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Rivals.com analyst Keith Niebuhr goes around his region in the weekly Around the Southeast feature.
Remember these names
RB Jordan WilkinsClick A breakdown of game tape on three impressive underclassmen prospects in the Southeast:Here to view this Link., Cordova (Tenn.) St. Benedict, 6-1/193, 2013
Wilkins, who boasts early offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee, is a versatile player who can be a power back when needed but also has all-purpose traits. A physically mature junior, Wilkins looks great in pads, which is a nice starting point. When carrying the football, he combines excellent vision with good instincts, nice speed and terrific overall athleticism. He also has very good control of his body.
RB Mark DodsonClick Wilkins' cutting is exceptional, and he has the ability to quickly regain his speed after making a move. He uses his body and strength to his advantage, particularly when trying to elude defensive backs. It isn't uncommon for Wilkins to stiff-arm a defender or simply lower his shoulder and attempt to run them over. The only knock is that perhaps he runs upright a little too much at times.Here to view this Link., Memphis (Tenn.) Whitehaven, 5-8/174, 2013
Playing for one of the state's best programs, Dodson has emerged as a top back in the junior class. Already, a handful of schools have offered, including Mississippi State. Dodson is a quick, shifty and instinctual runner who is difficult to tackle. At this stage, Dodson is still a bit raw but his ability is undeniable. He's a strong cutter who changes direction well.
WR Jalen McDanielClick He doesn't reach top-end speed as quickly as you'd like, only because he's sometimes tentative in his decision-making - not because he isn't fast. Dodson perhaps is at his best in space, which is what makes him so dangerous catching the football out of the backfield. Just as he does on rushing attempts, he followers his blockers well and waits for the right moment to take off. Dodson is a solid all-purpose back who can hurt a defense in many ways.Here to view this Link., Fayetteville (N.C.) Jack Britt, 6-1/190, 2013
McDaniel is a big, strong, physical receiver who also moves reasonably well. He knows how to take advantage of his size and strength, particularly off the line and when positioning to make a catch. Because of his powerful upper body, he isn't often effectively jammed at the line. He also isn't outmuscled much for the ball once it's in the air. McDaniel runs solid routes and though he doesn't appear to have exceptional speed, he is sneaky fast. Those traits allow him to create regular separation from defensive backs.
After the catch, McDaniel is good, not great. Given his size and athleticism he could be an outside receiver at the next level, but he might be better suited as a middle-of-the-field target because of his build and physicality.
Sleeper of the week
This week's under-the-radar prospect that won't be unknown for long:
QB Kyle Sloter, Atlanta (Ga.) Mt. Pisgah Christian, 6-5/200
At this point, Sloter has no offers, which is kind of shocking to be honest. However, Arkansas and Tulane have started to show interest of late and his fortunes may finally be about to change. Although the level of competition isn't great, that shouldn't be held against Sloter, who has an ideal frame and solid mechanics.
Sloter spins it well with consistency and appears to have better-than-average arm strength, which allows him to make most throws and fit the ball into tight spaces. With time to pass from the pocket, he's very dangerous, and is particularly good on the deep ball. He also uses the pump fake well to help his receivers create added separation. Sloter has the build of a pro-style quarterback, but he also can run pretty well, which gives his game an added dimension. Tulane is expected to check out Sloter in person Friday night. Don't be surprised if offers start trickling in soon.
Weekend Watch
On Friday, Niebuhr will again be in South Georgia, this time making a stop in Kingsland, which is located just north of Jacksonville, Fla. There, he'll watch Camden County, a perennial state power, play host to Savannah Windsor Forest. Here's what Niebuhr will be watching for in that game.
1. The Brice is right
Camden County's junior quarterback, Brice Ramsey, committed to Georgia in July. At the time, he had yet to start a varsity game. Now, the 6-3, 195-pounder has two starts under his belt. Thus far, however, the Wildcats have relied far more on their running game. In fact, Ramsey, though efficient, is only 10 of 16 for 134 yards and two touchdowns. This week, look for Camden County to open things up a bit.
2. Who will emerge?
Every year, Camden County has prospects. Often, it has several of them. Ramsey already is on everyone's radar. But who else will emerge? Speedy cornerback J.J. Green, a junior, is one player we'll be closely watching. Green has impressed early and has two pass breakups through two games. A clip of him in action on Youtube uses the words "The next Greg Reid" to describe him. Reid, of course, is a stud corner for Florida State.
3. Deep Thoughts
Is Ramsey firm to the Bulldogs? What does he think of their 0-2 start? Is he concerned about the future of Georgia coach Mark Richt? And what other programs have continued to pursue him? These are questions we'd like answered by the touted signal caller. To many, his answers are more significant than the action on the field.
Keith Niebuhr can be reached at email@example.com. You can follow him on Twitter @KeithRIVALS.


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|Corsair Force F100 SandForce SSD CSSD-F100GB2
|Reviews - Featured Reviews: Storage
|Written by Olin Coles
|Thursday, 22 April 2010
Page 10 of 12
EVEREST Disk Benchmark
Many enthusiasts are familiar with the Lavalys EVEREST benchmark suite, but very few are aware of the Disk Benchmark tool available inside the program. The EVEREST Disk Benchmark performs linear read and write bandwidth tests on each drive, and can be configured to use file chunk sizes up to 1MB (which speeds up testing and minimizes jitter in the waveform). Because of the full sector-by-sector nature of linear testing, Benchmark Reviews endorses this method for testing SSD products, as detailed in our Solid State Drive Benchmark Performance Testing article. However, Hard Disk Drive products suffer a lower average bandwidth as the capacity draws linear read/write speed down into the inner-portion of the disk platter. EVEREST Disk Benchmark does not require a partition to be present for testing, so all of our benchmarks are completed prior to drive formatting.
The high-performance storage products tested with EVEREST Disk Benchmark are connected to the Intel ICH10 controller on the Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD7 motherboard. Using the 1MB block size, read performance of the Corsair Force F100 Solid State Drive measured an average 251.6 MBps with a similar maximum peak of 254.7 MBps. Linear write-to tests were next...
Linear disk benchmarks are superior tools in my opinion, because they scan from the first physical sector to the last. A side affect of many linear write-performance test tools is that the data is erased as it writes to every sector on the drive. Normally this isn't an issue, but it has been shown that partition table alignment will occasionally play a role in overall SSD performance (HDDs don't suffer this problem).
The waveform chart below illustrates how the integrated buffer manages file transfers, and makes linear write performance appear even yet unsteady. The results seen here are still relatively consistent compared to most other SSD products we've tested in the past. The Corsair Force SSD recorded an average linear write-to speed of 251.5 MBps, with a maximum performance of 256.4 MBps.
The chart below shows the average linear read and write bandwidth speeds for a cross-section of SATA storage devices tested with EVEREST:
I personally consider linear tests to be the single most important comparison of storage drive products, although HDD products suffer performance degradation over the span of their storage capacity. Linear bandwidth certainly benefits the Solid State Drive, since there's very little fluctuation in transfer speed. This is because Hard Disk Drive products decline in performance as the spindle reaches the inner-most sectors on the magnetic platter, away from the fast outer edge.
Drive Hardware
In the next section, I share my final thoughts on the struggle between SSD and HDD technology before delivering my conclusion and final product rating.

subset: commoncrawl


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In the Showroom: Nima Spring 2010
In the Showroom: Nima Spring 2010
Since launching his namesake collection with Saks Fifth Avenue in the spring of 2007, Nima Taherzadeh has become known for elegantly detailed cocktail dresses and separates.
When we visited the designer in his showroom shortly after Nima's runway debut during New York Fashion Week, Taherzadeh was preparing for a trunk show tour across the U.S. He told us the spring 2010 collection was very much inspired by the underwater photographs of Howard Schatz—hence the acid-hued prints on a belted mini dress and high-waisted skirt, the fluid zipper detailing on cropped jackets, and a single row of soft ruffles on a satin trench coat. See the complete spring collection below.
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text: This is the accessible text file for GAO report number GAO-09-671 entitled 'Hurricanes Gustav And Ike Disaster Assistance: FEMA Strengthened Its Fraud Prevention Controls, but Customer Service Needs Improvement' which was released on June 19, 2009. This text file was formatted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to be accessible to users with visual impairments, as part of a longer term project to improve GAO products' accessibility. Every attempt has been made to maintain the structural and data integrity of the original printed product. Accessibility features, such as text descriptions of tables, consecutively numbered footnotes placed at the end of the file, and the text of agency comment letters, are provided but may not exactly duplicate the presentation or format of the printed version. The portable document format (PDF) file is an exact electronic replica of the printed version. We welcome your feedback. Please E-mail your comments regarding the contents or accessibility features of this document to email@example.com. This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. It may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO. Because this work may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this material separately. Report to Congressional Committees: United States Government Accountability Office: GAO: June 2009: Hurricanes Gustav And Ike Disaster Assistance: FEMA Strengthened Its Fraud Prevention Controls, but Customer Service Needs Improvement: GAO-09-671: GAO Highlights: Highlights of GAO-09-671, a report to congressional committees. Why GAO Did This Study: GAO's previous work on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita identified fraud, waste, and abuse resulting from a lack of fraud-prevention controls within the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) assistance programs. For example, FEMA did not verify the identities or addresses of individuals applying for aid under its Individuals and Households Program (IHP). FEMA also did not verify the eligibility of individuals seeking shelter in FEMA-paid-for hotels and made duplicate payments to individuals who applied multiple times. GAO made numerous recommendations designed to improve these controls. To follow up on this work, GAO conducted undercover tests of the IHP process during the response to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. This report discusses (1) whether FEMA's controls have improved since Katrina and Rita and (2) issues GAO identified related to the customer service that FEMA provided. GAO submitted bogus applications for disaster assistance, met with FEMA officials, and contacted actual disaster victims to determine their experiences applying for aid. What GAO Found: FEMA has significantly improved its fraud prevention controls over disaster assistance. For example, FEMA now conducts identity and address verification on all applications and requires inspections prior to approving rental assistance. In addition, FEMA requires individuals in need of housing assistance to provide valid registration numbers before checking into FEMA-paid-for hotels. FEMA has also taken steps to flag and cancel duplicate registrations for the same disaster. These improvements made it more difficult for GAO to penetrate IHP controls for Hurricanes Gustav and Ike—only 1 of 10 fraudulent applications submitted by GAO received cash payments. However, GAO found flaws in FEMA's controls that still leave the government vulnerable to fraud, waste, and abuse. GAO's undercover tests show that a persistent fraudster can bypass many of these controls by submitting fabricated documents to prove identity or address and, as a result, obtain housing assistance. GAO also received duplicate payments for bogus hotel expenses. In addition, FEMA failed to properly inspect a bogus address GAO used to apply for assistance, ultimately sending GAO multiple checks for thousands of dollars in rental assistance. One of these checks is shown below. Figure: Rental Assistance Check Obtained as a Result of Undercover Application: [Refer to PDF for image: copy of check] Source: GAO. [End of figure] GAO observed several problems with FEMA's customer service, which made it difficult for many real victims to apply for assistance or obtain shelter in a timely fashion. For example, one of GAO's investigators called nine times over the course of 3 days—several times being put on hold for 20 minutes—--before being connected to an operator. Other investigators received incorrect information about the application process. Actual disaster victims confirmed these problems. One applicant reported having to call FEMA at 4 a.m. in order to reach an operator. FEMA cited several factors that contributed to this poor service, including a higher-than-expected call volume and an inability to meet projected call center staffing needs because a contractor failed to provide adequate staffing. Despite these issues, FEMA told GAO that it has made few changes in preparation for the 2009 hurricane season. What GAO Recommends: GAO recommends that FEMA establish random checks to assess documents submitted to support IHP applications and assess customer service findings to make improvements for future hurricane seasons. FEMA concurred and agreed to implement these recommendations. View [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-671] for key components. For more information, contact Gregory Kutz at (202) 512- 6722 or email@example.com. [End of section] Contents: Letter: Background: FEMA Has Significantly Improved Fraud Prevention Controls over Disaster Assistance, but Weaknesses Still Exist: Some Disaster Victims Had Difficulty Registering for Assistance: Conclusions: Recommendations for Executive Action: Agency Comments: Appendix I: Comments from the Department of Homeland Security: Table: Table 1: Customer-Service Problems Described by Disaster Victims: Figure: Figure 1: Rental Assistance Check Obtained from Undercover Application: Abbreviations: FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency: GSA General Services Administration: IHP Individuals and Households Program: IRS Internal Revenue Service: SSN Social Security Number: [End of section] United States Government Accountability Office: Washington, DC 20548: June 19, 2009: Congressional Committees: In several previous reports and hearings related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we found that significant control weaknesses in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) disaster assistance programs left the government vulnerable to fraud, waste, and abuse.[Footnote 1] Specifically, we found that FEMA's weak or nonexistent fraud prevention controls over cash assistance provided to disaster victims resulted in an estimated $1 billion in potentially fraudulent payments. Our work showed that these payments occurred mainly because FEMA did not consistently validate the identity of applicants who registered for assistance, inspect or confirm the physical existence of damaged addresses, and confirm whether potential aid recipients actually owned or occupied a damaged residence at the time of the disaster. FEMA also made thousands of dollars in duplicate payments to registrants who improperly claimed the same damaged addresses. In addition, we identified fraud and abuse related to the temporary housing assistance FEMA provided to individuals displaced by the disaster. For example, we found that FEMA allowed individuals to stay in FEMA-paid-for hotels even though they were already receiving rental housing or were ineligible for disaster assistance. This report provides a limited assessment of the controls FEMA had in place for disaster assistance during the response to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Specifically, we discuss (1) whether certain aspects of FEMA's fraud prevention controls have improved since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and (2) issues we identified related to the customer service provided to disaster applicants. To perform this work, we submitted 10 applications for disaster assistance through the Internet and by telephone using falsified identities, bogus addresses, and fictitious disaster stories. It is important to note that we did not use the identities or addresses of real people to submit these applications. We created counterfeit documents where applicable using publicly available materials. We also attempted to check in to FEMA-paid-for hotels posing as disaster victims. In addition, we interviewed FEMA officials, reviewed FEMA's policies and procedures, and reviewed our undercover applications with FEMA at the close of our investigation. We documented breakdowns in customer service by analyzing FEMA's response to our applications. We also obtained a database from FEMA containing the contact information for 1,000 individuals who successfully registered for disaster assistance; we called dozens of these individuals in an attempt to interview them concerning their experiences with FEMA. We conducted our investigative work from September 2008 through April 2009 under the statutory authority given the Comptroller General of the United States to initiate such work and in accordance with standards prescribed by the Council of Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency. Background: Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused catastrophic destruction to the Gulf Coast region, with an estimated combined total of $160 billion in damage. Estimates indicate that Hurricanes Gustav and Ike also caused billions of dollars in damage along the Gulf Coast region. FEMA assists disaster victims in part through its Individuals and Households Program (IHP), a component of the federal disaster-response efforts established under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.[Footnote 2] FEMA determines whether individuals or households meet eligibility requirements for IHP assistance after they apply for registration either online or over the telephone. Applicants must submit identification information, including name, Social Security Number (SSN), and date of birth. Applicants must also provide a legitimate address affected by the hurricane; FEMA guidelines specify that eligibility for housing assistance is predicated on the registrant being displaced from his or her primary residence. IHP assistance can include temporary housing, home repair and personal property replacement, and other necessary expenses related to a disaster. For Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, FEMA also activated expedited assistance to provide immediate cash--in the form of $2,000 payments--to eligible disaster victims to help with emergency needs for food, shelter, clothing, and personal necessities. Activating expedited assistance allowed FEMA to provide aid to disaster victims without requiring proof of property damage or other losses. FEMA did not activate expedited assistance for Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, although it did offer limited fast-track payments for individuals with critical needs as a result of Hurricane Gustav.[Footnote 3] As of March 2009, FEMA states that it has distributed approximately $665 million in IHP assistance to victims of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, as compared to almost $8 billion for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This amount includes rental assistance, lodging, repairs, replacement, and other needs assistance. FEMA Has Significantly Improved Fraud Prevention Controls over Disaster Assistance, but Weaknesses Still Exist: Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, FEMA has improved its controls over identity and address verification and inspections, housing assistance in FEMA-paid-for hotels, and duplicate registrations. Improvements in these three key areas have reduced FEMA's risk of making payments based on fraudulent disaster assistance registrations. For example, for Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, FEMA conducted identity and address verification on all applications and required inspections prior to approving rental assistance. In addition, FEMA required individuals in need of housing assistance to provide valid registration numbers before checking into FEMA-paid-for hotels. FEMA has also taken steps to flag duplicate registrations submitted for the same disaster. Although these improvements are significant, our work shows that an identity thief or a persistent fraudster with basic counterfeiting skills could still obtain rental or hotel assistance by exploiting existing weaknesses in the registration and approval processes. In particular, we were able to bypass verification controls by submitting more sophisticated bogus identities and by providing FEMA with fictitious documentation to validate our registration information. For one of our registrations, these weaknesses allowed us to obtain thousands of dollars in rental assistance, approval for transitional housing, and duplicate reimbursements for fictitious hotel expenses. We were successful on this application not only because we submitted fictitious documentation, but also because FEMA's inspector failed to properly inspect our bogus damaged address. For other applications, falsified supporting documentation allowed us to obtain approval for transitional housing, and in one case we subsequently checked into two different hotels. Finally, we found that FEMA was unable to prevent duplicate registrations submitted for more than one disaster. Identity and Address Verification and Inspections: The following information describes (1) the control weaknesses related to identity and address verification and inspections that we identified during our work on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, (2) the improvements we found as a result of our undercover tests during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, and (3) flaws that still exist in the identity and address verification and inspection processes. Weaknesses in Address and Identity Verification and Inspections Identified after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: As we reported previously, we found significant flaws in the process that FEMA used to approve individuals for disaster assistance payments after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. For example, although FEMA subjected Internet applications to an identification verification process, it did not use this verification process for phone applications. Specifically, for Internet applications, a FEMA contractor used credit and other information to confirm that (1) the applicant's SSN matched with an SSN in public records and (2) that the SSN did not belong to a deceased individual. Applicants who were rejected through the Internet were advised to apply over the phone. However, phone applications were exempt from any identity verification. In addition, prior to providing assistance payments, FEMA did not use public records or inspections to verify the physical location of damaged addresses, nor did it confirm that applicants actually occupied a damaged address at the time of the disasters. As a result of these weaknesses, we were able to receive disaster assistance by using fictitious names and nonexistent addresses. For example, for one of our Hurricane Katrina applications, we used an empty lot in Louisiana as our damaged address. Although this damaged property address was clearly bogus, FEMA notified us that an inspector had confirmed that the property was damaged and subsequently sent us thousands of dollars in rental assistance. Through data mining, we identified cases where other applicants received assistance by using SSNs belonging to deceased individuals and by using storefronts, post office boxes, cemeteries, and nonexistent apartments as damaged addresses. Other cases we identified involved applicants that claimed to live at valid damaged addresses, even though they were actually incarcerated or living in states not affected by the Hurricanes. Improvements Identified during the Response to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike: FEMA made several improvements to the verification and inspection processes. For example, FEMA told us that the same identity- verification process is now automatically performed when an applicant applies through the Internet and over the phone. In addition, both Internet and phone applications are now subject to automatic address and occupancy verification. Address verification includes checks to confirm that an address is deliverable; is not a post office box or a business address; and is not a "high-risk," address such as a tattoo parlor, or a pawn shop. Occupancy/ownership verification confirms that an applicant occupies or owns the property through a check of property records. Applicants who register over the telephone and fail any of these verification tests still receive registration numbers, but FEMA requests additional documentation prior to any payments being made. According to FEMA, applicants can verify their identities by submitting tax forms, marriage licenses, or government-issued identification. Address and occupancy can be verified by submitting documents such as drivers' licenses, utility bills, and property-tax records. An applicant can fax the supporting documentation to FEMA or wait and provide them to an inspector. FEMA also told us that even if an applicant passed both identity and address verification, an inspector must meet with an applicant to further verify occupancy and to confirm that a property was damaged in order to be eligible for rental assistance. Our undercover applications for Hurricanes Gustav and Ike confirm these improvements, as described in the following examples: * Five of our 10 applications initially failed identity verification. For these 5 applications, we used falsified identification information similar to what we used for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Specifically, for these applications, we used either completely fabricated names and SSNs, or names with valid dates of birth and SSNs but without any credit history, such as credit card or bank activity. We could not successfully register some identities by using the Internet and were instructed to apply by phone.[Footnote 4] At the end of the phone application process, FEMA call center operators provided us with registration numbers but also told us that there were "verification errors" associated with our registrations. Although the operators told us that inspectors would be contacting us to schedule an inspection of our property, we were instructed to provide additional documentation to validate our identities. * All 10 of our applications initially failed address and occupancy verification. For all 10, we used fabricated address information, including street addresses that did not exist and the addresses of local municipal buildings. When we later reviewed our applications with FEMA, we found that all 10 were flagged as having errors, in part because the addresses we used were not deliverable or because the names we used did not match property records associated with the addresses. * The inspection process prevented us from receiving rental assistance for 9 of our 10 applications. Specifically, the 9 addresses we selected for these applications were either not private residences or they were not actually damaged by the hurricanes. Therefore, although FEMA inspectors left messages requesting that we schedule inspections, we did not meet with them. For example, for 1 of our applications we used the address of a Texas elementary school in an area affected by Hurricane Ike. Prior to scheduling an inspection, the inspector called us from the school requesting clarification as to where we resided. We discontinued the application as a result of this call. Continued Weaknesses in Address and Identity Verification and Inspections: We were able to circumvent FEMA's initial controls by using valid identities with credit histories and by submitting fabricated identification and address information. For one of our registrations, these weaknesses, coupled with FEMA's failure to correctly inspect our fictitious address, allowed us to obtain rental assistance and duplicate reimbursements for fictitious hotel expenses. * Six of our 10 applications passed identity-verification controls on the first try through the Internet and over the phone, in part because we simulated the actions of an identity thief by using identities with legitimate dates of birth, SSNs, and credit histories.[Footnote 5] Because some of these identities were valid, FEMA appropriately did not find any verification errors. However, FEMA also did not identify the fact that one of the identities with a credit history showed that we lived outside the areas affected by the hurricanes. For 1 of our applications, we used a name and SSN that were linked to credit records in Virginia, with no record of activity in Texas or the surrounding area. In this way, a fraudster could steal an identity from anyone in the country and use it to pass FEMA's identity tests. * Five of our 10 applications eventually passed either identity or address verification or both because FEMA accepted fabricated supporting documents we submitted as legitimate. For example, for 1 of the applications, we registered by phone using a completely fake name, date of birth, and "999-XX-XXXX" as our SSN. FEMA requested that we provide additional documentation to prove our identity, so we faxed in a bogus college transcript. When we subsequently reviewed our applications with FEMA, we found that this bogus transcript was deemed sufficient proof of identification. Similarly, we were able to submit fabricated tax forms and utility bills to prove address and occupancy. When we asked FEMA officials about the process for handling supporting documentation, they told us they do not take any steps to verify the documents. The officials said that they only check to see whether the document appears to be tampered with. If it does, FEMA case workers or contractors will verify the document by calling any phone numbers listed on the document or performing Internet research. If the document appears to be valid, then no additional checks are performed. According to FEMA, our fabricated documents did not appear to be tampered with and therefore were immediately accepted as legitimate. * One of our applications received thousands of dollars in rental assistance because FEMA accepted our fabricated supporting documents and because FEMA approved the application without the inspector correctly inspecting the property or meeting with us in person. This application was also approved for a free hotel room and received duplicate payments for previously incurred hotel expenses. For this application, we used a name with a valid date of birth and SSN, but without any credit history. For our damaged address, we used a nonexistent street number on a real street in an area of Texas affected by Hurricane Ike. In response to FEMA's request for identity verification, we submitted an IRS form 1099, which can easily be found on the Internet, claiming that we worked for a bogus landscaping company on a nonexistent street. We also submitted a fabricated utility bill to verify our occupancy. A FEMA inspector attempted to contact us to schedule a date for an inspection, but we never set up a meeting. Ultimately, we were notified that we were eligible for rental assistance and housing assistance in a FEMA-paid-for hotel. However, because the approved dates for obtaining a hotel room were about to expire, we subsequently asked FEMA to reimburse us for previously incurred hotel expenses. As proof of our stay in the hotel, we submitted a bogus bill we created by changing the name and address on a letterhead from a hotel in the Washington, D.C., area. In total, we received just over $6,600 in assistance from FEMA for this application, including $4,465 for rental assistance and $2,197 for hotel-expense reimbursements. The $2,197 in hotel-expense reimbursements we received included duplicate reimbursements for our hotel expenses: one check for $1,098.50 from FEMA and another check in the same amount from FEMA's hotel contractor. Figure 1 depicts one of the rental assistance checks. Figure 1: Rental Assistance Check Obtained from Undercover Application: [Refer to PDF for image: copy of check] Source: GAO. [End of figure] In reviewing this application with FEMA officials, we asked why we received rental assistance without an inspection. FEMA told us that the inspector had performed an inspection and noted that the entire street where our fictitious address was supposed to be was destroyed. Although FEMA initially blocked us from receiving assistance because we were not present during the inspection, the case worker chose to override this decision because the case worker believed that the destruction of the entire street indicated that we had an immediate need for assistance. FEMA officials emphasized that the case worker should not have taken this action and we should not have received rental assistance. Finally, with regard to the duplicate payments we received for hotel expenses, FEMA told us that we may have received these payments because of a breakdown in the reimbursement process. Specifically, both FEMA and its lodging contractor made payments for expenses incurred at hotels by approved disaster applicants. FEMA typically sends a list of payments it has already made to the contractor. Using a manual process, the contractor reviews this list to determine what payments need to be made. With regard to the duplicate payment we received, the FEMA officials we spoke with speculated that the contractor simply missed the payment by FEMA during its review. After we brought this issue to their attention, FEMA officials told us that they were already conducting a review of the process to determine if the duplicate payment problem was widespread. As a result of this review, FEMA found that the lodging contractor made four additional duplicate payments. FEMA has flagged these payments for recoupment. Housing Assistance in FEMA-Paid-for Hotels: The following information describes (1) the control weaknesses related to FEMA's hotel housing program that we identified during our work on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, (2) the improvements we found as a result of our undercover tests during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, and (3) flaws that still exist in the hotel-assistance approval process. Weaknesses in the Hotel-Assistance Approval Process Identified after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Following Hurricane Katrina, FEMA provided displaced individuals with free hotel accommodations. However, FEMA did not require the hotels to collect registration information (such as FEMA registration numbers or SSNs) on individuals staying in the free rooms. Without this information, FEMA was not able to ensure that only valid disaster victims were receiving free hotel accommodations. As a result, we found that individuals stayed in free hotel rooms even though they were not eligible to receive any type of disaster assistance because they had never lived in residences damaged by the hurricanes. Improvements Identified during the Response to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike: According to FEMA, it strengthened controls over hotel assistance by requiring applicants seeking free lodging to (1) obtain a registration number from FEMA and (2) pass both identity and address verification. Once registrants received approval to check in to a hotel, they had to provide the hotel with a valid registration number, picture ID, and the last four digits of an SSN so that the hotel could check this information against a database maintained by FEMA's hotel contractor. Our undercover work confirmed that these controls were effective. For example, without applying for assistance and obtaining registration numbers, our investigators tried seven times to obtain hotel rooms just by claiming that they were victims of Hurricane Ike and showing bogus Texas drivers' licenses. They were denied rooms every time. In addition, when we tried to obtain hotel rooms with FEMA registration numbers that had not passed the identity and address- verification process, we were again denied rooms. Continued Weaknesses in the Hotel Assistance Approval Process: Despite the improvements we identified, we were still approved for hotel assistance on 4 of our 10 applications after we obtained registration numbers and passed identity and address verification using bogus supporting documentation. For one of these applications, we still received approval for transitional housing even though FEMA noted that the utility bill we submitted to prove our address was illegible. Ultimately, we checked into two different hotels using one of our bogus identities.[Footnote 6] Duplicate Registrations: The following information describes (1) the control weaknesses related to duplicate payments and registrations we identified during our work on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, (2) the improvements we found as a result of our undercover tests during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, and (3) flaws that still exist in the process FEMA uses to detect duplicate registrations. Weaknesses in Detecting Duplicate Registrations Identified after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: FEMA did not detect duplicate registrations or prevent duplicate payments after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We identified instances where FEMA made more than one payment to the same household that shared the same last name and damaged and current addresses. FEMA also made millions of dollars in duplicate payments to thousands of individuals who submitted claims for damages to the same primary residences for both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. FEMA officials explained that victims of both disasters are allowed only one set of IHP payments for the same damaged address and therefore only entitled to payments based on a single registration. Improvements Identified during the Response to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike: Improved data checks enabled FEMA to successfully prevent us from applying twice for Hurricane Gustav using the same identity. For example, we used the same damaged and current address information for two of our applications. When we subsequently reviewed our applications with FEMA officials, we saw that one of the applications had been flagged as being a duplicate and was about to be canceled. Continued Weaknesses in Detecting Duplicate Registrations: Although FEMA's controls prevented us from submitting duplicate information for the same disaster, FEMA did not detect that we submitted duplicate information for different disasters. Specifically, we were able to submit applications with the same name, SSN, and date of birth for both Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Ultimately, we received approval for transitional housing for this identity for Hurricane Ike, even though we had previously used the same identity with a different address to apply for assistance for Hurricane Gustav. Using the same address for two disasters in different states should have been an indicator of possible fraud. If the controls FEMA uses for duplicate registrations within a disaster would have been applied to duplicate registrations across disasters, our registration would have been flagged immediately. Some Disaster Victims Had Difficulty Registering for Assistance: We observed several deficiencies in the customer service FEMA provided to disaster victims. Specifically, had we been real disaster victims without Internet access, we would probably have been unable to obtain assistance in the immediate aftermath of the hurricanes. We also called actual disaster victims, many of whom told us that they experienced similar problems. According to FEMA, these problems occurred in part because the initial call center staffing model it developed for the 2008 hurricane season was overwhelmed by members of the media and high- level government officials encouraging the public to contact FEMA. However, data we received from FEMA show that these call centers were actually staffed well below FEMA's own estimates of peak staffing needs following the hurricanes. FEMA told us that this staffing deficiency was caused, in part, by difficulties associated with one of its contractors, but also stated that it had not planned to staff call centers up to levels necessary to handle peak call-volume needs. Despite problems we noted with FEMA's customer service following the hurricanes, it intends to rely on the same operational plan for the 2009 hurricane season. Difficulties Experienced by Undercover GAO Applicants and Real Disaster Victims: Although we encountered little or no difficulty when applying for assistance over the Internet, we observed several problems with FEMA's customer service when we made applications by phone. The following examples describe some of the problems we encountered: * Busy phone lines and long wait times. We could not immediately get through to the call centers when applying by phone. For one of our Hurricane Ike applications, an investigator had to call nine times over the course of 3 days before being able to speak to a call center staff member. During these calls, the investigator either got a recording saying "all agents are busy; try later" or was put on hold for 15 to 20 minutes before hanging up. On another Hurricane Ike application, the investigator called five times over the course of three days before getting through to a call center, experiencing similar busy messages and wait times. On a Hurricane Gustav application, the investigator had to call after 1:00 a.m. in order to speak with an operator. We identified similar problems when calling FEMA's help line to check on the status of our applications. For example, one investigator called the help line 13 times over the course of 8 days but never got through to an operator. * Incorrect information. Call center staff did not always give us accurate information. For example, although some of our fictitious applicants were told that inspectors would call to schedule inspections even though the applicant did not know the extent of damage to his property, one of our investigators was told he would not be scheduled for an inspection unless he provided a more precise account of his property damages. For another application, we had to fax supporting documentation in multiple times because we were initially given an incorrect fax number. * Delayed notification for hotel assistance. For two of our registrations that were approved for temporary housing, FEMA did not notify us in a timely manner, which prevented us from obtaining a hotel room. In an effort to understand the experiences of actual disaster victims, we contacted registrants chosen from a database provided by FEMA. About half of the individuals we spoke with told us that they did not experience any problems with FEMA's application process; the other half confirmed that they encountered delays in getting through to FEMA operators, problems scheduling inspections, and difficulties obtaining hotel rooms once they had been approved. FEMA permits registration for assistance over the Internet, but power outages may have forced many victims to seek assistance over the telephone. Table 1 highlights 10 of our conversations with disaster victims. Table 1: Customer-Service Problems Described by Disaster Victims: Call: 1; Hurricane: Ike; Application type: Internet; Details: * Registrant was unable to check into a FEMA-sponsored hotel in the affected area because there were no vacancies. Call: 2; Hurricane: Ike; Application type: Internet; Details: * Registrant was repeatedly "kicked off" the FEMA Web page when trying to register for disaster assistance; * Registrant was unable to check into a FEMA-sponsored hotel in the affected area because there were no vacancies. Call: 3; Hurricane: Ike; Application type: Internet; Details: * Registrant could only get through to speak to a FEMA helpline operator by placing calls between 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. Call: 4; Hurricane: Gustav; Application type: Phone; Details: * Registrant called FEMA over a dozen times before getting through to an operator to register for disaster assistance; * Registrant faxed FEMA documents to verify occupancy and receipts for reimbursement on five or six different occasions; * Each time the registrant called to confirm receipt of the faxed documents, a FEMA helpline operator would say the documents had not been received and would need to be refaxed; * Because of the many difficulties when trying to call or fax FEMA for assistance, the registrant stopped seeking disaster assistance from FEMA. Call: 5; Hurricane: Ike; Application type: Phone; Details: * Registrant called FEMA around six or eight times before getting through to an operator to register for disaster assistance; * Registrant was put on hold several times: once waiting 30 minutes before the FEMA operator returned to the line; * FEMA inspectors failed to show up to their appointment with registrant on five different occasions; * In order to finally get the property inspected, the registrant waited for over 2 hours at a local FEMA office to get an inspector to come out and inspect the damaged home. Call: 6; Hurricane: Gustav; Application type: Internet/phone; Details: * Registrant called FEMA six or seven times before getting through to an operator to register for disaster assistance; * Registrant said when she checks her status online, FEMA's system states she is approved for disaster assistance; however, telephone operators stated that the application was still being processed. Call: 7; Hurricane: Ike; Application type: Internet/phone; Details: * Registrant called FEMA several times before being able to register for disaster assistance; * Although FEMA scheduled an inspection of the registrant's property, an inspection never took place because the inspector did not show for the inspection appointment. Call: 8; Hurricane: Ike; Application type: Phone; Details: * Registrant called FEMA multiple times throughout the day for 2 weeks before getting through to an operator to register for disaster assistance; * Registrant said FEMA operators were never able to tell him if his home was located in a disaster area. Call: 9; Hurricane: Gustav and Ike; Application type: Phone; Details: * Registrant was placed on hold for 20 minutes before a FEMA operator returned to the line; * Registrant said FEMA operators were not able to answer her questions about the registration process and IHP. Call: 10; Hurricane: Ike; Application type: Internet; Details: * Registrant could only get through to FEMA when she called at 4:00 a.m. * FEMA said a home inspection would occur within 2 weeks. However, she waited 6 weeks for the inspector to perform a home inspection; * Registrant received conflicting information about the registration process from FEMA operators. Specifically, one operator stated she needed to register with the Small Business Administration before she could register with FEMA. Another operator told the registrant that FEMA and the Small Business Administration were the same entity. Source: GAO. [End of table] FEMA's Staffing Models and Call Center Operational Plan: FEMA cited several factors that contributed to poor customer service in the aftermath of Hurricanes Ike and Gustav: a higher-than-expected call volume, unmet staffing needs, contractor failure, and problems with its automatic call system. FEMA told us that although it intends to use a different contractor for the 2009 hurricane season, the agency will make no other changes to its call center operational plan. Higher-than-Expected Call Volume: FEMA told us that they received what they described as an overwhelming number of calls, especially from individuals that may not have otherwise asked for assistance, because the media and high-level government officials strongly encouraged the public to contact FEMA. For example, FEMA estimated that it would receive approximately 530,291 calls requesting assistance for Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, but it actually received a total of 1,195,213 calls--125 percent more than expected. FEMA officials also stated that many individuals who called FEMA had unrealistic expectations as a result of the widespread coverage of hurricane Katrina. In particular, many applicants called because they expected to receive an immediate $2,000 expedited assistance payment. Projected Call Center Needs Unmet: Data provided by FEMA show that FEMA fell short of its anticipated peak staffing needs. According to FEMA, call centers are typically staffed with a baseline number of personnel before a disaster takes place. To determine staffing, FEMA primarily relies on historical models, and the type and the size of a disaster. If FEMA determines that additional staff are needed after a disaster occurs, it relies on an interagency agreement with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and on contractors. According to FEMA, its four call centers[Footnote 7] were staffed with a baseline of 684 staff before Hurricanes Gustav and Ike hit. In preparation for Hurricane Gustav, FEMA determined that peak staffing levels at the call centers could be as high as 6,300 staff by September 4, 2008, 3 days after the hurricane would make landfall. However, FEMA data show that actual staffing levels were just below 1,100. In addition, FEMA determined that peak staffing levels at the call centers could be nearly 11,000 staff by September 15 in order to handle calls for both Hurricanes Ike and Gustav. However, once Hurricane Ike made landfall on September 13, FEMA data show there were only 1,378 personnel staffed at the call centers-- 75 percent below staffing estimates for that day. When asked about the significant difference between staff on hand and anticipated staffing requirements, FEMA officials stated staffing to meet short-term peaks is inefficient as it would require substantial resources to hire and train staff to peak levels, only to release them shortly thereafter due to decreased call volume. Contractor Failures: FEMA said that one contractor was not able to supply a sufficient number of staff in a short period of time, resulting in a lack of staff available at call centers. Specifically, FEMA told us that it entered into a temporary service contract awarded through the General Services Administration (GSA) to augment its call center staff. This contract limited the proposals to only those companies on the GSA schedule that were small businesses--businesses that FEMA believes were not equipped to handle its staffing issues. FEMA said that by the time it learned that only small businesses were under consideration, it could not afford to consider alternative routes. In addition, FEMA said that one of the small businesses it chose to work with indicated that it intended to team up with a large national staffing services company with greater resources, which initially gave FEMA confidence that the contractor could meet its staffing needs. However, FEMA said that it took over 2 weeks for the contractor to supply the numbers of temporary workers required to address the large call volume. In addition, as a change after Hurricane Katrina, call center operators had to undergo security screening prior to being able to work at the call centers. Before Katrina, operators could start work while the security check was in progress. FEMA said that this heightened security check prevented the contractor from providing additional staff in a timely fashion. FEMA officials told us they will not be using the same contractor for the upcoming hurricane season. Automatic Call System Issues: With regard to the issues we identified related to obtaining timely hotel approval, FEMA officials said that they received a large number of requests for free lodging. As a result, they established (1) a separate fax line to accept verification documentation and (2) an auto-dial system to inform people they were approved to check into a hotel. However, according to FEMA, there were problems with the auto-dial system, and therefore some individuals were not promptly informed that they were eligible for housing assistance. Conclusions: This investigation shows that FEMA has made significant progress in addressing the challenge of providing urgent disaster relief to individuals and communities in need of assistance, while simultaneously safeguarding its programs from fraud and abuse. By improving controls over IHP, FEMA has taken steps to provide reasonable assurance that fraud and abuse in this program is minimized. Given that the current hurricane season has begun, FEMA should incorporate lessons learned from our investigation to continue to improve its fraud-prevention program and address all of the customer-service issues we identified. Recommendations for Executive Action: We recommend that the Secretary of Homeland Security direct the Administrator of FEMA to take the following two actions: * Establish random checks to assess the validity of supporting documentation submitted by applicants to verify identity and address. * Assess the customer-service findings from this investigation and make improvements for future hurricane seasons in areas such as contractor readiness. Agency Comments: In written comments on a draft of this report, the Department of Homeland Security concurred with and agreed to implement both of our recommendations. We are sending copies of this report to the Secretary of Homeland Security, the FEMA Administrator, and interested committees. In addition, the report will be available at no charge on GAO's Web site at [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. If you or your staff have any questions regarding this report, please contact me at (202) 512-6722 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Contact points for our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last page of this report. Signed by: Gregory D. Kutz: Managing Director, Forensic Audits and Special Investigations: List of Committees: The Honorable Joseph Lieberman: Chairman: The Honorable Susan M. Collins: Ranking Member: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: United States Senate: The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson: Chairman: The Honorable Peter T. King: Ranking Member: Committee on Homeland Security: House of Representatives: The Honorable Edolphus Towns: Chairman: The Honorable Darrell Issa: Ranking Member: Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: House of Representatives: The Honorable Mary Landrieu: Chairman: The Honorable Lindsey Graham: Ranking Member: Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: United States Senate: The Honorable Thomas Carper: Chairman: Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: United States Senate: The Honorable Henry Cuellar: Chairman: The Honorable Mike Rogers: Ranking Member: Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response: Committee on Homeland Security: House of Representatives: [End of section] Appendix I: Comments from the Department of Homeland Security: U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Washington, DC 20528: June 11, 2009: Mr. Gregory Kutz: Managing Director: Forensic Audits and Special Investigations: U.S. Government Accountability Office: 441 G Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20548-001: Dear Mr. Kutz: Thank you for the opportunity to review the U.S. Government Accountability Office's (GAO's) draft report; Hurricanes Gustav and Ike Disaster Assistance: FEMA Strengthened its Fraud Prevention Controls, but Customer Service Needs Improvement (GAO-09-671). We appreciate that the report concludes FEMA has made significant progress in addressing the challenge of providing urgent disaster relief to individuals and communities in need of assistance, while simultaneously safeguarding its programs from fraud and abuse. We concur with the report's two recommendations. We will: (1) establish random checks to assess the validity of supporting documentation submitted by applicants to verify identity and address; and (2) assess the customer service findings from this investigation to implement improvements for the current and future hurricane seasons. Thank you for your contributions to strengthening a program which delivers emergency financial benefits to thousands of disaster victims each year. If there are any questions, please contact Michael Wetklow in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, at (202) 447-5196. Sincerely, Signed by: Peggy Sherry: Acting DHS Chief Financial Officer: [End of section] Footnotes: [1] GAO, Expedited Assistance for Victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: FEMA's Control Weaknesses Exposed the Government to Significant Fraud and Abuse, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-06-403T] (Washington, D.C.: Feb. 13, 2006); Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Disaster Relief: Improper and Potentially Fraudulent Individual Assistance Payments Estimated to Be Between $600 Million and $1.4 Billion, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-06-844T] (Washington, D.C.: June 14, 2006); and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Disaster Relief: Continued Findings of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-07-252T] (Washington, D.C.: Dec. 6, 2006). [2] 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5207. [3] According to FEMA, it implemented the Critical Needs Assistance (CNA) program to distribute $500 assistance checks to individuals who were in need of basic necessities, such as food, water, and shelter, after Hurricane Gustav. To be eligible for CNA, individuals had to apply for disaster assistance, pass identification-verification controls, verify their residence was damaged, and demonstrate the need for critical assistance. [4] In addition to the 10 applications mentioned above, we attempted to register other bogus identities through the Internet. We could not successfully register these identities due to identification- verification errors and were instructed to apply by phone. [5] It is important to note that we did not use the identities or addresses of real people to submit these applications. The identities were developed in coordination with federal agencies and credit- reporting agencies in order to simulate what an identity thief would do in a similar situation. Addresses were fictitious or nonresidential addresses. [6] However, we were unable to register for more than one room at a time. Specifically, when we tried to register for a second hotel room using this registration, the hotel checked the registration number against the database maintained by FEMA's hotel contractor and informed us that the system showed we were currently checked into another hotel. [7] The call centers, located in Texas, Maryland, Virginia, and Puerto Rico, serviced calls for both Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. [End of section] GAO's Mission: The Government Accountability Office, the audit, evaluation and investigative arm of Congress, exists to support Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and accountability of the federal government for the American people. GAO examines the use of public funds; evaluates federal programs and policies; and provides analyses, recommendations, and other assistance to help Congress make informed oversight, policy, and funding decisions. GAO's commitment to good government is reflected in its core values of accountability, integrity, and reliability. Obtaining Copies of GAO Reports and Testimony: The fastest and easiest way to obtain copies of GAO documents at no cost is through GAO's Web site [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. Each weekday, GAO posts newly released reports, testimony, and correspondence on its Web site. To have GAO e-mail you a list of newly posted products every afternoon, go to [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov] and select "E-mail Updates." Order by Phone: The price of each GAO publication reflects GAO's actual cost of production and distribution and depends on the number of pages in the publication and whether the publication is printed in color or black and white. Pricing and ordering information is posted on GAO's Web site, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/ordering.htm]. Place orders by calling (202) 512-6000, toll free (866) 801-7077, or TDD (202) 512-2537. Orders may be paid for using American Express, Discover Card, MasterCard, Visa, check, or money order. Call for additional information. To Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Federal Programs: Contact: Web site: [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/fraudnet/fraudnet.htm]: E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com: Automated answering system: (800) 424-5454 or (202) 512-7470: Congressional Relations: Ralph Dawn, Managing Director, firstname.lastname@example.com: (202) 512-4400: U.S. Government Accountability Office: 441 G Street NW, Room 7125: Washington, D.C. 20548: Public Affairs: Chuck Young, Managing Director, email@example.com: (202) 512-4800: U.S. Government Accountability Office: 441 G Street NW, Room 7149: Washington, D.C. 20548:


text: Recheck your Windows performance. It is impossible to get anything approaching 100Mbit throughput from this card: it is a 16-bit card, and the 16-bit PCMCIA bus has a maximum throughput of 1.5-2 MB/sec. So unless D-Link has found a way to push 100Mbits of data through a 15Mbit pipe, I think your Windows performance numbers were incorrect? -- Dave


text:
What is there really to say? I love reading the Harry Potter books and watching the movies along with reading Harry Potter Fan Fic so I joined to be able to leave reviews for the stories I like.
And for those people like me that actually read these bios, here is something to read.
Ship: Harry/Ginny, Ron/ Hermione, Remus/Tonks, James/Lily, Simply put anything canon but I sometimes read Draco/Hermione Fics.
I absolutely love reading especially fantasy which I would have to say is my favorite. I am always reading a book and once I start a good book I find it impossible to put it down. I am planning to get my Masters Degree in Library Information Science and become a Librarian. :-)
Favorite Books: The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Inheritance Cycle, A Thousand Tomorrows, The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and many more. Also the Dirk Pitt Novels and the Kurt Austin Novels by Clive Cussler
Favorite Movies: The Harry Potter Series, The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, All the James Bond Movies, Sweat Home Alabama,
Favorite Actresses: Keira Knightley, Emma Watson, Reese Witherspoon
Favorite Actors: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloon, Viggo Mortensen, Hugh Jackman, Pierce Brosnan, Josh Lucas
Favorite Harry Potter Book: Prisoner of Azkaban
Favorite Harry Potter Movie: I really kinda hold a grudge against the movies because they are for the most part poorly casted and not like the books. But if you really want an answer it would be Order of the Phoenix.
I also love watching NASCAR, and Professional Bull Riding (PBR) and Pro-Rodeo.
Favorite NASCAR Drivers: Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Kasey Kahne
Favorite PBR Bull Riders: Justin McBride, Luke Snyder, Brian Canter
Favorite Calf Roper: Tuf Cooper ;-)


text:
He was born Nov. 18, 1953, in Russellville to the late Clem and Ruby Nell Roach Pigeon. He worked in quality control for Petit Jean Poultry. He loved fishing and hunting, and most of all his family.
He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Yolanda Pigeon.
Survivors include sons, John Pigeon of Russellville and Lewis Gene Pigeon of Lamar; a daughter, Amanda DuVall of Atkins; one sister, Carol Lievsay of Pottsville; and five grandchildren.
Cremation arrangements are by Cornwell Funeral Home and River Valley Cremations in Dardanelle. Online guest book and condolences at www.cornwellfuneralhomes.com.


text:
DailyTech recently
reported on a project underway by the European Space Agency to study
the effects of radiation on astronauts who may be in space for prolonged
periods of time. The ion beam generator at GSI promises the ability to study
such effects on delicate tissues.
A research group at Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer
Center agrees with the dangers that
interplanetary and future interstellar travel may pose to space-faring men
and women. Experiments performed on mice with high-LET, or linear energy
transfer radiation, similar to the kind of radiation astronauts may experience,
has shown increased risk factors for cancers and premature aging.
The tests showed that exposure to high-LET radiation causes concentrated
amounts of free radicals in mice gastrointestinal tracts, as well as an
elevated level of stress response gene expression. Free radicals cause an
oxidative environment, which can often lead to the formation of cancerous cells.
Also observed in the study was a premature aging affect on the animals. The
exposed mice's fur turned grey much earlier in their life than normal. The
research group intends to conduct MRI brain scans to determine if there were
other aging affects caused by the radiation exposure.
High-LET radiation can be composed of several things including gamma radiation,
high-energy protons, and charged iron particles. Solar flares contain high
amounts of high-LET radiation. Space travelers will be subject to this and
other types of radiation constantly and from all directions.
The dangerous difference between human-employed radiation, such as that of
medical imaging and radiotherapies, which is considered low-LET, and
space-dwelling radiation is its effect on tissues. While low-LET radiation has
a low impact diffuse effect, high-LET emissions cause damage to localized
One thing both studies agree on is the need for more data on the dangers of
space travel to humans. The more scientists understand about these dangers, the
safer space travel will become. Engineers will design safer craft while medical
scientists develop means to combat radiation exposure. Perhaps with something
as simple as an anti-radiation
pill supplement, Mars-bound men and women will weather the long voyage with
less duress and return safely and healthily to Earth.


text: Headed out at 7:30 on Saturday with expectations of flat seas. Wind was out of the NW at about 15. NOAA was a little off ... Started trolling at about 130' and caught a baracuda about 150. Kept heading out and found the edge of the steam at about 320'. Seas picked up to about 5-7 but got better as the day went on. Water was clear and blue on the east side. There was debri on the edge but it was pretty scattered and did not appear to be holding anything in particular. Action was steady and we caught a few more baracudas, 3 sharks (tripple header), and boated 5 phins (10-15 lbs). Lost 3 other phins . Seas layed down and we had a cumfortable ride in at about 2 pm. All in all a great day on the water!


text:
"It was a hard thing to write," Lane says now. "Because you're writing about failure. And I was hesitant at first to do it. But eventually, after writing it, I felt a lot better. It was almost therapeutic."
[RELATED: Learn to write smarter at our PR Writers Summit.]
"Writing, I figure, at least any writing worth reading, isn't done by committee, and though I haven't always been strong enough to live by this precept, I'll stand by it nonetheless: Your vision is your own, for better or worse."
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text:
Catalina Island Vacation Rentals Company Profile
Catalina Island Vacation Rentals offers the largest selection of vacation lodging on Catalina Island with nearly 200 privately owned properties, ranging from our beautiful villas at Hamilton Cove to quaint cottages, houses and condos in the charming resort village of Avalon, California. Additionally, CIVR now offer two beautiful casas in Two Harbors, located on Catalina's remote West End. Our unique rental properties are designed to make you feel more at home. Our rental homes have exceptional views of either the mountains or the ocean. Look through our website, and then call and let one of our professional reservation agents help you plan one of the finest getaways you'll ever experience! Only 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, the charming little island of Catalina awaits your arrival. This island paradise invites visitors to indulge in romantic getaways, reunite for family holidays, or just escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. This island paradise boasts a wealth of untouched wilderness, including 76 square miles of forest, clean beaches and rugged coastline where seals and otters find refuge.


text:
Roger Weholtz
Roger Weholtz is the new interim leader for the Colorado Department of Corrections. Tending to the prison system, Weholtz is also expected to lead efforts already underway to evaluate the state's parole system, work on the Prison Utilization Study, as well as repurpose the Fort Lyon Correctional Facility and implement the department's strategic plan. Weholtz, who retired from the Kansas Department of Corrections in December 2010, comes to his new position with 28 years of corrections experience under his belt.


text:
'Fag Pimp' Russell Brand Brings Gay Men and Westboro Baptist Church Members Together for the Hell of It
On the most recent episode of his late-night talk show/stand up comedy hybrid Brand X, host Russell Brand invited two members of the much-reviled Westboro Baptist Church — convert Steve Drain and founder Fred Phelps' son Timothy — to explain themselves before an audience of Hell-bound heathens.
The interview seemed headed for certain doom when the WBC members wasted no time in presenting Brand with a custom-made WBC protest sign that read "PIMP FAG BRAND." But Brand took their trolling in stride and soldiered on, ultimately managing to engage the hatemongers in a surprisingly civil discussion of faith and interpretation.
That is, until he brought out three of his gay friends.


text:
my favourite is Dendritic (scenic ) Agate, it looks like some very talented painter draw some lovely scene inside a mineral,
perfection of the nature!
Oh so many to choose from!
I went to the natural history museum in Geneva a couple of years ago (while I was working there - made a very enjoyable break on a rainy weekend). One of their permanent exhibits was of minerals under UV light - showing their fluorescence. Some were a-ma-zing!
There's a little selection in the piccy here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescence
(click on the piccy to enlarge).


text:
Your shopping cart is currently empty.Continue shopping
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A large crystal is topped by smaller crystals & silver cats and moon.
Held sacred by ancient Egyptians, cats symbolize mystery and watchfulness. These cats admire the moon together above a cluster of crystals that sparkle and shine. Sun streaming through the crystals fills your room with rainbows.Works equally well as a sun catcher or Christmas ornament. Hang it in your office or dorm room - it's especially beautiful when hanging in the window or in front of a light.Not boxed, instead this crystal suncatcher comes with a sheer organza gift bag.Recommended for indoor use.Woodstock Crystal Suncatchers - they do for light what our chimes do for sound. Click here for Crystal Suncatcher gift ideas


text:
Japan Fondly Remembers an American Film Friend
The news of the death Tuesday of Japanese cinema and culture expert Donald Richie drew appreciation from a country that credited the American for introducing Japan's postwar culture to the world.
While Mr. Richie was best known for his book on Japan's most famous directors, Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu, he cast a spotlight on lesser-known figures as well. Movie director Shusuke Kaneko sent out a note via Twitter saying: "I owe him. He spotted my film 'Summer Vacation In 1999′ and introduced it overseas. As a result, the movie was selected as a new film by a new director at New York Museum of Modern Art in 1988."
"As a student, I learned from his books" on Kurosawa and Ozu, wrote another director, Takashi Shimizu.


text:
Christie Nolan is interested, apparently
and that's great but, by and large, this looks like a "marketing over reality" stupidity blitzkreig, really.
You can now employ two woefully underutilized parts of your body to speed your PC workflow: your tootsies. Keith McMillen Instruments of Berkeley, California, has released the SoftStep KeyWorx, a USB foot-operated input device that combines the company's SoftStep USB/MIDI foot controller – a musician's stomp-pad – with KeyWorx …
and that's great but, by and large, this looks like a "marketing over reality" stupidity blitzkreig, really.
You can already get USB foot-operated input devices - they're called pedals. Popular with players of driving games and with musicians (piano pedals or guitar pedal). Prices range from £50 to £150 depending on quality and functionality. Needless to say, they haven't taken off in popularity amongst office workers.
I have 10 tootsies, not 2, but I suppose that merkins may be differently configured.
quite a feat.
That's the problem with all these "bespoke" input devices, they are all so fucking overpriced. That's why they are generally sold to musicians, because musicians are seen as cash cows who will pay any price for "quality" - even if it is just a piece of plastic that you step on - for fucks sake!
did you read that back before posting?
you tend to not so much to step as _STEP!_ on the thing.
it needs to be pretty well screwed together, Ive had my guitar fx board for a few years now, and tapdanced on it every day and I have never had a problem with it. In the same time I have gone through 3 <qwerty>keyboards.
Qwerty boards at about £40 a pop
Pedal board £200
so that'll be why then.
On a separate note I could easily do this with the kit I have, but I dont, for this simple reason it is an incredibly stupid idea. (okay controling my DAW with it makes a bit of sense, but not much)
a> Theres not enough feedback from the switches (a combination of beefy switches and the sole of ones shoe ) to be sure they were pressed without looking - which is a chore if you have it parked under your desk.
b>The '100's' of functions are all arranged in banks of 10 and each bank is only sequentially accesible - therefore on average 6 keystrokes per patch (see point a) or if there is a direct address mode then 2 operations (again see point a, made worse by having to find the switch before pressing it)
pah! marketing hype
Personally, I'm a bit of a defeetist.
I used the foot switches for the control, alt & shift keys, function keys, Sun's "L" keys, and a couple other key bindings in EMACS. Was more trouble than it was worth, so I never pursued it. A friend of mine took my breadboard rig & used the basic idea for alternative input devices for disabled folks while getting his Masters at Stanford.
I was thinking of the disability market. A handy keyboard for the not-so-handy.
Still... there are times when having a foot-switch for various computing tasks comes in handy, and it might just provide enough leg movement to keep blood circulation going. Hopefully they'll be enough of a demand and they'll be readily available enough to keep the cost down for those who really can use them.
(Dunno about you, but I'm hopeless typing on a regular keyboard with my feet.)
For no clear reason they've made it a right-footed-only thing?
With a little redesign (rotating the numbers and putting the extra keys more centrally etc) you'd have a left-handed version.
Not sure if want
.. only need two fingers.
Unless they are writing in COBOL...
Yep, one for the CTRL key the other for 'C' or 'V'
...use butterflies. http://xkcd.com/378/
We had some pedals knocking around that were used by legal secretaries to control the playback of voice recordings made on dictaphones. They seemed to work pretty well actually.
I did a custom configuration on them and got certain macros and key combinations running but gradually stopped using them because I couldn't be bothered! Always ended up missing the pedal or they'd have moved slightly or something that it was actually quicker just to use the keyboard.
that pianists have 77 keys for the fingers and three pedals? I never learned to play, but suspect there might be a reason.
But it reminds me of Tom Lehrer on George Murphy: "We can't expect America to win against her foes/With no one in the Senate who can really tap his toes." I guess you could scan "cube farm" as a drop-in for "Senate".
And a standard keyboard has 88 keys.
I'd expound on this, but Wiki[1] has a couple pretty good articles on the subject:
The device I experimented with started life as a Moog Taurus. The eight pedals provided (theoretically) 256 binary "cord" options[2], but in reality with only two feet I couldn't manage quite that many. I'll leave it as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly how many ;-)
[1] I almost never recommend Wikipedia ...
[2] You do know how to count to 1024 using your fingers, right?
> pianists have 77 keys for the fingers and three pedals?
Now go and look at a decent church organ.
They have lots of pedals. And you can tell when a convential pianist takes over, because all the bottom end drops away...
I think you mean 0 to 1023
church organs have tons of pedals and can only be played by a genetically mutated organis-t/m
(almost proud of that!)
It's not so much the number of limbs (although accuracy is an issue feet v fingers, more the number of cores running the show - i.e. 1.
piano aint exactly easy but seeing proper church organists at work is unbelievable.
and in his spare time hes the fastest data entry 'professional' in the cube farm!
Only if you're a machine. I use my left big toe for the overflow bit ;-)
On a related note, why are Christmas and Halloween the same?
Dec 25 == Oct 31 ...
Yes, but everyone gets offended when I get to 132 (decimal)...
Guess that's what this orangutan is doing then: http://gallery.longlandclan.yi.org/gallery.cgi/humour/up_yours.jpg (safe-for-work).
I taught my daughter how to use alternative base numbering systems right from the git-go ... A little over two decades ago, when she was around 7 or eight, she started using the phrase "132 you" ... it took me almost a week to figure it out ... When I did, I busted a gut laughing.
Smart critters are a joy to train, two-footed or four-footed :-)
There's absolutely no problems making a cheap bit of plastic that someone steps on. If you want them to be able to step on it *twice* and still work, though, it needs a bit more mechanical strength.
Then you make it pressure-sensitive - not just a binary on-off. Of course that's cheap, to make something that's pressure-sensitive and easily controllable with no more than ankle strength, whilst also being able to take the full weight of some 300lb bloke who steps on it? Not.
Then you put a chip in it to output MIDI over MIDI and USB interfaces, and you write Windows drivers for it. Also cheap, right? Not.
This isn't a mass-market gadget - most people won't need it. But if you need those features, $280 is not a bad price. It really, really isn't just a switch in a box.
..that I'll be toeing the line on this one.
The stench in the office will be ridiculous
The problem is in getting the volume orders to enable low sale-price production (always has been). After that, there is the problem of setting up, etc, which would need a technically competent assistant for a short while.
This and similar devices have been 'possible' for many years but there is little incentive for volume manufacture.
For a disabled person using their feet, a foot operated trackball would seem to be a good idea, perhaps with more friction than the usual hand operated trackballs.
"Come, Watson, come! The game is afoot."
I modded a KVM switch to work with a foot pedal so I could quickly swap between two PCs.
Don't need it now but it worked awesomely.
If you want to increase tactile productivity, the best things you can do are get a one-handed keyboard, or better but far more expensive eye tracking kit. Most data entry time in programming is spent moving your hand from the mouse to the keyboard, and having to reacquire the keys.
..you don't know what the accelerator or short cut keys are :)
..you mean stomb noxes?
It could be vaguely useful in say.. entering phone numbers in a database, particularly on a numpad free lappy keyboard.. but I imagine I'd end up having to slow down to remember where they are much as I do when entering numbers on a keyboard, take into that the minor confusion of switching from hands to feet when going from numbers to letters or tabbing to the next field.
Then we get on to the size of the thing for it to really be tactile. F**k it, I'll make do with my keyboard thanks.
that would be interesting.
If you consider some tyrannical boss who is out for extra productivity then there may be an opening for the broom somewhere.
for writing most blogs :-)
I knew a couple of smart techies that cobbled together footpedals for WorldOfWarcraft, before ZBoards and Logitechs G14 and 97-button mice became de rigeur. they'd use them for simple [shift] and [ctrl] on-off toggles and reckoned it gave them a competitive edge, so that 4-5 years, right there.
though if you're genuinely interested in different input devices, everyone I have spoken to thats tried ones loves Datahands (google it) they're a little hard to get hold of (kind of like genuine cherry reds) right now due to some manufacturer migration or something, but they seem pretty awesome.
I could really do with a mouse substitute tbh - have a permanently sore shoulder these days from 20 odd years of constant mousing (I'm guessing here - but it seems to be worse when I finish work so makes sense). I probably should just force myself into using shortcut keys instead of the mouse but a foot operated mouse wouldn't be an entirely bad idea for office work.
I'd probably just end up with a sore hip though :(
at last, a useful input device for an iPad; all users should carry one of these around


text:
Each week our friends at Street Date review the latest albums to hit the market. Check out their reviews before you buy!
During this year's NFL playoffs [lastfm]Wiz Khalifa[/lastfm]'s hometown jam for Pittsburgh, "Black and Yellow," became something of an unofficial anthem for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they made their way to the Superbowl.
The Steelers unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you feel about the Green Bay Packers) lost, but the exposure the song received from their deep playoff run vaulted [lastfm]Wiz Khalifa[/lastfm] into the national spotlight.
In fact, the song was so successful that in anticipation of the game [lastfm]Lil Wayne[/lastfm] created an alternate version for the Packers called "Green and Yellow"! Now, two months later, Khalifa has released a full album called Rolling Papers, and though people looking for an entire tracklist of Black and Yellow's might be disappointed, it definitely delivers on what longtime fans would hope for.
Previous to Rolling Papers, [lastfm]Wiz Khalifa[/lastfm] had established a reputation based upon some strong mixtape releases – his latest entitled Kush and OJ – put him on people's "to watch" list. Khalifa put out his first mixtape Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania when he was a senior in highschool.
By hanging around his local recording studio as much as he could, the young [lastfm]Wiz Khalifa[/lastfm] was able to impress the producers enough to get access to new beats and free studio time. Following Prince of the City, Khalifa independently released his first LP, Show and Prove and was soon being courted by major labels.
With these mixtapes he established his signature laid-back, stoner vibe and a strong local fan base to go along with it. [lastfm]Wiz Khalifa[/lastfm] exells when he's given a smooth, lush beat to ride. His lyrics aren't exactly groundbreaking, but he's got some good lines for sure ("Ain't no love lost/ but there wasn't no love shown/ so now when n*ggas call I just don't pick up the phone"). On top of that, he knows how to deliver a good hook.
Rolling Papers doesn't stray too far from his formula, but highlight tracks like "The Race," "On My Level" and "Roll Up" nail it. [lastfm]Wiz Khalifa[/lastfm] is successfully establishing himself in the game with the breakthrough success of this album, but, more importantly, he's giving his hometown – the blue-collar Pittsburgh, PA – a sound of its own. Drawing from [lastfm]Jay-Z[/lastfm] on the East Coat, [lastfm]Curren$y[/lastfm] down Southern and the Mid-Western [lastfm]Bone Thugs-N-Harmony[/lastfm], Khalifa has put ol' "Black and Yellow" on the map.
Be sure to check out the hot video for single "Roll Up":
If you like what you hear, check out Rolling Papers available now at iTunes and Amazon.


text:
Bauman: Phils set up for return in '10
Getting Hamels, Lidge on track will be key moving forward
By /
The Phillies came up short in their attempt to become the first National League team to win back-to-back World Series since the 1975-76 Cincinnati Reds. But that was their only failing in 2009. And coming in second in the World Series to a team as good as the New York Yankees is not a particularly large failing.
The Yankees defeated the Phils, 7-3, on Wednesday night to win the 2009 World Series in six games. As disappointing as this defeat was, the Phillies have earned the right to look to the future with confidence.
"I'll tell you something, we will be back," manager Charlie Manuel said. "As [Douglas] MacArthur said, I guess, 'We will be back.' "
(For those of you keeping score at home, Gen. MacArthur said, on the topic of returning to the Philippines in World War II and retaking the islands from the Japanese: "I shall return." The manager had the sense of the quote. The difference between "we" and "I" may have been that MacArthur was a terrific general, but he was also a "me" guy, unlike Manuel.)
The Phillies did not win their second straight World Series, but they did not fall far. Like the 2008 Phillies, the 2009 team was tough-minded and resilient. It was also an impressive offensive club, with imposing power combined with speed. The Phillies led the NL in runs scored and were fourth in the Majors. They led the NL in homers, and were tied for second overall. They were second in the NL in stolen bases and seventh overall. It could very easily be argued that this was baseball's most diversified offense.
And the Phillies proved again in the postseason that they were the class of the National League. They defeated the Rockies and the Dodgers by a combined seven games to two in the playoffs. There certainly was drama involved in some of the individual NL postseason games, but the Phillies didn't leave a lot of doubt about the eventual outcome.
Lidge was perfect in save opportunities in 2008 -- 48-for-48 including the postseason. This season he had an unthinkable 7.21 ERA in the 2009 regular season. He recovered in the first two postseason rounds, but then, in Game 4 of the World Series, he gave up three runs in the ninth inning and the Yankees took command of the series, 3-1. When a save situation presented itself in Game 5, Manuel went with Ryan Madson to close the game.
Hamels' decline, as it pertained to the postseason, was a near-total reversal of form. He dominated the 2008 postseason, being named the MVP in both the NL Championship Series and the World Series. But in the 2009 postseason, he compiled a 7.58 ERA in four starts. His Game 3 loss was pivotal. Had there been a Game 7, it would have been his turn to pitch in the Phillies' rotation, but there was a sizable body of opinion that the Phillies should find another alternative.
The Phillies compensated for Hamels' shortcomings when general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. traded for another top-shelf lefty, Cliff Lee. Lee was nothing less than brilliant in the postseason and made it possible for the Phillies to come this far, but without Hamels pitching effectively the chances of beating a club as good as the Yankees was dramatically reduced.
Hamels is just 25. Given good health, there is no reason why he cannot regain his form and fulfill his potential. Lidge underwent a previous career slump and recovered. After some terrific seasons with the Astros, including 2005, in which the Houston club reached the World Series, Lidge's performance fell off and he fell out of favor. But he regrouped and came back to have the terrific 2008 season. He is 32, and his stuff remains remarkable. He could come back again.
"I know we can do better because as I sit here tonight, I know Hamels is going to be better and I know Lidge is going to be better," Manuel said after the Game 6 loss. "I can tell you guys that. I know that. So, therefore, that's going to make us better."
The Phillies have the bulk of their considerable talent tied up contractually. They require only some fine-tuning. More pitching depth would help, but there are roughly 29 clubs in that situation, the vast majority of them with significantly less potential than the Phillies.
Manuel, who sets a tone that allows good baseball players to play good baseball, will remain an essential part of the winning equation. Looking toward the future, he likes not only his team's talent, but its intangible qualities.
"We want to keep what we've got as far as attitude and chemistry and ... our philosophy on how to play," Manuel said. "We love to play baseball. Those are definitely the things that helped get us where we're at today, and those are the things that are going to keep us where we're at is our desire and our love to play baseball and always working on trying to play it right."
Suggesting that the 2010 World Series will include the Philadelphia Phillies making a third straight appearance is hardly a far-fetched notion. Based on what this club has become, it is much closer to a likely outcome.
Mike Bauman is a national columnist for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text: "The police suspect that the sheriff, who was running in a nasty re-election campaign against Robert Garcia, the mayor's wealthy brother, shot Garcia in an isolated park area during a Fourth of July celebration.... The astute, down-to-earth Sister Agatha, whose choice to become a nun the authors make persuasively real, gets on a trail that uncovers drug and spousal abuse. Hopefully, despite an impending move to Colorado, Sister Agatha will return to solve more crimes with her trusted former police dog, Pax, and the convent's old station wagon she drives, the Antichrysler."Publishers Weekly


text:
I was just wondering if there are ways to append or withdraw dynamically allocated memory.
Say I've got an array:
int *array;
array = new int[20000];
and assign values to the array. If I now want the array to contain
21000 elements with the first 20000 elements being the same, do I have to allocate a buffer to contain the 20000 elements, then delete the original buffer, allocate a new:
array = new int[21000];
and assign the first 20000 elements, delete the buffer and assign values to the 1000 last elements, or(I guess you see where this is going) can I just append 1000 elemnts to the original array.
The buffer technique, for large arrays, can cause considerable memory problems! although I guess an append function would also run across some problems.
Anyway, are there such functions?


text:
Fans of the Beach Boys can now pre-order the band's 50th anniversary tour DVD which is set to be released on November 20th. Recently, The Beach Boys released a new music DVD, titled The Boys Are Doin It Again, which includes a handful of live performances, a look behind the scenes of their most recent recordings, never before seen film footage of the 1966 "Good Vibrations" recording process and heartwarming tributes to past members Carl and Dennis Wilson.
The even newer DVD, titled The Beach Boys Live In Concert – 50th Anniversary Tour, features hours of concert footage including tons of the band's hit songs, album cuts and even some new ones – plus interviews with the boys and much more. Brian Wilson is quoted in the trailer, saying how happy he is that this concert was captured on film "so that everyone, whether you were there or not, will be able to see what an historical event it was."
Check out the set list on the upcoming Live DVD: The Beach Boys Live In Concert – 50th Anniversary Tour
- Do It Again
- Catch A Wave
- Hawaii
- Marcella
- Isn't It Time
- Little Deuce Coupe
- 409
- Shut Down
- I Get Around
- Heroes And Villains
- Sloop John B
- Wouldn't It Be Nice
- All This Is That
- That's Why God Made The Radio
- Sail On, Sailor
- Good Vibrations
- California Girls
- Help Me Rhonda
- Rock And Roll Music
- Kokomo
- Fun, Fun, Fun
–Vincent Roszkowski, WCBS-FM


text:
Kauffman Stadium 10-02-2010
Another early bird tour would serve me well. Since the last two games I was sitting behind the Tampa Bay Ray dugout and not one baseball was tossed my way despite my TB gear. I was slightly disappointed with the Rays. But I was fine with that. I had three baseballs in as many games, and I was going for the 100 baseball mark today. And it started off looking very promising. As soon as we were released into the stands by the tour guide, I ran down the steps and started calling to Zack Greinke. He was walking towards two baseballs. He scooped the up and randomly tossed them into the seats. Since I was the first one down that way I had an easy shot at atleast one of them. I heard the pounding footsteps of competition behind me but I remained calm, played the ball as it rolled around, and leaned over the seats to scoop it up. It was a daring move because the ball was on a roll. Ive learned that when a baseball is hit or thrown into the seats you want to carefully play the ball as it rolls. I try not to get overly aggressive and chase it down to the very row it was thrown to because it generally rolls down the aisles.
I heckled Greg Holland a little bit about the other day with the annoying kid, and we shared some laughs. It wouldnt take long, and Mike Aviles would rip a foul ball into the same area where Greinke had tossed a baseball. I was the only one there so I just casually jogged that way, and let the ball roll right into my glove with no competition within miles. I got an approving smile, and nod from the tour guide, and I went about my business. The second baseball that I got I probably wasnt supposed to have. Or it was just fate or luck or whatever a person would want to think. I mean, getting this ball was like winning the lottery. I should have probably played the lottery after this. It was getting close to 5:30pm. Seven minutes. Then the gates would open, and people would pour in. After that foul ball I retrieved off the bat of Mike Aviles, he would put two more deep into the outfield, and one baseball bounced into the seats. I watched this whole thing playout.
I figured a security guard would have seen it or a kid or someone. But nothing. Five minutes before the gates would open, and all of a sudden out from behind the batters eye some teenaged kid went down to where the ball was, and he started frantically searching for the baseball. He walked all the way down to the wall, and he started asking baseball players for a baseball. It wasnt but a moment later someone tossed him a baseball, and off he went. I couldnt believe it! He didnt see the ball! Or he grabbed it, and I didnt see him grab it! The ball must be well hidden, I thought to myself. Like its stuck in a cupholder, or wedged down in a seat. Three minutes. I had to move. I had to do something. The security guards were taking their positions. I had to risk getting ejected or yelled at. I had to. I started up the stairs towards the outfield. I scanned around. The tour guide was busy with conversating with the fans. This was my break. I scampered up the stairs, and fast-paced walked towards the outfield. The "Take me out to the ball game" jingle roared over the loudspeaker. The gates were opening! I bolted towards the outfield seats. I raced passed a security guard that was seeing what I was seeing. There it was! Are you kidding me?! The baseball was in the middle of the first aisle out in the open! How could that kid not see that?! No matter. It was mine.
To my suprised the ball I scooped up was an Inaugural Season baseball from Target Field. Ive been wanting one of these all season. I never did make it out to Target Field. But it didnt matter now. I had one, and as I dropped it into my bag I noticed something else on another ball. Could it be? Yup! I had two of them! Greinke could have tossed it to me, or it could have been the Mike Aviles foul ball. I felt like going home. Mission accomplished. I came away with not one, but TWO of these baseballs! As I hung around the bullpen Jeremy Hellickson of the Tampa Bay Rays started to head in there. He was actually going to retrieve some baseballs? That would be a first. But of course he was new. So I hung around, and called to him. He fired one to me but it came up short. He tossed another one to me, and I grabbed it. Number four and the final baseball of the game. I sat behind the dugout of the Rays all game, and no luck. I tried to get the umpire to toss me one, no luck. The Rays from the bullpen didnt toss me one either.
So that concludes the regular season for me. Im planning on making it out to Great American BallPark Monday if the Reds can win Game 3. It should be fun. It will be my second playoff game, and Im eager to try to snag some baseballs.
I hope everyone had a great baseball season, and an even better postseason!
Game; October 2nd 2010 Tampa Bay Rays Vs Kansas City Royals
Gameballs; Four
Autographs; None
Attendance; 24,871