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Israel escalated its military campaign against Hamas on Tuesday, striking symbols of the terrorist group's control in Gaza.
Flares turned the sky over Gaza City orange overnight and by daybreak, as the conflict entered its fourth week, heavy clouds of dust hovered over the territory.
The pounding came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday warned of a "prolonged" campaign against Hamas. It was not clear if this meant Israel has decided to go beyond the initial objectives of decimating Hamas' ability to fire rockets and demolishing the group's tunnels under the Gaza-Israel border.
Already, the intensity and the scope of the current Gaza operation is on par with an invasion five years ago, which ended with a unilateral Israeli withdrawal after hitting Hamas hard.
In Tuesday's strikes, Israeli warplanes carried out dozens of attacks, leveling the home of the top Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, and damaging the offices of the movement's Al-Aqsa satellite TV station, a central mosque in Gaza City and government offices.
Haniyeh, whose house was turned into a mountain of rubble by a pre-dawn airstrike, said in a statement Tuesday that "destroying stones will not break our determination."
No one was hurt in Haniyeh's home. Since the start of the war, Israel has targeted several homes of Hamas leaders but none was killed presumably as they appear to have gone into hiding.
Gaza's power plant was forced to shut down after two tank shells hit one of three fuel tanks, said Jamal Dardasawi, a spokesman for Gaza's electricity distribution company. The shelling sparked a large fire and a huge column of smoke was seen rising from the site. Dardasawi said 15 workers were trapped inside by the fire and that the damage would take months to repair. There was no immediate word on casualties.
Even before the shutdown, Gaza residents only had electricity for about three hours a day because fighting had damaged power lines.
Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, an Israeli military spokesman, did not comment on the explosion at the plant, but told The Associated Press that Israel's latest strikes signal "a gradual increase in the pressure" on Hamas.
"Israel is "determined to strike this organization and relieve us of this threat," Lerner said.
International calls for an unconditional cease-fire have been mounting in recent days, as the extent of the destruction in Gaza became more apparent.
More than 1,110 Palestinians have been killed and more than 6,500 wounded since July 8, according to Ashraf al-Kidra, a Gaza health official. The U.N. has estimated that 75 percent of those killed are civilians.
At least 26 Palestinians were killed early Tuesday in the airstrikes and tank shelling on four homes, according to the Red Crescent.
The house of the mayor of the Bureij in central Gaza was hit in an airstrike, and five bodies were pulled from the rubble, the Red Crescent said. Those killed included the mayor, 50-year-old Anas Abu Shamaleh, his 70-year-old father and three relatives.
In the southern town of Rafah, seven members of one family were killed in an airstrike and seven members of a second family were killed when tank shells hit their home, according to the Rafah office of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, which keeps a casualty count.
In central Gaza, seven people, including five members of one family, where killed by tank shelling on a home, the Red Crescent said.
Tens of thousands of Gazans have been displaced by fighting in the border areas, which have come under heavy tank fire. Late Monday, Israel urged residents of three large neighborhoods in northeastern Gaza to leave their homes and immediate head to Gaza City.
Despite appeals for a cease-fire, both sides have been holding out for bigger gains.
Hamas has said it will not stop fighting until it wins international guarantees that a crippling border blockade of Gaza will be lifted. Israel and Egypt had imposed the closure after Hamas seized Gaza in 2007, defeating forces loyal to their political rival, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Over the past year, Egypt has further tightened restrictions, shutting down hundreds of smuggling tunnels under the Egypt-Gaza border that had provide crucial tax income to Hamas. The closure of the tunnels drove Hamas into a severe financial crisis.
Israel has said it is defending its citizens against attack from Gaza by hitting Hamas rocket launchers, weapons storage sites and military tunnels under the Gaza-Israel border.
Israel said its troops will not leave Gaza until they have demolished the tunnels which have been used by Hamas to sneak into Israel to try to carry out attacks. On Monday, Gaza militants infiltrated through one of the tunnels and killed five soldiers in a firefight. One of the assailants was also killed. Separately, four Israeli soldiers were killed by mortar shells from Gaza that hit southern Israel.
Israel media have said the army has destroyed close to 20 of 31 identified tunnels, but that 10 more tunnels are believed to be in areas of Gaza still outside Israeli control.
After the deaths of the soldiers, Netanyahu signaled that Israel is intensifying its air- and ground campaign. "We will continue to act aggressively and responsibly until the mission is completed to protect our citizens, soldiers and children."
Overnight, Israel carried out about 70 airstrikes, the military said.
Haniyeh's house, located in a narrow alley of the Shati refugee camp, was reduced to rubble. Residents placed a large framed portrait of Haniyeh atop the rubble, and draped Hamas flags and Palestinian national banners over the debris.
Neighbor Imhane Abu Ghaliyeh, 60, who lives 50 meters (yards) from Haniyeh's home, said area residents fled after apparent warning missiles were fired.


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Samsung Round vs. LG G Flex: Which phone curves best?
Both Samsung and LG are selling smartphones with arched displays. CNET pits these two handsets against each other to decide which one bows better.
Constant rivals Samsung and LG both brought smartphones with curved displays to market in South Korea this past November -- the Samsung Galaxy Round and the LG G Flex. Although the G Flex is the only choice most buyers will have (it sells with AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile here in the US), it's still worth comparing both approaches to the new curvy category side-by-side -- and declare a winner.
On the one side there's the Galaxy Round, the first of the two to come to market, is a 5.7-inch Android 4.3 smartphone curves from edge to edge, but otherwise remains rigid.
On the other, LG's G Flex arches its 6-inch display from head to toe. Its party trick: it'll flatten without breaking when you press down on its back or face.
So which phone does bowed-screen better? We evaluated the curve, the specs, and real-world performance to find out.
LG G Flex shows off its muscles (pictures)See all photos
The comfiest curve to handle
In some cases, the orientation of the two phones' curves is a little bit like arguing to-MAY-to or to-MAH-to. At some point, you're probably going to use your phone in both portrait and landscape modes, so you'll experience both horizontal and vertical curves.
Then again, the curve's orientation does make a difference if you tend to carry phones in your pockets, hold them at your ear, and type frequently. Perhaps, too, because of its more gentle bend, LG's Flex was less noticeable in back pockets than the Round, conforming more comfortably while walking and sitting. The Flex, too, was slightly better at typing in portrait mode, since the virtual keyboard remained on the same plane, instead of slightly coming forward at the sides.
The Round won out at the ear, partially because its curve-orientation, smaller size, and gently sloping edges make it easier to grip than the large, slick Flex.
Both Web sites and videos played back seamlessly and without any visual warping, but the phone's curved shape was more apparent on the Flex. One of us didn't mind that; the other thought that the peripheral view of the bend gave the phone more of a fun-house feel.
Ultimately, the tug-o-war over the better direction of the phone's arch was for us a draw, and came down to personal preference depending on the activity at hand.
Samsung's deeply bowed Galaxy Round (pictures)See all photos
Battle of the specs
Line up the specs (as we did below) and the phones look mostly equal, with a few trade-offs. The Flex has the larger screen and battery capacity, but the Round has the higher screen resolution and greater RAM. It also has a microSD slot for external storage, and a removable battery for those who care about such things.
|Samsung Galaxy Round
|LG G Flex
|Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
|Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
|Screen size
|5.7-inch AMOLED;
1,920x1,080 pixels, 386ppi
|6-inch AMOLED;
1,280x720 pixels, 245ppi
|2.3GHZ quad-core
Snapdragon 800
|2.2GHZ quad-core
Snapdragon 800
|Internal storage
|Expansion slot
|Yes, up to 64GB
|2,800mAh; removable
|3,500mAh; embedded
|13 megapixels;
2MP front-facing
|13 megapixels;
2.1MP front-facing
|Dimensions (inches)
|Weight (ounces)
|US carrier
|None announced (Korea)
|Rumored: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile
Credit: Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
While the camera capabilities match up on paper, Samsung's quality and consistency edged out the Flex's, while as we mentioned above, the Flex has the most pocket-friendly curves.
In terms of actual build quality, Samsung's phone has the upper hand in terms of aesthetics and a thoughtful ergonomic hand-hold. It also helps that the Round's side-to-side smile makes it narrower in the hand. LG's cheaper-looking device is also narrower than a flat phone of the same size, and has the added benefit of a "self-healing" backing that rebuffs light scuffing as promised.
Bringing in the innovation
Although both handsets bring novel form factors to market, the G Flex has the leg up when it comes to breaking new and interesting ground.
For one thing, the Flex's display actually does flex. Sure, you won't be able to manipulate it like Play-Doh, but unlike the Round's firm touch screen, LG's device can withstand a decent flattening.
Not only can you press, sit, and step on it while it faces downward, but you can also have it face upward and push down against its sloping ends. In both situations, the Flex will bend and snap back into shape, with no damage.
Second, while the Round gets away with a straight and narrow battery located on the right side of the body, inside the Flex is a flexible battery that arcs as well.
LG said that developing a curved battery was actually harder than making a curved display. However, the company did succeed, and reported that the battery's patented new shape helps with its reliability and stability. And while it's hazardous to try and bend regular phone batteries casually with your hand, the Flex's battery has to be just as agile as the device itself.
Aside from the Flex and other mobile gadgets that flaunt unique shapes like smartwatches, we don't yet know exactly where this new breed of batteries will take us. But what we do know is that innovating the innards is just as important as changing cosmetics. LG's initiative to explore new battery shapes (it also developed stepped and cabled batteries, too) is an exciting prospect in mobile technology, and the Flex gets props for being the company's first smartphone to apply this new development.
And the better curved phone is...
Throughout this Samsung Galaxy Round and LG G Flex comparison, we've evaluated the devices based on these parameters: which phone curves the comfiest, which one has the most capable specs, and which is the most innovative.
Since there are slight pros and cons to having the two handsets arch in different directions, we're calling this category a draw. We found both approaches to the bend comfortable, from north to south and from east to west, without much discernible difference when it comes to viewing and typing on the screens day-to-day. As for the latter two criteria, the Round delivers the more impressive specs, but the Flex offers captivating technology that would pique any futurist's interest.
At the end of the day, however, Samsung's Galaxy Round is the superior smartphone. Its newer version of Android, sharper and crisper 1080p display, expandable memory, sounder construction, and sharper camera quality, prove more important and more satisfying than the Flex's amenable nature when being sat on. The Flex is still a fine handset in its own right, but it just doesn't have what it takes to outpace its Samsung rival.
Unfortunately, neither phone is on sale with a US carrier (die-hards can purchase the phones through independent distributor Negri Electronics for about $1,000), but we're hoping CES brings some official announcements to this effect.
For now, both devices hope to usher in a new direction in smartphone design that encompasses both aesthetics and subtle practicality when holding and carrying the phones day-to-day. If a new era of deeply curved handsets is indeed upon us, these heavyweights' competition will help work out the kinks for tomorrow's curvy smartphones and wearable electronics.
Mobile Guides
Foldable Phones
Mobile Accessories
Wireless Plans

subset: commoncrawl


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Premieres Sunday, March 6 at 8:00PM (ET/PT) New episodes in the series air every Sunday @ 10:00PM (ET/PT)
"FIREFLY" Lands at Science Channel
Premieres Sunday, March 6 @ 8pm ET
New episodes in the series air every Sunday @ 10pm ET only on Science Channel
Renowned Astrophysicist Dr. Michio Kaku also reveals the "Science behind Firefly"
From the creator of the hit TV series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" sci-fi savant Joss Whedon delves into the final frontier with "Firefly," which lands exclusively on the Science Channel on Sunday, March 6 @8pm ET with the airing of the original 2-hour pilot. Immediately following, episode one of the 14-part series will air at 10pm ET.
"Firefly" will dominate the airwaves every Sunday with an encore episode of the previous week airing 9pm ET to be followed by the network premiere of the next episode in the series airing at 10pm ET.
As a special treat for "Firefly" fans, star of Science Channel's "Sci-Fi Science," and the co-founder of string field theory, Dr. Michio Kaku, will be commentating on the science behind "Firefly" for each episode. From terraforming, to anti-matter, Kaku will be explaining why the science fiction featured in the show really isn't that far from science fact.
When "Firefly" first aired in 2002, Whedon's sci-fi western quickly became a cult favorite. Set 500 years in the future, in the aftermath of a universal civil war, the story centers on the renegade crew of a small transport spaceship led by "Castle's" Nathan Fillion, who directs the ragtag team through adventures into unknown parts of the galaxy, as they try to evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them.
Some of the media you are attempting to download are from Networks that limit downloads to 5 per day.


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Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Park Place Halloween
Posted by Rot at 6:00 AM
Labels: atmospher, bats, cemetery, flickr.com, fog, scarecrow, Scarecrows, tombstones, yard haunt, yard haunts
4 comments:
- Anonymous said...
Great haunt. Love the idea of having the bats flying around. I have been seeing lots of purple lighting this time around.
I'm gonna have to start asking around for pointers on fog. I can't seem to get it right.
- November 20, 2012 at 7:19 AM
- Rot said...
I really dig those bats.
I always see those in stores and think they look too fake, but then when I see them in a video like this I wonder how I could use them in my Haunt.
- November 20, 2012 at 7:39 AM
- crudedoodle.com said...
One of my favorite things about your blog is the post-halloween featuring of all the haunts out there.
- November 20, 2012 at 7:51 AM
- Pam Morris said...
yeah, really like those bats flying about!
- November 20, 2012 at 6:45 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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45 mins
0 m
Easy track
(0km) End of Scotts Point Way → Int of Scotts Point and Rainforest tracks
30 m
Easy track
(0.03km) Int of Scotts Point and Rainforest tracks → East end of Rainforest boardwalk
230 m
4 mins
Easy track
Rainforest boardwalk
(0.03km) Int of Scotts Point and Rainforest tracks → Scotts Point
600 m
9 mins
Easy track
Scotts Point
(0.63km) Scotts Point → Mid way pincic area
700 m
11 mins
Easy track
Mid way pincic area
(1.33km) Mid way pincic area → Riverside Park car park int
530 m
8 mins
Easy track
(1.86km) Riverside Park car park int → City Farm jetty
100 m
1 mins
Easy track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Jetty' arrow[38] along the gravel path[39] keeping the river to the left. After about 40m the path leads past a sheltered picnic area[40] (on the right). Here the walk leads onto the floating jetty ramp[41] with 1m metal fence that leads to the City Farm jetty[42] (there is an 8cm step[43] to access the actual jetty platform[44]. At the end of this side trip, retrace your steps back to the main walk then Turn left.
Riverside Park
(1.86km) Riverside Park car park int → Riverside Park car park
20 m
Easy track
Maps for the Scots Point Way to Riverside Park Trail walkYou can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.
These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.
|1:25 000 Map Series
|1:100 000 Map Series
Cross sectional view of the Scots Point Way to Riverside Park Trail bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Scots Point Way to Riverside Park Trail
Accessibility summary information for the Scots Point Way to Riverside Park Trail
Toilets: There are 0 designated accessible toilets on this walk.
Seats: There are 8 places to sit on this walk. They are on average 260m apart, with a maximum gap of 690m.
Hazards: There are 1 specific noteable accessability related hazards on this walk.
Wheelchair Steep There is a 4m long moderately steep section across the dirt/grass between the trail and the boardwalk. Found about 30m into the walk.
Accessibility Details
Three timber slat bench seats in a roofed shelter (4x4m), seats are 44cm high, 29cm deep and 2m wide with 40cm high fence as backrest. Entrance is 1.7m wide with a 7cm step.
This is found 620m into this walk at -32.833255787124,151.69671624899
Click to see more images take nearby.
Tank water (treating water is recommended before use). Tap is 60cm high with gap of 1m between tap and shelter, there is a 9cm step to access the concrete slab.
This is found 620m into this walk at -32.833305369205,151.69673502445
Click to see more images take nearby.
A timber slat picnic table and bench seat. The table is 86cm high, 70cm deep and 1.8m wide. The seats are 47cm high, 22cm deep and 1.8m wide (no backrest). With some shade from a tree, on a (4.2×4.2m) concrete slab beside trail.
This is found 650m into this walk at -32.833170145281,151.69697374105
Click to see more images take nearby.
Two timber slat picnic tables and bench seats. The tables are 86cm high, 70cm deep and 1.8m wide. The seats are 47cm high, 22cm deep and 1.8m wide (no backrest). With some shade from a tree, on a (4.2×4.2m) concrete slab 4m from trail.
This is found 1340m into this walk at -32.834641821241,151.70375302434
Click to see more images take nearby.
A timber slat picnic table and bench seat. The table is 86cm high, 70cm deep and 1.8m wide. The seats are 47cm high, 22cm deep and 1.8m wide (no backrest). With some shade from a tree, on a (4.2×4.2m) concrete slab 4m from trail.
This is found 1520m into this walk at -32.834735,151.70575
Click to see more images take nearby.
A timber slat picnic table and bench seat under roof. The table is 79cm high, 73cm deep and 2.1m wide. The seats are 46cm high, 44cm deep and 2.1m wide (no backrest). The table is on a (6x6m) concrete slab.
This is found 1850m into this walk at -32.833798934778,151.70957744122
Click to see more images take nearby.
A timber slat picnic table and bench seat under roof. The table is 79cm high, 92cm deep and 2.1m wide. The seats are 46cm high, 28cm deep and 2.1m wide (no backrest). The table is on a (6x6m) concrete slab. There is a second similar table opposite not in a shelter.
This is found 1870m into this walk at -32.833981485734,151.70922070742
Click to see more images take nearby.
Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001
Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.
|1.9 km
|45 mins
Grade 2/6
Easy track
|Gentle hills with occasional steps (2/6)
|Quality of track
|Clear and well formed track or trail (2/6)
|Clearly signposted (1/6)
|Experience Required
|No experience required (1/6)
|Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)
|Generally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (1/6)
Some more details of this walks Grading
Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk
Around 1.3km of this walk is flat with no steps, whilst the remaining 550m has gentle hills with occasional steps.
Quality of track
This whole walk, 1.9km follows a clear and well formed track or trail.
This whole walk, 1.9km is clearly signposted.
Experience Required
This whole walk, 1.9km requires no previous bushwalking experience.
This whole walk, 1.9km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).
This whole walk, 1.9km is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).
Similar walks
Step back in time on this short easy walk that guides you from Riverside Park picnic area to the ruins of the Milham's family farmhouse. The farm was once a vibrant dairy and today you will still see cattle grazing in the fenced paddocks alongside the walk. From the banks of the north arm of the Hunter River, this walk follows the old farm road (closed to traffic) alongside the paddocks and she oak forest. There is a picnic table in the shade near the old house, a nice quiet spot to sit and reminisce on the rich history and natural beauty of the area.
Total climbing: 0m
1.3 km Return
30 mins
Easy track
This walk leads through the heart of Hunter Wetlands National Park allowing you to explore this area rich in history and nature. The boardwalk takes you through a wetland with great water bird viewing opportunities, the rainforest walk leads you through a diverse forest with information signs about the plants. The walk then finishes with a road walk through open areas to the well-established Riverside picnic area on the banks of the Hunter River.
Total climbing: 0m
2 km One way
45 mins
Moderate track
Explore the bank of the north arm of the Hunter River by following an old road from one picnic area to another. Starting from the well established Riverside Park picnic area, you wander along the mostly flat walk following the asphalt and gravel trail along the banks of the river, through a She Oak forest and beside the wetlands. A great walk for enjoying the birdlife and varied forest along the way. There are a series of picnic tables along the way and a sheltered seating area at Scotts Point. Once you are ready, retrace your steps back to the car.
Total climbing: 0m
2.5 km Return
45 mins
Easy track
This walk guides you around, then through the wetlands via Scott Point. You first walk along an old closed road on the banks of the Hunter River (north and south arms) then you meander along the lovely boardwalk through the heart of the wetlands then along the rainforest track to see a greater diversity of plants. You then return to the start by walking along a few roads giving you the sense of a stroll through rural farmlands. This lovely circuit walk gives you the sense of the variety of life in the precious ecosystem.
Total climbing: 0m
3.9 km Circuit
1 hr 15 mins
Moderate track
Other Nearby walks
Wander among the mangroves to step back in time to explore the old Schoolmaster's House that was part of a once vibrant community in the area. Following devastating floods in 1955, the people moved from the area with the area still being leased as farmland. Now, these wetlands are protected as part of the national park ensuring the survival of the endangered ecological community of saltmarsh and all the fish, birds and other animals that rely on them for survival. Bring a picnic lunch and settle under a tree or bring binoculars and a bird guide. Take your time to enjoy all this area has on offer.
Total climbing: 4m
1.2 km Return
30 mins
Very easy
Come and meander at your own pace through this unique saltmarsh ecosystem. The timber boardwalk guides you among the mangroves as you keep an eye out for baby fish and crabs while also enjoy the birdlife. There are seats along the way making it easy to stop and just watch. There are information signs so you can get a deeper understanding of how precious this ecosystem is. Take the short side trip to the old Schoolmaster's House and step back in time exploring the historic artefacts and displays. The walk finishes with a stroll through Sue's Garden then along Cobbans Track to the car park. If you don't organise a lift from the end, allow extra time and retrace your steps or return along the road.
Total climbing: 3m
945 m One way
30 mins
Easy track
This is a good walk, a highlight being the delightful Lily Pond picnic area, with its lush vegetation and attractive flowers. This walk travels through eucalyptus forest as well as one section of road walking through a quiet suburban street. The side trip to Richley Park is worthwhile to access the extra facilities there. A recommended walk that doesn't attract the crowds.
Total climbing: 91m
2.7 km Circuit
1 Hr
Moderate track
This walk is a good longer option walking experience at Blackbutt Reserve. This walk visits the two larger picnic areas of Richley Reserve and Carnley Reserve, as well as the Lily pond and Rain Forest picnic areas. A highlight to this walk is the throughly recommended side trip to the Wildlife Exhibits at Carnley Reserve. This enjoyable walk is highly recommended.
Total climbing: 245m
6.5 km Circuit
2 hrs 30 mins
Moderate track
This walk circumnavigates Coal Mine Creek on good trails. The walk starts and finishes at Richley Reserve, which has excellent picnic facilities combined with a lovely outlook over large ponds. The well established eucalyptus forest that this walk travels through surrounds you as you walk along these trail. This is a good walk which is made all the more pleasant by using the excellent facilities of Richley Reserve in Blackbutt Reserve.
Total climbing: 90m
2.8 km Circuit
1 hr 15 mins
Moderate track
A great family length walk that takes in both of the large reserves in the Blackbutt Park. This walk starts at Richley Reserve and travels to Carnley Reserve and the Wildlife Exhibits before returning a different way to Richley Reserve. Never far from facilities, this walk suits families or those who want to stay on the wider trails. An excellent walk.
Total climbing: 96m
2.9 km Circuit
1 hr 15 mins
Moderate track
A meandering walk that takes in much of what Blackbutt Reserve has to offer. This walk completes a figure 8 while following the trails around Blackbutt Reserve. The side trip to the Wildlife Exhibits is considered a must see. There are many opportunities to stop along this walk, be it at a seat along the way or at one of the established picnic areas. A recommended classic.
Total climbing: 225m
6 km Circuit
2 hrs 30 mins
Moderate track
This easy walk, which is wheelchair accessible, travels through open grasslands that are surrounded by healthy eucalyptus forest. The grasslands have two large ponds, with two black swans on the lower pond. Do beware of the swans defending their territory. Richley Reserve is well maintained and makes this walk particularly attractive. This walk is recommended.
Total climbing: 21m
731 m Circuit
30 mins
Very easy
This quiet and secluded walk is an easy amble through attractive rainforest. This walk circumnavigates Rainforest Creek and takes the walker into cool dense forest. You are likely to see flying foxes in the trees and if you are lucky, a Powerful Owl. Accessed from the quieter Lookout Road car park, this walk escapes the crowds well. A recommended walk, particularly on a hot day.
Total climbing: 104m
1.9 km Circuit
1 Hr
Moderate track
This walk circumnavigates Black Duck Creek by following the shady Blueberry Ash trail. The walk then returns to Carnley Reserve using the Main Ridge Walking Trail. This relatively short walk has a good combination of shady moist forest and more exposed ridge forest. Make sure you visit the Wildlife Exhibit while at Carnley Reserve. A recommended walk.
Total climbing: 89m
2.1 km Circuit
1 Hr
Moderate track
A must do at Blackbutt Reserve. This wheelchair accessible elevated boardwalk gets you in amongst the trees, as you amble through enclosure after enclosure of native flora and fauna. There are even close encounters with Koalas!. This free walk is open 9am to 5pm every day (closed Christmas Day, Good Friday and until 1pm ANZAC Day). Great for all ages, this easy walk is thoroughly recommended.
Total climbing: 14m
480 m Circuit
15 mins
Very easy
This walk follows a wide trail along eucalyptus lined broad ridges as it circumnavigates Black Duck Creek. This walk starts and finishes at Carnley Reserve and while there, why not enjoy a picnic and/or visit to the Wildlife Exhibits. Combined with the excellent facilities at Carnley Reserve, this walk is recommended for everybody, on all but the hottest days of summer.
Total climbing: 92m
2.5 km Circuit
1 Hr
Moderate track
Plan your trip to and from the walk hereThe Scots Point Way to Riverside Park Trail walk starts at the End of Scotts Point Way (gps: -32.838774, 151.6969)
Your main transport option to End of Scotts Point Way is by;
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
The Scots Point Way to Riverside Park Trail ends at the Riverside Park car park (gps: -32.833948, 151.70896)
Your main transport option to Riverside Park car park is by;
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
Fire DangerEach park may have its own fire ban, this rating is only valid for today and is based on information from the RFS Please check the RFS Website for more information.
Weather ForestThis walk starts in the Hunter weather district always check the formal BOM forecast or pdf before starting your walk.
Forecast snapshot
Park Information & Alerts
Short URL = http://wild.tl/spwtrpt
Gallery images
There are other downloads I am still working on.
You will probably need to login to access these — still all free.
* KML (google earth file)
* GPX (GPS file)
Special Maps/ brochures
* A3 topo maps
* PDF with Lands Topo map base
* PDF with arial image (and map overlay)
I wanted to get the main site live first, this extra stuff will come in time.
Happy walking
Matt 🙂


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Data Acquisition Systems - Not Measuring, Means Not Improving
Understanding data acquisition systems for the Saturday night racer
Related Video
The mere mention of "data acquisition" at a dirt track will illicit a variety of responses by the racers. Many of them might think that developing a data acquisition (DA) system will cost multiple thousands of dollars. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, I would suggest that you could build a basic system that can help you improve your team's performance for less than it costs to buy the team dinner at the track concession stand. Yes, you will spend some money, it's not going to be free, but that doesn't mean DA is out of the realm of the weekly racer.
In the least complex terms, DA is a method of gathering information or data. It can be a computer-based system or a system based in pencils, pens, paper, and some stopwatches. The real trick is to just start gathering the data. Once you have the data you can start to ask and answer questions about your performance as a racer. Just like any other endeavor there are some vocabulary we need to talk about prior to going any further. For our conversation we need to define data. Data comes in two basic forms:
Continuous Data
Continuous data is expressed as a number, it's the number that your DA system is going to record and you'll use this data or these numbers later as a basis for your analysis of your performance. A simple example would be lap times, spring rate of any given spring, crossweight, wedge, and so on. They are good examples of continuous data as they are expressed in numbers.
Attribute Data
Attribute data is just that, an attribute: good, bad, better, or best. We use words to describe an attribute. Attribute data isn't what we should be using to tune our race cars alone, it's a supporting role for continuous data. Taking notes about on-track performance that we express in words is attribute data, loose off, tight center, and so on. Those are attributes of what the car is doing on the track.
How It Was and Is
In the past, DA had to be done manually with a stopwatch, pen, and paper. But while many of us were hiding or content in the past, the future crept in and changed our world. These changes didn't change the data, it was always there, and it just gave us more options to collect and analyze it. We now have the ability to ask many more questions of the same data set thanks to the advent of low-cost computers and software. This mountain of data allows teams to learn things about the car, its performance, and how changes they make effect both. We can not only discover if the car is simply faster after a given set of changes but where on the track this performance increase is occurring. We can use the answers a specific data set may give us to formulate more questions, to dig further into the performance envelope.
We can now look at g-forces through corners, down the straight, and under braking; we can look at suspension travel, driver input to various controls, brakes, steering, and shift points. As far as engine parameters, we can look at rpm, a variety of temperatures from oil, water, exhaust, and intake. We can even look at air pressures at a variety of body locations to verify wind tunnel data and get a better understanding of how pitch and yaw affect the car's performance. How important this type of feature measurement is for the Saturday night racer may be a point of debate.
We can even look at the driver and monitor heartbeat and breathing; all it takes is money and an inquisitive mind. Granted, we weren't able to track as many parameters using manual methods or look at as many dynamic variables. But the world has changed and we're being offered a better way to gather the data we need to answer the questions we have about our race cars.
The reality is that many of these systems, while they offer mind boggling features and measurement opportunities, one has to ask the question: Does the local guy racing at the local track on Saturday nights need a high-buck DA system? In my mind the answer is yes. It would be very helpful, but I also think that it would be really cool to have an F40 Ferrari in my garage to run errands with on the weekends.
So what should the weekend warrior use to gather and analyze data? You may be spared the cost of any computer-based DA system because many local tracks and sanctioning bodies disallow the use of any computer data logging systems on your car on race days so you may be forced to go old-school. But that doesn't preclude you from using all the tools at your disposal and still fit within the letter and intent of the rules.
As I spend a good bit of time at racetracks around the country I have the opportunity to speak to many racers, asking what parameters on the car they would like to measure. The answers were more common than different, which I found interesting. The majority of our racers were concerned with a minimal number of factors, rpm, speed through corners, braking performance, speed in mph, and acceleration rates. There was also a good sized group of racers who were interested in engine parameters. Every parameter that each racer wanted to measure was a real possibility.
When it came time to decide if they were willing to pay for the opportunity to measure all of the parameters they were interested in, their tune changed a bit. If cost was a driving factor, the variables they wanted to measure went down considerably. The list shortened to speed, rpm, lap times, g-forces, and possibly two pressures—one for brakes and oil pressure or possibly fuel pressure. When the questions were framed with a cost per parameter the number of parameters that were important was reduced significantly. Bottom line, many of the variety of measurable parameters are interesting but when cost was a factor the parameters that they wanted to measure were speed, acceleration rates, rpm, and lap times.
Measurement Tools
So where do you start on your foray into building a better DA system for your racing program? The most obvious answer is a couple of stopwatches, some pens, and a spiral notebook are a great place to start. All of this can be purchased for less than $20 at the local Walmart.
Next, a tire temperature gauge is a tool that no race team should be without. We'll not go into great detail about tire management; we've covered that in previous articles. The use of a tire temperature gauge is a tool that will help you monitor how hot your tires get and what the range of temperatures are across the tread surface. Today you can purchase an infrared thermometer for less than $25. I purchased mine for $23.99 at Harbor Freight, and it came with batteries; that's just too cheap to not have one in your toolbox.
A durometer should be your next tool purchased as part of your DA system. A durometer is used to test the hardness of rubber. It's a fairly simple equation, for your tires to work and grip the track they have to reach operating temperature. And the more heat cycles, the harder the rubber on your tires will get and the longer it will take them to get up to temperature. What happens is that the volatile light chemicals in the tire will out gas as the tire reaches temperature and the tire will get harder. The tires will not get as soft when they get hot so even when you get old tires up to temperature they won't grip as well as a tire that has gone through a lesser number of heat cycles. A good durometer will cost in the range of $50 to $60. One can be purchased at almost any racing vendor or speed shop.
If you're racing, you most certainly already have a tire-pressure gauge. It ranges in price from $50 to as much as $500 for the really fancy digital units. It's your decision. Look at what your competition uses to get an idea of what your minimum requirement might be.
So, from an equipment perspective you could get by with spending less than $100 and get yourself all set up to have your own analog data acquisition system.
Next, prior to the next race, take your new spiral notebook, your new pen, and start documenting the starting point of how your car is set up. Start out with the date and track at which you'll be racing. Document everything you can think of, such as:
Tires, age and the manufacturer's number, it's a unique identifier on every tire, diameter of the tire at the pressure you will be running
Wheels, condition, off sets, what your starting tire pressures will be
Shocks, condition and where the compression and rebound are set (list this for each individual shock)
Springs and their location on the car
If there's a sway bar on the car define the critical parameters, bar diameter, and how much preload is in the bar
Weight of the car as a total, the weights at each corner and, just as a double check, the sum of the corner weights should equal the total weight of the car. If not, there is a problem some place (I have had the experience of these weights not adding up to the total weight of the car; that should be a warning that somebody's scale is a bit off)
Suspension settings, caster, toe, camber
This is just a beginning list but it should give you a good starting point for your DA system.
At The Track
At the races, once again check all of your starting parameters and if anything has changed make the required documentation to the data sheet. You'll also need to make some additions to the data sheet that you couldn't make at home. For example, data, such as the type of day or evening you will be racing in from an environmental perspective:
Ambient Temperature
Starting pressure in each tire
Starting tire temperature
Track temperature, (it matters on the dirt too)
Once the car hits the track, start recording every lap and documenting the lap times. At this point it might be a good time to talk about on-track observations to go along with the lap times. The more notes that support a data set, the better the data. This is a great place to talk about the condition of the track. Was it heavy, dry, starting to take rubber, what was happening? "Why is this important?" you might ask. This gives you more insight to the performance of the car over a given set of circumstances and to the variables that you have no control over.
Once the session is over you need to accomplish several things very quickly after the car is off the track. These are time-based measurements, so getting them done as quickly as possible is important:
Tire pressures
Tire temperature (this is great information if you have the tools to do it, more on this later)
Suspension travel (this can be measured by shock travel and doing the math that will equate to wheel travel based on the shock travel)
While you're taking these measurements, the driver will have enough time to get out of the car remove his or her helmet, get a cool drink, and then it's time to debrief your driver. How did the car feel? Was it loose? Was it tight? How was the engine running? Was there enough grip? Was the gear right? These are all things you need to get the driver to tell you. This is your attribute data set.
So, now you have the data sheet defining how the car was set up from a mechanical perspective, you have the raw numbers from the session in the form of lap times (the continuous data) and you have the driver debrief. But be cautious, many times when debriefing a driver he may be saying that he's going flat out through a specific portion of the track when in fact he may be lifting and or applying the brakes without even knowing it.
If through your observations you noticed flames out of the exhaust as the car entered the corner or that the car's attitude changed you need to discuss this with the driver. If the track can hold a car going in wide open and your driver has to let up or apply the brakes you have a problem that you need to solve. This is why notes are so important. The intent isn't to catch a driver in a half truth but to really understand how the things you're doing as a tuner are affecting the driver's ability to drive the car.
What's Next?
Review the numbers. Does anything look out of place? Were there any unusual laps, slow or fast? Compare the lap times to your notes from the session. Was the driver in traffic or have a clear track? What about the line your driver was using? Was there a good bit of experimentation from a line perspective? Taking notes on the observations taken during a session go a long way to helping to understand the lap times you have just taken.
Remember this is the point when some racers take a set of data that is continuous and change them to attribute data. They have the temptation to say that only one lap was good out of a set of laps and then they miss the opportunity to really learn what the data set was telling them. All data has something we can learn about. Even if it tells us that we are going the wrong way.
Remember that not everybody can look at a set of numbers and glean the story they are telling. Many people are visual learners. Convert the numbers into a picture and you may learn more. Let's look at a practical example of two 14-lap test sessions on the page to the left.
After the first session, the team decided that it would make some subtle changes to the car with springs and some tire pressure adjustments. The basis for these changes was made based on past experience with their familiarity with the changes that the track would go through as the night progressed.
From the combined data sets the team can begin to make further adjustments to the car in the days following the race. Repeating the procedure each week will build a comprehensive portfolio of information.
The addition of DA to your racing program doesn't have to mean high-dollar computer systems and specially trained people. It does mean that you may have to place a bit more rigor into your racing program to start measuring your various systems that make up the tuning process itself. Reducing the variability within your racing processes will result in better finishes and improved reliability.Your ability to define and understand what is going on with the car starts with having data and learning how to ask questions of the data and making your tuning changes based on what the data is saying.
The 14-lap sessions we looked at have much more information than just what we are seeing in the raw data and in the graphs we created. As you gain a further understanding of the relationships between tire pressure, tire temperature, and rubber hardness as it relates to lap times you'll gain further insight to the tuning processes. You'll understand how spring rates in the car and in the tires can have a very strong effect on the overall setup and its performance. The point to remember is that your race car is a collection of many systems interacting at the same time. It's your job to define and control the various systems to improve the performance of the car.
As you start gathering data in your spiral notebook you may want to transfer the data to a PC or notebook computer. You may even get a copy of Excel with the machine and that software package has more than enough statistical analysis power to do some very specific data analysis that will help glean even more information out of the data you're collecting. I've been seeing more and more guys at the track with computers in their trailers and they aren't playing video games. They're winning races. There's no reason you can't do the same.
Raw Data: It's clear from this data set that the driver was able to improve the lap times up to a point. Then the car started to slow down. Why? It'll be difficult to assign a cause without the notes and the driver debrief. It may have been a very typical or normal occurrence and you just didn't know it was happening until you started taking notes and measuring the car and driver's performance. Then again it might not be normal.
|Session 1
|Lap #
|Lap Time
A Graphical View: With the data in a more graphical perspective it was very clear that the car was getting faster each lap than there was a drastic change that occurred on lap 12 and the car started to slow. The graphical perspective makes the change very clear and dramatic. What happened to make the car start slowing down? Was the car starting to fall off due to a mechanical reason? Did the tires over heat or was there traffic that was causing the car to slow. Whatever the reason we had a 0.8-second fall off and that wasn't good. The other question we need to ask is why it took 11 laps to get the car up to speed? The challenge for the tuner and the team is to understand how to make the correct adjustments to get the car up to speed faster.
Raw Data Session 2: The changes the team made worked, but the car still took 8 laps to get up to speed. The team is going in the right direction; and the measurement process was helpful for the team to ask better questions and get answers.
|Session 2
|Lap #
|Lap Time
Graphical View Session 2: The graph of the second session tells a very different story of the car's performance. It started out faster but the transition to the quickest lap still took 10 laps. It was clear that something wasn't happening quickly enough with the car.


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(ARA) – American kids are learning from their parents this back to school season about value, smart investing and getting the most for every dollar spent. Developing wise spending habits is a good thing for kids, but does it mean they have to sacrifice their sense of style as they head back to school?
Not necessarily, says children's fashion expert, Jenny Cooper, head of J.Crew's children's line, called crewcuts, for ages 2 to 12. Children of top celebrities from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., have been spotted wearing crewcuts. "It is possible to get great style, quality and durability at family-friendly prices," Cooper says. "Parents should look at their children's back-to-school wardrobe as an affordable investment, and follow a few basic rules when shopping."
- Look for sophisticated, classic styles rather than trendy clothes that may have less enduring appeal. Because something is classic doesn't mean it lacks character and personality. Timeless style enables a wardrobe item to be usable and relevant for future seasons, whereas trendy togs are often "flash in the pan" items that may be cheaper and less durable. "Your son may outgrow his crewcuts by this time next year, but you'll still be able to use the clothes next year to put his little brother in stylish, great-looking hand-me-downs," Cooper says.
- Look for quality. Choose garments made of durable, quality materials that have great details. It's common for children to fall in love with certain articles of clothing that they wear over and over again, as any mom who's washed the same shirt five times in a week knows. "It's worth it to spend a little more on a few items that will look great no matter how much use and washing they get," Cooper says. "We are obsessed with quality."
- Don't forget fit. How often have you bought your child a pair of pants or a shirt in a particular brand, loved the fit, and went back and bought several more pairs in different styles and sizes of the same brand, only to find out that not all styles fit the same across the brand. "Fit should be consistent," Cooper says, "so that items will look great and consistent across all ages. We want our jeans to look as amazing on a 10- or 12-year-old as they do on a 3- or 5-year-old."
- Build a wardrobe by mixing and matching key items. Just as you purchase a piece for your own wardrobe keeping in mind what it will pair well with, do the same for children's clothes. A good pair of jeans, smart-looking skirt and classic shirt or blouse can be worn for a variety of occasions, from dress-up to casual. "Try to keep a core of neutral-colored items – pants for boys, skirts for girls – that will go with whatever fun, playful thing your children want to wear on top," Cooper suggests. "If you establish a good base, the rest of the choices they make will always look great."
- Remember, your children's clothes need to fit their personality, not just their body. "Our aim is to create styles that kids would create themselves if they were little fashion designers," Cooper says. "Styles should be fun, comfortable and unique."
- Accessorize for your kids, just as you do for your own wardrobe. For boys, a pop of color in the socks instantly gives a little guy a twist of personality. For girls, look for jewelry that looks like the real thing, rather than gumball jewelry, and don't forget hair accessories to really crown a look.
- Finally, don't underestimate the importance of good shoes, whether they are dress shoes, casual shoes or sneakers. You child's shoes should be durable enough to survive the season of tumble and fun, and good-looking so that your child wants to wear them again and again.
For more ideas on how to keep kids stylish, visit www.jcrew..com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent


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As one who ordinarily dislikes slack moments, I tend to plan things down to the second. It's a practice that often leaves little margin for error and sometimes results in small mishaps. Because as much as you try, you can't fully allow for externalities. One of those is the Chicago Transit Authority, not a sturdy peg on which to hang a daily calendar. The online tracker for the trains is very accurate, but you want to leave a buffer, because the CTA has its externalities as well.
The day of Anthony Rizzo's Cubs debut, I did not leave enough of a buffer. I know that it takes me about six minutes at a steady pace to walk to the Argyle Station, and the tracker told me I had eight minutes. Nevertheless, there it was pulling into the station just as I approached the entrance. I sprinted up the stairs only to find the doors sliding shut and an unforgiving train operator at the helm.
The wait for the next train made me about 11 minutes late to Wrigley Field, a place I haven't been going to much lately because of depression and a kind of existential crisis, a black-ass funk during which I have not been able to fathom why anyone could possibly care about a baseball game. It's a long story— some seriously bad shit has happened in my life lately. I may tell the story another time, but not now. The point here is that I as made my way into the ballpark, I was way out of the loop and in a total fog. So when I saw some of my media colleagues scrambling downstairs, I was confused but didn't think much of it. They do that, the media. They scramble. I kept my distance and quietly made my way into the suddenly-abandoned press box, where I set up my work station for the evening. I looked out at a tour group moving through the bleachers and wondered if it was too late to find someone to take my stringing assignment.
As it turns out, the mad dash had a purpose: Rizzo was giving a press conference in the dungeon-like media room in the bowels at Wrigley Field. By the time I returned downstairs, dreading the long pregame vigil in which we awkwardly hover around the players as they go through their pregame routines, Rizzo was already talking and the room was closed up. Fine by me. Screw it. I went out into the ballpark and sat in the seats, reading Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon on my Kindle.
When enough time had passed, I went back inside to find out when and where Dale Sveum was going to talk and to, you know, do my job. Rizzo walked by and nodded. My first thought, like one of the cartoonish scouts from the Moneyball movie, was that, hey, that's a good-looking kid. Big, blond, and fresh-faced. A media friend walked over and asked if I was "feeling better," and I shook my head. At that point, no, I was definitely not feeling better. Nearby, a group of reporters was interviewing Starlin Castro about Rizzo. Further down, a couple of others were asking Bryan LaHair about the same subject. The television directly over my head was blaring the MLB network, which was talking about Rizzo's impending debut. The Blackberry in my pocket vibrated, and I pulled it out to see a text message from the guy I was working with that day. It assured me not to worry, because he "got Rizzo."
It was at that point that, at long last, it dawned on me what I had stumbled into: it was Anthony Rizzo Day at Wrigley Field.
My mood sunk just a little bit further. I knew, of course, that the Cubs had recalled Rizzo. I wasn't that far removed from the never-ending news cycle. Even at my worst, I'd pulled up Prospectus and MLB Trade Rumors and the scoreboard a couple of times a day. If there was one thing I was looking forward to in my outing that evening, it was to see the young man behind those huge Triple-A numbers in action. What I had not anticipated, however, was that Rizzo would be getting Chicago's version of the Bryce Harper treatment. Every affiliate was represented: print, television, radio, and web. Columnists you don't see around much were on hand. Even some curious New York reporters had wandered over from the Mets' side of the ballpark.
The thought stifled me, and not because I knew that I'd have to write a pre-game separate on the topic. It bothered me because the buzz was so manufactured. The Cubs have the worst record in baseball, and for much of the season, the only good news generated by the organization were the seemingly-daily reports of another Rizzo home run. At first, these reports were minor notes in gameday sidebar stories. But as the homers piled up, suddenly it became a hot topic. When would he arrive? What is taking so long? Sport talk radio and television got into the story, and then the fans started to wonder too. Rizzo's hype machine was going full-bore by the time he arrived, through no fault of his own. He was being hailed as a savior. The good-looking kid was being set up to fail before he'd even stepped on Wrigley Field.
I heard one radio reporter recording an intro to a sound bite in which he referred to Rizzo's "major-league debut." I saw other references to the same subject on Twitter. This is how myopic fans and media can be about the team they follow. It was of course not Rizzo's major-league debut. He's barely even a rookie, having fallen two at-bats and two days of service time shy of exhausting that status last season for San Diego.
This is important to note not just for editorial reasons. Rizzo has already spent a decent chunk of time in the big leagues and, so far, he's flopped around like a marlin on the deck of Ernest Hemingway's boat. He hit .141 with one homer in 153 plate appearances for the Padres last season. Kevin Goldstein ranked him at No. 75 on his Top 101 Prospects list entering the season. Rizzo was a sixth-round draft pick and has already been traded twice during his professional career. Last winter, the Cubs landed him for Andrew Cashner, a young power pitcher coming off shoulder trouble. None of this is Rizzo's fault. All he can do is go out and play. But can't we just employ a little temperance here?
Rizzo hit .342/.405/.696 for Iowa. A nice line, to be sure. He put up similar numbers in Triple-A in the Padres' system last year. This year's performance, as Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer noted before Rizzo's debut, was more impressive because of the playing venue. It's a lot harder to put up those numbers in Des Moines than it is in Tucson. Rizzo made some mechanical adjustments, holding his hands lower and shortening his stroke. It's thought that these tweaks will allow him to better translate his minor-league numbers to The Show. However, there is still the matter of his approach: Rizzo struck out 52 times and walked just 23 times for Iowa in 284 plate appearances. Yes, his slash stats sparkle, but you have to be wary of a player with questionable patience who may also have issues with making consistent contact. In this case, we have the added red flag of his first-year, big-league numbers. All we really know at this point is that when Rizzo makes contact, he knocks the crap out of the ball. We don't know if he's going to make contact often enough for it to matter.
The intent here is not to knock Rizzo, or to suggest he is going to fail again. He may well man first base for the Cubs for the next 15 years, and in 25 years, maybe he's making a speech in Cooperstown. Who knows? This is really not about Rizzo at all. It's about unreasonable expectations, and where they come from.
"I think it's great to be excited, but it has to come with the understanding that he's going to have his ups and downs," Hoyer said. "You're looking at a career here, not just a couple of weeks or a couple of months."
Wise words, but will anybody listen?
Let's bring this back around to me, since I know that's what you really want to know about. After standing through press conferences with Sveum and Hoyer, during which nearly every question was Rizzo-related, I felt the fog start to lift. I realized that I was now suddenly very interested in all this Rizzo business, and if I gave it some thought, I might even have something to say about it. I even began to look forward to the game.
Ah, the game. It was a really nice day at Wrigley. Bright and mild, with the wind blowing in. Wayne Messmer sang the anthem, while my colleague imitated the high points because we've heard him do it some many times. We began to joke about Rizzo. Why didn't he sing the anthem? When was the statue dedication? What business did Hank Aaron have wearing Rizzo's No. 44? After Rizzo caught a line drive hit right at him, I tweeted, "Rizzo snared that screaming liner with the poise and dexterity of a young Lou Gehrig."
Rizzo received a standing ovation when he was announced for his first at-bat, which made me slap my forehead. Clearly the hype machine had worked. Then Rizzo singled in that first trip to the dish. Sort of. He hit a hard smash at Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada, who couldn't quite pluck it. Venerable scorekeeper Bob Rosenberg announced, "E6." (Venerable is an understatement. Rosenberg has scored every professional basketball game in Chicago history except two. He's done Bears, Blackhawks, White Sox, and Cubs, and even some lower-profile sports. The number of live professional sporting events he's attended in Chicago is probably somewhere around 6,000. It may be more than that.) Old Rosie isn't as quick on the uptake these days. An audible smattering of disapproval erupted in the press box and the crowd booed loudly when 'E' was flashed on the scoreboard. Rosie watched a replay and quickly changed the play to single. I, and about 10,000 other tweeters, noted that Rizzo was batting 1.000.
In the fourth inning, Rizzo stepped to the plate in a 3-3 game with two outs and runners on the corners. Rizzo lined a Dillon Gee pitch into center field, right at Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who stumbled while fielding the ball. The lead run scored from third, and Castro raced to third. Nieuwenhuis threw the ball toward third to try to cut down Castro. Rizzo rounded first, paused, and when the throw went towards third, he slid into second base. The crowd was going crazy. I marked on my scorecard a '/' to denote single and, as is my habit, I used Stats LLC notation to record the movement of the baserunners: r3H13b2t. That is, runner on third to home, runner on first to third, batter to second on the throw. Could have been an error on Nieuwenhuis, but I didn't think so. Because of the volume of the crowd, it was several minutes before I realized that Rosie had made an announcement amongst the clamor: "Double. RBI." I shouted down to the Cubs' media relations director, who held up two fingers at me to confirm.
Um, no.
But the call stood, writing everybody's game story for them. The wire service service lede was this: "If the lofty expectations were weighing on Anthony Rizzo, he sure didn't show it in his Cubs debut."
I didn't have to look up that lede, because I wrote it. Yes, I was feeding the hype machine. There was no choice. Rizzo, and the expectations surrounding him, was the story. Even if I had written a different lede, something about the Cubs' bullpen throwing five scoreless innings, for example, it would have been changed. The Cubs went on to win 5-3. Rizzo handled his postgame press assault with aplomb. He's got a shy, unassuming manner that seems genuine, and he's really polite. The last quality is going to change. It has to, or he's going to be pestered to death by reporters always on the prowl for a player who doesn't say no.
During the game, I received a Twitter question from someone who goes by the handle "softyelectric." He or she asked, "Who's to 'blame' when fans disappointed with nice .275/.350/.475 player? Hoyer for making rizzo deal? Trib? Everyone, no one?"
This is the blame game, something we all seem to play. We've always got to be blaming someone for something. Why is that? I thought about it and responded, "If fans want to be disappointed in that, then they are to blame."
Softyelectric, obviously a thoughtful person, then offered, "Mostly agreed, but doesn't sheer volume of stories contribute to 'expectation inflation'? Even if they don't predict 1.000 OPS?"
It's an excellent question, one that I won't attempt to answer in great detail because it's an exhaustive topic. I will share my answer: "It does, but in 2012 people have got to learn how to sift through media bullshit. It's either that or choose to be stupid."
There is an incredible thirst for text these days these days, for a hundred viewpoints on every topic under the sun. Demand being what it is, someone is going to emerge to quench it. Whatever you desire, you can find. As Prospectus readers, you may be fairly inoculated against hype and ridiculous arguments because you've filtered them out and opted to focus on well-reasoned voices. But there is a huge spectrum of content on everything that happens, ranging from the brilliant to the sublime to the absurd to the moronic. People have to learn to wade through it. To me, reading and comprehending the internet should be a subject taught in schools. That's not to let the media off the hook, but readers have responsibility as well. To a certain extent, it's a chicken-and-egg problem.
But let's bring this back around to Anthony Rizzo. He was hailed as the great blond hope, and for one day at least, he was anointed a conquering hero. All that for going 2-for-4 with an RBI on a day that save for the vagaries of Bob Rosenberg's well-seasoned mind, could have simply been 1-for-4 with an RBI single. As for me, by the time I filed my stories and sat back to reflect, I realized that I had thoroughly enjoyed the day. Even more importantly, I felt like what I had watched mattered. It was a big moment, and in 21st-century fashion, I posted a status update about it on Facebook.
The next day, I walked into the ballpark at the same time as Rizzo, trailing behind him several feet as we moved towards our respective work spaces. He stopped and looked uncertainly at the row of unmarked doors. Finally, he made a choice, walked over to one and tried the knob. It was locked. Ken, who works the door that leads to the Cubs' clubhouse, was down the way, hopping up and down and yelling, "Anthony! Anthony!" As I watched Ken greet Rizzo with a handshake and let him inside, I felt like I understood the feeling of newness that Rizzo had to be feeling. His parents had flown in for the series, to watch him play baseball at famous Wrigley Field. In his postgame comments the day before, he had likened himself to Henry Rowengartner, the kid who gets to play for the Cubs in the movie Rookie of the Year. This was no savior. This was a guy trying figure out where the clubhouse was.
Even though it was the dreaded day game after a night game, when you feel like you've barely left the ballpark, I was excited to be at Wrigley for the first time in a month. The fog was gone. Hopefully for quite awhile. It'll come back. It always does, and more bad news is always just around the corner. But baseball has been a welcome refuge from reality many times in my life, and it was with much relief that I realized that it appeared to once again be fulfilling that function for me. (That remained true even after I watched the Mets pummel the Cubs 17-1.) I set up my work space in the press box and then went downstairs to the clubhouse.
Randy Wells was going around and saying his goodbyes. He'd been designated for assignment. Out with the old, in with the new. Another day and more news. Pretty low-level stuff, but it seemed to matter. That was a good sign, for me anyway. Then something else happened that, while not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things, reminded me of my trepidation from the day before and, sadly, reminded me of one of the reasons why I had to take a month-long ballpark break.
Rizzo emerged from the training room and went over to his locker. Like a swarm of vampires, the notebooks, tape recorders, microphones, and television cameras closed in around him. It hadn't even been 12 hours since we had last questioned him. Rizzo again answered the questions, which were poor and several of them recycled from the day before. I mean, there was really nothing to talk about. He spoke of how long his parents would be in town, mentioned that he hasn't always worn No. 44, and said that he once had a Twitter account, but shut it down. Riveting stuff.
So again I was left thinking about the hype beast, about who feeds it and who feasts from it and how it fosters an air of paranoia between the players and the media, making it all the more hostile for people like me, who really just want to talk about baseball. If everything works out on the field, Rizzo is going to have to deal with the media for the next 15 years or so, and he's going to have to deal with fans reacting based on what they've learned from that media. He's going to lose his "Ah, geez" quality. He's not going to smile as often, and that youthful blush on his cheeks is going to disappear.
It's all just a shame. Why can't we just leave the kid alone? Because we can't. We have no choice. The beast must be fed.
Thank you for reading
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My Anritsu
United Kingdom
3GPP-compliant RF and Protocol Conformance tests are supported based on Anritsu's trusted experience in 3G, 4G, and 5G NR measurement technologies. With a world-leading number of the latest GCF- and PTCRB-certified test cases as well as deep partnerships with main chipset vendors, terminal vendors, and test houses, Anritsu solutions support the newest standards for bringing mobile terminals to market as soon as possible.
In 5G NR, Anritsu supports 5G RF regulatory tests in accordance with national and regional radio regulations.
Not only does user-friendly automated control software support efficient testing, but also unique correction functions greatly improve measurement stability and reliability.
Here is the link to "Anritsu 5G Solutions" video, including the Conformance Test Systems.
For 5G Conformance Test System news, visit here.


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Alms for Jihad: Charity and Terrorism in the Islamic World
From WikiLeaks
Unless otherwise specified, the document described here:
- Was first publicly revealed by WikiLeaks working with our source.
- Was classified, confidential, censored or otherwise withheld from the public before release.
- Is of political, diplomatic, ethical or historical significance.
Any questions about this document's veracity are noted.
The summary is approved by the editorial board.
See here for a detailed explanation of the information on this page.
If you have similar or updated material, see our submission instructions.
- Release date
- September 30, 2008
In August 2007, the publisher, Cambridge University Press, removed Alms for Jihad: Charity and Terrorism in the Islamic World from circulation, following the filing of a libel lawsuit against the book in the UK by Saudi Khalid Salim A. bin Mahfouz, who the book had, almost in footnote, accused of funding al-Qaeda. Reportedly all remaining copies, over 2,000, were pulped.
For additional background on the issue, see the following New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/books/review/Donadio-t.html
Further information


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WASHINGTON — That's how it goes with kids. You hardly notice how fast they're growing up, then suddenly big sis is nearly as tall as Mom and the little one is a tween, gently sassing Dad.
On the inaugural platform again four years later, a more mature Malia Obama, 14, and Sasha, 11, smiled, sometimes giggled, and chatted with their cousin Avery Robinson as they awaited their father's arrival. Sasha bounced on her feet a bit as if chilly in temperatures hovering around 40 degrees, and later huddled in her seat. Malia, looking poised in calf-high black boots, rivaled her mother's 5 feet 11 inches. Like any girls their age, they whipped out their smartphones in the parade reviewing stand to take photos.
Both daughters appeared relaxed and oblivious to their global TV audience, unaffected by their rare status, unfazed by the fuss over their father.
Meanwhile, fashion-watchers were tweeting about the girls' coats in vibrant shades of purple. For the record: Malia wore a J. Crew ensemble, Sasha's was Kate Spade, and first lady Michelle Obama was in a Thom Browne coat with a navy print like a man's silk tie.
Such attention to the Obamas' clothes, their Hawaiian vacations, their hair — Michelle lit up Twitter last week by adding bangs — will continue as they charge into a time of turbulence for so many American families: the teen years.
In the second term Sasha, who arrived in the White House as a second-grader, moves on to high school. She expressed her pre-teen spirit Sunday, when Barack Obama took his official, nonpublic oath of office. After giving Dad a "Good job!" she added a reminder of his flubbed words four years ago. "You didn't mess up," Sasha teased the commander in chief.
For Malia, the milestones to come are many — she'll be hitting the age when typical teens start driving, dating and applying to colleges. How normally can any of this go at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.?
Life in the White House is bound to feel different to a teen than it does to a second-grader.
Seven-year-old Emanuel Coleman's grandmother positioned him on the steps of the National Gallery of Art to watch the swearing-in on a giant outdoor screen Monday. The Durham, N.C., boy thought life for a White House kid must be cool, because the president has "his own private limo, helicopter and lives in a really big house."
"It would be fun to fly in the presidential helicopter," Emanuel enthused.
Sixteen-year-old Colleen Casey isn't so sure.
"They have to live their life in their dad's shadow," said Casey, part of a group of Girl Scout volunteers who came to the inaugural from nearby Woodbridge, Va. "You can't be your own person."
That's the struggle for White House youngsters, said author Doug Wead, who has interviewed 19 sons and daughters of former presidents and wrote about them in "All the Presidents' Children."
"When your mom's the first lady, and all your classmates are oohing and ahhing over her, it's hard to compete with that," Wead said. "At any given time, half the country hates your father and half the country loves him. It's hard to establish a separate identity."
Just last week, the National Rifle Association referred to the Obama daughters in an ad berating their father for opposing a proposal to put armed guards in all schools, while his children get Secret Service protection. And the president's been criticized for sending Sasha and Malia to the private Sidwell Friends School.
Even the great stuff — traveling the globe, meeting rock stars, mingling with world leaders — can go to a girl's head.
Mrs. Obama says she strives to give the girls a normal life — homecoming dances, playing basketball, trick-or-treating, slumber parties — and also to keep them respectful, responsible and down-to-earth.
There's been lots of speculation that Mrs. Obama, who turns 50 next year, may design her own transformation in the second term, when she'll be freed from the pressure of her husband's re-election. Will the first lady who dubbed herself "mom-in-chief" add to her portfolio of family-centered causes? The White House isn't yet saying.
Some feminists want to see the Harvard Law School grad take on a more forceful public role. Not all of her fans are so sure.
"I like the roles she's taken on with troops, with health, with children," said W. Faye Butts, 68, an enthusiastic Obama supporter who traveled from Macon, Ga., for the inaugural. No need to try to do more: "She has a family to raise, that's her first priority."
Associated Press writers Richard Lardner, Matthew Barakat and Darlene Superville contributed to this report. Follow Connie Cass on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ConnieCass


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Why would the esteemed Ohio University host a talk by the likes of Roger Ailes? Maybe we should ask one of the talk's patrons, Charles Koch.
Ailes, of Fox News fame, is giving his talk today. The guy who invited him says the point was to get "perhaps the most influential newsman in America" to spark a discussion about "free speech and the media," particularly given OU's "first-rate school of journalism." But Roger Ailes isn't a newsman and doesn't do journalism. He does political advocacy that's (very) thinly disguised as journalism. As Eric Boehlert of Media Matters says, "places of higher learning shouldn't help perpetuate the Fox myth while turning a blind eye to the lasting damage Ailes's enterprise is doing to journalism and to our national discourse."
Might this act of selling out have something to do with the fact that the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation serves as an underwriter of the George Washington Forum, which is the OU group hosting the speech? As detailed in my film Koch Brothers Exposed, Charles Koch is a billionaire industrialist and one of the leading financiers of the American Right. He is known tomeddle in educational institutions, infamously attaching strings to university donations by insisting he be able to veto a school's hiring decisions. Students and faculty at schools like Florida State University are fighting this corruption valiantly, but the encroachment on academic integrity and freedom remains a threat.
In the case of Ohio University, the full extent of Koch's donations to the George Washington Forum isn't known. But we do know that Koch specifically underwrote a talk the Forum hosted byJohn Yoo, author of the Bush torture memos (belying Charles and his brother David's claims that their ideological activism is restricted to economic issues). We also know that through the Forum, the Charles Koch Foundation awards grants to students "interested in studying free market ideas" under an OU professor who researches conservative politics and economics. Students applying for the grant in the past have had to write an essay about a book by libertarian Henry Hazlitt. Is it just me, or does it look like Charles Koch is paying the university to spread his right-wing ideology?
Not that Koch is the only problem. Indeed, Ailes himself is a big donor to (and alum of) Ohio University. If an institution of higher learning is willing to take money from an anti-journalist like Ailes for its communications programs, it will inevitably spread his message to students, one way or another.
Today, as Ailes takes the mic at OU, those who believe in education should redouble our efforts to stop the slow erosion of academic integrity. This erosion is reflected in the influence wielded by wealthy ideologues like Charles Koch and his political bullhorn, Roger Ailes.
We need to update you on where Truthout stands.
To be brutally honest, Truthout is behind on our fundraising goals for the year. There are a lot of reasons why. We're dealing with broad trends in our industry, trends that have led publications like Vice, BuzzFeed, and National Geographic to make painful cuts. Everyone is feeling the squeeze of inflation. And despite its lasting importance, news readership is declining.
To ensure we stay out of the red by the end of the year, we have a long way to go. Our future is threatened.
We've stayed online over two decades thanks to the support of our readers. Because you believe in the power of our work, share our transformative stories, and give to keep us going strong, we know we can make it through this tough moment.
If you value what we do and what we stand for, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our work.


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Marina Bay
What to do in Marina Bay
Marina Bay in Singapore stands out as a spectacular example of how this small country has come to be one of the world's most luxurious travel destinations. As one of the major business areas of Singapore, this neighbourhood exudes a vibrant cosmopolitan vibe all along the spotless pavements and inside the many shopping malls, subway stations, restaurants and rooftop bars.
Overlapping the Financial District, Clarke Quay and the central Civic District towards the north, Marina Bay boasts some of Singapore's most iconic hotels, skyscrapers, and attractions. It's difficult to ignore the iconic Marina Bay Sands Resort too, which itself is home to a substantial list of great things to do and see.


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Our Kakaako's Out-of-the-Office Friday
Love at First Site (Sponsored)
Some of the world's biggest ideas started around a foosball table.
Apple computers.
The airplane.
Actually, none of these came from a bout of table football. But, none were created in corporate conference rooms, either. So why not give the foosball a shot?
Friday, Our Kakaako's Pinch of Salt Warehouse is being turned into Hawaii's coolest out-of-the-office (#OOTO) office. The plans include a creative space with fun and tasty upgrades. The plans do not include bad fluorescent lighting, barely-passable coffee or cubicle-crashing coworkers. Let's break it down.
Your office view: Walls. Four other "team members" (two of whom you like) from the shoulders up.
Our Kakaako #OOTO view: Foosball table, TVs, other insanely talented, dedicated and out-of-the-box thinkers like you.
Your office eats: Generic vending machine chips and mystery Christmas gift rejects on the communal snack table.
Our Kakaako #OOTO eats: A menu by Pili Group's Mark Noguchi, including Caesar wraps with Hirabasa kale, puffed rice and caesar dressing; savory or sweet toast; Fruit Loop treats and S'more's cookies. Plus, you're just steps away from Bevy, Hank's Haute Dogs, Highway Inn and some of Our Kakaako's other hot eateries.
Your office connection: A desktop computer Frankensteined together from four other epically slow machines.
Our Kakaako #OOTO connection: The fastest free WiFi available, offering 5x faster downloads and 50x faster uploads than at most homes and coffee shops.
Your office outdoor experience: Limited to the three-minute walk from your parking garage to your office and the 10-minute trek to grab a lunch you'll eat at your desk.
Our Kakaako #OOTO outdoor experience: Work spaces will be set up outdoors. Inside, there will be more single-person desks as well as community spaces for the best brainstorming of your life.
Our Kakaako Pinch of Salt Warehouse will be open Friday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at 683 Auahi St. Find more at ourkakaako.com/ooto.


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At Dave Wright Auto, our helpful and experienced team enjoys the challenge of meeting and exceeding your expectations every time you visit our facilities. Whether you're a prospective car buyer looking for a great deal on a new or used Subaru or Nissan or a current vehicle owner who needs top-notch service or parts, our Cedar Rapids, Iowa Nissan and Subaru dealership is here to serve you.
Want to ride home to Robins or Marion in style in a sporty new Subaru BRZ, Nissan Altima or Nissan 370Z? How about driving cross-country in a new Subaru Forester, Nissan Pathfinder, Nissan Murano or Subaru Impreza? The enthusiastic staff at Dave Wright Auto is happy to set you up for a test-drive in your dream vehicle. Or, for Center Point and Toddville drivers on a tight budget, our used Nissan and Subaru inventories have great deals on high-quality cars, trucks and SUVs.
Here at Dave Wright Auto, we make it easy to finance your next vehicle. Fill out our Online Finance Application and let our finance specialists find the right financing options for you!
If your current vehicle requires service, including anything from a tune-up to major repair, our Iowa Subaru and Nissan service center is here to help. Our trained mechanics will ensure that your Nissan or Subaru receives the proper maintenance and repair the first time, while our professional Nissan parts department has a large inventory of OEM Nissan and Subaru parts for do-it-yourselfers from Mt. Vernon and North Liberty.
We're proud to serve Subaru and Nissan drivers from Greater Cedar Rapids, whether they come to us for new or used vehicle sales, service or parts. Stop by our Linn County, Iowa auto dealership today!


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Simple AP Sourdough
Here's the AP version of my usual sourdough. It's 61% hydration. Next time I'll stretch the hydration to 65%. Trial and Error. It includes 20g of dry brown sesame seeds and 25g of whole wheat flour.
I like a more chewy crumb than this loaf provides, but for those who want a crispy crust with a soft crumb, here you go:


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Escort ServiceDen Haag
Open 24 hours - call +31(0)6 34592940
Escorts in Den Haag
Den Haag escorts is the leading provider of escort services in the region, with top class standards and escort girls that will impress you beyond belief. We are the first escort agency that the most demanding of clients turn to when they are seeking out escorts in Den Haag to satisfy their every need. Not only are we a fully licensed escort service but we operate above and beyond the basic requirements, ensuring that all of Den Haag escorts are that extra bit special for you. We have all manner of different types for you to chose from so there is a very good chance that no matter what type of escorts you are here looking for you will certainly find one that ticks all your boxes.
As a Den Haag escort agency we strive to provide our clients with something that they just cant get any where else, that being totally satisfaction from the best escorts in Den Haag that are all very willing to go that extra mile to ensure that you depart them with a very big smile upon your face. One thing is for sure and that is when you book a girl from us here at Den Haag escorts you are going to getting one that is superior in every possible way, so when only the best is good enough for you, give us a call.


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Be Alerted
Thank you !
Product description
The Clay sneakers redefine convention and come in leather and mesh. A graphic design with a contrasting "JL" logo detail, available in a high-top or low-top version.
- Low-top calfskin leather and mesh sneakers
- "JL" logo on the sides
- Tongue with Mother and Child label
- Calfskin leather lining with Lanvin logo
- Outer sole in rubber
- Main material: 100% polyester weave
- Material 2: 100% calfskin leather
- Material 3: 100% calfskin leather
- Lining: 100% calfskin leather
- Sole: 100% rubber
- Made in Portugal
Shipping & Returns
We offer Standard and Express shipping: choose the service that best meets your needs at Checkout. We also provide free returns: you have 14 days from delivery to follow our quick and easy return procedure.


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Easter bunny printable decor in robin egg blue, pastel blue glitter - Personal use
- Regular Price
- $5.90
- Sale Price
- $5.90
- Regular Price
- Unit Price
- per
Instant digital download for personal use. Gold bunny silhouette printable Easter decor.
Color: Robin egg blue glitter for the bunny, silver glitter for its tail, white background.
Size 8x10" To be printed on A4 paper. Image area is 8x10 inch. It will fit frames with mat for 8x10 inch prints.
This design is available as digital download and as print.
- Purchase this listing
- Once your order is placed, you'll get a link to the download page. Easy, simple and fast!
Please note:
- You will get JPG and PDF files that you can print at home or at a shop
- Digital download. No physical item will be sent. This listing is for a hi-resolution, digital, printable file.
- Files are 300 dpi, perfect quality for printing, clean and crisp.
- This item will be shipped automatically via
instantdownload and it is not customizable. It is sold as shown, in listed sizes, quote and colors. If you are interested in custom size, color or quote, please, message me. I'm happy to help!
You can print the design yourself on your home printer, or have it printed by any photo finisher of your choice (online or local shop).
License: Personal use only.
Do you have any question? Would you prefer other colors? not exactly what you are looking for? custom work? Message me!


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As he stares at you blankly, explain the addictive joy of eating dots and the simplistic genius of the neon-blue maze. When he sneers, "That's it? It's the same level over and over?" stand your damn ground. Yes. That's all there is. And it never stops being fun, Junior.
Now sit the same brat down and repeat the process during Marble Mania for the Wii -- a similarly minimalist game combining state-of-the art controls with an old-school arcade heart.
In truth, Marble Mania is nothing more than a high-tech update of those wooden labyrinth toys your father played with: You carefully guide a marble to the goal while avoiding pitfalls. But instead of twiddling knobs to shift the maze floor, you'll rotate and balance the Wii remote to guide your marble down thrilling slopes and hairpin paths. Needless to say, one wrong twist of the wrist, and you'll lose your balls faster than a stray mutt on Bob Barker's lawn.
It's no secret that Marble Mania's game play shamelessly borrows from the original Marble Madness for the NES and, more recently, the Super Monkey Ball franchise. The difference is, you're actually controlling a unique 3-D environment, while gravity guides the marble itself. When you reach a dead end, you may have to keep tilting your controller until the wall becomes a new floor or the ceiling becomes the stairs. It's like navigating an M.C. Escher drawing.
Various difficulty levels arrive in the form of 20 different marbles, each containing distinct "stats." If you can't get past a particular stage, try the Panda Ball -- it's fat, sluggish, and less likely to fall off the side. Don't need a handicap? Try the ridiculously fast Flash Ball, and you'll ... wait for it ... lose your marbles.
Marble Mania's two-player mode is a fun but basic race to the finish. Unfortunately, the second player -- who must control the game using the Wiimote's awkwardly curved "Nunchuk" attachment -- is at a disadvantage; the Wiimote's rectangular design makes it much better for controlling a rectangular 3-D plane. And with all the twisting required, the Nunchuk wire just gets in the way. Most Wii owners own more than one remote, so why not put them to use?
The game's increasingly difficult and unforgiving stages (around 80, if you count the "mirror versions" of the original levels) are often too challenging for kids, yet older gamers may be turned off by their kiddie-friendly "Candy Land" and "Toy Workshop" themes. Then again, maybe that's just part of the difficulty: Let the dancing strawberry break your concentration, and you're screwed. (Still, who wouldn't choose whimsical fruit over the ear-piercing primates of Super Monkey Ball?)
While games of late tend to steer players toward certain victory -- Legend of Zelda and Prince of Persia, we're looking at you -- Marble Madness> is all skill, baby. With its well-rounded puzzle designs (and cute characters that are, well, rounded), Marble Mania puts a new spin on classic gaming and sticks to the old-school fundamental: It takes minutes to learn, but a lifetime to master.


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Hand-dyed in County Cork, Ireland, each unique Hedgehog Fibre colorway is inspired by company founder, Beata Jezek's, personal style. The signature colorways range from dark & moody to fluorescent & vibrant. Merino DK is a versatile, machine washable DK weight yarn that can be knit into soft garments, throws, & accessories. The round profile & twist give wonderful stitch definition for cables & textural stitches.
Fiber Content: 100% Superwash Merino Wool
Weight: Light/DK
Gauge: 5-5.5 stitches per 1" on US 6-7 (4-4.5mm) needles
Weight/ Yardage: 100g/218 yards
Care: Machine wash gentle, lay flat to dry
Country of Origin: Ireland


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Thicket™ Obfuscator for PHP
The PHP Obfuscator tool scrambles PHP source code to make it very difficult to understand or reverse-engineer (example). This provides significant protection for source code intellectual property that must be hosted on a website or shipped to a customer. It is a member of SD's family of Source Code Obfuscators.
"We tried other leading vendors' approaches, but these limited our distribution channels.
With SD, we have eliminated distribution restrictions."
Sheryl Hamilin, President, Bizy Inc. See Press Release.
"I purchased your PHP Thicket Obfuscator a couple weeks ago and wanted to let you know how things
have been going. My entire code base is now obfuscated and working and I love your product."
Mr. Tom Tompkins, Owner, RedCart Solutions, LLC
Thicket™ Obfuscator for PHP Features
- Replaces variable, function, class, and constant names with nonsense names without affecting functionality
(to our knowledge, none of the other obfuscators do all of these)
- User definable list of preserved names
- Predefined list of commonly-used PHP system preserved-identifiers provided
- Facility to handle variable names embedded in eval'd string literals
- Strips comments and whitespace
- User definable comment filtering, to preserve Copyright and public interface documentation
- Obfuscates an entire set of files in one step, consistently, without breaking the source code
- Absolutely no changes required to your source code (exception: "eval()" requires slight changes)
- No changes needed to the customer's PHP compilation or execution procedures or environment; he can run what he has now. No need for optimizers or other complex additions. Unlike PHP "Encoders", you don't have to insist your customer or web hosting service configure his PHP server your way.
- Parses entire code base for syntax. Finds errors before you release the code.
- Option to neatly format PHP source and indent files according to their nesting level, to aid development before obfuscation. Will also format the HTML embedded in the PHP scripts.
- Output encoding in ASCII, European ASCII (ISO-8859-1), or UNICODE (UTF8 or UTF16)
- Command line and GUI interfaces
- PHP4 and PHP5 versions
Semantic Designs is flattered that Zend has decided to offer a PHP obfuscator product, following our leadership in the obfuscator market. You shouldn't be flattered that their price is 5 times ours, and they want it annually. And for their best ("strong") obfuscation, they also require the Zend optimizer installed, which may be difficult to convince your customer to do. Our solution, while compatible with the Optimizer, does not require it, yet provides the same "strong" protection (and a bit more, in that we can obfuscate function names in strings, which Zend apparantly cannot).
Note: There are some competing PHP "protectors" that "encrypt" or "encode" unaltered source code. Those products require your encrypted source code to be shipped to your customer with the very code it takes to decrypt your source. Any competent PHP coder should be able to trivially execute that decoder to see your source. Worse, there are absolutely amazing free decoding tools used to trivially decode such protections. What this means is that those encoders provide no protection at all. (Interestingly, Zend offers this useless option as part of their product).
True obfuscators such as Thicket use nonsense identifier names, making those names impossible to understand by themselves. No "decoder" exists or can be built to ungarble such names; a would-be thief will have to work hard and dig deeply into the obfuscated source code to even begin guessing what each identifier might have meant.
Additional Note: You may be tempted to try POBS or some other free obfuscator script. You will find those scripts, while well intentioned, do not really work reliably, and run very slowly on large PHP packages because they are based on slow PHP string hacking. Our PHP Obfuscator works quickly and reliably on even the most arcane (if legal) PHP code.


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text: Target announced today that its new Canadian stores will offer guests the latest in wireless retail as the result of an agreement with GLENTEL Inc., Canada's largest independent multi-carrier mobile phone retailer. The agreement provides GLENTEL the opportunity to offer a choice of network carriers and an array of wireless devices to guests at the majority of Target locations set to open across Canada in 2013. "We are proud to be selected by Target as the exclusive operator of its mobile communications products and services display fixtures at the majority of store locations across Canada," said Tom Skidmore, president and CEO, GLENTEL. "As Canada's largest independent multi-carrier mobile phone retailer, GLENTEL is well positioned and committed to delivering its premium wireless retail experience to Target's valued guests across Canada." Under the agreement, Target Canada is licensing the operation of the mobile communication sales and services display fixtures within its stores to GLENTEL Inc. under the brand Target Mobile. "Our goal is to bring the true Target brand shopping experience to Canada and this includes partnering with accomplished Canadian companies like GLENTEL to offer our guests the highest quality merchandise and exceptional service," said John Morioka, senior vice president, Merchandising, Target Canada. "This agreement means that our guests will have access to superior mobile communication products at great value when shopping at our stores." Target plans to open 124 stores across Canada starting in March/April 2013. Later this year, Target will announce additional store locations that will open in 2014 and beyond. About Target Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,772 stores across the United States and at Target.com. The company plans to open its first stores in Canada in 2013. In addition, the company operates a credit card segment that offers branded proprietary credit card products. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its profit through community grants and programs; today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week. For more information about Target's commitment to corporate responsibility, visit Target.com/hereforgood. About GLENTEL GLENTEL (TSX: GLN) is the largest independent multi-carrier mobile phone retailer in Canada and a leading provider of innovative and reliable telecommunications services and solutions in North America. Founded in 1963 and headquartered in Burnaby, BC, Canada, GLENTEL comprises three operating divisions – Retail Canada, Retail U.S. and Business – that service thousands of consumers and commercial communications customers. The company operates over 540 corporate stores with more than 330 locations in Canada located nationally in retail malls, Costco Wholesale stores, and business centres; and more than 210 retail locations in the United States. GLENTEL offers a choice of network carrier and wireless device or mobile phone to Canadian consumers and offers the family of wireless products and services of Verizon Wireless as one of Verizon Wireless' select six National Premium Retailers in the United States. GLENTEL operates its business under the trading names Glentel Wireless, WIRELESSWAVE, WAVE SANS FIL, Tbooth wireless, la cabine T sans fil, WIRELESS etc., WAVE SANS FIL etc., Mac Station, and Diamond Wireless – a Verizon National Premium Retailer in the U.S. www.glentel.com