text:
Our Fitness Blog
How We Sabotage Our Fitness Routine
A successful fitness routine requires a lot of hard work and determination. We need to be constantly looking for ways to stick to our fitness routine instead of looking for ways to quit it. We know we need to exercise to remain fit and healthy, so why do we always come up with excuses to give up on our fitness routine? We seem to be actively sabotaging our health and fitness needs, and we need to learn our self-destructive habits to effectively put an end to them.
Sabotage: We aim for perfection
We need to remember that no one is perfect, and if we aim for perfection we are sure to miss the mark. In other words trying to be perfect will only set you up for failure. You will not be able to achieve your goals, and the disappointment you feel will only give you that much needed excuse for you to give up on your fitness routine.
Solution: Be realistic
You need to realize that perfection does not exist and plow ahead with your fitness plan. You need to set realistic goals but realize that everyone, no matter how perfect or how prepared, will experience some sort of setbacks in life. It is how you approach and overcome these setbacks that can give you a reason to celebrate. You need to get into the routine of being prepared for and overcoming any obstacles you may face in order to achieve what is best for you and your health.
Sabotage: We compare ourselves to others
We have all heard of the saying "the grass is always greener on the other side." This can be true in the gym. Many of us have the habit of comparing ourselves to others and finding how much we fall behind what we see. She has such flat abs or thin legs, why are ours so much flabbier? It is easy to fall into this type of trap and get down on ourselves for not being able to measure up to this supposed competition.
Solution: Be all about you
You need to stay focused on yourself. Why are we so concerned with other people and not ourselves? It does not make sense, especially if we are trying to improve our bodies, not theirs. It is not a competition, so you should only worry about you, your routine and your progress. If you analyze your fitness routines and not others, you may discover certain techniques that are actually working for you or things you need to improve in your fitness routine to help you achieve your goals faster.
Sabotage: That guilty feeling
Around 96% of women experience the feeling of guilt at least once a day. We prefer to think that if something happens, we could have done something different to prevent it. We internalize our problems even if the problem had nothing to do with us or what we did. We also tend to feel as if we must get certain things done in a short time frame, and when we fail to complete everything we set out to do we feel guilty. It is all our fault even if we know different.
Solution: Be aware
You should focus on the way that you look at your problems. Take the time to analyze how you treat yourself and how your guilty conscious is affecting you. You may find that you are being hard on yourself for no reason. Once you see how hard you are being on yourself, you can devise plans on how to more effectively solve your problems and the feelings associated with them.
Sabotage: The time excuse
Many of us use the excuse that there is just not enough time to exercise in our day. We are extremely busy in today's world. We are stretched beyond our means dealing with our families, jobs and our relationships. It can seem frantic during the best of times. There never seems to be enough time to do the things we need to do, let alone the things we want to do. It can be overwhelming to try to squeeze in our fitness routine.
Solution: Make exercise a priority
We need to realize that exercise is a necessary component to living a happy and healthy life and should be treated as such. There are quick ten minute exercise routines we can squeeze into our days, and many fitness centers offer exercise classes that only last for thirty minutes, like 9Round Kickboxing of Columbia, SC. It is up to us to write down our schedules and put in the times we need to exercise. We need to find times that will be less prone to experiencing any type of disruptions and are free from distractions. We need to stick to our schedules as much as possible to have a successful fitness routine.
It can be easy to find any excuse to give up on your fitness routine, but you need to remember the reason you started it. You need to get in the right mindset and stay motivated in order to succeed in your fitness routine. It can be easy to fall victim to any form of self sabotage, but if you can overcome your self-destructive habits and overcome any setbacks, you will find your way on the path to achieving your goals in no time.


text:
(Reuters) - High-scoring All-Star Carmelo Anthony has re-signed with the New York Knicks, giving team president Phil Jackson the foundation piece he desired in his quest to bring a long-awaited title to Madison Square Garden.
Terms of the deal, announced by the National Basketball Association team on Sunday, were not disclosed.
Under NBA salary cap rules, Anthony could sign a five-year contract for as much as $129 million, but he may elect to take less in order to give the Knicks more budget room to try and improve the team by shopping for other free agents.
"After three months of questions around Carmelo Anthony's return to the New York Knicks, we are now happy to know that we have the cornerstone of what we envision as a 'team of excellence.'" Jackson said in a statement on the team website.
"(General manager) Steve Mills and I have assured Carmelo through our conversations, that we share the vision and the determination to build this team."
Anthony, who averaged 27.4 points last season for the Knicks was the biggest free agent on the market following Friday's decision by LeBron James to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"I am a New York Knick at heart," Anthony said. "I am looking forward to continue my career in Orange & Blue and to work with Phil Jackson, a champion who builds championship teams. Madison Square Garden is the Mecca of basketball and I am surrounded by the greatest fans in the world."
The Knicks have not won an NBA crown since 1973, when Jackson was a defensive-minded forward on the team.
Jackson has won a record 11 NBA titles as a coach including six with the Chicago Bulls and five with the Los Angeles Lakers and won a pair of titles as a player with the Knicks.
Anthony, 30, became a free agent by opting out of the final two years of a contract that would have paid him more than $23 million next season.
He had been hotly pursued by several teams including the Chicago Bulls, who were only able to offer him four years and $75 million due to their salary cap situation.
Knicks coach Derek Fisher, who won five championship rings while with Los Angeles under then-coach Jackson and will make his debut as a head coach this upcoming season, was thrilled to have Anthony on board.
"I have had the opportunity to be around some of the greatest players in our game, and now I have the honor of coaching Carmelo," Fisher said.
"This is an exciting time for the New York Knicks franchise and our fans. I look forward to working with him and building something special together."
Anthony, 6 feet 8 inches, 240-pounds, holds averages of 26.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 226 games since coming to the Knicks in a three-team deal in February 2011.
This past season, Anthony posted the franchise's greatest single-game scoring performance - and a Madison Square Garden record - with 62 points versus Charlotte.
The re-signing of Anthony was top priority for Jackson, who last month made his first key personnel move by obtaining point guard Jose Calderon of Spain in a six-player trade that sent center Tyson Chandler to the Dallas Mavericks.
Editing by Alan Baldwin, Pritha Sarkar and Gene Cherry

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Friday, 24 February 2012 07:53 AM
Cuban state media says a pair of senior U.S. senators have met with Cuban President Raul Castro in the first such high-level meeting between the Cold War enemies in nearly a year.
Communist Party daily Granma reported that Senators Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, and Richard Shelby, a Republican from Alabama, met late Thursday with the Cuban leader. The talks come during a low-point in U.S.-Cuba relations over the continued detention of American subcontractor Alan Gross.
Gross is serving a 15-year jail term on the island for spiriting in communications equipment while on a USAID-funded democracy building program.
Granma did not say what was discussed, though virtually all American visitors have raised Gross's case with Cuban authorities, and many have been allowed to meet with him behind bars.
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United States District Court, S.D. West Virginia, Charleston Division
September 1, 2017
IN RE ETHICON, INC. PELVIC REPAIR SYSTEMS PRODUCT LIABILITY LITIGATION THIS DOCUMENT RELATES TO: Charlotte Day, et al.v.Ethicon, Inc., et al. Civil Action No. 2:12-cv-02264
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER (Daubert Motion re:
Christopher Walker, M.D.)
before the court is the Motion to Exclude Case-Specific
Opinions of Dr.Christopher Walker [ECF No. 50] filed by the
defendants. The Motion is now ripe for consideration because
briefing is complete.
case resides in one of seven MDLs assigned to me by the
Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation concerning the use
of transvaginal surgical mesh to treat pelvic organ prolapse
("POP") and stress urinary incontinence
("SUI"). In the seven MDLs, there are more than
50, 000 cases currently pending, approximately 30, 000 of
which are in this MDL, which involves defendants Johnson
& Johnson and Ethicon, Inc. (collectively
"Ethicon"), among others.
In this
MDL, the court's tasks include "resolv[ing]
pretrial issues in a timely and expeditious manner" and
"resolv[ing] important evidentiary disputes."
Barbara J. Rothstein & Catherine R. Borden, Fed. Judicial
Ctr., Managing Multidistrict Litigation in
Products Liability Cases 3 (2011). To handle motions to
exclude or to limit expert testimony pursuant to Daubert
v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579
(1993), the court developed a specific procedure. In Pretrial
Order ("PTO") No. 239, the court instructed the
parties to file general causation Daubert motions in
the main MDL and specific causation Daubert motions,
responses, and replies in the individual member cases. To the
extent that an expert is both a general and specific
causation expert, the parties were advised that that they
could file a general causation motion in the main MDL 2327
and a specific causation motion in an individual member case.
PTO No. 239, at 4.
Legal Standard
By now,
the parties should be intimately familiar with Rule 702 of
the Federal Rules of Evidence and Daubert, so the
court will not linger for long on these standards.
testimony is admissible if the expert is qualified and if his
or her expert testimony is reliable and relevant. Fed.R.Evid.
702; see also Daubert, 509 U.S. at 597. An expert
may be qualified to offer expert testimony based on his or
her "knowledge, skill, experience, training, or
education." Fed.R.Evid. 702. Reliability may turn on
the consideration of several factors:
(1) whether a theory or technique can be or has been tested;
(2) whether it has been subjected to peer review and
publication; (3) whether a technique has a high known or
potential rate of error and whether there are standards
controlling its operation; and (4) whether the theory or
technique enjoys general acceptance within a relevant
scientific community.
Cooper v. Smith & Nephew, Inc., 259 F.3d 194,
199 (4th Cir. 2001) (citing Daubert, 509 U.S. at
592-94). But these factors are neither necessary to nor
determinative of reliability in all cases; the inquiry is
flexible and puts "principles and methodology"
above conclusions and outcomes. Daubert, 509 U.S. at
595; see also Kumho Tire Co.v. Carmichael, 525 U.S.
137, 141, 150 (1999). Finally, and simply, relevance turns on
whether the expert testimony relates to any issues in the
case. See, e.g., Daubert, 509 U.S. at
591-92 (discussing relevance and helpfulness).
In the
context of specific causation expert opinions, the Fourth
Circuit has held that "a reliable differential
diagnosis provides a valid foundation for an expert
opinion." Westberry v. Gislaved Gummi AB, 178
F.3d 257, 263 (4th Cir. 1999).
A reliable differential diagnosis typically, though not
invariably, is performed after 'physical examinations,
the taking of medical histories, and the review of clinical
tests, including laboratory tests, ' and generally is
accomplished by determining the possible causes for the
patient's symptoms and then eliminating each of these
potential causes until reaching one that cannot be ruled out
or determining which of those that cannot be excluded is the
most likely.
Id. at 262 (citations omitted). "A
differential diagnosis that fails to take serious account of
other potential causes may be so lacking that it cannot
provide a reliable basis for an opinion on causation."
Id. at 265. However, an expert's causation
opinions will not be excluded "because he or she has
failed to rule out every possible alternative cause of a
plaintiff's illness." Id. "The
alternative causes suggested by a defendant 'affect the
weight that the jury should give the expert's testimony
and not the admissibility of that testimony, ' unless the
expert can offer 'no ...
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Your good health has an enemy — atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is common. And its effects can be very serious. They can cause strokes, heart attacks, and death. The good news is that you can take steps to protect yourself from this disease.
The inside walls of healthy arteries are smooth and clean. This makes it easy to transport the blood your body needs. But arteries can become clogged. Fatty substances like cholesterol can stick to arteries. These deposits are called plaque. They can eventually slow or block the flow of blood. This blockage is atherosclerosis. It can affect any medium- to large-sized artery in your body. When atherosclerosis affects the arteries that supply blood to the heart, it is called coronary artery disease.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that all adults older than 20 have their cholesterol level checked every 5 years. This is done with a blood test done after fasting for 9 hours to 12 hours. The test should include total cholesterol, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, HDL ("good") cholesterol, and triglycerides. Talk with your doctor about your target cholesterol levels.
These factors put you at greater risk for atherosclerosis:
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
A family history of atherosclerosis or heart disease
An inactive lifestyle
Overweight or obesity
Having more than 1 risk factor can increase your risk even more. You can control most of the above risk factors. The following tips can help prevent atherosclerosis and improve your general health. If you have atherosclerosis, you may be able to stop it from getting worse.
If you smoke, stop. Scientists think that smoking causes atherosclerosis because it damages the artery walls. This makes it easier for plaque to build up. Smoking is even more risky when you have other risk factors like high blood pressure or diabetes. Quit smoking today. If you want help quitting, talk with your doctor. He or she has information on medications and programs to make it easier. Also, avoid places where there is cigarette smoke. Research suggests that smoke from others can increase your risk of atherosclerosis.
Make changes to your diet. A diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol can raise your cholesterol levels. When you have high cholesterol, there may be more plaque to line artery walls and narrow your arteries. The American Heart Association recommends that you reduce the amount of meat, eggs, milk, and other dairy products in your diet. Check food labels to find the amount of saturated fat in a product. Also, avoid large amounts of salt and sugar. Be careful with processed foods like frozen dinners. They can be high in fat, sugar, salt, and cholesterol. Choose lots of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish, and whole grains like oats and whole wheat. Choose unsaturated vegetable oils like canola oil instead of saturated fats like butter.
Exercise regularly. Regular aerobic exercise can help fight atherosclerosis by reducing the amount of fat in your blood, lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol, and controlling your weight. It's never too late to start exercising. Brisk walking, swimming, and bicycling are good choices. It's OK to start slowly and work up to at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week. But before you begin, ask your doctor's advice about what kind of exercise program is right for you.
Get regular checkups. Have your doctor check your blood pressure and cholesterol. High blood pressure can further complicate atherosclerosis by causing artery walls to harden and thicken. This condition is called arteriosclerosis. Talk about your health and your risk factors for atherosclerosis with your doctor.
Control diabetes with your doctor's help. People who have diabetes develop atherosclerosis more quickly. If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar level carefully.
Because symptoms appear only after the damage has been done, do not wait for symptoms to develop before doing something about atherosclerosis. Begin by making the above lifestyle changes even if you feel well.
Together, you and your doctor can decide what steps you need to take to stay healthy.


text:
Ye Olde Mill
Les Rhoades 12/10/2009 6:57:41 AMOriginal image provided #1214624
Datha Y. Thompson 12/10/2009 7:11:34 AMBeautiful/Excellent work Les ;) #8205787
Cathy Barrows 12/10/2009 7:24:23 AMexcellent...love it #8205799
Rolando Rosito 12/10/2009 7:33:09 AMFantastic result Les, great work! #8205817
Dr Silly 12/10/2009 7:33:18 AMLove the out come. :O) #8205819
Robert Jensen 12/10/2009 7:33:26 AMThis is outstanding work Les #8205820
Kathleen Brennan 12/10/2009 7:53:42 AMBeautiful work, Les, and thanks for describing your workflow! #8205860
Erika Haight 12/10/2009 9:33:07 AMthis belongs on my wall!!! SUPERB! #8206101
Kara L. Hendricks 12/10/2009 11:00:04 AMThis is A W E S O M E!!!! #8206171
Joy Rector 12/10/2009 11:20:11 AMamazing #8206214
Bob Cournoyer 12/10/2009 4:20:25 PMHappy Un-Theme Day! A+ as usual... :-) #8206774
Dominick M. Dimacale 12/11/2009 4:33:09 PMThis is beautiful, Les.
Dominick #8209478
Mick Burkey 12/15/2009 9:39:20 AMWonderful image, Les. All your work really paid off. Love the textures. #8217624
Donna La Mattino Pagakis 12/27/2009 10:29:01 AMWonderful image, great technique Les. I love the textures and splash of color! #8249363
Nikki McDonald 1/2/2010 4:11:21 PMLove the composition here and the splash of red in the flowers in the window box. The textures are perfect. This is my favorite of your December entries but I also liked Home for the Holidays (great lines, light, color) and Rio Dis. Anna (Venice is among my dream destinations). Good luck in this month's contest. #8264759
Stefania Barbier 1/18/2010 2:53:08 PMcongratulations on your beautiful finalist! #8306515
Teri Klinger 1/18/2010 3:04:41 PMYAY! so happy to see this one move on - congrats Les! #8306683
Nikki McDonald 1/18/2010 3:22:24 PMSo pleased to see the recognition of this charming image, Les. Congratulations on your finalist and good luck in the next round. #8306875
Daniella Puente 1/18/2010 4:14:42 PMCongratulations! :)) #8307405
Nancyj E. Hovey 1/18/2010 5:46:46 PMC O N G R A T U L A T I O N S
Clyde P. Smith 1/18/2010 6:35:39 PMCongratulations on a wonderful Finalsit Les. #8308784
Jennifer L. Alder 1/18/2010 7:49:09 PMLovely work, Les! Congrats :) #8309366
Sherran Andersen 1/18/2010 9:11:30 PMCongrats. #8309698
Bunny Snow 1/18/2010 9:13:54 PMI'm impressed, Les!
Your hard work came out beautifully and the recognition was well earned for this lovely image.
Congratulations on your finalist and good luck on the next round.
Bojan Bencic 1/18/2010 11:16:44 PMCongratulations on your finalist, Les. #8310040
Usman M. Bajwa 1/19/2010 12:00:23 AMBeautiful treatments and description. CONGRATZ. Les!
Linda Blair 1/19/2010 5:55:58 AMSimply gorgeous..awesome work Les...a well deserved finalist...good luck next round....congratulations!!!!!!!! #8311134
Karen Celella 1/19/2010 6:50:58 AMCongratulations on your wonderful finalist Les. Your hard efforts were worth it! #8311350
Mitch Spence 1/19/2010 9:47:36 AMCongratulations, Les, on your original image, on your excellent post processing work, and on your finalist. #8311929
Claudine Grove 1/19/2010 10:58:24 AMFantastic editing! Congrats! #8312095
Christine Czernin 1/19/2010 1:27:05 PMMany congrats, Les.
Susan Fox 1/19/2010 1:47:10 PMCongratulations Les #8312553
Kathleen Brennan 1/19/2010 1:53:08 PMCongratulations! #8312577
JO ANN CLEVELAND 1/19/2010 3:30:57 PMCongrats on this excellent finalist Les, fannnnn..tastic! Very well deserved..
jo ann c. #8312806
Mark S. Cox 1/19/2010 4:59:57 PMCongrats on a fantastic winner! #8313072
Nikki McDonald 1/19/2010 5:40:19 PMBig time way to go, Les. First time first place, I think. Congratulations! You know I love your work here. #8313286
Donna La Mattino Pagakis 1/19/2010 5:55:50 PMOutstanding Les, I'm very happy to see your FIRST PLACE AWARD!!! WTG~ congratulations! #8313370
William C. Raco 1/19/2010 5:57:48 PMExcellent work, Les
Mary Beth Aiello 1/19/2010 6:19:39 PMLes -- I loved this from the first moment I saw it. Truly outstanding. Huge congrats on this wonderful First Place Gold. #8313495
Janice Mezzacappa 1/19/2010 6:53:55 PMHuge Congrats Les on your Gold!! #8313699
Clyde P. Smith 1/19/2010 7:27:02 PMCongratulations Les! #8313854
Erica Murphy 1/19/2010 8:07:45 PMCongratulations on your fantastic winner Les! #8313932
Evy Johansen 1/19/2010 8:19:24 PMBig congratulations on your win, Les!! #8313967
Bunny Snow 1/19/2010 9:12:24 PMYour finalist has had a major upgrade --a first place win. Now, that is impressive, as is your work. WOW!
Apparently the judges were as impressed as the rest of us.
Myriad congratulations are in order for your win, Les!!!!! #8314087
Usman M. Bajwa 1/19/2010 9:56:39 PMMany Congratz. on your First Place Winner image, Les. WTG!
Jennifer L. Alder 1/19/2010 10:00:11 PMCongrats on your artistic win, Les! #8314158
Rona L. Schwarz 1/19/2010 10:10:24 PMCongratulations on your First Place Winner, Les! This is a fantastic image, very creative and artistic. I am in awe of your technical expertise. #8314193
Bojan Bencic 1/19/2010 10:33:08 PMCongratulations on your win, Les. #8314266
Nancyj E. Hovey 1/19/2010 10:53:58 PMC O N G R A T U L A T I O N S
Stefania Barbier 1/19/2010 11:46:38 PMhuge congrats on your win!!!! #8314465
Renee Doyle 1/20/2010 12:00:23 AMHuge congrats on this awesome win Les!!!
Leland N. Saunders 1/20/2010 3:06:09 AMMarvelous work, Les ... well deserved win !!
Lee #8314766
Katarina Mansson 1/20/2010 3:31:42 AMCongratulations Les! #8314827
Karen Celella 1/20/2010 4:39:02 AMCongratulations on your impressive first place winning image Les. #8315038
Anne M. Young 1/20/2010 4:42:34 AMcongratulations...makes all that hard work worthwhile.... #8315050
Christopher Budny 1/20/2010 6:01:38 AMTerrific DD work; congratulations on the win, and thanks for sharing the steps! #8315314
AMALIA Veralli 1/20/2010 6:18:32 AMCONGRATULATIONS! I appreciate the time you took to explain your process to us. Thanks! #8315372
Linda Blair 1/20/2010 6:56:49 AMCongraulations on your awesome winner!!!!!!!!!! #8315476
Cathy Barrows 1/20/2010 7:06:18 AMCongrats on your 1st place win...loved it from the beginning #8315492
Cathy Barrows 1/20/2010 7:24:47 AMCongratulations on your 1st Place Gold Award Les. A very well deserving Photo.
Brian #8315570
Connie L. Carpenter 1/20/2010 7:25:40 AMbeautiful, congratulations #8315572
Julianne Bradford 1/20/2010 7:28:44 AMEffective, beautiful well deserved award winning DD work of art Les!! Congratulations! #8315578
Debra R. Harder 1/20/2010 8:53:23 AMThis is brilliant post-processing work, Les!! LOVE THIS!! Huge congratulations on your SUPERB GOLD WINNER...and thanks for sharing your technique. Deb #8315784
Philippe Vieux-Jeanton 1/20/2010 10:29:52 AMGreat work, Lee! Congratulations on your first place Winner!! #8315954
Claudine Grove 1/20/2010 10:33:23 AMCongrats on winning Gold! #8315965
Kara L. Hendricks 1/20/2010 11:38:51 AMI know how much this 1st Place means to you Les... And let me tell ya.. It's a long time comin' for you... You SOOO deserve this one.. I am thrilled it happened on a special shot... Makes it that much sweeter!!
CONGRATS my friend!!!! #8316097
Jean E. Hildebrant 1/20/2010 12:08:40 PMHow wonderful to see this wearing a first place badge, Les! Great big CONGRAT'S to you!!! #8316162
Cyndy Doty 1/20/2010 1:25:22 PMLovely texture and atmosphere. Congrats on a well deserved 1st Place Win! #8316357
Susan Fox 1/20/2010 3:51:58 PMThis was a long time coming and so fully deserved! A huge congrats on your wonderful FIRST place win!!!!!!!!!!!!! You should have 100s of first place wins by now. You would if I were a judge :-) #8316745
Dianna Murphy 1/20/2010 4:22:41 PMA big warm hearted congratulations to you on your fantastic winner!!! I wish you continued success in the future.
Dominick M. Dimacale 1/20/2010 4:23:47 PMCongratulations Les on your Wonderful Winner!!!
Dominick #8316875
JO ANN CLEVELAND 1/20/2010 4:38:25 PMOhhh Les, so glad this was a 1st Place Winner and very well deserved!
jo ann c. #8316949
Claudia Kuhn 1/20/2010 4:44:11 PMCongratulations on your first place winner Les! #8316977
Monika Sapek 1/20/2010 5:49:47 PMMany congratulations on your First Place Win, Les!
Michael Umbreit 1/20/2010 5:52:44 PMLes - Congratulations!! - Mike #8317229
Amanda Cass 1/20/2010 7:06:08 PMcongrats Les love the textures and lighting #8317417
Erika Haight 1/20/2010 8:47:36 PMLoved it from the get go Rhoades! Congrats! #8317625
Susan M. Hembree 1/21/2010 8:08:45 AMJust beautiful, Les. A big CONGRATULATIONS on the very well deserved 1st place winner! #8318805
Tess L. Yee 1/21/2010 12:14:37 PMSuperb image, Les! Wonderful color and texture, fabulous post-processing, and awesome details...congratulations on this stunning winner! #8319289
Mick Burkey 1/22/2010 5:55:25 PMWonderful treatment and composition, Les. Congrats on your win. #8322534
Kelly S. Cavanaugh 1/23/2010 5:49:24 PMCongratulations on your wonderful win, Les! #8324835
Paula Showen 1/25/2010 9:14:08 PMBeautiful, Les! Congratulations! #8330380
isabel C. Zepeda 1/28/2010 3:13:27 PMLes
Chuck Bruton 2/17/2010 6:56:51 AMGreat work, congratulations ! #8389019
Dianna Murphy 2/18/2010 9:23:37 AMYou are very creative and talented Les. Congratulations on your DD feature. #8392021
Lindley Johnson 2/21/2010 6:05:18 AMA belated congratulations on your wonderful first place win, Les, and on the DD feature. Thanks for sharing the techniques you used to achieve this beautiful result! #8403429
Daniella Puente 3/23/2016 8:09:07 AMGreat photo Les #11450508
isabel C. Zepeda 3/23/2016 1:20:49 PMLes
The result here started with one original photograph with applied post processing techniques & textures.
1. The original base image was converted to B&W with NIK Silver Efex Pro and layered on top.
2. The flowers were erased back to reveal the original color.
3. A texture layer was added and mode set to overlay at 75% opacity with some areas erased back
4. The same texture layer was again added with mode set to normal 100% opacity with some areas erased back.
5. The several layers were merged and tweaked for effect with NIK Viveza plugin
6. A duplicate of the NIK Viveza layer was created with adjustments made to color saturation (mode color)
7. Final little tweaks added with separate Curves layer and separate contrast layer added.
8. The final image again merged and sharpened with NIK Sharpener Pro ( resized to 750x500 for BP)
Category: DD
Uploaded on 12/10/2009 6:42:03 AM
Camera: Canon EOS 50D Digital SLR Camera
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Les Rhoades. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Contact photographer via gallery.
Log in to follow or message this photographer or report this photo.


text:
Native American Inspired Motorcycle Figurine Collection
Precision-cast artist's resin, chrome-plated metal. V-twin engine, turquoise accents, sculpted, free-hanging feathers, fringe. Robin Koni's portraits.
Measure 8-1/2" L
- Price:
- s&s◇
There's no escape quite like the open road. Now you can celebrate the wanderer in you with this Native American-inspired chopper figurine collection, beginning with Issue One, Dream Down the Highway . Soon your collection will continue with Issue Two, Thundering Spirits, Issue Three, Mystic Cruiser and additional Native American inspired collectible chopper figurines, each a separate issue to follow.
Available from The Bradford Exchange, each fantasy chopper in this collection is handcrafted of precision-cast artist's resin and gleams with chrome-plated metal details, hand-painted turquoise accents, sculpted, free-hanging feathers, fringe and the look of leather strapping. Each issue includes a massive V-twin engine and showcases esteemed artist Robin Koni's striking maiden portraits. Strong demand is expected. Order now!
- Escape Native American style with this striking chopper figurine collection, available only from The Bradford Exchange
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I recently ran into this problem where videos played on Youtube would freeze when I switched to fullscreen. They played fine if I used Totem to open the flash video file. Finally I have found the solution.
Just right click on the video (configure flash) go to settings and then click on local storage and drag it to unlimited and that's it! full screen works perfectly.
Thanks to Ubuntu Forums :)
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
[Solved] Youtube Fullscreen Not Working in Ubuntu 10.10
6 comments:
No help. If I set hardware acceleration off, I get the first frame of the image stuck. Sound plays but I cannot close this full-screen without rebooting the machine. If I turn it on, then I see a white screen flash and nothing plays..ReplyDelete
That didn't work for me in Chrome either. It goes full screen and just stops.ReplyDelete
Worked for me ... Thanks!ReplyDelete
worked for me also.. cheersReplyDelete
Thanks! I was looking a solution for that during a long time !ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 16, 2011 at 2:54 AM
Thanks for your blog information.....ReplyDelete
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Stars including Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Aniston, Naomi Watts and Michelle Pfeiffer were among the honourees at Elle magazine's annual Women in Hollywood awards on Monday night.
The glitzy ceremony, which pays tribute to Hollywood's most famous female faces, took place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, California and other stars to be saluted included Freida Pinto and Evan Rachel Wood.
Rising actress Elizabeth Olsen, sister of former child stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, was handed the Calvin Klein Collection Emerging Star Award, while the most prestigious prize of the night, the L'Oreal Paris Legend Award, was handed to Hollywood veteran Streisand.
Elle editor-in-chief Robbie Myers says in a statement, "As has long been our tradition, this year we honor an extraordinary group of women who continue to redefine what is possible in Hollywood."


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Where to Drink Hot Chocolate in NYC
Eight cafes for savoring the sweetest part of winter: generous mugs of rich, melted chocolate infused with vanilla, cinnamon, even chipotle.
Chocolate Bar may bill itself as a "candy store for grown-ups," but the easygoing West Village café also sees its share of kids and dogs. Big windows, decorated with seasonal crafts and logo-emblazoned T-shirts, are perfect for people-watching—and sipping generous mugs of thick yet very drinkable hot chocolate. Chocolate Bar uses ground bittersweet chocolate chips and offers several varieties, such as caramel, raspberry, and peppermint. 19 8th Ave., 212/366-1541, from $4. Photos1 of 3
While best known for its expert brewing and gourmet coffee beans, Joe The Art of Coffee also prepares a memorable hot cocoa. Mugs topped with a swirling heart or leaf design are reminiscent of chocolaty cappuccinos. What it lacks in size, Joe makes up for with warmth and comfort. Worn wooden floors absorb the shouts of baristas and the roar of espresso machines, and chatty regulars cram around bright yellow tables at the West Village location, one of five. 141 Waverly Place, 212/924-6750, 9 E. 13th St., 405 W. 23rd St., 44 Grand Central Terminal in the Graybar passage, 514 Columbus Ave., from $3. Photos1 of 3
Chocolatier Katrina Markoff's international travels inspire unusual flavor combinations. The current selection at Vosges Haut-Chocolat encompasses white chocolate infused with Australian lemon myrtle and lavender, and the Parisienne Couture Cocoa, a lusty mix of dark chocolate and Madagascar vanilla bean. The hot chocolate arrives in tall, slender glasses and is available at two locations: a block from the Metropolitan Museum of Art on tony Madison Avenue, and in Soho. 1100 Madison Ave., 212/717-2929, 132 Spring St., 212-625-2929, from $5. Photos1 of 3
Whimsicality rules at Max Brenner, from the cartoonish murals of jolly children to the egg-shaped Hug Mugs brimming with hot chocolate. It tastes surprisingly light, frothy, and pleasantly sweet. Dark and white hot chocolate, and flavors like toffee and Mexican Spicy are on the menu, alongside gooey chocolaty desserts. The large bi-level space draws crowds of Union Square shoppers and tourists and stays open late—till midnight on weeknights, 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 p.m. on Sundays. 841 Broadway, 212/388-0030, from $5.25.Photos1 of 3
The celebrity name doesn't hurt, but Jacques Torres Chocolate's mildly spicy Wicked hot chocolate, prepared with frothed milk and served with whipped cream, is what brings customers back. The on-site factory, visible through windows in the Tribeca store, also churns out a tempting array of pastries and chocolates. Children seem especially taken with the setting: Oversize stuffed star pillows and kid-size tables and chairs are arranged below hulking chandeliers. 350 Hudson St., 212/414-2462, 285 Amsterdam Ave., 66 Water St. in Brooklyn, from $3.25. Photos1 of 3
At City Bakery, a bustling two-level café north of Union Square, baker and chocolatier Maury Rubin has been dreaming up new flavors annually since 1990. Nearly pudding-thick, the hot chocolate is ladled from a steaming cauldron and poured into bowl-size cups. Say yes to a homemade marshmallow, a fluffy pillow that melts slowly, and watch the hungry crowds squeeze into booths to nosh on freshly baked pastries and plates of gourmet salads. 3 W. 18th St., 212/366-1414, from $4.50. Photos1 of 3
Inside MarieBelle's Cacao Bar and Tea Salon, gilded mirrors reflect silver platters of pastries and white porcelain cups and saucers, and silent films are projected on a wall. Settle in with a cup of the trademark Aztec Hot Chocolate, made with Colombian cacao beans. Aztec Spicy, one of many creative variations, is creamy and teeming with cinnamon, chipotle, ancho chile, and nutmeg. Order yours American style (with milk) or European style (with water). 484 Broome St., 212/884-9707, from $6. Photos1 of 3
Chef Tom Colicchio's 'Wichcraftcafes are refreshingly simple, with menus emphasizing high-quality ingredients and careful preparation. Inside the two-floor Midtown location, laid-back baristas greet morning regulars by name and fill mugs of coffee and strikingly flavorful hot chocolate—a rich, dark cocoa taste lingers on the lips. Despite the industrial-chic decor, 'Wichcraft makes a great place to warm up after skating at The Pond at Bryant Park or browsing its holiday market. 555 5th Ave., 212/780-0577, 11 E. 20th St., 269 11th Ave., 397 Greenwich St., 568 Broadway, 60 E. 8th St., 1 Park Ave., 11 W. 40th St., 245 Park Ave., 1 Rockefeller Plaza, Broadway at 32nd and 35th Sts., from $3.50. Photos1 of 3


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Tiger Woods just got a dropped call from AT&T -- as in, "Hello, Tiger? You've been dropped."
AT&T did not explain why they're ending the sponsorship with Tiger.
The news comes in the wake of a study, which shows Tiger's sponsors took a serious financial hit after news of his infidelity became public.
Tiger had already lost a deal with Accenture.
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Advanced Search
Science, Technology, Engineering & Math | News
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) has released the details of next year's Real World Design Challenge scenario.
Open to students in grades 9-12, this year's scenario asks participants to focus "on the design and implementation of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to increase food production for the world's growing population through precision agriculture," according to a news release.
"Embry-Riddle Worldwide is honored to be involved with the Real World Design Challenge on several levels this year," said Embry-Riddle Worldwide Chancellor John R. Watret, in a prepared statement. "Our faculty has done an excellent job in developing a scenario that will promote critical thinking and problem solving in an interactive and experiential setting."
To assist with the free challenge, teachers will be provided with $1 million in engineering software, as well as training, access to mentors, and curriculum materials. Team solutions will be judged at the state level in the next few months, and a winning design will be selected at the national finals in November 2014. Members of the winning team will each receive a $50,000 scholarship to attend classes at any of ERAU's three campuses.
"Our leadership recognized this as a tremendous opportunity to contribute to the furthering of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and create a highly relevant and valuable experience for future college students, engineers, and system developers," said Brent Terwilliger, ERAU assistant professor of aeronautics and UAS discipline chair, in a prepared statement. "The support from my colleagues and leadership for this project has been exceptional and truly representative of the dedication and knowledge that is associated with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide."
Go to ptc.com to sign up for the challenge or to see a list of resources for the competition. More information about the Real World Design Challenge is available at realworlddesignchallenge.org.
About the Author
Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Thursday, June 25, 2009
Get Nicked In Old Lahndahn Taaahhn!
Where've I been, I sense you asking? Ask your collective mums. However, I will tell thee THIS: I have been dividing my time between knocking out a short story for the upcoming Transformers: All Hail Megatron #15, - due out in this li'l Christian's spawnmonth, September - visiting Amerika and being embroiled in a mass love-in at BotCon with the cream of IDW's output, and languishing around the walls of Derry at an ace grassroots Comics festival, full of passion, pride and creativity, until I arrived reeking of opportunism and mercenary values.
Should I have told you all about these little jaunts earlier? Maybe even before they happened, ensuring maximum attendance? Of course I should. But if you lot didn't love the shuddering vinegar strokes of crashing disappoint that is my trademark, you wouldn't be here.
So the AHM piece is done and dusted, and its turdlike qualities are being polished by the colourist on Spotlight: Hardhead, Kris Carter. (Not really a spoiler but more bragging rights: there's a page in this story that features Optimus Prime, Ratchet, Prowl, Jazz, Hound, Hot Rod, Springer, Grimlock, Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, Scorponok, Thunderwing, and Bludgeon. Oh, and Kup. If my friends could see me now!) I'm muy muy nervous about the little tale, as it will delineate clearly whether or not my self-scripted Spotlight: Kup was a massive fluke. Though IDW seem to err toward me having a dew-drop of potential, as it's been leaked that I'm to write and draw an entire mini-series featuring an as-yet undisclosed slesction of transforming robots. People seem keen so far on the idea, but the pressure to not suck shit through the oesophagus of a recently-deceased hamster is upon me.
BotCon was immense. Too many high points to mention, but being Touched by Stan, smiled at in a minor chord by Vince D, charmed by Gregg Berger (Who said "Me Grimlock Pissed Off!" in THAT voice!) impressed at the normal-sized chin of Gerrick Jenius Wyatt, and given a Cribs-style trip to the home of David Kaye (Voice of Optimus Prime and Megatron, depending on his mood) were pretty priceless. But it was hanging with IDW brass - like my editors Denton Tipton, Andy Schmidt and superstar clunge-summoner Chris Ryall, fellow wrobot writers Mike Costa and Chris Mowry (and his diligent carer, Erin) - and the phalanx of freakishly talented feckers like Josh Burcham, Casey Coller, Andrew Griffith, Shawn Knowler, Joana Lafuente, Marcelo Matere (who hung out with GUILLERMO DEL EFFING TORO at the 'Con, but thought it was Robert Rodriguez!)Robby Musso Evil Jenius Su and Josh Van Reyk (not to mention new BFFs Matt, Alejandro and Martin) which made the trip so totally Drift.
I also took the time while all the way over on the West Coast to pop down and see where all my seven-figure cheques are written down at IDW HQ. And did a dirty protest on Ryall's Mac. Good times!
Thirty Six hours after flying back from the States, I had to head on to Derry for the 2D festival. I went as a vital component of the Travelling Wilburys of the Irish comic scene, The Eclectic Micks. (Seriously peeps, check out eclecticmicks.blogspot.com, but only on Sundays. It's proof that I'm still alive.)Mick Mooney, Mick Shalvey and Mick Sliner came with, and we had a splendid time, sketching for nippers and nerds alike for five hours straight. David Campbell, the show's organiser, should be all proud of himself and stuff, innit. There was actual talent on display there too, including comics legends Bryan Talbot (wotta gent!), David Lloyd, D'Israeli and Glenn Fabry, as well as some of my childhood icons Mike Collins, Will Simpson and Liam Sharp. (Liam signed a very tender dedication to me in the front page of his debut novel, God Killers. Which leads me to believe that he wasn't absolutely smashed last November when I gave him a little kiss on the neck.) There was also some fresh talent on the turn in Derry; I was sat next to a little guy called Simeon Freeman, I think.
The scamp likes writing about robots too and was shilling a very professional-looking book called Rad Robots, which I think he made without his mum helping him. Either way, I signed a coupla things for him, and obliged when he asked me to draw some stuff for him. (Cheeky bugger asked me to draw 5 issues of a story he's cobbled together about robot dinosaurs. I said I'll do 4, and he accepted it manfully.)
Which leads me to the now; the present, that what-is rather than the whatnots. People, I bid thee to get to London town and behold an exhibit of my drawings. I'm sharing wallspace with The Boo and Jon Davis Hunt - two very different but very talented TF artists - in Orbital Comics and Collectibles on Great Newport Street as of last Friday and until the 19th of July. (Check the flyer posted hereabouts and orbitalcomics.com) I've got about fifteen pieces up, so head along and check it out. However, this Saturday, June 27th, I'll be joining Boo, Jon, my colouring chum Liam Shalloo and the Man Without Fur, Simon Furman at a signing from 2pm until 5pm. Hopefully the sun won't keep too many of you away, but please come down and say hi. I'll be flogging some Revelation prints too, so wrap your minds round that.
I thank that's it, really. The Commission situation has reached a bit of a freeze, but hasn't been forgotten, and I should be back on track with tackling them in july sometime. Thank you all SO much for your patience. It's genuinely appreciated.
Get outta here, youse bums!
You've Been Nicked.
11 comments:
- Psychomud said...
Seven figure checks from IDW?!?!?!
Does that include the 2 digits to the right of the dot (.)?
(i.e. $xxxxx.67)
If was fantastic meetin you at Botcon Nick! The work you guys do with the art is simply inspiring!
Keep it up brother!
-Jeff (from South Korea)
- June 25, 2009 at 5:08 AM
- Shaun K said...
So goddamn Drift it wasn't even funny.
Now, are you the bastard that has all them pics of us with Stan Bush?
You'd better email that shit or we're not letting you sit with us next time.
- June 25, 2009 at 6:15 AM
- Nick said...
@Psychomud: I usually include the dollar sign as a figure. People get paid THAT much sometimes?
Lovely to meet you too, Jeff! Everyone was super nice in Pasadena. Worth the trip, huh?
@Shaun K: Get Fuckled, Canuckle.
(Yeah, I owe y'all an email, fer sher...)
- June 25, 2009 at 6:26 AM
- Psychomud said...
@Nick: Ya only get paid that much when you work for the government - overseas. ;-)
It was well worth it. I ABSOLUTELY went primarily to meet you IDW guys. Then again, a chance to flee South Korea when Kim Jong-Crazypants is shout about nukes, was a bonus. ;-)
So, unless I get vaporized, hope to see you and the IDW guys again next summer! ;-)
@Shaun: LOL! ;)
OH PS - Nick - whats this new mini-series yer doing with TF? Come on brother, how bout a hint?
My guess is Beast Wars/Machines.
- June 26, 2009 at 1:53 AM
- Kris said...
I can't believe I missed the London signing! I was stuck for frikkin' ages in traffic on the North Circular. I wouldn't mind, but it took me two hours to drive 140 miles into London, and then three hours to drive about ten miles. Ooooo, the anger, the rage etc etc. See you at AA matey - I may catch the train...
- June 29, 2009 at 8:47 AM
- Caffeinejunkie said...
Ah shite! I passed by Orbital th'other day (after leaving the airconditioned comfort of the Wyndham theatre.) and wondered if I should go in or not because It getting close to "heading back" time. If I'd looked closer I might have seen the flier.
- July 4, 2009 at 2:16 AM
- David said...
I'm looking forward to the Kup story and to the sketches. Looks like Botcon was a blast, wish I could have gone.
- July 4, 2009 at 5:23 AM
- REX-203 said...
Awesome times Nick. May there be countless more in the future!
- July 9, 2009 at 11:58 AM
- Sam. said...
I await the Auto Assembly blog with baited breath:)
- August 20, 2009 at 5:44 PM
- teutonic kaboom said...
Massive props to you Mr Roche.
I think you have the best job in the world!
When's the next Botcon?
- October 28, 2009 at 10:43 AM
- Oilspill said...
Hey Nick,
Check your skeeta email address. You owe me moneys, or a Hardhead print. One of the two you slacker :)
- November 6, 2009 at 10:03 AM


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S k e t c h O f A G i r l
When I look at a pretty woman, my mind plays evil tricks on her. It could imagine her as a harlot in Rome, as a concubine in a Turkish harem, as a siren in a Pre-Raphaelite painting, as a vampire in a porn movie.. maybe even naked ;-) But it has a limitation, stupid it may seem. It cannot picture her as the girl of water. Atleast it never could do that till now. So all the girls out there, heed this warning. Never show yourself up like this !
T h e G i r l O f W a t e r
It was a picture of a lake, done in pencil. The other shore was enveloped in a jungle. Betwixt this was the serene silhoutte of a temple, standing as a lone observer. The water was rippling toward the near shore, faintly graduating from an essay of peace into a whirl of emotion.
Out from the water were stepping out a pair of delicate legs. A dark skirt was floating above the ankles, outlining the contrast with the fair skin. Two pairs of fingers were holding it gingerly at the sides, raising it a little above the knees, keeping it from getting wet. A thin sliver of skin was lit in the middle, only to disappear into the dark folds of the cloth which were waving in the wind.
The cloth abruptly disappeared near the navel - a tiny swirl of darkness engulfed in a slender waist. A dark garment covered the shoulders and the bosom - the former a pair of stalks departing from the latter. The lower arms were adorned with a string of shells, gently hanging into the air.
A stately neck rose from the bosom. Like the light of the moon and adorned with a necklace of pearls. Thick curls were playing with each other and were falling down as a waterfall by the nape. A pair of wild geese were lounging onto the water in the horizon. A pale twilight envelopes the whole scene.
In this melody of shades, however was a void. There was locked an emptiness in between all the locks of hair. There was no face for the girl.
I was nineteen years old, sojourning over a long summer holiday at home. I fetched the carpenter of the village and made me a stand of wood, an easel if you would call it. I was not a skilled painter but I loved the way I spent time in this whole business. I would pierce my eyes into a magazine - faithfully copying each curve of an old man's face onto my drawing chart. Sometimes I would drop down on the bed trying to get the picture right - in front of my eyes, but it always falters. Somewhere inside the brain, my imagination makes that picture dance to strange tunes. It was at that time that I attempted to draw this picture of that girl, the girl that I saw while reading Kalidas.
Kalidas is one of the few whom I cannot talk about. He is one of the few who is blessed with words, and whose words are blessed with music.
It is the opening shloka of the poem Shringaarathilakam. I could not find a copy of this work in the entire web, isn't it one of the curses of modern life ? The day I find this shloka, I will post it here. But now I will just try to murder the emotion and post what I do remember.
Her hair is like a waterweed. Her hands a pair of lotus stalks. Her hips the stepping stones of the bath. .. ... Her navel a swirling eddy. Her bosoms a pair of wild geese. She is like a pool of water, a cure for this heat that is passion.
I do not know what happened to the sketch. It is crumpled. Somewhere forgotten. Somewhere lost. If you have seen this sketch those four years ago, you will remember. I cannot show it for you now.
I know this woman. But do I know her ? Do I know her eyes ? What is her emotion ? What do her lips say ? I know these answers, yet I do not know them. I just could not get myself into completing the picture. The face was left as a void. I told my friends that I did not paint the picture for the fear of spoiling an otherwise lovely image. But the real truth is that I could not get myself into picturing it. Maybe one day I will. Or maybe I never will.


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CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE compute_intensive IS l_level PLS_INTEGER; PROCEDURE body_of_proc IS BEGIN NULL; END; BEGIN SELECT PLSQL_OPTIMIZE_LEVEL into l_level FROM ALL_PLSQL_OBJECT_SETTINGS WHERE NAME = 'COMPUTE_INTENSIVE'; IF l_level < 2 THEN RAISE PROGRAM_ERROR; END IF; body_of_proc; END compute_intensive;Several players raised a concern about this scoring, with one person writing: "Hello, from my point of view today quiz contains a bug. The third choice should use not only NAME but as well OWNER in the WHERE clause [since it was a query against an ALL* view], otherwise it may fail even if the PLSQL optimization level for it is set to 2 (with TOO_MANY_ROWS). For this reason I have not selected it, while I assume it was intended as the "correct" choice." And as another player put it: "To be pedantically correct, shouldn't it either use USER_PLSQL_OBJECT_SETTINGS or include the OWNER in the where clause? There might be an object with the same name in a different schema that current user has access to (and therefore included in the ALL_* view.) (But if such an object existed, I would get a runtime exception of too many rows, so the answer is still 'correct.' Anyway, the general assumptions of course tells me that there probably is NOT another schema with such an object, so I'm not asking for any rescoring - mostly that when you publish the answers you might make a note that when using ALL_* view it's normally prudent to include OWNER in the where clause." Well, to tell you the truth, that last comment pretty much said it all. To summarize: 1. I should have included "OWNER = USER" in the query against the ALL_PLSQL_OBJECT_SETTINGS view. In fact, any query against an ALL* view should include a predicate in the WHERE clause for the owner - unless you really want to analyze rows across all schemas. 2. There is no need to rescore. As the second player explained, the assumption for the quiz is that the only DB objects that exist are those described in the quiz itself (or defined by Oracle with the installation of the database). So the query could only return one row. 3. I will change the choice to reflect this critique (add "OWNER = USER"). To conclude: no change in scores or ranks, but I will strive in the future to either use a USER* view or include an "OWNER=" predicate with an ALL* view. Thanks for pointing this out! Finally, another player had a very different concern: "The wording of today's quiz was really puzzling for a non-english like me. I'm not sure to have understood what was the question. Don't you think there was a simpler way to write the same sentence?" My apologies; I do see what you mean. I need to step embedding sentences within questions, as I do below: "Which of the choices define a program named "COMPUTE_INTENSIVE" in a way that ensures that the program cannot be used (it will either fail to compile or always raise an exception before the local subprogram body_of_proc is executed) unless the PL/SQL compiler optimization level for the program is set to at least 2?" Thanks for reminding me about this. I will continue to try to simplify the language I use in the questions. SF
31 August 2010
Questions regarding 30 August Quiz and ALL_PLSQL_OBJECT_SETTINGS (1366)
4 comments:
- Anonymous31 August, 2010 02:45
Agreed. IMHO I have an excellent grasp of English, both grammar and speling :) - but I found I had to read and re-read that sentence quite a few times in order to parse it correctly.ReplyDelete
The main issue for me was not so much the embedded sentences, but the multiple negatives - "cannot be used...", "it will either *fail* to compile OR *always* raise an exception...", "unless..." - if this question was written in pseudo code it might end up looking like this:
IF code_defines(name=>'COMPUTE_INTENSIVE')
AND (code_fails_to_compile
OR code_always_raises_exception
answer-is-correct := TRUE;
answer-is-correct := FALSE;
(note: I'm not making a serious suggestion to start wording questions in pseudocode like this!)
Topic-wise, however, the question was excellent, very educational.
I second all the comments on here so far :-)ReplyDelete
As an aside I am impressed at Stevens ability to adress so many various topics from all corners of PL/SQL in such a multitude of questions with so relatively few mistakes and ambiguities. When thousands of nerds all over the world are just waiting for the chance to nitpick, it's amazing so few problems there are.
In general when I'm slightly in doubt, I will try to use common sense and assume that Steven has not made a "very clever trap"-answer. I have seen "tricky" answers before, but almost always the "tricky" part have been unambigous. So if I spot ambiguities I tend to assume they were unintended by Steven :-)
An so in the interest of the quiz as a very educational experience, what I like to do (and hope others do as well) is to point out the minor points to Steven so his comments on the answers can add further value to the education of us all.
So even though I do try to compete for points in the quiz, I would not want rescoring for minor ambiguities that often can be resolved by common sense - rescoring is in my opinion reserved for outright mistakes (which of course also can occur from time to time - we are all human :-)
Just a couple of thoughts :-)
How come that the second choice (the one that uses ALL_PLSQL_OBJECT_SETTINGS.PLSQL_OPTIMIZE_LEVEL) is marked correct when the given code obviously doesn't become usable even if you set PLSQL_OPTIMIZE_LEVEL to 2?ReplyDelete
- Anonymous31 August, 2010 14:03
I'm a bit confused by the change to the scoring on this question. The second option cannot compile, therefore it is incorrect - even if the PLSQL_COMPILER_OPTIMIZATION is set to 2, it won't compile, therefore it is not at all usable. Why is it "correct"?ReplyDelete


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Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
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Which team is Joab going to tell us is eliminated with 20 minutes left in the episode?
Who didn't laugh at the famous Cha Cha Chase?
Marina: Damnit Charla, Pick up the cheese already!*Charla tries to pick up the cheese; it falls on top of her.Marina: Charla, get out from under that cheese!oh how fun it would have been...
I think the (lack of) new pics in the opening credits was the biggest disappointment of the season. I generally like most everything TAR, but this? Is the end of an era...NOT a good thing. Some traditions Phil, "The World is Waiting", "A detour is a choice...", and the Intro credits should just NOT be messed with!
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The Supreme Court was asked this week to rule that police never need to obtain a search warrant before drawing blood from a motorist stopped for drunk driving. The court should reject that claim.
In 2010, Tyler G. McNeely was stopped by a Missouri highway patrolman for speeding. After McNeely refused to undergo a breath test, the patrolman drove him to a hospital and, over McNeely's objections, directed a phlebotomist to take a sample of McNeely's blood. The results indicated a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit, but a trial judge and the Missouri Supreme Court held that the evidence was inadmissible because it had been obtained without a warrant.
The state of Missouri, supported by the Obama administration, urged the court to rule that the drawing of blood without a warrant is always constitutional because evidence of alcohol in the blood dissipates as the minutes pass, which means there's no time to wait for a warrant.
Fortunately, both liberal and conservative justices seemed reluctant to grant police a general dispensation from the warrant requirement for a practice as physically intrusive as drawing blood. "So how can it be reasonable to forgo the 4th Amendment in a procedure as intrusive as a needle going into someone's body?" Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked during Wednesday's oral arguments.


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zoopedup needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 291 designs submitted by 84 freelance designers.
We build applications for iOS and Android. Very high tech division inside a huge media organisation. We do a lot of research and development and roll out applications on a monthly basis. Agile development is one of our core strengths. We build news apps, games, utilities, etc. People strive to work in our division. Our entire staff compliment work on OSX - totally Mac'd out.
Very tech savvy audience, Apple users, Android users, publishing companies (that use our technology) like Magazines and Newspapers.
Prize Guaranteed !!
We want a few characteristics in our logo: Slick design, the logo must look good very small and still be readable e.g. on the startup screen of the applications we build, I like the idea of the logo being part of the text e.g. the O of touchlab being the icon (no finger print in design please - cliche) although the logo icon can be separate from the text. No cell phone icon for logo as we do iPad as well and will start to dev for Android tablets as well. Futuristic, Techie, etc
The logo will be on our business cards, entrance to our offices, on the apps we build and on our website.
I like the font here:
Nice example of the icon being part of the logo:
and https://99designs.com/logo-design/store/14137
I like the colour of the logo icon matching colours of logo text:
Colour schemes I like: (u DONT have to stick to these)
Standard stuff:
Do not use any graphics or icons found on the web - we want uniqueness.
Required files:
Print file format - .ai (CMYK)
Web file format - .jpg and layered .psd (RGB)
Please do not use any stock images or clip art in the logo
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.