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Highlights of the week ahead in sports, both here and afar:
MLB: World Series Game 5: San Francisco at Texas, 4:30 p.m., Channel 11:
Memo to Texas fans: Wearing glasses with facepaint is lame. Especially one game from elimination.
Meanwhile …
The Washington Post's Thomas Boswell points out that the Rangers' Cliff Lee had a 1.26 ERA in eight post-season games over the last two years coming into this World Series. After Game 1, it was up to 11.57. All a blur. "Put that in your MIT baseball simulation formula, make the computer whir through a million permutations and tell me how that changes your seam-head view of who's going to win this Series," Boswell wrote. After refusing to bring back Lee for Sunday's Game 4 – in 227 major league career starts, Lee has never pitched on three day's rest — Texas manager Ron Washington has him for this one — and perhaps the last one of the Rangers season, back up against Giants ace Tim Lincecum, who might be able to wrap up the series MVP award with another sharp effort.
NBA: Clippers vs. San Antonio, Staples Center, 7:30 p.m., Prime:
Just in case Spurs guard Tony Parker comes to town in hopes of finding a new place to house himself and his TV-star wife whose name escapes us at the moment, Donald T. Sterling has some pertinent information to pass on. Among the latest parcels of ads he's bought to support the local newspaper economy — this one being an "announcement" that "appears as a matter of record only" — the Clippers owner sends the message that his corporation has $550 million in credit toward the acquisition of property. In three states. Spread out amongst five banks. So, are we supposed to be a) impressed, b) depressed or c) pressed to call for him to now cash in the Clippers and just focus his attention on buying run-down housing projects while pretending to care about who he picks to live in them?
NFL: Houston at Indianapolis, 5:30 p.m., ESPN:
Peyton Manning heaved it for 433 yards and three touchdowns against the Texans in the season opener — but Houston won, 34-24, giving it a shot at a rare season sweep over Indy. The importance of Houston's win means holding the tiebreaker advantage over the Colts, and standing 5-2 when it's all done. Middle linebacker Brian Cushing, who missed that opening win because of a four-game suspension, will be wearing the sideline audio device in his helmet and making line calls. Good luck with that against Manning.
NBA: Lakers vs. Memphis, Staples Center, 7:30 p.m., FSW:
Any unusual reaction this time to O.J. Mayo when he's introduced before the game? Meanwhile, Pau Gasol's brother, Marc, has had an ankle problem and might not be up to kicking it tonight.
Documentary: "Marion Jones: Press Pause," 5 p.m., ESPN:
The John Singleton-directed work shows how the former track star is trying to come back as a long-distance good-doer based on redeeming her past PED usage and lying about it to federal investigators. "She's the toughest woman I've ever been around," says former Daily News sports columnists Ron Rapoport in the piece, who doesn't believe that it was the "bad men" in her life that steered her toward the BALCO suppliers. "She knew exactly what she was up to. She was in control."
Series: "E:60," 4 p.m., ESPN:
The premise for Lisa Salters' story is that the Lakers' Pau Gasol "is the NBA's least known — but perhaps it's most intriguing — superstar.: So they spend some time together in his native Barcelona, playing the piano, visiting the opera, reliving the days he thought he'd be a doctor. Interviews with Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson, Kevin Durant and close friend Rafael Nadal also try to confirm that not only is Gasol a Renaissance Man, but he hasn't gone soft.
MLB: World Series Game 6: Texas at San Francisco, 4:30 p.m., Channel 11:
Who thought there'd be a chance for ball retrevals in McCovey Cove in November this year?
NBA: Lakers at Sacramento, 7:30 p.m., Channel 9, ESPN:
A day after a small margin of Californians pick a new (and possibly old) governor to sit in charge in Sacramento, the real Kings of the state capitol have their own agenda. DeMarcus Cousins has a shot at giving the Kings back-to-back Rookies of the Year, following Tyreke Evans. Start the campaign now.
NBA: Clippers vs. Oklahoma City, Staples Center, 7:30 p.m., Prime:
The first official L.A. revisit of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the rest of the Thunder, who are a respectable 14-to-1 odds to win the NBA title. Play the Clippers every night, and it goes to 1-to-5.
NHL: Ducks vs. Tampa Bay, Honda Center, 7 p.m,. FSW:
Did you know: The Ducks have a Ladies Ducks team? Last week, high-school senior Alison Pankowski (right) committed to Princeton next fall and will compete in the ECAC and the Ivy League for the Tigers' women's team. She's been with Lady Ducks since age 8. This comes after high school junior Kaliya Johnson, another Lady Duck since 8, made an early committment to play for Boston College in 2012.
College basketball: UCLA vs. Westmont College, Pauley Pavilion, 7:30 p.m., BruinTV.com:
This one against the little school from Santa Barbara counts in the standings?
MLB: World Series Game 7: Texas at San Francisco, 4:30 p.m., Channel 11:
Thanks to the game-winning RBI by Atlanta's Brian McCann at the '10 All Star Game in Anaheim, the Giants have the right to play this last one at home. If it gets this far.
NHL: Kings vs. Tampa Bay, Staples Center, 7:30 p.m., FSW:
Lightning strike twice: Thursday in Anaheim, today in downtown L.A., and, with the best record in the Eastern Conference, going up against the best, so far, in the West.
Horse racing: Hollywood Park Autumn Meet, 7 p.m.:
Four days after the close of the Oak Tree meet at Hollywood Park, they're back in business for a 31-day meet (through Dec. 19) with a night event in Inglewood. Just in time for early-bird betting on the Breeders' Cup.
NHL: Ducks vs. Pittsburgh, Honda Center, 7 p.m., KDOC:
When Sidney Crosby comes to town, the measuring sticks come out. "On our last road trip, judging from some of the other coaches' comments and some of the other media going in, we're still playing games where the other team is using it as a measuring stick," said Pittsburgh coach and former Kings player Dan Bylsma. "Nashville … St. Louis used those words before the game and in the media. Tampa Bay, their coach said it before that game. That's why the pace and intensity of those games were really high and really good hockey games." Pace yourselves, Duckies. This will have to do as your Winter Classic. The Pens skip the Kings and move over to play Phoenix before going home in their only trip to this time zone all season.
Horse racing: Breeders' Cup Day 1, 1 p.m., ESPN2:
It's warm-up day, with the first six races of the weekend going off: The $500,000 Marathon (1:10 p.m.), $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf (1:50 p.m.), $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint (2:30 p.m.), $2 million Filly & Mare Turf (3:10 p.m.), $2 million Juvenile Fillies (3:50 p.m.), and $2 million Ladies' Classic (4:30 p.m.).
NBA: Lakers vs. Toronto, Staples Center, 7:30 p.m., FSW:
Kids today must think the Raptors were named after a group of rappers instead of dinosaurs. Which are about as extinct around Toronto these days as Chris Bosh.
NBA: Clippers at Denver, 7:30 p.m., Prime, ESPN:
No guarantee Carmelo Anthony will still be satisfied with his status on George Karl's squad this deep into the season.
Horse racing: Breeders Cup Day 2, 10:30 a.m., Channel 7; 12:30 p.m., ESPN:
On the BreedersCup.com website, it says: "With every gallop, her legend grows. With every race, she stays perfect. And with every incredible victory, she transcends the sport of racing." With every adjective, Zenyatta's chances to repeat in the $5 million Classic seem to be all the more suffocating. If it's our last chance to give a hand to Zenyatta, the horse that stands 17.2 hands tall, we can deal with it. But the fact that because of ABC's college football commitment, the great race of the day is delegated to ESPN — the $5 million Classic, at 3:45 p.m. — is missing something big here. Zenyatta's attempt to reclaim the Classic and finish 20-for-20 makes for as compelling TV as you can muster on a pigskin Saturday. ABC has the first three: The $1 million Juvenile Turf (10:50 a.m.), $2 million Sprint (11:30 a.m.) and $1 million Turf Sprint (12:15 p.m.). Switching to ESPN, the $2 million Juvenile (12:55 p.m.), $2 million Mile (1:40 p.m.), $1 million Dirt Mile (2:20 p.m.) and $3 million Turf (3 p.m.) lead into the Classic.
College football: UCLA vs. Oregon State, Rose Bowl, 4 p.m., Versus:
In a crazy game on Halloween a year ago in Corvallis, the Bruins came back from a 19-3 fourth-quarter deficit to tie it up with 2:06 left, only to see them Rodgers kids come back to haunt them.
College football: USC vs. Arizona State, Coliseum, 7:30 p.m., Prime:
Not counting a victory they had to vacate in the '05 season, the Trojans have a 10-year winning streak against the Sun Devils, outscoring them 360-174. And including a 50-0 win at ASU in '88, USC has gone 15-4 in the last 19 meetings. Last year? A mere 14-9 triumph.
College football: Texas Christian at Utah, 12:30 p.m., CBS College Sports:
The BCS' No. 3 team plays the No. 5 team, both undefeated. On a network that's now offering a free preview with a bunch of cable systems. Otherwise, it's on DirecTV Channel 613, Dish's Channel 152 and a couple of other cable companies that we're not even sure where to find 'em.
NHL: Kings vs. Nashville, Staples Center, 7 p.m., Channel 13:
A new Kings' TV deal sticks this one over on the network that's more popular on this night for showing back-to-back reruns of "House," "That '70s Show" and "The Unit."
NBA: Clippers at Utah, 6 p.m., FSW:
Someone fill in Blake Griffin about how the locals in Salt Lake City really think they're high and mighty.
College basketball: USC vs. Point Loma Nazarene, Galen Center, 2 p.m., USCTrojans.com:
We understand the little Christian school in San Diego has a great nursing program.
NBA: Lakers vs. Portland, Staples Center, 6:30 p.m., FSW:
You bring $24.95 to Staples Center an hour before tipoff, and Jeanie Buss will scribble her name into copies of her new book, "Laker Girl: From Pickfair to Playboy to the Purple and Gold," possibly dotting the "i" in her first name with a tiny heart. The book publishers say this is "the never-before-told story of the Buss family and of one woman's rise to the top in a man's world. It is also a behind-the-scenes journal of the 2009-10 Lakers season, a year in which the franchise captured its 16th world championship." Phil Jackson has written the forward. But will he someday write the final chapter?
NHL: Ducks vs. Nashville, Honda Center, 5 p.m., Prime:
It's on the schedule. It must be played.
NFL: Dallas at Green Bay, 5:20 p.m., Channel 4:
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after watching his team lose to Jacksonville: "I'm dumbfounded that we are 1-7. I thought we had one of the top competitive teams in the NFL. I'm very, very sorry to our fans." Uh, Jer, you're only 1-6. Maybe he's already figured this one is done. And maybe he should check with his accountants on what he actually spent to build Cowboys Stadium for the upcoming Super Bowl.
NFL: Indianapolis at Philadelphia or Kansas City at Oakland, 1 p.m., Channel 2:
The Raiders failed to sell out last week's game. What makes you think this one will matter to them?
Running: New York City Marathon, 6 a.m., UniversalSports.com; 11 a.m., Channel 4:
It definitely beats a six-hour "Jersey Shore" Labor Day marathon on MTV. According to the official website, this year's group of "celebrity" runners include "Today" show weatherman Al Roker, chef Bobby Flay, CBS "Survivor" star Ethan Zohn, Howard Stern sidekick Robin Quivers and Subway sandwich guy Jared Fogle.
MLS playoffs: Western Conference semifinal Game 2: Galaxy vs. Seattle, Home Depot Center, 6 p.m., ESPN2:
The Galaxy saw how much noise that 36,000 can make in Seattle. Can 27,000 in Carson duplicate that? And pardon our MLS ignorance, but why are the Colorado Rapids and San Jose Earthquakes, who finished fifth and sixth in the Western Conference, playing in the Eastern Conference playoffs?


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I have managed teams that have Java-based systems. And, as part of the CEP system that I did, I had to go and write Java-based web services and deliver a Java API so that other groups could hook into the Notification Services.
Despite that, and because of my long history with Microsoft technologies, I am often viewed as "The Dot Net Guy".
So, this week, I broke out the Java manuals again, and I decided to write the Exchange Simulator portion of my little project in Java 1.6. Writing the simulator was fairly easy, and in little time, I had FIX messages being passed back and forth between my Java-based Exchange Simulator and my .NET-based OMS.
Java is not that much different than C#. They even have Reflection, something that I sorely missed when I had to do C++ in the past year. I wish that Java supported C# auto properties and C# events (is this stuff coming in Java 1.8?), but other than that, it feels like programming in C# 1.0.
However, the Java language is only one small part about being a true Java developer and architect. There is an entire ecosystem that surrounds Java development. I got a list of tools and frameworks to learn from one of my friends, and there is a lot of stuff in there. This is a list of the basic tools that one needs:
- Eclipse 3.6 (Java EE Edition)
- JTA/JTS (transaction services)
- Spring 3.0 or 3.1
- Hibernate 3.6
- Open JMS or ActiveMQ
- JBoss, Jetty, or Apache Geronimo
- Subversion
- Jenkins or Hudson
I have experimented with Spring in various forms over the years (mostly Spring.Net), in addition to writing my own dependency injection framework. Plus, my recent experiences with Prism has gotten me back into the world of IOC (although I am annoyed that Prism/UnityContainer does not support any kind of "IDisposable" pattern when your modules are unloaded when an app closes). I cannot integrate Spring 3.1 into my app just yet because of some logging dependencies that are documented (QuickFix/J uses SLF4J, which is not compatible with Spring).
(N)Hibernate is also another ORM that I have looked at over the years.
As far as source control, I have always been a TFS/Perforce user. The past year and a half was spent in Clearcase, which seems a bit ancient, although it seems to work. Many people seem to prefer Subversion, so this is a good opportunity for me to learn it.
The same goes for Continuous Integration servers. I have been using Cruise Control .NET for all of my CI needs, and Hudson/Jenkins is something that I have heard mentioned for a while now.
The only piece of this stack that is totally alien to me is the Java Application Server. The whole concept of a Java Application Server is a bit new to me, as we really don't have an equivalent in the .NET world. I am not interested in the web server capability of these containers, so I need to find out the other capabilities that I can leverage. This morning, I am going to download JBoss as a first step.
(Update - It looks like you need to purchase a $99 subscription for JBoss. So, I will download Jetty, even though I am not sure that Jetty is a complete Java Application Server.)
(From the Stack Overflow post, where is a great summary of what a JAS is:
A Java EE app server is a transaction monitor for distributed components. It provides a number of abstractions (e.g., naming, pooling, component lifecycle, persistence, messaging, etc.) to help accomplish this. Lots of these services are part of the Windows operating system. Java EE needs the abstraction because it's independent of operating system.)
I will keep everyone posted on my progress.
©2011 Marc Adler - All Rights Reserved. All opinions here are personal, and have no relation to my employer.

subset: commoncrawl


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few days ago i found this bottle of whiskey which was bought in 1987. And i have a question, if it has a special price or if it is not special..
Thank you
Whiskey from 1987
All your whisky related questions answered here.
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Is Another Market Crash Around the Corner?
Is another stock-market crash coming? Yes. Absolutely. When is it coming? Well, that's the harder question to answer. Mark Hulbert joins MoneyBeat with tips on making money in a "kid's market."
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... in now is the ... deadline to extend the nation's debt ceiling is coming up ... at the date that everyone is focused on but ... it also means the anniversary of Black Monday is coming up ... in nineteen eighty seven crash and saw the stock market shed more than twenty percent the worst one-day drop in its history ... Mark Albers joins us with data from a new study ... indicating that crash is more likely than you might think ... fact is inevitable in your portfolio ready Mark hell are you ... ready every area ... on the on arate ... so I was a pretty incendiary column are over telling us ... that a crash is inevitable ... the EIA said ... they get a head in center a headline you know I'm shameless and reading it rather than that ... nonetheless is that there is no point in the academic study and I refer to is making which is then ... what tilting at windmills with regulators' thinking we have confidence in the regulator's that somehow putting in things like ... circuit breaker is another kind of ... market structure ... right cushions that we can prevent another crash happened when the depression happens will happen regardless ... of whether the government to is trying to prevent it and ... the study looking at parties around the world is much is responsible ... for monitoring complex formula that she knows that ... though the not very common they are a ... notable feature of the market landscape and we think that we can plan for this feature on the assumption will never see another crash ... we yet we made a better life for lead times and I have one that I think that that can be a dangerous assumption because at some point we will have another crack ... tickets to the the the mindset of the investor these past five years ... the Dobbins foxhole mentality ... in two thousandseven two thousandeight preface so bad ... people really thought that there will be another one race it ... hasn't been one market's gone up this kind of has been a crash ... but ... people are still a really still waiting for one ... how do you navigate this one is the isthe is a question I have ... ever written a column as the eight kids market ... or putting kids my kids and give credit to those made of other famous Brobeck forty years ago called the money in an instant classic ... in which he talks about those kinds of Martinsville with the people that are making money or those too young ... to remember the last trial where there's a crash or in this case the two thousandseven two dozen eight bear market ... and so ... it's a very sensible and ... wonderfully written ... upper trail back to the market when her for an antenna ... quite frankly when a people who still have ... to them that a member of two thousandseven two thousandeight they are in a foxhole ... began a lot of new people coming into the market you don't have that memory or ... those who willfully decided forget it and it was making money ... then as the market keeps going up there getting reinforced in their willful that does not remembering that as ... the rest of us are sitting on the set up fully invested waiting for what may ... come eventually of course it may be a well in the future ... so ... how how do you construct a portfolio around that how do you ... prepare to defend itself against a crash the miner mind tummy time ... and howdy take advantage of the stock market we do and that has guided popularized several years ago they call black swan events and by calling amenities are ... also suggesting that their inevitable feature of the market ... the problem is that you have to cushion your portfolio ... during the good times so that when the Zune but it remained at times but inevitable bad times come you not can it be that the only ... kid in the value of your portfolio so that means giving up a little bit of returns when markets are ... good and ... then an insurance policy Evercore column from a one for the second time in nine years of one hundred and ten and lower returns than they otherwise wouldn't because ... I'm a conservative investor that means that the end of this year I'm going to survive and actually arrived ... we ... saw recently in the southern at ten billion dollars on the kind of investments he was able to make ... the bottom of the bear market doesn't it with the left as they are ... you ... can stack heeled final story store and opened two years ... prepare for the lean years so ... in all


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Breaking News
Lance Armstrong is no longer a Tour de France champion … the cyclist has been STRIPPED of his seven titles in the wake of allegations that he used banned performance-enhancers.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency made the announcement this morning … Armstrong will not only lose his victories, he has also been banned from the sport of cycling for life.
Armstrong has adamantly denied the allegations … claiming the testing process is "one-sided and unfair."
Lance released a statement responding to a USADA official yesterday saying, "There is zero physical evidence to support his outlandish and heinous claims."
"The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of controls I have passed with flying colors. I made myself available around the clock and around the world. In-competition. Out of competition. Blood. Urine. Whatever they asked for I provided. What is the point of all this testing if, in the end, USADA will not stand by it"


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Arche shoes, the ultimate in authenticity.
For 40 years, Arche has been assembling its designer shoes, boots, sandals and handbags by a team of crafts artisans in the Chateau Region of France not far from Paris. Every pair of Arche shoes are hand crafted to perfection with the goal of providing the absolutely best product possible. Arche brings you a rich and inviting color palette gathered from the latest fashion trends.
Arche begins with the belief that Black and Brown do not go with everything. Every Arche Collection of shoes, boots and sandals are then offered in a myriad of colorations that correspond exactly to fashion enabling our customer to always look her best. All Arche shoes, boots and sandals feature 100% natural Latex cushioning for maximum durability, flexibility and unrelenting shock absorption. Supple water and scratch resistant Nubuck Leather repels the elements while creating a cozy and breathable home for the foot. All Arche shoes, boots and sandals provide instant comfort that will create a bounce in each step.
More from Arche
Have you found a lower price for this item elsewhere?
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If you find this item on a competitor's website for less, we won't just match their price...we'll beat it by 10%!
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2. Fill in our form completely. The link to our competitor's website should be an exact link to the product.
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4. Website must be a legitimate online retailer based in the United States. Auction sites such as eBay and our sister site at shopmephisto.com or our Amazon store are excluded.
5. This offer does not apply to advertised prices at traditional brick and mortar retails stores nor is it valid at our retail stores.
6. Prices must be posted online and must be at least $1.20 less than our price to qualify.
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Arche Women's Delzi In Silver Shade Pearlized Leather
- Brand: Arche
- Product Code: 29-421
- Availability: In Stock
- $465.00
- On Sale! You Save: $245.10 (52.71%)


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We decided to feature the Images of Islay Finlaggan as it was such a favourite at our recent event.
This heavily peated Islay malt is incredibly light in colour which really makes it stand out from the crowd in any display or collection. Initially on the nose you are treated to wonderful earthy start with stand out smoked ham and hint of apple and lime. The palate is a real treat, a smoky taste which is unusually both creamy and sharp, there is a slightly herbal edge with an ever present peat with slight hints of apple and vanilla. The lingering sweet smoke finish really leaves you wanting another dram. All in all once tasted it's easy to see why this is such a customer favourite.
The Images of Islay Finlaggan is something of a mystery single malt, each bottle is produced from a single barrel but the individual distillery is not mentioned on the label as most of the barrels were originally intended for blending. However as recent tastings have proved the quality of the whisky produced easily stands up on its own. Those with a keen eye though will also notice the images on each bottle which give a big clue and enable those knowledgeable scotch professionals to narrow down the distillery possibilities.
Images of Islay Finlaggan
Your tastes and our tastes are discussed here, so make sure you share your pleasures with us.
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Re: Images of Islay Finlaggan
Thank you for your interesting notes on this. We have recently been appointed as UK agents for this well established company in Germany. This was tasted by ourselves and yes may be very similar to Ledaig. We believe this may be the best you've tasetd. Had some very good feedback on this interesting whisky from our customers.
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Selecting your vehicle's make, model, and year allows us to display only parts and items specific to your car's model and year.
Part# KHL8008
4 Reviews
OPGI Price: $13.99
Part Type: (A) Aftermarket product, usually an enhancement product
Years: 1964-1977
Sold As: EACH
The ultimate weatherstrip adhesive for bonding rubber products to metal. Black coloring blends in with the weatherstrip and makes cleanup a snap. Sold as a 5-oz. tube.


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Social calendars, get ready — it's party season! Whether you're meeting up with your besties for some delish spiked eggnog, schmoozing with clients at a festive holiday fete, or making good on a midnight rendezvous under the mistletoe, this month is all about making the social rounds — and you have to be prepared to do it on the fly.
Instead of carting around a caboodle of beauty products (not really our accessory of choice), we've rounded up four easy essentials perfect for the work-to-play transition. Keep 'em at your desk, and you'll be prepared for any event invite that should happen into your inbox this season.
The bonus? We found every one of these must-haves right over at Tinseltown, so you can snap them all up in one swoop. It's all about convenience, ladies!


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A Christian apologetics ministry dedicated to demonstrating the historical reliability of the Bible through archaeological and biblical research.
A people known as the Arameans lived in the regions of Syria and Mesopotamia in antiquity. They were a large group of linguistically related peoples who spoke dialects of a West Semitic language known as Aramaic. Although not politically unified, they developed powerful city-states that had a strong cultural influence in the Near East in the first millennium BC. The Aramaic language, very similar to Hebrew, became the official international language during the Persian Period, ca. 539–332 BC, and eventually replaced many of the local languages of the area, including Hebrew. As a result, in New Testament times the main local language was Aramaic rather than Hebrew.
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City of Lincoln
Mayor's Office
2006 Media Releases
Mayor Coleen J. Seng today announced that a volunteer-a-thon in April will help generate volunteer hours for local non-profit agencies. The Mayor joined members of the Lincoln City Council and Lancaster County Board in signing volunteer pledge forms for the campaign that begins April 17. The campaign is a project of Volunteer Partners, the non-profit volunteer resource center for the community.
"I volunteer and encourage others to do it. Volunteers are the heart of our community, providing their time and talents to keep organizations and projects alive and prospering," said Mayor Seng. "By shining the spotlight on volunteerism, we hope to raise awareness of the many ways we can help others in our community. Volunteering is very rewarding, and once people give it a try, they will discover that they truly receive more than they give."
The theme for the volunteer-a-thon is "How About 8?" Wayne Svoboda, Director of Volunteer Partners, said the idea is to encourage residents to give at least eight hours, the length of an average work day, to a non-profit agency every month and/or to donate $8 to support the volunteer center.
"We see this volunteer-a-thon as an opportunity for everyone to help improve the quality of life in our community," said Svoboda. "In return, volunteers can make new friends, build job skills, add to their resumes, use a special talent and get a great feeling of satisfaction."
To make a pledge, residents can call the Volunteer Partners office at 435-2100 or see its Web site at www.volunteerpartners.org. Those who pledge are asked to complete their volunteer hours anytime during 2006. Those who already volunteer are asked to pledge those hours or additional hours this year.
The volunteer-a-thon ends April 29, the final day of National Volunteer Week. Pledge results will be announced at a volunteer recognition event at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 30 at the Lancaster County Extension Education Center, 444 Cherrycreek Road. Co-sponsors of "How About 8?" include KLKN-TV, Clear Channel Radio, the Kiwanis Club of Lincoln and Wells Fargo.
In addition to volunteer recruitment and placement, Volunteer Partners provides consultation to non-profit volunteer programs, a resource library and volunteer management training. The organization also coordinates the Citizen Corps and Medical Reserve Corps; operates the Youth Volunteer Corps of America program for at-risk youth ages 11 to 18; and is creating a Corporate Volunteer Council.


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--Janice Jefferson
A U.S. history timeline is available at www.census.gov if you click on the "History & Pop Culture" icon. Colorful, illustrated webpages appear with all sorts of facts and figures about a time period, from 1790 to the present. Interestingly, this wonderful resource--of interest to all students in grade levels K-college--is not easily found with a Google search on the key words "census" and "timeline."
Other U.S. Census resources are described in this and other articles to be found in the March/April 2010 issue of SOCIAL STUDIES AND THE YOUNG LEARNER, available in the NCSS Journal Archives.


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Just to remind us that it still makes sports cars as well as sedans and SUVs, Porsche launched its new 911 Carrera Cabriolet with a 7-hour romp over treacherous mountain roads that seemed specially built for tarmac rallyes, interrupted only by mid-day laps at an oceanside race track.
A finer way to meet a new Porsche is hard to imagine, but the strenuous workout also approached overkill. Most Cabriolets end up cruising the California coast or through South Beach and are not a weekend warrior's first choice for track duty, but Porsche, eager to demonstrate how closely the convertible's virtues resemble those of its tintop brethren, let us loose on a route that appeared chosen to expose the car's flaws, not showcase its qualities.
We discovered lots of quality. Flaws? None.
Following Porsche custom, these first Cabriolet models are mechanically identical to the two rear-drive models that so far make up the Coupe range: a 3.4-liter base model with 350 bhp and a 3.8-liter S version with 400 bhp. Transmission choice is between two seven-speeds: a new manual or Porsche's wonderful PDK twin-clutch automatic. Cabriolet S models come standard with Porsche Active Suspension Management and Porsche Torque Vectoring and, for those who want flatter flat-out cornering, Porsche's new Dynamic Chassis Control system. The S models also receive larger front brakes and sit on 20-inch running gear in lieu of the base car's 19-inchers.
Porsche thankfully let the car speak for itself. Little time was spent discussing PDCC, PASM, PTV, PDK and the other systems related to the new generation of 911's superior dynamics. In fact, the blessedly short press conference was almost totally devoted to the Cabriolet's roof and the other ways in which the car has been restructured (not to forget a forgettable ramble on the physics of the high-end stereo).
Head of Porsche's soft-top staff, Detlev Ranft, told us he began his quest for the perfect convertible top a full two years before the rest of the 991 platform began to take shape. The primary goal was to fashion a roofline identical to the hardtop's iconic arc, without the ridges caused by the previous system's aluminum bows, though issues of weight, comfort and safety were also to be addressed in the redesign. Ranft's team quickly eliminated a hardtop as too complex and heavy; besides, traditional Cabriolet buyers claim the cloth roof is cosmetically appealing, and a few owners are even reported to have purchased a Cabriolet for its looks, with no intention of ever dropping the top.
Speaking of looks, the "hump" over the folded top is the same height as on the previous Cabriolet, but it appears to be lower due to the 991's higher beltline, drawn to accommodate the larger front headlamp assemblies and 20- inch wheels. Overall aerodynamic efficiency is ensured by the adjustable rear spoiler, which changes its angle depending on whether the top is open or closed. And, in addition to its smooth shape, the roof yields a 2 dB drop in interior noise.
With the aid of a clever German supplier, Ranft's engineers built a top comprised of triple-lined fabric-covered magnesium panels that, in just 13 seconds of operation and at speeds up to 31 mph, mesh to form the closed roof's smooth radius or fold away in a Z-pattern beneath a reconfigured deck. Though the top is necessarily larger over the larger 991 platform, it is no heavier thanks to the increased use of lightweight magnesium and a redesigned roll-over protection system. Instead of being mounted to a separate subframe, the hoops are part of a self-supporting, load-bearing structure that's both simpler and lighter.
Our drive began in a standard Carrera with the new seven-speed manual. It took only a short while to become accustomed to the layout of the shift gate before we were heel and toeing with complete confidence in finding the correct gear. The 3.4-liter demonstrated again why the flat-six is such a brilliant engine, muscular yet as elastic as a yoga master. Despite the narrow roads and countless switchback turns, we never felt as though the new electronic steering was leading us astray. Yes, some of the previous hydraulic steering's feedback has been eliminated, but given the abysmal state of so many road surfaces these days, the new system seems a better idea.
Four hours later we arrived at the track, still fresh due to the comfort of the new sports seats, where we climbed into a Carrera S with PDK automatic and full options list, including active shocks, Porsche Torque Vectoring and the $3,160 Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control option. PDCC utilizes hydraulic actuators to adjust roll stiffness at each corner of the car, and its effect is nothing less than amazing. Body roll is almost nonexistent, and on the track that translated into more stable braking and quicker acceleration out of the corners. Later, on public roads, PDCC contributed to an even-keel ride quality that beggared belief. Simply stated, it's worth the money.
And that brings us to the only unfortunate aspect of the new Cabriolet. A no-frills 3.4 begins at $94,650 (price includes Destination Charge), while the Carrera S's MSRP is $108,950. Yes, the navigation system is now standard, which means the price rise over the previous Cabriolet is negligible, but it's still lots of coin, especially when the options list is brought into play. If nothing else, the price underlines the latest 911 Carrera's status as a luxury car first and a sports car second—a very close second, to be sure.
2012 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet
Longitudinal rear engine, rear-wheel drive
3.4-liter, flat-six, dohc, 24-valve
Seven-speed manual
McPherson strut, antiroll bar (f); LSA multi-link, antiroll bar (r)
330mm ventilated and cross-drilled rotors w/ four-piston calipers, PSM
Length/Width/Height (in.)
Curb Weight: 3,197 lb
Peak Power: 350 hp @ 7400 rpm
Peak Torque: 287 lb-ft @ 5600 rpm
0-60 mph: 4.8 sec.
Top Speed: 177 mph


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NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Around the Super Bowl and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of everything surrounding the game:
NEW ORLEANS (AP) � Around the Super Bowl and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of everything surrounding the game:
Joe Flacco won't have to do much negotiating after this.
The Baltimore Ravens' low-key quarterback put off talks on a new contract until after the season. Now when he and the Ravens sit down, all he'll have to do is show off his Super Bowl MVP trophy.
"It's cool," Flacco said after Baltimore's 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night. "We just won a Super Bowl. That's the last thing I'm concerned about. But (GM Ozzie Newsome) did let me know that if that day came, I could go beat on his desk and really put it to him.
"So that's exactly what I'm going to do."
Flacco capped a perfect postseason, throwing three touchdown passes in the first half to stake the Ravens to a lead they would never relinquish. When the 49ers made a furious comeback after a power outage interrupted the third quarter for 34 minutes, Flacco was cool and controlled.
Let the Niners make their run, he almost seem to say, we'll hold our own.
"You've seen these guys do it," Flacco said. "They have the ability to score and to score quickly, and that's what they did."
But the Ravens defense made a spectacular stand late in the fourth quarter, stopping San Francisco not once, not twice, but three times on the Baltimore 5. A safety gave San Francisco one last chance, but the Ravens went hard after Colin Kaepernick again, and his last-gasp pass was way off the mark.
Flacco finished 22-of-33 for 287 yards. He didn't throw an interception � didn't throw one the entire postseason, to be precise. His 11 touchdowns in the postseason matched a record set by Joe Montana.
"That's pretty cool," Flacco said. "Joe Montana is my favorite quarterback so it's pretty cool."
So is being the Super Bowl MVP.
Truth is, the trophy could have gone to a number of the Ravens. But Flacco is happy to have it.
"They have to give it to one guy," Flacco said, laughing. "I'm not going to complain that I got it."
� Nancy Armour � http://www.twitter.com/nrarmour
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake tells local TV station WBAL-TV that the city will hold a parade Tuesday to honor the NFL champion Ravens.
Rawlings-Blake said Sunday night in a live interview from New Orleans that the parade will start at City Hall and end at the Ravens' stadium.
Right now, she's celebrating � dancing and singing alongside fans.
"The Baltimore Ravens once again demonstrated strength, poise, and perseverance as they prevailed in Super Bowl XLVII," she said in a statement.
� Jessica Gresko � http://twitter.com/jessicagresko
Recently seen leaving the Super Bowl: outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Attorney General Eric Holder.
When asked who he was rooting for, Panetta gave an angst smile and said: "The 49ers."
San Francisco lost to Baltimore, 34-31.
� Nekesa Mumbi Moody � http://twitter.com/nekesamumbi
Superdome spokesman Eric Eagan is apologizing for the power outage that disrupted the Super Bowl.
He says technical staff were working more than an hour after the outage to determine what caused it, but still didn't know.
"We sincerely apologize for the incident," Eagan said.
The outage was a big glitch for New Orleans in its first Super Bowl since the city has rebuilt from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The 38-year-old Superdome has undergone $336 million in renovations since Katrina ripped its roof in 2005. Billions have been spent sprucing up downtown, the airport, French Quarter and other areas of the city in the past seven years.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu called the power outage unfortunate in an otherwise smooth week.
"In the coming days, I expect a full after action report from all parties involved. For us, the Super Bowl isn't over until the last visitor leaves town, so we're focused on continuing to show our visitors a good time," Landrieu said.
New Orleans is trying to get back to being a regular stop in the Super Bowl rotation, and has announced it will bid on the 2018 game.
That would coincide with the 300th anniversary of the city's founding.
� Paul Newberry � http://twitter.com/pnewberry1963
San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is taking his team's 34-31 Super Bowl loss to the Baltimore Ravens hard.
He raised several questions about calls and non-calls made by the officials, but said "We want to handle this with class and grace.
"Had several opportunities in the game. Didn't play our best game. Ravens made a lot of plays," he said. "Our guys battled back to get back in it. We competed and battled to win."
� Brett Martel � http://twitter.com/brettmartel
Ray Lewis has capped his career as a champion, leaning on teammates in the Super Bowl to but a lovely bow on his 17th NFL season.
As he clutched the Lombardi Trophy, Lewis said: "It's simple: When God is for you, who can be against you?"
"It's no greater way, as a champ, to go out on your last ride with the men that I went out with, with my teammates. And you looked around this stadium and ... Baltimore! Baltimore! We coming home, baby! We did it!" he said.
Lewis, 37, had only two solo tackles through the first three quarters and struggled covering receivers. But he made two tackles during San Francisco's final drive, and pressured Kaepernick on a blitz on the 49ers' final offensive play.
� David Ginsburg
The Super Bowl party has begun in the streets of Baltimore, with fans hugging and cheering to celebrate the Ravens' 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
They're wearing purple-feathered boas and team jerseys, and celebrating a win for team leader Ray Lewis, the linebacker who's the only player who started with the team when it came to Baltimore in 1996.
Darren Love, 40, says the celebration is "90 percent for Ray, 10 percent for the city of Baltimore."
� Jessica Gresko � http://twitter.com/jessicagresko
The brothers' greeting wasn't emotional, and wasn't long. Just a handshake and quick hug.
"He said, 'Congratulations,'" Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of his brother, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh.
The exchange lasted less than 5 seconds, well under the line set by many offshore casinos taking action on the embrace, according to gambling expert R.J. Bell of Pregame.com.
Sports books � though not those in Las Vegas, which don't allow these kinds of prop bets � originally pegged the greeting at 7� seconds but the line was bet down to 5� seconds.
� Oskar Garcia � http://twitter.com/oskargarcia
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had the title trophy in his hands, and immediately congratulated Baltimore's supporters on the Ravens' Super Bowl win over San Francisco.
"OK, Baltimore fans, this is what you're waiting for. Five straight playoffs appearances and now you've reached the mountaintop," Goodell said.
The Harbaughs need to host the Super Bowl every year.
John Harbaugh has bragging rights on little brother Jim after his Baltimore Ravens withstood a furious second-half comeback by the San Francisco 49ers in what has to be the wackiest Super Bowl ever. Trailing 28-6 when a power outage interrupted the second half for 34 minutes, the Niners reeled off 23 points in 12 minutes and 20 seconds to make a game of it.
But with the ball on the Baltimore 5 and a chance for the Niners to take their first lead of the night, the Baltimore defense got downright nasty. They blitzed Colin Kaepernick on fourth down, forcing him to throw a bad pass.
A Baltimore safety gave San Francisco one last chance. But Colin Kaepernick's last-gasp pass sailed way over the head of any receiver, and the Ravens rushed the field as confetti began falling from the Superdome ceiling.
John Harbaugh pushed a photographer out of the way to get to his brother, and the two exchanged a quick hug before Jim Harbaugh headed off the field.
� Nancy Armour � http://www.twitter.com/nrarmour
This was the APNewsAlert sent seconds after the final play:
The Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in the Super Bowl.
San Francisco came up just short on that last drive and, maybe, the game, too.
The Baltimore Ravens defense made the stand of the game, blitzing Colin Kaepernick and forcing him to throw a bad pass on fourth-and-goal at the 5. His previous two passes were incompletes, too.
The turnover on downs brought a screeching halt to what had been an unbelievable comeback by the 49ers, who scored 23 points in 12 minutes and 20 seconds after the Superdome power outage.
It was a bit of karmic payback for the 49ers, who reached the Super Bowl after stopping Atlanta on fourth down at their own 10 two weeks ago.
� Nancy Armour � http://www.twitter.com/nrarmour
Two minutes left in regulation at the Super Bowl, and it's unlikely they'll go to overtime.
Baltimore leads San Francisco 34-29 but San Francisco has the ball, second and goal on the Ravens 5-yard line.
OK, Ravens defense, it's up to you now.
Justin Tucker's 38-yard field goal extended Baltimore's lead to 34-29. But there's still 4:19 left to play, and San Francisco has been averaging almost two points a minute since that wacky power outage interrupted the game.
Seems like it would be a good time for Ray Lewis to make a play. He's been awfully quiet in his final NFL game.
� Nancy Armour � http://www.twitter.com/nrarmour
A spokesman for the utility that provides power to the Superdome says the outage began because equipment maintained by stadium staff failed.
Philip Allison, a spokesman for Entergy New Orleans, says power was flowing into the stadium before the lights failed.
"All of our distribution and transmission feeds going into the Superdome were operating as expected," Allison said.
Several banks of arena lights went out and the CBS broadcast audio went silent as power went out in the telecasters' booth.
Auxiliary power kept the playing field from going totally dark, but escalators stopped working and the concourses were only illuminated by small banks of lights tied in to emergency service.
� Paul Newberry � http://twitter.com/pnewberry1963
Yeah, that San Francisco touchdown was worthy of a "Kaepernicking."
Colin Kaepernick cut Baltimore's lead to 31-29 on a 15-yard scoring run. After he crossed the goal line, Kaepernick let out a roar and kissed his right biceps � the move that now known as "Kaepernicking."
The 49ers went for two, but Kaepernick's pass fell incomplete.
San Francisco has now racked up 23 points in 12 minutes and 20 seconds, a rate of almost two points a minute. Talk about a power surge.
� Nancy Armour � http://www.twitter.com/nrarmour
Even Baltimore's scores are going San Francisco's way.
The Niners came up with two huge stops after the Ravens got to the San Francisco 1, forcing Baltimore to settle for Justin Tucker's 19-yard field goal. Justin Smith stuffed Ray Rice for no gain, and Joe Flacco threw an incompletion on third down.
Baltimore still leads 31-23.
� Nancy Armour � http://www.twitter.com/nrarmour
Even for a moment, is it possible Americans care more about commercials than football at the Super Bowl?
At the start of the fourth quarter, eight of nine unsponsored trending topics in the United States on Twitter have something to do with an ad � not football or a power outage. The other isn't about football either, it's (hash)WhileWatchingTheGame, with people talking about doing other things.
� Oskar Garcia � http://twitter.com/oskargarcia
Let the conspiracy theories begin!
After failing to score a touchdown in the first half and looking downright dismal offensively, the San Francisco 49ers have been unstoppable since the lights in the Superdome came back on and are now down by just five points. For those scoring at home, that's 17 points in four minutes, 10 seconds.
Still think that fake field goal on fourth-and-9 was a good idea, John Harbaugh?
After Colin Kaepernick's 14-yard pass to Vernon Davis put the Niners at the Baltimore 6 and Frank Gore ran it on the next play to make it 28-20. Baltimore had the ball for all of two plays when Ray Rice fumbled and San Francisco cornerback Tarell Brown recovered at the Baltimore 24.
The 49ers only managed three yards, and David Akers' 39-yard field goal attempt was wide left. But hold on � San Francisco's newfound luck continued, with the Ravens getting whistled for running into the kicker. That's a 5-yard penalty, and Akers made this one to cut Baltimore's lead to 28-23.
� Nancy Armour � http://www.twitter.com/nrarmour
Hey, the San Francisco 49ers scored a touchdown!
And 49ers fans everywhere collectively say, "Finally!"
Michael Crabtree caught a 31-yard touchdown pass with about 7 � minutes left in the third quarter to cut Baltimore's lead to 28-13. San Francisco's only other points came on a pair of field goals by David Akers.
Don't get too excited yet, Niners fans. Your team is still down by 15 and no team has ever trailed by more than 10 and come back to win the Super Bowl.
� Nancy Armour � http://twitter.com/nrarmour
This stat of the day comes from CBS, which tracked how long Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense were off the field from halftime through a 109-yard kickoff return and a nearly 30-minute power outage.
That total: 84 minutes, about the equivalent of a children's animated film.
When the Ravens did take the field again, they punted without getting a first down.
� Oskar Garcia � http://twitter.com/oskargarcia .
The head referee officiating the Super Bowl simply wanted to get the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers back to business.
To get play started, Jerome Boger simply stated: "Let's go."
The clock began rolling and play resumed.
� Oskar Garcia � http://twitter.com/oskargarcia
Well, that was interesting.
Following a delay of 35 minutes caused by a power outage in the Superdome, the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers are back out on the field. And no jokes about how the Niners haven't allowed any points in a half-hour.
The Ravens had just scored to take a 28-6 lead when lights throughout the Superdome went dark. There was limited emergency power in the concourses and at the top of the dome, but the scoreboards and most of the lights were out.
The lights gradually began coming back on after about 25 minutes, and a loud buzz could be heard. Players returned to the field and, after 10 more minutes, play resumed with 13:22 left in the third quarter.
� Nancy Armour � http://twitter.com/nrarmour
Here are some of the funnier highlights of the Super Bowl commercials during the first half:
� Best Buy's 30-second ad in the first quarter starred Amy Poehler, of NBC's "Parks and Recreation," asking a Best Buy employee endless questions about electronics.
"Will this one read '50 shades of Grey' to me in a sexy voice," Poehler asks about an e-book reader. When the staffer says no she asks, "Will you?"
� M&M's showed its red M singing Meatloaf's "I Would Do Anything For Love," and wooing beautiful women, but stopping short when they try to eat him.
� Doritos went for humor with two user-created spots. Winners of the "Crash the Super Bowl" contest included one about a Doritos-crazy goat. Another showed a dad playing princess with his daughter to get Doritos. His buddies catch him, but instead of making fun of him they join in the fun. "Is that my wedding dress?" says his wife when she sees them playing.
� Budweiser showed rival 49ers and Ravens fans each creating a voodoo doll for the other team with the help of a mysterious figure in a bar. "It's only weird if it doesn't work," reads the copy.
� Mae Anderson � http://twitter.com/maetron
One of Muhammad Ali's daughters says the boxer is watching the Super Bowl at his home in Arizona.
May May Ali knocked down rumors of her father being near death on Sunday, telling The Associated Press she spoke with him by phone on Sunday morning.
"He's fine, in fact he was talking well this morning," she said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "These rumors pop up every once in a while but there's nothing to them."
The rumors were started by a report in a British tabloid quoting Ali's brother, Rahman, as saying the former heavyweight champion was near death. Rahman, though, said he hadn't seen his brother since last summer and had no contact with the family.
The report was widely repeated on the Internet. Ali, 71, suffers from Parkinson's disease.
� Tim Dahlberg � http://twitter.com/timdahlberg
The power has gone out at the Superdome during the third quarter of the Super Bowl.
Minutes after Baltimore scored on a 109-yard Jacoby Jones kickoff return to take a 28-6 lead, several banks of arena lights went out in the dome. Emergency lights went on but play was immediately halted.
Players are standing on the field but when it became clear it would not be a brief outage, they left the field and went to the sideline.
Several of the Ravens are sitting on the field, stretching to try to keep loose.
Lights are on outside the dome; the outage appears confined to the arena.
� Nancy Armour � http://twitter.com/nrarmour
Beyonce wasn't messing around with her halftime performance.
No immediately obvious malfunctions, no weird cross-genre collaborations with rock stars or one-hit wonders.
Just Beyonce, then Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams to bring back Destiny's Child.
Beyonce sang a medley of hits, including "Crazy In Love," ''Baby Boy" and "Single Ladies." She also danced in front of a screen using multiple images of herself as a backup dancer when she wasn't backed by her all-female band and nearly two dozen dancers.
But when Rowland and Williams sprang up from trap doors onstage, the world got the performance it was anticipating.
Not surprisingly, the show dominated worldwide Twitter trends as the second half began.
� Oskar Garcia � http://twitter.com/oskargarcia
EDITOR'S NOTE � "Super Bowl Watch" shows you the Super Bowl and the events surrounding the game through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across New Orleans and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.


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That said it is important to remember that "Smart Eclipse" is not a named mechanic created by Blizzard. It is the name given to a mechanic by players, but we don't know for sure if the mechanic was intended or a bug. To raise the stakes a little more "Smart Eclipse" has not functioned in game the way players define it for the last few beta builds, and the volume has been raised on the bug vs intended change question?
In this post I want to take a look at this concept of "Smart Eclipse". How important is it to Moonkin DPS and should we be worried that it is not currently in Beta?
What is Smart Eclipse?
Up until this point, I've assumed you knew what I mean when I say "Smart Eclipse," but in case you don't let me explain it.
I don't remember the exact wording, but an early tooltip for Starsurge said that it moved your Eclipse Power away from the center of the Eclipse bar. For example, if you had 50 Solar Power, casting Starsurge would generate an additional 15 Solar Power for a total of 65 Solar Power. Players called this "Smart Eclipse" because it provided them with the type of Eclipse Power that helped them most. If you were trying to proc Solar Eclipse it helped you because it moved you closer to power amount needed to proc it. If you had Solar Eclipse, it extend the buff by allowing you to cast more Eclipse buffed Wraths before hitting zero Solar Power and losing Eclipse.
It sounds like a win/win, and as I said before it is a very popular concept with the moonkin community. In fact, some are advocating that Euphoria should generate "Smart Power" while in Eclipse instead of not generating any power at all as it currently does. As a result it seems several community members are getting frustrated that it no longer exists in most recent Beta builds.
I can understand this frustration. When something we like gets excluded from the game it is very frustrating. However, before we gather the pitchforks and torches we should understand the actual impact of "Smart Eclipse."
The Impact Smart Eclipse:
From a DPS perspective the impact of Smart Eclipse seems like a no brainer. It shortens Eclipse down time by increasing the type of power we need to proc the next Eclipse. It also lengthens the Eclipse buff because it provides the opposite type of power of your currently Eclipsed nuke. On the surface it seems like "Smart Eclipse" should be a clear DPS increase, but according to my results it is not.
Once a gain I plugged "Smart Eclipse" and the current beta functionality into my simulator. I ran both through with 10,000 iterations, and found that losing "Smart Eclipse" resulted in just a 0.068% DPS decrease. If this is correct it is a tiny difference and not worth losing any sleep over in my opinion.
When I saw these results I was quite surprised and a bit skeptical, as I am sure many of you are as well. As a result I contacted Hamlet to see what he thought. After he tested the impact of "Smart Eclipse" he responded with "I got a similar result......overall, surprisingly little effect on DPS."
To be fair, my simulator is a straight Patchwerk style simulator. These results may be different in a more realistic encounter type that includes movement and such. However, I am confident in saying that "Smart Eclipse" doesn't have the big DPS impact that may players expected it to.
The Reasons Why:
It's hard to say definitively why "Smart Eclipse" would have such a small impact but I have a couple of educated guesses.
- The first reason is Nature's Grace. The impact of Nature's Grace depends on how quickly you transition from one Eclipse proc to the other. By increasing the up time of Eclipse you are diminishing the impact of Nature's Grace, thus cancelling out some of the gains from "Smart Eclipse." The value of the 4T11 set bonus would diminished in a similar way as well.
- The second reason is our powerful DoTs. Moonfire and Insect Swarm make up a large portion of our DPS, but are not significantly impacted by increased Eclipse up time, since they hold the DPS of when they were cast. If a majority of our DoT casts happen during Eclipse, then higher DoT uptime shouldn't change our over all DoT damage all that much because a majority of the ticks are already buffed by Eclipse.
I've come to the conclusion that "Smart Eclipse" was not an intended mechanic, and that the way Starsurge generates power on beta is what will go live. Based upon my DPS findings above I don't have a problem with that. As long as my DPS output is similar to that of other ranged casters, I don't care how I get there assuming the rotation isn't completely boring.
That said, I know many found the concept of "Smart Eclipse" to be fun and would like to see it stay in the game. That's a matter of opinion that I can't really argue against, but I don't think losing "Smart Eclipse" makes the Moonkin less complex or less interesting.
As it stands right now moonkin DoTs have very high DPETs and we will try to maintain an uptime of close to 100%. Starsurge is also very powerful, and will be cast on cooldown regardless of the status of Eclipse. Therefore "Smart Eclipse" didn't really change the structure of the moonkin rotation. It added a couple of Nukes when Eclipse was up, but the real challenge was still to manage the duration of the DoTs and our cooldowns.


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Kevin Grandia | November 23, 2007
By Kevin Grandia • Friday, November 23, 2007 - 10:09
This is in the minds of many, including climate science "experts" like John Stossel at ABC News [video], puts to rest the whole idea that CO2 has anything to do with temperature.
Question: if John Stossel and others are so certain that this temperature/C02 lag somehow brings into question the theory of global warming, wouldn't scientists have heard of this and have accommodated for it in their research?
Answer: of course they have.
I asked one of the top climate scientists in the world, Dr. Andrew Weaver from the University of Victoria, to explain the fact that C02 lags behind temperature rise.
Turns out that the answer is quite simple.
It also turns out, that Dr. Weaver is putting the finishing touches on a new book called Keeping our cool: Canada in a warming world, and he has a whole section on the very topic of C02/temperature lag that he kindly sent on.
Here's Dr. Weaver's simple explanation excerpted from his new book:
"Antarctic ice core records also contain valuable information regarding the relationship between temperature and the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane.
It's only during the slow deglaciation process, however, that sufficient resolution is available to allow scientists to explore the statistical relationship between temperature and carbon dioxide.
Several groups around the world have independently examined a number of different Antarctic ice cores and found that during deglaciation, the local changes in Antarctic temperature led changes in carbon dioxide by about 800 ± 600 years.
That is, temperatures changed first and then greenhouse gas levels followed, precisely as one would expect.
The greenhouse gases act to amplify the otherwise small changes in seasonality associated with very long timescale variations in the Earth's orbital configuration.
Feedbacks, like those I discussed earlier in this chapter, act to amplify the level of carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour in the atmosphere. These cause further warming.
So the next time you hear your favourite global warming naysayer point out that carbon dioxide lags temperature by 800 years in the glacial record, don't be surprised. That's exactly how it must be.
There were no coal burning plants 21,000 years ago spewing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide levels increased in response to warming thereby amplifying this warming further.
Remember that changes in the Earth's orbital configuration affect seasonality, and not the total amount of radiation the Earth receives from the sun in any given year.
By itself, a change in the Earth's orbital configuration does not cause global warming or cooling; the small signal must be amplified, and this is precisely what changes in surface albedo, carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour do.
That is, it doesn't matter whether you put carbon dioxide in naturally or unnaturally, the fact remains that it is a greenhouse gas and traps outgoing longwave radiation.
And, we've known this for over 100 years. Cold climates can't be maintained without a depletion of greenhouse gases and warm climates can't be maintained without an excess of greenhouse gases."
Zog replied on Permalink
I remember when Weaver was a
I remember when Weaver was a serious scientist about 10 years ago. I didn't buy his model-based conclusions then, but I certainly respected him.
Now he's become just another climocrat, scuttling around, trying to discount new data by rationalization, and writing jabberwocky like the stuff you've quoted here.
BTW, "one of the leading climate scientists in the world" is an oceanographer and a skilled computer programmer who self-identifies as a climatologist. Nothing wrong with that, but it's sad that, as he has become more and more deeply dedicated to his cause, he has morphed from scientist to climocrat.
Steve L replied on Permalink
Zog, you've coated Weaver quite completely with mud but it seems quite thin. Is there anything substantial there? What new data has he discounted?
Zog replied on Permalink
Before responding, why
Before responding, why didn't you at least read the quotation that inspired my comment?
As to mudslinging - most of the regulars on this blog (you seem to be the principal exception)post nothing else with respect to scientists in the opposing camp. If you wish to classify my observation that Weaver has wandered away from science into proselytism as mudslinging, so be it.
Well, let's see about that . . .
If I want to know whether to pay attention to someone's opinions on a subject, I generally check his/her publications. Turns out Weaver's published scads of research in the field of atmosphere & oceanography etc. during the past 10 ears or so (since you decided that he "jumped the [scientific] shark"). Looks pretty solid to me, and certainly more than some of the prominent "scientists in the opposing camp." Another fellow "who self-identifies as a climatologist" is a former geography professor (you all know who I mean) who hasn't published any peer-reviewed research at all in that period of time. Hmm… who to believe, who to believe?
Zog replied on Permalink
I wouldn't say that he woke
I wouldn't say that he woke up one morning 10 years ago and suddenly decided to shift from scholarly inquiry to extremely combative defense of AGM in the media. His decline was fairly gradual until a couple of years ago, when the transition appears to have been complete. He takes any questioning of his results as personal affronts and speaks of non-believers much more harshly than anything I've said about him here. He has also said (and this is an exact quote), "We don't need more science".
As far as the "other fellow" to whom you refer, he is the mirror image of Weaver, and I sometimes wish that he would cool it. As you well know, we have much more credible champions than him but, rather than address their ideas, warmists prefer to sneer at them as "deniers" or dismiss them as "tools of Big Oil(TM)" This happens not only at DeSmog but even over at RealClimate with its pretensions of scholarship.
DEW replied on Permalink
Waking up...
His decline was fairly gradual until a couple of years ago, when the transition appears to have been complete. He takes any questioning of his results as personal affronts and speaks of non-believers much more harshly…
Now what does this describe? Among other things, it perfectly describes the reaction of a reasonable man to an increasingly unreasonable opposition. There are times when losing your temper really is the appropriate response, let alone a forgivable one.
And since I know you're just an objective guy with no axe to grind, ZOG, I'll fill you in on something: making unfounded, categorical assertions about someone's professional ability or integrity is harsh, no matter how "politely" you word it. It's called smugness, and Prof. Weaver would be well within his rights to respond to your sanctimonious judgment of his character in a personal and harsh way.
Smugness, maybe; closer to
Smugness, maybe; closer to libel I would think.
And Zog writes: "we have much more credible champions than him."
Who is "we" Zog? And what "champions" would you consider to be credible?
Dr Weaver explains very clearly and simply the cause of CO2 lag behind temperature rise and you accuse him of proselytism? I failed to detect any preaching or some sort of cult-conversion efforts.
Do you have, or are you aware of any valid data that would put any of his observations in dispute?
As far as the opposing camp is concerned; posting anything from them can only be considered to be deceitful. Their "observations", at best, can only be considered to be "buffet science". They take what they want and leave the rest.
Steve L replied on Permalink
source of confusion
You haven't helped me out here very much, Zog, but I think what you're implying is that Weaver has disregarded the "new data" that CO2 followed climate change in geological history. I didn't get it because those data are not new. Here is a quotation from a webpage last updated in year 2000: "Whether the ultimate cause of temperature increase is excess CO2, or a different orbit, or some other factor probably doesn't matter much. It could have been one or the other, or different combinations of factors at different times in the past. The effect is still the same. Nevertheless, the scientific consensus is that GTGs account for at least half of temperature increases, and that they strongly amplify the effects of small increases in solar radiation due to orbital forcing." – see: http://www.daviesand.com/Choices/Precautionary_Planning/New_Data/
This does not differ significantly from what Kevin's quoting of Weaver indicates. Speaking of quotations, your quote of Weaver below ("We don't need more science") – I can't find the full quotation (please point to it), but I remember him saying something like, We don't need more science to decide to act. He did not say something that would support your claim that he's no longer a serious scientist like, say, the science of climatology had reached its pinnacle.
Finally we arrive at the mudslinging part. I was complaining that your smears weren't substantive. It's okay that Tim Ball gets smeared because he misrepresents both himself and the issues. (And the reason for the focus on him is because the [Canadian] media puts him in stories for 'balance' more often than it does, say, Lindzen. Have you written to newspapers asking that they get somebody more credible?) You have not substantiated the mud. Your exact quote, as I've indicated, is incomplete, and not a single citation or link has been offered to bolster your assertion that he's no longer a serious scientist.
Zog replied on Permalink
The Vostok drilling isn't
The Vostok drilling isn't "new" but much of the interpretative work is. AGW proponents have mostly tended to ignore the question of CO2 lag or "do a Gore" and blatantly misrepresent it.
The paragraph immediately preceding the one you quoted is sound science with which I have no problem at all.
"The main significance of the new data lies in the high correlation between GTG concentrations and temperature variations over 420,000 years and through four glacial cycles. However, because of the difficulty in precisely dating the air and water (ice) samples, it is still unknown whether GTG concentration increases precede and cause temperature increases, or vice versa–or whether they increase synchronously. It's also unknown how much of the historical temperature changes have been due to GTGs, and how much has been due to orbital forcing, ie, increases in solar radiation, or perhaps long-term shifts in ocean circulation."
A neat summation.
It's unfortunate that the authors then felt constrained to write the paragraph that you quoted.
"Whether the ultimate cause of temperature increase is excess CO2, or a different orbit, or some other factor probably doesn't matter much. It could have been one or the other, or different combinations of factors at different times in the past. The effect is still the same. Nevertheless, the scientific consensus is that GTGs account for at least half of temperature increases"
Read that again, carefully, especially the last sentence, and try to find the science in it.
I did misquote Weaver. What he said wasn't "WE don't need…" but "YOU don't need more science." with reference to his absolute certainty that the science of AGW is "settled". I was watching the dear old CBC (about the 37th rerun of "The Denial Machine" I think) and, since I had pen and paper handy, I wrote it down.
"AGW proponents have mostly
"AGW proponents have mostly tended to ignore the question of CO2 lag or "do a Gore" and blatantly misrepresent it."
That is a lie. I have seen it explained on RealClimate and elsewhere often.
For instance, here: http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2007/04/the-lag-between-temp-and-co2/
Steve L replied on Permalink
That was a summary for foresters
Hey ZOG, that webpage wasn't trying to explain all of the science. It was summarizing findings for some forestry group. The fact that this consulting company's report is consistent with Weaver's explanation shows that the interpretation was not new even before 2000. ZOG, you don't deny Tyndall's findings, right? Then why be obtuse wrt the fact that CO2 released during interglacials enhanced the greenhouse effect?
Steve L replied on Permalink
ZOG, please have your pen and pad ready again during the 38th rerun so you can get the full Weaver quotation and the context. Thanks.
D replied on Permalink
This is meant to be positive advice. Get off your model-based computer, get into your model-based car, drive to the model-designed library, and do a little reading, if you can't do your own inquiry.
D replied on Permalink
That is in response to
"I remember when Weaver was a serious scientist about 10 years ago. I didn't buy his model-based… ".
…As if "ZOG" studied actual climate science 10 years ago.
Stephen Berg replied on Permalink
ZOG, Weaver is Canada's most
ZOG, Weaver is Canada's most prestigious climatologist. He is an editor of the very well-respected "Journal of Climate" and is a leading author of the IPCC reports. Anyone who smears his name is completely out to lunch and should have their brain, heart, and soul examined. Anyone who tries to sully his reputation has no conscience whatsoever, as Weaver is a very nice man and knows his stuff.
I also noticed that you, ZOG, never attempted to refute the science which he researches. Is that because it is so solid that it is impossible to crack?
ZOG, you really showed what type of person you are.
Dr. Francis T. Manns replied on Permalink
Negative correlation between CO2 and atmospheric temperature
Propaganda 'science' has been happening more and more; the scientific basis for banning DDT is missing! Millions have died from malaria. Last year the WHO lifted the ban… too bad for the millions of people already dead.
Propaganda junk science led the USSR to develop the dangerous Chernobyl reactor and the reactors for their nuclear submarine fleet as well. A political hack insisted their science was so superior to the capitalist west that cooling and containment were unnecessary. Now I guess Gore has lowered us to the USSR standard.
Inclusions from ice core are not valid for measuring ancient CO2 or temperature dependent isotopes because ice is an open system. It can take 100s of years for snow on a glacier to turn to ice (if ever) and the entrapped gasses and fluids are totally unreliable.
The most important information you can have is that CO2 has a property called retrograde solubility. Unlike most substances, it dissolves in cold water rather than hot. As earth heats by natural causes, CO2 is released from the slightly warmer ocean and if earth's oceans cool CO2 goes into solution. Shake up a warm beer if you don't believe me. CO2 trails natural warming.
I guess what I am getting to is that the polarization of society between arts and engineering has left the arts side of the population vulnerable to big expensive scams, and propaganda. No one doubts that the climate changes. It always has and always will.
Fortunately the UN IPCC report is being criticised by real scientists inside and outside. Beliefs are not enough! Seems like - is not a scientific term.
Fran Manns
Steve L replied on Permalink
What's up doc?
What are you talking about? Is this your area of expertise? Your DDT claims are all wrong:
From there you went to CCCP and your guess that Gore "has lowered us" to the Soviet standard. Then on to some undisputed points about CO2 being less soluble in warm water. Finally to something about the Arts side of the population being vulnerable and thank goodness that the IPCC is being criticized. Wow. I suggest you spend some time reading and then try to use scientific arguments to discredit the science. Use political arguments to argue about the policy, not the science. Thanks.
Stephen Berg replied on Permalink
Again, your ilk bring out
Again, your ilk bring out the old "Soviet" card in an attempt to "rally the troops" (i.e. the ideological Right). The sign of a troll, one who yet again cannot refute the science of climate change, but tries to smear the IPCC and mislabel it as a political organization (rather than the scientific organization that it is).
Bunt replied on Permalink
This is a hoot. Two sides
This is a hoot.
Two sides unprepared to listen to eachother. Not a single one of you hasn't presented proofs or access to them. You have all settled with presenting your own views, no matter what you've read. That is not how we do science.