise of the Guardians."
Movieguide Awards honors two categories of films: The Ten Best Movies for Families and the Ten Best Movies for Mature Audiences are awarded to films that exhibit moral values and/or a redemptive storyline. Any feature film can be nominated, regardless of box office gross or number of major stars. Movies rated G or PG are eligible for the "Family" category, while those rated PG-13 or R may be nominated in the "Mature" category.
The 2012 Movieguide Awards winners
The winner of the Best 2012 Movie for Families was "Ice Age: Continental Drift."
Runners-up among the 10 Best 2012 Movies for Families included:
- "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted"
- "The Odd Life of Timothy Green"
- "Journey 2: They Mysterious Island"
- "Wreck-It Ralph"
- "Here Comes the Boom"
- "Won't Back Down"
- "Chimpanzee"
- "The Secret World of Arrietty"
- "Jiro Dreams of Sushi"
The winner of the Best 2012 Movie for Mature Audiences was Marvel's "The Avengers."
Runners-up among the 10 Best 2012 Movies for Mature Audiences included:
- "Les Misérables"
- "The Dark Knight Rises"
- "Snow White and the Huntsman"
- "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
- "Act of Valor"
- "The Amazing Spider-Man"
- "Men in Black 3"
- "Skyfall"
- "Red Dawn" (2012)
Dr. Ted Baehr and his wife Lili created Movieguide in 1985, holding the first Movieguide Awards in 1991, with a mission dedicated to promoting family movies with strong moral and Christian content.
Get Dr. Ted Baehr's "How to Succeed in Hollywood (Without Losing Your Soul)" – autographed! – from the WND SuperStore.
"Most people want good to triumph over evil, and all over the world people are looking for love, peace, and joy," Baehr, Movieguide president, told WND in an exclusive interview. "Movieguide has been able to demonstrate to the heads of the major movie studios in Hollywood that movies of faith and values are also successful money-making movies, typically at the top of the box office revenue list year after year."
Dr. Templeton and Dr. Baehr presented the $100,000 Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring Movie of 2012 to "Les Misérables," and the $100,000 Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring Television Program of 2012 to "The American Bible Challenge."
Also nominated for the $100,000 Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring Movie of 2012 were: "For Greater Glory," "Snow White and the Huntsman," "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" and "Lincoln."
Also nominated for the $100,000 Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring Television Show of 2012 were: "Blue Bloods: The Job," "Tim Tebow's Wild Rise," "Raising Izzie" and "Married to Jonas: Prom Night with the In-Laws."
Epiphany Awards are supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation and are presented for the movie and television program of the year that best helps people know and understand God.
Foster Freiss presented the $50,000 Freiss Free Enterprise Award for Movies to "Jiro Dreams of Sushi," while also nominated were "The Dark Knight Rises," "Here Comes the Boom," "Won't Back Down," "Snow White and the Huntsman" and "The Odd Life of Timothy Green."
The Freiss Free Enterprise award is supported by a grant from the Freiss Family Foundation and is presented for the one movie of the year that, though fine craftsmanship and inspirational storytelling, does the most to encourage appreciation of free markets, ownership and stewardship.
Lynn and Foster Friess are well-known humanitarians, donating millions of dollars to aid organizations across the world.
The Grace Award for the Most Inspiring Movie Performance of 2012 went to Andy Garcia for his role in "For Greater Glory." Also nominated were: Hugh Jackman, "Les Misérables"; Mauricio Kuri, "For Greater Glory"; Kristen Stewart, "Snow White and the Huntsman"; Kevin James, "Here Comes the Boom"; and Colm Wilkinson, "Les Misérables."
The Grace Award for the Most Inspiring Television Performance of 2012 went to Kyla Kennedy, "Raising Izzie." Also nominated were: Rockmond Dunbar, "Raising Izzie"; "Jeff Foxworthy, "The American Bible Challenge"; Tom Selleck, "Blue Bloods: The Job"; Paige Hemmis, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: Harris Family, Part 1 and 2"; and Cedrick the Entertainer, "Soul Man: Lost in the Move."
Simon Swart, executive vice president and general manager of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and the John Templeton Fund, along with Movieguide presented the Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays, with cash awards honoring grand prize winner Randall Hahn of Miami, Fla., for "Gideon" ($25,000), 1st runner-up Romeo Ciolfi of Toronto, Ont., for "Play Ball" ($15,000) and 2nd runner-up James M. De Vince of Wallingford, Conn., for "The Basketball" ($10,000).
The Kairos Prizes for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays by Beginning Screenwriters are supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.
Special Guests at the Awards Gala included Alexey Komov, Movieguide's representative in Russia and David Peters, the general director of Galilean International Films & Television Services.
The opening prayer was said by Dave Butts, chairman of America's National Prayer Committee and president of Harvest Prayer Ministries; the closing benediction prayer was said by William J. Murray, chairman of the Washington, D.C.-based Religious Freedom Coalition and author of seven books, including "My Life Without God," a WND Book that was included for each attendee in a gift package handed out at the end of the ceremony.
The program featured a musical presentation by the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles, who received a standing ovation.
Reuben Studdard, the "American Idol" talent crowned 2003 winner after he pulled 24 million votes and became a household name, also was featured in a musical presentation at the awards ceremony.
Among the many actresses and actors making presentations on stage were Jerry Mathers, who played Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver in the 1957-1963 television sitcom series "Leave it to Beaver."
Also making presentations was Corbin Bernsen, known for his roles as divorce attorney Arnold Becker on the NBC television series "L. A. Law" and as retired police detective Henry Spencer on the USA Network comedy-drama series "Psych," as well as for his movie role as Roger Dorn in the films "Major League" and "Major League II."
"The Movieguide® Awards are one of the only places where the greats of Hollywood walk side-by-side with the entertainment industry's youngest and most promising newcomers," says Dr. Ted Baehr, publisher and founder of Movieguide.
In the week before the Gala, the two semifinalist lists were boiled down to 10 nominees each; at the Gala each of the nominees received a special award, and then one movie was be crowned as winner in each category.
The Movieguide Awards' criteria make this the only show in Hollywood where many large-grossing popular movies have a chance at winning an award. However, smaller movies also have an equal chance. "Act of Valor" from Relativity Media and "Red Dawn" from Sony Pictures made less in the box office, for example, but are both semifinalists for a Movieguide Award.
WND asked Baehr what message he wanted to send to the movie industry with the 21st Annual Awards ceremony.
"We want to encourage moviemakers to open their eyes be committed to building faith and values in the next generation of children and grandchildren," he said. "You will hear me encourage filmmakers that they are making movies for a purpose. We want people to make movies of faith and values that will last for an eternity."
Faith and values films make money
At each year's Movieguide Awards, Baehr releases to the movie industry a much-anticipated and widely read "Report to the Entertainment Industry," examining with empirical evidence the economics of the movies made in the previous year, plus the changing demographics of moviegoers.
This year's report documents the impact Movieguide has had on the film industry:
- 70 percent of the Top 10 movies made in the U.S. had strong or very strong Christian, redemptive, moral or biblical content or worldviews;
- 90 percent of the Top 10 movies overseas had strong or very strong Christian, redemptive, biblical, moral or heroic (good conquering evil) worldviews, with all the top five being Movieguide Award winners;
- Nearly three-fourths, 72 percent of the Top 25 DVD sales in North America had strong or very strong Christian, biblical, moral and/or heroic content.
- Movies released in 2012 with very strong Christian worldviews averaged nearly $90.78 million per movie by the end of 2012, while movies with very strong mixed, non-Christian or anti-Christian worldviews overall averaged $20.22 million.
- Movies with very strong humanist or atheist worldviews did far worse, averaging only $2.4 million.
"We discovered that, once again, the most family-friendly movies and movies with the strongest positive redemptive content and worldviews make the most money, on average, of any other kind of movie," Baehr wrote in the 2013 report. "Also, they made a ton more money than the worst films, the ones filled with graphic violence, explicit sex and nudity, sexual perversion and false, anti-Christian worldviews, including those that promote atheism and paganism."
Movieguide has been analyzing movies in depth since 1985, using a comprehensive rating/scoring system that helps pinpoint which movies will succeed and why.
"To understand the economic viability of a movie, we look at its entertainment and artistic value and then beyond that at its production value, content, worldview, philosophy, theology, politics, economics, genre themes and characters," Baehr notes. "Through its analysis, Movieguide has consistently chosen 25 percent to 40 percent of the winners at the box office, whereas other groups and critics have consistently chosen only zero to eight percent of the winners."
This year's Movieguide Award winners include 6 of the Top 10 movies in domestic box office: "Marvel's The Avengers," "The Amazing Spider-Man," "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Skyfall" and "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted."
By comparison, none of the 2012 Best Picture Academy Award Nominees are among the Top 10 movies in domestic box office.
Each year, Movieguide ranks all of the approximately 300 movies that gross more than $1 million in annual box office revenues, rating each movie at least 30 separate ways overall, including aesthetically, thematically, morally, biblically, cognitively, philosophically, politically and spiritually, in more than 150 different categories. Movie reviews are published on the Movieguide website.
Movieguide publishes an annual "Family Guide to Movies and Entertainment," a donor-sponsored publication of the Christian Film & Television Commission.
Want to make a difference in the world of entertainment? Dreams of red carpet? Get Dr. Ted Baehr's "How to Succeed in Hollywood (Without Losing Your Soul)" from the WND SuperStore.


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In this episode I wear You Crazy Banana! by Word! Apparel and review two tees that I received from Endgame Clothing, a brand that specializes in designing tees made for and designed by people that love the game of chess. As always, enjoy with tea and a comfy tee!
You can also watch this episode on Viddler, Vimeo, or on blip.tv.
Coty's Thoughts:
3Kings & Trophy designed by Endgame Clothing. Good: These tees fit perfectly on me, tagless print for extra comfort, fabric is incredibly soft and so is the ink, awesome designs that can be easily worn by both chess players and non chess players. Bad: I preferred 3Kings over Trophy, no real complaints about these two tees. Price: $24.99.
You Crazy Banana! by Word! Apparel. This week's starter shirt can be purchased for a limited time from Word! Apparel. Get this tee now before it's gone forever, plus, who doesn't like bananas – especially crazy ones. Price: $16.99.
If you want to sent me a product to review, please feel free to do so. You can find my information in the contact menu above. Thanks!


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Chick Piano Player by Mariana Williams
The Long Beach Pike was a rundown amusement park. It was gritty and crusty, nothing like Disneyland or Knott's Berry Farm. You know the kind, no entrance fee. You just walked down a wide midway filled with dangerous carnival rides. The best attraction was balanced on a telephone pole…a plastic box that held a live chicken. If you paid a quarter you could see a chicken peck out tunes on a toy piano with her beak. I say her because most working piano players in L.A. are female chicks. The telephone pole with the cage was just outside a trailer offering a glimpse of "Human Oddities" like the bearded lady, the mermaid girl, and Siamese twins.
The midway was noisy; you could hear the carnival barker call out, "Three balls for a quarter! Knock over the milk bottles!" But I wasn't tempted…not even to throw ping pong balls in the goldfish bowl…no, my heart belonged to the stage show provided by the piano-playing poultry.
The Plexiglas box was about the size of a boot box. It was vertically attached to the pole, like I said, and it had a tiny velvet curtain on the inside so you couldn't see in—until you dropped the coin in the slot. Then, the curtain goes up, a light bulb goes on, the chicken walks forward to the front of the clear plastic and pecks out random notes on a toy piano. This goes on for a moment, then chicken feed drops down a shoot, the chicken turns to the side, and she eats as the curtain goes down and the light bulb goes out. My face remained pressed against the window, peeking under the curtain. The show was over. But that didn't mean she was gone. She was still inside waiting for the next gig! I hung back in the shadows as someone else paid for the next private performance then stood on tiptoe watching the second show from the back.
After riding the Tilt-a-wheel and running through the fun house, I felt a tad of guilt licking the paper cone of my cotton candy. Could I possibly get some corn on the cob backstage to the chicken's dressing room? How could I abandon the talented chicken that might be hungry? After all, how much feed actually dropped down? I had a couple quarters left, so I went back for another concert, knowing if there weren't enough people who saw the box wired onto the telephone pole, she would starve. My heart took a dip.
PETA would never allow it these days. Obviously trained to respond to the light bulb for her food, this chick did it faithfully without a squawk. It's horrifying to think she couldn't exercise at all. It could be said she was better off than the egg-laying crowd, however, all jammed up beak-to-tail-feather crammed into wire cages. Ah, the age-old dilemma: The life of an artist vs. egg-laying security. The biggest plus, she had her own place.
I wonder how the promoter found the star of the chicken coop, how he spotted the talent, the charisma necessary to keep carnival-goers coming back? Was it the shapely beak, something in her strut? Feathers are always an important element in costuming. The audition must have gone well; she didn't squawk, just played the tune here at the pike. I left after the light went out and the curtain fell.
About twelve years later, I was playing solo piano at the Hilton. A customer asked me, "What made you want to be a piano player?" I don't know if it was what made you think you could play piano, or just idle chit-chat, but for some reason the chicken at the pike came to mind.
I said, "I saw a chick playing piano once; when the lights went on, she entertained, and I was amazed."
I realized then that I was playing for food, too. That my life was a delicate balance, of trying to survive as an artist, and, like the chicken, I was often left in the dark, waiting for my next gig.
And, like the chicken, I never exercised, and tried not to squawk. Best of all, like the chicken, because of the gig, I had my own place.


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- Member for
- 8 years 19 weeks
Recent Comments
|20 weeks 3 days ago
|fyi, if u want to argue the validity a conspiracy,
fyi, if u want to argue the validity a conspiracy, never point to a proven quack for support. I've read her book and it's hot garbage. (I'm a licensed P.E./S.E. in several states) In this case, simply point people to a video of the building 7 collapse and it's clear something shady and unreported went down that day.
|2 years 20 weeks ago
|Just wondering
Donnal clearly has skill, but seems to have lacked playing with a chip on his shoulder until yesterday. I've wondered why we havent seen a body transformation with him. He's been in the program 3 full years and doesnt seem to have improved his body like many of the other players. 3 years in, he should have put 20 lbs of muscle on his frame....that extra power and explosiveness could have really paid dividends. I wonder if Beilein wanted him to stay with his current body type or if its a lack of effort in the weight room?
|3 years 32 weeks ago
|Call me crazy, but I could
Call me crazy, but I could see LSU looking for someone new. I dont think they'll be too tolerant of 41-7 blow outs and I've never understood the hype around Les. Thats a team with tons of talent that tends to under achieve most years. Watching the Wisconsin game earlier this year was exhibit A: a totally superior team talent wise that should have lost to one-dimensional Wisconsin team. My fear is that LSU will be ready for him to leave when we come calling and they thank us for the offer...
|3 years 36 weeks ago
|Toenails and lemons dont even
Toenails and lemons dont even approach the pain of this UFR. I pitty Brian. Hopefully he has enough sense to not UFR this one. theres really no point.
|3 years 36 weeks ago
|I've never been sold that Les
I've never been sold that Les is that great of a coach either. He almost lost to Wisconsin who has no qb and the talent at lsu is ridiculuous
|3 years 36 weeks ago
|I admire your mental
I admire your mental stability.
|3 years 36 weeks ago
|oline was terrible and o
oline was terrible and o didnt score....but I honestly think I'm most dissapointed in the D. I really thought they were greatly improved and they couldnt stop anyone tonight. One step late everywhere on the field.
|3 years 36 weeks ago
|atleast Ohio lost too.
atleast Ohio lost too. Sooo... the big ten's failure is complete.
|3 years 36 weeks ago
|explosion too small
explosion too small
|3 years 36 weeks ago
|haha...beer doesnt help my
haha...beer doesnt help my spelling of harbaugh. Please neg me.
|3 years 36 weeks ago
|I'm an idiot. I thought the
I'm an idiot. I thought the day was coming where we would return to glory 6 years ago. Its not coming. I officially just lost faith in the coaching staff as well. I havent seen it mentioned.....but this wont help recruiting. What are the chances hardbough comes home?
|6 years 40 weeks ago
|I'm liking the bald look. I
I'm liking the bald look. I wouldnt wish it upon denard though.
|6 years 41 weeks ago
|I hope you're right. All of
I hope you're right. All of tosu fans here in Columbus think he's coming to tosu without a doubt. They cant get this season over fast enough so that he can take the reigns. There are rumors flying around everywhere here about him buying a house in Columbus. I dont believe that he'll come for the reasons you mentioned and I could see PSU as the logical destination if he truely desires coaching again.
|6 years 41 weeks ago
|Great to see a glennie
Great to see a glennie reference...I have a lot of family in the Glennie area. Pizza is pretty good at the tavern as well...
|6 years 41 weeks ago
|Columbus area
I'm living in Columbus now...it sucks. Anybody know of a UM friendly bar to catch the games at? The google map only shows Dave and Busters and I'm hoping that there is another venue to catch the games with some UM fans.
|6 years 41 weeks ago
|Confused about my situation...
I moved to Columbus with my fiance for work this winter....about the time that all the scandals came out. You brought luck to Alabama. So did I bring good luck to Ohio or did I bring bad luck...? I'm inclined to think that I brought good luck to UM...but I need to be sure or I wont be able to move back to Michigan!
|6 years 41 weeks ago
|cool...thanks for the info
cool...thanks for the info
|6 years 41 weeks ago
|Related Question
Recently relocated to Columbus....I know, it blows....but love is a bitch and this is where my fiance lives/works! We have boycotted cable/direct tv and bottom line is I dont want to buck up for it. I prefer watching games at UM bars will fellow fans anyways. Does anyone know of a UM bar in the Columbus area? Any help/info would be greatly appreciated!
*Would have posted new thread about this, but I dont have enough points.*
|6 years 41 weeks ago
|When I played 5th-8th grade
When I played 5th-8th grade football, our games were always on saturday afternoons. My mom and dad came to every game. I was a UM super fan at an early age so missing the UM games bothered me as much as it did my father (who has been a life long fan) and my mother (a UM grad). This gave my family a special bonding opportunity and a saturday ritual during those years.... We would record each game on the vcr and when we got home from my colt league games, we would sit down and watch the UM game as a family. We accomplished two things here: 1. My family attended all my games, something I'll never forget. 2. We built anticipation all day for the afternoon of watching UM games together as a family over a bowl of hot nachos, also something I will never forget.
Cash in on this opportunity. Enjoy your sons soccer games and then bring him into the fold as a UM superfan and enjoy the football games together as well.
|6 years 44 weeks ago
|Opposing teams
have a crew of grad-assistants that break down film like this already. After my playing days, myself and a few other GA's would be up all night sunday breaking down tendancies and packaging film for the coaches to use on Monday....and this was at the DII level. I'm sure they have a refined system at the DI level
|6 years 45 weeks ago
|Looks like Nike is taking
Looks like Nike is taking every advantage of profiting off of talented 16/17 year olds...
|6 years 45 weeks ago
|Looks like Nike is taking
Looks like Nike is taking every advantage of profiting off of talented 16/17 year olds...
|7 years 3 weeks ago
|not enough data to get any
not enough data to get any real trends....it would need to include position breakdowns. RR had to take a huge number of players at the skilled positions, more than the typical amount per class. My gut tells me that RR players will be slightly smaller, but not by the huge amount this data shows.
|7 years 4 weeks ago
|+1 this
+1 this
|7 years 4 weeks ago
|rabble rabble rabble
What happened at ND was a tragic accident and I cant imagine the pain that the family of that young man has gone through. We have no way of knowing that some deal has been cut behind closed doors to keep the family quiet. Could it simply be that the family is accepting the situation for what it is...a tragic accident that was preventable. How does destroying the lives of ND staff by firing everyone who could have been responsible make the situation any better? Does making accusations about shady closed door deals without a shred of evidence make the situation any better? The best course of action is to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again by educating everyone at ND (and nationwide for that matter) to the risks associated with the work and by putting safety procedures in place to prevent such occurances. That seems to be the course ND is following.
|7 years 6 weeks ago
|second that
second that
|7 years 6 weeks ago
|I like the way things are
I like the way things are shaping up....denard and gardner ripping it up for a few years before making the transition back to elite pro-style qbs of the past. we'll be back to the brady/gerbac/henne/griese/hensen style nfl qb producing train
|7 years 6 weeks ago
|As much as I hate them...you
As much as I hate them...you cant knock their out of conference scheduling...they consistantly have one great opponent
|7 years 6 weeks ago
|Love me some Odoms...
Love me some Odoms...
|7 years 6 weeks ago
|He looks raw in his film, but
He looks raw in his film, but seems to have the frame to become a great big ten TE. His film is focused mainly as a reciever, I'd like to see what he can do as a run blocker...if he keeps his pads low etc... With some coaching, I'm sure he could be a great weapon. It seems as though our recruiting is gaining some momentum...lets keep our fingers crossed!


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In my estimated depth chart (see blog post below) I had to make a change at MLB due to Dizon being put on IR. I moved Landon Johnson to backup MLB as he can play all 3 LB spots. Everything else has to remain the same (even though there are changes I'd love to make). While it's true DeVries also went on IR my depth chart didn't have him as making the final roster anyway (I thought his injury might be more severe then let on). The competition is really heating up now at wide receiver, running back, offensive line, and in the Lions secondary. I read that Spievey has been moved to Safety (which is what Hefney did a few weeks ago). I wonder if the Lions are trying to find Safety depth with someone who can also play nickel corner or if they are just now getting a feeling for various players true fit in the system. They also could be making moves to get the best players on the field at the same time, more on that and other roster thoughts soon.
I will also be back with my thoughts on preseason games. I had intended to do so following the games but due to some unforeseen circumstances ending with a death in the family I was unable to do so. Once I can actually watch the preseason games and comment in detail on them I will do so. Sorry for the delay.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
One adjustment to my estimated depth chart
Posted by NetRat's Lions Blog at 11:18 AM
2 comments:
- spacecataz said...
Sorry to hear about the loss in the family.
I'm excited to hear your take on the preseason games. Your analysis of such things is very good.
- August 30, 2010 at 4:17:00 PM EST
- NetRat's Lions Blog said...
Not sure how much I can do before the final cut down... or if that even matters... maybe a why so-n-so stayed while so-n-so was cut thing after the fact will work... yeah, that's the ticket.
- September 2, 2010 at 2:07:00 AM EST
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Hands on Computer Lab
Computer Class
Age Group: Adults & Seniors
7/24/2014 • 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.Mesquite Library
Room: Public Computers
You will be using one of our computers. You will be given an assignment and we will be there to help you if needed. This class is in correlation our other scheduled computer classes. There are 6 available reservations for this class, please make your reservation now. In addition to the 6 reservations Mesquite Library will allow 3 students with laptops and are required to sign up as well.


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I'd almost forgotten how easily I can be impressed by other people's dirty work.
Dr. Mark (Stemen) phoned this week to say there was a tractor working at the Humboldt Community Garden on El Monte Avenue and Humboldt Road. Within minutes, my rubber chicken and I were at the garden gate.
The garden is in the middle of a grand expansion, and one gardener was busy making new garden plots using a small tractor.
I've been to the garden before, once when the land was an open field, and again after plants had been put into the ground.
My, how things have grown.
The raised beds are noteworthy, as are two teepees and trellises for beans.
But what was most inspiring were the plants — which are alive despite the recent beating by Jack Frost.
As has always been the case, Dr. Mark was charming and enthusiastic as we looked around. We took turns putting the rubber chicken into provocative poses for the camera.
Lettuce and spinach were planted in November. Some of the leaves are cold-scorched, but there was much that remained to eat. Dr. Mark has broccoli ready to harvest. Cabbage prevailed in tidy clusters and onions were proudly scoffing at the frigid sky.
We also chatted for a while with Dave Hollingsworth who was busy digging up very large potatoes.
If you're interested in claiming your own garden plot, you can sign up through March 1. Call the Butte Environmental Council at 891-6424. The cost for water is $30 a year.
Inspired to grow
It's still cold outside, so there won't be much luck with planting seeds outdoors. However, Dr. Mark said buying plants grown by a professional will help jump-start your growing pleasure.
I had fairly good luck last winter by planting seeds on top of a garden warming pad.
Maybe I'll try my thumb with the warming pad and lettuce.
For the past 15 years, I've painstakingly planted tomatoes in January. They'll sprout in a windowsill. Simply plant seeds in small pots and cover with plastic wrap. You can put them on top of the refrigerator until they sprout. Then move to the window during the day and the middle of the living room at night.
Yet, I think I'll help out the flailing nursery economy this year and buy tomato plants that someone else has carefully nurtured.
Another thing that clings
While at the community garden, something caught our attention near Dave's potato patch.
This thing looked like an alien seed pod, dry and brown, with long antlers.
Devil's claw, also known as unicorn plant, produces two hooks at the end of the seed pod. When the pod drops off, the hooks easily attach to your pant leg, your hair, the edge of your flowing dress or superhero cape.
It's a fascinating feature of weeds, that they manage to "cling on" as a way to scatter seeds nearby. It's fascinating, but exasperating, unless you're traipsing through someone else's yard.
The pod itself is also spike-encrusted. I liked the pod so much, I attached one end to the strap of my purse. By the time I got to the car, the pod had snatched onto my scarf and become entwined in the fringe.
I liked the plant a lot less after that.
To see a photo of the devil's claw clamped onto my purple scarf, check out my blog at www.norcalblogs.com/sowthere. Please also follow on Twitter @HeatherHacking.


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(Last in a series.)
One of the challenges for most people is understanding the terrible toll that multiple sclerosis has on the quality of life of the tens of thousands of Canadians now diagnosed.
Dr. Brad Stewart, an Edmonton neurologist, captures it in a simple word: Profound.
"It attacks mainly young women in their prime and top reproductive years," he says. "They may have or be contemplating having children. What they get is a disease that may see them go blind in an eye, suffer partial paralysis, lose control of bladder and bowels, enormous fatigue and a terrible uncertainty over what the future may bring."
Fatigue can be so great they can do little but stay in bed or sit on a couch or chair for days until it passes.
"I have seen patients do that and save up all the chores until the day they feel better; then they rush around doing everything they put off and the result is an even greater fatigue," Dr. Stewart says.
There can also be an significant impact on their families, says Nicole Mellin, assistant vice-president of client services at the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. They either cannot or have great difficulty caring for children or attending to normal family chores.
There are medications to slow the advance of the disease and reduce severity of attacks. But the newest medication, taken by monthly infusion in a clinic, bears a high cost — up to $32,000 a year.
And while it has been shown to stave off progress of the disease effectively and even restore an almost normal quality of life, the cost is not covered by some government drug plans and may even be beyond the reach of those with private insurance plans that have a high co-payment rate.
Side effects of existing MS therapies, such as flu-like symptoms, terrible fatigue, the need for self-injection as often as daily, the risk of severe infection and rashes developing at injection sites simply add to deteriorating quality of life.
The 62-year-old MS Society of Canada is dedicated to educating and supporting people with MS, their families, friends, co-workers and employers to help restore and maintain quality of life for MS clients, Ms. Mellin says.
That work may be as simple as providing timely, credible, relevant information, seminars and continuing education about MS or as ambitious as summer camps for children diagnosed with MS and their parents.
"What that does is give them the understanding that they are not alone. The sense of isolation if you have MS or if your mom and dad have MS can be devastating emotionally and psychologically."
It is in that same spirit that the MS Society of Canada also develops recreation programs and other activities that bring the MS community together. It also provides funding for equipment and assistance with daily living and even post-secondary educational scholarships for Canadians under 25 living with MS and/or who have a parent with MS.
The MS Society of Canada also works with employers to help clients remain productive members of the workforce and with family caregivers in order to ensure they feel validated, supported and not socially isolated.
"They say it takes a village to raise a child; it also takes a village or community to ensure an MS client retains as much quality of life as possible," Ms. Mellin says.
• Visit nationalpost.com/chroniccare.


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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Former Minnesota Senate aide Michael Brodkorb has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken driving in a January interstate crash that left him seriously injured.
Brodkorb was sentenced to 1 year of probation Wednesday and ordered to pay a $500 fine. He released a statement in which he apologized for his behavior and acknowledged he could have died if not for the work of first responders and others. Brodkorb crashed his SUV into a bridge wall on Interstate 35 near St. Paul Jan. 23.
WCCO-TV reports Brodkorb pleaded guilty to fourth-degree driving under the influence. The former communications aide to Senate Republicans was fired in 2011 after an affair with then-Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch. He sued the Senate, alleging he was discriminated against because of his gender. That lawsuit is pending.
(Information in the following story is from: WCCO-TV, http://www.wcco.com )


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Everton boss David Moyes believes Leroy Fer will prove an exciting young addition to the Barclays Premier League.
The Toffees announced on Monday they had agreed an £8.6million deal with FC Twente for the midfielder, who was undergoing a medical while Moyes conducted his press conference. Fer, 23, is nicknamed 'The Bouncer' because of his combative style in the middle of the park and is poised to become Everton's first signing of the January transfer window.
Moyes said: "He's someone who we've liked for a long time. He's young and he's certainly an up-and-coming prospect, which we like the sound of. He is somebody who we think can help us."
Copyright (c) PA Sport 2013, All Rights Reserved.
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The look is so versatile and wearable anywhere, day or night, yet is super put-together and fun. It's one of those looks that will drive compliments wherever you go. Well, definitely because it looks good, but I think mostly because it's one of those makeup looks that everyone wants to achieve. The colors are natural, the shades are all blended nicely, but this look is more than that. It's all about the placement in the crease and layering shades in a way where they "blend" themselves.
I love to share these types of looks because I think everyone can appreciate it. To me, this is definitely one of those looks that everyone should know how to do, because it always works and looks amazing!
The look itself is actually quite easy! To see exactly how I get this "Naturally Pretty" look, check out the full video tutorial below!
::shop the look::
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!


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Pre-draft tedium is setting in so let's have some fun. Who are your three favorite Steelers all-time on both defense and offense
Watching as a fan since 1969, mine are:
Defense: Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham
Offense: Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis, Big Ben
How about you? Gotta be three...no cheating or quibbling.


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I'm an UX planner. My job function is defined project scope and user interface (UI) structure after conduct competitive study and collect client requests. Acted as a bridge between project manager, engineers and designers to make sure project scope, UI details and implementation schedule are understood and agreed.
ABOUT Quanta
Worldwide No. 1 in Laptop/Mobile Device manufacturer
Established in 1988, Quanta Computer is the largest notebook computer ODM company in the world. With leading technology and strong R&D capability, Quanta has become a leader in hi-tech markets and the best partner providing quality design and manufacturing services to top-notched brands worldwide for technology products. Besides continuous high growth, high quality and high value creation in notebook computers, Quanta has extended its businesses into enterprise network systems, home entertainment, mobile communication, automotive electronics and digital home markets. With revealing "Cloud Computing" as the center of business innovation and development, Quanta has been integrating resources and redefining business model to capture emerging growth opportunities.
"Rooted in Taiwan with broad vision and aggressive expansion in the global market" is Quanta's strategy for long-term growth development. With "Quanta R&D Complex" (QRDC) as our global headquarters and the center of dynamics, we integrated worldwide resources in technology to ensure that Quanta Computer Inc. has technological advantages to design, develop, and manufacture high value-added products and solutions for customers. In addition, we have established operation centers across Asia, America, and Europe to manufacture, configure, and service products as well as to provide logistic supports to deliver products and services competitively everywhere in the world.
Quanta has over 70,000 employees worldwide, of which around 5,000 people are located in headquarters with the majority working in R&D and engineering development. QRDC, inaugurated in late 2005, is a symbol of Quanta's long-term deep-rooted investment in Taiwan. As an intelligent building, QRDC has three major functions, including R&D, humanity and arts, as well as educational and leisure activities. The facility is also equipped with laboratories, stadium seating art performance hall—"Quanta Hall", library, art gallery, gym and swimming pool. The construction of QRDC with advanced facility meets our goal to harmonize humanity and technology. Capable of accommodating up to 7,000 employees, QRDC is unprecedented in the information industry in Taiwan in terms of architectural designs, space planning, intelligent functions and size.
Quanta Computer continues to seek innovation and strives to exceed excellence through innovative product design, core technology advancement, and expansion into Non-NB product development. Quanta Computer is vastly invested in research & development with focuses on product innovation to further advance our competitive edge. In recent years, we have continuously demonstrate our innovative thinking in various areas, including cloud computing technology, servers, high definition video conferencing systems, touch panels, manufacturing processes, 3D images, and satellite technology. Furthermore, many intellectual property rights were granted to the aforementioned technology, while we expect to commercialize those innovative ideas in the future. The core business of Quanta Computer lies in notebook PCs, the area that we constantly demonstrate expertise and excellence in notebook manufacturing technology and innovative product design. In addition to our core business in notebook PCs, we expect product diversification into other non-NB area to accelerate gradually in coming years.
Quanta is entering into its twentieth years in the industry and the company continues to seek innovation to stay ahead of the fast moving technology industry. The company also unveiled the new concept of"Computing will be 3C"as the center of its research and development efforts. Quanta will leverage the "New 3C" ideology to define new product development and business model. The "New 3C" ideology of "Cloud Computing", "Connectivity Technology", and "Client Device" will be achieved through the "3B" concept of "Balanced","Beneficial", and "Brilliant". Specifically, Quanta intends to leverage cloud computing services to achieve balanced sharing that is mutually beneficial in order to deliver a brilliant outcome. Moreover, Quanta takes on the role of a corporate citizen in the society through leveraging technology to advance the next civilization in human race.
- With Intel Platform, 15.4" Series
- With Intel Platform, 14.1" Series
- With Intel Platform, 12.1" Series
- Unsurpassed 4U rackmount server for HPC & server consolidation
- Impressively outstanding 1U/2U rackmount servers
- Large datacenter networking switches
- High density JBOD Storage
- Integrated rack solution
OLPC- One Laptop per Child (OLPC)
- XO-1 Laptop
- XO-1.5 Laptop
Industrial Computer-
- NH2 - New generation PC Stick with Intel Cherry Trail SoC
- NH1 – Smallest Windows PC on stick with Intel Bay trail T-CR SoC
- IU1- environment sensor stick
- UR1- Intel Core I OPS Module
- UR2-Intel Bay Trail-I 4x4 mini-PC
- B82- Intel Bay Trail – T 8" Tablet


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To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
I think people are slowly accepting that C++ eventually gets to replace C in most areas where C is still relevant in the desktop/server.
MacOS X device drivers are done in C++ (IOKit).
Most of the Win32 APIs since Windows 2000 are actually COM based and Microsoft publicly announced that C is only relevant for legacy code and they rather focus in C++. More so in Windows 8.
Symbian and BeOS are done in C++.
Only Linux and BSD are still have pure C/ASM kernels. I don't know about Aix, HP-UX and Solaris.
Now for embedded systems C still have a place, as many of them are still coded in Assembly and companies are now slowly moving up to C.
Of course C will exist for decades still, as it does not make sense to rewrite code that works just for changing language.
I seriously doubt that, not only from my own experience but also from what I've see of the language popularity benchmarks C is holding on as strong as ever (it recently beat Java for the top spot on Tiobe).
MacOS X device drivers are done in C++ (IOKit).
Actually it uses a subset of C++ with no exceptions, no templates, no multiple inheritance etc, which kind of begs the question why they couldn't just settle with plain C to begin with for those drivers.
C is here to stay, it's the lowest common denominator as far as high level languages go, supported by pretty much every platform, and useable from just about any other language.
That doesn't mean it's the best choice for every project, there are certainly areas in which other languages like C++, Java, C#, Python, Go, etc are likely better choices as they offer a higher level of abstraction.
A particular area in which I wager C will always reign supreme is in library/framework code, the reason projects like zlib, flac, libjpeg, png, sdl, audio/video codecs, lzma, etc etc are written in C is because it's A) fast and small memory footprint B) callable from just about anything.
Also none of the 'new' languages really compete with C, new languages like Go, Rust are higher level and compete primarily with C++ or even higher level languages.


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Req. # 11714
Title: Director Division ll
Location: Quincy, IL
The Director, Division II is responsible for leading Ameren Illinois' energy delivery services in the service territory encompassing Quincy, Jacksonville, Jerseyville, Macomb, Canton and Petersburg. The Director is responsible for ensuring safe, reliable and efficient customer service through oversight of gas and electric construction efforts and core gas and electric operations and maintenance. Successful candidate must reside in the division or be willing to relocate in a reasonable time frame. Position location can be Jacksonville, IL or Quincy, IL. Key responsibilities include:
- Foster a culture of safety and zero unsafe acts by championing safety efforts, achieving safety objectives and ensuring safety is the top priority of every employee in the Division.
- Develop the overall strategy and direction for the Division consistent with corporate objectives.
- Provide leadership and direction to approximately 200 employees and contractors, directly or through others. Ensure employees are engaged and aligned around Division and Company objectives and goals. Ensure employees are connected and receive communications in a timely manner. Ensure employees are developed to meet the challenges of both today and tomorrow.
- Lead the Division's customer satisfaction and service reliability efforts and identify strategies to continuously improve performance and achieve goals in these, and other, critical focus areas.
- Responsibly manage the Division's budget in alignment with financial goals and objectives.
- Maintain and continue to develop positive relationships within the local community and with key stakeholders including business owners and political leaders. Maintain a visible presence within the community.
- Ensure productive relationships with represented co-workers and ensure union contract provisions are managed in an optimal manner.
- Ensure emergency response plans are followed and provide leadership during emergency situations.
Education: A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university is required. A degree in business or engineering is preferred. Master's Degree in business, engineering, or another relevant discipline is also preferred.
Experience: Twelve years of progressively responsible and relevant experience is required. Relevant experience includes: electric and/or gas engineering, electric and/or gas operations/maintenance, and strategic positions with heavy electric and/or gas operations exposure. Experience must include at least eight years of progressively responsible people leadership experience (including the supervision of senior level professionals or supervisory employees). Experience with administering labor contracts required.
In addition to the above qualifications, the successful candidate will demonstrate: a working knowledge of general business and core operations concepts; strong people leadership skills; strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills; and the ability to achieve results while building relationships.


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It's hard to talk about pain when seeing something as beautiful as the picture above. I was going to say photo, but somehow "photo" doesn't do it justice. It's a picture, something that is so beautiful it isn't even tangible, but rather something that forms in your mind as you imagine scenes from a wonderful dream. But the title says I've got to talk about pain, so we'll get around to that. Eventually.
The plan for Sunday's ride (and remember, there's always a plan) was to head to Santa Cruz with my daughter for her graduation from UC Santa Cruz, with my bike packed in the car, and then ride back after. Becky's plan was a bit different; after graduation, she and her brother would drive up to Oregon to see their cousin Ed graduate in Eugene. My plan executed flawlessly; Becky and Kevin never made it further north than home (Redwood City). I understand why Becky called off her ambitious plan; after spending 2.5 hours sitting in the hot sun, no shade, you knew how a sun-dried tomato must feel. That plus, by the time I set out for the ride home a bit past 3:30, I was starved, not having eaten for 6 hours or so. Not the best way to start a fairly-long ride home! But that was rectified by a stop at the Jamba Juice at the entrance to Downtown Santa Cruz, where a large Orange Berry Blitz and soft pretzel provided the fuel for the ride home. It took a bit longer to consume than I would have liked, thanks to repeated "lung freeze" when I'd drink a bit too much too fast.
The section of Highway 9 from Santa Cruz to Boulder Creek is never something I look forward to, alone or with others. You just can't seem to get a rhythm on the many small climbs, and the cars would rather you were elsewhere. That combined with just having started out meant that I felt a bit sluggish for a while, although Strava tells a slighlty-different story (even with a headwind, my times were pretty decent). I bought some water at the mandatory Boulder Creek stop and then headed anxiously for the main climb, about 10 minutes further on.
Strange how good things can feel once you start climbing. Once you have something you can push against and challenge you. This time, with a slight difference though; about 5 minutes into the climb I began to get quite a side cramp, probably from the drink & food gulped down immediately before riding. It was interesting, that pain, knowing that it had nothing to do with muscles or lungs or anything I could actually control. I thought about the old wive's tales about not swimming right after eating because you'll get cramps and drown. Umm… not too likely here! Nor, did I think, there would be any references found to someone who died because they had cramps for exercising too soon after eating. So what to do? Embrace the pain. Seriously! It wasn't going to cause me any harm, and it was an opportunity to push past it, prove to myself that it was just one more thing to conqueor, and that I did. It was fun, really, working out whether to tune the pain out or celebrate it. I ended up entertaining it as an intellectual curiosity, wondering how much I could use it to distract myself from the usual pains that limit efforts on long climbs, but after a while I lost track of it, either because it gradually went away or simply became irrelevant.
My time for the segment from Waterman Gap to Saratoga Gap ended up just a minute off my fastest time these past 5 years, and since this was into a slight headwind vs a definite tail wind on my fastest ride, I was pleased with the results. Arriving at Saratoga Gap Mr. Mustard was already packing up, but I hadn't been planning to stop anyway; my "lunch" in Santa Cruz plus some Cytomax along the way was more than adequate for the ride. Besides, there was that "racing the sun" thing going on too! Leaving from Santa Cruz just past 4pm doesn't allow for too much sight-seeing, although I'll admit I was ahead of schedule arriving at the top just past 6pm. From there it was a quick run across Skyline, down 84 and home. Nice weather the entire way, about 80 in Santa Cruz and never dropping below 62 if I recall correctly. The fog stayed near the coast, and the wind made for striking views along Skyline, as you can see in the photo at the top. A very nice Father's Day ride, not a bad way to end a day that began with my daughter's graduation from UC Santa Cruz.


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During the height of the financial crisis, a study complied by Prince & Associates showed that 81 percent of investors with $1 million or more planned to take money away from their adviser.
The study illustrated that the enormous loss of wealth during the Great Recession gave investors a peek into the poor quality of advice they had been getting and thus, sophisticated investors were taking their money elsewhere to put in more capable hands. Almost four years later, investors may still be wondering if they are getting good wealth-building advice or simply being sold products.
I want to arm you with the top seven warning signs that you could be getting bad advice:
• Never asked to see your tax return. Tax rates are set to skyrocket in a matter of months, so when's the last time your adviser asked to review your tax return? If you want to take advantage of the tax laws for the informed, then your adviser should be monitoring your tax return every year. Maybe you're missing out on valuable Roth conversion, missing deductions, or just simply paying too much in taxes. Your tax return is the heartbeat of your financial life. If it's not being reviewed regularly, that's a giant red flag.
• Portfolio contains only one type of investment. There isn't a one-size-fits-all investment, so your portfolio shouldn't be made up of just one type of investment (mutual funds as an example). Nothing screams "product salesman" as loudly as a single-product portfolio.
• No distribution strategy for your IRAs. For years, you've had a plan for putting money into IRAs and 401(k)s, but what's your plan for when all that taxable money comes out? Anyone can come up with an investment plan for your pre-tax accounts, but it takes a real pro to make sure a distribution strategy is in place to limit the government's take.
• Working with generalist. Does your adviser work with people of all ages and backgrounds? No one can be all things to all people and be really good at his/her job. Cardiologists, for example, get paid more than a family physician because they specialize. The same goes for wealth advisers. A specialist may cost more than a generalist, but you pay for what you get – specialized advice.
• Same old advice. Still hearing the same thing you heard back in 2008? "Hang in there, it will come back." "It's only a paper loss." You won't hear these excuses from a good, proactive adviser. If your adviser is paid only when your money is invested in the market, what else would you expect from him/her? Isn't it time for a fresh take on wealth management?
• Hope as an income plan. Want to make sure you don't run out of money in retirement? Then don't trust the Wall Street way of taking 3-4 percent out each year in retirement. Advisers love to show you Monte Carlo simulations to prove that you shouldn't run out of money in retirement. The key word here is "shouldn't". Shouldn't implies hope, and hope is not a plan. Your income and lifestyle shouldn't depend on the market; they should depend on math. Work with a specialist who builds an income plan using quantifiable mathematics.
• Weak inflation protection. With interest rates at historically low levels, combined with massive amounts of debt, inflation is on the horizon. If you're near or in retirement, you will be negatively impacted the most. If your adviser hasn't proactively met with you to discuss how to protect your wealth from inflation, that's a warning sign.
These seven signs should be a used as a gauge to critique your current adviser or to utilize when interviewing a new adviser. Like most processes, we can become too comfortable with them over time, but as you approach your retirement years you most likely will need to do some re-adjusting. The current economic conditions that affect savings and retirement planning are very volatile; people need to make sure that they partner with a qualified adviser who ultimately has their best interest in mind.
• Lisa Bussenger, a licensed insurance representative and an investment adviser representative, is president and founder of Bussenger Insurance and Financial Services in Cary. She can be reached by calling 847-516-8062 or emailing firstname.lastname@example.com. Visit her website at www.bussengerinsurance.com.


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So I had a quick play with Rawr the other day.
I am not 100% sure I like it, but it gave me another source of gear comparison.
I probably gimped it a fair bit by reducing my potential upgrades (fundamentally to zip, cause I am not doing any serious raiding), but my biggest problem was it came back with great options for both my Trash +damage set and my +Spell Hit set… issue is, it was saying use the same gear, just regemmed… I don't really want to create extra Spellstrike etc sets…
Anyway, the best way for me to upgrade my gear was quite simply to regem to Epic gems.
Sure no worries, so I just need 12 shiny new Epic gems at either 15 badges or 300 gold each.
I have decided against using the gems, as there are 2 badge upgrades I could get, so that comes down to cold hard cash.
Should I spend 3,600 gold regemming my gear?
I will let you decide… poll is over there >>
Gnomer and Out!


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WILMINGTON, Mass. — Among Bruins players that are hated in Montreal, Brad Marchand definitely ranks in the top five.
If his on-ice pesky play didn't do enough to agitate the Canadiens and their fan base this season, his comments last month about Habs players' tendency to talk a lot of trash, dive and fall down clinched his place among the pantheon of despised Bruins.
After the Bruins' first practice at Ristuccia Arena in preparation for their first-round playoff series with Montreal, which starts Thursday, Marchand didn't want to engage in anymore verbal warfare. And he claimed that whatever reaction he receives when he takes the ice in Montreal next week doesn't matter to him.
"I guess [it's a compliment]. But I'm not there to get the fans to hate on me," said the rookie. "I'm here to help the team win and if they hate me, they hate me. That's how it goes."
The Canadiens and their fans would hate Marchand more if he continues the success he's had in past tournaments and playoff series in this year's NHL first round. While Marchand hasn't skated in an NHL playoff game yet, he has starred in the AHL and CHL, and at the World Junior Championship.
With Team Canada, he won two gold medals and posted 4-2-6 totals in the win in 2008. In 2009, he helped the Bruins' Providence (AHL) farm club reach the Eastern Conference final with 7-8-15 totals in 16 games. And then there's the Memorial Cup, which is the Frozen Four of junior hockey. Marchand helped Moncton of the QMJHL reach the championship game, where the Wildcats lost, with 2-2-4 totals in five games played.
"I don't know. I love the playoffs; I've always loved the playoffs, "said Marchand about why he's been able to produce when the stakes have been raised. "I want to win. Maybe things just seem to click sometimes. But it's the best time of year. I love this time of year."
As for getting ready for his first taste of the NHL postseason, Marchand said that being with the Bruins last spring as an extra forward helped him see how guys handle themselves and how games can turn on the slightest of events.
He knows he's going to have to not just find his scoring touch again after potting 21 goals in the regular season. He's also going to have to keep agitating while staying at the line so that he doesn't cost Boston man power.
Earlier this week, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli talked about how the coaching staff this season has had to remind Marchand sometimes to not only cross the line, but also get closer to it. It's hard to believe the Bruins would ever have to encourage the rambunctious winger to ramp up his excitability, but he knows exactly what they mean when they tell him to get back to playing his game.
"Sometimes when things are going well, I kind of get sucked into the doing the wrong things – trying to carry the puck too much or trying to be a bit of a dangler. That's not really my game," he said. "Mine is chipping pucks in, going to get it deep and playing on that line, playing aggressive and get in guys' faces. Sometimes I get away from that when I think I'm too much of a scorer."
Marchand said he's asked for advice about the playoffs from some of his more experience teammates and learned about how everyone "works their butt off every time" they step on the ice. One might think that the hoopla that leads up to the Memorial Cup would've prepared Marchand for the lead-up to the NHL postseason and the on-ice intensity that will follow. But he says this is a whole other world.
"The Memorial Cup, it's what you look forward to in junior. But everything that you played for, the Memorial Cup, all that, it's to get here and to be in this position," said Marchand. "That was a lot of fun and it's a great experience that I went through. But it was all for this moment right here."