text:
Jeanie Carlstead necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 171 diseños de 40 diseñadores freelance.
La Jolla Yoga Center
We are opening a the premiere yoga center in southern california.
The center will have two studios that open into one large studio so that we can bring Master Yoga Teachers to the San Diego area. Right now we do not have a place like this. As yogis, or yoga enthusiasts and teachers, we have to travel to go so these master teachers. With our background in the hospitality, training, and yoga business we are especially well suited to run a professional venue for these workshops, trainings....On a daily basis we will serve the San Diego area and the La Jolla community with over 80 classes a week of all different styles of yoga and all different levels. There are not enough entry level classes to safely and comfortably introduce individuals to yoga. The advanced students are often only offered mixed level classes which limits their ability to advance their practice. We will accommodate each end of the spectrum and everyone in the middle. We will also be the teacher's training facility of the area with expert trainings to prepare teachers. Our teachers, unlike some studios, are all high caliber with years of teaching experience and expertise in their areas. LJYC is a warm and inviting place with a sense of community our main focus. We want people to come after having a bad or good day and feel better after they leave.
Health conscious people who want less stress and more fitness.
Often doctors tell their patients to do yoga to relieve stress or prevent injury, especially for athletes. Others do it for pure fitness, and others yet, do it for a more spiritual reason. The demographics for the typical yoga student is above average income, higher level of education, 70% women, age 25-50 although still 24% are over 50 and that market is growing, especially in La Jolla. We want to attract the young and fit as well as the people who are afraid to do yoga because they are not fit enough or flexible enough. La Jolla is a coastal community, beautiful, wealthy individuals but more low key, not flashy. understated. We want to look hip and current, yogic, peaceful and yet energetic.
We would like a logo that depicts a sanctuary, hip, peaceful, yet energetic, warmth, community, transformation, hope. The place to come and meet your friends. The place to come to find your peace, creativity, and let go of the worries of the day, to find your strength, your support
Earth tones. What about the Y in Yoga, the top of the Y being a heart shape?
We would like a font that depicts this also. Our thought to date is to have all lower case letters with each word underlined, like exhale spa. you can see it on the internet on their website.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
University of Hawaii Spring 2007 Commencement ExercisesUniversity of Hawaiʻi
Arlene Abiang, (808) 956-5637
External Affairs & University Relations
The University of Hawaiʻi system announces its Spring 2007 commencement schedule:
Friday, May 11
Leeward Community College
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Tuthill Courtyard, Leeward CC campus
Speaker: Sharon Narimatsu, former president of the Board of Directors of ʻOlelo Community Television; former president, Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce; former deputy director, Hawaiʻi State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism; former Leeward CC provost
Student Speaker: Kengo Nishiyama, Associate in Arts degree candidate
Candidates: 530
UH Mānoa School of Travel Industry Management
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Sunset Conference Center (Room 201), George Hall, UH Mānoa
Speaker: Paul Yokota, general manager, Hawaiʻi Prince Hotel Waikiki & Golf Club and president, TIM International (TIM Alumni Association)
Student Speaker: Venus Bravo, president of Eta Sigma Delta
Candidates: 50
Honolulu Community College
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Waikīkī Shell
Speaker: Harry Wong, HCC alumni and artistic director of Kumu Kahua Theater
Student Speaker: Ashley Deguchi, Pearl Harbor Apprentice Shop 56 — Pipefitter
Candidates: 584
UH Center — Maui
Time: 5:30 p.m.
ocation: H.P. Baldwin High School Auditorium
Speaker: Vanessa Medeiros, Director, County of Maui Office of Human Concerns (UH West Oʻahu '96; MBA, UH Mānoa, '02)
Candidates: 44
Kapiʻolani Community College
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Great Lawn, Kapiʻolani CC campus
Speaker: Calvin Nomiyama, Principal of Puʻuhale Elementary School and Kapiʻolani CC alumnus
Candidates: 924
Kauaʻi Community College
Time: 6:15 p.m.
Location: Performing Arts Center, Kauaʻi CC campus
Speaker: Anna Penhallow Bishop Sloggett, centenarian and retired Kauaʻi educator
Student Speaker: Katie Thomas, Associate of Science in Nursing degree candidate
Candidates: 120
UH Mānoa College of Education Commencement Convocation
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Campus Center Ballroom, UH Mānoa
Speaker: Gregg Agena, National Middle School Teacher of the Year (Physical Education)
Candidates: 600 (includes bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree candidates)
Hawaiʻi Community College
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Edith Kanakaʻole Multipurpose Stadium
Speaker: Richard Ha, President of Hamakua Spring Country Farms
Student Speaker: Kathy Rodriguez, ASUH-HawCC President
Candidates: 350
Saturday, May 12
UH Hilo
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Edith Kanakaʻole Multipurpose Stadium
Speaker: John F. "Jack" Gifford, founder and former CEO of Maxim Integrated Products and Advanced Micro Devices
Student Speaker: Linda Voong, double major in English and Political Science
Candidates: 470
UH West Oʻahu
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Tuthill Courtyard, Leeward CC campus
Speakers: Gene Awakuni, Chancellor, UH West Oʻahu; Ronald K. Migita, Vice Chair, UH Board of Regents; David McClain, President, University of Hawaiʻi
Candidates: 120
UH Mānoa School of Nursing & Dental Hygiene Recognition Ceremony
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: Kennedy Theatre, UH Mānoa
Student Speakers: Tori Martin, candidate for a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene; Ramuel Pascua, candidate for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing; and Nancy Rosales, candidate for a Master of Science in Nursing
Candidates: 65 (41 BS in Nursing candidates; 20 BS in Dental Hygiene candidates; 4 MS in Nursing candidates)
Windward Community College
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Palikū Theatre, Windward Community College
Student Speaker: Meredith Trockman, Associate in Arts degree candidate
Candidates: 50
UH Mānoa College of Engineering
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Orvis Auditorium, UH Mānoa
Speaker: Ken Hayashida, Principal, President & CEO of Kai Hawaiʻi
Candidates: 83
UH Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine Convocation Ceremony
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Location: Kennedy Theatre, UH Mānoa
Speaker: Richard Kasuya, MD, Director of Medical Education, John A. Burns School of Medicine
Student Speaker: Vincent Lee, MD candidate and class president
Candidates: 60
UH Center — West Hawaiʻi
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa
Student Speaker: Nohea Velasquez
Speaker: Hannah Springer
Candidates: 49 (UH Mānoa, UH West Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi CC)
Sunday, May 13
UH Mānoa — Baccalaureate Degrees
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Stan Sheriff Center
Speaker: Denise Eby Konan, Interim Chancellor, UH Mānoa
Student Speaker: Andrea Stewart, bachelor's degree candidate in English
Candidates: 1,588
UH Mānoa — Advanced Degrees
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Stan Sheriff Center
Speaker: Dr. B.E. (Buzz) Pruitt, Professor of Health Education, Texas A&M University
Candidates: 926
Maui Community College
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Castle Theater, Maui Arts & Cultural Center
Speaker: Dr. Kent Keith, CEO, Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership
Student Speaker: Michelle McLinden Nuijen, valedictorian
Candidates: 300
Monday, May 14
UH Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Andrews Amphitheater, UH Mānoa
Speaker: Iwalani White, former Honolulu deputy prosecutor and Family Court judge
Student Speaker: Liam Skilling
Candidates: 95 JD candidates, 11 LLM candidates
UH Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: East-West Center, Hawaiʻi Imin International Conference Center, Keoni Auditorium
Speaker: Major General Robert G.F. Lee, Adjutant General, State of Hawaiʻi; Denise Konan, Interim Chancellor, UH Mānoa
Candidates: 12
Wednesday, May 16
UH Air Force ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: Hale Koa Hotel, Waikiki Ballroom
Candidates: 9

subset: commoncrawl


text:
India's border roads programme is mired in bullshit!
by Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 20th Sept 12
Fifty years ago, on September 20, 1962, the first shots were fired at Thag La. Yesterday, the army chief, General Bikram Singh, vowed that there would never be a replay of 1962, when an ill-prepared Indian Army was militarily humiliated in a carefully choreographed offensive by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA). Those brave words need to be backed by preparation. In terms of military build-up along the McMahon Line, the Indian army, despite recent efforts, is far from matching its opponent.
China's biggest advantage is that of the aggressor: since it can decide when to strike and where, it could quickly concentrate some 10-12 divisions, about 200,000 combat soldiers, on a narrow front defended by just a couple of Indian brigades, moving swiftly over a handsome new transport network. This includes the 1,956-km Qinghai-Tibet railway, inaugurated in 2006, which allows troops to be moved swiftly from China into Tibet, and another five rail lines being built from Lhasa to the border. These are backed up with superb four-lane highways. The Indian Army has as many men in the sector, but they are strung out along a frontline hundreds of kilometres long, with forward positions many days' walk from the road heads. Even if India learns about an ongoing Chinese build-up, say from improved satellite surveillance or from its sources in Tibet, it would take so long – three weeks – to reposition its troops at the threatened point that the battle would be over by then.
India's poor border infrastructure also limits the utility of the formations that New Delhi is raising — a mountain strike corps of 40,000 soldiers and an armoured brigade with about 200 tanks. Until India can build better roads and railways that would allow the army to reposition and concentrate more quickly, its generals have little choice but to continue deploying increasing numbers of troops in inhospitable, high-altitude, forward pickets, hoping that they can block a PLA offensive till reinforcements are moved up. This is hardly a happy situation.
The obvious solution is to quickly build better roads and railways that could allow the Indian army to match the PLA's deployment timings (one week). Far-sighted policy planners, such as former foreign secretary Shyam Saran, pushed a range of schemes to build strategic roads in border areas through agencies like the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Implementation, however, has been slow. Problems with land acquisition and clearances; the rugged terrain and harsh climate; and the need for more helicopters to move men and material are the government's stated reasons for the slow progress. It is time the Centre and states co-ordinated their efforts to create a suitable road network. This is not just a military imperative, but it would also do much to bring economic development and jobs to the people of India's far-flung border regions.


text:
U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
PHOENIX -- The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Arizona Center for Disability Law today announced a settlement of a disability discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Under the terms of a consent decree, approved by Judge William Browning, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. agrees to pay $132,500 to Jeremy Fass and William Darnell, two applicants who are deaf. Fass and Darnell, who applied for positions at a Tucson Wal- Mart store, will also be offered jobs under the terms of the consent decree. Wal-Mart also agrees to make corporate-wide changes in the hiring and training of new employees who are deaf or hearing impaired.
EEOC Chairwoman, Ida L. Castro commented about the national significance of this case: "With this settlement Wal-Mart is opening doors to people with disabilities throughout the country. These changes will have a significant positive impact for applicants and employees who are deaf and apply to any of the Wal-Mart stores throughout the nation."
The lawsuit was brought in 1997 under the Americans with Disabilities Act by the EEOC and the Arizona Center for Disability Law. William Darnell, one of the charging parties in the case noted, "Deaf people can do anything in the workplace that hearing people can do, except hear."
Some of the major provisions of the consent decree that apply directly to Mr. Fass and Mr. Darnell are:
"I feel good because I took a stand about what happened to me and by doing that I also helped other people who are deaf, " stated Jeremy Fass.
His lawyer, Rose Daly-Rooney agrees, "Today it seems the success of a lawsuit or a settlement is measured by how staggering the amount of money obtained. The Center measures the success by the significance of the changes that will lead to improved employment opportunities for people who have disabilities, and in this case the changes that Wal-Mart agreed to make under the terms of this consent decree in how it conducts its hiring and trains new employees who are deaf and hearing impaired are staggering."
EEOC attorney David Lopez adds: "Messrs. Fass and Darnell deserve special recognition for their courage and determination. Their efforts demonstrate the indispensable role of individual action in shattering stereotypes in the workplace."
EEOC's Regional Attorney in Phoenix, Richard R. Trujillo stated, "Not only will Jeremy Fass and William Darnell benefit from this consent decree, but other deaf and hearing impaired Wal- Mart applicants and employees living in any town or city where there is a Wal-Mart will gain by the provisions related to training and orientation."
A major portion of the training Wal-Mart offers to its new employees is an orientation and training program that is developed at the corporate office and administered nationwide through computer-based learning and videotapes. Under the terms of the consent decree, Wal-Mart will do the following:
Selected Wal-Mart stores in Tucson, Phoenix and Green Valley will also take some additional steps under this consent decree. These stores will conduct meetings with representatives from agencies that assist with job placement of people who are deaf and hearing impaired to explain the hiring procedures and discuss job openings; make arrangements with sign language interpreter referral services to ensure sign language interpreters are available when needed; and conduct a training on the non-discrimination provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act and communication techniques for employees who are deaf.
The Arizona Center for Disability Law is a non profit public interest law firm with offices in Phoenix and Tucson and statewide toll-free telephone access. Funded primarily through grants from the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department of Education, the Center is dedicated to ensuring that individuals with disabilities are free from discrimination and have access to jobs, housing, education, and health care.
EEOC enforces Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities by the private sector as well as state and local government and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Equal Pay Act. The Phoenix District Office's jurisdiction includes Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.


text:
Welcome to the New BICSI Forums Community
Note: NEW UPDATE: The Public forums are now sorted in a new order for easy browsing. We also fixed the issue with uploading large attachments. If you need any assistance please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
©2011 - BICSI, Inc. All rights reserved. Advertise With Us | Press Room | Legal Disclaimer | Vision | Antitrust | Ethics Information | FAQ


text:
Express Auto Service has been nationally recognized by CarQuest as the best auto repair shop in North America (2003). Express Auto Service competed with hundreds of shops nominated from all 50 states and Canada. The winners of this prestigious award were chosen by a panel of automotive publications.
Express Auto Service, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, is proud to announce they are ready to address the needs of women consumers, as part of the growing network of AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly® Service and Repair Centers in North America. Team members at Express Auto Service have completed a training and certification process to provide a Certified Female Friendly® experience that exceeds women's expectations.
AAA has designated our shop as a "AAA Approved Auto Repair Shop." This is no small deal, fewer than 5% of all auto repair shops become AAA Approved. This means they routinely inspect our shop and survey our customers to make sure we are the type of company they can refer to their members. The AAA trusts us, so can you.
Express Auto proudly sponsors the Thunder 104.5 Furry Friends spotlight for the Fredericksburg SPCA.


text:
Hello and welcome back to my blog...
Today i'm going to talk about a continuous collision detection technique called Speculative Contacts which has been employed in games such as Little Big Planet PS3 and PSP versions.
First of all we need to answer some basic questions.
What is continuous collision detection?
Continuous collision detection attempts to solve the bullet through paper problem as shown in Figure 1.
In Figure 1, object A is travelling so fast that within one frame it has passed straight through object B.
With traditional time-stepping techniques (i.e. an intersection check on each frame), this case is missed.
This is the first part of the problem (and actually the easiest part to solve). The second part of the problem is how you deal with many simultaneous collisions within one frame, the so called Time Of Impact ordering problem.
So in Figure 2, we've gone ahead and found the exact time of impact between A and B and we're happy until C comes along and messes everything up by colliding with A before A collides with B.
This turns out to be a real pain in the ass in general because it means that the collision detection problem is no longer separated from the act of moving objects around, its now very closely tied to it which means everything suddenly gets a lot more expensive to compute.
To solve this problem you need to treat all collisions in TOI (Time Of Impact) order, from the earliest TOI in the scene to the latest.
And even if you do that, you might find that as you resolve each collision, the trajectory of the objects changes so much that now objects that you didn't expect to be colliding at all, are now in fact colliding.
In Figure 3, A collides with B and is resolved, but A's new velocity causes it to collide with C which wasn't originally expected by the collision system. This cannoning problem means that collision detection must be re-performed as each TOI impact is processed, which can get very expensive.
To mitigate this problem, typically each object is bounded by a box which contains the object at the start and end of the time-step, and then all such boxes which overlap are considered to reside within a TOI island, wherein any objects are candidates for collision with any other object in the island.
This is all very tiresome and expensive, it would be nice if there was just some magic solution to all these problems, or at least some acceptable approximation...
Speculative Contacts
Enter speculative contacts. The basic idea is to try and move the majority of the work out of the collision detection system and into the contact solver, which is designed for finding the 'global correct solution' to problems involving many simultaneous interacting influences (either through projected-gauss-seidel ref: Erin Catto of the excellent Box2d, or other methods).
In Figure 4, we compute the closest distance d between the two objects; the idea is that we want to remove exactly the right amount of velocity from A such that it will be exactly in touching contact with B on the next frame. This is the essence of the speculative contacts technique.
Figure 5 shows where we want to see A on the next frame. Note that this is cheating slightly because we're throwing away time - compared to Figure 3, you can see that the motion of A is cut short; it no longer rolls across B as it used to. It postpones the secondary motion of A to the next frame.
Its very important that the speculative contact do no work (i.e. not have any influence on other objects) unless the relative normal velocity is greater than the distance between the objects divided by the time-step.
In Figure 6, v.n is less than the distance d (divided by time-step) - i.e. A will not touch B next frame, so the constraint should do nothing.
Contact con = contacts[i]; Vector2 n = con.m_normal; // get all of relative normal velocity double relNv = (con.m_b.m_Vel-con.m_a.m_Vel).Dot(n); // we want to remove only the amount which leaves them touching next frame double remove = relNv + con.m_dist/Constants.kTimeStep; if (remove < 0) { // compute impulse double imp = remove / (con.m_a.m_InvMass + con.m_b.m_InvMass); // apply impulse con.m_a.m_Vel += imp * n * con.m_a.m_InvMass; con.m_b.m_Vel -= imp * n * con.m_b.m_InvMass; }
The above code fragment demonstrates the calculation involved to achieve the result in Figure 5, for a non rotating body. Note, this is simplified for understandability.
Stability is a measure of how stable a simulation is - i.e how much jittering is present, or how well the simulation copes with big piles of objects.
I just wanted to compare and contrast the discrete method for collision resolution at this point because i think it will prove very interesting.
In discrete collision detection, the above code fragment might look like this:
UPDATE: since i wrote this article a number of people contacted me and quite rightly pointed out that i didn't include any penetration resolution in the discrete solver; the main reason was that i didn't want to make the discrete solver look worse than it was in the simplest of demos - i often found that penetration resolution would actually cause a solver to jitter more than if it weren't there at all.
However, by not including it i made the more complex demos behave more poorly than they should have, since they would tend to sink and sag more than they should. I have since updated all the live demos and code snippits to include penetration resolution.
Contact con = contacts[i]; Vector2 n = con.m_normal; // get all of relative normal velocity double relNv = (con.m_b.m_Vel-con.m_a.m_Vel).Dot(n); // remove all of it + resolve penetration over the course of some frames double remove = relNv + 0.4 * (con.m_dist + 1) / Constants.kTimeStep; // but only when objects are intersecting and moving towards each other if (remove < 0 && con.m_dist < 0) { double imp = remove / (con.m_a.m_InvMass + con.m_b.m_InvMass); // apply impulse con.m_a.m_Vel += imp * n * con.m_a.m_InvMass; con.m_b.m_Vel -= imp * n * con.m_b.m_InvMass; }
Note that probably you would never even get to the above code when the objects are separated in a discrete collision system (since why would you run the contact solver on separated objects?), but for comparison purposes i've converted the original code to be discrete.
Now, the actual difference between these two pieces of code is tiny, but the difference the speculative method makes to the stability of the simulation is amazing.
In all the demos on this page, the time-step is fixed to 1 / 30 of a second.
You can pick the ball up by dragging it.
In this simple example, a frictionless ball is resting on the concave intersection of two rectangles; note the slight jittery motion of the ball. In this example there is no penetration resolution at all, and the solver defaults to the discrete code above running 1 iteration only.
The jittering present in this most simple of examples exemplifies the problem facing all physics engines which deal with the collision problem in a discrete manor - its a real PITA to solve.
The chief reason for it is this condition check (taken from the above code):
if (/*remove < 0 &&*/ con.m_dist < 0) { ... }
The check for intersection. The reason this causes the jittering is because it forces the contact to activate and deactivate constantly as the collision is resolved and then unresolved frame after frame.
A quick trace of the number of contacts solved on the first few frames confirms it:
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 2
- 1
- 2
- 1
- 2
Now, click on the drop-down labelled 'discrete' and change the mode to speculative. Notice the jittering is gone?
The same trace this time looks like this:
- 2
- 0
- 1
- 2
- 2
- 2
- 2
- 2
Much more pleasing - the resolved contact count stabilises quite quickly leading to a much more stable simulation.
double remove = relNv + con.m_dist/Constants.kTimeStep; if (remove < 0) { ... }
The above is the speculative code; the only difference is the handling of what relative normal velocity to remove. The speculative code always removes enough of the relative normal velocity for the object to just touch the surface on the next frame. The contact is now not getting turned on/off so often, and this makes all the difference.
The above example defaults to a speculative solver, with a lot more balls. Note that there is still only one iteration! If you change the solver mode to discrete you can see the difference it makes.
I've included a sequential discrete solver in the drop down for comparison - even at 10 iterations the system isn't fully resolved.
No article discussing continuous collision detection and resolution would be complete without attempting to address angular continuous collision. That is, when an object rotates very quickly it should still not miss collisions.
In Figure 8, we would still like to be able to detect the collision of A with B even though A is very thin and rotating very quickly.
Luckily, speculative contacts do trap this case, simply by using the closest points between objects a pretty good approximation can be made with the time of collision. Its not perfect, but it does a reasonable job.
As you can see in the above demo, the collision is handled, although the exact point of collision can be slightly wrong in some cases.
It can also handle the following case which crops up a lot in production code.
In Figure 9, A is moving toward B quickly and with no rotation, the ensuing collision causes a fast rotation on A, which would cause the right side of A to penetrate B on the next frame. But by simply building the contact set as you would for any discrete collision system and adding both contacts, the case is handled just fine, even with only a few iterations of the solver.
Goodbye TOI ordering
Ok, so now we have the simple stuff out of the way, we can get into the really interesting part; using a simple modification of the speculative code we can actually move the TOI ordering problem out of the collision detection system and into the constraint solver.
But first we need to cover the basics of using a solver to approach the globally correct solution to the problem of constraint resolution.
Globally correct
This is a little bit tricky to describe but it basically describes a situation where all constraints have been resolved, but only just - i.e there was no constraint after the solver has run which is over-resolved (too much correction).
The problem is mainly due to the uni-lateral contact constraint, which is only allowed to 'push' objects apart but never 'pull' them together; otherwise objects would stick together like glue.
Because contacts are only allowed to push, they have no mechanism available to them to counter adjust themselves - imagine a situation where solving one contact causes another contact to be solved 'too much' (relative normal velocity now positive rather than 0), this over corrected contact can do nothing about this problem. The result is an unstable simulation.
The solution is to use a solver, such as Erin Catto's sequential impulse system which allows the uni-lateral constraints to push and pull during the iterations, but still ensures that the resulting final impulse only pushes. Please see his GDC slides for a much better explanation.
If it sounds confusing, don't worry, the actual code associated with it is rather simple by comparison.
TOI joy
Ok, so now we have a global solver we can finally tackle the TOI problem. What we do is make a small change to the speculative code:
Contact con = contacts[i]; Vector2 n = con.m_normal; // get all of relative normal velocity double relNv = (con.m_b.m_Vel-con.m_a.m_Vel).Dot(n); // we want to remove only the amount which leaves them touching next frame double remove = relNv + con.m_dist/Constants.kTimeStep; // compute impulse double imp = remove / (con.m_a.m_InvMass + con.m_b.m_InvMass); // accumulate double newImpulse = Math.Min(imp + con.m_impulse, 0); // compute change double change = newImpulse - con.m_impulse; // store accumulated impulse con.m_impusle = newImpulse; // apply impulse con.m_a.m_Vel += change * n * con.m_a.m_InvMass; con.m_b.m_Vel -= change * n * con.m_b.m_InvMass;
Notice the condition checking for negative relative normal velocity has gone, to be replaced by a clamp inside the impulse calculation, and the impulse is accumulated. This allows the system to converge towards the global solution.
In the above demo, the balls are constrained on the y axis (you can move them by dragging them) and the ghost balls represent where the solid colour balls will end up next frame.
In the start scenario of this demo, red collides first with blue before later colliding with green, which should leave red hanging in the air incorrectly, as per the diagram in Figure 7
Because the mode is set to 'speculative sequential' this situation is handled correctly. If you change mode to simple 'speculative' you will see the difference.
Here is a step by step of what is happening over a course of 3 iterations (remember its the ghost balls we want to see colliding with each other):
On the first iteration, red collides with blue first before green collides with blue at an earlier TOI leaving red in the air as per usual.
On the second iteration, the motion of red which was postponed is now allowed to continue by the global solver (allowing pull as well as push during the iterations), but the collision isn't resolved yet.
The third iteration sees the solution converging to the correct global solution.
By moving the TOI ordering problem inside the constraint solver like this, we completely avoid having to do all the hard work in the collision detection phase.
The number of solver iterations used will affect the quality of the result, as ever.
Other advantages
I just wanted to touch on a few other advantages that speculative contacts give:
- No collision threshold required - because we don't have the discrete collision problem of toggling between colliding/not colliding we don't need to mitigate this by having a collision threshold around objects.
- No inner hull required - now that distance is a fundamental part of the constraint system we don't need to try and avoid penetration by shrinking our collision hulls by some radius which can cause problems with triangular objects.
- No need to distinguish between objects which are considered to be 'fast' and have special treatment in collision detection terms. All objects can go through the same system. This means you can have things which have previously been impossible, like a fast moving stack of blocks which all collide with the floor and each other.
Of course no technique is without its associated problems. The most notable problem suffered by speculative contacts is the problem of so called 'ghost' collisions.
In Figure 10, the closest points between A and B are shown, but due to the motion of A, a ghost collision will be generated where A incorrectly collides with the plane of the collision normal on B.
In practice the problem is less apparent for circles than it is for polygons. The correct way to solve this problem is to use a technique such as Conservative Advancement, ref Erwin Coumans of Bullet fame, rather than a simple closest points between objects approach as detailed in this article.
The second problem is that if an object is warped into severe penetration it will tend to ping back out again rather than smoothly correct to zero penetration. This can be solved by splitting the distance equation up for negative / positive, but i've not included that in this article for clarity's sake.
I just realised i've committed a physics faux par by not including a demo of the physics engine 'hello world' - the traditional Pile 'O Boxes. So here it is, for your delectation. Running in only 3 iterations, the stability is impressive. I've updated the source code to contain this demo as well - if you already bought it and want this, just post a comment and i'll email you the updated code for free 🙂
I believe that speculative contacts are very well suited to physics simulation in computer games where the requirement for speed over absolute accuracy is a good fit for the technique. If you still remain unconvinced, buy a copy of Little Big Planet and have a play around with the 'create mode' - see if you can break it; its pretty robust.
Source code
If you found this article useful and would like to see more like this, please consider buying the source-code which i have made available on this page for a small cost - this will allow an indie developer like me to justify his existence for another month, and more importantly pay for things like food and rent!
After purchasing, you will be redirected to a page where you can download the source-code of every example in this article, written in c# and requires silverlight to build.
Subscribers can access the source here
Have fun,
Cheers, Paul.


text:
The following records are unrestricted:
Part II, Boxes 1, 3, 4, 6
You can find out what's in these boxes through the finding aid. Click here, and then click on Brennan.
Basically, the unrestricted boxes in Part I are case files through the Oct. 1974 term. The boxes in Part II include some of the end-of-the-term memos/case histories. You can read some of these very interesting summaries at Slate.com, here. Many more are in these open files.
The boxes that are RESTRICTED include later casefiles and Justice Brennan's correspondence. You can ask permission to see Part I, boxes 365-716, and Part II, boxes 2 and 5. To ask permission, you must contact the Manuscripts staff at the Library of Congress. (They give you a form to fill out, and then they pass it on.) The rest of the papers are restricted, and the Library of Congress is not supposed to accept any requests from researchers to see them. I was told that the restrictions change over time, with more materials opening up. So you always need to check with the Library of Congress.
The good news is that many files are easily accessible with no restrictions. The not-so-exciting-news is that I found that Brennan's case files are not particularly revealing. There were printed drafts of opinions, with markings, joining memos and other misc. memos, most of which were circulated to the Conference. There were no notes from oral arguments, no conference notes, no memos from clerks, no private correspondence with colleagues. (I looked only at the files for only two cases -- Milliken v. Bradley and San Antonio Indep. School Dist. v. Rodriguez. It's possible, of course, that the records are richer for other cases -- though the files for those cases are lengthy.)


text:
Kettle's Yard
Kettle's Yard is a house with a permanent collection of 20th century art and a gallery showing a changing programme of 20th century and contemporary art exhibitions.
Kettle's Yard House was created by Jim Ede, once a curator at the Tate Gallery. It is more than an art collection, the building and the way in which the art and other objects are displayed are unique. In many ways Kettle's Yard House retains the characteristics of a real home and visitors are welcome to sit in the chairs, read the books and enjoy the art works.
Kettle's Yard Gallery enjoys an international reputation for its innovative exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. A wide variety of exhibitions are shown every year including major retrospectives of modern artists as well as first UK showings by contemporary international artists.
Venue Type:
Gallery, Historic house or home
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 11am – 5pm
Wednesday: 11am – 5pm
Thursday: 11am – 5pm
Friday: 11am – 5pm
Saturday: 11am – 5pm
Sunday: 11am – 5pm
In the Kettle's Yard House there is a collection of 20th century art including paintings by Ben and Winifred Nicholson, Christopher Wood, Alfred Wallis and David Jones and sculptures by Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Constantin Brancusi and Henri Gaudier-Brzeska. For a list of all the artists represented in the collection see our website. Also on show in the house are the furniture, ceramics and natural objects collected by Jim Ede.
Collection details
Music, Fine Art, Decorative and Applied Art, Archives, Architecture
Key artists and exhibits
- Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, Alfred Wallis, David Jones, Ben Nicholson, Winifred Nicholson, Christopher Wood, William Congdon, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Constantin Brancusi, Naum Gabo, George Kennethson, Joan Miro (represented by one work), Lucy Rie, Italo Valenti, William Staite Murray, Elisabeth Vellacott.
Glitter and Glue
Drop-in art sessions for pre-school children and their carers. Sessions are on the 4th Thursday of the month 10.00-11.30.
How to obtain
Sessions are £2.50 per child. There is no need to book but places are available on a first come first served basis.
Tuesday Studio
Artist Lara Jones leads practical art workshops for young people aged 11-14 years, responding to Kettle's Yard exhibitions and their permanent collection. Sessions are Tuesday afternoons 16.30-18.00.
How to obtain
Advance booking is esssential and it costs £42 per term (£32 conc).
Wednesday Club
A weekly Wednesday art club for 8-11 year olds to try out sculpture, drawing and painting and to explore modern art. Materials and refreshements are provided. Bookings for the Summer term 2009 (from April 29 2009) are now being taken. Workshops are 16.15-17.45.
How to obtain
Advance booking is essential. £56 for the term (£42 conc.)Email or call for further details or to book: email@example.com, 01223 748100.
Kettle's Yard
Castle Street
- About
- | Collections
- | Resources
- | Map


text:
Tons of young lads have been brought up to think it's OK to sit in about in stained boxers, playing Playstation while their mummies flit around making them sandwiches and cooing into their gross greasy hair. There are still men who don't know how to turn on the washing machine at 21 years old – find me a woman who couldn't manage that before they'd even got their first bra. My friends and I left home able to cook a roast dinner, clean the inside of a microwave, paint a bedroom, and negotiate even the most middle class of recycling systems. When my housemate moved in he had to ask me how to do the following things: turn on the oven, mop the floor, empty the bin, dust, or even (and this last one, sadly, was self-evident) flush the bloody toilet. He didn't once use the hob in 9 months, because he didn't know how (or how to cook). But he wasn't stupid; he could drive and had made himself a fuck load of money at his accountancy job (his mum didn't make him pay rent). He had been coddled like a big, steroid filled baby in a Jack Wills t-shirt. It wasn't just that he was lazy- although he was- but that he genuinely didn't know that things needed doing, or how to do them. I asked him to clean the bathroom twice in those 9 months, and both times I had to talk him though it step by step, step 9 being 'I will fucking well punch you in the cock'.
I know mums of boys. When you ask them why their progeny are useless overgrown versions of those potatoes you go cress out of so it looks like hair, they just mist over and go 'ahhh, they're my babies!'. Women, correct me if I'm wrong, but would your mums give the same answer? Or would they explain that they had been bellowing at you, with specks of foam in the corner of their mouths, to 'empty the BLOODY DISHWASHER' since you were old enough to wipe your own arse? My house mate wasn't a one off. I've had countless boyfriends (no really, I've had LOADS) who have expected me to work the same amount of hours as them and yet do all the household chores. It probably doesn't help that my type is needy controlling drug addict, but some of the things I've had to do for men because they were too lazy is astonishing. One boyfriend demanded that I bring him his tea, and when I told him to fuck off he pissed in my underwear drawer 'for a laugh'. Another, that was a sort of live in disaster/mooch/alcoholic, wasn't a fan of washing or looking after himself in any way. At one point, I had to bribe him with a cooked breakfast so that he would let me shave his beard into a carrier bag (he was on too much of a comedown to move from the sofa). I'd swing wildly between begging him to help me out, and stubbornly leaving it, thinking he'd give in when it got to a certain level of mess. But obviously he never did, and I'd spend about 6 hours jif-ing his pubes out of the shower.
The worst part is that I have spent my entire life watching my mum and dad in the same situation. My dad (and I bloody love him, but when it comes to this he's a prat) recently told me that in 23 years of marriage, he's never cleaned the fridge. I reckon it needs doing about once every 3 months at a bare minimum, so that means my mum has cleaned it 92 times versus his big old zero. He will tell you that it's because he doesn't mind living in mess, so he doesn't bother. This is a particularly male brand of bullshit; what they really mean is they're happy living in mess until their mates come round, or they get food poisoning, or they run out of clean socks. What it really means is not that they don't see it, or they 'like' mess, but that they are unthinking and unthoughtful. Surely knowing that my mum worked two jobs and did the vast majority of the childcare would make my dad do most, if not all, of the cleaning. Knowing that their laziness frustrated me to tears on occasion would have made my boyfriends help me tidy up. But they will keep on throwing out antiquated tosh like 'women are just obsessive about cleaning'- some women maybe, but most of us are very normal about it. We clean because we are GROWN UPS. We take the bin out because if we don't, massive baby-eating rats will get in the kitchen. We wash our clothes because if we turn up to work every day with curry down our shirts we will probably get fired. These things are part of life, and they simply have to be done.
So what can you do to equal the division of labour in your home? Not any of these, I can tell you. Though believe me, I've tried.
1. Don't nag. And not because you don't want him to think of you as screechy and boring (screechy and boring actually= overwhelmingly, justifiably frustrated), but because it doesn't fucking work. Explain that you're in an adult relationship and that you shouldn't have to tell him what to do, and that if he respects you then he'll help out.
2. Don't keep feeding him. It's no coincidence that when men spend all their time feeding women, it's so unusual that it's known as a fetish. If he's sat on his arse like a goose being revoltingly fattened up for foie gras then maybe it's time to let him starve a bit. Hide the cutlery and plates but leave him out one of everything so he has no choice but to wash them up eventually. Then leave him to go out with your mates for a Wetherspoon's all day breakfast while he sits at home looking miserably at a wooden spoon and the half a mouldy lemon he's found in the back of the fridge.
3. Don't continue to clean. It's time to out-gross him society may like to paint women as rosy-cheeked and perfect, lovers of hygiene with vaginas that smell like freshly baked croissants. But I've seen enough of my friends piss in the street, then fall in it, then laugh, to know that isn't the case. We can be as disgusting as any man, and if you play him at his own game he might crack. He leaves pubes in the shower? Chop some of your own off and sprinkle them in his cup of tea, and tell him it's a flappachino. Put his dirty plates in his bed, clean the dog's arse with his toothbrush, and if things get really desperate, concoct some sort of 'sanitary wear in his lunchbox' plan.
4. Don't try and withold sex until he cleans up. If you do this then you're buying into the long held idiotic belief that women only have sex a) to please men and b) when they want something. Surely sex is something you enjoy too, so why would you punish yourself? Sex isn't a commodity or a bargaining tool. If you're asking him to respect you as an equal, then don't reduce him to a sex obsessed caveman who just wants to bash you over the head with a club and drag you back into his cave for some sweaty and uninspiring prehistoric shagging.
5. Don't bribe him with blow-jobs. Remember when you were a kid and you'd get a treat if you managed to get through a supermarket shop without running down the aisles screaming and kicking dents into the deli counter? This is the same. Treating your partner like he's a child isn't useful for anyone, and unless you want to be changing his nappy in a few years time I'd stop the pandering ASAP. Plus, you might not even like giving blow jobs; and that means you'll be doing a sexual act you're not a fan of just to get something done, which is an incredibly depressing and antiquated sentiment. You might as well resign yourself to a lifetime wearing corsets, weeping restrainedly into handkerchiefs and contracting syphilis.
But take heart, you don't need to resign yourself to a life of filthy misery. You could always dump the lazy porker. Redressing the balance of domestic labour might take a while; bear in mind that you may have to break through several decades of assumed roles and behaviour. Women are expected to be self sufficient from a young age, and I don't think it's been in preparation for a lifetime of marigolds and urinary incontinence since the 1950′s. I think it's because we have to do it, or no one else will. It's learn to clean or cook, or be filthy and hungry. Many blokes are still acting like Don Draper, with their wives offering up a sparking kitchen, a casserole and a vagina when they get in from winning big accounts and smoking 50 fags a day. But now we work as much as they do; although, of course, we still earn less. So what's the solution? Find one of the good ones who do cook and clean. They are out there. And if I have a son, he will learn every single thing alongside his sisters. If I notice he's got a girlfriend and he's being a lazy little bastard, I will tell her to get rid. But not before she's gone for a giant, steaming piss in his underwear draw.


text:
First American Financial Corporation Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend Of 12 Cents Per Share
- Dividend Increases By 50 Percent -
October 25, 2012, Santa Ana, Calif.,
First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), a leading global provider of title insurance and settlement services for real estate transactions, today announced that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 12 cents per common share, representing a 50 percent increase from the prior level of 8 cents per common share.
The cash dividend is payable on December 31, 2012 to shareholders of record as of December 14, 2012.
About First American
First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF) is a leading provider of title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industries, that traces its heritage back to 1889. First American and its affiliated companies also provide title plant management services; title and other real property records and images; valuation products and services; home warranty products; property and casualty insurance; and banking, trust and investment advisory services. With revenues of $3.8 billion in 2011, the company offers its products and services directly and through its agents and partners in all 50 states and abroad. More information about the company can be found at www.firstam.com.
Access the powerful online services available only at First American.
Sign Up
Sign up for a myFirstAm® account.


text:
Privately owned by Anita Davis and intended for public use, The Bernice Garden is located at the southeast corner of Daisy Bates Avenue and South Main Street in downtown Little Rock. Created to celebrate the community and host events, the garden also fosters neighborliness and a sense of pride in the area.
The garden features permanent and temporary sculptures created by Arkansas artists and sponsored by The Bernice Garden Sculpture Fund. Mosaics, rock formations, the hand-crafted sign and additional art installations add to the multi-staged development plan for the space.
Grab a bite to eat at any of the neighborhood restaurants, stores or markets, meet your friends and family under the canopy, and enjoy the beauty and excitement of a revitalized neighborhood at The Bernice Garden.
Or rent the garden for weddings, receptions, dinner parties, concerts or any celebration – it's a beautiful, natural fit for special occasions.


text:
The Design-
- A feminine design featuring floral Moroccan Tiles!
- This wall art was designed to add a splash of nature to your home.
- It makes a great gift for a new home, a new baby, or maybe just a gift for yourself!
- I love to illustrate Animals, Nature and Travel. I'm inspired by my love of botanical gardens, nature books and my cats of course. I hope to fill peoples home with happiness, colour and escapism in the form of Wall Art.
- Thoughtfully designed, professionally printed and packed by myself.
The Print-
- High quality inkjet print of my original acrylic painting.
- Printed onto 300gsm uncoated matt card.
- All prints are hand signed and dated.
- Colors might slightly vary due to monitor settings.
- Frame is not included.
The Sizing-
- A5 (148 x 210 mm / 5.8 x 8.3 inches)
- A4 (210 x 297 mm / 8.3 x 11.7 inches)
- A3 ( 297 x 420 mm / 11.7 x 16.5 inches)
The Shipping-
- Each print will be carefully packaged in a cellophane bag and will be placed between two thick pieces of board which will ensure it arrives in immaculate condition.
- Please note that prints will be posted flat in a cardboard envelope to avoid creasing.
- Your prints will be posted 1-2 business days after you place your order.
- I ship first class UK (arrives 1-2 days after dispatch)
- For the rest of the world I post Standard Airmail (This should take 5-10 working days after dispatch)
When you support a small business, you're supporting a dream! If you have any questions or queries, please don't hesitate to message me.


text:
That know ask case sex ham dear her spot. Weddings followed the all marianne nor whatever settling. Perhaps six prudent several her had offence. Did had way law dinner square tastes. Recommend concealed yet her procuring see consulted depending. Adieus hunted end plenty are his she afraid. Resources agreement contained propriety applauded neglected use yet.
Letter wooded direct two men indeed income sister. Impression up admiration he by partiality is. Instantly immediate his saw one day perceived. Old blushes respect but offices hearted minutes effects. Written parties winding oh as in without on started. Residence gentleman yet preserved few convinced. Coming regret simple longer little am sister on. Do danger in to adieus ladies houses oh eldest. Gone pure late gay ham. They sigh were not find are rent.
Unpacked reserved sir offering bed judgment may and quitting speaking. Is do be improved raptures offering required in replying raillery. Stairs ladies friend by in mutual an no. Mr hence chief he cause. Whole no doors on hoped. Mile tell if help they ye full name.
In up so discovery my middleton eagerness dejection explained. Estimating excellence ye contrasted insensible as. Oh up unsatiable advantages decisively as at interested. Present suppose in esteems in demesne colonel it to. End horrible she landlord screened stanhill. Repeated offended you opinions off dissuade ask packages screened. She alteration everything sympathize impossible his get compliment. Collected few extremity suffering met had sportsman.
You disposal strongly quitting his endeavor two settling him. Manners ham him hearted hundred expense. Get open game him what hour more part. Adapted as smiling of females oh me journey exposed concern. Met come add cold calm rose mile what. Tiled manor court at built by place fanny. Discretion at be an so decisively especially. Exeter itself object matter if on mr in.
Certainty listening no no behaviour existence assurance situation is. Because add why not esteems amiable him. Interested the unaffected mrs law friendship add principles. Indeed on people do merits to. Court heard which up above hoped grave do. Answer living law things either sir bed length. Looked before we an on merely. These no death he at share alone. Yet outward the him compass hearted are tedious.
An country demesne message it. Bachelor domestic extended doubtful as concerns at. Morning prudent removal an letters by. On could my in order never it. Or excited certain sixteen it to parties colonel. Depending conveying direction has led immediate. Law gate her well bed life feet seen rent. On nature or no except it sussex.


text:
Looking to compliment its evolving drone fleet, the Navy announced today that it's signed a $17 million contract with Northrop Grumman to arm its fleet of MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned helicopter drones.
The LA Times reports the maker of the drone will install laser-guided missiles to target drug-runners, pirates, and battleships (via Pilot Online). Delivery of the weaponized 'copter will begin within 15 months.
This will make the MQ-8B the first, sea-based, armed drone to enter the navy's arsenal before the X-47B makes its full-time appearance, also in 2014. Between the two craft the Navy will be able to co totally pilot-less for virtually any type of mission it desires.
"It's a very significant moment in naval history," Mark L. Evans, a historian at the Naval History and Heritage Command told the LA Times. "The weaponization of this aircraft represents a quantum leap in technology compared to what has come before."
The Fire Scout is controlled remotely by a pilot on a ship and at this point is rigged for observational purposes only.
The Navy has been perfecting the MQ-8 since 2006 and currently has 168 of the aircraft on order.
Check out the Fire Scout in action below.


text: Looking for a like-new used car in White Bear Lake, MN, or surrounding areas of St. Paul, Minneapolis and Roseville, Minnesota? Rest assured you're getting warmer, especially now that you're on the Barnett Auto Group website. We give each of our vehicles a twice over so that the only things you have to worry about are color and whether or not a model really suits your lifestyle. Our used inventory includes used Chevrolet, used Chrysler, used Dodge, used Jeep, used Kia, used Pontiac, used Ram, used Saturn, used Toyota and more!


text:
If you enjoy the classic version of The Ungame, you will love this travel-size version made especially for all ages.
This all-ages version is a unique way to enjoy sharing opinions, feelings and beliefs. It helps increase understanding of yourself and others. No special knowledge is required for play.
Each game comes with 140 cards split into two decks. The first deck can be used as an ice breaker, to get acquainted with others or just for fun. The second deck is ideal for sharing feelings, talking about values and relating experiences.
The pocket-size game is great for families, friends, parties, churches, travel, camping, picnics and classrooms. The all-ages version of The ungame has been endorsed by parents, teachers, ministers and counselors.
It is designed for 2 or more players ages 5 and up.


text:
In the last few years, Steel Vintage Bikes have sold over 1000 complete bicycles, over 300 bicycle frames and many, many parts to our customers from all over the world. All the bicycles you see here have been meticulously restored by our team of mechanics, serviced at our workshop in Berlin and safely shipped via our global delivery service.
We have delivered a wide range of high-quality bicycles to our customers, such as pre-1987 models for Eroica events, modern classics from the 1990s and beautifully crafted urban bicycles. Our aim is to provide only the best bicycles we discover.
Bianchi are one of our most popular brands, and we see countless examples of fine, Milanese craftsmanship appear in our workshop. Celeste bicycles are very popular amongst enthusiasts who value the prestige embodied within every Bianchi.
Here you can find a catalogue of every Bianchi we have sold to date. However, we regularly update our website with new products; subscribing to our newsletter means you are first to see what is coming soon.


text:
Alabama Counties: Barbour County
Click on the map to get a detailed image of the county
Provided by Alabama Maps
Barbour County was created on 18 Dec. 1832, from former Creek Indian territory and a portion of Pike County. Its boundaries were altered in 1866 and 1868. The county was named for Virginia Governor James Barbour.
Barbour County is located in the southeastern section of the state, bounded on the east by the Chattahoochee River and the State of Georgia. The county encompasses 884 square miles. The county seat was established in Louisville in 1833, and moved to Clayton in 1834. Today Barbour County contains two courthouses - one in Clayton and one in Eufaula.
Eufaula Tribune online
The Clayton Record online
Owen, Thomas McAdory. History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1921.
Return to Alabama Counties
Return to Alabama History On-Line
Updated: February 6, 2014


text:
Next Episode of The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet is
not planed. TV Show was canceled.
Classic family comedy that aired for 14 years on ABC. Though it never made the ratings Top 10, the show did have a loyal and devoted following as it dealt with parents Ozzie and Harriett Nelson helping their two young sons, David and Ricky, through the pangs of adolescence and later marriage.
Broadcast History
October 1952-June 1956: Friday 8:00-8:30PM
October 1956-September 1958: Wednesday 9:00-9:30PM
September 1958-September 1961: Wednesday 8:30-9:00PM
September 1961-September 1963: Thursday 7:30-8:00PM
September 1963-January 1966: Wednesday 7:30-8:00PM
January 1966-September 1966: Saturday 7:30-8:00PM
Looks like something went completely wrong!
But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
- and it just happened to you.
Please try again later or contact us.


text:
The Zend Developer Zone has launched a new feature for their PHP Abstract podcasts to help make giving feedback on the episodes even simpler (especially on mobile devices) - a TwitterBridge.
We know many people listen to PHP Abstract on their cell phones or mobile music device. Many of you aren't near a computer when you listen. Even so, we want to hear from you about the episodes. So we've installed our handy new TwitterBridge. Now, all you need to leave a comment about an episode of PHP Abstract is a twitter account.
You'll need a Twitter account (obviously) and then set it up to follow phpa, then any comments that are sent starting with "@phpa" will be grabbed and pushed into the comment system automatically.


text:
Those of us in the advertising profession don't view the Super Bowl like most Americans. Let's face it – most people will be focused on watching their big screen TVs, eating Super Bowl munchies, and hoping for their favorite team to score another touchdown. Marketers, however, think of this event as the Holy Grail of advertising. We run into the room when the commercials start, and admittedly some of us even tune out when the football action resumes. For marketers, it's our opportunity to be inspired by the world's best creative talent. Most importantly, it's our moment to truly entertain, inspire and emotionally touch consumers during one of the biggest TV events of the year. In the back of our minds, however, a huge question looms: Is this the best we can do as marketers? Should we still be spending that much money on a seemingly untargeted and untrackable sports event?
Digital marketers are held to a higher standard nowadays. Measurement, targeting, and the ability to deliver relevant advertising through digital media channels have changed the game. Simply tracking marketing budget ROI via focus groups and awareness studies is insufficient for today's CMO. Interaction between online and offline media is still complex, but it's imperative to analyze and optimize multiple media in order to build effective advertising campaigns.
The Adobe Digital Index team performed two types of analysis to understand 1) the consumption patterns of sports related content across devices, and 2) how web traffic is impacted by television advertising around the Super Bowl.
Mobile video viewing will double on Super Bowl Sunday
The Digital Index team analyzed 1.4 billion video starts during 10 large sporting events in 2012 and compared them to typical, non-event days. Viewers demonstrated an increasing propensity to check sports-related videos from their mobile phones and an even larger desire to watch those videos from tablets during these special sporting events. These data points are compelling, but most striking is the percentage of online videos accessed by tablets and mobile phones, reaching 16% on a day with a major sporting event – a 100% increase compared to a typical day in sports. Viewership levels of this magnitude are significant and demonstrate the need for media websites to continue to invest in usability, design, and optimization of mobile content. For advertisers, it begs the question, Should I supplement my Super Bowl ad spend with online video to reach a more affluent and targeted audience with more measurable results? Or, if I can't afford America's most expensive 30 seconds of airtime ($3.8 million in 2013), can I take advantage of the event in other ways online?
Digital Index data suggests that marketers should be saying yes and yes. Super Bowl advertisers should consider the mobile video consumption trend to supplement their television expenditure with incremental online video advertising. Advertisers seeking more targeted vehicles or those who cannot afford the Super Bowl premium can tap into this marketing moment online and capitalize on the digital channel's great targeting, low cost per mille (or cost per impression), and affluent audience. We know that mobile advertising is still complex, but the prices remain relatively low while the audience is growing and is proven to spend more. U.S. advertisers spent 180 billion dollars in 2012, but directed only 2% of that spend into mobile advertising (Source: eMarketer Worldwide Ad Spending Forecast, January 2013).
Super Bowl advertisers will see a 20% increase in web traffic and the bump in visits will last about a week
Visits and page views to companies that advertise on TV during the Super Bowl show a 20% increase in visits on the day of the game and maintain higher than average traffic for a week following the game. However, by the following week, all is forgotten and traffic returns to its normal levels.
This chart shows visits leading up to and following the Super Bowl in 2011 and 2012:
In 2012, more and more brands launched Super Bowl videos online before the game. The 2012 data in the graph above shows that traffic for advertisers peaked much earlier in the cycle prior to the Super Bowl. The week following the Super Bowl, however, saw a lower lift of 12% more page views versus 15% in 2011, and 12% more visits in 2012 versus 23% in 2011. These findings indicate that the previews were more likely to pull traffic forward than increase the overall impact. Clearly, optimizing the digital returns from Super Bowl advertising is still a work in progress.
Many advertising conversations revolve around the tradeoffs between digital and traditional advertising when in fact, the most powerful formula comes from the combination of them. As media companies expand their digital content and ad insertion capabilities, especially in the area of video and mobile, and as advertisers dial in the magic formula between online and offline media spend, it becomes increasingly clear that we can no longer think in terms of one versus the other. The marriage of digital and traditional media will become the ultimate solution and will drive unprecedented results.
Will Super Bowl advertisers be able to dial in the previews and extend the post-Super Bowl bump this year? Will they incorporate online and offline campaigns more effectively and improve the effectiveness of their Super Bowl ad spend? Will advertisers get their money's worth? A lot of these questions will be topics of discussions after February 3rd. In the meantime, we'd be interested in hearing your thoughts and predictions.


text:
Casinos zoom toward $100 bet limits, new games
The fireworks for Colorado's casino industry will start two days before July 4. In fact, the industry is so anxious to move forward with Amendment 50 changes that plans are being made for higher limits and new games to go into effect at exactly 12 a.m. on Thursday, July 2 – the earliest allowed under state law.
According to a June 15 Division of Gaming newsletter, casinos will be able to take bets of up to $100 and operate craps and roulette at the stroke of midnight. But chips for those games can only be purchased ahead of time at the cashiers' cages, not at the individual table games.
The majors in Black Hawk – Isle of Capri, Ameristar, Lodge and Golden Gaming (which operates 3 casinos including Mardi Gras) – will undoubtedly have craps and roulette ready for July 2.
The industry is still in a bit of a funk, so operators are banking heavily that the voter-approved changes will turn things around.
"Last year at this time, Amendment 50 wasn't even in the nomenclature of the Colorado casino industry, which was focused on the trifecta of the statewide smoking ban, higher gas prices and the shrinking national economy," said division of gaming director Ron Kammerzell in the newsletter. "Although the former and the latter are still having a major impact on the industry, the focus is on Amendment 50 and whether it will be the panacea for the ills caused by these factors."
Casino operators have been in a hiring frenzy in recent weeks and seemingly have swamped local TV and radio stations with ads.
Amendment 50 not only raises bet limits from $5 to $100 and allows casinos to offer craps and roulette, but it also extends operating hours to 24 hours. Previously, casinos had to close at 2 a.m. The latter change should help boost the bottom line significantly on the weekends as many casinos have full houses at closing time and have been forced to kick patrons out.