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Honors & Awards
- Two-Time First-Team AVCA All-American (2006 and 2008)
- 2008 Second-Team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American
- Three-Time First-Team AVCA All-Central Region (2006-07-08)
- Three-Time First-Team All-Big 12 (2006-08)
- 2008 Big 12 Player of the Year
- Two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2006, 2008)
- 2008 Team Tri-Captain
- Two-Time NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team (2006, 2008)
- Three-Time First-Team AVCA All-Central Region (2006-08)
- Two-Time NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team (2006, 2008)
- AVCA National Player of the Week (9/23/08)
- 2008 First-Team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District VII
- 2008 Ameritas Players Challenge MVP
- Two-Time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week
- Two-Time AVCA Showcase All-Tournament Team (2007-08)
- Two-Time Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament Team (2006, 2008)
- Three-Time First-Team Academic All-Big 12 (2006-08)
- Two-Time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week
- 2007 Third-Team Academic All-District VII
- 2006 Gainesville Regional Most Outstanding Player
- Two-Time Big 12 Player of the Week
- 2005 AVCA Central Region Freshman of the Year
- 2005 Big 12 Freshman of the Year
- 2005 Honorable-Mention All-Big 12
- Five-Time Big 12 Honor Roll
2008: Senior
One of the greatest all-around performers in school history, Jordan Larson was a three-time All-American who led the Huskers to three NCAA Semifinals appearances Finished as NU's career record holder with 186 service aces and ranked on the school's top-10 career charts in kills (fifth), digs (second) and solo blocks (seventh) Became the first player in league history to be named Big 12 Player and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season, as NU went 31-3 in 2008 Totaled 55 career double-doubles, including 17 as a senior Was the third Husker to reach both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs Helped Nebraska post a 127-8 career record Named first-team All-American in 2008 after averaging 3.92 kills, 3.19 digs and 0.33 service aces per set Ranked second in the Big 12 in service aces, third in points (4.58), fourth in kills and 10th in digs, as she was the only Big 12 player in the top 10 in both kills and digs Picked up a double-double against No. 1 Penn State in the national semifinals on Dec. 18, recording 17 kills, 18 digs and three blocks Matched her career high with 21 kills and added 18 digs, four blocks and two service aces, including one on match point, in the win at No. 5 Washington on Dec. 13 Collected double-doubles in both of NU's NCAA first and second-round NCAA matches, including 16 kills, 11 digs and three blocks against Liberty on Dec. 5 Helped NU clinch the Big 12 title with 20 kills on .391 hitting, 10 digs and a pair of blocks in a win at Baylor on Nov. 29 Picked up a double-double at No. 4 Texas on Nov. 19, leading NU in both kills (15) and digs (16) Put together a strong match at Texas A&M on Nov. 5 with 17 kills, including six in the fifth set, 18 digs and a career-high eight blocks Totaled 19 digs and added 11 kills at Iowa State on Sept. 27 Put together one of her best matches of the year against No. 3 Texas, finishing with 19 kills, 11 digs and two blocks in a four-set win over the Longhorns on Sept. 20 Carried the Huskers to a win at No. 18 Kansas State on Sept. 17, matching her career best with 21 kills on .372 hitting and adding 10 digs and two blocks for her second double-double of the year Chosen as MVP of the Ameritas Players Challenge after averaging 3.83 kills, 0.60 aces and 0.67 blocks per set in sweeps of over LSU and New Mexico Earned AVCA Showcase All-Tournament honors after totaling 27 kills, six service aces and 19 digs in wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 USC Drilled 18 kills on .361 hitting and added eight digs and three service aces against USC on Aug. 31.
2007: Junior
Larson played at an All-America level, helping the Huskers to a Big 12 title and a fourth straight NCAA Regional finals appearance Named a third-team AVCA All-American after averaging 3.45 kills, 3.18 digs, 0.51 aces and 0.63 blocks per set Paced the Big 12 in aces per set and ranked ninth in points per set (4.39) while serving as one of the Huskers' primary passers Totaled 11 double-doubles on the season, including six in Big 12 action Turned in one of the best efforts of her career in the NCAA Madison Regional semifinal against No. 24 Michgian State with a season-high 20 kills on .317 hitting and 17 digs in a five-set comeback Was dominant during the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, averaging 3.17 kills per set on .425 hitting along with 1.67 aces, 2.67 digs and 1.00 blocks per set Totaled 11 kills, a career-high five aces and nine digs in a sweep of Wichita State on Dec. 1 Hit a season-high .667 on 12 swings and tied a career high with five aces against South Dakota State on Nov. 30 Totaled 12 kills, nine digs and four blocks, including three solo stuffs, in a sweep at Baylor on Nov. 21 Played one of her better matches of the year against Colorado on Nov. 7, leading NU in both kills (17) and digs (17) while hitting .414 on 29 swings Went over the 1,000-kill plateau for her career with 17 kills and 16 digs against Missouri on Oct. 31 Chosen as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 22, after leading NU with 18 digs at Missouri and 15 in a sweep of No. 11 Hawaii on Oct. 21 Turned in a solid performance at Colorado with 13 kills, 14 digs, five blocks and three aces, all of which came in a four-point sequence, on Oct. 6 Lifted the Huskers to a sweep of Kansas on Sept. 26 with 17 kills, 11 digs and three aces Torched Texas A&M for 15 kills on .424 hitting and 10 digs in a sweep on Sept. 22 Stymied No. 11 Duke for a team-high 16 kills and 14 digs on Sept. 7 Turned in a solid performance against Creighton with 15 kills on .345 hitting, eight digs, three blocks and four service aces Picked up her first double-double of the year against No. 5 UCLA in the AVCA Showcase title match with 11 kills, 15 digs and a season-high five blocks Led NU to a sweep of Tennessee in the AVCA Showcase with 13 kills on .522 hitting and nine digs on Aug. 25.
2006: Sophomore
Larson was one of the country's top performers in 2006, averaging 4.13 kills and 3.50 digs per game Was the only Big 12 player in the top 10 for both kills and digs First-team All-American and All-Big 12 performer ranked among the Big 12 leaders in service aces (0.46, third), points per game (5.07, third), kills (fifth) and digs (10th) Recorded a team-best 22 double-doubles, including a streak of 10 in a row - the longest streak by a Husker in the Big 12 era Selected to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament team after totaling 19 kills on .378 hitting and 15 digs in the win over No. 2 Stanford in the title match on Dec. 16 Was held to a season-low six kills against No. 4 UCLA in the national semifinals on Dec. 14, but had a career-high 25 digs and five blocks in a win over the Bruins Named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Gainesville Regional, as she averaged 3.62 kills, 3.25 digs and 0.50 aces per game, highlighted by a career-high 21 kills and 17 digs in the regional final against No. 9 Minnesota on Dec. 9 Averaged 4.57 kills on .397 hitting, 1.00 ace and 1.00 block per game in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, including 16 kills in both of NU's matches Totaled 15 kills and 11 digs in a sweep of No. 8 Texas on Nov. 25 Hit a season-best .571 at Kansas on Nov. 22, finishing with 13 kills and six digs Recorded 11 kills and a career-high seven assists in a sweep of Baylor on Nov. 18 Topped NU with 16 kills on .324 hitting and nine digs in a sweep of No. 17 Oklahoma on Nov. 4 Recorded 15 kills on .458 hitting and six digs in a sweep of No. 16 Missouri on Oct. 25 Finished with 13 kills, 13 digs and a season-high five blocks in NU's win at No. 9 Texas on Oct. 18 Topped NU with 17 kills and added 10 digs against Colorado on Oct. 14 Totaled 14 kills on .344 hitting and a match-high 14 digs in a sweep of No. 15 Missouri on Oct. 11 Named Big 12 Player of the Week on Oct. 9, averaging 5.17 kills and 4.17 digs per game while hitting .382 in sweeps of Kansas State and Texas A&M Led NU with 15 digs while chipping in 11 kills in a victory at Texas A&M on Oct. 7 Enjoyed one of her best matches of the year against Kansas State on Oct. 4, totaling a then-career-high 20 kills on .400 hitting and 10 digs Recorded 17 kills, 16 digs, five assists and two aces in NU's win at Baylor on Sept. 30 Totaled 18 kills and added 12 digs and a pair of blocks in a win over Creighton at the Qwest Center on Sept. 24 Led NU with 17 kills on .316 hitting and added 11 digs in a sweep at Oklahoma on Sept. 16 Set a career high with five service aces against No. 20 Louisville on Sept. 8 while adding 14 kills on .440 hitting against the Cardinals Totaled a match-high 13 kills, four blocks and three aces in a sweep of No. 20 San Diego on Aug. 29.
2005: Freshman
Larson started 34 matches in helping the Huskers to a national runner-up finish Named the Big 12 and AVCA Central Region Freshman of the Year, averaging 2.82 kills, 2.79 digs and 0.71 blocks per game Topped all Big 12 freshmen in kills, digs, hitting percentage (.277) and service aces (0.38 per game), ranking sixth among conference players in the league in aces and 13th in digs Established a school freshman mark with 41 service aces and was the first Husker freshman to total more than 300 kills and 300 digs in a season Finished among NU's all-time freshmen leaders in both digs (304, second) and kills (307, third) Totaled five double-doubles, including three against nationally ranked teams Paced NU in kills eight times, including a 19-kill, 19-dig performance at No. 5 Minnesota on Sept. 5 Earned Big 12 Player-of- the-Week accolades by averaging 3.89 kills and 3.11 digs in three matches, highlighted by a match-high 14 kills on .423 hitting versus No. 18 Texas on Oct. 15 Shined against No. 3 Stanford in the AVCA/NACWAA Showcase title game on Aug. 27, with 15 kills, 12 digs and a season-best six blocks Totaled a match-high 14 kills on .480 hitting and seven digs against No. 4 Penn State on Sept. 11 Helped NU topple No. 7 Missouri on Oct. 5 with 15 kills and 11 digs Tallied a double-double against Texas Tech on Oct. 12 with 13 kills on .440 hitting, 14 digs and a career-high four service aces Averaged a team-best 4.33 digs and 2.17 kills per game in the NCAA Omaha Regional Tallied 11 digs and nine kills, while hitting .438 on 16 swings against UCLA on Dec. 9 Led NU with 15 digs against No. 4 Florida on Dec. 10.
High School
Larson dominated the high school ranks during her four-year career at Logan View, earning first-team Super-State honors in each of her final three seasons Was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 pick and was ranked the No. 2 player in the country by Prepvolleyball.com Led Logan View to a 25-2 record and berth in the Class C-1 state semifinals in 2004 Established a C-1 record with 501 kills, hitting .490 with 49 blocks as a senior Set a state all-class record with 179 aces en route to Gatorade Player-of-the-Year honors Paced LVHS to a 25-3 record and a state final appearance in 2003, totaling 357 kills on .424 hitting while serving 158 aces Burst on the scene as a sophomore, setting a C-1 state record with 15.08 kills per game Totaled 377 kills on .386 hitting and added 137 aces Represented the United States on the Youth and Junior National Teams for two years Led the U.S. Junior National Team to a gold medal at the 2004 NORCECA Continental Junior Championships, earning MVP, Best Receiver and All-Tournament honors Named to the all-tournament team in the 2003 Under-18 World Championships while also being named the tournament's top server Played club volleyball for the Nebraska Juniors, earning All-America honors at the USA Volleyball Junior Olympics from 2003 to 2005 Also competed in basketball and track in high school Earned second-team all-state honors in 2003-04, averaging 14.8 points, and nine rebounds, per game as Logan View finished 21-2 and reached the state tournament Chosen as the Lincoln Journal Star's Female High School Athlete of the Year in 2003-04 Was also a member of the honor roll at LVHS.


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Upgrades and Repair Work: OK, this is the apparent one and is the factor repair and flippers can generate income. Some repair work include a lot more worth than it costs to do. The more imaginative you are with the enhancements, the more worth you can include. For instance, I have a customer that includes square video to every home he purchases. He truly likes the central city homes due to the fact that they are the hardest to include square video. You either have to complete an incomplete basement, or include a 2nd story. There is not normally sufficient arrive at the lot to include an addition by increasing the footprint of the residential or commercial property. This customer does a great deal of basement surfaces and "pop tops," however where he has actually made the most loan in the basement that is just 5 or 6 feet deep. He will enter and remove the basement to a complete 8 or 9-foot height and after that complete it. Something most financiers would not believe of, so he has the ability to get the offer most other financiers hand down. I have actually likewise seen some financiers discover homes that do not truly suit a community and they make them fit. This might be restricted bed rooms or restrooms or cool layout. All that can be altered. Certainly lots of cosmetic repairs like bathroom and kitchens include a great deal of worth too. There is a lot more to it than this, however the concept is to purchase a home at its real 'as is' worth, (do not pay too much), and after that include worth with the repair work and upgrades.
Investor live and pass away by their capability to include worth. Without any included worth, there are no revenues. This holds true for any service, however exactly what materializes estate such a fantastic company and a terrific financial investment, is the variety of methods you can include worth and capitalize huge revenues. Here are 3 methods you can include worth to your home or business.
Owner Financing: I like this one since it is so simple to include worth with hardly any to no work. You will have to wait to capitalize your earnings, however it is a method to increase an asking price substantially. You can likewise utilize this technique to delay tax gains over a couple of years, rather of taking a success all in one year. When you have a residential or commercial property for sale there are a restricted variety of purchasers for your home, although today that swimming pool of purchasers appears quite huge. If you can increase the swimming pool of purchasers, the need for that a person home boosts, which requires the cost to increase. Somebody that can not receive a regular loan, restricting the website supply of homes to pick from for that purchaser, will likely purchase your house. That likewise increases the cost. You are including worth by providing the possibility to own a house that they typically would not have the ability to own. For this worth, you ought to be compensated with a greater cost and a good rate of interest on the revenues, while you await the purchaser to re-finance and pay you off completely.
Shared Systems: This is one location of realty that I have actually not meddled, however it is incredibly welcoming. The concept here is to offer your home or business to several purchasers. You are seeing this a lot in resort towns. It is constantly a getaway or 2nd house. Have you ever been to a timeshare discussion? They are quite attracting aren't they? About 13 years ago my ex-wife and I remained in Florida and got drawn into a timeshare sales pitch. We chose to go since they used us totally free tickets to Disney. We sat there for about an hour and a half and after that the tough sale came. They were excellent at offering the "concept" of the timeshare and had my ex-wife offered. She asked me to progress with the offer, however I might not bring myself to do it. I informed her that I was not comfy with a psychological purchase which we required time to believe it through. "Can I please have our Disney tickets?" was my action. As we rode back to the hotel that afternoon, I began considering the mathematics. Each system can be offered to 52 various individuals since your purchase just gets you 1 week a year. Include that to the yearly upkeep charges and the numbers are staggering. I understand individuals who have actually turned time shares effectively, due to the fact that you can get them totally free or near totally free on Craigslist, however it is not a financial investment I had an interest in. With that stated, I have actually thought about doing a half or quarter share on a home in a ski town in Colorado. In this situation, you are sharing a home with 1 to 3 other individuals so there is a load more versatility. You can utilize or rent your weeks and you can be ensured important high need weeks every year. It is a method to obtain a 2nd house without the complete cost. From the seller's viewpoint, it is a method to obtain more for your house. 1/2 a share of a home is going to cost the purchaser more than 1/2 of the reasonable market price. I have actually seen service strategies from financiers that would purchase a home and quarter share it out. The concept was that after they enhanced the home and offered 3/4 of your home to 3 various purchasers, they would own the last 1/4 totally free and clear. Undoubtedly this method will work best in locations where individuals desire 2nd houses. The disadvantage is if there are any enhancements or significant concerns. I can see there being differences, so this is something you would desire, as a purchaser, to exercise with all the other owners in composing prior to you purchase.

subset: commoncrawl


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Subscribe To The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Will Be Released In IMAX 3D Worldwide Updates
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It looks like Spider-Man's worldwide return will be even bigger than expected, as Sony and IMAX announced today that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will hit theaters worldwide in IMAX 3D. The anticipated follow-up to The Amazing Spider-Man will be digitally re-mastered into the IMAX 3D format and released in IMAX theaters internationally starting April 16 and in the U.S. on May 2.
The IMAX release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX 3D Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.
News of the film's IMAX 3D release follows the recently debuted trailer that arrived last week, which is certainly worth another look, especially as you're already trying to decide whether you want to see the film on the big screen or on the even bigger screen:
Of course, you have months to mull over your options. As mentioned, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 doesn't arrive in theaters stateside until May 2. The follow-up to Marc Webb's 2012 movie will have Andrew Garfield returning to the role of Peter Parker and Spider-Man, and facing a new enemy and greater conflict. The film will star Jamie Foxx as Electro, while Peter's old friend harry Osborn will be played by up-and-comer Dane DeHaan, whom you may recognize from Chronicle or Metallica Through the Never. Emma Stone will reprise her role of Gwen. Though Peter made a promise to put some distance between himself and his love interest, the synopsis for the film indicates that he's not entirely honoring her father's wishes.
It's great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there's no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp. Directed by Marc Webb. Screen Story and Screenplay by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci & Jeff Pinkner. Based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Produced by Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach.
Watch the cast and director break down the recently released trailer in the video below:
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The Laura Ballerina is a pointed flat which bears so much flair and class – because of its lack of frills and other unnecessary designs, it is highly wearable and versatile, and can be paired-off with almost all of your wardrobe pieces. It has a rose gold plated 'Double H' buckle, which adds a shining touch to the neutral leather background.
Also, since it is a flat, it's not gonna hurt your pretty feet in any way. Sometimes, heels are too much of a thing, that's why you gotta invest in pieces which are high in comfort and style. The Laura Ballerina pretty much fits the bill in every angle. Way to go, Hermes!
With a leather sole and lining, you can get your very own Laura Ballerinas for $900 USD via Hermes e-store.
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March 26, 2002
Los Angeles — With no obvious driver to power an economic recovery, economists with the UCLA Anderson Forecast predict that the national economy is looking at a "very sluggish period ahead," with considerable risk of another recessionary dip.
In his report titled "This is Our First Business Cycle," Edward E. Leamer, director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast, and economics professor at UCLA Anderson, notes that past recoveries have been fueled by consumer spending on goods and real estate - essentially "consumer cycles" driving the economy. But since these key sectors have remained steady throughout the recent recession and mild turnaround, the current climate will grow hotter only if powered by an increase in business investment.
But Leamer has his doubts about increased business investments in the near future. "Business investment in pursuit of technological innovations has long waves that last a decade or more — a peak in 1980 and another in 2000. It is highly unlikely that there will be a sharp recovery of business investment in the next year or two," he notes.
The report also takes an up-close look at the Internet Rush and its lasting effects on the current economy. Leamer notes that the Rush increased productivity (output per hour), but not corporate profits, and sustainable economic growth requires both. "The two Ps (productivity and profitability) went their separate ways in 1998. The mad dash to have the coolest Web site was supported by a surge in investment in equipment and software, but profits completely stalled and the ratio of profits to investment took a nosedive," Leamer writes.
Leamer speculates that the Internet is actually killing profits while new communications technology is exacerbating the problem — two areas believed by many to be inherently positive factors for the economy.
"The Internet has fundamentally changed retail competition, affecting especially the capacity — dependent sectors including hotels, airlines, autos, PCs, wireless and so on," Leamer said. "The ability of customers to shop without cost greatly increases the intensity of competition."
He notes that the Internet Rush created three imbalances in the economy. Businesses invested as if profit were not the goal, consumers spent as if scarcity were a problem of the past, and portfolio managers put most of their eggs in the U.S. basket. How well and how fast these imbalances are corrected will determine the course of the economy in the next several years.
"Correction of the business investment imbalance created the recession of 2001, but correction of the other two imbalances is still ahead of us," Leamer said. "A rapid shift from a spending mode to a savings mode by consumers or a rapid shift out of U.S. dollar assets by global portfolio managers would cause another recession."
California quarterly outlook
In the quarterly California report titled "California: How Strong an Expansion?" Senior Economist Tom Lieser reports that economic decline in California has been deeper than in the rest of the nation — whether or not one is willing to call the dip a "recession."
"By our rationale, using personal income as a barometer, there is little doubt that, recession or not, California fell further than the national economy during the last three quarters of 2001," Lieser writes.
According to data detailed in the report, California personal income declined during the second, third and fourth quarters of last year, even before adjustment for inflation. As one would expect, wages took a particularly hard hit in the San Francisco Bay area where the technology bust hit hardest.
However, one positive outlook this quarter is that the big job losses are likely behind us, according to Lieser.
Lieser asserts that the critical question now facing California is the strength of the impending recovery. Lieser forecasts that when the data is in for the early parts of 2002, we will see moderately positive employment growth. The rest of the year has signs of strength as well.
"By the second half of this year, areas of current strength should be augmented by a turn in the technology sector. A pickup in computer services and personnel services will bring about a resumption of growth in business services. High tech employment in electronics will add jobs at a modest pace." By 2003, sectors including aerospace and motion pictures will rebound and contribute to a growing California economy.
The UCLA Anderson Forecast is one of the most widely watched and often-cited economic outlooks for California and the nation, and was unique in predicting both the seriousness of the early-1990s downturn in California, and the strength of the state's rebound since 1993. Most recently, the Forecast is credited as the first major U.S. group to declare the recession that began in the second quarter of 2001.
Media: Please contact Kimberly Lisella at (310) 206-7707, if you would like copies of the March economic quarterly reports.
For further information on the UCLA Anderson Forecast, please visit http://forecast.anderson.ucla.edu.


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BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. (AP) — A National Weather Service meteorologist says the tornado that destroyed more than 100 homes and businesses and hurt 25 people in Baxter Springs, Kan., dropped so quickly that sirens were activated only a minute or two before the twister hit.
Meteorologist Bill Davis in Springfield, Mo., says the same thing happened in Quapaw, Okla., where at least one person was killed late Sunday afternoon. Davis called it a worst-case scenario in which a tornado forms right in a populated area.
He says the E-F2 tornado that hit Baxter Springs spun up so fast that the weather service had barely gotten a tornado warning out when it struck.
The weather service continued issuing tornado warnings after the storm left Baxter Springs, but the tornado didn't touch down again.


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Okay, there are a lot of RPing communities out there that I want to advertise the game on, but can't just post a link and run.
I was talking to some mods for a really big RPing community and they said there would be nothing wrong with RPing our universe there and then if anyone wants to join our city because of that it's not spamming because we're RPing on their board. Links to the game would be in our character profiles only and we'd only ever give it out other than that in private conversations.
So what if we developed a problem in the city that causes some of us to have to travel outside of RBC looking for help and we do RPs that exist in our city and in other places around the net?
Archontoh's player pointed out that we could split up and RP on different places as if we split up from the city to set out in different places.
He noted as well that having an active open thread like this that links other places/worlds would also be a an easy way for new players to jump into RPing in our city easily.
We haven't gotten as far as figuring out what problem there could be that would need us all to have our characters feel the need to go out and seek an answer to that problem. If anyone has ideas and/or wants to be a part of the RP please do and thank you. The more characters the better and you don't even have to have your RP on this board, in fact, if it's a city problem it might make sense for different groups to compete in finding a solution? I haven't thought that far either.
I think the only stipulaton for everyone would be that the thread is titled the same thing for everyone so people can easily identify that it's the same story-thread from board to board. Unless someone has a better idea about that.


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Dress: Aiteo
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Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins' top pick Dion Jordan returns to practice
The Dolphins finally removed the protective bubble wrap surrounding their top draft pick while inside the practice bubble Tuesday.
Rookie defensive end Dion Jordan participated in drills for the first time in several weeks after aggravating his surgically repaired shoulder Aug. 9. He probably will miss Thursday's preseason finale against the Saints but appears to be on schedule for the regular-season opener. Having Jordan back on the field was the first bit of good news since tight end Dustin Keller went down with a season-ending knee injury.
"Physically, I felt good," Jordan said after practice. "For me, it's mainly little things, continuing to brush up on my fundamentals, and whatever they ask me to do I'm able to go ahead and do it at full speed so I can help this team."
Jordan, the player the Dolphins moved up in the draft to grab at No. 3 overall was not on the field for most of the preseason, but what's the point of risking the health of such a valuable player when the games don't count? The plan for Jordan, as the Dolphins' coaching staff has said, is for him to be ready by the season opener only 12 days away.
"We wouldn't put him out here if we didn't feel he was ready to go," Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said.
Asked about the frustration of watching from sidelines for the majority of August, Jordan said, "I'm just working, man. I'm trying to continue to protect myself and make sure I'm healthy and at the same time make sure I'm on top of my things as far as plays and everything else that is going on around here."
Protecting yourself while also learning how to play football at the professional level can be difficult. Jordan's setback occurred after taking just seven snaps against the Jaguars in the Dolphins' second preseason game. He recorded two tackles in the Dolphins' first preseason game and hasn't done much since. If there's a learning curve for NFL rookies, Jordan is behind it.
But although time off the field has stunted his development, Jordan has the luxury of having plenty of veterans surrounding him on the defensive line. There isn't pressure on Jordan from inside the organization to start immediately, and the veterans are aware the rookie needs to make a smooth transition from injury to activity.
After a lengthy conditioning drill following practice, Jordan toted four sets of gear into the training facility.
"That's probably the main reason why I want Dion Jordan back," defensive lineman Jared Odrick said. "It's to carry my pads after practice. Because I'm pretty tired after practice and he's got his technique down. I think he puts two helmets on the left hand and one on the right."
But seriously.
"A lot of people have been hurt before in terms of having surgery and coming back from that, so guys know what it's like to be in a position where you're just trying to get acclimated to a football team," Odrick said. "We're here to help [Jordan] and give him any kind of advice that he needs. We're like brothers in that D-line room. It's not like we're just business associates. We're friends."
But it is a business, after all, so the Dolphins will to protect their investment.
"He looked good," Philbin said of Jordan. "I've got to watch the tape a little closer but he moved well and worked on some of the basic fundamentals and techniques and we'll see how it looked on tape."
Philbin's review of Jordan's practice drills won't be very enlightening. He looks the part. Now he just has to stay healthy.
Fullback Jorvorskie Lane was one of nine players cut Tuesday.
It didn't look good for Lane last March when the team signed multiple wide receivers, making the likelihood of a three-receiver, one-back set tangible. It looked worse a couple of months ago when the team started actively pursuing fullback Vonta Leach.
And although Leach was not signed, it still looked bad when Lane, a starter in 2012, was demoted behind Evan Rodriguez at one point in camp. The Dolphins also terminated the contract of right guard Lance Louis, who signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract in the offseason.
They also cut receiver Jeff Fuller, defensive end Emeka Onyenekwu, receiver Andrell Smith, linebacker Nathan Williams, linebacker David Hinds, linebacker Michael Clay and receiver Julius Pruitt.
Miami Herald sportswriter Armando Salguero contributed to this report.


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There is an update on this article.
The US consumer is getting his head handed to his body on a silver platter. The oil folks are screwing him and the bankers are screwing him.
First, the oil folks are screwing the consumer as West Texas Crude (WTI) is being exported from the gulf just as refinery capacity is declining in the US due to LOW demand. This is a De beers like control of the oil prices. PA refineries shut down just as the WTI exporting ramped up.
So, why is this WTI being exported as our gas prices explode at the pump? Well, pretty simple. The WTI folks want to cash in on the Brent price of crude. The Brent price of crude, an inferior grade of crude, is based on massive speculation. I have written many times that the seedbed of speculation is the UK, the Square Mile.
Wall Street has fed off this speculative push since the UK Big Bang in 1986, brought on the the greedy lady that some call the iron lady, Margaret Thatcher.
The speculation of Brent is exactly what is motivating the WTI folks as they greedily and unpatriotically seek to cash out by narrowing the difference of price. WTI folks want to make the money off of crude that the Brent folks make, and this now can be manipulated by diverting supply to the world market.
This increasing of oil exporting by the United States is clearly not in the national interest, as the US has been hurt by dependency on foreign oil for decades. Why would we want to be even more dependent on foreign oil? Is this so we have to stay in the middle east? Is it just pure greed on the part of the oil people?
Speculation affected WTI in the oil spike of 2008. Now, a combination of Brent speculation and the engineering of supply and demand in the US is causing WTI to spike to catch up to Brent. For people to say that it is not speculation this time is to miss the whole picture. The whole edifice is built on speculation.
This idea that we can produce oil and lower the price by increased supply and cutting free of energy dependence is simply not working. It was likely never the intent of the oil companies and speculators to allow a drop in price. Only the financial panic forced a drop in price which was out of the control of the financial community.
Update: Some folks have tried to make a case that crude sent to the refineries in the Gulf of Mexico will not be exported. But just because that oil is not exported as crude does not mean it won't be exported as gasoline and by products. Here is the thing; refineries in the gulf are already export driven, export oriented.
This is from TransCanada's permit application as quoted by the above link:
"Existing markets for Canadian heavy crude, principally PADD II [U.S. Midwest], are currently oversupplied, resulting in price discounting for Canadian heavy crude oil. Access to the USGC [U.S. Gulf Coast] via the Keystone XL Pipeline is expected to strengthen Canadian crude oil pricing in [the Midwest] by removing this oversupply. This is expected to increase the price of heavy crude to the equivalent cost of imported crude. The resultant increase in the price of heavy crude is estimated to provide an increase in annual revenue to the Canadian producing industry in 2013 of US $2 billion to US $3.9 billion."
Second, the consumer is really going to get screwed by the banks. Bank of America is pulling out of the mortgage lending business in a big way. I warned about this in many articles relating to the desire on the part of the banks to pull back and force the United States government to backstop almost every loan.
Backstopping loans is what the banks want. They want to bypass Fannie and Freddie, and have fellow private bankers take over the securitization market. In order for it to work, the private banks will get some kind of guarantee down the road from the US government. This is the Bernanke plan as well. So far, Citibank and Bank of America are pulling out of the mortgage market. This is by design.
The result will be that interest rates will probably go up and real estate values will crash. That way the banks can get properties back at a discounted rate. They lend as the prices appreciate and collect back properties when prices decline. And the American people will pay for this down the line.
Beware of a possible decline in housing values going forward, until the backstop is achieved. The banks are like the oil companies and speculators, they learned from De Beers. If they withhold their services, as big oil withholds production, they find they get what they want.
Once the banks get their properties back, and a guarantee on privately issued mortgages like they want, the chances of another housing bubble, at least a mini housing bubble, could be great. The UK, seedbed of speculation, has created 4 measurable housing bubbles in 40 years. That is one every 10 years. And Wall Street sits at the feet of those speculators and bubble makers.
With the banks and the energy giants and the speculators all on the same page, when will the damage to MainStreet stop?
For further study:
WTI Edging on Brent Crude Oil?
Export Oriented Gulf of Mexico Refineries
Smoking Gun: Liar Loans Were Imported from the United Kingdom
The UK Doesn't Care About National Sovereignty
Andrew Ross Sorkin Just Exposed Jamie Dimon's Agenda
Wells Fargo Bank Leads Securitization Attack
IMF Wants Implicit Guarantees of Loans
Wall Street Oil Speculation Driving Surge in Gas Prices
Oil Declines in New York (This has since been reversed but the article proves an element of speculation.)


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Frockin' up - girls dinner
My apologies for the lack of 'frockin' up' posts since we moved but our house hasn't had a full length mirror. I finally purchased a mirror, picking the plainer one because it made me look skinner, but then it took me a little longer to install. But it is installed now & Wednesday night we had a girls dinner at Casa Nostra. This is what I wore...
|Jacket - Anthropologie
Dress - Talulah
Tights - Razamatazz
Shoes - Aldo
This dress was a birthday gift from my mother-in-law, she has a fabulous eye for picking great clothes that fit, and while not a maternity dress, I did wear this dress at my baby shower while I was in labour! I love a versatile dress. You can read our birth story here.
We're heading to Adelaide today for two weeks. I will endeavour to keep posting, but it may be a little more sporadic than usual.


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Many believe that the Cowboys have no chance to beat the Eagles without Tony Romo at quarterback. Many think that Cowboys have what quickly has become the most overused NFL-related cliche' — "a puncher's chance."
Some actually believe that the Cowboys have a better chance to win with Kyle Orton in and Tony Romo out. Some of those have past connections to the Cowboys.
Count former Cowboys (and 49ers and Eagles and Bills and Bengals) receiver Terrell Owens among those who think Dallas can reverse its recent fate in NFC East title games with Orton under center.
"I do," Owens told NFL Network, via the Dallas Morning News. "If you look at the situation, if it shakes out and it's a shootout, late in the game everybody is expecting Tony Romo to throw some interceptions. Again, not to take away anything from what he's done this year. He's played spectacular. But going into situations like this, everybody expects the obvious, and that's for him to make a mistake, a huge mistake."
In all fairness, Owens isn't exactly unbiased. Despite his passive-aggressive "that's my quarterback" nonsense after a bye-week Mexican vacation potentially undermined Romo's preparation for an early 2008 playoff game against the Giants, Owens reportedly believed at one point that Romo and tight end Jason Witten were conspiring to get the ball more to Witten and less to the receivers.
Owens isn't the only former Cowboys player who believes Orton could help the team win. Quarterback Danny White, who served both as backup and starter in Dallas, told The FnA Podcast on AM570 FOX Sports LA that the Cowboys will have a better chance of winning with Romo out and Orton in.
"As crazy as this may sound, I think their chances of winning the game just got better," White said. "I can't tell you how many times I've seen backup quarterbacks come in and it just raises the level of intensity, their level of concentration. They'll either crater and go right in the tank, or they'll rise to the occasion. Every guy will play just a little bit better."
While fellow former Cowboys quarterback Babe Laufenberg stopped short of saying the team is better off sans Romo, Laufenberg thinks the offense will be in good hands.
"I really do have great confidence in Orton," Laufenberg told Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News. "When the Cowboys signed him they thought he was the best guy out there. He has gone from the 45th most important player on the roster to No. 1."
The Cowboys are hoping to finish No. 1 in the NFC East for the first time since 2009, after losing a chance to do so in 2011 and 2012. If that happens, both the Cowboys (since 1997) and Orton (for his career) will move more than No. 1 game above .500 in the win-loss column.


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Emma-Grace Stewart-King, 16, of Chestnuthill Township, passed away Dec. 4, 2012, at Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg.
Emma-Grace was born in Rockville Centre, N.Y., on Feb. 3, 1996, and was the daughter of Jeffrey and Jennifer (Stewart) King of Chestnuthill Township.
She was a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Roseto.
She was a junior at Pius X High School in Bangor, where she was an active member of the band, Forensic Club, Spanish Club and National Future Business Leaders of America. She also tutored.
In addition to her parents, Jeffrey and Jennifer, she is survived by two brothers: Anthony King of San Antonio, Texas, and Benjamin King of Elizabethtown; her maternal grandparents, James and Vivian Stewart of Levittown, N.Y.; her paternal grandmother, Madeline King of Hummelstown; her godparents, which are also her aunt and uncle, John and Peggy Fernandez of Patchogue, N.Y.; and several additional aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her paternal grandfather, Robert King in the spring of 2012.
Family and friends are welcome to offer their condolences from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, at Donald N. Gower Funeral Home, Route 209, Gilbert.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, 560 N. Sixth Ave., Roseto. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in loving memory of Emma-Grace Stewart-King to The Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, 110 W. Main St., Freehold, N.J. 07728.
Donald N. Gower Funeral Home
1426 Route 209, Gilbert
Emma-Grace Stewart-King
Emma-Grace Stewart-King, 16, of Chestnuthill Township, passed away Dec. 4, 2012, at Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg.


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Re: the Final: Jango vs Jodo
Probably because they're just characters made in Boba's shadow. The original will
always be the best.
Of course. Boba was awesome because of his mysteriousness and originality. Jodo and Jango are posers. Jodo is slightly better because Boba killed him, but then theres Jango. I believe I posted all about what i think of jango in a different topic.
I'm Old Gregggggggg!


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0 Members and 1 Lonely Barbarian are spying on this topic.
What is your post to comment ratio?
What should it be? 4 comments for every post, 10 comments for every post, how many of those comments are on your own material.
Do you come here to write or to read?
Are you equal part fan and creator?
How do you feel about critics who don't post?
Or posters who by the very nature of their posting expect more attention than they are giving others?
>What is your post to comment ratio?1124 posts, 600 comments.
Quote from: Dozus on March 18, 2013, 10:32:16 PM>What is your post to comment ratio?1124 posts, 600 comments.Pretty sure he was asking for the number of submissions here, not forum posts . . . right?
What about voting, is voting an important part of the site? A part of the creative process? Is it rude to read something and not vote or not comment?
Put simply, I don't think there should be any expectation, forced or otherwise, about voting and posting.The way things are now:If someone posts and comments, they are adding to the wealth of material and joining in the discussion. Excellent.If someone posts but does not comment, they are adding to the wealth of material here, even if they do not join in the discussion. Great. I might learn something, use it in my own game, or be inspired.If someone comments but does not post, they are adding to the discussion and enhancing the experience, even if they do not provide material of their own. Also great. They may still provide insight.The Horde reads but does not post or comment. Still good, because others find worth in what we do.
I am 60 subs to 291 comments. My greatest shame is that I know that I focus more on my own posts than other peoples' :p Which is why I sometimes make myself read a sub and comment on it, even if I don't feel like it! I am a little self centered with my contributions to the citadel and I know it!
The day Strolen's Citadel stops being fun for me is the day I leave it.
Though I already have said I sometimes force myself into writing up comments when I don't feel like it, it's not a common thing for me to do.
Current comment to post ratio is 34/1. I need to step up my posting game one of these days..
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An enterprise architecture is a modernization blueprint that is used by organizations to describe their current state and a desired future state and to leverage information technology (IT) to transform business and mission operations. In light of the importance of developing well-defined enterprise architectures, GAO recently issued a seven-stage enterprise architecture management maturity framework that defines actions needed to effectively manage an architecture program. The alternative, as GAO's work has shown, is the perpetuation of the kinds of operational environments that burden most agencies today, where a lack of integration among business operations and the IT resources supporting them leads to systems that are duplicative, poorly integrated, and unnecessarily costly to maintain.
Historically, federal agencies have struggled with operational environments characterized by a lack of integration among business operations and IT resources supporting them. A key to successfully leveraging IT for organizational transformation is having and using an enterprise architectureor modernization blueprintas an authoritative frame of reference against which to assess and decide how individual system investments are defined, designed, acquired, and developed. The development, implementation, and maintenance of architectures are widely recognized as hallmarks of successful public and private organizations, and their use is required by the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 and the Office of Management and Budget.
GAO's experience has shown that attempting to modernize (and maintain) IT environments without an architecture to guide and constrain investments results in organizational operations and supporting technology infrastructures and systems that are duplicative, poorly integrated, unnecessarily costly to maintain and interface, and unable to respond quickly to shifting environmental factors. For example, GAO's reviews of enterprise architecture management at federal agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as reviews of critical agency functional areas, such as Department of Defense financial management, logistics management, combat identification, and business systems modernization have continued to identify the absence of complete and enforced enterprise architectures, which in turn has led to agency business operations, systems, and data that are duplicative, incompatible, and not integrated; these conditions have either prevented agencies from sharing data or forced them to depend on expensive, custom-developed system interfaces to do so.
GAO's framework provides a standard yet flexible benchmark against which to determine where the enterprise stands in its progress toward the ultimate goal: having a continuously improving enterprise architecture program that can serve as a featured decision support tool when considering and planning large-scale organizational restructuring or transformation initiatives. In addition, it also provides a basis for developing architecture management improvement plans, as well as for measuring, reporting, and overseeing progress in implementing these plans.
In August 2006, GAO reported on its work in applying its prior framework across 27 major federal departments and agencies. This work showed that the state of enterprise architecture development and implementation varied considerably across departments and agencies, with some having more mature architecture programs than others. However, overall, most departments and agencies were not where they needed to be, particularly with regard to their approaches to assessing each investment's alignment with the enterprise architecture and measuring and reporting on enterprise architecture results and outcomes.
Accordingly, GAO made recommendations to departments and agencies that are aimed at improving the content and use of their respective architectures. Nonetheless, while some progress has been made, more time is needed for agencies to fully realize the value of having well-defined and implemented architectures. Such value can be derived from realizing cost savings through consolidation and reuse of shared services and elimination of antiquated and redundant mission operations, enhancing information sharing through data standardization and system integration, and optimizing service delivery through streamlining and normalization of business processes and mission operations.
If managed effectively, enterprise architectures can be a useful change management and organizational transformation tool. The conditions for effectively managing enterprise architecture programs are contained in GAO's enterprise architecture management maturity framework. To advance the state of enterprise architecture development and use in the federal government, senior leadership in the departments and agencies need to demonstrate their commitment to this organizational transformation tool, as well as ensure that the kind of management controls embodied in GAO's framework are in place and functioning. Collectively, the majority of the departments and agencies' architecture efforts can still be viewed as a work in progress with much remaining to be accomplished before the federal government as a whole fully realizes their transformational value. Moving beyond this status will require most departments and agencies to overcome significant obstacles and challenges, such as organizational parochialism and cultural resistance, inadequate funding, and the lack of top management understanding and skilled staff. One key to doing so continues to be sustained organizational leadership. As GAO's work has demonstrated, without such organizational leadership, the benefits of enterprise architecture will not be fully realized.
In GAO's prior work, most departments and agencies reported they expect to realize the benefits from their respective enterprise architecture programs, such as improved alignment between their business operations and the IT that supports these operations and consolidation of their IT infrastructure environments, which can reduce the costs of operating and maintaining duplicative capabilities, sometime in the future. What this suggests is that the real value in the federal government from developing and using enterprise architectures remains largely unrealized. GAO's framework recognizes that a key to realizing this potential is effectively managing department and agency enterprise architecture programs. However, knowing whether benefits and results are in fact being achieved requires having associated measures and metrics. In this regard, it is important for agencies to satisfy the core element associated with measuring and reporting enterprise architecture results and outcomes. Examples of results and outcomes to be measured include costs avoided through eliminating duplicative investments or by reusing common services and applications and improved mission performance through re-engineered business processes and modernized supporting systems. GAO's work has shown that over 50 percent of the departments and agencies assessed had yet to fully satisfy this element. On the other hand, some have reported they are addressing this element and have realized significant financial benefits. For example, the Department of the Interior has demonstrated that it is using its enterprise architecture to modernize agency IT operations and avoid costs through enterprise software license agreements and hardware procurement consolidation. These architecture-based decisions have resulted in financial benefits of at least $80 million. This means that the departments and agencies can demonstrate achievement of expected benefits, to include costs avoided through eliminating duplicative investments, if enterprise architecture results and outcomes are measured and reported. The Office of Management and Budget can play a critical role by continuing to oversee the development and use of enterprise architecture efforts, to include the measurement and reporting of enterprise architecture results and outcomes across the federal government.
GAO plans to follow up with those departments and agencies that reported having satisfied the element associated with measuring and reporting return on enterprise architecture results and outcomes to identify associated dollar savings resulting from elimination of duplicative investments.
The information contained in this analysis is based on the related GAO reports listed under the "Related GAO Products" tab.
For additional information about this area, contact Valerie C. Melvin at (202) 512-6304 or email@example.com.
This publication supersedes GAO-03-584G Information Technology: A Framework for Assessing and Improving Enterprise Architecture Management (Version 1.1), April 2003, and Information Technology: A Practical Guide to Federal Enterprise Architecture, Version 1.0, February 2001.Effective use of an enterprise architecture (EA) is a hallmark of successful organizations and an essential means to achievin...
A well-defined enterprise architecture is an essential tool for leveraging information technology (IT) to transform business and mission operations. GAO's experience has shown that attempting to modernize and evolve IT environments without an architecture to guide and constrain investments results in operations and systems that are duplicative, not well integrated, costly to maintain, and ineffect...
This publication is superseded by GAO-10-846G, Organizational Transformation: A Framework for Assessing and Improving Enterprise Architecture Management (Version 2.0), August 2010. Effective use of enterprise architectures is a recognized hallmark of successful public and private organizations. For over a decade, GAO has promoted the use of architectures, recognizing them as a crucial means to a c...
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|Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
Annual to tree
Leaves basal or cauline, alternate to whorled, simple to compound
Inflorescence: 1° inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower, 1many, generally arrayed in cymes, generally subtended by ± calyx-like involucre; flowers 1many per head
Flowers bisexual, unisexual, or sterile, ± small, of several types; calyx 0 or modified into pappus of bristles, scales, or awns, which is generally persistent in fruit; corolla radial or bilateral (rarely 0), lobes generally (0)45; stamens 45, anthers generally fused into cylinder around style, often appendaged at tips, bases, or both, filaments generally free, generally attached to corolla near throat; pistil 1, ovary inferior, 1-chambered, 1-seeded, style 1, branches 2, generally hair-tufted at tip, stigmas 2, generally on inside of style branches
Fruit: achene, cylindric to ovoid, generally deciduous with pappus attached
Genera in family: ± 1300 genera, 21,000 species (largest family of dicots): worldwide. Largest family in CA. Also see tribal key to CA genera: Strother 1997 Madroño 44(1):128. See glossary p. 25 for illustrations of general family characteristics.
Annual to shrub, generally glandular, aromatic
Stems generally branched above middle or throughout
Leaves generally cauline (some also basal and cauline), generally alternate, generally linear to (ob)lanceolate, entire to pinnately lobed, generally not spine-tipped; lower generally toothed to lobed; upper generally entire
Inflorescence: heads radiate, generally 1many in open cymes; involucre generally hemispheric; phyllaries generally linear to lanceolate, half-enclosing ray fruits; chaff scales generally in 1 ring between ray and disk flowers (scattered)
Ray flowers 3many; ligules generally 3-lobed, white to yellow
Disk flowers 3many, staminate or fruiting; corollas white to yellow, becoming red; anther tips ovate; style branches long, tips bristly
Fruit: ray achenes ± 3-angled; pappus 0; disk achenes cylindric or obconic, pappus 0 or scales generally linear to lanceolate
Species in genus: ± 25 species: CA, OR, w AZ, n Baja CA
Etymology: (Greek: half girdle, from sheathing phyllaries)
Reference: [Tanowitz 1982 Syst Bot 7:314339; Venkatesh 1958 Amer J Bot 45:7784]
Recent taxonomic note: *See revised taxonomy of Baldwin 1999 Novon 9:462471.
Annual 0.56 dm
Stems bristly
Leaves: lower 37 cm, lanceolate to widely oblanceolate, deeply 12-pinnately lobed, bristly; upper appressed to stem, glandular and with hairs bulb-based
Inflorescence: heads peduncled; involucre 3.55 mm, narrowly cylindric; phyllaries densely hairy, hairs glandular or bulb-based
Ray flowers 3; ligule 3.55 mm, lemon yellow
Disk flowers 3, generally staminate; corollas yellow; anthers black
Fruit 1.52 mm, beaked; disk pappus scales 412, white
Chromosomes: 2n=22
Ecology: Interior valleys, foothills
Elevation: < 700 m.
Bioregional distribution: Cascade Range Foothills, e San Francisco Bay Area, Inner South Coast Ranges
Recent taxonomic note: *Deinandra lobbii (Greene) Greene


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Here's one to take with a grain of salt, simply because as of now it's not official. Sources at CNet say that most of the FuelBand team is to be let go, and that Nike will halt production of the hardware altogether. This includes the planned "slim" version to be released later this year, and everything else the 70-odd member team may have been working on.
Word of the plans also have reached the tech-industry anonymous network Secret.ly last week, where an anonymous poster said:
The douchebag execs at Nike are going to lay off a bunch of the eng team who developed The FuelBand, and other Nike+ stuff. Mostly because the execs committed gross negligence, wasted tons of money, and didn't know what they were doing
Interestingly enough, Nike just launched the Fuel Lab — a San Francisco-based think tank for testing connected devices. It's possible that Nike, who will release an API for it's software services, has plans to partner with another player or players to build hardware.
Now that the rumor is out in the open, we expect to hear more and will keep you updated.
Source: CNet


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CPA profile: Catherine Saadat
- October 28, 2009
- |
Thompson, Greenspon & Co., Fairfax
Title: Senior accountant
Education: Bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting, University of Mary Washington
Birthplace: Manchester, N.H.
Husband: Cameron Pets: "A very spoiled Boston Terrier named Peanut"
Hobbies: Master's swimming, sailing, reading and spending hours in used bookstores
Favorite vacation spot: Bar Harbor, Maine
Favorite meal: "My dad's homemade pasta and chicken parm"
Fan of: Boston Red Sox
Recently read: "Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found," by Suketu Mehta
First accounting job: Intern at The Leonard Resource Group Inc. in Alexandria
Career mentor: Sirena Johnson, associate principal at Thompson, Greenspon & Co.
How did you decide to become a CPA? "The decision was based on the fact that the CPA designation would provide a solid foundation for many possible future business careers. I started in public accounting right out of college and am very fortunate that I really enjoy it."
What advice do you have for anyone considering a career in accounting? "Don't be swayed by the public's perception of accountants. The career of a CPA in public accounting is never dull. You will work with many different clients in various industries, be faced with constant challenges and learn new things every day."
What is your accounting specialty and how did you become involved in that field?
"I specialize in the audits of construction and government contractors. From the very beginning I worked on government contracting engagements and then my involvement with construction contractors fell in naturally due to the similarities in the accounting policies of the two industries."


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Jealous... I have everything ready to go, but I need some snow to melt, or at least for the wind to die down for a day. Fingers crossed for Monday/Tuesday.
its almost like a Corona or Bohemia to me! haha just kidding, maybe i'll be making my first Lager this winter
lot of acid malt man - you must have some pretty alkaline water?color looks spot on - should be tasty!
how much I liked it.


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AncestorNews: Wedding Dress Revisited
A few months ago, I wrote about receiving my grandmother's wedding dress and my concerns over its preservation. Several of you wrote and asked for more information. Ask and ye shall receive.
I spoke with Aimee Newell, curator of textiles and fine arts at Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts. The village, which occupies 200 acres, contains collections, exhibits and programs of everyday life in a small New England town during the years 1790 to 1840. I figured someone there would know what to do, and I was right.
Here's what I learned from Newell about preserving textiles: Historical fabrics are extremely fragile and need to be handled with great care. Obviously, she doesn't recommend washing them because of their fragility, as well as the harshness of current-day detergents. In fact, she noted that as far as preservation goes, we modern-day folks wash our clothes far too often!
I asked her about the wisdom of displaying the dress or keeping it stored in an archival box. "It's a question of whether you want to store it in a way that will preserve it for another 500 years or be able to enjoy it now," Newell said. If I wanted to put it on display, her main concern was that it not be exposed to direct sunlight.
The dress has some stains that I'd like to have removed, but I'm not sure if it's wiser just to live with them. She suggested contacting the American Institute of Conservation and asking for a textile conservator in my area. Conservators, she said, will look at the garment and create a treatment proposal plan. If I decide to go in that direction, she advised making sure the conservator took photos of each step of the process and included it in my final report. Prices of such professional treatments range from about $200 to five-figure costs.
What about storing the dress at home? "Remember: Fabrics like the same climate we do—not too hot and not too cold," Newell advised. Don't put them in the attic or basement; instead, keep them at a constant room temperature. If stored in an archival box, be sure to pad the folds with acid-free tissue paper in order to prevent creases. Furthermore, Newell suggested opening the box occasionally and checking for signs of bugs. Lastly, she advised not storing textiles in plastic because there's a condensation problem.
If you have any other suggestions about how you've stored fragile textiles, please write and let me know. I hope this helps all of you who have preservation questions. A handy book on the subject is Preserving Textiles: A Guide for the Nonspecialist by Harold F. Mailand and Dorothy Stites Alig (Indianapolis Museum of Art). Check out these Web sites if you want to know more:
• Old Sturbridge Village
• American Institute of Conservation
• Archival Products
www.gaylord.com www.universityproducts.com
• Preserving Textiles


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Festina Watch F20450/2
We Price Match!Seen it cheaper?
Festina Chrono Bike 2019 Collection F20450/2 is an amazing and special Gents watch from Chrono Bike 2019 collection. Case material is Stainless Steel while the dial colour is Black. The features of the watch include (among others) a chronograph and date function. This model has 100 metres water resistancy - it is suitable for swimming, but not high impact. The watch is shipped with an original box and a guarantee from the manufacturer.
This watch is supplied with:
- check Official Festina presentation box
- check Official Festina guarantee
- check Instruction manual (where applicable)
This product can be shipped to:
- UK (United Kingdom)
- EU (European Union)
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Should you find any item not to your liking, simply return the unwanted item(s) to us using the enclosed returns form and your purchase will be refunded in full. We assure you of a smooth, easy, and zero hassle returns procedure if you change your mind for any reason. Please note that earrings and other items of body jewellery cannot be returned for refund as unwanted items in the interests of hygiene. Currently, refunds are processed in an average of 2 days after receipt (Live statistic)
FREE Click & Collect for orders over £25.00 from any mainland participating partner showrooms* (excluding airports and orders paid for by PayPal or Interest Free Credit). For more information on our new Click & Collect scheme please see this link (*UK only)
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Established in the early 1900s, Swiss watchmaker Festina is renowned for its technical precision found in every one of its watches. With pieces available for men and women, the chronograph designs are perhaps the most recognisable, thanks to the style's practicality and functionality. The brand also creates a range of minimalist and vintage-inspired timepieces, ideal for those who enjoy traditional design. Colours range from bright white to deep blue (and everything in between), with leather and metallic straps available. When it comes to a watch you can rely on to track everything from the hours of the day to the milliseconds of your sporting activities, look no further than Festina. Browse the full collection of Festina watches, or explore the range of Lotus watches for other options you may appreciate.
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text: › Academics » Psychology » Current Students » Career and Graduate School Resources Home Program Overview Psychology, B.A. Psychology, B.S. Course Sequence Prospective Students Career Opportunities Research & Internship Opportunities Libraries Research Opportunities Internship Opportunities Research Participant Forms and Training Meet Our Faculty Events Calendar of Events Current Students Student Organizations Career and Graduate School Resources Contact Psychology Plan a Visit ›Apply Now ›Give to Furman › Main Content Column 1 The Psychology major is excellent preparation for many careers that involve knowledge about human behavior and skills in data collection and analysis. Some careers will involve further study at the graduate level; others will not. Thinking about graduate school or need some career direction? We have several resources that can help. Career Resources Current students are urged to consult with Furman's Career Services Office. This office offers workshops on various aspects of career planning and serves as the liaison for recruiters from business and industry. The office also houses an extensive database for job exploration and alumni connections. It is never too early to begin exploring your options and developing relevant skills! Another way to learn more about career options is to attend the Career Nights that are offered during the fall term. See the calendar of events to find out this year's date. In addition, internships offer you the opportunity to explore career interests through hands-on experience with professionals in the community. Recommended Reading: Career Planning and Opportunities: The Bachelor's Degree in Psychology [PDF] Occupations of Interest to Psychology Majors [PDF] Types of Entry-Level Positions Obtained by Psychology Majors [PDF] Alternatives to Clinical Psychology for Those in Human Services [PDF] Graduate School Resources Graduate School Night is held each fall and covers essential information for students who want to know about any aspect of graduate school in psychology and the process of applying for admission. To find out when the next Graduate School Night will be, check our events. We also highly recommend participating in research and internship opportunities which can help to clarify your career goals and provide valuable experience that will prepare you for graduate work. Recommended Readings: A Suggested Plan of Action for Graduate School Admission [PDF] Advice for those Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology [PDF] Applying to Doctoral Graduate Programs: Should You Get a Master's First? [PDF] Does Research Experience make a Significant Difference in Graduate Admissions? [PDF] Recommendation Forms Need a graduate school recommendation from one of our faculty members? Don't forget that you must attend Graduate School Night for faculty to write letters on your behalf. Review our instruction form [PDF] or download the Department Recommendation Form.


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Man Surprises His Fiancée With Long-Lost Teddy Bear as Christmas Gift
Trying to top his 2012 Christmas gift (an engagement ring), Vas Alli decided to replace his fiancée's childhood bear, "Whitey," which had long ago lost his stuffing and been packed away. But that turned out to be more of a challenge than he expected.
He spent more than a month sorting through thousands of vintage bears online, until finally he found the right one. With the help of his fiancée's mother, Alli took the new bear and the old bear's remaining parts to the Secaucus Doll and Teddy Bear Hospital for restitching and repair. Judging from his fiancée's reaction in the video, the hard work was worth it.


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Andy is an assistant professor at the School of Information Technology and Engineering at the University of Ottawa in Canada. He can be reached at [email protected]
I use Perl to manage files, and Octave (a high-level, numerical-computation language) to crunch numbers. Recently, I worked on a project that generated enormous data files, which needed to be processed and then analyzeda perfect task for my two favorite languages. Since I'd just heard a mighty cool talk on the Inline module, it seemed clear to me that I needed to write Inline::Octave. Unlike some other Inline languages such as C or Java, Octave runs as an interpreted environment and does not natively support sockets or other interprocess communication facilities. The choices were, therefore:
- Modify Octave.
- Control it from Perl by typing into the interpreter and reading the output.
I chose the latter approach to allow the technique to work with unmodified Octave.
Perl allows controlling the STDIN, STDOUT, and STDERR of a process using the IPC::Open3 module. However, it contains a number of warnings; for example, "This is very dangerous, as you may block forever." Suitably forewarned, I set out on this hazardous enterprise, learning a number of tricks, which I will describe in this article.
Is the global temperature rising? Lets suppose we've decided that we don't trust those pundits, and we'd like to calculate for ourselves whether the earth is getting warmer. However, for some crazy reason, we do trust random stuff published on the Internet, so we type "Daily Temperature Data" into Google. The third link, "Temperature Data Archive," looks promising and takes us to http://www.engr.udayton.edu/weather/. Looking further, we find a link with the title, "All sites in single file (about 4.5 Megabytes)," and download it.
$ wget ftp://ftp.engr.udayton.edu/jkissock/gsod/allsites.zip
The zip file has a simple structure; data from each temperature measurement site is in a separate archive file, and each file is structured into lines with whitespace-separated numbers for the day, month, year, and temperature. Clearly, this is a job for Perl. The script I'll describe here, temp-analyse.pl, takes the name of the file as a parameter and prints the calculated data.
Perl Code
Here's the beginning of temp-analyse.pl:
01 use Time::Local; 02 my ($city, @time, @temp, %rates); 03 04 open F, "unzip -c $ARGV[0] |" or die "Can't open $ARGV[0]: $!"; 05 while (<F>) { 06 if (/^\s+ (\d+) \s+ (\d+) \s+ (\d+) \s+ ([\-\d\.]+)/x) { 07 next if $4 == -99; # code for no data available 08 push @time, timegm( 0, 0, 12, # sec, min, hour (assume noon) 09 $2, $1-1, $3-1900); # mday, month (0-11), year 10 push @temp, ($4-32)/1.8; # convert to degree C 11 } 12 if (/^\s+ inflating: \s+ (\w+) \.txt/x) { 13 process(\@time, \@temp) if $city; 14 $city= $1; @time= (); @temp= (); 15 } 16 } 17 process(\@time, \@temp); #last one 18 close F; 19 20 printf "Average change is %1.4f %1.4f (C/year) for %d cities\n", 21 calc_stats()->as_list;
We need to convert from time in days, months, and years to a linear unit of time, such as seconds since the epoch. Perl has lots of time modules for advanced processing, but Time::Local is included with Perl, does the job, and is easy to use. We include this module in line 1 and use it in line 8. Perl also provides a great file-open function to allow reading from a pipe (line 4), and we use the command-line unzip -c filename to feed each file in turn to Perl.
The command unzip -c will loop through the contents of the archive, and for each file, output "inflating: filename" followed by the file contents. We parse the file contents (whitespace-separated numbers) on line 6 using a regular expression. The last number is the temperature and can include a minus sign and a decimal point, so we use the pattern ([\-\d\.]+) to match any number of these characters. The web site indicates that a temperature of -99 indicates missing data. We first test for that condition (line 7) and skip the processing if it is found. Otherwise, if the data are good, they are stored into the lists @time and @temp.
We detect that a new filename in the archive is being decompressed by matching the text "inflating:" (line 12). This means that the data for the previous file is complete, and can be processed by the subroutine process (line 13). The lists are then reset (line 14), and we return to processing the contents of the new archive file. When all data are received, we process the data in the last file (line 17) and close the file (not strictly necessary). Then, in lines 20-21, we call a subroutine to calculate the statistics and print them for the user.
Up to this point, Perl is unquestionably the right choice of language. Its ability to integrate with other tools via a pipe and to parse text with a minimum of painful syntax has allowed us to accomplish this part very quickly. Unfortunately, the mathematical analysis of this data is less easy with Perl. Of course, a suite of mathematical modules does exist for Perl (PDL), but the most common language for this sort of analysis is Matlab. Luckily, the open source GNU Octave software (http://www.octave.org/) is mostly compatible with Matlab and can be readily integrated with Perl.
Octave Code
Since this is an article about Perl, the calculations will be described briefly. Figure 1 illustrates some of the difficulties in estimating the trend line from the data. The graph shows temperature (degrees C) versus time for the years 1995-2003 for my hometown (Ottawa, which happens to have one of the largest annual temperature ranges). The raw data (red), shows a very large annual temperature cycle, much larger than the effect we're trying to measure (blue). In order to estimate the trend, we need to remove the components of the data that are in phase with the year (green). The best fit line is then calculated for the data (blue), and the slope of the line in degrees/year is the temperature trend.
The code shown below implements the functions process and calc_stats. time and temp are vectors corresponding to the Perl lists @time and @temp. Lines 25-31 calculate the component of the signal in phase with the first three harmonics of the year frequency. The value 365.2422 is the number of days in a year (see http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mleapyr.html). In lines 32-34, the year harmonics are removed from the signal (to calculate temp_clean), the best fit line is calculated, and the subroutine return value TperYr is calculated. Finally, in lines 36-37, the slope is stored in the vector sites that, because of the keyword global, may be accessed by the subroutine calc_stats. This last subroutine calculates the data mean and standard error, and the number of sites:
24 function TperYr= process( time, temp ); 25 time_step= [0;diff(time)/2] + [diff(time)/2;0]; 26 year_freq= 1/( 365.2422*24*60*60 ); 27 harmonics= 2*pi*(1:3)*year_freq; 28 year_osc= [ sin(time * harmonics), cos(time * harmonics) ] ... 29 .* (time_step * ones(1,2*length(harmonics))); 30 component= (temp' * year_osc) ./ sumsq( year_osc ); 31 32 temp_clean= temp - year_osc * component'; # remove year harmonics 33 fit = polyfit( time, temp_clean, 1); # fit to line 34 TperYr = fit(1) / year_freq; # convert to deg/year 35 36 global sites=[]; static site_no=1; 37 sites( site_no++ ) = TperYr; # store city data 38 endfunction 39 40 function stat_data= calc_stats() # mean, std err, number 41 global sites; # load city data 42 n_sites= length(sites); 43 stat_data= [mean(sites), std(sites)/sqrt(n_sites), n_sites]; 44 endfunction
In Perl, we are able to easily glue code in various languages together thanks to the infrastructure provided by Brian Ingerson's Inline module. The Inline::Octave module, which I wrote, allows us to glue these functions together with two lines of Perl:
23 use Inline Octave => q{ 2443 # Octave code (above) 45 } ;
Finally, with the code assembled together, we get:
$ perl temp-analyse.pl allsites.zip Average change is 0.0585 0.0096 (C/year) for 324 cities
Our results agree with the pundits; there is a warming trend. Be careful, however; this analysis looks at a small slice of time, is not mathematically rigorous, and, most importantly, says nothing about the underlying causes.
A Closer View of the Glue
The Inline infrastructure allows the details of the glue to be hidden. An Inline language may be compiled and linked to Perl, such as C, or may be interpreted, such as Python, Java, or Octave. One wrinkle in this classification is that Java, being a hybrid interpreted/compiled language, can also be linked to Perl. Both Inline::Python and Inline::Java set up a socket connection for interprocess communication. Unfortunately, stock Octave does not have sockets, so the best way to control it seemed to be to type commands into it from Perl, and read back the output. (After Inline::Octave was developed, Paul Kienzle developed a similar Tcl/Tk glue to Octave, and decided to approach it by building a socket library for Octave. For details, see http://www.arxiv .org/pdf/physics/0211037)
In order to do this, Perl provides the IPC::Open3 module to control the STDIN, STDOUT, and STDERR of a process. However, the documentation says: "If you try to read from the child's STDOUT writer and their STDERR writer, you'll have problems with blocking." Well, I did try, and I did have problems; however, in solving these problems, I learned a number of tricks that I describe here. These techniques are appropriate for any interpreter and should work for shells and for command-line utilities. The core requirement is that the interpreter tool is understood well enough that it can't give unexpected output.
In order to illustrate the techniques used to do this kind of interprocess communication, I've built a small module, Example.pm, which illustrates the IPC functionality:
01 package Example; 02 use strict; 03 use Carp; 04 05 use IO::Handle; 06 my $Oerr= new IO::Handle; 07 08 use IPC::Open3; 09 open3( my $Oin, my $Oout, $Oerr, "octave -qH"); 10 eval{ setpriority 0,0, (getpriority 0,0)+4; } #lower priority slightly 11 12 use IO::Select; 13 my $select = IO::Select->new($Oerr, $Oout);
The Carp module (line 3) is used in order to allow errors and warnings to appear from the point of view of the calling subroutine. Prior to calling open3, it is important to ensure that we have a valid STDERR ($Oerr); otherwise, error output will be sent to STDOUT. This is accomplished in lines 4-5, using the IO::Handle module. The octave process (line 9) is started with appropriate command-line flags, and handles to STDIN, STDOUT, and STDERR are created. open3 will die if the process can't be started, which is just fine for this example. I've found that decreasing the priority of the parent process (Perl) slightly (line 10) can make this kind of communication more efficient. The idea is that the interpreter has more of a chance to fill its output buffer, and Perl makes fewer (but larger) input reads. The priority control functions are not available on some systems (e.g., Windows) and will cause a fatal error. The solution is to wrap line 10 in "eval {}".
In lines 12-13, an IO::Select object is created with the STDOUT and STDERR filehandles. IO::Select is a (very convenient) wrapper around select that allows multiple filehandles to be waited on simultaneously. Without this function, one could make a blocking read on one handle, but if the writing process wrote to the other, it could result in deadlock. I've quite often seen programmers who try to solve this type of problem with polled I/O; nonblocking reads are alternately made on each filehandle. This is an inefficient, unreliable, and generally bad solution. The select approach allows the OS kernel to do the job (perhaps using hardware interrupts or other facilities unavailable to user-space software). Surprisingly, IO::Select works fine on windows (tested on 2000+), even while the underlying C implementation only works for sockets and not filehandles in win32.
Once the process has been started with open3, we want to be able to call a subroutine interpret, which will call the interpreter with the supplied string and return its output:
14 sub interpret { 15 my $cmd= shift; 16 my $marker= "-9Ahv87uhBa8l_8Onq,zU9-"; # random string 17 my $marker_len= length($marker)+1; 18 19 print $Oin "\n\n$cmd\ndisp('$marker');fflush(stdout);\n"; 20 21 my $input; 22 while ( 1 ) { 23 for my $fh ( $select->can_read() ) { 24 if ($fh eq $Oerr) { 25 process_errors(); 26 } else { 27 sysread $fh, (my $line), 16384; 28 $input.= $line; 29 } 30 } 31 last if substr( $input, -$marker_len, -1) eq $marker; 32 } 33 34 # leave process blocked doing something, or it can't handle CTRL-C 35 print $Oin "\n\nfread(stdin,1);\n"; 36 return substr($input , 0 , -$marker_len ); 37 }
In order to avoid deadlock, we need to clearly separate the phases when we write to or read from the interpreter. To be able to detect the end of the output from the interpreter, we define a marker ($marker, lines 16-17) with a random string that is, with any luck, very unlikely to appear in the output by itself. Then (line 19), the command $cmd is sent to the interpreter STDIN ($Oin). To the command, we prepend newlines (explained later), and append a command (disp) to print the marker after the completion of the instruction.
In lines 21-32, we enter an infinite loop, waiting for output from the interpreter and looking for the marker string. On line 23, we use the select function to wait on input from the interpreter on either STDERR and STDIN. If STDERR input is received (lines 24-25), we do special processing in the subroutine process_errors; otherwise, STDIO is read and appended to $input (lines 27-28). The function sysread does nonbuffered I/O on a filehandle. It is required in this instanceusing $line= <$fh> results in a deadlock.
The input is tested for the marker string (line 31) and, if found, the loop is terminated and the interpreter output (without the marker) is returned at line 36. One final trick is to leave the interpreter blocked reading on STDIN. This is the reason for the prepended newlines in line 19; the fread instruction needs some "throw away" input to consume. This blocking read is required to allow a clean shutdown of Perl and Octave when the user enters Ctrl-C. There seems to be an issue with GNU readline (which is used by Octave and many other interpreters, including bash). If the child interpreter receives Ctrl-C and the interpreter is not blocked, readline seems to panic and prevent a clean shutdown. This is a hack, but it may be useful in other scenarios as well. Another possible approach would be to trap Ctrl-C (using a custom $SIG{INT} subroutine), then send appropriate commands to the interpreter.
The interpreter sends errors and warnings to its STDERR. If we detect this, the subroutine process_errors is called:
39 sub process_errors 40 { 41 my $select= IO::Select->new( $Oerr ); 42 43 my $input; 44 while ( $select->can_read(0.1) ) { 45 sysread $Oerr, (my $line), 1024; 46 last unless $line; 47 $input.= $line; 48 } 49 50 croak "$input (in octave code)" if $input =~ /error:/; 51 carp "$input (in octave code)" if $input; 52 } 53 54 1;
The concept behind process_errors is that warnings and errors will be short bursts of text written to STDERR. We are thus able to temporarily stop reading from STDIN and focus exclusively on STDERR until the error text is complete. The end of the stream of error text is defined to be 0.1s with nothing read on the filehandle. An IO::Select object is created with only the STDERR filehandle (line 41). This allows us to test for activity with a timeout with the can_read method (line 44). After the error text is read, we need to decide whether it constitutes a warning or an error; for this simple example, we simply test for the string "error:" (line 50). By using the carp and croak functions, warnings and errors are generated, which will appear as a "warn or die" within the code that calls the interpret subroutine. Normally, Perl will print warn text to STDERR and continue, but will stop execution for die. Of course (being Perl), this behavior can be altered. die can be intercepted by wrapping the commands in eval:
eval { # commands }; if ( [email protected] ) { # error handler }
warn can be intercepted by defining a handler for the __WARN__ pseudosignal. Within a block, we use local to override $SIG{__WARN__} to a handler subroutine of our choice. See perlvar(1) for the gory details:
{ local $SIG {__WARN__} = sub { my $warning = shift ; # warning handler }; # commands }
In order to illustrate the functioning of Example.pm, the following examples call Example::interpret with a string that is evaluated with:
1) no errors ("1/2"); 2) a warning ("1/0"), and 3) a syntax error ("1/*") 01 $ perl -MExample -e'print Example::interpret("1/2")' ans = 0.50000 02 $ perl -MExample -e'print Example::interpret("1/0")' warning: division by zero (in octave code) at -e line 1 ans = Inf 03 $ perl -MExample -e'print Example::interpret("1/*")' parse error: >>> 1/* ^ (in octave code) at -e line 1
In terms of performance, this technique seems to be mostly limited by the speeds of the interpreters, and the loops and memory allocation for the I/O. Measurements on a PII 266 MHz (running Linux Mandrake 9.1) show that data can be transferred at about 0.8 MB/sec, while Perl can write to /dev/null at about 50 MB/sec.
Thus, we've seen that Perl makes it quite easy to integrate an interpreter into a Perl script by controlling its input and output filehandles. It is, of course, quite true that there are several traps to avoid, and mistakes typically result in process deadlock. On the other hand, when done carefully, this capability can be very useful. We see that, once again, Perl merits the distinction as "the duct-tape of the Internet."


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