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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) board member Rajat Gupta can remain free on bail while he appeals his insider-trading conviction, an appeals court ruled on Tuesday.
Gupta had been scheduled to surrender January 8 to start a two-year prison sentence. But after hearing arguments from Gupta's lawyer and prosecutors, a two-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York granted Gupta's request to stay out of prison.
"Motion is granted," said Judge Jose Cabranes in a ruling from the bench.
Gupta, 64, was convicted in June of leaking Goldman boardroom secrets to Raj Rajaratnam, the Galleon Group hedge-fund manager at the center of a U.S. government crackdown on insider trading over the past four years. Gupta, also a former head of management consultancy McKinsey & Co, has been free on $10 million bail.
The former Goldman director attended the hearing with his family. After the hearing, he hugged his lawyer, Seth Waxman, and patted him on the back.
Waxman declined to comment on the appeals court's ruling. A spokeswoman for Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara declined to comment.
The U.S. Justice Department had argued that Gupta should not be able to delay going to prison while he awaits the outcome of his appeal, which is expected to be heard by the 2nd Circuit as early as April.
At Tuesday's hearing, Waxman argued that Gupta's appeal would raise substantial questions that likely would result in his conviction being reversed.
The government hadn't proved its case, which relied on "classically inadmissible" or "entirely circumstantial" evidence, Waxman said. "It totally failed in that regard."
Waxman said the trial judge, Jed Rakoff, erred in admitting an October 24, 2008 wiretapped conversation between Rajaratnam and David Lau, a Singapore-based portfolio manager at Galleon.
On the call, Rajaratnam told Lau that he "heard yesterday from somebody who's on the board of Goldman Sachs, that they are gonna lose $2 per share." But Waxman said there was no evidence Lau traded on the tip, and the call had been focused on the general discussions of the global financial crisis.
Reed Brodsky, the prosecutor who argued before the 2nd Circuit, countered that the wiretaps show that Rajaratnam had provided information to Lau so he could also benefit from it.
"The government's evidence showed this was in furtherance of the conspiracy," he said.
The 2nd Circuit had earlier denied Rajaratnam's similar bid to remain free on bail pending his appeal, which was argued October 25. The fund manager is serving an 11-year prison sentence.
The case is USA v. Rajat Gupta, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No 12-4448.
Reporting By Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Martha Graybow, Andrew Hay and Tim Dobbyn


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The term "pelvic floor" was not part of polite conversation a generation ago, when women with pelvic floor disorders, or PFDs, often suffered in silence.
Fortunately for the millions of women who know this acronym all too well, times have changed.
"It's no longer taboo," said Dr. Sandra Culbertson, urogynecologist with the University of Chicago's Center for Pelvic Health. "Women are talking about it and getting help earlier. Younger women, especially, are not accepting the idea that the symptoms have to be a natural part of aging, and they don't."
Culbertson is a spokeswoman for the Pelvic Floor Disorder Alliance, which formed in 2011 to educate patients and primary-care physicians about treatment of PFDs. An offshoot of the American Urogynecologic Society, the alliance includes physicians, researchers and medical-product manufacturers.
The Tribune asked Culbertson about this enigmatic part of female anatomy.
Q: What is the pelvic floor?
A: A woman's pelvic floor is a muscular shelf that supports the organs that affect reproduction, urination and defecation.
Pelvic floor disorders include urinary or bowel control problems, prolapse of a pelvic organ (bladder, urethra, cervix or rectum) and chronic pain.
Q: How many women suffer from PFDs?
A: None of the major medical organizations keeps track, but we estimate one-third of women will have a PFD at some point in their lives.
You're more likely to suffer from a PFD when you're older, and our population is aging, so the numbers are up. A Duke University study said the number of women with at least one PFD will increase from 28.1 million in 2010 to 43.8 million in 2050.
But it's not just older women. Ten to 15 percent of pre-menopausal women will have some form of urinary incontinence, one of the more common PFDs.
Q: Now women are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore?
A: More women are, but I still hear some say, "I leak when I cough, but doesn't everyone?" A poll conducted by the Alliance said 40 percent of women plan to manage their symptoms with over-the-counter products until they're too uncomfortable.
Through our Break Free from PFDs campaign, we're educating women about solutions and empowering them to speak up. The symptoms are embarrassing, but you have to talk to your doctor about them to get help.
Q: How do you treat the urinary problems, which the Duke study said are the most common?
A: Urinary problems include urge incontinence (you can't make it to the bathroom or feel like you have to go all the time) and stress incontinence (you leak when you cough, sneeze, laugh or exercise).
The first-line treatment for both types is pelvic-floor strengthening exercises. If that doesn't work, urge incontinence can be treated with medications or Botox injections. For stress incontinence, the next step may be surgery.
What used to be a 11/2 surgery, though, is now outpatient and minimally invasive.
Q: What is new with the treatment of the bowel problems?
A: This one is tough. It may be caused by damage to the anal sphincter muscles during childbirth. But you may not have problems until you're older.
Physical therapy may strengthen the muscles. If not, we can implant a sacral nerve stimulator. It works like a cardiac pacemaker, using electrical impulses.
Q: How has treatment of prolapsed organs changed?
A: If pelvic floor strengthening exercises don't work, some patients can use pessaries, which are diaphragm-like devices that help support the organs.
Many women need prolapse surgery, but it has also become much less invasive. It's laparoscopic, so you just have a small incision.
Q: What if the patient's symptom is chronic pelvic pain?
A: Pain is complicated because we have to determine what's causing it. That's the hard part. It can be from many sources like the bladder or bowel or involve other gynecological issues such as endometriosis.
We can use a combination of medications and physical therapy. If the pain originates from the pelvic floor muscles, we can relieve the pain by injecting Botox into the muscle.
Q: What makes a woman predisposed to having a PFD?
A: It can be genetic. In some families, organ prolapse, especially, is more likely to occur. I tell my patients to tell their daughters.
Having vaginal births makes you more likely to have a PFD than women who had C-sections or did not give birth, but you may not have symptoms until you're older. Like all muscles, the pelvic floor muscles weaken with age.
Chronic constipation can contribute to PFDs, too, because you are straining the pelvic floor. Constipation is a side effect for many common medications.
Also, lifestyle risk factors include obesity and smoking. Your occupation makes a difference too. Women who have jobs that require a lot of lifting, like nurses and factory workers, are more likely to have PFDs because they're putting strain on the pelvic floor.
Q: What about men?
A: Men do get PFDs but at a much lesser rate. For treatment, they should see a urologist.
Latest Health
Q: Who treats PFDs for women?
A: Primarily, you see us — the urogynecologists. Also, some urologists just treat women and have done the same fellowships as we have.
For the first time in 2013, urogynecologists will be board-certified. We hope this will attract more doctors to the field. It's not glamorous, but it's challenging. Every pelvis is different, so you have to think on your feet. That's what I like about it.
You may be referred to a physical therapist who specializes in treating women with PFDs.
But your internist or primary-care physician is the one who should get the ball rolling. Part of the alliance's outreach is to educate them, to make sure they recognize PFDs. It's all about creating awareness.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pure DWTS 12 – Karina Smirnoff Talks About Her Playboy Shoot, Her New Dance Studio, And More
Many of our dancing pros are currently in Las Vegas relaxing and having fun, giving to causes, helping with shows, performing in some of them, or doing some promotion for their personal adventures. Such is true for Karina Smirnoff who attended a beauty and spa convention promoting her Collection for Girlactik. Doug Elfman of The Las Vegas Review caught up with her for a little interview where they talk about Karina's photo spread for the May issue of Playboy which she was glad to have the opportunity to do. Hugh Hefner says Karina's Playboy spread will be one of the publication's best of the year. Karina also discusses her new dance studio in California where she hopes to develop her "own Dancing With The Stars professionals" in the next few years. Here are a couple of takes from The Las Vegas Review.
As for her May layout in Playboy, she's received a lot of positive response and praise for the "classy" and "artistic" shoot.
"I'm super-excited about it," she said. It's a "dream come true" to join the Playboy-cover-girl likes of Marilyn Monroe and Charlize Theron.
"After you do something like this, and years go by, you have an opportunity to look back and say, 'That was me. I did that.'
"That's really awesome."
Smirnoff, in a playful mood, asked whether I would follow her lead and pose nude for photo shoots soon.
"No," I said, "but I would do one every day if I were you."
"Ha," she said. "Well, maybe that's something we could potentially work out."
While in Vegas, a spa and beauty convention will feature her Karina Smirnoff Collection for Girlactik. She also has a Karina Smirnoff boot line through Bearpaw and a "Shape Up With Karina Smirnoff" fitness-dance DVD.
Soon, she's auditioning kids of all ages at her dance studio in California.
"I want to develop my own 'Dancing With the Stars' professionals in a few years."
Karina works hard. No doubt about it. If you are in Vegas, you can see Karina today (Saturday) at the Tao Beach and Tao Nightclub.


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This is a fairly standard beat down at some event you've never heard of. Girl tries to be sporting, girl's efforts are rebuffed, girl viciously knocks opponent out shortly thereafter.
The knocker-outer is named Veronica Rothenhausler, who evidently has a knack for these quick victories. The knock-outee is Ashlee Evans-Smith, a poor sport who didn't want to touch gloves before getting knocked out.
What makes this particularly enjoyable, though is the studio analysis of the two rejected Goodfellas characters, Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten.
"...She touches gloves there...to her face."


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Domoroch Pass, Richtersveld National Park, South Africa
Avoid the rush and maddening crowds of commercial mass tourism and travel at an easy pace, have time to explore your surroundings, enjoy game viewing, appreciate the scenery, stop for photographic opportunities, meet the local people, learn about the African culture and interact with nature at its wildest - Roads to Roam offers African Adventure Travel at its best.
Our focus is on independent travelers (FIT) and small groups to ensure personal attention and comfort for our guests. We adhere to responsible environmental principles to minimize our impact on the environment and ensure sustainable eco-tourism.
We do not strive to the biggest, but aim to be the best in what we do in order to offer you an authentic and memorable African Safari Adventure - the Adventure of a Lifetime!
Crossing Fourth Bridge in the Okavango Delta, Botswana
It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never have


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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Jamaal Charles took the handoff on the first play of the game, skipped to his right and found a crease. He slipped through the hole, made a subtle cutback and then raced to the end zone.
On that 80-yard touchdown run against Cleveland, Charles looked as good as ever.
What he's gone through made it even more impressive.
This is a running back coming off a torn ACL last season, and who is going against defenses every week that know the Chiefs are dependent almost solely on him. He's a guy operating behind a patchwork offensive line for a team that's lost 11 of its first 13 games.
He's also a guy running with a heavy heart.
Charles was friends with Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher, and helped introduce Belcher to wife Whitney's cousin, Kasandra Perkins. Two weeks ago Saturday, Belcher fatally shot Perkins in a home not far from Arrowhead Stadium, then drove to the team's practice facility and committed suicide as general manager Scott Pioli and coach Romeo Crennel watched.
Charles hasn't spoken publicly since the incident, and may not for the remainder of the season, but he's been able to perform at an All-Pro level despite everything that has transpired.
``I think it speaks to the character of him as a man, how he's able to have an optimistic perspective despite all the things he's been through right now,'' Chiefs quarterback Brady Quinn said. ``It really speaks to who he is as man.''
As a player, Charles leads the AFC with 1,220 yards rushing. His 91-yard touchdown run against the Saints is the longest in the league this season, and his four carries of 40-plus yards are tied for second-most in the NFL behind the Vikings' Adrian Peterson.
``We've leaned on him all year, as you look at it,'' Crennel said. ``He's been the consistent staple in our offense, because he gains yards and he's the guy who has the potential to run for a touchdown. We kind of lean on him.''
Especially the last few weeks.
Charles ran for 107 yards in a loss to the Broncos, the week before the murder-suicide that rocked the franchise. The day after it, when there were questions of whether the Chiefs would even play the Panthers, Charles ran for 127 yards in an emotional 27-21 victory.
Highlighted by his long TD run last week, Charles piled up 165 yards in a 30-7 loss to the Browns, providing a silver lining for a game - and a season - shrouded in darkness. Charles figures to have a big role in the game plan this week, too, and probably for the rest of the season. The Chiefs' only reliable wide receiver, Dwayne Bowe, has injured ribs that could keep him off the field for the final three games.
That means the Chiefs could become even more one-dimensional headed to Oakland this weekend.
``Everybody knows we can run the ball,'' Crennel said. ``The thing we have to look at is they're going to load up the box to stop the run, and we've made some plays as a result of teams doing that against us. And Bowe has been a part of that. That's why I say other receivers have to step up, so we can throw the ball or do something different to back them off the running game.''
Oakland was one of the few teams to have success in stopping Charles this season, though part of that was because the Raiders never really had to worry about him.
When the teams played at Arrowhead in late October, Chiefs offensive coordinator Brian Daboll only gave Charles five carries in the entire game, netting a whopping four yards.
He carried only 12 times for 39 yards the following week against San Diego.
It was at that point in the season that Crennel, who had been running the defense in addition to his head coaching duties, turned that side of the ball over to Gary Gibbs. Crennel said at the time that he wanted to have a bigger role in overseeing the offense, but he might just as well have been saying that he wanted to ensure Charles was getting touches.
Charles only averaged about 16 carries over the first eight games of the season. He's toted the ball nearly 22 times per game over the past five.
Crennel said he's not worried about Charles' durability, either, despite the devastating knee injury he sustained last season in Detroit. The former Pro Bowl running back has proven that he can carry a heavy load, stand up after taking a hit and prepare to do it all over again.
``Jamaal is a tough guy, even though he looks like the wind could blow him over sometimes,'' Crennel said. ``He's pretty tough, and he's been here every day in practice, working hard, trying to get better and trying to help this team. You have to give him some kudos for being able to do that week-in and week-out. You take a pounding at the running back position.''
The physical toll this season has taken has been enormous. So has the emotional toll.
Through it all, Charles has remained one of the few bright spots for a Chiefs franchise in turmoil, one of the rare reasons to cheer in a season that long ago spiraled out of control.
``He's a tremendous player, and for whatever reasons, obviously teams in the hunt, or have a little better record, get a little more recognition,'' Quinn said, ``but that kid is obviously blessed.''
Online:http://pro32.ap.org/poll andhttp://twitter.com/AP-NFL


text: Example Wildlife Photography Let's Start Something newSay Hello! My service is very one-to-one and I can assure you that I will always do my best to help your business grow. Form fields below marked with a * are required, thank you. Name * Email Address * Company Name Message * Send


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Today , i'm very sad.
This morning, when i went at office, I saw that backup didn't work this night (since 3 days). When I search why it didn't work in the log file, I read in it an error ora-01187 and ora-01110. They mean that a datafile called TOTO_TEMP2.ORA failed verification tests.
But unfortunatelly, I don't find the reason of this problem.
The files is on the disk, at the good folder, with the good name.
Can anyone help me.
Can I create a new tablespace which could replace this one. If yes, could you explain me risks there are to move users from one tablespace to the new tablespace. How can I drop the "bad tablespace" ?


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020 Celaine
Inspired by Chinese porcelain, Celaine is perfect for fair to light skin with slightly peachy undertones.
Not sure about your perfect shade? Consider exploring our Light or Medium Experience Set, which contains three 3 ml / 0.10 fl.oz. bottles of Come Closer foundation. Choose your perfect match for foundation coverage, and use the remaining two shades for contour/highlight application.
Orcé Come Closer is a breakthrough foundation formulated exclusively for Asian complexions. Come Closer combines science and nature for results you can see and feel. Our formula is enriched with the moisture-boosting power of Hyaluronic Acid, plus lustrous, skin-nourishing Tahitian pearls and the antioxidant-rich botanical Evodia Rutaecarpa. This ultra-smooth formula provides medium, buildable coverage that is breathable and nearly undetectable on the skin. Come Closer doesn't just hide imperfections but actually helps improve the appearance of skin from the inside out. Instantly boosting radiance, smoothing imperfections, and evening skin tone.
Each of Come Closer's powerful ingredients have been hand chosen to address the unique needs, qualities, and concerns of Asian skin — such as sensitivity, oiliness, water-loss, hyperpigmentation, and vulnerability to environmental pollutants. This unique oil-free formula glides on smoothly with a soft, semi-luminous finish, so you can let your true beauty shine.
Orcé is committed to the highest ethical standards and purity. We are Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free and all our products contain no fragrances, parabens, oils, phthalates, sulfates, talc, or gluten.
Orcé products are designed in New York, formulated in California, and made in the U.S.A.
For centuries, traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine have heralded pearls for their powerful symbolic and physical properties. Precious Tahitian pearl extract has the ability to nourish the skin and slow down the natural aging process by improving metabolism, supporting detoxification, and protecting the skin from negative environmental effects. Pearl extract is easily absorbed into the skin, naturally boosting radiance, enhancing elasticity, and helping to prevent breakouts.
Evodia Rutaecarpa (pronounced wú zhū yú in Mandarin) is a plant widely cultivated in southeast China. Its fragrant fruit has been used as a skin-soothing agent for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine. Recent clinical studies have confirmed its ability to boost the radiance of Asian skin in particular. Targeting skin microcirculation, it helps maintain flawless skin tone, bringing a more uniform complexion, enhancing brightness, and protecting against environmental pollutants.
While our skin cells naturally produce Hyaluronic Acid in an effort to maintain moisture, the effects of aging and negative environmental factors reduce its production — resulting in sensitivity, dullness, fine lines, and uneven tone and texture. Just a single gram of Hyaluronic Acid has the ability to hold up to six liters of water. It works wonders for any skin type (from sensitive to acne-prone); clinically proven to help diminish wrinkles, firm, tone, and plump the skin while providing a protective antioxidant defense against environmental pollutants.


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Technical Specs
|Power (kW)
|383 kW
|Power (hp)
|520 hp
|RPM point maximum power
|8,250 r/min
|Acceleration from 0 - 100 km/h
|3.2 s
|Top speed
|312 km/h
Drivers. Fans. Lovers of the true motorsport. Brace yourselves. And get ready. The race track is calling. More loudly than ever before. And with an intensity not felt for quite some time. Defensive? Routine? As if. Better to go on the attack. A challenge awaits, one that will push you beyond your comfort zone for a change. Where unfiltered fascination feels at home: in the chicane, in the banked turn, on the long straights.
Come on out, if you dare.
Before you stands a sports car of flesh and blood. Boasting a voluminous 4.0-litre six-cylinder horizontally opposed and naturally aspirated engine packing 383 kW (520 hp), mounted in the rear.
Its race track chassis will show you what it means to confront the tarmac head on. Eye for an eye. Lap after lap. The fixed rear wing is a flagrant provocation to do battle. To the opponent. And to the opposing headwind. The rear silencer as well as the tailpipes in titanium are a visible sign of what the new 911 GT3 RS is promising: unadulterated sound, pure performance, and a challenge that nobody whose heart beats for sports cars can shy away from.
So, what it is to be? Chicken out – or fight?
The new 911 GT3 RS. Challengers wanted.
Vehicle concept
High-performance sports car with highrevving naturally aspirated engine, rear drive, aerodynamics adapted for maximum downforce, chassis engineered for the race track, dynamic engine mounts, rear-axle steering with sports setup.
Lightweight construction
Carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) for front lid, front wings, rear lid and rear wing, lightweight polyurethane for front and rear aprons, lightweight glass for rear screen and rear side windows, magnesium roof, titanium rear silencer.
Aerodynamics and design
Large front air intakes with titanium-coloured grilles, front spoiler optimised for aerodynamic downforce, two NACA air intakes on the front lid for improved supply of air to the brakes and side air intakes for combustion air, louvres on the front wings, greater downforce thanks to the fixed rear wing.
4.0-litre displacement, six-cylinder horizontally opposed engine, 383 kW (520 hp) power output, 470 Nm torque, 0–100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, top speed: 312 km/h.
Performance-oriented 7-speed
Exhaust system with titanium rear silencer and unadulterated sound of a thoroughbred
Aerodynamics and design
Duck away. Or full-on confrontation? Headwind is like any challenge. The best thing to do is face whatever is coming head-on. With no nonsense. Not blindly, of course, but with ingenuity.
The special challenge in the design of the new 911 GT3 RS: keeping the drag coefficient low and, at the same time, sustaining high downforce. For optimum tyre contact pressure, especially in the corners. Then there is the issue of fresh air, because the engine and brakes must not be allowed to overheat even under full load.
Optimum cooling is provided by large air intakes with titanium-coloured grilles incorporated in the front end. The extra air outlet ahead of the front lid increases flow through the centre radiator – and, by diverting the air flow, simultaneously reinforces aerodynamic downforce at the front axle.
The front spoiler lip is now even wider than the lip of the predecessor model, and downforce has been increased as a result. The sideskirts have also been further widened, a measure that has enlarged the overall surface area of the underbody – for another increase in downforce.
The louvres on the front wings combine striking aesthetics with high-level functionality. These eye-catching black slats of the wheel arch vents have the effect of reducing the overpressure generated by the turning wheels, thereby improving the downforce on the vehicle.
Typical of the 911 GT3 RS: two air intake openings for the engine, on the left and right in the rear side sections respectively.
The NACA air intakes on the CFRP front lid are new. These are used to supply air to the brakes and that's without negatively affecting the drag coefficient. Their shape was developed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the precursor to NASA. Space technology – for supreme performance in absolute proximity to the ground.
If we had just one word to describe the design language of the new 911 GT3 RS, then 'squat' would be the fitting attribute. If the word eluded us, however, then we'd make our point by showing you the rear end. Based on the wide body of the 911
Positioned right down by the tarmac are the two central tailpipes of the sports exhaust system. The rear silencer and tailpipes are made of titanium and are integral to the characteristic sound of the 911 GT3 RS.
The slimline tinted LED taillights visually reinforce the car's wide appearance. The fixed rear wing in carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) produces tremendous downforce at the rear axle and helps to provide high driving stability even at top speed. The wing uprights painted in black are made of forged aluminium.
In short: optimum aerodynamics for the race track and an equally good drag coefficient for everywhere else. So no reason to duck away. Time to take the offensive.
Lightweight construction
A material challenge: losing weight to go faster. And, at the same time, ensuring considerable stiffness both in the physical design and in the corners. For these reasons, too, the new 911 GT3 RS is made of an aluminium and steel composite. This keeps the vehicle weight low. And power potential high.
The front end consists of lightweight polyurethane with hollow glass microspheres and carbon-fibre elements. This high-tech material is not only particularly robust, but also – as the name suggests – exceedingly light.
Carbon-fibre reinforced plastic, or CFRP, is used for the contoured front lid, the front wings, the rear lid and, not least, for various interior components.
The roof is made of magnesium and, like the front lid, is purposefully contoured. Not only does this contouring visually distinguish these lightweight components, it also increases their stiffness.
The rear screen and rear side windows are made of lightweight glass. This material is as light as polycarbonate and, unlike polycarbonate, offers particularly good scratch and fracture resistance as well as being significantly less prone to buckling at high speeds.
If you do mean business on the race track, you could even dispense with the sound system or two-zone automatic climate control on request.
In total, all these weight-reduction measures add up to a weight-to-power ratio of only 3.73 kg/kW (2.75 kg/hp). A value that not only looks good on paper, but is also quantifiable by the seconds saved on the race track.
Weissach package
Engine power increased. Weight reduced. Outstanding lap times in every test going – our engineers could well have settled for the advancements achieved by the predecessor to the new 911 GT3 RS. Instead, they have honed the character of the new 911 GT3 RS once more. With the optional Weissach package.
Since the Weissach package was first offered in a similar form for the
Aesthetics and lightweight construction here form a real synthesis in which the particular focus is on saving weight. As a result, the Weissach package will reduce the weight of your 911 GT3 RS by approximately another 18 kg. That's because, for example, the anti-roll bars on the front and rear axles, their coupling rods and the roof are made of carbonfibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). The Weissach package can optionally also be fitted with forged magnesium wheels painted in
Visually, on the other hand, there have been gains. With the front lid and roof in carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) with a carbon-weave finish, and the large 'PORSCHE' logo on the rear wing.
The principle of lightweight construction continues in the interior. The bolt-in roll cage is made of titanium and is approximately 12 kg lighter than the steel roll cage of the Clubsport package.
Every gramme counts, and so does every detail. For this reason, the ultra-light gearshift paddles and the steering wheel trim are in carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) with a carbon-weave finish. In their search for further weight savings, our vehicle developers have even made the carpet trim lighter.
There were two things that we didn't want to do without: the Weissach package logo on the headrests and the plaque on the cupholder cover. Their one and only function: to express the pride we have for the Weissach package.
Time and time again, the cynics would have you believe that the potential of a six-cylinder horizontally opposed and naturally aspirated engine mounted in the rear has been exhausted. And our engineers? They smile. And prove over and over again the exact opposite.
For the new 911 GT3 RS, the specs read as follows: naturally aspirated engine, 4.0-litre displacement, high-revving concept. A maximum power output of 383 kW (520 hp) – 20 hp higher than that of the predecessor model. Maximum torque 470 Nm, i.e. 10 Nm more than before. Up to 9,000 rpm on the rev counter makes it clear what we mean by a high-revving concept.
As a result, the new 911 GT3 RS with
Especially robust and high-performing, the engine is based on that of the 911 GT3 Cup. Also derived from motorsport is the oil supply principle, which uses a separate engine oil tank, fully variable oil pressure pump and an additional supply of oil via the crankshaft.
Four valves per cylinder with cam followers and a rigid valve train is another concept matured on the race track. The engine block and cylinder heads are made of aluminium, the titanium connecting rods have been forged and, thanks to VarioCam, the camshaft timing is precisely matched to the engine speed and load.
Direct fuel injection (DFI)
As far as the efficiency of the engine – and its power output – is concerned, direct fuel injection (DFI) makes a decisive contribution. And it does so with millisecond precision and a pressure of up to 200 bar. For optimum mixture formation and combustion in the combustion chamber.
High-revving concept
The valves are operated by cam followers – another principle from motorsport. Clearance compensation between the camshafts and valves of the new 911 GT3 RS is realised not by hydraulic means, but by shim plates as part of a solid arrangement. This provides greater robustness as well as enabling remarkably high engine speeds and hard use on the race track.
Dry-sump lubrication
The way in which oil is supplied to the engine is also successfully proven in motorsport. Continued lubrication is vital, especially at very high engine speeds of up to 9,000 rpm and under the effects of the extremely high lateral and longitudinal acceleration that can be experienced on the race track. Seven scavenge pumps in total return the engine oil quickly and efficiently to the external oil tank.
Together with the oil pressure pump offering fully variable displacement, optimum oil pressure is assured in all operating conditions. This system provides reliable lubrication of hard-working components and increases the robustness of the engine under hard use on the race track. The efficient defoaming of the oil by a centrifuge before it is delivered to the separate oil tank is a solution originating in high-performance motorsport and is also used in a similar form in the
Intake manifold
In interaction with the sports exhaust system, the variable intake manifold in synthetic material and featuring two switchable resonance flaps helps to ensure efficient gas cycles. This results in an impressive torque curve, a high maximum torque and high power output across a broad engine speed range.
Sports exhaust system
The sports exhaust system of the new 911 GT3 RS has two front silencers, two catalytic converters, one rear silencer and two central tailpipes made of titanium. The large volume of the exhaust system reduces exhaust backpressure – and increases power output. In response to data provided by two Lambda sensors, the stereo Lambda control circuits regulate the composition of the exhaust gas separately in each exhaust tract. Another pair of sensors monitor pollutant conversion in the respective catalytic converters.
Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK)
The main thing to do on the race track: act fast. Of course, the same applies to the transmission. And that's where
For the 911 GT3 RS, PDK boasts an even sportier setup. With direct gear ratios and the crisp, short movements of the gearshift paddles. With seven performance-oriented gears, where even seventh gear has a sports ratio and is engineered for maximum speed. Back to shift up, forward to shift down – manual operation of the gear selector is based on the established motorsport principle.
This is how it works. PDK is essentially two gearboxes in one and thus requires two clutches. This double-clutch arrangement provides an alternating, non-positive connection between the two half gearboxes and the engine by means of two separate input shafts. During a gear change, therefore, one clutch simply opens and the other closes at the same time, enabling gear changes to take place within milliseconds. This has consequences: positive ones, of course. Not least for acceleration, overall performance and fuel economy. Driving feels even more dynamic and agility is increased.
What about the gear changes themselves? You'll feel them and you'll hear them. The electronic transmission control logic of the Intelligent Shift Program (ISP) offers more immediate and faster traction-induced upshifts and downshifts on overrun. In PDK SPORT mode, downshifts under braking are more aggressive while, under acceleration, the shift points are raised to higher engine speeds. So changing up a gear becomes a physical experience – and an emotive one.
Banking left-hand corner ahead. That means rebounding from the compression experienced in the dip on the right-hand side of the tarmac. Approaching the imminent left-hand corner from the outside and turning into the apex to ride the kerbs. Preferably not just the once. But again and again and again. That's exactly what the chassis of the new 911 GT3 RS has been engineered for.
In conjunction with a series of specifically tuned chassis components, this means that the new 911 GT3 RS offers extraordinary agility, a high degree of driving safety in the high speed range and extremely stable handling.
The lightweight, independent front suspension combines McPherson-type struts with helper springs and longitudinal and transverse links. The rear axle has a multi-link suspension with helper springs and chassis subframe following the LSA concept (lightweight, stable, agile). Camber, track and the anti-roll bars can be individually adapted for use on the race track.
Our engineers spent plenty of hours fine-tuning the driving dynamics setup. Based on established racing strategy, the ride rates of the springs at the front and rear axles of the new GT3 RS have been significantly increased. At the same time, the roll rates have been reduced by the use of a softer antiroll bar. Damping characteristics have been optimally adapted to these new parameters.
Positive result: a significant increase in traction and stability when cornering at speeds of over 250 km/h.
For the absolute maximum level of performance possible, all suspension joints have also been replaced by ball joints. These provide a particularly firm connection between the suspension and the body. For precise, sharp and direct handling.
Result: a further increase in dynamic performance – and precision. The nicest challenges are still the ones we encounter time and time again.
Rear-axle steering
Fitted as standard, rear-axle steering with sports tuning combines performance and everyday driveability. An electromechanical adjustment system at each rear wheel enables the steering angle to be adapted based on the current driving situation, steering input and vehicle speed.
Advantage at low speeds: the system steers the rear wheels in the opposite direction to that of the front wheels. This has the virtual effect of shortening the wheelbase. Negotiating tight corners becomes a more dynamic experience, while manoeuvring becomes easier to manage and the turning circle is reduced.
Advantage at higher speeds: the system steers the rear wheels in the same direction as that of the front wheels. Thanks to this virtual extension of the wheelbase, driving stability and agility are increased – especially in the event of fast lane changes or during overtaking manoeuvres on the race track.
Dynamic engine mounts
This electronically controlled system minimises the perceptible oscillations and vibrations of the entire drivetrain, especially the engine, and combines the benefits of a hard or soft engine mounting arrangement.
A hard engine mounting delivers optimum dynamic performance because it offers the highest degree of handling precision possible. Soft engine mounts, on the other hand, minimise oscillations and vibrations. While comfort is improved on uneven road surfaces, this comes at the expense of dynamic performance.
Our engineers have solved this problem by enabling the stiffness and damping performance of the engine mounts to adapt to changes in driving style and road surface conditions. This has been achieved by the use of a fluid with magnetic properties in interaction with an electromagnetic field.
With a harder engine mounting, handling is perceptibly more stable under load change conditions and in fast corners. The dynamic engine mount system also reduces the vertical oscillations of the engine when accelerating under full load.
The results are greater and more uniform drive force at the rear axle, increased traction and faster acceleration. Whenever a less assertive driving style is adopted, the dynamic engine mounts automatically soften to provide a heightened level of comfort.
Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM)
This electronic active damping system offers continuous adjustment of the damping force on each wheel based on the current driving situation and your driving style. At the press of a button, you can select between two different modes. 'Normal' mode is designed for sporty driving on public roads and on wet race tracks. 'Sport' mode is specially tuned for maximum lateral acceleration and offers the best possible traction on the track.
Porsche Stability Management (PSM)
PSM automatically maintains stability even at the limits of dynamic driving performance. In addition to the anti-lock braking system, it includes Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Traction Control (TC).
Sensors continuously monitor the direction, speed, yaw velocity and lateral acceleration of the car. Using this information, PSM is able to calculate the actual direction of travel at any given moment. If the car begins to oversteer or understeer, PSM applies selective braking on individual wheels to restore stability. What's special about PSM in the new 911 GT3 RS? The systems intervene with exceptional sensitivity and precision and can be completely deactivated in two stages, for deliberately sporty handling.
Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus)
PTV Plus has been specially adapted to the new 911 GT3 RS. In conjunction with PDK, fitted as standard, the system operates with an electronically regulated and fully variable rear differential lock.
Numerous driving parameter inputs are the basis for the system's active control of the differential lock. The results are greater traction, particularly at the limits of dynamic performance, increased lateral dynamics and a significant improvement in driving stability under the effects of load changes in corners and when the car changes lane. In addition, the system strategically brakes the right or left rear wheel. This means that, whenever the car enters a corner, brake pressure is applied to the inside rear wheel. Consequently, a greater amount of drive force is distributed to the outside rear wheel, almost pulling the car into the corner. Turn-in capability is improved, agility is increased.
Front-axle lift system
Available as an option, the front-axle lift system raises the new 911 GT3 RS 30 mm at the front end. This minimises the risk of grounding on kerbs, ramps and car park entrances when manoeuvring. For the first time, the system no longer works pneumatically, but hydraulically. As a result, the lift system is almost 50% lighter than it was before. In our approach to lightweight construction, not a single component is spared scrutiny.
Wheels and tyres
20-inch at the front axle, 21-inch at the rear axle. Or, in other words: wide wheels for a large contact surface – and excellent driving dynamics as a result.
The exact dimensions: 265/35 ZR 20 tyres on 9.5 J × 20 wheels at the front, 325/30 ZR 21 tyres on 12.5 J × 21 wheels at the rear.
Specially developed sports tyres* raise the performance of the new 911 GT3 RS to a new level. Thanks to their road approval, you can nevertheless drive on them to the race track. For the first time, specially developed race track tyres are available for the new 911 GT3 RS separately. While these tyres are also road-legal, they place even more focus on maximum track performance.
As standard, the wheels are forged alloys painted in aurum. The central locking device in black bearing the 'RS' logo is derived directly from motorsport and facilitates faster wheel changes. Another advantage over a conventional five-hole connection: enhanced performance thanks to the reduction in rotating masses. Tyre Pressure Monitoring (TPM) is fitted as standard. Not only does it issue warnings in the event of a gradual or sudden loss of pressure, it also features a race track mode. This factors in the lower inflation pressure of cold tyres before an outing on the circuit.
* The reduced tread depth increases the risk of aquaplaning on wet surfaces.
The new 911 GT3 RS also displays maximum performance in terms of negative acceleration. The new 911 GT3 RS is equipped as standard with a particularly powerful brake system with a specifically matched brake booster. The red six-piston aluminium brake calipers on the front axle and the four-piston equivalents at the rear are designed as monobloc units. This makes them highly resistant to deformation and enables a more rapid response and release of the brake, even under heavy loads.
The composite brake discs are 380 mm in diameter, front and rear. Thanks to their two-piece construction with aluminium brake chambers, they save weight and thereby reduce unsprung and rotating masses. The brake discs are cross-drilled and internally vented for powerful braking even in adverse weather conditions. Or when pitted against the challenges of motorsport.
Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB)
Motorsport technology in a car on the road:
PCCB dimensions are sized to match the performance potential of the new 911 GT3 RS. That's why the cross-drilled ceramic brake discs have a diameter of 410 mm at the front and 390 mm at the rear – for even more formidable braking performance.
The use of six-piston aluminium monobloc fixed brake calipers on the front axle and four-piston units at the rear – all finished in yellow – ensures extremely high brake forces which, crucially, are exceptionally consistent. PCCB enables shorter braking distances in even the toughest road and race conditions. Safety under high-speed braking is also improved thanks to its excellent fade resistance.
The key advantage of PCCB is the extremely low weight of the ceramic brake discs, which are approximately 50 % lighter than standard discs of a similar design and size. As well as enhancing performance and fuel economy, this represents a major reduction in unsprung and rotating masses. This results in better roadholding and increased comfort, particularly on uneven roads. Plus greater agility and further improved handling.
Porsche Side Impact Protection System (POSIP)
Advanced airbag technology is integrated in the form of full-size driver and passenger airbags, which are inflated in two stages depending on the severity and type of accident. The
Clubsport package
The ideal platform for any sporting challenge: the Clubsport package, available at no extra cost for the new 911 GT3 RS, provides additional protection on the race track. It comprises a roll cage with paint finish in black or Lizard Green bolted to the bodywork and a six-point racing harness supplied ready to install for the driver including two shoulder belt designs for use with or without HANS safety device (Head And Neck Support).
The package also includes a fire extinguisher with bracket and preparation for the battery master switch. The battery master switch itself, and the front roll cage add-on option to form a full cage for race events, are available to purchase separately from the
You feel awe before you get in ... then satisfaction afterwards. In the cockpit of the new 911 GT3 RS, it soon becomes clear what it's all about. Optimum ergonomics. Information that is quick to process. Sporty purism – of the kind that does not prohibit the driver from concentrating on the road ahead.
The instrument cluster speaks a clear language.
Directly next to the rev counter is a high-resolution 4.6-inch touchscreen display. Its multifunction display lets the driver see data from the on-board computer. Viewable information includes engine power, longitudinal and lateral acceleration (g-force), Tyre Pressure Monitoring (TPM) values, information on communication and audio settings, or the map of the navigation system.
GT3 RS Steering wheel
Change gear like a motorsport professional – the GT3 RS Sports steering wheel is manually adjustable for height and reach and its gearshift paddles offer short, sporty shift actions. Gearshifts are even more direct and precise as a result. The steering wheel rim in black Alcantara® is easy to grip and remains in firm hands even on sporty drives. Pointing the way: the coloured top centre marking.
Interior materials
The materials represent a clear, sporty line and superlative quality. Black Alcantara® and black leather dominate the interior. Accents are created by interior parts in carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) with a carbon-weave finish.
Alcantara® is easy to grip, wash and maintain. For this reason, it is used mainly on surfaces where occupants will come into direct contact with it: on the steering wheel rim and PDK gear selector, for example, as well as on the door handles, door panel armrests and the storage compartment lid in the centre console. The roof lining and the A-, B- and C-pillar trims are also finished in Alcantara®. The seat centres? Also in Alcantara®.
A carbon-weave finish is found, for example, on the dashboard decorative trim, the centre console trim and the door sill guards with 'GT3 RS' logo.
In black leather: the seat bolsters, the headrests, the airbag module in the centre of the Sports steering wheel, the side sections of the armrests – both on the door panels as well as on the storage compartment in the centre console.
Full bucket seats*
Part of the standard specification: full bucket seats in carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) with a carbon-weave finish. Not only do they look sporty and provide good lateral support, they also offer a height adjustment function, enabling the full bucket seat to be positioned 30 mm lower or 20 mm higher. Height adjustment is electrically powered, while the fore/aft position is manually adjustable. These seats are upholstered in black leather with perforated seat centres in black Alcantara® – or, as an option, Lizard Green. Through the aeration holes in the seat centre shimmers a second layer of fabric in black. The 'GT3 RS' logos embroidered on the headrests are in GT Silver.
Sports bucket seats*
An optional alternative: bucket seats with folding backrest for easier access to the rear compartment, integrated thorax airbag and manual fore/aft adjustment for the driver and passenger. The seat shells are made from glass- and carbonfibre reinforced plastic with a carbon-weave finish. The backrest pivot points are positioned high in the side bolsters – allowing very good lateral support even in the pelvic region.
The seats are upholstered in black leather with seat centres in perforated Alcantara® in black or, alternatively, Lizard Green including headrests with the 'GT3 RS' logo in GT Silver.
Adaptive Sports seats Plus
Available as an alternative, adaptive Sports seats Plus blend sport with comfort and are suitable for everyday driving or the race track. They feature side bolsters in leather, seat centres in black Alcantara® and the 'GT3 RS' logo embroidered on the headrests in GT Silver. Here, again, seat centres in Lizard Green are available on request. Offering 18-way electric adjustment, the seats can be optimally adapted to meet your needs in terms of seat height, squab and backrest angle, seat depth, fore/aft adjustment and four-way lumbar support. The side bolsters on the seat surface and backrest can be individually adjusted for precision lateral support on winding roads and added comfort on long journeys.
* Child seats are not compatible with full bucket seats or Sports bucket seats.
Chrono Package
In addition to the analogue and digital stopwatch on the dashboard, the optional Chrono Package boasts even greater functionality. PCM is upgraded to include a special performance display, enabling you to display, store and evaluate recorded lap times. In this way, you can view the current lap time and distance, number of laps completed and other times achieved so far. It is also possible to view the current fastest lap and range until empty. Any travelled distances can be recorded and benchmark times defined.
Porsche Track Precision app*
Your performance can be measured and evaluated in even greater detail with the
On the race track, dynamic performance is visualised on your smartphone and, in addition to sector and lap times, the app is also able to show how the current lap compares with a previously defined reference lap. Graphical analyses of driving data plus a video analysis help the driver to keep improving driving performance. Recorded stats and circuit and driver profiles can be managed and shared from the smartphone itself.
For even greater precision in your lap time measurements, a lap trigger is available from
* App usage permitted on closed land only. Operation of this product (including the video recording feature in particular) could be prohibited by laws or regulations in specific markets or events. Before any use of this product, please check that this is permitted under local laws and regulations.
Sound systems
Sound Package Plus
Sound Package Plus, with eight loudspeakers and a total output of 150 watts, delivers excellent sound. The amplifier integrated into PCM optimally adapts the acoustic pattern in the vehicle interior to the driver and passenger.
BOSE® Surround Sound System
The optional BOSE® Surround Sound System has been specially developed for the 911 models and is optimally tuned to the specific interior acoustics of these particular vehicles. The audio system features 12 loudspeakers and amplifier channels including a patented 100-watt subwoofer integral to the vehicle bodyshell. This fully active system setup enables each individual loudspeaker to be optimally adapted to the vehicle interior. Total output: 555 watts. Should you ever want to drown out the resonant sound of the engine. For whatever reason.
The new
Porsche Communication Management (PCM)
The enhanced
Infotainment already starts when you charge and connect your iPhone® or any other audio source. You can connect your device easily using either the USB port or AUX input. An internal hard drive (Jukebox) and two SD card readers are provided in addition to the CD/DVD drive for playback of your personal music. After inserting the SD cards, you can simply play your music with the music player in the PCM.
The mobile phone preparation makes it easy for you to establish a Bluetooth® connection to a mobile phone that supports the hands-free profile (HFP). The mobile phone can remain in your pocket or bag.
Further information on the availability of the functions and services described here and under "
Due to country-specific legislation and requirements, not all models and equipment features are available in certain countries. For more information about the exact equipment specifications, please consult your
Connect Plus
The Connect Plus module ensures maximum connectivity in your
It features an LTE telephone module – with SIM card reader – for convenience, excellent reception and optimised voice quality. A wireless Internet access point gives you in-car online access from WLAN-enabled client devices (e.g. laptops, tablets or smartphones), simultaneously if necessary.
A smartphone compartment in the centre console transfers the signal of your mobile phone to the external aerial of the car – conserving phone charge and providing optimum reception. In addition, you can connect your smartphone for recharging or to play its media content.
What's more, the Connect Plus module enables use of the wide range of
At www.porsche.com/connect, you can find further information about the apps and services available.
Due to country-specific legislation and requirements, not all models and equipment features are available in certain countries. For more information about the exact equipment specifications, please consult your
At www.porsche.com/connect, you can find further information about the apps and services available.
Due to country-specific legislation and requirements, not all models and equipment features are available in certain countries. For more information about the exact equipment specifications, please consult your
Connect Apps
In addition to its range of smart services,
The second app is the
At www.porsche.com/connect, you can find further information about the apps and services available.
Due to country-specific legislation and requirements, not all models and equipment features are available in certain countries. For more information about the exact equipment specifications, please consult your
Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur
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Find a truly original idea. It is the only way I will distinguish myself. It is the only way I will ever matter.
As far as cinema goes, there is no denying that Russell Crowe owned the early 2000's. Fresh off of his Oscar winning performance in Gladiator, Crowe starred in the 2001 Oscar Winning film A Beautiful Mind. The true story of Nobel Prize winner John Nash, A Beautiful Mind is a stunningly emotional roller coaster that looks at the horrors and unexpected triumphs of living with schizophrenia.
Now, if you haven't seen this film, know nothing about it and know nothing about John Nash you may want to stop reading because for the first half of the two hour film there is no mention of schizophrenia. The film starts with the brilliant John Nash (Russell Crowe) entering Princeton University as a recipient of the prestigious Carnegie scholarship for mathematics. An awkward man, Nash finds companions in Sol (Adam Goldberg), Bender (Anthony Rapp), Ainsley Neilson (Jason Gray-Standford) and co-Carnegie recipient Martin Hansen (Josh Lucas) where Nash is the butt of every joke. The only person Nash really seems to become friends with it his roommate Charles Herman (Paul Bettany). As his colleagues publish work after work, Nash is unable to finish anything of consequence until a social situation leads him to create his great work, the one that eventually wins him the Noble Prize.
Moving forward through the years, Nash receives a job working for and teaching at MIT with Sol and Bender. Regarded as the best natural code breaker in the world, Nash is summoned to the Pentagon to help break codes. At MIT Nash meets two very important people, the first being Alicia Nash (Jennifer Connelly), a student who Nash ends up marrying. The second is William Parcher (Ed Harris) who approaches Nash with a top secret mission from the government. For years things go fine until Nash is plagued by suspicion and extreme paranoia. Beginning to fear for her husband, Alicia looks into his behavior and is forced to call Doctor Rosen (Christoffer Plummer) who diagnoses Nash with schizophrenia. As Nash tries to work out which of the important people in his life are hallucinations and which important assignments and events are delusions, his marriage and life suffers. Hating the medicine that dulls his extremely sharp mind and not wanting to risk the danger of elctro-shock therapy over and over again, Nash, with the support of his wife, tries to ignore the delusions. Asking Martin Hansen, now head of the Princton Math Department, if he can work on campus, Nash spends years sorting his delusions from reality and eventually is allowed to teach at Princeton before going on to win the Nobel Prize. Though he eventually beats them, his hallucination never leave him.
What was absolutely brilliant about this film was the direction director Ron Howard took. The audience was thrown into Nash's life. For the first half of the film, the delusions did not seem like delusions and the hallucinations did not seen like hallucinations. You are devastated by the truth just as much as Nash is because, just like from Nash's perspective, it is impossible to accept it as reality. The reality we thought we knew is wrong and that is devastating to cope with. Howard is an expert director, using soft, smooth cuts and transitions during the first half of the film to suspend any feeling of conflict, as if there is nothing wrong. Prior to the schizophrenia diagnosis there is conflict but even then the music and shot composition remains calm, giving the audience the impression that the conflict will be resolved with no problem. This is true since much of the conflict is not real, it is all in Nash's head. As we get closer to and eventually learn the truth the directing and music subtly changes to make it an extremely suspenseful and conflict filled film.
I cried more times in this film than I would care to admit. Some tears were sad while many were happy, this film was an emotional power house. Beating Gosford Park, In the Bedroom, the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and Moulin Rouge! for Best Picture, A Beautiful Mind easily deserved the win. Ron Howard also took home an Oscar for Best Director, which was a no brainer in my mind, writer Akiva Goldsman won for Best Adapted Screenplay and Jennifer Connelly took home the award for Best Supporting Actress. Since I started reviewing each Oscar Winning film, I have never been so upset as I was when I found out Russell Crowe did not win Best Actor. In a performance that was spellbinding, the best I've ever seen him (yes, even better than Gladiator) he deserved the win. Denzel Washington, the winner, was great in Training Day but not as good as Russell Crowe. This is an A+, another one of those movies that everybody should see at some point in their lives.


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BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity swim teams made a strong showing in their first-ever state tournament last weekend with the girls finishing sixth out of a field of 26 Class 3A-2A-1A teams and the boys placing in several events to finish in 17th place.
Two weeks ago, the Decatur boys and girls varsity swim teams came in a close second in the Class 3A-2A-1A East regionals with 262 total team points to advance several swimmers to the state championship meet last weekend. This year marked only the second year of existence for the Decatur swim team and its first as an officially sanctioned team sport.
In the state championship meet last weekend, the Seahawk girls finished in 6th place out of a field of 26 schools from around the state. The Decatur girls finished with 143 team points to come in just behind fellow Bayside Conference school Cambridge-South Dorchester, which finished fifth with 150 points. Yet another Bayside school, Queen Anne's, took first in the state championship meet with 233 total team points.
The Decatur girls collected points in several events including individual events and relays. For example, Decatur's 200-yard medley relay team of Taylor Blazer, Krysten Wolinski, Brianna Carroll and Catelin Geiser finished fourth with a combined time of 2:03:87 to earn 30 team points. In the 400-yard relay, the Decatur girls' team of Blazer, Carroll, Geiser and Katie Hansen finished in third place and earned 32 team points.
Taylor Blazer came in second in the women's 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:02:86 to earn 17 points for the team. Lindsey Bankart came in 19th in the event. In the women's 200-yard individual medley, Decatur's Brianna Carroll took 10th with a time of 2:33: and earned seven team points. Catelin Geiser took third in the women's 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25:86 and earned 16 points for the Decatur women's team.
In the women's 100-yard free, Geiser came in sixth to earn 13 points, while Carroll finished in 11th place to pick up six more points for the cause. Blazer finished second in the women's 100-yard backstroke to gain 17 more points for the Seahawks, while Katie Hansen finished in 12th place in the women's 500-yard freestyle to pick up an additional five points for the Seahawks' cause.
On the men's side, the Seahawks gained 36 total team points to finish in 17th place our of the field of 23 schools participating in the state championship meet and placed several swimmers in their respective events. The best finish for the Decatur men's team came in the 400-yard freestyle relay when the team of Christian Yandle, Stephen Kosicki, Jake Blazer and Austin Deppe finished 9th to pick up 14 total points for the team. In the men's 500 freestyle, Blazer finished ninth with a time of 5:45:39 to pick up nine more team points for the Seahawks.
In the men's 200 freestyle, Kosicki finished 14th to grab three points for the team, while Blazer contributed one more point for the Seahawks with a 16th place finish. Deppe finished 12th overall in the men's 200 individual medley with a time of 2:24:54 to earn five points for the Seahawks.


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NetSupport School 12.00.0023 | 91.5 MB
With NetSupport School, Teachers and Trainers can improve classroom instruction by centrally instructing their Students on their PCs, maintain Student attention by monitoring application and web usage and save time by quickly polling the class and showing instant results. Teachers can also record all screen, keyboard and mouse activity on a Student workstation to review later or replay to the whole class. With educational budgets under increasing pressure, NetSupport School enables schools, colleges and training institutions to maximise the return from the IT infrastructure already in place.
Features you would expect from the market leader Unique to NetSupport School and included as standard
Powerful Classroom Management – Power On/Off all computers, Remotely Log On/Off all computers in a single action, create custom classroom layouts and more.
Student Register – Generate and store Student attendance records and prompt for custom information unique to your school.
Interactive Lesson Plans – Pre-schedule activities and resources for the class, track lesson progress in real-time and share plans with other teachers.
and more…
Home Page –
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Blockbuster Effects
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When a new project launches, the first thing its creators do (if they hope to be successful) is promote it to their friends and fans. This starts a ripple effect of promotion and backing that often accelerates if the project is picked up by a well-read blog or online community. This is how the majority of audiences are introduced to projects.
As we've grown, we've heard people worry that it will be harder and harder to fund projects as the total number of projects grows. They wonder: Do more projects mean greater competition for the same dollars?
And when there's a blockbuster project, they ask: Are these projects stealing backers from other worthy projects?
For both questions, the opposite actually appears to be true. Projects aren't fighting over a finite pool of Kickstarter dollars or backers. One project's backer isn't another project's loss. The backers that one project brings often end up backing other projects as well. Each project is not only promoting itself, but the Kickstarter ecosystem as a whole.
How's the health of the Kickstarter ecosystem right now? Currently there are more projects funding on Kickstarter than ever before — more than 4,500 in all. That big number is good news for both current and future project creators.
To illustrate that point, let's look at two recent blockbuster projects: the video game Double Fine Adventure and the webcomic Order of the Stick. Both projects raised more than $1 million — and brought a flood of new backers in the process.
Double Fine Adventure
Double Fine Adventure is the largest project in Kickstarter history by pretty much every metric, including dollars pledged and number of backers.
- Dollars Pledged: $3,336,371
- Total Backers: 87,142
- First-Time Backers: 61,692 (71%)
Double Fine brought a lot of new people — more than 60,000 first-time backers — to the site. Did that activity extend to other Video Games projects? To measure this, we calculated the average number of pledges per week to projects in the Video Games category before and after the launch of Double Fine. The dotted line marks Double Fine's launch; pledges to Double Fine itself are excluded.
In the month before Double Fine, the Video Games category averaged 629 pledges per week. After Double Fine's launch, the Video Games category averaged 9,755 pledges per week, excluding pledges to Double Fine itself. The jump is similar in terms of dollars:
- $1,776,372 was pledged to the Video Games category in Kickstarter's first two years. In the six weeks after Double Fine, $2,890,704 was pledged ($6,227,075 counting Double Fine).
- Before Double Fine, one video game project had exceeded $100,000. Now, nine have.
- Wasteland 2, a million-dollar game project that launched after Double Fine, has received nearly $400,000 in pledges from Double Fine's first-time backers.
Did only the Video Games category benefit? Of the 60,000 people whose first-ever pledge was to Double Fine, 13,715 of them (22%) have backed another project. Here's their activity after their Double Fine pledge:
- Dollars Pledged: $877,171
- Distinct Projects Backed: 1,266
To date, new Double Fine backers have pledged an additional $875,000 to 1,200 projects. Here are those pledges by category:
|Dollars Pledged
|Film & Video
Games had most of the activity, but every category — even Dance — got pledges from new Double Fine backers. About $250,000 has been pledged to projects outside of Games.
Order of the Stick
Let's look at the same metrics for the webcomic Order of the Stick:
- Dollars Pledged: $1,254,120
- Total Backers: 14,952
- First-Time Backers: 11,343 (76%)
How did Order of the Stick affect pledges to other Comics projects? Here are the average pledges per week before and after its launch. All pledges to Order of the Stick itself have been excluded.
Even in Comics, one of the more established categories on Kickstarter, you can see a big bump. In the month before Order of the Stick, the Comics category got an average of 780 pledges per week. After the launch of Order of the Stick, that doubled to 1,653 pledges per week.
How about for non-Comics projects? Of the 11,343 people whose first pledge was to Order of the Stick, 2,455 of them (22%) have backed another project. Here's their activity:
- Dollars Pledged: $206,766
- Distinct Projects Backed: 722
More than 700 projects got pledges from Order of the Stick's first-time backers. Like Double Fine, they pledged to every category:
|Film & Video
Combined, Double Fine and Order of the Stick raised more than $4.5 million, and their first-time backers have pledged another $1,083,937 to 1,000 other projects. Double Fine and Order of the Stick's achievements have inspired tons of press and even other projects — as of today more than 35 projects have been launched by first-time backers, and 4 have already been successfully funded. Fellow blockbuster Wasteland 2 launched after being inspired by Double Fine.
These projects illustrate how the Kickstarter ecosystem is strengthened with each new project and backer. We'll keep an eye on these trends and share more findings when we have them. Thanks for reading!
(Update: we originally noted that over 200 projects had been started, but not all of these projects have yet launched, or necessarily will launch.)
Christian on
Interesting, descriptive analysis, although it does not really get at causality. Competition may well be increasing on the platform once you define the relevant set correctly.
Is the arrival of those two projects on the platform really exogenous? The before/after approach is definitely a good route, but I am not sure the control group is a credible one.
Jonathan Jaeger on
The key thing you're trying to refute, "One project's backer isn't another project's loss," is a little hard to measure now when you're just looking at how everything is up and to the right in terms of funding for video games. You could just have a series of hits in a short amount of time, you could have a ton of new backers from all the press and virality of the projects that start to pledge more in this time period, or a number of other factors.
I think something that would be interesting to measure over time is if there is a tipping point in a category. For instance, if you have 1000 video game projects at once, does the number of absolute dollars pledged in a given time period stop going up at a certain point as project numbers increase.
Grant Rodiek (Hyperbole Games) on
My card game project was on the site when Double Fine launched. We had 505% of our initial funding goal and never really had a slow day. I always believed that Double Fine's project helped us, now there's a bit of data to back that theory up. Great stuff.
Dan Vedda on
My feeling about htis is reinforced by Kickstarter's stats. While things may change in the future, the concept is new enough to many people that the thrill of discovery is fueling a lot of contributions. As much as I've talked up the Kickstarter site, most of the people I've mentioned it to--even those in the perpetual cycle of scrabbling for arts funding--have been unaware of it or its potential. I'm surprised by this, but only a little. My feeling is that as long as the Kickstarter community is growing, the cannibalization of project dollars won't be an issue. I can't begin to predict when or if it will top out...but it's growing now.
Mark Ewing on
Christian - causality would be nigh impossible to establish in an ecosystem like Kickstarter since you cannot assign subjects to the treatment - and even if you could do that, you couldn't get a representative sample of backers to infer the results back to the population as a whole. I think more care could have been taken to exclude the Wasteland 2 data from the Video Game category as it came in with some momentum of it's own.
The other side of the coin that isn't being considered here is the quality of projects listed. You may find evidence that the median dollars contributed to non-blockbuster projects is lower than before (not saying that's the case, just hypothetical) yet there's no way to assign a quality metric to projects. As more and more people try and fund through Kickstarter it's inevitable without some form of censorship that low quality projects that only a few people are interested in become prevalent.
Still, the fact that there have been several million dollar projects all back to back with only two of them in the same category is telling. The fact that a $900,000 project was funded is telling.
Kickstarter is still being discovered by so many that hard analysis would be incredibly difficult to do because the base of people contributing is changing so much. Penny Arcade didn't really start talking about Kickstarter until after the Double Fine game launched. Now they talk about it a lot. That's a new base of people coming in that will change the dynamic of future projects being funded.
Alexia Anastasio on
I would be interested in seeing the research and statistics of the film category in relation to projects imdb starmeter and marketing efforts.
Keith Waters on
Absolutely amazing! I love kickstarter. I know this the future for independent creativity. This article was so informative and gives me hope more hope when I start my project.
Lisa McErlane Yao on
This seems consistent with many communities. The first time I ever heard of etsy.com was from a vendor at a flea market. I've since lost myself in etsy many more times than I wish to admit. Did that vendor cannibalize their own business by driving me to etsy? No, I still purchased from the original vendor. But that vendor did expose me to many more etsy vendors and many more products. Does the woman who I bought a dress from years ago care that I have since purchased dresses, and other things, from other sellers? I hope not! Likely she's benefited plenty from other vendors' clients who have then gone to discover her.
Kevin Clark on
This is great data supporting a lot of things we already know about web communities - more people coming in means more people staying. And once you've put money down once you're much more likely to do it again. It seems really intuitive that there isn't a crowding-out factor here, and it's nice to see some data on how strong the forces are in the opposite direction. Thanks!
Kimberly on
Fabulous post, it was interesting to see the data and community growing. The Kickstarter Eco system is expanding as more and more people discover crowd funding. Making the jump from having a project supported by friends and family to reaching and getting funded by a target audience is the challenging part (and the validation I suspect we all seek).
Arctic Architecture on
Is data publicly available on overall donations per project category (such as Games, Design, Photography, etc)? Seems like Games have the potential to be hugely successful, along with Music projects, but it would be interesting to see the total breakdown of funding based on each category. There are only a few posts matching the Data tag of your blog and I didn't find any info there. The comment before mine notes that gamers and comic readers don't back Dance projects. Does anyone?
Matthew Walker on
I can say that I got lured in by a couple projects, and have since backed several others that I never would have known about otherwise. :)
Carlos Leituga on
Curious about Kickstarter Staff's opinion on the Kick It Forward concept. http://kickingitforward.org/
Shervyn von HoerlSuperbackeron
I actually think that one of the newest things to happen on the Kickstarter site that has the greatest potential to drive growth is the ability to see what your friends are funding. I know I have backed several projects because I learned about them when my friends backed them, even though they never mentioned a word about it to me, and even though they know I am an addict.
Tony Cleaver on
Excellent data- and quite inspiring. Admittedly, I have pondered whether or not my 'non' game, 'non' techy product design might get lost in the fray of such popular project categories. So your data illustrating that Backers of such categories go on to back other categories "even dance" (and the world 'does' need dance too) was nothing short of tantalizing. And when you think about it- a given number, plus more ... can hardly equal less. That little kernel of knowledge (though fundamental in retrospect) was not so obvious. Thanks for taking the time with this. I stand 'renewed,' and will present my project soon.
Peter Cohen on
The caveat that I would place on the conclusion of the article is that Kickstarter and this sort of organised crowd-funding over multiple otherwise independent projects is new. From an ecological perspective, all projects are feeding on the disposable income of KS subscribers or potential subscribers. However, the number of KS subscribers is growing because not everyone has heard of the concept. I first heard of KS through OOTS and have now seen it mentioned again by another route which I believe to be independent.
The newness of KS is indicated by the fact that it is growing exponentially with the monies raised doubling every few months. Once this curve flattens out, then it could be claimed that the smaller projects are competing with the large ones more directly. Until it flattens, the large projects bring in new people who might be interested in the smaller projects.
What can help neutralise this is if the larger projects are committed to the philosophy of independent funding, whether this is inExile promoting Kicking it Forward or a more informal approach. I can think of examples such as punk music, science fiction or comics fandom etc where an interest community leads to different bands, fanzines etc. promoting each other, for example a band can use its own label to publish music by new bands. KS is unusual in that it crosses communities of interest. The above statistics do indicate that the indy spirit can cross categories. I am interested to see whether the design and technology categories can fertilise the arts and entertainment categories in the same way that they do design and tech.
Dan NolanSuperbackeron
Makes perfect sense. There is a huge untapped market out there consisting of everyone who's never heard of KS. Each person who joins because they heard about the project elsewhere only adds to the available market of buyers in KS. I came in through Order of the Stick, which I spent almost a thousand bucks on, and then proceeded to several thousand more on other projects. Why? Because there's a button at the top of every page that says Discover great projects.
Chaotic Gaming Studio on
Well then I hope not to worry of competitors when it comes to my newest project, This made my hope go up thank you kickstarter! also my project is an MMORPG :) So Seeing this makes me want to spread the word way more, We already have 80 likes in the first 24 hours!
Shane Ayers on
Does that take Wasteland 2 into account?
Drekfletch on
I can believe that a popular project is beneficial to other projects. When I first came to Kickstarter, after I pledged I went and browsed projects to see what else was here. Because I've backed projects and know what Kickstarter is, just hearing about a project here validates it to some extent.
R. L. Fink on
My concern is that many worthy projects get lost in the noise. How many would-be patrons can find all the interesting projects in a sea of 4500 prospects?
I have three suggestions:
1. have a section for 'worthy underdogs'
2. allow multiple levels of filtering, for example - publishing/fiction/about to end
3. increase the number of 'Staff Picks' from three to nine
ET3D on
I agree with R. L. Fink that it's not easy to discover projects here. It's still easier than on Indiegogo, for example because there's a distinction between video games and other games, but it starts from not having an obvious way to get a list of projects. The only way I know is to click "See more popular projects" which is not intuitive. Then there's a sorting that's not obvious. I would like a way to get a subset of projects and then sort it by remaining time, percent pledged, that kind of thing. Get the subset by searching, categories and subcategories, tags. As the number of projects grow it will become more important to have such ways to find them, to have "people who pledged for this also pledged for that" and other kinds of discovery options.
TheChosenOne on
We need way more options on all parts of the site. Easier to browse starrted projects, sort of remaining time, already funded or not and as above said also on other parts of the site. Kickstarter in that aspect is not very user friendly.
TheChosenOne on
starred* And edit function would be nice aswell. Even if only possible XX minutes after posted message.
Jody KlineSuperbackeron
I think there will be some adjustment, but as the network effect intensifies, I think there will be a lot of opportunities for 'impulse' backers at the $5 or so level. Right now I think a lot of backers are looking at it as a sort of preorder, so the $50 contributors are probably limited pool. If you can tap the general RPG audience for $1 or $5 just because it looks interesting, etc., then I think that can negate any dilution.
Also, I've been keeping an eye on http://rpgkickstarters.tumblr.com/ to find new opportunities, as well as watching Fred's Kickstarter profile.
Tyler Gallant on
I signed up to back the Order of the Stick project, and I have subsequently dropped four times the amount I pledged on that project across nine other projects. I definitely sift through the categories every weekend to see if anything catches my eye. There are several other projects I have on my watch list while I look to see more information before I decide to pledge -- I tend to shy away from one-and-done projects.
Juan Varela on
Mmmm, I backed both of those and I'm currently backing the Wasteland 2 project but that is because there are projects that interested and I was familiar with from before. From both of those communities I have received links to other projects (computer gaming and webcomics) but to be honest I wasn't very impressed so I haven't jumped in. Although in a couple of cases I was tempted to drop $5 or so. I guess people can pledge $5 or $10 or $20 multiple times but the project will definitely benefit from having a large fanbase to start with and above all good presentation.
Merele on
Funny to read these comments some say it is good but some say it is bad ^^
To those people who thinks that more backers and blockbuster projects are not helping smaller projects: Think about this before Double Fine i didn't even know about Kickstarter, I Only pledged on Double Fine and Wasteland 2 yet , but i did check out a lot of projects and I'm pretty sure if i find one I'm interested in will pledge some :)
Walter Jeffries on
Fascinating. I had wondered about this and those graphs confirm what I had thought would be the case. Now that our own project has started its run I'm seeing that people I brought to Kickstarter who had never done it before are poking around finding other projects to support too. One of them told me it is addictive and she must be careful or she over spends as she window shops and finds all sorts of things to back. The rising tide's floating many boats.
Jason Darby on
Big projects will bring in lots of new people that will ultimately bring in more $ for other projects. I saw KS due to DF, though i missed the opportunity to pledge, then Wasteland came along i pledged on that, also Jane Jensens Adventure project and Shadowrun.
The downside to everyone seeing this success is that the number of projects could increase at too fast a rate, which will outweigh the benefits of these big projects bringing new people. When this would be would be anyones guess.
Hopefully the smaller projects don't get left behind and it ends up with only big well known people getting somewhere... though its important to have the right things in place before setting up a KS project, and some fail because they are very badly presented.
Anyway interesting to see how this all works out.
Elciled on
I signed up for Double Fine's project, and since then I have only backed 2 rpgs including Wasteland 2, because I'm an unemployed artist so I have no money, otherwise I'd back more. (I do like dance, but it's hard to enjoy it from the end of the world where I live).
Now, if there are multiple projects I want to back but I have money only for some of them, what way would I decide how much money to give which project? Based on their goals, how much they already made, and even their rewards. Not purely on who's more famous, and certainly not just to add to a goal already surpassed by millions.
So I think there should be more ways to sort and find projects on the site, according to goal, goal met, type of game, type of music, etc. It's only logical that you'd feel safer with a famous guy's project, you're giving your money away for strangers here, knowing who they are helps. And the people who don't care about the small projects still wouldn't care even if there were no big projects.
Scott Picunko on
One thing I would find really helpful is a simple hit counter. It would make it easier to tell why a project is behind on it's funding. If you're getting a low number of visitors, you'll know you need to step up your promoting. If you're getting lots of visitors but not many pledges, then there's some issue with your project that you need to explore further.
duann Scott on
Awesome, thanks for sharing, we see similar trends on Shapeways.
Remas Haytham on
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Jason Mayer on
"We'll keep an eye on these trends and share more findings when we have them. Thanks for reading!" - any new data related to this topic?
Harish Kumar on
Thank you for another fantastic posting. Where else could anyone get that kind of information in such a perfect way of writing? I have a speech next week, and I was looking for more info ;) http://www.shareitforpc.com
Namaku Keren on
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Doa Ibu Tersayang on
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