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The solution - a good appearance and good vision with one and the same lens - came in the form of the asphere and the atorus. In 1986 Carl Zeiss was the first manufacturer - and still is the only manufacturer - to offer a single vision lens with an atoroidal front surface: the Hypal lens.
This modern surface design permits outstanding image quality over a wide field of view and, at the same time, flat, cosmetically attractive lenses.
When developing new front surfaces for progressive lenses in the past few years, Carl Zeiss has had two main objectives in sight.
Aberrations influence the image quality of spectacle lenses and are perceived as blurring by the spectacle wearer.
In spherical plus lenses, peripheral rays are more strongly refracted than rays near the optical axis. This aberration is known as spherical abberation.
If the surface of the plus lens is "folded open" in the peripheral areas so that the surface structure deviates from the spherical shape (aspherical surface), all rays coming from the distance meet again at one point. The aberration is corrected.
In the peripheral zones of spectacle lenses, the interplay of spherical aberration with the viewing eye leads to a deviation from the specified dioptric power (spherical error). This spherical error is perceived as blurring by the spectacle wearer.
If an object point lying outside the optical axis is imaged by a lens with a spherical power, astigmatism results due to the oblique incidence of the light bundle. A dot is no longer imaged as a dot, but as two image lines.
This aberration, known as astigmatic error, primarily influences the image quality of spectacle lenses. When the wearer looks at an angle through the lens, there is a deviation (astigmatic error) from the specified dioptric power which he perceives as blur. The higher the dioptric power of the lens, the more pronounced this error becomes.
In the design of aspherical and atoriodal surfaces, oblique astigmatism can be minimized by deviating deliberately from the spherical shape.
In ca. 1804 the English physician Wollaston discovered that visual acuity decreases when a spectacle wearer looks through the periphery of the biconvex lenses used at that time, and that meniscus-shaped lenses provided a sharper image. After this discovery, repeated attempts were made to improve the imaging properties of lenses. The first endeavours to design meniscus-shaped lenses with reduced peripheral blurring were undertaken by the ophthalmologists Ostwald and Tscherning. However, the results were of no practical significance, as they were only computed for very small viewing angles and for lenses with a theoretical centre thickness of zero.
In 1908 the company Carl Zeiss entrusted a member of its scientific staff, Moritz von Rohr, with the exact computation of spectacle lenses. He succeeded in designing a point focal lens in which peripheral blurring was minimised. These computations of Moritz von Rohr laid the foundations for today's Punktal lenses from ZEISS.
Although optimum imaging properties were achieved with the first point focal lenses, the pronounced curvature of the lenses proved to be a major cosmetic drawback, especially for high prescriptions in the plus range.
To make lenses more attractive, so-called periscopic lenses were introduced, in which one surface was almost flat. This also made the lens flatter overall, but considerable aberrations were experienced in the peripheral zones. In higher dioptric powers in particular, these aberrations led to blurred vision.
The solution – a good appearance and good vision with one and the same lens – came in the form of the asphere and the atorus. In 1986 Carl Zeiss was the first manufacturer – and still is the only manufacturer – to offer a single vision lens with an atoroidal front surface: the Hypal lens. This modern surface design permits outstanding image quality over a wide field of view and, at the same time, flat, cosmetically attractive lenses.
Every rotationally symmetrical surface which deviates from a spherical shape is termed as an aspheric surface (asphere). The radius of curvature of such a surface changes continuously from the vertex to the periphery.
In ZEISS single vision lenses, the asphere is generated on the front surface of the lens. The computer calculates the ideal front surface design for every dioptric power.
The asphere is used for lenses with a spherical and astigmatic power. In lenses with a spherical power the blur occurring in the peripheral zones is optimally corrected with an asphere. However, in lenses with an astigmatic power the asphere can only be optimised for one principal meridian.
If the rotationally symmetrical asphere is optimised for the stronger principal meridian of a lens with an astigmatic power, astigmatic error remains in the other principal meridian. In lenses with a low astigmatic power this error is negligibly small, but in plus lenses with a high cylinder it becomes so noticeable that correction for both principal meridians is recommended. ZEISS has solved this problem with the development of the "atorus".
A non rotationally symmetrical surface with unequal curvatures in principal meridians perpendicular to each other, of which at least one curvature is not circular in shape, is known as an atoroidal surface, or atorus in short.
In single vision lenses, the atorus – like the asphere – is generated on the front surface of the lens. The atorus is used for spectacle lenses with an astigmatic power, with the front surface of the lens deviating to different degrees from a spherical shape in each meridian.
The surface design of the atorus is specially adapted to each dioptric power so that the optimum correction is always obtained for both principal meridians. The atoroidal surface design – a ZEISS exclusive – therefore permits outstanding correction of aberrations for single vision lenses with an astigmatic power.
Progressive lenses by ZEISS are the ultimate in high technology. Thanks to the aspheric design of the distance zone of the progressive surface, the correction of aberrations is directly incorporated in the progressive lens design. The front surface of a ZEISS progressive lens is both the progressive surface (asymmetrical free-form surface) and a correcting asphere. This design is used in the progressive lenses Gradal HS and Gradal Top.
In single vision lenses with an astigmatic power, the correction of aberrations can be achieved by the atorus on the front surface. For progressive lenses, however, the development of an atoroidal Rx surface (back surface) was necessary for this purpose.
In the past:
No aspheric progressive lens design was available
The computation and production of an atoroidal Rx surface are extremely complex. ZEISS has succeeded in developing and implementing a special technique for this purpose. Every atoroidal Rx surface is exactly computed giving due consideration to sphere, cylinder, axis and addition. This means that outstanding imaging properties are also achieved for a progressive lens with an astigmatic power.
With an aspheric progressive surface and an atoroidal Rx surface, it is possible to take both image quality and cosmetic aspects of the lens into account to a very high degree.
Aspheric progressive lens design and atoroidal Rx surface


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Like me – and, indeed, thousands of others out there – Simon Scarrow is obviously a big Sharpe fan. This book is the final instalment in his lightly-fictionalised series on the careers of Wellington and Napoleon.
The story of Wellington and Napoleon's military careers is an epic one, and for the most part Scarrow does not overcook what are fantastic stories in the first place – the Peninsular War, the battles of Asspern, Essling and Wagram, the Invasion of Russia, the Battle of Borodino, the retreat from Moscow, the Battle of Leipzig and Napoleon's defeat and abdication in 1814, before his return and final defeat at Waterloo.
The reader is left with a feeling that Napoleon, early in his career a gifted general, gradually became a tyrant, exactly of the kind that he fought to overthrow during the revolution. And Scarrow's depth of understanding when describing British contemporary politics is clearly very good. The description of diplomatic intrigue between charcaters such as Talleyrand, Fouche and Metternich is insightful – after all, a good historical novel should inform as much as it entertains. And Sharpe fans will enjoy the respectful nod to Bernard Cornwell's famous character during the Battle of Vitoria – something that could so easily have gone wrong, but works.
There are several downsides, however. I feel that by calling the Duke of Wellington 'Arthur', Scarrow allows the reader to develop a sense of familiarity with the him, that the man himself would almost certainly have not allowed in real life, given his well known coldness and aloof nature. Most of Napoleon's Marshals come across as bumbling, disloyal and incompetent – Soult and Davout in particular have not been kindly treated here, compared to history's view of them.
But most notably, the fictional meeting between Wellington and Napoleon just after Waterloo just does not work, not for this reader anyway. Wellington had no desire to meet Napoleon, and there was nothing to negotiate anyway. The great advantage of historical fiction is that the writer can take historical license. But in order to work and ring true; it has to be believable… which, sadly, is not the case here. But this is a difficult story to write, as anyone who picks it up is bound to know what the ending is. So its not surprising that Scarrow has looked for ways to freshen it up.

subset: commoncrawl


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Reviewed by Jordan L. (age 6)
This book is really funny because it was hard for him to do normal boy things. My favorite part was when he couldn't get his clothes on because he had four arms. The book reminded me of a time that I had a dream of being a bug.
I recommend this book to anyone that has ever had a dream. It is a funny book


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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says injuries to "multiple lower extremities" will keep him out of the Pro Bowl later this month.
Rodgers was to be the NFC's starting quarterback. But the reigning NFL MVP said on his weekly radio show on Milwaukee's ESPN 540 AM on Tuesday that he didn't pass his year-end physical. He wouldn't get into specifics, though he did say injury to his right ankle that landed him on the injury report several times in the second half of the season "has definitely been a problem."
"I'm sorry to the fans, the Green Bay fans that are going to be out there," Rodgers said.
Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Prof. Hae-Seung "Harry" Lee was named as a new Associate Director for the Microsystems Techology Laboratories (MTL) on May 11. The announcement was made by the MTL Director, Prof. Anantha Chandrakasan, via an e-mail sent to the MTL Community.
"It is my pleasure to announce a new Associate Director for MTL, Prof. Hae-Seung (Harry) Lee. Harry, who currently serves as the Director of the MTL Center on Circuits and Systems, will be involved in a number of core MTL activities including helping with industrial relations and MTL publications," said Chandrakasan in his e-mail.
Lee has pioneered several analog-to-digital circuit techniques such as digital calibration and comparator based switched capacitor design and has demonstrated benchmark results. Although Lee's research focus is in integrated circuit design, he also has a background in fabrication. As a graduate student at U.C. Berkeley, Lee developed a new CMOS process flow for the then new 3-inch fab and fabricated a A/D converter chip which achieved unprecedented 15 bit accuracy. Lee also developed a BiCMOS process in MTL's Integrated Circuit Laboratory (ICL) in the 1980s.
Lee will join the other Associate Directors, Prof. Judy Hoyt (Associate Director of Fabrication and MTL Safety Officer), Prof. Jesus A. del Alamo (Associate Director of Computation), Dr. Vicky Diadiuk (Associate Director for Fabrication Operations) and Mr. Samuel Crooks (MTL Administrative Officer and Associate Director of Finance).


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Rainwater Harvesting Tanks in Cheshire
Water conservation efforts are greatly enhanced through harvesting of Cheshire rainwater. It can be done on a domestic, commercial or industrial level and help to meet the rapidly increasing needs of expanding cities. Homes in Cheshire rural areas with inadequate piped water can also benefit from rainwater harvesting. Most homes in Cheshire can use rainwater to meet more than 50% of their water requirements.
Benefits of Rainwater Harvesting Tanks in Cheshire
This practice consists of collecting, storing and using rain water for a variety of uses including:
•Washing clothes and cars
•Watering the garden
•Large scale commercial irrigation
•Flushing toilets
Rainwater harvesting in Cheshire has several benefits, most especially conserving precious underground water and cutting on water bills. It also prevents excessive run-off into drains and sewers, which can cause flooding and soil erosion after heavy rains. Rain water is free and does not contain chemicals, making it ideal for irrigation and domestic cleaning needs.
Premier Tanks is a high quality supplier of rainwater harvesting tanks in Cheshire, which are made from durable resin and glass. This makes them tough, easy to install and maintain, in contrast to expensive steel and concrete tanks.
Benefits of Premier Tanks rainwater harvesting tanks in Cheshire
•Made from 100% virgin resin with no chalk fillers for maximum strength
•Tough, durable and extremely long lasting
•Resistant to high and low temperatures
•Do not break or crack easily
•Keying-lip and lifting eyes for easy anchoring to concrete
•Heavy duty protective shell for greater toughness
•Shallow options available for use in areas with hard rock conditions or high water table
•Flat bottomed tanks for stable anchoring and stability
•Self-cleaning filter that is easily accessible
Rainwater harvesting tanks specifications
Premier Tanks supply rainwater harvesting tanks in different dimensions and specifications to suit all domestic, commercial and industrial uses in Cheshire. We supply rain water tanks for both indoor and outdoor use. They all come with the following specifications:
Inlet/invert dimensions:
•110 mm inlet diameter
•500mm inlet invert distance
•110mm overflow diameter
•562mm overflow invert distance
Rainwater tank sizes:
These range from as low as 1,100L for domestic use, and up to a maximum of 20000L for large scale commercial and industrial use in Cheshire. They include tanks of the following dimensions:
•1500L, 1600 x 1332 x1575 mm
•2800L, 1870 x 2280 mm
•3800L, 2075 x 2500 mm
•4500L, 2196 x 2600 mm
•6000L, 2950mm x 1900 x 2400 mm
Premier Tanks rainwater harvesting tanks are certified according to BS8515 Rain Water Harvesting Code of Practice and Building Regulations Parts G and H. They also conform to environmental regulations including The Code for Sustainable Homes and BREEAM.
We can meet any size of commercial or industrial order to Cheshire directly from stock, and deliver within days through our extensive distribution network. We also provide excellent technical support to all our customers. Call us today on 0333 121 1216 for more product information or to place your order.


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Faith Mullen, a clinical assistant professor at the Columbus School of Law, is among three new members of the Board of Advisors to the Center on Global Aging. Founded in 1996 and operated through the National Catholic School of Social Service, the Center "promotes excellence in the development of knowledge, policy, leadership, and practice that protects and enhances the quality of life of older adults worldwide."
Board members meet three times each year to advise the program and provide direction and oversight. The Center hosts Fulbright Scholars and volunteer Center Fellows, who work with the Director and Board on education, research, and community projects.
An alumna of the Columbus School of Law, Mullen has long experience in working with an elderly population. Prior to fulltime teaching, she was a senior policy advisor at AARP with a focus on poverty, where she researched and wrote extensively on federal poverty programs, including the effect of welfare reform on grandparent-headed households and how Medicaid policy affects nursing home residents.
The Center on Global Aging is currently focused is on preventing elder abuse and protecting the rights of older persons. Mullen has been professionally active on that front. She was the primary organizer of "The Financial Exploitation of Our Elder and Vulnerable Populations, 2012," a conference hosted by the law school on June 22, 2012.


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UPDATED: The Sixers have just announced the deal. "We are excited to add two players in Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni who will help us immediately and provide us with additional front-court depth," team president and general manager Ed Stefanski said. "Spencer is a young seven-footer who will provide us with versatility at the center position, while Andres will provide us with a tough veteran presence."
Said Kings general manager Geoff Petrie: "We're excited about the acquisition of Samuel Dalembert. He will certainly bring a defensive presence and increase our ability to defend around the basket with his rebounding, shot-blocking and athleticism. I think he'll add a very different look to our team defensively and we're really excited about having him."
Earlier ...
The Sixers have traded center Samuel Dalembert to Sacramento in exchange for Andres Nocioni and Spencer Hawes, the Daily News has confirmed.
The deal has been agreed to by both teams but has not been officially approved by the league, a source said.
The 6-7 Nocioni averaged 8.5 points and 3 rebounds in 75 games for Sacramento last season. For his career, he is averaging 11.3 points and 4.7 rebounds.
Hawes, a 7-1 center from the University of Washington, averaged 10 points and 6.1 rebounds in 72 games last season.
The Sixers have been trying to trade Dalembert for some time, and have been looking for a suitor. Sacramento has been a possible destination for more than year and has tried several times to finalize a deal.
Nocioni could bring some needed toughness to the Sixers and Hawes is a better fit at center, although he is a less effective shot blocker.
Nocioni has two years remaining on his contract, with an option for a third. The two years are valued at about $13 million. Hawes, a first-round draft pick in 2007, is still under his rookie deal.
Dalembert is now scheduled to make $14 million next season in the final year of his deal, thanks to a 15 percent trade kicker.
Dalembert was chosen in the first round of the 2001 draft and spent eight seasons with the Sixers, including playing all 82 games in each of the last four season. His career averages are 8.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.
Click here for Hawes' career stats.
Click here for Nocioni's career stats.
More to come ...


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Breakfast Potatoes (Lisas Breakfast)
salsa, +potato, +green pepper, +red pepper, +mushroom, +spanish onions, +tomato, +garlic, +black pepper, +hot sauce, +yogurt
www.bigoven.com - Similiar recipes
Breakfast Burritos (Once a Month Cooking)
Great for that run in the morning breakfast. You can also take frozen burritos with you when going camping. Just place the bag of frozen burritos into...
salsa, +sausage, +cheddar cheese, +eggs, +flour tortillas
Brian's Breakfast Nachos
This is a recipe my hubby came up with when it was his turn to cook breakfast after losing in our weekly football pick'em. It's something I never would...
salsa, +bacon, +eggs, +mexican cheese blend, +sausage, +tortilla chips
Breakfast Burritos
These are great to have in the freezer when you don't have time to make a real breakfast in the morning. Try substituting other breakfast meats (ham, bacon,...
salsa, +green pepper, +cheddar cheese, +eggs, +onions, +sausage, +mushroom, +tortilla
Cheesy Potato and Green Chili Breakfast Casserole
I got this recipe online after searching for something my stomach was craving!!! You can any kind of cooked breakfast meat you like. Also can be made into...
salsa, +green chilies, +eggs, +hash browns, +cheddar cheese, +salt, +tortilla, +water
Authentic Mexican Breakfast Tacos
"Quick Easy and Delicious! I learned this recipe from many years of eating with the Mexican cooks at my restaurant. They like to sneak in breakfast before...
salsa, +sausage, +eggs, +milk, +monterey jack cheese, +black pepper, +hot sauce, +salt
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Breakfast Tacos
This is a very traditional Texas breakfast, and quick to prepare. It can be prepared in advance, and filling ingredients and tortillas heated in the microwave...
salsa, +flour tortillas, +cheese, +cilantro, +eggs
Buneo Breakfast Burrito
A quick and easy breakfast recipe from Hungrygirl.com. It's only 2 points per burrito. You can't get that at McDonald's .
salsa, +bacon, +egg substitute, +cheese, +tortilla
Easy Core Breakfast Scramble
I'm trying to get into better condition with the Weight Watchers Core program. I was craving breakfast the other day, and came up with this quick and easy...
salsa, +chili powder, +eggs, +salt, +sweet potato
Sausage Breakfast Wraps
"'I love breakfast burritos--but they're typically high in fat and cholesterol. So I created my own healthier version,' says Ed Rysdyk Jr., Wyoming, Michigan....
salsa, +chili powder, +onions, +red pepper flakes, +sausage
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Should We View Animals As Humanlike?
Sometimes it is a mistake; sometimes it enables compassion.
Posted Feb 13, 2013
Human beings are intensely social creatures, so we have evolved to be particularly interested in the goings-on of other people: where they are, what they want, what they believe, who they like. We are so sensitive to these things as to be oversensitive. We routinely project human-like properties onto non-human entities.
If you've ever yelled at your computer you know what I'm talking about.
This over-active sensitivity to people and their affairs comes in two forms.
The first is when we perceive people where there are none. This happens when we mistake a loon's call for a human voice, or see a face in the pattern of leaves of a tree. We have specialized parts of our brains for seeing faces, and this is why we might see a face in the side of a mountain, but rarely do we look at a human face and think we see the side of a mountain.
Stuart Guthrie wrote a whole book about this (1993), and he calls it "anthropomorphism."
Over-active Theory of Mind
Our "theory of mind" is the skill we use to figure out what's going on in other people's heads. Basically, it's a "theory" of the workings of of other people's "minds." We are so used to using it that we tend to attribute human-like mental states to non-human entities. This is the second form. This happens when we get the feeling that traffic lights are turning red just to thwart us, or when people used to think that thunderstorms were the actions of angry gods.
Jesse Bering wrote a whole book about this (2012), and he calls it the "over-active theory of mind." Michael Shermer (2011) calls it "agenticity."
These scholars use these concepts to explain some of society's religious beliefs.
Do Animals Think and Feel?
It's easy to use your theory of mind on animals, and sometimes it's inappropriate. I know people who are convinced that their dog walks differently after getting groomed because "she knows she looks pretty." It's more likely that the dog's walk just looks slightly different because of the haircut. Likewise, scientists have criticized Dian Fossey's gorilla observations as making gorilla psychology out to be too human-like. In the name of science, in the name of evidence, many biologists will not believe that creatures like gorillas are conscious.
Sounds good, doesn't it? If there's no evidence of something, you shouldn't believe it, right? That's what having a hard-nosed scientific view of the world is all about.
Unfortunately, having the normal scientific approach to believing gets you into dangerous moral waters when it comes to pain and consciousness. If an animal is not conscious, or feels no pain, then there is, in many people's minds, no reason to consider them worthy of moral consideration. To some, an unconscious entitiy is not a moral patient. If it can't feel, then rip it's skin off, separate it from its offspring, cut chunks off of it while it's still alive. Do whatever you want. It won't--can't--feel a thing.
The philosopher Rene Decartes didn't believe animals could feel pain, and he would cut living animals alive as a part of a show so that everyone could marvel at how much the creatures acted like they were in pain, even though they weren't. This story, for most of us, is horrific, because we are anthropomorphizing.
But with so much at stake, is that such a bad thing?
Sure, we can't get into the head of a chicken and know if it's feeling pain, or to what extent it is conscious. But we can't get into other people's heads either, and we have no trouble attributing consciousness to them.
When horrible suffering might be happening, it's better to err a bit on the side of caution.
Bering, J. (2012). The Belief Instinct: The Psychology of Souls, Destiny, and the Meaning of Life. W. W. Norton.
Guthrie, S. E. (1993). Faces in the Clouds: A New Theory of Religion. Oxford University Press.
Shermer, M. (2011). The Believing Brain. Times Books, Henry Holt and Company, LLC.
Pictured: Smoke from the attacked World Trade Center that is seen as a face because of anthropomorphism.
Some of the ideas in this post are from my forthcoming book Riveted: A Unified Theory of Compellingness.


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ORP controller Applications
pH/ORP Sensors for Metallurigical Applications
By IC Controls Ltd. based in Orangeville, ONTARIO (CANADA).
Water Testing for Textile Manufacturing
The textile manufacturing industry encompasses many and diverse processes that rely heavily on the use of water, energy, chemicals, and other resources. Wet spinning, sizing, desizing, scouring, bleaching, mercerization, dyeing and printing are just a few. Monitoring and controlling the pH, TDS/Conductivity/Salt Concentration, ORP (REDOX), and Temperature of the aqueous solutions used in these processes conserves costly resources, controls quality, and reduces the amount of pollution that must be treated...
By Myron L Company based in Carlsbad, CALIFORNIA (USA).
Need help finding the right suppliers? Try XPRT Sourcing. Let the XPRTs do the work for you


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
Niagara Falls Elks Lodge No. 346 will hold its annual "Fall Harvest Basket Auction" on Friday, Oct. 4, from 3 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 5, from 2 to 7 p.m., with drawings taking place at 7 p.m. on Saturday. All proceeds will benefit the many charities the lodge supports, including United Cerebral Palsy, student scholarship programs and veterans programs.
This basket auction features the unique "Tower of Toys" and "Mountain of Cheer" drawings.
Pictured with donations are Elks officers: Treasurer Patricia Dettinger, Chaplain Nelson Cirrito, Exalted Ruler David Robertson, Trustee Paul Naus, Lecturing Knight Melissa Perez, Inner Guard Linda Burr and Leading Knight Paul Torrie.
The lodge is located at 1805 Fashion Outlet Blvd.


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On Poetry
Postcards from Another PlanetBy Dan Piepenbring
The art of spam.
The Daily gets thousands of comments a day. Nearly all of them are spam. This should be annoying, and I suppose it can be. Problem is, I find myself captivated by our spam, so much so that I keep a running list of my favorite comments. As far as I know, they're entirely computer generated: an algorithm hurls together bits of text from around the Internet, hoping to rustle up enough verisimilitude to trick our spam filter. The results are unduly captivating—they're by turns ludic, cryptic, disquieting, emotional, and inadvertently profound. On many days they're more interesting than the comments we receive from real people.
Here, for instance, is an automated comment from "geniadove":
If you give it your name it will call you by it when you start up the GPS. These incidences come about quite normally, showing that Peter dislikes his daughter. A huge clue that your ex boyfriend still has feelings for you. —geniadove
That swerve at "Peter dislikes his daughter"—whoa! Dissertations have been written about less. And to see a clinical phrase like "These incidences come about quite normally" next to a casual one like "A huge clue": What does it all mean? The mind searches restlessly, somewhat desperately, for connective tissue, some semblance of conventional narrative. Like autostereograms, these comments always verge on resolving into a discernible whole; unlike autostereograms, they never do. Read More


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My father saved his yelling voice for sports events, but when he walked into a room with no one in it, he yelled loud enough for everyone in the house to hear: "Turn off the lights!" I finally understood what all of the fuss was about when I started paying my own power bills — wasting electricity is expensive.
My father saved his yelling voice for sports events, but when he walked into a room with no one in it, he yelled loud enough for everyone in the house to hear: "Turn off the lights!" I finally understood what all of the fuss was about when I started paying my own power bills — wasting electricity is expensive.
The Home Energy Report, included in my monthly power bill, compares my house to 2,000 other homes in my area that are similar in square footage, date of construction and source of heating. The graph covers 13 months so I can see how my consumption in November 2012 compares to November 2013.
Behavioral science shows that humans are more likely to change if they compare themselves to others. Duke Energy not only compares us, it throws in a little positive reinforcement if our energy use goes down. My family got a pat on the back last month: "Way to go!" it read. "You're among the most efficient homes in your area."
All of the homes compared on my Home Energy Report show a rise in electric use in December. When daylight hours are short and the family is home for the holidays, we use more heat, take more showers, do more cooking and need more lights, including the Christmas tree.
I enjoy a good display of Christmas lights, but I think some of us have gone overboard with our lighting extravaganzas. There's competition in the neighborhoods, and the TV eggs us on. ABC's "Good Morning America" stages yearly contests with names such as "My Lights Are Better Than Your Lights."
Rhett Allain, a professor at Southeastern Louisiana University, came up with a formula for calculating how much energy is consumed in the United States for Christmas light displays. He guessed that about 20 million households put up lights, referring to residential lighting. Municipal holiday lighting (funded by tax dollars) is not included in Allain's figures.
He estimated that the average power per house is 1,000 watts, and the average family runs the lights for four hours a day. The average cost of electricity is 10 cents per kilowatt-hour. And the average household puts up decorations for 30 days.
The total added cost of running our holiday lights nationwide is $233 million (cost to the environment not included).
During the Christmas season of 1880, Thomas Edison hung the first string of connected electric lights outside his laboratory in New Jersey. Railroad passengers traveling by the lab got their first-ever look at an electric Christmas light display. It took another 40 years for the tradition of electric-powered holiday lights to go public.
How many Christmas lights have gone to our landfills over the years? A lot! Admittedly, the broken ones can be very frustrating. It used to take an infinite amount of time to find out which bulb was the culprit. All the while an impatient family waited to decorate the tree with ornaments in hand.
Struggling with the lights is a thankless job, but newer technology is helping. Still, many people opt for buying new lights because they are cheap, and the old ones are easy to toss into the trash can.
Where do the new ones come from? The majority of Christmas lights are made in China because they have a large pool of relatively cheap labor and inexpensive raw materials.
Until recently, there have been few disposal options other than throwing the broken lights away. Now we are able to recycle them locally at the Cooperative Extension Office in Jackson Park, the YouthTheatre of Flat Rock Playhouse, the Flat Rock Playhouse box office, Carolina Day School and St. Gerard House.
Where do they go next for recycling? Most will be sold for about 60 cents a pound, stuffed into shipping containers and transported back to China. Shijiao, China, has at least nine factories that import and process more than 20 million pounds of unwanted lights a year. Workers untangle the lights and toss them into shredders, where they are chopped into millimeter-sized fragments and mixed with water.
Next, they are shoveled onto a large, downward-angled, vibrating table that is covered in a thin sheen of flowing water. As the table shakes, the heavier flecks of copper (from the wire) and brass (from the light bulb sockets) flow in one direction, and the lighter PVC plastic and glass (from the insulation and bulbs) flows in another. It's the same concept that miners use when panning for gold.
The old method, used to release the copper, was to burn the lights, which proved to be terrible for China's air quality. Light technology is slowly changing with the conversion to LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs, which consume 80 to 90 percent less electricity and last far longer than incandescent bulbs.
By conserving electricity, we can ease the demand for power and the need for building more power plants. Until we can produce cleaner energy and use more efficient bulbs, let's try to tone down our holiday light extravaganzas.
Happy holidays from the Environmental and Conservation Organization. We at ECO hope you get a pat on the back in your next electric bill!
Katie Breckheimer is a longtime Environmental and Conservation Organization member and volunteer. Reach her at email@example.com.


text:
Tea Rubbed Salmon
Source: Recipe from Chef John McGrath
Ground tea is a delicately flavored rub for salmon. The mild fish is served with a chewy rice and barley mix also flavored with tea. A robust red wine sauce is a flavorful accompaniment.
1 cup barley, cooked
1 cup wild rice, cooked
32 pearl onions, roasted
1⁄2 cup bacon lardons
Thyme and rosemary, to taste
1⁄2 cup demi glace
4 cups red wine
2 shallots, chopped
1 cup red wine vinegar
3⁄4 cup cream
2 oz. lapsang souchong tea
1 1⁄2 cups butter, cut into chunks
8 7-oz. salmon steaks
Lapsang souchong tea, ground
1. In a sauté pan, combine barley, wild rice, onions, lardons, thyme and rosemary. Add demi glace and cook until slightly sticky.
2. In a saucepan, reduce wine with shallots until almost dry. Add vinegar, cream and tea and season. Lower heat; whisk in butter until incorporated. Strain and keep warm.
3. Dredge salmon in ground tea and sauté until done. Serve with rice/ barley mixture in a pool of beurre rouge.


text:
Serial Boxes: 3 (Wildcats)
MGE Shops is the trading name of London's best and only chain of second hand shops. Established in 1967, our signs display BUY SELL TRADE and that's exactly what we do. We trade in a wide range of goods including records, CDs, clothes, homeware, jewellery, books and comics.


text:
The Dodgers are entering expensive territory with some of their arbitration eligible players. Before, guys like Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw and James Loney were making peanuts. Now, they're going to break the bank -- well, at least Kemp and Kershaw will.
The Dodgers have seven arbitration eligible players. Their 2011 base salaries are included.
Andre Ethier, $9.25M
Matt Kemp, $7.1M*
James Loney, $4.875M
Hong-Chih Kuo, $2.725M
Dana Eveland, $500,000 (estimated)
Tony Gwynn, $675,000
Clayton Kershaw, $500,000
*-Included here despite avoiding arbitration last year.
Ethier: The Dodgers certainly aren't going to non-tender Ethier, but the salary he earns in 2012 will be a substantial amount. If he had continued to perform at his career clip, he could be looking at a $12 or $13 million payday. Instead, he struggled mightily -- especially in the power department -- and that might actually help the Dodgers in terms of salary (but not much). He's looking at about a $10-11 million payday.
Kemp: If the Dodgers are smart, they'll offer Kemp a long-term contract this winter -- provided they have the money, of course. A 7-year, $140 million contract might get it done. MLB Trade Rumors is predicting Kemp to get a $16.3 million payday if he goes to arbitration, which would be a record, and I'm sure he'd be worth every penny. If the Dodgers can get him for $12-15 million in 2012, that'd be a nice get.
Loney: With a hot August and September, Loney might have convinced the Dodgers to tender him a contract. Prior to August, he was a surefire candidate to get non-tendered. I wouldn't be opposed to bringing him back. His glove is among the best in the game and there's still the potential to be a good Major League hitter. For $6 million, the Dodgers could do a lot worse.
Kuo: Before a few days ago, the Dodgers were going to have a tough time deciding whether to bring Kuo back or non-tender him. With his most recent surgery, it should be a no-brainer -- Kuo has thrown his last pitch with the Dodgers. It's a sad fall from just one year ago when Kuo was considered among the best relievers in the game. He has all the talent, but he just underwent his fifth elbow operation and the Dodgers can't afford to spend $3-4 million on a guy who might not pitch (or be effective) in 2012.
Eveland: Eveland pitched in September and did a solid job. However, there's a reason the Dodgers ended up with the "crafty" (i.e. junkballer) lefty -- he's not that good. Still, the Dodgers could offer him arbitration because he could start. With Rubby De La Rosa down for the majority of the 2012 season and Nathan Eovaldi's role still undefined, Eveland could be an innings-eater (not necessarily effective, though).
Gwynn: Tony, Jr. was a solid reserve outfielder for the Dodgers. He wasn't expected to do much with the bat, but he did play great defense and stole some bases. He should absolutely be offered arbitration. He could make upward of $1.5 million in the process.
Kershaw: Ahh, we're finally here. The potential National League Cy Young Award winner, Kershaw made $500,000 in 2011. He pitched like a $20-million pitcher. He won't make that much, but he could make as much as $8 million if he goes to arbitration.
Chad Billingsley would be on this list, but he signed a contract extension just before the 2011 season.
The Dodgers are going to have to pay handsomely to keep their two best players, which is just fine. They'd be smart to explore long-term deals, but it might not be feasible money-wise. They're going to have to pay a little more to keep Loney and Ethier than their worth, but they probably can't do much better at either position. Gwynn, if retained, will be worth his salary. Eveland could be a decent source of cheap innings. Kuo might just retire than try to come back from a fifth surgery on his elbow.
Next up: Free agent position players
Friday, October 28, 2011
2011 Los Angeles Dodgers off-season preview: Arbitration-eligible Dodgers
Posted by Dustin Nosler at 8:17 PM
Labels: Clayton Kershaw, Hong-Chih Kuo, James Loney, Matt Kemp
2 comments:
- AnonymousOctober 30, 2011 at 9:58 AM
Kemp refuses to resign with the Dodgers so "getting" him at any price is our to the question.ReplyDelete
"Kemp refuses to resign with the Dodgers..."ReplyDelete
Says who?
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Call us on 03333 11 00 66
DELL 1Y Next Business Day to 3Y NBD Warrnaty - O3XXX_1513
Manufacturer Part Code: O3XXX_1513
Order Code: CPDEL-O3XXX1513
Category: Dell Server Warranty Packs
1Y NBD to 3Y NBD
Next Business Day (NBD) is hardware support. Should the system develop a fault, Dell's NBD Service can place a service technician at the customer's location after completion of the support procedures (including a problem diagnosis service via website or phone) and, for the duration of the service period, provide a parts and labour service.
Available Monday to Friday during local business hours;
Parts and labour;
For Customers with Next Business Day Onsite Service, during the telephone based troubleshooting, the Dell technician will determine if an on- site service technician should be dispatched to support a Qualified Incident. For Next Business Day Onsite Service, a technician will typically arrive on- site the next business day;
Troubleshooting, Repair, Parts Replacement, Phone Support, Web Support;


text:
The following commentary does not necessarily reflect the views of AgWeb or Farm Journal Media. The opinions expressed below are the author's own.
Have your agronomic questions answered by a Farm Journal agronomist. E-mail us directly at firstname.lastname@example.com, and we'll respond on this blog to provide an interactive dialogue.
Question: How much nitrogen is available in the soil to support the growth of my corn crop?


text:
South Dakota State's John Stiegelmeier on Western Illinois Win, Missouri State Match-up
It's something South Dakota State head coach John Stiegelmeier has been preaching to his team all year: get off to a fast start and you'll improve your chances of winning football games.
That message was received loud and clear by the Jackrabbits last Saturday at Western Illinois, as SDSU jumped on top 17-0 after one quarter, and won 38-14:
It was the defense getting things started with a pair of interceptions on the Leathernecks first two possessions. In all, the Jacks picked off four passes Saturday, two by Missouri Valley Conference defensive player of the week Winston Wright. Those picks up the SDSU total to 15 on the year, tops in the nation. The plus 1.9 in turnover margin is second best in FCS:
While the defense was setting the table, the offense was converting those turnovers into points in the first quarter with a pair of touchdowns and a field goal. Coach Stiegelmeier told me it was a good start, but he's not completely satisfied::
The kicking game was one of two areas where the Jacks struggled at times against Western Illinois, as Justin Syrovatka, who was nearly automatic earlier in the season, missed two second half field goals from 30 yards or less:
The other area of concern for SDSU Saturday was the five sacks of quarterback Austin Sumner they gave up. The Jacks were playing without starter Mike Shoff up front because of an injury, but Stiegelmeier says a number of factors led to the sacks:
For the first time this season, South Dakota will play back-to-back road games when they head to Springfield Saturday to play Missouri State. The Bears only win in seven games this year came against #24 Illinois State three weeks ago.
They are a team that doesn't give up much on the ground defensively, but has surprisingly been weak on pass defense this season, despite the play of standout safety Caleb Schaffitzel. Coach Stiegelmeier and his staff believe there are opportunities for the offense this week:
Offensively, the Bears have a dual threat at quarterback in Kierra Harris, who is one of four players who average more than 20 yards a game on the ground. And while that running game 'by committee' approach sounds like it might be difficult to plan against, the game film tells the SDSU coaches a different story:
This weekend marks the midway point of the Missouri Valley Conference schedule and gives the Jacks (1-2) a chance to climb back to .500 with a win. Coach Stiegelmeier's midterm report card for his team has some high and low marks:
Kickoff in Springfield is 1:00pm Saturday.


text:
This is my first hop, so I'm super excited to share the love with some new and old followers!
Today one winner will get their choice of a book under $15 from The Book Depository!
*You must be a follower to enter this giveaway. The hop is called "Follower Love".
*To enter, all you need to do is comment telling me what book you'd choose and leave your email. (You can change your choice, nothing is concrete)
Extra Entries:
+1 Follow on twitter
+1 Follow on Google+
+1 Tweet about the giveaway
+1 Blog about the giveaway
+1 Follow on goodreads
That's all she wrote!
This giveaway is open from February 7th until the 14th! Good luck! I can't wait to meet new followers:)


text:
Disneyland Park
Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults
Small Drops, Thrill Rides, Water Rides, Dark, Loud, Scary
Accessibility and Other Information - Opens Dialog
Rider Switch, FASTPASS
Careen through a snow-capped mountain on a speeding alpine sled while avoiding the clutches of the mythic Abominable Snowman.
Embark on a thrilling, high-speed run down the icy slopes of Switzerland's most famous peak.
Make your way inside a traditional, chalet-inspired rail station in the shadow of Switzerland's renowned Matterhorn mountain. Hop aboard a 6-person, weather-beaten sled and brace yourself against howling winds as you climb 80 feet high inside an icy cave. Take in the sweeping views at the summit and then hang on, because the only way off the mountain is down!
The Race Is On
Break out of the side of the mountain and race down the base of the peak. Swoop in and out of shadowy caves and along jagged rocky ledges. Throttle through icy chutes and around frozen precipices. Whisk across wooden and stone bridges, pass under waterfalls and weave around mysteriously glowing ice crystals before splashing down in a shallow alpine lake.
But the real peril is not the snow or sleet. Folklore has it that a growling monster known as the Abominable Snowman lives inside the mountain—and that he will do anything and everything to protect his home.
Do you have what it takes to brave the mountain and discover if the legend of the mysterious snow monster is true?
Pick a Path
Choose one of 2 nearly identical bobsled runs: one located in Fantasyland and the other along the outskirts of Tomorrowland. Each has a separate queue and, during slower periods, only a single track may be in operation. Both tracks are equally fun, but keep in mind that the Fantasyland track is slightly longer and features some sharper curves.
Matterhorn mountain certainly looks tall, partially due to the excellent use of the movie-set-inspired technique of forced perspective. However, the peak is exactly 100 times shorter than Switzerland's massive 14,700-foot-tall original.
New Snow
To mimic the snow patterns on Switzerland's original mountain, more than 800 gallons of paint were used to create "heavier" snowfall on the northern side of Matterhorn mountain and less snow on the granite-colored southern side. Realistic, yes—but not without a touch of magic. Using a new, environmentally friendly technique, glass beads have been fastened to the façade to reflect sunlight and glisten like actual snow. Also, more pine trees have been planted to add to the atmosphere.
Walt Disney fell in love with the real Matterhorn in Switzerland while filming the 1959 live-action film Third Man on the Mountain. Back at Disneyland Park, Walt decided to cover a forested 20-foot-high mound named Holiday Hill with artificial snow, add a toboggan run and rename it Snow Hill. However, Walt always dreamed big, and his "hill" grew into a 147-foot-tall "mountain." The attraction opened on June 14, 1959.
Innovation was an integral part of Walt Disney's character. Matterhorn Bobsleds is not only the first roller-coaster-style attraction at Disneyland Park, it's also the very first tubular steel roller coaster in the world. In addition, no other Disney Park in the world has a Matterhorn mountain. This iconic attraction at Disneyland Park is indeed one-of-a-kind.


text: Report post Posted March 21, 2013 25m Raiding. Times: 8-12pm Tu/Th/Su. We enjoy kills, efficiency and good times. A number of us have exp in high end top us guilds. We have a tight crew and promote a professional environment that seeks to find similar minded people who are always looking to up their game. The large majority of our guild is 23+. We are recruiting any exceptional dps (90%+ in your rankings /w raid awareness/brains) and one healer. Preferences include WARLOCK, MISTWEAVER, HUNTER, BOOMKIN, RET PALLY. Exceptional players with good raid awareness are always welcome to contact me. It is important to note that unlike most guilds on this server we do not put up with drama, immaturity or general loot whorishness / swollen head syndrome. Most of these will result in you being immediately removed from the guild. We wish to push high US ranking on a reasonable raid schedule and have a professional environment. Take a look at our wowprogress statements (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum @ Arthas) and contact us if you think you have the personality and skill that would mesh with our team. Contact: Levios#1714 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
It was Susanne's first time and my 3rd so I was the guide.
Ah the smell of it! Throughout the chateau - it was inescapable...
Oh wow. I can smell the chocolate just looking at these photos. Yumm. OMG Chocolate covered Macarons. I'm drooling. Thanks for going again and sharing this.ReplyDelete
Oh, Carol--I can sooooo see that last image as one of your paintings. I predict it will be on display at Etsy sometime soon. ;))
lovely shots! Have fun!
Oh my heavens!! The chateau, the chocolate, the delights, the chefs, the unparalleled French atmosphere... all too good to be true! The chocolate covered macarons... I must try them! Oh, I can't wait to get back to Paris. So happy you are there right now to help us dream and enjoy!ReplyDelete
Yes, yes, I know we demand a great deal from you, but it's only for your own good. Seriously.ReplyDelete
What waistline?
I lost sight of my shoes as soon as I hit terra Paris.
I can only see macarons where aire I gaze...
and chockies...
actually I'm ready to go cold turkey and am a bit sick of it all.
I'm leaving behind a fridge full of macs.
Let me know if you want the address.
You make me want to pack and go to Paris NOW! Superb post!ReplyDelete


text:
Steelers Style Fashion Show - 10/15/10
The invitation for this year's Steelers Style 2010 was the perfect precursor to the evening. It read, "Under every helmet you'll see an athlete. Beyond the athlete you'll meet a person. Behind the person, you'll find a community." The evening brought together 800 guests to support the UPMC Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute and the Cancer Caring Center. Decked out in their best black and gold styles, Pittsburgh Steelers players and families modeled their favorite fashions to raise $750,000. "The guys like the opportunity to show off some of their nicer clothes. And they know it's for a good cause. That combination makes for such a great event because it showcases our players underneath the mask," says Pittsburgh Steelers spokesman, Dave Lockett. Sponsored by American Eagle Outfitters, Reebok, and Nordstrom, the event was co-chaired by Greta and Art Rooney II and Kiya and Mike Tomlin.Read More
Photography by Rachel Stadelmeier
Photography by Rachel Stadelmeier
15 / 40


text:
a.k.a the SolrCell project!
- Introduction
- Concepts
- Getting Started with the Solr Example
- Input Parameters
- Configuration
- Metadata
- Encrypted files
- Examples
- Sending documents to Solr
- Extending the ExtractingRequestHandler
- Committer Notes
- Additional Resources
- What's in a Name
A common need of users is the ability to ingest binary and/or structured documents such as Office, Word, PDF and other proprietary formats. The Apache Tika project provides a framework for wrapping many different file format parsers, such as PDFBox, POI and others.
Solr's ExtractingRequestHandler uses Tika to allow users to upload binary files to Solr and have Solr extract text from it and then index it.
Although this handler is a great proof of concept, it is not actually recommended for production use. See RecommendCustomIndexingWithTika for more information.
Before getting started, there are a few concepts that are helpful to understand.
- Tika will automatically attempt to determine the input document type (word, pdf, etc.) and extract the content appropriately. If you want, you can explicitly specify a MIME type for Tika wth the stream.type parameter
Tika does everything by producing an XHTML stream that it feeds to a SAX ContentHandler.
- Solr then reacts to Tika's SAX events and creates the fields to index.
Tika produces Metadata information such as Title, Subject, and Author, according to specifications like DublinCore. See http://tika.apache.org/ site for the file types supported.
- All of the extracted text is added to the "content" field
- We can map Tika's metadata fields to Solr fields. We can boost these fields
- We can also pass in literals for field values.
- We can apply an XPath expression to the Tika XHTML to restrict the content that is produced.
Getting Started with the Solr Example
- Check out Solr trunk or get a 1.4 release or later.
- Note: if using a check out of the Solr source code instead of a binary release, running "ant example" will build the necessary jars.
Now start the solr example server:
cd example java -jar start.jar
In a separate window go to the docs/ directory (which contains some nice example docs), or the site directory if you built Solr from source, and send Solr a file via HTTP POST:
cd site/html curl "http://localhost:8983/solr/update/extract?literal.id=doc1&commit=true" -F "firstname.lastname@example.com"
- Note, the /site directory in the solr download contains some nice example docs to try
- hint: email@example.com needs a valid path (absolute or relative), e.g. "myfile=@../../site/tutorial.html" if you are still in exampledocs dir.
the literal.id=doc1 param provides the necessary unique id for the document being indexed
the commit=true param causes Solr to do a commit after indexing the document, making it immediately searchable. For good performance when loading many documents, don't call commit until you are done.
- using "curl" or other command line tools to post documents to Solr is nice for testing, but not the recommended update method for best performance.
Now, you should be able to execute a query and find that document (open the following link in your browser): http://localhost:8983/solr/select?q=tutorial
You may notice that although you can search on any of the text in the sample document, you may not be able to see that text when the document is retrieved. This is simply because the "content" field generated by Tika is mapped to the Solr field called "text", which is indexed but not stored. This is done via the default map rule in the /update/extract handler in solrconfig.xml and can be easily changed or overridden. For example, to store and see all metadata and content, execute the following:
curl "http://localhost:8983/solr/update/extract?literal.id=doc1&uprefix=attr_&fmap.content=attr_content&commit=true" -F "email@example.com"
The uprefix=attr_ param causes all generated fields that aren't defined in the schema to be prefixed with attr_ (which is a dynamic field that is stored).
The fmap.content=attr_content param overrides the default fmap.content=text causing the content to be added to the attr_content field instead.
And then query via http://localhost:8983/solr/select?q=attr_content:tutorial
Input Parameters
fmap.<source_field>=<target_field> - Maps (moves) one field name to another. Example: fmap.content=text will cause the content field normally generated by Tika to be moved to the "text" field.
boost.<fieldname>=<float> - Boost the specified field.
literal.<fieldname>=<value> - Create a field with the specified value. May be multivalued if the Field is multivalued.
uprefix=<prefix> - Prefix all fields that are not defined in the schema with the given prefix. This is very useful when combined with dynamic field definitions. Example: uprefix=ignored_ would effectively ignore all unknown fields generated by Tika given the example schema contains <dynamicField name="ignored_*" type="ignored"/>
defaultField=<Field Name> - If uprefix is not specified and a Field cannot be determined, the default field will be used.
extractOnly=true|false - Default is false. If true, return the extracted content from Tika without indexing the document. This literally includes the extracted XHTML as a string in the response. When viewing manually, it may be useful to use a response format other than XML to aid in viewing the embedded XHTML tags. See TikaExtractOnlyExampleOutput.
resource.name=<File Name> - The optional name of the file. Tika can use it as a hint for detecting mime type.
capture=<Tika XHTML NAME> - Capture XHTML elements with the name separately for adding to the Solr document. This can be useful for grabbing chunks of the XHTML into a separate field. For instance, it could be used to grab paragraphs (<p>) and index them into a separate field. Note that content is also still captured into the overall "content" field.
captureAttr=true|false - Index attributes of the Tika XHTML elements into separate fields, named after the element. For example, when extracting from HTML, Tika can return the href attributes in <a> tags as fields named "a". See the examples below.
xpath=<XPath expression> - When extracting, only return Tika XHTML content that satisfies the XPath expression. See http://tika.apache.org/1.2/parser.html for details on the format of Tika XHTML. See also TikaExtractOnlyExampleOutput.
- lowernames=true|false - Map all field names to lowercase with underscores. For example, Content-Type would be mapped to content_type.
literalsOverride=true|false - Solr4.0 When true, literal field values will override other values with same field name, such as metadata and content. If false, then literal field values will be appended to any extracted data from Tika, and the resulting field needs to be multi valued. Default: true
resource.password=<password> - Solr4.0 The optional password for a password protected PDF or OOXML file. File format support depends on Tika.
passwordsFile=<file name> - Solr4.0 The optional name of a file containing file name pattern to password mappings. See chapter "Encrypted Files" below
If extractOnly is true, additional input parameters:
- extractFormat=xml|text - Default is xml. Controls the serialization format of the extract content. xml format is actually XHTML, like passing the -x command to the tika command line application, while text is like the -t command.
Order of field operations
fields are generated by Tika or passed in as literals via literal.fieldname=value. Before Solr4.0 or if literalsOverride=false, then literals will be appended as multi-value to tika generated field.
- if lowernames==true, fields are mapped to lower case
mapping rules fmap.source=target are applied
if uprefix is specified, any unknown field names are prefixed with that value, else if defaultField is specified, unknown fields are copied to that.
The ExtractingRequestHandler is not incorporated into the solr war file, it is provided as a SolrPlugins, and you have to load it (and it's dependencies) explicitly.
Example configuration for loading plugin and dependencies:
<lib dir="../../dist/" regex="apache-solr-cell-\d.*\.jar" /> <lib dir="../../contrib/extraction/lib" regex=".*\.jar" />
Example configuration for the Handler:
<requestHandler name="/update/extract" class="org.apache.solr.handler.extraction.ExtractingRequestHandler"> <lst name="defaults"> <str name="fmap.Last-Modified">last_modified</str> <str name="uprefix">ignored_</str> </lst> <!--Optional. Specify a path to a tika configuration file. See the Tika docs for details.--> <str name="tika.config">/my/path/to/tika.config</str> <!-- Optional. Specify one or more date formats to parse. See DateUtil.DEFAULT_DATE_FORMATS for default date formats --> <lst name="date.formats"> <str>yyyy-MM-dd</str> </lst> </requestHandler>
In the defaults section, we are mapping Tika's Last-Modified Metadata attribute to a field named last_modified. We are also telling it to ignore undeclared fields. These are all overridden parameters.
The tika.config entry points to a file containing a Tika configuration. You would only need this if you have customized your own Tika configuration. The Tika config contains info about parsers, mime types, etc.
You may also need to adjust the multipartUploadLimitInKB attribute as follows if you are submitting very large documents.
<requestDispatcher handleSelect="true" > <requestParsers enableRemoteStreaming="{true|false}" multipartUploadLimitInKB="2048000" /> ....
For remote streaming, you must enable remote stream. See ContentStream for more info or just set enableRemoteStreaming=true in the snippet above. As an example of using remote streaming, you can do:
curl "http://localhost:8983/solr/update/extract?stream.file=/path/to/file/StatesLeftToVisit.doc&stream.contentType=application/msword&literal.id=states.doc"
Lastly, the date.formats allows you to specify various java.text.SimpleDateFormat date formats for working with transforming extracted input to a Date. Solr comes configured with the following date formats (see the DateUtil class in Solr)
yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss'Z' yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss yyyy-MM-dd yyyy-MM-dd hh:mm:ss yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss EEE MMM d hh:mm:ss z yyyy EEE, dd MMM yyyy HH:mm:ss zzz EEEE, dd-MMM-yy HH:mm:ss zzz EEE MMM d HH:mm:ss yyyy
MultiCore config
For multi-core, specify sharedLib='lib' in <solr /> in example/solr/solr.xml in order for Solr to find the jars in example/solr/lib
- Lib resources in solrconfig.xml must point to the lib folder relative form where the actual used solrconfig.xml.
- For multi cores with common solrconfig and schema the can use the same instanceDir
As has been implied up to now, Tika produces Metadata about the document. Metadata often contains things like the author of the file or the number of pages, etc. The Metadata produced depends on the type of document submitted. For instance, PDFs have different metadata from Word docs.
In addition to Tika's metadata, Solr adds the following metadata (defined in ExtractingMetadataConstants):
"stream_name" - The name of the ContentStream as uploaded to Solr. Depending on how the file is uploaded, this may or may not be set.
"stream_source_info" - Any source info about the stream. See ContentStream.
- "stream_size" - The size of the stream in bytes(?)
- "stream_content_type" - The content type of the stream, if available.
It is highly recommend that you try using the extract only option to see what values actually get set for these.
Encrypted files
Solr4.0 By supplying a password in either resource.password on the request, or in a passwordsFile file, you can have ExtractingRequestHandler decrypt encrypted files and index their content. In the case of passwordsFile the file supplied must be on the format: One line per rule, each rule contains a file name regular expression followed by "=" followed by the password in clear-text (thus this file should have strict access restrictions).
# This is a comment myFileName = myPassword .*\.docx$ = myWordPassword .*\.pdf$ = myPdfPassword
Mapping and Capture
Capture <div> tags separate, and then map that field to a dynamic field named foo_txt.
curl "http://localhost:8983/solr/update/extract?literal.id=doc2&captureAttr=true&defaultField=text&fmap.div=foo_txt&capture=div" -F "firstname.lastname@example.com"
Mapping, Capture and Boost
Capture <div> tags separate, and then map that field to a dynamic field named foo_txt. Boost foo_txt by 3.
curl "http://localhost:8983/solr/update/extract?literal.id=doc3&captureAttr=true&defaultField=text&capture=div&fmap.div=foo_txt&boost.foo_txt=3" -F "firstname.lastname@example.com"
To add in your own metadata, pass in the literal parameter along with the file:
curl "http://localhost:8983/solr/update/extract?literal.id=doc4&captureAttr=true&defaultField=text&capture=div&fmap.div=foo_txt&boost.foo_txt=3&literal.blah_s=Bah" -F "email@example.com"
Restrict down the XHTML returned by Tika by passing in an XPath expression
curl "http://localhost:8983/solr/update/extract?literal.id=doc5&captureAttr=true&defaultField=text&capture=div&fmap.div=foo_txt&boost.foo_txt=3&literal.id=id&xpath=/xhtml:html/xhtml:body/xhtml:div/descendant:node()" -F "email@example.com"
Extract Only
curl "http://localhost:8983/solr/update/extract?&extractOnly=true" --data-binary @tutorial.html -H 'Content-type:text/html'
A the output includes XML generated by Tika and is thus further escaped by Solr's XML format. Using a different output format like json or ruby enhances the readability:
curl "http://localhost:8983/solr/update/extract?&extractOnly=true&wt=ruby&indent=true" --data-binary @tutorial.html -H 'Content-type:text/html'
See TikaExtractOnlyExampleOutput.
Password protected
curl "http://localhost:8983/solr/collection1/update/extract?commit=true&literal.id=123&resource.password=mypassword" \ -H "Content-Type: application/pdf" --data-binary @my-encrypted-file.pdf
Sending documents to Solr
The ExtractingRequestHandler can process any document sent as a ContentStream ...
- Raw POST
- Multi-part file upload (each file is processed as a distinct document)
- "stream.body", "stream.url" and "stream.file" request params.
curl "http://localhost:8983/solr/update/extract?literal.id=doc5&defaultField=text" --data-binary @tutorial.html -H 'Content-type:text/html'
NOTE, this literally streams the file as the body of the POST, which does not, then, provide info to Solr about the name of the file.
SimplePostTool (post.jar)
The simple post tool post.jar which ships with Solr in the example/exampledocs folder can post a file to ExtractingRequestHandler:
java -Durl=http://localhost:8983/solr/update/extract -Dparams=literal.id=doc5 -Dtype=text/html -jar post.jar tutorial.html
Since Solr4.0 post.jar also has an auto mode which guesses content-type for you, and also sets a default ID and filename when sending to Solr. Also, a recursive option lets you automatically post a whole directory tree:
java -Dauto -jar post.jar tutorial.html java -Dauto -Drecursive -jar post.jar .
NOTE: The post.jar utility is not meant for production use, but as a convenience tool for experimenting with Solr. It is made as a single .java file (see SVN) without dependencies, so it does on purpose not use SolrJ.
Use the ContentStreamUpdateRequest (see ContentStreamUpdateRequestExample for a full example):
1 ContentStreamUpdateRequest up = new ContentStreamUpdateRequest("/update/extract");
2 up.addFile(new File("mailing_lists.pdf"));
3 up.setParam("literal.id", "mailing_lists.pdf");
4 up.setAction(AbstractUpdateRequest.ACTION.COMMIT, true, true);
5 result = server.request(up);
6 assertNotNull("Couldn't upload mailing_lists.pdf", result);
7 rsp = server.query( new SolrQuery( "*:*") );
8 Assert.assertEquals( 1, rsp.getResults().getNumFound() );
If you want to set a multiValued field, use the ModifiableSolrParams class like this:
You could also set all of the other literals and parameters in this class, and then use the setParams method to apply the changes to your content stream.
Extending the ExtractingRequestHandler
If you wish to supply your own ContentHandler for Solr to use, you can extend the ExtractingRequestHandler and override the createFactory() method. This factory is responsible for constructing the SolrContentHandler that interacts with Tika.
Committer Notes
Upgrading Tika
Run ant clean clean-jars from project root or /solr
Update solr/CHANGES.txt and solr/NOTICE.txt as well as relevant LICENSE/NOTICE files in solr/licenses/
Edit solr/contrib/extraction/ivy.xml according to instructions inline the file
ant jar-checksums - to generate new sha1 files for the jars
ant test - see that Ivy downloads the new dependencies
- Commit
Additional Resources
What's in a Name
Grant was writing the javadocs for the code and needed an entry for the <title> tag and wrote out "Solr Content Extraction Library", since the contrib directory is named "extraction". This then lead to an "acronym": Solr CEL which then gets mashed to: Solr Cell. Hence, the project name is "Solr Cell". It's also appropriate because a Solar Cell's job is to convert the raw energy of the Sun to electricity, and this contrib's module is responsible for converting the "raw" content of a document to something usable by Solr. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell


text:
- AltCar Auto Show
- Beijing Auto Show
- CES Auto Show
- Chicago Auto Show
- DC Auto Show
- Detroit Auto Show
- Frankfurt Auto Show
- Geneva Auto Show
- LA Auto Show
- NAIAS Auto Show
- New York Auto Show
- Paris Auto Show
- Philadelphia Auto Show
- SEMA Auto Show
- San Diego Auto Show
- Shanghai Auto Show
- St. Louis Auto Show
- Tokyo Auto Show
Auto Show: 2013 New York Auto Show
2015 Audi A3 Sedan: New York Auto Show
What is it:
Today's Audi A3 is offered as a front- or all-wheel drive five-door hatchback. The all-new 2015 Audi A3 sedan, however, uses a more traditional four-door sedan bodystyle. The upcoming A3's US engine lineup has not been announced. But European versions will have three four-cylinder powerplants. Two are gas-powered and make 140hp and 180hp. The last is a 150-hp turbodiesel. While European models will offer manual or automatic transmissions, US buyers will likely only get the automatic. Audi has not yet confirmed if it plans to keep the hatchback, or only offer the sedan.
How much:
Pricing is not yet official for the 2015 A3. We expect it to start near the current model's $28,000 base price.
When can you get it?
First quarter of 2015
Add it to your shopping list because...
The entry-level luxury segment is heating up, and the 2015 Audi A3 sedan looks like a worthy entrant. The front-wheel drive A3 sedan offers Audi's stylish MMI interface for nearly all controls. It also boasts a bold look, complete with Audi's signature LED headlights. Interior options range from cloth seats to leather and alcantara. That means value-conscious drivers don't have to splurge, while luxury buyers can also be satisfied. And despite its small engines, the A3 is no slouch: 0-to-60 takes 7.3 seconds with the top-level 180hp engine. For drivers who still aren't convinced, a 300-hp S3 sedan is also on the way.
Other cars to consider:
Buick Verano: Buick's smallest car is a four-door sedan based on the Chevrolet Cruze. While it may not boast Audi's brand cachet, it starts at just $24,000. And it's now available with a 250-hp turbo engine, which is more powerful than the A3 or the Mercedes CLA.
Lexus CT 200h: it may not be as sporty as the A3, but the CT 200h is certainly a rival. While it starts around $33,000, it comes very well-equipped. And since it's a hybrid, the CT 200h offers drivers a big savings at the pump.
Mercedes Benz CLA: the CLA is the A3's biggest competitor. It's also a small, front-wheel-drive luxury sedan. It also offers a performance variant, the CLA45 AMG. And it, too, will start under $30,000.
Used Audi A4: if the A3 sedan doesn't offer enough room - or enough zip - there's always the A4. While a new A4 starts above $33,000, used models are much closer to the A3's base price. And like the A3, they offer Audi cachet - and those signature LEDs.


text:
CARLSBAD -- After a decade of struggles to assuage environmentalists, raise almost $1 billion and win permits, Poseidon Resources Group will finally answer a critical question: is converting seawater to drinking water a profitable venture in the U.S. when there are cheaper options?
The developer of water infrastructure projects began site work last month on the Carlsbad desalination plant, the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
When completed in 2016, the facility 33 miles north of San Diego each day will create 54 million gallons of drinking water after drawing it from the salty Pacific Ocean.
Bankrolled by a $922 million JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM)-led, public-private bond offering -- the biggest U.S. project financing deal of 2012 -- Carlsbad's chances of success are aided by a 30-year agreement with San Diego's water authority to buy water from the plant.
If successful, the project could become a model for how to ease a growing water crunch.
"Its success is going to prevent desal from slowing down," said Tom Pankratz, a Houston-based editor of the Water Desalination Report. "It's going to eliminate one of the hurdles to projects that are being considered."
Desalination provides about 50 percent of municipal water in such places as Saudi Arabia, and reverse-osmosis plants including Poseidon's filter out salt from Spain to China.
Yet until the current U.S. drought, the country has been slower to develop large-scale desalination plants producing at least 20 million gallons of purified ocean water a day.
'Last resort'
That's because in the Middle East, desalinated water is often the "core" or at least half of the domestic supply, while in such places as the United States, Spain and Australia, it's "marginal, or the supply of last resort," less than 10 percent in most instances, said Maxime Serrano Bardisa, a water analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) in London.
As the Carlsbad plant starts to emerge from near Agua Hedionda lagoon by NRG Energy Inc.'s Encina power station, Poseidon is pushing for a similar-sized desalination facility of about 50 million gallons an hour's drive north in Huntington Beach.
If both are built, each will surpass in size the Tampa Bay reverse-osmosis desalination facility in Florida to become the largest seawater-purifying plant in the U.S., said Alasdair Wilson, a BNEF analyst.
San Diego must buy
Under terms of Poseidon's partnership, San Diego County's water authority will buy at least 40,000 acre-feet of drinking water stripped of sea salt and sediment, enough for 80,000 single-family homes, over the next three decades.
That supply, sufficient for about 7 percent of the 3.2 million residents in the region, gives the San Diego area a buffer from water shortages, its mayor said.
It also shelters Stamford, Conn.-based Poseidon and its backers from risks including demand shortfalls and uncompleted construction.
"You have to give Poseidon credit for getting this permitted," said Jeff Moser, executive director of the National Water Research Institute in Fountain Valley, Calif.
The company faced concerns about how the deal would be financed, disagreements over terms and costs of the water supply agreement and criticism from environmentalists about the output of salt in the energy-intensive filtering process damaging marine life offshore.
Most of the plant's discharge will be diluted so the salinity doesn't impact sea-life.
Upfront funding
Poseidon's partnership with the water authority may also help the company succeed after a similar deal failed a decade ago, leaving a partially-built plant in Tampa.
This time, Poseidon has upfront funding from an infrastructure firm and a contractor experienced in building similar plants.
Poseidon was unable to secure financing for the Tampa Bay desalination facility in 2002 after early construction began.
The city's water authority ultimately bought Poseidon's interest in the project.
"Parallels between what happened in Tampa and our project now are tenuous at best," Poseidon Chief Financial Officer Andy Kingman said.
The failure to finance and build the smaller facility in Tampa Bay isn't relevant beyond providing lessons learned and history, the CFO said.
Israeli experience
A contractor with the seawater desalination background that Israel's IDE Technologies Ltd. brings to the project wasn't available a decade ago, Kingman said.
"Having someone right in the middle of it who has experience not only designing them but also running them was important," he said.
IDE, co-owned by Israel Chemicals and Delek Group Ltd., has a $500 million contract to provide maintenance with Poseidon for 30 years.
Its project works include the Ashkelon and Hadera desalination plants in Israel.
The upfront financing from the bond offering, combined with the water supply agreement, may provide a model across California, which has 12 desalination plants under consideration, according to Sandy Kerl, deputy general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority.
"Everyone's been interested in looking at what our water purchase agreement looked like, and how this went," Kerl said.
Under terms of the 200-page agreement, with 300 pages of technical appendices, residents will pay about $5 to $7 a month more for the county to add desalinated water to its supply and build a pipeline to help deliver it, Kerl said.
'Well-structured deal'
"It is a well-structured deal with appropriate risk-sharing between the public sector and the private sector," said Trent Vichie, a senior managing director at Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners in New York, which made the private equity investment.
"We look for assets that have essential uses and this fits the bill," he said.
The 6-acre Carlsbad site abuts the Encina power station owned by NRG (NYSE: NRG), the second-largest independent power-producer in the U.S. after Calpine Corp. (NYSE: CPN), whose 400-foot smokestack looms over beaches frequented by surfers.
Once built, the water purification facility will depend on power from Encina.
Desalinated water is similar in cost to other new water sources in the San Diego Area such as brackish or recycled water, Kerl said.
The county's water authority did a study and found that in the San Diego area the cost of desalinated water was comparable to other new local options.
In Huntington Beach, where Poseidon's proposed desalination plant has attracted interest from Orange County water agencies, residents and environmental groups have been watching the Carlsbad process.
Potential risks
Coastkeeper, which primarily monitors environmental issues, reviewed both the controls to protect marine life and the financial structure of the deal, said Ray Heimstra, associate director at Orange County Coastkeeper.
Because the state is considering new regulations for desalination plants, the Carlsbad plant may face retrofitting costs, he said.
His Coastkeeper branch, which oversees the Huntington Beach area, said it's concerned about avoiding that potential risk in a water-purchase agreement.
Backers of the Carlsbad plant say the agreement and risk-sharing should shield the county and investors from retrofitting costs for a project that's creating about 2,300 jobs.
Their water price can go up no more than 30 percent during the contract, and is capped at 10 percent in any one year, Poseidon's Kingman said.
While potential changes to the system required by regulation may cost as much as $200 million in capital, he said, the shared risk will protect consumer rates.
'Negotiated balance'
"It was a fair, negotiated balance of the risk that they have and the risk that we have," he said.
All new water supplies -- recycled water, brackish water and desalinated water -- will be about twice the cost for current supplies, Kerl said.
The cost increase will buy the area access to a water source that's not sensitive to regulatory changes in Washington or Sacramento, where political leanings could shift dam operations and local water supplies, she said.
The company's decade-long permitting efforts resulted in a partnership that could serve as a model for Florida, Texas and California, Poseidon said. "It's always been a needed project," Kingman said.
The plant will show whether making salt water potable is viable in the U.S. given that cheaper alternatives exist, said Heather Cooley, co-director of the Pacific Institute water program in Oakland, Calif.
For now, across four-lane Carlsbad Boulevard from Carlsbad State Beach by a road lined by vehicles, many with surfboards mounted to roofs, the beach teems with surfers drawn to the warm-water jetties -- heated discharges from Encina's power plant.
All contents herein copyright San Diego Source ® 1994-2018


text:
Habit Rouge
After-shave lotion
Elegance is the ultimate freedom
Bottle 100 ML
Indisponible -
As essential complements to the fragrance, the Habit Rouge bath and body line products impart a feeling of comfort and freshness, while subtly perfuming the skin. Energetic and bracing, the after-shave lotion underscores the inimitable trail of the Habit Rouge Eau de Toilette.
Its scent, Habit Rouge, was the first oriental fragrance for men in perfumery. From the moment of its launch, this tribute to Guerlain's passion for the dressage of horses created an element of surprise with its scents of sensual and bold vanilla.
Dynamic, passionate, audacious.
Bitterness becomes freshness, playing on refined harmonies of lime and bitter orange. Its spicy, sophisticated heart, warmed by patchouli, rests on a base where leather mellows under the creamy caress of benzoin and vanilla with a rebellious touch.
The bath and body line products fill your bathroom with the scent of Habit Rouge for ultimate refinement. Its trail enchants your morning.


text:
Jason Alexander Reveals 30-lb Weight Loss (and Much More) in Unique Jenny Craig National Commercial
Skipping the 'mankini', the Award-winning Actor performs a big musical number in his national reveal
CARLSBAD, Calif. // PRNewswire // -- Jenny Craig, Inc., one of the nation's leading authorities on weight management, announced today Jason Alexander has achieved his weight loss goal of 30 lbs.* The award-winning actor, who has starred in television, theater and film, celebrates his weight loss in a surprise song-and-dance musical national spot for Jenny Craig.
Following in Jenny Craig spokesperson Valerie Bertinelli's footsteps, Alexander dares to get into a bikini. "Throughout this campaign, Valerie has been taunting me to get into a bikini, or as she calls it, a 'mankini'. I thought, forget the mankini, if I lose the weight, let's take it all off!" joked Alexander. "With every diet I've ever tried, the first 10 pounds were always easy, and then they would come right back. Jenny Craig's program is the first one that helped me reach my goal. So, why not celebrate a little?"
In the humorous spot, Alexander shocks Bertinelli with a revealing Broadway-style musical number featuring six professional dancers. "I couldn't stop laughing in the rehearsals! I was losing my voice because I was having so much fun. He looks amazing, and he definitely got one over me. He came up with this spot, and it's brilliant! A lot of people forget he's a Tony Award winner. It's really fun," said Bertinelli.
In the spot, Alexander sings:
"Take a look, drink it in...
I was fat – now I'm thin!
Val said the bikini was the ultimate call
But who needs a bikini?
I'm baring it all!"
Jason admits he was ready to make a change in his life after carrying the extra 30 pounds on his frame for the past 20 years. "When I turned 50 last September, my teenage son asked me if I was going to be around when he turned 50 someday. That question helped me realize that if I didn't make significant changes, I might not be. It took me 50 years to learn bad habits and put the weight on, and it only took three months to learn good habits and lose weight with Jenny Craig. This has been good for me. It's made a big difference in my life," said Alexander.
"Jason is an example of a large population of men who are facing similar health and emotional issues with weight and we hope Jason will serve as an inspiration for men across the country," said Patti Larchet, CEO for Jenny Craig. "We're thrilled for his success and we're excited to have him continue on our maintenance program. It's been a true pleasure to work with him."
With Jenny Craig, Alexander lost 30 lbs in 18 weeks*. The Jenny Craig commercial debuts nationally on Monday, May 17.
*Clients following the Jenny Craig program, on average, lose 1-2 pounds per week.
About Jenny Craig
Jenny Craig offers a comprehensive Food-Body-Mind program designed to help clients manage their weight by creating a healthy relationship with food, building an active lifestyle and developing a balanced approach to living.
With its tailored YourStyle® program, Jenny Craig is committed to a personalized approach to weight loss by offering each client a one-on-one weekly consultation and a customized weight management plan designed to optimize individual success. With more than 80 delicious Jenny's Cuisine™ menu items, Jenny Craig's program is available in-centre and our at-home program, Jenny Craig At Home.
Jenny Craig, Inc., based in Carlsbad, CA, is one of the world's largest weight management companies, with more than 700 company-owned and franchised Centres in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico.
About Jason Alexander
George Costanza, the character created by versatile actor/writer/director Jason Alexander, has been dubbed by Entertainment Weekly as one of the "Best Television Sidekicks of All Time" (#3 actually, behind Robin and Tonto). The hapless, everyman that he played for nine seasons on NBC's "Seinfeld" garnered him six Emmy and four Golden Globe nominations. The Screen Actors Guild went one step higher and knighted him "Best Actor in a Comedy Series," despite his role as a supporting actor, and he led a TV Guide Readers and Critics Poll that named him one of the top 10 characters in TV history.
But there is more to this man than one iconic role.
Fifteen years before "Seinfeld," Jason was building a career that would include performing a Tony Award-winning role in Jerome Robbin's Broadway as well as appearing in major film and television projects. His notable Broadway debut came in Hal Prince and Stephen Sondheim's 1981 musical production of Merrily We Roll Along. In quick succession, he starred in productions of Forbidden Broadway, The Rink, Neil Simon's Broadway Bound, Personals, and the sensational thriller, Accomplice, to name a few. After winning the Tony, Jason went on to leading roles in films like Pretty Woman, Jacob's Ladder, Love Valor Compassion, and Shallow Hal.
Jason has been a staple of television viewing far beyond his years on "Seinfeld." He starred on the series "Everything's Relative," "E.R.," and "Listen Up." His television films include Bye Bye Birdie and The Man Who Saved Christmas. He has guested on numerous shows and specials and has also directed episodes of Seinfeld, Everybody Hates Chris and Criminal Minds, as well as an award-winning Brad Paisley music video and two feature films.
Currently, he is traveling the country in the one man show, The Donny Clay Experience, an original show he created with Peter Tilden billed as a "hilarious spoof of motivational speakers in an evening of laughter, music, and personal growth."
SOURCE Jenny Craig, Inc.


text: Fully loaded with all the best interfaces - eSATA 3Gbits, FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 - this all-in-one professional hard disk offers universal connectivity for PC and Mac users. For easy setup, the LaCie Setup Assistant helps format according to your needs. The unique, fanless aluminum heat sink design with 60 % more surface area for heat dissipation keeps it quiet and safe. With the LaCie Shortcut Button, easily launch any application in one push. Perfect for digital content creation, audio / video editing, DVD authoring, and web animation, etc., the d2 Quadra can handle multiple demanding professional tasks. It can be daisy-chained via FireWire or connected to your DV camera and is even bootable in FireWire for Mac and in eSATA for Mac / PC.


text:
Mack Granite Model Named Best Selling Conventional Straight Truck
As the industry standard for reliability and sturdiness, the Mack Granite outsold every other heavy-duty conventional straight truck in America last year. Customizable in a wide choice of mixer and dump truck variations, the Granite model features roll-off, rear-loader refuse and snowplow options. This truck, built in the U.S.A., meets the highest requirements of performance, […]Read more


text:
A Peek into Celebrity Closets
Sometimes you want to put practicality aside and not think about space saving solutions or paring down your wardrobe. Sometimes you just want to dream about being rich, beautiful and famous, with a closet that is filled with color-coordinated designer names and goes on for infinity.
I hope celebrity closet envy is a productive way to spend your time, because I could spend hours looking at these pictures, scouring the details. It must be wonderful to wake up and stroll into a closet that strongly resembles a Bloomingdale's and look great in all of the clothes.
• Jessica Alba: I love Jessica Alba's hats on display. It makes them accessible and creates a nice little vignette.
• Christina Aguilera: The fact that she needs a ladder to get to her clothes says it all.
• Miley Cyrus: The hot pink, black chandeliers and houndstooth chair are a fun youthful mix. It's easy to imagine an outfit montage in that mirror.
• Eva Longoria: Her closet is meticulously organized, yet still feels amazingly casual. I just hope that dog doesn't shed.
• Oprah Winfrey: Where does it end? Where does it begin? Why is there a TV in her closet? Because she's Oprah.
Images: 1. OMG 2. Vue Society 3. Polka Dots and Puppies 4. Med Student Barbie Blog 5. Mizztissa


text:
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division agents have arrested a Hardeeville man in connection with the May 11 double homicide of Desmond Brown, 25, of Hardeeville, and Octavia Scott, 26, of Bluffton.
Bernard Jenkins, 19, of 1014 Jenkins Ave., was charged Wednesday with two counts of murder. Jenkins was booked at the Jasper County Detention Center.
In June, Jenkins was arrested on a bench warrant for failing to appear in court for burgulary charges.
Hardeeville Police Chief Richard Nagy declined Wednesday to provide a motive because the investigation remains active.
"A case with this magnitude and seriousness was a long process," Nagy said. "We talked to numerous people and worked on piecing it all together with forensic evidence. When the evidence was completed, then we were in position to move ahead to get the warrant."
The arrest was the result of a joint investigation conducted by Hardeeville Police Department and SLED. The case will be prosecuted by the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor's Office.
Steve Murphy of the solicitor's office said Wednesday that no information about the date of the case could be released.
Bernard Jenkins is the son of Lt. Jimmy Jenkins of the Jasper County Sheriff's Office. Jasper County Sheriff Greg Jenkins did not respond to a request for comment.
On May 11, the bodies of Brown and Scott were found in a ditch on the dirt portion of Purrysburg Road beside a borrowed car that had struck a large pine tree. The car was described by police as a 2007 Infiniti four-door sedan. Emergency personnel were initially called to the scene for a car wreck with bodies on the ground.
Jasper County Coroner Martin Sauls said in May that both deaths were caused by gunshot wounds to the head and that the victims' deaths were instantaneous.


text:
2010 Comp Submissions
It's that time of year again. We're now accepting submissions for the 2010 Compilation! All genres encouraged! Submit your track by February 28th, 2010
Buy the 2009 Comp
Get it online from CD Baby or at record stores around Portland such as Music Millenium, Jackpot Records, Everyday Music, and many more!
Online Friendliness
Follow our updates on Twitter: twitter.com/pdxpopnow
Friend us on MySpace
Friend us on Facebook
Want to be a part of PDX Pop Now! 2009? Get in touch with our volunteer coordinator here.
Join our mailing list
OPB Music proudly supports PDX Pop Now's year-round programming.
Our Mission
PDX Pop Now! is dedicated to stimulating and expanding participation in Portland music. As an all-volunteer organization committed to being accessible, current, and local, we provide and support live performances and recorded materials. We aspire to advance a sustainable community which values inclusivity and a high caliber of artistry to enable a creative dialogue between artist and audience.
Festival Videos
Checkout videos of PDX Pop Now! events on YouTube.
Festival Photos
Here are some photos taken at past PDX Pop Now! festivals and events. If you have some you'd like to add, please chuck them into our Flickr group.
Click here for t-shirts! Whee!
Support PDX POP NOW! Make a PayPal donation today.
100% of the money you give goes to support all of our activities.
PDX Pop Now! Accepting Compilation Submissions, Hosts Volunteer Meeting and Unveils More Details On Karaoke Benefit
09:21PM on Thursday January 07, 2010
It's the start of a very busy new year for PDX POP NOW!
Comp submissions now being accepted
Musicians interested in submitting music for consideration for inclusion on the compilation, can make a submission online through an mp3 upload. The submission form can be filled out online, though it will need to be printed, signed and mailed to PDX Pop Now! to complete the submission. Artists can still opt to mail in CDs of their music submissions if they prefer. See the top of the side bar for all of the details.
2010 Volunteer Meeting
The first PDX Pop Now! volunteer meeting of the year will be held at 7pm on Tuesday, Jan. 12, at Backspace (115 Northwest 5th Avenue). This will be an opportunity for all those interested to learn about all of the different volunteer opportunities including festival volunteering, compilation listening committee, booking committee and sponsorship committee. If you are unable to make the meeting or have any questions, contact Hannah Rosenau, Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer [at] pdxpopnow [dot] com.
Pop Night!
As previously announced, PDX Pop Now! is hosting the second annual Pop Night! at Voicebox Karaoke (2112 Northwest Hoyt Street). The event will be open to all ages on Thursday, January 28 from 6:00 – 9:00pm and then will be an over 21 event from 9:00 until close. Admission is $8 and all proceeds benefit PDX Pop Now! As a special treat, there will be karaoke tracks from some of our favorite Portland bands!
Give! to PDX Pop Now! so you can dance all night to DEELAY CEELAY!
05:17PM on Friday December 18, 2009
January 15th, at Berbati's, come dance for joy at how awesome you Give!Guide donors are. The only way to guarantee entrance to the party with Deelay Ceelay and a super secret Special Guest, is to donate $25 to PDX Pop Now! through Willamette Week Give!Guide. Get your tickets by donating now. See you at the Dance Party!
PDX Pop Now! in the Willamette Week Give!Guide!
08:20PM on Wednesday November 11, 2009
For the first time ever, supporters of PDX Pop Now! have a chance to show their love by making a tax deductible contribution to PDX Pop Now! through the Willamette Week Give!Guide.
Donations through the Give!Guide are accepted November 11 – December 31.
The best part is, all donations through the Give!Guide come with great incentive prizes provided by PDX Pop Now! and the Willamette Week.
Britt Daniel | The Robinsons | IOA Play to a Sold Out Crowd
12:00AM on Tuesday November 03, 2009
On Thursday, October 29, Britt Daniel of Spoon played a benefit for PDX Pop Now! to a sold out crowd along with The Robinsons and IOA at Mississippi Studios.
Proceeds from the event will help PDX Pop Now! continue it's commitment to Portland's music community.
Thanks to everyone who attended and especially to the musicians, the wonderful people at Mississippi Studios and our media sponsors OPBMusic.org.
Photos by Tyler Kolhoff
Britt Daniel Benefit Show October 29
06:18PM on Monday October 19, 2009
Britt Daniel (of Spoon)
The Robinsons (of Viva Voce)
IOA (of Point Juncture, WA)
Thursday, October 29 | Mississippi Studios
8 p.m. Doors
Tickets available at mississippistudios.com.
All proceeds benefit PDX Pop Now! and help guarantee the future of the annual PDX Pop Now! festival, local music compilation, school shows, and more!
Sponsored by OPBMusic.org