text:
Bookmark this site
GREENVALE, NY -- Apple Industries, the manufacturer of Face Place photobooths, has added an online purchasing tool to its new website, allowing operators to order media for their equipment.
"Media purchase capability is the latest step in our steady expansion of operator tools and services at faceplacephoto.com," said Apple chief executive Allen Weisberg. "We're launching this service as a simple way for operators to get started with online purchasing. More products and capabilities will be added to the Apple ecommerce portal in the coming months."
To become a registered Face Place e-commerce user, operators need to create an account. After taking a moment to register, the ordering process is easy:
» Log in.
» On the homepage, go to the top menu bar and click "parts."
» On the drop-down menu, click "media."
» A picture menu of available products appears. Select yours.
» Click through the payment steps.
Available photobooth media include 4x6" photo strips for most Face Place machines and larger 6x8" strips for Magazine Me. Operators can purchase media by roll or by the case. The e-commerce system automatically calculates taxes and shipping fees.
All online financial and account details are secured via Apple's SSL Certificate-bearing content management system, which validates all data prior to processing. Product will initially ship via UPS ground service.
"Our ecommerce portal is so easy and convenient it can be used from a smartphone," said Allen Weisberg. "This is one more significant step to make operating our booths even faster and more efficient."
Operators can continue to place media orders by phone at (516) 619-8000.


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Well it was a great show and I did my best so sure 1 possible mistake won't undo the great work
Well it was a great show and I did my best so sure 1 possible mistake won't undo the great work
Firstly Jamie is 3-3 am-semi was 1-0 before fight. Jamie knows Darren Wardle i know Darren very well and wouldnt want them to fight each other. If Brad was cut,injured,hurt,or had a long hard fight we wouldnt have taken the fight. And i know for sure Dale wouldnt have offered it. Luckily for Jamie it was a quick sub win. So with that the fight went ahead. Brad your a warrior stepping up to fight twice on the night,Seriously tough as nails, and id like to thank you personally. Theres much a do about nothing here the situation was explained clearly between all parties. Jamie had went all through camp even making the cut weighing in then to be informed there was no fight. Thanks to Dale-Steve Made for the cage for getting Jamie a match up and again thanks to Brad for taking two fight on the night. Your a genetleman and a scholar :0) Move along...move along nothing too see here............
On a lighter note I cant believe Brad got subbed like that, i remember a video that was on here about six years ago where Brad went for an armbar... your ground game looked slick dude
Brad, you fight MMA not K1, Thai or Boxing. Takedowns do happen and will inevitably happen when someone knows that 1 takedown will win them the fight.
I merely brought it up as it looked so strange on the results list.
I don't really care if people say there's nothing wrong, that is cool as it is their opinion.
What is this talk of a BAMMA logo? not sure what Bean is refering to?
Got a problem? Odds against you? Call the Equalizer
The BAMMA logo on the poster?... Made4theCage is a feeder show for BAMMA and BAMMA sponsor them I believe.
BAMMA sponsor M4TC? really? Financially?
Anyone know about this?
Got a problem? Odds against you? Call the Equalizer

subset: commoncrawl


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Environmental Decision Memo for Food Contact Notification No. 000027
Return to inventory listing: Inventory of Environmental Impact Decisions for Food Contact Substance Notifications or
the Inventory of Effective Food Contact Substance Notifications.
See also Environmental Decisions.
Date: April 20, 2000
From: Chemist, Environmental Review Team (ERT)
Division of Product Manufacture and Use (HFS-246)
Subject: Premarket Notification (FCN No. 000027) - C.I. Pigment Orange 79 as a Colorant in All Types of Food-contact Polymers.
Notifier: Engelhard Corporation
Pigments and Additives Group
Louisville, KY 40212
To: Division of Petition Control (HFS-215)
Attention: Edward Machuga, Ph.D
Through: Team Leader, ERT
Attached is the Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) that we have prepared for the above cited Premarket Notification. When this notification becomes effective, the EA and FONSI should be made available to the public. Please let us know if there is any change in the identity or use of the food-contact substance that would be inconsistent with the identity and use described in the FONSI.
Hardy J. Chou, Ph.D.
Environmental Assessment for FCN No. 000027
1. Description of the Proposed Action
The proposed action is to provide for the use of C. I. Pigment Orange 79 (Benzoic acid, 4-[(2-hydroxy-6-sulfo-1-naphthalenyl) azo]-, strontium salt (2:1)) at a maximum use level of 1% by weight as a colorant in all types of food-contact polymers. This action was originally requested by Engelhard Corporation in Food Additive Petition (FAP) 0B4710, in which the petitioner requested a categorical exclusion under 21 CFR 25.32(i). This exclusion is for actions for substances present in food-packaging material at not greater than 5 percent-by-weight and that are expected to remain with finished food-packaging material through use by consumers or when the substance is a component of a coating of a finished food-packaging material.
The Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act (FDAMA) of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-115) amended section 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to establish a premarket notification (PMN) process as the primary method for authorizing a new use of a food additive that is a food contact substance (FCS). Section 409(h)(6) of the FFDCA defines an FCS as any substance intended for use as a component of materials used in manufacturing, packing, packaging, transporting, or holding food if such use is not intended to have any technical effect in such food. Under the PMN process, a notification becomes effective 120 days after the date of receipt by FDA, unless FDA determines that, based on the data and information before the agency, the use of the substance is not safe and FDA objects to such notification within the 120-day period. If FDA does not object within 120 days to the use of an FCS that is the subject of a PMN, the substance may be legally marketed for the notified use.
In a letter dated October 26, 1999, the Agency told petitioners and requesters who had pending food additive petitions or threshold of regulation (TOR) exemption requests involving the use of an FCS that the petition or TOR exemption request might be eligible for premarket notification under section 409(h) of the FFDCA. The sponsors were told that they could consider withdrawing the petition or TOR request and resubmitting it as a PMN. The petitioner submitted a letter, dated January 3, 2000, requesting that FAP 0B4710 be converted to a PMN.
The types of substances and the uses of such substances under the categorical exclusion in 21 CFR 25.32(i) are the same whether a sponsor submits a food additive petition, a request for exemption from regulation as a food additive under 21 CFR §170.39, or a PMN. However, a categorical exclusion for allowing a PMN to become effective is not currently one of the enumerated types of actions listed in §25.32(i). Therefore, we have prepared this Environmental Assessment (EA) for the subject notification.
2. Environmental Consequences of the Proposed Action
This action involves an FCS that is a minor component of finished food-packaging material (<5 percent by weight of the finished packaging material) and that remains with the packaging through use by consumers. FDA has found that the very small quantities of substances that could potentially enter the environment from this type of use are highly unlikely to have a significant effect on the environment (61 FR 19476 at 19481-19482, May 1, 1996). The basis for FDA's decision to establish the categorical exclusion in § 25.32(i) for food additive petitions or TOR exemption requests is the same basis that would be applicable to PMNs. Therefore, FDA's experience with the food additive petitions that it reviewed to support a categorical exclusion for such actions is relevant to PMNs. The principal route for potential environmental introduction of the types of substances included under §25.32(i), whether in a food additive petition or in a PMN, results from their disposal in municipal solid waste combustors or landfills. These routes of disposal are governed by the regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 40 CFR part 60 (combustors) and part 258 (landfills). Based on the low levels of use of these substances in packaging materials, the introduction of combustion products or introductions at landfill sites are not environmentally significant. The notifier states that the proposed maximum level of the colorant in all types of food-contact polymers is present at not greater than 5 percent-by-weight and is expected to substantially remain with the finished food-packaging material through use by consumers. Because of the nature of this type of action, we do not expect that any limited increase in environmental introductions resulting from this proposed action will threaten a violation of EPA's regulations governing combustors and landfills or have any other adverse environmental effects.
In the claim of categorical exclusion in FAP 0B4710, the petitioner stated that the substance is not expected to present an extraordinary circumstance that would require submission of an Environmental Assessment. We do not believe that the conversion of this petition to a PMN would alter the fact that no extraordinary circumstances are likely to occur as a result of this action.
3. Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Alternatives to the proposed action need not be considered, because no potential adverse environmental effects have been identified.
4. List of Preparers
Hardy J. Chou, Ph.D., Chemist
Environmental Review Team
Division of Product Manufacture and Use
Office of Premarket Approval
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Food and Drug Administration
Finding of No Significant Impact
A Premarket Notification (FCN No. 000027), submitted by Engelhard Corporation to provide for the safe use of C. I. Pigment Orange 79 (Benzoic acid, 4-[(2-hydroxy-6-sulfo-1-naphthalenyl) azo]-, strontium salt (2:1)) at a maximum use level of 1% by weight as a colorant in all types of food-contact polymers.
The Environmental Review Team has determined that allowing this notification to become effective will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment and therefore will not require the preparation of an environmental impact statement. This finding is based on an environmental assessment prepared by a scientist on the Environmental Review Team.
Prepared by: ___________________________________________ Date: April 20, 2000
Hardy J. Chou, Ph.D., Chemist
Environmental Review Team
Division of Product Manufacture and Use
Office of Premarket Approval
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Food and Drug Administration
Approved by: ________________________________________ Date: April 20, 2000
Buzz Hoffmann, Ph.D., Team Leader
Environmental Review Team
Division of Product Manufacture and Use
Office of Premarket Approval
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Food and Drug Administration


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1 Points
Apr 26, 2008 06:21 PM|digital_creativity|LINK
I'm using a shared host to run a modified version of The Beer House e-commerce module (using www.DiscountASP.NET) However, they (and most shared hosts) don't support Distributed Transaction Processing, which The Beer House uses. So I get this error when trying to submit an order to PayPal:
Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.
Exception Details: System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))
ASP.NET is not authorized to access the requested resource. Consider granting access rights to the resource to the ASP.NET request identity. ASP.NET has a base process identity (typically {MACHINE}\ASPNET on IIS 5 or Network Service on IIS 6) that is used if the application is not impersonating. If the application is impersonating via <identity impersonate="true"/>, the identity will be the anonymous user (typically IUSR_MACHINENAME) or the authenticated request user.
To grant ASP.NET access to a file, right-click the file in Explorer, choose "Properties" and select the Security tab. Click "Add" to add the appropriate user or group. Highlight the ASP.NET account, and check the boxes for the desired access.
Source Error:
Line 658: cmd.Parameters.Add("@Quantity", SqlDbType.Int).Value = orderItem.Quantity;Line 659: cmd.Parameters.Add("@OrderItemID", SqlDbType.Int).Direction = ParameterDirection.Output; Line 660: cn.Open(); Line 661: int ret = ExecuteNonQuery(cmd); Line 662: return (int)cmd.Parameters["@OrderItemID"].Value;
Source File: e:\web\joleneandaa\htdocs\App_Code\DAL\SqlClient\SqlStoreProvider.cs Line: 660
I got the following message back from my host:
"Due to security concerns, I'm afraid that we will not be able to provide access to the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator. If your application requires transactions, ASP.NET web transactions are not supported, however, you can use the SQL Transaction class as an alternative as a workaround."
So does anyone know how I would convert to using the SQL Transaction class? Or does anyone know of a host that supports shared Distributed Transaction Processing? I would hate to scrap all of the work I've done.
This is the code that comes up in the debugger:public override int InsertOrderItem(OrderItemDetails orderItem)
{using (SqlConnection cn = new SqlConnection(this.ConnectionString))
{SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("tbh_Store_InsertOrderItem", cn);
cmd.CommandType =CommandType.StoredProcedure; cmd.Parameters.Add("@AddedDate", SqlDbType.DateTime).Value = orderItem.AddedDate;
cmd.Parameters.Add("@AddedBy", SqlDbType.NVarChar).Value = orderItem.AddedBy; cmd.Parameters.Add("@OrderID", SqlDbType.Int).Value = orderItem.OrderID;
cmd.Parameters.Add("@ProductID", SqlDbType.Int).Value = orderItem.ProductID; cmd.Parameters.Add("@Title", SqlDbType.NVarChar).Value = orderItem.Title;
cmd.Parameters.Add("@SKU", SqlDbType.NVarChar).Value = orderItem.SKU; cmd.Parameters.Add("@UnitPrice", SqlDbType.Money).Value = orderItem.UnitPrice;
cmd.Parameters.Add("@Quantity", SqlDbType.Int).Value = orderItem.Quantity; cmd.Parameters.Add("@OrderItemID", SqlDbType.Int).Direction = ParameterDirection.Output;
cn.Open(); //This is where the error occursint ret = ExecuteNonQuery(cmd);return (int)cmd.Parameters["@OrderItemID"].Value;
3892 Points
Apr 27, 2008 03:24 PM|Lee Dumond|LINK
I assure you that none of TheBeerHouse code uses the MSDTC, so that's not your issue.
The application indeed uses transactions, but they are all local transactions, not distributed.
If you examine your error, you'll note that it has nothing to do with the transaction anyway. The application is not letting the ASP.NET request identity open your connection. That is a permissions issue. So, that's where you need to be looking.
1 Points
Apr 27, 2008 10:37 PM|digital_creativity|LINK
Thanks. I ended up switching to a new host that supports MSDTC, and it works now. Not sure if was exactly that, or a permissions issue like you said, but it works now. By the way, the host is www.appliedi.net is you're looking for a host that supports distributed transactions. Their support people helped me get this up and running... so far so good.
May 23, 2008 06:27 PM|bcweed966|LINK
Actualy if you just install the Beerhouse starter kit and ryn it and go thru the entire process of checking out an item, the nwhen it is supposed to go to paypal it DOES use MSDTC
May 26, 2008 10:05 AM|Annddrew|LINK
I haven't gone through the e-Commerce chapter yet of the book but I'm wondering what does it take to use PayPal? Do I need a merchant account with PayPal? Are there special PayPal scripts I need to install in my site? Are there any fees for using PayPal ? Thanks
3892 Points
May 26, 2008 10:14 AM|Lee Dumond|LINK
For testing purposes, you just need to sign up for a developer sandbox account, which is totally free. For a live site that would involve collecting "real" money, you would need a PayPal merchant account. The fees for that are detailed on their web site.
Mar 30, 2011 12:22 AM|VeganMan|LINK
I am so confused, some say yes and some say no. Does or does not thebeerhouse use MSDTC, which would disquality it from being used on www.discountasp.net?


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I was wondering how,using BackTrack,can I download files that can be viewed,if full address is specified,but cannot be listed?For example we have the following address:
and let's say a hundred pictures with random addresses of the type:
It's time-consuming to manually try all the 10000 variations for a hundred files,so I guess there should be a script that can probe all the possible addresses and download the found files for me.I'm trying to overcome facebook privacy restrictions,given that I know the user's photos directory and the filenames,except for the last four digits,which as it seems to me are randomly generated.Thanks for the help!
Um... Two things. First, this seems kinda sketchy, so you probably won't get any real help. Second (and this is all you'll get from me), I may be wrong, but I thin you're using the wrong wildcard.


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Plug the planter hole, then add rocks
Create this natural indoor water fountain using a planter, rocks and a small pond pump.
Plug the drain hole of a large glazed ceramic or resin planter with plumber's epoxy putty. After it cures, fill the planter with water for a day or two to confirm that it won't leak. Place the planter exactly where you want it before adding the rocks and water. It'll be very heavy once it's done.
Stack bricks or stones around and above a small pond pump (about 40 gph) to about two-thirds the depth of the vessel. Then cut the water line to length and add a restrictor valve. We used a 3/8-in. PEX valve (clamp it if the hose comes loose under pressure). Or choose a "pinch"-type valve, found with pond accessories at home centers. You can change the look and sound of the water fountain by tinkering with the water flow rate and the shape, size and arrangement of your stones. That's the fun part!


text:
3M 14.1" Notebook Privacy Filter - Reversible, Abrasion Resistant, Microlouver Privacy Technology, Unframed For Laptop and LCD (Refurbished) - PF14.1Item#: T350-1100 RF | Model#: PF14.1 |
Currently Out Of Stock!
Additional Resources
3M 14.1" Notebook Privacy Filter - PF14.1 REFURB Product Details
Refurbished products are products that were originally purchased and returned by customers like yourself. The term refurbished is used to describe products that were returned to their manufacturers specification then tested and repackaged for sale. We utilize a third party of professional technicians who first troubleshoot and then perform any repairs that are necessary to restore the product to like new condition. Refurbished products represent a great value and we offer them with confidence knowing that every refurbished product was tested by a trained group of professionals. Refurbished products are warranted for up to 90 days after purchase. Any product failure not originating from defects in materials or workmanship will not be considered covered under warranty. Warranty terms applicable to refurbished products may vary; see below for specific warranty information and consider purchasing an extended service plan if you desire even more coverage.
Additional Resources: Product Manuals
Manufactured by: 3M
Warranty provided by: 3M
UPC No: 051138752538
Mfg Part No: PF14.1
Box Size:
( Length:13, Width:10, Depth:1)
Shipping Weight: 0.0020 pound(s)
Dimensional Weight: 1pounds
What is Dimensional weight?
Click here for full warranty and support information
- 3M logos are registered trademarks of 3M. All others trademarks and copyrights mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.


text:
Note: This message is displayed if (1) your browser is not standards-compliant or (2) you have you disabled CSS. Read our Policies for more information.
The Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology promotes the conservation of Indiana's cultural resources through public education efforts, financial incentives including several grant and tax credit programs, and the administration of state and federally mandated legislation.
The Division facilitates state and federal preservation programs and is the staff of the State Historic Preservation Officer.
The chief services of the Division are:
The first historic preservation movement in America is generally recognized as efforts in the late 18th and 19th centuries to collect, restore, and commemorate artifacts, structures, and places significant to the founding of the United States. These efforts were primarily undertaken by private citizens and organizations, and not through the federal government. In fact, government was often the vandal and not the protector of historic and cultural resources. Although Congress did pass Acts protecting ruins, monuments, and battlefields, and established the National Park Service and the Historic American Building Survey; some of the most devastating effects on historic and cultural resources resulted from other federal legislation. The 1949 Housing Act provided funding to clear slum areas of urban cities with the intent to spur private development. "Urban renewal" contributed to wholesale demolition of historic buildings and residences in what were once thriving downtowns. The Interstate Highway Act, passed in 1956, created the Highway Trust Fund and gave cities and states financial incentives for the construction of interstate highways. To facilitate transportation from suburban residential development to city centers and between urban areas, these highway projects also contributed to the irreparable destruction of historic downtown and rural landscapes.
This obliteration of historic resources with the aid of federal funds mobilized the preservation movement to promote their cause, not only with the public, but also within government. The result of those efforts was the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The Act recognized "that the historical and cultural foundations of the Nation should be preserved as a living part of our community life and development in order to give a sense of orientation to the American people," that the expansion of development exceeded the means of government and private preservation activities, and finally, that most preservation endeavors had been initiated and financed by the private sector and it was "necessary and appropriate" for the federal government to expand its activities and support for historic preservation. The Act, designated to the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior, created the National Register of Historic Places, provided for matching grants to assist state preservation programs, designed a process to address federally financed projects affecting historic and cultural resources, and created the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The Act provided for partnerships in preservation with state and local governments, and the Interior Secretary asked each state and territorial governor to appoint a liaison officer to assist with the new directives and mandates. Each state would prepare a comprehensive and coherent historic preservation plan and designate a State Historic Preservation Office and Officer (SHPO), create a state review board, and establish mechanisms for public participation. The SHPO would initiate statewide surveys to identify and document historic and cultural resources and nominate eligible properties to the National Register, and to educate and assist the public to promote preservation. The SHPO is an official partner with the federal government, the Department of the Interior, and the National Park Service.
In Indiana, the General Assembly had recognized important historic properties since the acquisition of the Tippecanoe Battlefield in 1836. The territorial and first state capitols, Native American mounds, and canal systems had been designated as State Memorials, and historic artifacts were collected by the Indiana State Museum. The agencies responsible for these memorials, artifacts, and properties, including the Indiana State Parks System, were merged in 1919 to create the Indiana Department of Conservation which became the Indiana Department of Natural Resources in 1965. To carry out the liaison responsibilities of the Historic Preservation Act, the Director of the DNR was designated as the SHPO. The DNR and the Indiana Professional Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation issued a report in 1972 advocating the continuation of a 1969 survey of historic sites and structures in the state and the necessity of promoting preservation in the public and educate people on the importance of historic and cultural resources in order to build grass roots efforts. To accomplish preservation goals, the report recommended continued cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Interior, the assistance of professional advisory groups and other agencies of state and local governments, the promotion of private preservation organizations and activities, the standardization of forms, procedures, and policies of the program, the periodic review of the plan to update and revise it, and the advancement of the needs and responsibilities of the DNR in order to develop a comprehensive historic preservation program. In 1981, the General Assembly established the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology within the DNR whose mission was to carry out the federal-state partnership of the 1966 Historic Preservation Act. The Director of the DHPA was named Deputy SHPO and charged with the daily oversight of the state's preservation programs and policies.
The DHPA is now comprised of six individual, but coordinated, sections: Registration and Survey, Archaeology, Architecture and Tax Credits, Grants, Historic Structures Review, and Special Projects. Information on the DHPA's mandates, programs, services, and staff is available throughout this website.
Further Reading on Historic Preservation
Keeping Time: The History and Theory of Preservation in America, by William J. Murtagh
Presence of the Past: A History of the Preservation Movement in the United States before Williamsburg, by Charles B. Hosmer
Preservation Comes of Age: From Williamsburg to the National Trust, 1926-1949, by Charles B. Hosmer.
With Heritage So Rich, edited by Albert Rains, et al.
Historic Preservation Law, published by Practicing Law Institute Handbooks


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"One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest."
-Maya Angelou
Lalita Subrahmanyan
CETL Director
(320) 308-5282 Phone
(320) 308-3217 Fax
Individualized, confidential consulting, supporting teaching effectiveness and enhanced student learning, is available with the Director of the CETL. To request a meeting, email the Director.
Click here for more details
Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Contact Information
Phone: (320) 308-5282
Campus address
720 4th Avenue South
St. Cloud, MN 56301-4498
(320) 308-0121
St. Cloud State University, a member of Minnesota State.
St. Cloud State University is committed to legal affirmative action, equal opportunity, access and diversity of its campus community (Full Statement).
© 2017 St. Cloud State University


text:
Good morning, Chairman Davis and Members of the Committee. Thank you for inviting me to appear before you this morning. As always, it is a pleasure to discuss FTS programs that support critical agency requirements and address the future of Government telecommunications. As we develop programs that address the ever changing network technology landscape, we welcome the opportunity to share our perspectives and to solicit ideas and support from the Members of this Committee. In my remarks, I will address the work we are doing to provide our customers critically important technologies to fulfill their mission needs well into the next decade.
Introduction and Background
As you know, the Network Services business line within the Federal Technology Service, formerly called the Federal Telecommunications Service, was established to provide mandatory voice telephone service to all Federal Agencies. That charter has expanded, over the past four decades, to include a broad array of technology services and solutions that agencies use today, not because they are mandatory, but because they represent the best value in the marketplace.
The current FTS2001 program, now starting its sixth year, certainly exemplifies best value. The FTS2001 and Crossover contracts have been modified 229 times for the benefit of all agencies, and have grown from an acquisition offering 21 core services, of which 60 percent were switched voice, to a much more robust acquisition offering 35 core services, of which nearly 60 percent are now data. Advanced services and networking technologies have been incorporated into the FTS2001 and Crossover contracts at a rate nearly parallel to their introduction into the commercial market. Moreover, price reductions and service enhancements, such as embedded security offerings, have continuously improved the overall value of the contracts to agency customers.
While the scope and structure of the FTS Network Services program has grown commensurate with rapid changes in our industry and technology, certain fundamental objectives remain as important today as they were four decades ago. First, we believe we have demonstrated there is significant government-wide value in providing centralized contracting and program management expertise to develop, award, implement, and administer contracts to meet complex agency needs for networking technology services. Second, leveraging the government's large volume of requirements continues to prove a successful formula to acquire high quality telecommunications and networking services at the lowest possible prices. Finally, coordinated transition planning and life-cycle operations support helps to achieve government-wide efficiencies. FTS has a proud tradition of carrying out its mission to meet these objectives by working closely with this Committee, with user agencies through the Interagency Management Council (IMC), and with the entire community of stakeholders. We are pleased to continue working together as we plan for the replacement of several of our expiring contracts. As in the past, we are depending on your counsel and support as we plan the next generation of telecommunications acquisition strategies.
Throughout the tumultuous period that has characterized telecommunications deregulation, and despite the complexities of the industry environment we face today, our acquisition strategies have served our customer agencies well. The FTS2001 program is a resounding success, providing state of the art services at unparalleled low prices. The program achieved its primary objective, as established by this Committee, of ensuring the best service and price for the government while maximizing competition in acquiring those services. In so doing, we reaffirmed the benefits of coordinating across agencies to achieve economies of scale in the acquisition of networking services. And, we have confirmed the idea that by working together we can minimize the resources needed to acquire a large volume of service across a significant number of agencies. Quantitatively, the results have been significant. When compared to best commercial pricing, FTS2001 savings are approaching $2 billion across all agencies and will continue to accrue until the contracts expire.
Importantly, these savings benefit all customers, from the smallest Commission to the largest Agency. All receive the benefits of service enhancements, technology upgrades, intra-program competition, and continually declining prices. In this sense FTS2001 users are treated equally. Those who use more save more, but those who use less save as well since they pay prices they would have little hope of achieving on their own. Even agencies who choose to do their own acquisitions benefit from the low prices achieved in FTS2001 as those prices set a standard to be matched or bettered.
The huge cost savings on FTS2001 do not reflect the whole story. The program also provides agencies with a fast and flexible migration path for acquiring advanced technologies and services. Users have recognized that the FTS2001 contracts have built-in processes for acquiring commercial technologies as soon as they are introduced into the marketplace. This means, for example, that all agencies can obtain the services and technologies they require – from common every day service to sophisticated services that support such missions as law enforcement and homeland security. Agencies can move toward Internet Protocol-based Virtual Private Networks (IP VPNs) that will support a host of new applications and services to meet the demands of the present as well as the future. And agencies benefit from the flexibility to move forward at their own pace, as their mission demands evolve and as budgets permit.
The FTS2001 program will end in just under three years. FTS has begun looking to the future and I would now like to turn the Committee's attention to our initial ideas for the successor program FTS is developing. Our goal is to build upon the success of our current program to create a new acquisition that will enable Government to continue to take advantage of emerging technologies while creating greater contracting and management efficiencies. Let me stress that these plans, just like the planning for FTS2001 a decade ago, will evolve based on a collective dialogue with all of our stakeholders, including our agency customers, the Members of this Committee, the oversight Committees of the other Chamber, and industry.
FTS Networx Goals
FTS is calling our follow-on program, "FTS Networx" (with an "X"). We have chosen this name because it conveys our belief that the future of telecommunications is increasingly about networking and efficiencies that can be achieved through the use of enhanced technology and services. While we believe that Networx should be designed to support the continuity of our customers' current networking communications infrastructure as it will exist almost three years from now, near the end of the FTS2001 program, it must also look beyond 2006 to the future by providing the new capabilities that will be enabled by the networks of tomorrow. Ideally, Networx will entice agencies to move away from their legacy arrangements and to embrace the benefits of the future.
The infrastructure for these newly emerging networks is being deployed as we speak. These so-called "converged" networks will enable the delivery of all types of services – voice, data, and video – over a single unified Internet Protocol (IP) infrastructure. This environment will have a dramatic and beneficial impact on the services delivered and on the management of those services as well. We will be able to access information using mobile, fast, and secure communications in ways we can now only imagine. This future is near, and FTS plans to deliver these capabilities and efficiencies to our agency customers as industry brings them to market.
In partnership with our customers as represented by the Inter-agency Management Council we have established goals for Networx that reflect FTS' ongoing responsibilities to our agency customers and our responsibilities as a procuring agency. Most importantly, our goals reflect our belief that we must assure continuity of telecommunication services and solutions for our customers – and I'm referring to continuity for what will exist three years from today. FTS2001 provides telecommunications services to tens of thousands of locations worldwide. Government users depend on FTS2001 for uninterrupted service to perform their missions, and we must ensure that service continues following the expiration of the current contracts.
In addition, we believe that we must continue to provide best value for all services and solutions by attracting the most innovative and highest quality services from industry at the best possible prices. With your guidance and support, FTS2001 established a benchmark for innovative acquisition that successfully leveraged competition, provided greater choice for federal agencies, and provided a means to engage industry throughout the life of the program. We believe the Networx program must do no less in creating a competitive framework that will achieve comparable success within the current and evolving environment.
Next, we believe we must respond to a changing marketplace by providing access to a broader range of services and service providers than on previous FTS telecommunications contracts. We have seen the benefits of the FTS2001/Metropolitan Area Acquisition strategy as defined in the Federal Telecommunications Statement of Principles and we plan to continue in that strategic direction to provide the opportunity for more companies to compete over the life of the program. We believe that continuous competition among a larger number of competitors will allow access to new technology more quickly while maintaining downward pressure on prices throughout the program life.
Finally, we seek to offer expanded opportunities for small and medium sized businesses. We believe it will be possible for the Networx strategy to provide opportunities for small and medium sized businesses to compete.
Focusing on these goals and working in collaboration with our customer agencies, we developed an initial acquisition strategy for the Networx program. Last fall we shared that strategy with this Committee. Subsequently, we released the strategy to industry and the public in the form of the Networx Request for Information (RFI). The RFI solicited both general and specific feedback on the proposed Networx strategy that is critically important as we compare our approach to meeting the Government's requirements with industry's ability to respond.
I will now briefly summarize the highlights of the Networx program strategy proposed in the October 2003 RFI.
Networx Description
The RFI proposed that FTS would conduct two phased acquisitions: Networx Universal and Networx Select. Networx Universal would be competed among providers, or teams of providers, who could offer a comprehensive range of domestic and international services. Service providers would be required to provide service to all government locations currently served under existing programs, as well as all commercial locations served by the offeror. This acquisition would be structured to provide Government Agencies with uninterrupted service to all locations currently served and ensure continuity for mission essential activities. The acquisition would be structured such that the competition to win a Universal contract would provide industry with incentives to offer their most attractive prices.
The Networx Select acquisition would establish contracts with more focused service offerings and more flexible geographic coverage. While Networx Universal would require a full and comprehensive set of global offerings, Networx Select would allow each industry provider more flexibility, within the framework of the acquisition, to propose a subset of the required services and geographic coverage based on their core competencies and competitive advantages. This program would offer opportunities for all players in the telecommunications and networking marketplace. Since Select was proposed to be conducted after the Universal competition, the Universal prices would serve as a benchmark that would yield highly competitive prices for Select.
Services on the Networx acquisitions would include all the services on FTS2001 including services added as modifications during the life of the contracts. In addition, approximately 20 new services would be added reflecting new technologies and new customer requirements. The technical service sections of the Networx acquisition would use a performance based specification approach to foster performance-based contracting by Networx customers through the inclusion of detailed performance metrics for each service. These metrics would serve as the basis for contract-defined incentive-based Service Level Agreements upon contact award, providing our agency customers with new leverage for ensuring best-practice service delivery.
Transition to Networx
As we look to the future and the eventual award of replacement contracts for FTS2001, we are reminded of the challenges associated with moving from one contract to another. In anticipation of those challenges, FTS, together with the IMC, have identified transition lessons learned and begun the process of planning for the Networx transition. In May of 2003 we established an IMC-led transition working group and, working with that group, we have agreed on actions that must be undertaken in order to be ready to move forward following the award of the Networx contracts. These actions include the identification of transition funding, FTS and agency roles and responsibilities, inventory requirements, site planning, methods for reporting the progress of the transition, as well as other activities that will help to achieve a more efficient transition.
Networx RFI and Responses
Mr. Chairman, I am happy to report to the Committee that the RFI process has been very successful. We see that there is healthy interest in the program as demonstrated by the large number and high quality of responses provided. We believe the RFI has succeeded in stimulating the type of dialogue we seek with our stakeholders. That dialogue is critical to the success of the strategy development phase we are in right now.
As I have only a brief time to make my remarks, I will attempt to summarize both the extent of the participation in the RFI process as well as the nature of the comments we received.
As to the extent of the participation in the RFI process, Mr. Chairman, we received over 700 substantive comments from nearly 50 respondents. Our experience suggests that 50 responses is a relatively large number, indicative of great interest in the program. Overall, the respondents to the Networx RFI covered all market segments, including traditional long distance carriers, local carriers, integrators, small and medium sized businesses and a few agencies as well. We were especially pleased to receive well over a dozen responses from small businesses.
In general, there was highly useful and constructive feedback from the respondents on the services described in the RFI and on significant aspects of the strategy. For example, most respondents agreed that Networx is needed and appropriate to provide the complex tailored solutions required by agencies.
In the area of billing, there was general consensus that the Government's billing data requirements as outlined in the Networx RFI are too extensive. Respondents generally preferred to offer their commercial billing solutions, or retain current FTS2001 data requirements, rather than incur the expense of undertaking complex modifications to their systems to meet Government requirements.
Respondents generally agreed that our technical service requirements and pricing approaches are sound and cover the appropriate offerings. Industry agreed with our plan to use a performance specification. The responses indicated that converged service offerings are just now emerging. Although there are no commercial standard offerings either technically or with respect to price structure, industry challenged us to develop an innovative service description which will allow them to bid this service.
Overall, Mr. Chairman, we believe that the responses to the RFI were thorough and constructive. In addition, we continue to engage industry in an active dialogue seeking feedback to refine our strategy.
Summary of Networx Benefits
With these responses in mind, FTS continues to review the information obtained from its stakeholders. The Networx strategy to mature as a result of all input we receive.
So, as we move forward and continue to develop the strategy, let me summarize the benefits we anticipate realizing from the ultimate Networx strategy, in whatever form it takes.
First, Networx should offer an orderly migration to the future. We are increasingly convinced that IP based services are the future. Within two years we expect to see substantial advances in IP service quality, reliability, and performance. We must plan carefully now to reap the benefits of these new capabilities. That means we must ensure that Networx provides appropriate stability for the legacy services that will allow government agencies the time needed to chart the most efficient course for deploying and using all-IP infrastructures. In addition, we must ensure that Networx includes, from a wide array of providers, the IP-based services needed to enable this migration.
Second, the Networx program must enable effective management of our future risk as we navigate through the fluid and dynamic industry environment. We do not know who will be the dominant service providers in the future. Perhaps it will be those we know today, but significant change is also possible. For example, a very significant transaction in the wireless component of our industry was consummated just last week. Accordingly, we believe we must anticipate that new IP services may lead to new service provider options. The dual acquisition approach we proposed in the RFI is one way to open the federal telecommunications market to a wider array of service providers while also providing the Government greater flexibility in adapting to future industry change. Maybe there are better ways to accomplish this. Members of industry have suggested alternatives both in their RFI responses and as recently as last week at the public forum sponsored by the Industry Advisory Council. We are happy to receive them. We are considering them, and we continue to be open to all suggestions.
Finally, as I stated earlier, we must manage performance of the Networx program through performance-based contracting vehicles. We seek to reinforce both program stability and flexibility using incentives to drive our partners' performance. We are currently developing some of the building blocks for defining measures of performance in the basic Networx contracts. We are also considering ways to incorporate specific agency business performance indicators, requirements, goals, and incentives within the task order processes under the basic contracts. We also intend to use performance management to realize improvements in everything from transition performance, to billing systems compliance, to trouble-reporting, to service and technology enhancement. Experience tells us loudly and clearly that this is no simple undertaking and we need help from all in this area.
In short, we intend for the Networx program strategy to build on all we have learned from the past and to accommodate anything that we might encounter in the future. The RFI offered a starting point for the considerable dialogue needed to develop the very best approach. Frankly, a number of aspects of the RFI strategy are unlikely to persist given the feedback already offered to us so far. The input we have received to date has given us much to reflect on and much to evaluate. Much work is left to be done. One thing we know for sure is that we cannot do it alone. We need criticisms, opinions, advice, and sincere debate to make Networx what it needs to be. After all, in the end, it is not just FTS' program, it is our program – all of us.
Response to Committee Invitation Letter
Mr. Chairman, in your letter inviting me to appear here today, you outlined several issues and topics about which you intend for the Committee to gather information. In particular you indicated interest in assessing the effectiveness of the proposed RFI strategy, including issues about transition, contract performance periods, billing needs, and services and technologies requirements. You also indicated interest in gathering multiple perspectives on the centralized program approach to acquiring the Government's telecommunication needs.
As for the effectiveness of the strategy as embodied in the October RFI, I would readily agree that the proposed October strategy can be improved, and that we are committed to improving it. Industry has told us that, and we wanted to hear about how they would suggest it be improved. Its purpose as a straw man or reference strategy has been served. As I indicated earlier we continue to receive much food for thought from our stakeholders.
For example, we heard that some question having separate staggered Universal and Select acquisitions. Some believe that Universal could overshadow Select and result in significantly fewer opportunities for Select awardees. That is a fair concern although it does not reflect the intent we had in mind when we conceived that aspect of the RFI proposal. However, now we have received some substantial suggestions that can help us to refine our thinking. As is the case with many aspects of the strategy, our challenges is to understand the trade-offs and strike an appropriate balance between the desire to be all-inclusive and the need to foster meaningful and effective competition.
We have also heard from some that Minimum Revenue Guarantees (MRGs) do not need to be so large that they reduce agency flexibility in selecting providers. The effect of large MRGs could be to lock out competition where it might otherwise take place. Naturally, we would like nothing more than to be assured we can obtain the best competitive results without establishing an MRG "straight jacket" effect. Again we have received substantial comments and opinions for consideration.
And there are other areas as well where such feedback has been extremely valuable. All of the issues you enumerated in your letter have been the subject of dialogue. In each case as a result of feedback from stakeholders we are assessing the effects of
suggested alternatives, and working to develop a more refined and, we hope, more realistic approach that reflects a better, understanding of our stakeholders' concerns and preferences. This is already stimulating new ideas and analyses within our strategy team.
I spoke briefly about the steps we are taking on transition planning and our goals to get ahead of the curve this time around and do a better job. We are actively engaged in these activities and both FTS and our customers are committed to a well planned, well executed, effective transition.
We have received a variety of comments regarding contract performance periods. The suggestions range from 3 years to 15 years. We believe the best performance period for the Networx strategy will likely attract meaningful competition as well as justify the resource investment required to plan and conduct an acquisition of this magnitude.
Regarding billing, we clearly heard that the billing data elements contained in the RFI may be overly burdensome to industry. Of course this view has been raised in the past, and does not come as a surprise. And, we must bear in mind that billing issues are not confined to the government arena. However, we need to understand how we can strike an appropriate balance between agencies' needs for information, and industry's ability to deliver it with their established commercial offerings. Industry recognizes, I believe, that we cannot accept 20 or 40 different billing formats, and we
understand that industry cannot be expected to revamp their entire infrastructure just to provide us with a certain number in a certain place on an invoice. We will do our best to at least make a significant increment of progress.
As for the value of centrally managed program acquisitions, as I stated earlier, we certainly believe we have demonstrated this value in the Government networking arena. We have the performance measures to illustrate and support our claims. Time and again when OMB or GAO or others need statistics, analyses, or other quantitative data about the government's use of telecommunications, FTS, in our central management role, can provide it. Yet we are more than a statistical service offering mere facts and figures. For example, our leadership and cross-government management role was most valuable during the planning and preparations for Y2K, and again in the damage assessment and emergency response activities immediately following 9-11. We are engaged on an ongoing basis with all our customers – more than 200 of them. We work across a broad spectrum of agencies and with many providers. The knowledge and experience we have accumulated adds tangible value across our customer base. We provide engineering analyses, business analyses, strategic consulting, and ultimately better solutions, because we draw from a multitude of experiences across government. We act as a clearinghouse for information and ideas, from agency to agency, GSA to oversight body, industry to agency, industry to industry, and so forth.
For example, telecommunications pricing is not straightforward. I am reminded of this every time I look at my home phone bill or see the orange-haired fellow on the TV commercials I think we are all so familiar with. For agencies to develop individual capabilities for pricing analysis would be duplicative and inefficient at the least. In addition, without a centrally managed capability, there would be no accumulation of data across agencies to provide a federal management perspective. In the past, GAO has pointed to the difficulties of collecting government-wide information about telecommunications costs and usage when gathering such data from agencies one-at-a-time. Telecommunications pricing, usage and cost data gathered individually from agencies would undoubtedly vary considerably making comparisons difficult or impossible.
Inability to collect meaningful data quickly and reliably has many potentially negative implications in several respects. Perhaps the most tangible result would be a likely loss of leverage in negotiations. Without some knowledge of the price levels being negotiated across government, agencies would have little reliable data on which to base their price evaluations of proposals. Given that we have routinely achieved price levels well under the market, sometimes as low as half the market rates, agencies negotiating contracts at 15 or 25 percent discounts to market might rightly think they are getting the best possible deal. But such deals would be 50 percent higher than our prices.
Because we do our homework on behalf of all agencies, and collect data from a wide variety of sources, we can offer the best perspective on pricing available anywhere. Under the terms of our contracts, the our partners agree to provide data about their best deals to us. We also collect raw data from other sources for analysis, and we consult with experts in telecommunications contract negotiations to round out our understandings of best practices, best rates, and pricing trends. The pricing tools we have deployed on the web are available to anyone who wants to use them. Each month the website receives tens of thousands of hits, from hundreds of users, pricing FTS2001 services. All of this translates into tangible bottom line value for our customers and the taxpayer.
Furthermore, the qualitative value of a centrally managed program can be observed in the IMC itself. The IMC as an institutional coalition of agency technology managers acts as a clearinghouse and technology management transfer agent as well. Agencies come together at the IMC table and discuss issues both common and unique to their agency missions and technology deployments. Without an IMC, established at the behest of Congress, to advise the FTS programs, it would be much less likely that such valuable exchanges of information across agencies would ever take place.
These are just two aspects of a centrally managed telecommunications program that I offer for consideration to the Members of this Committee.
As we look to the future, we see the changing telecommunications environment to be characterized by exciting new technologies and applications that offer great potential, accompanied by significant levels of risk and uncertainty. We believe that a centrally managed approach will enable government to navigate the uncertainty more successfully, will yield better results for our customer agencies, and will reduce costs to the taxpayer.
Nevertheless, Mr. Chairman, we are open to all ideas including those that might mean significant change to GSA and FTS and the roles we have traditionally performed in service to the Government. We are not afraid of finding the right answer, or of finding a better answer. In fact, we want to do so, and we think it is our job to do so. We are committed to looking beyond the diverse assertions to define the issues and determine the pertinent facts and data surrounding the issues. Only then can we begin to assemble the ingredients that will make for an intelligent and robust strategy. We need a strategy built on a foundation of substance, not fad or fashion since we know fads and fashions will change several times at least between now and, say, 2012 or 2014. We are committed to crafting a strategy that in the end reflects a balance among the variety of competing interests and leads to best value results and innovation that will enable government to achieve its mission.
Mr. Chairman, as in the past, we have coordinated our strategy development with our Agency customers and have received their active support. The RFI process and meetings with industry stakeholders have provided us with comments and suggestions on all aspects of our strategy. I hope to come away from this hearing today with more ideas and suggestions. We will continue to encourage comments and perspectives that will further shape and refine the process we have initiated. We are pleased to have delivered an initial strategy that is already serving its purpose as the basis for productive ongoing discussions. We look forward to the journey as we strive to build on our past accomplishments, incorporate lessons we have learned, and ultimately harness the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of American Industry to capture the networking solutions required to meet the future requirements of our agency customers in support of the American Taxpayer.
I would be happy to address any questions you may have at this time.


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Program rises two spots from 2009 national ranking
Rice University's MBA for Professionals program is No. 6 in the nation, according to new part-time MBA rankings from Businessweek. In addition, the program is still on top in Texas and the Southwest.
Moving up two spots from its previous No. 8 national ranking, the MBA for Professionals is the highest nationally ranked program in the Jones Graduate School of Business.
"Continued recognition for excellence of Rice MBA programs from Businessweek and other publications is very gratifying, particularly in terms of key metrics: high-quality research, academic quality, student feedback, alumni success, curriculum, teaching quality and caliber of classmates," said Bill Glick, dean of the Jones School. "It's exciting to be part of a school that is having a major impact on all of these dimensions on a local and global level."
The Rice MBA for Professionals program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive MBA learning experience that meets the demands of today's working professional. The program offers both evening and weekend options and features innovative classes, expert faculty and a diverse group of classmates who will become colleagues for a lifetime.
The Jones Graduate School of Business is consistently recognized by several rankings publications for its programs, including the Rice MBA, Rice MBA for Executives and Rice MBA for Professionals. — Amy Hodges


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Talk:Cut Vehicles
| This talk page is for discussing the Cut Vehicles article.
This includes commenting on the article, questioning whether it is correct, or adding suggestions for improvements
Questions about GTA games, not about the wiki page itself, should be asked at Community:Questions.Remember to always add your signature to the end of your comments/replies using four tildes:
Where can I find the screenshot of the FIB Boxville? Ziani15 18:10, March 30, 2010 (UTC)
Here.--Loadingue 13:31, April 15, 2010 (UTC)
Yeah, thanks. Ziani15 19:57, April 23, 2010 (UTC)
Don't mention it.--Loadingue 14:59, May 2, 2010 (UTC)
Unknown vehicles
- Error creating thumbnail: File missing
First vehicle.
- Error creating thumbnail: File missing
First vehicle.
- Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Second vehicle (on the left).
While I was watching a TV channel in GTA IV, I could make screenshots of two vehicles that I had never seen before. The first one is an SUV, the second one is a coupé or a sedan. Can someone tell which real-life vehicles are these ?--Loadingue 14:59, May 2, 2010 (UTC)
- If you're taking about the car on the lower left side of BetaUnknownCar3.png, it's an early Hakumai. The SUV is clearly cut during development, but with so little to work with for comparison, I'm not sure what it's based on. - ZS 20:17, May 2, 2010 (UTC)
- You're right, that's a Hakumai, however if you closely look, I think you can see a rear spoiler. I don't think the final Hakumai has this feature.--Loadingue 14:46, May 4, 2010 (UTC)
That unknown beta SUV could be a Monstrosity not appear in GTA III --Aezakmi
that First SUV car is beta Landstalker i think,Its from GTA III...I Watched it,and GTA III Landstalker,looks like same
- The second photo of it makes it look a little bit like a 1980s Range Rover - perhaps it was a Huntley, to go alongside GTA IV's Huntley Sport? Bluesboyjr 17:33, September 5, 2010 (UTC)
Can someone please corroborate...
That there was a vehicle called the 'Diablo Cheetah' in GTA III? Someone just added it to the page. MAINEiac4434 17:09, September 5, 2010 (UTC)
- There is no "Diablo Cheetah" that I know of, but there is a "Diablo Infernus" mentioned in audio during the opening cutscene of "Gangcar Round-up", when King Courtney referred to the "Diablo Stallion" as the "Diablo Infernus", more proof the voiceacting was done before vehicle design is final. Oh, and not to forget, the Infernus was also known as the "Dyablo" during development. - ZS 08:01, October 4, 2010 (UTC)


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The purpose of Indiana's ginseng program (Public Law 107 (IC 14-4-8) and Ginseng Rule (312 IAC 19) is to insure a healthy population for the future. The harvest season was instituted to encourage replanting of the seeds when they are ripe and insure that only mature plants are taken. Registration of dealers and certification of ginseng is required in order to monitor the health of the population. The selling season was established for this purpose. Ginseng that is bought for resale must be certified by a Indiana Conservation Officer. By monitoring reports from dealers it is easier to determine if ginseng is declining and needs further protection.
Sept. 1 - Dec 31 of current year. Harvesters can legally dig wild ginseng. Harvesters do not need a license to dig ginseng nor sell ginseng to a licensed dealer.
Sept. 1 of current year to March 31 of next year. Dealers can legally purchase ginseng from harvesters. When reselling ginseng purchased directly from harvesters, the dealer must fill out a form certifying the ginseng's origin and weight. A copy of the certification must accompany the ginseng when it is shipped.


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With the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the riffs, the lyrics, and the songs that roused the world, and over four decades he lived the original rock-and-roll life: taking the chances he wanted, speaking his mind, and making it all work in a way that no one before him had ever done.
Now, at last, the man himself tells us the story of life in the crossfire hurricane. And what a life. Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records as a child in post-war Kent. Learning guitar and forming a band with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones. The Rolling Stones' first fame and success as a bad-boy band. The notorious Redlands drug bust and subsequent series of confrontations with a nervous establishment that led to his enduring image as outlaw and folk hero. Creating immortal riffs such as the ones in 'Jumping Jack Flash' and 'Street Fighting Man' and 'Honky Tonk Woman'. Falling in love with Anita Pallenberg, and the death of Brian Jones. Tax exile in France, wildfire tours of the US, Exile on Main Street and Some Girls. Ever increasing fame, isolation and addiction. Falling in love with Patti Hansen. Estrangement from Mick Jagger and subsequent reconciliation. Solo albums and performances with his band the Xpensive Winos. Marriage, family, and the road that goes on for ever.
In a voice that is uniquely and intimately his own, with the disarming honesty that has always been his trademark, Keith Richard brings us the essential life story of our times.
©2010 Keith Richards (P)2010 Orion Publishing Group Limited
"A rare insight into a rock legend"
This is the finest audible book I've listened to. The narrators (Depp and Hurley) although diametrically opposed in terms of vocal style, both add so much to the listening experience. This is an experience not to be missed. Imagine yourself sitting with Keith in front of a roaring fire in the middle of winter and Keith is reminiscing about the many milestones in his professional and personal life.
The Audible novel puts you there.. seriously. On top of everything else, Keith shares his techniques, guitar tunings, and songwriting methods with ease. As an amateur guitarist, I have learned more about the instrument and various tuning methods (specifically Open G) in a week of listening to the book than I have in over 30 years of trying to teach myself.
In this book, Keith openly discusses his drug habits, but always counsels the listener to stay away from drugs. This is no mean feat.... the book is full of stories of what happened under the influence of Heroin, cocaine, marijuana and various other uppers and downers, but amazingly you come away from the experience with some understanding of why Keith (and others) would subject themselves to the problems that this lifestyle introduces, without the feeling that Keith is in any way endorsing this lifestyle.
I have to say, prior to the book, my impression of Keith Richards was that of an aging rock star who should have quit long ago in his prime. A rock personality who was almost always "out of it" on drugs or alcohol, and who was almost an anachronism in this day and age.
What I learnt however was that this is a highly intelligent and articulate man who has an amazing capacity to recall events from the past 40 years or so, and in the process has given us, the reader (or listener) an unprecedented insight into an amazing life at a turning point in 20th Century culture.
Read or listen to "Life".... you won't regret it.
Thanks Keef for a great body of work and an amazing biography.
Keep on rockin'!
"fantastic Mr Richards."
This is the second best audiobook I've ever listened to. The section Keith reads himself is simply marvellous- cooking tips, pet care, it's all in there! Fabulous!
I would have read LIFE, but I am so happy that I did not. Listening to Richards, Depp, and Hurley was simply so engaging that I think this a case where listening beats reading. The book itself is of real substance. I think this is a autobiography at its best.
"Too long, too much rambling!"
I love me a rock bio TRUST me! but I couldn't get through this to be honest. The man is a legend I admit and has had a pretty cool life but you have to wade through so much rambling that it gets hard to stay focused. Gave it a while but couldn't last. Sorry Keef!!
An audio book loving Aucklander.
"I just loved it! Am now in the Richards fan club.."
What an amazing guy. What I loved most about this book, was the fact that you discovered how incredibly talented Keith was/is, but you also learned he is a good, kind hearted and giving man, despite his flaws. He was so different in so many ways to Mick it would seem, no wonder they each brought something so different to their writing partnership, as The Glimmer Twins. I wasn't so fond of the first narrator (ie Joe Hurley), I think it wold have been better to have just had one narrator throughout. This book has really opened my eyes up to The Stones and what makes them so bloody great. They certainly know how to work hard!
Tell us about yourself!
"Keith Richards' Life: free any old time."
An audio edition of Keith Richards' best-selling autobiography Life should silence most sceptical critics of audio books, who regard the format as an oversimplified substitution of reading. The Rolling Stones' founder and lead guitarist proves that, at least one literature genre–memoirs¬–is better listened to, than read. Even though, he himself rarely features on the twenty-three hour record.
Instead, Joe Hurley, New York singer, imitates Richard's voice, while Jonny Depp leads the narration with a trademark lucidity, ensuring that the record beat any competition at the Audiobook of the Year award in 2011.
Despite a very provocative character of the story, taken to the extremes by skilful narrators, Life is far from being just an audio guide for heroin addicts or a collection of satirical monologues about Mick Jagger. Depp and Hurley dramatize a lifelong experiment that Keith Richards endured to create the Rolling Stones and keep the band rolling for fifty odd years. In this experiment, he managed to find the right combination of hard work, passion for music, and sheer desire to create something outstanding, which yielded miracles like Jumping Jack Flash and Gimme Shelter.
Life is also about another realm that exists in parallel with our world, hidden behind fences of ocean villas, VIP clubs and private parties. Occupied by rich and famous, the realm is built on the absolute freedom. Free to have anything, to say anything, to take anything, 'to do what I want', Keith's point is that humans are not designed to cope with such amount of freedom.
At 68, he sounds genuinely astounded with the fact that he survived his experiment. While most of the others who were unfortunate enough to taste freedom with the Rolling Stones, did not.
"Very interesting"
Interesting book to learn more about the life of a character such as KR. In terms of the narrators, I found that Jonny Deep was pretty good with the parts that he did, even though a bit monotone sometimes. Joe Hurley took a bit to get used to as he has a very strong accent, but he could really translate the personality of Keith Richards and that enriched the storey. I got a bit lost sometimes when he transitioned to different characters as it was not very clear all the time whether is was Keith talking or somebody else. Keith himself does the final chapters, and his english is not very clear, so I suppose it is good that he did not read the entire book. Overall, a very good audiobook.
"Simply fantastic !"
No mincing words on this one people. What a superb rendition. If I could have lived only one-hundreth the LIFE KR lived, I'd consider myself lucky. Right place, right time, ok. But balls were needed to make the story what it was, and he had them, albeit sometimes aided by stuff. So what. Truly a great story, exceptionally written and magistrally performed.
It doesn't get any better. I pity anyone who chose the book version, because the added dimension of the audible version is priceless. Well done Keith. Few people could have done it as well as you've done. You might not be the greatest guitarist to take the stage, but you've got few competitors when it comes to living life as it should be lived.
"A real character"
If you grew up in the 60's and followed the Stones then this is a must. Its very long and if it was a real book I would have skipped bits, especially the sometimes long winded parts where he describes in great detail his guitar learning/playing, but this will appeal to guitarists I suppose. Overall I found it very interesting and certainly saw many aspects of "behind the scenes" that I was not aware of, like how they regarded each other, how he regarded the other Stones members skills and morals, what they did on tour and at home etc.
I have a busy career, travel a lot and don't have much time to read, so I listen to Audio books. I love reading!
"What a treat!!!"
Oh my word, I so enjoyed this book! I gobbled it up and wanted more... and then last nut not least there were little snippets of Keith himself narrating.... Wow!
"Disappointed by the change of reader"
I bought this after having really enjoyed Clapton's autobiography on Audible.
And i wasn't disappointed with this one either - with Johnny Depp doing an excellent job of reading the book.
But just as I was getting really hooked on, the reader suddenly changed (about a third of the way into the book). And that ruined everything. The other reader is just rubbish - sounds like a mafia boss from a Guy Richie movie - trying too hard to sound like a rock star and frankly, just ends up sounding really really annoying.
So annoying that i've had to stop listening to this book. Which is a shame because the writing itself is not bad and i was really looking forward to it.
Very disappointed with the publisher's choice of the second reader for this book. You cannot do this after letting the user get used to Johnny Depp's voice.
"Good in parts"
Some interesting stories which entertain & reveal but what lets this audio book down is the narration. Johnny Depp does excellent work as usual, but Joe Hurley is not as good and really disappointing in comparison.
Why have two different narrators? Dumb if you ask me.
"A revelation"
I thought I knew about Keith Richards as I have been reading about him in the newspapers for the better part of 50 years- but his biography reveals some thing and somebody quite different.
This book shows a person who is intelligent, engaging, funny and very well able to write not just an autobiography but a book that chronicles our times since the war.
Keith Richards uses his own life and experiences to show the changes that have taken place in Britain and America over more than six decades and running through the whole narrative is a boundless love for music.This book is an unexpected joy that has made me revisit the music again and rediscover sounds and songs that I have not listened to since the 1960s - quite an achievement for a first book - but that's Keith Richards - clever, surprising and full of satisfaction.
"Insightful glimpse of a hedonistic existence"
Detailed, humorous insight into the lives of the Stones. Brutally honest, outrageously funny in places and raw in others. Too much detail about the drugs for my liking. Unless you have shared an addiction to heroin, I don't think most people would enjoy the third of the book dedicated the the finer details of being a smack head. Fabulous insight into the inter relationships within the group. Overall a good read but not in the same league as Rods.
"Joe Hurley ruins it."
The stories are amazing but the main issue with this audiobook is reader Joe Hurley.
Buy the book, skip the audio..
"Narration was truly awful........."
Jonny Depp was perhaps an odd choice but he was vastly preferable to Hurley who grated so much that I found I just couldn't listen. Wish I'd read the book instead..............
"Poor narration ruins this great book"
I'm afraid I'm finding listening to this book both hugely enjoyable and deeply annoying.
I can put up with Johnny Depp's occasional mispronunciation of place names - he wisely chooses to avoid a Keef impersonation unless enacting a conversation and is an engaging narrator.
Unfortunately he is replaced about a third of the way through by Joe Hurley who DOES attempt an impersonation to disastrous effect.
This is a great book but I'm finding the terrible mockney accent of the presumably American Hurley almost unbearable.
I've skipped ahead to find that Depp does reappear towards the end of the book. For the finale the man himself takes over. I'm hoping I can last that long.
What A Shame.
"A great book, utterly ruined by the narration"
Book - fantastic. Narration? Great, until they switch from Johnny Depp to Joe Hurley. Firstly, it's jarring and takes you out of the story, so always a bad idea to do this.
Secondly, Hurley's narration is ridiculous and actually made me so angry I had to switch it off. He does this OTT parody of a punch drunk rocker's slur which comes across as totally contrived and insincere, and PERFORMING every line, drawling, slurring, laughing wryly - it's distracting and daft and ruined the rest of this book for me. My advice? Read the book or find another audiobook version. DO NOT BUY THIS you will be so, so dissapointed.
"Fantastic, listened to it in a week!"
So interesting, this man really helped shape a generation! The narration is all fantastic and unlike a lot of rocker autobiographies it doesn't tail off at the end! Must listen!
"You have to have this audiobook!"
One of the very best audiobooks I have ever listened to. Absolutely compulsive.
The change of narrators was an issue and slightly annoying at the time, but after a very short while I became accustomed to the new voice and agree with other reviewers in that the narrators FIT the period being narrated very well. And the final change at the end is simply sublime.
I can thoroughly reccomend this book to anyone who has ever even had a passing interest in The Rolling Stones and Keith Richards. He remembers everything in incredible detail and makes no excuses for anything. The matter-of-fact style is excellent and exactly what you would expect. The introduction gets you hooked immediately and sets the scene perfectly.
I also found it good to listen to the Stones albums inbetween chapters of the audiobook. This really brought the story to life even more and what Keith has written about a certain period dovetails perfectly with the style and feel of the music he made at the time.
I was vaguely aware of what The Rolling Stones has achieved before listening to this audiobook, but the music wasn't really my thing. I am now a fan of both Keith and his music.
I can't talk the audiobook up enough - a true MUST LISTEN!
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text: Woodblock prints, textiles, folding screens, hanging scrolls, rugs, ceramics, wood sculptures, stone sculptures. Long before we started collecting Frank Lloyd Wright's furniture and houses, Wright collected his own art. And while his collection of Japanese prints has been studied extensively, there's another thematic collection of his that's relatively unexplored: 32 prints by German and Austrian Secessionists collected during his time in Europe with his mistress Mamah Borthwick Cheney. As author Anthony Alofsin writes in Frank Lloyd Wright Collector, "his work of the decade shared many of the values and aesthetics important to Secessionists: a reliance on pure forms with roots in the origins of art, an appreciation of primitivist culture in the non-Western world, and the inspiration to take these pure sources as the basis for a new language of design." Collectively the prints—some of architecture—explore a rebellion against academic traditions. Or what modernism was before it got a capital "M." • $40; University of Texas Press, April 2012


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Corporate Hall of ShameCorporate Hall of Shame
The Supreme Court has declared that corporations are people. Well, if some of these corporations were people, they'd be in jail. Each year, we ask you to vote for the worst of worst and induct the "winner" into our Corporate Hall of Shame. Then, we partner with allies to mobilize grassroots pressure and turn up the heat on corporations that corrupt the political process and abuse human rights, the environment and our public health. Join our Corporate Hall of Shame partners today, and take on some of the world's worst corporations with us.
Corporate Hall of Shame
Bayer Winner 2014
For manufacturing and profiting richly from pesticides linked to the alarming die-offs of bees, while funding junk science and PR to deny culpability.Take Action
Koch Industries Winner 2013
For lavishing tens of millions of dollars on federal campaigns, lobbying and front groups to bust unions, deny climate change, and block campaign finance reform. Take Action
Monsanto 2012 Winner
For mass producing toxic chemicals, aggressively running small farms out of business, and recklessly promoting genetically engineered seeds that exacerbate food scarcity globally - again. Last year, Monsanto lobbyists attached riders to the Farm Bill and other legislation to prevent its GMO products from being regulated. Now, the corporation wants full immunity from any federal laws that are placed on genetically modified crops while communities wait for results from environmental impact studies. Take Action.
Chevron 2010 Runner-up
For dumping more than 18.5 billion gallons of highly toxic chemicals into the Ecuadorean Amazon, causing widespread disease and illness – and for refusing to clean-up its mess or compensate the victims.Take Action
Featured Victory
Kimberly-Clark (the world's largest tissue-product manufacturer) was nominated for fueling large-scale deforestation. Kimberly-Clark was removed from the 2009 ballot after Greenpeace announced a historic agreement ensuring greater protection of Canada's boreal forest and other ancient forests around the world. View Past Victories
How your gift advances our mission and campaigns
90% of all contributions to Corporate Accountability International are spent directly on programs, while 10% provide essential support services resulting in the highest marks from rating agencies.


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Jean R. Slutsky, P.A., M.S.P.H., director of the Center for Outcomes and Evidence (COE) at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), provides an overview of the EHC Program's past accomplishments and future goals. Read the full story.
Read more about the EHC Program's mission to produce evidence-based scientific reports to guide patients, health care providers, and policymakers in making informed decisions. Read the full story.
Read more about the EHC Program's DEcIDE report, Comparative Effectiveness of Beta-Adrenergic Antagonists on the Risk of Rehospitalization in Adults with Heart Failure. Read the full story.


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The California Highway Patrol issued a Sig Alert this morning on the 71 Freeway in Chino due to a jackknifed tractor trailer.
The crash was reported at 6:33 a.m. on the northbound 71 at Grand Avenue. A big rig with a box trailer was blocking the carpool and fast lanes.
Officers issued a Sig Alert at 7:18 a.m., saying the carpool lane would be blocked at least an hour.
Reach Melissa via email or call her at 909-386-3878.
Get the latest crime and public safety news on Twitter @IECrime.


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Wayne Besen Interviews NY Magazine's Frank Rich TODAY on "I've Got Issues"
He will also be speaking with Sean Strub, author of "Body Counts: A Memoir of Politics, Sex, AIDS, and Survival"
Straight Idaho Veteran Offers Burial Plot So Lesbian Couple Can Rest Together
"Irritating as hell and disrespectful to boot."
Truth Wins Out Thanks Newsweek For Thorough Follow-Up On 'Ex-Gay' Industry
Today's reporting fully corrects the record on the publication's 1998 piece on "ex-gay" therapy
The Gathering: The Religious Right's Cash Cow
At this event, elite plutocratic funders of the Religious Right dole out upwards of one billion dollars annually in grant money
TWO Launches Center Against Religious Extremism with $100,000 Matching Grant from Philanthropist Henry van Ameringen
TWOCARE will monitor, counter, and ultimately serve as a bulwark against those who would drag the world back to the Dark Ages
Dolly Parton Speaks Out On Marriage Equality Once Again
On marriage equality, Dolly says gay couples "should suffer just like us heterosexuals."
Maggie Gallagher Again Foretells End Of Anti-Gay Marriage Movement
She's been waving the flag of surrender all year
Fundies Fight Against Religious Liberty in North Carolina
Progressive religious leaders finally said enough to a double standard that illegally elevates fundamentalist and evangelical values
American Family Association Being 'Bullied' By Companies That Don't Discriminate Against Gays
Oh, won't someone cry for the professional victims at the American Family Association
Betty White Doesn't Understand The Existence Of Homophobes
Betty continues to be just wonderful


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BMW Dealer Ratings and Feedback Forum
Want to know which BMW dealerships to shop at or avoid? Have you had an exceptionally good or bad experience with your BMW dealership? Post your stories and comments here. Be sure to rate your BMW dealership in our new BMW dealer rater system
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Beverly Hills BMW purchase experience
Hi all. Although my local dealership is South Bay BMW, I ended up ordering an X1 from Beverly Hills BMW back in late September. My first BMW. I had been checking the forum, but just did not quite get that contacting a "sponsor" was the way to go. Oh well, "next time." I did use pricing discussions here at the time to make my offer, and it was accepted fairly smoothly. Oh, by the way, I used the BMW USA site to configure the X1 and send that to a couple dealerships. Beverly Hills BMW got back to me super-fast so that's where I went (I chose it because it is fairly convenient to my Mon-Fri work location). The process of ordering that morning was smooth and pleasant.
So the X1 came in last Wednesday and I picked it up yesterday. I have a couple comments to share on the experience:
First, although Bev Hills BMW is now in a new building/location, space is at a premium. The customer parking has a valet, is extremely tight, and that's where my X1 was waiting and demo'ed. I found it unnerving to sit in the X1 and try to follow all my CA had to say while the valets swung vehicles this way and that, often just inches from my new car.
Maybe that's just where we wound up and not where they usually do the demo. I should have just stopped the demo at a certain point and asked to move somewhere else. It was a hectic way to be introduced to my new BMW.
Second, I had negotiated a price back in September and both I and the manager signed off on it. So when I got in the Finance office and the papers were put in front of me, the finance agent happily showed me the current $500 incentive - off MSRP! Fortunately I had my papers. He was clearly dismayed that no one had told him about this price. My CA's fault? I don't know. He double-checked it, and came back saying "Well I guess the manager that day really wanted a sale." It's not even that great a deal, compared to some of the reports on here ("They paid me to take the car! And their first-born son!"). Anyway, what he said next struck me as odd...he explained that Bev Hills BMW had moved to "True Car" pricing in the last month, so he thought the price was settled. But True Car pricing wouldn't be MSRP? It is true that models in the showroom had True Car prices posted. Some with small discounts of 1-2% (including a Valencia Orange X1), and some with bigger discounts. But why would that explain why he gave me papers to sign at MSRP?
At any rate, I caught it. I suppose if I hadn't, and discovered the "mistake" later, they would have sorted it out. No matter how super-nice dealership people can be, we have to be on our toes. If anyone out there negotiates a price for an order, get it on paper and with signatures, and hold that tight.
So I will post elsewhere first impressions on driving the X1 as my vehicle, etc.
Would I recommend Beverly Hills BMW to anyone? I would, but with qualifications.
Good catch! Next time, go up the road to Santa Barbara and see Jon.
Beverly Hills BMW Purchase Experience
It was just an oversight.
Right. Uh-huh.
Use Board sponsors. End of story.
I learned the hard way.
Beverly Hills BMW. Perhaps I am stereotyping but that just sounds like an awful place to buy a BMW. If I stilled lived in southern cali would be driving up to Santa Barbara for my BMW purchase
Now that I have the X1, I don't care too much about the buying experience at the dealership. It wasn't so bad as to affect my feelings about the car. I'll take it to Bev Hills BMW for service at some point as well and see how that goes. Later I can always take it to the closest dealership, South Bay BMW. By the way, back in late August I actually had a deposit at South Bay BMW - which the CA told me she would hold, and not cash - on an allocated X1. At that point, I and my partner really needed a second vehicle, and the CA was trying to find us something coming in soon that was close to what we wanted. That was a Glacier Silver X1 with only premium package. But after a couple weeks went by, I realized that I would rather wait even longer and get an X1 we really wanted. At that point I should have been more assertive about wanting to drop that deposit and place an order. Somehow I had got a sense that South Bay BMW wasn't cool on ordering. Anyway, just as that Silver X1 was finally arriving, the CA took the hint and basically said, "If you don't want this X1, that's fine, we'll return your deposit and you can shop elsewhere." Guess I had burned that bridge!
Ideally, yeah, I would have known the forum better at that point and contacted a sponsor, but that penny hadn't dropped. Somehow in all the posts I had read at that point I hadn't caught one that said, "Hey the sponsors on here give the best deals/service so call them!" But like I said, now I have the X1 in my garage. Time to move on and enjoy it!
Great review. I'm in the market buying a SUV as my second car. I'm foreigner so I think this forum really help a lot. I bought my first car used 09 650i with full internet price without any bargain. I was like "see the car, fall in love, put down deposit, go home and realize I was freaking dumb".
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text:
have the same problem here.
i tried alot of things now. but nothing realy seems to work.
My researches are telling me that it does not make any sense to load backtrack into a VM. Because its quiet hard/impossible to use backtrack with 100%.
So i organized myself a USB Harddisk. I setup this USB drive with "LiLi USB Creator" like a CD since our Zenbook has no optical drive like CD/DVD/Blueray.
Fat32 is the actuall format for the drive. I turned the first partition into "active"
My researches tells me that the Asus Ux31a Ultrabook uses a Intel Centrino Advanced-N Advanced-N 6235 Chip for WLAN
This are the Firmware/drivers i found for this Wlan Chip
But in the end. i cant solve the problem with inserting the drivers. The file itself ends with .ucode. One of googles answers was to put this into the /lib/firmware.
But something is missing. I think i miss a command to load this into the running system. and i cant find any answers.
Missing this ?
% wget \
% tar xvf iwlwifi-1.2.25.tgz
% cd iwlwifi-1.2.25
% make
% make install
Still looking for answers.
If anybody have a Idea. Let us know.


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Michael Egan and his attorney held a press conference yesterday to announce the filing of three additional lawsuits to make good on their promise last week that the suits were coming. Last week Egan sued Bryan Singer and accused him of sexually abusing him when he was a teen. The three men named yesterday are not directors but they are big names in Hollywood. They are Garth Ancier, Gary Goddard and David Neuman.
All three are accused of sexually abusing Egan while he was between 15-17 years old at the home of convicted sex offender Marc Collins Rector.
Ancier was the first head of programming at FOX. Neuman is the former President of Disney. Goddard also worked at Disney before producing Broadway shows. Neuman and Goddard denied the allegations and called them all lies. Ancier could not be reached for comment by any news organization.
Egan's attorney said there will be many more victims like Egan who will be speaking over the next several weeks so this is not going to fade away. It is going to be front and center and the stories will probably become more sensational. Singer's attorney continues to deny the charges alleged against his client. Meanwhile, Singer himself has skipped every event he was scheduled to attend to promote the new X-Men movie.


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An elderly man died in a house fire this morning in San Bernardino.
Thirty-two San Bernardino City firefighters came to the 1000 block of West 15th Street at 3:40 a.m. and found heavy smoke coming from the back of a home.
Crews gained control of the two-alarm blaze in 35 minutes. They found the victim dead inside of the residence.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Reach Melissa via email or call her at 909-386-3878.
Get the latest crime and public safety news on Twitter @IECrime.


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The XBMC home page is viewed approximately 30,000 times a day. As an XBMC blogger, you will be seen by over 400,000 unique visitors per month. People will probably start randomly buying you drinks in fancy and exclusive bars. Also, if you have an idea for an interesting story, even our angriest and scariest developers (who need no introduction) might be nice to you, if you ask them questions.
At least three of the previous sentences are true.
For those of you interested, here are the rules. We will be accepting applications from now until Monday, October 2nd. Because this isn't a paying job, we don't really care about resumes. Instead, we'd like you to send us two things: a brief paragraph introducing yourself and your relationship with XBMC, and an XBMC-related article. If you'd like to include a link to your current blog, feel free. All submissions should be sent to contact AT xbmc DOT org with the subject line: "#XBMC Writer Submission" (no quotes).
The XBMC-related article can range anywhere from 150 to 1000 words (potentially longer, if you are going for a "long form journalism" piece), should avoid strong language, and can cover almost any XBMC-based topic you can think of. Suggested topics include:
- An interesting addon
- An attractive skin (with screenshots)
- A How-To article
- The history of an XBMC feature
- The value of a recent XBMC nightly build feature
- Extra points will be awarded for particularly creative topics, but writing about any of the above should be fine.
After October 2nd, a number of Team members will sort through the submissions, and individual writers will be notified upon selection. As always, there is no guarantee that anyone will be selected, and, likewise, if enough awesome articles are submitted, we may consider adding more than five writers. Additionally, there's a fairly good chance that the first piece published for any individual selected will be his or her submission article, so make it a good one!
Good luck, and I look forward to reading your articles and columns!
- Extra points will be awarded for particularly creative topics, but writing about any of the above should be fine.


text:
Bookmark this site
ORLANDO, FL -- In the wake of recent legislative threats in their state, 14 amusement machine operators from Florida met last weekend and agreed to reactivate the Florida Amusement Machine Association. The assembly took place at Brady Distributing Co.'s office here on Aug. 31.
FAMA has been inactive for more than a decade. To reestablish the association as working entity, the group decided to acquire FAMA's legal and tax records, and to open a new bank account.
At the same time, plans are underway to relaunch legislative advocacy efforts in Tallahassee and elsewhere around the state, and to explore joining other coalitions or organizations with common interests.
FAMA's restoration is hastened by the need to address the changes in the state's gambling statutes that have adversely affected certain redemption amusement games.
"So far, we are getting a lot of support from various individuals, companies and organizations," said Phil Juckem, All Brands Vending (Tampa), one of the participants at the initial meeting. "The coin-only rule, 50-machine requirement, prize-limit language and no gift card mandate are problematic for many in the state's amusement, FEC, parks, bowling centers and related industries. FAMA is poised to join the front lines with these groups on this and other issues."
SEE: Florida Governor Signs Anti-Sweeps Café Law, Possibly Outlawing Standard Features Of Legitimate Amusements
The new FAMA will host an official startup and membership recruitment meeting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, again at Brady's Orlando office. The address is 4601 34th St., Ste. 110; tel. (407) 872-1661. All amusement operators, distributors, suppliers and manufacturers are invited.
Juckem can be reached at (813) 259-9495 or email@example.com. He can provide more information about FAMA and the upcoming meeting.
PHOTO: Participants at FAMA's reformation meeting: (standing, from left) Joe Duarte, Rick Dee, Dale Williams, Tim Paukner, Joe Kirby, Robert Noell Jr., Phil McBride, Tom George, Louis Riposta, Kathey Rosenquist, Greg Trent and Phil Juckem; (seated, from left) Bill Kurtz, Manley Lawson, Kenny Mahoney, Cora Mahoney and Bano Poma.