text:
Install a UCC certificate for cPanel Addon Domains
If you want to use an SSL connection for one of your cPanel shared hosting account's Addon Domains, you can purchase and configure a Multiple Domains UCC certificate.
To Install a UCC Certificate for cPanel Addon Domains
- Request your UCC certificate (more info). Make sure the Addon Domain you want to use is listed as one of your Subject Alternative Names (SANs).
- Log in to your GoDaddy account.
- Click Web Hosting.
- Next to the cPanel account you want to use, click Manage.
- Click cPanel Admin.
- In the Security section, click SSL/TLS Manager.
- Click Manage SSL Sites
Note: If there are multiple certificates installed on the account, you must click Browse Certificates, select the certificate you want to use, and then click Use Certificate.
- From the Domain menu, select the Addon Domain you want to use, and then click Autofill By Domain.
- Click Install Certificate and complete the installation process. You need to complete this step for every Addon Domain/SAN you want to use on this hosting account.


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Your guide to Kapiti Coast designer and outlet shopping
We have a wide variety of shopping experiences to keep all budgets intact!
You'll find most of our retail outlets are on State Highway 1, but our beach villages are certainly worth a visit.
An eclectic art shop, second-hand shops and a funky design store.
Raumati Beach
Popular for designer fashion.
Paraparaumu Beach
A mix of craft, clothing and gift shops.
Coastlands is a mall on SH1 in Paraparaumu with more than 100 stores.
Te Horo
Ruth Pretty's shop, plus lavender products at Lavender Creek.
Famous for its outlet stores, including major outdoor clothing and fashion brands.
And there are plenty of cafes to keep you fed along the way.
Contact our i-SITE Visitor Information Centres for more details including bus, train, and tide timetables; or the latest in other activities and events. They are located in Paraparaumu and Otaki.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
And I'm, duh, winning!
On raising a son on the autism spectrum, progressive politics, pop culture, and coffee addiction.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Personal politicking
And I'm, duh, winning!
7 comments:
- Robin said...
loved your rant
what are you winning?
- March 11, 2011 11:46 PM
- MOM-NOS said...
Robin, clearly you have been making better use of your time than I have in recent weeks:
Click here.
- March 11, 2011 11:52 PM
- Robin said...
Aha, I try to ignore Charlie Sheen :)
Keep on uh, winning.......
I do hope though that you do have your own set of gods to enjoy the 'winning' with you
- March 12, 2011 3:47 AM
- Royal Ranch said...
The man in the video asking Shakir to step down almost brought tears to my eyes with his passion! Sometimes I can't even fathom what some people are thinking...
- March 12, 2011 7:43 AM
- jess said...
omg, i snorted.
but as for the post ..
yes, this is the time for us to stand up and speak up on behalf of our children. with people like shakir around, we simply have no choice.
hope you're feeling better, warlock.
- March 12, 2011 5:54 PM
- Genenut said...
Shakir still thinks he did nothing wrong.
His Response
- March 15, 2011 10:13 PM
- BlogFront said...
Hi Mom-Nos,
BlogFront.org is committed to uphold the quality standards of blogging. We strive to maintain and promote only the most credible blogs in their respective fields.
Spam blogs or "splogs" has been a problem for some time now and people are getting confused about which blog to trust.
We would like to thank you for maintaining such a reputable blog. We know that it takes time, effort and commitment to keep such a blog and as such, we have added your blog as one of the top Autism Blogs.
You can see your blog listed here: http://blogfront.org/autism/6
You can also claim your BlogFront Top Blogs badge at http://blogfront.org/badges/autism
Thank you for keeping your blog credible. Let's keep the blog revolution alive!
Maria Blanchard
Blog Revolucion
- March 21, 2011 1:52 AM


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A few weeks ago, studies found that National Football League players are at greater risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's disease. Papers ran stories about the news and rightfully so. But with Veterans Day approaching on Sunday, Nov. 11, how many of us know that a much, much larger segment of our population – military veterans – also is at greater risk of Lou Gehrig's disease?
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While in Colorado Springs, Colorado searching for places to practice and release a few arrows I ran into a public archery range.
The range is located in Bear Creek Park which is in the foothills on the west side of the city. The park also boasts lots of other cool amenities like volleyball and tennis courts, horseshoe pits, horse riding trails, a community vegetable garden, and a place to release your dogs so they can cavort leashless with other dogs.
The range is an open outside structure, built in such a way to contain any errant arrows and keep other park users safe. Impaling someone's pooch would just not be a plus for the sport…
The back line or furthest distance you can shoot, is separated into lanes by metal pipe spacers, these spacers have pipe quivers, there is a big trash barrel and the furthest shooting post is roofed, which helps with the intense Colorado sun, broadheads and crossbows are not allowed. The range rules are prominently posted.
While I was there two young archers with their new Samick Sage bows showed up as well as a father and his son. We took turns shooting far and near so dad and son could accomplish their goals and we could revel at how much more fun it is to miss from far instead of near.
There are long sections of tough black rubber that span the range width every 10 yards or so which keep any stray high arrows from exiting the range, this same rubber material is also on the face wall of the range keeping missed arrows from being impaled badly into the wood. Most just bounced off or came off very easily.
From a distance I thought the butts were made from hay bales but upon close inspection found that it was a shredded wood bale. Seemed effective but I'd be curious to see how they would hold to a fast compound bow.
While I have not read it I understand that there is an ordinance against shooting bows within the city limits, say in your backyard and so having this free public facility is a big plus, it is nice to know that when the archery budget gets stretched thin and the addiction of watching your arrows soar to their mark takes a hold of you that there is a free, safe place to go to.
I don't know the origins of this range and how it came to be but I salute Colorado Springs for having it.


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Proactive maintenance tasks consume time and resources, so they are not something you want to be doing unnecessarily. To say the same thing another way, if a dollar is spent on improving reliability, that dollar must be fully recovered — plus an acceptable return on investment, otherwise it is not a dollar well spent.
An ounce of prevention — proof positive
A couple of days after Christmas I received a call from an old customer about a breakdown. This is a rare occurrence for me because I got out of the on-call, service business many years ago. And all my current clients know if they do have a breakdown, I'm not the person to call. So this call was not welcome. But in the Christmas spirit of good will to all men, I took it anyway.
My client, Andy, explained that due to the time of year, he was having trouble finding assistance with his problem. And then he said "I've been with this company for eight years and this machine has not had a major breakdown in all that time."
This brought a big smile to my face, because it was yours truly who designed and implemented a proactive maintenance (PM) program for this machine some 10 years earlier. And to a preventive maintenance guy, that's exactly the sort of thing you like to hear.
After listening to Andy's description of the problem, and based on my knowledge of the machine, I explained that it was most likely an electrical problem. To this Andy replied that he had already had an electrician investigate the issue and could find no fault. So I arranged for an experienced technician to go to the site and investigate the problem further.
That afternoon I received a message from that technician, advising he had found an electrical fault. I was delighted by this news. Not because I could say "I told you so," but because the machine's record of 10 years of service — without a major, hydraulic breakdown — remained intact.
My point in telling this story here is to show that you get the equipment reliability outcomes you demand.
Ensuring a dollar well spent
One of the most common tools used for helping determine what is and is not a dollar well spent is the Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) framework, Figure 1. Placing PM within the RCM framework ensures that the cost of PM tasks do not exceed the cost of the consequences of failure.
It was the commercial aviation industry that gave us modern RCM. And it really took off when Boeing was building the 747. Due to the size and complexity of the 747, Boeing realized that if its myriad maintenance tasks were to be carried out on some arbitrary and inflexible number of hours in service, the 747 would be a hangar queen. This meant it would spend more time on the ground than it would in the air.
Of course, because hundreds of lives are at stake when an aircraft leaves the ground, streamlining the maintenance process has to be done so as not to compromise reliability — and, therefore, safety. Enter RCM.
In short, RCM involves asking and answering a series of questions about the machine and each of its systems:
• What are its functions?
• What constitutes a failure? (This may not be just the total inability to function.)
• What can cause each failure?
• What can happen when each failure occurs?
• What are the consequences of each failure? (Ranking of failures)
• What can be done to predict or prevent each failure?
• What should be done if a suitable PM task can't be found?
As you can tell from the above questions, the whole process is proactive in nature: it involves a whole lot of "what if" questions. It's like preparing for a job interview or a difficult task or journey. You run through all the things you can think of that can go wrong in advance, then you take whatever steps you deem necessary to prevent these scenarios from occurring — or if any of them do eventually occur — to ensure the best possible outcome.
If the machine is complex, working through the RCM process is both challenging and time-consuming. I can imagine that when Boeing was doing this exercise on the 747, they had teams of engineers of various disciplines and pilots locked in rooms together for months, running through all the possible scenarios.
As challenging as it is, the alternative to RCM is to be reactive only — an attitude that is incompatible with commercial aviation. In other words, you let the machine tell you what the probability and consequences of all its possible failure modes are over time. And this, by the way, is why there is generally nothing to be gained by going through the RCM process on a machine that is, say, 10 years old. Because all of its failure modes and their causes and consequences are likely to be known.
Extend life and detect problems early
Beyond defining and ranking all possible failures, and determining their consequences, deployment of advanced maintenance tactics within the RCM framework involves the application of condition-based maintenance.
Condition-based maintenance encompasses proactive maintenance (PM) and predictive maintenance (PdM), the combined objectives of which are machine life extension and early detection of faults and failures, Figure 2. And placing condition-based maintenance within the RCM framework helps ensure that if a dollar is spent on PM or PdM tasks, it is recovered — with interest attached.
RCM and the deployment of advanced maintenance tactics with its framework are not appropriate for every piece of hydraulic equipment, however. As already mentioned, there is usually little to be gained by doing RCM on a machine that is 10 years old. In this case, historical data can be used to determine the most essential maintenance tasks — you don't need to stare into a crystal ball.
And not all machines will warrant the time and effort involved in doing RCM properly. If a machine can break down without posing a safety risk (although this is not always obvious) or incurring a high economic cost with respect to lost production and downtime, then it's safe to say it's not critical to the plant (see Figure 1). Therefore, it is not a prime candidate for the deployment of advanced, proactive and predictive maintenance tasks.
Brendan Casey has more than 20 years experience in the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of mobile and industrial hydraulic equipment. For information, visit www.hydraulicsupermarket.com.


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For those who like to wish upon a shooting star, tonight will be your last chance this year to do so.
The Geminid meteor shower will rain down on the Bay Area late Thursday night through Friday morning, with anywhere from 80 to 120 meteors per hour shooting across the winter sky during peak viewing time, according to NASA.
Peak hours are between roughly midnight and 4 a.m., for those who are willing to wander out late to take a look.
But those hours will also be some of the coldest in the East Bay, according to Austin Croff of the National Weather Service.
A frost warning has been issued for parts of the East Bay, where cities such as Livermore and Oakland may see temperatures drop into the mid- to low-30s.
The Geminid meteor shower is named after the constellation Gemini, which is located in roughly the same point of the night sky where the Geminid meteor shower appears to originate, according to NASA.
Geminids are pieces of debris from 3200 Phaethon, the skeleton of a comet that lost its outer covering of ice — after too many close encounters with the sun.
In mid-December of each year, NASA stated that the Earth runs into the stream of debris from Phaethon, which causes the meteor shower.
The Geminids are a relatively young meteor shower, NASA added, with the first reports occuring in the 1830s.
Contact Katie Nelson at 925-945-4780 or follow her at Twitter.com/katienelson210.


text:
String Beans Charm
"Ewwww! String beans!" The string beans I used to eat as a kid came from a can. This string bean charm is just the opposite. Meant to represent freshly picked pods still warm from the sun. Your gardening friend couldn't ask for a better charm!
Product Specifications:
- 5/16 inch length.
- Type: Flat Back.
- We antique each charm to highlight the details and polish the rest to a brilliant shine!
- Original design by Pat Frey and hand crafted in the USA.
- Cast from 925 sterling silver which is both durable and beautiful.
- Gold Vermeil options are plated with 100 mils of 22 karat gold.
- Comes with jump ring and small polishing cloth so you can keep your jewelry shining!
- Item Number: 691
Shipping/Returns/Warranty Information:
- USPS First Class Mail: FREE (4 - 7 business days)
- USPS Priority Mail: Price calculated at checkout (2 - 3 business days)
- USPS Priority Mail Express: Price calculated at checkout (1 - 2 business days)
- 30 day money back guarantee! Not satisfied? Return your item within 30 days for a full refund!
- Lifetime replacement guarantee. Learn more.
- NOTE: 14 karat gold items are made to order. Please allow one business week for production in addition to the number of days it will take to ship your item.
About Us:
We are a small family business in southern Arizona with a passion for making fun, cute, high quality jewelry! We design and craft every item with a great deal of care and love. We hope they bring you as much joy to wear as they bring us to make! Learn more.


text:
On last night's episode, the roommates went to a strip club for amateur night to earn money, but things went horribly wrong. Excessive vomit and a hospital visit followed.
Some of the girls are in debt, so the natural decision was to fall back on old habits and earn some quick cash through stripping. Kayla, who is a veteran stripper - with the body stocking to prove it - filled up on booze to help with her nerves. She ended up getting so hosed that she took her clothes off for free on the floor before the contest started, then ran outside into the parking lot naked, then barfed her brains out, then had to be taken to the hospital. On a brighter note, the other roommate who entered the contest, Sarah, won first prize. Silver lining! Clip above.


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|Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
Perennial, bulbed, cormed, or rhizomed
Stem generally erect
Leaves generally basal (a few cauline), 2-ranked, ± linear, generally grass-like, generally sharply folded along midrib; bases overlapping, sheathing
Inflorescence: spike, raceme, panicle, ± terminal, or flowers solitary; bracts ± like leaf bases, sheathing
Flower generally bisexual, generally radial; hypanthium fused to ovary; perianth parts generally fused into tube above ovary, generally petal-like, in 2 series of 3, outer (sepals) generally ± like inner (petals); stamens 3, generally attached to sepals, filaments fused below into a tube or not; ovary inferior, 3-chambered, placentas generally axile, style 1, each of 3 branches entire or 2-branched or -lobed, petal-like or not, with stigma on under surface instead of at tip
Fruit: capsule, loculicidal
Seeds fewmany
Genera in family: 80 genera, ± 1500 species: worldwide, especially Africa; many cultivated (e.g., Iris, Gladiolus, Crocus, Freesia ).
Perennial; rhizome creeping or ± tuber-like
Inflorescence: flowers 1many
Flower: perianth parts clawed, sepals (wider, spreading or reflexed) unlike petals (generally narrower, erect); style branches ± petal-like, arching over stamens, each with flat, scale-like stigma on surface facing stamen, just below generally 2-lobed tip (crest)
Seeds compressed, pitted
Species in genus: Perhaps 150 species: generally n temp
Etymology: (Greek: rainbow, from flower colors)
Reference: [Lenz 1958 Aliso 4:172; Clarkson 1959 Madroño 15:115122]
Hybrids are common, especially in I. tenax alliance; some authors lump taxa recognized here.
Horticultural information: Pacific Iris hybrids; CVS.
Rhizome 34 mm diamSee the CNPS Inventory for information about endangerment and rarity.
Stem < 2 dm, with 24 slightly sheathing leaves
Leaf 24 mm wide
Inflorescence: flowers 12; lowest 2 bracts opposite, outermost 3.36 cm, 57 mm wide
Flower: perianth deep golden yellow with darker veins or sometimes yellow throughout, tube 1530 mm, sepals 4.46.3 cm, 1730 mm wide; style branches 1926 mm, crests 914 mm, stigmas triangular
Chromosomes: 2n=40
Ecology: UNCOMMON. Open or partly shaded slopes with well-drained soil
Elevation: ± 3002000 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Klamath Ranges (Del Norte Co.)
Distribution outside California: sw Oregon
Horticultural information: DRN: 4, 5, 6, 7 &IRR: 15, 16, 17, 24 &SHD: 8, 9, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.


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The First Art Newspaper on the Net
Established in 1996
United States
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Last Week
Special Photos
Forced Labor: The Germans, the Forced Laborers, and the War
A man eyes an exhibit at the special exhibition 'Forced Labour. The Germans, the Forced Labourers and the War'at Jewish Museum in Berlin, Germany, 27 September 2010. The exhibition is on display from 28 September to 30 January 2011. EPA/WOLFGANG KUMM.
Over 20 million men, women, and children were taken to Germany and the occupied territories from all over Europe as "foreign workers," prisoners of war, and concentration camp inmates to perform forced labor. By 1942, forced laborers were part of daily life in Nazi Germany. The deported workers from all over Europe and Eastern Europe in particular were exploited in armament factories, on building sites and farms, as craftsmen, in public institutions and private households. Be it as a soldier of the occupying army in Poland or as a farmer in Thuringia, all Germans encountered forced laborers and many profited from them. Forced labor was no secret but a largely public crime.
The exhibition "Forced Labor. The Germans, the Forced Laborers, and the War" on view at the
Jewish Museum
in Berlin provides the first comprehensive presentation of the history of forced labor and its ramifications after 1945. The exhibition was curated by the Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorials Foundation and initiated and sponsored by the "Remembrance, Responsibility and Future" Foundation. Federal President Christian Wulff has assumed patronage for the exhibition. The exhibitions first venue on its international tour is the Jewish Museum Berlin, other venues are planned in European capitals and in North America.
Forced labor was without precedent in European history. No other Nazi crime involved so many people as victims, perpetrators, or onlookers. The exhibition provides the first comprehensive presentation of the history of this ubiquitous Nazi crime and its ramifications after 1945. It shows how forced labor was part of the Nazi regimes racist social order from the outset: The propagated "Volksgemeinschaft" (peoples community) and forced labor for the excluded belonged together. The German "Herrenmenschen" (superior race) ruthlessly exploited those they considered "Untermenschen" (subhumans). The ordinariness and the broad societal participation of forced labor reflect the racist core of Nazism.
The exhibition pays special attention to the relationships between Germans and forced laborers. Every German had to decide whether to treat forced laborers with a residual trace of humanity or with the supposedly required racist frostiness and implacability of a member of an allegedly superior race. How Germans made use of the scope this framework reveals something not only about the individuals but also about the allure and shaping power of Nazi ideology and practice. Through this perspective, the exhibition goes beyond a presentation of forced labor in the narrow sense to illustrate the extent to which Nazi values had infiltrated German society. Forced labor cannot be passed off as a mere crime of the regime but should rather be considered a crime of society.
Over 60 representative case histories form the core of the exhibition. As is true of the majority of documents on show, they resulted from meticulous investigations in Europe, the USA, and Israel. Moreover the exhibition team viewed hundreds of interviews with former forced laborers that have been carried out in recent years. In terms of content, these case histories range from the degrading work of the politically persecuted in Chemnitz through the murderous slave labor performed by Jews in occupied Poland to daily life as a forced laborer on a farm in Lower Austria.
Among the surprises of the extensive international archival research was discovering unexpectedly broad photographic coverage of significant events. The photos relating to the case histories represent the second pillar of the exhibition. Whole series of photos were traced back to their creator and the scene and people depicted. This presentation, based on well-founded sources, allows quasi dramatic insight into aspects of forced labor. Cinematically arranged photo or photo-detail enlargements form the introduction to the continued inquiry into the history of forced labor.
The exhibition is divided into four sections. The first covers the years from 1933 to 1939 and unveils in particular how the racist ideology of Nazi forced labor struck roots. What was propagated up to the beginning of WWII, partly laid down in laws and widely implemented by society in practice, formed the basis for the subsequent radicalization of forced labor in occupied Europe culminating in extermination through labor. This escalation and radicalization is the focus of the second section of the exhibition. The third part covers forced labor as a mass phenomenon in the Third Reich from 1941/42, ending with the massacre of forced laborers at the end of the war. The fourth section explores the period from the time of liberation in 1945 to societys analysis and recognition of forced labor as a crime today. Former forced laborers have the last word.
Jewish Museum
"Forced Labor"
Christian Wulff
Today's News
September 28, 2010
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Virginia Museum Announces Important Picasso Exhibition
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Laurie Anderson Says Museums Losing Cachet to Web
Yinka Shonibare Creates a Work for the Campaign Against Cuts
AIA Selects Four Projects for National Healthcare Design Awards
Masterworks by Fontana and De Chirico Lead Sotheby's Auction
Park Avenue Armory Announces First Full Artistic Season
"Persistence of Memory" to Join Dalí Exhibition at the High
Scaasi: American Couturier at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Kohl's Donates More than $2.7 Million to Milwaukee Art Museum
Josef Albers Museum Opens Exhibition of the Last Paintings Made by Ad Reinhardt
Seoul Auction to Offer Superlative Western & Asian Art in October
First Comprehensive Solo Exhibition in Europe for Tobias Madison Opens
American Pioneers of Color at Galerie Edwynn Houk Zur Stockeregg
Aaron Curry's Mmnktlplkt at Michael Werner Gallery
Photos of Gandhi on Momentous Day in Indian History for Sale at Bonhams
Frieze Art Fair Launches Free iPhone App
Ron Terada: Who I Think I Am at The Hayward Gallery Project Space
Son in NY Dead Sea Scrolls Case: There's No Crime
Most Acclaimed Rembrandt Portrait on Rare Display
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Forced Labor: The Germans, the Forced Laborers, and the War
Kara Walker to Be Honored at Brooklyn Museum
CU Art Museum Presents Inaugural Exhibition Program
Sunday Art Fair to Be Held in London at the P3 Ambika Space
Sotheby's Photography Auction to Benefit George Eastman House
MoMA Announces 8th Festival of Film Preservation
Sanaugavut: Inuit Art from the Canadian Arctic
MFAH Opens Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Arts of China Gallery October 17
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Conservation reveals Wellington Collection work was painted by Titian's Workshop
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Hear from Our Customers at Cisco Live San Diego
As organizations work to evolve their IT infrastructure into a cloud-based model, one concept becomes self-evident: connecting users to the cloud with confidence. In order to achieve that, any virtual infrastructure must have the ability to pool multiple physical devices into a single virtual instance, then expand and contract that instance simultaneously and instantaneously based on application, location or line of business requirements. Such needs further emphasize the importance of design flexibility and scalable deployment models within the WAN. Cisco WAAS provides exactly that and more. But, don't just take our words for it. Hear directly from our customers at Cisco Live this week.
In the Cisco Live press release quote sheet:
"Cisco WAAS was instrumental in helping Swift Transportation ensure secure application delivery and high-margin service delivery to remote locations. Swift Transportation has successfully completed a production pilot and sees Cisco AppNav, the latest virtualization technology, as the solution to easily scale our 2nd data center deployment, reaping additional benefits such as on-demand provisioning of WAN optimization resources, virtualization of service infrastructure, and investment protection." — Mike Ruchensky, Chief Information Officer/VP, Swift Transportation
Sneak Peek of AppNav and Interview with Quintiles by TechWiseTV@Cisco Live
In the replay of Get Your Network Ready for the Cloud Cisco Live Press Conference (27 mins), hear from Euan Cameron, Global Core Network, Voice and Security Services Director of Baker Hughes, a top-tier oil field services provider, on how Cisco WAAS and other Cisco solutions are leveraged in their transition to the cloud.
Not at Cisco Live? Don't worry. Learn about AppNav and WAAS 5.0 through these.
- Cisco Wide Area Application Services Software Version 5.0 Technical Overview
- Cisco Wide Area Application Services Software Release 5.0 Data Sheet
- Cisco AppNav Technical Overview
- Cisco Live 365 on UStream
- And more on the Enterprise WAN App (on your iOS or Android device, go to: http://tinyurl.com/ciscoewan to download)
To learn more, visit cisco.com/go/waas or cisco.com/go/appnav.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.


text:
Does anyone know of any examples of web-apps that allow user-input to change variable weights used to calculate symbology?
My organization is looking to build a dynamic mapping application and while I have the tech-savvy to envision and outline the project, I don't have the coding experience to implement it myself (I've been working with GIS for close to 10 years, but I am new to development). I have access to both GeoServer and ArcGIS Server, and I'd appreciate any input on how to go about this task (FLEX vs REST vs JS vs MYSQL vs POSTGIS vs GeoServer vs ArcGIS, etc)
We are creating a series of opportunity maps based on neighborhood indicators. Essentially, we compile a set of data at the census-tract level for an MSA and convert the variables to Z-scores. Then we aggregate Z-scores to create a composite index for a certain category. We then use the composite index score to break tracts into 6 quantiles and shade them accordingly. For example:
Environmental Quality Index (heading)
- Cancer Risk
- Air Quality
- # of Hospitals accessible in 30 mins
- average ambulatory response time
In this example, we'd calculate Z-scores for each variable (cancer risk, air quality, etc) then add them together to create an additive index for environmental quality. Then we simply classify by quantile to create a map showing areas ranging from "Very High" to "Very Low" Environmental Quality. This would create a composite index where each variable is weighted equally. However, We would like to create an app that renders a general map using equal weights, but allows users to define variable weights as they choose. For example:
Environmental Quality
- 30% | Cancer Risk
- 15% | Air Quality
- 10% | Hospitals
- 45% | Ambulatory Response Time
In this case, the percentages are multiplied across the Z scores to create the desired weights, the quantile ranges will be recalculated, and the map shading will be updated accordingly.
Using databases, I believe this should be a fairly straightforward coding task, but I have been unable to find any examples of similar projects.
This example using ArcGIS server 10.1 looks to be promising:
Though I would still welcome advice on the most appropriate API (FLEX, REST, JSON, etc) and how to begin coding the app.


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Get DVD Talk Feeds
Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns (1986) is an essential piece of comic history, focusing its lens on an aging hero who still clashes with police and criminals in equal measure. It's as much a sly criticism of the decade's sociopolitical climate as it is a character study of Bruce Wayne and Batman; for these reasons and more, it's remained an enduring favorite of fans and critics alike. I didn't get the privilege of reading The Dark Knight Returns until a decade after its original release, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist---or heck, even a die-hard Batman fan---to enjoy what Miller brought to the table.
The original four-part "prestige format" series has been loosely adapted and borrowed from many times over the years; you can see bits and pieces in Batman: The Animated Series and Christopher Nolan's recent films, just for starters. Like Miller's own Year One (a similarly bleak account of Batman's early years), it's been given a proper adaptation by Warner Bros. Animation, the studio behind popular DC films like Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and Under the Red Hood. Condensed into two parts with a total running time of just under three hours, this ambitious direct-to-video production attempts to spruce up The Dark Knight Returns while remaining faithful to Miller's indispensable source material.
If this first part is any indication, die-hard fans should rest easy. Running just under 80 minutes, it condenses the series' first two chapters with ease...and though it stands on its own, new viewers will get the feeling that there's something bigger around the corner. The voice casting is inspired (Peter Weller as Batman is a great choice, even if you're a Kevin Conroy disciple), with supporting roles filled by the likes of David Selby (Commissioner Gordon), Ariel Winter ("Robin"), Michael Emerson (The Joker), Rob Paulsen ("My Name is Rob") and Michael McKean (Dr. Wolper) that feel like natural fits to their respective characters. The series' distinct visuals are loosely preserved with obvious nods to Miller's sketchy style, Klaus Johnson's excellent inks and Lynn Varley's moody color palette.
Overall, it's a promising start to one of comics' most recognizable and enduring story arcs. This tale of redemption, justice, chaos, and violence is seasoned by a strong Bob Goodman script, a fitting score by DC animated regular Christopher Drake, and more. Punches hit hard, words are spoken with conviction and, as with the very best Batman productions, our hero feels like more than a costumed vigilante. Warner Bros.' Combo Pack pairs a decent A/V presentation with bonus features of varying quality. Part Two is slated for a Winter 2013 release; see below for the updated review link.
Presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio, this 1080p transfer of The Dark Knight Returns looks good with mild reservations. First, the positive: the stylized color palette holds up nicely and pops without bleeding; additionally, image detail is crisp and black levels are fairly consistent. This adaptation is a cut above typical direct-to-video animated fare, and most scenes easily surpass their 480p counterparts in a direct comparison. Yet a number of small digital issues creep in on occasion, from sporadic amounts of noise to minor aliasing issues and compression artifacts. These aren't overly distracting problems at all (let alone deal-breakers), but The Dark Knight Returns should've been a shoe-in for visual perfection. This image doesn't consistently reach those heights, although most will consider it good enough.
The less related supplements lead off with "Batman & Me: The Bob Kane Story" (480p, 39 minutes), a detailed look at Batman's creator that's loaded with old and new interviews featuring Kane and other creative minds from the comic book industry and elsewhere. We also get pair of Batman: The Animated Series Episodes (480p, 47 minutes total); "Two-Face: Parts 1 and 2" contain some of the acclaimed series' best moments, but I'd imagine most fans own these already. Closing things out is a pointless four-page Digital Comic of The Dark Knight Returns highlights (which is too small to read) and a Preview for the animated Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (480p, 8 minutes). Sadly, no subtitles are included.
Also packed inside, of course, is a DVD and Ultraviolet Digital Copy insert, if that floats your boat.
DC's animated version of The Dark Knight Returns is, like the bulletproof source material, an engrossing and mature take on one of pop culture's most beloved icons. Dark, brooding and layered with terrific characters, it also maintains a period-specific vibe without feeling dated in the least. Though die-hard fans will easily spot a few revisions, the first half of this two-part production is largely faithful to one of Frank Miller's most enduring efforts. Warner Bros.' Blu-Ray is light but passable, pairing a solid A/V presentation with a few loosely related extras. Part of me wants to recommend waiting for the inevitable two-pack, but even the most casual fans will enjoy themselves. Firmly Recommended.


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Media 2007
|Statement: September 20, 2007
|View Printable PDF Version
|Docket Nos: EL07-56-000 and EL07-58-000
Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher's statement on Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc. et al. v. PJM Interconnection L.L.C., et al. and Organization of PJM States, Inc. et al. v. PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. et al.
"Today the Commission acts to assure adequate independence in market monitoring in the PJM Interconnection and safeguard the integrity of PJM market operations. We make a preliminary finding that the PJM tariff, under the particular circumstances brought to light in this case, may be unjust and unreasonable as it relates to the reporting requirements of its market monitor. We require a change in those reporting requirements to assure adequate independence in market monitoring, providing that the market monitor will report solely to the PJM Board of Managers or to an independent committee of the Board.
This action was taken in response to complaints filed last April by a group of states, municipalities and cooperatives, and by the Organization of PJM States, Inc. These complaints alleged certain tariff violations, and also charged PJM with interfering with the independence of its market Monitor. We disagree with the first argument, finding there were no tariff violations. However, we agree that the significant tension between PJM management and the market monitor could compromise the market monitor's ability to perform his tariff-defined functions and that, as a result, tariff modifications may be necessary.
Our order also provides for a process to facilitate settlement - we give the parties 14 days to inform the Commission whether they prefer a settlement judge, the Commission's Dispute Resolution office, or the General Counsel to resolve the issues among the parties. It is important that we implement this remedy in the near future in order to assure independence of market monitoring and safeguard the integrity of PJM market operations. For that reason, I urge the parties to commit themselves to the settlement process, and try to reach consensus as quickly as possible.
The Commission took these complaints very seriously. The complaints urged us to act quickly to determine whether tariff violations had occurred. They also encouraged us to take remedial action in a timely manner to assure the independence of market monitoring. We fast tracked the complaints, the first time we have done so. We issued data requests to develop a complete record.
We deny the tariff allegations because that is the only course supported by the record. However, we do make a preliminary finding that the current reporting relationship specified in PJM's tariff is, under the circumstances, unjust and unreasonable, and requires change to assure independence. We agree there is a problem, one that requires Commission action. And we order appropriate action.
The Commission's interest in the role and structure of market monitoring is not limited to PJM. Last April, the Commission held a technical conference to consider the role and structure of market monitoring units at regional transmission organizations and independent system operators. That conference was held at the initiative of the Commission, not at the request of any outside party. We took this initiative out of concern that the May 2005 Policy Statement on Market Monitoring Units was no longer adequate, and the Commission needed to take further steps to clarify the role and structure of market monitoring units.
There was a very helpful exchange of views at the technical conference on this subject, and the record of the April technical conference informed the Wholesale Competition Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Competition ANOPR) we issued in June. The Competition ANOPR proposed to clarify the role and structure of market monitoring units, not just in PJM but all the organized markets.
A number of parties urged us to refrain from ordering changes to the structure of the PJM market monitoring unit until a final rule is issued in the Competition ANOPR proceeding. We do not refrain. It will be a number of months before a final competition rule is issued, and the need to assure adequate independence in PJM market monitoring and preserve the integrity of PJM market operation is too urgent to wait any longer."
|View Printable PDF Version


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#90 Football
Thirty-two teams. One golden trophy. This summer, an elite selection of extraordinary footballers finally comes together to play the most beautiful game on earth in COLORS #90 – Football. In this issue, a mechanical…
The birdmen of Istanbul
Tours, Status Symbols, Animals
300 men carrying boxes and cages meet every summer weekend in cafes across Istanbul. Inside each is a bird.
Building a women's revolution in Bolivia
Money, Going to the Market
Construction work attracts increasing numbers of Bolivian women, but they aren't paid or promoted nearly as well as men. Yet.


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Men's Basketball Breakfeast Rescheduled
January 24, 2003
By ODU Athletics
By ODU Athletics
Jan. 24, 2003
NORFOLK, VA. -- The ODU men's basketball breakfast scheduled for this morning has been rescheduled to Friday, Jan. 31st. It will start at 7:30 a.m. in the Big Blue room in the Ted Constant Convocation Center.
The breakfeast will feature the sophomore and junior Monarchs. Please R.S. V. P. to Mark Benson at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 683-5696.


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GFS 2011 Game 3 – Giants at Braves (8/15/11)
After our last game in Miami, we drove through driving rain, thunder and lightning storms to a hotel in Jacksonville, Florida. On Monday morning, August 15, 2011, we had a much more peaceful drive into Georgia…
…and to our hotel in Atlanta.
After lunch and a little bit of relaxing, we headed to Turner Field for our first of two games between the Giants and Braves. With this game, Tim and I closed out the N.L. East – we have now been to games at Citizens Bank Park, Shea Stadium, Citi Field, Nationals Park, Sun Life Stadium and Turner Field. Following the A.L. West earlier in the season, the N.L. East is the second of the sixth MLB divisions that Tim and I have closed out.
We were a few minutes late to the stadium because we misjudged traffic a bit so we hustled to get into the ballpark. We did, however, take time to get Tim's picture with two statues of all-time great and living legend, Henry "Hank" Aaron…
…and non-Brave but Georgia Peach, Ty Cobb:
Upon entering the ballpark, my Dad went off to look at hats in the team store and Tim and I reported to section 150 in CF:
Two funny things happened right when we arrived in CF. First, the normally chained off TV camera area in the batters' eye area was open (but Tim refused to walk out on it for a picture)…
…the Braves were using a pitching machine for the first round of BP. I've never seen that before on a big league field.
Only the outfield is open for the fans during the first half hour of batting practice. There was no shade and Tim wasn't a big fan of it out in CF. So right when the rest of the stadium opened, we hit the concourse, got this picture with Braves Mickey…
…and relocated to a shady spot down the LF foul line:
As we watched the Braves take BP, I spotted my Dad all the way across the field by the RF foul pole:
In that picture, he had just caught a baseball from Braves bench coach Carlos Tosca and he is looking up Tosca's name in a little line-up card booklet that the ushers gave us when we entered the ballpark.
Meanwhile, we were having no luck in LF. A Brave named "Vizcaino"…
…was shagging baseballs in LF but we had no clue about his first name. Then I remembered that little booklet that as resting in my back pocket. I had not even looked at it and I got the notion that I should check it out in case it could provide any assistance. I pulled it out and found the line-ups of both teams (with pictures of all of the Braves) and discovered that Vizcaino's first name is "Adroys."
Literally on the next baseball hit to him, Tim and I both called out, "Adroys!" He looked over and tossed us the baseball.
Thanks, Adroys!
As we hung out in foul territory, Tim went crazy with the spray bottle (this picture was taken before he unloaded the spray bottle all over himself):
We watched Tim Lincecum warm up down the LF line…
…and a bunch of Giants BP from this same spot. But the Giants are not a very fan friendly bunch – or at least they haven't been during this Roadtrip. So we were having no luck down the LF line. Toward the end of BP, I noticed that Tim Lincecum was actually having some fun during BP out in CF. So we headed over there. Lincecum was the first Giant we witnessed actually interacting with fans and tossing baseballs into the crowd. It would have been great to be on the receiving
end of one of those baseballs, but it didn't happen.
So BP ended with one baseball in our backpack and one baseball in my Dad's backpack.
Before heading off to check out Turner Field, Tim jumped into a funny little nook in the LCF and did his best statue pose:
Tim was super-excited to check out the kids' play area that we passed by on our way into the stadium. But on our way, we ran into the Braves mascot, Homer:
Homer was hanging out in a little courtyard'ish area directly behind the scoreboard. You can see that area behind Tim and Homer in that last picture. And on the right side of this double picture…
…you can see what the back of the scoreboard looks like. The back-of-the-scoreboard scoreboard is a clutch move. The only other place I've seen it done is at
Citi Field. Well done, Braves (and Mets). To the left if that last picture, Tim is standing in front of the Cartoon Network (CN) play area. I am assuming that this means that Ted Turner owns CN. Anyway, it was very different any other play area we have seen at a MLB ballpark, but the CN play area was a ton of fun for Tim.
He particularly liked this little station where he could throw balls at moving skeletons (that he happened to always refer to as Pirates):
Among other things (that we'll save for our next entry), the CN play area also features a tree/boat to climb in and slide down (left)…
…weird electrical thingys (middle), and two whiffle ball fields.
After a while, I had to rip Tim out of the play area or we might have missed the entire game. It was time to explore. We headed from the play area to section 151:
And then we continued on the section 139 in the RF side of the Braves bullpen:
Behind the concourse in the RF corner, there is a switch back ramp all the way up to the upper deck. Tim loves long switch back ramps. So we had a long way up to the top of the stadium. On our way up, we noticed that the players parking lot was below the ramp:
And it appeared that several guys were washing some of the players' cars.
The ramp dumped us out in the concourse behind section 431:
We were at the RF foul pole, but the upper deck seats continue part way into RF so before heading toward home plate, we moseyed out to the last upper deck section in RF, section 437:
Looking down from section 437, we had an excellent view of Tim Hudson warming up in the Braves bullpen:
While doubling back toward the foul pole in the concourse, we noticed something very interesting – an Evacuation Route sign:
These signs are all over the place at Turner Field. Anyway, back to our walking tour. We swung around home plate and out to left field stopping along the way to take panoramic views of Turner Field from section 421…
…and section 405:
We stopped behind the plate to get this picture of Tim and Turner Field:
And then Tim scooted out of frame and we got this panorama from section 402:
Heading down the 3B line, we got this panorama from section 416:
And then we tried (but pretty much failed at) something new – a myGameBalls.com photo scavenger hunt bonus picture looking down at the "Turner Field" sign painted on the top of the 3B dugout:
Well, it sort of worked, but the sign was too blurry for my liking.
Continuing on our walk out to LF, we ran across some Coca-Cola cannons:
My Dad and I had been discussing whether they would have Coke or Pepsi at Turner Field. It seems like most stadiums have Pepsi products. When given the choice, we're a Coke family. I figured the Braves would have Coke products because Coke is based in Atlanta, and I have previously had Coke vs. Pepsi discussions with some Georgians and they would not even consider holding a Pepsi product let along drinking one. Anyway, the Coke cannons tipped us off to our answer: Turner Field is Coca-Cola territory.
From the concourse area by the Coke cannons, we had a great view of the Braves retired numbers hanging from the upper deck area in LF:
Let's see, 6 is for Bobby Cox, 47 is for Tom Glavine, 31 is for Greg Maddux, 3 is for Dale Murphy, 35 is for Phil Niekro, 44 is for Hammerin' Hank Aaron, 41 is for Eddie Mathews, 21 is for Warren Spahn, and 42 is for Jackie Robinson.
We continued on our way, and took this panorama from the concourse area above section 324:
Looking down from above section 324 (or thereabouts), we had a nice view of the interesting set up at the front of the visitors bullpen:
The relievers sit on top of the bullpen roof!
Finally, we made it all the way out to the end of the concourse in LF and we got this panorama from above section 336:
The 400-level extends all the way out to where I took that last picture, but there are no seats. Instead, there is a random fake dugout, home plate, first base line, first base, and pitcher's mound that kids can sit in, run on and fake-pitch from. Here is a four part picture of Tim having some fake-field fun up there:
Behind all of this stuff, there is a nice lookout over downtown Atlanta, and some oversized Coke bottle chairs from which you can take in the view:
It was getting close to game time, so we started heading toward our seats. But before leaving the upper deck, we headed up to the tippy-top of section 422 for one more upper deck panorama:
I was confused about the location of our seats. They were in the "200 level," which I thought might be the club level just up the field level seats. But as we walked the main field level concourse (I say "main" because there is a lower tunnel concourse that is also a "field level" concourse), I noticed there were signs for sections in the 200s. Here is a panorama from the concourse behind section 208:
It turns out that what we would traditionally call the "field level" is split into two parts – below the cross aisle and above the cross aisle. The 100 level seats are below the cross aisle, the 200 level seats are above the cross aisle and the 300 level is that club level that I was thinking might be where we were sitting for this game.
We were still making our way to our seats when the game started. We arrived at our seats in section 207 just in time to see Pablo "Kung Fu Panda" Sandoval foul a ball off of his ankle and hit the deck writhing in pain:
Of course, we were late to our seats because we had stopped to get nachos on our way through the concourse:
Tasty nachos in Atlanta. And the food service people (in fact every employee at Turner Field) are incredibly nice. Everyone greets you with "Welcome to Braves
Country!" And I mean EVERYONE! You run into an usher in the ninth inning and you're going to be welcomed to Braves Country. But in additional to all of the "welcoming," everyone was just incredibly nice and very much concerned about making sure you are having a good experience at Turner Field. High marks for
everyone at Turner Field!
Despite a hit and an error, Tim Hudson escaped the first inning unscathed. We were officially hoping to witness our second "Tim" pitching victory of the Roadtrip at this game.
Between the top and bottom of the first, we got this panorama from our seats in section 207:
In the bottom of the first, Brian McCann helped out the get-Tim-a-victory cause by hitting a solo homerun. I missed the swing, but got a nice "trotting" shot of McCann:
This was the first game after Dan Uggla broke his (I think) 33-game hitting streak. Uggla was looking to start a new streak when he followed McCann's homer, but instead he struck out in an ugly, and I mean UGLY, fashion:
Half a second after I took that picture, Uggla was sitting on the dirt facing the umpire. That pitch twisted him up like nobody's business.
Leading 1-0 in the top of the second, Tim Hudson…
…gave up a leadoff single to the well-traveled Orlando Cabrera.
Between Cabrera and Eli Whiteside, I got this picture of the Braves very impressive group of Division, League and World Series Championship pennants:
On this pitch…
Timmy H. (as I hope he was referred to in pre-school) coaxed Whiteside to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.
For the second day in a row, I had good luck with getting some action shots. Here, Jason Heyward hits a towering pop up…
…and Brandon Belt waits under the baseball (circled in red) ready to make the catch). My action shots aside, the highlight of the second inning was that the Braves extended their lead to 2-0 when Jose Constanza hit a single to LF scoring Freddie Freeman.
We were in the last row of section 207 (almost right below a big TV camera). After he went to get some dinner of his own, I got this shot of my Dad…
…waiting in the concourse while the current hitter finished his at bat so he could head down the stairs (all one or two steps that it takes to get to the back row) and
rejoin us.
I have no clue who hit this ball, but here is Constanza camped under a pop fly…
…ready to make a put out. Easily, my best action shot of the game. Pop flies are hard to capture, because you never know when they will happen.
The Giants (much to my dismay) mounted a comeback in the top of the fourth. It all started on a bizarre play. Leadoff batter Aubrey Huff hit a line drive
right at Braves center fielder Michael Bourn. The flight of the ball fooled Bourn and he jumped at the last second. The ball ricocheted off of Bourn's glove and then off of his face before falling to the ground. Miraculously, Bourn was able to keep Huff at first. But the error eventually lead to two unearned runs on back-to-back sacrifice flies by Cabrera and Whiteside.
In the middle innings, Grandpa volunteered to take Tim back to the play area for a bit. All that playing built up Tim's ice cream appetite so we invested in a pair of ice cream helmets:
The Giants took at 3-2 lead with a leadoff homerun by Nate Schierholtz in the top of the sixth. And they extended it to a 4-2 lead with a leadoff homer by Mike Fontenot in the top of the eighth.
Tim and I decided to head down to the cross-aisle and take another shot at the Turner Field bonus picture:
That one worked better. While we were at it, we got a picture of Tim and the field from the cross aisle:
And then, back in our seats, we got a picture of Tim, his trusty side-kick and stuffed turtle, Shelly, and the field:
In the ninth, we decided to head back down to the cross aisle in an attempt to make a go for a post-game umpire baseball. On our walk over to the 3B side, we got panoramas from the cross aisle behind section 101…
…and section 108:
The Giants were still winning 4-2 going into the bottom of the ninth. It was impossible to get into section 108 to try to get into position at the umpires' tunnel. So we continued to hang out in the cross aisle.
Brian Wilson and his extremely played out and over-exposed beard came in to shut the door on the Braves. But the fans weren't going to let it happen
without a fight. They went into full Tomahawk Chop mode:
The place was loud as could be.
Constanza led off with a single. The Tomahawk Chopping grew louder.
Eric Hinske followed with a walk. Louder still.
Julio Lugo came in to run for Hinski.
Constanza and Lugo advanced to 3B and 2B on a bunt by Michael Bourn.
The crowd when crazy some more when Martin Prado singled to LF scoring Constanza – Giants 4-3 with the tying run on 3B.
I was all set for Brian McCann…
…to win the game with an extra base hit. But instead Wilson walked McCann.
Dan Uggla couldn't get it done. He struck out swinging…but he did manage to stay on his feet this time.
Finally, it was rookie Freddy Freeman's turn at bat. Down by one, two outs, two on, and with a full count: it was "go" time!
I was holding Tim so we could bolt down the stairs toward the umpire's tunnel upon the final swing of the game. The stadium was going absolutely crazy. Screaming, hooping, hollering, and Tomahawk Chopping galore. And at the climactic moment, Tim laid down his head on my shoulder and
the lights were completely out as Freeman connected on a slow grounder up the middle (as photographed by my Dad)…
…Lugo and Martin Prado hurried around 3B scoring the tying and winning runs. Braves win! (But sadly not a Tim Hudson win).
I could tell Freeman's hit was gonna do the trick. It was a perfect slow developing play. By the time the winning run was crossing the plate, we were five rows from the umpire tunnel. We would have been right there ready to ask "Cowboy" Joe West for a post-game umpire baseball. But every row was still totally packed. It was absolutely impossible to get within even ten feet of the tunnel. And Cowboy Joe sailed by without distributing a single baseball.
So, no umpire baseball for us. But we did get a great view of the post-game celebration. And we go this panorama from the front of section 108:
A few minutes later, Giants reporter Pedro Gomez walked by and started to pack up his stuff:
Before meeting up with my Dad to walk to the car, I got someone to take this hilarious picture of us (and Tim managed to half open his eyes):
All-in-all, it was a great day at a great ballpark.
The next day, we would have a day off from baseball, an awesome tour of an amazing old mine in Dahlonega, GA, and a very nice visit with my Dad's aunt.
And then we'd be right back here at Turner Field on August 17th.
|2011 C&S Fan Stats
|22/4 Games (Tim/Kellan)
|18/6 Teams [Tim – Mariners, Orioles, Rangers, Brewers, Nationals, Phillies, Mets, Rays, Braves, Diamondbacks, Astros, Royals, Cubs, Angels, Indians, Reds, Giants, Tigers, Yankees, Marlins; Kellan – Mariners, Orioles, Angels, Mets, Indians, Yankees]
|17 Ice Cream Helmet(s) (Orioles (2), Nationals, Phillies (2), Rangers (2), Mets (1), Reds (1), Tigers (1), Marlins (2), Braves (1)).
|59 Baseballs (7 Mariners, 7 Rangers, 4 Orioles, 4 Umpires, 2 Nationals, 2 Brewers, 5 Phillies, 2 Mets, 1 Rays, 3 Braves, 2 Diamondbacks, 1 MLB Authenticator, 1 Easter Egg, 1 Glove Trick, 2 Royals, 2 Cubs, 5 Angels, 4 Indians, 2 Giants, 1 Tigers, 1 Marlins)
|11/3 Stadiums [Tim – Camden Yards, Nationals Park, Citizens Bank Park, Minute Maid Park, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Citi Field, Great American Ball Park, Comerica Park, Yankee Stadium, Sun Life Stadium, Turner Field; Kellan – Camden Yards, Citi Field, Yankee Stadium]
|13/9 Player Photos* [Tim – Felix Hernandez, Adam Moore, Garrett Olson, Chris Seddon, David Aarsdma, Michael Pineda, Miguel Olivo, Ryan Langerhans, Greg Zuan, Mark Lowe, Michael Saunders, Chad Durbin, Russell Branyan; Kellan – Luke French, Milton Bradley, Franklin
Gutierrez, Justin Smoak, Matt Tuiasosopo, Ryan Langerhans, Michael Saunders, Tony Sipp, Chad Durbin]
|3/1 Management Photos* [Tim – Howard Lincoln, Jack Zduriencik, Eric Wedge; Kellan – Jack Zduriencik]
|6 Autograph(s) (Michael Pineda, Michael Saunders, Mark Lowe, Felipe Paulino, Aroldis Chapman, Jack McKeon)
|1 Bat* (Milton Bradley)
|8/2 Mascot Photos* [Tim – Mariner Moose, Teddy Roosevelt, The O's Bird, Mr. Redlegs, Gapper, Slider, Sebastian (U. of Miami), Homer; Kellan – Mariner Moose, The O's Bird]
|2/0 Divisions Closed Out** [Tim – A.L. West (Safeco Field, Oakland Coliseum, Angel Stadium & Rangers Ballpark in Arlington), N.L. East (Citizens Bank Park, Shea Stadium, Citi Field, Nationals Park, Sun Life Stadium, & Turner Field); Kellan – N/A]
|2 Line-up Cards (Royals vs. Rangers; Indians vs. Orioles)
|* includes Spring Training** divisions where we have seen each team play a home game.


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Supercomputer niche chucks rocks at Nehalem
SiCortex and the Intel 'problem'
As niche supercomputer-maker SiCortex works on the next generation of its line and watches the IT marketing machine gearing up for Intel's impending Nehalem-based Xeon EP, the company says that Chipzilla isn't moving in the right direction for high-performance computing (HPC) workloads.
"The major improvement is in the integration of the memory controller, so you don't have to send all the memory traffic over the northbridge," says Jud Leonard, co-founder and chief architect at SiCortex. "But this only solves one of the three issues that Intel faces - issues that we have already solved. Intel hasn't done anything about solving the performance-per-watt problem, and they haven't done anything in terms of on-chip communication."
That assessment is perhaps a bit harsh, since Intel has in fact moved to successively lower-powered processor designs. The Nehalem chips are an incredible improvement over the old Xeon chips - remember how awful the "Nocona" and "Paxville" Xeons were?
The dual-core Paxville Xeon DP ran at 2.8GHz, had 2MB of L2 cache, 800MT/sec of bandwidth into the front side bus (FSB), and a 135-watt thermal design power (TDP). The Paxville DP chips, which plugged into dual-socket servers in late 2005, supported HyperThreading - each socket provided four threads for operating systems and applications.
The future "Gainestown" Nehalem Xeon EP due on March 31 will run at between 1.86GHz and 3.2GHz with DDR3 main memory running at 800MHz, 1066MHz, or 1333MHz. TDPs will range from 60 to 130 watts.
That top-end, 130-watt part is just stupid unless you have a workload that needs the clocks, so the fair comparison to Paxville Xeon DPs is the 2.93GHz part that has four cores, eight threads, and 8MB of L3 cache. That Xeon EP will handle 6.4GT/sec of memory bandwidth thanks to its integrated memory controllers and the QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) Intel is finally putting into server chips. (Welcome to 2003, Chipzilla.)
When you think about it that way, maybe SiCortex has a point.
But in the last three and a half years, Intel has doubled the Xeon's cores, improved HyperThreading, added lots of L3 cache, boosted memory bandwidth by a factor of eight, and dropped TDPs by 30 per cent. Performance has improved if your application likes more threads, but if it doesn't know how to use those threads the dollars per performance-per-watt calculation isn't impressive. If your applications are memory-constrained, however, you will no doubt see big performance gains from the Xeon EP.
"But here's the problem," says Leonard. "When you get right down to it, these x64 chips were really designed for desktop environments, and they have to hang off an expensive network fabric in supercomputers." As an example, he said that Sun Microsystems' gazillion-port Magnum InfiniBand switch at the heart of its blade-style HPC systems costs more than an entire SiCortex system.
The SiCortex system-on-chip (SoC) nodes were upgraded last October, and sport six MIPS cores running at 700MHz with a built-in a router handling mesh networking of the chips. That on-chip network means you don't have to do any external networking to get the processors to do the communication necessary for HPC workloads - usually MPI but also a fair amount of plain-vanilla TCP/IP.
The October upgrade, when SiCortex's chip fab TSMC moved to a 90nm process, boosted the speed of the chip from 500MHz to 700MHz. A full 5,832 core machine supports 8TB of DDR2 memory running at 667 MHz or 800 MHz, supplying 2.1Tbps of I/O bandwidth over the internal network and 8.1 teraflops of number-crunching power.
Because the speed of the processors is close to the speed of the memory in the SiCortex box, the MIPS cores are not wasting cycles waiting for memory to fill them up with data, which tends to run about half as fast as CPUs in x64 machines these days.
"Our attitude is that HPC applications are constrained by memory access, so you have to spread the application over a large number of cores," says Leonard. But doing so efficiently requires that on-chip network, as far as SiCortex is concerned.
The SiCortex super runs a variant of Gentoo Linux and has a tweaked version of the Lustre open-source clustered file system controlled by Sun and used by many supercomputer centers. Sun bought the company behind the Lustre project in September 2007.
SiCortex bought parallel-compiler maker PathScale in August 2007 and ported the compiler stack to its MIPS-based Gentoo rev. SiCortex also replaced the Linux boot sequence and added system-management tools, but Leonard says that the machine looks and feels like any normal Linux-based Beowulf cluster.
Don't expect SiCortex to suddenly announce a version of its box based on Intel's Nehalem chips. Leonard won't divulge much of the details of the next generation of SiCortex machines, but he did say that they'll be "substantially speeded up," have more cores per die, and take advantage of a "major step" in semiconductor processes from TSMC. The only hint he gave is that SiCortex will exceed a 1GHz clock speed.
Leonard also added that the company has created software to allow multiple SiCortex machines to be daisy-chained to share workloads, but said that code is not yet ready for prime time.
We're just guessing, but SiCortex could move to DDR3 memory and get it and the cores running at 1.33GHz. A process shrink from 90nm to 65nm could allow the clocks to be cranked that high, and maybe the core count could jump from 6 to 10 per die, as well. That would put the SiCortex kicker at about 13.6 teraflops.
There's an even more interesting possibility for future SiCortex HPC machines. With TSMC now partnering with Intel to build Atom x64-based SoCs for embedded applications, it is just faintly possible that SiCortex might move from MIPS to Atom chips, thereby allowing customers to more-easily move their x64 applications to SiCortex iron.
Leonard in no way suggested this was the plan. But it's an interesting possibility, and perhaps a good long-term plan for SiCortex or anyone else who wants to take on the HPC space with low-power parallel machines.
And it is often better to have Chipzilla as an ally than an enemy. ®


text:
Paul Smiths College
Paul Smith's College offers a dynamic educational setting that encourages active engagement in learning experiences to foster creativity ethical and intellectual growth. The College's integrated educational approach links traditional and experimental learning to discovery discipline and creativity. Utilizing classrooms and laboaratories fieldwork and internship experiences Paul Smith's students gain knowledge and skills to equip them for rewarding careers and life-long learning. Located within the Adirondack Park the College is a dramatic complex natural setting with an historical perspective on stewardship and hospitality. The College practices sound principles of sustainable development encouraging environmental awareness and an enviromentally sound campus. Students participation in recreational cultural student life and community service activities promotes individual growth understanding and awareness of others. These attributes complement the distinctive educational experience of Paul Smith's to prepare students well for successful living and leadership poistions in their communities and careers.
School InformationState Routes 30 and 86
Paul Smiths, New York 12970-0265
Locale: Rural: Distant
Open Admissions: Yes
Sector: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Carnegie Basic: Baccalaureate Colleges--Diverse Fields
Religious Affiliation: Not applicable
Accrediting Agency: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Common name(s): Paul Smith's College
Students & Faculty
Total Tuition $44,551.00
SAT Scores:
25th-75th percentile
ACT Scores:
25th-75th percentile18-24
Note: 25th-75th percentile ranges show the range of scores achieved by the middle 50% of students who were admitted to the school.
Other Requirements:
Degrees & Programs
|Baking and Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef
|Biology/Biological Sciences, General
|Communication, General
|Culinary Arts/Chef Training
|Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies
|Environmental Biology
|Environmental Science
|Environmental Studies
|Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management
|Foodservice Systems Administration/Management
|Forest Management/Forest Resources Management
|Forest Resources Production and Management
|Forest Sciences and Biology
|Forest Technology/Technician
|Hospitality Administration/Management, General
|Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
|Natural Resources and Conservation, Other
|Natural Resources Management and Policy
|Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
|Psychology, General
|Surveying Technology/Surveying
|Urban Forestry
|Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science and Management


text:
What's inside? Here are the questions answered in today's reader mailbag, boiled down to five word summaries. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question.
1. Making good credit better
2. Dealing with hostile coworker
3. Roth switch after job move
4. Capturing and bipolarity
5. Waiting for a pension
6. Top five personal finance books
7. Deciding between goals
8. Making your own deodorant
9. FHA and non-FHA mortgages
10. Handling an inherited car
For me, Monday mornings aren't bad at all. Both of our kids have preschool and they're both incredibly excited about it – they love going. So, most Mondays, they're up and really excited and running around the house looking for clothes.
It's much more fun than a typical dreaded Monday.
Q1: Making good credit better
I am looking to raise my credit score (it's 717.) The two negatives I have on there are lack of credit accounts (I have no credit cards and no mortgage) and length of credit history (really only three or four years.) My husband and I would like to buy a house in five years, and I need to raise my score to get the best loan we can. Will a credit card (used wisely, with no balance) help raise my score in the long term? I have excellent self-control and will pay off the card balance each month, if you recommend I get one. Any advice would be great. Thanks!
– Rachel
The biggest thing you need is time. A credit history covers the previous seven years of your credit, and if your credit history only extends three or four years (I'm guessing it's due to a student loan or a car loan), more time spent keeping your bills perfectly paid will do nothing but cause your score to inch upwards. Since you're targeting five years down the road, this shouldn't be a problem.
Will a credit card improve your score? It might cause a small positive improvement, but a 717 with only three years of history is pretty solid.
If you wish to go the credit card route, I would recommend getting a card that you use only for a specific purpose that you're already doing, like a card tied to the gas station you use or the grocery store you use. Use that card only for purchases at the specific location, then pay it off in full each month. Why do this? Such cards usually have tremendous rewards at that specific retailer.
Q2: Dealing with hostile coworker
I currently work at a job that's purposeful but stresses me out. The source of the stress is from a co-worker that really does not like me. When I reported the person and they were apparently reprimanded the hostility from them increased in a subliminal way. It's really affecting my work habits and I've just been there only a few weeks and I'm already job hunting again but with the economy the pickings are slim. I took a pay cut to take this job in the first place because my previous employer was laying everyone off in a few months. How can I stay sane and moving in a positive direction career wise when everyday I'm miserable because I have to work in direct contact with this person. Please advise
– Charlie
My first thought would be to ask whether you have a mentor that can help you through these tricky times. Do you have a supervisor that you trust deeply and respect the advice of? Is there an older coworker who might know the situation? You might even want to seek out a former coworker who can offer advice.
The reason it is tricky for me to suggest what to do is because I don't know your personality and whether or not you're doing something to trigger this situation. A mentor probably would and would be able to offer you specific suggestions on what to do.
If you don't have a mentor (and I'm assuming, based on your email, that a direct conversation is out of the question), your best bet is probably to seek a path out of the current job situation.
Q3: Roth switch after job move
I'm the CFO of our household and I'm stuck on a new situation. My husband recently started a new job. His old job matched his 401K contributions up to 6%, so each paycheck we were putting away (with their contribution included) 12% or approx. $201. The new job is a lateral move with a nominal pay increase but more of the type of work my husband enjoys. It offers a 401K, but not matching benefits. We'll be cutting how much we contribute in half for about 6 months to help pay off a small student loan with an annoyingly high monthly payment, but that's beside the point!
After that 6 months is up, we plan to save $201 out of each (biweekly) paycheck for retirement. Would we be ahead to put his 401K savings into a Roth IRA instead? I'm having trouble figuring out the risks/benefits of this one!
Also, if it matters at all, that's our entire retirement savings. I'm 32 and currently a stay at home with our two children with some freelance writing income here and there, and my husband is 33 and a product designer.
– Christi
I would recommend switching to a Roth IRA, for two specific reasons.
First, with a Roth, you're paying income tax on the money now rather than later. Right now, income tax rates are very low compared to historical numbers, and every sign seems to indicate that they have nowhere to go but up in the future. They're either going to go up, government is going to cut spending, or we're going to be in a disastrous situation over the long term. I'm betting on higher taxes.
Second, with a Roth, you're able to choose among many, many more investment options than with whatever offerings your 401(k) plan at work has. Very rarely are you getting the "best" investment options at work. Spend some time comparing the costs and returns of your investment choice at work with, say, some of the offerings at Vanguard, like their Target Retirement funds. I'm pretty confident the Vanguard funds will have much lower fees and possibly better returns.
Q4: Capturing and bipolarity
I have led a chaotic life since childhood, primarily because I have bipolar disorder (as well as other issues like OCD, perfectionist tendancies, and some Aspergers). Once I was diagnosed after a recent hospitalization, the rest of my family started taking a hard look at great-grandma's "erratic" behaviors, and we all realized that mental illness abounds on both branches of our family tree. We are all working hard to seek treatment, and I personally am looking for systems to manage the mess of my life.
As GTD has helped so many, yourself included, I was and am excited to read both books by David Allen (and your review of MIAW. The GTD review was fabulous, by the way, and inspired me to first rent the book at the library and then purchase it). My problem is, I am stuck on the capture phase. As a rapid cycling bipolar with mixed states, it is very easy to enter into a manic phase, where I have little perspective and a great deal of hypographia, as well as a pressure to do everything perfectly, all at once. There's just too much in my head due to the illness, and whenever I start even thinking about the capture phase, I become anxious and overwhelmed. The problem comes in that I do think this system would really help.
How would one such as myself maintain perspective so as to remove some of my anxiety surrounding the capture phase?
– Cass
My suggestion would be to not do all of the capturing at once, but to just do it a bit at a time as you go through your day.
Instead of just having a few days of trying to capture everything in your life, just start carrying a pocket notebook around and capturing whatever comes into your head wherever you are. At the end of the day, go through that notebook and do appropriate things with each item – add them to your calendar, add them to your to-do list, and so on.
The biggest thing you're trying to do here is just make capturing seem normal to you and, more importantly, make it seem like a very simple thing to do. If you can show yourself that this small simple thing has a big net positive in your life, you're going to have much more drive to want to do it.
Q5: Waiting for a pension
I have worked at my job for four years, and while it's not always my favorite place to be, I don't hate it either. I finished up a master's degree in my field last December, but there weren't many openings because of the bad economy, and I figured I should just stay put for the time being. Now the job market has started to turn around a little bit, and I've begun to see some openings that would use my degree. The extra pay wouldn't hurt either. My current job, however, has an old fashioned pension program. To qualify for it, you have to work a minimum of five years (which I'll reach next year). So my dilemma is, should I start looking for a new job now and forget about the pension or stay here in a position I'm overqualified for to get the pension. My husband thinks it'll be worth it to stay for the pension, but I feel bad not using my degree. I don't think what I'll get from the pension will be much if I'm only here for five years, but it will be something I can count on and will go up for every year that I stay. Another thing to consider is that with my current job, I get discounted undergraduate classes for my husband and me. He's hoping to start on a master's degree and while this wouldn't get him a free degree or anything, it could help with the prereqs. To throw another wrench into things, we're planning to start having children in 2-3 years, and once that happens I'd like to be a stay-at-home mom. So I'm wondering if it's even worth it to get a new job for a couple of years to just quit to stay home. I could always just stay with my current job and hope something opens higher up. I do like my coworkers and the work environment, and we have good benefits.
Some other finance things – my husband has a 401k and we each have a Roth IRA (although we don't fully fund them every year). We have six months of emergency savings and the only debt we have is student loans and our mortgage. We are aggressively paying off our mortgage and plan to have it finished within three years (not bad considering we bought the house last winter). We plan to tackle the student loans when that is done. If my husband does go to graduate school, this would delay all the paying off of debt though, as we're hoping to pay for his whole degree in cash.
– Dee
I'll be flat-out honest with you: I don't trust pensions. I've seen too many pensions ripped out from under people's feet in lots of different ways, the biggest one being that the company offering the pension goes under.
The only form of retirement planning that I trust is the kind where you're controlling the investing with real dollars, such as a Roth IRA or a 401(k). That's your money, and if it's invested with a group with SIPC protection, it's going to stay your money (up to a pretty high cap), no matter what.
I would not make life choices based on getting a pension, particularly if you're trying to get one at a young age, many years from retirement. I particularly wouldn't do it if you can get a higher salary elsewhere.
Q6: Top five personal finance books
You review quite a few personal finance books. I was curious if you had a top 3 or top 5 list.
– Harry
If we're looking strictly at personal finance books, four of them stand out from the pack for me (each one linked to my review of the book).
1. Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez, Vicki Robin, and Monique Tilford changed my life when I read it. It caused me to completely re-evaluate my relationship with money and the role it played in my life. This book led me not only to get my money in shape, but to switch careers as well.
2. The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing by Taylor Larimore, Mel Lindauer, Michael LeBoeuf, and John Bogle is simply my handbook for investing issues. They offer a consistent voice, sensible advice, and rich explanations for just about everything.
3. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey is the best book I've ever read – far and away – for the big problem that many people have with their money: recovering from debt. Dave's stripped-down plan and coach/preacher attitude makes this work like nothing else.
4. The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn can best be described as such. Imagine the best frugality blog you've ever read, and make it 50% better. Now, imagine that blog was never published online, but that a 900 page compendum of posts is available.
There's a big pile of books that are very, very good, but fall just a bit behind these four in my eyes.
Q7: Deciding between goals
I am wondering about how to best manage my money once I get my student loan paid off. I am very proud that in four years of working life, on a fairly modest income, I have managed to pay off all but $5000 of a 15k loan AND put 6k into a retirement fund. I had to budget pretty frugally, but my parents co-signed that loan so I really wanted to pay it back as soon as possible, and now that I am nearly done, I am wondering what to do with all that money once the loan is paid off this March.
The problem is, it seems like there are a lot of important areas this extra money can go. I want to put more into my retirement account because I was late finishing my education and so did not start it until I was 30 (I am 33 now). I also want to start saving up for a down payment on a townhouse or condo. And finally I do want to have a little budget for fun since I feel like I have spent the last few years really depriving—it would be nice to go on vacation once in awhile, or fix up my apartment a little. I have also been really wanting to join a gym and take some fitness classes but hesitated to spend the money, until now…
So how do I distribute the money given these numerous, but to me equally important goals? I am currently spending about 55% on fixed expenses, and I can;t get it down any further—it's rent, bus pass, cell phone, groceries and that is pretty much it. I also am spending 15% to retirement fund, 10% to emergency fund and the rest (which only amounts to about $200 once I subtract the extra loan payments) on 'fun.' However, once the loan is paid off (which will be in March) I will have an extra $500 a month to play with.
So, what to do? Should it all go into retirement? Or down payment fun? Half and half? Some mix? And if I did want to take a little for 'fun' since I have never been able to do it so far, then what is a reasonable amount to take for that given the priorities I already mention?
– Joanna
So, you've got one clear goal right now that you're just about finished with. After that, you have several goals that seem important to you and you're not sure how to prioritize.
Here's the thing: if you split your efforts among a lot of goals, it becomes much, much harder to reach any one of them. Even more, you're trying to decide between your short-term desires (your "fun" money), your medium-term needs (the down payment), and your long-term needs (retirement).
For me, a big part of this would come down to the question of whether or not you're on a career path that will have salary escalation in the future. Based on your education, I'm guessing you either have a masters degree or a doctorate. What do your career options look like with that degree?
If you're going to see a big salary jump in a few years, I'd hold off on the "fun" spending until then and keep it within the $200 a month you're already spending. I would then start an adequate retirement savings – 10% of your salary. If there's anything left, put it away for your housing.
If you've got a salary cap that's not going to raise much, you need to choose between traveling and fitness classes or owning a town house. I don't think ditching retirement is a good long-term option.
Q8: Making your own deodorant
I was recently inspired by making your own laundry detergent! I have purchased all of the "ingredients" but have yet to make it (waiting until I run out or get close to running out of my other detergent). In any case, it got me thinking about what else I could make on my own. I looked up deodorant and low and behold, it is quite easy to make. Here is my recipe:
8 T cornstarch
2 T baking soda
2 T Crisco
Mix well and shove into an old deodorant container. I tried it and it works wonderfully. I just did some serious gardening and I still smell fresh! In addition, it is healthier because it doesn't have aluminum (aluminum is carcinogenic. This is especially a problem for women as many of us shave. The aluminum absorbs into the minor cuts.). The other bonus is that it doesn't leave those ugly yellow stains on your clothing (or so I read).
– Mary
I have tried a lot of homemade items over the years and I've found that homemade deodorant is really tricky. The stuff you mentioned above is a mix I've tried – and, as you've mentioned, it's aluminum free. It does certainly eliminate odor and it deals with a small amount of perspiration. The problem, however, is that if you sweat very much, this type of deodorant offers minimal protection against moisture and then, eventually, odor.
I think, if you are seeking a low-cost aluminum-free solution and you work in an environment where you don't perspire significantly during the day (like an office), this stuff will work just fine. However, I wouldn't expect it to hold up if you're active and perspiring significantly.
There are some very good aluminum-free detergents out there… but they're very expensive (on the order of $15-20 per container, seriously).
Q9: FHA and non-FHA mortgages
My wife and I are saving to buy our first home. We are saving about $3,600 a month towards the down payment and have $5,000 thus far in a separate account just for this.
I talked with our Credit Union (SAFEcu.org) and they do both FHA loans and regular fixed 30 yr loans which require 5% down. The loan agent said that she'd recommend the regular loan because the FHA loan would take longer to process and generally just be more "difficult".
We want to purchase a home costing about $350k. 3.5% is $12,250 and 5% would be $17,500. Not a huge difference, but if we could use an FHA loan to get in sooner and lock in a lower APR maybe it would be a good thing.
Wondering if you have any opinions about an FHA versus the "regular" fixed variety. Wondering if she didnt recommend the FHA because she makes lower commissions?
– Jeremy
If you're eligible for an FHA loan and you're buying a home that costs less than the FHA lending limits in your area, then it seems to be an apples-and-oranges situation. I don't think commissions really enter into this, because a FHA loan is just an ordinary loan that the FHA is insuring for the bank so that it's easier for new homeowners to get a home loan.
FHAs do take longer to set up because of the paperwork involved. If you gave a strong impression of "we must get this done as soon as possible," I understand where the bank was coming from on this one. The "difficult" part does give a bit of a sense of a lazy loan officer, though.
There's also the situation of mortgage insurance. With your small down payment, you're going to have to pay insurance anyway, but with the FHA loan, you're locked into mortgage insurance for seven years.
If you're feeling uncomfortable with the situation, shop around and look for another financial entity to handle your mortgage.
Q10: Handling an inherited car
My mom recently passed away unexpectedly. I have inherited her SUV (and some money). I've been driving the SUV ever since. My '93 car had finally died after 175k miles, and I needed a reliable vehicle. It's time I decide whether I'm keeping the SUV – which was brand new when I inherited it. It's a 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Limited SUV and has every possible option. The dealer fleeced her – she bought in April 2010, paying 40k for a 2009 model.
While I know it's generally a poor decision to purchase a new vehicle, I have inherited it. I know it's depreciated significantly due to no longer being new (and, it's been driven 4k miles now). It's worth about 30k. I was previously driving a $6200 car (paid for in cash), which I'd had for many years. I was planning to upgrade (with cash) to a late model used SUV, costing 15-20k, but that got put on hold after my mom died and I inherited the SUV. Now that I have this SUV, it feels very excessive "paying" 10-15k more than I was intending to for a vehicle by keeping it. I realise I'm not "paying" it because it's inherited, but it's mine now, along with my savings. However, there are some advantages to keeping it.
First off, I'm the sole driver of the vehicle, and I'm very easy on my vehicles. I am a cautious driver, and very good about maintenance, so it will last a LONG time. If I keep it, I'm planning to drive it for at least 10 years, hopefully 15 (I drive about 6k miles/year). I will also have the peace of mind knowing no previous driver has done anything questionable to it. Secondly, it's a hybrid and very fuel efficient. This should save me on gas in the long run as I'm a 90% city driver and it uses very little gas at low speeds. Thirdly, it has every option available, which is quite nice for a vehicle I plan to drive into the ground, but not necessary. I do not really care about features besides Navigation, Air Conditioning, and overall safety in a vehicle. The navigation system in this vehicle helps me a huge amount. I have no sense of direction and get lost very easily. Finally, my insurance premiums are incredibly low due to safe driving, so there is quite a small difference ($200/yr) between insuring a brand new vehicle and my old clunker.
My question is, should I trade it in for the late model used SUV (2005-2007ish) I planned on and keep the 10-15k in cash, or keep the Escape and be happy to have such a nice vehicle for the next 10+ years I own it? Will that 10-15k be made up for in the extra years I can keep it and lack of maintenance when it's still new?
– Ashley
If I were you, I'd keep the great SUV you have on hand. I'm going to guess that the Escape Hybrid will also have far better gas mileage than you would have had from a different SUV purchase, so that's another savings. An additional cost not mentioned is the extra insurance cost, but compared to a "2005-2007ish" SUV, the fuel savings will make up the difference at first and more than make up the difference later (based on some reasonable assumptions and my envelope math).
Another concern: if you just directly trade the thing, you're going to probably get fleeced on the trade, as the car has already lost a lot of value simply because it's been driven off the lot. You'll also have a difficult time selling it with so few miles on it for the value you should get from it.
You're going to get a lot of driving out of this car. I'd stick with it.
Got any questions? Email them to me or leave them in the comments and I'll attempt to answer them in a future mailbag. However, I do receive hundreds of questions per week, so I may not necessarily be able to answer yours.


text:
SourceGear DiffMerge 3.2 is now available.
Full details can be found at http://www.sourcegear.com/diffmerge/index.html.
The previous release was 3.1.
jeff hostetler
SourceGear DiffMerge 3.2 Now Available
Support for our DiffMerge utility.
Moderator: SourceGear
8 posts • Page 1 of 1
Posts: 534
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 11:37 am
Location: SourceGear
Today I installed diffmerge 3.2, the result was that my windows explorer crashes each time I click at the right mouse button (Context Menu)
I'm running at windows XP professional, SP3, all updates installed.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Posts: 534
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 11:37 am
Location: SourceGear
I'm not sure what would be causing Explorer to crash. In the mean time and
until we figure it out, you can turn off Explorer integration using the DiffMerge
Options Dialog.
By chance are you running the 64-bit version of XP?
I'm NOT running 64bit windows XP
Posts: 534
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 11:37 am
Location: SourceGear
Humph! I'm running the same version of XP and it works fine here.
From what I've been able to tell from various google searches,
it might be an interaction with other shell extensions that you
have installed or possibly a virus -- there were lots of notes
about that. Or it could be something that I did (or didn't do).
Perhaps you could collect a little information for me.
On the "Windows Explorer has encountered a problem..." dialog, click
on the "To see what data this error report contains. click here."
and tell me the "Error signature" details. there should be 5 items there.
Hello Jeff,
please find attached a copy of the error signature and my contextmenu.
Posts: 534
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 11:37 am
Location: SourceGear
The "pdshext.dll" tells me that the crash was in that DLL and not the DiffMerge shell extension.
A little googling shows that it is part of something called "Power Desk". (I've not used it, so I
can only repeat what I've read.)
Here's a link on TortoiseSVN's website that talks about the problem as they've seen it and a
link to the PowerDesk website with a fix.
I found lots of other webpages that all basically said the same thing and pointed to the same
PowerDesk page.
Give this a try and see if things improve.
Hello Jeff,
I've uninstalled my version (4) of the powerdesk suite, I didn't use that tool for quite a while...
Everything seems to be working fine now.
Thanks for your support.
8 posts • Page 1 of 1
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text:
Id have started James Grayson. We know what Stephen is all about, wont ever let us down regardless of match practice. Another example of lack of young talent progression IMHO. If he doesnt play in this competition, when will he?
No Lewis Ludlum?
Quote:ch saint
Let none of us ever ask why we have to buy, not one but two fly halves. Golden opportunity for Grayson to develop missed, presumably because Jim dropped Stephen in last two games and is now playing him to make up for it.
Stephen has been there, done it and has nothing to prove.
I count only 2 first team starters in this XV so this is mainly a second team. I like the balance of the back row. I too want to see James Grayson get a run out in this competition, hopefully sooner rather than later.
My big worry is they seem too progress to the Wandies and then hit a brick wall!
With no clear plan on how they get blooded in too the firat team/squad.
Interesting interview with Phil Dowson on the Saints Show this week that touched on the issue of bringing through academy players to the senior squad.
Correct me if I misunderstood but he suggested that when he was breaking through at Falcons as a young player he got more game time due to a relative lack in competition in the back row; as opposed to a club with a larger squad, where naturally, the potential for pitch time is reduced.
How true this still rings Ive no idea. Do the clubs with less resources tend to bring through more academy players? Saracens model suggests not necessarily.
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