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**STICKY** Why did we move?!?
When the League of Reason first started it was unclear just how popular it was going to be, so AndromedasWake felt it wouldn't be worth spending any money on until he saw how things went. Well, it's been just over a month since LoR started and we have over 1500 members, over 1100 threads and nearly 15,000 posts with an average of 384.78 posts a day!
As some of you may have noticed we were continually getting problems with the service we were on, what with downtime, errors and slowdowns. It was decided fairly early on that the forum would move, we even attempted to see if Forums-Free.com would give us a copy of the database, but they refused, even if we were willing to pay! They did say they might offer a pay service in future to get the database and files, but considering how long it takes them to do anything beneficial regarding the forums we didn't want to have to wait that long.
Cunningly I wrote a couple of scripts that could extract the user account information from the old forum and add the users onto this one so that there would be less annoyance and confusion, the scripts don't quite capture every little thing (does not include avatars for instance) but it gets most of it. I could have written a script that would extract the forum post information, but that would require far more time than I am able to commit and for various other reasons was not willing to attempt.
Anyway, here are some advantages of the move:
Again if you have any suggestions please post them in the Issues & Suggestions forum
Right now there are no adverts, this is because I am kindly hosting this site for free because I'm nice like that, but if the site does become busy enough I may have to either add an advert or ask for small donations towards to the costs of running the site, we'll see how it goes
And any comments or questions you have about the move, reply to this
"Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he's talking about." - Sam Ewing
|Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:04 pm
ImprobableJoePosts: 6195Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 3:24 pm
Re: **STICKY** Why did we move?!?
Smooth move. Well done!
(I hope this isn't the last positive note you get on this!)
|Sun Apr 05, 2009 3:26 am
AbiPosts: 61Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:33 pm
Re: **STICKY** Why did we move?!?
Glad the site got so much attention, no idea the community was that big.
|Sun Apr 05, 2009 3:53 am
infraredPosts: 48Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 3:58 amLocation: My relative location is none of your business
Re: **STICKY** Why did we move?!?
I see cleaner smilies a better loading time and a warm feeling that now we don't have to have the chat box in front, I like it. Nice job Cosmicspork
|Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:17 am
GegoXARENPosts: 42Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:19 pmLocation: sweden
Re: **STICKY** Why did we move?!?
You should add the "thanks" module, so we can thank you for your hard work...
And am still unable to change my user-name
|Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:16 am
Re: **STICKY** Why did we move?!?
Thanks this is just the start
Gego -
If you want your username changing send me a PM
It is possible to allow users to change their names but it can be abused so for now it's disabled.
"Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he's talking about." - Sam Ewing
|Sun Apr 05, 2009 10:27 am
Re: **STICKY** Why did we move?!?
Well I have to say, "I told you so"
First, kudos on finally making the move to private hosting. With hundreds and going into the thousands of people, no free service is reliable enough to do that kind of traffic justice.
Although, I have to gripe that I was kicking and screaming about this from day one. I knew it was inevitable that maintaining forums such as these means that a free service would not work out, simply because I've been doing this too long. While I'm at it a couple of things;
1. You shouldn't need to put up adverts to support the site, provided you're just running forums. I have a couple of domains and unlimited bandwidth, unlimited storage, unlimited SQL databases, unlimited subdomains, mailboxes, etc costs me $37/year and that's with lifetime registration. I can even saturate a 20mb down stream from the server. Now truth be told there is no such thing as unlimited bandwidth because if you use enough, even the "unlimited" services will raise issue or cut you off. However, you'll never even come anywhere close to that running a forum. As a matter of fact the host would consider what a fantastic client you are for having an unlimited plan but only running forums with a few thousand people on it.
2. Again, myself included, people have offered to contribute or provide hosting, so I don't see the need for any adverts to support the site. If you need adverts, then please hit the community up first and I'm sure many of us will contribute so that doesn't have to be done.
3. I haven't been around lately (not saying anyone particularly misses me), because so much of the content I was involved with is lost. I think it's pretty cool that you wrote scripts to salvage a lot of the information (and completely deplorable that the free service wouldn't/couldn't even give you the database files), but still a LOT was lost. This could have been avoided. If you're going to have a suggestion section, then it might be worthwhile at times to follow those suggestions.
In any case, what's done is done. Thanks for LoR, and here's to hoping for a great recovery...
|Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:06 am
Re: **STICKY** Why did we move?!?
You're right there were a lot of offers of hosting etc, myself included. I'm not sure why AW chose to approach me about it, probably because I seem to have no life and am online all the time But I was willing and able and am glad to be part of it.
I guess AW wanted to see how it would go before committing too much to LoR, and as the service at Forums-Free became worse and worse it forced him to make a decision.
It is unfortunate that the content couldn't be moved, at least not by me, the scripts I wrote to get the user data were a lot easier than it would be to get all the other data, and I just don't have the time to write something that complicated when I could be spending my time making improvements.
We won't just be running a forum in the long run. The reason that their would possibly be a need for advertising (and I'm only talking about a single banner at the bottom of the page just to help with costs) is that we aren't on a cheap shared hosting package which impose far too many restrictions.
For instance, you would be hard pressed to find a shared host that would allow the AJAX chat, I know that an alternative solution could be found that would be hosted externally but again that would restrict things. This hosting isn't just for LoR I might add, it also has my own stuff on it and a few sites I have done for freelance work.
We would like to avoid putting up adverts as much as possible, we also wanted to avoid having donations but it has become apparent from discussed plans that it might be necessary in order to facilitate expansion and improvements. For instance, a move to a better forum software like vBulletin, which although we have been offered licenses for, is not free to keep up to date.
Obviously the expenditure doesn't even get anywhere near VenomfangX's site for instance, so donations/income would only need to be small and infrequent.
I wouldn't say the content is 'lost', it's still accessible and can be continued on this forum, I understand that it is inconvenient but if a topic is that interesting and demands that much attention there is no reason why it can't be continued. Unfortunately, short of spending a lot of time on a script to scrape the thread and post data from the old forum, this was the best solution we could come up with.
I have to admit I am already impressed with activity so far and hope to see it improve further once a more improvements, features and content is added.
I am currently about 1/4 of the way through implementing the new style I've designed and I hope everyone will find it satisfactory when I've completed it. Obviously I'll need peoples feedback to ensure that I haven't missed anything which is quite easy to do when styling something with so may bits
Sorry for the essay I just want to make sure that you and everyone else understands that there are reasons for all of this
"Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he's talking about." - Sam Ewing
|Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:20 am
Re: **STICKY** Why did we move?!?
Thanks for the response. I don't have much to add except in regard to this;
cosmicspork wrote:"We won't just be running a forum in the long run. The reason that their would possibly be a need for advertising (and I'm only talking about a single banner at the bottom of the page just to help with costs) is that we aren't on a cheap shared hosting package which impose far too many restrictions.
It's easy to find, if you know where to look. Use adult hosting services that porn sites do; they allow pretty much anything including chat apps and cost little more than your run of the mill service.
|Thu Apr 09, 2009 3:46 pm
Re: **STICKY** Why did we move?!?
Yes I agree that hosting like that would allow all sorts of stuff, but then you run the risk of being stuck on the same IP address as a hardcore porn site that is possibly blocked by various ISP's, network admins or net nanny type software. Not to mention potential affiliation with such sites which could be damaging in one way or another. I'm sure there are other factors that would make it unfavourable
"Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he's talking about." - Sam Ewing
|Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:13 pm
Re: **STICKY** Why did we move?!?
Dedicated IP but it's seems that no matter what solutions I offer, that there is going to be a way found where advertisements are "necessary" to support the site.
With adult hosting neither your visitors nor anyone but you would likely know the arrangement. Even Host Gator offers adult hosting services. The difference is in the terms of service. You wouldn't need them anyway, run of the mill public hosting would work for this site.
All of the advantages mentioned for moving that you named,
cosmicspork wrote: * We now have a lot more control over the forums and the server it is hosted on.
...are not an issue and easy as cake with simple hosting packages that can be had for $30-$50/year. Hell I'll even buy that for you guys.
Citing technical issues as the reason for the move;
cosmicspork wrote:we were continually getting problems with the service we were on, what with downtime, errors and slowdowns.
is corrected with cheap, unlimited hosting. It doesn't take a dedicated server to correct those issues. What I'm getting is that the type of hosting I'm suggesting doesn't have the features needed for the site, when at first the site was hosting on a freebie network and the reason for the move was due to technical issues. I guess I don't understand how free hosting minus technical problems would suffice whereas cheap hosting minus technical problems would not.
But my point is there is no reason whatsoever that a site like this needs adverts to be supported, and if it did, the adverts wouldn't support it. That is unless you want something crazy like a dedicated server to run cosmicspork.com, jesphoto.co.uk, or the 5 other sites on this server then yeah, "other factors" indeed.
|Fri Apr 10, 2009 3:56 pm
somtwoPosts: 20Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:13 pm
Re: **STICKY** Why did we move?!?
Honestly, why not start a paypal account for donations right now? I see no reason why this site could/should not start accepting donations right now--even if those donations were only to benefit a future site. I for one would donate money to continue the site, just set up a donation page. If the site already has one please supply a link as I have not found it and I would like to donate to it.
Anyway, I love the site, please keep up the good work guys!!!
|Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:11 am
Re: **STICKY** Why did we move?!?
We would like to, but there are some things that need sorting out first. The last thing we need is some bastard getting us into trouble because we haven't got all the legalities covered. Unfortunately, most of the LoR team have been very busy lately with other commitments (like work ), but we will get round to it
"Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he's talking about." - Sam Ewing
|Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:44 am


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Richard Dawson, the British actor who went from comedy co-star in the popular TV series "Hogan's Heroes" to his best-known role as the charming host of the TV game show "Family Feud" with his trademark of kissing the female contestants on the lips, has died. He was 79.
Dawson died Saturday at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center from complications related to esophageal cancer. The actor, who had been living in Beverly Hills, was diagnosed with the disease about three weeks ago, said his son Gary.
"The way he was on the game show was the way he was in real life," Gary Dawson said Sunday. "He was always rooting for people — he not only wanted people to win, but to have a comfortable, great experience."
topped with a Cockney accent were evident in his early films in the 1960s such as "King Rat," "Munster Go Home" and "The Devil's Brigade," while his quick wit distinguished him both as a game show contestant in the 1970s on "Match Game" and "I've Got A Secret," and as a performer on "The New Dick Van Dyke Show" and "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In," where he was a regular cast member for two years.
The actor gained much of his popularity with American audiences from "Hogan's Heroes," the CBS series about a World War II prisoner-of-war camp that ran from 1965 to 1971. Dawson played Cpl. Peter Newkirk, an expert safecracker who was also adept at picking pockets.
The series was a big hit. "'Hogan's Heroes' lasted longer than the war," Dawson said in a
But it was as the original host of "Family Feud," the game show that pits two families against each other in a trivia quiz, that Dawson made his biggest impression. Displaying a smooth and upbeat demeanor, Dawson hosted the ABC daytime version and the first syndicated version from 1976 to 1985. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for his performance in 1978.
Dawson's key gimmick on "Family Feud" was something that had never been done by a game show host, and is seldom seen today — he kissed all the women players on the lips.
His son said the tradition started almost by accident; "There was a girl on the show who was very nervous, and my dad was trying to calm her down. So he said he would give her a kiss for luck, and he did. Then when he went to the next female player, she said, "Well, don't I get a kiss?' That's how it started and it just became this thing."
The kissing also sparked complaints from viewers who said that Dawson was getting a bit too familiar. He finally asked viewers to write in and tell him whether he should discontinue the kissing. "The mail flowed in, and it was overwhelmingly positive that he keep kissing the women," said Gary Dawson.
Dawson later parodied his game-show image in "The Running Man," a 1987 action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger about a game show in which contestants are forced to fight for their lives. Dawson played Damon Killian, the show's Machiavellian host and creator, and rewrote almost all of his lines in the script.
Wrote film critic Michael Wilmington in a
: "Dawson makes … a great, howling caricature of vanity and duplicity — and he dominates both show and movie, unctuously strutting, preening, smirking and roaring at the TV studio crowd."
Dawson was born Nov. 20, 1932, in Gosport, England, and joined the merchant marine as a teenager. He began his career as a standup comic in London clubs.
He is survived by his wife, Gretchen, whom he met when she was a contestant on "Family Feud"; their daughter, Shannon; his sons Mark and Gary from his first marriage to actress Diana Dors that ended in divorce; and four grandchildren.

subset: commoncrawl


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This is a deceptively simple cake to make and tastes of luxury. The ganache topping tastes like the richest, most delicious truffle and works so well with the soft, crumbly Madeira-like sponge.
I made one tweak in that I turned the sponge into a vanilla one rather than Mary's lemon version. This was an act of selfishness on my part!
The sponge was so good I will use it for other cakes – I think it would take sultanas well, or be nice topped with cream and fruit in the summer.
The origin of Tunis cake seems uncertain. It was mass produced by McVities in the 1970s but it is thought the recipe dates back to Edwardian times. However, the reason for the name perhaps dates back a lot further to the days of Carthage's wars with the Roman Empire. After a victory the Tunis warriors would celebrate with cake and wine, which is why Tunis cake is made for celebrations. I think a victorious warrior would be very pleased with a slice of this cake named after him!
225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used this instead of the recommended grated zest of 1 lemon)
225g self raising flour
70g ground almonds
300ml double cream
400g chocolate – I used half dark, half milk – broken into squares


text:
Dimensions of the socket
Dimensions of the used terminals (C2)
This socket allows a quick and reliable replacement of the mounted components in the case of
service or damage. Moreover, these can be inserted after the production of the respective pcb,
which avoids defects during manufacture, e.g. by too high soldering temperatures.


text:
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November 2008
6 November 2008
Mighty Me Mighty Us – McDonald's are partnering with Australia Zoo to make a difference
Making a difference to wildlife and conservation is tastier than ever this month with the new Endangered Species Happy Meal program thanks to Australia Zoo and McDonald's!
McDonald's has joined forces with Australia Zoo for the Endangered Animals Happy Meal program as a way to generate awareness and educate children about local and international endangered animals.
You will have stacks of fun collecting ten gorgeous endangered animal toys. The entire collection includes a very cute Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby, Bengal Tiger, African Elephant, Polar Bear, Blue Whale, Giant Panda, Bilby, Snubfin Dolphin, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo and a Leatherback Turtle. Each of these gorgeous animals has become endangered and we need your help to save them!
For every Happy Meal that is purchased, McDonald's will donate 10 cents to Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors. Wooo-hoo!
Drop into McDonald's to see how you and your family could make a difference by purchasing an Endangered Animals Happy Meal this month!
Promotion begins November 13, 2008. http://www.happymeal.com.au
0 Zoo Comments


text:
$35.95 to $359.95
Bug Check promotes & maintains healthy skin & coat from the inside out. An oral, chemical-free feed-thru fly control supplement for horses, cattle, sheep & goats. Read More
This product is currently unavailable for purchase.
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If you have been disappointed with Garlic, you will love this! Bug Check is an oral chemical-free feed supplement to reduce fly problems and enhance the coat.
Bug Check Features & Benefits:
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- great for horses, cattle, sheep & goats
- maintenance amount is 1/2 scoop daily
- Brand: Natural Horse Vet
- Type: Insect
- Form: Feed-Thru
- Month Supply: (2 Month Supply),(10 Month Supply),(30 Month Supply)
- Size: 2 lb, 10 lb, 30 lb
Reviews (6)
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I purchased the smallest size of this product to see if it really worked - and it does! I have used it successfully on my 2 rams and 3 draft horses with great results. At first my horses were leary of it in their oats, but now they can't wait for it every day! Will purchase the bigger size to feed to my ewes as well.
"Less bugs "
We don't feed this to all of the 18 horses on the place, but the ones who get it (ones that have sensitivities to bug bites) have fewer bugs annoying them than the other horses. One horse who refused to eat garlic, loves the Bug Check. Some were suspicious at first but grew to like it.
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Both of my horses ate it and they are picky eaters!!! Works great!!! Less flies : )
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I have been using this product for about 3 months now and the results are great. It takes about 2 weeks the see results. the difference in the amount of bugs at my property compared to my friends that lives about 1/4 mile away is amazing. I have a horse with very sensitive skin and since I have been using this product he is fine this summer with minimal bites. I live in Florida so there is nothing that will get all those pest but this is a great product.. Gives a shiny coat as well
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My horses would not eat their food when this was added! I don't know if it works because it totally turned my horses off!
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text:
DORSET SEPTIC TANK HELP PAGE - Domestic & Commercial
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MTM Merchants Click Here for Septic Tank Supply " New Polylok Filter System "


text:
Joan Rivers Takes on Costco in Best Protest Ever
No one can take down Joan Rivers, not even big time American conglomerate Costco. Recently, the company refused to sell the 79-year-old comedienne's book. So what did she do? Naturally, she stuck it to them!
The refusal to sell her newest New York Times best seller 'I Hate Everyone…Starting With Me' obviously struck a chord. Therefore, being the acerbic woman we've grown to love, she opted to head over to the Costco in Burbank, CA, with copies of her book. Once there she signed and took pictures and played the part of the social butterfly beautifully.
In the report by ABC7, Joan said, 'This is very frightening and is truly about the First Amendment. This is America and I don't want to see censorship."
Perhaps the reason for not selling the book — Joan believes — is because of the humorous and fictional quotes on the back, which contain profanity from the likes of Marie Antoinette and Wilt Chamberlain.
Rivers joked, "This is a store that sells 300 rolls of toilet paper…and I say any costumer that buys 300 rolls of toilet paper deserves a funny book to sit on the toilet and read."
Watch Joan in action at the protest below. All hail Joan Rivers!


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When it comes to the MRI scheduled to be performed Tuesday on the knee of Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, the key word is nada.
As in nothing. As in no one is saying anything.
The latest word on the subject of Ngata's knee came from Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who reported earlier today that surgery is not currently believed to be needed.
Per Wilson, the team hopes that Ngata simply has a sprained MCL, which absent a serious tear will heal with rest.
The Ravens should consider themselves lucky if Ngata doesn't need surgery. It's already February, and a lengthy rehab could significantly impact his preparations for 2013.


text:
Alfresco Gives Microsoft Office Users a SharePoint Alternative
First ECM to support SharePoint Protocol, offering open choice for database, development and operating system
The shift in how information and content is shared and created is forcing enterprises to blur the lines between enterprise content management (ECM) and social software. Today, employees need content that can be accessible everywhere, not just in large, monolithic applications. While most Fortune 1000 companies have implemented some form of ECM software, it's commonly quoted that only 5% to 10% of users in an enterprise use ECM. Instead, workers prefer to use shared file drives or emails. As a result, products that offer basic content services (BCS) like Alfresco Software and SharePoint are filling this gap.
"With the massive growth of SharePoint, customers are seeking an open alternative that delivers equivalent benefits but with true platform choice," said John Newton, CTO of Alfresco Software. "Alfresco Labs 3 is the first ECM product to implement the SharePoint protocol and provides users with the same access from Microsoft Office, while giving companies the freedom of choice in their hardware, database, operating system, application server and portal products. Customers will experience the best of both worlds providing workers with an easy-to-use content management and collaboration tool that is integrated with Microsoft Office while lowering overall IT costs and increasing return on existing investments."
Microsoft released the SharePoint protocol as part of its compliance with the European Commissions' decision issued on March 24, 2004. Alfresco is the first ECM system to implement the Microsoft Office and Windows SharePoint Services protocols as a compatible server.
The Alfresco Labs 3 repository offers:
- Microsoft Office SharePoint protocol support requiring no additional client installation
- Alfresco Surf platform for building dynamic, REST-oriented web applications and collaborative web sites
- RESTful API delivering content and collaboration services for customizing and developing Alfresco applications
- Preview of Alfresco Share, a new social computing application
- Document library which scales to over 100 million documents
Alfresco has seen major adoption of its open source ECM system throughout the world. Alfresco Labs is designed to be the research "Community Lab" for new features, enabling developers to access a nightly build with the latest functionality. There have been over one million downloads of Alfresco Labs. The company also has more than 500 enterprise customers, including the NYSE, Los Angeles Times, Boise Cascade, Sony Pictures, Activision, Kaplan, FedEx and KLM.
Alfresco Labs 3 will be available for download at: http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/Alfresco_Labs_3
Alfresco is a trademark of Alfresco Software Inc in the US and other countries. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


text:
The arguments made by Proposition 8's defenders in the federal court trial fell apart when even their own experts were unable to articulate how, for example, same-sex marriage would in any way harm opposite-sex marriage. Apparently feeling a little low on reasonable explanations for why gay and lesbian couples should be prohibited from marrying, lawyers added a new twist into their argument before the U.S. Supreme Court, and this one might be the strangest yet -- and the most easily attacked.
Rather than sticking with the old argument that marriage exists for procreation and the raising of families -- since same-sex couples do have children and do raise them -- the lawyers argued that same-sex marriage is an institution uniquely designed to make sure that unplanned pregnancies occur within the married state. Good luck with that.
Because same-sex couples don't generally have "accidental" offspring, they wouldn't fit the bill.
TIMELINE: Gay marriage chronology
Let's quickly skip past the most obvious flaw in this reasoning: It argues that heterosexual couples who clearly would not have unplanned pregnancies because of the couple's age, or infertility, or just really responsible use of contraception, shouldn't be allowed to wed either.
The apparent reasoning behind this argument is that it is better for children and society for childrearing to be carried out by a married couple. And let's assume that's true. In that case, it's true for the children of same-sex couples as well. This is sounding more and more like an argument against Proposition 8.


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Every state in our country restricts marriage in various ways. In most of them you can't marry 1) a family member, 2) a minor, 3) more than one person, or 4) someone of the same gender. All law is imposed morality, and we see that current marriage law imposes on anyone who would like to marry these (and other) restricted persons. For the polygamist, love won't cut it. For the pederast, emotions are not enough. And for the homosexual, the state has never defined marriage based on the strength of affection between two (or more) people. True, some people marry for love. But we've never had a love commission at any government level measuring the strength of emotional bonds between two people.
Until now. Or so you would guess from the reasons given by same sex marriage proponents. Here is Washington State Governor Gregoire saying that the state cannot tell homosexual people that their love does not qualify for marriage (see just after the 2min mark). But the state has never said anything about the love of homosexuals or the love of anyone else for that matter. The state has supported the union of one man and one woman because that union not only naturally produces children, but it has been seen as the best environment in which to raise them. This shouldn't be controversial. As my friend Joe Backholm points out, take one million kids raised by their biological parents and one million kids raised by anyone else. Which million do you think does better? If you're not sure, you're not paying attention. This is not an argument against adoption or anything else. It simply makes the point, plainly for anyone to see, that kids do best, all things being equal, when raised by their biological parents. The state has historically supported the union of one man and one woman for this reason.
Gregoire also says the state cannot discriminate this way against homosexuals, and to do so is similar to the separate but equal evil of segregation. We've seen this is false. The state does discriminate–against homosexuals, polygamists, pederasts, and the incestuous. Now imagine, 30 minutes after two homosexuals get "married", a guy and his two consenting fiances walk up to the county court house demanding their marriage license. They are in love, you see. And who can argue with them? Polygamy has as much historical presence as homosexuality. Probably more so. But the state can discriminate against one and not the other? Now a lot of sentimental people would never want the state to grant marriages to a dude and his wives, or a dude and his three cats, or a 9 year old boy and his 30 year old girlfriend. But if the criterion is love, and the state cannot discriminate–in the words of the governor–then there is absolutely nothing to stop that train. The president has recently said his view on marriage has evolved. Shouldn't we expect it to continue evolving? Or is this the one place evolution stops? Of course this doesn't mean beastiality is right around the corner. But who would have thought in the 70s that we'd be here?
Christians are required not to be sentimentalists, and to see the consequences of ideas before those consequences arrive. This is what it means to be prudent. Go back to 50's unitarian conformity and you're on the doorstep of the 60's. Ah, the good ol' days. We're also required to resist tyranny and protect the weak. One common response to the fight over gay marriage by Christians is to say that marriage is one thing for non Christians and another for Christians. They take an oath before the state (at least sign something), we take an oath before God. Therefore, we should not withstand what they are doing. But consider, when God told Noah he would require a reckoning for murders, was he only talking about Jewish murders (Gen. 9:5)? Of course not. When Dan Savage gets a speaking spot to high schoolers on anti-bullying, and proceeds to attack his lame understanding of "the bullshit in the Bible" and the "pansy-assed" Christians who believe it, is there any wondering what this effort is about?
The irony is elephantine. In the name of not discriminating or imposing on others, elected liberals are imposing a minority view on the majority. Gay marriage has been voted down 32 out of 32 times when states actually vote on it, most recently by a landslide in North Carolina. Never has Peter Berger's quip been truer that if India is the world's most religious country and Sweden the most secular, America is a nation of Indians governed by Swedes. The only way gay marriage has become legal in a state is when enforced top down. It's not as if the proponents of gay marriage are signing Referendum 74 that actually lets Washington voters choose what they want. Actually, I should qualify that. Some proponents of gay marriage probably have signed the Referendum, and hats off to them. They at least want democracy to live, stand with racial minorities in our country who overwhelmingly oppose gay marriage, and would likely never tell African American pastors who disagree with them to evolve like Chris Matthews did.
Data says that roughly 40% of evangelicals vote. The common line in churches is that the gospel is all about love, and politics all about power. This is true in one sense. The gospel is all about love, and when it comes to power, it primarily exercises left-handed power: sacrifice, blessing, love, influence. Politics of the usual kind is all about right-handed power: coercion, force, violence, control. What kind do you think is being used right now to redefine marriage? Do you think you'd be called to exercise some right-handed power if you saw a man raping a woman? But I digress. Whatever kind of power voting is, it's a privilege and a basic civil responsibility for Christians. I've been amazed to be at churches where people simply do not regularly vote. I've also been amazed at the refusal of many churches in Washington to take part in the Referendum effort. If you're a pastor at a conservative church, you might have a few people who are over-zealous, who have not gotten the beam out of their own eye but complain about all sort of political specks out there. But you probably have a lot more people who are lazy in their civil duties, duties that affect their neighbors. You can talk about being missional and loving the city and shaloming all over the place, but if you don't care enough to protect Johnny down the street from learning in school that marriage is a genderless institution and that we all need to explore our sexuality, then it's time for another walk through Romans 1 with your eyes open. It's time to remember that Jesus got murdered by political authorities because he threatened their influence. If we want to do justice and love mercy, this is the easy and first thing. Perhaps after the little, we will be entrusted with more.


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Galax scored nine of its 10 runs in the third and fourth innings and cruised to a 10-1 win over Fort Chiswell in a Mountain Empire District game Wednesday at Mountain View Park.
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Nearly half a century ago, somewhere around 7,000 residents were displaced from their homes on the Lower East Side to make way for an urban renewal project. That area still sits empty today, home to no one except some parked cars and trucks. Years of contentious proposals have defied approval, but that is on the verge of changing. A master plan for the Seward Park Urban Renewal Area, lovingly known as SPURA, has survived nearly all the gauntlets of NYC's approvals process, awaiting now only the approval of the City Council and the mayor. The seemingly permanent hole in the middle of the LES may actually get filled, perhaps re-knitting together the areas above and below Delancey Street.
Through the marathon process, community interests pressed, negotiated and mostly persevered in a quest for guarantees of affordable housing and for a way to preserve some aspect of the European-style Essex Market, scheduled for demolition in the proposal.
That should be great news and, indeed, some are celebrating. But in spite of all the hard-won successes – in fact maybe because of them –there are causes for concern because, to put it bluntly, the proposal is still rooted in old-school planning concepts. In the skirmishes to achieve those vital community goals, attention has been deflected from other areas. And that may have a very negative effect on the success of both the project and the re-knitting of the community.
The old school I'm referring to is the one in which cars are the life blood of the community and streets are the arteries for their circulation. (It's no accident that major streets are called arterial routes.) In that outdated approach, a "shopping district" – note that it's not called a community — succeeds only if drivers can get there and have easy places to park, and only if there is at least one large store or "anchor tenant" to draw them there.
Enlightened planners, such as those in the NYC Department of City Planning, know this isn't true. In several transit-heavy areas of the city, new zoning rules are (gasp) cutting back on parking requirements, acknowledging the concept of "transit-oriented development" in which driving is discouraged where ample public transportation is available. (Note that the SPURA proposal is actually asking for more parking, beyond what the old zoning allows.) Developers love this, too, because they don't have to waste money on expensive urban parking garages. Money and land are potentially freed up for better uses.
The result is communities that are pedestrian-oriented, where the streets exist mostly for people to walk between homes and businesses or from the subway station to wherever they're going. For this to work, though, walking those streets also needs to be inviting and active. Which is where the anchor store issue comes up. Typical new urban and semi-urban buildings tend to be large-scale, perhaps block-long structures, designed with ground floors to accommodate the types of stores that have proliferated of late, ranging from the ubiquitous Walgreens and bank branches to the truly large Bed, Bath & Beyond-type big boxes.
What all these have in common, aside from being chain stores, is that they focus inward, draining life from the street while putting locally owned stores out of business. And then when that big store closes, the street is deader still, leaving behind the urban equivalent of "dead malls."
NYC planners have recognized this, too. On the Upper West Side, where entire blocks of chain stores have displaced the color and character of the former stores, a new regulation limits the width of store fronts. But this is not written into the SPURA requirements. Community appeals were met with a halfway solution placing mid to big box stores on the second floor. The guidelines, however, suggest that the ground floor spaces can be up to 10,000 square feet, which is still many times larger than the typical LES storefront. So the block-long proposed buildings and their storefronts will learn little from and bear no resemblance to the vitality of the adjoining streets – the ones that weren't cleared 45 years ago and are now populated with an eclectic mix of stores dating back many decades interspersed with boutiques and upscale restaurants.
Image via Bowery Boogie
I long to see those eyesore parking lots on Delancey Street gone. But I don't want us to end up with another generic design that could be plopped down anywhere, where the lessons of car-centric planning and failed shopping malls are ignored.
There is a lot to like in the current SPURA plan, courtesy of the hard work of many in the community. But we needn't and shouldn't accept a plan that sacrifices the uniqueness of the Lower East Side for a formulaic approach still mired in discredited ideas. It's not too late to insist on a concept that adopts all the best interests of the community, not just some of them.
David Bergman, principal of David Bergman Architect and founder of Fire & Water Lighting, is an architect and ecodesigner. In addition to his practice, he teaches sustainable design at Parsons the New School for Design. He is the author of the recently published Sustainable Design: A Critical Guide. His blog, EcoOptimism, combines his backgrounds in design, economics and policy, and seeks to show how we can come out the other side of our concurrent ecological and economic crises in a better place than we started.


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DetailsSpeakerCraft OE8 One The Outdoor Elements series includes eight different models to address multiple exterior applications. Depending on the need, you can choose from speakers that offer five-inch, six-inch or even eight-inch bass drivers. Loaded into ported enclosures to dramatically enhance low frequency response, these drivers provide deep full bass to compliment any type of music. The midrange and high frequencies are produced using advanced cone or dome drivers depending on the model. All drivers are made of space-age polymers, injection moulded graphite or aluminium and are selected for sonic purity and dynamic performance.
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Model SpeakerCraft OE8 One Specifications 203mm Polypropylene Cone bass driver with Rubber Surround
63mm Polypropylene Cone Midrange
Pivoting 25mm Liquid Cooled Treated Silk Dome Tweeter
Timbre-Matched to All One Series Speakers
Dimensions:Overall dimension: 400mm x 222mm
Overall depth: 213mm
Frequency range: 42hz - 20khz
Impedance: 4 - 4 Ohms
Compatible amplifier: 5 - 150 Watts RMS
Sensitivity: 89dB
Speaker Driver Information:Tweeter: 1 pivoting
Mid: 1 fixed flat
Bass: 1 fixed flat (203mm)
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Once your product has been dispatched, you will be notified via email and sent a unique consignment number, you can use this number at http://www.interlinkexpress.com to check the status of your delivery. If you have provided a mobile telephone number, Interlink's Predict service will notify you by text (and email) of a one-hour delivery window. If the window they suggest is inconvenient, you can change the date of delivery to a later one via text or email.
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Shipping Costs Mainland UK (Next-Day) Offshore/Out-of-reach (2-day)Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Scottish Islands, Scilly Islands Republic of Ireland (2-day) Under £50 Orders £7.50 £12.50 £15.00 Over £50 Orders FREE £19.99 £29.99 Surcharge Orders £50.00 £69.99 £79.99 Saturday Delivery £12.99 N/A N/A Sunday Delivery £12.99 N/A N/A
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News out of Boston that Red Hat has settled the long-running patent infringement lawsuit filed against it by Firestar Software and a later suit filed against the company by DataTern.
Filed on June 26, 2006, the lawsuit by Massachusetts-based software vendor Firestar Software, Inc. was brought against Red Hat in connection the Hibernate 3.0 software product acquired by Red Hat through its then-recent acquisition of JBoss. In the lawsuit, Firestar alleged that JBoss and Red Hat are infringing U.S. patent number 6,101,502 (issued on August 8, 2000) through their activities relating to Hibernate. While software patent infringement lawsuits had become increasingly frequent in the world of proprietary software at the time of the lawsuit, the suit was viewed as the first of its kind relating to a widely distributed open source software product.
The specific financial and other terms of the settlement were not disclosed. However, Red Hat indicates that the settlement includes broad terms covering "all software distributed under Red Hat's brands." Of particular note, the settlement also protects all "upstream predecessor versions" as well. In addition, Red Hat indicates that the settlement protects "derivative works of, or combination products using, the covered products from any patent claim based in any respect on the covered products." Perhaps most importantly (for shareholder of Red Hat in particular), the company indicates that the settlement is sufficient to enable RedHat (and its users) to continue to distribute its open source software products in compliance with the terms of all applicable open source licenses.
In its press release on the settlement, Red Hat indicates that the settlements leave Red Hat with one remaining patent infringement suit against it — based on a complaint filed in October 2007 by IP Innovation LLC and Technology Licensing Corp, both subsidiaries of patent troll (er, "holding company") Acacia Media.
Filed under: GPL, Intellectual Property, Law, News and Alerts, Open Source, Patents, Uncategorized, Updates | Tagged: 6101502, Acacia, DataTern, Firestar, IP Innovation LLC, Red Hat, Technology Licensing Corp. | Leave a comment »


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Eddie Bauer® - Ladies Fleece Vest. EB205
Ward off early morning chills by insulating your core with this soft, cozy vest. Princess seams, reverse coil dyed-to-match zippers, front zippered pockets with tricot lining, binding at armholes and an open hem. Contrast Eddie Bauer logo embroidered on right hem. Made of 12-ounce, 100% polyester fleece which incorporates Low Impact Technology™ for enhanced softness and performance.
Ladies Sizes: XS-4XL
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For detailed PRICING, please select "Add to Inquiries" to view the ordering/pricing grid.


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The flagship Roku 2 XS delivers hands-down the best experience in 1080p HD streaming to your TV—plus motion-based gaming for an extra dose of great entertainment.
It keeps getting better, with over 350 entertainment channels, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO GO, and Amazon Instant Video.
Includes games: The XS remote features motion sensors so you can play games with a flick of a wrist, like the included full Angry Birds game
Easy Setup: Works with virtually any TV, includes built-in wireless, and sets up in minutes
More power: Up to 1080p HD video and inncludes Ethernet for wired connection plus USB port
Roku 2 XS 1080p Streaming Player
* Over 350 entertainment channels and counting, Roku 2 has something for virtually everyone.
* Over 150,000 movies and TV shows at your fingertips from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, HBO GO and more.
* Unlimited music from Pandora, MOG, Rdio, and Live365
* Live sports packages including NBA League Pass, NHL GameCenter Live, MLS Matchday, UFC, and MLB.TV
* Photo and video sharing via Facebook, Flickr, and Picasa
* The top news sources, including NBC, FoxNews.com, and CNN, plus channels featuring international and lifestyle programming, tech news, podcasts, cartoons, clips, and more


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Engraved on underside of base: "No: 11." Engraved on base: arms of George Louis, as Elector of Hanover from 1698 (later George II).
Marked on outer edge of foot rim: lion rampant in shield (guild mark for Hanover); "B" [block letter]; maker's mark of Conrad Hermann Mundt [Scheffler 1442].
About 1726, George I (b. 1660 - d. 1727), King of Great Britain and Elector of Hanover (original commission) [see note 1]; by inheritance within the family to George III (b. 1738 - d. 1820), King of Great Britain and Elector and King of Hanover [see note 2]; by inheritance to his son, George IV (b. 1762 - d. 1830), King of Great Britain and Hanover; by inheritance to his brother, William IV (b. 1765 - d. 1837), King of Great Britain and Hanover; 1837, by inheritance to his nephew, Ernst Augustus I (b. 1837- d. 1851), King of Hanover [see note 3]; by inheritance to his son, George V (b. 1819 - d. 1878), King of Hanover; by inheritance within the family, through the Princes of Hanover, to Ernst Augustus V (b. 1954), Prince of Hanover. 2004, private foundation, United States; 2006, given from this private foundation to the MFA. (Accession Date: January 25, 2006) NOTES [1] This candlestick may belong to the set of 12 table candlesticks added to the Hanoverian "Service E" by George I in 1724 and 1725 or, more likely, to the set of 30 new table candlesticks made for the service in 1726 and 1727. [2] In 1816, the Elector of Hanover assumed the title of King. [3] Because by Salic law a woman could not inherit the throne of Hanover, upon the succession of Queen Victoria of England in 1837, the crown passed to the oldest surviving son of George III.
Credit Line
Anonymous gift
German (Hanover), about 1726
- Marked by Conrad Hermann Mundt, German, active 1709–1728


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Posts Tagged 'Star Trek the Animated Series'
Chillpak Hollywood Hour #563
In an absolutely hilarious installment of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour, Dean shares his challenging recovery from knee surgery and addresses a rumor. Phil describes appearing on stage with his cat Fuzz Aldrin at a screening of The Lady Killers, shares the importance of the venue to his development as a filmmaker, reveals that the film has secured full North American distribution, and oh, yeah, how he got engaged to his long-time lady love, Lily Holleman, during the post-screening Q&A. Dean and Phil compare notes on "Star Trek: The Animated Series", the future of "The X-Files" (including a potential spin-off series), and such movies as It, Winchester, Criminal and Black Panther. All that, plus a couple more "Celebrity Deaths" discussed in their brand new game show format where Phil gives the name, and Dean has to guess for what that individual was celebrated. Enjoy it now, wherever good podcasts can be found and share it with your friends!


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Eirik Øvredal needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 43 designs submitted by 9 freelance designers.
Øvredal Consulting
Our company is doing IT-consulting services for a variaty of companies here i Norway. To strengten our brand name we want a new LOGO to use in our marketing campain.
We are targeting small and medium sized companys that we can deliver IT consultancy services to. We are also selling IT equipment as Servers, switches etc.
We want a nice fancy logo that we can use on the website,invoices, business cards etc.. It don`t have to involve IT. I will let you, the designer, use your creativity to come up with a good solution
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Two major aspects of genealogy are finding records and information about your ancestors, and connecting with other people related to you or searching in the same geographic area. The online world can make things easier, but it can also be frustrating. Too much information to sort through? Not enough information? Too hard to find the right things? Two of the major online genealogy websites, Rootsweb and Ancestry, are about connecting with people, and finding information and records. And since they're both very large, sorting through all they contain may seem difficult at times. Two new books have recently been published to help you find things and connect at these two popular websites...
The Official Guide to Rootsweb.com
by Myra Vanderpool Gormley, CG, and Tana Pedersen Lord
This book discusses the major features of the free-to-use Rootsweb genealogy website, including message boards and mailing lists, setting up a website using Rootsweb's Freepages, the Social Security Death Index, and more. The opening chapter has a brief section on searching for things on Rootsweb. There are also brief stories from Rootsweb users scattered throughout the book, describing how Rootsweb helped them find a lost relative or ancestor.
One chapter discusses WorldConnect and even includes a bit of history of the project. WorldConnect allows you to upload your family tree (from a GEDCOM file) to the Internet, and view and search family trees uploaded by other genealogists. Don't know what a GEDCOM is? The book will tell you. It even tells you where to go on Rootsweb to learn how to create one. Really basic. Really easy.
The Official Guide to Ancestry.com
by George G. Morgan
This book provides a nice overview of the major features of Ancestry's website, providing examples and search tips. If you're an Ancestry subscriber you may find some things from reading this book that you perhaps hadn't tried out, such as the Learning Center or their fairly new Database Card Catalog. The Learning Center has articles and tips about a variety of topics to help you learn more about records sources and genealogical resources both inside and outside of Ancestry. The Database Card Catalog helps you search for Ancestry databases by record type, keyword and geographical location. Even if you already knew about some of these features you might find helpful tips about them in this book. Never tried "My Ancestry"? There's a whole chapter on it in the book.
George Morgan has done an excellent job of providing an overview of Ancestry's large collection of genealogy records and resources. He covers many topics, from things like Ancestry's immigration records collection to searching and posting on message boards. It's great for beginners, and in-depth enough for more advanced users. And even if you've used Ancestry for a long time, you just might find some cool feature you didn't already know about.
For information on purchasing either book at Amazon see:
The Official Guide to Ancestry.com
The Official Guide to Rootsweb.com
Or you might try your local bookstore or library.
For finding online genealogy databases, records and resources. The focus is on vital records (birth, marriage and death records), obituaries, census records, naturalization records, military records and ship passenger lists. Although the blog is based in the USA, online European, Canadian, and other records sources are sometimes included. You may also occasionally see a fun post or genealogy news.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Book Reviews: Guides to Ancestry and Rootsweb
1 comment:
- Stephanie Barko said...
Do you know of a site that reviews actual genealogy-type biographies?
Not how-to's?
steffercat (at) austin.rr.com
- June 6, 2008 at 7:48 AM
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Indian Veg Soup Recipes
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Sambhar Recipe (Indian Soup)
11.08.10 by Jackie
Sambhar is a South Indian dish made of toor dal, vegetables, turmeric powder, curry leaves, tamarind, cinnamon sticks, whole dried red chiles, cilantro, roasted coriander seeds and other Indian spices. It resembles a soup; and is often served alongside idli (rice cakes) or dosa (Indian crêpe).
To make my version of sambhar, I start by boiling toor dal with a lot of vegetables, such as Indian eggplant, drumsticks, okra, carrots, turnips, pumpkin, sweet potatoes or Idaho potatoes and tomatoes, shallots and onions. Then I let the vegetables simmer until the lentils are cooked through.
If you've ever had sambhar at an Indian restaurant and wanted to make it at home, now you can. It's very easy, healthy and filling.
Full Recipe...


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Tales From The Penn (Feat. Fat Joe, Hell Rell, Pistol Pete, Raekwon, Max B & More. Based On True Stories From Prison) [Documentary Trailer]
K.A.R. Entertainment presents Tales from the Penn It's a documentary based on true stories from prison... Released in 09 By E1. This trailer features, Fat Joe, Hell Rell, Pistol Pete, Raekwon, Max B and more…
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A group of Gentiles celebrates the Jewish holiday.
For the past four years, we have celebrated Hanukkah, the Jewish holiday also known as the festival of lights. Anyway, we celebrate one day of this eight day festival. This year, the holiday commenced on the evening of December 8 and ends the evening of December 16.
What is Hanukkah? The holiday dates back to a time when the land of Israel was controlled by the Greco-Syrian Empire. After the Israelites defeated the much larger Greco-Syrian army, following an uprising related to desecration of the temple in Jerusalem, the Jews determined to cleanse the temple. To cleanse the temple, consecrated oil was needed to light a great menorah, or candelabrum. However, the Jews found only enough oil to last barely a day. It would take eight days to prepare new holy oil. Nevertheless, they lit the menorah with the oil available, and it lasted the full eight days, a miracle.
This year, we borrowed a menorah from a friend and lit two candles, using the shammas, or middle candle, which is used to light the other candles. We held our Hanukkah feast on the second day of the holiday, and a candle is lit for each day, until eight candles fill the menorah, plus the shammas in the middle.
This year we also found a great radio station to put us in the proper frame of mind—Radio Hanukkah on Sirius XM Radio.
What is our Hanukkah tradition? Besides reading a longer version of the Hanukkah story, we mainly celebrate with food, including hummus and pita bread, cheese, matzo ball soup, latkes with baked apples on top, beef brisket, noodle kugel, and, for the bold, brussel sprouts.
The group of friends we invited over enjoyed the Hanukkah celebration, including a couple who joined us for the first time. We sent everyone away with some baked goods, as daily gifts are a Hanukkah tradition.
While we are Gentiles, we recognize that the Jews have been and always will be His chosen people. We also acknowledge that our God is one and the same.


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FRANKFORT – As most of you are aware, the 2012 Session of the Kentucky General Assembly will gavel in at noon Jan. 3.
Being an even-numbered year, this is considered a long session because legislators will be developing the two-year budget for the state.
Much has been made of the fiscal challenges that lay ahead for your legislators. Our tight budget situation has not been overstated, and only through prudent and practical measures will we be able to craft a responsible bi-annual budget.
The fact that we are facing a projected $500 million shortfall over the biennium speaks volumes to the problem we are faced with resolving. And this sum does not include a $200 million request for Medicaid, $120 million for SEEK school funding, as well as requests for corrections, health insurance for state employees, and our public pension system.
Our public employee pension system has a $25 billion unfunded liability. The Senate has offered multiple plans in the past to move future state employees to a 401k-style plan (this proposal would not include teachers or current employees) commonly found in the private sector. This would be a responsible solution because it would not only protect current employees but protect tax-payers as well.
Because of what is called the "inviolable contract," under the current plan, public dollars will be tagged first to the pension system and then to other areas of state government such as education, infrastructure, social services, and corrections. As you can see, the unfunded liability, if left unaddressed, will put an incredible strain on public services.
In addition to the budget, as the chairman of the Transportation Committee, the "Road Plan" for the next two years will understandably occupy a considerable amount of my time as well as of my colleagues.
Our new Medicaid Managed Care Plan is off to a predictably rocky start and is sure to demand precious hours out of the legislative calendar.
While the budget, redistricting, the road plan, funding unemployment insurance, and Medicaid Managed Care are among the central issues, we obviously have a host of other public policy initiatives that will divide our time as well.
Sudafed as a prescription drug, illegal immigration, informed consent, a state debt ceiling, tax reform, and improving college readiness are just a few other topics that will surely surface.
Furthermore, the senate anticipates a proposal from the governor on expanded gambling, an issue that he says he will push.
While the interim has been full and I have enjoyed working and discussing the issues with many of you, I look forward to even more contact during the session. Messages for me can be left toll-free by dialing 1-800-372-7181 or TTY 1-800-896-0305. You can also find us on the World Wide Web at www.lrc.state.ky.us.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you, and I wish all of you a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.
Sen. Ernie Harris (R-Crestwood) is chairman of the Transportation Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations and Revenue Committee, the Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, the Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation, the Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor Committee, and the Natural Resources and Energy Committee. He represents the 26th District including Carroll, Henry, Oldham, Trimble counties as well as a portion of Jefferson County.
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text: Hi, I need to disable APC, because I think it may be causing issues under load, but when I tried to do this last time (by disabling the extension and restarting Apache), it caused strange things to happen (reading old caches, etc.). I found out that it's because restarting Apache has no effect on Fast-CGI workers, and that I need to "restart" the workers as well. What is the best (non-destructive) way to do this? Thanks.


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2014 Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition First Drive
New "1794 Edition" Competes With Chevy's High Country, Ford's King Ranch, and Ram's Longhorn
Texas and Toyota are not two words that most truck guys would put together. However, they have more in common than you might think. Since 2007, Toyota has been producing the Tundra exclusively at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc. (TMMTX), their San Antonio–based assembly plant that employs more than 2,800 Texans. In fact, TMMTX is built on a 2,600-acre portion of a cattle ranch that dates back to 1794. This heritage inspired the name of the new western-themed trim level for the redesigned 2014 Tundra: the 1794 Edition.
Approaching the 2014 Tundra, we were greeted with a reworked exterior and a tough new look. The taller frontend design looks imposing, and slightly squared-off wheel wells with chiseled flares add to the burly appearance without going overboard (we're looking at you, Chevy). Our favorite exterior cue is the embossed Tundra lettering in the tailgate, which harkens back to the old '80s-era Toyota pickups. We also really liked the Sunset Bronze Mica paint, which transitions from dark brown to vibrant copper hues in direct sunlight. On the other hand, we definitely aren't fans of the tacky chrome 20-inch wheels on this package -- the Limited package's split five-spoke alloys look much more upscale.
Powertrain-wise, the Tundra hasn't changed, and it's still running the same 5.7L V-8 engine and six-speed automatic transmission. This combination provides sufficient power but suffers from less-than-stellar fuel economy due to its lack of direct injection technology and more forward gears. Toyota was tight-lipped about future engine replacement prospects, but we know they're going to have to step up soon to compete with GM's new EcoTec3 motors. Towing performance is a solid 9,500 pounds, and payload capacity weighs in at 1,415 pounds.
The outgoing Tundra's interior felt rather cheap and plasticky, so it's refreshing to see the 2014 models have received a ground-up redesign. The 1794 Edition features perforated saddle-brown leather and ultra-suede on the seats, console, doors, and dash, resulting in a luxurious feel that we didn't expect from a Tundra. Seats are both heated and cooled, and the truck's ride is smooth with minimal road noise. Gone are the coffee-can gauges and awkward HVAC/radio controls, which have been replaced by a more logical and elegant design. We also appreciated the 12-speaker JBL audio system and dual full-color LCD screens. It's almost like the interior design team was taking notes from Toyota's Lexus division.
Overall, the 2014 Tundra pleasantly surprised us, and we'd say the 1794 Edition package is about on par with the Big Three's offerings. However, despite the improvements, we know Toyota is going to fight an uphill battle to convince Texans to embrace the Tundra. There's a lot of brand loyalty in the high-end luxury truck segment, and it seems like many truck owners will have a hard time dropping nearly $50,000 on a Toyota. Regardless, there's no debating that the redesign is a big step forward and the Tundra is now more competitive than ever.
|2014 Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition CrewMax 4X4
|Base Price:
|Price as Tested:
|5.7L DOHC V-8 with dual VVT-i
|346 ci
|Compression Ratio:
|381 hp @ 5,600 rpm
|401 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm
|Recommended Fuel:
|87 octane or higher (E85 capable)
|Front engine, 4WD
|Six-speed automatic with overdrive, on-demand 4WD, and electronically controlled two-speed transfer case
|Four-wheel ventilated discs, 13.9-inch front and 13.6-inch rear
|20-inch chrome-clad
|P275/55R20 Bridgestone Dueler H/L
|Tow Capacity:
|9,500 lbs (with 4.30 rear axle)
|6.5 seconds
|15.0 seconds @ 89 mph
|Observed Gas Mileage:
|16.6 mpg


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Who doesn't like hot hatches? Not many people, especially not in Europe where cars like the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Ford Focus ST/RS are hot property and the hot hatch segment is still growing.
Not surprisingly, Kia, who has recently shaken things up in many other areas of the car market, is now reportedly considering launching its own hot hatch. Kia's entry into this performance arena will be based on the recently revealed 2012 Kia Rio.
According to recent reports, Kia's marketing and product planning chief, Benny Oeyen, said a sportier version of the new Rio could help boost Kia's image, especially in the UK where hot hatches are most popular. Other variants Oeyen hinted at during the interview included a convertible and coupe.
It's no secret that Kia plans to launch a sporty three-door version of its new Rio, as well as the already revealed five-door hatch and a sedan. The car Kia took to the 2011 Geneva Motor Show was also fitted with large alloy wheels, hinting at some performance potential and hot hatch styling.
The first examples of this latest Rio are expected to be powered by a 1.6-litre direct injection gasoline engine producing 102 kW, but it's likely a more powerful version with a 1.8 or even a 2.0-litre unit could prepare the Rio to take on more established hot hatch competitors.


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Victims of domestic violence need a helping hand during their darkest times. That's why State Senator LeAnna Washington, a domestic abuse survivor, is hosting the sixth annual "Run/Walk to End Domestic Violence" on Saturday, Oct. 26 on West River Drive. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the event kicks off at 9:30 a.m. with a stirring performance of "We are Family" by Sister Sledge.
To register in advance, go to runtheday.com/registration/race_info/20263.
"Every day in Philadelphia, the Police Department responds to more than 390 calls regarding incidents of domestic violence emergencies," said Senator Washington. "And every nine seconds in the United States, a woman is assaulted or beaten. It's time to stop this crime." In Philadelphia, abuse affects more than 5,000 children annually. Sadly, some of them will become orphans. In 2012, there were 24 domestic violence deaths in Philadelphia – the highest number in any county across the state.
The Run/Walk is held in conjunction with Women Against Abuse, Women in Transition, Lutheran Settlement House, Congreso and Black Women's Health Alliance. It benefits Philadelphia's only domestic abuse hotline, a 24-hour bilingual hotline operated by professionals that receives more than 10,000 calls a year from individuals seeking help.
State Senator LeAnna Washington, the Legislature's leading advocate on issues of domestic violence, is a survivor herself. She endured frequent beatings and abuse at the hands of her husband and father of her three children. Now she shares her story in the hopes of giving others the strength to fight. "We are determined to continue raising awareness for the Hotline so we can be there to support and stand up for the victims."
For more information on the Run/Walk to End Domestic Violence, visit domesticviolencewalk.com.


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Waitlist FAQ
What is a waitlist?
A waitlist is a list of students who want to register for a course section that is already full.
How do I put my name on the waitlist?
In SIRS, follow the Registration menu to "Build My Schedule." When you enter a CRN for a course that is full, you will see the words "Closed - Waitlisted." Next to Action, to select the "Add to Waitlist" option and click SUBMIT CHANGES.
Does putting my name on the waitlist guarantee me a seat in the class?
No. Students are added to the class in the order they joined the waitlist only if space becomes available.
What happens if I am registered for a morning class and I add my name to the waitlist for an afternoon section of that same course?
If a seat becomes available for the afternoon section, you will be automatically registered for it and dropped from the morning section.
What happens if a waitlisted course opens up that causes a time conflict in my schedule?
If a waitlisted space opens up which would create a time conflict, your schedule will not be automatically changed. In this case, you will be sent an email notifying you that a seat has become available. You will have at least 24 hours to respond if you want to rearrange your schedule to take the waitlisted class.
How do I know if I am scheduled for the class for which I have been waitlisted?
You will be automatically registered for the class, space permitting. Once you have been moved from the waitlist to the class, you will be notified via email. Always double check your class schedule in SIRS before the start of classes.
How do I remove my name from a waitlist?
In SIRS, follow the Registration menu to "Build My Schedule." Use the drop down menu to change the course indicator from "Waitlist" to "Drop" and click SUBMIT CHANGES.
Contact Information
Payne Hall, Room 159A
1101 Sherman Drive
Utica, NY 13501
Telephone: 315.792.5336
Fax: 315.792.5698
Email: email@example.com
Plumley Complex, Room 117
1101 Floyd Avenue
Rome, NY 13440
Telephone: 315.334.7708
Fax: 315.334.7726


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Mayor Don Wesely today announced that the new roundabout at 33rd Street and Sheridan Boulevard will open at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 26. The roundabout is one of the first of its kind in Nebraska. It replaces an accident prone four-way intersection of two arterial streets, controlled by a traffic signal.
"The priority is to make this intersection safer for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists," said Mayor Wesely. "The state-of-the-art roundabout was built through the combined efforts of city and state government staff, the Country Club Neighborhood and HWS Consulting Group. This has been a model public involvement process, and I thank everyone who worked on this important project."
From 1996 through 1998, 54 accidents were reported at the intersection, resulting in more than $983,000 in damages. In the city's list of high accident intersections, 33rd and Sheridan ranked first in 1998 and fifth in 2000. Because of the safety factor, the city received $200,000 in Federal Highway Administration safety funds in November 1999 to implement the project. The city cost is about $150,000.
"A conservative evaluation indicates that for every $1 spent on this project, we could potentially save $25 in accident costs," said Allan Abbott, Director of the City Public Works and Utilities Department. "We encourage everyone to try the roundabout to see how simple and safe it is."
Motorists using the roundabout should follow these procedures:
Media Release


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Situated in the Jura mountains, the Joux Valley has made its name with the passage of time as one of the key localities in Swiss watchmaking.
Watchmaking began to develop in the region in about 1750, and many workshops came into being in the valley. This craft was practised as an additional business to complement farming work. The peasants put the quiet winter period to use in making watch components, which they sold on to master-watchmakers in the Vaud area. In 1776, the watchmaking guilds of the Canton of Vaud were abolished. Watchmaking apprenticeships became more liberal, as did the market for watches. More and more inhabitants of the Joux Valley took up this new trade, still in addition to their farming activity. This was the origin of the peasant watchmaker. For over a century, their prevalence marked the region.
L'essor deThe Expansion of Watchmaking in the Valley
The end of the 19th century marked the beginnings of industrialisation in Switzerland, and the valley developed in the watchmaking sector. Taking advantage of the wide experience of the peasant-watchmakers, numerous watchmaking brands established themselves in the region. The peasants left the countryside and flocked to the factories that burgeoned around Lake Joux. Since then, the watchmaking sector has continued to grow in the region, despite certain interruptions due, among other causes, to the world wars of the 20th century and the watchmaking crisis of the late 1970s.
Blancpain Sets Up in the Joux Valley
In 1984, Blancpain settled in Le Brassus to make and assemble its watches there. Since 2010, it has also had a production site in Le Sentier, where it currently employs nearly 700 people in this centre of Swiss watchmaking.


text: It looks like almost all countries in the Western World somehow celebrate on the first day of April of every year. Everyone seems to do it in a different way though, and if some countries celebrate the day with practical jokes and general foolishness only until noon, in Italy – like . . . → Read More: April Fool's Day is Pesce d'Aprile in Italy!


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|"The Prince" of King County is JUST Starting to Turn Color
The Young Prince is beginning to turn on October 8. However, the King of King County remains verdant in its majestic splendor (splendour for our Canadian bretheren). Both the trees are Bigleaf Maple.
I decided to take an organized approach to support Rantwick's quest for a tree superior in every way to his own "King of Autumn." So I used the Internet and came up with a list of candidates to watch. Namely Seattle's Heritage trees, and similar ones that have been around since the early pioneers. But they have not turned color. Not even the scarlet oak. Oh, well, perhaps next year.
|On the Very Same Street, "The King" has Been a Giant Here for Over 100 Years


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What is known is that the Boston Police Department has located and impounded a silver SUV with Rhode Island registration that police have been trying to find for almost a year, that's linked to the scene of a double homicide in 2012, the source said.
Investigators believe that Hernandez was renting the SUV at the time of those killings, the source said.
Hernandez, who was released by the New England Patriots on Wednesday after his arrest, will be back in a courtroom Thursday for a bail hearing.
Hernandez is scheduled to appear at Fall River, Massachusetts, Superior Court at 2 p.m. to appeal a judge's decision to hold him without bail, the court magistrate said.
A second man arrested in connection with the killing of Odin Lloyd is also expected to appear before a judge.
Carlos Ortiz was arrested in Bristol, Connecticut, on Wednesday and will have an initial hearing in Attleboro, Massachusetts, District Court as early as Thursday, a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN.
Hernandez is accused in last week's shooting death of Lloyd, whose body was found in an industrial park area less than a mile from Hernandez's home.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Accusation of orchestrating murder
Hernandez "drove the victim to the remote spot, and then he orchestrated his execution," First Assistant District Attorney Bill McCauley said in court Wednesday.
"He orchestrated the crime from the beginning, he took steps to conceal and destroy evidence, and he took steps to prevent the police from speaking to … an important witness," the prosecutor said.
Defense attorney Michael Fee has said that the evidence is circumstantial and that bail should be granted so that Hernandez can return home to spend time with his fiancee and 8-month-old child.
"It is a circumstantial case. It is not a strong case," Fee said, arguing that Hernandez was not a flight risk and had cooperated with authorities.
Lloyd, 27, was a semipro football player who worked for a landscape company. His sister, Olivia Thibou, told CNN last week that her brother was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee. Lloyd and Hernandez were at a Boston nightclub together the night of June 14, she said.
A 'model inmate'
During his first 24 hours in jail, Hernandez has been "polite and cooperative" and a "model inmate," Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson said.
Hernandez was being held in the jail's medical unit, which is standard for someone who hasn't been incarcerated before, Hodgson said.
The former pro athlete showed "no apparent nervousness" in jail, Hodgson said, but he noted the difficulty of going from having thousands of people cheering for him to being "just a number."
While in the medical unit, Hernandez will be locked up for 23 hours a day, with a break for a shower and phone calls, the sheriff said.
CNN's Susan Candiotti, Stephanie Gallman, Alina Cho and Dana Garrett contributed to this report.
TM & © 2013 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


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Exhibitors at the Trade Expo at ICSC's RECon will be marketing to a very tough audience. Competition among firms showcasing their latest products and services is likely to be intense as retailers and developers continue to tighten their belts. Furthermore, they're likely to have less time to hawk their wares as many conference attendees are planning on condensing their trips this year. Rather than spending three or four days at the show, many attendees plan to stay in Las Vegas for two days — or less.
"Given the current economic climate, we can't anticipate that attendance will match the record levels that we have seen in the last two years," says Erin Hershkowitz, a spokesperson for ICSC.
The RECon convention attracted nearly 50,000 attendees in both 2007 and 2008. "We don't expect that to happen again this year, but we certainly are expecting a very productive and successful show," she says.
RECon will be held May 17th through May 20th in Las Vegas. Pre-registration was down about 15 percent from last year, according to ICSC, with about 20,000 signed up for the conference as of mid-April. The association expects final numbers to be down about that much as well.
Even the convention itself is feeling the pinch from the struggling economy. The biggest change at the convention will be in the Leasing Mall, which will contract from three halls down to two. But the Trade Expo will also be affected.
ICSC is expecting about 275 registered exhibitors in the Trade Expo, a decrease from 350 that attended the show last year. The Trade Expo will cover 240,000 square feet, down about 30,000 square feet from 2008. Still, that's almost double the space the Trade Expo occupied in 2007.
Exhibitors in the Trade Expo will include firms that specialize in accounting or financial services software; advertising, marketing and public relations; architectural/engineering/construction; demographics, market analysis and prospecting software; graphic and interior design; decorations; flooring and masonry products; elevator and escalator sales; HVAC, lighting, and energy management; roofing contractors; security services; mall furnishings; and landscaping services.
Some of the changes to the Trade Expo this year include shorter hours and a shift in the layout. The Trade Expo will close at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, a few hours earlier than in the past. The earlier closing is a courtesy to allow exhibitors extra time to pack up and head home, Hershkowitz notes.
The ICSC also is relocating the Green Pavilion from the Grand Lobby to the Trade Expo portion of the convention. The Green Pavilion, which provides information on sustainable building practices and projects, will now be located next to the Green Zone.
The Green Zone, which made its debut in 2007, features roughly 65 exhibitors that showcase a variety of sustainable building products and services. Last year, the Green Zone occupied 16,000 square feet. ICSC also has become more stringent on how those companies qualify as green, so that attendees can get more value out of that section of the Trade Expo, Hershkowitz adds.
Even though the volume of attendees and exhibitors at RECon is expected to be down, exhibitors are preparing for a full-court press. One of the key ideas firms will be highlighting this year is how their products and services can add value, create efficiencies or cut costs.
"We're obviously experiencing a tumultuous time in the retail industry," says David O'Niones, vice president and director of sales at Englewood, Colo.-based Playtime. The company is a global provider of interactive, themed play areas to shopping centers.
"With these economic realities, we've challenged our team to be more creative and strategic in assisting our clients to identify, develop and secure partnerships for their play areas," he adds.
A common theme articulated throughout the retail industry is the critical importance for retail centers to promote a sense of community as well as enhance the shopping experience, O'Niones says. "We find ourselves in the position of providing an amenity that is both exceedingly popular and also proven to drive traffic — an important consideration at any time, but never more so than today."
Recent Playtime projects range from play areas at Fiesta Mall in Mesa, Ariz., to Discovery Mall in Kuwait City, Kuwait.
Each year Playtime creates a new theme specifically for RECon. "The antibacterial nature of our coatings, enhancements with sound and a continued evolution in our approach to partnerships are important messages for this year's event," O'Niones explains.
Innovations in lighting
Many exhibitors are concentrating on showing convention attendees how they are adapting to the new retail environment. WLS Lighting Systems is introducing numerous new energy-efficient products such as its SiteLynx, which is a wireless controller for lighting systems. "We are also educating developers and retailers on the benefits of good site lighting maintenance of their existing properties," says Dean Pritchard, president of WLS Lighting Systems in Forth Worth, Texas.
For example, WLS is conducting exterior and interior lighting energy audits and researching rebate and tax credit information for its customers. WLS also is promoting a number of green initiatives including retrofitting existing projects with more energy-efficient lamps, introducing wireless controls, and educating developers and retailers on the numerous benefits of redesigning lighting systems.
There are a number of energy-efficient technologies being developed for exterior lighting that are becoming very popular. For instance, natural white lamps are a relatively new technology with numerous advantages over standard metal halide. WLS is recommending 775 natural white lamps in lieu of 1,000-watt probe start lamps for various reasons.
Natural white lamps produce an even whiter, brighter light than metal halide. As a result, the wattage — and energy costs — can be reduced while actually improving the lighting. In addition, natural white 775-watt lamps have a lamp life of 20,000-plus hours versus 12,000 for standard metal halide, and depreciate much slower than standard metal halide, Pritchard notes.
WLS realizes that budgets are tight. "However, when developers and retailers realize that natural white lamps save 25 percent in energy costs and provide much better lighting while burning almost twice as long, we think developers and retailers will consider switching to this superior technology," Pritchard says.
Management software
Atlanta-based Virtual Premise Inc. will be showcasing the latest innovations and enhancements to its popular VP Retail Edition—the fourth-generation Percent Rent Manager and an improved Advanced Desktop Automated Manager (ADAM).
Although Virtual Premise has offered a percent rent management tool for several years, the firm has continued to enhance the feature's capabilities. The updated version of the Percent Rent Manager integrates with existing point-of-sales systems to automate landlord sales reporting requirements, expands the number and complexity of breakpoint calculations and facilitates the efficient calculation and payment of percent rent across any number of properties for a retailer.
"Percentage rent management is very time-consuming and fraught with errors," says Mike Hawkins, managing director at Virtual Premise. "This enhanced tool allows retailers to manage their entire portfolio in a much more efficient manner."
That is a big value add for many retailers and restaurants, especially considering the fact that some large chains may calculate and process thousands of percentage rent payments each month. The program integrates with a retailer's own point-of-sale system and uses that data to perform a variety of tasks.
For example, the software can calculate percentage rent based on any number of breakpoints as well as send out store sales reports automatically to landlords via e-mail or fax. "We have redesigned the product to allow it to be more flexible for companies that use different methodologies to accurately manage all types of rent," Hawkins says.
Virtual Premise also will be highlighting improvements to its Advanced Desktop Audit Manager product. ADAM works in stand-alone mode or in conjunction with the VP Retail Edition, and is used to identify discrepancies in pass-through operating expenses from landlords in common area maintenance (CAM), insurance and taxes. ADAM launched about a year ago, but the latest version features expanded capabilities.
In addition, Virtual Premise will be introducing attendees to its new strategic partnership with Atlanta-based WorkOasis. WorkOasis is a best-in-class, Web-based maintenance management system that includes integrated work order, service history, invoice and payment processing and customer satisfaction evaluation tools. "We subscribe to the idea that if you find best practices tools out there, it's best to be able to integrate those tools," Hawkins says.
Trends in architecture
The challenging economic climate has architecture firms such as GreenbergFarrow more focused than ever on delivering value to its clients. "The end users have retrenched and are very focused on capturing value," Clifford says. Typically, GreenbergFarrow, an Atlanta-based planning, engineering and development consulting firm focuses on complex urban retail and mixed-use developments as well as major new store rollouts for brands such as Ikea, Kohl's and Home Depot.
For example, GreenbergFarrow designed the newly opened Fordham Place, a 276,475-square-foot, mixed-use retail and office complex in the Bronx, N.Y. The three-story project features Sears, Best Buy, 24 Hour Fitness and Walgreens as the main retail tenants.
GreenbergFarrow converted the existing building from single-tenant use to multiple-retail and office use by expanding the second through sixth floors. GreenbergFarrow focused on maintaining and reusing as much of the existing structure as possible, while adding a total of approximately 90,000 square feet to the property's first six floors and expanding a 37,000-square-foot cellar.
These days, clients are focusing on a more simple approach, such as cost-effective upgrades to existing properties in order to simply maintain the rent roll.
For example, clients that had perhaps planned a major redevelopment are now moving forward more cautiously, and are instead searching for ways to improve an existing asset over the short term rather than undertaking a costly demolition and expansion, notes John Clifford, principal of planning at GreenbergFarrow.
Property owners are initiating mainly cost-efficient cosmetic upgrades, and are looking for new ways to boost revenue, such as by recapturing more rentable square footage or introducing non-retail uses. "Another challenge that developers have is that some retailers are leaving their premises, and they are trying to find creative ways to remarket and reposition that space," Clifford adds.
Green building materials
Green building continues to be a hot topic in the retail industry, and firms such as Petersen Aluminum Corp. will be focusing on the latest sustainable products in the roofing industry. "The most dramatic shift in the metal industry is toward building green," says Blake Batkoff, national accounts sales manager at Petersen Aluminum in Elk Grove Village, Ill. "In the past few years it was a nice conversation topic but today many builders and developers are trying to build more eco-friendly buildings."
Petersen Aluminum is working with its suppliers to develop products that are high performance and aesthetically pleasing, while also providing greater energy efficiency. Petersen Aluminum will be featuring its latest green building materials at RECon, including its solar laminate panels and new, energy-efficient metal roof colors. Petersen offers 29 cool roof colors that improve the energy efficiency of its roofing products without compromising on color selection. The Cool Color palette also meets the requirements of Energy Star, LEED and other cool roofing certification requirements for solar reflectance and emissivity ratings.
In addition, Petersen Aluminum will be promoting its PAC Solar Series. The product combines the long-term structural performance of its standing seam metal panels with the durability and flexibility of a photovoltaic laminate, which creates an efficient solar roof system that can be used on several of the company's roof panel systems.
Green design also is emerging in outdoor and indoor furniture products such as those produced by DuMor Inc. For example, all of the steel that the company uses is produced from a percentage of recycled steel.
At the Trade Expo, DuMor will be displaying two new benches that are made from recycled plastic products. The two companion products, which were introduced earlier this year, include a bench with a backrest, as well as a backless design.
"We believe that the price points we offer are very competitive, which allows the client to purchase a very durable product at a very fair price," says Steve Richard, director of sales and marketing at Mifflintown, Pa.-based DuMor.
The company is in the process of designing additional furniture that incorporates recycled materials. "Something we are trying to put more emphasis on going forward is following the green theme to utilize as much recycled material as we can," Richard says.