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Omura's whale
Omura's whale or the dwarf fin whale (Balaenoptera omurai) is a species of rorqual about which very little is known.[2] Before its formal description, it was referred to as a small, "dwarf" or "pygmy" form of Bryde's whale by various sources (including Ohsumi 1978, Wada and Numachi 1991, Carwardine 1995, Perrin et al. 1996, Kahn 2001, LeDuc and Dizon 2002, Kato 2002, among many others). The common name and specific epithet commemorates Japanese cetologist Hideo Omura.[3]
The scientific description of this whale was made in Nature in 2003 by three Japanese scientists. They determined the existence of the species by analysing the morphology and mitochondrial DNA of nine individuals — eight caught by Japanese research vessels in the late 1970s in the Indo-Pacific and an adult female collected in 1998 from Tsunoshima, an island in the Sea of Japan. Later abundant genetic evidence confirmed Omura's whale as a valid species and revealed it to be an early offshoot from the rorqual lineage, diverging much earlier than the Bryde's and sei whales. It is perhaps more closely related to its larger cousin, the blue whale.[3][4]
In the third edition of Mammal Species of the World, the "species" is relegated to being a synonym of Balaenoptera edeni. However the authors note that this subject to a revision of the genus.[5] The database ITIS lists this as a valid taxon, noting a caveat on the disputed systematics of this species, Balaenoptera edeni and Balaenoptera brydei.[6]
The six specimens obtained in the Solomon Sea in 1976 were only noted to be smaller at sexual maturity than the "ordinary" Bryde's whales caught off New Zealand, whereas the two caught near the Cocos-Keeling Islands in 1978 weren't differentiated from the 118 other "ordinary" Bryde's whales taken in the eastern Indian Ocean, south of Java. As a result of allozyme analysis, their distinctive baleen and small size at physical maturity compared to Bryde's whale, and photographs obtained of the harvested whales (showing their fin whale-like coloration), Dr. Shiro Wada and Kenichi Numachi (1991) decided that these eight individuals represented members of a new species of baleen whale. However, due to the lack of a detailed osteological study and the absence of "conclusive data", the International Whaling Commission (IWC) decided to consider them only as a regionally distinct group of "small-form Bryde's whale". Despite this declaration, the specific status of the Solomon Sea specimens was supported by a mitochondrial DNA study done by Hideyoshi Yoshida and Hidehiro Kato (1999).[1][7][8][9][10]
The identify of these eight specimens was finally resolved in 1998 when an unidentified whale, which had died after colliding with a fishing boat in the Sea of Japan and was towed to Tsunoshima, was examined by Dr. Tadasu Yamada, Chief of the Division of Mammals and Birds at the National Science Museum, Tokyo. This specimen closely resembled the individuals caught in the 1970s in external appearance and allowed a complete osteological examination of the putative new species to be conducted. As a result of external morphology, osteology, and mitochondrial DNA analysis of two of the harvested whales and the Tsunoshima specimen, Wada, Masayuki Oishi, and Yamada described Balaenoptera omurai in the 20 November 2003 issue of the journal Nature. In honor of the people of Tsunoshima, who helped remove the flesh from the type specimen, it was given the Japanese vernacular name of "Tsunoshima kujira" (English: Horn Island whale).[3][9]
Holotype and paratypes[edit]
The holotype is an 11.03 m (36.2 ft) adult female, NSMT-M32505 (National Science Museum, Tokyo), which stranded at Tsunoshima (34°21′03″N 130°53′09″E / 34.35083°N 130.88583°E) in the southern Sea of Japan on 11 September 1998. It includes a complete skeleton, both complete rows of baleen plates and frozen pieces of muscle, blubber, and kidney collected by T. K. Yamada, M. Oishi, T. Kuramochi, E. Jibiki and S. Fujioka. The type locality is the Sea of Japan – which may not be representative of the species' typical range. The paratypes include the eight specimens (five females and three males), NRIFSF1-8 (National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, Fisheries Research Agency, Shizuoka), collected by Japanese research vessels in the Indo-Pacific in the late 1970s. The longest baleen plate (NRIFSF6 includes 18 more baleen plates), an earplug, and a piece of the sixth thoracic vertebrae with associated epiphysis were collected from each individual.[1][3]
Omura's whale (henceforth B. omurai) has several unique skeletal features that distinguish it from its congeners, namely B. brydei and B. edeni. In B. omurai and B. brydei, the posterior end of the ascending process of the maxilla widens to become squarish, whereas in B. edeni it is slender and round throughout its length. In B. omurai, this widened posterior portion conceals the premaxilla, which disappears below the maxilla and nasal and does not reach the frontal, whereas in both B. brydei and B. edeni the premaxilla reaches the frontal. The parietals flare laterally in dorsal view in B. omurai and the Indo-Pacific form of B. brydei, but are invisible in dorsal view in B. edeni and the North Pacific form of B. brydei. B. omurai has two small foramina "along the suture between the parietal and squamosal in the posterior wall of the temporal fossa", which both B. brydei and B. edeni lack. B. omurai has an oblique ridge on the dorsal side of the maxilla near the base of the rostrum, which is absent in both B. brydei and B. edeni. Unlike B. edeni, the alisphenoid is separate from the squamosal in B. omurai. The head of the first rib is not bifurcated in B. omurai, unlike B. brydei and B. edeni.[3][11]
Omura's whale has a total of 53 vertebrae, including seven cervical (the standard number among mammals), thirteen thoracic, twelve lumbar, and twenty-one caudal. Like all members of its genus, it has only four digits on the manus of each pectoral fin (the third digit is missing). The phalangeal formula is as follows: I-5, II-7, IV-6, V-3.[3][12]
External appearance[edit]
Its appearance resembles the larger fin whale (thus the alternate common names of dwarf fin whale and little fin whale), both having the asymmetrical white, right mandible patch, a white blaze, a dark eye stripe, a white interstripe wash, and a white chevron. It also resembles the fin whale by having pectoral fins with a white anterior border and inner surface and flukes with a white ventral surface and black margins. It has a similar dorsal fin to the Bryde's, being upright and falcate – in some individuals it may be extremely falcate. It usually has a more rounded tip than the latter species, which can appear very pointed and even ragged. Unlike Bryde's, however, they have a single prominent median ridge on the rostrum, whereas Bryde's typically have auxiliary ridges on either side. It is estimated to have 80 to 90 ventral grooves that extend past the umbilicus. The type specimen (NSMT-M32505) had 203-208 pairs of baleen plates that were "short and broad with uncurled, stiff, greyish-white fringes", while NRIFSF6 had an estimated 181-190 on the right side – fewer than any other species in its genus. Like the fin whale, NSMT-M32505 exhibited asymmetrical coloration in its baleen as well: on the right side, the front third are yellowish-white, the intermediate 100 plates are bi-colored (dark on the outer side and yellowish-white on the inner side), and the remaining plates in the back were all black, while on the left side, the majority are bi-colored with the remaining back plates being all black like the right side. The average length and width for the nine specimens was 26 cm (10.4 inches) by 21.4 cm (8.5 inches), the smallest length-to-breadth quotient (1.22) for any species in its genus.[2][3]
Omura's whale is among the smallest of the rorquals – only the two species of minke whale, the common and Antarctic, which reach 9.75 m (32 ft) and 10.7 m (35 ft) in length, respectively, are smaller.[13] Of the eight specimens taken during Japanese whaling in the Indo-Pacific, the five females ranged in length from 10.1 to 11.5 m (33.1 to 37.7 ft) while the three males ranged from 9.6 to 10 m (31.5-32.8 ft). The females ranged in age from perhaps only 9 years-old (the earplug was damaged or partially lost) for an 11.2 m (36.7 ft) individual to 29 years-old for the longest female, whereas the three males ranged from perhaps 21 years-old (another damaged or partially lost earplug) for the longest male to 38-years-old for one of the 9.6 m (31.5 ft) specimens. All were physically mature with the exception of the smallest female. Of individuals found stranded in Taiwan and Thailand between 1983 and 2004, five males ranged in length from 5.13 to 10 m (16.8 to 32.8 ft), while two females were 4.3 m (14.1 ft) and 5.95 m (19.5 ft), respectively – a specimen of unknown sex that stranded in 1983 in Phuket Province, Thailand, was 7 m (23 ft) in length.[3][11]
Of sixteen "Bryde's whales" caught by hunters from Pamilacan between 1991 and 1993, twelve were measured. These cluster into two size categories, nine whales of less than 10 m (32.8 ft), and three of 12 m (39.4 ft) or more. It was later discovered that 85 percent (24 of 28) of the identified skull specimens examined from the Bohol Sea were Omura's whales, whereas only 15 percent (4 of 28) were what was tentatively called the Indo-Pacific form of Bryde's whale (B. brydei). The former size category may be primarily (if not entirely) Omura's whale, whereas the larger whales – one of unknown sex of 12 m (39.4 ft) and two females of 13 m (42.6 ft) – would be the larger, offshore form of Bryde's whale. Of those smaller whales, four males ranged from 6.7 to 9.8 m (22 to 32.1 ft), four females ranged from 4.9 to 9.3 m (16 to 30.5 ft), and one of unknown sex was 9.4 m (30.8 ft).[14][15]
The identify of three mature specimens (two females and a male) examined by biologist Graham Chittleborough in 1958 at a whaling station in Western Australia, which ranged in length from 10.6 to 11.74 m (34.7 to 38.5 ft), is uncertain – they may be referable to Omura's whale or the smaller form of Bryde's whale (B. edeni). These three individuals were noted to have very small baleen plates – c. 22 cm (c. 8.8 inches) by 15 cm (6 inches), c. 22 cm (c. 8.8 inches) by c. 16 cm (c. 6.3 inches), and 23.5 cm (9.4 inches) by 17.5 cm (7.3 inches), respectively – with length-breadth quotients of 1.34 to 1.46, within the upper range (1.00-1.43) of the nine specimens included in the formal description of Omura's whale but also within the lower range of the Bryde's whale complex (1.2 to 1.33). The holotype of the smaller form of Bryde's whale (B. edeni) from Myanmar, on the other hand, had baleen plates of 30 cm (12 inches) by 15 cm (6 inches), or a length-breadth quotient of exactly 2.0 – within the typical range of the Bryde's whale complex (1.8 to 2.4).[1][8][16][17][18]
Of the three females caught in the Solomon Sea, two were ovulating and lactating and one was resting (not lactating, ovulating, or pregnant), while one of the two females caught near the Cocos Islands was accompanied by a calf estimated at about 3 m (about 9.8 ft) in length.[7][8] Nothing is known of the duration of gestation, lactation, or the timing or extent of breeding seasons – a 3.2 m (10.5 ft) female neonate with fetal folds and folded dorsal fin and flukes did strand at Miyazaki, Miyazaki Prefecture, on the eastern coast of Kyushu, in August 2005.[19][20]
Behavior and diet[edit]
Omura's whales in the Komodo National Park have been observed repeatedly lunge feeding, defecating, breaching, and rolling at the surface in apparent mating (the last of which allowed the identification of a male). The diet is not known. The stomach contents of six of the paratypes appear to have been examined, but they weren't differentiated from the Bryde's whales caught during the same expedition. Only euphausiids were reported.[1][21]
Omura's whale appears to be restricted to the shelf and deep waters of tropical and subtropical regions, with records from the eastern Indian Ocean (off Cocos Islands, Thailand, and Malaysia),[22] Indonesia, the Philippines,[23] China,[24][25] Taiwan, the Sea of Japan, the Seto Inland Sea,[26] the Timor Sea, Western and South Australia,[27][28] and the Solomon Sea.[2][11] On 14 May 2012 an Omura's whale was sighted and photographed off New Caledonia.[29]
In 1999 and 2000 an unidentified species of rorqual was repeatedly seen in the waters of Komodo National Park. They were small (most estimated to be only 7 to 10 m [23–33 ft] in length) with asymmetrical coloration similar to the fin whale, only had a single prominent ridge on the rostrum, and an extremely hooked dorsal fin. At first, they were tentatively identified as a "pygmy or regionally distinct" form of Bryde's whale, which was confirmed when one was photographed and biopsied in October 2000 and its tissue sample sent to the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, California. There its DNA was analyzed and found to be a complete match with a "pygmy Bryde's" sample obtained from the Philippines — later, however, it was discovered samples from the Philippines corresponded to B. omurai and not B. edeni.[1][2][21]
On 26 September 2000, an unidentified balaenopterid was sighted off Rarotonga by the group of Nan D. Hauser. It was said to move "through the water like a sei whale, the size resembled a minke whale, the head looked like a blue whale and the chevron resembled a fin whale". Later it was suggested to possibly be an Omura's whale, but it lacks the asymmetrical coloration and upright, very hooked dorsal fin typical of species.[30]
During marine mammal surveys conducted in the Solomon Islands in 2009 and 2010, what were "most likely" Omura's whales were sighted on three occasions. They were estimated to be 6 to 10 m (19.5 to 32.8 ft) in length and lacked obvious auxiliary ridges. The sightings were made very close to shore (within a few hundred meters), one on the west coast of Malaita in November 2009, one on the northwest coast of Guadalcanal in November 2010, and a pair observed feeding within the Sandfly Passage of the Florida Islands on 14 November 2010.[31]
The species may have been sighted off the northwest coast of Australia on three separate occasions in 2009 and 2010. On November 2, 2009 a birder claimed to have seen three individuals – which he estimated to be 15 to 20 m (49.2 to 65.6 ft) in length, much longer than the longest reported – northwest of the Bonaparte Archipelago, Western Australia at 13°34′54″S 122°52′15″E / 13.58167°S 122.87083°E;[32][33] the same day another sighting was made of an estimated 15 m (49 ft) individual north of the Lacepede Islands, Western Australia.[34] In October 2010, a group of birders on a trip from Darwin, Australia, to Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea, encountered and photographed four groups of about 15 individuals ranging in length from an estimated 10 to 14 m (33 to 46 ft), seeing groups of three or four animals together, as well as at least two cow-calf pairs.[35][36]
In May 2008, a possible Omura's whale was observed during a birding tour off northern New Zealand.[37]
Hunting and other mortality[edit]
Artisanal whaling[edit]
As early as the late 19th century the natives of Lila, Bohol began hunting whales in the Bohol Sea. By the turn of the century this had spread to nearby Pamilacan Island and later to Sagay, Camiguin. At Pamilacan, whales were caught as early as January and as late as June, but most were taken in April and May. When a whale was spotted from shore, between ten and twenty pump boats (boats with motors originally used for pumps) were launched in chase. When within range, a "hookman" jumped atop the whale's head and stabbed it with a 35 cm (14 in) long, 22.5 cm (9 in) wide stainless steel hook attached to a heavy line of 30 m (98 ft) with a 2 m (6.5 ft) bamboo spar buoy at the end of it – at Camiguin, they harpooned it with a toggle-headed grommet harpoon with a 2.5 m (8.2 ft) wooden shaft similar to the "dolphin irons" used by American whalemen in the mid-19th century, which in turn was either attached to a 140 m (460 ft) rope with a plastic fishing float or a 400 m (1310 ft) rope with a plastic float or oil drum at the end. After an hour or more the whale tired, and men took turns cutting it until it died. The boats usually towed the carcass to Lila for butchering, where it was sold and the meat eaten raw or cooked. Pamilacan hunters alone caught ten to twenty per year, whereas at Camiguin they caught them only sporadically.[14]
When Maria Louella L. Dolar and colleagues (1994) examined photographs or baleen of the whales caught in the Bohol Sea between 1991 and 1993, they identified them as Bryde's whale; this was supported by osteological examinations of skulls collected from the same sites by Dolar, William F. Perrin, and others (1996), who suggested they were a "small form" of Bryde's whale. The specimens were deposited in the collections of the Marine Research Laboratory of Silliman University in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines, where they were examined by T. K. Yamada and co-workers (2008). They discovered that twenty-four of the skulls were actually from Omura's whale, whereas only four were from the Indo-Pacific Bryde's whale (B. brydei). This was supported by genetic studies, which found that, based on comparison of published phylogenies, the small "Bryde's whales" from the Philippines correspond to Omura's whale.[4][14][15][38]
Scientific whaling[edit]
Of the eight individuals taken by Japanese scientific whaling in the 1970s, six were processed aboard the factory ship Tonan Maru No. 2 in the Solomon Sea (9°49'-10°17'S, 157°29'-157°56'E) on 24 October 1976 and two were processed aboard the factory ship Nissin Maru No. 3 near the Cocos Islands (10°51′S 97°02′E / 10.850°S 97.033°E and 10°53′S 94°29′E / 10.883°S 94.483°E, respectively) on 15 and 17 November 1978.[3][7][39]
Incidental takes[edit]
Two individuals, a 9.2 m (30.2 ft) male at Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, in October 2003, and a 10.05 m (33 ft) female at Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, in May 2004, were incidentally caught in set nets in Japan.[19][40][41]
The Omura's whale is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). It is listed on Appendix II as it has an unfavorable conservation status or would benefit significantly from international co-operation organized by tailored agreements.[42]
In addition, the Omura's whale is covered by the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (Pacific Cetaceans MOU).[43]
See also[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f "Balaenoptera omurai". Retrieved 2012-01-17.
- ^ a b c d Jefferson, Thomas, Marc A. Webber, and Robert L. Pitman (2008). Marine Mammals of the World: A Comprehensive Guide to their Identification. London: Academic. ISBN 9780123838537. OCLC 272382231.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Wada, S.; Oishi, M.; Yamada, T.K. (2003). "A newly discovered species of living baleen whale". Nature 426 (6964): 278–281. doi:10.1038/nature02103. OCLC 110553472. PMID 14628049.
- ^ a b Sasaki, T.; Nikaido, M.; Wada, S.; Yamada, T.K.; Cao, Y.; Hasegawa, M.; Okada, N. (2006). "Balaenoptera omurai is a newly discovered baleen whale that represents an ancient evolutionary lineage". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 41 (1): 40–52. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.03.032. PMID 16843687.
- ^ Balaenoptera edeni Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- ^ "Balaenoptera omura Wada, Oishi, and Yamada, 2003". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- ^ a b c Ohsumi, S. (1978). "Provisional report on Bryde's whales caught under special permit in the Southern Hemisphere". Reports of the International Whaling Commission 28: 281–288.
- ^ a b c Wada, S., & Numachi, K. I. (1991). "Allozyme analyses of genetic differentiation among the populations and species of the Balaenoptera". Genetic ecology of whales and dolphins. Reports of the International Whaling Commission, Special (13), 125-154.
- ^ a b Yuko Hashimoto, Ph.D., and Michael D. O'Neill (July 7, 2004). "Japanese Scientists Identify New Species of Whale". Applied Biosystems: BioBeat Online Magazine. (reprinted on babec.org)
- ^ Yoshida, H.; Kato, H. (1999). "Phylogenetic relationships of Bryde's whales in the western North Pacific and adjacent waters inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences". Marine Mammal Science 15 (4): 1269–1286. doi:10.1111/j.1748-7692.1999.tb00890.x.
- ^ a b c Yamada, T. K., L.-S. Chou, S. Chantrapornsyl, K. Adulyanukosol, S. K. Chakravarti, M. Oishi, S. Wada, C.-J. Yao, T. Kakuda, Y. Tajima, K. Arai, A. Umetani & N. Kurihara, 2006. "Middle sized balaenopterid whale specimens (Cetacea: Balaenopteridae) preserved at several institutions in Taiwan, Thailand, and India". Memoirs of the National Science Museum, Tokyo, 44: 1–10.
- ^ Tinker, Spencer Wilkie (1988). Whales of the World. Brill Archive. p. 310. ISBN 9780935848472.
- ^ Horwood, Joseph. (1990). Biology and exploitation of the minke whale. CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-6069-2, ISBN 978-0-8493-6069-5
- ^ a b c Dolar, M. L. L.; Leatherwood, S.; Wood, C. J.; Alava, M. N. R.; Hill, C. L.; Arangones, L. V. (1994). "Directed fisheries for cetaceans in the Philippines". Reports of the International Whaling Commission 44: 439–449.
- ^ a b Yamada, T. K., T. Kakuda & Y. Tajima, 2008. "Middle sized balaenopterid whale specimens in the Philippines and Indonesia". Memoirs of the National Science Museum, Tokyo, 45: 75–83.
- ^ Ellis, Richard. 1980. The Book of Whales. Alfred Knopf, New York.
- ^ Best, Peter B. "Two Allopatric Forms of Bryde's Whale off South Africa". Rep. Int. Whal. Commn. (Special Issue 1), 1977, pp. 10-38.
- ^ Omura, Hidero. "Review of the Occurrence of the Bryde's Whale in the Northwest Pacific". Rep. Int. Commn. (Special Issue 1), 1977, pp. 88-91.
- ^ a b Yamada, T. K. 2008. Omura's whale (Balaenoptera omurai), pp. 799–801. In Perrin, W.F.P., B. Würsig, and J. G. M. Thewissen, eds., Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, 2nd ed. Academic Press, San Diego, 1315 pp.
- ^ "Balaenoptera omurai (M-816)". Marine Mammals Stranding Database, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo. 2009. Retrieved September 2013.
- ^ a b Kahn, B. 2001. "Komodo National Park Cetacean Surveys: April 2001 and 1999-2001 survey synopsis". Presented working paper CMS/SEAMAMSII/24. United Nations Environment Programme – Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS) Second International Conference on the Marine Mammals of Southeast Asia. July 22–23, 2002. Demaguette, Philippines. 39pp.
- ^ Ponnampalam, L. S. "Opportunistic observations on the distribution of cetaceans in the Malaysian South China, Sulu and Sulawesi Seas and an updated checklist of marine mammals in Malaysia". The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology (February 2012), 60 (1): 221-231.
- ^ Aragones, L. V.; Roque, M. A.; Flores, M. B.; Encomienda, R. P.; Laule, G. E.; Espinos, B. G.; Braun, R. C. (2010). "The Philippine Marine Mammal Strandings from 1998 to 2009: Animals in the Philippines in Peril?".". Aquatic Mammals 36 (3): 219. doi:10.1578/am.36.3.2010.219.
- ^ Yang, G.; Liu, H.; Zhou, K.; Guo-Qing, Y. J. (2002). "Identification of a Balaenoptera edeni specimen by using mitochondrial DNA sequences". Chinese Journal of Zoology 4: 009.
- ^ Wang, H. G.; Fan, Z. Y.; Shen, H.; Peng, Y. J. (2006). "Description of a new record species of whales from Chinese coastal waters". Fisheries Science 25 (2): 85–87.
- ^ "Balaenoptera omurai (M-361)". Marine Mammals Stranding Database, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo. 2009. Retrieved September 2013.
- ^ Bannister, J. L. 2008. Great Whales. Collingwood, Vic: CSIRO Pub.
- ^ "Balaenoptera omurai (M21245)". South Australian Museum Mammalogy Collection, Atlas of Living Australia. 2012. Retrieved August 2013.
- ^ "Extraordinarily Rare Whale Sighting – Omura's Whale (Balaenoptera omurai)". Marine Education and Research Society. November 2012. Retrieved May 2013.
- ^ "Unidentified whale sighted 26 September, 2000, off the coast of Rarotonga, Cook Islands". WhaleResearch.org, Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation. 2013. Retrieved August 2013.
- ^ Oremus M., Leqata J., Hurutarau J., Taei S., Donoghue M., Thompson K., Baker C.S. (June 24, 2011). "Solomon Islands Dolphin Project - Progress report on data collection and analyses". South Pacific Whale Research Consortium.
- ^ Papasula[dead link]
- ^ Clarke R., 2009 Omura's Whale. Wildlife Images. retrieved on 30-05-2014
- ^ "Omura's Whale (Photos from 2009)". Rohan Clarke. Retrieved May 2013.
- ^ "Is this a new 'Great Whale'?". Simon Mustoe. 2010. Retrieved May 2013.
- ^ "Darwin and Ashmore Reef Tour Report 12-22 October 2010". Peregrine Bird Tours. 2010. Retrieved September 2013.
- ^ Donnelly D., 2008 Beaked whales off Northland New Zealand May 16, 2008 — May 17, 2008 retrieved on 30-05-2014
- ^ Perrin, W. E.; Dolar, M. L. L.; Ortega, E. (1996). "Osteological comparison of Bryde's whales from the Philippines with specimens from other regions". Report of the International Whaling Commission 46: 409–413.
- ^ Ohsumi, S. (1980). "Population study of the Bryde's whale in the Southern Hemisphere under scientific permit in the three seasons, 1976/77 - 1978/79".". Reports of the International Whaling Commission 30: 319–331.
- ^ "Balaenoptera omurai (M-526f)". Marine Mammals Stranding Database, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo. 2009. Retrieved September 2013.
- ^ "Balaenoptera omurai (M-651)". Marine Mammals Stranding Database, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo. 2009. Retrieved September 2013.
- ^ "Appendix II" of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). As amended by the Conference of the Parties in 1985, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2008. Effective: 5th March 2009.
- ^ Official webpage of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region


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Evaluation board for ESD112-B1-02EL, multi puprose 1-channel bidirectional diode in TSLP-2-20 package designed for ESD protection.
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Low Capacitance Bi-directional ESD / Transient Protection Diode
Target Applications:
ESD protection of sensitive RF signal lines, Bluetooth Class 2, Automated Meter Reading, RF antenna protection, frontend module, GPS, mobile TV, FM radio, UWB
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Of the Office for Civil Rights
Fiscal Year 2006
To maximize OCR's ability to carry out its law enforcement mission in a timely and effective manner in light of shrinking resources and expanding demands, OCR must redouble the premium it places on management excellence. The processes OCR has put into place synchronize its various business processes and ensure communication and coordination at all levels, whether it is the way OCR provides customer service or the way it manages its human resources and carries out its fiscal responsibilities. In 2006, OCR further reinforced these goals by ensuring accountability through improved performance plans of managers and staff and by putting in place a process where strategic goals and priorities are regularly communicated to staff at all levels in teleconferences and face-to-face meetings. To encourage coordination, collaboration and consistency, the assistant secretary for civil rights launched a leadership agenda that included visits to all 12 regional offices, two national directors' meetings, a national chief attornies' meeting, a senior leadership retreat, and a national managers' conference. The national managers' conference brought together approximately 100 OCR managers from each of OCR's regional offices and headquarters for the first time in OCR history. The agenda included up-to-date training on the latest management and leadership strategies as well as various discussions about how to improve OCR's current case investigation, resolution and coordination processes. The following illustrates OCR's efforts in FY 2006 to promote management excellence throughout the various mission-critical business processes in OCR.
A. Customer Service
Effective civil rights enforcement in education requires that the public as well as education institutions understand the legal regulatory requirements and that students, parents, educators and other members of the public understand their rights. To meet these goals, OCR makes its guidance available in many different media, including through the Internet, and updates and augments that guidance regularly to ensure it reflects current developments. OCR also serves the public through its national toll-free customer service line. In FY 2006, OCR responded to over 5,407 hotline phone inquiries, an 8 percent increase over FY 2005. OCR responds to written requests from Congress, other federal agencies, state agencies, education institutions at all levels and others. In FY 2006, OCR provided written and oral guidance in response to tens of thousands of inquiries, and exceeded ED's goal of a 10-day average for responding to controlled secretarial correspondence.
OCR also carried out its customer service responsibilities through its work involving the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552, and the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. §552. The FOIA was enacted in 1966 and generally provides that any person has the right to request access to federal agency records. The Privacy Act, a companion to the FOIA, also regulates federal government agency recordkeeping and disclosure practices. Under these two acts, persons (e.g., complainants, students, parents, school districts, colleges, universities and the media) have the right to request access to, or copies of, records maintained by OCR. OCR reviews and responds to the requests, consistent with the Department's FOIA and Privacy Act regulations.
Each year, OCR receives a significant number of such requests, which are processed in OCR's headquarters and regional offices. OCR devotes considerable resources to meeting the requirements of these laws and to providing timely and effective access to information to the public. In FY 2006, OCR received a combined total of 898 FOIA and Privacy Act requests. As the chart below shows, this high number of requests has been fairly constant over the years.
Figure 9. Number of FOIA Requests Received by OCR, FY 2000-06
To further customer service with respect to FOIA and Privacy Act requests, OCR has been a significant participant in the Department's initiative to automate case management under these laws. Executive Order 13392, "Improving Agency Disclosure of Information," issued on Dec. 14, 2005, emphasizes the need for more efficient and effective processing of FOIA and Privacy Act requests. OCR is committed to producing tangible and measurable improvements in processing them and, in FY 2006, OCR successfully piloted FOIAXpress, the Department's Web-based solution for FOIA and Privacy Act case management, in two of its enforcement offices and in headquarters. By the end of summer 2007, FOIAXpress will be fully implemented in all OCR field offices and headquarters.
In addition, in FY 2006, consistent with Executive Order 13392, OCR established new FOIA procedures, including delegation to the 12 OCR office directors of the authority of FOIA denial officers. This allows FOIA requests to be processed in a more efficient and timely manner, and establishes clear accountability for FOIA processing.
B. Staff Training and Development
In FY 2006, OCR began developing a national training program that facilitates consistent high-quality work across all OCR's offices. OCR assessed core competencies, staff training needs to meet those competencies, substantive training resources, and vehicles for delivery of training. The national training program will address a full range of training needs for both new and experienced staff. In FY 2006, both headquarters and field office briefings were conducted on substantive and procedural issues. For example, through a nationwide videoconference on April 20, 2006, OCR staff was trained on the Boy Scouts Act and the need for all SEAs and LEAs to sign new assurances of compliance with the civil rights laws. OCR's field offices also conducted comprehensive multi-day training of all new attorneys in fundamental and emerging legal issues and the conduct of investigations. OCR field staff also received training on OCR's revised Case Resolution and Investigation Manual, which contains the procedural standards for conducting investigations as well as training on substantive programmatic issues. OCR continues to conduct periodic investigation and policy training for all new staff.
In addition, in FY 2006, OCR funded and launched a Web-based training initiative. OCR's first Web-based training, in the final stages of production, will provide staff investigative training on civil rights issues including disability discrimination, retaliation and disparate treatment.
C. Fiscal Management
In the area of financial management in FY 2006, OCR was in compliance with the federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act and had no reportable conditions or material weaknesses in its financial accounting systems. OCR implemented internal Purchase Card (P-Card) procedures resulting in the reduction of the number of P-Card charges over 60 days old from 34 ($17, 245) in July 2005 to 0 in July 2006.
D. Human Capital Planning
During the past decade, FY 1996 through FY 2006, OCR's complaint receipts rose by 20 percent, from 4,828 in 1996 to 5,805 in 2006. However, OCR's FTE has steadily declined over the years, from 744 in FY 1996 to 630 in 2006—a decrease of 15 percent. This represents the smallest number of staff and nearly the largest number of complaints received in OCR's history.
One way OCR has addressed the gap between the higher workload and the smaller number of staff has been to develop a systematic and strategic approach for managing its human capital that includes a rigorous recruitment and hiring process, development of a national training program, and performance appraisal standards that clearly recognize and distinguish among levels of employee performance.
With respect to hiring, OCR widely recruits from a range of sources that offer a large pool of qualified candidates. A panel, comprising knowledgeable OCR staff, reviews all resumes and conducts first-round interviews only of well-qualified applicants. The panel recommends the most highly qualified applicants for a second-round interview. Only applicants with the most excellent credentials are offered positions. As a result of this highly selective process in FY 2006, OCR's new employees have made strong and effective additions to the offices.
In the area of employee performance appraisals in FY 2006, OCR ranked among the most exacting of offices in the Department in terms of scrutinizing employee performance under the Department's Performance Appraisal System (EDPAS.) Notably, OCR received recognition within the Department for the clear distinctions it has made in the assessment of levels of employee performance, from the "Unsuccessful" level of performance to the "Outstanding" level of performance. For employees whose performance is less than "Successful," steps are taken to improve or enhance performance to bring it to the "Successful" level.


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A full-scale war is raging in the financial services sector between the securities industry and the insurance industry. It is a battle over the $500 billion or so that flows into mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and annuities each year. While the securities and insurance industries have been competitors for a long time, the war has clearly escalated over the past several years for two primary reasons:
Reason No. 1: Since 2000, investors have been rattled by four "down" years for the stock market. Many investors have sought the downside protection and income guarantees offered by annuities. Fearing the loss of their share of investor dollars, the securities industry has ratcheted up their attacks on their competitor's insurance products, especially annuities. If more money goes into insurance products and annuities, then less goes into mutual funds and other securities. The securities industry has enlisted help from their friends in the media (magazines mostly) to aid their "war" effort by trying to convince investors that "annuity" is a four-letter-word. Annuities have become the central focus in a battle for investor dollars.
Reason No. 2: There are 76 million Americans who were born between 1946 and 1964. 10 thousand of these baby boomers will retire each day until the end of 2029. Both the insurance and the securities industries are well aware that this large segment of the population needs help planning their retirements (and the fact that baby boomers stand to inherit trillions of dollars from their parents isn't lost on anyone either). Both industries are pushing and shoving for their place by the retirement river, so they can pan for their share of baby boomer gold! Naturally, the securities industry would like these folks to keep their money invested in the market. Not surprising, the insurance industry disagrees and is promoting annuities and insurance products to help make baby boomers' retirements more secure. As an adviser who works with insurance products and annuities, as well as securities, I can tell you that both sides are right! Annuities can be a good choice for a guarantee of lifetime income and protection of principal, while mutual funds and other securities can offer the opportunity for inflation-fighting growth. To meet an individual client's objectives, I often find that a solid financial plan will need a mix of both industries' products. However, not everyone takes a balanced approach.
Watch out for bias: It used to be that we could trust magazines and newspapers to adhere to journalistic principles, but not anymore. Today, some reporters start with the desired conclusion and then work backwards — conducting interviews and research to support the desired outcome . . . or they simply ignore the facts completely. Before basing your financial decisions on what you read in a publication, first consider the credibility of the source and the publication's advertisers (who are their real customers). If a magazine's advertisers offer financial products that compete with annuities, it is very unlikely you'll find positive articles or stories about annuities in that magazine.
Taxation of annuities: Under the current tax code, annuities are taxed differently than other investments. Deferred annuities afford "tax-sheltering" gains and interest earned until withdrawals are taken. Immediate annuities also have their own special tax treatment. The actual tax treatment will depend on whether you have already paid tax on the money you invest in them. Is it "nonqualifed money," "qualified money" or "favorably taxed money?"
Nonqualified money is money you've already paid tax on — like cash in your bank account or brokerage account. For nonqualifed money, the tax treatment depends on the type of annuity: Immediate Annuity payments are only partially taxable. Based on what is called an "exclusion ratio," a portion of each payment is considered taxable as ordinary income. The rest is considered a return of the original investment and, therefore, not taxable. For deferred annuities, accumulated interest comes out first and is taxed as ordinary income. Withdrawals of earnings before 59 1/2 years of age could also be subject to a 10 percent tax penalty. However, withdrawals of what you put in aren't taxed. Most insurance companies allow deferred annuity owners to "annuitize" their policies to receive a lifetime monthly income. "Annuitization" turns a deferred annuity into an immediate annuity. Then, as described above, the "exclusion ratio" is used to calculate how much of that income is taxable. Few people exercise this "annuitization" option because it is irrevocable, less flexible, and usually means nothing is left to the owner's beneficiaries.
Qualified money is money that you haven't paid tax on yet — like a traditional individual retirement account, 401(k), 403(b), 457, or pension lump sum rollover. With qualified money, the tax treatment is the same for both immediate annuities and deferred annuities: Every dollar that is withdrawn is taxed as ordinary income. Withdrawals before age 59 1/2 could also be subject to a 10 percent tax penalty.
Favorably taxed money is money that receives special treatment like a Roth IRA. With "favorably taxed money," the tax treatment is the same for both immediate annuities and deferred annuities: Every dollar that is withdrawn is not subject to income taxes, as long as you've had the Roth IRA for a minimum of five years, and you are at least 59 1/2 years old.
So is an annuity a good choice for you? The tax benefits and income guarantees may make them worth considering, but pay close attention to their fees and their limitations. Advice from a qualified and experienced financial planner can help you evaluate your options.
Annuities: war and taxes
A full-scale war is raging in the financial services sector between the securities industry and the insurance industry. It is a battle over the $500 billion or so that flows into mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and annuities each year. While the securities and insurance industries have been competitors for a long time, the war has clearly escalated over the past several years for two primary reasons:


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Quote marshal:Quote valleycliffe:Quote villyforever55:Quote Little_Debbie:Quote zoltan: There is a lot of bad history between Sharon and Victor over the past couple of years. It seems Chelsea may take Sharon's place as Victor's favorite non blood relative.
Lol, yes, even though she can see through Victor, she's still being groomed for that favored position.
Gee! Lucky her. How much does that mean, in the long run? This is the same man who had his own daughter arrested because she was marrying a man he didn'tP like. I wish Chelsea luck!
well, chels will need it cause it seems she has become the stupidest con that ever conned...she will now see how it's done by the master himself...
You have this right Chels is not a bright start. Adam will have to deal with her mess when he returns. :D
Unless Victor makes a move to get the baby before Adam comes back, when Adam comes back I see Chelsea as doing all she can to try convincing Adam to be close with his father and be one big happy family. I saw no real sadness in Victor after he thought Adam was dead and he even referred to him as a murderer with the knowledge that Adam did not mean to hurt Delia and did not know he had. I really hope that Adam's return will not be about becoming close with Victor. He didn't start looking for Adam out of a deep emotional need, but I can picture Chelsea trying to portray things that way.


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Bangladesh kept calm under pressure to clinch their One-Day International series against Twenty20 world champions West Indies 3-2 on Saturday, hailed by captain Mushfiqur Rahim as his nation's biggest victory.
Nasir Hossain played a crucial unbeaten innings of 39 as the home side survived Kemar Roach's vicious pace and the crafty spin of Sunil Narine to overhaul the West Indies' 217 all out with two wickets in hand when they ended 221-8 after 44 overs.
"We did not have one or two of our key players. So it was a big challenge and considering that, this is our biggest series win," said the Bangladesh skipper, whose side went 2-0 up in the series only to be pegged back to 2-2.
Influential all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was ruled out of the first two matches last month but missed all five games as Bangladesh notched up their second series victory over the West Indies.
They first won with a 3-0 clean sweep against the under-strength hosts in the Caribbean in 2009.
"They are the current Twenty20 world champions and all the top players were playing so this was a very big occasion for us," added Rahim.
West Indies paceman Roach finished with 5-56 while Narine claimed 3-38 but they were unable to help defend their total, driven by a powerful half-century from Kieran Pollard who cracked 85 off 74 balls including eight sixes.
Roach removed openers Tamim Iqbal and Anamul Haque in his second over and then Jahirul Islam in his fifth to leave the hosts wobbling at 30-3 in front of a 25,000 crowd at Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
However, player of the match Mahmudullah and Rahim launched a counter attack to bring the roar back and put Bangladesh firmly on course before Narine silenced the gallery again when he ended their 91-run fourth-wicket stand.
Narine bowled Mahmudullah for 48 and was lucky to bowl Rahim for 44 when he defended well only to see it bounce and hit the stumps, putting the pressure back on the home side who still needed 85 runs for win.
Mominul Haque (25) held his nerve to add a further 53 runs with Nasir to take Bangladesh close to their target though the home side almost ruined the party after losing two quick wickets to Roach at the end of their innings.
Mominul earlier took two vital wickets to help Bangladesh restrict West Indies to a modest total after Pollard had threatened to take it beyond them.
Pollard joined Darren Bravo when West Indies were stuttering at 17-3 and struggling to keep the scoreboard ticking having gone five overs without scoring a run.
Pollard released the pressure off with eight sixes and five boundaries before Mominul bowled him to end his 132-run fourth-wicket stand with Bravo, who played the role of an anchor to score 51 off 108 balls.
Bangladesh then quickly wrapped up the innings as West Indies lost their last five wickets for 29 runs.
West Indies, who won the Test series 2-0, will end their tour with a Twenty20 international on Monday.


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There are many places in the world that are a shopper's paradise: Paris, France; New York City; London; even Chicago, with its Millionaire's Row, provides an amazing shopping experience. But no city can match Florence, Italy's amazing fashion district.
Via Tornabuoni – The Miracle Mile of Florence's high fashion
The bulk of the best shopping in Florence is on the Via Tornabuoni, often called the Miracle Mile. The Via Tornabuoni starts at the Arno River and runs north to the Piazza della Repubblica, an ancient Roman forum that has retained its nature as a public gathering place for two millenia.
The Via Tornabuoni lives up to the historical reputations of these women, boasting haute couture and upscale jewel shops housed in ancient palazzos and mansions decorated with Renaissance-era frescoes.
Salvatore Ferragamo's museum and shop is in the Palazzo Spini Feroni at 2-14. Across the street is Versace, and along the street from here you'll find Tiffany, Yves Saint Laurent, Cartier, Dior, Prada, Bulgari, Gucci, Armani and many other upscale stores.
Perpendicular to Via Tornabuoni, you'll find the Via della Vigna Nuova, with Dolce e Gabbana, La Perla, Lacoste and Ermenegildo Zegna. Mont Blanc is nearby, as is Swarovski, Versus Versace, and dozens of smaller designers who may be tomorrow's Versaces.
On the other side of Via Tornabuoni, Via della Vigna Nuova suddenly becomes the Via degli Strozzi, where you'll find the Emporio Armani and many other upscale stores, as well as a number of hotels and vacation rental apartments from which you can base your shopping expeditions along the Tornabuoni.


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As many as 31 Syrian inmates have been killed over the past two weeks due to the rebels' bombardment on the central prison of Syria's northern Aleppo city, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Friday.
The rebels have besieged the prison earlier this month when they blew up two car bombs to break the government troops' siege. However, their attempt to storm the facility and take over it has been a failure so far.
The dead prisoners were buried in one of the prison's yards, the Observatory said, adding that the prolonged fighting for controlling the prison has claimed the lives of 40 government soldiers.
Separately, the Observatory claimed that 19 men from the capital Damascus' suburb of Qatana were tortured to death in government-run detention centers.
Meanwhile, Syria's state-run SANA news agency said the Syrian troops on Friday carried out operations against armed opposition fighters in Aleppo countryside, killing and injuring many of them in the industrial city in al-Sheikh Najar area and the areas surrounding Minnegh airbase and the central prison.
Army units clashed with armed groups in the vicinity of Aleppo' s central prison in al-Maslamyeh area and destroyed their dens, SANA said, adding that 12 rebels were killed near a cemetery and a gas station in the countryside of Aleppo.


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When Jeep released its 2011 Grand Cherokee, it startled old Jeep aficionados by going with an entirely independent suspension and implementing electronic off-road settings. The 2014 Grand Cherokee takes the technology even further with its digital speedometer and integrated apps.
The result is a near-perfect luxury SUV that maintains real off-road credibility.
Rather than manual differential locks, the Grand Cherokee benefits from Jeep's Quadra-Trac and Selec-Terrain systems, which take sensor information and intelligently distribute torque to all four wheels. Likewise, an air suspension automatically levels the vehicle and aids in wheel articulation. As a bonus, that air suspension gives the Grand Cherokee a particularly comfortable ride on pavement.
The example I got into was a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit with four-wheel drive. Most models can also be had with just rear-wheel drive. The Summit trim comes fully loaded, and although it tops $50,000, it competes extremely well with the much pricier Range Rover feature for feature.
In fact, the interior of the Grand Cherokee sported all the luxury and comfort I would expect of a Range Rover. The dashboard was covered in leather, colored in Jeep Brown. The wood trim, with its matte finish, felt grainy and natural. The front seats, power-adjustable on each side, even had both venting and heating controls.
Instead of a big pole of a shifter stabbing up from the console, the Grand Cherokee uses a modern, compact, and ergonomically designed hand grip for the vehicle's eight-speed automatic transmission. Rather than pulling it through a gate, I merely had to pull it back or push it forward to engage whichever drive mode I wanted. It's fully electronic, smooth, and easy to operate.
Diesel option
This Grand Cherokee came equipped with the base engine, Jeep's 3.6-liter V-6. Not the most advanced power plant, its variable valve timing helps it turn out 290 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, while getting fuel economy averaging around 20 mpg. Not stellar, but reasonable for this 5,000-pound SUV.
The V-6 proved adequate for the Grand Cherokee, but there are a few other engine options to consider. The most intriguing is a 3-liter V-6 diesel, which Jeep says gives the Grand Cherokee a range of over 700 miles. Other options are a 5.7-liter V-8 gasoline engine, and the Grand Cherokee SRT's 6.4-liter Hemi V-8.
What really surprised me initially about the Grand Cherokee was, instead of a lumbering tank stripping side mirrors off of parked cars as I piloted down city streets, it proved to be excessively maneuverable, with easy and precise handling. The steering, which uses an electrohydraulic boost system, moves with little effort and the turning radius seems better than on some compact cars. That tight turning radius helps in the city, crowded parking lots, and on the trail.
Checking the spec sheet, I saw that the Grand Cherokee comes in well under 16 feet long, yet accentuates its five-passenger seating with healthy amount of cargo space.
When I hit the gas for a passing maneuver or a merge, the V-6 delivered decent acceleration, good enough for traffic but not enough to be impressive. A couple of things can affect acceleration, one being the Eco mode, which comes on by default at startup. It affects the transmission programming and can be defeated with a button push.
The other is Sport mode, activated with a second pull back on the shifter. The car let me know I had selected Sport mode by turning the LCD speedometer red and posting a big alert saying "Sport Mode Activated." Suddenly the throttle response became sharper and the transmission more aggressive. But it was loath to use the top two gears, so in the interest of fuel economy I only used it when the road got twisty.
Paddle shifters on the steering wheel let me manually select gears, but this transmission was very laggy in its gear changes. I reserved manual gear selection for engine braking when going downhill.
Sport mode made the air suspension hunker down a bit as well, improving handling. The Grand Cherokee never showed quite the handling acumen of a Porsche Cayenne, but I didn't have to slow for the turns too much.
Barreling down the highway at speed, the Grand Cherokee automatically lowered the suspension to improve its aerodynamics, resulting in better fuel efficiency. Despite being lowered, the air suspension still delivered a truly comfortable ride. After spending a full day driving the Grand Cherokee, I had none of the usual aches and pains one might associate with a road trip.
Simple interface
Part of the technology payload that comes standard on the Grand Cherokee Summit is Jeep's Uconnect navigation system. Instead of the tortured interfaces introduced by many other automakers, Jeep keeps it simple. An 8.4-inch touch screen mounted in the center of the dashboard and a few buttons around the steering wheel are all that is needed.
The touch screen shows a menu ribbon across the bottom with icons for navigation, the stereo, the hands-free phone system, and, surprisingly enough, apps.
This Uconnect system uses navigation software from Garmin, so the destination menus will be familiar to anybody who has used a Garmin portable navigation device. Unlike previous generations of the Uconnect navigation system, the Garmin software is much more integrated with the other functions, so I did not feel like I was going into an entirely different product when I switched from navigation to the stereo controls. The design is cohesive.
The maps show 3D representations of some buildings in downtown areas, and the Garmin software does an excellent job with route guidance, taking traffic conditions into account for intelligent routing. Along with good graphics illustrating upcoming turns and junctions on the main screen, the LCD speedometer also shows turn directions.
Garmin offers typical destination options, such as address input and a points-of-interest database. The Grand Cherokee's voice command also let me enter an address as a single string, instead of breaking it down into single components. But the real bonus, something showing that the Grand Cherokee is embracing tech, is that Jeep includes Bing for local search on the app screen.
Bing includes its own voice command function and an onscreen keyboard for entering search terms.


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XFX 8600 GT Fatal1ty Review
Video cards are getting faster and more powerful every time you turn around, and while it is great to have the greatest and best, not everyone wants to spend upwards of five hundred dollars to buy the ultimate in performance. Many people would rather sacrifice a portion of that performance for a significantly cut price. Video card manufactures are keen to this and have always produced cards that are slightly less powerful than their flagship brethren. For nVidia, the 8600 series is this card.
The XFX 8600 GT Fatal1ty card aims to provide an amazing experience, complete with Direct X 10 (if you are running Vista), at a lower price than the full blown 8800 series. Carrying the name of arguably the most famous professional gamer, Fatal1ty, The XFX 8600 GT Fatal1ty does not leave much out, packing many similar features as the higher class cards, such as PureVideo HD, HDCP capability, and full 128-bit HDR. Other 8600 GT cards have done well in the past with our benchmarks, so lets see how the 8600 GT Fatal1ty stacks up!
Closer Look:
The packaging that the XFX 8600GT Fatal1ty comes in has an outer cardboard shell with some graphics, the XFX logo and a list of specifications. This outer shell also has a picture of Johnathan Wendel, bettter know by his gamer tag, Fatal1ty, putting a face with the name on the box.
On the inside, a more sturdy cardboard box is found that displays the XFX logo with class. This box folds open and reveals the XFX 8600Gt Fatal1ty packaged safely within a pad of Styrofoam.


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Description:36GB Ultra320 3.5-inch SCSI Hot-Plug 10K Hard DrivePart Number(s)Manufacturer Part# ST336807LC
Overview:The Cheetah 10K is designed to have the highest reliability even when used in demanding applications around the clock. Cheetah 10K has an 0.62 percent AFR the highest in the industry. Background Media Scan proactively scans the media for potential defects during drive idle time without using system bandwidth. It enables incipient errors to be corrected before data is lost. Enhanced Error Correction Code better maintains performance throughout the life of the drive and reduces the probability of lost data.
CategoryHard Drive
Part NumberSeagate ST336807LC
Product ID456592_Seagate_HardDrives
Hot Swap TrayNot Included
Height1.0 inch/2.54cm
Width4.0 inch/10.16cm
InterfaceUltra320 SCSI
Data Transfer Rate320MB/s
Seek TimeSingle Track 0.55ms
Seek TimeAverage 4.9ms
Seek TimeFull Stroke 10.0ms
Rotational Speed10K
ApplicationServer Storage
Backward CompatabilityU2 and U3 Speeds
Pre-Failure WarrantyYes
Data Storage Device TypeU320 SCSI
Hard Drive Device TypeHard drive for server/storage unit


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- Money-back guarantee
Customer call centre
- Shipping within EU: 6,99 €
100 days right of return
- More than 60,000 different items available ex-warehouse.
Jimmy Reed At Carnegy Hall (2-LP)
catalog number: APB103545
weight in Kg 0,360
Prices incl. VAT plus shipping costs
Jimmy Reed: At Carnegy Hall (2-LP)(1950s-61 'Vee Jay') Audio Fidelity
|Jimmy Reed - At Carnegy Hall (2-LP) Medium 1
|Bright Lights, Big City
|I'm Mr Luck
|What's Wrong, Baby
|Found Joy
|Kind Of Lonesome
|Aw Shucks, Hush Your Mouth
|Tell Me You Love Me
|Blue Carnegie
|I'm A Love You
|Hold Me Close
|Blue Blue Water
|Baby, What You Want Me To Do
|Jimmy Reed - At Carnegy Hall (2-LP) Medium 2
|You Don't Have To Go
|Hush Hush
|Found Love
|Honest I Do
|You Got Me Dizzy
|Big Boss Man
|Take Out Some Insurance
|Boogie In The Dark
|Going To New York
|Ain't That Lovin' You Baby
|The Sun Is Shining
Artikeleigenschaften von Jimmy Reed: At Carnegy Hall (2-LP)
Interpret: Jimmy Reed
Albumtitel: At Carnegy Hall (2-LP)
- Format LP
Genre Blues
- Music Genre 994 Vinyl - Audiophile Blues Records
- Music Style 994 Vinyl - Audiophile Blues Records
- Music Sub-Genre 994 Vinyl - Audiophile Blues Records
- Edition 2 Audiophile Blues LP-Records
- Title At Carnegy Hall (2-LP)
- Vinyl size LP (12 Inch)
- Speed / RPM 33 U/min
- Record Grading Mint (M)
- Sleeve Grading Mint (M)
Label ACOUSTIC SOUNDS
SubGenre Blues - General
- weight in Kg 0.360
Artist description "Reed, Jimmy"
Jimmy Reed
Although he'd written most of his hits for Vee-Jay Records himself up to this point--You Don't Have To Go (see Disc Three), Ain't That Lovin' You Baby (it's on Disc Four), Honest I Do, Baby What You Want Me To Do (see Disc Five)—Jimmy Reed got Big Boss Man from an unusual pairing of writers: New York R&B producer Luther Dixon (the gent behind the violin-enriched uptown soul of Chuck Jackson and the Shirelles at Florence Greenberg's Scepter/Wand Records) and Jimmy's own Mississippi-born manager and road bandleader, Chicago bassist Al Smith.
Reed's usual rhythm guitarist, the immaculate Eddie Taylor, didn't make the March 29, 1960 Chicago date that produced Big Boss Man. Instead of Taylor, Reed invited new Windy City resident Lee Baker, Jr. to man one of the axes. Down on the Gulf Coast, Baker had called himself Guitar Junior; his 1957 single Family Rules for Eddie Shuler's Lake Charles, Louisiana-based Goldband label had been a regional hit (see Disc Five). Now he was making his first Chicago session as a sideman. Baker wasn't alone on guitar: veteran Lefty Bates and young Curtis Mayfield were also there, along with bassist Willie Dixon and drummer Earl Phillips.
"We had three guitars with Jimmy Reed, which is four!" exclaims the man better known today as Chicago blues guitarist Lonnie Brooks. "Jimmy, he was doing some of the lead parts." The newcomer was a bit in awe of Reed. "It was a dream come true, man," he says. "When I moved to Chicago, I got a chance to work with him. When I went on the road with him the first time, Eddie was with us. He had quit. He got mad and quit, so that's how I got in the picture. He quit, and then after they got me, he came back. (Smith) wanted to play it safe, so he kept me there. He told me, 'Well, you've got a chance to learn all the licks.'"
Jimmy's laconic vocal delivery and high-end racked harp squalls hadn't changed over the years; his snappy yet rudimentary shuffle rhythm remained as engaging as ever. One more essential ingredient: the subtle vocal contributions of Jimmy's wife, Mary Lee 'Mama' Reed, who kept her spouse straight on the lyrics by feeding him each line just before he'd sing it in the studio. "She helped him with all his songs," says Lonnie. "Mama would get in there and get the song, be reading it to him and saying it right in his ear, man. He'd say what she'd say."
Big Boss Man was a #13 R&B/#78 pop seller in the spring of '61, the anthem attracting future covers by everyone from Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Charlie Rich to the Standells, the Syndicate of Sound, and the Grateful Dead. Even as Chicago blues faded from commercial prosperity, Bright Lights Big City was a smash for Jimmy later in the year; Aw Shucks, Hush Your Mouth, Good Lover, and the jangly Shame, Shame, Shame all nicked the pop listings in 1962-63 (Reed long commanded a surprisingly large white demographic in the Southern U.S.).
Reed's longtime battle with the bottle and recurring bouts with epilepsy took their toll on his health during the latter half of the '60s, when he made four LPs for ABC's Bluesway imprint, and early '70s. He straightened himself out and waged a low-key comeback in 1974, but too many years of self abuse caught up with him. Jimmy died following an epileptic seizure in Oakland, California on August 29, 1976, aged 50. Copied by many, no one ever quite captured his singularly informal style.
"I tell you what, man," says an admiring Brooks. "That guy, he played it wrong, but it sounds so damn good!"
Bill Dahl
Chicago, Illinois
Electric Blues 1939–2005 – The Definitive Collection!
Volume 3: 1960–1969
Similar products Reed, Jimmy
Jimmy Reed: Mr. Luck - The Complete Vee-Jay Singles (3-CD)
Instead of: $58.44 * $32.77 *
Jimmy Reed: Anthology (2-CD)
Instead of: $17.49 * $11.64 *


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Sales tax
We are not responsible for collecting or submitting sales tax for any state other than the state of New York. The sales tax in New York is 8.375%. All taxes must be paid at purchase time.
Most of our furniture requires minimal assembly. All the parts such as screws, bolts, and tools will be included. Instructions are also included.
Any reference to size, weight, construction and color is approximate. Product description is provided by the manufacturer, and we are not responsible for errors in descriptions of finishes, colors, sizes, weight, fabrics and/or materials used to manufacture.


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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- New U.S. citizens took their oath on the 225th anniversary of the signing of the nation's Constitution.
Secretary of State Jesse White on Monday presided over the ceremony in which 100 people born in 32 different countries were sworn in as citizens.
The event took place at the Richard J. Daley Plaza in Chicago's Loop. It included a naturalization ceremony conducted by U.S. District Court Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan (der-YAY'-gen),
White asked the audience to "reflect on the many freedoms our Constitution guarantees us," and noted the bond shared with the new citizens.
Officials from the U.S. District Court, U.S. Navy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, De La Salle Institute and UNO Charter School participated in the ceremony.


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A'dia Mathies scored 17 points, Samarie Walker added 13 and No. 9 Kentucky forced 38 turnovers in a 100-34 blowout of USC Upstate on Sunday.
DeNesha Stallworth added 11 points and Janee Thompson had 10 for the Wildcats (4-1), who shot 50 percent in winning their 24th consecutive home game.
Bria Goss and Azia Bishop led Kentucky with six rebounds. Walker had three blocks.
Every player scored for the Wildcats, who shot 12 of 30 from 3-point range in breaking 100 points for the first time this season.
Valese McAllister scored nine points to lead USC Upstate (2-5), which was close in the opening minutes before being overwhelmed by Kentucky's defense. The Spartans shot just 26 percent and were outrebounded 42-33.
Kentucky was coming off a 73-37 victory over Morehead State on Friday, but Wildcats coach Matt Mitchell wasn't happy with how his team reacted. He had no complaints after a game in which his players were active on both ends from start to finish.
"I just felt like we gave a more energetic performance," Mitchell said. "It was a lot closer to where we were trying to get. I'm happy for the players. They worked hard to earn this victory today."
Kentucky's man-to-man defense proved tough for Upstate in the opening minutes, forcing six turnovers resulting in a 13-4 lead. The Wildcats forced 21 overall in the first half including 11 steals, leading to 26 points.
Mistakes have been a huge problem for the Spartans, who began the day averaging 27 turnovers and committed 33 in their previous game against George Washington, a 48-37 loss.
"That's been our Achilles' heel, especially against a very, very good team like Kentucky," USC Upstate coach Tammy George said. "We just struggled, obviously, with 38 turnovers. (Kentucky) played very hard and with lots of pressure. Kentucky's just solid all the way around."
Good perimeter shooting got the Wildcats started on the other end as Goss hit back-to-back 3-pointers to counter the Spartans' zone. Mathies added a couple as well, setting the stage for a 7-of-16 half from beyond the arc.


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Hi holli - Im looking to play tennis in queens. I am available on weekdays and some weekends. I can be reached at 646-831-0742 or email@example.com
Are you free this weekend to play at NTC?
What can you do here? At Tennisopolis, you can:
- network with your tennis friends. Invite your tennis friends and build your network now.
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Thanks to everyone inviting their friends, we now have over 20,000 members and we're growing by 80 new members a day. Invite yours too!
If you need any help, let me know.
Friend me!
Hi, Thanks for being a member of Tennisopolis. Tech Savvy Tip: I suggest that you do not leave your email address in public areas of this or any website. The reason is that email harvester programs surf the web and collect email addresses. The best way to communicate is by leaving comments on members' pages and/or adding someone as a friend, then you can private message them.
Here's a little more info about it. I hope this helps, have fun out there.
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Home » Posts tagged with » Hands of the Ripper
Angharad Rees \ Angharad Reeves \ April Wilding \ Barry Lowe \ Daily Grindhouse \ Derek Godfrey \ Dora Bryan \ Elizabeth MacLennan \ Eric Porter \ exploitation \ film \ grindhouse \ Hammer \ Hammer Studios \ Hands of the Ripper \ horror \ Jane Merrow \ Keith Bell \ Lisa Marie Bowman \ Lynda Baron \ Margaret Rawlings \ Marjie Lawrence \ Marjorie Rhodes \ movie \ Peter Sasdy
Hands of the Ripper (reviewed by Lisa Marie Bowman)
The 1971 Hammer film Hands of the Ripper tells the story of Anna (Angharad Rees), a woman living in Victorian England who has a few issues. What type of issues, you may wonder? Well, first off, she's the daughter of the infamous serial killer known as Jack The Ripper. When she was just a baby, her […]


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Open marks Slam return for Russian
Alisa Kleybanova could be forgiven for simply being happy to be here, as the old sports cliche goes.
Happy to be rid of cancer. Happy to be playing tennis. Happy to be participating in a major tournament, something she last did 2-1/2 years ago.
When she sets foot on Court 7 against Monica Puig at the US Open on Monday, Kleybanova will be competing in a Grand Slam match for the first time since the Australian Open in January 2011. Soon after, Kleybanova was forced off the tour while receiving treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of blood cancer.
"It's nice to be back on the court, obviously, but for me, I don't just want to play tennis," the Russian in an interview Sunday. "I want to win."
Kleybanova, now 24, turned pro shortly after turning 14 and made quick strides, reaching No. 20 in the WTA rankings, winning two titles, earning more than $2 million and advancing to the fourth round at two Grand Slams in singles, as well as the semifinals of the 2009 U.S. Open in doubles.
And then her life changed considerably. After being diagnosed in the spring of 2011, Kleybanova announced via the WTA's website on July 15 that year — her 22nd birthday — that she was sick and would be treated in Italy, where she trained. She underwent chemotherapy until December 2011.
"I finished my treatments a long time ago. But it takes time for the body to settle down. It's not just living a normal life out here; it's really pushing yourself to the limits," said Kleybanova, who is now based part of the year at Boynton Beach, Fla. "It's really, really hard, even for someone who never had these kinds of issues. For a normal person, it's tough to be at this level. So for me, now, it's even tougher. But I'm ready for it. I'm not expecting it to be easy."
Her ranking is now 363rd, built on a 15-4 record, mostly at lower-tier tournaments. Because of the WTA's protected ranking rule, Kleybanova was allowed to petition for entry into the main draw at one Grand Slam tournament, which is why she will be facing Puig, a 19-year-old from Puerto Rico who is ranked 44th.
"If I'm not playing tennis on a high level, I'm not going to keep playing. Now the challenge for me is to get back to the top," said Kleybanova, who is entered in doubles at the US Open with Christina McHale of the United States. "It's not going to happen quick. It's going to take some time."
Other players are pleased to see her back on tour, finding her story "inspiring," as Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli put it.
"To see her go through all this and still come back — as a tennis player, it takes a tremendous amount of desire," Bartoli said. "I have so much respect for everything she's been doing and dealing with. I can't even imagine how hard it would've been for her."
Andrea Petkovic, a former top-10 player beset by injuries, said that seeing Kleybanova overcome cancer put her own issues in a new light.
"What happened to her is 100 million times worse than what happened to me. Everyone was coming to me and saying, `Oh, poor you!' — and then you just see everything in perspective again," Petkovic said. "I always knew her as a very, very nice girl and very open and happy about life and just very positive. And then I didn't see her for two years. When I saw her (back on tour), I told her, `So happy to see you back.' And she told me, `I'm so happy to see you back.' I hope I'm going to see her back where she was."
So does Kleybanova, who says her career aim is once again what it had been before getting sick: She wants to climb all the way up to the top 10.
She knows that won't be easy. But she is determined.
"For now, my goal is to at least be in the top 100, try to get there as fast as possible," Kleybanova said with a smile, "and then see what happens."


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Whether you are looking for general home school curriculums or of a more specialized nature, your interest in a curriculum for home school shows that you are concerned that your students get a quality home school education. Homeschool Supercenter shares that concern with you.
We are in the business of helping parents find the best home school curriculum for every student. We are able to offer many options to you, our customer. Our friendly staff is eager to help you in deciding which home school curriculums are best suited for your student. We also carry resources that help you get started with homeschooling as well as guides to the best, most proven, homeschool friendly curriculum for your student.
Never before has there been such richness of curriculum for homeschooling available to your family. Our goal has been to make sure the pearson textbooks are available to fill the home school curriculums that are in demand today. The big challenge has been to insure quality as more options have become available for a curriculum for home school. We are pleased to offer to you quality as well as a wide range of choices.
The reasons for quality home school curriculums are obvious to you as a parent or educator. Finding the best home school curriculum that fits the needs of your individual student is extremely important. School Books and Materials are available in several tried and true complete packages. They also can be tailored to cover a large set of needs. This will mean a curriculum for home school that takes into account the abilities of a student as well as the specific learning objectives or interests. Finding the best home school curriculum is an ambition we share with you.
If you're lookig for a more religion/bible based education being provided then a Christian homeschool program may be right for you and your family. Some families are interested in Christian based education and as such, have turned to homeschooling. Homeschool Supercenter can help your children get Bible based education that will be consistent with this goal regardless of the denomination of your faith.
High quality homeschool books are the most essential item among your home school supplies . With Homeschool Supercenter, you can choose from textbooks from a number of publishers and excellent instructors and writers. We have a wide selection of the most popular and successful textbooks for you to choose. At Homeschool Supercenter there are literally thousands of textbooks in our inventory. Check it out online now.
The process of developing home school programs is simplified by shopping with Homeschool Supercenter because of the vast experience our staff has in this area. We encourage you to compare the resources available in the market. We also know that you will find us your one-stop shopping place for homeschool curriclums with a low price guarantee. Whether you are searching for homeschool programs or simply the best home school curriculum for your student, we have the experience to help you.


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Jordan Park
SF District 1
Focused around the CPMC Hospital/medical center on California this neighborhood wedges itself between USF, the Richmond and the Presidio. You'll have big, angular single-family homes with Spanish-Mediterranean details that may be detached with some having been upgraded; you'll also get some townhomes and some large condominiums mixed in with older-inventory rental buildings.
The People: A diverse mix of professionals, physicians, students, families and long-time residents.
Included areas: Jordan Park/Laurel H
For Sale Listings
/ 4 Properties
Page 1 of 1 | 1 | Next Page


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Definitely a Don't-Miss experience.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Definitely a Don't-Miss experience.
20 comments:
I admire how elegantly you found a path from Ron Mueck to pink desserts - masterly, actually! ;-)ReplyDeleteReplies
Clever you to notice that!Delete
Paris desserts are always on the brain ;)
It wouldn't be right not to see a dessert. Lovely to see, but heavy on 'la poche' as my daughter said, she was there last week, I can understand why you have to be strict with the cents/euros.ReplyDelete
Enjoy your sunshine, nice to see Paris has it's share of dandelions :-)Replies
I'm resisting post-piscine viennoisserie for a weekend splurge on something really worth it Barbara!Delete
Thanks for the intro to this famous sculptor..ReplyDelete
I much prefer summer shoes:-) Have a nice day Carol.
Love Gerard Mulot, but missed Arnaud Larher last time. Adding it to the list... x KatieReplyDelete
Yes! The pointy shoes! So, funny.ReplyDelete
How in the world do you find all these shows and exhibits? The places you "take" us are just amazing.
Oh so much to see and do. One could literally never sleep while in Paris because of all of the culture, exhibitions, music, "eye candy" in the windows and more.ReplyDelete
I am so excited for your move, did I miss where you said, is it for good or temporary?
Take care, ElizabethReplies
I didn't say EDelete
I'm here as long as they'll have me ;)
Qui sait?
I love that last photo. Am I the only one who thinks there's a whole story there, told in shoes? Hipster dad, chic wife, precocious daughter, all up to something...ReplyDelete
I wish I was there!ReplyDelete
We really haven't warmed up a lot here in RI - plus we don't have those pastries here :)Replies
I'll bet you don't have those pastries...Delete
Almost nowhere does but here it's on every other corner
It's torture worse than water boarding
How not to look and go inside for a closer look?
Trial by fire everyday
The sculptures are really strange---I think I will go take a look at them. Love the "fraise" season.ReplyDelete


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Honoring Our Veterans
Learn how the Carlson School is honoring and supporting veterans in the Full-Time MBA Program by raising $75,000.
We all owe a debt of gratitude to our servicemen and women who are around the world, and often in harm's way, in defense of our freedom. As these veterans come home, the Carlson School is doing its part to help them transition from military service to the world of business.
From now until November 21, it is our goal to raise $75,000 which will help us grow our annual fund to support up to 20 veterans per year in our Full-Time MBA Program.
Donations help cover the cost of attendance that is not covered by the G.I. Bill. Most veterans who apply to the Carlson MBA are 40-60 percent eligible for G.I. Bill benefits. It will also allow the Carlson School to provide mentorships, internships, a degree, and employment opportunities while protecting veterans from incurring debt.
The Carlson School Full-Time MBA Program complements the leadership and organizational skills our vets have learned during their service. In our program, veterans gain real-world business experience to make a successful transition to the private sector.
"Carlson is an absolutely fantastic place for me to explore marketing, finance, and strategic business development," says first-year MBA student, Lieutenant Ernie Lietzan, U.S. Army. "All of these things I didn't realize were options for me are now on the table. The future is wide open, and I really like that."


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SPECIAL OFFER! Headliner series bongos only £65.00!!
Bingo! It's time to bang the bongos! Meinl Headliner Series Bongos now only £65! Hurry up...while stocks last!
Bongos are a Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of single-headed, open-ended drums attached to each other. The drums are of different size: the larger drum is called in Spanish the hembra (female) and the smaller the macho (male). It is most often played by hand.
Meinl Bongos are an excellent choice for students, beginners and even pros, at prices that are hard to resist! Dolphin Music has a limited stock of Meinl Headliner Series Bongos for just £65 each - total bargain!
They are available in 4 different colours (subject to stock availability): Natural, Vintage Sunburst, Maple and Wire Red.
- Size: 6 3/4" Macho & 8" Hembra
- Material: Rubber Wood (Hevea brasiliensis Muell.-Arg.)
- Hand selected buffalo heads
- 8 mm strong tuning lugs
- 2 mm rounded rims
- Black powder coated hardware
- Interior backing plates
- Includes Tuning key


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4 Easy Ways to Keep Bugs and Pests Out of The Garden
A garden is a labor of love, even if it's just a couple of containers on a balcony. It takes time, attention and love. And normally it pays us back 3 fold with beauty, fruit and a sense of having created something lovely. So when snails, slugs or aphids start attacking, here are 5 natural repellents to keep your garden happy and healthy:
1. Marigolds: Certain plants actually deter insects and pests from the rest of your garden. As the blog LA in Bloom documented, a row of marigolds can help keep a vegetable garden safe.
2. Soapy Water: If you're having an aphid outbreak, cut off the leaves that are the most consumed and then spray the remaining leaves (of a rose for instance) with soapy water. Aphids don't like the soapiness and it won't hurt the plant.
3. Beer: If snails are your problem there's the dirty work of picking off the ones you see. But at night put out saucers of beer. The snails will be drawn to it but they won't make it past the saucer and onto the plant.
4. Ladybugs: Lots of nurseries sell packs of ladybugs that you can release into your garden. They'll eat up a bunch of the offenders and give you something to ooh and ahhh over.
(Images: Hollenback Community Garden, LA in Bloom, Cosmetic Market and Xylem Scientific.)


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|Stonecutter in Stone
Stonecutting, or stonemasonry, has existed for thousands of years. From cathedrals and cities to monuments and gravestones, carvers have worked to shape something of beauty from the stone around them.
|Taj Mahal
Some of the most famous stonemasonry includes the Egyptian Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, the Easter Island statues, and Stonehenge.
In the US, Vermont is known for its granite quarries and the work of its carvers can be seen in cemeteries throughout the state.
|Rock of Ages Quarry
Such examples exist in Barre, Vermont, known as the "Granite Capital of the World," and home to Rock of Ages Quarry, the largest deep hole granite quarry in the world.
|Hope Cemetery Granite Stone
|Granite Bi-Plane
Hope Cemetery in Barre is filled with over 10,000 tombstones and memorials, most carved from local Barre Grey granite.
|19th Century Stone Carvers
|Stone Masons
By the close of the 19th Century, skilled sculptures from around the world were coming to the US to become a part of the growing stonemasonry industry.
Although gravestones can be crafted from just about any material, there are three types of natural rock that can be carved and used for markers - igneous rock, metamorphic rock, and sedimentary rock.
Granite is an igneous intrusive rock consisting of mica, quartz and feldspar, usually ranging from pink to grey in color. It is a hard stone and one of the most difficult to carve requiring skill to sculpt by hand.
|Alexander MacDonald
|Kensal Green Cemetery
Alexander MacDonald of Aberdeen, Scotland carved the first polished granite tombstone using his invention of steam-powered cutting and dressing tools. The stone was erected at Kensal Green Cemetery near London, England in 1833.
|Queen Victoria & Prince Albert
|Royal Mausoleum
During the next 50 years, MacDonald perfected his carving techniques on granite. The most prestigious granite monument was the Royal Mausoleum in England, located on the grounds of Frogmore, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are buried. MacDonald's techniques were later discarded when better machinery became available in the 1880s.
|Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic rocks make up a large part of the earth's surface and include marble, slate and quartzite. Gravestones are usually fashioned from marble and slate.
Marble is a recrystallized form of limestone and
|Carrera Quary
|Block of Marble
is easy to carve. Marble can range in color from blue/black to white depending on what part of the world it comes from. Italy is known for its Carrera marble- a white or bluish gray color. Sweden produces a green marble, while Tuscan marble can range from red to yellow with violet in it. Pure white marble can be found in Greece and near Marble, Colorado in the US.
|Marble Soldier
|Older Marble
Marble monuments and gravestones became popular during the early part of the 19th Century. Unfortunately, acid rain can cause damage to the stones over time, making the inscriptions difficult to read.
Slate is the finest grained metamorphic rock. Although very strong, it has a tendency to split. Slate is usually gray in color, but can also be purple, green or a combination of the two.
|Slate Gravestone
Slate was commonly used for monuments and gravestones, and when carved carefully a slate marker can have very sharp details.
|Slate Quarry
Slate quarries could be found in the US in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont and New York, sometimes referred to as Slate Valley.
|St Peter's Cathedral
|Sedimentary Quarry
Sedimentary stone can be limestone or sandstone. Most of the world's most famous buildings have been built with these rocks including St Peter's Cathedral, and the Roman Arena in Italy, the cliff dwellings in Colorado, and practically the entire town of Hot Springs, South Dakota.
Limestone comes from all over the world, but Lawrence County Indiana is known as having the highest quality quarried limestone in the US.
|National Cathedral
Indiana limestone was also used for bridges, statues, memorials and buildings, most notably the Empire State Building, the National Cathedral, Biltmore Estates and the United States Holocaust Museum.
|Older Limestone Marker
|Older Limestone Grave Marker
During the 19th and 20th centuries, limestone monuments, mausoleums and gravestones were very popular, but after the discovery of the effect of acid rain on the stone, limestone is not used nearly as much.
|Limestone Marker for a Carver
|WW I Soldier in Limestone
For some excellent examples of limestone grave markers a visit to Green Hill Cemetery in Bedford Indiana is in order. Hundreds of carvings, statues, sculptures and engravings exist in minute detail, thanks to limestone's ability to weather well
|Federal Reserve Bank in Sandstone
|Sandstone Quarry
Sandstone can also be found worldwide, usually around bodies of water or desert areas with sand. Composed of sand-sized minerals and rock grains, it has been used to build palaces and buildings; Ohio sandstone was used in the construction of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
|Sandstone Grave Marker
Sandstone is resistive to the elements but easy to carve making it a favorite of carvers for gravestones during the 17th to 19th Centuries.
|Lettered Fieldstone
|Fieldstone with Initials and Date
Fieldstone is just that, stone found in a nearby field or woods that is used to mark a grave. These were some of our earliest grave markers. In later times, those who could not afford to purchase a gravestone used fieldstone. Many times the deceased's name and date of death was carved into the rock, but due to the elements and time, most inscriptions are difficult to red, if they remain at all.
Stone markers are just another reason wandering through a cemetery can be such an adventure, and a delight. Especially when you hope to "leave no stone unturned."
~ Joy


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Amateur psychologists — and maybe a few professionals — will have a field day with Marc Dreier, the disgraced New York super-lawyer profiled in the documentary "Unraveled."
What makes a white collar criminal tick? What motivates a man who already had it all to steal more than $750 million in a brazen fraud?
One thing that is instantly clear in the film is that Dreier has one trait in common with virtually every white collar criminal I have ever covered: a freakishly huge ego.
Even while trying to sound remorseful in the film, Dreier just can't seem to keep his ego in check.
"How many people who are condemning what I did would know for sure they would never do anything like what I did if they knew they wouldn't get caught? Is what holds people back from doing things like this their fundamental virtue, or is it the fear of getting caught? I think in many people, in the case of many people, it is fundamental virtue. And I applaud those people. But I think in many, many people, it's either lack of opportunity, or fear of getting caught."
That's right, folks. You would do the same things Marc Dreier did if only you were as smart, fearless and savvy as he is.
(Read More: Diary of a Scam: The Fall of Power Attorney Marc Dreier.)
The mere fact that Dreier allowed filmmaker Marc Simon to chronicle his 90-day house arrest between his guilty plea and sentencing is evidence enough that Dreier — for all he had been through — still has a big head. Here he is, in what could be the final days of relative freedom for the rest of his life, allowing a film crew to document it for posterity. Who does that?
The worlds of business and law breed big personalities. Marc Dreier inhabited both, and his personality is as big as they come. That in itself is no crime. Advancing a vision and leading a corporation require supreme self-confidence and a unique sense of self. It's when things start to go bad — business goes down, expansion plans fall behind — that ego and integrity come face to face and the business leader has to make a choice. Dreier is hardly the first executive to go with his ego.
(Read More: White Collar 'Country Club' Prisons? Not So Much.)
In 2001, Enron Chairman Ken Lay found that the company he created was on the ropes. The sudden resignation of his hand-picked CEO Jeff Skilling, revelations of double dealing by CFO Andy Fastow, and the shock of 9/11 in between sent Enron into a death spiral. Prosecutors said Lay was so consumed with saving "his" company that he repeatedly lied to shareholders, insisting almost to the bitter end that Enron was stronger than ever.
Lay was convinced that his 2006 trial would clear his name. He was revered in the community after all — a grandfatherly figure often mentioned before Enron's collapse as a possible mayor of Houston or a Cabinet secretary in Washington.
For weeks, through every twist and turn in the trial, he told me how he looked forward to "gettin' the truth out." But when he finally took the witness stand in his own defense and faced blistering cross examination by prosecutor John Hueston, the kindly grandfather turned prickly and indignant, and came off as being arrogant.
When the jury convicted him on all counts, Lay was genuinely shocked. He died of heart failure six weeks later, before he could appeal, so as a matter of law his convictions were wiped out. I have never subscribed to the conspiracy theories about Lay faking his death — not just because they are absurd, but because after observing him up close every day for months, I am convinced his ego would never have allowed him to go into hiding and give up trying to clear his name.
(Read More: Faces of the Enron Scandal: Where Are They Now?)
A year earlier, I stood in the hallway of a federal courthouse in Manhattan chatting with Bernie Ebbers, his wife and daughter about Grand Rapids, Mich., where the WorldCom CEO briefly attended college and I had worked years later as a reporter. It was a surreal, unguarded moment, and it ended suddenly when word came that the jury in his criminal trial had reached a verdict.
Ebbers was convicted on nine criminal counts in the massive WorldCom accounting fraud. He, too, was completely shocked.
Despite overwhelming evidence of his role in the fraud, Ebbers seemed genuinely put upon throughout his trial. On particularly bad days, his encounters with us in the press were nothing like the strangely cordial conversation we had in the hallway just before the verdict. On more than one occasion, Ebbers, a big man at 6-feet-4, literally shoved photographers out of his way with an angry grunt as he entered and left the courthouse.
Ebbers' crimes themselves were crimes of ego more than greed.
Even as the 1990s technology bubble was beginning to deflate, Ebbers was so intent on continuing to grow the telecom empire he created and became identified with that he demanded his people "hit the numbers" even if it meant breaking the law. Ebbers didn't need the money at that point. But he needed his company.
Marc Dreier was even more identified with the company he founded than Ken Lay or Bernie Ebbers were. The firm, after all, carried his name — Dreier LLP.
"It was terribly important to me that I have my name on a law firm," Dreier says in the film. "I couldn't tolerate the idea that people that I thought were intellectually less talented or less capable than me had more recognition or more wealth."
So he admits he lied, cheated and stole to keep the fraud going. Yet, by cooperating in the making of "Unraveled," he still seeks the last word.
Unlike some of the more famous white collar criminals, Dreier did plead guilty rather than fight to the end. But that may have had more to do with the fact that his empire had so completely collapsed and he was caught so red-handed that he had little choice.
So when Dreier asks whether any of us would do the same things he did if we thought we wouldn't get caught, he may have subconsciously been talking to himself. It is as if he wonders what he could have done differently to keep the scam going and continue getting the wealth and recognition he was so convinced he deserved.
Tune in:
"Unraveled" premieres Thursday, November 8th at 9 p.m. | 12 a.m. ET.


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Linked by Thom Holwerda on Fri 3rd May 2013 18:27 UTC
"Microsoft's phone chief hates to call the new Nokia Lumia 521 cheap, but the lower-priced smartphone launching in the United States is the company's boldest move yet to win mass market share from leaders Apple and Samsung. The world's largest software company has so far focused on putting its Windows Phone software into expensive, high-end devices - chiefly from Nokia and HTC. But the new model will go on sale at Walmart later this month at an unsubsidized price under $150, relatively cheap for a new phone running up-to-date software without a long-term contract." Windows Phone is racing to the bottom just as fast as Android - with the difference being that expensive Android devices do not fail to sell.
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RE[2]: Forget it, it will fail.
by _cynic_ on Fri 3rd May 2013 19:56 UTC in reply to "RE: Forget it, it will fail."
in fact, I've seen a lot of people (both individuals and reviewers) mention that the keyboard is fantastic and responsive.
Also, Windows Phone 8 supports auto word flow, in that if you type one word, it intelligently suggests the next word it thinks you may right.
Windows Phone pervasively supports multitasking. It supports a variety of background tasks including always on turn by turn location, VOIP support, and background audio.
The browser,...
It supports most mature standards, is fast, and hardware accelerated.
Whereas on Android, I've experienced extreme lag typing in an address bar on Chrome. Plus its never panned and pinched as smoothly as on Windows Phone.
Just helping highlight the incredible features
RE[3]: Forget it, it will fail.
by Nelson on Fri 3rd May 2013 21:09 in reply to "RE[2]: Forget it, it will fail."
RE[4]: Forget it, it will fail.
by pos3 on Sat 4th May 2013 04:39 in reply to "RE[3]: Forget it, it will fail."