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dude easily my fav rapper rite now
droppin may 7th
dude easily my fav rapper rite now
should be a sick mixtape, let's see if it hits harder than the first one
Some Hip Hop shit
he can rap but he don't be talking bout shit. sound like any other midwest or east coast rapper.
haven't checked out the mixtape yet but damn meek got like 800k downloads on datpiff in a couple of hours
kendrick str8 murdered that nigga, tape pretty average 2 me tho. i been less and less impressed with meek the more i hear. i hope he saving the good shit for his album
N.orth W.est A.tlanta
dat nigga crashed datpiff servers cuz so many folks DL it...i aint gotta chance check it out yet
I be feelin like real niggas dont make it to 50 and i be feelin malcom, martin, and pac would defend me!!!
you can go through nearly every single one of his tracks, and if it wasnt for the beat, you'd think its the same song.
every time he opens his mouth, he has the same exact delivery and tone with every song. so thats why i can only listen to a small amount of him.
In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time someting like that happened in politics or religion.
Carl Sagan, 1987 CSICOP Keynote Address
Talented kid.......
I expect more from him.
Meek is a gangsta rapper - he knows his lane and is staying in it. If you don't like it - then don't listen to it.
this tape is like a 3.5/5
nowhere near hitting like the first one did
I agree with what many has already said, his topics are repititive but I chalk that up to being mad young.
C'Thru - "TALK TO YOU" youtube.com/watch?v=qMXaOrzP9wA
DOWNLOAD THE NEW STREETALBUM #AsFarAsTheEyesCanSee
((Summer Banger)) NEW! C'Thru "Living Our Life" Produced By KeiseOnDaTrack mysong.fm/livingourlife
Garcapone: Nigga is 25 years old and has been rapping in some form be it recreational or for pay for 10 years.
Meek Mill is a very average dope boy rapper who can be "nice" with a few bars here and there and he's very self
confident,charming 4 the ladies and just has a knack for writing catchy/funny hooks + he has mad energy but I
for some reason DO NOT like this nigga. I think it's a combination of his annoying delivery/voice + rhyme style
I just can only tolerate a couple songs from him at a time. Not to mention I hate Ross & Wale amd they are usually
on meeks songs trying to steal his shine. Maybe if I left a meek mill cd in the player and forced myself to take in
a whole project my oppinion may change.
Meek gets props for his talent,grind,work ethic and major props for being able to actuallu ride a quad or motorcycle


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Sign up for Yardbarker's daily Top 10 newsletter, the Morning Bark! Customize to get news on your favorite sports and teams.
Texans Shuffle Practice Squad
Running back, Davin Meggett The Houston Texans announced they released rookie running back Davin Meggett from the practice squad and brought back inside linebacker Cameron Collins (pictured above). Collins will now be on the practice squad for the second time this season, and this looks like a move just in case the linebacker depth takes anymore hits. With an ailing Bradie James...
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November 27, 2012 | Discuss
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The Houston Texans to fill their open spot on the practice squad, signed inside linebacker Cameron Collins. Collins is a 6-2 241 lbs. linebacker who originally played safety at Oregon State, before switching to linebacker before the 2010 season. The inside linebacker originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Miami Dolphins prior to the 2012 season, he was released August...
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Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust -- The Bridge to Russia Columbia Legacy When Billy Joel made the trek to Russia to play a series of concerts in the summer of 1987, he had probable cause to believe that, instead of metaphorically killing the audience, they might literally kill him. After all, the Lo ... More >>
It's not quite the Cold War, but the current relationship between the U.S. and Russia is especially frosty these days. From Syria to Snowden, we can't seem to see eye to eye across the globe, or even the Bering Strait, as Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency seems like regression to authorita ... More >>
This might be a bit redundant, seeing as the readership at Hair Balls -- unlike, say, those who work in front of the camera at CNN -- are among those able to differentiate between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, but I thought it might be worth a quick run-down of how a substantial Chechen population came ... More >>
The most well-known prank in Rice history took place on a warm spring morning in 1988. A few years after the idea first crept into their keg-addled minds, a handful of engineering students erected a pair of 24-foot A-frames around the campus's centerpiece, a one-ton statue of William Marsh Rice that ... More >>
From Stalin to Putin
The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place - lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good - so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email email@example.com.̴ ... More >>
Above is is how I imagine the initial planning meetings for Top Chef: Texas went. I'm also imagining future episodes where the contestants will be forced to shoot their own horses and grill them over a fire of cactus paddles. Let's go, Top Chef: Texas! DO THIS SHIT RIGHT. Until then, we'll have to ... More >>
Photos courtesy of Sanctus BellumSanctus Bellum at Denton's 35 Conferette in MarchWhat fuels heavy metal music? Some might say the Armageddon that is flirting with our world; others, watching the machinations of craven political and religious leaders. We, however, can testify that some of the ... More >>
Any day we end with a picture of the Texas flag is a good day in our book.A while back, Rocks Off wrote about how, thanks to a combination of personal taste and certain technological twists of fate, our listening options at the office are somewhat limited. Quite limited, really: Basically The Arr ... More >>
World War III almost happened three years after World War II. Germany had been divided into four sections (governed by the US, Soviet Union, British and French), and the capital city of Berlin, deep in the Soviet sector, was itself divided four ways. In 1948 the Soviets blockaded the city, refusin ... More >>


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ComicsDC is for information and events relating to cartoons and comics (including comic books, comic strips, political cartoons, animation and caricature) in Washington, DC and its environs (including counties such as Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Prince George's, and Montgomery.) Press releases including store events are welcomed - email email@example.com.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
obligatory Richard Thompson mention
Well, Richard wasn't in yesterday's Post Health section so I guess his plan for taking over the Post is going a little more slowly than I expected. However, he did have a caricature in the July 2nd New Yorker, the one with the nice Staake Statue of Liberty cover.
1 comment:
- richardcthompson said...
The NYer one's ok, but I didn't have the greatest photos of the guy caricatured, which doesn't help things. There's a nicer one in the Atlantic.
Also I've got a new album of songs coming out, and I've gotten back with Linda, and I don't wear that beret anymore.
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Posted on December 20, 2009 at 2:00pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Posted on December 14, 2009 at 4:35pm 2 Comments 0 Likes
Liz Best Friend Rose:
Liz other best friend… Continue
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Was £89.00
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Save a total of £54.00
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1 weeks
Black leather 'Horlick' multi buckle two part heeled sandal
Item No.56308_0873830184
This cut out buckle detail sandal also features a peep toe design. A slim cleated sole and extreme stiletto heel complete this striking desig. Leather trousers and tuxedo jacket work perfectly for a stunning look.
- This product is not available for PO Box deliveries
- Heel height: 125 mm
- Upper: leather
- Lining: synthetic
- Sole: synthetic
Debenhams is happy to exchange or refund your purchase within 28 days providing the goods are in a fully resaleable condition (including tags) and not within the exclusion policy*. This policy does not affect your statutory rights. You can return unwanted items either by visiting your local store (the fastest way to get a refund), by arranging a courier collection or returning by post. Exclusions apply to selected products. For instructions on how to return products and information on Debenhams refund policy visit the returns and refunds section of the website.


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The now proven range of Pro2 hubs have gone from strength to strength since they were launched. Countless tests, reviews and of course rider feedback have shown that the Pro2 is everything that we designed it to be.
This hub features a one piece 7075 aluminium rotor body and pawl carrier. Four pawls engage into a twenty-four tooth steel ratchet which is fixed into the hub shell and is sealed with a frictionless, non contact labyrinth seal. The axle runs on five cartridge bearings. All Pro2 hubs are standard 6 bolt disc compatible.
Buy Hope Pro 2 Evo Disc Front 20mm from Chain Reaction Cycles, the world's largest online bicycle store.
WHEN BUYING Hubs, ALSO CONSIDER


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Charges filed in Vt. man's deathNovember 22,2012FORT EDWARD, N.Y. — A 30-year-old Vermont woman is free on bail after pleading not guilty to charges stemming from a crash on New York Route 22 in Hebron that killed an 83-year-old man.
Cassie Early of Arlington, Vt., entered the plea Tuesday before a Washington County judge in Fort Edward.
A grand jury indicted Early on a series of charges from the 7 a.m. crash on July 29, including aggravated vehicular homicide, and manslaughter in the death of Vincent Muro Sr., of West Rutland, Vt.
Court documents say Early had a blood alcohol level more than double the legal limit for driving.
Police say Early's pickup crossed into the wrong lane and hit Muro's vehicle.
The Glens Falls Post Star reported that Early could be sentenced to 25 years in prison.MORE IN This Just InStaff Report Full StoryBENNINGTON — A local man was killed in a one-car accident Saturday. Full StoryMONTPELIER Drivers who use hand-held cellphones and other electronic devices while driving... Full Story
- Most Popular
- Most Emailed
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: Patrick McArdle reports and the theft of an $89,000 shotgun, police release a video of the Monday Castleton robbery, O'Gorman reports a lawsuit by a local man claiming his vehicle unlawfully seized, police leave him in cold.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: Giles Corey of Salem, Mass., is pressed to death during the Salem witch trials; on this day in 1952, film comedian Charlie Chaplin, while traveling to England, is denied re-entry into the United States by U.S. attorney general.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: Dutch father of microbiology Antonie van Leeuwenhoek discovers the existence of one-celled organisms; in 1967, The Doors are booked to play the Ed Sullivan show; in 1858, freedom fighter Dred Scott dies on this day in St. Louis.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: No money this year for western rail project, Lola Aiken memorialized in Montpelier, Supreme Court Castleton murder suspect will remain in jail, Shaftbury man fires shots from his AK-47 into neighbor's home.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev arrives in U.S. for historic 13-day visit; in 1987, Secretary of State George Shultz and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze sign nuclear reduction agreement.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: City celebrates completion of its newest mural, on West Street opposite the post office, more than $2 million in federal grants will bolster Vermont's health centers, Patrick McArdle reports on pending sale of Vermont papers.


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New Content on the Blog and HSH.comby Tim Manni
As we do at the end of every week, let's spend a few minutes reviewing the latest content from HSH.
This week's posts showcased how the White House's "reactionary policies" can be unproductive, some important developments to keep your eyes on, as well as our continued focus on mortgage rates and mortgage assistance.
"Changes to HAMP: Docs Required Upfront": Too many borrowers were approved for trial mods before lenders could even review their paperwork. These changes will help to weed out unqualified borrowers, and increase the communication between borrower and lender.
"Washington Working in Reverse? Can't Be?": Note the sarcasm. Simple documentation that's now required to receive your homebuyer tax credit — which should have been required in the first place — is slowing the process down to a crawl. Homeowners are waiting months and months for their credits.
"Keep Your Eyes Peeled: Three Important Developments": When is the Fed leaving the market? Will Congress approve a Consumer Financial Protection Agency? Will Fannie and Freddie actually disappear? Three developments to keep your eyes on.
"Mortgage Relief for the Unemployed": Pennsylvania continues to prove itself as one of the most proactive states at preventing foreclosures. Pennsylvania's Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program is proving successful locally, but can the model be adapted nationally?
"Conforming 30-Year FRMs Fall Closer to 5%": Conforming 30-year fixed rate mortgages have fallen to their lowest levels in about a month.
Beyond the blog, HSH.com is also adding fresh content every week. Here are the newest articles appearing on our homepage:
"Mortgage Shopping: What APR Can't Tell You"
"Does Paying Off Your Mortgage Early Make Sense?"
"Home Equity Loans and the IRS: 5 Things You Need to Know"
"Ensuring That You've Found an Honest Mortgage Lender"
See you next week.


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These scones are tender and moist, unlike some recipes. The combination of the dried cranberries (which I substituted for the currants) and grated lemon peel make it interesting and the lemon glaze really adds zing. Since I don't usually keep buttermilk around, I just added about 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the measuring cup, then added regular or soy milk to the amount I needed.
Buttermilk-Currant Scones with Lemon Glaze
Leigh Beisch
Flaky and tender, with just the right balance of sweetness and lemony tang. Prep and Cook Time: about 45 minutes.
Yield: Makes 8 scones
More From Sunset
Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
- Calories: 360
- Calories from fat: 33%
- Protein: 6.3g
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated fat: 7.5g
- Carbohydrate: 56g
- Fiber: 1.8g
- Sodium: 419mg
- Cholesterol: 58mg
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup dried currants
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a bowl or food processor, mix or whirl flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to blend. Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender or pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. If using a processor, scrape mixture into a bowl.
- 2. In a small bowl, whisk buttermilk and egg to blend. Add to flour mixture along with dried currants and lemon peel. Stir with a fork just until evenly moistened (dough will look crumbly).
- 3. Scrape dough onto a floured surface and, with lightly floured hands, work it into a ball, then pat into a 7-inch round about 1 3/4 inches thick. Cut dough into eight equal wedges. Arrange wedges 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
- 4. Bake scones until tops are browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes on baking sheet. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle glaze over warm scones. Serve scones warm or let cool completely.
- Note: Nutritional analysis is per scone.
My Notes
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Buttermilk-Currant Scones with Lemon Glaze Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Breakfast/Brunch
- CONVENIENCE: Entertaining, Kid-Friendly
- CUISINE: American
- COOKING METHOD: Food Processor, Bake
- OCCASION: Spring, Summer, Mother's Day
- PUBLICATION: Sunset
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Federal Way
ACS A Xerox Company Jobs in Federal Way
Currently, there are no ACS A Xerox Company jobs available in Federal Way, Washington. You may wish to explore jobs in nearby locations on the ACS A Xerox Company jobs in Washington page or view related jobs below.
Xerox Services is excited to offer Transaction Processors in Spokane, WA! Processors will be responsible for sorting and organizing multiple mail documents, working in a fast paced environment. If you have a need for success… don't hesitate to apply right away! START DATE: Tentative, Oct 6th or sooner AVAILABILITY: must be available to work Monday through Saturday from 7:30am to "clean desk" /...
Xerox is the world's leading enterprise for business process and document management. Its services, technology, and expertise enable workplaces - from small businesses to large global enterprises - to simplify the way work gets done so they operate more effectively and focus more on what matters most: their real business. Xerox offers business process outsourcing and IT outsourcing services, inclu...
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What a ride. by An MSN Autos Consumer on 10/02/2011. Trim: 2008 Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited, Owned 2 years.
Pros: I rented a 2006 Lincoln Towncar for a family vacation. Enjoyed the car so much that I rented a 2007 for next years vacation. We were so impressed we purchased a 2008 model with 20,000 miles and it drives, handles, and looks like new. The car is fully loaded with all options available. It is quiet, comfortable, and there is a solid feel of the road at any speed. Passing power is higher than expected which comes in handy on two lane roads. It handles gravel roads, out in the country, better than any car I have driven. Wow, what an enjoyable car.
Cons: It will be a sad day when Ford stops making the Lincoln Towncar.
Overall review: I hope they will continue making this car beyond 2011.
Review ID: #554567 Is this review offensive?
Slipping further behind, to extention. by cigarsandy in Joisey on 03/07/2008. Trim: 2008 Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited, Owned less than 1 year.
Pros: I like the 2003 version much more. There was alot more to love in thr '03 version.
Cons: No Moonroof Dropped 6 or 7 paint colors Almost dropped all the options No Fog Lights on a Luxury Car ? Totally cheapened it from the 2003 Version It's a shadow of itself.
Overall review: Lincoln needs to re-do this car, and keep it big, 215 inches long, and dressed to go uptown, as is the 2008 Caddy DTS Performance- Platinum Edition. Lincoln is almost all trucks now. That is plain wrong. After 3 Lincolns, I am buying a new Caddy DTS Performance/Platinum Edition
Review ID: #524680 Is this review offensive?
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TimeSage is a tool for general time recording, e.g. tracking hours worked on different projects. It aims to make creation, usage, and management of projects with attached time sheets / tables, notes etc. as fast, easy, and flexible as possible.
Nice video playback for Apple's QuickTime (and other) formats.
Terrifically versatile PDF-making and file-conversion software is nothing short of simple, useful.
Peer-to-peer software in transition means many unfinished downloads.
FTP Client with advanced features is also truly customizable.
Friendly Web site editor is welcoming for novices and advanced coders alike.
Keep files safe from prying eyes and still use them easily.
Full-featured, inexpensive backup software does what home users need.
Fun, full-featured screensaver-making program helps you look forward to big events.
Network-based office communication program also functions well as a bare-bones reminder utility.
Too-simple reminder program doesn't hold up to newer applications.
Helpful stretch reminder can help you prevent injury and pain.
Show a colleague your screen in a matter of moments.
Compression utility gets the job done, though it does not encrypt archives and has a cluttered interface.
WYSIWYG program doesn't deliver promised ease.


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Events »
Chris Rock "Obama is White"
ALAS!! The day is here!! It's voting time people and as we rush to get in our votes the buzz on social media has been insane!!! Between the pictures of voting stickers and spoofsRead More »
"White History Month" Flyer Found at Mercer University
With Black history celebrated by many in the month of February, students at Mercer University in Georgia were looking to even out the score. A flier posted in residence halls and around the school'sRead More »
"Top 10 Ways to Get Away With Rape" Flyer Found at Miami University
Yes, you read it correctly. Trust me I was just as suprised as you were when I first read about this! A flier posted in the men's restroom at a Miami University freshman co-edRead More »
Enter Here For Smashbox Cosmetics "Image Factory Contest"
Calling all make up artists, fashion stylists and photographers!!!! The three finalists from each category (photography, styling, makeup artistry) will be selected based on the number of votes and one grand prize winner fromRead More »
Are You a Model Looking for Some Exposure? 'Talking Pretty' Model Call
Rollingout.com & Talkingpretty.com have teamed up to find new faces to represent their brands. Come out Saturday, August 18th, for the Talking Pretty Model Call. All models selected will be considered for future projectsRead More »
Hands Off This Girl
We recently got invited to a social media campaign for a great new organization by the name of Hands Off This Girl. Hands Off This Girl is a space committed to educating, engaging in conversation,Read More »
National Junk Food Day: Top 3 Places in Atlanta For Your Junk Food Fix
Dump your corner store snacks for some top-notch junk food in celebration of National Junk Food Day. Join me on the taste-bud roller coaster as I show you the best places in Atlanta for your junk food craving! 1. SublimeRead More »
National Ice Cream Soda Day: Pinterest Recipes
Another wacky holiday to add to your list, but this one will actually cool you down in the summer heat. Kick off your weekend and National Ice Cream Soda day with these refreshing iceRead More »
'Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta's' K. Michelle & Erica Dixon Hit Glam Bar to Give Back to the Community
#3GM dropped in Glam Bar of Atlanta to check out the Saving Our Daughters Foundation pamper party with Erica Dixon and K. Michelle of Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta. It was a fun-filled day with free make-overs including haircuts,Read More »
National Stick Your Tongue Out Day!
In celebration of 'National Stick Your Tongue Out Day' check out some of your favorite celebs doing just that!  Read More »


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General variable neighborhood search for the continuous optimization
AbstractWe suggest a new heuristic for solving unconstrained continuous optimization problems. It is based on a generalized version of the variable neighborhood search metaheuristic. Different neighborhoods and distributions, induced from different metrics are ranked and used to get random points in the shaking step. We also propose VNS for solving constrained optimization problems. The constraints are handled using exterior point penalty functions within an algorithm that combines sequential and exact penalty transformations. The extensive computer analysis that includes the comparison with genetic algorithm and some other approaches on standard test functions are given. With our approach we obtain encouraging results.
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Bibliographic InfoArticle provided by Elsevier in its journal European Journal of Operational Research.
Volume (Year): 191 (2008)
Issue (Month): 3 (December)
Pages: 753-770
Contact details of provider:
Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/eor
Related researchKeywords:
ReferencesReferences listed on IDEAS
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- Hansen, Pierre & Mladenovic, Nenad, 2001. "Variable neighborhood search: Principles and applications," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, Elsevier, vol. 130(3), pages 449-467, May.
- Mladenovic, N. & Petrovic, J. & Kovacevic-Vujcic, V. & Cangalovic, M., 2003. "Solving spread spectrum radar polyphase code design problem by tabu search and variable neighbourhood search," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, Elsevier, vol. 151(2), pages 389-399, December.
- Charles Audet & Jack Brimberg & Pierre Hansen & Sébastien Le Digabel & Nenad Mladenovi\'{c}, 2004. "Pooling Problem: Alternate Formulations and Solution Methods," Management Science, INFORMS, INFORMS, vol. 50(6), pages 761-776, June.
- Brimberg, J. & Urosevic, D. & Mladenovic, N., 2006. "Variable neighborhood search for the vertex weighted k-cardinality tree problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, Elsevier, vol. 171(1), pages 74-84, May.
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- Carrizosa, Emilio & Olivares-Nadal, Alba V. & RamÃrez-Cobo, Pepa, 2013. "Time series interpolation via global optimization of moments fitting," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, Elsevier, vol. 230(1), pages 97-112.
- Massimo Spadoni & Luciano Stefanini, 2012. "A Differential Evolution algorithm to deal with box, linear and quadratic-convex constraints for boundary optimization," Journal of Global Optimization, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 171-192, January.
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« TT: So you want to see a show? | Main | TT: Almanac »
September 12, 2013
TT: Unveiling
Mrs. T and I returned from Maine to Connecticut this afternoon and found a package on our front porch that contained the first finished copy of Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington. I took it out of the envelope and handed it to her, and she turned to the dedication page. "I had to look at my page first," she said with a grin.
We sat on the couch and passed the book back and forth in silence for a few minutes. What I felt is not to be put in words, but I doubt that any moment in an author's life is more purely pleasurable. No matter whether you've written two books or twenty, you never get blasé about holding the latest one in your hands for the first time.
Afterward I took my copy of Duke outside and snapped a photo of it. Then I went back into the house and sent this e-mail to my colleagues at Gotham Books:
I just got home and opened your package. It's the most beautiful-looking book I've ever had anything to do with. Bless you all for helping to make it possible.
Whatever happens to Duke in the days and weeks to come, I'm as happy right now as it's possible to be.
* * *
The dedication page of Duke:
Posted September 12, 2013 5:23 PM


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A Trippin Billies presale password is available below to our members!! For a little while you can get tickets before they go on sale. Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to see Trippin Billies's performance in Chicago!
Here are all the Trippin Billies show details:
Trippin Billies
House of Blues Chicago
Chicago, IL
Sat, Jan 4, 2014 07:30 PM
Onsale to General Public
Start: Fri, 09/13/13 10:00 AM CDT
Live Nation Mobile App Presale
Start: Wed, 09/11/13 10:00 AM CDT
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Finnish music refers to music produced in Finland and/or in Finnish language. Finnish folk music is typically influenced by Karelian traditional tunes and lyrics of the Kalevala metre. Karelian heritage has traditionally been perceived as the purest expression of Finnic myths and beliefs, thought to be spared from Germanic and Slavic influences. In the west of the country, more mainstream Nordic folk music traditions prevail.
Lost Society
Tagged: Thrash Metal Finnish Speed Metal Metal Finnish Metal
Eivør Pálsdóttir
Tagged: Folk Faroese Icelandic Jazz Female Vocalists
Tagged: Folk Metal Melodic Death Metal Viking Metal Pagan Metal Symphonic Metal
Tagged: Melodic Black Metal Black Metal Finnish Melodic Death Metal Metal
Black Twig
Tagged: Shoegaze Indie Finnish Rock Alternative
Antti Martikainen
Tagged: Folk Epic Orchestral Soundtrack Finnish
Tagged: Black Metal Finnish Raw Black Metal Finnish Black Metal Melodic Black Metal
Tagged: Neofolk Folk Finnish Melancholic Dark Acoustic


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Industrial Inspired Reception Inspiration
I really like this theme and I'm pretty sure my boyfriend would love it too!
I think my boyfriend would love this, too. It is rather pretty.
Star Wars Inspired Reception Inspiration
This rainbow wedding was done perfectly! Not over the top… Still elegant… Just right!
How to do rainbow without the tacky.
Gold New Years Eve Reception Inspiration
I love this winter inspired wedding! The decor is adorably sweet.
(Source: weheartit.com)
(Source: weheartit.com)


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Congratulations, Ales! Everybody go out and see one of comics' young turk do his thing
Listen up, peeploos! On Wednesday July 11, the Wednesday before San Diego Comic Con, Ales Kot will be doing his first-ever signing of his print debut, WILD CHILDREN, at Meltdown Comics. It is imperative that if you are anywhere near LA, you attend and get yourself a copy. The pre-sale copies are already sold out at tfaw.com so, you know. Do it. You are hereby officially invited.


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Categories > Celebrities > Fall Out Boy > Tonight...
Don't move5 Reviews
I want to remember you just like this...Don't move....It's only a breath or two between our lips...I know why you left. I can't blame you myself. Must be hard living with ghosts and such an empty s...
She showed up about 30 minutes later, having taken the scenic detour. She stood at the front of her house and looked down the street at Pete's house, wondering if he was still there. She shook her head and walked through her gate towards her house. She heard someone call her name and she turned to smile and wave. It was Pete's brother, Andrew. He was walking down the street with a girl. He called out 'Happy birthday Emma!' She smiled and called 'thanks' back before slipping inside her parent's house. She heard her mom talking in the kitchen so she made her way in there. Her mom was on the phone, so Emma began digging around in the fridge for some food. Her mom tapped her on the shoulder and shook her head. Emma pouted and slumped down on a barstool. Her mom kept walking around the room talking and Emma mocked her. She held her hands up and made them act like they were arguing with eachother. Her mom caught her and gave her a look. Emma rolled her eyes and left the kitchen.
She wandered back outside and set on the front steps. She stared at the houses around her and thought about all the people that she knew that lived in them. She was lost in thought when a petite redhead walked up the steps to her and waved her hand in front of Emma's face. "Emmmaaa....hello. Earth to Emma.." the girl said. Emma snapped out of it and realized what was going on. She jumped up and said "Hey Kasey!" She gave Kasey a hug. Kasey was the only person that Emma had let close enough to her since she had thrown all her old friends out of her life. They have been friends in elementary, best friends to be exact. Then Kasey had moved away and Pete took her place. Kasey has moved back to Chicago recently and she & Emma hit it off again. Emma led Kasey inside, where her mom was now off the phone. Kasey gave Emma's mom a hug. "Happy birthday Emma!" her mom said, grabbing Emma and pulling her into a hug. Emma groaned as her mom squeezed her tightly.
"So, what's on the agenda for today, Mom? I didn't even know you invited Kasey..." Emma said, as they walked into the kitchen. Emma and Kasey hopped up on barstools and Emma's mom leaned against the cabinet. "Oh, just eat some food, some birthday cake, open presents...the usual..." she said. Emma looked at her mom suspiciously. "Mom...you're hiding something...what is it?" Emma said, narrowing her eyes at her mother. Her mom laughed and said, "Oh, I just invited some friends over...that's all." Emma glared at her mom. Leave it to her to invite her own friends over for Emma's birthday and not even ask if Emma minded.
They sat there talking for awhile before the doorbell rang. Emma started to get up to answer it, but her mom beat her to it. She came back in shortly, followed by a small group of people. Emma's mouth dropped open as she realized who they were. It was Patrick, Joe, Andy, Dirty and most surprisingly of all, Pete. Emma stared at them, confused. She had no clue why they were all here. She glanced back and forth between them and her mom. No one said a word, they were all waiting for Emma's reaction. She finally realized that everyone was staring at her and she lamely said "Hey guys..." A collective sigh of relief went round the room and everyone began fighting to give Emma a hug. She hugged Patrick first and whispered in his ear "I'm so glad you're here and don't hate me..." He pulled back and smiled at her before giving her another hug. She turned to Joe and shrieked "JOEEYYY!!" before pulling him into a hug. She then hugged Andy & Dirty tightly before she was left standing in front of Pete. They looked at each other for a moment before Pete muttered under his breath "Talk about awkward..." Emma heard him and laughed, then pulled him into a hug that lingered a little bit longer than she intended. Her heart began racing as she felt his body pressed against her's. She held him tightly, hoping the moment would never end, although she knew it would have too. She buried her head in his neck and squeezed him tightly before letting go. She quickly turned to Kasey and felt tears welling up in her eyes. She nodded her head towards the stairs and said, "Could you guys excuse me and Kasey for a moment...?" Everyone nodded and Emma dragged Kasey upstairs to her old bedroom.
She shoved Kasey in the room and closed the door. She sunk down against the door and shuddered as she began to cry. Kasey sat on the floor in front of her and watched her, knowing full well what was wrong with her. Emma sobbed and Kasey frowned and pulled her into a hug. This was the first time Emma had ever broken down about Pete in front of Kasey. She had told Kasey everything about Pete but she had never once broken down about him. Emma sobbed onto Kasey's shoulder as she held her. Emma finally began to stop crying when someone knocked on the door. Emma moved so the door could be opened, thinking it was her mom, but when the door opened, Pete was standing there.
Kasey looked back and forth between Emma and Pete before Emma nodded at Kasey. Kasey got up and left, leaving Emma and Pete alone. Emma continued to stare at the floor. Pete finally sat down next to her and pulled her close.
"Emma...I miss you so much...." was all she heard before she let go of all her restraints and tackled him and began kissing him hungrily.
Yes...a cliffhanger....evil laugh
I'll start part 3 soon ;D


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
So Cairne gets the heave ho but Sylvanus dies and sticks around? Warcraft has a lot of great stories and the number of bad ones are few and far between... but this story just didn't work for me at all. Godfrey kills Sylvanus is, in and of itself, something that hurts my head. But the fact that Sylvanus gets a rez when apparently a race full of druids couldn't be bothered to do that for Cairne just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Ah well, one bad story in Cata out of the dozens and dozens of good ones that I've read so far isn't too bad a batting average.
yunkndatwunk said...
I am not aware of any ressurection in any books. Also, other than becoming undead, they can't go around rezzing people in the lore, that is just a game mechanic so you don't have to reroll new characters. People in the lore can't rez anyone at all. If they had ressurection it opens the doors to "why didn't they rez this or that person" and wrecks storylines.
If rezzes really existed in the lore then every battle would be like a BG with the characters respawning and running back in, and there'd be no room for heroes since with rezzes you can't actually risk anything.
so no, no one gets rezzed. Undead can be awakened. So that means someone could probably "rez" Arthas, though he wouldn't be the Lich King anymore.
I believe it has something to do with respect. When a tauren (or druid) dies, they are being sent into the earth mother. It would be disrespectful to raise them from the dead.
Sylvanus and the Forsaken seem to have no qualms. Plus, she wasn't resurrected, she was raised as Undead again. I doubt the Tauren want an Undead Cairne running around. :)
Well Cairn died in a challenge to the Death...I am sure that rules alongside honor will prevent anyone from rezzing the one who lost (even if it was by devious means)...also lore doesn't have the same mechanics as the in-game...if everyone could be rezzed or just do a corpse run...lore would get boring real fast...remember that 2 Val'kyr were sacrificed for her to come back
I think people in general should take the in-game death and rez not in a literal way. When you die (because your hp goes to zero), I tend to think that you're running out the will and energy to continue the battle, and pass out. Not die.
So the spells like rez, battle rez etc, they're there to bring you back to your original vigor. So no, druids cannot resurrect Cairne that way.
Here's the thing about the whole "can't be rezzed in lore" or "rezzes in-game are just revivals of passed-out comrades."
Pay close attention to the closing text: "Thank you for freeing his spirit from Kaganishu and returning with his remains. [...] And now, I will return him to the living where he belongs."
He's dead. So dead you brought back his "remains". Like his spirit, the ghost, asked you to. And then the shaman rezzed him, or "brought him back to the living."
Now, one can say this is just an in-game thing, but why couldn't they have chosen different words to keep it open to things like reviving those with only a barest breath of life left? Remains, back to the living, his spirit. It's very clear that this shaman rezzed a very dead tauren. And there are a couple of other in game examples, too. Another ntoable one happens when players fight the Lich King in ICC.
I prefer to think that yes, we can ressurect the dead, but the circumstances required to do so must be very specific. Perhaps the dead must want to come back. Their body must be fresh of course, we can't revive Mankirk's wife after she's been rotting in the sun all day. Perhaps some injuries are too grievous for even skilled healers to mend.
Something to think about.
It's also worth noting that Abbendis' journal, which you can either read during the DK starting zone or while questing in Dragonblight makes note of her being killed and rezzed multiple times. And the Horde kill quest for her even has the questgiver asking for her head specifically in the hopes that the Crusade won't be able to resurrect her again.
Come to think of it, the old level 10 Paladin quests that rewarded the Redemption spell, which of course is the Paladin rez spell, specifically noted that you were resurrecting dead people. Indeed, the Blood Elf quest was to rez someone you'd just gotten done killing in a duel to the death.
NeoCloud61 said...
yunkndatwunk, this is incorrect.
There is a quest in Northrend where you retrieve a taruen's corpse and bring it to his student who cries a little, then promptly casts a resurrect spell on him and he's back to life.
Resurrection does indeed happen in lore.
I really didn't buy that one-hit-kill either. How does a level 21 elite shoot a, what, level 87, level 88 elite, with on the order of a few hundred million health in the head and kill it with one shot?
Also - if Godfrey is capable of delivering single shots doing 9-digit damage, how come I smashed in his face in SFK in my late level 20s?
Now, what would make some sense is if he had distilled down the Worgen curse or something and injected Sylvanas with it. Apparently Worgen can't be raised as Forsaken, so something in the curse is incompatible with being undead - just the type of plague-like weapon that Gilneas needs. Sticking a needle in the back of a level 88 elite faction boss arguing with someone else and not paying attention to her newly-raised 'loyal' soldiers is also something a level 21 elite could do - rather than doing something like a third of a billion damage with one pistol shot.
He could have easily made an excuse for distilling the Worgen curse. He could say we was working on a cure for it. which the Forsaken would love to have (one cure-barrel barrage and Gilneas is defended by weaker, undead-raiseable Humans) and would make complete sense for his character (hated the Worgen curse, and would have wanted to cure at least Greymane). Instead - he one-shots a faction leader and becomes a level 25+ boss. Riiiiight...


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Hang in there, Hawks fans. We'll make it through this summer yet (or so I keep telling myself, anyway).
While things seem fairly quiet in free agency, and that would be for all NBA teams at the moment, a few tidbits are floating around that may prove to be a useful diversion for a minute or two. As we discuss those, I keep thinking about the missing Lorenzen Wright. Missing persons cases more often than not are either a false alarm, or they don't end very nicely. But some do. And I hope that this is one of those where "all's well that ends well." Peace and blessings on his family, who I'm sure are sick with worry. These kinds of things never seem to matter to people until they hit close to home. Again, I hope this ends well.
Tough Times
As much noise as we make about adding size and toughness to the roster, do we bother to consider that adding toughness doesn't always mean adding a body? When the official announcement of the signing of former Lakers forward/center Josh Powell finally came down, one of the catch phrases was that he "adds toughness." Well, if the Lakers say he's a good guy and a good addition, I'll take their word for it, at least to an extent. After all, Powell hasn't played many minutes in L.A., so we don't have a lot of visual evidence to review (other than some youtube clips) for confirmation. But what about the guys who were already on the roster? Can't you add toughness….by simply becoming tougher?
If you ask me (and you didn't, but guess what?) toughness is a state of mind. The body can be willing and able, but it's no good if the spirit is weak. Avid Hawks fan and blogger Northcyde is one of the foremost fans calling for two of our key guys (Al Horford and Josh Smith) to play a lot tougher, as the success of this team depends heavily on that. Realistically, that can be the key difference between competing at the highest levels, or struggling to do so. Look no further than last season's first round playoff series. The Hawks struggled mightily when Al Horford allowed himself to get out-toughed by Kurt Thomas, and Josh Smith allowed Ersan Ilyasova to out-hustle and outplay him for stretches at a time.
So what can the Hawks do to get tougher? What are Josh Smith and Marvin Williams doing to get tougher. Those are two guys who could really have an impact on the game if they bring it with more force. In fact, that's the one thing that can really optimize a lineup of long, athletic players. Without it, much is wasted.
How does one change one's mindset? Different people have different methods. And sometimes the body has to be brought up to speed with the mind. The idea is to be tough all the time, not just when backed into a corner and forced into "fight or flight" mode. Well, it seems one Hawk is going to give it a go in the offseason. As noted on NBA.com (on the Atlanta Hawks official site), backup center Zaza Pachulia has added to his offseason regimen, and the results might be more than just better conditioning, footwork, and overall stamina. It might just result in a tougher approach to the game. All I can say is watch out Kevin Garnett! I still love that moment in Hawks history…
The "other" Star Guard
According to ESPN.com, Hawks super sub Jamal Crawford would like to discuss money matters. He wants to remain a Hawk, and I'm sure any Hawks spokesperson would likely state that they would like to keep him around. And while Jamal has been around the league for a decade (and been with several teams), he may as well get comfortable wherever he is sitting. After all, things don't tend to happen around the front office at lightning speed. Especially if they don't really have to. The question is, do the Hawks want him to finish out his career in Atlanta? Might they see him as a two way asset, or has he proven himself to be indispensable? Jamal seemed to fit in pretty darn well, and that is not likely to change under new head coach Larry Drew. But, if the Hawks are very slow or otherwise noncommittal to signing him to an extension, what might it be an indication of? Of course, a number of theories could abound. Understandably, they may be more focused on preparing an extension offer to Al Horford. Or, they may have other moves up their sleeve. You just never know. But, for the sake of the sanity of blogger Steve Brown, I won't mention one of the most obvious and talked about (by others, not just me) possibilities.
In the meantime, I wish I could be an invisible fly on the wall in training camp. If for no other reason than to watch Jamal Crawford playing against Jordan Crawford. That would have to be a fun matchup, no?
July 30th, 2010
11:27 am
Heh…so much being made over what has been said/quoted, and what has not. Two words:
Plausible Deniability.
It is the bane of fans and reporters alike, and the manna from heaven for any that are in diplomatic situations.
July 30th, 2010
11:30 am
SteveW and Niremetal, THANK YOU! I read this blog, first of all, to fuel my zeal for the Hawks. I have also come to enjoy the diverse personalities represented. But I also read it to observe and score the debate. Your jousting last night and into this morning was very enjoyable. Congratualtions and feel free to tear into each other regularly.
July 30th, 2010
11:33 am
Rev in Tampa,
We ran out of Card Girls between round for Nire/SteveW debate last night/this morning… lol…
July 30th, 2010
11:36 am
Drmaryb – I couldn't agree with your post more, on all counts best I can tell. The only 2 guys left that may have an impact on our season and postseason – Shaq, if healthy, fit, and a good attitude to win a ring or two more before he's done, and
Kwame Brown – if we think we can develop him, which every team trying to do has failed so far. But at least he's another athletic big man that can keep up with Dwight' size and strength.
July 30th, 2010
11:43 am
Assuming we only have 1 roster spot left, I vote for Chris Hunter or Travis Diener. But I would prioritize another big over a PG. At least those 2 guys could easily provide 2nd-unit quality if pushed into service and will likely accept the salary associated with a back-of-the-bench player.
July 30th, 2010
11:47 am
The Truth – good to hear.
I think a good article by Mark, Micheal or Jeff would be – "What did the Hawks do with the 3m. made on Draft Day". Interview Rick Sund – he'll either say – "We'll use it if we feel we can better the team", or "ASG lost 20m last year, and this is too help recover their losses."
My point is as a fan, and I disagree with Ken Strickland on this, is we are close to being a contender, and with the right piece (maybe Shaq?) we can win it all. Look at the scenario's:
What if Wade goes down with an injury? Or he and LeBron get into a fight, and one demands to be traded? I don't think LeBron and Bosh without Wade are going anywhere with the team assembled around them currently.
What if Shaq and ZaZa give Dwight fits, JJ plays like a champion, and no more Barnes to hound him – Teague bothers Jameer – and we beat the Magic?
Read Boston's blogs – the team they fear the most in the East is the Hawks. They feel their "D" can shut down anybody else, but they can't keep up with our athleticism. 4-0 last year (and I know they took the regular season off).
All I'm sayin' is, it seems you said you'd spend the cash – please don't get Jarrod Collins, Alade Aminu, Hendrix, to win this thing – basically we're replacing RandMo (hopefully) with this last signing – get the piece – and ASG makes a ton of money on a better team – and the fans get this thing rockin'! All I'm sayin' guys
July 30th, 2010
11:50 am
Astro Joe – would take Josh Boone over Hunter if we want another smallish Center type – both 6-11 240
July 30th, 2010
11:53 am
Sekou says he's having a get Shaq rally in August for the Hawks fans…..
July 30th, 2010
12:05 pm
I like the idea of Diener offensively – he'd be pretty good at running the offense Drew is setting up, I think. But defensively? Eesh.
Earl Watson would be nice for a Mo Evans type of contract, but I doubt he'd bolt for less than the full MLE (which he isn't worth, I think). Rafer Alston would be nice situationally, but he was unable to beat out Chalmers and Arroyo in Miami last year and caused problems when he decided he wasn't happy with his role. Ironically, the most realistic solution might be Acie Law, whose defense was the one consistently solid thing about him, if memory serves.
At SF, would it be worth it to take out a flyer on Joe Alexander? He crapped out in his first couple years in the league big-time, but he has the size and athleticism to guard the 3 and 4 and should be able to get some cuts to the basket if the offense goes as planned.
Honestly, I'm starting to like the idea of using the TPE to get a piece straight up, because the free agent list at the 2 positions where I think we most need depth (SF and PG) was weak to start with and just depressing now…
July 30th, 2010
12:12 pm
If Hinrich were available, swapping Jamal (or Bibby and Mo) for him would be my ideal trade. Hinrich would be, I think, the ideal PG for this team with Drew's system. But something tells me that not even the Wizards are crazy enough to have a backcourt featuring Arenas, Wall, and Crawford, nor would they be willing to take on Bibby's contract for next year. *sigh*
July 30th, 2010
12:18 pm
As much as I would like for us to win the "Shaq-stakes"; I just don't believe the Hawks has the wherewithal to pull the deal off based on past history. In other words, I won't be attending Sekou's party. My expectation of Shaq's destination is more inline with this bleacher report.
Teams that have shown significant interest include the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, and Atlanta Hawks. My guess on where Shaq will sign? The Boston Celtics.
July 30th, 2010
12:25 pm
Hinrich and Bibby both have 2 years left on their deal, so that would be a wash. I like the Mo Evans (expiring) and Bibby for Hinrich deal.
July 30th, 2010
12:30 pm
Niremetal . . . what I'm about to say has been said by others.
When you see everything that has gone on this offseason so far, I have to come to the conclusion that the ASG firmly believes that everything was Woody's fault, and that we don't need a personnel upgrade. Not even a minor one.
It's a dangerous mindset that they're taking, in my opinion. If for some odd reason we get off to a slow start ( slightly above .500 record at Christmas and well behind Miami and Orlando ), the rammifications of that could be devastating.
There will be a lot of finger pointing going on by the media, the fans, and possibly by the players themselves.
And if the acquired players turn out to be non-factors ( which I believe they will, regardless of our record ), you now have to seriously start questioning this organization's scouting ability, its ability to get the free agents they want to sign, and its commitment to build a championship caliber team.
And it all goes back to costs and our so-called loyalty to our "core".
And I think it's an ego thing going on here too. They want to prove that it was all Woody's fault. Shoot, they may as well bring back Joe Smith or Mario or Othella Hunter.
July 30th, 2010
12:35 pm
Actually, Bibby + TPE for Hinrich would work too, assuming that the TPE can be used in combination with other players' salaries (Coon's FAQ says no, but most other sources I've found say yes). That would be super-ideal…
July 30th, 2010
12:46 pm
I hate this time of year — we have been reduced to drawing up multi-paragraph analogies to help explain what MIGHT be going through the mind of the most non-proactive GM in the league. Why did Sund sell the pick? Did he intend to sign players? Did he want to sign a big man? Did he intentionally only target big men who shoot under 45% for the season? Did Michael Gearon have a mansion foreclosed somewhere? Who framed Roger Rabbit? How many licks does it take for Lil' Kim to get to the center of the… never mind. Bottom line is the offseason is basically over for this team and they are prepared to go into next season (and possibly beyond) with this basic core of players.
Sund and the DASG's motivation for their actions is not really relevant — certainly not enough to dedicate multiple blog posts to this topic. The important thing to draw from their actions over this offseason is that they are not serious about filling out this team's roster with the kind of quality depth that will give them a realistic shot at even contending for home court in the first round, let alone a title.
July 30th, 2010
12:50 pm
According to Sund, and last years team, our last signing will be a big – unless we decide to carry 14.
We are still almost 3mil. below luxury tax line….
The Truth – probably right….sigh
July 30th, 2010
12:50 pm
"And I think it's an ego thing going on here too. They want to prove that it was all Woody's fault. "
I agree with the rest of your post completely, but if this is actually true they are even bigger idiots than we all think. What better way to stroke their own egos than to show Woody what a real coach can do with this core, which was assembled by… oh yeah, the guy who beat the DASG to the "Fire Woody" idea by two years.
The DASG and Rick Sund have managed to make Billy Knight look like a proactive visionary this offseason.
July 30th, 2010
12:54 pm
I agree with what you've said. I think that ASG came to conclusion at some point that Woody was the cause of all the Hawks' problems. I agree that is a risky mindset to take. I also agree that if the Hawks backtrack this year (or even fail to improve in the playoffs), there will be a lot of anger directed at ASG. And frankly, I can't blame them. Standing still is something people are more used to seeing from teams that have made the Finals already, not from teams that have hit a brick wall in the first couple rounds of the playoffs. The last team to win it's first title after a year in which no major personnel changes were made was the '99 Spurs, but they had 2 Hall of Famers on their roster. On paper, certainly, the Hawks don't have that level of talent.
I guess my thing is that I think the Hawks are far better than they look on paper and also think that the Hawks' issues last year began and ended with the coaching. Now notice that I didn't say "Woody," but rather "the coaching." I think that, for the reasons I said last night (4 All-Star or near-All-Star level players + 4 on-any-team rotation players puts the Hawks in elite company) the Hawks have the firepower to win.
I keep looking at who we could have gotten with the MLE this summer, and kept finding that I'd put our current front 8 ahead of anyone we could have gotten for the MLE in the depth chart. The only real exception I can think of is that I think Matt Barnes (who we probably could have gotten for the MLE) would have leapfrogged Mo Evans in the rotation – but honestly, I don't think it would be by much if Marvin and Joe stayed healthy. The difference between Barnes and Mo certainly wouldn't be enough to win a title.
And then there are "shake-up" trades. I pitched the idea of trading Josh in a sign-and-trade for one of this year's elite free agent PFs (Bosh, Boozer, Amare, or Nowitzki), because I think that our biggest single shortcoming on the floor has been a lack of a consistent scoring presence in the post (a problem that can't be solved with an MLE signing). People on this blog seemed to scoff at the idea, and it didn't happen anyway. With Josh's trade kicker, it might have been a non-starter anyway. (It was telling that the one player Cleveland reportedly was interested in getting in a Shaq S&T was Marvin, not Josh; a $12M trade kicker can do that, I'd imagine.) Even then, I said I was ok with losing Josh because I thought Horford could step up and fill most of the help defense void that Josh would leave – but that's far from certain, obviously. In any case, any trade of Josh would be a risky move.
By and large, though, I still am of the opinion that we can't know how good this team would be until we have the right coach. The departure of Woody, in my view, opened up such an opportunity. I wanted an assistant from Utah, Portland, or Boston to take the top job here, but Drew sounds like he fits the bill too if he walks his talk and gets buy-in from the team.
But the Hawks' course of conduct this summer – hiring Woody's assistant, giving JJ the NBA's biggest contract, and making only the minor-est of roster tweaks – is essentially betting the farm that the problem was entirely with Woody. That will be a tough sell if the Hawks flame out quickly in the second round (or sooner) again.
July 30th, 2010
1:06 pm
Unless Mr.Woodson could lace them up still and shut down Dwight, he is NOT the reason t
Hawks got pummeled. We were too damned small at the Center position. We h NO answer then
and we have NO answer now!
Nothing has changed! You can't coach Heart and Energy, our team does NOT have those two ingredients on their roster!
Some one asked earlier if Josh had professionalism he would be Bosh?
What was that about? Professionalism is a sign of maturity – and that is where Josh is lacking, besides his jumper and FT's! Hopefully, he is working on "Growing Up" from his Play-Off beat down and Summer to reflect on it. Josh has Upside Potential, whereas Bosh has none!
To compare Josh and Bosh? (Hey that rhymes) I'll take all that Josh does now + what he can do tomorrow … All week long!
Re-fried Beans – Gives me Gas!
Re-Tool this team ASG! Do it Now! No Thanks! I'll keep my $200 – Thank you very much!
Why don't you put $200 down on a Center (Shaq) and see IF, he will take Lay-Away payments!
July 30th, 2010
1:10 pm
There is no such thing as a perfect player at roster slot #13. So it comes down to what skill set you need (or can live without). Diener can shoot and protects the ball. If he were pushed into the 2nd unit, I think that is what you want. I don't see Earl Watson accepting a 3rd PG role. Rafer Alston couldn't earn time on a Miami squad that desperately needed good PG play. I suspect that he is done (even if he doesn't yet accept that).
I called for a good-sized back-up SF during the season, but my guess is that Jamal will play less minutes at PG in Drew's offense and so Joe will likely spend more time at SF. I'd rather have someone like Hassell who will accept a defensive-stopper role than Alexander who will likely foul Granger, peirce, LeBron to death. But overall, I'd use #13 on a 4/5 before any other position.
Is Josh Boone a UFA? I thought he was an RFA? He would have been far better than Powell, I assume we couldn't afford him as he is so much better than Powell that it isn't even worth debating.
Virtually any deal that returns Hinrich will appeal to me. Same with Jarrett Jack. But those trades kind of "change the subject" as I was addressing spot #13. Hinrich falls into what I was hooing all summer would be "an improvement of our top 8 players", pardon me if I've lost all faith that we are still looking to make that happen.
July 30th, 2010
1:15 pm
northcyde You make a very good point about the ASG and Woody. Everything clearly wasn't Woody's fault and they shouldn't expect a dramatic change, just because he's gone. I also think that they're statements early on (including Sund's) about needing change were some what of an exaggeration on their parts. Whether any of us believe significant change needed to happen or not, they didn't believe it. Significant change requires moving a core player, and the ASG/Sund never really wanted to do that. I think they could have stated up front that a culture change more than a personnel change needed to happen. I never saw any rumors about good trades for our core guys, so I can only assume that either Sund said he never would trade those guys or other teams didn't want to play the game. nire had some good trade suggestions in June, but guys like Amare, Bosh, Lebron, Wade, etc never seemed realistic. The media seemed completely shocked that the ASG offered the max to JJ, so I would have to assume again that most outside sources see the ASG as small spenders. Which effects how FAs view the HAWKS.
Overall, what I'm saying is that we might have expected to much this summer from the ASG, in terms of reshaping this team. Clearly this is a good team, but we all want a great team. Unless the ASG somehow convinced another Star to S&T to come here, we weren't going to get significantly better by acquisition this summer. Our only real option is to improve from within, which is what should have been stated early on by Sund and the ASG. Something like, "We like our core, but we feel that a culture change is needed to take the next step. We plan to make changes accordingly."
July 30th, 2010
1:27 pm
Heaven knows I wasn't in the interview, but if Drew said to the ASG something like "I can make it easy on you guys, We don't need major changes or to exceed the luxury threshold, the personnel is here. We just need a change in leadership and culture. The right offense and the right amount of accountability. And I can deliver that at a bargain if you hire me", then that may have been the sales pitch that closed the deal. I hope Drew is right. The ceiling appears to be the same to me (2nd round playoff exit) and now we may have to get there as the 3rd team in our division. That's a much tougher road to travel.
If nothing else, I hope that Drew's offense excites the city so that the ASG sees an improvement in revenue. If they can sell tickets at a higher price (without having to use so many promo offers to entice folk to show up), then he would have done a big portion of his job. While I understand the challenges of improving a 53-win team, I am utterly shocked that nothing has been done to improve a bottom third ranked home attendance franchise. Unless, again, that business plan is warapped up in the pentangle offense.
July 30th, 2010
1:27 pm
Actually, I think Josh Boone is absolutely godawful and worthy of zero consideration. You are playing 4-on-5 whenever Boone is on the floor offensively. He's also one of the few players in the NBA who has, in my view at least, gotten worse instead of better each and every year in the league, on both ends of the floor. I would have rather had us dig up Priest Lauderdale than sign him. No, not exaggerating.
Johan Petro, Robert Swift, the ghost of Mark West…anyone but Boone…
July 30th, 2010
1:30 pm
While I understand the challenges of improving a 53-win team, I am utterly shocked that nothing has been done to improve a bottom third ranked home attendance franchise.
Of course, being bottom third ranked in home attendance makes it pretty tough to have the money to improve the team more than marginally. Again, if you look at NBA in past years, the cause and effect has always run from "deep playoff run breakthrough" to "spending more money," not vice versa (unless you're LAL/NYK/BOS).
July 30th, 2010
1:41 pm
Now that Collins has been signed and there is one more roster spot to fill, I would like to know how money do the Hawks have to spend before they reach the luxury tax (not including the 3 million for the sold draft pick). Can anybody help me out?
July 30th, 2010
1:54 pm
It seems like the bigger question is how much NOT to spend versus how much available to spend!
At this point, to get Shaq, we would need to:
Dump Salary
We are beyond spending money at this point – if that makes any since?
July 30th, 2010
2:20 pm
The same squad that got blown out in every game in the second round last year is coming back for another season.
July 30th, 2010
2:31 pm
I've read a lot of complaints about who the Hawks signed and/or didn't sign, and how much they spent on a 4 time All Star and/or how much they won't spend on an egotistical, over the hill Shaq. I even read complaints about new HC LDrew from Clyde, after campaigning for yrs to FIRE WOODSON. We also have those who insist on calling Sund and the ASG stupid and incompetent because they won't waste money signing certain players certain fans want.
Well, I happen to think Sund and the ASG are playing it smart. It's always easy for fans and bystanders to spend someone else's money, or demand they spend money they don't have. The luxury tax limit at $70.307M, and the Hawks are $2,751,188M under the luxury tax limit after signing JCollins and JPowell. The Hawks are only obligated to pay $854,389 total for both players.
If we reach the trade deadline and see we need only one key player to win our division and become title contenders, we could easily afford to add a player. At the trade deadline, the salaries of players acquired in trade are pro rated. Therefore, the Hawks might be able to acquire an affordable center like JPrzybilla or NMohammed for half the money it would cost now.
1-NMohammed–SALARY $6.88M, PRORATED SALARY-$$3.44M.
2-JPrzybilla-SALARY $7.40M, PRORATED SALARY-$$3.70M.
If we sign NMohammed at the trade deadline, it would put us approximately $1M and $1.26M over the luxury tax limit respectively. That $1M could come out of the $3+M we got during the draft.
I certainly prefer this situation to foolishly committing our MLE to Shaq, which would put us over the luxury tax limit for the next 2yrs. In fact, signing Shaq to the MLE($5.8M)would put us $3.04M over the luxury tax limit. Hell, the luxury tax cost for taking on Mohammed and Przybilla's pro rated salaries combined($1M+$1.26M=$2.26M) would be $.78M less than signing Shaq now. JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
July 30th, 2010
2:38 pm
* IF that makes any sense
July 30th, 2010
2:39 pm
Rev in Tampa – we are about 2.8 mill under the luxury tax threshold currently
Niremetal – I think you just committed the logical fallacy of of leaving out part of a statement to make your point:
"Gearon said that he thought Joe Smith and Jason Collins were mis-/under-utilized by Woody" This is what you said.
"… veterans Joe Smith and Jason Collins should have played bigger roles IN THE ORLANDO SERIES." This is what Gearon said – not under-utilized by Woody period, but only in the Orlando series, unless you can find another quote you haven't yet used in this discussion.
BTW – really appreciate your knowledge of the game, personnel, coaches etc. – Even if we sometimes disagree.
Not sure I would have wanted Barnes for the MLE – Jermaine O'Neil maybe? But he's gone now. I don't rule out Shaq yet – or Kwame, Boone, Tolliver or a trade for that matter…Sund may shock us.
July 30th, 2010
2:42 pm
Don't know where we'll shake out – I know we were the only team in the playoffs last year that weren't in luxury tax territory, but last I checked, we were pretty high up there in salaries for 2010-11 – Of Course the Magic, Lakers, Celts etc real big spenders, as well as the Mavs.
July 30th, 2010
2:44 pm
Ken Strickland – good post! Way to do homework – Nazr may be a good fit for this team with toughness down low.
July 30th, 2010
2:51 pm
CLYDE-suppose you had a vehicle with an engine that skipped and underperformed, but it never failed to get you where you wanted to go, except it couldn't handle the freeway. Instead of getting rid of the vehicle, you decide to have the engine totally rebuilt.
It's certainly the same car and engine, but certain adjustments and upgrades have eliminated the problems that caused it to UNDER PERFORM, and now the car performs flawlessly. Since it's been made to perform much better, and even though it's the same car, wouldn't you say it's a much better car?
July 30th, 2010
2:55 pm
nire, but weren't you the one saying that they have increased their payroll ranking this summer? I'm trying to understand a business plan that increases the payroll ranking without a clear path to increase the revenue. Generally speaking, teams spend more when there is a reason to expect additional revenue, right? Rather that be in additional home playoff games, more regular season sellouts or more corporate sponsors. Will the summer transactions of the Hawks likely lead to any of those things? Heck, if we don't secure at least a 4th seed, there could conceivably be a decrease in home playoff games in the coming season. 3 (max) in the first round and 3 max in the 2nd round. The ASG have had 6 home playoff games in the past 2 years. Maybe that is why Sund was quoted as being hopeful that the Hawks maintain a top 4 seeding, which again, I think is quite improbable as the likely 3rd team in their division.
Regarding Boone, yes he's an awful offensive player but relative to Powell, I'd take Boone.
July 30th, 2010
2:58 pm
about this Al Horford quote:
"We'll see," he said. "If the time is right. It is something that I will have to talk to my agent about. I know that the priority for the team was to re-sign Joe. We will see what happens the rest of the summer as far as the free agents if they are trying to get anybody else."
To which you said:
"- Al only wants to come back if we get good FA's – he was not talking about vet minimum guys – you have to have 13 players per league rules – can anybody say "Uh-oh"?"
Steve, are you taking a leap of faith here? The way that I read that quote was….
"I'm not about to put myself in front of what we need to do as a team therefore I'll wait until they have done their off season business before I worry about my re-signing".
Can you see that as another way of interpreting his comment?
In my mind there was NO implied threat in what Al said. NONE.
We can disagree, but I believe you are reading more into that quote then Al EVER intended.
Just my 2 cents.
July 30th, 2010
3:07 pm
"The same squad that got blown out in every game in the second round last year" is also the same team that:
defeated Boston 4 X, the same Boston that was 12 mins give or take from
being the World Champeens. Granted we did not beat Boston in a play-off setting, however, it proves the Hawks possess the raw material.
Do they need to add more talent? Yes. [constantly] That's what good teams do, they don't idle.
My point:
Too much is made of the Orlando series.
Countering by argueing 4 wins v Boston is likewise counterproductive.
The answer lies somewhere in the midst.
My belief is Sund has never had an original thought.
GS most likely aapproached him about the Jamal trade.
[they GS wanted to rid themselves of Jamal so badly.......]
The roster can still be improved if another team accidently
wants [Marvin] for exp they are gives us something we need [Melo, ha].
Two thoughts: [been on my mind]
*Josh Powell = addition by intagibles.(don't just look @ his #'s)
*Jamal = He wants to be here. That means -ALOT- We need to keep him around. Wanting to be here means he wants to be a "Hawk" + Teammate!
July 30th, 2010
3:11 pm
Sautee, you could very well be right and hope that you are. In the flow of the interview, coupled with what he said about needing an impact Center to be any type of a contender in the East – and knowing he just switched agents to JJ's agent of Arn Tellum – it just looked like a veiled kinda threat to me – but maybe I'm just misreading it.
I hope we offer him the max of 5 years – 83m, and then hope he stays healthy. 23 year old All-Star Center – except for Dwight, not too many guys Horford can't compete with. Bynum/Gasol/Odom? Ming when healthy? A healthy motivated Shaq?I'm sure there's probably more, but it's a short list. He hung with Duncan pretty tough this year – probably better than Bogut – more upside.
July 30th, 2010
3:14 pm
One thing I liked about Boone is whenever we played the Nets, he seemed very active on the glass. And unlike Powell, Boone can actually play spot minutes at PF and Center.
Ken S,
One good thing about the Hawks going into the trading deadline this season is the TPE, because that would allow them to get a player without giving up a player, so it will be interesting to see how it plays out.
The problem for the Hawks (imo), is we are stacked in the backcourt (JJ, Jamal, Mo, Jordan, Teague and Bibby), but thin in the front court. We need to even things out somehow if we want to take the next step.
July 30th, 2010
3:18 pm
Lord have mercy:
*[[they are gives us]]something we need*
*[[they give us]] something we need*
July 30th, 2010
3:19 pm
About that 3m – don't think I have a beef with Sund personally – I think he's done phenomenal since he's been here – he may have missed on Childress but,
1) He stole Jamal Crawford from GS – and anybody that says that trade just fell in his lap, well it could have fallen into a couple dozen other laps, but didn't. Best move since the Phils stole Roy Oswalt from Houston – what were the Astros thinking?
2) He signed 3 quality vets for the minimum in Joe Smith, Jason Collins, and a gamble on a young big in RandMo (ok, maybe not so quality there). Best you could get for vet min. bigs with playoff/finals exp. probably.
3) Appears to have drafted fairly well
4) Resigned all our FA's we had to have last year – and I think Woody kind of made him in a sense sign Bibby
5) Marvin had a bad back in '09 – I think he is being wise in not factoring in last year too harshly.
6) Made a good call on Woody in all aspects
7) Somehow made selling a 1st pick money and still got us a 1st pick – that's a tremendous business mind right there
He may bomb later – but he's been good in my book – only MC and he it appears knows for sure, but if he said he was gonna spend the 3m from draft day on a vet big – I just wanna hold his feet to the fire – but no personal beef.
July 30th, 2010
3:21 pm
On 2) above should add in ref. to RandMo "and tried to develop a young big"
July 30th, 2010
3:24 pm
O'Brien – good observation on Boone – 5rpg in only 16mpg – that's 10 boards per 32 min. – better than Horford. Horrid free throw shooter however. And he is only 26 or so – so maybe Gattison could help him.
July 30th, 2010
3:26 pm
I think the owners slightly increased payroll slightly because they expect slightly increased revenue. I think that ASG seems to have always taken the view of "if we win more, they will come." In their view, the best way to increase the number of Ws and therefore the number of $s was to replace Woody. If the Hawks win the same or more games in the regular season and make a deeper playoff run, it'll be worth it. If not, it won't be.
The payroll increase was slight, which makes sense because the team's attendance went down but overall ticket revenues probably went slightly up because of the increased ticket prices. The main mode of improvement the Hawks seem to be banking on is a coaching change.
July 30th, 2010
3:30 pm
Steve W,
Maybe its hindsight, but I don't think Sund should have given Woody the 2 year extension when he did (right after the last GM tried to fire him, and the ASG offered said GM a 1 year extension).
I think he should have brought in his guy, and then he would have time to evaluate the players (especially JJ, Bibby and Marvin who were going to be free agents soon) under a different coach.
Also, I see no reason for giving Bibby a 3rd year guaranteed. He was old and getting slower, and the market would not have given him 3 years (even Andre Miller had to settle for a 3rd year team option).
I give Sund credit for the Flip/Mo signing too.
July 30th, 2010
3:52 pm
nire, it seems strange to place your revenue growth plan (assuming that more wins translates into more revenue) into the hands of someone whom you value at the low end of his peers. That continues to be my disconnect with this whole thing. Putting all of your eggs in one basket is always a bad idea, but to give the basket to someone who gets paid less than all of his peers? Well, I'm not sure that in today's financial markets, that plan would result in a loan approval from the average bank.
July 30th, 2010
3:54 pm
OB, I don't think Sund has the power to hire/fire the coach. Maybe he will in the future, but IMO, he hasn't had it during his brief tenure with the team.
July 30th, 2010
3:59 pm
Not for nothing, O'B, but:
1) Andre Miller is 2 years older than Bibby
2) It really does amount to a 2-year guaranteed contract in some respects, since Bibby now provides us with a significant expiring contract that comes off our books next summer. This year, Bibby needs to have value as a player. Next year, he will have value even if he goes out injured for the year because he's an expiring contract.
3) Even if you don't buy into that, Bibby will only be making $6.2M next year, which is just above the current MLE, which is based on the average NBA salary. Even his harshest haters would have a tough time saying that Bibby is not at least "slightly above average" for an NBA player given his outside shooting ability and continued aptitude at running screen rolls and (no matter how many times people selectively forget the number of times he does this) his ability to initiate the fast break. Hell, his outside shooting alone makes his contract less than horrific looking, even if we don't use it as a trade chip next year.
4) Even if you disagree with all that…maybe hindsight is 20/20 for some, but I know that I didn't expect Bibby to drop off as much as he seemed to this past year even in terms of production. I got the impression that he got bored in Woody's "offense" (ie giving the ball to Joe or Jamal then getting out of the way), but maybe that's just me.
July 30th, 2010
4:06 pm
I have no idea what you're talking about with "someone whom you value at the low end of his peers." If Sund (or ASG for you conspiracy theorists) thought that Drew was the best man for the job, then what does his salary have to do with it? Would you prefer that ASG needlessly pay Larry Drew more despite the fact that he was willing to work for less? Or does the mere fact that Larry Drew is (reportedly, btw – coaching contract terms are almost never disclosed) making less money than most/all other coaches conclusively prove to you that they do not "value him?" If so, that's absurd. Basic supply and demand, Astro. You pay someone as much as you need to pay them in order for them to come work for you, and no more.
Also, like most coaching contracts, I assume that there are substantial bonuses built into Drew's contract based on different performance benchmarks (eg team wins 50 games; gets top 4/2/1 seed; wins round 1, round 2, ECF, Finals; named COY; etc). At the end of the day, Drew might end up getting paid quite well if the Hawks do well. Certainly, that's the way I would have structured the contract.
July 30th, 2010
4:09 pm
Bibby was forced to the bench in late/close game situations because of Jamal's big play ability and inability to defend. The previous coach couldn't put two non-defenders on the floor so someone had to sit. The previous coach sat Bibby. I'm not certain that will happen with the next coach, as I suspect that he may value a floor general in those late game situations more than the previous coach. That theory, plays into the other reason I felt Jamal would have been traded earlier this summer. A large expiring contract for a SMOY who may not have the same opportunity to utilize his skills? Sounds like trade bait to me.
Seems to me that Bibby performed fairly well the last time he played in a motion offense. Granted, he's maybe 5-6 years older than he was back then. But I wouldn't write him off quite yet.
July 30th, 2010
4:15 pm
I totally agree with you re: Sund should have not re-hired Woody back in 2008. I'm still pissed about that decision.


text:
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text:
Why Bilski Re-Affirms the Patent-Eligibility of Software
|Written by Robert Plotkin, Esq.
Robert Plotkin, P.C.
Author of The Genie in the Machine
Posted: August 5, 2010 @ 12:33 pm
Although much remains unclear after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Bilski v. Kappos, one thing is certain: software remains patent-eligible in the U.S. This result may not be entirely clear from a quick read of the opinions in the case. Therefore, I present the following pieces of evidence that the Supreme Court in Bilski effectively re-affirmed the patent-eligibility of software (listed, for the sake of simplicity, in the order in which they appear in the decision).
1. The Court, citing Chakrabarty, re-affirmed that Congress "plainly contemplated that the patent laws would be given wide scope" when choosing the categories of "process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter" to define patent-eligible subject matter in Section 101 of the Patent Act. Computer software performs processes, and computers that have been programmed with software are machines. A large body of precedent confirms that such processes and machines fall within the scope of the terms "process" and "machine" under Section 101. Therefore, the Court's decision to confirm that Section 101 should "be given wide scope" supports the conclusion that software remains patent-eligible.
2. The Court, again citing Chakrabarty, re-affirmed that the three exceptions to patent-eligible subject matter are "laws of nature, physical phenomena, and abstract ideas." Neither a programmed computer nor the processes performed by a program computer falls into any of these three exceptions, as again confirmed by a large body of precedent. Therefore, the Court's decision to reiterate these three exceptions supports the conclusion that software remains patent-eligible.
3. The Court rejected the Federal Circuit's "machine or transformation" test as the sole test of patent-eligibility. In my view, software (properly described and claimed in a patent) would remain patent-eligible even if the "machine or transformation" test were the sole test of patent-eligibility. However, the Court's conclusion that the "machine or transformation" test is not the sole test of patent-eligibility, and the implication that subject matter which does not satisfy the "machine or transformation" test could still qualify as patent-eligible subject matter, only further supports the conclusion that software remains patent-eligible.
4. The Court emphasized the need for patent-eligibility under Section 101 to take into account that "times change" and that "[t]echnology and other innovations progress in unexpected ways," and that, as a result, the mere fact that "patents for inventions that did not satisfy the machine-or-transformation test were rarely granted in earlier eras, especially in the Industrial Age," does not necessarily imply that such inventions should not be patent-eligible now. The majority cited two earlier Supreme Court decisions for the propositions that Section 101 is a "dynamic provision designed to encompass new and unforeseen inventions," and that a categorical rule denying patent protection for "inventions in areas not contemplated by Congress… would frustrate the purposes of the patent law." This view of Section 101 as a dynamic provision which needs to adapt flexibly to new technological developments strongly supports the conclusion that software remains patent-eligible.
5. he Court further noted that the "machine or transformation" test's failure to make clear that software is patent-eligible provides a "reason[] to doubt whether the [machine or transformation] test should be the sole criterion for determining the patentability of inventions in the Information Age." This logic implies that software remains patent-eligible.
6. The Court disclaimed any intent to "comment[] on the patentability of any particular invention," and stated that it was not "holding that any of the above-mentioned technologies from the Information Age [such as software] should or should not receive patent protection." Such a disclaimer, however, is not a holding that software is not patent-eligible. At most, it is evidence of an intent not to change the status quo with respect to the patent-eligibility of software, and the status quo is that software is patent-eligible. Therefore, although this disclaimer does not directly support the patent-eligibility of software, it does so indirectly.
7. The Court's conclusion that the claims in Bilski's patent application did not qualify as patent-eligible subject matter under Section 101 does not have any bearing on claims for software, assuming that such claims are written correctly (such as by specifying in a process claim that the process is executed by a computer) and supported by a well-written specification. Neither Bilski's claims nor his specification made any mention of a computer or other machinery for implementing his invention. Therefore the rejection of his claims under the "abstract idea" exception has no bearing on the patent-eligibility of proper software claims.
8. Even Justice Stevens, who (along with three other Justices) would impose a categorical prohibition on business methods, seems solely concerned with excluding what he refers to as a general method of doing business. Although it is not entirely clear what he means by this term, his discussion and the objectionable examples he provides (such as a process for training a dog, a series of dance steps, a method of shooting a basketball, and Bilski's abstract method of hedging risk) indicate that he is referring to business methods which are claimed abstractly and without any reference to any machinery. Understood in this way, none of Justice Stevens' objections to general business methods are applicable to patent claims on software, assuming that such claims are written correctly and supported by a well-written specification.
9. Furthermore, even Justice Stevens (in footnote 40 of his concurrence) stated that he did not intend to address the patent-eligibility of the claims that the Federal Circuit upheld as patent-eligible in State Street Bank. The fact that Justice Stevens did not see the need to address "whether a piece of software could be patented," even when the sole purpose of such software was to perform a business method, is further evidence that his objection was only to "general" methods of doing business, not claimed in connection with any machinery (such as the method claimed by Bilski), and not to methods performed by software.
The laundry list provided above is not intended to be exhaustive or a conclusive proof that no statement in any of the opinions in Bilski could be interpreted to call into question the patent-eligibility of software in some way. Furthermore, this list does not attempt to sort through the different views expressed by the Justices in their three opinions, primarily because the differences between those opinions relate primarily to the patent-eligibility of business methods, not software. Rather, the purpose of this list is to provide a representative, but accurate, sampling of the Justices' reasoning, which, when taken as a whole, overwhelmingly supports the conclusion that software remains patent-eligible subject matter in the U.S.
Even a very conservative reading of the opinions indicates that the Justices intended to leave the status of software as patent-eligible subject matter unchanged, and for further refinements to be worked out by the lower courts and USPTO. A more liberal reading indicates an intent to enable the scope of patent-eligible subject matter to expand in light of technological developments. In either case, the decision in Bilski fails to provide patent examiners and defendants in patent cases with any substantial new ammunition for rendering software patent claims unpatentable or invalid for lack of patentable subject matter, and weakens the ammunition previously in their arsenals. Therefore, despite any ambiguities which may exist in the language of the decision, the practical effect of Bilski will almost certainly be to bolster the patent-eligibility of software both in patent prosecution and in litigation in the U.S.
About the Author
Robert Plotkin, Esq. is a patent attorney specializing in patent protection for computer technology. His clients range from individual inventors to startup companies to multinational corporations both in the U.S. and abroad. His firm, Robert Plotkin, P.C., was named a "Go-To Law Firm for Leading Technology Companies" by American Lawyer Media as a result of a survey of in-house counsel at the top 500 technology companies in the U.S. He is the author of a book published in 2009 by Stanford University Press entitled, The Genie in the Machine: How Computer-Automated Inventing is Revolutionizing Law and Business, which explores the impact of invention automation technology on high-tech companies and patent law. Robert received his undergraduate degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his law degree from the Boston University School of Law, where he now teaches a course entitled, "Software and the Law." He worked at two leading Boston patent firms before founding Robert Plotkin, P.C. a decade ago.