text:
linmagau.org: Kaboodle/Noatun vs XMMS
There's a story (print version) on linmagau.org reviewing sound quality between Noatun, Kaboodle and XMMS. Not surprisingly, Noatun and Kaboodle come out on top, with the author stating that "I'd recommend the Noatun/Kaboodle solution to most audiophiles and people with decent sound gear." Unfortunately, the author didn't take the time to discover some of the other features and plugins that make Noatun a better all around player. An interesting, if audio-centric, read.
[Ed: Of course, this is really a review of aRts, KDE Multimedia and all those Open Source audio libraries involved. Noatun, Kaboodle and even XMMS win automatically.]
So Kaboodle/Noatun actually work now? I've got the versions that come with KDE 3.1.1a and niether player will play any files. wheather they are mp3, ogg, mod, it, midi, mpg, avi, even wavs won't play. I've tried the Kabbodle with 3.0, 3.1 and 3.1.1a, and the only time Noatun played any files was back when I had KDE 2.*, and even then it was fairly unstable.
By Thomas Fjellstrom at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Cool!
>KDE 3.1.1a and niether player will play any files. wheather they are mp3, ogg, >mod, it, midi, mpg, avi, even wavs won't play.
Do you actually have a soundcard? ;-)
I don't know why kaboodle shouldn't play for you. Does anything else work? (i.e. xmms for example) otherwise you have serious hardware/driver problems
By Unai at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Cool!
Har Har ;) Good one though :)
Yup. Have an SBLive! Value, (and a builtin AC97 thing, usually disabled), arts is usually running, XMMS, Xine, Mplayer all work with the OSS and/or ALSA drivers, KDE's startup sound even plays. But noatun hasn't worked since 2.* (and then It'd crash most of the time) As for kaboodle, I try and play a file... Ok, scratch that, I tried just starting kaboodle and using the file -> open command and Whoop! That worked, Ok.. Now I'm confused. :( I retried Kaboodle launched from Konqeror (I'm pretty sure thats all I've ever tried before) and it worked too.. Maybe it was just the Debian 3.1 version[s] I used to use. Possible, that whole install was a mess. Same goes for Noatun :( I tried testing it again, just to see how foolish I can look ;) It works all of a sudden. heh.
I'm somewhat impressed with the Gentoo packages now. Things are faster, and more reliable :o
Sory to post such a negative message!
By Thomas Fjellstrom at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Yay, I won. Well, not really. Two problems here.
1. Jim Blomo is right. John Knight was wrong to say that Kaboodle and Noatun sound the same. Kaboodle is the generic one-shot player. Noatun is the optimized music player. Given some effort with the Noatun equalizer and plugins, Noatun should *always* sound better for music playback than Kaboodle.
2. Why would audiophiles use lossy compressed music?
3. This was really a review of mpeglib, the mpeg decoder library that ships with kdemultimedia. That player with the horrid, horrid UI could sound just as good as Kaboodle if an mpeglib plugin were written for it, too.
4. To all you people complaining about the software not working, get a better packager. If you're trusting SuSE, Mandrake, Red Hat, Debian, or FreeBSD, you're not getting a good kdemultimedia.
By Neil Stevens at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Review
>To all you people complaining about the software not working, get a better
What about us who use cvs? Are we getting the good kdemultimedia by default, or should we compile/add/change/tune something else?
I saw that there are some plugins in kdemultimedia that are not compiled by default right now. Should we, or should we not use them?
By Unai at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Review
You do not want to compile the two kdemultimedia arts plugins that are disabled. Those were efforts started when mpeglib didn't work on FreeBSD, and those efforts were aborted when mpeglib was made more portable. I don't think the plugins ever did get stabilized.
By Neil Stevens at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Review
>2. Why would audiophiles use lossy compressed music?
Because Noatun doesn't play FLAC. http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=54394
This means that I only use XMMS, as no KDE apps will play my FLAC files.
By Blue at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Bit more to add
Heh, I started with two points and ended with four, swell.
Just a followup to the packaging issue: If you're trusting Red Hat, you're not even getting mpeg 1 layer 3 audio playback at all! Now that Red Hat has applied for its own software patents (on portions of Linux in fact), Red Hat has decided to play ball with the rest of the software patent world, starting with honoring the mp3 patents.
By Neil Stevens at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
I still like XMMS
It seems to react much "snappier" to me. And I still don't like that arts-stuff.
By RJ at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: I still like XMMS
This one makes the work easier. Well, I really do things like
md mycd
Until now the names are like track01.initials.wav
I enter the tag and afterwards I use the renamer: %a -%n- %b %t or something similar :-)
If you just knew how many cddb entries don't match my needs....
Have fun :-)
By Christian Schug... at Sun, 2003/05/04 - 5:00am
If you're looking for management software, look at JuK (or for that matter one of the dozen organizers on apps.kde.com). It's in KDE CVS and will be released as part of 3.2 or 1.1 is available at http://www.slackorama.net/oss/juk/.
JuK does tagging, playlist organization, search, tag data guessing, will soon have MusicBrainz support (for looking up meta-data information by using a sample of the audio and comparing it to a database), oh, and it plays stuff too. ;-)
(Ok, and to come clean, yes, I am the author plugging my own software. ;-) )
By Scott Wheeler at Mon, 2003/05/05 - 5:00am
But I think that noatun is the most crappiest player I have used. It crashes, hard to use for newbies, and doesn't even know how to do streaming (PLS) right!
I asked few of out local Linux group who uses KDE all the time - NONE of them liked noatun, and all of them are using XMMS now..
Sorry, but if there's a crown for the most crappiest player that I spent lots of time trying to use it - is noatun.
No offence charles...
By Hetz h.dyndns.o... at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Sorry
Let me just add a 'me too' to that. aRts sucks - it's inefficient, crashy, laggy, and skippy. Noatun sucks - it's hard to use, crashy, has a stupid default playlist, and has a rediculous obsession with plugins. Winamp uses plugins well - they are a good way to extend winamp's already good functionality without needing access to the closed source code. Noatun uses plugins poorly - they are redundant, badly designed UI wise, don't have a good set of base features to build on, and aren't really necessary in the first place since everyone has access to Noatun's source to add whatever feature their little heart desires. Plugins should not be used to implement an application's basic functionality. Plugins should only be used to separate out piddly little features that are only useful for a few people (such as an alarm or a thing to put your currently playing song into your IRC chats), so the rest of us don't have to load the extra bloat.
Oh, and let me also add that comparing two mp3 players on the basis of how they sound is rediculous. Especially when it is done by one guy who played all the songs himself, so he knew exactly where each song was being played. It's amazing what hogwash audiophiles will believe about their precious audio. Unless the decoders are buggy, the output of two different mp3 decoders is indistinguishable even in labratory conditions. If this was a comparison of the sound-enhancing plugins available for each program, that would make a little more sense. But comparing the sound of two players is just absurd.
By not me at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Sorry
I cannot agree more with you. Your are right concernig arts amd noatun. Noatun or kaboodle better than xmms? C'mon, give a break, XMMS _does_ support vorbis and mp3 streaming, for example. xmms is far older, and it shows, but noatun or kaboodle have a long way to go yet.
By Ricardo Galli at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Sorry
me too.
that article was a pretty lame way to make noatun look good.
there is something fundamentally wrong with noatun/arts even before you take into account how unstable they are.
By anon at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Sorry
Not only Noatun is a crappy player, it's a crappy name. Both are soo crappy, I barked each time I clicked on a song. Thank goodness for xmms.
By Booga blue at Sat, 2003/05/03 - 5:00am
Noatun skins
Why aren't there more skins fore Noatun on kde-look.org ?
By KDE User at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun skins
Because nobody actually uses Noatun, because it sucks. Everyone tries it for a while, and then figures out that they were much happier with xmms, and goes back. Want proof? Just look at the screenshots on kde-look.org, count how many feature xmms (nearly all of them), and how many feature Noatun (I've just gone and looked at 10 or so, and I didn't see any).
By not me at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun skins
Who let the trolls come out again
By mETz at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun skins
Don't know why you cosider this trolling.
By Michael at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun skins
Didn't find a reason in the text above
By mETz at Fri, 2004/01/16 - 6:00am
Re: Noatun skins
I don't think it's trolling at all.. simply, not many people use Noatun compared to xmms.
By lit at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun skins
If you are talking about the KJöfol skins this is probably because the original player who invented this format is dead.
By mETz at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
XMMS has the best search function I have ever seen
One of the main reasons why i use XMMS is that it has the best search function i have ever seen in a player:
the j key gives you a list where you can type the name of the song or of the artist and XMMS will list everything which contains letters you typed in!!
i find another player with this function i maybe will change the player...
and i can minimize XMMS and place it on the top of my screen in always on tope mode so i have it always available in front even if i have other programs maximized.
but i read something about the hayes playlist in the text above so i will check it out today and have a look at it.
By k8uenstler at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: XMMS has the best search function I have ever seen
Two words: JuK CVS
By Daniel Molkentin at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: XMMS has the best search function I have ever
Two words: Bloated Application.
By tomato at Sat, 2003/05/03 - 5:00am
Re: XMMS has the best search function I have ever seen
>i find another player with this function i maybe will change the player...
Well I think winamp first had this feature, but I guess you aren't going to switch to that ;) Seriously, though, this is a nice feature and I would like to see it in one of the playlists (preferably Hayes since that's the one I mainly use).
>and i can minimize XMMS and place it on the top of my screen in always on >tope mode so i have it always available in front even if i have other >programs maximized.
I would suggest the Young Hickory and Keyz plugins to implement this functionality. Young Hickor will dock noautn in your panel so you can have it available even when other programs are maximized. Keyz lets you bind keys for many things, including Forward, Play/Pause, and Back. This way you can access noatun without even switch apps.
BTW, these plugins are only so usefull because noatun has the ability to use plugins for some of its core functions. (That was more in reply to one of the above posts about plugins).
By Jim Blomo at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: XMMS has the best search function I have ever
XMMS is very usuable, just hide the Windowm make it sticky (or not) and use the gamepad (/dev/js3 for me) or gkrellm-Plugin to navigate.
And I can use all WinAmp2.x-skins but I really miss skins without corners like in ZINF or that crappy (hardly readable) one in Noatun.
By Christian Schug... at Sun, 2003/05/04 - 5:00am
Differences in decoding?
Why are there differences in decoding mp3s at all? Unless I am missing something, they should all sound the same, and if they don't, one or more of them are buggy. I can easily believe the reviewer conned himself into hearing differences where there were none, especially if it wasn't a double-blind test.
On the subject of artsd, it has never worked well for me, ranging from stupid amounts of CPU usage, to hanging the audio programs I use, to crashing completely, to failing to compile altogether. The first thing I do after installing KDE is disable artsd.
XMMS wins on audio quality for me every time. That's because it's the only one that supports FLAC, the non-lossy codec that has recently been adopted by the Ogg project.
Every single KDE player I have used has seemed buggy, hideous, or lacking in features to me. For instance, noatun crashed on startup every time I tried it until recently. I've just loaded it up, and it doesn't look impressive at all compared to XMMS, loads of wasted space, badly thought-out toolbars (why on earth is the first toolbar icon a quit button, when I can just close the window? Why are there separate play/pause buttons?).
I would much rather use a KDE player than XMMS, because I dislike the gtk dialogs, and don't like the way loading files into the playlist completely blocks the UI. But KDE audio has always seemed to me to be a botched job. I hope this changes, but I'm not very hopeful.
By Jim Dabell at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Differences in decoding?
Arts uses splay as decoder, xmms uses mpg123. xmms also does a lot of post-processing, like the volume slider, equalizer and so on. There is a lot of potential for rouding errors and similar things, so it's not surprising that there can be differences.
Audio and especially video is still immature on free systems... in one or two years things will look better..
By Tim Jansen at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Differences in decoding?
1. xmms doesn't do any post-processing itself related to the volume slider, it simply sets the sound card's hardware mixer volume. Noatun (or aRts) does do post-processing to adjust the volume in addition to the sound card's hardware mixer, thus introducing the possibility of more rounding error. If anything, Noatun loses here. (but in reality, not audiophile-land, any rounding error would be far too small to hear)
2. The guy specifically said in the article that he disabled all mixers and extra plugins to compare the sound of the players directly.
3. mpg123 is an excellent mp3 decoder, agreeing with other good mp3 decoders up to the last bit of precision in decoded samples (http://mp3decoders.mp3-tech.org/objective.html). If splay is different enough from mpg123 to hear the difference in a listening test, that means that splay is horribly buggy.
Anyone who believes that Kaboodle/Noatun sounds "better" than xmms when playing mp3s with all equalizers and sound processing plugins disabled is only decieving themselves, as audiophiles often do.
By not me at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Differences in decoding?
In what context is video immature on free systems? For playing DivX files, I have a lot easier time then my friends who use Windows since they have to go download various codecs from all over the place. On Linux, install mplayer (and kplayer or kmplayer of course), and it supports everything (except some new .mov files like the Animatrix, since the audio codec isn't supported yet.) Weird problems like the video stopping and audio continuing are not uncommon on Windows. And the Linux players are better able to handle corrupt files in general. I think this is because whether you use mplayer or xine the developers feel responsible to have their players play as many type of files as possible and well. None of the players in Windows really seem to have this ethic, they just wrap around the Windows Media system for playing codecs.
By Ian at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Differences in decoding?
1. MPlayer (the current generation) is very focused on playing and simple recording, you cant do anything else with it. Like writing a video conferencing tool or a video editor... or, like iTunes does, broadcast streams to other computers. There is also no API, so an application can't really control the video and you can't, for example, get meta-information about files or just analyse them (file length etc). This is why KMPlayer is quite limited and not very responsive. MPlayer is a fine hack that solves the most urgent immediate problems, but it is not a long-term solution for video
By Tim Jansen at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
What do you know?!?
I've tried using Noatun and Kaboodle since the KDE 2.x days and have never been able to get them to play. Everything else seemed to work but not these two. I also always had difficulty navigating the interface so, I figured it could be me or it could be the app. Either way, I had no worries with other players so I just abandoned Noatun and Kaboodle.
I'm using KDE 3.1.1 now and after reading this article I thought I'd give them another bash. As before, I had trouble with the interface. I opened, or tried to open, a local MP3 three times and it kept saying it was trying to play a .ram stream form the internet. It really didn't seem to be doing anything. On the fourth attempt I found the playlist which was FULL of stuff that I don't know where it came from. Mostly internet URLs. I found the MP3s I had just tried to open three times at the bottom of the play list and when I selected it, low and behold I finally got sound out of Noatun. Gleefully I jiggered around a bit with plugins and the equalizer. The equalizer, though basic, seemed to work but, plugins immediately disabled my sound.
After listening to a track, I decided to compare the sound with XMMS. I had expected an MP3 played on the same hardware to sound identical, regardless of the player. To my surprise, it was immediately apparent that they sounded very different indeed. In this case XMMS was noticably superior in sound quality. I can't really explain why except for the possibility that XMMS is using OSS and Noatun is using aRTS, I dunno.
Anyway, I am willing to concede that different people will like different things. For some Noatun will be the choice player while for others it will be something else. But, I do think that there is something in this thread that seems to be share by the majority of people. That is, a general dislike for the Notatun interface. It seems that there are a lot of people who do not like it and/or find it difficult to navigate, myself included. It does not seem intuitive and or easy to use.
Of course my opinion is as subjective as anyone else's but, as there seems to be a general consensus that the interface is bad, and since KDE is all about interface and ease of use, perhaps the developers may wish to re-examin the interface design.
By Nobody Cares at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Noatun without arts?
Ok, the subject may sound trollish but I'm serious.
The article had me trying Noatun once again and it's unusable due to arts; arts uses more than 2% cpu on my athlonxp 1800 compared to 0.1% for xmms and even if that numbers are not correct (xmms using cpu-power some other way too, etc) it *feels* like they're correct.
I'm currently compiling in the background and noatun skips every no and then or when I'm switching windows, desktops or even doing nothing. It's annoying like hell, we're not talking about mpeg4 in 1024x768 with 2000kbit but about mp3s!
If it's somehow possible to use Noatun without arts I'd probably use it (k-jofol is cool =) but with arts it's simply junk
By ? at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun without arts?
> arts uses more than 2% cpu on my athlonxp 1800 compared to 0.1% for xmms and even if that numbers are not correct (xmms using cpu-power some other way too, etc) it *feels* like they're correct.
Yeah, that makes it unusable for me too. I mean, really... if I use artsd my CPU only idles 98% of the time instead of the usual 99.9%...
No, what makes artsd unusable for me is the fact that it **sucks ass**. It has absolutely friggin' horrendous responsiveness rendering it completely useless for anything but the most trivial of applications (ie. playing a "ding" whenever an error occurs). Even switching songs in XMMS/aRts is annoying because of the .250s (or whatever) delay. All sound servers are evil, with the possible exception of JACK which has very good responsiveness, but unfortunately lacks application support.
By i think not at Sat, 2003/05/03 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun without arts?
Same question. my arts crashes sometimes ([email protected]). And it seems pointless have arts only for naotun. Can't use xmms, because it skips sometimes (mplayer, xine etc have no problem, so it's not a alsa problem). So I discovered noatun to be good substitute. Except, can i use it without arts?
By Fox at Thu, 2004/10/28 - 5:00am
Noatun Interface (look and feel) stinks
I like noatun and it sounds great esp. with "extra stereo and other effects". But Noatun Interface is very ancient, somewhere in 1980s... When usability did not matter...
Look at windows media player 9. It sounds bad but wmp's Interface and playlist option is very nice. and even other things like effects, settings are more sanely placed. Noatun must be a integrated Multimedia Player...Noatun is very cumbersome to use... It should have a new interface. neither I like kjofol, xmms, etc plugins for noatun...
But Ugliness rules in KDE...
By Rizwaan at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun Interface (look and feel) stinks
WMP is by far the most ugly and unusable thing I've ever used so your points can't be taken serious at all. A stupid app (WMP) that cannot even easily save a playlist file somewhere.
By mETz at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun Interface (look and feel) stinks
In addition to agreeing with Metz's statements, I'm not sure how you consider XMMS's interface to be that great. Try asking a new user to open the playlist. How quickly will they see the tiny button marked with "PL"? How about getting to options? Right clicking anywhere on the interface is not very clear way of accessing them. I think you are confusing fancy looking with good interface.
That being said, one may like the interface provided my XMMS because it looks cool/they are used to it/it looks like winamp. That's why noatun is able to use other interfaces to suit your desires. You can use winamp skins. You can use kjofol skins. You can use no window and just keep it docked.
By Jim Blomo at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun Interface (look and feel) stinks
I like in XMMS that you can right click and choose "Select Directory." My files are all organized in a Genre/Album (sometimes Genre/Artist/Album) directory structure, and I like to listen to whole albums at a time. Granted, in Noatun I can choose "Open..." and just select all the files in a directory. All the noatun playlist's are a little bulky that I've seen, but I can see the UI advantages it has over XMMS I suppose. I use the Winamp skin in noatun so it looks just like xmms. I wouldn't mind the simple Milk-Chocolate interface except you can't shade it up.
How do you have it just docked with no other UI?
When I used XMMS I actually used the arts output plugin. For some reason, straight OSS sound doesn't really work on my emu10k1 system. It sounds like its overpowering the speakers even when the speakers themselves are relatively quiet (there is a similar effect when I turn up the Arts volume to around and above -15, I usually keep it about -24).
By Ian at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun Interface (look and feel) stinks
>My files are all organized in a Genre/Album (sometimes Genre/Artist/Album) >directory structure, and I like to listen to whole albums at a time.
You would definitly benefit from using the Hayes playlist by Neil Stevens. Ithas been discussed in previous threads, or you can see it directly at URL http://www.freekde.org/neil/hayes/.
>How do you have it just docked with no other UI?
When using Young Hickory, click on the icon in your dock. This toggles showing and hiding the main UI. (This is actually standard KDE behavior for items in the dock.). I'm not aware of any settings to make the UI hidden by default, although I suspect it is possible using DCOP. Cheers,
By Jim Blomo at Sun, 2003/05/04 - 5:00am
I use XMMS with aRts
It rocks. For all those of you saying aRts is unstable, well it hasn't crashed a single time for me and it multiplexes *all* my sound.
By KDE User at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Noatun systray icon
I was listening to xmms when I read the article. So, I stopped xmms and started to play the same stream in noatun. I have to agree with the writer: it sounds better than xmms.
So, I switched back to my browser, and noticed a flashing icon in my eye corner. Obviously something important was happening. But no: it was simply noatun telling me that it was doing what it was designed to do: play a media stream. Great.
I am NOT going to work 8 hour days watching a flashing icon in my systray.
I'm back with xmms again.
By Erik Hensema at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun systray icon
You can turn off the systray. And mine doesn't flash while playing, perhaps your using an older version? I seem to remember seeing some player do that at some point. I use Gentoo and KDE 3.1.1.
By Ian Monroe at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: Noatun systray icon
You can turn off the flashing/blinking and still have it in the tray.
By TomL at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
KDE's multimedia is just 80% from perfect
Personally I think both noatun/kaboodle and xmms/xine bindings are not even close to be a viable solution, I would prefer if those all would be replaced with kmplayer/kplayer combo that use mplayer as it has much more supported fileformats and works just great with kde-3.1+...
By nobody at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: KDE's multimedia is just 80% from perfect
Mplayer is a bit overall kill for playing mp3 files. I use kplayer for pretty much all video files, I wish it had a better playlist system though, for the 20 audio .wma's I have.
A mplayer-audio-only plugin for one of those players wouldn't be a bad idea, to pick up all those other formats.
By Ian Monroe at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am
Re: KDE's multimedia is just 80% from perfect
Yes it's an overkill but the point is that if mplayer would do all mpg/divx/mp3/aac/ogg etc. decoding/encoding (kmencoder sucks by the way as it bloats the memory) and have kmencoder used as konqueror plugin and kplayer as external (separate window) player would enable to dump whole bunch of binding code.
Hopefully kmplayer (why not kplayer too?!?) will be included to the kde-3.2 from kdeextragear-2... ;-)
And then just to get k3b (embedded for konqueror too?!?) from kdeextragear-1... Heh!
By nobody at Fri, 2003/05/02 - 5:00am


text:
The Associate Press is carrying the news, obtained via the Wall Street Journal, that Google is laying off 1,200 more Motorola folks. This amounts to about 10 percent of Google's still-somewhat-freshly acquired Motorola Mobility operating unit.
The last time we really touched base on Google and Motorola was back in October, when we noted that Motorola contributed significantly to Google's Q3 2012 earnings slide. Google had previously cut about 4,000 jobs on acquisition last August, and the latest round of cuts seems to reinforce Google's intent when acquiring Motorola in the first place: it's not the people or the products, it's the patents.
Once a dominant and innovative player in the cellular phone market, Motorola's Mobility division had almost a virtual license to print money with handsets like the iconic StarTAC and striking RAZR. Motorola Mobility's long rise to prominence brought with it an accretion of valuable patents (about 17,000 of them, in fact). Even as Motorola struggled to adapt and put out products in a smartphone-centric world, that patent portfolio made it attractive enough to motivate Google's purchase of the failing business unit.
Google's interest in Motorola Mobility's actual manufacturing and design capabilities has never been great, and continues to be tepid. Investors seem to approve of the layoffs, though, as Google's stock is up almost $4 in pre-market trading as the news of the cuts begins to filter out.
Along with this round of layoffs, Google is expected to further pare down its Motorola division by selling off its set-top business, which employs an additional 7,000 people.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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1.Nicole by OPI – "Make U Smile" 2.Sephora by OPI "Only Gold For Me" 3.Chanel Extreme Brilliance 4.White Nail Polish {I used Wet n' Wild from literally 100 years ago. I need a new white polish asap!}
* 3 coats of white nail polish.
* 1 coat of chunky silver glitter on half of nail… 1 coat of chunky gold glitter on the other half.
* 1 or two coats of your favorite top coat.
Have Fun!
Find all of my Nail Art Tutorials Here


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I am also pleased to announce that two of my pieces, Bacon Gets Its Just Desserts and Grilled Cheese Gets An Update were the #1 and #2 most read pieces on NPR's Kitchen Window in 2009.
2 slices favorite soft white bread
1 tablespoon real butter
2 slices American cheese
Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place slices, buttered side down, on a clean work surface. Place both slices of cheese on one slice of bread, slightly overlapping them. Top with the second slice of bread, buttered side up. Close the sandwich.
Place sandwich in a preheated nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes, or until the underside is golden brown and the cheese has begun to melt. Flip the sandwich with a spatula, pressing lightly to flatten. Cook 1 minute, or until it is golden brown and the cheese is completely melted. Slice in half on the diagonal. Eat it while it's hot.


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15 years ago the Lafayette Journal and Courier announced MSGL's plans to add an elementary program and move all of its programs to a new space.
The Morton Community Center on Chauncey Avenue had been MSGL's home since 1985.
As the article states, the new elementary program was originally going to be housed in a home on Rainbow Drive that had been donated by an MSGL family. A change of plans relocated that first class to some available classroom space inside the Temple Israel on Cumberland Avenue.
In February 2001, all of our programs, from the parent-infant class through elementary, moved into our permanent home in the former Calvary Baptist church on Soldiers Home Road.
In 2007, the elementary classes moved into the Montessori House, a remodeled home adjacent to the campus.
MSGL has plans to expand once again in the near future to add a second toddler classroom and a gym/gross motor space.


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MIAMI — Sharon Fichman of Toronto led the way for Canada to advance in Fed Cup tennis play with three wins in singles and two in doubles against four nations at the Americas zonal competition in Colombia recently.
The Canadians will now play in Ukraine in the world Group 2 playoffs in April, reaching the Group 2 playoff for the first time since 2011.
Fed Cup tennis is a year-round global competition for women involving 64 nations, much as Davis Cup is for men.
Fichman and her three teammates were impressive in combining to defeat their opponents with a stunning 9-1 win-loss record over the three days of competition. Fichman played both singles and doubles, as the number 2 seeded Canadian, behind Eugenie Bouchard.
After sweeping Peru 3-0, Venezuela 3-0, and host nation Colombia 2-0, the Canadians had a tougher time in the final round-robin matches against Brazil. In the first match, Fichman won the first set easily 6-0 against Paulina Goncalves, but the Brazilian rallied in the final two sets to win the match 0-6, 6-0, 6-4 to give Brazil a 1-0 lead.
"I lost concentration and did not fight as hard as I should have. Goncalves deserves credit for coming from behind for the win," Fichman said following the loss.
Bouchard evened things for Canada at 1-1 after she beat Telina Pereira 6-2, 6-2 to set up the final match in doubles.
Fichman teamed with Gabriela Dabrowski in a hard fought doubles win 7-6(4), 7-5 over Pereira and Laura Pigossi to defeat Brazil 2-1 and advance to the Group 2 playoffs.
Trailing 2-5 in the opening set, Dabrowski and Fichman rallied with two breaks of service to take the first set to a 7-4 tie break win and broke serve once in the second set for the decisive victory against the Brazilians.
"I felt much better with the doubles win for my team after I lost. It was a doubles match that we could have easily lost, but Gabriela and I fought hard and pulled out the win," said Fichman, who celebrated the win with her teammates by rallying around the Canadian flag after the final match.
"Sharon showed much heart, with her belief in herself and fought hard in every match," Canadian Fed Cup coach Sylvan Bruneau said. "I was especially impressed how she rallied following her loss."
Prior to the final round-robin matches against Brazil, Fichman contributed to Canada's victory by defeating Katerina Miranda-Chang of Peru 6-2, 6-2 and Andrea Gamiz of Venezuela 6-1, 7-5, as well as having a 6-2, 6-1 doubles win with Dabrowski against Ferri Angles Paz and Ximera Siles-Luna of Peru.
"Hopefully, our Fed Cup will keep the positive momentum going… in Ukraine," Bruneau said.
The 22-year-old Fichman is the first Jewish player to play Fed Cup for Canada since Vicki Berner of Vancouver who played from 1964 to 1968. Fichman has a total win-loss record of 20-6 since she started playing Fed Cup in 2005.
Since the Fed Cup competition, Fichman has improved her ranking to 128th (as of Feb. 25) on the pro tennis circuit, her highest since being ranked No. 114 in March 2010.
"Winning in Fed Cup has given Sharon a lot of confidence. I expect her ranking to continue to climb this year," Bruneau said.
Fichman finished her junior career ranked fifth in the world in 2006, and she won the prestigious Orange Bowl junior title in 2003.
She was born in Toronto two years after her parents immigrated from Israel in 1988. Her parents moved to Israel from Romania in 1983.
Fichman started playing tennis at age five, following her brother Thomas, who was a top Canadian player in the 14-and-under category. She is the youngest athlete, at age 14, to have won a gold medal at the Maccabiah Games in Israel, which she did in 2005.
Should Jesse Levine play Davis Cup for Canada in April as expected, Fichman and Levine would become the first Canadian Jewish man and woman to play Davis and Fed Cup in the same year since 1968.


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About MusicDish, LLC
Since 1997, MusicDish LLC has served as the bridge between the music industry and the artist. Through its extensive online presence, MusicDish provides artists with an edge over the ever-prevalent competition the music industry entails. MusicDish gives the artist the opportunity to take advantage of several different services: a creative approach to artist development and representation; online press release distribution & marketing; publications disclosing all the latest information involving the music industry; and even a indie music video channel.
Providing the music industry's latest scoop, MusicDish e-Journal features a business perspective on key issues sure to impact artists, labels, and fans. MusicDish also routinely serves over 40,000 industry professionals with Music Industry News Network, which is the largest online music newswire network. Mi2N also features an innovative press release service that distributes through dozens of syndicated newswires, as well as blogs, forums, media and communities.
Through MusicDish Network, the company features a creative approach to artist development. Customizing unique campaigns to each individual artist or band, MusicDish Network utilizes the most popular social networks & online communities to develop a fanbase for the artist. Featuring saturated marketing, viral video distribution, and "on the ground" interaction with music fans, among others; artists & labels will be provided with the approach that fits their needs. With new services such as MusicDishTV -- a feature that allows artists and fans to upload and watch music videos via various channels on the most popular video sharing sites -- clients are sure to be marketed through the newest, most relevant social networks platforms.
MusicDish uses a personal and approachable staff, highly informative content delivery, and creative marketing strategies to give the artist the best way to approach & advance in the seemingly inaccessible - and ever changing - music industry.
MusicDish, LLC
Our Websites
Our Services
Mi2N's Music PR distribution service guarantees online exposure for your press release. Choose from seven (7) different packages to meet your marketing & budgetary needs.
Our Links
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MusicDish e-Journal


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Looking at the damage to Walter J. Moriarity's 2012 Chrysler Touring, you'd say it was a miracle he wasn't severely injured.
But Mr Moriarity, 29, of 217 School St., had only minor injuries this morning after his car crossed into the northbound lane on Route 140 near 156 Gardner Road and struck three other vehicles.
The engine was thrown from the car. Mr Moriarity's two young children were in the back seat properly secured — one with a seat belt and the other in a car seat.
The car's engine was later found in nearby woods.
"With such a bad accident, obviously we're pretty lucky everybody walked away with pretty much minor injuries," Fire Chief Thomas J. Smith said. "It is definitely a testament to wearing seat belts and buckling children up."
The crash was reported shortly before 9 a.m., but a crew from Corporate Environmental Advisors based in West Boylston was still cleaning up diesel and transmission fluid from the accident until after 2 in the afternoon with booms, spill pads and shovels.
About 15 or 20 gallons of fluids spilled onto the roadside, said environmental analyst Robert E. Dunne from the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Police Lt. David Walsh said Mr. Moriarity was driving south when his car crossed into the northbound lane and struck a 2008 Ford Expedition driven by Tamie L. Charbonneau, 41, of 24 Hill St; then a 2009 Toyota Tacoma driven by Nicole D. Bevans, 21, of 243 Valley Road, Plymouth; and then a 2011 Isuzu NPR driven by Michael D. Gallison, 64, of Chestnut St., Vernon, Conn.
The drivers and passengers in the other vehicles signed refusals for treatment, Chief Smith said.
"We have six signed refusals," he said. "All the vehicles were towed and there was a long line of debris. (Mr. Moriarity's) engine was in the woods."
Mr. Moriarity was cited for driving to endanger and failing to stay within marked lanes.
Around 2:30 p.m., a minor accident involving a Chevy Tahoe and Chevy Cavalier occurred at the same site on Route 140. No one was injured.


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|Under 4 cards for the pentad
Adhoc protocol
Additional information
|UNVETTED. These records have no available base data to verify the sightings against.
|Species Present
|Map options
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|Simple Map
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|Seasonal animation
Download Full Protocol card data (CSV FORMAT)
Download Full Protocol card data with null counts (CSV FORMAT)
Download SABAP1 vs SABAP2 QDGC changes (CSV FORMAT)
This data can be uploaded/linked directly into any GIS software which supports geoJSON protocols, such as QGIS. More information on geoJSON can be found at http://geojson.org.
Add a geoJSON Vector layer to you project, pointing to the following link: http://api.adu.org.za/sabap2/v2/summary/species/4000?format=geoJSON
Alternatively, download the geoJSON data for use offline: Download
Please note that geoJSON files are mostly used by users of GIS software who want to do further analyses. For most users the species maps on the website will be sufficient, for example you can zoom in to see the specific location of a species. However, if you wat to analyse the data in more detail follow these steps. First install a GIS programme such as QGIS (it is free). You will then have to download the species's geoJSON file under the species maps in the Downloads tab (for example http://api.adu.org.za/sabap2/v2/summary/species/540?format=geoJSON for Cape Rock-jumper). The following short video will then explain to you how to load the map into QGIS using the URL of the geoJSON page - Click here


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Millennial investors have emerged from two boom-and-bust cycles more conservative about investing and more skeptical of financial advice than older generations who were hit hardest by the market, according to an Accenture survey released Wednesday.
The survey of some 1,000 high-income, digitally savvy U.S. investors also showed that millennials were the most determined to learn how to invest and pass along wealth to their families.
"This poses a fundamental challenge for financial advisors who will see the greatest transfer of wealth in history from boomers to their heirs over the next several decades," Alex Pigliucci, global managing director of Accenture Wealth and Asset Management Services, said in a statement.
"But counter to prevailing wisdom, our research suggests millennials are a highly viable target for advisors."
According to the survey, 43% of millennial respondents (age 21-30) described themselves as "conservative" investors, compared with 31% of baby-boom respondents (age 46-70). Millennials were also significantly more likely than baby boomers to say they preferred "tried and true" investment options.
They were four times more likely than baby boomers to say they were unwilling to act on the advice of a financial advisor without first consulting other sources. Forty-four percent said they "spend a lot of time researching alternatives before making a major purchase decision," compared with 33% of baby boomers.
Forty percent millennial respondents said they were "determined" to pass along wealth to their families, compared with 25% of baby boomers and Gen Xers (aged 31-45). Forty-four percent described themselves as "extremely" interested in improving their understanding of investing, compared with 38% of older respondents.
Accenture said the survey pointed to unmet demand for online investor education and advisor-interaction tools that could increase millennial investing and help bridge the "trust gap" with financial advisors. Presented with concepts for new online educational resources, it said, millennial respondents showed overwhelming interest.
"The behaviors and attitudes of millennials are not just a matter of long-term strategy for wealth managers; they are a leading indicator of the need for change today," Pigliucci said.
"With half of all baby-boom investors currently active in social media and a vast majority active online, the innovations that will capture the millennial generation also will help capture the most coveted demographics among Gen Xers and baby boomers."
Accenture's research has found more than 75 million digitally savvy investors in the U.S. with high income, assets and education, and refers to as "Generation D" or "Gen D." This investor demographic, on which Accenture's survey focused, comprises 44% of the online U.S. population, age 18-65, and represents a staggering $27 trillion in total assets.
The survey found that Gen D members saw investing as a viable path to building and passing wealth to future generations. They also recognized the need for financial advice, but were less and less likely to view financial advisors as trusted sources.
For example, 59% of respondents across all generations said they had actively sought financial advice recently, but only 40% had turned to a financial advisor.


text: 9:15 am | Turtles | 2-3 Years old View Calendar 2019-09-16 9:15 am - 2019-09-16 9:45 am Repeat every week on Monday until 2025-12-02 Swim Kid School Twitter Facebook Google+ TURTLE: 2 – 3 YEARS OLD Ages 2 – 3 years old Toddlers love to play! They love to splash, jump in, kick their legs and chase the balls. We encourage this with fun games and songs, together with swimming. Most of the toddles are extremely comfortable taking little swims on their own, both with wiggles and with out help. They are becoming skilled and safety conscious. They love to blow bubbles and play with the water toys. Repetition makes learning to swim easy and natural. Classes are 30 minutes long. REGISTER HERE >>>


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Phone – 888.424.3336
Email – firstname.lastname@example.com
701 Tecumseh Road
Clinton, Michigan 49236
A confetti of letters, numbers, and colors: red beet, green spinach, orange carrot/annatto, and golden grain. All organically grown. Colors brighten when cooked. 60% whole grain durum flour and 40% golden amber durum wheat semolina passes the kid's test. Made at the Eden Organic Pasta Company on vintage equipment with brass dies and slowly air dried. An excellent source of riboflavin B2, providing 45 percent of the recommended daily value (DV) per serving. A good source of fiber, protein, thiamin B1, niacin B3, magnesium, and zinc. Make purifying alphabet soup and very fun pasta salads. Packaged in a reclosable, recycled and recyclable box with a tasty recipe and its photo on the back.
* See Detailed Description for approved FDA Health Claim
Eden Organic Vegetable Alphabets are made from durum wheat Triticum aestivum, the most sought after pasta making grain in the world, favored for its superior nutrition and ability to create a smooth firm texture. This grain is USA high plains grown on family farms committed to building vital soil, cleaning the environment, and producing the safest most nutritious food.
Eden Organic Vegetable Alphabets are small batch crafted at the Eden Organic Pasta Company, a Detroit landmark employing traditional pasta making techniques and vintage Italian equipment since 1923, and the first food production facility in North America to be third party certified organic. Organic whole grain durum is freshly milled at our certified organic, AIB rated Superior, Clinton, Michigan mill. Organic golden amber durum wheat is prepared at a certified organic mill. The flours are blended. The dough is prepared in four separate batches - durum wheat and golden amber durum wheat semolina; durum and semolina blended with organic beet powder; durum and semolina blended with organic spinach powder; and durum and semolina blended with organic carrot powder and organic annatto powder. Slow, thorough kneading prepares the dough. Using a traditional rotating screw press, each of the four batches of dough is extruded through an artisan letter and number brass die. The shaped and cut dough is then spread on drying racks. The pasta goes through an initial hot/air steam dryer to reduce moisture slowly and then to the final drying room for about 16 hours. After drying, equal amounts of each of the four different colored pastas are combined before packaging. Each step is crucial in creating pasta of exceptional color, flavor, texture, and character. The pasta is packaged in a reclosable box, with a delicious recipe and photo from Eden's kitchen printed on the back.
All Eden Organic Pasta is packaged in boxes made from recycled and recyclable paperboard, one of the most environmentally friendly packages available. According to the 100 percent Recycled Paperboard Alliance (RPA100.com), "Fourteen trees are saved for each ton of paperboard converted to 100 percent recycled paperboard. Trees are critical to the sequestration of CO2 (a greenhouse gas) in North America. For each ton of paperboard converted to 100 percent recycled paperboard, an equal amount of recovered fiber has been diverted from municipal landfills. Production of 100 percent recycled paperboard uses 50 percent less energy compared to virgin grades of paperboard, thus significantly reducing the greenhouse gases released into the environment."
Whole grain is the heart of a healthy diet providing the broadest spectrum of nutrients in the proportions that we need to grow and thrive. Most commercial pasta is made from highly refined, chemically treated flour, processed in minutes through Teflon dies and ultra high heat or microwave drying, resulting in inferior flavor, diminished nutrition, poor cooking quality, and questionable value. A much better choice is EDEN Organic Pasta with whole grain nourishment to enhance energy and promote healthy weight and blood sugar levels.
Scientists at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University say, "Whole grains help regulate blood sugar by slowing down the conversion of complex carbohydrates into sugar. In fact, low-glycemic index foods such as whole grains reduce hunger and can help to control weight." Scientists at the Agriculture Research Service completed a study of more than 2,000 people concluding, "at least three or more servings of whole grain foods everyday could reduce the chances of developing metabolic syndrome - a condition marked by a combination of abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, poor blood sugar control, low HDL 'good' cholesterol and high blood fats."
According to the FDA, "Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers." Also, "Low fat diets rich in fiber containing grain products, fruits, and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, a disease with many factors." Eden Organic Vegetable Alphabets are 60 percent whole grain, low in fat and saturated fat, cholesterol free, and a good source of dietary fiber. Furthermore, "Diets low in sodium may reduce the risk of hypertension or high blood pressure, a disease associated with many factors." Eden Organic Vegetable Alphabets are very low sodium, with no salt added. Eden Organic Vegetable Alphabets are also an excellent source of riboflavin B2, providing 45 percent of the daily value per serving. They are a good source of protein, carbohydrate, iron, zinc, magnesium, thiamin B1, niacin B3, and phosphorus.
When you bite into Eden Organic Pasta, the flavor and character of the grain is evident. Unlike most commercial pasta, it holds its texture without becoming mushy. Eden Organic Pasta is made from fresh, unbleached, non enriched flour. It doesn't need to be enriched because we have not stripped the nutrients our of the grain. Eden Organic Pasta enhances energy, balance, clarity, and well being.
Eden Organic Vegetable Alphabets are a versatile, fun way to get whole grain that is delicious any way you prepare it. An especially good choice for salads and soups. Children and adults love our Creamy Alphabet Tomato Soup in our recipe section.
|Vegetable Alphabets, Organic, 60% Whole Grain
|Item Number
|Organic Whole Grain Durum Wheat, Organic Golden Amber Durum Wheat Semolina, Organic Beet Powder, Organic Spinach Powder, Organic Carrot Powder, Organic Annatto Powder
|Case Quantity
|Package Size
|16 oz
|Package Size Metric
|453 g
|UPC Code Each
|UPC Code Case
|Eligible for Flat Rate Shipping
|Very Low Sodium
|Yes, 35mg or less per serving
|Good Source of Fiber
|Yes, 2.5 g to 4.9 g per serving (10% to 19% DV)
|Heart Healthy
|Low Fat
|Yes, 3 g or less per serving
|Non GMO


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Obesity, physical inactivity are challenges county health officials are working to improve.
The 2013 County Health Rankings were released March 20 by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
The County Health Rankings show that how long and how well people live depends on multiple factors beyond just their access to medical care. It examines 25 factors that influence health, including rates of childhood poverty, rates of smoking, obesity levels, teen birth rates, access to physicians and dentists, rates of high school graduation and college attendance, access to healthy foods, levels of physical inactivity and percentages of children living in single parent households.
Brown County ranked 21 out of 87 counties in Minnesota for health outcomes and 31 in health factors.
According to Brown County Public Health Director Karen Moritz, this ranking system does not always use local specific data. She said the rankings, launched in 2010, are designed to compare the health of counties nationwide and this report is only one of the many tools Brown County Health Departments use as a measurement of the health of communities in the county and the role of prevention across Minnesota.
However, Moritz said it does help her look at a broad picture. What this report tells Moritz is that Brown County is fairly healthy, with the issue of obesity being a challenge the health department is currently working on.
In health behaviors, adult obesity was ranked at 31 percent. The Minnesota average is 26 percent and the national benchmark is at 25 percent.
"Physical inactivity is a concern and has remained the same primarily over the past several years. But again, that data isn't extremely new," Moritz said. She explained the data used to get these results was from 2009, and doesn't take into account the new initiatives that have begun in the county to address the issue of obesity.
"We are high as far as obesity and lack of physical inactivity and that's why we are trying to do something about that," Moritz added.
For instance The Heart of New Ulm is an initiative sponsored by the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation and Alina Health, to promote health prevention and reduce heart attacks and obesity. The program includes increasing fresh fruit and vegetables through farmers markets, healthier options in restaurants, creating neighborhood walking groups, dancing activities, weight challenges and weight management activities just to name a few. In Sleepy Eye initiatives have included providing a healthier menu for school lunches and increasing physical activity. Springfield has initiated a childhood wellness task force that works with providing healthy school lunches, activity programs for students in summer and making people aware of the obesity epidemic throughout the nation.
Moritz wants people to remember that we didn't get this way overnight.
"It took us 20 some years to get to where we are at now, which is significant. Reversing the effects won't happen overnight either." she said. "Our lifestyles have become extremely automated. We are eating the same and engaging in less physical activity. We need to change our lifestyle."
She added that making small changes in the beginning will lead to a sustainable lifetime lifestyle change.
"We have more physical activity programs in our county than ever before and health care systems are now approaching obesity," Moritz said. "Providers have become more confident in talking about it and helping people make better choices. We are focused on it nationwide, statewide and here locally."


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Hey there, Nonnie! To be honest, I've only recently gotten into the fandom myself (I saw bits and pieces of Flash and Arrow's pilots way back when because my family tried to get me to watch it, but I never had time, and then eventually I wound up watching Supergirl because of an actor I recognized on the show, but I've only been in this fandom since…February? I just haven't been active until now). But I'd be more than happy to give you recs if you're just starting out because I have…quite a long list.
- Tumbling Together by RedHead: aka the fic with the most kudos in the Ao3 tag currently - and it's hilarious and adorable and my favorite of theirs. RedHead has also written a lot of other ColdFlash fics (such as Seventy-Three Seconds and These Violent Delights) so you can't go wrong with looking over those too. They've written so many good fics and one-shots, but I'd be here all day if I tried naming them all.
- Keep Cold by Liu: One of my personal favorites (though it's a WIP), especially since I'm a sucker for anything in the fantasy genre. It's a Beauty and the Beast au but…hoo boy, it's nothing like you would expect and it is certainly not the Disney version. Also they have a ton of other fics in the DCTV fandom, not just for ColdFlash, that are just as wonderful so check those out.
- The Cold Untroubled Heart by Miko & By Any Other Name by cardinalstar: These two are also WIPs based on two very different role reversal aus, both of which include Len being a meta and Barry is morally gray at best. Miko's fic is almost complete and it's based on the idea of what if Henry did kill Nora? The latter fic parallels most of S1's plotline but Lisa and Mick (though mostly Lisa) play more active roles and Iris knows about Barry's secret from the start. I love both fics to pieces, and they were actually one of my first introductions to ColdFlash? So these two hold a special place in my heart.
- All of QLaLa's fics: No multichapter ones here, but all of these fics are wonderful and I reread them whenever I get the chance. If I had to pick one out of all of them, my favorite would have to be costumes optional (unless you're looking for smut, then go to Pep Rally or those three words (above all else) because they're GREAT).
- All of Sandrine's fics: Again, just read them. They also write excellent ColdWestAllen and Atomwave, which got me into those ships. If I had to rec one, I'd say to check out One Part Saint and Two Parts Sinner first.
- The Color of Love by Crimson1: This one just happens to be my favorite of Crimson's – though there are multiple wonderful fics under their Ao3 as well and I can't possibly name them all – mostly because I've read a lot of "love pollen/love spell" one-shots for many, many different pairings and fandoms and this is the first I've seen with a plot outside of the love spell itself, and I honestly fell in love with it.
- The Good in You (the Bad in Me) by blue_wonderer: Another WIP but it's so fluffy and hilarious that I had to put it on here. This fic makes me smile whenever I reread it (and Blue's also written many other fics too, so check those out).
- i just wanna have fun and (get rowdy) by pettigrace: Another WIP, though it's nearly finished. I'm very picky about reading textfics but this one has a lot of pairings, not just ColdFlash, and it's just as ridiculous as you'd expect it to be. If you want to read something that'll get you smiling and you're a fan of textfics, this is the one to read.
And what the hell, I'm going to rec my own fic Bound By Silver Tongue because I can.


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Global New Product Innovation Report - Q1 2015 - Vietnam DataConsumer, Global, Innovation | 28-Feb-2016
AUD $3,080.00 (including GST)
Why do consumers buy new products? What are their unmet needs? Maximize the success of your product launch by knowing your consumer, the market, and where you fit. Here we've published consumer survey results on new product purchasing intent and behaviors, to get you started on the right track towards best in class innovation.
Survey data from online respondents' purchasing intentions regarding new products. Nielsen's Q1 2015 Global New Product Innovation Report and individual country results for Vietnam. The findings in the survey are based on respondents with online access and reflect claimed behavior.
The Nielsen Global New Product Innovation Survey polled 30,000 online respondents in 60 countries to understand consumer attitudes and sentiments about the drivers behind new product purchase intent. It's important to note that in the eyes of the consumer, not every product that's new to them is new to the market. As such, for the purposes of this study, we define a new product as any item a consumer has never purchased in the past. We uncover the reasons for making a new product purchase, discover the types of products consumers want but can't find, and detail the sources consumers use to learn about them. Finally, we provide insights into white-space opportunities with the greatest potential, and we identify strategies for increasing the odds of success.
Structure of the Report Contents:
This report package includes the Global Summary Report as well as the individual survey response results for Vietnam. The survey responses are presented in Microsoft Excel tables and do not contain charts, graphics or additional analysis./all/global-new-product-innovation-report-q1-2015-vietnam-data
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HP has announced new Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions designed to speed application delivery across siloed or geographically dispersed application development and operations teams.
A double-barreled release this week sees the arrival of HP Agile Manager into executing and tracking Agile development projects; on the same platter comes HP Performance Anywhere for resolving application performance issues with predictive analytics.
HP Agile Manager is built to "unify and promote" collaboration by providing visibility into tasks, metrics, and progress for a single group or for multiple, geographically distributed teams. This tool bids to simplify planning and capacity management across Agile teams to reduce potential issues or bottlenecks. It also aims to foster collaboration through integrated development environments (IDEs) that allow developers to work with the tool of their choice, but still work together to share information with other team members.
This type of tool aims to sell its sizzle and spark to CIOs via real-time key performance indicator (KPI) metric updates delivered through customizable dashboards. At a deeper developer level there is (arguably) more interest in the two-way synchronization that exists with HP Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) and HP Quality Center continuous testing.
While most of these product details appear to be admirable, interesting, and informative, they probably fail to represent completely new ground in the ALM market in general. Of more interest then is the news of HP Performance Anywhere. Included in this batch of announcements, this "360 degree environment" style tool monitors applications across the Web, via the cloud and also in mobile environments. All these products fall under the HP Converged Cloud strategy and they (logically) all integrate with each other so that (as HP puts it) developer teams can promote collaboration across build, test, and operations to align IT with business priorities.
Subbu Iyer, vice president, product and strategy, software at HP says that when combined and considered together, HP Agile Manager and HP Performance Anywhere provide what the "intuitive, collaborative, and analytical" capabilities needed to enable development and operation teams to deliver business-driven results.


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Find cheap treasures at yard sales
Yard sales, garage sales, flea markets offer affordable shopping
Is shopping for décor and home furnishings not in your budget this year? Before deciding that you can't afford to redecorate, consider a cheaper alternative -- used items.
Garage sales, yard sales and flea markets can provide hidden -- and affordable -- treasures. And searching through sales for just the right item can be addicting for some.
Shelley Kincaid recalled getting out of a moving car one time when she saw four Persian rugs on the lawn of a woman's garage sale.
Kincaid, who is also an interior designer, said she knew they were Baluchi rugs and were selling for $15 each. Kincaid bought all four for $60. She brought them to her favorite rug dealer and sold them to him for $1,200."It pays to be an educated consumer," she said.
Kincaid, author of The Garage Sale Decorator's Bible: How to Find Treasures, Fix Them and Furnish Your Home, has been shopping at garage sales for 20 years. Before then, she had never been to garages sales.
"It was a long-distance move gone bad, and we lost everything in that move," she said.
She said movers destroyed their belongings. Their newly built home sat empty.
Kincaid started going to garage sales to find items for her new house. Then she got hooked.
"I decided that everything in my home I would buy from garage sales," she said.
It took her a couple of months worth of sales to fill her house, and she hasn't stopped since.
"You can buy brand-new things for pennies on the dollar," Kincaid said.
She said garage sales are good for people's budgets. Shoppers can buy things at garage sales, or even fix them up like Kincaid does, and sell them for a higher price.
Kincaid considers herself a professional garage sale shopper.
"Professionals are called dealers. These people make a very handsome living. I'm a professional because I have made a living on this," she said.
Kincaid compiled a pricing guide based on her experiences so she knows what items go for. She said it helps sellers price their items and buyers with their bargaining power.
She said negotiating on price depends on what the item is. For example, if a new toaster is selling for $7, Kincaid said she can probably get $5 for it.
"My rule of thumb is half. I'll offer them half of what the price is marked," she said.
At the same time if the price is right, she'll pay it. She found a Bombay chest with inlay for $15 and gladly paid the asking price. She later had it appraised for $1,200."Most people expect when you're hosting a sale for people to bargain with you," Kincaid said.
Good, Bad And Ugly Garage Sales
A drive-by can tell shoppers a lot about garage sales, especially if they are looking to hit several in one day.
If it's "late in the afternoon and they have a ton of nice stuff, you know it's priced way too high because the stuff wouldn't still be there," Kincaid said.
On the other hand, if there is only one card table set up, people are going to pass on it.
For good selection, it's good to hit them early. "However, the seller probably won't bargain as much early in the day. Later in the afternoon, the bargaining ball is in the buyer's court," she said.
Kincaid has a wants-and-needs list that she brings with her to sales.
Chris Heiska, founder of YardSaleQueen.com, buys on impulse without a list.
"I buy whatever catches my eye," she said.
But three years ago, Heiska was on a mission.
Her brother and his fiancee were planning a large wedding. They were smarting after paying $500 for their wedding cake. Heiska's future sister-in-law had asked her to find a cake topper at a garage sale.
The next weekend, Heiska found a brand-new Mickey and Minnie Mouse cake topper for 50 cents.
"It worked perfectly because they were going to Disney World for their honeymoon," she said.
From March to November, she goes out each Saturday to as many garage sales as she can. She reads newspapers and checks online for church sales.
"They're hit or miss. It all depends on what people donate. With church sales, they're pretty well priced," Heiska said. "It's usually going for a cause. The money you spend is being put to good use."
Kincaid said she's found that because people donate items, the merchandise is not as high quality. She cautioned that it's usually buyer beware with electronics at those sales because there's no place to plug them in and test them.
No matter where garage salers shop, it's the prospect of finding that jewel that drives them.
"It's always finding things you're looking for that you were just about to buy new that you find at a garage sale for cheap," Heiska said.
Tips For Hosting Sales
- Garage sales will only be as good as your signs. They are important because people are trying to hit as many as they can.
- Remove the signs when the sale is over.
- Big items in the driveway are going to draw people in.
- Have a box of toys around so children can play while parents shop.
- Have everything priced.
- Clean merchandise.
- Have electronics in the back of the sale and have them up and running so buyers know they work.
- Never ever put masking tape on wood furniture. When masking tape comes off the wood, the glue won't.
- Have clothes arranged by gender and size.
- Wear your money on you.
- Set sale up like a showroom.
Shopping Tips
- Put together your wants-and-needs list.
- Plot out your course by geographic locations.
- Keep an extension cord in the car to test electronics, appliances, etc.
- Carry a magnifying glass.
- Carry a tape measure.
- Wear your money on you instead of bringing a purse.
- Go with smaller bills and change to make it easy.
- Have a list of measurements of items needed or spaces in home.
- If you don't have a tape measure, keep in mind a $1 bill is six inches long.
- When you agree to buy an item and you have to leave and come back, take a drawer or cushion from the item with you and leave a deposit so someone cannot buy the item from under you.
- Put together your wants-and-needs list.
- Plot out your course by geographic locations.
- Keep an extension cord in the car to test electronics, appliances, etc.
- Carry a magnifying glass.
- Carry a tape measure.
- Wear your money on you instead of bringing a purse.
- Go with smaller bills and change to make it easy.
- Have a list of measurements of items needed or spaces in home.
- If you don't have a tape measure, keep in mind a $1 bill is six inches long.
When you agree to buy an item and you have to leave and come back, take a drawer or cushion from the item with you and leave a deposit so someone cannot buy the item from under you.
Copyright 2010, Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Jim North wrote:Tim wrote:While I'm happy Jim North made a new G for Genesis update, I'm disappointed that it took three weeks for us to get only a copy-paste job.
So they balance out and this goes in the whatever thread.
Happy now? Are you happy now?!
I work and I slave!
*cries in the corner*
To be honest? Not really. I mean, from copy-paste to a single panel?
Yes, monkey! Dance! Overwork yourself purely for my entertainment! Mwahahahaha!


text:
Easter Bunny Color Page Printable
God loves each of us as if there were only one of us. Saint Augustine
Easter is a festival celebrated by Christians from all over the world. The Easter Sunday has been celebrated for centuries as the day of resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Easter holiday activities and traditions were first started as Pagan Celebrations. Every year, Christians celebrate Easter on Sunday; it comes on Sunday after the full moon between the month of March 21 and April 25th. Centuries ago, in 325, Christina Bishop's council decided that the Easter festival must be celebrated on Sunday to remember the happy occurrence. However, the date of Easter may change according to the full moon as it can take place on different time zones in different days.


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Wednesday, December 16, 2009
The Long Goodbye
Now, we wait for the official announcement, and we wait to watch Halladay pull on another team's uniform and smile for the cameras and talk about how excited he is to be in Philly. As much as we've been prepared for this for months, and as much as we've eagerly anticipated the conclusion to this endless saga, it's still going to hurt like hell to see Roy Halladay in another team's uniform.
As our colleague quite aptly noted yesterday, the affection that Jays fans had developed for Doc went far beyond his statistical value. There was a level of reassurance in knowing that Halladay would be there, and even if the rest of the pitching staff blew up, you knew that you'd get a great pitching performance once every five days. You knew that you had a Strong Foundation, a bona fide Ace, a Number One Pitcher, and a Cornerstone. You had what almost every other team wanted, and he was inherently yours.
Now, that's gone. Now, we have to learn to live with the chaos and uncertainty of a starting rotation in constant flux. And we'll have to appreciate and savour the occasional great pitching performances from Jays starters that we'd come to take for granted from Doc.
Now, we move on.
Living in Oblivion
There was something vaguely Rip Van Winkle-ish about the past two days, as we found ourselves generally cut off from the up-to-the-second rumouring and reporting of the conclusion to the Roy Halladay trade saga. From Friday morning through until this morning, we had no TV, no internet connection, a BlackBerry with a nearly dead battery and a crappy sports radio station to which we couldn't subject ourselves, much less Mrs. Tao.
When we checked our Twitter account sometime on Sunday and instantly saw cryptic references to the Halladay trade going down, we flipped out for a few minutes and scoured around in a panic to find any information we could. Finding solid information on Twitter was quite a challenge, as every wisenheimer that we follow was more interested in making funnies about which local delicacy was being shipped to which city, or whether if the mascots were to be involved in the trade somehow. (Which is totally and patently ridiculous. Because the Phanatic is an elite level mascot, while Mariner Moose has never been the same after crashing into the outfield wall and snapping his hind leg.)
If there was a positive aspect to being mostly isolated from the news of the trade, it was that it gave us some time to reflect on the news, rather than reacting to each bogus report or scouring the Baseball Cube to tally up the relative value of this prospect and that one and whether if this is a good or bad move, or what have you.
(It also allowed our good pal The Ack to shine like the crazy diamond that he is. Great work this week, dude. Now take a breather and have a Fort Garry Ale. You've earned it.)
There will be plenty of time to assess the relative merits of this move. Years, even. There's probably no good sense in trying to declare winners and losers at this point, so we'll probably hold off on the instant analysis of the deal for at least another couple of hours.
38 comments:
- Tao of Stieb said...
Signs that Jays fans are beside themselves over the trade: Two hours and not one comment.
(I can hear the calls of "Bring back the Ack!" ringing in my ears.)
- December 16, 2009 at 11:07 AM
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
I like to think that in the end, for once, we didn't take someone like Doc for granted. From what I've been reading, he was appreciated. But the Lord only knows how much he will be missed. Life After Doc will definitely not be pleasant.
I think the fact you were "living in oblivion" while the trade was going down is interesting. It lets you look at it from a different perspective than most of us. I think in 5 years, we'll be able to look back at this deal. I wonder if we'll all still be blogging, and commenting, when that time comes.
And kudos from my end to The Ack as well. As per his Twitter account, he's taking a day of bereavement after watching Doc sign autographs for Philly fans. Chin up, mate. The only way left to go is up.
- December 16, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Fuck waiting years to see how the prospects turn out before judging this trade. I know he had to go, was going to leave anyway, etc., but how about only having to wait until August when we've tanked and there's no Doc to watch.
- December 16, 2009 at 11:26 AM
- KP said...
I am numb.
The idea of an opening day lineup card with a pitcher other than Halladay starting is almost chilling.
We had a special thing for a lot of years. I'm going to relish the memory of every fist pump after an inning-ending K, every cold hard stare down towards home plate, every tipped cap, every complete game and every painted corner.
Jays fans group hug anybody?
- December 16, 2009 at 11:30 AM
- The Ack said...
I'm around. Wallowing in self-pity. Dreading the presser where Doc pulls on the Phillies cap, smiles broadly with wifey and the boys by his side, and proclaiming his excitement at being a part of a winner.
Nobody gave a shit when it was AJ. He was never really our guy. This one is different. It's fucking stinging me right now to read Phillies fans waxing nostalgic over the loss of Clifford the shitty red dog Lee for "minimal" upgrade Roy Halladay. Fuck off!
You know what would be cool? If Doc took out one of those one page ads thanking Jays fans for their support over the years. Doc's way too low key for that bullshit, though.
I'm going to go home and watch the Jays/Sox game still on my PVR where Doc drills Papi in retaliation for Papeldouche's bullshit. Fuck this.
- December 16, 2009 at 11:35 AM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Jesus, KP. Are you trying to make me cry?
The thought of someone other than Halladay toeing the rubber on Opening Day...wow. That feels like a gut punch.
- December 16, 2009 at 11:36 AM
- Peter DeMarco said...
How about U2's Numb, for a rock out Friday song.
- December 16, 2009 at 11:39 AM
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
Who's it going to be, Ricky Romero?
If Doc does take out an ad, that's when my tears will flow like a river.
I think I'm going to plan a road-trip to Philly. Watch Doc pitch. While wearing my Jays jersey.
- December 16, 2009 at 11:42 AM
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
Also, Jeff Blair's right; Doc tied our hands:
This will be sacrilege in these parts, considering the unconditional love for Halladay, but it must be said that he and agent Greg Landry did the Blue Jays no favours when they made it known publicly that, once he reported to spring training, Halladay was prepared to exercise his no-trade clause as a means of shutting down any trade activity.
In the case of other ballplayers, the temptation would have been to roll the eyes and say, "Yeah, whatever." To treat it as a shot across the negotiating bow.
Yet Halladay is so singular in his approach to the season and so insular once it begins that few people around the Blue Jays saw it as anything other than being dead serious.
- December 16, 2009 at 11:48 AM
- Tao of Stieb said...
I'm not even ready for people complaining about this trade.
Like...what the fuck did people think we were going to get?
We got two first rounder picks who have developed fairly nicely and a supplemental round pick who has had a good start to his career.
That's a better return than we would have received if Doc had walked, and there was no way that he was coming back, even for all of the money in the world and all of the additional resources poured into his supporting cast.
- December 16, 2009 at 11:56 AM
- mike runs said...
FWIW, the guy that Elliott Gould spent the entire movie searching for was played by Jim Bouton.
Good pitcher, great writer, but had the acting range of a piece of lumber.
- December 16, 2009 at 11:59 AM
- Christopher Jones said...
Our rotation is going to be brutal this year.
Who am I missing?
Lot of potential; but little else. We gotta hope for a big year from Marcum and that Romero avoids the sophomore slump.
AA has to add another pitcher though trade or free agency, right?
The bullpen is going to be taxed this year.
- December 16, 2009 at 12:03 PM
- KP said...
Can we worry about the rotation and bullpen in January??
I need the next two weeks to grieve.
I'm with Ack. Fuck the Phils fans who honestly believe that Halladay is a "minimal" upgrade over Cliff "Couple of good seasons and a Cy Young based on win totals and run support" Lee. What unmitigated horseshit that is.
- December 16, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Rogers Centre in the dog days of summer will be a great place to get away from it all and be alone with your thoughts.
- December 16, 2009 at 12:13 PM
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
Am I off my rocker for thinking the Jays can win 75 games in 2010 A.D.
- December 16, 2009 at 12:15 PM
- Darren Priest said...
The Jays now have Lance Broadway to go with John Buck. Those are some sweet porno names. If only we still had Buck Coats.
- December 16, 2009 at 12:16 PM
60-70 Wins seem more reasonable.
- December 16, 2009 at 12:22 PM
- Tao of Stieb said...
I don't think you're off your rocker at all. I think that the 2010 Jays, without Doc, are a 75 win team at this point.
- December 16, 2009 at 12:22 PM
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
Now that Doc is out of the American League, this paves the way for Shaun Marcum to win his first Cy Young.
And according to the always trustworthy Bob Elliot, someone's failed their physical.
- December 16, 2009 at 12:53 PM
- Ian Hunter said...
I'm with eyebleaf - Shaun Marcum is the new saviour of this team.
- December 16, 2009 at 1:09 PM
- Peter DeMarco said...
Counting on Marcum is a scary proposition. We don't know if he will ever be the same yet.
- December 16, 2009 at 2:23 PM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Shaun Marcum is going to shave your nutsack this year.
Just you wait.
- December 16, 2009 at 2:30 PM
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
Peter, don't be such a downer. North of Steeles will come back even better, with more heat, and still a devastating change up.
- December 16, 2009 at 2:31 PM
- plain_g said...
i think it's time to go back to the clobbering jays. wells bounces back, hill and lind repeat, snider breaks out, ruiz continues his 10Ab/HR streak for more than 100 ABs, E5 rediscovers his swing with a strong wrist, buck finally achieves his potential. this year can still be fun.
- December 16, 2009 at 2:39 PM
- The Ack said...
Presser coming up. I'm going dark. I can't let you guys see me this way.
- December 16, 2009 at 2:53 PM
- Darren Priest said...
Don't go to TSN.ca, Ack. You'll be seeing red. Literally and figuratively.
- December 16, 2009 at 3:54 PM
- Joe Latino said...
Ugh why did I go to tsn.ca? That hurt. But you know, as much as this whole thing sucks, at least he didn't end up going to the Red sox, or the fucking yankees. That would have been a low blow.
- December 16, 2009 at 5:22 PM
- KP said...
Arrrg... I'm staying away from all sports media outlets for at least the next 48 hours...
Anybody know where I can get a time machine on the cheap?
- December 16, 2009 at 5:23 PM
- Jay Hill said...
Go check out AA's obviously pre-fab q&a on mlb.com. What annoys me about this - on a day that I was dreading for years now, this apple pie faced motherfucker made me excited about the future. I hate that...hate hate hate hate. I wanna mourn damnit! Stop being so charming and upbeat!!!!!!
On another note, AA did well in this trade. Philly did well in this trade. The M's....well, I hope they smoke the AL this year, because they've mortgaged a lot here for just 2010.
- December 16, 2009 at 6:25 PM
- REAN said...
Agreed with the following...
-Jays could win around 75.
-AA got a good haul. Waaaaay better than if Doc walked. (-cough-Burnett-cough-Scutaro).
-This is a lot less painful than it would have been to see him in a Yankees cap.
-lance Broadway and John Buck are total porn names.
-Doc & his agent tied their hands.
I'm just glad the great swap is over with and we didn't get raped.
- December 16, 2009 at 7:15 PM
- Unknown said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- December 16, 2009 at 10:24 PM
- Unknown said...
I was sad when I first learned (way back when) that Doc would be leaving. Over the months, and especially through the summer, I accepted the fate, and began to warm to possibilities of the returns. I wasn't sad, I was excited. Then... saw him in the red pinstripes today. AND I WAS SAD.
Cheers to you, Doc! You made every fifth day worth watching, even when there was little else to watch.
For a chuckle...
October 2010. Brett Wallace hits a ninth inning walk off home run to win the world series. Off Roy Halladay. The camera zooms in on an incredulous Doc, whose mouth can clearly be read to say, "You've got to be fucking kidding me..." Halladay falls to 2-1 in the series. Drabek gets his first win in the fall classic with two no decisions ("Damn you Halladay!" we all shout, with a remembering smirk in the corners of our mouths). And somewhere, far away, a nation hears JP Riccardi chuckling to himself.
- December 16, 2009 at 10:26 PM
it sucks for sure but i reckon we'll see halladay in a jays uniform again for a final year - we have done it before. just imagine: when his contract runs out, we may just be contenders and having him on that team would make it even more special.
- December 17, 2009 at 12:16 AM
- dave said...
How about a big pat on the back for J.P. not taking a lesser deal? Showed the Jays weren't going to be pushed around, helped get Drabek.
That presser was just, wow. I Honestly felt a little sick. All I could think about is Doc's windup in a Phillies uni. Looked so wrong.
- December 17, 2009 at 4:02 AM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Probably too early to get into what Doc might do in four years' time, but I really kinda doubt that he ever comes back. I think he's done with Toronto and I think his family is done with Toronto.
He's moved on.
That's it, that's all.
- December 17, 2009 at 12:10 PM
- Chris Aggas said...
Someone in St. Louis, a monster awaits his greatest challenge.
I can't wait.
- December 18, 2009 at 8:39 AM
Fuck off! I'm the best mascot. It took two of them to replace me, then I 86'd Diamond - the bitch!
Fuck off and die, asshole Ace!
- December 18, 2009 at 12:11 PM
I'm B.J. Birdy by the way! Phillie Phanatic can eat my shorts and the Mariner Moose can suck off his antlers!
- December 18, 2009 at 12:23 PM


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|Non-homologous end-joining
|Nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) eliminates DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by direct ligation. NHEJ involves binding of the KU heterodimer to double-stranded DNA ends, recruitment of DNA-PKcs (MRX complex in yeast), processing of ends, and recruitment of the DNA ligase IV (LIG4)-XRCC4 complex, which brings about ligation. A recent study shows that bacteria accomplish NHEJ using just two proteins (Ku and DNA ligase), whereas eukaryotes require many factors. NHEJ repairs DSBs at all stages of the cell cycle, bringing about the ligation of two DNA DSBs without the need for sequence homology, and so is error-prone.


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Understanding Computers: Today and Tomorrow
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Give your students a classic, well-rounded introduction to computer concepts with a modern twist! Known for its readability and breadth of topics covered, Understanding Computers: Today and Tomorrow will ensure that students have the comprehensive, current knowledge of computer concepts and issues needed to succeed in our technocentric society. This 11th Edition offers exciting new features and updates to make its content more approachable and meaningful to students.
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Game of Life — Distributed Lists
I want to take one more look at the parallelized list-based version of the Game of Life simulation. However, where the previous three posts examined different methods to perform a task decomposition of the computations, I will look into the issues you will come up against when implementing the parallelism with a domain decomposition. And not just any domain decomposition, but a domain decomposition with a distributed-memory coding using the Message-Passing Interface (MPI) to share data between processes. Before I get to those details, in case you came into this series late, let me quickly review the algorithmic highlights of the list-based Game of Life.
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Two arrays,
Map and
numNeighbors, hold the status of cells and number of neighbors for each corresponding grid cell, respectively. Grid initialization can be done from the keyboard or from a file. Valid cells entered are added to the
newlive list. This list is first traversed to set the initial number of neighbors for each grid cell around each new live cell; then the list is copied to the
maydie list in order to see if any of the initial cells are overcrowded and should be killed in the next generation. This list copy applies to cases where the programmer has implemented the list data structure and included a
copyList() function. As I showed in the previous post, when using the Intel Threading Building Blocks (TBB)
concurrent_queue container as a thread-safe list, any grid cells added to the
newlive list should also be pushed onto the
maydie list.
For each new computed generation, the code traverses the
maylive list to check if the conditions are right or not for a dead cell to become living and then traverses the
maydie list to check if living cells should be killed. Cells that are new to life in the generation are added to the
newlive list and those that are killed are added to the
newdie list. The
newlive and
newdie lists are traversed and the number of neighbors for cells bordering the affected cells is adjusted accordingly. If it is found that a cell's number of neighbors reaches a critical value to either become alive or to die, this cell is added to the proper
maylive or
maydie list that will be examined for the next generation. All lists, after traversal, are cleared (which is a natural side-effect of popping things off a
concurrent_queue container). As a task decomposition code, the traversal of lists will be done by concurrent threads. Printing the current state of the grid cells can be done by a single thread at regular intervals or at the end of the simulation, depending on how often the user wants to see the progress of the simulation.
When first confronted with coding up the parallel Game of Life, because of the use of a large array as the grid holding the live cells, my first thoughts are, unsurprisingly, to look for a domain decomposition solution. Even using the list-based simulation version, I can divide up the grid in some logical way, assign each grid section to a different thread, instantiate the four list structures for each thread and, through the shared
numNeighbors array, keep the totals for neighbor counts up-to-date in each generation (by using some atomic increment/decrement operation). As the threads will be working on their own portion of the grid independently of the other threads, the only tricky part to this approach is making sure that the threads don't get too far ahead of each other in the separate steps required for computation of each generation. Some synchronization will be needed between steps since I can't predict or guarantee the number of cells being added to each list in any given thread. The very nature of the Game of Life and the separate subgrid assigned to threads leads to some unavoidable load imbalance.
That's how I would approach a domain decomposition parallelization in a shared-memory environment. Ho hum, right? If you're not fast asleep by now, think about how to divide up those grid sections, but not to separate threads that can easily "look" into any other thread's assigned portion of
Map and
numNeighbors. Ask yourself what kind of information needs to be shared between MPI processes that have been assigned a subgrid (and even before that, how would you divide up the grid sections among those processes), when and how can that data be shared, and how can you synchronize the processing of the same steps within the same generation across those processes. Like many parallelization approaches, there are alternatives that can be implemented. The remainder of this article will examine these possibilities and some of the coding consequences involved with dividing up the two grids (
map and
numNeighbors) between MPI processes.
Inputting the Initial Configuration
To get started, each process will need to know the original set of live grid cells that are included within the subgrid assigned to it. Using a file containing the grid cell coordinates of the initial configuration, two obvious methods to get this data to the appropriate process would be to 1) have each process read the input file and note only those cell coordinates that fall within the logical range of the subgrid assigned to the process, or 2) have the file read in by one process and this input process distribute the cell coordinates to the appropriate process. With the second method, I can think of three ways to distribute the data to the correct process: 1) send a message to the correct process after each coordinate pair is input, 2) collect all the coordinates in separate message buffers for each of the other processes and send a single message to each process after the input is complete, or 3) collect all input data and broadcast the full set of input coordinates to all other processes.
If I use the first scheme, an unknown number of messages will be sent between the input process and the others. This can be done by setting up each receiving process to keep receiving coordinate pairs until a special coordinate pair (say,
0 0) is sent to signal the end of input has been reached. For the second scheme, an unknown length message will be sent. If the receiver does not have enough buffer space, parts of the message will be lost. To avoid this, the input process can send two separate messages to each process: the first contains a single integer that is the number of coordinate pairs to be sent in the second message. Before receiving the second message, receiving processes can ensure that enough buffer space has been set aside. The third scheme has the same drawbacks as the second one since the total number of coordinates will be unknown until runtime. This scheme also requires sending a relatively long message containing superfluous data (for each process), and each receiving process will still need to pick out the relevant coordinates from the long message.


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You can also increase the number of cards you want to order at the checkout and your discount will be amended automatically.
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