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Sanaz Ahari and Steve Rider - Start.com
- Posted: Jul 21, 2005 at 6:15AM
- 72,016 views
- 34 comments
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Great stuff... I like start.com because of its simplistic design and compatibility with Firefox. I'd love to see more MSN sites done in a similar fashion as well as better integration among all these great new MSN services.
Minh - we don't have feed read/unread support yet.
also, it's a bit misleading to refer to start as an rss aggregator, which presets some expectations such as the aforementioned.
we alluded to this in the interview, by describing start as:
bloglines meet my yahoo meet konfabulator - we don't want be just an entry point or a feed manager we'd like to be your personalized one-stop shop for the web.
thanks, sanaz.
For most users the issue is not if start.com will be beautiful or useful or easy to use or something so new, but the issue is if MSN will provide a single, consistent and simple interface accross all its site and do that now and not after all its compeeditors have done. MSN is slow in moving. MSN reminds me of a site built by more than one company. MSN does not strive for simplicity (looked at the new Shopping site?) but instead thinks more componentization (Passport is not on the same page but on a separate domain) and of features, as well as advertising. Many features confuse users. The web is not for overloaded pages. The web is for simple and nice looking services (Google maps?). The web is a fast market and MSN takes too longto think the details but forgets that what matters is the look, the simple urls (not spaces.msn.com/members/mylongname) and consistency.
I would so pay real money for an AJAX RSS aggregator. Blogline UI bugs the heck out of me.sanaz ahari wrote:
bloglines meet my yahoo meet konfabulator - we don't want be just an entry point or a feed manager we'd like to be your personalized one-stop shop for the web.
thanks, sanaz.
moofish wrote:<3
Well this site made IE crash on first vist. lol
Just saw it posted on Slashdot like it was the newest thing since sliced bread. Looks like it got slashdoted as well.
I was reading some of the comments and boy does it get ripped to shreds by the anti-MS zealots. It just gets shredded because of who owns the site
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Jason Wu: 10 Things Every Woman Should Have
Jason Wu has just one rule to live by: Don't be afraid to overdress. Here, the ten things (a vibrant cocktail dress, oversize sunglasses, and more) he thinks a woman needs to make every day an occasion.
In Jason Wu's mind, the only rule to live by is "Don't be afraid to overdress." Famous for outfitting two high-profile Michelles—Mrs. Obama, in that career-launching inauguration gown, and Ms. Williams, the actress, in red-carpet frocks—the designer, 29, excels at wasp-waisted femininity, brilliant color, and couture-inspired effects. The hemline of his electric blue cocktail dress—up in front, down in the back—creates the swish of a ball gown. Wu learned to sew by making intricate clothes for dolls, an experience that taught him about fashion and fantasy. "We've all overworked the jeans thing," says the man who finds excuses to wear black suits and hosts theme dinners at home. "Every day can be an occasion."
1 of 10
"It's named for Daphne Groeneveld, one of my favorite models. There's a sense of propriety in that squared-off shape. Like a '40s doctor's bag." $1,875, at Bergdorf Goodman, N.Y.C. (212-753-7300).
What We're Reading
PHOTOS: Dan King/Courtesy of Jason Wu, David Cook (2), Dan and Corina Lecca/Courtesy of Jason Wu, Courtesy of St. Regis Hotel, Courtesy of John Derian Company, David Cook (5)

subset: commoncrawl


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Commercial Waste: Septic Tank and Cesspit Emptying
We offer a competitively priced city-wide septic tank and cesspit emptying service for domestic and commercial premises. Customers can have a set order or order on an ad-hoc basis giving at least 48 hours notice in advance.
To find out more about our Commercial Waste services, just email us at firstname.lastname@example.com give us a call on 0121 303 2894.
Other services for businesses (Size: 3.42 Mb Type: PDF )
Copyright: 2011 Birmingham City Council


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Showing 1-96 of 219 items found in Arts & Culture
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The Marcus Addison Cinema is your premiere entertainment destination with 21 state-of-the-art auditoriums. The facility can accommodate rentals for group outings, corporate events, birthday parties & various other occasions.
Public park-like setting dedicated to the Veterans and Heroes of our nation.
This is a memorial for troops lost in Operation Iraqi Freedom & Operation Enduring Freedom.
Metropolis Performing Arts Center
More than 40 productions and 360 performances each year ranging from musical theatre, plays, live music, dance, family shows, The Second City Comedy and professional regional children's theatre.
CITY:Arlington Heights
Arlington International Racecourse
At Arlington International, we aim to make every day of the season special by combining the excitement of thoroughbred racing, gorgeous grounds and fantastic food to create a winning track experience for our guests! Whether you're looking for a fun and exciting day out with friends and family, a casual and charming afternoon at the races, or a sophisticated and stylish get-together, Arlington International offers an extraordinary experience for everyone! Live racing and entertainment from May through September or find a full calendar of race dates and events at arlingtonpark.com.
CITY:Arlington Heights
Big Shot Piano Lounge & Restaurant
Big Shot is an upscale Restaurant & Piano Bar. A cozy place to meet, eat, and drink while listening and interacting with talented musicians. From the warm atmosphere to the variety of enticing menu items, this intimate spot will showcase live talent every night. The extremely friendly restaurant will invite its patrons to participate and sing along with new songs performed by talented professionals. This will definitely be a place to start and end an evening.
CITY:Arlington Heights
Downtown Arlington Heights Shopping & Entertainment District
Diverse collection of charming local shops and major retailers. Outstanding restaurants, theaters, nightlife, and entertainment, all within walking distance.
CITY:Arlington Heights
Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple of Greater Chicago
This temple is one of only three Sri Venkateswara Hindu temples in the United States, constructed by Native American artisans.
The Aurora area features diverse architectural styles, including designs by Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, Bruce Goff and George Grant Elmslie. The area is also home to one of the largest collections of Sears mail order homes.
This local history research archives houses historic photos, books, documents and maps covering Aurora's history from the 1830s to the present. Open by appointment only.
Come inside the intimate Riverfront Playhouse and discover a treasure. Since 1978, Riverfront Playhouse has been a destination in downtown Aurora. Located along the pedestrian-friendly Water Street Mall, Riverfront Playhouse continues to draw unique talent and appreciative crowds. This popular local theater group performs original plays, musicals, murder mysteries, comedies and thrillers in an intimate setting. See their web site for indoor and outdoor performances.
This kinetic water sculpture, created by Christian Tobin, combines art with the law of physics to enable giant stones to rock, spin and swivel on a cushion of water.
This theatre offers affordable, live entertainment, comedy, concerts, dance and family shows. Group discounts/theatre rentals; perfect for meetings, performances, fundraisers and banquets.
The museum features a variety of interactive exhibits designed to educate and entertain children, families, and firefighters. Visitors can pass a leather fire bucket. Marvel at a strange looking firemen's smoke mask. Explore the differences in fire hose nozzles. See and hear how fire engines clear the streets with sirens, horns, and devices that control traffic lights. Watch vintage firefighting films on five video touch-screens. All this, in addition to 5 pieces of fire apparatus on display in a fully restored fire station built in 1894. Suggested donation $5 adult and $3 child.
Take a self-guided tour of Aurora's historic downtown. Tour brochures are available at the Aurora Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau.
Recently named one of the Top Ten Theatres in Chicago by the League of Chicago Theatres, the Paramount continues to provide world-class entertainment—including dance, music, Broadway-caliber theatre, and children's programming—for an annual audience of 150,000 patrons from over 250 communities. The Paramount also hosts free community events and its opulent interiors provide a spectacular backdrop for private functions such as wedding receptions or corporate galas. (Photography: Liz Lauren & Charles Osgood)
Whether you're here to watch improv or stand-up, you're in for a great time! Come early and enjoy a drink and the thousands of pieces of comedy memorabilia that puts the "shrine" in The Comedy Shrine. Interested in classes? We have those too! You are never too old or too young to try your hand at comedy. Check out our website for upcoming class dates and prices.
Aurora's interactive science and technology center offers over 200 hands-on exhibits demonstrating the principles of electricity, weather, astronomy and nuclear energy.
David L. Pierce Art & History Center
The Aurora Public Art Commission hosts rotating exhibits displaying a full spectrum of innovative arts. The History Center has a collection of photographs, books, maps and other memorabilia. The Museum Shop offers hand-crafted jewelry, pottery and textiles from local artists and Aurora-themed gifts.
New York Street Memorial Bridge
Spanning the entire Fox River, features include the circa 1930 "Memory" and "Victory" statues in honor of fallen soldiers from World War I. In 1930, Chicago sculptor Emory P. Seidel designed the original plans for the bridge. As a period publication stated, using an artist made the bridge "remarkable in its beauty and unique in its design."
If These Walls Could Talk in Downtown Aurora not only provides 100% archival quality framing services their shop acts as an art gallery for visitors to enjoy, buy, and sell their art. A regular venue for Downtown Aurora's First Friday event.
Culture Stock is a social venture that operates as a hub for cultural activities and community programs while serving as a used book and media re-seller. Culture Stock, located in the heart of Downtown Aurora, offers up-and-coming musicians, poets and other artists a place to display their talents. Stop in for a taste of Aurora's culture, read a good book in a cozy corner, listen to a new performer or join a language circle. Kids have events at Culture Stock too. Check their Facebook page for a Downtown Aurora cultural experience update today!
Aurora University's Crimi Auditorium
This much-lauded and beautiful auditorium hosts classical and popular musical events as well as popular lectures and recitals. It is located in Aurora University's Institute for Collaboration building.
Enjoy the fusion of traditional Indian architecture with modern technology; Explore the various facets of Hindu rites & rituals, as well as the core philosophical precepts of the religion; Experience peace & serenity. All are welcome.
Above and Beyond Framing and Gallery
Custom framing, art and gift gallery. Featuring Steve Hanks, Tom Lynch and Scanlan.
The mission of the Fermilab Arts and Lecture Series is to celebrate the artistic and intellectual vision of Fermilab by actively fostering an appreciation of science and the performing arts in neighboring communities. Most of the Arts and Lecture Series performances and lectures take place in Fermilab's Ramsey Auditorium.
The Goodrich Randall theater complex includes the only IMAX screen in the Fox Valley area.
This local theater troupe is located in the "attic" of Batavia's Government Center.
This cozy, professional theater presents year round productions, including comedies, dramas and musicals.
Whether you're interested in science or just fishing in the ponds near the buffalo herd you're welcome at Fermilab. Take a self-guided tour of the laboratory, the Art Gallery and science and educational displays. View the grounds from the 15th floor observation area. Visitors may also visit the Lederman Science Center. Performing arts and lectures. Groups welcome by appointment. Public tours are offered every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and as part of the Ask-a-Scientist event on the first Sunday of each month.
Lincoln Highway Interpretive Mural - Batavia
Dotted along the 179-mile byway, you'll find an unprecedented series of interpretive murals. Each artistically embodies the cultural heritage of the community where it is located and the legacy of the historic highway. Needless to say, taking a road trip to all or a couple makes for a nostalgic adventure.
As the centerpiece of downtown Batavia, the Riverwalk extends along the Depot Pond and Fox River to a north point pavilion, where grand views of the Fox River are available.
Fermilab's Lederman Science Center
The Leon M. Lederman Science Education Center houses hands-on exhibits for ages 10+, technology and science labs, a store and the K-12 Teacher Resource Center. Science Adventures classes for all ages take place at the Lederman Science Center. The Center also has a unique collection of indoor and outdoor exhibits introducing students to the world of particle physics. Open to the public Monday–Friday 8:30 AM–4:30 PM and on Saturdays from 9:00 AM–3:00 PM. The Center can accommodate groups of five or fewer on a walk-in basis. Larger groups must book a visit. Call 630-840-8258 for more information. A guided tour for families is available the first Saturday of the month from 10:00 am to noon.
Civic Center Authority Visitor Center
The Bedford Park Heritage Corridor Visitor Center is full of information and literature of exciting things to do and see throughout the Heritage Corridor. The Visitor Center provides National Heritage Corridor promotional literature and I&M Canal related resources to the public. It is operated by the Civic Center Authority in partnership with Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Village of Willow Springs. The Center is staffed by volunteers recruited and managed by the Civic Center Authority. Open Saturday 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM and Sunday 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM.
CITY:Bedford Park
FitzGerald's, just across the street from Oak Park in Berwyn, has built a legendary reputation for an eclectic mix of music in a casual, comfortable setting that attracts music fans of all ages. The New York Times calls the club "a musical gem" and it has consistently been ranked among the top five music venues in Chicago. For special events, FitzGerald's offers a unique setting for all types of gatherings from 30 to 300. The family's award-winning restoration and classic look extends from its intimate private party room to the courtyard and legendary music club next door. An in house event planner can assist with any and all aspects of your event as needed.
Winner of the Broadway in Chicago 2013 Emerging Theater Award and named Chicago Magazine's Best Emerging Theater of 2013, 16th Street Theater presents award-winning new plays at affordable prices. A nationally-recognized professional Equity theater, 16th Street is a program of the North Berwyn Park District and operates year round out of the Berwyn Cultural Center just 9 miles west of downtown Chicago. Come engage with us!
Wire is located on Roosevelt Road in Berwyn. Just west of Chicago, something is growing... a facility for music production, performance, education and distribution unlike any other. Come experience this first class venue, boasting top notch audio equipment, as well as full service modern lighting and video production. A place every artist will want to play and every fan will want to see. This very modern venue is available to rent for your especially unique event. A must see!
Illinois Aviation Museum at Bolingbrook
Providing the nation with access to the rich history of aviation in Illinois, the Illinois Aviation Museum at Bolingbrook focuses on technology, research, education and community service.
iPic Theaters & Salts Sports Bar & Lounge
IPic Theaters has a passion for movies and provides you with the ultimate escape. A premium and affordable movie-going experience, there is something for everyone. Enjoy fresh seasonal cocktails at Salt Sports Bar, full menu selection, billiards and more.
Public Enemies - Stateville Correctional Center
The Feds hunt notorious American gangsters John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson during a 1930s crime wave. The restored period exterior of Chicago's Biograph Theater, site of Dillinger's infamous demise, is featured in a pivotal scene in the movie.
CITY:Crest Hill
Carmelite Campus National Shrine of St. Therese
The National Shrine of St. Therese is a Roman Catholic shrine, chapel, and museum dedicated to St. Therese of Lisieux. The Shrine is home to the most wonderful collection of relics, personal effects and memorabilia of Therese outside of France. The Shrine chapel celebrates Mass every weekday at 11:30 am. Tours are available for groups of 20 or more, including a private tour of an exact replica of St. Therese's monastery cell in France. The shrine sits peacefully on a 50-acre estate owned and operated by the Carmelites of the Most Pure Heart of Mary. Adjacent to the Shrine is the Carmelite Spiritual Center, offering meeting room rental, lodging, meals and spiritual retreats as well as organized Shrine tours.
This museum is a replica of the first McDonald's restaurant opened by Ray Kroc on April 15, 1955. View an array of memorabilia, from the original kitchen equipment to the 1950s classic cars parked on site.
CITY:Des Plaines
DuPage County, Chicago's Western Suburbs - Current movies at bargain prices in a beautifully restored French Renaissance 1920s movie theater. Over 1,000 seats with 4K Digital Projection and Sound with Digital 3-D, Wurlitzer pipe organ player Friday, Saturday nights and special events. Theatre is available for meetings with DVD, power point, wi-fi capabilities.
CITY:Downers Grove
This theater venue hosts top-notch entertainment, local and national bands, karaoke and comedy shows.
This fourth generation, family-owned pottery company features an on-site museum and a factory store that holds an annual summer sale.
World's largest manufacturer of art pottery. Factory outlet salesroom and Haeger Museum open to the public at original manufacturing site.
CITY:East Dundee
Florals and custom made silks.
CITY:East Dundee
Native American art and antiquities including Navajo weavings, Pueblo pottery, sculptures by Cliff Fragua, and work by other Plains Native American artists.
CITY:East Dundee
Exceptional theater productions are performed by children for children.
Award-winning community theatre featuring classical and contemporary musicals and play selections.
Elgin Area Historical Society Museum
Housed in an 1856 landmark building, permanent exhibits include artifacts from the Elgin National Watch Co. and Elgin Road Race memorabilia.
In beautiful Lord's Park, this museum features over 15,000 specimens of natural history with newly expanded family focused hands-on exhibits.
Elgin Fire Barn No. Five Museum
Get caught up in the history and spirit of firefighting. View the 1929 American Lafrance Fire Engine and 1869 Horse Drawn Silsby Steamer.
Elgin Community College Visual and Performing Arts Center
World class music, dance and theatre. Enjoy an evening out, entertainment for the family, or a chance to satisfy your cravings for culture.
Home of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, this facility contains a 1200-seat theatre and an 11,340 square foot exhibition hall with fully equipped banquet kitchen. Host to many well-known artists.
Thirty-five unique gift, antique and specialty shops and cafe.
Named "Orchestra of the Year" an unprecedented three times by Illinois Council of Orchestras, the ESO performs over 60 concerts a year thrilling more than 50,000 patrons, from Chicagoland to Wisconsin and Indiana.
The oldest farmhouse in Elk Grove Village. Restored to reflect life during the civil war. The home of Heinrich and Maria Schuette. School and scout programs available. Open year-round.
CITY:Elk Grove Village
Exhibiting late 20th Century American Art, Elmhurst Art Museum offers exhibitions ranging from national touring works to local emerging and mid-career Chicago and Illinois artists. The Museum offers public tours, programs, guest lectures and art classes. It's award-winning structure contains a dramatic glass entrance gallery, three museum galleries, an educational pavilion, and the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-designed McCormick house.
Enjoy first run films in a renovated 1924 Spanish-style movie theater with five auditoriums all equipped with Dolby digital sound. Baby Barton Pipe Organ is played on Friday and Saturday nights.
Theatre Historical Society of America
Theatre Historical Society of America features archives and gallery space showcasing the history of America's theatres in photos, blueprints and artifacts.Rotating exhibits highlight the history of different theatres.
Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art
DuPage County, Chicago's Western Suburbs - This one-of-a-kind museum features displays of Chinese jade and other hard stone carvings, dioramas, minerals, gemstones, earth science, hands-on exhibits, and a unique gift shop. Group tours are available with reservations, and educational programs are offered.
DuPage County, Chicago's Western Suburbs - This prize-winning museum features changing interpretive exhibits on Elmhurst history as well as national touring exhibits. Programs for children, families and adults throughout the year. The Elmhurst Historical Museum is located in a historically significant structure known as the Glos Mansion, which is the former home of Elmhurst's first village president, Henry L. Glos, and his wife, Lucy.
DuPage County, Chicago's Western Suburbs - Elmhurst College is home to a state of the art high tech conference and event facility that can host groups from 20 - 900 people. The campus also boasts a first-rate sports facility in an arboretum-like setting.
Jeanine A Guncheon Gallery Etcetera
An unusual shop that runs the gamut from art, gifts & vintage. Uniquely individual. Owner and artist, Jeanine Guncheon, has a wide collection of her hand painted bowls, furniture, and one-of-a-kind sculptures. Commission pieces on request.
CITY:Forest Park
Get creative at this crafter's paradise! Beads from around the world, unique rubber stamps & papers, Ranger inks, paints, and stamp pads. Sit at our "crystal bar" and work on your projects. Our friendly staff will be happy to assist you. Classes for all skill levels. Parties are our specialty! Birthdays, bridesmaids, "girls night out" -- we do them all. Come take a look!
CITY:Forest Park
Pineapple Dance offers dance and fitness classes to adults and teens in Zumba, Traditional Belly Dance, Hip Hop, West African and more. Movement to music has been a vehicle for celebration and connection in ethnic cultures across the globe and history. The studio is available for rent, rehearsals and or meetings. Special group classes with any of our instructors are available.
CITY:Forest Park
Fabyan Estate and Forest Preserve
Created by Colonel and Mrs. George Fabyan, who lived on the 600-acre estate from 1905 to the 1930s, the estate includes a restored villa with diverse collections, a Japanese garden and a Dutch windmill.
Kane County Events and Cultural Center
This 50-acre forest preserve houses the Philip B. Elfstrom Stadium (home of the Kane County Cougars minor league baseball team), the Roberta Campbell Cultural & Conference Center (used for art exhibits and community activities) and a picnic/park area.
They offer award winning educational programs and professional exhibits that make the Geneva History Center a source of great community pride.
Gallery 28 Fine & Functional Art
Tucked away in the quaint historic district of downtown Geneva, in an historic Victorian home is where you'll discover Gallery 28, an art gallery for both fine and functional art. Featuring a fresh mix of breath-taking paintings, exquisite jewelry, sculpture, photography, pottery and unique works in wood and metal along with music by premier musicians. The variety of art will interest serious fine art collectors as well as fine craft enthusiasts.
Producing mainstage productions throughout the year, and also hosting performances by comedy groups, musicians, playwrights and any number of other entertainers.
A tranquil oasis where history melds with nature and design. This historic garden affords the opportunity to experience the uniqueness of Japanese gardening and enjoy a moment of harmony with nature.
College of DuPage McAninch Arts Center
The McAninch Arts Center is home to five resident professional ensembles: Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, DuPage Opera Theatre, Arts Center Jazz Ensemble, New Classic Singers and New Philharmonic.
CITY:Glen Ellyn
McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage
DuPage County, Chicago's Western Suburbs - College of DuPage's McAninch Center is home to several resident professional ensembles, student productions and world-class touring attractions plus the Gahlberg Gallery for visual arts.
CITY:Glen Ellyn
Glendale Heights Sports Hub- community activity center
CITY:Glendale Heights
A new 11,000 seat arena located in Hoffman Estates featuring world-class entertainment including concerts, family shows, and sporting events. Home of the Chicago Slaughter Indoor Football (IFL) and Chicago KICK Indoor Soccer (MISL).
CITY:Hoffman Estates
Overshadowed Theatrical Productions
DuPage County, Chicago's Western Suburbs - Overshadowed Productions delivers quality, family-friendly drama that entertains, inspires, and promotes a Biblical message.
Travel through time and space! Walk through a replica of the I & M Canal, window shop on a turn-of-the-century street, take a virtual ride on a replica trolley, live the legend of Route 66, land on the moon in a walk-in simulator, and experience space exploration and the Apollo missions. Temporary exhibits change often in our Special Exhibition Gallery. There's always family fun in our discovery room, and remember your visit with a souvenir from our Gift Shop.
Slovenian Women's Heritage Museum
This museum was established to preserve ethnic Slovenian heritage and honor the immigrants who settled the Joliet area.
Take a self-guided walking tour of the magnificent murals, sculptures and mosaics found throughout Joliet's city center.
Jacob Henry Mansion Estate Dinner Theatre
Located on the Jacob Henry Mansion Estate, guests are greeted with our famous family hospitality, homemade meals and heartwarming musical productions. Lunch matinees and dinner shows are complimented by itineraries that include tours of our other historic properties, or excursions into Joliet's vibrant downtown. The Jacob Henry Mansion Estate Dinner Theatre welcomes groups with onsite motorcoach parking and handicap accessibilty.
Elegant National Historic Landmark offers unique Victorian setting for weddings/receptions. Groups and tours welcome.
Public Enemies - Joliet Prison
The Feds hunt notorious American gangsters John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson during a 1930s crime wave. The restored period exterior of Chicago's Biograph Theater, site of Dillinger's infamous demise, is featured in a pivotal scene in the movie.
A Joliet staple for more than 30 years, this LGBT bar features dancing to live DJs on Friday and Saturday nights, Maneuvers Diva's Den drag shows and live entertainment.
Historic Vaudeville Movie Theatre listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Wide variety of performances.
The Garfield Farm Museum is an 1840s living history farm featuring the story of the Garfield family, the Brick Tavern & Inn, restored barns, heirloom gardens, rare farm animals, restored prairie and more.
St. James at Sag Bridge is the Oldest Church in Northern Illinois. Built by Irish immigrants who built the canal. Established in 1833, it is the sole country parish of the Archdiocese of Chicago serving a growing community of Catholics who come together to worship God through the celebration of the Eucharist and traditional devotional activities within truly unique and beautiful surroundings.
Illinois State Museum Lockport Gallery
Features rotating, theme-based exhibitions of works created by past and contemporary Illinois artists and artisans. Exhibits are given added dimension through educational activities and tours for all ages.
Art rubber stamps and accessories, brass stencils, ink pads, markers, books, magazines and videos. Free demonstrations.
Dedicated on February 12, 2009, Lincoln Landing is Lockport's newest attraction. This park, located on the original Public Landing platted as a dock area by Canal Commissioners in 1836, features a unique bronze statue of a young Abraham Lincoln created by artist David Ostro. Interpretive signage through the park highlights the history of the I&M Canal, its impact on the Lockport community, and Lincoln's connections to both. This open-air museum is self-guiding, but is enhanced by a website with school lesson plans.
Will County Historical Society
Incorporated in 1964, the Will County Historical Society exists to connect people and organizations to the county's rich history. The Society's museum is housed in the original headquarters of the I&M Canal. Built in 1837, the structure played a central role in the design, financing, and construction of the Canal and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Changing exhibits highlight the history of Will County and the Canal. The Society's extensive collection includes significant county and canal-related records, including maps, plats, land records, obituaries, photographs, newspapers, receipts, and correspondence.
Will County Historical Society
Incorporated in 1964, the Will County Historical Society exists to connect people and organizations to the county's rich history. The Society's museum is housed in the original headquarters of the I&M Canal. Built in 1837, the structure played a central role in the design, financing, and construction of the Canal and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Changing exhibits highlight the history of Will County and the Canal. The Society's extensive collection includes significant county and canal-related records, including maps, plats, land records, obituaries, photographs, newspapers, receipts, and correspondence.
The Gladys Fox Museum is located in the beautifully restored Old Congregational Church, which is the oldest surviving building of its type in Illinois. The building was constructed in 1840 of native limestone on land donated by the Illinois & Michigan.
Midwest SOARRING Foundation's Native American Cultural Center
Midwest SOARRING (Save Our Ancestors Remains & Resources Indigenous Network Group) Foundation was formed in November of 1996. They are a Native American non-profit organization who assists with repatriation, protection of sacred sites and educates the public about Native American culture, through Pow Wows, cultural programs and environmental issues. The new Cultural Center is made possible by a lease obtained through the City of Lockport.
Lombard Historical Society Museum
This Victorian home features rooms furnished with artifacts exemplifying the lifestyle of the emerging middle-class during the 1870s. Group tours welcome seven days a week with reservations, based on availability. Admission free.


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First off, a big thanks to Super Bladesman, who created the xml file that we will be using to play FM10 the extended edition, you can download the file and say thanks to SB here
Also, thank you to Dafuge who first of all came up with the whole 'small club to big club' theme on here but also for allowing me to use the OP in dafuges challenge as a template for this challenge.
Anyway, onto the thread. With the introduction of a competitions editor to Football Manager 2010 it has become possible to add lower leagues onto the current structure of playable leagues, adding a whole new dimension to the small club to big club challenges, as now it is possible to go as far down as level 10 of the English League structure, meaning the classic 'dafuges challenge' is now even tougher.
The Aim
To take a small club who were previously unplayable in the game from any level below the Blue Square North/South to Premier League and Champions League glory.
The Rules
Remember to download Super Bladesmans xml file with the link above, Here's where it needs to go:
C:\Program Files\Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2010\editor data
Load a game with the English leagues only, with your chosen selected, a large database (or smaller if preferred), the attribute masking, real players and transfer boxes ticked and the add key staff box ticked as well
In addition this year, for those of you who want to add to the database to make things more competitive at the top level in the long term, you can set the database level to custom to add the players for the top clubs in each continent. It should look like this. This is purely optional, but no extra players can be loaded on top of this, this is the limit.
The extra levels of detail that you can change while in the game are up to you, as they shouldn't make a difference.
Add yourself as a new manager, the options are up to you but 'past experience' must be set to the lowest possible which is 'Sunday league footballer'. I understand that choosing different nationalities may have an effect later on, but I trust people will be sensible with this. I would expect people to use their own true nationalities.
Take over your chosen club from your chosen league (remember: Below BSS/N) and begin your journey to Premier League glory!
You may not move clubs unless you are sacked. If you get sacked, you can either take over another club that satisfies the original criteria, or just start again.
Any form of international management is not allowed, until you have completed the challenge.
Assigning parent clubs and loaning players is completely up to the player, although it should be noted that on occasions a parent club can lend players which will make the first season or two slightly less of a challenge. It is completely up to you how you play this one, but everyone knows real men don't use parent club loans. Personally, I like to assign a parent club for financial benefits but never take any players on loan from them.
To sign a player, you must be able to scout them, this doesn't mean you have to, just he must be accessible to your scouts. If you have a foreign player on a free transfer who is willing to come on trial, you do not need to be able to scout them, as long as you have them at the club on trial so you can get a coach report on him.
No external utilities such as scouting programs should be used and the database should be unedited with the obvious exception of Super Bladesmans Level 10 update and displaced_seagulls Sussex leagues pack when it is released, if an update is released that is of a good quality and allows you to go to below level 10 I will allow it to be used once I've checked it. Should SI release a data update, this would be allowed but any other data updates are not. It is advised that people should update using the latest patches as they are released, we have waited for 10.1 before starting so I would expect to see everyone using it from day one.
could you please use this title format when you are doing season updates:
[username] [club name] - Season * (2***/2***) - Starting Division: [division in first season] (Starting level, level 10, 9 etc.) Current Division: [division at the start of new season]
So mine for example is:
Wigan Robin Park FC Update - Season 1 (2009/2010) - Starting Division: NW Counties Div. One (Level 10)
Rules for this Thread
Player naming is allowed.
General discussion on tactics is allowed, although people should not refer to downloaded tactics. They are not banned, but I would expect the majority of people to avoid them.
Screenshots for anything are encouraged but please post links to your pictures, don't post them as images as it makes the pages slower to load. Posts included embedded images may be deleted without warning.
When you join the challenge, could you post a screenshot of your manager's profile on the 25th June like this. (I'll change it to a relevant club when I start my game)
Progress of your club should be documented using this thread, we want to hear the story of your club all the way through. Please keep us updated, even if you are doing really badly.
At the end of every season, could everyone post some kind of season review, including at least a screenshot of a league table and the clubs transfer page. If you give this a title in bold it makes it a bit easier to pick out.
I will try and keep a table of PL and CL wins and completions going, so if you win either competition for the first time please make it clear in your end of season review.
How to Post a Screenshot
- While in FM, press the 'Prt Sc' button (usually next to F12 on your keyboard).
- Open an image editing program such as Paint and paste the image
- Save the file as a JPEG
- Upload the image to an image hosting website such as Photobucket
- Post the direct Url to the image here.
How to Add Links
At the top of the forum, go to 'quick links' then 'edit options'. At the bottom, select 'enhanced interface' and save the changes. This will give you access to the extra posting tools that make it easier to post links. Once you've done this, highlight the word you wish to turn into a link, then use the link button (looks like a little globe) to paste in the direct Url to your screenshot.
Good luck


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Originally Posted by P455w0rd_Cr4kz
3 threads in a row is considered SPAM. Don't do it again or you could be banned by mods and Shabbir.
Originally Posted by urstop
Can't we just get rid of this type of threads, can't mods just delete them all together instead of just editing them?
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J R Poenix 5.0 Mesh Tall Jacketby Dana - verified purchaser
I had previously purchased a Joe Rocket Jacket (from Jafrum) for my girlfriend. We were both amazed at the quality, fit, features, and on bike performance of hers. So being the selfish prick that I am I wanted one too. My size is "Mens Tall LGT". Jafrum is the only place I have found that has my size in in a good selection of jackets. As far as the jacket itself; WOW!!! it is the same high quality, awsome fit, and features as my girlfriends. I have worn it on several 40 degree rides and it is amazing at keeping the wind out and keeping me warm. I got the black one because it looks great. But the grey is a good choice too as it may make you more visible on the bike. These are the only two choices a biker needs to make. My only observation is that the sizing chart above does not correspond to Tall sizes. It is simply the wrong sizing chart and needs to be updated or deleted. This is very confusing and I'l bet Jafrum has lost sales because of it. I have purchased dozens of items from Jafrum this past fall and I must say I am a happy biker.


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The scenario is this: Machine A has files I want to copy to Machine C. Machine A can't access C directly, but can access Machine B that can access Machine C. I am using scp to copy from Machine A to B, and then from B to C.
Machine B has limited storage space, so as files come in, I need to copy them to C and delete them from B. The second copy is much faster, so this is no problem with bandwidth.
I could do this by hand, but I am lazy. What I would like is to run a script on B or C that will copy each file to C as each one finishes. The scp job is running from A.
So what I need is a way to ask (preferably from a bash script) if file X.avi is "done" copying. Each of these files is a different size, and I can't really predict size or time of completion.
Edit: by the way, the file transfer times are something about 1 hour from A to B and about 10 minutes from B to C, if time scale matters at all.


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Most programming languages appear to be designed to not allow one to declare an identifier that starts with a number. I was just curious to know the reason. I have already searched the web, but couldn't find a satisfactory explanation.
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In C/C++, a number followed by a letter is considered to be a numeric constant and the string that follows, qualifies the type of the constant. So for example (these are VC++, not sure how standard they are):
So a) it is easier for the lexer as Daniel said but also b) it makes an explicit distinction since 0y might be a variable but 0u would never be. Plus other qualifiers, like "i64" were added way later than "l" or "u" and they want to keep the option open of adding more if needed.
The convenience of the people implementing the lexer. (No, seriously, that is about it. Various languages have other reasons, but it ultimately comes down to that.)
Consider the following 2 cases:
Case 1
Lets assume that an identifier could begin with a number.
So a statement like below would be valid (since an identifier can have 1 or more characters) :
When I try to use the above variable in a program, it'll result in compiler ambiguity:
In the statement
Case 2
As opposed to the example above, lets assume that a language were to actually allow identifiers starting with a number while still disallowing numerals being used as identifiers. This can cause the following issues:
Making this restriction will prevent the programmer from using numbers as identifier names.
For the most part this has nothing to do with making it easy for the compiler writers and parsing efficiency, but, more to do with designing a syntax that encourages clear readable and unambiguous code.
Its the language designers thought it would be nice to be able to write numeric literals like the number 1 as just plain 1 .
It would be quite possible to design a language syntax where numeric literals were quoted in some way for example tildas so the numberic literal for number one was encoded as ~1~ and anything not a keyword and not enclosed in quotes was treated as a variable name.
So you could code statements like:
But also:
Whatever syntax you choose ambiguous and hard to follow code is unavoidable.
The C language and most of the "curly brackets" languages descended from C also thought it a good idea to allow programmers to code Octal and Hexadecimal literals directly, and, to specify the type of the literal if this was important. So
So even if you allowed variable names start with a number followed by a combination of numbers and letter that included at least one letter you would present the programmer with the problem of deciding whether a given group formed a variable name or a numeric literal so
Such ambiguity would not help anyone writing or reading a program.
For a closely related real world example you could look at PL/1 language whose designers thought that being able to use keywords as variable names was a good idea so that:
Is valid code which compiles and executes.
Fortran had a huge effect on how later languages were designed. Early on (some of these problems have since been fixed) Fortran had almost no rules restricting what name you could give to an identifier. This made the language extremely difficult to parse both for compilers and for programmers. Here's one classic example:
Here I've marked the "language key words" with K and the identifiers (variable names) I. Given that there's no difference in spelling, I think you can probably understand how confusing this could be. Of course, this is an extreme example, and it's unlikely anybody ever wrote code quite like this on purpose. Sometimes people did "recycle" language key words as identifier names though -- and in a lot of cases a simple typo could result in code that the language spec said should be parsed this way, even though it wasn't intended at all. For another well-known example, compare this:
to this:
The first is a do loop -- iterating a block of code 10 times. The second, however, has had the comma changed to a decimal point, so it's assigning the value
This also meant that writing a Fortran parser was relatively difficult -- you couldn't be certain that the
After a few years of this, language designers (most of them anyway) went toward the opposite extreme -- restricting nearly everything about the language as much as possible without the users complaining too much.
Early BASIC, for example, basically said you couldn't even use a key word as part of an identifier -- for example,
Likely this convention has evolved from very early historical language design decisions, as on early machines the entire compiler, including lexical analysis, had to run in a few kWords, less memory than even just the first-level processor data cache on current mobile devices, so the allowed variable names were very limited, and had to be easy to distinguish from numeric constants in very few op codes.
Thus, the convention became what generations of programmers are used to.
It's not a logically required rule for programming language but just the convention used by many language designers.
I can design radically different language that allow all character for identifiers. For all code lines, first 20 character will describe the statement type then next 20 character will define the first symbol for the statement, and next 20 character is operand for the statement. This language will be executed on a stack processor.
This code could be translated in C as below:
That's all. It's meaningless and the no-number-in-identifiers rule is also pointless in logical ground.
In addition to "convenience for the lexer", I think it is also worth considering "convenience for the reader".
When reading code, you need to quickly and repeatedly identify which words are identifiers, and which are numbers. Looking for a digit at the beginning is easier on our visual pattern-matching; it would be a chore if we had to carefully check all the characters to make sure.
The answer to this question lies in automata or more precisely finite automata that defines the regular expression. The rule is...compilers need exact algorithms or rules to decide at every character that they parse. If identifiers were allowee to start with a number then the compiler will be in a fix..about the nature of the token coming...will it be a number or an identifier...and as compilers cant backtrack to earlier positions...so..to make it clear to the compiler that the coming token is precisely an identifier or a number...this restriction is there...coz of this...compiler knows just by scanning the first character that the coming token is an identifier or a number.


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I'm new, and when I get the notice that there are updates to install I just do it. All Greek to me.
Only had this think pad w530 for a few weeks. Ubuntu 12.04 LTS installed with VESA: NVIDIA GeForce graphics.
After re-starting from the most recent updates the laptop display resolution is lower than before. If I go to the display settings the best I can do is 1024 x 768. I like the nice fine resolution I had before, and want to go back to it, but don't know how.
Any help would be appreciated.


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NN5, Canon 5D, Sigma 12-24mm (at 12mm), Autopano Pro.
NN5, Canon 5D, Sigma 12-24mm (at 12mm), Autopano Pro.
Here it is:
Nice pano jmardy. I'm guessing that's the platform above the last parking place at the top of the hill? I've driven up there but not walked up to that platform. It's one of the best pano views of San Francisco. It would be great if you had a higher resolution version so we could zoom right in on the city. I live just down the road (about 50 miles) in San Jose.
Hi Neil,
Thanks. Yes, that's where it was taken. Here is the Google earth placemark:
I'm still working on this shot. I did exposure bracketing and am still fighting with various post-production workflows...
Should have a high res version soon.


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If you know ahead of time that you're going to be missing a player, do you reschedule? Or just play them as an NPC or as a group puppet?
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It depends on what's going on in the session. If the session is going to be mostly combat or dungeon-crawly, especially if it's a continuation of a previous session, then running them as an NPC makes sense. Even then, though, there's the risk that someone's character is going to be killed or permanently altered on the basis of things that happened when they weren't there to control their character, so I'd always ask permission before doing that.
Generally, though, I much prefer to concoct an excuse for them to be absent during the session. "Apgar the Barbarian just received word that his favorite pub would soon be closing for a month for renovations; he was left with no choice but to abandon the party for a week-long bender." As long as that is possible based on where the previous session left off, it's my preferred strategy.
I hate canceling sessions because one player can't make it, because I find that sooner or later, canceled sessions become the norm. It's better to get together and make something happen, so the game stays on everyone's mental calendar as a regular occurrence that actually happens. Sometimes, it takes some flexibility to handle that - if several players are missing, you might even consider running a flashback with the players that are available and fleshing out some backstory, or rigging up a side adventure, or something. But it's best if the weekly session stays weekly, as it were.
If you're missing so many players that you don't have "quorum", then I reschedule. In my case, I like to have at least three players and prefer four. Anything less and there is too much lull in the play... lull that has to be made up by the DM. And I'm a lazy, lazy DM.
If you're just missing one or two people and want to play anyway, just ignore it. I've gone through lots of permuations of in-game justifications, whisking people away into pocket dimensions, saying they're lost and playing out reuniting with the party the next time they show up, beaming them back to town, etc. The one that takes the least amount of time away from our precious gaming time? Just ignore it. They weren't around, or they were in the background the last session.
When an episodic series with a lot of characters (like Lost, for example) has an episode about character X that doesn't include character Y, nobody wonders why character Y isn't getting a lot of spotlight time. It's not Y's episode! Ditto for gaming. If there's a TPK or something else that breaks your suspension of disbelief, deal with that rare corner-case when it happens.
So I'm in a group with seven people, and two of those have little children, and two have hot and heavy romances going on, and it is an unusual week when everybody shows up to game. And this has been a problem.
So I'm on one extreme - the game is a priority for me and I am always there and on time. I am a little mental. My brother is on the other extreme - he's primarily there to socialize, and his family commitments are hard to predict, so he often misses a session at the last minute.
So it has been problematic for my brother, because he doesn't want to screw up the game, and for me, because it's impossible to do anything but one-shots without worrying about continuity and attendance. Everybody else is somewhere strung out between us, and we are all good friends. We want it to work for everybody.
So here's what we decided: The four guys who are closer to my end (always there, usually on time) will arrange to run or facilitate games and play the protagonists. The three guys closer to my brother's end can either opt in for that game (if they know they'll be around for the next four weeks, say), or they can create secondary characters or pick up NPCs session-to-session as they wish. Everybody is on board with this. It takes pressure off the guys who may have to bail at a moments notice, and allows the game to go forward no matter what.
So the unpredictable guys still get to hang out when they can and roleplay, and I don't think their participation will be in any way diminished. The game just won't revolve around their guys. Works for us.
I have 7 people in my game, we do 2-3 sessions a week on continuous campaign (it's been about 2 months now). Of course, when there is this many people, there's gonna be someone missing at the table once in a while.
I hate making some players more important, than others, so the rule is "if there is less then 3 people absent, we continue playing."
When that happens, sometimes I build my game in a way, so that the absent person disappears (which will be justified later - he's been kidnapped, got some important item, etc), or gets something we call 'Crystal Stasis' - a type of paralyze.
But more often, the missing characters just faint. This works quite nicely:
One may wonder, 'Why do they carry bodies around? why not just leave them?'. Well, first of all, at one point of the plot, they knew, that to enter the cave they have to be in a number of 7, so they had to keep each others alive to complete the Quest, and, secondly, it's a role-playing trial - I try to keep my characters connected and make some of them care for each other. Sometimes helps with drama and keeps the sessions interesting.
We have the character for a missing player simply disappear for the session and reappear on the session when they return. Occasionally, if the story demands it, I'll have the player take on an NPC or secondary character when they return in the middle of a critical section of the story.
I have trouble letting the rest of the group play the character as a puppet or having the character become an NPC. I've been burned by a "NPC" player character's death and losing the player from the group.
Adding my voice to all the other answers here - which are fantastic, by the way - I just want to add that it really depends on what you want to do, and how it fits into the game proper. Did you end your last session on a cliffhanger, or were they all hanging out at the tavern?
In all the games I've run, there were always many different things to do in the situation. I'll give my current game as an example; everyone's schedules makes it like herding cats to get everyone together at the same time. There have been times when, since everyone was in the tavern at the end of the previous session, a character is simply outside smoking a cigar while everyone else is discussing strategy and getting information out of the barkeep. Other times, when the party picks back up in a dangerous situation, I've had the missing player's character tending the oxcart, making sure that everyone's stuff (and the ox itself) didn't run off while there was a dragon nearby.
For short leaves (a sick player) we use a decent solution (and an in-joke for us): the cosmic toilet. If a player is not present, the character enters this superdimensional space and follows the other players, but cannot be harmed, touched or seen by enemies, he normally does not fight nor gains any experience or treasure from encounters. In some critical cases (such as the character in the cosmic toilet is a wizard and his spell is needed) the character briefly intervenes under DM control and then goes immediately back into the toilet, again without any XP gain. This keeps the character "up to date" on events without risking a players' resentment because the character was killed while under control of someone else. Nevertheless, in case of total party kill, the character dies as well.
When choosing between the various great options presented, don't forget to ask the player of the missing character what should be done with the character. In my four man group, I had one player that always wanted his best friend to play the character, another that only wanted the DM to run his character since he had secret stuff on his character sheet, and the other two didn't really care who played the character provided they didn't hear stories of their courageous swan dive into lava on their return.
It depends on you and your player's sense of humour and creativity. My DM has had to deal with a lot of people whose schedule just conflicts with the majority of the players or who just quit due to personal reasons. One of those who quit at the end of a boss battle in a cave was caught in a cave-in and never found. A player who refused to come to a session and whose schedule changed afterward unexpectedly, his character got infinite diarrhea and had to stay at the inn we were at. Another player left after giving some warning and his character joined the palace guard.
If you think that they might come back one day then leave that open and remind your players of their existence. The player whose schedule changed added to the party by allowing his character to get sold as a slave to gain a vital clue. When he comes back, the entire party will go on a side adventure to free him. If that's not your cup of tea, then just think of something that your group would enjoy and that would fit in with the flavour of your quest and their character. It can serve as a punishment or not, but it's really up to you.
As a general rule, if enough people are missing that play cannot continue, reschedule and hope for the best.
If one player is missing, then depending on the game and your group, you could have another player control him, treat him as a henchman or other special guy, or just put him in some situation where he cannot contribute for a time, but is still there; in fantasy parlance, maybe he's hit by a paralyzing poison, or some sort of sleeping sickness.
It can be hairy to use him as a DM puppet, since if something happens, it's going to be your fault instead of the rest of the party's, and unfair play can be suspected. In addition, in a typical DM-to-player relationship, the DM already has so much going on that it's difficult to keep track of some guy in combat and try and make decisions that are good but not too good, keeping in mind the difference between what the party knows and what you know.
If the group's going to drop below 4 players, I cancel the game. Otherwise, I just write that character out for the session - they go and investigate The Interesting Thing Over There, or get kidnapped by fae, or their mount gets spooked and they run off to go find it, or they decide that encounter looks too scary and go hide in the shadows for a bit.
When someone has to leave mid-session, sometimes one of the others in the group gets to play them (with their permission). We did actually end up with a character killing someone else in the party while they were 'out' like that... but because we all know each other and get on well it's become a running joke rather than a source of contention :).
I build my games, as much as possible, to allow PCs to go in and out of a given set of scenes. If a player isn't there in an evening they just weren't around for those scenes.
The way we do it is to have a core group of four players (including the GM) who we know are committed to the game. We schedule around the core. Once we know we're going to game, we let everyone else know when the game will be, and that we'd love to have them here.
In our current game, this means we have four to seven players.
Sometimes one member of the core won't be able to show up but we know that everyone else can; we will occasionally go ahead. But if two members of the core can't show, there is no game.
If we're missing one non-core player, their PC becomes a group puppet; if we're missing a core player, their character goes off elsewhere until the next game session. If we're missing multiple non-core players, obviously their characters are off exploring something else, because they aren't here now. I'm sure they'll catch up with us sooner or later.
Another possibility (that doesn't work with every campaign) is to hold sessions even when only 1-3 people can come. However, the session doesn't have anything to do with the main quest; rather 'roleplay' sessions for the characters that do make it.
Its like in a TV series where there is a sise episode about a character and some conflict from the past that develops that character further.
These adventures can be very different in nature; back in school we would play during track practice while running - no dice needed.
In can explore/invent a persons background; perhaps a personal rival (combat oriented or not); a moral dilemma for the character. They can be more off-the-cuff;fun;an annoyance; different playing style based on the player(s) present.
Or they can be player motivated; the player wants his own castle to live in for example.
I don't typically have huge groups, so, if one player is missing, we play a sub-game or something else. I have even at times done alternaverse settings for a few sessions. Use the characters that are there, but, kind of like a side-story that gives very small rewards but generally aren't high risk.
It depends whether or not they can be believably written out.
Last night for example a player had to leave to rush to hospital, possibly to see a relative for the last time.
We were slap bang in the middle of all the excitement, so took group decisions on how we thought the character should behave and went with the consensus.
Other times when a character can be written out, then I think it's preferable to do so.
I will tell everyone at the table that the player won't be making it. If the player had an idea for how to temporarily write themselves out I'll use that. If they didn't then I'll come up with an idea or pitch it to the group. We then do our best to make it work without that player for a session.
Then when the player comes back, I make sure I have an interesting situation to pitch them into to get them right back into the thick of it. In the one game of Apocalypse World I ran, the player who ran the town had to be absent. When he came back, I dropped him in the middle of a sudden violent takeover. I find that putting them back in the right away (but not punishing them) helps myself and the players hook right back into the recently absent player and what they're doing.
What i tend to do is play the character as an NPC but have them do only the bare minimum to carry the story and not destroy the players suspension of disbelief. They will tend to get 'injured out' of combat pretty soon, or stay back and heal/reload etc. If the Characters are in a known location (such as thier home city) rather than a dungeon or location, then the absent player simply buggers off with their own agenda.
I am not averse to making absent players come up with a good agenda for thier absence at times and then using that as a subplot in the game. There is no reason not to pubnish non attendance if it is mild and if it serves the game.
My only rules for running other peopels characters as an NPC is that they will never die (there is always some story as to why they survived) and they won't make any major descisions under my control. Nobody likes to come back and find thier character betrayed the King of thier own violition.
We have one night a week when we're intending to play. We have a quorum that's roughly "one more person than half", which with our groups turns out to be "only missing one or two people". The precise number that's quorum gets set by the referee and gets adjusted a bit depending on the game we're playing and what the referee thinks will be going on that week (so, in our situation, the referee has the power to inform what the quorum level is, or say "yes we'll play" or "no we won't" depending on the number of people who report as able to attend).
Referees that can't make it generally advertise this ahead of time as much as possible, and then the players who could attend get to decide if they'd like to meet and play something else anyway, or whether the session should get cancelled.
When a player can't attend, the PC suddenly loses "PC aura" and gets treated pretty much as a referee-controlled character that steps into the dim background a bit. Their abilities and participation can be tapped a bit by the PCs, but the referee typically doesn't let them be used to "solve the adventure" in ways other than cursory assistance. In some cases (with some game systems, mostly) the referee controls the missing player's character sheet; in some cases, this is too burdensome, and the referee asks other players to handle the missing player's sheet, in which case another player gets to do double-duty.
Socially, during play, the attribute of a character "lacking PC aura" gets invoked reasonably frequently, just to remind us all that the player is there in a "supporting role" and it is the schticks of the present PCs that should drive the action for the evening.
When players will be away for a determined (and more lengthy) time than just missing for one week, they get handwaved out of the immediate plot threads and aren't generally present to assist in the action.
If we're short two people (in a group of six) we cancel the session. We're still likely to get together, possibly for board games or just to hang out, but when we're down two, we don't have critical mass.
When we're down one, the other character is there, just distracted or not really participating. Depending on the setting, we might come up with an in-game explanation -- "Oh, Dr. Gupta is back at HQ working on her latest research results" -- and that explains why she doesn't do anything when a gunfight breaks out.
But if Dr. Gupta's player isn't there, Dr. Gupta doesn't get any insights at all. She's basically just part of the scenery or furniture.
Just a side-note: I've read somewhere of an idea (so it's not mine) about getting the characters infected with an incurable "dungeon fever" whose main symptoms are strongly reduced intellectual capacity and staying silent. The symptoms may manifest anytime and anywhere and may subside just as suddenly. Whenever one of the players can't make it to a session, her character has an outbreak and is simply tagging along with the party (fighting, if needed, though without using too special tactics) until next time.
With a few tweaks this might be introduced in non-fantasy settings as well - though storyteller discretion is highly advised, as it is definitely not a universal solution: it could easily ruin a well-crafted story and/or setting (let alone the character.) Try and combine it with the ideas raised in the other answers - you might get a working combination. :)
My DM has taken a variety of approaches to this problem, depending on the specifics of the adventure.
A few examples:
As always, the answer that works best for you depends on your specific situation. And has been mentioned here, it would be a dick move to let someone's character suffer permanent consequences (death, for instance) due to something that happened while they were gone. For that reason, our DM tends to have the enemies lay off the absent player's character if (s)he is in combat, or leave them out of combat if at all manageable, and we avoid using the character's one-use items and such.
Finally, if you can reasonably get into contact with the missing player before the session, do so, and ask them what they'd feel comfortable with. If they want you to use their character for combat so they don't lose out on XP, great. If they don't want to trust their character's life to the rest of the party, that's their choice.


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Is there an Issur of Tzar Baalei Chaim on humans?
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There is a prohibition of harming a human being, including inflicting pain (even without lasting damage). That's straightforward.
The question is as follows, if someone/something is already (unfortunately) suffering:
When do we say that pain and suffering alone, assuming no danger to life or limb, override a Halachic prohibition?
or in Yeshivish,
When are we matir something because of Tzaar Baalei Chayim?
The Chavos Yair (Rabbi Bachrach, lived in Germany in the late 1600s), responsum 191, explains that the answer may be different for humans and animals.
As a quick, imperfect illustration, and I'm not saying this is definitively the halacha, but it gets across the point:
The reasons for that are an interesting philosophical question. E.g. Fluffy was never commanded by God to keep Shabbos; Shmerel was. Assuming Shmerel is an adult, he can understand what's going on and why; etc.
The Chavos Yair never said it's allowable to inflict pain on a person. It's that a person in (I repeat, non-life-or-limb-threatening) pain may not get all the Halachic exceptions that an animal in pain may get. The Chavos Yair's question involved a Cohen who, to avoid contamination near a corpse, would have to be out in the bitter cold for a prolonged period. He allows it (in a case of rabbinically-prohibited contamination), but warns that the rules are more nuanced than an analogous case for animals.
I'm not answering halachickly but logically. If there is an avaira for hurting a squirell then certainly a human who is created B'tzelem Elo-kim should be much worse. I would think hurting a human is tzaar baalei chayim-we are baalei chayim.
Like i said this is not the halacha!!!!!
Please correct me if i am wrong.
The Chavos Yair in Kuf Tzadik Aleph says no, because humans have intelligence and they can choose to process it as they please (it is what you make of it). Hence there is no such thing as Tzaar Ballie Chaim for Humans.


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I have two layers, flood area (flood.img) as a raster and flow direction as polygons. Would you please help me in calculating the number of pixels in each flow direction polygon? I want to get the percentage of flood area in each flow direction polygon. I use ArcGIS 10.
Using Zonal Statistics with "Input raster or feature zone data" is your flow direction polygon and Input value raster is the raster flood area. The output of this tool would be a raster with a field named COUNT, that's the number of pixels you need.
A solution will require several steps (each of them simple), but no scripting, looping or "model building" are required.
As an intermediate result, we're aiming to build a table that counts pixels by flow direction within polygon. It will look something like this:
(Typically, flow directions are coded as powers of 2, {1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128}. The polygon identifiers can be anything.)
With this table in hand, it is straightforward to sum the counts by polygon (a "summarize" operation), join the sum to the table (a "table join"), and divide each count by the polygon sum (using the Field Calculator): those are the desired proportions of each flow direction within each polygon.
Let's focus on obtaining this table.
One approach is to combine the flow direction and polygon grids. The new grid contains four fields: as usual, there is a "value" and "count" field; in addition, one field records the flow direction in the cell and the other records the polygon identifier. But that's precisely the table described above (with an additional "value" field, which goes unused).


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This is a follow up question to MO question "Idempotent measures on the free binary system?". Let $(A,*)$ be the free binary operation on one generator which satisfies the left self distributive law: $a * (b * c) = (a * b)* (a* c)$. Is there a finitely additive probability measure $\mu$ on $A$ such that $\mu * \mu = \mu$?
Here $\mu * \nu$ is defined by $$ \mu * \nu (X) = \int \int \mathbf{1}_{*^{-1}(X)} (x,y)\ d\mu (x) \ d \nu (y). $$ Note: because of the asymmetry of the left self distributive law, the above order of integration is important (it is possible to show that there is an idempotent with the opposite order of integration). I conjecture a positive answer (this would follow from a positive answer for the free binary system on one generator) and this question may be easier to resolve than the other.


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Hanselminutes on 9 - Debugging Crash Dumps with Tess Ferrandez and VS2010
- Posted: Nov 05, 2009 at 8:04AM
- 72,795 views
- 17 comments
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I'm in Sweden this week and I got a chance to talk to legendary ASP.NET Debugger and Escalation Engineer Tess Ferrandez. In this video Tess shows me how to debug a dump of an ASP.NET Web Site with a pile of awesome and totally new features in Visual Studio 2010. I also talked to Tess for an extended Debugging 101 session on the full 30 minute audio edition of my Hanselminutes Podcast out later this week.
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Being able to debug dumps in VS2010 will be awesome! I can't wait!
Wow thats really great!
Will it be possible to open 64-bit dumps? Do I still need a 64-bit machine to do that or will it work on 32-bit?
Thanks - Stefan
Thank you for a practical example of the thread debugging coming in 2010. That is defiantly the video I'm showing my team lead. Being able to take a crash dump from Task Manager is like voodoo and I love it!
Really Exciting!!! Tess you will always impress me! Bravo
Thanks for the video. Awesome tool, and Tess is always enlightening!
Yes you can debug 64 bit dumps inside Visual Studio, but it does require a 64 bit machine.
That is really cool! I can't wait to try it out on my slow apps.
You may also be interested in checking out the Visual Studio Profiler for debugging slow apps: http://blogs.msdn.com/profiler/archive/2009/06/10/write-faster-code-with-vs-2010-profiler.aspx
Oh my, I want more Tess.
That is very cool ... saw Tess' session at TechEd last year - I concur with jmzl666, we could all use a lil more Tess
Be sure to check out her blog, If broken it is, fix it you should. It's a great resource on debugging.
Scott, work on your audio please, in particular the varying volume and the noise when you handle the camera.
Great content, though.
historical debugging is really cool it would be an order of magnitude cooler though, if you where able to actually record tdlogs on client apps and client machines.. :/ mstest can do it, but only for tests, not regular apps. what's needed is something like windbg, but for historical debugging
Thank you.
Great staff !!!
Me 2.
I am still watching the video, but cannot wait to put this comment:
Please stop rolling the camera to the lady. She is pretty, but we want to see the screen. Hearing her voice is already super good.
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