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6 Disasters Caused by Poorly Designed User Interfaces
Until humans learn how to command machines with their minds (or vice versa), we're always going to need some sort of menu, control panel or whatever to interact with our machines and tell them to do our jobs for us. And these controls had better be really freaking clear, and simple, and easy to use. A speedometer doesn't do any good if, say, it's mounted inside the glove box and requires you to do calculus to read it.
Yet in the real world, you run into interfaces that are almost that bad. The consequences range from minor workplace annoyances, like charging a custumer for a Happy Meal instead of a Big Mac because the buttons are right next to each other, to huge disasters like ...
#6. The USS Vincennes Shot Down a Civilian Plane Because of Bad Cursors
Via Wikipedia
Toward the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988, the United States and Iran had a bit of an undeclared war on the side, presumably just to make Iraq jealous. The most tragic event of this undeclared war happened when the USS Vincennes was in the middle of a confrontation with Iranian gunboats in the Persian Gulf and accidentally shot down a civilian airliner after mistaking it for a combat aircraft in attack mode.
Via Wikipedia
If you're wondering why their radar system didn't have some kind of method for separating friendly planes from hostile, well ...
The Dumb Problem:
Actually, it was equipped with exactly that sort of thing -- the problem was that it sucked.
Via Wikipedia
That's the interface from 1988, apparently being operated by a 15-year-old boy.
Have you ever played a war strategy game on the PC? An RTS game like StarCraft or Red Alert? In those games, you have your little tank or robot icon on the screen, and you click it with your cursor to highlight it. Then from there you can either control the unit or learn more about it (how much health it has left, or whatever).
Via Beefjack.com
"Fueled up and ready to g- *mute*"
Well, the U.S. Navy's system was not that sophisticated.
The screen showed the operator what objects were detected on radar, and if he clicked on an object, it would track it. But if the operator wanted to get more information about the object (in this case, by listening in on its radio signals) to find out what it actually was, he had to move a separate cursor and click on the object again.
"In order to see what direction the object is moving, you'll need a soldering gun."
It's clumsy and unintuitive, and it made it really easy to forget which thing they were highlighting at any given moment -- the operator can be tracking one object and have it display the information for a completely different one because he forgot to move the other cursor. It's the kind of user interface that wouldn't make it out of the testing phase of a cheap browser game. And it cost the passengers of the plane their lives.
That's because the operator in the USS Vincennes thought he was listening to the incoming aircraft (the Airbus full of innocent people), because that's the thing he selected, when he was actually receiving signals from a parked F-14 several miles away, because that's where his other cursor was.
Via Dodccrp.org
"Patch v1.4 fixed a bug that occasionally leads to missiles being fired at planes full of innocent people."
Granted, the transmissions alone wouldn't be reason enough to shoot down a plane: They'd also have to think that it was moving like an enemy aircraft. Unfortunately, the stupid system made that mistake pretty easy, too. Instead of telling the operators at the Vincennes if the approaching plane was ascending or descending, the system just showed them the present altitude on a smaller monitor. The operator had to write down or memorize the altitude, wait a few seconds, then ask again and mentally compare the two results to see if the aircraft was going up or going down.
Because of this, a calculation error led an operator to report that the Airbus was descending toward the USS Vincennes, like a combat aircraft would, when it was probably getting the hell away from them as fast as possible.
#5. Three Mile Island Happened Because of a Light on the Console
We previously pointed out that the negative effects of the 1979 nuclear accident at Three Mile Island might have been somewhat overstated -- but still, if answering the question "Honey, how has your day been?" requires the phrase "nuclear meltdown" in any way, then you've probably had better days.
Via Wikimedia Commons
"You know what? I'm smoking a cigarette after this. Lung cancer can eat some dicks."
The accident was caused when coolant escaped the nuclear reactor because a valve was stuck in the open position, resulting in a partial meltdown and the release of radioactive gases. Why didn't they just close that valve manually? Well ...
The Dumb Problem:
It all happened because of a damn light. The control panel at Three Mile Island had a light to show the status of the relief valve that prevents the reactor from overheating. Light's on, valve's open; light's off, valve's closed. It's not that different from the little warning light that lets you know you need to put your seat belt on, only the consequences involve possibly rendering an entire city uninhabitable for all time.
Via Wikipedia
"Meltdown, you say? Grab your bell-bottoms, baby, we have a reactor to stand really close to!"
But you'd think the signal would work in the same way as the seat belt -- there's some simple sensor that detects when the thing is closed, and when it's not, the light goes on. Easy.
Or, not. Unbeknownst to the staff, whoever designed the control panel programmed the light to go off once the computer had sent the signal to close the valve -- which isn't the same as when the valve was actually closed. It's a pretty massive goddamned difference, in fact, when the entire point of that console is to let you know if something has malfunctioned. So, for instance, if a valve got stuck open, it doesn't help for the console to shrug and say, "Eh, I told it to close. Don't blame me."
So, the operators didn't realize the valve had been stuck in the open position for a dangerously long amount of time. As a result, the reactor overheated and produced radioactive xenon-135 and krypton-85 gases.
And a horrible broccoli monster.
While there were no casualties, thousands of people were evacuated from the surrounding area, a nationwide media panic was created and Michael Douglas became a little bit smugger.
#4. Air Inter Flight 148 Crashed Because a Display Screen Was Too Small
In 1992, Air Inter Flight 148 crashed while approaching an airport in Strasbourg, France. There were many factors involved in the crash, the main one being a mountain. Why was the plane heading toward a mountain, you ask? That's probably what the pilots were wondering, too -- they never told it to do that. Well, not intentionally.
Via Airdisaster.com
The road to horrific transit disasters is paved with good intentions and shitty design.
The Dumb Problem:
A two-year investigation on the accident concluded that the most likely explanation for the crash was, basically, a shitty, ridiculously small display screen. The pilots intended the plane to descend toward the airport at an angle of -3.3 degrees, which would have put them at a descent rate of 800 feet per minute and back home in time for Law & Order (or whatever the French equivalent was). So, according to the report, they likely entered "-3.3" into the autopilot and relaxed.
We'd watch that version.
It's two digits, what could go wrong? Well, have you ever used a program or device where you have a number pad, but a separate button that tells it what the numbers mean? For example, some oven timers let you punch in "20," but you have another button that tells it whether you mean 20 hours, or 20 minutes, or 20 seconds.
Or, if you ever used Photoshop, you have a place where you can punch in a number to make the image a certain size, but there's a separate box that tells the program whether you meant inches or pixels or percentage. So you type "300," because you want it to be 300 pixels wide, but you had the wrong measurement selected, so it makes the image 300 inches wide and your monitor explodes.
... What?
This was like that. When they typed in "-3.3," the autopilot happened to be set in the wrong mode -- feet per minute, instead of degrees. So those digits were interpreted as a descent rate of 3,300 feet per minute -- over four times faster than they intended. By the time the pilots noticed the error, they had a huge mountain coming their way pretty fast.
The thing is, the autopilot display screen gave no hints as to what mode they were using: Since it was just a two-digit screen, it showed the same "33" it would have shown had they been using the non-deadly mode. Even alarm clocks have more safeguards than that to let you know if you're accidentally setting the wake-up time for 6:00 p.m.
Which only rarely results in 87 casualties.
So basically, the entire accident could have been avoided if the screen had space for two more digits: That way, had they entered "-3.3" in the wrong mode, it would have shown up on the screen as 3,300 feet, and presumably the pilots would have had time to say, "Wait, no, that's crazy."


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Mean Girls - 10-16-2008, 03:39 PM
sorry if there is already a thread like this...... i searched and found nothing.
Mean Girls. What do you think when you here these words? You might think of a certain person, or the movie Mean Girls. I got a story of some mean girls. Some of this actually happened today.
Ok, C is my bffl. at lunch there is a table two tables away from where we sit. those are where a few 'mean girls' are. there is S, the girl that died her hair like 5 times. T, her best friend, and the rest are 'followers'.and there is this other girl, L. C is friends with L. but i HATE L. but she knows that. a lot of people do. so anyways, there is this other girl that started sitting at our table, R. she thinks L is a b*tch too. so like today, L came up to our table, and told C something. when she left, R asked what L said. so C said said , "L is mad at you bc you said that she is a lesb*an, but she likes a guy" and R was like, "I didn't say she was a lesb*an! i said her friends were!!!" and then we continued talking about it. then a few minutes later, T came up to R and said,"you shouldn't care a sh*t about what L says. she didn't do any thing to you." OMG i am soooooo mad. i seriously HATE all of them, i could call those people some really bad things, but i'm not going to. i'm surronded by people that call those them things. i agree 100% about what they say about them. but i wont say it. but they are all sl*ts, I HATE THEM. wouldnt the world be a better place if everyone could just get along?
AND.... C said she is tired of us saying that we hate L. AND.... R said that she is at home at night.... she is sitting in her room all alone, trying to keep the tears in, when thinking about the pain L has caused her for the past for years. i was about to cry, isnt that sad?
sorry bout the language folks
(i'm using initials to keep names private)
So, do you have any stories or thoughts on mean girls that you would like to share?
I have quite a few, but I'm just going to share this one that has bugged me most.
So, There is this group of girls that I hang out with. We're a very large group, so not all of us talk. There are some nice, and some mean. Last year, A girl (I'll Use Initials) L, thought she was awesome. She made a fanclub called "The L Fanclub" My bestfriend, M, joined because L had cool stuff and she wanted fashion tips. So I joined too because I wanted fashion tips. When we went out for recess (Note, this is 5th grade) she made us do all this stupid stuff, and we didn't want her to hate us so we did it. Some of our other friends got to be on TV, and when they came back to school, L started making fun of what they were wearing. M and I didn't join in, but our 2 friends said mean stuff to us because of L. I felt super horrible, so M and I both quit. I still regret it a ton.
"Are you my mummy?" "Don't blink." "Count the shadows." "Look behind you."
There are two girls in particular that stick out in my mind.
Heather: Total cow, tried to slam my head open on my locker when I was in eighth grade. Who got in trouble? Me, because I swore at her AFTER she hit me.
Shelby: Another cow, complete gossip. If she thinks you have any pride in something, she'll do her hardest to bring it down. Very hard to tell when she's lying and when she's not, so she's lost a lot of friends as a result. Also is a hypocritical snotrag; badmouths people, then threatens to beat people up when they dare to badmouth her.
I stare at the girl in the mirror: T-shirt, torn up jeans, no beauty queen.
But the way that you see me, you get underneath me, and all my defenses just fall away, fall away.
I am beautiful with you, even in the darkest part of me. I am beautiful with you;
Make it feel the way it's supposed to be!
Hers a girl:L.(initials)she acts like shes all that.But all the teachers hate her.Whos her number one target.Me.She thinks she can beat up.(Ask anyone in my school they say I can beat her up)She talks all this bull but when someone beats her up,she can't fight back.
"My conscience is clear.
I have done nothing illegal, I have my rights.
And I intend to keep on biggering and biggering
and turning more Truffula trees into Thneeds!
And nothing is going to stop me!"
gif credit
Well, there was this girl at my old school that tried to act hard and thought she was all that (lets call her "S") and thought she could beat anyone up, and tried to act sooo ghetto, which didn't work for someone like her. She was a backstabber when it came to her friends. Her and her 2 best friends always dressed them same. My friend was best friends with her at one time during last school year but that all ended when "S" threatened to, um, stab her, with a pencil of all things..."S" and her friends aways give people dirty looks, and said things about them that was not true that dealt with boys (if you know what a mean) Anyways, one day a little 3 grader said "Hi" to her and she goes "ew" which is messed up!
But one day she got a little pay back from the boys, lets just say there something on the side of her head that can pop off...Anyways, a bunch of boys at my school kept slapping her in the back of the head and this thing kept flying of, when I first saw, it I thought gum flew out of her mouth or something. So I ask my friend, "what was that?" she goes "...Her ear!.." It was sooo funny!
i hate those type of people that glare at you for no reason, or look at you like they smell something bad. or look STRAIGHT at you when they are laughing, ans whispering something to someone else.
Anyways, I'm in High School, so there is tons of "mean girls" here.
baby, you got me. ♥
I'm almost done high school, thank god, and I'd have to say, I've had my run in with "mean girls".
Shay: Complete ditz who freaks out at the littlest things. She's not even Christian, but one time our teacher said "nobody know the answer", and this other guy shouted out "Nobody except... Jesus!" and she completely flipped. She was like, "JAKE! Shut up. That's so not funny!" Hm. Then explain why everyone else was laughing. xD And she always backtalks the teachers. She, for some reason, likes me though. She seems to hate everyone else.
Molly: Shay's friend. She's incredibly rough in sports, and she says the stupidest things. She tried to steal my BFF's boyfriend once. She flirts with every guy. She assumes that she's #1 at everything.
There are tons of others, but I'd have to say, I can be mean to people too sometimes. Actually, a lot. I'm like a ticking time bomb. I'm nice one minute, then BAM! I snap and slap someone. xD
Ugh, There's three chicks that get on my nerves;
Sara; Snobby, Thinks she's better than you. She thinks she's ghetto, which is funny because she's COMPLETLEY WHITE.
Jennette; Total b*tch. I almost punched her yesterday. She started a rumor that I was making out with this one guy in the 11th grade that I don't even know, which made my boyfriend mad. Until he asked the guy, and he said it was a total lie.
Now, this one's a guy. Mario; STUPID STUPID boy. He get's on my nerves, I swear I will push him down every single set of stairs in the school. I never, EVER went out with him, but he tells everyone that I SLEPT with him
Gah, I'm going to stop rambling.
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subset: commoncrawl


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How to Get What You Want from the Doctor
Good Patient, Bad Patient
Most doctors genuinely want to help you. "There's a difference between treating people and caring for people. I'd like to think I do both, and that I do the latter well," says Los Angeles oncologist Barry Rosenbloom. Many doctors do empathize with their patients, and there is no question that the issue of bedside manner is getting more attention these days. Hospitals sponsor seminars on the topic and medical journals publish papers on how to master, as Sir William Osler put it, "the kindly word, the cheerful greeting, the sympathetic look." Still, according to Rosenbloom, "Some patients' expectations are way beyond anything the doctor can deliver." In truth, both doctors and patients bring plenty of unspoken (sometimes unconscious) expectations into the examining room.
The first time you meet a doctor, it is fair to assume that he is hoping you will turn out to be a "good" patient, one who listens to him, follows his orders, and promptly gets well. Put another way, doctors have a hard time dealing with patients who don't improve. Patients return the favor—they like doctors who can heal them and dislike those who cannot. Naturally, doctors are aware of this.
In 1995, Consumer Reports published a survey of 70,000 readers who were asked about their experience with medical care. Patients with chronic headaches or back pain reported the greatest amount of dissatisfaction with their doctors. Not surprisingly, the doctors who treat these conditions "may not even want to see these patients come in the door," according to psychologist Judith Hall. The patients who were most satisfied with their medical care were those who had glaucoma, cataracts, or were pregnant—conditions that require a single or easily understood course of treatment that is usually successful. Patients were also generally satisfied with their oncologists (cancer doctors) because, although the outlook may be grim, the illness is always taken seriously. Additionally, cancer patients understand that their condition might be impossible for any doctor to cure.
Patients who get better quickly affirm the doctor's skill, whereas "chronic, insoluble problems are very, very frustrating to doctors," says Barbara Korsch. "Doctors are success-oriented; they can't see a failure. They dislike anything they can't diagnose and cure; they hate fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome. Those poor patients really suffer because doctors tend to think that if they can't find any objective signs it's probably all in the head, and if it's all in the head, instead of feeling sympathetic they become contemptuous and say, 'That's not my problem.'"
This doesn't mean you must give up hope of finding a caring doctor if you have a chronic condition. It means that, by being aware of the doctor's bias, you can take steps to overcome it. You can begin by voicing what the doctor is probably thinking, advises Korsch: "You can say, 'I realize nobody knows what fibromyalgia is and there is no cure, but I'm hoping you'll find something that will help me.' Build up the good side, the Dr. Jekyll side of the doctor. You might also say, 'I don't expect any magic. I know this is a very complex, long-standing, and partly psychological issue we're dealing with, but I'm hoping you can help with some of the most incapacitating symptoms.'"
People who are overweight also aggravate doctors, because the condition sets them up for almost certain failure. Sooner or later, one of the many diseases associated with obesity will probably show up. Like most of society, many doctors are inclined to feel scorn rather than empathy for people with a weight problem. "Curbside Consultation," a page on American Family Physician's Web site, offers advice and a place for doctors to vent anonymously. One physician confessed, "My opinion of some of these [overweight] patients has been that they are lazy, lack willpower and like being sick. At times I felt that they wanted me to give them a magic pill to cure their problem, when they were the ones who actually needed to do the work."
How do you overcome this prejudice? Korsch advises overweight patients to be candid and at the same time practice a little reverse psychology: "If it's there and real, you have to deal with it. If you're heavy, say, 'I know everybody thinks fat people are just sloppy and overeat and are self-indulgent, but I hope you won't consider me that way because I've really tried and I do want your help with it.' You can sometimes detoxify the particular stigma by bringing it out into the open, because that enables the doctor to say, 'I don't really think that.'"
The point is that the experience you have with your doctor has a lot to do with what's ailing you. Both you and the doctor will bring preconceived notions into the examining room. Both of you will be waiting to see if the other is "good" or "bad." Understanding this dynamic improves your chances of success.
Let's say you have an illness that is not life-threatening and is fairly mundane. How do you solidify your standing as a "good" patient? According to one study cited in Consumer Reports, doctors described good patients as those who appear to understand what the doctor is saying, ask few questions, and respect their time. Sadly, these are exactly the traits that keep patients in the dark. Most people have difficulty understanding the doctor's terminology, so they ask questions, which takes time.
Physicians also agree that "good" patients follow doctors' orders. Noncompliers are the bane of the profession, but the reasons patients don't comply can often be traced to bad communication with the doctor. A man might be told to take a prescription medicine he can't afford and be too embarrassed to admit it. It's common for people to be instructed to change their lifestyle—to diet, exercise three times a week, give up caffeine, and so forth—but often they just aren't up to the challenge. They fear being judged by the doctor, so they put off scheduling a visit or they lie about their progress. Are they bad patients, or are the doctors at fault for not knowing their patients well enough to advise a course of action they might actually follow?
As a patient, you have your work cut out for you. You want to be a "good" patient, one whom the doctor will want to spend time with and help. Yet you must speak up and make sure you understand what the doctor is talking about. It's like downhill skiing: the course is fast, skill is essential, and you must be sure of the terrain before you push off. The first stop on the journey is inside your own head.
From Say the Magic Words by Lynette Padwa. Copyright © 2005. Used by arrangement with Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
If you'd like to buy this book, go to Amazon.


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Winner is Entry #1762 Lena M.
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Olympian Faces Murder Charge
Double-amputee Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius is set to be charged with murdering his fashion-model girlfriend, officials said, in a case that has brought new scrutiny to an athlete who has both inspired and stirred controversy.
Mr. Pistorius, 26 years old, is due to appear at Pretoria's Magistrate Court on Friday for the charge of murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, an official there said. A police spokeswoman confirmed the Friday court appearance and said previous domestic complaints will be part of the case.
Mr. Pistorius's alleged connection to the shooting opens a dark chapter in a life marked by unusual adversity. He had his lower legs removed before he could walk, but went on to become one of the fastest runners in the world at the 400-meter distance. He was the first double-amputee to compete against able-bodied athletes at the Olympics.
His racing at elite levels on artificial limbs earned him popularity among track fans and corporate sponsors—and the nickname "Blade Runner" for his J-shaped carbon-fiber prostheses. At the Olympics, he carried the flag for his country, South Africa.
Now his storybook career risks unraveling.
Police said they arrived at Mr. Pistorius's Pretoria home early Thursday to find Ms. Steenkamp fatally shot. They found a 9mm pistol at the scene and are carrying out ballistic tests on the weapon. Police were responding to an emergency call from a neighbor who heard shouting at the home, said spokeswoman Lt. Col. Katlego Mogale.
Another police spokeswoman, Denise Beukes, said there had been previous incidents of a "domestic nature" at Mr. Pistorius's home. In September 2009, South African media widely reported that Mr. Pistorius was arrested after he had allegedly assaulted a woman. The reports said the charges were later dropped. A police spokeswoman said Thursday she couldn't confirm this or other reported incidents.
Ms. Steenkamp, a model and aspiring actress, appeared in advertisements for Avon Products Inc., AVP 4.90 % Toyota Motor Corp. TM 0.76 % and KFC.
A spokeswoman for Ms. Steenkamp said the 30-year-old model died early Thursday. "She was the kindest, sweetest human being; an angel on earth who will be sorely missed," said Robyn David of Capacity Relations, on behalf of Ms. Steenkamp's family.
The last message on Ms. Steenkamp's Twitter feed appeared late Wednesday evening, part of a conversation about a gathering that she said she would attend on Thursday.
The feed included a message from earlier in the day, sent to Ms. Steenkamp's more than 6,000 followers: "What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow??? #getexcited #ValentinesDay."
On Feb. 1, a tweet accompanying a picture of Mr. Pistorius read: "He certainly doesn't need more followers but he's beautiful to look at & says some smart stuff too ;). @OscarPistorius."
A spokesman for Mr. Pistorius, Peet van Zyl, said he briefly spoke with Mr. Pistorius, who was organizing his legal team while held in a Pretoria jail.
Mr. Pistorius was born in Johannesburg in 1986 without fibulas in both legs. Eleven months later, his parents decided to follow medical advice and have his legs amputated below the knee. When he was 15, his mother died after an allergic reaction to antibiotics.
His disability didn't prevent him from competing in sports. He was an avid rugby player in high school, but an injury to both knees led him to sprinting in 2004.
Although he owned a gun, Mr. Pistorius wasn't known as violent person, said Mike Kendrick, the founder of Mineseeker Foundation, which works to remove land mines in Africa. He said Mr. Pistorius was helping the group develop low-cost prosthetics for children who lost their limbs to land mines.
"He was more inclined to talk about his pet spider monkey than about guns," Mr. Kendrick said.
Nick Symmonds, an American who finished fifth in the 800 meters in London, said, "If you ask anybody who knows Oscar and spent time with him, they'll say he's one of the most charming people you'll ever meet and one of the friendliest people you'll ever meet. That's what really blows my mind. If you know Oscar, he's just the nicest guy."
Others recall Mr. Pistorius as prone to temperamental behavior. "Everyone knows he had a temper. Everyone," said David Monti, publisher of Race Results Weekly, a trade publication.
He recalled one event in Sicily in 2010 in which there was miscommunication about who was to pick up Mr. Pistorius for an appearance as the guest of honor at a ceremony before the Giro di Castelbuono race. "He threatened to not hold up his end of the contract and I had to calm him down," said Mr. Monti, who added that Mr. Pistorius did make the appearance.
Mr. Pistorius became globally known during his exploits in previous Paralympics events. But he made history at the London Games.
His high-tech blades and drive to compete against able-bodied athletes had for years brought him fame, glory and controversy. In 2008, he had been banned from able-bodied competition by the International Association of Athletics Federation, but hired lawyers and waged a legal battle that got the ban overturned. He didn't qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, however.
His participation in able-bodied events put him at the center of a protracted debate over whether his blades provided an advantage. Some scientists weighed in, arguing that his artificial limbs acted like springs that propelled him in races.
The spotlight that came with his running blades and high level of achievement won him endorsements from Nike Inc., NKE 0.09 % British Telecom BT 0.55 % PLC, Oakley sunglasses and Thierry Mugler fragrances.
Nike featured him in TV ads. One included a picture of Mr. Pistorius bursting from the starting blocks and the catch phrase: "I am the bullet in the chamber."
A Nike spokeswoman said the Beaverton, Ore.-based company "extends its deepest sympathy and condolences to all families concerned following this tragic incident." She declined further comment because "it's a police matter."
A spokesman for British Telecom in London said Mr. Pistorius is currently an "ambassador" for the brand, and has appeared in BT ads in the past. He declined to disclose financial details of the endorsement deal. "We are shocked by this terrible, tragic news. We await the outcome of the South African police investigation," he said.
A spokeswoman for Thierry Mugler in London said Mr. Pistorius appears in advertising for the brand's Amen fragrance. She declined to comment further.
A spokeswoman for Oakley, based in Foothill Ranch, Calif., said, "We are shocked to hear the news and our thoughts are with their families. Given that the matter is under investigation and out of respect for all involved, we will refrain from making any further comments at this time."
Mr. Pistorius was a fan favorite in London, generating excitement in the Olympic Stadium each time he stepped on the track. When he appeared for his first race in London, he heard someone shout from the stands "You sexy baby!"
A few weeks after the London Olympics, he competed in the Paralympics, where he again met controversy when he was beaten in the T44 200-meter finals by another double amputee, Brazil's Alan Oliveira, who caught Mr. Pistorius from behind in the home stretch. Immediately after the race, Mr. Pistorius complained bitterly that his rival's blades were too long, giving him an unfair advantage.
He later apologized for the timing of the outburst, but didn't back away from his contention that he was at a technical disadvantage.
Some Paralympic athletes quickly expressed shock at the news of Ms. Steenkamp's killing, and described Mr. Pistorius as a standard-bearer for disabled sport.
"I don't know what happened there but I'm shocked, I'm really shocked, because somehow he really carries the flag of the Paralympic Games and Paralympians," Eduard Novak, a Romanian para-cyclist who won a gold medal in the London games, said in a phone interview Thursday.
Mr. Novak, who has competed in three Paralympics, said Mr. Pistorius generated so much publicity and attention that, for the first time in London last year, "the Paralympic Games are the same" as the Olympic Games.
Natasha Baker, a 23-year old Paralympic dressage rider from Britain who won two gold medals in London, called the news "absolutely awful."
"He is a massive icon and role model within Paralympic sport," she said. Ms. Baker remembers catching a glimpse of him at the athletes' dining hall, where a friend of hers remarked, "Oh my gosh, there is Oscar Pistorius!"
—Patrick McGroarty in Johannesburg and Matthew Futterman, Sara Germano and Rachel Bachman in New York contributed to this article.
Write to Devon Maylie at email@example.com, Bruce Orwall at email@example.com and Jeanne Whalen at email@example.com


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I just installed the Nest thermostat, I forgot to turn the breaker off everything seems to be working fine.
Is it safe to assume it is ok?
I just installed the Nest thermostat, I forgot to turn the breaker off everything seems to be working fine.
Is it safe to assume it is ok?
Did you get shocked?
If it turns on, it's likely fine; modern electronics have fuses to prevent surge damage. Just...don't do that next time.
The short answer is no, it's not OK - you increased your risk of electrocution and that's never a good thing specially for a DIYer. Now that being said, everything is working and you didn't burn down your house, so you got off OK, but generally speaking, this was a bad idea.
The Nest happens to run 24V systems so there isn't too much electricity there (though you can still get zapped - car batteries are only 12V after all), but some systems are line voltage, in which case, you would have been in for a really rude surprise. In the USA this is typicall 120V but it could be over 200V in Europe or in some other systems - that could give you serious burns or even kill you!
The other risk was that you could have shorted something out and damaged the controller in your furnace; this would likely be a costly repair and left you without HVAC until it is fixed.
It's "ok" in that if it works, you're probably in the clear. However, there is a high risk of letting some of the thermostat wires in the bundle touch while doing this (the wrong ones) which would cause a short/surge back to the controller board.
Luckily, most recent HVAC controllers have a fuse to protect the controller board from this exact scenario. Google your specific model number and look for the 'installation/repair' manual which will detail the specifics. In my case, it was a 3 amp blade fuse, which I actually found at a car parts store - it's not as easy to find at Home Depot or the like. Obviously, some troubleshooting in that manual you will most likely not be able to do (involving refrigerant or other things), but it will also most likely detail for you the blinks on the controller board that will help you localize the issue.
I come from the school that anytime you are dealing with electronics, always turn the power off. Even if you are careful with the wires you can still cause problems. Arcing a wire repeatedly will cause heat, which is the worst enemy of electronics, easily happens when wiring hot when you are making contact with the wire and the post, where it hooks up.
While some may argue that 24V or fuses might allow damage, I say do by the instructions, which I'm sure will say turn off power.


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STEUBENVILLE - The Ohio Valley MMA Heavyweight Amateur Championship will be held Saturday at the Spot Bar.
Thirteen amateur cage fights are scheduled to be held with the main event being Steubenville Big Red graduate Branko Busick taking on Curt Lemmon.
Seats are $400 for VIP table, $40 for ringside and $20 for general admission.
First fight begins at 7 p.m. Order of the card has yet to be determined and the card is subject to change.
"When I was 7, Brandon Hinkle came into my life and he's been a big brother ever since," said Busick.
"During wrestling seasons in middle school and high school he would show me some submission moves and boxing moves.
"I love competing and this reminds me a lot of wrestling. I have been fortunate that I have been able to compete in this and, so far, it has been working out great.
"Plus, this training helps me tremendously with football. When I'm in the trenches fighting with offensive linemen I'm using my hands and this training and fighting really works well with it."
Busick has had three fights and will take on Lemmon, who will be in his seventh.
"I've had a chance to see him," said Busick. "He's a tough kid. I can see he has natural ability. He has heavy hands and is not afraid to slug. He expects to come in and win this belt and I would hope he expects me to do the same."
After the fight, Busick is headed to California University, where he will be back in a football uniform.
"When I am done with this, I really plan to focus strictly on football," he said. "Hopefully I still got it."
The scheduled fights are:
Bud Hercules vs. Timothy Emely; Steve Stocker vs. Stevie Allen; Desmond Ford vs. Eric Bledsoe; Pat Nary vs. Joseph Sadaka; J.D. Ramsey vs. Joshua Smith; Dustin Bertch vs. Cortez Thelia; Jackson Hendershot vs. Terry Smith; David Oracio Jr. vs. Allen Hoelzle; Matthew Reilman vs. Freddie Musgrave; Chris Humes-Mitchell vs. Joe Goyette; Zach Forrester vs. Victor Guarriello and Bobby Mader vs. Matt Conahan.
"We look forward to having a great crowd," said Busick. "We hope to see everyone come out, have a good night and enjoy the fights. There's going to be a lot of good competition."


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Where can I purchase a single server capable of 512 GB, yes GB, of RAM?
The most I've seen is 256 GB (32 DIMM x 8 GB per stick)
closed as off-topic by dawud, Ward, HBruijn♦, mdpc, Cristian Ciupitu Jul 11 '14 at 12:23
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
The HP DL700 series of servers support a maximum of 512GB of memory. The DL785 G6 which is being released in September will also support AMD's new 6 core processors.
Edit: I made the assumption you wanted x86 architecture here. But, since someone already mentioned Itanium I think I'll throw in a link to SGI Altix. Their Altix 450 "mid-range" server can go up to 854 GB and 76 cores. The Altix 4700 goes to 1024 cores and 128 TB of memory. That's not a cluster, but one shared memory system :) Of course at that point you're looking at several rows of racks of gear for this one "server".
Sun makes some really solid hardware. This one can go up to 512GB of RAM:
They also have a couple of SPARCS that can do 1TB of RAM:
A good option from IBM is the x3950 enterprise servers. They are System X (x86 / x86_64) servers and you can put up to 256GB (and 4 processors) into one node.
But you can also partition them together and have 4 x3950s acting as a single system, giving you 1TB of memory, 16 CPUs (Mmmm... hex cores gives you 96 cores total).
(disclosure: My company is an IBM business partner and we sell these systems)
You may also consider HP Integrity high-end servers, as well as a mid-range rx8640. Based on Itanium archtecture.
Sun has released the x4640 (the successor to the x4600 mentioned by jedberg earlier) and it supports 512G of memory (64 DIMM slots * 8GB/DIM) and has 8 sockets (up to 48 cores). It is also only 4RU, so fairly compact for an 8-socket machine. I have used the x4600s on a few gigs and they have been great to work with.
HP DL 5 now is touting 2TB of RAM DL580 G7 Starting price $8400 US dollars 4 procs http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF04a/15351-15351-3328412-241644-3328422.html
$7700 for G7 AMD 1TB memory
If you have deep pockets don't mind what CPU architecture you use you can get IBM Power 595 machines with up to 4TB of RAM. I'm assuming that you want a wintel or lintel server.
For a wintel architecture with support for memory configurations of 512GB or more you can get 8 socket machines from Sun, HP and Unisys. Unisys also makes a 16 socket Xeon based system that takes up to 1TB of RAM. Some machines that support this type of configuration are:
One of the other posters mentioned an IBM system that goes up to this spec as well.
We've burned one of the ProLiant DL785 G6 servers and what a powerhouse mainframe in a rackable enclosure. With the older DL760 retired, it's good to see the monster ProLiant server is back.
Call IBM up, I'm sure they'd be glad to sell you a mainframe with 512 gigs of memory. You won't be able to run windows on it, but you can run either Linux or Z/OS. It will cost you a lot but you are paying for the reliability & service contract as well as the RAM.
We just ordered a 512GB machine with 40 cores, a Dell R910 (28K Euro). Yes, we also need this for de novo assemblies of genomes. In our case, plant genomes. We didn't buy a 1TB machine, as that would have cost excessive amounts of money.
Thank you for your interest in this question.
Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).
Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?


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Click below to jump to glossary terms. If you are already within a glossary category, the results displayed by clicking the alphabet navigation are only related to that category.
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The interest rates banks charge each other for short-term loans. LIBOR is frequently used as the base for resetting rates on floating-rate securities.


text:
A man and two juveniles are arrested after police say they were scamming people in Logan County.
Police say an elderly widow in Adairville notified police after a man came to her door and walked into her home without being invited.
He then allegedly told her the warranty on her roof had expired and they had done repair work and that she now owed them 500 dollars.
While the man told her about the alleged repairs, another man entered her home.
When the woman started asking questions the men left.
Police say John Williamson, 20 and two juveniles were found in Russellville and arrested.


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I'm about to move further away from work, so my 5.5 mile commute is going up to 12 miles (24 there and back).
I'm not interested in using an elecrtic bike because I can't be bothered to pedal.. I want to use an electric bike to speed up my commute to work and back. I estimate that on my racing bike it'll take me approximately 45 mins to get to work.
If I got an electric bike, is it possible to use the motor to assist me rather than do all the work? If so, what sort of time saving do you think is possible? Do they offer much oomph?
I have my eye on one of the giant electric commuter bikes but I don't really know what to look for. I'm not sure yet if there's actually going to be any speed advantage hence I'm asking :)


text:
This chart uses 11 DMC colours, when stitched on 14 count aida the chart measures:
As with all of our charts, it has been expertly designed and is not just a photo generated chart with little regard to the practicalities of stitching it.
Sealed in a cellophane wrapper, you will receive:-
All items come from a smoke free environment and are packaged to the highest quality. There are no materials or threads supplied with this chart.
All designs are 100% unofficial and we do not portray any product purchased to be endorsed by any vehicle manufacturer.


text:
Turkey farms are coming to western Kentucky by way of an Indiana company.
Executives with Jasper, Ind.,- based Farbest Farms outlined plans for the venture Tuesday night at a Fiscal Court meeting in McLean County.
The Messenger-Inquirer reports the plans include a 50-acre brooding hub in McLean County where turkeys would be hatched and raised until they are 30 days old. At that point, the birds would be sent to family farms that will be located in McLean, Daviess and Ohio counties.
Although residents near the farms complained about possible negative effects on property values, farmers and businesses said they were glad to see Farbest come into the area.
Farbest officials estimated the brooding facility would be completed by the end of next year.


text:
Did anyone else notice the long Woot-outage?
That was weird.
25 Answers answer
I was thinking surprise BOC at first. Alas, no.
Indeed. I guess the standard shirt detour just wasn't enough...
Mine is still hit or miss.
It makes me wonder what's going on behind the scenes.
A mad rush of people plugging laptops into servers?
One guy spraying Mountain Dew all over the screen once he realizes that the dookie hit the fan?
A monkey yanking cords out of the wall willy-nilly?
@lumpthar: I don't know, but I bet it involves monkeys all over the place. I personally would like to welcome our new monkey Woot overlords.
I'm terribly impressed there's only one thread about this. :) (Well done community!)
Yeah, they're pretty much all over this. Feel free to keep up with the speculation of what happened! :D
Maybe there is a run on the "Defender Wireless Driveway Alert System". Everybody and their brother must want one.
Judging by the amount of time left for said Alert System (2:13:09 and counting), if that were the case, then Woot must have bought about 250 million of them.
Keep Mortimer away from the P-Card
I thought maybe the sea salt caramels were on and everyone was going nuts.
@inkycatz: There were almost two, but I tased the second one of mine once I realized the first one actually got posted. The whole Server Error thing makes it hard to tell what you've done.
@gigi889: As far as I know the caramels have no nuts in them...
@lumpthar: I didn't see it so I'm going to pretend it didn't happen!
Yes, I did notice! I was going to order a shirt during the sale but couldn't keep a page up without getting the server error - big fail :(
They're just training us for pop.woot.com....
@coreyking: Yup. "Pop goes the server!"
No, did something happen?
@j5: The servers were down for 20-30 minutes and have been flaky since.
@inkycatz: It's been soooo long since you've had them hat it would be better tnen a BOC (ducking in fright now)
Whatever happened, it affected my free shipping for the day. I have bought several items, but now Woot wants to charge me another $5 for shipping....
@tarasadies: I have totally filed a trouble ticket on this one, don't worry.
And if you are worried because seriously, I would - if you buy something for the rest of today and the shipping gets all monkeypantsed up, contact email@example.com and politely say "Yo, please return my 5bux." :)
@lumpthar: Yeah, no. Didn't notice at all. Status quo as far as I could tell.
@inkycatz: Easy for you to say. But that is $5 I could be using to feed my family. Or buying more Woot stuff I don't need. Probably the latter, we could all stand to lose a few pounds.
Thanks for the email address.
Just for clarification, everything I have bought this Wootoff has been for someone else, so ignore the "stuff I don't need" comment. I am buying other people stuff they don't need. I love playing Santa...
@tarasadies: "I am buying other people stuff they don't need."
Yup, that pretty much sums it up. Thanks for the funny!
@tarasadies: It is most definitely a glitch caused by this morning's outage, and we're sorry about that. This unusual quirk of nature should affect those of us that bought something early this morning, but not those for those whose initial orders were after 10am. It is just the little "free shipping" icon that is missing, but I have been informed that everyone is getting charged the right amount of shipping for each order. So really, things should be fine.
In the strange event this is not the case, firstname.lastname@example.com will fix you up.
@inkycatz: Everything is good, thanks for checking. I have purchased some other things and was not charged for shipping. I can say this much... somebody is getting a Blu Ray player for Christmas!
Humm. Really want to know what is going on. Some possibilities:
1) Another Amazon EC2 problem
2) Mortimer decided that overclocking the servers was a good idea.
3) Woot staff attempting to start their Thanksgiving holiday early.
@tarasadies: I hope it is me!!


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Stirrup Irons
No matter what style of stirrup irons you prefer, Dover Saddlery has you covered. Our selection of stirrup irons for every discipline includes traditional fillis stirrups, off-set stirrups, jointed stirrups for flexion, composite stirrups for a lightweight option and more. Choose from a variety of top brands, including Herm Sprenger®, Stubben, Intec®, Korsteel®, FreeJump® and more.


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A $671 million NASA mission to Mars being led by the University of Colorado Boulder is approaching its official countdown toward a planned Nov. 18 launch after a decade of rigorous work by faculty, professionals, staff and students.
Known as the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN mission, the effort will target the role that the loss of atmospheric gases played in changing the climate there over the eons, said CU-Boulder Professor Bruce Jakosky, the mission's principal investigator who is at CU-Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. Clues on the Martian surface, including features resembling dry lakes and riverbeds as well as minerals that form only in the presence of water, suggest that Mars once had a dense atmosphere that supported liquid water on the surface, Jakosky said.
The concept for MAVEN, developed a decade ago, came to fruition in 2008 when MAVEN was selected over 19 other proposals to NASA from around the country for Mars missions. The MAVEN science team includes three LASP scientists heading up instrument teams – Nick Schneider, Frank Eparvier and Robert Ergun – as well as a supporting team of scientists, engineers, mission operations specialists and students.
Scientists think Mars was much more Earth-like roughly four billion years ago, and want to know how the climate changed, where the water went and what happened to the atmosphere, said Jakosky, also a professor in the geological sciences department.
"I have incredible appreciation for the work the MAVEN team has done over the last 10 years to put us in the best possible shape for a successful mission," he said. "I'm proud of what our team has accomplished, and we are anxiously awaiting a successful launch." The first opportunity for liftoff during the 20-day launch window from Cape Canaveral, Fla., is 1:28 p.m. EST on Nov. 18.
CU's LASP has previous Mars exploration experience, designing and building instruments that flew on NASA's Mariner 6, 7 and 9 spacecraft between 1969 and 1972. But MAVEN is the first mission devoted to understanding the Martian upper atmosphere, and the sophistication of the instrument packages reflects the advances made by planetary scientists and engineers in recent years.
MAVEN has a decidedly Colorado connection: In addition to CU-Boulder providing the science operations, three of the science instruments and leading education and outreach for the mission, Lockheed Martin of Littleton built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations, while United Launch Alliance of Centennial provided the launch vehicle.
"Planetary scientists have been waiting decades for the right instruments to answer the right questions regarding how the atmosphere of Mars has changed over time," said LASP Director Daniel Baker. "This mission has been absolutely exemplary in terms of staying on time and on budget, and we expect the data gathered by MAVEN are going to help rewrite the textbooks about the history of Mars."
"Many of our students, staff, faculty and alumni have been tracking the progress of MAVEN since NASA selected CU-Boulder to lead this mission five years ago," said CU-Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano. "There will be hundreds of CU-Boulder supporters in Florida for the launch, and the excitement is building by the day."
In a broader sense, MAVEN should help scientists and citizens not only better understand Mars, but also the solar system and beyond. "What we are really trying to do is understand our relationship to the universe around us," said Jakosky. "That includes what it means to be alive and what it means to be a civilization. By exploring the universe, we are exploring the human condition."
The spacecraft will carry three instrument suites. LASP's Remote Sensing Package will determine global characteristics of the upper atmosphere and ionosphere, while the Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer, provided by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., will measure the composition of neutral gases and ions.
The Particles and Fields Package, built by the University of California, Berkeley, with some instrument elements from LASP and NASA Goddard, contains six instruments to characterize the solar wind and the ionosphere of Mars.
CU-Boulder also will provide science operations and direct education and public outreach efforts. NASA Goddard provided two of the science instruments and manages the project. In addition to building the spacecraft, Lockheed Martin will perform mission operations. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., provides program management via the Mars Program Office, as well as navigation support, the Deep Space Network and the Electra telecommunications relay hardware and operations.
MAVEN is slated to begin orbiting Mars in September 2014, and, after a one-month checkout period, will make measurements for one Earth year, said Jakosky. Hopes are high the mission will be extended, perhaps for up to a decade, he said.
MAVEN will include participation by a number of CU graduate and undergraduate students in the coming years. Currently there are more than 100 students working on research projects at LASP, which provides hands-on training for future careers as engineers and scientists, said Jakosky.
For more facts about MAVEN, read the full news release.


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Flatbread really stacks up nicely
|Soft discs of sesame-flecked flatbread can cradle a sandwichís worth of chicken salad or the fixings for fish tacos, be torn into scoops for hummus.Puffed flatbreads bake in about three minutes on a heavy pancake griddle, making them a perfect "get 'em while theyíre warm" bread, whether at a campsite, over the back-yard grill, or in the bug-free comfort of your kitchen. (Tom Wallace/Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT)
Not only that, but an especially tasty function. These soft discs of sesame-flecked flatbread can cradle a sandwich's worth of chicken salad or the fixings for fish tacos, be torn into scoops for hummus, or employed as especially smart "platters" on camping trips, where a swiped-clean plate always is welcomed by the designated dish-washer.
Puffed flatbreads bake in about three minutes on a heavy pancake griddle, making them a perfect "get 'em while they're warm" bread, whether at a campsite, over the backyard grill, or in the bug-free comfort of your kitchen. No griddle? They bake just as well in a hot oven.
These flatbreads resemble tortillas or chapatis, but are more tender, thanks to a yeast-risen dough that includes a bit of yogurt, preferably Greek-style, which also lends a slightly tangy flavor. A scattering of sesame seeds adds a nutty note and a subtle crunch.
The straightforward dough is made by hand or with a mixer, then left to rise for about 45 minutes. Roll the risen dough into 8-inch rounds - a water bottle works well in the wilderness — sprinkle with seeds, then gently lay each disc on the griddle.
Within 30 seconds, little bubbles will begin to rise across the surface. Wait a minute longer, flip, then give the bread a final minute.
The flatbreads are best used immediately, but you might save one to fill with the next morning's scrambled eggs. No plate required.
1. Divide risen dough into 8 pieces and form into balls.
2. Roll on a lightly floured surface into an 8-inch circle, letting the dough rest a bit if it tends to shrink back.
3. Brush lightly with water.
4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, patting or rolling them to help the seeds adhere.
5. Gently lay the dough on a hot griddle, or a preheated baking sheet or pizza stone in the oven. If outdoors, use a campfire griddle.
6. Stack baked flatbreads on a towel and keep covered until you're ready to eat.
Baked Puffed Flatbreads can be topped with various salad fillings and fresh vegetables for a light meal.
Makes 8 flatbreads.
Note: Adapted from "Baking With the St. Paul Bread Club: Recipes, Tips and Stories," from a "Cooks Illustrated" recipe. Top the flatbread to make a sandwich, or cut up the bread to use with dips such as hummus or baba ghanoush.
1 pkg. (2 ¼ tsp.) active dry yeast
¾ c. warm (not hot) water
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. honey
c. plain yogurt, preferably Greek-style
¾ c. whole wheat flour, shaken through a strainer or colander to remove coarse flakes of bran
3 to 3 ½ c. all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 to 3 tbsp. sesame seeds
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl and stir to dissolve. Let sit for about 5 minutes, until bubbly. Whisk in olive oil, honey and yogurt.
In a large bowl, combine sieved whole wheat flour, 3 cups all-purpose flour and salt. Using a wooden spoon or the dough hook of a stand mixer, add the liquid ingredients and mix thoroughly, only adding the additional ½ cup flour if the dough seems especially sticky.
Turn out onto floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, using a scraper if necessary to lift and pull the dough over itself until it feels smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Try to resist adding additional flour, although humid conditions may require a bit more. This is a soft, tender dough.
Lightly coat a medium bowl with oil and place the dough face down, then flip so the coated side is on top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
When dough is ready, begin heating griddle on stovetop. If using the oven, preheat to 500 degrees. If you have a pizza stone, place that on the bottom rack to heat. Otherwise, place a heavy sheet pan in the oven. (You want to lay the flatbread dough on a hot surface to help it puff.)
Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 pieces, forming each into balls. Cover with a cloth and let rest for 5 minutes.
With a rolling pin on a floured surface, roll a ball into a flat circle about 8 inches across, flipping once. If the dough shrinks and pulls back, let rest for a minute, then continue to roll. Brush lightly with water and sprinkle with a scant teaspoon of sesame seeds. Roll once with the pin to help seeds adhere.
Gently lift the dough round and lay it on the hot griddle, pizza stone or baking sheet.
The dough soon will begin to puff and bubble. After 2 minutes, lift an edge to see how it's browning on the bottom; it should be golden and speckled. Flip and continue cooking for another minute, or until the bread feels puffy with no doughy areas.
Remove to clean kitchen towel and cover while you continue with the rest of the dough balls.
The flatbreads are best served the same day they're made, but will keep overnight if well-wrapped in plastic.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 260; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 450 mg
Carbohydrates: 47 g; Saturated fat: 1 g; Calcium: 25 mg
Protein: 8 g; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Dietary fiber: 3 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 3 bread/starch, 1 fat.
©2012 Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Visit the Star Tribune (Minneapolis) at www.startribune.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
PHOTOS (from MCT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): FLATBREADS
Topics: t000171568,t000154742,t000035070
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- Flatbread really stacks up nicely
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Today, One of my colleague and I have a debate about "Should we put the specification documents in source control system such as SVN?". In my opinion, It should be. Everything relate to developing project should be controled carefully with source control system. Is it a wrong concept in software development process?
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So what if most source control systems only store them as blobs? Most people don't give a rip about the diffs between docs, but if you do, can can always get two versions and use the feature of the authoring system to diff them.
With hard disk space at pennies per gigabyte per month, there's no good reason not to put documents in the source control system, and it is likely to be useful. My personal preference is to write documents using inline markup, e.g. Wiki Markup or DocBook. This allows use of powerful tools for document comparison and revision.
Versioning specification documents is definitely a worthy goal.
However, are your specification documents text-only and in a plain text file? If so, this may be a good solution.
If not, source control is probably not the right place for them — source control is bad for binary files.
Usually, plain text files are neither as good for formatting or for quick viewing, so a wiki with versioning is probably a better idea.
All the documents should be in some form of archive (preferably with revision controls).
Source control systems is one solution. But usually these systems are designed for plain text documents. Thus things like Word or RTF documents etc do not fit so nicely (especially when you try and compare different version).
But There are other solutions specifically designed for documents. SharePoint springs to mind, but I am sure there are others.
Definitely. The problem that documents are stored as binaries (for example word documents) is annoying. A nice workaround is if you use one of the Tortoise tools (I have tried SVN and Mercurial) you can choose "Visual Diff" that allows you to choose docdiff. With docdiff you get to see all the changes with colours and stuff :-). The main disadvantage is that every time you make a change the whole document is commited again (not just the change). But considering that text documents aren't huge normally and that space probably isn't your main issue this is no problem.
I'm sure you can use docdiff without Tortoise, it's just that I haven't tried it.
There is an alternative approach that you should discuss: BDD
Please consider Behavior Driven Development with executable specifications. Your specifications get simplified into a series of Given - When - Then sets of statements that are stored in text files. A BDD tool such as Cucumber or SpecFlow converts those text files into executable tests, that your build tool can execute.
Cucumber: http://cukes.info/ - BDD for Ruby
SpecFlow: http://www.specflow.org/ - BDD for .Net
For a quick demo of workflow with a tool like SpecFlow, checkout Rob Conery's SpecFlow walk-through: http://tekpub.com/view/concepts/5
Now, not only are you versioning your code, but your specifications, and your Continuous Integration tool (think TeamCity, CruiseControl, Hudson, etc) is enforcing that all specifications are still valid on EVERY build... Is that valuable to you?


text:
Mission Statement
Consistent with Gonzaga University's philosophy of developing the whole person, the Counseling Center's core purpose is to enhance the emotional, relational, and psychological well-being of students. We strive to facilitate students' personal growth and enhance their academic success through accessible, culturally congruent counseling services. As counselors, we are also involved in advocating for student needs, outreach programming, teaching, consultation activities, and collaboration that serves to strengthen and enrich relationships with both the University and surrounding communities.
Box 94
324 E. Sharp Avenue
Spokane, WA 99258-0094
Phone: (509) 313-4054
Fax: (509) 313-4049
Contact Us
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - Noon and
1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
We are closed during the noon hour.
Get info about Appointments


text:
Possible Duplicate:
What are some good PHP editors?
I installed the Ubuntu. can anyone suggest the good php editor for me, also have check in and check out function is better? Thank you!
I installed the Ubuntu. can anyone suggest the good php editor for me, also have check in and check out function is better? Thank you!
marked as duplicate by Luis Alvarado♦, Jorge Castro, Marco Ceppi♦ Nov 14 '11 at 14:37
This question was marked as an exact duplicate of an existing question.
In my option, Vim is the best editor for anything. I use it for python, shell script, c++, php, simple txt files etc. Vim is high configurable and it makes you a whole lot more productive. It takes some time to learn how to use it but believe me, it worth. You can install it using Ubuntu Software Center or download from the official site http://www.vim.org.
I will list some of the popular code editing software in Ubuntu that you can use..
First of all, you can use the
You can use the
My favourite is the
Sublime Text2 have the good appearance and it also has the good-to-look syntax highlighting...
I use netbeans and eclipse for all my editing needs: PHP, Java, CSS, Ruby, etc. They both require JRE/JDK to be installed, but that will be done automatically when you install from the software center.
They both support svn, git, cvs and many other version control system. that will have to be configured separately, but easy to understand instructions are there.
I use these two editors because I switch between windows at work and linux at home, and these two IDEs are available for both platforms and work the same.
of the two netbeans is less confusing to start using.


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It seems that the actual answer to this question is "It's up to you". However I often read in
tex.SE some comments that oppose the usage of certain fonts, in somehow an absolute character. That suggests that some fonts are widely used, while some others, frown upon (depending on the situation, of course).
I don't mean some fonts are uglier than others, but there are presumably situations in which their use is inappropriate. I'd like to see suggestions of the community for:
- Unsuitable fonts for talks slides (
- Unsuitable fonts for papers.
- Unsuitable fonts for math calligraphy.
- Unsuitable ...(you might want to add some other situations)


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I have a character in 4e that I've been using for a while, but I recently met a DM who wants me and a friend to play his 3.5e campaign, since he doesn't like 4e or something... but our characters are 4e ones created with the character builder on D&D Insider.
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Short answer: Yes, you can, but it's not really any easier than starting from the ground up and building a new character.
Long answer: While fourth editon D&D shares many setting conceits with 3.5 and earlier editions, the two are very different games in terms of how characters are constructed and the way challenges are addressed during play.
You might want to check out this question about the differences between the two games for a general overview. The accepted answer is pretty good.
So, about converting your character to 3.5... Well, it depends on exactly what you've built, but since 3.5rd and 4th edition make reasonably similar assumptions about setting, it shouldn't be too hard to convert your character's concept across.
However, as you may have noticed, there are a lot of differences between 4th edition and 3.5, most notably including different scales of leveling and a differing level of combat-centric-ness that will likely make it impossible to convert your character without making compromises.
As far as I know, there's no formal downgrade migration path available, so you'll have to do the conversion the old-fashioned way: Hit the 3.5 books and try to work out how your character would fit the system.
Unfortunately, I can't give you more specific advice than that without knowing more about your character. Could you possibly post your character sheet?
Easily, but not simply.
Attributes: direct transfer
Class: pick closest class within classes available in the books you've got. It's a guessing game....
Skills: you've several in 4E; buy up the closest skill set (usually 2-4 skills in 3.X) to your 4E skill.
Powers: Some become spells, others feats. You'll have to make a case by case adjustment.
Odds are, you'll wind up with extra spells to pick (Keeping in mind most arcane spell-casters get 2 spells every level), and quite possibly short a few skill points in fighters, but with extra feats.
Gear: Pretty much, it translates straight across.
It is possible, under certain assumptions.
First of all, you should find out which classes you want to be. Single class is strong and balanced in 4e, not so more in 3.5e. Some character concepts translate well on 3.5e, several others don't.
Tanks do not exist in 3.5e, except for the reaaly bad feat Goad and a few prestige classes. Warriors and the like can be built as tanks in 3.5. Hard to hit, with loads of HP but since they deal no damage the monsters can just ignore them. The spiked chain warrior is the rough equivalent of a real tank because it stops enemies form getting near to the ranged strikers. A wizard with glitterdust, graese, solid fog could be considered a controller, the same wizard with blasting spells would be a striker but not a really effective one.
As for the abilities, 4e characters almost always work on a two attribute dependancy and this is supported by the rules for leveling. 3.5e characters work better if built on a single attribute but several classes require you multiple attribute dependency.
You should keep the feel and background of the character you'd like to convert, identify what it does in combat and how it behaves outside (is he a primal character? a marial? a divine?) and start from scratch.
Unless you detail me (us) your character and the books your new DM lets you use I can't help you more than this.


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Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Kentucky kicked off their biggest fundraiser event of the year today.
Last year's Bowl for Kids' Sake challenge winners were recognized in their respective categories.
Large Business: Fruit of the Loom
Small Business: Warren Circuit & District Court
Healthcare: Compton Orthodontics
Banks: U.S. Bank
Churches: Broadway United Methodist Church
Schools: Briarwood Elementary
Media: WBKO
Law Firms: Kerrick Stivers Coyle, PLC
Retail: Macy's
Clubs/Organizations: Kiwanis Club
Individual: John Yonts
The charity raised $125,000 from last years' events.
This year Big Brothers Big Sisters kicked off a Mardi Gras themed Bowl for Kids Sake to help a those in need.
"It goes to support those children that are in our community and it's amazing how one dollar or one person bowling can impact the life of a child in our community," says Susan Waggoner with Big Brother Big Sisters.
Dates for 2013 Bowl for Kids Sake are as follows:
In Bowling Green at Southern Lanes:
Thursday, Feb. 21 7 AM-11 PM
Saturday, Feb. 23, 9 AM-4 PM
Sunday, Feb. 24, 1 PM-4 PM
Thursday, Feb 28, 7 PM-1PM
In Glasgow at Ralphie's Fun Center:
Saturday, March 9, 9 AM-4 PM


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7 Things From America That Are Insanely Popular Overseas
Sometimes a movie, actor or product appears on the American scene to be greeted with a collective "meh" but then make its way overseas and struggles onshore like Gulliver from Gulliver's Travels. Suddenly it finds itself a celebrated giant in this new land.
They don't usually tie it up first unless they're in Japan or something.
In other words, there are pop culture phenomena that Americans haven't given a second thought to, that have absolutely exploded across the ocean. Like...
#7. Pabst Blue Ribbon in China
A quick refresher in case you're not up to date on the vital subject of What PBR Means To Americans -- Pabst Blue Ribbon is a beer historically associated with fat, blue collar Midwesterners that is now the flagship beer of hipsters, who enjoy it "ironically".
So basically Americans drink PBR because that's what the working class drinks, either because they are actually part of the working class, or because they like to pretend they like what the working class does.
That's why it makes perfect sense to market it in China like champagne.
"Pabst Blue Ribbon 1844" costs $44 - American dollars - a bottle. That is not a Photoshop.
What makes it so great? Well, according to the marketing a Chinese magazine ad:
It's not just Scotch that's put into wooden casks. There's also Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer 1844.
Many world-famous spirits
Are matured in precious wooden casks
Scotch whisky, French brandy, Bordeaux wine...
They all spend long days inside wooden casks.
You can't argue with that logic. Scotch is put in casks. PBR 1844 is put in casks. PBR must be as valuable as Scotch! QED.
In other news, hamsters and lions are pretty much the same thing because they're both found in cages.
A good starter pet for young children.
It turns out it's not as stupid an idea as you'd think. Being rich is sort of a new thing in China, and those that happen to get rich don't have a long history of Rockefeller types or gangsta rappers to show them how to show it off, so they're still sort of figuring it out.
"Now the neighbors know we're classy."
So sell them something expensive that looks expensive, and they'll snap it up.
I mean, it's not like they can use Google to find out what the beer's actual reputation is over here.
#6. Kit-Kats in Japan
Unlike a lot of other things on this list, Kit-Kats aren't exactly unpopular in the U.S., and we have many varieties. Like small and large.
Is there no end to American confectionary creativity?
But Japan takes it to a whole new level (as Japan will do). None of this penny ante futzing around with sizes. Japan currently has over 80 different flavors of Kit-Kat.
And some of them are exactly the kind of flavors you would imagine people coming up with after they have to think of a new flavor when 50 flavors already exist: soybean, grilled corn, lemon vinegar, Earl Grey tea, Camembert cheese, baked potato, cola and lemon squash, cucumber, rose...
...and the mysterious "white".
Mmm, tastes like white.
But why are these so popular? There's a couple of reasons; first, the name sounds very similar to a Japanese phrase, "kitto katsu," a good luck wish, which is why Kit Kats are given to kids as good luck charms before big tests, for example.
The second reason, according to that same story, is that these 80 weird flavors were deliberately created to capitalize on the Japanese tendency to "catch 'em all," like they are compelled to do with Pokemon, or weird fetishes. New "limited edition" flavors are often created and then quickly pulled in order to drive all the completionists out there into a collectors' frenzy.
#5. Spam in Guam
Spam, not the email but the "meat product," is generally considered in the United States to be something that should be eaten in trailer parks by people who only have a hot plate to cook with. In Guam, it's the national past time.
It is somehow considered a part of Guam's traditional native cooking, despite only being invented about 70 years ago, with an average of 16 cans per year consumed by every man, woman, and child on the island.
Hawaii does things like this with Spam and they only consume 6 cans per person.
You'd think there must be a story behind that, and there is. Spam's very cheapness made it an ideal military ration during World War II, where U.S. troops stationed in Guam and other Pacific Islands were sometimes forced to eat it for three meals a day.
War is hell.
The Guamanians snapped up the habit, because they weren't exactly stinking rich during the war either. But once the war was over, the American soldiers went home and probably vowed to never look at another can of Spam again, while the people of Guam didn't really have a native Guam diet to go back to.
This is the native diet.
You see, Guam has been occupied by one colonial power or another continuously over the past 400 years, to the point that no one's completely sure what "authentic Guam culture" even is anymore. Even the most touted "native Guam dishes" are Filipino.
Like red rice, which appears to be the rice version of Spam.
So even if they dumped American-influenced foods like Spam, they don't exactly have any "keepin' it real" food to replace it with.
And Spam is the gift that keeps on giving. The Spam diet, along with other American-influenced food, is at least partially responsible for a high rate of cardiovascular problems in Guam, with 60% of deaths there coming from bad diet and lifestyle.
Even their judo champions are huge.
Next war, maybe we should just get them some socks.
#4. 7-Eleven in Taiwan
Most Americans know 7-Eleven as basically the Kwik-E-Mart from the Simpsons. It's a convenience store with food of dubious quality, staffed by an immigrant, and ritually robbed once a month.
However, 7-Eleven in Taiwan is on a whole, other, weird level. Like Starbucks, they can often be found 3-4 to a block.
Or just two if you're in the boondocks or something.
And Taiwan's 7-Eleven's aren't just places to buy Slurpees and lottery tickets, though. They also let customers pay their utility bills, pay for traffic tickets, develop photos, order a designated driver), and even shop online Amazon-style (and have your things delivered to that 7-Eleven).
And there is plenty of scooter parking, of course.
You can also pick up dinner there.
While you can get the same doubtful hot dogs as in the U.S. (endorsed by LeBron James no less), you can also get Chinese tea eggs, various dim sum items, and fish balls (they're fish meatballs, not fish testicles).
What with their Starbucks-like presence, their Kinkos-like services, their Amazon-like shopping, and their food-like food, 7-Elevens dominate over half the convenience store market in the country with the highest population of convenience stores in the world, where 80% of the population goes to convenience stores at least once a week.


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16 More Images You Won't Believe Aren't Photoshopped
#8. Christmas Tree Decorations in Morocco
This might look like a lazy father's hastily photoshopped answer to the question "Where do baby goat's come from?" But in fact, it's a real photograph taken of real goats in in Morroco.
When food became sparse on the ground, the hoofed creatures simply learned to climb trees. Pretty cool, though we'd imagine it loses some of its luster the first time you park under a tree and your car gets crapped on by a goat.
#7. On the Set of For Your Ass Only
At first glance it would appear to be your 13-year-old brother's first attempt at photo manipulation. But it is in fact an actual event from last year when Gary Kasparov (yes the chess dude) was attacked by a peniscopter during a press conference.
There is also video of the incident, which we understand is a traditional Russian debate technique.
#6. "Sir, Did You Not See That Signal Back There?"
This has gotten passed around the internet with titles like WORST INTERSECTION IN THE WORLD OMG. While it's not Photoshop, it's not a real traffic signal either. It's a sculpture found in a roundabout in England. The sculpture obviously means, "We hate out-of-towners, and wish to distress them."
#5. Some Creatures Get Scarier as They Get Smaller
If The Daily Mail can be believed, the Dwarf Gecko up there only grows to be a half inch or so long. And that's really gross for some reason.
We realize there are lots of insects that size, but for some reason it's weirder when it's an actual animal with a tiny little skeleton and everything. Like if you looked down at your kitchen counter and found a horse the size of a pea standing there. It'd be time to move out of that shit.
#4. If There's One Sport You Just Have to Try Before You Die ...
Once more we are presented with a photo that not only appear to be a Photoshop, but a bad one.
But, no, Ostrich racing is an all too real sport in several countries, though we admit these photos seem to portray frat guys enjoying the sport ironically.
Ostriches have a reputation for being ornery sons of bitches, so we're guessing that half of the excitement is watching to see which jockey gets his eyes pecked out mid-race.
#3. Scientists Combine Human and Slinky DNA
What appears to be a simple application of the "blinds" effect in Photoshop is actually the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, decorated for the Dali exhibit and to terrify passers-by. Wait, Philadelphia Art Museum? Where's the Rocky statue?
#2. Mountain Does Marilyn Monroe Impression
No need to avert your eyes, you are not in fact witnessing the world's largest up-skirt. These bizarre, lens shaped lenticular clouds form in upward gusts of wind that naturally occur around mountains. These winds, known as "wave lifts," are so powerful that sail plane pilots have used them to glide 1,864 miles without a motor.
Venticular clouds are often mistaken for UFOs, which sounds retarded until you see one of these hovering over your town ...
#1. Lovely Phallic Innuendo Bridge
So ... how long after construction did it take for the public to notice the shafts of sunlight through the railing of this bridge forms dongs on the street? You can't tell us nobody noticed this, either. This is Westminster Bridge in London...
...and we're going to assume that the architect figured this out at the planning stages. They were making dick jokes in 1750, right?
If you think about it, those shadows are just going to get longer and longer as the sun goes down. So if you're an insecure dude, stay away from Westminster Bridge at sunset.
Unless you're not one of those people who just see dongs everywhere.
Unfortunately, we are.
CONTINUE: 17 MORE Images You Won't Believe Aren't Photoshopped.
For more real but disturbing images, check out The 25 Most Disturbing Sex Toys and The 19 Most Hilariously Failed Attempts at Sexy Album Covers.


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When Tommy and Christina Thompson had an insurance agency in Shelbyville, people came to them because they needed to buy policies, and they often looked grumpy while doing so.
Last year, the couple changed careers and started the only Fuzziwig's Candy Factory franchise between Nashville and Indianapolis.
Now, people stop in for a sweet treat or just to see what's new — and they can't help smiling.
The store, located at 13206 U.S. Highway 42, is one of approximately five dozen franchises around the country; almost all are family-owned.
The entire Thompson family — including children Helena, Hayden, Holden and Hannah — went to Colorado, the company's home base, last June for training.
Their store opened July 15.
"Our kids were growing, and we wanted a business they could participate in," Tommy said. "Besides, we'd been working so far away from our home in Goshen. This is our community; we wanted a centrally located place where our neighbors could come and have fun."
Unlike most Fuzziwig's stores, this one has six tables for customers who want to use free WiFi, do homework, or watch Disney movies. A party room, with seating for 24, features several arcade games.
"We're about three times as large as the usual Fuzziwig's," said Christina, who cooks most of the handmake treats.
"Our goal is to be well-rounded. Tommy and I have different tastes: I love high-quality chocolate; he'll eat anything that has sugar in it — he loves Jelly Bellys and sour candies. That's why we have something for everyone."
Christina's creations, which are about 15 percent of the inventory, include fudge in flavors such as French Vanilla Pecan and Dark Chocolate Walnut.
A new favorite, the Elvis cookie, is a "grahamwich" that stars gooey chocolate, peanut butter and banana, coated with Belgian chocolate.
Twinkies, potato chips, nuts, strawberries and Oreos — in her kitchen, they're all decorated with edible extras.
The Thompsons understand, however, that not everyone dotes on sugar. That's why there are plenty of sugar-free items, including various chocolates and Jelly Belly beans.
In addition to lower-carb confections, adults enjoy John Conti coffees and teas, and nostalgic sodas such as Moxie and Ski. The 18 colors of M&Ms are popular for coordinating with weddings and showers and the vast Jelly Belly assortment includes cocktail concoctions such as Mojito and Pomegranate Cosmo.
Since children are the heart of any candy store, Fuzziwig's has just about everything they crave — and if it's outrageous or sounds gross, so much the better.
Three-foot-long gummy snakes? Of course. Jawbreakers as big as baseballs? Naturally. How about a bottle of kiwi-pineapple Bug Barf? It's right next to Kitty Piddle (orange-lemon) and Dog Drool (pineapple-orange).
"Our first anniversary is coming up, and we've been pleasantly surprised by how well things are going," Tommy said. "We get a walk-in crowd around lunchtime, then kids come after school; things slow down before supper, but pick up again afterward. Our biggest challenge has been getting out the word that we're on top of the hill, not down in the shopping area near River Road.
"Christina is developing a following," he added. "She's always trying new things, and we give free samples, so people stop by and say, 'What are you making today?'"
Fuzziwig's Candy Factory, located at 13206 U.S. Hwy. 42 in Prospect, is open Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sunday-Monday, noon-8 p.m. For information, visit www.fuzziwigsky.com or phone 502.384.4110.


text:
The AASHTO Accreditation Program (AAP) was established in 1988 as a
means of formally recognizing the competence of testing laboratories to
perform specific tests on construction materials.
AAP is a voluntary
program that is available to all testing laboratories including
government, commercial, university, and research facilities.
Learn More
AMRL's Laboratory Assessment Program (LAP) was established in 1966 to
provide on-site assessments of laboratories that perform testing of
materials that are used for construction and the preservation of roads
and bridges.
The scope of the program currently includes the following
fields of testing: soil, aggregate, asphalt cement, emulsified asphalt,
hot mix asphalt, metals, plastic pipe, and spray-applied fire-resistive
materials (SFRM).
The AMRL Proficiency Sample Program (PSP) was introduced in March 1966,
when samples were initially distributed only to state Department of
Transportation and Federal Highway Administration testing laboratories.
At that time, four basic material types were included in the scope of
the program: fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, soil, and asphalt binder.
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