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HELP ! bought scmi bander and wont reach operating temperature12/26
Bought bander and just got wired up and it hangs around pre operating temperatures and wont go up to operating temp. What am I doing wrong ??? Looked in manual and done all it says to do on cold start up but it won't heat up past 145 degrees ( the heat it reverts to after it hasnt been ran in 5 minutes ) when I push the "F" button on thermogenic it shows 200 degrees , but wont climb over 150 , then it drops to 145 area. I switched the preheat and work button to both sides but it still only gets to 145 degree area
Assuming all the scmi techs are off today.
Assuming all three power leads are hot.
all breakers have been checked,havent tested individual heaters , because it heats to preheat temperature. havent been able to turn chain feed on because it wont reach operating temp. Checked electrical input and its correct. I will just wait and call in a tech. , would be wise thing anyways. Damn pop up ads on here suck !
I have a HolzHer. Mine doesn't heat up to operating temp (200c)unless the drag chain is operating.
I run a HolzHer and it works like Jim's, chain has to be moving to get to temp. Don't have any advise for the SCM though?
good luck,
JH and JeffD. I posted earlier about a problem I am having with my Holzer bander. Do either of you have a suggestion to fix the problem?
We have an SCM/IDM58 bander. It will come to operating temperature w/o the chain running. The temperature controllers have a multitude of internal settings.
Have over 6 bars of air , manual dont say hardly nothing about the thermogenics . What do you mean PLC settings ? Dont have infrared tester , but i figure since it stays at 145 degrees and start switch wont activate , its operator error. Manual has troubleshooting its a joke ! Suggestions ?
"What do you mean PLC settings ? Dont have infrared tester , but i figure since it stays at 145 degrees and start switch wont activate , its operator error." Sorry about the reference to the PLC. Programmable Logic Controller. Also sometimes referred to as a computer. It contains the variables that you can set. Timings, relationship of temperature to allowing the chain to start etc. Maybe your machine doesn't have PLC control. An Infrared thermometer costs less than $100 and allows you to get a fairly accurate temperature reading w/o touching the target. You can tell if/when the heating elements are on, if one has failed it will show as a cool area. You can tell what the application roll temperature is. You can also get readings on motors when they start to fail, When bearings are running too hot and may be out of lube or even over lubed. It is a great diagnostic tool. When you get a new piece of equipment record bearing and motor temperatures to use as a base line. In the future you can tell when something is going out of spec and repair it before it costs a complete new unit. Bearings are cheap compared to motors!
It will pay you to learn to trouble shoot your equipment. If you have the electrical & pneumatic diagrams it will allow you to trace the expected operations in a systematic way. A multimeter will cost less than $100 for one that is good enough. Learn to use it safely and it will save you much more than that. Be smart about working inside of a control cabinet when the power is on. If you don't know don't touch it. The control system is likely 24 volt but the motors will be running on 3 phase @ 380 volts, LETHAL!
It doesnt have PLC , just has the 2 thermogenic units . Good advise on the heat laser tool ! Good for checking house for leaks as well :) .
Is the bander new or used? If it is used was the temperature reaching 200 before you bought it? Could be your glue pot is shot and will need to be replaced. If it worked before you bought it it is probably your electrical, switch 2 of the wires if it is 3 phase, if that does not work check all your voltages like mentioned. Just because your building says it is 208 volt or 220 volt or higher it may not be. Most heating items that don't heat properly end up being an electrical problem. Good luck.
No, you glue pot does not need to be replaced. This problem sounds more like a temperature controller issue. If you have confirmed that all settings are correct there are these things to check in this order. Confirm that all heaters come on when the machine is started. Use your infrared temperature device. Check that the connector between the heaters wires and the control cabinet is fully seated (unlikely a problem but covering bases.) There are probably two displays on the temperature controller. One is the set point and the other is the current temp. After starting the machine but before it has the timeout function that reverts it to 145 does the set point show 195+-. If not the likely suspect is the temperature controller. If you are familiar with these things you can buy a new one from Automationdirect.com for about $120 or you can order one from the OEM. If you are not electrically adept, stop here. When the control cabinet is open and the power is on, there are very dangerous voltages present. Enough to kill you!
Hi Doni, I see the original post is from December. How'd you make out?
I can't speak for your model, but we have an SCMI Basis 2 model. Assuming that your 3-Phase legs landed properly (L1>L1, L2>L2, L3>L3). Check the temp setting as noted above. When you depress the Green start button (with other switches to off), it should lock on without being fully up to temp - but it'll be silent until operating temp reached. With drivbelt 'On', it should engage at around 150-deg. I'd definitely use multimeter carefully check voltages using schematic. If you troubleshoot it to needing to replace the temperature controller, do look around as I have found that OEM parts from SCM are quite $$$. I've found same parts, with a little research for much less - even bringing in direct from Italy.


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Europe 2020: Ecommerce Region Report, published by RetailX in partnership with Asendia
In partnership with Asendia, RetailX has published the Europe 2020: Ecommerce Region Report, an in-depth analysis of one of the largest and …E-commerce
The United States is one of the largest and most established e-commerce markets in the world ‒ yet there's still plenty of opportunity for cross-border retailers.
As one of the biggest English-speaking countries, the United States is an ideal market for many businesses, according to E-commerce Europe's new report (sponsored by Asendia).
67% of the adult American population, a sizable 173.6 million people, shop online, and average spend per e-shopper is nearly $3,500. The average age of the population is a relatively young 37.8 years, with 72.4% of the total population under 55. This youthful demographic is reflected in Americans' use of social media: 41% of the population use Facebook, while considerable numbers also use Twitter and other social networks, suggesting that retailers should build their presence on these platforms to best reach their target audience.
But while social media is an integral part of US life, only 59% of American adults use a smartphone; nonetheless, m-commerce already accounts for 20% of total online sales ‒ a figure which is growing rapidly. It is also important to consider how US adults use their mobile phones: mobile actually accounts for 60% of time spent shopping online, but consumers cite security concerns and smaller screen size as reasons for not completing a sale on their phone.
Ranked in the top 10 for Logistics Performance, Ease of Doing Business, and E-Government, the United States' economy is continuing to improve and it has one of the highest eGDP shares in the world. E-commerce Europe's report also offers helpful tips for growth in the US, including country-specific legislation, and guidance from experts including Mark Feinstein Sr, VP Business Development at Asendia USA.
Download the United States B2C E-commerce Report 2016 here to discover all the facts and know-how you need to expand your business into the US.
In partnership with Asendia, RetailX has published the Europe 2020: Ecommerce Region Report, an in-depth analysis of one of the largest and …E-commerce
The India E-commerce report explores the details of the B2C e-commerce market in India, including connectivity, digital readiness, and devic…E-commerce
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subset: commoncrawl


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Last month, a National Labor Relations Board director ruled that college football players at Northwestern could unionize. Many believe the ruling, if it stands up, could force schools and the NCAA to share more of the revenue from college football and basketball.
But figuring out how much revenue comes from these sports is difficult. The revenue streams are numerous.
According to the Education Department's latest statistics, all colleges combined to generate $14.3 billion in revenue during the 2012-13 fiscal year. Expenses totaled $13.8 billion, leaving about $500 million in profit, though not every university reported making money.
But some of the benefits from sports aren't captured in the department's statistics.
There are contracts worth nearly $18 billion just for the television rights to the NCAA men's basketball tournament and football bowl games. There also are billons in broadcasting rights deals for the five major football conferences.
"Revenues derived from college athletics is greater than the aggregate revenues of the NBA and the NHL," said Marc Edelman, an associate professor at City University of New York who specializes in sports and antitrust law. He also noted that Alabama's athletic revenues last year, which totaled $143 million, exceeded those of all 30 NHL teams and 25 of the 30 NBA teams.
Texas is the largest athletic department, earning more than $165 million last year in revenue -- with $109 million coming from football, according to Education Department data. The university netted $27 million after expenses.
Other major programs such as Florida ($129 million), Ohio State ($123 million), Michigan ($122 million), Southern California ($97 million) and Oregon ($81 million) also are grossing massive dollars. They are also spending big bucks, too.
Most universities are just trying to keep pace in the arms race of college athletics, reporting spending as much -- or more -- than they are making annually. Many athletic departments also receive subsidies from universities in the form of student fees.
Rod Fort, a sports economist and co-director at the Michigan Center for Sport Management, said the difference in profit margins between schools and nonfootball programs "presents the potential union with a real trade-off problem" if it wanted to negotiate for revenue.
"If athletes make any gains through organization of unions and collective bargaining, it's going to come at the expense of other spending that's going on in the athletic department. Most of that extra money goes to coaches' salaries, facility upgrades and recruiting," Fort said. "It's precisely that spending that makes the university the attractive place that it is to come and play in the first place."
TV deals are the biggest source of money, but that's only the beginning.
Merchandise sales, sponsorship deals and booster donations are all part of an athletic pie that could one day be sliced up for players. The retail marketplace for college licensed merchandise alone last year was estimated at $4.62 billion, according to Collegiate Licensing Company, the country's oldest and largest college trademark licensing agency.
The benefit to universities goes beyond the playing surfaces, too. Schools often see a spike in enrollment, alumni contributions and sponsorship opportunities following athletic success.
Florida Gulf Coast University, for example, saw a 35 percent year-to-year increase in applications after its men's basketball team's surprising run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament last March.
With that kind of cash at stake, major changes to the NCAA financial model -- particularly being forced to share a portion of the revenue with athletes -- could rearrange budgets far more than the extra $2,000 annual stipend that NCAA President Mark Emmert proposed but failed to get implemented from member institutions.
"It could change the entire athletic department model," Fort said. "The idea is, on average, athletic departments are run on a break-even proposition. They're not expected to make money, and they're not expected to lose money. Their budget is set in a discussion with university administrators, just like any place else on campus. If the day comes where athletes bargain for wages, budgets are going to have to change across the country."
Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP


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For a hardcopy of this information to hand out to your team, click HERE
This information is also available to families on the website under Hockey Parents/Financial Assistance
Both the Irondale Youth Hockey Association and Lake Region Hockey (a charitable gambling organization that helps with all of our expenses), have a limited amount of funds available for families in need. In 2011-12 up to $500 per family was available.
New Privacy Policy


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Leslie Richardson & Guest
11/30/2019 8:30 pm
Event Menu:
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Leslie's signature clear and sultry tones, expansive range and expressive delivery defy categorization, expertly lending themselves to a diverse repertoire befitting any performance atmosphere. Leslie's gift has taken center stage in historic U.S. platforms such as Cleveland's Severance Hall, Harlem's famed Apollo Theater, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. She has also performed in historic venues in Toyko, Japan, St. Thomas Virgin, Islands and Barcelona, Spain. You may find Leslie captivating audiences in and around the Charlotte, NC area at various restaurants, weddings, festivals, outdoor and social events as a solo artist as well as with her signature band, "Leslie and Friends". Leslie exudes joy and happiness when she is singing, and anyone who has the pleasure of hearing her will feel the same. Leslie Richardson www.leslieandfriends.com


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For the first time in 45 years, Boston College will soon open a new academic facility on the main part of its Chestnut Hill campus.
BC officials say that the $78 million Stokes Hall, the school's most expensive educational building ever, represents an investment in the humanities and a bet in the future of bricks-and-mortar higher education. It is opening as many institutions, students, and families are questioning the value of liberal arts studies in a struggling economy and amid the soaring cost of college.
"Nationally, everyone is sensitive to the economic realities over the last several years," said David Quigley, dean of the university's School of Arts and Sciences. "But Boston College has proven over the last 150 years the value of a liberal arts education, and you see so many parents who recognize that, who see Boston College as a wise investment."
The building's namesake, Patrick T. Stokes, who has donated $22 million toward the facility, earned a degree in math from BC in 1964.
"College is not a trade school, and I don't think a lot of businesses are looking for, 'Can you give me this particular skill,' " said Stokes, former chairman of Anheuser-Busch and a BC trustee. "They are looking at the individual. They're looking for a mature person that is able to ask the right questions, contribute logically, and bring value to the company."
Professors were scheduled to move into Stokes Hall on Wednesday, and the first classes will be held there when students return from winter break.
It will be the second-largest educational building at BC, after Higgins Hall.
The college broke ground on the 183,000-square-foot, L-shaped Stokes Hall two years ago on what was the last substantial undeveloped site in the central part of campus.
On a recent visit to the new building, workers were rolling out sod for a new Campus Green and putting finishing touches on the 36 new classrooms, common areas, an honors library, outdoor plaza, and amphitheater.
Despite its size, the building is rather inconspicuous. The architect, Tsoi/Kobus & Associates, designed Stokes Hall to match the English Collegiate Gothic Style of the historic buildings in that part of campus, including the school's flagship facility Gasson Hall, which turns 100 in 2013.
"The biggest compliment we get from everyone is it looks like it's always been there," said Patrick Keating, executive vice president of BC.
Still, many upperclassmen and alumni have missed what used to be on the site: the main quad. The site housed BC's first football field until Alumni Stadium opened in 1957. The space then became popular for student recreation.
Foot traffic, wind, and cold winters killed much of the grass and students dubbed the spot the Dustbowl, a name that stuck long after the school replanted the lawn.
The space has been inaccessible since construction of Stokes Hall began on Oct. 4, 2010.
One night before the work started, students held a vigil. Senior Taylour Kumpf was among those who gathered.
"A lot of students were really upset that they lost that amount of green space," said the 21-year-old, who is now editor in chief of the student-run newspaper, The Heights, and who also works as a campus tour guide.
But college officials say most of the area that the school calls the Campus Green is returning now that the building is finished.
Matt Rocheleau can be reached at email@example.com.


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Jon Peterson wrote:My Mom did most of the cooking for Dad and my sister and brother. She did many things that, at the time, we're perfectly understandable - she was Mom, after all.
But now, as I look back, there were things that were unexplained; things I'd never do.
For example, after washing fresh mushrooms, Mom peeled them. I can't believe she had the patience to do this let alone a good reason. Maybe her Mom did it.
Did your Mom (or anyone else) do anything like this?
I can't recall if my mother ever peeled mushrooms, but my older sister definitely did it, and in my teens, so did I. It was a combination of removing the material still covering the gills and also removing the surface skin of the cap, which if overwashed took on a slimy texture. Now, we wash mushrooms more gently and do not peel the caps.


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Thread: Florida Lemon Laws
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Florida Lemon Laws
Florida Lemon Laws:
Technically called the "Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act," Florida's Lemon Law-Florida Statutes Chapter 681- is somewhat complicated as compared to other states. New vehicles sold in the state are covered; used vehicles are only covered if transferred directly from one consumer to another within two years of purchase, and if used for non-business purposes. Technically called the "Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act," Florida's Lemon Law-Florida Statutes Chapter 681-is somewhat complicated as compared to other states.
For full article follow this link:
Re: Florida Lemon Laws
Hello and thank you for taking the time to read this, I recently purchaced a "NEW" 2010 Kia Rio from a local dealership new to Florida. I Was told the car was new and all the contracts say it's so also. However I Went to regester the satalite radio today and was told that radio was already regestered to another person. So I called the dealership and spoke to my salesman, he got off the phone quickly and said he was going into a meeting and would call me back. When he did he stated I needed to come down to the dealership because they made a mistake and the car had been regestered to another person once before and that it was infact not a new car. Now because the car is not new I can not get my 2.9 % APR and the 10 year 100,000 mile warrenty is not valid. They say they would like to make it right but I honestly feel they intended on defrauding me and knowingly tried to sell me a used car to increase their profit margin. Had I not caught the mistake When My 5 year 60,000 mile warrenty was up I would have no warrenty coverage at all and would have been left dead in the water had something went wrong. Does anyone have any advise for me as to what I can/should do ??? Thank you again and have a great day
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See the rest of the article from Jalopnik here.The Freevalve engine gets rid of the camshaft and the throttle body, replacing it with pneumatic actuators on top of each cylinder. This is something that has also been toyed with for a long time with electromagnetic valve openers, some ships use them now. That means the concept is proven, but now it's about reducing that scale to something smaller and more usable than a huge ship.
What that does is give completely independent control over each cylinder and each valve. If you have four valves, sometimes it only opens two. You can't do that with a regular camshaft, since the lobes are set to open all the valves. In order to get that sort of variability that Freevalve has, you'd have to totally switch cams. Freevalve can also shut down one cylinder, two cylinders, three cylinders, etc. It has that square cam profile that makes engineers all wet in the trousers.
Read the article, it's worth it. Also, one of the pictures shows that their test Saab 9-5 Wagon is a manual.


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You must be wondering why many people or many organizations hold events and many campaigns or projects for the environment. The answer is simple and easy. The Earth is not ours, we are only living in it as it was created for us to live in, not to own. And for that matter, everyone should know that they have to take part in taking care of it, not waste its resources and damage it until it falls apart slowly in front of our own eyes, or take it for granted. No, the Earth was not created to be treated badly or abused by people in their desire for its resources.
Now, the reasons why many people gather to take actions for these issues are simply because of the nonstop advantages that we all get from the environment. We know that we are not the only ones who are concerned for the Earth that we are living in, and we know that we can also receive help from various concerned citizens. As such, Earth Treasury started this organization in order to create events, campaigns, and projects we can do to care for the environment, maintain its resources, avoid taking advantage of it or damaging it further. Slowly, this small organization took its time in creating its own place and finding a space where they can plan the future ahead of them. With a help of one of the members and with A1 Garage Door Service in Prescott, we were able to finally decide on what action we must do first in order to realize our mission.
So many people encouraged us and supported us all throughout even though there are some people who thought it was such a waste of time, to even think about making these projects for the place we are living in. But, we never let their negativity affect our own mindsets. We wanted to help the Earth as much as we could and do everything we can. This is why we pushed many projects and made it become successful through our hard work and dedications. However, it was also thanks to everyone who supported our organization. It led us to much bigger campaigns and events, going to other places and delivering our thoughts to all of them. Giving various speeches and raising awareness that everyone deserves or must work with us to help save the planet.
Fortunately, simple projects such as recycling, reusing, cleaning the environment or making sure we do not let it become a waste or trash, became successful and led us to bigger projects. Last year, we held a campaign for "environmentally-friendly" products which were also a great opportunity for the other organizations and companies who support this idea. However, this only didn't help them to gain recognition, they were also able to voice out their opinions and support to organizations like us. And the common goals we have is only to protect and treasure the world as we know it.


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I know you don't have much time to reply to emails, so I thought I'd sucker… errr fool you into leaving a post length comment like I did with Typhoon Andrew the other day.
I'm a Fire Mage, I think it's in my blood.
From the moment I got my 1st fireball and accidentally oneshot the 1st quest giver I knew.
It felt so good I rushed on and levelled my Fire Mage from 1 to 80 in 4 years.
I discovered some time back you are a closet Fire Mage, deceived into the wayward paths of Frost and Arcane.
Now I read you have cast off the Frosty and Arcane specs to return to Fire. 3.3 was good to us. I was so looking forward to the 3.3 changes that I dumped my dubious raid Arcane 2nd spec and bought me a Fire PvP spec and it was still only 3.2!
As I hadn't really entered battlegrounds since the TBC Honor frenzy, I also had to craft up some of that blue PvP gear.
I couldn't wait to get to Wintergrasp and…. die, die, die.
I have lots of talents but not much skill, so I was thinking of adopting the PvE strategy of overcompensating for incompetence through overgearing.
As I write this I have close to 75k honor and 75 odd marks of Wintergrasp, the question is what to do with them?
I think gear progression for PvP is somewhat simpler than PvE. There are a lot less options, especally for the non-Arena player.
So tell me:
- What should I get?
- How should I spec?
- Should I get up close and personal, or should I stand back and Flame Strike spam?
I'm turning to you because I know you are the master of the Experimental Arcane Arts.
My only other option would be to turn to the recunt hugger, but she's a Warlock-come-Paladincome-Rogue with issues about my snowdropping, panty pinching ways.
Please Sir, can I have some moar… FIRE!
Edit: The Power of Blast Wave!
Gnomer and Out!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.


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Jamendo has a new look, if you happen to recall the old one. Their blog describes the changes better than I can. A little more orange, a little more playback control up front, and a few improvements that I prefer — namely, the ability to download straight from HTTP instead of via torrent.
I do prefer torrents when I can use them, but I still can't use them at home, so I'm a bit frustrated by that sometimes. Straight downloads are a huge boost for me (especially since I get phenomenal speeds just from HTTP). It looks like all my downloads are mp3 files right now; I'd prefer ogg just for peace of mind, but I'm not a purist. I'll take what I can get. 😉
Green smilie for Jamendo!


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Officials Encourage Park County Residents to Sign Up for Emergency Alerts About Forest Fires
The fires are still unpredictable and growing in the Miner Paradise Complex Fire. Officials are encouraging all Park County residents to sign up for Emergency Notifications with their cell phones. All landlines in the area are automatically signed up for the alerts.
To register your cell phone for the alerts, visit this website.


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Today is Monday, July 1, the 182nd day of 2013. There are 183 days left in the year. This is Canada Day.
Today's Highlight in History:
On July 1, 1863, the pivotal, three-day Civil War Battle of Gettysburg, resulting in a Union victory, began in Pennsylvania.
On this date:
In 1535, Sir Thomas More went on trial in England, charged with high treason for rejecting the Oath of Supremacy. (More was convicted, and executed.)
In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the first Pacific Railroad Act.
In 1867, Canada became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain as the British North America Act took effect.
In 1903, the first Tour de France began. (It ended on July 19; the winner was Maurice Garin.)
In 1912, aviator Harriet Quimby, 37, was killed along with her passenger, William Willard, when they were thrown out of Quimby's monoplane at the Third Annual Boston Aviation Meet.
In 1942, the First Battle of El Alamein began during World War II. Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra and vocalist Frank Sinatra recorded "There Are Such Things" in New York for Victor Records.
In 1946, the United States exploded a 20-kiloton atomic bomb near Bikini Atoll in the Pacific.
In 1963, the U.S. Post Office inaugurated its five-digit ZIP codes.
In 1973, the Drug Enforcement Administration was established.
In 1980, "O Canada" was proclaimed the national anthem of Canada.
In 1993, a gunman opened fire in a San Francisco law office, killing eight people and wounding six before killing himself.
In 2004, actor Marlon Brando died in Los Angeles at age 80.
Ten years ago: At a summit, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas rededicated themselves to peace efforts and spoke of a shared future for their peoples. Bishop Sean O'Malley was named by Pope John Paul II the new archbishop of Boston, succeeding Cardinal Bernard Law, who'd resigned in the wake of a clerical sex abuse scandal. Jazz flutist Herbie Mann died in Pecos, N.M., at age 73.
Five years ago: Ex-convict Nicholas T. Sheley, suspected in eight grisly slayings in two states, was arrested outside a bar in Granite City, Ill. (Sheley has since been convicted of two murders.) The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver agreed to pay $5.5 million to settle 18 more claims by people who said they'd been sexually abused by priests when they were children. Clay Felker, founding editor of New York magazine, died at age 82.
One year ago: Syria's main opposition groups rejected a new international plan that called for a transitional government because the compromise agreement did not bar President Bashar Assad from participating. Voters in Mexico returned the Institutional Revolutionary Party to power. Spain won its third straight major soccer title, beating Italy 4-0 in the European Championship final in Kiev, Ukraine. Tiger Woods won the AT&T National at Congressional in Bethesda, Md. for the 74th win of his career.
Today's Birthdays: Actress Olivia de Havilland is 97. Actress-dancer Leslie Caron is 82. Actress Jean Marsh is 79. Actor Jamie Farr is 79. Bluesman James Cotton is 78. Actor David Prowse is 78. Cookiemaker Wally Amos is 77. Actress Karen Black is 74. Dancer-choreographer Twyla Tharp is 72. Actress Genevieve Bujold is 71. Gospel singer Andrae Crouch is 71. Rock singer-actress Deborah Harry is 68. Movie-TV producer-director Michael Pressman is 63. Actor Daryl Anderson is 62. Actor Trevor Eve is 62. Actor Terrence Mann is 62. Rock singer Fred Schneider (B-52's) is 62. Pop singer Victor Willis (Village People) is 62. Actor-comedian Dan Aykroyd is 61. Actress Lorna Patterson is 57. Actor Alan Ruck is 57. Rhythm-and-blues singer Evelyn "Champagne" King is 53. Olympic gold medal track star Carl Lewis is 52. Country singer Michelle Wright is 52. Actor Andre Braugher is 51. Actress Pamela Anderson is 46. Rock musician Mark Pirro is 43. Rock musician Franny Griffiths (Space) is 43. Actor Henry Simmons is 43. Hip-hop artist Missy Elliott is 42. Actress Julianne Nicholson is 42. Actress Melissa Peterman is 42. Actress Liv Tyler is 36. Bluegrass musician Adam Haynes (Dailey & Vincent) is 34. Actress Hilarie Burton is 31. Actress Lynsey Bartilson is 30. Actor Evan Ellingson is 25. Actors Andrew and Steven Cavarno are 21.
Thought for Today: "The more we learn the more we realize how little we know." — R. Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983).
Today in History - Monday, July 1, 2013
Today is Monday, July 1, the 182nd day of 2013. There are 183 days left in the year. This is Canada Day.


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Gladstone is surrounded by nature, flanked by national parks and the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Swim with marine life, hike through sandstone gorges and throw in a line at some of Queensland's best fishing spots.
The wonders of the Southern Great Barrier Reef sit just offshore from Gladstone. Dive on the Heron Bommie (a favourite of aquatic legend Jacques Cousteau), explore the tiny coral cay of Wilson Island and snorkel with rays, dolphins and turtles on the Fitzroy Reef Lagoon.
Heron Island is an animal lover's paradise. Both green and loggerhead turtles return here annually to lay their eggs, and visitors can watch turtles nesting and observe baby turtles hatching at various times of the year. The island is also home to an eco-resort and research station, where visitors can learn more about the wonders of the reef, and play 'citizen scientist' during their stay. Swim with turtles and other members of the famous Great Eight marine animals. Or compete in the Great Barrier Reef Swim, one of the most beautiful ocean swims in the country.
Camp on top of 1,210 hectares of living reef on uninhabited Lady Musgrave Island, a coral cay where the only 'locals' are the resident wildlife. Giant clams, vivid coral and tropical fish of the protected lagoon makes diving here a visually memorable experience. Swim with the manta ray population, watch passing whales and comb the pretty beaches in peace; a maximum of 40 people are allowed to camp here at any one time.
There's plenty to love on the land, too, with three national parks in the Gladstone region. Explore the swamps and estuaries of Eurimbula National Park, climb the coastal sand dunes of Deepwater National Park or find secret beaches and diverse birdlife in the Curtis Island National Park where, when the sun sets, you can pitch your tent at a campsite and spend the night under a ceiling of stars.


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With the generally upbeat spending reports on black Friday and cyber-Monday, Gallup paints a different point of view in its most recent poll that shows U.S. Consumer Spending Holds Steady, Consistent With 2011
Americans' self-reported daily spending averaged $73 in November, essentially on par with September and October. It is also similar to the $71 Americans spent last November and slightly higher compared with November 2010 and 2009 — but still much lower than in November 2008.
November 2012 vs. November Prior Years
U.S. Upper-Income Spending Sees Worst November on Record
Upper-income Americans' (defined as those making at least $90,000 per year) self-reported daily spending was lower this November — an average of $113 — than in any November dating back to 2008. Upper-income spending has been trending downward since September, although the decline has not been large enough to drag down the overall spending figures.
Lower-income Americans' spending in November — an average of $61 — is on par with the $60 they spent last November. Lower-income spending is generally quite stable from month to month and has been holding steady since March.
Bottom Line
Although November marks the beginning of the holiday season — generally a time for spending and splurging — Americans did not spend any more than usual this November, and upper-income Americans appear to be spending less than usual. Americans' self-reported spending in November is on par with November 2011, matching Gallup's finding that Americans predict they will spend about as much on holiday gifts this year as they did last year.
Note that both charts paint a different picture of holiday spending in the recovery. Spending levels did not recover to pre-recession levels, at least as reported in Gallup surveys.What consumers actually spend vs. what they report to Gallup might not be the same thing.
Mike "Mish" Shedlock


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74562 Personal Trainer Certifications, Fitness Career Workshops
Your 74562, Oklahoma personal training career begins with the NESTA (NCCA-Accredited) Personal Trainer Certification
You will save hundreds of dollars when you choose NESTA as your personal trainer certification, and your certification is valid for a full 4 years, not just 2 year like other NCCA-accredited personal trainer certifications offered in 74562.
NESTA offers you the most affordable and convenient 74562 personal trainer certification while maintaining the credibility and high standards the fitness industry respects. Our low tuition allow you to get started without financial strain as compared to other 74562 personal trainer certification courses.
There is no reason for you to pay more and have a certification that is only valid for half the time as compared to NESTA. Your personal trainer certification from NESTA is approved by independent and national health clubs.
Now is the time to take action! Live your dreams, and become a NESTA Certified Personal Trainer in 74562!
Apply now for your Personal Trainer Certification and start your fitness career in 74562, Oklahoma!


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Andrew Ross Sorkin is co-anchor of "Squawk Box," CNBC's signature morning program. Sorkin is also a financial columnist for The New York Times and the editor-at-large of DealBook, a news site he founded that is published by The Times.
Sorkin is the author of the best-selling book, "Too Big to Fail: The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System—and Themselves," which chronicled the events of the 2008 financial crisis. The book won the 2010 Gerald Loeb Award for Best Business Book, and was shortlisted for the 2010 Samuel Johnson Prize and the 2010 Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award. The book was adapted as a movie by HBO Films in 2011. Sorkin was a co-producer of the film, which was nominated for 11 Emmy Awards.
Over the years, Sorkin has broken news on many major mergers and acquisitions, including Chase's acquisition of JPMorgan and Hewlett-Packard's acquisition of Compaq. He also led The Times's coverage ofVodafone's $183 billion hostile bid for Mannesmann, resulting in the world's largest takeover ever.
He won a Gerald Loeb Award in 2004 for breaking the news of IBM's historic sale of its PC business to Lenovo. He was also a finalist in the commentary category for his DealBook column. He won a Society of American Business Editors and Writers Award for breaking news in 2005 and again in 2006. In 2007, the World Economic Forum named him a Young Global Leader. In 2008 and 2009, Vanity Fair named him to its "Next Establishment" list. He was also named to the "Directorship 100," a list of the most influential people on the nation's board of directors. He is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Sorkin began writing for The New York Times in 1995 under unusual circumstances: He hadn't yet graduated from high school.
He graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. degree in May 1999.
Follow Andrew Ross Sorkin on Twitter @andrewrsorkin.


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SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — ProjectMusicWorks, a nonprofit arts and cultural organization dedicated to uplifting those in need through music, will hold a festive celebration of New Orleans roots, blues, and gospel music on Sunday, April 28. A reception with New Orleans buffet and full bar will begin at 3:30 p.m., followed at 4 p.m. by a concert featuring special guest artists The Soggy Po' Boys, as well as the RMS Five and the Rock My Soul Choir and Band. A silent auction and 50/50 raffle will run throughout the afternoon.
The event will take place at Spring Hill, a picturesque, modern function facility and restaurant located on 60 acres of rolling meadows and waterfront, at 117 Pond Road. Proceeds will benefit ProjectMusicWorks and its mission of performing free outreach concerts at hospice, homeless shelters, nursing homes, rehab programs, jails, and other facilities that support those in need.
The Soggy Po' Boys, led by seacoast musicians Stu Diaz and Mike Effenberger, are quickly making a name for themselves as one of the hottest and most talented acts in the region. The group specializes in New Orleans music, especially traditional Dixieland and Second Line: think piano, trumpets, sax, clarinet, tuba, trombone, guitar playing gospel favorites such as "When the Saints Go Marching In" or "Down by the Riverside," along with popular "old school" songs such as "Brother Can You Spare a Dime," "House of the Rising Sun," and " Ain't Misbehavin'". In addition to Diaz and Effenberger, The Soggy Po' Boys is made up of some of the best musicians in the area, including Zach Lange on trumpet, Claude Fried on tuba/sousaphone, and Jim Rudolph on drums, among others.
The RMS Five has quickly earned critical acclaim throughout New England for its unique, roots-based sound of rich vocal blends and soul-stirring harmonies. The RMS Five's repertoire explores American music from the Delta blues of greats such as Blind Willie Johnson, to the folk gospel of Washington Phillips, to the more contemporary Americana music of Buddy Miller and The Band's Levon Helm. Along the way, listeners are treated to roots-influenced popular music such as "Loves Me Like a Rock" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," along with traditional arrangements of slave spirituals, hymns, and songs from the "golden age of gospel."
Rock My Soul, a secular, 35-member, roots-based gospel choir and band well known for its "raise the rafters" style, has garnered an ever-growing following and performed to packed houses throughout New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine. The group has received critical acclaim and has been featured on WMUR-TV's NH Chronicle, WSCH TV's 207, and MBPN. One of its songs was featured in a 2009 PBS documentary entitled Freedom Songs: Music of the Civil Rights Movement. The group will debut brand-new songs of the season, including the blues-influenced "Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down," a rousing rendition of the Caravans' "Show Me a Sign," and the well loved Curtis Mayfield tune, "People Get Ready," a "crossover" song that reached high on both gospel and popular music charts. "Whether someone goes to church or not, chances are gospel music has given them sustenance and comfort at some point in their life," says Dawn Boyer, Choir Director. "Many of us sing songs like 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' and have no idea where they came from. 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' was written for Harriet Tubman, who was known as 'Old Chariot' and actually sang it on her deathbed. There's a lot of rich history in American music, and all rock 'n roll, blues, hip hop, jazz, and other popular music is based on gospel. We like to show that close connection."
Due to the performers' popularity and limited number of tickets, advance purchase is strongly recommended. Advance discount tickets for the event are $20 per person or $15 for Seniors 65 and older. Children 12 and under are admitted free. All tickets may be purchased online at www.projectmusicworks.org, or by calling 207-450-8016. All tickets at the door will be $25.


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I need to write an application which should be able to download the content of a .html page. This .html page contains a lot of JS code, which uses some document.write and other stuff.
i need to execute that javascript in order to retrieve that url.
so how can i "render" a html page (execute JS) ?


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Peter Dinklage is known for his appearances in many movies and TV shows, but especially hit HBO series Game of Thrones as his character Tyrion Lannister. And with the premiere of the final season of the show less than a week away, Dinklage was the latest guest to appear on "The Ron Burgundy Podcast," this week's episode focusing on ... poetry.
The podcast's co-host and producer Carolina suggested an episode about poetry to "add more culture." However, Ron Burgundy didn't exactly agree, as his idea of culture is "exotic dancing with drums and scarves."
But, the show proceeded with the poetry topic, as Carolina (who minored in 19th century poetry at Sarah Lawrence College) talked about her favorite poet: Emily Dickinson. But, Burgundy was more interested in his new sound machine, which makes a wide variety of sound effects, to pay attention to facts about Dickinson.
Then, Dinklage called in to the podcast to recite some poetry himself; he's actually a big fan of poetry. He called it "a lost art form."
But, before Peter read his first poem, he chatted a bit about Game of Thrones (or "Throne of Games" as Burgundy kept calling the show), and explained that he could not reveal any spoilers for fans.
Following confirmation that the dragons on the show are not real and that they have an incredibly talented special affects team, Dinklage recited his first poem which was written by his 7-year-old daughter. "A gentle flower blows in the moonlight," the actor read, before being interrupted by Ron's sound machine. And after some back and forth, Dinklage was finally able to recite the full poem, which contained one more line: "It sings, it dances."
After Ron unplugged his disruptive sound machine (or so he claimed), the second poem that Dinklage read was by Oscar Wilde called Her Voice. The actor got through four lines before he was, again, interrupted by Burgundy and his sound machine. Apparently his "elbow slipped."
Peter's time on the episode almost ended there as he said that even though he was "alright," he explained that "Game of Thrones fans [are] pretty upset by this, that's all I gotta say. And you don't want to mess with them, you know?" He also added that he "did a lot of research on these poems."
Dinklage tried to get through a few more poems, but was continuously interrupted by Ron's sound machine, and before saying goodbye, said, "You know why I'm still on the line? I'll tell you the hard truth of it all. Game of Thrones is over. Things like this is all I have left. Then, he thanked Burgundy and said, "You've made me realize the next path of my life is gonna be this."
Listen to the Peter Dinklage and Ron Burgundy (and Ron's sound machine) on the latest episode of "The Ron Burgundy Podcast" on iHeartRadio.


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The entire purpose with our brand, is to inspire people to get off their backs and into the wild. Make nature a bigger part of their lives. But it's not always as uncomplicated as it sounds. Because our aim is also to preserve nature in the shape we found it. Our sustainability policy – The Fjällräven Way – is the needle's eye that guides us in what's right and wrong. It's simple and transpar- ent, and comprises all aspecs of research, development, production, transport, and recycling.
What is the Fjällräven Way?
It's how we choose to construct our new waterproof hardshell entirely out of recyclabe polyester and fluorocarbon-free impregnation – while compensating unavoidable emissions. It's how we have set up a unique Down Promise, where we trace and guarantee each feather back to an ethical production. It's constantly increasing the share of ecological cotton in our G-1000 weave. It's controlling that local labor conditions are fair. It's consistently pondering new materials, questioning whether each item can be made with even less footprint. But it's also about projects targeted at issues we feel greatly for. One of them involving a furry white fox, living on the brink of extinction.
The Arctic fox lives above the treeline in northern Scandinavia, and is an important part of the Nordic fauna. It's a tough, curious and adaptable species living in lairs that can be hundreds of years old, and curled up it can sleep through -40oC arctic nights. However, they will disappear if nothing is done.
The biggest threats are access to food, and being pushed out by it's larger cousin – the red fox. Important measures involve supplementary feeding as well as keeping the red fox at bay with hunting. "Also, you can move fox cubs from different batches during good years in order to prevent inbreeding" says Anders Angerbjörn, Arctic Fox Expert and one of the driving forces behind the 'Save the Arctic Fox' initiative. The government is ultimately responsible for implementing sufficient efforts to save the Arctic fox, but funds are always lacking. This is why Fjällräven is sponsoring a full time research position at Stockholm University which partly consists of field studies, dna-sampling as well as active monitoring and supplementary feeding in the mountains.
The Fjällräven Down Promise
Fjällräven takes ethically produced, high-quality down to new levels of transparency and traceability
After several years of work with its down production, Fjällräven can now claim to have one of the outdoor industry's most controlled and transparent down production processes. This means that Fjällräven can guarantee with full certainty that the down used in its products is not only of premium quality, but also produced in an ethically responsible way.
When the first alarms on animal welfare were raised back in 2009, Fjällräven initiated an investigation into its down production process even though it already had controls in place. After years of hard work on many levels, Fjällräven has now established a fully transparent chain of production, which in practice means that the company can trace all of its down back to the farms where the birds were raised.
Having achieved this, Fjällräven launched its Down Promise: Ethically- produced down of the highest quality during the fall of 2014. "Just as we place high demands on all our products in general, we are also very careful to ensure that our down is produced in an ethical manner. This is why we have invested so much energy into ensuring an upright and controlled process the whole way", says Aiko Bode, Chief Sustainability Officer for Fjällräven and the Fenix Outdoor Group.
"We have come far on this journey but we are not finished yet. It is an ongoing task where we are constantly making improvements and listening to and learning from experts, so that all the steps in the production process are continuously meeting the highest possible standards from an animal welfare perspective", says Aiko Bode.


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LazyShopper is a new functional application (shopping list) which helps to create and handle lists of purchase on your smartphone. A distinctive peculiarity of this application is an easy-to-use work with lists, a capacity of forming of templates/recipes, extended functions and work with the groups of the lists, nice and neat design, and fine setup for any user. A big and built-in dictionary will help you to create a list. Using built-in widget you will always have an access to information about list conditions, and reminders will not let you miss important purchases.
Features of this shopping list:
- control of unlimited amount of lists in three categories: active, pending, and templates;
- ability to determine the list item with the following parameters: the number of goods; unit of measurement; price (auto-complete feature); a person for which a purchase is made; a shop where a purchase should be done;
- control and modification of the custom dictionaries: goods, groups of the goods, unit of measurement, persons, shops;
- classification of the list items by the groups of the goods, shops, persons;
- filtration of lists by different parameters;
- export and import of lists by various ways(SMS/E-mail/Dropbox);
- backup manager/restoration of the working database(SD-card,Dropbox);
- color schemes;
- reminders about coming purchases;
- widget of the state of the purchase list showing the number of non purchased goods and the number of active reminders;
- barcode scan;
- voice search;
- install a localized database other than the current location;
- Android 4.x ready;


text: What is an iPad game? It's not an easy thing to define. Since the release of Apple's era-defining tablet last year, game developers have chased it with ferocity, releasing more than 45,000 games so far. These apps run the gamut from casual time-wasters to truly hard-core epics. With their big, beautiful graphics and the complex control possibilities afforded by the tablet's giant screen, iPad games possess the potential to suck away your time (what smartphones haven't already gobbled up, that is). Here are Wired.com's reviews of 10 of the biggest, baddest iPad games out there — something for every gamer's taste. Above: Dead Space The iPad version of Dead Space is an entirely new entry in the acclaimed survival-horror franchise. As usual, you play the role of a lone engineer trapped on a deserted space station with no choice but to kill lots of scary monsters. Dead Space HD nails the look and feel of the console games. Excellent sound design, which allows you to hear every little noise, helps sell the horror. Dark, moody environments brim with little details like flickering lights, although the level design becomes very repetitive as the game unfolds: The rooms feel copy-pasted to the point where I would find myself getting lost. The game also suffers from a fetish for dropping you in rooms where doors lock and you're forced to fend off waves of monsters. This would be more tolerable if the doors didn't take forever to unlock. Most iPad games that try to emulate console games end up goofing the controls, but Dead Space HD doesn't. You control your character by sliding a finger along his back; you aim your weapon by moving your finger on the right side of the screen. It's a smooth implementation — I never found myself doing something I didn't want to, which happens a lot in iPad games. WIRED Horrifyingly good controls. TIRED Too many monster closets. Rating: $10, Electronic Arts100 Rogues In this clever role-playing game, players pick one of three characters and adventure through a series of randomly generated dungeons with the goal of killing Satan. 100 Rogues is the most user-friendly roguelike game — a type of RPG where dungeons are randomized, death is often permanent and movement is turn-based — I've ever played. Roguelikes are known for their brutal difficulty and extremely high difficulty curve; often you need pre-existing knowledge about certain elements in order to succeed. But 100 Rogues takes the roguelike formula and tweaks it into a game that doesn't require you to constantly check fan wikis. Tutorials are plentiful; controls are simple. That doesn't mean the game's controls always work well. You move your character by sliding your finger in the direction you want him to go, but since the screen moves as well, you must constantly readjust your finger to keep him going. This gets really annoying after a while. Still, the more you play 100 Rogues, the more you understand its secrets and nuances. You will die many times, but chances are high that you will make it further each time. This is how the game sucks you in. WIRED Gentle difficulty curve. TIRED Iffy touch controls. Rating: 99 cents, Fusion ReactionsBit.Trip Beat HD Rock Band meets Pong in this rhythm game. You control a paddle on the left side of the screen, as blocks timed to the beat of the game's background music come in from the right. Bit.Trip Beat HD's gameplay, music and visuals all complement each other perfectly. Since the blocks come in far too fast to follow with your eyes, listening to the beat becomes necessary. Do well, and the graphics get more animated, the music bouncier and fuller. Do poorly, and the game's beat fades away and the graphics fade to black and white. This means you're always encouraged to perform well: You don't want to be staring at a nondescript black-and-white screen, especially when levels drag on for almost 15 minutes. Checkpoints exist, but that doesn't stop the game from feeling exhausting at times. Bit.Trip Beat wouldn't survive on any of its individual elements alone, but the perfect synergy between design, sound and graphics makes the game much more than the sum of its parts. WIRED Trance-inducing graphics and music. TIRED Punishing difficulty. Rating: 99 cents, Namco Networks AmericaAngry Birds HD In this hit puzzle game, players use a slingshot to fling birds into structures in an attempt to crush the green pigs within. Angry Birds is famous for its cute characters, charming visuals and immensely addictive gameplay. What differentiates Angry Birds HD from similar games is its varied gameplay. Each type of bird possesses unique qualities. The blue bird, for example, can split into three different birds; the black bird can be used as a bomb to blow up structures. The game's physics are pleasingly consistent. If you attempt the same strategy twice in a row, it will produce the exact same effect. So it's always your fault if you mess up. Angry Birds HD lacks the important ability to play its levels out of order. This means there's no way to try another level when you're stuck on a particularly tricky one. Still, the game does an excellent job of making you think you can succeed if you try just one more time. That's often not the case, but the game will suck away hours of your life anyway. WIRED Addictive bird-flingin' physics. TIRED Can't jump around levels. Rating: $4.99, ChillingoCanabalt In Canabalt, you play as a little dude who automatically runs toward the right. All you do is jump across bottomless pits. It's like Super Mario Bros. if Mario ran on his own through a single level that never ended. Your running speed increases as you run but you can slow down by running into garbage cans placed in your path. There is a trade-off: Running at high speeds is more fun, but going at a slower pace makes it easier to negotiate platforms. This simple but addictive platformer doesn't offer much variety in terms of obstacles: There isn't much to keep you on your toes aside from more pits to jump across and occasionally a window you need to jump into. Still, since the game randomizes the order of platforms and obstacles with each new attempt, there's no emphasis on memorization. Skill is all that matters. Canabalt is my most-played iPad game by far. Its simple, fun concept distills platforming down to its bare essence of running and jumping. WIRED Clever gameplay concept. TIRED One-trick pony. Rating: $2.99, Semi Secret SoftwarePuzzle Quest 2 This puzzle role-playing game combines the match-three gameplay of Bejeweled with RPG and adventure elements. Puzzle Quest 2's combat system is enjoyable and addictive. During battles, you are presented with a board of colored gems and skulls. You match the skulls to deal damage to your opponent and match the gems to build up magic power, which gives you special abilities. These battles are a perfect marriage of matching puzzle games and contemporary RPG elements. You can set up huge combos but you also need to deny your opponent the privilege of doing the same. Unfortunately, performance problems plague Puzzle Quest 2. The game freezes for half a second each time you match gems during combat. Since this is all you do, the slowdown gets very annoying very quickly. And while the puzzling might be awesome, the questing feels dull. You navigate by touching the entrance to various areas, and talk to people by touching them. The process moves at a snail's pace, with too much time spent in between the gem-matching fights. WIRED Can't go wrong with match-three-gems gameplay. TIRED Ported badly to iPad. Rating: $4.99, Namco Networks AmericaInfinity Blade Infinity Blade is like the boxing game Punch-Out!, only with swords and magic. Players go up against several nasty monsters in their quest to defeat the God King; after each death, you take on the role of your descendant, retaining equipment and levels. The combat is enjoyable. You swing your sword by swiping your finger across the screen. Like Nintendo's boxing game, the idea is to stun enemies by blocking, dodging or parrying their attacks and then performing a series of counterattacks. As the game gets more difficult, enemies perform feint attacks, requiring you to pay close attention. Infinity Blade also boasts the best graphics of any iPad game. Detailed character models, realistic lighting and an absolute minimum of jagged edges or blurry textures make the game look almost as good as a console game. However, no matter how much the games dresses things up, the endless battles get repetitive after a while. You're performing the exact same moves throughout the game. There's also no way to walk around and explore. You navigate through areas by panning the camera and touching a glowing dot indicating the entrance to another area. Then you watch a short cut-scene showing your character walking. Other than that, there's nothing to break up the constant fighting. WIRED Unbelievable console-like graphics. TIRED As repetitive, but maybe not as sharp, as the title suggests. Rating: $5.99, Chair Entertainment GroupCut the Rope HD In this immensely adorable and addictive puzzle game, a piece of candy hangs, suspended by several ropes. The goal: Cut the ropes in such a way that the candy falls into the mouth of the monster on the bottom of the screen. Cut the Rope HD's level design is brilliant. The game frequently introduces new play mechanics and can squeeze enough mileage out of a single idea to fill several levels without getting repetitive. The difficulty curve is smooth. The game does a good job of showing you the ropes (pun very intended) while slowly ramping up the difficulty. I never felt like I was getting in over my head, but that's probably the game's chief weakness: For the most part, Cut the Rope HD is really easy, even if you attempt to get all the bonus stars in each level. Cut the Rope is also straight-up adorable, with an expressive, cartoony art style. For example, as the candy gets close to the monster, he'll open his mouth and start salivating. When you fail a level, he'll get sad and begin crying. WIRED Adorable monster! TIRED Takes a while to get challenging. Rating: $1.99, ChillingoWorld of Goo HD Launched in 2008 for the Nintendo Wii and PC, World of Goo is an award-winning, physics-based puzzle game. Players stack blobs of goo on top of each other, with the goal of building a tower to each level's exit. The game makes you keep track of many factors. In order to complete a level, you need to make it to the exit with a certain number of goo balls intact. You also have to be careful that your tower doesn't tip over with the weight of your goo balls. To exacerbate things, the difficulty curve isn't very forgiving. The game quickly starts getting hard, so there isn't much time to get acquainted with the mechanics. A level-skip feature comes in handy, but a level-select option that let you play levels out of order — instead of forcing you to suffer the indignity of having the level cleared automatically for you — would be better. Still, all the game's complexity makes for some brilliant puzzles. World of Goo is not about trial and error. You may not complete most of the levels on your first run, but the carefully polished physics and smart mechanics mean there's always a logical solution. I played World of Goo previously on my PC, but the iPad version's controls are a lot more suited to the game. Stacking goo balls by dragging them with your finger is faster, not to mention more fun. WIRED Perfectly suited to iPad controls. TIRED This goo is hard. Rating: $4.99, 2D BoyBattleheart Battleheart's gameplay consists, more or less, of a series of battles with a menu screen in between. A role-playing game with real-time combat that focuses on strategy and precision, Battleheart's main draw is its strategic and hectic fights. You direct your party members by simply drawing lines with your finger: Attack by drawing a line from your attacker to his target; heal by drawing a line from your cleric to her target. The controls take a lot of getting used to, however. They work well, but until you get the hang of never letting your fighters sit idle, you'll be dying constantly. The upside is that the fast-response controls give the game an excuse to throw a ton of monsters at you, forcing you to focus on strategy. For example, you might want your beefy melee fighters to attack monsters up close while your weaker, magic-based fighters attack from far away. The fighting stays fast-paced and engaging because you must constantly issue new orders. WIRED Fast-paced, strategic combat. TIRED Controls present steep learning curve. Rating: $2.99, Kelli Bordner


text:
Dermatopathology Fellowship
Description: The University of Massachusetts offers a one-year ACGME accredited fellowship in Dermatopathology. Our Dermatopathology service has 3 faculty members and processes over 15,000 skin cases annually. The service provides routine histopathological diagnosis, immunohistochemistry studies, immunofluorescent studies, molecular studies, and consultations. We serve a large academic medical center with a dermatology clinic with close to 30,000 patient visits and performing over 4000 biopsies a year, and other clinicians including internists, rheumatologists, general surgeons, plastic surgeons, as well as oncology surgeons who take care of patients with skin lesions, benign, and malignant. We also serve many community dermatology clinics throughout Massachusetts. The fellow will be expected to actively participate in clinical service, research and teaching activities in both the Pathology and Dermatology Departments.
Requirements: Applicants must be board eligible/certified in anatomic pathology or in dermatology and must have passed Step III of the USMLE.
Applications: Download application form
Applications should be sent to:


text: Windows RT 8.1 is a Windows-based operating system that's optimized for thin and light PCs that have extended battery life and are designed for life on the go. Windows RT 8.1 only runs built-in apps or apps that you download from the Windows Store. Windows Update automatically keeps your PC up to date and Windows Defender provides up-to-date virus and malware protection.


text:
we just released the first version of the CopperLicht JavaScript 3D engine. It uses WebGL and has a lot of unique features compared to other existing webgl libaries, like a complete world editor. It's free to be used.
It's also quite fast (I personally was surprised how fast WebGL is, congratulations!), there are a few demos on the website here: http://www.ambiera.com/copperlicht/demos.html, one of the demos renders a huge Quake 3 map in playable speed.
This is the first release, and any comments, suggestions and feature requests are welcome.
(Preferably do this in the CopperLicht forums, but I'll try to check this board from time to time anyway.)


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So cheers to Samsung for building cameras that I'll still be able to remember at next year's Consumer Electronics Show. They've given us the DualView series, odometer-style displays, WiFi capability, and now, GPS capability. Buyers can find these features in other brands, but the designers at Samsung really go that extra mile to add the "gadget" vibe to their cameras. That said, it's just important to accept that when you buy a tricked-out Samsung, you pay extra for the wow factor, not the image quality.
For consideration today, we have the HZ35W, a typically atypical Samsung camera. Its feature set is stacked even by Samsung standards: 15x optical zoom, ultra-wide 24mm lens, GPS for geotagging and basic navigation, 720p HD video, and a 3-inch AMOLED display. But as we've come to expect, the image quality falls short of what we'd hope for from a $350 camera. We can't get everything we want, but there might be a niche crowd that gets everything they need.
Build QualityIt feels average to me now, but I thought Samsung sent me a brick the first time I picked up the box. The HZ35W is a big boy as far as compact cameras go. It's roughly the size of my BlackBerry Tour, though a little shorter, and about twice as thick. The significant size contributes to a comfortable in-hand feel, and I never felt fatigued from holding it up for too long, though I think the heft may have contributed to the camera shake I experienced at the full, 15x zoom.
The straightforward button layout includes a mode dial, dedicated video button, zoom tilter around the shutter, and a toggle for the GPS function (more on that later). The minimalist backside sports a standard d-pad, menu, playback, and function buttons, as well as a dedicated video button. There are mini-USB and mini-HDMI outputs under a flap on the right-hand side, and a battery and SD card compartment down below. It's all tied together by a big, bright, 3-inch AMOLED screen. This monitor is one advantage that higher-end Samsung cameras have over the competition; AMOLED monitors are more efficient than LCDs, so the battery life should be longer, and they're also much easier to see in the sunlight.
Performance and User ExperienceThe HZ35W is no beginner's camera, so expect a little bit of learning curve as you navigate some of the advanced settings in the menu system. Experienced users will appreciate aperture priority, shutter priority, and full manual modes, and novices should recognize more basic adjustments like ISO, white balance, and exposure compensation. There's room to grow with this camera.
Full manual control is a very desirable feature and it is well-executed on this camera. The average sensor and slow lens really aren't equipped to handle low-light situations particularly well, and auto modes don't . Here, users can tinker a bit more and find some middle ground between max-ISO noise-fests, blurry messes, and pitch-black non-pictures. I shot with the HZ35W in a particularly challenging environment: a three-day heavy metal festival in Baltimore -- and I managed to snap some decent indoor and nighttime shots, thanks largely to the shutter priority mode.
Videos look decent -- high definition, but a little fuzzy thanks to the motion JPEG format. Optical zoom works during filming, which is a plus. Unfortunately, I ran into some problems with sound. Watching playback of some videos, the sound often cuts out for no apparent reason. I originally thought that maybe the sound automatically cuts while the zoom is extended or retracting to avoid motor noise, but after watching again and again, it seems like it was a random occurrence. I haven't read any other reports of this, so it's possible I had a faulty model.
Image QualityOutdoors on a sunny day, the HZ35W produces some decent images. Colors seem natural, details are reasonably well preserved, and everything is in focus, even at full zoom, thanks to the image stabilization. Even indoors, when there's decent lighting, the shots come out well as long as the ISO setting stays at 400 or below. In low-light, it runs into the same noise problems that most point-and-shoots do.
As I mentioned above, the full manual controls can help get usable shots in these tough situations. But trying to shoot dim scenes in any automatic mode is as frustrating as with any point-and-shoot half its price. The sensor just isn't equipped to deal with these situations. I realize it may not be a fair comparison, since the HZ35W is packed to the gills with flashy features, but $350 buys a Canon S90, which has great image quality and crushes in low light. Just sayin'.
GPSBefore I get going on the GPS function, let's consider the Samsung HZ30W, the little brother to the HZ35W. It's the same camera, but without the AMOLED screen and GPS unit. It goes for about $270, though you can easily find it for $240. Same 15x zoom, same 24mm lens, same HD video, same image quality, all for $100 cheaper than the HZ35W. So we can agree that the extra cost of the HZ35W goes toward purely superficial features: the AMOLED screen and the GPS unit.
The monitor is nice, no doubt, but for most users the GPS feature is not worth the money. First of all, it only works outdoors. That's to be expected, as anyone who has used a Garmin or TomTom navigation device knows. But that still renders it useless whenever you're indoors, whether that's where you do 20 percent or 90 percent of your shooting. If you want to use the geotagging capabilities to retrace your steps after a night of barhopping or a day of bouncing from museum to museum in a new city, you're out of luck.
Outdoors, the performance was OK, I guess; I haven't tried either of the other GPS cameras this year (the Panasonic ZS7 or Sony HX5V) so I don't have a reference point for how a system like this should perform. It did take about 15 minutes to acquire a signal the first time I used it. Once it works, it's pretty accurate. It always displayed the right location, and my images were tagged to (I think) the correct locations on the map view.
That said, I'm hard pressed to think of many circumstances where this feature could really be useful. Hikers, wanderers, and long-distance travelers in general could use it to plot an exact course of their adventures, complete with pictures. It's pretty cool in that regard, so if that idea really turns your wheels, you might be the kind of person that the HZ35W is designed for. Just remember: you're paying $350 for a $250 camera with a GPS unit attached to it.
And one more gripe: You'll need to download map information from Samsung and add it onto your SD card to get the GPS function to work. It's available at Samsung's website, but the directions to make it work aren't particularly clear. Samsung actually shipped an SD card to me with preloaded map info before I even figured it out, so best of luck to those of you who have to figure it out on your own. Come on back and leave a comment to help your fellow users.
Bottom LineIn terms of picture and image quality, the HZ35W performs like a significantly cheaper camera. The HZ30W is that significantly cheaper camera. I'm willing to bet that GPS capability won't matter to about 80 percent of anybody who reads this, so in that case, the HZ30W is definitely the way to go. If you're one of that extremely niche group who wants to overpay for a regular big-zoomer because it has GPS, take a look at the Panasonic ZS7 and Sony HX5V first. If you decide to go with the HZ35W, don't get all upset when your pictures come out looking average.
Update: A few days after we published this review, a few retailers began selling this model for $250, a full $100 cheaper than the average cost when this was written. Now that's a deal. It looks like that was a limited-time offer, as the HZ35W is back up to $350. Hopefully it will fall again, because it's a fine camera that's unfortunately over-priced.


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ALBANY >> Legislators endorsed a bill Tuesday to ban the use of EBT cards to buy alcohol and tobacco, gamble or pay for visits to strip clubs, something one ex-welfare recipient said should have happened a long time ago.
"Just being able to take cash out from an ATM and spend it however you want doesn't hold anyone accountable for how they are spending that money," said Sarah Fish, who said she was once homeless and on welfare before getting help and starting her own restaurant business in Troy. "I mean, if you're going to withdraw cash from an ATM you can spend it on Lottery tickets and on beer and on cigarettes, on drugs and alcohol and there's no (record of the purchase). You don't ever have to submit a receipt or provide proof of trying to do better."
"As a business owner I'm constantly held accountable for my actions and I always have to prove that I'm always doing things the right way," she added. "But when I was on welfare, nobody was held accountable for their actions at all. Nobody was responsible for their own situation or told that they have to prove that they are using the system to benefit their lives and to make something of themselves."
Asked if she was ever counseled by welfare officials to refrain from abusing the EBT card and buying alcohol or cigarettes, she said "absolutely not. Actually when I was getting off public assistance, I found it was harder to get off of public assistance than to get on it."
Fish, who owns the Hungry Fish Café on Pawling Avenue in Troy, spoke at a press conference held by Senate Republicans to press for final passage of a bill cracking down on abuse of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards that are the way welfare benefits are handed out in New York state.
Legislators say New York stands to lose $125 million in Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) federal welfare aid unless a ban is passed by Feb. 22.
EBT cards are debit swipe cards that contain both food stamp credits and cash benefits.
The Senate was passing the Public Assistance Integrity Act bill Tuesday and has passed it annually since 2012, under a mandate to do so or lose federal aid. But the Democratic-controlled Assembly has not passed the bill, preferring instead that new usage rules be enacted administratively. Gov. Andrew Cuomo supports the measure and included it in his 2014-15 budget proposal.
"The bill has died twice in the Assembly … it really does need to become law this year," Sen. Kathy Marchione, R-43, said.
She said Fish is "the epitome of what these programs should do. They are just supposed to be a time in your life to help you get better."
"Cash benefit is supposed to be used for things like aspirin and diapers for children, toothpaste, those kinds of items," Sen. Tom Libous, R-52, said. "But unfortunately what we are finding is the cash benefit portion of the card is being abused. It's being abused because when folks are going through the grocery line they are also buying Lottery tickets. They are buying beer and they are buying cigarettes. They are using it at strip clubs. They are using it at horse tracks."
The press conference included a video of past TV coverage of the issue, showing cards have been used at beach towns, winter resorts and other places far from New York, including $9 million withdrawn from locations outside New York. About $95,000 was withdrawn in recent years from ATMs in Atlantic City, much of them in casinos.
From June 2011 to August 2012, for example, reporters found more than $6,000 was withdraw from an ATM at Troy Discount Beverage. Money was also withdrawn from an Albany bar and a Colonie strip club.


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Soon after Rob Morton bought his iPad 2, he started scouring the Web for a customized case — something to keep his new tablet protected and personalized.
Morton needed to pimp his iPad.
Bland, standardized covers were out of the question. Morton, a professional photographer, asked a friend to design a brown alligator-skin cover, complete with an inside pocket made of bronze-dyed cowhide.
"I wanted something really stylish," said Morton, who is 39 and lives in White Marsh. "I know it's different and something that you've never seen."
Tablets such as iPads, Kindles and Samsung Galaxies are some of the season's hottest gifts. And smartphones such as iPhones and Androids are soaring in popularity: 83 percent of American adults now have cellphones, of which 42 percent are smartphones, according to a May study by the Pew Research Center. And in recent years, a number of companies have begun selling accessories for them.
Whether it be brightly colored protective tablet jackets, a haute-couture fashion designer cover for smartphones or even blinged-out ear buds for MP3 players, there are plenty of options to help your gizmo stand out.
"People like to accessorize," said John Roscoe Swartz, co-founder and CEO of BUILT, a New York-based company that makes covers and bags for items including laptops, iPads and cameras. The company has been featured in People, In Touch and The New York Times.
"The key psychology behind it is making it 'mine' and making it unique," Swartz said. "There were millions of iPads sold this year. Customers want to know that theirs is unique. Accessorizing means that they are modern and they are looking for smart … solutions for their product."
M-Edge, an Odenton-based company, specializes in protective covers for hand-held devices. The company's line of products for electronic readers, which debuted in 2006, was among the first wave of such accessories.
A year later, when Oprah Winfrey named the Kindle one of her favorite gifts for the holidays, M-Edge sold out its covers. When the iPad was introduced, the company was more prepared.
"We had a leg up," said chief technology officer Adam Ashley. "We knew people would be reading with this tablet."
The company worked with two fashion designers to incorporate current and future trends through its designs.
"We are taking inspiration from Paris, Hong Kong and New York," Ashley said.
For example, the "Camden" jacket, a polished, distressed-leather case, is influenced by grunge and punk fashions. The company's new line of products this spring will feature bright neon colors.
The company plans to unveil a new line of smartphone covers this January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
"We'll have three to four new designs and a couple more surprises," Ashley said.
There is even an accessories market for tiny handheld musical devices. The Pleasure of Your Company, a stationery and gift store at Green Spring Station, sells floral-patterned speakers for MP3 players and iPods by Eco Speakers. The $22.50 accessory — made from recycled cardboard — has been popular for the past several months, according to Hannah Rodewald, the store's owner.
"They really took off," Rodewald said. "Part of it is that some of the older people who buy the gifts understand them better. They feel more confident buying this for a tween or teen. The confidence has grown. More people have these devices now. They understand what the accessories are about."
Cellphones were the first handheld devices to be accessorized. First, dangling charms were the craze. Then there was more of a focus on the case itself. Fashion designers such as Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade and Michael Kors have all designed cellphone covers. Jacobs' iPod and iPhone covers — they're adorned with hot pink lips — are sold locally at South Moon Under stores.
Bayne Joyes, head bartender at 13.5 wine bar in Hampden, wanted to incorporate the art from a friend, Vaughn Belak of Orlando, Fla., on the case of his iPhone 4. He used the online retailer Zazzle.com to transfer the image of Belak's painting of a red devil onto a protective cover. The entire process, including shipping, cost $40.
"I'm different," Joyes said. "And I wanted to support a good friend of mine."
Justin Whye, a graphics artist from Northeast Baltimore, says he's stopped by people asking about his violet and turquoise iPhone 4S case by Otter Box. The $50 case is made of a turquoise shell that flashes through exposed sections of a violet skin.
"I'm not sure if it's just the color or what, but something about this little bit of protective goodness gets folks all happy," he said.
Whye got the cover from an AT&T store.
"I definitely wanted something that looked nice and was eye-catching but wasn't too loud," he said. "I think the one I chose was all those things combined."
And then there are the bejeweled accessories.
Janai Keller has a multicolored pink rhinestone and pearl-covered case for her Sprint EVO Shift 4G cellphone.
"Pink is my favorite color, so I wanted something pink and sparkly," said Keller, who works as a sales associate at Party Dress in Fells Point. "I saw the case, and it stood out to me."
Morton, the photographer with the sleek alligator iPad case, didn't stop there. He also has a brown leather case adorned with white stitching for his iPod Touch, and his wife has a pink suede case for her iPod. He also plans to purchase a case that resembles a weathered hardback book for his MacBook. The accessory, made by Twelve South BookBook, costs $80.
"It is such a valuable piece of equipment," Morton explained. "I want it to look the part. You don't buy a Mercedes-Benz and put spare tires on it."
Soon after Rob Morton bought his iPad 2, he started scouring the Web for a customized case — something to keep his new tablet protected and personalized.


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About this blog
FLEFF Intern Voices
The Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival from the interns' point of view
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Blog post written by Haley Stearns, Film, Photography & Visual Arts '15, FLEFF Blogger
Dr. Dale Hudson works as a digital curator for the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival. This year marks his seventh year participating in FLEFF. His Dr. Hudson is currently living and teaching at New York University...


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Food & Drink
8 greatest city mascots around the world
By Rachel Barth, for CNN • Updated 7th October 2014
View Gallery
8 Pictures
They have tours designed around them, statues erected in their honor and fans so rabid many a sports team would envy them.
The world's most adorable city mascots have some heady responsibilities and impressive lines on their CVs, from running a train station to gracing a "Vanity Fair" cover with Hollywood elite.
But cuteness alone didn't get them their celebrity.
Their stories did.
MORE: The world's 20 cutest creatures
. Shrek the Unshearable Sheep (Tarras, New Zealand)
Shrek, a merino sheep from the small New Zealand farming settlement of Tarras, gained a following in 2004 after word got out he'd avoided grooming for six years by
hiding in a cave
Named Shrek for the ogre he resembled in his matted state, he quickly charmed the nation.
After his capture, a national TV station broadcast the 20-minute shearing of the iconic kiwi live.
During the shave, Shrek shed 27 kilograms (about 60 pounds) of fleece, enough to make 20 large wool men's suits.
The fleece was auctioned in 2004 for children's medical charities.
Shrek became so famous he got to meet New Zealand's prime minister.
In 2007, he spent his 10th birthday on an iceberg off the coast of New Zealand, where the celebrisheep underwent his second big trim.
At age 16 he began suffering pain from age-related illnesses and was put down.
His legacy in Tarras and New Zealand lives on in legend.
Special power:
Living in darkness.
Potential motto:
"It's just in that awkward, in-between phase."
. Fungie the Dolphin (Dingle, Ireland)
Don't mention Flipper.
Dingle Dolphin Boat Tour
He may not be a household name globally, but Fungie's a big deal in the tiny town of Dingle on the west coast of Ireland.
The 13-foot resident bottlenose made Dingle harbor his home in 1983 and is known for playing around boats and swimmers.
Recently, a second dolphin was spotted in the harbor.
Local lore has it that it's Fungie's former lover, returning to the dolphin of her dreams after many years.
Dingle runs daily Fungie-spotting boat tours ($23 adults; $12 children) and even offers Fungie wedding packages.
According to his official website, celebrities such as fellow Irishman Pierce Brosnan have come to see Fungie.
"Although there is no meaning in the Irish language for the word 'Fungie,' it does suggest he is a Fun-Guy," the site says.
Special power:
Sticking around.
Potential motto:
"Fungie by name, fun guy by nature!"
MORE: 10 places where the wild things are
. Patrick the Wombat (Ballarat, Victoria, Australia)
At 28 years old and almost 84 pounds,
Patrick the wombat
of Australia's
Ballarat Wildlife Park
is the oldest and largest Common Wombat known in captivity, having outlived the average wombat in the wild by 13 years (so far).
The longtime resident of Victoria acts as the "wombassador" to the wildlife park, where he gets wheel-barrowed about the park by staff.
Rapt visitors have included Nicolas Cage, Kirstie Alley and Kim Cattrall.
A local celebrity, he became a
Reddit phenomenon
when his photo blew up on the site in 2013.
On October 22, the town will honor him for Australia's 10th annual Wombat Day -- also known as "Hug a Wombie Day" -- an unofficial holiday designed to celebrate all of Australia's wombats.
Special power:
Staying alive.
Potential motto:
"I'm old, fat and hairy and wouldn't change a thing."
. Tama the Station Master (Kinokawa, Wakayama, Japan)
In Japan, cats have their own
, their own
and their own careers.
Tama, a 15-year-old female calico from the streets of Kinokawa, pawed her way to fame and fortune at the small rail station of Kishi in Japan.
The unclaimed puss became a familiar face near the tracks, and after a while, was adopted by the station manager.
Three years later, Tama
took her owner's job
Tama's mascot duties as official station master and deputy president include greeting passengers, wearing a station master hat and eating.
Tens of thousands of tourists trek to the tiny train town each year to see the cat and the Tama-themed station, featuring a Tama train, Tama souvenir shop, Tama cafe and even a building resembling a cat's face.
Special power:
Potential motto:
"It's a dog-eat-dog world. Let a cat handle it."
MORE: The cat that saved a Japanese train station
. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (San Francisco)
These San Francisco parrots have their own fan club.
Mitch Altman
A pandemonium of approximately 200 conure parrots reside in a park in the San Francisco neighborhood of Telegraph Hill, far from their native home in South America.
Having become a city staple and stars of the 2003 documentary "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill," they have their own fan club and entries devoted to them in San Francisco travel guides.
Although their origin is uncertain, it's thought the first of these parrots congregated on the hill after escaping from captivity -- millions were brought into the United States before restrictions were placed on wild parrot imports in 1993.
Special power:
Finding cheap accommodation in San Francisco.
Potential motto:
"Freedom fliers unite!"
6. Cute Knut (Berlin)
Abandonment, love, celebrity, incest ... the story of "Cute Knut," the polar bear born in the Berlin Zoo in 2006 packs more drama than any Lifetime special.
Rejected at birth by his mother, a former circus performer named Tosca from East Germany, Knut the eisbar ("polar bear" in German) was left alone after his twin brother died at just four days old.
When his story and picture hit national media, it melted German hearts and sparked an international sensation.
His first public appearance brought hordes of Berliners and hundreds of journalists to the Berlin Zoo.
He subsequently graced postcards and stamps, inspired a Nutella knockoff called "Knutella" and had stuffed animals created in his likeness.
He was even photographed by Annie Leibovitz and superimposed onto a "Vanity Fair" cover featuring Leonardo DiCaprio.
The Berlin Zoo capitalized on the city's Knutmania by officially registering Knut as a trademark.
But when the adorable little bear grew up, his adoring public turned.
Knut became plagued by rumors of incest when his polar bear girlfriend turned out to be a distant relative, and was bullied by fellow bears including his own mother.
Like many childhood celebrities, he was unable to deal with the fame.
Gawker even
likened his meltdown to that of Britney Spears
On March 19, 2011, when he was but four years old, Knut collapsed into his pool and died.
An outpouring of grief ensued with flowers, memorials and a statement from the mayor.
A sculpture of the bear using Knut's fur was exhibited in Berlin's Museum of Natural History.
Special power:
Tear jerking.
Potential motto:
"Ich bin ein bearliner."
MORE: Search for the world's ugliest animal
. Hamish McHamish the Cool Cat (St. Andrews, Scotland)
In Egypt I'm worshiped as a god. Here, I'm even bigger.
Hamish McHamish
The 17,000-person Scottish town of St. Andrews is hovering dangerously close to idolatry in regards to its collective pet, ginger furball, Hamish McHamish.
Starting when he was a young, rebellious kitten 14 years ago, McHamish would leave home to voyage regularly into local eateries, bookstores and homes.
The town fell for him hard.
In April, St. Andrews erected a resident-funded $8,000 cast bronze statue of the cat to honor their beloved friend.
A biography -- "Hamish McHamish, Cool Cat About Town" -- was published this year.
The local celeb regularly updates his busy goings on about town on
"Spending my evening watching Flashdance on DVD. #whatafeeling" and "I'm in Drouthies if anyone fancies [buying me] a drink. #gasping," are some recent tweets.
Special power:
Posturing with style.
"Once I had an owner. Now I have a staff."
8. Mike the Headless Chicken (Fruita, Colorado
A famed headless fowl named Mike has become an icon in the farm town of Fruita, Colorado.
Back in 1945, the Wyandotte rooster continued to live for 18 months after a farmer's wife chopped off its head.
She was hoping for a chicken dinner, but instead got the shock of her life as the headless chicken strutted off.
According to an article in "LIFE" magazine from 1945, the ax managed to "clip off most of the skull but leave intact one ear, the jugular vein and the base of the brain, which controls motor function."
Mike became a popular sideshow attraction, and owners even supposedly insured the chicken for $10,000.
The headless chicken finally passed away in 1946 in an Arizona motel from health complications.
Now Fruita remembers its town chicken every May with a Mike the Headless Chicken Festival and a Mike the Headless Chicken 5K.
Special power:
Surviving a beheading.
Potential motto:
"Who needs a brain?"
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Here at Stick Shift, we adore luxury, reveling in opportunities to lavish more upon more. So we never refuse the offer to take an extended spin in extended wheelbase offerings like the Jaguar XJL, Mercedes-Benz S550, or some sumptuous colossus from Rolls-Royce or Bentley. But when it comes to our own vehicular purchases—and the ones we're constantly asked to recommend for friends (and friends of friends)—we're generally more pragmatic, warning people off buying more car than they truly need.
This can cause tension, because for too long American automotive taste has equated bigger with better—so if you wanted the best of the best, you often had to go large. But with rising gas prices, diminishing paychecks, and a cultural-political shift toward more efficient vehicles, many of our favorite brands have begun to heed our mantra of parsimonious magnificence—Downsizing is the New Upscale. They're developing smaller cars that cost less to own and operate but still provide the proper level of opulence. Click through the slideshow below to see eight forthcoming examples that have our silky engines revving.