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Want to be the smartest person in your IT organization—or in the whole company, for that matter? Battle your way through the confusion, hype, proof points, and facts about cloud computing to reach the truth about how your company should structure computing services. It's at least as tricky a problem as ending the stubbornly lingering recession.
Windows IT Pro industry analyst Paul Thurrott recently called cloud computing "an ill-defined and rarely understood technology if there ever was one" ("Revolution, Not Evolution"). But the promise that cloud computing holds—one of dynamically scalable resources, a power-saving virtualized environment, and pay-as-you-go pricing—is so compelling that everyone is scrambling to find their rightful place in the cloud.
Amidst this headlong rush are some IT pros who are keeping their cool by focusing on technology that delivers real benefits now. Gary Magnuson, an IT specialist with Kroll Factual Data in Loveland, Colorado, made his department's decision to dismiss cloud computing—at least the hosted services version—sound simple. Magnuson, a longtime subscriber to Windows IT Pro who joined the staff's recent strategy sessions as a guest panelist, said his team rejected cloud-based services for two reasons: no apparent cost savings and potential security risks.
"We're such a large virtualized machine environment right now, cloud services would not be a cost savings for us, and we would have to worry about security," Magnuson said.
Magnuson, whose team maintains the organization's servers, isn't kidding when he talks about a large virtualized environment. His team recently shifted 800 physical servers to VMs, and in one case he has 140 VMs running on one physical box. Although this move required investment in new hardware to run Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2, Magnuson said his team looked at the long-term cost savings.
"It costs you in one way, but saves you in the other," Magnuson said. "Also, if you have some servers that are running toward the end of life, instead of buying a new server you can convert it to a VM. Besides getting rid of the physical box, virtualization saves you on power. You're saving the purchase of the physical box itself, physical memory for that box, repairs on the physical box, and power."
For Magnuson's team, the security risks are simply a matter of control. "If applications are on the other side of the firewall, they have to be much more secure," he said. "And sometimes that can get interesting. If a mistake is made in the cloud, you open yourself up to security risks. On the inside of the organization, it's easy to check the firewall. It would be easier for us to host our own private cloud service than to use a public cloud simply because of the security and ease of use. We have a lot of expertise here, and it's easier for us to manage security from inside the organization."
Magnuson said that his team jumped into virtualization when Microsoft released Hyper-V with Windows Server 2008, and their knowledge evolved as they tested and retested scenarios in their lab that they thought could make their jobs easier. His team is constantly looking for workloads to virtualize and improvements to their virtualization environment.
Although Magnuson is a champion of virtualization, he doesn't rule out cloud services for his server team at some point in the future. But in the meantime, he clearly feels that he and his colleagues have the knowledge and expertise to deliver the performance, availability, and security his company needs with a well-tested virtualized environment. He ran through a quick list of factors that businesses need to consider when evaluating cloud services: Would a private cloud service give you better security? Would your business really benefit from the pricing model of public cloud offerings, or would a virtualized environment give you the best cost savings? Are you more confident in a public cloud service's security measures or in your in-house network security expertise? Do you have the resources to manage in-house IT staff? Do you know what resources you'll need to manage outsourced services?
The questions about cloud computing are many, and the answers aren't easy. For a primer on cloud computing, check out senior technical director Michael Otey's article "The Rise of Cloud Computing." Also, check out the virtualization and cloud computing sessions at Penton Media's Windows Connections conference November 1–4 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. You'll be able to ask our speakers—including Mark Minasi, Sean Deuby, and Mike Danseglio—about the best solutions for your company. The conversation will make us all a little bit smarter about cloud computing.


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By Bryan Hoopaugh
By Bryan Hoopaugh
The Williston Red Devils, coming off a big come-from-behind-win over Taylor County last week sets the stage to face the Hawthorne Hornets tomorrow night at 7:30. Hawthorne will enter the game 0-1 having lost last week to Interlachen in a close fought one point loss 6-7.
Williston Varsity Volleyball took to the courts last Saturday hosting the Preseason Classic Tournament at the WHS gym.
Participating in the tournament were Williston, Newberry, Chiefland and Dixie County, all of which are district rivals.
The Devils preseason opener started and finished with a bang as the Red Devils defeated the Central High School Bears 25-6 last Friday night. The Devils' defense showed their strength on the Bears' opening drive forcing and recovering a fumble on the second play of the game.
Copyright © 2018
The Williston Pioneer is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Levy County and Williston, Fl, and the surrounding area.

subset: commoncrawl


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If anyone ever makes Jermaine Paul be a back-up singer again, America needs to punch that person in the face.
The anticipation was murderous, but America finally found out who won the second season of "The Voice"and a recording contract — after all mandatory reality show dramatic pauses — so this season's winner is ... Jermaine Paul, the Alicia Keys back-up singer who was ready to make it big on his own.
Yes, Team Blake took home the crown this year, and the few minutes following that announcement were the best the show has ever seen.
The other two hours? Well, let's look at some highlights.
Returning Contestants
Pip, James Massone, and Jamar Rogers came back for Jermaine, and joined him on stage for Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" and hearts collectively broke all over America.
Actually, Jamar came back to sing with Juliet Simms, too, along with Erin Willett and RaeLynn to sing "With a Little Help From My Friends." We get it! Everyone loves Jamar!
Jordis Unga returned for Tony Lucca and his performance of "Go Your Own Way" — a song he wanted to do earlier in the show, but lacked the oompf of a female voice. Jordis was a good pick for this one.
Lindsey Pavao and Katrina Parker joined Chris Mann for "Bittersweet Symphony," and somehow, somehow, Lindsey was the standout during that song. Maybe it was late and I was delirious.
Oh, and Naia Kete, Kim Yarborough, Cheesa and Sera Hill all took the stage for "Superstition," even though, well, they were all voted off; what was the point?
There was a mess of other stuff going on, and some of it, however, was pretty good:
Juliet Simms joining Flo Rida on stage for his single "Wild Ones" — is there anything she can't do?
Keenan Carlisle's guest spot as Cee Lo (or a sexy, hairless ewok as he would say on "SNL") hosting a "Voice" competition for cats. That's a show I would probably watch in real life, at least for one episode.
Justin Bieber's debut television performance of "Boyfriend" — This is on the list because it's Justin Bieber and no Canadian teenager should have that much swag. I salute you.
Hall & Oates performing "Rich Girl" — Because I say to you without a trace of irony, Hall & Oates are hip. You know what is ironic? Jermaine Paul sang back-up. After months and months of stressing how this was Jermaine's chance to be a frontman, and you make him be a backup singer again? Good one, NBC.
The "Parks & Recreation" promo they managed to sneak in there — Ron Swanson apparently shares my love of the spinning chairs. Ron Swanson is a good man.
And in the midst of all this hullaballoo, "The Voice" went on a massive nostalgia bender.
Back-stage montages from the season! Candid, off-the-cuff interviews! The joviality! The best of all these sequences was the one addressing an issue on everyone's mind: the bromance between Adam and Blake. "Miranda's jealous," Blake said, "but I think it's cute … but I don't have a crush on him. But, he is a good looking man." Imagine what the bromance will be next season, with Blake having taken the "Voice" crown from Adam with Jermaine's victory.
Ah yes, the reason we're all here. Oh, no? No, just a few more minutes, Carson Daly? We can all wait …
First, Carson announced Chris Mann came in last place, and Tony Lucca in third, but only "one-fourth of one percentage point" separated fourth and third place. Whatever, Carson, you lost me with the math. And someone tell Christina to put on pants.
Then, after the ... world's ... longest ... pause, Jermaine was named the winner over Juliet Simms. With everyone in tears, Blake had Jermaine by the arms, shouting "You did it! You did it!" But all Jermaine could do was hold his head in his hands and cry.
Someone placed a microphone in his hand, and soon Jermaine was singing "I Believe I Can Fly" between his sobs and hugs from family members. He sang most of the song from the arms of his wife, and I kept thinking this was probably the least opportune time to ask him to sing. But I guess he'd better get used that — he'll never be a background singer again. Now, he and Blake just need to record a soul album together.


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MorphologyRead full entry
Physical Description
Adult bees are short stout insects. They are fuzzier than their relatives the wasps and the ants. They have chewing mouthparts, four wings, and straight antennae. Most of them have yellow and black stripes, but some are bright green, and some are all black. Most bees can give a painful sting. Bee larvae and pupae are never found outside their nest. Bee larvae look like grubs, with soft white bodies, no legs and brown heads. Honey bee queens are larger than other members of their colony, with workers being the smallest and male drones ranging in the middle.
Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; bilateral symmetry ; venomous


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On this day (Dec. 31) in 1775, American Gen. Richard Montgomery, in an ill-advised assault on the British stronghold of Quebec City, was killed (age 37), thus becoming one of the first (along with Dr. Joseph Warren, who was killed in the June 17, 1775, Battle of Bunker Hill) American heroes or martyrs of the Revolutionary War.
Convinced that the largely French-speaking population of Canada was just waiting to be "liberated" from British rule, the Continental Congress ordered Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler of New York (1733-1804) to lead an invasion of Canada. However, when forced to retire from active service because of serious ill health, Schuyler relinquished command of the invasion force to Brigadier General Montgomery, who, interestingly, was unaware that he had been promoted to major general just 22 days before his untimely death.
Born Dec. 2, 1738, in Convoy House, Donegal, Ireland, to former British army officer and member of the Irish Parliament Thomas Montgomery, young Richard was well educated, attending St. Andrews (1752-1754) and Trinity College, Dublin (1754-1756).
Upon the completion of his formal education, Richard, following in his father's footsteps, decided on a military career. Military service in Canada (he participated with distinction in the siege and capture of the French fortress of Louisburg in 1758, and later in successful campaigns against Ticonderoga, Crown Point, and Montreal) was followed by a tour in the West Indies, where he took part in the capture of Martinique and Havana in 1762.
Returning to England, Richard befriended many of the more liberal politicians of the day; men such as Edmund Burke and Charles James Fox, both of whom in the 1770s often seemingly took the side of the "American rebels" during heated Parliamentary debates concerning taxation and colonial governance.
By 1772, Montgomery had become convinced that the Lord North ministry was pursuing calamitous policies toward her American colonies. Also, he had become convinced, partly from repeatedly being passed over for military promotions and partly from his anti-ministry political views, that his future happiness and success would not be in England.
Montgomery sold his military commission and moved to America, where in July 1773 he settled on a 67-acre farm at Kings Bridge, N.Y. His marriage to Janet Livingston (daughter of New York aristocratic "rebel" leader Robert R. Livingston), his military experience in the British army, and his well-known anti-British ministry views led, almost inevitably, to his appointment, on June 22, 1775, as a brigadier general in the Continental Army.
Leaving his young, new bride and their new home near Rhinebeck, N.Y., Richard traveled north to become second in command to Schuyler in the invasion of Canada. After Schuyler's temporary retirement from active service, Montgomery became the leader of one prong of a two-prong pincer movement against Montreal and Quebec.
In September, Montgomery's force captured Montreal and then marched downriver to Quebec City. Meanwhile, Benedict Arnold, the leader of the second attacking force, led his 1,000-man army through the harsh wilderness of Maine and joined Montgomery's force to lay siege to Quebec.
On Dec. 31, when many of the American militia enlistments would expire, the two ill-fated American commanders undertook a combined assault against the heavily fortified town. The twin assaults ended in disaster. Montgomery was killed, Arnold was seriously wounded, more than 100 Americans were killed or wounded, and more than 300 were captured.
• Crystal Lake resident Joseph C. Morton is professor emeritus at Northeastern Illinois University and author "The American Revolution" and "Shapers of the Great Debate at the Constitutional Convention of 1787." Email him at email@example.com.


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"Project Runway" (Lifetime 7 p.m.) Now that they've got it, Lifetime Network wastes little time cranking out another season of sewing and criticizing.
"On the Road With Austin and Santino" (Lifetime 8:30 p.m.) Santino Rice (the egotistical designer with the weird dresses and the wicked Tim Gunn impression) joins forces with Austin Scarlett (the gay designer who ... um, the flamboyantly gay designer who ... Nope, still not narrowing it down enough. ... Eh, yet another "Project Runway" loser) travel around the country making prom dresses and the like for people.
"Jersey Shore" (MTV 11 p.m.) Ecch. There's a second season? You brought this on yourself, America.
"Dangerous Encounters: Cannibal Squid" (National Geographic 7 p.m.) For other squid, maybe. Not for me.
Jack Hunter and the Lost Treasure of Ugarit (Syfy 7 p.m.) This was originally a six-hour miniseries. Unfortunately (or not), Syfy is only airing the first two hours as a stand-alone movie. On the plus side, fans of belated, made-in-Turkey rip-offs of Indiana Jones have two more of these to look forward to.
"Sons of Tucson" (KASA-2 6:30 p.m.) The Tyler Labine-led sitcom disappears into the sunset with a series finale.
"Rubicon" (AMC 7 p.m.) James Badge Dale ("The Pacific"), Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket) and Miranda Richardson (The Crying Game) star in this thriller about intelligence analysts caught in the midst of a global conspiracy—which sounds like it will require weekly attention and much TiVoing to figure out what the hell's going on.
"Ultimate Air Jaws" (Discovery 7 p.m.) You can tell by the flying great whites it must be Shark Week again on Discovery.
"Money Hungry" (VH1 7 p.m.) A reality show in which fat people compete to see who can lose the most weight? What's the matter with you, VH1? Weren't you listening last week when I ranted about redundant TV series? ... Fatwa on you!
"Aftermath With William Shatner" (Biography 8 p.m.) William Shatner ditches celebrities for infamous, real-life headline-grabbers, meaning we get to see The Shat chatting with the likes of Bernie Goetz and Mary Kay Letourneau. Sign me up!
"18 to Life" (KWBQ-19 8 p.m.) Sure sign No. 18 that networks are desperate to fill their schedules with absolutely anything over the long, hot, rerun-filled summer: imported Canadian sitcoms.
"Scrappers" (Spike 8 p.m.) And this week's "Boring Blue Collar Jobs That Don't Currently Have a Docu-Reality Show" wheel of fortune lands on ... scrap dealers!
"Chris Angel: Mindfreak" (A&E 8 p.m.) This guy is still on the air? It's not that he's a crummy magician. It's just that I got my fill of guyliner, leather pants and chest medallions after the first couple seasons.


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NEW YORK (AP) - September 26, 2012 --Barnes & Noble is rolling out two new versions of its Nook tablet with sleek new hardware and a sharper high-definition screen. The bookseller's move heightens the already intense tablet wars heading into the holiday season.
Barnes & Noble said Wednesday that its new Nook HD will come in two sizes, one with a 7-inch screen (measured diagonally), starting at $199, and one with a new 9-inch diagonal screen, called the Nook HD+, starting at $269.
In addition to the new HD screen and a lighter body, Barnes & Noble is adding a video purchase and rental service.
The company is seeking to offset tough competition from online retailers such as Amazon.com, as consumers increasingly move away from traditional books and DVDs to electronic books and streaming video.


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Apple has quietly sneaked in some updates to its MacBook range of laptops. Processors were update by miniscule amounts; just 0.1 and 0.2 GHz (yes, I'm afraid its not 1 and 2 GHz!). Hard drives were updated by 180GB and 250GB and the graphic cards have also been given a boost.
Here are the details:
- 13″ MacBook Pro base model has a 2.4 GHz processor and 500 GB hard drive, boosted from 2.3 GHz and 320 GB.
- 13″ MacBook Pro model has a 2.8 GHz processor and 750 GB hard drive, boosted from 2.7 GHz and 500 GB.
- 15″ MacBook Pro base model has a 2.2 GHz processor, up from 2.0 GHz. The 500 GB hard drive remains unchanged. The AMD GPU is now a 6750M with 512MB VRAM (up from a 6490M/256).
- 15″ MacBook Pro high-end model has a 2.4 GHz processor, up from 2.2 2.3 GHz. The 750 GB hard drive remains unchanged. The AMD GPU is now a 6770M with 1GB of VRAM.
- 17″ MacBook Pro model has a 2.4 GHz processor, up from 2.2 GHz. The 750 GB hard drive has not changed. Its AMD GPU is also a 6770M with 1 GB VRAM (up from the 6750M).
Prices remain unchanged s although this isn't a major update its nevertheless a welcome one.
Related articles
- Apple updates MacBook Pro with larger hard drives, slightly faster processors (tuaw.com)
- Apple MacBook Pro gets quiet update (cbsnews.com)
- Apple quietly beefs up MacBook Pro line with faster CPUs, more (arstechnica.com)
- Apple updates MacBook Pro lineup (digitaltrends.com)
- The Late 2011 MacBook Pro Value Equation, Dan Knight, Mac Musings (lowendmac.com)
- Apple Upgrades 2011 MacBook Pro Line (REPORT) (chats-blog.com)
- Apple quietly updates MacBook Pros with faster processors and bumped specs (9to5mac.com)
- New MacBook Pros Updated with Faster Processors, Better Graphics and Bigger Hard Drives [Apple] (gizmodo.com)
- Apple Quietly Tweaks MacBook Pro Line-up, Leaves Prices Unchanged (techcrunch.com)
51.879675 0.867954


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Brief SummaryRead full entry
Amniotes include most of theland-dwelling vertebrates alive today, namely, mammals, turtles, Sphenodon,lizards, crocodylians and birds. It is a diverse clade with over 20000 living species. Amniotes include nearly all ofthe large plant- and flesh-eating vertebrates on land today, and they liveall over the planet in virtually every habitat. They also sport disparateshapes - chameleons, bats, walruses, Homo sapiens, soft-shelled turtles,ostriches and snakes are but a few examples - and they include some of thesmallest (sphaerodactyline geckoes) and largest (mysticete whales)vertebrates (Figs. 1 and 2). Although fundamentally land dwellers, several cladessuch as ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, pinnipeds and cetaceans have returned tothe sea. A few forms are gliders - the Flying Dragon lizards, HoneyCreepers, and Flying Squirrels - and powered aerial flight has originatedthree separate times, first in pterosaurs, then in birds, and later stillin bats.
Figure 1. Two extant amniotes (diapsids). The rattlesnake can detect its prey atnight using an infrared-sensitive organ that allows it to detect the warmbody of small mammals. It then kills its prey with it poisonous fangs.Parrots eat nuts and fruits. Pictures copyright © 1996 Michel Laurin.
An extensive fossil record documents the origin and early evolution ofAmniota, and that record has played a key role in understandingphylogenetic relationships among the living amniotes (Gauthier et al.,1988b). The oldest amniotes currently known date from the MiddlePennsylvanian locality known as Joggins, in Nova Scotia (Carroll, 1964).The relationships of these fossils indicate that amniotes first divergedinto two lines, one line (Synapsida) that culminated in living mammals, andanother line (Sauropsida) that embraces all the living reptiles (includingbirds). One Joggins fossil, the "protorothyridid" Hylonomus, appears to bea very early member of the line leading to Sauria (Crown-clade diapsids),the clade encompassing all living diapsids. This suggests that the more inclusive clade of which turtles (Testudines) are part (Anapsida) in most morphological phylogenies had diverged as well, even though its current record extends back only to the Lower Permian (Laurin & Reisz, 1995).
An older amniote (from the Lower Carboniferous) was reported (Smithson, 1989). However, more recent studies suggested that it was only a close relative of amniotes (Smithson et al., 1994), and the latest study even suggested that it was more likely to be a stem-tetrapod or an early amphibian than a relative of amniotes (Laurin & Reisz, 1999).
Figure 2. More extant amniotes. The insectivorous elephant shrew (a synapsid) resembles vaguely the earliest placental mammals. The omnivorous terrestrial box turtle Terrapine (an extant anapsid) eats mushrooms, fruits, insects, and worms. Like all turtles, it is not affected by senescence but eventually succumbs to a disease, an accident, or a predator. Pictures copyright © 1996 John Merck.


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Shopzilla Threatens To Sue Site For 3 Year Old Neutral Link To Shopzilla... Then Apologizes
from the but-did-they-fire-their-lawyer? dept
The "good" news to come out of this is that the folks at Shopzilla quickly responded and insisted that the letter was sent in mistake. Shopzilla's VP of Operations, David Bixler responded in the comments:
I'm terribly sorry you received the letter from our attorney's office. We appreciate that your site is not a spam site and is not mis-using our trademark. We flag up thousands of backlinks that are potentially spam and unfortunately your site slipped through our filter. Please disregard the notice...That's a semi-decent response, but not really. Links alone are not infringing. Even if they're worried about backlinks, that doesn't mean they get to abuse the law even just to take down backlinks that may be judged as spam. Furthermore, they suggest that this "slipping through" is just a minor accident, though if I were them, I'd be looking for a (much) better lawyer -- because anyone sending cease and desist letters based on that obviously non-infringing use is billing too much money.
That said, Shopzilla did do one cool thing. In the original post, Datadial joked that the threat made the original author sit down and eat a Twix bar and drink some wine, and they asked Shopzilla to pay for the food, saying the consumption of it was brought on by stress from the threat. In response, Shopzilla sent them a bottle of wine and a box of Twix. That part was nicely handled, though it still seems problematic that any of this ever happened at all.


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Friday, March 4, 2011
"See how big the galaxy is, Mom?"
"I do."
"I measured. It's 100% wide and 200% big. That's big, Mom."
"It is."
"I made it myself."
14 comments:
There's nothing like being omnipotent in your own galaxy. Nice work, Bob. :)ReplyDelete
Oh, Bob Rosenberg: Thou are God!ReplyDelete
Looks a lot like my living room right now - except ours are plain legos, not Star Wars ones. Somehow we haven't gotten into that obsession. We're still on Buzz Lightyear.ReplyDelete
I'm pretty sure that if Miles and Bob got together, they'd be creating their own galaxy for DAYS. That'd be cool.ReplyDelete
That's a fun galaxy!ReplyDelete
Legos are one of the best toys ever. Love it.ReplyDelete
Have you tried to explain infinity to him yet? Blow his little mind.ReplyDelete
"I made it myself." What is he, Charlie Sheen?ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
he made it himself, you should be 200% proud you knowReplyDelete
That is the exact correct measurement of the galaxyReplyDelete
Bob is 200 percent perfect.ReplyDelete
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General: Issues with Quicktime and live monitoring of calls
From DocWiki
Issues with Quicktime and live monitoring of calls
|Problem Summary
|Quicktime cannot live-monitor calls.
|Error Message
|Quicktime appears to be buffering indefinitely, and sometimes displays "Changing transports".
|Possible Cause
|When the player issues an RTSP request to MediaSense, MediaSense responds initially with a 302 redirect. The location header in that redirect contains a token which includes some unusual characters. Quicktime does not properly handle these characters and appears to have some internal corruption.
|Recommended Action
|If your MediaSense client application is in a position to intercept the 302 redirection, it should modify -- replace all up arrow characters (^) with their URL encoding (%5E) -- the location header before feeding it to Quicktime.
|Release 9.0(1)
|Associated CDETS #


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Something crazy is happening to me with my work
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£58.00 per pair
A pair of stunning solid turned ebony door knobs. In a smooth bun shaped design with two matching polished nickel petal edged roseplates. The deep rich tone of the ebony makes these handles particularity attractive and the shape very comfortable to hold and turn.
Standard UK delivery £4.95. (aim 3-5 working days)
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By Wesley Evans
NEWPORT NEWS, Va.—Southern Virginia University cross country competed in the Christopher Newport University Invitational Saturday, Oct. 12, with strong performances from both the men's and women's teams.
Men's Race (8k)
The Knights faced off against two Capital Athletic Conference opponents in the race in foes Christopher Newport and Marymount. Georgia College and Gallaudet University rounded out the rest of the field. Despite the harsh weather conditions, the men performed well finishing in third place overall with 85 points.
"All of the men ran personal or season bests," said head coach Logan Davis. "That's a very impressive feat considering the rain and soggy course we were running on."
Junior Patrick Gonzalez led the way once again for Southern Virginia as he placed 10th out of 38 runners with a time of 27:44.9. Freshman Michael Ward was close behind as he entered the chute only 14 seconds later with a time of 27:58.8. Kevin Prince was the next Knight runner to finish, crossing the line only three places behind Ward and finishing 16th overall. His time was a season-best as he finished in 28:22.9. Junior Coulter Sims and senior Dan Fotheringham rounded out the men as they crossed the finish line with times of 33:32.4 and 37:01.6, respectively.
Christopher Newport ran away with the victory in its own invitational with an overall score of 27. Georgia College placed second with 35 points. Southern Virginia (85 points) edged out fellow CAC member Marymount (99 points) as well as Gallaudet (109 points).
Women's Race (5k)
The Southern Virginia University women's cross country team ran four participants in the meet and all competed with solid finishing times and placements.
Senior Kera Macfarlane-Neilson was the top finisher for the women and lone Knight runner to finish in the top 15. She placed 14th out of 26 runners and crossed the finish line with a time of 21:18.6. Freshman Becca Lords finished only two spots later as she placed 16th overall with a season- and personal-best time of 22:01.6. Katelyn Tonini (25:25.0) and Hayden Larman (28:18.7) finished 21st and 23rd, respectively, as they rounded out the Knights' lineup.
Christopher Newport earned the team victory with an overall score of 29.
The Southern Virginia men's and women's cross country teams are back in action this Saturday, Oct. 19, as they travel to Gettysburg, Pa., to compete in the Gettysburg Invitational.
10th Patrick Gonzalez 27:44.9
13th Michael Ward 17:58.8
16th Kevin Prince 28:22.9
29th Coulter Sims 33:32.4
36th Dan Fotheringham 37:01.6
14th Kera Macfarlane-Neilson 21:18.6
16th Rebecca Lords 22:01.6
21st Katelyn Tonini 25:25.0
23rd Hayden Larman 28:18.7


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Pro Tools 11 from Avid: Everything You Want To Know [VIDEO - 45 mins!]
"Next level sh**!"
"Where's me chequebook? Sold!"
"When can we have it?!
These were just some of the reactions from very excited audio professionals caught on video when they saw the latest version of their tool of choice, and the industry standard DAW, Pro Tools 11.
See the full range, including HD, student and educational institution versions.
But if Avid's official video whet your appetite for a more substantial and in-depth look at just what was getting them so excited, you're in luck. The guys from Pro Tools Expert, Russ Hughes and Mike Thornton, say they've had to "sign in blood" to get an incredibly detailed pre-release look at Pro Tools 11 and Pro Tools HD 11. If you can't make it to Musikmesse in Frankfurt this week, this 45 minute video is the next best thing to popping along to Avid's stand and seeing it in the flesh yourself.
They do a great job in particular of explaining just what the new 64 bit architecture is all about, comparing it to upgrading from Mac OS 9 back in 2001 to OS X (or re-building the foundations of a house, for the less technical amongst us)! They also discuss the new releases other additions and features, like:
- Avid Audio Engine (instead of the old Digidesign engine)
- Optimized Host Processing for AAX
- VI & Plug-In performance boost
- Offline Bounce
- Low Latency Buffer mode
- New integrated Avid Video Engine
- Redesigned Workspace
- Extended Metering
- UI Improvements/Retina Support
- Mixing Workflow Enhancements
- Automation While Recording
And don't miss the new Avid Fast Track USB audio interfaces (Solo and Duo). Why cobble together your own solution from disparate software and hardware, when Avid provide a fully integrated system of software, hardware and drivers built to work together flawlessly?


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I am facing a little problem in flashing the XO 1.5 with a newer OS205 released on June 30 at gttp://build.laptop.org/10.1.1/
I downloaded the latest OS206.zd from http://build.laptop.org/10.1.1/
I put up both the files in the top level of a USB stick. Although, the image was found by the laptop, I am getting this message on startup.
<buffer@900000>:1: Image file size is not a multiple of the NAND erase block size
OLPC C2, 256 MiB meory insstalled, s/N CSN74901b4F
Open firmware Cl 1 Q2E41 Q2E
The firmware of the XO 1.5 is upto date. Please suggest some solution.


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Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop is putting developers participating in his city's tax abatement program on notice.
In a statement Monday, Fulop announced the recovery of $2.3 million from one delinquent developer, and a pledge to continue aggressively pursuing others.
Fulop said Jerramiah Healy's administration had not enforced tax abatement laws for several years.
"These are tax dollars that could be used to put cops on the street, fund recreation programs, pave roads or simply lower the amount of taxes paid by our residents," Fulop said. "Failure to collect this money is unacceptable, and we are going to hold these developers accountable.
Fulop said EQR Lincoln Urban Renewal Entity owed the city its share of excess profits generated on properties receiving tax abatements, in accordance with state law.
EQR had been the recipient of a 20-year tax abatement in 2000, and did not see excess profits until 2007, which it failed to share with the city, Fulop's office said. The city pinpointed two EQR properties — Hudson Point and North Pier — as the focus of its complaint.
Fulop, who was sworn into office in July, said that tax abatement enforcement will be a priority for his administration.
Jeremy Farrell, the city's corporation counsel, said he's also ready to take on developers if need be.
"Developers who have received tax abatements from the city should be on notice that we will be enforcing their contracts to ensure the city is collecting everything it is owed — and if legal action is required, we are prepared to take that action," Farrell said in a statement.


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Houston's prospects shine in 6-3 win over the Chicago Cubs in exhibition final
HOUSTON – Houston's prospects got the best of the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
Playing a lineup of mostly minor leaguers in their last exhibition game, the Astros beat the Cubs 6-3. The Cubs began the game with most of their regular starters.
Houston right fielder Domingo Santana was a home run shy of the cycle and drove in two runs. Astros shortstop, 18-year-old Carlos Correa, the top overall pick in the 2012 draft, went 3 for 4 with a sacrifice fly.
Cubs starter Travis Wood yielded five hits and two runs with a spring-best seven strikeouts in 4 1-3 innings. It was an improvement from his last start when he allowed seven hits and four runs in four innings.
Chicago began taking out its starters in the third inning.


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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government has reached a proposed settlement with Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC, which does business as Macmillan, one of five major book publishers that allegedly conspired with Apple Inc. to raise e-book prices for consumers, the Justice Department announced Friday.
The government is continuing its case against Apple but has now reached agreements with the five publishers.
The Justice Department complaint alleged that the five companies and Apple worked together to raise retail e-book prices and eliminate price competition. The government said competition had reduced e-book prices and the retail profit margins of the booksellers.
Under the proposed settlement, which still needs approval by a federal judge in New York, Macmillan will lift restrictions on discounting and other promotions by e-book retailers. It will be barred from entering new agreements with similar restrictions until December 2014.
"We settled because the potential penalties became too high to risk even the possibility of an unfavorable outcome," Macmillan CEO John Sargent said Friday in an online letter to authors, illustrators and agents.
Sargent said the company did not reach an agreement earlier because, in part, "I had an old-fashioned belief that you should not settle if you have done no wrong. As it turns out, that is indeed old-fashioned."
"Our company is not large enough to risk a worst-case judgment," Sargent wrote. "In this action, the government accused five publishers and Apple of conspiring to raise prices. As each publisher settled, the remaining defendants became responsible not only for their own treble damages, but also possibly for the treble damages of the settling publishers."
The other companies that settled were Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Penguin.
Another reason Macmillan did not reach an agreement earlier, according to Sargent, was his concern that a settlement would allow Amazon, the leading e-book retailer, to cut prices to a level Sargent feared would harm the industry overall. But when all the other publishers settled, he no longer saw a reason to hold out. He was especially concerned that Macmillan books would be more expensive than those of its fellow publishers.
Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller declined to comment on the MacMillan settlement.
Before the case brought by the Justice Department, retailers sold e-book versions of new releases and best-sellers for what one company's CEO called the "wretched $9.99 price point." The government says that as a result of the conspiracy, consumers were typically forced to pay $12.99, $14.99 or more for the most popular e-books.
So far, the settlements in the case with other publishers have not led to a noticeable drop in e-book prices, as publishers had feared.
Before the government sued last April, the publishing executives were desperate to get Amazon.com — the marketer of Kindle e-book readers — to raise the $9.99 price point it had set for the most popular e-book titles. That was substantially below the publishers' hardcover prices. Apple had launched its iBooks store, and the publishers had hoped Apple would counteract the power of Amazon.
After Amazon introduced the Kindle in 2007, e-book sales had surged. They represented just 2 percent of all titles sold in the United States that year but soared to 25 percent in 2011. In 2010, about 114 million e-books were sold at a total cost of $441.3 million.
On Friday, news of the Macmillan settlement appeared to have little impact on Amazon. Its stock price was up 80 cents, less than 1 percent.
Associated Press writers Hillel Italie and Larry Neumeister in New York contributed to this report.


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The science fiction dream could be closer to reality – a flying car. Specifically, a "flying Humvee," a prototype of which could be ready for tests by mid-2015, according to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
DARPA Transformer program manager Stephen Waller, speaking at an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) conference, announced that both AAI Corp. and Lockheed Martin have produced "feasible designs" for its Transformer (TX) program, reported Aviation Week's Graham Warwick in a blog. Ground and flight demonstrations are slated for mid-fiscal 2015.
The car/plane design calls for a four-seat vehicle that could be piloted by anyone with a driver's license, without special training. It must be able to withstand small arms fire, and be capable of off-road driving, automated take-off, and vertical lift and landing.
The vehicle has many design incongruities, such as being light enough for vertical lift yet roomy enough for people and able to carry heavy hardware, including ruggedized devices and armor. It needs to have a strong engine; wings and a propeller or fan, Warwick continued. "Meeting these requirements is pushing the state of the art in lightweight materials and structures, high power-to-weight engines and autonomous flight controls," he writes.
But not everyone is enamored with the idea. Spencer Ackerman in a Wired blog questioned its usefullness: "It's difficult to imagine a military problem that the Transformer actually solves. [DARPA] initially envisioned it as an answer to homemade bombs that disable ground vehicles … But assuming that the U.S. is even involved in a land conflict … why wouldn't insurgents plant those bombs to lure the Transformer into the air and then hit it with a rocket-propelled grenade or anti-tank missile?"
DARPA announced its intentions for a flying car in April 2010 with a solicitation that, in addition to the specifications mentioned above, called for the vehicle to have a 1,000-pound capacity and rugged sport utility vehicle-like features, be able to fly up to 250 miles on a tank of fuel, and reach an altitude of 10,000 feet. The solicitation said it should cost no more than $55 million dollars.
When the solicitation was released, GCN Lab Director John Breeden II wrote that, technologically, "there isn't much reason why we couldn't have a flying car." The real problem was designing one what accommodated both flying and ground transport, which have such different requirements.
Meanwhile over in the private sector, personal flying cars, that longtime staple of science fiction, might just be starting to get off the ground.
Terrafugia, a company started in 2006 by pilots/engineers from MIT, received approval in July from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for its Transition hybrid to operate on the roads, and it expects to begin sales in 2012.
The Transition, expected to cost between $200,000 and $250,000, has foldable wings that allow it to fit on the road, but, unlike DARPA's flying Humvee, does require a pilot's license. Unfortunately for science fiction fans, it's not a car that can take to the air to avoid heavy traffic, but a plane that a pilot can drive home from the airport, or, land bad weather and continue its trip on wheels.
About the Author
Kathleen Hickey is a freelance writer for GCN.
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DARPA's (Defence Advanced Research Projects Agengy) mission is to advance technology. Within this project are several technologies with the capability to revolutionize flight as we know it. If DARPA does not tackle this job where are the future advancements. Go DARPA.
A HUMVEE is JUNK on the GROUND. Why would you want to put one in the air for that much money?
Hmmm...might be up against some some laws of physics here...my "lightweight" AWD SUV only get between 250 and 300 miles per tank, and has a rated cargo capacity of 750# at around 3500# curb...and doesn't leave the ground intentionally...so, unless somebody's hiding one of those "Mr. Fusion" reactors that runs on banana peels, I'm thinkin' this probably isn't a problem that can be practically solved with the current state of technology.
Blue sky? Yes. Bad time for a like to know-like to do project/spending? Yes. Intriguing never the less. The factors going into making what is probably the most non-aerodynamic vehicle into one that actually flies at heights of up to 10,000 feet may have a much greater intrinsic value than appears on the surface. Would the technologies used or invented be transferable to other profitable commercial projects? Alas poor Yorick; that indeed is the question.
$55 MILLION per vehicle? It might be cheaper to make them of pure gold and use them to then bribe the "bad" guys. Good grief! Modern attack helicopters cost about 1/3 of that.
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Singer Jackie Lomax dies in England at 69
LONDON (AP) — Jackie Lomax, a singer-songwriter who worked with The Beatles and enjoyed a long solo career, has died at age 69.
Lomax died Sunday in the Wirral, near Liverpool in northwest England, following a brief illness, according to his official website.
Website manager Alistair Hepburn said Wednesday that Lomax's family told him of the death. The family also released a statement to The Beatles Shop in Liverpool, manager Stephen Bailey said.
Lomax was signed to the Beatles' Apple label in the 1960s. He had known the band members since their early days at Liverpool's Cavern Club, when he was a member of The Undertakers, one of the most popular bands on the thriving Liverpool music scene.
"He was a great rocker, a solid out-and-out rock and roller," said Tony Bramwell, the former publicist for the Beatles' Apple Records. "They were one of the great groups in Liverpool in the early '60s. They did a great version of 'Mashed Potatoes.'"
Bramwell said John Lennon persuaded Lomax to sign with Apple Records and that George Harrison and the other Beatles backed him on his first release for the label, the 1968 single "Sour Milk Sea."
"Even with all that, it just got lost in that mass of sales," said Bramwell, pointing out that the Lomax single was released by Apple along with the Beatles' "Hey Jude" and Mary Hopkin's smash hit "Those Were the Days."
He said the Lomax tune received lots of radio play but did not become a breakthrough hit.
After leaving Apple, Lomax moved to Los Angeles, where he made a number of excellent records, including a strong collaboration with Harrison, Bramwell said.
"He'd been ill for some time, and lost so much weight because of cancer," Bramwell said.
Lomax lived for many years in Ojai, California, but recently had returned to England. His website says he recently finished an album that will be released within months.
Hepburn said a funeral will be followed by a remembrance ceremony — "more like a rock-and-roll gig" — in Liverpool at some later date.
He said Lomax is survived by his first wife, Dionne Lomax, their daughters Vicki, Janine, and Louise, and five grandchildren.
Associated Press writer Raphael Satter contributed to this report.


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All the boys from One Direction are taking a couple...
Just Love Me Already
- by l12345
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- Published: 19 Nov 2012
- Updated: 22 Aug 2013
- Status: In Progress
Olivia and Niall were a happy couple, that is until one text message threatened to ruin both of their lives forever. Drastic decisions, second chances, backstabbing lies and doing the unthinkable all occurs between what the world thinks of as "the power couple." But, we will see that how one word can change a persons life forever.
Join MovellasFind out what all the buzz is about. Join now to start sharing your creativity and passion
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February 23, 2013
Olek "The End Is Far" solo exhibition at Jonathan LeVine Gallery
The End Is Far
February 23—March 23, 2013
Opening Reception: Saturday, February 23, 7—9pm
Jonathan LeVine Gallery is pleased to present The End Is Far, a series of new works, a site-specific installation and live performance by Polish-born, New York-based artist Olek, in what will be her second solo exhibition at the gallery. Known for her bold work and vivacious persona, Olek's ever-expanding interventions involve covering a multitude of people and objects in camouflage-patterned crochet including: bicycles, cars, shopping carts, construction vehicles and prominent public art sculptures such as Wall Street's Charging Bull; Alamo (Astor Place cube) and Gato de Botero in Barcelona.
This exhibition follows what proved to be a very eventful year for Olek. In 2011, she was placed on house arrest after a dispute with an aggressive male patron escalated at a London bar. Subsequently, despite creatively and financially stifling circumstances, Olek found herself motivated by the experience, determined to cover legal expenses and fight for her freedom. Granted permission to leave the UK between court appearances, 2012 became the most prolific year of the artist's career to date, as she took on numerous international projects, public installations and commissions. She was part of the 40 Under 40: Craft Futures exhibition at the Smithsonian, for which her entire crocheted studio apartment was exhibited. During the rest of her travels, Olek collaborated with women around the world, in Brazil, Hong Kong and Poland, learning new techniques and experimenting with different materials.
The End is Far features new multi-layered crocheted sculptures and panels inspired by the events that transpired last year. With the addition of finely crocheted lace doilies, metallic gold ribbon and a new approach to typography, themes of freedom, justice, feminine power and strength are conveyed through subject matter such as boxing gloves, skulls, skeletons, sickles and horseshoes. An installation room containing a dining table set with china, overflowing fruit bowls, wine bottles and goblets will serve as an isolated environment for Olek's crochet-covered female performers during the opening reception.
Jonathan LeVine Gallery
529 West 20th Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10011


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We are constantly amazed by what a simple snip does to someone's appearance. This weekend, Hilary Duff debuted new eyebrow-grazing bangs at the National Kidney Foundation of Southern California's Gift of Life Celebration. We've gotten so used to seeing Hilary with her darker hair, but the bangs really seem to change the shape of her face. But the Dignity singer is one of those fortunate people who can pull off anything! Tell us: What do you think of Hilary's new bangs? Love 'em or hate 'em?
Click here to vote on more stars' best looks!
Click here to see more photos, news and a full bio of Hilary Duff, and click here to discuss her style in Off the Rack.
Photo: Todd Williamson/WireImage; Nikki Nelson/WENN


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Aspect Ratios Explained: Part One
Chris has decided to examine one of the more confusing aspects of film, aspect ratios. In this, the first of a series of articles ...
1.37:1 (Academy Standard)
If you've ever taken a good look at the back of one of your DVD cases you may have spotted those little diagrams shaped like televisions, with accompanying numbers such as 1.33:1, 1.85:1 or 2.35:1. Well, those numbers are aspect ratios, and they are used to describe the relationship between the width and height of a filmed image.
From the beginnings of silent film, up until the early 1930s, virtually all movies shared the same aspect ratio of 1.33:1, meaning that the image is 1.33 times wider than it is tall. Around 1930, with the introduction of the first 'talkie' movies, the ratio was changed to 1.37:1, and it became known as the 'Academy Standard' (after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences). The ratio has remained unchanged to this day, although more often than not it is still quoted as 1.33:1. Some films originally shot in Academy Ratio include Citizen Kane, The Wizard of Oz, It's A Wonderful Life and State Fair.
The cinematographic process used to shoot movies in the Academy Standard ratio is called Spherical, and involves the use of magnifying lenses on both the camera and the projector. When filming, the camera lens takes the image being photographed and condenses it to fit onto a much smaller space, i.e. the 35mm film. Later, when the film is projected, light is passed through both it and the magnifying lens, which blows the resulting image up so it can be projected onto the cinema screen.
When television arrived in the 1950s, it seemed only natural that the sets be designed with an aspect ratio closely matching that of the Academy Standard. Even today the majority of televisions feature this familiar, squarish shape, which is often referred to as 4:3 for simplicity (four units of width to three units of height). This design allowed movies originally shot in the Academy Standard ratio to be shown the same way in the home as they were in theatres.
However, the advent of television created problems for the film industry. As more and more people deserted the theatres in favour of their TV sets, the studios decided to fight back against the rapidly declining attendance levels by introducing some new ideas, the most enduring of which is widescreen.
Having examined the Academy Standard ratio, the next part of the guide will deal with one of the most common widescreen aspect ratios in use today: 1.85:1.
1.85:1 (Academy Flat)
The 1.85:1 ratio, often referred to as Academy Flat, is probably the most common widescreen ratio in use today. Technically, Academy Flat also encompasses the ratios 1.66:1 and 1.75:1, but for the purposes of this explanation we'll concentrate on 1.85:1. Just as with the Academy Standard ratio of 1.37:1, the 1.85:1 ratio uses the Spherical cinematographic process. Examples of well-known films presented in the 1.85:1 ratio are The Shawshank Redemption, Fargo, American Pie and, most recently, Spider-Man. When it comes to shooting films in this form of widescreen, there are two ways to achieve the desired effect.
Soft Matting
The first of these methods, and the most popular, is called 'soft matting'. With this method, movies are shot using the entirety of the Academy Standard frame, but part of the camera viewfinder is masked off to allow the director/cinematographer to compose shots for the intended theatrical ratio of 1.85:1. Let's take a look at the process with the aid of some stills from the film Trainspotting.
In the uppermost image you can see the 1.37:1 frame in its entirety, while the bottommost image shows the same frame with the top and bottom of the camera viewfinder masked off to 1.85:1. Even though the entire negative is exposed, the director/cinematographer will compose the shot so that important information is captured inside this 1.85:1 frame. When shown theatrically, mattes will be added to the top and bottom of the projector so that only the area of the frame intended for viewing can be seen. The downside of this technique is that if the projectionist fails to align the image correctly the audience may see things that were never intended to be seen, such as microphones and even crewmembers! Of course the format also has its upsides, particularly when transferring to home video.
Those of you who hate 'black bars' will no doubt be delighted to hear that soft matted films can be transferred to VHS or DVD with virtually no loss of picture (unlike pan and scan releases). In fact, these transfers actually show more of the image than the theatrical versions. While this sounds like a good idea at first, it's worth remembering that this method greatly increases the likelihood that unwanted objects (such as stage lights, microphones and tea-boys) will appear in the frame, and can also compromise the integrity of some shots (close-ups are no longer close-ups etc.).
Hard Matting
The second method for bringing Academy Flat films to the screen is called 'hard matting', and is accomplished by placing a filter between the camera lens and the film. This filter blocks the top and bottom of the frame so that the camera will capture only the 1.85:1 portion in the middle, not the entire 1.37:1 frame. Let's take a look at some more stills from Trainspotting to help illustrate the differences between soft and hard matting.
In the uppermost picture you'll notice that the image fills the entirety of the frame, much as it would on a standard 4:3 television screen. This is how the image would look if the entire 1.37:1 negative were to be exposed. However, when a film is hard matted, filters are placed between the camera lens and the film to produce black bars that are 'burned' onto the negative and cannot be removed. The second picture shows how the film would look if it were to be hard matted to 1.85:1. The picture information above and below the 1.85:1 frame is lost forever, as it is never captured on film. The upside of this is that it's impossible for foreign objects to appear in the frame by mistake; the downside is that when it comes to transferring the film to home formats, the image must be panned & scanned to fit the entire width and height of a 4:3 television set.
Panning & Scanning
Let's take a look at some more images from Trainspotting.
You can see here how the hard matted image on the top has been panned and scanned until it fills the entire 4:3 frame of a standard television. Notice how cramped the image appears, and how the actors on the far left and right of the frame have been all but cut out of the picture! As I'm sure you'll agree, the panning and scanning process has a detrimental effect on the artistic integrity of the shot.
Because the images do not use the full height of the available negative, one of the biggest downsides to shooting films in the Academy Flat ratio is lack of resolution. As a side effect of sacrificing a fair portion of the available resolution, the process can also lead to increased instances of grain and other defects in the final image. Considering these problems, you may ask yourself why people continue to shoot in Academy Flat, especially as it's not a 'true' widescreen format? The answer, as with so many other things, is cost. It is cheaper to shoot films in this manner than in the superior anamorphic widescreen format, but more on this in the next instalment of the guide.
Editorial by Chris Gould
Fred Baldwin Member Join Date: August 2003 Location: United States Posts: 14
soft matte I work at a local tv station and I ran an HC version of ferris bueller and they messed up the matting cause in shots you can see boom mikes and other stuff that mating is supposed to frame out. I am not a big fan of matting i have seen many theaters mess it up during festivials. Fred
Lincoln6Echo Member Join Date: August 2004 Location: United States Posts: 1,125
Van Helsing must have been shot in a soft matte or Super 35, because when my aunt and uncle went to see it in the theater, they said that they could see boom mics in many instances to the point which the whole audience was laughing at it.
After they told me this, I told them about soft matting and that it was possible that the theater screwed up the framing. But I know on the DVD, there isn't any thing of the sorts, although it's a 1.85:1 release.
After they told me this, I told them about soft matting and that it was possible that the theater screwed up the framing. But I know on the DVD, there isn't any thing of the sorts, although it's a 1.85:1 release.
GavSalkeld Member Join Date: August 2005 Location: United States Posts: 439
Van Helsing is 2.35:1
Chris Gould Editor Join Date: May 2001 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 7,171
All the reviews I've seen state 1.85:1.
tfamok77 Member Join Date: September 2014 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1
This is an excellent article. Thank you very much Chris Gould. I have filtered through page after page on the subject and to be honest a lot of people make the subject more confusing. This is very clear though and has helped me a lot. If there is any other articles you can suggest I would be grateful. Im kinda new to film/tv/video and am currently using Prem Pro, After Effects and 3DS Max but am struggling a little with things like aspect ratio, PAR & DAR, resolution and lenses etc although this article has helped a lot with the aspect ratio side of things. Cheers again.
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Outside Magazine has listed its 2006 Top 10 picks for beach getaways. Here's a look:
1. California: San Diego, Pacific Beach/Surfing
The miles of white sand beaches, swelling waves, and an eclectic dining and shopping district make San Diego's Pacific Beach one of the most popular stretches of sand in the Golden State -- 26 million people visited last year. The beach itself is wedged between the Pacific Ocean and Mission Bay Park, a 4,235-acre man-made aquatic fun-hub perfect for row-boats and beach volleyball. In one day, visitors can play with dolphins at nearby Sea World, catch a wave at Pacific Beach and dine on fresh seafood at one of 150 restaurants. To find out more, go to www.pacificbeach.org.
Sign up for a family-friendly surf lesson at the Paskowitz Surf School. Kids aged four and older are welcome. You'll learn water safety tips before you practice your surf techniques on land and in water. For more information go to www.paskowitz.com, or call (949) 728-1000.
Where to Eat: Flip-flops and bathing suits are welcome at Nick's at the Beach, a family-owned, California-style eatery where the menu ranges from seafood to savory apple brandy pork chops. As one loyal patron put it, it has "a little bit of everything -- just like San Diego." Go to www.nicksatthebeach.com or call 858-270-1730 to learn more.
Where to Eat: The Catamaran Resort Hotel has access to both beach and bay. When the tide is high, take the family to the calmer waters in Mission Bay where you can rent paddle boats and bicycles. Children ages 5 to 12 can learn about earthquakes, volcanoes, and sea urchins at the on-site Kid's Camp, while parents enjoy an 80-minute couples massage at the Catamaran Spa. Prices for doubles range from $185-$315. Go to www.catamaranresort.com to learn more.
With the San Diego Zoo and Sea World just minutes from the Pacific Terrace hotel is another popular spot for families. Suite prices range from $499. Call 858-581-3500 or go to www.pacificterrace.com to learn more.
There aren't many beachside wilderness camping options in San Diego, but just 10 miles southeast of downtown (and Sea World), you'll find Sweetwater Regional Park, with views of the Pacific and Sweetwater Reservoir, equestrian, hiking, and mountain biking trails, and more than 50 sites that accommodate everything from a 45-foot RV to a pup tent. Partial hookups cost $16 per night. Call 858-565-3600 or go to www.co.san-diego.ca.us/parks/camping/ for more information. Construction on nearby Route 125 will act as an automatic morning alarm.
2. North Carolina Cape Hatteras National Seashore/Kiteboarding
You'll find 70 miles of beautiful white sand beaches, green dune grass, blue ocean water, and not a lot of humanity -- the perfect place for your kids to practice their new kiteboarding obsession. Take a lesson with REAL Kiteboarding -- ranked by Outside magazine as one of the "Top Ten Adventure Camps in the World" -- which offers both daily lessons and weekly kiteboarding camps. Lessons start at $100; call 866-REAL-KITE or go to www.realkiteboarding.com.
Where to Eat: For overflowing plates of crab legs, shrimp and other delectables served on outdoor picnic tables, check out the local's favorite surf-and-turf hang out, The Mad Crabber (252-995-5959).
Where to Stay: Outer Beaches Realty (252-995-4447, www.outerbeaches.com) offers excellent deals on vacation rental homes ranging from two-bedroom beach boxes to 10-bedrooom/10-bathrooom beachfront mega-homes. They have the right accommodation for any size family and budget to make the most of your time at the beach. The Frisco and Cape Point campgrounds on Cape Hatteras are suitable for tents or RVs and are just minutes from the Cape Hatteras lighthouse and the kiteboarding action ($20 per day; www.nps.gov/caha/pphtml/camping.html).
3. Hawaii: Poipu, Kauai, Snorkeling
This is possibly the only resort area on the planet that consistently offers close-encounters with angels -- or at least angelfish -- within steps of your hotel room. The hot spots include Nukumoi Point, a reef thick with angelfish, striped damsels, moorish idols, black tangs and schools of canary-colored butterfly fish. Just be sure not to swim too close to Spouting Horn, a lava tube that spews saltwater 50 feet.
Kauai Snorkeling Tours offers three-hour tours of Kukuiulu Harbor in Poipu near Spouting Horn; three-hour private snorkeling charters, during which you might spot a humpback heading out into the Pacific; or a six-hour private tour of the precipitous Napali Coast (www.hawaiiwebdesign.com/kauai_snorkelingtours.htm).
Get the aerial layout of the island with Air Kauai Helicopters, an FAA-approved outfitter offering daily helicopter flights to places like Waimea Canyon, dubbed the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" by Mark Twain (808-246-4666, www.airkauai.com).
Where to Eat: Grab a frank--Hawaiian style--at Puka Dog, touted as a wiener haven, where the tropical relishes (choose from pineapple, coconut, mango, banana, or star fruit) will redeem every cent of airfare. (www.pukadog.com, 808-742-6044)
Where to Stay: Whaler's Cove offers oceanfront luxury with its glass, marble, and private-terrace condos. Added bonus: Each unit comes with a hot tub and full kitchens (Doubles range from $370, 800-225-2683; www.whalers-cove.com).The 60-unit Poipu Kapili resort offers packages that include zip-line adventure, jungle kayak trips and waterfall excursions (Ocean-view two-bedrooms, from $320; kauai.aloha-hawaii.com/hawaii/poipu+kapili/).
4. New Jersey: Cape May/Birding
Billed simultaneously as the "Nation's Oldest Seashore Resort," "The Restaurant Capital of New Jersey," and the nations' third-most popular wedding destination, Cape May on Delaware Bay offers ample opportunity for overeating. On the flipside, it's also a beloved birding destination, with a year-round revolving door of exciting species. The summer favorites are the laughing gull, herring gull, sanderling, and ruddy turnstone, among others. Bird watching activities are run by the Cape May Bird Observatory ( www.capemaybeach.com), which has locations at Cape May Point and in Goshen. Aqua Trails Kayak Nature Tours and Sales (www.aquatrails.com/wildlife.html) offers salt marsh tours, where you can check out all sorts of cool marine life.
For whale watching, hop aboard the Cape May Whale Watcher, which offers dolphin sighting trips in the morning and evening, and whale watching in the afternoon ($35, kids under 7 are free; 800-786-5445, www.capemaywhalewatcher.com).
Where to Eat: Enjoy some of the Cape's freshest seafood at The Lobster House, where you can relish a platter of steamed crustaceans at the dockside tables or in a schooner bobbing in the harbor next to the restaurant (www.thelobsterhouse.com, 609-884-8296).
Where to Stay: The 130-year-old Chalfonte Hotel, prides itself on its genteel Southern hospitality and wrap-around verandas. (Prices for doubles from $135; go to www.capemaytimes.com/hotels/cape-may/chalfonte-hotel.htm for more information. ) Or pick from a number of three-bedroom cottages, such as Meadow View ($1,500 per week in August, $900-$1100 in September, 212-732-2148, www.capemaytimes.com/rentals/rizzo.htm).
5. Minnesota: Harbor Beach/North House Folk School
Sand isn't part of the experience at Harbor Beach, which fronts the quaint village of Grand Marais. But you won't miss it. Instead, you'll eat up hours skipping the beach's perfectly rounded stones into Lake Superior. After you've toured the Coast Guard Museum just a few blocks away, your kids will be inspired to try the family boatbuilding class at the North House Folk School. There's also a ready-made option: a five-day Lake Superior schooner adventure to the Apostle Islands ( 888-387-9762, www.northhouse.org).
Or forget school altogether and head out for an epic hiking adventure on the Lake Superior Hiking Trail, a 205-mile wilderness path, accessible from many points along Lake Superior's North Shore. It's the closest you'll come to Rocky Mountain hiking in the Midwest.
Where to Eat: For scrumptious dishes prepared with locally-caught fish and farm-fresh produce, swing by the Angry Trout Café, a tastefully converted fish shanty on the edge of Grand Marais harbor. (Go to www.angrytroutcafe.com or call 218-387-1265.)
Where to Stay: The 80-year-old Naniboujou Lodge and Resort in Grand Marais is a classic North Woods getaway, with a 200-ton native rock fireplace in the massive 30 x 80-foot Great Hall. Be forewarned: There are no TVs or telephones in any of the lodge's 24 bedrooms (doubles from $95; 218-387-2688, ww.naniboujou.com). The Grand Marais Municipal Campground right next door to Harbor Beach has more than 300 lakeside or wooded tent and RV sites, an indoor pool, sauna, hot tub, and a public boat launch (800-998-0959; www.grandmaraisrvparkandcampground.com).
6. California: Francis Beach, Half Moon Bay/Sea Kayaking
Drive south from San Francisco on scenic Highway 1 to the once-sleepy beach town of Half Moon Bay, where you'll find Francis Beach, part of the Half Moon Bay State Beaches. With summertime water temperatures ranging from 55 to 65 degrees, a wetsuit for swimming and surfing is highly recommended. Although it's often foggy, on clear days you can see out to Pillar Point Harbor, a commercial and sport fishing site.
Rent a sea kayak from Half Moon Bay Kayak Co., the first kayak company in the country to outfit their boats with a GPS tracking device. Paddle 45 minutes from their Pillar Point Harbor location, and you'll be at legendary surf wave, Mavericks ($15 per hour; 650-773-6101, www.hmbkayak.com).
Hikers and runners will relish the sea breezes along the waterfront oceanside trail, connecting several beaches, or at the conifer-lined trails of Pursima Cree Redwoods Open Space Preserve in the hills above town.
Where to Eat: Post adventure, swing by the Half Moon Bay Brewery for classy pub fare, made with organic and locally grown ingredients, or kick back with the locals and a Maverick's Amber Ale on the waterfront deck (650-728-2739, www.hmbbrewingco.com).
Where to Stay: For five-star luxury set atop sea bluffs, check into the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay (from $305, 650-712-7000, www.ritzcarlton.com/resorts/half_moon_bay/). Don't miss the alfresco fare at the new Ocean Terrace Restaurant overlooking the sea and be sure to enroll the kids in the year-round Ritz Kids program. For even more alfresco living, book one of the 52 ocean-side campsites at Francis Beach's state campground, which, last year, began offering beach-wide Wi-Fi access. In April 2004, the campsite facilities were remodeled-and now include hot showers ($25 a night; 800-444-7275, www.reserveamerica.com).
7. Oregon: Newport, South Beach State Park/Kite flying and Whale Watching
From historic Nye Beach to Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area and Interpretive Center -- home to Oregon's tallest lighthouse -- your car will be a sandbox by the time you're ready to head home. Our favorite beach for kids is South Beach State Park (www.oregonstateparks.org/), two miles south of Newport. This long, wide stretch of sand is perfect for kite flying and sand-castle building. Stop in at the Kite Company in Newport, a behemoth 6,500-square-foot retail space, pick your poison from a selection of delta, dragon, box, diamond, stunt, or parafoil kites, then take it for a spin at South Beach. Or head to Depoe Bay, the official Whale Watching Capital of the Oregon Coast.
During the week of August 28 through September 4 is Fall Whale Watch Week (503-986-0707). For surfers, Moolack Beach is as good as it gets in Oregon. Get started at Ossie's Surf Shop, where they'll give you the lowdown on gear and the best surf conditions (541-574-4634, www.ossiessurfshop.com/).
Surf camps and lessons are available up the coast at Cannon Beach's Surf Adventures (503-436-1481, www.oregonsurfadventures.com).
Where to Eat: Try the Cioppino (a fish stew) or New York Pan Roast at Shark's Seafood Bar and Steamer, which stakes claim as the only non-fried seafood restaurant on the Oregon coast (www.sharkseafoodbar.com, 541-574-0590).
Where to Stay: Book one of the 27 yurts available at South Beach ($29 per yurt; 541-867-4715; www.reserveamerica.com). Starfish Point condominiums (www.starfishpoint.com/) offer two-bedroom, two-bath condos with Jacuzzis, full kitchens, and panoramic views. From $165 for weekend nights off-season, from $175 during high season.
8. Florida: Sanibel and Captiva Islands/Finding Seashells
Not every family fun-time activity has to be adrenaline packed. Slow it down on Gulf Coast neighbors Sanibel or Captiva with seashells. The two islands are like one giant shovel that scoop up the millions of seashells that migrate to the Gulf Coast from the Caribbean.
Search long enough and you'll find perfectly intact conchs, welchs, scallops, clams, and starfish. Sanibel's well-maintained bike paths cover 25 miles of shopping districts and back roads, and meander through friendly neighborhoods, beneath shady tree canopies, across wooden bridges, and along quiet waterways. On Rabbit Road Trail, which runs along a canal, you might see small gray marsh rabbits and the alligators who want to eat them.
Rent a bike or even sign up for a Segway tour of Sanibel at Billy's Rentals (800-575-8717; www.billysrentals.com). At Tarpon Bay Explorers (239-472-8900 www.tarponbayexplorers.com), sign up for canoe, kayak, or fishing tours of the "Ding" Darling Refuge, a 6,000-acre wetland.
Where to Eat: A funky Sanibel classic, McT's Shrimp House and Tavern gets rave reviews for its conch chowder, oysters and steamed seafood platter, though you'll want to save room the legendary Sanibel Mud Pie – if you can (www.eatmoreshrimp.com; 239-472-3161).
Where to Stay: The Sanibel Inn (866-565-5480; www.sanibelcollection.com) has 600 feet of beach, an L-shaped pool, bird- and butterfly gardens, access to The Dunes Championship Golf Course, free bikes with kid carriers, and suits with sleeping capability for up to six people. On Captiva, South Seas Island Resort offers kids camps, sailing lessons, and tennis courts (doubles from $154, 877-205-1293, www.southseas.com).
9. Texas: Mustang Island, Port Aransas/Fishing
Everything is big in Texas, including the fish. Which is why you may want to check the hurricane patterns and -- if the coast is clear -- head to Mustang Island, just northeast of South Padre Island National Seashore.
The Port Aransas Ferry System provides free transportation service from Port Aransas to Mustang Island seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. In addition to sand that seems to stretch on forever, the bays, jetties, and deep Gulf waters are home to speckled trout, redfish, black drum, flounder, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, kingfish, tarpon, sheep head, sailfish, marlin, tuna...the list goes on and on. Captain Ivey's Charters (call 361-749-4302, 800-552-3486 or go to www.fishingportaransas.com/ivey/ ) offers five-hour deep-sea fishing trips starting at $450 for three people.
For world-class kiteboarding, visit nearby Bird Island Basin off Padre Island National Seashore. Take a lesson at Air Padre Kiteboarding (prices range from $200; call 956-299-9463 or go to www.airpadrekiteboarding.com).
Where to Eat: At sundown, head to Buelah's to dine on local blackened redfish and their signature Chocolate Silk pie (361-749-4888).
Where to Stay: The historic Tarpon Inn (doubles, $69-$79; 361.749.5555, www.thetarponinn.com/ ), built in 1886, claims to be the birthplace of sport fishing in Texas. Or rent one of the pastel-colored Latitude 28 cottages (start at $129, 361-739-7292, www.latitude28cottages.com), and time warp back to the fifties era of Texas beach living.
10. Massachusetts: Cape Cod — Wellfleet/Swimming/Biking/Having Fun
Here's a statistic that says it all: 61 percent of Wellfleet is Cape Cod National Seashore Park. About 33 miles north of Hyannis, Wellfleet is also home to the Cape Cod National Seashore Headquarters and the 1,000-acre Massachusetts Audubon Society Wildlife Sanctuary. In addition to swimming, surf fishing, and eating oysters, there's an innovative summer-long children's program that includes dance lessons and yoga on the beach.
For more information, go to: www.wellfleetma.org.
If the kids still have time to play, rent beach cruisers from Rail Trail Bike Shop (508-896-8200, www.railtrailbikeshop.com) and pedal the 26-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail, a ribbon of pavement that runs from Dennis to Wellfleet.
Where to Eat: Satisfy that craving for fresh, buttery lobster and down east clam bakes at Moby Dick's, a seaside restaurant complete with cheesy, seascape murals and the requisite lifesaver on the wall (www.mobydicksrestaurant.com, 508-349-9795).
Where to Stay: Rent one of 19 Surfside Colony Cottages (508-349-3959, www.surfsidevacation.com/), an unpretentious fleet of vacation homes, many of which back right up to the beach. Three-bedrooms start at $1,850. Or experience Cape Cod charm in the Carriage House, the smallest outbuilding on the Inn at Duck Creeke complex, a Wellfleet icon (508-349-9333, www.innatduckcreeke.com)


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Species names are important, and much like the species they refer to, names often change over time, too. Taxonomists have been struggling to keep track of them all since the origins of natural history. Binomial nomenclature, the standardized way in which scientists name species, was a major breakthrough. That breakthrough is about 250 years old now, though, and it's a tall order to keep track of 250-years' worth of new names, new species, and information about those species. Dr. Ellinor Michel from the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature visited the Field Museum in November 2012 to discuss ZooBank, a new online archive of zoological species names. The Field Museum is making similar efforts to provide worldwide access to its own online archives of the collections. Their new site will be online soon, and in the meantime, you can search the Field Museum's collections here. (The tiny rove beetle species featured in the video is Omaliopsis ectopia. Margaret Thayer named the holotype which is part of the Museum's Coleoptera Collection.) Our holdings are also available from our IPT (Integrated Publishing Toolkit) server and from the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Informatics Facility) data portal. For a glimpse of nomenclature history, take a closer look at Systema Naturae, the work in which Carl Linnaeus really delved into classification using binomial nomenclature. (And keep an eye out for Animalia Paradoxa if you're wondering what the X-Files were like 250 years ago...) See more of The Field Revealed series.
Field Museum: What's in a Name (ICZN Executive Secretary Ellinor Michel)
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According Roberts (2005: 12), "achieving high performance in a business results from establishing and maintaining a fit among three elements: the strategy of the firm, its organizational design, and the environment in which it operates". These three components are intrinsic related, and since companies can not control the environment changes, they should adequate their strategies and restructure their organization to fit new sceneries. The importance is crucial: as stated by Child (2008: 3), "the gains previously to be had from market protection, proprietary technology, and scale economies have become steadily eroded by trade liberalization, technology transfer, and the development of flexible production technologies, that could be acquired from the market or imitated". But, he observed, "organization, on the other hand, is an asset that each company has to develop to suit its need and situation, and it cannot be bought off-the-shelf".
Globalization, new technologies, the knowledge-based economy and hypercompetition are just some of the challenges that modern firms must deal with these days. So how companies can develop competitive advantage in such continuous changing environments? Let's study two firms and see what make them successful over years of background changes.
Southwest Airlines
Starting in 1971 with three Boeing 737 aircraft serving three Texas cities, Southwest Airlines became one of the "World's Most Admired Companies" by Fortune 500 (2009), with more than 3,300 flights a day, 35,000 total employees and a business of eleven billion dollars (Southwest, 2009). What they did to be so successful? How they created – and adapted – their strategy to new market conditions?
According to Gittell (2003), "is its ability to build and sustain high performance relationships among managers, employees, unions, and suppliers, characterized by shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect". Observe that all the ecosystem is involved, external parties inclusive. The unions are viewed as partners, rather than adversaries. Concerning to deal with employees, we can cite some strategies.
Solid corporate culture. From general managers to front line workers, the corporate culture and policies must be followed. A reasonable personal development plan is also another motivational measure to create a high productive atmosphere. They take seriously rewards and celebrations, and doing that, interconnects the three key organizing processes, as stated by Child(2008), control, integration and reward.
Respect employees. The no-layoff policy showed to employees that they are valued. Treating people as equal and with respect, they could reduced hierarchy and bureaucracy. They created competitive advantage making the work environment fun, and it was transmitted to customers, and as observed by Roberts (2005: 18), that culture "operates as a social motivation and control system". With proactive conflict resolution, they improve performance and satisfaction. Among with job security, people helped whenever necessary to provide a quality service, independent of formal positions.
Market Dominance. With lowest fares and most productive work force, they started to dominate the market, with now 60% in almost every non stop city-pair it serves (Freiberg & Freiberg, 1996). These factors were converted into highest completion factor and best safety record, and made Southwest Airlines the successful company it is.
The Brazilian Semco is a good example of how different and innovative an organization can be. Founded on the 1950s by an Austrian engineer and started manufacturing centrifuges for vegetable oil industry, today Semco Group is market leader in industrial equipment area and solutions for postal and documents management (Semco, 2009), with 2,200 employees, annual growth of more than 20 percent and a 100 million dollars/year conglomerate (Guimaraes & Southerst, 2003). On 80's, at that time 28 years old, Ricardo Semler took the family company from his father and started his revolution. Even during Brazilian erratic economic on 80s and 90s decades the company only grew up, sometimes over 100% an year. According Semler (2006), the democratic organization, with fully space for participation and freedom of information, make all difference between success and fail. What is the formula of success that several important companies are trying to copy? Some of the following factors contributed.
Participation and involvement. At Semco, workers decided every single aspects of company: from their own salaries to budgets and production goals. Democratic committees are spread throughout the company and they are so connected with corporate decisions that preferred a pay cut than facing layoffs (Semler, 2002). But to perform this, they need information, which leads us to the next factor.
Freedom of information. Even the executives' payroll is available for every employee. More than that, all of semco's financial data is accessible. As observed by Child(2008: 398) "workers are free to question managers on any aspect of the business".
Reducing hierarchy and bureaucracy. At Semco, from executives to the trainees, there are only three levels (Guimaraes & Southerst, 2003). To optimize production, workers choose their working hours. I believe that this is the hardest aspect to implement on a big organization, and Semler accomplished it by the integration of the previous factor and a strong organizational culture.
Culture. To Semler, "an own and defined culture, that is not only adapted to the conditions of the moment, but perennial in their basic beliefs is an essential condition to companies survive in the long term" (Semler, 2002: 70, own translation from the Portuguese text). The organization was molded to be more effective to people, and doing that, Semler created a very profitable company.
Others organizations failed to copy these companies because the focus only on strategy, but they did not create the necessary environment. The approach with people are completely different. They maintain the same hierarchical structure, without sharing of information. Every aspect mentioned are complementary. Alone, they will not give the same results and the strategy will fail.
These two companies have in common strong organizational culture, few hierarchy and a worker empowerment through a free information flow and participation. This is not a recipe to success, but examples of how extraordinary and innovative organizations can be, and we have many to learn from them.
Reference List
Child, John (2008) Organization: Contemporary principles and Practice. Malden: Blackwell Publishing
Fortune 500 (2009)World's Most Admired Companies [Online]. Available from http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/mostadmired/2009/snapshots/2068.html (Accessed: 21 December 2009)
Freiberg, Kevin & Freiberg, Jackie (1998) Nuts!: Southwest Airlines' crazy recipe for business and personal success. New York: Bard Press
Gittell, Jody Hoffer (2003) The Southwest Airlines Way: Using the Power of Relationships to Achieve High Performance. New York: McGrwaw-Hill
Guimaraes, Roberto & Southerst, John (2003) Semco: work + space = freedom [Online]. Available from http://www.steelcase.com/em/files/eb5340fb8a984abab98477a0f83ab080/SemcoWorkSpaceFr.pdf (Accessed: 22 December 2009)
Roberts, John (2007) The Modern Firm: organizational design for performance growth. New York: Oxford University Press
Semco (2009) About the Semco Group [Online]. Available from http://www.semco.com.br/en/ (Accessed: 22 December 2009)
Southwest (2009) Southwest Airlines Fact Sheet [Online]. Available from http://www.southwest.com/about_swa/press/factsheet.html (Accessed: 21 December 2009)
Semler, Ricardo (2002) Virando a própria mesa. São Paulo: Rocco
Semler, Ricardo (2006) Você está louco! Uma vida administrada de outra forma. São Paulo: Rocco


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The time that I thought I was lost: The creature has become corrupted…it has fallen victim to the hive mind. It has become enveloped within the safe cocoon's of the other creature's desires…the greed, the arrogance and the threat has become the focus. The creature has grown beautiful shiny wings, not to be used by himself, but to be manipulated and guided by others into a path of destruction and chaos. The hive is filthy, rotting to its dark core…it has become a symbol of the place the creature can never go. It is being eaten away. The birds can no longer fly, the creature must shed its false wings and learn to beat its own wings in its own time.


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Yesterday, Apple showed off its fancy new iPad 2. The unit has quite a few new features and upgrades, but how does it stack up against the newly released Motorola Xoom in all the ways that count? Well, we've got the answers for you. We've compared the two units in a few ways, dueling them in sexiness, screen quality, processing power, camera quality, software availability, accessories, and price. If you're in the market for a new tablet, look no further. We're here to give you an idea of what each tablet brings to the table. Enjoy!
Winner: iPad 2
It's hardly fair to start out with looks, because even if you hate Apple, you have to admit that the company definitely has hardware design down pat. Few products look as good as Apple's minimalist designs. The iPad 2 takes the great features of the iPad and smooths them over. With a flatter and beveled back, alternate white color scheme, rounded front border, and a thickness of only 8.8mm (thinner than the iPhone 4), we can't help but get excited looking at Apple's new tablet.
Still, though we give the edge to Apple, the Xoom is not hard on the eyes. The unit is fairly thin at 12.7mm, which almost the exact thickness of the original iPad. In addition, the lack of a big home button on the Xoom means the unit can more easily be used in any orientation imagineable. No matter how you hold a Xoom, it will reorient itself and its in-screen homescreen buttons will pop into the lower left of the screen. Apple has won this round, but many will like the blacker, more industrial look and feel of the Xoom. Good job, Motorola.
Winner: Tie
The iPad 2 features a 1GHz dual-core A5 processor, and the Xoom has a 1GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor. For all intents and purposes, both units match the current trend of 1GHz dual-core processors. They both pack some power. However, both units have some advantages. The iPad's advantage is its separate PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics processor (GPU), which appears to run circles around the Xoom's dual CPU/GPU Tegra 2. Performance tests by Anandtech show significantly greater graphics performance on the iPad 2. In some tests, the iPad 2 nearly doubled or tripled the Xoom's graphics performance.
Still, the Xoom's 1GB of Random Access Memory (on-the-fly memory) is double that of Apple's tablet. In many situations, this RAM may not be noticeable, but for things like video editing and multitasking the added RAM will come in handy.
When it comes to actual storage, Apple sells iPad 2 units with 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB of storage included. Xoom owners will have to accept 32GB of storage out of the box. There is a MicroSD card slot on the device, which could support memory cards up to 32GB, but Motorola has not enabled the slot yet. An upcoming software update should allow SD card use on the Xoom.
Winner: Xoom
Apple made a lot of improvements in the iPad 2, but the screen was left entirely untouched. The iPad 2 features the same LED backlit 9.7-inch screen with a resolution of 1024 x 768. Unlike most modern laptops and TVs, Apple continues to stick with a 4:3 aspect ratio, meaning its screen is a lot more squared (like a sheet of office paper) than the Motorola Xoom. This isn't necessarily bad, but it is uniquely Apple at this point.
The Xoom has a ratio very close to 16:9, the standard for widescreens today (the Xoom is WXGA, techies). Thanks to its slightly larger size of 10.1 inches, the Xoom also boosts a higher pixel count at 1280 x 800 pixels. In terms of total brightness, the iPad 2 probably edges out Xoom by a small margin, but Xoom's aspect ratio is better for watching HD-widescreen content. What can we say, we like wide screens and here the Xoom wins out.
Winner: Xoom
Both the iPad 2 and Xoom feature front-facing webcams and more powerful rear cameras. However, Apple did not list the specifics of its cameras on its website, which likely means that they don't stack up as well as other features. From what we can extrapolate, Motorola has a better front and rear camera. The iPad 2 appears to have a VGA-quality (640 x 480) front-facing camera, while the Xoom has a more competitive 2-megapixel cam. The only statistic Apple has released about the rear camera is that it can record 720p video, meaning it might be as little as a 1.3MP camera. This seems anemically weak and we're hoping it's better, but with a solid 5-megapixel rear camera, autofocus, and a dual-LED flash (the iPad 2 has no flash), we have to hand this category to the Xoom.
With that said, we're still not sure exactly how much users will need a rear camera on their tablets. A front-facing webcam is useful, but can you imagine a lot of scenarios where a really good rear camera (with flash) will be vital? Judge the importance for yourself, but either way, Motorola wins.