text: How to use an Xbox One controller on your Windows PC June 9, '14 Comments [18] Posted in Gaming Sponsored By The Xbox One controller is fantastic. Even if you don't have an Xbox One, the controller now works on a Windows PC with a standard micro-USB cable. Any Steam and Windows game that supports standard XInput works great. I've played Tomb Raider and Bioshock Infinite and both worked wonderfully. Everything works smoothly and even vibration feedback is supported. I've previously used the Xbox 360 Controller's "Wireless Receiver Adapter" for Windows to pair XBox 360 controllers. It also works great, but I frankly prefer a plug-in and remove model, rather than having another adapter. Soon the drivers for the Xbox One controller will be available on Windows Update. That means you'll be able to just plugin the Xbox One controller into any PC and the drivers will just download. Until then, you'll want to install one these drivers depending on your machine: PC Drivers for Xbox One Controller (x86) PC Drivers for Xbox One Controller (x64) Once these drivers are installed, plugin the Xbox One Controller to any USB port. There's a micro-USB port on the top of the Xbox One so you can use a regular USB cable. I used the one from my Kindle because it's very long. The controller shows up as a Gamepad in Windows and works with any game that supports a standard joystick. Here's a screenshot from my PC: Here's an animated gif of me moving the controller and seeing the result in the Properties Dialog. You can see it's got all 10 buttons, 3 axes and the POV hat. If you've got a Xbox One controller, you should grab a micro-USB cable and get this set up today. If you're considering a new PC controller, I recommend this controller even if you don't have an Xbox One. Related Links Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver Xbox 360 Controller Wireless Receiver Adapter for Windows Sponsor: A big welcome to my friends at Octopus Deploy. They are sponsoring the blog feed this week. Using NuGet and powerful conventions, Octopus Deploy makes it easy to automate releases of ASP.NET applications and Windows Services. Say goodbye to remote desktop and start automating today! About Scott Scott Hanselman is a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee. He is a failed stand-up comic, a cornrower, and a book author. About Newsletter Sponsored By Hosting By Comments [18] Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or use the Permalink


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Boosted Atazanavir and Truvada Given Once-Daily - BATON Study
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00224445
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : September 23, 2005
Last Update Posted : January 10, 2013
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|HIV Infections
|Drug: Truvada Drug: Atazanavir Drug: Ritonavir
|Phase 4
To determine the safety and efficacy (viral load suppression and cluster of differentiation 4 [CD4] changes) of a simple, once-daily (QD) antiretroviral (ARV) regimen consisting of a fixed-dose combination tablet containing Truvada combined with the protease inhibitor atazanavir (ATV) boosted with ritonavir (ATV/r).
To evaluate fasting glucose, insulin, C peptide and lipid panel (total cholesterol, high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL, LDL), and serum triglycerides) in subjects receiving Truvada and boosted atazanavir.
To evaluate adherence to a QD ARV regimen of Truvada and boosted atazanavir.
To evaluate steady-state plasma pharmacokinetics (PK) of Truvada and atazanavir in study subjects receiving Truvada and boosted atazanavir.
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|100 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Single Group Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Boosted Atazanavir and Truvada Given Once-Daily (BATON Study): A Phase 4 Study of Safety, Efficacy & Adherence in HIV Infected, Antiretroviral Naïve Subjects Treated With a Simple Once-Daily Regimen
|Study Start Date :
|September 2005
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|January 2007
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|January 2007
Experimental: Truvada + Ritonavir-boosted Atazanavir
All participants received Truvada plus ritonavir-boosted atazanavir
Drug: Truvada
Truvada (emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg tablet) administered orally once daily (QD)
Drug: Atazanavir
Atazanavir 300 mg (given as two 150-mg capsules) administered orally QD
Drug: Ritonavir
Ritonavir 100 mg capsule administered orally QD
- Determine the safety/efficacy (viral load suppression and CD4 changes) of a once-daily (QD) antiretroviral (ARV) regimen consisting of a fixed-dose combination tablet containing Truvada. [ Time Frame: Baseline to Week 48 ]
- To evaluate fasting glucose, insulin, C peptide and lipid panel (total cholesterol, high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL, LDL), and serum triglycerides) in subjects receiving Truvada and boosted atazanavir. [ Time Frame: Baseline to Week 48 ]
- To evaluate adherence to a QD ARV regimen of Truvada and boosted atazanavir. [ Time Frame: Baseline to Week 48 ]
- To evaluate steady-state plasma PK of Truvada & atazanavir in study subjects receiving Truvada and boosted atazanavir. [ Time Frame: Baseline to Week 48 ]
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adult (greater than or equal to 18 years) male or non-pregnant female HIV 1- infected subjects regardless of race or ethnicity.
- Antiretroviral treatment-naïve.
- Plasma HIV 1 RNA greater than 1000 copies/mL (Roche Amplicor HIV 1 Monitor Test Version 1.5 Ultrasensitive method, with a reflex to Standard for results greater than 75,000 and dilution for results greater than 750,000). There are no CD4 criteria for study inclusion.
- Adequate renal function defined as a calculated creatinine clearance (CLCr) greater than or equal to 50 mL/min according to the Cockcroft-Gault formula:
- Male: (140 - age in years) x (wt in kg) divided by 72 x (serum creatinine in mg/dL) = CLCr (mL/min.
- Female: (140 - age in years) x (wt in kg) divided by 72 x (serum creatinine in mg/dL) x 0.85 = CLCr (mL/min).
- Negative serum pregnancy test (females of childbearing potential only).
- Males and females (of childbearing potential, i.e. less than 2 years post-menopausal) must agree to avoid pregnancy by sexual abstinence, or utilization of a highly effective method of birth control throughout the study period and for 30 days following discontinuation of study drug.
- Life expectancy greater than or equal to 1 year.
- Subjects should be available for follow up for a period of at least 48 weeks.
- The ability to understand and sign a written informed consent form, which must be obtained prior to initiation of any study procedures.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Prior antiretroviral treatment.
- Screening ALT greater than 5 x the upper limit of the normal range (ULN).
- Proven or suspected acute hepatitis in the 30 days prior to study entry. Subjects with chronic hepatitis are eligible provided that their liver transaminases (ALT) are less than 5 x ULN.
- A new AIDS defining condition diagnosed (with the exception of CD4 criteria) within 30 days of baseline.
- Previous therapy with agents with systemic myelosuppressive, pancreatoxic, hepatotoxic or cytotoxic potential within 3 months of study start or the expected need for such therapy at the time of enrollment.
- Presence of cardiomyopathy.
- Heart rate less than 40 bpm.
- Clinical symptoms potentially related to heart block (syncope, palpitations, unexplained dizziness)
- Known conduction disease.
- Third degree heart block.
- Clinically significant laboratory values that would preclude prescribing antiretroviral therapy, in the opinion of the investigator.
Receiving ongoing therapy with any of the following (administration of any of the following medications must be discontinued at least 30 days prior to the Baseline visit and for the duration of the study period):
- Nephrotoxic agents (aminoglycoside antibiotics, amphotericin B, cidofovir, cisplatin, foscarnet, IV pentamidine, other agents with significant nephrotoxic potential):
- Adefovir dipivoxil
- Probenecid
- Systemic chemotherapeutic agents (i.e., cancer treatment medications)
- Systemic corticosteroids
- Interleukin 2 (IL 2)
- Investigational agents (except upon approval by Gilead).
Drugs that are contraindicated with atazanavir and/or ritonavir including:
- midazolam
- triazolam
- ergot alkaloids
- pimozide
- proton-pump inhibitors
- H2 blockers
- lovastatin
- simvastatin
- diltiazem
- amiodarone
- bepridil
- flecainide
- propafenone
- quinidine
- St. John's Wort
- rifampin
- irinotecan
- Pregnant or lactating subjects.
- Evidence of a gastrointestinal malabsorption syndrome or chronic nausea or vomiting which may confer an inability to receive an orally administered medication.
- Current alcohol or substance abuse judged by the investigator to potentially interfere with subject adherence.
- Malignancy other than cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) or basal cell carcinoma. Subjects with biopsy-confirmed cutaneous KS are eligible, but must not have received any systemic therapy for KS within 30 days of baseline and are not anticipated to require systemic therapy during the study.
- Active, serious infections (other than HIV 1 infection) requiring parenteral antimicrobial therapy within 15 days prior to screening.
- Prior history of significant renal or bone disease.
- Any other clinical condition or prior therapy that, in the opinion of the investigator, would make the subject unsuitable for the study or unable to comply with the dosing requirements.
- Current imprisonment or involuntary incarceration in a medical facility for psychiatric or physical (e.g., infectious disease) illness.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00224445
|United States, California
|Gilead Sciences, Inc.
|Foster City, California, United States, 94403
|Study Director:
|John Flaherty
|Gilead Sciences
|Responsible Party:
|Gilead Sciences
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|September 23, 2005 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|January 10, 2013
|Last Verified:
|January 2013
Treatment Naive
HIV Infections
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
Atazanavir Sulfate
Emtricitabine, Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Drug Combination
HIV Protease Inhibitors
Protease Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Anti-HIV Agents
Anti-Retroviral Agents
Antiviral Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A Inhibitors
Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors
Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors

subset: commoncrawl


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This question is primarily directed at Jeff. I own two CARY CAD-805AE mono tube amplifiers. CARY recommends upgrading the three coupling capacitors in each amp to Mundorf MCap SUPREME EVO SilverGold .22uf 2% 1000VDC. These caps are the newer "Mcap SUPREME EVO" caps from 2015. My main question is if there is some specific reason Sonic Craft does not carry these newer Mundorf caps? I see Sonic Craft does carries the Mcap EVO's and the older Supreme's but not the newer Mcap Supreme Evo's. Also, if you believe there may be a better option that you do carry I would be interested in your input. The existing coupling caps that came standard in the amps are ClarityCaps mfd ESA .22uf 650vdc.
Yes, I do know P.C. sells the newer caps but I was trying to avoid posting a "competitors" name in this circle. I have always purchased Mundorfs only from Sonic Craft as I like their pricing and excellent service.
BTW, I have replaced several shorted Jensen caps in Cary 805s. My favorite cap in that amp is a Jupiter Copper.
Henry,.......Bottom line, what kind of improvements would you like to hear from this upgrade?.......
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Paul Niehaus was getting a Ph.D. in developmental economics when he decided to give a portion of his income to a charitable cause. The mission: to give as much of the money as possible directly to people living in poverty, no strings attached.
Paul Niehaus was pursuing a Ph.D. in developmental economics when he and his wife decided to give a portion of their income to a charitable cause. Based on his knowledge of economics, Niehaus was skeptical about the effectiveness of many kinds of international aid. "We wanted to do something that would really move the needle forward," he said. They wanted to give money directly to people living in extreme poverty; the only problem was that they couldn't find an organization that facilitated this kind of exchange. Undeterred, Niehaus started his own giving circle with some friends. Their mission: to give as much of the money as possible directly to people living in poverty. For several years they did this privately. In 2011 they decided to go public. They started a website, givedirectly.com, where anyone can donate money directly to families in the developing world without any conditions, like spending the money to attend school or get vaccinated. The public response has been impressive. Because of its rigorous research methods and commitment to outcomes, GiveDirectly has made several powerful allies in the world of development. It is currently ranked the second most efficient charity organization by Give Well, a nonprofit rankings group with a reputation for statistical rigor. Google also evaluated the group and came away so impressed that it gave the organization a $2.4 million grant to expand the project to other countries. Niehaus and his friends are optimistic these unconditional cash transfers, or UTC's, might end extreme poverty. But questions remain. UTC's are relatively new and, thus, untested on a large scale. No one really knows how recipients use their transfers, nor the net effect for families who receive the money. How it works GiveDirectly accepts online donations from the public through its website. Funds are transferred from donors to GiveDirectly's U.S. bank account. From there GiveDirectly transfers the money to its M-Pesa account, a popular mobile banking operation in Kenya, the only country where the program is currently operational. When GiveDirectly money arrives in its M-Pesa account, the organization transfers the money into the accounts of people it has pre-selected to participate in the UTC program. The recipients receive a text message notifying them that the transfer has been made. To collect their cash, recipients just show the message to M-Pesa vendors, who typically operate in local convenience stores. GiveDirectly recipients get $1,000 over a one- or two-year period. It's a mind-boggling amount of money for these people, who otherwise would be living on about 65 cents a day. That figure, 65 cents, is calculated as "purchasing power parity," according to Johannes Haushofer, a research associate at MIT's Poverty Action Lab. Explaining what purchasing power parity means, Haushofer said, "It's like you trying to live your life here in America on 65 cents a day, going to the grocery store, transportation, paying your rent." Audits of the charity show that 92 cents on every dollar donated goes directly to poor households. The remaining 8 percent covers bank transfer fees, M-Pesa tariffs and the cost of paying people on the ground in Kenya to identify participants. Niehuas and his co-founders have covered the $30,000 they have spent on administrative costs, including building a website and buying computers for their employees, out of their own pockets. In selecting potential participants, GiveDirectly targets households that have mud walls and thatched roofs. It is, according to their research, a fairly good indicator of acute poverty. Using the home as a selection criterion has a practical element, too, in that it provides GiveDirectly representatives with a straightforward way of explaining to the community why some people qualify and others do not. GiveDirectly believes using this transparent selection method minimizes tension or concern about the fairness of the selection process. It seems to be working. Only 7 percent of recipients say they have experienced an increase in tension from their neighbors because of the transfers. GiveDirectly's decision to start the program in Kenya was based on three factors. First, a large portion of the country's population lives below the poverty line. Second, the nation's mobile payment system, M-Pesa, is the most advanced in the developing world. Third, although the country is poor, cell phone penetration is high: About 75 percent of the population has a cell phone, according to a report from the Communications Commission of Kenya. Promising results While formal evaluations of GiveDirectly's program won't be available until later this month, preliminary results are encouraging. Through surveys and interviews, GiveDirectly has found that the most common uses for cash transfer payments are installing a tin roof, buying food, paying for education, starting or expanding a business, and saving. GiveDirectly has also noticed that men and women use money in different ways. Women are more likely to spend money on food and household items, while men are are more likely to invest in businesses. A common criticism of cash transfers is that the money will be used to purchase "temptation goods" like alcohol and tobacco, said Niehaus. GiveDirectly's preliminary findings show that spending on these items typically decreases or stays constant. GiveDirectly's results are consistent with the academic literature on the impact of unconditional cash transfers. Studies of UTC's in South Africa found large increases in children's height- and weight-to-age ratios as well as reductions in HIV infection rates. In Malawi, UTC's helped reduce pregnancies and teen marriage rates by 48 percent. Another study found that participants' annual income five years after a single UTC generally increased from 64 percent to 96 percent. What UTC's don't do is make people lazy, studies say. In fact, one study found that recipients tended to work longer hours as more earning opportunities became available to them with a little bit of investment. Why transfers need to be unconditional GiveDirectly's philosophy is that the poor need to be empowered to make their own decisions. "Unconditional cash transfers advance our core value of respect," Niehaus said. Giving money without conditions also maximizes its usefulness. Recipients get to choose what to do with their money instead of being given things they may not need or value. A final consideration is that unconditional cash transfers have lower administrative costs. "If you put conditions on the transfers, someone has to monitor the people to make sure they are complying, and that costs money," Niehaus said. While unconditional cash transfers are innovative, they remain extremely controversial. Niehaus suggests part of the reason for this has to do with American misconceptions about the cause of poverty in the developing world. "Most people's perceptions of poverty are shaped by what they see on the streets [in America]. Lots of these [street] people have mental health and substance abuse issues," he said, "so giving them money may not be the best way to help them." But people in Africa are poor "because they were born in Africa," he said. "They have a good idea of the things they want and need and just have a really hard time getting them." Niehaus and other GiveDirectly co-founders would like to see unconditional cash transfers used as the benchmark by on which donors measure all development aid. "We'd like to see nonprofits that focus on poverty alleviation prove that they can do more with a dollar than the poor can do for themselves," Niehaus said.%3Cimg%20src%3D%22http%3A//beacon.deseretconnect.com/beacon.gif%3Fcid%3D75097%26pid%3D46%22%20/%3E


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Home >> Kitchen >> Kitchen Sinks >> Vigo Kitchen Sinks
VIGO All-In-One 32" Fulton Stainless Steel Double Bowl Undermount Kitchen Sink Set with Weston Faucet, Two Grids, Two Strainers and Soap Dispenser
Todays Deal: $345.31
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Product Reviews
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The All in One 32'' Undermount Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink and Chrome Faucet Set by Vigo updates your kitchen without breaking the bank. This All in One set includes an undermount kitchen sink, kitchen faucet, soap dispenser, 2 matching bottom grids, and 2 sink strainers. The double bowl sink is manufactured with 18 gauge premium 304 Series stainless steel construction with commercial grade premium satin finish. This kitchen sink is fully undercoated and padded with a unique multi layer sound eliminating technology, which also prevents condensation. All VIGO kitchen sinks are warranted against rust. All VIGO kitchen sinks and faucets have a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
(W = side to side) (D = front to back) (H = top to bottom)
Sink: Exterior Measures: 31-3/4"W x 21'' D
Larger Bowl Interior Dimension: 21-1/2'' W x 19'' D
Smaller Bowl Interior Dimension: 7'' W x 14-1/4'' D
Bowl depth: 9'' (Larger Bowl) and 5'' (Smaller Bowl)
Faucet: Faucet Height: 15-1/8'', Spout Reach: 8-3/4''
Soap Dispenser: 2-1/4'' D x 10-3/8'' H, Spout Reach: 3-1/2''
Grid: VIG-VGG0714: 6-3/4'' W x 14'' D x 1'' H, VIG-VGG1915: 19-1/4'' W x 15-7/8'' D x 1'' H
Strainer: 4-1/2'' Diameter x 4'' H
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Search the IBM Products
IBM Resiliency Backup as a Service offers a robust range of onsite, offsite and hybrid cloud-based data protection solutions to support information resiliency.
IBM Resiliency Orchestration can help meet aggressive availability requirements, reducing risk and cost while improving business confidence.
IBM Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) provides continuous replication of critical IT data and infrastructure to the cloud for rapid recovery after outages.


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We spotlight some of the best and most recent restaurant openings.
U.S. & World
3241 M Street NW / Georgetown
Opened: May 24th
It's been 11 months after Mike Isabella opened Graffiato in Chinatown, and he's already opened up a new venue. With a Day of the Dead theme, Bandolero is a Mexican small plates restaurant with cemetery gates and animal skulls adorning the walls. Aside from the morbid decor, you'll find mahi mahi tacos, empanadas, taquitos, and guacamole. And, if none of the above has convinced you to visit, there are margaritas on tap. So, we'll see you there?
9712 Traville Gateway Dr / North Potomac
Opened: May 21st
Stranded in the suburbs and itching to find the big city vibe? At Quench in Rockville, their 40-deep cocktail menu will certainly help you forget your surroundings, as the team behind the cocktail bar have aimed to "recreate the urban experience in the suburbs." While drinks are their strong suit, they also have a small plates menu that includes wings, pine nut brittle (named Pig Nuts), and more.
Mission Chinese Food
154 Orchard Street / Nolita
Opened: May 21st
This West Coast import from Danny Bowien provides New Yorkers a Chinese restaurant that not only gives to the customer, but also gives 75 cents of every dollar to the Food Bank of New York City. Besides a concept that needs no additional MSG to taste good, the pricing of the menu proves to be just as easy to swallow, with most dishes going between four and thirteen dollars. But watch out, as the spot aims to have that "hole-in-the-wall" feel, seating may be hard to come by.
2123 Sawtelle Blvd
Opened: May 23rd
On a street peppered with a variety of ramen restaurants, Sawtelle operated Tatsu Ramen aims to define itself by its high-tech, iPad-driven ordering system. Using a series of iPads fixed to the wall, patrons can enjoy an expedited system of food ordering that takes that pesky human interaction out of the mix. Chose from either Naked or Tonkotsu Ramen, with add-ins like tofu, noodles, or chicken.
600 W 7th Street #150 / Downtown
Opened: May 10th
Picking up where Sushi Nozama left off, Kazunomi Nozama's sushi restaurant opened its fifth location a few weeks ago. After serving sushi for a quarter of a century with the mantra of "No cell phones, no children, and no sending back food. Trust your… chef," Nozawa hopes to continue his legacy of excellent sushi with his new endeavor.
Copyright LXTVN - LXTV


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Citing 'distraction,' UVA repeals sign ban
Heeding a variety of condemnations and a giant protest scheduled for this Saturday's home game against Maryland, UVA has suddenly repealed its notorious ban on signs at sporting events.
"The policy prohibiting signs, banners, and flags in all UVa athletics venues has become a distraction and has taken the focus away from supporting our student-athletes," said athletic director Craig Littlepage in a press release. "Our football team needs our support right now, and that should be our collective focus. With that in mind, I am repealing immediately the policy prohibiting signs, banners and flags in all athletics venues."
The ban was in place for only one home football game, the Cavaliers' win over the Richmond Spiders on September 6.
Littlepage didn't say exactly what led him to repeal the ban at this particular time, but further down in his statement might lie a clue.
"My hope is our fans will wear orange and be prepared to support the Cavaliers," he said.
This would appear to be a response to the mounting threat of a mass protest of UVA students chucking their "Power of Orange" t-shirts into collection bins outside of Scott Stadium in protest of the sign ban. Students organized last month to form "Tees Overseas" to collect the orange shirts and asked fans to instead wear blue to the Maryland game to voice their disagreement with the sign policy.
Additionally, the decision seems to have been Littlepage's alone if the comments of his boss are any indicator. Following his remarks at the ribbon-cutting of the new Kellogg House dormitory, UVA president John Casteen told the Hook of the ban, "I don't do signs." Asked whether he could do something about the sign ban if he wanted to do so, Casteen said, "You could make the same argument about trash cans in academic buildings. That's the buildings department's job. This is a sportsmanship issue, that's the job of the athletic department."
Littlepage's announcement comes at a time when the Cavalier football team could use a lift in its spirits. The team has a record of 1-3, with their only win coming against the Division I-AA Spiders. Just last week they lost on the road to Duke by a score of 31-3, giving the Blue Devils their first ACC win in four years.
5 comments
I was hoping they would repeal Groh. I find him distracting.
Boy, they are wishy-washy at UVA!
Can't make up their minds!
My sign will be "Why won't Groh f#ck*ng Go?" And of course my other, "Go Team!"
Mssrs. Littlepage and Groh must both be fired. Neither one understands what a mockery we have become in both basketball and football. We can't recruit. We can't coach. Our players are arrested. Both programs have headed so far in the wrong direction that the Athletic Director feared criticism and banned signs at the game. They are incompetent buffoons, not worthy of the obscene salaries they "earn."
I think we all should wear blue anyway.


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"root privileges" Related Articles
How to add a user to the sudoers list
How to add a user to the sudoers list? Beleive it or not, this is a fairly common question and in all reality the answer is quite simple. Adding a user to the sudoers list on a fully installed Linux system such as Debian is only possible via the command visudo. Users in the sudoers list are allowed the privileges to run commands and open files as the root user. In the following quick tutorial, we will show you how adding a new sudoer is quickly done.


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Pain Increases Fall Risk in Elderly
By Pamela Katz Ressler, RN, BSN, HN-BC, MS-PREP student and PREP-AIRED blog moderator
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths among older adults (2005). Falls are also the most common cause of non-fatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma in elderly individuals. A new study suggests that persistent or chronic pain may be a risk factor for falls in the elderly. "No matter how it was assessed, seniors with chronic pain had a 1.5-fold increased risk of falling," Suzanne G. Leveille, PhD, RN, of the University of Massachusetts in Boston, and colleagues reported in the November 25, 2009 Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers conducted the longitudinal study of 749 older adults, ages 70 +, from 2005-2008. Study findings suggested that patients who had chronic pain had higher rates of falls during follow-up than those who were pain-free (P<0.05).
In adjusted models, each measure of chronic pain was independently associated with the increased occurrence of falls. Compared with those without pain or those in the lowest tertiles of pain scores, the greatest risk for falls was observed in those who:
•Had two or more pain sites (RR 1.53, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.99)
•Were in the highest tertiles of pain severity (RR 1.53, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.08)
•Had interference with activities (RR 1.53, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.05)
Dr. Leveille suggested that paying closer attention to assessment of pain in older adults could decrease the risk of falls, contribute to better health outcomes, and help people to continue living actively and independently in the community."
2 comments December 1st, 2009


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For the U.S. Men's 2010 World Championships Media Guide, click here.
Unofficial DataVolley Statistics * Official Statistics
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 9, 2010) – The U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team will end the 2010 FIVB World Championship in sixth place after falling to Russia, 25-19, 25-21, 25-19 on Saturday before an enthusiastic crowd of 4,700 in Modena, Italy.
It is the best World Championship finish for the U.S. Men (6-3 overall) since they finished third in 1994. Russia finishes the World Championship in fifth place with a 7-2 record.
Outside hitter Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) paced the U.S. Men with 13 points on 13 kills (0.42 hitting percentage). Opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) added nine points on seven kills (0.42 hitting percentage) and two blocks. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) contributed seven points on five kills (0.63 hitting percentage) and two blocks.
Russian opposite Maxim Mikhaylov led all scorers with 20 points on 17 kills and three blocks. Outside hitter Taras Khtey added 13 points on 11 kills, one block and one ace.
The U.S. struggled to block the tall Russian team. Russia finished with 45 kills and 11 errors on 82 attempts f or a hitting percentage of 0.41. The U.S. Men finished with 29 kills and 16 faults on 75 attempts for a hitting percentage of 0.17. Russia out-blocked the U.S. Men 12-6 and had two aces while Team USA had none.
"During the tournament we got the answers to many things we wanted to know," U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said in an FIVB press release. "Stanley and Rooney had a lot of pressure carrying the offensive load and it finally caught up with them. Tonight the Russian serve was very good and we couldn't attack well."
Russia finished with 24 digs and four errors while Team USA had 15 digs and eight errors. The U.S. Men finished with 36 excellent receptions two errors while Italy had 29 excellent receptions and no errors.
Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) scored three points on two kills and one block. Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) scored one point on a kill. Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) scored one point on a block and middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored one point on a kill.
Priddy led the team in digs with five and no faults on seven attempts. Libero Rich Lambourne added three digs and two faults on six attempts. Stanley had three digs and two faults on five attempts.
Lambourne led the team in excellent receptions with 14 and one fault on 19 attempts. Rooney had 13 receptions and no faults on 19 attempts.
Starting setter Jonathan Winder (Irvine, Calif.) was credited with nine running sets and one fault on 40 attempts. Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.), who took over for Winder toward the end of the second set and finished the match, was credited with eight running sets and no faults on 22 attempts.
Knipe started Rooney and Priddy at outside hitter, Holmes and Lee at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Winder at setter and Lambourne at libero. Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) substituted for Priddy in the second set and started the third. Hansen substituted for Winder in the second set and started the third. Anderson substituted for Lotman in the third set. Holt substituted for Holmes in the second set and started the third.
In the first set, the U.S. Men took a 7-5 lead, but Russia came back with four straight points to lead 9-7.The teams traded points until Russia led 10-8. Team USA put together a 4-0 run on a kill by Lee, block by Holmes and two straight kills from Rooney to lead 12-10. Russia's Mikhaylov ended the run with a kill. With the teams tied 13-13, Berezhko used an ace to spark a 2-0 run and the U.S. never caught up. With Russia leading 18-16, it scored two straight points on a Mikhaylov kill and Dmitriy Muserskiy block to lead 20-16. With Russia leading 22-18, it scored with a Berezhko kill and block of Stanley to reach set point. Rooney scored a final U.S. point with a kill before Berezhko ended it with a tool of the U.S. block.
Riding the momentum, Russia jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the second set as the U.S. struggled to score. The first three U.S. points came on Russian serving errors. Russia led 8-4 at the first TTO, but the U.S. came back with a Lee kill and Russia net violation to pull to within two at 8-6. With Russia leading 9-7, it scored on kills by Mikhaylov and Muserskiy to increase the lead to 11-7. The U.S. came back with a Stanley block and Russian hitting error. Russia returned with a kill and an ace but the U.S. made it 13-10 on Lee's block before a serving error gave Russia the ball. A Rooney kill and Lee block made it 14-12. Russia still led by three, 16-13, at the second TTO. The U.S. came out of the break and scored on two straight Russian errors to pull to within one at 16-15. But Russia came back with three straight points, including a Mikhaylov kill and Muserskiy block, to lead 19-15. Team USA came back with two straight points on kills from Rooney and Holt to pull to within two at 19-17, but Russia called timeout and a Khtey attack ended the run. The teams traded points until Russia reached set point at 24-21 on a kill by Alexander Volkov and won the set with a Mikhaylov attack.
Russia again to an 8-4 lead at the first TTO of the third set as the U.S. scored on attacks by Stanley and Lee along with two Russian serving errors. The U.S. used two straight Russian errors to pull to 8-6, but Russia responded with three straight points, including strikes from Mikhaylov and Khtey. Knipe called timeout and brought in Holmes for Holt and Anderson for Lotman. Two straight kills by Rooney and Stanley made the score 11-8, but Russia came back with a 5-2 run to lead 16-10 at the second TTO. A Russian hitting error followed by Anderson's block of Khtey was the United States' last run of points and made the score 16-12. Later, with Russia reached set point at 24-18. Rooney had one last attack before Khtey ended the match with a kill.
To reach the 2010 FIVB Men's World Championship page, click here.
2010 FIVB World Championship
Sept. 25-Oct. 10 in Italy
U.S. Roster for Oct. 9
(Each team can bring up to 14 players. Prior to each match, 12 players are chosen to play)
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Matt Anderson (OH, 6-10, West Seneca, N.Y., Penn State)
2 Sean Rooney (OH, 6-9, Wheaton, Ill., Pepperdine)
4 David Lee (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Calif., Long Beach State)
5 Rich Lambourne (L, 6-3, Tustin, Calif., BYU)
6 Paul Lotman (OH, 6-7, Lakewood, Calif., Long Beach State)
7 Jonathan Winder (S, 6-8, Irvine, Calif., Pepperdine)
8 Reid Priddy (OH, 6-5, Richmond, Va., Loyola Marymount)
13 Clay Stanley (OPP, 6-9, Honolulu, Hawai'i, Hawai'i)
14 Kevin Hansen (S, 6-5, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford)
15 Russell Holmes (MB, 6-8, Fountain Valley, Calif., BYU)
16 Carson Clark (Opp, 6-5, Santa Barbara, Calif., UC Irvine)
17 Max Holt (MB, 6-9, Cincinnati, Ohio, Penn State)
Head Coach: Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.)
Team Leader: Greg Vernovage (Susquehanna, Pa.)
Assistant Coach: Gary Sato (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Trainer: Tom Hoff (Park Ridge, Ill.)
Technical Coordinator: Chris Jackson (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Team Doctors: Andrew Gregory (Nashville, Tenn.) and Keith Feder (Manhattan Beach, Calif.)
Medical Support: Aaron Brock (Storm Lake, Iowa)
Classification 5-8 Results
Oct. 9: Russia def. Bulgaria, 25-20, 26-24, 20-25, 25-23
Oct. 9: USA def. Germany, 25-22, 25-20, 25-23
Oct. 10: Bulgaria def. Germany, 26-24, 26-24, 25-21
Oct. 10: Russia def. USA, 25-19, 25-21, 25-19
Pool O Results (Rome)
Oct. 4: USA def. France, 25-16, 25-14, 25-23
Oct. 5: Italy def. USA, 14-25, 25-23, 28-26, 25-22
Oct. 6: Italy def France, 25-18, 25-20, 25-27, 25-19
Pool O Final Standings
Rank Team (Matches Won-Lost) Points; Point Ratio
Pool L Results (Ancona)
Sept. 30: Czech Republic def. USA, 25-19, 25-22, 25-22
Oct. 1: USA def. Cameroon, 23-25, 25-14, 25-27, 25-20, 15-7
Oct. 2: Czech Republic def. Cameroon, 25-17, 25-18, 25-17
Pool L Final Standings
Rank Team (Matches Won-Lost) Points; Point Ratio
1. Czech Republic (2-0) 4; 1.304
3. Cameroon (0-2) 1; 0.771
Pool D First Round Results (Reggio Calabria)
Sept. 25: Argentina def. Venezuela, 25-23, 25-17, 25-18
Sept: 25: USA def. Mexico, 22-25, 19-25, 25-18, 25-22, 15-11
Sept. 26: Argentina def. Mexico, 25-12, 25-19, 17-25, 25-15
Sept. 26: USA def. Venezuela, 25-19, 25-23, 25-19
Sept. 27: Mexico def. Venezuela, 25-22, 25-20, 25-20
Sept. 27: USA def. Argentina, 22-25, 27-25, 25-22, 25-20
Pool D Final Standings
Rank Team (Matches Won-Lost) Points; Point Ratio
2. Argentina (2-1) 5; 1.136
3. Mexico (1-2) 4; 0.950
4. Venezuela (0-3) 3; 0.804


text: Moribund 23 Posted May 31, 2011 I've been unsatisfied with how macrocannons outperform lances. So I've done an awful lot of calculations to try and find house rules that change the game in a favorable manner and make the choice of lance vs. macro interesting. Here's what I've worked out: Armour should count against each macrocannon hit, but armour should be reduced to account for the change. Specifically armour should be reduced by 12. That makes an armour 15 Raider have an armour of 3, an armour 17 Frigate gets an armour of 5, and an armour 20 Cruiser has an armour of 8. The value 12 was chosen because the breakeven point between lances and macros with this rule is between 6 and 7. With an armour of 6, Dual Sunsears deal more damage than a Titanforge Lance and a Mars Macrocannon. Once armor reaches 7, the lance is more effective. By reducing armor by 12 that makes lances only worthwhile against the heaviest frigates, light cruisers, and cruisers. It takes a little longer to figure damage, but it also makes armour work more like it does in personal combat. Making this change to the rules does a few different things: Armour is in general more effective when it gets up to high numbers. Raiders take a little bit more damage than the RAW, but cruisers, particularly with armoured prows, are nigh invulnerable to macrocannon fire. The influence of Ballistic Skill on damage is reduced. This hardly means that BS doesn't matter; you still do more damage as your BS goes up, but the rate at which it increases is slower. This means that NPC ships can still do respectable damage and your Voidmaster won't blow up everything in a single volley. Say your ship is equipped with dual Mezoas and is firing on a frigate. If your BS is 50 the expected damage is virtually unchanged between these rules and the RAW (7.38 vs 7.52), but with a BS of 30 you deal twice as much damage as you deal with the RAW (2.48 vs 1.12). However, at BS 70 you deal less damage than you would with the RAW (12.56 vs 15.79) High plus weapons like Ryzas and Pyros effectively become armour piercing, i.e. their relative effectiveness increases as armour increases. Lances deal more damage against cruisers. This was the effect these house rules were intended to make and they achieve that without any other changes to how lances or macrocannons work. Under this system a single cannon has a better chance to deal damage. Mars Cannons aren't quite so bad. Other things to consider: If you change broadsides so that they inflict double the amount of hits (essentially giving them Storm), but reduce their strength to 3 (or 4 in the case of 1d10+1 Sunsears), they work better with this system. They are also much more capable in the hands on NPC ships without becoming too overwhelming in PC hands. They are downright frightening to lightly armoured ships though, but that seems acceptable. Reducing the damage torpedoes deal by 12 makes them function identically under this system as they function in the RAW. The effectiveness of bombers is subtly changed, and probably requires further examination. Their damage per hit may need to be reduced. Reducing Sunsears to 1d10+1 makes them an interesting choice, rather than straight up better than Mars or Heculators. They deal more damage against lightly armoured opponents, but less against heavily armoured ones. Since armour is more effective, bonuses to armour probably shouldn't stack. Adding Excess Void Armour, Armour Plating, and a Reinforced Prow together can make even lightly armoured craft extremely resistant to macro fire. Excess Void Armour may be too powerful all by itself. Some alien races use variant rules that change effectiveness under this system. Rak'Gol macros probably need adjusting to deal enough damage. Eldar are even more fragile than they were and may need a small armour increase or some other change to compensate. 1 Asymptomatic reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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NO JOKE: Have you ever told your pal a lengthy rib-tickler, with a really hilarious punchline, but, when you get to the big finish, they sort of blink at you, several times in a row, as if they're trying to comprehend what they've just experienced? We joke-tellers have all been there, and we all know The Repeated Blink. That's essentially what's gone down, in many meteorological-minded quarters of the weather-watching world, since Death Valley National Park hit 89 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, Aug. 3. That's a pretty acceptable, run-of-the-mill summer temperature for most places, it's true, but let's pause here to again consider where that high temperature occurred: Death Valley, "the hottest place on the planet." Hottest, driest, lowest -- these are terms frequently stuck all over the national park, like so many burrs on a cattleman's boots. Meaning this: 89 is pretty dang cool for that sometimes-cauldron-y spot. The National Weather Service Las Vegas noted that the "chilly" record breaker undid the "previous record low max of 104 deg set in 1945." And the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang blog observed that Missoula, Montana was hotter on Aug. 3 than Death Valley.
BLINK, BLINK: The unusual occurrence is rather stunning, though the park is no stranger to cold storms -- Furnace Creek Resort recently posted a photo to Facebook of historic Scotty's Castle frosted with snow a few winters back. So while the wet front of early August has moved on and temps have again climbed in Death Valley, a package is still on to stay on a summer's day. The Ranch at Furnace Creek is the destination, the price starts at $163, and breakfast is included. Oh, and, don't worry about keeping your own temperature down: There's a spring-fed pool on the property. Nope, there's no telling if an 89-degree day will come back around any time soon, but Death Valley is glorious regardless of the season, be that season less sweaty or as sweaty as condensation on a glass of lemonade.


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All Is Calmarr. Robert W. Smith - Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.
Click to review
The cherished carol Silent Night is found here in a serene, slightly contemporary setting that is in a word, magnificent. The delicate, soothing lines are a seamless match to the understated elegance of the carol. Allowing for great flexibility in performance, solo parts are offered for any member of the band. While not difficult technically, the inherent musicality in this work makes it worthy of your serious consideration. Highly recommended.
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Ever wondered where you might see revolutionary graffiti* in Cairo? Or been at a loss to find a Cuban cafe con leche** in New York City? Or really needed a beer in Madrid*** but wanted off the tourist-beaten track? Wonder no more. Our recent series profiling interesting innovators who live and work in cities around the world included a list of their favorite places in that particular metropolis. Below, a collection of annotated maps — just click on the pins to find out more about a location. So, the next time you find yourself in Shanghai or San Francisco, consult these maps for insiders' tips on where to head.
* on Mohammed Mahmoud Street in downtown Cairo.
** at Floridita in West Harlem.
*** at La Nieta Carmela, in the La Latina neighborhood.
Robin Nagle's New York City, U.S.
Read the profile of Robin Nagle, trash anthropologist and long-time resident of New York City »
Check out Nagle's favorite — unexpected — locations throughout New York's five boroughs, in a gallery photographed by Ryan Lash »
Jason Sweeney's Adelaide, Australia
Read the profile of sound artist Jason Sweeney, and find out why he describes Adelaide as "a prototype for what a developed city in the western world could be" »
See Sweeney's favorite spots — and hear them in recordings made just for TED — in the accompanying gallery of Adelaide, photographed by Kristin Alford »
Gabriella Gomez-Mont's Mexico City, Mexico
Read a profile of Gabriella Gomez-Mont's life and work in "that beast of a city," Mexico City »
And, see some truly fine-looking restaurants, cafes, quiet spots, museums and oases in this gallery of Mexico City, photographed by Felipe Luna »
Iñaki Romero Larrea's Madrid, Spain
Read the profile of Iñaki Romero Larrea and find out more about the young architect's dreams of building a better Madrid »
And, see the young urbanist's favorite places (including a great place to head for a beer at the end of a long day) in this gallery of Madrid photographed by Vanessa Gonzalez »
Khurram Siddiqi's Lahore, Pakistan
Read the profile of Khurram Siddiqi, telling the tale of his ongoing quest to turn Lahore into an easily-navigable city »
See the bustling streets and existing signage systems that make navigation such an issue, in a gallery of Lahore, photographed by Khurram Siddiqi »
David Li's Shanghai, China
Read the profile of David Li, and his aspirations for his flourishing makerspace in Shanghai »
And, see the business district, Pudong, the Museum of Contemporary Art and other must-see spots in the city, in a gallery of Shanghai, photographed by Lawrence Wang »
Bahia Shehab's Cairo
Read the profile of Bahia Shehab's Cairo, including her thoughts on the revolution »
See images of Shehab's treasured places in the Egyptian capital, including Tahrir Square, in a gallery of Cairo, photographed by Ohoud Saad »
Juliana Machado Ferreira's São Paulo, Brazil
Find out more about Juliana Machado Ferreira's life in São Paulo, including the places she goes to find peace and quiet amid the urban bustle »
And, see some of Ferreira's favorite places, including a cool cinema and a great place to get junk food, in a gallery of São Paulo, photographed by Alessandra Fratus »
Juliana Rotich's Nairobi, Kenya
Read the profile of Juliana Rotich and find out more about her life and work as a technology entrepreneur in Nairobi »
Want to pick up the best chapati in town? Fancy admiring some baby elephants? Head on over to this gallery of Nairobi, photographed by Joshua Wanyama »
Danny Squires' Christchurch, New Zealand
Read the profile of Danny Squires, who describes living in a city suffering from earthquake-induced PTSD »
See how the city is rebuilding after the devastating earthquake of 2011, in this gallery of Christchurch, photographed by Clayton Prest »
Nurur Rahman Khan's Dhaka, Bangladesh
Read Nurur Rahman Khan's description of creativity, complexity and adda in Dhaka »
And, see the accompanying gallery of photographs of Dhaka, photographed by Mohammad Tauheed »
Chris Downey's San Francisco
Read the profile of Chris Downey, describing his life as a blind architect in San Francisco »
And, see the accompanying gallery of the experience of navigating San Francisco, photographed by Marla Aufmuth »


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Eduardo Escobar, SS, White Sox (AFL: Saguaros): 2-for-3, HR (3), 2 R, 2 RBI.
Shortstop prospects who really are shortstops are a rarity, and it's surprising the Escobar doesn't warrant more attention. The 21 year-old Venezuelan has above-average range and a plus-plus arm, and his bat started to show some signs of life in 2010, as Escobar showed a surprising ability to drive balls into the gap. In a system desperate for prospects, as a good defender with some offensive value, Escobar is the real deal.
Reports from the Arizona Fall League on rehabbing White Sox prospect Jared Mitchell are mixed, at best. He has been healthy enough to play, which is the best sign, but the torn tendon in his ankle does appear to be impacting his play. Through Tuesday he was batting .184 in 11 games, and had struck out in 11 of his 38 at-bats. Any impact on Mitchell's speed is a bad thing, as the ability to get on base and create havoc made him projectable as a leadoff man, but he has shown that speed only once so far, on a triple. He's 0-for-1 on stolen-base attempts. Shortstop Eduardo Escobar, on the other hand, is looking great in the AFL. He's a switch hitter with strong fielding skills and he's hitting .333 with three homers in 12 games.


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Batman: Arkham Asylum returns with a GAME OF THE YEAR EDITION that includes extra content and now, for the first time, Trioviz 3D vision on home consoles. Batman: Arkham Asylum launched to critical acclaim in summer 2009 and has often been referred to as the best licensed game ever' and a must buy' on gaming websites and magazines. It's been praised for delivering a compelling mix of action, stealth and puzzle-solving gameplay tied with a dark, original storyline penned by five-time Emmy award-winner Paul Dini and supported by a famous cast of voice actors, including Mark Hamill as The Joker and Kevin Conroy as Batman.
Batman: Arkham City builds upon the intense, atmospheric foundation of Batman: Arkham Asylum, sending players soaring into Arkham City - five times larger than the game world in Batman: Arkham Asylum - and the new maximum security home for all of Gotham City's thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds. Set inside the heavily fortified walls of a sprawling district in the heart of Gotham City, this highly anticipated sequel introduces a brand-new story that draws together a new, all-star cast of classic characters and murderous villains from the Batman universe, as well as a vast range of new and enhanced gameplay features to deliver the ultimate experience as the Dark Knight.
The Harley Quinn's Revenge mission sends players back into Arkham City to face their final challenge as they interchange between playing as both Batman and Robin. Gamers must utilize each of the characters' unique combat and investigative skills to uncover Harley's vengeful plan and shut the gates on the urban mega-prison forever. In addition to experiencing a new storyline, fans can explore new environments and face-off against Harley's all new gang of thugs.
The DLC included on disc includes the Catwoman Pack, Nightwing Bundle Pack, Robin Bundle Pack, Challenge Map Pack and Arkham City Skins Pack. All told, Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition packages new gameplay content, seven maps, three playable characters, and 12 skins beyond the original retail release:


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Big Hurt moved to the bench
TORONTO — Blue Jays manager John Gibbons won't come out and say it, but Frank Thomas will. Being left out of the starting lineup for Saturday's game isn't a one-time deal for Thomas. He's been told that he could be on the bench for a while.
"Basically, I've been told that I'm not going to be in that lineup," Thomas told MLB.com on Saturday. "Gibby told me that this morning. I see it as something else is going on. We'll see how that plays out.
"You know what's going on and I know what's going on. We'll see how it plays out. I'm just a little frustrated right now. There are some things going on around here this year that I haven't been happy about."
Thomas was likely referring to his contract situation. If he reaches 304 more plate appearances this season, he has a $10 million option for 2009 that will vest. Thomas' struggles may very be just another slow start, but you can bet Toronto's higher ups are a little wary with that option hanging over their heads.
There are some within Toronto's organization who have expressed concern that this could be a sign of Thomas being in decline production wise. Recently, he's started crouching more in his stance, which could indicate that he's trying to cheat some with his swing in order to catch up to pitches. Thomas downplayed any significance with the stance change.
"That's nothing new," he said. "Some days I'm up and some days I'm down. That's just the way I do things."
UPDATE — 6:13 p.m. ET: Just wrapping up here at the ball yard and thought I'd add a postgame update on the Thomas situation. I can neither confirm nor deny that Thomas was sitting on Toronto's bench on Saturday, but no one saw him there. One place he definitely wasn't was on the field with the team, shaking hands after the game. That's not a good move. Looking at the situation, which has potential to become a huge distraction for a team that wants to contend, Thomas may be released in the near future. Now, that's complete speculation on my part, but it would rid the Jays of having to worry about that $10 million option for 2009, which is something the team would probably want to avoid having to pick up. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few days. I will say this: Thomas is a Hall of Famer, hands down. He's also been one of my favorite players I've ever covered as a reporter. I am slightly bias, through, since I grew up in Chicago when he was pretty much the Michael Jordan of baseball. Still, his production is declining. Yes, there's a track record there for the slow starts, but it's looked more and more this year like he's been struggling to catch up to pitches. If this year winds up being his last one in the bigs, he's had a tremendous career.
Today's lineups:
DETROIT (6-11) at TORONTO (8-9)
at 1:07 p.m. ET at the Rogers Centre
Clete Thomas, CF
Jacques Jones, LF
Gary Sheffield, DH
Magglio Ordonez, RF
Miguel Cabrera, 3B
Carlos Guillen, 1B
Edgar Renteria, SS
Ivan Rodriguez, C
Ryan Raburn, 2B
PITCHING: RHP Jeremy Bonderman
David Eckstein, SS
Aaron Hills, 2B
Alex Rios, RF
Vernon Wells, CF
Matt Stairs, DH
Rod Barajas, C
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Marco Scutaro, 3B
*Joe Inglett, LF
PITCHING: RHP Dustin McGowan
*Shannon Stewart was a late scratch
27 Comments
I do agree with benching Frank Thomas; it's about time we start shaking up this lineup. Obviously, management does not want to have his $10 million dollar option kick in next year and I totally agree with that. Whether Frank is done or not is the issue; although the way Texas pitched him, there is at least some evidence he might be.
On the other hand, benching him will obviously make him quite unhappy and cause a cancer in the locker room. This is not the way to win a playoff spot. My take is, let's bite the bullet and dump him now, instead of letting this sit and grow into something ugly. We likely won't be able to trade him unless we sign on for at least 50-75% of his salary for this year and next. Seems to me, it will be lower cost and better to simply release him. That way we're only responsible for his 2008 salary which we'd have to pay anyway. In addition, it frees up a spot in the roster immediately instead of 2-3 weeks from now.
We need to call up Lind and platoon him in left field with Stewart-who's also struggling against right handers (.174). Play Lind against righties and Stewart against lefties, DH Stairs and wave goodbye to Thomas. Lind is hitting .424BA/.472OBP/ .818 SLG against Rh's. Stewart is hitting .364BA/.464OBP/.545 SLG against Lf's.
Of point of interest, one of the points stated in dumping Johnson for Stewart was Stewart was better against RH's. Well, so far this year Stewart's batting .174 against RH's and our good friend Reed Johnson is .407.
Bases loaded no one out the only run was a walk by the pitcher this team stinks.
I agree get rid of Thomas he is already making noise and he will only cause a problem in the clubhouse.
abner should also go we will never make the playoffs with him as manager.Detroit has two on and no outs you can bet they will score.
I was originally excited when the blue jays signed Frank Thomas. But after watching him for the last couple years i understand why there were people in Chicago that wanted him out. Its one of the most frustrating things to go through when you watch the jays play and theres one out and men on base and frank comes up to the plate and grounds into another double play and doesn't have any speed so can't even make it close. The jays should release his big behind and get someone in there that can do more than swing and miss, hit the occasional home run, and ground out. Frank's timing is always off then when its on it doesn't last, he is not worth the disgusting amount of money we have to pay him and his only real skill is in making excuses. The Blue Jays should get rid of Thomas and get someone in there that doesn't just swing for the fence and officially start playing small ball if they want any chance of contending for a play off spot. Its sad when it would be better to have Matt Stairs as your DH then a future hall of famer but thats the way it is and the blue jays need to accept release Thomas leave Lind in the minors to develop for next year and have Stairs and others be the DH.
It doesn't make sense to leave Lind in the minors, we would be 1 guy down if we dump Thomas. In addition, we could REALLY use Lind's bat against RH's instead of Stewart's. Stairs can DH, play Lind against RH and Stewart against LH's. So you're aware, Lind has 3 hr's against RH's in 33 at bats, we could use that production.
The Thomas situation is where it is because of Abner. His contract calls for an automatic option for 2009 if he makes 1,000 plate appearances in 2007-2008. In 2007 Thomas made 531 appearances, meaning the option is guaranteed once he makes 469 more this year. The real question we should all ask is why did Thomas get so many appearances late last year, when we had no chance of making the playoffs. If he had been set down in August or September, cutting his apperances by 150, this wouldn't be an issue now. Although his poor production would still be a problem, he certainly would be more tradeable and we'd probably be able to dump him and pick up 4-5 mill. of salary. Now we might be on the hook for 10-12 mill.
Another genius move by Abner.
I agree with you on the Reed Johnson issue; I think this offence misses him. Remember, we paid Johnson to leave.
Man was that double play pathetic. Isn't that the 3rd time we've had guys on 3rd base with less than 2 outs and haven't plated them.
McGowan has had enough take him out and let our great bullpen do the job lol.
I also would like to see Lind up here cut Thomas can they not just buy him out.
McGowan managed to hang in there; great outing. Let's hope our guys get him some runs to win.
They can release him and pay him throgh the end of the year which amounts to the same thing.
G. You must be talking about another team this team cant hit.
I hope they hang in there I would like to see if BJ can do the job with a one run lead.
I wonder what happend to Harry potter.
Well maybe if J.P kept Reed Johnson, who is batting 375 right now, we would be getting some runs in!
RISP Stats Pre today's game
MacDonald: .000
Stairs: .125
Scutaro: .154
Barajas: .200
Thomas: .200
Zaun: .211
Overbay: .214
Rios: .238
Inglett: .300
Wells: .333
Hill: .389
Eckstein: .471
BJ is back in a big way.
Its good to have him back. I think we ducked a bullet today though. I don't think it's often that Detroit is beaten when the opposing team gives up so many chances to bury them.
If you want to bring Lind up from the minors we should just put all of our faith in him and not put him in a platoon with anybody else. He is young, good and deserves a starting spot. If the jays were to call Lind up you need to give him a starting job but i just can't see that happening this year, so we should either bring him up and have Stewart be on the bench and fill in occasionally or leave him down. And until rolen gets healthy we can call someone up or sign someone to be another utility man.
Well, most of the pitchers we face are right handers, so Lind would play most of the time. Against right handers he's batting .424 where Stewart is hitting .174. However, Stewart is hitting well against lefties, .364 so it's a great platoon situation.
Fact is Stewart isn't doing us any favors against right handed pitching and .174 BA/.269 OBP/.174 slg doesn't get it done for a corner fielder.
I think its funny how Frank told the press " I did my job". Actually frank you did the very opposite..you stunk and now you stink even more. His only job is to go out there and hit…thats it and he hasnt done that at all. Im happy that the jays are finally willing to bite the 10 million dollar bullet and suck up there pride that FRANK THOMAS cannot help this team. Only Stairs can occupy that spot with maximum effectiveness. Good move
how is thomas doing against RH and LH…
I think we leave him out for some time…thomas is a professional player just get him a few atbats here and there…
If incase he goes into a platoon situation then I don't think he would reach 304 atbats…maybe a platoon at DH with Stairs and platoon with Inglett and Stewart in the OF…
when rolen gets back then scutoro and Stewart in the outfeild….
I guess keeping Johnson was a good idea but there is a long season ahead of us…lets see what happens…
Oh and I am reading all the comments usually, just get too lazy to post…
I would be sorry to see big Frank go, but sooner or later the train comes to a stop. Even if he isn't done, you just can't leave a hole in the heart of the order for your first 50-60 games. If they decide to release Thomas, Joe Inglett is hot hot hot, so they could even carry an extra pitcher if they wanted to, instead of promoting Lind.
The extra $10mil next year would buy a good arm if AJ decides to walk.
Of course, keeping Stewart over Reed was a real winner, too, so who are we to rely on their judgement? They could take the $10 mil and spend it on another worn out mule.
Thomas was a great hitter in his prime but now he is to slow and he cant catch up to the fast ball he looks bad at the plate last night Stairs ran out an infield single Thomas would only have made it half way to first.
I think Lind should come up and we should cut Stewart he is to old and he has had groin problems before Inglett can help out in the field so can Scutaro.
Where is Robert Lee.
And the rest of you guys and galls
Congratulations, to the management of the Jays for releasing Frank Thomas. It was definately the right decision. Good luck to Frank Thomas, a true hall of famer who's had a phenomenal career.
I think this is a bold and necassary move to release Frank Thomas. The Jays can't afford another slow start if they have a shot at a Wild Card spot. Boston looks as if they'll start distancing themselves already, so Toronto needs to start winning now as much as they do later on.
It also frees up salary for next year in order to find someone to replace Burnett if he opts-out. I liked Frank but when he's struggling as much as he is, a change had to be made.
The next move, as some have suggested already, is to put Lind in a platoon with Shannon. The only question I have is if Lind struggles what then…..hope that Shannon can pick up the slack against righties, or try and sign Bonds for the rest of the year ?
Bonds would cost too much the jays have no money even though he would help the box office.
Letting Thomas go was a smart move it may have cost but in the long run it will pay off.
Great move on Toronto's part in releasing the Big Hurt. You can't have you Dh hitting .167, sure he has it the odd home run, but he is hurting the Jays with the bat more than helping them. Bring up Adam Lind and move Matt Stairs to the DH spot. Matt has done a great job hitting as a Jay, and Adam Lind will bring some much needed punch with his bat.
Frank's best days are behind him, yes he is a slow starter and my still have a great year, but in this division can you reallly afford to wait on him. If you do, kiss the playoff chances good bye.
Worst thing Toronto coudl do in this situation is think about Barry " Steriod Freak" Bonds. Not even J.P. could even consider that.
Maybe we can trade for Juan Rivera from the Angels. He's not getting any atbats these days and he has some serious pop in that bat. His throwing arm isn't too bad, too. He's a free agent after this season, no strings attached there.
Anyway, we need some pop in that lineup, especially since Thomas is gone now and Rolen is hobbled.


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Rye Rye (Feat. M.I.A.) - Sunshine
The official video for Rye Rye's "Sunshine" featuring M.I.A. from her forthcoming Go! Pop! Bang! dropping January 11, 2011.
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10th Anniversary, aprons, Bake at home kit, cupcake mix, Cupcake Royale, cupcakes, Dance Party, Frosting, giveaway, Jody Hall, Sale, Seattle, shopping
UPDATE: This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Melissa from the Persnickety Plates blog! Hope you enjoy your delicious cupcakes!
To mark their 10th anniversary this month, Cupcake Royale thought it would be fun to offer up a way for their customers to make their cupcakes at home. Earlier this year I was honored to be among a group of bloggers invited to be a beta tester for this new bake at home kit.
Always up for a baking challenge, I donned my cupcake apron and happily went to work.
Sworn to secrecy, staying quiet about this was awfully difficult, but finally I am excited to announce that the kits have just been released. (Available in cafes and online here.)
Introducing Cupcake Royale's Vanilla Cupcaking Mix ($12.50). This make-at-home mix comes complete with instructions to make their famous vanilla cupcakes at home with a few simple ingredients you add from your own cupboards. The kit includes cupcake mix for 12 cupcakes, sprinkles (of course!), and a box for sharing.
Don't forget the frosting! Add Cupcake Royale Buttercream Frosting by the pint ($10.50), which will frost up to 12 cupcakes. Four flavors (Pink Vanilla, Chocolate, Cream Cheese and Salted Caramel) are available in the cafes or call ahead and pre-order flavors to be picked up later in the day.
The Cupcaking Kit, which includes the mix and legendary frosting, as well as a beautiful custom commemorative keepsake box available for $49.50 (perfect for transporting your cupcakes!) makes a delicious hostess gift, afternoon treat to make with the kids, or to send to that special friend who misses Cupcake Royale cupcakes across state lines.
Do your holiday shopping at Cupcake Royale on their birthday and get some sweet deals on merchandise. On December 9 only, in their stores, Cupcake Royale is offering 20 percent off all of their iconic merchandise (check out their new t-shirts, aprons, mugs, tumblers, and more) – including the brand new bake-at-home items!
I might just have to get myself one of these aprons to add to my collection!
In addition to this blow-out sale, Cupcake Royale, who started the first cupcake bakery outside of Manhattan in its shop in Madrona 10 years ago, is honoring this milestone anniversary, by celebrating with its customers.
Join Founder and Owner Jody Hall at each Cupcake Royale café on Monday, December 9 and enjoy a FREE Dance Party Babycake as a way of saying thank you to all for so richly supporting her local business over the past 10 years! Stop by any of the seven cafes during regular business hours.
Come by the Madrona cafe later in the day for a DANCE PARTY from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. including light appetizers, bubbly and plenty of joy. Join the party, share your stories of Cupcake Royale in your life, hang out with Jody and the team, enjoy a glass of bubbly and dance the night away.
To help Cupcake Royale celebrate their big day and share the cupcake love, I am thrilled to be giving away a Cupcaking Mix and Frosting Bundle to one of my readers today!
To enter the giveaway: Simply leave a comment telling me what you love best about Cupcake Royale.
Extra Entries – (You must leave a comment on this blog for each one that you do.)
- Like KristinPotPie on Facebook
- Follow KristinPotPie on Twitter
- Like Cupcake Royale on Facebook
- Follow Cupcake Royale on Twitter
This giveaway will end Midnight Pacific Time, Monday, December 9. I will choose one winner from the comments on my blog Tuesday morning and will email the winner. Winner will have 24 hours to respond before I choose an alternate winner.


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A newborn baby is lucky to be alive after a passerby heard her crying inside a storm drain. The bystander jumped into a ditch and was able to see the newborn trapped inside the pipe. Rescue workers in Durban, South Africa rushed to the scene and began working to remove the young girl from the drain.
The rescue crew had to use a chisel and hammer to break the drain in order to extract the newborn. It took them nearly four hours to get the infant out of the pipe. Video captured the dramatic moment when workers pulled the newborn from the drain.
The baby, who still had her umbilical cord attached, was flown to the hospital for emergency care. Hospital officials said that the infant suffered from hypothermia and had other minor injuries but is expected to survive.
"It's really a miracle that this baby was saved. The doctors have given this baby a clean bill of health, and she will be transferred to another hospital," regional health official Dr. Sibongiseni Dhlomo said in a statement.
Authorities said they are investigating the case as an attempted murder and are trying to determine how the infant ended up in the storm drain.


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Welcome to indianflutemusic.com, your gateway to the classical music of northern India!
In 1996 I began my quest to learn bamboo flute. I studied for ten years with Pandit Vijay Raghav Rao, one of India's greatest flute masters. In this website I pass the music on to you. Whether you are visiting this website to listen or to learn, enjoy!
Kerry Kriger, Ph.D.
Founder & President
Indian Flute Music LLC
While traveling through India and Bangladesh in 2017 and 2018 I created a free online course called Getting Started With Bansuri. If you are interested in learning bansuri, you will definitely find it useful!
Are you ready to take your flute playing to the next level! The Indian Flute Music Membership Site holds an array of bansuri lessons, exercises and compositions intended to teach you the finer details of raga and Indian classical music.
The bansuri is a transverse (side-blown) bamboo flute from northern India. It is one of the world's most ancient instruments, having existed in more or less its current form for about 4,000 years. This site is dedicated to the bansuri, and to the classical music of northern India (Hindustani Sangeet: the raga), as the two in combination can produce music unparalleled in its beauty.
You are now listening to Kerry Kriger playing alap in Darbari.
This video is a good start for those new to the bansuri. See more of my videos on the indianflutemusic YouTube Channel and be sure to subscribe to the channel while you are there.
"It's an amazing lesson, I am just beginner but your skill of teaching is awesome! Super Like! Please continue to share your videos online!" -- Max Sinu
I will soon publish my first book dedicated to learning flute. The book is an invaluable resource for anybody interested in Indian Classical Music, regardless of instrument or experience. Please sign up for the Indian Flute Music mailing list so I can keep you informed when it becomes available!
relaxes you
reduces stress
clears your mind
makes you happy
increases imagination
improves your concentration
makes people around you happy
improves your problem solving skills
exercises your lungs, hands, and fingers
provides you with free sonic therapy sessions
This is the most important aspect of playing the bansuri, and the one that makes 99% of potential bansuri players quit on day one! It may take several days before a new player can get a consistent sound, but once you have it, you have it forever, so fight through the first few days! To get a sound, touch the mouth hole to the point half-way down your lower lip, and blow air basically across the top of the hole, almost as if half the air is going into the hole and half over it. Do not attempt to cover more than the first couple holes, for if any hole is not entirely closed you will get no sound whatsoever! I recommend covering only one or two holes at first, or none at all. To balance the flute when no holes are closed, use both thumbs and your right pinky. Your mouth serves as the 4th point of balance.
Indian music does not used a fixed tonic. Thus while the pitch of "A" in western music is ALWAYS set to 440Hz, the first note of an Indian scale can be any pitch, and all other notes in the scale will be relative to that note. Two benefits of this system are that (1) one can play a given melody (raga) using the same fingerings on any size (pitch) instrument - the entire melody shifts up or down in key, but the feeling produced is the same; and (2) it allows the notes in Indian Music to be based on "just temperament" as opposed to the "equal temperament" scales employed in Western Music. In essence, Indian notes are based on naturally occuring overtones and are thus "pure", while the key changes required by Western Music, require scales with notes that are somewhat compromised.
Thus the notes of the chromatic scale are:
S - Sa (the tonic, 1st note of any scale; played from any pitch!)
r - komal Re (the flat 2nd; "komal" means flat, or literally sweet)
R - shudd Re (natural 2nd; "shudd" means natural, or literally pure)
g - komal Ga (flat 3rd)
G - shudd Ga (natural 3rd)
m - shudd Ma (natural 4th)
M - teevra Ma (sharp 4th; "teevra" means sharp, or literally strong)
P - Pa (the 5th)
d - komal Dha (the flat 6th)
D - shudd Dha (the natural 6th)
n - komal Ni (the flat 7th)
N - shudd Ni (the natural 7th)
S - high Sa (an octave above Sa; would be written with a dot over it to denote high octave; conversely, notes in the low octave are written with a dot underneath them.)
Notice that each note has only one name! This is as opposed to Western Music (where a C sharp is the same as D flat for instance), and it makes things far less confusing. Notice also that the higher version of each note is capitalized. There is another method of writing note names, which is to capitalize all notes, but denote flats by underlining the letter, and to denote a sharp (teevra Ma is the only sharp note), with a vertical bar above the note.
"Kerry, you play beautifully! Listening to this music transforms time and space...it is a very useful tool for reaching other dimensions." -- Karen Roddy
The first note (tonic) of any scale in Indian Music is called "Sa". Sa is played by closing the first three holes of the flute. Higher notes are produced by successively lifting fingers (and blowing slightly harder), and lower notes are produced by successively closing fingers (and blowing slightly less forcefully). Thus, the next note higher in the major scale (Bilawal), "Shuddh Re" is played with the top two fingers down, and "Shuddh Ga" (the natural 3rd) is played with only the top hole covered. "Ma", (the natural 4th) is played by closing only (roughly) half of the 1st hole, as it is only a half step above Shudd Ga. "Pa", (the 5th note of the major scale) is played with all 6 holes closed (conceptually: in reality, low Pa on the flute requires 6 holes covered, but the middle and high Pa usually sound best with the very top finger open, and the bottom 5 holes closed!). "Shuddh Dha" (the natural 6th) uses the top 5 holes closed, and "Shuddh Ni" (the natural 7th) uses the top 4 holes closed. Finally, "High Sa" is reached by again covering the top 3 holes; notice however that now you are blowing with much more force than when you played low Sa.
The bansuri is made of a hollow piece of bamboo that is cut so as to lack the internodes, which would interfere with the instrument's tuning and tone. A piece of cork is placed a few millimeters above the mouth hole to force all the air to go in the opposite direction, past 6 to 7 finger holes. Most bansuri players currently use only 6 finger holes, as that is the style employed by Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, the most well-known bansuri player, and the one with the most students. I use a 7th hole (played with my right pinky finger), which enables me to play a half step lower than on a 6-hole flute. With the 7th hole closed, I get as low as teevra Ma (the sharp 4th), which is extremely useful in ragas like Yaman or Puriya. The 7th hole combined with a roll in the flute and reduced force in my breathing enables me to play shuddh Ma (the natural 4th), which is useful in ragas Malkauns or Darbari Kanhra. The 7th hole is also useful for ornaments such as PMDPMP, as the entire ornament can be played in a single register, producing a more fluid sound between notes. Other bansuri players who use the 7th hole include Pandit Vijay Raghav Rao and the late Pandit Panallal Ghosh, who pioneered the style and brought the bansuri to the forefront of Indian Classical Music. In addition to the finger holes, some bansuris have an additional hole that can be played with the area of the leg just above the knee. This allows for yet another half step lower to be played; however, it is rare to see anybody use this hole in a concert, as it is difficult to aim using your knee, and the consequences of a missed note, especially during a slow alap, would be severe.
Each melody in Indian Classical Music is called a raga. Literally translated, raga means "that which colors the mind". Ragas differ based on their scales and their important phrases and notes. There are thousands of ragas, which are derived from the 72 possible combinations of heptatonic (7-note) scales (known as melakartas in southern India), as well as hundreds of possible combinations of hexatonic (6-note) and pentatonic (5-note) scales. Further, there are ragas that use 5 or 6 notes going up, but 7 notes coming down, and there are ragas that have notes in their natural form on ascent, but in their flattened form on descent. Some ragas use scales that are "vakra", which means crooked: one cannot simply go straight up or down. Finally, there are ragas that are "mishra" meaning they are mixed, and use notes in both their natural and their sharp or flat form, often resulting in more than 7 notes being used in the raga.
Examples of ragas with different types of scales:
-- 7 notes: Kirwani, Simendra Madhyam, Vachaspati
-- 6 notes: Gujri Todi, Janasamohini, Malaya Marutan, Mohini
-- 5 notes: Shivaranjani, Bhoopali, Hansadhwani, Durga, Madhyamad Sarang, Megh
-- 5 notes up, 7 down: Bhimpalasi, Bhairavi, Madhuvanti
-- 5 notes, with some shudd in ascent but komal in descent: Jog, Brindavani Sarang
-- Vakra: Tilak Kamod, Hameer
-- Mishra: Kafi, Sindhi Bhairavi, Piloo
Ragas are based on improvisation. The slow introductory section, called "alap", lacks rhythm and is entirely improvised. Occasionally a "jor" follows, which has rhythm, but no composition, and is not accompanied by percussion. Next comes the "gat", a short composed piece, generally of 4 to 6 lines, that serves as the basis for improvisations that can last as long as the musician desires. The gat signals the percussionist to join in, so if you listen for the tabla (the most common drum of northern India) to begin, you'll know when the gat is being played. In a full length classical piece, there are usually two gats, the first is slow to medium tempo, and when this finishes, a fast gat is played, usually using a different composition and a different rhythm. Again, the fast gat can be played for as long as the musicians like, with the compositions serving as the skeleton of the raga, from which improvisations begin, and to which they return. Often, a "tihai" (a short phrase repeated three times) signals the return to the gat. Generally the tabla player plays "theka" (a relatively fixed rhytmic pattern) while the instrumentalist improvises, and the tabla player solos when the instrumentalist returns to the gat. By repeating the "asthai" (the first line of the gat), the instrumentalist signals the tabla player to solo. The raga often culminates with a fully improvised crescendo called "jhala", which for bansuri players is a fast staccato section using a lot of tonguing to break each note. An interesting aspect of the raga is that the compositions used in each raga are not fixed, and anybody can compose their own gat for a raga, given that the main framework of the raga (its scale, important phrases, important notes, etc...) remain. Thus popular ragas like Yaman or Bhairavi have thousands of compositions in use today, yet when any of them are well played, an experienced listener can quickly determine what raga they are hearing.
"Thanks Kerry,
You're a precious help for the beginners who are too far away from India :) "
-- Luna
As there is no key change in a raga, it is possible (and preferable) to have a drone in the background that repeatedly plays the tonic and one or two other important notes in the raga. The drone serves several purposes: (1) it creates an ambience and fills empty spaces between notes; (2) it allows the musician to determine the correct pitch of the notes they are playing, and adjust accordingly; and (3) it serves as the sound against which each of the musician's notes are based, and thus brings out the feeling of each note: a note in and of itself has no feeling; it is only its relationship to another note that allows it to produce feeling.
This drone is most often produced with a "tanpura", a 4 to 6 stringed instrument, whose strings are repeatedly plucked for the duration of the performance. The drone is most often using the notes "low Pa - Sa - Sa - low Sa", though if the raga in question lacks Pa, but has shudd Ma (i.e. Malkauns), the Ma is used instead of the Pa. If the raga lacks both Pa and shudd Ma (i.e. Marwa or Puriya), one could use Sa, Ni, or Dha as the first note, depending on their preference. Another drone instrument is the swarpeti, a rarely heard pump organ that repeatedly plays "Sa".
This is where 500 of our website visitors came from on November 18th, 2011.
Most of my recordings have been made on my Zoom H2(n) handheld recorder, or even minidisc or iPhone. While those are all better than Sony Walkmans, I'd rather be recording with higher tech gear! I recently started setting up a real home recording studio, so I can start producing lots of awesome recordings for your listening enjoyment. If anyone wants to financially contribute to my recording gear bill, it would be much appreciated, and would result in more and higher quality bamboo flute recordings and lessons that would spread the music and the knowledge. Please let me know if you can help, thanks! Also, if you own a recording studio and want to record me, let's talk!
I am working on converting the www.IndianFluteMusic.com website from Dreamweaver to Joomla 3. The new website will allow users to register, log in, upload and share their own music; and have far more compositions, mp3s, videos, tutorials, forum, social networking ability, etc...in short, it will rock! If you are a web designer and know Joomla and you would like to volunteer your skills to further the flute, please let me know!
It's a website I built in 2008. The goal of the site is to spread bamboo flute music and to Indian classical musical knowledge. Everything on the site is free. Thanks for your support!
Music is a conduit to the pure essence of the universe free yourself of all obstacles and distractions and tap into it.
If any aspect of this website brings you knowledge, pleasure, enlightenment, peace, tranquility, enjoyment or wealth, please consider supporting SAVE THE FROGS!, the nonprofit organization I founded and direct. Did you know that 1/3 of the world's amphibian species are threatened with extinction and may not survive the 21st century? Learn all about playing Save The Frogs Day benefit concerts for the frogs on the SAVE THE FROGS! Musicians page.
"Beautiful effort to propagate Hindustani music!"
--Nagarjun Bhat
"Thanks for making so much info available to beginners like me!"
-- Charles (Duffy) Poindexter
"Hello Kerry, thank you for your gift of bamboo flute music and your choice to share it with the world."
-- Magnus Homestead
"You are the real source to learn flute. Even being Indian, I haven't found a good teacher like you here. Keep uploading your video. It motivates me a lot."
-- Ronak Dagli
"Every once in a while I look up Bansuri tutorials and mostly find people teaching Bollywood movie tracks which did not float my boat. I have been inspired way more by you than all other sources I have stumbled upon ever. Keep doing what you are doing.
-- Mohammad Twaha, Canada"
Copyright © 2008 Kerry Kriger. All Rights Reserved.
Website design, photos & content by Kerry Kriger unless otherwise noted.
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Bullying: Fight back or walk away? | News
WASHINGTON (WUSA9) -- "Fight back," or "Stand your ground," or "Don't back down." These are just a few of the things parents used to tell their kids to do if ever confronted by a bully.
Some still teach that, but it no longer seems to be the norm.
Today, bullying is a different animal. There's workplace and school bulling. There's physical and verbal bullying. There's text and cyber bullying.
So, what do you do as a parent when your job is not only to protect but to prepare your kids for life's challenges?
Gary Nichols' parents were clear with him when he was a kid. If he ever got bullied, they told him to, "Knock them straight out."
But he admits, if either of his two young daughters were ever confronted by a bully, he'd want them "to tell me," said Nichols.
Do not engage, do not fight back, said Nichols. Why? "It's a different world," he said.
Bullying is not new. What is, said Judith Wides, a family therapist, is that "kids can attack kids using multiple means and it becomes easier for kids to gang up on another kid."
"One incident can occur and hundreds if not thousands of kids can know about it within a matter of minutes about an interaction between two kids. That's why it's really important not to take it upon yourself as a child," added Wides, who is also a counselor at the National Child Research Center (NCRC) in Cleveland Park.
Instead, said Wides, kids should tell an adult - a parent or teacher - about what's going on. But some parents still say it's still important for kids to figure it out on their own.
"OK, do report to your teachers, that's fine, but don't let other people bully you," said Reza Vojoodi, a father of three. He said that has always told his children that they have to "stand firmly."
"I think kids trying to resolve them amongst themselves - and if that sometimes means standing up and saying, 'I'm not going to take it anymore.' I think that's part of life," said Chris Murphy.
But Wides stresses that it's a different world. "It's no more, 'Go stand up for yourself, go be a man.' That may work at times, but in general it's better if it's dealt with within the group of children, within the class, within a grade."
She said that kids should still learn to figure it out how to deal with confrontation, but they should be armed with words and adults should set the example.
"I think the important thing is that adults are modeling the capacity to dialogue and the adults are modeling the capacity to have compassion," said Wides.
The website www.kidshealth.org advises parents to tell kids to find alternatives to fighting: tell an adult, avoid places where bullies might be, use the buddy system to travel, count to ten or to just flat out ignore bullies.
Child psychologist Leonard Kaufman said some other possibilities for the shift in approach to dealing with bullies is that schools and workplaces are much less tolerant of bullying than ever before, considering they're facing more legal ramifications than every before.
Bullying is also embedded in the national consciousness in a way that it was not 15, 20, 30 years ago. Today, due greatly to bullying incidents that have turned into tragedies - bullying is openly talked about, there are laws and policies against it.
"Are children coddled? Actually, I think too often children are left to fend for themselves," said Wides. "I think too many are handed their iPad or their iPod or their laptop and left to fend for themselves."
Shantell Cyr fended for herself in a different way if she was ever confronted as a kid.
"She would kind of take over if someone bothered her - boy or girl," recalled Kim McGlinn, Cyr's mother.
But if she were a parent today, Cyr admitted that it would be "do as I say, not as I did."
"No kids should not be handling it on their own," said Cyr about bullying. "I don't think so."
Most parents say different confrontations require different approaches. But one thing is for certain it's up to parents to prepare their children.