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Voices: OPC Connection
Free Your Mind with OPC HDA ... and the Rest Will Follow
How Do I Access the Data Files/Tables on Your HDA Historian?
By Mustafa Al-mosawi
There are few things I enjoy more than seeing the light go on in someone's mind, and the are few better places to see this than at an OPC Training Workshop. A student asked a very good question, and a few days later, when visiting a customer site, the same question came up again. So – here I am blogging about it.
The question asked both times was this: How do I access the data files/tables on your HDA Historian?
Some of you are probably chuckling under your breath. But these are very smart people—experts with a wide variety of technology. So why the disconnect? OPC-HDA wasn't something they were familiar with. So if you don't think that's a funny question, here are two answers for you: one short, one long.
Short answer: You don't. You don't. Need. To. That's the point. Any HDA tool will get you all the access to the archived data you need.
Long answer: You don't. You don't. Need. To. The whole point of the OPC HDA standard is to remove the need to understand deeply how the data is archived, accessed or organized. I can store my data in a single file or fifty-thousand. I can store them as csv, xls or DAT files. I can store them with an advanced configuration database with advanced lookups or in one giant, long, insanely over-indexed table. I can store the data however I want. HDA makes no restriction about which mechanism I should choose. The OPC HDA server's job is to make that invisible to you, whichever archive you choose.
That's the theory anyway. In reality, not all HDA servers or archives are created equal.
Archive structures are defined by good engineering, design constraints and project requirements. Choosing poorly can have implications related to security, reliability, auditability and availability of the data. Ultimately, whichever archive you or your vendor choose, the HDA server needs to understand the database schema, or the file structure. The HDA server is responsible for figuring out which files to open, how to structure the query, and for packaging them up so any OPC HDA client can understand the answer. The HDA server is almost always separate from the archive—just as the OPC DA server is almost always separate from the device.
Like DA, HDA frees you to pick and choose whatever tool to access the data from your historian. That's how OPC Excel Reporter and OPC Easy Trender work with any historian on the market, and how OPC Desktop Historian works with any HDA tool.
So instead of database schemas and file structures, gain knowledge about your processes and equipment performance from a wider variety of data sources with a greater selection of tools. That's the power of OPC.
Mustafa Al-mosawi, BSc, is Matrikon's product manager for Matrikon Analytics. He has 8 years experience in design, development, commissioning and testing of industrial software products. Mustafa previously worked in the nuclear industry as a business and systems analyst with Ontario Power Generation-supporting next generation initiatives. Prior to his current role, he was a senior product designer for the Matrikon Suite of products, including Operational Insight, Alarm Manager, and TaiJi PID.
More from this voice
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The Right Way to Implement Industrial Automation Connectivity
Theres OPC in Them There Oil Fields
Companies are using OPC connectivity to overcome challenges oil coaxing.
Examining the Armor of OPC-UA Security
Centuries of conflict have seen technology develop from cowhides to Kevlar and beyond, but when talking of securing the realm, the image of a knight in shining armor still comes to mind.
New Hopes and Old Worries A Familiar Standards Story
Once upon a time, a new technology appeared to the Industrial Automation world. It came offering promises of new standardization that would make life easier, save money, improve efficiency and be safe and secure.
So what exactly is OPC Unified Architecture (UA) specifications, and when can I get it?
What are the differences between discrete and process type manufacturing?
OPC Certification creates a solid quality baseline for interoperability that separates the wheat from the chaff, according to OPC specialist Eric Murphy, and serious end-users will demand nothing less.
OPC, Modbus and Fieldbus, Oh my!
Just as Dorothy and her companions each had unique characteristics, end users are faced with a multitude of protocol choices for use in the heart of their industrial process: their communications network.
Energy saving solutions Building IT with OPC
OPC provides the advantages of standardized data connectivity among many isolated systems, industry-proven applications to turn that data into information, and hence into cost and energy savings.
OPC UA enables Business Intelligence (BI)
In a special-to-the-web article for OPC Connection, OPC specialist Eric Murphy presents his thoughts on OPC UA and how it offers the promise of unifying individual business units into true enterprise-wide solutions.
Winning the battle for interoperability
In a special-to-the-web article for OPC Connection, OPC specialist Eric Murphy presents his thoughts on what it will take to achieve the mission of true interoperability.
Ensuring OPC connectivity in mission critical applications
OPC specialist Eric Murphy presents important aspects to consider when addressing the uninterrupted flow of data and communications, and how OPC plays an increasingly mission-critical role in the enterprise.
OPC security better safe than sorry
OPC specialist Eric Murphy brings the latest in OPC technology to OPC Connection. This month, he presents important aspects to consider when addressing security in OPC and the process industry.
OPC A decade of success by any standard
OPC specialist Eric Murphy brings the latest in OPC technology and specifications, and his thoughts on where the technology is headed, to OPC Connection, our new Site Resource for the OPC community.
Industrial Networking columnist, Ian Verhappen, addresses open process connectivity (OPC) and how you can use different flavors of it depending on the application and system requirements.
OPC tunneling increases data availability
OPC has quickly become the de facto open communication standard in the world of industrial connectivity. However, shortcomings in operating system components, particularly the security layer (DCOM), can lead to data loss.
Historical OPC alarms and events
Understanding and searching alarms and events logs and turning them into valuable data stores can be difficult, but is instrumental in optimizing plant performance.


text: Lief is choas cosnumieng my inaocense by Buokshelf Clamstion Buokshelf Clamiston is the James Joyce of the Clamistons. Without Buokshelf, the Clamistons would be just a run of the mill extended troll family. Or maybe the Clamistons are real people with real feelings and shit. This is doubtful. All over Facebook the Clamistons wander adding new friends each and every day. They use a patented 'barely comprehensible' spelling style that helps to define them as a family. Apparently all members of the Clamiston tribe lack spell check or anything similar. Rather they live together in a remote compound observing the world from far away. Interactions in this book deal with Buokshelf's family and various restaurants. The use of the word 'bro' indicates a certain familiarity with the reader. Through the use of the word 'bro' Buokshelf ensures that the reader always feels like part of the action. IHOP receives rather harshly worded criticism as does Taco Bell. Judging from the limited interactions Buokshelf hates these sorts of experiences. Does Buokshelf tend to cook for himself? Has he given up on the luxuries of modern society which provide breakfast and tacos at all hours of the day? It is hard to say exactly where Buokshelf stands on this concept of highly processed food. When Buokshelf shoots the cow when the cow jumps over the moon he appears completely at ease with life. This indicates a fondness for burgers judging by Buokshelf exclamation to 'haevieng hambergers tonieght'. Pete Clamiston, easily the most popular member of the Clamiston family, receives a beautiful dedication. Here the reader discovers Pete Clamiston is sexually impotent. This is a common ailment more common than anyone realizes. To state this in an e-book intended for alt lit, a group too young to suffer from sexual impotence, is brave indeed. In fact alt lit cares a lot about sex. Alt lit's greatest draw is sex. Alt lit is a great big writing and fornicating community. 'The Loin the wietch and the wadroebe' is by far the best part of the collection. Here Buokshelf really shows off his artistic flair. For one his work deals with the often-ignored sexual and drug related material left out in the original version. Various references indicate Buokshelf's worldly knowledge about 'buttholes' and 'section 8 housing'. Referencing the ability to prevent forest fires shows that Buokshelf is aware of 'Smokey the Bear' who advised countless young ones to avoid forest fires. Most likely this puts Buokshelf somewhere in his mid to late twenties. Overall this is a delightful collection and a brilliant take on the concept of e-books. Is Buokshelf Clamiston trolling the alt lit community or is the alt lit community trolling Buokshelf Clamiston? The world may never know bro. Bookshelf Clamiston Buokshelf Clamiston The Clamistons Lief is choas cosnumieng my inaocense IHOP Pete Clamiston deejberndt likes thisbeachsloth posted this

subset: commoncrawl


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Blogs Natalie Munroe, the teacher who was suspended after her personal venting came to light, "While I never in a million years would have guessed that this many people would ever see my words, and I didn't even intend them to, I stand by what I wrote and I think it's good that people are aware now." What she wrote included referring to students as "rude, lazy, disengaged whiners."
Student-Hating Blogging Teacher Is Defiant
Pending approval Sadie Stein


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0 notes &
How Pocket Tales Designs Badges
At Pocket Tales, we love searching for and discovering the best literature for kids and young adults. We also like to take some innovative approaches to introducing the literature we find to kids. One approach we use is in how we design our badges (which we call amulets) that kids can win on Pocket Tales. Here are some things we evaluate when designing a new amulet.
1) Give the Amulet a Backstory
Giving your amulet a backstory creates a way for users to connect with the amulet and your application on a much deeper level than just winning a generic graphic. The amulet we profiled in this post ("Toad Hall") is the home of the main character Toad from the book Wind in the Willows. It is the final in a series of 4 amulets kids can win on Pocket Tales for reading books. Toad is notorious for owning material items, tiring of each and moving from one possession to the next. As the story progresses, he loses his most prized possession, Toad Hall, to intruders. It isn't until his friends help him regain control of Toad Hall that he realizes his greatest possessions aren't material things, but rather the camaraderie he shares with his friends. This is the last amulet to win in the series and correlates with the final possession Toad has when he comes to this realization.
2) Create A Theme or Series
The other amulets in the series are items Toad possesses - a boat, gypsy caravan and luxury car. By using a theme, we created a way to help users learn more about the book each time they unlock a new amulet. We think Wind in the Willows is a great book, and theming the amulets around the book creates a unique way for us to introduce great literature to kids who would not have read this book otherwise.
3) Create a Desire for Them
Rather than creating a flat, 2D, uninspired design like many other web applications, we created a richer visual design users would value more. The amulets are fairly difficult to unlock on Pocket Tales, thus winning them becomes a more substantial feat for our users. Toad Hall, in particular, is unlocked on Pocket Tales only after the user has read 50 books - a highly sought after achievement for our users.
Below you can see the steps our designer, Amma, took to make Toad Hall a reality.
Concept Sketch
Line Work and Color
Shadows and Depth
Final Design


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« Hobbit Auditions: Dark-Skinned Need Not Apply | Main | Where's the Dawn in 'The Dawn Treader'? »
December 11, 2010
Swoope-ing in to Sudan for Orphans' Sake
Profits from rapper's single will help build an orphanage in war-torn country
According to the Collision site, a ministry called His Voice Global, founded by Vernon Burger, has helped to build three orphanages in Sudan and are hoping to build a fourth. In September, a team of believers from from Reach Records, The Village Church, Red Revolution, Collision Records and His Voice Global went to Sudan on a short-term missions trip. Moved by what they saw, Tedashii, Lecrae, Swoope, and Jai teamed up to record a single to raise awareness and funds for a fourth orphanage. All profits from the single will go to building the facility.


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Love the bag and all the pockets!
Military surplus - style Multi - pocket Shoulder Bag
Item # WX2-210412
- Google+
- Details & Specs
Military surplus - style Multi - pocket Shoulder Bag
Salute to a gallant carrier!
- 100% cotton canvas
- 4-pocket front flap with metal grommet locks
- Metal snap closures
- Interior pockets with snap
- Nylon lining
- 2" web shoulder straps with adjustable metal buckle
- Side pocket with snap flap closure
- Nylon lined back pocket.
- 11 x 11 x 4 1/ 2 ".
State Color, as available in the Shopping Cart. Then order yours ONLINE today!
!!! Limited Quantities !!!
- Reviews
Customer Reviews
My father likes his, me too.
Just the right size to carry my gun and clips when I go rock hunting...
Good high quality bag, with plenty of pockets for everything. It's a tad smaller though than it looks in the picture. It's about the size of a legal pad, so just make sure you check the measurements before you order it. Other than that, I would very much recommend it.
I wouldn't expect it to hold up in long harsh conditions but it's a nice little bag for the price.
as expected
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WISCONSIN DELLS, WI (WTAQ) - Window shoppers in Wisconsin Dells would no longer see obscene T-shirts, under a proposed city ordinance.
Mayor Brian Landers says he's been trying for many years to get stores in the tourist haven to voluntarily remove offensive shirts from their front windows.
A new ordinance has a $500 fine for violators.
The offensive shirts could still be sold -- but they'd have to be moved inside, and customers would be warned before they enter a store that mature merchandise is available.
A final vote on the measure is expected in the next few weeks.


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A New Application of Ethylenediamine to Improve CO2 Sweep Efficiency in Extremely-Low Permeability Reservoir
Gas breakthrough is a common problem in CO2 displacement. This paper provides a new method with ethylenediamine to improve the efficiency of CO2 injection, sealing off the breakthrough channel. Experiments in porous medium model show that the ethylenediamine system can be easily injected into extremely low permeability reservoir, it can react with CO2 and the generated carbonate will reduce the permeability of the flooding region, causing the breakthrough pressure reaches 22MPa, hence, the swept efficiency is improved. Oil displacement experiment with heterogeneous core shows that the recovery factor is improved by 19.8%. Additionally, the ethylenediamine system shows high temperature resistance and CO2 erosion resistance. It also has an advantage of selective plugging, it will not injury the reservoir where CO2 does not pass by as long as we chose the suitable injection speed, prepositive and postpositive slug. So we could control CO2 breakthrough by profile control.Key words: ethylenediamine; plugging; CO2; heterogeneity; profile control
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text: ok so I plugged my phone in to the dock and 5minutes later I noticed it wasn't charging. The little lightning bolt didn't show. I checked to see if everything was plugged in right and it was. Please help me find the prob. I even reset it and it still didn't work


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why does love make us cry?
View Single Post
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: S
Posts: 5,030
Originally Posted by
Hi Stanley
Love hurts, when we love to much
Love heal when we trust to much
Love steel when we show to much
Love has many "side effect" when we love someone
but love is the most beautiful tools
to open our hearts
to make us cry, to make us laugh
to make us smile and to make us fly
Love is a key to heavens door and back again
to make us see on the bright side of life
Love is the most pure energy the human beings
can learn from, through crying and laughing, sadness and brightness.
Love is cosmic feed for us , to learn and earn and learn
Love is the core from the divine, the essence of
universal DNA we all have within us.
To test, smell and taste if we can use this energy
with our souls to hold it in our minds and use it with
our heart and intelligence and still we don't no exactly how
To handle the word LOVE, to use our feeling with wings of love
so we can fly hand in hand, in ONE lovely energy of understanding.
But LOVE is an energy always with an eternal moving stream
we can feel in our hearts on and of, in our life
Sometimes the LOVE energy is latent , and sometimes its flow in and out our hearts, that's why love makes us cry, Stanley but it is for a while and a new love energy will flow into our hearts again.
The rainbow of LOVE, and light will open many wonderful doors
full of happiness, radiate with billions of love-seeds to all of us.
Have you any idea how you so often
light up these boards and our hearts
with your words.
Blessings always, Ulla.
Joy and Light,
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text:
SEGA BROADENS DISTRIBUTION AND GAME OFFERINGS ON STEAM Sega(r) and Valve(r) today announce an agreement to deliver a lineup of new Sega titles to cus
SEGA BROADENS DISTRIBUTION AND GAME OFFERINGS ON STEAM Sega(r) and Valve(r) today announce an agreement to deliver a lineup of new Sega titles to cus
Just in Time for the Holidays, Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation, Legacy Interactive and Animax Entertainment Break New Fundraising Ground W
Have you ever seen a screenshot from a game and it struck your funny bone? At GameZone, we tend to chuckle over some of the silliest ideas and though
Calling All Able-Bodied Mariners! Navigate unknown virtual waters, command new ships and crews with the release of pirates at oceans edge WHAT: Pirat
EAs Boom Boom Rocket Explodes with New Features Original Rhythm Music Arcade Game Releases Improved Capabilities and New Music Download Content Elect
2007'S SLEEPER HIT PUZZLE QUEST: CHALLENGE OF THE WARLORDS CASTS ITS SPELLS ON THE Wii D3Publisher of America Ships Critically Acclaimed Title to Ret
Strategy First Releases a New Vodcast Strategy First Vodcast Presents: Two Time Eisner Award Winner Eric Shanower, MAKING HISTORY: The Calm The Storm
Ubisoft to Release Chessmaster LIVE on Xbox LIVE Arcade Classic Board Game and Popular Franchise to Include New Twists Today Ubisoft announced that i
Classic Atari Games Arriving on Xbox Live Arcade Atari, Inc. today announced that Asteroids and Asteroids Deluxe is now available on Xbox LIVE Arcade
NETDEVIL LAUNCHES WARMONGER, OPERATION: DOWNTOWN DESTRUCTION Revolutionary first-person shooter (FPS) now available for free download from leading ho
PAIN Launches Onto PLAYSTATION Network Comedic Game Now Available Exclusively for PS3 Computer Entertainment System Sony Computer Entertainment Ameri
CODEMASTERS SHIFTS RACING INTO HIGH GEAR WITH GRID GRID Confirmed as Official Title for Next Evolution of Codemasters' Popular Race Driver Series Cod
NCsoft Expands City of Heroes, Allowing Players to Turn Back Time in Issue 11 NCsoft Corp, the worlds leading developer and publisher of online compu
Flashpoint Germany Is Updated Some upgrades and improvements to this addicting turn-based Cold War-era strategy game Matrix Games and On Target Simul
MANGA MEETS THIRD-PERSON SHOOTER IN ONNET USA'S MANGAFIGHTER OnNet USA announced today that it will launch MangaFighter globally on December 3rd, 200
Open and Shut Case! Deal or No Deal: Secret Vault Games for PC Now Available 2K Play offers an all new take on the popular Deal or No Deal game as th
Monster Ball: A New Game by Legless Lizard Games Indie games developer Legless Lizard Games has just released Monster Ball, a new 3D arcade game for
New Video for Too Human Silicon Knights Seeks To Answer What Makes Us Tick Video Diary Series Go Behind The Scenes And Learn The Steps the Silicon Kn
SEGA Announces The Club Website is Live Welcome to The Club! SEGA has announced that the official Web site for The Club is now live! Run on over to h
SEGA of America Presents New Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity Trailer SEGA of America is excited to present a new action-packed trailer from Sonic Riders:


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UPDATE: The Coconino County Sheriff's Office says a 51-year-old woman last seen January 18 has been reunited with her family in Flagstaff. No other details were provided.
Trudy Fay Lawson was last seen at her residence located east of Flagstaff in the Doney Park area at 10 a.m.
Authorities say she made two phone calls to family members around 2 p.m. During one of the calls, she said she was possibly headed to Phoenix.
Lawson has not been in contact with her family since the phone calls. Her family and friends are concerned, saying it's not like her to pick up and go.
"Trudy is a family-oriented, home body type of person. She is not one to just pack up and leave.. loves her family and friends here in Flagstaff.. devastated by all this," said Bethany Sharp. "She's never done anything like this.. always there at a drop of a pin when you need her and not like I've needed her in the last couple of days, but I need her most along with her family because we're devastated at what's happening now.
Lawson is believed to be driving her gray GMC Yukon with Arizona license plate 576KWX.
She was last seen wearing jeans, a white t-shirt and a pink camouflage hat.
Lawson is described as a 5' 3" tall white female with blue eyes, brown hair, weighing between 135 and 145 pounds.
If you have any information about this case, call 911, the Flagstaff Police Department at (928) 774-1414 or Coconino County Silent Witness at (928) 774-6111 to remain anonymous.
WHBQ-TV | Fox 13 485 S. Highland St.Memphis, TN 38111Main Station: (901) 320-1313Newsroom: (901) 320-1340


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The Lighthouse Blog
Homeless can receive free services March 4
Published on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 by
Tara Nelson
Read More
Homeless and low-income individuals in Whatcom County will be able to receive free medical, dental and housing assistance next Thursday, March 4.
The event, sponsored by Project Homeless Connect, is geared to help the nearly 2,500 people who are homeless in Whatcom County by offering them free and confidential services including dental care, medical exams, vision screening, women's health care, information on veteran benefits, housing assistance and more.
The number comes from the January 2009 Point-in-Time Count, which is a count of people who are homeless in Whatcom County. The 2009 Bellingham/Whatcom Project Homeless Connect provided 474 guests with services by more than 500 volunteers and service providers.
Organizers anticipate the size of the event to double for 2010 and guest attendance to be higher.
Whatcom Transit Authority will also provide two free ride days for March 3 and 4 to help guests and volunteers
without transportation gain access to services.
"This is our community's way of engaging people with the issue of homelessness," said Dan Hammill, Program Director at Whatcom Volunteer Center. "When you volunteer at this event, you make a difference in someone's life."
The event is a community effort led by The Opportunity Council, Whatcom Volunteer Center, Whatcom Homeless Service Center, Catholic Community Services, Department of Corrections, Interfaith Community Health Center and Whatcom Alliance for Healthcare Access.
Those interested in volunteering or donating can contact Rebecca Rayner at 360/734-3055 or


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Three teams from St. Bernard's
After an 11-1 league record earned the team a first-round bye, 17 points from Kaodi Dike and 11 points from Oscar Moreno helped the Saints record a 40-30 win over Presentation (
Michael Njamfa, Andy Lorusso and Jacob Odell all added four points, and Ian Arucan and Joshua Cuestas both added two.
In the title game, the Saints faced St. Luke's and recovered from a 9-7 halftime deficit to eke out an 18-17 win — thanks to a total team effort.
"When the season started out, I had 11 basketball players, and when the season ended I had one basketball team with 11 players, playing as one team," coach Cornealious Moore said. "That is what helped us to have a winning season and ultimately winning the championship game."
J.R. Seitz, Brian Freitas, Casey Bento and Andrew Jurado made up the rest of the roster.
Triumph live up to name
The Tracy Triumph 10-and-under girls Tracy Unified Competitive Soccer Club Bill Frazier miniseason team concluded the monthlong miniseason with a pair of wins over Stockton and Modesto in Manteca the weekend of Feb. 16 and 17, outscoring their opponents by a combined tally of 8-0.
Reina Perales, Amanda Beck, Garbiele Enzmann, Jill Finney, Taylor Nusser and Eliana Mendoza all recorded goals in a 6-0 walloping of Stockton. Finney's tally came on a 20-yard blast, and Enzmann's came off a nifty corner kick from Taylor Hopkins. Enzmann also assisted on Perales's opener, as the defense limited
Michelle Hagelston and Gabrielle Tassano stopped what shots did get through for the shutout.
After a short break, the Triumph continued their winning ways with a 2-0 win over
Hagelston made six saves, and Abby Dyer and Amanda Beck dominated the midfield.
Quakes boys make opponents tremble
The Tracy Quakes 10-and-under boys team recorded a pair of wins over
After a scoreless first half,
With five minutes to go, Malik Charles brought the ball up, and Terriquez finished the fast break to give
It only got better from there, as
Terriquez outdribbled a host of defenders for another goal, and Matthew Krause managed to knock in an indirect kick from outside the 18-yard box, sending it past the wall and goalie. Both Krause and Terriquez added another to bring the final tally to 4-0.
Dominic Jordan, Oscar Villasenor and Kyle Hewitt all contributed to the win.
Killers win but avoid jail time
The Tracy Killers 14-and-under girls team either won or tied their games — 0-0 to Ceres and 2-1 over
That would have only added insult to injury, as Brittany Sevey and Jackie Trejo dominated the corners to keep Ceres' scorers silent. Only a stout Ceres defensive effort kept
Lydia Harrington scored the goal to give
Woo continues to wow
After vanquishing the competition at Level 8,
His all-around score of 49.125 was enough to place him second overall — and his teammate, Jonathan Liu of
For a Level 9 competition, all scores from the


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Employment forecast looks great! Provided you're a robot.
John Moe
Sep 16, 2012 Economist Erik Brynjolfsson, and research scientist Andrew P. McAffee intended to write a book about how innovation and technology would spur job...
The robots are coming! The robots are coming!
Farhad Manjoo
Mar 9, 2012 A tight job market means fierce competition to find work. What could make things worse for job seekers? Robots.
John Moe
Sep 30, 2011 Look at that! It's a robot! But it's so much more! It's an ENORMOUS ROBOT DOG! They call it the Alpha Dog and it was developed for use by the mil...
Robot tractors. Robot tractors? Robot tractors!
John Moe
Sep 20, 2011 What happens when a tractor maker and a robot designer combine forces? Timing is everything on the farm. If you want to get your crops in at the...
Robot jock attempts a triathlon
John Moe
Sep 15, 2011 Tomotaka Takahashi's tiny, green and white robot has already scaled the Grand Canyon and raced for 24 hours at Le Mans. So why not modify the...
VIDEO: Two Chatbots talk about God, unicorns, and truth
John Moe
Aug 30, 2011 Researchers at Cornell have been working on a chatbot called Cleverbot. A chatbot is a piece of software or a robot or something designed to hold...
Robots can learn, and there's no way this will ever go wrong.
Adriene Hill
Aug 3, 2011 In a move that has absolutely no downsides, scientists in Japan have built a robot that can think, learn and do things it hasn't been programmed to...
The robots are coming! Or, how to spoil a pefectly nice dance party.
Adriene Hill
Aug 1, 2011 Foxconn, the Taiwanese company that assembles Apple's iPhones and iPads, is reportedly planning to "hire" 1 million robots to take on the boring,...
Greatest hits of the EOL Robot Band
John Moe
Jul 19, 2011 On our Wednesday show, we hear the latest hottest greatest single from a band of robots....
Robots AND pirates together in one blog item
John Moe
Jul 14, 2011 It's tough to do your job if it entails sailing to the Indian Ocean for research. That's what climate scientists found out while trying to conduct...


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News from WTOP
News from the AP
Mike Causey
Shows & Panels
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- The 2014 Big Picture on Cyber Security
- AFCEA Answers
- Ask the CIO
- Building the Hybrid Cloud
- CDWG/NetApp
- Connected Government: How to Build and Procure Network Services for the Future
- Continuing Diagnostics and Mitigation: Discussion of Progress and Next Steps
- Federal Executive Forum
- Federal Tech Talk
- The Future of Government Data Centers
- The Future of IT: How CIOs Can Enable the Service-Oriented Enterprise
- Government Perspectives on Mobility and the Cloud
- The Intersection: Where Technology Meets Transformation
- Maximizing ROI Through Data Center Consolidation
- Mitigating Insider Threats in Virtual & Cloud Environments
- Modern Mission Critical Series
- Moving to the Cloud. What's the best approach for me
- Navigating Tough Choices in Government Cloud Computing
- The New Generation of Database
- Reimagining the Next Generation of Government
- Satellite Communications: Acquiring SATCOM in Tight Times
- Targeting Advanced Threats: Proven Methods from Detection through Remediation
- Transformative Technology: Desktop Virtualization in Government
- The Truth About IT Opex and Software Defined Networking
- Value of Health IT
- Air Traffic Management Transformation Report
- Cloud First Report
- General Dynamics IT Enterprise Center
- Gov Cloud Minute
- Government in Technology Series
- Homeland Security Cybersecurity Market Report
- National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
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- The Next Generation Cyber Security Experts
Shows & Panels
Air Force, DLA lead way in suspensions, debarments
Friday - 6/15/2012, 2:29pm EDT
One of the five areas we're focusing on is suspension and debarment: the process by which a contractor can be declared ineligible for new government work because of either actual or alleged misconduct.
And It's a hot topic at the moment. There's been interest in the issue by Congress, the Commission on Wartime Contracting, and the executive branch. Lawmakers are pushing to automatically debar contractors under certain circumstances. And the Office of Management and Budget recently issued a memo saying that too many agencies weren't using the suspension and debarment tools they have at their disposal, and telling agencies to review their programs.
In this week's edition of On DoD, we hear from two of the agencies that are using suspension and debarment aggressively. The Air Force and the Defense Logistics Agency together processed more than 800 suspensions, debarments, and proposed debarments last year. We hear from Steven Shaw, the Air Force's deputy general counsel for contractor responsibility, and Normand Lussier, DLA's associate general counsel for contracting integrity.
Read more about suspension and debarment
Suspension, debarment a 'business decision' for agencies


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|Inès de la Fressange
Inès de La Fressange, 2009
11 August 1957
Gassin, France
|Modeling information
|180 cm[1]
|Hair color
|Eye color
|Dress size
The Marilyn Agency: ParisFord: New York[1]
Inès Marie Lætitia Églantine Isabelle de Seignard de La Fressange (born 11 August 1957), is a French model,[2] aristocrat, fashion designer, and perfumer. She was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1998.[3]
La Fressange was born in Gassin, Var, France, the daughter of André de Seignard, Marquis de La Fressange (b. 1932), a French stockbroker, and his wife, the former Cecilia Sánchez Cirez, an Argentine model. She grew up in an 18th-century mill outside Paris with two brothers, Emmanuel and Yvan. Her paternal grandmother was Simone Lazard (Marquise de La Fressange, Madame Louis Jacquinot, Madame Maurice Petsche), an heiress to the Lazard banking fortune.
Tall at 180 cm (5'11") and with a weight of 50 kg (110 lb), in the 1980s, she became the first model to sign an exclusive modeling contract with an haute couture fashion house, Chanel, by fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, whose muse she became.[2] However, in 1989, Lagerfeld and De la Fressange had an argument and parted company. Likely this argument was, at least in part, regarding her decision to lend her likeness to a bust of Marianne, the ubiquitous symbol of the French Republic. Lagerfeld reputedly condemned her decision, saying that Marianne was the embodiment of "everything that is boring, bourgeois, and provincial" and that he would not dress up historic monuments.[4]
On 9 June 1990, in Tarascon, France, she married Luigi d'Urso, an Italian railroad executive, who died in 2006.[5][6] They had two daughters, Nine Marie d'Urso (born 1994) and Violette Marie d'Urso (born 1999).[7] She also has two stepdaughters, Clotilde d'Urso and India d'Urso, the daughters of Luigi d'Urso by his first wife, Guendalina Levier.
As of 2009, La Fressange does not model often. She has been a businesswoman with a chain of clothing boutiques, a designer, and a consultant for Jean-Paul Gaultier. She presented a creation by Gaultier for his Spring/Summer 2009 haute couture collection at the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week and walked the runway for Gaultier during the event, at age 51.[2] Also, she walked the Chanel spring-summer 2011 show.[8]
- ^ a b [1] FMD
- ^ a b c Colchester, Max (28 January 2009), "Gaultier's 51-Year-Old Runway Star: Inès de La Fressange", Wall Street Journal
- ^ Vanity Fair
- ^ Greenhouse, Steven (18 August 1989), "PARIS JOURNAL; After Bastille Day: Liberty, Equality and Royalty", New York Times
- ^ Tomasson, Robert (9 June 1990), "Chronicle", New York Times
- ^ WWD Staff (30 March 2006), "Obituary: Luigi d'Urso Dies at 52", Women's Wear Daily
- ^ "The Ines thing" at Daily Telegraph
- ^ Fashionista
External linksEdit
- Inès de La Fressange at the Internet Movie Database
- Inès de La Fressange at the Fashion Model Directory


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Product Recall: We are voluntarily recalling fewer than 8,000 cases of regular Kraft American Singles Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Productlimited to 4 SKUs on two "Best When Used By" dates of February 20, 2015 and February 21, 2015. Click Here.
PLACE red peppers on grill over hot coals or on rack of broiler pan 3 to 4 inches from heat. Grill or broil 8 to 10 minutes or until skin is blackened, turning several times. Place in paper bag; close top. Cool. Remove peels and seeds from peppers; discard.
PLACE red peppers in blender or food processor container; cover. Process until smooth. Set aside.
PLACE fish on greased grill over medium coals or rack of broiler pan 3 to 5 inches from heat. Sprinkle with seasoning. Grill or broil 5 to 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.
MIX VELVEETA and pureed red peppers in saucepan; cook on low heat until VELVEETA is melted, stirring occasionally. Place hot pasta on serving platter; top with fish. Pour red pepper mixture over fish.


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In my continuing quest to become a runner, I've conquered a number of mental obstacles, but until recently, had yet to figure out the solution to a more tangible challenge: finding running clothes that are comfortable and functional for my big-busted, short, curvy body (not exactly the shape most athletic companies cater to). After finally tracking down my dream sports bra, my next goal was to find a pair of running shorts. The requirements:
- Thick spandex, because those flimsy nylon running shorts just don't cut it.
- Don't fall down, ride up, pinch, sag, or require any adjustments while running.
- Don't make my thighs look like freshly stuffed sausages.
- Have a zip pocket for my keys, gym ID card, etc.
- Not too short.
That's not too much to ask, is it? After buying and trying many different types of running tights, leggings, and shorts with results that ranged from "god, no!" to "meh," I took Moving Comfort's 7.5″ Endurance Shorts for a test run (literally), and fell in love. They meet all my requirements and more. Here's why they're awesome: Keep reading »


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The collision happened Saturday night as both Arizona Diamondbacks and Arizona Rattlers games were ending.
Phoenix police say the SUV's driver, 38-year-old Guadalupe Cobos Jr., showed signs of impairment and fled the scene on foot.
The extent of the passenger's injuries wasn't available, though police say they complained of pain and were brought to a hospital as a precaution.
Police say Cobos ran a red light before colliding with the train and managed to run away.
An Arizona State University police officer eventually arrested Cobos about four blocks away.
There was no phone listing for Cobos.
It wasn't known whether he has a lawyer.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural
Introduction | "R" Reading | Curse of the Pharaoh | End-of-the-World Prophecies
Index | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z
ideomotor effect This is the psychological phenomenon that underlies dowsing, automatic writing, table tipping, and the Ouija board. Quite unconsciously, the participant is moving the hand enough to make the movement of the involved device occur, though he may attribute the motion to the divine or supernatural force in which he believes. In all these events, nothing in the way of information is revealed to the operator except what he already knows. The effect is very powerful with some personalities, and no amount of evidence will disabuse believers in the magical nature of the phenomenon.
Click here to order a copy of the original hardcover edition of this Encyclopedia.
Copyright (C) 1995-2007 James Randi.
Created and maintained with the dictionary compilation software TshwaneLex.


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DANCING WITH THE STARS: ALL-STARS -- THE RESULTS SHOW - "Episode 1504A" - The remaining couples awaited to see who would be the next couple eliminated, on "Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars -- The Results Show," TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), on ABC. (ABC/ADAM TAYLOR) PETA MURGATROYD, GILLES MARINI, TOM BERGERON, BROOKE BURKE CHARVET, SHAWN JOHNSON, DEREK HOUGH
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Added To Cart
Subtotal: $26.45
Items in Cart: 5
Script section containing code for Liveperson Chat Solution
To determine your size, Click Here.
Garment Measurements:
Below are actual measurements for this garment. Use the above link to find the best size for your figure.
Small: Bust: 30-1/2", Center Back: 33", Waist Relaxed: 22"
Medium: Bust: 32-1/2", Center Back: 34", Waist Relaxed: 24"
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Please note: Sizes S-XL are considered missy/standard and sizes 1X-3X are considered womens/plus. Each set is graded separately and sizing may overlap.
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One World Apparel is your place to find fashions for a laid-back and cool lifestyle.


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Last month (at the Kendal Mountain Festival) UKClimbing attended a presentation from the BMC in which they highlighted some of the work they will be doing in the next twelve months. We've wrapped up what they had to say in this short report:
Big news was that the BMC's funding from Sport England looks set to increase over the next four years due to rising participation in climbing and hill walking. This funding increase will be focused on the 18 to 25 age bracket. The BMC will be stepping up their work for this group in the following ways:
Dave Turnbull of the BMC explains what they are doing for us.
UKC Articles, Nov 2012
© Alan James - UKC
However, as Access and Conservation is the core work of the BMC, they were keen to tell us about their work in that department. 2013 looks set to be a busy time for BMC access work. Here is what they told us was on the cards just for the Access & Conservation team:
This is of course on top of all the lectures, seminars and meets that the BMC runs every year. As part of that in the spring time the BMC are hosting the infamous 'International Meet'. Here's the blurb:
"The UK has the best sea-cliff climbing in the world, and the BMC will be showcasing this to 40 guests from all over the world. Based at the Count House Climbers' Club Hut above Bosigran from 12 to 19 May."


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Nativity OrnamentsItem: 146-2068
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- 12 nativity ornaments per package.
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Make memories this Christmas with fun holiday favors, decorations, and gifts. Stock up on everything you need to make your Christmas season complete!


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See and share Beautiful Nature Photos and amazing photos of interesting places
These Flower Haiku poems are examples of Haiku poems about Flower. These are the best examples of Flower Haiku poems written by international PoetrySoup poets
Summers sensations
Promising pastel colors
Cozy carnations
Drinking every drop
Where the love goes it follows
Rain bows to roses
Spring has treasures told
Gently birthed from the first rain
Dandelion gold.
When summer sun seeps
Lily of the valley sleeps
Rise in the midnight
The talk of the town
Whispers of wild affairs
Tulips are silenced
Eye popping pansies
Extravagant explosions
Playfully perfect
For all the flowers of the world, beauty
takes many shapes and colors, open
your petals, embrace the sun, and thrive!
For JAN~~
Where are the Orchids?
I have never seen one bloom.
They're all in Jan's room!!
Flirty Sunflowers
sultry sunflowers
stretch long necks to kiss the sun …
on tippy tiptoes
at the break of dawn
a Hummingbird starts his rounds
Morning Glory sought
flaunting a red hue -
Mexican Sunflower tempts
looking hot, hot, hot
the Don Juan of birds
sucking nectar from Beardtongue. . .
drunk on French kisses
Goldenrod at noon. . .
Zephyr carries a sweet scent
beneath a gold sun
between Rose bushes
the Flower Kisser gets lost
in Blue Infinity
Sweet Pea and Bee Balm
entice with purple petals. . .
Bees join the orgy
Monarchs swarm in droves
when blue Hummingbird alights
on Butterfly Bush
Evening Primrose
waving in the dusk's last breeze. . .
the proper lover
the Flower Kisser
leaves his harem sated as
white Moonflower glows
By Andrea Dietrich
*The capitalized names for flowers
represent some of the most popular
flowers visited by hummingbirds.
soft petals awake;
sacred gem of compassion
blossom into life
gentle evening breeze
honeysuckle perfumed air
promise of summer
inhale of sweetness
floral scent of paradise
memories linger
stars sparkle down smiles
fullness of what is to come
moment eternal
Eileen Manassian Ghali
It was a warm evening. I had just come back from the office. I got out of the car and the scent of honeysuckle enveloped me in magic. It was one of those moments, that you can't describe....so rich...so...full of promise and life....a moment where you are lead to believe that the world is beautiful, the universe close, and eternity in your grasp. This scent brings with it memories. I was filled with bliss. I don't usually do haiku...but...here it is. I hope you enjoy it! Hugs
Words are not enough
Language of April showers
Say it with flowers.
Gracious camellia
Daintily posing, but in vain
Begonia lost in thought.
Hopes teeming with ambition
Of a stargazer.
From friendship to love
Exchanging yellow petals
With the deepest red.
Delicate beauty
Of hibiscus in full bloom
Inspires iris.
A blushing lilac
Unaware of dawning day
Dreaming of first love.
Bittersweet flower
Ever loyal to the end
Won't betray a friend.
Parting time is near
Save the memories within
And forget-me-not.
Yellow hyacinth
With a heart that knows no peace
Nest of jealousy.
Morning breeze scatters
The rich fragrance of jasmine's
Deep sensuality.
* Hanakotoba is the language of flowers.
** each flower is bestowed with symbolism & meaning.
Author: Paul Callus
Contest: Any Poem#21
Sponsor: Poet Destroyer A
Placing: 8th
march winds gust -
gorse clings on tightly
whilst daffodils sway
earring of bush's shrub
its petals adorn pendant
hibiscus's beauty
For Contest:(Any poem) Sponsored by P.D
me and you love plant three rising ambient light one parasol folds * * Oxalis triangularis -the love plant
. ***
. ***
___hello kitty___
pretty and stylish
clean sassy paw print shower
purr-fect flower smell
__sea of stupidity___
life without reason
beauty vanished common sense
follow the leader
___city dreams___
low rise grey sunrise
dusty wind music terror
crystal clear sunset.
___brain storming___
business in the sky
thirst engraved in my sand wall
wishing well compel
___live bait___
catch me if you can
deep under salty water
aquatic spew smell
___turtle wax___
twisted fresh smell
beautiful shine in the sun
clear crystal rain X
___lonely and apart___
an empty kettle
fall like a flower petal
wet window ledge
___ Margarita Time__
stainless creation
blizzard form from tornado
cold temptations
___ withdrawals ___
clouds hide down below
my heart, my body, my soul
a certain form lost


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- Mohammad Mohammadipour
- Gonbad-E Qavous
- Iran
This conversation is closed.
What are the best moments that you have ever experienced?
How we achieve happiness can be different for each one of us. Our passions, expectations, life experiences, and even our personalities all contribute to the level of happiness we experience in our lives. Some find happiness in their careers while others prefer the bliss found in their marriages or other intimate relationship. what are the best moments that YOU have ever experienced?..
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Mar 30 2013: hi Pabirta
I know what you mean..but I think there are too much similarities among our best moments..maybe it is the time to reveal that...and know ourself better....to make a happier life..
lets share our best moments and do the same....we might experience the same feelings....
Kind regards
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Pediatrics Common Questions, Quick Answers
Donna D'Alessandro, M.D.
Lindsay Huth, B.A.
Peer Review Status: Internally Reviewed
Creation Date: November 2001
Last Revision Date: April 2002
How do I choose a babysitter?
What should my babysitter know?
What are some general rules to follow?
Make sure the sitter knows a few general safety rules:
What information should I leave?
How did things go?
Quick Answers
Please send us comments by filling out our Comment Form.
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Your personal information remains confidential and is not sold, leased, or given to any third party be they reliable or not.
The information contained in Virtual Pediatric Hospital is not a substitute for the medical care and advice of your physician. There may be variations in treatment that your physician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
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Ladies Black Ranger costume ShirtProduct Sku: MMPR026
$ 24.00
- With this Power Rangers shirt you can morph into the Black Ranger. The shirt features the Mastodon coin worn on the outfit of the Black Power Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Size Width (A) Length (B) Small 16" 24" Medium 16.5" 24.5" Large 17.5" 26" XL 18" 27.5"
*Measurements are listed in US Inches.
*Bust or chest is done by doubling the width measurement.
*For full circumference of the waistline, double the waist measurement.
- • Product Type: T-shirts
• Color: Black
• Gender: Junior/Ladies
• Graphic: Screen Print
Distressed refers to the worn appearance in the image or lettering on a garment. A distressed print may include faded areas, missing color, or other irregularities. This is an intentional occurrence in the product and adds to the vintage look of the design.• Tag Location: TaglessThe traditional size tag has been removed from the neck seam. Sizing and composition information is screen printed on the inside of the back of the shirt, just below the neck seam or collar. Popular clothing brands often use tagless t-shirts for extra comfort when wearing.
• Made of: 100% Cotton
• Fits like: Slim-Fit
• Fabric Softness: MediumT-shirts of MEDIUM SOFTNESS are composed of mid-weight, fairly soft fabric. These T-shirts are not vintage style, but do offer a higher level of softness and flexibility than your standard T-shirts.


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Most people are waiting for the alarm to ring instead of going out and setting fires on their own.
Reference: Seth Godinsky
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Wow. Talk about a mis-quote.
First, It's Godin, not Godinsky.
Second, the article says nothing about setting fires!
"Most organizations are staffed with people waiting for the alarm to ring. Instead of going out to the community and working to prevent new fires, the mindset is that firemen are working to put out the fires that have started."
It's a play on the word "fire", you dope.
When Godin/Godinsky (that's a joke, huh?)says: "Hotel desk clerks don't write letters or make calls to generate new business" he means that they shouldn't wait passively for business to come to them, they should go out and generate new business themselves. Switch that to fire-people and what do you get?
Hey, I'm a firefighter, and *I* thought it was funny.
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February 07, 2013, 4:59 PM — With the release of LibreOffice 4.0, the Document Foundation continues to makes strides in preparing the open source office suite for enterprise use, adding the ability to work with many ECM (enterprise content management) systems and updated compatibility with many Microsoft file formats.
"LibreOffice continues to be the chief free alternative to Microsoft Office, and the improvements [in version 4.0] make it more attractive," said Forrester analyst Phil Karcher.
LibreOffice 4.0 provides a way for organizations to link LibreOffice with their content management systems, including Microsoft SharePoint, Alfresco, IBM FileNet P8, Nuxeo, OpenText, SAP NetWeaver Cloud Service and others. The software uses the CMIS (Content Management Interoperability Services) standard to communicate with these systems.
With CMIS, you can check documents in and out of ECM systems directly from LibreOffice. "Previously you could do this, but you had to use a horrible Web interface," said Michael Meeks, who is a Free Software Engineer for SUSE, and one of the key managers of LibreOffice development.
LibreOffice 4.0 comes with a number of other enterprise-friendly features as well. The suite can now also import documents from the latest versions of Microsoft Visio and Microsoft Publisher. It can also better render text documents written in the Microsoft .DOCX and the RTF (Rich Text Format) formats.
LibreOffice also provides some help for executives making presentations with LibreOffice's Impress. Someone running a slide presentation in a group meeting can use an Android smartphone as a remote control. Impress can now show both the notes and the presentation on the presenter's phone while displaying the actual presentation page on the display for the audience, and keep the two in synch. The remote only works with Linux computers, though a version is being ported to Windows as well, Meeks said.
The Calc spreadsheet is being refined to match the capabilities of Microsoft's Excel. Charts can now be exported as images. New functions have been added, and performance overall has been improved. "The spreadsheet is still not at [Microsoft] Excel's level, but we're trying to improve scalability, storage size and performance in lots of ways, and making good performance there," Meeks said.


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Next, you'll be asked to connect with Twitter. Rest assured, we will never send a tweet from your account without your permission.
Two founder skills are inherently antifragile: one is learning and the other is team building.
I recommend investing in the best of both.
What if giving a young, unproven startup founder $30M to pursue a rollup strategy were a great move?
Would anyone in PE actually do that?
Talent is everything!
If recruiting isn't one of your founders' core competencies, then recruiting someone with that strength is priority 1
RT @ttunguz: How to Align Founder and VC Incentives: Why Fund Size Matters
RT @TechCrunchOnion: 17 year-old founders lining up to sell their companies to Yahoo.
"We heard there is a world where homework is illegal. Sign us up!"
RT @levie: Fun fact: Yahoo just acquired a company whose founder was born after Yahoo was started. Carry on.
RT @TechCrunch: Cheezburger's Ben Huh On Why Founders And Companies Should Be More Funny [TCTV] by @loyalelectron
RT @techstars: Where Are the Founders Now? @TechStars Cloud 2012
If your founders' core competences include recruiting and brand building, you're building an anti-fragile business.
RT @beingpractical: Signed up for early access of a product. Founder sends link to invest in the startup. #Facepalm
RT @gaurav_kachru: I met another Indian #startup with international founders. The 4th in the last month. We are witnessing a significant change. @PearlUppal
RT @mjackson: Required reading for all #startup founders/employees: Thanks @dweekly! You rock.
If I were investing in companies, I would demand founders who are interdisciplinary, if in not their current skillset, then in their upside.
If I were investing in early stage companies, I'd be a lot less complacent about the founders than any investors I've met.
Most VCs use traction as a proxy for understanding. Great VCs are as obsessed with understanding as great founders. They deserve each other.
CEOs & Founders: Instead of designing your cap table defensively, design it to make your team members rich & give them more control.
See what's Trending Now for @dorkitude


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Exciting, demanding, rewarding
.... three words that sum up the working day at Serco.
Our long-term success depends on the talents, commitment and shared values of our people.
That's why we encourage and reward initiative. And, through comprehensive training and development programmes, we help people fulfil their potential.
As a company, we're passionate about delivering the best for our customers, so we look for people who share that drive. And we're led by our values, which run through everything we do - our Governing Principles.


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Located in virgin Amazon jungle, in the heart of the triple border region of Colombia, Brasil and Peru.The capital of Colombia´s Amazon state, Leticia, is a crossroads and good starting point for jungle tours, fishing expeditions and visiting indigenous communities.
Mahatu hostel is in downtown Leticia. A kind of botanical garden and birds and turtIes sanctuary. Mahatu offers a cozy home with jungle gardens, indian maloka huts, guest kitchen, wi-fi, swimming pool, soccer field three lakes, boats and reliable travel information ... all at backpacker prices!
The atmosphere in Mahatu guest house is that of a jungle house
check in/ out: 12:00
breakfast not included
credit cards not accepted
cancellation policy 48 hours
+9 pax group bookings accepted
You dont need a guide, just print out the plan (It is in the photo gallery) to make sure the taxi recalls the place or to walk to it (aprox. half hour)
From Tabatinga's airport or Tabatinga's port, the best is to take a moto-taxi to the border, and then another moto-taxi to the hostel. The hostel provides airport or port pickup- you just pay transportation fee-, please let us know by e-mail at least 48 hours before arrival.
From Santa Rosa (Perú). You stamp out in Peru´and take a shuttle boat to Leticia's port (5 Soles, 3 reais or 3.ooo pesos). In Leticia you may walk (15 minutes) or take a taxi 5.000 pesos or 5 Reais
Albergue Tacana
Leticia, Colombia Youth Hostels
The pace of life is very tranquil at Tacana, so wether you need a retreat or a base from where to explore the selva you will be at your ease. Albergue...
$12 Per Night
Casa Del Kurupira - Selvaventura
Leticia, Colombia Youth Hostels
Small and friendly Hostel with rooms/dorms, fan and bed, outside bathrooms, kitchen, livingroom info and...
$12 Per Night
La Jangada Hospedaje
Leticia, Colombia Youth Hostels
Located right in the centre of Leticia, La Jangada is a small Hostal with rooms for any needs (from dormi...
$15 Per Night
Leticia, Colombia Youth Hostels
Comfortable, spacious, quiet and intimate cottages available in the heart of the rainforest of the hi...
$9 Per Night
Tuirupü Apartment
Leticia, Colombia Youth Hostels
Our apartment Tuirupü sleeps up to 4 people and has all the necessairy facilities....
$9 Per Night
Hostel Caldas
Colombia Youth Hostels
Hostel Caldas is established in typical colonial style house of the nineteenth century, in calm and relaxing ambience, just 50 meters from the Plaza Caldas and close to the main attractions of Popayan....
Starting at 17,000 Per Night
Luxury Apartments at Hostel Prices
Caribbean Coast, Colombia Youth Hostels
We offer the best of the Caribbean at hostel style pricing! We offer apartments out of season on the beaches of the Caribbean with incredible facilities at prices an average traveler can afford....
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Proceeds will assist local animals in need
By Lisa M. Onorato
For Hometown News
BREVARD - The dog days of summer will be a bit cooler Aug. 11 during the Big Splash Family Fun Day at the Cocoa Village Animal Wellness Center.
During the event, pets and their families can enjoy vendors, artisans, live music by Jessica Lynn Williams, animal adoptions, local rescue group information and plenty of water activities.
"We will have a waterslide for kids and adults and wading pools for different sizes of dogs," said Shirley De la Torre, animal massage therapist and event coordinator for the center.
Founded by veterinarian Dr. Donna Ragona, Cocoa Village Animal Wellness Center offers full-service veterinary care, low-cost tissue surgery and preventative alternative therapies, including acupuncture, massage, Reiki healing and therapeutic nutrition, as well as I-Therm technology.
A $5 per person donation will allow guests to enjoy all of the event's activities, and proceeds will benefit the Earth Angel Project, a 501(c) organization.
Founded in early 2011, the Earth Angel Project will help support the Cocoa Village Animal Wellness Center in its mission of providing veterinary care for homeless and shelter animals and low-income families with pets.
"Dr. Ragona does a lot of humanitarian work for animals, taking care of them, feeding them, finding homes for them," said Ms. De la Torre. "The Earth Angel Project will help offset some of those costs."
The Aug. 11 event will also serve as a reunion for the recent graduates from the center's Mini-Vet School.
The Mini-Vet School is a one-day workshop for children ages 9-13 that offers an inside look into veterinary medicine.
Ms. De la Torre said the Mini-Vet School was a huge success, and there is currently a waiting list for the next available Mini-Vet School.
"The students experience all the different sections of the clinic," said Ms. De la Torre. "It covers everything from surgery to holistic healing and nutrition."
Tickets for the Big Splash Family Day are available for purchase in advance. Those purchasing a ticket in advance will automatically be entered in a drawing for gift baskets, donated by the Natural Pet Specialty Shop and Beach Organics Skin Care.
For more information about the Big Splash Family Fun Day or about the Cocoa Village Animal Wellness Center, call (321) 684-7060 or visit www.cocoavillageawc.com.
Cocoa Village Animal Wellness Center is at 224 Forrest Ave. in Cocoa, directly across the street from Village Outfitter.
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Watch Dogs is the most anticipated game of the year, breaking pre-order sales records following a string of delays which left fans with an insatiable appetite for the open world hacking adventure. With so much potential to build upon the genre, Watch Dogs does a commendable job but falls painfully short of being a genre-defining title. View the full article »
View the full article »


text: World in Pictures: 21 September 2011 10 Photos By Maureen O'Hare REUTERS/Carlos Jasso 1 of 10 To full screen SHARE TWEET EMAIL Super Barrio What? A popular Mexican social activist known as Super Barrio, claiming to seek to improve the financial situation of the working class and the poor and homeless, stands outside the Stock Exchange building in Mexico City. Super Barrio and members of the "Occupy Together" movement stuck a banner, reading "Closed" in Spanish, outside the building during a protest against economic inequality.Where? Mexico City, MexicoWant more? Super Barrio |The Occupy Movement REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah 2 of 10 To full screen SHARE TWEET EMAIL "We are coming" What? A boy with his face painted in the colours of Yemen's national flag takes part in a demonstration to demand the ousting of Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The writing reads, "We are coming."Where? Sanaa, YemenWant more? Protests in Yemen |Ali Abdullah Saleh REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson 3 of 10 To full screen SHARE TWEET EMAIL Pan American Games What? Zhang Mo of Canada serves during her women's singles quarter-final table tennis match at the Pan American Games.Where?Guadalajara, MexicoWant more? Pan American Games 2011 |Rules of table tennis REUTERS/ Yannis Behrakis 4 of 10 To full screen SHARE TWEET EMAIL Riots in Greece What? Policemen are set ablaze on fire by a petrol bomb thrown by protesters during clashes near the Parliament building in Syntagma (Constitution) square in Athens.Where?Athens, GreeceWant more? Latest on the riots in Greece |Greece's new austerity measures REUTERS/Grahm Jones/Columbus Zoo and Aquarium/Handout 5 of 10 To full screen SHARE TWEET EMAIL Rescued macaque What? A rescued macaque in Columbus Zoo, following an exotic animal collector setting free his lions, tigers, bears and other beasts then committing suicide.Where?Columbus Zoo, OhioWant more? Exotic animal collector releases animals then kills himself | The rescued animals in Columbus Zoo REUTERS/Rebecca Conway 6 of 10 To full screen SHARE TWEET EMAIL The Kalash community What? Teacher Noorzia Khan, 16, writes letters from the Kalasha alphabet on a blackboard during a lesson at the Kalasha Dur school and community centre in Brun village, located in Bumboret Kalash valley. The Kalash are a tiny religious community that claim descent from Alexander the Great's army.Where? Bumboret Kalash valley, PakistanWant more? The Kalash community |The Kalash claim they are under pressure to convert to Islam REUTERS/Sukree Sukplang 7 of 10 To full screen SHARE TWEET EMAIL Floods in Thailand What? A soldier relaxes while fortifying protection in the form of sandbags in flooded Pathum Thani province in Bangkok's suburbs.Where?Bangkok, ThailandWant more? Thailand's flood crisis |Worst floods in history REUTERS/Gara/Handout 8 of 10 To full screen SHARE TWEET EMAIL ETA call for end to armed struggle What? Three members of Basque separatist group ETA call for a definitive end to 50 years of armed struggle, which has cost the lives of at least 850 people, in this still image taken from an undated video published on the website of Basque language newspaper Gara.Where?SpainWant more? ETA say armed campaign is over |Who are ETA? REUTERS/Amit Dave 9 of 10 To full screen SHARE TWEET EMAIL Facing Mecca What? Veiled Muslim women with a girl stand at the airport to send off their relatives departing for Mecca. The first batch of 301 Hajj pilgrims set off on Thursday for the annual pilgrimage to the holiest place for Muslims in Mecca.Where? Ahmedabad, IndiaWant more? Mecca |Annual pilgrimage to Mecca REUTERS/Esam Al-Fetori 10 of 10 To full screen SHARE TWEET EMAIL Gaddafi's dead What? This picture flew round the world's media yesterday as news broke of Gaddafi's killing.Where?Sirte, LibyaWant more? Gaddafi's death |Gaddafi's 42-year regime


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Apple – Three Reasons To Break Into A Big Smile
Subhadeep is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
With some shareholders of tech giant Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) feeling a little jittery about the future of the stock, now is probably the best time for CEO Tim Cook to prove that he is a true multitasker. Three factors should help him in this regard: a cheaper iPhone altogether, a possible collaboration with China Mobile (NYSE: CHL) through an upgraded version of the current iPhone model, and an innovative iWatch.
For Apple, these three things will mean:
- A turnaround in the face of increased competition from cheaper smartphones powered by Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android system.
- Access to the world's biggest mobile subscriber base, in what is slated to become the biggest smartphone market of the world.
- Unlocking the potential of another iconic product that can change everything, again.
And the best part is, all three events will almost inevitably happen (albeit with some variations), since the company will try and retain its premium positioning at any cost.
What makes a cheaper iPhone a necessity
Let's start with the bad news first. As per research firm IDC, Apple's smartphone supremacy has been on the downslide, with its share of global smartphone shipments falling from a high of 23% in Q1 2012 to a considerably low 14.6% in Q3 of the same year. And the two main factors responsible have been its premium pricing, coupled with the onslaught of low-cost Android smartphones.
What's important is that both these factors, along with the absence of carrier subsidies, have impeded its success in the emerging nations – the markets of the future. This makes it inevitable for Apple to have a rethink on the pricing strategy of its iPhones – its steady revenue cash cow. Merely selling older models at a discount or breaking down the cost of existing models into affordable installments is just not proving to be enough.
The obvious solution at this juncture would be to sell different types of the same phone at a range of price points, which is what a cheaper iPhone is really all about. Apple has already played around with this strategy with the iPad Mini, and the whopping sales figures are proof of its success.
And here's the real potential
Having a cheaper iPhone would bring it within range of a massive untapped cost-conscious consumer segment in emerging countries such as India and China. For some of you who may be thinking that a cheaper iPhone would have a negative impact on Apple's profit margins, I'd like to remind you that most of these potential customers will be the ones who have never used an Apple product before due to their prohibitive prices in such regions.
And the few who can actually afford an $800+ iPhone 5 (for China and India) would never settle for a cheaper option. I'm saying the word 'few' because once you stop gushing over the 2 million unit sales of iPhone 5 in China over just 3 days following its launch, you realize that's not even 1% of its humongous population of 1.3 billion.
What makes China so important
The Chinese story doesn't end there. The country's potential to surpass the US as the planet's biggest smartphone market by the end of this year itself, according to IDC, is also another broad reason to launch the next generation iPhone – dubbed the iPhone 5s. On a more specific aspect, the reason lies in the dominance of China Mobile and the fact that the iPhone does not figure among its offerings.
As I mentioned earlier, China Mobile, with roughly 65% share of the country's subscriber market (or around 704 million subscribers which also makes it the world's largest carrier), has around double the number of customers registered with China Unicom and China Telecom, two of its rival carriers that offer the iPhone. However, the sad part is that apart from subsidy-related and revenue sharing issues, China Mobile's proprietary TD-SCDMA network technology is not compatible with the current generation of iPhones.
Enter the iPhone 5s, which is supposed to be a TD-SCDMA compatible variant, thanks to an updated chipset, if recent speculative reports are to be believed. That'll also open up the doors to 700 million+ subscribers - a big reason to celebrate.
What's that blinking on your wrist?
A cheaper iPhone or an upgraded version of the existing model may be part of strategic marketing, but it's the rumored iWatch that's going to be the innovative aspect. If recent reports are to be believed, Apple is working to develop a wearable computing device similar to a wristwatch that can function like a phone or tablet, but in a limited manner. Some of its functions may include viewing emails, calendar appointments and text messages. After the iPod, iPhone and the iPad, this could be Apple's next big technology gamble, in its bid to create a whole new wave of 'fanboys'.
That aside, wearable computing is an area where both Apple and arch rival Google are envisioning big prospects. Google has already come out with the 'Google Glass', a spectacle-like computing device that performs smartphone-based functions such as taking photos and recording videos. However, although the Android-powered device is no doubt innovative, it's still basically a spectacle which some people may have reservations about putting on in public. A watch, on the other hand, is much more wearable and is, in some cases, a fashion accessory, things that might work in favor of Apple's so-called 'iWatch'.
It's all about doing the right things
Having said that, Apple still needs to take care of a few things. For starters, it has to be careful about the pricing of a cheaper iPhone, if such a product does come out. Cannibalization of current iPhone models is also another possibility, particularly in the US and other developed regions. At the same time, subsidy and revenue sharing arrangements need to be worked out with China Mobile for the success of the upgraded iPhone version.
As for the iWatch, it's too early to speculate whether Tim Cook can successfully mix innovation with marketing the way Steve Jobs did. But, on the whole, I think it's time to believe him when he says, "We've got some great stuff coming."
This is one stock that has more pleasant surprises in store than you think. Time to permit yourself a smile!
subhadeeptech has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Apple and Google. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, China Mobile, and Google. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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Here is his entire recent post, followed by my point-by-point responses:
Chemnitz vs the "Professional" Apologist
Dave Armstrong attempts to critique Chemnitz here [links to an article of mine], but ends up mostly whining about how mean-spirited early Lutherans were. Read it--some things practically write their own satirical commentary. I for one couldn't read this without a running satire popping up in my head every 7th word or so.
On a related note, I used to think if you were a "professional apologist," meant you were acting on official behalf of the Vatican as a salaried representative or something. For those who assumed the same thing, I have a little insight: "Professional apologetics" is actually a subculture of post-Protestants within Catholicism. They by and large are not scholars who do critical analysis of primary texts; rather, their main audience is other Catholics and they often self-publish. One could psychoanalyze them all day, but I'll skip that and say that mostly their arguments are 1-liners for the easily amused or the simple. That's because they aren't part of Catholic academia or the Magisterium; they're part of American Catholic pop culture and as such should be taken about as seriously as glow-in-the-dark statues of Mary.
1) "On a related note, I used to think if you were a "professional apologist," meant you were acting on official behalf of the Vatican as a salaried representative or something."
Not necessary at all. It means you are an apologist making a living from that profession. The Vatican highly encourages lay apologetics efforts, as I have documented on my site. Much ado about nothing. Steve Hays of Triablogue fame tries to make the same emptyheaded argument. You guys simply don't know what you're talking about with regard to how the Catholic Church regards lay apostolates.
And for that reason these accusations are never substantiated with any official statements. They just sort of hang there, like urban legends.
2) "For those who assumed the same thing, I have a little insight: "Professional apologetics" is actually a subculture of post-Protestants within Catholicism."
Well, that is the oft-heard charge, but it has no substance, if you can't prove that we are somehow smuggling Protestant notions that are contrary to Catholic dogma into the Catholic faith. You think you can do that in my own case? Be my guest. It would be nice to actually see some substance and rational argument back up your sophomoric blustering.
Catholic apologetics has always had a close relationship to converts (Newman, Knox, Benson, Chesterton et al), because converts tend to have more interest in defending the faith (presumably in many cases because their own situation requires them to defend, due to all the questioning from Protestant friends and family).
I should add, too, though, that this is a rank insult to the many lifelong Catholics who are doing apologetics, too; in fact, many of the more well-known and good apologists out there; folks like Karl Keating, Pat Madrid, Gary Michuta, Phil Porvaznik, Fr. Peter Stravinskas, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, and many others. To say the whole enterprise is simply "post-Protestant" is sheer stupidity.
3) "They by and large are not scholars who do critical analysis of primary texts . . ."
So what? This is irrelevant. An apologist need not be a scholar (though many are). The two things aren't identical. Why the need to keep acting as if they were, so that non-scholars (like myself and many others) are somehow regarded as second-class citizens or operating under some unsavory pretense? I've always marveled at this.
In point of fact, many of the greatest and most influential apologists, both Protestant and Catholic, were amateurs, in terms of theological education. G.K. Chesterton had no degree at all. C.S. Lewis had no theological training, as far as I know. He was an English professor. Peter Kreeft is a philosopher. Thomas Howard is an English professor. Malcolm Muggeridge was a journalist. Etc., etc.
So if you must, lash out ignorantly at the non-formally trained professional apologists like myself. But be consistent and go after Chesterton and Lewis also. If you want to "argue" for a dumb position, at least be consistent.
4) "rather, their main audience is other Catholics . . ."
This I agree with. Most apologetics (Protestant or Catholic) is paid attention to far more by existing partisans than by outsiders. But that is the nature of the beast (and human nature). That's fine with me, though. I see a large part of my task as building up the faithful and helping them have more intellectual confidence in their beliefs.
5) ". . . and they often self-publish."
Sometimes. Most of the known Catholic apologists I know of, however, are published by reputable publishers. Steve Ray is with Ignatius. Scott Hahn is with Doubleday, etc.
How about myself? As I have stated over and over (because others have implied that I am only self-published), I have three books published with Sophia Institute Press. Two have been consistent bestsellers in the Top 100 on amazon for Catholic theology. They even often appear on the general Christian apologetics Top 100 list. I also have The New Catholic Answer Bible and a popular pamphlet published with Our Sunday Visitor: the largest Catholic publisher.
Say what you will about me, but I am not simply self-published.
6) "One could psychoanalyze them all day,. . ."
Yeah, I know. That's about all you seem capable of, with imbecilic posts such as this one.
"but I'll skip that . . ."
That would be nice, but it's about all you do!
7) "and say that mostly their arguments are 1-liners for the easily amused or the simple."
Why don't you refute them, then, instead of only talking a good game?
8) "That's because they aren't part of Catholic academia or the Magisterium"
No one ever claimed to be the latter, and no non-scholar apologist I know has ever, to my knowledge, falsely claimed to be a scholar.
9) "they're part of American Catholic pop culture and as such should be taken about as seriously as glow-in-the-dark statues of Mary."
What does that make you, then? A former Lutheran seminarian with a blog and a big mouth, who spends most of his time running down other Christians (and often his own denomination) and making smart ass remarks. Anything you say about folks like myself, and my apologist friends, only comes back to make you look all the more ridiculous. You have no authority. You're no scholar. Why should anyone pay any attention to you? You're not only not self-published, but not published at all, as far as I know (if I'm wrong, I'll be happy to be corrected). Yet you feel that you can sit and take ignorant potshots at others. Don't you have better things to do with your time?
At least we're out here trying to do something constructive and helping other human beings grapple with issues of faith, instead of just shooting our mouths off, as if Christianity were some juvenile game of one-upsmanship.
I've dialogued with many Lutherans for whom I have much respect (and far more educated and credentialed than you). But one can't even get to first base with you.
Jim writes in comments:
At the very least, a 'professional apologist' would need to make his living from it.Indeed. Since December 2001 when the company I was working for went out of business, I have had other jobs in addition to my apologetics for exactly two years and eight months. The rest of the time (three years and one month) I was doing full-time apologetics and no other kind of work. Sometimes I do the tentmaker model. Most of the time I have done apologetics I have done that. But I have also lived solely from income produced by apologetics.
I mean, it'd be sort of funny to go around claiming to be a "professional football player" while admitting that you can't support yourself or your family by playing football.
Is that good enough for you? Or are royalties not legitimate income? I have supported my family of six since that time primarily with income generated by apologetics. And we are homeowners and my wife doesn't work outside the home (she homeschools our four children). We even have great vacations every year (not cruises paid by someone else but paid for entirely by ourselves).
I received royalty checks in August totalling over $4700. You think that is easy to do? Okay; go out and write a book, get it published and see how many copies you can sell. Best wishes! And my royalty figure above was just from Sophia. I also received $1280 from Our Sunday Visitor in July. Sounds pretty "professional" to me. Yet you want to put the word in quotes.