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WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – Surrounded by vintage movie posters on the walls and a pair of Pekingese puppies nipping at his heels, Chris Couch sits back on a worn leather sofa in the living room of his split-level home and begins to share the unlikely story of his 2006 Zurich Classic victory and the unlikelier story of his nighttime scare in the post-Katrina streets of New Orleans earlier that week and the unlikeliest story of what he perceives was a PGA Tour cover-up of the unvarnished truth.
Fittingly wearing an old football jersey and gym shorts, the man listed understatedly at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, now looks more like a retired linebacker than a professional golfer. Couch, 39, has been sidelined by a back injury since last August, limiting him to few non-physical therapy forms of activity, save for bench pressing. And so he's done that, over and over, making him perhaps the strongest player on the PGA Tour, if not also the least agile.
He tried to play a few holes recently at West Orange Country Club, here in his backyard. After traversing the opening four holes in 1 under, his back gave out and he limped home – almost quite literally.
Some days aren't too bad, though. Some days he's able to wake up, head to his physical therapy session and put in a solid workout. This isn't one of them.
"Today is a bad day," Couch reports. "My back is killing me. I was set to go to the gym, but didn't make it. I woke up this morning and I couldn't walk."
Instead, he's camped out in front of the television, a wad of chewing tobacco wedged into his lower lip and a super-sized Mountain Dew resting within arm's reach. His wife, Julia, lounges on the other end of the sofa, dutifully checking her cellphone, while their 3-year-old daughter, Cora, plays with Barbie dolls in an adjacent room.
As Couch gets into his stories – beginning with a robbery, ending with a victory and alleging a cover up – he maintains that he has no ax to grind against any PGA Tour officials. This isn't about getting anybody in trouble or seeking any sort of revenge. But when he looks back at his lone Tour victory from seven years ago and thinks about the tale that was spun in varying levels of vagueness, the regret eats at him from the inside.
"I explained to them that I'm a Christian and I don't understand why I can't just tell the truth," he recalls. "I really don't like to lie. But they pretty much told me I had to do it."
The 2006 edition of the Zurich Classic was unlike any PGA Tour event before or since. The city of New Orleans was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina eight months earlier, its death toll inching close to 2,000 while hundreds of thousands of residents were left without homes. It was labeled the costliest natural disaster in history and the ensuing governmental outreach toward the community was often rendered little more than a punch line.
In a city with such devastating damage, staging a golf tournament isn't the ultimate priority. And yet, from local officials to tournament organizers to a title sponsor, which had just climbed on board one year earlier, it was seen as part of the rebuilding process. This was a clear way to prove to residents and outsiders alike that New Orleans was prepared to hold its first nationally televised sporting event since Katrina.
Not that it was easy. Host course TPC Louisiana remained under water, which meant a return to former venue English Turn Golf & Country Club. Nor was it a simple task to recruit professional golfers to a region where they were worried about issues like flooded streets and air pollution, which actually weren't issues at all.
"That was our biggest challenge," remembers Darrah Schaefer, chairman of the board for the Fore! Kids Foundation and a 22-year veteran of the tournament who was in charge of player operations that year. "We had to spend a lot of time on the road. We had to give players the assurance that the city was safe and it was a real opportunity to compete. There was a lot of speculation as to whether the city was really back, because the news showed Canal Street and a lot of the lawlessness. We knew it had been fixed, but the national perception wasn't there yet."
As it turned out, contesting the tournament was the right call. Louisiana residents David Toms and Kelly Gibson helped raise millions of dollars for the relief effort. Phil Mickelson decided to pitch in his entire paycheck, but when that totaled only $87,720, he rounded up to make it a cool quarter-million. Other players followed suit, giving the event a feel-good vibe of being both an official tournament and a charitable contribution to the community.
In this celebration of camaraderie and support, it's easy to understand where a singular tale of misadventure within the city's outer limits was a square peg in this round hole. It wouldn't fit the week's theme. It wouldn't help the perception that New Orleans was back.
Following rounds of 78-73 that left him well outside the Shell Houston Open cut line, Couch made a beeline to New Orleans on Sunday morning in an effort to beat the traffic, so to speak. He was already suffering through an unbearably frustrating season, earning just $22,278 in nine starts and missing the cut in all but two of them. For those who had kept an eye on Couch throughout his career, the numbers were mystifying.
This is a player who at 16 qualified for the Honda Classic. One year later, he was the No. 1-ranked junior golfer in the country. He attended the University of Florida, where he was a two-time All-America selection. In 1993, he holed the clinching putt for the Gators' third NCAA title in team history.
Despite that pedigree, Couch turned pro and found varying degrees of success. He would clean up on the Nationwide Tour, and then struggle on the PGA Tour. Back and forth, year by year. He thought about quitting a few times. In 2003, he was on the verge of hanging up the spikes for good when he received an hour-long pep talk from fellow pro and longtime friend Brenden Pappas. That pep talk was punctuated by a $3,000 loan – enough for Couch to play three more events, where he finished T-20, T-2 and solo fifth and continued soldiering on toward his dream.
There was no reason, though, after years of futility and a struggling start to the 2006 season that Couch could be optimistic about the Zurich Classic. When he arrived four days early with trainer Ron Benner, who was making his PGA Tour caddying debut that week, the idea was twofold. Sure, it gave him an extra day to iron out any problems with his swing. But there was something else.
Couch figured if he was ever going to check out the controlled delirium of Bourbon Street, this was going to be the night.
The following is Couch's account of what took place that night. There is no police report on record. Any witnesses were never identified, let alone locatable years later. His word is the only word that exists. As he speaks, the narrative he's held in publicly for so many years comes pouring out. This is his story.
"I told Ron, 'We'll just kind of walk down the street, hit some bars, have some dinner – that kind of stuff. And that's what we did. We probably got there around 7. Hit some bars, had some dinner, just walked the whole street. I told him I was going to stop in a bank over there and get some money, since I wasn't coming back down there. He said, 'OK, I'll meet you at the car.' So I hopped in the bank, got some money. It was this huge bank, you have to walk through some glass doors to get to the ATM. Anyhow, I came out and he had headed to the car. I just got turned around, I guess. I was wandering around for 10-15 minutes and I couldn't find my way back to the car.
"So I saw this cop on the side of the road; he was leaning on a white SUV and he was talking to the people inside. I went up to the cop and said, 'Look, I've gotten turned around here. I parked my car at the Sleep Inn. Can you guide me to the Sleep Inn?' As the cop was starting to say something, there were four girls inside. They said, 'We're heading over that way. Do you want us to give you a ride?' I was thinking, this cop is talking to them. I'm sure there's no harm here. So I said, 'Sure, if you could drop me off, that would be great.'
"And so I hopped in and about five minutes into the drive, I'm like, 'What's going on here?' This was just after Katrina and we were heading toward abandoned buildings and stuff like that. So I said, 'What's going on? Where are you taking me?' I grew up with street smarts, so I knew something was wrong. I saw the girl in the front passenger seat reach into the glove compartment and pull out something and she put it in her right hand. I thought, she's either got a Taser or a gun. These girls are going to try to rob me.
"I was sitting behind the driver in the backseat, so I grabbed the shoulder of the driver – in case they Tased me, she'd get Tased, too. And then the two girls in the backseat started going through my pockets. As they were grabbing stuff, I was trying to grab it back.
"I had two phones at the time; they took both phones. They got very little cash, because the cash I took out of the ATM, I had in my left pocket and I was in the left backseat behind the driver's seat, so they couldn't get to that. I stuck my Rolex in my pocket, too. They got my credit card and charged $900, but I was able to cancel that later.
"When they slowed down, I jumped out of the car. As I jumped out, another car pulled up alongside them. Four guys jumped out. So now I don't know where I am. I have sandals on. And I'm kind of in an abandoned place. These four guys jump out of the car and I just kind of said, 'Come on. Let's go.' I looked them straight in the eye and said, 'If you want a piece of me, I'll take all four of you on.' They jumped back in their car and both cars took off.
"I ended up running back toward town; I probably ran for 15-20 minutes, I'm talking running pretty hard the whole way. The first place I saw was this tattoo parlor. So I walked in there and told the guy who owned the place what had happened. He said, 'OK, let's call the cops.' He gave me a beer, which calmed my nerves. He was a nice guy.
"Anyway, the cops showed up and I told them what happened. They took me to the department and I explained it to a detective, but it just seemed like they dropped it after that.
"So that's how the night went down. Nothing ever happened. They didn't look for the people or anything."
When he arrived at English Turn the next day, Couch met with members of the PGA Tour security team, local law enforcement officials and tournament organizers. At this point, he was just one of 156 players in the field – and hardly a celebrated one at that. With just those two made cuts in nine previous starts, there's little doubt those in the room assumed the situation would blow over without garnering much attention from the media.
Even so, Couch contends that he was instructed to "cover up" any information about what had happened the night before. "The Tour didn't want me to say anything, because they said they'd just gotten done with Hurricane Katrina and this was the last thing they needed, bad media about a PGA Tour player getting mugged at gunpoint or Taser or whatever that girl had," he recalls. "They just said this would be bad for the first sporting event back to New Orleans since the hurricane."
Others in that meeting maintain that no such instructions were ever given.
"I don't believe that there was any agenda," Schaefer says. "I don't think it was the PGA Tour trying to cover anything up. There were a lot of stories at the time that dealt with the lack of safety in the city. They were very concerned with this not snowballing in terms of what actually happened. … The questions kept coming up: Is the city safe or not? Did you go looking for trouble and find it? Or did something come find you? We encourage everybody to come and compete, but we're not going to tell you what to do outside the ropes."
He even suggests there was more to the story that the PGA Tour's security personnel had uncovered. "They weren't dealing with speculation; there wasn't any supposition. They were dealing with actual information."
Though he wasn't on site at the tournament that week, PGA Tour executive vice president of communications Ty Votaw reports, "I confirmed that officials did speak with Chris, but those conversations were more concerned with respect to his welfare." Votaw strongly maintains that the Tour would never issue a "cover-up."
For five days, the story hardly surfaced. There was some scuttlebutt on the driving range – one rumor among competitors had Couch kidnapped and driven to Mississippi – but otherwise, nobody made too much of a big deal about the struggling pro who got into a little after-dark trouble.
It still wasn't news on Friday, when Couch barely exceeded his recent brand of unremarkable golf to make the cut on the number. The next day, he took advantage of an early tee time, posting an 8-under 64 in blustery, swirling winds to eventually move into first place entering the final round.
After he finished, Couch was asked about the rumored story by a few reporters. Heeding the instruction (or was it advice?) offered in that prior meeting, he told them in part, "They looked normal, so I thought I could get a ride with them. I jumped in their car, but it got kind of weird. I didn't really like the situation, so I hopped out of the car and I was in the middle of nowhere." He recounted the story without many details, shrugged it off as little more than an interesting night in the Big Easy.
Sunday's final round provided one of the more memorable finishes in recent memory. Still in the lead on the tournament's penultimate hole, it seemed like the proverbial clock had struck midnight, Couch's carriage instantly turning into a pumpkin.
After making a mess of the hole, he found himself with a 12-foot putt to save bogey. He sank it. That brought him to the final hole, leading by one in search of an unlikely first PGA Tour triumph. After a good drive, Couch hit a pitching wedge that flew the green and somehow – to this day, he doesn't know how – stopped on a downslope in a greenside bunker so saturated, he thought it felt "like concrete."
Using an unorthodox yet effective cross-handed chipping motion, he dislodged the ball from the bunker, but barely landed it in the rough behind the green. Knowing he could likely get up-and-down to still force a playoff, Couch stood over the ball. He prayed. Then he swung.
The ball rolled and rolled and rolled and disappeared into the cup. Couch threw his arms in the air and let out the loudest whoop of his career. In the CBS booth nearby, Lanny Wadkins blurted an expletive on live television. Tournament organizers and security personnel who six days earlier listened to the story of a competitor finding trouble in their city perhaps had their worst fear realized.
After the round, when the adrenaline had finally settled down and reality was setting in, Couch plopped into a chair in the interview room to meet with the assembled media. He was asked about the cross-handed, walk-off chip, of course. He was asked about the $3,000 loan from Pappas. He was asked about his stellar amateur career and not-so-stellar professional career. And then he was asked about the previous Sunday night, almost one week to the minute earlier, and the champion answered in the most roundabout way he could.
Q: Chris, this has been a long week for you beginning with last Sunday night. Obviously we know the story about it. Is there anything in there that you want to fill in the holes for us?
A: I haven't seen what was written, but I'm sure it was all the truth.
Q: We assume you will not celebrate the same place tonight that you celebrated?
A: Yeah, I don't know. You never know. You might see me down there. I kind of like Bourbon Street. I like the city. It was unfortunate what happened.
Q: I'm curious, did you ever locate the cellphone? Did you call…
A: No, I haven't. I have another one, though.
Q: Can you put this whole week into perspective? Can you imagine any other winner of this tournament has ever had a week in the city like you have?
A: I doubt it. It's been an adventure. But it couldn't have worked out better.
And that was that. The man who says he detests lying may not have lied, exactly, but he never quite told the entire truth, either.
All of which should lead to this question: Why now?
Why, after seven years of vagueness, after seven years of hidden details and roundabout answers, why is Chris Couch finally ready to tell his story?
"I think the truth should be told," he says. "I think with every situation, people should be honest. I mean, honesty is the best way to go. Sometimes when you're in the wrong, you've got to be honest and say, 'Hey, I made a mistake.' I may have had a couple too many drinks that night and my judgment wasn't very good, but looking back, my instincts told me these have to be OK people."
Couch lumbers from his sofa to the front door. His back hurts. On days such as these, he can barely walk, let alone think about playing competitive golf. Before reaching the door, he reflects one last time – not just on the incident in New Orleans, but on a few years of having trouble find him off the course – and thinks about where he is now.
He senses a connection.
"I was kind of in a bad point in my life where I was going out a lot and just doing things I shouldn't have been doing," he admits. "I think those things have caught up to me. Maybe I'm getting punished for my behavior now, which I probably deserve."


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This is probably one of the most long argued questions in the Real Estate Industry. Real Estate Professionals sometimes flock to get the latest and greatest alphabet soup after their name in hopes to get some knowledge or even to set themselves apart from the next.
However, the past year or two I have been curious to know exactly to what extent people really care if their Real Estate Professional even has a Designation.
As of March, I will have had the Certified EcoBroker designation/certification for 4 years. To be perfectly honest, I don't really care if I have it anymore. In the beginning I wanted to take the courses to learn more about Green Building. Since then I have also taken other courses and even a builder designation (CGP) to learn more than the average Real Estate Course will allow you to learn.
My question and 'poll' that I would like to pose – To what point do home buyers and sellers really care about designations and would you choose your Real Estate Professional solely on designation?

subset: commoncrawl


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Corkbin Wine App for iPhone and Android
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9 posts
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
7 years ago
Awesome !!!!!!!!! $135 retail
Levits Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
7 years ago
Adelaida Zinfandel 2007
7 years ago
Great Zin, Jammy and smooth. Goes well with a filet or pasta w/meat sauce.
Barbaresco Moccagatta Riserva 2001
7 years ago
Great Italian red. Light body, ready to drink right from the bottle. Goes well with pasta and red meat. $65 retail.
Zerba Cellars Red Wine
7 years ago
Another Great Wine!!! About $20+ Dollars. Great fruit and smooth wine!!!
Abbot's Table 2008
7 years ago
Great Great Value wine. From Zupan's.
Louis Jadot Pouilly Fuisse 2007
7 years ago
Hands down one of the best whites I've ever drank. Great summer wine. Awesome with salads, fish, pork, and poultry.
Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay 2007
7 years ago
Great summer Chardonnay. Light fruit notes early, with a buttery finish.
Lecole No 41 Columbia Valley 2009 Chenin Blanc
7 years ago


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Good news for photography fanboys, Snapseed goes free for a limited time in iOS App Store. Snapseed is available for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Meanwhile, the OS X version is still paid app @19.99 USD. Snapseed was the winner of best mobile photo app award ... ...
Download Infinity Blade Arena in the App store
Epic Games has released next edition of its famous Multiplayer Game Infinity Blade (Download Link), The Infinity Blade Arena , is now available on the App store and you can no longer engage in
Apple Start Approving Applications for iOS 4.3
It seems that Apple has begun to approve applications that use functions that will be officially introduced iOS update 4.3. For example, StreamToMe has added support for streaming via AirPlay , a function that
Unofficial Wikileak iPhone App Hits App Store
Wikileaks App is the very first unofficial application associated with the known site Wikileaks made its appearance in the App Store. Application contains a specially designed environment for viewing on the iPhone and iPad.
Features and Update to Facebook 3.1 iPhone app
Last week Apple released the latest version of Facebook iPhone app, as Joe promised the new interface is really cool and more user friendly. The home screen now offers a 3-by-3 grid for more easy
GV Mobile App for Google Voice Now on Cydia
Recently Apple pulled both GV Mobile and VoiceCentral from App Store, two native applications that add Google Voice support to the iPhone. Officials justified that removing GV Mobile from the App Store due to
Full list of Sources for Installer app and Desktop Installer app.
While Installer.app and Desktop Installer.app are a great way to add third-party applications to your iPhone, you won't be able to access a particular developer's applications-list without adding their repository to your "Source" list.
RiP Dev Releases Desktop Installer App For Mac OS X.
Good News for iPhone Addicts Rip Dev team behind Installer.app released Desktop Installer. With Desktop Installer you can download and install App available in both Cydia and Installer and the action is controlled
Guitar Rock tour Musical game for iPhone / iPod Touch.
Guitar Rock Tour gameloft (iDP) Category: Games Price: $5.99 Released: Nov 03, 2008 Size: 149 MB Seller: Gameloft APPLICATION DESCRIPTION : The only game on iPhone to play guitar & drums like a Rock God.Described by the press


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Hey guys! Thanks for visiting my site. It's in the middle of a much-needed overhaul, but should be back up and running again soon. If you'd like to sign up for updates, beta-reading opportunities, or free book offers, please go here and enter your email in the sign-up form! Thanks for visiting! 🙂
-Sara King
The Legend of ZERO, Outer Bounds, Guardians of the First Realm


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|Oracle FAQ
|Your Portal to the Oracle Knowledge Grid
Home -> Community -> Mailing Lists -> Oracle-L -> RE: DBA Role Privs
Yes, you are correct about the granting. It is a little thing called SOX.
From: Hallas, John, Tech Dev [mailto:John.Hallas_at_gb.vodafone.co.uk]
Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 3:22 AM
To: Burton, Laura; oracle-l_at_freelists.org Subject: RE: DBA Role Privs
Others have pointed out the auditing functionality.
However who is granting DBA privileges if it is not you. I assume you are the DBA (or one of them) so why would other users have the authority/privileges to grant the DBA privileges.
From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org
[mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] On Behalf Of Burton, Laura Sent: 05 May 2006 18:42
To: oracle-l_at_freelists.org
Subject: DBA Role Privs
I want to be notified every time the DBA role is granted or revoked via email. I found the procedure which takes care of the email. Next I created a trigger on Insert into the Dba Role Privs view and received the error that this can not be performed on a view. Does anyone know the underlying Sys table(s) to use, or a better way of checking this?
Thank you,
-- http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-lReceived on Mon May 08 2006 - 07:19:02 CDT
Original text of this message


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Here's a list of things to do in NYC this week as published by the New York Times:
Brooklyn Navy Yard Center at BLDG 92: 'Reflections on Rosie' (Friday through Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday) The exhibition, "Reflections on Rosie," contains the stories of women who worked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard during World War II and the female artists who now work in studios in the Center. The display, also sponsored by the Brooklyn Historical Society, includes oral histories and multimedia presentations and will be on view through May. Open Wednesdays through Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. Brooklyn Navy Yard Center at BLDG 92, 63 Flushing Avenue, at Carlton Avenue, (718) 907-5992, bldg92.org; free admission to exhibition.
'Dr. DuBois and Miss Ovington' (Friday through Sunday) This play by Clare Coss about the collaboration between the 19th-century civil rights activists W.E.B. DuBois and Mary White Ovington, who were among the founders of the N.A.A.C.P., is the last of three plays celebrating black history month presented by Woodie King Jr.'s National Black Touring Circuit. Peter Jay Fernandez and Kathleen Chalfant star in the production. A discussion following Sunday's matinee about DuBois and his role as founding editor of the N.A.A.C.P.'s Crisis magazine, will be led by Laura D. Blackburne, chairwoman and publisher of the magazine and a former New York State Supreme Court judge. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m., Castillo Theater, 543 West 42nd Street, Clinton, (212) 279-4200, ticketcentral.com; $20 (sold out on Friday and Sunday).
Films of Shirley Clarke (Friday) Two films by this Oscar-winning filmmaker who died in 1997 at 77 — including one that was banned by New York State for obscenity — will be screened at City College, Shepard Hall, Room 95, Convent Avenue and 138th Street, Hamilton Heights; Ms. Clarke attended classes at the college in the mid-1950s. At 4 p.m., her 1962 film, "The Connection," based on an Off Broadway play by Jack Gelber about drug addiction, will be shown. The film, which received critical acclaim, was controversial for its use of language and images. Her 1985 portrait of the jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman, "Ornette: Made in America," will be shown at 7 p.m. The screenings are free, but reservations are requested: (212) 650-6126. ccny.cuny.edu/news/shirley-clarke-films.cfm.
Grand Central Terminal: 'Grand By Design: A Centennial Celebration of Grand Central Terminal' (through March 15) For anyone who ever heard a parent yell "What is this, Grand Central Station?" the terminal has been more than just a place to catch a train. Its history and impact on the city as both a transportation hub and a cultural icon are the focus of this exhibition of photographs and artifacts in celebration of its 100th anniversary. Hours are daily, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. 42nd Street, between Lexington and Fifth Avenues, grandcentralterminal.com; free.
'Jackson Heights Trilogy' (Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday) This three-play repertory focusing on the diverse Queens neighborhood of Jackson Heights continues at 777 Theater, 777 Eighth Avenue, at 47th Street. Each play comprises work by five or more playwrights and features a multiethnic cast, reflecting the cultural diversity of the neighborhood. On the program are "167 Tongues" (Saturday at noon, Sunday at 5 p.m. and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.); "You Are Now the Owner of This Suitcase" (Saturday at 4 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. and Thursday at 7:30 p.m.); and "Jackson Heights 3am" (Saturday at 8 p.m.). (800) 838-3006, theatre167.org; $18.
'Milt Hinton: Inside Jazz' (through March 4) The acclaimed jazz bassist, who died in 2000 at 90, was also an accomplished photographer who began taking informal photographs of musicians at recording studios and other locations beginning in the mid-1930s. Thirty of his photographs — part of a collection with thousands of images — will be on view in the Living Room Gallery of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Lexington Avenue, at 54th Street. Among those whose portraits are featured are Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday and Thelonious Monk. The free exhibition is the first of two events at the church — noted for its jazz vesper services and its devotion to jazz and jazz musicians — in celebration of Hinton's life and music. On March 3, "Prez Fest 2013," dedicated to the musician, will feature a documentary screening, a panel discussion and performances. More information is available at (212) 935-2200; saintpeters.org/events. The exhibition can be viewed during church hours, daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Music to Benefit Alzheimer's Association (Thursday) An evening of cabaret is planned with the singers Elizabeth McKeon, Janie Press, Lionel Shockness and others. At 7 p.m., Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, Clinton, (646) 744-2936, alznyc.org/cabaret; $75, with a two-drink minimum. Proceeds will benefit the New York City Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
New York Korean Film Festival (Friday through Sunday) "Pieta," a film by Kim Ki-duk about a loan shark and his long-lost mother that won the Golden Lion Award at the 2012 Venice International Film Festival, will open this series — the 11th — on Friday. It is the second year that the festival will be held at the BAM Rose Cinemas. The screening is at 7 p.m. and will be followed at 9:30 p.m. by a showing of "All Bark, No Bite," a film by Jo Byeong-ok about a gang. BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Avenue, at Ashland Place, Fort Greene, Brooklyn, (718) 636-4100, bam.org; $13, $9 for students, $8 for members.
'Seis del Sur: Dispatches From Home by Six Nuyorican Photographers' (through March 8) The South Bronx of the 1980s is the subject of this photography show at the Bronx Documentary Center. Among the photographers whose works are on display are two staff members of The New York Times: Ángel Franco, a photographer, and David Gonzalez, a reporter for the Metropolitan desk and co-editor with James Estrin, a Times photographer, of the Lens Blog. The other photographers are Joe Conzo, Jr., Ricky Flores, Edwin Pagán and Francisco Molina Reyes II. Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m., 614 Courtlandt Avenue, at 151st Street, (347) 332-6962, bronxdoc.org; free.
WHN-AM Reunion (Monday and Tuesday) From 1973 to the late 1980s, country music fans in the city could find their tunes on WHN-AM (1050). A two-day celebration of the 40th anniversary of the shift in programming will feature a radio broadcast, a panel discussion and a live concert. Monday's event begins at 7:30 p.m. with a panel discussion about the station with some of its former personnel, including Lee Arnold, a member of the Country Hall of Fame and a Sirius radio personality, and Ed Salamon, the station's program director whose new book, "WHN: When New York Went Country," was released this month by Archer Books. The discussion will be followed at 9 p.m. with a performance by Jesse and Noah Bellamy. Both events are free and will take place at Hill Country Live, 30 West 26th Street, Chelsea. On Tuesday, a radio broadcast with music and discussion can be heard from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on WFDU-FM (89.1); the broadcast, which will feature Mr. Arnold and Mr. Salamon, will also be streamed on the station's Web site, wfdu.fm


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Apple's (AAPL) iTunes Costs A Whopping $1.3b A Year To Run
We always assumed it couldn't be cheap to run a massive online web store the size of iTunes, with the hundreds of thousands of apps, millions of pieces of music and enough video content to keep anyone busy for some time. A new report though claims Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) spends even more on the service than we could every have imagined – a whopping $1.3 billion EACH YEAR!
Using information released by AAPL itself – download figures for apps, music and so on – Asymco came to a figure of $133 million each calendar month which brings us to the gargantuan figure above. It's an unfathomable amount of money, and an expenditure that ensures Apple doesn't make much, if any profit on its various iTunes stores.
Since we know something about the average price of songs and apps, and we know the split between developers and Apple (and roughly between music labels and Apple) we can get a rough estimate of the amount Apple retains to run its store.
Way back in the dark ages when Apple first announced its iTunes Music Store, it was devised as a way to sell iPods and not a viable source of income for the company. Many years later it is the same model that has made iPhones, iPads and iPod touches such a strong proposition for potential buyers.
Just as it was the largest store with the most music that won the day after iTunes' inception, now it's apps that buy users – and Apple has apps by the bucketload.


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Sir Merrick Cockell, chair of the Local Government Association (LGA), has told a high profile audience of council chiefs that councils must use changes to government policy to look again at how they deliver services.
At the Guardian's first local government leaders quarterly debate in April, he also called on ministers to give local authorities the space to branch out and change, despite the risks involved. Speaking ahead of the conference he said: "We all have become conditioned to be quite risk averse, and shifting that while taking our communities into a world where there is perhaps a bit more risk is hard."
Together with partners BT and Serco, the evening brought together the biggest names in local government to thrash out issues around commissioning public services. Also speaking on the panel, Dame Moira Gibb, former chief executive of Camden council, stressed the need for accountability and called for councils to be flexible when commissioning services.
Valerie Pearce, head of city services at Brighton and Hove council, told delegates that she was "yet to meet an elected member who didn't care about their staff and the delivery of services on the frontline". She called for greater turnout at the polls to encourage representative democracy. She added that local government needs to get more creative when it comes to commissioning, by developing packages of services, instead of working in isolation.
David Prout, director general for localism at the Department for Communities and Local Government, said there were cultural and political barriers in the way of commissioning services He told the group that many councils want to commission more, but feel their staff are underqualified to do so.
After questions from the floor, the conference broke into five tables to debate local government issues around core commissioning, efficiency, digital innovation, organisational development and cities. A summary of the main points raised at each roundtable is found below.
Commissioning is about more than procurement and purchasing. District councils are moving from being providers of services to commissioners of the providers. This can lead to internal tensions between operations and commissioning on who leads that process. Each will have a different interpretation of data. There must be a partnership between the two functions
Public services won't succeed if they don't serve the needs of the local community. There needs to be real thought given to what the community actually is and needs. Does it matter who provides the service, as long as it is provided? The important issue is to ask and address where accountability lies.
The calibre of some private sector providers has been called into question. Some suppliers may be "milking the system", tying councils into restrictive contracts, management agreements and costly cancellation clauses. Some public sector inefficiencies are actually delivered by the private sector.
Many of the issues that affect cities are not traditionally thought of as part of local government's commissioning role. It's not a question of how to apply council resources to get a particular service, but more about market making – creating opportunities and bringing people together around a subject or issue.
To make a city work you need a number of different overlapping interests to find a consensus about how the city should be managed. The success of borough partnerships is patchy and depends on the will of the leadership. If commissioning is going to add value to cities it has to be good quality, joint commissioning managed by the right people.
Organisational development and workforce
Staff must be able to understand what they're working for and what the result of their work will be. Councils need to think carefully about training: universities are producing staff who think in a fixed way that has not worked for many years. As a result, staff feel under-prepared and disengaged.
Over the years, local authorities have created structures which have forced employees to seek permission before acting. Staff have lost their "sparkle" and can have been stifled, leaving them unwilling to take any risks or go the extra mile for fear of being held responsible for a failed project.
Local government has traditionally been a steady employer; staff could move up and settle in a position they were happy with. This has now changed. Staff need to change to – they must be agile, flexible and entrepreneurial.
Digital innovation
Digital technology means local government now has myriad conversations with residents but, unlike private companies, too few councils are exploiting the potential of the information this provides to shape their services. Digital media is an important opportunity for citizens to have a voice in how council services are run, changed and improved.
Within the limits of data protection, technology can enable services to support each other. Councils need to focus on systems that can evolve and change with need. The alternative is that technology, rather than facilitating progress, locks the organisation in to increasingly outdated ways of working.
The use of digital technology to promote democracy is still quite limited. The best way to use technology is to give a broad online picture of everything happening in the area – from planning permissions and developments to community groups, projects, school performance and public events. This would encourage people to understand the issues in their area and to interact with them.
Finance and efficiency
Local government sometimes loses sight of the results that services deliver and gets bogged down in the specifics. Instead, councils ought to be focusing on operating more like businesses and generating income from entrepreneurial schemes.
Councils are currently too risk averse and frightened by EU regulations. They need to find ways to avoid long consultation and procurement processes. Local authorities should be looking to manage risk, not avoid it. They should be able to choose which risks they take on and which they pass onto a third party. However, this can be costly.
There is appetite for change among elected members but officers are often much more cautious – and this can make things difficult. Councils should aim to avoid the culture of "lifers" who stay in one job for many years as there is a need to shake things up and encourage new ideas.
Communication teams need to get better at selling what local government does. Many people aren't aware of who their councillors are and what the council does for them. Relationship management should be recognised as one of the most important roles in local government and to achieve this councils need everyone to work more collectively rather than fighting with each other.
• The next quarterly meeting will be held in Birmingham in June. Join the local government network to be first to hear when booking for the free event opens.
Additional reporting by Liam Kelly, Paul Jenkins, Richard Vize and Stacey-Rebekka Karlsson
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text:
Fannie Beechy, 82, Topeka, died Saturday, August 25, 2012 at her residence.
She was born December 1, 1929, in Kansas, to David and Mary (Troyer) Nissley.
She was a member of the Old Order Amish Church.
She was married November 23, 1950 to John Beechy. He preceded her in death in April 2012.
Surviving are one son, Dave (Lorene) Beechy; six daughters, Mary Beechy, Sue (Dan) Yoder, Ann (LeRoy) Miller, Saraetta (Dave) Kauffman, and Pauline Beechy, all of Topeka, and Rose (Paul) Yoder, Ligonier; 32 grandchildren; 41 great- grandchildren; one sister, Susie Miller; one brother, Crist Nissley; and one stepsister, Rosie (Levi) Eash.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her stepmother, and one great-granddaughter.
Services were held Tuesday, August 28, at her residence, 4880W 600S in Topeka, with Bishop Samuel Herschberger and home ministers officiating.
Burial is in Miller Cemetery, LaGrange.
Online condolences may be sent at www.yeagerfuneralhome. com.
Yeager Funeral Home in Ligonier was in charge of arrangements.


text:
A DESIGNER Observation Shelter has been built on a cliff-top close to Stonehaven, thanks to the generousity of a former local businessman.
The £100,000 shelter was built at the RSPB Fowlsheugh nature reserve using money bequethed by George Anderson, who died in 2006.
The shelter has been dedicated to the memory of Mr Anderson and his wife Moyra, who left behind a wish that it be built on the site to allow people to enjoy the spectacular views of the coast and seabirds whatever the weather.
First year pupils from Mackie Academy cut the ribbon at the shelter's official opening, which was also attended by Mr Anderson's friend Ken Malcolm.
Built by Perth Architects Bell Ingram Design, the project was managed by Director Iain Cram.
"The brief was centred around the wishes of George and Moyra Anderson. They used to enjoy coming here to sit on a bench and walk along the cliffs and our instructions were to allow people to enjoy the views that they enjoyed, even if it was raining, and so this is what we have tried to achieve.
"The position of the shelter is very important as we wanted to make sure that the windows offer the best views possible. You can see Dunnottar Castle out of one of the windows and that positioning was deliberate.
"We set out to create a space for contemplation not a hide for hardened bird spotters. We wanted somewhere for people to admire the view in a calm atmosphere."
The stone used in the building of the shelter came from Denfind, a quarry in Angus, and was selected to give the impression of dry stone walling. The internal timbers are oak and all the wood in the building is from renewable sources.
The shelter was constructed by Montrose firm Pert-Bruce. Jamie Pert and Craig Bruce are the Managing Directors. "It was good to work on and the whole team enjoyed it despite the location being on a cliff edge and the construction work happening during one of the worst winters in living memory.
"Now that it's finished it has a very comfortable feel to it. In the rain and wind you can sit there and watch the seabirds being buffeted by the wind and the waves lashing against the shore and yet still feel very safe and cosy in the stone shelter."
According to East Scotland Reserves Manager Simon Busuttil it is one of the most beautiful buildings ever built by the RSPB.
"It is built to nestle into the ground," he said. "The roof is a sedum mat that we hope over time will self-seed with local grasses so that the shelter disappears into the landscape. It'll take a few winters to weather in and lose its new freshness but after that we hope it will take on an almost Neolithic feel."
The shelter is open to the public from dawn to dusk. There are regular RSPB guided 'Pick Out A Puffin' walks at the reserve throughout the summer. The walks last for two hours and are free but booking is essential.
To book or for further information call 01346 532234 or e-mail email@example.com For June the walks take place every Thursday at 7pm and on Sundays the 12th and 26th at 2pm.


text:
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Open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
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For every degree you lower your thermostat, you save about 2 percent on your heating bill.
Lower the water heater
One significant way to reduce energy consumption if you're away on vacation is to simply lower the water heater. If you'll be gone three or more consecutive days, set the water heater to the lowest or 'vacation' setting if there is one.
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Many electronics and appliances continue to draw electricity even when powered off. Unplug these energy "vampires" when not in use.
Use Power Strips
It's easy to forget to turn off electronics when leaving the house, never mind unplug them. Plug items like TVs into a power strip so you can shut off several devices at once.
Use Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
Kiss incandescent bulbs goodbye and welcome their energy-efficient replacements: compact fluorescent and LED light bulbs. CFL bulbs use about a third of the energy consumed by a halogen incandescent. LEDs use about a quarter and last up to 25 times longer.
Dry Lightweight Clothes First
This tactic helps build up the heat in the dryer for heavier fabrics.
Pick Permanent Press
This is the dryer setting that uses the least amount of energy. It's intended for thinner or more delicate fabrics but might be adequate for small loads.
Dry With a Towel
A clean, dry towel added to a wet load absorbs moisture and could decrease drying time by 25 percent.
Use the Toaster and Microwave
Cooking or heating up food with a toaster oven or microwave saves more energy than warming on the stove or in the oven.
Set the Right Temperature
Keep the fresh food section of the refrigerator set between 37 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer section at 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Leave Room in the Fridge
The refrigerator and freezer operate most efficiently when not crammed with food. Also be sure there's enough clearance behind the appliance to let air circulate.


text:
Brief papal tribute to St. Augustine
April 28, 2014
Declining an invitation from Algerian bishops to reconsecrate the newly restored Basilica of St. Augustine, Pope Francis has sent Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, as his special envoy.
The church, originally consecrated in 1909, was raised to the rank of minor basilica in 1914. It is located in Annaba, the northeastern Algerian city once known as Hippo, where St. Augustine ministered as a bishop from 395 to 430. The reconsecration will take place on May 2.
In a letter dated March 21 but released April 26, Pope Francis asked Cardinal Tauran to "highlight for civil and religious authorities the influence of the person and the importance of the teaching of St. Augustine for the people also of our time." The Pope also asked the French prelate to encourage the faithful "to seek the divine will with new zeal, by prayers and meditation, as well as by consideration of spiritual needs."
"We wish that you extend words of Our good will also to Muslims, especially to those who show signs of good will towards the Christians staying there," Pope Francis added.
Further information:
- Lettera del Santo Padre all'Inviato Speciale alla consacrazione del Santuario di Sant'Agostino d'Ippona recentemente restaurato nel centenario dell'elevazione a Basilica (Holy See Press Office)
- Basilique Saint-Augustin d'Annaba (Wikipedia)
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text: Hi,On Mon, 12 May 2003, Tomas Szepe wrote:> Also, will the config system let the user know that their having> enabled a certain option has affected other options (possibly in> different submenus)?The user will see that he can't disable certain options.This is basically the same problem as with other dependencies, if the user selects an option other options may become visible. There is no direct information, how the config option depend on each other (except xconfig offers that as a debug option).> As things work now, there's no way to tell> if an option has been switched on "by dependency," so in the above> example, in switching GART_IOMMU off after its switching on has> enabled AGP, the system won't know to disable AGP again. I'm not> convinced this is a nice feature in fact. :) Maybe we just need> something like grayed-out entries with a comment, for instance:> > /* [ ] IOMMU support (needs "/dev/agpgard (AGP Support)") */Of course the same can be done with normal dependencies, but this new option offers more flexibility. Important options don't have to be hidden away behind a lot of dependencies. I'm aware that this can be abused, so I have to watch a bit how it will be used.bye, Roman-To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" inthe body of a message to email@example.com majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.htmlPlease read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/


text:
This book covers everything students need to know to obtain an FAA instrument rating and will be a valuable aid to instructors. provides an overview of the US Federal Aviation Authority instrument rating requirements highly illustrated to help reader visualization Kershner a renowned aviation author
The Instrument Flight Manual covers everything students need to know to obtain an FAA instrument rating. Updated to reflect changes in Federal Aviation Regulations, the book gives an overview of IFR operational requirements and helps establish patterns of successful aeronautical decision making with regard to instrument flight. Divided into five parts, the book details airplane instruments, systems, navigation, and communications with ATC, then flies a hypothetical trip using the knowledge gained in the first three sections. Numerous illustrations assist in visualization. This manual encompasses every aspect of instrument flying and includes, as an aid to instructors, a fifth part - a full instrument rating syllabus.
This book covers everything students need to know to obtain an FAA instrument rating and will be a valuable aid to instructors. provides an overview of the US Federal Aviation Authority instrument rating requirements highly illustrated to help reader visualization Kershner a renowned aviation author
Airplane performance and Basic Instrument Flying; Navigation and Communications; Planning the Instrument Flight; The Instrument Flight; Airport/Facility Directory Legend; Pilot/Controller Glossary; Syllabus; Bibliography; Index; En Route Low-Altitude Chart
About the author
William Kershner, a nationally renowned aviator, was named the 1992 General Aviation Flight Instructor of the year. This honour came as a culmination of his 50+ years in the industry as a pilot, instructor, author of flight manuals and owner of an aerobatic school in Tennessee.Kershner holds certificates and ratings for: Airline Transport Pilot - multi engine, land: Commercial Privileges - single engine, land; Flight Instructor - single engine and multi engine aircraft and instrument; and ground instructor - advanced.
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text:
Whether you're looking to buy your first home now or sometime in the future, knowing what to expect from the home buying process can help you better make knowledgeable decisions when it comes to biggest purchase of your life. Being able to take comfort in knowing what to expect in a real estate transaction now, can relieve unneeded doubts in the future.
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text:
So we all got shiny new SSDs at work recently, and I was keen to get a new Arch installation up and running from the lovely new silicon. A bit-wise clone of the old disk's contents wouldn't work for me, as that was still formatted using ext3, and I wanted to use this opportunity to switch to ext4.
My initial plan was to just install a fresh copy of Arch from a USB, and it was as I was doing this that I realised I should be able to do the exact same procedure but from my existing Arch installation. After all, the Arch install process simply boots you into a minimal Arch on your USB drive (or CD-ROM/DVD), and then installs onto the target drive with the help of chroot. So, from my old Arch system, I tried the standard install procedure of running the pacstrap script. This script was not available however, and I couldn't immediately find it in the repos.
As I was searching online for suggestions, I came across
If you're running Alsa on your Linux distro, without pulseaudio (e.g. Arch Linux, SUSE), and your onboard audio only has 3 Jacks - Line In, Speaker, and Mic - but supports 5.1 audio, follow these steps to enable it.
Add the line below to a file called /etc/modprobe.d/options. If the file doesn't exist, create it.
XFCE can be configured through the usual array of settings dialogs, where you can alter settings for displays, power management, audio and more. XFCE also provides the xfconf-query tool for querying and setting the configuration on the command line. When run without arguments, xfconf-query outputs a list of channels:
The secret here is to contain your table's rows in <thead> and <tbody> sections, and set these to display:block. Click Activate Demo to view the scrollable table:
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Now that we've covered the basics of Symfony and have created a project using the installer, let's move on to see how we can access a database from our Symfony app.
The Doctrine Project produces an Object Relational Mapper (Doctrine ORM) and the Database Abstraction Layer it is built on top of (Doctrine DBAL). The Doctrine Project is an independent open-source development team with no direct connecton to Symfony or SensioLabs. However, both the Doctrine ORM and Doctrine DBAL are included in Symfony Standard Edition and use of Doctrine is very common for Symfony websites.
To get started, open app/config/parameters.yml and fill in connection details for your database server. Here's a typical example:
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Symfony is a collection of over twenty libraries, called the Symfony Components, that can be used by themselves in any PHP project. The idea of these classes is to perform many of the common tasks found in web projects, such as encapsulating the request and response, creating forms and handling form submissions, handling security and templating. Various third-party libraries are incorporated into the Symfony framework along with the Symfony Components. The Symfony framework provides classes that tie all these libraries together, and allows configuration in a consistent way.
Symfony is a PHP Open Source MVC Framework heavily inspired by other web frameworks such as Ruby on Rails, Django, and Spring. It was originally developed by the French web development company SensioLabs under the name Sensio Framework and was released n 2007 as an Open Source project under an MIT licence. It was at this point that the name was changed to Symfony. Version 2 came out in July 2011 and Version 3 is
PHPUnit supplies the PHPUnit_Extensions_Database_TestCase class which can be extended by your tests when you want to run tests that check the state of a database after some or all tests. This is all well and good, but you will soon notice that its methods that you override in your test class to connect to and populate a database (getConnection(), getDataSet()) only support a single database.
If you want to test code that accesses multiple databases, you can
The built-in json_encode() function doesn't by default include any of your own classes' properties, and all you'll see is an empty pair of curly braces.
PHP 5.4 introduced the JsonSerializable interface to rectify this. It defines a single method called jsonSerialize() where you specify how your class should be converted to JSON.
Whatever this method returns is what will appear in the encoded output of json_encode(). You can return a number, a string, an array
More and more people are using IPv6 on their systems, and this longer format requires a larger datatype for storage in MySQL. IPv4 addresses can be saved in a MySQL or MariaDB UNSIGNED column with the INET_ATON() function. If you put an IPv6 address into this function though, it will return NULL indicating unrecognised (you'll see this as the address 0.0.0.0 if you're displaying it with INET_NTOA()).
There are 2 recommended ways of installing xdebug: with your system's package manager, or via PECL.
The PEAR PHP_CodeSniffer project provides an invaluable tool for enforcing a consistent set of coding standards across a whole PHP project. Thanks to the guys at PHPsrc, it can now be installed as an Eclipse plug-in, to provide annotations about code standard violations right in your editor:
In order to get this set up and running, you first need Eclipse 3.3 or greater. You can download the package with PDT incorporated from
There are two ways to develop a Firefox add-on: the old XUL way and the New SDK Way. The old way uses a combination of JavaScript and XUL, along with an RDF file to describe the extension so that it can be correctly installed. XUL is XML mark-up that's similar to HTML and allows you to define UI components, aka widgets, by creating a XUL Overlay, which is merged with Firefox's built-in 'master' XUL. It's not recommended to
By default, Java doesn't use anti-aliasing on fonts in AWT applications. It's been available for some time however, and can be switched on with the awt.useSystemAAFontSettings setting.
To enable anti-aliased fonts just for Netbeans, add -J-Dawt.useSystemAAFontSettings=on to the end of the netbeans_default_options line in /usr/share/netbeans/etc/netbeans.conf e.g.:
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Mailman is a tried-and-tested Open Source mailing list manager. It's robust and reasonably efficient when running, however it organises lists internally by their local name only. In other words, you can't have one list called email@example.com on the same server as another list called email@example.com on the same machine, unless you have a separate mailman installation for each domain.
Many production environments do appear to use the separate installation per domain approach,
inotify is a part of the Linux kernel which watches the filesystem for changes. It is used for many different applications that need to react when there are changes to files in a specific location. For each location an application wants to monitor, it has to add an inotify watch, so apps can easily need a *lot* of these watches.
The system defines a maximum number of inotify watches that can be active at any one time. To see what is set on your system, run this command:
Microsoft have a wonderfully long history of badly designed software that they're proudly continuing to this day with the abomination of IE 9 and the ghastly sham that is Windows 7. It's a tribute to the skills of the many hard-working marketing heads over at Redmond that despite the poor quality and the easy availability of superior cost-free alternatives, people the world over keep coming back to Microsoft like hookers on crack.
My first task is to investigate how we can create a single consistent look & feel for the admin GUI. I'll need to get a good understanding of how the admin GUI works and is organised.
When the admin first logs in, you have a grid of square buttons on the left, and some stats on the right. The page shows as index2.php in the address bar.
index2.php has the following structure:
The pspell_* functions are a very useful feature of PHP, allowing you to scan text and highlight words which are potentially misspelt. Pspell implements the open source aspell spell-checking routines in PHP.
The following list details the PHP string functions which could cause problems when handling multi-byte strings. The multi-byte safe alternative is given when available:
There are a myriad free libraries out there that offer JQuery image rotator functionality. The idea is simple enough - cycle through a series of images, smoothly transitioning between each using some effect or other.
So why code your own? Simplicity and control are the main reasons. Unless you're already loading up a 3rd-party rotator library, why add to the bandwidth overhead? Some of those libraries can be quite time-consuming to get to grips with, so a roll-your-own solution can be
Web pages have become increasingly dynamic in recent years, with more and more content being fetched, manipulated and saved in the background with AJAX. This breaks the traditional connection between the URL and the displayed document: no longer does a URL refer uniquely to one single document. This causes problems for users, because browsers use the URL when storing pages in history. Browser history is implemented as a stack, a last-in, first-out (FIFO) structure. As you navigate through the
The basic idea behind unit testing is that the different components of an application can be tested individually (as a unit no less) by calling each component from a test application passing in a range of suitably picked parameters. When these automated tests fail, the idea is that they will pinpoint where the problem lies and what causes it.
Unit testing is naturally suited to OOP systems, as classes are very modular components that can be readily instantiated and tested in isolation by
The following are mencoder's video filter options, and must be specified after -vf. You can specify multiple filters, by separating them with a comma, and the filters will be applied left to right.
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The Open Source Code::Blocks IDE is the recommended choice on Linux systems, and it's available in Ubuntu's Software Centre. Install this first if you don't already have it.
On Ubuntu, you need to add the Ogre PPA and update your package list before installing the libogre-dev package (containing the Ogre 3D development libraries) and the sample projects:
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You'll need the following dependencies:
For some reason, the erasedups option for bash history appears to have stopped working. Until I work out why and fix it, I wrote this PHP script to perform the same function.
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Before starting, it's a good idea to run a disk check. Run the following command to create the necessary file and then reboot:
If you are setting up version control, and have access to a managed server, you may decide to create your central repositories on that server, so that all developers can access the repo from wherever they are: in the office, at home, on the beach etc etc
Many managed servers use CentOS, the commercial version of RedHat Linux. If you can find a source repo with git in it, you can install using yum:
First set up the tunnel like so:
The MySQL SET datatype is a very space-efficient way to store sets of binary flags. It's a little like the ENUM type, in that you define a range of possible string values, but unlike the ENUM, a column that holds a SET can have any number of the string values at one time.
It's useful to consider how MySQL stores SETs and ENUMs in order to appreciate what benefits they can bring.
Here's a simple table with an ENUM column and a SET column:
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There's a lot of articles on the web explaining how to move a Linux home folder (containing all the user accounts) from the system partition onto its own partition.
I wanted to do the reverse procedure, and move my separate home partition to a regular home folder on the system partition. The only problem is that home can contain a variety of files and symlinks that wouldn't all get copied correctly with the mv command. The cpio archiving utility, available on a default Linux
With later versions of Eclipse and/or the SVN plugin, you have the option of using the Java native interface (JNI) library for Subversion support. For performance and platform independence, Subversion is written in C. The JavaHL library is written by the Subversion team, and basically provides Java wrappers for Subversion's C API. You can use SVNkit, which is a pure Java Subversion library, but until you've sorted it out one way or the other, you're likely to see lots of error messages reading
Oolite is an open source space trading sim based on the original Elite game written by David Braben and Ian Bell in the mid 1980s. At its time, Elite was a ground-breaking game, with a seemingly enormous galactic map of stars to navigate, and loose open-ended gameplay.
The Oolite project has recreated the original game using OpenGL textured models, and the source code can be downloaded from
G3D is a cross-platform OpenGL library in C++. I haven't used it in a couple of years, when I first experimented with 3D C++ programming. The current version is 8 beta 2.
To install on Linux, you'll need to compile the G3D code from source. In my case, on Ubuntu 9.10, I had to install the following dependencies first:
JQuery has a few transition animations built in, such as the 'blinds' effect. This lets you unhide content by revealing it as if a blind were being pulled open in front of it, and vice versa to hide content.
I've built a variant on this idea that gives the effect of a venetian blind:
... ...
Under the hood, there are multiple performance improvements in MySQL 5.5. These mostly target the InnoDB engine, but there are several that will improve MyISAM tables. However, InnoDB becomes the default storage engine from version 5.5 onwards. InnoDB supports true ACID Transactions (groups of statements which are only committed if they all succeed), Referential Integrity (which enforces foreign key constraints on a DB level), and improved crash recovery. The cost is increased disk space usage,
It's worth routinely checking your hard disks to alert you in advance of an impending disk failure and to tidy up orphaned blocks should they occur (very rare). For normal home users, who of course keep back-ups of important files in other locations, running this check once a month is sufficient, which you set using fs2tune.
However, in Arch Linux the fsck disk checker does not offer the option to abort a disk check once it has started. In Ubuntu for instance, you are told to press Esc to
Note that when using grub commands, spaces are important. In particular, a space is required after the commands root and setup (but before the first bracket) and no spaces should be used inside the brackets.
1) Boot from a Live CD
2) Open a terminal window or switch to a TTY and enter:
When a couple of colleagues got Arduinos, I finally got round to getting hold of a starter kit off ebay. It's a very simple kit, with a breadboard and a selection of components that include resistors, capacitors, LEDs and transistors. It also had a couple of circuits pinched off the web to get you started, and they seemed as good a place as any to get started.
With the first one, two LEDs blink on/off alternately. The circuit comprises the following components:
The Arduino is a microprocessor module released under Open Source principles, meaning that the designs are published and may be implemented with or without additional modification by anyone without having to pay licence fees. The core of the Arduino design is the Atmel megaAVR CPU, a proprietary CPU produced by Norwegian company Atmel Semiconductor. The Arduino board adds I/O support, exposing the megaAVR's I/O lines as standard connectors, which allow the board to be easily connected to a
Artificial Intelligence begins with the study of intelligence in biological systems and takes the knowledge and theories gained from that to engineer systems which exhibit intelligence. Neural networks are a perfect example of this: abstract mathematical models of the neurons that make up the brain. In some cases, neural networks are used in research to model the brain, and in these cases the aim is to make the artifical neurons resemble their biological counterparts as closely as
phpDocumentor is a tool written in PHP to create complete documentation directly from both PHP code and external documentation. Well-written PHP source code practically serves as its own documentation. phpDocumentor taps into this by examining code for all kinds of structural hints, such as files, classes, functions, constant definitions, global variables, and class variables/methods. From this, it creates basic documentation in a traditional manual format. Note that you will need at least
With all the plug-ins freely available for it, Eclipse is rapidly becoming the one-stop IDE of choice for all your programming needs. The Perl plug-in from EPIC (Eclipse Perl Integration) is compatible with Eclipse v3.1 and higher:
You need Perl installed on your system in order to make use of all the plug-in's features, such as syntax highlighting and source code formatting. If you're running Linux (why
Recently I changed the name of the mountpoint where my Eclipse projects are located, and while a lot of my projects opened without any problem, others would not, instead generating the error message:
The project description file (.project) for PROJECTNAME is missing
By default, Eclipse will look for the .project file in the root directory of the project itself. In some cases though, you may want to have the .project file outside of the main project directory, and you can do
I would like to have the following features in Jabber chatrooms:
- system notification when user says any one of a list of trigger words (i.e. nicknames)
- ability to 'silence' selected people, so that their messages do not trigger sounds
- ability to mark people as 'special', so that whatever they say a system notification will be created (regardless of whether or not they use one of the trigger sounds mentioned above)
The last two could be combined into a single 3 position setting -
The differences between these two plugins are varied but subtle. After having used phpEclipse for the last couple of years, I decided to give PDT a proper try as I needed to do a fresh install in order to get the PHP CodeSniffer Plugin working fully.
From http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum92/3366.htm:
The situation is this: A single server with multiple IP addresses and related hostnames acts as a mailman server. Mailman is a mailing list manager with a builtin web archive and subscription management system written in php. As shipped it injects a file called mailman.conf into /etc/httpd/conf.d that uses mod_alias to redirect traffic of the form
The aim is to provide a resource where developers can go in order to get code for a specific task.
The MDSN samples include a C++ project for building a ISAPI DLL which performs authentication for web resources against a text file. This project, AuthFilt, is one of the samples supplied with the .NET Platform SDK, available from here. Once you've installed the SDK, the sample code is located in the AuthFilt folder at Program Files\Microsoft Platform
The main problem this car has suffered since I bought it has been its poor idle. For the first six or so months, it ran absolutely fine, but then it began to stall regularly when idling, and it's steadily got worse. Even now it's got warmer has not improved, and happens equally whether the engine is warm or cold.
The stalling problem did not appear to be a physical issue with the overall running of the engine which remained smooth and even when under power. It appeared to be more to do with
Right, so now I've checked everything is set up correctly, I've decided to take a look at the examples that come with the G3D library.
There are seemingly eight, described on the G3D web site; it's not clear if there's any natural progression through them.
This little program allows you to create IFS models suitable for use in G3D programs. An IFS model can be built from an array of vertices with an associated array of indicies. The indices refer to offsets in the vertex array, and are grouped in sets of three - representing the triangular faces of the model.
So far, my program allows you to:
I now feel I'm ready to have a go at creating my first simple OpenGL game. It's going to be pretty simple - there'll be no scene graph, just a simple array for storing objects in the world. I won't implement frustum culling either, at least not in the first instance.
My game will be based on space flight, so I will start with the player's ship. It should appear just in front and below of the camera, i.e. third person. It should turn and dive/climb in response to keyboard input, and have a


text:
The quality of portable gaming has vastly stepped-up in the past few years, earlier it was restricted only to handheld gaming consoles like Game Boy, PSP, Nintendo DS etc. which didn't had much to offer to their users except the gaming experience. Nowadays, smartphones have replaced them to some extent in providing casual and even hard-core gaming.
At present, there are many companies who work dedicatedly in the field of mobile gaming and this sector is surely booming with immense possibilities in the future with ever-improving hardware of the mobile devices.
Here's a review of the top 5 racing games present in the market today.
1. Real Racing 2
Real Racing 2 is the sequel to multiple award-winning Real Racing which was released by Firemint for iOS in 2009. It gives the most realistic racing simulation than any other game in the android market. The game is still in developing phase on this platform and is available in the market for free. Though, many more features can be unlocked via in-app purchase. The career mode has more than 10 hours of races as a rookie and as a pro.
Controls are fully user-customizable with touch or tilt to steer like most racing games out there with state-of-the-art handling with customizable options that tailor to your personal driving style.
It features more than 30 officially licensed cars including the 2010 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500, 2010 Nissan GT-R (R35), 2012 McLaren MP4-12C and is powered by Firemint's own Mint3D engine. It has tracks at 15 beautiful locations, with 40 miles of highly detailed race tracks, speedways and city circuits – including twilight and night races.
The detailing on this game is ultimate, be it the super-stunning models of the cars or the sun striking tracks, this game is a visual stunner and has the reputation of increasing the standards of whichever platform it appears on.
As the game goes on you get the ability to upgrade various aspects of your car, including things like suspension and the engine itself, for added speed or control and the array of the cars keep on increasing from little hatchbacks to full-fledged supercars as the game progresses.
All these features have held this game at the top spot on our list.
- Real Racing 2 (Official Google Play link)
Download the data via wifi as instructed after opening the installed app.
- Real Racing 2(Unofficial cracked apk link)
Data(For Snapdragon Processors)
Data(For PowerVR Processors)
Data(For Samsung Galaxy S II)
Data(For Tegra Processors)
Note: Unzip the data file, search for the "com.ea….." file and place as "Android/data/com.ea.game.realracing2_na" in the phone storage.
2. Asphalt 7: Heat
It is the latest addition to the ever-popular Asphalt series by Gameloft. After the immense success of Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, Gameloft has brought about a better racing experience this time.
It lets you Drive 60 different cars from the world's most prestigious manufacturers, like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin, including the legendary DeLorean. It features 15 of the best tracks in Hawaii, Paris, London, Miami and Rio. The completely revamped multiplayer lets you take on up to 5 of your friends locally or online. Keep track of who's the best with the new Asphalt Tracker that lets you compare stats, show off achievements and challenge rivals. You can also find new online opponents with the matchmaking system. It lets you play however you please with 6 different game modes packed with 15 leagues and 150 different races.
- Download it from the Official Gameloft website as it doesn't yet feature in the Google Play Store.
- Asphalt 7: Heat(Unofficial cracked apk for all devices)
Data(HVGA/Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman)
Data(WVGA/Desire HD)
Data(FWVGA/Xperia Neo V)
How to install:
1. Install apk
2. Install data, extract file.amz with Glzip.
3. Copy all files to: sdcard/android/data/com.gameloft.android.GAND.GloftA7HP/files
4. Verify via wifi.
3. Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
It is as close a gaming experience you can get of the very best Need For Speed franchise on you Android phone as you have it on your PC. EA has done extremely well in revamping the overall gaming experience after the huge success of NFS: Shift on our very devices and they have successfully imitated most of the features of the pc version of this game.
NFS: Hot Pursuit lets you outrun the law in supercars like the Pagani Zonda Cinque, or stop racers cold in high-speed police interceptors like the Lamborghini Reventó. As a Cop, lay down the law with roadblocks and spike strips – or fry the Racer's electrical system with an EMP lock! As the Racer, make the getaway with overdrive, jamming, and oil slicks! Either way you go, you'll be ready to duel it out on the road.
With over 20 real-world scenarios, it lets you operate high-performance police interceptors and feel the awesome energy of burning up the highway in totally tricked-out supercars. Use nitro and hand brakes, Pull off 180° spins, grind, nudge, evade, and drift. Accomplish extreme maneuvers and score bounty points!
Pick up and play and get rolling in seconds, or take it to the limit in up to 24 Cop or Racer Career Events. Collect bounty and progress to the top of the ranks. You can connect with your friend's devices via Bluetooth or wifi and with other online racers across the world.
It surely deserves the third spot in our list!
- NFS: Hot Pursuit(Official Google Play link)
Download the data via wifi as instructed after opening the installed app.
- NFS: Hot Pursuit(Unofficial cracked apk link)
Data(For PowerVR Processors)
Data(For Snapdragon Processors)
Data(For Samsung Galaxy S II)
4. GT Racing: Motor Academy HD
This game is a stiff competitor in the Android gaming market for being there for more than a year now. It still boasts of the best gaming graphics better than the most racing games out there. It lets you access the greatest licensed content ever for a racing game on the App Store, including over 100 cars from the world's most famous manufacturers like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi, Nissan and even Mercedes! It features more than 14 tracks including the iconic Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, as well as urban and even rally tracks.
It has a huge and fascinating career mode; you get to pass license tests and enter to win increasingly prestigious racing events. You can play against drivers from all over the world with local and online multiplayer for up to 6 players.
- GT Racing: Motor Academy HD(Available free in the market but to unlock full features you'll have to make an in-app purchase)
- GT Racing: Motor Academy HD(Cracked apk+data for all non Tegra devices)
- GT Racing: Motor Academy HD(Cracked apk+data for all Tegra devices)
Note: Unzip the file, search for the "com.gameloft….." file in the data folder and place in "sdcard/gameloft/games/". Install the apk file and enjoy.
5. Reckless Racing 2
Being fifth in the list doesn't mean that this game lags in any way in comparison to others mentioned above. It has a style of its own, a unique bird's eye view and console quality graphics. It is highly performance intensive game and you can enjoy it fully over a high-end Android device.
Reckless Racing 2 blends the finest top-down racer style with graphics that are so stunning you'll shout, "Oowee!" Skid, slip, and slide through down-and-dirty racetracks with precision controls, and challenge friends in online multiplayer. The remarkable visual power of the game puts you in the heart of Dixie, where you'll encounter wonderfully detailed back road racetracks. Dirt track or asphalt, truck or rally car – take your choice and then take it to the limit. Learn the basics and choose from a variety of driving controls. Progress through the races and move up through Bronze, Silver & Gold difficulty levels. It includes a selection of 18 highly detailed cars, ranging from small dirt buggies to fast supercars, and 24 routes in a variety of flavors make this a racer for all tastes – both dirt and tarmac.
It lets you tune and tweak the performance, handling, tires, rims and colors of your cars. It has a shader based game engine with normal maps, reflections, shadows, particles and more, improved and optimized performance on Android, online leaderboards with downloadable ghost cars, online multiplayer over the Internet. It contains 17 characters, including your favorites from Reckless Racing 1, 5 control layouts with customizable button positions, optional assists, such as race lines, mini map, chase camera and more.
- Reckless Racing 2(Official Google Play link)
Download the data via wifi as instructed after opening the installed app.
- Reckless Racing 2(Unofficial cracked apk link)
Data(For PowerVR Processors)
Data(For Snapdragon Processors)
Data(For Samsung Galaxy S II)
Do let us know of your views and queries in the comments section below.