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The most beautiful place on earth
I don't normally seek out beauty. I seek out grit, reality, might have a low-level addiction to depressing things like the buzzing neon lights at the Department of Motor Vehicles. I feel comfortable in drabness because there is nothing to lose, no secret terror to unearth. The sameness is comforting and manageable. Life has nowhere to go but up.
Beauty also is hard to write about. It's impossible to secure, like any moment of excellence that is driven by luck more than ability, and it's flightiness annoys me. Every life lived should be prepared for the onset of hardship and aesthetic pursuits distract from that. Plus, money always seems to get wrapped up in beauty-pursuit, making it an elite sport, masking itself in higher purpose. To my mind those who seek beauty–in nature, art, food or love—are begging for disappointment or personal corruption.
Nevertheless, there have been a few moments in my life when true beauty snuck up on me like a dirty rat on the bathroom floor. I turned and there is was, rushing toward me, sending hard shivers up my spine. It happened when I saw the Niger River in Mali for the first time, another time as a child by a lake in Sweden. Each time I was startled, weakened and unaccountably angry. For days afterward I felt depressed.
Paris is a beautiful place, I get that, but the solid grey architecture of the city has never really felled me. In the summer I see the city and think "lovely" or "classy" two concepts with which I can happily co-exist. I have also lived there for seven years so it really needs to turn out its best self to impress me (grey summertime storm clouds above Place de Vosges can still do that). Otherwise I am mostly immune and because I live in a place where people constantly wander around and say 'it's sooo beautiful,' I'm cynical.
To be clear I didn't leave Arusha in pursuit of beauty. It was a spontaneous decision, driven by the fact that I hadn't left an urban landscape in several months. I wanted to see green, any green, and three nights lying awake in bed listening to Kiswhaili hip hop through the thin window of my hotel room had left me exhausted. Somewhere out there is eight hours sleep, I thought, perhaps a lovely tree.
But the sheer gorgeousness of the valley that stretches out before Gibb's Farm absolutely kills me. I stand bag in hand, coated in three hours of road dust, desperately thirsty and unable to speak. Acres of coffee trees give way to rolling hills of farmland under glistening sunlight and storm clouds that turn the valley into a moving, silver landscape. In these highlands, the air is cleaner and cooler than I can remember air ever being, the sky broader and more imposing. When small grey clouds start dropping drops of rain, the place smells of freshly-turned earth.
Gibb's Farm was a coffee plantation way before it became a tourist destination. It is still a working coffee plantation and houses an organic vegetable garden. My bungalow, (my bungalow!), looks out on the garden and in the evening I sit on the deck, drink gin and tonics, (which are free! or at least included in the nightly rate) and wait for elephants to arrive. We are at 1600 meters so the evenings are chilly and the managers, two cheerful New Zealanders, light a fire in the main dining room.
Granted, a place this nice – here money and beauty really are intertwined, but it turns out I don't really care – my solitary presence is a little weird. Most visitors are retired Americans travelling in groups or honeymooners. I eat and drink alone and people look at me in curiosity. One night I sit down by the fireplace with a book and a tourguide comes over and plunks himself down next to me. "What brings you here," he asks directly.
I hem and haw, talk about wanting to find a house in Arusha, a book but finally throw my hands up in the air. "I wanted a rest. And now I don't ever want to leave."
At night the tree next to my house brushes against the roof and makes a creaking sound that sounds like a ship. There are strange calls–birds and monkeys perhaps the growl of a leopard– that keep waking me up but their chatter adds to the excitement. In the morning it turns out elephants made their way down into the garden in search of water; whole portions of the hill by my house have been destroyed as they dug their haunches into the mud to slow their descent.
Perhaps in the past beauty frightened me, but not here. It seems impossible to ever feel blue in such splendor. And now, back in Paris, I keep replaying the vision of the farm in my head. What if there is some expat with a farm on these highlands who is willing to give their place up to me for the summer? What if I can make the most beautiful place on earth my family's home?


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Try international twists on traditional ingredients at the Restaurant at La Purificadora, a loftlike eatery with unfinished walls and long wood-plank tables designed for communal eating. Enrique Olvera, the CIA-trained chef-owner of Mexico City's celebrated Pujol, designed a menu whose standout dishes include duck-confit-and-caramelized-onion chalupas ($7.90), tequila demi-glace-topped Angus skirt steak ($15.40), and jumbo shrimp with chipotle hollandaise sauce ($24.50).
Dine in the outdoor courtyard of the Nuevo Museo Universitario Interactivo at La Casa de los Muñecos, whose sprawling menu offers eclectic plates with uniquely Mexican touches, like crepes filled with huitlacoche and bathed in salsa poblano ($8) and grilled chicken lasagna with mole ($8). For a taste of classic Poblano fare, try the pipián verde (chicken in roast-pumpkin-seed sauce, $11.60).
Taste five kinds of house-made moles served over pork, chicken, or duck ($10.50) at El Mural de los Poblanos, where classic fare meets creative flourishes. Here, the chile relleno ($7.85) is a dried ancho chile filled with smoky goat cheese. Peruse the impressive list of 25 tequilas, and be sure to try the refreshing cucumber martini ($5.80)

subset: commoncrawl


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Dr Hessami was the first graduate of Petroleum exploration and production from Tehran University in 1958. He received his Master's degree from Birmingham, England and IHE from Delft, Netherland.
He cooperated in foundation of Polytechnic University and Faculty of Air and Space.
Some of his career activities included:
- Lecturing Hydraulic and Thermodynamic in Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Amir kabir University of Technology
- Automation of Iranian factories (Honeywell instruments)
- Technical Director of Arj Factories
- Chairman of International Society of Hydraulic Engineers
- Founder of Retirement Association of Polytechnic and Confederation Union of Retirement Associations
- General Manager of National Planning and Programming of Fuel and Energy in Cabinet of Prime Minister Amoozgar before Revolution in Iran (1976)
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AUSTIN (AP) — Critics of University of Texas President Bill Powers have made donations to the campaigns of two members of a legislative committee that is investigating an anti-Powers UT System regent, according to campaign finance reports.
Powers critic Jeff Sandefer and Empower Texans PAC, a political action committee run by Powers critic Michael Quinn Sullivan, made the donations to state Reps. Charles Perry and Dan Flynn, according to the reports reviewed by San Antonio Express-News. The two Republicans are members of the House Select Committee on Transparency in State Operations. Flynn is co-chairman of the eight-member committee.
The committee is scheduled to meet Thursday in Austin and is about to take up a report that accuses UT System regent Wallace Hall of possible criminal misconduct in his campaign to depose Powers.
The records also show that Perry, R-Lubbock, received substantial support from Sullivan's nonprofit, Empower Texans, which is not required by federal law to reveal its donors.
Empower Texans PAC and Sandefer also gave almost $5,000 to Flynn in 2012. The East Texas Republican got $5,000 from a fund supporting Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, whom Sullivan has tried to depose and who created the committee that is investigating Hall. Hall and Sandefer, together, have given $300,000 to Accountability First PAC, which targeted Straus supporters in this year's Republican primaries.
Neither Sandefer nor Sullivan has a working listed phone number, and neither could be reached for comment. Perry did not return a message left at his home Tuesday evening. There was no answer at a number listed for Flynn.


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Before signing a one-year prove it deal with the Dallas Mavericks in the off season, forward DeJuan Blair spent the first four seasons of his career as a member of the San Antonio Spurs.
He returned during this first-round playoff series as a villain to the majority of Spurs fans because of his tough play and most notably a kick to the head of Tiago Splitter that earned him a one-game suspension.
Boos rained down on him nearly every time he touched the ball. But when Blair walked off the floor after Sunday's 119-96 loss, he walked into the waiting arms of Spurs coach Greg Popovich and center Tim Duncan.
Both wanted to let him know how proud they were of him for they way he played and competed _ though Popovich in more colorful language.
"He just said he was proud of me and the way to 'handed it to us in our rear end'," Blair said. "That's what he said. (Duncan) said he was proud of me too. And he was happy for me, coming out and playing the way I did. Of course it makes you feel good. I still have respect for all of them. Things didn't work out here. I had to go some where else."
Blair, who signed a one-year deal with the Mavericks, hopes he doesn't have to go anywhere else next year. He believes he proved himself worthy of a multi-year contract extension in Dallas.
He averaged 6.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in the series but most importantly gave the Mavericks much needed toughness and intensity.
"I think I did a good job doing that this season and this series," Blair said. "I just worked hard and played like I know how. Hopefully I can come back to Dallas and we can get another shot at it."
Clarence Hill


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Susan R. Kent
After growing up in Vermont, Susan's adventurous spirit led her to attend college at the University of California where she developed a special interest in medicine. While putting herself through school, Susan spent three years working for the college's pre-eminent pre-med and biomedical research facilities where she cared for a variety of research animals and assisted in the collection of raw data for medical studies involving AIDS and cancer research. She also worked for esteemed physiologist, Dr. Mary Baker, who studied the osmolality of cerebral spinal fluid and its effects on diabetes.
After graduating from college, Susan attended law school at the University of Miami. She put herself through law school working as a resident assistant in the school's dormitories, clerking, and doing legal research for various lawyers on an independent basis. These opportunities allowed Susan to secure a permanent job at a prestigious national law firm before she graduated law school. After that law firm later dissolved, Susan accepted a job working for a small firm in Coral Gables where she primarily represented asbestos companies in products liability claims.
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Posh - The Dirty Dozen Revisited?
Once the celebrations had died down and the dust had settled, the club issued a list of a dozen players that it deemed to be surplus to requirements if we were to make an impression in the Championship.
The list contained some familiar names and some names that many of us thought were harshly done by.
All summer we`ve been looking at how those on the list have been getting on. The majority have found new clubs:-
Tyler - Luton Town
Hatch - Luton Town
Blackett - Luton Town
Out of those three Tyler has done the best getting rave reviews as Luton sit unbeaten in third place in the Blue Square Conference. Hatch is currently on the injured list courtesy of an ankle injury whilst Blackett, after getting an unjust red card has just started to make his way back with a substitutes appearance against Crawley Town the other night.
Potter - Oxford United (on loan for the season)
Howe - Lincoln City (on loan until December)
Westwood - Wycombe Wanderers
Rendell - Torquay (on loan for the season)
Charnock - Torquay
Braham-Barrett - Grays Athletic
Which still leaves the following trio still residing at London Road
Surely there must be somebody out there who is interested in taking these three players on?
However, it was also muted when the twelve were placed on the list that Posh could see a substantial amount of money come in to the kitty.
Unfortunately, that doesn`t appear to have been the case does it with many simply going out on loan.
Ah well!
Best laid plans and all that!
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Jefferson Tower image via ericowenmoss.com
Eric Owen Moss aficionados and design bloggers designboom recently paid a visit to the Eric Owen Moss Architects Studios in the Hayden Tract of Culver City and came away with a great set of photos of the vast assemblage of ribboned high rises and other conceptual models on the desks of the studios. The image above of the Jefferson Tower (or the Glass Tower, as designboom calls it) is the only high rise currently approved for South LA (more information about the project is also available here). If built, the tower would be a fetching addition to the generally 40-foot high South LA architectural landscape. Maybe forward motion on the tower is something to hope for in 2012?


text: Steve Holden wrote: ... >> Or is there a way to pick one element randomly from a list >> and move it to front or back and shift the rest to make place, >> all in a single python statement, ie. without using a for statement? >> > What, you mean like > > mylst = mylst[:n] + mylst[n+1:] + [mylst[n]] > > for example? This builds a new list, rather than altering the old one. It's easy to fix so it alters the old one, of course (probably only relevant if you have other names for the same list, but maybe a little bit faster too): mylst[n:] = mylst[n+1:] + [mylst[n]] Somebody later mentioned that O(m) behavior might be a problem, but that's inevitable when you want to "shift the rest" (m items). Moving m items within a list is O(m). If that's no good, then a Python list is not the right data structure -- don't let the name fool you, it's not implemented as a linked-list but rather as a vector or array -- contiguous storage for references to items. So accessing mylst[n] is O(1), but shifting items around ain't. You can easily build lisp-like lists (use a 2-item list to represent each node's car/cdr for example) if that's what you want, or other kinds of linked lists (e.g. doubly-linked) since everything's being done by-reference anyway. I see from other posts in this thread that several other viable alternatives have also been proposed. One that I haven't seen is based on dictionaries -- may not be best, but it's interesting, at least (it's somewhat of a surprise that a dict is often the best way to implement a FIFO queue in Python, for example -- now this case is a bit different, but...). Say that what we want is to be able to access the X LRU items (e.g. to remove them) and that items are hashable. Then: oldest = newest = 0 item_to_age = {} age_to_item = {} def use_item(IT): newest += 1 item_to_age[IT] = newest age_to_item[newest] = IT def prune_X_items(X): pruned = 0 while pruned < X and oldest < newest: oldest += 1 IT = age_to_item.get(oldest) if IT is not None: del age_to_item[oldest] del item_to_age[IT] pruned += 1 Now the computational cost of "use_item" is pretty darn close to O(1) [thanks to the performance characteristics of Python's dicts] -- although it's harder to estimate the computational cost of "prune_X_items", as it depends on how much "churning" there has been (I'd guess it's probably no good if older items are OFTEN 'used' again). Alex


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Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us> writes: > Have you considered ALTER SYSTEM SET ... ? We'd talked about that in > the context of the other patch, but it seems to fit much more naturally > with this one. Or maybe ALTER GLOBAL SET or ALTER ALL SET. I would paint that one ALTER SYSTEM SET and the file based one ALTER CONFIGURATION SET. No new keyword were armed in that proposal. Regards, -- Dimitri Fontaine http://2ndQuadrant.fr PostgreSQL : Expertise, Formation et Support
Next: From: Dimitri Fontaine Date: 2012-11-16 22:12:21 Subject: Re: Materialized views WIP patch Previous: From: Josh Berkus Date: 2012-11-16 21:20:02 Subject: Re: Materialized views WIP patch


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March 5, 2009
Union gives Wal-Mart a Bronx cheer
A union leader in New York City said he was opposed to a Wal-Mart Stores Inc. outlet opening in the Big Apple, despite the poor economic environment.
The New York Post said Wal-Mart recently turned down a proposal to open a two-story store in Union Square, where two retailers, Virgin Megastores and Circuit City are about to close.Wal-Mart spokesman Steven Restivo said the Union Square space was
never under consideration,but the company is
still interested,in a move into New York.
Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union President Stuart Applebaum called the move opportunistic.
We don't need Wal-Mart to take a advantage of an economic crisis to sneak into New York and drive down standards and wages, he said.
Wal-Mart said its average wages for full-time New York workers was $11.62 an hour. In addition, the company said it offered a 401(k) plans for full-time workers.


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Here are the objectives for today's lesson.
Before you begin to study the lesson, take a few minutes to read the objectives and the study questions for this lesson.
Look for key words and ideas as you read. Use the study guide and follow it as you watch the program.
Some students find it helpful to make a note in the margin which pertains to a particular objective or a study question.
Be sure to read these objectives in the study guide and refer to them as you study the lesson.
Focusing on the learning objectives will help you to study and understand the important concepts.
Compare the objectives with the study questions for the lesson to be sure that you have the concepts under control.
1. Aristarchus
2. Eratosthenes
3. Euclid
4. Hipparchus
5. Ptolemy
Heliocentrism Rejected
The Size of the Earth
Elements of Geometry
The Astronomy of Hipparchus
The Ptolemaic System
Before we're done with this lesson we will have seen how Aristotle's paradigm influenced the Greek culture in the city of Alexandria and eventually became forged into the Ptolemaic system through the contributions of the Hellenistic scientists with names like Aristarchus, Eratosthenes, Euclid, Hipparchus, and Ptolemy. We'll see how the Ptolemaic system became the astronomy of choice, and how it differed from the cosmology of Aristotle.
With the death of Alexander the Macedonian Empire fell apart. The Greek city states had lost the magic and no longer held the allure of the intellectual. With their decline, a new center of civilization began in the city of Alexandria, built by Alexander in honor of himself.
Who can really explain the details of social conditions that cause the decline of one region while another flourishes. History is full of such happenings, and it is not our purpose to trace their detailed demises and developments.
It is important for this the purposes of this course to see how the ancient ideas adapted to the various values of these different cultures which modified them. Only then can we understand the importance of the great revolution in science, the topic of the seven lessons in section two.
The essence of Athenian culture died with Alexander in 323 B.C. and Aristotle in 322 B.C.
The death of a leader of Alexander's strength, and the political glue and a philosopher of Aristotle's stature, who provides the philosophical strength of an empire can have devastating effects, especially when their lives were so closely linked and ended almost at the same time.
Consider the effect that the death of JFK had on the United States as a small scale parallel. Social unrest, dissent, threat of revolution, ethnic issues all arose. Think of the same effect some 2300 years ago, when an invading army of Macedonians accomplished what three generations of war with Sparta had not been able to do. Ravaged by war, and torn by social dissent, the Greek culture was undermined by the new dominion of Phillip.
There was little left of it by the time Alexander died, and without his leadership, which wasn't that good to begin with, it never made a comeback.
The center of Greek culture shifted to Alexandria, a seaport on the Nile delta, on the opposite side from where the city of Cairo is today.
The Hellenistic civilization, named after a character in
Greek mythology, grew from Alexander's efforts to spread the Greek culture as he conquered the world. After his death dynasties were established that brought back political disunity in the empire, while promoting the Greek unity of trade and learning.
A new culture developed in art, letters, and science, in Alexandria and in other cities in Alexander's former empire.
In Alexandria the standard of living was high, especially for the well to do who were generally well educated. Literature was abundant and the concept of learning, as distinct from knowledge and philosophy, came into being.
The Alexandrians built libraries, compiled anthologies, developed the art of sculpture and studied mathematics and science. When life is good, there is more time for curiosity, just like in the early years of the golden age.
So successful were they in spreading that Greek culture that the triumph of Rome was due in part for their ability to absorb rather than eradicate the Hellenistic influence.
Two of the most famous scientists in Alexandria were Archimedes, whose understanding of buoyancy saved his king a fortune, and Euclid, whose geometry was so precise that it is still taught today almost exactly as Euclid presented it.
The atmosphere in Alexandria was much more practical and much less metaphysical than in Athens.
The mechanical arts such as painting and sculpture became popular as the disapproval of manual work disappeared.
The making of instruments and maps had advanced to a very high level of sophistication by the first century A.D. so that detailed planetary observations could be recorded. A new interest in understanding the world and in doing experiments and taking measurements began to grow.
The Library of Alexandria was the greatest repository of knowledge anywhere in the world, then and until the nineteenth century. It was a huge and elegant building in the classical Greek style with large columns, you know the kind you see in Washington, D.C. and all over Europe.
Among other works, the library contained most if not all of Aristotle's writings. Some of them were original and only copies. There were just too many of them to make enough copies for everyone.
They have copying machines and faxes and other things hard as it might be for us to imagine a world without electronics.
The library was destroyed in a series of raids over 350 years. The first came when it was burned by Septemia Zenobia in 269 A.D.
Septemia Zenobia. I love that name, it sounds like someone you would meet in the Starlight Cafe, or in a chat room on the intergalactic internet. I wonder what a little research on her would reveal. Who was she?
The library was sacked in A.D. 415 by mob of orthodox Christians fighting against heresy and pagan learning. They burned tens of thousands of documents, Aristotle's writings no doubt among them. We have no way of knowing what things were destroyed.
To finish the job the library was completely destroyed in an invasion by Moslems from the east in A.D. 640. Many of the documents were salvaged by the troops and made their way eastward where the new center of civilization was developing.
But that's another story, and one we'll get to in the next lesson.
Aristarchus was one of the earliest of the Hellenistic scientists. His main contribution was his questioning of Aristotle's geocentric system.
Aristarchus considered the possibility of a rotating earth revolving around the sun. He asked what kinds of effects we would observe. It was a wonderfully unbiased account, although he still considered only circular motion to be the only and true motion for the heavens. He did not collect data, he just considered what the universe would appear to do if the sun was the center of heavenly motion for earth and the planets.
The heliocentric universe of Aristarchus was discounted.
More than anything else, Aristarchus started a debate which led to the rejection of the heliocentric theory and a strengthening of the geocentric theory of Aristotle.
There were three principle reasons why the heliocentric theory of Aristarchus was rejected
It was a qualitative system. There were no calculations of planetary paths, and he offered no way to calculate them. It's like saying "on a merry-go-round it appears as if the earth is spinning around you, but you might really be spinning instead"
On a rotating platform like a merry-go-round there are other clues that tell us we are moving and not the world around us. We will explore this idea later.
For now let's just note that the Greeks also looked for some signs of evidence for one theory over the other, but really couldn't find it.
For one thing, there was no parallax. Parallax is what happens when you point at something with one eye closed then switch eyes. Come on, try it. It's OK to point if it's for science. If you're family or friends think it's weird, just tell them it's for science, then they'll understand.
So what happens is that the finger you were pointing with can't line up with both eyes and the same object at the same time.
It's geometry.
Pointing with one eye closed keep your hand still and move your head from side to side. See, the finger doesn't point at the same place when you move because you are seeing the two objects, (the finger and whatever it is lined up with) from a different perspective.
If the earth is moving in a circular orbit, then the same thing should happen with the background of stars when earth is in different parts of its orbit.
This is important because we know today that the stars are so far from us and so far apart that the parallax is too small to be seen without sensitive telescopes and tracking. In fact it was not observed until the nineteenth century despite the fact that the geocentric model had been discarded two hundred years earlier.
One type of parallax is alignment parallax. This is where two objects line up at one time and not at another as circular motion occurs.
To see this, close one eye, hold up your index fingers on both hands, one in front of the other, like this (demonstrate).
Now move your head from side to side and watch how the two fingers appear to move in relation to one another. The greater the distance apart (try it) the greater the apparent movement.
Angular parallax is similar, and a little harder to explain how to demonstrate it. I'll let you figure this out if you want to try it.
Angular parallax does not require that the two objects ever line up. Whether or not they are lined up, the apparent angle between them will appear to change even if they are the same distance from us.
Besides that the heliocentric paradigm would not fit in with Aristotle's System of the World, which required homocentric and geocentric spheres to explain the motion of the planets. The whole cosmology of the system depended on that planetary motion being as Aristotle described it.
"A chain is no stronger than it's weakest link." What does that mean?
What is the chain and what is the link? This might be a good topic to write about.
The whole idea of heliocentrism would violate the obvious distinction between the earth and the heavenly realm, although it is doubtful that many knew where that connection came from.
Among other things, Aristarchus was criticized for "putting in motion the hearth of the universe" and violating a sacred principle, as if he had barbecued a sacred cow.
His ideas were rejected largely on the basis of these three criticisms.
Probably the most influential of the residents of Alexandria was Euclid, the father of geometry.
Euclid collected the entire Greek knowledge of geometry and formalized it, stating axioms, developing methods of proof, relating methods of construction of geometric figures of all kinds, analyzing the properties of different shapes, calculating their perimeters and area, to name a few.
His book, entitled simply Elements of Geometry has has more influence on more people than any other book except maybe the bible. It has been used in schools for more than 230o years and still is the best overall reference for so called plane geometry, or two dimensional geometry.
The use of the logic of analysis in problem solving is just as important to our modern science as is the geometry. Solving mathematical problems can often be made easier if there is a problems solving model to follow. Several of these will rear their heads during our studies, and we will deal with them when they pop up.
Constructing geometric figures is more than just drawing lines. There are very precise methods for bisecting a line segment, drawing equilateral figures like triangles and squares (equilateral means the sides are all the same length, like the polygons of Pythagoras), constructing right angles. There are also rules of proportion for triangles which contain angles of the same measure, and so on.
We will not undertake a detailed study of these rules, but some of them will return to haunt us later. Like the problems solving, we'll deal with these when we get to them.
These are good words to know. We will see them again with Newton, who relied heavily on Euclid's methods in analyzing the motion of the planets while formulating his description of gravitation.
An axiom is a statement of assumed fact. A hypothesis that is not subject to proof, but which seems to be true.
An example. On a flat surface, parallel lines never cross or converge.
This states a property of the flat surface at the same time it defines the concept of parallel lines.
A theorem is a statement which is subject to proof using formal methods of logic and previously proved statements.
A proof involves some method of showing that a statement such as a theorem is true for all situations. Such a statement might be that similar triangles have proportional sides.
A corollary is a statement which follows from a proven theorem. An example is: the ratio of the sides of a triangle depends on the angles in the triangle
We'll leave Euclid behind for now. He will resurface again and we will see how his method works.
Hipparchus easily ranks among the greatest astronomers of all time. His contributions and inventions took astronomy to a level never before obtained, and not matched until Tycho Brahe in the late 16th century.
His list of accomplishments is impressive. Using instruments such as the astrolabe which he designed and constructed he made careful observations and published the first detailed star catalog complete with grid locations. Hipparchus also invented the system of latitude and longitude that we use today for location on the earth and in the heavens.
He rejected the heliocentrism of Aristarchus with well written arguments. His model of the planetary motions was accurate, but not very. His system was geocentric, but not homocentric as he replaced Aristotle's system with epicycles and eccentrics.
The many modifications he made reached their culmination with the publication of the Almagest which became the standard astronomical reference until the time of Copernicus.
The more accurate the measurement the more difficult it is to find a model that will reproduce them to a sufficient level of accuracy. The astrolabe is like a surveyor's transit, but with a sighting tube instead of a telescope. The telescope would not be invented for another 1750 years. These were the high tech instruments of the time, and there was nothing like them anywhere else in the world.
Using these instruments, Hipparchus made many careful and accurate observation of the motions of the stars and planets. They were the most detailed observations ever made up to that time and as a result they showed that previous calculations did not really predict the motions of the planets very well at all.
Using the times and durations of solar eclipses, Hipparchus found a method for calculating the distance to the sun and the moon. This is a remarkable accomplishment. How many of us could figure out how to do that. For one thing, it requires an understanding of the cause of eclipses, which escapes many people here at the end of the twentieth century.
Although the distance to the sun was incorrect, the method was sound. Remember that there were no clocks (not until the fifteenth century) and there was no decimal number system in use until the Arabs modified the Hindu decimal symbols sometime between 400 and 800 A.D.
There are about three thousand stars visible to the naked eye, not counting the milky way. Locating each of them and recording its coordinates was an awesome job. Ptolemy's catalog contained around 500 of them.
The idea of a grid system for describing location on a sphere is one that we take for granted today with our maps of earth and the heavens.
But to think of it for the first time? I don't know, would you have done that. Once again we see the power of the invention of genius in propelling us into a different kind of understanding of our world. Once a grid system was in place, it because much easier to record the locations of the stars, and to keep track of where on earth you were, which, of course is important to navigation. In a seafaring economy, those who don't get lost, get the goods shipped and stay in business.
Hipparchus was among the chief detractors of the heliocentrism of Aristarchus, largely because of the lack of parallax, but also for the other reasons mentioned earlier. Go back and review this if you've forgotten. Another important is the failure to observe the crescent of Venus. Because Venus is closer to the earth than the sun, in a geocentric system it must always be between the earth and the sun and so should not exhibit a full range of phases.
Since the phases of Venus were not observed until Galileo pointed the telescope at the planet in 1609 we'll hold off a bit on getting into the details of it.
Instead of the homocentric spheres of Euxodos and Aristotle, Hipparchus found the calculations easier if he thought of the motions as circles which did not have to have the same centers.
Abandoning the homocentric model of Euxodos and Aristotle, he still had to account for retrograde motions. This is where the concept of circles on circles originated, in the form of the epicycle.
To visualize an epicycle, imagine a small wheel, like a shopping cart wheel, with a white dot painted on it. When the wheel rolls on a flat surface, the white dot moves in a circle.
What happens when the wheel rolls around the outside of a larger circle, such as around the outside of a large can; what shape does the white dot make then?
Can you see that it makes a series of loops. You will notice that in certain cases, depending on the sizes of the wheel and the drum, and the speed of rolling, the white dot sometimes reverses its direction and moves backwards, just like a planet during retrograde.
The modifications to Aristotle's System of the World made by Hipparchus and others after him reached reached culmination with Ptolemy. By the time it got there it had little in common with the original.
About the only thing Ptolemy's system had in common with Aristotle's was that it is geocentric, and, oh yeah, circular.
Claudius Ptolemy was a mathematician, astronomer, and geographer. He systematized, recorded, and added the the data and doctrines known to Alexandrian scientists.
His Almagest, widely translated and influential in Europe until the sixteenth century, presented Ptolemaic system of astronomy, based largely on the concepts and data of Hipparchus.
There are few personal records of Ptolemy's life, so we know next to nothing about him, except through his publications. The dates of his birth and death are approximations.
Ptolemy published several major works, largely textbooks on a variety of astronomical and geographic topics. They were quite mathematical, and his skill as a mathematician was quite good, although he did make a lot of errors. Oh well, what do you expect, he still didn't have numbers. All calulcations were done from truth tables, like finding the distance between two cities on a road map distance table. It took a long time and was not very precise as the concept of decimals did not exist yet in Western thought.
His Geography text was the most comprehensive of its time and had detailed maps of the entire Mediterranean region.
Ptolemy's greatest work was the Almagest. It was a combination textbook, encyclopedia, and astronomical almanac.
It was a remarkable piece of work, despite the errors. The Greek title was "Great Syntaxis" or "Great Compilation" but the European title comes from the Arabic Al Majisti, the same root word as majestic and majesty, essentially "The Greatest." That gives you a clue that the folks thereabouts thought quite highly of it.
It was essentially a collection and compilation of data, calculations, methods of observations and calculation, and tables of planetary locations. Basically, a compendium of six hundred years of Greek astronomy as well as new results of his own work on planetary motion.
It also contained an updated star catalog, with several hundred new stars discovered and located by himself and others since Hipparchus's time nearly two hundred and fifty years before.
The book defined the basis of mathematical astronomy and remained the best and simplest until Copernicus described his heliocentric methods in the sixteenth century
The system of Ptolemy, not surprisingly, has come to be called, the Ptolemaic System
The Ptolemaic system became the standard because it was the best at the time, and Western civilization went into rapid decline as the unity of the Roman Empire weakened before anyone could come up with a better system. Ptolemy marks the last of the great Alexandrian tradition of science and learning.
Since Ptolemy's system had such a strong and lasting influence on the Western world, we should take a few minutes to look at its structure. What we are going to do is analyze what Ptolemy had synthesized.
One of the important differences between Ptolemy's system and that of Aristotle is the linkage of motions. Remember that in Aristotle's universe nothing happened without cause and independent from the whole.
By Ptolemy's time the cosmology had been lost, completely. Never mind what caused the planets to turn, it was hard enough figuring out how to describe how they did turn and calculating where they were going to be.
We might say that Ptolemy kept the mathematics without concern for the cause. That might have been fine for the growth of science, but there was the Church, who who would become greatly concerned with cause, but would remain ignorant of much of Aristotle's work until the twelfth century.
There I go, getting ahead of things again.
What Ptolemy did was very Platonic. He saved the appearances elegantly in a masterpiece of mathematical artistry. He used mathematics to turn the perfect circular motions of the heavens into the observed paths of the planets, retrograde motion and all.
His calculations for planetary tables and navigation were the most accurate of his time, and at least as accurate as the observations anyone could make at that time.
His system accounted for the retrograde motion of the planets
and it accounted for their changing speeds against the background of fixed stars.
It even accounted for the changing brightness and sizes of the planets during their retrograde phases.
One of the tools Ptolemy developed was really a gift from Hipparchus. Ptolemy refined the use of what he called 'devices'.
What does the word device bring to mind? How is a device different from a tool. Look up the two words in the dictionary.
|Here are the retrograde loops as formed by a single epicycle on the deferent. Notice how the motion creates a single and symmetrical set of loops.
|Here is the motion represented by two epicycles. Note how the first epicycle serves
as a deferent for the second. This produces a much more complicated motion and allows
for a smoother path.
Imagine what the path might look like with as many as 8 epicycles.
Here is an animation of a single epicycle where you can see how it explains the retrograde motion.
(This animated gif was obtained from Astronomy 161 web site at The University of Tennesee, Knoxville.)
Sometime it was necessary to use a device for a time, then not use it at all for awhile. Sometimes Ptolemy would allow the eccentric to change locations.
It was quite difficult to do the calculations and even harder to know when to do what kind. Only the most accomplished mathematicians could even do it at all.
Ptolemy used one device to calculate the speed of a planet at a given time and another to calculate the planet's distance and size.
If the formula gave the correct results, then it was the correct formula whether or not it made sense.
The underlying physics and metaphysics of how and why it worked was simply not important. It worked and that is what mattered.
In addition to the calculations Ptolemy went to some lengths to justify a stationary earth.
Just so we don't forget, many of us learned that up until the time of Christopher Columbus people thought the world was flat. That's not entirely true. As we have seen Eratosthenes recognized the roundness and even measured it's circumference by measuring the lengths of shadows at noon in different locations a know distance apart.
Ptolemy's arguments for a stationary earth were quite convincing and relied heavily on Aristotle's theories of motion, even as he was ignoring, or was unaware of the cause of planetary motion.
Ptolemy's system also allowed him to calculate eclipse times, something that earlier theories did not do well.
Ptolemy also issued one of the first statements of parsimony in his justification for not including a discussion on the cause of motion.
The simplest system was the one which worked best with the smallest number of complications. In fact, his model was extremely reductionistic, having removed from it all that was not necessary to make it work.
It is difficult to criticize Ptolemy or those who adopted his system. It was a good system.
It wasn't until long after Ptolemy's death around A.D. 140 that the metaphysics began to creep back into the theory. Later astronomers tried to integrate a coherent physical system, for example posing and debating questions as to the nature of the material of the spheres and the space between the spheres.
Medieval philosophers had little luck in providing answers to those questions.
In this lesson we have learned how Aristotle's System of the World became corrupted as the Hellenistic Greek culture continued in Alexandria after the death of Alexander and Aristotle, late in the third century B. C.
We followed the river of thought through contributions by Aristarchus, Euclid, Hipparchus. We saw the major tributary of Ptolemy's grand synthesis adding the best of Greek astronomy to to the stream of history, where it would soon replace the lost cosmology of Aristotle which the fresh view of \Christianity.
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Story highlights
- Brian and Tressie Neill were celebrating their 23rd wedding anniversary
- Newlyweds Matt and Sunday Rowan took the ride as a birthday present
- Tresa Owens worked at a day care center for 25 years
(CNN)A hot air balloon ride over central Texas ended in tragedy over the weekend when it apparently struck power lines and fell to the ground, killing all 15 passengers and the pilot, authorities said.
Here's a glimpse at a few of the lives that were lost.
Paige and Lorilee Brabson
The balloon trip was a belated Mother's Day present from daughter Paige to Lorilee, said Patricia Morgan, the grandmother and mother to the women.
The two San Antonio-area residents were excited about going on the outing together and sent a picture of themselves posing in front of the balloon, she said.
Paige leaves behind an infant daughter, Mary Lee.
"Unfortunately, Paige was uninsured and raising her 11-month-old child," Morgan writes on a GoFundMe page. "She was a hard and dedicated worker at La Hacienda restaurant in San Antonio."
Lorilee leaves behind a husband and two other children, ages 31 and 16, Morgan said.
Scott and Laura Douglas
Authorities have confirmed that Scott Douglas died in Saturday's crash. CNN is seeking information about him. His wife Laura also was on the balloon flight, a close friend said.
LuAnn O'Connor said she and Laura Douglas worked for the same real estate business in Victoria, Texas. Laura Douglas' son is in the military, O'Connor said.
"She was really bubbly, always smiling and had that aggressive nature that you need to be successful in real estate," O'Connor told CNN. "Her life was cut way short."
Stacee and John Gore
Stacee and John Gore, of Mineral Wells, Texas, are among the victims, a family member said.
"Yes they are gone. They haven't found their remains but we know they are gone," Deann Gore told CNN. " John was an awesome young man who loved the world and I know he is in heaven and happy Stacee was an amazing person and I know she is also in heaven. I am happy for them, but I am also sad."
Brian and Tressie Neill
Brian and Tressie Neill had been married for 23 years and had two daughters, 16 and 20, according to a GoFundMe page set up for the couple.
Brian surprised Tessie with "a trip to watch the sunrise by hot air balloon" for their wedding anniversary, according to the fund-raising page. While they were in the air, Brian sent his brother a picture with a message that read, "Can you see our reflection in the clouds?"
The couple lived in San Antonio, and Tressie Neill worked for CPS Energy.
A statement from the company said: "Tressie was known to many of our 3,000-plus employees to be a warm-hearted person who was always ready to help a friend and offer words of encouragement. She worked at CPS Energy for almost 25 years and will be missed by her many friends and co-workers she's touched over the years."
Alfred 'Skip' Nichols
Alfred "Skip" Nichols, a resident of Kyle, Texas, owned Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides and was piloting the balloon when it crashed.
Alan Lirette, the ground crew supervisor for the company, described Nichols as his "best friend, boss and roommate."
Another company employee, Phil Ferraz, told the Austin paper that Nichols was concerned about safety and developed his love of flying from his father, a pilot in Vietnam.
"He loved seeing the first flight through someone else's eyes," Ferraz said.
Philip Bryant, a balloon pilot, told CNN he knew Nichols.
"I knew him to be a safe, competent pilot," Bryant said. "He has done this for a very long time."
Joe and Tresa Owens
Joe and Tresa Owens lived in Katy, Texas, and had three children, the Austin American-Statesman reported.
Tresa Owens, 54, worked at Tiger Land Child Care Center in Katy for 25 years, the center's owner, Steve Sandweiss, told the newspaper.
"It was her passion," he said. "You rarely see someone stay in child care that long, especially in the same place."
Joe Owens, 43, worked at H-E-B's meat department and sometimes helped out at the child care center.
"They adored their children and grandchildren, and loved nothing more than spending time with them," said a
GoFundMe page to raise money for their funeral.
Matt and Sunday Rowan
Matt Rowan, 34, had just started working as chief of clinical trials for burns and trauma at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, the Austin American-Statesman reported.
"He loved to play volleyball," Trinity University professor Bert Chandler told CNN affiliate KSAT-TV in San Antonio.
Sunday Rowan, also 34, worked at Crazy 8 clothing, according to her Facebook page, and had a 5-year-old son named Jett, the Austin newspaper said.
The Rowans, who lived in San Antonio, were married in February. Sunday Rowan bought the balloon flight for her husband as a birthday gift, and it had taken awhile to schedule it, said Brent Jones, the father of Jett.
"Sunday was a very social person," Jones said. "They have hundreds and hundreds of friends."


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''This problem has been wolfing me since I've learned about it" meaning "eating me"?
No. This sense of "wolf" only occurs in phrases like:
The kids really wolfed down their birthday cake.
I was so hungry I just wolfed down that burger.
This problem could, however, be "eating you up" or even "devouring you".
not a teacher
Student or Learner


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|CANCELLED: Meet the Author: John Corey Whaley, "Noggin"
Event Type: **Author Events
Age Group(s): Teen, Adult
Date: 5/15/2014
Start Time: 7:00 PM
End Time: 8:30 PM
WE'RE SORRY, THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CANCELLED. The author unexpectedly needs to end his tour early.Library: Corporate Parkway Branch Map
Travis Coates has a good head…on someone else's shoulders. A touching, hilarious, and wholly original coming-of-age story from John Corey Whaley, author of the Printz and Morris Award–winning Where Things Come Back.
Listen—Travis Coates was alive once and then he wasn't.
Now he's alive again.
Simple as that.
The in between part is still a little fuzzy, but Travis can tell you that, at some point or another, his head got chopped off and shoved into a freezer in Denver, Colorado. Five years later, it was reattached to some other guy's body, and well, here he is. Despite all logic, he's still sixteen, but everything and everyone around him has changed. That includes his bedroom, his parents, his best friend, and his girlfriend. Or maybe she's not his girlfriend anymore? That's a bit fuzzy too.
Looks like if the new Travis and the old Travis are ever going to find a way to exist together, there are going to be a few more scars.
Oh well, you only live twice.


text:
An Indian car company has chosen upstate New York for a factory to build a new generation of electric cars for North America, a state official said Thursday.
Published 7:21 pm, Thursday, October 22, 2009
SYRACUSE, New York - An Indian car company has chosen upstate New York for a factory to build a new generation of electric cars for North America, a state official said Thursday.
The Reva Electric Car Co. will work with Bannon Automotive, a new electric car company in Freeport, New York, to assemble a three-door plug-in hatchback, the NXR, at a site in the Syracuse area, according to the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the announcement hadn't been made.
The Metropolitan Development Agency scheduled a news conference Friday afternoon to announce the deal, and an agency spokesman declined to release details until that time. Gov. David Paterson and Sen. Charles Schumer were scheduled to take part in the announcement.
Bannon Automotive has secured an exclusive North American licensing deal with Reva, and the companies have agreed to spend $26.5 million on the plant, The Post-Standard of Syracuse reported this week. Bannon officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Bannon will renovate a 150,000-square-foot (13,935-square-meter) building in Clay, a Syracuse suburb, the newspaper reported.
The state will provide $3 million in Empire State Development Corp. grants and $3.76 million in tax incentives and breaks, the state official said. Paterson met with Reva officials in May, and touted the fact that New York would receive federal stimulus grant money for research into advanced battery technology.
The source also said the state Assembly and Senate will kick in other funding, pushing the package over $10 million.
Bannon also has applied for $40 million in loans from the U.S. Department of Energy and $12 million in loan guarantees from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Agency. Those requests are still pending, a Schumer spokesman said.
The plant is expected to be operating next year, with an initial work force of 100 that will grow to 250 workers over three years.
Reva is based in Bangalore, India. It unveiled the three-door NXR hatchback last month at an international auto show in Frankfurt, Germany.
The NXR can reach speeds of 65 mph (105 kph) with a range of 100 miles (160 kilometers) on a single charge of its lithium-ion battery pack. The car will come with a 15-minute fast-charge capability, although the full charge would take eight hours from a standard household outlet.
Reva was established in 1994 as a joint venture between the Maini Group of India and AEV LLC, a California company, to manufacture environmentally friendly and cost-effective electric vehicles. The cars are now sold across Asia and Europe.
There are more than two dozen companies now manufacturing or planning to manufacture electric cars in the United States, according to industry figures.
Associated Press writer Michael Gormley in Albany, New York, contributed to this report.


text:
Cathnafola. A Paranormal Investigation.
Record details
- Physical Description: 1 online resource (1 video file (approximately 100 min.)) : sound, color
- Publisher: [United States] : Pop Twist : 2010.
Content descriptions
|Restrictions on Access Note:
| Digital content provided by hoopla.
|Creation/Production Credits Note:
| Directed by Jason Figgis.
|Participant or Performer Note:
| Chris Halton.
|Summary, etc.:
| Paranormal investigations double feature! Cathnafola starts when acclaimed paranormal investigator Chris Halton of Haunted Earth UK receives footage taken by three teenagers at the ruins of Ireland's Cathnafola House. He sets out to research the bloody history of Cathnafola. His own night time investigation at the infamous ruins yields terrifying and disturbing revelations.
|Target Audience Note:
| Not rated.
|System Details Note:
| Mode of access: World Wide Web.


text:
Use Mobile Chatting Applications For Better Communication
by Marc Görtz
Use Mobile Chatting Applications For Better Communication
One of the most popular applications available today is mobile instant messengers because now everyone is aware of it. A few common examples of these chat applications for mobile devices include Whats App, Skype, Chaton, Viber, Line and Fring etc through which we can send our text messages to others as well as do video conferencing and voice chat. Did I mention that you can also enjoy group chat through these multiplatform chatting application.
To initiate chatting, all you need to do is sign up the chat and messaging applications and pay the necessary charges if required by the chat app vendor. It is most common and interesting thing among new generation or teenagers. They are using these apps for making new friends all over the world, thus, the world has become a global village. There are some private messaging apps that have the facility of sharing their messages all over the world or there is also an option to send our message to a particular group. The messaging app that is used in cell phones can also be called as instant messenger because it can be used to do chat on a number or for a group chat. Latest technology of Voice over IP provides us free text messaging and call center service. Their network is based upon internet and the internet is that type of network that is not owned by someone it is network of networks.
Mobile chat and messaging is a revolutionary technology that provides us a way to replace older telephone systems. Free phone calls can be made from it. It is basically a reinvention of the wheel. It can be used through a simplest way called ATA (analogue telephone adapter). IP phones are the second device that can be used in it. It simply has a cradle, handset and buttons with RJ 45 connector. Computer to computer is an easiest way to use VOIP. Instant messaging board app helps us in sending these messages i.e. Skype etc. There are some application programs, which are the beta versions like beta bride messaging software because they are launched in the market for their testing.
Expectedly, whether to choose the best live support chat software, webcam software chat messenger or online chat room software strongly depends on your particular preferences and requirements. However, if you feel perplexed and uncertain about making a final decision, you can get in touch with experts online to help you make a better choice and smarter purchase. No matter if you are looking for high-quality information about licensed chat webcam app, live chat app PHP scripts or free anti-boot app for chat conversations via some web-based server, attentive selection and serious forethought are required in order to not only find the best chatting app version, but also ensure your chat conversations and instant messaging sessions are safe and protected from any malicious action targeted to intercept any kind of sensitive information transmitted.
Thus mobile chat application programs become the most important requirement of our life. Without these, life seems to be impossible.


text:
Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) issued the following statement after hearing that Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, had died.
"I am profoundly saddened to hear of the passing of Dr. Sally Ride. She was inspiration to all of us, especially young women. Beyond her work at NASA, she provided distinguished service on a number of important national advisory commissions. At the same time, I believe one of her most lasting influences was through the work she did to interest our young girls in science and technology. My thoughts and prayers are with her family."
Source: http://democrats.science.house.gov/press-release/ranking-member-johnson-issues-statement-passing-dr-sally-ride


text:
Sunparks De Haan aan zee
- Lake Side Exclusive holiday homes with a better view.
- Shopping and going out in Knokke and Oostend
- Aquafun with the Black Hole slide and the Wild Water River.
- Close to the beaches of De Haan and other seaside resorts.
The coastal De Haan holiday village is located within walking distance of the picturesque De Haan beach. Stay in comfortable holiday cottages with a private garden and never get bored thanks to the many indoor and outdoor activities. In addition, the Tourist Guide will provide you with plenty of information about possible excursions, including outings to nearby Oostende and Bruges.


text:
Ex-banker jailed for pocketing HK$34m
A former Standard Chartered senior customer director was jailed for six years yesterday for misappropriating more than HK$34 million of customers' money with forged documents.
Ronald Mok Wai-man, 45, created an overdraft drawdown facility for one of his customer's accounts and then accessed the money himself and lent it at a high interest rate to another customer who was in financial difficulties. He pocketed the repayment and then used another customer's money to repay the overdraft.
Mok had earlier been convicted on 22 counts, including using false instruments, theft, deception and money laundering, following a trial in the District Court.
The court heard that between 2002 and 2003 Mok increased the overdraft facility of one of his clients, Lok Heung Yuen Cafe Shop, from HK$5.5 million to HK$20 million, without the shop's authority.
Mok then used nine forged documents to transfer funds totalling HK$14.5 million to various accounts, including one belonging to another client, Lau Chun-fai.
Lau was in financial difficulties and Mok said he could source a loan at a higher interest rate. Lau agreed to the terms and Mok transferred about HK$8 million, part of the HK$14.5 million he had withdrawn from the cafe's account, to Lau.
Lau later repaid the loan, together with the interest, in cash, and Mok pocketed the money.
The court heard that Mok took advantage of the cafe proprietor's limited ability to read English to carry out the scheme.
Meanwhile the overdraft drawn on the cafe's account, was incurring interest and by October 2003 this totalled more than HK$20 million.
In order to settle the debt, the court heard, in 2003 Mok transferred HK$20 million from an account owned by a subsidiary of Chyau Fwu Holdings, developer of Hong Kong Parkview, to the cafe's account, using forged authorisation documents.
The case came to light in 2008 when Chyau Fwu ran some checks before transferring its funds from Standard Chartered to another bank.
Mok was unable to repay the stolen money and was fired. Chyau Fwu Holdings filed a lawsuit in the High Court seeking HK$21 million, the sum it was now owed.
In mitigation, Mok's lawyer, Harold Ng, told the court that Mok made more than HK$70,000 a month before he was fired. He had a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and masters' degrees in business administration and art. He taught at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, earning HK$30,000 a month, while he was awaiting prosecution.
He suffered from depression and developed suicidal thoughts when faced with the trial.
Commenting on Mok's loss of about HK$1 million in pension entitlements after he was dismissed, Deputy Judge Johnny Chan Jong-herng said Mok had brought it on himself and only had himself to blame.
In passing sentence, Chan criticised Mok for breaching the trust placed in him by his customers and by his employer. Mok had tarnished the image of the banking system, the judge said.
Mounting debt
By October 2003 the interest on the fake overdraft totalled, in Hong Kong dollars, more than: $20m
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|LentiBOOST - simply maximize your lentivirus uptake!
Read about LentiBOOSTTM in the news.
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Originally posted by CriticalCK
Big deal. He is either not telling the truth or not measuring correctly. The armchair scientists are right. All it takes is a very basic understanding in chemistry - topic: bond energy.
US Cl. 48/197FM; 204/268 // 048/197.0FM; 204/268 Int'l. Cl. C10L 3/00 20060101 C10L003/00
Also published as: WO2005076767 (8-25-2005 )
Abstract --- An electrolyzer which decomposes distilled water into a new fuel composed of hydrogen, oxygen and their molecular and magnecular bonds, called HHO. The electrolyzer can be used to provide the new combustible gas as an additive to combustion engine fuels or in flame or other generating equipment such as torches and welders. The new combustible gas is comprised of clusters of hydrogen and oxygen atoms structured according to a general formula H.sub.mO.sub.n wherein m and n have null or positive integer values with the exception that m and n can not be 0 at the same time, and wherein said combustible gas has a varying energy content depending on its use.
Description RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This patent application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/760,336 filed on Jan. 20, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part application of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/277,841 filed on Oct. 22, 2002, a continuation-in-part application of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/065,111 filed on Sep. 18, 2002, and a continuation-in-part application of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/826,183 filed on Apr. 4, 2001.
Hydrogen Technology Applications, Inc. (HTA) has recently completed an initial round of testing with a Ford F250 (diesel) and on-board system producing Aquygen® gas. HTA was able to show about a 21% increase in fuel economy for these initial tests. Results from this testing can be seen at this link.
You maybe getting better gas mileage by creating a more efficient combustion in the cylinder and eaking out all the power that gallon of gasoline can produce.That's not the same as running solely on hydrogen created by onboard electrolysis.
The HHO process is inefficient and definitely not over unity. But the people making tweaks other than just adding HHO may be getting some changes from the other tweaks they make irrespective of the HHO part of the mod, like tampering with the smog controls might cause the car to fail the smog test, and some of these extra modifications would definitely cause the car to fail the visual inspection by the smog test facilities in my area, as pointed out by this Pop mechanics guy who's experimenting with HHO kits:
Originally posted by CriticalCK
Big deal. He is either not telling the truth or not measuring correctly. The armchair scientists are right. All it takes is a very basic understanding in chemistry - topic: bond energy.
So when he says that "I also think that these mods may be increasing fuel economy independently of the HHO injection." and the mods tamper with the federally mandated smog control systems, then yes it's plausible that the other modifications can have an effect on fuel consumption. But according to the author who tested the HHO kit, it's not the HHO kit that's resulting in any improvement, it's the other mods that likely involve tampering with a federally mandated emissions control system.
But guess what? My fuel economy is exactly the same, whether the HHO generator is turned on or not. And that's exactly what I expected. This isn't anecdotal evidence from several tankfuls of gasoline. It's steady-state, flat-road testing, and I don't even pretend to have actual economy numbers. I'm using fuel-injector pulse widths directly from the OBD II port. That means I'm measuring the actual time the injectors are open and delivering fuel. When the HHO generator is toggled on, there's no change. And when it's turned back off, there's no change. Well, the computer's system voltage sags a couple of tenths of a volt, indicating the current drain to run the electrolyzer.
Before you HHO proponents start bombarding me with hate mail, chill. You may have some amazing anecdotal evidence that these systems work. But I'm not swayed by over-the-road proof unless the conditions are constant--the variables are too, well, variable. And that includes my own testing. There's too much noise in the data collection, statistically speaking, and quite a bit of room for experimenter bias. From considerable experience with other gas savers, I know even the subtlest change in driving habits can influence the results. I won't be convinced of any fuel savings until I see results on a dynamometer, where I can control everything except the HHO.
I spent a good hour on the phone yesterday with Fran Giroux of hydrogen-boost.com. He tells me that the HHO injection is only an enabler for other devices and changes. The fuel savings doesn't come from the energy contained in the hydrogen as it's burned, which is what I've asserted all along was implausible. Giroux sells a system of modifications that disables the engine management's computer and makes the engine run extremely lean--as lean as 20:1. That's far from the normal 14.7:1. The hydrogen is necessary to let the ultralean mix burn completely, he claims. There's also a heater for the fuel to promote complete vaporization, and some additives for the fuel and oil to complete his system.
Interesting? Why, yes. But there's a catch.
These mods come under the category of tampering with a federally mandated emissions control system, making it impossible to pass the underhood visual inspection component of many state smog inspections. To pass this underhood check, no part of the emissions control system can appear to have been modified or disabled. Add in the OBD II pass-fail to the smog check, and odds are these modifications will keep you from getting a smog sticker. That means you might have to disable--and perhaps remove--the system to pass the annual test. Just don't get caught in between.
I had another long talk yesterday with Steve Rumore, my off-road buddy turned HHO donater. He's experimenting with several vehicles, and actually getting some consistent results--fuel-economy improvements to the tune of 10 to 12 percent on diesel trucks pulling trailers. He's tinkering with some of the same things Giroux is suggesting. We're looking into ways to refine both his and my experimental methods. But I'm convinced there's a lot of placebo effect. I also think that these mods may be increasing fuel economy independently of the HHO injection. So stay tuned, because we're still testing. Once we get some more data onboard, we'll be dyno testing.
Originally posted by CaptainIraq
Basic thermodynamics. Can't get as much, or more, energy out (especially not with combustion) as you put in to separate the H2 and O2 gases.
The only reasonable way to do this would be Hydrogen fuel cells, but even that's not an efficient process. Besides, it would be nice to avoid using the same stuff we need to survive to power our cars .
The really interesting/promising stuff has to do with super/ultra-capacitors. Lots of energy storage and a much higher charge/discharge rate than any Lithium Ion battery.
Originally posted by James1982
The fact this thread has gone on so long shows some people don't understand some fundamental issues.
I'll try to break it down in a way that's easy to understand:
Electricity is ran through water, which breaks it into Hydrogen and Oxygen.
You route the Hydrogen to the combustion chamber in the motor, then it combusts and moves the pistons, which turns the crankshaft, which turns the belts, which turn the alternator.
The electricity from the alternator is routed back to the water, to split the Hydrogen and Oxygen out of water.
Yeah it sounds good, but it won't work. Ever. It's not physically possible. Why?
Because when you are using electrolysis to split water into Hydrogen and Oxygen, you are using a given amount of energy. Lets call that value "n"
So the process of splitting water into Hydrogen and Oxygen consumes "n" amount of energy. Now you have the Hydrogen in a free and combustible form. Here is the kicker. The amount of energy contained in the hydrogen, is always going to be LESS than "n" This is physics. Simple physics, really, that many here are too dense to understand.
So when you use electrolysis to split water into Hydrogen and Oxygen, you are always going to consume more energy, than the energy contents of the Hydrogen that you have isolated. This is fact, and it's never going to change.
So it doesn't matter where the electricity comes from, as long as it's coming from the combustion of the Hydrogen, it's a circular system that is operating at a loss. Meaning, even if you were JUST trying to have a motor/generator combo that ran on ITS OWN with just water, it wouldn't work. Add in the energy required to move a car, AND split water? Sorry, it's BS
Your car was in hideous shape if 20 percent of the fuel wasn't being burned.
Originally posted by deadeyedick
you are right and wrong.the gain from one hho cell on your car is to help the gas burn faster and cleaner.Once the proper adjustments are made to the computer the vehicle will see an average of 20 percent better gas milage and the exhaust is cleaner than most new vehicles if not better since all the gas is being burnt.
So if you really got a 20% improvement due to a more complete burn, it was because your car was in hideously bad shape. You won't get that from a more complete burn of gas in a well maintained modern car where the total opportunity is only 1-2%.
A more complete / faster burn.
Typically makers of these product suggest that a large proportion - 10% or more - of the input fuel escapes unburnt from the engine, to be either released into the atmosphere as pollution or uselessly burnt in the catalytic converter. This is just not true, at least for any reasonably modern car in good condition - the true loss is only about one or two percent, so the potential for improved economy is equally small.


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Brexit and Brazil
Late Thursday afternoon, a reporter called to ask what I thought would be the consequences of Brexit to Brazil. Other than some short-term volatility in asset prices, nothing significant should happen, I replied. Brazil is already in deep economic trouble, it got there by itself and whatever Brexit could add would not change things significantly. And, I added to myself, Brexit will not happen anyway. What a surprise when I woke up Friday morning to find out that the UK was leaving the EU!
Was I equally mistaken about the consequences of Brexit to Brazil? I don't think so. As expected, on Friday the real dropped against the dollar, as did most other currencies, and the stock market plunged, like everywhere. However, Brexit didn't change the fact that the outlook for the Brazilian economy depends more than anything on the government's success to implement its fiscal agenda. With Brexit, Brazilian companies may find it even harder to roll over their foreign debts, which hasn't been easy anyway. However, the real bad news of the week in this area was not Brexit, but the bankruptcy of Oi, Brazil's largest telecom, with almost $ 20 bn in debt, half of which is owed to foreign bondholders. Nothing important should happen through the trade channel either. The UK accounts for just 1.5% of Brazil's exports, which in turn add up to a modest 11% of GDP. For Brexit to impact Brazil through this channel it would have to severely harm the UK's economy.[1]
What scares me about Brexit is what it says about the political risk of a slow-moving economy going through an era of technological change that has increased income inequality and alienated large segments of the working force. As noted in the FT, the "vote reflected a roar of rage from those who felt alienated from London and left behind by globalization." Observe the contrast between prosperous London and Scotland, which backed REMAIN, and working-class towns, seaside resorts & rural England, which voted to LEAVE (see figure below).
Source: Financial Times.
Brexit will embolden populist, divisive parties across Europe. It will also cause investors to reassess the odds of Donald Trump being elected president in the upcoming US election, another likely source of market turmoil this year. Things will be different after the vote in UK this week. Perhaps, very different. As Paul Davies remarked in the WSJ, the "biggest risk of Brexit is that it is a signpost along a road toward declining international trade, less free movement of capital and a continuing global economic cooling" (see here).
Why, I ask myself, did I fail to predict Brexit? Of course, the polls are partly to blame, for they indicated that Remain would win by a small but solid margin. However, that's only part of the story. Probably equally important is that I preferred to view the evidence as I would like it to be: in favor of the Remain option. I wonder how much of that is also true of other things at stake in the world nowadays.
[1] The OECD estimates that Brexit will shave off 3 percent of UK GDP by 2020. Assuming an elasticity of 1 and that Brazilian exporters wouldn't manage to send their goods elsewhere, this would reduced Brazil's GDP by an estimated 0.005%.


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This blog is my happy place. As a homeschooling, stay-at-home mom of 9 kids, I get a little excited when I talk to other grown ups.
Actually, 5 of my kids are technically grown ups. It's hard to believe. They range in age from 9-26, with our oldest daughter getting married in a few months. When my kids were all little it was so hard to imagine the day would ever come when I wouldn't have a baby anymore or I could just leave the house without a complete battle plan. If you're in the thick of babies and diapers….let me tell you that while it seems impossible….it's over before you know it. Someday it's just gonna be just me and my hubs and we can just drive around visiting our kids and grandkids.
I share everything here from DIY projects to parenting tips to staying healthy to just whatever happened over the weekend. Oh, and my beloved essential oils that have changed my life and I can't stop from talking about them. Yep. It's a barrel of fun.
And don't miss my YouTube channel of tips and ideas!
I have written 2 books that I hope you will pick up and share. The first, "Mama Needs a Do-Over" is filled with funny, practical inspiration for turning those hard days around. The second, "Tightropes and Teeter-Totters" is about finding balance in the ups and downs of life.
Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more joy!
Thanks or stopping by and I hope you'll come back and visit!


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Basic Studios is an artist studio space operating out of the former Autotelic Studios building. New name, same commitment to affordable studios in Logan Square! We have WiFi, 24/7 wood shop access, off street parking and are excited to announce the addition of a project space for events and curated shows.
We have the following studio spaces available:
1. Private studio share, 50 sq ft $125
2. Semi-private desk space, 50 sq ft $150
3. Semi-private large studio, 100 sq ft $275
4. Private large studio, 100 Sq ft $350
5. Monthly membership (shop use only) $100
6. Quiet public space where you can access Wifi, suitable for computer based arts, writers etc. $50
!$Claim your space now for sweet deals$! Sign a lease officially beginning February 1 and move in right away. That's the rest of January FREE. PLUS 25% off your first month.
E-mail Kristina to schedule a tour.


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9K Gold and Moonstone Necklace
More questions? Get in touch
This is a stunning 9 karat gold Moonstone necklace. The 10 incredibly clear moonstones are in perfect condition except for the stone to the right of the center, which has a slight inclusion yet is almost unnoticeable when worn. The 18 inch chain is in perfect condition and the clasp contains the 9K marking which can be seen clearly with a loop. The stones are slightly graduated; the average size of the smaller stones is 8 mm by 5.75 mm, the roundest stone measures to 6.5 mm by 7.5 mm and the largest middle stone is 10 mm by 7 mm. The piece weighs approximately 3 grams. This eye-catching necklace lays beautifully when worn and would make the perfect addition to any collection.
Starting at $25. This seller prefers to quote shipping price after determining your location.
Domestic shipping within the 48 continental states is quoted on each item via FedEx or White Glove delivery.
International shipping can be arranged upon request.
Delivery times will vary depending on the locations of origin and delivery, packing requirements, and the method of shipping used.
Once your order is processed, you will be notified of shipping status and given an estimated time of delivery.
We accept payment by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover through our secure portal. We also accept payment via check, money order, or wire transfer. All payment options are available at checkout.


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China-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement to benefit luxury
The 2014 Sino-Swiss Economic Forum which has recently taken place in Beijing celebrates the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the People's Republic of China and the Swiss Confederation. The Sino-Swiss Economic Forum is jointly organized by the Swiss-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Swiss Embassy. Key topics were discussed on the strengths complementing the economic cooperation, i.e. quality, innovation, competitiveness and sustainability.
The comprehensive FTA will establish preferential relations for trade in goods and services between China and Switzerland, facilitating two-way trade and enhancing competitiveness of both economies. The agreement will also strengthen legal certainty for economic exchange, promote bilateral cooperation between Switzerland and China and contribute to sustainable development.
Switzerland is a world-renowned high-end manufacturing powerhouse, and Swiss traditional high-end watchmaking industry is the mainstay of the "Swiss-made" heritage. With the Sino-Swiss FTA taking effect and the development of China's manufacturing industry and consuming capacity, the two countries open up opportunities in economic and trade cooperation benefitting many industry sectors, including luxury, especially watches.


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Words containing chondrodysplas
Found 3 words containing chondrodysplas. Browse our Scrabble Word Finder, Words With Friends cheat dictionary, and WordHub word solver to find words that contain chondrodysplas. Or use our Unscramble word solver to find your best possible play! Related: Words that start with chondrodysplas
- Scrabble
- Words With Friends
- WordHub
- Crossword


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Presidents (and First Ladies) at Penn
When Bill Clinton spoke at Irvine Auditorium late last month as part of the Center for Africana Studies' "Kerner Plus 40" Symposium (see story) he added to the long legacy of presidential appearances here at Penn—a legacy that dates even further back than the Presidency itself.
Penn's first presidential visit, though a retroactive one, came in 1775, when General George Washington—not yet named President, because there was no such office—visited what was then called the College of Philadelphia for the University's Commencement. He was joined that day by John Adams, who would serve as both Washington's vice president and successor. Eight years later, Washington would become the first of ten U.S. presidents to receive an honorary Penn degree. Among them is Theodore Roosevelt. As reported by Old Penn on Feb. 18, 1905, Roosevelt was to receive his honorary doctorate along with Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, who in later years played a pivotal role in World War I. Wilhelm accepted his degree in absentia; the University revoked it in 1918.
General Dwight D. Eisenhower received an honorary degree in 1947, and though John F. Kennedy was here in 1957 and Harry S Truman in 1960, 15 long years passed until the next Presidential visitor, Gerald Ford, who was Commencement speaker in 1975.
Penn has also played host to distinguished First Ladies, with Barbara Bush and Hillary Clinton—now a Presidential hopeful herself—receiving honorary diplomas. Mrs. Clinton posed with Ben on the Bench, while Mrs. Bush turned a memorable phrase in 1990: "Somewhere out in the audience today there may be a future President of the United States. I wish her well."
Originally published March 6, 2008


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BREAKING NEWS! Laine and Adam are married! The two television news anchors created a wedding day that showcased their love and devotion to each other, accented with hues of purples and blues. Not even a little rain could sprinkle frowns on their faces. Brides and grooms: Learn from this. If the possibility of rain becomes a reality on your wedding day, don't despair. Realize that there are so many cute photo options because umbrellas make awesome props! We love the photos of Laine cuddled up with Adam beneath a wind-blown umbrella.
Laine presented Adam with a super cool groom's cake! The cake features the couple skiing pine tree-topped slopes and even decked out with ski lift gondolas! The tradition of a groom's cake has its roots from the American South. It's considered to be a gift from the bride to the groom and usually pays tribute to one of his interests or hobbies. Groom's cakes are fun — and delicious — ways to celebrate the bride's new husband! Laine did a great job with Adam's.
Reporting live from TheWeddingYentas.com, mazel tov, Laine and Adam!
Venue – Club 1000
Photographer – Solar Photographers
Videographer – Kairos Moment Wedding Film
Event Designer – Soiree Event Design
Florist – Bella Design Studio
Ceremony Entertainment – Guitar Elegance
Reception Entertainment – Saucy Jack
Bakery – Caren's Cakes


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28-5A scouting report, players to watch, team-by-team
Published 9:10 pm, Thursday, August 19, 2010
Scouting report
Best bet
Southwest: The Dragons will be favorites under new coach Pete Wagner, but the big question will be whether Southwest can perform in the playoffs now that it isn't facing Valley teams for the first two rounds.
Dark horse
East Central: For the third straight year in the E-N football preview, the Hornets have been tabbed as their district dark horse. It may be a curse considering their 7-14 record for the past two seasons. With QB Eddie Lopez back after throwing for 1,292 yards, he'll need to lead the Hornets to an upset against Southwest or Corpus Christi Carroll for this dark-horse pick to pan out.
Sports Channel
- Russian Doping Scandal Stuns Olympic Curling Associated Press
- Sledding with U.S. luge medalist Chris Mazdzer Sports Illustrated
- Olympic Spotlight on South Korean Rustbelt Associated Press
- Team LeBron outlasts Team Steph in close All-Star Game Sports Illustrated
- Adam Rippon backs out of deal with NBC for Olympic coverage Sports Illustrated
- How to Watch Ice Dance Sports Illustrated
- Austin Dillon Wins 60th Running of the Daytona 500 Sports Illustrated
- Fans Ejected From United Center for Directing Racist Taunts at Capitals' Devante Smith-Pelly Sports Illustrated
- Nate Robinson and Carlos Boozer's Best Partying Tips For All-Star Weekend Sports Illustrated
- James Harden on the All-Star Game in LA and Beards at All-Star Media Day Sports Illustrated
Games to watch
Steele at Southwest: 7:30 p.m., Sept. 17: Between Malcolm Brown and the Dragons' ground-and-pound rushing offense, this game is the antidote to trendy spread offenses.
East Central at Southwest: 7 p.m., Oct. 14: The Hornets' recent struggles are simple: They're 0-9 against playoff teams in the past two seasons. A road victory here on "Thursday Night Lights" would give coach Robert Walker his signature win.
Corpus Christi King at South San: 7:30 p.m., Oct. 15: In the era of four playoff teams, this game becomes the most important one on the schedules of King and South San.
Outside the box
By the numbers
3 - Regular-season losses for Southwest in the past three seasons. All came in the Dragons' first three games in 2008. Blanco is the only area team with a better regular-season record in that span.
4,794 - Career yards for East Central's Chris Johnson, who signed with UTSA.
New coordinator, Part 3: The coaching shuffle at Southwest also means the Dragons have their third defensive coordinator in three years. John Tarvin, who was the defensive line coach last season, takes over and will keep the Dragons' 3-4 scheme. Wagner is the only remaining Southwest coach who arrived with Matt Elliott in 2006.
Five Players to Watch
South San WR: 5-6, 150, sr. — His speed is a major reason the Bobcats are switching to a spread offense, so expect Camarillo to be one of South San's big-play threats.
Camarillo won the 27-5A 400-meter dash at 49.45, and is coming off a season in which he averaged almost 17 yards a catch.
East Central RB: 5-7, 170, jr. — The district's toughest task of replacing a running back named Johnson belongs to the Hornets. Chris Johnson rushed for 4,794 career yards before going on to UTSA.
While Clark lacks Johnson's size, coach Robert Walker said he has the speed.
Clark, who has played receiver and defensive back, finished spring football as the incumbent starting RB and may split time with Edwin Dearring.
Southwest LT: 6-3, 310, jr. — Moving from right tight end to left tackle will be a challenge that coach Pete Wagner expects Cooper to meet.
"Our tackles have to be monstrous," Wagner said. "They have to annihilate people."
Leadership on the line will come from 295-pound senior Kyle Salings, but Cooper will have to be a focal point of the Dragons' bruising offense.
Wagner said Cooper could be one of Southwest's best college football prospects not named Ty Detmer.
Highlands LT: 6-4, 265, sr. — He was a bright spot during the Owls' winless 2009 until he suffered a sprained knee with three games left.
Garcia missed the rest of the season. Without him, Highlands coach Juan Hinojosa said the Owls had no choice but to "almost get completely away from the run."
Garcia will need to stay healthy to help stop the Owls' losing streak.
Southwest RB/LB: 5-11, 205, sr. — Tre'vion Johnson was Southwest's featured back last season, rushing for 1,306 yards. But Peterman served as a welcome complement.
A straight-ahead runner, Peterman pounded his way to 606 yards last season, averaging 7.0 per carry.
When Johnson missed two games because of an injury, Peterman ran for 300 yards and four TDs as his replacement.
- Lorne Chan
2. Southwest Dragons
Matt Elliott arrived at Southwest in 2006, guiding the Dragons to a 38-9 record and four playoff victories — after one playoff win in school history before he arrived.
He left for New Braunfels Canyon, and it's up to former offensive coordinator Pete Wagner, 31, to take over.
"Coach Elliott is probably a legend right now at Southwest," Wagner said. "But the first thing he'll say is that the kids were behind our success."
At a glance
Enrollment: 3,043
Head coach: Peter Wagner, first season as a head coach
2009 records: 10-1 overall, 7-0 in 29-5A (first)
Last playoff appearance: 2009, 5A Division I second round
Returning lettermen/starters (o/d): 21/12 (7/5)
Key returnees
Julius Anderson: WR/DB, 6-0, 190, sr. — Two-way starter last year.
Felix Castillo: QB/DB, 5-9, 175, sr. — 32 of 71 for 614 yards, five TDs, three interceptions.
Chris Cooper: OL/DL, 6-3, 310, jr. — Should be a Division I prospect.
Herbert Gonzales: TE/DL, 6-0, 265, sr. — All-district.
Orrin Peterman: RB/LB, 5-11, 205, sr. — 606 yards on 87 carries, eight TDs.
Markell Thomas: RB/LB, 6-0, 200, sr. — Second-team all-district last year.
3. East Central Hornets
Robert Walker enters his fifth season as Hornets coach, and another season where his team is poised for a breakthrough.
Since reaching the second round in 2007, East Central followed with consecutive sub -.500 seasons.
"I have not been able to produce that big win," Walker said. "That's on me, and I want that so badly for this community."
With 15 returning starters including QB Eddie Lopez, this could be the time.
At a glance
Enrollment: 2,492
Head coach: Robert Walker, 105-56 career, 16 seasons; 19-23, four seasons at East Central
2009 records: 4-7 overall, 4-3 in 27-5A (fourth)
Last playoff appearance: 2009, 5A Division II bidistrict
Returning lettermen/starters (o/d): 30/15 (7/8)
Key returnees
Robby Almarez: TE, 5-10, 200, sr. — 13 receptions for 253 yards and two TDs.
Blaine Elley: FS, 5-9, 150, sr.
Eddie Lopez: QB, 6-1, 170, sr. — 99 of 192, 1,292 yards, 11 TDs, seven interceptions.
Harold Miller: LG, 5-10, 255, sr. — Second-team all-district.
Devante Jackson: TB, 5-9, 190, sr. — Runs 40 in 4.55 seconds.
Gant Kiolbassa: DT, 260, sr.
Kyle Padalecki: CB, 5-9, 165, jr.
Jeremy Rico: WR, 5-5, 150, sr.
Tanner Scheel: LB, 175, sr. — All-district.
Blaine Sells: P, 6-0, 200, jr. — All-district.
5. South San Bobcats
After nine years of a flex offense, the Bobcats are the latest team to switch to the spread.
"When it comes down to it, the spread is option football," coach John Torres said. "The kids have taken to it, and it could get us to the playoffs."
The no-huddle shotgun offense is another renovation for South San, which built a new weight room and field house to go with the new turf installed last season.
At a glance
Enrollment: 2,243
Head coach: John Torres, 33-41 career, seven seasons, all at South San
2009 records: 3-7 overall, 1-6 in 27-5A (seventh)
Last playoff appearance: 2007, 4A Division I bidistrict
Returning lettermen/starters (o/d): 18/12 (6/6)
Key returnees
Christian Alcorta: DT, 5-11, 230, sr.
Ernest Caballo: LG, 5-10, 275, sr.
Mario Camarillo: WR, 5-6, 155, sr. — Leading returning receiver had 19 catches for 319 yards and four TDs.
Miguel Hernandez: DT, 5-11, 283
Patrick Loera: RB, 5-11, 225, sr.
Kendrick Wilson: RB, 5-8, 175, sr. — Leading returning rusher had 64 carries for 417 yards and a TD.
6. Highlands Owls
During the Owls' second 0-10 season in three years in 2009, coach Juan Hinojosa kept finding optimism with his team.
He was playing a young lineup and kept seeing improvement despite the lack of victories.
Fifteen starters are returning and Highlands is now in a six-team district, giving Hinojosa hope that the Owls will compete for a playoff berth for the first time since 2002.
At a glance
Enrollment: 2,096
Head coach: Juan Hinojosa, 49-80-1 career, 13 seasons; 3-27, three seasons at Highlands
2009 records: 0-10 overall, 0-7 in 27-5A (eighth)
Last playoff appearance: 2002, 5A Division II bidistrict
Returning lettermen/starters (o/d): 25/15 (7/8)
Key returnees
James Hastings: TB, 5-9, 160, sr. — 375 yards rushing, three TDs; one punt return for a TD.
Chris Pacheco: QB, 6-1, 170 sr. — 589 yards passing; 315 yards rushing, two TDs.
Robert Reyna: LB, 5-10, 190 sr. — Two-year captain.
Samudio Senior: HB/OLB, 5-9, 150, sr. — 275 yards rushing, two TDs; 13 solo tackles.
Zac Wright: OT, 6-0, 295, jr. — Strongest player in the program.
Corpus Christi area
1. Corpus Christi Carroll Tigers
Riding the wave of a second-round showing last year, the Tigers are primed for even more this season. An experienced defense will be the key if Carroll wants to take it further.
At a glance
Enrollment: 2,291
Head coach: Terry Morris
2009 records: 8-4 overall, 5-2 in 27-5A (third), reached 5A Division II second round
Returning lettermen/starters (o/d): 25/13 (6/7)
Key returnees
John Bighamian: TE, 6-0, 190, sr. — All-district.
Connor Keeton: OL, 6-5, 250, sr. — All-district.
John Nelson: K, 5-11, 180, sr.
Jonathan Turner: QB, 5-8, 170, sr.
4. Corpus Christi King Mustangs
Thanks in large part to the return of quarterback Dezi Rodriguez, the Mustangs should make a run for the playoffs.
At a glance
Enrollment: 2,479
Head coach: Eddie Hesseltine
2009 records: 4-6 overall, 2-5 in 27-5A (sixth)
Returning lettermen/starters (o/d): 24/14 (8/6)
Key returnees
Ramond Garza: G, 6-4, 270, jr.
Brandon Harris: RB, 5-10, 165, sr.
Craig Martinez: DE, 6-3, 245, jr. — 58 tackles.
Jeremiah Perez: OL, 6-0, 250, sr.
Dezi Rodriguez: QB, 5-9, 170, sr. — Rushed for 885 yards on 159 carries with 13 TDs, and was 32 of 54 for 425 yards, four TDs and five interceptions.
Herbert Gonzales, Southwest TE/DL
Senior was all-district in 2009.


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A Northamptonshire charity that provides a national lifeline to thousands of people addicted to volatile substance abuse has avoided possible closure following a successful fund-raising drive.
Solve It launched a campaign last month to raise £9,000 to guarantee its future and, following a number of new donations, sponsors and fund-raisers have revealed the funding is now in place to maintain it as a going concern.
Kevin Shapland, chairman of the charity's trustees, said: "We're not out of the woods yet but we are in a position to carry on for the next few months while we continue with the fund-raising drive.
"We have received a number of new leads in recent weeks which we are following up and there are some potential new revenue streams available to us so we are hopeful, but by no means certain, that can go some way to guaranteeing the long-term future of the charity."
Volatile substance abuse - abusing aerosols, gas and glue - is far more common than suspected, killing an average of one person every week in the UK.
Formed in 1989, the Kettering-based-charity has helped more than 300,000 young people, parents, carers, partners and professionals.
After losing £100,000 in funding in the last year due to government and county council cutbacks, it faced going into administration unless the shortfall was covered.
Mr Shapland added: "We have been delighted with the response we have had, not just from the public but also from those within the organisation. One of our staff, Jolene, is taking part in the three-day London to Paris bike ride next month and has agreed to raise money for Solve It which is a tremendous gesture."
Based at SATRA Innovation Park, Rockingham Road, the charity has a Northamptonshire focus providing educational services and counselling. Nationally it is able to provide support through telephone and on-line counselling.
For more information visit http://www.solveitonline.co.uk.