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This week on PBA we have interviews with the Rookie of the Year candidates. John "LJ" Woodley's rookie efforts saw him help his team, Houston Heat, win 3 events out of 5. Read his profile here. And check out his stats here.
Remember to vote!
Tell me a little about your road getting here. How did you get to this stage of your career?
It's been a pretty crazy road getting here. I grew up playing on the East Coast, looking up to players like the Blonski brothers, Nicky Cuba, and Mr. U, thinking I wanted to be able to play at that level. I was willing to do anything to get there and to be the best.
Ever since then, nothing has really mattered to me but getting to that point in paintball and to becoming the absolute best. I've learned that in this sport you're never going to go anywhere unless you play "team" paintball. It took me awhile to learn that, but the only way to win is if every single person on your team does their job.
How did you feel about your first year playing in the PSP pro division, about playing big league paintball?
It was totally different than anything I've ever experienced. For me it was a huge step up from the other divisions I competed in. I've learned so much from all of my amazing teammates and coach this year about what it takes to win.
Every single person on my team each had a very important piece in the puzzle and without everyone doing their job we wouldn't have been successful. My coach, Jason Trosen, has taught me so much this year. The dude just knows what it takes to straight up win. All the guys on the Heat know that. We respect and trust his calls, which I think is huge. Trosen always says, "The team that is going to win is the team that makes the least amount of mistakes and the team whose players do their jobs on the field the best. You have to play fumble free."
I also learned this year in the pro circuit that when you step onto that field, no matter what, there can't be any doubt in your mind. The only thing that should be going through your head is to WIN. You have to trust yourself and your teammates; you can't mentally hesitate once or you'll get eaten up.
I've also learned you can never, ever take a team lightly in the PSP Pro Division. Every team out there is fighting for the same thing you are and anyone can take it away from you at any moment. You need to always play each point 100% like every point you play is for 1st and 2nd .
What was your best on-field moment in 2012?
Man, there are just so many moments from our successful season. Beating Red Legion and winning my first event as a pro, as well as the team's first win in Phoenix, to keeping that success going and winning 3 out the 5 PSP events, including the PSP Series Title and World Cup.
How would you say you played this year?
I was disappointed with my play this season. I've played in a lot of competitive sports and I've learned the best competitors are consistent. That's the one thing I aim for—consistency. So in that regard, I'm my harshest critic.
It's important to always improve my game. Playing for Houston Heat and winning all those tournaments gave me a lot of positive feedback and confidence. But it's even more important for me to take the negative, the constructive criticisms, the tough games, and learn as much as I can from those experiences.
This season made me hungry for next year, to show more of my potential, and push my limits. I want to prove that although I was a rookie this year, I still deserve to play pro and earned my spot on Houston Heat.
What was your best move or best game in this year?
My run-through at the Chicago Open against Aftershock was definitely my best move. Running through off the break and getting a 4-pack was a move I'll never forget.
My best game had to be against Red Legion in the finals at our second event at the Phoenix Open. I felt extremely focused after the previous event in Galveston and taking second. But I wanted to win Phoenix and prove to everyone that Houston Heat wasn't a joke and we weren't going to take second again. There was nothing that was going to stop me, or my teammates, from winning that event, regardless of how bad a situation got mid-point.
Describe your playing style?
I have a pretty unique style because unlike most players I don't have a designated spot of the field. I can get thrown in any spot on the field, which I think makes it harder for other teams to scout me because I'm always changing it up. I also think it helps me because if I am playing weak in a match at one spot I can get placed into a different spot.
What are your weakness and your strengths as player?
I have the tendency right now to not be as consistent as I'd like to be. I know I'll improve with more experience at the professional level. As for my strengths, I feel I am a very good communicator. This goes back to my athletic background and the huge importance of communicating with teammates on the field and quarterbacking people to play as one.
This year, being on a team with the Federov-Mishka-Sergei trio, and our coach's "bloody knuckles" snap drills, have taught me to be a very dominant gun fighter, although I think it's something you should only do when its necessary.
How do you feel about being named a candidate for "Rookie of the Year"?
It definitely feels good to finally get my name out there in the sport. It feels great to have my determination and hard work being recognized. I was fortunate enough to play on the best team in the world, which only made me want to strive to be an even better player.
A big part of why I got nominated has to do with all I've learned this season from my teammates and coach. They consistently motivated and pushed me to always do better.
What is 2013 looking like for you?
I'm hungry for the 2013 season to start already with the Houston Heat boys! I'm trying to play every league possible and do as much traveling as possible. This year was like a dream come true. I can't wait to see what the 2013 season has in store for me and Houston Heat.
Anything additional you want to say?
I just want to say thanks to everyone in the Houston Heat family, the people behind the scenes that organize everything down to the single detail so all we have to do is worry WINNING.
I also want to say thanks to all the fans that have been supportive to us all year. And of course I want to send a big thanks Momma D. and Sarge. Houston Heat would never be where we are now if it wasn't for all of you!
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Editorial: Ban on toxic waste fails to get support
Times Herald Record May 1, 2014
Those who oppose hydraulic fracturing and those who are in favor all understand that New York will not be able to move ahead on any permits or regulations without including plans to handle the wastewater the process produces.
In states that have allowed drilling, disposal of the wastewater that gets pumped up from the wells has been a challenge. Water treatment plants often are not large enough to handle the volume or not equipped to handle the contents of the wastewater. Storing the wastewater is one approach, but that merely postpones the need to find a real solution, and even the most secure storage locations have trouble preventing leaks.
In light of that, state Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk, D-Duanesburg, introduced legislation that would have prevented New York from accepting the shipment of waste from other states that allow fracking and need to get rid of these toxic byproducts.
That legislation made sense on a number of fronts. First, the state has not yet decided if it will allow fracking. Second, should the state eventually decide to go ahead and allow drilling, it will need to come up with regulations to make sure that wastewater is disposed of safely and treated so that it does not pose a threat to aquifers and wells. Third, any such improvement in treatment will require both time and investment.
In other words, the prospect of a large-scale, safe and affordable system for treating the millions of gallons of wastewater that fracking produces is several steps and several years away.
Tkaczyk justified the need for such legislation by noting that federal regulations do not consider fracking wastewater as hazardous, even though it is. As a result, there is nothing stopping drillers in other states from sending their wastewater across the border into New York for treatment, avoiding any legal or environmental obstacles in Pennsylvania, for example. Think of it as their payback for all of the garbage we ship to landfills there and farther west.
Because the Republicans who control the Senate did not want to act on the bill, Tkaczyk tried a parliamentary maneuver to get it through the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. She hoped to force a vote with the assumption that even those who are in favor of fracking would not be so bold as to welcome the importation of Pennsylvania's wastewater before New York had a chance to put in its own safeguards.
Well, she was wrong. Republicans blocked her bill.
She thinks this is because many who voted against the legislation get money from oil and gas interests. The Republican spokesman did not really answer that, but he did say that she was guilty of "accusing people of having dark motives" and failing to do the necessary work to get support within the Republicans on the committee.
The spokesman did not clarify how she was supposed to do that, what other arguments she needed to make to help convince her colleagues that the state should block the importation of toxic wastewater at least until it is ready to treat it safely

subset: commoncrawl


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Cow Milking Competition
Grandstand - Sunday - 12:00 p.m.
CONTACT: Karen Davis 613-659-3347
PRIZE: 1st - $100
Come watch as local politicians, firefighters and other local celebrities face off in a head-to-head milking competition - the old fashion way! If you are interested in entering a team of 4, pre-registration by July 1st is required by calling the contact listed above.
2017 Fair Dates...
July 21 to 23, 2017
Gates open at 3pm!
Homecraft Registration
July 20 at 7pm and
July 21 at 8am
View the Schedule of Events
Like Us on FaceBook
Daily Pass:
Adults (13 & Up) - Friday $8, Saturday $10, Sunday $10
Weekend Pass - Adults $18 (Available at the Gates)
Kids (12 & under) - Free everyday!
World's Finest Shows
Midway Ride-all-Day bracelets!
Only $22.00!
Available until July 20, at 4:00 p.m.
at these locations:
Gananoque Pharmasave, Sears, Lucky Dollar, Rapid Valley Restaurant, Lion's Den, J. W. Lackie & Sons, Hilltop Coffee Shop, Twist's Outlet, Lansdowne Freshmart, Purcell's Freshmart Mallorytown, Wing's Live Bait
Please Note: Advance Midway Bracelets WILL NOT be sold at the Lansdowne Fair Office.
LAS Meetings
The Lansdowne Agricultural Society meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7pm; unless otherwise advertised.
The Junior Fairboard meets the last Tuesday of the month at 7pm.
See Information tab for details.


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Also available in these formats:
We Recommend
Chester Brown, cartoonist
Chester Brown was born in 1960 in Montreal and grew up in the nearby suburb of Chateauguay. Toronto is where he has lived for most of the years since 1979. He is probably best known for his comic book series Yummy Fur (1983 - 1994) and for his graphic novels Louis Riel (2003) and Paying for It (2011). A small selection of some of the drawings from Louis Riel is currently on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
This book examines our society's taboos and questions their validity. While it does deal with some more minor taboos (like eating snot), it mostly focuses on sex and drugs. As someone who frequently pays for sex, I didn't find that section very shocking, although I thought Arthur did a great job of demonstrating how stupid our attitudes are about prostitution. What I found surprising was my reaction to the chapters on drugs. I ingested my fair share of "recreational" drugs when I was younger, and I believe that drug use should be decriminalized, so I thought I had a pretty liberal attitude on the subject. It was only while reading this book that I realized that, despite my liberal attitude, I was judgmental about people who use illegal drugs. I thought that they have a problem and that it would be good if they stop using drugs. Arthur challenged that position and got me thinking about the topic in a different way.
When Margaret Sanger was born, the authorities were doing their best to keep birth control techniques out of the hands of women. Sanger worked to ensure that people could have sex without worrying about unwanted pregnancies. Like a lot of people, I had heard about Margaret Sanger's connection to the eugenics movement of the early 20th century and, as a result, I had dismissed her as an important figure in our history. Bagge wanted to rescue her tattered reputation and show how this activist changed our world for the better. The engaging narrative charges through Sanger's fascinating life at sonic speed. This is a graphic novel and, as a cartoonist, I have to say that I have enormous respect for Bagge's storytelling technique. He knows how to engage and hold a reader's attention.
Modern attitudes toward sex will look as backward to future generations as those of Margaret Sanger's time seem to us. Magnanti's goal is to show how ridiculous many of our beliefs about the subject are. She knows what she's talking about; she used to work as a prostitute and now she's a scientist. (She has a Ph.D in genetic epidemiology.) Each chapter presents a different popular misconception about sex and then debunks it. I particularly appreciated the chapters on sex addiction and sex trafficking. Magnanti contends that "[c]alling compulsive sex an addiction blames bad choices on a disease" and that "trafficking is very rare in" the US and Britain. (Her conclusion applies to Canada, too.)
This is one of those accounts of a near-death experience in which the person who comes close to dying has encounters with angelic beings in a heavenly setting. Such accounts are often dismissed by claiming that the person who had the experience was hallucinating. Alexander was in a hospital and his brain was being monitored during his near-death experience. Because he's a neurosurgeon who understands the information that the monitoring devices produced, he believes he's able to prove that his heavenly encounters couldn't have been a hallucination.
Also available in these formats:
It's virtually impossible for a journalist to get into North Korea and report on what life is like in that dictatorship, so Demick did the next best thing and interviewed North Koreans who had escaped from the country. I'm not sure which would be worse, the widespread hunger and poverty or the way that living in a totalitarian state makes it difficult to trust anyone. Demick focuses on the individual stories of the people she interviewed, accounts of hardship, escape and having to adapt to living in freedom, which isn't necessarily easy when you haven't experienced it before.
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Read this book to be disabused of the idea that monogamy is "natural".
Blacklisted by history : the untold story of Senator Joe McCarthy and his fight against America's enemies
Joe McCarthy is now seen as one of the great villains of US history. Over the years, as I realized more and more how nonsensical communism is and how horrible Stalin was, I came to wonder why McCarthy was supposedly so bad. According to Evans, McCarthy wasn't bad, he just told the truth. There were communist agents in the US government who were reporting to Stalin. There were also people in the government who had a stake in covering up their incompetence in hiring the communists, so McCarthy was crushed and vilified.
I was going to write that this is not a story that psychiatry can be proud of, but then I remembered that psychiatry has almost nothing to be proud of. It's a pseudo-science and this story of a psychiatrist who abused her power over a vulnerable patient is typical for the profession. Dr. Cornelia Wilbur convinced one of her female patients to falsely claim that she had multiple personalities. A supposedly nonfiction book about the case, with the title Sybil, was published in 1973, became a bestseller, and, as a result, it became popular for a while for psychiatrists to diagnose their patients as having Multiple Personality Disorder. The truth is, the woman who became known as Sybil was doing reasonably well in life until she let herself be treated by Dr. Wilbur. "Sybil" became reliant on the psychiatrist and never regained her independence.
Also available in these formats:
Here's another story from psychiatry's disgusting history. Howard Dully was a boy who had been having some minor behavioural problems that are typical in childhood, like shoplifting. In 1960, when he was twelve years old, he was lobotomized. The irresponsible quack who performed the procedure was widely respected by his fellow psychiatrists. It's stunning what the profession gets away with. Dully recounts the negative effect this had on him even many years later and how he was able to get his life together despite the damage his brain suffered.
These days, the Biblical letter writer is often accused of being a homophobe and a misogynist and of having supported slavery. Ruden argues that Paul has been misunderstood. She further asserts that Paul was not interested in setting up a bunch of prohibitions. For the most part she does a great job of elucidating that his real message was one of love, not "thou shalt not", but I thought the weakest chapter was the one on homosexuality. Fortunately I found the next book on my list shortly after reading Ruden's
Jennings shows that Paul's supposed pronouncements against sexual activity between people of the same gender are actually examples of mistranslation and misinterpretation. According to Jennings (and I think he's right) Paul neither condemns nor praises activities that we would now classify as homosexual or lesbian. The book attempts to demonstrate that homophobia developed, not out of Paul's writings, but (counterintuitively) out of Plato's, specifically out of his dialogue on Laws, which isn't well known in the modern world.
Yes, another book about Paul; I've been quite interested in him for the last several years. While it's common these days to try to understand Jesus within the context of the Judaism of his time, it's also common to see Paul as someone who deviated from his Jewish upbringing, or to suspect that his claim that he was a Jew was untrue. (Barrie Wilson's How Jesus Became Christian would be an example of a book written from this perspective.) Eisenbaum argues that Paul was a Jew and never stopped being one. She thinks he was trying to set up Jewish colonies in non-Jewish territories.
This book is similar to the previous one, but extends the argument to the four New Testament Gospels (which, of course, were written after Paul's letters). Boyarin thinks the Gospels are Jewish texts. He points out that, via the Jewish book Daniel, the idea of a semi-divine human figure was already part of Judaism before the birth of Jesus. "The reason that many Jews came to believe that Jesus was divine was because they were already expecting that the Messiah/Christ would be a god-man. This expectation was part and parcel of Jewish tradition." Boyarin makes a good case that runs counter to recent books that claim that Paul and the Gospel writers had pagan influences.
Marion decided at an early age to devote himself to living as a Christian mystic. He relates some of his autobiographical experiences and compares them with those of other mystics, usually Christian, although he also refers to other spiritual traditions. The book mostly consists of descriptions of the different levels of spiritual development. Although I was born a Christian, I've become more uncomfortable with defining myself as one since my religious beliefs are so different from those of other Christians, most of whom seem to think that the religion is about policing the behaviour and beliefs of others. Marion emphasizes the role of love in Christianity. I can't resist quoting a short passage that gives a sense of his unusual approach: "On occasion my adventures took me into what many people might call the 'sexual underworld,' a place of unconventional sexuality, drug-dealing, prostitution, heavy alcohol use, and other socially condemned practices. But I learned much in that world. I was given to see [...] that what Jesus said about many prostitutes and sinners entering the Kingdom of Heaven before the righteous is as true today as it was when Jesus spoke[. ... T]he path of these unconventional, marginalized people [...] can be, and often is, a much faster path to the Kingdom than the safe, lukewarm, socially approved, avoid-all-risk-factors path many Christians follow."
While I'm only putting this one title by Katie on the list, I recommend all of her books. They all say the same thing, but sometimes you need to hear something more than once to really understand it, or at least I do. Katie contends that all of our problems stem from our thoughts, and she's developed a simple, quick technique to short-circuit negative thinking. An acquaintance of mine who works in the "mental health" field pointed out to me that it's basically a simplified version of cognitive therapy, but it also resembles eastern philosophies including Taoism. (A connection Katie makes explicit in her book A Thousand Names for Joy, in which she interprets Lao-tzu's Tao Te Ching.) Actually, what Katie's belief system most resembles is the one that the fictional philosopher Pangloss espouses in Voltaire's famous novel Candide. But, while Voltaire set out to ridicule Pangloss and his notion that "this is the best of all possible worlds", Katie convinced me that Voltaire was wrong and Pangloss was right. I don't hesitate to say that I think Byron Katie is the wisest person on the planet.
Also available in these formats:
Those of you who read my memoir Paying for It and noticed all of the negative things I wrote about romantic love might be surprised to see this title on my list, but this is the best book about romantic love that I've read since I encountered Denis de Rougemont's Love in the Western World. Nehring deals with Rougemont's famous work respectfully but critically, and she makes some solid points. I also particularly liked the chapter about power imbalances in love. Here's a quote from that chapter: "There is an intrinsic suspense and ceremony in power-imbalanced relationships that - if not the same as the suspense and ceremony of romance - are easily confounded with them, and notoriously conducive to them. Much as there is no tennis without a net, there is no courtship without a barrier - and what more immediate barrier than a conspicuous difference in class or experience, age or employment?" She outright states that, when it comes to romance, equality is boring.


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Five Forks Antiques
Five Fruit Knives and Five Forks
Five Forks Postmark
Five Forks Network
Stonegate's End – J & K family
JEB:LOG – radio parts and html
Ted's Blog – dogs, flashlights, remotes
Julie's Journal – travels here and back again
Five Forks (Tuning)
Five Forks in
Chicago Utah
I needed to know the fiveforks.com server time zone (currently on JustHost.com.) This website shows that Five Forks is in Chicago Provo, Utah.
(There was an i.p. change in 2012 and that turned out to be a data center move. I spotted BlueHost in some of the back end admin tools, so I contacted customer service to find out if JustHost had been acquired by BlueHost. They said they are "sister companies.")
This little script is a better way to confirm. Central time. (-6 GMT). Mountain time (-7 GMT).
Five Forks Painting
Credits: Bridget Farmer of Brid Bird
Five Forks Fire Truck
source: cffvfd.org
Five Forks in Madrid
By Jake Richter on Bits Are Cheap.


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New age business demands mobile websites.
Dont Have a Mobile Website ! Dont Worry, We are here to help you !
Now mobile websites are made easy with the help of Mobil Crazy Mobile Website Builder CMS. Mobil Crazy helps businesses to create their mobile websites in minutes in a simple, easy and powerful way.


text: The following reply was made to PR pkg/47308; it has been noted by GNATS. From: David Shao <davshao%gmail.com@localhost> To: gnats-bugs%netbsd.org@localhost Cc: Subject: Re: pkg/47308: sane-backends DragonFly kodakaio.c:698: error: 'SOL_SOCKET' undeclared Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2012 23:01:48 -0800 As of commit c0eb50857e068b35a9a8d650047ee9638df286b8 Author: pkgsrc fixup <pkgsrc%dragonflybsd.org@localhost> Date: Wed Dec 12 18:27:10 2012 -0800 both graphics/sane-backends and graphics/libksane are cleanly built and replaced by # pkg_rolling-replace -uv on DragonFly x86_64. Thanks!


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Lipscomb Director of Athletics Dr. Steve Potts surprised athletic department staff on Wednesday by announcing he was resigning effective May 31.
The announcement was made Wednesday during a lunch for the athletics department.
Potts said he has accepted the position of Senior Associate Director of Athletics at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. Potts served as Associate Dean of the Pepperdine University School of Law prior to beginning his service at Lipscomb in January of 2000. Potts also earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Pepperdine.
"I lack the ability to adequately express my feelings regarding my time here with Lipscomb athletics," said Dr. Potts. "I thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to play a role in the development of the NCAA Division I athletics program here.
"I would like to thank former President Dr. Steve Flatt, former Executive Vice-President Dr. Carl McKelvey and current President, Dr. Randy Lowry, for giving me the chance to pursue my passions here at Lipscomb University. I also wish to express my heartfelt appreciation and genuine love to all of the athletics staff and coaches for their support and encouragement. My life has been enriched because of the relationships with such an extraordinary group of people and I will cherish those relationships forever."
Potts took over as Lipscomb's Director of Athletics as the school was making the transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division I. He successfully guided the athletics department through four years of NCAA Division I provisional membership. Lipscomb received active membership status in September 2003.
Potts also was responsible for effectively leading the institution through the 18-month NCAA Athletic Certification process that was completed in 2005.
In October 2001, Dr. Potts orchestrated Lipscomb's acceptance as a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. Lipscomb's teams started competing in the conference in the fall of 2003.
Under Dr. Potts' guidance, the Lipscomb athletics program has quickly made an impact in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
In the first year of Atlantic Sun competition the Lipscomb women's basketball team tied for the regular season championship, won the conference tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
The men's basketball team tied for the regular season championship in 2006, but lost in the conference tournament finals to cross-town rival Belmont University. They participated in the National Invitational Postseason Tournament.
In 2007, the women's volleyball team won the conference tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Lipscomb University served as the host school for the 2007 Atlantic Sun Conference Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships. The school also hosted the 2008 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Conference Basketball Championships, the first combined men's and women's basketball championships in conference history.
The multi-purpose, 5,000 seat, Allen Arena, which houses the Lipscomb University Athletics Department, was completed in October 2001.
VU ATHLETES HONORED: A total of 15 Vanderbilt student-athletes were named to the 2007-08 SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll in an announcement made by the SEC today. Ross Neltner and Davis Nwankwo of men's basketball, Jennifer Risper and Christina Wirth of women's basketball, Asheigh Beamer, Ashley Belden, Josie Earnest, Karen Grygiel, Tara Kane, Michelle Peloquin, and Kaitlin Reynolds of bowling; and Malissa Arnold, Shannon McConnaughey, Alexandra Walsh, and Suzanne Wetz of swimming and diving were the Commodore student-athletes named to the team.
A total of 367 student-athletes were named to the 2007-08 SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll, Wednesday by SEC Commissioner Mike Slive.


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When I first began reading Hal Clement stories in Astounding, I was struck by this new writer's affection for cloud types and air masses. Had to be a weatherman, I assured myself. Nobody else could, or would bother to, get all that meteorological talk down so well.
When I learned that Clement had been with a B-24 group, I was yearning for more, for so was I; and when it turned out that his bomb group was the 457th, I was fascinated. Mine was the 456th. Near us in the Stornara, Italy, neighborhood were the 458th and 459th; since the Air Force customarily packaged its bomb groups into bomb wings of four groups each, I had always wondered what they had done with our 457th.
Now I know that it was in England, flying right across the Channel to drop its bombs instead of chugging north through most of Europe before they got to a target, as our Mediterranean Theater of Operations bombers did. But why?
Ah, there is no "why" when you talk about the doings of the military.
Even after I met Hal Clement — aka Major Harry Stubbs, not a weatherman but a pilot, he explained; "but of course we had lots of courses in weather" — he didn't know what had happened to detach his group from its siblings either. All he could tell me was that one day around 1942 or so they'd got orders to draw desert-type clothing and hot-weather instruments, along with the other nearby groups; then the 457th's orders were reversed, while other groups began flying to Italy, and ultimately they were ordered to England.
And what did I mean, "Why?" Whoever knew "why" anything happened in the Air Force?
Nevertheless we became good friends, and ultimately I became his agent.
More to come.
Related post:
Hal Clement, Part 2


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We have recently pruned back our kiwi which was going mad, some of the vines weeped when they were cut and are still weeping after two weeks. We pruned it about the same time last year without any problems. What have we done wrong this time round
Problem solving
Weeping kiwiJump to latest post
1 to 2 of 2 replies


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Summer has never been so cool with great discounts at Walt Disney World now available!
Be sure to BOOK EARLY to take advantage of the savings!!!
- Save 15 – 30% on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
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Autumn is in full swing now. I've packed up my summer clothes and unloaded my big bulky sweaters from hiding. Maybe it was too soon though – we are still experiencing 70-80 degree temps. Everything is lush and green like it's spring time again. You won't hear me complaining, I love warm weather. I think a part of me goes into hibernation when it gets cold.
Anyway, I thought it would be fun to have a little giveaway to celebrate the season. Earlier this month I got an email from Helen from Frances + Francis. She designs the perfect elemental Autumnal card to send your greetings. She's agreed to giveaway some cards to our winner.
You will also receive these simple but beautiful leather bangles in Autumn colors from the Adopt Shoppe.
All you have to do to enter is leave a comment describing what you love most about the fall season. A winner will be randomly selected one week from now, on Tuesday, November 1st.
AND, I promise I will be back soon with some brand new DIY posts. Happy Autumn!


text: While going through some boxes, I discovered a stash of ATC's (Artist Trading Cards). I'd forgotten how much fun it was to come up with a design based on the monthly challenge theme. There was great excitement when our group traded the cards and we would open these little treasures to see what everyone came up with. It's a great way to use your supplies, meet new crafters, and stretch your imagination. If you haven't done them in awhile, or have never done them at all, go online to find a group and give them a try!


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Who are we?
SHERC (Saints Helping Enhance Radio Communications) is all about communications and getting the message through. We here are all members or friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is not an official church sponsored group, but we do aim to provide emergency communications for our local area focusing first on our local church members and their needs.
What's with the name?
We are serious about communications, but it doesn't mean we can't have fun too. It is a play on a line in the Hymn "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel." ...let no one shirk. Obviously we don't want anyone to shirk their responsibilities, but we do want you to sherc yours.
What do you do and offer?
We offer repeater services either directly through the club or through affiliate clubs and organizations. We offer them so far only in the Southeastern United States of America (Florida and Georgia), but would happily accept anyone who has a repeater that wants to be affiliated with us. We also have regular nets on the air (GMRS and Amateur Radio) and the internet via, D-Star and Echolink (Amateur Radio).
You're not just Amateur Radio?
Of course, we love Amateur Radio and it is usually the only guaranteed way to get the message through, there are other methods of communications. We at SHERC will use whatever is the quickest/easiest at the time. Most often during a disaster the internet is still up so that can be used, but if it is down then radio is preferred. However, sometimes it is easier to use GMRS due to the less technical nature and its more liberal licensing scheme. In short, even though we prefer Amateur Radio if may not always be the best. It's just always the most guaranteed.


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WISCONSIN NEWS ROUND-UP: State sees dramatic increase in flu hospitalizations
Wisconsin has seen a recent dramatic increase in the number of hospitalizations resulting from the flu. State epidemiologist Tom Haupt says that includes more admissions to intensive care units.
He's also a little concerned about the age groups that are being affected with the H1N1 strain, resulting in hospital stays and ventilators. There have already been 565 influenza-associated hospitalizations reported since October 5, with 22 percent admitted to the ICU and 9 percent requiring ventilation. Notably, 75 percent of these hospitalizations have been reported since December 14. Haupt says there seems to be a myth circulating that previous flu vaccines will cover people. He says previous shots don't provide full protection from the flu, and urges everyone to get vaccinated.
It's downright balmy in Wisconsin, compared to what it's been for most of the New Year. Milwaukee was at 22-degrees at one o'clock, with a wind-chill of around 10-above. That's the warmest since last Saturday, when the state broke out of a cold snap for less than a day before we had the coldest readings since 1996. Medford was still at four-above, but Superior and Ashland -- two of the state's northern-most cities on Lake Superior -- were both at plus-14. Of course, everything has a price. For southern Wisconsin, it's an air quality advisory that the state DNR issued. It lasts until 6 tomorrow morning in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, Kenosha, and Dane counties. Officials said fine particle pollution has risen from places like wood-heat exhausts and power plants. Sensitive groups -- including the elderly, the very young, and those with respiratory issues -- are urged to take precautions. The warmth is also bringing the chances for mixed precipitation, with up to 5 inches of snow, mixed with ice, tomorrow and into Saturday in northern and western Wisconsin. Meanwhile, things should be quieting down in the Fond du Lac region. Residents told authorities they heard cracking sounds that shook their homes on Tuesday night. A UW Milwaukee seismologist said it was most likely a rare ice quake -- in which water in the bedrock freezes within cracks and rapidly expands, causing slight tremors due to the pressure.
It was six years ago yesterday when three tornadoes touched down in Kenosha County -- only the second time on record that Wisconsin had a January twister. Sixty homes were damaged in the town of Wheatland. Officials said at the time that personal photos, checks, and other papers were blown as far away as Caledonia in Racine County. Twisters also skirted the city of Kenosha. Fifteen people suffered minor injuries, and authorities said it was a miracle that nobody was seriously hurt or killed. Sharon Blume of Wheatland said she would take snow-shoveling anytime over the devastation caused in part by the unusually-warm weather on that day in 2008. Temperatures had reached record-highs in the 60's, and melting snow caused river flooding in the community. Mary Ann Price told WISN-TV in Milwaukee that she'll never forget the local residents who came over to help. As she put it, "You never probably saw them or spoke to these people -- but all of a sudden, you were a community again."
The state Assembly's criminal justice committee has approved a series of bills aimed at prescription drugs and heroin use. State Assemblyman John Nygren (R-Marinette) introduced four bill that would allow responders to administer a heroin overdose counter drug called Narcan. Another bill would provide immunity to 911 callers reporting an overdose. On the prescription drug front, the Marinette Republican also submitted a bill to allow cities and towns to run prescription drug collection drives. Supporters say in other nearby states, drug collection drives have proven very successful in the disposal of expired or unwanted prescription drugs. The full Assembly will consider the proposals on Tuesday.
Gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke has reportedly raised nearly $1.8 million dollars in the first few months of her candidacy, with $400,000 coming from her own pocket. The Madison Democrat entered the race in October of last year. Wisconsin Democracy Campaign director Mike McCabe says the money she raised so far shows she will compete financially with Governor Scott Walker. Burke is a former Trek Bicycle executive and served as secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce.
A federal waiver has been approved that paves the way for the major changes coming to BadgerCare. Governor Scott Walker's office said today it received the waiver from the U.S. Centers for Medicare-and-Medicaid Services. It allows the state to drop Badger-Care Plus for about 77,000 adults who make more than poverty-level wages. It also lets 83-thousand impoverished childless adults to get onto BadgerCare for the first time. The changes are expected to be made April first. They were supposed to happen January first, but the governor and Legislature approved delays due to the earlier technical problems which those losing Badger-Care would have had in signing up for the Obamacare health exchanges.
Those involved in Wisconsin public schools spoke out today against a bill making it easier to open independent charter schools. Right now, about 80-percent of the state's 243 charter schools are run by public school systems. The new measure would let more groups create those schools -- like UW and technical college campuses. An Assembly committee held a public hearing on the bill today. Supporters said it would allow for more innovative specialized schools. Opponents -- including various public school groups -- said it would take away money from the public systems, eliminate school board oversight and regional limits on attendance, and jeopardize federal money for existing charter schools. Supporters disagreed that charter schools would mushroom statewide. They said it would fill a need in areas that want such schools. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos wanted some type of charter school legislation in the current session. Senate action is uncertain before the session ends in April.
Minority Democrats in the Wisconsin State Legislature are asking Majority Republicans to do something the state has not done on its own since 2006 -- raise the minimum wage. State Assembly Democrat Cory Mason of Racine and state Senate Democrats Bob Wirch of Pleasant Prairie and Nikiya Harris of Milwaukee are seeking co-sponsors for their proposal. It would gradually raise the current state minimum for most workers from $7.25-an-hour to $8.20, and then $10.10-an-hour two years later -- and it would end the requirement that lawmakers vote on the matter by adjusting the minimum wage to inflation. Former Democratic Governor Jim Doyle was able to get an increase approved seven years ago to $6.50-an-hour. It became $7.25 in 2009, when the federal minimum wage was jacked up. Over the past year, fast food workers in Wisconsin and elsewhere have protested for higher wages. The state Democrats say their measure is similar to a bill in Congress introduced last year. They said it would benefit around 600,000 employees if the full increase were to take effect. Business interests and the GOP have said in the past that minimum wage hikes would end up cutting jobs, and many workers would not benefit anyway since they already make more.
Democrat Mary Burke watched last Sunday's Packer playoff game from a cold outdoor seat at Lambeau Field -- while her opponent Scott Walker was raising campaign money in a heated sky-box just above her. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel columnist Dan Bice wrote about this today. He said a marketing executive in New Berlin hosted the event -- Walker and his wife Tonette had their tickets paid for by the governor's campaign -- and Walker's two teenage sons paid their own way. Jonathan Wetzel of the Walker campaign confirmed the fund-raiser to the Journal Sentinel, and said the tickets were all at face value. The paper was not able to find out how many people attended the sky-box fundraiser, or how much the campaign took in from it. Wetzel said there would be more information in the governor's campaign finance report which must be filed with the state by July, covering the first half of the New Year. Joe Zepecki of the Burke campaign said his boss paid for her own ticket, and sat near the top of the outdoor seating areas along the Packer sideline.
U.S. Representative Ron Kind, a Democrat from La Crosse, is optimistic his colleagues will join him to find a way to extend the benefits a little longer. Kind says the economy is showing signs of progress, but it's not yet strong enough to put that many people back to work. The congressman says helping the already-unemployed will actually help stabilize the economy and prevent further unemployment. Kind agrees there will have to be some negotiations to cut other programs to fund unemployment extensions. He favors cutting certain foreign aid and also government payments to big businesses and millionaires under farm and conservation programs.
Wisconsin's job creation agency was given its second year of funding today under the new state budget. Lawmakers held back $59-million from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. They said they would release the funds only after the agency fixed numerous accountability problems exposed in a critical state audit last year. Today, the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee voted 11-4 -- with all Democrats voting no -- to allocate the funding. The panel did hold back a $35-million surplus that the WEDC was hoping to get. Lawmakers decided to use the money either for future tax cuts or other economic development measures. Corporation CEO Reed Hall said the agency has addressed its problems, and is heading in the right direction.
Mental health care in Wisconsin will be improved under seven measures endorsed today by the Legislature's finance panel. The bills now go to the Senate for approval later in the session. Funding would be provided for things like crisis intervention training, consultations for child psychiatric help, primary care grants, and encouraging psychiatrists to work in under-served areas. The measures were approved either unanimously, or with one no vote. Senate Republican Glenn Grothman of West Bend rejected three of the measures, but did not say why. Also today, the finance panel voted 8-7 to approve funding for a new student information data-base. Hudson GOP Representative Dean Knudson says lawmakers should limit what can be collected. He fears that student privacy will be violated. State Senate Education Chair Luther Olsen of Ripon said the data needs to be collected to make public schools more accountable. The measure allows multiple vendors to provide the software for the new database. Only one vendor had been approved -- Infinite Campus of Minnesota over Skyward of Stevens Point. Skyward successfully lobbied for multiple vendors, so it could keep the databases it had developed with individual school districts.
Governor Scott Walker did his jury duty this week by hearing two days of testimony in a personal injury case. He was sent home before deliberations began. Walker was designated before the trial as an alternate juror, rendering a decision only if another juror couldn't due to illness or another emergency. He was summoned as a possible juror on Monday in his home county of Milwaukee. The case involved an insurance issue involving Secura -- and the Republican Walker had received campaign donations from that firm. Lawyers on both sides agreed to make the governor the alternate so there could be no claim that the jury was not fair-and-objective.
Governor Scott Walker says it will be a long time before he decides how he would cut taxes in next year's state budget. But his only major election challenger says that if Walker goes ahead with one of his options -- trashing the income tax -- 80-percent of Wisconsinites would pay more in total taxes. Democrat Mary Burke tells WisPolitics.com it would quote, "kill jobs." Burke said any tax break would go to upper income people who would hold onto that money, as opposed to middle-income folks who end up spending most of what they get. The non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau says the state portion of the sales tax would have to jump from five-percent to 13-point-three if the income tax goes by the wayside. Liberal groups said four-of-every-five taxpayers would shell out more to the government. The former state Commerce Secretary said people would cross the border to buy things -- especially new cars, which she said would cost a-thousand-dollars more in taxes alone. The Republican Walker has said that he would get a lot of people's input before proposing something. If it results in a net tax hike, Walker has said he would consider exempting the sales tax from more-and-essential things like clothing.
Rescuers were trying to determine if anyone was inside a house that exploded and burned this morning east of Wausau. Broadcast reports said the Marathon-Oneida bomb squad was checking whether it was safe for crews to go inside, amid concerns there might be another blast. The state Fire Marshal's office has been called in to help investigate. The initial blast occurred about 7 a.m. in the town of Wausau. Town fire chief Kevin Yolitz said the force was so strong, it rattled windows at the home of a fire captain nearby. Yolitz said all the walls were blown out and the roof was gone by the time he got there -- and there was a large plume of smoke-and-flames. Marathon County Emergency Management director Steve Hagman said the roof collapsed into the house, so it was impossible to immediately see whether anyone was in the basement. The fire chief said one person lived alone in the small one-story residence. Had anyone been in there, Yolitz said it was unlikely they would have survived.
Medical experts said a Rhinelander man got a rare bone fracture when he died in an altercation at a bar early New Year's Day. An autopsy shows that 48-year-old James Tanner died from a broken sternum bone, which punctured his heart. Marathon County Medical Examiner Jessica Blahnik tells the Wausau Daily Herald the sternum is hard to fracture, especially in a heart puncture. Oneida County Medical Examiner Larry Mathein said it takes a lot of force to kill a younger person that way. Witnesses told police that Tanner punched a 62-year-old man in the face at Sackett's Bar in Rhinelander -- and a 59-year-old disc jockey at the bar forcefully moved Tanner's upper torso to top of the bar with enough force to knock drinks to the floor. Police say it's possible that the disc jockey's actions may have killed Tanner, but they're not certain. An investigation continues. Officials say they don't know what prompted the original punch. That victim was treated at a hospital and later released. The Oneida County district attorney's office is reviewing the matter.
A snow-plow driver near Chippewa Falls is being praised for saving a man's life during this week's bitter cold wave. Eagle Point town street employee Donald Bernier said he saw what appeared to be a child playing in a snow-bank on Monday morning, when it was 15-below. When he drove by the same spot again, he noticed that the person didn't move -- so he checked it out, and found an elderly man who had collapsed in the snow-bank. The Eau Claire Leader-Telegram said Walter Sugars apparently suffered a medical problem near his house. His car was running in his garage. Chippewa County sheriff's deputies were called in, and got Sugars to a hospital. His condition was not immediately disclosed. Sheriff Jim Kowalczyk said Bernier probably saved Sugars from suffering hypothermia. The 58-year-old Bernier had worked for the town of Eagle Point for almost 30 years. In late 2012, he helped rescue survivors of a van that overturned near Chippewa Falls.
An astronaut from northwest Wisconsin is getting ready to go into space again. Colonel Jeffrey Williams, a native of Winter, plans to spend another six months on the Soyuz capsule in 2016 as he works in the International Space Station. Williams has spent almost an entire year in Earth's orbit, with three trips dating back to 2000. Besides preparing for his own flight, Williams tells Wisconsin Public Radio that he's training others for orbital flights. He's working with astronauts from Canada, Japan, Russia, and several European nations.
A nursing home in western Wisconsin will close this spring. The Benedictine Manor in Arcadia plans to shut its doors for good in April. The facility has 53 residents and almost 115 employees. It's owned by Benedictine Health System of Minnesota. The Catholic-based senior care group blames cost increases, declining government reimbursements, and competition for the closure. Benedictine is based in Minnesota. It has over 40 facilities in a half-dozen states.
Authorities in central Wisconsin continue to investigate a rollover crash that killed one person. Officers were called about seven last night to the accident scene on Highway 73, south of Granton in Clark County. Sheriff's deputies said a westbound pick-up truck apparently lost control, entered the right ditch, and rolled onto its roof. The driver was partially ejected and died at the scene. Officers said the victim was not wearing a seat-belt, and speed did not appear to be a factor. The victim's name was not immediately released, pending notification of relatives.
For the second time, a Green Bay police officer has been cleared of wrongdoing after he shot someone to death. The Brown County district attorney's office found that patrolman Clint Beghun was justified when he shot-and-killed 63-year-old Darold VandenHeuvel. It happened last month in an underground parking garage at an apartment complex where his estranged wife lived. Two officers were called to the apartment -- and when they arrived, they saw VandenHeuvel carrying a gun. Officials said the man reached for his weapon when Beguhn fired 10 rounds. In 2011, Beguhn was cleared in a shooting death outside the Packer Stadium Lounge south of downtown Green Bay.
A gun rights organization has filed a lawsuit against the city of Madison, seeking to clear the way for guns on busses. The suit, from Wisconsin Carry Incorporated, alleging that the gun ban policy on Madison Metro Transit buses violates the state's concealed carry law. John Monroe, an attorney from Georgia who has challenged other cities firearms policies in court in the past, is representing Wisconsin Carry. The suit seeks a declaration that state law trumps Metro's ability to ban carrying of guns on buses and at bus shelters. The lawsuit claims the states 2011 concealed carry law allows license holders to carry concealed firearms in motor vehicles, thus invalidating Metro's ban.
The driver that struck two members of a hunting party in Taylor County, killing one of them, was more than twice the legal blood alcohol limit. 42-year-old James Winchel of Sheldon has been charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle. He was in court yesterday for that charge and three other felonies related to the November 29th incident that killed 50-year-old Juan Salinas of Roscoe, Illinois. Investigators say his blood alcohol level was point-196. Judge Ann Knox-Bauer declined to modify Winchel's $50,000 cash bond to allow him to go into substance abuse treatment. This is Winchel's fifth drunk driving case since 1998. If convicted, Winchel could spend 25 years in prison. He will be back in court March 14th.
Milwaukee's mayor does not argue that poverty and crime are too high in his city. But Tom Barrett takes issue with the opinion Web site 24-7-Wall Street, which called Milwaukee the 10th worst-run city in the nation. The Huffington Post ran a story about the rankings -- which are based on things like municipal credit ratings, unemployment, poverty, crime, education, and the local Gross Domestic Product. Barrett says he has no beef about saying that Milwaukee's poverty is too high -- and he points out that officials are doing something about it. The mayor also agrees there's too much drug-and-gang related crime. However, Barrett says there's no cause for alarm about the city's debt levels -- which 24-7-Wall Street indicated was a concern for how Milwaukee is managed. Milwaukee has a Double-"A"-Two rating from Moody's -- and that service indicates high quality bonding with a low credit risk. On average, the city of Milwaukee re-pays 85-percent of its debt within 10 years -- well above the national average of 50-percent. City officials said they had just over $800-million in general obligation debts as of last spring.
A witness to a tavern murder has turned himself in for questioning -- and Wausau Police say they're looking for two other such witnesses. K.C. Elliott was shot in the parking lot of the Sidetracked Bar early last Friday. He died at a hospital a few hours later. A 30-year-old Wausau man is under arrest for allegedly shooting Elliott. Another 30-year-old Wausau man turned himself in yesterday after he was wanted for questioning. Two other Wausau men, ages 19 and 31, were also being sought at last word. Police believe they know something about the incident -- and why it happened.
One of three people accused in a church burglary in Stevens Point will spend two years on probation. Jesse Peterson of Neillsville, who turns 23 on Sunday, was told to apologize to the Celebration Church and pay $2,300 restitution. He must also undergo substance abuse counseling, after he was convicted of felony burglary. Three misdemeanor theft and criminal damage counts were dropped in a plea deal. Portage County prosecutors said Peterson drove 25-year-old Jacob Kiernan of Sparta to the church, where Kiernan caused vandalism and stole an $850 guitar. Officials said the guitar was pawned off to Kiernan's friend, a 26-year-old woman who has not been charged in the case. Police said ambulance sirens near the church may have startled the suspects, and kept them from stealing more. Kiernan struck a plea deal on the same charges as Peterson, and was sentenced last May to 18 months in prison. Kiernan is due back in court January 27th on seven new charges filed in December for burglary, theft, and criminal damage.
A man killed in a fire at his home in Manitowoc was identified this morning as 90-year-old Arnold Goeke. Coroner Curtis Green said Goeke died from smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning after his house caught fire last night. The cause of the blaze and a damage estimate were not determined as of mid-morning. Manitowoc fire-fighters were called around eight p-m, and they had the blaze under control in about an hour. Five other fire-and-rescue departments responded. The Salvation Army provided hot beverages for the rescuers, and a Manitowoc city bus served as a warming shelter. The state Fire Marshal's office is helping local authorities investigate.


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Our high-energy team of creative minds push themselves to achieve more than what they think is possible every day. We do the time because we love what we do.
Because it's all about getting you from where you are to where you should be.
Most social media agencies have their pre-conceived notions about what you should be doing in your business. But here, we do things a little differently.
It's about listening to you, understanding your core business, the emotions your business runs on, and then using those passion points to flesh out a social strategy that will get you results.


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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. — Celebrating the long-standing ties between their nations, President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande on Monday toured the sweeping Virginia estate owned by Thomas Jefferson, the former American president and famed Francophile. Obama's rare out-of-town trip with a foreign leader opened two days of events marking Hollande's state visit to the United States.
Standing together in Monticello's grand foyer, Obama said the elegant home represents "the incredible bond and the incredible gifts that France gave us."
The two leaders arrived in Charlottesville on Monday afternoon after a short flight from Washington. Traveling together in Obama's armored limousine, the presidential motorcade wound through the rolling hills toward the white-and-brick mansion, with its signature crowning dome.
As the two presidents — wearing overcoats on a chilly February day — strolled along the estate's portico, Obama declared, "This is a wonderful visit."
For Hollande, the trip to Washington was a chance to get an ocean away from his romantic troubles. The French president is traveling in the U.S. without a female companion, following his very public split with longtime partner Valerie Trierweiler.
Their breakup has dominated headlines following a gossip magazine's revelations about a secret tryst with a French actress. The last-minute change of plans created a tricky situation for American officials planning a high-profile event where diplomatic protocol and etiquette are in the spotlight.
Still, Hollande was receiving a warm welcome reserved only for America's closest allies. He arrived in Washington on Monday and was greeted by Obama at the nearby military base, where dignitaries are received. The two leaders then boarded Air Force One for the trip to Virginia, using a smaller version of the presidential plane because of size restrictions at Charlottesville's airport.


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Will Certain Movies Drive Blu-Ray?
Although I certainly wanted to see Blu-Ray claim victory over HD-DVD, it happened faster than just about anyone had anticipated. However, we've got a long ways to go before Blu-Ray becomes the accepted movie-viewing format, as DVD is fairly well entrenched amongst the mainstream consumers of this country. It will happen eventually, but perhaps it will be certain movies that will expand the Blu-Ray empire early on...
I don't know about you, but when I go to buy a new movie, I don't necessarily look for it on Blu-Ray. I have a PS3 and a 40" Samsung that is capable of full 1080p high-definition resolution, but this doesn't mean I will automatically fork over the extra ten bucks for the Blu-Ray version. These days, I'm looking at the movie itself, and asking one question: "is this the type of movie that would really benefit from Blu-Ray?" Now, I know what you're thinking- all movies benefit from Blu-Ray HD, but in my opinion, it's certainly more impressive for certain films. For example, I don't need old movies - movies that were never initially designed for high-definition - on Blu-Ray. Although it may be cool to have "Top Gun" on Blu-Ray, I just don't think it's necessary. And same goes for something like a comedy or even some dramas. I have "No Country For Old Men" on Blu-Ray now (a purchase I regret, as I basically hated the movie), and I wouldn't have cared if I had seen it on DVD.
On the other hand, I have movies like "Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End," "The Dark Knight," "Pan's Labyrinth," and "Finding Neverland" on Blu-Ray for a damn good reason. It's the scenery; the environments; the unbelievable visuals of such films that burst into high-definition glory on Blu-Ray. I have the feeling I'm not the only person who is going about purchasing their movies in this fashion. However, this entire argument becomes irrelevant if Blu-Ray cost the same as DVD, so perhaps this is only a temporary conundrum that won't become an issue later in 2009. And I'm also well aware of the video freaks out there who will only accept perfect high definition in everything they watch, but I'm not really one of them. For now, I am very selective in which movies I buy on Blu-Ray, even though I buy very few movies in the first place. I simply ask myself if I really need that extra boost, and whether or not the experience will be that much fuller for the added cost incurred.
Anyway, the point is this: I believe there are a lot of people out there who, despite having Blu-Ray capability, aren't automatically shifting their movie focus to 100% Blu-Ray. I think they're debating in much the same way I am. I think that movies like "The Dark Knight" - as holiday sales indicated - really help Sony's cause, while something like "Tropic Thunder" on Blu-Ray won't be a fraction as effective. And remember, I'm not just talking about movies with tons of special effects; "Finding Neverland" is amazing on Blu-Ray simply because it's such a visceral experience, and other movies fall into this category. Get what I mean?
1/2/2009 Ben Dutka
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Legacy Comment System (35 posts)
Friday, January 02, 2009 @ 10:04:08 PM
Friday, January 02, 2009 @ 10:13:07 PM
I agree ben, I got the assassination of jesse james on blu-ray, and then thought, "why the hell did I get that in high def?"
Same thing with older movies. I can see the point of updating a movie from cassette to DVD, but most movies dont need to look better than dvd, especialy with all the up-converting dvd players.
But I do like getting some movies on BD. The Dark Knight was just amazing, and the Hulk (the new one with Ed Norton) was great too.
I think as more people buy HDTVs they will automatically move to BD, but not as quickly as people turned to dvd.
And to answer your question, YES. I think certian movies, like The Dark Knight, are doing good for the blu-ray cause.
Last edited by Jed on 1/2/2009 10:15:38 PM
Friday, January 02, 2009 @ 10:35:36 PM
Friday, January 02, 2009 @ 10:56:46 PM
Think, of Lord Of The Rings were released on Blu Ray how things would explode... that would be a must buy for a decent amount of people around the world... I am sure there are also some artistic epics and historical war films that would work well for Blu Ray in peoples collection...
Personally, at this time though I am not spending any cash on BR movies just yet, I would rather save it and invest in a 2-3 AAA games per year... that is enough for me to get on with... time is also an issue!
"i aM hOMe"
Friday, January 02, 2009 @ 11:15:32 PM
Saturday, January 03, 2009 @ 3:48:35 AM
Whenever I look for a film now I only look at the Blu-Ray, the DVD is redundant now.. since I'd like every film in HD, buying DVD's now would just be a waste. And no, upconverting DVD's does absolutely nothing for me.
Saturday, January 03, 2009 @ 6:26:30 AM
Saturday, January 03, 2009 @ 6:44:21 AM
I am getting Dark City for myself coming up.
Saturday, January 03, 2009 @ 7:54:05 AM
Saturday, January 03, 2009 @ 10:10:58 AM
Saturday, January 03, 2009 @ 9:02:39 PM
Saturday, January 03, 2009 @ 12:27:23 PM
Saturday, January 03, 2009 @ 7:06:35 PM
Some blu-ray movies have come down in price and I have been buying old films which have been upscaled on blu-ray. They don't look as good as new movies but they look better than a dvd player or PS3 upscaling the dvd movie.
Banky A
Sunday, January 04, 2009 @ 12:32:45 AM
Wage SLAVES
Sunday, January 04, 2009 @ 1:09:15 PM
Sunday, January 04, 2009 @ 12:58:46 AM
Wage SLAVES
Sunday, January 04, 2009 @ 1:08:01 PM
Sunday, January 04, 2009 @ 1:19:34 PM
On the other hand if I'm at the video store renting movies and particular BD movie is checked out, I'll go ahead and rent the standard DVD. As far as anything I purchase, it's BluRay all the way.
To each his own though.
Sunday, January 04, 2009 @ 6:45:49 PM
Monday, January 05, 2009 @ 6:49:50 PM
Sunday, January 04, 2009 @ 8:31:58 PM
Monday, January 05, 2009 @ 1:47:48 AM
-No movie I buy is more than $15 (I have very limited funds as a college student right now)
-The particular blu-ray is considered a visual/audio feast/reference quality/big blockbustery-special-effects type
-One of my favorite movies since I watch them again and again and I have no qualms about buying a better version of it (even if it's not a particularly necessary movie like Gattaca or The Truman Show)
Monday, January 05, 2009 @ 3:52:22 PM
Deleted User
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 4:05:51 AM
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text: Today, as I approached the last bed with any water in it, Bed 18, there was very little happening, and it is almost completely dried up. There were just a few Least Sandpipers, some female Mallards, and 3 Cootes. It's sad. Hopefully, water can be pumped back in again in time for ducks. Maria Panagopoulos


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Where is the Counseling Center?
We are located in the Stone House at the corner of Moore Street and Cold Springs Road. Our mailing address is: Juniata College Counseling Services, 1700 Moore Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652
What are your hours?
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Additional hours are available by appointment.
E-mail either Patricia Hunter or Kerry Harper, or you may call the center at 814-641-3353.
Who can go to the Counseling Center?
All full time students can come to the Counseling Center. We deal with a wide range of issues involving your adjustment to college life as well as more complex problems. Anyone who wants to talk about anything with a counselor should make an appointment to come in.
What is involved in counseling?
Students sit down with a counselor to talk about problems and what can be done to remedy and/or deal with the situation. Your counselor will listen and help you to clarify your own thoughts, rather than making decisions for you or giving advice.
How long may I remain in counseling?
Students are allowed ten free sessions per academic year. If more intensive therapy is needed, the Counseling Center will refer students to private therapists in the area.
Are visits to the Counseling Center confidential?
All visits to the Counseling Center are confidential. A counselor may only talk to parents if the student specifically authorizes it or if there is an imminent risk of danger or violence. No one else on campus will have knowledge of the student's visit to the Counseling Center without the student's explicit permission. Our files are kept separate from your college files and are destroyed seven years after graduation.


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Handicapping Duke Energy's CEO search committee
As early as today, Duke Energy's board of directors may be ready to name eight of the nine members of a board committee that will search for CEO Jim Rogers' eventual replacement.
But it already seems possible to identify most of the directors likely to be on the committee — and at least one director likely to be left off.
Rogers will retire at the end of 2013, though his successor could be named as early as July. That is the result of a proposed settlement with state regulators in an investigation of Duke's $32 billion purchase of Progress Energy Inc.
The N.C. Utilities Commission has wanted Rogers replaced since Duke's board — dominated by directors for Duke before the merger — ousted former Progress Energy CEO Bill Johnson as CEO of the combined companies just hours after the merger closed July 2.
Political makeup
The Duke board chose, over the objections of the former Progress directors on Duke's board, to put Rogers in the CEO position he had held at Duke since 2006. Within a week, the commission began an investigation into whether Duke intentionally misled regulators, assuring them that Johnson would be CEO of the combined company to win their support for the merger.
The proposed settlement meant to end that investigation requires Duke to set up the search committee. The board is to name four directors who sat on Progress' board before the purchase and four who sat on the pre-merger Duke board. Those eight are to choose a ninth director by April who has no connection with either company.
Dan Fogel, who is with the Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability at Wake Forest University's Charlotte campus, says the committee is rather large and unwieldy for its purpose. But he says its makeup is dictated more by the politics of the situation than corporate policy for executive searches.
Sam Watson, general counsel for the commission, says the settlement he helped negotiate was designed to restore the balance between Duke and Progress. The commission felt it had been promised such balance by constant assurances that the purchase would be treated more as a merger of equals.
No public role
The pre-merger Duke directors still dominate the board that will ultimately choose Rogers' successor. All 11 pre-merger Duke directors still sit on the 15-member board of the new Duke. But the search committee will be exactly balanced between pre-merger Duke and Progress directors.
The one Duke director that seems certain not to be on the committee is Rogers. Several commission members openly doubted they could trust Rogers' word after Duke ousted Johnson.
"He will keep far away from any public role in choosing the next CEO," Fogel says.
The four Progress directors on the committee are known. Because two former Progress directors resigned in protest of Johnson's ouster, the current Duke board has only four members who were Progress directors before the July 2 combination.
They are Harris DeLoach Jr., CEO of Sonoco; James Hyler, retired chief operating officer of First Citizens Bank; Marie McKee, president of the Corning Glass Museum, and Carlos Saladrigas, chairman of Regis HR Group.
Lead director likely
McKee is the senior former Progress director on the Duke board. She joined Progress' board in 1999. Saladrigas has been on the board since 2001.
Duke will name the four pre-merger Duke directors to the committee after the commission decides whether to accept the settlement. But Ann Maynard Gray, former president of Diversified Publishing Group of ABC Inc. and Duke's lead independent director, seems an obvious choice.
She has long been a leading voice on the board. She was one of the principals in the effort to replace Johnson after pre-merger Duke board members expressed increasing doubts about Johnson's leadership. She had been on the board of Pan Energy, and became a Duke director in Duke's 1994 merger with that company.
Michael Browning, chairman and president of Browning Investments Inc., would be another likely choice. He has been a director for Duke predecessor companies since joining the board of Public Service Indiana in 1990. He has served on Duke and predecessor boards for longer than any current director other than Rogers. And he took the lead, with Gray, in the actions that led to Johnson's departure.
Charlotte directors
That would leave two other pre-merger Duke slots open. Two directors from Charlotte — Dan DiMicco and Jim Hance — have considerable personal experience with CEO succession issues.
DiMicco took over the steelmaker Nucor in 2000 after a messy succession that saw his predecessor, John Correnti, ousted by the board in 1999. He has since managed what appears to be an orderly transition for his successor, John Ferriola, who will take over when DiMicco steps down and becomes Nucor's executive chairman on Jan. 1.
Hance is a former chief financial officer at Bank of America and was long considered a potential successor to then-CEO Hugh McColl Jr.. When McColl stepped down in 2001, Hance's chief rival for the position, Ken Lewis, got the nod. Hance remained at BofA until 2005.
The director with the longest service in North Carolina is Alex Barnhardt of Barnhardt Furniture in Lenoir. He has been a director since 1991, when the company was Duke Power.
Duke also will choose a consulting firm to work with the committee on searching for a CEO and for two new board members. The consultant will be named after the commission acts on the settlement.
The commission is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Monday at its Raleigh office to consider the proposal.


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text:
500 Greatest Songs of All Time
Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
408. Metallica, 'Enter Sandman'
Writers: James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett
Producers: Bob Rock, Hetfield, Ulrich
Released: July '91, Elektra
20 weeks; No. 16
Thanks to producer Rock, the coiled, brooding "Enter Sandman" was the first Metallica tune that sounded perfect for the radio. As drummer Ulrich pointed out in 1991, "The whole intro, the verse, the bridge, the chorus — it's the same riff."
Appears on: Metallica (Elektra)


text:
April 2011
Sustainable Cultural Tourism
Creating sustainable tourism options in an era of shrinking resources can be viewed as an opportunity. Small-scale linked enterprises, resilient in times of economic fluctuation, support rural areas and traditional cultures, require smaller capital outlay, create a greater number of jobs, and are less expensive to promote. An effective tourism network in New Mexico could create a win/win collaboration between urban and rural communities, providing additional activities and itinerary possibilities. Tourism in rural areas has served as a vital economic resource for creating jobs, often the impetus for preserving rural towns and cultures. The question is, how to consciously incorporate tourism without negatively impacting a community.
Cultural tourism involves a visitor experiencing or having contact with the unique heritage and special character of a place. The exchange of information on lifeways, customs, beliefs, values, language, views of the environment, and other cultural resources is usually uneven. The challenge is to ensure as equitable an exchange takes place, in a manner seen as appropriate by members of the host community.
How can visitors become more conscious and respectful of local cultures? "Green" actions must come from travelers' own cultural beliefs and growing awareness. Through visitor education, people can learn to make choices that have minimal negative impact and are supportive to local cultures, thus contributing to local sustainability. Learning from other cultures is a critical part of conscious visitation.
Here is the opportunity for NM: while tourism volume and expenditures tend to be in a downturn nationally, international visitation to the U.S. is up nearly 10% and cultural tourism is rising due to current trends of visitors seeking educational and authentic experiences. These trends point to a market niche in NM with great potential for expansion. As Global Center for Cultural Entrepreneurship chairman Tom Aaegeson pointed out in a recent op-ed, culture is the attraction behind major parts of NM's economy. Culture accounts for more than 15 percent of the workforce, up to 20 percent of our GDP and government tax revenues in many NM communities (about 5 times higher than in many U.S. cities). In Santa Fe, 38% of annual, new capital inflows are driven by the arts and cultural industries, along with related businesses.
Cultural tourism, of which creative tourism is a part, is the fastest growing tourism market segment in the U.S. One reason for increasing interest in cultural tourism is the trend of visitors evaluating carefully the return for their vacation dollar. National surveys indicate cultural tourists spend more, an average of $994 per trip compared to $611 in the overall tourism market. Shopping, seeking local cuisine, and tours are the categories of highest expenditures. Cultural tourists seek meaningful experiences and enjoy a sense of contributing to the retention of tradition. They also tend to be more respectful of local cultures and environments.
Who benefits and who pays? Growing this economic sector in a sustainable way involves rethinking scale, ownership and impacts. A focus on small-scale enterprises increases opportunities for local ownership. In NM, the traditional cultural business form is family-managed, generous, and based on the authentic experience. Working with cultural values is the foundation for authentic cultural tourism, supporting culturally-based livelihoods. Locally owned small enterprises are one way of reversing rural out-migration.
Tourism works on the basis of collaboration. Literally, the word tourism reflects the idea of a tour, or many stops on a larger itinerary. A visitor on vacation usually does not travel 1,000 miles or more to visit one attraction. (Festivals may be the exception.) Visitors typically planning a five to seven day vacation look for a series of interesting stops and need to know how to link them together. This is the most important, and most often overlooked principle to remember when planning tourism development.
Larger-scale tourism, measured for success in terms of full-time jobs and tax revenues generated, does not provide the best cultural fit for NM since these indicators do not adequately address locally owned economy building and cultural retention. A win/win scenario can be created utilizing the interdependence between tourism and the wider rural economy by emphasizing:
1.Small-scale, linked enterprises
2.Cultural values as central
3.Strategies determined from within communities
4.Authentic experiences
5.Local job creation and ownership
6.Urban/ rural networks
7.Minimal environmental impacts
Urban areas, rather than perceiving themselves as destinations, hold potential as hubs, working in partnership with rural areas to provide referrals and basic services. This approach both enhances urban tourism and increases opportunity for rural areas. Itineraries linking urban and rural businesses, events and experiences are the key for expanding a range of tourism amenities and timing to reach the visitor at the time of vacation planning, prior to the visit.
Cultural tourists are seeking a deeper level of meaning to the visitation experience, such as increased understanding of other cultures through learning experiences, purchasing locally made items and tours. There are many levels of authenticity possible, all holding promise for NM.
The authentic experience is complex to understand and maintain as culture is recreated or represented. Museums can show authentic representation, with authenticity highly dependent upon the degree to which public participation includes an interpretive view of local cultures. When galleries represent art, the extent to which they also present information about the art and the artist, increases the interests of cultural tourists. The recreated or re-enacted cultural setting, such as El Rancho de Las Golondrinas (www.golondrinas.org), a Spanish colonial living history site south of Santa Fe, is an example of authentic representation. Festivals and markets offer other ways to give the visitor a glimpse of local culture without large-scale intrusion to urban neighborhoods and small communities.
Visiting living cultures is another level of authenticity. When communities share with the public their efforts for cultural renewal, such as at Ganados del Valle in Los Ojos (a traditional Hispanic village) or the Poeh Cultural Center and Museum (Pueblo of Pojoaque, www.poehmuseum.com), visitors become excited to see traditions revitalized and enjoy the sense of contributing to organizations that teach time-honored traditions. Community capability to provide information is essential for increasing positive community benefits and decreasing negative impacts to culture and environment.
Attraction to the beauty of the land is an intersection between cultural and eco- or nature tourism. NM offers spectacular landscapes tied to cultural meaning, unique color palettes, and history. Displacement of local people due to visitors "moving in" is a constant issue in NM tourism. Educating visitors as to the cultural impacts caused by in-migration, in a friendly way, can enhance a visitor's respect for local land retention needs.
One dilemma facing communities relates to how much tourism is possible without eroding authenticity. The answer rests with managing tourism, or guiding tourists to specific places, providing targeted activities for them, providing ways to protect cultural privacy for internal community activities, educating them to be respectful of cultures and the land, and valuing their participation.
The unique appeal of NM is the full range of authentic cultural and ecotourism experiences available. Balancing protection of these experiences, while generating the economic resources to support traditional practices and employment is essential through wise planning and development.
The mindful visitor is respectful and appreciative of local cultures. Communities must educate, both pre-visitation via the internet and with print materials available locally to increase visitor awareness. It is essential to develop information on the art or product and the maker. In my work with communities, we cultivate visitor etiquettes as a part of visitor guides, explain traditional arts and work with artists to develop bio-cards explaining their work and their interpretation as artists. Information for the visitor increases respect for cultural aspects of the artwork, increases a fair monetary exchange, and decreases commodification, or seeing traditional artwork as objects without cultural meaning.
What other support services will bring about a shift to small-scale, locally owned enterprises? The entrepreneurial level, rather than the Small Business Development Administration's definition of small business, increases employment opportunities. Training needs to be developed to reflect local values, rather than using the conventional corporate model presented in textbooks. Each culture has its own traditional hospitality that needs to be identified and translated into an appropriate contemporary form. Business management training must be adapted to a smaller-scale. Customer service based on cultural values motivates local people to engage with service and to derive more satisfaction from interaction with visitors.
Itinerary development is crucial for urban/rural networks to develop. An itinerary-building web-based tool at the State level would enable visitors to design a unique experience, if a broad range of urban/rural and small-scale/larger scale businesses are allowed to participate.
Small-scale development from within communities encourages sustainable tourism, meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Constant re-assessment of tourism development according to local values and ties to cultural landscapes is central to sustainable management practices.
A paradigm shift toward sustainable tourism not only requires a new method of development; it also requires a shift within travelers themselves regarding beliefs and consumption patterns. Putting attention on the value of local purchasing may allow visitors to take that perspective back to their communities and to become more conscious consumers and community members.
Increasing the range of experiences possible through sustainable practices encourages repeat visitation by informed visitors, a mainstay characteristic of NM tourism.
Susan Guyette, Ph.D. is Métis (Micmac Indian and Acadian French) and a planner (owner of Santa Fe Planning & Research) specializing in cultural centers, cultural tourism and native foods. She is the co-author of Zen Birding (www.zenbirding.com) and the author of Planning for Balanced Development.


text:
This posting contains the one letter the Guardian published, from Alexei Sayle, an exchange of letters between Richard Kuper and Chris Elliott, the Guardian Readers' Editor, and a news report from Asa Winstanley on the ads protest and Israel's Think Israel campaign.
The link below is to a previous JfJfP posting about a World Zionist Organisation campaign in the UK to get more Jews to visit or emigrate to Israel
World Zionist plea for more Westerners to move to Israel
From Alexei Sayle,
Published 02.12.11
In last Saturday's Guardian there was an advert for travel to Israel featuring a map where Israel appears to have absorbed the entire occupied Palestinian territories and the Golan Heights. The Israeli Board of Tourism has been censured three times for breaches of advertising standards, but seems unable to correct its behaviour. Perhaps you should now just refuse to offer any advertising space to the Israeli government, which repeatedly claims that land illegally acquired by conquest is theirs.
Alexei Sayle
Reader's Editor,The Guardian
Dear Chris Elliott
The readers' editor job description on the Guardian website is "to collect, consider, investigate, respond to, and where appropriate come to a conclusion about readers' comments, concerns, and complaints in a prompt and timely manner, from a position of independence within the paper".
I've been in correspondence with Mark Finney over a letter of complaint I sent to firstname.lastname@example.com about a 3-page advertisement published in the Guardian Magazine on 26th November.
As you will see from the correspondence below, I'm unhappy with the responses I've received from Mark Finney. But I'm also wondering why this matter is being handled by someone who signs himself "Head of Client Sales". I've raised an editorial question and, on reflection,wonder why someone in charge of Sales should have been deputed, or taken it upon himself, to answer it. I'm not concerned with why the Guardian sold advertising space to the Israeli Ministry of Tourism; I am concerned with the content of the advert published.
I'm now writing to you in the hope that I will get a considered response from those who make editorial policy at the Guardian (within whose guidelines, I assume, the Head of Client Sales operates). Your job description suggests you are the right recipient for this email.
With many thanks
Richard Kuper
From Chris Elliott
Dear Mr Kuper,
The Guardian responded quickly by printing a correction both in print and online supervised by my office. On Saturday there was also a letter from Alexei Sayle in the newspaper criticising the use of the map. The map was contained within an advertisement and therfore the advertisement department has responded to all the letters of complaint that have been received. There are now complaints with the advertising standards authority about the advertisement. The Guardian awaits the outcome of that complaint. The Guardian does not in any way think this error was of no consequence and in various ways have expressed our regret but I believe the response to be proportional to the scale of the error and complaint.
Best wishes
Chris Elliott
Readers' editor
UPDATED: Israeli campaign to attract UK tourists wipes Palestine and Syria off the map
Asa Winstanley, electronic intifada
Update: After "hundreds" of complaints, the Guardian has refused to publish subsequent ads from the Israeli tourism ministry. See full update below.
An Israeli tourism map appearing in the Guardian last weekend rendered occupied Palestinian and Syrian territories as part of "Israel".
The map very much appears to be in breach of UK advertising regulations. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in 2009 upheld complaints against an Israeli tourism bilboard because it included a similar map, ruling the ad "must not appear again in its current form".
The three-page advertising spread from the Israeli tourism ministry in the Guardian Weekend is part of what increasingly looks like a major new advertising campaign in the UK.
On the map, the occupied West Bank is labeled "Judea" and "Samaria" (names from religious texts used by Israeli colonists). The West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights are delineated only by a faint dotted line. Under international law, all three are occupied territories. The West Bank and Gaza are Palestinian, and the Golan is part of Syria. All three were invaded by Israel in 1967.
"Systems breakdown" at the Guardian
On Monday the Guardian issued a correction stating the ad "did not distinguish clearly between Israel" and the occupied Arab territories.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign is encouraging people to complain to the ASA and theGuardian. The Guardian has written to a PSC supporter apologizing, saying they usually "carefully check any potentially controversial adverts prior to publication, however in this instance we had a systems breakdown and did not do so". The Guardian also said theASA is currently investigating the ad.
Update, 5 December
Antoine Raffoul, Coordinator of 1948 Lest We Forget informs me that his group was called by Mark Finney, the Guardian's advertising manager after they complained. Finney says that follow-up adverts from the Israeli tourism ministry have now been refused — seemingly because of the complaints. Here is Antoine's full update:
"We received a call today from Mr Mark Finney in response to our latest email… He apologised for the insertion of the misleading advert and stated that a 'correction/clarification' was published online subsequent to the hundreds of protests received by the Guardian. He also stated that Israel's Ministry of Tourism attempted (through its advertising agency) to insert the same advert (text only) this weekend [3-4 December], and (same map and text) next weekend, but The Guardian refused."
I called Mr Finney at the Guardian earlier today seeking his response to my article, but he did not return the message I left before the end of the day.
Major Campaign
The ad is part of what seems to be a major recent campaign in the UK. Large billboards have appeared in public spaces encouraging people to "Think Israel".
The website to this campaign contains an even more offensive (and racist) map [Think Israel campaign, http://thinkisrael.com/NR/rdonlyres/73EF04E3-14A3-40A0-9A92-7DD563243BB3/21522/MapOfIsrael1.pdf]. The West Bank appears even more solidly absorbed into "Israel proper" (without even a dotted line), with mysteriously empty pink and yellow blobs appearing where Palestinians live in built-up areas. There is no clue that the Golan is anything more than a part of "northern Israel".
The website's home page also offers links to "Christian themes" and "Jewish themes" but no "Muslim themes", wiping the Islamic heritage of Palestine off the map.
Israeli tourism ministry contempt for ASA
To what extent this is part of the "Brand Israel" strategy is debatable. Whatever the case, the ASA should be asked what action it will take against the Israeli tourist board for continuing to violate its rules.
The campaign has also appeared in brochures distributed on British Airways flights, as discovered by The Electronic Intifada in October.
Last month the ASA also ruled against an ad in the Zionist-slanted Jewish Chronicle that it said was "misleading" and so "must not appear again in its current form", because it had advertised an illegal West Bank colony as part of "Israel".


text: A great choice for a stay in Karlovy Vary, Hotel Malta is just 5 mi (8 km) from the airport. You can grab a bite to eat at the restaurant, or indulge in massages, body treatments, or hydrotherapy. There's also a spa tub, and rooms at this upscale hotel offer flat-screen TVs and free WiFi.


text: /*************************************************************************** * Copyright (C) 2006 by William Hillerby - email@example.com* * * * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify * * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by * * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or * * (at your option) any later version. * ***************************************************************************/ #ifndef VOLTAGEREGULATOR_H #define VOLTAGEREGULATOR_H #include <component.h> /** @author William Hillerby */ /** @todo FOA Discrete, Liner, Non-Linear and arrange items in itemlib.h and libItem() */ /* A voltage regulator is an integrated circuit whose function is to keep a voltage at a specific level. Some regulators are adjustable, others are not. Voltage regulators come in both positive and negative voltages. They have three pins, the input, output and reference. The input is usually on the left side of the square and is where the unregulated input voltage is applied. The reference is usually on the bottom of the square and is where the reference voltage is applied. For fixed regulators, this reference is usually ground. For variable regulators, this reference is usually a small variable voltage just above ground. The last connection is the output, and is usually located on the right side of the square. This is where the regulated output voltage is taken from. On most schematics, the connections are numbered and labeled. */ const double maxVoltageOut = 50.0; class VoltageRegulator : public Component { public: VoltageRegulator( ICNDocument* icnDocument, bool newItem, const QString& id = 0L ); ~VoltageRegulator(); static Item* construct( ItemDocument *itemDocument, bool newItem, const char *id ); static LibraryItem *libraryItem(); private: void dataChanged(); virtual void drawShape( QPainter &p ); // Input. // Output. // Reference = ground for fixed regulators. }; #endif