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Nintendo Shrugs Off Weak Wii U Sales, Plunges Ahead
Oct 30, 2013 2:23 PM PT
Nintendo on Wednesday reported a net loss of about US$81 million (8 billion yen) for the quarter ending Sept. 30 and blamed the dismal results at least in part on disappointing sales of its Wii U video game console.
The company had reported a profit of roughly $87.5 million the previous quarter.
While sales of the Wii U were actually up this quarter and nearly doubled from 160,000 for the previous three months to 300,000 units, those figures still fall far short of the company's goal to reach 9 million total units sold by the fiscal year ending in March of next year.
Nintendo made a mid-year price cut on the device, which was released last November.
The company noted in its quarterly report that Wii U hardware has had a negative impact on its profits, due mainly to its markdown in the North American and European markets.
It posted an operating loss of $237 million for the first half of the fiscal year, but it did not change its overall forecast for Wii U sales and a $1 billion operating profit.
'Underpowered for Core Gamers'
The Wii U has not been the success that the Nintendo Wii was, but a number of factors need to be considered, not the least of which is that as next-generation systems go, the Wii U isn't exactly on par with the upcoming Microsoft One or Sony PlayStation 4. Even with its yearlong head start, the Wii U may not be up the task of competing with those consoles.
"That is somewhat debatable," said Lewis Ward, IDC's research director for gaming. "It is true that the Wii U has less than half the power than the Xbox One or PS4, so it is underpowered for those core gamers. What Nintendo has done is what it has always done, and charted its own course."
IDC surveys have found that Wii U owners are "pretty happy with it," Ward told the E-Commerce Times, "but the company has gone in a unique direction, and that has consequences. "
'Too Early to Make a Call'
With the new entries from Microsoft and Sony coming out next month, it also could be a major challenge for Nintendo to remain in the race.
"Even after the price drop, the sales haven't picked up, but it is still too early to make a call on whether the Wii U is going to be a major player in the next-generation console race," said Ward. "It is so early in the life cycle that making any kind of call is premature."
That price cut could, however, make a bigger difference as the holidays approach, Ted Pollak, senior analyst for the game industry at Jon Peddie Research, told the E-Commerce Times.
Consoles Under Pressure
"Nintendo will be able to improve sales of the Wii U -- we are not talking huge success, but look what they did with the 3DS," Pollak explained. "There was a huge improvement in sales after they changed the pricing."
Ultimately, though, all consoles are under some pressure from smart devices and PCs, "not because the tablets and PCs replace the consoles but because some consumers have limited money for electronics, and may choose utility for school or work," he added.
"Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft's console customer base is a few hundred million consumers who want a better gaming experience than smart devices currently offer," Pollak noted. "A large percentage of these consumers are willing to pay a significant margin for this experience, while others choose to sacrifice the gaming quality for utility."


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Review: Apple iPod nano (Seventh-Generation)
Company: Apple Computer
Website: www.Apple.com
Model: iPod nano (seventh-generation)
Price: $149 (16GB)
Compatible: PC/Mac
Pros: A return to the tall and thin form factor that was most popular in past iPod nanos, including eight different color options, the first 2.5" screen on an iPod nano, and a touchscreen interface. The first nano to include Bluetooth, with excellent wireless range, audio and limited non-audio accessory compatibility, and support for new Bluetooth 4 devices. Once again capable of playing videos and usefully rendering photos on its display, with small audio and radio improvements, plus newly packed-in EarPod earphones. Includes Nike+ Sensor support without the need for a dongle. Improved audio playback time versus predecessor.
Cons: Despite small resolution improvements, screen quality is mediocre by comparison with other screened iPods and iPhones, and multi-touch functionality is extremely limited. Apart from Bluetooth support, most features were executed just as well if not better in 2009 fifth-generation model; battery life for video playback is now markedly lower. Loses prior watch-ready size and shape that were popular with some users, as well as many clock faces, while omitting a number of features found on the fifth-generation nano, apparently including TV-out functionality. Use of Lightning connector breaks compatibility with some past accessories, and nano sits unusually on Apple's Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter, which isn't included.
Despite Apple's early attempt to prevent customers from rating Apple-branded products in its online store—"all Apple products have a rating of '5 Apples' because we think they're great"—the company's new releases aren't always home runs: while new iPhones and iPads continue to drop jaws, Apple's iPods have spent the last two years in free fall. Sales have steadily dropped, though apparently slower than Apple itself forecasted, and the once-thriving product line has become a place where old technologies shrink to get sold at lower prices. Apple still sells millions of iPods every quarter, but there's nothing exciting about iPods any more, unless you consider gradual miniaturization to be exciting.
Announced last month and shipped this week, Apple's seventh-generation iPod nano ($149/16GB) is an attempt to reverse a confusing devolution of what was once the company's most popular media player into a different, less capable form. In 2010, Apple discontinued the fifth-generation nano—a small, richly-colored device with a video camera, video playback capabilities, games, and an integrated microphone—in favor of an even smaller version that discarded all of those features in favor of a tiny square touchscreen. Built with an iPod shuffle-style rear clip and offered in a variety of dull colors, the sixth-generation model landed with a thud, only seeing its fortunes improve when accessory makers (and a late 2011 Apple software update) repositioned it as a bulky but interesting wristwatch. Few people thought that the sixth iPod nano was fantastic as it was, but it had fans, and there was some enthusiasm that Apple would introduce a redesigned version with Bluetooth headphones and an even smaller, watch-sized body, a package that would have made a lot of sense in a marketplace filled with iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches.
Instead, the new iPod nano turns out to be something different: this time, it resembles a shrunken iPod touch, even sharing six of the same color schemes with the iOS device, then adding two more for good measure. Almost exactly twice the height and the same width as the sixth-generation nano, it returns to the tall design favored by its most well-regarded predecessors, with literally just enough thickness to match the diameters of Apple's latest, smallest headphone plugs. It's lighter than before, with a new 2.5" 432 by 240-pixel screen that approximates a 16:9 aspect ratio, and it adds back two features that its predecessor lost: video playback functionality and proper photo playback capabilities. It even takes a step beyond its predecessors by adding Bluetooth 4 wireless support and the ability to serve as a proper Nike + iPod wireless receiver.
These changes make the nano better, right? Well, sort of. While the seventh iPod nano improves upon its immediate predecessor, it's hard to see as great. Despite obvious interface and design similarities, it doesn't run iOS, and yet it's also no longer small enough to be used as a watch; instead, it's akin to the long-gone fifth-generation nano, with fewer features and less appealing color options. It's also a major step down from the $199 fourth-generation iPod touch, which offers the same storage capacity, yet with apps and considerably better hardware does thousands of things the nano can't do, at a very small premium.
While our review of the seventh-generation iPod nano remains objective throughout, and compares the new device quite factually to its last two predecessors, there's no question that none of our editors could get excited about the new design. It's certainly not as perplexing as the buttonless third-generation shuffle, but like its square older brother, it doesn't feel considerably better than the model Apple released three years ago, and there are elements of the design—the unevenly lit screen, weak color choices, and limited features—that will make it extremely easy for all but the most Apple-obsessed users to pass on. In short, it's a good little iPod, but apart from its new Bluetooth functionality, it doesn't move the family forward or continue to justify a $149 asking price. Regardless of whether you agree with that conclusion, we hope you enjoy our review, and learn some interesting details along the way.
Updated September 13, 2013: This week, Apple replaced the prior "Slate" color with "Gray"—also known as "Space Gray"—as the only iPod family change in a year that saw two new iPhone models introduced. Gray is somewhere between the prior silver and slate versions, depending on the light that hits it, and has color-matched backgrounds that are nearly identical to the silver model's.
Editors' Note: iLounge only reviews products in "final" form, but many companies now change their offerings - sometimes several times - after our reviews have been published. This iLounge article provides more information on this practice, known as revving.

subset: commoncrawl


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Many California growers are at a crossroads in deciding which permanent crops will provide the best returns in the future. What to pull and what to plant are overriding issues difficult to resolve without thorough investigation and planning - and perhaps, a fully functioning crystal ball.
The California Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers addressed those issues at its recent Spring Outlook Conference in Sacramento with a pair of growers who offered their perspectives of how to go about making some basic decisions.
Walnut grower Charles R. Crain Jr., noting that the prune and peach markets are in decline and nut markets are expanding, warned simply: "Don't grow what you can't sell, and look to the future 10 years out."
From its headquarters at Los Molinos, the Crain family farms more than 5,000 acres of 17 varieties of walnuts in Butte, Glenn, and Tehama counties and processes its own production and that of 450 other growers in the state.
Walnuts presently enjoy benefits of expanding markets, semi-perishable harvest, several varieties with unique characteristics to allow differentiation of products, and lower cultural costs, although they do require alluvial-fan soils in short supply in the northern part of the state.
Assuming the essentials of proper climate, the right soils, and adequate water are available, Crain said, a grower considering new orchards can then turn to considering markets. Since the export market has the greatest potential for walnuts, quality linked with product differentiation is crucial in supplying differing preferences of buyers in Italy, Spain, or Germany, and is perceived as having greater value.
Second to China
California, the source of about 35 percent, or 340,000 tons, of the world supply of walnuts, is second in the world behind China, which supplies 42 percent, or 370,000 tons. Although China has 10 times the number of trees California has, its walnut exports are dropping, while California maintains a relatively stable production, even with cyclical fluctuations. "With export markets, one of the most important things is to have a stable supply of good quality product," he said.
"So the 'big fish' in the market," Crain said, "is China, which is not only the largest walnut producer but also the world's largest consumer of everything. Our balance of trade with them is upside-down and declining fast. We are looking at them as a potential market for our product. I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years China becomes our largest export market for walnuts."
Walnut plantings in China, he explained, have been part of a massive reforestation project, replacing other species consumed for fuel. The project is currently under forestry authorities, but if agricultural agencies were to take over responsibility, the trees might be used for aggressive nut production.
Turning to varieties, Crain said about 800 new selections are being made each year at the University of California, Davis to find new varieties. These will hopefully lead to new products to fill expanding, differentiated niches for kernel color in various markets around the world. Lighter color is especially sought after as a perceived indicator of higher quality in Asian markets.
Chandler variety
Chandler, with about 35 percent of the total, is the largest variety grown in California, and Hartley is at 25 percent. Along with Howard and Tulare, they allow improved returns with product differentiation. Crain estimates Chandler, adaptable throughout the state, will contribute more than half the crop in the next five to six years, as acreage of Hartley, which has limitations in disease resistance and longevity and lesser appeal in export markets, declines. v Crain said the larger-kernel Howard, preferred in many markets, in 2004 brought an average of 12 cents a pound more than Hartley in his company's sales as buyers, considering Howard a greater value, asked for it by name.
"New walnut cultivars will continue to be in demand for some time, as older varieties become obsolete. Both China and India are large competitors, but they also have expanding economies that should make them expanded markets for California walnuts in the near future," Crain said.
Bill Phillimore, executive vice president, Paramount Farming Co., Bakersfield, dealt with other crops that might be considered. Paramount farms some 120,000 acres in Kings and Kern counties. Its acreages of 25,000 each in citrus, almonds, and pistachios and 6,000 in pomegranates make the company the largest grower of those crops in the state.
Crops concentration
Reminding that anyone going into farming must have a healthy amount of optimism to begin with, he said Paramount has concentrated its operations to those four crops. "Part of our focus when we are looking at crop selection is the product itself. We want to know it is healthy, has good shelf life, and is convenient for consumers. We also look for the potential for vertical integration, so we can grow, process, and market the crops ourselves."
They have decided to get into clementine production, even though Phillimore admits cultural methods have to be worked out to avoid seeds occurring in fruit grown in the San Joaquin Valley. In the case of their pomegranates, they not only grew the crop and developed fresh markets but also invested heavily in developing techniques for processing of juice and their own plant.
Before planting, they also evaluate the crop industry itself: who and what the competition is and whether there is strong industry leadership. The idea is to have a product that can be somehow separated or differentiated from the rest to enhance returns and to help the company avoid being trapped with a commodity with a price the same as countless others.
He said Sunkist Growers, for example, is a strong leader and the entire California and Arizona citrus industry benefits from that leadership.
Selecting the best climate, soil, and water for a crop is also vital. "We see a lot of almonds being planted where we do not want to be farming. We may spend more on our irrigation systems up front to so that an extra 200 to 300 pounds of nuts per acre in yields will make a difference in the bottom line. If you get it wrong, you may never recover."
Quick corrections
When it comes to risk assessment, he said the privately owned Paramount can move rapidly to capitalize on new opportunities or, if a downside occurs, also correct mistakes quickly. He urged growers to show "no emotion" in pulling low-yielding orchards, even though they might have been good producers in the past. Yielding to sentiment and leaving a substandard orchard in place for one more season can cost dearly.
Phillimore said he expects the citrus industry to continue to be a tough business. He added that the industry needs to be restructured, mainly because packinghouses now have far too much control and receive a set per-box fee regardless of the price of the fruit. The industry will have to work out some sort of corrections to help improve grower returns.


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This is part of my series The Life of Alice Susan HILLIS, my great grandmother.
To begin the life of Alice Susan HILLIS, we will start with the marriage of her parents. Of course could go back many generations to all of her ancestors, but that would take too long (and her father is my brickwall).
George E HILLIS was born in Rising Sun, Ohio county, Indiana in May 1857 to unknown parents.
Mary Susan WASHBURN was born 28 September 1866 in Vinton, Gallia county, Ohio to civil war veteran Francis Marion WASHBURN and Lovina MATTHEWS. In the 1870s, the family moved to Cincinnati. On the 19 December 1883, Lovina died when Mary was 17 years old. Mary had three younger sisters, Lizzie Gertrude (17 Oct 1868-24 Feb 1869), Myrtle Ione (3 Nov 1873-24 Mar 1951), and Sylvia Cynthia (29 Jan 1878-29 Jun 1934).
George and Mary were married in Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio on 5 September 1886.
Ohio, "Marriage Record (1808-1931)," volume 99, page 416, no. 827, George E Hillis and Mary S Washburn, marriage on 6 September 1886; digital images, Hamilton County Probate Courty (http://www.probatect.org), Cincinnati.
George and Mary welcomed 3 children before their daughter Alice was born.
Joseph Mills HILLIS was born 24 Dec 1887 in Cincinnati. He moved to Texas and later to El Dorado, Butler county, Kansas. He married Margaret around 1922 and died May 1974.
Francis Marion HILLIS was born 13 Dec 1888 in Cincinnati and named after his grandfather. He married Mary Ann JOHNSTON on 6 Feb 1926 in Cincinnati. He died in Rising Sun, Indiana on 12 Oct 1977 and buried in Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati.
Sylvia C HILLIS was born 13 Aug 1892 in Kentucky and named for her aunt. She married Sidney Sayers CLEMENTS on 2 Oct 1915 in Cincinnati. She lived in Kentucky.
Next time we learn about the birth of Alice Susan HILLIS.


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Carls Cars Magazine: Carl's Cars is a magazine about people. Carl's Cars is also the first magazine which blends car culture with music, fashion, film and design. Carl's Cars is about people's creativity: All the strange things people say, all the random stuff they do, and the cars they drive.
Subscibers also subscribe to these mags:


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LONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II toured London's Olympic heartland Saturday hours after she surprised a worldwide audience by starring as the newest Bond Girl.
The queen got a bird's eye view of the Olympic Park complex atop the 377-foot (115-meter) Orbit sculpture beside the stadium, where on Friday night she officially opened the 2012 Games. Her husband, Prince Philip, and London Mayor Boris Johnson accompanied her as she rode up two floors in the sculpture's elevator to meet designer Anish Kapoor.
Dressed in a royal blue silk dress, crepe coat and matching hat, the queen could be heard remarking at the views of the London skyline and countryside up to 20 miles (32 kilometers) away. She was also wearing a brooch given to her in 1948, the last time London hosted the Olympics and four years before her accession to the throne.
Johnson said the queen had told him she was "very, very impressed with the success of her first film appearance, her first dramatic venture. It was very funny and seems to have gone down particularly well with the international audiences."
Buckingham Palace confirmed that the 86-year-old monarch agreed last year to participate in Danny Boyle's film portion of his four-hour opening ceremony extravaganza. Filming took place at the palace in March and April and featured two of the queen's corgi dogs: Monty and Holly.
Boyle's production involved Daniel Craig, the current James Bond, striding into Buckingham Palace to escort his VIP guest to the Olympic ceremony. Many watching had expected a famous actress to play the role of the queen, and untold thousands in the audience audibly gasped as the real-life queen was seen to swivel round in her desk chair and declare: "Good evening, Mr. Bond."
At the end of the film segment, two stuntmen dressed as Bond and the queen parachuted from a helicopter into the stadium, and moments later Elizabeth and Philip emerged in the stands.
Boyle told NBC television that the queen had been a natural. "You don't have to tell her something twice," he said. "She picks it up straight away, about cameras and angles."
The scenes were filmed in March and April, after the queen agreed to take part last year.
The queen offered more surprises Saturday as she paid a walking visit to the athletes village and met about 150 members of the British Olympic team. Spectators took in the scene from balconies draped in Union Jack flags.
"For her to come through and meet the athletes, and see where we're living, it was amazing," said Rose Anderson, 24, a member of the women's basketball team.
"She went inside one of the athletes' bedrooms and chatted to us. It was just awesome, especially after last night," she said, referring to the opening ceremony. "Last night will never be topped. I'll never get an experience like that again, and then this will never be topped either."
The queen also met athletes from other nations in the dining hall.
"She's beautiful," said Jess Fox, who competes for Australia in the canoe slalom. "We saw her from afar last night in the stadium, but it was amazing to see her like this."
source: news.yahoo.com


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ESPA Philosphy
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Our treatments are tailored to your needs on the day, whether it is for relaxation or total escapism from the outside world. They have a soul of their own, with rituals inspired by traditional cultures and advanced treatments performed by highly trained therapists concentrating on stressrelief, optimizing health and age-defying results.
At our TSpa we offer you a complete skincare collection and Spa treatments by ESPA you'll find both effective and therapeutic.


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About This Gallery
It's Tony time! Idina Menzel, Ramin Karimloo, Neil Patrick Harris, Andy Karl and more Tony-nominated stars salute Joseph P. Benincasa, Joan Marcus and Charlotte Wilcox, the recipients of the 2014 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre. Click to see the celebration at the Paramount Hotel on June 2, 2014!
Photographer: Bruce Glikas, © Broadway.com


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Today, I'm happy to announce that we have raised $15 million in Series B funding. I'm writing this blog post from my new private yacht cruising the clear blue waters of the... no, just kidding.
It's probably no surprise that we're growing quickly. We're the fastest growing ecommerce platform in the world. In 2009 we had 20 employees, and by the end of the year we're going to have close to 100. More importantly, we went from only a few million dollars sold to hundreds of millions a year! Seriously, we see every new store that opens up on Shopify and they are without a doubt the best designed, most stylish, and most amazing stores on the web. Not to mention they're selling some of the coolest products, and a lot of them!
Within the coming weeks and months we have some really exciting announcements to make that will shed some light on how we will use the capital. New product features, new apps, themes, partnerships, and even a few surprises. So keep an eye on our blogs, Twitter, and Facebook to keep up to date. I'm especially excited about the $1M Shopify Fund that we are announcing alongside this funding event.
Every day I feel lucky to be a part of this incredible company with such an amazing team of store owners and employees. It's an exhilarating feeling that I was there to write the first line of code in Shopify and now we are the company that has the best shot at being the first ever market leader in our humble little industry. Thanks so much for supporting Shopify, and you have my word that we'll remain committed to delivering the best ecommerce solution available.
Join 446,005 entrepreneurs who already have a head start.
Get free online marketing tips and resources delivered directly to your inbox.
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You'll start receiving free tips and resources soon. In the meantime, start building your store with a free 14-day trial of Shopify.
29 comments
October 17 2011, 08:56AM
Congrats guys! Keep on keeping on.
October 17 2011, 09:21AM
Awesome! I especially love the $1M fund!
I know that there are a lot of ideas floating around in peoples heads that would help Shopify and their users.
October 17 2011, 09:31AM
Congrats Tobi.
October 17 2011, 09:32AM
Nicely done Tobi!
October 17 2011, 09:41AM
October 17 2011, 10:11AM
Congratulations, you've done a great job. Shopfy is by far the easiest and most cost effective ecommerce platform for small to medium sized online retailers.
October 17 2011, 10:14AM
Congratulations, guys! Keep rocking!
October 17 2011, 10:16AM
Congratulations Tobi both on the partnership and in general for building a business in Ottawa that provides an alternative for new grads to a future of servitude to the federal gov't. As an outside observer, it seems you place a value on hiring people not only for their skills but for their intangibles. I've met a number of them and appreciate the kind of value their enthusiasm and loyalty must add to the environment.
October 17 2011, 10:31AM
Brilliant! Love it :)
October 17 2011, 10:40AM
Congrats everyone! Shopify rocks, thanks for a great platform, and your awesome OSS contributions.
October 17 2011, 11:17AM
October 17 2011, 11:36AM
Congratulations to all involved! I've never seen a more deserving group of folks work hard enough to nail a hard problem this well.
@Disappointed Customer: Your mom left a note on the fridge for you to pick up some cat food on the way home, unless you have some left in the basement beside your mattress.
October 17 2011, 12:00PM
Congratulations to Shopify and everyone involved in this successful endeavor and the hard work everyone has put into it.
I am happy to be here with Shopify and having a front seat view to all the exciting happenings.
October 17 2011, 12:05PM
October 17 2011, 12:10PM
Congrats. Can't wait to release my theme :)
October 17 2011, 12:57PM
Great news! I've been checking out the platform and I'm very impressed to say the least. Make sure the walk throughs of connecting the apps is all current, one I installed wasn't…thx!
October 17 2011, 01:24PM
Congrats – looking forward to see you guys continue to grow :)
October 17 2011, 02:28PM
Great news – congrats!
October 17 2011, 02:52PM
Good Job Tobi!!
October 17 2011, 02:53PM
Congratulations guys! I just love shopify – I have two stores so far and I'm working on my third. Keep up the good work and can't wait to hear your announcements…
October 17 2011, 03:49PM
Huge news! Congrats to the Shopify team
October 17 2011, 03:51PM
Congrats Tobi – another recognition of the great work you're doing!
October 17 2011, 11:26PM
Great news. Looking forward to having many languages in one shopify account. Keep up the good work.
October 18 2011, 09:12AM
Congrats to Tobi and the entire Shopify team!
October 18 2011, 09:04PM
Keep it up Shopify team! Don't be surprised to find me outside your new office one morning soon holding a 1980's boombox over my head playing a Peter Gabriel song.
October 19 2011, 10:21AM
Congratulations for you guys! Definitely an exciting time for you all. I can say selfishly that more rapid development of features and apps is very exciting for us and Diamond Candles!
October 21 2011, 12:01PM
Congrats! Love the service. Please invest in a zip code based sales tax system :)
October 25 2011, 11:40AM
Congrats to the team at Shopify. Looking forward to seeing a great Ottawa company grow to a world class market leader.
February 20 2012, 10:07PM
2This antique style engagement rings http://www.itemsinthebox.com/c6-rings.htm
are still increasing their popularity, although many of the new modern wedding ring that has been offered. Before you go out to buy a diamond ring new, modern, probably would be better if you take some time to get info about this antique style wedding ring. http://www.itemsinthebox.com/c1-bracelets.htm
Antique style engagement rings can be quite reminiscent of the period of history which dates back from the Victorian Edwardian era.


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Firepit and Lake view
September 7, 2018 By Charlie
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Pristine Point home. Amazing location overlooking Meridian Lake Reservoir. Very private spot on the edge of an aspen tree forest with excellent views of Gothic, Snodgrass and Mt. Crested Butte mountains. Exposed Log Beams and rock fireplace highlight the great room. The master bedroom is located on the same level as the living area with… Read More
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- Description
The VELUX VIU PK31 0066 Triple Glazed White Fixed Vertical Element - 94x60cm is availble to order online at BSO
Sloping and vertical combinations from VELUX are brilliant for one and a half story properties. The VELUX roof window is installed above the eaves and connects to a vertical element that is positioned below the eaves. The combination will give you more space, more natural light and is aesthetically pleasing on the eye. Both elements are directly connected frame by frame to follow the pitch of your roof.
With the VELUX vertical combinations, you can combine all elements with any VELUX centre pivot or top hung roof windows. Suitable for roof pitches between 15 and 55°
- Additional Information
Additional Information
Type N/A
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ALSA Blacklist
From AlsaProject
We are looking for programming information for the hardware listed below. Please, if you have any information, mail this information to alsa-devel mailing list. Thank you.
- SAA7785 (Thunderbird) - used in the Philips 'Edge' range. This chip is used in the PSC702/703/704/705/706 cards.
Please, look into ALSA Soundcard Vendor Information too.
Custom Search


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Shopify vs Zen Cart
More than 800,000 store owners can't be wrong
Start your free 14-day trial today!
Hear what ex-Zen Cart customers have to say
Shopify makes it easy to switch from Zen Cart
Way better so far.
- Easier to link to domain,
- Easier to make drop down size bars,
- Easier to upload products,
- Easier to create new pages.
Nuff said.
- Ted Hemberger
Shopify powers over 800,000 businesses
We've helped our customers sell over 100 billion dollars worth of products
Shopify understands the business and what a shop owner really is looking for these days.
Micheal Packer
Owner, Packer Shoes
All the features you want, none of the hassle
Shopify makes it easy to build and manage your online store
Simple interface
Easily manage your products within the Shopify admin. Upload your own images or use our free stock photos, add new products, feature items, edit inventory, and much more.
Business tools
Keep track of the status on all orders. Analyze your order history to build better customer relations and target your marketing campaign.
Professional templates
Check out our Theme Store or design your own. You have complete control over the look and feel of your store via the admin and theme settings.
We're here to help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can email or call our dedicated support team if you have any issues.


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I baked oatmeal chocolate-chip cookies the other day. Because I wanted to give my son a treat. Because sometimes I can be a kind and loving Mother. It's not like Henry never gets treats, kids; he gets them pretty much every day, but for whatever reason, these cookies made him suspicious. What is she planning? What is she trying to accomplish, with this whole homemade cookie junk?
At least I think that's what was going on. All I can say is, he ate a single cookie in the oddest, most irritating way possible. As if there might be sprouts or poison lurking somewhere within the cookie. I was going to write about it, but I couldn't possibly describe his insane cookie-eating method in a way that would do it justice.
So instead, Scott and I reenacted it for you. Here you are.
Dramatic Reenactment of Our Son, Eating a Cookie from Alice Bradley on Vimeo.


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marcmpc needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 628 designs submitted by 177 freelance designers.
Simple enough....want the logo first..working on the launch for 2010.
Maybe try to MAKE the logo VERY COLORFUL....seems only appropriate for THIS logo to have a lot of color in it.
Photographers - MOSTLY professionals but some good amatures may use this site too.
Need a VERY professional logo...not simple words. Someone will win this contest and get a lot of press when we go live. The logo we hope to get is one that is VERY creative, has a camera build into it somehow - may be colorful easy to read. Don't let creativity screw up the logo but we want it so that ANYONE who sees that logo from a distance KNOWs it Photographer.com they are seeing.
GET CREATIVE ON THIS ONE FOLKS...it's a big deal.
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*** (out of four)
Closing out Survival Month at the Movies ("Gravity," "Captain Phillips," "12 Years a Slave"), "All is Lost" presents the gravity of being Captain Redford for eight days. No, that isn't the name of the unidentified sailor (Robert Redford) whose boat is violently poked by a shipping container 1,700 nautical miles from the Sumatra Straits. (Of course I knew that was in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Who told you I was awful at geography?) He's everyone—a sole representative for human existence, fighting the odds and seeing that it's not over until it's over.
At least, that's my take. Writer/director J.C. Chandor ("Margin Call") wisely refrains from awkward backstory or forced emotion (looking at you, "Gravity"), so it's merely an interpretation to say that the man's wedding ring and boat (named "Virginia Jean") suggest that he has set off alone, testing his limits or running away, after the loss of his wife. The opening scene features a voiceover of the man reading what he intends as his last words, the inevitable regrets of a person dying in unforeseen circumstances.
Needless to say, these are extreme conditions. If going on a dangerous solo journey, amends probably are best handled in advance. Redford's lone seaman is a man of few words, at least in terms of not exclaiming, "Oh, [bleep]" or something when turning to his right and seeing a bitch of a storm a-brewin'. Rarely does he verbalize his feelings, and Redford capably holds attention in a nearly wordless film likely to garner him an Oscar nomination—because that's often the case with isolated acting jobs like this. (I was less taken with "Life of Pi" and more impressed by James Franco in "127 Hours," FYI.)
With minimal information and multiple near-devastations, "All is Lost" sometimes conveys a sense of "What else can go horribly wrong?" or that it contains valuable info should viewers ever find themselves in a similar situation. (Here's hoping they don't.) Others will see the continual destruction and resurrection of a life through the experience of a tormented traveler who, among other things, displays the value of lip balm. Never hurts to have just in case.
Watch Matt on "You & Me This Morning," Friday at 6:55 a.m. on WCIU, the U
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Translation Disclaimer
The City of Berkeley uses parking meters as a parking management tool, primarily in commercial areas and around public spaces or facilities that are major trip generators. Meters are typically used to improve access, promote commercial activity, and discourage long-term car storage. The City may adjust a meter's hourly rate and/or limit the amount of time one may park in a metered parking space to encourage turnover and increase parking availability for short-term visitors and customers. Parking customers interested in long-term parking (over 2 hour, all day, or commuter parking) may park in the City's off-street parking garages and lots or goBerkeley Value pricing areas around downtown Berkeley and the Southside/Telegraph areas.
Parking meters in Downtown Berkeley, Southside/Telegraph, and the Elmwood are managed under the goBerkeley demand-responsive parking management program. Click here for a PDF summarizing current rates and time limits in goBerkeley areas.
Over the years, parking meters have evolved from wholly mechanical devices to the state-of-the-art smart parking meters we use today. Currently, the City of Berkeley uses two types of meters: multi-space (IPS pay stations) and single-space, to monitor over 3,700 parking spaces. All meters accept Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards, as well as nickels, dimes, quarters, and small one dollar coins.
For the City's guidelines on Disabled Parking Placard use, click here.
Chapter 14.52 of the Berkeley Municipal Code describes rules and procedures for the management and use of the City's parking meters.
Hours of Operation
On-Street Meters: In general, on-street meters are in operation from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Saturday including some holidays. There are exceptions to these general hours, so be sure to check the meters themselves and/or posted signs nearby to confirm hours of operation.
Metered Parking Lots: Berkeley Way Lot: 7 AM to 10 PM, Monday through SaturdayElmwood District Lot: 7 AM to 6 PM, Monday through Saturday
Pre-Pay and Sleep Modes: All City of Berkeley meters revert to "sleep" mode from the end of one operating shift until the start of operating hours the following business day. A "pre-pay" mode is available two hours before metered time begins. This allows you to park and pre-pay if you expect to remain parked at that spot once hours of operation begin. The meter will start charging time once the enforcement hours begin.
Parking Meter Holidays
Meters are not enforced on the following holidays:
New Year's Day, January 1 (Holiday observed on Monday if it falls on Sunday) Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Third Monday in January President's Day, Third Monday in February Memorial Day, Last Monday in May Independence Day, July 4 (Holiday observed on Friday if it falls on a Sunday) Labor Day, First Monday in September Indigenous People's Day, Second Monday in October Veterans Day, November 11 (Holiday observed on Monday if it falls on Sunday) Thanksgiving Day, Fourth Thursday in November Christmas Day, December 25 (Holiday observed on Monday if it falls on Sunday)
New Year's Day, January 1 (Holiday observed on Monday if it falls on Sunday) Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Third Monday in January President's Day, Third Monday in February Memorial Day, Last Monday in May Independence Day, July 4 (Holiday observed on Friday if it falls on a Sunday) Labor Day, First Monday in September Indigenous People's Day, Second Monday in October Veterans Day, November 11 (Holiday observed on Monday if it falls on Sunday) Thanksgiving Day, Fourth Thursday in November Christmas Day, December 25 (Holiday observed on Monday if it falls on Sunday)
**NEW** Parkmobile Pay-by-Phone Services
Paying for parking in Berkeley is now even easier! Using the Parkmobile service, parking customers are able to pay for parking on-the-go via a smartphone app or by phone.
The mobile app for iPhone and Android phones is available at Parkmobile's website. Customers may also initiate parking sessions by calling 1-877-727-5718. Once registered, users can also choose to receive custom alerts and reminders prior to the expiration of a parking session, and if applicable, remotely extend their parking session. Click here for a video overview of the Parkmobile service.
How to Register
How to Pay by App
How to Pay by Phone
Time Limit Enforcement
Time limits are strictly enforced and may not be extended by adding more money after the posted maximum time limit has expired. In other words, "feeding the meter" is illegal per BMC 14.52.060. Use these links for information on other local parking restrictions and California Vehicle Codes.
Parking Before Payment, or After Time has ExpiredIt is unlawful to occupy a metered parking space without paying. Per BMC 14.52.040, drivers must pay for parking immediately after occupancy of a parking space. And per BMC 14.52.050, it is also unlawful to remain parked at a single-space meter or pay-and-display parking space after the meter or your dashboard receipt has expired. Only stay for the time you pay!
Broken MetersParking at a space served by a broken or inoperable single space meter or pay & display station is limited to the posted time limit. It is not legal to park in a space served by a broken meter or a pay & display station longer than the posted time limit. To report a broken meter or pay & display station, call 311 or (510) 981-CITY (2489), and provide the meter or pay station number.
Parking Meter Rates
The City of Berkeley has two rate structures for parking meters:
goBerkeley Program Areas and Rates
Current goBerkeley program locations and rates are described below.
goBerkeley Program Area
Parking Zone/Facility
Parking Boundaries or Location
Hourly Rate
Rate Zone
Max Time Limit
Downtown Berkeley
Metered parking in Premium Zone
Hearst Avenue (North) to Bancroft Way (South), between Oxford Street (East) and MLK Jr. Way (West)
2 hrs.
Metered parking in Value Zone
Bancroft Way (North) to Dwight Way (South), between Fulton Street (East) and Milvia Street (West)
4 hrs.
Berkeley Way Lot
Located south of Berkeley Way between Shattuck Avenue and Milvia Street
Bancroft Way (North) to Channing Way (South), between Piedmont Avenue (East) and Fulton Street (East)
2 hrs.
Channing Way (North) to Dwight Way (South), between College Avenue (East) and Dana Street (West)
8 hrs.
Elmwood District
Stuart Street (North) to Webster Street (South), between Piedmont Avenue (East) and Benvenue Avenue (West)
3 hrs.
Elmwood Lot
Located just west of the College Avenue/Russell Street intersection
3 hrs.
(Effective April 1, 2018.)
Other Citywide Parking Areas and Rates
Non goBerkeley program locations and rates are described below.
North Berkeley(Shattuck Avenue)
Rose Street (North) to Hearst Avenue (South), between Oxford Street (East) and Milvia Street (West)
30 mins. to 2 hrs.
Solano Avenue
The Alameda (East) to Tulare Street (West), between Tacoma & Catalina Avenues (North) and Marin Avenue (South)
Telegraph Avenue
Telegraph from Dwight Way (North) to Woolsey Street (South), to Regent Street (East)ANDRegent Street between Ashby Avenue (North) and Prince Street (South)AND2400 block of Blake Street
Ward Street (North) to Essex Street (South), between Shattuck Avenue (East) and Adeline Street (West)
30 mins. to 2 hrs.
Claremont & Ashby
Russell Street (North) to Ashby Avenue (South), between Domingo Avenue (East) and Claremont Avenue (West)
30 mins. to 1 hr.
Vicinity of intersection of College Avenue & Alcatraz Avenue north of the Berkeley city line
1 hour
North Campus (Euclid/Hearst)
Le Conte Avenue (North) to Hearst Avenue (South), between Gayley Road (East) and Oxford Street (West)
1 to 2 hrs.
San Pablo Avenue
San Pablo Avenue between Harrison Street (North) and Heinz Avenue (South)
Gilman District
9th Street, 10th Street and Camelia Street south of Gilman Street
Fourth Street
Fourth Street between Virginia Street (North) and Hearst Avenue (South)
University Avenue
Hearst Avenue (North) to Addison Street (South), between MLK Jr Way (East) and 3rd Street (West)
Payment Increments And Credit/Debit Card Minimum Payment
When using a credit/debit card payment option, all meters require a 12-minute minimum transaction time. All City of Berkeley meters accept coins, credit and debit cards. Coins do not require a 12-minute transaction minimum. The table below shows parking meter coin increments by meter rate.
goBerkeley Premium
$3.25 or $3.50
goBerkeley Premium
Up to 2 hours
goBerkeley Value
4-Hour or 8-Hour
1 Nickel = 1 min
1 Dime = 2 min
1 Quarter = 5 min
1 Nickel = 1 min
1 Dime = 2.5 min
1 Quarter = 6 min
1 Nickel = 2 min
1 Dime = 4 min
1 Quarter = 10 min
1 Nickel = 1 min
1 Dime = 3 min
1 Quarter = 7 min
Parking Meter Revenue
Revenue collected from on-street parking operations is used to support City services. Currently, parking meter revenue is used to fund Parking Enforcement operations of the Berkeley Police Department.
Meter Maintenance
The City's Public Works Department has a Meter Maintenance Team consisting of a Supervisor and 8 staff people who are responsible for the collection of revenues, as well as the maintenance and repair of the City's on-street meters. The Meter Maintenance Team is responsible for routinely replacing meter batteries, lubricating locks, maintaining meter identification numbers, replacing domes and removing graffiti from meters and poles.
Whenever the Meter Maintenance Team finds a vehicle parked at a malfunctioning meter, they initiate repair and place the maximum time on the meter. However, the maximum time you can park in a meter space (during enforcement hours) is the maximum time allowed if the meter were functioning (e.g.1 hour; 2 hours). Therefore, you run the risk of getting a ticket if you are parked at a malfunctioning meter longer than this allotted time – functioning or not.
If you have any questions for the Meter Maintenance Team, please use our Online Service Center, call 311, or (510) 981-CITY (2489).
How to Use Berkeley's Parking Meters
Multi-space Pay Stations
IPS Pay Station machines accept 3 convenient forms of payment:
Payment instructions, and hours of operation are posted at each pay station.
Multi-space Pay Station Receipt Ticket
Single-Space Meters
Single space meters feature an illuminated display to view parking rates, hours, time limit and other important information.
Single space meters accept 3 convenient forms of payment:
Payment instructions, and hours of operation are posted at each meter.
At the meter, you need to:
Parking Meter Signs and Decals
goBerkeley Zones You can tell you are in a goBerkeley zone when you see signs like this:
Multi-space Pay Stations
On blocks with pay stations, signs are posted to direct users to "Pay to Park" with arrows pointing towards the closest pay station (Figure 1a). In non-goBerkeley parking areas, green and white regulation signs advise of the zone limits for areas (Figure 1b). If an arrow is not present on the zone limit sign, the limit is enforced for the entire block. Some locations use curb markings along with parking signs (Figure 1c).
Diagram 1a
Diagram 1b
Diagram 1c
In non-goBerkeley areas, "Pay Here for Parking" signs are posted above each pay station (Diagram 1d and 1e):
Diagram 1d
Diagram 1e
Informational Signs with enforcement rules
Parking rate and hours of operation information is displayed on screen at the head, or crown, of the meter as shown below (Diagram 4a).
Diagram 4a
Diagram 4c


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Moderators: Zahru II, Magic Soap, Thesson
piltogg wrote:Tor's hammer.
In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have made it yellow. (The color of minnifig flesh)
Robot Monkey wrote:And shaping SHIPS like weapons is never a good idea.
(Think, swords, pikes/spears, even axes)
aoffan23 wrote:What if it's shaped like a kamikaze ramming ship?
Silverdream wrote:Who wouldn't? Hell, I bet we all have a method of blowing up our SHIPs as a last resort.
Robot Monkey wrote:aoffan23 wrote:What if it's shaped like a kamikaze ramming ship?
Well, who would build a SHIP just to ram stuff and explode? That's a fighter's job if you ask me.
Tzan wrote:Quantumsurfer wrote:I generally agree with TzanWarhead wrote:I agree with QuantumSmurfer.
I agree with Warhead.
stubby wrote:omg noob, balrogs are maiars too, don't you know anything
Silverdream wrote:6.Make a planet sized SHIP that is really a nuclear reactor.
7.Make it more complex than anything
8.Give it an unreliable way to function so that it explodes every week
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- 1 8 oz. tube crescent rolls
- 2 cups shredded or slices of sharp Cheddar or Swiss cheese
- ½ lb. pork sausage or bacon fried and drained
- vegetables of your choice chopped into small pieces
- 2 Tblsp. minced onion or more to your liking
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- Carefully unroll crescent rolls and pat into lightly greased 9x13 inch pan.
- Press seams together. If you unroll these carefully, they come close to fitting right into your pan.
- Top crescent rolls with either a single layer of sliced cheese or sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over crust.
- Sprinkle with spinach now, if adding spinach.
- Beat together milk, onion and eggs. Pour over the top.
- Sprinkle with chopped vegetables and meat.
- Bake for 30 minutes, on the middle rack, at 350 degrees.
Terri's Notes
Our favorite combinations:
Cheddar/Sausage/Veggie (onion, broccoli, red pepper)
What's your favorite quiche or omelet combination?
Go for it!
Share this Recipe


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Apr 06,2009
Work Daze: The clown in your cube
by Bob Goldman
If you've been wondering who to blame for your puny paycheck, the paucity of your promotions, and the total meltdown of your career, here's good news. It's not you who is to blame; it's your family.
No, I'm not talking about that maladjusted bunch of malcontents who sponge off you in your overleveraged bungalow in Foreclosure Farms. I'm talking about the folks who raised you up from a pup: Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, and don't forget Uncle Wally who lived in the basement.
It's true! Your toxic reaction to your nuclear family as a kid is informing and influencing your relations with bosses and co-workers today. Or so suggests Sylvia Lafair, an "expert in leadership, workplace behavior and relationships," in her new book, "Don't Bring It To Work, Breaking the Family Patterns that Limit Success."
Lafair's gift is in helping executives "discover the correlation between their own family history and their present-day responses to behaviors at work." This version of workplace therapy, honed in leadership retreats in New Mexico, can result in "Ah-ha moments" and "career changing breakthroughs," starting, no doubt, when the executive steps out from the sweat lodge, strips naked, picks up a tribal drum, and acknowledges in ancient Sumerian, a language they previously didn't know they could speak, "their engagement in one or more of these unconscious behaviors and their destructive affect on their career and family."
(In full disclosure, I may be slightly embroidering a very sober and serious process that is probably conducted in a Holiday Inn meeting room with no drums, no sweat, and the participants wearing J. Crew, but a fellow can dream.)
After serving a life sentence in corporate America, you will have to excuse my innate skepticism of any workplace self-improvement program — a reflex due, Lafair might suggest, to my own childhood experience of learning that it was Uncle Wally and not the tooth fairy who celebrated every new tooth by emptying my piggy bank. But I must admit that I do find at least a smidgen of truth in this theory of family influence.
Who among us has not been the victim of a steely CEO-type erupt in a stinging string of invectives and epithets simply because we have made a tiny, inconsequential mistake, like forgetting to fill the company jet with canapes, or fuel. And who among us, while assaulted with threats and recriminations, has not said to ourselves, "Gee, here's a guy who didn't get a G.I. Joe for Christmas."
No doubt our family history influences our behavior in the workplace family! My quarrel with Dr. Lafair is not that such dynamics exist; I object to her suggestion that it is to your benefit to recognize and resolve these character flaws. In my experience, it is exactly these destructive psychological imbalances that are essential for success in business today.
For example, consider three of the 13 "common behavior patterns" that Lafair describes as personality types that can impact workplaces negatively:
The Pleaser "cannot handle truth," says Lafair, choosing instead to "say 'yes' to everything, and rarely offering an opinion." The genesis of the "chameleon-like stance" of the pleaser can easily been seen in the efforts of a needy child to please his parents. Sad, perhaps, even tragic, but hardly a drawback for workplace success. No one rises higher, or faster, up the org chart than the mindless sycophants who do nothing but agree with their bosses. Look around you. Truth is a very nice commodity, but wouldn't you rather have a corner office and a leased Jaguar?
The Persecutor is "a bully who loves to control; sees others as weak and sentimental; needs to feel important; gives and withholds information as a means of exercising power." In other words — a highly effective and well-compensated manager. Sure, you could cure this individual, turning a persecutor into a pussycat, but then the entire organization could crumble. Persecutors can "cause depression, sleep disorders, ulcers, high-blood pressure, lowered self-confidence and a sense of inadequacy and isolation." LaFair thinks this is a negative. To most of our managers, it's a job well done.
Finally, there is The Clown, time-wasting "bozos, jokers, smart-asses and motor mouths" who "know every detail about trivial issues and give their own 2 cents just to get a rise out of their colleagues." You might reject Lafair's description of these "pubescent employees who are not high-potential candidates."
Personally, I'm impressed she knows you so well.
Bob Goldman has been an advertising executive at a Fortune 500 company in the San Francisco Bay Area. He offers a virtual shoulder to cry on at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Clark Vandeventer needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 40 designs submitted by 15 freelance designers.
The Vandeventer Group
The Vandeventer Group is a non profit, education and advocacy organization, dealing specifically with energy, the environment, social justice, and economic prosperity. We believe that in these challenging times we need fresh thinking and that no idea should be taken off the table.
Our audience is all Americans who care about the future of our country and world.
We need a logo and for that logo to be placed in letterhead, mailing envelopes, mailing labels, and business cards.
Name of the organization is "The Vandeventer Group." The logo should also include our tagline, which is "Ideas for America"
The logo should give the feel of a brainstorm session--like a whiteboard, or some other creative expression.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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In the sternest test of his career, Wes Welker's Undrafted garnered a measure of esteem on Saturday, finishing a good fourth in the Group 1 July Cup at England's Newmarket Racecourse.
A four-year-old chestnut-colored gelding, Undrafted raced near the back of the back early and ran on well in the stretch, beaten about 2-to-3 lengths by winner and race favorite Slade Power. The race distance was about three-quarters of a mile on the turf.
Undrafted's July Cup run was his best performance in a Group 1 race to date, and it comes on the heels of his June 7 win in the Jaipur Invitational Stakes at New York's Belmont Park.
Welker, the Denver Broncos' star slot receiver, attended Saturday's race at Newmarket. According to the race course, Welker will be donating 5,000 British pounds, or more than $8,500, to a charity benefiting injured jockeys.
Per the Racing Post, the July Cup had a purse of 510,000 pounds, or more than $870,000, with fourth place paying about $47,000.
[Photo via Newmarket Racecourse's official Twitter feed.]


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Sometimes i think 'How stupid am I?! ' . Then other times i think,disdainfully, 'How beeping stupid can beeping people be?!'
It's been a while since i've been through the latter but i'm going through a big heap of it at the moment.
marmite wrote:What's triggered that feeling Ooby?
brachypelma wrote:If your stupid, im the king of the potato people!
how come they made you feel stupid? what did the low life's say to you?
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Please help us! Donate
Key Votes
HR 1123 - Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act - National Key Vote
Peter Roskam voted Yea (Passage) on this Legislation.
Read statements Peter Roskam made in this general time period.
Issues Related to HR 1123
Stage Details
Legislation - Referred to Committee (Senate) - Feb. 26, 2014
Legislation -
Bill Passed
(295-114) -
Feb. 25, 2014(Key vote)
See How Your Politicians Voted
Title: Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act
Vote Result
Yea Votes
Nay Votes
Vote to pass a bill that authorizes an individual to unlock his or her mobile phone.
- Authorizes the owner of a wireless telephone handset, or an individual with the owner's permission, to circumvent technological measures that prohibit the phone from connecting to a "wireless telecommunications network," if done to make a network connection that has been authorized by the network operator (Sec. 2).
- Defines "wireless telecommunications network" as a network used to provide a commercial mobile radio or data service (Sec. 2).
- Prohibits an individual from unlocking a wireless handset or another wireless device for the purpose of bulk resale (Sec. 2).
- Requires the Librarian of Congress to determine if an individual is authorized to unlock another category of wireless device by the following date (Sec. 2):
- If the enactment of this bill is before June 1, 2014, the determination will be made no later than 9 months after the enactment date; or
- If the enactment of this bill is on or after June 1, 2014, the determination will be made within the 3-year rulemaking period that begins on or after the enactment date.
Legislation - Introduced (House) - March 13, 2013
Title: Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act
- Robert W. 'Bob' Goodlatte (VA - R) (Out Of Office)
- Jason Chaffetz (UT - R) (Out Of Office)
- John Howard Coble (NC - R) (Out Of Office)
- John Conyers Jr. (MI - D) (Out Of Office)
- Suzan DelBene (WA - D)
- Hakeem S. Jeffries (NY - D)
- Henry C. 'Hank' Johnson Jr. (GA - D)
- Zoe Lofgren (CA - D)
- Betty McCollum (MN - D)
- Ted Poe (TX - R) (Out Of Office)
- Melvin Luther 'Mel' Watt (NC - D) (Out Of Office)


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Israel News - Stay Informed, Pray Informed
Three religious Israeli youths who attend a yeshiva in the Eztion Bloc of Jewish communities in Judea were feared kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists on Friday.
The three disappeared overnight while hitchhiking to their homes for the weekend. Israeli army spokesmen said suspicions were raised after officials at the yeshiva lost contact with the youth.
Israeli security forces launched a major operation to discover what happened to the youth, and Palestinian media reported massive military activity in and around the Judean city of Hebron.
"Over the past several hours, there has been a very large intelligence effort to try and determine what happened with those youths since they disappeared," said Brig. Gen. Motti Almoz, the commander of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.
Almoz added that there are additional facts regarding the case that are being withheld so as not create additional problems and interference for those working to find and/or rescue the three young men.
In the meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the families of the three youth and offered his steadfast support and sympathy. Government officials called on the nation to pray for the youths' safe return.
Netanyahu also stated adamantly that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will be held personally accountable for the safety of the three youths if indeed they were abducted by citizens of the Palestinian Authority.
Palestinian terrorist groups routinely call for the abduction of Israeli civilians and soldiers, noting that the Jewish state has proven its willingness to trade hundreds of jailed Arab terrorists for a single captive Jew.
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Thursday, October 02, 2008
Warhammer Online: Defender's Dilemma
Khaine's Embrace is pretty neat. There are two standards. If your team captures both standards, a horn sounds, and there is a giant explosion, killing everyone in a large radius around the standards. Then your team gets 75 points, and the standards reset. I like the map, though possibly mostly for the horn sound and explosion graphics.
Anyways, it's early in the match, Order has their standards, but we're pressing them hard. All of a sudden, our standard gets captured, and we fall behind. It turns out not a single person is defending, so a lone Order player was able to sneak by and cap.
So I start defending. It's terribly boring, but I do kill several Order players who try the sneak again. Our flag is never captured again, and we win handily.
The problem is that I ended up getting the lowest renown and rewards from that fight. And that has really soured me on WAR. I'll be honest, I basically won that map for my side. The zerg didn't accomplish anything, but they got to rack up kills and renown.
This is the problem with systems that try and track contribution, and hand out rewards based on contribution. Sometimes contribution is very hard to track. Defense in particular is hard to judge. Not to mention that it's far more boring than being on the attack with the front line.
Edit: Not to mention that you can apparently leave your Scenario group and not share any Renown/XP with the other players. Ahh, Mythic, did you not learn anything from WoW?
7 comments:
sounds kind of like a typical WSG match in WoW that gives you less bonus honor or marks if you don't get enough kills. Now THAT would ensure that no one defends ANYTHING!ReplyDelete
Seems kinda broken to me.
I've been debating all day on making this comment, but here goes...ReplyDelete
Offense gets the glory, but defense wins the game. That's the biggest con of automatic contribution calculation without any way to factor in the intangibles.
In a strange, convoluted way, WoW implemented it partially in various battlegrounds (while yes, this is highly abused).
In WSG, the best way to get honor is to get the flags as quickly as possible. Any kind of stalling by either side reduces the efficiency. Not very obvious, but it's there.
AV, on the other hand, is not only more obvious, but also more punishing against quicky teams. If one of the sides focuses on killing the general ASAP, while the other focuses on the field objectives, the quicky team will most likely win the match, and get 3 tokens and 100 honor points at best. The other team will get 1 token and around 500 honor points. And it makes sense: generals are (usually) replaceable, while resources, like food, mines and bunkers, aren't.
Neither system is perfect because it has to work with numbers. It doesn't account for other activities that don't show up in a log file.
@matt: It's not broken. Otherwise, we wouldn't have ESPN. :-)
- Anonymous4:09 PM, October 03, 2008
Its is pretty simple, its not about winning otherwise the incentive to even pvp would have diminished returns. Go for the glory as a good offense typically is a the best defense.ReplyDelete
Some classes are built for defensive and supportive gameplay and some are more straightforward offensive. Witchhunter, thats interesting your defending... as taht class straight up rips down any non tank target on order with ease.
I play a Engineer and I can toss up a turrent by a flag to see if anyone is attacking it even if im not there. This is a huge defensive advantage for order and lets me go on the offensive while still having a defensive role.
- Anonymous4:12 PM, October 03, 2008
Also, you have to be careful how you encourage defenders as nobody likes a turtled map. WSG wasted countless hours of peoples time because some dev thought it would be great if the loser could turn the tides by allowing turtling.ReplyDelete
Some classes are built for defensive and supportive gameplay and some are more straightforward offensive. Witchhunter, thats interesting your defending... as taht class straight up rips down any non tank target on order with ease.ReplyDelete
I know, I shouldn't be defending. But no one else is.
As for turtles, all maps have a built-in timer. So even strong defense doesn't really matter.
- Mordiceius7:51 PM, October 03, 2008
DPS wins the fame.ReplyDelete
Healers win the game.
It sounds like a BG, but without any zone-wide honor or tokens. In my experience WoW is sometimes the reverse of the usual offense getting all the kills. Some AV games I've seen the Horde offense hit almost no one while the defense is busy holding back the entire Alliance offense. The offense ends up winning the game but doesn't get a ton of honor.ReplyDelete
There should be a balance between rewarding defense and encouraging turtling.


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SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The UC Santa Barbara women's soccer team struggled to a 0-3 start in 2012. After five matches, the Gauchos were still winless at 0-3-1.
On Sunday, in Sacramento, a neutral site, UCSB defeated Weber State 2-1, to win its third straight match and improve to 3-4-1. The Wildcats dropped to 2-7.
The Gauchos and Weber State battled to a scoreless tie at halftime. The weather in Sacramento, was sweltering, but neither team wilted in the first half and the game was scoreless.
In the second half, that changed.
Freshman Quinn McLaughlin gave the Gauchos a 1-0 lead at the 75:57 mark when she collected the ball after a corner kick and shoved it in from the middle of the goal box, about six yards out. The goal was the first of McLaughlin's UCSB career and it gave her team a 1-0 lead.
Santa Barbara pushed the lead to 2-0 when Mayra Almazan's free kick from near the corner flag was headed home by Ohio State transfer Madison Beckley. The score came at 78:05.
Weber State cut into the gap in the 86th minute when Mackenzie Harrison tucked home a through-ball from Chansi Crompton. The Wildcats, however, could get not closer.
Junior goalkeeper Makenna Henry had five saves and allowed just one goal for UCSB. The Gauchos faced 12 total shots from the Wildcats, six of which were on frame. Santa Barbara had 13 shots, six of which were on-goal.
The Gauchos will play at No. 3 Pepperdine on Friday, Sept. 21 in a 3:00 p.m. match. They will return home to host San Diego State on Sunday, Sept. 23 at 2:00 p.m. The match against the Aztecs is part of a doubleheader. The UCSB men's team will play Harvard in a contest that is slated to kick-off at noon.
Tickets are available by calling 805-893-UCSB (8272), dropping by the ticket office in the Intercollegiate Athletics Building on campus, or by clicking here.


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Friday February 22, 2019; 11:10 am EST
My restored 1939 Allis-Chalmers B tractor gives me a fleet of two, going on three
In June 2007, I wrote a Bay Gardener column about restoring a 1949 John Deere B tractor. A Bay Weekly reader called to offer me an old tractor, which had belonged to his father-in-law.
When I visited, I found a neglected Allis-Chalmers B parked at the edge of a woods. It had not been operated for at least 10 years. It would no doubt be a real challenge to restore to operating condition.
Since the word can't is not in my vocabulary, I accepted the tractor and, with the help of neighbors, loaded it on a trailer and hauled it to Upakrik Farm. My daughters doubted my ability to make the old rust-bucket operate.
Because it was impossible to crank the engine, I filled the cylinders with Blaster and let it stand idle for several months. In the meantime, I removed as many parts as possible using a torch to heat the nuts and bolts and treating them with penetrating oil.
Under the guidance of my good friend Bud Moreland of Lothian, I removed the engine-block head and oil pan and, using special tools, removed the pistons and cylinder walls. It was apparent that water had entered these areas and rusted the pistons, rings and cylinder walls together. I cleaned the engine block and installed new cylinder walls, pistons and rings, as well as bearings.
Even with these changes, the engine could not be cranked. Removing the main bearings, I found that the crankshaft needed to be milled, which was beyond my ability and tools. Thus the engine was removed from the chassis and delivered to R.C. Automotive in Capitol Heights.
In the meantime, I removed rust from all metal parts, welded and filled holes in the rusted fenders and purchased rims for the rear wheels, tires, a battery box and tractor seat.
Once the engine was returned, I mounted it to the chassis and painted the tractor Belgium orange. I then replaced all the parts that were removed and painted, installed a new ignition system as well as wires to the head- and taillights.
I did not have a wiring diagram to follow, my memory was not reliable and my knowledge of engine mechanics is limited. But with the help of Bud Moreland, I figured out why the engine would not start after all the wires had been connected.
Now I have a John Deere B and an Allis-Chalmers B in operating condition. Next, I am looking for a Farmall B. This will make for a colorful collection of green, orange and red for the Shady Side Fourth of July parade.
Ask Dr. Gouin your questions at [email protected]. All questions will appear in Bay Weekly. Please include your name and address.


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The Sheffield Island Lighthouse has stood steadfast for more than 140 years, a symbol of Connecticut's rich maritime history. Built in 1868, this structure is nearly identical to other nearby lighthouses in Greenwich and Noank. "It's one of six lighthouses that has the same architectural and engineering foundation to it," says Lighthouse Keeper, Greg Goomrigian who spends days and nights on the island in the summertime. "This is my office. When I wake up in the morning, I get a sunrise," smiles Goomrigian. "And when I go to sleep at night, I get a sunset. You can't beat it!"
A ferry boat leads visitors from a dock near the Maritime Aquarium in South Norwalk through the Norwalk River and out into the harbor. Sheffield Island is the westernmost chunk of land in a string of small islands throughout the area. "There are 14 islands in the chain," adds Goomrigian. A guide points out various bustling landmarks along the shore, such as SONO Seafood and the area's famous oyster fisheries. "People who don't live in this area don't realize there's a lot of beauty out here," says Goomrigian. The picturesque trip lasts for 40 minutes before the group arrives at the 52-acre island which sports hiking trails. "There's wildlife out here. We have deer on the island, raccoons. We have an inordinate number of birds," he says.
But the highlight of the trip is the tour of the historic structure which has been lovingly restored and renovated by the Norwalk Seaport Association. "You don't get many old buildings like this," says Goomrigian, as he leads people through lovely rooms, decorated with period furniture, vintage photographs and old maps. This museum in the middle of the Sound is even part of Norwalk's Quilt Trail, which celebrates the artistry of these hand-sewn items throughout the years. The lighthouse no longer burns bright. It was decommissioned in 1902 because it was built too far inland. Now, nearby Greens Ledge Lighthouse guides boats into shore.
There are always notorious ghost stories associated with lighthouses but Goomrigian insists he's never experienced the supernatural: "No, I haven't heard anything! No, no, or seen anything!"
Many visitors have never been so close to an actual lighthouse. "It's like a regular house with the top of a lighthouse cut off and put on top of it," explains 9 year old Justin Mossa from Darien. This is an easy, nearby daytrip that is filled with beauty and history. "We call it the best kept secret and when you do get out here and experience it, it's wonderful," says Goomrigian. "And you get people coming back out here time and time again."
Weekday cruises run until September 9th and weekend cruises operate through September 26. The dock is at the corner of Washington and N. Water Street next to the Stroffolino Drawbridge and The Maritime Aquarium in South Norwalk. Round-trip ferry tickets are $22.00 for adults, $12.00 for children ages 4-12 and $5.00 for kids ages 3 and younger. Reservations are recommended. Log onto www.seaport.org or call (203)855-1017.


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Karen Ball
Chair and Professor of Integrative Physiology & Health Science
Integrative Physiology & Health Science
Educational Background
- Ph.D. Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago
- B.A. Exercise and Health Science, Alma College
My career at Alma began in
I'm an expert in
health science
My expertise:
Dr. Ball's research focuses on the biochemical regulation of cardiac and skeletal muscle function. Specifically, her work examines modulation of force production under physiological (organismal development) and pathological (e.g. heart failure, diabetic cardiomyopathy) conditions. More recently, the laboratory has moved to cell culture models to examine regulation of skeletal muscle growth with broad implications for clinical medicine and human performance.
Signature course(s):
Human Physiology, Pharmacology, Molecular Aspects of Muscle Physiology


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1) Ask for the right amount of moneyBelieve it or not, you can actually lowball your company out of the running for financing. Venture capitalists know how much money it takes a typical fast-growth company to get started, and they want to be sure you have a clear idea of what will be needed. VCs also often have a minimum investment, and can't be bothered with companies whose funding needs fall below that threshold. So how much do you ask for? That depends on the investor, your industry, and the stage of your development. To gauge ongoing trends, research recent deals through trade publications such as Red Herring and VentureWire, and through news release sections of VC Web sites.
2) Know the different development stagesPlan your fundraising strategy through several rounds by presenting a realistic timeline for subsequent financing stages. This shows the investor that you've carefully planned your financing needs, and have a pragmatic outlook for your business' future. The basic VC development stages are:
3) Build your management teamTalent is the number one thing VCs look at, especially for fast-growth companies where an idea's execution often spells the difference between success and failure. Investors want to see a management team with previous startup success and expertise in areas related to the line of business. If your team is light on relevant business experience, consider hiring consultants and other outsiders who can fill this gap. For instance, if you're building an Internet retailing business, bring in a consultant who can give you inventory management skills. In addition, VCs want to see plans for how your management team will evolve in relation to your company's growth. When will you need to bring in a seasoned CEO, for example. Finally, consider creating a board of advisors consisting of people who influence your industry and know how to build businesses. Investors will appreciate the insight they can bring, and their participation demonstrates an ongoing commitment to your firm by a respected entity.
4) Watch your financials... but they don't really matterA venture capitalist is not going to invest in your business based on its numbers. The reason is that nobody can accurately predict how a new business will turn out, especially in emerging business markets where growth patterns are still undefined. That said, VCs will examine your numbers closely, and use them to gauge how seriously you've considered the size of your opportunity and the costs of bringing your product or service to market. Avoid making grand growth claims -- while you may believe you are capable of becoming a $500 million business within 5 years, this kind of wild projection may turn off investors. Build your projections from the ground up, based on customer segment data, spending habits, and the success of other fast-growth businesses with similar models.
5) Demonstrate multiple revenue streamsBe sure your business plan shows a number of ways your company will seek revenue. Many fast-growth startups make the mistake of basing financial projections on a single revenue source, yet investors often want to see multiple revenue streams. This is because having more than one revenue source will provide a fallback position should your initial revenue stream not develop as planned, which is a distinct possibility for an unproven business model.
6) Show high-profile partnersYou can build credibility by aligning your company with well-regarded, established firms, both offline and online. Internet startup success is often based on networking -- the ability of a business to leverage other people's assets to build its own. Strategic alliances that improve your talent pool, provide channels of distribution, or increase your visibility will demonstrate that respected companies are willing to work with you, reducing the amount of due diligence a VC has to undertake.
7) Sign some customersNothing impresses funders as much as signed contracts. These demonstrate to investors that clients support your product and company. Short of current customers, establishing prospect references -- ones that are willing to work with your business if certain criteria are met -- work well. Have a list of these references available for potential investors to contact.
8) Snowball your funding opportunitiesThe hottest VC deals are often those that appear to be the most urgent. Few things appear more urgent to VCs than funding offers that are on their way from other investors. The momentum these opportunities present can help you sway fence-sitters and give you greater leverage to get the best deal possible. Be careful, however. This tactic is only effective if genuine term sheets are in the works, and you can be sure a VC will call around to confirm your claims.
9) Be prepared to vestSince a fast-growth startup's management experience is crucial, VC's want assurances that you and your team will be with the company for the long haul -- or at least until they're able to cash out. As a result, you can expect them to make vestment requests that require you and your key managers to stay with the business for a set amount of time before your shares take effect. Basically, the VC is hedging its bet. By addressing the vestment issue in your plan or presentation, you'll demonstrate your ongoing commitment to the venture, and possibly ease concerns that may otherwise arise.
10) State the exit strategy clearlyVenture capitalists don't make investments out of kindness. While your business plan and presentation may get them excited about investing in your project, you will need to show them how they can get out of it. VCs used to expect their exits to come four to five years down the road. For Internet ventures, they expect more rapid paybacks, often in as little as two years. Be explicit about where you expect your company to be at that time. Will it be a stand-alone firm? Will it be bought? Will you file an IPO? Be sure to provide a rationale for this vision.
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Operation Elveden: Decision to take no further action in relation to three members of newspaper staff
The Code
The Code for Crown Prosecutors is a key document for the CPS. It provides guidance to prosecutors on the general principles they should apply when making decisions about prosecutions. This is the 7th edition, published in January 2013.
Core Quality Standards
The CPS Core Quality Standards cover key areas of our work that have the greatest impact on the public. They tell you what you can expect us to do when we prosecute people in court. They represent the central thread of quality that should run through everything we do.
Advocate Panels
The CPS Advocate Panels assess the ability of outside barristers and solicitor advocates to undertake work for the CPS in the higher courts. The Initial Specialist Panel list and the updated general crime list, including the November 2012 application results, have been published.


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Police recovered a 10-inch-long bong, five marijuana pipes and other illicit items from the car of a Clover man in York, according to a report.
York police arrested Sean Franklin Hagler, 25, on drug paraphernalia charges on the morning of April 13 during a traffic stop on S.C. 321 bypass.
According to the report, police pulled Hagler over for failing to properly stop at a red light. Officers then noticed what looked like a firearm draped by clothing in the backseat as well as an empty machete case lying on the floor near the driver's seat.
When Hagler exited his vehicle, police also heard a loud clink and saw a pill bottle with a missing cap fall from his lap and onto the pavement. Hagler admitted to having five or six marijuana pipes in his car after police asked him a second time if he had anything illegal in the vehicle.
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What police thought was a firearm turned out to be an Airsoft gun – a recreational replica gun that fires non-metallic pellets. The gun had been painted black to resemble a real firearm, the report states.
Police than found a 10-inch glass bong on the floor of the car, a rifle, brass knuckles, several knives, a baton and the missing machete. The report states that officers also located the cap of the pill bottle that fell from Hagler's lap and appeared to have marijuana residue on it.
Officers seized the pipes, bong, brass knuckles and modified Airsoft gun. Hagler said all items belonged to him and not to a female passenger also present in the car during the arrest.
A tow truck driver took the female passenger home.


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AIR ~ Movement of the Day:
Day 94 of the 100 Day Challenge! Cleans. A challenging movement, so be sure you're getting full range of motion, and hitting your squat deep with hips below your knees! Keep up the great work! [Click here for additional Workouts]
Breakfast Quinoa Bowl. That's right folks, Quinoa's not just for dinner anymore! Add some cold almond milk and your favorite fruit and nuts and your day will be off to a nutritious, satisfying start! [Click here for additional Recipes]
SPARK ~ Thought of the Day:
Quote of the Day: Who can separate his faith from his actions, or his belief from his occupations? ~ Kahlil Gibran
Essential Element: A vital behavior for gaining greater influence in your life is the ability to choose a better belief system. [Click here to read Spark Insight: Influence & Control].
Journal: Does your believe system through in your workplace? I'm not talking about spiritual belief – I'm talking about life beliefs. What you stand for, what you promote, what you practice and why. Do your co-workers see a life that demonstrates purpose? Pick one of your co-workers or colleagues and in your journal, and recollect a meaningful conversation you've had. Then jot down the name of another whom you'd like to really share your life with. Think outside your work day box… [Click here for additional Journal exercises]


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We branched 2.4 back in January, but it took us until April to announce a beta and then... things stalled. It's increasingly difficult for me to coordinate releases for both cloud and open source, so I put out a request for a release manager to help out, but no one stepped forward. That led me to come up with a release schedule sync to allow me to handle both at the same time. Unfortunately, I can't sync things retroactively, and 2.4 remained sidelined. I'm sure many folks used it in production without incident, but I never felt comfortable sending it out for general consumption, being at a random fork point we don't really have the resources to support.
I'm happy to say we're ready to shelve the 2.4 release permanently and move forward with a defined release timeline for 2.5 this year.
We plan to release a 2.5 beta no later than Nov 21, with an release candidate to follow by Dec 5. The 2.5 gold release will happen by Dec 22 at the latest.
If you're currently using 2.3, you can look forward to the following new features:
Let's talk about three things in particular.
We started from the ground up with our new Dashboard, the first major product revision by our in-house designer. The new Dashboard looks fresh, works consistently, and is organized more coherently. For developers, we have a fully-featured style guide built in to the software, and the new layout allows for a more extensible and sensible approach to modifying our menus and navigation scheme. Plus, it remembers the page you were last on!
This feature allows thousands of subcategories to be navigated seamlessly without scaling issues. Consider the use case "I need a category for every publication by a company" or "I need a category for every city in the world". A flat category allow paginating thru a long list of its subcategories in alphabetical order rather than a custom sort, and comes with a user-facing module for quick searching. It also doesn't "bubble up" latest post data to parent category, which limits the need for database updates.
Years in the making, this API represents a seamless reboot of Vanilla from its foundations. We have a fully documented and standards compliant API designed to give you low-level access to all of Vanilla. You wanna build a full-featured mobile app? A whole separate UI? The tightest integration with a forum anyone's ever seen? Go for it. No more messy hooking into data-querying events and slinging fuzzy data around in the guts of Vanilla. This is a fully unit-tested and reliable interface to build your next forum-based project on top of. In coming releases, we'll be transitioning Vanilla into an API-first model where it strictly uses this new API for all its internal functionality. As we do, more and more of Vanilla's features will be exposed via API. For now, we have core functionality, and a dynamically-updating in-Dashboard docs system to personalize your endpoints depending on what addons are enabled on your forum. And, most impressively, we did all this without breaking everything that came before.
I'm happy to answer questions about the upcoming release or our new release process here. It's bittersweet to bury 2.4 before it arrived, but we've made great strides in 2017 and this release will tie it all together nicely.
I have been using 2.4 without problems with more than 200k of visits, the problems I have had have been from the hosting provider, but we have already solved them, to install this new version you must update the database or it will only be the code, I would like that you could have a theme skeleton and addons with the new API and the new changes, leaving behind the obsolete, and thanks to the whole vanilla team for their great work, every day we can see the advances in github the commits
@Linc said:
I'm happy to answer questions about the upcoming release or our new release process here.
Is there a rule of thumb for OS releases? What always surprises me is that you are using a version for your commercial need, which is ahead of the OS version, but you do not release that version as OS. If a version is stable enough to be used by you in production, why couldn't it be released for OS? Wouldn't it be more easy to release both versions in parallel?
@R_J said:
If a version is stable enough to be used by you in production, why couldn't it be released for OS?
We were releasing to cloud every 2 weeks or less. That's not a reasonable pace for open source.
We also were doing zero QA outside of our cloud environment. That frequently meant we knew that releasing the current master branch would absolutely break some open source installs, and sometimes it was in that state for many months at a time until we could dedicate someone to fixing it.
It's important to differentiate between the level of care needed to deliver code that you can use, as an advanced developer, vs what many users need when they have very minimal technical knowledge.
@R_J said:
Wouldn't it be more easy to release both versions in parallel?
Yes, that's part of why I've elected to slow down cloud releases and sync them with open source, as linked above. And by "more easy" I mean "easy enough I can actually manage that" vs simply doing nothing (which is of course even easier ).
I have being using 2.3 for zhila.me. I will follow 2.5 and help to make Vanilla more popular.
Waiting for beta version 2.5 to install a new forum.
@Linc, that is great news. Very happy to hear this support for the OS community. Couple of initial questions:
1.) Do you anticipate a smooth upgrade path for existing 2.3.1 installs?
2.) Very happy to see OAuth 2.0 support... though we went the SimpleSAMLphp route. Just out of curiosity, with the new API access, could someone conceivably write a SAML2 Addon or App (don't know what you'll call these in 2.5)? I am aware of a couple good Open Source SAML PHP libraries that could make a good starting point.
I have been using vanilla 2.3.1, but i'm not yet try 2.4 version. 2.4 and 2.5 version, i can't find in my softacolus. Can you help me?
I'm sorry for bad english
2.4 was never officially released, so it's not in Softacolus and never will be.
2.5 isn't released yet, so it isn't in Softacolus either, yet. I hope you'll be able to find it soon after the release, but we're not responsible for that and I don't have any insight about their process for you.
hello sir, still one basic thing is ignored. Ability to support community with ad-sense. In vanilla there is no easy way to post ads below post title and between post paragraphs as desired. Lack of these give only 1/5 CTR when compared to word-press. IF it is made possible in 2.5 no one will shift from vanilla forum to word press. Forum could be used to post long posts , same as blogs.
No one will like to use a platform if 4/5th of revenue is lost due to lack of mobile oriented ad placements.
Please tell me is it possible in vanilla 2.5. I love vanilla so do not want to shift. this is urgent. Thankyou
Are we there yet?
Cant wait till the new version is out there, so finally i can put my Website in to production..
And i hope there will be better SEO improvements in next version.
@Linc said:
I got married and hosted family Thanksgiving for the first time this month, so I slightly over-committed on how much would happen this week.
The position of the Lead Developer and Manager of the family Thanksgiving can be quite a busy job
Congratulations on your decrease of authority in family matters
Cannot wait for this release! Keep it up Linc!
Any update of progress with v2.5?
It is really sad how thing repeat as with 2.3 and 2.4.
2.5 has a branch of its own in github now... so the release is coming closer, I assume.
At the moment I dont want to play with composer and run anything from git, but I am really waiting for the beta to get my hands on it. I will be running a clone of my forum on the beta as soon as it is released, and some of the my users will help to test the cloned site.
Apparently the status of the alpha is pretty good considering the remarkably tight schedule for beta-rc-gold posted by Linc here.
It is little strange idea to expect developers to fix such approach.
If they do it again and agin for year it is management problem.
For now it is absolute ideal world for developers. The worse is situation with open source branch - the better, as less public complains.
Vanilla 2.5 RC1 is now available.
Please test this pre-release carefully and report issues with 1) How to reproduce the issue and 2) Details of your environment including Apache/Nginx/IIS and PHP versions. Installation and basic troubleshooting instructions are in the README, please use them.
@stackmouse said:
Apparently the status of the alpha is pretty good considering the remarkably tight schedule for beta-rc-gold posted by Linc here.
We use an Agile development process with 2-week sprints. Theoretically, we should be able to start a release after any of those sprints. In fact, we put 2.5 into production use as of 4pm today because we are satisfied it is ready for that. The big variable is whether there are issues that effect platforms other than our cloud systems on which we do all our testing. This is what we need you all to test for, and why we call it "beta" or "RC" - to give a little time for that, not because we're otherwise unsure of its stability. If there are issues and they are reported promptly, I'm confident we'll be able to work thru them quickly.