text:
Stop thinking of PDFs as files you can't change; not only can Word 2013 open, edit and save PDFs but the new version of Acrobat Pro lets you change the content of PDF documents as well.
If you have a brochure and all you need to change is the date or the office phone number, you don't have to go back to the original document and export a new version from there (or painstakingly recreate a document when you've lost the editable original); you can just make a quick change. You can even replace pictures or open them straight into an image editor.
Deleting entire pages is also simple, as is extracting pages that ought to be in their own document. Making extensive changes like moving or resizing text boxes or editing tables can be more problematic, depending on how the document was created in the first place.
If Acrobat Pro turns a page or a table into multiple text boxes you can end up spending longer rearranging and aligning them than you would have recreating the PDF from your DTP package. And if you don't have the right font for the document then your change will stick out like a sore thumb.
If you want to add a page, you can export the PDF to edit in Word, Excel or (a new option) PowerPoint. Acrobat Pro analyses the layout of presentations and creates a slide master so your new slides match the rest of the presentation; we had good results from this generally, even with presentations that have a title slide with a different design.
The tools for combining documents into a single PDF are also much improved; select Word and PowerPoint files or other PDFs and you see all the pages from all the documents in a preview (although this isn't fast for longer documents).
You can interleave pages from different files in the order that makes the most sense, dropping detailed PDFs in between the slides of a presentation, for example. And the file you get out of this is a standard PDF rather than some strange portfolio only Acrobat can work with (a problem with a previous option for combining files).
Adobe has also put some thought into what you want to do with PDFs you create; if that's saving to Acrobat.com or SharePoint there's an 'online account' button on Open and Save file dialogs to make that easier. Often they are forms to be filled in. If you want a signature, click the Sign button takes you to Adobe's EchoSign site to send the PDF to the person who needs to sign it.
If you want them to fill in fields you can create those in your PDF using the separate FormsCentral app complete with dropdown menus and radio buttons. FormsCentral collates the results automatically and you can view them as charts or a spreadsheet. But you could use the EchoSign and FormsCentral web sites without Acrobat Pro X1 and while it's useful to have the tools included, we'd like to see them better integrated into the Acrobat experience.
We liked
Being able to edit PDFs without opening them in another document is something Acrobat Pro should have done years ago (and you can password protect any PDFs you don't want people to edit and you can do that from inside Word as you save a file to PDF now) and the flexibility of combining and reordering pages from existing documents could save a lot of time. Acrobat Pro XI is also ready for touch screens; you can swipe and zoom with your fingers or tap for a full-screen view.
We didn't like
The Acrobat Pro XI interface remains clunky and chunky; the expanding toolboxes take up a great deal of space onscreen and adding highlights and comments is less sophisticated than in Word 2013 (you can't both highlight and comment on the same word, for example). And while it's useful to have EchoSign and FormsCentral available from Acrobat Pro, integration could be better.
Final verdict
Given how widespread PDFs are, Acrobat Pro ought to be an indispensable tool. Even this update continues to be frustrating to use for comments and reviews, but the editing options mean a PDF is no longer where information gets fossilised.


text:
Hi everyone,
After having some troubles with RGBA textures, I realized that the glTexImage2D(target, level, Image) assumes by default textures with premultiplied alpha,
so it unmultiplies source texels before sending data to the GL. The optional fourth parameter (glTexImage2D(target, level, Image, false)) seems to be ignored both in Chrome and Firefox nightly builds.
Crawling webkit and firefox source code somewhat confirmed my suspicion.
As a result I am not able to use textures with alpha channel.
Premultiplying the source RGB is not an option because it is in general a lossy procedure.
Am I missing something? Has anyone faced the same problem? Is there a workaround or we just have to wait until they fix the potential bug?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Nolo's Executive Editor, Janet Portman oversees editorial work on all Nolo books, articles, and websites. She specializes in residential and commercial landlord-tenant law, legal issues related to courts, and criminal law. She is the author or a coauthor of Every Landlord's Legal Guide, Every Landlord's Guide to Finding Great Tenants, First-Time Landlord: Your Guide to Renting Out a Single-Family Home, Every Tenant's Legal Guide, Renters' Rights, Negotiate the Best Lease for Your Business, Leases & Rental Agreements, The California Landlord's Law Book: Rights and Responsibilities, and California Tenants' Rights.
Portman received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Stanford University and a law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law. Before joining Nolo in 1994, she practiced law as a public defender.


text:
No Denial: Once Americans, now Egyptians
Was the anti-Morsi coup in Egypt justified on liberal and democratic grounds? The distinguished legal scholars Ilya Somin and Michael Rappaport agree that democracy cannot be defended on the ground of majority rule alone, and I add my voice to theirs but for different reasons. In making their respective critiques of Morsi, Rappaport emphasizes long-run majoritarianism and consensus; Somin the protection of classical liberal principles. Put them together and you get something close to the American founding but still not quite there. I would advance the arguments of Thomas Jefferson articulated in his First Inaugural Address that is crucial for understanding Egypt and, more important, our own democracy.


text:
Dennis Kelly (born 1970 in Barnet, London) is a London-based writer for both the theatre and television. Oberon plays have published a volume of Dennis Kelly Plays; Debris, After the End, Osama the Hero and Love and Money. In television he is best known for his work on BBC Three's sitcom Pulling.
Kelly grew up in Barnet, North London, in an Irish family and was brought up a Catholic. His father was a bus conductor, and Kelly, one of five children, left school at 16.
Brought up on a council estate he said "There is a theatre version of a council estate, and it doesn't look like any council estate I've ever been on. Council estates are really diverse, especially in London. You get all sorts of people. Working-class people have the same vocabulary as anyone else. Some read the Guardian, some read the Sun, some read the Telegraph." About growing up on a council estate Kelly has said;


text:
Moderator: GnATTERbox Moderators
ian holmes wrote:I like that station shelter. Where did you come across the drawings.
ijopson wrote:OK. I've dug the box out from the pile of (useful one day) tat that covered it, and started thinking it back to life. Before I get stuck in, though, I need a (scale) six foot wrought iron garden gate. I may have to fabricate one, but does anyone know of a source for that type of thing?.
MRC, Model Power enter into licensing agreement
By Nick Bullock
Published: June 30, 2014
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text:
Friday 25 January
|Ailuropoda (1)
The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is universally admired for its appealing markings and seemingly gentle demeanour. A member of the bear family, the giant panda is a robust animal with heavy shoulders and a distinctive black and white coat (2).
Most of the body and belly of the giant panda are white, contrasting sharply with the black ears, black limbs and shoulders, and black patches over the eyes (3). The male giant panda is slightly larger and heavier than the female (2).
The giant panda has a relatively large head and large, muscular jaws, while its molars and premolar teeth are wider and flatter than those of other bears, allowing it to grind bamboo. This species is also unusual in having a 'thumb', which is actually a modified wrist bone that enables the giant panda to dextrously grasp bamboo stalks (3).
Adult giant pandas are largely solitary and have well-defined home ranges, rarely meeting except in the mating season, which runs from March to May (1) (2) (3) (5). During this time, the giant panda signals its presence by marking trees and banks with scent secreted from glands located beneath its tail (3) (6). It will also claw bark (3) (6) and males occasionally 'dust bathe', the dust particles becoming covered with the giant panda's scent and wafting into the air (6).
Male giant pandas often vocalise during the mating season, producing calls that can be heard echoing through the mountains (7). Female giant pandas also use vocalisations such as bleats, moans and barks to advertise their readiness to mate (3).
The female giant panda usually give birth to a single cub between July and September (1) (3). The gestation period is highly variable, ranging from around 95 to 181 days (2) (3), but this is due to a variable delay between fertilisation and implantation, and the true gestation length is closer to about 50 days (3) (8). Although twins are sometimes born, the female rarely raises more than one of the cubs (1) (3). The young giant panda is born at an extremely immature stage of development, weighing only a tiny fraction of the female's weight (3) (5).
The giant panda cub is helpless after birth, and for the first few weeks of its life the female cares for it in a den located in the base of a hollow tree or in a cave (2) (3) (8). After four to seven weeks, the young panda starts to travel with the female, but must be carried and can only move about independently at five to six months old (3). The young giant panda remains dependent on the female until it is at least 18 months old (2) (3).
Female giant pandas usually give birth only once every two years (2) (3). The giant panda reaches sexual maturity at around 5.5 to 6.5 years old (2) and may live for around 14 to 30 years in the wild (2) (3). This species has often wrongly been thought to be a poor breeder due to its low breeding success in captivity. However, in the wild it has been found to have a breeding rate comparable to other bear species (1) (2).
The giant panda is unusual in the extreme specialisation of its diet, which consists almost entirely of bamboo. As a member of the bear family, the giant panda has the digestive system of a carnivore and so is only able to digest a small proportion of its bamboo food (2) (3). An adult giant panda therefore needs to spend most of its waking hours feeding and must consume between 10 and 18 kilograms of food daily in order to meet its energy requirements (3) (8). It alternates periods of feeding and resting throughout the day and night (3) (7).
Although 99 percent of the giant panda's diet consists of bamboo (1) (3), it also occasionally eats other plant material and will even sometimes eat meat (2) (7). The giant panda typically sits down to feed, freeing its forelimbs to manipulate food (3).
The historic range of the giant panda encompassed much of eastern and southern China, reaching into northern Vietnam and Myanmar (1) (2) (3).
Today, the giant panda is restricted to six separate mountain ranges in western China, on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, in the provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi and Sichuan (1) (2) (3).
The giant panda was once found in hilly ravines at lower elevations, but populations have now been forced into the mountains. This species can be found in temperate montane forest at elevations of 1,200 to 4,100 metres, where there is an abundance of bamboo (1) (2).
Unlike some other bear species, the giant panda does not hibernate (1) (2) (3), instead descending to lower elevations in winter to avoid severe weather. It may also make seasonal movements to different elevations to select certain bamboo species or to take advantage of new shoots in spring (3) (6).
Habitat loss is the greatest cause of the decline of the giant panda. Large areas of China's natural forest have been cleared for agriculture, timber and firewood, to meet the needs of the large and growing human population (1) (2) (3). Livestock grazing can also degrade giant panda habitat, preventing trees and bamboo from regenerating (3).
The remaining habitat of the giant panda is highly fragmented, leaving the species restricted to small, isolated subpopulations which are at higher risk of extinction (1) (3). Although its overall population was estimated at around 1,600 individuals in the wild in 2004 (2), many subpopulations of the giant panda are likely to contain fewer than 50 individuals (1).
The giant panda's dependence on bamboo makes it particularly vulnerable to the effects of habitat loss (2). Bamboo undergoes a periodic die-back every 15 to 120 years, and vast swathes of particular species can disappear at the same time. Previously, the giant panda would migrate to find alternative bamboo sources, but the extent of habitat loss means that this is no longer possible, making panda populations even more vulnerable (1) (3) (7).
Although poaching has been a problem for the giant panda in the past, the introduction of high penalties for poaching has reduced it to levels which are no longer believed to pose a significant threat. However, giant pandas are still sometimes killed in snares illegally set for other species (1) (3).
The giant panda receives the highest level of protection under China's Wildlife Protection Law (1) (2) (3). This species is also listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which effectively bans international trade (4).
A national conservation plan is in place for the giant panda (1) (3), and major conservation efforts are underway to restore panda habitat. Many forest reserves have been created specifically to protect giant pandas, with a priority being to establish habitat 'corridors' to link different protected areas (1) (2) (3). China is also working to increase and improve forested areas outside of reserves, although the rapid pace of economic development threatens to cause further habitat fragmentation (1).
Captive breeding programmes are believed to be important to the giant panda, both as insurance against the species going extinct in the wild, and to create a source of individuals for reintroduction into the wild when this becomes feasible (3) (8). The success of captive breeding has markedly increased in recent years, thanks to significant advances in managing the health of captive pandas and a greater understanding of the species' reproductive biology (8).
A range of organisations are conducting important work both in captivity and in the field to address the conservation needs of the giant panda and to improve knowledge of its habitat, populations and behaviour (8). It will be important to continue monitoring the wild giant panda population, as well as to raise conservation awareness among local people (2) (3).
After years of decline, the giant panda is now thought to be increasing in the wild (2). Despite remaining in grave danger of extinction, the giant panda is one of the universally recognised symbols of conservation and has been the logo of WWF since the 1960s. This organisation has been working closely with the Chinese people over the decades to help conserve this much-loved Chinese species for future generations (2).
More information on the giant panda and WWF's work:
More information on giant panda research, conservation and breeding programme:
More general information on the giant panda:
Authenticated (05/01/2012) by Dr. Susan Lumpkin, Research Associate, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.
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Friday 25 January
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Monday 24 September


text: Book – Joan has been studying ballet since she was a young girl. Her best friend in high school, Jacob Bintz, is in love with her, but Joan is intent on following her dreams of a dance career. She travels to Paris and becomes entranced with a Russian dancer named Arslan Rusakov when he performs during a rehearsal. They have a brief, intense affair and Joan evaluates her life and ambitions. As the story moves ahead, Joan's future becomes entangled with her past in surprising ways. We get to know Joan's family and friends and witness the complicated way relationships evolve and shift during their lives. I enjoyed this story as I learned more about the demands of ballet, the choices that performers may face and the way that talent can emerge and impact lives.


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Join our email list for exclusive savings and new product information.
Please note that this item can only be purchased on a DEA Form 222. All information is displayed for informational purposes only. Per Federal Law, all of the items listed on this webpage are prescription drugs and/or devices. Before your account can receive these items, we must have a completed Licensing Authorization Form on file signed by your Medical Director. Orders from individuals will not be accepted.
This item falls under the strict guidelines of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). It is classified as a Class II Controlled Substance, and cannot be ordered or shipped without proper authorization from your Medical Director or person properly authorized by power of attorney. EMP requires all current licensing including your state license, DEA license, and location license (if required by you state). Our EMP Licensing Authorization Form must also be completed and returned to us prior to shipment. All DEA Class II Controlled Substance orders require a DEA 222 form. Please see details on pages 513-515 in our 2017 catalog or view Narcotic Ordering on our Medication Ordering webpage.
Join our email list for exclusive savings and new product information.


text:
Bat Sleeve Wing Print Thin Cardigan
Bat Sleeve Wing Print Thin Cardigan
Size Chart
Shipping & Return
Receiving time = Processing time + Shipping time
Processing Time: 5-7 Business Days.
Standard Shipping: 7-15 Business Days.
Express Shipping : 4-10 Business Days.
Return within 15 days from the delivered date.
1. Items received within 15 days from the delivered date.
2. Items received unused, undamaged and in original package.
3. Return shipping fee is paid by buyer.
4. Any product that has been used does not qualify for a return.
5. Once the returned merchandise is received your money will be refunded back to you.


text:
1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games
ATLANTA - JULY 27: Karch Kiraly of the USA leaps to block during the Beach Volleyball semifinals tournament game with Kent Steffes against John Child and Mark Heese of Canada at Atlanta Beach during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games on July 27, 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia. Kiraly and Steffes went on to win the Gold Medal in the first Olympic Beach Volleyball competition. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)


text: I have an experiment in which a single trial consists of a text event followed by a movie followed by another text event. The events are not randomized. However, in running the experiment, SuperLab displays the text that is supposed to come before the movie twice, both before AND after. If I replace the movie with another text event (I did this to try to troubleshoot the file, as troubleshooting with the movies being played in the experiment took way too long), the experiment is just fine. It's only when superlab is playing the movie event that it seems to display the text preceding the movie twice, before and after. The movie is a 90-second .avi movie. Any idea what could be going on?


text:
University of Kentucky Team Page
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association held its annual draw for the 64-team field that will make up the 2014 ITA National Team Indoor Championships on Thursday afternoon, and it was announced that No. 9 Kentucky will be hosting a regional, with Notre Dame, Minnesota and Brigham Young University making the trip for Lexington for ITA Kick-Off Weekend in January.
The regional will take place a the Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center in Lexington, Ky., with the round of 64 matches on Jan. 24 and the regional final and consolation match slated for Jan. 25.
Kentucky won its regional for the third-consecutive season in 2013 as the Wildcats knocked off No. 42 Michigan State 4-2 in the opening round, before capturing a 4-1 win over No. 17 Texas to book their spot in Seattle for the Sweet 16 of the National Indoor Championships.
All of the three teams making the trip to Lexington made the 2013 NCAA Tournament with Minnesota advancing the furthest, moving through to the second round with a 4-3 win over VCU in the opening round before falling to No. 2, and eventual national champions, Virginia.
Notre Dame and Kentucky played in the regular season a year ago, as the Wildcats took down the Irish 4-3 in Lexington. The Wildcats won the match thanks to Grant Roberts, who won his match on court six to clinch the win for UK. The Irish lost in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, falling to No. 33 Washington, 4-3 to end their season.
BYU finished the season ranked No. 41 in the ITA rankings. The Cougars fell to eventual regional champions, Memphis, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Oxford, Miss.
The Wildcats have advanced out of regional play each of the last three seasons, knocking off Wake Forest in 2011, Tulsa in 2012 and Texas in 2013 in each regional final.
2014 ITA Kick-Off Weekend
1st Round – Friday, Jan. 24, 2014
(1) Kentucky vs. (4) BYU – 1:00 p.m. ET
(2) Notre Dame vs. (3) Minnesota – 5:00 p.m. ET
Consolation Match – Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014
Loser match 1 vs. Loser match 2 – 1:00 p.m. ET
Regional Final – Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014
Winner match 1 vs. Winner match 2 – 5:00 p.m. ET
For more information, log onto UKathletics.com.


text:
JA Events are so Awesome!
JA of Greater New Orleans EVENTS
At JA of Greater New Orleans, we host several events throughout the year to raise money to support our programming. These events also engage the community in our efforts to reach students! Whether you'd like to get involved on an individual level or as a business through event sponsorship, we offer several ways for you to support our work while having a great time!
Crescent City Corporate Championship
Hosted by Blessey Marine Services and held at Beau Chene Country Club in Mandeville, this golf tournament is a prestigious event to build client relationships for participants while raising funds for Junior Achievement programs.
City Stars Soirée presented by Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust
The City Stars Soirée, presented by the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust, is a social gala featuring food, libations, music, a silent auction, and fun! The event recognizes Rising Stars and food from over a dozen local restaurants. A Rising Star is a young entrepreneur, 40 and under, who is the founder, co-founder, owner and/or integral key person of a growing entrepreneurial business who has demonstrated strong entrepreneurial skills with high moral and ethical standards.
JA Business Hall of Fame presented by Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust
Established in 1984, the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame recognizes and honors local businessmen and women who have embraced the spirit of entrepreneurship in our community.
JA Bowl-A-Thon
The JA Bowl-A-Thon is our peer-to-peer FUNdraiser! Company participants create teams of five, raise funds, and celebrate their fundraising efforts at a fun, interactive bowling event hosted by Junior Achievement. Registration fees of $25 per bowler include two and a half hours of bowling, shoe rental, food, and drinks. It's a party atmosphere with music, food, contests and door prizes! Sponsorships are available.
Play for JA is an opportunity that allows JA supporters a fun and easy way to raise funds for JA's K-12 financial education programs. Funds are raised through team-building activities, client entertainment or just an overall fun time, this is the perfect event for any size organization.
"Junior Achievement has given me a sense of what adults go through with budget issues."
"Junior Achievement reinforced concepts for me to remember later in life."
"I thought the experience was amazing. The presentation was unlike anything I've seen."
"I liked how the Junior Achievement volunteer explained his job to us."


text:
Dozens hurt at house party as room over garage collapses
Emergency workers, Katy neighbors help at religious gathering
Three dozen people were injured Thursday when the second story of a garage collapsed at a Katy home where a crowd had gathered for a religious ceremony, officials and neighbors said.
As many as 150 people gathered for the festivities at the home on Park Mill Drive, just west of George Bush Park, when a room above the garage collapsed about 1:30 p.m., officials with the West I-10 Fire Department said.
About 40 people were in a 600-square-foot room above the garage when the floor collapsed, said Tim Thomas, public information officer for the fire department.
"Those structures are typically not built for that many people," Thomas said. "It was like a game room, with some nice wood floor in there and altar."
Neighbors and attendants gathered on the sidewalks as 15 ambulances treated the injuries. The Houston Fire Department brought its mass casualty evacuation ambulance, designed to transport up to nine people on stretchers.
HPD senior Capt. Ruy Lozano described the inside of the garage structure as "pancaked."
"The floor gave way," he said. "It looked like it bowed."
Of the three dozen taken to hospitals, three were considered urgent, Thomas said. Most had cuts and abrasions.
All in good condition
Twenty-seven were taken to Memorial Hermann, hospital officials said. All but two were later released. Their conditions were not available.
People at the party refused to comment.
Neighbors Jill and Blake Allred said they rushed from their home a block over when they heard ambulances shortly after 1 p.m.
"When we first got here, everybody was running around, asking neighbors for ice and water," Blake Allred said.
Wednesday, neighbors learned about the family's plan to throw a party when the son went door to door delivering a letter explaining what to expect.
'Don't deserve this'
Leticia Sahagun-Rubio lives across the street from the house.
"It was such a nice letter," she said. "I feel bad. They don't deserve this.
"This is the only party they've ever had," said Sahagun-Rubio, who has lived on the street off and on for 15 years. She said the party was a religious ceremony with a reception to be held elsewhere.
She said people of all ages, including toddlers and elderly, came from the house.
Neighbor Linda Rossman added, "I saw family members carrying each other out."
Reporters Dale Lezon, Carol Christian and Bobby Blanchard contributed to this report.


text:
This Quality High Speed HDMI with Ethernet cables can be used with all current HDMI equipment including the new 3D TV's and is fully backward compatible with ALL equipment that requires an HDMI cable and supports HDMI version 1.4 and 2.0. This includes DVD, Blu-Ray Players, Playstation 3, XBox 360, Media Centre Computers, HD Media Players plus much more. Updating to the new High Speed HDMI with Ethernet Cable ensures that you are future proofed and ready for the next generation of HDMI devices.
- Length: 2m
- Brand: Jamell
- HDMI Version: High Speed with Ethernet
- Bandwidth: Up to 18 Gbps.
- Conductor: 28 AWG cable
- Cable Colour : Black with Nylon Braid (Blue Stripe)
- Supports 3D Video Formats.
- Supports Audio Return Channel (ARC)
- Supports HDMI Ethernet Channel (HEC)
- Supports Resolutions up to 4k (4096 x 2160)
- Supports High Definition Audio
- Supports all HDMI Features (including HDMI v1.4 and v2.0) and backward compatible with all previous HDMI versions.
- Full Support for X.V Colour (Deep Colour)
- Full Support for C.E.C (Consumer Electronic Control)
- All conductors are 99.99% Oxygen Free Copper
- 24k Gold Plated Connectors
- Reinforced braided shielding and Mylar-foil shielding provides utmost protection against RF and EM interference
- Supplier is HDMI Adpotor and Certified Manufacturer
- HDMI Testing Centre Certified (Category 2 - High Speed with Ethernet)
- CE, FCC, RoHS, UL, ATC certified
- Packaging : Poly Bag
Additional Information
Additional Information
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|HDMI High Speed with Ethernet
|Connector A
|HDMI Type A Male (19 Pin)
|Connector B
|HDMI Type A Male (19 Pin)


text:
Bob and Mona Turner
40 Cr 340
Voss, Tx 76888
(325) 357-4404
Welcome to the Coleman County Chamber of Commerce,
Agriculture & Tourist Bureau website!
Coleman County is nestled between the Rolling Plains of the Big Country and the northern edge of the Texas Hill Country. We would like to welcome you to our town. We're home to scenic views, beautiful sunsets, western culture, bountiful wildlife, Top 5 PRCA Rodeo in the nation, lakes and friendly folks. Whether you're visiting for the day, looking for a new place to call home, Coleman Texas is a small town with a big heart . Our rich history dates back to 1856. Visit our office at 218 Commercial Avenue or call 325-625-2163 or 800-687-6971. We look forward to seeing you in our area soon!


text:
Landscape lighting installation Sarasota
Landscape Lighting |Ordinary to Extraordinary
Take your landscaping from ordinary to extraordinary with landscape lighting. There is no other outdoor improvement that a homeowner or community can have installed to enhance an outdoor space or architectural feature, regardless of location. Landscape lighting is able to create a stunning, ...


text:
Bahia Concepcion is located on the Sea of Cortez in the state of Baja California Sur, 墨西哥. Bahia Concepcion is made up of more than 50 beaches making it one of the largest bays of the Baja California Peninsula. Tourists have popularized Playa Los Naranjos, Playa Punta Arena, Playa Santispac and others leading south to Mulege, only twenty miles away. Near Playa Santispac lies the lighthouse of Isla Pitahaya.
(照片通过: WikiCommons)


text:
A short while ago I saw this sign outside a pub.Seen anything similar?
kings arms.jpg
A short while ago I saw this sign outside a pub.Seen anything similar?
kings arms.jpg
Melania, please take note!
I see you and raise you . . . .
I live and drink rum where other people vacation.
and raise you . . .
I live and drink rum where other people vacation.
If only it were that easy.
Speak softly and carry a mouthful of marbles.
Reminds me of the place in Chapel Hill called 'He's Not Here'.
Don't have a foto but a pub in UK I frequented had a sign over the phone….' just say this ' Que? you speeek eenglis ? you know thees ees México you callin'
'C'est la vie' say the old folks it goes to show you never can tell
Free Beer
Hope the voyage is a long one.
May there be many a summer morning when,
with what pleasure, what joy,
you come into harbors seen for the first time...
Ithaka, by Cavafy
(Keeley - Sherrard translation)
Inside, and an old chestnut…
'C'est la vie' say the old folks it goes to show you never can tell
Here ya go!
There are two kinds of boaters: those who have run aground, and those who lie about it.
"Almost 6 foot"? You know that Joe Average is about 5'10 or so and that's "almost 6 foot"? If you're not 6'2" or more, you're not really all that tall these days. I'm 5'10.5" or so. Almost 6 foot as well.
If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
-Henry David Thoreau-
There was/is a bar in Culver City called "The Office". Must be handy when calling the wife: "Hi Honey, yeah, I'll be staying late tonight at The Office...."
No trespassing, violators will be offered a shot.
Keep calm, persistence beats resistance.
There's at least one yacht called "the office" on Port Phillip Bay.
I used to sail with a Judge. He named his boat "The Bench". I suspect that when incoming callers were informed the the Judge couldn't speak to them because he was on the bench that he wasn't really on the bench but was on "The Bench"
Sunset Beach, CA boasts a tavern named Mother's. It was already old when I drank there in college.
Schooner sailors love to get blown offshore!
Over the door of the Blue Max officer's club in Vietnam -
"Everyone brings joy to this place. Some by entering, some by leaving."
The best statement I've seen from this latest carnage came from a student who lived through it -
"My generation will not allow this to continue!"
Remember voting age is 18. Read it and weep reds.


text:
December 9, 2013 - December 9, 2013 – Finalists for the Rimington Trophy, presented to the most outstanding center in college football, are:
Reese Dismukes (Auburn)
Hroniss Grasu (Oregon)
Gabe Ikard (Oklahoma)
Tyler Larsen (Utah State)
Bryan Stork (Florida State)
Travis Swanson (Arkansas)
The winner of the Rimington Trophy will be presented live during the ESPNU Red Carpet Show on Thursday, December 12, 2013, immediately preceding the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show. Both shows will originate from the Atlantic Dance Hall on Disney's Boardwalk at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The winner of the Rimington Trophy is selected by determining the consensus All-American center pick from three existing All-America teams.
While more than a dozen All-America teams are selected annually, the Rimington Trophy committee used these three prestigious teams to determine a winner:
*Walter Camp Foundation (WCF)
*Sporting News (SN)
*Football Writers Association of America (FWAA)
Because the selectors of these three All-America teams can place centers in a "mix" of offensive linemen that includes guards and tackles, their 11- man first teams can often have two centers. The Rimington Trophy committee's policy is to count all players that play primarily the center position for their respective teams as centers, even though they may be listed as guards or tackles on the four All- America teams.
The center with the most first team votes will be determined the winner. If there is a tie with first team votes, then the center with the most second team votes will win. If there is still a tie, the winner will be determined by a majority vote from the Rimington Trophy committee.
The winner will be recognized at the Rimington Trophy Presentation at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska on Saturday, January 11, 2014.
Original Content HERE


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Yuan Zhou 7D, a popular teacher and frequent competitor in top U.S. tournaments, will be the U.S. representative to this year's World Amateur Go Championship, which will be held in Guanzhou, China in May. "I am excited to represent the U.S. and play in the WAGC," Zhou (at right) told the E-Journal. "It took me lots of hard work and many tough matches to earn the right to become the U.S. representative. The competition will be very severe. All WAGC players are strong, and there will be no easy matches."
This is just the third time in the 33-year history of the WAGC that it will be held outside Japan, "signifying a changing international go scene," reports Thomas Hsiang, the American Go Association's representative to the International Go Federation, where he's vice president. "It's expected at least half of all future WAGC will be sponsored by a non-Japanese city and it's not out of the question that we may have it in North America one day." The venue of this year's WAGC, the Guangzhou Qiyuan, is a "magnificent, huge, board-game center where the mind-sport competitions of the 2010 Asian Games were held," Hsiang adds.
The E-Journal will provide full onsite coverage of the event, thanks again to generous support from the IGF, providing the AGA membership glimpses of the venue, along with stories and game records of the event.


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Washington, D.C. -- In yet another resounding victory for America's horses, the House Appropriations Committee voted in favor of language sponsored by Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) prohibiting the U.S. Department of Agriculture from spending tax dollars on inspecting horse slaughter facilities. The language, originally passed into law back in 2005, has halted horse slaughter operations for years, but for some reason, was not included in the current Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations bill approved by the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee late last week.
"The Animal Welfare Institute commends Representative Jim Moran for his introduction of the amendment restoring this important language before the full Committee," said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for AWI. "Representative Moran and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) spoke strongly about the need for this bill while pointing out now is not the time to start spending tax dollars to prop up a foreign owned and driven industry that prays on the suffering of American horses."
While the amendment was approved by the House Appropriations Committee, AWI will remain vigilant to ensure horse slaughter proponents do not try other tactics to have it removed as the bill makes its way to the full House for a vote or even in the Senate when the time comes.
Media Contact:
Chris Heyde, AWI, (202) 446-2142, email@example.com


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A blog to compile what I have learned (and what I am learning) about Mandriva (and GNU/Linux in general) since 2009, when I migrated. Current distros I'm using: OpenMandriva Lx 4, Mageia 7, PCLinuxOS, MX 19, PicarOS, Elive 3, and AntiX 13.
martes, 22 de junio de 2010
Smoke Screens and Linux
In my net surfings, I have encountered that smoke screens about Linux security are becoming popular. The way in which certain threat alerts were made public amused me. I believe that there was a malicious intention to discredit the Penguin OS using slanted information behind the sensationalist hype.
I found one smoke screen in Yahoo. The feature was a post titled: "Linux Trojan Raises Malware Concerns". I guess the point was to make Linux beginners question their choice. After all, if we migrate to Linux to feel safer and this OS is as vulnerable as Windows, why the bother? However, the strategy did not work so well because even Linux newbies could see beyond the alarming news. (You can read a Linux beginner's nice response about this story here). The original news read "a vast collection of Linux systems may, in fact, be pwned". Let's see:
1. According to statistics, Linux has the 1% of the desktop market.
2. The threat was neither found in the official repositories of "major" Linux distributions (Ubuntu, Fedora, OpenSuse, Mandriva, etc) nor in "minor" ones (Mepis, Zenwalk, Pardus).
3. Users had to download and install the infected file themselves from a site (This means we are not talking about MOST beginners, who are becoming familiar with the repositories of their distros).
4. The file is a tarball. For computer beginners, installing one of those is like changing the computer processor.
5. The infected file is for chatting using a specific platform.
6. The threat was not likely to have compromised enterprise Linux servers (where more Linux systems are found).
Then, what does "a vast collection of systems" mean here?
Why aren't people buying these things so easily anymore? I have the theory that, while the success of Windows was the ignorance of the user, Linux communities teach their users and this knowledge empowers people. After all, in the 21st Century, more computer users are awakening. Little by little, we are breaking this shell of fear and gullibility and we are beginning to see through the smoke generated to make us stumble. We read. We check. We double-check. We participate in forums and get informed.
Above all, beginner Linux users are abandoning herd mentality.
1 comentario:
Yes, we sometimes read headlines like "New Linux Virus Is Causing Havoc." However, the contents of the articles go like "Experts tested in 5 computers a new virus for Linux they designed. The virus, which the scientists called 'Causing Havok,'..."ResponderEliminar
As you pointed out, Linux users tend to be more conscious about their computers' issues. I guess the community sense has something to do with it, for many Linux users participate in forums, blogs, and so. That makes them more informed in general terms.
It's the Ides of August!
In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Roman general Julius Caesar is given an ominous message by the Soothsayer. The message is a simple warn...
I bought a new headset for my laptop two days ago. Since the store did not have many options available, I went for a Combat Argom Tech piec...
On Feb, 24, I upgraded my Fedora install from 27 to 29. Well, it turns out that Fedora 30 was released two days ago, so I decided to upgrad...


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Born in Grafton, New South Wales in 1882, Iven Mackay grew up in an austere, religious home. He was academically adept and excelled at cricket, rugby and shooting. He attended university, doing well in physics and mathematics and became a teacher. Mackay prepared himself for war by studying military science and undertaking infantry training. He was serious, diligent and above all thorough. He was a 32-year-old Sydney University science lecturer and a captain in the Citizen Military Forces at the outbreak of war and was appointed adjutant of 4th Battalion.
In early October 1914 a horse riding accident during parade saw Mackay crushed when his horse fell on him, breaking several ribs and puncturing his lung. His injuries prevented him embarking on the First Convoy. After several weeks of convalescence, and still experiencing pain, he departed Melbourne on 22 December on HMAT Berrima headed to Albany to join the Second Convoy.
Despite promises that he would be attached to 4th Battalion, Mackay was appointed captain in command of the 1st reinforcements of 13th Battalion. He did not go ashore during the four days anchored off Albany; his time spent going through his men's paperwork and trying to sort out equipment and clothing shortages. He was already displaying the characteristic attention to detail that would mark him out for future leadership roles.
A former P&O vessel, armed merchant ship Berrima was converted to transport 1,500 officers and other ranks. Departing for Egypt with the Second Convoy on 31 December, the vessel also towed the submarine AE2, although on several occasions during the voyage the towline broke and had to be repaired. The Second Convoy arrived safely in Alexandria exactly one month after leaving Albany.
During the voyage, Mackay found the men under his charge lacking in discipline, and seemed incredulous that many had never fired a rifle. Remarking on the ignorance of basic military knowledge he commented, "One man today in loading with dummies turned the charger through a right angle and tried to load with bullets pointing downwards." He set about running courses in small-arms and physical training. This was difficult on a troop ship so crowded that units were rostered to spend only forty-five minutes per day using the boat deck. The physical training included boxing tournaments, deck-cricket and use of gym equipment.
Once in Egypt, Mackay set about rejoining 4th Battalion, which he did at the start of March. However, he was disappointed to be given the role of military transport officer. Impatient with inactivity Mackay was eager to see action.
On 8 May Mackay landed on Gallipoli and was made a platoon commander. He was soon in the thick of the action. His platoon helped resist the large Ottoman offensive of 19 May. Firing continually for six hours, their rifles ran hot. During this action a shell hit the parapet in front of Mackay but failed to explode. Another shell exploded nearby and buried him, but he was dug out alive. He was promoted to major in July and given command of a company just before the battle of Lone Pine.
At Lone Pine Mackay led his men by example and was one of the first into enemy trenches. In the ensuing fighting, there was a constant exchange of bombs, and sometimes the Australians caught them and threw them back. After two days in action Mackay was twice wounded, once when a bomb exploded beside him. Though badly wounded in the thigh, he managed to walk out on his own. For his efforts at Lone Pine, he was Mentioned in Despatches.
For this action Major Iven Mackay was Mentioned in Dispatches. The recommendation read:
This officer was the first into the furthest Turkish trenches on August 6th where he shot 5 Turks and bayoneted a sixth. He then held by himself a corner of the Turkish Trench while his men erected a barricade. He was wounded during the night of Aug. 6th and 7th but remained at his post until he was again wounded on the night of Aug. 7th and 8th when he was carried out of the trench on a stretcher. By his personal courage and devotion to duty he was very materially responsible for retaining the trenches captured to repelling constant bomb attacks and by the example he set his men. Up to the time of Major MACKAY being carried off the TURKS were not more than 6 yards away and whilst the captured trenches were being cleared of the dead and wounded Major MACKAY remained on guard personally the whole time with bayonet and rifle to repel any TURKS who should come over the parapet though he was constantly under a hail of bombs and for a considerable portion of the time had no bombs with which to retaliate.
Mackay was declared medically fit at the end of December and in February 1916, rejoined the Australian forces in Egypt in charge of his own AIF contingent. He was sent to France in March as part of the advance party to prepare for the arrival of 1st Division. By mid-May he had been promoted to lieutenant-colonel in command of the 4th Battalion.
At Pozières the 4th Battalion witnessed an unparalleled 48 hours of continuous shelling. Mackay described the onset of German artillery: '[It came] slowly, regularly, methodically at first … then with growing intensity. Gradually leading with a terrifying ferocity to the worst bombardment ever experienced by the Australians.' The 4th attacked early on 25 July seizing a vital trench and the hotly contested Pozières cemetery. Mackay was in the thick of it; his pockets filled with Mills bombs (grenades). The barrage seemed never-ending, with constant shell explosions punctuated only by regular calls for stretcher-bearers. Men were being bombed to pieces or buried alive. They met all their objectives but at a cost of 434 casualties. Mackay received the Distinguished Service Order.
Understrength and following a short period of rest and training, the 4th Battalion was sent back into battle near Mouquet Farm. Though the action was not as intense as at Pozières, battalion casualties still reached 307. Australian sacrifice had been supreme. In less than three weeks 23,000 men had been lost. With incoming reinforcements reduced to a trickle, Mackay feared it would take until the end of the year for the battalion to regain full strength. The Distinguished Service Order was awarded to Mackay on 3 December 1916 for distinguished and gallant services in the field for his efforts at Pozières and Mouquet Farm.
Mackay was detached as temporary brigadier to command 1st Australian Infantry Brigade five times between 19 January and 25 August 1917. According to his superiors Mackay's prompt action and extreme resolution at Bullecourt displayed leadership skills of a high order. For his service in this role he was Mentioned in Despatches for distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty in the Field.
Mackay's efficient, resolute leadership was noticed and rewarded. In March 1918 he was appointed commander of the 1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion. His gunners helped repulse the Germans east of Hazebrouck. By June Mackay was given command of the 1st Australian Infantry Brigade and promoted to temporary brigadier general. His brigade saw success at Chuignolles and Hargicourt, but a mutiny by 120 tired and disillusioned men of the 1st Battalion on 21 September was a shock to him. The remainder of the battalion went successfully into action, and most of the mutineers were later court-martialled. This was to be Mackay's last involvement in combat for the war. In October he was awarded the French Croix de Guerre, and the CMG in the New Year.
Just prior to Christmas 1918, in response to an offer by the Australian Government for non-military employment, Mackay applied to study physics at Cambridge University. He settled with his wife Marjorie in a cottage close to Cambridge and it was there that his daughter Jean was born in July 1919. His non-military employment at an end, Mackay, his wife and daughter sailed for Australia on 3 January arriving back in Sydney on 19 February 1920. His AIF appointment was terminated on 4 April 1920, however, he continued to serve as a citizen soldier and was given command of 9th Brigade in July 1920.
Mackay settled back into his teaching position at Sydney University with relative ease, however, he was overlooked for promotion and applied for positions elsewhere. In 1933, he commenced new employment as a headmaster, leaving in February 1940.
In March 1940, Mackay was appointed to the position of General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6th Australian Division AIF. A year later in March 1941, after 6th Division's victories in the Libyan Desert, notably the battle of Tobruk, Mackay was knighted. In August he returned to Australia to take up his new appointment as General Officer Commanding Home Forces.
Mackay's role as GOC Home Forces included him advising the war cabinet. He was given command of the Second Army in early 1942, and commanded the New Guinea Force until early 1944. Between 1944 and 1948 he served as Australia's first High Commissioner to India. He retired from the army in 1946. He retained his interest and involvement in military decision-making and was active in ex-servicemen's organisations. Mackay died at his home in Sydney on 30 September 1966, aged 84 years, survived by his wife, son and two daughters.
Austin, R., 2007, The Fighting Fourth: A History of Sydney's 4th Battalion, 1914-1919, Slouch Hat Publications, McCrae
Australian War Memorial, Embarkation, Honour and Nominal Rolls, http://www.awm.gov.au/
Bean, C E W, 1936, Official History of Australia in the War of 1914 -18 Vol. I, 5th Edition, Angus and Robertson, Sydney
Chapman, I. D., 1975, Ivan G. Mackay Citizen and Soldier, Melway Publishing, Melbourne
National Archives of Australia: Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office; B883, NX363, Iven Giffard Mackay's First Australian Imperial Force personnel dossier, 1914-1948; MACKAY I G, 1914-1948
Plowman, P. 2013, Voyage to Gallipoli, Rosenberg Publishing, Dural
Ritchie, J. (Ed.), 2000, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 15, 1940-1980, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne
What a wonderful story and journey you experienced over your lifetime. Thank you for tenacity and courage!
A true soldier who served his country. Lest we forget.
Your courage that you showed through the war was amazing. Dying in battle and never returning home to your family is a sign of a true hero.
Rosalie Carmichael
You have been remembered.
Thank you for your sacrifice.
I like your hat and what tools did you have in the war?
Australia really appreciates you fighting for this wonderful country.
What an amazing man you were. So brave and you rose to the highest rank in the 2nd war.
Thank you for going to war for our country. It's amazing what you did during your life.
Thank you for going to war for our country.
Well done, old mate.
I found your story very interesting and you have now shown me by your journey through the war. Thank you R.I.P
Thank you for protecting us.
Wonderful story. It is amazing what teachers can achieve.
SIR Mackay, it is good to hear you came back.
GOD BLESS YOU for your courage. We thank you for your service. A war that so many lives were lost. RIP.
Good job in the war.
To you sir I salute you. Thank you for being a protector of the country I live in today. Blessings to your family.
You are interesting.
I liked your story.
RIP. Thanks.
devn ingham
Thanks for risking your life for our country. RIP Mackay.
Thank you for risking your life for our country.
holly berlandier
You are a VERY brave man to survive. I am so proud of you. You're so lucky. IT'S AMAZING THAT YOU LIVED TO 84 (I was lucky to get your card). Your card = Success!
You are a very intelligent person.
I am so happy that you survived. You are so brave.
Nicolas TV
Thanks for serving us in the war and thanks for your bravery!!! LEST WE FORGET!!!
Thanks for contributing to the war and representing us well! You chose good to go to war! I'm proud of you Ivan!!!
It has been a great experience learning about you.
Thank you for protecting Australia.
natalie and meg...
Very interesting and inspiring excursion through history. Thank you.
Your bravery will never be forgotten. Lest we forget.
Thank you for serving our country. We will never forget your doings. We salute as a country. Thank you.
Thank you for your service and your help in Gallipoli.
Thanks heaps for your service.
From England, we salute you.
Hi, you were a great fighter.
Thank you for serving our country.
You sound an amazing person and a good leader and major to everyone with you and around you. Anyone would be very lucky to meet you or have met you.
You did us all proud.
Thank you for what you have done. I read how you got hurt but kept on fighting. You have saved us. Thank you, you are amazing.
Bridget Wilson
Dear Iven Mackay and family. Thank you for sharing your story. Thank you for your brave contribution during the war.
Thank you. Lest we forget.
Thank you for your bravery.
From all of us celebrating 100 years [2014] we thank you for your courage and the courage of your brothers, enabling us to live our lives free today.
You did us proud.


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So, you think you'd like to participate in discussions on the MinGW-Dvlpr mailing list? This presumably implies that you have an interest in MinGW development issues, and would be interested in joining the MinGW Development Team.
In fact, MinGW-Dvlpr is a private mailing list, exclusively for the use of MinGW Project Administrators and members of the MinGW Development Team, and specifically as a forum where they can discuss project development issues. Subscription is strictly restricted to the project administrators, and to bona-fide Mingw Developers. If you are interested in actively participating in MinGW development, then please read on; if, on the other hand, you are mostly interested in just learning the Developers' perspective on some MinGW or MSYS related topic, then please subscribe to the MinGW-Users List or the MinGW-MSYS List, and ask your questions there.
So, still interested in joining? Please do not attempt to subscribe to the MinGW-Dvlpr list directly; your subscription request will surely be refused! Instead, you should apply by email, to firstname.lastname@example.com. You will need to have a SourceForge user account, for which you must state your user name, give a brief resume of your experience,and explain how you would like to contribute to MinGW development; the Project Administrator will then automatically subscribe you to the MinGW-Dvlpr list, on your successful enrolment as a MinGW Developer.
Please note that once you have joined as a developer you are expected to remain subscribed to the developer mailing list, (which should not present you with any problem, because it is very low volume). If you still wish to use an alternate method to access developer email (e.g. Gmane) then please let us know.
Do note that you may contribute to MinGW development, simply by submitting patches; you do not need to be formally enrolled as a MinGW Developer to do this. However, if you adopt this approach, and feel that you would like to be recognised as involved with the development on a more formal basis, then by all means please ask to be considered for enrolment.
- Your MinGW Community Project Administrators


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Laptop computers have been steadily gaining in popularity in recent years, and are expected to account for a majority of PC sales in a few years, overtaking desktops.
But, just as the laptop is nipping at the heels of the desktop computer, another smaller, more mobile computing product is nipping at the heels of the laptop. It's the hand-held digital device, including top-of-the-line cellphones and portable media players, notably Apple's iPods.
The high-end cellphone is rapidly gaining functionality formerly reserved for the laptop. Phones like the Palm Treo, RIM BlackBerry and T-Mobile Sidekick have full keyboards, and are getting better and better at email, instant messaging, Web browsing, and even displaying and editing office documents. Other companies, like Motorola and Nokia, are racing to market with new entries in this category of do-it-all phones.
Apple's iPod is nowhere near as versatile as the cellphone, and is mainly an entertainment device. But it is hugely popular, and includes nonmusic functionality found in laptops, such as large-scale file storage, playback of videos, and display of contact and calendar information.
Increasingly, it's possible to leave a laptop home on some types of trips and rely on a combination of a high-end cellphone and an iPod, devices many people carry anyway for their core functions — making phone calls and listening to music. The added capabilities in these gadgets are, in effect, bonuses.
To test this theory, my wife, Edie, and I recently went on vacation to Ireland and Scotland without a laptop. I carried only a digital camera, a new video-capable iPod and a new, enhanced BlackBerry phone I was testing, the 8700c, which will soon be sold in the U.S. by Cingular.
Why I would even consider carrying a laptop, or anything to replace a laptop, on a vacation? I had a couple of business obligations to perform in the middle of the trip, and I needed Internet and email access for those. Also, I wanted some way to back up the photos from my digital camera, in case the camera was lost or stolen, or its memory card was accidentally erased. I needed to at least scan my email daily, so I wouldn't be faced with literally thousands of unread messages when I returned. And, I like to be able to use the Web when traveling, to look up information on the places and sights I encounter.
A laptop can easily handle all of these tasks, but it's a pain to schlep on a vacation and, sitting in your hotel room, it provides a major temptation for a tech addict like me to become screen-bound instead of enjoying the sights.
To my surprise, the no-laptop vacation worked really well. The experience convinced me that even some short, light-duty business trips could be conducted without a laptop.
The iPod was my solution to backing up my digital photos. Each night, after a long day of picture snapping, I connected my camera to the iPod using a $30 accessory called the iPod Camera Connector. The iPod quickly and easily sucked all my pictures into its large hard disk, without having to delete any music or videos. By the end, it held over 400 high-resolution photos of our trip, which it was able to display as a slide show.
The only downside to this process was that the iPod wasn't smart enough to remember which pictures it had already backed up, or to allow me to select only the new ones. So, each night, it backed up the entire contents of the camera's memory card, duplicating all the pictures it had already copied. But it worked.
I relied even more on the BlackBerry. The new 8700c model, which will cost $300, is the best BlackBerry yet. It is lighter and smaller than prior full-size models, and has a dazzling color screen.
Because my test BlackBerry used the same cellphone technology employed in Europe, it worked great in Ireland and Scotland for both phone calls and data. Before leaving for Europe, I set up my trusty Treo, which is a U.S.-only model, to forward my calls to the BlackBerry, and set up my email service at home to forward emails to the BlackBerry.
Stealing moments while waiting in lines, or riding in cabs, or sitting in the hotel room, I was easily able to use the BlackBerry to scan a deluge of email. I couldn't have done this as conveniently, or with as little interruption in sightseeing, if I'd used a laptop, or relied on visits to Internet cafes or hotel business centers.
To my surprise, the Web browser on the new BlackBerry was very good and fairly fast. I was able to follow the news from home, and look up details of Irish and Scottish history and culture using the small gadget.
The only drawback to the BlackBerry was that I had to constantly monitor the email capacity of Cingular's BlackBerry Internet Service, which governs how much email the hand-held can receive. It has a paltry limit of 25 megabytes, in an era when Google and others offer two gigabytes of capacity.
Still, my hand-held experiment turned out well. I was happy to see my beloved laptop when I got home. But I didn't miss it on the road.
- Email me at email@example.com


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If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
And if they were all one member, where were the body?" (1 Cor 12: 14-19)
In a lesson on unity yesterday in elders' quorum, we talked about this passage. The high council member who was teaching used it to make a good point: being unified does not mean we need to be the same. Different people contribute to the work of God in different ways. And we should respect that.
I completely agree with him, but I'm not sure our discussion did justice to just how difficult it is to respect a different member of the body of Christ. Our whole ideas about discipleship are so shaped by our own talents and roles it's difficult sometimes to realize that other people's very different attitudes and behaviors might also have an equal place in the kingdom.
Let's talk first about a foot. What role does a foot play in the body? It helps it move from one place to another. What makes a foot good at its role? It should be reliable, strong, and consistent. It should take direction well. A good foot makes subtle modifications to maintain balance, but largely stays the course once in motion.
Let's talk next about an ear. What role does an ear play in the body? It helps gather and process certain types of information from the outside world so the body can remain oriented within its surroundings. What makes an ear good at its role? It should be open and attentive to many different sources. It should be able to pass on what it gathers. A good ear should be patient and non-judgmental.
Odds are, good feet and good ears drive each other crazy.
From the perspective and values of a foot in the body of Christ, an ear must seem so lazy and distracted. "Why can't you be more focused?" the foot might say, "Why can't you just do what you're told like a good Latter-day Saint?"
But the foot seems just as crazy to the ear. "Can't you sit still even for a moment?" the ear might say. "Can't you be more flexible--even the hand is flexible!"
And so it is that the ear offends the foot and the foot offends the ear. And perhaps, through their mutual offense, both foot and ear become disaffected with the body as a whole.
"The body of Christ is basically a cult," the ear might say. "Just a bunch of feet obsessed with obedience."
"I don't see much point in going to church," the foot might say, "all they do is talk and talk--what's the point?"
We can be unified across our differences. But in order to do so, we need to work hard to appreciate people on their own terms. We need to understand that some of their most frustrating behaviors may be closely intertwined with their greatest strengths. And we need to stop expecting others to speak the language of values we know best, or taking offense when their advice reflects their perspective rather than ours.
I like to think about things a lot, but I owe a lot to people who act more quickly than I do. I enjoy nuance, but I owe a lot to people who can bring out a little more of the black and white in some of my favorite shades of grey.
May God bless me to stay grounded in my gratitude for such people. May God bless the earth through the gifts he gave them and not me. And may God give them the grace to let me do work their virtues cannot qualify them for, to reach people they might never reach.


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Nearly 200-year-old grave dug up in Beaver County
Woman makes discovery while walking dog through woods
Alma Hogle was walking her dog through the woods in Big Beaver, near a former burial ground, when she discovered that someone had dug up one of the graves.
"Everything is gone, there are no bones, everything has been taken," said Hogle.
The grave was marked as that of Mary Chapman, who died nearly 200 years ago at the age of 18. (Photos: Grave dug up in Beaver County)
"Who steals a body from 1838?" asked Hogle.
Hogle called Pennsylvania State Police, and investigators confirm that they are looking into the discovery.
The hole beneath the headstone is approximately six feet deep.
"In a best-case scenario, they were trying to get a gold tooth or something like that. What is the worst case scenario? It's creepy," said Hogle's son, Dylan Emminger.
Hogle said she wants to know who desecrated the grave and why.
"Because this is out in the woods. It's just forgotten by time, doesn't mean that it's any less important or valuable, and these people, it was their final resting place, like anybody else's," said Hogle.


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I just had to share a quick little April Fool trick I'm going to play on my kids today. This may look like a nice little glass of punch, but really, it's Jello. (mwahahah.) I found it at Tipjunkie. (Yay for creative people on the internet!) Can't wait to get the kids' reaction. Because I know it's going to be good. How do I know? Because I never remember to plan anything good for April Fools day. So they'll never suspect anything.
My poor kids – sometimes I feel bad that they have such a boring mom. At least I'm not the only one around here who forgets important things. Like the Toothfairy. She is a total space cadet. And those stupid Leprechauns who forgot to buy Lucky Charms for St. Patrick's day. Loosers. At least Santa seems to have his act together.
In other news (that is not an April Fools Joke) the kits for the pinwheel quilt are finally available at American Quilting as are a few others you can see at the American Quilting blog. Call 801-802-7841 to order any of them.


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Written by our staff, this blog gives you a real glimpse into the daily work and achievements of those who make the BGS a world-leading geoscience centre.
News and success stories from the National Geological Repository of the British Geological Survey.
Displaying some of the most interesting items collected by the Survey over the past 180 years.
Updates about this collaborative project from Dr Mike Howe
A review the previous month's groundwater levels using data gathered from a network of observation boreholes around the UK; indicating the likelihood of drought and flooding.
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Afghan Muhammed Rahim, a former translator for Osama Bin Laden, spent a long time in a CIA secret prison before being moved to Guantanamo Bay in 2008. Which is to say, he hasn't had a lot of time to check in with NBA League Pass. But even Rahim couldn't let "The Decision" pass by without a comment.
From a stack of undated letters to his (Akron-based) lawyer, which were declassified this week:
"Dear Mr. Warner! Lebron James is very bad man. He should apologise to the city of Cleveland."
According to the lawyer, the agita stems from Rahim's "tribal values" of loyalty and honor, and also the multicultural taboo of trotting out the poor kids to make your own self-aggrandizing ESPN special look less sleazy.


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Wylie Dufresne's Alder: Better Bar Food Through Science
157 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10003 (b/n 9th and 10th; map); 212-539-1900; aldernyc.com
Service: Professional, casually smart, unobstrusive
Setting: Clean and modern but warm; sound level relatively civil
Must-Haves: Pub cheese, fried cauliflower, chicken liver toast
Cost: Small plates $9 to $24, cocktails $12 to $13 (select half-pours $6); expect to pay around $30 to $40 for food
Compare To: Pearl & Ash, The Pines
Hours: 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Recommendation: Highly recommended; excellent cocktails and everything you want in a small plates restaurant
For 10 years at wd~50, chef Wylie Dufresne has proven that you don't need to be brand new at the game to be on the cutting edge. The restaurant has doubled as a lab for modernist technique, from meat glues to wobbly gels, in an artistic-meets-scientific endeavor to show how far we can take our food—and how fun the journey can be. You lose count of the chefs that owe their insights and chops to working in his kitchen.
His new venture Alder—his first since wd~50—is a subtler place, casual in its setting and more reined in. Dufresne is a master of the baroque—you don't make noodles out of seafood without dreaming big—but he also knows restraint. He has stayed with wd~50 for a decade, an eternity in today's New York restaurant years, avoiding television fame or branded pasta sauces so he can keep to his work. This new restaurant (with executive chef Jon Bignelli) and bar (director Kevin Denton) takes the best of that studied creativity and deploys it with great care.
Ambitious but unfulfilling small plates restaurants are a dime a dozen these days, so leave it to Dufresne to school them on how it's done. Because Alder may be the very definition of a great small plates restaurant. It's fun here. You can drink well. The food is exciting even when it's not perfect. And you can eat to feel nourished, not just entertained. People have been calling Alder a "pub," which is wrong both for pubs and for Alder, but the restaurant makes a strong case for better living, and drinking, through chemistry.
It starts with cocktails, most of which are $12, though some are available in half-pours for $6. Small plates? Meet small drinks. Given how easy-to-drink they are, it's a smart move that lets you sample the bar's talents a little at a time, at your own pace. My favorite is Dr. Dave's Scrip Pad, an Old Overholt rye and Ramazzotti amaro drink that doesn't taste like every other bitter brown whiskey thing; there's smoked maple syrup and yuzu juice for a super-smooth, multi-dimensional sipper that revives your faith in sweet drinks and their role at the dinner table. The Hey Rube comes in at a close second, a lightly fizzy mix of Ford's gin and Pimm's with rhubarb and cucumber: a Pimm's cup refined down to the essentials, a little tart, a little sweet, more thoughtful than you'd think on first sip. This is how Alder gets you. The Bikini Season, grassy Avua cachaça mixed with makrud lime and Velvet Falernum, is less inventive but superbly balanced, and the thought of having it around this summer is enough to make Alder my new favorite East Village bar.
The 17-item menu ranges in price from $9 to $24, starting with Dufresne'd bar snacks and ending with something analogous to entrées. It's hard not to stare agog, if only for a moment, at the Pub Cheese ($9), a purple blob of cheddar, cream cheese, shallots, red wine, and carageenan blended until Velveeta-smooth, smeared on a black slate with crumbles of sweet pistachio brittle. Not just for the weirdness of the thing, but for its generous portion—the spread with its compressed Martin's potato roll "chips" is the kind of bar snack you wish never ends, and it doesn't.
More finite are the Pigs in a Blanket, six little bites for $12,* a cute and effective Chinese takeout mashup of fatty-sweet Chinese sausage wrapped in compressed hot dog buns (the pasta machine doubles as Bread Compressor at Alder), then deep fried and served with sinus-clearing mustard (like the packets, but better) and duck sauce-esque chili jam. These are bar snacks I can get behind. A lineup of four Caesar Nigiri ($16), where romaine hearts and egg yolk replace rice and wasabi, doesn't wow as much, but that's okay, there's still more pub cheese to eat.
* Alder's menu actually tells you how many pieces of composed bites come to an order. Hooray!
You can treat Alder like a cocktail bar with great food and have a lovely time. Or you can make a reservation and commit to a DIY tasting menu, sampling bites here and there until you've had your fill and then some. In a way, these are the easy things for a small plates restaurant to do well: a couple good little bites or a blowout meal of one big ticket. But I like that you can also visit Alder for a regular dinner, order a few dishes, and get enough to eat without breaking the bank. Look to the middle of Alder's menu and you'll find surprising value items.
For one, take the Fried Cauliflower ($15), a whole head of cauliflower deep fried naked until it's browned all over and just-tender within, and portioned like the vegetable equivalent of prime rib. It comes on a purée of preserved lemon, almonds, and lemon oil and gets toppings of melty lardo and crunchy cacao nibs. Here we have a cauliflower dish that tastes unapologetically of cauliflower, tender and sweet, enriched but not overpowered by its creamy, nutty, and crunchy accompaniments. A slight quibble for the kitchen: remove the lardo, which is mostly unnecessary, and throw vegetarians a tasty, tasty bone.
Alder has two liver dishes on its menu: one with foie, creamy and refined, the other with chopped chicken liver ($17), something my grandmother might love after a couple bourbons. It's all about texture: soft nubs of chicken liver piled on a crisp slip of cornbread toast, surrounded by equally nubby grapefruit-shallot marmalade. Oh, and chicken skin as good as the best chicharrones, because chopped liver ain't chopped liver here, and the kitchen knows there's more to the organ than just pâté.
Towards the bottom of the menu you'll find light entrée portions of Rye Pasta ($18) and Fish & Chips ($18). Skip them and save room for dessert. That pasta really does taste like rye, distressingly like rye, more rye than rye bread—and nothing else to balance it, a noble attempt that doesn't deliver beyond its concept. And though the sweet pea tartar sauce accompanying the fish and chips is an all-star sandwich spread, it can't rescue limply fried, underseasoned fish.
So maybe the small plates fundamentalists are on to something, and larger entrées don't deliver the same punch as their appetizer-sized cohorts. But you should keep the dessert to yourself, at least the Root Beer Pudding ($8), an airy custard complete with foamy head that gets its sasparilla soul from root beer candy. After seven courses and five drinks between a table for two, it couldn't go down fast enough.
That's what makes Alder so compelling to me. So many restaurants fail where it succeeds: in keeping you engaged, taking active pleasure in your meal, from start to finish, no matter how long. Professional and friendly service helps, as does an understated dining room that's modern but warm. They show that Alder's about more than the food on your plate and the drink in your hand; it's about the sheer pleasure of being there, and the nagging need to return for more.
More dishes and drinks in the slideshow »
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