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Credit: Roeland P. van der Marel (STScI), Frank C. van den Bosch (Univ. of Washington), and NASA.Learn more in NewsCenter HubbleSite's NewsCenter is the place to find the story behind this image, along with its original news release and all related images.


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Matt Gelb still here taking you through the January doldrums...
Shane Victorino joked that his first reaction upon hearing the Phillies signed Placido Polanco was, "Damn! He's a good contact guy."
And the acquisition could eventually mean Victorino moving down from the two hole in the Phillies' lineup, a spot he held for much of last season.
"What am I going to do? Stomp around the room?" Victorino said, laughing. "I'm excited for the opportunity, wherever. It doesn't matter. I'm sure I'll be hitting in multiple positions. I've done it before. It's not going to be any different than the past. I've hit second, seventh, sixth, fith, I've led off before. Again, it's ultimately up to Charlie [Manuel]. He's done a great job of shifting things around."
Is Polanco a great contact hitter? Of course. But is he vastly better than Victorino? It's closer than you think.
Obviously, the keys for a No. 2 hitter are predicated on plate discipline. If Jimmy Rollins is on base ahead of the No. 2 hitter, he might want a few chances to steal a base. So the No. 2 hitter should be able to take a few pitches.
Polanco: 3.49, 3.50, 3.51
Victorino: 3.51, 3.52, 3.75
Very little difference there. Another obvious key for the No. 2 hitter is getting on base in front of the heart of the lineup.
Polanco: 4675 PA, .303 / .347 / .415
Victorino: 572 PA, .307 / .370 / .467
OK, we're talking drastically different sample sizes. Polanco has been fairly effective from the two hole his entire career. Victorino has batted almost exclusively second since becoming a major leaguer and has shown the propensity to get on base with a .370 clip.
How about beyond that? Fan Graphs has wonderful plate discipline stats based off of pitch type, velocity, batted ball location, and play-by-play data provided by Baseball Info Solutions. Through that, they can come up with some interesting ways to quantify it all.
Victorino has swung a 28 percent of pitches outside of the strike zone in his career. Polanco has swung at 21 percent. But they both swing at nearly the same amount of total pitches (Victorino: 45.2 percent, Polanco: 45.1 percent). So that means Polanco has the better eye at the plate. He's swinging at fewer bad pitches.
Polanco makes contact with 92 percent of all pitches he sees. Victorino is at 87.9 percent. And it doesn't seem like a huge discrepency, but considering Polanco has maintained a 92 percent contact ratio eight seasons into his career is impressive. Polanco's strikeout percentage (7.1 percent) is also better than Victorino's (12.8 percent).
So all of those metrics would point to Polanco being the more disciplined hitter, which is why the 34-year-old third baseman will likely start the season as the No. 2 hitter. But there is one last thing to consider: Speed. Polanco has stolen seven bases in each of the last three seasons. During that same span, Victorino has 98 steals.
If Victorino is batting lower in the order, he will be running less. Just another aspect to consider.
"Of course I'm going to have to stay the same player," Victorino said. "I can't change. There are certain parts of the game that will be a little different if I do hit seventh. The running aspect of the game; I'm not going to be running with one out and trying to steal second or third with the pitcher up. There will be aspects of the game that change, but again, I don't plan on changing anything. I'm going to play the game I know how to play."

subset: commoncrawl


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Expert Dr. John Cody to conduct educational seminar, display artwork
GREAT BEND — Traveling to several continents, Dr. John Cody has followed, studied, and rendered in exquisite detail giant silk moths. Christened the "Audubon of Moths," Dr. Cody will present "Night Beauties — The Giant Silk Moths" at 2 p.m. on Feb. 20 at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center, at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, near Great Bend. In addition to his presentation, Cody will premier one of his newest paintings and display two additional original paintings. Several mounted silk moth specimens will be on display, along with the cocoons of two species.
Intended for all ages, the presentation will be followed by an activity for youngsters. There is no charge for the presentation or activity.
Dr. Cody brings to life the startling beauty of these ethereal creatures in his watercolor paintings, which are on display at Sternberg Museum in Hays through March 27. Although his life's work has been to depict the beauty of silk moths on canvas, his presentations provide a fascinating glimpse into the environment and life of silk months.
An encounter at the age of five with a large silk moth in his hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., began a lifelong passion for Cody. He attended medical school and practiced as a psychiatrist for 25 years. During that time however, he continued studying and painting silk moths from his studio in Hays, taking his wife and three children on trips around the world to observe his subjects.
He received the Kansas Governor's Arts Award in 1997 for Individual Artist Lifetime Achievement. His exhibitions have included one-man shows at the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.
For more information, phone the Kansas Wetlands Education Center at 620-786-7456 or 1-877-243-9268.


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Cracking the semantic code
Press release issued: 13 February 2013
Half of a word's meaning is simply a three dimensional summary of the rewards associated with it, according to an analysis of millions of blog entries undertaken by researchers from the University of Bristol and published today in PLoS ONE.
We make choices about pretty much everything, all the time – "Should I go for a walk or grab a coffee?"; "Shall I look at who just came in or continue to watch TV?" – and to do so we need something common as a basis to make the choice.
Dr John Fennell and Dr Roland Baddeley of Bristol's School of Experimental Psychology followed a hunch that the common quantity, often referred to simply as reward, was a representation of what could be gained, together with how risky and uncertain it is. They proposed that these dimensions would be a unique feature of all objects and be part of what those things mean to us.
Over 50 years ago, psychologist Charles Osgood developed an influential method, known as the 'semantic differential', that attempts to measure the connotative, emotional meaning of a word or concept. Osgood found that about 50 per cent of the variation in a large number of ratings that people made about words and concepts could be captured using just three summary dimensions: 'evaluation' (how nice or good the object is), 'potency' (how strong or powerful an object is) and 'activity' (whether the object is active, unpredictable or chaotic). So, half of a concept's meaning is simply a measure of how nice, strong, and active it is. The main problem is that, until now, no one knew why.
Dr Baddeley explained: "Over time, we keep a running tally of all the good and bad things associated with a particular object. Later, when faced with a decision, we can simply choose the option that in the past has been associated with more good things than bad. This dimension of choice sounds very much like the 'evaluation' dimension of the semantic differential."
To test this, the researchers needed to estimate the number of good or bad things happening. At first sight, estimating this across a wide range of contexts and concepts seems impossible; someone would need to be observed throughout his or her lifetime and, for each of a large range of contexts and concepts, the number of times good and bad things happened recorded. Fortunately, a more practical solution is provided by the recent phenomenon of internet blogs, which describe aspects of people's lives and are also searchable. Sure enough, after analysing millions of blog entries, the researchers found that the evaluation dimension was a very good predictor of whether a particular word was found in blogs describing good situations or bad.
Interestingly, they also found that how frequently a word was used was also a good predictor of how much we like it. This is a well-known effect – the 'mere exposure effect' – and a mainstay of the multi-billion dollar advertising industry. When comparing two options we just choose the option we like the most – and we like it because in the past it has been associated with more good things.
Analysing the data showed that 'potency' was a very good predictor of the probability of bad situations being associated with a given object: it measured one kind of risk.
Dr Fennell said: "This kind of way of quantifying risk is called 'value at risk' in financial circles, and the perils of ignoring it have been plain to see. Russian Roulette may be, on average, associated with positive rewards, but the risks associated with it are not for everyone!"
It is not the only kind of risk, though. In many situations, 'activity' – that is, unpredictability, or more importantly uncontrollability – is a highly relevant measure of risk: a knife in the hands of a highly trained sushi chef is probably safe, a knife in the hands of a drunk, erratic stranger is definitely not.
Dr Fennell continued: "Again, this different kind of risk is relevant in financial dealings and is often called volatility. It seems that the mistake that was made in the credit crunch was not ignoring this kind of risk, but to assume that you could perfectly guess it based on how unpredictable it had been in the past."
Thus, the researchers propose that half of meaning is simply a summary of how rewarding, and importantly, how much of two kinds of risk is associated with an object. Being sensitive not only to rewards, but also to risks, is so important to our survival, that it appears that its representation has become wrapped up in the very nature of the language we use to represent the world.
'Reward is assessed in three dimensions that correspond to the semantic differential' by John G Fennell and Roland J Baddeley in PLoSOne


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Telly Award-Winning Series to Feature Asia Society Texas Center
HOUSTON, February 12, 2013 — Asia Society Texas Center will host a sneak peek screening of Texas Foundation for the Arts' new 30-minute program titled "Asia Society Texas Center: Building Bridges of Understanding" on Tuesday, March 19, 6:30 pm at Asia Society Texas Center, 1370 Southmore Blvd. Houston, Texas. RSVP to firstname.lastname@example.com.
The third episode of Texas Foundation for the Arts' Telly Award-winning series Houston Arts Television, produced in collaboration with HoustonPBS, explores how famed Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi's landmark building came to fruition in Houston's Museum District. The filmmakers take a look at the history of the organization, the design and construction of the building, the grand opening festivities, and the many exhibitions and programs that will be presented in the 300-seat theatre, art exhibition space, and conference facilities.
Related Links
Asia Society Texas Center: Building Bridges of Understanding
PBS to Air Documentary On Asia Society's New Headquarters
Video: Official Trailer


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Dr. Rosen
Be produced from vineyards, inherited from generation to generation in the Rosen House 200 years average age 60 years old trees.
Evaluation of the best brewing Gault Millau magazine! "Riesling preacher' and admiration from around the world!
Without taking wine "Riesling preacher, Rosen said, talk about Riesling!
Thought was going around the country twice together when he came to promotion to Japan come may. Despite Germany's wine making Superstars can really care for friendly fun.
Will become a prisoner and definitely not if you drink his wine once the personality too! His brewery, Dr. Rosen has the inscription jyouji vineyard 六 one like envy anyone the South-facing steep slopes of the Moselle river.
Head Ernst Rosen is 60-70-year-old trees were planted Verena ゾンネンウーア ( ヴェーレン village Sundial ) エアデナー トレップヒェン (small staircases of the エアデン village) , such as the field's credit rating to the grade and grade 1.
Was an unofficial rating based on historical documents, terroir of each field are reflected. Is described as fair to express the difference in the taste of each wine and wine authority Mr. Stuart Piggott.
Slate visit his brewery and always a different color of each express field before the wine is placed the flavor differences come from what will be felt.
You can see only sipped affordable doctor L series is part of his exquisitely balanced balance of acid and sweetness, fruit wine making.
Configuration of a complex taste folded it over and over again even if the field names containing series watch!
Rosen said Rosen brewery business from 1988, has earned a reputation so far, but is told still incredible and this time indeed.
Beyond his passion for Moselle, dealer J. L. Wolf brewery of the Pfalz region, Riesling evaluation is quite high!
Spätlese grape nominated in delicious and dry wines in Germany are had.
Hugh Samuel Johnson has a 9.7 ha vineyard in the energetic vineyards located in bernkastel Sankt ヨハニスホーフ to Pocket wine book.
Riesling from the piled up "best of the best fields" old vines to deep, intense stuff.
Since the 1995 wines is a superlative quality. Wine make Ernst Rosen of the that is the Riesling ohama clean and beautiful works of art!
The concept of his winemaking
Enjoy the taste of the best German wine finished a bottle of wine without leaving the vineyard wine drinking pleasure felt Germany's rich natural and nurtured by its nature potential.
[Ernst-Rosen] of vigorous appreciates many wine critics and wine lovers of the world!
VDP Germany fine wine producers Association (Germany's highest level of wine growers Association)
-Excellent brewery best 100 ( than DM magazine of Germany
-World wine brewery rankings top 10 (go-Millau magazine)
-In Germany dry Riesling Grand Prix "ファインシュメッカー" in the magazine fair winners!
• Wine Academy Award!
In the prestigious British wine magazine Decanter Magazine 2005 "man of the year ' to was chosen!
| Notice and took over the family business in 1/1988 ' doctor, Rosen brewery ' of the current head Ernst Rosen's absolute condition great wines internationally using a younger average age 50 years old and owns the highest vineyards, revolutionized one after the other.
Incorporating the latest farming reduces the grape harvest in half, using organic fertilizers, stop any use of chemical fertilizers, regained his old fashioned rustic brewing method.
Appreciated the achievements effortlessly Germany now realizing the Riesling Renaissance , active all over the world in his2001 "Winery-of the year' (go Mio magazine, Germany), 3/2005 'man-of-the year" (Decanter Magazine, UK), followed by in September, 'white wine maker-of-the-year' (international wine challenge, London, 2005) to was chosen.
The current head of the nameplate brewery in bernkastel, Moselle, a 200-year-old doctor Rosen Ernst Rosen and DR L series ケラーマイ star Mr Bernhard until manufactured, cost-performance one.
Sweet delicate smell like flowers and honey. Apricot-like cute and sour, smooth taste. It is fruity wine up a notch.
Screw cap adoption
This product cannot be shipped to United States from the store.
Please contact the store for further information.


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Abrupt Climate Change Brought to Public Attention in Hollywood Movie
The movie The Day After Tomorrow, released today by 20th Century Fox, paints a dramatic picture of the effects of climate change - and raises questions about the boundary between science and science fiction. How fast can Earth's climate change? Will global warming raise sea level and flood coastal cities? If our climate cools, will it spawn an "ice age" in our lifetimes?
Drawing on diverse scientific expertise, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has prepared a summary of some of the latest scientific thinking about climate change and some of the questions raised by the movie. For further information go to the Ocean and Climate Change Institute's Web site.
The Institution's Ocean and Climate Change Institute has considerable information about climate change in general, and a number of recent research papers published by Institution staff have been highlighted in the media section of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's Web site.
For Immediate Release
Media Relations Office
(508) 289-3340


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CHICAGO (AP) -- Mary Ann McMorrow, the first woman to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court and the state's first female chief justice, has died.
Illinois Supreme Court spokesman Joseph Tybor, who was authorized to speak on the family's behalf, says McMorrow died Saturday at a Chicago hospital following a brief illness. She was 83.
McMorrow set numerous precedents. She was the only woman in her 1953 class at Loyola University School of Law, and became the first woman on Illinois' highest court in 1992. She served as chief justice from 2002 to 2005.
But when she retired in 2006, McMorrow told The Associated Press she never focused on being a trailblazer. She said she was "just trying to do the best I could."
McMorrow is survived by her daughter and her sister.


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SOURCE: Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
May 06, 2011 15:04 ET
CAMBRIDGE, MA--(Marketwire - May 6, 2011) - Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB: MIPIQ) (PINKSHEETS: MIPIQ), today announced that at a hearing held on May 5, 2011, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts confirmed the Company's Amended Plan of Reorganization (the "Plan"). Molecular Insight is scheduled to emerge from Chapter 11 as a fully restructured company by late May 2011.
As confirmed, the Plan restructures the Company's consolidated balance sheet by reducing outstanding debt by approximately $162 million and facilitating a new capital infusion of approximately $40 million. Under the Plan, all outstanding shares of the Company's common stock will be extinguished on the Plan's effective date. In addition, the Bankruptcy Court approved an order that would restrict, under certain circumstances, the trading of the Company's common stock by entities that hold more than 4.5% of the Company's common stock in order to preserve the full amount of the Company's net operating losses.
Molecular Insight expects its Plan to become effective on or about May 20, 2011, once all closing conditions have been met.
"The reorganization plan and new capital structure will allow Molecular Insight to emerge from Chapter 11 with the financial flexibility necessary to maximize our growth potential in the molecular medicine field," said Harry Stylli, President and Chief Restructuring Officer of Molecular Insight.
On December 9, 2010, Molecular Insight filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the District of Massachusetts. Additional information surrounding the Company's restructuring, including copies of the Plan and Confirmation Order, are available at www.omnimgt.com/molecular.
About Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company and pioneer in molecular medicine. The Company is focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of targeted therapeutic and imaging radiopharmaceuticals for use in oncology. For further information, please visit the Company's website: www.molecularinsight.com.
Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this release that are not strictly historical in nature are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the anticipated date of emergence from the bankruptcy and the impact thereof on the Company's operations. Such forward-looking statements also include, but are not limited to, the impact of the Chapter 11 proceedings on our business, financial condition or results of operations; our ability to consummate our plan of reorganization and the transactions contemplated by such plan; and those factors identified in our filings with the SEC. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results of Molecular Insight to be materially different from historical results or from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties and the terms of any reorganization plan ultimately confirmed can affect the value of our various pre-petition liabilities, common stock and/or other securities. No assurance can be given as to what values, if any, will be ascribed in the bankruptcy proceedings to each of these constituencies. A plan of reorganization could result in holders of our liabilities and/or securities receiving no value for their interests. Because of such possibilities, the value of these liabilities and/or securities is highly speculative. Accordingly, we urge that caution be exercised with respect to existing and future investments in any of these liabilities and/or securities. Investors and other interested parties can obtain information about our court filings and claims information on www.omnimgt.com/molecular. Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which represent our view only as of the date of this release, and which we assume no obligation to update. The Company's SEC filings are available through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system (EDGAR) at http://www.sec.gov. Press releases for Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, Inc. are available on our website: http://www.molecularinsight.com. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update this release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
Contact: Mark A. Attarian Interim Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 617.492.5554 firstname.lastname@example.com
Contact: Mark A. Attarian Interim Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 617.492.5554 firstname.lastname@example.com
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Updates from the Web is written/edited by John Montét, developer for Minnesota State College Southeast, with extensive support from the entire Information Technology Department.
Contact John Montét at firstname.lastname@example.com
In our society, there is a shift from a culture of consumption to a culture of creation. This shift has happened over the course of the last sixty years, since the popularization of broadcast.
In a nutshell, we have gone from a culture that simply consumes what it is handed (television, movies, radio, music, etc.), to one that takes what it is given and creates something new. Thereby, our culture is advanced.
This is never so eloquently put as it is by Larry Lessig's talk on "How creativity is being strangled by the law". To me, this is a must-see/read for anyone interested in online copyright issues or modern cultural advancement.
In response to copyright claims by Constantin Film (producer and distributor of the much parodied The Downfall: Hitler and the End of the Third Reich), Know Your Meme has released a video outlining YouTube's dispute process. This video not only perfectly outlines the process, but also the reasoning behind why you should dispute a reworked video.
Larry Lessig's talk on "How creativity is being strangled by the law".
© 2018 Minnesota State College Southeast
RED WING CAMPUS | 308 Pioneer Road | Red Wing, MN 55066 | 651-385-6300
WINONA CAMPUS | 1250 Homer Road | Winona, MN 55987 | 507-453-2700
Minnesota State College Southeast is an affirmative action/equal opportunity educator and employer. ADA accessible. MSC Southeast is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment and education opportunity. No person shall be discriminated against in the terms and conditions of employment, personnel practices, or access to and participation in, programs, services, and activities with regard to race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, or sexual orientation. In addition, discrimination in employment base on membership or activity in a local commission as defined by law is prohibited.
Minnesota State College SoutheastA member of Minnesota State
This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities by calling 877-853-8324 or 507-453-2700.


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Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It's free!
European PSP Release Date Announced
Posted by Jesse Easley Categories: Corporate News, Portable/Mobile,
Sony Europe announced today that the PSP will be released on September 1, 2005. Similarly to the United States release, the European PSP will only be available in a Value Pack bundle, however the Spider-Man 2 UMD will not be included in the box. Instead, Europeans will need to register their PSP online to score Spider-Man 2.
"PlayStation Portable will revolutionise portable entertainment, giving users the freedom to play full 3D games, watch movies, listen to music and connect wirelessly on their terms, wherever and whenever they wish to do so," said David Reeves, President of SCEE. "More than ever, today's consumer demands access to their personal entertainment outside the home, without compromising quality. With more than 100 PlayStation Portable game titles currently in development worldwide, and the ability to download and listen to music, and view feature films with breathtaking screen quality, PlayStation Portable lets users control their entertainment options, all in a single package."
Read More | Sony Entertainment Europe Press Release
Prince of Persia 3 This Year
Posted by Jesse Easley Categories: Action, PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox,
Ubisoft has announced today that Prince of Persia 3 is currently in development. The story of this release takes place after the Warrior Within, as the Prince returns home to find that his people are against him. It turns out that a being known as The Dark Prince has come into the story and will conflict with the real Prince.
"Prince of Persia 3 promises to be THE best installment in the legendary franchise," said John Parkes, Director Marketing at Ubisoft. "By combining two playable characters in a masterly balanced gameplay, with the perfect mix of acrobatic moves and a compelling storyline, the Prince of Persia will appeal to both Sands of Time and Warrior Within fans alike. The Prince is back to reclaim his kingdom, and he has a few surprises in store…"
Prince of Persia 3 is slated to be released in the second half of 2005 on Xbox, PS2, Gamecube, and PC.
Read More | Prince of Persia 3
Game Boy / Floppy 10,000 ROM Hack
Posted by Edwin Soto Categories: Mods / Hacks, Video Games,
Wow, who would've though that these to heroes from years past would come back as one? Certainly not us. In a very complex procedure, the old school Game Boy can be hacked to read from a floppy stocked with ROMs. This setup puts approximately 10,000 games at your disposal - kind of like an iPod for games, except, not. Pretty cool, but who the heck would want to carry that around?
Read More | Power of ASM (Google Translated)
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Silent Hill Movie To Be Released
Posted by Edwin Soto Categories: Action,
Following in the footsteps of the successful Resident Evil movies, TriStar is planning on releasing the Konami video game hit series on the silver screen.
Mitchell will play Rose, who is desperately searching for her lost daughter in the mysterious, terrifying town of Silent Hill, where they are trapped. The screenplay was written by Roger Avary ("Pulp Fiction").
Actress Radha Mitchell has been in such films as Finding Neverland, Man on Fire, and Phone Booth. The budget is speculated to be around $45-50 Million. Lets see them create some creepy looking mannequins with this budget.
Read More | Yahoo! News
This Weeks Game Releases
Posted by Jesse Easley Categories: Video Games,
This week there are a bunch of games coming out, keep an eye on Playfeed for all the latest gaming news. The major release being Midway's Area 51 for Xbox and PS2. Area 51 has been hyped up and now it's time for everyone to find out if the hype matches the game. If you're not into that type of alien game and want something a little more toned down, you can go for Lego Star Wars. This game goes through Episodes I and II and gives you a quick glimpse at Episode III.
Xbox Releases:
PS2 Releases:
Windows XP Setup Simulator
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Software,
Okay, this one might be a bit late, but it;e good to see nonetheless for those frightened of upgrading their PC's. The Windows XP Setup Simulator basically walks you through the setup process you would go through if you were actually installing the OS, but without making any changes to your PC. It allows you to get acquainted with the steps involved before taking the dive. We should just be hearing about this a bit sooner than a year and a half before Longhorn drops. Nonetheless, you can download it here.
Read More | Herald Software News
Samba 3G Dual Band CDMA/EV-DO USB Modem
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: PC / Laptop, Wireless / WiFi,
Samba is currently working on perfecting an EV-DO USB modem which would allow those who don't want to purchase a PMCIA card to access an EV-DO networks to still get online using their laptop. Of course, if you have a 12-inch PowerBook like I do, then you don't even have a slot to put the standard EV-DO card into. This CDMA/EV-DO device supports 800 Mhz and 1900 Mhz bands and data rates up to 2.4 mbps. I cannot tell you how much I would like to see this hit the market.
(Thanks Michael!)
Read More | Falcom USA
iPod photo mini Conceptual Designs
Posted by Edwin Soto Categories: Cameras, Handhelds, Portable Audio / Video,
Don't get too exicted, there is nothing concrete about this. That being said, how awesome would this be? The digital camera add-on is a nice touch as well. A 6 GB iPod mini/digital camera hybrid would certainly sell nicely.
Read More | dapreview.net
Sims 2 Student Life Movie Contest
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Corporate News, PC, Simulation,
The students at Southern California's School of Cinema-Television has the unique opportunity to earn either $5,000 or a 4-week internship at EA's Maxis Studios. The students are to use the video creation tools which are a part of The Sims 2 to come up with the best 3 minute (or so) family-friendly film starring The Sims. You can check out the complete guidelines here.
Read More | Gamespot
Dubai Emerates Palace Tech Hotel
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Misc. Tech,
This is the kind of place I would image just about every Gear Live reader would love to spend an extended vacation. It's the Emerates Palace, where some staff get around on Segway units, and their private beach is Internet ready - and check out the amenity list:
- The most advanced hotel multimedia system, including touch screen control panel, will allow guests full control of all room appliances such as lights, air-conditioning and in-room entertainment
- Interactive TV provides high speed Internet, games, access to room bill, shopping, room service, telephone directory, videos on request, instant rewind and pausing of programs
- 50-inch plasma screens in all rooms
- 50 and 61-inch plasma screens in the suites
- All suites equipped with a laptop and a scanner/printer/fax unit
- Language preferences are set at reception upon check in which can be easily operated as soon as the guest reaches the room
The cheapest room is 2,000.00 AED, which comes out to about $545 USD per night. Spendy!
Read More | USA Today
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Hi Guys
Started the project today and kicked off with the blades. I am using a damaged set of propellers (Arplast Ecoprop) that were used on a gyrocopter that was involved in an accident. The one blade is reasonable, so I shall be modifying it in order to copy it in fibre glass. The hub is still okay.
The idea is to make the system in such a manner that I can make the prop blades turn in the hub, thus chnging the pitch. They were adjustable before anyway. It will work on a fly- weight governer system, that when the unit is stationary, they will be in full fine position and at speed they will advance to a coarser position by themselves. This will also trigger a switch, which in turn will excite the rotating field (electromagnets) similar to that used on a car alternator.
Any comments from the guys that have thought along these lines are welcome.


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Their fairytale romance began four years ago on a CTA bus and traveled to the Near North Side last month, where they walked down the aisle. No CTA card required.
Alissa and Don Gold married Aug. 24 in Washington Square Park and held their reception nearby at the Newberry Library. They returned from their St. Lucia honeymoon this week.
The Wrigleyville couple met on the No. 82 Kimball/Homan bus four years ago during their commutes to North Park. He started tailoring his schedule so he could run into her. One day, they started talking.
Last year, he proposed.
About 150 people gathered to celebrate the couple on their wedding day. One person who was not in attendance but had a definite presence at the wedding was Mayor Emanuel.
The mayor called the couple in January after RedEye published a column about the engagement.
"He gave me a little bit of advice. He goes, 'Marriage is a journey not a destination,'" said Alissa Gold, 30.
Gold's cousin, who officiated the wedding, worked that line into his speech.
The CTA was also a bit of a theme at the wedding.
Instead of cake, the couple served pie and the toppers were heart-shaped "L" maps, Alissa Gold said. She also gave Don, 34, a pair of cufflinks made of old CTA fare tokens to wear to the ceremony.
During the open mic portion of the night, their family sang "Bus Stop," a 1960s hit by the British band, The Hollies.
One of the lines of the song: "Every morning I would see her waiting at the stop ... Someday my name and hers are going to be the same."


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:::mini rant warning:::
:::sarcasm font on:::
If you have concerns or questions about Wicca or Witchcraft, please, for the love of nerve, don't buy into the whole "Hollywood" crap! Feel free to ask, most of us would be more than happy to answer. And contrary to what some might like to you to believe, I'm not going to paint some rosy ass picture designed to make those who have misconceptions feel more comfortable or accepting of my choices. In the end, you'll believe what you want to believe.
Just for the record however, no, we don't perform human or animal sacrifices. We neither worship Satan, nor believe in it's existence. Satan is a Christian concept. We believe that giving evil a name lends it power. There is enough evil in the World without the designation of it's own personal deity.
What about Black Magick? Magick is neither Black nor White. Have you ever been livid pissed to the point that you wished someone got exactly what they deserve? Well than you have practiced negative magick!! Know the old saying, "be careful what you wish for?" Words have power and so does the intent behind them. So, yes...do be mindful of what you wish for and where and to whom it's directed.
We hold the Earth and all her inhabitants as sacred. We celebrate the Seasons and the cycles of life. That pentacle we wear? Represents the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit.
Yes, we believe in God, most likely more than one. I didn't have to "find Christ". I know exactly where he is...on my altar along with the other Deities that I honor!
We don't proselytize. We're not a cult of crazies intent on kidnapping or brainwashing your children. That's your job!!
If you adhere to any of the misconceptions stated above, guess what...you could never consider yourself a Wiccan and we wouldn't either!
So, perhaps you're wondering why I'm ranting or why I feel the need to justify my beliefs.
Well, I'll tell ya. Every once in a while, someone will read my Facebook page or something else I've written and say, "ya know, I think Tracy is a Witch?" Ya think?
Facebook, MySpace, Twitter are all wonderful venues for people who've yet to meet to become acquainted. My friends and coworkers, my husband, my husband's friends and colleagues, my children and their friends, have all "friended" me on Facebook and in doing so, have the ability to glimpse into the parts of my life that I most happily share.
Obviously, people are going to be curious about what the term "Witch" actually means, what I do or what I believe. Curiosity is a good thing. Curiosity inspires us to learn and if given the opportunity, I will most happily teach. Ignorance born of fear however, paralyzes the mind with preconceived notions. There are still plenty out there who, upon hearing the word, "Witch" immediately close their minds, lock the door and throw away the key.
Therein lies the danger. Refusing to learn fosters and perpetuates ignorance. People have occasionally criticized my choice to be so vocal about my beliefs. "Aren't you worried about how this will effect your children?", I've been asked. Well, it probably has effected my children much in the same way their religion has effects theirs, with the exception perhaps of a lot less guilt or fear of spending eternity in a much toastier climate. Oh, and they don't seem to be tortured in school quite as much. After all, one can't argue that a little well placed fear can be quite healthy as well!
And on that happy note, I will leave you with the following words of wisdom;
"Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood."
Marie Curie (French Physicist), twice winner of the Nobel Prize, 1867-1934)
In Darkness, Light
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The Words of a...
Posted by Tracy ~ The UnOfficial Witch of Ridgewood at 9:18 AM 15 comments
Sunday, January 17, 2010
"Mom, my stomach hurts"
Merry Meet and Happy Sunday, Family and Friends!!
So, a friend and I had a discussion about dishonesty. I think lying for the most part, is part of the human experience. Lying is learned in childhood. "Mom, my stomach hurts" is the classic lie I've heard most often since becoming a parent. If I fall for it once and keep my child home from school, the next time the child will find it just a little easier to lie again.
I had an extremely strict upbringing. At times, I felt the need to lie just to avoid the embarrassment of telling the truth. My mother was obsessively over-protective. I often lied to my friends about why I couldn't join in an activity because to admit the truth would mean acknowledging that it was simply because my mother wouldn't allow it. The result however, was that I needed to come up with more and more elaborate lies and remember which I told and to whom. This NEVER works!!
Growing up, many people described me as quiet or aloof, when in fact, I just didn't want to get close enough for them to learn the truth. Fortunately, my closest friends understood and accepted that lying was not something I preferred to do or part of who I was, but what I felt was necessary to preserve my self-esteem or lack thereof.
Someone who consistently lies when it's just as easy to be truthful fits the profile of a compulsive or pathological liar. Most often they create a entire reality around themselves and are legends in their own minds. They are, in a word, mythomaniacs. A mythomanic, when confronted with their own untruths, often becomes extremely defensive. Of course they do, it's threatening the fantasy they created about themselves. They will very often claim that "dishonesty" is the quality they disrespect most in others, while in reality, it is the mirror image of their own existence.
I can not, in all good conscience, say that as an adult I've never lied. I've told a few whoppers! And I make no excuse for lying. When I think back to the nature of said "whoppers" however, I recognize that there have been two basic scenarios. I've either lied to protect someone I love or to avoid losing something that I hold precious to me. Does that justify lying? A lie is a lie, isn't it? Let your own conscience be the judge.
In my humble opinion however, there is no lie more despicable than knowingly and willfully lying about another person. Even the smallest of lies that threaten an other's reputation or integrity defines the lowest one can descend to achieve personal gain.
It's like the moron in High School who ruins a girl's reputation simply by telling all his friends that he's had sex with her. The friends have neither the reason to disbelieve or the desire to learn the truth, so it's easier just to accept what they've been told and perpetuate the lie.
As the mother of a teenager, I shared this scenario with my own daughter, who found it difficult to believe that someone would actually do this to another person, until of course, it happened to her. One of the advantages, however, of being "friended" by her classmates on Facebook was that it made it quite easy to get the message across to the little bastard, that unless he wanted his genitals mounted on a plaque and gifted to his parents for Christmas, he would do nothing more that might disrespect my daughter.
I've recently encountered a few life situations in which I've been dealing with this type of behavior, all of which are not only disrespectful to me and my family, but are threatening on both a personal and professional level. In my daughter's case, I've effectively dealt with one and am taking necessary steps to remedy the remaining. At the risk of redundancy, "woe betide the creature that fucks up in my garden".
In any case, if I had any advice to give based on my experience it would be this. If you suspect that someone has been dishonest about you, confront them. They will almost always become defensive and reveal themselves by trying to recreate their version of the truth. If you've been told something that doesn't ring true or seems out of character for another person, try to give that person the benefit of the doubt and consider the source.
Truth fears no questions. ~Unknown
In Darkness, Light,
Posted by Tracy ~ The UnOfficial Witch of Ridgewood at 12:41 PM 7 comments
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Mew Beginnings!
Merry Meet and Happy New Beginnings, Family and Friends!
As some you may know, my husband has had a long standing moratorium on my getting any more pets, which I have made a long standing committment to ignore.
So, it was the first Sunday after the New Year and after spending the better part of the weekend indoors making Yule/Christmas go away, I needed to get out of the house. As much as it was a relief having the stress of the holidays behind me, they were indeed wonderful and I found it all quite depressing.
My husband had promised to take our daughter, Kyla, to get a new video game and I thought I would...ya know, just tag along. Seriously, for reasons that are only clear to me now, I felt an overwhelming need to visit Petco. For those of you who don't have a Petco where you live, imagine a supermarket exclusively for pets and you'll know what I mean. The other thing Petco offers is pet adoptions!
As my husband and daughter made there way towards the video store, I casually said, "I'm just going to go over to Petco", all the while knowing that I had an ulterior motive. I walked into the store and there was the rescue agency, "Felines in Need" set up with rows of cages with cats and kittens waiting to be adopted. Almost against my will, I was drawn to the last cage and there was a beautiful black long haired kitten with golden eyes. She was...exquisite!
And yet, it wasn't only her beauty that I was struck by. Her eyes told the story of a spirit that had been broken. Despite the fact that she had obviously been well cared for, she appeared dejected! The adoption agent explained that it was her first time being shown and that she was probably just stressed.
I didn't care what the reason. At that moment, I made a promise that she would never feel that way again.
I took a picture and sent it to my daughter's cellphone with a note that said, "Come see the new baby! Don't tell Dad!!!". Then I asked the adoption agent if I could fill out an application. I was feverishly filling out the paper work when I noticed my husband and daughter walking towards the store!
My husband immediately walked over and demanded, "What are you doing?'. "Nothing", I answered, not very convincingly, but with that "deer in the head lights" expression just for effect. "We're not getting another cat!", Ray said. "I know. I'm not getting her, I'm just filling out an application", I replied. Isn't she cute?, I asked. "Yeah, she's cute. Are you out of your mind?", he asked, seriously. For the love of nerve! He's asked me that more times than I can count! You would think after 23 years he'd know the answer by now! "We're not getting another cat!", he repeated. I nodded in agreement....just for effect. I finished writing and the adoption agent told me she'd check my references and let me know by the end of the week if we would be approved for the adoption.
For the better part of the week Ray kept insisting that we were not going to get another cat. On Wednesday last, the adoption agent phoned to tell us they had made their decision and I broke the joyful news to Ray.
May I present....
Lady Musette!!!
By the way, Musette has only been with us for a few days and my husband has told me every day how cute she is!
Ahhhh....it's good to be right!
In Darkness, Light!
Posted by Tracy ~ The UnOfficial Witch of Ridgewood at 9:31 PM 9 comments
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Promises From the Heart!
Photo of "Me" courtesy of Ray Frasche
Merry Meet and New Year's Blessings Friends and Family!
What can I say? Phewwwww! Glad that's over! Not really, there were just as many miraculous blessings as there were heartbreaking tragedies during last year's passing.
I actually am looking forward to the coming year. And while I hate New Year's resolutions, I will attempt to keep the promises I make to myself, my family and beloved friends.
I promise to take one day at a time. Life is too short not too. Besides, what sense is there in worrying about outcomes before they happen. It's perfectly obvious that no matter how much we prepare and plan, life can change in the beat of the heart or lack thereof.
I promise to spend more time meditating. Meditation is one of the single most powerful tools one can learn, not only for one's own well-being, but for the practice of magick. The benefits are well documented. It brings us to a place between the Worlds where we have more ease in connecting with our Spirit Guides and Deities, in my humble opinion of course.
I promise to spend more time reading. Ok, well at this point, I already spend a ton of time reading. Even my books have books! So, I promise to follow my heart to only those books that are screaming for me to read them first!
I promise to spend more time sitting at the feet of my teachers. I am the first to admit that I have a lot to learn, but I also have the committment, drive and ambition to learn everything I can from those that are willing to teach me.
I promise to keep a consistent workout schedule. N'uff said.
I promise to do more healing work. It's changed my life and I am told, is one of my greatest gifts. I'm eternally grateful to those who encourage and inspire me! Every healing is a testament to their faith in my abilities.
You've heard the old saying, "old habits die hard?" I promise to waste no more time on those things that no longer serve me or that do not benefit the greater good. Luckily, I've been cleaning out cobwebs for quite some time, so this shouldn't be one of the more difficult promises I keep.
This New Year's Eve was a grand time spent with family and friends. As I prepared for the evenings festivities, I couldn't ignore the fact that there was a Full Blue Eclipsing Moon that would be ushering in the New Year.
I constructed a simple altar of candles and the Elements. I placed a small cauldron in the center. A pen and paper was nearby to write the intentions and/or blessings we hoped to manifest in the coming year and that we would burn in the cauldron after midnight.
Some might say that this is a practice that has become trite and over done. I've found, however, that often the most effective magick needn't include all the pomp and circumstance, but simply the pure intent of the heart.
It had begun to snow as we stepped outside to watch as the flames consumed our intentions. I knew that these were not merely little slips of burning paper, but that they held all the hope and promise of the coming year.
So Mote It Be!
P.S. I promise to say "I love you" more often than I already do! At times, they are the single most important three words someone can say!
Posted by Tracy ~ The UnOfficial Witch of Ridgewood at 11:33 AM 10 comments


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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The wife of Republican Mitt Romney is describing the November election as a vote for the future of children, saying many women voters think "enough is enough" because of the poor economy.
Speaking on several morning talk shows, Ann Romney says she believes women will vote Republican because they care about jobs for their families and the legacy of debt to their children.
She repeatedly cast the election as an economic one. She says women will choose to elect a president like her husband who "knows how jobs are created and who understands the economy."
Regarding the future of the country, she says, quote, "It's time for the grownup to come, the man that's going to take this very seriously and take the future of our children very, very seriously."


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For those of you who caught the season premiere of MTV's Teen Mom on Tuesday night, it was an explosive episode. [Spoiler Alert] Amber took a pregnancy test and it came up negative. Catelynn moved back under her mom's dysfunctional roof and Maci filed for child support. (Learn more about filing for child support here.) But, perhaps the most sensational storyline is that of Farrah.
Last night, the show recounted the aftermath of a violent fight between Farrah and her overbearing mother, Debra. Allegedly, Debra punched her teen single mom daughter in the face and threatened her with a knife. Family services ordered that Farrah and her infant, Sophia can't be around Debra unless there is another adult present. This meant Farrah could no longer sleep in her mother's home. Luckily, Debra owns a pretty nice "guest house" across the street and offered the digs to her daughter and granddaughter.
When Farrah and Sophia arrived at the home, it was empty except for a few miscellaneous pieces of furniture and sheets spread out, here and there. It was dark, but loud since Sophia was screaming. Farrah rushed to get a jar of baby food, but when she offered a spoon of peas, Sophia turned her head and screamed more.
The frustrated, teen single mom, responded by telling her to stop crying and that she wasn't going to respond to her behavior. It was kind of snarky and like she was talking to an adult who got it. Next, she turned the light off, left the baby crying in the room, on the floor, and walked away.
The Internet and my Facebook page blew up! (Follow me on Twitter too.) How in the hell could she do that? All I have to say is…
It's OK, Farrah. Call it a bad day, a parenting fail and move on. Yes, I felt bad for Sophia, the helpless, crying baby, but I also felt bad for Farrah, the single teen mom who went into her pregnancy thinking her boyfriend would be around to be her partner and a father to Sophia.
Farrah had a mom meltdown. We all do, well most of us do (according to the 20 random moms I interviewed for a piece I recently submitted to my editor at a women's magazine I write for). It's OK. My advice is, that next time she feels herself coming to that boiling point, she count to 10 and acknowledge the situation for what it is. Crying, hungry baby in unfamiliar place (not to mention cameras rolling). Not baby's fault. Pick up baby, hug her, sit on couch. Offer blanky, pacifier, a bouncing knee. The crying will likely stop. Then feed baby.Take deep (deeper) breath.
As a single mom, I count to 10 every now and then. It really helps me put things in perspective, refrain from yelling, crying and behaving in a way I will surely regret. I'd really like to hug Farrah. I feel for her.
If you watched the show, I'd love to hear your opinion. If not, share just the same, since I recapped. Speaking of teen moms, is Forever 21 encouraging teen pregnancy with their new maternity line?


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1. Re: Problems with i5 M520 / Intel HD Gfx in older GameswintermuteX Sep 18, 2010 6:46 AM (in response to wintermuteX)
Needles to say I'm using the latest driver ... and also needles to say Intel doesn't care.
2. Re: Problems with i5 M520 / Intel HD Gfx in older GamesRobert_U Sep 20, 2010 9:49 AM (in response to wintermuteX)
Does changing the games resolution make any difference?
3. Re: Problems with i5 M520 / Intel HD Gfx in older GameswintermuteX Sep 20, 2010 1:20 PM (in response to Robert_U)
As I was unable to post bigger screenshots you couldn't see that the first screenshot was made in the native resolution of the notebook display: 1366x768. The second screenshot was made in the default resolution of the game: 800x600.
The issue isn't relating to scaling as far as I can tell and only specific graphics elements (the text and the drawn boxes around the text) are distorted. You might imagine how hard it would to play a space simulator like "i-war 2" with such a distorted HUD interface. The roleplaying game Might & Magic IX is even harder to play with those glitches.
These two games are likely not the only ones, i guess these problems arise with a group of games from around that date using some then popular DirectX API function, both games are using DirectX 8 so this is likely. I-War uses it's own engine but MM9 uses a lithtech engine (a popular engine back then used by many games).
When i start those games on my desktop pc (nVidia graphics card, but also windows 7 x64 and core2 duo cpu) i don't have those problems.
It maybe those problems are related to nVidias "Optimus technology" even if I doubt so. It would be hard to test this for me as i don't own another laptop or desktop with i5 graphics only.
If you need further information, such as dxdiag files for instance, I would happily provide them.
4. Re: Problems with i5 M520 / Intel HD Gfx in older GamesRobert_U Sep 20, 2010 2:11 PM (in response to wintermuteX)
Are you using the latest NVidia Optimus technology GT 335M drivers?
5. Re: Problems with i5 M520 / Intel HD Gfx in older GameswintermuteX Sep 20, 2010 2:34 PM (in response to Robert_U)
In the last weeks I had used the last two or even three (including the now recent) versions of the Intel HD graphics driver as well as the nVidia Optimus driver from the optimus page, which is outdated, as well as the 258.96 WHQL driver and, in the moment, the 260.63 beta driver (which is quite buggy). No combination of these drivers in the timeframe of the last 2-3 months fixed the issue. I've also installed the most recent DirectX via the webupdater (so i have all DirectX 9 files up to date). As far as i can tell it should be some problem in the Intel drivers.
Unfortunately i can't force those game to use the nVidia graphics, but even if I could: if the problem is related to the Intel HD Graphics driver other customers of yours would also be experiencing those problems.
6. Re: Problems with i5 M520 / Intel HD Gfx in older GamesRobert_U Sep 20, 2010 3:16 PM (in response to wintermuteX)
This is definitely a tough one,, especially when dealing with switchable graphics. I have not seen any other reports of the issue though. Are the games DOS based running either full screen DOS or windowed?
7. Re: Problems with i5 M520 / Intel HD Gfx in older GameswintermuteX Sep 20, 2010 3:47 PM (in response to Robert_U)
No, they are pure windows applications. DirectX is a windows API, so games using DirectX wouldn't be based upon DOS. Furthermore any 64 bit operating system from Microsoft drops 16 bit DOS compatibility: you can't start an 16 bit application under any x64 Windows. 32 bit console applications are another thing, but those use the Windows API and aren't DOS based.
I tried both: windowed and fullscreen. The distorted graphics elements are the same. Could anybody here, who posess an i5 driven laptop WITH Intel HD Graphics and one of the two games i mentioned (or possibly any other game powered by the lithtech engine), test for those distortions?
The 3D elements are absolutely fine, the problem are the "2D" GUI/Text elements. If you forward those thread to your driver programming team, they will surely have an idea what i'm talking about. My guess, if i have to make wild technical guesses, is: elements drawn with a low Z value (the depth information in a three dimensional coordinates system), maybe even negative, get somehow distorted by the driver. My guess is, the menus and texts are 3D objects in the very foreground (low Z axis, maybe even negative to be REALLY in the front of everything else) and might be victim of some kind of optimization in the driver which didn't take such cases into account.
I'm really sure everybody using these drivers for this hardware (intel CPUs with integrated graphics of the HD series) are getting the same result on games or other software using the same technique to display 2D-alike 3D objects (my guess) in the very front. If i'm right, then this WILL get an issue as more and more laptops are sold with Intel HD graphics and the likelyhood that more customers are trying to play their (g)oldies is rising with time. If your QA team needs any proof, testcases, information to verify this is in fact a driverproblem: contact me and i'm happily providing all information needed.
This laptop with Intel HD graphics is the only computer behaving like this. I tested it against another (much older) laptop with ATI graphics and 2 desktops with nVidia graphics (one running Windows 7 x64, the other Windows XP 32bit).
If i happen to have too much spare time i could give my netbook a try, which would sponsor an Intel graphics card (chipset based though).
8. Re: Problems with i5 M520 / Intel HD Gfx in older GameswintermuteX Sep 29, 2010 2:10 AM (in response to wintermuteX)
It seems the whole case is not of great importance to Intel. Well, so i have to wait until enough people ran into the same problems and report it here instead of just uninstall the game or complaining in the communities of the game.
9. Re: Problems with i5 M520 / Intel HD Gfx in older Games
I'm having the exact same problem with I-WAR 2 in my i5 with Intel HD have you found any fixes, I just bought this game from GOG.COM and it's really hard to play it that way... help will be appreciated...


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To my delight, one result of my attendance at the exciting ScienceOnline2011 conference a couple of weeks ago was an invitation from Alok Jha of the Guardian newspaper to write an opinion piece for them based on the remarks I made during the "Science Journalism Online: Better, or Merely Different?" panel organized byEd Yong of Not Exactly Rocket Science. The other panelists were Steve Silberman of NeuroTribes, Virginia Hughes of The Last Word on Nothing, and David Dobbs of Neuron Culture, substituting for Deborah Blum of Speakeasy Science (who was unable to attend).
That column—"Time for change in science journalism?"—is now online, and if you're interested take a look. It repeats a point that I've been making to journalist audiences for a few years now (as in this 2009 debate piece on "Should there be less science news?" for the Association of British Science Writers): that we could improve the quality and diversity of science journalism if we stopped defaulting to "what did the journals publish this week?" as the definition of science news.
And if you're curious about my Science Online 2011 talk itself, below you'll find an edited transcript. I've cleaned up the literal transcript for the sake of clarity, and to eliminate most of the stammering, run-on sentences, wrong word choices and other defects that come from my speaking extemporaneously (and which are even more annoying on the page than they were to the ear). Also, when I speak, large portions of my meaning are conveyed through elaborate pantomime and a puppet show, so a simple transcript just won't do.
My Science Online 2011 Speech
If the question we want to talk about today is, "Can science journalism online be better than traditional science journalism, the answer that leaps to mind for me is, "Mother of god, I hope so!" Putting that in the appropriate context: it's not just for the reasons that Ed Yong mentioned, that online journalism lends itself to a dialogue [with readers], to linking to sources, to multimedia, to the diversity of approaches, not to mention the extraordinary explanatory power of LOLcats. There have already been some great accomplishments in the area of online journalism. In particular, I'd like to call attention to work that Ivan Oransky has been doing with his creation of Embargo Watch and Retraction Watch, which are, I think, perfect examples of the kinds of new venues that can pop up online to address weaknesses that most of us in science journalism have been seeing for a long time. We haven't generally paid enough attention to retractions [of scientific papers] and we haven't offered enough of a glimpse inside the sausage factory of scientific publication, both of which are hugely important for conveying the realities of how science is actually changing and being presented, not even just to the public but to the scientific community itself.
It's great that we have the opportunity with online science journalism to address those. But if we really want science journalism online to be better than it has been in the past, then I think we need to fix what has bugged me for years as one of the biggest failings of traditional science journalism, which is that 95 percent or more of what passes for science news is driven by the "big paper of the week" model. It's the one in which the prestigious science journal issues its embargoed press release, which goes out to everybody, which everybody jumps on, which everybody then writes up and it all comes out at the same time. It's pack journalism. We have to get those stories out right away, all at the same time, because you don't want to be scooped by all the other guys who are writing that exact same story—because that would make you look stupid if you didn't offer that exact same story.
And of course you have to hurry, because the journals are continuing to push out a lot of new information in new papers every week, and you've got to write about those soon, too. Heaven forbid you step off that treadmill for one second.
How in the world does this help the cause of informing the public about what the state of science is? When a paper appears in the scientific literature, that is the beginning of its scientific life. Why are we in such a hurry to collect the opinions of other scientists (or whoever else we think is relevant) and cram them into the stories, with very little opportunity for forethought? It doesn't make a lot of sense.
How does it serve the cause, also, that the public is exposed to a very small number of stories—and those are not only mostly from a select subset of premium journals but represent only a small number of stories from those journals? What is a greater curse as a researcher than to have the crowning success of getting your work into Nature or Science or one of the other top-tier journals, but then find that it isn't one of the exciting stories that week—it has the misfortune of appearing in the same issue where some other bigger story broke. You're overlooked just as much as if you had only been published in some more minor or lower-tier journal.
As a gedanken experiment, play along with me on this. Hypothetically—and really, it's impossible, but that's what gedanken experiments are for—suppose that in the same way that the journals institute their own embargoes about when any of us can write about what they publish, making sure that nothing appears earlier than they want it to, suppose that we—the extended science journalism community—instituted our own informal moratorium, in which we all agreed that none of us would write about anything that appeared in a journal for, say, six months after it appears. What if everybody, all the editors and writers collectively, what if we all wanted to reexamine what constitutes science news. Because right now? We're defining science news as "what did they publish this week?" I understand why we define science news that way. But for the purposes of my experiment, imagine that we're all just going to wait six months. What would happen?
Well, the science would still move along, because the scientists could see the new findings in the journals, so we're not interfering with the actual progress of science. And by the time we would now actually be writing about this stuff, there would be a much clearer opinion about whether or not the results in a paper held up or were meaningful. And the public for the most part is not going to be any less well-informed for the delay.
I'm not pushing that as an actual policy, but what I'm saying is that our current working definition of science news and the way we cover it does not really serve the interests of science or the public. What it serves the interests of is us. Because it's really, really convenient. It's really, really easy to write stories when people hand you press releases about them. It gives you this great ramp up on a story. But I want to make the point that, that ramp up? It's putting you into the back of a van that the journals are driving to where they want to go.
[Some misspellings fixed and links added since I first posted this.]


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Developers are continuing to stall over unpopular plans for a distribution centre on a greenfield site near Somercotes.
Clowes Development Ltd's planning application to build industrial units on 27.8 acres near Birchwood Lane was originally twice rejected by Amber Valley Borough Council's planning committee before it was approved at a full council meeting in 2010.
But the developers have now been granted a further time extension before any work is expected after an Amber Valley Borough Council planning meeting at Ripley Town Hall, last Monday, February 17.
A Clowes Development Ltd spokesman said: "Due to the significant downturn in the economic climate, this site has not been attractive to the market and therefore has thus failed to be implemented."
Protestors who originally opposed the development in an effort to preserve the greenfield land once again raised further objections during the latest meeting.
Concerned resident Rob Ward said the land in question forms a vital barrier between Birchwood Lane residents and Cotes Park industrial estate.
Protestor Laura Jane Ranby questioned whether the development would create large employment opportunities and Paul Curran-Bilbie and Amber Valley Borough Cllr Paul Smith said the centre would create traffic chaos on the B600 road.
Amber Valley Borough Cllr Brian Lyttle compared the time extension and further delays and protests as being like "Groundhog Day".
The planning committee had originally rejected the application in an effort to preserve trees, hedgerows and a green buffer between homes and Cotes industrial estate and after listening to concerns about flooding, traffic, noise and light pollution concerns.
Mr Curran-Bilbie was appalled when the full council originally over-ruled the planning committee and is now concerned the developer is pushing to get the land allocated for housing.


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Death at a FuneralRSS
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When his father dies, it's up to Aaron (Chris Rock), the oldest son, to organize the funeral and give the eulogy. The funeral takes place in his father's home but preserving a civil atmosphere will be difficult, especially when the undertaker makes a horrifying mistake. To make matters worse, Aaron's brother Ryan (Martin Lawrence) wants to be the celebrity of the event without paying for anything. All these issues pale in comparison, however, to the information that Aaron and Ryan receive from Frank the mysterious dwarf.
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Date and starting time:
Sun 18/12/2011, 09:30
9:30am: Opposite The Guildhall, Bath.
Long social ride: 40-70 miles (30-45 miles in winter) steady paced group ride.
Ideal training for a challenge ride, sportive or just for fun. Ride uses varied rural routes with a stop for a coffee and chat afterwards in Bath at the Chelsea Road Cafe.
Bring food and drink to suit the distance,
spare tubes and tools etc…


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"Embrace nature in the comfort of a 5-star sanctuary in the heart of Africa. Nambiti Hills Private Game Lodge is situated on a prime sector of the Nambiti Private Game Reserve and offers visitors an unforgettable, personal retreat with all the indulgences. Prepare to be whisked away from the stresses of a routine lifestyle and be welcomed by the tranquil serenity of nature at its finest."...find out more.
Enjoy a luxury, 5-star stay in the heart of spectacular African beauty. A sophisticated haven of relaxation for those who appreciate natural beauty.
Nambiti Big 5 Game Reserve, home to elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino.
Spoil yourself with our relaxing range of spa treatments, while you unwind in the unspoiled African bush.


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
In celebration of Father's Day and National Men's Health Month, the Board of Associates of Mount St. Mary's Hospital and Health Center is sponsoring the 13th annual "A Father's Day Gift of Love and Life" - a free prostate cancer screening - from June 10-15.
The free PSA screening will be held Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m., and on Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon in the outpatient center in the north lobby of the hospital, 5300 Military Road, Town of Lewiston. The outpatient center can be conveniently reached through the north entrance driveway off Military Road.
"This is a great opportunity for men to have a screening that can make a difference in their lives," said Richard Faiola, vice president of Shipman Print Solutions and chair of the event for the board of associates. "The PSA blood test is simple and it often indicates a potential problem before any symptoms appear. We are proud to be able to sponsor this program and hope that everyone will encourage their loved ones to participate in 'A Father's Day Gift of Love and Life.' "
Last year, more than 350 men were screened. Screening is recommended for men ages 40 and up, especially those with a family history of prostate cancer. Pre-registration for the free screening in not necessary. This is not a fasting test. Results will be forwarded to each participant's personal physician.
Free gift certificates are available for presentation to loved ones by calling 716-298-2145. Gift certificates are not required to have a screening.


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Rowland W. Straka
- Written by Woodinville Weekly Staff
Rowland W. Straka was born in Janesville, Wis., the son of Alma and Joseph Straka.
He graduated from the Evansville, Wis., school system, attended the University of Wisconsin and graduated from the Elgin Watchmakers College in Elgin, Ill.
He received an associate degree from the Madison Business College in Madison, Wis.
Rowland was a master watchmaker, certified gemologist and member of the Gemological Institute of America.
He served in the Korean War for four years in the USAF, 6147th Tactical Control Group which was nicknamed the "Mosquitoes."
He took over Straka Jewelry in Evansville from his father in 1955 which he operated until 1988.
Rowland and his wife, Terry, were married in Rockton, Ill., in 1968.
Closing the Evansville store in 1988, he and Terry purchased Salick's Jewelry in Watertown, Wis., retiring from the business in 1995.
Rowland was a lifetime member of the American Legion Post #35 and past master of the F&AM Union Lodge #32 in Evansville.
He was a member of Rotary International in Watertown, Wis., and active member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Evansville, Immanuel Lutheran Church in Watertown and St. John Lutheran Church in Summerfield, Fla.
He and Terry retired to Florida in 1999 where they enjoyed a very active life in the retirement community of Spruce Creek South and had time to enjoy traveling both in the U.S. and abroad.
They moved to Woodinville, Wash., in May of 2009 to be closer to their immediate family.
Surviving are his wife, Terry; son, Scott; daughter-in-law, Deborah; grandchildren Erik and Elliana of Washington and cousin Janis DiLullo of New Jersey.
Rowland was a kind, gentle man with a keen sense of humor and will be greatly missed by family and friends. Graveside services will be held at the Tahoma Veteran's Cemetery in Kent, Wash., on Wednesday, January 11, 2012, at 1 p.m.
If you care to send a memorial, please share with the charity or church of your choice, or the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place Memphis, TN 38105.


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Saints are prepared to cash in on Jason Puncheon as he enters the final year of his contract.
The 25-year-old winger has endured a difficult time on the south coast since joining the club in February 2010 but his stint could finally come to an end this summer.
Puncheon is still attracting interest from Blackpool, if the fee is right, and there are rumours that he could even be used as makeweight in a player plus cash deal for youngster Tom Ince, son of former England international Paul Ince, while another Seasiders winger, Matt Phillips, has also been linked with Saints.
Puncheon has spilt from his former agent, Tony Finnigan, in a bid to smooth relations with the club.
Finnigan had some well publicised disagreements with Saints over their handling of Puncheon, who fell wildly out of favour after Nigel Adkins took over.
After several loan spells and plenty of acrimony, Puncheon was suddenly welcomed back into the fold at St Mary's in January.
At the time Saints needed some cover out wide and Puncheon was able to provide it after making up with officials at the club.
However, as players returned to fitness his impact quickly diminished and by the end of the campaign he seemed like no more than a fringe player again, notching up just nine appearances in the second half of the season after his unexpected comeback.
See today's Southern Daily Echo for full story.


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Rijksmuseum DNA 32
by Irma Boom
€ 199,00
* € 164,46 outside the EU
Colours based on:
The Fête champêtre, 1627 Dirck Hals (1591-1656)
Hang one of 18 famous paintings from the Rijksmuseum on your wall with Colour DNA wallpaper. Renowned graphic designer Irma Boom spent ten years deconstructing the museum's paintings to distill their colour DNA – the six colours that make up the painting. These DNA swatches of an individual painting, like Vermeer's The Milkmaid, are available as wallpaper in narrow or broad striping. Just choose and /or combine your favorite classic for your wall.
1 - 2 weeks (excluding custom designed wallpaper)
please note that this is a non-refundable product
Year: 2014
Material: printed fleece-paper
Product Size: 48,7 x 900 cm / 19,2" x 354,3"
Package Size: 9 x 9 x 49 cm
Package Weight: 1.5 kg
Irma Boom
Irma Boom (1960) is an Amsterdam-based graphic designer specialized in making books. Boom studied graphic design at the AKI Art Academy in Enschede. After graduation she worked at the Dutch Government Publishing and Printing Office in The Hague. In 1991 she founded Irma Boom Office in Amsterdam. Boom sees her books as containers of thoughts, that communicate ideas and stories. She rose to fame with the SHV Thinkbook (1996), a 2136-page book on which she worked for five years. From over 300 books, 70 are in the permanent collection of the MoMA in New York. She eeceived many awards for her book designs and was the youngest ever laureate to receive the prestigious Gutenberg prize for her complete oeuvre. Her work is commissioned and collected by institutions such as the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Centre Pompidou in Paris, Vitra, United Nations, OMA/Rem Koolhaas and Chanel.


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This is part one in a series of articles exploring veterans' return to deer hunting. For the complete article, see the March 2009 issue of Deer & Deer Hunting.
As a kid growing up in south Florida, Luke Murphy would spend his days chasing hogs and whitetails, and doing pretty much everything else that had anything to do with hunting and fishing. The outdoors gave him a sense of purpose and it kept him out of trouble.
"If it was in season, I was going after it. That's pretty much all I wanted to do when I was in high school," he recalls.
Murphy joined the Army in 1999 and was part of the 101st Airborne Division. Life was good, and he had plenty of opportunities to hunt. When he was stationed at a base in Kentucky, he would go as deep into the woods as he could get during deer season, sometimes walking for miles just to get away from other hunters and to be alone in the woods. Murphy figured that's where the biggest bucks would be found, but he said he just liked to walk.
That changed on April 25, 2006 when Staff Sgt. Murphy's patrol truck ran over an improvised explosive device in Sadr City, Iraq. The blast went off directly under his seat, ripping a massive hole in the vehicle and setting it on fire. The blast left him severely injured — he lost his right leg just above the knee, and his left leg was nearly torn off as well. Thanks to the quick actions of medics and the skills of Army doctors, his left leg was saved and he now has partial use of it.
Murphy spent a year undergoing physical therapy at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. During his stay, he met Barry Bonds, Cher and a revolving door of other celebrities who dropped by to extend their gratitude. Murphy was happy to meet so may A-list stars, but as a self-described country boy, nothing meant more to him than a phone call from Master Sgt. Brian Leverette, who organizes hunts for disabled veterans at the Townsend Bombing Range in Georgia. Leverette heard about Murphy's burning desire to get back in the woods and invited him on a turkey hunt in 2007. Although he didn't kill a gobbler, the trip served as a new beginning, even a new-found sense of freedom that he thought was gone.
"As soon as Brian and I went for a ride in the four-wheeler the first day I got there, I felt like I was back in the saddle. The feeling was unbelievable. I knew I was going to be able to continue doing what I love to do," he said.
Leverette organizes deer and turkey hunts for injured servicemen at the bombing range every year, and Murphy has taken two bucks and a doe on two hunts since his turkey trip. Similar hunts are held all over the country for a variety of game. An outfitter in Alaska who lost a son in Iraq started Purple Heart Hunts and donates bear, moose and mountain goat hunts to injured veterans; a group in Texas called Hunts For Heroes organizes deer, duck and dove hunts; and national organizations such as Wounded Warrior Project and the Paralyzed Veterans of America assist in getting injured vets outdoors through a variety of hunting and fishing programs. But because of their widespread availability and abundance, whitetails typically take center stage.


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WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are pressing forward with legislation aimed at stemming an epidemic of sexual assaults in the military.
The House is scheduled to vote next week on a defense policy bill that would take away the power of military commanders to overturn convictions in rape and assault cases. The legislation also would require that anyone found guilty of a sex-related crime receive a punishment that includes, at a minimum, a dismissal from military service or a dishonorable discharge.
The measures were adopted late Wednesday by the House Armed Services Committee, setting the stage for the full House vote.
The committee's action followed weeks of building frustration and outrage among Republicans and Democrats over the Defense Department's inability to eradicate sexual assaults in the ranks.
"This is clearly a systemic problem, and accountability is needed at every level, from everyone, officer and enlisted alike," said Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass. Tsongas and Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, wrote many of the sexual assault prevention provisions in the committee's bill.
"The word should go out clearly and strongly that if you commit a sexual assault in the military, you are out," Turner said.
By stripping commanders of their longstanding authority to reverse or change court-martial convictions, lawmakers are aiming to shake up the military's culture and give victims the confidence that if they report a crime their allegations won't be discounted and they won't face retaliation.
The Pentagon estimated in a recent report that as many as 26,000 military members may have been sexually assaulted last year, up from an estimated 19,000 assaults in 2011, based on an anonymous survey of military personnel. While the number of sexual assaults that members of the military actually reported rose 6 percent to 3,374 in 2012, thousands of victims were still unwilling to come forward despite new oversight and assistance programs aimed at curbing the crimes, the report said.
The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld, Jr., said Thursday his goal is to make commanders "more accountable, not less responsible."
"We have a sense of urgency for winning the battle against this insider threat, but results are what matters," Winnefeld said in remarks prepared for a Washington symposium that he called the largest gathering of military women in the world. "We need to give the services time for their efforts to work," he added.
The sexual assault prevention measures are part of a sweeping defense policy bill that the Republican-led Armed Services Committee pulled together during a daylong session. The $638 billion measure for 2014 includes $86 billion for the war in Afghanistan as well as contentious provisions on nuclear weapons and the U.S. military's detention facility for terrorist suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Despite the congressional clamor to cut the deficit, the committee bill rejects several Pentagon attempts to save money. It spares a version of the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft, rebuffs attempts to increase health care fees for retirees and their dependents, and opposes another round of domestic base closures.
In fact, the panel didn't just say no to more base closings, it went as far as including a provision barring the Pentagon from even planning for another round.
That drew ridicule from the committee's top Democrat, Washington state Rep. Adam Smith, who offered an amendment essentially eliminating the prohibition on the Pentagon thinking ahead. Smith said it made no sense to tie the Pentagon's hands as it faces smaller budgets. But Smith's amendment was soundly rejected, 44-18.
The committee approved an amendment to provide $140 million as a down payment to install ground-based interceptors at a new missile defense site on the East Coast to expand the country's defenses from a potential ballistic missile attack by Iran. The measure would require the site at a yet-to-be-determined location to be ready by 2018.
Overall, the bill fails to acknowledge the automatic, across-the-board spending cuts that Washington has grudgingly accepted. The cuts of $41 billion hit the Pentagon on March 1 and forced the military to furlough workers and scale back training.
The Pentagon faces deeper reductions in projected spending of close to $1 trillion over a decade, but the bill did not reflect that reality for next fiscal year. The Pentagon likely will have to cut $54 billion to meet the numbers dictated by the so-called sequester.
The committee's action on sexual assaults came one day after a high-profile Senate hearing during which senators questioned military leaders about the scourge in their ranks. The leaders conceded that they have been less than diligent in dealing with the problem but pushed back against far-reaching legislation to give the authority to level charges to a military prosecutor rather than the alleged victim's commander.
Military leaders are more receptive to the House provisions, which would strip commanders of the discretion to reverse a court-martial ruling except in cases involving minor offenses. Commanders would be barred from reducing a guilty finding by a court-martial to guilty of a lesser offense.
The committee also approved a provision that prevents senior officers from lessening a sentence handed down by a judge or jury.
The measure also would require that anyone found guilty of rape, sexual assault, forcible sodomy or an attempt to commit any of those offenses receive a punishment that includes a dismissal from military service or a dishonorable discharge.
The legislation eliminates the five-year statute of limitations on trial by court-martial for sexual assault and sexual assault of a child. It also establishes the authority for military legal counsel to provide legal assistance to victims of sex-related offenses and requires enhanced training for all military and civilian attorneys involved in sex-related cases.
Associated Press writer Robert Burns contributed to this report.


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Next: Printing, Previous: Updating Nodes and Menus, Up: Texinfo Mode [Contents][Index]
Texinfo mode provides several commands for formatting part or all of a Texinfo file for Info. Often, when you are writing a document, you want to format only part of a file—that is, a region.
You can use either the
texinfo-format-region or the
makeinfo-region command to format a region:
Format the current region for Info.
You can use either the
texinfo-format-buffer or the
makeinfo-buffer command to format a whole buffer:
Format the current buffer for Info.
For example, after writing a Texinfo file, you can type the following:
C-u C-c C-u m
C-u M-x texinfo-master-menu
This updates all the nodes and menus. Then type the following to create an Info file:
C-c C-m C-b
M-x makeinfo-buffer
See Creating an Info File for details about Info formatting.


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Three candidates seek two Merrimack town council seatsBy KIMBERLY HOUGHTON
Union Leader Correspondent
April 06. 2014 9:15PM
MERRIMACK — Three candidates are vying for two seats on the Merrimack Town Council in Tuesday's election.
Two incumbents, including Finlay Rothhaus and Bill Boyd, along with a current state representative, Lenette Peterson, are hoping to secure a position on the board.
Peterson, of 1 Elizabeth Dr., is a substitute teacher and sales associate for Reebok. She has served as a state representative for two terms, however this is her first run for a local town council seat.
"Over the past two terms, I have enjoyed working with and for the residents of Merrimack," said Peterson, announcing she will not run for re-election to the House in November. "I still want to serve the people of Merrimack, and if elected to the town council, I would be able to work full time and still fulfill my duties on the town council."
Peterson says she can bring fresh ideas to the board, adding she has a proven track record of sticking to her beliefs and not compromising her integrity.
"I do not believe in settling, as Merrimack deserves a town council member who has their best interests at heart," she said.
If elected, her three goals are to promote Merrimack as the perfect place to relocate businesses, to try and reduce or stabilize property taxes and to have personal property assessed uniformly throughout town.
"As the only non-incumbent running for town council, I am the underdog. But, I believe I am the best candidate for the job," said Peterson. "I would be going in with no expectations, everything will be a new experience, everything will be looked at and analyzed by a fresh set of eyes and with new ideas."
Peterson has been married for 24 years to her husband, Erik. They have two grown daughters.
Rothhaus, of 14 Kittredge Lane, is self-employed and previously served as a state representative in the 1990s. He has held numerous past positions in Merrimack, including selectman, planning board member, municipal budget committee member, school district planning and building committee member and more.
He has sat on the town council since 2006.
"I would like to continue the focus the council has had on economic development and providing for a sound infrastructure while at the same time maintaining a stable town property tax rate," said Rothhaus.
Rothhaus says he has worked hard to build a trusting relationship with business leaders, the town manager and other community members, adding he is committed to building a positive culture where citizens will have a voice.
According to Rothhaus, there are two major issues facing the town — the cost of the state retirement system and healthcare.
"A resolution to these problems, for the most part, lies with the state," he said. "In the meantime, we must continue finding creative ways to lessen our employees financial impact on these costs."
If re-elected, Rothhaus says he will encourage greater participation in single stream recycling so that the town can reap the financial benefits of the program.
As far as the town's existing spending plan, Rothhaus believes the town council has handled the budget well by maintaining a stable property tax rate and simultaneously placing greater emphasis on town infrastructure needs.
He has lived in Merrimack for 43 years with his wife, Laurie. They have three grown children.
Boyd, of 139 Joppa Road, is a provider relations representative for Cenpatico.
He has served on the town council since 2011, and previously sat on other town boards, including the Economic Development Citizens Advisory Committee, planning board and school budget committee.
"I want to further serve on the town council to continually ensure that our town positions itself strategically for future growth, remains fiscally sound to accommodate that growth and continues its economic diversity while maintaining our business friendliness to preserve and protect our quality of life," said Boyd.
Boyd says his past three years of experience on the town council, along with his prior years of civic involvement, make him an ideal candidate and have prepared him for the future challenges the town will face in the next few years.
"Economic development continues to be the most important issue, and is vital to Merrimack's growth, locally and regionally," he said. "Economic development isn't just a concept, it's a mindset. And, we've established that mindset with our community and staff. And, that mindset tells companies that Merrimack is business-friendly. Now, we need to further build upon this success."
If re-elected, Boyd says he would like to help maintain and preserve Merrimack's quality of life through the budget, policy initiatives, community policing and economic development, while also developing new streams of revenue to offset the tax rate and save money for roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects.
He has been married to his wife, Michele, for nine years.
Election day is Tuesday. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at James Mastricola Upper Elementary School.


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During a nationwide 16-year low at the box office, Alamo Drafthouse theaters increased their sales by 2.6 percent. Tim League, CEO and founder of the Texas chain, credits a take-charge approach: His theaters threw out more than 100 moviegoers for talking on cellphones or texting because they distracted other viewers.
"It's one of the big factors that's turned people away from the movies," said League. "I think we've won back the 30- and 40-year-old clients that stopped going to the movies because it is so unpleasant."
A stale economy, rude patron behavior and competition from home entertainment battered the multiplex in 2011, but theater owners are ushering in the new year with optimism. In some cases, they're ignoring industry hand-wringing over current ticket sales at the country's 39,600 multiplex screens by looking ahead. Or they're questioning the downturn's real meaning.
Gerry Lopez, chief executive officer of AMC Theatres, touted his company's aggressive digital projection changeover, which will reach all 5,325 AMC screens by the end of this year.
"As we head into 2012, we've invested millions of dollars and introduced a number of game-changing initiatives to ensure guests who visit AMC Theatres are enjoying the best possible moviegoing experience," Lopez wrote in an email.
But as 2011 faded to black, the numbers still reflected a disconnect between movie houses and patrons. The Los Angeles Times reported ticket sales sagged by 3 percent last year, to $10.2 billion, and admissions dropped 4 percent, from 1.33 billion in 2010 to 1.28 billion in 2011. A record-setting summer take of $4.4 billion, fueled in part by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, could not make up for a nosedive in winter ticket sales.
To Patrick Corcoran, spokesman for the National Association of Theatre Owners, last year's decline was a blip in the big picture. The box office has increased every decade since the 1970s, and the trend should continue, he said.
Other industry observers take a dimmer view, fearing the digital revolution at home is cannibalizing the in-person cinema experience. Corcoran said that inexpensive streaming services such as Netflix have undermined in-cinema viewing.
Some, like movie critic Roger Ebert, have taken aim at ticket and concession prices.
"We still are the least expensive out-of-home entertainment," Corcoran snapped back. He cited a few statistics for good measure: The average ticket in 1971 cost $1.65, which is $9.22 today adjusted for inflation. Yet the average ticket today costs less than $8.
Whatever factors are to blame for the down year, the subject is clearly touchy among theater owners. Several declined comment. Regal, the nation's largest chain, didn't respond at all to phone messages.
While acknowledging that a clean, safe environment, crisp film projection and courteous service still matter, Corcoran emphasized that the allure of the movie theater hinges ultimately on what fans watch from the velvet seats. The cineplex's roller-coaster past year -- way down in the first quarter, up in the second and third quarters, and back down again in the fourth -- mirrored the quality of the releases, he said. "When the movies have been there, so has the audience. It's not as if movie theaters suddenly gave better service in the second or third quarter."
"I think people are overreacting a bit to the decline [last] year," Corcoran continued. "If you look through the year, the deficit came because we didn't have 'Avatar.'
That 2009 mega-blockbuster about blue beings from another world let the entire industry bask in its revenue glow, but the only blue beings that movie fans saw in 2011 were "The Smurfs."
Corcoran believes Hollywood should change its scheduling to release potential hits all year round. Superhero franchises virtually trip over each other in the summer, making it difficult for many of them to "have legs."
As for the price of popcorn, the trade group spokesman had an explanation slicker than hot butter: Higher snack costs keep the price of tickets down. Corcoran referred to a study by the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the University of California-Santa Cruz. Theaters retain all profits from concessions whereas they have to share ticket grosses, so chains seek to reap more revenue from such items as popcorn, according to the study.
"Even though nobody has to buy concessions, those who do are actually subsidizing a lower ticket price for everybody else," Corcoran said.


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Wales boss Chris Coleman hailed the courage of his players after they came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory against Scotland in this evening's World Cup qualifier at Cardiff City Stadium.
James Morrison handed the visitors the lead just before the half-hour mark, but Gareth Bale equalised from the penalty spot in the 81st minute after it was deemed he had been fouled in the box by Shaun Maloney, and then rifled in a delightful winner with a minute of normal time remaining.
The result brought the Dragons' five-match losing streak since Coleman had been appointed as manager to an end as they bounced back from a 2-0 defeat to Belgium and humiliating 6-1 reverse in Serbia in their opening two Group A fixtures to kickstart their campaign. Reflecting on the performance, Coleman said: "This will give them confidence."
Copyright (c) PA Sport 2012, All Rights Reserved.
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