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"Either way, we're gonna celebrate tonight."
With six simple words, Kree Harrison summed up what most American Idol fans have been feeling for the last fortnight. I mean, seriously, once we got down to what Loleatta Holloway once referred to as "the reeeeeallll nitty gritty" of the competition — by which I mean a righteous Top 3 of Candice Glover, Kree and third-place finisher Angie Miller — how could you really be too upset about where the chips ended up falling?
Oh sure, executive producer Nigel Lythgoe stacked the Top 20 deck with powerhouse ladies and guys with questionable voter appeal in his effort to get a female winner. But as the kind of lunatic who's watched every single episode of Idol since Kelly Clarkson was just a Texas waitress in a dress she made out of an old pair of jeans, I'd go so far as to say any single member of the Season 12 Top 5 would've been a worthy addition to the undeniably awesome list of the franchise's champions: Kelly, Ruben, Fantasia, Carrie, Taylor, Jordin, David, Kris, Lee, Scotty and Phillip. From where I sit, that's a pretty darn good season.
RELATED | American Idol: 30 Best Performances of All Time
Sure, that's easy for me to say in retrospect since my No. 1 and No. 2 favorite contestants made it all the way to the final round. Candice had a hold on my heart from her Season 11 Vegas Round trio with Deandre Brackensick and Jessica Sanchez, then confirmed my obsession with her torrid "Syrup & Honey" Season 12 audition, her Group Round "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)," and an incredible string of live performances that stacks up pretty well against any singer who's ever taken the Idol stage: "Ordinary People," "I'm Goin' Down," "I (Who Have Nothing)," "Come Together," "Don't Make Me Over," "Lovesong," "Straight Up" "When I Was Your Man," "You've Changed," "Next to Me," "Somewhere," "I Am Beautiful," and "I (Who Have Nothing)" a capella reprisal. #POW (That was for you, Mariah.)
RELATED VIDEO | Idol's Amber Holcomb on Her Almost-Didn't-Happen Streisand Cover, 'Young Whitney' Comparisons and 'Boo-Boo Trash' Lower Register
Kree Harrison's Greatest Season 12 Hits was a damn fine compliation, too, starting with her Hollywood solo on "Stars," and continuing with "Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)," "Stronger," "Evidence," "Crying," "What the World Needs Now Is Love," "Help Me Make It Through the Night," "A Whiter Shade of Pale," "See You Again," "Here Comes Goodbye," "All Cried Out," and her "Up to the Mountain" reprisal.
RELATED | American Idol Performance Finale Recap: Yes It's Ladies' Night and the Feeling's Right
Of course, just because we wound up with two incredible finalists isn't to say Season 12 didn't have its deep, deep valleys. Too much focus on the judges and the kind of petty slapfights that — at least in Casa Slezak — would result in a two-minute time out in the Naughty Chair. Too little innovation and not enough creativity in choosing fresh, exciting themes to challenge (but still bring out the best) in the contestants. Too many songs we've heard a dozen times before, too much micromanagement of the outcome, not enough "Contestant's Choice," and…oh LET ME QUIT RANTING AND GET TO THE RECAP.
Much like Season 12 itself, tonight's two-plus-hour finale had its own highs (Janelle, Angie and Candice's respective duets) and its baffling low points (a Mariah "hologram" performance; J.Lo squeaking the same song she's released for six straight years; Aretha performing via…FaceTime? Skype? Wha?; Lazaro snapping his gum and trying to steal focus from the winner's celebratory moment). So let's break it all the way down (in chronological order)…
* After 12 seasons of Idol, I'm aware that it's a tough task to sound-mix a big group number, but the way the backing track steamrolled the Top 10 singing "Glad You Came" made the performance feel as organic as a gallon of melted Velveeta (in a Styrofoam container). Why not just give the dancers the night off, have the finalists sit on stools and deliver a stripped-down version where we could hear their individual voices? Then again, witnessing Curtis Finch "shoot the peacock" while absolutely no sound came out of his mic, perhaps it was a blessing in disguise?
* It was nice how Mariah and Nicki's season-long rivalry ended tonight with a game of "Whose Dress/Shoes Combo Will Make for a More Treacherous Walk From Backstage and to the Judges' Table?" Somewhere, Gloria Steinem is shaking her head, dahhhling.
* I'm gonna come right out and say it: somewhere in the past three weeks, Janelle Arthur transformed herself from a really excellent American Idol finalist into a budding superstar. Her duet with The Band Perry on "Done" — damn, I am downloading that jam first thing tomorrow — was raucous, delightful, beautifully sung, fiercely choreographed/hair-eographed and downright incredible. I'm not sure if those firepots were meant to go off during the performance or if Janelle just activated 'em with all the heat of her performance. Major label execs: Sign this gal! (And if you have any doubts, listen to her original song "Young and Reckless," then sign her.)
* I'll admit I guffawed four or five times during the pre-taped comedy package about the Season 12 ladies sabotaging their male counterparts. Funniest bit: Janelle gleefully tampering with Lazaro's sheet music so he'd miss the key change on "Close to You." The final reveal of Jordin Sparks as the mastermind — pointing out that her task was made easier by the fact that none of the guys played guitar, and then reminding said dudes that "Idol leftovers" have been doing well on The Voice — was the whipped cream on the Frappuccino.
* I know the Top 5 guys got a lot of flack for their general lack of luster in Season 12, but alas, their work on that Frankie Valli medley didn't do much to turn that perception around. Also, was it me or did it sound like a backing track kicked in and the guys' mics got switched off once the 79-year-old legend took the stage and took over lead-vocal duty? Le sigh.
* Okay, let's have an honest chat about Mariah Carey's "performance." I know it got pre-taped on Wednesday night. And I know some of her fans have taken to Twitter to say that she really and truly sang her medley of hits and that the producers of the show just did a bad job of "dubbing"/"cutting" the various shots and whatnot. But honestly, however you slice it, this was a failure of epic proportions. As Mariah stood immobilized by her long white gown, and cameras carefully cut to all of her most flattering angles, we heard what sounded like disembodied snippets of her greatest hits get carelessly patched together. Meanwhile, the Lady Carey's mouth moved out of sync with the music, as if a film-school student had dubbed the performance in Korean, then Hebrew, then French and then (hastily) back into English. If she'd performed this on the Holodeck of the Enterprise, it would have somehow made sense, maybe? But seeing how this was her final act in a high-paying gig that had her judging the vocals, musicality and performance style of young singers who clearly look up to her, would it have been too much to ask for the woman to pick up a mic during the actual live telecast and simply sing? Hashtag: Lame. *And yes, I am holding her to a ridiculously high standard. SHE'S MARIAH FREAKIN' CAREY!
* Anyone else find it slightly odd that, a mere week after Candice covered "Next to Me" on Top 3 performance night, that the producers had Amber Holcomb reprise it for the finale as a duet with the show's new spirit animal Emeli Sandé? The gals sounded really solid together, but if I'm being honest, Amber looked reluctant to dig deep and connect with her major-label sparring partner. And that kinda bummed me out.
* Psy sang "Gentleman," though I like his shtick better when he's backed by dancing pistachios. (What? I'm trying to be nice for once.) Might've helped if he'd bothered to raise the microphone up to his lips every once in a while, though, no?
* Keith Urban broke out his new single "Little Bit of Everything." And while it's not exactly a game-changing kind of ditty, I love the fact that dude always comes off like he'd have just as much fun playing for some fireflies and junebugs next to some bonfire embers in the backyard as he does playing for an audience of (hopefully?) 15 million.
* I injured my hand pounding the side of my armchair (while whooping like an idiot) for the duration of Candice's duet with Jennifer Hudson on "Inseparable." (Can this collaboration PLEEEEEEASE be on Candice's debut CD?) I didn't even take notes while it happened because I threw my pen about 11 seconds in, and was not going to take my eyes off the screen anyhow. Candice's clarity, her power, her phrasing, her internalization of the lyrics! J.Hud's vibrato, her bombast, her grit, and her megawatt energy! You combine these things and it's just…I mean…I don't have the right superlatives to take you there. You just need to go to YouTube and watch it. But suffice to say when Nicki and Randy are waving their arms and having a musicgasm (gross, but true) in unison, that we've reached some God-just-brushed-your-arm-level SANGING.
* If that wasn't enough for you, how about Angie, at the piano, lilting along to "Titanium," and then the camera pans and there's ADAM LAMBERT!? I loved the aching restraint the duo showed as they slowed David Guetta and Sia's high-octane dance hit into an inspirational ballad. Adam, who we know from "Slow Ride" (take it EEE-ZAY!) is a generous duet partner, really allowed Angie to set the tone and grab more than her share of the juicy parts of "Titanium" — as it should be considering this is Angie's season, y'know? (I did love when both of 'em unleashed in the final moments, though…good stuff.)
* Adam proved just as gracious when he stepped aside so Angie could share the stage with her idol Jessie J., who hopped across the pond from London for a last-minute throw-down with the gal who covered her four times this season. (I hope Angie gets a small percentage of Jessie's 2013 U.S. sales, yes?) Their rendition of "Domino" was a frothy confection with spot-on vocals and a bit of amped-up drama at the ending. Even better for Angie? Jessie admitting that her appearance had prevented Angie from performing her debut single "You Set Me Free," and agreeing to do a show with her in London this summer as a consolation prize. Um, who says finishing third is such a bad thing?
* Kree's duet with Keith on "Where the Blacktop Ends" seemed, well, a little less well thought-out than Angie,
Kree Candice and Janelle's collaborations, perhaps? I mean, girlfriend was so fab all season, but never really gave any indication that an uptempo, beers-on-the-bar jam was her cup of mocha chocolata ya ya. Why couldn't Uncle Nigel have brought in Bonnie Raitt or Susan Tedeschi or Carrie Underwood or Wynonna for Kreedom? Ah well, it was still a solid effort, even if Kree's vocals seemed to get a tad lost in the mix.
* Idol said a formal farewell to Randy Jackson. And here, I say a formal good riddance! (That one was for Haley Reinhart, dawg! #NeverEverForget)
* Um, so the legendary Aretha Franklin doesn't like to fly. And so she appeared via satellite from New York to sing a medley of hits — did I mention I despise medleys, even when they are made up of some of the greatest soul songs ever? Meanwhile, the Top 5 girls — the people most responsible for the ad revenue Fox raked in on the show from January to May — stood underneath said screen and acted as background singers whose mics were set to "low." (Maybe this is how Aretha ensures no up-and-coming divas make eye contact with her?) How this idea made its way from some associate producer's brainstorming pitch to actualized seven-minute segment is as patently ridiculous as the sight of Devin Velez in leopard stretch pants with a "Nicki Minaj booty."
* J.Lo showed off her world-class
backside lip-sync skills on the same god-awful track. (Yes, of course Pitbull is on it!) (No, I didn't think it was worth Googling the song title.) (AND NOBODY WANTS YOU BACK FOR SEASON 13, LADY!)
* All week long I'd been looking forward to a Candice Glover-Kree Harrison duet, and then they got stuck with "One Less Bell to Answer"/"A House Is Not a Home" — the same exact songs Candice sang with Amber back in Top 6 Week. WHY???? Fox's reality chief Mike Darnell told me back in January that expense really isn't an issue when it comes to song clearances, so again I ask, WHY??? Okay, the ladies sounded lovely as usual, but I feel like the selected tracks — and the fact that it was placed mere seconds before the winner's announcement — robbed us of what should have been a true Season 12 moment.
You know what was a moment, though? Kree and Candice cradled in one another's arms as Ryan Seacrest prepared to reveal the news for which we'd been waiting all night.
Tears streamed down my face. I won't even pretend that didn't happen. Wow. This girl is on fire. She had come out with passion and ferocity from the moment she auditioned, and she never really lost focus. Watching her sob her way through her debut single "I Am Beautiful" underneath a confetti shower, well, it's one of those Idol moments that make all the maddening production foibles and manipulations and treachery worth wading into. Hang onto that moment between now and January 2014 — and before you know it — we can all meet back up here for Season 13.
Thanks for all your fantastic, thoughtful comments here at TVLine all season long — and don't forget — WE'LL HAVE VIDEO EXIT INTERVIEWS WITH CANDICE, KREE and ANGIE (plus, the season finale of Idology!) coming soon to this very Web site!
And with that, let me turn things over to you. Did America crown the right Season 12 champ? What were your favorite musical performances? And what changes do you want to see in Season 13? (Don't front: You're totally watching Season 13!) Take our poll below, then sound off in the comments, and for all my Idol-related news, recaps, interviews and videos, follow me on Twitter @MichaelSlezakTV!
Follow @MichaelSlezakTV


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Science Friday® is produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Science Friday® and SciFri® are registered service marks of Science Friday, Inc. Site design by Pentagram; engineering by Mediapolis.
There's artistry to creating the world, according to Rob Simmon, art director of NASA Earth Observatory. NASA's collection of Earth-from-space imagery dates back to the Apollo 8 mission, when astronauts snapped a picture of Earth rising over the moon. Simmon and NASA scientist Gene Feldman explain how the modern "Blue Marble" images are made and how they relate to scientific study of the Earth.

subset: commoncrawl


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Darwinism and academic culture: Darwinism under siege from mainstream proponents of alternative paths of evolution
In a most interesting - and for New Scientist, a surprisingly sensible - overview, Bob Holmes reports on approaches to evolution that do not invoke Richard Dawins's famous "selfish gene" ("The selfless gene: Rethinking Dawkins's doctrine," 09 March 2009 ): These include species selection, group selection, ecosystem selection, and microcosms. Save this one to get up to speed on why many doubt Darwin - and Dawkins:
the consensus is that evolution never favours what might be called "selfless" genes - that is, adaptations that benefit a group of organisms or the species as a whole. An example would be a gene that restricts how many offspring a predator has, to avoid wiping out its prey. Such a gene should always lose out to selfish genes that maximise reproduction, the thinking goes, even if reproducing without restraint threatens the survival of the whole species."[T]he dominance of the "selfish gene" in evolutionary thought is facing its strongest challenge in many years"? Remember that when someone tells you that there is absolutely no controversy over evolution. There is a huge and growing controversy, as Holmes's article makes clear, about mechanisms of evolution, with textbook Darwinism under siege from many quarters. This is a must-read if you want to understand why there is a controversy over Darwinism. Little evidence supports it and the body of evidence against it is growing all the time.
Increasingly, though, this consensus is being challenged, and on several fronts. The least controversial of these is the notion that entire species themselves can have traits that, over geological time, make them more likely than others to escape extinction and branch off new daughter species. This can lead to evolutionary change that could not be predicted from individual adaptations alone.
[ ... ]
If ecosystem-level selection is the norm, it could prompt a major shake-up in our view of the microbial world and, by extension, the macroscopic world, too. "It's only in the last 5 or 10 years that people realised that the majority of bacteria live in multispecies collectives," says Penn. "Bacteria are driving the basic processes of the biosphere, so if their evolution is in this higher-level context, it's going to be very different to the way we've thought about it previously, and their responses to climate change could be very different than we would expect from thinking about them individually."
It is still too early to know whether group, species and ecosystem-level selection are major evolutionary forces or merely minor curiosities - baroque ornaments on the central edifice of individual or gene-level selection. But the dominance of the "selfish gene" in evolutionary thought is facing its strongest challenge in many years.
Labels: Darwinism, Darwinism and academic culture, evolution


text: 04 May 2014 11:30 Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will debut its new Economy Smart Seat onboard the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to be delivered later this year, offering guests enhanced comfort and entertainment. The Economy Smart Seat is customised with a unique 'fixed wing' headrest which offers greater comfort and relaxation to guests. Upholstered in locally-sourced camel leather, the fixed wing headrest is designed to provide a firm surface for guests to rest their heads, as well as additional privacy between seats. There is a fleece blanket and pillow on every seat as well as a convenient entertainment and connectivity hub in the seatback in front with all services in easy reach. Peter Baumgartner, Chief Commercial Officer of Etihad Airways, said: "The new Etihad Airways A380 and B787 aircraft will reaffirm our status as the World's Leading Airline*, with enhanced comfort and enjoyment for all, not just in premium cabins. "Etihad Airways has always understood the importance of providing a travel experience that cannot be matched by others, and we have spent the past five years creating an Economy Class product that will be favoured by millions around the world." In 2008, recognising that no single design agency could deliver its vision for the new cabins, Etihad Airways established the Etihad Design Consortium (EDC) which brought together three leading design companies, Acumen, Factorydesign and Honour Branding, to develop innovative cabin and seat designs for the new fleets. The EDC partnered with Promise Communispace, a leading co-creation agency, to launch comprehensive consumer research and workshops in Abu Dhabi, Sydney, London and New York, with the goal of understanding what makes a 'perfect flight' and asking consumers to help design the perfect airline. Eighty per cent of the new product offering is a direct result of the feedback and information garnered from these workshops. Etihad Airways' design vision was to bring the individuality and exclusivity of a luxury boutique hotel experience to the sky in a way that embraced Arabian Modernism, an aesthetic that combines the traditions of the region with contemporary design. Etihad Airways is introducing the latest Panasonic EX3 entertainment system across both fleets, providing more than 750 hours of on-demand entertainment, improved gaming and high definition screens across all cabins. The system has video touchscreen handsets, offering an additional screen for guests to maximise their entertainment, so they can play games or view the moving map while watching a movie. Noise cancelling headsets are provided across all cabins, with built-in magnetic audio jacks to ensure the best sound quality. The décor of the new Economy Class product is modern and stylish, inspired by Modern Arabia, while a number of different mood lighting scenarios add to the relaxing and welcoming ambience of the cabin. Across the entire fleet, Etihad Airways will continue its generous Economy Class service, offering a selection of three main courses, as well as a café service with hot chocolate and cappuccino. In addition, guests will benefit from the airline's dedicated family travel program, including the popular Flying Nanny service on board long-haul flights. Identified by bright orange aprons, each Flying Nanny has been trained by the world renowned Norland College and is on board to provide a 'helping hand' to families and unaccompanied minors. Guests can browse a number of stylish duty free displays in the A380, which have been stocked with a range of best-selling items from Etihad Airways' extensive retail catalogue. Importantly for the airline's Muslim guests, Etihad Airways has developed prayer areas which can be curtained off for privacy and are equipped with a real-time electronic Qibla-finder showing the exact direction of Mecca based on the aircraft's geographical position. * World Travel Awards 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 To view images and video of the new cabins, please click on the following links:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf8k92wBUMg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYPnvSVFxLc www.etihadmediacentre.com Contact met Etihad Als wereldwijd opererende luchtvaartmaatschappij hebben wij natuurlijk overal ter wereld vestigingen. Lees hoe u contact kunt opnemen met uw dichtstbijzijnde Etihad-kantoor. Bekijk onze contactgegevens Feedback Als u een opmerking, compliment of klacht wilt doorgeven, of een vraag wilt stellen, klik dan hier Vind ons leuk Bezoek onze Facebookpagina! Bekijk ons Bekijk ons YouTube-kanaal! Volg ons Etihad Airways | Etihad Aanbiedingen | Etihad Help | Etihad Rewards


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Latest media releases
UBS Outlook 4th Quarter 2004
Upturn in Swiss industry takes hold. As expected, Swiss industry stepped up a gear in the third quarter. As the latest UBS survey reveals, the strong upswing which was initially driven by foreign demand is increasingly spilling over to the domestic economy.
The results of the UBS quarterly survey of the business trend in around 300 industrial companies conducted in September confirm our assessment of a continuing, broad-based recovery in Swiss industry. Orders received picked up sharply in all sectors of the economy in the third quarter, with all bar one posting increased sales. Companies are also confident that this pleasing level of growth will persist in the final quarter of 2004. Until now, the impetus has come mainly from foreign demand, but the upturn is now set to spread more and more to the domestic economy. The UBS Business Cycle Indicator, which is calculated from the survey results and serves as a barometer of the near-term trend in gross domestic product, points to slightly higher rates of growth in the second half of 2004 than the effective +2% recorded in the second quarter of the year.
Industry growing strongly
Overall, 55% of the companies polled in the UBS survey recorded a positive sales trend in the third quarter, with only 20% reporting a decline. Capacity utilization edged up from 85% at the end of June to 86% at the end of September. Firms ramped up production in response to increased utilization of production facilities and buoyant order levels. Despite this adjustment to higher demand, work backlogs have grown more strongly, reflecting the lag between a pickup in orders and the adjustment of production capacities. With demand currently rising faster than production, downward pressure on prices is likely to ease slowly. Certain segments, such as metals, textiles, watchmaking and the timber and furniture industries, have already succeeded in pushing through modest retail price increases, but overall, the companies polled report that prices are still falling slightly. As a result, earnings were positive, but much less so than sales.
The improving business trend has finally begun to feed through to the employment situation: just 16% of firms reduced headcount between July and September, while 20% recruited more staff. Even so, the firms in our survey still reported slightly lower headcounts at the end of September than one year earlier.
Momentum sustained
Growth is expected to remain equally brisk in the final quarter of 2004. Companies remain highly optimistic about incoming orders and work backlogs, and growth prospects look to be intact. Both domestic and foreign demand are expected to be strong, while firms expect earnings to improve further although retail prices continue to decline slightly. Employment prospects in the industrial sector remain muted, however: the number of firms expecting to increase headcount in the remaining months of the year and the number anticipating job cuts are evenly balanced, though the vast majority expect staffing levels to remain unchanged.
Good prospects across the industrial landscape
In the major trends, the differences between the segments have narrowed somewhat. The watchmaking industry is the most optimistic for the months ahead. Apart from the metals and chemicals/pharmaceuticals segments - the highfliers in the third quarter - and the machinery industry, watchmaking is the only segment planning to recruit new staff. The capital goods industry is also forecasting a continued positive trend in orders and sales, while the plastics industry expects business to be most subdued.
UBS Business Cycle Indicator and gross domestic product
(Change year-on-year in %)
Data (%)
Sources: seco (GDP); UBS (survey and calculations)
Zurich / Basel, 8 October 2004


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Also in today's show: BMW adds all-wheel drive to the 6-series, Alfa is in rain delay, and Jaguar Land Rover spends seriously in Great Britain.
Welcome to Tuesday. Are you ready for some car news?
The 6-series is getting all-wheel drive, Alfa is delayed again for America and Jaguar and Land Rover are spending big in Great Britain.
All of this, plus, what the heck is the Maserati Kubang? We're going to give you details. I'm Natalie. Here comes Autoweek TV.
BMW said on Monday that it will add an all-wheel-drive variant to the rear-wheel 6-series. The xDrive system will only be offered with twin-turbo V8 models. For now, it won't be offered on the I6 versions.
Alfa Romeo is again delaying its return to the United States, Automotive News reports. Alfa might be back in 2013, with more models joining in 2014. The 4C, a striking concept shown at Geneva, is still scheduled to come here in about two years.
And, Jaguar Land Rover has picked a familiar site for a new engine factory: the United Kingdom. JLR will spend about $561 million to build a new facility to make four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines. The news comes on the heels of a strong showing at the Frankfurt motor show, where Jaguar and Land Rover concepts each won Autoweek Editors' Choice Awards.
Now it's time for a close-up with the Maserati SUV concept. It's called the Kubang. Greg Migliore was at the reveal in Frankfurt, and he explains what this vehicle means to Maserati.
Kubang. Yes, that's the name of Maserati's SUV concept revealed in Frankfurt. I was there, and it is dramatic. People crowded to get a view of this thing, and it could be a game-changer for Maserati.
But will it?
The Kubang concept definitely got attention, and an SUV did nothing to diminish Porsche's sports-car power, though purists still have issues with the Cayenne.
On the other hand, that SUV is a top seller for Porsche and it means profits, allowing the company to keep building 911s.
Maserati appears to be aiming for the same thing--build an SUV, but remain true to who you are. And of course, enjoy the sales figures. Remember, Maserati already makes sedans, so this isn't that much of a stretch
The Kubang is the name of an SUV concept shown at the 2003 Detroit auto show. And Maserati execs said this new concept signals what it's going to put into production. Jeep underpinnings are expected to be used, but get this--Ferrari is building the engines in Maranello.
It's hard to predict the future. But here's a guess: Maserati's SUV will be a good vehicle. Some enthusiasts will complain, but it probably will be a strong seller.
Thanks, Greg. The Kubang is sure to generate a lot of discussion. That's it for today. I'm Natalie, and this is Autoweek TV. Enjoy the drive.


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Brilliant Corners provides supportive housing that meets the unique needs of each individual we serve.
We believe housing is the cornerstone of health, well-being and independence. Every day we listen to people who face seemingly insurmountable barriers to independent living because of a disability, mental health or medical condition, and we provide housing and services customized to ensure their success. Because when each individual has a corner of the world to call their own, our whole community shines. Read More
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Recent Updates
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) implemented the… Read more
Brilliant Corners will be providing full-service person-centered housing planning and community placement… Read more


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A STRANGE set of lights seen floating over Eastbourne may not be able to be explained away as Chinese Lanterns.
Eastbourne and the surrounding area is often inundated with reports of UFOs but the majority are put down to the floating lights commonly used at weddings and birthday celebrations.
However, local teenager Liberty Jacklin claims to have seen something unusual in the skies above her Normans Bay home and a local paranormal expert is at a loss on how to explain it.
The 16-year-old, who saw the object last Wednesday evening, said, "At around 9.30pm we let the dogs out in the garden, and I saw strange lights in the sky, and called my family to see.
"They were two rings of circular lights, one within the other. We saw them from our back door in the clouds above the level crossing around 130 metres from our house.
"They were rotating almost horizontally from side to side, travelling a regular distance of around 100 metres.
"It went on for an hour and a half, stopping just after 11pm."
Intrigued she visit www.eastbourneherald.co.uk and searched for other reported UFO sightings – stumbling across one from Nicholas Munro, also of Normans Bay.
That sighting dated back to November 2007 but mirrored almost perfectly Miss Jacklin and her family's experience.
It was then she decided to get in touch with the paper to report the incident.
Malcolm Robinson, who is considered a world authority on the paranormal and unexplained, was excited to hear about the sighting.
He said, "My first thought was this could be a few of those Chinese Lanterns grouped together, however, the witness states their sighting was of two rings of circular lights, one within the other, which is not indicative of Chinese Lanterns.
"That said, it is of course possible someone might have strung together a number of these Chinese Lanterns together, whereby making it look more spectacular than the normal run of the mill grouped effect.
"The time duration of this sighting (an hour and a half) is decidedly longer than the average UFO sighting which usually lasts only around two to three minutes.
"Not having fully investigated this sighting myself, it is of course difficult to come up with a definitive answer as to what this could be.
"Normally I would check with the Coastguard, police, airports etc, all to try and find out if there was a natural explanation to account for this.
"Having said that though, I'm pretty sure the witness has seen plenty aircraft in the sky and to report this incident, then she must be of the opinion that this was out of the ordinary.
"I would ask that if there are any other readers who may also have seen this, to get in touch with the paper."
Anyone who has seen strange objects in the sky should email firstname.lastname@example.com or call 414483.
Mr Robinson, who was the first Scot to be invited to talk in UFOs on American soil, is also currently researching his fourth book on the paranormal.
He wants to get in touch with any readers who have experienced the unexplained.
Anyone who wants to reach Mr Robinson can do so by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Vincent to headline Lifelong session
Steve Vincent of Hillsboro will sing and share piano and handbell talents with Lifelong Learning participants at 9:45 a.m. Friday at the Tabor College Wohlgemuth Music Education Center.
The Vincent session was rescheduled from Feb. 22 because of snow cancellations.
Vincent moved to Hillsboro from Riverside, Calif., in 2007. He served on the staff of First United Methodist Church of Wichita directing choirs and playing piano and organ for Sunday morning worship. He also became involved in music ministry in Hillsboro area churches.
Lifelong Learning is held regularly through the fall and spring semesters with fees of $4 per session or $15 per semester ($29 per couple) payable at the door. The college cafeteria will be closed this Friday for spring break.
The next Lifelong Learning will take place April 5, featuring Donovan Schmidt of Newton talking about Depression era glassware.


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Apple's Mac Pro - Upgrading CPUs, Memory & Running XPby Anand Lal Shimpi on September 12, 2006 1:51 AM EST
- Posted in
- Mac
What about Quad Core?
Later this year Intel will be introducing pin compatible upgrades to its Core 2 and Xeon lines, except instead of two cores these processors will feature four. Codenamed Kenstfield (Core 2) and Clovertown (Xeon), Intel's new quad-core processors will dramatically increase the amount of processing power you can have in a single system. Given that the Mac Pro features two LGA-771 sockets, you could theoretically drop two Clovertown processors in there and you'd have an 8-core Mac Pro.
Without a doubt Apple will release a quad-core version of the Mac Pro, either by the end of this year or early next year, but are users who buy the Mac Pro today missing out? While we're still a couple of months away from being able to test a retail Clovertown CPU in the Mac Pro, we wanted to see if the current engineering samples of the chip would work.
We grabbed a pair of 2.4GHz Clovertown samples and tossed them in the system, and to our pleasure, they worked just fine. Our samples used a 1066MHz FSB, although we're expecting the final chip to use a 1333MHz FSB, but the most important part of the test is that all 8 cores were detected and functional.
We ran a handful of stability tests on the Mac Pro equipped with two Clovertowns and didn't encounter any crashes with the processors, so it would seem that Clovertown will work in the Mac Pro's motherboard. We can't say with 100% certainty that you will be able to upgrade to Clovertown when it comes out, but so far the results are looking good.
For the performance of Clovertown you'll have to wait a bit longer as we're not allowed to disclose it just yet, but we wanted to let you know that so far it's looking like you'll be able to upgrade your Mac Pro to 8 cores in the not too distant future.
We are expecting there to be a trade off between clock speed and number of cores with the move to Clovertown, meaning that you'll be able to find higher clocked dual core Xeons than the upcoming quad core models. The current rumors suggest that on the desktop side, the highest clock speed quad core chip will be 2.66GHz while the fastest dual core CPU will run at 2.93GHz. We'd expect a similar situation with Clovertown in the Xeon lineup, meaning that unless you have a way of really stressing 8 cores, you may be better off with 4 faster cores in your Mac Pro. We definitely had a difficult time stressing 8 cores in the Mac Pro, but if you have a handful of well threaded, CPU intensive tasks then a pair of slower Clovertowns can easily outperform a pair of dual core Woodcrest based Xeons.
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newrigel - Monday, September 01, 2008 - linkI own both and my mac smokes my PC's and I have the latest and greatest PC's made!!!
For audio, the Mac rules because I can audition an audio file within the file hierarchy and with windows I can't so... Reply
greylica - Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - linkI Guess Fully Buffered Dimms, with a new controler that can cut latencies will do it just fine, and sooner or later we will have a situation where every part of theh computer can achieve higher performances by a number of serialized and specialized controllers, memory then can serve as a memory controler/memory module and report to the system as well as aa SCSI device. Remember in teh past years you can buy an external memory controler that serve as a SCSI card, with special functions.
May intel will be giving you to the future in this way cause chipsets, specially north bridge with all those functions into the same package, and the nightmare to be pinning dedicated MTRR to adress memory sets into the same motherboard with only three layers, and diverse other issues caused by cost limits in this type of config with much more RAM.
May Intel can be wrong too, AMD haves a controller dedicated into every processor with NUMA ( Non Uniform Memory architeture ), but again we have a pin count to make a hell with Growth of RAM in the computer world if we use memory like we are using until now.
We have two sides of the story now, and, in the two cases, we have to have a dedicated controller to count memory and acess it, may be a dedicated controller with numa, or a dedicated controller over a north bridge that is nearly the same thing, except the aproaches. A Nort Bridge that servers every processor or processors that serves each other passing data as needed on Numa.
Every memory now will be serialized to achieve the growth of the use, and we will use more and more RAM.
FB Dimms not scares me, what scares me is that the other manufacturers will delay to start using it.
And I really prefer Registered ECC or FB Dimms as they are reliable, did you use memtest in every memory that you have ? I use.
One bit error and I turn back to guarantee. I don´t have time to waste with a defect that every time appears different...
Good Vibes. Reply
vailr - Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - linkIsn't there a bios size difference between Mac vs. PC video cards? The Mac cards use 512 K bios chips, while PC cards have only 256 K. Thus, trying to flash a PC video card with a Mac version bios won't work. The extra 256K has something to do the video card's compatability with the EFI bios.
Another question: PowerPC Macs could boot from an external firewire HD (but could not boot from USB). PC's can boot from external USB HD's, but not from firewire. What's the external bootable HD situation with the Mac Pro? Is the Mac Pro's EFI bios configurable? Haven't seen any screenshots of the Mac Pro's EFI bios setup. Reply
JarredWalton - Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - linkI believe some PC cards will have the same size BIOS chips, but if not you need to get a hacked BIOS where someone has stripped out some extras to fit a 512K BIOS into 256K. I think I've heard of it being done, but honestly I haven't ever tried it - I don't have any Macs, unlike Anand, Derek, and a couple others. Reply
waamatt - Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - linkI think the high speed DDR2 + Core 2 Duo combo outperforming certain tasks on an FB-DIMM and Xeon (Dual Core) system is precisely the reason we won't see a plain ol' Mac tower anytime soon. I'd love one, but if something you want to do can be done better on it than on their pricier system, they'd just want you to buy an iMac. Hopefully advancements will be made with the whole FB-DIMM system to allow for lower latency and generally better performance, sooner than later.
The GPU thing is a bit annoying with Macs, but it IS getting better. The number of options is growing, and the ability to keep up with new/relatively new cards is definitely better than it was, say, 3-5 years ago.
That said, I wouldn't consider buying a Mac Pro until about the third revision as I'd like to see FB-DIMMs improved and better clock speeds on quad core processors. Plus, that sort of provides time to work out any other minor kinks in the system.
Over all, this trio of Mac Pro articles was excellent for the way it discusses the technologies used as opposed to just going, "Ooh, aah, pretty Apple!" (Actually, does anyone other than Apple do that?) Reply
MonkeyPaw - Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - linkI wonder how well Vista RC1 would run on the MacPro? Reply
blwest - Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - linkAnand,
I've been reading your site for years. This article was excellent in pointing out the limitations and strengths of FB-Diimms. I'm coming to a point in my life where I'm still very interested in technology, performance and the technical aspect of things.
However, do not have the time to research individual parts, etc like I used to back in my college days. I think Apple produces a quality product with an appreciation for attention to detail. This article helps us to understand the technology, how it works and how to DIY upgrade the Mac. FWIW, the Apple case is even much higher quality than my $400 Lian-Li PC setup I run my server (linux) on. Apple has finally given us weekend warriors a sytsem to tinker with and upgrade!
As always I take information from your article and use deductive reasoning to extrapolate what is and isn't applicable to my situation.
I agree with the previous poster's comment, Apple sells this system well below what you can piece it together on your own--or what Dell sells.
The final point I'd like to make is that this is a Professional system, not a gaming system. If you're into creativity, using your computer for pictures, movies, online chatting or web development--the mac's for you. If you're into running MS Office, business apps or games, then XP is for you. I no longer have time for games and prefer to use my home system for saving my family memories, communicating with friends/family and not having to pop my case open to clear my cmos in order to accomplish these things.
Thanks again for all that you do.
yacoub - Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - linkIs that Motley Crue - S.O.S. I hear playing?
It's the saaaame old, It's the saaaame old situa-a-tion...
Gaming: Windows PC, video work: Mac. Reply
greylica - Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - linkYesss, the same old situation, Mac for vídeos and a PC for games, Microsoft and others when the Mac was not X86 always tried to put them on the Vídeo maker market, 2000 and XP takes place in an big users base, but they are always telling you the same thing, use a Mac. Windows is limited.
I´m the Ceo of Grey Silica Brazil. I´m specialized to work with Blender (A Now GNU program to 3D content Creation for films and presentations ), and tested every possibility of those "dream machines" when they are on the market with their S.O.s. All I have experienced is that windows XP is a shame compared to 2000, 98 is a never think software for 3D services, although I have to use some times in 1999. Some capture cards simply doesn´t function on NT or even 2000 because of drivers.
But leaving this question I Guess when 2000 was launched Microsoft did a very Good O.S.
XP introduces spywares to the market, as Hackers wanted too to sell information to others to make money, the same thing as Microsoft does with their partners. You register your software to activate it and a Database Knows what machine you have, the memory you are using, the programs you have installed, the VGA card, etc, etc.
Windows XP takes this information to sell to others and everybody knows that, course, you have to accept to use... Linux is still on the road, money mekes this world, pressure to not gave information to linuxers is a bad, bad thing.
Well, Win 2000 now takes those information too, when you download Windows Update services, and WGA have to be installed to 2000 too in some cases. OK. When needed. But it happens now, and not when 2000 was launched. 2000 is not a bad example for hackers.
If I am a hacker, course that I will think in the same way, I will create my own .net passport with the information hacked or stolen from them, if they buy Nvídia, tell my partners " Buy Nvídia, they sell well !".
It´s a PC world created, not a MAC bad example. My admiration for the Mac world too, like Anand, Mac not created this monsters of vírus and spywares, they did not do this bad example to humanity collecting data in this way and serving as a sample to hackers.
The other major problem is limiting the users, 64 Bit can use 128GB of RAM or more, Vista is 64 GB caped, and blogs are saying 4GB is for the kernell. UAU !!!
OMG !!! 4GB for the kernell, astounting.
Why they want to limt the users, when Mac and Linux are on the other road ?
Obvious... To sell other S.O.
Windows will be a Game console System in few years this way, not an S.O. great to work like they ever swear to you.
Compare XP to 2000... They can do exactly the sa thing, but 2000 does it better and faster, complimentary software do not leave you to oblivion, Who needs I.E. 7 ehwn Firefox is better and oppen ? Who needs simple compacted folder included in explorer when 7-zip opens more files than you can imagine ?
Who need My pictures when corel snapfire is better ?
2000 is the best windows. Fill him with the right software and you will have the most powerfull windows ever.
Leave MAC for MAC OS-X or Linux, when they gave you hardware that is capable of 128 GB, the OS will achieve this and will not limit you. Will you use Vista knowing this ? Reply
bobsmith1492 - Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - linkWell, thank you for the enlightenment. I will never use Vista now that I know I cannot use more than 64GB of RAM. Reply


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Sue Ann Slams the Hamm!
That's going to cost a fracking fortune!
It's the divorce that could split up control of America's fastest growing oil company and lead to a record-breaking paycheck for the wife who claims her husband cheated.
Harold Hamm, 67, who ranks No. 35 on Forbes' list of richest Americans, is a self-made man worth more than $11 billion.
Sue Ann Hamm, 56, Harold's second wife, filed for divorce on May 19, 2012, claiming that she discovered he was having an affair in 2010, eventually prompting her to end their nearly 25-year marriage.
Hamm was the senior energy advisor on Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and is so wealthy that the candidate allegedly shied away from appearing in public with him. An industry leader, Hamm is a promoter of fracking - the business of squeezing oil out of rocks in places like North Dakota.
The divorce could award Sue Ann Hamm's part of Harold Hamm's 68 percent stake in Continental Resources - the oil company he and his wife built together.
"This is clearly going to be watched on Main Street as well as Wall Street, and internationally," Su Keenan at Bloomberg told ABC News.
After details of the divorce were leaked, Continental issued a statement to help calm any nervous investors claiming that the divorce "is not anticipated to have any impact or effect on the Company's business or operations."
It is not yet known whether or not a prenuptial agreement exists and this could become the biggest War of the Roses in the divorce hall of fame.
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NCLB Update
Toolbox Revisited
Science and Technology Medals
Ed Tech Director
Grants Forecast
Federal Student Aid
Quote to Note
Upcoming Events
NCLB Update (http://www.nochildleftbehind.gov/)
In a February 21 letter to Chief State School Officers (http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/secletter/060221.html), Secretary Spellings re-emphasized the No Child Left Behind Act's assessment requirements and provided more information on the growth model pilot project. "While I understand the demands on your time and the challenges of leading a state's education efforts," she said, "I remind you that, in order to remain in compliance with the law and to be eligible for additional flexibility, your state must meet the assessment requirements of NCLB and administer that system this school year." To date, nearly 40 of the 50 states have completed an initial review of their standards and assessments systems (see below); the remaining states are scheduled for review in May. A majority of the states that have gone through peer review must submit additional information or make adjustments before receiving final approval.
As for state proposals for growth-based accountability models (20 states submitted proposals by the deadline14 for the current school year, and six more for the 2006-07 school year), the Secretary outlined a deliberative process: (1) an initial review by Department staff, including how well states are implementing core principles of the law; (only those proposals that meet the prerequisites will be advanced to the next stage); (2) a peer review by members of academia, private organizations, and state and local education agencies; (3) a conference call between each state and the peer reviewers, so as to give peer reviewers the opportunity to ask clarifying questions; (4) a discussion among peer reviewers to build consensus and develop recommendations; and (5) selection by the Secretary. The Secretary has asked to receive peer reviewer recommendations by May. Up to 10 states will be permitted to make changes in assessing this year's test results.
Meanwhile, Alaska and Oregon have now joined the growing list of states (Alabama, Idaho, Maryland, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia) that have received feedback on their standards and assessments under the No Child Left Behind Act, and South Carolina became the first state in the nation to have its assessment system approved! (Reviewers do not look at the standards and assessments themselves, but at documents showing that they meet the law's mandates.) For comparison, their review letters are posted online. It is anticipated each state will receive more than one review letter over the next year or so. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/nclbfinalassess/.
Toolbox Revisited
According to a new Department study, "The Toolbox Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion from High School through College," completing academically challenging courses in high school dramatically increases the likelihood of earning a bachelor's degree. Indeed, the academic intensity of a high school curriculum is the strongest indicator of postsecondary degree completion, regardless of a student's major course of study. (At the highest level, students take math after Algebra II and at least three years of laboratory science.) "The Toolbox Revisited" studies the Class of 1992, as it moves from high school to higher education, and includes comparisons to a previous report, "Answers in the Toolbox," which followed the Class of 1982 and had similar findings. "The President's proposed American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) would promote stronger instruction in key subjects such as math and science," the Secretary noted. "As the scientific data in this study shows, strengthening curriculum now will pay dividends well into the future." For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/toolboxrevisit/. (Note: ACI materials are compiled at http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/competitiveness/, with a new fact sheet on "key things" businesses, community groups, and foundations can do to make sure American students are prepared for the 21st Century.)
Also: Already through high school? The study cites several postsecondary factors that contribute to degree completion: entering college directly from high school, remaining continuously enrolled, and earning more than 20 credits, or seven courses, by the end of the first 12 months of enrollment. And, studying math remains important: 71 percent of students who eventually earned a bachelor's degree had earned some credits in college-level math, compared with just 38 percent of those who did not earn a degree.
Science and Technology Medals
At a February 13 ceremony, President Bush presented the 2005 National Medals of Science and Technology, the highest award a President can bestow for achievement in these fields. He used the occasion to promote his American Competitiveness Initiative, stressing, "We can't be the leading country in the world in science and technology unless we educate young mathematicians and scientists. So, as part of the initiative, I'm going to work with the Congress to make sure we extend the same high standards in the No Child Left Behind Act that we apply to reading and math." For more information, please go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/02/20060213.html.
ED Tech Director
Secretary Spellings has announced the appointment of Timothy Magner as Director of the Office of Educational Technology. As the director, he will coordinate the development and implementation of the agency's educational technology policies. Magner, who holds a B.A. in government from the College of William and Mary (VA) and a M.A. in education from Harvard University, served as the Department's deputy director for educational technology from April 2004 to June 2005. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2006/02/02222006a.html.
Grants Forecast
Be sure to review the FY 2006 Grants Forecast (as of February 17) at http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html, which lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the Department has invited or expects to invite applications for awards and provides actual or estimated dates for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of chartsorganized according to principal program officesand will be updated regularly through July 2007. (Note: This document is advisory only and is not an official application notice of the Department of Education.)
Also: A couple of new opportunities to whet your appetite? The Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination Grant Program (notice of intent: 3/8, deadline: 4/7) funds efforts to integrate arts education into elementary and middle school curricula, strengthen arts education in these grades, and bolster student skills in creating, performing, and responding to the arts. The Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program (deadline: 4/11) seeks to improve reading skills by providing students with up-to-date school library materials, well-equipped school libraries and media centers, and certified school library and media specialists. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/. (Note: New budget fact sheets, by state, are available at http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/statefactsheets/.)
Federal Student Aid
The Department's Federal Student Aid (FSA) web site (http://studentaid.ed.gov/) has undergone some changes, part of an evolving program to make FSA's online presence more consistent andultimatelyeasier to use. Of special note, a "New Programs" sub-page details the Academic Competitiveness and National SMART grants. You will see similar changes in FSA's print publications over the next few months.
Quote to Note
"Of course, just offering students more advanced math and science courses isn't enough. We have to change the way students look at these courses as well. One recent study found that 84 percent of middle school students would rather clean their rooms, take out the garbage, or go to the dentist than do their math homework. And their parents aren't much better. A study last week found that 70 percent of high school parents say their children already get enough math and science in school. You and I know why this matters, and we must work together to make sure parents and students do too."
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings (2/22/06),
addressing business and education leaders in New Jersey
Upcoming Events
On March 20, the Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education will hold a public hearing in Boston, MA. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/hiedfuture/.
The Department's next "Education News Parents Can Use" broadcast, on mentoring, is scheduled for March 21. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/news/av/video/edtv/.
March 2the birthday of beloved children's author Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss)is also the National Education Association's ninth annual Read Across America Day. For more information, please go to http://www.nea.org/readacross/.
The National Conference on Aviation and Space Education (NCASE) is fast approaching: October 19-21 at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, VA. Don't miss this unique opportunity to interact with educators, aviation and space personalities, and industry representatives. The National Science Teachers Association will be conducting five breakout sessions and providing exhibit hall surprises, and educators will be eligible to earn one graduation credit. For more information, please go to http://www.ncase.info/.
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Code: ShellsChreese
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ATLANTA (AP) - Brandon Cox did what he had to do to regain the starting quarterback job at Auburn. Accomplishing that feat against outmanned New Mexico State last week doesn't approach the task ahead this week - a visit to The Swamp to take on No. 4 Florida.
Florida's national ranking and 4-0 record could be a blessing for the Tigers, who take a 2-2 record to Gainesville.
Auburn has knocked off the Gators four of the last five times they met with the Gators ranked No. 4 or better. The Tigers don't figure to be much of a challenge in the eyes of the oddsmakers, having been made an 18-point underdog against the defending national champions.
Florida's only loss in that championship season came at Auburn 27-17.
The Gators have won five of the last six meetings, including the last three played at Florida Field.
"It's going to be a tough assignment," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They've got as many athletes on the field as we'll see all year. They haven't changed a lot since last year. I don't think any of our players have been down there. It's going to be new to them. We have our hands full."
Tim Tebow, Florida's sophomore quarterback, knows the Tigers have lost a couple of games they probably should have won. He also knows a little about what Auburn puts on the field, telling his teammates the Tigers will be a difficult assignment.
"Everybody is pretty focused on Auburn," Tebow said. "It is a huge game and a game we looked forward to before the season. They are going to play hard."
Auburn will play better than it has so far this season, but it won't be enough to overcome Florida's gifted and speedy offense. Florida 31-14.
Elsewhere around the SEC this week, with Tennessee having an open date:
No. 22 Alabama (plus 2�) vs. Florida State at Jacksonville: This is Alabama's first regular season game on a neutral field since beating Ohio State 16-10 in the Kickoff Classic in East Rutherford, N.J. in 1986. It's only the fourth meeting between to two traditional Southern powers, with 'Bama holding a 2-0-1 lead.
Alabama 21-17.
North Texas State (plus 35�) at Arkansas: The Hogs have never lost to the Mean Green, sweeping the previous eight games in the series. Darren McFadden will turn in another excellent performance as the Razorbacks make it nine in a row. Arkansas 35-7.
Mississippi (plus 15) at No. 15 Georgia: The Rebels gave Florida a test at home last week with the passing of Seth Adams and a solid defense anchored by LB Ashlee Palmer and DB Jamarca Sanford, both averaging 10 or more tackles per game. Their road show hasn't been as impressive, but Georgia's home show, for the most part, hasn't been impressive either. The Bulldogs have won seven in a row in the series. Georgia 21-14.
Florida Atlantic (plus 23) at No. 14 Kentucky: Howard Schnellenberger's Owls are in for a long afternoon trying to curtail Andre Woodson, who has thrown 296 consecutive passes without an interception - the NCAA record. Kentucky 42-10.
No. 2 LSU (minus 39�) at Tulane: The Fighting Tigers have dominated the series 66-22-7. They will dominate this game, too. LSU 49-3.
Mississippi State (plus 13�) at No. 16 South Carolina: Sylvester Croom says his Bulldogs have a lot of work to do if they hope to stretch their winning streak to four games. The Gamecocks are coming off their first loss, but gave No. 2 LSU its closest game yet. South Carolina 24-14.
Eastern Michigan (plus 20) at Vanderbilt: The Eagles secondary will have a busy day trying to chase down Earl Bennett. Vanderbilt 31-10.
This Week in The SEC
ATLANTA (AP) - Brandon Cox did what he had to do to regain the starting quarterback job at Auburn. Accomplishing that feat against outmanned New Mexico State last week doesn't approach the task ahead this week - a visit to The Swamp to take on No. 4 Florida.


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Sony PSP: A Look Inside The Box
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Video Games,
In a week, Sony will officially drop the Playstation Portable on all y'all in the United States. You probably have yours preordered if you have been salivating over the device since last years E3. If you haven't preordered, it is probably because you just aren't feeling it. Nonetheless, you may be wondering what exactly comes with the launch PSP Value Pack. IGN has put together a nice, organized list of everything you get in the box - including descriptions of each item.
(Thanks Gohan!)
Read More | IGN
Google Opens Up Gmail
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Internet,
While iSnoop has been working just fine for those needing a Gmail account, you can now grab one straight from the source. From the look of the page, Google has apparently invited a bunch of people to sign up for a Gmail account. If you go to the main Gmail page, there is no link provided that lets you sign up for the service. However, using the following link, you can sign up without having to get on any mailing list and requiring no invitation. No telling on how long this one will last, so get in quick.
(Thanks TimS432!)
Read More | Gmail Signup
Data Sharing for Xbox 2/360 - The Return of Cartridges?
Posted by Edwin Soto Categories: Video Games,
Rumors continue to circle about what we can expect for the next generation Xbox. The latest culmination surrounds a new data technology never been used in video games before. It is a data sharing technology that would help the development of the 'backwards compatible' gaming with system. But that's not the only thing they have in mind; the technology would also incorporate gaming like never before.
Several sources are pointing to using this data sharing technology to help games retain their replay value by taking, for example, sequels, and linking them together to create a new gaming experience. An example of this would allow Halo 2 players to use their favorite Halo 1 weapons because they own the original. On the other side of the coin, you would be able to 'dual wield' weapons in Halo 1 because you can in Halo 2.
The possibilities seem endless with what developers would be able to do as far as imagination and creativity. Let's just hope that they use it to their advantage. Maybe a world where Sam Fisher visits one of Rayman's levels just because they're both Ubisoft? Well maybe not that far fetched but you get the point.
Read More | Team Xbox
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Disney To Release Movies For Sony's PSP
Posted by Oscar M. Cantu Categories: Movies,
Buena Vista Home Entertainment has announced the release of five movies to be released for Sony's PSP. The five movies scheduled to launch this spring are: National Treasure, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Reign of Fire, Kill Bill Vol. 1, and Hero. It has also stated that they will be releasing more movies during the year. Disney is the first major studio to announce home video production in the UMD format outside of Sony. Disney did not state the M.S.R.P., however, Sony previously stated the price for the UMD movies will be about the same as its DVD counterpart – about $20-30. Now we can look forward to watching Keira Knightley wherever we take our PSP.
Read More | Reuters
Nokia N-Gage Drops Price, Third Design Imminent
Posted by Hector Martinez Categories: Smartphones, Video Games,
Nokia's little "Cellphone That Could" has had its share of trouble. Not sure if a price drop to $99 is a sign of recovery or just a move to clear some stagnant warehouses. Prices on software titles have also been slashed, while a third design is said to be revealed at this year's E3. So far, there are only 2.5 million owners of the device, and that's including both of the previous iterations. In comparison, Sony's PSP is expected to sell 1 million in its first week alone.
Read More | Gama Sutra
Interview With Nolan Bushnell
Posted by Hector Martinez Categories: Video Games,
If you didn't know already, Bushnell is widely considered to be the father of the videogame industry. Cnet has an interview with him up, covering the highs and lows of his career, including how he started Atari. Didn't know he also founded Chuck E. Cheese restaurants, though…ya learn something new everyday. Either way, I find that it's always a wise thing to respect one's elders, despite the outcome of their more recent ventures.
Read More | Cnet
AMD VP and Japan FTC Voice Opinion on Intel
Posted by Edwin Soto Categories: Corporate News, PC / Laptop,
According to a press release on AMD's website (www.amd.com), Thomas McCoy, Executive VP of AMD's Legal Affairs, has bluntly stated that "Intel illegally manipulated the market to exclude competition, hurting PC users around the world," not limiting his attacks on the CPU giant. He continued to state that Intel was being unfair to the to CPU user's worldwide by not giving users the freedom of choice. He mentioned that users have specific needs that need to be met. No doubt he was trying to plug the dramatic difference in price between the two brands.
All of these comments come via Japan's new motions in the market. The country's Fair Trade Commission has started a campaign to stop Intel's monopoly of the CPU market. They are the first to do so thus far and are hoping that other technology leading countries follow suit. Japanese Fair Trade Commission has made some interesting discoveries during an 11 month investigation on Intel, one being that Intel is forcing manufactures to buy 100% Intel based PC's.
Read More | AMD Corporate
Use Your iPod As A PDA
Posted by Edwin Soto Categories: Software,
People using iPods formatted for Macs have had the advantage of using iCal and storing their contacts with relative ease on their iPods. For the PC users of the world who still love using Microsoft Outlook, someone still loves you. iPod Sync 2.24 ($15) promises to sync the iPod like a PDA. It stores all of your Outlook data, from your schedule to your email. For those of you using iPod photo units, you can even load Powerpoint presentations to your portable devices with this software. This offers a very healthy alternative for those who are in the market for a simple PDA. As for the rest of you, don't go putting your PDA on eBay just yet - a full review of iPod Sync will be coming soon.
Read More | iPod Sync
Time Machine Sells On eBay
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Misc. Tech,
It just goes to show how badly people want to be like Michael J. Fox, eBay user goldenpalacecasino is the winner of a time machine which was auctioned off on eBay. Apparently the time machine was made about 200 years from now by a doctor that used it to travel back in time to the 1900's. Want proof? Well, the time machine comes with stuff from the 1900's! Wow!
Read More | eBay
US Officials Fear Traffic Light Changers In Wrong Hands
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Misc. Tech,
It looks like the technology used by police and fire officials that makes traffic lights turn green when they are approaching in the case of emergency. Government officials fear that these devices, which can cost as much as $1,000 USD (or $200 for cheap knockoffs), are starting to fall into the hands of your common civilian. There has been a rise in the sale of these devices on the Internet. While the sites claim that they sell them to make it easier for places like volunteer firefighting squads to acquire them, there is no prerequisite anyone needs to meet in order to purchase a traffic light changer. It is illegal for a civilian to use one of these devices, but officials are pushing to make it illegal to even have one in your possession.
Read More | KRT Wire
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Organizers of the move to bring alcohol sales into Spencer County have attempted to frame this debate by ignoring the real issue.
B.J. Smith says this isn't a moral issue, but rather an economic one. Others have said it's not about alcohol, but about choice.
That's a familiar tactic that's been used often to mask a controversial topic. Proponents simply disguise it as something more defensible.
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IUCN was recently invited by the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention, which is hosted by IUCN and has a long-standing partnership with the Danone Group, to help develop a new initiative to assess the feasibility of generating certified carbon offsets through wetland restoration and conservation.
The initiative is to be funded by Danone as part of the voluntary climate mitigation activities of their subsidiary, Evian.
In accordance with IUCN's Operational Guidelines for Private Sector Engagement (2006), such agreements with business entities "should be subjected to risk assessment and due diligence, in order to determine the appropriateness of engagement with a private sector entity, as well as the form that any engagement should take." The results of a preliminary due diligence of the Danone Group suggest that the potential benefits of engagement far outweigh the risks, and that Danone is an appropriate partner for IUCN, particularly in the area of water resource management. The full due diligence report is available here.


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10 June 2013 at 11.50am | 2 Comments
Mara Galeazzi and Edward Watson, The Royal Ballet Principals fronting this year's Pointe Shoe Appeal, recently took time out of rehearsals to explain the importance of footwear in ballet.
'Our shoes are so important to us,' says Edward, ' You have to feel like you're in the right shoes - sometimes if I'm wearing the wrong shoes it's like I've got someone else's legs on - it's a really odd feeling!'
All the shoes worn by The Royal Ballet are handmade and many of the dancers have their shoes custom-made by one shoemaker throughout their career, such are the precise demands of the art form. Jane Latimer from the Pointe Shoes Room explains: 'Mara, until recently, has been completely reliant on Bob Martin who made her shoes from the moment she came into the Company. It was a terrible day when Bob retired because the dancers get very used to their particular maker'
That said, he did make a huge surplus for Mara and she will be dancing out her Royal Ballet career in his Innovation shoes. You can win one of the two pairs she wears in her final performance by making a donation, of any size, to the appeal.
Find out more about the Pointe Shoes Appeal and make a donation now
Mayerling runs 28 April–13 May 2017. Tickets are open to Friends on 7 December 2016. General tickets will be available on 24 January 2017.


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I'm in Munich this morning, jet-lagged to all hell (so I apologize in advance for any giddiness).
I came to do a panel at the DLD conference. The DLD folks were kind enough to airmail me over last night via Lufthansa Business Class through Dusseldorf.
Well, it's always fun to catch up on what life is like up in the front of the bus.
And in case you haven't flown Lufthansa Business Class lately, I thought you might be curious, too.


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Among the many ways HVAC contractors find satisfaction is through the daily opportunities they have to enrich customers' lives through quality home comfort. Greg Miscally, project manager at Environmental Air Conditioning Services, Inc., Jacksonville, FL, company founder Howard Stalls, and the engineers at Indoor Environmental Solutions, Inc. are no exception. They have an overwhelming concern for the customer, and they won't let up until every project is perfect.
It's even more rewarding when the level of customer happiness they bring goes from an ordinary thank you, to an ecstatic, "you're the answer to my prayers" kind of happy.
The EAC and IES teams often work together, and the two entities made it happen again during the summer of 2010, when they participated in a major geothermal retrofit for a luxury home located in Northeast Florida.
The owner of this classic Florida-style home just wasn't convinced that the existing five-year-old geothermal system was providing adequate relief from the Florida heat. The housekeeper provided another important piece of information: the system would trip off unexpectedly, well before the home was fully cooled.
EAC began servicing the home in 2007, and had discovered multiple problems with the existing system. After learning other engineers and contractors couldn't provide a solution, EAC consulted with the homeowner about having Indoor Environmental Solutions conduct an assessment and provide a design strategy.
Steven Griffin, P.E., president of forensic engineering firm, IES, was hired to determine why the home couldn't be adequately cooled, and to design a solution. Having worked with EAC in the past, Griffin enlisted them to help with testing.
They put on their detective hats and began their investigations. Among the signs discovered in the five-story home, was an increase in temperature of about 2F per floor. For a five-story home, that worked out to an approximate 10F difference between the ground floor and top floor.
"With geothermal systems, that's indicative of a high pressure fault," Miscally explains. IES found that temperatures in the water loops of the geothermal system were unusually high, suggesting that they were undersized.
"We ran our load calculations, and discovered that the air conditioning equipment also was undersized," Griffin says.
The existing vertical bore closed loop system consisted of 21 vertical wells, at 200- to 250-ft. deep,which was inadequate. All 12 of the home's air conditioning units became overstressed and damaged because of the extremely high summertime water temperatues of about 130F.
"The system wasn't rejecting enough heat for the air conditioning system to operate properly," Miscally says.
Following their investigation, IES took its data and went into design mode. They devised a solution that would keep as much of the original system in place as possible, to save the homeowner additional expense.
After much analysis and discussion, the team decided on a unique solution. They could make the existing geothermal closed loop system work in conjunction with an open loop and heat exchanger system.
"Occasionally, in cases like this, we can use a cooling tower to augment the heat rejection," Griffin says. "The homeowner's answer to that was an emphatic 'no.' So, that meant there was only one way to reject the heat: a plate-and-frame heat exchanger with a supply and recharge well (open loop) was added to the existing ground loops. You cut the pipes, put the heat exchanger in the condenser water line as it's exiting the ground on its way back up to the air conditioning units, and remove whatever heat the ground loops can't."
Now, an open loop and closed loop system work together to cool and heat the home as originally intended. Miscally says the innovation has provided some excellent benefits.
"In summer, the open loop and closed loop wells work together. In winter, we don't have to burn energy running the pumps for the open loop wells, because the heat we pull out of the earth is adequate," he says. "We have great heating ability, and we save energy when the other wells aren't running. If anything ever happens with the existing closed loop system, where there is a rupture or piping is damaged, the open loop geothermal system is sized and designed to handle the full load of the home.
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"Redundancy has been designed into the system, including the heat rejection through the plate-and-frame heat exchanger, which can handle the total heat capacity. If there's any failure, we can open and close some valves, and get them going at 100%."
Overcoming Challenges
The large home had little surrounding property in which to drill the two wells, so they had to use the driveway and a section of landscaped property. EAC enlisted Partridge Well of Jacksonville to drill two, 600-ft. deep wells. The well heads were recessed in heavy-duty, marine-grade 4 ft. x 4 ft. vaults, to protect the motors, service valves, and disconnects located at the top of the well head.
Another challenge was time. EAC and IES committed to complete the project within 30 days.
"Originally it was slated to be a two-phase project, in which we would complete the water side of the system, and change out the air conditioning systems at a later date," Miscally explains. But, with the customer expecting a large number of visitors for the Fourth of July weekend, they proposed completing both phases before July 4th in an effort to go beyond customer expectations.
"It broke my heart to know they had lived in that home for five years, and still weren't able to be fully comfortable," he says. "I wanted the homeowner to enjoy the home. I knew we had the resources to get it done, and it required planning and preparation to put the right people in the right places."
Green Light
When you can't bring the home to EAC, you bring EAC to the home. To accomodate the short construction schedule, the 800 sq ft. garage was converted into a makeshift sheet metal shop and staging area. Then, the HVAC technicians, pipefitters, and sheet metal fabricators went to work.
In just 12 days, EAC installed 12 new Florida Heat Pump units, and a direct digital control (DDC) system by W.W.Gay Facility Automation of Jacksonville.
"With any project of this size, there are some small hurdles to overcome. It was a very large project, with many things to complete in a small window of time," says EAC President, Howard Stalls. "We worked Saturdays, Sundays, and 12-hour days to complete the project in that time period. We had to undo a lot of things that weren't correct, and alter the design of the system to a degree. Those were the big challenges."
"The Florida Heat Pumps are a practical, straightforward, simple approach," Miscally says. "We've had great success with them over the years. In addition, the DDC system allows us to monitor performance, to further adjust the system for maximum efficiency and performance."
The control system contains a laptop computer with various components programmed into it, to make all frequency drives, pumps, and valves function efficiently. Each system is built and programmed specifically for each job.
The home was commissioned by Steve Griffin and his team at Indoor Environmental Solutions, which was very crucial to the success of the project, Stalls says. The 12 heat pump units were activated in stages, all functions were tested, and the air and water requirements for the system were measured and analyzed by IES engineers.
Some minor airflow modifications and grille changeouts were made during system commissioning, to improve airflow through some of the rooms, along with a few tweaks to ductwork. The majority of the commissioning involved waterside troubleshooting and testing.
Final commissioning was in progress on the very day the homeowner arrived for the summer.
"It literally went right up to the last minute," Griffin says. "We were sweeping out the garage one last time as the homeowner drove up to the home."
Miscally says the greatest reward was in seeing the homeowner's reaction to constant reliable comfort.
"On the day the homeowner arrived for the summer, we had the house temperature at about 72F. It was great to see a smile on the homeowner's face, and to realize we had made the home cool and comfortable," he says.
The talent and cooperation of the EAC and IES teams were integral to getting the job done.
"The teams deserve a ton of the credit," says Miscally. "This is an elite group that gets things done right."
Steve Griffin says this project was yet another example of what he believes to be a major fault in residential comfort installations: lack of commissioning.
"The absolute number one thing we run into time after time is that jobs aren't commissioned at all," Griffin says. "People don't pay attention to details, and a great system operates improperly."
EAC and IES brought their full range of talents together, and worked in an extradordinarily cooperative fashion to make this a successful project.
And now, one more homeowner living in a challenging climate has the quality home comfort they've always wanted.
- 12 Florida Heat Pump geothermal package heat pumps
- 2 Floridian Aquifer Wells at 600 ft depth. with marine-grade vaults
- 2 Ultra Air Dehumidifiers
- 2 Grundfoss submersible geothermal water pumps
- Mastic sealed sheet metal snap lock duct externally wrapped with R-6 insulation
- 1 Bell and Gossett plate-and-frame heat exchanger
- 2 Bell and Gossett in-line water pumps
- 4 Danfoss variable frequency drives for water pumps
- Spirotherm air separator
- Belimo water valves
- Flow Design stainless steel auto-flo hose kits
- Programmable logic control panel by WW Gay Facility Automation
- Titus LL-2 linear grilles
- Honeywell Vision Pro 8000 touch screen programmable thermostats
- Aprilaire 2200 high-efficiency filters
- CertainTeed Tough Gard duct liners