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An interesting thing is about to happen to home computing—the "Desktop" that GNU/Linux never seems able to liberate from proprietary Windows may be just about to become irrelevant. Three independent, ultra-low-end computing platforms are being released—platforms that, like the first "desktop PCs" will be mostly owned by people who've never owned computers before. Every one of them will run GNU/Linux!
Considering that GNU/Linux and other free operating systems are already a major force on the high end of servers, mainframes, and supercomputers and that GNU/Linux has begun to become extremely popular in embedded computers because of its portability and low cost—the once almighty desktop is now bracketed on the top and bottom by newer, GNU/Linux-based systems. Microsoft's core domain is starting to look kind of puny and obsolete.
Embedded gadgets or the new PC?
When the first "personal computers" came out, they were pretty primitive systems. The very first Apple to go to market, for example, was not a full "personal computer", but more like what today we would call a "console"—it kept costs down by using your television set instead of a dedicated monitor. That's useful, because monitors tend to be the most expensive parts of modern desktop computers. Also, the monitor cost is not nearly so elastic as other parts of the computer—there are plenty of technological measures you can apply to get the cost of a computer PC's electronics from $500 to $50, but if the monitor is going to cost a minimum of $300 anyway, then why bother?
Of course monitor technology is improving and getting cheaper at the same time. The monitor on my son's Nintendo DS is a wonderful thing to behold, when your first computer was a TRS-80 Model I! Evolved from this end, developed for pricey "smart phone" and cheaper portable game consoles, this is one solution for the problem: make a new computer as just a really smart version of existing embedded technology.
One Laptop Per Child
Give that arrangement "laptop" styling, and you have the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project's "$100 Laptop", which is currently in production design in Taiwan, by Quanta, and will likely be delivering its first units towards the end of this year.
The OLPC laptop design makes sense, because it's targeted at kids that most likely don't even have TVs (blessed are the meek—for they shall inherit participatory culture before they are addicted to consumerism?), which means that the computer must be a complete package. Also, since many of the locations of interest are rural, developing world locations, a number of other design features make the machines relatively proof against real world problems like poor network connectivity and harsh environments (well actually, that's just because they'll be taken care of by kids!).
The target number of sales of the OLPC laptop is staggering. I think maybe you have to be a person who regularly deals with numbers to appreciate this. Adding another zero doesn't look like much on paper, but it makes a lot of difference, nevertheless. One hundred million, is a very large number of computers, and while it still falls far short of the total number of kids on this planet, it's a pretty good start. For the flip side of that comparison, it will mean just about doubling Quanta's total output, for one product. That's why the low price tag is possible: the designers are applying a quantity of scale that has not been common in the rapidly changing PC marketplace. This is a case of "good enough" being the enemy of "best": in the higher end of the PC marketplace in the developed world, there is a perception that everyone wants the best, top-of-the-line, newest thing available, and that they will always be willing to pay a (virtually fixed) price to get that. It's what the marketplace delivers, and we do buy them, so they must know something.
On the other hand, I have often personally wanted to see the priorities change. For example, I wouldn't mind a laptop that was circa 1997 in speed, graphics, memory, and weight, if it would run for 12-24 hours on battery and cost less than $500. But the industry has never delivered one. Instead, they keep making thinner and lighter laptops that are meant to be as good or better than top-of-the-line desktop systems, but they still have lame battery life of only 2-4 hours on a good day, and they cost twice as much as I've ever spent on building my own desktop system. This is why I don't have a laptop—and why I personally would pay $300 for an OLPC-style laptop if Quanta decides to market one to us poor, deprived "developed world" folks (in fact, I have spent about that much on an "obsolete" laptop in the past, but it still has the battery-life problem. And yes, of course, I could buy a Nokia 770, which is likely similar in need—but it's also pretty similar to the OLPC laptop in design, isn't it?).
Reds waving a Red Flag
Red Flag Linux, that is. A company (if that's the proper word) inside of mainland China is producing a new computer that's a lot like new game console systems, or a lot like that old Apple (or the old TRS-80 Color Computer, which is what I learned to program on), in that it provides a CPU and keyboard, and uses the television set for a monitor. They plan to sell it for about $150 a unit, making it definite competition for the $100 laptop for the folks who do have access to televisions (and dismissing, IMHO, the concerns that the laptops would just wind up on the black market: there will be good, legal alternatives).
This new system is also interesting because it's based on a processor designed by a Chinese research group. I'm not sure if the design is truly "open hardware" in the world at large, but the Chinese motivation in using it, is clearly the same motivation that free-licensed hardware provides: they will not be beholden to US chip manufacturers in setting their bottom line, their production needs, or what they need their hardware to do.
They'll comply with new Chinese laws to provide legitimate operating systems on each of these pre-installed systems by installing Red Flag Linux, of course. What else would they use? The new systems won't be running Intel architecture, so portability is a major factor.
Playstation's new "super computer"
Sony CEO Ken Kutaragi was definitely getting a little over-excited when he started billing the upcoming new Cell-based Playstation 3 as a "super computer", but he made it quite clear that the new console will be a computer, not just a game console, and it will have an operating system. Oh, it will run games, and in full, living, DRM-locked color (I know, it would be nice, if implausible, to report that Sony would jump on the free software bandwagon, but, hey, baby steps are still good—at least they are ditching region-coding, which I think is a good sign), but it will also have a 60 GB hard drive, and at least the ability to run GNU/Linux from that drive (the details are still fuzzy, but it sure would make business sense to pre-install some GNU/Linux distro on that hard drive).
Speculation about the new system is rampant, and it won't come out until this Fall (it was delayed), so you must take a bit of what I'm saying with a grain of salt, but I am basing this on unofficial statements from Sony, reported on a number of fairly reputable game news sites. However, the apparent cost will be in the neighborhood of $400 for this new console. It's a big step up from the PS/2, which you can get now for about $150, but it's still awfully cheap compared to desktop computers.
Between the people who will buy it only because it's a game console, and the people who are smart enough to figure out that $400 is a great deal for an actual computer, this machine is going to find its way into a lot of homes in the developed world (especially Japan and the USA). Many of those will be homes that were never in the "desktop market".
Switching is hard to do
"So?", you might be inclined to ask. Well, Microsoft does not hold onto its dominance of the desktop market because people have looked at Windows, Mac OS X, and GNU/Linux, and decided that Windows is a better product. They use Windows because it's what they've always used. If they remember that far back, they used it because it came from the same place that MS-DOS did. It was a straight upgrade. For many, it was what came already installed on their computer, and they may not even feel competent to change that, even if they wanted to try something else.
In other words, the resistance to GNU/Linux and other free software in the desktop world is not that it is somehow "not ready for the desktop" or "not as polished as Windows", though you will still hear both claims.
No, the real problem is that people are conservative and lazy: they use the tool they have, instead of searching for a better one.
So, what will the world look like, when there's a huge class of people for whom it is GNU/Linux that has that status?
The independent development of these new very low end systems, and the fact that they have all settled (pretty easily) on using GNU/Linux, makes it seem likely to me that this is just the leading edge of a new wave in the commoditization of computing.
Lesser penetration of Microsoft
The popularity of Linux has really increased. The cost factor has not helped Microsoft. Its popularity ,still very high, is on decline though. MIcrosoft has to change its approach fast.
Microsoft is a giant organization with a lot of resources. But as organizations grow they become more vulnerable from newer, faster changing organizations, as we see the Microsoft today. The battle is still on between Linux and M$, and it will not end soon as the pockets of M$ are deep. But M$ are not dead, and I think one will see some amazing things in the future as well.


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I'm thinking of making a lego table but my 2 children both use different lego. My oldest uses normal lego and my youngest uses duplo. Just wondering if there is a base plate that both types of lego will work on?
A regular LEGO base plate will work with DUPLO bricks. As demonstated in this question, the two systems are compatible in a number of ways. Here's an example of someone using system base plates with DUPLO bricks:
What you need is a Nilo brick mat. It's a rubbery mat that has standard (small) lego studs on one side, and dulpo on the other. You can buy them on Amazon, Ebay or straight from Nilo. http://www.nilotoys.com/acc.htm
I just found a new base plate that is easer and better. You can get it 2 feet by 2 Feet or 2 feet by 4 feet and they put themes and pictures on it as well or you can just get white and build on it.. I looked around and this is the cheapest and best I have seen. I got a prototype from the company and loved it. I would not build another table again!! The bricks really worked well with it and my son loves it. www.slabdreamlab.com
Actually, a Duplo brick only works on Duplo size cylinders or mips. You really can't snap a Duplo brick onto Lego mips for true FUN. Nilo's Block Mats are both TRUE LEGO on one side and TRUE DUPLO on the other. They are dual use. Four of them would be an area 32" x 48" coming in at around the same price,perhaps a better value. But, it is cool to have a graphic image printed on them if you like that sort of thing.
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Saskatoon is already looking forward to playing host to PotashCorp Country Music Week and the Canadian Country Music Awards in 2012. On September 9, the Saskatoon Host Committee ... More
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The Canadian Province Saskatchewan will participate for the first time in the World Routes Conference in Berlin. A delegation of business and tourism contacts will represent the strongest growing economy in ... More


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Q&A is a series on the Business Intelligence from the Swamp Blog that interviews key members of the Pentaho team to learn more about their focus at Pentaho and outlook on the Business Intelligence industry.
Our Q&A today is with Wayne Johnson, Senior Sales Engineer at Pentaho. When he's not on webcast or in meetings with potential customers, Wayne is SuperDad to five kids, an adjunct college professor and competes in triathlons. To learn more about Wayne's role at Pentaho and view on Business Intelligence we asked him four questions:
1. What brought you to Pentaho?
Back in 2009 I was made aware of Pentaho by competing against them in an opportunity where I represented a proprietary BI Vendor. When Pentaho approached me to discuss the possibility of joining their team, I was very apprehensive due to their business model. I just didn't understand it. Instead of writing it off, I decided to do my research and started reading a book called Wikinomics by Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams. This book not only changed my view on Pentaho but no pun intended, it opened my eyes to the benefits of Open Source (it was also a plus that Pentaho was mentioned in the book). So I decided to take a risk and jump on board.
2. What do you do for Pentaho?
Currently I am a Senior Sales Engineer who specializes in managing the Evaluation Experiences our evaluators have with our software. Opposed to proprietary BI Vendors, companies are encouraged to try our software out to see if it is a fit for their organization. Anyone with even a little experience in BI knows, however, that downloading, installing and building solutions with Enterprise Software would require some hand holding. That is where I come in. I make sure that those people that are evaluating our software have access to the resources and people they need to be able to accurately and efficiently evaluate Pentaho successfully.
3. How do you define a successful evaluation?
You would probably think my answer to this question is simply, one that ends in a subscription to Pentaho:-) A more accurate answer is: A successful evaluation is one that has provided the evaluator with enough information to make an informed decision on whether they can meet their business needs with the use of Pentaho. While the majority of our prospects come to the conclusions that Pentaho is the right solution to meet their business needs, some organizations do come to the conclusions that it is not. I view both evaluations as successful because we have kept the customer in mind and solving their business needs as a priority, not just trying to make a sale, that is something I take great pride in.
4. What characteristics do successful evaluations have in common?
There are definitely some common characteristics that I have seen in companies being able to successfully evaluate not just Pentaho, but any enterprise software package. These are:
- Clearly Identified Business Needs – As I stated earlier, that a successful evaluation determines the ability to solve a specific business need, knowing that need is vital to gauging whether or not the software package will meet that need.
- Having a Plan – If you were to take a trip driving from San Francisco to New York, you can either just get in your car, head east until you hit the coast then drive north along the coast until you hit New York. This method would prove to be very time consuming and costly, especially considering gas prices these days. Similarly, evaluating a software solution to meet your clearly identified business needs without a plan will be very time consuming and costly, especially with the limited amount of time and resources most companies are struggling with today. Additionally, you run the huge risk of making the "wrong turn" on your evaluation route. Having a plan ensures that you keep your eye on the objectives and have concrete milestones to check off during your evaluation. It will also help you make your decision once you have arrived at your destination.
- Executing the Plan – this may require a custom demonstration from the software provider, a test drive of the software using sample data, an evaluation of the software in your environment using your own data or engaging with Professional Services in order to prove out your plan. Each company's needs are different and may require a different execution of their plan. The important part is to seek out is a software provider that provides ALL of those plan execution methods and does not limit you to their plan. The problem is that most don't allow you to download, install and test the software yourself. For this reason I really enjoy working here at Pentaho, not only do we give you access to download and test the software for free for 30 days, but we also provide you with free evaluation support for those 30 days.
By following these three best practices around evaluating Pentaho or any other enterprise level software, you are guaranteeing that no matter what the decision is, you will have a successful evaluation.
Do you have additional questions for Wayne? Is there someone or a certain role at Pentaho you would like us to interview? Leave your questions in the comments section below. We'd love to hear from you.


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For Immediate Release
This year the Juno Awards (the Canadian version of the Grammy's) was held on April 21, 2013 at the Brandt Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. The theme was, "It's Gonna Get Loud!" … and it delivered – with the famous host Michael Bublé, driving viewership higher than last year, and topping out at nearly 7 million throughout the evening. The award show captured the 18-34 year olds attention last Sunday and was the third highest audience it has had on that national network.
Congratulations go out to Mike Murley, a Selmer Paris Saxophone artist who won the Juno for Traditional Jazz Album of The Year category. Said Mike on winning the award, "I am thrilled that my latest release, "Test of Time" has won the 2013 Juno Award in the traditional jazz category. As usual, there were a number of strong Canadian Jazz recordings released over the past year and I am truly honored to receive this recognition."
The Juno Award for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year has been awarded since 1977. It began as the Best Jazz Album, later was also known as the Best Mainstream Jazz Album and then Best Traditional Jazz Album – Instrumental. It is in recognition of the best traditional jazz album nationally across Canada. The Juno Awards are bestowed annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to recognize their musical accomplishments.
About Conn-Selmer
Vincent Bach instruments are handcrafted in the U.S.A. by Conn-Selmer, Inc., the largest manufacturer of band, orchestral instruments and accessories in the United States. Conn-Selmer is a subsidiary of Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. For complete information, visit www.bachbrass.com.
Conn-Selmer is the leading manufacturer and distributor of musical instruments for student, amateur and professional use under the brand portfolio of Vincent Bach, CG Conn, King, Holton, Selmer, Armstrong, Leblanc, Ludwig, Musser, Prelude, Glaesel, Soloist, William & Lewis, Scherl & Roth. With a focus on quality craftsmanship, innovation and superior musical performance, Conn-Selmer operates U.S.A. production facilities.
Conn-Selmer is the North American distributor of Selmer Paris woodwinds, the U.S.A. distributor Yanagisawa saxophones and the global distributor for Jiggs pBone.
Through its educational program, Conn-Selmer is the industry leader in providing support and advocacy tools tailored to music education.
For more information on the complete line of instruments, services and support available contact Conn-Selmer at P.O. Box 310, Elkhart, IN 46515-0310 U.S.A. or visit www.conn-selmer.com.


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US Olympian, Going for Gold, to Join Goldman Sachs After London Games
When Peter Hudnut joins our Private Wealth Management team in Los Angeles later this month, he's likely to have some exciting stories about the 2012 Olympics to share with his new coworkers.
Peter, a member of the U.S. men's water polo team and a prior silver medal winner (Beijing, 2008), tells ESPN that he's confident in the squad's chances this year. "We're good. We are 'gold' good," he told ESPN's Julie Foudy in an interview.
Peter will be reporting for work at Goldman Sachs the day after his final match with the U.S. men's water polo team at the 2012 London Olympics.
According to an article on ESPN.com, Peter's childhood obsession with the Olympics led him to begin playing water polo at the age of nine. He attended Stanford on a water polo scholarship, leading his team to two national championships.
Peter Hudnut's Road to Gold:
• Won silver medal in 2008 Beijing Games after Team USA defied odds to reach the gold-medal game against Hungary
• Put water polo on hold to attended Stanford Business School, graduating with an MBA in 2011
• Deferred his employment at Goldman Sachs for a year in order to train with the rest of the Olympic team for a chance to win the first U.S. water polo gold medal since 1904
Presently, there are twenty other Olympians who are employees or alumni of Goldman Sachs.
See the full interview and read a profile of Peter Hudnut on ESPN's website. Also, see "Water Polo: What's Not to Love" (ESPN.com).


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2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 - '08 Challenger SRT8Written by on April 8, 2008 Contributors: David Freers Believe The Hype. It's Here, It's Real, And Yeah, It Has A Hemi. The Challenger Is Happening-Starting Now.
The '08 Challenger is available only as an SRT8. Of more than 6,000 buyers who've already signed up, over half chose Hemi Orange Pearl. The other two '08 colors are Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl and Bright Silver Metallic.>
This story actually began two years ago in snowy old Detroit at the '06 North American International Auto Show. Chrysler shoved its Challenger Concept out in front of the assembled mob at Cobo Hall and coyly asked, "Hey, think we ought to build some of these?" Needless to say, the crowd went mad for the new/old unit. Fast-forward to 2008 and here we are: The retro-futuristic Challenger is now going into production. Dodge dealers officially started taking deposits early in December, racking up over 4,300 confirmed orders on the first day.
Remember back when retro was the latest thing? In recent times the automakers have given us the New Beetle, the New Mini, the '05 Ford Mustang, the Ford GT. . . all efforts to hearken back to past glories while also prying some brand-new cash from buyers' wallets. Chrysler and Dodge have as much memorable motor history to call upon as anyone, so it's only right they would want a piece of that action too. In that regard the original Dodge Challenger is a natural, the perfect choice for vehicular retro-cloning. While the Challenger came to the ponycar/musclecar wars a little late in 1970, it was always regarded as one of the sharpest-looking of the bunch with its clean, distinctive lines. And with the optional 426 Street Hemi, it was one of the hairiest performers of the era, too. Clearly an encore was justified.
This new Challenger is built on what is known internally at Chrysler as the LC platform, a variation of the LX platform upon which the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and Dodge Magnum station wagon are based. And like its brothers, the Challenger will be produced exclusively at Chrysler's Bramalea Assembly Plant in Brampton, Ontario, just west of Toronto. (The slow-selling Magnum was recently discontinued, no doubt in part to make room on the line for the Challenger.) Naturally, the two-door LC shares much of its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive architecture and parts catalog with the four-door LX floorpan; the main difference is a 4-inch reduction in wheelbase from 120 to 116 inches. That's 6 inches longer than the original 110-inch Dodge E-body back in 1970. The new Challenger's front and rear track are identical to the four-doors at 63.0 inches front and 63.1 inches rear. So while the new Challenger is a ponycar, it's a plus-size.
Although the LC/LX floorpan is designed to accommodate a wide array of V-6 and V-8 drivetrains, the '08 Challenger will be available only as an SRT8 with a 6.1 Hemi. With 425 hp at 6,000 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm, it's the same unit found in the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300C SRT8 models. It features an oversquare 103mm bore and 90.9mm stroke, a deep-skirted cast-iron block with cross-bolted main caps, aluminum heads with a 10.3:1 compression ratio, and Chrysler's contemporary rendition of hemispherical combustion chambers. And while it makes its power in a whole different way-with sequential EFI instead of dual Carter AFBs and with high-tech efficiency instead of brute torque-its power rating is identical to that of the original Chrysler Street Hemi: 425 hp, of course.
The Hemi is coupled with the usual W5A580 five-speed AutoStick gearbox, built at Chrysler's Kokomo, Indiana, transmission facility but originally designed by Chrysler's former owner, Mercedes-Benz. Word is that for the '09 model year, the latest Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual box, the same unit used in the '08 Viper, will be an option. A 5.7L Hemi V-8, a 3.5L V-6, and four-speed automatic and five-speed manual transmissions reportedly will be available for 2009 as well. But these aren't official facts just yet; the formal announcement will be made soon.
All Challengers will have Chrysler's five-link independent rear suspension with antiroll bar, while the '08 SRT8 gets a limited-slip differential with 3.06:1 gears. Front suspension is short/long-arm with coilover gas-charged dampers. This is only a loose estimate we extracted from Chrysler program engineers using enhanced interrogation techniques, but curb weight for the Challenger in SRT8 spec is projected at 4,140 pounds. That means, we guess, that acceleration figures should be roughly in the same neighborhood as the slightly heavier four-door Charger: 0-60 mph in around 5 seconds, with quarter-miles in the low 13s at approximately 107 mph, give or take.
Michael Castiglione of Chrysler's Pacifica Studio designed the original Challenger Concept for the '06 Detroit Auto Show, with Allen Barrington performing the dash and interior. However, when it came time to turn the Concept into a real volume-production vehicle, Chrysler Design Manager Jeff Gale and Brian Nielander took the controls. Brian is responsible for the ME-412 and Chrysler Firepower concept vehicles, while Jeff was lead designer on the most recent Chrysler minivan lineup. Jeff is also the son of former Chrysler design chief Tom Gale, who coincidentally participated in the design of the original '70 Dodge Challenger.
Though it's difficult to spot when comparing the two cars, there are considerable differences between the Concept and the production Challenger. For one thing, the production car is 4 inches narrower. "We had to pull in the A-pillars 2 inches on both sides," says Jeff. A number of styling tricks were employed to create the classic long-hood/short-deck ponycar look on a contemporary floorpan: The front overhang was pushed out 2 inches, the windshield was raked back, and the lower thrust line was raised to pull the weight of the look upward.
While the '70 Challenger and the new one may be very different in proportion and detail, the goal was to capture and represent the true essence of the original. "We call it creating a 'mind's-eye view' of a 1970 Challenger," says Jeff. What was the greatest challenge of the job? "Aerodynamics" Jeff answers, a little surprisingly. "We worked very closely with our guys in the wind tunnel to make sure the car handles well. We spent a lot of time getting the balance and downforce right."
No, we didn't really get to drive the Challenger. We barely got to touch it. Due to our magazine's lead time, we were kindly given the opportunity to photograph and examine the SRT8 over two months before it was scheduled to be officially unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show in February. The car was delivered to our Detroit photo studio via enclosed truck, in full camouflage and under cover of darkness, with a technician practically handcuffed to the door handle. Super nice guy, but a little jumpy-especially when we suggested stuff like smoky burnouts. But we'll be getting our hands on a new Challenger soon enough, and when we do we'll have the full report.
More Photos From This Article View Slideshow
All '08 Challengers get the same 6.1 Hemi used in the Charger SRT8, rated at 425 hp. Engine and transmission choices will open up for the '09 model year to include another V-8 and a V-6, Chrysler sources have leaked.One major change as the Challenger Concept became a real production car: It's no longer a true hardtop. A fixed B-pillar is hidden behind the stationary, partially blacked-out quarter-glass for increased body rigidity. Federal side-impact and rollover standards aided Chrysler in the decision.Shortly after our photo session, Dodge decided to revise the dash trim from this carbon-fiber treatment to a titanium-weave appliqu. At this moment you are looking at a rare Challenger prototype that never went into production.A matte-black rear deck spoiler is standard on the '08 Challenger, with SRT8 badges slathered tastefully throughout the car. The '08 cars will get a special, sequentially numbered dash plaque.Brembo four-piston front calipers are standard on the SRT8, as are 20-inch forged-aluminum wheels. The tires on our preproduction prototype were Goodyear F1 Supercar 245/45ZR20 front, 255/45ZR20 rear.Like the '70 Challenger (but not the '71 through '74 models), the new car sports a full-width taillamp assembly with center-mounted backup lights.Seats and upholstery are very similar to the original Challenger Concept, in black leather with velvety mousehide inserts, orange accent stripes, and SRT8 embroidery.All '08 Challengers will be five-speed automatics. Sorry, no sticks, but navigation is one of the few available options, along with Chrysler's MyGig multimedia infotainment system (900 bucks). Sticker price for the high-content SRT8 is $37,995, or $40,095 including the anticipated $2,100 gas-guzzler tax.
The outboard lamps are the headlights, while the inboard "headlights" contain the park/turn lamps. Foglamps are below. Challenger designers carefully laid back the original Challenger's nose contours to obtain respectably modern drag numbers.Unlike the Challenger Concept, the production car has an external flip-out fuel door on the left rear quarter-panel. Fuel-tank capacity is 19 gallons.


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Picking a gym? Do your legwork
|Sandra Goocher, 46, takes a Pilates class at the YMCA in Mission Viejo, California, on Saturday, January 12, 2013. (Ana P. Gutierrez/Orange County Register/MCT)
It's an instinct that the owners of fitness centers anticipate. They can see you and your mile-long list of resolutions coming down the highway.
Despite the sluggish economy, people are flocking to gyms in greater numbers than ever: An estimated 51.4 million people were going to fitness centers at the start of 2012, according to an annual survey conducted by the Boston-based International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, a trade association representing gyms. That's up 12.8 percent from four years earlier. Members went an average of 102.5 days during 2011, about twice a week.
"That's the highest we've tracked," association senior research manager Melissa Rodriguez said.
This is why, against all inclinations, you should wait a bit before signing up for a gym membership. Many health-related businesses seem like they're peddling some sweet deals out there, but the law of basic economics applies: When demand for a product or service is high, the price point for it rises in kind.
Instead, use this first month of 2013, when the sales crews at gyms already are eagerly signing up new clients, to test the waters. Find a place that really suits you - your goals, your personality, your schedule and your budget.
Here are a few tips for your painstaking, well-researched, totally-not-hurried search:
What works for you? Not to get too philosophical, but if you really like Pilates, you should probably go to a Pilates studio. Or take dance classes, or swim in the mornings, or go to an ice rink. If you like watching ESPN while logging miles on the elliptical, go with that.
What can you afford? If you spring for an expensive gym membership - say, $80 a month - that works out to $19,200 over the course of 20 years. Many big gyms - like a 24 Hour Fitness - have everything you could imagine. If you're only using a fraction of it, you're overpaying. Don't buy too much gym.
Compare and contrast: Many gyms have free trial periods, measured in sessions or days. Take advantage of this and see whether you like a particular class, whether machines are maintained well, whether the locker rooms are kept clean. The sales rep doesn't need to know you're trying five other gyms at the same time.
Investigate the really great deals: This is especially the case with bargain gyms or specific memberships. Check the fine print to see if your visits are limited with that super-cheap monthly rate.
Wait till the end of the month: As personal trainer Jason Anderson writes, most gyms have quotas. "At the first of the month, these sales goals don't seem as daunting to employees as they do in the last week of the month," he advises. Making a commitment later in the month enhances the odds that you'll get a deal.
Bargain: When the moment of truth comes, negotiate. Ask if they'll waive that exorbitant initiation fee, or throw in some guest passes or a couple of personal-training sessions for free. There might be a discount if you bring along a friend to sign up. It doesn't hurt to ask.
See if your employer, or your insurance company, will reimburse you for the monthly cost.
Check out neighborhood alternatives. There might be a YMCA or a community center in your city that you've never investigated. If you have kids, the Y has play areas that can come in handy, in addition to tons of activities and programming for everyone in the family.
"We have seen in our study that it's not uncommon for members to belong to more than one club," said Rodriguez, of the gym trade association. "They might belong to one that's close to work and another that's close to home."
Whatever works for you and your lifestyle.
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CLASSIC CARS, ANY CONDITION. Top dollar paid, we pick up anywhere in the U.S. 25 years experience. We will buy one car or complete collections. Mercedes- Benz, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Bugatti, BMW, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Delage, Delahaye, Auburn, Buick, Cord, Cadillac, Chrysler, Duesenberg, Packard, Lincoln, Stutz, Pierce-Arrow, Studebaker and various European and American Classic & sports cars. Please call Peter Kumar. 1-800-452-9910 or email: email@example.com.
WANTED: 1935 or older luxury cars, Pierce-Arrow, Packard, Lincoln, Auburn . . . Barn fresh or restored for my museum. Pay cash, call Ed: 734-755-3609 or contact me at email@example.com, www.edsoldiron.net.


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I use revision control (Subversion, to be exact) to keep track of the edits to my LaTeX documents. Is there a LaTeX package that interfaces with revision control? Specifically, it would be nice to see the revision number and time and date inside the document. (Obviously, I'd turn this off in the final version.) Also, it might be nice to get a PDF showing what was added and removed in a given revision.
Yes, there are packages called
For systems like CVS or Subversion, which modify source files, the TeX FAQ's bare-bones answer is my favourite:
It's not very sophisticated, but you're only going to use it for draft versions, so this is a case where simple and robust beats pretty.
Systems like Mercurial or Git don't modify source files. In such cases, a good solution is to generate a file which can be
Update: the OP also mentioned changes between versions. That turns out to be a bit tricky in LaTeX, but the TeX FAQ has a discussion of the various (not completely satisfactory) possibilities.
Edit: More recent versions of Mercurial require the
For the last part of your question, I like the Perl script
For Git and Mercurial the only packaged option for writing revision information to the output document is the vc-bundle, which works without keyword substitution by writing to an
For rendering a diff document a commit hook could be used that calls latexdiff-vc. Just inspecting diffs word-based instead of line based can be done with wdiff, or dwdiff. Git has a helpful diff mode with --color-words
there is a nice package called gitinfo for the use with git. In combination with some easy Makefile gymnastics, this gives pretty nice results, all explained well in the manual of the package.
Edit: As Brent Longborough, the author of gitinfo, pointed out there is now a new version available: gitinfo 2
It simplifies the whole handling in a considerable way. Check it out!
Keyword substitution is frowned on by revision control purists and is not facilitated in some modern systems such as Git and Darcs.
Solution recommended to me is to have a script generate the information and then write it to a file.
Then add the information from file using
If your document uses multiple source files like
To get the revision id, date and time inside the document you need to use keyword substitution.
Once you've set up your repository to do the substitution you can then insert
To do this I don't use a LaTeX package, but I play with a Makefile and some simple shell scripts. (But that also mean that this is a Unix/Linux/Cygwin hack).
Add something like this a Makefile
Then add something like this in a .tex file
Maybe with a check so you don't get a error if you don't want to include this svn info.
This can be changed to include some kind of diff if you rather would like that.
Add something like this in your Makefile to include a diff between the current version and verison 40.
Then add something like this to your .tex.
And this can then be enhanced with whatever shell scripts you feel like, so I don't see any problem doing more or less the same for other systems like git.
/Have fun
This is a hack to say the least, but I can just as well show some code.
I write the current revision and information on which files have been modified into drafts in the following way.
I build the documents with Latexmk. In
To make it better integrated with the continuous compilation mode (
This populates a file named
Note the regular expression that converts all
Then I have a LaTeX package
Finally, in the document I have
in the preamble, and
In practice I include the
I think this solution will disappear shortly in favor of PythonTeX and Python bindings to Mercurial (EDIT: the CLI is actually the only official API; see below), but that was not available (at least not to my knowledge) when I hacked up the Perl version. I will keep it as long as it continues to work; it is only a few lines of copy+paste now that it is set up.
EDIT: I started looking at a PythonTeX version as well, but I soon realized it will not actually simplify things much; if at all. It adds files to be tracked for Latexmk, requires additional compilation runs, and includes some quirks for getting import paths correct, as it is currently written.
Anyway, this was the initial attempt (note that this is not updated to handle underscores as the Perl version, since I found that bug after I abandoned the Python version):
The Mercurial CLI is called by design, since it is the official and stable API for Mercurial.
The path kludge is there to be able to collect document related scripts in a certain directory. If
In the preamble of the LaTeX document, I add:
and where I want to render the info, I run
All in all, the Perl version bypasses several steps since Latexmk is already running in that environment. To get a clearer solution, it would probably be easier to spend time with the Perl function, or alternatively continue with the Python script, but call it from
For better diff-s in git, set
Configuration in my repo:
Regarding highlighting differences between documents under version control, there is also a discussion here: texdiff for multi-file documents in subversion
As I mentioned in that post, if you have multi-file projects in Subversion and want to highlight differences the only reliable solution I found is first to flatten the document and then run latexdiff on that document. I created a batch file that does everything, from flattening to creating a PDF highlighting the differences, automatically with one click. You can find a little tutorial and download the batch on my website http://www.jwe.cc/2012/02/workflow-with-subversion-and-latex/.


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HILL COUNTY (October 11, 2012)—David Helms and Stephen Helms, Jr. have been charged with theft in connection with an attempted break-in in rural Hill County and authorities say the would-be victim has a neighbor to thank for their arrests.
Hill County deputies arrested the two on Oct. 5 after an alert resident spotted two men trying to break into a neighbor's building on Farm-to-Market Road 339, between Birome and Mount Calm, confronted them and held them at the point of a shotgun until deputies arrived.
The brothers were booked into the Hill County Jail and charged.
The charge later was enhanced because they both have prior convictions on the same charge.
Stephen Helms, Jr., remained in custody Thursday in lieu of $11,000 bond.
David Helms had posted bond and been released.


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What kinds of things need to be included in a corporate style guide that can't already be found in S&W, AP, Chicago Style, etc?
I just finished working on a 150-page Corporate Style Guide, so while I can answer this question in great detail if you want, my answer is not for WritersSE, I think.
AP and Chicago are mostly about the construction of writing — when to use a semi-colon, how to capitalize, the placement of someone's title. A Corporate Style Guide, also called Corporate Standards, is much more about design. It covers fonts, colors, logos, graphics, branding, positioning of elements, and maybe specific phrases used by the company.
Of 150 pages, six cover wording, and there's only one grammar rule. Everything else is about how to create a document in InDesign or Quark or PowerPoint so that everything is "on brand."
UPDATE: Since you requested it, I'm grabbing information from several style guides:
Typography: font, size, leading, kerning, and space before for body text, heads, subheads, text after subheads, bulleted text and the bullets, footnotes, legal copy, disclaimers, pull quotes, page numbers, and company contact information.
Colors: Corporate colors, product-specific colors
Logos: Approved corporate logos, non-approved logos. How big the logo should be. Where the logo should be placed on the page. Partner logos and where they go in relation to the company logo.
Photos and Credits: If a photo of a writer is used, what size, color, and position. Type specs for bylines. If stock photos are being purchased, guidelines about what imagery is appropriate.
What paper can be used: General paper preferences and special paper used for certain pieces.
Table of Contents: font, size, leading, kerning, space before, tab stop, width of box
Charts: font, size, leading, kerning, and space before; approved colors and tints; visual examples; how to represent negative numbers; when to use percentages; how to handle footnotes
Layout: Examples of every conceivable kind of printed piece the company distributes, including stationery. Placement of logos, titles, text, margins, and page numbers are specified.
PowerPoint: Everything in the previous sections, but for PowerPoint slides rather than printed piece.
Word: How to create stationery in Word. Position of the logo, fonts to use, margins, what information goes in the footer.
Emails: Font and size. Instructions about subject line, who to CC, and the signature block to append.
The phone: The exact wording of what to say on your voicemail, and what to say if you are on vacation. How to answer the phone.
Wording: Special phrases the company uses. Grammar quirks. When to use the serial comma. Spelling out numbers. How to format certain phrases in body copy. How to format phone numbers and times of day. How a press release is structured and worded.
As another example, you can look at the Apple Publications Style Guide (2009 version; 224 page PDF).
It includes information such as:
Basically, it contains a little of everything from general English usage to specific information about products. If you write about tech, it's a very handy resource to keep around.


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I have the task of looking into whether it is possible to build a solar potential application which would inform the user whether a roof is suitable for solar panels and a brief report about the roof´s potential output.
I have seen quite a few of these applications and they are pretty user friendly and easy to use. Being a GIS Analyst with experience in vector/raster data analysis and presentation using opensource desktop/webgis tools ( and ESRI products of course!) I am not a newcomer to this kind of project...but I must admit, the consequences of getting the methodology wrong would be quite embarassing.
Does anyone have any "real" experience in this area and can report or supply advice regarding the methodology and processes involved. Is this something that can be realistically done by someone without any experience in the solar world...or should this be left to the universities?
I look forward to hearing from any comments.


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MORGANTOWN - West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith says guys like Connor Arlia push him to work harder and get better.
Take a second to wrap your head around that.
Smith is WVU's record holder in nearly every category in which he could possibly could be. Arlia is a 5-foot-9, 183-pound, not particularly fast or strong walk-on from a tiny, in-state single-A school whose biggest claim to fame up to last week was a jet ski accident in which he suffered a broken leg, a bruised lung and broken ribs days before the Orange Bowl last season.
Yet Smith, who is seen by many as a first-round pick in next spring's NFL draft, has a fairly deep admiration for Arlia, and players like him.
''They make me go even harder,'' Smith said. ''They work; they don't complain. So why should I complain? I just go out there and work my butt off, and I enjoy working with those guys because they always push me.''
Arlia, a Madonna graduate whose determination dwarfs the biceps of most five-stars, made a different type of splash last week.
He took advantage of an opportunity given to him by coaches who took notice of his selfless, give-it-all attitude, and caught three passes for 25 yards against Oklahoma State, jumping career numbers that had stood at one catch for 14 yards since the James Madison game.
''I was just blessed to get an opportunity,'' Arlia said. ''When you get an opportunity, you have to take advantage of it and go your hardest and be all in for the team. That's how I approach every day.''
In the last two weeks, two receivers have left the program, which would make you believe that's how the door swung open for Arlia.
Perhaps not.
''I coach the guys who are out there,'' offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said. ''It's not like the guys who aren't out there were doing anything spectacular.''
Arlia and Smith, as well as all of the WVU coaches, know exactly how Arlia cracked the two-deep.
''Connor brings some toughness to the inside,'' WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen said. ''He will get in there and stick his hat on somebody and fight for everything that he is worth. That type of guy is important.''
Dawson agreed.
''He works extremely hard and it matters a lot,'' Dawson said.
''The bottom line is he's going to find a way to be successful. Maybe he isn't the fastest, and maybe he isn't this and maybe he isn't that ... He's always asking, 'Coach, what can I do to get better?' He works hard. He's just a great team player.''
When Smith drops back to pass, he doesn't see a guy who has no business on the field with decorated players like himself. He sees a winner.
''I've always had an extreme amount of confidence in Arlia,'' Smith said. ''It dates back to in the summer when we were all coming out here on Saturdays and he was out there. I know that guy's going to give everything he's got every time he takes the field. He's a competitor. He works extremely hard at his craft, and I respect him for it because he's a walk-on and that doesn't happen for a lot of guys.
''You have to really love the game and really have something about yourself to go out there with guys with scholarships, guys who were ranked this and that. He's an underdog. Him and Ryan (Nehlen, who had four catches for 26 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys). They go out there and compete. That's all you can ask from those guys. They get the job done as well.''
Yes, Arlia was living a dream. Yes, he knew he was beating some fairly large odds. Yes, he knows their are plenty of scout team guys who the coaches never bothered to learn the names of.
For every walk-on who has a three-catch day, there are five that never recorded a significant statistic. Arlia didn't want to be one of those guys after a decorated career at Madonna that was capped by being named the MVP for the North team in the state's annual North-South All-Star game after being named the MVP of the Class A state title game.
''When I came in, I came with the mentality that I was going to play,'' Arlia said. ''I just put it in God's hands and tried to go hard as I could. If I got a chance, I got a chance. If I didn't, I didn't. All I could do is give my all.''
For Dawson, it was never ''if,'' it was when.
''I told him earlier in the year. I sat him down and said, 'there's going to be a time this year when we need you to play, and we need you to make plays. I know how a season goes,' '' Dawson said. ''And it happened. And in my opinion, for really the first true game, whole game he's played, I thought he did a good job.''
West Virginia simply is not a state that produces a lot of Division I football players.
There are 16 in-state natives on the Mountaineers team. Of those, most fans have probably heard of fewer than half, with the most notable being offensive lineman Josh Jenkins.
''It's great coming from the state,'' Arlia said. ''It was always my dream to play Division I college football. Being able to represent the state is a huge thing for me.
Two of Arlia's catches against the Cowboys required an official's review. Did he catch them in bounds?
''After I caught it, I really was worried more about getting lined up fast like our coaches preach to us, and really getting ready for the next play,'' Arlia said. ''It definitely felt good. I'm thankful I was able to hang onto it, and hopefully I can have some more to help our team.''
As they were looking at it, so was he.
''I'm not going to lie,'' Arlia said. ''When I first caught it, I knew it was tough but I thought it was just routine. Then when I saw it up there on the big screen, it was kinda cool to see that.''
So he'll keep doing what he does. Work hard. Defy odds. Get better.
''It's all for the team,'' Arlia said. ''Every time I'm on that field, I'm going to give my all and go as hard as I possibly can for my coaches and my teammates. That's what it takes to win, so that's what I'm going to do.''


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RILEY COUNTY, Kan (WIBW) -- The state has rested its case in the capital murder trial in Riley County for Luis Aguirre, the man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend and son in Ogden and burying their bodies. On Thursday, jurors heard the testimony of a key witness for the prosecution.
Riley County prosecutors are trying to prove that the deaths of 18-year-old Tanya Maldonado and 13-month-old Juan Maldonado were planned by the defendant, 24-year-old Luis Aguirre. They called on an expert to help add weight to their theory.
After several days of testimony, the last witness the prosecution called to the stand was Dr. Spencer Tomb, a longtime Kansas State University professor and botanist.
Tomb was asked by authorities to examine the shallow grave outside of Ogden where the victims were found on, examining the plant matter found directly under their remains and around the grave site.
Tanya and Juan Maldonado were killed on September 21, 2009 and buried in the early morning hours of September 22, 2009. A hunter discovered the grave roughly a month later on October 25, 2009.
Tomb told the jury that based on the build up of leaflets at the bottom of the grave, he believes it was dug several days before the victims were buried, remaining open for a "significant" period of time before their bodies were placed inside.
He said that if someone went out and quickly dug a hole and buried something, you would not see a bed of leaves at the bottom like he found under the victims. When asked by the defense if the leaves could have blown into the grave by the wind just before the bodies were placed inside, Tomb said he would have seen more of a mixture of leaves but found mostly leaflets from the limbs of a box elder tree that were directly above grave that fell over time. He estimated that the grave was 4-6 weeks old and that it was most likely open for 3-4 days before the bodies of the victims were buried.
The testimony supports the state's stance that the murders were premeditated. The prosecution says Aguirre wanted to move on with his new girlfriend but Tanya and Juan were holding him back. The jury saw emails from Tanya Maldonado on Thursday begging Aguirre to help support their son.
Aguirre and his defense team have maintained that the deaths at his Ogden apartment were accidents and that he panicked, hastily burying their bodies. He says he never meant for his ex-girlfriend and son to die.
Aguirre brought Tanya and Juan to Ogden to the apartment where he was living with his new girlfriend, Dulce Mendez. Mendez was stationed at Fort Riley and was deployed to Iraq when the killings took place. Tanya and Juan had been living in Chicago in a homeless shelter and were desperate for support, prosecutors said. Aguirre was also originally from Chicago and was in the National Guard. During training in Alabama, he met Mendez and moved to Ogden to live with her and her 18-month-old son. Prosecutors allege that Aguirre planned the murders and killed Tanya and Juan so he could move on with Dulce Mendez. But the defense says he was trying to help his ex and son get back on their feet and that he never wanted them to die.
Aguirre said on the weekend of September 19 and 20, 2009, he had drill for the National Guard in Chicago and ended up meeting up with Tanya near the mission where she was staying with their son. Aguirre says he wanted to see how she was doing because he knew she was having trouble. He was just going to give her a ride to a friend's house or relative's house but she told him she wanted to go with him back to Kansas. He says Tanya wanted to start fresh and find a job and get away from her family and maybe meet a nice guy in the military. Aguirre told her about his current girlfriend, who was deployed. He was going to let Tanya and Juan stay with him for a few days until they found another place to stay.
Aguirre told the investigators that in the midst of an argument and struggle in the kitchen, he covered Tanya's mouth for five minutes to stop her from yelling and he didn't realize that he was also covering her nose. After she stopped kicking and moving, Aguirre says he thought she had calmed down and let her go. She started spitting up blood and he tried to revive her with chest compressions but she died.
When he went to check on his son so he wouldn't wander into the kitchen and see what had happened with his mother, Aguirre says he found toddler asleep, somewhat hanging off the baby bed. Aguirre says he tucked Juan in tightly and later found him face down on a pillow with a pacifier in his mouth and he could not be revived.
Aguirre told the detectives that his anxiety and fear kicked in and his first reaction was to try to hide what had happened so he drove around for a while not knowing what to do and ended up burying Tanya and Juan. He said the whole situation was an accident and he knew he should have called 911. He insisted that no one helped him and that he didn't tell anyone else about what happened. He was also adamant that he did not plan the killings and did not know about the spot where he buried the victims ahead of time.
Officials say that in order for Aguirre to be convicted of capital murder, the jury must find him guilty of 1st degree premeditated murder in connection with both deaths.
The trial continues Friday at the Riley County courthouse.


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I have found that when my bags get full and I need to vendor loot I can sometimes leave loot on the ground and return to it. Other times it seems to disappear almost instantly once I leave the area. Is the loot despawn time based, based on my distance from the dropped loot, or some other factor(s)?
To my knowledge only white loot despawns (this includes things like ammunition) and while I don't know how long it takes specifically it is possible to tell by looking at it. The item steadily shrinks in size until it basically disappears. So yes, it does seem to be based on time.
I'm fairly sure items rarer than white (green, blue, purple, E-tech, orange, obviously) don't despawn. I've left them lying in open chests before and come back ten, 15 minutes later and still seen them lying there. I'm not certain about them being on the ground though, if you take them from the chest then drop them again they may have exactly the same "shrinking away into nothingness" time as white items.


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We take a moment during each of the Final 49 weeks until Kickoff 2013 to look at various aspects of the Charlotte 49ers football program.
Light That Fire
Aug. 5, 2013
By Tom
Saturday morning practce. Just Day 3 of preseason workouts.
The pads went on. The intensity went up.
Game day was only 28 days away.
"Too much talking, not enough doing" a coach yelled.
It wasn't full pads – just shoulders after a couple days of helmets.
But there was still pounding.
Lineman going at lineman in O-Line coach Phil Ratliff's "Winner's Circle". Take the challenge. Step up. One-on-one. Man-to-man.
So, who won?
In Ratliff's world, they all did.
"You guys are competing today!" he fires out. "Everyday. Compete."
The O-line is a source of pride for the team. Head coach Brad Lambert set out to build the team from the inside-out, with a focus on the offensive and defensive lines.
So while we have heard a lot about the playmakers, they love to talk about the linemen.
We love the breakaway run and the long bomb. They love the guys who make it possible.
Remember guys like Blitch and Sledge and La Bianca and Book and Covington – the ones who opened that hole or protected that pass.
When the O-Line had a barbecue, it's no accident that some folks like QB Matt Johnson and SR Austin Duke were there to show their appreciation as well. They understand the importance of that group.
At Saturday's practice, the O-Line circled around each other – with two players battling each other in the middle.
They encouraged each other. They pushed and pushed back. And, as Ratliff noted, they competed.
Moments later it was back to the blocking sled.
Back to mechanics and footwork and technique.
But that period in the Winner's Circle, going head-to-head, gave them a chance to go against another body, to fight to the end, to light that competitive fire.
It gave them a chance to win a battle, to lose a battle and to get back up and go at it again.
Just like on those Saturdays that are right around the corner.


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Welcome to Davis Magnet School!
Davis Magnet School is a public school within the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. We have around 580 students, who travel to our school from across the school district. The school functions as a Professional Learning Community, where teachers collaborate and provide high-quality instruction for all of our learners. Davis Magnet School's current API is 937 out of a possible 1000. Our school's API ranks us in the top 3 elementary schools within N-MUSD. As a result of our achievements, the OC Register has named Davis Magnet School as one of the top schools in Orange County two different years since 2009.
Davis Magnet School provides hands-on instruction focusing on math, science, and technology, while teaching all of the California content standards. Teachers use a wide variety of resources to meet all students' educational needs. Through the use of common assessments, grade level appropriate interventions, and high expectations our Davis Magnet School students are challenged to demonstrate proficiency or beyond on everything that we teach.
The Davis Magnet School campus contains two computer labs, a hands-on science lab, math lab, learning gardens, and ecology center. These are all used to provide additional instruction for students in grades preschool through sixth grade. Davis Magnet School provides a wide variety of after school fee-based enrichment programs through a partnership with AMuseum. Other programs such as Art Masters, Student Council, Band/Choir, LEGO Robotics and the Green Team provide students with well-rounded learning opportunities. Davis Magnet School is adopted by the NHL Anaheim Ducks Hockey Team, which also helps make the school unique. This partnership allows students to participate in the fourth grade Street Hockey team and fifth grade Captain's Challenge. Fifth and sixth grade students anticipate the opportunity to attend Astro Camp and Science Camp at the end of each year.
Davis Magnet School is a Professional Learning Community that values the input, dedication, and collaboration of teachers, parents, administration, students, and community members. Our mission is learning. Our vision is to be recognized as one of the finest elementary schools in the United States of America. Our goal is for 100% of our students to demonstrate proficiency or above in everything that we teach. We work hard as a team on a consistent basis to accomplish our goal.
We appreciate the generous support of our Davis Magnet School PTA. As a result of the extra effort of our PTA, families are able to participate in a wide variety of school community family events. PTA fundraisers help to provide additional learning programs and educational supplies for our students and teachers.
Communication and teamwork are very important to us at Davis Magnet School. If you have a question or concern, please don't hesitate to call the office at 714-424-7930 or email me at email@example.com. I'm happy to talk or schedule a meeting. Student safety and student learning are our top two priorities. I am here to support the teachers and work with the parents to ensure that these two priorities remain consistent. Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to seeing you around our campus!
Go Ducks!
Mrs. Christy Flores, Principal


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I am moderately active, normal blood pressure, fairly average weight and build. I've noticed that when I'm running in cold weather, about 5-10 minutes into my run I start to get what feel like heart palpitations, a somewhat uncomfortable but not painful fluttery feeling in my chest. I don't get dizzy or anything, and am able to run normally, but I usually stop for a few minutes so I can make sure everything is ok.
I have had similar experiences when I used to work in a chilly building (65-68F) all day then walk out in the summer air (>95F). For the first few minutes I'd get the feeling my heart wasn't beating fast enough, and it had the same fluttery feeling, but once I take a few breaths and give it a few minutes, things seem to normalize.
Why would this be happening? Do I have bradycardia? Could this be dangerous?


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Narrow your search
From the Cheapskate: This stylish tower packs 8GB of RAM, a 2-terabyte hard drive and more.
For only $10 more than the price of a non-touchscreen Kindle, you can get a full-featured Nextbook tablet. Surely there must be a catch?
Hewlett-Packard has undercut its $150 Android Slate 7 with a $100 tablet. And it's quad-core, to boot.
At MWC 2014, LG showcased its newest high-end LTE handset, the G Pro 2, complete with a Snapdragon 800 processor, 13-megapixel camera, and Android 4.4.
The Archos 45 Helium and 50 Helium are £200 and £240 respectively, both have 4G and quad-core chips, and run Android 4.3 -- but they cut some corners.
The PadFone mini 4.3 is two gadgets in one: a 4.3-inch phone and a 7-inch screen dock that becomes a tablet when you slot the mobile in the back.
Nokia's phablet has a nifty 20-megapixel camera and sharp 6-inch HD screen, but it's Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 processor that makes this the fastest Windows Phone yet.
The Motorola Moto G packs a 4.5-inch, 720p display, a quad-core processor, a colorful design, and a dirt-cheap $179 asking price.
Motorola is throwing a party on 13 November for its new Moto G phone -- rumoured to be a low-cost phone with pretty decent specs and Android 4.3.
Equipped with an 8.3-inch screen, a Snapdragon 600 processor, and Android 4.2, the G Pad is a solid tablet from LG.


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Cyber Monday likely to be busiest online sales day
By MAE ANDERSON AP Retail Writer
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text:
Mr. Leo M. Vroman, 87, of Lake Odessa, passed away Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012. Leo was born to Maurice and Zelma (Verlinde) Vroman on Feb. 15, 1925.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Albert Vroman and his sister-in-law, Nancy Vroman.
He will be deeply missed by his wife of 69 years, Marjorie; children, Rosalie (Gary)Calkins, Robert (Sandy)Vroman, Charles Vroman and Kathy (Gary) Mesecar; grandchildren, Kimberly, Kevin (Ginny), Sherri (Ken), Mark, Angie, Marcie, Ben, CJ (Andrea), Audria (Darrell), and Kendra (Ryan); 15 great grandchildren; seven great great grandchildren; brother and sister, George Vroman and Rosmond (Harold) Ball; and many nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be offered Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012 at St. Edward Catholic Church, Lake Odessa. Interment will be at Lakeside Cemetery, Lake Odessa. Relatives and friends met his family Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at the Koops Funeral Chapel, Lake Odessa.
His family welcomes memories and messages in their guest book online at www.koopsfc.com.
Contributions in memory of Leo may be made to Heartland Hospice of Ionia.
Location, ST | website.com


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Questions involving using VBA to do some advanced task in Outlook or Word seem like they belong on Super User, but I'm not entirely sure. I think questions like this one straddle the line between the two sites, and could possibly be asked on both. What does everyone else think? Should questions like this be migrated to one site or the other, or just left where they're originally posted?
What is meta?
- Any Stack Exchange user can ask a question
- The community provides support, votes on ideas, and reports bugs
- Your voice helps shape the way Stack Exchange operates
I believe it is a judgement call based on each question. I have passed a few VBA question on SU, which based on the way it was asked indicates the user is simply a power user and needs gentle guidance, compared to the question in your example that shows some throrough research on the topic. This is what I use as my guide. If the question requires developer level understanding --> SO, if not --> SU.
My vote:
Based on the level and quality of the question, leave it where it was posted, unless it will get a better response somewhere else.
Stack Overflow.
Interesting question, but I think a good rule of thumb would be based upon if what you are trying to accomplish could be recorded or not. If you have to actually hand write the macro then I would say it belongs on Stack Overflow. However, if you are able to just use the macro recorder and go through a series of menu commands then I would say that it belongs on Super User.
This is a good example of a question that belongs on both sites. See here: Allow cross-posting of questions to more than one SO site
It really depends on context.


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Keep both hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.
That was the simple message almost everyone received when learning to drive. But along came cell phones, GPS units and other handheld electronic devices.
Soon it was one hand on the wheel and no eyes on the road.
Texting or using a cell phone has been blamed for as many as one in four accidents across the country.
West Virginia's ban on cell phone usage and texting while driving has been in effect for two months. Ohio's law on banning texting went into effect last week.
West Virginia law makes it illegal for juvenile drivers with learner's permits or intermediate licenses from using wireless communication devices while driving. In Ohio, it is illegal for drivers under the age of 18 to use a cell phone or to text. Both states make it a primary offense, meaning law enforcement can pull over a teen driver if he or she is seen using a cell phone or texting while driving.
Adult drivers in Ohio are prohibited from texting and it is a secondary offense. Law enforcement can only enforce the law after a driver is pulled over for another reason.
The law in West Virginia makes text messaging a primary offense as of July 1, and the cell phone enforcement ban will be limited to secondary status for another year. That means police will need another reason to stop and cite motorists using handheld cell phones until July 1.
The fine in West Virginia for violating the law is $100 and increases for subsequent violations.
Ohio will issue a $150 fine for adults and juveniles. Teens also face a 60-day license suspension.
Fines won't mean much to violators.
Some people can't put down the cell phone while driving.
Hands free devices will be allowed.
Studies have shown cell phone use can lead to accidents. It is just not worth it to hold a cell phone to talk or text while driving. It is distracting and dangerous.
Most people agree it is dangerous but there are those who ignore the danger.
Now it is against the law and police officers and state troopers will enforce it.
Don't hold a cell phone or send or receive text messages while driving.


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Wiki meetup
Peteforsyth (Talk | contribs)
(→RSVP: +me)
(→See also)
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* Proposed (editable) agenda for this meeting: http://meetingwords.com/rccx-sf
* Proposed (editable) agenda for this meeting: http://meetingwords.com/rccx-sf
* http://recentchangescamp.org
* http://recentchangescamp.org
Revision as of 23:16, 31 January 2011
Several folks from local wiki communities (Wikimedia, Socialtext, etc.) would like to get together Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 6pm to talk wiki. Mark Dilley of Portland, Oregon will be in town, on his way back from facilitating the RecentChangesCamp (RCC) conference in Canberra, Australia. So we want to get together and talk with him!
Everyone is welcome. Were expecting maybe 5-10 people. If it goes well, we might want to have a regular meeting, maybe monthly. Contact Peteforsyth if you're interested!
Among our likely attendees will be people with backgrounds in the Socialtext, Meatball Wiki, Wikipedia, and AboutUs wiki communities, as well as numerous small community-oriented wikis. We like to talk about how communities form around wikis, possible technological improvements, etc. And we'll all be eager for Mark's report on the Australia RCC!
Info about Noisebridge
- see: Getting Here
Please explore this wiki to learn about Noisebridge, a fantastic hacker space in the Mission district of SF. On Tuesday night (as most nights) there will be other events happening, including their weekly general meeting at 8pm. So after 8:00, we may want to join that meeting to learn about their "do-ocracy"-oriented space, or maybe move to a different part of the space (or a local bar) if we've got some good discussion of our own going.
See also
- Proposed (editable) agenda for this meeting: http://meetingwords.com/rccx-sf
- http://recentchangescamp.org
- http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/University_of_Canberra/RCC2011


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November 14, 2012
Sunset on the Sea Point promenade – Flickr pic of the day
This photograph was taken in Sea Point by our Cape Town. Live it. Love it. Flickr group member RachelF2SEA.
"In August 2012, I had the opportunity to go back to Cape Town for the second time in 13 months, but for a trip totally different from my first, much more fun and relaxed, with opportunities to explore Stellenbosch and sample some of the great wine and food in the region. After a long day of travel from Pilanesburg to Johannesburg to Cape Town, I needed to get some fresh air. After checking into my hotel in Sea Point, I walked up the beach shortly before sunset," says Rachel.
Do you have images of Cape Town you'd like to share with us? We'd love you to join the Cape Town. Live it. Love it. Flickr group!
Image © RachelF2SEA


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SYRIA (CNN) -- The U.N. monitoring mission in Syria will remain in place for now despite its activities being halted due to rising violence, its leaders said Tuesday.
Security Council members huddled behind closed doors with the mission's leader, Norwegian Maj. Gen. Robert Mood. Mood halted operations Saturday, reporting that the escalating violence between government troops and opposition groups was making it too risky for the monitors to do their jobs.
"I conveyed first and last that the suffering of the Syrian people -- the suffering of men, women and children in Syria, some of them trapped by fighting -- is getting worse," Mood said. However, he added, "I remain committed to the mission, in the position we are currently in. We're not going anywhere."
And Herve Lasdous, the United Nations' peacekeeping chief, told reporters that "for the time being, we have decided not to touch, not to modify" the observer mission.
About 300 monitors were dispatched to Syria to make sure that both sides in the conflict were following a six-point peace plan brokered by special envoy Kofi Annan. But an April cease-fire took place only in name, and fighting has increased sharply since late May. Heavy government shelling and the chilling massacres of civilians have been reported, and the monitors themselves came under fire at some points.
Mood said gunfire and shelling were "coming much closer" to his monitors, "and we have been targeted several times." He said he was reviewing conditions on a daily basis and hoped to resume operations soon.
Earlier Tuesday, a senior Obama administration official said Mood's report would influence how the United States and other members of the international community work with U.N. and Arab League envoy Annan on his proposal for a "contact group" on Syria and on how to deal with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
"The U.S. supports the idea of a contact group, which would bring together all nations that want to play a role in resolving the violence in Syria. But the U.S. remains opposed to including Iran, something which Annan thinks is a good idea," the official said.
"We've said from the beginning that if we could structure it (the contact group) for success ... particularly in promoting the post-Assad transition, that we are open to it but we are still working with Kofi and other countries."
U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Syria at the G-20 meeting in Mexico on Monday. But the two made little headway on the crisis. In London, British Foreign Secretary William Hague stressed the importance of a "peaceful political transition and a "cessation of violence," but he added a grim caveat:
"At no stage have we been advocating a military intervention, but we do recognize the situation is so grave and deteriorating so quickly and such crimes are being committed, we cannot take any options off the table at the moment," Hague said.
Syrian opposition groups say more than 13,000 people have been killed since al-Assad's government started cracking down on anti-government protesters last year. The United Nations' latest estimate puts the death toll at more than 10,000.
At least 31 people were killed in Syria on Tuesday, according to the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria.
The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency said Tuesday that terrorists sabotaged oil pipelines in Homs and Deir Ezzor. The Syrian government blamed the violence on "armed terrorist groups," the vaguely defined entities it has consistently blamed over the past year.
During a question-and-answer session at the House of Commons, Hague commented on Annan's six-point peace plan. Mood's observer mission was tasked with monitoring an April cease-fire laid out in the plan and making sure the government adhered to the rest of the initiative.
He said he's accepted for a while that the Annan plan has not been working. He called the political situation in Syria "dire" and said world powers stand ready for robust action in the Security Council if the plan cannot be revived.
"It's wrong to give up completely on that plan because any peaceful settlement in Syria, the road to it is either through the Annan plan or something similar to the Annan plan," he said. "So it's important to persist in those efforts. We are doing that particularly in our talks with Russia."
The United States and its European and Arab allies have viewed Russia and China as obstacles to tough action against al-Assad.
Russia has refused to go along with the United States and other nations in calling for al-Assad to step aside. The nation, which has a lucrative arms trade with Syria, has blocked two Security Council resolutions that would have sanctioned the Syrian government.
Hague also said that a ship that was reported to be carrying arms to Syria has turned back -- apparently toward Russia.
U.S. officials have said that the cargo ship, MV Alaed, operated by the Russian company Femco, was headed for Syria with attack helicopters and munitions for the al-Assad regime from the port of Kaliningrad. The vessel had been off the north coast of Scotland, according to ship tracking data.
"We haven't given up the search for an internationally agreed-upon peaceful transition in Syria," Hague said, "but it is vital for such a transition to have the active support of Russia, and that's why we've attached such importance to the diplomacy of Russia in recent weeks and we will continue with those efforts."
Several Syrian "revolutionary" groups announced a new joint action committee Tuesday to consolidate efforts to oust al-Assad.
"While this joint committee is striving to overthrow the tyrannical regime in Syria, it calls upon all revolutionary forces to join them and work together to expedite the toppling of the regime, and to protect our people in Syria from its brutality," the Syrian Expatriates Organization said in an e-mail.
The groups include the General Commission for the Syrian Revolution and the Supreme Council for the Syrian Revolution, and the National Assembly.


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I am learning piano from a book and I can't understand the difference between swing and shuffle. I have searched, but I still can't understand the difference. Could someone please iterate the difference between swing and shuffle?
[I'm addressing 'swing time' and 'shuffle time', not 'swing style' and only indirectly bearing upon 'shuffle style'. Ulf raises a very useful distinction between these, I think.]
Swing covers a broader range than shuffle, which is a sort of crystalized swing.
If you start with strict time,
then squeeze the off-beats a little closer to the following beat you get swing.
Duh. da-Duh. da-Duh. Like a heartbeat.
If you squeeze further, the stretched beat and the squeezed beat approach the ratio of 2:1, so you can notate it with a quarter note and an eighth note. This is often notated at the top of the chart, eg. 2 eighth notes equals 1 quarter plus 1 eighth, then the music itself is written with straight eighth notes and you must add the swing to it.
Shuffle is a special case where the swing time coexists with a straight time and a good drummer will keep changing the emphasis between the two. Often written 12/8, it is 4/4 time. It is also 3/8+3/8+3/8+3/8 tie.
Bippity Boppity Bippity Boppity.
I suppose the difference, in my opinion, boils down to: swing merely squeezes the off-beat closer to the following beat; shuffle does this and also adds the middle note, locking the triplet in place. A piece can swing harder, approaching a dotted eighth plus a sixteenth. Or a piece can lightly swing, perhaps like a dotted eighth plus a regular eighth. But you cannot shuffle any more or less; you're either doing it or you're doing something else.
Let's divide the question into (A) playing with a swing or shuffle feel, and (B) performing music as in swing or shuffle musical genre style.
(A) Playing with swing or shuffle feel means to play with swung eighths1 (or to employ "triplet feel" eigths) - which means that the first eighth of a beat gets a longer duration than the second. Also off-beats are generally emphasized, or syncopated. Performing this is conceptually pretty much the same for swing and shuffle music.
(B) The difference between performing music as swing, and performing music as shuffle, I'd say, lies in that you'd expect different styles of accompaniment. I.e. if you just hear a phrase played solo with swung eighths, and/or some other trait of swing or shuffle timing/phrasing/emphasis, you can't necessarily tell whether the song is performed as swing or shuffle (unless the phrase uses phrase elements typical of jazz/swing or of some shuffle genre). Especially since a soloist can be very free in the timing of the swung eighths. But when you add accompaniment you can tell by the style the drums, guitar, and piano (or other accompanioning instruments) are playing.
For instance swing drumming could typically be played
So when playing the melody or a solo on the piano you don't need to worry too much about the timing in terms of it being swing or shuffle; just find a swung eighths timing and syncopation that you feel "swing".
However there is no universal definition on what swing nor shuffle is so you'll likely get different answers from everyone you ask.
Someone wrote "Shuffle is the swing of the blues" and maybe that statement can give some guidance.
1The swung note value can be other note values than eighths - such as sixteenths - but eighths are the most common.
Swing can differ a lot depending on the musician. Listen to the 8th notes of 50's swing and you'll find it's very jumpy. It's rather achieved through time values. Swing these days is different, it's more achieved through changing note volume (you can play straight 8ths but emphasizing every other 8th and it will sound sort of like swing, practising this will make it more natural and subconciously you might change time values, too).
In general you have to make out for yourself what kind of swing you want, and just practise it by listening to the musician that has the swing you want.
Whether music "swings" or not is almost entirely independent of the duration of the eighth-notes. That said, it's very rare that music that truly swings treats a pair of eighth notes as a quarter-eighth triplet; more often, that's a recipe for sounding like Lawrence Welk, or a mediocre high school jazz band. There certainly are exceptions - and performances in the shuffle style constitute many of these exceptions - but even with those exceptions, the duration of the notes is not what makes the music "swing." Swing has much more to do with articulation and accenting, and focusing on these - but still in a mostly intuitive way, not over-thinking with a specific intention for each note - will be much more conducive to creating music that swings than focusing on the duration of the eighth notes. You have to listen to a lot of music in the style you want to play, and focus on getting the music you play to "feel" like the music you're listening to.
Good answers from @luser and @ulf. In some genres, the terms mean something slightly different. For example in traditional fiddle music, "shuffle" and "swing" mean the same thing except that a "fiddle shuffle" is the fiddler playing the roots of the chords but swinging them while "diggin in" -- playing with strong bow pressure.
And "swing fiddle" means playing Texas old-time or traditional swing music.


text:
The FBI collects these data through the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.
The data used in creating this table were from all city law enforcement agencies submitting 12 months of arrest data for 2006.
The FBI calculated 2006 state growth rates using revised 2005 state/national population estimates and 2006 provisional state/national population estimates provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. The FBI then estimated population figures for city jurisdictions by applying the 2006 state growth rate to the updated 2005 U.S. Census Bureau data.
Contact the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com by telephone at (304) 625-4995.


text:
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text:
It's a little difficult to find a good title for this... =/
dconf, I was able to edit the "gtk-color-scheme" in
org -> gnome -> desktop -> interface. Using this, I was able to edit the parameters for the theme in a way that suited me. Here they are, for reference:
I copied over my Radiance theme from
/usr/share/themes and copied it to my
~/.themes directory, and edited the "gtkrc" file. However, the colors did not change properly. How exactly can I edit my "gtkrc" file properly?