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The band The Black Keys has been playing non stop when I'm on the computer. I think I've found my new temporary music addiction.
I honestly have to say that I'm so relieved to finally be able to do my photo stuff. I haven't been able to truly sit down and work on it because, well, I've been at work for 8.5 hours m-f. I know it's only 8 hours-ish, and at that only between Monday and Friday. But the problem isn't the time frame, it's the work I'm doing in those hours. I'm a maintenance worker, so basically I'm a janitor. I'm a janitor that has to clean 4 buildings, walk on hard concrete / wood floors, clean 21 bathrooms AND do miscellaneous tasks in between. Every day, in an 8 hour time frame. I get a half hour break for lunch and to be honest that's not enough. My body is terrible and being that I get one break during the day to sit and rest, when I get home I really just don't want to do any more than sit down, eat and play video games. So that's what I do.
Now that I'm back on part-time hours, I finally have all night to just sit here and work on things I want. I've even started to write again! I'm not only able to work on photos, I'm able to write, draw and work on my zombie movie. Even with the impending doom of moving to campus soon, I'm still overjoyed at the free time I have. I just wish I could see my friends a bit more, but that's always the case.
Well, I know it's been awhile since I've made any kind of real post on here but that's because I've had trouble deciding what I want to write about. The question I keep asking is, "What in my life deserves the importance of a blog topic?" I've finally decided what that should be.
I currently have a major dilemma that I would like to bring to light. I'm not really sure who will read this or care, but at least I'm putting it out there and asking for advice. At least I'm willing to try. I have till July 5th to appeal the removal of all my financial aid(my loans) for college next semester. The problem I have is, while they are taking it away and it is definitely a bad thing, I really don't care. I really don't want to go back. Except, I would be an RA and live on campus which I think might be a good experience. I really should finish college, but I can't bring myself to want to actually go back.
School has never been for me, I've never felt like it was where I was meant to be. I may not know what I want to do with my life, but it sure as hell isn't more school. I liked meeting new people, learning things I didn't know before. But it wasn't worth it, it wasn't worth the loans or the debt I'm now in. But it was worth the try. To me that's what matters, that I tried it and didn't like it. Like fucking asparagus. I tried it once, nearly puked. Clearly meant it wasn't for me.
So what should I do? Should I appeal the loans and go back (if they even accept my appeal) or should I just not care and do what I've been doing?
After having a major nerd moment tonight, I have decided that I have another future dream job. I would like to be a voice actor. I came to this conclusion after realizing how good I would be at it. Everyone has always told me I'd be either a good actor, or a good comedian etc. Not quite sure why they think I would be, but I'm going to take them on their word. I'm going to end this particular post by saying, "I would be very happy if I ever did get in to this field."
Well this is an interesting week for me. It's the first week for me to go back to two of my classes that I've been away from for over a week now. I'm most likely super behind all of those classes and will fail so YAAAY. It's also the week I get my first DSLR, I say first because I honestly feel as if I'll get more eventually. I'm also going to attempt to make an appointment this week for my first tattoo. I have a feeling I'm going to be a big disappointment to a lot of people soon.
But I've realized I really don't care. There are much worse things I could do to myself, or to others. I want to enjoy life, I want to get out of this horrible 20 year rut I've been in. I want to know what happiness is really like. I want to make huge fucking mistakes and learn from them. I want to do things I've never done before. Fuck! This is what college is supposed to be right? I'm supposed to be able to go out and enjoy life, get the wild out for the horrible fucking life ahead of me. The way I look at it I have 4 years left before I'm enlisting in the military or done with college anyway, so yeah I want to enjoy them.
That's right ladies and gents, I decided to take the full plunge and get the Mohawk done. I attempted it before but half ass-ed it and was not happy. So I decided to go for the full blown thing and I'm loving it. I've got a few pictures I'll post sooner or later but basically I'm happy with the way it came out. Now all I need is to get the tattoo for my uncle and my life will be that much better.
College starts up again on Tuesday for me, not sure if I'm excited to start again. I really should be looking for a job and focusing on that instead. Oh well I guess, parents want me to take courses so I'm doing it. Other than that not much new in my life right now.
I recently decided to upload the majority of my pictures on to my iPod so that I could look through them and upload some whenever I feel like it. However I started to search through them and look at the thousands of memories I've captured. While doing so I have had a few realizations.
-I have had way too many relationships.
-I miss Murray so very much.
-I have a bad memory when it comes to the names of those women.
-I hate remembering moments with certain past girlfriends.
-I miss my old best friend.
-Life really does change people.
-I am really vain and narcissistic.
-Sakavian actually used to be cute.
-I hate growing up.
So yeah, figured I'd share this since I haven't posted anything real in awhile.


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Sue is teller supervisor at our Barks Road branch in Marion. She is actively involved with Junior Achievement, church programs and community events.
"I have worked at CSB for 10 years. In that time, I feel I have built great relationships with my customers and they feel very comfortable coming to me with their banking needs. I like a community bank because we can take the time to really get to know our customers and know what they need. Commercial Savings Bank is always willing to let us get involved in community events and that's what it is all about, giving back to to the Marion community."

subset: commoncrawl


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Latest From The Blog:
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- The young man who cleaned our fireplace was friendly and very helpful. He did a great job!-Catherine A. - Wilton, CT


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London Road White Gold Pearl Oval Drop Earrings
Product informationElegant and simple hook drop earrings from London Road. Set with cultured fresh water pearls, measuring W8 x H10mm, on 9 carat white gold hook fittings with an overall length of 2.5cm.
- Brand
London Road
- Earrings Fitting
- Drops
- Eligible for International Delivery
- Jewellery Type
- Earrings
- Main Stone Type
- Pearl
- Metal or material
- Gold
Delivery in 7 days from our supplier
- Free
International delivery not available
We want you to be happy with your purchase. If you're not, just return the products to us or to one of our shops. Unless faulty, we'd like this to be within 90 days of purchase. Exceptions apply to certain products - find out more about our refund policy.
Depending on the type of product, you can make free returns via our shops, Royal Mail (or courier collection for large or heavy items), Collect+ or via MyHermes.
Q & As
UK delivery:
Free Standard UK delivery within 7 days
International delivery not available:


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" Apple Lightning to VGA Adapter - VGA adapter - Lightning (M) - HD-15 (F) - for iPad mini; iPad with Retina display (4th generation); iPhone 5; iPod touch (5G) "
* Prices may differ from that shown
Use the Lightning to VGA Adapter to mirror whatever's on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with Lightning connector - apps, presentations, websites, and more - on your VGA-equipped TV, display, projector, or other compatible display in up to 720p HD. Video mirroring is supported on all compatible devices.
Watch video on the big screen in up to 1080p by connecting your device with a Lightning connector to a television, projector, or other VGA-compatible display. Video out supports up to 1080p for iPad mini, iPad with Retina display, iPhone 5, and iPod touch.
The Lightning to VGA Adapter connects to your iPad with Retina display, iPad mini, iPhone 5, or iPod touch via the lightning connector and to your projector or display using the VGA adapter.
|Product Description:
|Apple Lightning to VGA Adapter - VGA adapter
|VGA adapter
|1 x Apple Lightning - male
|Connector(s) (Other Side):
|1 x 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) - female
1 x Apple Lightning - female
|Designed For:
|iPad Air; iPad mini; iPad mini with Retina display; iPad with Retina display (4th generation); iPhone 5; iPod touch (5G)


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The ol' crab walk works every time.
The ol' crab walk works every time.
this is how you get the girl (or guy) on valentine's day
She's talking about you, weaboo.
Masquerading as a girl online is the only way to get guys.
Dammit, Klein. Also, check out pre-mirror Kirito.
Found some more Yu Yu pics laying around in my HDD. Guess who he saw that forced him to make this devilishly handsome face?
Sword Art Online. It's a great series, definitely worth checking out.
Klein kills a mid level boss.
How cooking works in SAO.
Asuna can't decide if she wants to sit near Kirito or not.
Here's a TOP valentine's day card I made, because T O P. Use it next year.
Kirito vs The Gleam Eyes


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Lead Your Team With Sean's Team Building and Leadership Blog
Sean's Team Building and Team Leadership Blog Shares Insights and Inspiration to Lead from Where You Are!
Top 10 Questions to Ask Before You Dismiss a Team Member
The decision to dismiss a team member is never an easy one, and should never be a decision that is made in a tantrum of momentary emotion.
Whether you coach a team of athletes, lead a team of teachers, or manage a team of salesmen or corporate executives, you will at times find yourself having to wrestle with issues of negative or destructive behavior.
Before you dismiss a team member, though, there are 10 questions that I would encourage you to ask yourself.
You can read this article and learn how to encourage more postivie conflict by visiting the #bealeader website, where I am now a resident writer. Many thanks to Jen Olney (@gingerconsult) for sharing it with the #bealeader audience!
Enjoy reading the entire article by CLICKING HERE!
Obviously, if I can ever assist you in leading your team by offering fun conference ideas or a team leadership message, it would be my pleasure. I would also be honored if you chose to follow me on twitter or to connect on Google + to receive additional information and teamwork resources!


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Sample device and project I built in .NetMF and C# using Gadgeteer which does color sensoring and makes use of various LED formats to show the user the results.
Very cool. I have getting some gadgeteer stuff on my list, this makes me want to move it up.--We don't give a d@mn for the whole state of Michigan... we're from OHIO! O!H! ... I!O!
Be careful as Gadgeteer is highly addictive as its so much fun building cool stuff that works, so you just keep going building more and more stuff and as more and more modules come out the possibilities are endless.Blake--Vendor: Author of Link Logger which is a traffic analysis and firewall logging tool


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Team Coach
I am tennis coach from Russia.I works in Spartak Moscow for 7 years, and im in love with Tecnifibre for 3 years already!
My racket is always with me, it helps me with everything in my life and work, its importance for me is difficult for estimating.
Stay tuned
#HappyHalloween http://t.co/DtdR2FuvdA


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Aug 29 2013
Hi tumblr — I'm back!
Sorry. It's been a while. I've become a full-time high school English teacher plus the school's Speech and Debate Coach. First week of school is almost over (What?!) so I thought it'd be a good time for reflecting…
Day One seemed to never end. We have 4 90-minute classes a day (3 + a prep period) and I swear those 90-minutes were forever. I ended up teaching 4th period while sitting on the window ledge because my feet were so sore. I left my room that night at 9pm.
Day Two went by SO quickly. I swear I blinked and suddenly it was lunch and then suddenly it was over. I had my first "oh shit this lesson isn't working…ABORT IT!" moment during first period English 11. I realized that having them read silently and discuss articles at 7:50 in the morning was not going to work. So, I scrapped the lesson in the middle and adapted. It went so much better — the AP even came by and popped her head in the door, saw that they were all reading and taking notes silently and diligently, and she whispered to me "My, what a well-behaved class!" It was definitely the right time for her to see them. I left my classroom at 8pm, so that's improvement.
Day Three went awesomely. I felt more confident in my style, I gave the English 11 class time to work on "fun things" (like collaging their viewpoints on America) and was able to better implement my classroom management skills.
Speech and Debate has been interesting. It's a transitional year for the program and luckily it seems like most students are excited and ready to embrace change (not all, but most). I've finally gotten them on my side — in fact, on day two, 10 students came into my room within 15 seconds of the lunch bell ringing and just made themselves at home and hung out while eating. That definitely made my day.
I am working at the best school in the district, with the best colleagues I could ever even dream of, with students that are excited to be at the school.
tl;dr: I'm now a full time high school English teacher and will be sporadic on here. But: I'm so excited for what is to come.


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About the contractor
Timber Creek Homes, Inc operates out of Elon, NC and holds a Residential, S Asbestos, Limited license according to the North Carolina contractors license board.
We were able to verify 1 building permit associated with Timber Creek Homes, Inc. Check out their permit history below to see where they have worked and what type of work they have done in the past. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of every project they have completed; just the projects we have been able to verify with the local permit authority.
Timber Creek Homes, Inc has a BuildZoom score of 90 and is rated in the top 30% of 101,103 contractors in North Carolina.
Their license (71922) was verified as active when we last checked. If you are considering hiring Timber Creek Homes, Inc, we recommend double-checking their license status with the license board and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes.
Contact Info
Do you work for this business? Claim your profile to edit details and connect with homeowners. It's free!
Recent Projects
April 2, 2004 - 5084 Branch View Rd, Reidsville, NC
Timber creek homes inc2 story sfr/3 bdrm/2.5ba/1 deck/1 porch/garage/rambling meadows/lot:9 & 10/plans submitted/layout/timber creek homes inc/don powell@336-669-3501/04/03/13.djs/plans reviewed 92012 ncrc) by cw 4-5-13/ eng. from residential eng, service attached to plans/release of ss,gso via duke/05/08/13.djs/released final to pam @ dk/gso/10.16.13/lj
Type: Building/guilford county/residential permit/new single-family residence | Permit #: H0146919RPEN
Reviews of Timber Creek Homes, Inc
3 out of 5 stars, based on 2 reviews
Timber creek homes built my home and
Seems these folks are not sure what they are doing. Sub-standard building, to say the least and evidently have talked some people into their sub-standard practices. Owner was arrested for passing bad checks so hit and miss is certainly not a game I want to play.
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Why use BuildZoom? We have run advanced algorithms against 3 million contractor licenses, 40 million building permits, BBB records, and homeowner referals to identify reliable remodeling contractors with stellar track records.
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Planning a network video installation
Axis Communications' Steve Surfaro discusses the three essential documents needed to undertake a CCTV installation project
To avoid the finger pointing that often occurs during project meetings when task assignments are left open to interpretation, draw up a straightforward division of responsibilities document to which all parties can agree. For instance, the security director who is the end-user on site might be held responsible for storing and protecting equipment prior to installation. The security contractor would be responsible for staging, programming, installing and deploying the individual devices.
But if the network surveillance system is going to be part of a shared network, the end-user's IT department would shoulder the responsibility of programming the network switches.
Periodic milestones
While it would be nice to have all the equipment delivered at the start of the project, it's unrealistic to expect customers to shoulder all the expense upfront. Especially in large surveillance installations, equipment typically gets delivered in stages. To avoid undue delay as the surveillance project unfolds, it's important to schedule deliveries in accordance with periodic milestones. For instance, if the main cross-connect area is scheduled for completion before the other telecom rooms, you need to take delivery of the equipment associated with that location before receiving equipment destined for other peripheral sites. Periodic delivery lends itself to achieving periodic milestones, so you can bill in increments and receive payment as you complete each stage of the project.
Acceptance test criteria – delivering on a promise
Even if you intend to bill in stages, you need to establish some mutually acceptable testing criteria to demonstrate that the system you've delivered works as expected. These are measurable criteria designed to demonstrate that all the components and the overall network video surveillance system are living up to the standards outlined in the performance specifications. They serve as the checklist for the customer to accept the completed project and pay you in a timely manner for delivering what you promised. A typical acceptance test might demonstrate that a certain camera covers a specific field of view and operates at a certain frame rate and resolution level.
If you hope to streamline your path to system acceptance you need to comply with end-user specifications and IT standards, standards and guidelines for the end user's industry, as well as authorities having jurisdiction. With extensive installation preplanning you'll not only greatly simplify deployment but also allow yourself – whether you're the installer, designer or project manager – to concentrate on delivering functionality while avoiding any costly delays.
Steve Surfaro is the business development manager and security industry liaison for Axis Communications, the global leader in the network video technology.
Installation Checklist
While no deployment is without its unique challenges, a detailed checklist can be a useful tool for keeping important details in the forefront as you progress through the installation process. The following is a sample to-do list for security technicians:
1. Verify system requirements during pre-install meeting with customer.
2. Verify that cable lengths comply with manufacturer's specifications.
3. Verify PoE and non-PoE connections (cables and switch ports) for network cameras.
4. Verify site conditions and lens requirements (maximum aperture, light sensitivity, etc.) before ordering lenses.
5. Stage all network cameras for preprogrammed setup.
6. Program cameras for auto day/night operation, auto white balance setting, image size, quality and refresh rate according to available bandwidth.
7. Program preset positions for pan/tilt/zoom cameras.
8. Program static IP addresses according to customer's IT department documentation.
9. Program time sync coordinates on all devices having built-in system clocks.
10. Program local connections according to product operating instructions.
11. Verify camera video quality and note any issues (backlight problems, digital artifacts, noise, washout, etc.)
12. General internal punch list.
13. Perform final inspection.
14. Set up system and complete installation.
15. Verify punch list compliance.
16. Execute acceptance test.
17. Train system operators.
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Kangana walks the ramp for PCJ's fashion show
PC Jeweller brought a glittering evening full of sparkling gems to Bengaluru at the Style Extravaganza Fashion Show held on Friday at the ITC Gardenia, where Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut walked the ramp.
The collection glistened with Polki and designer jewellery embellished with diamonds, coloured stones in traditional craftsmanship.
The jewellery brand's collection was perfectly complemented by the ace Fashion Designer Manish Malhotra's exquisite trousseaus with beautiful and elaborate designs.
The blend magnificently depicted the bridal attire with a glance of subtleness, style and aristocracy along with the touch of royal era. The ensemble was graced by the Kangana Ranaut who donned the attire and was the showstopper for the evening.
Balram Garg, Managing Director, PC Jeweller, said, "This is the first time we have presented an event of this level in Bengaluru. Bengaluru is a beautiful city and we have recently started our relationship as we opened our first showroom here. The people here have a very sophisticated taste and they are well aware of the trends following. We have today presented the best collection as we are aware of the preferences here and it will be liked by the audience. The jewellery is heavy and innovative engraved with polki, diamonds and coloured stones, as it is in trend and people are liking more of this."
Bengaluru Fashion Show [2] - L-R, Manish Malhotra, Balram Garg, Kangna Ranaut, Prabhu Chawla
"Moreover, Manish Malhotra, who is one of the best designers that we have today, has added elegance to our jewellery with his beautiful designs. And we thank Kangna for being a part of it as she has brought in the much wanted grace to the entire show. It has also been a pleasure working with The New Indian Express group as they have been actively engaging in such events and have always encouraged creativity in diverse spheres. I am sure that PCJ's collection will cast its own unique spell as the best in the business giving the audience a preview of the upcoming season's most tantalizing trends," Garg said.
PCJ has recently entered Southern India with showrooms in Mangalore and Bengaluru.
This the brand's first showroom in Bengaluru that was inaugurated in December 2013. The brand has extensively expanded the network with 41 showrooms and has plans to rapidly increase the number in the next fiscal.
For the Fashion Show, 20 models were flown from Mumbai to walk the ramp alongside Kangana. The event was attended by the many eminent personalities, celebrities and socialites of Bengaluru.
(Posted on 22-03-2014)
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(WHAS11) -- Three hours after balloting started, the Louisville Metro Council remains deadlocked in a vote to decide who will succeed the late George Unseld as Sixth District Metro Councilman. Yet, the arrival of an absent council member could end the suspense.
The vote has come down to Downtown Management District operations manager Ken Herndon and attorney Neeka Parks Thompson.
The Louisville NAACP has pushed the council not to change the racial makeup of the council. Unseld was African-American. Herndon is white. Thompson is black.
Herndon has garnered the votes of nine white Democrats, two white Republicans and one African-American, Judy Green.
Thompson has the support of seven white Republicans and four African-American Democrats.
Balloting resumed at 8:05pm with the council members going through a succession of five identical votes, now with only 21 members present.
The council then voted to recess for 15 minutes with the expectation that council member Jim King was expected to arrive by 8:30pm. King is now in City Hall and is expected to cast his vote for Ken Herndon. With that as the backdrop, there appears to be little motivation for any council members to change their votes.
Ballot votes are as follows:
17th ballot - 12 - 9 Herndon over Thompson
18th ballot - 12 - 9 Herndon over Thompson
19th ballot - 12 - 9 Herndon over Thompson
20th ballot - 12 - 9 Herndon over Thompson
21st ballot - 12 - 9 Herndon over Thompson
22nd ballot - 8-7 Herndon - Glen Stuckel changes vote from Herndon to Thompson
23rd ballot - 11 Thompson - 8 Herndon
24th ballot - 11 Thompson - 8 Herndon
25th ballot - 11 Thompson - 10 Herndon
26th ballot - 11 Thompson - 11 Herndon
Jim King arrived at 8:42, then voted for Ken Herndon.
27th ballot - 12 Herndon, 11 Thompson
28th ballot - 12 Herndon, 11 Thompson
29th ballot - 12 Herndon, 11 Thompson
If Glen Stuckel had not changed his vote, the King vote would have put Herndon over the top.
Republican Kevin Kramer is reportedly due to fly into Louisville from Washington, D.C. in the next hour, which would potentially make him the deciding vote.
At this point, there is no sign of anyone else breaking ranks.
Metro Council take a one hour recess at 9 p.m.
The council members voted more than 30 times and aroun 10 p.m.they voted for Deonte Hollowell; who is a professor at the University of Louisville.


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_about me
My name is Lukas Troendle and i'm 25 years old.
I'm into experimenting with recorded and synthesized sounds
since almost 10 years ago. Alongside my studies I love to
compose and produce different kinds of electronic music.
After I graduated with a BA degree in "Digital Media / Sound" at the University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt in 2012
I'm now studying in the Masters program "Timebased Media / Sound-Vision" at the
University of Applied Sciences Hamburg (HAW)


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The Bucket List movie is Directed By : Rob Reiner
Starring : Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Beverly Todd, Rob Morrow, Alfonso Freeman, Alfonso Freeman
Also looking to Download The Bucket List movie Here ?
Hey guys, wanna grab huge database of Hollywood movies? Yeah.. This is the right place where you have just reached. Here, you can take an advantage of watching and downloading full length movies without any interruption or limits. From family to biographical drama, we have a variety of movies with high streaming quality. If you want to watch and download this sumptuous and sensual drama with the pinch of romance, directed by Rob Reiner then your search is over. Well, this website offers you not only with the option to download The Bucket List movie but you can also burn a CD or DVD with the original DVD quality print. So go ahead to watch not only The Bucket List movie but numerous other blockbusters at your own leisure.
Watch Other Hit Dramatic Movies Here :


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From Jackson city center, follow Michigan Ave to Hwy 127 South (Business). Exit Springport Rd right, follow curve to the right then merge left onto Shirley Drive.Among other hotels near Jackson, MI, the Hampton Inn Jackson hotel is located centrally in the city of Jackson, Michigan.


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October 31, 2014
MOSS LANDING, Calif. (AP) - Scientists say endangered leatherback turtles have returned to Monterey Bay to feast on jellyfish after nearly disappearing from the area in recent years.
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories researcher Scott Benson says
marine biologists counted more than 300 of the giant endangered
turtles in the bay this year.
Benson said a strong upwelling of nutrient-rich cold water this year brought greater stocks of jellyfish, which attracted the turtles.
Poor upwellings in previous years have sent the turtles elsewhere to find food.
The 70-million-year-old leatherback species is the largest of all sea turtles. Benson says the Pacific's leatherback population has declined by 90 to 95 percent in the last 25 years because of egg poaching and turtles getting caught in fishing gear.
Information from: Santa Cruz Sentinel,
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
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Today is the day! It's the trade deadline and the Ryan Callahan deadline. Expect plenty of moves to happen today,
If you aren't sitting by a computer, television, or phone, you can keep up with the trades via the TSN Hockey mobile app. Yes, it requires a phone but you can check at your leisure.
For a complete update on yesterday's moves, check out this list from the NHL.
It's going to be a wild day for the New York Rangers, Callahan has been put on notice: sign or be moved. Which do you think will happen? Which do you want to see happen? Let us know!
Yesterday we also found out that "Brooksie" may not have gotten things straight on the Ryan Kesler move. New York Rangers were not on his short list of approved teams for a trade. Rumor has it the Pittsburgh Penguins are leading that race, but again, those are just rumors.
Here is the TSN insider look at potential moves, or non moves, for today.
I'm keeping this one short and sweet today so that we can track all the moves and news as it occurs. We will have as close to a live update thread as we can get to keep you updated on all the moves today. Stay tuned and get ready. Grab the popcorn and enjoy the show because if yesterday is any indicator of what might happen today, we are in for a wild ride! Let's go Rangers!


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create panoramic photos
iPhone and iPad apps tagged "create panoramic photos."
ArcSoft's Panorama Maker Offers Photographers a Whole Wide World
Arc Soft is well known for its photo and other digital media manipulation apps for PCs and Macs, so I had high hopes for Panorama Maker, the company's latest release for the iPhone. Although I wasn't disappointed, I wasn't doing cart wheels either.
PangeaVR Brings Panoramas of Your Surroundings into View
Pangea Software has developed a number of popular game apps including Engimo and Billy Frontier. The company's focus on games makes its two panorama-viewing apps — PangeaVR and PangeaVR Pro — a little odd, not that that's a bad thing.
PanoLab is a Must Have Photo Collage Utility
Unlike the paid Pano and Panorama apps, PanoLab is free, and allows for both vertical and horizontal panorama creations. Unlike Pano, PanoLab does not feature any blending or ghosting as a means of lining up pictures -- instead you take the pictures one at a time and then move them around to create a collage.
Pano from Debacle Software is an app for creating Panoramic pictures from your iPhone camera that is worth the price. Pano works by letting you take up to 5 consecutive shots (from left to right), and superimposing the ghosted previous shot so that you can line up the next one.


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We live in New York as do many of our family and friends. We choose the Perry Ho...
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Mancelona, MI 49659, USA
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Great delicious food and very reasonable!!! She's the nicest person you'll ever ...
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Charlevoix, MI, USA
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Food was great! We did a Northern Michigan themed buffet,created by the Chef Darr...
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Charlevoix, MI, USA
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Judy was wonderful - her food spread was gorgeous. The way she keeps the food beh...
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6563 Indian Garden
Petoskey, MI, United States
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The Waterman's catered an event for us during our wedding week. The are one of t...
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Elk Rapids, MI, USA
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Michael Peterson, from Antrim Catering, is the best. Wow, people thought they we...
Julienne Tomatoes
421 Howard Street
Petoskey, MI, United States
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Julie and Tom are incredibly down to earth people and are so so so nice. I can't...
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10555 Old State Road
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Venue was the perfect size for our celebration. Everyone was great to work with. ...
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4181 Main Street
Bay Harbor, MI, United States
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990 North Center Avenue
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According to Yahoo Sports, Chris Babb will be sticking around in Boston for at least the rest of this season. After finishing his second ten-day contract, the Celtics had to make a decision about his future. The deal also includes a team option in case Boston plans to retain him beyond this year. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Babb has tallied four straight DNP-CDs since Avery Bradley returned from an ankle injury. He appeared in the six games prior to that, totaling thirteen points on pretty shaky shooting. But the Celtics aren't keeping Beantown Babb (a nickname that needs to catch on ASAP if you ask me) for his offense. In his summer league stint, Stevens repeatedly praised Babb's feisty defense. His 6'5, 225 lbs. frame helps him stay in front of most smaller guards. That defense was on display during his debut, where he held Paul George scoreless in his two minutes guarding him. Not bad for a first assignment.
Babb played 33 games for Boston's D-League affiliate the Maine Red Claws. He averaged 12 points per game and 1.2 steals per game. Last year, as a senior at Iowa State, Beantown Babb was selected to the Big 12 All-Defensive team. He also averaged 9.1 points per game and led the Cyclones in three-pointers made.
Tags: Boston Celtics Chris Babb


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I've just been asked to develop a Live Virtual Class that I will deliver to employees at my place of work. I'm curious to hear people's thoughts on what they think helps make a Live Virtual Class compelling and interesting?
I don't want to create a class in which people are just listening to me reading off a set of PowerPoint slides. I want to make it interactive as possible. I'm not so much interested in specific content ideas, rather delivery styles and suggestions on how to structure the class.
Any input is very much appreciated.
Desk shuffle experiment: Does daylight improve creativity?
If you are having issues convincing anyone about the role that Social Media will play in the future workplace, I highly recommend that you point them to this 13 minute video "Social Media @ Work". A compelling insight into how Social Media is already driving change within many workplaces.
The standout quote for me is at approximately the 12 minute work where the interviewee says "by 2013 we will not have email in this organisation anymore, we will be doing everything on Social Networks"
Social Media & Gamification. This is a brilliant online campaign blending Social Media, with the increasingly important Gamification. The success of this campaign is another reason why I think Gamification is going to be huge.


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When the media interviews players and coaches, it's rare to see what the athletes are really like as people. Sure, there are exceptions. Ahmad Dixon and Art Briles are perfect examples. But in most interviews, you'll get many 'We played … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Ricardo Gathers
College basketball rankings; Baylor has No. 5 class in nation
ESPN recently came out with its college basketball recruiting grades for the 2012 class and Baylor's six recruits landed them the No. 5 class in the nation. Headlined by seven-footer Isaiah Austin, other players like Ricardo Gathers, L.J. Rose, Chad … Continue reading
Baylor basketball adds fifth recruit of 2012 class
Baylor's 2012 recruit class added its fifth member today when Taurean Waller-Prince signed a Financial Aid Contract, Scott Drew announced today. Coming out of San Antonio, Waller-Prince originally signed a National Letter of Intent with Long Island in November. During … Continue reading
Baylor men's basketball team acquires No. 5 recruiting class in nation
With the signing of the two-time Gatorade Louisiana High School player of the year in Ricardo Gathers, the Baylor men's basketball team finished with a top-five recruiting class. Gathers signed his letter of intent to play with the Bears earlier … Continue reading
A quick look at the 2012 Baylor basketball recruiting class
With Quincy Acy leaving and the status of Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller up in the air, the Baylor basketball team could potentially have some holes to fill for the upcoming season. As of now, Baylor has four commitments … Continue reading


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Kardashian shows off her love of fringe in Calabasas, Calif. Plus: Kellan Lutz, Jason Momoa, Beyoncé and more
Credit: Headlinephoto/Splash News Online
Published: Friday Aug 12, 2011 | 05:00 PM EDT
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Kim Kardashian, who will release her first fiction novel later this year, adds a little extra flair to her footwear during a lunch run in Calabasas, Calif., on Thursday.
Copyright © 2014 Time Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


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The 2013 season was another disappointing one on the ground for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Despite the emergence of rookie Le'Veon Bell as the Steelers' featured back of the future, Pittsburgh still finished 27th in the NFL with 1,383 rushing yards, 29th with an average of 3.5 yards per carry, and 25th in the league with nine rushing touchdowns.
One of the many areas of need for the Steelers entering the 2014 season is to upgrade the overall depth in the backfield as Bell is currently the only one under contract.
With that in mind, according to ESPN.com, the Steelers are expected to bring back both Jonathan Dwyer and LaRod Stephens-Howling next season.
Neither helped the Steelers out much in 2013 and if Bell would get injured again, it is a painful thought that the ground game could be left in the hands of both guys.
Dwyer, who was cut at the end of camp last season and then re-signed because of injury, finished the year with 49 carries for 197 yards, becoming the teams' short-yard specialist.
Stephens-Howling had a pretty decent training camp but missed the entire season with a torn ACL. He is expected to be ready before training camp begins in July.
Neither guy gives the Steelers much hope when Bell isn't available but does add a bit of insurance in case he does go down. Both guys will come very cheap as the Steelers have enough salary-cap problems to worry about.
I would still like to see the Steelers bring in a legitimate second option through the draft or free agency to carry the ball, but it doesn't appear that will be the case.
Tags: Jonathan Dwyer LaRod Stephens-Howling Pittsburgh Steelers


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You have an edge over others if you know how to repair a dent in your car. As long as the dent is not very big and wide, you can repair it all by yourself. But if the dent doesn't seem reparable, you better go to an auto body shop so it can be fixed perfectly.
Dents occur from bumping into other cars, usually when backing up while in a parking lot or on the side of the road. Whatever the cause may be, the good thing is that dents can be easily fixed unlike engine trouble and other costly mechanical defects.
If the dent on your car is small, then consider fixing it by yourself. You won't have to spend money to have a mechanic do the work for you. Simply pick up some basic tools and the materials needed for the repair. You will need a rubber hammer, dry ice, a plunger, an air duster, and a torch. Here are few tips on how to repair small dents on your car.
Use a plunger to suck out the dented portion. This remedy is similar to the use of a plunger with a clogged toilet. Although this process may be a little non-traditional, at least it's still reliable.
Remember, this plunger method works only on thin sheets of metal and small dents. If the diameter and size of the dent is too wide and big, then the plunger method is not the best remedy. In such a case, the best option is to put your car in the hands of a professional auto body mechanic.
This method has some drawbacks. Do not be surprised if there isn't an immediate effect right away. What you need to do is plunge the dent constantly until the affected surface slowly pops out. Also, this method only works when you cannot really reach or access the other side of the dented area.
Use a hair dryer and air duster to fix the dent. This method is effective only on small dents where the dented material is made of thin, metal sheets. The good thing about this method is that it won't cost you much. A combination of a simple hair dryer and an air duster is enough for the job.
So how does this method works? The dented portion must be heated using hair dryer, and then use the air duster to spray the entire heated area. This combination of hot and cold can make the dented surface slowly pop out on its own. Amazing, isn't it?
Dry ice. Put a block of dry ice on top of the dent to gradually pull it out. Repeat the process again and again until you are satisfied that the dent is no longer visible. Even if this process is entirely harmless on the paint, it is not safe, however, for your hands. Even though it is called "ice," it can cause serious burns.
The good thing is that this method is much cheaper because there are huge supplies of dry ice in every hardware store, home service store, or auto repair store.
Using a rubber hammer is another good idea. It is advisable that you soften the metal first before you use your rubber hammer. This is based on the assumption that you cannot reach right behind the affected area. When you soften the area first, you can expect the results of your work to be better.
In case you have a chrome surface, using either an acetylene torch or cheaper propane torch is recommended to heat up the affected area a little bit. Bear in mind that you are not supposed to overheat the metal. For any other surface type, using a hairdryer is sufficient.
Know when to bang out the dented surface. When the area is slightly heated, start bumping out towards the other side until the surface gets even.
These 4 tips can certainly help you master how to repair a dent in your car. By following any of these tips, you can be sure of getting the job done. And they save money. In case the job is too difficult, don't hesitate to see your mechanic.


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Sony may have been pushing 'Uncharted: Golden Abyss' as the title that naturally fits with last week's European and US launch of their latest portable gaming machine, the PS Vita (reviewed here on Forbes), but I don't think they're fooling anyone. Uncharted looks like an Indiana Jones film, which makes it more easily digestible in a single glance at a screenshot, but the real launch title, the jaw dropping, graphically stunning, accessible speed demon that pushes the Vita and the players to the edge of gaming excellence… that's Wipeout 2048.
In a year's time, I'll still be playing this one out of the initial Vita releases. In two years It will still be in rotation. And in three years, I suspect this will have remained a favourite.
Right, a history lesson, and this is going to go a bit 'Time Traveller's Wife' on you. Wipeout (the game franchise) has been a Sony staple since the first PlayStation console. It's a futuristic racing game, where the discovery of anti-gravity for transportation has naturally been developed into racing anti-gravity vehicles as fast as possible in complicated twisty turny courses. Each franchise title in Wipeout has introduced new teams, shown new developments, magnetic tracks for 360 degree orientations while racing, new weaponry, new racing craft, advanced tracks… You get the idea. Bigger and better as the gaming consoles improved.
The story angle for this Wipeout title is very interesting. It's set in 2048, during the formative years of anti-gravity racing. It's not quite fully formed yet, and this story angle allows developers Studio Liverpool a return to the basics of racing with less complex weaponry, but more skill demanded of the racers.
Just like the J. J. Abrahams Star Trek movie, this is a new beginning, but with all the latest gaming technology available. The circuits mix in urban settings, parkland, and a few custom built 'raceway' sections that in the world of Wipeout feel like temporary builds that are moved around street circuits as the racing season continues. This pushes the graphics required to get that realistic street view, and the PS Vita delivers. At the initial C class division, everything moves slowly enough that you can see the neon shop signs, cables in the suspension bridges, and litter blowing along the start line. All nice touches that I assume are there once you get into a faster class of racing, but frankly you should know what you're getting with Wipeout game – an initial speed class that's just a little too fast, before it gets ratcheted up to being too fast, before insane and this is impossible speeds are demanded of you.
And that's where Wipeout wins. Because all you need to do is practice. Pounding round the circuits, learning the curves, bumps, boost pads and shortcuts is something you will be doing. A lot.
You have a basic pass level on each stage that will let you advance, but the elite pass will demand an almost clinical perfection while racing… And that's why I know I'll be playing this for a long time, because I see myself improving, finding a tenth or so each lap I race. It takes time to find the extra eight seconds a lap that might be asked of you, but I always felt it was possible, and I could see the improvements I was making.
That sort of reward through accuracy needs a good control system, and Sony's Liverpool Studio development team have delivered. Admittedly the six-axis sensors in the PS Vita coupled with the touch screen and rear touchpad have tempted them to develop a system where you steer your craft like a kid holding a steering wheel with weapons fired by tapping the back of the Vita. Except it doesn't work. Undoubtedly cute, it simply is too fiddly and delicate for the violence that Wipeout demands.
Neither does the 'racer' control layout help, and this is down to the unique nature of Wipeout. You see every craft has airbrakes, and the experienced Wipeout racer doesn't use these to slow down or brake, which is how the 'racer' layout works. By only opening up one side of airbrakes you can tighten up the turns, or a quick double tap to do a side slip on the circuit. That's only possible on the classic 'Wipeout' control system that's been used in every Wipeout game to perfection.
That's the thing with a perfect control system, you play around with it, you add gimmicks, and it's just that. A gimmick.
Perhaps Wipeout 2048 might be lacking a few more levels – you have the timed lap challenges, regular races, and ship to ship combat levels, but compared to Wipeout Pulse on the PSP I get the feeling these won't take as long to clear as the previous titles. Neither is there a racebox, where you can simply choose your own race class, circuit, and style before going out for an individual race. That's an interesting choice to make, and one that may limit Wipeout in the eyes of some.
It looks like Sony will be offering download packs of more levels and challenges in the future, and there is enough action to be getting on with here, but there's a tickle at the back of my head that the volume of play in Wipeout 2048 might not be as bountiful as other titles in the series.
Online multiplayer is available, but this feels more like a technology demo than a fully developed way to play Wipeout. I want to be able to challenge my PSN friends, to tailor the online race to suit me. What you get is a random pairing of online players, and everyone votes on the next circuit to play. It works, but it's not as satisfying as trashing your mates. Thankfully if you're down the pub you can do this through the Wi-Fi connectivity of the Vita.
What does work is getting a high score table of you and all your PSN friends who have Wipeout 2048 (be it points in combat, or the lap time in a speed challenge). I've already woken up to tweets of rage as I sneak a few hundredths off a lap time before my friends across the Atlantic discover they've lost their top spot to the Scotsman.
I have to remind myself that this is one of the first titles on the PS Vita, and that means there is so much spare capacity available for developers. I look at the difference between the PSP's Wipeout Pure (a launch title) and Wipeout Pulse, which came out two and a half years later. And then I look at how much I enjoyed Pure.
I'm thoroughly enjoying Wipeout 2048. It's just the right side of frustrating, it's never too hard to make me want to throw it against the wall, but neither is it so easy that there's no challenge. There's a very small sweet spot in a racing game where everything just works. Speed, graphics, controls, reactions, design, challenge, and variety. Wipeout 2048 manages every single one of them.
If you can pick up just one title with your Vita as you walk out the store… It should be this one.


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The rally began with an unaccompanied rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner," sung to an oversized American flag hoisted aloft by a middle-aged man dressed like Captain America.
But the Marvel Comics super-hero impersonator was one of the few fringe elements on display, when about 200 Tea Party members gathered in a small grassy park in the shadow of the Capitol Dome with Washington-based organizers from conservative special-interest groups, House Republicans and, inevitably, the news media.
They had come from as far away as Texas, Michigan and Georgia for a "Kill the Bill!" rally meant to launch an 11th hour grass-roots lobbying effort to stop House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats from achieving victory for the Obama healthcare plan.
But nowhere in sight were those controversial posters that picture President Barack Obama as The Joker from the Batman super-hero series. Also not in evidence was Obama's surname with the first letter styled as a Communist hammer-and-sickle. A few organizers even seemed to play down the Tea Party label a bit by stressing their readiness to join with other brands of conservatives, particularly independents.
Some posters did seem edgy. Several pictured a smiling, cheerful Obama, dressed in a blue tuxedo and sitting in an open coffin marked "Healthcare Bill — R.I.P." Another advised Congress to "Bury Obamacare Like Obama Buried His Birth Certificate." A few warned against socialism, while one curiously pointed out that "Fascism is not Democracy."


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One is a grizzled veteran on the brink of retirement. The other is a hotshot newbie with a whole lot of gumption and even more naivete.
Buddy cop movie? No, it's a scenario even more timeworn and stolid. It's Quarterback Controversy XXVI: Throwdown in Oakland!
As you may have heard, the Oakland Raiders brought in a bit of firepower after the failed Pryor-McGloin duopoly experiment last season. Playing the role of grizzled veteran is Matt Schaub, of the six solid starting seasons in Houston, and the one ignominious 2013. And the cocksure young gumshoe, 2014, will be played by Derek Carr.
The burning question throughout the lukewarm preseason grind: which one is a better quarterback?
It is a fleeting query to answer. There are spools of NFL game film on Schaub and plenty of stats to boot. Carr, on the other hand, has not played a down in the NFL. We haven't even one frame of tape, not a mite of data to crunch. (Side note to Ben & Jerry's: Data Crunch would be a peerless limited-time flavor should the Star Trek franchise ever decide to reboot the Next Generation series for the big screen).
Instead of groping aimlessly at unknowns and settling for apples-to-cider comparisons, perhaps it would behoove Raider Nation to take a look at Schaub and Carr on even footing. The only way to do so is to contrast their college careers.
Therefore, let's hop into the Silver & Black time machine to return to the year 2004, a time when American Idol was still popular, a meme was only discussed in academic debates featuring Richard Dawkins, and a young quarterback from the University of Virginia hoped for a shot at the big time – lest he need to hack it with his voice in front of a simpering Simon Cowell.
Schaub had a tumultuous yet ultimately successful college career. Following a redshirt season in 2000, he made his first start in 2001, but wound up splitting time nearly evenly with a young up-and-comer named Bryson Spinner, of whom you have never heard, and most likely never will again. The next season, Schaub again had to shake off a challenge for the starting role, this time from redshirt freshman, Marques Hagans – another "student-athlete" eventually lost to anonymity.
Schaub entered his senior season on the Heisman watch list. As is far too often the case, the campaign quickly subsided to injury, in this case, a shoulder injury. In a shortened season, Schaub threw for just shy of 3,000 yards in 11 games, with 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. More important than the gross numbers, this amounted to 7.1 AY/A.
Entering the NFL draft, scouts were fairly perfunctory in their assessments. "Although he does not possess a cannon for an arm, Schaub's size and adequate arm are attractive enough for someone to take a shot at him in the third round. I don't see him being any better than a career backup in the NFL," noted one, somewhat dismissively. (All together now: meh!)
Carr, on the other hand, was the unchallenged starter for three seasons at Fresno State. In that time, he never threw for fewer than 3,500 yards in a season. In his last year as a Bulldog, Carr produced over 5,000 yards through the air, resulting in 50 touchdowns and a paltry eight picks. In terms of the all-important adjusted yards per attempt, Carr racked up a laudable 8.7.
Scouts were not so meek about Carr's prospects as a pro. We have all heard the ringing projections. Quite a few draftniks named Carr the top quarterback in the draft – stupidly, in my opinion; to my eyes, Teddy Bridgewater was far and away the best available, but Carr certainly had a sturdy case for runner-up.
Nevertheless, as countless shoulda-coulda-woulda's and several Clausens have taught us, experience routinely trumps potential in the NFL. Between Schaub and Carr, only one has that trump card. Carr almost certainly possesses superior promise, but right now, Schaub is clearly the better option at quarterback. The relative merits of each are only intensified by Carr's singular weakness in college, working against pressure from a broken pocket. A cool head is the only path to a hot streak in the NFL, and based upon his college tape, the Las Vegas Bowl against USC being a case in point, Carr still needs at least one season to learn the finer points of adjusting to pressure.
Dennis Allen had it right – to some, this may seem a syzygy-like rarity – back in March: Schaub is, and should be, the starter.


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Submitted by acohill on Fri, 05/27/2005 - 07:11
Newspapers have been having a hard time with the Internet. Readership of the ink on dead trees editions decline year by year, and instead of taking any responsibility for the lack of appeal, they blame it solely on the Internet itself, although I see a few signs of change.
Our local paper, the Roanoke Times, has been adding new faces to the line up with writing that does not neatly fit the "news" model of olden times. The RT has a great weather column that I read regularly now, and they just did a week long story series on some high school students who went storm chasing in the Midwest--a kind of blogging on dead trees, but a lot more interesting than reprinted AP stories.
Meanwhile, as Internet advertising continues to be very profitable for many Web sites and ad brokers like Google, the New York Times has decided to charge for content with a $50/year subscription. Huh? It seems to me that the NYT has a wonderful opportunity to take a Google-like approach to ads and make a bundle--I suspect a lot of companies would pay to be able to place an ad on the pages of the New York Times. Instead, they have decided to choke off readership by making everyone pay in advance to see anything.
Another national paper I read regularly has just started requiring registration, so I've stopped reading it. The registration is annoying if not dangerous from a privacy issue, since you don't have any control over what they do with the information (yes, you can lie and put false information on the form, but that bothers me too).
I remain convinced that there is an important role for newspaper organizations in the future, but more change and more innovation is going to be needed, or we will start to see some papers fail.
Submitted by acohill on Thu, 05/19/2005 - 10:46
This article about grass roots television programming illustrates the perfect storm developing that has the potential to wreck the Hollywood-based entertainment corporations. Since the days of Milton Berle's live broadcasts, television content has been generated largely by Hollywood. It's been a tight knit cartel of writers, directors, producers, and production companies that have kept video content locked up pretty tightly, in large part because of the cozy relationship with the broadcast networks. Cable has been chipping away at that, but innovation in cable has meant largely following the same old model, but just doing everything as cheaply as possible.
The limitation has always been the same, whether you were delivering a television program over the air, by cable, or by satellite--you have only twenty-four hours per day per channel, so everything is a trade-off of demand versus air time.
Like nearly everything else it touches, the Internet just plain breaks that apart. On the Internet, content is not bound by the delivery mechanism, so we are seeing the end of CDs, the end of DVDs, the end of radio "channels," and the end of TV "channels." Channels were a construct based on the scarcity of bandwidth, and there is no scarcity on the Internet.
So for $1.99, you can download and watch a 45 minute video on how to barbecue a whole pig. But that's not even the interesting part. DaveTV, which is offering the video service, has a BBQ "channel" with more than 1000 video segments, just on barbecuing. Try doing that using the traditional television programming system. You can't. But the Internet makes it simple.
So here's the thing--Hollywood no longer has an edge--none at all. What about your region? Do you have some of the pieces in place to start some Internet TV video production companies? Is your town on a major fiber backbone that could be used to pump video to the rest of the country? Do you have some program assets that could be the basis of a channel like the BBQ channel?
Submitted by acohill on Tue, 05/10/2005 - 11:27
Apple quietly edged closer to a full-fledged video download strategy yesterday with a free upgrade to the company's iTunes software, which works on both Windows and the Mac. EnGadget and other sites are discussing the upgrade, which now allows users to store videos in the iTunes library along with music.
Apple is not saying much about the new feature, which means they aren't ready to lay all their cards on the table. But selling movies is the next logical step after the hugely successful iTunes music business.
What Apple is likely to pioneer is a video distribution system, which will really be more interesting than the content, and will open up all kinds of opportunities for independent producers of video content. While it is still a stretch to download a 2 hour movie using the twenty year old, copper-based DSL and cable modem broadband, the average 22 minute TV program is a different matter.
Instead of having to set up the VCR or the TiVo to record a program at a certain time, imagine if you could go to the iTunes store and just pay ninety-nine cents to buy a copy. And imagine if you could browse an archive of every television show from the last forty years, and you could buy programs in bulk for under fifty cents?
If I was looking for content to test the waters of the iTunes video store, I'd be looking at back episodes of The Simpsons. There would be huge demand, I'd bet, and with it we would come closer to the death of television as we know it.
Submitted by acohill on Mon, 05/09/2005 - 07:01
In a great victory for the rest of us, a Federal appellate court told the FCC to quit mucking with television receivers and to stop meddling in areas for which the Commission has no authorization. If that sounds harsh, it's mild compared to what the judge actually said:
You're out there in the whole world, regulating. Are washing machines next?" asked Judge Harry Edwards. Quipped Judge David Sentelle: "You can't regulate washing machines. You can't rule the world."
Back in 2003, the FCC had declared that all television tuners and receivers sold in the U.S. after July 1st, 2005, had to respect the "broadcast flag," which is a gimmick dreamed up by Hollywood (the Motion Picture Association) to control content unfairly and to force everyone in the country to eventually buy a new TV, among other problems. The broadcast flag, a digital code that would be included on every television broadcast, would tell VCRs, Tivo-type devices, computers, and anything else capable of recording video that the material could NOT be recorded, or if it could, under very limited circumstances.
The FCC rules flew in the face of decades of court rulings that generally said consumers had the right to make recordings for their own use and certain other uses (in libraries, as one example). The "fair use" doctrine has consistently been supported and extended by the courts, even for related technologies like photocopying.
The court ruling will keep some manufacturers from having to drop whole product lines because the cost to add the complicated broadcast flag circuitry was prohibitive.
Submitted by acohill on Wed, 05/04/2005 - 08:59
The Wall Street Journal reports that the New York Times is considering a new approach to providing access to its news articles. Currently, you can view any article less than a week old. After that, you have to pay an absurd $2.95 to see the article.
Under the new scheme, you would pay $50/year to get access to any article in the past 365 days. They are apparently also considering an alternate scheme that would give you full access to the whole NYT archive.
With newspaper circulation in free fall, the Times is only one of numerous papers that must be trying to figure out what to do. While "the Internet" is often blamed for the general decline in newspaper circulation, I think the problem is more basic. I travel a lot, and try to read local papers wherever I go. What I see is a general lack of innovation, creativity, and news. I see this as the ClearChannel problem (ClearChannel owns 1000+ radion stations in the U.S.). As large chains have bought out more and more papers, those papers look more and more alike. Bean counters at the corporate level cut local staffs and budgets, force papers to use more syndicated content, and the result is dull newspapers with all the same (word for word) stories you can find on the Internet.
Newspapers don't look that different than they did one hundred years ago--the big innovation of the last twenty years is color pictures. I'm actually bullish on the future of newspapers; we still need someone to edit the news for us. In fact, I would argue that the role of newspapers--editing the news and providing quality control--is more important now with so many alternate sources available to us. Who has time to check dozens of Web sites daily? Papers condense many news sources and help us sort out the important issues. Newspapers and TV news will never again be primary sources of information, but I see the editorial function as still very relevant.
Submitted by acohill on Thu, 04/28/2005 - 10:49
Wired reports that a San Francisco AM radio station is going to an all-podcast format. The station is inviting people to create their own content and send it to the station, which will screen it and then make it available for download.
Wired's cover story in its print magazine was about the sea change in radio being brought about by MP3 players, and the only surprise is that a station has gone over to the other side this quickly. You don't need an iPod to listen--any MP3 player will do--but Apple's software (iTunes) makes it quick and easy. iTunes is available for both Windows and the Mac, and all iPods work with both Macs and Windows.
Submitted by acohill on Wed, 04/27/2005 - 08:38
After I got horribly lost in rural New Hampshire (the day after a blizzard, with six inches of snow still on some roads), I swore off Mapquest forever. I've never been fond of their directions, which always have too many directions. You know the ones....drive .1 miles and veer to the left...continue for .05 miles and bear left....and so on. It takes longer to read the directions than it does to travel a tenth of mile, and a more accurate instruction would be something like "take the left fork."
The straw that broke this camel's back in New Hampshire was when I found myself in some picturesque little New England town and stopped in the local quick stop for directions. I told them where I was going, and everyone in the store burst out laughing. I asked them what the joke was, and they said, "You must have Mapquest directions." I said, "Yea," and there was another round of laughter. They finally explained that for some reason, the Mapquest directions from Manchester to Conway (my destination) were backwards (left turns were right turns, and so on) for part of the trip, and everyone ended up at this store. I finally got where I was going, and discovered that Mapquest's 18 separate instructions could have been boiled down to three if written out by a human being.
But, like steak knives, there's more! I had to go to Reston last week to the Digital Cities conferences, and I'd never been to that particular hotel before. I did not want to use Mapquest, so I decided to use the new Google Maps feature (part of Google's quest to dominate the universe).
That also turned out to be a really bad idea. Google has much better maps on the screen than Mapquest, but they print out horribly fuzzy. Their directions were much like Mapquest's, but I gave it the old college try.
They were horribly wrong. They dumped me off the highway two exits before the correct one, and the last five or six instructions were, as I found out, quite garbled. Like my previous Mapquest adventure, a human would have produced instructions that were no more than three lines.
Submitted by acohill on Fri, 04/08/2005 - 08:21
Much is being made of Disney's reluctance to push its content out to viewers via Internet-based television (IPTV). The Business Week article is typical--full of handwringing and hysterical headlines like "IPTV revolution may be on hold."
Maybe not. Maybe the revolution will proceed very nicely, thank you, without Disney. Disney and all the other Hollywood content providers will likely be last to the party, while independents with fresh ideas and world class production software from Apple running on cheap Macs will create break out shows.
If anyone thinks you really need the big studios to produce content, look at the current spate of reality shows. Not only are most of them really awful, the production values are pretty low. That's one reason why they are so appealing to the studios and networks--they are cheap.
Who hasn't sat on the couch late one night watching this dreck and thought, "Gee, I could make a reality show a whole lot more interesting than this?" You can, and people already are. The fake ads circulating on the Internet are the tip of the iceberg. The Volkswagen spoof was extraordinarily well done, and there are many other examples of high quality content out there.
The entertainment industry is trying to hold back the tide by running like a bunch of crybabies to Congress to buy some new laws so they can prosecute a few more grandmothers and 14 year olds for illegal downloads. Meanwhile, they are forcing Apple to sell their songs for exactly the same price, more or less, as you'd pay for the songs on a CD, while their distribution cost, courtesy of Apple's iTunes store, is now zero.
Movies are next. Look at the Blair Witch project--a hugely successful movie that made tens of millions of dollars. The whole movie was shot with cheap handheld cameras and edited on Macs. Today, the next Blair Witch movie could be delivered via a paid download using BitTorrent, and the makers of the film would pocket even more money.
Submitted by acohill on Tue, 03/08/2005 - 07:02
USA Today has an unintentionally funny article (page 3B) about Microsoft's "maniacally focused" effort to provide converged instant messaging, email, and voice communications on the Windows platform. The writer apparently fell hook, line, and sinker for Microsoft's PR flack about breakthroughs.
Millions of people have been using converged IM, email, voice, AND video communications for more than a year--it's called iChatAV, and Apple provides it for free on every Mac.
The only thing that might have been maniacal about Microsoft's effort is their determination to catch up with Apple, which has been consistently leaving Microsoft in the dust.
One interesting tidbit in a sidebar to the article--by 2007, it's predicted that 45% of U.S. businesses will be using Voice over IP. Still think this is nothing important?
Submitted by acohill on Tue, 03/08/2005 - 06:54
The blogging community is abuzz with the latest threat to writing and journalism on the Web. There is a move afoot to extend the controversial 2002 Federal campaign laws to bloggers writing about politics. At this point, I don't know enough about the law itself to do much more than merely mention the controversy as an example of how the Law of Unintended Consequences continues to work in the age of the Internet.
It seems to be caught up in the age old (okay, about ten years old) controversy of linking. Some parties say you are campaigning if you simply put a link on your site to the Web site of a candidate running for office.
From a certain angle, I could agree with that. But I always like to look at the practical side. How do you enforce such a thing? Will the Federal Election Commission create "Web Police" who will roam the Web looking for unauthorized links? Will they set up massive, Google-like back room 'bots that try to crawl every site on the Web for a stray link to Joe Fiddleray, who's running for Dogcatcher in Left Elbon, Montana?
I remember reading once that for a law to be a "good" law, it had to be enforceable. I don't think this one is.
Submitted by acohill on Mon, 02/28/2005 - 20:59
Google has wads of cash, and has to spend it on something. So the company has been experimenting with Orkut, a "social software" platform similar to other services like LinkedIn. It has also started offering Google Maps, which now works with more browsers. Unlike Mapquest and some other similar services, Google Maps is fast and produces legible maps. I've always found Mapquest an exercise in frustration; not only are the maps fuzzy and hard to read, the zooming feature is extremely slow.
Google has also rolled out a Local feature that tries to compensate for the otherwise completely useless search for local information. It's nicely done, and seems to be borrowing from Snap and other search engines that actually return inbound link information, and of course, it's tied to Google's map feature. But it seems to aggregate from a rather large area, and many of the inbound links seem to come from link farms, meaning the value of the ranking is suspect. But my guess is that Google has larger fish to fry. By providing customized local searches, Google can continue to vacuum up ad dollars from smaller and smaller companies who know they will get better placement because of the local feature. Will it be worth it? Time will tell.
Another little know Google feature which is potentially a privacy problem is Google's phone number lookup. Type in your phone number on the Google search page, and Google will return your street address. Handy, or great for stalkers and psychopaths who want to find out where you live? Note that you can opt out that.
It will be interesting to see where Google will be in five years. Google is starting to look an awful lot like Microsoft--the market leader with a huge audience, and so much money it can offer virtually any online service quicker and better than competitors. But Microsoft's day has passed, and Google may wane much more quickly.
Submitted by acohill on Mon, 01/24/2005 - 11:06
In my talks to community leaders, I talk about the ability to sell goods and services that are, literally, weightless, via the Internet. I get a lot of blank stares, as some folks still have trouble understanding the revolution in business.
The latest news comes from Apple, which reports it sells more than one million songs PER DAY from its online music store, or nearly half a billion songs per year.
Remember that in the distant past, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, music was pretty heavy. It came in the form of 12" LP records, then tape cassettes, and then CDs. The very same product that used to weigh nearly a pound, in the form of those old records, is now delivered to us as a stream of electrons, radio waves, and/or photons. Same music--better, actually, since the digital recordings don't wear out or suffer tape breakages.
It's a new world, and in every state and in many communities, some businesspeople and entrepreneurs have already made the switch. But what about the rest of your businesses? How are your economic development programs preparing them to boost their business by going online?
Submitted by acohill on Mon, 01/10/2005 - 08:56
An article in the Roanoke Times yesterday (a NY Times reprint) discussed the phenomenal rise of SMS, or Short Message System. SMS, more often called "text messaging," is the cellphone service that lets you send short text messages on your cellphone.
The article was irritating because it implied that because most SMS users are twenty-something or younger, there must be something wrong with older people. The article, without any data to support the conclusion, said that older people were "more comfortable" with the telephone, implying we old geezers just could not get with the new technology.
I've seen a lot of dumb technology reporting, but this article was one of the dumbest. In conversations I've had with "youngsters" who are SMS fanatics, the only they could tell me they used it for was when they were bored. One twenty-something businessperson told me how great it was because when he was in meetings, he could send messages to his friends. The article also said that SMS was popular because you could use it when you were bored.
So here is the "old geezer," "not comfortable with technology" take on this: when I'm in a meeting, I'm trying to pay attention and contribute to the discussion, rather than text messaging about what I plan to have for lunch. That's not "uncomfortable with technology," that's called being mature and responsible.
The article implied that using the phone was somehow a quaint and old-fashioned mode of communication. No, it's fast and efficient. When I have something to say to someone, it's a lot quicker to pick up the phone than to try to type on a 12 button keyboard the size of my thumb. That's not old-fashioned, it's just sensible.
One unfortunate aspect of this technology revolution we are in is that there is this unsubstantiated belief that youth know more about technology than anyone else. I hear it almost every day. While it is true most young people have a higher comfort level with some of this stuff, the fact that a nineteen year old uses it does not inherently make it good or mean that everyone should use it. Let's not throw commonsense out the window with the crank telephones and VCRs.
Submitted by acohill on Fri, 01/07/2005 - 07:45
A colleague sent me a link to another up and coming search engine called Vivisimo. It's a bit different than Snap, which I wrote about yesterday, but like Snap, it handles search results in a way that is genuinely useful, as compared to the typical "jillions of hits" Google result.
Vivisimo seems to do two things very well. First, it tries to identify the most likely results, rather than just returning all of them. Snap and Vivisimo both seem to give you about the same number results on a query, which is to say, many fewer than Google, and those returned are of higher quality.
Vivisimo also clusters results, which is really neat. A little expandable outline appears on the left, and clicking various branches of the tree returns subsets of the total set of results. It does this by looking at related words that do not appear in your query. You have to try it to appreciate it, but once you try it, I think you'll see what an improvement it is over Google.
Submitted by acohill on Thu, 01/06/2005 - 11:56
In a brilliant marriage of a free Open Source piece of software and the iPod, medical radiologists around the world are using iPods to store the huge image files generated by CT and other kinds of scans and x-rays. Eweek has the story of a frustrated radiologist who helped develop the free OsiriX software that allows radiologists to store and manipulate the images on the iPod.
Submitted by acohill on Thu, 01/06/2005 - 11:03
Can anyone imagine life without Google? More than any other Internet service, with the possible exception of email, the availability of Google has become a kind of icon for the changes the Internet has brought over the past ten years. It's even become a verb.
But Google has not changed much since it's start. And over the past year, I've become frustrated with Google results. Too often, a query returns tens or even hundreds of thousands of results. After the second page, you realize most of them have nothing to do with your query. Many other queries return junk starting on the first page; enter the name and state of virtually any town in the U.S., and what you usually get on the first couple of pages is mostly junk--bargain basement hotel room resellers running link farms so that they show up first.
Google as a company, as far as I can tell, has done only two things: they developed a pretty good search engine about six years ago, and figured out how to make Internet ads work. But on the search engine side, they don't seem to have done much since the company started.
I've looked a a bunch of competitors, and as frustrating as Google is much of the time, it's always been better than most of the alternatives. Until now. You might want to bookmark this site and try it a few times:
Snap is doing things entirely differently than Google. Snap queries that I've compared with Google results look very promising. Snap, in my limited trials, has typically returned many fewer results that are much more relevant. Snap also offers you easy ways to resort the results according to different criteria, including what other people have been looking at, which can be both interesting and useful.
Snap is the first search engine that I've thought could dethrone Google. And it could happen quickly. Give it a try.
Submitted by acohill on Wed, 01/05/2005 - 11:17
The NY Times (reg. required) has a short story on the music industry. Music sales are up 1.6% this past year, for the first time in four years.
What happened? Apple legitimized the online music market with it's highly successful iTunes Music Store, and a horde of competing online music services rushed in to give consumers a wide array of choices. Music sales went up.
The music industry, which fought online music sales for years, and still is, actually, has been dead wrong. The music conglomerates have claimed that illegal online music sales were ruining the business, and instead of innovating, the music business ran to Congress to halt innovation with awful legislation like the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act).
But Apple and other innovative companies weren't buying it, and found a way to give consumers what they wanted--affordable and convenient online music stores.
The music industry still has massive problems; artists still get too little of the royalty payments, and record companies are still charging the online stores the same fees they charged distributors for CDs, even though record company costs are now essentially zero.
But ordinary consumers have won, in a small way. Broadband (music downloads really don't work over dialup) brought music lovers increased choice in the marketplace, and allowed a host of new music companies to enter the marketplace and increase competition and choice.
Broadband is working.
Submitted by acohill on Fri, 11/12/2004 - 11:56
AOL has announced that it is dumping its broadband customers in nine states. AOL has been in decline for years, and this is one more indication that the company is completely adrift. AOL's foray into broadband service was a mystery to me in the first place, since they had to resell access purchased wholesale from other providers.
I don't think AOL has ever really understood what it is about. For too long, it thought it was an access company because people bought AOL accounts to get Internet access. But I could told them that was doomed in 1997, if they had wanted to listen. Dial-up is over--growth in dialup peaked at least two years ago, and the DSL, cable, and other broadband providers have been taking AOL's customers since then.
AOL, in my mind, has always been a content company, but I don't think AOL has ever really embraced that as a strategy. They had it too easy for too long, with the Internet build-up dumping buckets of cash into their coffers while the Internet was hot. The problem for AOL has always been that it never was and still is not an Internet access provider. They've always maintained their own personal coccoon for users that was designed and developed long before the Internet took off, and they've never figured out an exit strategy. AOL's Web browser used to drive Web designers nuts because it was so bad--bad because AOL squeezed Internet data through an AOL sieve and still does. No one else does that anymore.
For certain kinds of users, AOL provides a good environment. They've done a nice job of providing a family-friendly interface, as one example. But unless they can finally let go of their legacy systems and reinvent themselves, the company will slowly go out of business.
Submitted by acohill on Fri, 11/05/2004 - 08:46
The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) has decided to sue grandmothers and fourteen year old kids who are allegedly downloading bootleg copies of movies.
Like the music industry attempts at litigation, it accomplished little except prove the stupidity of these movie execs. When "millions" of people are trying to watch your movies, that's called a market opportunity, not a field day for lawyers.
If you haven't heard much about the evils of music sharing lately, it's because Apple (not a music company) is making the music industry millions of dollars through Apple's online music store. Competitors with similar legal music download services are also stuffing millions into the pockets of music company execs.
On the artist side, some bands and musicians now don't bother to even sign a recording contract. Instead, they market their music online, burn their own CDs and sell them online and at concerts, and are free of the tyranny of the music industry.
The movie industry is going through the same convolutions. The Blair Witch Project, an enormously profitable movie, was shot with cheap cameras and edited and produced on some Macintosh computers--no expensive movie industry post-production needed. Apple's Final Cut Pro is now being used to edit and produce big screen movies--changing the entire post production process that used to be dominated by high-priced Hollywood firms. The new technologies are putting much more control in the hands of musicians, directors, and writers--a good thing, unless you are an exec at one of the old Manufacturing Economy businesses that thinking sueing customers is great public relations.
Submitted by acohill on Tue, 10/05/2004 - 08:23
Earthlink faces the same problem AOL is already struggling with--a shrinking market for dial access to the Internet. Earthlink has been staying in the black by slashing customer support and by providing barebones access, as opposed to AOL's tedious, ad-laden interface.
Earthlink has a lot of customers like me, who need occasional dial access from the road, and don't want the dreck AOL ladles out along with it. But I find I need to dial through Earthlink less and less as hotspots, especially in hotels, become more common. As I've written previously, I and many other travelers now pick hotels based on the availability of broadband, not on the kind of shampoo you find in the bathroom.
AOL has tried to keep its customers by extortion--for example, you can't forward your AOL email to another account, which makes it much more difficult to quit AOL if you have used your AOL email address for a long time. AOL is basically saying to customers, "Leave us and your life will be miserable while all your email goes missing for a while." Most other email account providers let you forward your mail.
But back to Earthlink, which is now providing limited VoIP services if you have an Earthlink broadband account. It's a clever move, because the appeal of free calling (at least to some of your friends and family) will help sell the access part.
We're going to see more bundling of services--the phone companies are trying to win back some broadband customers by bundling local, long distance, and broadband, and the appeal, aside from saving a little money, is that you potentially go to one bill from three. In theory, you should also be able to get better service and customer support (in theory).
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text:
My first hug as a freshman during a slow dance at I think homecoming, was amazing. Where did that guy go? Who was he? REALLY!
ic is too much...
Marian-83994 said:
My first hug as a freshman during a slow dance at I think homecoming, was amazing. Where did that guy go? Who was he? REALLY!
THIS is too much...
I AM SICK of these TYPOS.
For maybe 2 months, my "puter" has not had a consistent connection!!! It goes in and out of connected--- ness while I type--- which makes my typos even worse.
Beverly-649723 said:
Time to fess up on that first date! We all probably had knocking knees and sweaty palms, but tell us a bit about your first date--you know, the first REAL DATE! (This could have been in high school to the Prom, a double date to the movies, dinner out, a picnic in the park, etc).
How old were you, and what did you do? Come on, spill all those embarrassing or endearing moments of first dating steps!
I didn't go to my prom, so just before my high school graduation I somehow mustered up the courage to ask a cute girl for a date. To my astonishment, she agreed. When I went to pick her up, she was upstairs getting ready while her mother gave me the third degree. She asked me how long I had my driver's license and I told her two weeks. "Two weeks!" she shouted. I quickly countered that I had been driving for about a year- we practiced in a field near my house, but I didn't tell her that. In spite of myself, we were free to go. I had saved my money and took her to see Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, playing at a large hotel in downtown DC. Other than her noticing a lady at another table had the same dress, that part went reasonably well. As soon as I pulled into her driveway, key in hand, she bolted for her front door. That was my first date. I haven't learned a dang thing about women since.
DON't GIVE UP on WOMEN. You can learn a lot from us still.
My first actual date might have been a football game or the homecoming dance sophomore year. I have a picture of me with my date Bob, in a suit and I am wearing this beautiful (very short) pink dotted swiss dress with beautiful ribbons hanging from the empire waist.
OUR Dresses were so pretty back then. I still have that dress somewhere at my moms.
Frankly, both dates made me nervous and it is sad when we really are young and do not know our date well. Maybe there was a date freshman year, to the home coming, I don't quite know. I think I went there stag? or it could have been a mixer.
Freshman year in the Fall was hard. My main crush broke up with me suddenly to date a girl who would put out. This was very common from an early age. Very sad.


text:
* denotes books with characters from Rosato & Associates
Lisa and her daughter, Francesca Serritella, have teamed up to bring their hilarious and witty perspective on the everyday life as mother and daughter in their weekly essays which you can find in their latest collection, Have a Nice Guilt Trip. With stories that will have you laughing out loud one minute and tearing up the next, Lisa and Francesca connect with readers on a deeply emotional level because of the honesty they bring to their stories and by the time you turn the last page you will feel like you just found two new best girlfriends. Earlier collections include Meet Me at Emotional Baggage Claim, Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog, My Nest Isn't Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space, and Best Friends, Occasional Enemies.
Chick Wit: "Picking Quarrels and Provoking Troubles"
Lisa Scottoline | October 19, 2014
Well, that settles it.
I'm not moving to China.
You probably read last week about Guo Yushan, a Chinese man who was arrested there for breaking the country's law against "picking quarrels and provoking troubles."
Somebody needs to stop sweating the small stuff.
Lighten up, China.
I can't imagine making a law against picking quarrels and provoking troubles. I don't think life's worth living if you can't pick a quarrel or provoke troubles from time to time.
In fact, I was raised to pick quarrels and provoke troubles.
Mother Mary specialized in picking quarrels and provoking troubles.
I remember the time I ordered her a crossword puzzle jar from the New York Times, but it never got delivered to her. She raised holy hell with the New York Times itself.
The Gray Lady was no match for my gray lady.
I wouldn't want to live in a country in which nobody picks quarrels or provokes troubles.
First, there would be no lawyers.
OK, maybe that's a bad argument.
Please don't think I'm making fun of the Chinese situation. I'm just trying to find the humor in it, which is exactly what Mr. Guo did himself before he was arrested. He predicted his own arrest because, two years ago, he had helped his friend, a blind legal activist, escape to the United States with his family.
So Mr. Guo knew he'd get in trouble for making trouble.
Because, under Chinese law, that's the same thing as helping your friend.
Who just happens to be blind.
I'm pretty sure the Chinese government must have a heart, but I'm not sure exactly where.
I'm guessing they kick puppies in their spare time.
Seeing Eye puppies.
But to be fair to China, the world abounds with people who wish you would just Sit Down and Shut Up, and some of them make their way to the top of companies.
Like Microsoft.
I'm referring to Mr. Satya Nadella, who recently advised female employees in the tech industry not to ask for raises. He said, "It's not really about asking for the raise, but knowing and having faith that the system will actually give you the right raises as you go along. It's good karma. It will come back."
In other words, ladies, don't pick quarrels.
Don't make trouble.
Sit down and shut up, and the system will reward you.
Is there any woman in the world who believes this is a good way to operate, in any area of her life, on any planet in this or any other galaxy?
Honestly, I tried that and it doesn't work.
Mr. Nadella also said, "That's the kind of person that I want to trust, that I want to give more responsibility to."
Of course, as soon as he said this, any woman worth her ovaries threw a fit, so he later apologized for being "inarticulate."
I disagree.
I think he was articulate, and he said exactly what he thinks, and I don't accept his apology.
You can't apologize for being sexist.
The only thing he's sorry for is that he said it out loud, to a roomful of people with ears.
And ovaries.
What scares me is that his attitude isn't unique to him, CEOs, or even men, but there are plenty of women who feel the same way.
I myself was one of them.
I was a good girl who did all the homework and got good grades, so I naturally assumed that if I kept quiet and kept doing well, success would follow.
I learned the hard way that it doesn't.
That you not only have to ask for what you want, but if they don't give it to you, you have to go out and get it, all by yourself.
Bring a club, so that you can bonk it on the head and drag it home if that's what it takes.
And by the way, it might take years to get what you want, but don't be patient.
On the contrary, be impatient.
Ask, then demand, and if you have to, get out your club.
Karma might work, but it takes too long, and why wait?
These are the things I taught myself, because I had simply forgotten the lesson Mother Mary used to say to me, which isn't exactly sweet and motherly sounding, but is profoundly true:
She always said, "Lisa, don't take any crap."
Only she didn't say "crap."
Because she was cooler than that.
Mother Mary would not have done well in China.
God bless her.
© Lisa Scottoline 2014