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Software Speeds Up Ticket Writing For N.Y. Police
|Albany police officer Bill Wilson sits in a patrol car quipped with the Traffic And Criminal Software system. (Photo: Paul Munson / WNYT)
Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Raymond Martinez, who''s also the chairman of the governor''s Traffic Safety Committee, was in Albany talking about a $13,000 grant that pays for two Albany cruisers to be equipped with a program called Traffic And Criminal Software, also known as TRACS.
For officers equipped with TRACS there will be no more pen on paper. Instead, police wave a scanner over your driver''s license. Your data gets recorded into a computerized form and in about half the time it takes an officer to write out a ticket by hand, you''ll be holding a ticket on an eight-and-a-half-by-11-inch sheet of paper and easy to read.
That means more efficient record keeping and more importantly more officers available to answer emergency calls for service, police Cmdr. Aaron Flanger explained.
Police officer Bill Wilson also said the system will improve safety for police and the people they pull over because they''ll spend less time on the side of the road.
Martinez says police in Iowa were first to use the program several years ago. Since then it''s been used in New York in Erie, Monroe and Warren counties.
It''ll help all the way down the line because the days of the crumpled up paper summons are over, quickly going to become over, because this all an electronic process, Martinez said.
When an officer ends his shift, he''ll push a button on his computer to send that day''s ticket information to computers at the DMV and the court system.
Martinez says it''ll take years and many millions of dollars to get every police cruiser in the state equipped with TRACS.
Request product info from top Police Software companies
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Derek Phillips, a 2012 graduate of the University of Central Arkansas has first-hand experience with this search.
"I grew up in Greenbrier. I was very underprivileged growing up with my family," Phillips said. "My mom and dad are divorced, my mom is disabled. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a coach or a teacher because those people impacted my life so much."
An added difficulty to his job hunt was the fact that Phillip's wife was still attending school at UCA. He needed a job, but they needed to stay close to Conway.
"It just came out that Russellville had a job opening, and I had an interview and found out I was hired. We were very excited," Phillips said.
With his first year of teaching experience complete, Phillips looked back on the year with what seemed to be a sense of disbelief.
"The year has flown by. It's hard to believe it's been 190 days and that my first year is almost over," he said. "I remember walking in the first day of school, handing out my syllabus, meeting the kids and trying to learn names, which I'm bad at. Then it just flies by. Last Thursday is when it really hit me, that this year is almost over."
Phillips told a story about the time a mouse ran through the classroom, scared one student and inspired another.
The inspired student was in environmental science and needed to catch a live animal for her class. She set a trap in the closet and caught the mouse a few days later. Phillips used the story as an example for finding the good in situations that seem bad.
"It's just a blur, but you always hope that you've taught these kids more than just history. I always tell them that when you get out of my class and all you know is what the 50 states are and who the presidents were, then I've failed," Phillips said. "I hope I've taught them a little bit about life."
Phillips said one of the things that motivates him as a teacher is the idea of being able to see the things his students will do in the future. He said he wants to be able to look back and know he taught them something.
"I went to college for five years. My degree is in social studies and I have a coaching endorsement," Phillips said. "Like most jobs, you go through all those challenges and obstacles and they hand you that diploma and you're supposed to be ready to be a teacher, but you aren't ready until you get here and start teaching."
Teaching 11th-grade U.S. history and coaching multiple sports, Phillips credits the Russellville School District for their help during its first year.
"The support has been overwhelming. The support from other teachers, the administrators and the community is unbelievable," Phillips said. "My wife just found out she got a job here. She will be teaching fourth grade at Crawford. We want to stay here because of the support of the school district."

subset: commoncrawl


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Authorities are urging people not to touch any injured or oiled animals as crews clean up Friday's spill in Mayflower, a small town about 20 miles northwest of Little Rock.
Crews have also recovered thousands of barrels of oil and water since an ExxonMobil pipeline sprung a leak and spewed oil onto lawns and roadways.
Seven ducks have also been found dead.
ExxonMobil says a contractor has started a wildlife rehabilitation operation on-site.


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The List Is Short: Women Who Never Had Any Plastic Surgery Whatsoever…That We Know Of
Celebrities Who Never Had Plastic Surgery
Every celebrity does plastic surgery, right?
Wrong. Most lasies you see have had some work done but not these beauties. They've kept it right and tight without fake body parts or touch ups. And really those are the best kinds of ladies. So without further ado, let's salute the ladies who have been beautiful without going under the knife.
Nia Long – She's an all-natural beauty who's never been even accused of going under the knife. Good lawd
Erykah Badu – She's just naturally the finest woman on the planet. And her hippie lifestyle doesn't encourage plastic surgery.
Beyonce – She's been accused of having nose jobs and boob jobs and all, but we don't have any proof. So we'll assume her cakes are the real deal.
Amber Rose – It's hard to believe but allegedly she's never had anything done. That body is au natural.


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NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED Notice is hereby given that William Terry Woodward, holder of tax certificate No. 2894 issued June 1, 2006, has filed same in my office and has made application for a tax deed to be issued thereon. Said certificate embraces the following described property in the County of St. Johns, State of Florida, to-wit: PARCEL NUMBER 212190-0000 SEC 18 TWP 07 RGE 30 BUENA ESPERANZA SUB CITY LOT 21 BLK 5 OR319/434 The assessment of the said property under the said certificate issued was in the name of ANNIE BELL GREEN, Life Estate. Unless said certificate shall be redeemed according to law, the property described therein will be sold to the highest bidder at the front door of the St. Johns County Judicial Building, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, Florida, 32084, on JULY 23, 2008 at 12:00 o'clock noon. Dated this May 29, 2008. (OFFICIAL SEAL) Cheryl Strickland Clerk of Circuit Court of St. Johns County, Florida In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act persons needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact the Clerk of Court at 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084 no later than seven days prior to the sale date. Telephone: (904) 819-3657; 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (V), via Florida Relay Service. L1712-8 Jun 18, 25, Jul 2, 9, 2008
Posted from 18-Jun-08 to 9-Jul-08
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Saudi web editor could face death for 'liberal' site
Saudi Deputy Defence Minister Prince Khaled Bin Sultan attends the 9th Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference (SOFEX) May 08, 2012 in Amman, Jordan. (Photo by Salah Malkawi/ Getty Images)
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A website editor in Saudi Arabia charged with apostasy could face the death penalty, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Saturday.
Raid Badawi, 30, who created the "Free Saudi Liberals" website to discuss the role of religion and religious figures in the Kingdom, was arrested in June this year, in the port city of Jeddah.
On December 17, Badawi's case was referred to a higher court with the charge of apostasy. Previously he had been held on the lesser charge of blasphemy by electronic communication.
In Saudi Arabia, apostasy – the renunciation of religion- carries the automatic death penalty.
"Badawi's life hangs in the balance because he set up a liberal website that provided a platform for an open and peaceful discussion about religion and religious figures," Eric Goldstein, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said, adding, "Saudi Arabia needs to stop treating peaceful debate as a capital offense."
Saudi Arabia follows the austere 'Wahhabist' form of Islam, which takes a particularly hard line on those who turn away from the strict ideology.
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- 8-year-old Yemeni child dies at hands of 40-year-old husband on wedding night
- new web threats could impede business growth in the middle east, say experts
- Between Assad and Auschwitz: The shocking similarities between the victims of Syria's war and the Holocaust
- Trial of Saudi nationals accused of belonging to al-Qaeda resumed in Morocco
- An Islamic view of December 21st as end of the world


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Credit subject to status and affordability. Terms & Conditions Apply. Steffan The Jeweller LTD trading as Steffan The Jeweller LTD are a credit broker and are Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Credit is provided by Hitachi Personal Finance, a division of Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.


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Convergent Design announced today their low-cost ($495) HDMI/DVI to HD/SD-SDI (video + audio) converter box known as nanoConnect, aimed at HDV and AVCHD camcorders/decks and other unencrypted HDMI/DVI sources. HDMI, built on DVI technology, transmits uncompressed digital HD or SD video (YCbCr 4:2:2 or RGB 4:4:4) and up to 8-channels of PCM audio over a single cable at resolutions exceeding 1080p.
HDMI, with projected worldwide shipments of over 100 million devices this year, is the new consumer-electronics standard for interconnecting flat panel screens, set-top boxes and DVD players. In addition, Sony, JVC, Canon and Panasonic offer HDV and/or AVCHD camcorders/decks with HDMI output, thereby bringing HDMI into the professional video market.
nanoConnect, built on the highly successful HD-Connect MI, also from Convergent Design, accepts uncompressed HD/SD video (and digital audio) from an unencrypted HDMI source, and multiplexes the video + audio into an HD/SD-SDI stream. This highly versatile converter accepts a wide range of formats including 1080i60/59.94/50, 1080p30/29.97/25/24/23.98, 720p60/59.94/50, 480p/576p and 486i/576i resolutions. Utilizing 100% digital processing, nanoConnect produces noticeably better resolution, lower noise and no luma/chroma shifts as compared to the component HD analog solution.
nanoConnect offers this improved video/audio quality at a lower price compared to most analog solutions and is far simpler to set up -- one HDMI cable replaces 5 analog cables (3 - video and 2 or more audio cables). nanoConnect offers professional features such as automatic color bar output on loss of HDMI input, low processing latency (60 uS), and low power-consumption (2.5W). The small size (4.5" x 3.5" x 1"), makes the nanoConnect a perfect companion for live-event and studio projects.
When operating in live-camera mode, the user can enjoy the ultimate video quality attainable from a given camcorder, since this video stream has never been compressed (it's straight off the CCD/CMOS sensor). Furthermore, green-screen applications are enhanced with the full 4:2:2 color resolution from the live-camera capture.
Video professionals can now affordably add HD/SD-SDI to their existing HDV decks and camcorders. For example, JVC BR-HD50 users can add HD/SD-SDI and utilize the existing RS-422 built in the deck. Editors employing the Sony HVR-M25 deck, on the other hand, can use the 1394 from their NLE for deck control and batch captures. For lowest-cost ingest of HDV/AVCHD material, nanoConnect will accept the HDMI stream directly from the Sony V1U/E, HC7/5/3 camcorders, as well as the new Canon HV20. (Deck control is enabled via a direct 1394 connection from the NLE to the camcorder). Additional system cost reductions are realized by utilizing the built-in ability to perform 1080i/720p cross conversion or downscale to SD. DV tapes can also be played-back as a SD-SDI stream.
nanoConnect is also an ideal companion for HDMI/DVI to HD/SD-SDI conversions directly from a desktop or laptop computer. Users can now affordable stream video/audio out of their PC/MAC into the professional HD/SD-SDI format. Unlike HDMI, which is typically limited to 10 meter cable lengths, HD/SD-SDI cables can typically run out 150/350 meters, respectively. HDV and AVCHD editors now have affordable tools to convert long-GOP compressed formats into easily editable I-Frame-based CODECs such as DVCProHD and DNxHD. These real-time conversions can eliminate all the headaches and long render times associated with native-format editing. Rather than changing their workflow, users can simply upgrade their connection.
nanoConnect carries an MSRP of $495 (USD) and will be available in early April. nanoConnect can be seen at the Convergent Design NAB booth: SL10830. More information as well as a technical white paper on HDMI is available at http://www.convergent-design.com.


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Brent crude traded near the highest level in one month as U.S. lawmakers prepared to resume budget talks and the United Arab Emirates said it arrested members of a terror cell that was planning attacks on oil-exporting nations.
Futures were little changed in London after rising the most in five weeks yesterday. President Barack Obama and legislators returned to Washington for talks aimed at averting more than $600 billion in tax gains and spending cuts that start Jan. 1. The U.A.E. coordinated with Saudi Arabian officials to arrest members of the terror group who had equipment needed for their attacks, according to the official WAM news agency.
"The arrests in the U.A.E. appear to have had a big impact with lower liquidity in the oil market," said Michael Poulsen, an analyst at Global Risk Management in Middelfart, Denmark, who predicts Brent will average $112 a barrel in the first quarter. "Fundamentals look pretty balanced."
Brent for February settlement fell 39 cents to $110.68 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange at 1:03 p.m. local time. The volume was 46 percent less than the 100-day average. Prices yesterday gained $2.27, or 2.1 percent, to settle at $111.07, the highest close since Nov. 30.
West Texas Intermediate for February delivery was unchanged at $90.98 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The volume traded for all contracts was 39 percent below the 100-day average. Futures advanced $2.37 to $90.98 yesterday. The European benchmark crude was at a premium of $19.67 to WTI.
Mideast Tension
The U.S. benchmark has dropped 7.9 percent in 2012 as the U.S. shale boom deepened the glut at Cushing, Oklahoma, America's largest oil-storage hub and the delivery point for Nymex futures. That has left WTI at an average discount of $17.46 a barrel to Brent this year, compared with a premium of about 7 cents in the five years through 2010. Brent, the benchmark grade for more than half the world's crude, has climbed 3.4 percent this year.
"I think there can be some resolution and we can avoid the worst-case scenario" in the budget talks, said Ken Hasegawa, an energy trading manager at Newedge Group in Tokyo. "We don't see an issue for the terrorist news, but it was said to move prices on possible Middle East tension. It's easier for players to move prices up and down in a thin market."
A failure to reach an agreement on the budget plan might push the U.S., the world's biggest crude consumer, into recession for the first half of 2013, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said.
Debt Ceiling
The U.S. government will hit its statutory debt ceiling on Dec. 31, Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said in a letter to congressional leaders. To avert a default, the Treasury will create about $200 billion in headroom under the limit, which would normally last about two months. The letter adds urgency to the talks between Republicans and Obama, who has asked that raising the debt ceiling be part of a deficit-reduction plan.
Oil may decline in New York as technical indicators show prices have probably risen too quickly for further gains to be sustained. Crude's 30-day stochastic oscillators climbed above 70 yesterday for the first time since September, signaling futures are overbought, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The front-month contract also settled higher than the upper Bollinger Band, around $90.70 a barrel today, an indicator that has halted advances twice this month.
Heating oil futures were little changed at $3.0522 a gallon in New York after increasing 1.6 percent yesterday, the biggest gain in more than five weeks. A winter storm may have dropped as much as 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) of snow and ice on New York City yesterday. A weather advisory was issued as the system neared the area, said Tim Morrin, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Upton, New York. The storm has dumped heavy snow across the Great Plains and Midwest and brought high winds and tornadoes across the South.
Crude held on to yesterday's gains because "it's got a lot to do with a little bit of weather," said Jonathan Barratt, chief executive officer of Barratt's Bulletin, a commodity newsletter in Sydney.


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I'm 21 years old, i've recently (since this summer) developed a serious liking (and indulgence) for Harry Potter fanfic.
I've written a Draco/Hermione one-shot, (to my surprise) and it's been accepted on mnff, which is really exciting! I have another story, it's my big one, which got me started writing fanfic. It's not on here, but it's at harrypotterfanfiction.com, and my website address is a direct link to my stories!
+ships i like+
-Draco/Hermione (only if its in good taste and written really, really, really well and it's realistic.)
colorofangels is the person i got the list of ships i like, so i wanted to give her credit. :)
Hey y'all! I thought that i should update my profile for those who ever look at my profile to let you know what's happening with my stories.
The sequel to my story, Letting Go is on hiatus. My life is crazy right now, and i kind of ran into writers block for my story. So i'm still where i was before when i mentioned my sequel. I don't blame you if you're mad at me... i'm kind of upset that i haven't finished or improved on this story since. Maybe during the summer when i'm not in school i can really focus on this story and get it posted up here on Mugglenet... and if not, i'll inform you of where to find it!
Also, for those interested, i've started a Post-HBP story that's a Harry-Ginny story. You can check it out here: http://www.hgnetwork.co.uk/siye/viewstory.php?sid=10140. Please look at it if you like H/G stories and ppleaaase review! I'd love you forever! :P
Anyway, please feel free to write to me if you'd like. I'm always excited to get actual emails, especially ones that involve fanfics.
Thanks to y'all in advance whom have read and reviewed! I love y'all!
To my fans I would like to say that I am back to writing, and I have now updated many of the chapters! Some changes are just grammer edits, but there are many adds and changes to chapters. Some based on your reviews or small things I felt needed to be added. Please take a look at the changes and let me know what you think. I am looking forward to hearing what you have to say about the changes and up comeing chapters.


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All in: Blue Jays, Dodgers going for it in 2013
Blockbuster trades, prominent free agents have Toronto, LA thinking big
By Lyle Spencer / MLB.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Go ahead and deal. The Dodgers are all in, and so are the Blue Jays. Let the chips -- and championships -- fall where they may.
Of all the movers and shakers across Major League Baseball the past nine months, none have been more committed to moving and shaking the landscape than the franchises in Los Angeles and Toronto. They'll meet for a three-game series north of the border in July to compare notes, and they'd love to do it again in October with the whole world watching a true blue Fall Classic.
The Dodgers haven't graced a World Series since 1988, when they humbled the Athletics' "Bash Brothers." They've made six postseason appearances since then, most recently in 2009. Toronto has been absent from the postseason since 1993, when the Blue Jays, at the expense of the Phillies, made it back-to-back World Series titles.
Missing from the big stage too long in their fans' hearts and minds, the Dodgers and Blue Jays have made bold statements through their actions. They are determined to make October meaningful again in 2013.
Taking their cue from the reigning World Series champion Giants, who won it all for the second time in three years behind superlative pitching, the Dodgers and Blue Jays have invested heavily in arms.
R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson and Mark Buerhle could make Toronto's rotation, along with Brandon Morrow and J.A. Happ, the envy of the American League. Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu have arrived at considerable expense to join ace Clayton Kershaw, Josh Beckett and Chad Billingsley, most likely, in a potentially dominant Los Angeles starting corps.
The Dodgers and Blue Jays also have put together lineups that could be lethal if the power and speed components mesh as anticipated.
A return to peak health, notably for Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford and Hanley Ramirez in L.A. and Jose Bautista and Brett Lawrie in Toronto, will factor heavily into how these attacks function. Ramirez (surgery, right thumb) and Lawrie (strained oblique) will be absent on Opening Day, creating left-side infield adjustments for both clubs.
In the big scheme, Dodgers and Blue Jays fans have to be excited by the possibilities.
"It's a new day in Dodgertown," part-owner Magic Johnson declared last May when the Guggenheim Partners formalized their purchase of the Dodgers from the McCourts. The new ownership group, good on its promises to the fans, has spent -- and spent -- to upgrade the current roster while making a major impact in the international market.
It was Nov. 19 when news of the Jays' blockbuster deal with the Marlins rocked two countries -- and the AL East. The Jays acquired Johnson and Buehrle, gifted shortstop and 2011 National League batting champion Jose Reyes, versatile utility man Emilio Bonifacio and catcher John Buck for four players with MLB experience and three Minor Leaguers.
In another move, popular John Gibbons was welcomed back as the Blue Jays' manager to replace John Farrell, who moved to the Red Sox.
"I don't think we look at this team as being anything other than a contender," club president Paul Beeston said after general manager Alex Anthopoulos completed the ambitious deal. "I don't want to put it into the context of what number of wins we're going to have, but it's built to win. I think that was the way that it came together when we made the trade."
Rogers Communications, the Blue Jays' ownership group, approved the payroll additions that lifted the team from $75 million to a franchise-record $114.8 million, according to Baseball-Reference.com. The Dodgers have an MLB-high payroll of $217.2 million, with at least $122 million committed each season through 2017.
Buck was flipped to the Mets along with promising catcher Travis d'Arnaud and two other prospects in the deal that further fortified the Blue Jays' rotation with reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Dickey, along with catcher Josh Thole. Not done there, the Blue Jays also acquired free-agent outfielder Melky Cabrera, who hit .346 with the Giants before a ban for performance-enhancing drugs in August, and added versatile infielder Maicer Izturis.
Reyes, coming off a starring role for the World Baseball Classic champion Dominican Republic, is a lightning-rod for teammates and fans alike with his glowing enthusiasm and spectacular talents.
"[Former Blue Jays star] Carlos Delgado is a great friend of mine," Reyes said. "He told me a lot about Toronto and how great the city is. I'm looking forward to stepping on the field and meeting the fans there. ... I'm very excited to be part of this team."
In magnitude and scope, the Blue Jays-Marlins swap was comparable to the megadeal the Dodgers struck with the Red Sox last August. Having already acquired Ramirez from the Marlins, the Dodgers got Adrian Gonzalez, Beckett, Crawford and Nick Punto from Boston in exchange for James Loney and four prospects.
Expanding their horizons while reaching into the vault for a combined outlay of $103.7 million, the Dodgers landed Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig in June and Ryu, Korea's best arm, in December.
Both have had brilliant springs. Ryu has earned a rotation slot, while Puig, an explosive athlete in the Kemp mold, did everything in his power to show he needs no further Minor League seasoning after 23 games last summer. He was still sent to Double-A Chattanooga, as planned.
Last summer, the new arrivals in L.A. via Miami and Boston didn't pay immediate dividends. The Dodgers lagged behind the Giants in the NL West and came up two games short in the Wild Card derby. Yet optimism abounds this spring now that all the new Dodgers have settled in and grown comfortable with their surroundings.
"This year's different," said versatile infielder Luis Cruz, the team's major discovery last year. "We've had time in Spring Training to get along. I think the guys are very happy with how everybody is coming together. We're all hungry to go to the playoffs and World Series."
Johnson, the face and inspirational force of the ownership group, addressed the club last week, stressing the importance of "embracing the expectations and having fun" in pursuit of excellence and postseason jewelry.
"This city is about expectations," Magic said. "I love it, because it reminds me of the old Dodgers, the old Lakers. I'd rather have high expectations than no expectations."
Just win, baby. Manager Don Mattingly grasps the relevance of the Raiders' old slogan.
"It's important to be out in the open," Mattingly said. "This is what we expect. These are our parameters. This is our road map. For us, it's [about going] all the way. We'd like to talk about a parade along the way. That's the goal. That's where the map leads."
The two superstars of the '80s, Magic and Mattingly, are on the same wavelength.
Dodgers management, led by former Braves chief executive Stan Kasten, has not been shy about expressing its intentions.
"We're in a market where fans expect to contend now," Kasten, the club's president, said. "There's this real thing called Dodger pride. As someone who has competed 3,000 miles away, it's a feeling that doesn't exist with other franchises. Players feel it the first time they put on their uniforms."
Getting to know Guggenheim Partners CEO Mark Walter, Johnson was reminded of his glory days with the five-time NBA champion Lakers and their late owner, Jerry Buss.
"Mark's like Dr. Buss," Magic said. "He'll put money into the team and stay out of the way. He wants to win."
Walter and the new management team were introduced in a Dodger Stadium press conference last May by legendary play-by-play voice Vin Scully.
"It's time," Scully said, "to meet the group that will bring the Dodgers higher than the Sistine Chapel."
Dodger Nation is uplifted by an excitement shared by the good citizens of Toronto and its environs.
Lyle Spencer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Cases that Mimic Navicular Disease
- Sep 1, 2008
- Topics:
"With MRI we've found horses with coffin bone fractures that weren't visible on X rays, but were treated like navicular horses because they blocked to the heel," says Sarah Sampson, DVM, of Washington State University. "If these are managed like navicular horses, they don't heal because they don't get the rest they need and are not put into a shoe that completely eliminates movement in the bone."
She recently assessed an 8-year-old Quarter Horse that had been lame for two months; the owners had turned it out to pasture for rest, thinking it was the beginning of navicular disease. Nothing showed up on digital radiographs, so vets performed MRI on both front feet. It was very clear there was a nondisplaced fracture of the coffin bone in one foot.
"This horse was not as lame as we generally see with a coffin bone fracture, so this was not suspected," she says. "With proper diagnosis, we went from a horse we thought might have the start of navicular syndrome (and in a couple of years have to be retired) to a horse that has a good chance for future soundness if treated properly."
Another case involved a 5-year-old Quarter Horse stallion that blocked to a palmar digital nerve block on a front foot. "Multiple radiographs had been taken at different times, and all were normal. He remained lame for over a year and eventually came to Washington State for MRI," she recalls. "We found he had an epidermoid cyst (abnormal, but benign, mass) in the lowest part of his digital flexor tendon sheath. The mass was impinging on the tendon. Many people don't realize the digital tendon sheath extends through the pastern and down past the heel bulbs. We were able to go into the sheath tenoscopically and surgically remove the mass. That horse has been sound and back in performance now for over three years."
Accurate diagnosis is crucial for proper treatment and gives some of these horses a very good chance to have a normal life.
About the Author
Heather Smith Thomas
Heather Smith Thomas ranches with her husband near Salmon, Idaho, raising cattle and a few horses. She has a B.A. in English and history from University of Puget Sound (1966). She has raised and trained horses for 50 years, and has been writing freelance articles and books nearly that long, publishing 20 books and more than 9,000 articles for horse and livestock publications. Some of her books include Understanding Equine Hoof Care, The Horse Conformation Handbook, Care and Management of Horses, Storey's Guide to Raising Horses and Storey's Guide to Training Horses. Besides having her own blog, www.heathersmiththomas.blogspot.com, she writes a biweekly blog at http://insidestorey.blogspot.com that comes out on Tuesdays.
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ARGYLE — Tommy Madewell rattles range cubes in a rusty tin pail that signals to his herd of cows that they're in for a treat. The clanging of the pail slowly lures the salivating bulls away from the shadeof a tree where they were resting in a lush pasture.
"Don't be afraid of these things because they'llcome right up to you," Madewell says.
Clang, clang.
"Come on, girls." Madewell calls out to his slow-moving herd. "Come on. Are y'all going to make me out a liar? Come say hello, girls."
He feeds his herd the cubes, treats that are a change of pace from their normal grazing.
"They're my1,000-pound babies," he says as he feeds them by hand. "They're expensive babies, but they're my babies."
Madewell, 72, has lived his entire life on the farm, just south of Denton and east of Argyle.
On Nov. 2, the Madewell family will be honored in Austin during the 38th annual Family Land Heritage Ceremony, presented by the Texas Department of Agriculture.
The ceremony honors families who have continuously operated a family-owned farm for at least 100 years.
To receive the honor, eligible farms and ranches must still be owned and operated by the descendants of the founder, either through blood, marriage or adoption.
And at least 10 acres of the land must have been in continuous agricultural production for the past 100 years or more.
With the help of his wife, Patricia, Madewell completed the application process required by the state to trace the farm's history.
"It's an honor to me, but it's for my dad. Before he died, he had about 100 acres," Madewell said. "He loved this land."
To date, the state has recognized more than 4,700properties in 237 counties across Texas.
Every year, the department conducts a ceremony at the State Capitol to celebrate and commemorate the families who have passed down their legacy from generation to generation.
Twenty-two farms in Denton County, including Madewell's farm, have been honored by the state in the past 40 years.
The first farm in the county to be honored was theH.E. Long Ranch in 1974. According to records, the farm, 25 miles northwest ofDenton, had been in operation since 1856.
Madewell's farm has been in operation since 1908.
Patricia Madewell said living the farm life has always been her husband's passion. She said some days he would rather spend his time in 100-degree weather instead of an air-conditioned room.
"I didn't understand that at first when I first met him," she said with a laugh.
And she added that her husband's pride stems from the legacy that was started by his grandfather, William.
"He's just really, really proud of the inheritance,not necessarily the land," she said. "I think he's more proud of what the honor means to the family."
In 2000, the state program began honoring families for150 and 200 years of continuous agricultural production. Since then, 122 farms and ranches have been recognized for 150 years of operation and six ranches have been honored for reaching 200 years of operation.
The Madewell farm is a lot smaller than what it once was. When Tommy Madewell's grandfather purchased the farm, it totaled 320acres.
"My granddaddy had 10 kids and it got split up, and my dad had three kids and it split up again. Most of it was sold." Madewell said. "My brother and sisters sold their part and I looked into buying it back,but I couldn't because land out here just got too [expensive]."
Now that he's older, Madewell limits his work to some basic farm maintenance, raising his herd and growing some produce. But he said when he was younger, the farm was a bigger operation.
"Oh, we had chickens, pigs, sheep ..." he said."It's changed a lot."
Life in agriculture is never easy or simple,Agricultural Commissioner Todd Staples said.
"We face droughts, fires, floods and pests, but here in Texas, we persevere," he said.
Despite the challenges, Staples said the land these farmers and ranchers have nurtured has turned the Texas agriculture industryinto a powerhouse of productivity.
"That's an accomplishment that would not be possible without the hard work of our farming and ranching families," he said.
In a statement, Staples said family farms andranches are the backbone of Texas agriculture. Currently, more than 98 percent of all farms and ranches in Texas are family owned, he said.
Recognizing the enduring commitment to Texas agriculture is what makes the Family Land Heritage program so special, he said.
Madewell and his wife, who is an employee with the Denton Record-Chronicle, have three children. He said he would like for his children to keep the farm in the family after he's gone.
"They grew up here, but it doesn't look like they'll keep it," he said.
But he admits that his adult children are still young and have time to decide.
Madewell said he could never give up the land. His home sits on a tree-covered hill with a 160-foot drop that overlooks the farmland to the west.
"I love the hill. How can you give this all up?" he said, looking up at the hill. "You see that tallest tree? That's right at my back door."
Madewell said he's always been partial to country living.
"I prefer the easy life," he said. "Back when I was a kid, we didn't lock the door. When someone needed something, we helped them. That's what it's supposed to be. And you don't even need a 'thank you' for it.It's something that's just supposed to be done."
JOHN D. HARDEN can be reached at 940-566-6882 and via Twitter at @JDHarden.


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Nicasio sees progress in changeup to offset heater
By Thomas Harding / MLB.com
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Rockies right-handed pitcher Juan Nicasio came to Spring Training with two initiatives. At the end of an interview, he asked for an assessment of one of them.
"How is my English?" Nicasio said, smiling.
That's progressing, and he'll need it if he can continue to develop his other project, which is more vital to his job. A hard thrower, Nicasio is developing confidence in a changeup that can offset his fastball and slider. On Tuesday, he used the changeup better than he has at any point in his career, while holding the Royals to one run and three hits in five innings of the Rockies' 7-2 victory.
Nicasio, 26, has been impressive at times in injury-shortened stints with the Rockies in 2011 and '12, but the lack of a third pitch has been an issue, especially when hitters have seen him in a game. He has managed a 6-7 record with a 4.65 ERA in 24 total starts. Showing supreme confidence that he will develop, the Rockies didn't throw his spot in the rotation open for competition in Spring Training.
Last year, Nicasio worked on his changeup in the bullpen, but barely used it in competition. On Tuesday, he enticed Royals leadoff man Alex Gordon to ground sharply to first base and fanned Gordon with a full count in the fifth, both times on changeups.
"Now I feel like I want to throw it," Nicasio said. "I feel the same as my fastball when I throw my changeup.
"I play in Coors Field. I need one pitch to help my fastball. It's hard because everybody is talking about the breaking ball, it can't break in Denver."
Nicasio is throwing a four-seam circle change. He had tried throwing with a two-seam grip like a sinker, but didn't feel it had the same downward bite as the circle change. He still has a fastball with upward movement. Two of his three strikeouts were on 97 mph fastballs to Eric Hosmer.
The change wasn't perfect. Mike Moustakas swatted one -- which was 87 mph, rather than the 84 mph that his best changeup travels, and hung in the middle of the plate -- beyond the right-field fence and almost over the grassy knoll behind it in the second inning. But he is learning the good and the bad. .
"We pitched him in the Triple-A game in his last outing, so he had more chances to throw his curveball and slider and get more confidence," Rockies pitching coach Jim Wright said. "Going five innings today was a step forward for him.
"He's working on the changeup in the bullpen. It doesn't show up quite as good in the game yet, but it's incrementally getting better each start. He hadn't pitched in seven months [because of a knee injury] and hasn't pitched much the last couple of years."
As a rookie in 2011, Nicasio suffered a broken neck when hit in the face by a ball hit by the Nationals' Ian Desmond, and last year he suffered the knee injury trying to field a hard-hit ball through the middle.
If Nicasio perfects his changeup, he can overcome the experience he missed.
"When you can throw 97 [mph] and have a changeup, it makes it tough for the hitter," manager Walt Weiss said. "That's the best I've seen his changeup."
Rockies evaluate Arenado after big performance
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Rockies third-base prospect Nolan Arenado, who hit four home runs early in Cactus League play but had scuffled for hits recently, went 3-for-4 Tuesday as a designated hitter to lift his spring average to .314.
Incumbent third baseman Chris Nelson has a .238 average after steadily working his way up from a slow start.
Arenado, who turns 22 in April, is trying to make the leap from Double-A to the starting lineup.
"Nolan needs to keep a good pace, slow the game down," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "He's done a nice job this spring. It's good to see him get a few more hits."
One concern in evaluating Arenado is his spot in the batting order. With adequate power throughout the lineup, a lineup that includes Nelson would have him batting eighth. For a young power hitter, hitting ahead of the pitcher could be a challenge, because teams will entice him to chase pitches.
"It's a tough spot to hit in, so it would depend on who's in the lineup with him," Weiss said. "We're still a ways from that."
Close friends Torrealba, Hernandez fight for one spot
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Yorvit Torrealba and Ramon Hernandez visit one another's homes in Florida during the offseason. They played winter ball together in Venezuela, where they grew up. They've passed many hours talking baseball, sharing their passion for the catcher position, and competing at dominoes.
They were together again Tuesday afternoon, with Torrealba, 34, starting for the Rockies against the Royals and Hernandez, 36, serving as backup. But this strange spring they realize they won't be together long. With second-year slugger Wilin Rosario entrenched as starter, there is room for just one of them.
Hernandez is signed for $3.2 million this year to complete a two-year contract. Torrealba is under a Minor League deal. There has been talk of the Rockies trading Hernandez, but nothing has materialized. Torrealba, who was the starting catcher on Rockies teams that went to the postseason in 2007 and '09 and is back after spending time with the Padres, Rangers and Blue Jays, could ask out of his Minor League deal and find is own big league job.
"It is a weird situation that's hard," Torrealba said. "It would be nice if they could keep all three of us on the ballclub. All I do is wish him the best, and it's the same from him. We keep working hard."
Although Torrealba's situation is more tenuous because he doesn't have a Major League deal, the lack of catching depth industry-wide suggests there is room for both, somewhere.
"He'll be a Major Leaguer and I'll be a Major Leaguer, so we're here working hard and getting ready for the season," Hernandez said. "That's the way I see it. I realize they're trying to trade me, although I'd like to be here. I know Yorvit wants to be here. We'll see how it turns out. But to be honest with you, this doesn't feel like competition at all."
Torrealba was signed as protection in case Hernandez wasn't fully healthy after a 2012 season that was marred by a hand injury early and a ruptured hamstring at the end. But Hernandez reported to camp healthy at about 13 pounds lighter than last year to take some pressure off his legs. Both have been starters for much of their careers and are transitioning to backup roles, something Torrealba struggled with in Texas and Toronto last year.
Now they appear ready to help mentor a young catcher and offer their experience to pitchers trying to advance their thought processes.
"It's a little bit stressful, to be honest with you, because it is the first time I've been in a situation where I don't really know what to expect," Torrealba said. "But overall, I know I can help the team. So I'm having fun and doing my job. So far it's working. I'm having a really good spring, I feel healthy, way better than I did last year.
"In Texas, Mike Napoli had an unbelievable year the year before and in the postseason, so they decided to go with him and I wasn't playing much. Napoli deserved to play and I knew that, but it was tough because I was playing one every five or six games, but I learned."
Herrera in continuous battle to make roster
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Rockies infielder Jonathan Herrera seems to be energized by the annual pressure to make the team.
Herrera doubled twice in Monday night's 4-3 loss to the Reds. The doubles lifted his batting average from .188 to .278.
But in his previous game against the Giants on Sunday, Herrera illustrated a big part of his argument to be included. With runners at first and third in a tie game, Herrera, in the game at shortstop to spell Troy Tulowitzki, ranged behind second base to grab a Brandon Crawford grounder, made a slick throw to first base, then celebrated his play by breaking into a stylish backpedal.
Herrera made the Opening Day roster for the first time in his career in 2011, and beat back several challengers for his spot last season. He has hit .259 with seven home runs and 50 RBIs in 294 career Major League games. But his ability to play second and third solidly and shortstop if pressed into it, as well as his handling of fundamentals -- a .323 on-base percentage and the ability to move runners -- have made him hard to supplant.
And he does it all with flair.
"Every year for me is the same -- I never feel comfortable, never take it for granted, work hard and do everything they ask me to do," said Herrera, who has gotten a charge from having his father, Jesus, in town from Venezuela this week. "Field the groundballs, do the little things. I don't have any shame to move that guy over, get that bunt down, and don't worry about numbers and batting average. I don't know what my average is. Anytime I do one of the little things, that's a hit for me.
"I'm so happy. I have fun."
Manager Walt Weiss understands Herrera's value.
"He can move the ball around the field," Weiss said. "You can hit-and-run with him. He can bunt. He's got a nice approach in those situational at-bats. And of course, he's a professional ball-catcher. You can put him anywhere in the infield and you've got a plus defender."
Herrera is in a group of infielders who are battling for roster spots. Jordan Pacheco, who hit .309 last season, plays third, first and catcher and appears to be safe for a spot. There is also Reid Brignac, a left-handed hitting shortstop, DJ LeMahieu, who started at second base the latter part of last season and Charlie Culberson, a former Giants prospect who has impressed the Rockies with his physical abilities. All but Brignac have Minor League options. Depending on how the roster shakes out, there likely is room for Pacheco and one other.
The bench spots, the fifth starter in the pitching rotation, the three middle relief spots and the backup catcher are decisions the Rockies must shake out the remaining days of camp.
Worth noting
• Tuesday's game was under American League rules, so Weiss experimented with usual No. 3 hitter Carlos Gonzalez hitting second and cleanup man Troy Tulowitzki hitting third.
"We were just messing around -- maybe sometimes in Interleague Play," Weiss said. "I look at that nine hitter sometimes as another leadoff guy. So it's like hitting third, still, and we can possibly get him another at-bat."
• Infielder DJ LeMahieu, battling for a backup infield spot, went 2-for-4 with an RBI single Tuesday. He played third base and had an error.
Last season, LeMahieu made the most of the starts he received at second base in the final months and finished with a .297 average in 81 games.
• Righty reliever Edgmer Escalona, returning to Cactus League play after missing a week because a ground ball he deflected hit him in the face, pitched a scoreless inning with a strikeout. Escalona, who is out of Minor League options, has a 1.50 ERA in five Cactus League appearances.
Weiss said the Rockies haven't decided whether to go with seven relievers or eight when the regular season starts. Even though the Rockies are off the fourth day of the season, Weiss said the team will begin with five starters rather than four.
• Veteran right fielder Michael Cuddyer had two standout defensive plays -- a running catch of a Lorenzo Cain fly ball, after which he doubled Salvador Perez off first base; and a laser throw to third to retire Billy Butler, who was trying to go from first to third on a single. Cuddyer, who also plays first base, is seen as a leader in the Rockies' initiative to improve a defense that led the Majors in errors last season.
• Outfield prospect Corey Dickerson doubled in both of his at-bats and has a .400 average this spring. Dickerson hit a combined .304 with 22 home runs, 40 doubles and 88 RBIs at Class A Modesto and Double-A Tulsa last season.
Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Hardball in the Rockies, and follow him on Twitter @harding_at_mlb. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Prominence Lists > Nevada 2,000 ft Prominence Peaks > McAfee Peak > Climber's Log
McAfee Peak Climber's Log
[ Sign the Climber's Log ]
|37 peaks in 19 days
Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2016
|There was bad weather for weeks in WA so Heather and I drove through OR, CA, NV, UT, and ID. We climbed 37 peaks in 19 days. Mcafee was our 9th day of the trip. Nice peak and hike. We saw horny toads on the way up. trip report
|Posted Jul 18, 2016 4:59 pm
|a few things
Date Climbed: Sep 30, 2012
|signing this to note a few things:
- the summit register jar is broken. if anyone is headed up soon (preferably before winter) consider bringing up a replacement (unfortunately i didn't have one handy, though in hindsight a water bottle may have sufficed)
- the turnoff for the CR/Jacks Creek is around 58 miles from Elko...just for consideration when planning travel times
- if you don't have 4WD, you can still take the route described, which works great. if you do want to save maybe a mile or so and don't mind cross countrying, here's an alternative i scoped out on the descent: the big hill (with some small cliff bands) to your right as you ascend the 4WD road is marked Pt. 8546 on topo maps. Before the 4WD turnoff you should have a clear view of it as well as Pt. 7924 to its west. Ascend to the saddle between this two hills, then around some mining dirt tracks circumventing the summit of 8546 (or you can just climb over it) to its north. this will take you to a saddle connecting 8546 to the main ridge crest of McAfee. Follow this to the western slopes of the range, then ascend through open country to the ridge crest and the summit.
|Posted Oct 1, 2012 12:42 am
|Lovely Bristle Cone
Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2012
|Started at the 2wd trailhead, and after hiking up the road for about 0.1 miles I decided to just head straight up the ridge and save the extra mileage and time. Turned out to be a good decision since it started storming pretty much right after I left the peak.
|Posted Sep 18, 2012 12:01 am
|For the 2nd time
Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2011
|Nice hike to enjoy for the 2nd time with Dennis Poulin. That road is not recommended as it is about gone. I think hiking up from Jack Creek Pass may now be the best way to do this one.
|Posted Aug 27, 2011 6:57 am
|Cross country
Date Climbed: Sep 24, 2010
|A neat hike with great weather as a blessing. Ken Jones (from Seattle) and I drove my Tacoma up the rutted road and found a spot to park and made a diagonal ascent up to the peak. Excellent views. Afterwards , we went over and did McCann Creek Peak, getting back to pavement just before dark.
|Posted Sep 27, 2010 11:28 pm
|Commanding views
Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2010
|pretty obscure peak but very prominent with good views of the Jarbidge, East Humboldts and Ruby Mountains. Very lonely country. As described, the final section of road has some pretty deep ruts/washouts
|Posted Jun 20, 2010 12:12 pm
Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2009
|It was a nice hike, but that washout was a pain in the butt. There were also a lot of mormon crickets.
|Posted Aug 19, 2009 1:54 am
|Fun and scenic
Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2009
|Took the ridge from the north. Great afternoon hike from start to finish with clear wx. The scenic views enroute were punctuated with great views from the summit. Temps dropped to about a pleasant 40F.
|Posted Aug 18, 2009 3:30 am


text:
Mills pleased to see Wright emerge in 'pen
By Brian McTaggart / MLB.com
Houston manager Brad Mills has said he would like to carry two left-handers in the bullpen, but with only one lefty reliever at his disposal now, he's glad it's Wright.
"I thought last year at the end of the season or halfway through the year, Wesley really jumped a hurdle," Mills said. "He started knowing himself a little bit more, what he could or couldn't do. I remembered last Spring Training he changed his whole arm location and was throwing [sidearmed].
"He found out that didn't work and wanted to come back up, and when he came back up, he knew there had to be something different that allowed him to pitch at the Major League level. He had to learn what those things were. He came up the last month of last season and pitched extremely well and set the stage for being a solid left-handed reliever out of the 'pen for us this year."
Schafer victimizes former club with three steals
HOUSTON -- Astros center fielder Jordan Schafer has the green light to run pretty much whenever he wants, and he certainly took advantage of that on Tuesday when he swiped a career-high three bases against the Braves, his former team.
Schafer entered the season with 24 stolen bases in 132 Major League games and should dwarf that total if he remains healthy this season.
"We'll see at the end of the year," he said. "I think I should be able to steal a lot of bases. As far as any certain number, I have no idea."
Schafer stole second in the third inning Tuesday and second and third in the fifth, all with Braves starter Tommy Hanson on the mound. Schafer was on first in the seventh, but didn't run with reliever Kris Medlen on the mound.
"I pretty much have the green light the entire time," he said. "Obviously, the situation in the game determines if I'm going to go. Medlin is 1.1 [seconds], 1.15 to the plate. We're down three runs there and I'm not going to take the chance with a guy that's 1.1. That's just running into an out.
"It's just kind of being smart and picking your times to go. Obviously, Tommy takes his time a little bit and he's a guy you can run on."
Slow starter in past, Lee in early groove
HOUSTON -- After starting slow at the plate the last two years, Carlos Lee feels much better where he's at offensively nearing the end of the first week of the season. Sure, it's a small sample, but Lee is pleased.
He entered Wednesday's game against the Braves hitting .389 with one homer and six RBIs and a .476 on-base percentage in 18 at-bats.
"Before I left Spring Training, I was feeling pretty good," said Lee, who hit .183 in April in 2010 and .194 in April in '11. "I've kind of figured out a good batting stance and it's helping a lot."
Lee has noticed teams are pitching around him with runners in scoring position, though the Braves threw him an inside fastball in the seventh inning Tuesday. Lee responded with an RBI single in his 3-for-3 night with two walks.
"It's kind of early to say, but you can see every time there's people in scoring position they don't come to me," he said. "I was surprised [Tuesday] late in the game when they pitched to me. I was like, 'Whoa.' It caught me by surprise, but I'll take it."
Brian McTaggart is reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, Tag's Lines. Follow @brianmctaggart on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
14-Bit, 500 kSPS PulSAR® ADC in MSOP
Features and Benefits
- 14-bit resolution with no missing codes
- Throughput: 500 kSPS
- INL: ±0.4 LSB typical, ±1 LSB maximum (±0.0061% of FSR)
- SINAD: 85 dB at 20 kHz
- THD: −100 dB at 20 kHz
- Pseudo differential analog input range
- 0 V to REF with REF up to VDD
- No pipeline delay
- Single-supply 5 V operation with 1.8 V/2.5 V/3 V/5 V logic interface
- Proprietary serial interface
- SPI-/QSPI™-/MICROWIRE™-/DSP-compatible
- Daisy-chain multiple ADCs and BUSY indicator
- Power dissipation
- 3.3 mW at 5 V/100 kSPS
- 3.3 μW at 5 V/100 SPS
- Standby current: 1 nA
- 10-lead MSOP (MSOP-8 size) and
- 3 mm × 3 mm LFCSP (SOT-23 size)
- Pin-for-pin compatible with the 16-bit AD7686
Product Categories
A/D Converters
Product Details
The AD7946 is a 14-bit, 500 kSPS, charge redistribution successive-approximation Analog-to-Digital Converter which operates from a single 5V power supply, VDD. It contains a very low power high-speed 16-bit sampling ADC with no missing codes, an internal conversion clock and a versatile serial interface port. The part also contains a low noise, wide bandwidth, very short aperture delay track/hold circuit. On the CNV rising edge, it samples an analog input IN+ between 0 V to REF with respect to a ground sense IN-. The reference voltage REF is applied externally and can be set up to the supply voltage.
Its power scales linearly with throughput.
The SPI compatible serial interface also features the ability, using the SDI input, to daisy chain several ADCs on a single 3 wire bus and provides an optional Busy indicator. It is compatible with 1.8 V, 2.5 V, 3 V or 5 V logic using the separate supply VIO.
The AD7946 is housed in a 10-lead µSOIC or 10-lead QFN (LFCSP) with operation specified from –40°C to +85°C.
- Battery-powered equipment
- Data acquisition
- Instrumentation
- Medical instruments
- Process control
Comparable Parts Click to see all in Parametric Search
Comparable Parts Click to see all in Parametric Search
Product Lifecycle
At least one model within this product family is in production and available for purchase. The product is appropriate for new designs but newer alternatives may exist.
Alternative Parts
Product Details
The EVAL-AD7946SDZ is a fully featured evaluation kit for the AD7946. This board operates in standalone mode or in conjunction with the System Development Platform, EVAL-SDP-CB1Z . When operated with the System Development Platform software is provided enabling the user to perform detailed analysis of the ADC's performance. This software includes the technical note describing the operation and set up of the evaluation board in standalone operation or when operated with the System Development Platform . When operated in standalone mode the ADZS-BRKOUT-EX3 break out board is recommended for access to various control pins.
Product Details
This board can also be operated as an evaluation board using the System Demonstration Platform (EVAL-SDP-CB1Z) and an adaptor board (SDP-PMD-IB1Z). When operated with the System Demonstration Platform, a LabView software GUI is provided enabling the user to perform analysis of the ADC's performance.
Features & Benefits
- 14-/16-/18-bit, Analog to Digital Converters
- 100 KSPS to 1.3 MSPS
- Standard SPI PMOD header/pin out
- Connectable to 3rd Party FPGA and MCU Platforms
AN-931: Understanding PulSAR ADC Support Circuitry (Rev. 0) PDF
This application note discusses in general the pitfalls that occur regularly when using SAR ADCs and, more importantly, how to easily prevent them.
299 kB
299 kB
AN-932: Power Supply Sequencing (Rev. 0) PDF
95 kB
95 kB
8- to 18-Bit SAR ADCs ... From the Leader in High Performance Analog PDF
8- to 18-Bit SAR ADCs with Sample Rates up to 3 MSPS -- The latest additions to ADI's ADC portfolio offer unrivaled functionality in terms of channel count and power supply voltage, optimal power/speed ratios, and the smallest packages to meet the demands of any data acquisition application, including portable, industrial, medical, wireless, and communications.
1885 kB
1885 kB
Recommended Digital Isolators
Recommended Driver Amplifiers
- For precision, low power, low distortion applications: ADA4805-1, ADA4805-2, ADA4841-1, ADA4841-2.
- For high frequency, low noise, low distortion applications: ADA4807-1, ADA4807-2, ADA4897-1, ADA4897-2.
- For low frequency, precision, low bias current applications: ADA4627-1, ADA4637-1, AD8610.
Technical Articles
Designing Power Supplies for High Speed ADC
Rarely Asked Questions
Too Hot or Too Cold May Be Just Right*
ADI has always placed the highest emphasis on delivering products that meet the maximum levels of quality and reliability. We achieve this by incorporating quality and reliability checks in every scope of product and process design, and in the manufacturing process as well. "Zero defects" for shipped products is always our goal.
The USA list pricing shown is for BUDGETARY USE ONLY, shown in United States dollars (FOB USA per unit for the stated volume), and is subject to change. International prices may differ due to local duties, taxes, fees and exchange rates. For volume-specific price or delivery quotes, please contact your local Analog Devices, Inc. sales office or authorized distributor. Pricing displayed for Evaluation Boards and Kits is based on 1-piece pricing.


text:
How Birds Change their Tune to Deal with Urban Noise
Birds use songs to impress mates, secure territories, and defend against predators, so any factor that can disrupt this communication, may interfere with daily life and the success of the species. One major disturbance that birds have increasingly been facing is urban noise. Previous studies have show that in order to improve communication, urban songbirds are singing differently and at higher frequencies compared to their woodland cousins in order to deal with noise pollution. However, until now, little research has been done on the more tropical relative of the songbirds, the sub-oscines.
According to Dr. Alejandro Ariel RÃos-Chelén and his colleagues from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, the changes a bird makes to their song tunes depend on a variety of factors including the species. Their research shows that while some birds adapt their songs in noisy conditions by means of frequency changes, others like the vermilion flycatchers adapt their song by changes in song lengths.
The research team investigated whether male vermilion flycatchers adapted their song under noisy conditions in the same way as their sister group. They recorded the songs of 29 territorial vermilion flycatcher males in several areas of Mexico City. They registered noise levels at different times, both the pre-dawn and dawn chorus, measured song length, and counted the total number of elements in the birds' song to assess song versatility.
Researchers found evidence of individual song plasticity, as males sang less versatile, more elementary songs later in the morning when noise levels were higher. Researchers conclude that this individual shift in song seems to be more associated to time of the day rather than to the observed rise in noise. Nonetheless, this may affect mating and breeding successes, as females are often judge the quality of a male's song.
They also found that males living in noisier places sang longer songs, while males inhabiting quieter places, like nearby parks sang both short and long songs.
The authors conclude, "While these results show that time of day has an effect on individual song versatility, we cannot discard an influence of noise... this study supports the idea that sub-oscine adaptation to noise is different in degree and mode to that taking place among oscines, suggesting heterogeneity in the capacity of bird species to colonize and survive in the urban environment."
Read the full article online in Springer's journal, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.
Vermillion flycatcher image via Shutterstock.


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Lil Wayne, "I Am Not a Human Being II" (Cash Money/Young Money/Universal Republic)
Lil Wayne's "I Am Not a Human Being II" album opens with a familiar sound — someone's flicking a lighter. It's Weezy's sonic signature, a long-running nod to the weed, women, booze and bravado that has shaped so many of his musical releases, including his latest.
Now on his 10th album, singles like "No Worries" and the Mike WiLL Made It-produced "(Expletives) Love Me" suggest that Wayne's priorities haven't changed. Luckily for fans, he covers familiar territory with fresh, tweet-worthy punchlines. But if you're looking for storytelling, look elsewhere. Wayne's expertise is in lyrical zingers.
He unleashes a dazzling array on the 2 Chainz-assisted "Rich as (Expletive)," which features a standout, swaggering beat from producer T-Minus. "AK on my night stand, right next to that Bible/But I swear with these 50 shots, I'll shoot it out with 5-0/Pockets gettin' too fat, no Weight Watchers, no lipo," Wayne raps.
His performance on the song may very well convince on-the-fence fans that the YMCMB captain still has passion for his craft. He's entertaining on "Trippy," one of two tracks produced by Juicy J and Crazy Mike. "I got high, and fell asleep loaded/I woke up and got high again/OK, I'm reloaded," Wayne raps, making no apologies for his recreational activities.
He's a sinister presence over the equally sinister beat of the production duo's "Trigger Finger," and seems to laugh about his 2010 eight-month jail stint on "Gunwalk" featuring Gudda Gudda.
The songs are reminders of a more focused Wayne — a version of the rapper that seems to be absent from tracks like "Curtains," where he phones in lines like "I'm getting cake like I'm Jewish/my (expletive) Drake, he Jewish." He rages through the heavy metal-influenced "Hello," but crossing genres doesn't change the same tired content. And while the hook on "God Bless Amerika" promises a more thoughtful Wayne, his verses don't measure up — a disappointment considering his still-revered status as the best rapper in the game.
Overall, Wayne meets expectations for Wayne these days — not saying much (of substance), but giving listeners plenty to talk about.


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Both a British comedy of errors and a sweet love story, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand has enough to please a wide range of readers. Major Pettigrew is retired and living a quiet widow's life in a small town in Sussex. As his friendship with Mrs. Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper, becomes something more, complications - both large and small, funny and serious - arise. Join us to discuss Simonson's first novel next week during our monthly Books Plus book discussion.
For more details of this and future programs, please see below.
Books Plus meets the first Sunday of each month. All are welcome. Join the discussion or simply come to listen.
2 p.m., First Sundays
September 5 -- Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Discussion Leader: Sarah Bowman
"There is a great deal going on in these pages--sharply observed domestic comedy, late-life romance, culture clash, a dash of P. G. Wodehouse, and a pinch of religious fundamentalism. First novelist Simonson handles it all with great aplomb, and her Major, with his keen sense of both honor and absurdity, is the perfect lens through which to view contemporary England." -- BookList
October 3 -- Half Broke Horses: a True-life novel by Jeannette Wall
Discussion leader: Dory Lynch
"Told in a natural, offhand voice that is utterly enthralling, this is essential reading for anyone who loves good fiction - or any work about the American West." - Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal
November 7 -- Miracle at St. Anna by James McBride
Discussion Leader: Wendy Rubin
"In Miracle at St. Anna, James McBride, author of the bestselling memoir The Color of Water, tells a war story that, like all great tales of conflict, connects the enormous tragedy of war with the intimate stories of individual soldiers." - Paul Ford


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Baylor breaks leg catching Vlad's first pitch
By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com
ANAHEIM -- Angels hitting coach Don Baylor fractured his right femur while catching the ceremonial first pitch from Vladimir Guerrero prior to Opening Day on Monday and is set to undergo surgery on Tuesday.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Don right now," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Obviously it's [a freak accident], and we'll just see how it turns out. He's obviously in a lot of pain."
Baylor is a survivor of multiple myeloma, a cancer he acquired in 2003 that attacks plasma cells in the bone marrow. A fractured femur can take up to six months to heal.
Baylor, in his first season on Scioscia's coaching staff, was in a catcher's crouched position when Guerrero's slightly low-and-wide throw forced him to transfer most of his weight to the right side of his body. The 64-year-old tried to get up but couldn't walk off the field without the assistance of the Angels' training staff and was promptly taken to UCI Medical Center.
"Groove's a really tough guy," second baseman Howie Kendrick said of the former Angels MVP. "Any time you see him struggle like that, you know it's got to be pretty bad."
The Angels didn't didn't have a timeline for Baylor's recovery as of Monday night. Assistant hitting coach Dave Hansen is expected to take over his duties in the interim.
Vlad officially retires with the Angels
ANAHEIM -- Can Vladimir Guerrero be the first player to enter the Hall of Fame with an Angels hat?
It's very possible.
The Angels signed Guerrero to a one-day contract on the field Monday, seconds before he would throw out the ceremonial first pitch to kick off Opening Day, so that he could officially retire with the organization. Guerrero, 39, spent six of his 16 years with the Angels, joining Don Baylor, who suffered a fractured right femur while catching the first pitch, as the only MVPs in team history.
But he spent his first eight with the Montreal Expos.
"I feel like this is the team I can go in with, since I played six years here," Guerrero, speaking in Spanish, said of the Angels. "The Montreal Expos signed me, but they aren't in the big leagues anymore."
That doesn't necessarily mean he can't go into Cooperstown with the Expos, though.
Montreal hasn't had its Major League franchise since the end of the 2004 season, but outfielder Andre Dawson (2010) and manager Dick Williams (2008) have since entered with the organization. Both, however, has an extensive tenure with the Expos. And for Guerrero, it may be close enough that the Baseball Hall of Fame sides with the organization that's still around.
Guerrero signed a five-year, $70 million contract with the Angels in January 2004, won the American League MVP in his first year and finished his tenure in Anaheim batting .319/.381/.546 while averaging 29 homers and 103 RBIs per season. Before that, though, he was signed by the Expos out of the Dominican Republic, spent his first eight years in Montreal and put up monstrous numbers in his last six, batting .326/.395/.600 while averaging 37 homers and 110 RBIs.
First, Guerrero -- .318/.379/.553 career slash line, 449 homers, 181 stolen bases and one of the best outfield arms in history -- actually has to get in the Hall of Fame.
"I'm not thinking about that right now," said Guerrero, who's eligible to enter with the 2017 class. "I just hope that God gives me good health, and I'll just wait and see what happens."
Stewart takes pride in roster spot
ANAHEIM -- Ian Stewart didn't grow up very far from here. He was born in Long Beach and attended La Quinta High School in Westminster, Calif. During Little League, he'd march around this very outfield with hundreds of other kids before Sunday home games. In his junior and senior years of high school, he stood in the box at Angel Stadium for state championship games. And though he resides in North Carolina with his wife, Stewart's parents and sister still make Southern California their home.
But that's not why the left-handed-hitting infielder called cracking the Angels' Opening Day roster "very, very satisfying."
"This is really the first time I've had to fight for my spot on the team," Stewart said prior to Monday's first pitch. "From Little League up until the time I was in Colorado and Chicago, I was the third baseman for both of those organizations. I knew it was going to be tough, I knew I was going to have to play my way onto the team, so I was prepared for that. And I think that's why it was so gratifying, because I know that the work I put in during the winter really paid off."
Stewart worked with Hall of Famer and former Angels great Rod Carew, trying to repair a swing that produced only a .171/.303/.347 slash line while battling a left wrist injury and spending the entire 2013 season in the Minor Leagues.
He also had an image to repair.
Stewart -- selected 10th overall out of high school by the Rockies in 2003 -- spent all of 2012 and the first half of '13 in the Cubs organization and ended his tenure in Chicago with an ugly fallout, tweeting his frustrations over not being promoted from the Minor Leagues, serving a 10-game suspension in mid-June for violating the loyalty clause in his contract and getting released shortly thereafter.
But Carew recommended him to the organization, Don Baylor -- Stewart's hitting coach in Colorado -- was comfortable with his background and the Angels never even brought up the Twitter situation.
"I thought maybe there would be a lot of backlash from that with other organizations, with it being hard to get onto a team because of the situation, but I got a lot of support from people," Stewart said. "We weren't very far into the offseason before I started hearing from some organizations. That was good to see.
"I think I do have a good reputation in baseball. I know that that situation was just an isolated incident. It's just something that happened and I dealt with, and I'm just fortunate the Angels gave me an opportunity."
Angel Stadium's wall markers get 'true distance' updates
ANAHEIM -- The numbers on the outfield walls are different, but no, Angel Stadium's dimensions have not changed.
The left-field line has gone from 330 feet to 347. Left-center has gone from 387 to 390. Center field went from 400 to 396. And down the right-field line, where the fence curves in similar to Fenway Park, the sign has gone from 330 to 350.
Tim Mead, Angels vice president of communications, said the numbers now read "true distance," accounting for the exact distance from home plate based on where the number is located. Last year, the number closest to the foul pole was reflecting the distance down the line, even though the sign sits 15 to 20 feet away from it.
"Now," Mead said, "we're actually just putting the correct number of where those distances are."
Scioscia getting fit this season
ANAHEIM -- Mike Scioscia is lighter than he's been in a long time.
The Angels' manager, entering his 15th season, proudly said Monday that he's shed 40 1/2 pounds since he started dieting on Nov. 1 and wants to shed 25 more this season.
"I was born 10 pounds, 12 ounces," Scioscia said, "and I've been trying to lose weight ever since."
Scioscia said his diet is "not rocket science," he's simply eating healthier and exercising regularly. His motivation, Scioscia said, was "really my wife saying enough is enough. She wants me to be healthy."
"I'm going to keep going," Scioscia added. "I've got another 25 pounds that are on my docket to lose."
Worth noting
• Dane De La Rosa (right forearm strain) threw an inning in a Minor League game on Thursday and Saturday and is slated to pitch in a simulated game at Angel Stadium on Tuesday, just before venturing out on a rehab assignment. He looks lined up to be activated by the time the Angels return from a six-game trip, for the April 11 home game against the Mets.
• Sean Burnett (recovery from August elbow surgery) expects to pitch in a simulated game on Wednesday, then probably head to Arizona to appear in games there. On not being active for Opening Day, Burnett said, "Yeah, it's frustrating, but we're going in the right direction."
• Brian Moran (left elbow inflammation) is playing catch in Arizona, and Scioscia said he's "close" to getting off a mound. Moran hasn't since appearing in a game on March 12.
Alden Gonzalez is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Gonzo and "The Show", and follow him on Twitter @Alden_Gonzalez. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Beyond PR
Feb 11, 2013
Grammar Hammer: The Premier Premiere?
- Posted in Press Release Quick Tips
- Tagged in Writing Tips
- Leave a Comment
It's awards season, so for this week's Grammar Hammer, I thought I'd tackle the trickiness of "premier" vs. "premiere" (also, a suggestion from a loyal reader.)
Paging through any number of magazines, how many times have you seen ads or read articles about various places or business touted as "the premiere [spa, resort, restaurant, software, etc.]"? This comes up more often than you might think in business writing. My handy-dandy AP Stylebook keeps things pretty simple when you're trying to decide which word to use.
"Premiere" can be used as a noun or a verb and refers to a first performance.
QUICK TIP: Outside of the entertainment industry, you won't have much occasion to use "premiere." If you want to have some fun with your readers, tell them that a movie premieres at its premiere.
EXAMPLE: "My friends and I won free tickets to the premiere of the ballet."
"Premier" – used as a noun to mean an individual who is the first minister in a national government that has a council of ministers, or used as an adjective to mean a first in status.
QUICK TIP: "Premier" is easy to remember because it will have almost nothing to do with a debut performance.
EXAMPLE: "My son's class project about Canadian provinces included writing a report on the Quebec premier and what she does during an average day at work."
EXAMPLE: "On these cold, wintry days, I remember my trip last spring to the Kauai Coffee Plantation – the premier coffee destination in Hawaii."
So the next time that magazine you're reading while you wait for the dentist touts the luxuries of the "premiere resort spot in the world," you can sigh and shake your head at the unnecessary fancy-fied spelling used to try to get you to book a trip.
Have a grammar rule you'd like me to explore? Drop me a line at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Author Catherine Spicer is a manager of customer content services at PR Newswire.
1 Comments on Blog Post Title
The gratuitous e – when pretension makes you look silly! Great post, Cathy! 🙂
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Lou Reed, who took rock 'n' roll into dark corners as a songwriter, vocalist and guitarist for the Velvet Underground and as a solo artist, died Sunday, his publicist said. He was 71.
The publicist, Peter Noble, confirmed Reed's death but released no details. Reed had undergone a liver transplant in May, his wife, the musician/performance artist Laurie Anderson, disclosed over the summer.
Reed was a rock pioneer who went from record label songwriter to a member of the short-lived but innovative and influential Velvet Underground. The band and Reed's solo work tackled taboo topics like drug addiction, paranoia and sexual deviancy in songs that were largely spare, muscular and often saturated in feedback.
"Lou Reed's influence is one that there are really only a tiny handful of other figures who you can compare to him," said Simon Vozick-Levinson, a senior editor at Rolling Stone.
"He spoke incredibly frankly about the realities of being an artist, being a person who lived life on one's own terms. He didn't prettify things. He didn't sugarcoat things. He showed life as it really is and that's something that made him a true original, and one of our great all-time artists," he said.
Reed, violist/keyboard player John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison and drummer Maureen Tucker played their first show as the Velvet Underground in 1965 and soon drew the attention of pop artist Andy Warhol, who became their manager. Rock mythology has it that even though the group sold few albums, everyone who bought one started a band.
"We had fans who made us realize it was worth it," Tucker told CNN. "But when we were together, actively, we didn't have a big splash like the Doors or whatever."
Nevertheless, Rolling Stone ranks the group's debut album, "The Velvet Underground and Nico," as the 13th greatest of all time. Tunes like "Sweet Jane," from the group's 1970 album "Loaded," have become rock standards. Performers from David Bowie to R.E.M. and U2 have cited them as inspiration, and the Velvet Underground was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
"The world has lost a fine songwriter and poet. I've lost my 'school-yard buddy,' " Cale wrote on Twitter.
Tucker called Reed "generous, encouraging and thoughtful." Working with him "sometimes could be trying" to some people, but "never to me."
"I guess we learned from each other. We all learned from each other," she said.
In 1970, Reed left the Velvets for a long solo career. He had his only Top 40 hit with "Walk on the Wild Side," from the Bowie-produced 1972 album "Transformer," and Rolling Stone put both that album and 1973's "Berlin" on its top 500 list.
Reed "was one of the first artists to experiment with guitar feedback on record and to show that sort of ugly noise can actually be quite beautiful and moving. He also, lyrically, wrote about all kinds of topics that were taboo before he started exploring them," said Vozick-Levinson.
He also gave a voice to gay and transgender people in a way that had never been done before by a popular artist, which made his work incredibly important to many people, Vozick-Levinson said.
In 1982, Reed told The New York Times that his goal wasn't just to make music, but create literature.
"People say rock 'n' roll is constricting, but you can do anything you want, any way you want,'' he said. "And my goal has been to make an album that would speak to people the way Shakespeare speaks to me, the way Joyce speaks to me. Something with that kind of power; something with bite to it."
And Tucker said Reed "influenced probably millions of people into maybe reading more, into playing music."
"When I have been on tour, there have been kids from 15 years old to 60 years old commenting on how they were influenced by Lou and the Velvets," she said.
The rock band the Pixies wrote on their Twitter page, "R.I.P. LOU REED....A LEGEND." Iggy Pop wrote simply: "Devastating news."
Reed won a Grammy award in 1998 for best long-form music video, for a documentary on his career up to that point. Neil Portnow, president and CEO of The Recording Academy, called him "an exceptionally gifted singer, songwriter, and musician who has had a profound impact on rock music and our culture,"
"We have lost a true visionary and creative leader, and his groundbreaking work will forever hold its rightful place in music history," Portnow said.


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'Road Warriors' started by Worroll, Jun 26, 2012.
Four days ago, in a two year old thread.
In an aged thread label 2012 Triumph Trophy. Triumph just released the US web site yesterday, figured I'd start a fresh thread with what it actually is, without 15 pages of assumptions.
It is a copy of a a BMW RT with the Tiger Explorer 1200 motor.
That's better!
For what I want right now, it just too heavy!!! it's 300kg+, just a behemoth!
But sure does look sweet. I'm not bothered by looking like an RT, I like the RT look
I dislike having to have the audio part just to have the eletronic suspensions, I think that would be a major bummer in case I wanted the bike
Wow, that's pretty brazen. The mirrors, the top case, even what appears to be indents for the tank bag, just like on the RT. I can seem wanting to go head to head against the BMW RT, but at least give it some original styling.
Any head on shots?
If you merge this with the other thread, you'll find them - they are in there.
Yahhh! It has a face!
I do like the frontal "mad monkey" look. Irrespective of the obvious RT lookalike visage - it should be a first class GT.
Knowing Triumph, it will be a terrific bike.
Yeah, they do seem to have copied the RT a bit more than I would have liked. But it won't cost as much, I hope.
Ya, that's the same as the spy shots.. i guess the spy pics bike wasn't disguised very well!
Might as well keep this thread going and let the old one fade away, now that the bike has been officially unveiled.
Thanks for the head on shot..
Sounds awesome to me! Add some fender bling and hit the road.
Pity they couldn't copy the lesser weight of the BM.
The only issue i had with my old R12RT was the dull engine. I guess that Triumph have listened to the criticism and come up with a viable rival.
It does look like the RT, but really when you put any group of bikes of the same class together, there are always strong similarities.
I'd still pick my GT, cause it fits my needs, but I think this looks like a killer bike. We'll see when the test rides start rolling in!
Looks like the first cousin to my old ST1300...
Yep, the front does have a strong Honda look. I like the RT styling, BMW screwed up by putting the twin cylinder tractor motor in its version at least the Triumph will have some GO! with the styling.


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Smart borrowers help build a better system
IN A week in which the ''people's choice'' become re-elected as the President of the US, democracy was also in the news in Australia. But rather than being politically driven, our headlines were focused on the mortgage market.
Mortgages and democracy don't sound as though they belong in the same sentence, but they are strangely related - and here's why.
In this country, the mortgage market is biased. Rather than offering the same rates and discounts to every Australian, the banks have a funny habit of picking and choosing who gets what.
Let's look at the numbers: the big four banks' standard variable-rate mortgages have an average interest rate of 6.62 per cent, which means they are adding about 3.37 per cent "margin" on to the official cash rate of 3.25 per cent.
Yet there are many other lenders outside of the big four that offer much lower rates than that. For example, mortgages, that are 5.5 per cent, and which return a 2.25 per cent margin on the cash rate. So how is it that there is such a big spread, and how do the big banks get away with pulling in a big margin when smaller lenders are happy to forgo the profits in the best interest of their customers? The answer lies in the difference between a risk premium and a customer discount.
The banks are very clever and they look at lending in a way that is both strategic and profitable. What they do is place the higher risk premium on all of their standard variable-rate loans: they treat us all as if we are high risk, which pushes their rates to the average of 6.62 per cent, a margin about 3.37 per cent over the cash rate.
Then the banks offer "professional packages" or "pro packs" to customers they perceive will use more services with the bank. So they drop the mortgage rate from 6.62 per cent to 5.9 per cent on average for their high net-worth customers who borrow bigger amounts and will be more likely to take up insurance products, credit cards, savings accounts for their kids, and so forth.
Proof that this works can be seen in the fact that all the big banks do it.
But I think there should be a fairer, more democratic way. I think that the mortgage discount should be democratised to give everyone a fair go, so that rather than customers waiting to be selected for a lower rate, everyone can have the lower rate.
This is part of a broader philosophy that I've been pursuing since starting my business. That philosophy is this: only when the consumer is treated as an important and informed part of the banking system will we have a truly "stable" system.
Now I'm not arguing that the current system is unstable.
However, it has become obvious - especially since the government interventions in the GFC - that Canberra's "four pillars" attitude to financial stability is to have large, secure banks and strong regulators.
I don't disagree with emphasising a few strong banks and strong regulators, so long as we understand it as a limited vision.
However, in the four-pillars approach there is no room for informed consumers to have real choice. And you need informed participants with choice before you can claim to have a competitive market.
An informed consumer knows how to take a home loan that is the best for her circumstances and knows how to pay it off faster than the bank wants her to. Informed consumers know what a good deal looks like but, more importantly, they are comfortable with exercising that better option.
Which leads to my second point: choice. The benefits of competition become apparent only when there is real choice upon which consumers feel they can act.
I believe that lenders should be stepping up in this economic environment and creating real choice. Did you know that the big four banks account for 90 per cent of all new mortgages? In terms of all mortgages, Commonwealth Bank alone has 45 per cent.
I worked to offer choice when I ran Wizard in the 1990s and 2000s, and, in those days, the borrowers responded. These days, there is less consumer enthusiasm to leave the big banks.
Non-bank lenders can disrupt the mortgage market with a discounted interest rate, but the borrowers must have the confidence to do what's best for their own interests. Action has to come from both sides.
Right now we have a way to go to get Australians back to full confidence, but it takes both parties to make something happen. I'm ready, are you?
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It's the end of the road for the U.S. Men's National Team in 2013...
Qualified for next summer's FIFA World Cup for two months, Jurgen Klinsmann will take a last look at his side with a pair of European friendlies beginning this afternoon at Scotland (LIVE 2pm CT on ESPN2, UniMas & WatchESPN). They'll close out the calendar year with another friendly Tuesday at Austria (LIVE 1:45pm CT on NBC Sports Network, UniMas).
Here's hoping Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson gets some time in one of the matches over the next week.
While the USMNT can continue their prep for Brazil, a number of European and African sides are still playing for their World Cup lives this weekend.
A full schedule of the games and where you can watch them on the TV set:
Friday - (UEFA First Legs)
Iceland vs. Croatia; 1:00pm CT on ESPN3.com, WatchESPN
Portugal vs. Sweden; 1:45pm CT on ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
Ukraine vs. France; 1:45pm CT on ESPN3.com, WatchESPN
Greece vs. Romania; 1:45pm CT on ESPN3.com, WatchESPN
Saturday - (CAF Second Legs)
Nigeria vs. Ethiopia (2-1); 9:00am CT on beIN Sport, beIN Sport en Espanol
Senegal vs. Ivory Coast (1-3); 1:00pm CT on beIN Sport, beIN Sport en Espanol
Cameroon vs. Tunisia (0-0) ; 8:30am CT on beIN Sport, beIN Sport en Espanol


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Can anyone help me in identifying this? UK large caterpillar with spike?
That will be the larva of the Pine Hawkmoth, Sphinx pinastri.
I've never seen one of these before.
And very good resolution in your photos (just looking at the detail in the hessian background of the first image).
What camera did you use?


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ORLANDO, Fla. - Local 6 has confirmed three fraternities at the University of Central Florida have been suspended amid hazing violations.
UCF officials confirmed Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity will remain on suspension after it was found in violation of university policy, disruptive conduct and hazing. The fraternity is appealing the suspension, according to UCF officials.
Lambda Chi Alpha will be placed on organizational suspension through the end of Spring 2013, meaning it loses its university recognition. They received the suspension letter on March 4.
The fraternity is also placed on disciplinary probation for Summer 2013, Fall 2013 and Spring 2014, meaning they can participate in any university-related activity after their suspension, but if the fraternity is found in violation of a rule of conduct, more severe sanctions may be imposed.
Lambda Chi Alpha joins Sigma Chi and Alpha Epsilon Pi, which are both suspended amid hazing allegations.
Local 6 broke the story of troubles with the Sigma Chi fraternity after a photo surfaced showing frat members allegedly forcing a pledge to chug alcohol.
At a hearing, the fraternity denied those allegations. However, the school decided to suspend Sigma Chi until the spring of 2017.
Meanwhile, the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity learned its suspension will last until the fall of 2014 after allegations that underage members were forced to drink on a bus trip.
Both fraternities were also ordered to develop programs to stop future alcohol abuse.
UCF suspended all Greek life last month while it investigated the allegations.
UCF officials say the Greek reinstatement plans will focus on preventing hazing and alcohol abuse.
Maribeth Ehasz, vice president for Student Development and Enrollment Services, said in a release she hopes many of UCF's chapters will meet the university's expectations for a culture change and will be granted permission to resume social, new member and initiation activities in early April.
"Many of our chapters are model organizations, and we expect they will develop strong plans and help lead our Greek community forward," Ehasz said. "We will work closely with other chapters that may need more time and assistance to meet our expectations."
Officials also said a new Greek Advisory Council will ensure that fraternities and sororities continue to live up to expectations after activities are reinstated. UCF is in the process of creating the council, which will include students, advisors and national organization representatives.
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