text:
London 2012 closing ceremony: Farewell beckons
London spent about $14.5 billion on the Olympics.
London spent about $14.5 billion on the Olympics.
London: Usain Bolt made himself a living legend — just ask him. Michael Phelps swam a last lap into history. A man ran on carbon blades. Two track stars and a long jumper produced perhaps the greatest night in British sports history. Take a victory lap, London.
The nightmare that was supposed to be the 2012 Olympics — gridlock and chaos Underground and overground, a city locked down by terrorist threats, day after day of gray and drizzle — simply never materialized.
Instead, London threw a five-ring party.
"Nobody wanted to sit this dance out," said Sebastian Coe, the two-time Olympic 1,500-meter champion and chief of the London organizing committee. "Everybody has wanted to be involved."
Or, as the stately Economist said: "Britain looked at itself and liked what it saw."
The games were not without controversy. Eight badminton players were sent home in disgrace for trying to lose — doing it to gain a better draw in their tournament, but violating the Olympic spirit of competition.
Organizers scrambled to sell last-minute tickets, and ended up giving some to the military, after unsightly photos of empty seats were splashed across the famously cantankerous British press.
Some moments were downright ugly. A Greek triple jumper made a racist joke on Twitter. A Swiss soccer used a slur to describe the South Koreans who had just won, and said that they "can go burn."
At what were called the first social media Olympics, both remarks made it around the world in seconds. The punishment came almost as quickly: Go home.
The athletes who misbehaved were drowned out anyway. Tens of thousands of people flocked daily into Olympic Park. They filled Olympic stadium for morning heats. They gave the handball arena a new name: The Box That Rocks.
They camped out on the grass to watch the action on big screens. Flags — the Union Jack most prominently — became shirts and shorts, caps and capes, earrings and nail polish. Fans wore their national colors proudly, and literally.
And what a show they saw.
Bolt, the Jamaican track sensation, blew away the field in the 100 meters in 9.63 seconds and the 200 in 19.32, becoming the first athlete to win both sprints at consecutive Olympics.
He was so dominant that sometimes the question was not just whether he would win but whether he would run at full speed to the finish line — and what theatrics he would produce to celebrate.
He did pushups on the track. He struck the pose of an ancient, triumphant Olympian, or perhaps a superhero.
"I am now a living legend," he said. "Bask in my glory."
Bolt struck a third time on the next-to-last night of the games, running a blistering anchor leg to set a world record in the 4x100 relay for his third gold. He was so good that track officials let him keep the baton.
Elsewhere on the track, Kenya's David Rudisha led for the entire race in the 800 meters and broke his own world record by a tenth of a second. The standout performance of the games, proclaimed no less a track star than Coe himself.
Carmelita Jeter anchored the American 4x100-meter relay team to a winning time of 40.82 seconds, more than half a second better than a mark that had stood for more than a quarter-century.
The United States used a dominant showing in track and field to blow past China and lock up the races for total medals and for golds. Going into the final day, the United States had 44 gold medals, one shy of its record for an Olympics on foreign soil.
In the pool alone, they won 31 medals. And Michael Phelps, in a dazzling farewell, became the most decorated Olympian of all time. He came away with four golds and six overall to eclipse not just his contemporary rival, Ryan Lochte, but Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who held the previous record for most Olympic medals, with 18.
Phelps has 18 golds alone to show for his career, and 22 overall medals.
He left just as another American swimmer, 17-year-old Missy Franklin, was stepping into the spotlight. She captured four golds, equaling the U.S. mark for a female swimmer.
She was only one star at a breakout Olympics for women.
Gabby Douglas, the 16-year-old American gymnast, won two gold medals, including the all-around — and got to meet Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, to boot. Six women's world records were set in the pool.
Alex Morgan scored a late header that sent the U.S. women's soccer team to a semifinal victory against Canada and propelled them to an eventual gold. Serena Williams won golds in women's singles and in women's doubles with sister Venus.
Women's boxing made its debut, and was a huge hit. Britain's Nicola Adams, Ireland's Katie Taylor and U.S. teen Claressa Shields became stars in their gold-medal bouts.
Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor did what they always do — own the sand. They won their third straight gold in beach volleyball and did it at perhaps the best setting of the games — within a long serve of 10 Downing St.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei sent female Olympians for the first time. Saudi judo fighter Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani lost, in a headscarf and in less than 90 seconds. But she drew an ovation and made a statement just by being here.
So did Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee from South Africa with carbon-fiber blades who ran both the 400 and the 4x400 relay. He reached the semifinals in the 400 and ran anchor on the relay team that finished last in the final. Nobody minded.
"When I left the stadium last night I just turned around and looked at the crowd, and it's something I will definitely remember for the rest of my life," Pistorius said.
By the tens of thousands, Londoners shared the sentiment. For the host nation, a cast of athletes cemented their place in British lore.
Bradley Wiggins followed up his victory in the Tour de France with gold in the time trial and became the most decorated British Olympian. Track cyclist Chris Hoy won his sixth career gold. Ben Ainslie sailed to his fourth.
Andy Murray finally won a title at Wimbledon, thrashing Roger Federer in straight sets on Centre Court — just a month after losing to him in the Wimbledon final.
Britain piled up 28 gold medals and will finish third in the table. Not since another London Games, in 1908, has Britain performed so well.
It peaked on a Saturday night, when Britain won three gold medals in track and field in less than an hour — Jessica Ennis in heptathlon, Mo Farah in the 10,000 meters and Greg Rutherford in long jump — to a deafening roar inside Olympic Stadium.
The reserved president of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, made no secret of his delight at it all.
"For two weeks," he said, "the Olympic Park has been the beating heart of the world."
Rogge will deliver his final verdict during Sunday's closing ceremony, when the Olympic flame will be extinguished and the Olympic flag handed over to Brazilian organizers of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Normally reserved Britons embraced, put down their newspapers and spoke to each other on the Tube, and reveled in sports like never before.
"The doom mongers said it couldn't be done," said London Mayor Boris Johnson, who was responsible for one of the few mishaps of the games — getting himself stuck on a zip line.
"Well, they were wrong," he said. "It was done, it was stunning, and it will live long in the memory."
The cycling road race blazed by Buckingham Palace. The race walk went by, too, with considerably lower speed but no less enthusiasm. The marathon, on Sunday, will finish nearby.
And perhaps appropriately, these games will mark a changing of the guard.
Phelps is going into retirement. Bolt has hinted he won't be back in 2016. An American basketball team stacked with superstars toyed with its opponents and was playing for gold on Sunday, but NBA stars may be sidelined if the Olympic basketball tournament adopts an under-23 age rule like soccer.
After three-time host London, the Olympics will move to new territory — Sochi, Russia, for the 2014 Winter Games; Rio in 2016; and Pyeongchang, South Korea, for the 2018 Winter Games.
London spent about $14.5 billion in public money on its Olympics. The project has regenerated East London, and organizers have pledged a long-term legacy with no white elephants.
For now, though, no one in London is worried about that. It's been a jolly good show.
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Come to an upcoming BlogWell: How Big Brands Use Social Media conference in San Francisco or Seattle to hear brands like Adobe, Symantec, SAP, Mattel, Microsoft, MillerCoors, Boeing, and Intel share 8 great case studies on corporate social media. You'll learn how to get started, get past roadblocks, and make your social media program phenomenal […]
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Walmart's case study: Using social media for change management, presented by Lisa Thurber
June 2, 2011
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Rockstar Games Collection: Edition 1 - PS3
Product Details
About this item
Rating: M for Mature
current price: $59.88
Online only
With four award-winning, must-play titles together in one box, Rockstar Games is proud to present the ultimate value in gaming It includes:
Red Dead Redemption: Winner of over 170 Game of the Year awards, Red Dead Redemption brings the dying West to life with a vibrant open-world, powerful story, and intense single and multiplayer action.
- Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City: The conclusion to the highest-rated game of all time, Grand Theft Auto IV, featuring two full games on one disc: The Lost and Damned & The Ballad of Gay Tony.
- L.A. Noire: The revolutionary crime thriller featuring MotionScan, a breakthrough technology that captures every nuance of a real actor's facial performance, providing a level of realism, detail and emotion never before seen.
- Midnight Club: Los Angeles Complete Edition: One of the highest-reviewed racing titles, featuring customizable real world cars, non-stop open world street racing and multiplayer action. It includes every downloadable real world vehicle and city section released since launch.
Policies & plans
- Includes Red Dead Redemption, Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, L.A. Noire and Midnight Club: Los Angeles Complete Edition.
This product is covered by the Sam's Club Member Satisfaction Guarantee.
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Express - 1 to 2 business days


text:
|« Previous MessageNext Message »
|October 21 2000 10:36am
|MySQL 3.23.10 Help
|View as plain text
Hi Everybody, The Mysql version I am using is 3.23.10 alpha on Redhat Linux 6.0 I keep getting this error "Warning: Supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in searchresult.php3 file on line 98". This error I found maily comes when the result of my database search is greater than 3000 approximate records. If the search result is less than 3000 or so then all the resuklts are shown page by page. Hence I would like to know is there any MySQL buffer settings that needs to be done at the server side when the mysql server is running or there is some other problem ??? The second problem I am facing is when I am trying to dump a text data within a table which is of nearing 20KB, the data is not imported in the table. The same data can be dumped out of the table but when inserted back in a new table of the same structure then data is not imported. Please help me with these problem, as I was not getting this kind of problem in the earlier MySQL 3.21 version. Thanks in advance Regards Ravi
|• MySQL 3.23.10 Help
|21 Oct


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The true story behind the Trans Am that could talk
The thing about the black Trans Am that starred as K.I.T.T. (Knight Industries Two Thousand) in the popular '80s television series Knight Rider is that it was not supposed to happen—that, and George Barris had nothing to do with it. But those two startling facts bring us into the story half way through.
To start at the beginning, you have to know there were actually two separate and seemingly unconnected events that were taking place more or less concurrently some 2,500 miles apart in early 1981. At Pontiac Motor Division in Michigan, new General Manager Bill Hoglund was meeting with his managers to decide the fate of the Division. About the same time, across the country in Hollywood, California, television producer Glen Larson was in the process of moving his production company across town from Universal Studios to 20th Century Fox and needed to fulfill one last commitment to Universal.
Larson had signed a development deal with Fox in 1980 that guaranteed him pilot productions for eight television series. A guarantee of eight shows was extraordinary in 1980; it would be virtually unheard of today. But at the time, Larson was just about the most successful TV producer in Hollywood, having created such huge hits as Quincy, M.E.; Battlestar Galactica; McCloud; Switch; and Magnum P.I., among many, many others. In fact, at one time in the late '70s, Larson had seven TV series on the air simultaneously.
"We were sitting in Glen's very nice temporary office at Fox," says Harker Wade, "and Glen had this stack of scripts in front of him." Wade was Larson's supervising producer, the man responsible for turning Larson's ideas into cinematic reality. "There were about 8 or 10 scripts in the stack. Glen ran his index finger up and down this stack of scripts and said, 'I have one last commitment for Universal.' And he stopped his finger and pulled out the script and said, 'Talking car, Knight Rider.'"
And just that easily, like a flip of a coin, Knight Rider went to Universal and not Fox. A totally random movement of an index finger running down a stack of scripts had just sent what would turn out to be millions of dollars in royalties and profits to Universal. Of course, Fox wouldn't totally miss out on the fun, since Larson went on to produce hits such as The Fall Guy for that studio.
Meanwhile at Pontiac, Bill Hoglund was struggling to save a car company. When he became general manager in 1980, the brass on the 14th floor of the old GM Building essentially told him to either save Pontiac or shut it down. By 1981, Pontiac's heydays of the '60s and early '70s were far behind it. If anything, its success in those days was the reason for the struggles a decade later.
General Managers Bunkie Knudsen and John DeLorean had forcibly yanked Pontiac out of its plain-Jane image doldrums of the '50s by introducing truly ground-breaking products like the Catalina, Bonneville, Grand Prix, LeMans, and, of course, the legendary GTO. But then, Pontiac overreached and tried to do too much. The Division attempted to match Chevrolet's volume in some market segments, while competing with the higher-priced Buicks and Oldsmobiles in others. The result was a proliferating array of confusing models, sub-models, and variants that left customers wondering just what the heck Pontiac stood for. It didn't take long for this product schizophrenia to wreak havoc on the Division. Reflecting plummeting sales, Pontiac's car production, after reaching a high of 919,872 units in 1973, dropped precipitously; by 1981, it stood at 600,543. Profits disappeared.
In order to reorient Pontiac's focus, Hoglund held a series of meetings in Ann Arbor, Michigan, over a three-day period in January 1981 with all of his managers from Engineering, Design, Sales, Marketing, and Public Relations. These meetings would soon become known throughout the automobile industry as the Image Conference. Eric Dahlquist, president of Pontiac's West Coast public relations agency Vista Group, and—full disclosure here—the company for which this author worked as the vice president of client services, was one of the participants in the conference.
"The idea of the Image Conference," says Dahlquist, "was to sit down and discuss whether, first of all, Pontiac should continue as a division of General Motors, and if it was to continue, what should be done to rectify the problems with the sales decline."
After deciding that Pontiac should, indeed, continue as a viable division of GM, the conference got down to the business of discussing how this could be accomplished. Hoglund proposed that a mission statement be written that would guide the Division in the future and asked for ideas that could be used to describe Pontiac automobiles. Words such as "exciting," "fun to drive," "innovative," and "stylish" were suggested. Hoglund then turned to Dahlquist and Assistant Public Relations Director Dick Thompson and said, "You guys are the wordsmiths. Put something together and bring it back to the group."
"I can't remember what our draft said exactly," recalls Dahlquist, "but it was something like, 'Pontiac is a car company that builds exciting, innovative, well-engineered, contemporary automobiles that are stylish and fun to drive.'" The draft was presented to the conference, further refined, and adopted. Eventually, after Pontiac's ad agency, McManus, John & Adams, had its way with the draft, the mission statement morphed to, "Pontiac: A company known for innovative styling and engineering that results in products with outstanding performance and roadability." From the original draft also emerged the famous advertising tagline: "We Build Excitement."
In any event, as the Image Conference closed, Hoglund handed out assignments to get the Division's transformation underway. "Vista Group's particular assignment—actually, there were several—was to get Pontiac involved in top-level drag racing, especially NHRA Funny Car, where the upcoming 1982 Trans Am body could be used, along with the SCCA Trans Am Series and NASCAR. And, because we were in Los Angeles handling West Coast media relations, Hoglund said that if we could find a movie or television show that had those characteristics he wanted to see—high-tech or a trick James Bond-type of placement—we should bring that back to the Division and talk about it."
While the motorsports assignments moved ahead fairly quickly, signing up such high-profile drivers as Richard Petty and Don Prudhomme, nothing emerged right away on the motion picture/television initiative. Then in late spring of 1981, Wade Harker, who happens to attend the same church as Eric, approached him after services one Sunday.
"We're doing a pilot for a show at Universal," Eric remembers Harker saying. "There's going to be a car in it and it's going to be high-tech." He proceeded to outline the various attributes of the car, noting it would in effect be one of the lead characters of the show, and said that Larson had seen early photos of the all-new '82 Trans Am and thought it would be perfect for the role.
Dahlquist knew immediately that this was exactly the sort of product placement Bill Hoglund had in mind for Pontiac. "The things Larson was talking about doing to the car in Knight Rider fell in line with the design of the Trans Am," Dahlquist says. "And also he was amenable to having someone from Pontiac kind of oversee what was going on as far as the modifications went to keep the design intent of the car intact, so that people, the viewers, would know it was a Pontiac Trans Am."
Jim Graham was the sales promotion manager at Pontiac, and movie/TV placement fell under his purview. Graham had been responsible for, among others, the highly successful Trans Am placement in Smokey and the Bandit and its various sequels. Working through the proper channels, Eric wrote a letter to Graham, outlining the Knight Rider placement and how it fit the parameters established by Hoglund. Both Eric and I thought this was merely pro forma. After all, how could Pontiac possibly turn it down?
Several weeks later Graham's reply arrived. Eric read the letter and called me into his office. "You won't believe what Graham just did," he told me. Graham had rejected the placement, his letter saying it smacked of being another My Mother the Car. Graham's letter concluded that Knight Rider was not at all the image Pontiac wanted. "That told us Graham didn't really understand what the K.I.T.T. placement was about. Nevertheless, just like that, the Knight Rider opportunity, which we had thought was a slam-dunk, was dead."
Or so it seemed.
Eric had already mentioned Knight Rider to several people at Pontiac, including design chief John Schinella, the man responsible for sculpting the sinuous lines of the new Firebird, and Pontiac's Los Angeles Zone Manager John Kitzmiller. They were all in favor of the placement. "So there was a ground swell of enthusiasm for this opportunity," says Eric. "Because of this, we decided to press on despite Graham's rejection."
Later in the summer of 1981, Eric was back at Pontiac headquarters and spoke briefly with Hoglund, mentioning the Knight Rider placement. Hoglund listened and said he also liked the idea, but he could not directly countermand Graham since, as one his managers, to do so would undermine Graham's authority and thus compromise his effectiveness for the Division. Eric remembers Hoglund saying, "But if you somehow manage to organize the various people who would be involved in this and figure out a way to do it, if the request comes across my desk, I'll approve it."
"That meant I had to go to Design Staff, Engineering, Sales, even the Assembly Division, everyone except Graham," Dahlquist says with a chuckle.
Back in Los Angeles, a series of meetings took place into the fall, with John Kitzmiller at the Pontiac zone, as well as some of the influential Pontiac dealers in Southern California, and the manager of the Van Nuys assembly plant, where the '82 Firebird would start production in November. John Schinella at Design Staff was already onboard, and he spoke with Engineering to get their buy-in.
Since any cars that might be approved would have to come out of already tight dealer allocations, some horse-trading was in order. Kitzmiller can't recall what he promised the dealers in exchange for the cars, but after a little cajoling, in the end everybody bought in. Even the manager of Pacific Motor Transport's Van Nuys operation was brought onboard—for reasons that would become evident only later.
Acting as Pontiac's in-house man in Los Angeles, Kitzmiller wrote the letter to Hoglund, outlining the program and its support among Pontiac departments and dealers, and recommended the placement. True to his word, when that letter crossed his desk, Hoglund signed off on it, and actually scrawled a note of approval in his handwriting at the bottom of the page.
Knight Rider was back on the road.
With the circuitous maneuverings that ultimately secured Bill Hoglund's approval for the Knight Rider placement over, now came the even harder work—to make the project a reality. Next month, in Part Two of this story, we will see what had to be done to get the cars built and modified, and what transpired to actually sell the series to NBC network executives. It was never a straight road, nor was a successful outcome assured until the last moment. It was, indeed, a plot line that could only happen in Hollywood.
No story on the placement of the Pontiac Trans Am on Knight Rider as K.I.T.T. would be complete without photos of the actual car. Three K.I.T.T.s were built as primary picture cars, cars that are not used for most stunt work. Even though the cars were supposed to be destroyed following the end of the show, all three somehow survived the crusher's ball. High Performance Pontiac tracked down those original three cars and photographed them for this story.


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Ah, retirement -- that time when you'll never have to work another day in your life. How do you get there? By making the most of your working days.
It may seem like a contradiction, but the better you are at working, the more likely you'll be able to stop. That's because you're not just a human -- you're an asset (congratulations!). You're a living, breathing, money-making machine.
I'm talking about your ability to earn a paycheck, today and for the rest of your career. Enhance your ability to churn out cash, and you'll improve your prospects for a better retirement.
In fact, some folks think that so-called "human capital" should be factored into your asset allocation. For example, finance professor Moshe Milevsky argues that workers with safe, secure incomes should take more risk with their portfolios, whereas those with less predictable income should play it safer.
Work smart, earn more, save a lot
Of course, your human capital doesn't benefit your retirement if you squander all your profits (i.e., spend everything you make). So let's look at three 22-year-olds who begin their careers on the same day, at the same pay ($30,000 a year). Here are their differences: The first earns an annual raise of 4% but doesn't save a dime of his paycheck; the second also gets 4% raises and saves 10% of each paycheck; the third also saves 10% of each paycheck but is a real go-getter, garnering 6% raises each year. Assuming their investments grow 8% a year, here's how much retirement savings each person would have at age 67:
- The non-saver: $0 (No retirement for you!)
- The 4% raise earner: $2,112,421
- The 6% raise earner: $2,941,246
So our go-getter has 40% more retirement savings than the person who earned an average raise, and infinitely more than the non-saver (who could also be called the work-forever-er). But that's just part of the story. The final salaries are striking: $168,495 after 4% raises, $389,564 after 6% raises. So realistically, the person who earns 6% raises would probably have even more retirement savings, since she'll have more disposable income and will be more likely to save more than 10% each year.
And then there are the other sources of retirement income. Since Social Security benefits are based on earnings history, people who earn more during their careers will receive bigger checks. Ditto if the person receives a pension.
There's more to life than work
All that said, your career is more than the sum of your paychecks. Leaving a job you love for a higher salary may not be worth dreading the alarm clock's call every morning. But that's the other, fuzzier aspect of managing your human capital -- and retirement planning. If you have a job you enjoy, you may not want to retire, at least completely.
But even within rewarding professions not known for their high salaries, there are ways to enhance your skills and make yourself more valuable to your employer. (I was a teacher for five years, and I managed to do it.) And when the time comes for you to slow down -- perhaps wanting to work part-time, or just on a project basis -- the powers-that-be will be more willing to offer you flexibility.
I'm no career counselor, so you'll have to figure out yourself what would earn you a bonus, raise, or promotion -- or whether you should become your own business. But I do know that your human capital is probably the most significant asset in your retirement plan.
If you need a little professional, objective help managing your capital -- human, investment, or otherwise -- check out the fee-only financial planners of the Garrett Planning Network, who are now offering a limited-time 10% discount to Motley Fool readers. Just click on your state on the Locate an Advisor map, and look for the Fool logo for participating advisors.


text:
SAP Integrated Business Planning – Overview
- Area of Interest:Planning, Manufacturing, Execution
Software Solution:With SAP IBP
Delivery Methods:E-Learning
Duration:720 Min
Level:Introduction & Overview
- This course will prepare you to:
- Describe the key business processes in SAP IBP
- Explain, at a high level, the benefits of each SAP IBP component
- Actively engage in SAP IBP implementation projects
- IBP Application Consultants
- Project Team Members
- Key/Power Users
- Participants should be familiar Supply Chain planning functions.
- None
Course based on software release
- Introduction to Planning Processes
- Macro Process
- Planning levels & Horizons
- Challenges in the supply chain
- Introduction to SAP IBP
- How does it fits into my supply chain?
- What is the business case, KPIs Improved?
- Technology overview
- Overview of modules
- Navigation in Excel & Web dashboards
- Creation of an Excel template
- Demand management
- Introduction to IBP for demand
- Introduction to demand management
- Data preparation (Lifecycle management, segmentation)
- Statistical forecasting
- Demand sensing
- Sales & demand review
- Agree on consensus demand
- Inventory optimisation
- Introduction to IBP for inventory
- Introduction to inventory principles
- Inventory data preparation (service level, lead times)
- Single stage optimisation
- Multi echelon optimisation
- Supply planning
- Introduction to IBP for supply
- Unconstrained planning with supply heuristic
- Constrained planning with supply optimiser
- Overview of Response
- Scenario & Simulation
- Introduction to scenario planning
- Simulation in SAP IBP (What if analysis)
- Scenario planning & comparison in SAP IBP
- Identify issues in the supply chain
- Introduction to IBP control tower
- Overview of KPIs available
- Exception planning with alerts
- Analytics in the dashboards
- Collaboration
- Usage of the process tracker
- Reason codes and change log
- Case and tasks management
- How to improve productivity and teamwork with SAP Jam
Would you like to get full Access?
If you are already a subscriber, please login. If you are not yet a member, Please Click Sign up.
if you have any questions don't hesitate to contact us from the Button bellow


text:
Global infrastructure consultancy Opus International Consultants has rolled out Symantec Endpoint Protection to almost 3000 endpoints around the world.
The Wellington-headquartered company reviewed solutions from four vendors.
Opus has a complex IT environment with a range of operating systems. The company runs Microsoft on desktops, and Linux environments on servers; around one third of the fleet of 2500-3000 machines are laptops. Opus' global workforce requires a licensing and support model that can cope with technology that is deployed globally but is managed locally.
Bruce Tinsley, CIO Opus International Consultants, says that within Opus' distributed and disparate IT environment, Symantec Endpoint Protection fared best in the company's in-house testing and competitive evaluation.
"A few users were resistant but they were quickly won over by the ease of use and quality performance," he says. "I was pleasantly surprised at the simplicity of the transition from our previous provider and the overall implementation, as well as the level of protection."
Opus is upgrading to Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1, which provides defence against all types of attacks. Endpoint Protection is powered by Insight, which uses reputation-based security technology to tracks billions of files from millions of systems to identify new threats as they are created.
Symantec claims that Insight is the only system in the world that tracks the age, prevalence and security rating of nearly every program file on the internet. In addition, the upgrade to Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 enables seamless integration of the essential antivirus security tools into a single, high-performance agent with a single management console.
"The upgrade is straightforward and is going very smoothly," Bruce says. "The functionality is great and the management capability is excellent."
"Looking into the future, we have plans to add smartphones and tablets into our network. Symantec has the mobile data management and protection capabilities to meet our requirements."
Join the newsletter!
Follow our new social and we'll keep you in the loop for exclusive events and all things security!
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text:
Dresden Trim Daisy Chain Small Gold
Dresden Trim Daisy Chain Small Gold
Our Dresden line just got Bigger!
Our beautiful, quality Relics & Artifacts® Dresden is embossed paper, die-cut and covered in a layer of metallic foil. Made from original antique molds.
How to:
Use glue to apply these detailed borders and trims to your craft projects.
Paint any color or leave as is gold or silver.
Perfect for the Holidays
Use as embellishment, or create custom shaped bezels for your Relics & Artifacts®. The possibilities are endless.
Use in:
Paper Crafts
Home Decor
And more
Each package contains 12 Strands. Each are 21' Long and 1/8" Wide
Become a part of our RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Tribe!
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To place an order, please use the email provided on our contact page
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so it is written, so let it be done.
pick a side, motherfuckers, pick a side.
ygmir wrote:and we all know, what Rocky Raccoon found, back in his room.
think on that one!!
now, who's your prophet(s)?
Simon of the Playa wrote:that's why i always draw first....duh.
aserendipity wrote:but from NYC traversed to be here now
this thread rocks
thanks Simon and Yggy
uh so who are the real illuminati ?
FIGJAM wrote:The ones with to many LED's!
Savannah wrote:It sounds freaky & wrong, so you need to do it.


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Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum
Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum
In the eighteenth century, Enlightenment-based ideas of freedom and equality swept through the British colonies. This unit traces the effects of those ideas and the impact on diverse groups such as British Loyalists, Revolutionary leaders, Native Americans, yeoman farmers, and enslaved blacks.
The Enlightenment inspired many colonists to challenge England's governance, providing an importance impetus for the Revolution. More
Some African Americans, white women, and white yeoman farmers used political rhetoric to argue for their own rights; Loyalists and most Native Americans found little in these ideals to support their own interests. More
During this period, the writing of state constitutions provided crucial, but contested, opportunities to put democratic concepts into practice. More
© Annenberg Foundation 2017. All rights reserved. Legal Policy


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When one of the phones isn't using Voice over LTE, TTY messages may transmit in only one direction. If both phones are using VoLTE, they can send and receive TTY messages normally.
To work around this issue, tap Settings > Cellular > Enable LTE and select Data Only. Then make the call again.


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The Pancreas and Pancreatic Cancer
The pancreas is located in the abdomen, tucked directly under the stomach just below the spleen, not far from the kidney. It is long and narrow, approximately 7 inches long and 2-1/2 inches wide, narrowing at one end, and is yellowish in color.
What Pancreas Does
The pancreas basically serves two purposes. One is to aid the digestive system, and the other is to control the amount of sugar in the blood. The bile duct from the liver is directly integrated into, and is an extension of, this system. The duct ends are wrapped by cells that secrete digestive enzymes, and the hormones insulin and glucagon, which are used by the endocrine system.
As you can see, the small and much overlooked pancreas has a very important job to do. When a person is diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas, they usually have had symptoms of pain in the upper abdomen, and sometimes jaundice if the bile duct is compressed by a tumor. Other known symptoms are weight loss, and loss of appetite.
Controls Insulin
Because of the importance the pancreas plays in controlling insulin in the bloodstream, diabetes is a common warning sign for possible pancreatic cancer down the road. Pancreatic cancer is sometimes referred to as a "silent killer" because in its early stages it does not cause symptoms. The later symptoms vary by person, and are usually nonspecific; therefore the disease is often not diagnosed until it is advanced. And because the pancreas contributes to such vitally important bodily functions, when they are shut down by a tumor, the body quickly goes into decline.
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death across the globe. It often has a poor prognosis. For all stages combined, the 1-5 year survival rate is only 25% and 6% respectively. When cancer of the pancreas spreads, it first does so through the regional lymph nodes, and later to the liver.
Risk Factors
Risk factors are family history of the disease and age, usually 60 and above. Smoking is discouraged, and the risk goes down 33% with a decade of non-smoking. Those with bad eating habits are at risk – 1) If your diet is low in fruits and vegetables. 2) A diet high in red meat. 3) A diet high in sugar sweetened soft drinks (in particular those with fructose). Obesity, along with chronic pancreatitis and gingivitis (gum disease) are also risk factors. The jury is still out as to whether alcohol is a risk factor or not. However, consuming more than four alcoholic drinks per day can cause chronic pancreatitis, which in turn predisposes a person to pancreatic cancer.
Help to Lower Risk
Prevention for this cancer would seem to start with a healthy diet. Also working to maintain an ideal weight would be helpful. To start a terrific game plan, visit the Low Carb site and Weight Loss site here at BellaOnline. I'm sure you will find great ideas. I'll add the links at the bottom of the page.
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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The MIT men's track and field team, ranked 14th in the country, competed at the Beantown Classic against Division I foes Harvard University, Boston University and the University of Northeastern on Friday afternoon, finishing third among the four teams with a team score of 93 points. Harvard took first with a score of 191.
Junior Josh Duncavage (Austin, Texas) recorded a personal best in the 200 meters, finishing in 22.35 seconds to take second in the event. Duncavage's time is the sixth-best in Institute history. The junior also posted a season-best time of 6.99 seconds in the 60-meter dash, placing fourth overall.
Sophomore teammate Tyler Singer-Clark (Falmouth, Mass.) improved upon his season best in the 400m, posting a time of 50.32 seconds to finish fourth in the event.
Three different Tech runners were able to post solid times in the 800m, led by freshman Chadd Kiggins (Xenia, Ohio) with a time of 1:56.63. Freshman Sam Parker (Menlo Park, Calif.) and junior Jared Forman (Newton, Mass.) also placed well in the event.
Junior Patrick Marx (Grand Rapids, Minn.) won the 500 meter race with a time of 1:05.36. Sophomore Justin Bullock (Detroit, Mich.) had a season-best time of 4:14.64 in the mile, the 10th-best Division III time on the season.
Senior Nathan Peterson (Kansas City, Mo.) cleared 15-9.00 feet in the pole vault, good for ninth-best in Division III.
Senior Chinedum Umachi (Detroit, Mich.) won the weight throw event with a toss of 61-9.50 feet, good for fourth place on the NCAA performance list.
The Engineers will compete at Boston University's Valentine Invitational next weekend and will also host an invitational meet on Saturday, February 11. Next weekend marks the final competition before the New England Division III championship, which begins on February 17.


text: Find this wine Find this wine Stags Leap Merlot 2007 Recommended Decent, $46 @ JT Schmids Pin It Tweet 9 years ago by Evanpatak More posts Stag's Leap Merlot 2013 3 years ago by Axxiom2000 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Merlot 2011 Napa Valley I love this one. Smooth, rich, excellent. 5 years ago by Robin S. Stags Leap 2010 Merlot Red, merlot. Full bodied, strong flavor all the way through. Kind of fruity. 5 years ago by Yousif J. Stags Leap 2010 Malbec Very nice smooth pleasant tasting merlot 5 years ago by Janflo678 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Merlot Napa Valley 2007 Nice bottle 6 years ago by Mrwarmgun


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Do I Have to Pay Minnesota State Taxes on Foreign Income?
treatment of foreign income
Domicile Equals Tax Liability
Minnesota will tax you on all your worldwide income if you are domiciled in the state, even though you may not be a resident there.
Simply leaving the state and establishing residence elsewhere is not enough to change your domicile. You must also intend to remain in that new locality and takes steps to change it to your new domicile.
When you are ready to have your return prepared please send me an email to get the process started.
➤ locations served
Available for all taxpayers in every state and all Expatriates living abroad.
Areas of Practice
expat tax preparation
Foreign earned income and housing exclusions for both federal and state income tax returns. Foreign bank account reporting (FBARs), Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets, Tax Treaties, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number,etc.
business tax debt representation
We will file a power of attorney with the IRS and State Taxing Authority to negotiate a hold on all enforcement action such as bank and account receivable levies while we work on an appropriate resolution including Installment Agreements, Company Restructuring, Penalty Abatements, Offer in Compromises, and Currently Not Collectible Status. We will also advise you if bankruptcy is an option.
irs and state tax debt representation
We will file a power of attorney with the IRS and State Taxing Authorities to negotiate an appropriate resolution for back tax debt including Installment Agreements, Penalty Abatements, Offer in Compromises, Innocent Spouse Requests, and Currently Not Collectible Status. We will also advise you if bankruptcy is a option.
new business entity formation
We will educate you of the pros and cons of organizing an Limited Liability Company versus a Corporation, S-Corp., Limited Partnership, etc. and assist in the formation of the entity of your choosing.
previous years tax returns
We will prepare your previous years tax returns to bring you back into compliance with the IRS and State.
business tax return preparation
Whether you have a sole proprietorship with a Schedule C or a 1120 Corporate return we will prepare any business return.
Let's Chat
Use the form below to contact us regarding your legal enquiry. Please be as detailed as possible. Include your industry along with any specific document requests. To help us best service your enquiry, we recommend that you first describe the issue you're having before telling us what you want to achieve. You may also email or call us to make an appointment.
For job opportunities, please email us your resume. We're always looking for new and exceptional talent to lead the firm into uncharted fields of practice.


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POMONA >> Today's the last day of the 91st L.A. County Fair, but don't feel overwhelmed if you go because we've compiled a list of the five things to do.
We'll start with the rides to get the craziness out of the way — specifically "Insanity." The 90-second ride features participants spinning in large loops and going upside down.
"I like this ride," said Charlie Herd, 31, of La Habra after he got off the Ray Cammack Shows Carnival ride on Saturday afternoon. "It's one of the better rides. It didn't jerk me around as much. I'm not feeling like I'm going to be sick. It's a free fall but it doesn't go in a circular motion."
To settle your stomach, next check out the performances at the fair that on Saturday ranged from a UCLA Kyodo Taiko (a traditional Japanese art form) group at a packed Coca Cola Stage to the Kiss cover band appropriately named Kissmania later in the evening.
Additionally, Person to Person was also performing '70s hits around the fair on a traveling stage.
Luis Villalobos, 39, of Fontana was able to catch the Kyondo Taiko group.
He had seen similar groups, he said, but "they play very well. They're very coordinated and they're all in sync."
Kissmania and Person to Person will be back today.
After checking out the acts, it's not surprising to feel a little hungry so head over to the nearest food stand.
Michael Lecaine-Valdivia, 8, of Covina held an oversized corn dog near the Juicy's BBQ stand . The corn dog appeared to be larger than his head. Family members took pictures of him holding it before Michael happily took a bite that barely made a dent in the dog.
"He loves corn dogs," said his sister, Shelly, 10, who had a large slice of hot, pepperoni pizza.
The entire family was enjoying the fair's food as Michael and Shelly's father, Alex, held a plate of regular fries and mother Angela held criss-cut fries. Daughter Lily, 5, held onto a Hello Kitty doll.
Animals are a good stop for fairgoers, but some in the animal world that are not as well known as the pigs, cows or horses include an outdoor vendor booth where you can (but don't have to) take photos with colorful parrots, snakes and lizards on Birch Street.
Julian Angelo, 4 1/2, of Westwood appeared entranced, eagerly walking and looking at the animals, trying to get the best view of the exotic creatures.
His grandmother, Beryl Salvatore, 61, of Northridge, was closely monitoring Julian with the boy's mother, Hilary, 30, and Julian's sister, Eileen, 2 1/2, nearby.
"We've been coming for years," Salvatore said with one eye on Julian and the other looking at everyone else. "I took my kids when they were young and we haven't been back in awhile. I thought we'd take the grandkids. … Everyone (working) at the fair has great attitudes. Everyone seems extremely happy."
To top off the fair experience, the "Pencils 2 Pixels-The Art of Animation" exhibition in The Shopping Place features old-school video games such as "Punch Out" and "Dig-Dug" to play as well as stills and information on cartoons like Bugs Bunny and even drawings of "The Simpsons."
John Campini, 28, of Murrieta said he enjoyed the "random trivia" he learned from the exhibit.
"In 1931 was the first time Mickey (Mouse) got a publication deal outside of Disney on some school supplies," Campini said, adding that his son, Vincenzo, 1, really enjoyed the exhibit as well.
The fair is at 1101 W. McKinley Ave. General admission, minus any deals, for ages 13 to 59 is $19 while children ages 6 to 12 are $12. People age 60 and older pay $15. Parking is $15.


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|Alaska Australian Cattle Dog Rescue
|Australian Cattle Dog Rescue Groups
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|No Australian Cattle Dog for adoption in Alaska, please click a new state below.
|PIease Read Before Adopting an Australian Cattle Dog in Alaska
Australian Cattle Dogs can make good pets in Alaska if they match your IifestyIe. The Australian Cattle Dog is one of the most intelligent dog breeds, needing a lot of attention to stave off boredom. A neglected Australian Cattle Dog can become destructive. Australian Cattle Dogs have strong herding instincts and behave best when they have plenty of space and a job to do. Australian Cattle Dogs are well suited to farms and homes with large yards; they do not do well confined to an apartment or other small space. Australian Cattle Dogs are loyal and very obedient with attentive training. An Australian Cattle Dog tends not to do well with children unless it has known them since it was a puppy. Australian Cattle Dogs may be very close to their masters and reluctant to accept other people.
Rescue Me! - HeIpingAnimaIs in Need.
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Take a look into the personality of Golden Eagle golfer Greg Kitts. With a video, questionairre, and biography, Greg's Personality Profile will give you a look into what he's like off the golf course. We sat down with Greg to find out what his favorite food is and so much more. Click here to see the full profile and video.
To go along with the ever-expanding Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube campaigns, Tennessee Tech is offering its fans yet another avenue of access to Golden Eagle student-athletes. A new feature on TTUSports.com gives fans an inside look into the lives of their favorite TTU athletes. Each personality profile boasts a video interview with the student-athlete, a biography of their playing career, and a contest which pits two of their teammates against one another to see who knows that athlete the best.


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The sunshine vitamin in just one drop.
A simple vitamin D supplement. Easy to use, easy to take!
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Award-winning Ddrops® products were created as a great way to simply give vitamin D from infancy to adulthood, in just one drop! All Ddrops® vitamin D drops are tasteless, odorless and contain no preservatives, no artificial flavors and no added colors. Just the vitamin D3 and vitamin D2 your family needs, pure and simple.
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We love vitamin D!
We keep up on the latest in the world of vitamin D, and provide information on current vitamin D news, recommendations and research.
Video: Why do infants and children need vitamin D?
Doctors and other healthcare professionals recommend vitamin D for children, including infants. Here are the top five reasons for recommending vitamin D to this age group:
Read More ›


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ERBE, ERBE, Summit, Slash 4X4, Bandit,
Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk
A little bash session on the way to work
Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk
My ERBE thinks its a Summit!
Bash it like someone else has to fix it!
The erbe clan
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Too much power!!! Yea buddy!!!
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New body for my son's race truck
No Limit RC of Maryland
Many more orange parts to come...this is only the beginning. The camera captured the true color better in the second photo.
Proline 1972 Chevy C10 Long Bed
I had to cut out grooves for the front bumper...
Jesus, Lights, RC
My monster e revo
Back in business
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Down by the fishing spot
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taking photos and driving
Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk
Joining the ERBE club. Picked this up for under 400.
Only a few months old and under 10 runs on NiMH. None of the bags were even opened.
SlHad an issue with my antenna hitting the shell so I trimmed a bit more in the back for motor cooling and easy access to the power switch.
This is my T-REBE (truggy)
Last edited by Mulitron; 06-03-2013 at 03:37 PM.
Nice collection.
New bumpers and one less wing.
All I wanted to do is go outside. Been rain for days up here.
Send via most likely stolen wifi...
Ready for the summer
Sent from my iPhone 5 using my thumbs.
Old body was broken during hard races in the german woods. Today i painted the new body in cobald green...
Regards, Olaf
Sent from my Droid DNA using tapatalk 2
LOL. I cannot believe how many of these trucks (just on the last page.) are on URC too. -I came over here to get one little answer and found myself with an open photobucket tab.... and thought I'd share over here too.
Hello folks,
New to the forum and just got a brushless revo about a month ago. So far, I have painted up an SVT raptor body, threw on some trencherX's and added a couple of summit bits.
Here's my EREBE, went back to the stock look
Started life as brushed now brushless, Rpm arms all the way around, RC solutions roll cage
Slash 4x4
Bandit 2410
Villain IV
T-Maxx 3.3 x2
I have had my E-Revo for over a year now, and just upgraded to brushless with a Tekin RX8 and a T8 2000kv brushless motor added a Tekno swaybar kit, and some Proline Trenchers. Also I had to get a new body for the car, so here is my first attempt at painting a body. I made some mistakes, but now what I know would do different next time (be patent and go lighter on the coats). All and all I am happy with the results.
E-Revo RX8 2000KV
Rustler VX4 3900KV
2WD Slash
Sent from my Droid DNA using tapatalk 2
New to forums.. Thought i would share my revo
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
Last edited by huy_7020; 08-05-2013 at 06:04 AM.
My battle Reva) Crimea, Ukraine
Last edited by AlekZandr88; 09-01-2013 at 03:22 PM.
A pic of mine, as of Sept. 8th. Just so happens to be my birthday today.
E-Revo with Dodge Charger body I painted.
Last edited by dcmjerevo11; 09-28-2013 at 07:17 PM.


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Some quick hits from Day 2 of "learning intensive'' practices:
Q: Is there any update on Derrick Burgess, coach?
Tom Cable: No.
And that's your official Raiders statement on Burgess, who has missed voluntary workouts for the last few years but has expanded his repetoire.
— Few plays run to completion, even during seven-on-seven drills, which made it more than a little comical when defensive coordinator John Marshall said, "It's about time for a pick.''
If the Raiders did manage a pick when quarterbacks were not throwing the ball, now that would have been a story.
— One of the first drills, one that last a good 10 minutes, was positioning for "run fits,'' or where defenders "fit'' into gaps to stop the opposition from running.
— Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey got past Stanford Routt during a drill, he drew the praise of Willie Brown, "He's so fast and quick, got a nice release . . . we've got something for you next week, though.''
Brown didn't have to wait a week. Routt slowed Heyward-Bey with an initial shove. "Nice hands,'' Brown said.
Replied Routt: "Gotta slow him down.''
— Speaking of Routt, Cable said he's in a competition with Chris Johnson to start at corner opposite Asomugha, and the reps would seem to bear that out.
Johnson said the job is his. More on that later . . .
— Cable didn't want to delve into specifics, so we won't here, either, but Trevor Scott is doing more than putting his hand down and rushing a defensive end. More on that later . . .
— Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard have started 32 games alongside each other, but aren't always on the same page.
"Under, under, under, under!,'' barked linebackers coach Mike Haluchak with regard to a coverage. "You've got to communicate!''
— Visual evidence (seeing Terdell Sands leave the field house in a tank top and shorts) suggests the defensive tackle is in the best shape he has been since joining the Raiders.
— Recently-waived quarterback Danny Southwick is still around, but not in uniform. He holds a clipboard much of the time, but for a short period of time he was throwing passes to Chaz Schilens and Heyward-Bey. He classified himself as an "intern.''
— It's a year to the day since Javon Walker told Al Davis he was considering retirement, after which Lane Kiffin openly questioned his desire. None of that this year. Walker can hardly wait to take the field, although that could be two weeks away.
"When they let me loose, it's on after that,'' Walker said.
Walker had plenty else to say about what he hopes is a miraculous comeback season.
More on that later . . .
— Defensive end Jay Richardson has not been getting snaps with the first team, and often not with the second team either.
— Here's your training camp definition of TMI , or Too Much Information for those of you who are acronym challenged. Tommy Kelly jogged off the field briefly, only to return a short time later.
He went to the restroom, Cable reported.
Not sure if he really had to go, or if it was a false start. He made his fourth false start in two days.
— Five more "learning intensive'' practices to go before the hitting begins.
"I looked over at you guys and wondered why you're even out here,'' one player said.


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Timberwolves claw out thriller at Miami
MIAMI — Making one free throw at the end of regulation wasn't enough for the Miami Heat, nor was making just one again at the end of the first overtime.
In the second extra session, one made all the difference for Minnesota.
Corey Brewer hit one of two free throws with 1.8 seconds left after getting a call on an awkward-looking play, and that was enough to help the Timberwolves escape a three-hour thriller with a 122-121 victory over the Heat on Friday night.
"Great call," Brewer said. "He pushed my back."
Kevin Love scored 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Minnesota, which got 24 from Chase Budinger, 15 from Gorgui Dieng and 13 apiece from JJ Barea and Ricky Rubio, who also added 14 assists. Referee Ken Mauer called the last foul on Miami's Norris Cole, who was guarding Brewer near the basket as a pass was coming his way.
"You just want to see the players decide it at the end," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said calmly after the game. "I didn't get a good look at the replay. … Still, we had many more opportunities to close that game out."
Ray Allen missed a wild jumper as time expired for Miami, which blew a chance to move two games clear of Indiana in the loss column atop the Eastern Conference standings.
"We gutted one out," Love said. "This was a fun win."
LeBron James scored 34 points for the Heat, who got a season-high 24 from Mario Chalmers and 24 more from Chris Bosh, including a tying 3-pointer with 10.8 seconds left in the second overtime.
James said he wanted the last shot. It's the second straight end-of-game play where Miami didn't go to James when trailing.
"It's a little frustrating," James said, wearing a Pharrell Williams-esque mountain hat at his locker after the game. "I'm a little over it right now, but right after the game I was a little frustrated."
Miami went 24 for 30 from the line, but three of those six misses proved particularly costly. James missed one of two free throws with 16.2 seconds to go, and Chalmers missed the first of two on his trips to the line in the final seconds of both regulation and the first overtime.
"We had our chances," Spoelstra said. "Either a key stop, one less turnover, a free throw here or there, we had our opportunities. They made one last play."
Said Chalmers, who was 8 for 10 from the line: "I missed the two most important ones."
The Heat (52-23, .693) remained percentage points ahead of Indiana (53-24, .688), which lost earlier Friday night at Toronto, 102-94.
Regulation and the first overtime ended in virtually the same fashion. With Minnesota up by one and Miami in desperation mode, Chalmers would make the second of two free throws — with 3.9 seconds left in the fourth, then with 1.9 seconds left in the first extra session — to tie the game, followed by the Heat watching a potential winning jumper by Love bounce off the rim.
But Love hit a clutch 3-pointer in the second OT, helping swing the tide one last time.
"He's one of a kind," Rubio said. "We try to look for him all the time. He made tough shots. He gave us the game."
There were nine lead changes in the entirety of regulation. There were 10 in the first OT alone.
Budinger's fifth 3-pointer of the night put Minnesota up 107-106 late in the first extra period. Bosh fought for an offensive rebound on the next Miami possession, wound up getting fouled and coolly making a pair of free throws to give the Heat a one-point edge.
Minnesota called its next play for Love, who backed Bosh down and connected on a jump hook to reclaim that one-point lead. But Chalmers wound up drawing another foul, hit the second shot and off to double-overtime they went.
By then, it was obvious that whichever team lost was going to have a long night of lamenting missed opportunities.
"To get a win like this on the road against the world champions, it says a lot," Minnesota coach Rick Adelman said.
NOTES: Allen returned from a five-game absence caused by the flu. … Miami was again without Dwyane Wade (hamstring) and Greg Oden (back spasms). … It was Rubio's first time playing at Miami. … Minnesota was again without C Nikola Pekovic (ankle), who has missed 21 of the Timberwolves' last 31 games. … A foul by Budinger saved Minnesota two points late in the third; he hit James on a play where Allen made a 3-pointer. After review, Allen's 3 was correctly taken off the board and James only made one of his two ensuing free throws.


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Small quakes rock Southern California
Quakes centered 23 miles south of Palm Springs in lightly populated desert.
LOS ANGELES — A series of small earthquakes centered in the lightly populated desert rattled parts of Southern California on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The seven quakes, including one measuring a magnitude of 4.7, were centered about 12 miles southeast of Anza, in Riverside County, and 23 miles south of Palm Springs, but were felt over a wide area of Southern California. They were felt in Sequoia National Park, about 250 miles away, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The quakes were deep — about seven to eight miles — and occurred within 20 minutes of each other about 10 a.m. PT. There were no reports of injury or damage.
In Los Angeles, one quake produced a rolling motion.
In the USA TODAY bureau, on the ninth floor of an office building just north of Los Angeles International Airport, the quake caused window blinds to jangle. The rolling motion lasted about 10 seconds, inducing a momentary seasick feeling in some workers.
The U-T San Diego newspaper quotes Jim Eskidge, a resident of Fletcher Hills in the eastern part of San Diego County, as saying "the ground shook pretty good, and the windows shook good."
The USGS initially registered the first quake as 5.2 magnitude before revising it downward. The smallest of the quakes measured 2.5 magnitude.
More than 100 minor aftershocks had been recorded by midafternoon.
Contributing: Michael Winter


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The Raiders waived third-round draft pick Joe Barksdale Wednesday morning, according to The Sideline View.
Barksdale was inactive for all three days and was bypassed for backup duty against Pittsburgh in favor of 2012 rookie Tony Bergstrom, who was moved from guard.
The LSU product joins DeMarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chekwa as Class of '11 picks no longer on the Raiders' 53-man roster.
Wide receiver Tori Gurley tweeted Tuesday night he had joined the Raiders, although it didn't specify whether it was on the practice squad or 53-man roster.
Note: Gurley, like linebacker Vic So'oto, is an ex-Green Bay player. Gurley was among the final cuts by the Packers and was signed to the Minnesota practice squad. Unless he was recently waived by Minnesota, Gurley was likely signed to Oakland's 53-man roster _ much like another ex-Packer _ Brandian Ross _ was last week.
Gurley was on the Packers practice squad last season when general manager Reggie McKenzie was director of football operations.


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ROCHESTER — A random act of kindness by a retired military gentleman has left a local family thankful and pleasantly surprised this holiday season.
On Saturday, Susan Murphy's three sons — who all serve in the Navy — came to the 99 Restaurant in Dover to join the holiday family dinner. For Murphy, a Lilac City resident, it was one of her first chances to take photographs of all three sons wearing their Navy dress blues.
After a rowdy and chatty dinner, involving 14 family members eating filling meals, the waitress approached the family and said, "The only thing on your tab is your dessert," Murphy recalls.
As it turned out, a veteran who had been eating dinner in the corner of the restaurant with his wife, had noticed the three men wearing their Navy dress blues, and decided to pay the entire dinner bill.
The waitress said the man did not want to be thanked — he and his wife left the restaurant before the family could acknowledge him and thank him for his kindness.
"We didn't even see them," said Murphy. "We were surprised that anyone would be so kind. It baffled all of us. We were stunned — every one of us was stunned."
Looking for a way to thank the anonymous veteran and his wife, Murphy reached out to Foster's earlier this week.
"(I want) to thank him for his service and for recognizing the service of my children," said Murphy.
Murphy's husband, Scott Murphy, said the entire dinner bill must have cost at least $200. The only thing the family paid for was three desserts — ordered primarily by Murphy's three grandchildren — and a decent tip for the waitress.
All three of Murphy's sons — Joseph Hebert, 28, William Hebert, 25, and Tom Hebert, 22 — were recently promoted within the Navy, she said.
For William, ranked EM2 and stationed in San Diego, it was his first time in two years being home for the holiday season. Last Christmas, he was in Singapore, in the midst of an eight-month deployment. The year before, he was in San Diego.
Joseph, an AM3, and Tom, an MA3, are both in the Navy Reserves, and living in Rochester.
Murphy said she is always moved when a stranger approaches one of her uniformed sons and shakes his hand, whether it be at a department store or at a restaurant.
"It makes me want to thank others that serve as well," said Murphy.


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Raonic propelled Canada into the second round of the Davis Cup World Group on Sunday as he beat Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in straight sets — 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 — at UBC's Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
Raonic triumphed a year after he pulled out of a reverse rubber match against France, played on the same court, because of a minor knee injury. Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ont., replaced him and lost the decisive match of the tie.
Raonic came under intense criticism afterward because he played the following weekend at an ATP tournament in San Jose.
"I love to prove people wrong, and many people were saying maybe Davis Cup doesn't mean a lot to me — and I think I showed that it does," said Raonic.
"It sucked to hear those kind of things, that kind of doubt, and I guess it was nice to prove people wrong."
The win marked the first time that Canada has advanced to the second round of the World Group level, which is open to the top 16 countries. Canada is ranked 12th on the Davis Cup table while Spain, which lost the 2012 final to the Czech Republic, entered the weekend No. 1.
Raonic gave Canada an insurmountable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five tie with one reverse singles match to play. Canada ultimately won 3-2 after Dancevic lost a later dead rubber (7-5, 6-4), which was limited to two sets, to Albert Ramos.
"It's amazing to do everything we've done," said Raonic.
"I've only been a minor part of it the last few years consistently. And to be able to have this conversation for the first time is pretty amazing."
The Spaniards are five-time Davis Cup champions but they did not have their top four players in the lineup.
David Ferrer, ranked fourth in the world, Rafael Nadal (fifth), Nicolas Almagro (11th) and Fernando Verdasco (24th) stayed home. Nadal and Almagro are recovering from injuries while Ferrer and Verdasco chose to rest.
Spanish captain Alex Corretja said the Spanish team did its best with the players available.
"But, I would say, the Canadian people should enjoy this," he said. "It's a great opportunity for them. They're a very dangerous team. They have a good chance to reach the (Davis Cup) semis.
"When you look at the score, Canada beat Spain 3-2. You don't need to look at who played."
Canadian captain Martin Laurendeau said his players deserved credit for executing under pressure against a higher-ranked team. Raonic was the only player ranked higher than the Spanish contingent who competed this weekend.
"For us, we beat Spain, and we're in the (World Group) quarter-finals for the first time ever," said Laurendeau. "So we're not gonna diminish the Spanish team in any way."
"I think it still takes quite a lot of courage, resilience and determination to get through what we got through this weekend," added Raonic.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper was also impressed with the victory. "Congratulations to @milosraonic and our Canadian Davis Cup team on their historic win in Vancouver," he tweeted.
He was rarely tested by Garcia-Lopez, ranked 82nd in the world, who made his Davis Cup debut. Garcia-Lopez was inserted into the do-or-die match as Corretja made a late lineup change in a bid to right Spain's fortunes.
Canada entered play with a 2-1 lead and needed just one win in its final two singles matches to claim the tie.
Garcia-Lopez replaced Marcel Granollers, who was tagged as Spain's top singles player for this event. Granollers, ranked 34th in the world, was upset by Dancevic — who's ranked a distant 166th — on Friday night.
Granollers also played a gruelling doubles match Saturday that lasted almost four hours. Corretja said he replaced Granollers because he was mentally and physically tired, and the Spaniards wanted to surprise Canada.
Garcia-Lopez has a victory over Britain's Andy Murray, ranked third in the world, at an ATP Tour event in Indian Wells, Calif., and also beat compatriot Nadal at another ATP Tour competition in Chennai, India. The unheralded Spaniard has also reached the third round of Grand Slam events on four occasions, the Australian Open twice and once each at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
But he struggled to return Raonic's powerful serve, which produced 18 aces. Raonic used aces to clinch the first and second sets and almost had another on the match-clinching point before he won with an overhead smash.
Garcia-Lopez tried to counter Raonic's power with several cross-court shots in a bid to get the world's 15th-ranked player running around the court. But Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., had little difficulty returning Garcia-Lopez's attempts.
Raonic left Garcia-Lopez vulnerable to several smashes, and caught the Spaniard going the wrong way a number of times with crisp volleys.
"I was impressed with how he played on the baseline," said Garcia-Lopez, noting he knew of Raonic's powerful serve, but was surprised by his baseline play.
Canada will host Italy in the quarter-finals in April.
Raonic said the full value of the victory over the depleted Spaniards won't be determined until Canada faces the Italians. But the win over Spain has brought the team closer.
"I don't have any control over what people say, but I think it will give us some more respect," said Raonic.
Vancouver is considered a strong contender to host the tie with Italy, while Calgary is also expected to serious consideration after narrowly missing out in its bid to host this event.
Players gave Tennis Canada officials input on their preferred location before team members started to scatter Sunday night. Laurendeau said he also faces difficult decisions on his next lineup.
Jesse Levine, ranked 81st in the world, will be eligible to play after officially changing his tennis nationality to Canadian from American. Levine, a dual citizen who was born in Ottawa and grew up in Florida, would be the second-highest ranked Canadian player behind Raonic.
Laurendeau indicated he expects doubles ace Daniel Nestor of Toronto to play against Italy. Nestor was feeling sick after he and Vancouver's Vasek Pospisil lost Saturday's doubles event in five sets.
But the captain said Nestor, 40, shook off his illness. Nestor watched the game courtside with teammates, but was not available for comment afterward as he prepared to catch an evening flight home.
"I don't think he's going to retire in the next eight weeks or so," said Laurendeau.
Canada has now posted two straight Davis Cup wins on home courts, following up a September relegation-round win over South Africa to return to the World Group. Laurendeau wants his team to maintain its momentum as it faces a short turnaround time for the tie against Italy.
"We're very pleased about being in quarters, but we feel like we can keep on going," said Laurendeau.
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In some ways, our Pacifico strikes the perfect balance between the teva-and-granola Northwest crowd and the too-cool-for-school surfers in SoCal. The Western Maple frame flows into an elliptical back that has been shaped and pitched into an eye-pleasing, spine-respecting bow. The seat is deep enough for all sizes of oenophiles but won't take up the entire cellar. Available with brushed aluminum or antique bronze footrail covers.
All of the WILLEM SMITH pieces are meant for a lifetime. Below are some straightforward tips to help you easily preserve the beauty of your collection for years to come.
Enjoy. Host yet another three-hour dinner party in your Etesian chairs. Curl up with a long novel in our Francisco. Our uncompromising attention to the construction of each piece assures your WILLEM SMITH collection will endure and endure. Our classic, clean lines and our conscientious provision of the highest quality and most appropriate materials assure your pieces will be simple to maintain.
If you have specific questions on caring for any of your WILLEM SMITH piece, please call us. We would love to hear from you.
Dust can cast a dull pallor, masking the inherent beauty of our carefully selected woods. Frequent dusting not only allows you to pass the white glove test and recoup the wood's sheen, it removes airborne pollutants which could scratch wooden surfaces. An ever so slightly dampened, clean, soft cloth is our tool or choice; it effectively removes and traps dust from becoming airborne again. Periodically, to restore the natural luster, polish wooden furniture with a lint-free cloth, working in the direction of the grains as much as possible.
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And finally, bear in mind that over time and with use your leather will develop a unique and welcoming patina, giving it a distinctive appearance and further softening as it ages. Much like all of us.
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By Rob Glidden
Staff Writer
A group of fifth-grade students at Strong Elementary School have launched their own small business selling homemade dog biscuits.
Their teacher, Lenore Butler, has made it a tradition in her classroom to read "A Dog's Life," which tells the story of a canine who lives as a stray for many years before finally finding a home. The kids are usually moved by the novel and Butler came up with a way for them to help homeless dogs in Southington.
"They felt sad for the stray animals so we came up with an idea to give the dogs some bones," she said.
This idea turned into a successful grant proposal to the Southington Education Foundation, which financed the tools necessary to create a program for the students that can return year after year. The students spent a full morning cutting piles of batter into small bone-shaped biscuits and lining them up in trays before they were cooked in the school's kitchen.
"We put them in bags and go around the school to get money for the dogs," said fifth-grader Riley Herrick.
Any students who wanted to take some of the treats home could get four for 25 cents. The money will be used to purchase toys and treats for the animals at the local dog pound.
"[The pound] can't take money so we have to buy the toys and stuff for them," said fifth-grader Christina Sargent.


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Run for $: Shoos, Ragged Mountain face off
For 23 years, Ragged Mountain Running Shop has been a mecca for local runners. Its less-than-obvious second floor location tucked away on Elliewood Avenue has not deterred throngs of loyal pavement-pounders. But with the August opening of Shoos on Elliewood, area runners got one more shoe-shopping option– mere strides away from Ragged Mountain. Might the competition threaten Ragged Mountain's hold?
"We don't get cocky," says Ragged Mountain owner Mark Lorenzoni, "but we're a specialty business; this is all we do." That, he says, is what will keep his customers coming back.
"People come in with exercise-related problems, injuries," he says. "Everyone who comes into this store is looking for something functionally correct, not fashion."
As for Shoos, Lorenzoni says he's happy to have a new neighbor– particularly for the dress shoe option. "There's been a need on the Corner for a dress shoe store for a long time," he says.
Shoos owner Jim Norwood says he's not worried about direct competition either– especially since two-thirds of the new three-floor store is dedicated to Birkenstocks and to a full complement of moderately priced women's dress shoes.
"Ragged Mountain is a running store; they've built a loyal following in this market, and they surround the sport of running," says Norwood, who also owns New Balance of Charlottesville on the corner of Rio Road and Route 29. "We are based around the sport of comfort and fit."
Norwood cites the fact that each of his nine Virginia stores offers certified pedorthists, foot specialists who are trained in the mechanics of the foot, the ankle, and how they interact with the shoe.
Norwood says it's the custom sizes– from 0 to 20 with widths from AAA to 6E– that make New Balance an appealing brand.
And while various stores around town carry the brand, "We carry the widest selection of Birkenstock and New Balance in the state of Virginia," says Norwood, explaining that he opened the store to tap into the University and UVA Hospital market, which he believed was underserved.
Response to the new three-level store has been "very, very satisfactory," says Norwood, who plans to open three new stores across Virginia over the next year.
But if 25-mile-a-week runner Kerry Hendrix is any example, Shoos success will not spell Ragged Mountain's doom.
"I love it," she says of Ragged Mountain. "It's convenient, they're courteous and knowledgeable. I've basically been shopping there for probably 12 years."
Kerry says the Lorenzonis' dedication to the local running scene inspires his following. Mark's wife, Cynthia, is the director of the Women's Four-Miler, and the couple sponsors a slew of other races and running events throughout the year.
"I just feel this alliance to them because of their support," says Hendrix. "And they know what they're talking about in terms of shoes."
Is competition running high on Elliewood Avenue?


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Information Technology Services Faculty Fellow
The primary purpose of the ITS Faculty Fellow program is to help improve ITS' instructional technology consulting services and activities; serve as an advocate for ITS; advance exemplary teaching; enrich the learning experiences of students by the appropriate use of technology; develop media-enhanced instructional materials; and to research on a discipline-specific use of technology.
A one year fellowship to start May 16.
Fall/Spring Fellows are awarded a $5000 stipend/semester; $10,000 for the summer. The Fellow will devote 15 hours/week working with ITS during the fall and spring semesters and 25 hours/week during summer.
Fellows will work with the Instructional Support and Training and Learning Spaces Support teams. The primary responsibilities will be assessing classroom technologies, researching new and emerging instructional technologies, and leading a committee charged with making recommendations for classroom and lab improvements/enhancements. In addition, the Fellow will assist in developing, promoting, and supporting a variety of technologies to the campus. Each semester the Fellow will:
- Lead the Classroom Assessment Technology Committee
- Present 2 faculty workshops
- Work with at least 2 new faculty on course projects
- Write an article on innovative instructional technology
All full-time faculty with one year of teaching experience at UIS are eligible. The ideal candidate will have prior experience actively engaging with fellow faculty members on projects and leading outreach efforts.
Proposal Form
The Faculty Fellow proposal must include the following information:
- Department Chairs statement of support
- Why you are interested
- What instructional technology or related skills and experience you bring to ITS
- How you would meet the challenge of assessing classroom technology
The form is online and is due April 15, 2014.
Selection Criteria
A committee will review each proposal, and an announcement will be made by April 25. The committee will be composed of one ITS staff member and two staff members from other departments.


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Gilkey tests coaching chops at Fantasy Camp
The Arizona Diamondbacks are holding their ninth annual Fantasy Camp this week at their Spring Training complex at Salt River Fields. Steve Gilbert, who covers the D-backs for MLB.com, is taking part in the camp and is sharing his experiences.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Bernard Gilkey's former teammates still like to joke with him about the contract he signed back in the 1990s.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are holding their ninth annual Fantasy Camp this week at their Spring Training complex at Salt River Fields. Steve Gilbert, who covers the D-backs for MLB.com, is taking part in the camp and is sharing his experiences.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Bernard Gilkey's former teammates still like to joke with him about the contract he signed back in the 1990s.
"This is Bernard Gilkey," former D-backs outfielder Luis Gonzalez said introducing Gilkey on the first day of the D-backs Fantasy Camp. "He's the highest paid staff member here."
Following a 1996 season in which he hit 30 home runs and had an OPS-plus of 155 -- 100 is considered average -- Gilkey signed a four-year $20 million deal with the Mets that included a vesting option for a fifth season.
Unlike a lot of deals, this one included a lot of deferred money. In fact, Gilkey is still receiving checks and will continue to do so through 2017.
"They give me a hard time about it," a smiling Gilkey said of his former teammates. "I'm the kind of guy that's not too extravagant, so I didn't need a lot of money. I wanted to plan for the future. It worked out for me."
The D-backs, an organization that became synonymous with deferred salary, inherited the Gilkey contract when they acquired him from the Mets on July 31, 1998.
"People didn't know much about the organization back then," Gilkey said of the D-backs' inaugural season. "When I got traded over, I still didn't know much about it. Then I saw the nice facilities and the good baseball people it had in it and I knew it wouldn't be long before we made a big improvement."
The D-backs signed a slew of free agents following the 1998 season and improved from 65 wins to 100 in 1999.
That was Gilkey's lone full season with the D-backs and he had an OPS of .879 as Arizona won the National League West.
One year later, the team released Gilkey, but it remained responsible for his deferred payments, which have given Gilkey security over the years.
"You really have to learn how to manage your money," Gilkey said of his deal. "When the market crashed and some investments fell, just to know that you have some ongoing money coming in is great."
The D-backs have nearly finished paying off the approximately $250 million in deferred salaries that were incurred while building the 2001 World Series team with former third baseman Matt Williams still set to receive a small amount in 2014.
The clearing of the deferred salaries has allowed the D-backs to spend more money on current players, and this year's payroll is expected to exceed $100 million for the first time since 2002.
After being released by the D-backs, Gilkey played for the Red Sox, Cardinals and Braves before having his career come to an end after the 2001 season.
Since hanging up his spikes, the 47-year-old has lived in St. Louis, where he was born and raised.
Gilkey's 18-year-old son, Jaelen, recently left home to play baseball at Miles College in Birmingham, Ala., and his 14-year-old son, Caeven, is playing high-school ball.
"I've been spending most of my time with them and keeping my wife, Patrice, happy," Gilkey said. "It's a full-time job being a dad and a husband. They grow up so fast."
With his kids now getting older, Gilkey is looking to get back into baseball as a coach in the Minor Leagues.
So when the D-backs called and asked if he would be interested in taking part in their annual Fantasy Camp, he didn't hesitate to join fellow teammates like Gonzalez, Tony Womack and Greg Swindell.
"It really is nice," Gilkey said of being at camp. "It's great because we had such good team camaraderie back then, so it's good to catch up with them and see how they're doing. To shoot the breeze with those guys is always fun."
Steve Gilbert is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Inside the D-backs, and follow him on Twitter @SteveGilbertMLB.