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This study is provided by ICPSR. ICPSR provides leadership and training in data access, curation, and methods of analysis for a diverse and expanding social science research community.
ABC News/Washington Post National Traffic Poll, January 2005 (ICPSR 4315)
Principal Investigator(s): ABC News; The Washington Post
This special topic poll, conducted January 26-31, 2005, was undertaken to assess public opinion about traffic. After first being asked their opinion of how President Bush was handling his term in office, respondents were queried about how often they traveled by car, traffic conditions in their area, and the availability and quality of public transportation and whether or not they used it. The survey also asked questions about respondents' commutes, opinions about traffic congestion, and possible measures to reduce congestion, such as tolls, high occupancy vehicle lanes, building new roads, better timing of traffic lights, carpools, and higher gas taxes. Respondents were also asked about air pollution from cars, how driving made them feel, how often they or others were guilty of speeding, not paying attention, being aggressive, and road rage. Other questions pertained to respondents' opinions of the greatest dangers to safety, how they passed time in traffic, and what type of vehicle they drove as well as their opinion of it. Demographic information included the number of licensed drivers and automobiles in their household, political orientation, education, age, marital status, number of children, Hispanic origin, ethnicity, income, and sex.
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ASCII + SAS Setup SPSS Setup Stata Setup
Study Description
ABC News/Washington Post. ABC NEWS/WASHINGTON POST NATIONAL TRAFFIC POLL, JANUARY 2005. ICPSR04315-v1. Horsham, PA: Taylor Nelson Sofres Intersearch [producer], 2005. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2006-05-18. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR04315.v1
Persistent URL: https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR04315.v1
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Scope of Study
Subject Terms: automobile use, automobiles, Bush, George W., carpools, commuting (travel), driving habits, pollution, presidential performance, public opinion, public transportation, tax increases, traffic, traffic accidents, traffic offenses, transportation, travel
Geographic Coverage: United States
- 2005-01
- 2005-01-26--2005-01-31
Unit of Observation: individual
Universe: Persons aged 18 and over living in households with telephones in the contiguous 48 United States.
(1) Additional information about sampling, interviewing, and sampling error may be found in the codebook. (2) There are some undocumented codes in the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) variable.
Sample: Households were selected by random-digit dialing. Within households, the respondent selected was the adult living in the household who last had a birthday and who was home at the time of the interview.
Weight: The data contain weights that should be used for analysis.
Original ICPSR Release: 2006-05-18
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Gamescom: Interview With Tasteless
Posted by Andrei "procyonlotor" Filote at 18 August 2012 21:51
Rakaka caught Tasteless this Saturday at Gamescom and asked him about everything from tournament storylines to career plans. Check it out here.
If you were to ask anyone about professional Starcraft, Tasteless would certainly be one of the prime candidates. He shares his thoughts on his first Gamescom experience, the players most likely to take it all, being a free agent and casting tournaments all around the world.

subset: commoncrawl


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Let's rewind to February 2011. At an analyst event, then-new CEO Stephen Elop announced that the company would abandon Symbian, its homegrown operating system. Nokia called it a "burning platform," something from which it needed to jump to escape the fire. At that point, the iPhone and Android smartphones had decimated Nokia's once-powerful lead in the smartphone market. Elop convinced analysts and investors that this step was necessary, that it would help the company differentiate in the face of Apple and Google, and win back what it had lost.
Nokia and its line of Windows Phone products are certainly differentiated. They have their own approach to hardware design that really sets them apart. They have software that's customized beyond what Microsoft envisioned for its smartphone platform. In short, they are decent devices. But they aren't selling in the numbers that Nokia needs. Further, they aren't competing well with the iPhone and Galaxy S devices sold by Apple and Samsung at the high end of the market.
[ Is pitching a mock fit the best way to pitch a new phone? Read Nokia CEO Throws iPhone, Talks Up New Lumias. ]
Earlier this week, Elop faced investors once again. They are not happy.
One shareholder, Hannu Virtanen, spoke plainly to Elop: "You're a nice guy and the leadership team is doing its best, but clearly, it's not enough. Are you aware that results are what matter? The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Please switch to another road." In other words, Virtanen believes that Nokia's choice to sell Windows Phones, rather than Android phones, was a bad one.
Nokia's Windows Phones are solid efforts, especially the top-tier ones, such as the 800, 900 and 920. All three show good design and innovative software. The 900 and 920 actually sold fairly well in the U.S. (compared to sales of Nokia's old Symbian handsets, anyway).
Later this month, Nokia will fully unveil the Lumia 928, its flagship smartphone for Verizon Wireless. This smartphone could be Elop's last shield with which to protect himself from antsy investors. The smartphone is shaping up to be a hero device in every sense of the word. Nokia has already teased images of it, as well as offered comparisons of its low-light camera powers. Pairing with Verizon Wireless, the country's biggest mobile network operator, could be what helps Nokia regain critical mass with American buyers.
If it doesn't, Stephen Elop may very well find himself out of a job. It doesn't help that Elop defended his decision to use Windows Phone, and admitted to investors (once more) that he has no Plan B.
"We make adjustments as we go. But it's very clear to us that in today's war of ecosystems, we've made a very clear decision to focus on Windows Phone with our Lumia product line," said Elop. "And it is with that that we will compete with competitors like Samsung and (Google's operating system) Android."
Investors have their doubts. If the Lumia 928 doesn't mark a significant change in direction for Nokia's smartphone sales, Elop could very well find himself out of a job in the months ahead.
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Well, I'm 15. Born in Columbus, Ohio. Living in L.A., California. I've always loved to write, and if it wasn't for one extremely long HP fanfiction I wrote, I would have flunked out of grade 7 (and no, I have no intention on typing that story and posting it here. Not only is it way too long (362 pages to be exact) but I've lost it *cries*) Lets see... I'm a very big Luna/Neville fan/shipper. I believe that they are so different, that they absolutly need to be together :) I'm currently working on a Luna fansite, called TheGirlWithTheSilveryEyes. yup. And as you could very well guess on your own, I'm going to audition for Luna when they come round. Even though I'm american, and have a very very very small chance of getting the part. So yup. au re voir.
And now the chance has come and gone, and I was unable to audition for Luna. Oh well, I auditioned for The Crow, so at least I auditioned for something, yes? *sigh*


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There were 23 unhappy faces in Dubai yesterday when the highly anticipated 'Mr. World International 2012 Middle East' competition was called off after some contestants failed to meet the strict entry requirements.
The men had been set to battle it out in three grueling rounds, putting their looks, talents and intelligence to the test for the honor of being presented with the money-can't-buy prize of being crowned Mr. World and 'Ambassador of Goodwill'.
But, after speaking to the event organisers it seems that some of the contestants spoiled the fun for everyone after falling shot of the strict photo requirements needed for entry - with a few of the Mr. World hopefuls seemingly needing a push into the digital age, after submitting polaroids and black and white snaps.
It's not all doom and gloom in Dubai though as the contest has been rescheduled for October 13, giving the men more time to oil up, work out and swot up for the judges grilling.
[1] http://www.syndigate.info
[2] http://www.albawaba.com


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I would like to know how raptors fans think of this trade!! Please comment
I would like to know how raptors fans think of this trade!! Please comment
No way the Knicks do it
Why not?
Knicks get inside presence with Gasol and also get rid of Stoudemire.
Knicks would gladly sacrifice Shumpert to get rid of Stoudemire. In Gasol, they get a more or less equally good PF.
While taking on little more in terms of salary, Lakers get Stoudemire who has had success with Nash in the past and a solid back up PG in Jose.
The only problem I see is for the Raps. World Peace may not like coming to Toronto. Who knows, maybe he will. Shumpert will be a slight downgrade at back up PG.
Overall though, this trade is not bad.
Last edited by Eric Akshinthala; Sun Dec 30th, 2012 at 10:18 PM.
Attitude Is A Choice.
Remwmber when knicks fans booed shumpert after he was selected #17 on draft day, Knicks fans are a bunch of morons
I actually love it! But i think Metta is awful!!!! like serious bad!!
Metta wouldn't fit well but his contract will expire in 2 years. We could use the cap space to resign Lowry!
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Kansas. Eleven curves in three hundred eighteen miles...
'09 R1200RT '73 R75/5, '11 Ural Patrol
Iron Butt Assoc. #47865
Brisco, sorry for the late reply......Yes, I've decided on heading up through Nebraska, North from Grand Island on Hwy 2 up to 83 to 90 because I want to stop at Wall for a Veterans donut and coffee. Then west to Rapid City, and drop down to Hwy 16 to go through Custer and then back to 90, or I may just take 90 on to Spearfish and on west. In any event, I plan to end up at Hwy 212 in Montana to ride over Bear Tooth Pass. Then down through Yellowstone, over to Dillon, then North West to LoLo to 12, West to Lewiston and on into Oregon....
I'm leaving on July 5th and taking my time sight seeing, so if you go that way, depending on timing, I may run into you or we could plan on meeting at some point....
I did security the last two rallies would like to do the same in Salem. Wed or Thursday. Who do I get in touch with? I thought I posted this the other night, guess I goofed it up.
You can email the Volunteer Chair at firstname.lastname@example.com or the Security Chair at firstname.lastname@example.com
It's amazing how a rally of this size succeeds every year with literally thousands of volunteers. Thanks for doing your part.
Rick Nelson - 2014 BMW MOA International Rally Vendor Committee Co-Chair
'12 G650 GS Sertao
Operating on one cylinder by choice
I did send e-mail and no response. Guess all slots filled.
Try again, there is no way all slots are filled. If all else fails, we will still be looking for lots of volunteers when the rally is running. Just go to the Volunteer booth in the MOA building.
Martin. Shuttle, Chair
Martin. BMW MOA Ambassador.17748
BMW MOA Charter, Life member.
Valley BMW Riders. British Columbia.
Sent another e-mail to the security chair. If I don't here anything, I have a bus driver CDL. LOL


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A pair of previously reports bouts has been added to next month's WEC 50 card.
They include featherweights Javier Vazquez (14-4 MMA, 1-2 WEC) vs. Mackens Semerzier (5-1 MMA, 1-1 WEC) and lightweights Ricardo Lamas (8-1 MMA, 3-1 WEC) vs. Dave Jansen (14-1 MMA, 1-1 WEC).
Both matchups are part of the un-aired preliminary card of the Aug. 18 event, which takes place at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
The night's main card, including a championship headliner between bantamweight title-holder Dominick Cruz and top contender Joseph Benavidez, airs on Versus.
Vazquez, a 12-year pro, fought and defeated a fellow MMA trailblazer in his most recent performance. Following a pair of frustrating and razor-thin split-decision losses to L.C. Davis and Deividas Taurosevicius in his first two WEC fights, Vazquez got back in the win column at WEC 47 when he topped Jens Pulver via first-round submission.
His opponent, Semerzier, looks to rebound from his first career loss. In his promotional debut at WEC 43, he pulled off one of 2009's biggest upsets when he delivered Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Wagnney Fabiano the first submission loss of his career. However, he then dropped a unanimous decision to Taurosevicius at WEC 46, and a WEC 48 bout with Anthony Morrison was scratched when Semerzier was forced off the card with an injury.
Lamas, meanwhile, opened his WEC career with a 1-1 mark after earning a March 2009 win over Bart Palaszewski and falling victim to a Danny Castillo TKO in August 2009. Lamas since has bounced back with a unanimous-decision win over James Krause and a devastating knockout of Bendy Casimir at WEC 47 in March.
Jansen looks to bounce back from the first loss of his career after dropping a unanimous decision to Kamal Shalorus at January's WEC 46 event. Prior to the loss, the M-1 vet carried a 14-fight win streak into his WEC debut this past October at WEC 43 and earned a decision victory over Richard Crunkilton.
The latest WEC 50 card now includes:
- Champ Dominick Cruz vs. Joseph Benavidez (for bantamweight
- Urijah Faber vs. Takeya Mizugaki
- Scott Jorgensen vs. Brad Pickett*
- Anthony Pettis vs. Shane Roller
- Chad Mendes vs. Cub Swanson*
- Zach Micklewright vs. Bart Palaszewski
- Maciej Jewtuszko vs. Anthony Njokuani*
- Mackens Semerzier vs. Javier Vazquez
- Dave Jansen vs. Ricardo Lamas
- Bryan Caraway vs. Fredson Paixao
* – Not officially announced
For the latest on WEC 50, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.
(Pictured: Ricardo Lamas)


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Romero's rocky outing doesn't bother Cards
By Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com
"I think he's done a nice job overall," manager Mike Matheny said. "I thought he threw the ball really well in Houston. His stuff looked really crisp. Last night was just a tough night. You're going to have those."
In the span of 18 pitches, Romero allowed four hits -- one that traveled 452 feet -- and walked one. All five batters scored during Arizona's six-run frame. The Cardinals had not given up that many runs in an inning this year.
Romero, who has been used predominately in left-on-left matchups, opened the season with eight straight scoreless appearances. That ended in Houston, where Romero allowed two earned runs in 1 1/3 innings on Saturday. He then followed that effort with Monday's rough one.
While the performance had no bearing on the outcome of the game, it did mess with Matheny's bullpen plans.
When Lance Lynn left a seven-run lead in the hands of the bullpen, Matheny intended to have Romero throw the sixth and Kyle McClellan, who hasn't pitched on the road trip, follow him in the seventh. When that lead shrunk to one, Matheny scratched plans to pitch McClellan and instead went with a common late-inning string of Victor Marte, Marc Rzepczynski and Jason Motte.
The margin of victory also put Motte in position to collect a save, his fifth of the year. Of Motte's five saves, four have come in games the Cardinals won by three runs.
X-rays show no break after Molina hit on wrist
PHOENIX -- Initial X-rays of Yadier Molina's left wrist showed no fracture, a diagnosis that had the Cardinals hopeful they dodged a disaster on a night in which they watched their starting catcher exit after being hit by a pitch behind the plate.
Molina suffered the injury in the final inning of the Cardinals' 6-1 over the D-backs as he set up on the outside part of the plate, anticipating a slider from reliever Mitchell Boggs. Instead, Boggs threw a 96 mph inside fastball.
Molina attempted to react, but as he reached to the left, the fastball struck his wrist, just above his glove. It hit the same bone that Molina fractured in 2007. That injury cost him nearly a month that summer.
Upon exiting the field, Molina was immediately ushered into a trainer's room, where he had X-rays taken. The D-backs' team physician read them first and did not find evidence of a break. The X-rays will be further examined to make sure that there really is no concern of a fracture.
"He's going to be tender for a while," manager Mike Matheny said. "We'll probably have to get a couple more looks at it."
Molina seemed unconcerned about the possibility of being sidelined long. As he walked around the Cardinals' clubhouse with his wrist wrapped, he was smiling, joking with teammates.
"I think everything is good," Molina said. "I don't have too much pain right now. After a couple minutes it was getting better and better and better. Hopefully tomorrow it can be good."
Molina likely won't play on Wednesday, even if for precautionary reasons. If his absence isn't expected to be for more than a few games, the Cardinals won't make a roster move. Tony Cruz can start in Molina's place, and the Cardinals have several position players -- including Matt Carpenter, Daniel Descalso and David Freese - who could serve as an emergency catcher.
"I'm glad everything is all right," Molina said. "Every time that happens to a catcher, it's scary. It's not fun."
Marte solidifying status as go-to guy in bullpen
PHOENIX -- Manager Mike Matheny has been a believer in Victor Marte long before the right-handed reliever began to catch additional attention with a strong showing this spring.
And likewise, Marte views this early-season success as anything but sudden.
"It goes back to last year when I was a closer at Triple-A and then that I was able to do that [close] in the winter," Marte said via an interpreter, left-hander Jaime Garcia, on Monday, one day after he settled the Cardinals' bullpen with his 1 1/3-inning scoreless appearance, "It's a combination of that that has me feeling where I am right now."
Marte led the Pacific Coast League with 31 saves last year, a season in which he posted a 1.44 ERA. He followed that with a successful stint in the Dominican Winter League, where he saved another 14 games in 26 appearances.
He briefly began this season with Triple-A Memphis before taking Scott Linebrink's place in the bullpen during the second leg of the team's opening three-city trip. He has since solidified a spot, not just on the Major League roster but as one of Matheny's go-to relievers late.
"He's a player who can come in in the middle of an inning with guys on base and throw big pitches," Matheny said. "He's done that pretty consistently. He's got good stuff. I've just been impressed with how he's handled some adversity."
Though Marte's previous big league experience spanned only 30 games in 2009-10, he is among the club's older relievers. At 31, he has begun the year with a 2.84 ERA in 12 2/3 innings.
"The difference between last year and this year is I feel like I've been attacking the bottom of the strike zone more," Marte said. "I just get ready for whenever they need me to. If it's a tight situation, then I'm going to be ready."
After three-hit night, Furcal receives breather
PHOENIX -- Having started 28 of the team's first 29 games, Rafael Furcal was due a day off soon. Manager Mike Matheny chose Tuesday.
Making the start at short in Furcal's place was Daniel Descalso, who had not played the position yet this year. Jon Jay took Furcal's leadoff spot in the lineup.
Matheny has not been shy in finding opportunities to rest his veteran players, living by the belief that a day off now will increase the number of games played later. Perhaps more surprising is that Furcal hasn't had more nights off before this one.
He was one of several position players the Cardinals were prepared to rest regularly because of injury woes in recent years. Furcal's good health and quick start, however, altered some of those projections. He simply hasn't slowed -- physically or at the plate.
Furcal has already accrued 12 multi-hit games -- including a three-hit night on Monday -- and entered Tuesday with the National League's seventh-best batting average (.342). He leads the club with 40 hits, all from the leadoff position.
"I think you're seeing a different approach this year than you did last year," Matheny said of Furcal. "There was a point there where we did have some tough conversations about what we were going to need as we moved forward."
Those conversations, which happened during Furcal's rough Spring Training, included directives to cease swinging for the fences and revert back to the small-ball approach that Furcal had built his career on. Though he did line a 441-foot home run on Monday, Furcal has enjoyed this success while riding such an approach.
Worth noting
On Tuesday, general manager John Mozeliak presented World Series rings to six players and four coaches currently with Triple-A Memphis. Adron Chambers, Mark Hamilton, Brandon Dickson, Pete Kozma, Maikel Cleto and Eduardo Sanchez all spent various lengths of time on the big league club in 2011. Chambers also appeared on the club's postseason roster.
Also receiving rings were staff members Ron "Pop" Warner, Blaise Ilsley, Mark Budaska and Sean Johnson.
Scott Linebrink (right shoulder capsulitis) continues to progress through a throwing program back in St. Louis. But he is still not near the point of being sent out on a Minor League rehab assignment, manager Mike Matheny said.
Double-A starter John Gast moved to 4-2 this season with seven scoreless innings in Springfield's win on Tuesday. Gast has thrown at least six innings and allowed no more than two earned runs in six of his seven starts this year. He has struck out 37 and walked 12 in 44 1/3 innings.
Coming into Tuesday's game, the Cardinals had scored five or more runs in 15 games this season. The only National League team to do so more often? Arizona, which has reached the five-run mark 16 times.
Jenifer Langosch is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, By Gosh, It's Langosch, and follow her on Twitter @LangoschMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Romania's modern economic development dates to the opening of maritime trade routes to western Europe in the early 19th century. After independence in 1878, exploitation of the cereal lands, forests, and oil fields was complemented by a policy of encouraging industry, but, in spite of considerable success, Romania still had a predominantly agrarian economy at the end of World War II. The communist regime concentrated on the expansion of industry, with priority given to the heavy industries of metallurgy, chemical manufacture, and engineering. Industrialization was assisted by a flood of cheap labour from rural areas, where collectivization and discriminatory price-fixing meant that farmers not only lost their own holdings but secured only modest returns as farmworkers. It also benefited from close economic integration with the Soviet Union, which secured markets for manufactured goods while supplying raw materials and fuels at relatively low cost.
Socialist development transformed the economy. Industry's contribution to national income rose from 35.2 percent in 1938 to 68.3 percent in 1986. Unemployment was avoided despite a substantial growth of population, and services were able to expand to meet demand. The transport system was modernized, and increasing numbers of families took vacations on the Black Sea coast and at mountain resorts. Nevertheless, incomes remained low and living conditions poor (with high housing densities and low welfare standards). Much of industry was inefficient, with overmanned factories achieving only low productivity and producing goods of inferior quality that could be sold only within the communist bloc (or in world markets at low prices that did not always reflect the actual costs of production). After large development loans were secured from Western creditors in the 1960s and '70s, dependence on foreign capital was minimized by the settlement of all foreign debts during the 1980s. This left many sectors of industry starved of investment in new technology, and the persistence of a primitive command structure left people with little capacity to innovate and take initiatives. Moreover, serious pollution problems arose, especially in the chemical industry.
The postcommunist government faced a difficult transition toward a market economy. It approached privatization cautiously, since few Romanians had significant capital to invest and many state-owned enterprises were not attractive to foreign investors. Despite expectations that the replacement of markets lost through the collapse of the Soviet Union would lead to a revival in production and that restructuring would then proceed gradually, the shift to a market economy was at best intermittent and slow. Throughout the 1990s the government had to support a large number of unemployed workers, and it was left with an antiquated industrial base. Nevertheless, many small retail and tourism-related businesses were created.
By the end of the 1990s, a mixed economy had evolved in Romania, and a trend toward a full-fledged market economy was clearly visible. Important sectors of heavy industry, mining, transport, and communications, however, remained under government control and were relatively immune to market forces. High unemployment and inflation rates led to an overall decline in the standard of living.
Despite an initial outpouring of foreign aid following the revolution in 1989, ongoing aid and investment was discouraged by confusing and inconsistent investment and tax laws and the widespread perception of corruption. It was not until 1997 that laws were changed to attract foreign investment to stimulate the economy. In 2001 the Romanian Agency for Foreign Investment was established. By the early 2000s the leading sources of foreign investment came from The Netherlands, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States. Also during this period, gross domestic product (GDP) rose, and inflation rates had dropped to the single digits by mid-decade.
Under the constitution, private property rights and a market economy are guaranteed. Natural resources are public property, but they can be leased. Thousands of state-owned enterprises (apart from utilities) were privatized under a program of the National Privatization Agency.
Agriculture has traditionally been the backbone of the Romanian economy; some three-fifths of the land is devoted to cultivation (including vineyards, orchards, and vegetable gardens). A radical land reform, begun in 1921 and completed in 1948, redistributed farmland from large owners to peasant farmers, but the restructuring of the economy after the communist takeover included the compulsory collectivization of agriculture, carried out between 1949 and 1962. Since 1989, state farms have been retained as large units of up to about 120 acres (50 hectares) with shareholders, but collective farms have been broken up into individual holdings—although in some areas they have been replaced by loose cooperative associations. Romania faced major problems following the breakup of these collective farms and the resulting uncertainty of ownership. These small individual plots became devoted to the subsistence crops traditionally cultivated by peasants. Despite a bountiful cereal crop in 1995, there was an overall downward trend in agriculture in the 1990s, as the endemic lack of capital investment and limited technologies continued to hinder the agricultural sector. Moreover, irrigation systems that had been installed during the communist era, especially on the southern and western plains, fell into disrepair by 2000. Restoration efforts have been under way with aid from the World Bank since 2003.
The climate and relief of the extensive Romanian plains are most favourable to the development of cereal crops, although these also are found in the Subcarpathians and in the Transylvanian Basin, where they occupy a high proportion of the total arable land. Wheat and corn (maize) are most important, followed by barley, rye, and oats. Two-row barley is cultivated in the Brașov, Cluj, and Mureș areas, where it is used for brewing. The tendency is for the acreage of cereals to fall as yields increase and industrial crops require more land.
Vegetables and legumes—peas, beans, and lentils—are planted on relatively small plots. Peas are the predominant crop; maturing in time for an early harvest, they allow a second crop, usually fodder plants, to be grown on the same ground. Vegetable cultivation is particularly marked around the city of Bucharest, with specialization in the production of early potatoes, tomatoes, onions, cabbages, and green peppers. Similar gardening areas are found around Timișoara, Arad, Craiova, Galați, Brăila, and other cities. The most important potato-growing areas are the Brașov, Sibiu, Harghita, and Mureș districts. Other related crops include sugar beets; sunflower seeds, mostly on the Danube, Tisa, and Jijia plains; hemp; flax; rape; soybeans; and tobacco.
Romania can be counted among the main wine-producing countries of Europe. It specializes in the production of high-quality wines, using modern methods; with the growth of the tourist trade, its wines are becoming known to, and appreciated by, a larger international public. Large quantities are exported annually. The best-known vineyards are at Odobești, Panciu, and Nicorești, though there are a half-dozen or more other major centres. Both white and red wines have won various international awards.
At an elevation between 1,000 and 1,600 feet (300 and 500 metres), orchards are found on almost all the hillsides on the fringe of the Carpathians. There is specialization in fruits with a high economic yield. Orchards have solved problems of soil erosion on many unstable hillsides.
Livestock raising has a very long history in Romania. Sheep can be raised wherever grass is available, whether in the Alpine pastures or the Danube plain and valley. About half the cattle are raised for beef, which is an important export. In the 1990s the livestock sector experienced many of the same declines that crop cultivation did; however, by the early 2000s the trend reversed, and beef exports increased. Dairy products are also an important component of Romanian agriculture, as are wool, eggs, and honey.
Romanian forests traditionally yielded sawn timber, but since the 1990s the emphasis has been placed on finished products. The country's timber is used primarily for building materials, fibreboard, and furniture manufacturing. Reeds from the Danube delta produce cellulose, which is used to make hardboard.
The rivers of Romania, its lakes—especially the group around Lake Razelm—and its Black Sea coastal region support a well-developed fishing industry. During communist rule, ocean fishing in foreign waters was developed rapidly to supplement the domestic catch and to increase the export of meat. Since the 1990s, demand for fish has fallen, largely because of the reduction in fleet and resources and the increase in the price of fish relative to other animal protein products. The largest quantity of fish comes from the Danube River, and most of the annual catch is consumed fresh. In the mid-1980s Romania's leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu, attempted to transform the Danube delta into a region of grain fields. Local residents were forced out as dikes were built to pump water out of the delta, and the grounds were flattened and planted with wheat and rice. Thousands of marine plants and animals were killed. After the revolution, the Romanian government created the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve in 1991 to oversee the restoration of the delta. Among the fish found in the Danube delta are carp, sheat fish, pike, and zander, along with fish that migrate from the Black Sea, such as the Danube mackerel and the sturgeon, which produces caviar, Romania's most valuable fish product. In 2006, however, Romania issued a 10-year ban on commercial sturgeon fishing, citing concerns about the decline in sturgeon populations. Canneries are located at Tulcea, Constanța, and Galați. Trout farms are scattered throughout the country, though water pollution has endangered many of them. Mackerel, anchovy, and plaice can be caught on the Black Sea shore.
Romania has an unusually rich and well-balanced mix of natural resources. Hydrocarbons are found across two-thirds of the country, and the petroleum industry dates to the 19th century. Oil deposits are found in the flysch formations that run in a band along the outer rim of the Carpathians and through the Subcarpathians. Deposits in the plains, notably near the town of Videle, have been tapped since World War II. The areas around Bacău and Ploiesti have long been famous for their oil-refining industry, and they have been joined by production from Pitești. Some oil also was discovered in the Romanian sector of the Black Sea in 1981. Romania had large reserves of natural gas, found mainly in Transylvania, where large deposits of methane gas and salt were first exploited for a chemical industry in the 1930s. These reserves, however, have been depleted.
A large lignite field in the Motru valley, in the southwestern part of the country, supplies two of Romania's largest power stations, located in Rovinari and Turceni. One of the greatest problems facing Romania after World War II, when the Soviet Union demanded the delivery of Romanian petroleum as war reparations, was the very limited development of power stations based on other fuels. Nevertheless, under a plan spanning the years 1951–60 and supplemented by later plans, a remarkable rise in power output took place. The foundation for this increase was a series of large power projects, each having a capacity of 200,000 to 1,000,000 kilowatts. Both thermal and hydroelectric plants were built (though the largest capacities were installed in the Motru valley lignite field). Romania's multiple river systems, coupled with the Danube, give the country considerable hydroelectric potential. At least three-fifths of electricity is generated at the Iron Gate. Two nuclear reactors were launched with Canadian assistance at Cernavodă, on the lower Danube, the first in the mid-1990s, followed by another reactor in the mid-early 2000s.
The largest coal reserves are those of bituminous coal (soft coal); half of Romania's bulk coal production comes from the Jiu Valley alone. Reserves of poorer-quality lignite increasingly are being tapped to meet energy requirements. Except for the Baraolt-Vârghiș Basin, which lies within the Carpathians, most of these deposits are found along the fringe of the mountain areas. There are concentrations in Moldavia, Transylvania around the city of Cluj, the Jiu Valley, and on the Danube floodplain. Anthracite (hard coal) is found in the Banat and Walachia regions. Mining is especially central to life in the Jiu Valley, where it is the only significant industry, and the frequent threat of widespread layoffs has long been answered by protests and strikes that have erupted into violent confrontations.
A wide variety of metals are found in Romania. Major iron deposits are located in southeastern and southwestern Transylvania, the Banat, and the Dobruja. Manganese is mined in northern Transylvania near the headwaters of the Bistrița River and in the Banat. Chrome and nickel deposits are found near the Iron Gate along the Danube. Copper, lead, and zinc exist in the Maramureș near the headwaters of the Bistrița River and in the Apuseni Mountains, where silver and gold deposits and molybdenum are also found. Important bauxite mines are located southeast of Oradea. Minerals including sulphur, graphite, and mica are also found in limited quantities. Moreover, there are large salt deposits near Slanic, Tirgu Ocna, and Ocna Mures.
After World War II Romanian manufacturing underwent a radical structural change. Three branches became much more important: engineering and metalworking accounted for 25.8 percent of all industrial production in 1990, compared with 13.3 percent in 1950, while electricity and fuels increased their share from 13.2 to 19 percent and chemicals from 3.1 to 9.6 percent. Two other branches, metallurgy and building materials, showed a slight relative advance. The main relative declines were in wood processing and paper, textiles and clothing, and food processing.
Development in the manufacturing sector in Romania following the 1989 revolution was discouraging and remained so throughout the 1990s. Because the heavy industry that the communist government had invested in had not received the required maintenance and modernization during the austerity of the 1980s, it became inefficient and uncompetitive. Furthermore, the manufacturing labour force became increasingly angered by the inflated salaries awarded to communist officials and the conduct of a largely naive and corrupt management class that was unfamiliar with international business practices. For all of these reasons, Romanian manufacturing struggled as it attempted to compete in the world market.
In the years following the revolution, the conflict between the former managers of heavy industry, who opposed transition to a market economy, and labourers, who sought reform, was at the heart of political developments in Romania. Administrations rose and fell based on their plans for the manufacturing, mining, metallurgy, and energy sectors and workers' responses to them.
At the beginning of the 21st century, much heavy industry was standing idle or operating well below capacity. Light industry, on the other hand, proved to be a hopeful prospect, attracting some foreign joint-venture investment. The machine-building and metal-processing industry remains the main branch of the industrial economy, accounting for about one-fifth of bulk industrial production. It provides a good index of the changing priorities in the Romanian economy: before World War II it accounted for only 10 percent of the total, being exceeded in importance by food processing and even by the textile and ready-made clothing industry. Contemporary centres of production are Bucharest, Brașov, Ploiești, Cluj-Napoca, Craiova, Arad, Reșița, and many others, with a considerable degree of regional specialization. There has been a strong tendency to concentrate on such modern branches as the electronics industry, as well as to widen and diversify the range of production. Beginning in the 1990s, foreign electronic manufacturers opened facilities in Romania, attracted by low labour costs and the proximity to western European markets.
The Romanian iron industry has particularly strong connections with Galați, as well as with Călărași, Hunedoara, and Reșița (the last having a record of activity extending back to the 18th century). Smaller units exist at Brăila, Câmpia Turzii (near Turda), Iași, Oțelul Roșu, Roman, and Târgoviște. The nonferrous metallurgical industry, which also dates from the Dacian-Roman period, is largely concentrated in the southwest and west, with copper, gold, and silver production still active, especially in the Apuseni Mountains. Aluminum production is a more recent development; alumina factories at Oradea and Tulcea supply the aluminum reduction complex at Slatina in the Olt district.
In contrast to metallurgy (which relies on imports of ore and coke to supplement the modest domestic resources), the wood products industry is readily supplied with domestic timber. A chain of modern wood industrialization combines turns out a range of products, including furniture and chipboard, which have done well in foreign markets. The building materials industry also utilizes a wide range of resources across the country; cement manufacture represents an important subbranch. The main centres are at Turda, Medgidia, Bicaz, Fieni, and Târgu Jiu.
The long-established textile industry has also undergone steady development since its radical overhaul in the 1930s. The closely connected ready-made clothing industry has undergone considerable expansion, with heavy investment in new plants. Silkworm production retains a modest importance despite the introduction of synthetic fibres.
The food industry—formerly the foundation of the economy—has been all but eclipsed by the rapid development of other branches. It has, nevertheless, continued to grow in absolute terms, and processing plants are distributed throughout the country.
The initial euphoria after the 1989 revolution subsided during the 1990s as foreign investment declined. The financial stability of Romania was threatened at various times during this period by severe inflation. In an attempt to lower the inflation rate, the Romanian currency, the leu, was revaluated in 2005. The National Bank of Romania, founded in 1880, implements the monetary policy of the Ministry of Finance, managing budgetary cash resources and issuing currency. The Bucharest Stock Exchange opened in 1995, and by 1999 hundreds of companies were being traded. By 1998 there were dozens of banks in Romania, including foreign, domestic, and jointly owned institutions.
The modernization of the Romanian economy during the communist period resulted in a considerable upsurge in its foreign trade and commercial contacts, which involved more than 100 countries. Romania was the first Comecon (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) member country to negotiate independently with the European Community (now embedded in the European Union [EU]), signing a trade agreement in 1980. The country also took part in numerous international fairs and exhibitions. Since the disbanding in 1991 of Comecon, great attention has been paid to broadening trade with less-developed countries as well as with industrialized Western countries. In the decade following the revolution, however, the Romanian government failed to implement many of the macroeconomic reforms that other eastern European countries with transitional economies had undertaken. Nevertheless, in 1993 the United States reinstated most-favoured-nation trading status with Romania, which had been suspended in 1988.
By the beginning of the 21st century, traditional Romanian exports such as textiles and clothing accounted for more than one-fifth of exports, followed by metals, electrical equipment, oil, and nonelectrical machinery. Significant imports included textiles, machinery and electrical equipment, chemical products, oil, and foodstuffs. Total foreign trade has increased since the 1990s, but exports have not kept pace with imports, resulting in a persistent deficit in balance of payments. By the mid-2000s, Romania was actively pursuing membership in the EU, which required that the country adopt measures to establish a free market economy and curb corruption and smuggling. Romania was admitted to the EU in 2007. Romania's main trading partners are Italy, Germany, Russia, France, and Turkey.
About one-tenth of Romania's labour force works in the service industry. Tourism has the potential to become a significant source of income for the country. The unstable economy, ethnic tension, and widespread reports of deprivation and shortages caused a precipitous decline in tourism in the early 1990s. Most visitors were from neighbouring countries such as the Balkan states and Turkey. Efforts to improve accommodations, especially in the large cities, and a generally favourable exchange rate helped to restore tourism, and from the late 1990s to the early 2000s the number of foreign visitors doubled.
Tourist attractions range from winter sports in the mountains to summer seaside activities in the resort belt fringing the Black Sea, with health spas receiving special emphasis, including those that have been built on the salt lakes of Transylvania, most notably in the towns of Ocna Sibiului and Sovata. The towns of Năvodari, Mamaia, and Eforie were erected after World War II, while the older settlements of Mangalia and Techirghiol have undergone extensive redevelopment. Lakes—among which Lakes Tașaul, Siutghiol, Agigea, Techirghiol, and Mangalia are the most significant—further enhance the attractions of the region. Several of them contain deposits of mud and sulfurous hot springs believed to have therapeutic properties. The Danube delta too has become increasingly popular, because of the growing worldwide interest in ecology and conservation. Special features of interest to tourists include the mountain lakes and underground cave systems of the Carpathians and the fine churches and monasteries, with frescoes dating from the 14th to the 16th century, that are found in northern Moldavia. More generally, the folk costumes and the ancient folklore of Romanians, notably in the Carpathian Mountains, provide a reminder of the country's long traditions.
Although high unemployment resulted from the collapse of communism, in the 1990s, as the number of people who migrated increased, a labour deficit arose in certain sectors of the economy, such as construction, agriculture, tourism, mechanical processing, and the clothing industry.
Women represent slightly more than two-fifths of Romania's labour force and generally work in retail, education, and health care. Child labour has been a problem in Romania, especially among Roma girls, with children generally working in agriculture, construction, and domestic service. Various child labour elimination laws were passed at the beginning of the 21st century; however, the problem still exists.
Among the hopeful signs that emerged in the 1990s was the growth of vigorous and independent labour unions as well as chambers of commerce and other nongovernmental organizations. Besides the Central Union of Consumer and Credit Cooperatives, a union of producers and credit institutions dating from the communist era, organizations appropriate to a private economy are emerging.
Romania has a wage tax, a corporate income tax, and a publicfinance public finance tax. A value-added tax (VAT), a capital tax, and a global income tax also were implemented in the 1990s to attract foreign investment. A flat income tax at the corporate and individual level was introduced in 2004.
Romania is located at a crossroads of European transport. Railways provide the main method of transportation for both freight and passengers in the country. There are good local rail connections with the main lines, including the two that cross the Danube, at Cernavodă (linking Bucharest with the Black Sea port of Constanța) and Giurgiu (connecting Romania with Bulgaria). Since the 1930s, diesel locomotives have been in service, and about one-third of the major lines have been electrified. Most of Romania's system of national roads has been brought up to modern standards.
The main lines of communication tend to focus on Bucharest and include many scenic routes. The country has maritime connections with many countries, and the port of Constanţa, which has undergone major expansion, plays a large role in the national economy. Finally, the Danube River, supplemented since 1984 by the Danube–Black Sea Canal from Cernavodă to Constanța, is a major transportation route between the Black Sea, the Middle East, and western Europe. The principal ports on the Danube are Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Calafat, Turnu Mǎgurle, Giurgiu, Calarași, Cernavodǎ, Brăila, Galați, Tulcea, and Sulina. Bucharest also is the main centre for air transportation. In addition to local travel, international traffic has grown in significance, and there are international airports in Constanța, Cluj-Napoca, Arad, Timișoara, and Sibiu. The great majority of flights by the Romanian national airline TAROM (derived from Transporturile Aeriene Române) are to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Romania's telecommunications sector was privatized in 2003. Within five years, the fixed-line market expanded substantially, and there was an increase in Internet availability. About four-fifths of Romanians have cellular phone subscriptions, up from about one-tenth in 2000.


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There is five seconds on the clock and the Raptors are down by two, if you can pick any Raptors past or present to take the shot, who is it? AND deuce or three?
There are some outstanding choices. You have the likes of Vince, Tracy, Dell, etc.
There is five seconds on the clock and the Raptors are down by two, if you can pick any Raptors past or present to take the shot, who is it? AND deuce or three?
There are some outstanding choices. You have the likes of Vince, Tracy, Dell, etc.
Two: Charles Oakley
Three: Vince Carter
oh whoops
If the game is on the line, I'd want Vince to be taking that shot.
None other than Sebastian MOTHER FUCKIN Telfair
Telfair and a friend, Al Eden Fuentes,[16] were arrested early on April 20, 2007 and charged with felony possession of a weapon, after a traffic stop.[17] The traffic stop was prompted when Telfair was spotted driving his 2006 Range Rover 77 mph on the Bronx River Parkway, a 45 mph zone. Telfair was driving under a suspended Florida license. When the police searched Telfair's vehicle, a loaded .45 caliber handgun was found under the passenger's seat. Both Telfair and Eden claimed to not have any knowledge of the handgun. Police had yet to determine the registration status of the handgun.[16]
Vince Carter.
Though the best shooter in Raps' history is Dell Curry.
From just reading the thread title, the only name that instantly came to mind was Dell.
Morris Peterson or "The Wizard" Walt Williams!
That MoPete shot in Washington was HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-JAH!
Just one year away... Bruno is almost here!
3-way tie. Anthony Parker, Mo Pete, or VC. Overall best shooter of the 3 is Parker, so I guess if I have to pick 1 I choose him. He was a clutch shooter overseas and brought it to the NBA level too.
Dell Curry for threeeeee.
Dell, easily. Alvin wasn't the greatest shooter or that offensively gifted but i remember him making some clutch shots.
I also remember vince missing a lot of big shots.
1) Vince
2) Billups (he's made some big shots in his career)
3) McGrady
Honourable mentions: Curry, Stoudamire, Stojakovic (in prime), Rose (in prime), strickland (in prime)
Rudy Gay has had a decent track record with game winners in his short time with the raptors too
Game on the line? Vince Carter.
Greatest 3pt shooter in Raps history? Dell Curry.
Best shooter to ever play for the Raps: Dell Curry or Peja Stojakovic...too close to call
Best shooters who logged significant time with the Raps:
-Anthony Parker
-Jose Calderon
I'd like to put Mo Pete there, but while he was solid and put in some great seasons in the high-30% range, he was also streaky and inconsistent. I'd like to put Vince there, but I can't, because I always hated how much he'd fall back on the 3 and take lazy shots. Also he had many average seasons shooting the ball.
dont disagree with the Vince sentiment. If there is 10 seconds on the clock and we need a bucket, its Vince by a country mile.
However, in terms of a guy to just simply hit the shot, I cant get Tracy Murray out of my head. Dell had the sweetest stroke, but I cant remember him hitting that many key end of game type shots (whereas I seem to remember lots for Murray, or even Donyell Marshall for that matter.. )
Raps should get Seth Curry with a pick. Send him to D-LEague watch him grow bring him in as a role player later in the future.
Del Curry ... and it's not close.
The only way to bag a classy lady is to give her two tickets to the gun show... and see if she likes the goods.
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text: Answer: any time you see stars. Wyogirl saw stars on Pearl Pass this weekend. Without a good helmet, she would have been taking a helicopter ride. <iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/HzjFXnGMwLg" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe> Even tho she fell to the right, her left wrist was bothering her. Watching the replay, we accused her of trying to brake her fall by pummeling the rocks into fine sand.


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100 photos and videos for 100 years of Machu Picchu
On the centennial of Hiram Bingham III's arrival atop Machu Picchu, here are 100 photos and video clips of the landmark and neighboring Sacred Valley. To browse thumbnails of these photos, visit our main Machu Picchu page.
Copyright © 2018, Los Angeles Times


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Now Is Good: Dakota Fanning's Last Rights
Oof, what a clunker this one promises to be. Here's the trailer for Oliver Parker's
A Walk to Remember Here on Earth Now Is Good, the sopping wet saga about a 17-year-old girl living with chronic leukemia, desperately trying to "do everything as fast as [she] can" before the end.
The trailer's subtle about it, but ridding herself of that pesky hymen is young Tessa's Bucket List item number one. Barf. Isn't Dakota Fanning nine and wasn't her last film I Am Sam? This is a child and children are not sexual. Though I guess since losing one's virginity is just about the least sexual sexual act one can do (make? Have?), Dakota Fanning's sexual appeal is irrelevant. Still, I can't imagine any sort of chemistry existing betwixt her and newcomer Jeremy Irvine over there, no matter how good he was in War Horse.
Also, I am always baffled when casting directors make the decision to go with American actresses for a British role (I'm lookin' at you m'Lady Hathaway). There are literally thousands of precocious and young actresses for whom a British accent would spill trippingly over the tongue, without so much as a hint of American nasal. What about Effie from Skins? Someone pick Effie, I miss her.
Having employed all the tricks of the trade - the inevitably tragic end, the young, attractive couple, Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize"- Now Is Good is a movie clearly hand-crafted for one audience and one audience only: the tween. If you are an adult person, you will not see this movie, but you will try to nod understandingly when your 14-year-old daughter comes home weeping after she's seen it. Now is good but not for them, so let the tweens have a movie they can all their own. The rest of you, steer clear.


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World's Most Useless Machine
It was bad enough when the useless machine was first introduced and got really popular a while back. It was basically a box with a switch, when it goes on a stick appears and switches it off. Someone wanted to get more creative in a useless way and added a whole bunch of switches. The only way forward is to make a new Guinness record.


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ByChristopher John Farley
This morning, Doubleday revealed the cover of Dan Brown's coming book "Inferno."
But as anyone who has ever read a Dan Brown book knows–and millions have bought his hit thrillers such as "The Da Vinci Code" and "The Lost Symbol"–his works are suffused with codes, clues, and hidden messages.
The coming novel features longtime Brown protagonist Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist, and will be released on May 14. According to Brown, the novel was inspired by Dante, author of "The Divine Comedy," an epic poem written in the 14th century that follows the author's allegorical journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
Speakeasy reached out via email to Mike Windsor, Art Director for Brown's "Inferno," to get the inside take on what the new cover really means. Here's what he had to say.
Can you describe the different images that are on the cover of "Inferno" and what they represent?
The central image is of Dante Alighieri. Since his work is the catalyst for Langdon's adventure and he is such a monumental figure in literature I felt he had to be on the jacket. Plus, using a historical figure represented in a painting of his time firmly puts the reader in Dan Brown territory. The city scape of Florence is to give the reader a since of location… hidden behind the burnt and ripped background, which has become a sort of staple with Dan's jackets. It adds an element of mystery… Like you are discovering something just under the surface. And of course there are the rings in the background and over the image of Dante that represent hell.
Did you draw on any existing artworks to create the cover for "Inferno"? If so, which ones, and how did you go about researching and selecting the works?
Yes. The image of Dante is a historical portrait and the image of Florence is a modern photo. I like the juxtaposition of the modern and the old in Dan's books and by using both it helps to illustrate that. As far as research goes, I did a ton of looking at art from the 1300′s, especially depictions of hell and the sins…lots of Bosch paintings and going through the engravings of Albrecht Durer and Gustave Doré.
What other notable book covers have you worked on and how did designing Brown's new book cover compare?
Every author is different and they all have varying expectations for their covers. Some are very hands on and some just want something that looks good! I have recently worked on Walter Mosley's upcoming book, Little Green…Jim Craces's new book, Harvest…Anne Applbaum's, Iron Curtain…and I did the jackets for Jeff Lindsay's Dexter series. Dan is very involved in the process, which is good…I get immediate feedback on things that he likes and doesn¹t like. It keeps the ball rolling and the energy up!
What kind of guidance and feedback did Brown offer?
A lot of the guidance and feedback is really brainstorming. We would discuss a bunch of ideas and then I would get busy on making them work as an affective jacket. When I had a number of directions ready I would send them over for him to look at. He would state what he liked and didn't and what he would like to see explored further and the process would start over. I don't think that kind of process is difficult at all. It's nice to have an author who is able to articulate what they want and don¹t want. I have dealt with several authors who don't really know what they want or who are unable to express their ideas, and leave me trying to read their minds!
Have you read all or part of "Inferno"? If so, what about the book particularly inspired your cover?
Yes, I have. With a book like this; where there are so many twists & turns and so many subjects being uncovered; it's hard to focus on just a single piece of the puzzle. I think it's best to come up with a sort of encompassing visual that is a little more vague but also gives you a real since of what to expect… if that makes any sense! Part of the fun of reading a Dan Brown book is knowing you are going to learn a bunch of facts you didn¹t know and have a great time doing it. So, I didn't want to take any of the discovery away from the reader…
What sorts of clues, hints or secrets about the book's plot are encoded in your book design?
Have fun finding those on your own when the book comes out… But, they are there…
Should you judge a book by its cover?
Nope, never. There are great books with horrible jackets and terrible books with awesome jackets. That's just the way it is…


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I realize we never did a Round 4 recap, but, well, people won, and then made it to the Final Four.
And two of those characters lost.
I'll start with Granny Weatherwax, as I think she was one of the more controversial characters in the competition. Why?
Because no one seemed to know what her powers were, so the write-ups tended to be a little…action light.
Well, can I point out that that's what Cage Match is (slightly) all about? To learn about characters you aren't familiar with, and figure out why they might do the things they do?
For, with Granny (as people in the comments pointed out), she really is way more powerful than you might imagine. But, her powers aren't what you might consider "typical" fantasy characteristics. Rather, because of Terry Pratchett's ability to both revere and skewer the genre we all love, her magic comes almost as much from respect and expectations than it does from a "magic system."
Hence the write-up. While we often do write-ups to provoke reactions, we also like to do write-ups that don't show the obvious ending. Rather, we want you to see how, just maybe, a character could take out a seemingly more powerful one. Yet, in this case, I honestly believe she would have beaten Kylar–that she was, indeed, the stronger character.
And that has nothing against Kylar Stern, Brent Weeks, or his fans. Brent is an amazing writer (who we've been luck to have involved in some of the early rounds of Cage Match 2012), and one of the reasons he is so good is because his characters are flawed. Kylar is very strong, but he's also very raw. And, while the black ka'kari is indeed an amazing artifact/being, one thing Granny is phenomenal at is understanding and influencing other beings…no matter how alien.
Could she definitely have won? No, of course not. But is it interesting to explore how she could have won?
As for the fans–the idea was not to insult them (you), but rather use "the fan" as a way to be able to shoot down any arguments pre-emptively.
Apparently it didn't work.
Still, if you haven't read Pratchett, and want to know more about Granny Weatherwax, do yourself a favor and get into Discworld. You won't be disappointed.
And, obviously, congratulations to Kylar, a worthy member of the Cage Match 2012 finals.
So who will he be facing?
Surprise, surprise: a Wheel of Time character!
Moiraine was a no-brainer Number 1 seed, and she proved it time and again. Again, with many of these matches, her beating Rake didn't come without a bit of controversy. Did her being popular help her win? Of course–like the gods, sometimes a character's power derives from the fervor of their followers' beliefs. Does that mean she couldn't beat Rake? I'm not sure–I think she could, but I think it would take one of those once-in-a-million battles.
But I also think that's what fantasy is about. The hero, against all odds, beating someone they didn't think they had a chance against.
Cage Match tries to have a little bit of that every year.
Thanks so much for making this year's so much fun, and enjoy the Championship!
Once again we got a great write up from fan Abyss. Thanks!
So here's the breakdown from Round 5 (winners in bold; % = percentage of vote for winner). You can check out all the matches and brackets here.
Miskatonic University: Field House division against Starfleet Academy: Holodeck division
- Moiraine Damodred versus Rake: 3,326 to 1,989 (61.93%)
Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters: Danger Room division against Hogwarts: Quidditch Pitch division
- Granny Weatherwax versus Kylar Stern: 1,164 to 1823 (61.03%)
And don't forget: The Finals starts Monday, April 9th at 10 AM EST, right here on Unbound Worlds.com.
And one last thing: We hear you all, concerning the state of the write-ups (and while we don't necessarily agree, we definitely hear you!). So, as such, we want YOU to give us how you think the fight will go.
The one we like best will be kept on the site permanently, with the writer getting full credit.
If you want to start submitting, just start placing your write-ups in the comments below.
Can't wait to see what you come up with!
Granny image courtesy of Outskirts Battle Dome


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"I knew we were going to have to hit and hit well if we wanted to beat them," Hector head coach Kyle Russell said.
Hit — and score — is exactly what they did. The Lady Wildcats broke the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) state record for runs scored in a single game with a 31-16 blowout over the Lady Eagles. The previous record was set in 2006 by Fayetteville with 20 runs in a single game.
"There wasn't much defense played," Russell said. "But that's been our problem all year. We're starting six ninth-graders."
The Lady Wildcats achieved the 31-point output in just four innings, when both coaches decided to call it quits. At the time, Hector had the bases loaded with no outs.
"I wasn't interested in running up the score on him," Russell said.
The Lady Wildcats built a 9-4 lead in the bottom of the first, but Conway Christian seemed viable when the tied it 9-9 in the top of the second. In fact, a blowout was no guarantee. The last time the two teams met, the Lady Eagles who walked away with a 16-12 victory.
Hector went up 19-9, then 23-12 and onward to 31-16. Russell attributed the performance to the extra hours the girls spent with the pitching machine in the mornings before class.
"Most of my girls come in first period to practice on the hitting machine," he said. "Many of them come in before class to get the practice in."
Kasey Rook was 4-for-4 with two singles, a triple and a double. Russell said the junior turned in four RBI. Emily Mathis had eight RBI and hit an inside-the-park grand slam.
"We've struggled this year a little bit," Russell said. "We didn't have the pitching we'd like to have, but she's getting better. We didn't have the defense, but it's getting better. We've got the district tournament in a week, and I'm hoping we'll have a little bit left over from this to take into that."
Russellville 17, MSM 3
LITTLE ROCK — The Russellville Lady Cyclones trumped the Mount Saint Mary Belles Tuesday night with a 17-3 route. Russellville improves 11-6 on the season and 6-3 in the 7A/6A-Central Conference.
Lady Cyclones sophomore pitcher Andrea Kindrick gave up her first earned run of the season during the victory. Kindrick was 3-for-4 batting with three RBI and a home run.
Brooks Laffoon was 3-for-4 with three RBI. Russellville was scheduled to play Conway on Wednesday.


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Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, October 17, 2012, 11:08 AM
Town Square
Lost driver's 'wrong turn' flips car near Peers Park
Original post made on Oct 17, 2012
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, October 17, 2012, 11:08 AM
Comments (23)
a resident of Mountain View
on Oct 17, 2012 at 11:27 am
The article says the vehicle was a Toyota sedan, but from the photos this sure looks like an SUV... based on both the rear hatch with spare tire, and the roof rack. It's unlikely a sedan would roll over, but SUVs are very prone to roll-overs in situations like this.
a resident of Southgate
on Oct 17, 2012 at 11:36 am
If driver was lost in south Palo Alto, then how did she endu up on Park Avenue driving south? Peers Park is north of Oregon so it's in the North.
a resident of Midtown
on Oct 17, 2012 at 11:51 am
What! how does someone do that? Flip a car in a residential street. Must have been going pretty fast.
Article says Alcohol and drugs do not appear to be involved. Something must have been in her system. Or maybe lack of something??
a resident of Palo Verde
on Oct 17, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Eyes on the GPS instead of the road. Photo shows the road threw her a curve.
a resident of College Terrace
on Oct 17, 2012 at 12:33 pm
How do you lose control of your truck on a 25mph road in broad daylight. I hope there were no kids playing in that part of the park when she jumped the curb.
a resident of Barron Park
on Oct 17, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Its called DWIPA: Driving While In Palo Alto.
There has always been an understanding about the abhorrent behavior of drivers in PA, but now they're just getting silly!
Don't blow all you jokes on this story because if Palo Altans can be trusted, we'll see another like this in a bout a week.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Oct 17, 2012 at 12:37 pm
Frustration may have a lot to do with it. Having been caught in this area myself and not able to get out, even with the help of a GPS, I can sympathise. This may be the result of traffic calming measures!
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 17, 2012 at 12:40 pm
Look at the second pic. She came down the road, was obviously distracted(GPS or Cell probably) and missed the turn. She panic turned too late and hit the tree. Between the too quick maneuver, the tree and an SUV's propensity to want to roll over anyways, we have this.
Check the cell phone records to see if there was activity.
There are MANY drivers like this out there each day. Be careful!
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 17, 2012 at 12:42 pm
According to the article, her phone was in its holster on the dashboard after the accident. The question is: Was is there before and during the accident?
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 17, 2012 at 12:44 pm
@Resident: Frustration caused a solo flip over?!If someone cannot control their frustration and it leads to that, they do not have the mental capacities to be allowed on the road.
Nice stretch though...take a deep breath next time you feel frustrated.
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Oct 17, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Obviously driving too fast and/or not paying attention to the road. I know that area of town well, and it is confusing with all the roadblocks, not to mention annoying.
If she thought she was in South Palo Alto, she really was lost. The division is at Oregon Expressway. Peers Park is north of it.
a resident of Evergreen Park
on Oct 17, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Looks like the tree was damaged. This accident is slightly similar to one a couple of years ago that was directly across the street. A car (with a drunk driver) traveling north on Park at high speed was not able to navigate the curve in the road, and hit a tree in Peers Park. That driver did not make it out alive. Fortunately, this driver is safe and nobody else was injured.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Oct 17, 2012 at 1:02 pm
At least three fires truck and a police car and a bunch of public employees standing around. And this is AFTER the driver got herslef out of the car? It makes you wonder how much overtime will be charged. I'm sure the city arborist will show up as well.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Oct 17, 2012 at 2:21 pm
That area has ridiculous blocked off streets. It's like a f'ing maze. Of course you will have distracted drivers. Not to mention a great deal of wasted gas.
a resident of Downtown North
on Oct 17, 2012 at 3:46 pm
a resident of Barron Park
on Oct 17, 2012 at 4:16 pm
If people cannot negotiate the roads and flip their cars due to frustration or distractions, they do not belong on the road. This isn't lost on anyone is it?
Obviously people negotiate the roads every single day for years and years without this sort of nonsense. Again, if its all too much for you, please turn in your keys before you end up upside down.
Time for a little personal responsibility here.
a resident of JLS Middle School
on Oct 17, 2012 at 8:55 pm
Clearly trees are dangerous and Palo Alto should cut down all the ones near the street.
a resident of Midtown
on Oct 17, 2012 at 9:06 pm
"ridiculous blocked off streets. It's like a f'ing maze"
That's the point. I don't live there and I agree with the calming measures. Palo Alto is determined to develop to full gridlock, so let's at least minimize cut-through traffic around the major choked intersections. At least it leaves some walking and biking routes where we can avoid heavy traffic and dangerous drivers, er, or at least heavy traffic.
a resident of Embarcadero Oaks/Leland
on Oct 18, 2012 at 6:46 am
Let me get it straight:if drivers act stupidly it's the road calming measures fault? This driver seems like she shouldn't be allowed behind the wheel of a vehicle, as it takes special talent to flip your car in that area. When I get lost in an unfamiliar area, as happens to all of us, I actually slow down and drive ultra carefully. Traffic calming measures, of which we don't have nearly enough because traffic in Palo Alto has become absurdly unruly and dangerous, are designed to save us from drivers like this particular one.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Oct 18, 2012 at 10:57 am
This doesn't make any sense.. period. It was not a dark and stormy night, where the lanes were hard to see and/or maneouver. Just call it like it is... Horrible driving. Plain and simple.
I am glad they are okay, but take personal responsibility.. stop "looking" for excuses to blame the "road" or anything else, and thank GOD the tree was there, as the car would've more than likely ended up in the yard or hitting the house. Things happen.. sometimes crazy, stupid things, and this was definitely one of them for the books.
~ Wow.. LOL. Glad everyone's OK.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Oct 18, 2012 at 11:00 am
Typo, sorry! *Maneuver! haha... see.. even typing accidents happen.. but I'm not blaming the site! Too funny..
a resident of Evergreen Park
on Oct 18, 2012 at 3:46 pm
The direction this lady was going is not blocked in any way. You can drive along Park Blvd from El Camino to Cal Ave, which is what she was doing, whether she meant to or not. This road is heavily traveled by bikes, including commuters going to Caltrain, Stanford employees and PALY students. We are very lucky she didn't squish someone. Very stupid.
I thought it was a van when I looked at it (near my house). May have been an SUV, but was not a sedan.
I was also happy to see the police and fire trucks. They didn't stay long.
a resident of Greenmeadow
on Dec 3, 2012 at 6:34 pm
This is across the street from where a van full of kids ran into a tree and died a few years ago because they were speeding and drunk.
This is also about 2 blocks from my house and there is no way someone could flip a car unless they were absolutely reckless.
Driving penalties and liability need to be ramped up.
This time we're not lying. HONEST! No, really!
By Douglas Moran | 12 comments | 965 views
Couples: When Wrong Admit It; When Right; Shut Up
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One-on-one time
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text: The second son of King Louis I of Bavaria, Otto was chosen king of Greece by the great powers at the conference of London in May 1832. The Greek National Assembly confirmed his selection in August 1832, and he arrived in Greece on Feb. 6, 1833, accompanied by several Bavarian advisers. He instituted a new legal code and organized a regular army, but the Bavarians' absolutist rule and heavy taxation led to discontent, which was appeased by the resignation of Otto's chancellor, Joseph Ludwig von Armansperg, in 1837. After failing to annex Crete (Modern Greek: Kríti) in 1841, an attempt that alienated Great Britain, the Greeks staged a revolt in 1843. Otto, a Roman Catholic in an Eastern Orthodox country, was forced to grant a constitution specifying that his eventual successor be Orthodox. A Greek oligarchy now replaced the former Bavarian one. The King king toyed with the "Great Idea," the reestablishment of the former Byzantine Empire with its capital at Constantinople; , but his intervention against Turkey in the Crimean War (1853–56) merely provoked a Franco-British occupation of the Piraeus, and he failed to gain any additional territory for Greece. Otto's backing of Austria in the Italian War of Independence (1859) further damaged his prestige and added to the sense that Otto's primary loyalties were not to Greece. He was finally deposed in a revolt on Oct. 23, 1862, and returned to Bavaria.


text:
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(247) Customer Reviews
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Conceived by a company whose vision is relentless and developed for the VIP automotive purist; Falken's new FK series line of Luxury Sports tires is clearly the new benchmark for JDM and European Luxury tuners.
I loved these tires. When new, they stuck to the ground on both dry and wet weather. I'm not that aggressive of a driver, so not hard cornering. The treadwear is short, but that is expected from summer tires compared to all-seasons.
Of course, since these are 'summer' tires, they don't work in snow. I find it funny that people complain that these tires are horrible in snow and that they wouldn't get these for snow.
Size: 225/45R17
made this review on 4/6/2017 and is a
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text:
Easter bonnets and bouquets, dinosaur egg hunts and dinosaur safaris, and pom-pom chicks will be part of the Easter celebrations from Scarborough Museums Trust.
The Trust is providing its usual school holiday activities for children, but with an Easter twist.
Each weekday throughout the school holidays, including the bank holidays (but not Monday 8th April), there will be creative drop-in activities from 11am to 4pm for all the family at the Trust's two venues: Scarborough Art Gallery and the Rotunda, the William Smith Museum of Geology.
And on Friday 12 April, the Trust's resident geologist and Head of Public Programmes, Will Watts, will lead 45-minute guided dinosaur safaris around the Rotunda, starting at 11am and 2pm. The tours will explore the scientific background to the current exhibition Scarborough's Lost Dinosaurs. Numbers are limited, so booking is highly recommended on 01723 353665.
All the activities are included in the standard entrance fee of £2 (Scarborough Art Gallery) and £4.50 (Rotunda) – under-18s are free. Regular visitors can also benefit from an Open Return Ticket, which costs £9 and gives free entry to both venues for a year.


text:
Lego Mindstorm Library [19-Oct-2009, version 0.5.2, Stable]
LEGO Mindstorm® is a versatile robotic construction kit. The central component is the programmable NXT brick to which one can connect up to three motors and various sensors. The brick can run programs directly uploaded to it or can be controlled via bluethooth or USB. This library allows you to communicate with and drive your NXT brick from OCaml programs through a bluetooth connection. The full LEGO® communication protocol (including all "direct commands") is supported. This library has been tested on Linux, Windows (without the fantom drivers installed) and Mac OSX.


text:
lol@ jeffries wtf was that dude looked like he was going for a touch down
Jeffries should never do ANYTHING on offense aside from setting picks and getting rebounds.
Sig made by Sons of Thunder
Girraferies should not be allowed to cross half court..
On the long road trips who do think Jefferies chills with? I'm going with J.Jordan because they both look just as doofy.
I love the MSG crowd. No one is getting overly hyped about winning this game. They all know what the deal is with the Pistons.
Real Talk
Why isn't Jordan or Lin or Balkman or Novak getting any minutes, STAT and Shumpert should be resting
Breen and Clyde are talking about Damien Wilkins looks.......fishy activity


text:
© 2009 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Hinch recalls Rickey as positive influence
New Hall of Famer was 'as entertaining as he was good'
By Tom Singer / MLB.com
PHOENIX -- Arizona manager A.J. Hinch offered the ultimate paradoxical Rickey Henderson story Sunday morning, as the greatest leadoff hitter in baseball history was taking his Hall of Fame bows in Cooperstown.
Sitting in the D-backs dugout as Henderson's induction was beamed on Chase Field's video board, Hinch pointed out that Henderson is his first former teammate to make it to the Hall.The former catcher also remembered that Henderson did not like to walk. Off the field, that is -- quite an irony for someone whose 2,190 walks on the diamond had broken Babe Ruth's 60-year-old record. Hinch, whose rookie 1998 season in Oakland coincided with Henderson's final season with the Athletics, recalled sharing a commercial flight with him to their Phoenix homes at the start of the All-Star break. As he deplaned at Sky Harbor Airport and started walking toward the baggage claim area, Hinch heard a shrill whistle and looked up to see Henderson gesture to him from a cart. "Rickey wouldn't walk to save his legs, so he'd gotten one of those carts to take him out of the airport," Hinch said. "So he gave me a ride to the baggage carousel." Hinch fondly recalled Henderson as "a good influence on young players," and as someone who was "as entertaining as he was good." Among the many traits that made Henderson a legend long before he became a Hall of Famer was, of course, his penchant for not remembering names. So when he was with the Royals in 2002, and prior to a run-in with a Boston team that included Henderson, Hinch bet Kansas City closer Roberto Hernandez that his former teammate would remember him. "I'd lockered next to him and figured the initials would have stayed with him," Hinch said. "Sure enough, we're on the field, Rickey sees me and waves, 'Hey, A.J., how you doing?' "So," Hinch summed up, "I collected on the bet and moved on."
Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Every day our man Nick Cannon covers off on the hottest music, movies and stars of pop culture. Come back each day for a list from Nick as part of Cannon's Countdown.
So, it was announced to the world that Eddie Murphy will be hosting the 84th Academy Awards. In case you didn't know, that gig is a pretty big deal and it's usually hosted by funny as hell comedians or fun superstars. Last year's co-hosts Ann Hathaway and James Franco kinda bombed, but they tried mad hard. One day, they will ask the one and only "Mr. Showbiz" to handle things! In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite past Oscar hosts and their opening monologues…
5. James Franco in a leotard: priceless (and a little scary). What do you think?
4. Whoopi Goldberg as an African Queen in whiteface. What's up with that?
3. Jon Stewart hosts the 80th Oscars: "Thank God for Teen pregnancy!"
2. Ellen: "Let that be a lesson to you kids out there, aim lower!"
1. Billy Crystal: "I look like the goalie from the SAG hockey team…"


text:
Perman & Geneva Smith will celebrate their 65th Wedding Anniversary on Sept 25 with a family dinner. They were married in Waxahachie, TX.
Perman enlisted in the Navy and served almost two years in the late 1940s.Perman then worked for Chance Vault Aircraft (LTV) for 30 years.
Geneva worked for Russell Newman in Denton and Pilot Point for a number of years. She has volunteered for Meals on Wheels for over 15 years.
Perman and Geneva graduated from Aubrey High School in 1946 and 1947 respectively.
They are members of First Baptist Church Krugerville where Perman serves as a deacon.
They have two daughters. Donna and her husband Gaylon King of Krugerville, and Brenda and her husband Curtis of Aubrey.They also have been blessed with 4 grandchildren, Angel Buxton, Matthew King, Zeke Sparkman and Kyle Sparkman, and 5 great-grandchildren, Michelle Buxton, Noah King, Joshua King, Hope King and Mason Sparkman.
Perman and Geneva are dearly loved by their family and friends and are a blessing to all.


text:
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A united team standing strong. A crowd in rapture. Confidence. Confetti. And a dry-erase board inside Utah's locker room, one side loaded with the Western Conference standings, the other with filled with just two, huge words: "Jazz win!"
Utah fought off a furious comeback by Miami on Friday, outlasted an instant-classic fourth quarter by Heat forward LeBron James, and held on for a 99-98 win at EnergySolutions Arena before a sellout crowd of 19,911.
Heat-Jazz box score: http://bit.ly/xEptS8
It was just one victory in a 66-contest season for Utah (17-18). But with a five-game road trip waiting and the Jazz still living down tough recent losses to Minnesota and San Antonio, it was Utah's most complete and fulfilling win of the year.
Not only did the Jazz knock off a Miami (28-8) squad that entered the game with the NBA's second-best record and was riding a nine-game winning streak. But Utah played near-perfect ball during the first half, opened up an 18-point lead midway through the third quarter, then finally finished a close, winnable game.
While Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin beamed postgame and talked up his resilient team, he acknowledged something more important than a single win had just occurred. Despite dropping nine of 11 games from Feb. 6-28, Utah's still eyeing a playoff spot. And even while defeats to some of the NBA's worst teams - Sacramento, New Orleans - have dented the Jazz's hopes, wins against Memphis, Houston, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Heat during the last month have proven Utah has what it takes to survive a lockout-shortened season and keep playing ball in May.
"It's going to be a dogfight the rest of the way and we want to be in the fight," Corbin said. "We want to stay close, as close as we can while we struggle. And when we come through this thing, we're going to be in good shape.
"This group of guys, man, there's no quit in them. They're staying together. They're working hard to get better every night. And when we do make mistakes, we take it on ourselves to make sure we understand what's going on. It's stand-up group of guys."
All 10 Jazz players who took the court were forced to stand up to James, who scored a game-high 35 points on 16-of-24 shooting, grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, dished out six assists and recorded three blocks in 44 minutes, 24 seconds.
The King reigned mightily during the second half, hitting 11 of 14 shots for 23 points. Hhe was almost untouchable in the fourth quarter, pouring in 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting and giving Miami a 97-94 lead after drilling what appeared to be an unmakeable 23-foot jump shot with 26.1 to go.
An Al Jefferson tip-in followed, though. And even when Dwyane Wade (31 points) hit one of two free throws to make it 98-96 Miami, the Jazz were still in control.
After Jefferson (team-high 20 points) passed out of traffic, Devin Harris cut through the lane, threw up a 12-foot floater that perfectly fell downward, then sank his and-1 to give Utah a 99-98 advantage with 4.5 seconds to go.
"I wasn't expecting to get the ball back early, because it wasn't really a true double team," Harris said. "But he's got confidence in me. He's been telling me he was going to kick it out all night - he wants to be Magic Johnson."
James' magic suddenly ran out. Miami inbounded the ball with 4.5 to go, and it ended up in The King's hands. But he passed up a contested shot, Udonis Haslem clanked an 18-footer, and Twitter instantly lit up with "James is still afraid to take the final shot" remarks as soon as the Jazz had captured victory.
"The light always shines when I pass and someone misses the last shot," James said. "Nobody says anything when that guy makes the shot."
He added: "It was a basketball play."
It was a perfect play for the Jazz.
Harris talked about a team that believes more than ever in what it can do when it plays the right way.
Josh Howard said Utah's stunner produced confidence in capital letters, acknowledging the Jazz finally finished what they started.
"Good way to put it: building toward. Being consistent and winning games," Howard said. "We've proved it to ourself that we can do it against a championship-caliber team. So all we've got to do is put forth the effort, night-in and night-out, and hopefully we can get those wins."
The Tribune's Tony Jones contributed reporting.
Twitter: @tribjazz
R In short • The Jazz hold off LeBron James and the Miami Heat for a last-second win.
KEY MOMENT • Utah's Devin Harris converts a 3-point play with 4.5 seconds to go.
KEY STAT • James scores 35 points on 16-of-24 shooting, but the Jazz outrebound Miami 50-32.


text:
Quick question for you all : which non-all star player would you consider as the perfect addition to CB4, not taking cap space into account ? Like the one that would make him (even) better ?
Quick question for you all : which non-all star player would you consider as the perfect addition to CB4, not taking cap space into account ? Like the one that would make him (even) better ?
Welcome to RR Fachie.
Good question too. Considering our clear weakness is still the SG spot, a healthy Raja Bell would be appealing to me. Not really sure what other non-All-Star guys would be a fit for Bosh and the Raptors. Bell's tenacious perimeter defense and knack for hitting the clutch shot makes him pretty valuable to me if we were able to acquire his services.
shit, i'd think that there are two guys just on the warriors roster that would help make bosh 'better' - curry & ellis - just in terms of their ability to knock down shAts & spread the floor. i mean, do you dare double down on bosh when you have curry running around capable of nailing anything from inside 30-feet?
Welcome to RR
I'll go with the easy answer: Shane Battier
Shane Battier, Bell and Ron Ron
these a good defensive players
A lights out shooter at the 2 or 3 who can defend. Not easy to come by but that's what the Raps need to get to that next level I think.
@ Jive Yeah you can't go wrong with Battier. Veteran with playoff experience, can knock down the three, and his defensive abilities don't even need to be mentioned.
Not to mention all the possible pictures of them having the same celebratory expression after a win/bucket/casual dinner.
I would love it if they went after Monta in the off-season. If there was a chance we could sign a guy like Camby(defense first center), I'd give up Bargs and possibly DeRozan to get him. But that's for another forum and another time I suppose...
Just one year away... Bruno is almost here!
I would like to sign Camby but letting go our second option scorer is crazy talk and also DeRozen is a prospect SG and Camby is old but still have something on the tank for the SHORT TERM.
Just one year away... Bruno is almost here!
Just one year away... Bruno is almost here!
Rudy Gay, Gerald Wallace, Vince Carter
Tyreke Evans, Manu Ginobili, O.J. Mayo?
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FOLSOM, CA -- Intel Corp. has completed a successful demonstration program that enables employees to purchase a variety of computer-related accessories from touchscreen-equipped vending machines developed by Vendors Exchange International Inc. (Cleveland). Venders installed at Intel's corporate campus here are stocked with products including keyboards, pointing devices, flash memory drives and more than a dozen other essential items; employees can access them at any hour of the day or night. The pilot was conducted by Intel's IT Client Services from June through December of last year.
By adding a satellite-dispensing machine linked to the main unit, the Client Services operation can expand selection from the 23 items sold during the pilot to 43 or more. The most popular computer accessories from the pilot remain at the core of the menu; they include mice, flash drives, keyboards, cable locks and laptop AC adaptors. At the start of Phase II, the products will range in price from a $3.39 mini-USB 2.0 cable to a $149 docking station. People make purchases by swiping their Intel employee badges, and items are charged against the employee's department.
Rollout of the upgraded machines is underway now at the Folsom campus. From this initial site, the program will continue with the installation of anywhere from three to eight of the advanced dual-model venders at Intel's other major U.S. facilities in Hillsboro, OR, Chandler, AZ, and the Santa Clara, CA, corporate headquarters. One dual unit is planned for each of Intel's smaller facilities in Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. About 30 more machines are planned for Intel's non-U.S. facilities by the end of the year.
The second-generation touch-enabled vending machines are said to allow people to select items with greater accuracy, and to get detailed information on each item rather than merely looking at it from the other side of a glass panel. The machines also use cameras and sensors to gather data such as where a person's eye moves as he or she browses items.
"Where a person looks matters because it helps to know how long it takes to make a selection, and whether someone considered other options," said Intel project manager Catalin Baicu.
The new machines run on an Intel Core i5 vPro processor and use Intel's AIM (Audience Impression Metric) suite, which captures data including a person's gender using anonymous sensors and computer algorithms. Although there is a lens near the top of the machine, the camera does not retain an image of the shopper's face. Baicu explained that data captured by the AIM suite is not correlated with the employee's badge number, but the ability to gather such data could be useful for companies using the vending machines in some situations.
The vending machines allow purchases 24/7. During the pilot, 12% of sales were made outside regular business hours. Self-service reduced billing time by 98% and streamlined the purchasing process by simplifying it to just four steps.
The company reports that its employees embraced the program, awarding it a 95% satisfaction rating. According to Greg Buzek, president of retail and hospitality research firm IHL Group (Franklin, TN), those results show potential for similar programs outside Intel. "Every company is looking to be more efficient and maximize the skill sets of employees," Buzek said. "Intel's concept is rather unique, and has a lot of opportunity if it really reduces the number of steps, increases speed and reduces downtime."
While Vendors Exchange has built machines to vend cosmetics, sundries and branded toys, the Intel model is the first to exclusively carry computer accessories. "Our solution is pushing the boundaries of what can be pushed out of a machine," said Chris Goumas of VEII's interactive solutions division. "Where a typical vending machine is designed to accommodate a total weight of seven pounds or less in a slot, we can push 20 pounds. In a double-wide slot, that is 40 pounds."
An entire slot full of 3-lb. batteries is now possible, according to Goumas. He explained that this much weight in a standard machine would cause a malfunction.
Intel has done extensive work on its "Intelligent Vending" concept, designed to unify the sales, marketing, communications and control functions of vending equipment through a single board (see VT, December). Applications of this technology by major retailers in the United States and the United Kingdom were showcased by Intel at its National Retail Federation exhibit early this year (see VT, February).
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text: I know, I know, the proper title for the film is simply 'Star Trek'. And that's as it should be. It's appropriate, as a reboot. It's good marketing to brand it simply that way. But in fandom we don't necessarily have to roll like that. I get tired of refering it as variously 'Abrams Trek', or 'NuTrek', or 'Trek 2009', or whatever. Surely if we all put our heads together we can all come up with a good, proper subtitle for the 2009 movie? Boring as it sounds, I like the one suggested on the movie poster. "The Future Begins". It's a nice simple subtitle that also manages to explain what the movie is about.