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Words: Wade Davis
You do it, I do it, and according to the ASP there's a pool of 120 million surf fans wanting to do it. Here at Surfing Life we just can't get enough of the World Championship Tour. We'll stay awake until all hours to watch events in one-foot Rio, miss birthday parties for round two and rack up astronomical data bills watching expression sessions on our phones.
We like to think that we are reasonable consumers of our sport. We try and take a rational approach to controversy and to be empathetic with even the most unlikely judging decisions. We don't believe in conspiracy theories in surfing, in favouritism, nor do we trumpet the incompetence of the ASP or its agents. They have a difficult job and they do it well, we like, we watch, we support and when we disagree we do it with understanding and respect, as do the vast majority of surf fans. Nevertheless, there are pockets of surf fandom who can't quite act right, who fly off the handle on the reg, and who do it in a repetitive and predictable manner. It is in homage to them that we've created this inconclusive list of surfing's most ludicrous spectators. If we've missed any, if we missed you, then please let us know in the comments section.
Old Eagle Eyes
Old Eagle Eyes knows better than the judges. "There's no way that's any more than a 6.5!", he'll squawk, as the judges award a 6.7. He'll take to Facebook after most heats and tell the world what he thinks just went down, and how and where the judges were wrong. "He should have lost at least .25 of a point, due to having his tongue slightly hang out of his mouth on that top turn. The judges are having a shocker!", he'll claim, as his wannabe-calliper eyes dissect the surfer's body language. But he ain't Brad Gerlach, and this ain't last year's Cold Water Classic, and nobody cares a damn for his microscopic appraisal of the surfers' movements. They just confirm Old Eagle Eyes' station as a wanker.
Old Eagle Eyes could have been a contender, but after a series of "robbings" in his junior career he didn't get the sponsorship deals he needed to catapult himself from semi-final finishes in boardriders up to the top 34. Old Eagle Eyes isn't so different from us, it's just that we gave up on the idea that we were going to be the next Robert Slater when we were 11 and Old Eagle Eyes held onto that hope until he was 23. Now he's as bitter as heck and he's coming for the judges.
The Surf Dork
The surf dork is the surfiest person you know, although if he wasn't into surfing then he'd be the cricketiest cricketer, or the stampiest stamp collector, or whatever. He is on par with Japanese surfers for froth levels, surf-culture immersion and excitement. He's out in the water every day, whenever he can, paddling around and "accidently" dropping in on everyone. The Surf Dork buys all the magazines (thanks, buddy), watches every DVD, and since 1992 has been the sole remaining consumer of surf-brand stickers, which he proudly displays on the caboose of his hatchback. He only wears logo-heavy surf-tees, unless he's going to a wedding, where he'll bust out the good "going out" Billabong button-up shirt, combo'ed with Quiksilver denim downstairs and his Rip Curl tide watch, which he'll proudly and boring present to anyone who'll listen, boasting of the functions, "And, it shows whether the tide is king, or neap! So I never miss a session!"
The Surf Dork lives for tour stops, although his emotions run high and polarised. The Surf Dork vehemently supports whichever surfer he has the most affinity with, usually the surfer who grew up geographically nearest to him. The Surf Dork is ecstatic when his hero wins, and filled with tragedy when he loses. The Surf Dork loses his grasp of grammar and becomes incoherent when his favourite surfer loses, as is evidenced by his posts on the event's comments board, his own Facebook page, and by his tweets, that are read by his 16 followers (eight of which are spambots). "CANT BLEIVE MICK LOST,,,, this is to unfair, bullshit everythng!", he'll cry to everyone, and no-one in particular. If you know a Surf Dork, make sure you pull the shoelaces out of their Etnies fat-tongue skate shoes at the beginning of round two.
The Grinch
According to The Grinch the ASP is a joke, the judges are jokes, the conditions are a joke, this tour stop is a joke. Everything is a joke, which is ironic, because The Grinch hasn't laughed since 1994, the year that his eighth-grade squeeze dumped him for a 17-year-old finger-basher with a panel van. The Grinch is heavily active on forums, Twitter, and occasionally on our Facebook page. They never care to elaborate on why everything is a joke, or indeed what it actually means, just that it's all a joke, and you're a joke if you don't agree.
The Grinch is an unhappy person. He sets fire to puppies and steals his elderly neighbour's newspaper every morning. The Grinch doesn't surf anymore, because the surf is a joke, they don't go to the beach because it's a joke down there. You ask them why they even watch the events, and they go, "It's because it's such a joke." The Grinch will probably comment on this article, about how much of a joke it is, which is great, but it's be nice if The Grinch would occasionally elaborate as to why it's a joke.
It'd be nice if The Grinch would stop labelling everything as a joke, and start laughing again. Get over Jessica, man, that was nine years ago.
Aluminium-Foil Hat
Beady eyed, and hawkish of nose, Aluminium-Foil Hat is a highly intelligent guy whose brain is wired incorrectly. We don't know how he got like this, but if you stumble across him on Twitter you might initially say, "Wow, this guy's interesting", then very soon after you'll be all like, "Hey, hey, relax there fella", and then you'll be like, "You're a fucking idiot, bro", and when you are like that you'll block them and they won't exist anymore, for Aluminium-Foil Hat only exists on Twitter, to the disenfranchised follow people who fuel his messianic delusions, and the few rational folk who stick around to argue with Aluminium-Foil Hat, and to bash their head against a brick wall.
Aluminium-Foil Hat goes, "Pro surfing is just a conspiracy run by the Knights Templar, Dan Brown and Monsanto. It's just a false flag operation that exists to make you buy more surf branded, neoprene pencil-cases. If you don't know, then you are a mental midget. You have to get educated, and the best way to get educated is by reading my blog. I know, because I am smarter than you, and that is why I have written a blog about it, and your point isn't valid because it is different to mine. Corporate surfing is to blame for absolutely everything from drug abuse in Kirgizstan to the epidemic of people stubbing their toes in Williamsburg. There is no proof, just take my word for it. In fact, don't just take my word for it, take my scores of daily tweets as conclusive proof that you're an idiot."
Aluminium-Foil Hat doesn't just hate pro surfing, he looks upon it with total disdain. But it's the frequency by which he looks upon it that is most baffling. If you don't like it, turn it off, right? If you ask Aluminium-Foil Hat why he wastes his time religiously watching surf competitions he'll tell you that he is acting as a film critic acts, and that the critic doesn't shy away from bad movies even though he knows they stink. This is true, but the film critic also doesn't watch 50 First Dates 10 times a year, every year, and give it the same amount of thumbs down for each viewing. Just saying.
The Tourist
The Tourist has no idea what they're watching. They followed a surf brand on Instagram, because Soul Surfer, that's why. Then they saw a post of a nice looking wave and followed the link to something called the Reef Hawaiian Pro. When they got to the website they saw four guys in four differently coloured rashies, just sitting in the ocean. It was weird! And then one of them thrashed around and stood up on a knee-high wave and shook around like a Christmas beetle trying to climb up a windshield. Then everyone just went back to bobbing in the water again, for like five whole minutes. And all the while some American guys were talking about building houses, and for some reason they wanted to put their feet in the wax? And then guy in a hat asked another guy in a hat about some waves, but it seemed like the second guy in the hat didn't speak much English! And the first guy in the hat didn't speak the first guy's language! And all the while hyperbole, so much hyperbole! The Tourist is confused, and soon after The Tourist leaves.
If The Tourist was fortunate enough to stumble past the broadcast at a different time, maybe this Saturday, or maybe when Pipe is on, then they might see some hugely sizey and hugely exciting waves and performances, and even if they aren't as intimate with what's going on as we are, they'll know that it's pretty darn impressive. Then the tourist will take note of what they are seeing, and will return. Because if the waves allow it, The Tourist will be impressed.


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Date of Award
Degree Type
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Electrical and Computer Engineering
John W. Bandler
This thesis addresses physics-based microwave device modeling and circuit optimization, including conventional and statistical device modeling, performance-driven and yield-driven circuit design. Approaches for physics-based device modeling are reviewed. Fundamental techniques of physics-based analytical MESFET modeling are presented. Device performance and parameter extraction with physics-based models (PBMs) are discussed. Nonlinear circuit analysis with PBMs integrated into the harmonic balance (HB) method is presented. A detailed formulation of the HB equations with MESFET PBMs is given. An efficient Newton method for solving the HB equations is discussed. Gradient-based optimization for circuit design is addressed. Physics-based circuit optimization integrates efficient adjoint sensitivity analysis approaches, the HB simulation method and PBMs. The physical (geometrical, material and process-related) parameters can be directly treated as design variables. Simultaneous device-circuit design is facilitated. The features of physics-based circuit optimization are demonstrated by two circuit design examples. Statistical modeling at different levels is discussed. Statistical parameter extraction and postprocessing are used to obtain statistical models to predict parameter statistics. The resulting statistical device models are verified by comparing the statistics of measurements with the corresponding statistics obtained by Monte Carlo simulation. Statistical modeling with equivalent circuit models (ECMs) and PBMs is demonstrated. Yield-driven circuit design is addressed based on a one-sided ℓ₁ optimization algorithm with a generalized ℓp function. Yield optimization of MMICs with PBMs for passive and active devices is discussed. Its features are demonstrated by a three stage X-band MMIC amplifier design. A comprehensive approach to predictable yield-driven circuit design exploiting a novel statistical model is presented. For the first time, the yield estimated by Monte Carlo simulation is shown to be consistent with the yield predicted directly from device measurement data. Simultaneous device-circuit yield optimization assisted by yield sensitivity analysis is also demonstrated.
Recommended Citation
Cai, Qian, "Physics-based microwave device modeling and circuit optimization" (1992). Open Access Dissertations and Theses. Paper 3812.

subset: commoncrawl


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Spring Florals from Romo
Although snow still blankets the ground outside our window, we've got spring on the brain today. Romo's new line of Mirabel wallcoverings and fabrics got us thinking about the 2009 color forecasts we've seen predicting deep pinks, celery greens, and misty grays...
We love the way these prints simplify natural forms into graphic outlines and repetitive patterns. For more on the Mirabel line and other new collections, click here. Although based in the UK, Romo has a US showroom in New York's D&D Building. Some of their prints and patterns are also available through Thybony in Illinois.
4 Comments
Is anyone else getting a distinctive Golden Girls vibe here? Anyone?
I don't think I could live with the pink. But other than that, I totally love the motifs.
Yeah, Kellylc, a little Golden Girls to me. It seems very beige and like something out of Coastal Living.
Nyeh. I like this... much better than mimosa.


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I seek audience with the ThinkGeek Consciousness under peaceful contract, according to Convention Fifteen of the Shadow Proclamation. This is the vehicle of the Time Lord. TARDIS, or Time And Relative Dimension In Space has its chameleon circuit broken, so it's stuck looking like an old British Police box from Earth year zero-point-five-slash-apple-slash-five-zero, or 1950 by local reckoning. That, and it's become a 4 port USB hub a mere 11 centimeters tall. This little blue box, really an immense multi-dimensional starship capable of ludicrous speeds, sits benignly on your desk, acting as a mere conduit of digital information for your computer. 480 megabits per second of data are shared amongst its four USB 2.0 ports along the base. Press the panel on the face, and the blue-glowing light pulsates and the Tardis' engine fires up. Don't worry, while the engine grinds away, we've time-locked the Tardis so it stays put - we don't want any accidental paradoxes, thank you. It's not every day you can have your own piece of the Untempered Schism right there on your desktop, so be careful how you use it. The Bad Wolf is watching. Features The official Doctor Who TARDIS Hub. A 4 port USB hub replicating the 1950s Police phonebox TARDIS from the show. A flashing lantern on the TARDIS' roof. A time-travelling sound effect. The light and sound effects are triggered when a USB device is plugged into the port. Sound effects are optional and are controlled via an on/off switch. No software required. Suitable for both PCs and Mac. Suitable for ages 8 years+. TARDIS: 11 x 6 x 6cm USB Cable: 140cm.. Price: $29.99
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Categories > Games > Devil May Cry > Undying Power
Chapter 1: Nightmare0 Reviews
Vergil wakes up from his past.
Vergil sat up on the hotel bed, white bed sheets draped over his bare legs while his torso was exposed to the coldness of the room. Sweat ran down his forehead and chest, a reaction from his body that normally didn't occur. Hair strands tickled his forehead, some clinging to his skin from the sweat. He should have turned the light on first. Instead, he ran a hand through his hair, making it brush back until none of it touched his face.
He was okay with the dark. He was not okay with the fact that he looked exactly like his younger brother.
His heartbeat returning to resting pace, he reached over and turned on the bedside lamp that stood on the night stand beside the hotel bed. The hotel room was as clean as it had been when he had checked at sunset. It had been a good place to rest before he continued his mission. The only things of his the entire room was his trusty katana, named Yamato, that his father had handed to him when he had been younger and his blue coat. The katana was leaning against the bed, the handle near his right arm where he could easily get to it should he need it in the night. His coat was draped over the back of a chair almost as if it was waiting for him to put it back on.
The coat drew people's attention but the katana kept it away.
Vergil shook his head, clearing away the nightmare of his past before pulling the bed sheets off and getting up. After using the bathroom and showering, he brushed his hair back into its usual style then dressed in a blue leather shirt with matching blue pants and brown leather boots that almost reached his knees. As always, the last thing he put on was his coat, liking the way it fluttered in the air and created a sound that resembled wings. He grabbed Yamato and did his usual ritual of pulling the blade out a bit, studying its sharpness and its shine then slipping it back into its scabbard.
He didn't bother to make the bed, knowing he would not return to this hotel let alone the city in a while.
He turned toward the room's door only to hear a faint sound coming from the sliding glass doors leading to the balcony.
A low growl resonated through the room as Vergil turned toward the sound.
A demon with tattered skin and piercing black eyes stood only two feet from him.
Vergil didn't blink as the demon opened its jaws, raised its claws and growled loud enough for the sound to vibrate through Vergil's body. Pieces of human flesh clung to its razor sharp teeth from its last meal.
Without a single sweat, Vergil pulled his sword out and moved it a series of slashes and angles in less than ten seconds. The demon froze, blood beginning to seep out of its leather-like skin. Vergil slid his sword back into its scabbard. He turned and headed toward the door as the demon split into pieces that followed the cuts he'd made. He didn't bother to care when the demon's blood soaked the bed and the room's carpet.
He would leave that for the maid to clean up.
Vergil had bigger demon to kill.


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Greg Wilshusen, Director of Information Security Issues, GAO
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Unconfirmed, but Us reports that Lucky Number Nine is Jason Winters, 49. May-December! "It's no secret that they've been together forever and are in love, so it wouldn't be a surprise if they were engaged." THEN IT'S TRUE! [Us]
Liz Taylor, 78, To Wed For A Ninth Time?
Pending approval Jessica Coen


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
scarab2501 said...
The patches create something more and new for players to look forward to. Yeah they cause plenty of hype and is more a cause of intense speculation. It a very good thing, in my opinion, that Blizzard keeps releasing more content for the WoW crowd. They only go wrong when they screw with a class so much people poo themselves and roll a hunter, and lets be honest, that's just not right! But I have to give props due to the fact they don't charge us for this additional content, at least no more than we all pay each month. Halo 3 players are not as lucky! New maps can cost you up to half the cost of the new game! Thanks Blizz for the content!!!
"But I have to give props due to the fact they don't charge us for this additional content"
But they charge us pretty heftily for expansions, their subscription price is a little higher than most, and all the character services - Realm Transfers, Recustomization, etc. are actually priced pretty high considering what they are.
WAR's "expansions" are bigger than most of WoW's content patches, smaller than WoW's expansions, but free to all players, and they still have regular patches that add content. They generally treat their players a lot better than Blizz does, it's just too bad the game itself doesn't measure up to WoW.
Of course they don't charge us for this additional content, we're already paying for it. I think new content being patched in at no added cost is a fair expectation at $15/mo on top of the one-time game/expansion costs. I mean, that's $180/yr (per account, at the monthly rate), granted there's overhead with paying support people and operating the servers, but still - outside the cost of the game itself, you're easily paying for a fair bit of new content right out of your subscription cost.
For people pushing endgame progression, they need these new content injections more frequently, otherwise things stagnate and people quit until the next expansion. So really, that's why we pay what we do. For the new content. It's not actually free, it's just not an additional cost. Unless it's a lot of new content bundled together, then it's basically another game....
I forget if I had a point I was trying to get to.
scarab2501 said...
You misunderstand my meaning. They charge us monthly subs but they don't charge us for these huge patches they come out with. I think that's pretty cool! As far as I know Blizz doesn't make you pay for "Blizzard" points to download a patch. I compare this to Microsoft points which is really just another word for "your money". You have to pay for these points for additional content for other games. So our monthly subs pay for the patches sure but when 3.2 hit who paid to download it? See what I mean? I didn't think it needed further explaining lol And for the record I'm happy with the patch so far. Un'goro crater was fun to run around in again, I look forward to getting the new raptor mount!
I see what you mean now. The big difference, though, is that on Xbox Live you're paying your subscription to Microsoft for use of the service for finding and playing multiplayer matches of any game you have for the Xbox, but when you buy content, say Halo maps I have to believe that aside from the normal middle-man cut, a substantial portion of that money goes to the content provider- which isn't necessarily Microsoft - Bungie in this case, if they're the ones creating the maps. You aren't paying Bungie a subscription fee, so you aren't really paying for new content to be added.
With WoW, you're paying Blizz for the game/expansions up-front, and you're paying Blizz significantly ( approx. 4X ) more than the base XBL Gold subscription price ($39.99/yr, last I checked). What's the same is that you're still paying for new content. The difference is that with WoW it's rolled into your base subscription price and (or rather, "because") it's mandatory, but with XBL games it's optional and you pay for it separately (because the content provider isn't the service provider).


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More than 10 million Hispanics are eligible to gain health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, representing unparalleled opportunity for businesses aiming to succeed in the emerging health economy focused on delivering consumer-centered care, according to "Hispanics: A growing force in the New Health Economy," a new report from PwC's Health Research Institute.
A new survey from the Organic Trade Association reveals that Americans are hungry for more organic products, with sales of such products in the United States leaping to $35.1 billion in 2013, which represents a 11.5% increase from the previous year.
Pfizer Consumer Healthcare on Monday teamed up with actor and active volunteer Josh Duhamel for the Advil Relief in Action campaign, which features the #ReliefinAction Pledge on Facebook and a Mobile Relief Center tour making approximately 100 stops throughout the country.
Hamacher Resource Group employees contributed nearly $10,000 to local charities in 2013, the company announced Thursday.
The economy may still be slowly inching its way toward recovery, but that hasn't stopped Americans from feeling charitable this holiday season.
Deloitte has issued a report showing that employers view the healthcare system as wasteful and expensive, and that the keys for improving the system are increased transparency around pricing and performance — both tenets of outcomes-based medicine.
To assist CPG manufacturers and retailers in generating new levels of growth through a better understanding of these shopper needs, Information Resources joined forces with SPINS to create SPINS NaturaLink, a new segmentation of the total U.S. population, which focuses on how shoppers think about, purchase and use natural/organic/ecofriendly products, the two firms announced Tuesday.
Feeding America, a hunger-relief organization, along with long-standing donor partner Procter and Gamble, revealed results of a new study showing many families with children struggle to afford basic, non-food household goods, including products related to personal care, household care and baby care.
Coldstream Naturals has unveiled four new USDA-certified organic and GMO-free oral care products, making it the only marketer of certified organic oral care products in the United States, the company stated.
So is it true that all leaders have vision? Or put another way, can leaders be effective without vision? asks Dave Wendland, VP of Hamacher Resource Group. My instincts suggest that a prerequisite to effective leadership is the ability to create and ignite vision.
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has promoted Kevin Nicholson to the new position of VP public policy and regulatory affairs, effective Monday.
Information Resources Inc. and SPINS announced the integration of SPINS' natural/organic food segmentation and industry expertise with IRi's Consumer Network household panel.
According to a study published 10 years ago, depression costs $44 billion per year in lost productivity, but a new program is designed to raise awareness about depression in the workforce and its effects on productivity.
A majority of surveyed adults in the United States regards organic as an excuse to charge more for food, according to a new study.
Dole announced today the newest variety to its line of fruit smoothie shakes: Peach Mango Fruit Smoothie Shakers.
Safeway announced that its employees gave more than 1 million hours of volunteer service to their neighborhoods and communities in 2012 - surpassing the company's goal for the second consecutive year and reinforcing a long-standing culture of volunteerism.
Kashi, the natural food and lifestyle company, has introduced two USDA Certified organic cereals — Kashi Berry Fruitful and Kashi Black Berry Hills, both of which combine real organic fruit and whole grains.
Nearly 80% of office workers polled come to work even when they know they are sick — an increase of 20% over last year — according to the third annual "Flu Season Survey" from Staples.
Kroger has introduced a new private-label brand that's designed to take the guesswork out of food selection by providing shoppers with access to nearly 250 "honest, easy and affordable items for simply better living."
In July, the country's largest trade group representing the drug industry released a report showing nearly 200 drugs under clinical development or Food and Drug Administration review for treating mental disorders.
It seems that traditional grocery stores and established food brands may lose their position in the market due to a confluence of changing demographics, economic factors and customer preferences, according to new research from global investment bank Jefferies and global business advisory firm AlixPartners.
The Georgia Institute of Technology on Tuesday announced the launch of HomeLab, a statewide network of adults 50 years of age and older recruited to evaluate the in-home usability and effectiveness of consumer products designed for the aging adult population.
As more of Walgreens' store base is transformed into its Wellness Experience format, the less it becomes an underdog in its hardline stance against Express Scripts.
National Bio+Green Sciences has created HandSan, which is positioned as the first-ever alcohol-free, organic hand cleanser made solely from purified water and vitamins with no artificial preservatives.
Sandwich cracker brand Lance has teamed up with lifestyle expert Colleen Burns to kick off the Mom on the Run Loves Lance campaign.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Scholastic Corp. SCHL, -0.19% said stronger-than-anticipated book sales of the "Hunger Games" trilogy after the successful release of the movie is delivering an earnings boost to the company. Scholastic now expects adjusted 2012 profit to exceed $3.40 a share, ahead of its prior estimate of $2.60 to $2.90 a share. Wall Street analysts had expected the publishing firm to earn $2.65 a share, according to a survey by FactSet Research. The "Hunger Games" movie has now earned more than $372 million in the six weeks, surpassing the most recent "Harry Potter" movie at the same period after it was released , according to reports. Scholastic also published the "Harry Potter" books.
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- Jane McGonigal
- San Francisco, CA
- United States
Game Designer + Inventor, Institute for the Future
This conversation is closed.
We spend 3 billion hours a week as a planet playing videogames. Is it worth it? How could it be MORE worth it?
Currently there are more than half a billion people worldwide playing computer and videogames at least an hour a day -- and 183 million in the U.S. alone. The younger you are, the more likely you are to be a gamer -- 99% of boys under 18 and 94% of girls under 18 report playing videogames regularly. The average young person racks up 10,000 hours of gaming by the age of 21 -- or 24 hours less than they spend in a classroom for all of middle and high school if they have perfect attendance. It's a remarkable amount of time we're investing in games. 5 million gamers in the U.S., in fact, are spending more than 40 hours a week playing games -- the equivalent of a full time job!
What accounts for the lure of games – and are we getting as much from our games as we're giving them?
I explore these questions in my new book Reality is Broken – and I believe that, for most gamers, playing games is, surprisingly not a waste of time -- but rather quite productive. Gameplay may not contribute to the Gross Domestic Product… but scientific research shows that gameplay does contribute to our quality of life, by producing positive emotions (such as optimism, curiosity and determination) and stronger social relationships (when we play with real-life friends and family – especially if the game is co-operative). And for gamers who prefer tough, challenging games, they can build up our problem-solving resilience -- so we learn faster from our mistakes, and become resilient in the face of failure.
However... not all games power-up our real lives. Some games, at the end of the day, make us feel stupid for having wasted so much time on them.
So: How do we know when we're playing a good game -- and when would we be better off doing something "real"?
GAMERS: What's one thing you wish non-gamers would understand about your favorite games, and what you get out of playing them?
NON-GAMERS: What's one thing you wish a gamer would explain about games today, and why they play?
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.
Jesse Schell
Feb 16 2011: You probably have friends and family and colleagues who appreciate and support your gameplay and work in games. :) Not everyone is so lucky! A lot of gamers do struggle to help friends, family or colleagues understand what they're getting out of gaming... and face a lot of pressure to spend less time gaming. So I think it's a fair question -- is there a way to really understand what we get from games and to talk about it with non-gamers? I do agree, however, with the idea that "when the student is ready the game will appear." :) I'd love to hear stories about the games that appeared at the right time for the right person, and how that game changed their ideas about what games can do and be. Stories please! :)
Feb 16 2011: I am a gamer and I am surrounded by non-gamers. I work in academia and find that games have a non-academic vibe to them that the majority of faculty migrate towards. As an instructor who teaches game development, i've had other instructors look over my lesson plans and comment that we are "only playing games". I feel that the first major challenge gamers have is being taken seriously. The comical view of the gamer living in the parents basement is damaging to the serious influence games (and gamers) have. I regularly game with Dr's and lawyers, but they seem like closet gamers. Their circle of friends don't game and they seek other social circles who accept gaming as a real activity.
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Turn Your Crib Siderail Into A Magazine Rack
Salty Pineapple
Many of us have one - the removable siderail from a crib converted into a toddler bed. It's big and bulky and it would be nice for it serve a another function. Nikki of Salty Pineapple thought the same thing and came up with a great idea.
She used the crib rail as a magazine rack. Just turn it on its side and keep your magazines handy. It's great next to a bed or comfortable chair. For more photos of Nikki's project, check out her blog Salty Pineapple.
(Image: Nikki/Salty Pineapple)
12 Comments
I love this!
I hope to see other uses for the side rail. I don't read print magazines anymore and my side rail is just collecting dust.
Maybe a drying rack?
I used it as a drying rack for my kids clothes while I used the toddler bed as a co-sleeper for my very low futon bed.
You can also use it as a quilt storage rack, like a version of this one: http://www.plowhearth.com/Hardwood-Quilt-Rack_p10845_S2010_D3010_C4052.html
I'm always looking for places to store the various blankets and quilts used (and loved) by my kids.
ahhh! brilliant!
The sides of the crib I slept in as a baby have been used for a dog gate, and now a garden trellis... Love that it still has it uses!
i would suggest using it as a picture book holder, leaning against (and attached to) the wall so it doesn't get pulled over by a little bookworm :)
I am so doing this when I'm done with our crib.
Great way to repurpose!
Yes! Know I know what to do with the one I've been tripping over in the garage! Thx.
This is a great idea! I'm doing it right now!


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December 21, 2010
500 Startups Announces First Winners Of Its $250K Twilio Micro-Fund
Earlier this year, 500 Startups, the seed fund run by Dave McClure, announced that it was creating a $250,000 micro-fund dedicated to companies that were based on Twilio's telephony platform (Twilio is one of 500 Startup's portfolio companies). Today it's announcing the first three winners, each of whom will receive $10,000 in return for a 1% stake in the company.
The three companies are Textaurant, OrderMapper, and Voicendo. Textaurant is a service that lets restaurant customers 'put their names down' for a table without having to sit around on a restaurant bench for 20 minutes. Instead, they receive a text or voice message (via Twilio) when it's their turn (this sounds like an alternative to those vibrating gizmos that some establishments hand out). The company says that there's been a 5-15% decrease in no-shows for restaurants on busy nights that use the service, and that most customers are happy to give the restaurant their phone number to take advantage of it. Come to think of it, I'm surprised this kind of SMS-service hasn't taken off sooner.
OrderMapper helps restaurants create mobile applications that customers can use to order food, including the completion of credit card transactions. Orders are delivered to restaurants via fax, email, Point of Service, or phone numbers (again, Twilio) and OrderMapper already powers Round Table's mobile app. The company is planning to launch an API called OrderWiki, which will let other developers hook into the service.
Finally, Voicendo offers a dashboard that lets businesses route their incoming calls and text messages using a variety of rules (which can be quite complex). Rules can be set up using a drag-and-drop interface, and businesses can incorporate options like Text-to-speech instructions and menus.


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Advanced Search
Classic Catalog
Search Prospector
FRCC Course Reserves
Board of Trustees
Madeleine Wawro
Madeleine (Maddy) is no stranger to our libraries: she served for eight years on the Citys advisory board in the years leading up to the formation of the District. During that pivotal time her board was involved in the cooperative establishment of the Harmony Library at Front Range Community College and the discussions that later led to the ballot measure for the Poudre River Public Library District.
Maddy is a longtime community volunteer and her activities in the past have included the Ft. Collins Children Theatre, Poudre Wilderness Volunteers, John XXIII, and the Poudre High International Baccalaureate parent organization. She also spent time in Nigeria in 2009 on a medical mission.
Maddy, a local resident since the late 70's, works at the Family Medicine Center in Fort Collins and has been involved in continuing education in nursing-related subjects. She has a B.A. in American Studies from Barat College in Illinois.
"Anyone who enters our libraries can see that they are well-used by very diverse levels of Fort Collins society... I appreciate how the District has built a system which is up to date and responsive to the needs of this community and I would like to be part of this important process."
(Term expires 3/2016)


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Archive for the 'employee of the month' Category
Limited winner programs (person of the month, annual winners circle, etc.) were spawned by a true desire in organizations to recognize employees, but without budgets necessary to implement them properly. These programs, or a great portion of them, are almost exclusively subjective in nature, are rarely built around a provable return on investment, and are always designed to award only a small percentage of the employees.
While these programs are certainly appreciated by the few who are honored, how many other worthy employees in the organization go unnoticed, and if truth be known harbor ill will toward the company or fellow employees? How much animosity occurs at the water cooler the day after the gala year party to recognize the chosen few? If you haven't heard any, you aren't listening.
Years of Service programs, the first of these types of programs (and now the most prominent type of recognition program in business today) has become inbred in companies, and unfortunately often the only recognition system that exists. Ask executives in almost any company if they have an employee recognition program in place and they will inevitably say yes. What they are usually referring to are the years of service program that awards (at best) only a handful of your employees.
We are often asked by clients for better ways to recognize more employees. Obviously budget is a big piece of how many employees can be recognized and rewarded, but by no means the only criteria to examine. There are a myriad of ways to increase the usage of recognition, but to do it takes a lot work, and that's usually where things start to fall apart.
While you're thinking about it, how many employees in any given year should you actually recognize for performance? A good question in answer to that would be how many of your employees actually show a positive performance in any given year? It's simple, that's how many you should recognize!
We have designed programs that can reward up 90% of your employee base. As any employee performance bell curve you'd care to review will show you that any organization will have a 10% – 80% – 10% distribution. The bottom 10% of employees that are not and probably never will be engaged or be good performers. In that case, recognizing the other 90% would be a good goal to use, wouldn't it?
If you'd like to see strategies on how to recognize more employees, and start to do away with those archaic programs that award only a few, just contact us above.
A couple weeks ago we blogged on this very subject, and we have blogged on it before as well, and my guess is that we will blog on it in the future as well. You can't have a certain kind of employee recognition program in place for years and years and have it vanish overnight. And as long as we have corporate executives that think they need to thank someone every month for being the "best", you will always have them. They are wrong, they don't work, they die on the vine of complacency and far often do more harm than good.
But they're still here, and whenever we get into a conversation with a client prospective client about employee recognition it is almost always the first type of program mentioned. Hey, "everyone's got one," they must be good right? Wrong.
Here's yet another article that comes to us from the HR world on the subject. It contains some very good advice about the "Employee of the Month" programs that you should heed. It'll at least save you money, as the results you will get from these types of programs are negligible at best, and could be harmful to your employees at worst.
A post on About.com/Human Resources regarding these programs outlined three good reasons not to implement one of these programs. Summarized they include:
- Criteria is rarely communicated or understood by the employees. They don't know why they received the award.
- Most companies fail to measurable criteria, this happens consistently in these programs
- The award is subjective and never allows for all who deserve it to receive it.
The culprit that drives these unsuccessful programs is normally lack of expertise in the planning and lack of budget. They are never funded properly; management gives them lip service, a plaque and a pat on the back and think they are doing justice by their employees.
You should be looking every day for ways to recognize your employees and for employees to recognize! The Award of Choice is a very cost effective and easy way to do just that.


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Very Creepy Ghost Footage
- Mousemy
- uploaded: Jul 22, 2008
- Hits: 534
poltergeist ghost scary haunted house unexplained terrifying spirit authentic dogs freaky
8 comments
Jesssherree March 10, 2012 6:48:42 AM CET
still fake.. its a clock and the dogs would of gone weird at the sence of this spirit and in the corner near the door he leaves at theres a shadow there before he walks in haha
Skyydoll March 7, 2011 8:31:39 AM CET
That is the reflection from something in the other room, those arent eyes. But something def walked in front of the door.
Robert1970 January 29, 2011 7:16:29 AM CET
i dont think those are eyes ,but can clearly see something pass by them after he walks in the other room, if this is real ,you got something worth showing off
Robert1970 January 29, 2011 7:12:41 AM CET
i thought it was cool
Robert1970 January 29, 2011 7:11:56 AM CET
i thought it was cool
Loadstr April 28, 2010 2:06:00 AM CEST
Seemed a bit preplanned to me. The picture frame movement was a nice touch.
Nik418 November 10, 2008 3:24:46 PM CET
Yeah but why would someone turn on a video camera as they\'re about to take their dogs out then leave it on a bed pointed at an open door which just happens to be lined up centre screen - sorry I just don\'t buy it.
Artboyx July 23, 2008 11:58:05 AM CEST
Wow! That was an extradimensional being. If that footage is real, you might want to get it tested.


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RT @chrisnronald: CASE STUDY: IBM turns its sales reps social media savvy thanks to a social strategy #IBM
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Early in the life of every vertebrate embryo, be it human or hamster, there is a moment when the heart comes together—literally. Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco have discovered a molecule that directs the two halves of the primordial heart to join as one.
Latest News
Nine cancer centers share $8.9 million grant to improve treatment for neuroblastoma, a cancer that s
July 12, 2000
With an $8.9 million grant from the National Cancer Institute, nine institutions have joined forces to develop and test new treatments for neuroblastoma, an aggressive cancer that only strikes children. The principal investigator of the NCI project program grant to develop those new therapies is Robert C. Seeger, MD, of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and the University of Southern California. UCSF pediatric oncologist Katherine K. Matthay, MD, is principal investigator of the clinical consortium, New Approaches to
July 11, 2000
Diagnosing Alzheimer's disease may become easier with the help of imaging studies from the San Francisco Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, which is affiliated with UC San Francisco.
July 11, 2000
The right of University of California scientists to carry out tobacco smoking research and anti-smoking advocacy was affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals in Sacramento Thursday (July 6).
July 11, 2000
A study by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, conducted at the San Francisco County Jail, has found that anonymous HIV screening of jail inmates offers an opportunity to track the epidemic in at-risk groups...
July 10, 2000
Scientists from the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease will present key findings in Alzheimer's disease research at the World Alzheimer Congress 2000, July 9-18 at the Washington Hilton and Towers in Washington, DC. This first-ever event is bringing together more than 5,000 scientific investigators and health care professionals from all parts of the globe for an international exchange of the latest information in three distinct program areas: pivotal research, bridging research and care, and creative care.
July 10, 2000
Results from two studies proving the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of providing voluntary counseling and testing for HIV-1 in developing countries are reported in the new issue (July 8) of the British medical journal The Lancet.
July 10, 2000
A new study headed by a University of California, San Francisco AIDS researcher has determined that providing the female condom to women who are commercial sex workers in rural South Africa is a highly cost-effective means of preventing HIV transmission...
Nurse clinicans at UCSF's perinatal AIDS center optimize care for pregnant HIV-infected women and th
July 10, 2000
A University of California, San Francisco program that uses certified nurse midwives and nurse practitioners as primary care givers has significantly reduced transmission of HIV from mother to child...
Multi-institutional study shows immune benefit when interleukin-2 is added to antirectroviral therap
July 08, 2000
A multicenter U.S. study has found that the addition of the immune stimulator interleukin-2 (IL-2) to antiretroviral therapy (ART) appears to improve immunologic function in patients with an intermediate stage of HIV infection and may augment the anti-HIV activity of potent antiretroviral agents. Patients who took IL-2 in addition to their regular therapy had increases in CD4 cell counts—a type of white blood cell that helps fight HIV—and decreases in the amount of virus detectable in their blood.


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Like the rest of post-war America, Fort Lauderdale dedicated itself to the business of peacetime prosperity. And for Florida, that meant growth. By 1950 the city's population stood at 83,933, more than triple the number for 1945. Much of the growth came from returning service members, who helped Fort Lauderdale become the state's fifth largest city.
To accommodate the throng of newcomers, the city looked west. The suburbs grew there, where the newly completed Florida Turnpike channeled visitors and prospective residents. Mackey Airlines operated out of the present-day Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Affordable air conditioning and insecticides played a large role in development, which also shifted to the north along miles of developer-dredged finger canals, and the shoreline, where highrises took root.
The Gateway Shopping Center opened "way up north" on Sunrise Boulevard near Federal Highway, and the "modern" Sunrise Shopping Center featured the popular Thom McCann shoe store. It later evolved into The Galleria mall. As shoppers strayed farther from downtown, Las Olas Boulevard recast itself as a high-end retail district.
On the beachside, developer George Gill erected a pie-shaped hotel on a triangular lot named the Yankee Clipper, ushering in the era of modern beachfront hotels. The beginning of the condo revolution was marked with the completion of the highrise Breakwater Towers.
A burgeoning population needed recreational outlets. In 1950 the War Memorial Auditorium, built with $450,000 of community-raised money, was the city's venue for opera and symphony. It also hosted wrestling matches and high school graduations.
Lockhart Stadium, a football field, opened in 1959. A year earlier, a city tennis instructor, Jimmy Evert, established a tennis center at Holiday Park which trained young players, including his daughter Chris. Her career propelled women's tennis onto the international stage.
Entertainment of another sort aired over national television when the gang-busting Kefauver Commission grilled Broward County Sheriff and Fort Lauderdale pioneer Walter Clark over his connection to gambling, which was widespread throughout the county. Not only did Clark turn a blind eye to 52 illegal casinos, he co-owned a company that managed illegal slot machines. Clark was indicted, but later cleared.
In mid-decade, Holiday Magazine dubbed Fort Lauderdale "the greatest college town in the country" because of the party-hungry students who descended on swim competitions at the city's beachside pool. In a Time magazine story, a coed explained why: "It's where the boys are." Those words would resonate in the city for decades.
Blacks got their own green space in the form of Sunland Park, later to be called J.C. Carter Park. They got little else. In 1957, rather than allow blacks to play on a municipal golf course, the city elected to sell it.
Did you know?
Water wings
Fort Lauderdale's fledgling airport, then called the Broward County Airport, achieved international status in 1953 when Mackey Airlines began flights to the Bahamas.
Mob scene
Thanks to live broadcasts of the Senate Crime Investigating Committee headed by Estes Kefauver, national audiences learned that Broward Sheriff Walter Clark was in cahoots with such notable gang figures as the Lansky brothers, Frank Costello and Vincent "Jimmy Blue Eyes" Alo.
The 1950s: It's where the boys are (as well as suburbs, hotels and shopping)
This stretch of sand, seen in this 1950's picture, was set aside for blacks. (Fort Lauderdale Historical Society, courtesy / November 7, 2010)
Fort Lauderdale turns 100: Complete coverage
- Mayor Jack Seiler's hopes for the city
- Photos: 100 favorite things about Fort Lauderdale
- Graphic: Track the city's growth
- Quiz: Guess which celebs are from Fort Lauderdale
- Find Centennial events
- Photos: See the city by boat
- Sun Sentinel publisher's letter
- Photos: Historic Sun Sentinel news pages
- Photos: See city landmarks from the past and present
- Photos: Highlights from the Sun Sentinel newspaper
- Quiz: Name that street
- Photos: Notable locals
- Interactive timeline of the city's history
- Story: History of Fort Lauderdale
- Photos: Classic spring break shots
- Photos: Why we live here
- Sun Sentinel Editorial Board's picks for time capsule
1950s Fun FactsDid you know?
Water wings
Fort Lauderdale's fledgling airport, then called the Broward County Airport, achieved international status in 1953 when Mackey Airlines began flights to the Bahamas.
Mob scene
Thanks to live broadcasts of the Senate Crime Investigating Committee headed by Estes Kefauver, national audiences learned that Broward Sheriff Walter Clark was in cahoots with such notable gang figures as the Lansky brothers, Frank Costello and Vincent "Jimmy Blue Eyes" Alo.
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Puppeteers and magicians who live in a slum in the Indian capital remain suspicious of promises made by the city and a private developer to exchange their old homes for new ones. Read More »
Mar 6, 2014
Puppeteers and magicians who live in a slum in the Indian capital remain suspicious of promises made by the city and a private developer to exchange their old homes for new ones. Read More »
India's first monorail opens for the public on Sunday, five years after construction began and two years later than its scheduled launch. Read More »
By Kamala Kelkar
Abdul Shakeel, who works with the Housing and Land Rights Network, told The Wall Street Journal that the reprieve given to residents of a condemned upscale complex in Mumbai is a far cry from the situation faced by the less well-off. Read More »
By Raka Choudhury
A lack of empathy manifests itself in different forms in cities across India and, like karma, often comes back to haunt us. Read More »
By Rajesh Roy
A new report reveals that, for the first time in more than two decades, spending in rural India is growing faster than in urban areas. Read More »
By Raka Choudhury
Despite its economic decline, Kolkata has the potential of becoming India's most livable city, says Raka Choudhury. Read More »
By Joanna Sugden
A look at the repair work of Delhi's Airport Metro Express suggests we're unlikely to see the line running again anytime soon. Read More »
By Raka Choudhury
The planning director of the agency that oversees traffic and transportation policy in Delhi speaks about the challenges of his job and the need for better coordination among India's planning bodies. Read More »
By Joanna Sugden
The Delhi Airport Metro Express Line was meant to be a world-class transportation system, instead, it has become a black eye for those involved and an example of state-of-the-art infrastructure that hasn't lived up to its billing. Read More »
By Raka Choudhury
Gurgaon is a story of unsustainable urban development, and a harbinger of what is brewing in medium-sized cities all over India, says Raka Choudhury.
Read more after the jump. Read More »
India Real Time offers analysis and insights into the broad range of developments in business, markets, the economy, politics, culture, sports, and entertainment that take place every single day in the world's largest democracy. Regular posts from Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires reporters around the country provide a unique take on the main stories in the news, shed light on what else mattered and why, and give global readers a snapshot of what Indians have been talking about all week. You can contact the editors at indiarealtime(at)wsj(dot)com.
Check out the main contributors to the blog and their bios here.
Content engaging our readers now, with additional prominence accorded if the story is rapidly gaining attention. Our WSJ algorithm comprises 30% page views, 20% Facebook, 20% Twitter, 20% email shares and 10% comments.


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CHICAGO – In "References to Salvador Dali Makes Me Hot," now at the Den Theatre in Chicago through September 7th, the intersect of author José Rivera and the strong cast of actors make for a formidable partnership. Committed and passionate interpreters take both the soft and edgy parts of the narrative to task.
Ben Affleck
Film Review: Ben Affleck Can't Save Limp 'Runner Runner'Submitted by PatrickMcD on October 4, 2013 - 9:06am
CHICAGO – Off shore internet gambling sites, tons of money, glorious glamorous women, parties all the time – how the heck can all of that be dull? The new film "Runner Runner" found a way. Ben Affleck phones it in and Justin Timberlake is name recognition window dressing in this limp drama.
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 40 Pairs of Passes to 'Runner Runner' with Justin Timberlake, Ben AffleckSubmitted by HollywoodChicago.com on September 27, 2013 - 5:29pm
CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 40 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the highly anticipated thriller "Runner Runner" starring Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck!
Film Review: Terrence Malick's 'To the Wonder' Nearly Drowns in its Own BeautySubmitted by mattmovieman on April 17, 2013 - 9:43am
CHICAGO – Deservedly renowned as one of our greatest living filmmakers, Terrence Malick has a reputation for taking his time with each project. He won't make a picture unless he feels a burning desire to make it, and will put directing on the back burner for two decades, if necessary, in order to pursue other interests. He's never made what could be conceivably considered a minor work—until now.
Blu-ray Review: 2013 Best Picture Winner 'Argo' Given Educational EditionSubmitted by BrianTT on February 25, 2013 - 6:14pm
CHICAGO – Ben Affleck's stellar "Argo" won three Oscars last night, including Best Picture of 2012, and Warner Bros. very purposefully timed the Blu-ray and DVD release to capitalize on the film's wave of success. But they didn't cut corners to do so. This is one of the best Blu-ray releases in some time, with a stellar collection of special features that don't just enlighten viewers on the art of filmmaking but offer detailed histories of the true story that just won the Best Picture Academy Award.
Film Feature: HollywoodChicago.com Predicts the 2013 Academy Award WinnersSubmitted by BrianTT on February 21, 2013 - 3:14pm
CHICAGO – Hollywood's favorite night of self-congratulations commences this Sunday, finally putting an end to the awards season and allowing us to get on with the new year in film. One last look back at 2012. Will it be "Argo" or "Lincoln"? Spielberg or the field? What the heck wins Best Original Screenplay?
Entertainment News: Winners of the 70th Annual Golden GlobesSubmitted by BrianTT on January 13, 2013 - 8:08pm
CHICAGO – The 70th Annual Golden Globes, hosted by Tina Fey & Amy Poehler, were given away on Sunday, January 13, 2013 and we have our continuously updated list of winners for your persual below. Keep refreshing for the latest winners and enjoy!
Feature: HollywoodChicago.com's 15 Best Interviews of 2012Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 4, 2013 - 11:27am
CHICAGO – The significant HollywoodChicago.com show business interviews of 2012 – eclectic, independent and varied – flowed throughout the year from the perspectives of Matt Fagerholm, Brian Tallerico and Patrick McDonald. All three contribute to this year-end survey of the 15 Best Interviews of 2012.
Film Review: Ben Affleck Reaches Career Peak with Masterful 'Argo'Submitted by BrianTT on October 12, 2012 - 10:04am
CHICAGO – Ben Affleck has reached the apex of his already impressive directorial career with the stunning "Argo," a tight, tense machine of a film, a masterwork that delivers as comedy, action, drama, and more. Critics see movies all the time that we understand may produce a divided response. We get that many acclaimed films won't make a dent with the populous.
Interview: Ben Affleck Brings Stunning Story of 'Argo' to LifeSubmitted by BrianTT on October 8, 2012 - 10:53am
CHICAGO – Ben Affleck is such a nice, likable guy that he asks those interviewing him how they're doing and expresses how much he loves Chicago before you can even get a question out. He has reason to be happy. He's riding a wave of incredible praise for his amazing "Argo," the best film of the year to date and a surefire player at this year's Oscars (come back Thursday for our full review).
HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 Pairs of Passes to 'Argo' From Director Ben AffleckSubmitted by HollywoodChicago.com on September 30, 2012 - 4:28pm
CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 50 pairs of movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of the highly anticipated "Argo" from "The Town" director Ben Affleck!


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
They are at a convention with a costume contest that has prizes.
Everyone there knows what the costumes are.
How exactly does this count as "making a fool of yourself in public" at a private venue where the word of the day is geek and everyone is taking pictures because the costumes are something they like?
I had a class where the final project was to show up "dressed foolishly". The winners were a pair of guys in jeans and t-shirts. The reason: "In a building full of people dressed ridiculously, the people that stood out like sore thumbs were the normals"
Enioy the costumes an quit making fun of people enjoying themselves on a site dedicated to something you, yourself enjoy that would get you branded a weirdo by the norms.


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|Blurbero desde
|junio de 2008
|Clay Leavell
|Mi sitio web
|Montgomery, AL USA / Asia
|Mi ocupación
|Photographer, Businessman
|Mi biografía
|Clay Leavell has been enamored with photography as long as he can remember. He shoots portrait, portrait insitu, abstract, landscape, nature, documentary, and anything inspires him. He hails from Montgomery, AL USA although he has lived and worked throughout the Deep South. He currently lives and works in Asia. He is married to Jennifer, a designer from Baton Rouge. They have two children, Carolyn Grace, and Maylee Joy.
Comience a crear su propio libro hoy desde 3.99 US $.


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TCAR Announces Eighth Annual Joint Networking Event
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TCAR, the Triangle Commercial Association of REALTORS®, announces today it is co-hosting the Eighth Annual Joint Commercial Real Estate Networking event, along with seven other organizations, on September 12, 2013 at the Southport Business Park in Morrisville, N.C. The proceeds from the event will benefit the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina and Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc.
Organizations participating in the event include:
- Building Owners and Managers/Raleigh-Durham (BOMA)
- Certified Commercial Investment Member/North Carolina Chapter (CCIM)
- International Facility Management Association (IFMA)
- Institute of Real Estate Management/Greater Raleigh-Durham (IREM)
- National Association of Industrial and Office Properties/Research Triangle (NAIOP)
- Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors (TCAR)
- Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women (TCREW)
- Triangle Area Office Building Association (TRAOBA)
"This annual event is not only a great opportunity to network with area commercial real estate professionals, but also a chance to support two wonderful organizations," says Joni Barnes, TCAR board president and senior broker at The Dilweg Companies. "Last year we were able to raise more than $14,000 for designated charities in the region."
Held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., the event will feature hors d'oeuvres, beer, wine, and raffles. Members of each organization, as well as other commercial real estate-related practitioners who attend, are encouraged to dust off their masks, beads and colorful party attire for the Mardi Gras festivities.
Registration is available online only at www.tcar.com. TCAR members may register through the Member Account/Registration & Dues link. Non-members can click the guest link in blue below the login prompt. The fee to attend is $20.00 and includes food and two drink tickets. Deadline to register is Thursday, September 5. For additional information, contact Jennifer Copersito at 919-228-2588 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Money donated to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina will specifically go to the organization's Weekend Power Pack Program. The program donates backpacks full of nutritional foods to kids at risk of hunger during the weekends. The backpacks are assembled by volunteers and delivered to school partners each week. Since 2005, nearly 150,000 backpacks have been provided to kids in need.
About Triangle Commercial Association of REALTORS®:
The Triangle Commercial Association of REALTORS® (TCAR) is one of 1,800 local associations of REALTORS® nationwide that comprise the National Association of REALTORS®. TCAR is the second largest commercial overlay board in North Carolina with 600 members and is accredited through the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance. The association was established in 1995, but began as a committee of the residential board in 1977. TCAR currently serves a 14 county area, including the Triangle, for real estate practitioners, appraisers, property managers, and other professionals allied with the real estate industry. For more information, visit www.tcar.com.
About the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina:
Established in 1980, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is a nonprofit organization that provides food for people at risk of hunger in 34 counties in central and eastern North Carolina. The Food Bank serves a network of more than 800 partner agencies such as soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and programs for children and adults through warehouses in Durham, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh, the Sandhills (Southern Pines) and Wilmington. For more information, visit www.foodbankcenc.org.
About Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc.:
TROSA, a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization, is a comprehensive two year residential substance abuse recovery program in Durham, North Carolina accepting substance abusers with one condition: they must have a strong desire to change their lives. More than 1200 people have graduated from the program and gone on to live healthy, productive lives as members of their communities and families. For more information, visit www.trosainc.org.


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The project Drawing Voices attempts to expose the nervous system through audio, video and meta-technologies. It was founded by Craig Dongoski in 1999. The underlying aim is to use technology to exploit the hidden sound of mark-making. This CD includes sounds from various Drawing Voices sessions used in collaboration with musician/artist Aaron Turner (ISIS).
User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License and may also be available under the GNU FDL.
Drawing Voices
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I don't eat clams but I made this for a Xmas Eve family get together and everyone loved them.
Clam Fritters
Jean Allsopp
Serve these pan-fried, battered clam cakes with malt vinegar or hot sauce. Use the reserved clam juice and beer in the tasty batter.
Yield: Makes about 2 dozen
- 2 (6-ounce) cans chopped clams in juice, undrained
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 cup beer, clam juice, or milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil
- Malt vinegar
- Hot sauce
- Drain clams, reserving 1/2 cup clam juice. Whisk together 1/2 cup clam juice, eggs, and butter in a small bowl. Stir in beer.
- Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in egg mixture. Stir in clams.
- Heat 2 inches vegetable oil in a Dutch oven to 360°. Scoop heaping tablespoons of fritter batter and slide them into the hot oil. (Dip the spoon or small scoop into the oil first to prevent the batter from sticking to the spoon.) Cook 3 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with malt vinegar and hot sauce.
My Notes
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Clam Fritters Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Breads, Side Dishes/Vegetables
- CONVENIENCE: Entertaining, Kid-Friendly
- MAIN INGREDIENT: Shellfish
- PUBLICATION: Coastal Living
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Porsche Designed Bobsleigh
What does an over priced piece of winter kit look like? Just like this, the Porsche Bobsleigh. It's £170.00 ($264 US), which is a god awful amount, but anything sporting the Porsche name is generally excessively priced. We're not saying it won't split your femur in two, it just might be something you can accomplish with a $50 sled, that's all.
Still not sold? Well consider that it can "nimbly cut through the snow thanks to directional stability, a low centre of gravity, ease of steering, good braking and low weight (only approx. 4 kg)".


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Accommodation is available at The New Inn, Cropton and we also provide camping and caravan space in the grounds of the brewery. Booking is advisable, as space is limited.
As well as the ale we also have live music on every day. Food is also available all weekend.
Opening Times:
Friday 22nd Nov. 6:00pm - 12:00 Midnight
Saturday 23rd Nov. 11:00am - 12:00 Midnight
Sunday 24th Nov. 11:30am - 11:00pm


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Was £16.00
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Now £4.80
70% Off
Save a total of £11.20
Standard Delivery
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Grey embroidered mock-layer scoop neck t-shirt
Item No.0200108440
Styled in jersey, this grey t-shirt from Maine New England has a scoop neckline with a silver studded mock-placket and a white mock-layer insert at the centre. It is embroidered with a pink and grey firework design on the right of the bust and on the lower left-hand side.
- 100% cotton
- Machine washable
- Model wears: size 10
- Model Height: 5'9", Bust 32B, Waist 24", Hips 35"
Deliveries are between 8am - 6pm, Mon - Sat.
FREE if you pay with your Debenhams card
FREE delivery on all orders over £30 (normally £3.99)
Deliver to store for collection ( 160 participating stores ) FREE
International Delivery £7.00 to £15.00
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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We are planning an exciting event for the end of this month!
Put it on your calendar so you don't miss any of the freebies, challenges, or giveaways! The event will start with a kick off chat on March 27 at NOON Eastern time! We will have a special bonus for those who attend the chat too!


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Next tie 12-14 September 2014
Netherlands will host Croatia in the World Group play-offs and will be desperate to return to World Group action after being defeated by the defending champions in the first round this year. The two teams have never previously met.
Last tie 31 January-2 February 2014
In their first tie in the top tier of the competition since 2009 the Dutch side threatened to cause an upset against reigning champions Czech Republic as Robin Haase defeated Radek Stepanek in the opening rubber only for Tomas Berdych to dash their hopes by playing a part in each of the hosts victories in the following three rubbers to advance.
Netherlands enjoyed its best Davis Cup run in 2001, when it reached the semifinals. Dutchman Michiel Schapers was involved in the joint-longest set of a Davis Cup singles rubber - 46 games - in 1987.
Next Tie06 Mar 2015
Group I, Europe/Africa - First Round
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Electro Atomizer, 19" L x 9" H
(cable radiation leakage detector,telephone ringer bells, lamp parts,
DVD spacers, tire pump canister,video camera lens rings, etc.)
This is my first attempt at building a ray gun. I've been wanting
to do this for a very long time. I surprised even myself with the results.
The Electro Atomizer is big and quite hefty as you can see by
the pictures. Brandishing one of these, any Maritian will think
twice about arguing over the Romulan Ale tab with you.
Not for sale.
(no active electronics)
Contact me for more information.


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HOWARD, Wis. (WTAQ) - A fire at Sanimax Corporation has been extinguished, according to the Howard Fire Department.
The fire broke out early Tuesday at the business located at 2099 Shawano Ave.
Authorities say product in a material transport system, spanning several floors was on fire. Workers inside were able to evacuate the area.
Authorities say the fire was accidental and appears to be mechanical in nature. Damage is estimated at $15,000.


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Daniel Tosh IS IN HOT WATER!
Talk about a joke that bombed.
Comedian Daniel Tosh has apologized after a Friday stand-up show in Los Angeles prompted one audience member to express public outrage over a joke he made about gang rape.
"All the out-of-context misquotes aside, I'd like to sincerely apologize," Tosh, 37, tweeted Tuesday, along with a link to the Tumblr post made by the female attendee at the Laugh Factory show. "The point I was making before I was heckled is there are awful things in the world but you can still make jokes about them."
According to the audience member, "Tosh [started] making some very generalizing, declarative statements about rape jokes always being funny, how can a rape joke not be funny, rape is hilarious."
Feeling "provoked," the woman stood up to Tosh and reportedly yelled, "Actually, rape jokes are never funny!"
Then, the woman says, Tosh heckled her right back. "After I called out to him, Tosh paused for a moment. Then, he says, 'Wouldn't it be funny if that girl got raped by like, 5 guys right now? Like right now? What if a bunch of guys just raped her…'" she recounted on her blog, adding that she immediately sought out the club's manager, who did not refund her money, but instead offered free tickets for another show.
"I should probably add that having to basically flee while Tosh was enthusing about how hilarious it would be if I was gang-raped in that small, claustrophobic room was pretty viscerally terrifying and threatening all the same, even if the actual scenario was unlikely to take place," the blogger wrote. "The suggestion of it is violent enough and was meant to put me in my place."
From US Weekly
are there some things that just SHOULDN'T be made into jokes? I personally HATE 9/11 jokes. Those will NEVER be okay with me.


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Unfortunately Carrera 38/S Sunglasses is no longer carried by OpticsPlanet.
You can also explore other items in the Sunglasses category yourself to try and find the perfect replacement for you!
Carrera 38/S sunglasses redefine your style with a brilliantly well-balanced combination of high fashion and premiere construction when you are out in the sun. These sun glasses frames from Carrera are a fantastic choice for a wide variety of personal styles, offering you the chance to bring your appearance to another level with just one fashion item. And one aspect we are certain you will love about 38/S is you are able to use them with the included non-Rx lenses for a simple style boost or take them to an optician to have your prescription added so they have both form and function. Carrera sunglasses are famous all over the world for their quality, in both design and construction. These Carrera sunglasses further strengthen your appearance, as you will come across as more confident and unique. Don't be shy, make a new statement that your fashion is without any doubt divine with Carrera 38/S.
The frame material in the 38/S sun glasses is Acetate, which will help keep the price affordable while also providing lots of variety to the different types of eyewear that employ the material.
One of the many great things about 38/S sun glasses is they are for sale in non-Rx models like you see here or with single vision, bifocals or progressive lenses. We now have a massive assortment of eye wear from most of the finest designers, and take pride in how many Prescription Sunglasses we offer and our level of customer service, which ensures that you get the most appropriate style frame as well as flawlessly polished prescription lenses. Our service assumes the form of a combination of our insightful How To Articles, for example our guide on Reading Sun Glasses Prescriptions, and our incredibly informed glasses pros who like giving you suggestions on what styles is ideal for you! If you're curious about how well Carrera 38/S sunglasses could complement your look, please get in touch with us and one of our sunglass specialists will assist you in figuring out the exact model for you.
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She's also proud of her Ruby projects folder. Each project is something she was trying to teach herself. She's more proud of the list than the finished products.
"Learning to code means reclaiming patience and persistence and making them your stubborn own." [nice]
It had been a few years since I'd learned something. Even as I cranked out stories and projects, some that won awards, I'd become comfortable in a rut.
The more I thought about it, the more it nagged me. So, when I registered for the conference, I signed up for the "Django Mini Bootcamp." I'd heard a lot about how journalists were using Django to build interactive apps, and I wanted new skills.
I've found that novice and non-programmers sometimes don't get much from seeing a wall of code. Or worse, they blindly copy it, not thinking about how such code runs or why it was written the way it was. It may work for them the first time. But when they try to do harder and more creative tasks – which is the point of learning to program – everything falls apart and they quit coding because it's all just a jumble of electronic voodoo.
So the first part of this book contains a bare-bones run-through of what I consider to be the most important programming fundamentals. I skip important topics so that there are fewer concepts to juggle at first. And I believe that once you get to the point that you can make code useful, you'll naturally go back and learn those important fundamentals on your own.
— Jeff Casimir, instructor, jQuery Air First Flight
I'm pretty comfy with JavaScript already. I think Python might be an easier first programming language, so I'm learning Python so I can find out if that's true.
— David Evans, instructor
Udacity CS101 course, Unit 2, segment 21
(And that's what makes programming so cool !)
— Matt Wynn, More on Curbwise, May 21, 2011
See the blog post for a list of related tools for making data and maps play nicely together.


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United Way is a volunteer driven organization that exists to support the social service and welfare needs of our community. United Way had its beginnings in Clark County in 1921, when community leaders organized the Springfield Federation for Community Service and has endured many positive changes since the beginning.
Our responsibilities encompass several critical areas: raising money to distribute to agencies, oversight of spending, monitoring how these funded services impact our community, information services, volunteer development and community building.


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Matier And Ross
Got a Tip? Call Matier and Ross at (415) 777-8815
Monthly Archive for November, 2010
Dellums looking at early exit
Word around Oakland City Hall is that Mayor Ron Dellums may be heading out of office a bit earlier than his scheduled Jan. 3 departure. Read all about it here. [Read More]
New faces in S.F.'s mayoral picture
Who's in, who's out in the contest to keep the mayor's seat warm after Gavin Newsom departs for Sacramento? The answers may surprise you. Check them out here. [Read More]
Asian Art Museum in deep financial trouble
The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco could be forced into bankruptcy if it can't cut a deal this week with its lender. Read all about it here. [Read More]
Ties that bind
Check out the results from last week's statewide elections, and you'll see victorious Bay Area Democrats with intertwining career histories that in many cases track back to two party kingpins. It's all explained here. [Read More]
Baseball's world champs unhappy about sailing deal
The San Francisco Giants aren't thrilled by the deal the city has put together to try to lure the America's Cup competition to the bay. The team fears that handing over development rights to the cup backers for Piers 48 and 50, across McCovey Cove from AT&T Park, will put a crimp in the team's […] [Read More]
Mayor Chiu?
If Gavin Newsom is elected lieutenant governor on Tuesday, San Francisco's new mayor could well be Board of Supervisors President David Chiu. Find out why here. [Read More]


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I found this video over on the must-follow blog Sociological Images:
Heh. Pretty funny.
You know, I've heard a lot of people misunderstand the criticism of shows like Friends. They either point to random extras of color as proof of the show's diversity. Or they defend the existence of a close-knit group of white friends. Both of these arguments miss the point.
It is really hard to reside in a major metropolitan city in 2011--a Chicago, a New York, a Los Angeles--and not have any meaningful interaction with people of different races and ethnicities. This is a fact (and a joy) of everyday city life. And people of color are more than just window dressing in The Big Apple; they are a majority. A 2005 to 2008 American Community Survey found the white population of NYC to be less than 50 percent. The percentage of non-Hispanic whites: 35 percent. African Americans represent 25 percent of the community. Latinos: 27 percent. Wikipedia says 36 percent of the NYC population is foreign-born. And so, it seems strange that a show set in this highly-multicultural city would make the choice to eliminate substantial portrayals of people of color. That is what happened--creators of Friends (and Sex and the City and Seinfeld and other shows) made the choice to present a whitened city drastically unlike reality.
Why is that? What possible good excuse can there be for choosing to make Dominicans and Puerto Ricans and Haitians and African Americans and Koreans (*poof*) disappear? And why do TV show creators so often make this choice? Why does True Blood's Shreveport, La., seem to include white people, vampires and werewolves, but none of the black folks who, in real life, make up more than 50 percent of the city?
Show creators find brown people so unfit for TV or unimportant that they will take an iconic American city that people of color help to make great and scrub us from the landscape deliberately. And viewers defend this erasure or don't notice it. People choose this fantasy--a world where brown folks scarcely exist--which tells us...What?...that they are uncomfortable with a reality that is quite different indeed. That's the rub.