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Activity note: Hotel Check-in after 3:00 PM
Afternoon: Rooms available after 3:00 PM. Program registration with the Road Scholar staff is in the hotel meeting room between 5-5:30 PM, which is also where the Orientation session will take place. Orientation and Introductions begin at 5:30 PM. The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Participants will have an opportunity to introduce themselves to the group. Free time is reserved for your personal independent exploration. Evenings at leisure offer opportunities to make the program more meaningful and memorable through personal independent exploration, engaging in available activities on your own, or simply relaxing and making new friends among fellow participants. The Group Leader will always be happy to offer suggestions. All lectures will be led by our professional photographer; and all field trips will e led by our professional photographer and our group leader. All program transportation will be by vans. BR>Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local conditions/circumstances including weather. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner: Plated dinner catered by the hotel restaurant. Entrées will vary nightly. vegetarian and gluten-free option available if requested ahead of time. One non-alcoholic beverage provided, alcoholic beverages available for purchase.
Evening: After Dinner, enjoy an evening at leisure, get a good night's sleep for the full day ahead.
Activity note: Several walks throughout the day, carry your own equipment up to one half mile each. At the evening shoot, walk on unpaved trails and off trail on uneven ground while photographing in diminishing light. Two drives of about 20 miles and 30 minutes.
Breakfast: Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Large deluxe buffet breakfast as well as fresh omelette's cooked to order. Coffee, tea, juices and water available.
Morning: Gather in the hotel meeting room for our morning classroom session. Anyone with one of today's cameras can take a picture; not everyone can be called a photographer. Many of today's cameras are so "smart" that a person can literally point and shoot with the results being very acceptable more often than not. The question regarding equipment is, do you run it or does it run you? Which route to take? Your path or the beaten path? Discover your own unique path to stunning photography under the guided tutelage of an Arizona Highways Photographer. Unlock the secrets of professional photographers and learn to capture the "soul" of a place as opposed to merely its physical appearance. View the world with the eye of a photographer and uncover the beauty and picturesque moments and scenes surrounding you during this photography class. Discuss Camera Basics and explore the controls on your camera. (Bring your Camera and camera manual with you to the session.)
Lunch: Lunch at the hotel is a delicious green salad and sandwich Buffet. Coffee, tea, water to drink.
Afternoon: After lunch we walk to a park near the hotel for a practice session with our new concepts and to learn the controls of your camera. After returning to the hotel, we load up in to the vans for our field trip to 1300 acre MacDonald's Ranch in the lush Sonoran desert. Experience the magic of the desert in the true spirit of the west. Enjoy endless saguaros and fascinating wildlife. Bring a flashlight, a water bottle, and an extra layer.
Dinner: Enjoy a cowboy cookout/buffet at McDonald's Ranch, in a rustic old-west setting. Choices include a selection of meats off the grill, salad, chips and a desert. Drinks include water, lemonade, and tea.
Evening: Return to hotel upon conclusion of photo shoot and cowboy cookout. Recharge your batteries and your camera's batteries for tomorrow's shoot.
Activity note: Two walks on sometimes paved, sometimes not paved, usually level terrain. Carry your own equipment up to one mile each. Two drives today, each is a local drive of about 10 miles.
Breakfast: Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.
Morning: Photo shoot at the Desert Botanical Gardens. One of only 44 botanical gardens accredited by the American Association of Museums, this one-of-a-kind museum showcases 50 acres of beautiful outdoor exhibits. Home to 139 rare, threatened and endangered plant species from around the world, the Garden offers interesting and inspiring experiences to more than 250,000 visitors each year. The stunning exhibits provide endless photo opportunities.
Lunch: Lunch on your own at one of several restaurants within walking distance of our hotel.This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon: Gather in the hotel meeting room for an afternoon session on Post Processing. In digital photography, post processing describes work that is done on photos after taking them; using software like Photoshop, or Lightroom for instance. We'll be devoting an afternoon to a basic intro to photo editing using Lightroom and Photoshop Elements. We'll cover such topics as how to make adjustments to levels, color and saturation, exposure, cropping, and resizing, to name a few. We'll also cover how to use some of the tools used most often in photography like selection tools, cloning and "clean-up" tools, for instance. Often, just a few minor adjustments is all that's needed to improve and enhance your valuable pictures.
Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant. The meal will be plated with one non-alcoholic drink included, with other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: Gather in the hotel meeting room for a photo critique and review session lead by our professional photographer.
Activity note: Load Luggage, Van Ride about 120 miles and 2 hours. Several walks, carry your own equipment up to one half mile each.
Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.
Morning: Pack up, check out, and load the vehicles at 8 AM. Enjoy a field trip to Sedona red rock country. Located in Arizona's high desert under the towering southwestern rim of the vast Colorado Plateau, the city of Sedona is blessed with four mild seasons marked by abundant sunshine and clean air. The rust-red color of the landscape, the burble of Oak Creek and the red mountains are an exquisite assault on the 5 senses. There is little wonder why the awe-inspiring views surrounding Sedona stir reverent feelings in its visitors. As the sun tracks across Sedona's turquoise-blue skies, the ageless mountains, spires, boulders, trees and occasional intermittent waterfalls that surround Sedona will display more colors than any ambitious rainbow, and provide endless opportunities for magnificent photos. We will spend time along Oak Creek photographing the flowing waters and riparian community of the creek as well as some of the historic structures left behind by homesteaders. Visit Sedona's iconic Church of the Holy Cross.
Lunch: Sack lunch in the field. Bring your own water bottle.
Afternoon: Continue our visit to beautiful locations in Sedona. Head out to capture sunset photos of the red rocks and towering buttes/cliffs.
Dinner: Enjoy a late dinner at the hotel restaurant.The meal will be plated with one non-alcoholic beverage included, and other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: Evening at leisure after a late dinner.
Activity note: Load Luggage, van drive about 110 miles and 2 1/2 hours. Several walks, carry your own equipment up to one mile each. total of less than 2 miles.
Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel. Coffee, tea, juices and water are available.
Morning: Load luggage and drive up scenic Oak Creek Canyon, and the San Francisco Peaks Volcanic Field on the way to the Grand Canyon. Oak Creek Canyon was designated as Arizona's first official Scenic Byway and is considered one of the most dramatic drives of our state as it drops from the Ponderosa Pine country of Flagstaff to the high elevation desert of Sedona. Stop at West Fork of Oak Creek for Sedona's famous red rock views as well as its beautiful high desert Flora.
Lunch: Sack lunch at West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon. Bring your own water bottle.
Afternoon: View and photograph the grandeur of the Grand Canyon at various scenic view points.
Dinner: Dinner at the grand canyon lodge cafe. one non-alcoholic beverage included, and other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: Watch the Sunset over the Grand Canyon and maybe take a few photos, too.
Activity note: One walk of less than one half mile. one short drive and one drive of about 15 miles.
Breakfast: Walk to Breakfast at the Grand Canyon Lodge's Cafeteria. Enjoy a wide selection of choices.
Morning: Get up early for a sunrise photo shoot at the rim of the Grand Canyon. Continue our exploration of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Photo review session.
Lunch: Lunch on your own.
Afternoon: Free afternoon to explore the Grand Canyon on your own. Your group leader will be happy to offer suggestions for your afternoon.
Dinner: Celebratory dinner at the Grand Canyon Squire Inn.
Evening: Short program wrap-up.
Activity note: load luggage,and drive about 4 hours and 225 miles.
Breakfast: Walk to Breakfast at the Grand Canyon Lodge's Cafeteria.
Morning: Pack up, load up at 7:45AM, and depart to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, arriving by 12:30PM, followed by a stop at the starting hotel. We hope you enjoyed this Road Scholar program sponsored by Northern Arizona University and we look forward to hosting you in the future. Keep in touch via the Road Scholar Social Network and our NAU Road Scholar Facebook page: www.facebook.com/rsadventures; and www.facebook.com/NAUroadscholar where you can share memories, picture and comments. Best wishes for all your journeys!


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CARSON, Calif. – Bruce Arena's preseason roster was trimmed by one on Tuesday as the LA Galaxy head coach and general manager told LA Galaxy Insider that the team has released trialist Matheau Hall from training camp.
The 26-year-old right back appeared in each of the Galaxy's five preseason games to date, but despite possessing blistering speed, he failed to make a lasting impact in matches. With Hall exiting camp, just 31-year-old veterans James Riley and Dan Gargan remain to fight for the reserve role behind incumbent right back A.J. DeLaGarza.
At the moment, Riley appears to be the forerunner for the position due to a pair of solid starts against Pumas UNAM and the San Jose Earthquakes. Gargan's last appearance for LA was a 45 minute second half shift in Mexico, but the 31-year-old missed out on the Galaxy's clash with San Jose due to injury.
Even though Riley has excelled in recent weeks, the industrious defender knows that the position is not his quite yet.
"My mindset is that you try to earn your spot day by day," said Riley. "My versatility throughout the back and my experience speaks for itself. I just want to emulate that every single day. For me, I like the role of the underdog so I'm always pushing and pressing. I'll stay in that role until I put pen to paper."

subset: commoncrawl


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These maps show forest canopy heights throughout the Earth and the United States. The data was obtained from NASA's ICESat, Terra, and Aqua satellites and processed by Michael Lefsky. The shades of green show the height of the forest canopy from 0 to 230 feet. For any patch of forest, the height shown means that 90 percent or more of the trees in the patch are that tall or taller.
More information about the maps and the data can be found at the websites below:
There are two maps available. The first shows the forest height over the entire globe. The second is a more detailed map of the forest height for the United States. There is also a Google Earth version of the global map that can be downloaded using the button below.
Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/Image by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon/Based on data from Michael Lefsky.


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A Michigan sheriff says he's trading his inmates' orange jumpsuits for black-and-white stripes, in part due to pop culture.
Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel tells The Saginaw News that all-orange jumpsuits are increasingly viewed as fashionable, especially because they're seen on popular TV shows such as the Netflix smash hit "Orange Is the New Black."
Federspiel says "some people think it's cool to look like an inmate of the Saginaw County Jail ... wearing all orange jumpsuits out at the mall or in public." He says inmates sometimes work in public, and he doesn't want there to be any confusion.
"Until there is a new show that's black and white horizontal stripes is the new black, I'm going to this look. If you don't like the clothes that I give you, don't return," Federspiel said.
Federspiel says he has his own reality show dealing with inmates behind bars. The move to black and white stripes will save the county about $800.


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ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Four-of-5 seasonal allergy sufferers say their fitness takes a hit when symptoms strike because they exercise less or not as hard, a U.S. survey says.
AllergEase LLC conducted a survey of 500 seasonal allergy sufferers to examine the effects of the environment on their personal lives and found nearly 45 percent said they turned down social invitations because of their seasonal allergies.
Approximately 1-in-3 respondents said they've had a special day "ruined" because of seasonal allergies, while 40 percent of seasonal allergy sufferers have had a vacation or getaway negatively affected by seasonal allergies.
More than half of men said their job performance was negatively affected in the past by their seasonal allergies, compared to about 47 percent of women, the survey said.
Two-in-5 men said they struggled romantically because of seasonal allergies, compared to less than 28 percent of women.
No further survey details were provided.


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Catholic Health Sponsors Free Program on Women and Heart Disease at Williamsville Diagnostic Center
Home » About Us » News » 2010 News » Catholic Health Sponsors Free Program on Women and Heart Disease at Williamsville Diagnostic Center
January 12, 2010
Even though most people associate heart disease with men, it's also the leading cause of death among women. During American Heart Month, Catholic Health's HealthConnection is sponsoring a free program, "Putting Heart into Your Health," to educate women in the community about heart disease and how to recognize the signs and symptoms.
Sign up today for this free class held on February 24 at 5:30 p.m. at the Williamsville Diagnostic Center located at 400 International Drive, Williamsville. Ginny Lyons, RN, women's health specialist, will present.
Coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack, is one of the most common health conditions in the United States. Every year, more than 500,000 U.S. women die of heart disease, about one every minute. In 2009, an estimated 785,000 Americans will have a new coronary attack, and about 470,000 will have a recurrent attack. About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and about one every minute will die from one.
Learn what you can do to prevent heart disease or recognize the warning signs by attending this free program. Registration is required and space is limited. For more information, or to register, for "Putting Heart into Your Health," call Catholic Health's HealthConnection at 706-2112.


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NSFW: 10 Sex-Fueled EDM Videos
There's a blizzard attacking the Northeast, so chances are you're "working" from home today.
Turn down the lights and pump up the bass for these #NFSW [Not Safe For Work} EDM videos now. –>
compiled by the dirty minds of Sarah Polonsky and Jorge Hernandez


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St. Joseph Campus Associates Share a Thanksgiving Feast with Local Families
Home » About Us » News » 2009 News » St. Joseph Campus Associates Share a Thanksgiving Feast with Local Families
November 24, 2009
The true spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday was alive and well at St. Joseph Campus in Cheektowaga, as associates and staff gathered in the lobby on Tuesday, November 24 at noon to bless and distribute Thanksgiving food baskets that have been prepared to help needy families throughout the local community.
"This has become a Thanksgiving tradition at St. Joseph Hospital," said Paula Moscato, Vice President of Mission Integration for the Catholic Health hospital and organizer of the event. "Associates at St. Joseph Campus have been putting together food baskets for over 12 years, and I am touched by the generosity of our associates, physicians and all those who step forward to help."
Various hospital departments donate all the trimmings and carefully put together the individual baskets, while the hospital's medical staff, foundation board and Associate Relations Committee contribute funds to buy a turkey for each family.
"St. Joseph Campus is known throughout the community for providing high quality medical care, but our associates do so much more to support our friends and neighbors," Ms. Moscato continued. "Our mission, to serve those who are poor and disadvantaged, is one of the reasons projects like this are so important."
Approximately 50 baskets, which include a complete Thanksgiving meal – from stuffing, sweet potatoes and corn to cranberry sauce and pumpkin pies – will be distributed by local parishes. "What better time of the year to give thanks for all our blessings and help those who may not be as fortunate," Ms. Moscato added.


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Textiles Transformed
Eat your wedding cake -- and wear it, too. Cloak your confection in designs that mimic the look of vintage floral fabrics, be it your grandmother's heirloom lace or your favorite thrift-store find, for a cake that's oh-sew-gorgeous.
Here, appliques of sugar-paste flowers, inspired by the design on a vintage blouse, seem to be sewn onto a small cake; piped royal-icing blossoms suggest embroidered accents.
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Embroidered Lace Wedding Cake
To evoke a hip '60s dress crafted of embroidered lace blanketed with cotton floral appliques, cake designer Ron Ben-Israel created silicone molds of appliques inspired by the original fabric -- no small task considering there were 25 shapes to replicate, including dahlias, roses, and periwinkles. Sugar paste was pressed into each mold, then applied in layers to the fondant. The resulting ivory tower is one that both generations -- yours and your mother's -- will adore.
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Ikat and French Silk Ribbon Wedding Cake
The spirit of a century-old French silk ribbon can be felt in every bite of this darling cake. On top rests a dramatic bow of molded gum paste (so realistic, you'll be tempted to untie it). An edible luster dust was mixed with lemon extract and then painted onto the fondant in a rose pattern that evokes the blurry quality of an ikat weave.
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Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Inside of this ikat and French silk ribbon cake, alternating layers of red velvet cake and white buttercream echo the ribbon's stripes (we stacked two of these five-layer tiers).
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Delicate French Silk Wedding Cake
The delicate and elegant detail of a circa-1900 French silk looks every bit as gorgeous at the dawn of our century. Ron Ben-Israel meticulously re-created the fabric by pressing the fondant with a rubber stamp to mimic the weave, then piping on petite mimosa blossoms and stems, and applying sugar-paste leaves. The flowers were painted with powdered yellow food coloring mixed with luster dust for a silk-like shimmer.
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A midcentury silk scarf in an abstract petal print inspired this modern floral cake, which takes the old-fashioned out of pink flowers. We used a cutter to create a profusion of tulip petals out of gum paste, shaped them into three dimensions using a tiny ball-shaped tool, and attached them to a base of pink fondant. Each row of petals is just a whisper darker than the preceding one for an ombre effect. The square tiers are separated by tiny risers to let the petals hang over the edges.
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Gilded Wedding Cake
The legendary Venetian fabric house of Fortuny first produced this glamorous pattern, called Granada, in the 1950s, but it's so timeless that it remains a top seller today. To translate it into sugar and flour, we blended two shades of fondant -- a pale pink and a rosy peach -- to mimic the marbled appearance that hand-dyed cotton takes on in the light. We then spread royal icing over stencils of the pattern's sinuous floral design and painted it with edible luster dust mixed with lemon extract.
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Victorian-Era Silk Wedding Cake
A stretch of silk from a Victorian-era dress provides a glimpse of a lost art: ribbon embroidery, in which thin lengths of ribbon are embroidered onto fabric to create intricate designs. To mimic its tactile quality for a cake, Ron Ben-Israel marshaled all of the ardent attention to detail of the era's seamstresses, shaping sugar-paste carnations by hand before affixing them to the sides of three fondant-covered tiers. Tucked between the sumptuous carnation-bedecked layers are two shorter tiers decorated with icing and sugar-paste flowers and stems.
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Vintage Graphic Floral Cotton Wedding Cake
This stunner of a cake, with roses that appear to bloom before your very eyes, takes its cues from a swatch of graphic 1960s floral cotton. The leaf and bud designs were photocopied from the fabric to make patterns, then cut out from tinted sugar paste using a craft knife and transferred to the white-fondant-covered tiers. The finishing touch? A sprinkling of yellow sugar-paste roses throughout for an eye-popping embellishment. Cake by Ron Ben-Israel Cakes.
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Lace Wedding Cake
An airy lace from 1900 is reimagined here as a uniquely contemporary cake. The white sugar-paste floral appliques, cut with a craft knife, look almost pixelated when affixed to the nettinglike grid imprinted onto the ivory fondant below. The end result appears delicately antique one second, strikingly futuristic the next. Cake by Ron Ben-Israel Cakes.
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Photography: Anna Williams11 of 15
Eyelet Wedding Cake
This eyelet "sampler" -- with its cutouts, flowers, and pristine whiteness -- evokes summer as prettily as a billowing cotton dress. Each fondant-covered tier presents a different eyelet. The second layer is inspired by the table runner; the cake's crown by the bottom layer (which has a sugar-paste ribbon "threaded" through it). Styrofoam disks, wrapped in fondant, lift the top layers. Tiny eyelet cutters and small pastry tips were used to make the holes; the embroidered effect comes from piped royal icing. Cake by Wendy Kromer Confections, Sandusky, Ohio.
Photography: Anna Williams12 of 15
Crewelwork Wedding Cake
Stems, berries, and flowers in the style of crewelwork edge their way up and over the tiers of this handsome cake like a lush vine. The raised, textured look of the "yarn" is emphasized by the smoothness of the fondant. Rolled strands of white sugar paste cover cafe-au-lait-colored fondant. Dental tools were used to make the "stitches." The wooden cake boards are trimmed with grosgrain ribbons with white detailing on the edges. Cake by Ron Ben-Israel Cakes.
Photography: Anna Williams13 of 15
Calico Wedding Cake
A two-dimensional calico print comes to life on a cake with diminutive hand-sculpted flowers, leaves, and fruits; the soft colors are reminiscent of the faded look of a vintage apron. Real rickrack trim, bordering clusters of fruit on the middle tier, imparts a cheery, homespun feel. Set against ivory fondant, strawberries and cherries grow from stems of piped royal icing, tinted brown. The fruits are shaped from sugar paste painted in delicate shadings and hues. Rickrack trim is secured with royal icing.
Photography: Anna Williams14 of 15
Matelasse Wedding Cake
Sugar-paste roses are fashioned to look like fabric flowers; they add a touch of haute couture to a cake based on finely quilted cotton matelasse. The leaves (fondant formed in a silicone mold) contrast with the textured bands (made by pressing fondant onto a grid) wrapping the tiers. The oval shape of the confection makes it appear slightly different from every angle. The cake board is covered with fondant and edged in a vintage silk ribbon. Cake by Ron Ben-Israel Cakes.
Photography: Anna Williams15 of 15
Damask Wedding Cake
This opulent five-tier cake is a graphic interpretation of damask; it plays up the pattern, which is traditionally tone-on-tone. The intricate scrollwork is best suited to a square cake because the flat surfaces display the repeating motif to greatest advantage. To create this magnificent design, the pattern is placed under waxed paper, then piped over and filled in with royal icing. After it dries, the hardened frosting is removed from the waxed paper and affixed to the cake. The Wedgwood-blue fondant and dark-brown decorations look elegant with a chocolate cake.
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Hey, guys!
I'm looking for a good time-travel fic. Key word being good. I've gone hunting in the archives, but I haven't really found any good ones.
As far as categories go, I prefer Marauder Era (whether it be the characters or the time), but any will do. I'm not a fan of Historical, D/A, or Poetry (can time-travel poetry exist? *ponders*)
Any recommendations would be much appreciated!
~Midnight Storm


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Well they should trade Deron Williams ASAP then because he is as good as gone.
Personally I think he probably just made a deal with Orlando to play the season and have them work out a trade in the off season if he asked.
He is gone the rumor is the lakers, clippers, and nets are in the runnings. One of those teams will get him by tomorrow.
So looks like he is staying. Deron trade incoming tomorrow? Or do the Nets think they can actually hold onto him another year?Dwight Howard Confirms He'll Sign Opt-In Before Deadline
Mar 15, 2012 1:35 AM EDT
Dwight Howard has confirmed that he will opt-in for the 12-13 season in an exclusive interview with RealGM's Jarrod Rudolph.
Howard will formally sign the paperwork in the morning on Thursday.
"My soul, everything I have is in Orlando. I just can't leave it behind."
Over the course of Wednesday, Howard appeared to be indecisive on his wishes for the 12-13 season in the face of a possible trade from the Magic. The organization informed Howard they would seek a trade if he couldn't give them an assurance of his desire to remain beyond the current season.
"I have gotten some bad advice," said Howard. "I apologize for this circus I have caused to the fans of our city. They didn't deserve none of this."
Read more: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Poor Nets......
"I have gotten some bad advice," said Howard. "I apologize for this circus I have caused to the fans of our city. They didn't deserve none of this."
I for one am impressed with his grammar....


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SAS Positioned as a Leader in Magic Quadrant for Data Quality Tools
SAS® Data Management technology recognized for ability to execute and completeness of vision
SAS is in the Leaders quadrant in Gartner Inc.'s latest Magic Quadrant for Data Quality Tools .1 SAS® Data Management technology, including SAS Data Quality was evaluated on a number of criteria, including functionality, integration, ease of use, customer support and product road map.
In the report Gartner defines Leaders as those that "demonstrate strength across a full range of data quality functions, including profiling, parsing, standardization, matching, validation and enrichment. They exhibit a clear understanding and vision of where the market is headed, including recognition of noncustomer data quality issues and delivery of enterprise-level data quality implementations. Leaders have an established market presence, significant size and a multinational presence (directly or as a result of a parent company)."
"SAS' Data Management technologies, including its data quality tools, have long delivered an interface designed for both IT and business as well as an engine that supports all types of data," said Jim Davis, SAS Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. "In addition, the latest version added advanced big data functionality, including embedding data quality within Teradata environments. These enhancements are extremely important given the many types of users that need to access a multitude of big data sources."
SAS Data Quality is part of a unified suite of products designed for all areas of data management, including data integration, master data management, event-stream processing, data federation and data quality. In July SAS Data Integration technologies were named a Leader in their category by Gartner as well.
In September SAS announced new technologies and upgrades to its SAS Data Management family of products. Additions include in-database data quality, minimizing data movement and dramatically reducing the time needed to transform raw data into usable, quality assets, as well as updated SAS Event Stream Processing that seamlessly brings streaming data into data management processes for high-volume, real-time tasks.
"SAS enables users to approach data quality from every angle, whether during bulk movement of data or in real time at the transaction level. Business users can also establish data hierarchies and reference data definitions for even more control over business information," added Davis. "Now that we've fully integrated the DataFlux suite of products into SAS software, customers have simplified access to all SAS solutions, founded on quality data."
To learn more about the importance of data quality, read SAS' free eBook, When Bad Data Happens to Good Companies .
About the Magic Quadrant
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
1. Gartner, Inc., Magic Quadrant for Data Quality Tools, Ted Friedman, October 7, 2013
About SAS
SAS is the leader in analytics. Through innovative analytics, business intelligence and data management software and services, SAS helps customers at more than 80,000 sites make better decisions faster. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world THE POWER TO KNOW®.
SAS Adriatic Region is a division of SAS Institute Inc. covering Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia and established in 1992. For more than 20 years SAS Adriatic Region has been dedicated to client's success whilst creating measurable business value for customers. As result 97% of SAS Adriatic Region customers decide to renew their licenses every year.


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Norris, of Jessieville, works for about a week to assemble the 60-foot-long family treasure that measures from four- to six-feet wide as it meanders from scene to scene along the walls and in front of windows in a room at the back of her home.
"It has grown over the years. I used to not do all the imaginative things with it, the artistic things, but that has grown as I have gotten older," Norris said.
The desire to create a village began in her 30s while viewing cards picturing "cute little houses" and she displayed her first vignette on top of her piano, she said.
"And then it grew. Anything you love to do grows."
Now at the edge of her village, a campground sets the scene with little trailers camped near a creek that winds through the site. The creek flows into a good-sized lake.
A snow-covered mountain is the site where tiny figures ski the towering slopes.
In one area, deer, wolves and bears inhabit a hunting section where miniature tents are pitched.
With numerous mountains, valleys, plains and trees blanketed with lights and snow, a twinkling town and the town square also come into view.
"Last year, I put little dancers in the town square," Norris said.
There is also a seaside village, a candy land, residential neighborhood and rodeo in this year's display.
The base of the design is fashioned with curves and turns that add interest. "It makes a turn into the old cowboy village. It's pretty unique. I've been doing this for about 35 years," Norris said.
Attention to detail is the key to making her village come to life.
When she envisioned a bridge was needed to cross a deep crevice between a mountain and a valley, she enlisted help from her husband Bill Norris who builds the village's wooden framework.
He went outdoors and found a piece of driftwood. She cut the wood in two and it had a natural arch.
"I laid that across the crevice and put a hiker, a couple of bears and a deer there and it is perfect," she said.
She often sets out on a four-wheeler to ride across their property and sometimes translates bending streams and the natural terrain she sees into her village.
After watching their cattle grazing, she made her own tiny hay bales for a farming scene, rather than purchase plastic replicas of hay that are on the market.
For someone who loves setting up a Christmas village, creating a natural look is an ongoing thought process, even when the display is put away after Christmas.
"If you are a village person, all throughout the year, wherever you go, even on vacation, you always have your eye out for a piece that will work and then store it away for Christmastime," she said.
In her scenes, many treasured pieces she has collected through the years are no longer available in stores.
"Unless I see something really unique I don't buy any more houses, but I make the scenes different every year, more interesting for my grandchildren, family and friends. I put two more small lakes in this year. I put up a wooden bridge. I add to it that way."


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Ladybugs Changed Color in Response to Climate Change
Thirty years ago, if you were walking along the coast of the Netherlands and picked a two-spot ladybug off the leaf of a European lime tree, chances were that the bug would be red with black spots. If you were farther inland, you'd have had a good chance of finding a bug that was black with red spots. In the past 3 decades, however, researchers have been finding more red bugs inland. The reason, they believe, is that a warming climate and fewer sunny days might be driving a shift in ladybug color.
Paul Brakefield, an ecological geneticist at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom and colleagues have studied the two-spotted ladybugs for decades, intrigued by why different populations of ladybugs have different colors. In 1980, 10% of the ladybugs living near the coast were black with red spots, or melanic, whereas 90% were red with black spots, or nonmelanic. In contrast, 40 kilometers inland, 40% of the ladybugs were melanic and 60% were nonmelanic. The color difference was likely an adaptation that allows the darker melanic ladybugs to stay warm in the cooler inland climes, whereas a lighter color prevents the nonmelanic bugs from getting too hot on the coast. One protein is responsible for the difference between the two colors, and the genetic switch from one to the other is very simple. But the researchers still don't know how exactly sunlight or temperature influence ladybugs' color.
Over 25 years of sampling insects, Brakefield and his colleagues noticed a change. As they continued to catch hundreds of ladybugs every 5 years or so, over 50 generations of ladybugs, they found more of the nonmelanic bugs, even when sampling inland. In 2004, the last year in which the researchers could gather enough ladybugs to see a significant trend, they found that only 20% of the ladybugs in any area were melanic. The trend seemed to fit with temperature data over the period, which showed that the entire area had been consistently warming, the researchers report in the December issue of Heredity.
In some ways, Brakefield says, the case is not unlike that of the famous peppered moths in Liverpool, which became darker as the trees in the area blackened with soot, protecting them from birds. "The story is one of very strong natural selection," he says. "But moths survive by being camouflaged, and [ladybugs] survive by being conspicuous and telling birds not to eat them." The melanic and nonmelanic ladybugs each mimic a different species of beetle which is very poisonous to birds, he says.
Article continues: http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/11/ladybugs-changed-color-in-respon.html?rss=1
Image credit: Alex Staroseltsev/Shutterstock


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This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Prince George, British Columbia • The founders did not foresee such a wide-open course when they carved the Prince George Golf & Curling Club here.
Lodgepole pines, not sand traps, were to be the greatest challenge.
But nature's trajectory hooked, making the game a little easier and the highway noise a lot louder.
Those trees about 8,500 of them are gone.
Just ask John Tsoutsouras, a member since 1993, who launched his ball from the rough over a field of stumps recently and watched it bounce onto the green.
"You see," he said. "Now I miss the fairway and I still make par."
Welcome to the dandier side of deforestation.
At the start, there were 9,000 lodgepoles from the surrounding forest on these links. But in 1999 beetles started chipping away at 15 or 20 a year. In 2004, the bugs wiped out 1,000 trees. The next year, they knocked off 5,000.
The damage was done.
Most of the course's remaining trees had been planted apart from the native woods. They tended to fluff out in the sun and suck up more of the moisture, perhaps gaining more strength to fight off the beetle intruders than the crowded natives.
So now, instead of a pastoral peacefulness, the course offers a clear view of nearby strip malls and an earful of the Yellowhead Highway, central British Columbia's east-west commerce route. Course managers left a row of stripped pines on one side to deflect balls that might bound onto the road and into a residential neighborhood.
The course used to attract a lot of drop-in players driving through Prince George.
"We were a wonderful golf course," Superintendent Murray Kutyn said. "It was like jewel of the north, eh? And now it's lost a lot of its appeal and its playability."
Replacing divots is nothing compared with replacing a forest. Members almost gave up and they would have if not for bureaucracy. Thinking they never would restore the native forest and that they couldn't afford to if they tried, the golfers scouted for a new course and found a patch of ground outside of town. Developers coveted the current course's land, at the junction of Prince George's two major highways, and the deal would have brought in millions of dollars.
Zoning limitations squelched it.
Now the golfers are making the best of if, paying their $1,500 annual dues and expecting to sell their driving range to finance new tree planting. This fall they even staged their second annual "Stump Be Gone Tournament," $500 per foursome with proceeds going toward course beautification.
"It's still a good test of golf, and I enjoy playing here," Ted Perry said.
"You lose your trees and it makes a big difference, but you've still got to make the shot."


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By Julie Goldsticker of USA Boxing
(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – The first-ever Junior World Team Open will kick off tonight at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nev. The junior division tournament will select the young male boxers who will represent the United States this summer at the 2013 AIBA Junior Men's World Championships. The first-time event provides valuable competition experience for the nation's 15 and 16-year-old athletes as the move through the developmental pipeline.
Tuesday's competition will feature action in the male pinweight (101 lbs), male light flyweight (106 lbs), male bantamweight (119 lbs), and male light middleweight (154 lbs) divisions. Tonight's action will also showcase the championship bout in the women's featherweight division.
The male light bantamweight (114 lbs), male bantamweight (119 lbs), and male featherweight (125 lbs) boxers will compete on Wednesday, and Thursday will feature competition in all of the male weight classes with the exception of the middleweight (165 lbs) and heavyweight (176+ lbs) classes.
All of the male final round bouts will take place on Friday at the Sierra Grand Resort with the winners earning berths on the Junior World Championships team. Each session will begin nightly at 6 p.m.
The Junior World Team Open will be streamed live via Watch Me Sports and can be viewed on the USA Boxing website at teamusa.org/usa-boxing/watch-live. The full tournament stream can be purchased for only $14.95 online.
The full list of tournament brackets will be available later today on the USA Boxing website, www.usaboxing.org.
Tuesday Bout Sheet
101 lbs/male: Jose Cora, Abilene, Texas vs Shon Mondragon, Colorado
106 lbs/male: Izaiah Bautista, Hercules, Calif., vs. Kevin Montano, Concord, Calif.
106 lbs/male: Freudis Rojas, Nevada vs. Kristopher Alcos, Lihue, Hawaii
106 lbs/male: Daniel Gonzalez, Moreno Valley, Calif., vs. Isaac Perez, Albuquerque, N.M.
106 lbs/male: Adrian Servin, Phoenix, Ariz. vs. Saul Sanchez, N. Hollywood, Calif.
119 lbs/male: Adolfo Alanis, Edinburg, Texas vs. Enrique Manrajos, Ontario, Ore.
119 lbs/male: Andrew Weaver, Zanesville, Ohio vs. Alex Rodriguez, Sparks, Nev.
119 lbs/male: Isidro Ochoa, Compton, Calif., vs. Troy Isley, Alexandria, Va.
154 lbs/male: Edgar Berlanga, Brooklyn, N.Y. vs. Ferdinand Kerobyan, California
125 lbs/female championship bout: JaJaira Gonzalez, Glendora, Calif., vs. Anna Crutchfield, Travelers Rest, S.C.


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The Shelf Life Of Your Makeup
Although you may think makeup can last forever if kept closed tightly and stored in a cool, dry place, I've got news for you...negatory! Makeup does expire; as soon as a product is opened, bacteria begin to grow.
Since makeup companies are not required to post expiration warnings on their labels, you have to use your judgement and be informed of the guidelines recommended by experts. It can be difficult to keep your makeup out of the sun and heat but that is what kills the preservatives that help fight off nasty germs.
Also, never use makeup if you have an eye infection. The bacteria can spread and fester and infect everything it touches. Never, ever share your makeup with others. Lastly, discard of any makeup that seems like it has changed color or smells funny. Here is a consolidated list regarding the shelf life of cosmetics.
To see the expiration dates
- The first thing to go is mascara which lasts three months.
- Oil-Free Foundation: One Year
- Cream Foundation: One Year
- Concealer: 12-18 Months
- Powder: 18 Months
- Blush & Bronzer: 18 Months
- Cream Blush: 12-18 Months
- Eye shadow: 18 Months
- Eyeliner: 18 Months
- Liquid Eyeliner: Six Months
- Lipstick/Lip Gloss: 18 Months
- Lipliner: One Year
- Nail Polish: One Year
- Cosmetic makeup sponges should be washed after each use and thrown away after one month.


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Debbie-do:will they still have some on the bolt when I get there!?
Debbie, keeping my fingers crossed that they will.
Debbie-do:will they still have some on the bolt when I get there!?
Debbie, keeping my fingers crossed that they will.
YES! Woo Hoo! They had more than enough. I'm so glad because I really didn't want to have to think tonight...
Southwest of San Antonio
I would have kept my fingers crossed for you but due to the time difference i was snoring my head off, but im very glad they had enough for you.
lots of love
Ps yes you are an expert cause you finished one i think i must have committment issues lots on the go without coming to the end of one.
Marie:everyone is so caught up in all the hustle and bustle, we've even lost that.
Maybe i just make more of an effort im not sure, how do you celebrate Marie and what do you have for Christmas Dinner, and does it change state to state is Debbie more likely to have something different to you, here we pretty much all have the same Roast Turkey, Roast Potatoes, Roast Parsnips, Sage and Onion Stuffing, Yorkshire Pudding, Cranberry sauce and Carrots, Brussel Sprouts and Peas.
One difference in Christmas dinner I've found between Texas and the northeast is everyone loves and expects corn bread stuffing down here which I'm not a big fan of. Growing up in New England (and most of my adult life -10 years) we always had bread stuffing. Mom made it from packaged stuffing mix, my mother-in-law made it with fresh bread. She also made about 10 different vegegables and several other side dishes while mom was straight forward with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, bread stuffing, mashed potatos. Another difference here in Texas is there is usually a turkey AND a ham and you'll usually find some jalapenos in something! Desserts are the same... pie! Pumpkin, apple, pecan. yummm
Frances:what do you have for Christmas Dinner
Well Frances, it has changed since I was younger but I'll try to give you some idea. First of all, I am of Italian decent so our big celebration was always Christmas Eve. We had fish of all kinds, some baked, some fried and some put into soup. Pasta cooked with olive oil, walnuts, bread crumbs, anchovies. Broccoli soup with dry cod and pasta. Fried smelts, srimp and octopus. Baked stuffed squid. Fried bread dough, first one made into the shape of a cross and the rest into large doughnut shape. For dessert, everyones favorite pies which were numerous. Not many got to the pie so Christmas morning was pie and a beverage. Mid afternoon was turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes smothered in turkey gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots, corn, antipasto and to top everything off a big serving of PEPTO BISMOL. : )
For the past four years we're down to baked stuffed haddock and fried shrimp and a salad for Christmas Eve. Leftovers for Christmas dinner along with a lasagna and meatballs. Just a couple of pies for dessert.
For Thanksgiving we will have turkey and the fixings at my DD's newly renovated home. Her first holiday as a host, wish us luck, her name is SANDY! LOL
Millbury, MA
The back of my quilt is ready to go! Woo Hoo!
Way to go, do you only work on one quilt at a time, because you seem to be very quick.
Best you wait too start Christmas dinner until I knock on the door, im at your place this year.
Do you not have pannetone, and when you were younger after eating all that how did you move afterwards.
Im lucky enough to have been to Italy, I loved it and if i could go back anywhere that would be one of my choices.
Way to go, do you only work on one quilt at a time, because you seem to be very quick.
lots of love
Frances, I've usually got several things going. This one took on a life of its own. I worked on it whenever and wherever I could and had to force myself to put it down at the end of the night and go to bed. I'm not entirely sure what that's all about. I'm glad the temps are finally going down because quilting comes next and having a lap full of quilt when it's warm isn't too appealing. I'm not sure how to approach the quilting. I've got a floor hoop and a plain hoop... I've never hand quilted a quilt! Any suggestions??
Best you wait too start Christmas dinner until I knock on the door, im at your place this year.
lots of love
You'll be hungry I'm afraid. Since my divorce, Christmas day is usally pretty quiet around here. I may have to come to you and have some of your Yorkshire pudding! We had that a lot growing up and I loved it. I could never get mine to come out as well as mom's. My requested birthday dinner growing up was always roast beef -rare, Yorkshire pudding and green beans! Yum!
Im no help on quilting it i havent quilted one yet, i did get part way through hand quilting a log cabin but had to unpick it all because my backing wasnt flat like its supposed to be, since then i havent been brave enough to try again, im hoping at the retreat in Branson i can pick up a few tips.
Frances:Do you not have pannetone, and when you were younger after eating all that how did you move afterwards.
My BIL always sends us a Pannetone from Italy but we save that for breakfasts the week ofter Christmas. As for moving afterwards, we didn't, we stayed at the table and "caught up on all the news" for about a half hour. : )
I normally have a panetone at Christmas but i make it into a Bread and Butter pudding.
I normally have a panetone at Christmas but i make it into a Bread and Butter pudding.
lots of love
OOH, do tell, that sounds yummy. We usually slice, toast and butter. Please share your recipe!


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Sox and Drugs: Baseball, Steroids, and Physics
Roger G. Tobin, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tufts University
Friday, January 22, 2010, 3:30pm
Spanos Auditorium
This seminar is part of the Jones Seminars on Science, Technology, and Society series
The sports world is in an uproar over performance-enhancing drugs. In the United States steroids in baseball have received the most attention, in part because the purported effects are much more dramatic than in any other sport. From 1995-2003 a few players hit home runs at rates 20-50% higher than the best sluggers of the preceding century. In other sports where steroid use has been widespread, such as track and field, the enhancements have been much more modest. Could steroids really increase home-run performance that much? I will describe a model that combines estimates of the physiological effects of steroids, known baseball physics, and reasonable models of batting effectiveness for highly skilled hitters. A 10% increase in muscle mass, which can reasonably be expected from steroid use, increases the speed of a batted ball by 3%. But because home runs are relatively rare events on the tail of a batter's range distribution, even this modest change in speed can increase the proportion of batted balls that result in home runs by 30-70%, enough to account for the record-shattering performances of the recent past. I will also describe some of the attention – both welcome and not – that comes to the unsuspecting physicist who wades into such emotionally troubled waters.
About the Speaker
Roger G. Tobin is Professor and Chair in the department of Physics and Astronomy of Tufts University. Before coming to Tufts in 1995 he was on the faculty of Michigan State University and a researcher at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey. His research in experimental condensed matter physics centers on the interactions of atoms and small molecules with the surfaces of metals. Such interactions are critical to a wide range of applications, including many chemical reactions; sensors for pollution control and other applications; and the deposition of thin solid films. Among his other interests are physics education at both the college and pre-college level; energy and climate change issues; and the physics of sports (especially baseball). Prof. Tobin received his A.B. from Harvard College in 1978, and his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, the latter in 1985.


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I think your expectations about the voters on Reddit are wrong, er, unrealistic. As I gather, people tend to upvote something they find interesting, which does not necessarily mean it is good quality code. Likewise, they downvote stuff they find boring.
Your own comments are doubly interesting, as apparently you took the time to see how it ticks, and analyze what you think is good and bad about it. Which is highly commendable, but far more than you may expect of the average person in the Reddit audience.
A whole 10 upvotes?
(A good submission tends to clock in upwards of 150 or so upvotes. Numbers in the 300s are a common sight.)


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Despite what many tablet manufacturers claim, most people find reading for long periods uncomfortable when using a backlit screen. As such the humble eReader with its easy-on-the-eye e-ink screen has remained fairly popular in the wake of the tablet obsessed masses. There are, of course, other advantages to a dedicated eReader such as the extended battery life, built in dictionary options and the opportunity to explain to everyone what it is that you're holding.
The demands on an eReader have changed, of course, with touch screens, annotations, social media integration and in-device shopping all being part of the feature sets that users have come to expect. We looked at two rather different takes on the eReader – the iconic Kindle Wi-Fi and the latest generation of Sony's Reader Wi-Fi Touch.
Kindle Wi-Fi
You could be forgiven for assuming that the Kindle Wi-Fi is a bit of a down-grade from the models we were discussing this time last year. With no keyboard and no global-roaming 3G connection, some people may initially think – why? Some of the why is in the excellent price tag (locally you can pick one up for $139) but a lot is in the Amazon store, which we'll get to in a second.
In terms of straight hardware, the Kindle Wi-Fi is a very light 170g and only 166 x 114 x 8.7mm size. In real world terms, this makes it easy to pop in a suit jacket breast pocket, so it's not likely to be an issue for any size of bag or handbag, except for the slimmest of clutches. The construction is pleasantly solid, the hard keys and the cursor pad have nice feedback and a good "click sensation" as do the page turning keys. Because of the Kindle's design, page turning works equally well for either left or right handed people.
The screen is seriously impressive – a 6in e-ink operating at 16-level greyscale, with a 600x800 resolution and 167ppi. Storage is 2GB, but it's worth noting that that's still around 1,400 books. Battery life is around one month according to Kindle, but that's with the Wi-Fi turned off. We found that during our testing period, with Wi-Fi left permanently on, we recharged once during a three book reading spree, a pre-emptive charge too, rather than a depleted battery. Supported file formats are Kindle's own AZW, TXT, PDF, MOBI, HTML, DOC plus some image files.
The greatest advantage of the Kindle is of course Amazon itself. While Amazon shopping is remarkably simple from within the device, we were also impressed with the Whispersync functionality. By ensuring that the Kindle sync regularly while on a Wi-Fi network, other devices using the Kindle App (in this case an HTC Android phone) not only get access to books and publications purchased via Amazon, but said books will automatically sync to the furthest page read. There's also in-built dictionary support and social media connectivity allowing you to annoy Twitter followers and Facebook friends by posting book quotes directly from the Kindle.
So any niggles? Well, it's minor, but the device felt ever so slightly slick when held one handed (usually during public transport) although no drops occurred. While reading a book with a lot of footnotes (Terry Pratchet's latest, Snuff) the sync function hit some snags too – syncing the end of the book where the footnotes were, rather than the page we were actually reading. We did find the proceeding for getting files on the Kindle without it being USB connected to a PC to be a bit tricky. Essentially you're given an email address unique to your Kindle which you can use to email file to yourself. However, you need to first set up your account with approved email addresses that the Kindle will take files from, or it won't work. In the end, it was all good, but users may find it easier to simple use the USB drive function.
Sony Reader Wi-Fi Touch
Sony's original Touch Readers were truly remarkable devices – but a dash over-priced. The Reader Wi-Fi Touch (PRS-T1 in terms of model number) comes in at $179 with enough clever features to make this well worth the price.
First and foremost is the touchscreen. While the Reader sports the same screen size and resolution as the Kindle, the screen uses Infrared tech to provide touchscreen functionality. This allows users to not only turn pages with finger swipes, but also to highlight words and activate the dictionary, zoom in and out and, of course, to choose books and menu options. Size wise, the Sony is a little lighter than the Kindle and slightly smaller across the face. With the gently curved back, this makes it almost perfect for one handed reading (at least for this reviewers' hands). The Sony Reader also comes in three colours – black, white or red – unlike the Kindle. Whether this is important or not is really up to the user. Personally, we did like the slickness of the black Sony over the graphite of the Kindle.
Also unlike the Kindle, the Sony has expandable memory, taking a microSD of up to 32GB. Considering this would allow for around 32,000 books (taking an average eBook size of 1MB) we can only assume that this is more for people wanting to use the MP3 and AAC file support of the Reader, rather than OCB bibliophiles. Speaking of file support, the Sony support fewer non-eBook files (TXT and PDF only) but critically it does support EPUB, the free eBook standard and one of the more common formats for e-publications. This makes the Sony excellent for people with a pre-existing collection of eBooks or people who like to shop around rather than being tied to a single shopping source. Sony's PC-based Reader software that work with the devices has built-in access to both the Borders and Angus & Robertson online stores, but these are just purchasing options.
In terms of problems, like the Kindle we experienced very few issues. The touchscreen, while useful, did make it essential to lock the Reader before tucking the device into a pocket or under an arm, but we only noticed this as a problem when hastily jumping on public transport. There were also a one or two times when our one-handed reading style caused a few fumbles with the Sony and we inadvertently jumped ahead a few pages, but this occurred so infrequently as be a non-issue.
Side-by-side, very little other than the touchscreen and the price separate the two devices. While we initially though the screen on the Kindle seemed crisper, this wasn't backed up by the figures and seems to be more of an optical illusion. Both were excellent devices that performed well and impressed both in terms of form and functionality.
Making a decision between the two will come down to two choices – whether the touchscreen is compelling enough for the additional $40 cost and whether you want to shop around for EPUB files or are happy to work with Amazon and its own proprietary format. In either scenario, both eReaders come highly recommended.
Amazon Kindle Wi-Fi: 5/6
Sony Reader Wi-Fi Touch: 5/6
|166 mm x 114 mm x 8.7 mm
|173 × 110 × 8.9mm
|6in e-ink 600x800 167ppi 16-level grayscale
|6in e-ink 600x800 167ppi 16-level grayscale, Infrared touch capabilities
|Wi-Fi, USB
|Wi-Fi, USB
|2GB, with microSD up to 32GB
|Book file support
ePub, PDF, TXT
|Battery (manufacturer claimed)
|1 month (Wi-Fi off); 3 weeks (Wi-Fi on)
|1 month (Wi-Fi off); 3 weeks (Wi-Fi on)


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Season Pass Sale Special
Get $25 in Powderhorn Credit (Stored Value) when you buy your Powderhorn Season Pass and sign up for Resort Charge!
- Buy your Powderhorn Season Pass AND sign up for Resort Charge by November 30th to receive a $25 credit (In the form of Powderhorn Stored Value).
- You may purchase on-line through December 10th, 2013.
- You must sign up for Resort Charge to be eligible for the $25 credit (Powderhorn Stored Value).
- Your $25 Powderhorn Stored Value will be applied to your account within 1 week of purchase.
- You may purchase in person at the season pass office through December 10th, 2013. (The pass office is open 9am-4pm Mondays and Tuesdays during the month of November).
- You may also purchase at our Black Friday sale at Mesa Mall on November 29th, 2013, 5:30 am - 4:00 pm, located in the court outside of Sports Authority.
- The $25 Stored Value is only for full season pass purchases made between November 11th and December 10th, 2013.


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Next DC Universe Animated Original Movie...
To insure your action figure collection, get in touch with Collectibles Insurance, the official insurance company of the Figures.com network. Say "Figures.com" to get 5% off your first term premiums.
To buy action figures, take a look at BigBadToyStore.com, Toynk.com, PastGenerationToys.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, and MonkeyDepot.com.
For action figures, statues and sculptures, go to CSMooreStudio.com.
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, PART 1, the next entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies, arrives September 25, 2012 from Warner Home Video as a Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD, On Demand and for Download. The PG-13 film is produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation.
Above is an all-new clip from BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, PART 1 featuring The Mutant Leader giving his televised declaration of war on Gotham City, Commissioner Gordon and Batman. The Mutant Leader is voiced by Gary Anthony Williams, best known for his recurring roles on "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Boston Legal," as well as voiceovers as Riff Tamsom on "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," Uncle Ruckus on "The Boondocks," and Mongul in "Batman: The Brave and the Bold." Williams' casting as the bad-to-the-bone Mutant leader belies his true calling in comedy – he is co-founder and artistic director for the L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival in Hollywood.
Source: Warner Bros. PR


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According to the Real Age Calculator, I'm 19.4 years old.
Damn skippy. Um, except that would make me not old enough to buy beer, which would be very sad given my great and abundant love for the Bier Stein. It would also make me back in NYC in the middle of spring semester of my sophomore year of college, which was an exciting, dramatic and kind of emo time I'm quite honestly glad to be done with.
Nice to know the internet can shave more than a decade off your actual age, though.


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Your body needs calcium so that you can use your muscles. Calcium also keeps your bones and teeth strong and your heart healthy. Hypercalcemia means you have too much calcium in your blood. Certain kinds of cancers, problems with some glands, too much vitamin D, and being on bed rest for a long time can cause your blood calcium level to get too high.
When you were in the hospital, you were given fluids through an IV and drugs to help lower the calcium level in your blood. If you have cancer, you may have had treatment for that also. If your hypercalcemia is caused by a gland problem, you may have had surgery to remove the gland.
You may need to drink a lot of liquids. Ask your doctor how much. To be sure you get enough to drink:
Do not cut back on how much salt you eat.
Your doctor may ask you to limit foods with a lot of calcium, or to not eat them at all for a while.
Do not use antacids that have a lot of calcium in them. Look for antacids that have magnesium. Ask your doctor or nurse which ones are okay. Ask your doctor what medicines and herbs are safe to take.
Your doctor will want you to come in for a follow-up appointment. You will probably also need to get blood tests after you go home.
Try to stay active when you get home. Your doctor will tell you how much activity and exercise are okay.
You may need to take medicines to help keep your calcium level from getting too high again. Take these the way your doctor tells you to. Call your doctor if you have any side effects.
Call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms:
National Cancer Institute. Hypercalcemia (PDQ). December 8, 2008. Accessed May 22, 2010.
Wysolmerski JJ, Insogna KL. The parathyroid glands, hypercalcemia, and hypocalcemia. In Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 266.
1000 Johnson Ferry Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30342
(404) 851-8000
450 Northside Cherokee Blvd.
Canton, GA 30115
(770) 224-1000
1200 Northside Forsyth Drive
Cumming, GA 30041
(770) 844-3200


text: I was never much of a DS9 fan, or a Voyager or Enterprise fan, I'm kind of a TOS TNG type of guy. I think I've maybe seen 20% at most of the DS9 episodes. In any case I know that DS9 has some good episodes but I just haven't watched the whole series. Perusing through TrekBBS for threads to read I clicked on this one and just decided on the spot I'd just watch this episode because it's free with Amazon Prime. Damn, if you guys aren't right. That was one hell of a good episode. My reaction to this first time viewing is that episode is one of the better acted episodes of Star Trek. It was just absolutely excellent.


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When Robin Thicke was recording "Blurred Lines" last year, it's doubtful he ever envisioned playing the song with instruments you'd likely see in an elementary school classroom. But last night on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon that's exactly what happened.
Before the show, Fallon, Thicke, and Fallon's house band the Roots grabbed a handful of unconventional instruments to perform his No. 1 hit "Blurred Lines." While Fallon, Thicke and each member of the Roots alternated on vocals, what grabbed the most attention were the instruments. Fallon manned the Casio keyboard and wood block, while Thicke showcased his familiar falsetto with the help of some spoons. The instrumentation also included a wooden clacker, kazoo, xylophone, melodica, ukulele, banana shaker, maraca and, of course, a cowbell.
Related: Robin Thicke On His First No. 1, 'Blurred Lines': 'We Didn't Know It Would Be This Big'
Clearly a PG-rated rendition of the song, Fallon covered Thicke's mouth as he was about to sing, "You're the hottest b**** in this place."
Read more at Radio.com


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Difference between revisions of "Driving in Australia"
Revision as of 07:41, 14 August 2011
This article is a travel topic
Driving in Australia is an experience to be savoured. The wide-open spaces and magnificent natural scenery is well worth taking the time to visit and experience by car. Indeed many lesser known, but still unique and worthwhile attractions can only be reached by car. This guide aims to fully prepare drivers for an Australian driving experience.
Speed and distance in Australia are measured in kilometres and kilometres per hour. There are approximately 1.6 kilometres in one mile.
Australia is a very big country, and while driving is a fun and interesting way to get around, you have to remember that in most cases it is a long long way to get from point A to point B. For example, driving from Melbourne to Sydney is at least 10 hours solid driving. If you want to drive to Perth from Melbourne, you must cross the Nullarbor Plain, which means driving for approximately 3,500 km, including almost 2,000 km through a virtually empty, uninhabited landscape with only a few roadhouses, sometimes hundreds of kilometres apart. To do it safely (i.e. with plenty of rest) may take up to a week.
As an example, here are the distances from one state capital to another:
As in the United Kingdom and Japan, Australians drive on the left-hand side of the road, with the steering wheel on the right side of the vehicle.
Road conditions - travelling in rural and remote areas
Most Australians live on or near the eastern and south-east coasts, where the country is fertile and well watered. Roads within and between the cities and towns in these areas are sealed and generally well maintained, as are the main highways that join the state and territory capital cities. There are usually plenty of well marked rest areas on major highways, though these are usually very basic and do not always have toilet facilities. Typically, rental car companies do not allow their cars to be taken off sealed roads, even if the unsealed road is an official minor road.
Rural driving
Outside of major cities and the coastal routes between some state capitals, Australian highways are mainly two-lane undivided sealed (concrete, bitumen or asphalt) roads. While less than 15% of Australia's population lives in regional and rural areas, about 60% of fatal accidents occur on these roads because the speeds are freeway-like (speed limits vary between 100km/h and 130km/h) but the conditions are more dangerous than freeways because there is rarely a barrier or division from oncoming traffic.
Many rural two lane highways feature an occasional third lane for safe overtaking. A yellow diamond sign will indicate with black arrows which direction has priority for overtaking in the middle lane. The single opposing lane may also use the middle lane for overtaking, as long as both oncoming lanes are clear and the centre line closest to the opposing lane is broken.
Some two-way paved roads have only one lane paved, right down the middle. When approaching another car both of you are expected to move left off the bitumen onto the dirt at the side of the road, pass, and then move back onto the black. Be wary immediately after passing, as the other car will have stirred up a huge dust cloud which will lower visibility for several seconds.
When travelling on unsealed (gravel) roads it is essential to slow down well before a corner or you risk skidding as you turn. Loose or drifting gravel also poses a hazard as your tyres may lose traction as the gravel rolls or shifts under the tyres. If you feel you are losing control on gravel, slow down and try to avoid braking or turning sharply. The posted speed limit is not a goal to achieve on gravel roads - it is most important to drive to the conditions.
Staying awake
Many rural and remote highways have long straight stretches with little traffic and few distractions. This can be a recipe for drowsiness. Make sure you stop every couple of hours and, if possible, change drivers. On some routes, local service clubs provide free coffee: take advantage of it. Many people die on these routes from drivers falling asleep at the wheel.
Animals - watch out!
In rural and remote areas, it is common to see dead animals on the side of the road. Australia's abundant wildlife can make driving hazardous. Equally hazardous are domestic animals such as cattle, sheep and goats and many properties in remote areas are un-fenced, allowing these animals to wander out onto the highway. The fact is, quickly swerving or braking heavily could cause a much more serious accident, especially on gravel roads. Many Australians avoid driving at sundown and sunrise, as these are the times when animals are most active, particularly in regions where you will encounter water sources like rivers and reservoirs, or the plains surrounding mountain ranges. You really don't want your first sighting of a kangaroo to be of one smashing against your windscreen, writing your vehicle off in the process.
It is important to note that many car rental firms impose a curfew on driving after sunset in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Often a collision with an animal has a higher excess (deductible) than other collisions. Away from cities and main highways try to be at your destination before nightfall. If forced to travel at night, keep your speed down.
If you come across multiple tyre marks on the road, this could suggest that animals regularly use this part of the road as a crossing, so just be a little more aware, and also, using the high beam head lights at night will make it harder for an animal to find an appropriate escape route, so practice flicking them off for animals as well as for on coming traffic.
If you do see animals crossing the road, slow right down, as more may be following, or they may turn back and cross again.
Remote areas - be prepared
It is important to note that even on major highways, in remote areas (known as the "Outback") motorists may travel for hundreds of kilometres between towns or road-houses without opportunities to refuel, get water, refreshments, or use toilets. In these areas it is strongly advisable not to let your fuel gauge drop below half-full before filling up again, as the next petrol (gas) station may have run out of your type of fuel and you may be stranded. Outback communities do not always have fuel supplies or they may be limited. LPG (liquid petroleum gas) may be un-available in some areas and in remote areas it is very unlikely to be found.
Off the major inter-city highways, road conditions can be difficult in remote areas. Many roads are unsealed (gravel or sandy) and often poorly maintained. Some may only be suitable for four-wheel drive vehicles and some (including major sealed highways) may not be passable at all in certain seasons or weather conditions. Respect road closures, even if the road or track appears traffic-able. Large fines are imposed on vehicles that travel on closed roads. Aside from fines, the road may have been closed due to being impassable much further down the road. If you proceed you may have to turn back or may become stranded at a remote location. Roads are often closed to prevent them becoming seriously damaged by vehicles transiting them when the surface is too soft or slippery after rain. Do not cause damage to a road by continuing your journey and transiting a road or track when it is has been closed, especially if your vehicles wheels are leaving furrows or ruts. No one will be impressed that you made it through indeed they may express anger.
Motorists need to be self-sufficient and prepared for emergencies when travelling off the main highways in remote areas. It is advisable to carry extra water, spare fuel, a tow-rope, blankets, shade material, matches or a lighter and two spare tyres. Do not have all of your water in one container at any time.
Ask locals about road conditions on the route you wish to take and, if relevant, whether they think your car will make it. If you do intend to venture off sealed (paved) highways, it is wise to inform a local police station of where you are going and how long you expect to take. Make sure that you phone them to tell them when you have arrived at your destination. If you do not call them back, they will assume you are stranded or have somehow gone missing and will send out a search team to assist you. Never ever leave your car when it breaks down in the middle of nowhere. In case of a long wait, it gives you shelter and it is a lot easier to spot a vehicle from the sky than a person walking in the bush.
Be aware that outside of major towns, mobile (cell) phone coverage will almost certainly be non-existent. A satellite phone may be a worthwhile and possibly life-saving investment in the most remote, lightly trafficked areas.
Slow down when approaching cattle grids as these may be bent, broken or deeply potholed on the approaches. Severe tyre damage or a broken spring can result from speeding over these grids. Leave gates shut or open as you have found them.
Do not enter creek or gully crossings without first checking for depth, dips and holes and finding the shallowest path. Water crossings in northern Australia (Far North Qld, Kimberley, Top End) are often inhabited by crocodiles so it is not advisable to walk these rivers. Vehicles are washed away more easily than most people realise.
Permits may be required to travel through Aboriginal communities in certain remote locations, though these permits can usually be obtained for free. Many of these communities prohibit the importation of alcohol.
Road trains
Road trains are a special hazard on Australian roads. These leviathans can reach lengths of up to 55 m, with up to four trailers. You don't need to be afraid of them, but you certainly need to treat them with care and respect and give them plenty of room to maneuvre.
Oncoming road trains should be given all the space they need. This is in your interest as well, as road trains can create huge gusts in their wake and the rear trailers can occasionally sway over the centre line. On sealed roads, you should slow down and drive as far left on the sealed surface as you can.
A road train overtaking you at high speeds can create a vortex which sucks you towards them. Therefore, be alert and stay in control of the vehicle at all times with both hands on the steering wheel. Be extremely cautious when attempting to overtake a road train, especially when driving a vehicle with a relatively low-powered engine. If you have to do it, be sure to choose a very long stretch of straight road of about two kilometres, so that you can be certain there's no oncoming traffic. Overtake as fast as you safely can. The length of a road train means that it is next to impossible to slip behind and back into your lane if you suddenly realise you're not going to make it. On gravel roads there's only one piece of advice: don't do it at all.
When behind a truck on a long stretch of road, many truck drivers will indicate to you that there is no traffic ahead and therefore safe to overtake by flicking the right indicator light on once or twice. Treat this signal with caution as sometimes there is not enough space between you and the next oncoming car. Use your common sense. If you are equipped with a CB radio, you may be able to talk to the truckie and confirm the condition of the road ahead for safe overtaking.
Australian vehicles
Most Australian cars have an automatic transmission, although manual (stick-shift) is still common. When hiring a car, it will almost certainly have an automatic transmission. Manual transmissions are generally only offered as an option for the cheapest (light car) models. The gear stick in a manual transmission is operated by the left hand, which may be difficult to adjust to if you are from a country that drives on the right. The arrangement of the pedals is standard worldwide. As the steering wheel in Australian vehicles is on the right, in most cars, the indicator (turn-signal) stalk will be on the right side of the steering wheel and the windscreen wiper stalk on the left side of the steering wheel. Again, if you are from a country that drives on the right, it is inevitable that in the first few days at least, there will be times when you will accidentally switch on the windscreen wipers when making a turn.
Some mountain and tableland areas of NSW and Victoria are noted for having very frosty nights that may cause diesel to solidify in vehicles causing the engine to stop or run abnormally. Usually vehicles will run normally without intervention, when the morning warms, at about 9AM.
Turakina publish driver guides ("turaguides") for overseas visitors intending to drive in Australia.
Buying a car
Buy or rent?
A very rough rule of thumb can be:
Tips for buying
Most of the tips for buying a car in Australia are the same as the precautions you would take anywhere. However, in Australia
Legal issues and safety
Driving is regulated by state government authorities, but there is a consistent set of road rules across Australia. [2]
Drivers in Australia require a valid driving licence. Foreign licences in English are considered valid for driving in Australia for visitors for three months. If your licence is not in English, an International Driving Permit which is issued in your home country before arrival in Australia is required.
Australian licenses are issued by the respective state and territory governments. Visitors with licenses from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States may convert their foreign licenses to an Australian one after paying an administrative fee. All other foreign license holders are required to sit for a theory and practical test before they can get an Australian license.
Safety Laws
Seat belts
Throughout Australia, use of seat belts is compulsory for drivers and passengers, and infants must be secured with approved safety capsules and harnesses. Seatbelt laws are strictly enforced, and the onus is on the driver to ensure all passengers are buckled. Penalties apply to the driver of the vehicle, and include monetary fines in the hundreds of dollars, as well as demerit points, which may lead to a license suspension.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
The blood alcohol limit for fully licensed drivers is 0.05% throughout Australia. Learner and provisional drivers are not permitted to have any alcohol in their system whilst driving.
Police conduct random breath tests along both major routes and back streets, both in cities and in the country. A driver does not have to be driving suspiciously or have committed any driving offence to be stopped by police for a random breath test.
If you are caught driving under the influence of alcohol, you will have to make a court appearance. For a first offence, a fine and a period of suspension would normally be imposed if there are no aggravating circumstances. Refusing a random breath test is also an offence and similar penalties apply as for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Random drug testing is in place in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. This is conducted via a mouth swab.
In case of an accident involving injury or death to any person, the police and appropriate emergency response authorities must be contacted. Phone the Australian emergency number 000. The GSM standard emergency number 112 also works from any mobile phone. 112 will use any available network and will work even with an overseas GSM phone without roaming enabled. Emergency numbers from other countries (such as 911) do not work in Australia.
The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident in which a person may have been injured or killed, or where there is serious property damage, is legally required to stop and render assistance. The penalties for leaving an accident scene can be severe (up to 10 years imprisonment), even if you are not at fault. You must contact appropriate emergency authorities, but you are not required to give first aid if you have not had training.
Persons rendering first aid in good faith in Australia are protected by law and are not at risk of legal action against them. If you can help at an accident scene, always do so.
Law enforcement - speeding and red light running
Speed cameras are used in all states and territories of Australia, with some states using hidden cameras, others preferring highly visible ones. The strictest place for speed limit enforcement is Victoria, with mobile speed cameras hidden in unmarked cars, as well as hidden fixed cameras behind highway signage. The official tolerance in Victoria is just three kilometres per hour in excess of the speed limit. Police speed traps, and mobile patrols also regularly pull over cars for exceeding the speed limit. In other states, exceeding the speed limit by 10km/h or so will usually result in you being sent a fine notice of around $200 (and demerit points if driving on an Australian licence). Exceeding the speed limit by more than 30km/h can result in a court appearance and possible criminal conviction. For these reasons you will find that speeding in Australia is uncommon. Red light and combined red light/speed cameras also operate at many urban intersections and a similar fine will result.
Fine notices are invariably sent to overseas addresses. Rental car companies often charge an administration fee if fines are incurred, and will pass your name on to the debt collection authorities. Your fine won't generally be pursued outside Australia, but you should consider the consequences if you wish to drive in Australia in the future.
Motoring groups
Each State and Territory has a separate motoring group which offers roadside breakdown assistance, as well as comprehensive road maps, tourist guides, and useful motoring advice from their numerous branch offices. You need to purchase an annual membership in one of these associations to qualify for roadside assistance, but this can be done when lodging a call for help (with an additional fee). Each State association has reciprocal arrangements with the others, so a single membership will do for all of Australia. If you are a member of the local motoring group in your home country, you might be entitled to free reciprocal assistance, such as maps, from the various motoring groups in Australia. Check with your local motoring group before you leave.
A different level of coverage with a higher fee is usually required to ensure useful assistance in remote areas.
City driving
Traffic in Australia's major cities can be congested. As in any other place, it pays to avoid driving in or around the Central Business District (CBD) during peak times when everyone is trying to get to or from work, or on freeways on long weekends (bank holiday weekends) when everyone is trying to get out of town.
Melbourne trams
A hazard unique to Melbourne's CBD and the inner suburbs are trams (streetcars). Melbourne is known for its extensive tram network. There are some tram-related rules which may not be immediately obvious.
Normally cars can drive in the same lane as the tram tracks, and there will be a broken yellow lane marker left of the "tram lane". The broken yellow marker means cars are permitted to drive in the tram lane. Sometimes, there will be a solid yellow line next to the tram lane. This indicates that cars are not permitted to drive in the tram lane. In this situation, there may be a sign overhead that specifies times when cars are not permitted to drive in that lane. If there is no sign, then cars are not permitted on the tracks at any time.
Tram passengers have right of way when crossing the road to or from a tram. You must stop behind the tram when the doors of the tram are open, unless the tram is stopped at a cordoned off stop with barriers.
Related to the tramways is the "hook turn" which is unique in Australia to Melbourne's CBD. As many roads in Melbourne's CBD have tram tracks, turning right (remember, Australians drive on the left) suddenly presents a problem, as while you are waiting to turn, you would be in the tram lane, delaying the progress of several trams. To get around this problem, the "hook turn" was invented. This involves turning right from the left lane. Here is how to execute a hook turn:
Signs indicating whether a hook turn is necessary are hung off tram power lines at the intersection. Do not attempt a hook turn at other intersections.
School zones
School zones have a 40km/h limit during school hours and these are clearly signposted; usually with flashing electronic variable speed limit signs. South Australian school zones are 25km/h. In some state, school zones on major highways may be signposted at 60km/h or 80km/h. In New South Wales, school buses feature flashing lights when picking up or dropping off children. This is to warn drivers to slow down, however unlike in the United States, you are not required to come to a complete stop.
Traffic signals
It is illegal to turn left on a red traffic signal. In some states, it is illegal to do a U-turn at a traffic signal, unless there is a sign explicitly permitting. In Victoria a U-turn is permitted at any intersection with signals, unless signage specifically prohibits this.
Overtaking (passing)
Overtaking is permitted to the right hand side only, unless you are driving on a multi-lane road and the other vehicle can be safely overtaken in a marked lane to the left of that vehicle. If the signposted speed is above 80km/h it is illegal for a car to remain in the right hand lane on a road except whilst overtaking another vehicle. When the overtaking manoeuvre is completed drivers should move back into the left lane as soon as it is safe to do so. Where no such lanes are marked drivers must only overtake on the right hand side of the other vehicle unless the other vehicle is stationary turning to the right or signalling an intention to do so. Whilst overtaking you must not cross over any continuous (unbroken) centre line, continuous double lines or where the double centreline nearest to you is unbroken.
Parking in major cities can be difficult and expensive, especially in the CBD and around tourist areas, such as beaches. Even smaller towns may have parking hassles on popular market days and for events.
Commercial parking lots charge are common in capital cities centres, and operate on an hourly basis on weekdays, and often charging a flat fee on weekends or evenings. These can be very expensive in the CBD area.
Cities often have council operated on-street parking that involves a fee payable. There is either a meter that corresponds to the spot in which you have parked, or a ticket machine to buy a ticket from. These spots will have a sign indicating the maximum amount of time you can park there (paying the appropriate fee), and at what times the fee operates. Feeding meters (staying longer than the posted time by returning to the meter or ticket machine, and inserting more money or buying another ticket) is illegal and will result in the same fine as not paying the fee.
Parking is policed sporadically, with some areas regularly patrolled and others rarely, but you are never entirely safe parking illegally. Fines are of the order of $100.
Areas signposted as clearways, prohibit parking during peak times. Parked cars will be often be towed, adding a $100 recovery charge, and considerable hassle.
Areas marked as no stopping, or bus zones or taxi zones are illegal to stop in, even to pick up and drop off. Areas marked as no standing or no parking zones are those in which you may pick up and drop off, but you can't leave your car.
If you are willing to park a few blocks away and walk, it is often possible to find free on-street parking in residential areas near some attractions.
Major capitals usually have good public transport within the CBD itself, and this is an alternative to driving between CBD locations once parked.
Some motorways, bridges, and tunnels in major cities require payment of tolls. On some roads, a cash payment can be made at tollbooths on the road, however increasingly there is a trend to electronic collection of tolls via transponders fitted inside vehicles. Some toll roads do not allow for cash payment at all. If you drive on such a road without a transponder, a photo is taken of your vehicle's number plate, and you have a limited time (between 24 and 72 hours, depending upon the road) to phone a number or visit a website and arrange credit card payment (plus an additional processing fee) before a fine is issued. Toll roads are clearly signposted and opportunities to exit are clearly delineated before reaching the first tolling point.
Avoiding toll roads may save you a few dollars, but you may pay in extra travel time, fuel cost, and navigation difficulties, particularly during peak travel times. If hiring a car, ask the agency for advice on toll roads. A single transponder can be used on any toll road in Australia, regardless of which company issued the transponder and which company operates the toll road you wish to travel on. There is no extra charge for travelling on another company's toll road.
If you encounter a roundabout and are from a country that doesn't have many of them, like the United States of America, here's a quick guide:
Give way (yield). Give way to vehicles already on the roundabout: enter the intersection only when there is no risk of collision with a car on the roundabout coming from your right. On most roundabouts, this effectively means that you must give way to cars coming from your right.
Indicate. When two roads cross at a small roundabout, indicate left to go left, right to go right, and do not indicate if going straight. On a larger roundabout with more exits, don't indicate left until you are taking the next exit.
Select your lane. On multiple lane roundabouts arrows will usually be on the road indicating which lane you should choose to go which direction. Otherwise, just take the left lane to go left, right lane to go right, and either lane to go straight. Bicycles may stay in the left lane and go right, but if they choose to do this, they must give way to vehicles in the right lane exiting.
Speed limits
The default open road speed limit varies between states and territories in Australia. This is the speed limit that must be observed in rural areas where there is no posted limit. In most states it is 100 km/h, but in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, it is 110 km/h. In urban areas (where there are street lights), the default limit is 50 km/h, except in the Northern Territory, where it is 60 km/h. Higher speed limits may apply to some streets and roads, but only where a higher speed limit is clearly sign-posted. For example, some major highways in the Northern Territory have posted speed limits of 130 km/h in rural/remote areas and many rural highways in other states have posted speed limits of 110 km/h.
Wet season
In the north of Australia, the period from November (sometimes even October) to March is considered the Wet Season. Many remote communities (and even some major towns on the Queensland coast) are completely isolated during the Wet, unless they have a landing strip for light aircraft. Rivers that are dry at other times of the year can overflow their banks due to extremely high rainfall.
Sometimes, bridges are washed out, or dirt roads are turned into muddy quagmires. Water levels can rise quickly from nothing to flooding. Notably, the Bruce Highway, which is the main road from Brisbane up through the Queensland coast to Cairns, is notorious for being cut for days at a time in many areas, mostly near Innisfail and Tully, which are both just south of Cairns.
Travellers intending to drive around the North should contact local authorities beforehand as they will know the most about local conditions. They will also be the poor sods called out to rescue you if you get stuck, so be polite. In Queensland, it is possible to go from Cairns to Cooktown via Mareeba or Mossman using an inland route, which is fully sealed and suitable for normal cars. If you intend to take the coastal route (starting just north of Cape Tribulation), you can't do it whenever it is raining, unless you have a serious four-wheel drive, preferably equipped with a snorkel.
If travelling around the north on unsealed (unpaved) roads, a powerful four-wheel drive vehicle is a must. Being bogged in the middle of the Outback can be fatal if one is not properly prepared.
See also


text:
A Doncaster tennis club is match perfect for its 60th birthday after a £60,000 facelift.
Wheatley Hills Tennis Club, formed in 1954, will unveil its new look to mark the anniversary.
Officials hope the upgraded facilities – built with the help of £35,000 of Olympic legacy funding and club funds – will open the sport to a wider range of people in the community.
Doncaster Central MP Rosie Winterton will be among those attending the event on Sunday.
She said: "I'm delighted for Wheatley Hills Tennis Club and I'm looking forward to seeing the improved facilities for myself.
"The summer will be packed full of sport, with the football World Cup, Wimbledon and the Commonwealth Games all coming up.
"It's important to seize on those events and, with the help of quality facilities in our area, boost participation in sport."
Club chair Janet Arrowsmith said the club would benefit from links with local schools.
She said: "The work doesn't stop now. We have a great relationship and have formalised a partnership with Danum Academy, which is the Tennis Foundation UK's school of the year.
"We are working hard with colleagues at school to deliver a full tennis programme – which will include upgrading facilities at their upper school site.
"The work at the club and school is inspiring, being part of a team who are committed to improving facilities in and for their communities and to see first-hand the enjoyment of the participants and their families is fabulous and what makes being part of this team such a pleasure."


text:
NSAs Huawei Spying Used Well-Tested Methods
32 comments
A US investigation into China's largest networking company, Huawei Technologies, has left Chinese officials livid. The investigation reportedly was instigated by ongoing rumors that the company is a tool of the country's intelligence apparatus.
Even more troubling to officials is how the NSA allegedly turned the company into a tool of American intelligence instead.
During the course of a project code-named "Shotgiant," the NSA penetrated the corporate networks of Huawei so completely that US officials were able to read email from the company's CEO, download sensitive documents on more than 1,400 large Huawei customers, as well as technical data on current products and those still in development, according to documents released by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden to Der Spiegel and The New York Times.
"We currently have good access and so much data that we don't know what to do with it," according to one NSA report from 2010 quoted in Der Spiegel.
Rather than stop at simply collecting more information than it could process, however, a NSA special-operations unit bored into the company's technical data, eventually compromising servers holding source code for the firmware that runs the routers and switches Huawei builds for large corporations and telecommunications companies.
The goal was to build secret backdoors or security flaws into the source code, which Huawei would then build into its own products and distribute to a customer base so large that Huawei boasts that its products connect a third of the world's population.
"Many of our targets communicate over Huawei-produced products," according to one of those reports. "We want to make sure that we know how to exploit these products," in order to "gain access to networks of interest," according to the document.
An ongoing operation
Rather than being an anomaly, the plan to bug Huawei firmware fit neatly into an apparently ongoing NSA effort to magnify the impact of its efforts by installing bugs and backdoors into the firmware of commercial technology products to be distributed by oblivious technology vendors and sold to potential targets with no indication the NSA had ever been involved. Previously released documents report similar efforts to compromise products from Western Digital, Seagate, Maxtor, Samsung, and other, mostly US-based companies.
The NSA unit involved -- the Office of Tailored Access Operations (TAO), which is based in Ft. Meade, Md. -- is a cadre of encryption and penetration specialists who can be called into action like a special-forces strike team to penetrate high-value targets with unusually tough security, according to Der Spiegel. A TAO sub-group known as ANT builds circuit boards disguised as USB devices or other, more subtle camouflage, which can be implanted in targeted servers and secretly broadcast everything they do to nearby NSA relay stations.